Gidado Idris, Former SGF, Dies at 82 after Protracted Illness Bennett Oghifo Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mallam Gidado Idris, GCON, is dead. He was 82. Family sources told THISDAY last nigth that the highly distinguished retired civil servant died yesterday at an
Abuja hospital after a protracted illness. Mallam Idris, who served Nigeria for forty-two years in different capacities, rose to the highest position in the civil service before retiring in 1999. He was born into the royal Idris family in the ancient city of Zaria on March 15, 1935. The late Idris was a trusted
aide of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the first premier of Northern Nigeria. Unfortunately, he had the misfortune of identifying the corpse of the late premier and that of his wife, Hajia Yanguwan who was also killed with him during the 1966 coup. With others, late Idris arranged a befitting burial for
the late premier according to Muslim rites. He was educated at the Institute of Administration, Zaria and the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. He was District officer for Benue, Sardauna and Adamawa provinces, which in the present day Nigeria will be equivalent to governor.
He later became Private and Personal Secretary to the late Ahmadu Bello. He served as Permanent Secretary in Kaduna state from 1971 to 1975. Late Idris was appointed Secretary of the Constitution Drafting Committee in 1975 and in 1976, he was also appointed Secretary of the Constituent Assembly. He was appointed first Clerk
of the National Assembly in 1979. Between 1984 and 1986, he was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs. Between 1986 and 1988, he became the Chairman of Productivity, Prices and Income board. Shortly after, he became Continued on page 6
NNPC Orders Security Agencies to Go After Marketers Hoarding Products ... Page 6 Saturday 16 December, 2017 Vol 22. No 8276 Price: N250
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PDP to APC: Apologise to Nigerians on the War against Boko Haram Approval of $1 bn for war curious, alarming Fayose: NGF's support not unanimous Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Following the approval of
$1 billion for the war against Boko Haram, to be taken from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), the opposition Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday demanded that an apology be tendered to Nigerians by the All Progressives
Congress-led federal government “for deceiving Nigerians on the state of war against Boko Haram.”
In a related development, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has denied being part of the 36 state governors that
allegedly gave the federal government the go ahead to Continued on page 6
Buhari: Many Stranded Blacks in Libya Claiming to Be Nigerians Others claim to be Nigerians when they are not because they have destroyed their travel papers. We can't claim them, except there is proper documentation Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday raised the alarm about hundreds of stranded black Africans in Libya, whom he said were claiming to be Nigerians, thus, making the evacuation of genuine Nigerians tasking. According to a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President stated this during a meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, at the State House, Abuja. Buhari added that it was important to authenticate the origin of the people in distress before being evacuated. The Nigerian President told Mahamat: "We are trying to bring as many as possible from Libya, but not every Black man is a Nigerian. Others claim to be Nigerian, when they are not, and because they have destroyed their travel papers, we can't claim them, except there is proper documentation." Thousands of Nigerians are being evacuated from the Continued on page 6
ECOWAS ON THEIR MINDS … R-L: Member, Committee for Peace and Security, ECOWAS, Hajiya Halima Ahmed; President of the Ecowas Commission, Marcel A. De Souza; President Muhammadu Buhari; and Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadeja Abba Ibrahim, during an audience with the President at the State House in Abuja ...yesterday STATE HOUSE
Bode George: No Issue against Emergence of Secondus ... Page 6
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NNPC Orders Security Agencies to Go After Marketers Hoarding Products Monitoring team discovers 144 stockpiled petrol tankers in Kano Chineme Okafor in Abuja In a bid to stabilise fuel supply across the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has directed security agencies to go after marketers allegedly hoarding products. This is coming on the heels of the disclosure by the
corporation that its combined team monitoring the distribution and sale of petrol to clear out the sudden scarcity of the product across the country, had discovered that about 144 tankers filled with the products were being hoarded in Kano State. In a statement signed by its Group General Manager,
Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja, the corporation warned marketers across the country to desist from acts that may heighten supply gaps noticeable in parts of the country. Ughamadu said further that security agencies in the country and its monitoring team discovered that the 144 trucks
were not dispatched by some petroleum marketers in Kano to their respective destinations. It said the petrol in the tankers were meant to feed Kano and its environs, adding that before the discovery, the resurfaced trucks had been sent to discharge their products at their designated locations. NNPC explained that of the
144 trucks discovered, 26 were scheduled for Katsina, while 118 trucks were to discharge their products in Kano and its environs. Though the corporation did not state what would happen to the hoarded products, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had said last week that the
Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) had been directed to take and discharge for free to Nigerians hoarded products found in any petrol station or depots. The NNPC has spent the last two weeks battling to end fuel scarcity across the country. The scarcity has since eased in major cities.
Bode George: No Issue against Emergence of Secondus Segun James After a meeting in Lagos with the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party’s reconciliation Committee, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Chief Bode George and Jimi Agbaje have declared that they have nothing against the emergence of Uche Secondus as the National Chairman of the party. Elated at the turn of events, Dickson, who also met with other South-west chieftains of the party, declared that the committee had
achieved its mission in the region. The governor said that the top leaders of the party visited by the committee made clear statements about their commitment to the unity of the PDP in the South West. Present at the meeting in Lagos were a former Minister of Works, Senator Adesewe Ogunlewe; former Deputy Governor of Lagos, Kowoworola AkereleBucknor; former Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada; former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; former
National Vice Chairman, South West, Ishola Filani and Elder Wole Oyelese. Dickson said that the PDP leaders in the South-west displayed understanding on the need to have a strong united political platform to wrest the country from the current situation of hopelessness in the country. He said that the committee was pleased with the individual and collective responses and the willingness of the South-west PDP George said: “Yes the
convention has come and gone. No qualms about Secondus. I have played a role in his coming and he has perpetually reflected that in all he does. The visit today is so timely. I have refused to make comments, because as a party man, I cannot be part of those that will destroy the house that I built, that is not in our culture. “I want to assure you that yes we have debated, we have analysed, and we have come with the best suggested solutions to prepare us for the future. The
campaigns were like national election presidential campaign. It was refreshing for me. “Of course, to err is human, I am happy you are here, we will do the analyses, we will discuss among ourselves; I can assure you that at the end of the day, with people like you and the men in your committee, we will be able to analyse it, so that those who are going to be the helms will now know the mined area, as we head out to the real battle. “Yes, the convention has
come and gone. No qualms about Secondus. I have played a role in his coming and he has perpetually reflected that in all he does. The visit today is so timely. I have refused to make comments, because as a party man, I cannot be part of those that will destroy the house that I build, that is not in our culture. “The real battle is out there one year from now. We must strictly put our house in order with justice fairness and equity as the three solid pillars of our party.�
I'm Not Running for Senate, President in 2019, Says Okorocha Amby Uneze in Owerri For the first time since he assumed position as the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha yesterday denied running a family government as claimed by majority of Imo citizens, insisting that those behind that claim really missed the point. Okorocha also reiterated that he would neither run for Senate
nor for the President in 2019, but would be keen in who succeeds him and who could sustain the tempo of the achievements recorded by his administration, thereby resisting the pressure from some quarters to run for Senate since he had at different fora, said he won’t run for the Office of President in 2019 because of President Muhammadu Buhari. Okorocha claimed that more than 4,000 children had gone
to University through Rochas Foundation and while 15,000 others were also in the various colleges of the Foundation and when some of them graduates, they chose to be with him and he adopts them. He added that if any of such children becomes anything under him, they would say he or she is a member of Rochas Family and he does not deny that since his ambition in life is to see people grow through
him. He spoke when members of the Rochas Mandate Movement in their numbers held solidarity rally for him in Owerri, stating that those who never offered the people of the state leadership when they held sway but only shared the people’s resources would never come back to power in the state. According to him, Uche Nwosu who is from Nkwerre
Local Government Area and Prince Eze Madumere, from Mbaitoli LGA were all counted today as members of my family because they have grown to prominence but when they took those steps of faith no one counted them as members of my family, adding I have done the state and her people proud with my monumental achievements. His words, “The people I see here are people who are
committed. People that are following me not because of what they could gain from me, but because of what we have done for the world. As it stands, come 2019, I’m contesting for nothing. But in my heart, I have searched out and resolved that one man has good thoughts about Nigeria in his heart. Secondly, the possibility of leadership will easily get to the Igbos after him. That man is President Muhammadu Buhari�.
an already defeated insurgency.� The Ekiti State governor alleged further that the planned withdrawal of $1 billion in the name of using it to fight Boko Haram, was a ploy by the APCled federal government to fund President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election in 2019. Fayose said: “Since they said they have defeated Boko Haram, what else do they need a whopping sum of $1 billion (over N360 billion) for; if not to fund the 2019 elections? “The APC promised to wipe out Boko Haram within six months, now it is 31 months and what the APC government is wiping out is the economy of Nigeria and the means of livelihood of the people.� “Nigerians deserve proper explanation from the federal government on the rationale behind spending such huge sum of money to fight an already defeated Boko Haram.� He challenged the federal government to make available to Nigerians, information on how the money released by international donors for the fight against Boko Haram was spent, adding, “even the Transparency International (TI) once said in its report that some top military officials in the country were feeding fat on the war against Boko Haram by creating fake contracts and laundering the proceeds in the United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere.� The governor also alleged that the N50 billion kept by the Nigeria
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in different commercial bank accounts outside the Treasury Single Account (TSA) was part of the fund being kept to fund President Buhari’s election in 2019. Fayose said: “Nigerians are alarmed by the revelation from the House of Representatives that President Buhari exempted NNPC from transferring N50 billion to the TSA. “Also, they are miffed by the federal government’s idea of withdrawing $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account to fund an insurgency they said had been defeated. “They went on to tell Nigerians that the decision was taken by governors of the 36 states, whereas, it was solely the idea of the federal government, which they used the arranged National Executive Council meeting on Thursday in Abuja to achieve. “The question is, how can the federal government alone spend almost half of the Excess Crude money that belongs to the three tiers of government (i.e. federal government, states and local governments)? “The reality is that our treasury is daily being looted in readiness for the 2019 elections. Nigerians are therefore alerted to these lootings by the APC-led federal government to amass huge fund for the 2019 elections under the pretense of fighting insurgency in the Northeast, as well as other dubious means.�
PDP TO APC: APOLOGISE TO NIGERIANS ON THE WAR AGAINST BOKO HARAM withdraw $1 billion from the ECA to fight Boko Haram in the North-east. While briefing State House correspondents at the end of the 83rd National Economic Council (NEC) meeting yesterday, the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, stated that governors of the 36 states, under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), had given the federal government the green light to withdraw $1 billion from the ECA to fight Boko Haram. According to Obaseki, the governors mandated the federal government to take the money from the ECA as their own contribution to the fight against the Boko Haram. The balance in ECA, as reported to the council by the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, was $2.317 billion as of December 13, 2017. But the PDP said it was sad to note that long after the federal government claimed it had defeated Boko Haram, the administration had now
turned back, seeking to commit a hooping $1 billion to the war. It described the approval for the release of the $1 billion under the guise of fighting insurgency in the northeast as curious and alarming. The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party was “alarmed by the manipulative plot by the APC administration to secure approvals without recourse to due process, and for purposes of fighting the same insurgents it claimed to have defeated.� PDP also said that the development had rubbished the integrity of the current administration and demanded that it should apologise to Nigerians “for lying to them about the actual state of the fight against insurgency in Nigeria.� Ologbondiyan said: "The PDP supports the fight against insurgency. We hold our officers and men confronting the terrorists and securing our territorial integrity in high esteem, but we are concerned
about the manipulative tendencies connected with the approvals, as well as the veracity of the purpose of the fund. "Nigerians would recall that the APC-led federal government had claimed that it has since defeated the insurgents. "If it would take a billion dollar from a nation's savings to kill what they long claimed was dead, then we challenge the APC government to come clean and tell Nigerians the whole truth. "The era of lies and propaganda is long gone and Nigerians now know the truth. The federal government must be held accountable and stopped from any move to fritter away our national savings. "We therefore call on the National Assembly to interrogate this proposed disbursement and subject it to a thorough but rapid interrogation." The PDP recalled that the three points upon which APC hinged their promise were security, corruption and economy, “and it is apparent that they have
failed in all.� Ologbondiyan said further: “On the economy, they have taken us into recession; on security, Boko Haram is still ravaging our people; on corruption, the APC government has only embarked on witch hunt of the opposition, while enmeshed in monumental corruption that is thriving unabated right inside the engine of its administration." The main opposition party vowed to ensure that the APC does not continue to play with the intelligence of Nigerians, “who are now only waiting for 2019 to consign them into the dustbin of history.� Fayose: Approval of $1b withdrawal for insurgency war not unanimous In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti, Fayose declared: “For posterity sake, I wish to place it on record that I was not among the governors who approved the withdrawal of almost half of our savings in the Excess Crude Account, which belongs to the three tiers of government to fight
BUHARI: MANY STRANDED BLACKS IN LIBYA CLAIMING TO BE NIGERIANS war-ravaged country, following reports of slavery of black Africans in the country. Buhari also spoke on the recharging of Lake Chad, submitting that "the earlier we get it done, the better, so that our youths don't continue to dare the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea." The AU Commission boss praised both Buhari and Nigeria for their roles in Africa and for his battle against corruption. "Without President Buhari, and without Nigeria, many things would not have been possible. I appreciate the role you played in my election, and all that you do in ECOWAS, Lake Chad Basin Commission,
and the entire continent. "We follow your battle against corruption, and it is not by chance that you have been chosen by other African leaders to champion the battle in 2018. Your commitment is notable, and I seek your support for reforms that we intend to introduce in AU. Your guidance is vital. We need Africa to speak with one voice, and the voice of Nigeria is preponderant," he said. In a separate meeting yesterday with the President of ECOWAS Commission, Marcel A. de Souza, also at the State House, the President said it was cheery that the organisation was demanding accountability from its headquarters’ staff, which he
said made it to recently invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from Nigeria, to look into its books. "Thanks for being firm, and for insisting on transparency and accountability at the ECOWAS headquarters," President Buhari said, adding that Nigeria would continue to fulfill its obligations to the sub-regional body." On the hosting the 52nd Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government today in Abuja, Buhari said he expected a formal report on the situation in Guinea Bissau at the meeting. "We need our troops back home, and I hope the President
of that country will accept a constitutional way to resolve the situation there," he added. The ECOWAS Commission boss thanked Nigeria for agreeing to host the 52nd Ordinary Session at short notice, noting that the impact of Nigeria was quite strong in the organisation. "We are under financial pressure due to terrorist attacks in the sub-region but Nigeria, being out of recession, will have an impact on the entire region," de Souza said. He also noted that Nigeria was the highest contributor of troops to Guinea Bissau, admitting that "the troops can't be there endlessly."
GIDADO IDRIS, FORMER SGF, DIES AT 82 AFTER PROTRACTED ILLNESS Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation. When late Abacha took over in 1993, late Idris became the Permanent Secretary, Ministry
of Finance and a few months later, he was appointed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, a post he held till he retired in 1999.
T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 16 2017
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PARTNERING FOR SERVICE... L-R: Assistant Comptroller-General of Immigration (Services), Abdullahi Yerima, Chairman, House Committee on Interior, Adams Jagaba, Acting National Coordinator Public Sector Sales, Globacom, Mansur Opakunle, and Regional Head, Public Sector Sales, Globacom, Bola Onifade, at the Comptroller General of Immigration Annual Conference co-sponsored by Globacom in Abeokuta on Thursday
2018 Budget Accommodates Increased Number of Police Personnel, Says Buhari Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
President Mohammadu Buhari has disclosed that the 2018 budget captured a budgetary allocation that accommodates increase in number of Police personnel, adding that another round of recruitment of police officers and men was envisaged. Buhari stated this yesterday at the Passing out Parade (POP) of Cadet Assistant Superintended
of Police (ASP) course at the Police Staff College in Jos, Plateau State. He said, "Another round of recruitment of more Police officers and men, to positively deal with the problems associated with our internal security is contained in this budget year. "As this goes on, my administration will also continue with improving the welfare of Police officers, who put their
lives on the line for us all to live peacefully and move freely around the sovereignty." Represented by the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd.), the President also said, "immediately on assumption of office, I directed for the recruitment of a total of 10,000 eligible young graduates and able bodied school leavers into the Nigeria Police Force; I am proud to note
that just as 767 Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police are passing out at the Police Staff College in Jos today, another set of Cadet Inspectors are graduating at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos." On his part the Inspector General of Police (IGP); Ibrahim Idris said the task of policing any democratic society depends largely on the number of personnel on its pay-roll, adding that
their professional competence, training acquired and equipment available in the discharge of their duty were also key. Also represented by Ntom Chukwu, DIG, Department of Research and Planning, Nigeria Police, the IGP reiterated that the act of increasing Police personnel was in line with the United Nations recommendation ratio of one Policeman to 400 persons.
In her remark, the Commandant, Police Staff College, AIG Dorothy D. Gimba, lauded the President for his fervent determination to increase the ratio of Policemen to a targeted population aimed at guaranteeing the security of citizens. She added that such improved Police to citizens' ratio will guarantee effective coverage of security area, and ultimately guarantee a more secured society.
Taraba: One killed, Six Faleke, Dino, Others Ask Gov. I Paid Huge Ransom to be Injured in Police, Illegal Yahaya Bello to Resign Over Released, Laments Musician Double Registration AdibeEmenyonu inBeninCity Miners' Clash nights in the evil forest" set to be Wole AyodeleinJalingo
One person was killed while six others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a clash between the police and illegal miners at Mayo Sine in Sardauna local government area of Taraba State. The clash, which occurred on Thursday also left a police officer whose name is yet to be ascertained missing while hundreds of makeshift tents housing the illegal miners were destroyed. Speaking to Journalists in a telephone interview in Jalingo Friday, acting Chairman of the local government, Reverend Godswill Sol said a police task force team came to Mayo Sine last week Saturday to flush out the illegal miners at the mining site but were rebuffed by the miners. According to him "Due to the large
number of the illegal miners, the police team had to retreat, reinforced and stormed the mining site on Thursday and were still resisted by the illegal miners majority of whom are foreigners thereby making a clash inevitable" The Chairman however told newsmen that he had information that one person was killed and six others injured while a policeman is said to be missing while about 100 makeshift tents were destroyed. "Information available to me indicate that one person was killed, a police officer is missing and six persons who sustained injuries during the clash are receiving treatment at the Gembu General Hospital. I have been told that about 50 to 100 makeshift tents of the illegal miners were burnt by the police during the raid. We thank God the situation did not escalate and the area in question is now calm," he said.
Yekini JimohinLokoja The former running mate to the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) late Prince Abubakar Audu in the last governorship election in Kogi State, Chief James Faleke has asked governor Yahaya Bello to resigned as he commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for confirming to the general public that Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello did double registration. He made this known on Friday while speaking with newsmen. "I commend INEC for standing firm, it is unfortunate that the offender himself is not remorseful and has succeeded in making three INEC officials to lose their jobs. "It will serve as deterrent to others. I sympathise with the families of the
three INEC staff just as I sympathise with all Kogites for suffering the senseless rulership of Yahaya Bello. "This is a shame to our State, it is a shame to Kogi. In the history of Nigeria this is the first time the illegality by a Governor is affecting an ordinary citizen," he stated. Chief James Faleke therefore advised the governor to Bello to resign Also speaking, the Senator representing Kogi West senatorial district of the state, Senator Dino Melaye said if it were be a civilised society where leaders respect themselves and the people and where there is value, "I think the best thing is for him to resign honorably but you know our society is such that they will always believe they can have their way by maintaining the immunity believing that after the expiration of his tenure in office he will find a way of escaping the wrath of the law.
Popular Edo musician, Osayomore Joseph, yesterday, disclosed how he paid huge ransom before he was released by his abductors. Osayomore was kidnapped on October 4, spent one month in abduction following his release on November 4, with his wife shot during the abduction. The musician who was kidnapped after performing during the first anniversary coronation of Oba Ewuare II, Oba of Benin, spoke for the first time about his ordeals in an interview with a local television station, saying he was taken to a forest in a creek after travelling on the high sea. Osayomore described his ordeals as traumatic and not an experience to be remembered. The veteran musician said he has narrated his experience in his new album titled "30 days and 30
launched tomorrow. According to him, "I was dragged through the forest close to Gelegele and taken on a boat to a creek. I have never stepped my legs on a boat before. The speed boat on the high sea was enough to give me high blood pressure. "The kidnappers called themselves forest soldiers. Those who came to kidnap me did not know me. It was when I got to the creek that some learned ones started singing my old songs. They did not know that I started fighting before they were born. "They may have overestimated me that I am very rich. They collected money from me. I may not mention the amount but it was colossal. That will not deter me from doing what I know how to do best."I did not know I will come back alive. I later know I will not die there when they started asking for money.
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DECEMBER 16, 2Ϳ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
RingTrue
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Adebowale
07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com
Governor Bello’s Mansions in the Midst of Anguish
W
hile Kogi State civil servants and retirees wallow in pain and hunger, Governor Yahaya Bello is displaying irritating opulence. Few months back, the story was about his newly completed Abuja mansion. The arrest of a Kogi State civil servant, Johnson Musa, for exposing the Abuja house is still fresh in my memory. Musa was later dragged before a Chief Magistrate Court in Lokoja for allegedly threatening Bello and revealing his Abuja castle. This bold civil servant took the aerial pictures of the massive residence and posted them on social media, with the caption, “This building is owned by an individual in Kogi, where hunger is the first name, in less than one year.” Musa was arrested by men of the Department of State Services on the prompting of the state’s Ministry of Justice. The prosecuting counsel, Mohammed Abaji from Kogi State Ministry of Justice, alluded to this. This young man stood up against corruption. I hope genuine patriots and human rights lawyers will rise and save citizen Musa from further humiliation. Just last week, Governor Bello launched another state-of-the-art mansion, this time, in his home town of Okene. The posh building was inaugurated with pomp, during the Ekwechi festival in the town. The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, was around to personally inaugurate Bello’s latest castle situated along Mahmoud
Bello
Atta Street, GRA, Okene. This talk about this governor being a successful businessman before his foray into politics is nonsensical. The pertinent question is: Why display so much opulence amid poverty? In this state, civil servants have been seething for almost two years over huge unpaid salaries. Many retirees have lost their lives waiting for gratuity and pension. Kogi State has persistently been in the news for all the wrong reasons since the emergence of Bello as governor. This young man is just not getting things right in Kogi, mainly because of his specious exuberance. I doubt if any governor has inflicted this much pain on civil servants in
particular and the people of the state in general. His endless staff audit has become a convenient alibi for owing salaries and pensions. The disbursements of bailout funds by this governor have also not been transparent. The instruction of the federal government was that 50 per cent of the fund should be used to pay salaries, pensions and gratuities. This has not been the case in Kogi State. The Kogi chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress led by Onu Edoka has refused to allow Bello’s impunity to go unchallenged. Edoka remarked lately: “Workers in this state have suffered total hardship since the coming of the present administration. Over 70 per cent of workers cleared during the staff audit are yet to get salaries of between 17 and 20 months. Despite the huge money collected by the state government in the last 20 months, it is a pity that workers are not being paid by Bello.” He also wants Bello to explain to the people of the state how he spent N38 billion, comprising bailout funds, the first tranche of Paris Club refund (N12 billion) and the second tranche (N6 billion). If the state’s wage bill is about N2.9 billion, as confirmed by this governor, then N38 billion is more than enough to pay the salaries of these workers for 12 months. This is aside Kogi’s monthly allocation from the federation account. Bello has a lot of questions to answer about Kogi’s finances. The NLC must continue to pile pressure on him until he confesses.
Unending Tears of Osun State Pensioners Tears are still flowing in the home of a retired headmaster, Lukman Odewole, in Masifa, Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State, who hanged himself on September 29, due to non-payment of his 13 months pension arrears by Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Late Odewole was sick and could not take care of himself. His wife and a child also fell sick about the same time. This frustrated retiree could not bear his cash-crisis and chose to commit suicide. Pensioners operating on the platform of 2011/2012 Forum of Retired Public Servants of Osun State, took to the streets about three weeks ago, lamenting the death of Odewole and the non-payment of their pensions for over 13 months. Leaders of the cluster said the protest was fired by the rising death rate among them. One of them, Yemi Lawal, confirmed that Odewole retired from Young Tajudeen Primary School in Masifa, adding that hundreds of pensioners had died since 2013 because of hunger. Lawal said: “We are appealing to President Buhari to save us from Aregbesola. Buhari is the only one who can save us from hunger and untimely
death. One of our members in Ejigbo last month committed suicide because of financial hardship. We want the federal government to conduct workers and pensioners audit to know the exact number of pensioners and workers. We are also pleading with the President not to pay any intervention fund meant for salary and pension to the Osun State Government because the money will be diverted just like the previous funds were diverted.” The Secretary of the Forum, Mr. Sola Olojede, added: “There are so many of our people, who are sick and can’t go to the hospital because they don’t have money to eat. We have worked for the state and the state should pay us our entitlements.” The condition of civil servants and retirees in Osun State is pathetic. Here, pensioners and civil servants die virtually on a daily basis, due to huge unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities. Unfortunately, the Aregbesola administration has been economical with the truth about the payment situation of these traumatised seniors and workers. In Osun State, civil servants and retirees
Aregbesola
wallow in pain, while Aregbesola and his cronies live big. My message today to this governor and his aides who have been spreading false stories about these agonised civil servants and retirees is a very simple one: Judgement Day is around the corner.
I am particularly pained by the persistent mess in Kogi because Governor Bello ought to be representing the youths who are “Not Too Young to Run.” At 42, Bello is the youngest governor in Nigeria. I was expecting him to prove to cynics that Nigerian youths are capable of managing sensitive political positions. But the reverse has been the case. This young man in Kogi State has not fared well. Today, I am urging youthful Bello to deeply reflect on the numerous crunches bedeviling Kogi State and strive to change his style of leadership. If he is genuinely interested in the progress of Kogi State, he must prioritise the welfare of civil servants and pensioners, because this is a “civil servant” state. It is a shame that the huge bailout funds and Paris Club refunds were not transparently utilised by Bello to ameliorate the suffering of the civil servants. This governor must urgently make amends to reduce tension in Kogi State. The peace-loving people of this state must stand up and be counted in the battle to checkmate Bello. This is clearly not the change Nigerians voted for. They should not be under the delusion that the debacle in the state will simply vanish with time. It will be a risky and criminally-negligent assumption.
Wike’s Pointless Gift of SUVs to Rivers Federal Legislators Many of our governors never cease to amaze me. One of such is Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. I am still bemused by his recent gift of 16 Sports Utility Vehicles to members of the National Assembly from Rivers State. Three of the vehicles are for senators, while the 13 others were given to House of Representatives members. In all, about N600 million of Rivers State tax payers’ money must have been spent on this profligate purchase. Wike said that the vehicles were acquired to aid the lawmakers in the discharge of their official functions. Haba! These legislators have been adequately catered for by the National Assembly in terms of posh vehicles. Why this unnecessary exuberance by Wike? What is he trying to achieve? Besides, these representatives are stupendously-wealthy people, with many posh vehicles in their compounds. They can safely afford extra posh vehicles, if they so desire. So, why waste money on them again? In this same Rivers State, so many people have no access to public water supply, quality healthcare and other basic necessities of life. I stand to be corrected. My dear Wike, you should be thinking more about the suffering masses of Rivers State instead of extravagant expenses such as this.
Frustration on the Boko Haram War Front Tales from the war front in the battle against Boko Haram are still not palatable. Frustration is escalating among our gallant soldiers. I thought the army authorities would deny reports that an exasperated soldier, identified as Samaila Gabriel, shot himself dead in Yobe State. No such denial came. So, the deceased with service number 09NA/63/2867 is the latest victim of our crooked system; his corpse was deposited at the Sani Abacha hospital in Damaturu. Gabriel’s colleagues reported that he got frustrated as a result of the refusal of the authorities to transfer him out of the
North-East after about three years in the location. It is sad to note that many of our soldiers have been on tour of duty beyond the maximum six months. Less than a month ago in Chibok, a staff sergeant, Silas Ninyo, killed his superior, one K. Mani, injured four people and took his own life, after wreaking the havoc. Frustration is clearly on the rise among our ill-equipped and ill-motivated gallant soldiers. Urgent steps must be taken to stop this trend. The issue of irregular payment of operational allowances must also be addressed. These needless deaths of our soldiers must not continue. Only last
Sunday, a military vehicle stepped on an IED device planted on Damboa Road, resulting in the death of two soldiers. Hi-tech equipment can abate incidents of this nature. On Wednesday, the terrorists briefly took over Mainok village, killing and maiming innocent people. Casualty figure is still a closely guided secret. I have persistently screeched for rejig of this war. Those leading this war must make way for fresh hands with fresh ideas. Our soldiers are capable. Inadequate equipment and motivation are the things not available.
Wike
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
NEWS
In Brief Sultan toTrain 200 Boko Haram Orphans
TheSultanofSokoto,AlhajiSa'adAbubakarIII,Fridaysaid planswere underwaytotrain200childrenorphanedbytheBokoHaraminsurgency intheNorthEast.ThisisjustasSenatorAliyu Wamakko,representing SokotoNorthSenatorialDistrict,hassetupaspecialcentreforthetraining of vulnerable married women inWamakko Local Govenment area of Sokoto State. The Sultan made this known in Sokoto at the opening ofthe28thNationalConferenceoftheMuslimSistersOrganisationof Nigeria.Themonarchnotedthatover500childrenorphanedbyBoko HaraminsurgencywereinvariousinternallydisplacedcampsintheNorth east.Hedescribedthelivingconditionsofthechildrenaspatheticand unfortunate."IfyouseetheconditionthesechildrenarelivingintheIDP camps, onewillshedtears.Sowearemakingarrangementstobringat least200orphanstoSokotoandahousehadalreadybeenprepared forthemhere.
Soldier Sentenced to Death
PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURE... L-R: Special Adviser to the Governor on Communities & Communications, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan; former Lagos State Chief Press Secretary; Mr. Shina Ogunbambo; Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ambode, Mr. Habib Aruna; Member, Editorial Board, The Nation Newspaper, Mr. Segun Ayobolu; Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Information & Strategy, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku during the oďŹƒcial commissioning of the Upgraded Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, on Friday
FG’s N10.96bn Green Bond for Renewable Energy, Forestation Financing The Debt Management Office, DMO, has said that the Federal Government N10.75 billion sovereign green bond would be used to finance renewable energy projects, energising education and forestation programmes. It also said the bond was expected to be open to the investing public from December 18, 2017 to December 21, 2017. The Director General of DMO, Patience Oniha, disclosed this in Lagos at an investor forum convened to present the Green Bond. She said: “The Federal Government is ready to raise N10.75 billion Series 1 issuance under the N150 billion green bond programme. The macro environment is improving , as we can see the country has come out of recession from second quarter, Q2 and
third quarter, Q3 , the Gross Domestic Product, GDP has improved , even though at low pace. But that shows that the outlook looks brighter for Nigeria. Also the external reserves is on the increase, which will help boost the stability of our currency with increase in foreign investor confidence.� “The DMO strategy is to continuously restructure the Federal Government’s debt portfolio to replace short tenured bonds with long tenor and high rates with lower rates. This strategy includes the tapping of the international capital markets and a green bond issuance with the right framework. We set 60 per cent domestic and 40 per cent external borrowing target in order to have diversity and not to have one source of finance. It is our hope
that this green bond offer would be oversubscribed given the benefits to investors and the country in general.� In her own presentation, Hajia Halima Buhari, a representative from the Ministry of Environment, said: “The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance have initiated action towards the issuance of Nigeria’s maiden sovereign green bond. Nigeria’s emissions are expected to grow by about 900 million tonnes per year in 2030, which translates to about 3.4 tonnes per person. Our aim is to reduce emissions by around 45 per cent.� “The following work streams have been completed in furtherance of the green bond project: Development of guidelines Identification of qualifying projects Establishment of an Inter-
Ministerial Committee on Climate Change comprising of key applicable Ministry Department Agencies, MDAs key requirements for the bond issuance include: The projects should be green in nature Project costs should form part of the Medium Term Sector Strategies (MTSS) of selected MDAs The project should have a defined revenue model or economic impact that generates resources that will be used to service the green bond The emissions contributions of the projects should be calculated and documented .The ministry also set up a Green Bond Private Public Sector Advisory Group (“GB-PPSAG�) to support this process . The GB-PPSAG comprises of development partners, relevant regulators, capital market operators and MDAs.
Ondo: Navy, Army Rescue Four Chinese Nationals James Sowole in Akure
Four Chinese nationals had been rescued by the officers and men of Nigerian Army and Nigerian Naval Forward Operating Base Igbokoda from kidnappers in Ilaje Local Government of Ondo State. The victims were kidnapped on their way from Lagos through Ayetoro Creek to Ogooluayo community along Ebute The rescue of the victims, was disclosed by the Assistant
Director of the Army Public Relations located at the 323 Brigade, Owena Barrack, Akure, Major Ojo Adenegan. "In cause of the joint routine patrol on the Waterway, the men of the Nigerian Army and Navy intercepted the sea pirates and their victims. " It took the gallant effort of our men to rescued the four Chinese who have sustained gun wounds from the Kidnappers. "The rescued victims are receiving treatment in hospital,
during the operation one of kidnappers was arrested and is undergoing interrogation while other kidnappers fled with gun wounds", he said. Adenegan said the operation was made possible with the assistance of youths of Ogooluwa community led by Mr. Job Omogunwa. He said the youths joined Naval and Army team in the operation which is an evidence of good community relations between the
Military and members in our area of responsibility. Adelegan called on members of the public especially in the riverine areas of Ondo State to avail the brigade with useful information on the fleeing kidnappers with gun wounds. "We are using this medium to inform the general public that the security agencies in Ondo State are at alert to continue protecting lives and properties in Ondo State", he said.
Burna Boy Submits Self to Police over Alleged Robbery Nigerian dancehall star, Damini Ogulu popularly known as ‘Burna Boy’ on Friday submitted himself to the Lagos State Police Command to state his side of the story over allegations of his involvement in a robbery attack on a fellow artiste, Mr. 2kay. He was subsequently arrested, interrogated and detained and is expected to be charged to court on Monday alongside four of
members of the gang earlier arrested. Commissioner of Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal, after the interrogation, said the State Police Command had zero tolerance for all forms of crime and would not hesitate to prosecute anyone found culpable in any criminal offence perpetrated in the State. “There would be no sacred cows. This Command is poised
to ensure that every resident can feel safe wherever they are and carry out their businesses without fear or favour. Anyone therefore found to be involved in this case would be made to face the law to clear his or her name or face prosecution,� Imohimi said. The pop musician, who was declared wanted by the Lagos Police Command in connection with the robbery attack on another
popular musician, Mr. 2kay at Eko Hotel and Suites early last month, reported to the Command headquarters in Ikeja at about 5pm. Tunmise Omotore, gang leader of the suspected robbers, had confessed on how they disguised as room service to rob Mr. 2kay at Eko Hotel and Suites on the instruction of Burba Boy’s Road Manager, Joel Kantiock.
AsoldierwasonFridaysentencedtodeathforcommittingmurderinthe ongoingmilitarycounter-insurgencyoperationsintheNorth-East.The soldier,LanceCorporalJohnGodwin,waschargedwithmurder,which is punishable under Section 106 (a) of Armed Forces Acts (Cap A20), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, for killing five rescued civilians inYamteke town of Borno State.The soldier, who was one of manysoldierschargedbeforetheGeneralCourtMartial(GOC)sittingin Maiduguri,BornoStateforcrimescommittedinthecounter-insurgency operationintheNorth-East,wassaidtohavekilledthecivilianswhowere earlierrescuedbytroopsofhisbattalionandweretakenforinvestigation. He was accused of killing five of the rescued civilians while they were beingtransported.
Marturion Cinema Opens in Lagos
MarturionCinemalocatedatBrainfieldEventCentre,hasopenedtogive customersvalueformoneythisfestiveperiodandbringhighclassstate oftheartcinemaexperienceataffordableprices.Aspartofthelaunch onWednesday,MarturionCinemawillofferedexclusivemovieviewing toinvitedguestsandonThursdayDecember7th,offerfreepublicmovie viewingopentoallatthepremises.AccordingtotheCEOofMarturion Media Limited, Michael Ndiomu, the drive behind opening Marturion Cinemawasto“provideaccesstounique,affordableandqualitymoviesatthecinemasataffordablepriceformovieloversandresidentsof Lagosmetropolis.�MarturionCinemaisasubsidiaryofMaturionMedia Limited;afullservicemediaproductioncompanybasedinLagos,Nigeria.
Trust BondWins ITF’s Award
TheIndustrialTrainingFund(ITF)hasconferredonTrustBondMortgage BankPlcitsawardofexcellenceastheBestContributingEmployerin Human Resource Development (HRD) for the year 2016.The ITF is a gradeA ‘ ’ Parastatal operating under the aegis of the Federal Ministry ofIndustry,TradeandInvestmentthatpromotesandencouragesthe acquisition of industrial and commercial skills required for national economic development. The emergence of TrustBond as the award winner in Lekki-Lagos Area Office followed an evaluation exercise conductedbyITFwhichconsideredTrustBond’spolicyandtrackrecord onHumanResourceDevelopmentandcapacitybuildingofitsemployees asconsistentlyoutstanding.
Lawyer Arrested for Abusing House help
For incessantly abusing her House help, the Commissioner of Police, LagosStateCommand,CPEdgalImohimi,hasarrestedalawyer,oneTolu Olaoye.Thelegalpractitioner whoresidesatElShaddaiCrescentnear UniqueEstate,BaruwaareaofIpaja,wasreportedtohavecontinually abusedherhelp,15-year-oldAbigailOpebiyi.Confirmingthearrest,the statePolicePublicRelationsOfficer,SPChikeOtisaid, "TheCPLagos, knownforhispromptactionsonallissuesconcerningdomesticviolence and abuse was moved with compassion on seeing the picture of the victimtrendingontheinternet.Thevictimhadadeepcutonherforehead, which was inflicted on her by the said female lawyer Tolu Olaoye. He immediately ordered operatives of the command to go rescue the victimandfishoutthesuspect.
Transport 360°Walks for fitness
ANon-governmentorganisation,Transsafe360DegreeGlobalInitiativeaka Transport360willonDecember25,holdafitnesswalktocommemorate theendoftheyear2017.Thespokespersonoftheforumthatdoubles astheChairmanoftheTechnicalCommittee,AlhajiJimbaGaniustated thatthewalkwouldcommenceat8.00amfromIdi-IrokoBusstopalong IkoroduRoad,enrouteAnthonybusstoptofinallyterminateatLASTMA headquarters on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.The non-profit making organisationhadinthepastorganisedseveraladvocacyprogrammesand talkshowontransportandtransportrelatedissueswithinandoutside theState.Notableamongitspastactivitiesisanadvocacyprogramme for all the public primary schools in Lagos state in partner with FRSC, LASTMA,VISandtheNigeriaPolice.Theprogrammeaimedtotarget pupilsofschoolageontheusageofroadsandtransportmedia.
Elders Save Youths from Lynching
Two youths who engaged in open sex during the wake at a burial ceremony in Ihiala local government area were saved from death by eldersofthecommunitywhointervened.THISDAYgatheredthatthe sexadventurershadmountedthestageonthepretextofpresenting a show, but ended up in open sex in the full glare of everyone. An eye witness who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that a woman believedtobeasexworker,andwholivesinanearbybrothelsinthearea, hadmountedthestageaftershebeggedtoperformatthefunction.It wasgatheredthatshewas apparentlyundertheinfluenceofalcohol but was allowed to perform as it was a free show and everyone who hadanyformoftalentwasallowedtoshowcasethem."Inthecourse oftheshow,shestrippedherself,movedintothecrowdanddraggeda youngmanfromthecrowdwhowasidentified simplyas`Chinwuba’ fromOgboroUmunwajiVillage,Ihiala.
T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 16 2017
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͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚Ϳ˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
COMMENTARY
BREAKING THE MALARIA CYCLE Rasak Musbau argues that the authorities need to invest more to contain the epidemic
I
n spite of the huge amount that governments both at the federal and the states levels spend in the provision of curative malaria drugs with the support received from the Global Fund, malaria has remained endemic in Nigeria. Indeed, it is impossible to calculate the actual harm malaria has done to us. The malaria parasite has been sapping the strength of the whole populations. It impairs the health of our people and consequently restraints economic development. It leads to loss of productive hours, productivity, money, persistent absenteeism and maternal and child mortality, among others. Meanwhile, for Nigeria to move forward, we really have to get rid of malaria just as we need to do with similar preventable diseases such as measles, diarrhea and tuberculosis. The question here is: Since malaria is a preventable disease, why is it so endemic to the extent that our country alone bears about 25 per cent of Africa’s malaria burden? The answers are simple and straightforward. In Nigeria, one of the essential family practices that most Nigerians are found wanting is sufficient protection from mosquito bites. Two, most illnesses, including malaria, are treated at home or in the community before or without seeking care at a formal health facility. Added to these are our coastal environment, poor environmental sanitation and improper diagnoses. In many places, hospitals don’t do a proper check. Anyone with the minutest symptoms of malaria is often offered treatment without proper diagnosis. The consequence of this is that while a growing number of countries have recorded decrease in the number of confirmed cases of malaria, the disease has remained a scourge here. As such, it is crucial for everyone to be aware of and adhere to essential family practices to promote mosquito control and prevention. You can’t contract malaria if you aren’t bitten by mosquitoes, and the type of mosquitoes that transmit malaria usually bite at night. For this reason, it is important to sleep every night inside a long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net. Long-lasting bed net is a tool that is most associated with the recent progress against malaria. Another way is for people to ensure that all windows and doors are properly screened to prevent mosquitoes from coming in. Many people also do something called “indoor residual spraying� where they spray insecticide on the walls inside their house to kill any mosquitoes which might come in. It is equally advisable for those that frequently have malaria attack to wear long-sleeved clothing in the evenings and at night to stop mosquitoes from biting them. Furthermore, it is important to make sure that one is diagnosed properly. Our people need to be aware that having symptoms of fatigue, weakness, nausea and cold which are very typical of malaria is not enough to conclude it is malaria,
IT IS IMPORTANT TO SLEEP EVERY NIGHT INSIDE A LONG-LASTING INSECTICIDE-TREATED BED NET. LONG-LASTING BED NET IS A TOOL THAT IS MOST ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECENT PROGRESS AGAINST MALARIA
thereby resorting to self-medication without visiting a health facility for proper diagnosis and treatment. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that anyone suspected of having malaria should receive diagnosis and treatment with an effective drug within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. It is only when a sick person cannot have access to a health care provider within that timeframe that home treatment is acceptable as first aid. Moreover, in Nigeria, you should not be given chloroquine to treat malaria, unless your case is confirmed as not being caused by plasmodium falciparum. Virtually all the plasmodium falciparum in Africa are resistant to chloroquine, and so it is no longer an effective treatment. Instead, first-line treatment for malaria is recommended as an artemisininbased combination therapy. However, the truth is that whether the malaria map will keep shrinking, as it has in the past decade, or be reclaimed by the malaria parasites depends, to a great extent, on the resources that will be invested in control efforts over the next few years. Thanks to malaria elimination efforts in United States in the 1940s, most people in the U.S. today have never had any direct contact with the disease, and most doctors have never seen a case. That success means other nations including Nigeria can also achieve reduction or complete elimination with right investment and positive attitude. In this direction, Lagos State government investment in malaria control has progressed appreciably with lots of steps being taken to clinically stamp out the prevalence of malaria and its parasites. The topography and ecological features of the state, the abundant coastal features, rapid urbanisation and inadequate drainage systems are some of the major factors that contribute to all year transmission of malaria in the state. But the state through its Directorate of Disease Control is doing all it can to invests heavily toward reducing the burden of the disease. Investments in malaria control in the state have created unprecedented momentum and yielded remarkable returns in the past years, particularly in the scale-up of insecticide treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS) of insecticides, and prevention of malaria during pregnancy. The goal of the Lagos State Malaria Elimination Programme is to significantly reduce the burden of disease consequent upon malaria. The activities of the Malaria Control Unit are carried out in collaboration with the Lagos State Malaria Research, Technical and Advisory Committee which is chaired by the Honourable Commissioner and includes all partners including donors, researchers and NGOs in the state. Musbau, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Lagos
MINIMUM WAGE, MAXIMUM WOES Pay rise will lead to rising cost of goods and services, argues Udekwe Idemili
N
igeria has exited from recession but Nigerians are yet to feel the impact. The beneďŹ ts of the recovery from prolonged economic doldrums are coming in trickles but even the trickles can hardly form a drop in the surging ocean of pervasive poverty. Hardship bites harder as the year draws to a close with President Muhammadu Buhari charging the state governors to ensure that workers in their respective states are paid before the Christmas holidays. In the last two years, the issue of payment of salaries has been such a thorny subject to the extent of forcing the federal government to accede twice to a bailout and further agreeing to special refunds to enable the states pay workers. Within the private sector, millions of jobs have been lost, while pay cut and outright retrenchment have become normal in industries striving hard and devising means to succeed. Amidst this scenario however, a contradictory escalating call for pay rise rises to a fever pitch. Understandably, the brutally recessed economy has mercilessly reduced the purchasing power of the naira. And Nigeria is already running foul of the provisions of the International Labour Organisation that stipulates a timely review of the minimum wage law. The nation’s five-year mandatory review has elapsed and the value of workers takes home cruelly shrunken by galloping inflation. The review of the national minimum wage is significant at this time but the stake is certainly very high. How will the states most of whom currently owing months in arrears of salaries and allowances cope with the new minimum wage? And how will the private sector already bruised by downturn and tiers of government battling with lean resources cope with the new wage bill? This and many other questions are troubling.
But the president while inaugurating the 30-man Minimum Wage Committee clarified that the new wage should be anchored on the ability of the tiers of government to pay. However, that is where more troubling questions arise. Why is the federal government legislating on a new minimum wage for states and local governments in a federation? How can the committee on a new minimum wage determine holistically, the ability of different tiers of government whose resources differ across boundaries? Can the minimum wage in Rivers and Lagos States, for instance, be sustained in Borno, Benue or Abia? Though the minimum wage is on the exclusive legislative list and the composition of the members of the minimum wage committee drawn on a tripartite basis comprising government at all levels, the workers and the job providers in the private sector to ensure a plural view and guarantee a composite agreement, matching the capacity of these respective tripartite groups with a realistic wage bar looks like a recipe for crisis. The reasons are obvious. The Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Afenifere asked the federal government recently to allow states and local governments decide the minimum wage they can afford for their workers. Again, this patriotic opinion is not realistic without an amendment of the constitution to remove the minimum wage from the exclusive list. Sen. Chris Ngige is an experienced administrator and an astute politician having been governor of his home Anambra State as well as senator in the seventh Senate and now the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment. He said that by the new minimum wage, the federal government was determined to eliminate “poverty pain� which according to him occurs when worker’s earning
could not guarantee him a good living. However, more questions hang on this move by the federal government to live up to its constitutional responsibilities. The Executive Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike, for example, has argued the current exercise would come out futile. Wike in a broadcast television interview thwacked the charge by the president to the state governors to clear all arrears of salaries owed workers before the Christmas holidays, dismissing it as political. He asked the federal government to shed weight so as to demonstrate its genuine sympathy for the plight of the state civil servants. He further punctured the case for a new minimum wage in the absence of a review of the federal revenue sharing formula, wondering how states that could not pay N18,000 minimum wage can afford a new pay rise. Many have argued that the basis of the on-going wage crisis is the de-structured fiscal federalism where the federal government takes 52% of the revenue of the federation, states 22%, and 774 local governments 26%. The total wage bill of Benue State for instance is about N7 billion with its total monthly revenue standing below N5 billion. By the time, the minimum wage gets to say N56, 000 (the factional leader of the organised labour movement, Joe Ajaero is demanding for N100, 000 minimum wage) from the present N18, 000, what becomes the fate of the state? Even the federal government will not be left out of the pending crisis. By last count, a total of about 11 organised labour unions have gone on strike over wage related issues and unmet agreements spanning close to a decade. Containing the cascading labour unrest has so far been as a result of the outstanding performance of some of the cabinet ministers in the Buhari administration. Sen.
Ngige, without a prior labour background, has by sheer brilliance, deep experience in both executive and legislative arms coupled with towering political clout has so far engineered a proactive labour diplomacy that held the nation from sliding the way of Venezuela. Therefore, that the ever sensitive and easily restive labour has not snapped its patience or trigger a social upheaval is to the credit of the Minister of Labour and Employment. Seething discontent is widespread. Though the federal government has relatively met with the demands of workers, there is palpable apprehension as to what the future holds. Your guess is as good as mine. The bottom line is that the nation is headed for further doom unless the economy grows. Resurrecting the dying value of the naira and through that, restore the value of wages and income is a smarter way to achieve better working conditions for workers. Pay rise will lead to rising costs of goods and services, making it easy for inflation to eat away the added value. Importantly, which private sector organisation can afford a wage increase in an environment where businesses are posting losses and retrenchments at the centre stage? With the 2017 budget performing woefully at 15%, where is the assurance that 2018 will be better? The mass discontent in the land can easily be measured by a recent warning by the leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu that hunger is ravaging the length and breadth of the nation. And with the Governor of Imo Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, another leader of the ruling APC declaring that 85% of Nigerians are unhappy, which better way expresses the muted upheaval at hand? Minimum wage looks more of a recipe for maximum woes! Udekwe wrote from Abuja
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͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
INSIGHT
Marching towards 2019...
Repatriation of Libyan Refugees and Security
W
e express our profound delight with the federal government at the prompt action it has taken regarding the repatriation of our people who have been in slavery in Libya under very dehumanising
conditions. According to reports about 2,778 Nigerians are scattered and languishing in different detention camps in Libya. And since the outcry which emanated as a result of the video clips aired by the CNN, the federal government through its Foreign Affairs Ministry claimed it has been repatriating 250 people every week in conjunction with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Even though it took the CNN report before the Nigerian authorities and their counterparts in other African states could rise up to the challenge, it is still good that the rescue mission is on. Unfortunately, for some victims, this repatriation exercise is almost belated. This is because some of these people who had been awaiting deportation or repatriation and have already spent about eight months in Gharyan, Libya, have died, while “some are getting mad, some are not well, while some are sick�. Their evil slave taskmasters, the Arabs popularly called the ‘Arabos’ use to beat them for every action they commanded their captives to take. Still drawing the world’s attention to their fellows awaiting repatriation from Libya, Akume (one of the returnees), said “people out there are suffering. They need help. Sometimes, when they call us to eat, we eat five five. Five means one spoon for five people and that is for the whole day. So when UN now discovered that they are giving us five, five, UN now called them and began to drag them. So they now began to give us two times a day,� according to Blueprint of December 8, 2017. While welcoming and rejoicing with our fellow Nigerians for their safe return from the land of horror and death, we are at the same time using this medium to alert the federal government of the likely security implications that this rescue mission may cause. For a nation like Nigeria that is still battling with the issue of mass youth unemployment, it may not be a tea – party for the authorities as a result of the ensuing social and economic implications that this repatriation exercise may cause. We decided to reproduce some of the ordeals and tough times that these Libyan returnees were forced to pass through in the land of their captivity because such unpleasant situations might made some of them to prepare themselves for productive ventures at home no matter the challenges involved. Unfortunately, the same ordeals may also turn some of them to take to crime. Already, our security operatives are still battling with the increasing wave of kidnapping, armed – robbery, cultism and gangster – wars in the country. And since kidnapping seems to be most lucrative criminal venture in Nigeria now, some of these returnees in an effort to recover whatever
hundreds of thousands of naira they might have lost in their misadventure or desperate attempts to travel to Europe might be tempted to join well – established kidnapping gangs. Some can also venture into other criminal activities like armed – robbery, fraudulent practices including advanced cyber – crimes popularly called “Yahoo – yahoo plus boys�. The females among them may also turn into voluntary prostitution since that is what some of them were forced to do. With the level of disparity between the high – income and the low income earners, our society have been reduced to the groups of haves and have – nots, with the gulf between the two groups getting wider every day. To confirm this assertion, Nigeria is the only country that has the highest salary – package for its public office holders while paying the lowest minimum – wage to its workforce, especially those in the lower cadres in the public service. Even with that ridiculously low minimum – wage, most federating states’ governments are still owing their workers, salaries ranging between six months and 24 months. Paradoxically, it is within the same economy that some political office holders are flaunting their wealth in the midst of abject poverty. Little wonder, their opulent lifestyles have been attracting criminal elements who do kidnap some of them at random for ransom. Gbemiga Olakunle, JP General Secretary, National Prayer Movement, Abuja
Marriages and Crime of Passion
A
ll over the world, marriage is a thing of joy for those tying the nuptial knots, and their well-wishers. The joys of parents, relations, and friends are unfathomable and boundless as they witness the solemnisation of the marital union of the people, who are their own. In Africa, marriage is a societal obligation and necessity. We marry to fulďŹ l a societal obligation and expectation. For example, relatively rich male adults, who do not have marriage mates, are viewed with disdain, condescension, and suspicion. Here, in Nigeria, a well-off man, who is not married, is believed to be involved in money – making ritual. And, old spinsters are believed to be suffering from ancestral curse, which has prevented them from getting married to men. So, they frequent new-fangled Pentecostal Churches where the pastors pretend to possess the power and gift of clairvoyance. Oftentimes, those unfortunate ladies, who do not want to become ladies on the shelf, are beguiled of their money by the pastors, who exploit
T H E S AT 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
their desperation for marital mates. Africans believe, though erroneously, that their entering into the marriage unions initiates and ushers them into the revered club of responsible and respectable people. That’s why, nowadays, two people who are a mismatch, are joined in holy matrimony. Although they have dissimilarities as to their interests, morality-codes, likes and dislikes, they got married to each other to escape the odium and stigma of being single. Are marriage breakups that are common place today not related to men marrying ladies, who are not compatible with them? A scarlet lady with warped morality –code cannot live happily with a man, who is a martinet for a disciplined -lifestyle; likewise a lascivious man who cannot rein in his excessive libido cannot live peacefully with a chaste lady, who has high moral standard. Nowadays, accusations of sexual infidelity are at the root of the breakup of many marriages in Nigeria. The erosion of family values in Nigeria is the reason why married people have bits-on-the side. But a cuckolded man will feel enraged if he finds out that his wife of many years has been two-timing him. Today, wives stabbing their husbands to death for allegedly committing adultery seem to be the fad. Driven by jealousy and feelings of rejection, those ladies in a moment of madness kill their husbands only to regret their rash actions, later. But, one’s engaging in the crime of passion to avenge oneself on a cheating spouse is not the better alternative. If your marriage relationship is characterised by incessant physical fights, you should know that it is time to call it quits with the marriage. When a third person comes into your marital union to settle fights between you and your marriage mate oftentimes, it is a portent of doom for the marriage. It is better to walk out of a troubled marriage alive than to die in it while trying to salvage it. The fact is this: a man who is set in his evil ways cannot change overnight to become an angel. Chiedu Uche Okoye, Uruowuly – Obosi, Anambra State
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2017
SUPER SATURDAY
AYO LIJADU Stardom Has Led Many Artistes to Self-destruction Ayo Lijadu was very active in athletics. He represented his school, King’s College, Lagos, and Lagos State, in the middle distance races up to the national level. Today, he’s moved from athletics to the Klieglights. Armed with experience spanning over 40 years on set, lights, camera and action craft, he has seen it all. His vision of cinema as a veritable medium for propagating morally sound and acceptable societal values has not changed. The Stanislavsky’s Method of Acting-style veteran is excited by roles that challenge his skills, creativity and experience as an actor. He speaks with Adedayo Adejobi on the price he is paying for fame, the acting roles that excite him and his spiritual inclinations What influences the kind of roles you accept and play?
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for anyone who has consistently kept at practicing his craft. Experience teaches cript content, vis-à-vis quality you ways and means to navigate areas of of writing and overall mespractice which otherwise you found hard sage. These play an important and tortuous before. part in deciding the kind of roles I accept.
What types of role excite you?
The types that will challenge my creativity, my skills and of course, my experience as an actor.
After so many years in this industry, how do you approach each new role? I approach each new role basically on the premise of my understanding of what the writer and director want that role to achieve as a unit; working within a whole. And yes, it is possible to become and stay excited about new projects, otherwise this profession would be a boring chore.
Many actors, act according to a certain style or method they’ve developed over the years. Would you say you’re an actor of method or style? I will say I am more of a method actor, having been trained in the Stanislavsky’s Method Acting style which also has its varieties expounded and developed by other acting teachers of the early 20th century. But by and large, I will say with experience, I have also learnt to experiment and adopt other styles as occasions may demand.
Some things have changed in the business since you first started your career. But how has your vision of the cinema changed? Certainly a lot has changed in the television and film industry since I started my professional career as an actor, a little over 40 years ago, especially when you consider the vastly improved quality in every aspect of the production value chain. So we are getting better quality production now than we used to, say, about a decade ago. In all of these changes, my vision of cinema as a veritable medium for propagating morally sound and acceptable societal values has not changed.
What’s different now about performing and say 20 years ago? Lijadu
What is different is the experience that has been packaged in between the 20 years. That is what age and length of time does
How do you think the changes being made in the way people see movies, changing not just the roles but the industry?
If by this question you mean how the improvements brought to the various areas of production, whether technical or artistic, have impacted on the overall quality of work we now have in the industry, I will say, quite positively. The average Nigerian viewer is now much more sophisticated and critical of local content than say, 10, 15 years ago; especially given the fact that he has many more sources of accessing entertainment. So our local television and film content producers are challenged not to produce anything lower in quality than what they have seen is acceptable to the viewing public. So, all these improvements are bound to affect, in a positive manner, not just the kind of roles actors get, but the industry in general.
Popularity, great roles, awards and so on. Is it like living in a surreal world? That depends on the individual. How well and how realistic he or she is able to handle these things, that is, popularity, great roles, awards. I am a thoroughly down to earth person. I don’t see myself as an extraordinarily different human being from another person who is equally engaged in work he was trained for just because I am a popular actor. If these things come with the profession, glory be to God, who is the Giver of all good things. I never allow these issues to get into my head. .
Were there moments when your parents were unhappy about your career choice? No. At no time were my parents unhappy about my career choice.
Stardom comes with a price. What is the price you paid? I have never considered myself a ‘star’, at least not in the context in which it is being used, not just in Nigeria, but all over the world. Application of such adoring words like star, superstar, idol, celebrity and so on to artistes and entertainers generally, to my mind, is responsible for what has made so many talents in my industry to lose focus
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ EMBER 16, 2017
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SUPERSATURDAY STARDOM HAS LED MANY ARTISTES TO SELF-DESTRUCTIONS
However, many celebrities are unable to handle fame, popularity aand money. So yes, for such people, they continue living in a surreal world and I will aalways advise that tthey get their feet more planted on tthe earth of reality and simplicity
you choose? h ? and see themselves as extraordinary human beings who must be worshipped and adored by other human beings. So they elevate themselves to that surreal world you mentioned earlier, with often devastating and destructive consequences. Examples of artistes who have experienced self-destruct as a result of inability to handle the so-called ‘stardom’ or fame, are too replete all over the world. So I will rather answer your question in this manner; the price I have had to pay for ‘popularity’, so to say, is loss of privacy. That, to me, is a big price.
What’s your take on sex scandals rocking American film producer and former film executive, Harvey Weinstein? I have no comments. As a rule I don’t engage my precious quality time porring over stories and gossips of other people’s private lives and escapades. Time is too precious to be spent in such ventures that deliver no real value at the end of the day.
What kind of a father are you? I wouldn’t know what you mean by ‘chilled’ or ‘hyper’, beyond the ordinary dictionary meaning I am familiar with of those words. However, I would like to think of myself as a responsible, loving and caring father to all my children and whose sole desire, efforts and goal is to bring them up in the fear and ways of God and as responsible citizens of their country.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? The desire to optimally use the hours of the day available to me, with the satisfaction at the end of the day that I have done all diligently in clear conscience to God and to self.
If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be? Amazing Grace.
If you could be remembered for one sentence, what would it be? ‘The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.’
If you had a choice between two supernatural powers-being invisible or flying-which would
Those abilities are not part of what God physically and naturally endowed man with. Anyone desiring such is asking to take on mystical powers; neither is a choice for me.
What were you like as a child? Like any other child, with natural, childish attributes that pertain to children at their different developmental stages.
What were you like in high school? Like any other high school boy, I guess. Except that I was very active in athletics and represented both my college, King’s College, Lagos, as well as Lagos State, in the middle distance races up to the national level.
Do you prefer sunrise to sunset and why? I don’t have any preference out of the two since I acknowledge that each one of them has its proper place and role to play according to the cycle of life. It is for each individual to make each of these works of nature work to his or her own advantage.
If you were a brand, what would be your motto? ‘Always be a worthy example.’
What are your greatest strengths? My faith and conviction in God is my greatest strength.
What are your weaknesses? I would rather keep those to myself and work on them.
How honest are you? As honest as I know God wants me to be.
What is one of your favourite quotes? ‘The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.’
If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be? Fifty.
When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you use it? Meditating on God and eternal life.
Options Available to Viewers Have Forced Improvement on the Movie Industry
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
NEWSXTRA
Enugu IGR Rises to N18bn as Ugwuanyi Vows to Plug Leakages Christopher Isiguzo inEnugu Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on has declared his administration's determination to sustain policies that would help in plugging leakages in revenue accruing to the state, noting that already the state's Internally Generated Revenue had increased from N14 billion to N18 billion. Speaking at the commissioning of the rehabilitated state revenue centre, launching of the revenue automation project and release of operational vehicles to the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), the governor said such leakages affected his government at inception. He said paucity of funds were major challenge to the implementation of his four-point agenda, noting that although the agenda had yielded good results in the areas of rapid development and increase in the standard of living by the people of the state, the government needed to do more and thus the need to tighten the revenue sources. He said the state adopted the pay direct system which was tailored on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) model, as well as empowered the ESIRS to eliminate corruption in its processes and ramp up IGR for the state. The governor also directed the ESIRS to eliminate permanently manual processes in its operations, urging them to use the new order of the automation all of its activities, particularly in the collection of government revenues such as enumeration,
assessment, collections, issuance of tax clearance certificates, levies, fees and other non-tax revenues by various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government. Assessing the results the measures have yielded in the last 10 months, he said “this is quite commendable given that revenues were dropping by the time we implemented these measures. “The triple events that are taking place today are designed to further deepen and strengthen ongoing reforms in the revenue service and equip the agency to meet the needs of government and serve the good people of Enugu State better. “The renovated headquarters, the revenue centre which we are commissioning today is a testimony of the government’s resolve to build a first class revenue agency that meets the current and future needs of Enugu State.� The Managing Director of Byteworks Solutions Ltd, the consulting firm that handled the Enugu automation project, Mr. Edmund Ezukwu said the IGR Central System (ICS) deployed to ESIRS “is a scalable, portable and agile public finance automation solution that enables states and local governments manage, control, and monitor the collection of tax and other revenues generated by a state in real-time.� Ezukwu explained that the system is “a one-stop shop that gives state/local governments executives and public finance officials access and insight into the finances and revenues of the state both in the formal and informal sectors. He disclosed that the system was
DEDICATED TO EFFICIENCY... L-R: Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd. Charles Kie; Executive Director, Consumer Banking, Carol Oyedeji; and Head, Consumer Distribution Ayotunde Kuponiyi during the unveiling of Ecobank Xpress Account in Lagos, yesterday‌. SUNDAY ADIGUN supported by a strong analytical engine that could generate and automate standard and bespoke reports on the fly intelligence on IGR of the
state, pointing out that it is “the best in-class enumerations systems that helps state IRS expand the tax net to formalize the informal sectors of
the state economy.� The Byteworks boss commended Ugwuanyi for “envisioning, supporting and driving the automation
project,� saying that “Enugu State government has joined the league of modern states across the world� using the system.
Former Rivers Lawmakers Ijaw Youths Urge N'Delta to Key into Endorse Wike for Second Term FGs Anchor Borrowers' Programme Ernest Chinwo inPortHarcourt
Former Legislators of the Rivers State House of Assembly have endorsed the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for a second term in office. The former state lawmakers premised the endorsement of the Rivers State Governor on his roll out of projects state-wide and the excellent implementation of the New Rivers Development Blueprint. Speaking during a solidarity visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday, Leader of the Forum, Senator Adawari Pepple, also announced that the Forum has passed a vote of confidence on the governor. He said: "We are convinced by the Governor's excellent performance that he should continue to lead Rivers
State beyond 2019. "Therefore, as a forum, we call on the governor to present himself to contest the 2019 Governorship election. We believe that the Rivers State Governor deserves a second term". He said the performance of Wike has promoted the image of Rivers State across the globe, leading to several prestigious awards. He saluted the efforts of the governor in ensuring that Prince Uche Secondus emerged as the National Chairman of the PDP. Responding, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, stated that his administration would continue to deliver projects to all communities, irrespective of their political affiliation. He said the mandate of the people was an opportunity to serve, noting that he would always give
the interest of the people priority attention. He said: "We will never play politics with infrastructure. At present, we have on-going projects in 22 out of the 23 Local Government Areas. The remaining Local Government Area will witness projects implementation by early next year." On the election of PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, Wike thanked Governors, National Assembly members and PDP chieftains from the six geo-political zones who worked for his victory. He said as governor of Rivers State, he would always pursue the good of the State. While thanking the former state lawmakers for their commitment to the growth of the State, he said the state must work as a team for greater development.
Emmanuel Addeh inYenagoa
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, yesterday called on the people of the Niger Delta to take advantage of the Federal Government's Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) for small scale farmers in Nigeria or lose out on its many benefits. The youths regretted that the objectives of the programme were little known in the region, noting that most eligible people of Ijaw descent had not been able to benefit from the N43.92 billion so far released for the scheme. Daniel Dasimaka, the IYC's national Spokesman, in a statement in Yenagoa, said the region was being left behind in terms of keying into the programme inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 for small
holders in the agricultural sector in the country. President Buhari had while reeling out his scorecard in October described the programme as a huge success, mentioning some states that were benefitting hugely from it. “N43.92 billion (has been) released through the CBN and 13 participating institutions, 200,000 small holder farmers from 29 states of the federation benefitting, 233,000 hectares of farmland cultivating eight commodities, namely rice, wheat, maize, cotton, soya-beans, poultry, cassava and groundnuts, in addition to fish farming� he had said. The IYC urged all Ijaw people interested in the programme to intimate themselves with the CBN’s ‘Anchor Borrowers’ Programme Guideline' which is intended to create a linkage between anchor companies involved
in the processing and small holder farmers (SHFs) of the required key agricultural commodities. “The programme thrust of the ABP is the provision of farm inputs in kind and cash (for farm labour) to small holder farmers to boost production of these commodities, stabilise inputs supply to agro processors and address the country’s negative balance of payments on food. “At harvest, the SHF supplies his/ her produce to the Agro-processor (Anchor) who pays the cash equivalent to the farmer’s account,� the youth body explained. IYC added: “Recently, as part of our consultation to improve the wellbeing of Ijaw people, especially the youths, we visited the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and he also mentioned the benefits of this programme.
Rivers Community Tackles APC Ambode Charges Newsmen on Professionalism as he Inaugurates Kaltho Center over Attack on Monarch Ernest Chinwo inPortHarcourt
The Council of Chiefs of Koniju Town in Okrika local government area of Rivers State, have condemned what they described as derogatory statement against the Paramount Ruler of Okochiri community, King Ateke Michael Tom by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The community also threatened to sue the APC unless it tenders a public apology and retracts the comments.
Leaders and members of the APC in the state, had during a protest in support of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) last Monday, accused Governor Nyesom Wike of recognising criminals as traditional rulers in the state. The protesters allegedly displayed, among others, a flex banner with a picture of Wike with the Okochiri monarch during his coronation, with a bold inscription, 'Wike is Making Criminals Kings'. But, addressing journalists yesterday at the Community Secondary
School field, Okochiri, Chairman of Koniju Council of Chiefs, Chief Chris Biriowu Opuayaraya, demanded for a retraction of the statement by the APC and an apology published in both local and national media. Mbonu-Ayagara said, "We, the chiefs, elders and people of Okochiri Kingdom and indeed the entire Wakirike ethnic nationality wholly condemn in the strongest terms the damaging malicious, provocative and insultive inscription targeted to malign and denting the hard-earned reputation of our monarch.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday commissioned the newly upgraded Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, charging journalists to continue to ensure professionalism in the discharge of their duties at all times. According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Habib Haruna, Ambode who inaugurated the Press Centre, located within the Alausa Secretariat, continue to dedicate themselves to the tenets of their profession by
being factual so as to sustain the credibility of the media in Nigeria. Represented by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye, the Governor said his administration remained committed providing conducive environment for journalists to practice their profession in line with global standard. “This administration has taken steps to ensure that the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre is upgraded, in terms of physical infrastructure and the facilities so that our
media practitioners can work in an environment that is in tune with global standard,� Governor Ambode said. He said the upgrade of the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre was in line with his administration's belief that journalists should be empowered to perform their duties maximally just as he disclosed that in the coming year, the LTV/ Radio Lagos/Lagos Traffic Radio complex would be transformed into a veritable Media Centre of Excellence.
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LOUD WHISPERS AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER TEENS CONNECT FASHION FILE TRAVEL
pg. 20 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 38 pg. 43 pg. 50
Ish’aq Modibo Kawu
We Have to Communicate More on Digital Broadcasting Switch-Over
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 16, 2017
PLUS
I Have been in Broadcasting Since I was 16 Since the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) resolved through GE O6 that all member countries must go digital, Nigeria’s resolve to switch over from analogue to digital has been dogged by several hiccups. The process commenced in Nigeria in 2016 with only one state, Plateau (March 16, 2016 and the FCT in December 23, 2016) partially covered. The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Mallam Ish’Aq Modibo Kawu, tells Stanley Nkwazema about the challenges, and why subsidy must be removed to realise the full switch-over
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ell us about your background. I was appointed as the DG of NBC on the 24th of May last year. On the 1st of February this year, it was exactly 40 years that I have been a broadcaster and journalist. I started to work in Radio Nigeria on the 1st of February 1977, during FESTAC. At that time I was the youngest person employed by Radio Nigeria; I started out as a Studio Manager Trainee. I eventually became an announcer. So I have been announcer, news reader on the National Network as far back as 1980. My contemporaries are well known broadcasters in Nigeria; John Momoh, Frank Oshodi, Sheyi Martins, Bisi Olatilo and Sonny Irabor. At the moment, I am concluding a doctoral degree in political science at the Nigerian Military University, the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, with focus on Strategic Studies. When I finished working at radio at the local level and I was doing international broadcasting, I was head-hunted by the Kwara State Government. I took part in an interview and came out tops to become the pioneer General Manager of the Kwara State Television. I started on the 1st of February, 1997. I did that for five years till the 7th of May 2002 when I resigned the appointment and was appointed as Editor of Daily Trust newspaper. I left Ilorin to come to Abuja, subsequently becoming the chairman of their editorial board. I coordinated the project for them to start the radio and television arm of the newspaper. I was Africa Editor because also we started the African of the Year project and published the magazine they called Kilimanjaro. In 2011, I resigned the appointment because my cousin was running to be the Governor of Kwara State and I wanted to assist him. At the same time, I had taken the decision that having worked in the radio, television and newspaper; I wanted to do a multimedia company, so the company put up platforms in all this different media, we had sound studios, television studio, editing suites, language laboratory and all that in Abuja. That was what I was running when as well writing my column in Vanguard newspaper and chairing the Editorial board of Blueprint Newspaper when I was appointed last year. All my life since when I was 16 years, I have been in broadcasting and journalism in general. The DSO pilot launch took off last year in Jos and Abuja. Why the gap after the Abuja launch 11 months after. Absolutely, you are right about the gap. What we did after the switch-on in Abuja onDecember 23, a decision was taken that we would launch in six states of the federation. The decision to launch the DSO in Abuja was a conscious one because the people who take all the policy decisions in government are people who are based in the city. Every time we discussed DSO with them, it was clear most of them listened to you politely, but they didn’t understand what the whole thing was about. We felt that if we did a launch in Abuja immediately, it would give them a clear understanding of what this process was all about. If you recall that in Jos, the pilot gave the people in Plateau 15 channels, then we took a decision that we would do 30 in Abuja. That was a major propaganda element for the process. Then we decided that in Nigeria, people are always sensitive. We did Jos , they will say it’s a northern Nigeria and we did Abuja
Kawu
it’s the same northern state. Why don’t you go to other geo-political zones and do one state each there? And because we have two signal distributors, we gave three to one signal distributor and three to the other one. But in the period after the launch in Abuja and the decision to go to the six states, we had challenges. We had not paid all our stakeholders, the Set Top Box manufacturers, that have put in so much money into the process we were owing about N6 billion and this money was accumulating interest in the bank. It took a while for government to return the money to us; the money that had been taken into the recovery account of the EFCC. Even, while the money was returned to us, we were having the challenge of the bank, needing to do reconciliation of what the interest was going to be. Also, we needed to be careful of giving out the money. Eventually, we reached a decision. Originally, the decision was that about 650,000 boxes imported by the Nigerian government at subsidised rates. In Abuja and Plateau almost 400,000 boxes have been used. We appointed a different call centre in Abuja and it took a while for them, to be put through the process, putting all the technology in place also. A lot of those things came to play and delayed the process. Also the signal distributors
had to do roll-out. And as this was being done, we entered all kinds of unnecessary controversies which slowed down the whole process and people preferred to go to the media to make insinuations, to raise issues but the position of the National Broadcasting Commission was always that this is a very challenging and historical process for Nigeria. We had never done a digital switch over before. It was always theoretically discussing it. But Jos allowed all the elements to come together: the signal distributors, the content providers, the aggregators, the middleware providers and all. It was the very first time we did it and the lessons were learnt from the Jos launch helped us to do the Abuja launch. It collectively informed our decision to go to the six states. The problem immediately was that DSO success in Jos and Abuja relatively became its own challenge in the sense that people became very expectant in all parts of Nigeria. While we were putting infrastructures in place, in some of the cities, the people who were selling boxes had taken boxes to different parts of the country. The decision we have taken now is that we have met in plenary, bringing everybody together. A decision has been taken that we are going to do launches in Kaduna as well as in Ilorin which will affect the work of the two signal
distributors, Pinnacle in Kaduna and ITS in Ilorin. Our set-up box manufacturers have assured us that we have 250,000 boxes now on hand for use in the different destinations. People have asked me the question, why are you doing it in phases? The answer is very simple. It is the logistics especially the financial end of it. We need a lot of funds to be able to do the switch-over in Nigeria. In Nigeria with the population of about 192 million people , you are looking at between 36 and 40 million set-top boxes in Nigeria and that is a huge amount of boxes which We need to produce it in our systems or also import and you know the components in terms of foreign currency. But hopefully by Thursday November 30, we are likely to go to Kaduna and by Thursday December 7, we are most likely to be in Ilorin. In between, we would have finished putting infrastructures in Gombe, Delta and Enugu as well as Osogbo. Hopefully before the end of this year we will now take the decision on the states we are going to launch and hopefully by that time the governors must have put money in for the set-up boxes There seems to be a confusion on the roles of signal distributors, the
DECEMBER 16, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
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PLUS We Have to Communicate More on Digital Broadcasting Switch-Over content aggregators, middleware providers, content owners and set-up box manufacturers. Theoretically, there should be no confusion. The White Paper, which is the basis of the entire digital switchover process, is very clear about it. Nigeria took a decision as part of an international process that we are going to license two signal distributors in Nigeria because you will no longer have stations producing content and also carrying their own signals. In the wisdom of the Nigerian government, since government has decided and invested in 150 sites across the country, we cannot allow these sites to waste, so a company should come out of NTA system to become the public based signal distribution company. That is how ITS came into being. Secondly, the same White Paper went on to say that we should have another company out of the private sector. So a public competitive bidding was done and Pinnacle Communication won and was made the second signal distributor. But then, there were challenges when Pinnacle for all kinds of reasons took NBC to court and that litigation was dragging for about a two-year period . When I was appointed the DG, one of the first decisions I took was to get Pinnacle to le come out of court which they h y agreed. As part of the settlement, they were also appointed to be the signal distributors for the Abuja switch-over which was a very successful process. So they are back in the process. There has been a deluge luge g off complaints of poor signal distribution by the providers. In Jos , we covered about out 12 local governments , we haven’t n’t covered the entire Plateau State. Our signal g distributors in Plateau are re going g g to put p transmission points in other ther parts p of Plateau. That is one of those hose things g we also discussed. In Abuja,, topography p g p is an issue in digital broadcasting. adcasting. g Digital broadcasting is almost lmost like FM broadcasting, if you have e areas where there are hills, there will be areas where you will be unable to get et signals. g In Abuja metropolitan area,, the outline is that there is a problem. m. Our signal g distributor, Pinnacle Communications, mmunications, is obliged to put gap filler transmitters that will boost signals to those se p places where there is no signal. But they hey y always y have to wait till after the rainy y seasons, thank God it’s over now, As I am talking g to you today, November 2, I was in the offices of Pinnacle, they were offloading g these transmitters they will use for the gap fillers. I am sure that at in a couple p of weeks, they should cover over the entire Abuja. It is very important ant because from the perspective of our set-up p box manufacturers, we have to do Analogue g Switch Off (ASO) in Abuja. uja. j If we do not do that, we are going to have a problem p with the market. If we switch witch off all analogue transmitters in Abuja j now, people will be obliged to o buy y set-up p boxes and our box manufacturers ufacturers will be sure that when they produce, there will be market for it. Did NBC actually vet et Kwese TV, being promoted by Econnet onnet Wireless, TSTV and others before re they y commenced operations? What is their future? We did vet them. These se are Direct to Home (DTH) channels. It is the digital g terrestrial television that will go g to the homes of majority of Nigerians. gerians. If you g y want to do a DTH, you can go g and subscribe to Multichoice,, Kwese and others. As I speak to you u now, there is nothing to hide; Mo Abudu’s udu’s Ebony y Life TV has an application with us to also do a DTH which will focus cus on women and youths. It’s a niche that people p p can occupy and do things in. n. The central thing is that the Nigerian n constitution obliges the state to give opportunity pp y to Nigerians to watch news ews and get g entertainment and information mation that is what it is all about. Thatt is what our own FreeTv is about. It doesn’t clash at all with those who are e applying pp y g to do DTH systems. You can an pay for their
set-top boxes. But as a matter of fact, on the long run, they all have to come on to the platforms of our signal distributors. You will get to a point where you can get Pay TV even on your boxes. The distribution of boxes is also experiencing hiccups. Only Gospell, out of the 11 licensed manufacturers, has a functional factory in Nigeria. Each licensee paid the sum of N50m as licensing fees. What is happening? We do need boxes. And as you know it is about a 40 million box market. What happened was that the first sets of boxes were actually imported from China and the decision was taken that that was going to be the first phase. As part of the contract, they are all supposed to put in place assembly plants that will then graduate to production plants. Interestingly, one of them, Gospell Digital Technology, GDT, has been able to make a transition from assembly plant to putting in place the first Surface Mount Technology (SMT) line in West Africa. In the same Calabar, SMK has an assembly point but it hasn’t made the transition , In Oshogbo, there is a company that is already doing some kind of production cum assembly. Here in Abuja, Trefonics, then in Lagos, Digitunes. g But with all of these, it was always y that they y wanted to be sure of a few things. g There were issues that whether we should have a monopoly p of middleware or we should have y that an alternative. Eventually, decision has been taken. There will be an alternative one. Secondly, y how are the boxes going to get g to Nigeria? y going g g to be Are they subsidised? We are no l ger going lo t subsidise subs b idi goii g to longer boxes. The truth is that g realistic. it is no longer It will be market driven and because there is the g need for Nigerians to have these boxes, and there is a market for it, p p are then these people g g to get g the kind of going pp p support expected from the financial institutions to p in place p be able to put those p facilities for them to produce for a 40 million market for the set-top box system in Nigeria. y Do you think the business y f model you inherited from your f y predecessor is faulty? y noticed, even In fact, if you y the Minister of InformaInformatoday, j Lai tion and Culture, Alhaji adMohammed, when he adg with stakedressed our meeting holders, he mentioned the fact that the business model that we inherited is not one that we can continue to work with. We need to fine tune it. That’s y I told you y that we decided to put p why p y the in place an in-house team to study p p entire process. The second part was g a lawyer y of repute p p us to to get to help g a report p from look at it. Once we get y it will help p us to accelerate the lawyer, p and fine tuning g the business the process g run, the model. I think that in the long p will be a win-win for all DSO process the stakeholders. g back to the DSO launch. Let’s go y people p p still don’t understand Many what the DSO is all about. p that we are not I must own up g DSO enough. g As communicating p g part of the stakeholder agreements, pp we have opportunities on all g electronic media in Nigeria to have at least ten minutes per day of communication on DSO. We are g it enough, g as NBC, as not using g Digiteam, we have to review the need to communicate the p to Nigerians g in whole process g g in differdifferrdifferent languages y I have ent media. Secondly, j just made an allusion to it y response. p It is part p of in my g an international agreement from the International Telecommunications Union
(ITU) that countries should make the transition from analogue to digital and free up frequencies that we can use for new things in telecommunication and other uses, military technology, signals and others. In the context of Nigeria, it offers this platform to then begin to give opportunities for television stations to concern themselves more with their primary duty of providing content. If television is going to be 24 hours because that’s the way it is going to be in the new reality, you need the content and then the issue of creating new opportunities for young people. These are the things we need to communicate to Nigerians for them to see the benefits of the DSO. Then the box helps us to measure audience so we can definitely tell Nigerians, x number of people are watching particular programmes. And then the stations producing these programmes can then take them to advertisers. Advertising money follows audiences because in reality content providers do not sell air time, they actually sell audiences and you can actually know the demographics of the audience that is watching a particular programme. You can say at 8pm on a Monday, x programme coming from this content provider has 2, 3, 4 million Nigerians watching across all g p g the geo-political zones in Nigeria. We g our set-top p boxes. can measure it using g pp y because the That gives an opportunity p in money y in because advertiser can put p p watchwatch hhe knows the number of people g and the demographics. g p Secondly, y ing p Nigerians g the same box can help to g communicate with government because g p informagovernment can post some informag tion. On the hand, Nigerians can y tell government what they feel about the democracy and the development process.
The problem immediately was that DSO success in Jos and Abuja relatively became its own challenge in the sense that people became very expectant in all parts of Nigeria. While we were putting infrastructures in place, in some of the cities, the people who were selling boxes had taken boxes to different parts of the cou t y. The e decisio e country. decision we have taken now is that we have met in plenary, bringing everybody together
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2017 with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)
LOUD WHISPERS
Kemi Adeosun
Kemi Adeosun vs Mounir Gwarzo : A Nollywood Affair Let me just say one thing here very quickly, that it is true o. Nothing is permanent in this life o. You see this Kemi Adeosun who is suspending people up and down was once a capital market operator working for one mid-sized firm while Mounir Gwazo, the embattled suspended SEC Director General was already wielding considerable power and influence at the SEC Head Office in Abuja. Today see as she just suspended the guy just like that. Life is hard o. This also reminds me of my egbon Fashola who as governor would have been asking Osinbajo to stand and face the wall for coming late to the Lagos State Exco meeting. Today, if Fashola dares to open his eyes when Osinbajo is walking through, his case will be more than a suspension o. That is all I am learning from this almost childish game of dancing chairs. The integrity of the market and the government’s avowed war against corruption is once again being tarnished by the actions and inactions of these players. I really refuse to comment on the issue because there are so many moving parts so I will just dwell on the lesson of no condition is permanent that we are seeing in this matter. That is how one person who was wearing bowler hat and sitting on the rock now went to the Central Bank to suspend one person who now eventually emerged the Emir of one of the most powerful enclaves with millions of votes needed. So you can imagine the state the bowler hat-wearing international man of mystery and the only shoeless wonder in the land would have found himself when he realised that he had to swallow the humble pie to reach out to the new Emir in a bid to secure votes from his emirate. So my advice to madam Kemi is to calm down o on this matter because this Mounir no be an ordinary man o. From this suspension, the bobo can just emerge President of IMF. I tell you and you will now be begging him for debt forgiveness. It is true o. One day, the guy and I were in Habib Bank as officers and the next minute, the he surfaced at SEC. Look, seriously, there is nothing going on here
Mounir Gwarzo
Bolanle Austen Peters
Command School Command Secondary School Alumni Alumni – The Duke Emerges You know one of the easiest things to do in this system is to constantly rail against how things are not going well in the society. Armchair critics are everywhere and when the opportunity comes to make a difference they shy away. For me, I feel the time has come to seek the mantle of leadership and begin to implement some of the ideas and vision that one has been expounding as a critic all of these years. My resolve to vie for the Presidency of the Command secondary School Alumni Association is predicated upon my firm belief that if carefully exploited, Alumni Associations could form veritable bedrock for socio-economic development. If properly harnessed, the evolving effects of a nostalgia-fuelled communalism could lend itself to a massively orchestrated vehicle of wealth creation. This is the plank on which I situate my clarion call to my colleagues as we move towards building a financially independent association. A viable association that would in turn positively affect its members, the school and much more impor-
tantly, the society. As a nine-yearold, my father dropped me in the school and what first struck me was the unusual warmth and friendship that cascaded the whole school. It was a fun-filled and exciting five years of my life that has today defined my person while giving me the stoic belief in not only myself but a firm believer in the innate goodness of my fellow human being. As the campaign season opens, I stretch out my hand of fellowship to my colleagues and co-contestants even as I seek our usual brotherly and sweet hand of fellowship in this exercise. We would all work together to deliver a highly transparent, issue-driven campaign process that would throw up the best of the best. Like I have told some of my colleagues, there will be no winner and no vanquished in this exercise as we would all put hands together to deliver an enviable period of productive excellence to our Alumni. (He no go funny if Duke lose sha. There is god o. Who send me, now I am afraid. Where is that Atiku? I need to learn to carve out a Plan B. just in case?
that cannot be resolved with maturity and a clear and introspective look at the issues involved and decisions taken for the betterment of Nigerians. I hear there are over two hundred thousand shareholders that stand a risk of losing their investments if this whole thing is not handled properly. Please do not let me run into slavery instead of this continuous game of musical chairs that we are seeing. As I write, I am seeing that the House of Representatives has stepped in asking for status quo to remain and seeking to probe the decision. Those ones can probe. Any small thing they will probe, they can probe for Africa. Please where lies the hope for the common man with all these intrigues,
power play and horse trading over a little decision of wanting to do the right thing just once. That is the real question that needs an answer. Lai Muhammed, Bolanle Austen Peters and Fela At the premiere of Bolanle’s new musical, ‘Fela’, I stumbled on the great Uncle Lai Mohamed. As I was walking in, he was just alighting from his car. He was alone o; no security. Immediately, I decided to rush him and wrestle him to the ground but then again, the guy no do me anything o. So I decided to approach him very cautiously to ask him one or two things about this our ‘change’. As I approached him, he looked at
TY Danjuma
me. I could see fear in his eyes as he was not sure who this good-looking young man was and his mission. This was the Duke walking towards him so he had to be really afraid. The kind of questions I had would definitely floor him and lead him to tears if not make him retire from politics finally. My people, na him perfume floor me o. As the smell hit me, I suddenly became numb. Na very powerful and expensive one o. I became tongue-tied as I just prostrated myself and hailed him like those area boys in Oshodi. He acknowledged my greetings and walked away while I was still flat on the floor still singing his praise. It took my madam, to get me off the floor. TY Danjuma: Only You!!!!!!! You know I do not eat or do anything until I read my column. Last Saturday, I kept on going online in search of this very important column but could not find it. I waited for my vendor to come and alas it was nowhere to be found. A cursory flip through, I could see that General Danjuma and his people had taken almost the whole paper with congratulatory messages on his 80th birthday. I was kinda relieved that I was making this great national sacrifice for a man that has given so much to the country. It was his 80th birthday and deservedly so, a lot of his admirers had taken up advert spaces to celebrate with him as a respected statesman but in the process, they kicked out my column. As the calls began to pour in by concerned readers, I had to explain to them what I thought must have happened and the role General Danjuma played in the whole saga. Well, my lord I wish you happy celebrations and many more years of fruitful advisory service to the country. But by way of advice, next time, try make the birthday no land for Saturday, na beg. Thank you Sir. Happy birthday Timaya and his Grammy Nominations I always knew this boy will do things. He has just been nominated for a Grammy and I really pray he wins. He is a wonderful musician and I am a great fan of his. Here is wishing him the very best.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚Ϳ
SPY GLASS
BIANCA OJUKWU
DRUMBEAT OF WAR IN OJUKWU’S FAMILY It seems there is no end in sight to the ‘war’ within the affluent and influential Ojukwu family. Spyglass gathered that another trouble is rearing its ugly head in the famous family, This has nothing to do with the raging war between Emeka Ojukwu Jnr. and the late former Biafran warlord and billionaire, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu’s widow, Bianca Ojukwu. It was gathered that some aggrieved members of the family who feel cheated over the property of the family’s scion, the late Sir Louis Ojukwu, who died in 1966, have instituted a suit before Justice Dennis Mmaduechesi of the Awka High Court in Anambra State . The complainants were said to be bitter over the sharing of the late businessman’s property. Joined in the suit are Dr. Ike Ojukwu, Lotenna Ojukwu and Dr. Joseph Ojukwu. Our source hinted that the bone of contention was that they were arguing over their entitlement to 25 per cent of the share in the compound of their late father at No. 73, Owerri Road, Umudim, Nnewi and a 25 per cent share of their father’s company, Ojukwu Transport Company. They are also seeking an order of the court compelling the defendants to account to the plaintiffs the management of the late Sir Louis Ojukwu’s property over the years. In addition, they prayed the court for the release of their father’s will. The case was adjourned to March 12, 2018 for pre-trial conference.
SEGUN ADEBUTU’S GIANT STRIDES Segun Adebutu, a top player in the oil and gas business in Nigeria, sits atop Petrolex Oil and Gas. He has done so
with .... 08054680651 well for himself and has a lot to show for his efforts. Last Tuesday, the billionaire son of the Chairman of Premier Lotto, Adebutu Kesington, who is known for many firsts, scored yet another first when he opened his million-dollars tank farm in Ibefun, Ogun State, the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa’s energy landscape. It has storage capacity of 600 million litres of petroleum products every month, and will transform petroleum products storage and distribution in Nigeria by catering for about 60 per cent of in-country needs. The event was witnessed by top government officials as well as business moguls, including Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Sen. Dino Melaye, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, among others. The shrewd businessman serves as the executive director and member of the board of Premier Lotto Nigeria Limited. He is the Chairman of Bluebridge Marine and Oladiran AgroAllied Company, Oladiran Engineering & Trade Limited. Apart from his impeccable record in oil and gas, he ventured into entertainment business when he founded a music record label, Baseline Records, which signed on music artistes like Skales, Saeon, and others. Apart from his interest in business, he is also passionate about service to humanity. He can’t stand the sight of his fellow human being in distress or want. Since he founded the NGO, Oladiran Olusegun Adebutu (OOA) Foundation in October 2016, he has splashed millions of naira on several indigent people in the state. It was gathered that the NGO would reshape and implement sustainable development activities to include poverty reduction, zero hunger, increased access to healthcare, quality education and create an enabling environment for gender equality, potable water and sanitation.
AGAIN,TONY ELUMELU SHINES! Without a doubt, Tony Elumelu, is a quintessential banker. While he was growing up, his dream was to become one of the greatest economists and bankers in the world. Luckily, providence has granted him his heart’s desire. Very hard-working, the chairman of Heirs Holding shone like a thousand stars when he broke an impeccable
record as the first African to receive the Dwight D. Eisenhower Global Entrepreneurship Award in its 33 years of existence. The progenitor of the award, Dwight, was the 34th President of the United States of America. The award was presented to the chairman of the United Bank of Africa, UBA at an award gala in New York by another former US President, George W. Bush. It was well attended by other recognised world leaders. This year, like every other one, has been a good one for the man who is fast becoming a global phenomenon in business. Awards have been coming in for him for his unparalleled contributions to the world’s entrepreneurship. At 34, he set forth on the path to greatness when he led a small group of investors to acquire the defunct Standard Trust Bank, a small struggling commercial bank in Lagos, and restored it to profitability within a few years. Again, he became a reference point around the globe in 2005 when he led one of the greatest mergers in the history of African banking sector - the merger of Standard Trust Bank (STB) and United Bank of Africa (UBA). Consequently, at the world’s major stock markets such as NASDAQ OMX in New York, London Stock Exchange, Abuja Securities and Commodities Exchange, JSE Limited Nigerian Stock Exchange and many others, his name rings so loud. Within five years, he transformed the bank to be one of the best financial institutions in the world. Evidently, the Delta State-born financial guru is powerful. Little wonder, he was rated one of the most influential persons in Africa as well as one of the 2014 Forbes richest men in Africa.
TITI ATIKU’S DAZZLING BEAUTY Though she is advanced in age, Hajia Titi Atiku, wife of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, is still a showstopper any time, any day. If you are not drawn to her commanding dress sense, you will be stopped in your tracks owing to her graceful steps. Over the years, she has continued to grace the covers of some popular newspapers and magazines. She is recognised as one of the most famous women in Nigerian social and political circles. Spyglass gathered that the Osun State-born woman was a cynosure
TONY ELUMELU
SEGUN ADEBUTU
TITI ATIKU
KAYODE AJULO of eyes last weekend at a social function she attended. She looked regal, beautiful and radiant.
KAYODE AJULO FLOATS NGO IN MEMORY OF LATE SON Apart from his intelligence, his passion for any cause that will make life better for the people and make the society a better place cannot be undermined in factors that are responsible for his success as a dynamic lawyer of note. It is out of passion for justice and equity as well as concern for health of infants that the former national scribe of the Labour Party, Dr. Kayode Ajulo founded and solely funded by Egalitarian Mission for Africa and Sure Steps Africa, respectively from the proceeds of his law practice. The Ondo State-born human rights activist several weeks back lost his son, Kayikunmi, a sevenyear-old in a fatal car crash in Abuja. However, rather than allow the tragic death of his son hold him a prisoner and mourn forever, Ajulo used the tragedy to propagate safety of children by urging appropriate authorities to embark on a campaign that will sensitise the public on child safety in vehicles and enforce provisions of the law stating full usage of all seatbelts and child safety seats. Ajulo, who was among prominent Nigerians whose trade and passion caught the attention of the management of the Federal Road Safety Corps that inaugurated a new set of celebrity special marshals in Lagos has floated, Master Kayikunmi Kayode-Ajulo Memorial Foundation, a non-governmental organisation aimed at promoting child safety.
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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ Ͱͮͯ͵
T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 16 2017
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2017
PERSPECTIVE Opposition in a Democratic Dispensation Sam Kargbo
T
he thesis of this piece is that until political parties in opposition are more organized, purposeful and functioning beyond participating in elections, it is unimaginable and futile to expect governance to serve as an effective vehicle for development, prosperity and solidarity. In adumbrating on this thesis, I shall first endeavour to make a case for the existence of opposition parties. I am yet to know about a homogeneous society with a determinable common will or common good of the people. Human beings do not, by nature, have common interests. It is therefore unthinkable to have a Government that can be said to be representative or reflective of the interests of all in a given society. Even in ideal societies, with Governments that embody the interest of the majority, there is always the need to cater for the interests of those whose interests the Government does not reflect. The need to balance and find a secured common ground for the interest of the majority and that of the minority is, to my mind, the essence of democracy. The imperative here is that democracy is opposed to the idea of Government being a herdsman of the common interests or agendas of the citizens and nationals of a state. Opposition politics is an integral part of democracy. The future of the African continent depends on the quality of its opposition, which points up the necessity for opposition parties to see themselves as representatives of their respective societies with the mandate to: (1) Articulate, aggregate, hone and communicate the interests, fears, desires and wishes of people to the Government; (2) Serve as credible alternatives to the Government; (3) Hold governments accountable, and serving as watchdogs that ensure government functions within the confines of the law by exposing the likes of corruption, nepotism, and the abuse of power; (4) Stimulate debates on issues, provide alternative narratives concerning events and issues, generate national conversations concerning conflicts and engender forensic interrogations of actions of Government agencies and institutions; and (5) Provide political training and incentive for the youth to develop interest in politics, and even choose politics as a career. Being in opposition is as serious and important as being in government. The quality of the opposition defines the quality of governance and democracy of a country. The opposition’s job is an all-round-the-clock job, not a part-time or periodic job. Weak, inept, opportunistic and power hungry opposition is as dangerous to peace and stability as a tyrannical government. Consider, for example, the case of America -- the country that prides itself as the bastion of democracy -- where Donald Trump’s administration is poised to fulfill its electoral promises, but the opposition is determined to ensure that such promises are not met at the expense of freedom and justice for all. The negotiations, tradeoffs and, sometimes, wheeling and dealing that underscore the balancing of the agendas of those whose interests the Administration caters for and the fears of those outside that circumference highlight the importance of
Being in opposition is as serious and important as being in government. The quality of the opposition defines the quality of governance and democracy of a country. The opposition’s job is an allround-the-clock job, not a part-time or periodic job. Weak, inept, opportunistic and power hungry opposition is as dangerous to peace and stability as a tyrannical government. Consider, for example, the case of America -- the country that prides itself as the bastion of democracy -- where Donald Trump’s administration is poised to fulfill its electoral promises, but the opposition is determined to ensure that such promises are not met at the expense of freedom and justice for all
Secondus...PDP National Chairman strong, effective opposition politics. The inverse is the case in Nigeria. The opposition in Nigeria seems to be oblivious of the irony in the fact that democracy makes a case for the tyranny of numbers in decision-making and governance. Winning numbers and turning the tables against the majority can hardly be a game of chance. This is the case in Africa, particularly where political fortunes are nothing more than the aggregates of tribal or ethnic lots and silos. I have for long and in many ways been struggling with the burden of coming to terms with the ethnic and religious politics on the continent. I have without end and limitation been wishing for ethnic and religious free politics. My illusion is harshly exposed by the fact that the average African voter knows that the resources of the state are not only managed but also distributed by men and women in power with little checks and opposition from those in opposition. Until there comes a time when the opposition can play its role as a curtailer of the wantonness of Governments, the average voting individual would continue to side with his or her tribes people with whom he or she shares common identity and culture. After all, even bragging rights are cherished possessions of the common African man. This is one reason why the job of the opposition is onerous, in my estimation, the reason why I believe that those aspiring to unseat the APC Government, including the PDP, should study the case files of the APC in opposition. The APC did not wait for the 2015 election to establish itself as a credible alternative to the PDP. Long before then I had stated in this column that PDP was in opposition and should start learning the art or science of opposition. Without being a political scientist or mathematician, I had made my political measurements and concluded that the APC would win the 2015 elections. The PDP seems to have read only the cover pages – leaving the content – of the APC opposition manuals, harbouring the impression that by poaching and luring back to its fold some of the APC members who are, in the main, prodigal sons of the PDP, it can weaken the APC to a point of wrestling power from it. Until the PDP starts to rebrand itself as a born-again party, this toga of a thieving party will still hunt it at the polls. Waiting for the eve of another election before reorganizing itself exposes the PDP as a selfish, opportunistic party. The PDP will find it difficult to convince Nigerians that it is not only interested in grabbing power when it has not done anything to demonstrate its preparedness to be a better government than the APC. The PDP should find spin masters to articulate the
role it played in pushing back insurgency and recession. The opposition cannot win over the hearts and minds of the people by only exposing the ills and failings of the Government. Like human beings, governments do make mistakes. To make the difference, opposition parties should be more interested in proffering better solutions than criticizing. Talk, they say, is cheap. For a party in opposition to be taken seriously, its political capital should be more than a portfolio of criticisms against the Government. It should have a history and verifiable record of people-oriented programmes and achievements. It is offensive -- and a demonstration of arrogance of the worst type -- for the party in opposition to wait for election seasons to mount rostrums and make outlandish promises. Such campaign promises are not better than slot machines. To be cashable, campaign promises must be backed by credible records of ability. It is not enough to promise to bring the moon to the ocean; it is more important to explain the science of achieving that beyond human feat. Beyond the general feeling of entitlement, there are not too many opposition parties on the continent that can rationally justify their claim to govern. Like a Professor of mine responded to the earlier version of this article, the opposition “take the voters for granted in the mistaken belief that they (the voters) are too ignorant to know or think about the purpose of government.” Mistaking democracy for a “turn-by turn” system, their claim to govern is nothing more than a claim that it is their turn. No! Democracy demands much more than that from the opposition. The Government and the opposition cannot be any less than football teams competing in a league. The Government could be likened to the champion of the previous season, while the opposition is composed of the other teams competing to equally win the season. The opposition cannot therefore be a part-time job. On the same point, an individual can be the face of the opposition, but the opposition cannot be personalized or equated with the personality of individual. It is an unenviable job, sometimes risky, but I cannot see it being done any other way. In conclusion, the future of African nations and societies is dependent on the quality of their opposition parties. To be a true hero, worthy of my admiration and respect, make your mark in the opposition. Bola Tinubu is today the greatest politician of his generation because of his feat in the trenches of the opposition. Love, fear or hate him, he is the politician you wish to be.
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2017
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EXPRESSION
MEDIAGAFFES
Still on Abacha Loot
EBERE WABARA
D
AILY SUN headline faux pas of December 11 welcomes us today: “QRC Abuja Alumnae celebrates (celebrate) friendship, achievement” THISDAY Front Page of December 9 takes the baton from DAILY SUN today with three headline faults: “US, Switzerland sign agreement to return $621m Abacha, Alamieyeisegha (Alamieyesiegha) loots” Truth & Reason: ‘loot’ is uncountable. Another banner blunder from the above edition: “In make or mar (make-or-mar) chairmanship election, Secondus is frontrunner” “INEC confirms dates for 2019 general elections (election)” In the extracted environment, ‘election’ is non-count. “A delegate of the PDP in Ogun State…slumped and died in the early hours of Thursday in an hotel in Abeokuta, the state capital.” This is certainly the old school genre. New class: a hotel. “Police absolves security agencies of electoral fraud” It would be astounding for the Nigeria Police to indict fellow state gangsters! And, of course: police absolve (not absolves). THE PUNCH opinion pages of December 11 circulated some unpardonable mistakes: “…even if it means going extra miles….” I will go the extra mile (note the fixed expression) to ensure that this column appears unfailingly every week. “And like (as) someone said recently….” “…in the evacuation of dead bodies to mortuary.” On a clinical note: corpses instead of ‘dead bodies’ and a mortuary or mortuaries, depending on the fact of the matter. “…as well as condoning the place and
BY
evacuating the dead and survivors to nearest health facilities.” Bomb blasts and conflicting figures: cordoning off (take note of the spelling and correct entry) the place. “There seems (seem) to be stiff competitions among the foreign media and local press as well as….” “…politicians are also culprits in overheating the system with provocative statements in blaming their opponents over (for) every misdeed.” “...the likely antics of masquerades behind some of those disasters when one juxtaposes the scenario to the forthcoming general elections (general election—not elections).” Additionally: juxtaposes the scenario and/with (not to) the forthcoming general election. As voter registration begins any moment from next year, let us carry out our civic duty by participating and being our brother’s keeper (not brothers’ keepers, irrespective of the number)! Let us welcome last week’s edition of this medium which contained a few errors and thereafter a cocktail of nondescript infelicities from the mass media: “Baring few skirmishes which regrettably led to the death of four persons….” An anatomy of the season of linguistic violence: there is a world of distinction between ‘a few’ (which correctly applies here) and ‘few’, which connotatively suggests an expectation of more skirmishes—except if the writer has a weird denotative inclination towards potentialities for more skirmishes! Otherwise, the extract is lexically absurd because of his regret. “Just imagine a young man that rounded up his apprenticeship as a welder.” This is an indication of the current malaise in scholarship: a situation where a lecturer cannot distinguish between phrasal verbs, ‘round up’ and ‘round off’ (which applies here).
“Will anybody please let us know which country became a super-power by allowing its best brains to roam about the world?” ‘Roam’ encompasses ‘about’. “News from the universities are no longer about innovation.…” News is news (uncountable). “The condition, which is said to be due to an abnormality in either the number or structure of the chromosomes, cuts across every races.” Get it right: every race or all races. “Janet, a twelve-year-old and the third child of her parents’ four offsprings and the only one with the problem…” ‘Offspring’ is non-count. “Since 1993, funding of oil explorations have (has) been beset by different levels of problems.” “In answering this question we classify the outcomes into long term and short term implications.” The greatest problem of journalists: unnecessary embellishment (outcome) of words. “This is clearly a danger signal as the time between discovering an oil field and commercially putting it on stream could be between four to five years.” No analysis: between four and five or from four to five years. “THISDAY checks reveal that every termination penalties goes from 500,000 US dollars to 2 million US dollars”. Check the discord as already discussed above. “Lack of funds cripple waste management activities” Another error of attraction: Lack of funds cripples. “Nevertheless, the donor country is also interested in this decision to ensure that the loan is repaid as at when due with its accrued interest.” Without any periscope: the loan is repaid when due (not as at when due which is pleonastic). “Government should consider the destructive effect that further delay in
ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948
the sale of rescued banks would mete out on the banking system”. Stock phrase: mete out to (not on) the banking system. “If the family cannot truely relish at least a decent meat….” Spelling counts: truly. “A man does not have to be a money bag (sic) before he can dress well and look charming in his own little way.” Brighten up your English usage: A man does not have to be a moneybags…. ‘Moneybag’ is a sac! “…in addition, (sic) to dispensing drugs for immediate relief and giving counsel on the steps necessary to prevent a reoccurrence.” Good grammar: recurrence. “…it sent the signal that those responsible for the security of lives and properties in Oyo State are working at cross-purposes”. Some caution, please: life and property (preferably or lives and property). ‘Property’, in this context, is uncountable. “The arsonists usually escape with their loot as the embattled market lays in ashes, leaving many traders terminally ruined financially.” There should be no dilemma: ‘lays’ for ‘lies’? “If somebody had told me when I met with late Dr. Ernest Ogunade shortly before his death that it was going to be the last encounter with him.…” The first and only time when I met (not with) the (vital article) late Dr. Ogunade he commended this column as published in the heyday of Daily Times profusely. May his cerebral soul continue to rest in peace (not ‘perfect peace’ as abused in Nigeria)! “I still remember vividly that when it was my turn to speak at the occasion….” I thought we had gone past this stage: on (never at) the occasion.
INSIGHT
Saraki: The Most Vilified, Yet the Best Chuks Okocha
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he President of the Eighth Senate, Dr.Abubakar Bukola Saraki, is constitutionally the number three citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yet, he is, perhaps, the most vilified by organs of the government. He is hardly allowed to settle down to direct the affairs of the Senate and, indeed, the National Assembly. But Saraki is undaunted. He has continued to move the Senate from one height to another. The eighth Senate under his leadership has broken many grounds when compared to other times in the NationalAssembly. Saraki means different things to different people. To some, he is a consummate medical doctor, a banker extraordinaire, an astute sports lover, and a skilful politician. Many others see him as a humanist with unwavering inclination for the welfare of the masses. But both his friends and foes admit Saraki’s resume is intimidating. No matter the angle from which you view the Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, he is not in any way diminished. The former Kwara State governor’s ascendancy in all spheres of human endeavour continues to baffle even his closest allies. His ever increasing political profile in the country has expectedly made him an issue in the Nigerian political landscape. But nobody can deny the fact that Saraki is a leader per excellence. Little wonder President Muhammadu Buhari last year described him as one of the most influential politicians of our time. By dint of hard work, Saraki has proved himself a politician with unassailable knack for raising the bar to deliver exceptional results. He does not believe in working from the answer, he confronts issues as they arise to achieve an answer. His impressive scorecard is loaded with accomplishments. He has a record of confronting even the most difficult tasks, and that has been a
Saraki
huge plus for him. By all standards, he is one of the few privileged Nigerians born with the silver spoon. But he never flaunts it. Saraki did not disappoint as a medical doctor.After his graduation from the prestigious London Hospital Medical Collage of the University of London in 1987, where he obtained M.B.B.S (London), Saraki worked as a medical officer at Rush Green Hospital, Essex, from 1988 to 1989. On his return to the country, Saraki’s versatility projected him to emerge as the executive director of Societe Generale Bank (Nig) Ltd, a bank
owned by his family, from 1990 to 2000. Drawing from his taste for the improvement of sports, Saraki has not only provided life wire to many sports organisations, but he has also capped it all with the establishment of the top flightAbubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) football club. Saraki, who was elected unopposed as Senate President on June 9, 2015, was governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011.After his meritorious service as Chief Executive Officer of Kwara State, he was elected into the Senate inApril 2011 and was reelected in March 2015. Saraki’s tenure as Kwara State governor saw massive transformation and reforms in agriculture, health, education, finance and rural development. One of Saraki’s outstanding achievements was the invitation of displaced white farmers from Zimbabwe to Kwara State, where the government offered them opportunity and a large expanse of land to farm. The invitation of the white farmers led to the establishment of the Shonga Farms programme, which is now being replicated across Nigeria with massive investments in poultry, dairy production and crop farming with improved farm yields. Saraki’s charisma among his brother governors led to his emergence as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. It is on record that under Saraki, Kwara State became the first state to complete the Nigeria Independent Power Project. In collaboration with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Saraki did not only re-energise the Ganmo Power Station in Ilorin, but he also connected over 375 rural communities to the national grid through the development and installation of 725 transformers and seven substations. The state further completed four electrification projects, which meant power became stable 18–22 hours a day. 90 per cent of people living in Kwara have access to electricity, compared to a national average of 30 per cent. Saraki became chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in 2007 with focus on the establishment of a reformed and a fully resourced secretariat,
including a technical and administrative division that was entirely focused on delivery. It was under Saraki’s chairmanship that new processes, such as the State Peer Review Mechanism, were developed to ensure closer collaboration and ensure that best practices could be shared between states. The mechanism allowed case studies to be shared between states in a number of policy fields, including power projects, primary healthcare centres for villages and other rural locations, road works, water, solar schemes and the construction of specialist hospitals and state universities. Perhaps, one of the most widely acclaimed achievements of the NGF under Saraki was its patriotic intervention in the problematic assumption of power by then-Vice President Goodluck Jonathan following the illness and subsequent death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The NGF, under Saraki, pushed intellect to its limit, worked with the NationalAssembly to implement the celebrated Doctrine of Necessity, which was then passed as a resolution by the National Assembly. The Doctrine of Necessity allowed Vice President Jonathan to take over and become acting President until the President returned. It was a novelty packaged by the NGF to save a dicey situation that had the capacity to derail the democratic process in the country. The humanity in the Kwara Central lawmaker has continued to rise. Saraki is at the forefront of the campaign for health, food security, education and environmental regeneration. He promoted vigorously the campaign for strengthened laws on the clean-up of oil spills. With his National Oil Spill and Detection and ResponseAgency Amendment Bill, Saraki seeks to ensure oil companies pay appropriate compensation to communities affected by oil spills. The profile of Saraki continues to blossom as a champion of popular opinion and the people’s representative. Happy birthday to the people’s senator. The best in you is yet to come. –––Okocha is Special Assistant to the Senate President on Print Media.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
AUTO ESSENTIAL SKILLS with STEPHEN DIESERUVWE (Director General, Delta State TraďŹƒc Management Authority (DESTMA)
TraďŹƒc Signal and Road Markings
Kia Sportage
Kia Records 200% Sales, Plans to Sustain Growth Trajectory in 2018, Says Nigeria CEO Stories by Bennett Oghifo
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ia Motors Nigeria, the sole distributor of the leading Korean brand in Nigeria has recorded increased sales in the year 2017 with over 200% year-on-year sales from 2016. On the heels of this achievement, the company is set to triple its sales in 2018 with a sustained comprehensive business strategy. Kia’s increased sales followed the country’s economic recovery from the recession that had hitherto stagnated all the sectors of the economy particularly, car sales in 2016. As a major player in the automobile industry, Kia’s business strategy and the extensive customer-based sales and service programs broke the ice and paved way for a record high yearon-year (YoY) sales. “With our strategic business propositions, we are set to triple sales by expanding our units in operations (UIO) with increased new sales in the in the year 2018,� said Chief Executive Officer, Jacky Hathiramani. On how Kia defied all odds to record the increased sale, Jacky alluded to the fact that Kia had always stay ahead of the curve with the top of the segment
cars that have low maintenance costs and are affordable to the customers. It will be recalled that there was an offshoot in the prices of products across all sectors of the economy amidst low buying power, however, Jacky maintained that Kia’s commitment to offering highly competitive pricing on its models played a major role in the record sales. As a major player in the automobile industry, Kia is poised to sustain the sales growth by introducing new models to the market and offering a highly competitive pricing on all their models. Jacky said he’s confident that the second half of 2017 (2H17)’s sales momentum can be sustained into the 1H18, and this would help the company achieve better results over last year. “There’s an increased sale in the last six months compared with the same period last year. So, we project increased sales in 2018.� Among the aggressive sales initiatives undertaken by the company in 2017 was Kia Drive Your Dream and Ember Surprise Promos. The company’s service promos also contributed immensely to the overall revenue for the company. The introduction of Kia Double Deal Promo with over 15% discount on both parts and labour recorded tremendous success and
helped increase Kia brand confidence among customers. “These programmes increased our customer retention and loyalty towards the brand,� said Jacky. He added that the company is set to introduce new models in the year 2018, headlining these models will be the world adjudged best-in-class luxury sedan, Kia Stinger, the B-Segment leader, SC Kia Rio and newly refreshed Kia Cerato amongst others. Meanwhile, on the general low stock level pervading the industry, he said the company was currently facing a high back order for some models, and was looking forward to assembling the cars at its plant in Lagos, Nigeria before the year-end. It will be recalled that Kia Motors Nigeria began its local production in the wake of the implementation of the auto policy in 2014. The company built an ultra-modern assembly plant in Lagos with a capacity to produce 27,000 units of vehicles per annum. Locally producing cars to the exact standard of Kia Motors Corporations in Korea, Kia Motors Nigeria currently produces the cars locally and the 2018 Kia Rio in addition to the recently launched Sorento, Sportage and Optima are produced in its plant in Lagos.
Jaguar F-Pace, E-Pace Secure Five-Star Safety Rating
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he Jaguar F-PACE performance SUV has added a five-starEuroNCAPrating to its 2017 World Car of the Year title. The performance SUV, which also won 2017 World Car Design of the Year at the 2017 World Car Awards, scored 93% for adult occupant protection, 85% for child occupant protection and 80% for pedestrian protection. Combining award winning design, innovative engineering and nowafive-starsafetyratingmarksthe F-PACEoutastheultimatefamilycar. This result also confirms the current PACEfamily’ssafetystatusfollowing the recent award of five stars to the all-new E-PACE compact SUV. Nick Rogers, Executive Director, Product Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover:“TheJaguarF-PACEcombines award winning design and engineering with exceptional safety. The lightweight aluminium intensive body of the 2017 World Car of the Year provides excellent protection alongside the dynamic performancecustomersexpectfroma Jaguar. Improvementstoactivesafety technologies, such as Forward Traffic
DetectionandDriverConditionMonitoring, ensured F-PACE achieved the five-star Euro NCAP score.� The F-PACE has become the fastest-selling Jaguar ever, with the 100,000th vehicle recently rolling off the production line at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull manufacturing facility. The performance SUV has received more than 70 global awards, including the 2017 World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year titles. The F-PACE features an aluminium intensive architecture with six airbags to create a super-strong occupant safety cell allied with a suite ofadvanceddriverassistancesystems. Thecombinationofactiveandpassive safety measures helped deliver an overall Euro NCAP rating of 85%. Alongside the F-PACE, the new Jaguar E-PACE also achieved a fivestar Euro NCAP rating, confirming thehotlyanticipatedvehicleasamong the safest on the market. This first compact SUV from Jaguar, keeps everyone safe with high scores of 86% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection and 77% for pedestrian protection.
Traffic control signals are devices placed along, beside, or above a road to guide, warn, and regulate the flow of traffic, which includes motor vehicles, tricycles (keke), motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and all other road users. Red - A red signal light means stop. Unless a sign shows otherwise or vehicle/ pedestrian traffic does not permit, you may, after stopping completely, turn right. A red arrow signal light means stop until the green signal or green arrow appears. Amber (Yellow) - Amber light is a warning that the light is about to turn red. Slow down and stop, never accelerate to “make the light�. When you see the amber light, you should stop, if you can do so safely. If you are already in the intersection when the light turns amber, you may continue through. A flashing amber signal light warns you to be careful. Slow down and be especially alert whilst you proceed. Green - A green light means go. You can only turn left if you have enough space to complete the manoeuvre before any oncoming traffic or pedestrian becomes a hazard. Vehicles turning left must always giveway to those going straight from the opposite direction. Green arrow signal light means go, but first you must giveway to any traffic or pedestrian still in the intersection. Road Markings Road markings are a traffic sign in the form and design of a marking on the surface of the road. They have the same standing as upright signs. Road users must obey these road markings. Some of the very common road markings are: - Single or double continuous white lines along the centre of the road means all traffic must keep to the right of the line (except in an emergency or for access). - A broken white line along the centre of the road. This divides two lanes of traffic travelling in opposite directions. You must not cross them unless it is safe to do so. - Double broken white lines along the centre of the road alert drivers to continuous white lines a short distance ahead. As a driver, you must not cross them unless it is safe to do so. - A broken white Give way line crossing the right-hand lane. A white triangular Give way symbol may also be provided with the Give way line. A driver must give right-of-way to any traffic on a major road ahead. The Give way line usually appears with an upright Give way sign. - A continuous white Stop line crossing the right-hand lane. The word STOP may also be provided with the Stop line. A driver must come to a complete stop before entering a major road. The stop line sometimes appears with an upright Stop sign. Box Junction Where stationary traffic would be likely to block a junction, a yellow box may be marked on the road, covering all or part of the junction. You must not enter the box if your exit is not clear. If turning left at the junction, you may enter the box to wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic, but only if the left-turn exit is clear. Stephen K. Dieseruvwe
L-R: General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Abiona Babarinde; and Iyeh Kennedy, the excited winner of The Next Titan Season 4, during the presentation of a brand new Ford Ranger to the winner of The Next Titan Season 4 sponsored by Ford/Coscharis Motors Plc., at the grand ďŹ nale held in Lagos‌ recently
Director General, Delta State TrafďŹ c Management Authority (DESTMA) **Driver Trainer and Road Safety Consultant **Email: sdieseruvwe@gmail.com **Tel: +2348167814928
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
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AUTO Weststar, FCA Terminate Distributorship Arrangement
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ollowing Weststar’s plans to consolidate and expand the Mercedes-Benz business in Nigeria, Weststar and FCA have agreed to mutually terminate its distributorship agreement. This means that with effect from, December 5, 2017, Weststar will no longer distribute the FCA brands (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM and Fiat). The mutual arrangement between both parties, according to Mr. Mirko Plath (Managing Director/CEO Weststar Associates Limited) is in with Weststar’s plans to provide Chief Michael Ade Ojo, Chairman, Elizade Motors (4th left) after receiving the Auto Icon of the Year Award; Mr. Akin Oyebode, GM-Sales & Marketing, line undivided focus to the MercedesElizade Nig Ltd (left); Mr. Demola Ade-Ojo, CEO, JAC Autoland (4th right); Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo, Managing Director, Toyota Nigeria Limited (3rd left), dur- Benz brand as it embarks on an increased business scale of activities ing the 2017 Nigeria Auto Journalists Award, by Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos‌ recently in the coming year. Speaking on customers that have purchased FCA vehicles, Mr. Plath stated that Weststar owes a duty to continue to support its customers with after-sales services for the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM and Fiat vehicles until a new distributor is announced by FCA. In Mr. Plath’s words, “We reassure our valued customers of our unfailing commitToyota Australia senior divisional manager ment to continue to provide excellent automobiles category of the Newsweek Green Stories by Bennett Oghifo Rankings recognises Toyota’s track record of sales and marketing Sean Hanley said Toyota services as always, however the sustainability, and its eco-sensitive is proud to be recognised as the greenest auto- distributorship for the FCA brands in oyota has been rated the world’s environmental motive company and as a leader among global Nigeria will be announced anytime hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles. greenest carmaker and among the soon“ Mr. Plath, on behalf of WestToyota was ranked 16th among the world’s environmental leaders of the largest 500 largest publicly traded companies - the Global companies. star’s Management team, expressed “Globally, Toyota has demonstrated its publicly traded companies, according 500 - ahead of respected organisations such as leadership in sustainable mobility through its his gratitude to the company’s long to a global environmental performance Apple, Starbucks and Nike. customers and business commitment to developing and improving standing partners as he looks forward to more assessment commissioned by Newsexisting and alternative vehicle technologies An improved green score for Toyota this year successful business years ahead for week magazine. The “Best in Industry Globalâ€? award in the reflects the company’s on-going commitment that reduce the impact on the environment,â€? Weststar.
Toyota Rated World’s Greenest Automotive Company
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to green initiatives.
Mr Hanley said.
Mercedes-Benz , Passes 2M Vehicles Sale Mark
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ercedes-Benzdelivered195,698vehicles to its customers, thus achieving the 57th record month in succession with a 7.2% increase. Astatementbytheautomakersaid, “This adds up to a sale of 2,095,810 units since the beginning of the year 2017. This represents not only the best-ever figure for the period of January to November, but also a growth of10.7%inunitsales.Thesalesachievementmakes Mercedes-Benz the premium brand with the most new registrations in markets including Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Taiwan, USA, Canada, and Mexico. WeststarAssociates Limited is theAuthorized GeneralDistributorsforMercedes-BenzinNigeria. “Mercedes-Benz passed the two-million mark
in November, already surpassing its unit sales for the entire previous year. We are going full speed ahead for our customers – not only with the best products, but also in sales and service. And this has already been rewarded with the most successful sales year in our history,� stated Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of DaimlerAG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. In Europe, unit sales in November rose to a new sales record of 79,942 Mercedes-Benz vehicles delivered to customers, thus representing a 1.5% increase. Since the beginning of the year, 879,878 vehiclesweredeliveredinEurope(+7.3%)ofwhich 281,946 units were sold in Germany (+5.2%). New sales records were set for both November and the first eleven months in Great Britain, France,
2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe
ROAD SAFETY CHECK WHERE YOU STOPPED LASTWEEK
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e had to get a brand new pencil gauge that has not been compromised by dust and rust. When it was used to gauge my tyre, the reading corresponded exactly to what I got with my gauge. He had no more argument and willingly complied with my demand to submit the dangerous gauge to me because I insisted that he must not use it again. This type of gauge is also affected by temperature, humidity and altitude. So the readings got at different locations and weather conditions could differ substantially. Not only that, most vulcanizers use this type of gauge, they use it on daily basis and for years. The one used by the vulcanizer mentioned above had signs of abuse and over use all over it. It is the same story North, East, West, and South. But why do the vulcanizers use this type of gauge? Essentially because it is the cheapest gauge in the market. Not only that the vulcanizers use the pencil type of gauge, the use one gauge for all tyre pressure.
SAFE DRIVING with
JONAS AGWU
amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa (Corps Commander) Corps Public Education OďŹƒcer Federal Road Safety Corps. + 2348033026491
Using one gauge for all pressure measurements is a blunder. Why? Every gauge has a calibration range designed for a certain pressure group and will only be accurate when used for such pressure group. Gauges are accurate when used to measure pressures whose values fall within the middle range of the gauge. For instance, if you have a gauge with range 0-60psi, the middle range is 30psi. this gauge will accurate for pressures whose values fall around 30psi. so pressures that should be measured with this gauge should be about 25-35psi. Gauge of range 0-100psi should be used for pressures of 45-60psi or close. Gauge of range 0-160 should be used for pressures of 75-120psi. So
if one uses a gauge not designed for a particular pressure group, one will get incorrect and misleading reading. Unfortunately, the vulcanizers are innocently ignorant of this. Most of them use 0-160psi or 0-120psi gauges for all their tyre pressures, thinking that a wide ranged gauge should accommodate all the tyre pressures they measure. This sounds logical but grossly wrong and very dangerous. You can imagine the combine effects of Blunders 1 and 2 discussed above. So, while you drive into the vulcanizers shop to fix ones tyre pressure problem, the vulcanizer inadvertently sets one up for the very problem one has gone to fix. The result is that almost all the vehicles that ply our roads have their tyres incorrectly inflated. Just run a random check and you will confirm this. What a time bomb these vehicles could be. You can imagine what could have happened if had driven away with 60psi pressure in a tyre designed for 35psi. Yet this is the fate that all motorists face every day. How many people have a personal gauge confirm what the vulcanizer pumps into their
tyres? Since lives are involved, reliable tyre gauge cannot be compromised. The correctness of the tyre pressure is as good as the gauge used to measure it. So it is of vital importance that tyres are accurately gauged and pumped. This therefore emphasizes the urgent need for the vulcanizers to use accurate and reliable tyre gauges that should also have a way of telling when they malfunction otherwise one will be getting readings without being aware of it and that could mean disaster. A reliable gauge is one that has a fully geared precision movement parts and with bourdon tube. Unlike the piston-plunger-type gauges (the pencil type), the bourdon tube movement is not affected by changes in temperature, humidity or altitude and so will give correct reading anywhere and anytime. When it malfunctions, the needle on the dial will indicate by erratic movement when engaged to gauge tyre pressure. A sample of this gauge has been presented to the vulcanizers and fortunately, they are willing to use it. A vulcanizer should also have at least two gauges of different ranges (0-60psi and 0-100psi) as explained above.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹;˜ ͺ͸͹Ϳ
FAMILY HEALTH
What Your Skin Says About Your Health
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he skin is the largest organ in the body. The importance and deliberate location of your skin , all over your body cannot be over emphasized. It does not only serve as a protective covering for all your other organs and structures, it also participates in your day to day living, from breathing to excretion and telling you or giving you a sign of what is actually going on in your body. It is a loud speaker on your state of health. Therefore the human skin is the outer covering of the body. In humans, it is the largest organ of the integumentary system because it interfaces with the environment, skin plays an important immunity role in protecting the body against pathogens and excessive water loss. What is the purpose of the skin? The skin1 is one of the largest organs in the body in surface area and weight. The skin consists of two layers: the epidermis and the dermis. Beneath the dermis lies the hypodermis or subcutaneous fatty tissue. The skin has three main functions: protection, regulation and sensation. The skin has very important vital functions for keeping the physiological and biochemical conditions of the body in its optimum state. The most important functions of the skin are: r 3FHVMBUFT CPEZ UFNQFSBUVSF r 1SFWFOUT MPTT PG FTTFOUJBM CPEZ áVJET BOE QFOFUSBUJPO of toxic substances. r 1SPUFDUJPO PG UIF CPEZ GSPN IBSNGVM FGGFDUT PG UIF sun and radiation. r &YDSFUFT UPYJD TVCTUBODFT XJUI TXFBU r .FDIBOJDBM TVQQPSU r *NNVOPMPHJDBM GVODUJPO NFEJBUFE CZ -BOHFSIBOT cells. r 4FOTPSZ PSHBO GPS UPVDI IFBU DPME TPDJP TFYVBM and emotional sensations. r 7JUBNJO % TZOUIFTJT GSPN JUT QSFDVSTPST VOEFS UIF effect of sunlight and introversion of steroids. Skin Functions r 1SPUFDUJPO "T UIF à STU MJOF PG EFGFOTF BHBJOTU UIF external environment, the epidermis is continuously replenishing and shedding tens of thousands of dead cells every minute to protect the body from: r .FDIBOJDBM JNQBDU 4LJO BDUT BT UIF à STU QIZTJDBM barrier to withstand any pressure, stress or trauma. When this mechanical impact is stronger than the skin, a wound will occur, as a breakage through skin with loss of one or more of the skin functions. r 'MVJET %VF UP UIF UJHIU QBDLJOH PG DFMMT JO UIF PVU ermost layer of the epidermis, our skin helps us retain OFDFTTBSZ CPEZ áVJET BOE NPJTUVSF BOE QSPUFDUT VT GSPN UIF BCTPSQUJPO PG FYUFSOBM áVJET PS MJRVJET 8F DBO bathe, swim and walk in the rain without concern. Our skin prevents the absorption of any harmful substance or excessive water loss through skin. r 1FSNJUT NPWFNFOU BOE HSPXUI HSPXUI PG CPEZ and bodily tissue and adaptation of body skin during movement. r 3BEJBUJPO *G JU XFSFO U GPS UIF TLJO UIF VMUSBWJPMFU MJHIU 67 MJHIU SBEJBUJOH GSPN TVO XPVME EBNBHF the underlying tissue in our bodies. This protection is provided by the melanin pigmentation in the epidermis. The skin and its pigmentation helps protect us from many medical illnesses like skin cancers, but because JU EPFTO U PGGFS DPNQMFUF QSPUFDUJPO XF TIPVME BWPJE excessive exposure to sunlight by using sunblock and BEFRVBUF DMPUIJOH r *OGFDUJPOT 5IF UPQ MBZFS PG TLJO JT DPWFSFE XJUI B thin, oily coat of moisture that prevents most foreign substances or organisms (such as bacteria, viruses BOE GVOHJ GSPN FOUFSJOH UIF TLJO 5IF FQJEFSNJT BMTP IBT -BOHFSIBOT DFMMT XIJDI IFMQ UP SFHVMBUF JNNVOF responses to pathogens that come into contact with the skin. r 5IFSNBM SFHVMBUJPO 5FNQFSBUVSF SFHVMBUJPO JT BJEFE by the skin through the sweat glands and blood vessels in the dermis. Increased evaporation of the secreted TXFBU EFDSFBTFT UIF CPEZ UFNQFSBUVSF 7BTPEJMBUJPO SFMBYJOH PG TNBMM CMPPE WFTTFMT JO UIF EFSNJT NBLFT it easier for the body to release some heat and lower the body temperature through skin. In vasoconstriction DPOUSBDUJOH TNBMM CMPPE WFTTFMT UIF EFSNJT SFUBJOT TPNF of the internal body temperature. The fatty subcutane ous layer of the skin also acts as an insulation barrier, helping to prevent the loss of heat from the body and decreasing the effect of cold temperatures. r 4FOTBUJPO "O JNQPSUBOU GVODUJPO PG UIF TLJO EFSNJT is to detect the different sensations of heat, cold, pressure, DPOUBDU BOE QBJO 4FOTBUJPO JT EFUFDUFE UISPVHI UIF nerve endings in the dermis which are easily affected by wounds. This sensation in the skin plays a role in IFMQJOH UP QSPUFDU VT GSPN CVSO XPVOET 5IF TLJO T TFOTBUJPO DBO QSPUFDU VT GSPN à STU BOE TFDPOE EFHSFF burns, but in cases of third degree burns it is less effective, BT XF EPO U GFFM BOZ QBJO EVF UP UIF GBDU UIBU UIF OFSWF endings in the skin are destroyed (which indicates a NPSF TFWFSF JOKVSZ r &OEPDSJOF GVODUJPO 4LJO JT POF PG PVS NBJO TPVSDFT PG WJUBNJO % UISPVHI UIF QSPEVDUJPO PG $IPMFDBMDJGFSPM
Temperature regulation is aided by the skin through the sweat glands and blood vessels in the dermis. Increased evaporation of the secreted sweat decreases the body temperature. Vasodilation (relaxing of small blood vessels) in the dermis makes it easier for the body to release some heat and lower the body temperature through skin. In vasoconstriction (contracting small blood vessels), the dermis retains some of the internal body temperature…
% JO UIF UXP MPXFSNPTU MBZFST PG UIF FQJEFSNJT The vital role of the skin includes 4LJO QMBZT BO JNQPSUBOU SPMF JO QSPUFDUJOH PVS CPEZ JU à HIUT BHBJOTU FYUFSOBM JSSJUBUJPO 2. regulates our body temperature and QSFWFOUT UIF MPTT PG CMPPE BOE CPEZ áVJET 5IFSFGPSF it is very important to keep our skin in its best condition. Skin health Your skin health is important not only for your appear ance, but more importantly because your skin performs so many essential tasks for your body. Your skin protects your body from the many viruses and bacteria you are FYQPTFE UP EBJMZ *U BMTP QSPUFDUT ZPV GSPN UIF TVO T SBZT TQFDJà DBMMZ VMUSBWJPMFU MJHIU UIBU DBO EBNBHF DFMMT )FBMUIZ TLJO QSPEVDFT WJUBNJO % XIFO FYQPTFE UP UIF TVO BOE WJUBNJO % JT JNQPSUBOU GPS NBOZ CPEZ functions. Having healthy skin also helps your body keep its temperature at a constant level. Healthy skin also helps you react better to important changes around you by feeling pain or pressure. Warning sign to see a doctor: #FJOH UIF à STU MJOF PG EFGFOTF BHBJOTU UIF PVUTJEF XPSME you should see your doctor when you have one or more of the following signs and symptoms: 4JHOT PG JOáBNNBUJPO SFEOFTT IFBU TXFMMJOH QBJO BOE GFWFS
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r "WPJE XBMLJOH CBSF GPPUFE What your skin says about yout health 5IF TLJO JT ZPVS CPEZ T MBSHFTU PSHBO TP DIBOHFT JO your hair, skin or nails can be a sign that something is going on beneath the surface. While problematic skin could simply mean that you need to alter your beauty SPVUJOF ZPVS TLJO T DPOEJUJPO DPVME BMTP CF UIF UFMM UBMF sign of an underlying medical condition. r %SZ *UDIZ 4LJO *G ZPVS NPJTUVSJ[FS KVTU JTO U DVUUJOH JU JU T UJNF UP MPPL EFFQFS $ISPOJDBMMZ ESZ TLJO JT DPNNPOMZ DBVTFE CZ UXP UIJOHT FD[FNB BOE HFOFSBM ESZOFTT PS DMJNBUF &D[FNB B DISPOJD JOáBNNBUPSZ TLJO DPOEJUJPO DBO DBVTF ESZ JUDIZ JOáBNFE BOE DSBDLFE TLJO *U IBT JN munological, genetic and environmental components and is also related to asthma and hay fever. r $IJO BOE +BXMJOF #SFBLPVUT 1JNQMFT QPQQJOH VQ BMPOH ZPVS KBXMJOF BOE DIJO again? Breakouts in these areas could signal a possible hormone imbalance. This kind of adult acne is very common in women who may not have had acne as UFFOBHFST #VU EPO U XPSSZ PS ZPV DPVME FYBDFSCBUF UIF QSPCMFN IPSNPOBM BDOF JO XPNFO DBO HFU XPSTF JO times of stress, during your period or during menopause. r 6OVTVBM )BJS (SPXUI 6OXBOUFE IBJS UIBU T TQSPVUJOH VQ JO DMBTTJDBMMZ NBMF areas, such as around the chin or just below your bel lybutton, could be a sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome 1$04 #VU HFOFUJDT BOE IPSNPOFT BMTP QMBZ B SPMF JO IBJS HSPXUI *G ZPV SF DPODFSOFE PS FYIJCJUJOH PUIFS TZNQUPNT PG 1$04 TVDI BT BO JOBCJMJUZ UP MPTF XFJHIU despite diet and exercise or irregular periods, consult B EPDUPS UP SVMF PVU 1$04 r %BSL $JSDMFT Before you slap on concealer, consider all the factors
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BOBO BODE -KAYODE
lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, ͸΀͸ͽͻͻͿͺͻͽ;
UIBU DPVME CF DBVTJOH ZPVS DJSDMFT %BSL VOE S FZFT DBO be a combination of genetics, age or lifestyle factors. "OBUPNJDBMMZ BT ZPV BHF UIF GBU QBET BOE TUSVDUVSBM support around your eyes changes so you can see more PG UIF IPMMPXT %BSL TLJO VOEFS ZPVS FZFT DBO BMTP CF DBVTFE CZ B OVUSJFOU EFà DJFODZ B MBDL PG IZESBUJPO PS not getting enough sleep. r 4VO 4QPUT 'SFDLMFT BOE EBSL TQPUT BSF B NFBTVSF PG ZPVS MJGFMPOH TVO EBNBHF .PTU TVO EBNBHF PDDVST EVSJOH DIJMEIPPE and teen years and can increase your risk for skin cancer. Keep an eye on any changes in your skin from moles UP SBJTFE MFTJPOT PS TPSFT UIBU XPO U IFBM r 4BMMPX $PNQMFYJPO %FIZESBUJPO DBO DBVTF ZPVS TLJO UP MBDL MVTUSF BOE ZPVS GBDF DBO CFDPNF TBMMPX MPPLJOH %SZ XJOUFS XFBUIFS DBO BMTP QMBZ B SPMF JO B TBMMPX DPNQMFYJPO %SJOLJOH enough water and getting ample sleep can improve the look of your skin. r 3FE #VNQT %PO U BTTVNF BMM SFE CVNQT BSF QJNQMFT BDOF MJLF lesions, a ruddy complexion, redness and dry skin can all be symptoms of rosacea. This chronic skin condition is caused by both environmental and genetic factors, spicy foods, exercise and stress. r 1VGGZ *SSJUBUFE &ZFMJET "MMFSHJFT DPVME CF UIF DVMQSJU GPS TXPMMFO FZFT *G UIF irritation is accompanied by a rash, you could be suffering from eczema (a common symptom JO BEVMUT JT ESZOFTT BOE SBTIFT PO UIF FZFMJET PS DPOUBDU dermatitis caused by an irritating product. I see a lot of FZFMJE EFSNBUJUJT 1FPQMF IBWF UP MPPL BU BMM UIF QSPEVDUT they are using from sponge applicators to makeup. r $POTUBOU 'MVTIJOH 'FFMJOH FNCBSSBTTFE BCPVU ZPVS áVTIJOH " DISPOJDBMMZ red forehead and cheeks could be caused by dilated blood vessels due to the chronic skin condition rosacea. &YUSFNF áVTIJOH DBO BMTP CF DBVTFE CZ IPSNPOBM DIBOHFT in women such as menopause. If your skin suddenly CFDPNFT WFSZ áVTIFE BOE JU XPO U HP BXBZ BOE JU JT accompanied by any other swelling, you could also be having an allergic reaction so seek medical attention. r 7JTJCMF 7FJOT 6OTJHIUMZ WFJOT BSFO U NFSFMZ DPTNFUJD :PVS WFJOT are an important indicator of your circulatory health. 4QJEFS WFJOT PS WBSJDPTF WFJOT PO ZPVS MFHT DBO CF B TJHOBM PG EFFQFS JTTVFT XJUI ZPVS CMPPE áPX DBVTFE CZ BHF weight and genetics and could indicate future health DPODFSOT 4QJEFS WFJOT PO ZPVS GBDF DBO CF DBVTFE CZ excessive straining or rosacea. r %BSL 1BUDIFT %BSL QJHNFOUBUJPO PO UIF GBDF LOPXO BT NFMBTNB tends to be hormonally related in women, and is often BTTPDJBUFE XJUI QSFHOBODZ 8IJMF JU EPFTO U TJHOBM BO underlying medical issue it can be triggered by hormonal spikes and exacerbated by the sun. r 3FE *UDIZ 3BTI 3BTIFT BSF DPNNPOMZ DBVTFE CZ DPOUBDU EFSNBUJUJT meaning the skin comes into contact with something irritating and the skin has an immune response. But rashes in warm, moist areas of the skin can also be caused by a fungal infection, common in individuals whose diabetes is not being properly managed. r )BJS -PTT *G ZPV SF TVGGFSJOH GSPN EJTUJODU SPVOE QBUDIFT PG hair loss both on your head and body this can signal something called alopecia areata. This autoimmune disease often has a genetic component and can occur in PUIFSXJTF IFBMUIZ JOEJWJEVBMT %SBNBUJD BOE TVEEFO IBJS MPTT DBMMFE UFMPHFO FGáVWJVN JT DPNNPOMZ DBVTFE by things like childbirth, severe psychological stress, high fever, infection or a major illness, but will generally HSPX CBDL JO UISFF NPOUIT UJNF r /BJM $IBOHFT Nails are a gateway to your health. If you develop discoloration, dark spots, changes in your nail shape or clubbing, these can be signs of internal issues below UIF TVSGBDF GSPN WJUBNJO EFà DJFODJFT UP MVQVT UP MJWFS disease. r #SVJTJOH 'SFRVFOU VOFYQMBJOFE CSVJTJOH PS CSVJTFT UIBU EPO U heal could signal a bleeding disorder. But, your body also bruises more easily with age because the capillaries BSF DMPTFS UP UIF TVSGBDF BT ZPVS TLJO UIJOT .FEJDBUJPOT like blood thinners can also contribute to bruises, but if you have large, unexplained bruising or new bruises after starting a medication, speak to a doctor. r $VUT UIBU 8PO U )FBM If a cut or wound is slow to heal, it could signal a possible skin infection. Other causes of slow wound IFBMJOH JODMVEF TLJO DBODFS CBTBM PS TRVBNPVT DFMM DBSDJOPNB B CMPPE DMPUUJOH EJTPSEFS PS EJBCFUFT r %BSL 4DBMZ 1BUDIFT %PO U BTTVNF BMM EBSL TQPUT BSF TVO SFMBUFE 0GUFO CMPPE áPX JTTVFT JO QFPQMF XJUI VOEJBHOPTFE EJBCFUFT can show up as dark patches on the front of the legs. Known as diabetic dermopathy, this can be a signal to see your doctor for more tests. 'JOBMMZ /VUSJUJPO JT JNQPSUBOU GPS IFBMUI "O VOIFBMUIZ diet can damage your metabolism, cause weight gain and even affect organs such as your heart and liver. What you eat also affects the health of another organ — your TLJO "T NPSF JT MFBSOFE BCPVU IPX EJFU BGGFDUT UIF CPEZ JU T CFDPNJOH JODSFBTJOHMZ DMFBS UIBU XIBU ZPV FBU DBO TJHOJà DBOUMZ BGGFDU UIF IFBMUI BOE BHJOH PG ZPVS TLJO
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 16, 2011
GLOBAL SOCCER A
WEEKLY PULL-OUT
NO LOVE LOST PAGE. 29
16.12.2017
Mohamed Salah
Relishing BBC African Footballer of the Year Trophy
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚Ϳ
Relishing BBC African Footballer of the Year Trophy
Ă˜ ÍşÍ¸ÍšÍ˝Ëœ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă™Ă‹Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž ÙÒË×Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă–Ă‹Ă’ ÞÙ ĂžĂ‹Ă–Ă“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ëœ Ù×˲ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂœËœ ÞÒĂ? ĂžĂ‹Ă–Ă“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă— Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŽĂ?Ă‹Ă–Ë› Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ă–Ă‹Ă’ Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ? Ă‹ ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜ ÞÙ Ă˜Ă‘Ă–Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂšĂ™Ă™Ă– Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă?ĂœËœ Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă˜ ÖÙÚÚ˛ Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙÚ Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÖÓÞÞÖĂ? ĂĄĂ™Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁËœ Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? à ÙÞĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă™ĂžĂŒĂ‹Ă–Ă–Ă?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹ĂœË› Kunle Adewale ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?
M
Mohamed Salah
ohamed Salah was on Monday voted the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2017. Following a record number of votes, the Liverpool star won ahead of Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Guinean Naby Keita, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Nigeria's Victor Moses. "I am very happy to win this award. It's always a special feeling when you win something. I feel like I had a great year, so I'm very happy," the 25-year-old told BBC Sport. Salah, the Premier League's top scorer with 13 goals, has enjoyed a stellar year for both club and country. In early 2017, the forward was the central figure for Egypt as they finished runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations. He also had a hand in all seven of the goals that took the Pharaohs to their first World Cup since 1990 - assisting two and scoring five goals. "I want to be the best Egyptian ever, so I work hard. I always follow my own way and I want everyone in Egypt to follow my way," added Salah, who is the third player from Egypt to win the award and first since 2008. Salah's form at club level has been every bit as impressive as it has in internationals. In Italy, he scored 15 goals and made 11 others as he helped Roma finish second in Serie A, their best league placing in seven years. This was prior to joining Liverpool and scoring 13 times in his first 16 league games. "I would like to thank my Liverpool team-mates and I also had a good season with Roma so I have to thank my team-mates there and my team-mates in the national team. Since I came here, I wanted to work hard and show everyone my football. I wanted to come back to the Premier League since I left, so I am very happy," said Salah. Salah has taken the Premier League by storm this season, in contrast to a less impressive spell in the division with Chelsea between 2014 and 2015. "It's well-deserved," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who handed the trophy to the player at the club's Melwood training academy. "I am a really lucky person. I had the opportunity to work with a few outstanding players and I am happy that it is now with Mo. The good thing is that he is still young, there is a lot of space for improvement, a lot of potential still that we can work on, but that's how it should be. It's a big pleasure, to be honest, to work with him." Barely four months into the season and Mohamed Salah is already on the verge of becoming the Reds' best
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DECEMBER 16, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
GLOBAL SOCCER
Mohamed Salah goal scorer since Uruguay international, Luis Suarez left Liverpool. Was Liverpool's purchase of Salah for £34m the signing of the summer? The Egyptian winger is certainly making a strong case to suggest he was. Sent packing by Chelsea in 2015 first on loan to Roma before joining the Italian club permanently last year - the 25-year-old has returned to England a completely different player. He scored two goals in 13 appearances for the Blues but in just four months at Liverpool he is already on the verge of becoming the club's leading scorer in a single season since Luis Suarez's final campaign for the Reds in 2013-14. Suarez hit 31 goals in that campaign and no player has scored more than 14 in a season since. Salah is already on 13 and we're only in the middle of December. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said: "He has the perfect mix of experience and potential - this is a really exciting 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
signing for us. I have followed him since he emerged at Basel and he has matured into a really good player. His pace is incredible, he gives us more attacking threat and we are already strong in this area. I like that we will make it even more competitive." The Egyptian said he has become a better player since his time at Chelsea. "Everything has improved. Even my personality was different, I was a kid - I was 20 or 21. Now I'm four years older, everything is different. I have lots of experience in three clubs: I was at Chelsea, then Fiorentina and then Roma. I have good experience," he said. Salah became the first player to break double figures in front of the sticks in the Premier League after converting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s toe-poke into his path to score against Chelsea. Prior to the match, Chelsea Manager, Antonio Conte had said, “Salah is a good player and is very dangerous. He's a technical player, but at the same time is very fast, very strong, very good in one-on-one. Also he's very good finishing. We must pay great attention.” By winning the BBC African Footballer of the year prize Salah adds his name to a list of legends including Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) and Michael Essien (Ghana). "I am very happy to be like them in winning this award," said Salah, who follows compatriots Mohamed Barakat (2005) and Mohamed Aboutrika (2008) in receiving the trophy. Salah played his youth football with El Makawloon. He played his debut in their senior team in the Egyptian Premier League as a
substitute in 2010 against El Mansoura before advancing to become a regular in the team. He remained a regular for El Mokawloon, appearing in every game of the 2011/12 season. However, following the Port Said Stadium disaster early February 2012, the Egyptian Premier League was stopped and all subsequent matches were postponed. On March 10, 2012, the FA announced its decision to cancel the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Swiss Super League side Basel had been monitoring Salah for some time, and after the Port Said Stadium disaster, the club organised a friendly match with the Egypt U-23 and despite Salah only playing during the second half, he scored twice and Basel subsequently invited Salah to remain in the city for a week's training. In April 2012, it was announced that Salah had signed for Basel on a four-year contract starting from 15 June 2012.
I am a really lucky person. I had the opportunity to work with a few outstanding players and I am happy that it is now with Mo. The good thing is that he is still young, there is a lot of space for improvement, a lot of potential still that we can work on, but that's how it should be. It's a big pleasure, to be honest, to work with him
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚Ϳ
Can Spurs Halt City’s Premier League Run? Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ ÓÞã Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ ĂŒĂ“Ă‘Ă‘Ă?Ă?Ăž ĂžĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă‹Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ăž Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ? Ă‹ Ă?Ă’Ă™ĂœĂž ĂžĂœĂ“Ăš ÞÙ Ă–ĂŽ ĂœĂ‹ĘĽĂ™ĂœĂŽ Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž ĂŒĂ“ĘľĂ?Ăœ ĂœĂ“Ă Ă‹Ă–Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ăš Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă™Ă–Ă‹ ÑÙÞ ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ?ĘľĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÙÖÎ Ă?Ă™Ă?Ě‹ Ă™Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă’Ă™Ëœ ÍşĚ‹ÍšËœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ ÍšÍšĚ‹ĂšĂ™Ă“Ă˜Ăž Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž ĂŁĂ?Ăž Ă‹Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă? ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁË› Ă’Ă? ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ă? ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ÒÙÚĂ? ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂœĂ&#x;Ă˜ Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ ÞÙÚ ĘŽĂ“Ă‘Ă’Ăž ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ě‹ ÙʾĂ?Ă˜Ă’Ă‹Ă— ÙÞĂ?ĂšĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ÞÓÒËÎ ÞÒÓĂ? ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ă?Ă˜ĂŽË› Ă Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă™Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă? Ă‹ Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ě‹Ă’Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă“Ă˜ ĂšĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă– ĂŒĂ‹ĘľĂ–Ă? Ă‹Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ
P
ep Guardiola's hunger to make history with Manchester City remains undiminished after his side became the first in the history of the English top flight to win 15 successive games. City reached the milestone with a ruthless 4-0 victory at Swansea City on Wednesday, which preserved their massive 11-point lead at the Premier League summit. They will face a sterner test today at home to a resurgent Tottenham Hotspur, but Guardiola is relishing the prospect of facing a rival team whose approach to the game chimes with his own. "Tottenham, with Chelsea, is the best team in the way to play football," Guardiola said. "They don't expect the other ones to take the initiative, they want to make their own game. It is another amazing test for us. "It is every three days. After Tottenham it is Leicester in the Carabao Cup, so there is not too much time to recover. "But we are ready to face them and try to keep that level we have shown in the last period." City's win at Swansea made them the first team in the history of English league ÓâÞĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? football to have won 15 games in a row and they now have new milestones in sight. TODAY Beat Spurs at the Etihad Stadium and Leicester v Crystal Palace 12:30 Guardiola will match his longest run of Arsenal v Newcastle 15:00 successive league wins with the great Brighton v Burnley 15:00 Barcelona team he led to a La Liga and Chelsea v Southampton 15:00 Champions League double in 2010-11. Stoke City v West Ham 15:00 He would then be just three wins off the Watford v HuddersďŹ eld 15:00 overall record for Europe's top five leagues, Man City v Tottenham 17:30 which he also set – a 19-game winning streak with Bayern Munich in 2013-14. City's relentless form, and the spellbindSUNDAY ing quality of their football, has led some West Brom v Man Utd 15:00 observers to suggest they could be the finest Bournemouth v Liverpool 16:30 team England has ever seen. But far from dreading the trip to the MONDAY Etihad, Spurs manager Mauricio PochetEverton v Swansea City 20:00 tino will savour it. After four league games without a win, Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City (L) fouls Danny Rose of Tottenham Hotspur (R) during the Premier League Spurs have won on their last two outings, match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium last season crushing Stoke City 5-1 and beating Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0. Victory over Brighton on Wednesday season. against teams and managers like Guardiola needs to score four more goals to beat Alan took Spurs back into the top four and "We're going to enjoy it, because it's a fantastic that are the best. I'm so motivated and so Shearer's 1995 record of 36 Premier League Pochettino says he and his players will challenge to play against Manchester City. They're happy that we are going to play a team at their goals in a calendar year. travel to the northwest in buoyant mood. the best team in England and one of the best in best." Dele Alli will expect to be recalled after "We're going to Manchester thinking we Europe. Relations between the two managers were starting the win over Brighton on the bench, can win," said the Argentinian, whose team "I'm so excited to play, because I love to play not as cordial in October, after Pochettino took but Toby Alderweireld remains injured and came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at City last exception to Guardiola's description of his side Davinson Sanchez is suspended. as "the Harry Kane team". Sergio Aguero impressed on his return to Pochettino branded the comments City's starting XI at Swansea, scoring a slick "disrespectful", but Guardiola said the Spurs solo goal to seal victory, and will hope to keep manager had "made a mistake" in his interprehis place against Spurs. tation of the remark. Kyle Walker and Leroy Sane are both Kane, who found the net twice against Stoke, expected to return to the starting line-up, having watched the Swansea game from the bench. Otv subscribers will, this The West Ham draw was preceded by a Premiership Table weekend, have access to the stalemate at Southampton – both games Wenger Man City 17 41 49 best action from the English would have expected to win – reinforcing the Man Utd 17 26 38 Premier League (EPL) and La view that Arsenal have not yet recovered from Hot Shot Chelsea 17 17 35 Liga on today and Sunday. the blow of losing to Manchester United at Mohamed Salah Liverpool 13 Tottenham 17 16 31 Among the matches to home. be broadcast live is the clash between Wenger shuffled his pack for the short trip to Liverpool 17 14 31 Harry Kane Tottenham 12 Arsenal and Newcastle, with both teams West Ham, with both Jack Wilshere and Olivier Burnley 17 4 31 seeking redemption from the less than Giroud making their first Premier League starts Sergio Aguero Man City 10 Arsenal 17 10 30 impressive results they had in their last of the season. The match will kick off at 4pm Raheem Sterling Man City 9 Leicester 17 4 26 matches. today, and will be available on SuperSport Select Watford 17 -3 22 Arsenal was held to a scoreless draw 2 (Channel 32). Also today, a resurgent Atletico Alvaro Morata Chelsea 9 by West Ham, while Newcastle suffered a Madrid will seek to continue the revival when Everton 17 -8 22 Romelu Lukaku Man Utd 9 home loss to Everton on Wednesday. they take on Alaves in the La Liga. The match Southampton 17 -6 18 Arsene Wenger knows Arsenal cannot will be live at 9pm on SuperSport Select 4 (ChanHuddersďŹ eld 17 -17 18 Wayne Rooney Everton 9 afford another slip-up when they face nel 34), available to only GOtv MAX subscribers. Brighton 17 -9 17 Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium On Sunday, it will be the turn of La Liga Gabriel Jesus Man City 8 Bournemouth 17 -5 16 aiming to end a damaging run of three leaders, Barcelona, who will seek to put behind Alex Lacazette Arsenal 8 Premier League games without a win. them the indifferent results they got in their last Stoke 17 -17 16 Only one point separates the Gunners two matches, when they take on Deportivo La Newcastle 17 -10 15 Jamie Verdy Leicester 7 from Tottenham Hotspur in fourth, but in Coruna at the Camp Nou. West Brom 17 -10 14 what is shaping up to be a tight battle for The match will air live on SuperSport Select 4 Leroy Sane Man City 6 Crystal Palace 17 -16 14 the Champions League places, Arsenal at 9pm. GOtv subscribers can enjoy the best in Anthony Martial Man Utd 6 West Ham 17 -18 14 can ill-afford to drop more points against a La Liga action by getting GOtv MAX for only struggling team. N3,800 monthly. Swansea 17 -13 12 Shinji Okazak Leicester 6
Arsenal , Newcastle Clash Goes Live on GOtv
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GLOBAL SOCCER
Has Mourinho Lost Battle with Guardiola?
M
anchester United manager Jose Mourinho went through his full range of brave faces as he looked at Manchester City disappearing into the distance at Old Trafford. City's 2-1 win in the derby on Sunday, more convincing than that scoreline suggests, means they are now 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League after ending United and Mourinho's 40-game unbeaten run at home. Mourinho, understandably, said United would continue to fight for every point in the battle to peg City back - but the body language of everyone inside the 'Theatre Of Dreams' at the final whistle suggested something else. So has City manager Pep Guardiola finally won the battle for supremacy in Manchester with his old adversary from their La Liga days at Barcelona and Real Madrid? Mourinho mind games fall on deaf ears Mourinho will have known the huge significance of this Manchester derby - and all the old tricks were on display to at least keep their rivals in sight, even at this early stage of the season. It was the suggestion that City's players go to ground too easily: "A little bit of wind and they fall." It was the suggestion they practise dark arts as he talked of City committing "tactical fouls". And there was even the questioning of Guardiola wearing a yellow ribbon in support of those fighting for independence in his native Catalonia. Mourinho's mischief, particularly from a manager more than happy to trade on gamesmanship in the past himself, did not put any doubts in the mind of referee Michael Oliver. Indeed, it was Mourinho himself who was left bemoaning a decision when United midfielder Ander Herrera fell under challenge from City defender Nicolas Otamendi in front of the Stretford End in the second half and Oliver was unmoved. It was City who last inflicted defeat on Mourinho at Old Trafford in September 2016 and the Portuguese drew the comparison as he suffered the pain of that non-decision. "It is like last season. Exactly the same, you can speak about anything you want, you can bring any football theory, you can bring the stats, the ball possession, you can bring everything you want - but like last season it is a huge penalty in a crucial moment of the game," he said. "But I have also to say that I feel sorry for Michael Oliver because I think he had a good game, I would say very good game, assistants the same. I think they come with the intention to make the perfect work, which they almost did." It was City who showed the
Guardiola leads Mourinho on head-to-head
calm defence, decision-making and street wisdom that Mourinho likes in his own teams, running down the clock in a scrappy final period, unusually helped by Bernardo Silva's uncanny ability to win throw-ins off United players. On and off the pitch Guardiola was the winner and for all Mourinho tried to unsettle Manchester City and set the match's agenda, he and United came up against opponents who were simply too good. Has Guardiola's purist approach overtaken Mourinho's caution? Guardiola said before the game he would "rather retire" than depart from his beliefs - and Manchester City's supporters were only too happy to revel in their team's purist approach. The chant of "Park The Bus, Park The Bus, Man United" provided a constant musical backdrop as City penned back surprisingly subdued opponents - a jibe aimed as much in Mourinho's direction as those on the Stretford End. And there was no doubt United's cautious approach paled in comparison to the smooth, flowing attacks of Manchester City. Guardiola's City looked ultra-modern, while on this occasion Mourinho's United looked dated. United posted a 35 per cent possession rate, their lowest at Old Trafford in the Premier League since 2003-04 - when data was first collected. The home fans were steadfast in their support but even they voiced demands for a more positive approach with chants of "Attack, Attack, Attack" as City were sharper to the ball, more assured in possession and more dangerous. One of the reasons behind this was the absence of United's prime midfield force - the suspended Paul Pogba - but City looked in the mood to cope with
any obstacle Mourinho could put in front of them. Since taking over at United and City at the start of last season, both Mourinho and Guardiola have overseen 54 Premier League games. Guardiola has a 70.4% win ratio, while Mourinho's stands at 53.7%. It may seem a harsh verdict as United have fallen behind a team on a historic Premier League run of 14 successive wins but the clash - or rather the crash - of styles was one in which City looked more fit for purpose on this occasion. In defence of Mourinho The current evidence does indeed suggest Guardiola is winning the head-to-head and it takes a huge leap of the imagination to see how he will not bring the Premier League title back to Manchester City in his second full season at the club. This, should it come to pass, will cause pain to Mourinho because he is a man on a mission to show his best work at Manchester United after his sacking at Chelsea just months after winning his third title at the club, claimed after returning for a second spell. It should, however, be stressed that since Mourinho and Guardiola returned to face off in Manchester, the 'Special One' has claimed two trophies while his opposite number is still waiting for his first. Mourinho won the League Cup and the Europa League (a convenient safety net to secure Champions League football after a disappointing sixth-place Premier League finish) last season and is a manager who consistently deals in the currency of trophies. The problem Mourinho faces
now is a Manchester City who are increasingly in Guardiola's own image and likeness with the financial power to ecplise any spending plans Manchester United may have. Mourinho, for all he may rail against it, may be finding himself in a fight he cannot win. So how will the battle continue? Mourinho will continue to seek advantage, to probe any perceived weaknesses in Manchester City's make-up but with every passing victory this looks an increasingly forlorn task. City's superiority over Manchester United came at the point when frailties were being discussed - wins against Huddersfield Town, Southampton and West Ham United that only came via very late goals, the absence of injured and influential John Stones, the possibility of a vulnerable central defence containing Nicolas Otamendi, and Vincent Kompany carrying an injury. United were unable to take advantage - but there is still plenty for Mourinho to set his sights on. Mourinho loves the twists and turns of the Champions League, having won it twice - with Porto and Inter Milan - and United qualified for the knockout phase impressively. And there are still domestic cup competitions to fight for. This was, however, a pivotal Premier League day, a chance for either Mourinho or Guardiola to make a serious statement of intent. In the final reckoning, Guardiola's team spoke far more eloquently than Mourinho's - and there can be no doubt the Catalan comfortably holds the balance of power in Manchester.
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GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS
Anthony Joshua Wladimir Klitschko
L-R: Former Nigeria Goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro, ; Coca-Cola West Africa Business Unit Planning & Analyst Manager, Vincenzo Lambiase, Coca-Cola Public Affairs & Communications Manager, Amaka Onyemelukwe, Official, Global Fund HIV, Society for Family Health, Emmanuel Olaoti at the World AIDS Day commemoration Novelty Match organised at Campos Square, Lagos...recently
Klitschko Backs Joshua to Unify Heavyweight Division Wladimir Klitschko says he believes Anthony Joshua was capable of unifying the heavyweight division. Joshua is unbeaten in his professional career so far, and currently holds the IBF and WBA (Super) titles. Bouts with the other world title holders Deontay Wilder (WBC) and Joseph Parker (WBO) could be in the pipeline, and Klitschko feels Joshua was capable of winning them and holding all the available belts. Speaking to The Sun, he said: "I have
passed the torch to the younger lion. "I wish, from the bottom of my heart, he continues to carry this torch for a long time and is very successful just like I was. "Joshua is capable of unifying the division, absolutely." Joshua defeated Klitschko in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley in April in what turned out to be the last fight of the Ukrainian's glittering career. Despite being stopped in the 11th round, Klitschko insists he would not change the result if he had the choice.
Klitschko said: "I'd say the more Joshua shines, the better I shine. If I lost, I want to make sure I lost to the better man. "It was an incredible fight. We both had fun, the fans had fun. It was win-win for all of us. "It doesn't feel like a loss. I won a lot of respect that I never had, even when I won my world titles. "My ego wanted to win. But to experience what I did, I wouldn't change the end result. It opened doors and made my sporting life more colourful."
Hewitt Comes Out of Retirement, to Play Doubles at Australian Open Lleyton Hewitt has decided to come out of retirement to play doubles at next month's Australian Open. The former world No 1 officially called time on his career following his home Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne in 2016. But, the 36-year-old has already returned to the court twice since then, playing in the Davis Cup and at Wimbledon last year. Now, he is making another reappearance, this time alongside fellow Australian Sam Groth, who is making
this the last tournament of his career. "It is going to be a bit of fun," Hewitt said. "That is what the Australian Open is about. "We have been hitting a lot of balls, hitting every day, and we are not just going out there making up the numbers. We want to give it a fair crack." Hewitt won Grand Slam singles titles at the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon the following year, while he was also victorious in the doubles at Flushing Meadows in 2000, partnering
Max Mirnyi. Hewitt and Groth have played doubles together previously at Grand Slams and in the Davis Cup, including a five-set defeat to Andy and Jamie Murray in 2015. "It is something Lleyton and I have talked about and it is perfect for me," Groth said. "I was there when 'Rusty' retired in 2016 and it is great that he will be there with me when I bow out. "He is not just someone I know through tennis, he is a great mate."
Baby Face Vows to Inflict Pain on ‘Painless’ Ngige Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, the light welterweight boxing star, has vowed to inflict maximum pain on Chijioke “Painless” Ngige when they clash for the vacant national title at GOtv Boxing Night 13 on December 26. The event, which holds at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, will provide a proof of Baby Face’s progress since his discovery at GOtv Boxing NextGen 1 in Lagos. He is yet to suffer any loss and emerged best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night 11, winning a cash prize of N2million. “Painless will receive maximum punishment and pain. This title is something I have been dreaming of and I don’t see how Painless can stop me. I have
fought better boxers like Oganla and Tombraye. They fell. Painless too will fall, but not before I inflict plenty of pain on him,” bragged the soft-spoken 22-year old. The headline bout on the night will see Nigeria's Oto Joseph take on Abdulrahim Ahmed of Egypt for the vacant African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight title. The explosive Olaide Fijabi will also fight for the ABU light welterweight title against Michael Odhiambo of Kenya. Another important match-up is the one that will see Abolaji Rasheed defend his West African Boxing Union (WABU) middleweight title against Arye Ayiiteh of Ghana.
The event, which will feature musical performances by Small Doctor, Simi, Falz and Reekado Banks, will equally see Rilwan Oladosu go up against Kehinde Badmus, while Jimoh Lukman will fight Rilwan Opatola. Both fights are in the lightweight division. In the middleweight division, Matthew Obinna will fight David Awosika in a challenge bout. Tickets for the event are available online at ariiyatickets. com, SLOT and Ebeano Supermarket outlets, Freedom Park and National Stadium, Lagos. Free bus rides are available to take ticket holding fans from the stadium to the venue and back.
Port Harcourt Polo Club Plans Big for 2018 Port Harcourt Polo Club is planning to make the 2018 edition of its annual tournament the best ever. This revelation was made as top officials of the club and organising committee for the tournament addressed sports journalists at an organised media parley in Port Harcourt . President, Port Harcourt Polo Club Iyene Amakpakabo, who attended a global Polo tournament in Argentina stated that no effort will be spared in
the bid to make the 2018 tournament a memorable event. Amakpakabo disclosed that beyond the sport of polo, the week-long event would be used to showcase tourism potentials and cultural heritage of Rivers State. Tournament Manager, 2018 Port Harcourt polo tournament Victor Fingesi said the cream de la cream of the Nigerian Polo community will converge on Port Harcourt to vie for
honours at the annual tournament. Apart from patrons and polo clubs, drawn from every part of the country, teams from South Africa and Dubai will also participate in tournament Victor Fingesi described Polo as an immense sport, requiring a partnership between man and horse. He said spectators will be treated to scintillating moments, given the calibre of players that will feature for their respective clubs during the tournament.
Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Sports, Mr. Deji Tinubu (2nd right); presenting best Male Cricket Team Trophy to Lagos cricket players and President, Nigeria Cricket Federation, Prof. Adam Ukwanya (left), during a dinner and award night by the Cricket Federation (NCF), In Lagos...recently PHOTO: KOLA OLASUPO
Stuttgart Test for Munich Live on StarTimes Startimes Nigeria will this weekend thrill its subscribers to an awesome football experience with exciting matches from the Bundesliga league as VFB Stuttgart battles it out with Bayern Munich at the Mercedes Benz- Arena today at 2:30 pm African Time on StarTimes Channel 254 and 245. Table topper, Bayern Munich with 35 points from 15 matches will battle it out with 14th placed VFB Stuttgart with 17 points. Bayern Munich Coach, Heynckes - the brains behind Bayern's 2012/13 unprecedented Bundesliga, DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League haul - has worked wonders since returning to the hot seat in place of Carlo Ancelotti on the 6th of October 2017. The 72-year-old has successfully turned a six-point deficit into a six-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga standings and secured the Bavarian giants' safe passage into the DFB Cup third round and Champions League last 16. Also, the Club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, has confirmed planned talks with Bayern’s two veteran wingers, Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery regarding their contracts which is due to expire next year June. Borussia Dortmund will also host Hoffenheim at the Westfalen Stadion by 6:30pm African time on the same day. According to the Brands and Marketing Director at StarTimes, Qasim Elegbede, the pay TV Company is steadily fulfilling its commitment to delivering a fine mix of pulsating live sporting matches to its customers and football lover. “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. StarTimes is a leading digital-TV operator in Africa, covering the entire continent's population with a massive distribution network of 200 branded halls, 3,000 convenience stores and 5,000 distributors.
Thrilling End to Wichtech Tennis Tournament
The fourth edition of the Wichtech Tennis Tournament ended last Saturday at the Tennis Section of the Ikoyi Club 1938 with lots of funfair. The tournament which was modeled alongside tennis Grand Slam saw participants carting away various prizes and trophies to the delight of the sponsors, Chinedu Nwankwo, Chairman Wichtech Industries limited. In the Men’s Singles A, Captain of the tennis section, Akeem Mustafa defeated Ezomo Imoukwede, 6-0, 6-4, while Chido Nwankwo got the better of Labisi Aboyomi in the Men’s Singles B. In the veterans’ finals, Charles Attah defeated Olowe Olaleye 6-3, 6-4 and in the super veteran singles, Chris Akpunonu out served Walter Jibunoh 6-2, 6-2, while in the ladies single Julie Allagonyi outplayed Clara Falase in two straight sets. The evening game ended with the men’s doubles and it came as a little surprise to many that the duo of Godwin Kienka and Adino Tochukwu got the better of Chinedu Idike and Akeem Mustafa. An elated Nwankwo said after the encounter after, he would not relent in his sponsorship of the competition, promising to make the next edition bigger. “We are now partners,” he said. Member of the tennis section danced to live band to bring the competition to a thrilling end.
Federer Wins Fourth BBC Overseas Sports Personality Award Tennis star Roger Federer has won the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year for a record fourth time after a public vote. The 36-year-old Swiss topped the poll ahead of five other shortlisted nominees. Federer became the first man to win Wimbledon eight times and extended his record to 19 Grand Slam titles in 2017. Boxer Muhammad Ali and athlete Usain Bolt are the only other people to have won the BBC award three times. Federer said: "It makes me incredibly proud that the UK public have chosen me as the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.
DECEMBER 16, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
35
VINTAGE
Teen Star, Iseoluwa, to Headline Concert December 17 Ferdinand Ekechukwu
F
ollowing the launch of her first album and the release of her colourful video that left memorable impression on the minds of gospel music lovers just a few months ago, teen star ‘Iseoluwa’ is set to take the scene a notch higher this Yuletide with her maiden concert dubbed, ‘Iseoluwa Live in Concert’. The 12-year-old singer alongside other top gospel artistes will thrill fans and lovers of gospel tunes in what is described as first of its kind experience, following her age and talent, which has wowed audience since her emergence on the music scene. Top gospel acts to support the youngster are Mike Abdul, Tim Godfrey, Wole Oni, Onos, and Eben. Others are Tosin Bee, Odunayo Aboderin, and the sensational music instructor of the Mtn Project Fame, Uncle Ben. Since her emergence, the child star who was discovered at the age of five, by her mum, has made special appearances in music events like the ‘Meets Media’ monthly event for creatives and
personalities in the entertainment and nd media circuit and nd d as well headlined ed music activities at church festivals. Slated to hold on December 177 at the RCCG Jesus sus Embassy Parish,, Harris Drive, VGC Lekki, Lagos, gos,, ‘Iseoluwa Live in n Concert’ is peculiar uliar in way that the purple, coloured d themed event is to promote the message of peace, ce, according to thee artiste. “If we are re to create peace in our world we must begin with children. “Racial understanding standing is not something that hat we must create. Peace is our gift to each ch other. Peace cannot be kept by force. When the power of love overcomes the love ove of power the world will know peace.” e.”
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
FAIRGROUND
The 12th Edition of Future Awards Africa 2017
with
AZUKA OGUJIUBA
azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com
T
he Future Awards Africa 2017 was held recently at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Personalities at the event included the Vice President of Nigeria, ‘Yemi Osinbajo, former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor, Professor Kingley Moghalu, former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, Mo Abudu, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, among others. Themed Nigeria’s New Tribe, 21 winners emerged in various categories such as Advocacy, Business, new media, music, fashion and design, professional service, sports, among others, with Ayo ‘Wizkid’ Balogun announced as the ‘Young Person of the Year’. Other guests at the event were Sola Sobowale, Rita Dominic, Idia Aisien, Ini Dima-Okojie, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Akah Nnani, Lami Phillips, Bolanle Olukanni, Akah Nnani, Juliet Ibrahim and more.
Anita ‘Brows’ Adetoye
First Lady of Kaduna State, Hadiza El-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Adebola and Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf AregebsolaItuah Ighodalo and Adam Tickell, Vice Chancellor, University of Sussex
Arit Okpo
Tiwa Savage
Femi Falana (SAN), Vice President of Nigeria, ‘Yemi Osinbajo, Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo and Adam Tickell, Vice Chancellor, University of Sussex
Mimi Onalaja and Adekunle Gold
Asuquo Ekpeyong, Mark Okoye, Dr. Obiageli Ekpeyong, Adebola Williams and Richard Mofe-Damijo
Teju Babyface
Steve ‘Yaw’ Onu
Oscar and Titi Oyinsan
Davido (L - R) Sound Sultan, Lilian Esoro, Omoni Oboli, Adebola Williams and Waje
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
FAIRGROUND
The Wedding Showcase 3
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nugu, the capital city of Enugu State came alive for three days, as notable stars such as Enyinna Nwigwe, Bryan Okwara, Ebube Nwagbo, Melvin Oduah, Marie Claire, Ken Erics, Adaeze Eluke, Chinonso Arubayi and a host of others, stormed the Coal City for this year’s edition of The Wedding Showcase Nigeria. According to the organiser, Kachy Ugwa, who is also the CEO of Magic White, the exhibition was the melting pot for top Nigerian fashion icons and parades, event, media and logistics vendors from all parts of south-eastern Nigeria and that the 2017 edition was a grand success. “This year’s edition was three times better. It was held at two notable venues; Golden Royale for the exhibition and business dinner, while the main fashion show was held at the biggest event center in Enugu; The Base Event Centre.
“We had different vendors from all around Enugu and its environs. There were lots of freebies, shopping, interesting fun and games with over 4000 persons in attendance,� Ugwu said. “We had facilitators, such as the brain behind the Event Market Nigeria and a renowned event expert, Mr. Temitope (TSOULE), financial expert and coach, Mr. Cornel Awgu, the social media expert and radio diva, Mrs. Gloria Emodi (fabulosgloria) and the hair engineer, Ms. Chinyere Okoro spoke on building a brand from scratch, the power of social media and how to sustain and manage our finances,� he added. The icing on the cake at of the Wedding Showcase 2017 was the Night of Lights – fashion meets runway show, which had designers such as Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Sevondejana all the way from Lagos. They graced the runway with other delectable indigenous designers in the likes of Ladybeellionaire, Judan Clothing, Bellany and a host of others.
Rex Anthony Anieke, Assistant Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc (1st from Left); Iledare Oluwajuwonlo, popularly known as Jaywon, Guest Performing Artist (3rd from Left); Wilson Umukoro, Area Sales Manager, Ondo, Nigerian Breweries Plc (3rd from Right) and Josiah Akinola, Assistant Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc (1st from Right). With them are some of the beneďŹ ciaries of Goldberg’s Isedowo empowerment initiative, during the presentation of business grants to entrepreneurs in Ondo state recently
Kachy Ugwa
L-R: Mr. Chiagozie Nwizu, Founder and Managing Consultant of Franchise Business Development Services Nigeria; Mr. Charles Anyanwu; Head, SME at Lagos State Employment Trust Fund; Mr. Brent Omdahl, Commercial Counselor to the U.S. Mission to Nigeria; Mr. Richard Sandall, DFID Nigeria’s Senior Private Sector Development Adviser; Mr. Anayo Agu, Special Adviser to the Governor of Enugu State on Small and Medium Enterprises; Jayshree Padayatchey, Micro Franchise and Community Development Expert at SA Franchise Warehouse, South Africa; Mr. Chukwuka Monye, Managing Partner of Ciuci Consulting and DG, Delta Economic Summit Group; and Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director for FATE Foundation
Nigeria 2018 Franchise Agenda Goldberg Boosts Small Scale Enterprises in Ondo through Isedowo
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oldberg, the leading culture-centric beer brand from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc., recently rewarded 28 entrepreneurs and small-scale business owners operating in Ondo State with a total sum of N8.4 million through Isedowo, its empowerment initiative. The 28 beneficiaries received a business grant of N300,000 each after being selected from a large pool of over 700 business entries received in the state. The winners comprise men and women operating in the catchment area who are skilled in all forms of handiwork, including poultry farming, tie and dye, hand weaving, diesel injector repair, fashion designing and painting. Participants went through auditions and screening exercises to be selected for the reward, which happened during a grand ceremony at Fadeolu Guest House in Ondo town. EmmanuelAgu, Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands at Nigerian Breweries Plc., explained that Goldberg is riding on the platform of Isedowo to demonstrate its passion towards improving the entrepreneurial drive of youths in the Southwest. The initiative allows the target groups to nurture business ideas that would transform into job opportunities, and in turn better the lot of the region. “These grants would encourage more businesses to spring up in the region. As we fortify more startups with the financial wherewithal to gain solid
ground of operations, the beneficiaries would improve the living standards of the Southwest people by creating more jobs and adding value to their communities,� he explained. One of the beneficiaries, Balogun Wuraola, could not hold her excitement that night. She said that as a new business owner, her grant would be invested to expand her business. “With my N300,000, I plan to acquire enlargement and thread rolling machines, which are important tools in my business. I also need a bigger space to exhibit my products, which my grant would enable me to achieve,� she said. Akindeni Kolawole, a diesel injector repairer, described Goldberg as a “supportive brand� for coming to the aid of small business owners in the region. “If as little as 30 per cent of all brands in Nigeria can emulate Goldberg by supporting indigenous business owners in different regions, more youths would be encouraged to run their own businesses,� Kolawole said. He further commended Goldberg for making entrepreneurs in the region to realise that truly, there is dignity in labour. Kolawole also enjoined all the beneficiaries to utilise their grant with all sense of purpose as he would, so as to better the lot of his community through the service he renders. So far, 60 artisans have been rewarded in three Southwest states and Goldberg plans to support 40 more entrepreneurs with each winner receiving N300,000 through the empowerment scheme.
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ranchise Business Development Services Nigeria (FBDS), an associate of International FranchiseAssociation and representative of World Franchise Associates in Nigeria, recently organised a roundtable discussion on the strategic direction of “Nigeria 2018 Franchise Agenda�. The roundtable was organised in collaboration with key industry stakeholders dedicated to the development of franchising in Nigeria and supported by World Franchise Associates, as well as SA Franchise Warehouse, South Africa. The roundtable updated the stakeholders on the progress of the growing Nigeria franchise industry, introduced the potentials of the micro-franchising concept in Nigeria and presented global case studies of success and impact of micro-franchising on the enterprise,socialandeconomicdevelopmentspheres that can be benchmarked, to the various stakeholders. In line with the theme of the event, “Building New Roads to Enterprise, Social and Economic Development through Franchising�, the discussants opined in unison that the potentials of franchising in Nigeria can be triggered via “micro-franchising�. Accordingly, the convener of the roundtable Mr. Chiagozie Nwizu, Founder/Managing Consultant at FBDS noted that the industry has progressed in line with the vision of FBDS to make franchising development a front-burner agenda through its services, advocacies and interventions. The foregoing can explain the DFID sponsored research conducted by FBDS titled: “The Potentials of Franchising in Nigeria�. Accordingly, this study has become a key reference point on franchising in
Nigeria; a compilation of findings, opportunities, challenges and solutions to franchising in Nigeria. The study also featured the learning points from the historic growth of franchising in SouthAfrica, India, UAE and USA, which formed the benchmarks for its recommendations of growth path for Nigeria franchise industry. The South African community economic development expert and micro-franchising consultant Jayshree Padayatchey, whose organisation is partnering with FBDS on implementation of the franchise agenda, in her presentation highlighted the importance of micro-franchising in sweating untapped potentials in a youthful vibrant emerging market like Nigeria’s as has been proven in other emerging and developed economies. She stressed that everyday people can be retooled and kitted to understand the importance of contracts, business growth, skill transfer and corporate governance through micro-franchising. She noted that micro-franchising will reduce the gap between formal and informal business sectors in Nigeria. The Keynote Speaker, The Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar, represented by the Executive Director of Lagos International Trade-fair Management Board, in her keynote Speech, commended the efforts of DFIDandFBDSNigeriaforthefranchisestudywhich was presented to her office. She also applauded the efforts of FBDS, while reiterating that the agenda are consistent with the goals of the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, of diversifying the economy through non-oil sector growth, harnessing the export potentials of Nigeria, as well as attract FDIs into the country.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž DECEMBER 16, 2017
TEENS
CONNECT From Me To You
– NKECHI IBENEME 08142358958 – (sms only)
S
andra and Elsie were in a hot argument . The former was already crying when the Biology teacher entered the class. All entreaties by her classmates to make Sandra stop crying failed. She was deeply hurt and bitter over what Elsie had said to her. When the teacher tried to mediate in the matter, she discovered that Elsie ‘had no ďŹ lters’. The Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary deďŹ nes a ďŹ lter as “a device containing paper, sand, chemicals
Pass it through a ďŹ lter that a liquid or gas is passed through in order to remove any materials that are not wantedâ€? - this means that ďŹ lters are used to remove harmful and unwanted materials. As human beings, we go through dierent challenges and situations in life. In dealing with one another, we need to be sensitive to avoid hurting people by what we say or do. We should endeavor to pass whatever we want to say or do through a ďŹ lter and be sure our words will not hurt others unnecessarily. Giving a second thought to whatever we want to say
or do is a form of ďŹ lter. Some people will always act like they do not care whose ox is gored. Truth is, no man is an island. Everyone needs the association of others and if you are the type that has refused to put a ďŹ lter on it, you are bound to lose friends because no one wants to associate with a person who hurts them at will. If you are that kind of a person who says defamatory things about others, please, stop and put a ďŹ lter on it. Pass whatever you want to say or do through this four – way test:
1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 4. Will it be beneďŹ cial to all concerned? If you get an all round yes, then, do not hesitate to say or do it. But, if not, think again. As teenagers, your parents remain your best ďŹ lter. Whatever you are not proud to tell them, please, do NOT say or do! 4-way test, credit: Herbert J. Taylor and Rotary International.
Shout Out! To Chuka Azubogu (Musty). Life, they say, begins at 40; I pray this is when yours really begins. Happy birthday!
Blow the whistle‌.. Whenever W h cases of domestic vviolence, io sexual abuse or abuse of aany kind happens to you or anyone you know, please, dial any this number: *6820# to report it im immediately.
GLAUCOMA - The Vision Thief What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is an eye disease that most people have heard of but confuse with other eye diseases. It is a group of eye disorders that causes irreversible blindness. Glaucoma is characterized by increased eye uid, pressure and optic nerve damage. Symptoms Unfortunately, glaucoma has no initial symptoms and no associated eye pain. When the sufferer notices reduced vision, it is because some damage has already taken place. However, there are some warning signs; people with family members that have glaucoma are more prone to having it as well. Such people will do well to check with their eye doctor regularly. If there is blurry vision, seeing halos around light, make sure to visit the eye care practitioner immediately. This way, steps can be taken to prevent further vision loss. During eye examination, a tonometer is used to measure increased eye uid pressure to determine if it is within normal range or not.
Treatment Treatment for glaucoma can include the use of drugs, lasers or surgeries depending on the severity of the damage. Eyeglasses do not treat glaucoma. Caution Glaucoma has no cure, and damage done to vision as a result of glaucoma cannot be reversed. All treatments are meant to stop further damage, and this requires lifelong management. It is therefore safer to go for regular eye tests. YOUR EYE IS YOUR WINDOW TO THE WORLD; DO NOT LET GLAUCOMA STEAL YOUR VISION! GET TESTED NOW THAT YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY. t%S -JMMJBO -VDLZ JT BO PQUPNFUSJTU BOE UIF .% PG 3IFNB FZF DFOUSF JO TBUFMMJUF UPXO -BHPT
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By: Dr. Lillian Lucky - 08035024012, 08122656440, lilianjesus777@gmail.com
“Education is the greatest weapon with which you can change the world� – Nelson Mandela
Talk toJudy
Hi guys! My name is Judy. I am here to share your problems with you. Trust me to proffer solutions to those mind boggling problems you wouldn’t dare share with friends, siblings, parents or anyone else. A lot of people; teenagers alike, hurt secretly with problems they can’t discuss openly for fear of being judged. You may hide your identity if you wish, but do write in and let’s discuss that problem. It is not healthy to bottle up problems. Moreover, problems shared are problems half solved. Or, you think no one Glaucoma fundus
Normal fundus
cares? I do care! I will be here every week to help you solve that problem. But, I can’t, if you don’t talk about it, so do write in. you never know, what you call a problem may just be a normal growing up experience. *****Send your mails to: teensconnectmag@gmail.com. Subject: Dear Judy. You can also like our facebook page: www. facebook.com/teensconnectmag. r0S WJTJU PVS XFCTJUF XXX UFFOTDPOOFDUNBH DPN
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DECEMBER 16, 2017SS Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
ABDULSALAM KAMALDEEN IDOWU The Disabled Who Challenged Us His story is compelling and cannot be left untold because he demonstrated that vision, courage, determination, resilience and focus are all one needs to succeed against all odds; rare qualities only role models possess – story by Nkechi Ibeneme
Abdulsalam Kamaldeen
Abdulsalam Kamaldeen Idowu, 38, was born without any disability like many other children. However, tragedy struck when he lost his two legs to poliomyelitis at the age of three. As if that was not enough, he also lost his mother a year after. Crippled, motherless and homeless, Kamaldeen started primary school at the age of eight without a clue on how he would make it through school. Determined to be successful in school and life, he resorted to begging on the street to pay his school fees and fend for himself. Having no shelter over his head, he took refuge at Idumota Motor Park in Lagos, where he made his home and slept for many years. During this period, he was exposed to the elements, hunger, danger, hard drugs and even criminal gangs at the park. However, these odds did not deter him from pursuing his vision of acquiring formal education, he resorted to begging instead of stealing and going to school (instead of touting and doing drugs) and would retire to his ‘home’ at the motor park at night (distancing himself from the gang). This routine went on for many years as Kamaldeen progressed from primary to secondary and to the University of Lagos to study Political Science.
As he was concluding his Political Science programme, and determined to study Law, Kamaldeen again, sat for the West African School Certificate Examination and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam, and was admitted to study Law in the same school – University of Lagos. After the programme, he went to Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2016. Thus, beating the odds to acquire two degrees at a stretch to change his life’s story. Little wonder, he was honoured by the House of Representatives last week. His story is irresistible. In honouring him, the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila had this to say, “When ordinary Nigerians do extraordinary things then they must be celebrated and all men and women of power and influence must rise and bow to them. Nigerians and the world celebrate Messi and Ronaldo everyday for the amazing things they are able to do with their legs and today we must celebrate Abdulsalam for the amazing things he has been able to do without his legs.� If Kamaldeen, who is crippled by polio and had no place to call a home nor a mother to nurture him, could make something worthy out of his life, then you certainly have no excuse not to excel.
Abdulsalam in a handshake with Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DECEMBER 16, 2017
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚Ϳ
INTERVIEW/TRIBUTE Kola Lawal
My Ambition Not a Do or Die One
Kola Lawal is one of the governorship aspirants of Ogun West stock. In this interview with Femi Ogbonnikan, Lawal, fondly called KLM, and the current Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, bares his mind on his governorship ambition and the entry of Ogun East aspirants into the race, among others have also not done enough in combating these anomalies. We have, however; since taking over, confronted these challenges headlong. We are into tree planting. We have adopted private-public partnership policy to pursue aggressive plantation establishment programmes by investors because the government can’t do it alone. Our obsolete laws that are not robust enough to handle these challenges have also been reviewed and are currently undergoing the required enactment processes at the State House of Assembly. We currently have nine forest reserves across the State. The degraded ones have been earmarked for regeneration and reforestation. Our policy is to regenerate our forest resources at a rate higher than exploitation. I mean planting of more trees to replace the ones harvested. For sustainable forest management, you must plant four trees for every one tree felled. In the area of tree planting. we have done over 1,500 hectares in our reserves and we have given out about 100,000 free tree seedlings of different species, both exotic and indigenous, to private individuals who ask for it. In the area of revenue generation, we have achieved about 64% of our target. And for this year, we have accomplished about 70% year to date with potential for more by the end of the fiscal year.
Is it possible for Ogun West to have a common front in form of a consensus candidate for this governorship project? t is very possible, provided the process to the effect is transparent and fair to all concerned. It must not be done under deceit or on the platform of any fictitious group. Yes, there could be endorsement from anybody or any group for an aspirant but that should not be appropriated to mean the collective decision of the good people of Ogun West as a consensus governorship candidate. Currently, we have many notable, credible, respectable and seasoned party leaders and elders working behind the scene to ensure that we have a consensus candidate that will be credible and acceptable to all.
I
You just debunked ever appearing for screening before Ogun West Consultative Forum, can you shed more light on this? Yes, I never appeared for screening but an interactive session before the forum. Honestly, I knew where majority of the members of Ogun West Consultative Forum belong before attending the meeting but I still went ahead to honour their invitation and unfolded my plans for the State. They even commended me for my brilliant performance. Little did I know they wanted to use another aspirant to formalise or validate their premeditated plan. How can an interactive session be termed a screening whereby an aspirant will be picked as the consensus candidate for Ogun West? What is your message to the people of Ogun West? We should all see this as a collective aspiration that must be achieved. It should be viewed as an opportunity that we must all harness our resources to accomplish. It must not be about me, or I must be the one at all cost. If any credible aspirant, devoid of any controversy whatsoever, knowledgeable, exposed, experienced in the art of politics and governance, most importantly loyal to our great party and its leadership, is eventually picked to fly
Kola Lawal the flag for us, we must all be ready to give our support and cooperation‌ In other words, your ambition is not a do nor a die affair? No, my ambition has never been and will never be a do or die affair. Look, I had a good job in Exxon Mobil with very good remuneration until I elected to retire early in 2010 to seek for a bigger platform to serve my people. I felt being in government will afford me the opportunity to be closer to the people, to enhance our act of giving back to the society. I contested for the Ogun State governorship seat in 2011 but when it did not go my way, I accepted the wish of the party and supported the candidate that the party picked. Currently, we are working and praying believing that, it is only the Almighty Allah that
gives power with the strong faith that I will be the candidate. I therefore challenge our party and the good people of Ogun State to please send me...and I shall deliver.
What are the challenges confronting the ministry? They are illegal timber exploitation which leads to deforestation, illegal farmers, encroachment into government forest reserve and of course paucity of Let us narrow down Forestry, can funds because for some time now, the you share your success story in the country has been in recession. And this Ministry? has made the federal allocation, due to The Ministry of forestry used to be unthe State, falls drastically. In fact, we must der the Ministry of Agriculture until 2004 when it became a separate ministry for bet- continue to thank God for the ingenuity ter administration and management. It is a of our Governor, His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who has clearly demministry that has over the years grappled onstrated mastery and efficiency in the with the challenges of illegal farmers, management of the State’s financial and illegal felling of tress and other forms of encroachment that destroy our trees which other resources. He has within the last six years increased the Internally Generated have had tremendous negative impact Revenue of the State to between six to on our bio-diversity and consequently seven billion naira monthly. our ecosystem. Successive governments
Okurushi: The Boki Enigma Goes Home Paul Obi
ver the years, Nigeria has continued to grapple with the task of fine tuning how best to make local government councils work effectively and efficiently. To many, the idea of local government being the government closer to the grassroots and the people has since lost its essence and value. The emasculation of the local government by state governors since the return of democracy in 1999 has gone a long way to cast doubt about the importance of local government administration. But times were when the people actually felt the positive impact of local government. It was a time when local government elections were real; no rigging, no ballot box snatching and no imposition by Godfathers. Local government administration then had value and as well extended goodwill to rural dwellers. Elections at local government were won squarely and in the field. That was the era that the former Boki Local Government Area Chairman, late Chief Bartholomew Arah Okurushi belonged. Okurushi’s emergence as the Boki Local Government Area Chairman in 1992 local government elections under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was a remarkable political feat that would remained timeless in Cross River State political history. With
Okurushi
his campaign slogan; “Only the Best is Good Enough for Boki,� he systematically sold
SDP to the rest of Boki. And relying on Luke 16: 10 - “He who is faithful in little, will also be faithful in much,� the Boki electorates bought into his dream and elected him. Given that Cross River State was somehow dominated by the National Republican Convention (NRC), Okurushi’s victory was a political tsunami that kept tongues wagging. For instance, Cross River Central Senatorial District was under the firm grip of NRC. As it will turned out, Mr Clement Ebri of NRC won the governorship, Sen. Liyel Imoke won the Senate seat and the current Director General of Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Prof. Oshita Oshita won the House of Representatives seat. To the consternation of many, Okurushi will go on to defeat late Dr James Ewa of NRC to emerge Boki Local Government Area. The reasons for the victory were not far-fetched. Okurushi fit into the mould of Chinua Achebe’s ‘A man of the People.’ He was altruistic, a grassroots mobilizer and an enigma that was in touch with the electorates. With these qualities, and alongside Dr Pius Tabi Tawo, late Patrick Obi (Paddy Sorrow) of Kakwagom, late Paul Odu (Oduruku) of Bansan Community, they and others traversed Boki land campaigning and marketing SDP. Okurushi will later proved his love for his people with the spread of social amenities across the various clans of Boki. Under his regime, he built culverts in
Kakwagom, health centres, markets, rural roads and schools. Okurushi was born on 27th June, 1957 in Bateriko, Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State. He attended St. Michael’s Primary School, Bateriko and went on to study Philosophy at the University of Calabar. He also served as Executive Secretary of Ikom Education Authority, Secretary, All Farmers Association, Cross River State chapter, board member, Cross River State Borders Development Commission and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking to THISDAY, his schoolmate and former Boki Local Government Area Chairman, Barr Augustine Tase said: “Okurushi was an energetic fellow; he had a passion and love for his people, and was also in touch with the grassroots and local politics.� According to Tase, Okurushi never diverted from his ideology that “every politics is local.� In the latter years, he had his challenges, including health, leading to his dead in October. He had an uncommon zeal in getting along. His dynamism was in recognising the collective power of the people and understanding the portent power of local politics. He holds the title of Otu Eyare 1 of Boki and was crown by Igbo Union resident in Boki as the Eze Igbo 1 of Boki. Okurushi has since be laid to rest today in Bateriko, joining his maker and ancestors in the great beyond.
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DECEMBER 16, 2017 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
FASHION FILE
De Oak Luxury Capsule Collection
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 16, 2017
FASHION FILE
By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com
De Oak Luxury Capsule Collection
D
e Oak’s debut luxury collection by Oroma Kelvin Amadi. The Port Harcourt based brand’s luxury shirts for men and women who want to dress down in luxe shirts and still look great were inspired by the lives of the everyday professionals who want to unwind in style. CreditBrand @deoakng22 Photography @anny_robert Model @wolfman.n Styling@moashy
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ÍşÍ¸ÍšÍżËœ
MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fashogbon... ͸΀͸͝͝͞ͺ͚͸͸Î
Chair Person, Live Abundantly Empowerment Initiative,LAIE,Prince Gbenga Oguntayo ; Tutor General/ Permanent Secretary,Education District IV, Mrs Lola Are Adegbite, Founder,LAIE, Dr Ama Onyerinma and Trustee, LAIE , Mr Peter Boyo during the Christmas carol and sendforth service for 2016/2017 retirees organised by Lagos State Education District IV
Head, Retail Segments Union Bank, Paul Aseme; CEO, Quest Advisory Services Limited and facilitator at the seminar, Bayo Rotimi and Head, SME Segment,Union Bank, Famous Imiemohon at a seminar organised by the bank for its SME customers in Lagos recently
GE Marks One Year of Skills Building, Raises Hope for Talents Technology Company, General Electric, has restated its commitment to building human capital capacity and skills needed to transform the Nigerian economy from consumption driven to a productive one. The firm stated this on the occasion to mark its one year of skill building programme in Nigeria, through its Garage - a hub for advanced manufacturing-based innovations, strategy development, idea generation and collaborations. Speaking at the event which also witnessed the official release of the firm’s White Paper titled: “The Future Work in Nigeria-Bridging the Skill Gap,� President/ Chief Executive Officer of GE, Lazarus Angbazo, stated that the Nigerian economy
has got to a level where it should focus more on promoting innovations and skilled labour, adding that the skills of a nation’s citizens would determine the quality of its infrastructure and speed of advancement. He pointed out that Nigeria still wallowed in the skills gap, where there were weak connections between school training and what’s obtainable in the market. The firm disclosed that it has so far trained over 140 Nigerian entrepreneurs on advanced manufacturing and business development which was a testament to its commitment to meeting critical needs and filling the skills gaps domestically and globally. Speaking on the paper which practically
mirrors the skills gaps and its impact in key industry sectors as well as ways to address the gaps, Angbazo regretted that a larger percentage of Nigerian youths run after social science courses while about 13.24% of them target science and technical courses which manufacture innovations. He said, “Skill gap is visible in virtually all sectors of business including health, power, engineering, transportation and others. To address this, Nigeria needs a serious reorientation towards the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).� Addressing the gathering, the Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creations and Employment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti
Peak Milk Launches NGO Rewards Humanitarian Acts, New Campaign Seeks Societal Growth Peak Milk has launched a new brand campaign, “generation to generation,� in the market. The campaign highlights the superiority of the Peak family in the dairy sector and further reminds of its strongest asset of quality and pedigree. The latest campaign is meant to boost the brand’s presence in the market. Speaking on the latest campaign, Market Analyst and Communications Expert, Sunday Ogunniyi said, “No brand in the category gets any close to this historical record. This is just one of the unique properties that could be enjoyed by the Peak brand alone.� Peak Milk berthed in Nigeria in 1958, and has since been catering for the nutritional needs of the consumers across different generations. Part of its pedigree is the ‘all-round first’ it has always enjoyed; the first-mover advantage when it became the first dairy brand in the country and first to be fortified with 28 vitamins and minerals for stronger bodies and sharper minds. So far, the brand has been consistent in content and quality, justifying its description as “rich and creamy.� The product has also transformed itself to a strong cultural brand, appealing to different people across different socio-cultural groups. It is known as “Milki Olope� by the Yorubas in the west and “Madara n’kwakwa� by the northern Hausas. The consumers also see the brand elements as symbolic and essential differentiator which has built enduring emotional connections between the consumers and the brand across the country.
Recognising that giving, showing love, and caring for one another are vital ingredients of creating a meaningful society, a non-government organisation, Live Abundantly Empowerment Initiative, (LAEI), has honoured individuals who have committed themselves to humanitarianism especially on women and children. The recognition which was an award was to further appreciate and motivate acts that identify with the objectives of LAIE to include violence against women and children, education of children marginalised by poverty and physiological differences and the empowerment of women through education. Speaking at the award presentation ceremony which was held at Muson Centre in Lagos, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, praised the organisation for championing the cause of women and children especially by raising awareness and educating them on their rights. Represented by the permanent secretary, office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Odejayi, the governor reiterated the state’s commitment to creating space for women and children as well as protecting them against all forms of abuses and actions that could inhibit their progress. Also Speaking, the First Lady of Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, who was
agreed that building entrepreneurial spirit would stir the Nigerian economy to improve its competitiveness in the global economy. While commending the GE initiative, he said that Lagos State recognised the value in skills building, hence its partnership with the private sector including GE Garage to tackle joblessness and improve its economy. He thus urged the students of the Garage not to stop being creative but improve on their talents to meet up with the demands of the 21st century global village. Graduate from the Garage who are now top innovators and manufacturers also shared their experiences on how they realised their dreams from the GE programmes as well as encounter in the market.
Coca-Cola Releases New Products
also presented with Founder’s Award, encouraged victims of violence to speak out in any case and desist from the culture of violence. In her address, Founder of the Organisation, Dr. Ama Onyerinma, pointed out that women and children play a vital role in the development of communities, states and the country as a whole and as such must be duly catered for. She said that was why the NGO was set up basically to arise to the cause of women and children in all ramifications. “Empowering women to know their rights and to participate in the economic development of themselves, family and community is essential for economic progress and a sense of worthiness. Nobody wants to be denied access to education or employment due to physiological differences or socio-economic circumstances. We all have a right to be treated with dignity and respect and to feel secure in the society as prescribed by the law�. She added that the award gesture was a way of acknowledging and celebrating those who have impacted lives of women and the girl child. Others on the award list included Mr. Lanre Olusola who bagged the Change Advocate Award, CP Fatai Owoseni – Safety and Security Advocate Award and Mrs. Lola Are-Adegbite who was presented with the Education Advocate Award.
Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited has ramped up its footprint in the Nigerian beverage market with the launch of three new variants to its Five Alive brand. The latest additions, 35cl 5Alive Tropical, 35cl 5Alive Apple and 85cl 5Alive Pulpy Orange joined other seven flavours already in the market to bring to 10, the total number of 5Alive variants. Speaking on the development, the company’s Marketing Manager in charge of Flavours and Still Beverages, Gbolahan Sanni, stated that the latest in the market further attested to Coca -Cola leadership status in the beverage segment and to offer consumers more varieties to choose from. “The additional variants to the 5Alive beverage family are quite refreshing. This juice brand remains one-of-a-kind in the Nigerian juice market and is regarded as the perfect breakfast partner. All the variants give consumers the mouth-filling and sensorial experience of refreshment adding to our ‘Made-in-Nigeria for Nigeria’ range of beverages, Sanni said.� Speaking further, he said, “All the variants provide our consumers with a rich, nourishing, fruity, and deeply satisfying taste, which keeps them wanting for more. The brand’s current slogan ‘Made with Nature’ has over the years transformed into reality in the minds of our consumers. Our unique selling proposition lies in the great, tasty, fruity, and refreshing taste that the brand and product provides, perfect for anytime of the day, especially at breakfast.� The company added that the newlyadded variants would meet the needs of young people who love innovation and were adventurous, desirous of a refreshing change from the conventional juice drinks.
also signals another very important milestone in our human capacity development efforts. Our people are a pivotal part of our ongoing transformation programme and this endorsement by the CIBN is a validation of our efforts in this direction.� Congratulating the bank on the feat, President and Chairman of Council of CIBN, Prof. Segun Ajibola said: “I have no doubts in my mind that
this accreditation will put you in a more comfortable position towards achieving your mandate and improving the quality of your offerings as a Bank.� The certificate of accreditation and the technical report has a validity of two years and allows for the exemption of trainees who are successful at the Union Bank Entry Level from 10 courses from a total of 19 in the CIBN professional certification examination.
CIBN Endorses Union Bank Academy The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, has given full accreditation status to Union Bank Learning Academy after confirming its compliance to regulatory standards and best practices. By this, the Academy can now operate in a full capacity to boost its human capacity development efforts. The latest development further underscores the bank’s commitment to the development of its employees as
outlined in its Employee Value Proposition, a framework hinged on five critical levers including learning and career development. In his remark, Executive Director, Service and Technology Union Bank, Nath Ude commended the CIBN’s efforts at improving the banking profession by way of training and capacity building. The bank’s Head of Human Resources, Miyen Swomen, added: “This accreditation
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
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Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă˜ Ă–Ă?Ă‘Ă‘
͸Ϳ͸͞ͺ΀͚͞Ϳ͝Ϳ Ă?Ě‹Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ë? ÞÙĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă?ÑÑ̜ÒÙÞ×ËÓÖ˛Ă?Ù×
WOLI AROLE
I Say I’m Fasting When Female Fans Make Advances Ă‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă˜ Ă–Ă&#x;ĂĄĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂŁĂ“Ă˜ Ě™ ÙÖÓ ĂœĂ™Ă–Ă?Ěš Ă“Ă? Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ™Ă&#x;ĂŒĂžĂ?ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ę¨Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ăž ĂžĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?Ě‹Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă‹ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă‹Ë› Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?ĂĄ åÓÞÒ Tosin CleggËœ Ă’Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂžĂ’Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ę¨ĂœĂ?Ăž ×Ùà ÓĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? ‘you say he is not funny but boring, yet you are commenting on his page. Why not unfollow him.’ I found that response hilarious. What I say to people concerning this is that the fact that you have negative comments for me shows that you have feelings for me and I appreciate it.
‘The Call’ will be hitting the Cinemas in 2018 y latest movie, ‘The Call,’ is about Arole and his merry band of never-do-well friends who get into yet another problem after he loses an expensive antic clock belonging to a powerful retired General in the community. In his hustle to raise money to refund the angry and impatient General, he discovered his new talent and soon realises that with great power comes great responsibility. This movie will be hitting the cinemas next year. It will interest you that my movie is the first that will be taking veteran actor, Yinka Quadri to the cinema for the very first time.
M
Relating my skits to non-Yoruba audience For now, I am only able to connect with people that understand Yoruba, but I subtitle some of my videos so that people who cannot speak Yoruba can also understand what I am saying. Soon, I would broaden my scope. The reason I speak in Yoruba is because the person called Woli Arole is a character that God called from the south-western part of Nigeria and he is a Yoruba man. So if he starts speaking English, it means he probably went to a school of theology. I realised that the fact that I speak Yoruba even makes people who do not live in Nigeria to connect with me. If an Asian man could be a worldwide superstar then I should be able to speak Yoruba in London. I would also use this medium to teach foreigners my language. The beautiful thing is that some universities abroad are now teaching students Yoruba language. I am an ambassador of my language through my skits. I am proud of my language.
I am more popular on Instagram I created the account some time ago, but I became very active on it in September 2015. Right now, I have over 530,000 followers. I was able to get that large amount of followers based on my work. When I post some of my skits, people tend to repost it. Because my skits are hilarious, people tend to save the videos and show it to their friends, by doing that, I get more followers because they would want to see more funny skits. Some people watch my skits and also tag their friends to watch it. These things help me gain followers. I would say I was inspired by God I just posted the first skit, people loved it and I never stopped. The first skit I posted was on a Sunday; I began with my prayer point pattern, I went into the bush, began to pray like people in the white garment churches do. People loved it and I never stopped since that time. I did not see it as a big deal, I saw it as a form of expressing myself and people loved it. I am still doing my skits till now. About my style I felt that the same way the fuji musicians promote their craft and take it to the far end of the world, is the same way an American rapper would promote hip-hop, and it is the same way I can promote my background in Cherubim and Seraphim church. I would say I was inspired by God and my background, because I attend CAC and Mountain of Fire. I felt that if the background is exposed to people within and outside Nigeria through my funny prayer pattern, it would be beautiful. I just wanted to promote my religion. Massive impact on the life of youths We have people sending us message from all over the world. The number one impact my skits have on people is that it relieves them of stress. I believe my skits are medicinal because people get back from work sometimes frustrated but when they go through my page, they laugh away their sorrows. I am like a therapist; I take away their stress through my skits. You don’t need to go to a show and spend over N5,000; all you need is a little data on your phone and you would laugh in the comfort of your home, toilet, office, or when you
I am a prophet in my ministry When I was growing up, I was always inspired by God to give prophecies. I see visions till now, it is God’s gift and I am very grateful. I do real prayers as well. I have a real prophetic calling aside from my social media skits. Dealing with women and their advances They still do but there is a way they do it and I know how I reply them. When they make such advances, I tell them comically that I am fasting. They know what I stand for and it helps me. That does not mean that I don’t get admirers, I do and people text me but it is just the grace of God.
Woli Arole
are in traffic, all thanks to my skits. I am like a doctor to people and that is really big for me. My skits and people’s response Although there has been a lot of cyber bullying where people say that my skits are crap and they are not funny, I am not doing it for anybody. I am just doing it to express myself. That was what helped me. I did not start this to impress anybody but to express myself. If you like you can say my video is not funny, I know that someone else would laugh when they watch it. I am not bothered by anybody’s comment. If the criticism is constructive, then I would go back to the drawing board and see what I can do differently and come up with better ideas, but I ignore the destructive criticisms. Social media
is a place where a lot of people pour out their frustration, so with that at the back of my mind it is easy to ignore them. If I decide to reply any negative comment, a blog can pick it up and write something negative about it and that would not be good for my brand. People are entitled to their opinion, it is normal. The major focus is not on the negative comments. If someone says that a skit is not funny, then be assured that it is cracking someone else up, so focus on the person that is laughing hysterically at the skit and neglect the person giving negative feedbacks. Some of my fans and friends respond to most of the negative comments; so I don’t need to stress myself. A lady once wrote that I am not funny but boring and one of my followers replied saying,
I post them as I get the inspiration I can do five skits a day. Most of my videos are spontaneous; some are scripted but the ones that go viral are normally the ones that I do not plan. If you like it fine and if you don’t, it is still fine. I am not apologetic about my posts. Social Media has opened doors for me I can’t deny that. It has put food on my table and that of my family as well. The greatest joy it gives me is that I make people happy. You have no idea how I feel when people stop me on the road to commend my efforts. I get clients a lot from this thing I do on social media I anchor weddings and various events in all sectors. Churches also book for my services and they pay well. It is not just fame without money. It has given me a better chance of being called for an event.
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MY STORY YINKA QUADRI, SAKA, OTHERS FOR ‘THE CALL’ MOVIE Having carved a niche for himself in the comedy zone with his distinctive style of comic delivery, Oluwatoyin Bayegun, better known as Woli Arole, is set to take a step higher with his first feature-length movie ‘The Call’ which will be hitting the cinema on a date that will be made known to the public in 2018. The movie, which shooting began on Sunday Dec 3, 2017 in Ibadan, will be directed by awardwinning director, James Abinibi. Produced by Felix Olojegede, the movie will feature arrays of stars like veteran actor, Yinka Quadri, Hafeez Oyetoro ‘Saka’, Samuel Ajibola, Kayode ‘Aderupoko’ Olaiya, Segun Arinze, Asiri, Ebiye and comedienne, Etinosa Idemudia. With the idea of the movie project conceived earlier in the year, ‘The Call’ is definitely going to be one of the movie to watch out for in 2018, as it is filled with lots of
VICTOR ADEWALE
My Life of Photography, Poetry and Music Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ ĂŽĂ?ĂĄĂ‹Ă–Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă‹ ĂšĂ’Ă™ĂžĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂšĂ’Ă?Ăœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂŽĂ™Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁĚ‹ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽË›
Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ăž åÓÞÒ Tosin CleggËœ Ă’Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ĂšĂ’Ă™ĂžĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂšĂ’ĂŁËœ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? comic-drama element; not leaving out the key message of the movie. The Call movie has equally been able to gather few sponsors that include leading betting company, Nairbet, Lagos State Government, Berger Paint and Krystal digital Solution, among others.
‘CHRONICLES OF LAFTU,’ NIGERIAN-MADE MOBILE GAME APP RECEIVES REVIEWS Anointed is an entertaining Made-in-Nigeria game app that takes the players on a conquering adventure to rid the land of Baja of all evil. It relies on a fun and quality gameplay allied with the Bible affirmation: ‘Touch not my anointed, do my prophet no harm.’ The game enables the players to put the whole armour of God and stand as Laftu (the main Character) against all evil. Along the way, the player can attack and defend against enemies using the words contained in the Bible which is showed as a ray of bright yellow light. The player can also use their special privilege by summoning angels who will respond with powerful boosters such as ‘Firestorm’, ‘Thunderstrike’, etc. Just 2 months after
its release; Anointed: Chronicles of Laftu is currently played by thousands of users all over the world, especially in countries such as; Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Namibia, The Philippines, Canada, Hong Kong, United Kingdom and the United States. Anointed Chronicles possesses several unique selling points including an Afrocentric theme, addictive gameplay, unique plot, small download size and most importantly, the game is available for free on all app stores. Anointed can be played offline, however, it is suggested to play the game online to experience full adventure and access more features. The gaming app is available for free download at iTunes and Google Play store.
STATE OF THE ART LUXURY SPOT, H6 HOTEL, OPENS IN LEKKI Last weekend was all glamour at the opening of H6 Hotel in Lekki. The opening had everyone themed to an all white Affair and was well attended by the creme de la crème. Comedian and compère, Hynenna was the host of the show and had everyone entertained with the best of his artistry. Banu Yaba David, the owner of the hotel, was over-joyed at the turn out and the patronage he got on the night of the event. It was a dream come true for the luxury lover as he was able to open his own resort. Having had experiences of other notable hotels, opening his own simply made the difference.
W
hy do you refer to yourself as an artiste? I like to refer to myself as an artiste because apart from photography, I sometimes delve into poetry and music.
Tell us about starting out
I have always enjoyed photography from a tender age because my dad used to have a small film camera. And I longed to own that camera. Then, I lost interest. The interest returned last year. I was a final year student at OAU and couldn’t afford a camera. So I began to shoot with my mobile phone. I just got my first camera last month.
Who are your role models and mentors?
I don’t have mentors. But I have some photographers that I respect: Bernard Kalu of Auxano Photography, Segun Olotu of Sottu Photography, Kc Nwakalor, Neec, Hitch, and many other people.
What messages do you pass in your photos?
I don’t have restriction to the messages I pass with my photographs. I just like to tell the stories as I see them without altering anything. Most of my shots are candid. There are special cases where I take permission from my subjects anyway.
Where do you see yourself in ďŹ ve years?
In five years, I want to be named among Africa’s most influential documentary photographers.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚;
Bank of Agriculture Disburses Over N1bn to Kogi YekiniJimohinLokoja
BOUYING THE ECONOMY... L-R: Deputy General Manager, Access Bank Plc. Mrs. Ope-Wenu Jonas; Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju Adepoju; Director of Communications, Public Aairs and Sustainable Development, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose Medeben; Business Engagement Manager, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mrs. Ginika Frank-Durogbor; and the Company’s Director of Legal , Mrs. Edith Onwuchekwa at the Unveiling of Women in Manufacturing in Africa Initiative by Lafarge in Partnership with Access Bank Plc in Lagos, on Friday. SUNDAY ADIGUN
Kwara Speaker Slams EFCC, Says it can Never Fight Hammed Shittu inIlorin Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr. Ahmad Ali has said that, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) since its inception in the year 2000 in the country was the worst thing that would happen to the people of the country. He said that, EFCC was just redefining corruption to mean pursuit of opposition members in the country. Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on the state of war against corruption in the country, the Ilorin born politician said that," the EFCC can never fight corruption in this country". According to him, "EFCC from inception in year 2000 is the worst
thing that will ever happen to us in this country. We are just fooling ourselves that we are fighting corruption but we are not fighting corruption". He said, " EFCC is just redefining corruption to mean pursuit of opposition members. So the first is not against corruption but pursuit of opposition. "EFCC cannot fight corruption, EFCC can never fight corruption in Nigeria" The speaker who spoke on the sideline on the 10th annual lecture of Justice Mustapha Akanbi(rtd) Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin however said, "ICPC is better suited because ICPC follows the rule. "You empower ICPC, because ICPC follow the rule and ICPC is best
suited to fight corruption because it is attacking the process and procedure. "Politicians are less than a thousand and that is what ICPC is following but bureaucracy is over a million. "You can see 90% of houses in Abuja belongs to the Directors not politicians. So we are just fooling ourselves for saying that we are fighting corruption. Its good, its popular, but I think if any government wants to fight corruption, the ICPC should be strengthened to strengthen our processes and procedure and not just for suing people." He also expressed deep concern over the way and manner the elites and politicians have been canvassing on the issue of restructuring in the country. According to him, "Restructuring
means so many different things to different people If restructuring means alleviating poverty, good governance, yes I do but if restructuring create more state, I say no to it." He however said, "So you have to define what you mean by restructuring. I support devotion of power to state but if it means more local government, more bureaucracy, it doesn’t take us to anywhere. "I don’t believe in going back and forth, we practice the premiership before, we said it wasn’t good. Not its presidential, we are also saying that it is not good. The Jonathan’s conference has suggested a little merger that might be perfect. But the problem is not the system, it is us Nigerians".
Babington-Ashaye Flays Ogbonnaya Onu: Science, Flaws in Constitution, Technology Determines Unveils Research Centre National Wealth, Livelihood A tax expert, Mrs. Morenike Tejuade Babington-Ashaye has flayed the flaws in the Nigerian constitution that hindered the country sustainable development over the years. Babington-Ashaye who was prior to her retirement, the Assistant Chief Inspector of Taxes, Federal Inland Revenue Department, argued that the flaws had made it impossible for the country to move forward at the pace it ought to in the comity of well-endowed nations. In a welcome address she presented at the formal unveiling of an International Centre for Tax Research and Development (ICTRD) in Lagos, she expressed dismay that those who genuinely worked to change the status quo had met stiff opposition from political and economic actors whose business was to develop chaos and reap selfish rewards through national crisis. According to her, these negative actors were political, economic and social terrorists who shake the very structure that promotes good governance in any society. These terrorists exist all over the world and they plant themselves in countries that are rich in natural resources. They corrupt the people in power by engaging them in flamboyant plans for development from which these terrorists are the beneficiaries. It is only the strong will of the people
that can destroy them or put them back to where they belong. Babington-Ashaye who is also the former Chairman of Ogun State Internal Revenue Service decried a situation that every aspect of nation building in our country has been dented politically, socially, and economically. Her words: “Majority of our people live in poverty in the midst of plenty. Many die in the hospitals for lack of facilities and inability to pay for services or purchase medicines in government hospitals. There are so many innovations in our technical colleges and universities begging for development. We spend money in buying goods and services for which we can produce locally. We spend so much money in foreign exchange on invisible transactions through consultancy and technical services that our people are capable of providing but not given the opportunity. “Our rural areas beg for development. We have places in this country where human beings and animals drink, wash their clothes and themselves in the same stream. How should we spend our tax revenue and proceeds of our natural resources? Today, we are moving towards a clean environment in political, economic and social set-up.
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
As a prominent country in a highly competitive world in which advances and application of Science and Technology Innovation (STI) determine national wealth and affect the livelihood of citizens, Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya stated yesterday. The minister who spoke at a keynote address he delivered during the 15th meeting of the National Council on Science and Technology, held in Benin City, capital of Edo State, stressed that the national goal of moving to a status of the top economies in the world was a only achievable through the use of STI to modern facilities, production, systems and services. He lamented that since independence, Nigeria had been confronted with multifarious socio-economic challenges raging from high level of unemployment to acute hunger and abject poverty because the country is yet to optimise the use of STI tolls in exploitation of her huge talent bank and material resources for nation building.
According to him, "This is so because it has continuously relied on export of natural resources and commodities such as fossil fuel, cash crops, unprocessed solid minerals, among others as a means of sustaining her economy. As a result of this, Dr. Onu disclosed that the Nigeria industrial sector contributes only three per cent of its export revenue but gulps over 50 per cent of imports which has ravaged the country's balance of payments which in turn exposed the country to economic instability occasioned by the vagaries of international commodity markets and foreign exchange that have resulted to gross unemployment, poverty, hunger, poor healthcare services, high rate of illiteracy among others." Continued Onu, "It is disheartening to note that all these are happening in the midst of huge human and material resources which if effectively harnessed will trigger economic development," adding however, that these challenges offer the country the opportunity to begin again to rebuilt the country of its dream and move in the direction of self a sufficiency.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Bank of Agriculture, Mallam Kabir Muhammed Adamu has said over N1.4 billion had been disbursed in Kogi State since the inception of the bank in the state. Speaking in Okene, Kogi State on Friday during the inauguration of the bank’s branch, he mentioned that out of the amount, only about N375 million had been repaid back leaving a balance of over N1 billion. The Managing Director who was represented by the Executive Director of Retail banking of the bank, Mr. Emmanuel Ameh said before the closure of the former Okene branch, the sum of over N91 million was disbursed to members of the community and the repayment has not been too encouraging. He pointed out that with the new beginning, the branch would
have 100 per cent repayment in all subsequent disbursements. The managing director seized the opportunity requesting all those who collected loans from the bank and still owe to go and pay up. He mentioned that without paying back their earlier loan, they cannot have any relationship with the bank again stressing that the bank charges between 9 percent and 20 percent on it loans. According to him, the bank which is owned by the Federal government had been in agricultural financing for over four and a half decades stressing that the bank currently operates on 136 business locations nation-wide. He stressed that it was common knowledge that waste disposal rather than waste management was prevalent in Nigeria and this involves co-disposal of general and hazardous wastes on land, water bodies, roads and uncontrolled and open burning.
Professor Johnbull condemns 'Staff' Mentality by Security Agents The tendency by people in uniform to intimidate drivers when asked to pay for a ride in commercial vehicles is now a common practice in society. Rather than pay like every other commuter, the men in uniform, including private security guards, show off their uniforms and ranks to the drivers and simply respond, "Staff" (in the South-West) and "Award" (in the Eastern parts). This is the focus of the new episode of the hilarious TV Drama Series, Professor Johnbull, powered by telecommunications outfit, Globacom. The programme draws public attention to this malady with a call on security agencies and those in the paramilitary to educate their personnel on acceptable civil conduct while on board public transport as their uniform should not exempt them from paying bus fares. Billed for airing at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday on NTA Network, NTA International on DSTV Chanel 251 and NTA on StarTimes, the new episode of the Series is entitled Staff and Award, and is a lampoon of the overbearing attitude of some people in uniform, irrespective of the agency he or she represents.
In the episode, Samson (Ogus Baba) and Professor Johnbull's new household member, Jeroboam, a.k.a. Boam (Osita Iheme), claim Award in a commercial vehicle where two other men, a Forest Guard and a security guard, had earlier claimed to be Staff. However, the driver and his conductor will not have any of that. In order to collect the transport fare from the so-called staff who merely had mufflers round their necks, the driver resorts to self-help by abducting and illegally detaining them. Boam manages to escape. It takes the intervention of the academic, Professor Johnbull (Kanayo O. Kanayo), to secure their release, and this he does after chastising them for claiming what they were not and attempting, illegally too, to deprive others of their means of livelihood. A senior police officer who is called to shed light on the Staff and Award syndrome, says it is an illegal act for anyone in uniform to refuse to pay for any service he or she has enjoyed, and draws the attention of the public to the recent policy statement by the Lagos Police Command banning its personnel from refusing to pay when they board public transport.
Workforce Group ReafďŹ rms Commitment at Talent Job Fair Adedayo Adejobi
Nigeria’s leading HR Consulting and Business Services firm, Workforce Group has re-affirmed its commitment to helping companies win the talent war with its introduction of the Top Talent platform. Top Talent is a stellar initiative from Workforce group designed to connect top employers with a pre-screened, highly filtered pool of employment-ready top candidates. Speaking at the Top Talent Graduate Trainees Job Fair, the Head of Selection and Recruitment at Workforce Group, Akin Afolabi said, the Top Talent Graduate Trainees programme organised to close the gap between the roles available within various organisations and the availability of the talents to fill those roles suitably. The job fair which held at the Zone Centre, Gbagada last Saturday was a culmination of
a 6-week long process spanning across multiple assessment tests of key competencies for workplace success: Intelligence, Character & Purpose, Confidence & Effectiveness, Teamwork & Problem Solving, Leadership & Communication and their Drive for Results. Over 15 leading companies such as Nestle, Lafarge, GTBank, Sterling Bank, Nestoil, UACN, Cadbury, Troyka Holdings were present at the event with branded stalls and leading HR representatives engaging candidates extensively. Employers were delighted to have experienced what they described as a job fair with a difference, speaking to the press most employers had positive comments about the level of interaction they had with the candidates and the quality of the candidates on display- a result of the unique assessment process deployed by Workforce group in selecting qualified candidates for the job fair.
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68 Garlands for Ajimobi Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time. - Jean Paul Richter (German novelist 1763 -1825).
Yomi Layinka Today marks the anniversary of one of the most important days in the evolutionary story of Oyo State; it is the 68th birthday of the enigmatic Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the first man ever to be trusted with two terms as its governor. While the epigraph above speaks to the very many and countless feathers in the wide wing of time, it paradoxically raises the need to periodically pause and celebrate those feathers for their individual significance and even moreso, for the purpose of counting our blessings one by one so that we can truly appreciate what gift we have in the feathers given by the ageless owner of Time. In this short celebratory tribute to my boss and mentor, I shall focus on only one aspect of this truly complex, intriguing and engaging personality; this being his penchant for and pursuit of excellence as the defining fulcrum for sustainable success. One elementary definition of excellence is " the quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree". Another definition is "the state of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; exalted merit; superiority in virtue". Yet another speaks of "dignity; worth; superiority" What clearly and consistently comes across in each of these definitions is the notion of stretching beyond the limits of the ordinary, of working towards higher virtues, of walking upwards to perfection. To those who know Senator Abiola Ajimobi, these defining attributes express themselves through his powerful personal examples: from the unique character of his conceptual frameworks, his paradigms and belief systems to his passions, work ethics and etiquettes. If you look closely enough you will notice an unrelenting penchant for all things beautiful; from a lifelong demonstration of exquisite sartorial elegance to his fastidious observance of due processes in the workplace. This unremitting squeamishness and proclivity to aesthetics finds expression in several other ways, including the seemingly mundane celebration of a well appointed window linen as it flutters in the wind; the unapologetic genuflection before some spectacular display of engineering wizardry as can be seen in the wondrously designed network of roads that he is putting across the nooks and crannies of the state; as well as in the development of a masterplan for the establishment of a modern, functional, suitably integrated and sustainably built environment for Oyo State. A Yoruba saying translates roughly thus: when someone promises to buy you a garment, look first to the example of what he or she is wearing. Ajimobi's personal taste and sense of refinement reflects in every aspect of his governance creed and culture. When he came into government in 2017, the Governor’s
Office was an eyesore. From the main entrance into the complex, you were welcome by a fountain that looked abandoned in a desert, The main building itself was washed out of its colours with electric cables strewn all over the windows and air conditioners vibrating ceaselessly while dripping the effluents on every inch of the walls like drunken sailors urinating across the deck. Inside the offices, the work processes were tardy, uninspired and unproductive. Even the civil servants dressed largely like an army of dishevelled stragglers, with green ties thrown over red shirts with yellow stockings to match. But no longer. Not after a week of Ajimobi in Office! After witnessing a colleague or two being publicly upbraided by Ajimobi for his or her poor dress sense, no reasonable person wishes to be the next victim. Before long, the Governor’s penchant and preference for a well groomed, self-conscious and presentable workforce began to yield fruit. Now, most of the civil servants (especially at the State Secretariat) can pass off as corporate executives drawn from the private sector, especially the financial services arm like banks, insurance and the stock brokerages. Unlike before, these workers come out of their respective homes in dapper, well tailored, clean cut suits and native dresses that impress not because of their high costs but because of their sedate, well-coordinated colours and appropriately matching accessories. Today, this has resulted into a transformed cadre of workers who now project themselves with renewed self-confidence in their innate abilities and capacity to compete with their peers whether in Lagos, Abuja or Adiss Ababa. Ajimobi’s punctiliousness has been made manifest on several fronts especially when it comes to the way his government, its officials and the people of his state are perceived by members of the public, both local and national. For him ,'iri ni si, ni isoni lojo', perception ultimately determines value. One example will suffice to make the point: when the current Olubadan, Oba Soliu Akanmu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso 1 was to be installed in March 2016, the governor saw an opportunity to showcase Ibadanland to the whole world. On that occasion, he literally took out all the stops to organize the most beautiful, well attended installation ceremony ever record in the modern history of Ibadanland. Not only did he cause that the event be staged on the most elegant soundstage available in Nigeria, with the best and widest LED screens, he ensured the attendance of the most respected traditional rulers in the nation including the Alaafin of Oyo, Ooni of Ife, Oba of Lagos, Alake of Egbaland, Emir of Ilorin and the Sultan of Sokoto among several others. The regal and royal attendance of these first class monarchs was matched by the colourful presence of
Ajimobi
very distinguished and eminent Nigerians including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as several governors, captains of Industry as well as diplomats from across the world. The inimitable fuji maestro, Wasiu Ayinde KWAM 1 and some other bands were fully on stage across the road bellowing tunes to the ecstatic response of the mammoth crowd that spread beyond the horizon. However, despite his best efforts as well as those of the committee saddled with the organisation of the event, the event was almost ruined by the tendency for gross display of indiscipline and unruliness typical of most Nigerians, be they mighty or tiny. Unlike other parts of the world where protocols are scrupulously observed at public functions, a mix of chaotic disorder, lack of any observable pecking order and visual harmony. Sometimes you wonder why our public events including university convocations, governorship inaugurations and musical concerts are so utterly disorganised and reminiscent of the bedlam that was Oshodi Motor park before Governors Tunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode managed to restore some semblance of order, peace and beauty to the relief of most decent Nigerians. And so it almost was at the installation of Oba Adetunji; chaos had fully descended onto the stage: literally hundreds of photojournalists had overrun the stage; scores of uninvited masters of ceremony had thronged the space; aides, police orderlies and other miscreants had overcrowded every inch of the stage such that it was practically impossible for the celebrant to find his way up the coronation stage. It was the very definition of bedlam, a place where uproar and confusion prevails. That was the state of things until Mr Constituted Authority sprang to his feet, tearing through the crowd until he found his way to the overcrowded stage. Everyone,
including the dignitaries gazed in wonder at what the Chief Host was about. In a fit of righteous indignation, he personally took physical charge of the stage, ordering any and everyone who had no direct business (including some of his own commissioners, an intruding professor and the
CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as BONAVEE O HENRY now wish to be known and addressed as ONYEKA HENRY OBIEKWE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
I, formerly known and addressed as AIENAKHO PATIENCE now wish to be known and addressed as AIENAKHO PATIENCE OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formerly known and addressed as LADAN HAMIDU now wish to be known and addressed as LADAN AMIDU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formerly known and addressed as MUSA ABDULKAREEM FORTUNE now wish to be known and addressed as MUSA ABDULKAREEM BABANGIDA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. The JOHN KANNENE UCHE family of Araka-Ogoli Quarters Uchebe Village Ebu Delta State hereby announces the change of the Family Surname to MIEGORJOR. All former documents remain valid. Ebu community and the general public take note. I, formerly known and addressed as AJAYI OLUWAKAYODE KEBO now wish to be known and addressed as AJAYI OLUWAKAYODE EZEKAYA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. ODIAGBE OMON REBECCA. now wish to be known and addressed as EGUABOR OMON REBECCA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
scores of unruly security operatives and journalists) to get off that stage in an instant. Many observers (including me) looked in askance, a little embarrassed at whywhy 'a whole Governor' had to personally take over the rearrangement of the stage. But that was only for a moment. Almost instantaneously, I realized what major disaster he had averted by seizing the initiative and rescuing the event from from its potential collapse into anarchy and disgrace for Oyo State. Within minutes, significant order was restored on the stage and so thankfully, we were finally able to behold the beauty of the elegantly laid out throne, surrounded by the leading monarchs who sat gracefully across on a red carpet; the incoming royal father soon arrived in his majesty and was officially installed and given his staff of office to the roaring applause of the hundreds of thousands who were at the historic Mapo venue and the millions who watched on television screens and handheld devices across the globe. Almost two years afterwards, that event is still adjudged to be one of the most colourful and glorious ceremonies ever organised in the entire history of Ibadanland; a typical exemplar of the Ajimobi dogged insistence on excellence. To the unreflective, this kind of fastidiousness and unrelenting focus on details may come across as facetious. But to the knowledgeable, such commitment to the finer aspects of life is great testimony to a
CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as MISS BIMBO ADENIJI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS BIMBO ADENIJI AMEDU. All relevant documents remain the same. The general public should please take note.
I, formerly known and addressed as UKATA JULIANA IFEYINWA now wish to be known and addressed as GANGS JULIANA IFEYINWA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formerly known and addressed as PASTOR PATRICK BAMBUR now wish to be known and addressed as PATRICK SALLAH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formally known and addressed as MISS CHIDIEBERE KELECHI OKPALA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CHIDIEBERE KELECHI OSEGHALE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formally known and addressed as MISS. ITOHAN AMANDA AFE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ITOHAN AMANDA OPUTEH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formally known and addressed as MISS ODIAGBE OMON REBECCA, now wish to be known and addressed as EGUABOR OMON REBECCA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
mind that is attuned to the essential character of God’s manifest presence in nature. It is the evidence a man conversant with the meaning and significance of the harmonious relationship between the colors of the rainbow, the symmetrical character of the forces of nature, the balance and beauty of God's creation. As is well known and accepted among all the great philosophies and civilizations, the single most defining attribute of the Godhead and all the divinities is Order, that universal foundation and pyramidal structure that pertains to all that is good and perfect. So, Ajimobi's untiring pursuit of perfection is in fulfilment of man's ultimate duty to stretch ever closer to God’s design for humanity. Paulo Coelho has written that "when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." Eminent scholar and diplomat, Emeritus-Professor Jide Osuntokun wrote as follows barely six months after Ajimobi was sworn into office in 2011: “Governor Abiola Ajimobi has done what nobody believes could have been done to bring Ibadan, a largely traditional African city to modernity. He has removed or he is removing all the shanties that constitute an eye-sore to every visitor to Ibadan. If the Governor can finish all the projects that he has embarked on in modernizing the city, his name would go down in history along with those of Lagelu, Oluyole, Ogunmola and Latosa as the builders of Ibadan.‌‌‌.â€? My birthday wish: that his good works and the forces of good combine under the unction of the Lord to s him a worthy successor who would raise the barometer of governance further than Ajimobi did. Happy Birthday to "The Man for These Times"!
Yomi Layinka is the Special Adviser Communication and Strategy.
I, formerly known and addressed as IDUSERI FRIDAY OSARETIN now wish to be known and addressed as IDUSERI FREDRICK EDEGBE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I, formerly known and addressed as OMOLOLE EYIMIFE BAMIDELE now wish to be known and addressed as IDUSERI OMOLOLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
I, formally known and addressed as OMOBOLAJI PATIENCE OSHUNREMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OMOBOLAJI PATIENCE DUROEMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Ëœ ͚͞ ͺ͸͚; by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602
TRAVEL&LEISURE
Unruliness Dominates Lagos Street Carnival 2017
Ă˜ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? Ă‹ ĂŒĂ“Ă‘ ĂŒĂ–Ă™ĂĄ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽ Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? ÞËÞĂ? Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă™ĂœËœ Ă•Ă“Ă˜ĂĄĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă—Ă“ Ă—ĂŒĂ™ĂŽĂ?Ëœ Ë› Ë› Ë› Ë› Ë› ĚŽ Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă—Ëœ Ă™Ă?ĂšĂ“ĂžĂ‹Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ âĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ě‹ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă‹ĂœĂ˜Ă“Ă Ă‹Ă– ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă’Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă? ĂŽĂ?ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă–Ă? åÓÞÒ Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂšĂ‹Ă“ĂŽ ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂœĂ‹ĂšĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂœĂ&#x;Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› Omolola Itayemi ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?
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heLagosStreetCarnivalwasmeantto beacelebrationbydifferentrevelersin Lagosandshouldhavecontributedto tourism in Lagos. But while the Lagos State Government had boasted numerous financial gains for its citizens who used to occasion to hawk their wares, it failed woefully in living up to an A-class standard event. There were complaints from a wide-range of stakeholders who felt that they were not carried along. One of the hallmarks of tourism is security, which Lagos State is seriously failing at, despite ambitious attempts at making the state the tourism hub of Africa. Interestingly, despite various security personnel like Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps patrolling the whole arena, with LASTMA, FRSC and VIO officials controlling traffic, there were tales of woe concerning crowd control. Things got so unruly and rowdy that the event had to be ended abruptly. Guests had been treated to performances by Reminisce, Olu Maintain, Small Doctor,SaheedOsupa,SalawaAbeni,DapoTuburna, Myro and Big Shef with DJ Spinall when at about 9.20pm, the event had to be stopped. Artistes like Olamide, CDQ, Niniola, and DJ Lambo were still backstage. There were also tales by performers of not being paid for their participation. But an even more unsavoury event was the tale of wanton rape of young women. One of the women affected shared her tale of woe on social media. Here’s her experience: “Hello , My names are Ibukunoluwa (other name withheld), I am 22 years old and this is how I was publicly abused sexually; the Lagos State carnival officials also withheld the payments for our services and refused to provide adequate security to members of my team. Sunday being the date of the actual event, we all met at Ikeja as instructed and we had our performances. “Then it was time to pay us, they started coming up with all sorts of excuses why our payments couldn’t be made on that day. They were 500 of us, most which had no means of getting back to their houses. Think of the stress we’d all gone through and how untrustworthy the officials had been to us from day one. We all left in groups, but as we approached the heavy crowd next to the stage, we all scattered, leaving me vulnerable as a female. “Then, some men started dragging my phone at first, but I wouldn’t let it go. So they started tearing my clothes. My bra, and the buttons and zip on the bum short I wore under my baggy dress were broken. They untied the strings attached to the dress I wore; they started squeezing my boobs and butt so bad. Before I knew it, they had started taking turn penetrating my private part with their fingers so roughly and then one of them tried inserting his penis in me, but amidst all of this, I was fighting back and screaming for help. “The saddest part of the whole thing was the fact that all of this happened right next to a uniformed police officer, and despite my tears and screams, he didn’t lift a finger to stop the drama; he just kept looking at me like ‘Do I know you?’ But I didn’t stop screaming and that attracted one of my fellow dancers. She ran towards me, pulled me out and created a way to the nearest security guard at the front stage and passed me over to them.� This story by Ibukun is typical of public events held in Lagos of recent. Stories of pickpocketing, robbery, rape and sexual molestation have led to apathy to crowded events like musical concerts and soccer matches by families. Femalesareusuallyencouragedtomoveingroups, wearingtight-fittingjeanstrousersandequallysecure topstopreventeasyaccessincaseofsuchmolestation. At most of these events, there’s usually the prevalence of the free exchange of hard drugs like marijuana and alcohol. This may be the catalyst to such unruly behavior. Furthermore, tales of exclusion by stakeholders
Eyo eďŹƒgy at carnival
Some girls performing at the event Ibukun the rape victim
Scenes at the Lagos Carnival held... recently
were rife. One of the stakeholders, Mojeed Balogun, the Chairman, Ikeja Local Government Area, said that though he was honoured that the carnival was brought to Ikeja axis, as it created employment for petty traders, but if the council was directly involved in the planning process, he was sure that the residents oftheaxiswouldhavedisplayedmoreoftheircultural heritage at the carnival.
“I applaud the LASG for hosting such a fantastic and colourful event but I think there is need for improvement. There is the need to get stakeholders across board involved for an even bigger and more colourful event. They were not properly involved in the organisation of the carnival. That is where we are lacking,� Balogun said.
The Lagos State Government has not reacted to the unsavoury stories from the event but the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Chike Oti, said the command was aware of the assaulted girl’s complaint, but it was making efforts to establish contact with the victim. He said: “When the girl made the complaints, the Divisional Police Officer of Ikeja Station and the Area F Command were contacted to ascertain her claim, but they both said nothing of such happened at the carnival. In our preliminary investigation, the Lagos State ambulance emergency management said they did not attend to such case as claimed by the girl; that they only treated those who fainted at the venue not rape victims. “Such incident never happened at the carnival as many policemen were deployed in the area to maintain law and order.� Word on the street is that since the exit of the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, and now DG, NTDC, Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, Lagos State had been finding it difficult hosting world-class tourism events. Whether the Lagos State Government or the Nigerian Police accept responsibility for the fiasco or not, such tales of woe are bound to repel potential tourists who for fear of their lives and safety, would choose to stay away from future events organized by Lagos State.
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͚͞˜ ͺ͸͚Ϳ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER
PERSPECTIVE
PDP’s ‘Victor’ and the ‘Vanquished’ Sufuyan Ojeif
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thought I read in one of the newspapers the newly-enthroned national chair of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, say “there is no victor, there is no vanquished� in the national convention that produced him. That scorchedearth catchphrase being played up over and again to massage frayed nerves and battered egos. That is the traditional refrain employed by the favoured to mollycoddle the disadvantaged and the disgraced. For me, that is the preoccupation of the new PDP leadership in a frantic bid to ingratiate itself with the aspirants from the southwest zone whose individualities have been denigrated by the gambits, politicking and pecuniary intimidation which bore the imprimatur of their Excellencies, the suzerains, yes, “executive governors� in the eleven states controlled by the party. Buoyed by the governors, Secondus, who did not crisscross the thirty-six states of the federation and the FCT to address delegates as did Dr Raymond Dokpesi (even if from the south-south zone also), was primed to win the coveted prize; and no opposition was potent enough to upstage the agendum of the gang. Not even the legitimate and reasonable claim by the southwest zone to the position could dissuade Governor Nyesom Wike and his allies from forging ahead and pushing through. It was all clear that they had an assignment to accomplish; and, therefore, wise counsel by statesmen against monetising the process and hijacking the leadership of the party was scoffed on the altar of a supposed political exigency, which was obviously in service of some parochial interests. It was baffling how the PDP leadership dramatically turned the table against the southwest to which it had originally ceded, through micro zoning, the position of national chair. The fact that the position was gifted to the southwest received ample validation going by the number of aspirants from the zone who expressed interest in the position. Prominent and respected leaders of the party threw their hats in the ring in the belief that the position was conclusively for the zone. The under-
Secondus standing was that one of them was going to get it. They staked their individual reputation in the race for the coveted prize only for them to be confronted by the wall of opposition erected right in between them and the position by the governors of the party who floated and fronted their own anointed candidate from outside the zone. That clearly explains the pains of Chief Olabode George whose reactions continue to reverberate through the labyrinth of political consciousness. I concur, to a very large extent, with George who demonstrated the courage and conviction to speak truth to a clan of self-appointed neo-leaders in the party who were nowhere when the party was formed in 1998. Some of them were, at best, aides to some leaders of the party at the formative stage. But today, they have suddenly transmogrified, presenting pictures of modern-day dictators and power-drunk demagogues. They elevated pettiness and parochial interests over and above the sacrosanctity of a hitherto agreed political correctness.
Such undisguised display of littleness or pettiness by otherwise recognized leaders of the party upends that recognition and renders them, pitiably, the “vanquished�. It is sad that some little men who chanced on power would resort to gangsterish use of such power in the context of political party structure and administration as witnessed in the December 9 national convention of the PDP in the determination of the national chair. Indeed, these are the ultimate losers, the “vanquished�. Whereas, the winners, the victorious are Bode George who withdrew from the race because, according to him, the position of national chair had been sold to the highest bidder. George’s reactions were defining in so many ways and they provided the ground and anchorage for other aspirants who subsequently withdrew from the race. His summative attack on the shortchanging of the southwest was aptly captured thus: “The zoning principle, which was publicly reinforced last year in Port Harcourt, had specifically and rightly affirmed the southwest as the zone to produce the national chairman. This binding proclamation was based on equity, fairness and natural balance that hold any organisation together.� His conclusion that “this old, legitimate and morally sound micro zoning principle has now been trashed, dumped in the waste bin, flung into the gutter by very little men who have compromised the pivotal moral anchor of civilised engagement for temporary selfish gains� cannot be faulted. But the party still has one more chance to redefine itself through the choice of the right presidential candidate whose cosmopolitan outlook and capacity to engage with the powers-that-be are surefooted. Otherwise, the PDP will end up confirming, indeed, Bode George’s verdict that: “It appears the PDP is now bent on self-destruction. It has obviously allowed money moguls to dictate its thematic largeness. The party has lost its soul. It has lost its principled beginning and the predications of righteousness. It has traded the finer principles of democratic guidance and equity for the squalid, dirty and shameful resort to mercenary agenda where nothing matters save the purid,
oafish gains of the moment.� Just as he refused to be part of the “screaming aberration�, the likes of Rasheed Ladoja, Jimi Agbaje, Taoheed Adedoja, Gbenga Daniel were also likewise disposed. They withdrew, leaving Professor Tunde Adeniran, a fine, taciturn intellectual who is shorn of the common baggage of the bad and the ugly past as well as Chief Raymond Dokpesi in the race against the governors’ anointed one-Uche Secondus. Here again, Dokpesi, who ran a decent campaign nationwide, refused to be intimidated out of the race. He fought to the finish in the face of the scary hurdle. Like George who said he would not leave the party despite the sad development, Dokpesi has immediately congratulated the new leadership and promised to remain in and work for the party’s success in the forthcoming general elections. Dokpesi, like George and co., is a victor. Professor Adeniran, even though he stormed out of the convention venue in protest against the manipulation of the process through the emergence of a Unity List that put him at a great disadvantage, is also a victor. Those who manipulated the process in such a grotesque fashion complained about by Adeniran are the “vanquished�. Indeed, those who feel at home with the perfidy that took place at the Eagle Square and, especially the beneficiary of the act that put the entire southwest zone in the cold, who cannot reject the process as flawed, are the “vanquished.� To put it succinctly, therefore, in the just-held national convention of the PDP, “there is victor; there is vanquished.� What the new leadership should do is to engage in some form of restitution through genuine reconciliation in order to restore the confidence of the entirety of the party members in it. The party should make overtures to truly aggrieved individuals and do the needful rather than engage in the luxury of mere political statements that do not deal with the substance of the contending matters. It certainly cannot afford missteps in the build-up to the 2019 general elections. –Mr. Ojeifo, Editor-in-Chief of The Congresswatch magazine, sent this piece via ojwonderngr@yahoo.com
Mannor Gates Unveils Ebuka as Brand Ambassador Bennett Oghifo
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here is need for regular collaboration between government and the private sector to reduce the deficit in housing in the country. The advice was given by Mrs. Ajoke Ogunlaja, the Chief Executive Officer of Mannor Gates Limited, a Lagosbased real estate development company, at the unveiling of Mr. Ebuka Uchendu, a TV reality show personality, as the company’s Brand Ambassador, recently. Mannor Gates is the developer and promoter of Shernorth Homes, Ikeja GRA, and the most recent Mannor Gates Estate located at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. Mrs. Ogunlaja, a graduate of the University of Lagos and London metropolitan university has been identified as one of the women making a difference in real estate sector in Nigeria. She is a seasoned veteran in the Real Estate sector with over 14 years’ experience working in top management level both in Nigeria and the UK. Mrs. Ogunlaja said her company, which is about a year old in business, is passionate about making a difference in housing in terms of quality, class and affordability, and that the company engages modern conceptual designs that provide function-
L- R: CEO, Mannor Gates Ltd., Mrs. Ajoke Ogunlaja; Brand Ambassador, Mannor Gates, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu; and CEO, Mannor Gates Ltd., Mr. Olayemi Akinyemi, at the unveiling of the Brand Ambassador in Lagos‌ recently ality and eco-friendly environment. Ogunlaja stated that her company would give youths an opportunity to become homeowners in their housing schemes, adding that “for the Big Brother Nigeria host to endorse Mannor Gates, means youths can actually climb the prop-
erty ladder in the country, as Uchendu himself is a youth.� She said her company would work with Ebuka, who is equally passionate about helping young people get up the property ladder and become property owners, stating that her organisation’s desire
was to ensure that young people and the Nigerian populace are able to become land owners without the usual hassles of “Omo-oniles’ and dubious developers. Another Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Olayemi Akinyemi, who discussed the partnership with Ebuka, said “Mannor Gates decided to make the Big Brother Nigeria host a brand ambassador because he is a celebrity with much crowd who are mostly youths,� adding that he believes his endorsement of Mannor Gates would boost the company and its business. Akinyemi, an MBA holder from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, who is experienced in the construction of highend residential and commercial buildings, having worked on several construction projects in Central London and UK, said the company combines credibility, innovation and expertise in the provision of homely and functional environment, affordable and quality commercial, residential and corporate structures for middle-income earners. The management team of the firm is made of a group of young, tested and proven professionals with combined experience of over 24 years in real estate development.
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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͚͞, 2017
POLITY
GSS Ilorin Old Students Association to Meet on Infrastructure Development Hammed Shittu Ă“Ă˜ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜
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ld students of Government Secondary School, Ilorin, the oldest secondary school in Kwara state, have agreed to meet to find solution to dilapidating infrastructure in their
Alma mata. The school, founded about 103 years ago, had reportedly suffered neglect by successive governments in the state, as it lacks adequate number of teachers for core subjects, just as some of the classrooms need urgent attention. Speaking on the planned event scheduled to hold on December 23,
in Ilorin, the association’s national president, Engineer Yusuf Sagaya said that the meeting would also witness biennial election. Distinguished members of the old association, including the Director General of NBC, Alhaji Modibbo Kawu, among others would be honoured. He said that the gathering, themed, ‘Changing World’, would have the
Nigeria’s former permanent representative to the United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Nigeria’s former ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Tunji Olagunju in attendance, adding that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed would be the special guest of honour, while the president, Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers, Professor Sam Adefila would be the guest speaker.
EFCC Cannot Fight Corruption, Says Kwara Speaker “EFCC cannot fight corruption; EFCC can never fight corruption in Nigeria,� said the Speaker, who spoke on the sideline at the 10th annual lecture of Justice Mustapha Akanbi (Rtd) at the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin. He said, “ICPC is better suited because ICPC follows the rule. “You empower ICPC, because ICPC follow the rule and ICPC is best suited to fight corruption because it is attacking the process and procedure. “Politicians are less than a thousand and that is what ICPC is following but bureaucracy is over a million. “You can see that 90% of houses in Abuja belong to the Directors not politicians. So, we are just fooling ourselves by saying that we are fighting corruption. It’s good, it’s popular, but I think if any government wants to fight corruption, the ICPC should be strengthened.�
L-R: Elete of Ete Land, Oba Nafiu Odu-Olaiya; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and Special Guest, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan; Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon; and Founder, Jandor Foundation, Olajide Adediran, during the commissioning of a dedicated ICT Center, school kits and fully mechanised speed boats to Osolu, Irewe and Elete communities and school uniforms and bags to all pupils and secondary school students in the riverine area of Lagos by Olajide to mark his 40th birthday anniversary... recently
The Government of Lebanon oďŹƒcially joined to support Queen Zaynab organisation-The Arab-African Economic Development Initiative. The Queen oďŹƒcially began her partnership with Lebanon through the Governor of Beirut, Justice Ziad Chebib. During her visit to Beirut , they discussed ways to established initiatives of culture-meet-culture to improve economic growth
L-R: Deputy Manager, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Afam Ojeh; grand prize winner Visa/SPAR Reward Campaign, Mrs. Yusuf Alia; Director, Merchants Solutions, Visa West Africa, Mr. Wale Shogaolu; and Head of Information Technology, SPAR Nigeria, Mr. Hiren Dhakan, at the Visa/SPAR Shop and Win prize presentation in Lagos...recently
Founder, Lovers of Christ Generation Church, London, Rev. (Mother) Esther Abimbola Ajayi and her husband, Rev Ajayi, being received by the publisher of Ovation Magazine, Mr. Dele Momodu, during their arrival from London at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja for Christmas Carol...recently
Regional Marketing Manager - Anglophone West Africa, MoneyGram, KoďŹ Akyea, (2nd right) with the Union Bank Remittance team at the MoneyGram Teller Reward event, held in Lagos...recently
peaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr. Ahmad Ali has said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is not equipped to fight corruption. Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on the state of war against corruption in the country, the Ilorin-born politician said that “the EFCC can never fight corruption in this country.� According to him, “EFCC from inception in year 2000 is the worst thing that will ever happen to us in this country. We are just fooling ourselves that we are fighting corruption but we are not fighting corruption.� He said, “EFCC is just redefining corruption to mean pursuit of opposition members. So the fight is not against corruption but pursuit of opposition.
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POLITY
Revitalising PHCs Across Nigeria with NSHIP Kazeem Akintunde
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he trip to Nasarawa State was meant to be a brief one. The agenda was for the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, to inspect three Primary Health Care facilities funded in three different ways to test-run the Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP), and to pay a courtesy visit to the state Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura. A workaholic that he is, he directed his staff to fix other appointments for the day from 4pm, believing that he would have returned to Abuja after the ‘short trip’ to Lafia. But the ‘short trip’ to the state capital from Abuja took Adewole the whole day. Even at that, he was happy he went on the tour. The one-day inspection of three PHC facilities, funded in three different ways, was an eye opener for the Minister. The tour was part of a mid-term review of the implementation and impact evaluation of NSHIP in the three pilot States of Adamawa, Nasarawa, and Ondo, and was designed to assist the Federal Government in deciding which funding method is best for the management of Primary Health Care Centres, PHCs, across the country. The inspection took Adewole and his team to the PHC centre in Andaha, Akwanga Local government Area of Nasarawa State; he also inspected the non PBF, non BPF, 10-staff facility at Wulko, Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of the state, as well as the PHC at Alizaga, Nasarawa Eggon. And at the end of the day, the tour actually achieved the purpose which it was meant for. Indeed, there are three models of funding used for the three PHCs visited. These are: Result Based Financing (RBF), Performance Based Financing (PBF) and Decentralised Facility Financing or Direct Facility Financing (DFF). Since his assumption of duty in 2015, the revitalisation of over 23,000 Primary Healthcare facilities across the country has been the cornerstone of his health care delivery projects in the country. He is of the view that if the basic healthcare needs of Nigerians could be provided for at the PHCs level, over 80 per cent of Nigerians would have been covered with adequate health care guaranteed for millions of Nigerians. This way, there would not be much pressure on Secondary and Tertiary level of healthcare delivery programmes in the country and the slogan of health for all would have been adequately met. In consolidation of this fact, he set out to revitalise an already comatose healthcare programme at the local level by ensuring that there are adequate and well-trained staff, drugs and other essential facilities available at most PHCs across the country. Though most of the PHCs are owned by state governments, Professor Adewole, with
Adewole, inspecting drugs at Nasarawa Eggon PHC, Nasarawa State support from President Muhammadu Buhari, promised to assist states in getting the required funds from international donors, many of whom are keen on rendering assistance to the country in the provision of healthcare facilities for the people. His plan is to revitalise three healthcare facilities in three different pilot states of Adamawa, Nasarawa and Ondo States in order to determine which model of funding to recommend to the governors- a model that should be implemented by the people who are expected to own and manage these facilities. At the end of the tour, a happy Adewole told Newsmen that the essence of the mission was to visit three facilities that are funded in three different ways. “We have visited a PBF supported facility, a DFF supported facility and one that is an orphan with no support, and the different is clear. “Part of our challenge is to decide which one we are going to use to fund PHCs all over the country. Maybe I am biased, but I am a supporter of DFF, and if you ask me to grade the PHCs I have visited today, the DFF is the best, followed by the one in Akwanga and then the other one at Wulko. “Our job is to adopt a model that is peculiar to the people as we don’t want to do anything that is strange to them, we want the people to decide on their own, which model to adopt, own it, manage it and then make it work. It won’t be owned by the federal government, the state won’t own it, but they can render support, and we are going to put the policy there; it belongs to the people at the local level.� He added that the federal government intends to have one state-of-the-art PHC in each of the 774 local governments in the country and would probably adopt the Decentralised Facility Financed model. During his courtesy visit to Governor Al-Makura, Professor Adewole pleaded with
governors to allocate more resources to the healthcare sector, describing such a gesture as a win-win situation. He noted that once there was an excellent facility at the local level where people can treat Malaria, attend anti-natal clinic, deliver safely and immunise their children against killer diseases, most governors would not need to give money to the electorate to vote for them during campaigns, as the people would identify with such a government. “Investing in Primary Healthcare facilities is a win-win, as I have said severally, if you invest in PHCs, it is certain the people will vote for you. They will identify with you because you have identified with them,� Adewole said. He told the Nasarawa State Governor that the federal government would support the state’s School of Nursing in its bid to provide middle level manpower to the state by ensuring that its programme is fully accredited. The Minister of Health also promised to promote partnership between the federal government and the state by deploying medical doctors employed by the federal government to assist the state government in its healthcare delivery programme. “Most of our medical doctors at the Federal Medical Centres don’t do much. They attend to two or three patients in a day and that is it. We have it in Sokoto State and we want to encourage that in most of the states across the country. With little incentive for the doctors, they will be willing to assist you. In Nigeria, primary healthcare was adopted in the National Health Policy of 1988 as the cornerstone of the Nigerian health system as part of efforts to improve access and utilisation of basic health services. Since then, primary healthcare has evolved through various stages of development. In 2005, primary healthcare facilities were
found to make up over 85% of healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Historically, there were three major attempts at evolving and sustaining a community and people-oriented health system in Nigeria. The first attempt occurred between 1975 and 1980. The fulcrum of this period was the introduction of the Basic Health Services Scheme (BHSS). It came into being in 1975 as an integral part of Nigeria’s Third National Development Plan (1975 – 1979) and was structured along ‘basic health units’ which consisted of 20 health clinics spread across each LGA, which were backed-up by four primary healthcare centres and supported by mobile clinics serving an approximate population of 150,000 each. The drawback of this attempt was the noninvolvement of local communities, who were the beneficiaries of the services. Thus, the Scheme became unsustainable at the close of the third national development plan period. A second attempt, which was led by late Professor Olukoye Ransome-Kuti, occurred between 1986 and 1992. This period was characterised by the development of model primary healthcare in 52 pilot local government areas, all of which were implementing all the eight components of primary healthcare. A key result of this dispensation was the attainment of 80 per cent immunisation coverage for under-five children. Since then, there has not been any significant step taken to broaden the scope of PHCs by successive administrations in the country until Professor Adewole came along in 2015. His approach was that since most Nigerians live in the rural areas with little or no access to healthcare facilities, the best approach to reach them was to revitalise the PHCs across the country. Although health is on the concurrent list, Adewole’s approach saw the need to set up a model PHC in each of the 774 Local Government Councils across the country that would be supported by the Federal Government with funds coming from International donor organisations. He is also of the view that if basic healthcare needs of the people can be taken care of at the PHC level, then 80 per cent of healthcare needs of most Nigerians would have been taken care of. “Once we can treat Malaria, provide anti-natal, treat children of common ailments, provide immunisation for newborns up to five-year olds, test for HIV and other minor ailments, the healthcare needs of most Nigerians would have been covered,� he said. He has been preaching the gospel of revitalised PHCs to governors, assuring the chief executives at the state level that once there was a fully functional PHC at the local level, winning elections would become a done deal as the people would vote for those who took care of their health needs. –Akintunde is the Special Assistant, Communication and Strategy to the Minister of Health
GEF, UNDP, FMoE Support Fostering Sustainability, Resilience for Food Security Bennett Oghifo
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he Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Federal Ministry of Environment is supporting implementation of the Fostering Sustainability and Resilience for Food Security in the Savanna Zones of Northern Nigeria. The overall goal of this project is to enhance long-term sustainability and resilience of food production systems in Nigeria, by building greater community resilience to climate risks and other shocks that drive food insecurity. To this effect, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), which is hosting the Project Management Unit (PMU), held an Inception Workshop at the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) Conference Hall in Kano, Kano State, recently to kick-start the implementation of the project. Setting the tone for discussion and welcoming participants, the Focal Person on
Environment, UNDP, Mr. Muyiwa Odele explained the importance of the project, stating that it was seen as a national priority by the Federal Government. “There is no better time to start talking of food security than now, considering the decline in oil prices worldwide and many countries are now phasing out dependence on oil. “The population of the country is increasing, therefore, we hope to strengthen the food chain system in the country against climate change, as well as work with both the state and federal levels in eventually feeding the country and beyond conveniently.� In his presentation, ‘Integrated Landscape Management to Enhance Food Security and Ecosystem Resilience in Nigeria,’ a Climatologist and Lead Consultant of the project, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo stated that the project was consistent with what the Federal Government was doing as part of the strategies to develop agriculture. Prof. Oladipo said was really no need to import food for the country once agricultural potentials are tapped - a goal of the food security and ecosystem resilience project.
The project, he said is poised “to enhance productivity and promote sustainability and Resilience of Nigeria’s agricultural production systems for improved national food security in the face of dwindling oil revenues in the country and beyond.� Deputy Director, Agriculture Mechanisation, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Engr Abdullahi said the project had come to stay and that everything would be done sustain it. “Women will greatly benefit in the project as they are deeply involved in agricultural processing which is a target,� he said. Founder and Executive Director, WOFAN, Hajia Salamatu Garuba lauded the project for being gender sensitive, saying it would “make it a reality for women to come together and use agriculture as a livelihood.� According to her, “Nutrition and adaptation to climate change are big components of the project expressed the hope that it will groom a lot of youth and women by attracting them to agriculture as a source of livelihood and discourage rural to city influx.� The five-year project is expected to begin
next year in the seven states - Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Gombe, Adamawa, Nasarawa and Benue, which already have existing programmes on food security will have selected project sites in 70 communities of 13 LGAs of Dutsima, Musawa, Kabo, Gwarzo, Jahun, Katungo, Balanga, Yola South, Fufore, Akwanga, Kokona, Otukpo and Ukum, in reflection of the three major agro-ecologies of the Northern part of the Country’s Savannah Zones. Agriculture shapes Nigeria’s physical landscape and remains a significant contributor to its economic and social landscape, accounting for some 22 per cent of national GDP and providing employment for about 70 per cent of the labour force. In past decades, slow growth in the agricultural sector and rapid increases in population shifted Nigeria from self-sufficiency in food production during the 1960s to heavy reliance on food imports from the 1980s onwards. Poor agricultural output and widespread poverty have resulted in extensive and persistent food insecurity. In 2015 Nigeria was ranked 91st out of 116 in the Global Hunger Index and 91st out of 108 in the Global Food Security Index.
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Nyesom Wike: The Golden Architect of A New Nigeria Simeon Nwakaudu
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or every generation, there is a divine provision for the redemption of the people, especially in times of extreme difficulty and famine. For Nigeria, this is the time for men of courage to stand up for the nation. This is the time to build a new Nigeria, discard the aging players of old and set in motion the process of national recovery and rebirth. On December 13, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Commander of the Order of the Niger and Grand Service Star of Rivers State was born for such a time as this. Imagine for a moment if there was no Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in the present political equation of the country. It would have been a one-way traffic in the reign of evil, the absurd, terror and economic sabotage. The people of Rivers State first experienced the commitment and patriotic zeal of Nyesom Ezenwo Wike when he led the struggle for the actualisation of the PDP mandate in October 2007. Whilst the principal beneficiary of that mandate escaped into exile, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike staked his life at home, led the democratic forces and got back the mandate. Fast forward to 2015, when agents of darkness, conspired with forces of retrogression to sell Rivers State into political slavery, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike once again staked his comfort to ensure that Rivers State did not travel down the route of treachery, wanton theft of Rivers resources and the intimidation of the people. Because the people of Rivers State knew Wike, they entrusted their future in his hands. Since his swearing-in, he has lived up to the expectations of the people, delivering projects and defending their rights. When the governor visited Abia State in October, 2017, Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu said: “I count Governor Wike as a special bless-
Wike
ing, not only to our people, but to human kind. I thank God for the kind of courage that he has blessed Wike with. Today, he has come here. I pray that the blessing of Rivers State will follow Abia. “ The courage of Governor Wike has been of immense benefit to the entire country. But for the principled resistance of Governor Wike, the nation’s judiciary would have been completely demolished by a rampaging APC Federal Government hiding under the dirty pretence of fighting corruption. The dirty ill-orchestrated raids on judges went on without anyone questioning the legality of the actions of the APC-led Federal Government. When Governor Wike
courageously intervened and demanded that the arrest of judges be done in line with the laws of the land, that trend of impunity stopped. As he celebrated his birthday on December 13, Wike has shown that economic downturn is not an excuse for developmental failure. He has transformed Rivers into a centre of sustained delivery of developmental projects, economic growth and growing security. Reasons abound why he should fail, but failure was not an option for Governor Wike. He understands the weight of the mandate handed over to him by the good people of Rivers State, hence his commitment to the rapid development of the state. The results of his rugged projects delivery and economic development of Rivers State have inspired other state governors to redefine their goals and join the movement to develop their respective states. In his determination to build the new Nigeria, Wike has reached out to governors and leaders across party lines. His interest has always been the rule of law, fiscal federalism, equitable distribution of resources, fair play, national rebirth , responsible management of security agencies and electoral reforms. To achieve the new Nigeria, governor has embarked on regular vocal advocacy to get the buy-in of Nigerians. This has transformed him into Nigeria’s most loved politician nationwide. Wike on the streets is a delight. Nigerians celebrate him and appreciate his commitment to their welfare. He is their icon of uprightness in a polity that has been mutilated by the APC Federal Government. But by far, the most outstanding contribution of Rivers governor to the emergence of the new Nigeria is his role in the stabilisation and rebirth of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While several other leaders played hide and seek because of the terror tactics of the APC Federal Government, Governor Wike stood strong for the party. Alongside a few other leaders from all
the geo-political zones, the building blocks for the revival of the PDP were laid. This culminated in the very successful National Convention in Abuja after close to two years of struggle for the soul of the party. Today, Nigeria now has a vibrant opposition party that has issued a quit notice to the non-performing APC Federal Government. By his unwavering commitment to national unity and growth, Governor Wike has proved to Nigerians that every single individual and geo-political zone is an equal stakeholder in the Nigerian project. The era when the fate of the country is determined in one or two locations is gone. Under this New Nigeria, all stakeholders are qualified to determine how the nation develops. In every clime, in every community, Nigerians are thankful that the political conscience of the nation is standing on their behalf. Even when the civil society and the media are quiet in the face of the unmitigated disaster that the APC Federal Government has become, Wike has been unrelenting in his pursuit of a better Nigeria. As we jointly uphold him in prayers, we further petition God to strengthen his capacity to withstand the evil forces of falsehood, propaganda and political blackmail that will be regularly hatched by the APC Federal Government and her media goons. The battle ahead is tougher, because the task of quitting a criminally-minded tenant is Herculean. He has won countless awards over the years from international and indigenous organisations. However, the greatest award of all is the love and support of Rivers people and Nigerians. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is a golden governor, with a golden age, leading the golden state of Rivers and investing wisely as the golden architect of a New Nigeria. With him on the driver’s seat, we are sure to get to a golden destination. Happy Birthday, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Nigeria’s Political Conscience.
Kayode Abraham Passes on at 77 Bennett Oghifo
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here’s something exhilarating about Kayode Alaba Abraham. Even in death, he defies the deceased soul stereotype. Kayode wouldn’t slip into oblivion; rather he exerts a commanding presence in the lives of his beloved family, friends and associates. It hardly matters that he has passed on to join the choir invisible of the immortal dead, fond memories of him persist in lives and minds made better by his presence. Thus Kayode a.k.a Uncle Kaye lives on. Hardly anyone understands his staying power; perhaps it’s due to his creative genius and enthusiasm in the interests of the collective that his memories live on in the minds of lives enriched by him. This among many other things makes him a very interesting character in death as he was alive. Born in Lagos on June 11, 1940 to Adebimpe Abraham Nee Matiluko and Ayodele Babatunde Abraham, the deceased was raised to be virtuous and painstaking in pursuit of excellence. His father was a proud but reasonable man who never held back in his bid to instill discipline and honest ambition in all his children. It was this same sense of fairness that he instilled in his son, Kayode. Despite the rigorous discipline that marked his childhood, Kayode was happy as a child. He was the last child amongst six children and in fact the only son. His five sisters are Omotayo Opadare (late), Jadesola Oluwemimo Ibidapo, Feyisetan Taiwo Ero-Philips, Kehinde Olaku Shote (late) and Modupe Idowu Abraham. As a youngster, Kayode was known for his keen eye, infectious sense of adventure and uncommon intelligence.
Abraham
Kaye thrived in all that he did and it was with this same drive, passion and spirit of excellence that Kayode left the shores of Nigeria to study in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America. His imaginative genius manifested in his feral creativity and articulateness, his mastery of form, profound and hardnosed attachment to a self-made aesthetic that he expresses through means that are entirely of the moment. A business graduate from Sir George Williams University, Montreal, Canada, Kayode was well sought after upon his return to Lagos. Thus, his first job was with Mandilas Limited’s marketing department
before he went on to establish the business equipment division at F. Steiner Ltd. He earned his Master’s degree in International Marketing from McGill University College and on graduation, he secured a position as Sales Coordinator within a two-year period. After which he was transferred to their international division in Sweden. Kayode perfected his business skills at the prestigious Harvard Business School, Boston, America. He speaks six languages other than English, namely, Yoruba, German, Italian, Spanish, French and Swedish, Kaye was truly a citizen of the world. He was indeed an exceptional breed. He founded his company, Senn Sound West Africa, soon after rewarding stints with the parent company in Germany and an earlier sojourn at IBM Canada. Kayode established Senn Sound West Africa in 1973 thus introducing Nigeria and West Africa to electronic and technological innovations that would change the music, sound and electronics industry in Nigeria. Specializing in the marketing of consumer electronics with after sales services, Senn Sound spanned across Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Kano, the Benin Republic, Togo and the United Kingdom. Great thanks to him, several technological innovations – such as electronic systems equipped with remote control features, colored TVs, CCTV, the Cybernet Walkman (PS101) became very popular with university student. The four-tract cassette, cassette adaptor, the shortwave adaptor for conventional radio broadcast that enabled users to listen to multiple shortwave stations from all over the world from the convenience of their cars using Becker, Belteck, Voxon and Autosonic products – were also introduced into the Nigerian market through Senn Sound WA. Soon the company secured the sole
agency for Barco Electronics and Grundig Electronics respectively, making headlines in Nigeria and Germany. The very first Language Laboratory in Nigeria was kitted and set up by Senn Sound (WA) Ltd. It is therefore no surprise that in 1986 Senn Sound (WA) went on to win the prestigious “Africa Award� held in London and other numerous recognitions over decades. He was a strong and influential voice in the audio-visual and electronic sector both home and abroad. The Lagos State Government recognized his contribution to the state’s economy and named a street in Victoria Island after him, “Kayode Abraham Street�, off Ligali Ayorinde Street. There is no gainsaying Kayode had a great, unquenchable passion for technology but nothing could quell his love for fashion, fast cars and jets. He loved BMWs with unrivalled passion and he was always amongst the top 50 in the world to receive a new model and the first to have the latest model in Nigeria in the first week of its release from the factory in Munich, Germany. He enjoyed being the life of the party; an infectious and charismatic socialite, he was also incredibly passionate about impacting the lives of people and spared no expense to do so. As he grew older, his focus and first priority turned to winning souls for Jesus Christ. Kaye had a serious passion for evangelism which he committed a great part of his life and time to in unison with his wife Aisha. In fond remembrance, Aisha says “He was very excited to partake in evangelism, he was down to earth and he would go down to the level of anyone that he met. He was never prejudiced and he was a man who truly and sincerely loved people no matter their background.�
T H I S D AY SATURDAY DECEMBER 16 2017
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Saturday, December 16, 2017
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Price: N250
MISSILE Binta Bello to Buhari “The people he (Buhari) now calls looters were the same people who funded his campaign in 2015. In 2015, he had all the money to spend. The looters, who left the PDP, gave him the money. Why didn’t he reject it or tell Nigerians how he raised the campaign money?� – The Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Binta Bello, chastising President Muhammadu Buhari for labeling PDP members looters.
PENDULUM DELE MOMODU
dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com
Seriake Dickson: Blessed are The Peacemakers
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ellow Nigerians, when I woke up yesterday morning in Lagos, little did I envisage I was going to bump into the ebullient Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Seriake Dickson. I was heading to breakfast when I ran into the brand new National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on the ground floor of my hotel and I congratulated him on his recent appointment. Thereafter, he informed me of the presence of the Governor and said he was sure Governor Dickson would be delighted to meet with me. I replied that I was fine with that especially as I have close friends who have spoken with great enthusiasm not only about the stellar work that the Governor is doing in Bayelsa State on infrastructure and education but also about his wonderful personality and humility. I went on to have my breakfast. As if well timed and choreographed, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Francis Agbo, walked in and I stood up to exchange pleasantries. He told me his boss would like to meet with me asap. So I followed him to the big man’s suite. Those who know him very well profess that he is not just a giant in physique but also in intellect, hard work, executive management and political engineering. I met the Governor and some PDP Chieftains having breakfast. The Governor looked very relaxed. We hugged, like old buddies, and he made me feel very much at home. He said he follows my articles with keen interest. I thanked him for the compliment. After he was done with breakfast, he invited me into his bedroom for a one-on-one chat. He was very frank and candid. He said he was in Lagos to reach out to aggrieved members of his Party, PDP, particularly those from the South West who were miffed about not getting the Chairmanship position, as they lost to Mr Uche Secondus from Rivers State. I recalled that he had been similarly assigned the role of brokering peace and facilitating a settlement during the imbroglio for leadership of the Party, that saw former Governors, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sherriff, pitted against one another, in an epic battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court, before Makarfi emerged victorious. I am assured that Governor Dickson is not only a peacemaker but a kingmaker. I fired the first shot. “Do you think PDP can bounce back in 2019 now that it seems your convention has produced more bitterness than joy?â€? He responded that he and his reconciliation team would do everything possible to achieve unity in the Party. He admitted that no serious Party can treat the South West like outcasts without getting punished resoundingly at the polls. I was stunned by his revelation. The South West has some of the most enlightened voters in the country. “We need every vote we can get and South West is definitely included‌â€? I told him that the battle ahead is going to be tough, especially the Presidential election. He agreed with me that PDP would have to field a very strong and formidable candidate against a man like Buhari. He agreed that putting a weak candidate forward would hand over the presidency on a platter of gold to Buhari. I’m glad that he knows it is not going to be a walkover. We dovetailed into who and who can match Buhari in PDP. He picked them one by one while I gave my analysis and impression of them. “What do you think of Atiku?â€? he
Governor of Bayelsa State Seriake Dickson and Dele Momodu yesterday in Lagos asked. I told him minus the age factor, Atiku is certainly one of the most prepared candidates in the country. Also, he would need to work hard at cleansing the corruption charges levelled against him. And that is not always an easy task. He agreed that Atiku is very experienced and has the wherewithal to run a great campaign. “What of Rabiu Kwankwaso?� He asked. I was surprised and taken aback by his question which suggested that Kwankwanso who is a well known APC stalwart might be on the verge of crossing over to PDP like Atiku. The rumour mill has been agog with news of such an impending monumental defection and this to me was the first that it might be true after all. However, I did not bat an eyelid. I merely candidly replied that “I like Kwankwaso for one main reason, his performance as Governor of Kano. I’ve just received a publication detailing his incredible strides in Kano. I’ve never seen a Nigerian leader with such eye for meticulous planning and execution.� The book is titled THERE WAS A GOVERNOR: A COMPEDIUM OF SEN. (DR.) RABIU KWANKWASO’S ACHIEVEMRNTS (2011-2015). According to the book, over 6000 projects were executed. If it is true, then Kwankwaso would be a good material for the transformation of Nigeria from a third world country to a first world nation. I told the Governor such a feat should be replicated nationally and I look forward to meeting Alhaji Kwankwaso very soon to find out about his presidential ambition.
It was obvious that Governor Dickson was picking my brains and I gladly obliged him. “ What do you think of Sule Lamido‌â€? he asked, calmly. I told him Lamido is very experienced but I’m not sure of his national appeal. He has also been weakened by the incessant and endless harassment of his family by EFCC. The next question was unexpected. It turned out that instead of me interviewing him, he was now the journalist, probing adroitly like the skilled advocate that I am assured he is. He asked about my preferred candidates and I mentioned Donald Duke, Nasir El Rufai, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Wasiru Aminu Tambuwal, Oby
Ezewesili, Peter Obi, Babatunde Fashola, Charles Soludo, and others. I made him realise in effect that my leaders of today criss-crossed Party lines. For me, these are leaders who know their onions and have proven their mettle, but require proper executive powers to be very effective in steering the affairs of State. The Governor told me that his dream is to have leaders who would see themselves first as Nigerians and in so doing believe in and commit to the need to develop a country blessed with so much potential without reference to religious or ethnic sentiments. He said he was fortunate to have a dual Nigerian background, as he hails from both Bayelsa and Ogun State. This makes him to feel comfortable wherever he finds himself. He strongly feels that every Nigerian should similarly be comfortable whether or not they have the kind of background that he has. This can only be accomplished when the entire country is industrialised to such an extent that infrastructural facilities abound everywhere to generate, employment, income and growth. He is very excited about his government’s policy on education. As far as he is concerned, no stone should be left unturned to educate the people, because it is only from sound minds that the kind of vision and dedication necessary to take Nigeria to the level that it should be, can come. This is why he and his government have invested greatly in the youths through education and one of his proud achievements is the link with Lincoln University in America where the State has more than 20 students studying various disciplines. Indeed history was made earlier this year when a Bayelsan, Perewari Victor Pere distinguished himself as the best graduating student of that University and was honoured with the status of Valedictorian and delivered the valedictory at the University’s commencement. The Governor stated that he felt proud to be a Nigerian on this accord and considered this a vindication of his education policies. He believes that investment in education will pay off eventually. In concluding our chat, he told me that no matter what happens, PDP will get its groove back. For him, it was necessary to ensure not only the stability of the polity but also to institutionalise our democratic mores and structures. Whilst, I have no evidence that this will happen soon, I agree that Nigeria does not need a one-party State. As to the PDP bouncing back soon, I can only say that in Nigeria, nothing is impossible.
Ten Years Of Ovation Carol How time flies indeed. Ten years ago, we decided to start a project that would promote our young and talented artists. It was anchored on the spirit of Christmas as we felt that it was our opportunity to create a platform where we would not only give something financially to worthy causes but we would also transform the lives of artistes in music, fashion, comedy and the performing arts generally. We decided to call the event Ovation Red Carol and one of the first decisions was that it would be a fun event and free to all. It all started like a joke but today it has really caught fire. The event is now not only watched live in Nigeria, it is televised and streamed all over the globe.
It is based on our belief that in all things, technology must take the forefront and we must show that Nigerians and Nigeria are advanced despite out other shortcomings. Apart from being a launch pad for various young talented artistes, and showcasing some mega international and domestic performers over the years, the event has become an annual entertainment jamboree which people look forward to, even before the current one ends. It is gratifying to note with all sense of humility and modesty that people have congratulated us at Ovation for pioneering this kind of event on the grand scale that we have, as this is now being replicated in many parts of Nigeria.
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