Saturday 27th January 2018

Adrian Wood’s Teleology Emerges Preferred Bidder for 9mobile Emma Okonji The interim board of 9mobile may have finally settled for Teleology Holdings Limited as the preferred bidder for 9mobile, the country’s fourth-largest mobile network, according to an insider source.

Teleology Holdings Limited, promoted by Adrian Wood, the pioneer Chief Executive Officer

appealed.

According to the source, once a case has been appealed, all parties involved must maintain the status quo. "The status quo, which is the existing state of affairs, means that the sale of 9mobile will continue until the Appeal Court passes its judgment," the source said.

This development to settle for Teleology Holdings Limited may have brought to an end the acquisition process supervised

by Barclays Africa since last year.

Teleology emerged as the new owner of 9mobile ahead of Smile Communications, which had been the only other bidders in the final round of

Ortom Furious with Dan Ali , Says Cows, Herdsmen now Have Immunity, Alleges Aides Misleading Buhari … Page 15

Continued on page 6

of MTN Nigeria, was one of the shortlisted five investors bidding for 9mobile.

According to the source, which is close to the interim board of 9mobile, Barclays Africa, the financial adviser managing the sales of 9mobile had since submitted its recommendation to the board, which met yesterday

to review the recommendation.

THISDAY gathered that the board decided to settle with Teleology Holdings Limited, based on the recommendation of the financial adviser.

The preferred bidder is therefore expected to make payment within a given period, to take full possession of the

telecoms company.

Although Spectrum Wireless Communication has obtained a court injunction stopping the sale of 9mobile, claiming that it invested over $35 million in the telecoms company, and that the repayment was not factored into the planned sale of 9mobile, the source said the case has been

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Dickson Hails APC Committee on Restructuring, Wants Implementation Before 2019… Page 8

Buhari: It's Disgraceful, None of Our Refineries is Working Optimally Pledges to spend excess accruals from oil to boost infrastructure Eni submits proposal to NNPC to fix Port Harcourt refinery Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja lamented the sorry state of the country’s four refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, saying it was disgraceful that not even one of them was working optimally.

The President, who was speaking while receiving a delegation from Eni, led by the Chief Upstream Officer,

Mr. Antonio Vella, said no refinery was performing up to 50 per cent.

Buhari’s media aide, Femi Adesina, quoted the President to have said: "In my first coming, all our refineries were working. Port Harcourt used to refine 60,000 barrels per day, and it was later upgraded to 100,000 barrels. Kaduna and Warri were also working Continued on page 6

Five Killed in Fresh Herdsmen Attacks in Plateau Eight injured, 20 houses set ablaze

Seriki Adinoyi At least five persons have been killed and eight severely injured in fresh attacks allegedly perpetrated by armed Fulani herders in Jebbu-Miango village, in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Houses were equally razed in the attacks which took place on Thursday night.

This is even as Governor Simon Lalong denied ceding any portion of Plateau land for cattle colony, adding that

he did not contemplate cattle colony, neither did he have it in his imagination.

Confirming the attack, the state’s Police Public Relation Officer, Tyopev Terna put the death figure at three. He said: “Yesterday (Friday) at about 1900hrs, the Police Division in Bassa Local Government Area received a distress call that Jebbu-Miango in Bassa was under attack. The Division immediately informed the Continued on page 6

BON VOYAGE… L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari as President departs for AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ...yesterday

Odinkalu: Buhari’s Anti-corruption Fight, Partisan, Lacks Credibility… Page 16

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T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY JANUARY 27, 2018

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T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY JANUARY 27, 2018

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PAGE SIX B U H ARI: IT'S DI S GRAC EFUL, N O N E OF OUR R E F I NERIES I S W ORKING O P T I MALLY optimally, and we used to satisfy the demand of the local market. We equally exported 100,000 barrels of refined petrol. Now, no refinery is performing up to 50 per cent.

It is a disgraceful thing."

According to Adesina, the President told his visitors that extra funds outside the provision of year 2018 budget "will be deployed to infrastructure projects like roads, rail, and power, for the good of our people, and for the development of the country."

Buhari recalled that whereas the executive had predicated the 2018 budget provisions on $45 per barrel, the Senate had adjusted it to $47 per barrel while oil prices have risen to $71 per barrel this week.

Adesina said Buhari expressed appreciation to Eni for its upcoming investments in the oil industry, which he said included the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery, and the building of a new one.

According to the statement, the leader of Eni delegation, Vella, said his organisation had presented a technical proposal to the NNPC to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt refinery, and also done a feasibility study on a new refinery of up to 150,000 barrels per day capacity.

"Site selection has been completed, and 50 new graduates have already arrived in Italy for a training that will last seven months. “There are other upstream initiatives, and a deep water project, with estimated expenditure of $13 billion," He was quoted to have said.

It added that the oil company had also planned to double power generation capacity from its plant in Delta State from its current 500 megawatts to 1,000 megawatts at the cost of $750 million.

AT STAKEHOLDERS MEETING‌ L-R: Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission, Is'haq Modibbo Kawu; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Chairman, House of Representatives' Committee on Information and National Orientation, Segun Odebunmi, at the DSO stakeholders' retreat in Uyo ...yesterday

Lamido: APC Leaders are Wonderful Liars, Hate Heroes Current political actors will completely destroy Nigeria if they return to power Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia Former governor of Jigawa tate, Alhaji Sule Lamido has called on the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to close its ranks and extricate Nigeria from the hands of “hate heroes and amateur leaders� driving the nation to destruction.

He made the call at Umuahia when he visited Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to canvass support in his quest to become the presidential flag bearer for PDP in the 2019 presidential poll.

Lamido, who is among the aspirants seeking the presidential ticket of PDP, warned that if for any reason the former ruling party failed to win the 2019 general election and return to power “the current political actors will completely destroy Nigeria�.

He lamented that PDP was

blackmailed and hounded out of power by people that know nothing about governance and only employ propaganda to cover up their inadequacies and failings.

The presidential aspirant said that following the ouster of PDP from power, the party that is composed of “political mercenaries� have taken over the seat of power and “demonise and dehumanise� those holding contrary opinion. “PDP was blackmailed in 2015 and people who preach hate came on board,� he said, adding that since then the Nigerian situation has been going from bad to worse with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) unable to provide any solution. “We are now more divided – clashes between brothers, neighbours against neighbours.

How long must we be killing

that “there is no gainsaying the fact that our country is on the precipice� because the ruling party was getting things wrong and causing division instead of unity. “I feel a sense of personal loss because of the divisive tendencies in Nigeria today,� he said, adding that as a teenager, he attended University of Maiduguri for his university education and also did his national youth service in the north without any fear of hatred and insecurity. “In the past three years we’ve come to see the orchestration of those things that divide us. Instead of talking about provision of basic amenities like electricity, good roads, quality health care, we are talking about religion, ethnicity and hatred,� he lamented. “I really fear for Nigeria,� the

Abia governor confessed, noting that “Nigerians are now very apprehensive of everything; we are suspicious and don’t trust the present government�.

Ikpeazu stated that the greatest challenge facing the country now was to mobilise the citizenry to pursue the vision of making the nation great.

But he warned that changing the minds of Nigerians to believe in government remain an uphill task because “social mobilization is more difficult than going to the moon�.

Ikpeazu advised Lamido that he should brace up to the challenges of the vicious propaganda machine of APC, warning that the battle to save Nigeria required no modesty but “fighting like a lion otherwise the APC propaganda will swallow you�.

of over 2,000 Nigerians on the line. This would also have been a disincentive for the much needed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

We commend all participants in the process and with the emergence of Teleology, we are sure 9mobile is in safe hands.�

A staff of 9mobile who spoke on condition of anonymity, “this news is like a double whopper burger for us. I can tell you there is an air of jubilation amongst the staff of 9mobile now. We did not want any of the existing operators to acquire 9mobile as they would end up sacking people and throwing people into the unemployment market under the guise of right sizing the business.�

Another staff of the company who operates from its Banana

Island Office, who doesn’t want her name in print said, the credit for this smooth process of securing new investors must also go to Boye Olusanya who leveraged his past experience to see the process through. “Some of us did not fail to observe that, even during the investment marketing process, 9mobile never took its eyes off the ball by providing quality data, voice services, browsing, video gaming and other packages to its subscribers,� she observed. . “Boye, his Vice President Marketing and the entire team were operating like an ambidextrous business leaders who were searching for new investors on one hand and working with the other hand to impress 9mobile subscribers

with new offerings,� she further said.

9mobile, it was gathered, entered into several strategic partnerships in furtherance of its commitment to improved customer experience and innovative services even during the transition phase.

This, according to THISDAY sources may have improved the fortunes of the company as Teleology and Smile were said to have been impressed with the company’s cash flow, a factor which convinced them that paying off the debt to the consortium of banks was possible.

The NCC is expected to make a formal announcement soon on the emergence of the Teleology as the new owners of 9mobile.

burning of houses.

This becomes the third attack by herdsmen on Miango villages in one week, resulting in over ten deaths, with several others sustaining various degree of injuries.

Security agents have linked the attacks to reprisals by the Fulani who had last week reported loss of some cattle to suspected Irigwe youths.

Meanwhile, after a second thought, Lalong, yesterday rejected the proposal by the

Federal Government for cattle colonies.

The governor also described as “false, malicious and highly mischievous�, the reports in the social media that he had carved out parts of Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos local government areas for the creation of cattle colonies.

In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dan Majang, Lalong advised all peaceloving citizens of Plateau

State to “discountenance such mischievous information� and gravitate towards issues of unity, rather than those that divide them. “Governor Simon Bako Lalong has and does not contemplate such action and he further calls on all good citizens of Plateau to bury such imagination of these elements bent on throwing the state into confusion. Cattle colonies are not in the imagination of Governor Lalong�, the statement affirmed.

one another, “he said, adding that horrendous massacres have become so much to suggest that Nigeria is selling human parts.

The former Jigawa governor told Ikpeazu that he was seeking with leaders who share his concern for Nigeria to be rescued from those running the nation down, saying, “I’m willing to partner other PDP leaders across the nation to discuss and work out how “we can save Nigeria�.

He said that Nigerians should be asking pertinent questions, including how the culture of hate has suddenly enveloped the nation, how do we restore our sense of humanity and dignity.

Lamido noted that the APC leaders are “wonderful liars� always blaming PDP for all their failings and inability to fulfill their campaign promises.

In his response Ikpeazu agreed

A DR I AN WO OD ’S T ELEOLOGY EMERGES PR E F ER R ED B I D D E R F OR 9 M OB I L E the takeover bid that made financial commitment, out of the shortlisted five.

Though 16 bidders had indicated interest in acquiring the mobile network, only five were shortlisted before the number was further reduced to three.

While Globacom and Helios failed to back their technical bids with concrete financial bids, Airtel later pulled out of the process, leaving just Teleology and Smile Communications.

Teleology, a private equity firm with an investment portfolio of $11bn, offered more than $500 million to acquire the mobile network while Smile Communication offered about $300 million.

There are however strong indications that the owners of

Teleology may have reached out to Matthew Wilshere, ex-CEO of Etisalat, who had joined Mike Adenuga’s Conoil as Managing Director but who will likely resign next week in preparation to take up the mantle at 9mobile again, based on his sterling performance when he was CEO of Etisalat Nigeria, the initial name of the telecoms company, before it rebranded to 9mobile.

The NCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had in 2017 appointed an Interim Board and Management to run the affairs of 9mobile, Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, pending the conclusion of its acquisition by a new owner.

A source close to the consortium of banks disclosed

to THISDAY that, “this is a positive development for the Nigerian telecommunications sector and for 9mobile. This is indeed a positive signal to the International investment community that solutions can always be found to financial crisis. That was why for some of us, the ill-intentioned story which went out in the last few days about 9mobile opting for bankruptcy was just sheer bunkum to please a bidder who opted out of the process.�

He said: “The NCC took the interest of investors, subscribers, and employees of 9mobile into consideration in ensuring a seamless and transparent process.

There would have been a serious problem if 9mobile had gone under, especially with the job

F I V E KILLED IN F RESH HER DSMEN AT TAC KS I N PL AT EAU Command and we mobilised to the place. “While we were close to the village, the armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsman sighted us and took to their heels. “Three people were killed and burnt by the armed men: One Danlami Gomaster of Kwall District and one Emmanuel Audu of Jebbu-Miango were identified while the last person is yet to be identified. Eight other persons sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries and

were taken to Enos Hospital in Bassa for treatment. 20 housing units were also set ablaze.�

But disagreeing with the death figure, President of Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Mr. Sunday Abdu said aside from the three that were killed and set ablaze along the way in the car they boarded from a Jos market to the village, two others were killed in the village by the same herders.

He lamented that in spite of the repeated alarm raised

about imminent attack by Fulani herders, the security agents did not take proactive measures to protect the people.

Also condemning the attack on the people, the Publicity Secretary of IDA, Malakai Gulu said the gunmen opened fire on the vehicle conveying travelers from Jos, killing the three on board before setting their remains on fire in the car.

He said the attackers extended the rage into nearby villages, resulting in more casualties and

T H I S D AY ˾ SATURDAY JANUARY 27, 2018

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L-R: Group Treasury Director, IHS Towers, United Kingdom, Patrick Fegaly; Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Charles Kie; Director; Ecobank Nigeria, Funmi Oyetunji; Founder, Agusto & Co. /Guest Speaker, Bode Agusto; Group Chief Executive, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Ade Adeyemi; and Executive Director, Corporate Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Akin Dada, at the Ecobank Nigeria Corporate Banking breakfast meeting on 2018 Economic Outlook held in Lagos yesterday PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

Bayelsa Governor, IYC Hail APC Restructuring Committee, Demand Implementation before 2019 Urge FG to form multi-party committee on implementation EmmanuelAddehinYenagoa Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has commended the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, on its far reaching recommendations on the issue of the proposed restructuring of the country, adding that it had further strengthened the agitations for true federalism and resource control in the Niger Delta.

Also, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, yesterday demanded

expeditious action on the Governor Nasir el-Rufai report on restructuring presented to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.

While calling on the APC to be sincere with the implementation of the recommendations, Dickson said restructuring Nigeria would calm frayed nerves and strengthen the nation’s unity.

However, the Governor called on the leadership of the APC to ensure

implementation of the recommendations of its committee on restructuring before the conduct of the 2019 General elections.

According to him, implementing the report before 2019 general elections was the true test of the sincerity of the APC on the issue of the recommendations.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said the Governor made the comment in an interview with journalists on the recommendations of the APC’s

Buhari, Jonathan, Others to Attend Ekwueme's Burial ChristopherIsiguzoin Enugu President Muhammadu Buhari, former president Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara have indicated readiness to attend the funeral service of Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme.

Chairman of the Publicity subcommittee of the South East Governors' Committee on the burial of the late political leader, Chief Maja Umeh made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the activities of the committee.

It was also gathered that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will not only grace the event but has been scheduled to speak at the burial ceremony.

Ekwueme passed on at a London hospital on November 19, 2017 and will be interred on February 2, 2018, at his home town, Oko, in Orumba North

local government area ofAnambra State.

Umeh said apart from Buhari, other past and present political leaders of the country, as well as prominent sons and daughters of Igboland were expected to feature in the programme which mainly begins with a commendation service at Enugu on Wednesday January 31.

Umeh said that the funeral activities would be a solemn event devoid of partisan political pronouncements. “We commend the Federal Government for setting up National Burial committee which has representatives of South East Governors Forum and Ekwueme’s family�, he said.

The committee said that the burial arrangements had already started last week Friday 19th January, 2018 at Lagos where a commendation service was held for late Vice President at Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, and evening of tributes and music at Muson Centre Onikan, all in Lagos.

It said that there was a memorial service at St. Marylebone Parish Church, London on Saturday 20th January, 2018, while there will be service of songs and evening of tributes at International Conference Centre, Abuja on Sunday 28th January, 2018.

The committee further announced that there would be Parade of Honour for the late Vice President at Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday 29th January, 2018, while there would be service of songs at Cathedral of Good Shepherd, Independence Layout Enugu on Tuesday 30th January, 2018.

On Wednesday 31st, 2018, there will be South East Zone commendation service at Okpara Square Enugu, while the remains moves to Anambra on Thursday 1st February, 2018 for commendation ceremony at Ekwueme Square, Awka, before the body departs for Oko by Motorcade.

Committee on Restructuring led by Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State in Abuja on Friday.

The El Rufai Committee had recommended state ownership of onshore mineral resources including oil, state control of police, prisons among others while presenting its report to the leadership of the APC on Thursday.

Dickson said that he had to commend the APC for the recommendations on restructuring which he said came from an unexpected

quarters some of whose leaders had opposed the calls to restructure the country.

The Governor said that what the APC committee did in its recommendations were the most fundamental of all the approaches to the burning issue of restructuring in the best interest of the country.

He stressed that as a politician driven by conviction, he had to commend the APC on its bold recommendations on restructuring because it was right and

worthy of appreciation.

He said, “This development came from an unexpected quarters in a matter that is dear to us; the subject matter of restructuring to address the inequalities in our country. Yesterday, El Rufai, who chairs the APC Committee, submitted the report; While it is true that we are dealing with a proposal, this is coming from an unexpected quarters, and in the light of the opposition to structuring from some leaders, I thought that what the APC did was unexpected.

FG Plans Salary Increase for Customs Personnel Ndubuisi Francis and Udora Orizu in Abuja The federal government has disclosed that plans were underway to embark on increased pay package for the personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The proposed pay rise is in appreciation to the Service for their efforts in revenue generation and securing a safe business environment.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who made the disclosure at the international customs day celebration in Abuja Friday, commended the Service for its remarkable success in the area of ensuring national security and revenue collection in the past one year and assured the NCS of continued support from her ministry to achieve their mandate.

The minister, who was represented

by the Director of Home Finance, Mrs. Sinyabola Olubunmi , said that the theme of the 2018 celebration which is a secure business environment for economic development, was very apt because security of the trade environment is critical for business to prosper..

In his opening remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col, Hammed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), said the theme of the event was not only strategic but also significant, adding that without a secure business environment, there could not be meaningful economic development.

"Customs administrations globally are expected to adopt WCO (World Customs Organisation) tools and instruments that offer opportunities to create secured business environment and transparent processes that will boost economic development.

"In line with this expectation, Nigeria Customs Service has continued to make steady progress in automation of its processes in addition to other reforms to ensure a secured business environment," he said.

He added that the ongoing reform in the service was repositioning it through strategic deployment, training and automation of customs processes.

Ali added that easing of the clearance process through pre-arrival assessment report (PAAR), fast track facility for complaint traders and the post-clearance audit were all aimed at reducing clearance time, cost of clearance and boost economic growth.

He listed the NCS' achievements last year in terms of revenue collection and seizure of offensive goods, including a revenue collection of N1,037,102,179,400.74 and various seizures of 4,492 with duty paid value of N12,777,321,405.74.

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L-R: Group Treasury Director, IHS Towers, United Kingdom, Patrick Fegaly; Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Charles Kie; Director; Ecobank Nigeria, Funmi Oyetunji; Founder, Agusto & Co. /Guest Speaker, Bode Agusto; Group Chief Executive, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Ade Adeyemi; and Executive Director, Corporate Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Akin Dada, at the Ecobank Nigeria Corporate Banking breakfast meeting on 2018 Economic Outlook held in Lagos yesterday PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

Bayelsa Governor, IYC Hail APC Restructuring Committee, Demand Implementation before 2019 Urge FG to form multi-party committee on implementation EmmanuelAddehinYenagoa Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has commended the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, on its far reaching recommendations on the issue of the proposed restructuring of the country, adding that it had further strengthened the agitations for true federalism and resource control in the Niger Delta.

Also, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, yesterday demanded

expeditious action on the Governor Nasir el-Rufai report on restructuring presented to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.

While calling on the APC to be sincere with the implementation of the recommendations, Dickson said restructuring Nigeria would calm frayed nerves and strengthen the nation’s unity.

However, the Governor called on the leadership of the APC to ensure

implementation of the recommendations of its committee on restructuring before the conduct of the 2019 General elections.

According to him, implementing the report before 2019 general elections was the true test of the sincerity of the APC on the issue of the recommendations.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said the Governor made the comment in an interview with journalists on the recommendations of the APC’s

Buhari, Jonathan, Others to Attend Ekwueme's Burial ChristopherIsiguzoin Enugu President Muhammadu Buhari, former president Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara have indicated readiness to attend the funeral service of Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme.

Chairman of the Publicity subcommittee of the South East Governors' Committee on the burial of the late political leader, Chief Maja Umeh made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the activities of the committee.

It was also gathered that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will not only grace the event but has been scheduled to speak at the burial ceremony.

Ekwueme passed on at a London hospital on November 19, 2017 and will be interred on February 2, 2018, at his home town, Oko, in Orumba North

local government area ofAnambra State.

Umeh said apart from Buhari, other past and present political leaders of the country, as well as prominent sons and daughters of Igboland were expected to feature in the programme which mainly begins with a commendation service at Enugu on Wednesday January 31.

Umeh said that the funeral activities would be a solemn event devoid of partisan political pronouncements. “We commend the Federal Government for setting up National Burial committee which has representatives of South East Governors Forum and Ekwueme’s family�, he said.

The committee said that the burial arrangements had already started last week Friday 19th January, 2018 at Lagos where a commendation service was held for late Vice President at Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, and evening of tributes and music at Muson Centre Onikan, all in Lagos.

It said that there was a memorial service at St. Marylebone Parish Church, London on Saturday 20th January, 2018, while there will be service of songs and evening of tributes at International Conference Centre, Abuja on Sunday 28th January, 2018.

The committee further announced that there would be Parade of Honour for the late Vice President at Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday 29th January, 2018, while there would be service of songs at Cathedral of Good Shepherd, Independence Layout Enugu on Tuesday 30th January, 2018.

On Wednesday 31st, 2018, there will be South East Zone commendation service at Okpara Square Enugu, while the remains moves to Anambra on Thursday 1st February, 2018 for commendation ceremony at Ekwueme Square, Awka, before the body departs for Oko by Motorcade.

Committee on Restructuring led by Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State in Abuja on Friday.

The El Rufai Committee had recommended state ownership of onshore mineral resources including oil, state control of police, prisons among others while presenting its report to the leadership of the APC on Thursday.

Dickson said that he had to commend the APC for the recommendations on restructuring which he said came from an unexpected

quarters some of whose leaders had opposed the calls to restructure the country.

The Governor said that what the APC committee did in its recommendations were the most fundamental of all the approaches to the burning issue of restructuring in the best interest of the country.

He stressed that as a politician driven by conviction, he had to commend the APC on its bold recommendations on restructuring because it was right and

worthy of appreciation.

He said, “This development came from an unexpected quarters in a matter that is dear to us; the subject matter of restructuring to address the inequalities in our country. Yesterday, El Rufai, who chairs the APC Committee, submitted the report; While it is true that we are dealing with a proposal, this is coming from an unexpected quarters, and in the light of the opposition to structuring from some leaders, I thought that what the APC did was unexpected.

FG Plans Salary Increase for Customs Personnel Ndubuisi Francis and Udora Orizu in Abuja The federal government has disclosed that plans were underway to embark on increased pay package for the personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The proposed pay rise is in appreciation to the Service for their efforts in revenue generation and securing a safe business environment.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who made the disclosure at the international customs day celebration in Abuja Friday, commended the Service for its remarkable success in the area of ensuring national security and revenue collection in the past one year and assured the NCS of continued support from her ministry to achieve their mandate.

The minister, who was represented

by the Director of Home Finance, Mrs. Sinyabola Olubunmi , said that the theme of the 2018 celebration which is a secure business environment for economic development, was very apt because security of the trade environment is critical for business to prosper..

In his opening remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col, Hammed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), said the theme of the event was not only strategic but also significant, adding that without a secure business environment, there could not be meaningful economic development.

"Customs administrations globally are expected to adopt WCO (World Customs Organisation) tools and instruments that offer opportunities to create secured business environment and transparent processes that will boost economic development.

"In line with this expectation, Nigeria Customs Service has continued to make steady progress in automation of its processes in addition to other reforms to ensure a secured business environment," he said.

He added that the ongoing reform in the service was repositioning it through strategic deployment, training and automation of customs processes.

Ali added that easing of the clearance process through pre-arrival assessment report (PAAR), fast track facility for complaint traders and the post-clearance audit were all aimed at reducing clearance time, cost of clearance and boost economic growth.

He listed the NCS' achievements last year in terms of revenue collection and seizure of offensive goods, including a revenue collection of N1,037,102,179,400.74 and various seizures of 4,492 with duty paid value of N12,777,321,405.74.

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JANUARY 27, 2͸͹΀ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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Yemi

Adebowale The Hypocrisy of Adebayo Shittu 07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

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igeria’s bread and butter politicians never cease to amaze me. It is usually about their stomach. I watched the charade of one of them on television last week and I was so depressed. It was the garrulous Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, commissioning the South West Zonal office of his Muhammadu Buhari Osinbajo (MBO) Dynamic Support Group in Ibadan, Oyo State. This group of jesters aims to pressurise Buhari to run for a second term. Obviously, this minister is unaware that Buhari is old enough to know what he merits and deserves. At 75, President Buhari does not need any pressure to decide if he should stand for re-election.

What Shittu and his cohorts are doing is akin to pressurising a 75-year-old man to marry a 15-year-old girl. Buhari surely knows his stamina; I doubt if he would take such a risk.

At the MBO launch, Shittu persistently dished out humdrum achievements of the Buhari administration, including creating six million new jobs in agriculture. I could not imagine an elderly man like Shittu celebrating fantasy attainments, amidst so much hunger, pain, poverty, unemployment, large retrenchment and mass killings in this country in the last 32 months. This man could not even point to any tangible achievement of his, after over two years as minister.

He persistently talked about humdrum attainment. At a point, I had to switch off the television. This country will not make progress with politicians like Shittu.

The minister continued his charade on Wednesday at the weekly FEC meeting in Abuja, where he distributed Buhari’s re-election face caps to co-ministers. His intention is plainly selfish. Shittu is desperate to become the next governor of Oyo State but Governor Abiola Ajimobi would have none of this. In fact, Ajimobi rightly regards him as a misfit, based on a statement he issued

Shittu

last week. So, Shittu thinks he can oil his ambition and get the President to support him, with his pro-Buhari rhetoric. This is the main motive of his MBO. It is the truth that must be told. Ajimobi and Shittu have been at war over this minister’s ambition to rule Oyo State. They have been fighting dirty. Just of recent, Shittu petitioned Buhari over what he described as the “unbecoming behaviour” of Ajimobi. In his diatribe, Shittu accused Ajimobi of nepotism, arrogance, creating division within the party in Oyo and disenfranchising members. He also alleged that the governor ordered the demolition of his computer centre which was under construction.

This joker called Shittu has suddenly realised that the fortune of the APC had nosedived in Oyo State due to Ajimobi’s “arrogance, grandstanding, nepotism, caustic/ unguarded utterances and creating unneces-

sary divisions among party leaders and members, thereby balkanising the party along group lines.” He added: “The signs that Ajimobi is set to destroy the party are glaring to political watchers as the voting population in the state is becoming disillusioned more than ever before.”

Shittu is evidently desperate for power in Oyo State. He wants power in a state he has contributed very little to. Can this minister honestly state how he has been assisting the suffering masses of this state before and after he was appointed minister? Who was Shittu in Oyo State politics before Buhari appointed him minister? His gubernatorial ambition is clearly dead on arrival.

Still on the case of Shittu and others who have been trumpeting the bloated achievements of the Buhari administration amidst anguish in our land. These people are unaware that their Buhari, a man elected President of this entire beautiful country, has swiftly metamorphosed into President of Fulani. His clannishness is frightening. Shehu Usman Dan Fodio advised in his book, Bayan Wujub al Hijra, thus: “One of the swiftest ways of destroying a state is to give preference to one particular tribe over another, or to show favour to one group of people rather than another, and draw near those who should be kept away and keep away those who should be drawn near.”

Today, I urge these cold-blooded pro-Buhari activists to spend quality time reading Obasanjo’s epistle to the President. My takeaway are areas he lamented Buhari’s ineptitude, corruption in his government, nepotism, clannishness and the anguish in Nigeria in the last 32 months.

He remarked: “The lice of poor performance in government – poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty,

condonation of misdeed, if not outright encouragement of it, lack of progress and hope for the future, lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality – are very much with us today. With such lice of general and specific poor performance and crying poverty with us, our fingers will not be dry of ‘blood’.

“There were serious allegations of roundtripping against some inner caucus of the Presidency which would seem to have been condoned. I wonder if such actions do not amount to corruption and financial crime, then what is it?

“Einstein made it clear to us that doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the height of folly. Already, Nigerians are committing suicide for the unbearable socio-economic situation they find themselves in. And yet Nigerians love life. We must not continue to reinforce failure and hope that all will be well. It is self-deceit and self-defeat and another aspect of folly.”

On Buhari’s “poor understanding of the dynamics of internal politics”, Obasanjo said: “This has led to wittingly or unwittingly making the nation more divided and inequality has widened and become more pronounced. It also has effect on general national security.” On buck-passing, the former President said: “For instance, blaming the Governor of the Central Bank for devaluation of the naira by 70% or so and blaming past governments for it is to say the least, not accepting one’s own responsibility. Let nobody deceive us, economy feeds on politics and because our politics is depressing, our economy is even more depressing today. If things were good, President Buhari would not need to come in. He was voted to fix things that were bad and not engage in the blame game.”

I sincerely hope that Shittu and his likes still shouting sai Buhari, will honestly digest the content of this epistle, amend their ways and work for the interest of the suffering masses of this country. Sycophancy and hypocrisy will not take this country anywhere.

Lai Mohammed’s Celebration of 15.37% Inflation After Obasanjo’s letter bomb to Buhari, our implausible Information Minister, Lai Mohammed responded with dreary statistics, showing the achievements of the Buhari administration. He listed the feats as follows: Foreign Reserves rose to $40b from $24 billion within one year; inflation fell for 11 consecutive months to 15.37% as at Dec. 2017; Treasury Single Account saved N108 billion and stopped looting of the treasury; Elimination of ghost workers saved the nation N120 billion; Capital inflow of $1.8 billion in Q2 of 2017 almost doubled the $908 million in Q1 of same year; Nigeria’s stock market emerged one of the best-performing in the world, delivering returns in excess of 40 per cent; Nigeria rose 24 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, and emerged among world’s Top 10 Reformers; In Q3 2017, agriculture export rose yearon-year by 25%; solid minerals exports rose year-on-year by 78%; raw materials exports increased by 70% year-on-year and manufactured goods exports are up 22% year-on-year; Government agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service are reporting highest-ever revenue collection, while JAMB, under the new management appointed by President Buhari in 2016, remitted N7.8 billion to the coffers of the federal government. The total amount remitted by JAMB between 2010 and 2016 was a paltry N51 million.

I need to remind Lai Mohammed that according to the constitution of this country, the security and welfare of the people should be the priority of the state. I really can’t understand the nexus between Lai’s fantastic statistics and the security/welfare of Nigerians in the last 32 months of the Buhari administration. Do I need to remind Lai that notwithstanding these statistics, hunger, poverty, malnutrition, unemployment and mass killings pervaded our dear country in the last 32 months? According to the NBS, which this minister also quoted, about 4.1 million Nigerians lost their jobs

in the first three quarters of 2017. According to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, hundreds of factories have shut down and sacked workers in the last 32 months. Thousands of Nigerians have been killed by Boko Haram, abductors, armed robbers and Fulani herdsmen in the last 32 months. I am also shocked that Lai wants Nigerians to celebrate inflation at 15.37%. Is he not aware that under the Jonathan administration, inflation did not go above 7%? What was the impact of the big revenue from customs and JAMB? How did the billions saved by TSA and war on ghost workers impact on federal health institutions, schools, roads and general welfare of Nigerians? Buhari had to take his

son to a private hospital in Abuja after his power-bike accident because our public hospitals have degenerated after almost three years of “change.” Buhari himself patronises hospitals abroad.

Federal roads have also deteriorated.

After almost three years of making noise about the Lagos-Ibadan road, it remains in a sorry state. The situation is the same across the nation. The value of our Naira is the weakest in Nigeria’s history. The prices of petroleum products are the highest ever. My dear Lai Mohammed, this country is bleeding. Your so-called impressive statistics do not reflect the true state of traumatised Nigerians. This is the whole truth.

Mohammed

Senator Shehu Sani’s Nerve The Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, is one man that has persistently spoken out against the eccentricity of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress. Good examples are scenes of APC leaders and governors falling over each to endorse Buhari for a second term, while killings in some parts of the country persist. One of the governors, Nasir El-rufai was even quoted as saying that they (governors) do not owe anybody any apology for endorsing Buhari in the midst of the killings, hunger, poverty and unemployment inflicted on this country by the ruling APC. Haba!

This is cruelty of the highest order. For me, these party leaders/governors ought to be engaging Buhari on how to pull our dear country from the brink. In the midst of all these shenanigans, Senator Sani has chosen to stay on the side of the truth and honour; he has chosen to stand with the masses of the people instead of his catastrophic party. During a recent conference in Ogun State, he remarked: “All is not well with this country. This is the

Sani

wrong time to shed blood in Nigeria.

Instead of taking proactive measures towards addressing the challenges facing the country, political office holders are busy strategising for re-election in 2019. The attention of these people is

how to win elections and not how they can end senseless killings and bloodshed. The APC may not have the luxury of ruling the country for 16 years like the Peoples Democratic Party, as a result of gross contradictions within the party.”

Sani even advocated peaceful protests

by Nigerians against the senseless killings and inept administration. “It would require a mass, peaceful march in the streets from Nigerians to recharge the conscience of people in power. Nigerians are dying in hundreds and in thousands and some people felt what is important is INEC timetable, when is elections and when is primaries. It is difficult to hear any public office holder speak the truth because of political calculations. Anybody who says we are not in crisis now is deceiving himself.”

This senator has plainly chosen the path of honour. History will not forget him when this country is eventually pulled out of all these mess and our great country is reunited.

My message to Sani today is that he should not give up the battle. Victory is certain. May Allah continue to protect this great soldier.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 27, 2018

SUPER SATURDAY LIZZY GOLD ONUWAJE How I’m Using Just a Night to Fight Domestic Violence You can call her a trendsetter or a trailblazer. You can call her beauty or princess. And, you can call her a dreamer or an achiever. From conquering the beauty pageant – as Miss Delta – she’s becoming an enduring image in Nigeria’s film industry as an actress. Not somebody who settles for less, Lizzy Gold Onuwaje has demonstrated much dexterity as a film producer with robust ingenuity. Astute as a film producer, she’s methodical as an actress and yet she exudes the milk of kindness as a humanitarian advocate. The Warribased actress, in this interview with Oge Ezeliora, talks about her passion, her man, life in Nollywood and latest flick, J‘ ust a Night’. She also has some words for men who are only successful in turning their wives into punching bags Many Nigerian Men Are Lazy I Can’t Marry A Man Struggling to Survive in Life

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hat is your view about young actors and actresses making bold statements in the film industry?

It’s a very good development – it is said the young shall grow. Nollywood must grow; we must continue to accommodate and train younger actors and actresses so that they can be professionals. People want to see new faces in Nollywood. So, it is a good development and Nollywood must continue to expand.

You were into beauty pageants – Miss Delta, can you tell us what made you join Nollywood?

I found out that I am a very good actress. As a young girl I always made people laugh. Even in the church, I was in the drama group and people liked me a lot. I attended Delta State University, Abraka; from there I moved to Lagos where I was introduced to the Royal Arts Academy, owned by Emem Isong.

I enrolled and learnt a lot about acting. Today, I am not just an actress but a producer. I give God the glory.

You acted and produced a celebrated movie, ‘Just a Night’. How did you get the fund to make the film?

It was a self-funded movie. Though the Delta State Government supported me in some areas, most of the expenses were taken care of by me. I paid all the big actors and actresses that starred in the movie. In this business there is no sentiment. If I work on somebody’s production too, I will be paid. The movie is doing well in the cinemas. It was produced and premiered at the Centage Cinema in Asaba, with actors and actresss in attendance from all over the country.

Why did you choose to produce a movie on domestic violence?

It is because that is what is going on in most marriages. A lot of people think domestic violence is only when a man hits a woman. It’s more than that. It also includes verbally abusing one’s partner; threatening, and making their lives unbearable.

‘Just a Night’ is a family movie that everybody should see; single ladies should also watch it so that when they get married they will know how to address the issue. The movie addresses the issue of domestic violence, and helps couples to avoid it in every way.

Have you ever been abused by your man before?

No. I can never stand an abusive man. I produced the movie because domestic violence has become rampant over the years. Today, it is receiving serious attention from human rights activists, the government and international bodies. Many have gone through the traumatising situation in silence due to the African stereotype that men are the head of the home and women are meant to be submissive. Through campaigns and agitations, Nigerian women have begun to voice out their plights and have received attention. Subsequently, they have been rescued from life-threatening situations. Our celebrities

are also not left out in this saga. Many have started revealing the hell they lived in and trauma they had experienced from their abusive partners.

Do you agree that men also face abuse in the home?

Yes, I agree with you. But the women are more often abused than the men. Let us look at the issue of Mercy Aigbe. She was almost beaten to death by her husband.

I know so many celebrities abused one way or the other because they want to remain in their marriage. We hear different stories every day. There is no smoke without fire.

Before a woman can abuse her husband verbally the man must have pushed her to the wall. No woman wake ups and begins to abuse her man. Every reaction you get from a woman is based on what the man does. Some men don’t know how to take care of women. It’s not just about getting married; people get married and don’t know what to do.

When you get married you have to take care of your wife; pay the bills and do a lot of other things. Some men live carelessly and expect their wives to always dance to their tune. Most men of nowadays are lazy. They want the women to do everything. While they sit at home and command respect. It is not right. I really want Nigerian men to watch the movie so that they can learn how to behave.

Can you tell us some star actors in the movie?

I worked with Majid Michael, Femi Jacob, Yvonne Jegede, Nichole Bana, and others. The movie was directed by Pascal Amanfo.

Was there a time while shooting the movie that you wanted to give up on its production?

No, I did not give up because I was prepared for it.

Though at the location it was a bit stressful because we worked both night and day. From the actors to the crew; from the location, post-production and logistics, everything was on a high budget. I wanted to produce a high-class movie that will be seen at the cinemas. There must be challenges in every success. I came out well-prepared to produce ‘Just a Night’.

What impact did the movie have on you as a producer and actress?

It wasn’t easy crying from the beginning of a movie until it ended. I was emotionally down because I must act real.

So, I was depressed, tired and weak after shooting. Though very challenging for me, but it came out great. When I had the story in my heart, I called my scriptwriter and told him what I wanted. He came up with the script and immediately I read it, I knew the perfect cast that would fit the story. The movie is a thriller that I encourage people to watch. There was a lot of workload that went down while shooting the movie but I give God the glory.

What scene do you love most in the movie?

I had a couple of scenes I love so much in the movie.

But the one I hold so dear to me was the part that I couldn’t tell my husband that he was not the father of our child.

As an actress why did you go into film production?

I’m not a full-time producer. I’m still an actor. I went into production because I realised there are a lot of stories that have not been told and I think I can only tell these stories by producing them. There are

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ NUARY 27, 2018

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SUPERSATURDAY NIGERIAN MEN WHO BEAT THEIR WOMEN ARE ANIMALS....

Lizzy (3rd right) and other celebrities during premire of her movie in Asaba

so many stories in my heart that I believe if I don’t tell them no one will.

How did you see yourself in the movie with a black eye?

When I watched the movie for the first time, I screamed...the makeup was so horrible! I was really looking depressed and ugly, both physically and emotionally. But the truth is that we are actors so we are used to all kinds of costumes to suit the character we portray.

But some women prefer men that beat them?

I don’t think beating your woman is a proof of true love. Any man that beats his wife is an animal. I think a man that hits his wife is doing that out of hatred. There are other ways a man can prove his love, like buying her gifts, taking her on a trip, being romantic, spend good money on her. A man has to be caring to win my heart.

Which movie will you say made you famous?

I had two movies that made me famous.

The first is ‘Bubemi, the Warri Girl’. The second is, ‘Just a Night’. For my second movie, I decided to try something that would be shown at the cinemas. I am not regretting it today though it was quite expensive producing the film.

Apart from movie production, what else are you doing?

I have been spending more time with my family. I have also been doing business and taking a lot of rest. Another thing I am getting involved in is humanitarian acts. I reach out to the less privileged through my NGO which I use in sponsoring indigent students. Whenever the need arises to get into humanitarian projects I don’t decline because I want to give to the society.

I can never stand an abusive man. I produced the movie because domestic violence has become rampant over years. Today, it is receiving serious attention from human rights activists, the government and international bodies. Many have gone through the traumatising situation in silence due to the African stereotype that men are the head of the home and women are meant to be submissive. Through campaigns and agitations, Nigerian woman have begun to voice out their plights and have received attention

Where are you from?

I am from Delta State – a strong Itshekiri single mother.

As a single mother are you not thinking of settling down soonest?

I will at the right time. Every woman must not marry. We have people who are not married but they are happy. I have a

lovely son. I am so proud of him. When the right man comes I will settle down. I am not in a hurry. I am not searching.

Since you are not searching, who is the lucky man?

I don’t want to talk about him. But the truth is that I can never marry a man that is struggling to survive in life.

Is he the same person that bought you the Lexus SUV? Yes. He is the one.

Can you share the story with us?

Actually, it’s been long. All I can remember is that he didn’t let me know that he wanted to get me a car. I was driving a small Kia car when we met. He told me the car was very small. So one day, he just called me over to Lagos because he was about to travel out of the country. So I flew down, when I got to the airport, he drove down a brand new Lexus SUV. He told me it’s mine. But I didn’t believe him. So he brought out the documents and they all bore my name.

Any regret so far in life?

No. God has blessed me. 2017 was a very good year for me and 2018 will be a greater year.

What are some of your expectations this year?

I believe that the industry operators will improve, 2018 looks a bit promising. I think the oil in the water has shown itself and many producers are beginning to re-adjust.

Actors and actresses are working harder to reach a higher level. I expect to see some outof-the-box movies this year. I’m even tempted to shoot a new movie myself – one or two with ‘heart’. Let’s feed our imagination in 2018 – things will get better this year.

I’m Not in A Hurry to Get Married – Not All Women Must Marry

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ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚΀˞ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

THE MESSENGER OR THE MESSAGE? Nigerians should listen to Obasanjo on the 2019 election, urges Nnamdi Ebo

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he Messenger is a 2015 British horror ďŹ lm. Young Jack sees and talks with souls who have not “gone into the light.â€?These souls ask him to become their ‘Messenger’ and relay messages to the living, usually ending prophetically. The Message is a 1976 historical ďŹ lm chronicling the life and times of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (God’s messenger). While former President Olusegun Obasanjo is not an actor or God’s messenger, he is in the habit of messaging, especially the prophetic message.

In a 13-page open letter on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, titled: “The Way Out: A Clarion Call For Coalition For Nigeria�, the messenger, Obasanjo, in a message, warned President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019. Obasanjo told Buhari that he has underperformed and he should not allow Nigerians to remove him the way his predecessor, former President Goodluck Jonathan was voted out.

Five years ago, in an 18-page open letter on December 12, 2013, titled: “Before It Is Too Late�, the same messenger, in a message, warned Jonathan not to seek re-election in 2015. After the messages on both occasions, the responses were regarded as unbecoming, mischievous and provocative of the messenger. As usual, presidential advisers called both messages reckless and baseless charges. In Jonathan’s message, Obasanjo said: a “fatally and morally flawed� decision for Mr. Jonathan to be a candidate in 2015. In Buhari’s message, Obasanjo said: “President Buhari needs a dignified and honourable dismount from the horse�.

The potency of Obasanjo’s criticisms in both messages and the public nature of the spats added the weight of embarrassments for Jonathan and Buhari, coming days, for both administrations – for Jonathan, after a leaked letter from the CBN said NNPC failed to account for $50 billion of revenue from 18-months of oil sales and for Buhari, the Makurdi mass burial of 73 Benue crop farmers/villagers massacred by Fulani herdsmen respectively. Obasanjo’s timing is most apt and calculated to tap into the growing national anger in Nigeria.

Critics of Obasanjo went to town — Obasanjo has no moral justification to tell Buhari not to seek re-election; Obasanjo abused Buhari; those complaining today have been denied access to public coffers by the Buhari administration; Obasanjo must stop making unnecessary comments against the polity; I think it is insulting for a man who wanted third term to tell somebody else not to want second term; It is most inappropriate for a former head of state to say, so it is most improper.

An unlikely messenger, US President Donald Trump, in his own “message�, allegedly called Africa a “shithole�. Trump said: “Nigerians never return to their huts after seeing America�. I am a Trumpian (Trump supporter) simply because he talks reality and refuses to be politically correct. I subscribe to the realist philosophy, rhetoric, and style of Donald Trump. The truth is that 95% of Africa has been reduced to “shithole countries�, precisely because they’ve been run by the leaders they deserve. The challenge of Trump’s rhetoric, which I do not consider as racist, but the truth, is that Nigeria is a “shithole

TO GET OUT OF OUR SHITHOLE, À LA TRUMP’S RHETORIC AND OBASANJO’S MISSIVE, NIGERIANS MUST DECIDE.

country� – since independence in 1960.

While Obasanjo’s rulership, military (1976-1979) and democratic (1999-2007) failed to evacuate Nigeria from the shithole, Nigerians should listen to the message even though the messenger is messaging what he had an 11-year opportunity to do and failed. I will dwell on salient points in Obasanjo’s 13-page missive. “If neither APC nor PDP is a worthy horse to ride to lead Nigeria at this crucial and critical time, what then do we do?� Obasanjo wrote. I think that a country that has been ruled by the siamese twins: APC and PDP, is definitely a shithole. “The economy is in bad shape and the herdsmen/crop farmers issue is being wittingly or unwittingly allowed to turn sour and messy. . .And it is a sad symptom of insensitivity and callousness that some Governors, a day after 73 victims were being buried in a mass grave in Benue State without condolence, were jubilantly endorsing President Buhari for a second term!� Obasanjo wrote. Anybody who faults this message wants to keep Nigeria perpetually in a shithole.

For centuries Fulani herdsmen have been nomadic. They want to perpetuate this tradition against urbanisation, technological advancement, economic development, private enterprise, modern farming and ranching. Myetti Allah is against the anti-grazing law, saying the law is an infringement of their right of movement. Freedom of movement for people is enshrined in the constitution, but there is no provision for freedom of movement for people and animals in pari passu.

In response to the anti-grazing law which precipitated the mass murder in Benue by Fulani herdsmen, Prof. Umar Labdo Muhammad of the Faculty of Humanities, Northwest University, Kano claimed that “Benue State belongs to the Fulani by right of conquest�. After a professor makes a claim like this in Obasanjo’s 21st century Nigeria, does anybody need clarification on Trump’s shithole message?

Obasanjo unleashed a three-pronged attack-message. Accordingly, “three other areas where President Buhari has come out more glaringly than most of us thought we knew about him. One is nepotic deployment bordering on clannishness and inability to bring discipline to bear on errant members of his nepotic court. . .The second is his poor understanding of the dynamics of internal politics. . .The third is passing the buck�.

From Obasanjo’s three propositions, I can infer three conclusions: if the premises are true, then the conclusions must be true. The war against corruption has failed, the administration’s naivetĂŠ and inexperience in internal politics is anathema to federalism, and the Buhari administration’s inaction as it continuously blames the past administration without fixing the problem is retrogressive. Obasanjo laughs sometimes. Remember “I deh laugh o!â€? In 2013 and 2018, the wizard of Ota Farm stopped laughing and waltzed into the realm of prophesy. To get out of our shithole, Ă la Trump’s rhetoric and Obasanjo’s missive, Nigerians must decide. Will it be the messenger or the message?

Ebo is a political scientist and lawyer

UDOM AND CHRISTIAN WORSHIP CENTRE

Kufre Etuk argues that Udom Emmanuel deserves praise for conceiving a magnificent worship centre where Akwa Ibomites can say A ‘ men’

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8,500 capacity worship centre is one of the signature projects conceived by Governor Udom Emmanuel in Akwa Ibom State.

Should this project be carried out under the lingering phase of varying competing needs in the state? This is the question on the lips of Akwa Ibom people. A peep into the coming of Christianity shows that the concept of religion has been strictly a personal affair. Already, as enshrined in the 1999 constitution, every Nigerian has the freedom to worship, and such freedom should not in any way be forced on others. Since religion is personal, it therefore means that it should be practised in private or centres allocated to it as stipulated in section 38(1) of the 1999 constitution.

The section states inter lia, “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance�.

Nigeria is a secular nation state with many religions, and modes of worship. Consequently, government is not expected to enthrone, either by show of support or preferential treatment, one religion against another. In view of this, many have kicked against the use of tax payers’ money for the building of a religious centre.

In the past and even now, we have had state governors from both the northern and southern parts of Nigeria build religious centres for their people. In February 2017, Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar, approved the sum of N136,762,448.08 for the construction of 90 daily prayer mosques (three each in 30 state constituencies) to various successful bidders already certified by the Due Process and Project Monitoring Bureau of the state. In June, 2017, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, approved N566m for the completion of 189 Juma’at and daily prayer mosques as well as Islamiyya schools

inherited from the previous government.

In January 2016, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers promised that his administration would build Christian Ecumenical Center where all Christians from different states would meet for prayers and congress. Wike announced this during a Holy Ghost Rally Organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Region Five in Port Harcourt. The Governor said “Rivers State is a Christian state where God lives among his children�.

In October 2017, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God launched and dedicated to God, a 10,000-Seater -Ecumenical Centre in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State.

According to the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, the centre was built by the government of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson through direct labour.

A cursory assessment of the construction of these religious centres by states shows that the projects are funded 100 per cent by government.

Will the Akwa Ibom State Government toe this line in its proposed 8,500 capacity international worship centre?

Before the foundation stone for the centre is laid on Sunday, January 21, 2018, by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Akwa Ibomites must seek the truth on this project. Governor Udom Emmanuel had spoken on funding of the project. He said government contribution is “very negligible.� “We have found favour in the eyes of the Lord, and it’s instructive to note that religious bodies, non-profit organisations and even individuals from all over the world heeded our call for support to actualise this dream�, Udom added.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr. Charles Udoh re-emphasised that “The international worship Centre project will be funded through voluntary donations from religious

bodies; non- profit organisations, individuals, etc.

Government’s contribution, which is negligible, include payment for design; provision of land and site preparation.� This explanation should clear all doubts.

In cases of other states cited earlier, governors drew money from state coffers to build their worship centres. However, will Akwa Ibom State government’s “negligible� role not stall this project?

Governor Udom Emmanuel is taking a more forthright and commendable route towards the project. The governor commits no crime against the constitution leading the path in the actualisation of this project. Recall that the prospects of completing the long abandoned National Ecumenical Centre, now known as National Christian Centre, Abuja, came to fruition in June 2004, after over N3 billion was realised at a fund-raising ceremony coordinated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The event attracted a number of Christians and Muslims across the Federation, including diplomats.

Just like King Solomon who supervised and motivated the Israelites to build God a temple, Nehemiah ensured the rebuilding of the temple after its destruction, Obasanjo motivated people to donate to the building of the National Christian Centre. In like manner, Governor Emmanuel should be applauded for outsourcing donations for the worship centre.

Akwa Ibom people must begin to take the governor by his words. When he said government’s participation in the project is negligible, it suggests that government may only provide land for the project. If government were to inject taxpayers’ fund into this project, such would have been reflected in the 2018 budget.

Timing for the project is apt. From Biblical days, worship centres like temples and Tabernacles were mostly constructed in peace time. This is clearly stated by King Solomon. “But now the LORD

my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurent. And, behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God...� 1Kings 5:4,5(KJV). Akwa Ibom State is considered the most peaceful state in the South-South region. Akwa Ibom people have enjoyed this benevolence from God in the past years. This is peace time. The best way to show God appreciation is to build him a worship centre in this peace time.

A worship centre of this nature, will become a place of refuge where intending converts can make atonement. It will be a unifying place for all Akwa Ibomites irrespective of tribe. Akwa Ibom State is made up of people of different cultures, denominations and tradition, but predominantly one religion-Christianity. A Christian worship centre will bridge various dogmatic teachings that characterise denominations in the state. The edifice will be an attraction to christian pilgrims.

God has been faithful in His mercies to Akwa Ibom people. He deserves to be magnified in praises. A memento will be a deserving token in reference to His mercies. Akwa Ibom people should collectively think on the word in Haggai 1:7,8 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD.�

Akwa Ibom people should hold back endless arguments on the project. Muslims have stopped Christians from building worship centres in their North, yet there are mosques that have been built with government funds. It’s illogical for Christians to vote against the construction of the worship centre in a strictly Christian state. Governor Udom Emmanuel has come to Akwa Ibom people like Haggai went to Zerubbabel, he is saying “Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.�

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ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Peace at last?

Cattle Colony As Ploy For Domination

T

hose who neglect history are bound to repeat the mistakes of the past at their own peril or a rather imminent risk. The story of the Fulani supremacy and the disregard for human decency are known throughout history. The story of King Funfa- the Hausa Sarki who welcomed Usman Dan Fodiyo as his guest was overthrown and killed and Usman Dan Fodiyo installed as the Sultan of Sokoto, after establishing the Sokoto caliphate between 1804 and 1808.

Usman captured all the core Northern ethnic kingdoms and installed Fulani emirates. Similarly, the Afoja Kingdom - Ilorin provided grazing land to Janta Alimi – a Fulani warrior who eventually killed Afoja in 1824 and became an emirate – of the Fulani- Sokoto caliphate. The rest of the story is familiar and consistent with aggression towards friendly hosts with a single purpose of extending the Sokoto Caliphate domination and control.

The grazing preposition (grazing reserve and cattle colony) is a perfect scheme and pretext to future control and domination from the North to the South, from the desert to the ocean. This scheme must be resisted by all means. It is senseless, irrational and only serves the interest of the Fulani agenda.

The Fulani herdsmen are not freedom fighters, they are simply a terrorist group in the same rank as Boko Haram but with a different agenda and tactics to dominate and expand the caliphate kingdom as far as possible through the use of the military or other means to actualise their aspirations of conquering the geographic space known as Nigeria.

The Sokoto caliphate is very strategic by using the military to advance their cause and changing the narratives in such that they enjoy over 90% of the wealth of Nigeria even if they only contributed less than 5%.

Nigeria’s internal revenue generation comes from seven major sources, namely: Nigeria National Petroleum, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Inland Revenue Service (taxation), the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the maritime, and Liquefied Natural Gas. Some 80% of the NNPC earnings come from SouthSouth, 20% of the NNPC earnings come from Yoruba land and 0% contribution from the North.

Some 90% of the NCS earnings come from Yoruba land, 5% of the NCS earnings come from South-South, And 5% earnings come from Hausa Fulani. Some 85% of the FIRS earnings come from (Yoruba land) while the remaining 15% of the FIRS earnings come from SouthSouth.

Some 90% of the NPA earnings come from Yoruba land, while the remaining 10% of the earnings come from South-South. Some 60% of the CBN earnings come from Yoruba land while the remaining 40% comes from South-South.

Some 95% of the NIMASA earnings come from Yoruba land while the remaining 5% comes from South-South.

100% of the NIMASA earnings come from South-South With the statics and data presented it is obvious that restructuring of the Nigerian entity into six- geopolitical zones is an absolute and inevitable solution to the imbalance in revenue distribution where the North controls about 90% of the revenue distribution while they contribute about 5%. The unitary system of government introduced

by General Aguiyi- Ironsi must be eliminated because it serves the interest of the cabal, northern warlords, and their sycophants. It is not in the best interest of all Nigerians.

Politically those who contribute the least enjoy the political representation and all the rights associated with it at the expense of the South which produces the wealth, labour and resources.

The current structure is sustained by the militaryimposed ideology and unitary system which is counterproductive to any democratic dispensation. The Nigerian national security structure is designed to protect the elite in power and to respond to the threats of civil war and coup d’etat rather than to protect the society, the nation or Nigerian citizens.

Prof. Babs Onabanjo, former President, Nigerian Alliance for Democracy, 1993-1999

Lagos, MFM FC And Power Of SPORTS

T

he iconic Nelson Mandela once said that: “Sport has the power to change the world‌it has the power to inspire.

It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.�

The Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, is arguably the most unifying tool that offers Nigerians sense of common nationhood. Unlike political appointments, members of the national team are usually selected on merit rather than mundane considerations.

What’s more, besides being a unifying tool, sports have become a business concern that contributes to gross earnings of many countries. Globally, it has become a huge industry through which lots of youths have gotten fame and fortune. Thus, developing and investing in sports is one sure way of empowering the youths and other professionals (such as doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists, athlete managers, etc)

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

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

in the various sporting fields to become productively engaged.

In Nigeria, Lagos remains a veritable breeding ground for budding sporting talents. Most of the celebrated Nigerian sportsmen began their sporting tutelage from grass-root football tournaments in different parts of the state, most notably Ajegunle and Agege. From struggling raw talents used to on empty stomachs, no shoes and boots, many now have good story to tell. National soccer sensations like Odion Ighalo and three times African Women Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala began their football career in Lagos. In fact since the early 1990s, Ajegunle area of Lagos has been churning out great football talents. Famous names such as Stephen Keshi, Samson Siasia, Taribo West, Victor Ikpeba, Sunday Oliseh, Obafemi Martins, Brown Ideye and Jonathan Akpoborie, all started there.

After years of missing Stationary Stores of Lagos and decline in local league with attention of army of youth now on European leagues, it is encouraging that Lagos is resuscitating efforts at addressing societal disadvantage, marginalisation, unemployment and other challenges which youths face today through sports development and support to private proprietors through creating of enabling environment.

This could be said to have informed the support of the state government for MFM FC. In keeping with the long history of the involvement of Christianity and association football, Mountain of Fire and Miracle has stepped out through MFM FC of Lagos to contribute to the future of Nigeria as a footballing nation. It could be recalled that several of England’s leading clubs, including Manchester City, Manchester United, Everton, and Southampton, were founded by churches.

Though owned and financed by the church, the Lagos State government recently hosted and rewarded members and coaching crew of MFM FC for their impressive showing in the Nigeria Professional Football League last season. This was to appreciate and honour the club for bringing Lagos State back to reckoning as it regards top flight football action.

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

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚͜

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NEWS

In Brief 81 Enugu Prisoners Excel in NECO Exams

Nofewerthan81inmatesoftheFederalPrisons,EnugurecordedcreditinEnglish languageand Mathematics in therecently released November/December 2017NationalExaminationCouncil(NECO)results.Theperformanceofthe inmatesoftheMaximumPrisons,THISDAYchecksrevealedrepresentedan improvement in past examinations in which they took part in. A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the prisons, ASP Monday Emekashowedthatsomanyotherinmatesmadecreditpassesinotherkey subjects.Accordingtohim,theControllerofPrisonsEnuguStateCommand, Mr.NdubuisiOgbodoalsocommendedtheinmates'performanceandencouraged other inmates to utilise the opportunity to improve their educational statusbyenrollingintotheeducationalprogrammeswhileinprisoncustody.

MakarďŹ Urged to Run for Presidency

Kaduna chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the former governor of the state, Senator Ahmed Makarfi to contest for the 2019 presidency. Stakeholders of the party who met on Friday in Kaduna noted that Makarfi performed very well during his eight years as governor ofthestateandrecentlyastheNationalCaretakerCommitteeChairmanof thePDP. Thestakeholderswhospokeduringthemeeting,urgedMakarfito take up the challenge and contest for the presidency. Speaking during the meeting, the immediate former governor of the state, Mukhtar Yero said if PDP members were happy with what Makarfi did to revive the party at the National level, they should be glad to have him at the centre as president to revive Nigeria .

GIVING BACK TO SOCEITY ...

Gov Recruiting NCE Holders, Corps Members

L-R: Jon Cappon, Vice President and Country Manager, Kosmos Energy; Maria de Jesus Trovoada, Minister of Finance, Sao Tome and Principe; Chief Sam Onyenwe, Community Relations Manager and Adedoyin, Adebiyi, Asset Manager, Oando PLC, during the handover ceremony of state-of -the art ambulances in Sao Tome and Principe as part of Oando’s social investment initiatives with host communities

Alleged N11bn Fraud: EFCC Gets Supreme Court Nod to Try Ex- Gov Shema AlexEnumahinAbuja

The Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to prosecute former Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, accused of illegal diversion of N11billion.

The apex court, in its judgment delivered by Justice Sidi Bage, held that Shema had a case to answer.

The court dismissed Shema's appeal for lacking in merit. The

appeal marked SC/814c/2017, filed by the ex-gov is challenging the 22-count charge EFCC preferred against him.

The Apex Court panel in the judgment directed the former governor to return to the Katsina State High Court and answer to charges pending against him.

Reacting, the former governor said he received the judgement as a welcome development.

Shema, in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Olawale

Oluwabusola, said he had never been opposed to fair trial.

Oluwabusola said, "His grouse has been against what was playing out in the allegations and trial by ambush".

He further said the former governor was always ready to defend himself and prove his innocence on universal principles of rule of law and fair hearing against the politically motivated smear campaign of calumny being orchestrated by the Katsina State

government using agencies of state and Federal government as tools to cow opposition.

Shema is facing trial alongside three others, Sani Hamisu Makana, Lawal Ahmad Safana and Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba. The defendants were accused of diverting local government allocations for their personal benefit. The apex court upheld an earlier verdict of the Court of Appeal that refused to quash charges against the defendants.

Bayelsa to Get 24-Hour Power Supply September Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State government yesterday assured residents that in the next nine months it would put a halt to the perennial power outage in the state, especially Yenagoa, the state capital, with the supply of 24-hour uninterrupted electricity by September.

Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company, Mr. Olice Kemenanabo, who gave the assurance while showcasing the activities of the Ministry of Power since the inception of the present administration, asked the people of the state to hold him personally responsible of plan

does not materialise.

He blamed the current power outage in the state on cable theft and vandalism, but disclosed that all the Local Government Areas in the state had been successfully connected to the national grid.

Kemenanabo, an engineer, said efforts were being put in place towards achieving the target, which include upgrading of existing electricity transmission stations from 40 to 90 megawatts as well as ensure that the second mobile transformer functions optimally. “We have upgraded the transmission from 40 to 90 MVA, we also want to work on

the second mobile transformer to make sure that we have a second transmission station that will serve the eastern part of Bayelsa, then dedicate the supply from the 90 MVA for the central and western parts of the state.

By so doing, the constraints in the sector would be a thing of the past�, he explained.

According to him, the mobile transformer will serve as a second transmission station to service the eastern part of the state while the power generated from the 90 megawatts transmission station will be dedicated to cover the central and western parts of Bayelsa.

Kemenanabo also pointed out that the state government had signed an agreement with a private firm in December last year to provide a 5.26 megawatts power plant to boost power supply.

He explained that the power plant was being provided to service communities in the Agbere-Odoni axis not only to boost social activities but also for the economic emancipation of the area through the proposed industrial park.

In his comments, the Commissioner for Power, Chief Partner Jim-Ogbolo, said that in the last six years, government awarded 48 projects, out of which 23 had been completed while 25 are ongoing.

Meningitis: Nigeria to Commence Local Vaccine Production Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

Nigeria has concluded steps to start local production of vaccine for immunising children against preventable diseases like Cerebro Spinal Meningitis among others.

The Federal Government in collaboration with the May &Baker said they took the step to end reliance on importation of some the vaccines and inaugurated the Biovaccines committee for commencement of quality local vaccine production.

Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, while inaugurating the Committee in Abuja, noted that

Biovaccines was a public private partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and a leading pharmaceutical company in the country, May and Baker Nigeria Plc. Adewole in a statement made available yesterday, said the move became imperative after an outbreak of Meningitis C, which killed many children in 2017 due to lack of emergency health preparedness and reliance on importation of vaccines that were not readily available.

He commended the drug manufacturing company for its

effort to make the plan work.

He said: "I have no doubt that the board will deliver and make Nigeria proud. We have chosen a board that has no excuse to fail, the board has to deliver because Nigerians and the media are critical. “We have learnt from the mistakes of the past, the name of May and Baker would be written in gold if the project succeeds.�

Also speaking, the Managing Director, May &Baker, Pharm.

Nnamdi Okafor said, it took over 10 years to arrive at the agreement.

Okafor stressed that “the organisation has successfully

engaged stakeholder groups to realise their plans and activities to the task of providing Nigeria, a sustainable programme of immunisation through local production of vaccines.�

In the same vein, the Chairman of the local vaccine production committee, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, assured Nigerians of the best products.

According to Tomori, Nigeria will now be able to “produce those common vaccines from 2021 and beyond other vaccines that were necessary would also be out in board for administration for administration to Nigerians.“

TheAcademicStaffUnionofUniversities,ASUUhasaccusedtheKogiState Governor,YahayaBello,ofrecruitingholdersofNationalCertificateinEducation (NCE), members of the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) and even undergraduatestoreplaceabout150lecturersdismissedattheKogiState University. The Union stated this in a news briefing by Prof Ike Odimegwu, the Owerri Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, in Awka, Anambra State on Friday.

Odimegwusaidthegovernor'sactionwascapableofdestroyingtheNigerian UniversityEducationandridiculinghercertificatesintheglobalcommunity.

Group Urges Okowa to Contest in 2019

Satisfiedwiththewayandmannerhisadministrationhasensuedpeace,safety oflives,promotionofskillacquisitionsamongsttheyouthsandprovisionof empowerment for different categories of the people in the state, a group comprising youths and women from all the three senatorial zones in Delta State have called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to consider re-contesting for a second term of office in the 2019. In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ossai Ovie Success, the National Coordinator of "I dey with Okowa 2019", Comrade Martins Abebe noted that the group had mobilised150,000youthsalreadyfromthethreesenatorialzonestopurchase thegovernorshipformforGovernorOkowaifheofficiallydeclaredtocontest for a second tenure come 2019.

FG to Give Kogi $1.6 m

TheMinisterforHealth,ProfessorIsaacAdewoleyesterdaysaidinthenext fewdays,thefederalgovernmentwouldbereleasing$1.6milliontoKogiState governmenttowardshealthcaredelivery. HemadethisknowninLokoja, Kogi State while flagging off Kogi State Health Care Plus at the state township Stadium. The Minister noted that when there was an outbreak in Lokoja, people will be calling on the federal ministry of health, saying something in it was wrong. "Wewill partner with the Commissioner for Health.Whatever wewilldowewilldo.WegaveKogi$1.5millionlastyear;inacoupleofdayswe will give another $1.6 million.

Akwa Ibom’ Syringes to Enter Nigeria Market

TheAkwaIbomSyringeFactory,theJubileeSyringeCompany(JSC)inOnna LocalGovernmentAreaofAkwaIbomStatewillinthefirstweekofFebruary, 2018 begin to supply the product to health facilities within and outside the state.ThecheerynewscamewhentheStateCommissionerforInformation andStrategy,Mr.CharlesUdohlednewsmenonaguidedtourofthefactory locatedinOnnaLocalGovernmentareaofthestatewithanannualproduction capacity of 350 million syringes. In his brief, the Managing Director of the Company,Mr.ZubeyuGulabi,saidthesyringefactorywhichwasinaugurated bytheVicePresident,YemiOsinbajoin September,2017withatestrunwas set to start distribution of the product to hospitals.

Ex-MilitantsProtestOndoAmnestyProgramme

DescribingtheAmnestyProgrammeoftheOndoStateGovernmentasasham, somemilitantgroupsintheriverineareasofthestateyesterdayprotestedat theOndoStateOilProducingAreaDevelopmentCommission(OSOPADEC) officeinOba-Ile,intheoutskirtofAkure,thestatecapital.Theprotestersset upburnfiretoblockvehicularaccesstotheOSOPADECoffice.Themilitant groupsareTheUnitedSea-wolfAvengers,TheAwajaCamp,TheNigerDelta Militant Vanguard, The Dragon and Lion Camp. The groups were led to the OSOPADECofficebytheirleaders–GeneralDejiWilliams(UnitedSea-wolf Avengers),GeneralSeamaco(AwajaCamp),GeneralEbiee(NigerDeltaMilitant Vanguard),GeneralMayowa(DragonCamp)andGeneralBbanju(LionCamp).

Lagos Mourns Deji Tinubu

TheLagosStateGovernmenthasconfirmedthedeathofMr.DejiTinubu,the SpecialAdviseronCommerce,IndustryandCooperatives.TheGovernment inastatementsignedbytheCommissionerforInformationandStrategy,Mr. KehindeBamigbetanexpressed"shockanddisbelief'overthesuddendeath of Mr.Tinubu and has reached out to his immediate family to commiserate onthishugelosstothefamilyandthecitizensofLagosState."Wearestillin shock.AllofusattheStateExecutiveCouncilareindisbelief.Hewasagood and committed patriot who brought his passion to his job.

Victoria Aliogo Passes on

Mrs. Victoria Ebiguebininwa Aliogo is dead. She died on January 14 after a brief illness. Until her death, she was married to late Chief Patrick Asikedi Aliogo. She was a successful trader and women leader. A statement signed by a member of the family, Peter Aliogo, noted that the burial arrangement would be announced later by the family.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚͜

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NEWS

Ortom Furious with Dan Alli, Says Cows, Herdsmen now Have Immunity, Alleges Aides Misleading Buhari 1R -XVWLÀFDWLRQ IRU KHUGVPHQ¡V WHUURULVP 6D\V +85,:$ George Okoh in Makurdi Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom has condemned the statement by the Minister of Defence where he claimed that the reason for the recent attack and killings of people in Benue State and other parts of Nigeria by Fulani headsman was due to the enactment of anti-open grazing laws of the states.

This is as the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked the minister of Defence retired Major General Mansur Dan-Ali to stop providing subtle justification for the dastardly criminal attacks by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen and charged President Muhammadu Buhari to rejig the composition of the security council to avoid ethnicising issues.

The governor who was visibly angry over the statement accused top aides of the presidency of conspiracy and backing the killings in Benue state.

The Governor spoke when he received the Bishop and Founder of World Harvest Ministry Leonard Kawas in Makurdi.

He said the comments coming from top appointees of the president clearly showed there were self-serving people who were giving the president bad advice. “Well, it is unfortunate but I want to console myself that this thing is

not coming from the Honourable Minister, but if it did, I will say that it is very unfortunate. The solution to the security challenges we have in this country is not in sight having those kind of people in power who are not able to give quality advice and to also proffer solutions to the security problems we have here. “Take for instance, if you say it is because of the law that killings by herdsmen are going on in Benue, is there any law prohibiting open grazing in Adamawa State? Is there any law in Plateau State? Is there any law in Kaduna, Ondo, Bayelsa, Imo, Ebonyi, Delta or Edo States? In Edo state, cattle have taken over even schools."

He berated the federal government for trying to cause unnecessary distraction and finding covers for the action of the headsmen.

He insisted that it is only in Nigeria that cows and headsmen were having immunity like president and governors.

"The federal government has provided immunity for headsmen and their herds or how come these people are moving around freely with weapons and disobeying laws of the land without government arresting them" He said what the minister of defence said was an insult to the people of Benue adding that the minister and others were dancing on the graves of those killed.

According to the Governor, those

OVERCOMING CIRCUMSTANCES ...

L-R: Lead speaker, Cobahms Asuquo; lead speaker, Member Feese; lead speaker, Kechi Okwuchi; Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr. Yinka Sanni; and Chairman, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr. Basil Omiyi; at the inaugural edition of the Stanbic IBTC Youth Leadership Series dubbed - Against The Odds in Lagos... recently PHOTO: Abiodun Ajala around Buhari were out to divert attention from the killing by herdsmen by accusing him of raising 6000 militias.

"I own no militia and I have been

an advocate of amnesty to criminals were we succeeded in disarming and destroying over seven hundred arms since I became governor so it’s just an attempt to divert attention", Ortom

insisted.

He said the statement from the minister was provocative, insisting that he would see the minister to ask why he made such statement.

He also emphasised that ranching was the only acceptable way to stop the killings by herdsmen while stating that Benue people would never accept grazing routs or colonies.

Shelve Kano Visit or Face the Witness: OďŹ li-Ajumogobia Lied About the Source, Purpose of N8m in Her Account Law, Police tell Kwankwaso Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano Police Command has cautioned former governor and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to suspend his planned visit to Kano.

Commissioner of Police Rabiu Yusuf who gave the warning Friday morning insisted that failure to heed to security advice may attract stiffer implication.

Yusuf who address journalists on Friday at the Bompai Police headquarters maintained that intelligence indicated that the January 30th visit was already generating palpable fear and tendencies to be hijacked by miscreants.

The Police chief warned that Kwankwaso should consider postponing his plan political rally

until the tension generated was down.

According to him, credible information at the disposal of the Command revealed that the proposed visit had generated palpable fears in the minds of the people of Kano State.

Yusuf added that there was apprehension among the general populace and the tendency to hijack the visit by some disgruntled politicians or miscreants cannot be underestimated.

While stressing the need for the Command to nip the problem in the bud, the Commissioner of Police maintained that it was the primary responsibility of the Police to protect lives and property and that any action or inaction by any person or group

of persons that may jeopardise the relative peace the State was currently enjoying must be averted.

He however stated that it was the candid advice of the Command that such a visit to the State should be shelved by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, until the tension generated by the planned visit was doused and security threat neutralised.

He said if the advice given to the immediate governor was not heeded, the law would take its course.

The commissioner assuring that the Command would continue to be firm, fair and just in providing a level playing field for all political gladiators to carry out their political activities without fear of molestation or intimidation.

Akinwale Akintunde An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdullahi Lawal has told a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja how the embattled Federal High Court judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, who is standing trial for alleged fraud lied to the commission about the source and purpose of an N8 million found in her account.

Lawal, who is the 12th prosecution witness in the going trial of Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia and a former EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Godwin Obla (SAN) disclosed this yesterday, at the resumed trial of the case before Justice Hakeem Oshodi.

The duo are standing trial on a

30-count charge bordering on perversion of the course of justice, graft, unlawful enrichment, providing false information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and forgery.

The EFCC had alleged that about $793,800 passed through the judge’s domiciliary accounts between 2012 and 2015.

The judge allegedly used the money to buy a house in London.

In the charge, the anti-graft agency insisted that the defendants also allegedly committed an offence on May 24, 2015, when they conspired to pervert the course of justice with the sum of N5 million.

The said sum, according to the EFCC, was reported to have been transferred to one Nigel & Colive

Limited.

The commission maintained that Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia is the sole signatory to Nigel & Colive, adding that both defendants conspired to pervert the course of justice, in contravention of the provisions of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The EFCC alleged that the N5 million paid by Obla, through his company’s account, was to restrain a public officer from acting in exercise of her official duties.

Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was equally alleged to have made a false statement to the EFCC that she was on admission at one Gold Cross Hospital at Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi in Lagos, which statement was later found to be false.

AlaaďŹ n, Aregbesola, Ajimobi,Akeredolu A'Ibom PDP to Maintain Zoning in 2019 Okun Development Association to Attend Falola@65 Conference General Elections, Says Gov Emmanuel Backs Rejection of Cattle Colony His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo, Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Oyo State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Governor of Ondo State, GovernorRotimi Akeredolu to mention a few are some of the eminent personalities that would attend the Toyin Falola@65 conference.

The international conference would take place at the University of Ibadan from Monday, January 29 to Tuesday, January 31, 2018 with the theme, “African Knowledges and Alternative Futures�.

Professor Oloruntoyin Omoyeni Falola, who turned 65 on the 1stof January 2018, is the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities and Distinguished

Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, USA. Chairman of the conference is, Pro-chancellor, Lead City University, Prof. JideOwoeye.

In a statement signed by Dean of the Faculty of Arts, U.I, Professor Ademola O. Dasylva, he said Falola had made unparalleled contributions to knowledge production in Africa. “Two keynote addresses will be delivered by Professor Gloria Emeagwali, Professor of History and African Studies, Central Connecticut State University, USA, and Professor Chris BN Ogbogbo, President of the Historical Society of Nigeria. The conference will be declared open on the first day by the Alaafin of Oyo� he said.

Okon Bassey in Uyo The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Akwa Ibom State chapter is to adopt zoning arrangement to file candidates for various elective political offices for the 2019 general elections in the state.

The State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel dropped the hint during an extra-ordinary meeting with elders and chieftains of the party from ward, local government chapter and state executive council of the party held at the party secretariat along Edet Akpan Archibong (four lane), Uyo. The Governor also commissioned 31 brand new buses donated to the 31 local government chapters of the party to enhance political

activities and movement ahead of 2019 general elections.

He explained that the intention of maintaining the zoning arrangement by the party in the state was to make the election cheap for the aspirants in the party and to reduce unnecessary tension and rancor, adding, “As political activities have started we should not make it very expensive for ourselves. “To aspire is something that is natural, every human being has the right to do so, but what so ever that we do, let it not divide the party, let it not bring any acrimony between us. Election will come and go but relationship remains forever, let it not be because of political office, we create enmity amongst us.

The Okun Development Association, South West Zone has backed the position of its national body which rejected the provision of land for cattle colonies in their area and state.

According to a statement by Chief Akere Owoniyi on behalf of the body, “The Fulani herdsmen are no doubt a menace to the Nigerian society having made sure that their dastardly acts are spanning through the nation. There have been several attacks on Benue, Taraba, Nassarawa, while Ekiti has moved quickly to prevent a breakdown of law and order, Oyo state has had a share of their menace too. “In a time like this when a group of people have become renowned for their illegal and life threatening activities, accommodating them is

unwise. The decision of Governor Yahaya Bello to make the Fulani Herdsmen indigenes of Kogi State by granting them the possession of a portion of land in Okun community, Kogi state cannot result into anything other than chaos and war soonest and later in the future. “This cannot and must not be seen as a move to befriend this notorious group that has unleashed death on many families in our dear nation recently. “There are many questions to ask: what would be the psychological impact of the Governor’s action on the people currently living in such area?

Does anyone celebrate the proximity of killers? How would this affect social, educational and religious balance of the society?.

16

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚͜

Professor Johnbull Draws Attention to Anonymity of Cyberspace

TOWARDS INDUSTRIAL PEACE...

L-R: Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka; Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Olalekan Alli; Head of Service, Mr. Soji Eniade; and State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Waheed Olojede, during a meeting to resolve the dispute that triggered a three-day warning strike by the state's workforce, at the Governor's OďŹƒce, Ibadan... on Friday

Odinkalu: Buhari’s Anti-corruption War Partisan, Lacks Credibility Bayo Akinloye A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, yesterday alleged that the anti-corruption war of the Buhari administration was partisan and lacked credibility.

Odinkalu, who spoke exclusively to THISDASY said: "The fact remains that there has been no effort on the part of the administration to invest their rhetoric about fighting corruption with the kind of credibility that will persuade the Nigerian public to own it. It has been manifestly lacking in credibility, looks partisan at best and under-powered on all fronts.

"The President himself is surrounded by appointees and acolytes whose hands are steeped in corruption or

who themselves are damaged by well- documented allegations of corruption. In all those cases, nothing has been done.

"In the case of the former SGF, Babachir Lawal, the President first cleared him. Then after the Osinbajo Panel report damned him irretrievably, the President took so long to confirm his sack. Even then, the report will never be published and Babachir retains his grass-cutting loot.

"He is not the only one. The recall of Abdulrasheed Maina and the ample role played by leading lights of the administration in enabling it, says all there is to say about how the Buhari administration is fighting corruption.

No one will be held to account for that because the people involved are Buhari loyalists. So, as they say, it's all good.

Odinkalu also alleged that most state governors were not interested in the country's anti-corruption crusade.

The rights activist said, "The anticorruption fight does not seem to have buy-in from anyone at the state level or in the civil populace. Many governors are busy helping themselves and owing their workers. Most governors, clearly, are not on the same page with the President. I am not even sure the President knows what page he is on."

Speaking on the looters' list yet to be released by the Buhari administration, Odinkalu said: "The failure of government to honour its promise to release the list is itself a symptom of the problems with the anti-corruption effort. In this case, the issue is an absence of joined-up institutional processes.

"The institutions can't agree on what

is happening and can't reconcile records, numbers or names. The Attorney General, EFCC, ICPC, DSS, NSA, Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Accountant-General of the Federation, all are involved and all probably have records that cannot and don't agree. Indeed, the possibility of some folks running rogue 'anti-corruption' operations can't be ruled out because it does not look like anyone is in charge."

Odinkalu also suggested that the Buhari administration might be shielding individuals accused of corrupt acts.

He said, "Many of the senior figures against whom there were serious corruption cases know the trick: if they come after you, announce a high-profile defection to the APC and the case is as good as dead.

The new episode of the TV Drama Series, Professor Johnbull, sponsored by Globacom, draws viewers’ attention to the negative side of the anonymity of the cyberspace where fraudsters hide to scam the unsuspecting members of the society.

The episode entitled Fake Accounts dramatises how scammers clone the online accounts of known celebrities and send spurious requests and chats to members of the public, especially the celebrity freaks, and fleece them off their hard earned money.

Celebrity hip hop singer, Korede Bello's account is cloned by a scammer, who dupes Mai Doya (Funky Mallam) to the tune of N100,000, just as Jumoke (Bidemi Kosoko), who is in the process of being duped by a fake Olamide, and Flash (Stephen Odimgbe) pay the sum of N50,000 to a fake Personal Assistant to a cloned TV goddess, Nadia Buhari.

AXA Mansard Discusses Steps in Financial Goal-setting Vincent Obia Fund managers, AXA Mansard Investments Limited, say proper financial assessment, budgeting, saving, and investment are key factors in any effort to set realisable financial goals. The company stated this in a release it said was meant to help individuals and corporate bodies put their financial situations in order in the New Year.

The release, signed by Relationship Management Head, AXA Mansard Investments Limited, Renah Osiemi, identified some essential factors that should be considered when setting financial goals to include, first, “Do a financial assessment. Evaluate your assets and liabilities; take a critical look at your savings, debts, and investments as they stand now then determine where you want them to be. Assessing your financial status may feel stressful, but gaining this knowledge will allow you to set

Obaseki Leads Campaign to LCC Increases Tariffs at Admiralty, Revive Reading Culture in Edo Lekki-Ikoyi Toll Gates Buhari Signs Bill to Cater AdibeEmenyonuin BeninCity

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has pledged his administration's commitment to reviving the reading culture in the state with a view to address challenges confronting the basic and post-primary education system.

Speaking at the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Edo Reading Culture Campaign 2018 in Benin on Friday, Obaseki said poor reading culture amongst other challenges plague Nigeria’s educational system.

The Reading Campaign was organised by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in collaboration with the Edo State Government in the seven Local Government Areas in Edo South Senatorial District of the state.

Governor Obaseki said that in a technology age, students need to learn how to read and write to be able to

access information on the internet and do well in academics.

He regretted that most schools no longer had Literary Societies, which according to him, was useful in inculcating reading habits in pupils and students.

"No knowledge is gained if we do not read, the television culture was not in vogue during our days; we had a thriving reading culture," he said.

He told the students that his administration would not only concentrate on building infrastructure in schools but on the provision of quality education to enable children contribute positively to nation building.

"We are concerned about the quality of education you receive and are improving the Colleges of Education, where we train your teachers to enable them teach you properly."

Bennett Oghifo The Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC) has announced an increase in toll tariffs paid by motorists at both the Admiralty Circle Toll Plaza on the Lekki – Epe road and the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza with effect from January 1, 2018. “The toll fare increase is as a result of current economic and business realities that have adversely increased the cost of operations and maintenance of the company’s loan obligations,� said a statement by LCC yesterday.

According to LCC, a special purpose vehicle set up to execute the Eti-Osa/ Lekki-Epe Toll Road Concession Project, with the slight increase in toll tariffs, commercial transport buses and motorcycles plying the Lekki-Ajah axis will now pay N100 instead of N80 they paid previously. Those with e-tag will pay N90.

Saloon cars and tricycles will now pay N200 from N120 but N180 with e-tag; SUVs, Pick Ups and Light Buses, N250, N225 e-tag; trucks and buses with one heavy axle N400 and N360 with e-tag; heavy trucks and buses with more than one heavy axle, N1000 and N900 with e-tag.

At the toll plaza of the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge, saloon cars will pay N300 and N270 with e-tag; SUVs, mini-vans, light pick-up trucks will pay N400 and N360 with e-tag; non-commercial buses with maximum capacity of 26 seats, N1000 and N900 with e-tag; and motorcycles with 200cc capacity and above will pay N200 and N180 with e-tag.

The Managing Director, LCC, Mr. Mohammed Hassan noted that the feedback and recommendations received during the series of consultations held in December 2017 with stakeholders in Eti-Osa Local Government area.

Infrastructure: Oando Partners Sao Tome & Principe Infrastructure is crucial to achieving Africa’s sustainable development goal of ending extreme poverty and increasing shared prosperity. A recent World Bank study found that the poor state of infrastructure in many parts of Africa reduced national economic growth by two percentage points every year and cut business productivity by as much as 40%, making Africa, in spite of its

enormous mineral and other natural resources, the region with the lowest productivity levels in the world.

Oando PLC through its subsidiary, Equator Exploration Limited was recently in Sao Tome & Principe (STP) to reaffirm its commitment to sustainable development projects in the communities in which it operates. The Company has worked in partnership

with the National Petroleum Agency of Sao Tome (ANP-STP) and the Government since 2005 when it started operations in STP, and in line with its Community Relations Policy, has developed and executed much needed empowerment and development projects for the country.

On Friday, January 19, 2018 all players celebrated their joint success

with a handover ceremony of state of the art ambulances to the Minister of Health, Maria de Jesus Trovoada. Present at the ceremony was the Minister, Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment, Carlos Vila Nova who commended the Company for fulfilling its commitment to deliver on social investment initiatives as part of its business operations in the country.

The series' restaurateur, Olaniyi (Yomi Fash Lanso), is however lucky as a scammer who posts a beautiful female picture on the internet as a prospective lover gives himself out when he requests for money but providentially sends a male account number.

The highlight of Fake Accounts is the cameo appearance of Korede Bello, who explains internet fraud "cat fish", a street lingo used by scammers to describe their victims, and warns members of the public to be wary of who they hook up with on the internet.

Conscience of the series, Professor Johnbull, acted by the Nollywood legend, Kanayo O. Kanayo, warns that celebrities were normal people and wondered why a celebrity would contact anyone to ask for financial assistance. He also warned against fake Fund Me Accounts.

for Welfare of Senior Citizens, 7 Others Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in the State House, Abuja assented to National Senior Citizens' Center Act, 2018 and seven others.

The National Senior Citizens' Center Act, 2018, was conceived to create the National Senior Citizens Center in the country with the objective of tackling the welfare needs of senior citizens.

Briefing journalists after the assent, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters, Senator Ita Enang, listed others bills signed by the president to include: Legislative Houses (Power and Privileges), 2018, National Institute of Legislative Studies (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Spain (Domestication and Enforcement ) Act, 2018.

Others are Rail Loan (International Bank) (Repeal) Act, 2018, Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2018, Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration Act, 2018 and Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (Establishment), Act, 2018.

realistic goals for the year.�

Other steps, according to Osiemi, are, “Prepare a budge. It is important for you to set up a monthly budget and stick to it. This will help you maintain focus, manage your income stream and also curb impulsive buying.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as ADELEKE OLAIDE MARY. now wish to be known and addressed as AKANDE OLAIDE MARY. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as BLESSING DONALD UBOH. now wish to be known and addressed as BLESSING DONALD FASASI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKOLIE NKEMDILLIM TRACY. now wish to be known and addressed as DZ^ D Íł AWA JNR NKEMDILLIM TRACY. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as GIFT EDEM OBOT now wish to be known and addressed as HARMONY EDEM OBOT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UMANE NANCY UWAYEME now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AREGHAN NANCY UWAYEME. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note I, formerly known and addressed as MR. OLUFEMI COLEMAN now wish to be known and addressed as MR. ITAUMA EMMANUEL DAVID. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I INNOCENT CHUKWUDI is one and same person as MEGBOLU INNOCENT CHUKWUDI. All former documents remain the same. Union bank, Gt bank, Access bank and the general Public take note.

Plus

LOUD WHISPERS AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER TEENS CONNECT FASHION FILE INTERVIEW

pg. 20 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 38 pg. 43 pg. 48

Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa If I Made One Right Decision, It Was Marrying Stella

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 27, 2018

PLUS

If I Made One Right Decision, It Was Marrying Stella Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa – that name certainly rings a bell. He has led interesting professional life, done extraordinary things in his field, and gone through a remarkable experience. But there are aspects of his life you probably have never heard of. The pharmacist, entrepreneur, social activist, lay minister, and author shares some profoundly personal experiences with Vincent Obia

I

f you are conversant with the inner circle of Nigerian entrepreneurs, you surely know Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa. Ohuabunwa is a familiar figure on the business scene. He has interests in different sectors and deals with a wide range of people.

“I’m networked, perhaps, in an unusual manner. I am in business, I relate to business associations; I’m in God’s work. I relate to religious organisations; I’m a community man, so I relate to community people. I’m a professional. I was in Umuahia for one week (November 6-11, 2017); we were hosting the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, which is my original constituency,” Ohuabunwa says.

Ohuabunwa is, perhaps, best known for his role in private sector economic advocacy. He is the former president of the West African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, ex-president of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, and ex-chairman of Nigerian Economic Summit Group. He was a member of the Vision 2010 Committee, National Council of the Vision 2020, and the Presidential Steering Committee on the Global Economic Crisis.

He is a fellow of several professional and academic associations, including Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, Nigerian Institute of Management, Chartered Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, and Nigeria Institute of Public Relations.

Romance

Ohuabunwa

Now formally retired, but still working hard, Ohuabunwa looks back on past events, particularly romance, and relives what he saw in his wife, Stella, with evergreen fondness. His initial standards while looking for a wife never favoured her.

“My wife was very submissive, both from her external look and her real character,” he says. “That was what endeared her to me. Of all the people, she was the least educated, the least able to earn money. That was why those criteria were not favouring her. But when I threw those things away, I went for what my heart was telling me.”

Both have been married for 37 years.

They have five children and seven grandchildren. Yet, looking back at the past decades, and forward to the future, he says, “Each day I wake up, I say, thank God. I say, God, if I had made one right decision, this was one.”

He explains, “The truth is that I was praying. I wasn’t such a wonderful Christian. But I went through Christian school, and I had a family experience.

My father married two wives and there was always commotion. So I kept praying to God that I didn’t want to have commotion in my home and saying, ‘God, please, give me a good woman that will not give me reason to start looking for a second wife.’

“Eventually, when I made up my mind to marry, I had a number of

prospective wives. Somehow, I was a little bit a guyish, a boy around town. Finding a wife entailed making sure that from the list I had I got the best. Often, I would take the list I had and score them according to things like education, financial capability, physical beauty, etc. But when God wants to help you, all those things won’t count.

At times, after doing the list, I would tear the paper, because where my mind was, was not where the scores were leading me. Then I said to myself, who am I happy with among my girlfriends? Whom did I sit with and I felt good?

“Then somebody I had met and told, please, go your way, was the same person I went back to and said, I have made up my mind with you. Even the circumstances of our first meeting showed me that it was God. People should learn to pray. God is a merciful God. He hears our prayers, even when we think we don’t deserve it. Don’t say because I’m not holy I can’t pray, no.”

Encounter Ohuabunwa narrates how he met his wife.

“Our meeting was divine,” he says.

“Where I used to live, my wife was in school and they came to do what they call bob-a-job. When I saw her, I was really enthralled. What caused my enthrallment was that the school she came from, I used to pass it on my way to work. I used to say, who gave these girls the uniform that made them look like petrol attendants. I was in Enugu then doing my internship at the teaching hospital. But this girl, the day she appeared for the bob-a-job, dressed in

I was a boy around town, and when I married my wife, I still had some other extramarital activities. Of course, it was going to cause problems.

Sometimes you come home late and in all kinds of shape.

But when I gave my life to Christ, I became a faithful husband and a good father

JANUARY 27, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

19

PLUS When I gave my Life to Christ, I became a faithful husband the same uniform, she looked fantastic.

“I also thank God that she had a very humble spirit. Men want women that are submissive. I have told my daughters, if you want to win your husband, be submissive. The Bible says, woman, obey your husbands (be submissive), husbands love your wives.”

It is this sort of personal appeal to spiritual solution that has helped him to face and surmount the challenges of marriage – and life generally.

Challenges Ohuabunwa says he encountered three major challenges in early marriage.

“One is the challenge of a young man and infidelity. I was a boy around town, and when I married my wife, I still had some other extramarital activities. Of course, it was going to cause problems. Sometimes you come home late and in all kinds of shape,” he says.

“But that was solved the day I gave my life to Christ. The day I got born again, that behaviour ceased. I couldn’t solve it myself because I tried New Year resolutions and it didn’t work. You hold it for one or two months, and by the third month, something you didn’t plan for happens. Sometimes, you may not ask, but if they asked you, you didn’t know how to resist. But when I gave my life to Christ, I became a faithful husband and a good father.”

He adds, “The second problem was having enough time for my wife.

Wives like their husbands around. If you cannot give enough time to your wife, that would cause trouble. Again, two things worked for me here. First was bunching. Second was being able to show result for all the absence. If you are always absent and they ask money for food, school fees, rent, etc., and you are not bringing light, they would say, what is all this not being at home? I, therefore, made a policy that unless God didn’t provide, if my wife needed anything I could afford, I will not hold it back.

“Fortunately, for me, my wife doesn’t need much. There is no vanity in her life. She is just simple; she doesn’t wear gold or makeup. So the little she wants, I try to make sure I provide. Then, showing her genuine love. The other one is openness. When you become open to your spouse, it builds confidence and suspicion goes down. When you say, this is what I want to do; they feel better that you have taken them into confidence.

“The third problem I had with my wife is the issue of relationship. My wife is introverted, I’m extroverted.

That relationship starts with the children. My wife is very attached to the children, I’m not so attached. I believe they should be given more freedom; she thinks children will always be children. But what I do is to defer to her, because I find that it is better to be careful than to be sorry.

“Also relationship outside. My wife prefers minimum relationships; she likes to be on her own and, therefore, feels that I’m over-exposing myself.

How do I deal with that? I deal with that by letting her know that God has created me with a mission and a purpose, and all I’m doing is in line with that purpose and mission. Overtime, she feels the consistency and begins to adjust to it. She was telling my brother recently, if I see my husband at home for one week I’m wondering whether everything is okay.”

He believes that in every marriage, there are times of misunderstanding or unhappiness. “But what heals it is true love,” he says. “If you pattern your life where there is genuine love, and you subscribe to a faith and follow the tenets of that faith in your relationship, because your closest neighbour is your wife, you won’t have much problem.”

Career

Ohuabunwa started his career in 1978 in Pfizer Products Limited, a drug manufacturing firm. He rose to become the company’s chairman/ chief executive officer in 1993, and led the management buyout of Pfizer Inc. from Pfizer Products Limited in 1997.

Following the buyout, Pfizer Inc. was transformed to Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Plc and he remained

Ohuabunwa, wife, Stella, and their children

Stella (middle) cutting her birthday cake recently. She is being assisted by her husband and some of their children

the president/chief executive officer.

He has interests in many companies and businesses, and he is on the boards of a number of firms.

Leisure

A knight of St. Christopher of the Anglican Communion and a national director of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, Ohuabunwa maintains a busy schedule packed with family, business, and church activities, as well as travels.

He says, “Within the context of my schedule, I build in relaxation. I don’t have any time I devote as relaxation time. Of course, there were times when I used to go and play golf, but I don’t do it anymore.

“My work is varied. I know that what would kill somebody is when you do a job that requires a high level of concentration or consumption of your energy, physical, emotional, spiritual. I am a busy person. But the way to make sure I don’t burn off is that I integrate my work with pleasure or relaxation.

“I’m social. I attend parties. And most of the time, I am before God. I’m a lay minister.

“I travel a lot, but in my travels, I also create opportunity for relaxation. In the aircraft I may put ‘do not disturb’, and I’m sleeping.

“I go to community meetings.”

Though, retired formally, Ohuabun-

wa says, “I am working harder than when I was in full employment.” He believes every man needs God’s guidance to decide how to avoid burning off or imperilling the ability to fulfil his destiny, “because everybody has been brought here to do the work of God, and you must accomplish it. Otherwise, you will have questions to answer.”

He recalls his own personal strategy for making up for his absence to his family.

“When I was bringing up my family, because I travelled a lot, I didn’t have enough time for my children. I was aware,” he says. “But good for me, my wife compensated for me. But what I used to do was that what I lost in quantity, I gained in quality. I worked out a system such that if I am at home, I would bond so much with my children that when I leave them, the taste of our last activity would linger. They would look forward to the next time we are going to meet and they create a new excitement.

“During holidays, I would take them out, drive my car. In those days, every Sunday I used to drive my children to church, and back. After church, we stop somewhere, have fun. I was conscious that I wasn’t giving them enough time.

But I compensated that by giving them quality. We would drive together, come to a hotel and everybody would stay in one suite for a few days, and they

probably won’t see me for one month.”

Advice Ohuabunwa has had an excellent career and family life. He offers some advice on what young people who have decided to give up the single life and get married should do.

“First, marry your friend,” he says. “Two, follow God’s injunctions. Man did not create marriage. Adam never told God he wanted a wife. It was God who saw Adam and said, ‘this guy is lonely, no matter what I do for him, he doesn’t look happy, so I need somebody to make him happy, somebody to be his companion and to help him.

“Thus, God created the woman and gave an injunction: husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the world and gave his life for the world. Wives, obey your husbands in everything. The moment that happens, the marriage will work.”

He says, “The marriage doesn’t work when the man does not love the wife and loves other people, and the woman is disobedient and over-asserting her will.

Men don’t like that. There is a hormone in man that doesn’t like to deal with two captains inside one boat. There is a rebellious hormone in the man. For a few men, they have conquered that hormone. But for others, it is still very active. And it is much more active when they are young.

“Let people play the role God has assigned them.”

20

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 27, 2018 with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Obasanjo

OBJ – The Rocket Man So it was my great friend, Donald Trump, who labelled our mutual friend in North Korea, the Rocket Man. Today, our own Rocket Man is Olusegun Obasanjo for his penchant of writing letters at strategic times with maximum impact. When I saw the pictures of OBJ celebrating his Ph.D, I knew we were in trouble.

When the man never get doctorate, he dey fire missiles. Now na rockets o.

I quickly downloaded the letter and read it four times. It was designed for maximum impact mentioning Maina, nepotism, inability to understand the economy, inability to understand the political structure, herdsmen and as a result he invited Buhari to join him on the sidelines and coined a new phrase in the process, dismount from the horse or something like that. PDP was not spared as he reminded us of how he tore their identity card and then finally asked for a coalition of middle people, thereby endorsing them Olisa Agbakoba group. He even offered to join the group. He also reminded us that he had been jailed before and as an ‘’ekun’’ nothing can happen to him. Well, he has written and as usual Nigerians will go into a frenzy, abusing him, supporting him and generally having parties over his latest write-up. OBJ, if I know him very well, will be in the other room exercising his rights while the rest of us tear ourselves apart like cats over a ball of wool. The Presidency has reacted rightly by refusing to hurriedly respond. They should take their time o, consult widely before responding. And while doing that they should address the issues OBJ raised o. Let me rehash it here in case Femi Adeshina no see am well – nepotism, Maina, herdsmen, the economy, the political situation.

They should not attempt to go personal. No worry whether OBJ has moral authority or not. Don’t worry whether he has pot belle or that his son abused him. Let’s just face the issues he has raised otherwise he will win o. If I know him well, he will wait for your response and then take aim and fire another one. Please expect

Agbakoba

Ambode

Let’s Impeach this President I did not vote for him as I had applied a siddon-look posture. I had listened to all his campaign speeches and promises, comparing same to his pedigree and capacity, I did not see a nexus. I was very confident in my belief that this particular person will not be able to deliver on this promise. What we needed was a concise action in the face of a continuous decline in our state of affairs. True to my predictions, since he came on board, things have gone awry. The way the man has been going about things has left even people like us who did not expect much to cringe with worry. The siddon-look policy is no longer working as we all must join hands in salvaging this situation. There seems to have been a collective agreement by all to work against the rule of law. Inordinate ambition with no capacity is a dangerous mixture and what you get is this kind of situation where everything goes and who suffers. It’s the same

people who rooted for his election. So as the Duke of Shomolu I have decided to stand up for history and fight for the future because of the next generation. We must impeach this President; the President of our Estate. The man no even know what time it is. … wait o, were you guys thinking I was talking about OUR President Buhari? Aghhhhhhhh see people who do not like me. Wetin concern me with that one, na our Estate President I dey talk about o. The man is just there and that is why I am working for his impeachment.

The other day, he was screening the young girls who poured out of the Estate early in the morning by 5am after a whole night of debauchery and since I am now an avid jogger, I will jog to the estate gate to count and see how many are light-skinned and then this President now has vowed to stop the parade. You see why he must go abeg, my mama na widow o, wetin concern me with Buhari.

Olamide

six more letters. So I think you should set up a committee – OBJ response team- with the sole aim of countering these attacks. Make no mistake about it, the war has started. You cannot beg this one o. You cannot bribe this one o. You cannot arrest this one o. This is what Yoruba people call ‘’ebo’’. Let’s start work, Buhari. There is nothing that prayer cannot do. But if you ask me, this is real problem o. I pity you o. kai. OBJ na masquerader. Maybe we should ask George Weah for help o; just saying sha.

ISALE EKO Celebrates Akinwunmi Ambode As a bona fide Shomolu man and by extension, a Lagosian, I continue to enjoy the good works of my friend, Akin. You will be surprised that I call him by his first name. It is because we share Shomolu together. For those of you who do not know, His Excellency Akinwunmi Ambode, was at some point the treasurer at our local government in Shomolu. So, we claim him. His good works continue to astound Nigerians. This is why the producers of Isale Eko, the phenomenally successful play that was put up last May at the Muson Center and which had thousands of Nigerians come out to watch to celebrate Lagos have decided to celebrate not only our amiable governor but to also use it as a platform to further showcase his developmental works in this our state. The play will come up on his birthday with some of the most iconic thespians, led by the legendary Yemi Shodimu, on stage. Producers remain myself – the Duke of Shomolu and the great Olisa Adibua. Isale Eko –ite siwaju …………

Don Pedro ’Slaps’ Olamide I suspect I have written too much today. But let me state very quickly here that Don Pedro has a point in his video clip against Olamide’s song – Science student. Please drugs KILL. See what fufu and afang is doing to me, talk less of all these things I am hearing our children are taking. Let’s stay clear of drugs. Let’s not eulogise it and let’s fight it. Thank you.

21

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚΀

SPY GLASS SIM SHAGAYA

SIM SHAGAYA’S HEADACHE

In 2012, Sim Shagaya, a bubbly and ambitious businessman, launched Konga, an online store, after several failed attempts.

After three years of full operations with successful delivery across Nigeria, it was rated one of the biggest online stores in Nigeria and West Africa, with over 20 million customers’ data base.

Its success story is attributed to the online retail store’s products’ affordable prices, swift delivery and payment option of pay on delivery - it was, however, later changed to pay before delivery due to frequent return of orders by what the management described as “unserious customers.�

About four years after its launch, Shagaya, took a break as the head honcho and appointed Shola Adekoya as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, CEO. But recent developments in the organisation seem to point to the fact the change of guard was ill-timed and miscalculated.

How? The company, instead of recording progress, is said to be nosediving. Indeed, to put it mildly, it is gasping for breath.

Investigation revealed that the company is currently being rocked with a lot of internal crises largely due to abuse of office, misappropriation of funds, and incompetent management, among others.

The company is said to have lost millions of Naira to internal theft, as goods worth over N200 million, most especially mobile phones and other costly gadgets, got missing from the warehouse without a trace, despite having closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and heavy security vetting.

A source revealed that “some top staff members are running a lot of racketeering, most especially during the ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Clean Up’ cheap sales. The top officials will cart

TAYO YUSUF

with BAYO ADEOYE .... 08054680651 and buy out most of the juicy goods for sale at cheaper prices and resell to members of the society at their preferred prices.’’ It was further gathered that the company would soon vacate its mega warehouse located in the Ogba area of Lagos for a smaller one in Ilupeju, as it can no longer afford the rent.

As evident of the crisis rocking the company, Konga sacked over 60 per cent of its staff last December. “The salaries of the lucky staff, who escaped the big hammer, were slashed by over 70 per cent,� the source added.

EX-BAUCHI FIRSTLADY, BIODUN YUGUDATRUDGES ON It is an incontestable fact that wives of elected public officials in Nigeria, including the President, Vice President, governors and council chairmen, are as powerful as their husbands.

While their husbands hold the reins of power, the words of their spouses are almost like the law, which must be obeyed to the letter.

Besides, they enjoy a lot of respect and honour from members of the society.

However, experience has shown that the majority of them involuntarily lose their power and even honour as soon as their husbands leave the exalted offices.

Luckily, Hajia Biodun Yuguda, wife of former governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguda, has remained relevant, many years after her husband left office. The stylish woman has continued to shine; and she is still very close to many incumbent governors’ wives.

It was gathered that many people still converge on her Bauchi home almost on a daily basis to seek her intervention in getting favours from those who still matter in the corridors of power across the country. “Such is the power she still commands,� a source revealed.

Also, her pet project, Challenge Your Disability Initiative (CYDI), which was launched immediately her husband assumed power is still very much alive.

The former First Lady was born into the family of the late Mr. Zacheous Olatunde Molade and Mrs. Olufunmilayo Josephine Molade, (Nee Shasaeniyan).

TOKUNBO AFIKUYOMI

WESTLAND PROPERTIES BOSS,TAYO YUSUF, FETES ALL ATSISTER’S WEDDING A few weeks ago, a number of heavyweights in the property business in Lagos celebrated with Westland Properties boss, Tayo Yusuf, when his younger sister, Fausat Adedoja Yusuf, got married to her sweetheart Adetunji Phillips Ajayi.

Though the event, which held at the Vantage Centre on Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos, has come and gone, it will still remain the talk of town for some time, as it literally oozed class and style. The guests had fun untill the wee hours of the following day.

Yusuf, also a philanthropist, is one of the young successful men in the property business. He is said to have helped many young men to actualise their dreams in life.

TOKUNBO AFIKUYOMI STAGES A COMEBACK Times there were when he was one of the powerful men in power in the political circle. His profile rose to the envy of some when he became a senator on the platform of the then Alliance for Democracy, AD. While he was at the National Assembly, he was, at different times, appointed to various committees.

Indeed, he also enjoyed a robust relationship with the then President of the Senate, Alloysus Wabara.

However, his political tale changed in 2007 when he aspired to be governor of Lagos State. His friend and political boss, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was then a former governor of Lagos State, was said to have anointed his then Chief of Staff, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. All entreaties to make him forego his political ambition fell on deaf ears. Determined to actualise his dream, he dumped the AD and pitched his tent with the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). It was a wrong political step, which he later paid dearly for. His ambition to be the number one citizen in Lagos never materialised.

Today, he is said to have realised his folly and retraced his steps.

Therefore, having eaten the humble pie, he has now been‘ admitted’ into the APC fold. It was gathered that he would be contesting a senatorial seat to represent Lagos West Senatorial District under the APC, in 2019.

Though he had previously rep-

BIODUN YUGUDA

resented the constituency, sources revealed that he might not get the ticket on a silver platter. The reason, according to a reliable source, is that “the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, may be vying for the same position from the same constituency when his tenure expires in Osun.�

WHO IS AFTER KUNLE OGUNBA?

Mr. Kunle Ogunba is one of the gladiators in the nation’s legal firmament. As Principal Partner of Kunle Ogunba and Associates, he eats and drinks law; his entire life revolves around law. Those who have encountered him in courts across the country say he is a delight to watch.

When you watch him in action, you will be enthralled by his articulation and aplomb. He has taken a vow not to go against the ethics of the profession. This he abides by, even in the face of challenges.

He is respected for his legal gymnastics in courts. Ogunba is also respected among his professional colleagues, especially because of the kind of briefs he often gets.

In recognition of his brilliance, he was some years ago conferred with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title, amidst wide jubilation.

We however gathered that some traducers who have been envious of his many achievements went to town tarnishing his hard-earned reputation.

Spyglass gathered that contrary to this naysayers, the brilliant young man is amiable and humble.

Ogunba was called to the Nigerian Bar on December 14, 1990. He bagged a master’s degree in Law from the University of Lagos in 2000.

He is an astute and versatile insolvency practitioner of repute. He has garnered overwhelming experience from his legal practice and is more often than not, actively involved in major receivership actions in Nigeria.

KUNLE OGUNBA

21

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚΀

SPY GLASS SIM SHAGAYA

SIM SHAGAYA’S HEADACHE

In 2012, Sim Shagaya, a bubbly and ambitious businessman, launched Konga, an online store, after several failed attempts.

After three years of full operations with successful delivery across Nigeria, it was rated one of the biggest online stores in Nigeria and West Africa, with over 20 million customers’ data base.

Its success story is attributed to the online retail store’s products’ affordable prices, swift delivery and payment option of pay on delivery - it was, however, later changed to pay before delivery due to frequent return of orders by what the management described as “unserious customers.�

About four years after its launch, Shagaya, took a break as the head honcho and appointed Shola Adekoya as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, CEO. But recent developments in the organisation seem to point to the fact the change of guard was ill-timed and miscalculated.

How? The company, instead of recording progress, is said to be nosediving. Indeed, to put it mildly, it is gasping for breath.

Investigation revealed that the company is currently being rocked with a lot of internal crises largely due to abuse of office, misappropriation of funds, and incompetent management, among others.

The company is said to have lost millions of Naira to internal theft, as goods worth over N200 million, most especially mobile phones and other costly gadgets, got missing from the warehouse without a trace, despite having closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and heavy security vetting.

A source revealed that “some top staff members are running a lot of racketeering, most especially during the ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Clean Up’ cheap sales. The top officials will cart

TAYO YUSUF

with BAYO ADEOYE .... 08054680651 and buy out most of the juicy goods for sale at cheaper prices and resell to members of the society at their preferred prices.’’ It was further gathered that the company would soon vacate its mega warehouse located in the Ogba area of Lagos for a smaller one in Ilupeju, as it can no longer afford the rent.

As evident of the crisis rocking the company, Konga sacked over 60 per cent of its staff last December. “The salaries of the lucky staff, who escaped the big hammer, were slashed by over 70 per cent,� the source added.

EX-BAUCHI FIRSTLADY, BIODUN YUGUDATRUDGES ON It is an incontestable fact that wives of elected public officials in Nigeria, including the President, Vice President, governors and council chairmen, are as powerful as their husbands.

While their husbands hold the reins of power, the words of their spouses are almost like the law, which must be obeyed to the letter.

Besides, they enjoy a lot of respect and honour from members of the society.

However, experience has shown that the majority of them involuntarily lose their power and even honour as soon as their husbands leave the exalted offices.

Luckily, Hajia Biodun Yuguda, wife of former governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguda, has remained relevant, many years after her husband left office. The stylish woman has continued to shine; and she is still very close to many incumbent governors’ wives.

It was gathered that many people still converge on her Bauchi home almost on a daily basis to seek her intervention in getting favours from those who still matter in the corridors of power across the country. “Such is the power she still commands,� a source revealed.

Also, her pet project, Challenge Your Disability Initiative (CYDI), which was launched immediately her husband assumed power is still very much alive.

The former First Lady was born into the family of the late Mr. Zacheous Olatunde Molade and Mrs. Olufunmilayo Josephine Molade, (Nee Shasaeniyan).

TOKUNBO AFIKUYOMI

WESTLAND PROPERTIES BOSS,TAYO YUSUF, FETES ALL ATSISTER’S WEDDING A few weeks ago, a number of heavyweights in the property business in Lagos celebrated with Westland Properties boss, Tayo Yusuf, when his younger sister, Fausat Adedoja Yusuf, got married to her sweetheart Adetunji Phillips Ajayi.

Though the event, which held at the Vantage Centre on Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos, has come and gone, it will still remain the talk of town for some time, as it literally oozed class and style. The guests had fun untill the wee hours of the following day.

Yusuf, also a philanthropist, is one of the young successful men in the property business. He is said to have helped many young men to actualise their dreams in life.

TOKUNBO AFIKUYOMI STAGES A COMEBACK Times there were when he was one of the powerful men in power in the political circle. His profile rose to the envy of some when he became a senator on the platform of the then Alliance for Democracy, AD. While he was at the National Assembly, he was, at different times, appointed to various committees.

Indeed, he also enjoyed a robust relationship with the then President of the Senate, Alloysus Wabara.

However, his political tale changed in 2007 when he aspired to be governor of Lagos State. His friend and political boss, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was then a former governor of Lagos State, was said to have anointed his then Chief of Staff, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. All entreaties to make him forego his political ambition fell on deaf ears. Determined to actualise his dream, he dumped the AD and pitched his tent with the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). It was a wrong political step, which he later paid dearly for. His ambition to be the number one citizen in Lagos never materialised.

Today, he is said to have realised his folly and retraced his steps.

Therefore, having eaten the humble pie, he has now been‘ admitted’ into the APC fold. It was gathered that he would be contesting a senatorial seat to represent Lagos West Senatorial District under the APC, in 2019.

Though he had previously rep-

BIODUN YUGUDA

resented the constituency, sources revealed that he might not get the ticket on a silver platter. The reason, according to a reliable source, is that “the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, may be vying for the same position from the same constituency when his tenure expires in Osun.�

WHO IS AFTER KUNLE OGUNBA?

Mr. Kunle Ogunba is one of the gladiators in the nation’s legal firmament. As Principal Partner of Kunle Ogunba and Associates, he eats and drinks law; his entire life revolves around law. Those who have encountered him in courts across the country say he is a delight to watch.

When you watch him in action, you will be enthralled by his articulation and aplomb. He has taken a vow not to go against the ethics of the profession. This he abides by, even in the face of challenges.

He is respected for his legal gymnastics in courts. Ogunba is also respected among his professional colleagues, especially because of the kind of briefs he often gets.

In recognition of his brilliance, he was, some years ago, conferred with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title, amidst wide jubilation.

We, however, gathered that some traducers, who have been envious of his many achievements, went to town tarnishing his hard-earned reputation.

Spyglass gathered that contrary to these naysayers, the brilliant young man is amiable and humble.

Ogunba was called to the Nigerian Bar on December 14, 1990. He bagged a master’s degree in Law from the University of Lagos in 2000.

He is an astute and versatile insolvency practitioner of repute. He has garnered overwhelming experience from his legal practice and is, more often than not, actively involved in major receiverships in Nigeria.

KUNLE OGUNBA

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚͜

22

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×

TOSIN BEE

I’m Very Careful with Women Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă—ĂšĂ™ĂœĂ‹ĂœĂŁ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‘Ă™Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă– Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă?ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? Ùà Ă?Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? åÓÞÒ Ă—Ă‹Ă”Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă–Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÙÖÎ̋ÙĂ&#x;Ăž Ă?ÒÙåĂ?Ë› Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă–ĂŒĂ&#x;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‹ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ 2017 was indeed a fabulous year had a lot of events, both in and outside the country. We had quite a lot of things to do, and it was a year of multiple groundbreaking events. This year, I’m definitely working on releasing a new album, but I dropped a single towards the end of 2017 from the forthcoming album. I’m still in the studio and I will feature a lot of artistes.

But I wouldn’t want to talk about them right now. Watch out for it please, and the album I’ll drop this year would be my second.

I

My new single The song is just my own way of saying I praise and honour God. A line from the song says ‘I salute the Holy Commander; God is the commanderin-chief of our destiny and universe.

He knows my end from the beginning and he determines the course of my life.

All I’m saying is that even if the devil or someone tries to do anything in the face of adversity and challenges of life I still come to say I salute the one that commands me.

I do contemporary African gospel music And it’s with some contemporary blend; it’s all encompassing, so that people even outside Nigeria and Africa can have a feel of it and enjoy it, but ultimately it’s gospel music. It is highly percussive, as we have the talking drum, the drum set, shekere, omele and the African local instruments. On the contemporary side, we have the keyboard, bass guitar, lead guitar and the saxophone. It’s a fusion of everything.

Artistes I have worked In terms of recording, I have worked with Nosa, Mike Abdul, Big Bolaji, Big Bob, and quite a number of artistes, and they were all fantastic, and it was cool working with them. Beyond recording, I’m also a performing artiste, and I have been on the stage with Tim Godfrey, Frank Edwards, Tope Alabi, Eben, Onos, and I learned valuable things from them.

Why gospel music For me, it’s a calling. I didn’t just wake up one day and said because I didn’t have any job let me do this. So, it’s a calling. I went to school to study English Language and after that I went into PR and did Advertising and Public Relations. So, this is a calling for me and it wasn’t like I forced myself into it, because I found myself in it. But, I believe that I have an assignment and God has called me to this and I believe one of the assignments is to use worship to liberate people and win souls by depopulating the Kingdom of Hell and making Jesus more popular. I believe that’s the whole essence of my being in this.

What makes Tosin Bee exceptional First of all, if I am not going to sound too spiritual. I would say it’s the grace of God on me. Sometimes, you may have all the skills in this world, and if you don’t have enough Grace backing it up, then you may not be able to travel far.

Secondly, is the fact that I am versatile beyond the Fuji thing, as I said, I do contemporary gospel music, as it’s a fusion. A lot of people are one sided but I’m able to blend both, which is rare.

That’s one of the things that make me unique and special.

My relationship with the Redeemed Christian Church of God

By God’s grace, I’m a full member of RCCG and a worship leader there and, to the glory of God, the church has a record label called, One Hallelujah where I’m signed as an artiste. I see myself as an integral part of the fold and I carry the banner of Christ like I carry the church too. I see myself as a tool of evangelism. So, as the church is growing, the Kingdom of God is growing too.

My advice for upcoming Christian artistes Whatever you are doing, don’t set out for money, which is a thing that is obtainable in every field. Money will

B Bee

come but you most put the structure in place first. Work on yourself very well, carry the right values and make sure you have the things people would look for, and can’t find anywhere else.

One thing that really works in the gospel field is the ultimate; the anointing which will make you go further, so it’s best to seek the anointing. And the anointing can only be gotten if you have right standing with God and, definitely, the money will come. Whatever you are doing, do it well and put excellence in all you do.

How I maintain my youthful look Funny enough, I felt that it wasn’t a cool thing, as people saw me as a small boy, but eventually I’ve realised it’s actually a plus, and I think it’s from God, and the way I take care of myself.

Recently I changed my hair style from Afro, but these are calculated moves.

Now, it’s a new style, so beyond that I have the youthful look.

My biggest aspiration as a gospel artiste To sing and the lame start to walk and the blind get to see, the deaf start to hear and, I think, I’ll be okay. Also, I’ll be fulfilled when I open mouth and people give their lives to Christ. God has a way of glorifying himself.

How I deal with women I try to be very careful really, since there are lots of ladies around, as it comes with this line of work. But I try to be very careful, so that I won’t lose focus and won’t go off track. As regards settling down, I will, pretty soon.

23

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚͜

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×

MY STORY KKTBM REBRANDS TO TRICK BILLIONAIRE MUSIQ Nigerian record label, Kash Kamp Trick Billionaire MusiQ (KKTBM) that was once home to rapper, Yung6ix has rebranded and changed its name to Trick Billionaire MusiQ (TBM).

This change and rebranding comes weeks after parting ways with Yung6ix, as the label moves on to sign another Hip-Hop act, Phenom to its list of artistes.

Led by Prince Usinefe, Trick Billionaire Music (TBM) has now officially announced and unveiled Topa Onimowo, aka Phenom, as its latest signee.

Phenom, a young Nigerian hip-hop artiste, who was born to a banker father and a police

officer mother, fell in love with rap music when he was 12 years old.

He joins other acts on the label that include Percy, LK Kuddy, She Officiall, B Raiz and Sean Dennis.

Ibrahim Kabiru, the General Manager of the label said, “Over time we believe our label has done well to carve a niche of excellence, quality and professionalism in the industry and it is only right for us to continue our expansion plans to develop and showcase the best talents the country has to offer, help nurture their talents and make them global super stars.�

SAHEED SAHEED

Ben Bruce, Ayo Animashaun Are My Inspiration Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă’Ě‹ Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂ?ĂŽËœ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁËœ åÓÞÒ Ă‹ Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ĂœĂ?ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ë› Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ăž åÓÞÒ Tosin ClegĂ‘Ëœ Ă’Ă? ÞËÖÕĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂŽĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă—Ëœ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ™Ă–Ă? ×ÙÎĂ?Ă–Ă?

WALE ADENUGA PRODUCTIONS EXPANDS SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT Over the years, Wale Adenuga Productions, through its Social Marketing Unit, has partnered with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Unilever, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Society for Family Health (SFH), Nutri-Milk, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), and several other reputable organisations to produce specialised TV programmes and live stage performances.

The programmes strategically and subtly promoted sponsors’ socially-conscious and marketing messages to the audiences.

This year, WAP has gone to great lengths to increase the capacity of its social marketing

unit, in terms of personnel and equipment, in order to meet up with the increasing demand from federal and state MDAs, NGOs and Corporate organisations that are interested in the opportunity to use Superstory TV Drama and Papa Ajasco Reloaded TV Comedy to get their messages delivered to their target audiences through stories centred on such messages.

According to Wale Adenuga Jnr., Managing Director of WAP said, “This expansion of our Social Marketing Unit is a welcome development for all parties concerned, as we can now partner with more organisations and deliver projects with even higher qualities.�

PRIORITY GLOBAL KONNECT LAUNCHES MULTIPURPOSE SPACE Priority Global Konnect (PGK) is a platform containing all it takes to be successful in the entertainment industry.

Although PGK was officially opened recently, it has been involved in the entertainment segment for quite a while, powering one of the most exciting shows in Calabar in 2017, called “The laughter card�. It will be no surprise to see them become one of Nigeria’s biggest names in the entertainment industry.

It was indeed an awesome time at the opening, PGK delighted guests and supporters with the facility, located at 23B Oye-Balogun Street, Ite-edo, Lekki.

PGK offers different services such as video shooting, editing, and production. PriorityTV is fully equipped to turn ideas into visuals.

It possesses world-class cameras, as well as editors, who ensure that whatever is shot or produced by PGK comes out in top class quality. PGK is a brand that focuses on perfection in production. Its high-definition TV

Tell us about Sah-Squared and how the name evolved .

Sah-squared had been my dream right from my secondary school days. I was fascinated when I attended events and I see how the entertainment segments were being coordinated, like an event planner finding it difficult to coordinate the entertainment segment of that occasion. For example, the event planner may have difficulty finding the right emcee for an event; deejay, sounds, life-bands, video coverage, photography, exclusive red-carpet interviews for events and all other side attractions to entertain the guests.

How long have you been in the entertainment business and how did it begin? control room is used in putting finishing touches to its TV presentations before final production.

It has an online radio station that gives voice to the voiceless. Like all

other parts of its facility, Priority Radio (the radio station’s name), is fully equipped; it prides itself as a superlative and quality content provider and broadcasting station.

BIG BROTHER NAIJA RETURNS TOMORROW The highly anticipated third edition of Africa’s biggest reality television show, Big Brother Naija, premieres on Sunday, 28 January at 7pm. Viewers on DStv can catch the show on channel 198 whilst GOtv viewers can tune in to channel 29 to catch all of the excitement as contestants battle for the grand prize of an SUV and N45million worth of prizes.

The premiere follows weeks of excitement as auditions for the show

W

hy Mushin?

I was brought up in Mushin and still live there. I’m the eldest in a family of four, and I’m a computer science graduate.

held across different regions in Nigeria.

Big Brother fans were also treated to nostalgic fun as housemates from the second edition gathered for a special reunion show broadcast exclusively on DStv and GOtv. Speaking on Big Brother Nigeria’s return, the General Manager, Sales and Marketing for MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho, said: “Without a doubt, this promises to be the most exciting edition of the Big Brother

franchise on the African continent.

The last edition of Big Brother Naija was incredibly successful and we see just how much the show continues to resonate with fans in Nigeria and around the continent.

We can hardly wait for Sunday, and we guarantee not only that our viewers will enjoy the premiere show, but that they will stay tuned for three months until the show’s finale when the winner is revealed.�

I started, officially, about a year ago and it was a little bit difficult with lots of disappointment from people at first.

But it changed after our first entertainment planning event, which was a wedding and, I tell you, it was awesome, even when we had some mistakes, which we took as a learning point. Regardless, trying to convince our first client that we could do this was actually not an easy task. Our next event was a rap contest in the heart of Mushin, where I grew up, and the winner went home with cash. We also empowered some youth with JAMB forms.

What challenges?

Beginners face a lot of challenges, and ours was not an exception. Marketing our service was our major challenge, and another was how to differentiate our role as entertainment planner from that of an event planner; because most times people tend to combine event planning and entertainment planning.

Who are your role models?

I have role models in various fields that I always look up to. Ayo Animashaun has always been an inspiration for me in the industry and I love Ben Murray Bruce too.

24

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž UARY 27, 2018

POLSCOPE

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

Cattle Colonies? No Way!

I

t was Malcom X, the Black American human rights activist who once wondered: “Why do otherwise wise men turn foolish when they join government?� I have been struggling to check if this question should not be very apt for the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief Audu Ogbeh, whom I think is the oldest man in the Buhari cabinet. If wisdom is in the domain of the elderly, then Audu Ogbeh should be a premium custodian of it. But perhaps the enthusiasm with which he wants to execute his job brief and the zeal with which he wants to impress his principal, Mr President, has, so to say, dulled his brain in a way that his reasoning is now a coefficient of foolishness.

The idea of a cattle colony is coming from Ogbeh’s Agric ministry. He had earlier toyed with the idea of special grazing zone across Nigeria. And since the Grazing Reserve Bill did not go through the National Assembly, the nomenclature has been tweaked to a more worrisome appellation as Cattle Colony. A colony is bigger than a reserve. While a reserve is a defined tract of land usually set apart for animals and plants, a colony is a wide expanse of land measuring 5,000 hectares of land. A hectare is about the size of a standard football field. So a colony is about 5,000 football fields. That is what Ogbeh wants every state of the federation to provide, so the Fulani herdsmen can have enough grazing land for their cattle. And in turn, Nigeria will know peace. The unspoken corollary of this demand is that unless the Fulani are granted these colonies across the country, non-Fulani Nigerians will know no peace.

The excessive pandering to the desires of the Fulani herdsmen is tantamount to the complete Fulanisation of Nigeria.

Let’s pause and think: Whose resources are going to be used in developing the infrastructure in the proposed cattle colonies?

By the way, whose ancestral land will be seized by a state government and given to Fulani herdsmen to form a colony?

How many states have that kind of land to give out? In fact, if the idea works, the Fulani will end up owning a third of the landmass in Nigeria. Perhaps only Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State who is so puppetry in his inclination to impress Mr President has declared that he will provide the cattle colony for the herdsmen.

Three northern state governors have even rejected the idea.

But pray why don’t these herdsmen move over to the famous Sambisa forest and create all the cattle colonies they want there?

After all, the military has saved the forest from the hands of the “degraded� and “conquered� Boko Haram terrorists. Government can help with irrigation in the forest so it can grow enough grass for the Fulani herdsmen and their cows.

But even more than the issue of space, have the advocates of Cattle Colony thought about the controversy of settler-indigene dichotomy which the Cattle colonies will cause later? Have we forgotten what sparked the ethno-religious Yelwa crisis (in Plateau State) in 2004, leading to the declaration of state of emergency by the then Obasanjo-led federal government? Or have we forgotten the Zango-Kataf story in Southern Kaduna? Wherever the Fulani dwell, they will begin to claim as theirs over time. It has happened too many times in too many places.

Indeed, as it happened in Kafanchan, where they installed an Emir of Jemaa, the Fulani, after dwelling in the colonies, will naturally build mosques, marry many wives, born many children, and before long turban one of themselves as the emir and begin to control the political dynamics of the area. This is open acquisitionist agenda, and it appears to me like what medical doctors call B-I-D (Brought-in-Dead) agenda.

Now, it hits down even stronger when we reckon that the man pushing this policy is from Benue State, the same state that has suffered most in the hands of the atrocious Fulani herdsmen.

In February 2016, Agatu community in Benue State was literally wiped out by the herdsmen who murdered over 400 persons and

Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief Audu Ogbeh razed down their houses. It was all talk-talk. Nobody was arrested.

Nobody was prosecuted. Nobody was jailed. The people buried their dead and life continued.

And then just before 2017 would roll off, the same herdsmen surfaced again, this time killing almost 80 persons in one fell swoop, unprovoked. Their only offence is that their state government (Benue), last November 1 effected an anti-grazing Law prohibiting the Fulani herdsmen from having open grazing in the state. As punishment, almost 80 people unconnected with lawmaking were brutally murdered two months after.

Then their kinsman whose voice of condemnation of the dastardly act was not heard, climbed the national podium to start talking about the creation of cattle colonies for the ravaging herdsmen. I find it difficult to understand how Audu Ogbeh became such a cattle activist. Is it all about impressing Buhari as an effective Agric minister or he is truly convinced that the lives and well-being of the Fulani cattle are more prized than the lives of his kinsmen or other Nigerians generally? I don’t understand that old man.

We all know President Buhari has some cows, sheep and goats in his Daura-based farm. But it appears that Ogbeh is so overarched in his desperation to please Buhari and his fellow cattle breeders at the expense of his kith and kin.

We have not forgotten that he had gone on a National Television to talk about the importation of grass for the cattle, so they can produce more and better milk.

He speaks of this cattle issue with such a deep and passionate concern as if the cattle are government-owned. Haba! Are the cattle breeders not private businessmen just like the yam farmers in Zaki-Biam or like the fishermen in Burutu? Why is Ogbeh so yoked with cattle-breeding and their owners?

And pray, do these herdsmen even pay tax, given the huge

money they make? Lagos State alone consumes 600 cows a day.

Calculate that for a month. Are the herdsmen captured in the tax net?

The Federal Government has over-pushed the concern of the Fulani herdsmen beyond a tolerable narrative belt and it is all snapping now. Many years ago, the same federal government had come up with the idea of Nomadic education. Nomadic teachers were supposed to be hired and empowered to follow herdsmen to wherever. And when they get to somewhere, while the cows are grazing, the teachers, armed with their mobile chalk boards, will gather the herdsmen and start teaching them how to read and write. For the poor conception, the scheme failed, but not before it gulped huge resources.

So, can somebody tell Chief Ogbeh that after the ministerial assignment, he will return to his kindred in Benue?

But even at the official level, what is about cattle breeding that is making the Agric ministry sacrifice all other farming endeavours? How can a crop farmer be sacrificed for the cattle breeder? Will cow meat be the only thing we shall all eat? Why the huge governmental attention on cattle breeders? Is it a case of arms might?

I listened to and watched the U-tube video clip of a large-scale farmer in Edo State, who responded to the invitation of the Edo State governor, that those in the Diaspora should come home and invest and grow the state. He did. In the first year, he had cultivated many hectares of land, planting plantains and cassava.

The crops had grown admirably high, with all the prospects of great harvest associated with successful farmers.

Then one morning, before they got to the farm, Fulani herdsmen had invaded the farm, crushing and eating up all the budding plantain and cassava leaves. And suddenly the luxuriant green foliage of the farm turned into an arid Sahel famished land.

During the week, Chief Olu Falae’s farm, in Akure, Ondo State was once again burnt down. The attacks on him and his farm by the herdsmen, have been incessant. Nobody has been jailed for the many attacks on the former Secretary to the government of the federation. This is a government that has been singing a swan song of agricultural diversification, yet one set of farmers are running another set of farmers out of their farms and the government is acting benumbed and watching with a near conspiratorial nuance.

Benue is a renowned food basket of the nation. Does Ogbeh not realise that the activities of the herdsmen will affect crop cultivation in Benue and other parts of the country in such a way that it could impact negatively on the food production in the country?

Apart from the destruction of farmlands by the herdsmen, the farmers are now sufficiently terrorized that they can no longer go to their farms to avoid being raped, kidnapped or killed altogether by these killer herders. Perhaps more than the Nigerian Civil War, this is a potent threat to national security and stability.

How many times has Ogbeh spoken in favour of cassava or yam farmers in the country? Why does he not talk about rice, yam or cassava colony? Or put even more brusquely, why does he not talk about Pig colony? Or does he not know some people breed pig and depend on it for their livelihood, just like the Fulani herdsmen depend on their cattle?

But apart from the threat to the food security of the country, have we not seen cows at Port Harcourt airport runway? Have we not seen cows in University of Abuja campus? Have we not seen cows in Abia Government House? Have we not seen cows on the streets of Abuja and Lagos? Just what is all these nonsense?

Is it only in Nigeria that we have cattle breeders?

Why did Ogbeh not pursue the idea of cattle ranching as is done in many civilised countries? Why are we like this?

Gentleman, Niyi Adebayo is 60

I

t was sometime in 1997, Idowu Ajanaku, now an aide of Gov Akinwunmi Ambode and I, had booked an interview with then-dashing young man who was stepping out of his paternal luxury into the notorious murky waters of politics. We were both of The Guardian Newspapers at the time.

The young Richard Adeniyi Adebayo had aligned, then with the defunct United Nigerian Congress Party (UNCP), being coordinated by Dr Bode Olajumoke, at the time. Mr Niyi Adebayo wanted to be governor of his home state, Ekiti.

But he was a typical Lagos Boy, who looked too burnished for the rough tackles of politics. But that afternoon, after the interview, he not only impressed us, he convinced us that he understood what he was going into.

I recall that the headline of our interview was, “I will Never Steal a Kobo from Ekiti Government Coffers�.

Two years later, under a new political dispensation, (after the collapse of the political machination of the five leprous fingers of the late Gen Sani Abacha),

Niyi Adebayo was elected as the first executive governor of Ekiti State. He was the third-youngest governor at the time. Saminu Turaki (Jigawa) and Donald Duke (Cross River) were the first and second youngest respectively.

At the time, Ekiti and Kogi States were almost always at the lowest rung of the FAAC allocation table. Very little was their federal allocation. But Niyi Adebayo, a lawyer, was determined to grow the pristine state from its rustic status. And because he wanted to carry his party men along, he was almost always at his wit’s end trying to get everybody on board. I recall how he would fractionalize the contract of a single drainage among several party men, each taking some meters or so.

Even then, he embarked on some great projects like rebuilding the then Owena Hotels, building what Rueben Abati, then called Bulletproof Legislators’ Quarters, along with several road projects.

While Adebayo governed Ekiti State, the incidents of crime and violence were rarely heard.

The state was remarkably peaceful, until the political Buccaneers took over and we started hearing of

assassinations and all sorts of violence and social disquiet.

And while he was yet planning to consolidate and raise the bar of governance in the state, the old fox called President Olusegun Obasanjo tricked them out of office. And the rest, they say, is history.

But ever since he left office in 2003, Niyi Adebayo has remained one of the very few former governors (in the class of 1999) that has held his head verily high, and has continued to earn public respect, as he kept to his vow of not stealing a kobo from the Ekiti purse. He has one of the cleanest records of public service in Nigeria. It was not so much because there wasn’t quite enough to steal, because many of his successors have been enmeshed in the deep dye of corruption allegations, but because he is a perfect gentleman that went, saw and conquered the allure and fad to be roguish. Humble, amiable and unassuming, Otunba Adebayo, a consummate politician and loyal chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to operate like a silent colossus both in the business and political terrains. Sitting cool on the board of many companies, he has managed

Niyi Adebayo to sustain his political career by keeping in touch with his allies and friends, one of whom I am.

Few years ago, when I turned 50, I had invited Otunba and his elegant stallion of a wife, Erelu Angela Adebayo to the thanksgiving service in my church.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 27, 2018

25

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES

Bad Copy from NCC

EBERE WABARA

W

ELCOME to this edition: “Senate gives IGP 2 weeks (weeks’) ultimatum” “Jacob, however, prayed for a short adjournment of about a week to enable the agency round up (off) its case.”

“A witness that ought to attend court fails to attend court and summons (a summons) has been issued and served on the same witness.”

“Nexus between climate change and herdsmen (herdsmen’s) crisis” “NCC sensitises (latest trend: sensitizes) stakeholders on (to) broadband, data pricing” This bad copy must have come from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)! Unfortunately, Tech & Gadgets of Daily Sun, January 17, could not detect it.

“Graft: Obiano reads riot act (the riot act) to Anambra officials” “CHAN 2018: “Eagles‘ll deliver, Yusuf assures” Who did he assure?

“This is a true attestation of (to) the confidence the people have in you.”

“The failure of our successive governments to institute and implement far reaching (far-reaching) policies to address the problem have (has) encouraged dumping of even sometimes unwholesome goods in our markets….”

“Jubilations (Jubilation) as 400 renounce militancy, surrender weapons in Ondo” (South West Magazine, January 18) It is not everything that is in the dictionary that is correct at all times because of language dynamism. It is for this reason that the dictionary and other reference books are continually revised. So, don’t go about dogmatically chest-thumping that you have an infallible authority when

BY

reacting to etymological issues published in this column. You need to do a lot of research-based rationalization informed by voracious reading if you crave purity in communication. That is the only way to go for sticklers.

“They, in turn, could be able to carry out their legitimate duties to their customers.”

Either: could or would be able. ‘Could be able’ is offensive.

“Some people who have axe (an axe) to grind against (with) NIJ and its management.”

“That is one thing that is not so easy to come by at the Ogba campus of the NIJ” Get it right: on the Ogba campus.

“The effort of such illustrious alumni are needed to lift it up from the present morass.” Why the subject-verb discord?

Effort is (not are) needed.

“To those close to the corridor (corridors) of power.…”

“Let him breath the air of freedom.”

(Vanguard, January 2) Noun: breath; verb: breathe.

“With a stroke of fate, Muhammadu Buhari had been thrust on (in) the leadership saddle of the nation.”

“Rather, we prefer to import the latest from foreign countries, without trying to see whether we can produce better varieties”. Delete ‘from foreign countries’.

“Though successful (successive) governments had at different times urged Nigerians to….” “…the armed robbers have already gone with their loots”. ‘Loot’ is non-count.

“Nigerians need other people friendly (sic) foundations to join the bandwagon”.

Either climb or jump on/aboard the bandwagon.

“Regard the face of our Head of State at formal and informal occasions.” (THE GUARDIAN, January 2) To laugh is

human: on (not at) all occasions.

“That shoot-at-sight order in Libya” Get it right: shoot-on-sight order. “…a constitution designed to ensure peace and stability is this nation’s only antidote against (to) national disintegration.”

“When our prisons are bursting at their seems (seams) with political detainees.…”

“The aversion of Nigerians for (to) military rule is clear and unmistakable.” “…alleging intimidation and harassments which made fair conduct of elections unattainable.“ ‘Harassment’ is non-count.

“But I believe in a Nigeria in which what is good for the goose is good for the gander” (Thisday, January 2) What is sauce for the goose.… ”…Nigeria which should be flying with the eagles is roaming about with the chicken” (Source: as above) Always at the brink: delete ‘about’.

“While those with matured (mature) minds were able to control their emotions.…”

“Musicians pay last respect to departed….” Fixed: last respects “The armed bandits struck at HawanKibo, about 60 kilometres from Jos.” Are there un-armed bandits?

“Members of ANCLA are now working on plans to see that this menace is reduced or wiped out completely.” Yank off ‘completely’ to foreclose lexical insanity.

“The development is sad, pathetic and constitutes a terrible setback on the objective of the party reform.” Get it right: a setback to (not on) the objective.

“Hopefully, we will end up with a human specie (species) that is half-man and half-dog.”

“We must congratulate him for (on/ upon) these, but....”

“Former President of South Africa

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

Nelson Mandela expressed confident (confidence) that the Nigerian leader will enthrone an enduring democracy in the country.”

“At the end of the day, their children still have to interact with the offsprings of the marginalized masses.” ‘Offspring’ is uncountable.

“And Nigerians, as well as the international community, have evidently warmed to this new hopeful visage.” Get it right: wormed.

“As we observed last week Tuesday in regard to.…” Either: last Tuesday or Tuesday, last week “Do we have any right to demand for grain supplements from these countries?”

(THE GUARDIAN ON SATURDAY, January 6) Readers have the right to demand (not demand for) formal use of the English language by Nigerian newspapers. “…the oba suffered the indignity in London of having some of his luggages (luggage) identified….”

“Atimes (At times) the person falls asleep easily.…”

“Right from the time she served on the guild’s standing committees, she put in her very best.” The face of grammar: ‘best’ cannot be amplified (very best!) because of its superlative form which abhors inflection.

“Firm plans MKO pavillion at poly” Spell-check: pavilion.

“Hence the reluctance of some private sector employers to participate in the new welfare scheme is borne out of the precedence being set by the public sector.” Get it right: precedent. “Are you hearing me?”

This is wrong. ‘Hearing’ cannot function as a verb because of its structural characterization. The correct expression goes thus: ‘Can you hear me?’

Obasanjo: Opportunism and a Divorce Foretold

C

hief Olusegun Obasanjo’s unsparing diatribe against President Muhammadu Buhari has been celebrated as a classic elixir for a nation cascading a steep descent into definite doom.

Well, anything to lighten the pall of gloom stalking the land would have been equally welcome by weary citizens cringing from imposed hardship. Obasanjo literarily set the polity on fire with the release of his well-crafted missive to Aso Rock last Tuesday.

The flame is still blazing and will certainly leave behind scars that will be difficult to erase. But while the reviews, recriminations and rejoinders to the scathing rebuke of a sitting president by a predecessor in office continue, a salient point that should not be lost on all is that Obasanjo simply did the predictable, populist as it is. And my take is that he did that not totally out of altruism but as part of a grand plot to stake a claim in the post-2019 destiny of Nigeria. I will explain this conclusion shortly but first let me drive home the point about predictability: that the former president would pull off such fractious falling-out with the incumbent was predicted in this column on November 26, 2016 when I wrote under the title, ‘Obasanjo: Is the honeymoon over for Buhari?’

That piece, prophetic as it now seems, chronicled the roles played by Obasanjo in the emergence of Buhari as president in 2015; the several tete-a-tete between them in the Presidential Villa; and how things had started to go awry in the romance between both ex-military rulers. I will take the liberty to quote portions of that piece for easy understanding of my eventual submission today.

Following widespread media reports of how Buhari received a reprimand from his political benefactor, I had written: “Last Wednesday’s tirade follows a pattern of Obasanjo’s wars of attrition waged with friends-turned-foes in the past. Such subtle nudges and knocks get to escalate into open rebukes and then ascend a crescendo of letter-writing. In the moderated outburst, Obasanjo told his arch rivalturned-chummy buddy to stop the blame game and fix the country that is fast collapsing under his watch.” In clarifying the background of the rebuke, I had stated: “To be honest, Obasanjo did not quite say anything new nor did his intervention make the anguish in the land more painful. The ex-president merely re-echoed what has since become a tale of lamentation across the land. Hear him: “Businesses are closing, jobs are being lost and people are suffering. I know that President Buhari has always expressed concern for the plight of the common people but that concern must be translated to work-

PEOPLE2PEOPLE WITH

OKE EPIA Telephone (sms only): 07059850016 Email: resourceman.oke@live.com.

Twitter: @resourceme

Obasanjo

able and result-oriented socio-economic policies and programmes that will turn the economy round at the shortest time possible.” He then warned that “if we do not fix the economy to relieve the pain and anguish of many Nigerians, the gains of fighting the insurgency and corruption will pale into insignificance.” I had stressed that those harsh words were “enough tell-tale signs that things have begun to fall apart between Obasanjo and Buhari. And the centre may not hold for much longer.”

Fast forward to Tuesday this week: The ‘special press statement’ released by Obasanjo fulfills the falling apart predicted in that piece. As he is wont to do, the former president presented the acoustic

epistle as ‘a clarion call’ to rally what is left of a nation’s diminished hope hitherto seized in a sustained spasm of governance failure. But here lies the paradox of Obasanjo’s quirk intervention: he is amply to blame in the current mess the country finds itself. I dare say that Obasanjo’s contemplative resort to messianic meddling in the extant Buhari misadventure oozes a self-seeking and inherently opportunistic smell. Was it not Obasanjo, who being fully aware of who Buhari is, sold his candidacy to Nigerians as the best thing since slice bread?

Was it not same Obasanjo who upped the ante of the APC propaganda machine by dramatizing his exit from the PDP in such gratuitous theatrics of childish card-shredding? He can crucify Buhari as much as he wants and that is just fine. He can enjoy the populist flavor that comes with such as well.

But the Ota farmer should desist from assuming the role of a canvasser or convener or mobilizer of another nebulous coalition that would tomorrow become strangulation on the necks of Nigerians.

The redeeming feature for him- and which is why the message cannot in this circumstance be dismissed because of the apparent unfitness of the messenger- is that he has come out to bell the cat at a time rudderless hawks are running riot in the kingdom while the lion king kowtows in profound incompetence compounded by a disturbing aloofness. A man who musters the courage to speak truth to power at the risk of great personal sacrifice is an asset to society no matter his foibles and failings.

But that should be where it ends. Obasanjo is on a familiar route- he seeks like he always does, to direct the minds of citizens on their choice of leaders. Obasanjo wants to remain the kingmaker, the ultimate decider of our collective fate. This is where many, especially the younger generation vehemently disagree with him. It is fine that the ex-president has fully joined the wailers’ wing of disenchanted and disillusioned citizens; he should back off on his crusading charade and allow Nigerians to decide freely in 2019. Any mass movement or so-called third force anchored on or promoted by Obasanjo fails the first test of genuine populism. Nigeria needs urgent liberation no doubt but folks will no longer dance to hollow redemption songs sounding from gongs of eternal godfathers masquerading as liberators. Enough is enough.

CORRENGENDUM: In the last edition of this column, I credited the ‘fantastically corrupt’ comment to Tony Blair instead of David Cameron, both of whom are former Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom. Error is regretted.

––Epia, Publisher of OrderPaper NG, tweets @ resourceme.

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚͜

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

Defensive Driving Cornering

Jaguar E-PACE latest new product to feature the powertrain

Jaguar Land Rover Ingenium Petrol Engine Named Top 10 Globally Stories by Bennett Oghifo

J

aguar Land Rover’s 184kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine has been recognised as one of the 10 Best Engines for 2018 by WardsAuto.

For 2018, a total of 32 new or significantly improved powertrains from a number of automotive manufacturers were tested by WardsAuto’s editors in real-life, on-road driving conditions. This year’s 10 Best Engines were selected based on a range of testing criteria including, but not limited to, maximum power output, fuel economy, noise characteristics and new technology.

The all-aluminium Ingenium 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine delivers performance, efficiency and refinement without compromise. Jaguar’s first compact SUV, the E-PACE, is the latest model to feature the 184kW Ingenium powertrain; accelerating from 0-100km/h in as little as 6.6 seconds and

delivering fuel economy of up to 7.7 litres per kilometer. Nick Rogers, Executive Director of Product Engineering, said: “To be recognised

by WardsAuto for creating one of the best engines for 2018 is a real honour. Our family of low-emission, four-cylinder petrol and diesel Ingenium engines are some of the cleanest in the world, supporting our commitment to reduce vehicle emissions and improve fuel economy.

Engineered to give the best driving performance in all conditions, Ingenium engines feature advanced, fully variable valve train technology, combined with a low-friction turbocharger, for enhanced responsiveness and maximum fuel efficiency.�

Ingenium engine technology was first introduced in 2015 with the 2.0-litre fourcylinder diesel engine. This was followed by the advanced petrol engines entering production in April 2017.

Available across most of the Jaguar Land Rover line-up, the 2.0-litre turbocharged fourcylinder Ingenium petrol engine is available in 184kW and 221kW versions. In addition to the

E-PACE, the engines have been well received in vehicles from the Jaguar XE to the Jaguar F-TYPE and from the Land Rover Discovery Sport to the latest Range Rover and Range Rover Sport Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles.

At the heart of the company’s low-emissions strategy, the Ingenium family of engines are in production at Jaguar Land Rover’s £1-billion Engine Manufacturing Centre, Wolverhampton.

Since July 2017, the Ingenium 2.0-litre, fourcylinder petrol engine has also been manufactured in the company’s Chinese engine plant for Chery Jaguar Land Rover vehicles sold in China. Designed, engineered and manufactured by Jaguar Land Rover, the engines use a low-friction all-aluminium-intensive design which provides excellent thermal properties and lightweight construction, improving efficiency and enhancing vehicle dynamics over traditional steel designs.

From 2020 every new Jaguar Land Rover vehicle will have the option of electrification and we continue to invest heavily in ultra-clean petrol and diesel engines.

Total Partners Kia to Reward Customers with a Brand New Rio

T

otal Nigeria Plc commenced a lubricants promotion tagged ‘Text and Win’ promo to reward loyal customers who buy TOTALlubricants from any TOTALService Stations and authorized distributors in Nigeria. Customers stand a chance to win millions worth of airtime, smartphones, tablets, TOTAL Solar Lamps and the grand prize of a Kia Rio. This promo is open to all users of TOTAL lubricants from owners of household generator sets, car owners, amongst others. The ‘Text and Win’ promo guarantees the buyers of all 4 liter cans of TOTAL lubricants the best performance needed and equally present them with an exciting opportunity to win a brand new KIA Rio. The KIA Rio is an extremely well-built car with innovative engineering, fun to drive, and its interior is suitably comforting. Emanating flair from every angle, the Rio’s low, wide stance and short overhangs give it a strong, youthful identity all of its own. The KIA Rio comes with high efficiency and performance, low emissions and reduced fuel consumption, not to mention advanced safety features for a guaranteed hitchfree driving experience.

Speaking on the promotion, the Managing Director, Total Nigeria Plc, Mr Jean-Philippe Torres, stressed the need for customers to take advantage of the promo to buy authentic TOTAL lubricants, made from global best standards, to energize the performance of their engines from authorized distributors or the nearest TOTAL Service Station and get rewarded. He further stated that the ‘Text and Win’ promo “is one of

Kia Rio on display at Total Oil ďŹ lling station, Lekki, Lagos State the many promotions scheduled for TOTAL Lubricants to reward customers with exciting prizes and particularly a dream car, the all-new KIA Rio while they enjoy the premium quality of the lubricants thereby making it a win-win situation for all.â€?

Significantly, one of the major drivers for the

promo is the excitement of owning a best-in-class compact car, all-new KIA Rio. “With the commitment to partner organizations for the sole aim of rewarding customers, our partnership with Total Nigeria Plc in the promo flows from KIA brand’s pedigree to offer pleasant surprises to customers at every touch point.

Cornering means driving a vehicle round a corner, curve or bend. When approaching a bend the first assessment you need to make is how sharp the bend is. If you get this wrong you may find yourself skidding and losing control of your car. The four key principles of safe cornering are: - Your vehicle should be in the right position on the approach - You should be travelling at the right speed for the corner or bend - You should have the right gear for that speed - You should be able to stop on your own side of the road in the distance you can see to be clear The safe driving tips and good driving practices for dealing with bends or corners are: - As you drive towards a bend apply the MSPSL routine.

- Reduce your speed in good time and select a lower gear if needed, as this will give you more control. It can be dangerous to change gear whilst cornering as it means removing your hand from the steering wheel.

- As you enter the bend turn the steering wheel smoothly and progressively - You should not be braking as you steer round the bend.

- For the best grip, the engine should be ‘under acceleration’. This doesn’t mean you should increase your speed in the bend, but means the engine should be pulling the car.

When taking a right-hand bend or corner, position your vehicle towards the centre line so that you get an early view of the bend. Do not get too close to the right, as this is likely to restrict your view of the road ahead and give you little time to deal with hazards in the bend. The other thing to consider is reducing the tightness of the curve through which you drive. As you enter the bend turn the steering wheel smoothly and progressively.

When taking a left-hand bend or corner, position your vehicle towards the right of your road space, as this will increase your zone of vision into the bend; keep you out of the path of approaching traffic; and give you more time to deal with any other hazard in the bend.

As you leave a bend, check your mirrors and gently accelerate to a speed that is appropriate for the road and traffic conditions.

Avaluable aid to observation a bend or corner is the limit point, as it gives you a systematic way of judging the correct speed through a bend or corner. The limit point is the furthest point along a road to which you have an uninterrupted view of the road surface. On a level stretch of road this will be where the left-hand side of the road appears to intersect with the right-hand side of the road. This point of intersection is known as the limit point. To drive safely you must be able to stop on your own side of the road within the distance you can see to be clear – that is, the distance between you and the limit point.

The technique of limit point analysis is to match your speed to the speed at which the limit point appears to move. If it is getting closer you should continue to reduce your speed until the limit point begins to move with you and your view opens up again, you can the accelerate.

Taking a bend becomes even trickier when the road surface is wet. In the wet your tyres will have less grip with the road. Take a bend too quickly, whether in the wet or not, and you are likely to lose grip and skid out of control.

Stephen K. Dieseruvwe

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 ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚͜

27

Volkswagen Group Deliveries Reach All-time High

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New generation S-Class

New Generation S-Class, Driven

by Intelligence Now in Nigeria Stories by Bennett Oghifo

T

he Authorised General Distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria - Weststar Associates Limited has again confirmed the arrival of the much anticipated S-class facelift in Nigeria. With the first batch now available at Authorized Mercedes-Benz showrooms in Nigeria, buyers can now order the latestModeloftheS-classwhichfeaturesnewengines with a range of new technologies - says Mr. Mirko Plath Managing Director /CEO of the company.

He said “The top-of-the-range Mercedes-Benz

sedan takes another big step towards the future of autonomous driving and elevates Intelligent Drive to the next level as the advanced design of the S-Class conveys even more status and highest technological competence�. Adding that though several new engines are offered for the new S-Class, the two new engines available for the Nigerian Market are petrol (S 450) variants of six-cylinder in-line engines and a new V8 biturbo petrol engine (S 560)�.

The enhanced design of the S-Class conveys an even greater sense of status and the highest level of technological expertise. An example of this is the MULTIBEAM LED headlamp, whose ULTRA RANGE high beam generates the legally permitted

maximum luminous intensity and only falls below the reference value in more than 650 meters. In the interior, the ambient lighting impresses in 64 colors and different color worlds. The energizing comfort control system links various comfort systems in the vehicle such as thermotronic, massage or scenting functions,toincreasethewell-beingandperformance during the journey. This makes the S-Class a wellness temple on wheels.

The interior of the new S-Class is characterised by the two new high-resolution displays, each with a screen diagonal of 12.3 inches. Visually, the two displays under one shared glass cover blend into a wide-screen cockpit.

he Volkswagen Group delivered more vehicles than ever before in fiscal year 2017: 10.74 million customers worldwide chose a vehicle from the Volkswagen Group.As a result, Group deliveries rose 4.3 percent comparedwiththepreviousyear.Atalmost one million units, deliveries in December were up by a clear 8.5 percent. Matthias MĂźller, CEO of the Volkswagen Group, said: “The all-time record for deliveries is above all attributable to a strong team performance by all Group brands and employees.

We are grateful to our customers for the trust these figures reflect. We will continue to do everything we can in 2018 to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers all over the world.�

The Group handed over 4.3 million vehicles to customersinEuropeinthefullyear2017,representing growth of 3.3 percent. 338,700 new vehicles were deliveredinDecember(+3.1percent),ofwhich97,500 (+5.0 percent) were handed over to customers in the home market of Germany. Recovery in the Russian market had a positive impact on the performance in Central and Eastern Europe, and led to growth of 13.2 percent for the full year 2017. 21,000 vehicles (+25.8 percent) were delivered to customers in Russia in December.

GroupdeliveriesintheNorthAmericaregionroseby 4.0 percent to 976,400 units in 2017, of which 625,100 vehicles(+5.8percent)werehandedovertocustomers in the U.S. market. In line with the overall trend on the passenger car market in the U.S., Volkswagen Group deliveries in December were down 2.7 percent to 91,500 units. In Brazil, 24,700 customers (+2.4 percent) took delivery of a new Group vehicle. Driven by the recovery in the Brazilian market, deliveries by the Volkswagen Group in the SouthAmerica region for the full year 2017 were 23.7 percent higher than 2016.

Group deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region in 2017 rose by 4.3 percent compared with the previous year to 4.5 million, of which 4.2 million new vehicles (+5.1 percent)weredeliveredtocustomersinChinaduring the twelve-month period. There was a strong boost in deliveries in the largest single market at the end of the year: 460,100 new vehicles were handed over to customers in China in December – an increase of 17.8 percent.

Lexus LS PushesThe Boundaries of Interior Craftsmanship

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exus has harnessed the elaborate craftsmanship of Japanese artisans and pushed the boundaries of industrial technology to incorporate stunning moulded glass panels inside the new flagship LS sedan.

In a world first for a production vehicle, the new Lexus LS uses these exquisitely detailed works of art to create distinctive and beautiful ornamentation on the doors.

Inspired by fine Japanese kiriko glass, the panels strike a rich visual and tactile contrast with the stitched leather upholstery, cool metal door handles and hand-pleated silk surfacing. kiriko is a Japanese tradition of hand-cutting delicate patterns into glass, producing stunning reflections of light. It is often seen in vases, sake glasses and traditional ornaments. The introduction of glass panels in the new LS - which is due in Australia in April - is

L

a perfect example of how Lexus is using Japanese craftsmanship to create innovative elegance.

Beautiful and delicate, the glasswork is also remarkably strong, thanks to advanced heat-treating that makesittoughenoughforthechallengingenvironment of an automotive interior. The finished design gives the LS a distinctive, artistic quality that exemplifies the attention to detail for which Lexus is renowned.

LS chief designer Koichi Suga said the look and feel of the glass changes according to the angle of viewing and the time of day. “This special ornamentation represents the best of both worlds - it is an industrial product that is also a work of art,� he said.

In 2014, Lexus and Asahi Glass Company (AGC) began to explore how to use glass in vehicle interiors to enhance the distinctly progressive perspective on Lexus LS with distinctive and beautiful ornamentation on the doors luxury from Lexus.

ROAD SAFETY, JAGUAR AND MERCEDES

ast week, I told you that tyres age even when not used, or if only used occasionally. As I conclude the material culled from Michelin,rmemeber that there are many factors that will affect the life of the tyre such as temperature, maintenance, conditions of storage and use, load, speed, pressure as well as driving style. These will have a great impact on the length of service life you can expect from your tyres. Pay regular attention to your tyres-For these reasons, Michelin recommends that all drivers pay regular attention to the external appearance of their tyres for clear signs of aging or fatigue. This can include cracking of the rubber or deformation, etc. Excessive aging of tyres may lead to loss of grip. Michelin also recommends all tyres, including the spare, are inspected regularly by a tyre specialist. They can tell you whether your tyres should continue in service.

How old is too old? The five year test.After five years or more in service, your tyres should be thoroughly inspected at least once per year. If the need arises, follow the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer regarding replacing the original equipment tyres. As a precaution, if the tyres have not been replaced 10 years from their date of manufacture (see how to read a tyre sidewall), Michelin recommends replacing them with new tyres. Even if they appear to be in usable condition and have not worn down to the tread wear indicator.

IF YOUR TYRE IS DAMAGED: Your tyre can be seriously damaged if it impacts any solid object on the road, like a kerb, pothole, or sharp object.

Any visible perforation, cut or deformation must

SAFE DRIVING with

JONAS AGWU

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

be checked thoroughly by a tyre professional. Only they can tell you whether the tyre can be repaired or has to be changed. Never use damaged tyres or tyres that have run flat or at very low pressures unless they have been thoroughly examined internally and externally by a tyre professional. Inspection by a professional is absolutely necessary because internal damage is not visible while the tyre is mounted; only then can a decision be made as to whether the tyre can be out back into service.

Leave it to the experts A tyre specialist will tell you if your tyre can be repaired after damage has occurred.

IF YOU IDENTIFY ABNORMAL WEAR: Abnormal uneven tyre wear – in patches, in the centre, at the edges – may indicate a mechanical problem like improper wheel alignment, or a problem with wheel balance, suspension or transmission. It could also be that you’re driving with the wrong tyre pressure. If you notice abnormal wear, contact your tyre specialist. To prevent uneven wear, have your wheels aligned and balanced by a tyre specialist. This will also extend tread life and give you a smoother

ride. Another way to keep your tyre wear even is to regularly rotate your wheel positions.

Common causes of abnormal tyre wear: Wear on one shoulder: suspension misalignment. Wear on both shoulders: under-inflated tyre. Wear along the tyre’s centre: over inflation.

IF THEY’RE NOT SUITED TO YOUR VEHICLE: For best all-around performance, the same type of tyre should be used in all four wheel positions.

Tyres of different sizes, constructions, and stages of wear may affect vehicle handling and stability.

In addition, there may be specific recommendations by vehicle or tyre manufacturers which may apply to your vehicle. These should be followed, please check your vehicle handbook for details. Never mix radial and non-radial tyres Do not mix radial and non-radial (i.e. cross-ply or bias-belted) tyres on a vehicle. If mixing tyres is unavoidable, never mix radial and non-radial tyres on the same axle. If two radial and two non-radial tyres are installed on a vehicle, the two radials must be installed on the rear axle and the two non-radials on the front axle. There are many ways to find the proper tyres for your vehicle. If you’re not sure what tyres are best suited to your vehicle, use our tyre selector.

What does the law say?

REGULATION 25: This Regulation is concerned with the tyre’s load index and speed ratings. It specifically deals with items such as the tyres fitted to Goods Vehicles, Buses and Trailers and for which a Ministry Plating Certificate must have been issued, and a Ministry Plate attached to the vehicle.Amongst other vehicle information the Plate, which must be securely attached to the vehicle in a conspicuous location, gives the maximum axle and gross vehicle

operating weights.

The Regulation requires that the tyres fitted to the vehicle are not only capable of supporting the maximum permitted load on each axle but of doing so at the vehicle’s maximum legal speed. In defining ‘load-capacity index’ and ‘speed category’ the Regulation makes reference to UN ECE Regulations 30 and 54 and to the European Union Directive 92/23/EEC. REGULATION 26: Deals with the mixing of tyres of differing structures. The regulation defines three types of tyre structure, diagonal ply (Crossply), bias-belted and radial. No vehicle shall be fitted with tyres of differing structure on the same axle. For cars and vans (even with twinned rear axle), the following are the LEGAL tyre combinations. Mixing of a temporary spare tyre on a car is allowed, provided it is not driven at a speed exceeding 50mph:( Cross ply, (Crossply), Diagonal ply, (Crossply); Bias belted, bias belted, Radial, Radial; Diagonal ply, (Crossply),bias belted, bias belted, Radial, Diagonal ply, (Crossply),Radial. Regulation 27 : Deals with the condition and maintenance of tyres. It specifies when a tyre should not be used on the road due to for example: it not being suitable for the use to which the vehicle is being put, or issues relating to its condition or maintenance, such as inappropriate tyre pressures, cuts, bulges or tyre damage. It also allows the use of run flat tyres when in a deflated state provided the tyre and wheel are so constructed to be fit for the use to which the vehicle is being put.

This Regulation also specifies that the grooves of the tread pattern of every tyre fitted to cars and light vans shall be of a depth of at least 1.6mm throughout a continuous band comprising the central three quarters of the breadth of tread round the entire circumference of the tyre.

In accordance with these rules, look under the heading ‘Tyre selector’ for the alternatives offered

by MICHELIN for each vehicle model.

28

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͿ˜ ͺ͸͹΀

FAMILY HEALTH with

Struggling with Diabetes

D

BOBO BODE -KAYODE

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, ͸΀͸ͽͻͻͿͺͻͽ;

iabetes is a very debilitating disease. It sneaks on very quietly into your body and takes over your whole system.

The way this disease comes in a very unsuspecting manner, makes it deadly as most people do not know the gravity of this disease until it has taken root very deeply in a deadly manner.

The main cause usually is careless life style and genetic inheritance , when not monitored closely to make sure that it is not transferred.

Normally, a deliberate life style and diet change is a very good way to reverse the disease.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.

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1SF EJBCFUFT DBO QSPHSFTT UP UZQF EJBCFUFT JG ZPV don’t take preventative steps, such as making lifestyle changes. These include eating healthily, losing weight if you’re overweight, and taking plenty of regular exercise.

Women who have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy also have a greater risk of developing diabetes in later life.

There are two main types of diabetes r UZQF EJBCFUFT m XIFSF UIF CPEZ T JNNVOF TZTUFN attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin r UZQF EJBCFUFT m XIFSF UIF CPEZ EPFTO U QSPEVDF enough insulin, or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin 5ZQF EJBCFUFT JT GBS NPSF DPNNPO UIBO UZQF *O UIF 6, BSPVOE PG BMM BEVMUT XJUI EJBCFUFT IBWF UZQF During pregnancy, some women have such high levels of blood glucose that their body is unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is known as gestational diabetes.

BMI and diabetes risk 'PS NPTU QFPQMF JO UIF 6, JG ZPVS #.* JT PS BCPWF you are in the overweight range, while a BMI of 30 or above puts you in the obese range.

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Pre-diabetes Many more people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes. This is sometimes known as pre-diabetes.

If your blood sugar level is above the normal range, your risk of developing full-blown diabetes is increased.

It’s very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get progressively worse if left untreated.

Symptoms r GFFMJOH WFSZ UIJSTUZ r VSJOBUJOH NPSF GSFRVFOUMZ UIBO VTVBM QBSUJDVMBSMZ at night r GFFMJOH WFSZ UJSFE r XFJHIU MPTT BOE MPTT PG NVTDMF CVML r JUDIJOH BSPVOE UIF QFOJT PS WBHJOB PS GSFRVFOU episodes of thrush r DVUT PS XPVOET UIBU IFBM TMPXMZ r CMVSSFE WJTJPO 5ZQF EJBCFUFT DBO EFWFMPQ RVJDLMZ PWFS XFFLT PS even days. .BOZ QFPQMF IBWF UZQF EJBCFUFT GPS ZFBST XJUIPVU realizing because the early symptoms tend to be general.

Why does diabetes create these symptoms?

These symptoms occur because some or all of the glucose stays in the blood, and isn’t being used as fuel for energy. The body tries to reduce blood glucose levels by flushing the excess glucose out of the body in the urine. High levels of glucose being passed in the urine are a perfect breeding ground for the fungal infection which causes thrush.

Dangers of ignoring the signs *U T IBSE UP JHOPSF UIF TJHOT PG 5ZQF EJBCFUFT CFDBVTF symptoms can often appear quite quickly. But leaving it untreated can lead to serious health problems, including diabetic ketoacidosis, which can result in a potentially fatal coma.

"MUIPVHI UIF NBKPSJUZ PG QFPQMF XJUI 5ZQF EJBCFUFT are diagnosed in childhood and early adulthood, the TZNQUPNT BSF UIF TBNF BU BOZ BHF "EVMUT XJUI 5ZQF diabetes may not recognise their symptoms as quickly as children, which could mean their diagnosis and treatment may be delayed.

5ZQF EJBCFUFT DBO CF FBTJFS UP NJTT BT JU EFWFMPQT more slowly, especially in the early stages when it can be harder to spot the symptoms. But untreated diabetes affects many major organs, including your heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Being diagnosed early and controlling your blood sugar levels can help prevent these complications.

Possible causes of diabetes The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach) When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it’s broken down to produce energy.

However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there’s either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced doesn’t work properly.

Although there are no lifestyle changes you can make UP MPXFS ZPVS SJTL PG UZQF EJBCFUFT UZQF EJBCFUFT JT often linked to being overweight..

5ZQF EJBCFUFT JT PGUFO MJOLFE UP CFJOH PWFSXFJHIU That means there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing it.

"SPVOE PG QFPQMF XJUI EJBCFUFT IBWF UZQF diabetes. If you maintain a healthy weight, you can reduce your risk of developing the condition.

There are no lifestyle changes that can lower your SJTL PG UZQF EJBCFUFT 5ZQF EJBCFUFT PDDVST XIFO UIF QBODSFBT EPFTO U

Diabetes and your weight If you are overweight or obese, you’re at an increased SJTL PG UZQF EJBCFUFT You can find out if you’re a healthy weight by calculating your BMI using our healthy weight calculator.

When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it’s broken down to produce energy.

However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy.

This is because there’s either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced doesn’t work properly.

Although there are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight..

Type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight. That means there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing it.

produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level, or the body is unable to use the insulin that is produced (insulin resistance).

The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach that produces the hormone insulin. Insulin moves glucose from your blood into your cells, where it’s converted into energy. *O UZQF EJBCFUFT UIFSF BSF TFWFSBM SFBTPOT XIZ UIF pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.

5ISFF PG UIF NBJO SJTL GBDUPST GPS EFWFMPQJOH UZQF diabetes are BHF m CFJOH PWFS UIF BHF PG PWFS GPS QFPQMF of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean or black African origin.

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Maintaining a healthy weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly are ways of preventing and managing diabetes.

8IJUF QFPQMF PWFS UIF BHF PG IBWF BO JODSFBTFE risk of developing the condition. People of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean and black African origin IBWF BO JODSFBTFE SJTL PG EFWFMPQJOH UZQF EJBCFUFT BU a much earlier age.

However, despite increasing age being a risk factor for UZQF EJBCFUFT PWFS SFDFOU ZFBST ZPVOHFS QFPQMF GSPN all ethnic groups have been developing the condition. *U T BMTP CFDPNJOH NPSF DPNNPO GPS DIJMESFO m BT ZPVOH BT TFWFO JO TPNF DBTFT m UP EFWFMPQ UZQF EJBCFUFT r (FOFUJDT (FOFUJDT JT POF PG UIF NBJO SJTL GBDUPST GPS UZQF EJBCFUFT Your risk of developing the condition is increased if you have a close relative such as a parent, brother or sister who has the condition.

The closer the relative, the greater the risk. A child XIP IBT B QBSFOU XJUI UZQF EJBCFUFT IBT BCPVU B POF in three chance of also developing the condition. r #FJOH PWFSXFJHIU PS PCFTF :PV SF NPSF MJLFMZ UP EFWFMPQ UZQF EJBCFUFT JG ZPV SF overweight or obese PS BCPWF QVUT ZPV JO UIF PWFSXFJHIU SBOHF 30 or above puts you in the obese range Fat around your tummy (abdomen) particularly increases your risk. This is because it releases chemicals that can upset the body’s cardiovascular and metabolic systems.

This increases your risk of developing a number of serious conditions, including: r DPSPOBSZ IFBSU EJTFBTF r TUSPLF r TPNF UZQFT PG DBODFS Measuring your waist is a quick way of assessing your diabetes risk. This is a measure of abdominal obesity, which is a particularly high-risk form of obesity.

4PNF HSPVQT IBWF B IJHIFS SJTL PG EFWFMPQJOH UZQF diabetes, based on their waist measurements: XPNFO XJUI B XBJTU TJ[F PG DN JODIFT PS NPSF "TJBO NFO XJUI B XBJTU TJ[F PG DN JODIFT PS NPSF XIJUF PS CMBDL NFO XJUI B XBJTU TJ[F PG DN inches) or more Exercising regularly and reducing your body weight CZ BCPVU DPVME SFEVDF ZPVS SJTL PG HFUUJOH EJBCFUFT CZ NPSF UIBO Other risks :PVS SJTL PG EFWFMPQJOH UZQF EJBCFUFT JT BMTP JODSFBTFE if your blood glucose level is higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes.

This is sometimes called pre-diabetes, and doctors

Your waist and diabetes risk BMI isn’t the only important measurement when it comes to your diabetes risk. Your waistline may also indicate that you’re carrying extra body fat, and are therefore at risk.

All women have an increased risk of diabetes if their XBJTU NFBTVSFT NPSF UIBO DN JODIFT

White or black men have an increased risk if their XBJTU NFBTVSFT NPSF UIBO DN JODIFT

If you lose excess weight, you’ll lower your risk of UZQF EJBCFUFT The healthy way to lose weight A healthy diet and physical activity are the key to a healthy weight, but that doesn’t have to mean going on a strict diet and spending hours at the gym.

Causes of diabetes you can’t control A number of other risk factors can increase your risk PG EFWFMPQJOH UZQF EJBCFUFT NPTU PG XIJDI DBO U CF controlled.

These include CFJOH PWFS PS PWFS JG ZPV SF CMBDL IBWJOH B DMPTF GBNJMZ NFNCFS QBSFOU CSPUIFS PS TJTUFS XIP IBT UZQF EJBCFUFT 3. being south Asian or African-Caribbean; these ethnic HSPVQT BSF à WF UJNFT NPSF MJLFMZ UP HFU UZQF EJBCFUFT r IBWJOH QPMZDZTUJD PWBSZ TZOESPNF 1$04 FTQFDJBMMZ if you’re also overweight r IBWJOH IBE HFTUBUJPOBM EJBCFUFT EJBCFUFT UIBU MBTUT for the duration of a pregnancy) r IBWJOH JNQBJSFE GBTUJOH HMZDBFNJB PS JNQBJSFE glucose tolerance, sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes.

If you have any of these risk factors, you should maintain a healthy weight to ensure that your risk of diabetes doesn’t increase further.

Living with diabetes If you’re diagnosed with diabetes, you’ll need to eat healthily, take regular exercise and carry out regular blood tests to ensure your blood glucose levels stay balanced.

You can use the BMI healthy weight calculator to check whether you’re a healthy weight.

1FPQMF EJBHOPTFE XJUI UZQF EJBCFUFT BMTP SFRVJSF regular insulin injections for the rest of their life.

"T UZQF EJBCFUFT JT B QSPHSFTTJWF DPOEJUJPO NFEJDBUJPO may eventually be required, usually in the form of tablets. r %JBCFUJD FZF TDSFFOJOH &WFSZPOF XJUI EJBCFUFT BHFE PS PWFS TIPVME CF invited to have their eyes screened once a year.

If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it’s not treated.

Screening, which involves a half-hour check to examine the back of the eyes, is a way of detecting the condition early so it can be treated more effectively.

Possible diet r &BU QMFOUZ PG TUBSDIZ DBSCPIZESBUFT XJUI B MPX HMZDFNJD JOEFY MPX (*

r *ODSFBTF UIF BNPVOU PG Ã CSF JO ZPVS EJFU r &BU QMFOUZ PG GSVJU BOE WFHFUBCMFT BU MFBTU QPSUJPOT per day r $VU EPXO PO GBU BOE TBUVSBUFE GBU JO QBSUJDVMBS r $IPPTF GPPET XJUI VOTBUVSBUFE GBU JOTUFBE TVDI BT vegetable oils, reduced fat spreads, oily fish and avocados r $IPPTF MPX GBU EBJSZ QSPEVDUT r $IPPTF MFBO NFBU TVDI BT TLJOMFTT DIJDLFO r "WPJE GBUUZ PS QSPDFTTFE NFBU r &BU Ã TI BU MFBTU UXJDF B XFFL BOE FOTVSF ZPV IBWF oily fish at least once a week r &HHT BOE CFBOT BSF PUIFS HPPE TPVSDFT PG QSPUFJO r $PPL GPPE CZ HSJMMJOH CBLJOH QPBDIJOH PS TUFBNJOH instead of frying or roasting r "WPJE GBUUZ PS TVHBSZ TOBDLT TVDI BT DSJTQT DBLFT biscuits and pastries

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 16, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

27.01.2018

Simide Adeagbo

Eye on Winter Olympics Medal

FIRST GRAND SLAM BECKONS PAGE. 29

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Eye on Winter Olympics Medal Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ Öã×ÚÓĂ?Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž ÚÙÚĂ&#x;Ă–Ă‹Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă™ĂŒĂ Ă“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜ Ě‹ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ ĂŽĂ™Ă?Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ë› ÙåĂ?Ă Ă?ĂœËœ Ă‹ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂŽĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă‹Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ëœ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă›Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚΀ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ Öã×ÚÓĂ?Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă‹ Ă˜Ă?âÞ Ă—Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ’Ë› Ùå ĂŽĂ“ĂŽ Ă?Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ™ ÓÞˣ Kunle Adewale Ă‹Ă˜Ă?ĂĄĂ?ĂœĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă›Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜

L

Simide Adeagbo

ast year, she was just a race away from qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics and penultimate week she got her ticket to be a part of the event in Pyeongchang, South Korea, after completing her fifth qualifying race in Lake Placid, New York to become the first African skeleton athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics even when her country doesn’t have winter.

Her participation in the Winter Olympics means Nigeria will be represented in two games at the event – that’s including bobsled in which Nigerian team of three women will be making their own history.

While Adeagbo was making global history in New York, she also achieved a personal best and had the fastest push start of the day – finishing the race in third place. She really crushed it and there's definitely no stopping her now! “I lived in Nigeria until I was about six-years-old and then grew up between the U.S. and Canada. Now, I currently live in Johannesburg, South Africa, and have been there for the last four and a half years. Growing up, I've always been an athlete, loved sports, been passionate about sports. I played a lot of different sports, but I settled in track and field. That's where I really excelled. At the University of Kentucky, I did track and field and was named a four-time All-American— pursuing it after college as well. I just nearly missed making the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team in the event of triple jump back in 2008. After that, I kind of just moved on with life, moved to South Africa, and was kind of in a different space in life,� she said.

On how she got involved with skeleton, she said: “I got to know about the bobsled team around the end of 2016. I think it was actually the OkayAfrica article that I saw online and was really inspired by it. I thought what the ladies were doing was a really awesome thing in a winter sport, which has never been done before for Nigeria and also for the continent. I immediately wanted to be a part of it, so I reached out and kept in touch with them. “In August of this year, there was a tryout in Houston, Texas, so I made the long trip there for the weekend and tried out. I was invited back to a camp that was in September. I went to camp and got to know skeleton, which was not the original plan because I knew more about bobsled, and there's been a history of track and field athletes that make the transition from track and field to bobsled. That's where I got to know about skeleton and I thought that sport was also equally interesting to me because I could still use my talents to serve my country. I've been learning the sport ever since and now I'm just one race away.�

Asked how her family members and friends reacted to this transition into skeleton, she said they have been really supportive. “I have a great community of friends and family that support me, and are behind me 100 per cent, and are encouraging me and cheering me on. I think the initial reaction is first of all, ‘What the heck is skeleton?’ You know? A lot of people are not familiar with the sport. Some of them are a bit concerned because people think that it looks really scary. And

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JANUARY 27, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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

Why are Our Brands Fixated on “International” Coloration of Local Sports Events?

Simide Adeagbo

I think even when you become an expert, you're always going to be learning. If you get to a stage where you're not learning, then you should probably move on. For me, being new to the sport, the learning curve has been really steep, and I've tried to just take it one day at a time. I have some coaches who have been helping me, and each day, I try to see how I can improve and get better and better. I've done a lot in a short period of time already doing four races, and I've been at three different tracks. I'm challenging myself to really see what I can do then, I just let them know, ‘Hey, no. It actually can be fun,’ she said.

However, the sport is something that she’s still learning every day. “I think even when you become an expert, you're always going to be learning.

If you get to a stage where you're not learning, then you should probably move on. For me, being new to the sport, the learning curve has been really steep, and I've tried to just take it one day at a time. I have some coaches who have been helping me, and each day, I try to see how I can improve and get better and better. I've done a lot in

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

a short period of time already doing four races, and I've been at three different tracks. I'm challenging myself to really see what I can do,” she noted.

Adeagbo would need expert help with footwear. “Footwear is a really, really important component of the sport, because in skeleton, you use your feet to steer the sled,” she said.

She contacted Tobie Hatfield, a senior director of athlete innovation at Nike, to ask about her options. Hatifeld, who had designed skeleton spikes for Nike athletes in the past said that he’d like to design a shoe for her. “We had to focus on keeping the athlete warm and dry in very cold and wet conditions.

The biggest attribute of the Nike Zoom Slider is to make it very aerodynamic.

With speeds around 80 mph, it is imperative that we give the shoes a nice slip-stream through the air, thus why we cover up the laces with a faring and make the heel as round as possible as that is the leading edge down the hill as she slides,” Hatfield explained.

Skeleton is a single rider sport, where an athlete rides a skeleton sled down a frozen track at high speeds while lying face down. Just like Nigeria's bobsled team, this is the 36-year-old's first go at the sport, but she's determined to use this experience to inspire young Africans to excel at whatever they do.

I am yet to meet a brand handler in this country who does not think there has to be an international element to a domestic sports event before it would appeal to fans. It is a supposition not based on any proper research findings, but one these business executives swear by. The result is that virtually every well sponsored event in Nigeria today, even by government, has an international quotient to it. Take the Lagos Governor’s Cup in Tennis, the Okpekpe Race by the Edo State government, the Obudu Mountain race by the Cross River State government as well as the likes of the Lagos Marathon - they all court international athletes. What many have failed to realize however, is that without domestic athletes having a great chance of competing for the top prizes, these events will never be able to attract any major following, let alone sustain and grow interest

F

ans follow stars, the more local the better. This has been proven in Nigeria a number of times, but since we are a people with little faith in proper research, we are none the wiser. Take the entertainment industry for example and see the strides made by the local stars in music, movie and comedy.

Not only do Nigerian fans adore these local stars, their popularity has spread from Nigeria to the rest of Africa, and even beyond. Some guy recently tried to advance the argument that the popularity of our entertainment stars exploded because of their links to international stars. However we all know the Wizkids and Olamides could not just woken up one morning in Lagos and proceeded to strike deals with the Drakes and Kanye Wests of the world. They were already household names in Nigeria otherwise they would have held no attraction for the international stars.

Let us for a moment even consider what many brand and sports handlers consider “international” stars by looking at tennis and the Lagos Governor’s Cup. That tournament has been played for about 17 years and barring one Nigerian victory over a decade ago, the trend has largely been Nigerians crashing out in the opening rounds. Still, apart from the feel-goodness of having a few international players, the tournament has not managed a following from fans. Despite the millions of dollars that have been spent so far, no one really knows who the champions are, no one really cares.

Think about it, who do you know that won the last Lagos Marathon, or the Okpekpe Race or the Obudu Mountain Race? Who cares?

There is a simple explanation for this. The winners may be international by country of origin but they are not international stars.

International stars are the likes of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, the Williams sisters etc, and those will not be coming to compete in Nigeria at this time. So the athletes that come here, simply blast away our poorly-funded local

stars, and disappear from whence they came with our dollars. No one invites them to Nigerian red carpet events, no one knows or cares about who they date or who their families are, no one knows or cares what controversies they get into, etc. Were they Nigerian stars winning such relatively large purses for instance, the fans would closely follow their careers and lives as they do the guys in the entertainment industry. That is what results in fandom.

By focusing on these C-rated international stars who no one knows anything about except after a Google search, money that should go into sponsoring domestic tournaments and investing in the careers of local athletes is basically ‘dashed’ away. If these monies are spent on domestic tournaments, it will lead to the creation of multiple local stars who then pack the following to drive what would be an explosion of investments in the sporting industry. This way, as the most populous country in Africa and with solid economic potential, overseas sports interests will be attracted to investing in Nigerian sports and creating real value here, rather than the other way round.

Domestic sports may not have caught on at this time, but do not forget that it was once the same for our music, movies and comedy. The difference when you think about it is that entertainment stars found a way to become highly paid and as such lived the lifestyles that appealed to fans. It is my belief that once this model is applied to sports, it would revolutionise the industry and even the Nigerian economy.

In every progressive society domestic sports dwarfs entertainment and other attractions because of its power to influence society in a positive way.

A sporting country is a healthy and productive one. Sports stars are just the right role models for society. They teach us the importance of being physically and mentally sound, and the discipline and personal exertion it takes to succeed at whatever we do in life. Local sports stars can inspire this in us, not some nameless, faceless guys who fly in for a few days, collect our dollars, and disappear.

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CHAN 2018‌ CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018... CHAN 2018...

Nigeria, Angola Set for SemiďŹ nal Spot Battle

N

igeria will go head-tohead with Angola for a place in the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) semifinals when they lock horns at the Stade Ibn Batouta in Tangier on Sunday.

The home-based Super Eagles booked their place in the last eight as Group C winners, while Palancas Negras finished second in Group D, two points behind Congo-Brazzaville who take on Libya for a place in the semifinals.

Angola, though, are also unbeaten in the tournament and are yet to concede a goal, while their only goal came from the penalty spot in a 1-0 win over Cameroon.

Nigeria head coach Salisu Yusuf was delighted with his team's performance against Equatorial Guinea, coming from a goal down to win 3-1. “We passed a great test of character and the team should be commended.

The goal by Equatorial Guinea stunned us because we did not expect it. But good enough we fought back in the second half to win,� said Yusuf.

Captain Ikechukwu Ezenwa emphasized the fact that Nigeria need to take their chances if they are to advance into the next round. “We have to play to win and we hope to take our chances. We are looking forward to our next game, we hope to be in the semifinal. The solidarity and the spirit in the team have carried us this far and we hope to continue to work hard,� Ezenwa added.

The winner will take on either Sudan or Zambia for a place in the final of this year's continental competition hosted in Morocco.

Meanwhile, surprise quarterfinal-

ists Namibia are eager to confront hosts and title favourites Morocco today in a packed Casablanca Stadium.

The match at the 65 000-seat Stade Mohammed V kicks off the last-eight phase of the competition for home-based footballers with Zambia facing Sudan in Marrakech later the same day.

Only the outcome of the clash between Morocco and Namibia appears predictable with few neutrals giving the southern African nation any chance of survival.

But Namibia coach Ricardo Mannetti, who played professionally in South Africa and was a midfielder in the national team, begs to differ.

"All the pressure is on Morocco," he told AFP. "They are the host nation, are ranked among the top five African football nations, and are expected to win this tournament.

"We are looking forward to taking them on in front of a packed crowd that will include very few supporters of Namibia.

"My boys are tired of playing in nearempty stadiums. Very few people saw us shock the Ivory Coast and Uganda and hold Zambia.

"We are desperate to show what we are capable of before a large audience. Playing in front of a small crowd is no fun."

Mannetti, who guided Namibia to the regional COSAFA Cup title three years ago, says being dismissed as "no-hopers" before the Morocco tournament has worked to their advantage.

"I believe some Ivoirians and Ugandans assumed playing Namibia meant three points. That worked in our favour. My boys vowed to show them we were no pushovers."

The furthest Morocco, whose squad includes five-goal leading tournament scorer Ayoub el Kaabi, have gone previously is the quarterfinals, losing to Nigeria four years ago.

They hammered Mauritania 4-0 and Guinea 3-1 during the group phase in

Action in the Chan 2018 competition

Casablanca before missing a penalty in a 0-0 draw with Sudan having rested 10 first-choices, including El Kaabi.

Valencia Threaten More Trouble for Real A Real Madrid slip-up in Valencia led to Zinedine Zidane being appointed coach, but another setback for the reigning Spanish and European champions at Mestalla this weekend would leave the Frenchman hanging onto his job.

Zidane's promotion to the role of coach dates back to January 2016, a day after Real had twice squandered the lead in a 2-2 draw at Valencia, costing Rafa Benitez his job.

Benitez was ruthlessly dispensed with at the first opportunity just six months after his appointment, but Zidane is still in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu despite a dreadful recent run culminating in Wednesday's Copa del Rey quarter-final exit at the hands of Leganes.

Zidane admitted after that game that his job is now on the line, with his team now out of the Cup as well as languishing in fourth place in La Liga, 19 points behind leaders Barcelona.

However, the aura around Zidane whose first two years were soaked in success is

such that he looks set to at least be given the upcoming Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain to prove he can still turn things around.

"If at the end of the year we win the Champions League it will be an incredible year," Cristiano Ronaldo whose own decline has been a source of huge concern told Chinese football app Dongqiudi.

"This season we didn't start well in the league. We are disappointed, we are not happy but we have to work towards the Champions League, the most important trophy."

Rather more focus on the league may be wise, though -- Real are as close to the relegation zone in terms of points as they are to Barcelona.

Indeed they are five points behind thirdplaced Valencia, albeit with a game in hand, so can ill afford to lose today, especially with Villarreal and Sevilla coming up behind.

"We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, even if they seem to

be not doing great," said Valencia skipper Dani Parejo, who came through the Real youth system.

"We are above them and we are playing at home, but I think Madrid are the favourites," added Parejo, whose side did make it through to the Copa del Rey semi-finals in midweek.

Fixtures TODAY Deportivo Valencia Malaga Villarreal SUNDAY Leganes Atletico Sevilla Barcelona SUNDAY Celta Vigo

v v v v v v v v

v

Levante Madrid Girona Sociedad

12:00 15:15 17:30 19:45

Espanyol Las Palmas Getafe Alaves

11:00 15:15 17:30 19:45

Betis

20:00

Zambia have Augustine Mulenga and Lazarous Kambole – two of only four players who scored more than once in the mini-leagues – while goalkeeper Akram Elhadi has starred for Sudan. Nigeria have improved with each match, slamming three goals past Equatorial Guinea to top Group C, while Angola have managed only one in 270 minutes, and that came from a penalty.

Congo against Libya is a repeat of a drawn 2014 group match and the north Africans went on to surprisingly win that tournament in South Africa thanks to three penalty shootout successes.

Although restricted to footballers playing in their country of birth, Nations Championship games carry full international status and count toward the monthly FIFA rankings.

Fixtures TODAY Morocco Zambia

v v

Namibia Sudan

5:30 5:30

SUNDAY Nigeria Congo

v v

Angola Libya

5:30 5:30

Yusuf Promises Agege Stadium's Readiness for MFM's CAF Champions League Campaign The upgrading of the Agege stadium, the home ground of the Nigeria Professional Football league side, MFM FC will be ready before the first home game of the Olukoya Boys for the Confederation of Africa Football CAF Champions League.

Speaking during a scheduled facility tour, the senior special assistant to the Lagos state governor on sports facilities, Mr. Bolaji Yusuf explained that the level of work done so far is 60 per cent "The majority of the upgrading work is completed and by Monday the new extension will be

covered leaving room for the remaining 40 per cent, which involves fittings and other minor details to bring the stadium to CAF standard" The stadium upgrade is expected to be completed and handed over by February 19 and a test match will be conducted the next day to try out the new features of the stadium.

The upgrade involves the relocation of the dressing room, referees room and the addition of a doping control room.

The upgrade will also improve security

for players of both the home and visiting teams as against the previous set up where fans had easy access to the dressing room and also the referees’ room.

The work when completed will be a fulfilment of the promise made by the governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode to the MFM FC players and management after the Olukoya Boys picked a slot for the prestigious Confederation of African Football CAF Champions League after finishing second in the 2017 season of the Nigeria Professional Football league.

Yusuf...putting a ďŹ nal touch to the Agege Stadium

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GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS

Roger Federer and Marin Cilic

Head of Corporate Strategy, Greensprings School Lagos, Uche Ogbu (left) with Executive Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Kweku Tandoh during a corutesy visit by the management of Greensprings to LSSC at the Teslim Balogun Stadium...recently

Australian Open

Australian Open

Federer Sets up Cilic Final Roger Federer made it through to a record seventh Australian Open final when South Korean Hyeon Chung retired in the second set of their semi-final to set up a Marin Cilic final.

The Swiss led 6-1 5-2 when 21-yearold Chung was forced to call it quits, three games after being treated for a blister on his left foot.

Defending champion Federer, 36, goes on to face Croatian sixth seed Marin Cilic in Sunday's final.

The world number two is seeking a sixth Australian and 20th Grand Slam title.

Federer was on course to take a two-set lead after just 62 minutes when the second semi-final came to an abrupt halt.

Chung's management later said the problem had developed during the tournament, and they had tried to ease the pain with injections as it was "much worse than a regular blister".

"I thought the first set was normal," said Federer. "I couldn't tell what was going on with my opponent.

"In the second set I felt he was getting slower. He's had a problem with the blister. It hurts - a lot. At some point it's too much and you make things worse.

"Clearly I'm happy to be in the

final - but not like this. He's had such a wonderful tournament."

Chung had spent around 12 hours on court heading into the semi-final, including a gruelling win over Novak Djokovic in round four, and the physical effort finally took its toll.

Federer had established a commanding lead, winning the first set for the loss of one game despite only getting 32% of his first serves in.

The Swiss kept his cool after a brief disagreement with the umpire to swat away a backhand winner for a 3-1 lead in the second set, and Chung called for the trainer at the next changeover.

Heavy strapping was applied to the world number 58's foot and he managed to hold serve on the resumption, but after Federer raced through his next service game, Chung approached the umpire and retired.

Federer extends his Open-era record to 30 Grand Slam final appearances and is one win from joining Djokovic and Roy Emerson on a record six Australian Open titles.

"I must admit, you do take the faster matches whenever you can because there's enough wear and tear on the body," said Federer.

"There's enough tough matches throughout the season that when

they happen, you take them.

"I'm just happy I'm in the finals, to be honest. That was the goal before the match today."

Analysis - What chance Cilic?

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller The end came even more quickly than anticipated. Federer had been in total control, varying his length and spin, and denying a tense 21-year-old any rhythm in his first Grand Slam semi-final.

Both Chung, and Kyle Edmund on Thursday, would have had to play brilliantly even if fully fit to threaten a repeat of the Wimbledon final here in Melbourne. But their injury issues are another reminder of how difficult it is for younger bodies to withstand a full fortnight's tennis at Grand Slam level.

Blisters undermined Cilic in July's Wimbledon final, but the Croat could pose a significant danger to Federer's hopes of a 20th Grand Slam title if fully fit.

Their head-to-head record doesn't suggest much of a contest, but Cilic can draw inspiration from his one victory. He returned superbly in the US Open semi-final of 2014, won in straight sets, and went on to win the title.

Tandoh, Idowu, Others Hail Dolphin Swimming League The Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Kweku Tandoh and Chairman, Nath Boys, Yemi Idowu have commended the organisers of the tournament particularly with the turnout of schools at the opening ceremony of the Dolphin Swimming League held at the Lagos Preparatory School (LPS).

The LSSC boss, described the tournament as an example of private and public sector partnership for grassroots sports development.

The opening ceremony of the championship witnessed large turnout of participants supported by their parents and guardians as the 50metre swimming pool of the Lagos Preparatory School (LPS) was filled with exceptional display by the swimmers. “This initiative is one of those that we have been looking forward to in Lagos, a partnership between the private sector and the Lagos State Sports Commission. Also, the initiative keys into our vision for schools sports.

Look at the turn-out we have here today, look at the exceptional talents that we are watching and developing.

Some of these athletes have gone out of the country to win laurels for their

Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki

schools and yet we are not even aware of them and that is why going forward, LSSC will be working very closely with the private schools system. A situation where we only deal with public schools will not augur well for us in terms of sports development,�

Tandoh said.

He added: “There is a lot of talent in Lagos and we really need to discover and expose them. One advantage private schools have is the availability of facilities. If we come in and work with them, we can use their sports facilities as a training hub for public schools that around the same vicinity when we have a partnership and arrangement with them.�

For Idowu, this kind of tournament would encourage parents and guardians to support their wards. I am very happy that something like this is starting at the school level for students. Swimming is one of those sports that enhances cardiac and physio development for children. This is a new competition that we are hoping to cover all the schools within Lagos and hopefully go outside the state in the future. Definitely, it is going to

be motivated by parents, schools and availability of facilities. Because of the nature of swimming, we will need a lot facilities not restricted schools but hotels and youth centres or activities centres as long as we can have 25 meters pool or 50 meters that the athletes can use,� Idowu said.

For the Headmaster of LPS, Nicholas Barrett, the school is excited hosting the opening ceremony of such laudable initiative. “LPS would like to thank all the dignitaries who graced the inaugural Dolphin League Swimming meet with their presence, the technical officers who ensured the competition was carried out to a professional level, the organisers who put it all together and all the athletes, coaches and schools whose hard work and diligence was evident today.

Today gave our students yet another chance to expand their experience of swimming and to learn something new from the other competitors. We remain excited about the future of the League and we look forward to providing continued support in the years to come,� Barrett said.

Halep, Wozniacki Target First Grand Slam Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki will be aiming to land their maiden Grand Slam title when they go for glory in the women's final at the Australian Open on Saturday.

Each finalist has endured a rocky road to this weekend's final, which will be the first time since 1980 the Australian Open has chalked up a new Grand Slam champion.

Halep and Wozniacki are the top two seeds, respectively, but both have been forced to save match points en route to the final. Only six women have previously become the Australian Open champion having previously survived a match point against them.

Halep, if she wins, would become the first champion to have saved match points in two prior matches.

"It's been a great two weeks so far," said Denmark's Wozniacki.

"I'm really happy and proud of how I've managed to turn things around when things weren't going my way and keep it up whenever it was going my way. "I'm just excited. It's another finals.

Regardless of what happens now, I've done my best.

"Obviously Halep, just like me, was down match points early on in the tournament, has come back and fought her way.

"It's exciting because we're both playing for the number one ranking. Whoever wins today will be on the top of the rankings, which I think is a cool storyline."

Both players have been ranked No 1 without winning a Grand Slam, both lost their first two finals at this level and, in the second half of their careers, both know they may never get a better chance.

Halep, who defeated title favourite Angelique Kerber with the third set a battle of lung-busting brilliance, added: "I feel proud that I could stay there and fight till the end.

"I'm really happy and proud of how I've managed to turn things around when things weren't going my way and keep it up whenever it was going my way.

"I'm just excited. It's another finals. It's another great two weeks.

Regardless of what happens now, I've done my best. When you go out there on Saturday, (today) you have everything to win."

Wozniacki has won four out of six head-to-head meetings against Halep, but they have never played a Grand Slam match.

The new Australian Open champion will walk away with the highest ever prize fund, their first Grand Slam trophy and a guarantee to top the WTA rankings.

Neymar Set for Showdown against Montpellier on StarTimes Startimes Nigeria will continue to thrill its subscribers with scintillating live matches as this weekend brings to the screen of its teeming subscribers live match of Ligue 1 league at Parc des Princes Stadium today, by 5pm African time on StarTimes World Football (Channel 254 and 245).

Today, the league leaders, Paris Saint German with 56 points from 22 games will be battle it out with 7th placed Montpellier who have gathered 31 points from 22 games to extend their lead on the table.

After a rare Ligue 1 loss over the weekend to Lyon, PSG will look to turn around and seek a bit of retribution against poor Montpellier.

The visitors are likely to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. PSG Coach, Unai Emery will be without defensive midfielder Thiago Motta due to injury for this match while the status of Brazilian attacker Neymar also remains up in the air.

Last weekend in the loss to Lyon, defensive frailties showed through for the Parisians. And on Wednesday, they also did when they conceded two different penalties.

Seventh placed Montpellier will be encouraged not only by their recent form but also their ability to score goals as shown in the win on Wednesday. For the second game in less than a week, they got a goal from Salomon Sambia to help carry them on to victory. Along with Giovanni Sio, they are a tough team to corral and will cause issues for PSG's sometimes fragile back line PSG extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to nine points with victory over reigning champions Monaco with goals from Edison Cavani and Neymar before Monaco’s Joao Moutinho pulled a goal back for Monaco which was not enough to earn them a point.

According to the Brands and Marketing Director, StarTimes, Mr. Qasim Elegbede, “The live telecast of these matches reflect the firm's commitment to provide the best sporting action to its subscribers at very affordable cost.

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2018 WORLD CUP

Klose: Russia’ll Bring a Special Experience Ă’Ă?Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ͺ͸͚΀ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă•Ă“Ă?Ă•Ă? Ă™Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹ Ă“Ă˜ Ă—Ă“ĂŽĚ‹ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă˜Ă‹Ă—Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ËŞĂ? ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă— Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? ͺ͸͸ͺ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ? Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžËŞĂ? Ă’Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ ĂŒĂ™Ă™Ă•Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĚŽ ÞÒËÞ Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă–Ă‹Ă Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă•Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă? ͚͞ÞÒ ÑÙËÖ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‹Ă–Ă? ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁËŞĂ? Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš ĂžĂœĂ“Ă&#x;×ÚÒ Ă“Ă˜ ÍşÍ¸ÍšÍźËœ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂšĂ‹Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă˜Ă™Ă˜Ă? ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ ĂœĂ‹Ă¤Ă“Ă–Ă“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă–Ă?Ă‘Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă–ĂŽĂ™ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ěł Ă“ĂœĂ™Ěł Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ Ă’Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă‘ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂŒĂ™Ă™ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ͺ͸͚͞ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ͚͝Ϳ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă‹ĂšĂ?Ëœ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ͺ͟ Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš ËÚÚĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ϳ͚ ÑÙËÖĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÙÖÖĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÓÞÖĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă?Ă?ÙÖËÎĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁË› Ă‹Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÙÖĂ? ÞÒĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă Ă?Ă? åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ–Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă? ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? ͝Π̋ãĂ?Ă‹ĂœĚ‹Ă™Ă–ĂŽ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?Ă– ÞÙ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă—Ă?ĂœËŞĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ?ĂžĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂĄĂ’Ă?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ ËÞÞËĂ?Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ÙËĂ?Ă’ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă’Ă? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă•Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ă? Ă“Ă—Ă™ Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăœ ÞÙ Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ’Ă?ĂœË› FIFA.com Ă?Ă‹Ăž ĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÙ ÞËÖÕ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? ÞÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽË›

German players posing with the 2014 World Cup which they won in Brazil

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ou played in four World Cups on four different continents.

Surely nobody is better placed to describe what taking part in the competition means to a player?

A World Cup is always something special and simply indescribable and being able to hold something in your hands at the end of it all is just incredible. That’s why I’m very glad that we became world champions in 2014, as we always got close to winning the title. We got to the Final in 2002 before losing twice in the semi-finals.

At every World Cup there is a team that makes you think that if they play well, something could happen. Sometimes that means they can even beat the big teams.

Germany are always known and feared for being a tournament side. Is that simply a clichĂŠ or is there some truth to it?

We’ve always managed to form a strong unit at each tournament, and that has always taken us a long way. That spirit and dynamism doesn’t just emerge during the competition; it starts to come together during our preparations.

What are your general expectations for the tournament in Russia?

It will be something very special. We experienced it at the Confederations Cup. With so many enthusiastic spectators, the atmosphere in the stadiums is great. It will be a fantastic World Cup. Let’s move on to you personally. You are the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Are you aware of your status as an icon?

I don’t personally think of myself as an icon, but it’s definitely an incredible thing.

Scoring 16 goals at the World Cup is something you only usually dream about. But, as ever, I’ve got to pay tribute to my team, as I could never have done it without them.

Can Germany defend their title in 2018?

We can go a long way, but we need to develop that team spirit once again. Germany have some excellent young talent and great players of an outstanding calibre, but they need to show that out on the pitch. The concept of being a unit is always on my mind – the team is always the main priority for me.

If every individual performs to the best of his ability, the team will certainly benefit from that.

Could there be a surprise in store?

Which players will leave their mark on this World Cup? It’s usually the same individuals – superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – but every team has special players.

It might not always be the household names we all know, but each side has some incredibly important individuals, and you have to identify and evaluate them accordingly.

Can this record ever be broken?

There are some fantastic players around, so I think there’s a good chance that it’ll be broken at some point, but I’ll just wait and see what happens. I won’t begrudge anyone for managing it. I’m not someone who clings on to records.

You scored your 16th World Cup goal against the hosts in that memorable 7-1 semi-final win in Brazil...

That was amazing. I’m often asked why I needed two attempts to score that goal.

Brazil’s goalkeeper made a great save the first time, but the follow-up went in. It was a very special match. To play so well in Brazil and take our goalscoring chances so well – it was a fantastic team performance.

What is your most treasured World Cup memory?

Without a doubt, it’s winning the title in 2014. So many images still run through my mind, particularly when I hold the Trophy in my hands as I did at the Draw. Having said that, it doesn’t give me goosebumps now and make me wish I was still out on the pitch. There are so many other moments too, like my first World Cup in 2002 and reaching the Final, or the first group match against Saudi Arabia, that I’ve been reminded of recently. Their captain that day [Sami Al Jaber] was also at the group draw in Moscow. We did our drug tests at the same time in 2002. All of the stories, pictures and memories regularly come flooding back.

Your new role is as an attacking coach with the German Football Association (DFB). With this in mind, what does the ideal striker look like in 2018?

Personally, I always think that players like Diego Forlan are fantastic. He was the complete striker, and that’s extremely important these days. [Robert] Lewandowski,

for example, has something special, a little bit of everything and a whole host of strengths.

You constantly need to keep adapting, as you could be facing three, four or even five at the back. That means you always have to play a little differently, and having many different qualities makes you more unpredictable.

Aerial ability and a solid right foot aren’t enough anymore.

After you announced your retirement, your long-term team-mate and frequent assist provider, Mesut Ozil, wrote: “Thanks for your goals, Miro.You’re already a legend.�What do you think of the Arsenal star?

I played alongside him at many tournaments. He has something very special about him and is extremely fleet-footed. I always found players with a left foot very interesting, as they turn differently. It’s important for a striker to have someone like him playing behind them. He can thread the ball through gaps and ties opponents up in knots to create space for you. He’s a very clever player.

Football has become an extremely fast game that often comes down to how quickly you can transfer the idea in your head to your feet.

That’s the sign of a good player, and that’s what he can do. Many players don’t have that courage, or they see the gaps but react too slowly.

Are there any players that you think are comparable to Ozil?

The one that immediately comes to mind is Johan Micoud at Werder Bremen, who was also a very quick thinker. He was one of the best footballers I ever played with.

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Writing, Rejection, Depression andThe Inspiration

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

Don’t let rejection kill your dreams in 2018; keep on writing because you are not alone. Many great writers have walked that road

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ublishers and literary agents normally have good reasons for rejecting manuscripts. Their interest in a manuscript is an investment, so they are expected to make good literary (now and marketing) decisions or back the best horse. For this, they have editors and readers, and also involve marketing executives in deciding the manuscript to invest their time and resources in.

Some publishers also decide to let manuscripts pass due to prior commitments or scheduling jams, lack of money or other operational reasons.

But over time many of them have goofed (big time). They mistakenly rejected manuscripts that turn out to be great classics or blockbusters.

Nigeria In Nigeria, where a growing army of creative writers has only few publishers to pitch their works with, many are forced to self-publish. But poor sales become their rejection letter. The result is that manuscripts are piling up in various homes, hacking down the motivation of writers.

The inspiration Many great writers have survived the deluge of rejection letters into stardom. Many of today’s stars have braved themselves through rejection.

They include Stephen King and our adorable Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Stephen King’s first published novel sold four million copies in paperback. Fantastic! But do you know something? The novel, Carrie, was rejected 30 times by publishers. One of them wrote, “’We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell.�

Tired of rejection slips, King reportedly threw the manuscript into the garbage — but his wife fished it out again, and he decided to try one more time.

Chimamanda was reported to have said, “I didn’t ever consciously decide to pursue writing.

I’ve been writing since I was old enough to spell, and just sitting down and writing made me feel incredibly fulfilled.�

And she has a glowing profile: “Her fascination with writing was seemingly born with her; she began writing and illustrating stories for her mother when she was six years old. By the time she was twenty-one she had published a collection of poems and a play. Her first novel, Purple Hibiscus, was published in 2003 and won the Best First Book award in the 2005 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, was published by Knopf/Anchor in 2006 and was awarded the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction.�

In the early stages, she did suffer some rejection.

In one of her interviews, she admitted, “the rejections were particularly crushing. I would sit in bed and think, ‘Oh my God, they hate my work.�’ She also said this: “Writing should speak to you, should make you feel fulfilled even when it doesn’t end up being published. That said, my first rejection was difficult because I took it personally. I would not have reacted this way if I had known what I know now--that choosing to write is a package and that rejection comes with the package�.

But one account said, “ she was encouraged to keep going when she found some writers’ websites, on which she posted her work and got constructive feedback. (She became particularly good friends with Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina, whom she later met when they were both shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing. He won). Slowly, her stories were accepted, the first by the prestigious The Iowa Review, and at last she found the encouragement to keep going. “It was like, somebody is noticing.� “Things didn’t happen in a rush after that, but they did happen. She got more stories published.

Then she got an agent. Then Purple Hibiscus came out, and the prize listings, the truly unexpected part, started to roll in.�

There is also a lot to learn from celebrated American writer, Judy Blume. She said, “When I was growing up, I dreamed about becoming a cowgirl, a detective, a spy, a great actress, or a ballerina. Not a dentist, like my father, or a homemaker, like my mother — and certainly not a writer, although I always loved to read. I didn’t know anything about writers. It never occurred to me they were regular people and that I could grow up to become one, even though I loved to make up stories inside my head.

I always had an active imagination. But I never wrote down any of my stories. And I never told anyone about them.

When I grew up, my need for storytelling didn’t go away. So when my own two children started preschool I began to write and I’ve been writing ever since!�

Sounds all sweet, but there is bitterness in her experience with rejection. Blume received “nothing but rejections� for two years. According to Blume: “I would go to sleep at night feeling that I’d never be published. But I’d wake up in the morning convinced I would be. Each time I sent a story or book off to a publisher, I would sit down and begin something new. I was learning more with each effort. I was determined. Determination and hard work are as important as talent�. Determination and hard work certainly did the trick for Blume, who is now considered to be one of the most influential children’s literature writers of her generation.

Now I know one thing. Rejection letters shouldn’t kill. As some of the agents and publishers politely say, “this is not right for us, but try others (agents/publishers). Don’t give up on writing.�

I also know that it may take years, but writing pays off eventually.

Some Horrible Rejection Letters Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde ‘My dear sir, I have read your manuscript. Oh, my dear sir!’ Lust for Life by Irving Stone (It was rejected 16 times, but found a publisher and went on to sell about 25 million copies) ‘A long, dull novel about an artist.’

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos ‘Do you realize, young woman, that you’re the first American writer ever to poke fun at sex.’ Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov ‘... overwhelmingly nauseating, even to an enlightened Freudian ‌ the whole thing is an unsure cross between hideous reality and improbable fantasy. It often becomes a wild neurotic daydream ‌ I recommend that it be buried under a stone for a thousand years’ Jorge Luis Borges ‘utterly untranslatable’ Isaac Bashevis Singer ‘It’s Poland and the rich Jews again.’ Anais Nin ‘There is no commercial advantage in acquiring her, and, in my opinion, no artistic.’ Jack Kerouac ‘His frenetic and scrambled prose perfectly express the feverish travels of the Beat Generation.

But is that enough? I don’t think so.’ Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D H Lawrence ‘for your own sake do not publish this book.’ The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame ‘an irresponsible holiday story’ Lord of the Flies by William Golding ‘an absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull.’ Watership Down by Richard Adams ‘older children wouldn’t like it because its language was too difficult.’ On Sylvia Plath ‘There certainly isn’t enough genuine talent for us to take notice.’ Crash by J G Ballard ‘The author of this book is beyond psychiatric help.’ The Deer Park by Norman Mailer ‘This will set publishing back 25 years.’ The Diary of Anne Frank ‘The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the “curiosity� level.’ Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope ‘The grand defect of the work, I think, as a work of art is the low-mindedness and vulgarity of the chief actors. There is hardly a lady� or “gentleman� amongst them.’ Carrie by Stephen King ‘We are not interested in science fiction which

deals with negative utopias. They do not sell.’ Catch – 22 by Joseph Heller ‘I haven’t really the foggiest idea about what the man is trying to say‌ Apparently the author intends it to be funny – possibly even satire – but it is really not funny on any intellectual level ‌ From your long publishing experience you will know that it is less disastrous to turn down a work of genius than to turn down talented mediocrities.’ The Spy who Came in from the Cold by John le CarrĂŠ ‘You’re welcome to le CarrĂŠ – he hasn’t got any future.’ Animal Farm by George Orwell ‘It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA’.

When Orwell first shopped the book around in 1944, everyone viewed it as excessively critical of the USSR, while the USSR was helping Britain defeat Nazi Germany. Four publishers rejected Animal Farm, including Orwell’s regular publisher.

Another publisher accepted the novel, but then rejected it at the request of Peter Smollett, an official working in the British Ministry of Information.

Smollett was later revealed as a Soviet spy. Faber and Faber also rejected the book, with T.S. Eliot penning the letter himself. Refusing the book for being “generally Trotskyite,� he added, “We have no conviction that this is the right point of view from which to criticise the political situation at the current time.� In fact, the book would not be published until WWII was over.

After finding a publisher, Orwell wrote a preface to Animal Farm, “Freedom of the Press,� about self-censorship during the war. In it he stated that, “Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness.�

The preface was not published. Source: Taylor, David John Rudyard Kipling “I’m sorry Mr. Kipling, but you just don’t know how to use the English language�. These were the words used by one of the editors of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper when rejecting one of Mr. Kipling’s short stories. Mr. Kipling is now a revered author.

William Golding The Lord of the Flies was rejected by 20 publishers. One denounced the future classic with these words (which should be inscribed on the hapless publisher’s tomb): an absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull.

John le CarrĂŠ After he submitted his first novel, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, one of the publishers sent it along to a colleague, with this message: “You’re welcome to le CarrĂŠ – he hasn’t got any futureâ€?.

J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (later Sorceror’s). The number bandied around the internet is that 12 major publishers rejected the first Harry Potter book, before someone was willing to take a chance. Rowling recently told Oprah Winfrey, My agent knows better than I do... It was a lot of people. A lot of people just sent it back, virtually by return post. It was like a boomerang. I did really believe in it. I just though, This is a good story....

For some reason, I can even remember being quite pleased with the rejection letters. “F. Scott Fitzgerald got these. It’s all part of being a writer!�

One publisher held onto it for six months before finally rejecting it — and then when Bloomsbury decided to take it on, this other publisher suddenly decided they wanted it too. But Rowling decided that she should go with the publisher that wanted the book right away, rather than the one that kept her waiting and then turned her down. According to the BBC, the entire series has sold more than 400 million books worldwide.

D.H. Lawrence After reading his Lady Chatterley’s Lover, one publisher warned: for your own sake do not publish this book.

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FAIRGROUND

Dierent Nights to Remember as Lagosians Rocked the 2017 Fiesta

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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he 2017 One Lagos Fiesta has come and gone. The yuletide musical festival was held in various centres in Lagos like Ikeja (Agege Stadium), Badagry (Badagry Grammar School), Epe (Marina Beachfront), Ikorodu (Ikorodu Town Hall) and Lagos Island (Bar Beach/Eko Atlantic City) were fired up as over 700 artists perform one after the other in over 40 concerts to thrill the large crowd at each of the centres and giving them a wow factor.

The theme of this edition was tagged “Feel and Explore Lagos� the 2017 edition of the fiesta brought about significant improvement on the 2016 edition which was also a bigger, bolder and better version compared to that of 2015 when Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode decided to escalate the hitherto countdown show which he inherited from the immediate-past administration of former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, now Minister of Power, Works and Housing.

The idea to scale up the show and christen it One Lagos Fiesta, according to Governor Ambode, was part of the programmes of his administration known as Project THESE meaning Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and Sports for Excellence, and same was designed to support the creative industry thereby creating jobs and growing the economy of the State and the country.

At each of the centres, several music legends, reigning stars as well as up and coming artists, performed in successive fashion erasing any dull moment and subjecting the people to a swell time throughout the duration of the shows. The stars included Tuface, Paul Play Dairo, Wizkid, Davido, Olamide, Adewale Ayuba, Salawa Abeni, Falze, Simi, Adekunle Gold, Small Doctor, Pasuma, Humble Smith, Ras Kimono, Saheed Osupa, Valentine, Iceprince, Lanre Teriba (Atorise), among others too numerous to mention.

According the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Aramide Giwanson “The OLF, was specially designed to turn the five divisions of Lagos into a tourist destination for 8 days non-stop showcasing not less than 40 concerts all together across the city of Lagos while developing the local economy of these areas thereby making it self-sustaining during the festive period and after�

The then Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde said not only is this remarkable development in tandem with the vision of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to make Lagos the creative nerve-centre in Africa, but also to assure corporate sponsors and tourists that the State security and social infrastructure can support the evergrowing creative economy landscape.

Lagosians has so much and each night of the concerts was a night to remember and these are some of the guests at the events and the artists who performed.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Aramide Giwason, Olufemi Odubiyi, Ade Akinsanya, Adeniji Kazeem, Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Sola Giwa, Habeeb Fasinro, Tunji Bello and Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni

Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), with the winner of Lagos Grows Talent competition, Master Sola Idris Opeyemi

Davido

Falz

Wizkid

Mr. P (Peter Okoye) thrills the crowd during his performance at the Epe center of the 2017 One Lagos Fiesta.

Olamide

Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Davido, Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Mr. Habeeb Fasinro, Oba Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Elegushi, Kusenla III and Mr. Uyi Akpata

Saheed Osupa

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FAIRGROUND

Royal Hibiscus Hotel to Inspire Love, Laughter Next

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enowned for their recordbreaking Nollywood box-office reign, as one of the producers of The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai, EbonyLife Films has announced the cinema debut of its new movie, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel (RHH).

The heartwarming romantic comedy from EbonyLife Films will open in cinemas starting from February 9, in time for Valentine’s Day. Set in Lagos and London, the movie tells the story of a passionate Nigerian chef, ‘Ope’, following her dream of opening an African restaurant in London. Frustrated by her lack of progress, she returns to Nigeria and discovers that going home can bring pleasant surprises.

Successfully screened at last year ’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), RHH was identified as a ‘Hidden Gem’ by the panel, and was the only Nigerian movie and one of just three African titles featured at the festival.

The cast includes Zainab Balogun, Kenneth Okolie, Deyemi Okanlawon, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju and O.C. Ukeje, with veteran actors Rachel Oniga, Jide

Kosoko, Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva. It was directed by Ishaya Bako.

Mo Abudu, the Executive Producer, is thrilled about RHH being shown to audiences in Nigeria. “The Royal Hibiscus Hotel has been a special project – it is a beautiful story of love, sprinkled with delightful comedic moments. We hope it resonates with the young and young-at-heart, and reminds them of what it’s like to fall in love. We are proud of this film and anticipate it being enjoyed in cinemas across the country,� she said.

An additional source of enjoyment for moviegoers will be the RHH soundtrack. It features a score songs by award-winning musician Cobhams Asuquo, and songs by leading Nigerian artistes, including Romeo and Juliet

by Johnny Drille, Chemistry by Falz and Simi, Skintight by Mr. Eazi and Tonight, Ocean and Radio by Nonso Amadi.

This Valentine’s season is gearing up to be a memorable one, thanks to the imminent release of The Royal Hibiscus Hotel in movie theatres. Its feel-good plot and touching scenes are set to melt hearts and inspire audiences to chase their dreams and never give up on love.

Kenneth Okoli and Zainab Balogun

Slay Festival Back with Second Edition

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lay Festival, an outdoor celebration of innovation, culture and technology, is back for its second edition, bringing together women across Africa for an educational, yet entertaining experience on February 17, at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island. Last year, the festival hosted over 1,500 women to an impactful day. This year, the festival will host 3,000 women across Africa.

Slay Festival has a lineup of prominent speakers, including Funke Opeke, CEO Main One Cable, Betty Irabor, Founder of Genevieve Magazine, Omotola JaladeEkeinde, Ink Eze, Founder of Asoebibella, and many more. They will share their experiences and lend their expertise through panel discussions and masterclasses.

Various panel discussions have been put together to address key topics, including ‘personal branding for career women’, ‘introduction to coding’, ‘taking mobile photography to the next level’, ‘what you need to know about blockchain’ and ‘millennial guide to managing personal finances’. Oyiza Salu, Group Head of Human Resources at Guaranty Trust

Bank will be joining a panel session on ‘how to get a job at Nigeria’s best places to work’ and Tonye Cole the Executive Director and Founder of Sahara Group, will share his years of experience as an entrepreneur and innovator, during the panel discussion of ‘developing your leadership style’.

New activities are planned for the festival this year, such as the leadership circle which will enable attendees to sit down for an intimate 45 minute coaching session with a senior leader around topics of strategy, marketing, career growth and building relationships. The networking experience will focus on speed networking and developing connections; and the health and wellness section will be a platform to provide free health check–ups and healthy living tips. A crèche has also been provided for women with young children.

Slay Festival promises to be impactful and engaging with opportunities for networking, direct access to career experts and business speakers with global expertise, expert’s corner for 1-on-1 coaching, beauty, hair and skincare demonstrations, live music and a chance to shop from over 75 young entrepreneurs with innovative Participants at the Slay Festival and exciting products.

WAPTV Channel Upgrades Output to HD

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ver the past few days, viewers across Nigeria have been commending the greatly improved audio-visual quality of wapTV, as the popular 24hour family entertainment satellite television channel is now noticeably one of the sharpest TV channels in Nigeria. This is in terms of picture and sound clarity, due to an upgrade of its production and broadcast equipment to transmit crystal-clear High Definition (HD) output which commenced on Monday, 15th January .this year.

This technical upgrade includes an improvement of wapTV’s Video Frame Size from 720 x 576 to 1920 x 1080, Video Bitrate from 15,000 to 80,000 Kbps CBR, Aspect Ratio from 4 x 3 to 16 x 9, and other

enhancements; and it is already having positive impact in viewers’ enjoyment of wapTV’s wide range of content suitable for the whole family; including Latest and Classic Nigerian Movies (various languages), Short Comedy Skits, TV Dramas, Music Videos, Comedy Series, Children’s Shows, Sports, Cooking, Telenovelas, Documentaries, Cartoons, Talk Shows, Religion, Health, Tourism, Fashion, Reality Shows, Live Celebrity Interviews, Events, Entertainment News etc.

According to the Managing Director of wapTV, Wole Adenuga, “The upgrade of wapTV’s equipment was an exercise which lasted several weeks because we had to import several sophisticated equipment from different parts of the world but it has been well worth the effort, as

well as the huge financial investment, as the improvement is being greatly appreciated by our millions of viewers, Independent Content Producers, Advertisers, Satellite TV Providers and other partners. The upgrade is equally being enjoyed online by subscribers on our YouTube Channel: waptvchannel and our Instagram account: waptvchannel as our entertaining videos are now even sharper than before.�

The multiple-award-winning wapTV is available across Africa and several parts of Europe and Asia through an extensive network of popular Satellite TV Platforms: DStv Channel 262, StarTimes Channel 116, GOtv Channel 102, StarSat Channel 189 and MyTV; with a 24-hour online stream on TV NOW app available worldwide.

Wole Adenuga

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž JANUARY 27, 2018

TEENS

CONNECT

Jason Eboka The Nigerian Whizz-kid You Need to Meet An encounter with Jason Eboka leaves no one in doubt that the 17-year-old aspiring architect knows his onions when it comes to his chosen ďŹ eld. But, as committed as he is to architecture, Jason will not let an opportunity to play in the NBA pass him by. A silent career option that is for now a hobby for the 5’10 feet tall teen, Jason in this interview with Nkechi Ibeneme talks about his works of art, his love for basketball and his plans for the future

Y

ou just graduated from Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary.

What’s next for you?

I will enrol to study Architecture in a reputable university. To prepare myself for this, I am undergoing internship at SAS Space Design, a foremost architectural firm in Nigeria.

While in school, how often did you participate in the BRESCAG competition organised by your school and other select schools?

I did not participate in the BRESCAG competition because it was meant for art major students and I was in the technical department.

We have seen your artwork with the Pharaoh painting. What other genre of

Eboka

the art do you do?

Still life, including crayon on paper; this actually earned me a UNICEF recognition and a slot in the competition, ‘The Survival of a Nigerian Child’ in 2012 when I was in Primary 6.

What inspired the Pharaoh-themed art? Why not a portrait of an Oba, Emir or Igwe?

The Pharaoh work was actually a theme for the prom night of my immediate graduating set. I was in a committee of about 12 people who all contributed to the work. I chose Pharaoh as the theme for my work because I thought it explained and portrayed the way the seniors were seen by their juniors; because Pharaoh was known to be very stern and fierce especially in meting out punishments.

What inspires creativity in you?

The ‘wow’ factor and joy on people’s faces.

Who is your favorite Nigerian artist and why?

My favorite Nigerian artist of all time is Sam Ebohon. He is my favorite because his creativity in painting is unfathomable.

I love how he is able to turn random splashes of paint into beautiful works.

Who is your timeless artist in the world and why?

I want to classify Fariborz Sahba, who is actually an architect as my timeless artist in the world. He is the architect behind the Bahai House of Worship in New Delhi, India. He is my timeless artist in the

world because he understood the spiritual connection of flowers to the Indians and used this knowledge to build a magnificent house of worship. This ability to understand a client’s deep need and turn it into reality is a very important skill for a dynamic and successful architect.

Who is your role model?

My role models are my parents. They have different and unique skills that I admire. I am learning every day to blend their attributes with my own God-given distinctive talents – may God help me!

I am learning to understand what life is about and how to handle the different scenarios of life.

How long have you been painting?

I have been painting since I was in

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JANUARY 27, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

What do you think the government should do more to curb criminality in Nigeria?

The government should make education accessible to all and create more job opportunities. Not ignoring the creation of vocational learning centres because a lot of the people involved in crime are jobless and are idle with little or no education.

primary school and my specialty is drawing.

What inspired your interest in art?

I grew up with art. My parents have friends that are art inclined and we have always had paintings hanging on the walls like a Joe Musa, Henri Moweta and Victor Ehikamenor among others. Also, a challenge by my schoolmate in primary school that I couldn’t draw got me fired up.

Do you think fine art occupies a pride of place in Nigeria?

It has been affected with the advent of technology, social media and the get-richquick syndrome. But fine art occupies a pride of place in Nigeria because it is in our culture. It is a memorabilia of our ancestors and many times reminds us of how greatly things have changed in our culture.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Ten years from now, I see myself breaking boundaries in the dynamic world of modern architecture; working solo and collaborating with like-minded individuals.

Why do you think more youths are drawn to music and the performing arts?

With the advent of modern technology and easy access to these tools, youths find it easier to express themselves in music and in the performing arts to make money.

If you are presented with an opportunity to showcase at an art exhibition, do you think you can have a good showing with what you have done so far?

Yes, I can have a good show though I would need to create more works.

What do you think should be done to promote interest in other art genres?

Exposure to other forms of art through free workshop programmes with interesting contents should be created in order to raise awareness among youths about various other career choices in the arts.

Of all your paintings, which one are you most emotionally attached to and why?

I am attached to my digital works because they are all purely my effort. No one else contributes or tells me what to do and I prefer it that way.

Away from art, how will you describe your personality?

Naturally, I am a very calm and observant person, with a great flair for making friends easily.

Teenagers love hip hop. What genre of music works for you?

Hip hop and rap work best for me, although I listen to a bit of Asa too.

What turns you off?

When I don’t bring on my ‘A Game’ in basketball; when I feel I’m not getting something right in my artworks, misrepresentation of issues, nasty comments and rude people.

How well can you dance?

I don’t know how to dance at all. I don’t care to learn, although my brother is pretty good with his feet.

Who is your favorite artiste in Nigeria?

My favorite Nigerian artiste is Runtown.

What’s your favorite food?

I don’t have a favorite food.

What’s your favorite colour?

My favorite colour is orange. It is vibrant.

Which recent event in Nigeria will you say caught your attention and why?

Davido’s ‘30 Billion’ concert caught my attention because it was interesting and he gave out free Taxify rides to his fans.

When you are not painting, what else keeps you busy and happy?

Reading novels which improves my intellect and playing basketball which keeps me physically fit. They’re both fun and exhilarating to me.

If you get a chance, will you rather play in the NBA than practise architecture?

If I got a chance to play in the NBA and give up architecture, I would take it.

In 2016, three female students of your former school were kidnapped. Do you mind telling us what that experi-

What are the things you will do differently this year?

I’ll put in more effort while taking giant strides to be more focused in my objectives. And have more confidence in myself by eliminating self-doubt.

Eboka

ence was like for you?

It was very scary considering the fact that it played out right in front of me.

It was quite emotional as well because my best friend was one of the students kidnapped and all the victims were from

my class. I cannot explain the joy that overwhelmed the school, their parents, my classmates and I when they were eventually released. I still keep thanking God for their safe return because on that, it could have been anyone.

What advice do you have for your peers?

I will say, always put up your ‘A game’.

Stay super-focused and eliminate the major success inhibitor which is self-doubt.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 27, 2018

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 27, 2018

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri Of Obasanjo’s Red Card to Buhari and Its Effects Beyond Buhari

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here has been a lot of analysis of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Buhari asking him to forego his obvious second term bid and strongly rebuking him for his ineptitude and corruption.

I am not going to go in-depth into the contents of the letter because President Obasanjo was only stating the obvious and besides, in the space of only a few days, the letter had become one of the most widely read documents in Nigeria to the point of being sold as literature in traffic by vendors.

I mean when it is so bad that you have the President’s wife and daughter attacking him on social media even a blind man knows that the end of the road is near. That is why I find it certainly disingenuous for the Buhari government, in its seven-page response to Obasanjo’s letter, to accuse the former President of being blind to the facts, saying “his criticism on the economy indicated that his busy schedule denied him appreciation of government’s efforts and resounding successes recorded in the economic sphere.”

“Resounding success recorded in the economic sphere.” What was Lai Mohammed thinking? Let me rephrase - what had Lai Mohammed been smoking? Is the government aware that only two days before it released its pathetic response to President Obasanjo, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics announced that 16 million Nigerians became unemployed in 2017? And it is an insult to our intelligence for the government’s response to say “permit me to say, however, that Nigeria would not have exited recession through a mere order or if the Administration had not made use of ‘’good Nigerians’’ who could help.”

Who put us in the recession in the first place?

How won’t Nigeria have entered recession under the Buhari administration when the President surrounds himself with spent forces and expired products like Professors Itse Sagay and Tam David West?

Look at his cabinet? A complete disgrace, filled with square pegs in round holes. A French degree holder as agriculture minister! Why would we not have recession when we have a polytechnic product in a sensitive ministry like finance.

And the fact that Lai Mohammed reeled out the discredited tale that the Buhari administration had ramped up Nigeria’s electricity generation to 7,000 MWs just goes to show you how desperate they are to come up with ‘achievements’ from thin air!

According to the government-owned and Nigerian Electricity System Operator, the amount of power generated in Nigeria is 4,108MW. This was corroborated by the Spectator Index (the world’s top public utilities rating agency) which revealed last week that Nigeria generates just under 4,000 MWs of electricity.

I deal in facts and I have an unimpeachable reputation for the facts. If any member of the Buhari administration can contradict the data from their own government agency, Nigerian Electricity System Operator, I make a public vow to apologize to President Buhari in a full-page advertisement in a nationally read newspaper.

The fact is that both President Muhammadu Buhari and Lai Mohammed lied! No big surprise there really.

I have heard of ‘born to rule’, but Buhari appears born to fail and fail woefully. Look at how much damage he has done to the nation’s economy that was projected by CNNMoney to be the third-fastestgrowing economy in the world in 2015. Look at the deterioration of our internal security.

Go to farm and Fulani herdsmen may kill you. Go to market and inflation may kill you. Go to fuel station and fuel scarcity may kill you.

Go to hospital and doctors’ strike may kill you. Go to police and SARS may kill you. Go to work and non-payment of salary by government may kill you. I have never seen a CHANGE that brings death like Buhari/APC! In fact, someone bought petrol at N320per litre today and complained to me. What does he want from me? Am I Tam David West who promised Buhari will make petrol N40 per litre or Buhari that promised to make N1 equal to $1? Please enjoy the change and invite Fulani herdsmen to the party. But beyond the mediocre response to President Obasanjo read out by Lai Mohammed after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting, I want to remind the President of a statement he made in 2015. The below is from a statement released by President Buhari on March 4, 2015.

“Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is a courageous patriot and statesman who tells the truth to power when he is convinced leaders are going wrong, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate retired General Muhammadu Buhari has said.”

My question to President Buhari is this: Does he still stand by this statement in the light of recent events?

Even going backward to when former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote his letter to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerians can very vividly remember how both the All Progressives Congress and its principal members poured encomiums on President Obasanjo.

It is rather surprising that both President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress are unable to respond to President Obasanjo’s letter today with those same encomiums. In response to Obasanjo’s letter to President Buhari, the APC speaking through its fallacious National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said, “The APC has asked to be given the opportunity to study the statement. We shall respond appropriately afterwards.” After studying the letter, the APC gave a non-response response on Thursday the 25th of January, 2018 saying inter alia:

F. Release/Resurrect Nnamdi Kanu

Obasanjo “We disagree with the former president in what appears like a wholesale dismissal of the entire political system in the country.”

This is at variance with their response to Obasanjo’s letter to Jonathan when the APC said through its then National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, as follows: “President Jonathan should address the allegations that he has put 1,000 Nigerians on a ‘political watch-list’, in addition to training snipers at the same facility where Abacha’s killer squad was trained.”

The APC’s response to President Obasanjo did not address any of the allegations raised by the former President. Former President Obasanjo obviously loves Nigeria and he is a major stakeholder and his letter raised very salient points that should not and cannot be swept under the carpet. I see, however, that the APC’s in-house evil genius, Nasir El-Rufai, has been using his son to say the things he would like to say but can’t say about President Obasanjo, who brought him to political limelight. The younger El-Rufai accused former President Obasanjo of having a Messiah Complex. In fact, his exact words were: “Once again, Obasanjo’s Messiah Complex manifests itself. The only Saint in Nigeria.” The thing is that El-Rufus’s son exposes the hypocrisy of his own father. How? Well the previous day, the senior El-Rufai had posted the following on facebook: “Young people think insulting leaders on social media will change the way things are in Nigeria. No one would hand over the mantle of leadership to you simply because you’re young. If you want to chase “old people” from positions of power, you must join a party and participate in the process no matter how bad, dirty and dangerous you think it is.” In any event, I tried to defend Obasanjo and in doing so I got the wrong end of the stick from the younger El-Rufai.

Obviously, that Obasanjo letter really affected the Nasir El-Rufai family. His son even went further to unleash more insults on both Obasanjo and me.

In response to that, I must say that I never knew El-Rufai’s son’s temper is as short as his father’s height. But come to think of it, what did Obasanjo say about Buhari that the serial betrayer and Buhari’s house boy, El-Rufai, has not said before?

On October 4, 2010 El-Rufai said, “Mallam El-Rufai wishes to remind General Buhari that he has remained perpetually unelectable because his record as military head of state, and afterwards, is a warning that many Nigerians have wisely heeded. His INSENSITIVITY TO NIGERIA’S DIVERSITY AND HIS PAROCHIAL FOCUS are already well known”.

El-Rufai’s son should not think that I am in the same class as his dad. I am loyal. I am not a political prostitute like his father. I fear God. I have never been accused of consulting all manner of marabouts to further my political future! But back to President Obasanjo. Given its antecedents, let me just kindly nudge the Buhari administration to note that Nigerians don’t want to hear that killer Fulani herdsmen attacked President Obasanjo’s house or that the EFCC arrested one of his children. The dynamically disappointing duo of President Buhari and El-Rufai celebrated Obasanjo when he wrote against Jonathan. What is sauce for the goose, should also be sauce for the gander.

But if their antecedents are anything to go by, they will attempt to distract the public from Obasanjo’s missive. So let me beat them to it by asking my readers what they think the Buhari government will do to distract Nigerians’ attention from former President Obasanjo’s letter?

A. Release new Chibok Girls B. ‘Find’ billions in Jonathan’s house C. Ask EFCC to probe Third Term D. Increase the price of fuel E. Make NTA show #BBNaija, or

In fact, so accurate was I in predicting the behaviour of the Buhari administration that just as I finished writing the above paragraph, I got news of two events that had happened SUDDENLY. In the first sudden incidence meant to change the narrative, the EFCC detained Babachir Lawal, Buhari’s immediate-past Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

In the second event, the Buhari government suddenly announced that APC’s El-Rufai-led committee on Restructuring would now submit its report two days after the Obasanjo letter. No previous warning. It was not scheduled. It just came out of the blue. So predictable.

So why now?

They are desperately trying to deliver a flurry of activity to distract Nigerians from the truths contained in Obasanjo’s #RedCard to President Buhari This is so knee-jerk predictable! I predicted on the day of the Obasanjo letter that going by their antecedents, the Buhari administration will take a dramatic decision to try to distract the public from the troubling epistle. Babachir’s detention is just a show that, like other arrests before it, will not lead to anything. They just think that Nigerians are so shallow that this will make you forget Obasanjo’s #RedCard to President Buhari.

All of a sudden, the same President Buhari, who said he was not in a hurry to take decisions last week, is the same President Buhari who has started hurriedly making decisions this week. Suddenly he is going to receive the report on restructuring tomorrow. Suddenly Babachir Lawal has been arrested. Suddenly. Suddenly. Why has a slow coach suddenly revved it’s engine to be the fastest train? Why suddenly?

Obasanjo’s #RedCard, that is why!

Let me conclude by saying that I am so glad that President Obasanjo’s intervention came just as it seemed that the Buhari administration was going to get away with its evil policy of establishing cattle colonies. I am reasonably certain that after Obasanjo’s missive, that Policy will die a natural and well-deserved death.

In May 2016, President Buhari told us killer herdsmen are from Libya. One week later Lai Mohammed told us that killer herdsmen are not Nigerians. On January 24, 2015, the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum said killer herdsmen are foreigners from Senegal and Mali. Only last week, the Presidency said it is the Islamic State that is killing Nigerians in the name of herdsmen. If all these statements are true, why does the Buhari government still want to give herdsmen Nigerian land as cattle colony? There is a strong disconnect between these statements and the quest for cattle colonies. You do not give colonies to invading foreigners. You send the army after them! That is what Ghana is doing and we say we are the Giant of Africa.

Perhaps President Obasanjo, being an Owu Yoruba warrior, intervened because of his deep knowledge of the history of the Yoruba people. Ilorin in Yoruba land once hosted a colony of Fulani warriors and clerics. Today, without mincing words, the Yoruba are second-class citizens in their own land. They bow to a Fulani emir. Their political elite are Fulani. The wealth of Ilorin is firmly and securely in the hands of the Fulani. During Muslim holidays the Yoruba original owners of the land line up in front of the house of a Fulani man to collect crumbs and in the process kill themselves via a stampede.

History does not repeat itself. Men repeat history. MARK MY WORDS, what happened in Ilorin will happen to any state, or community that allows itself to be used to host a cattle colony!

It is not for nothing that the Alake of Egba conferred the title of Jagunmolu of Egbaland on Olusegun Obasanjo after he collected the articles of surrender from the forces of the defunct Republic of Biafra.

Jagunmolu means invincible warrior.

In 1824, it was a Yoruba general named Afonja (who was aare ona kakanfo of Oyo empire) that was foolish enough to invite Fulani colonialists led by Shehu Alimi (AKA Salih Janta) to Ilorin. In 2018 it is another Yoruba General named Obasanjo who was wise enough to blow the whistle on the immediate-past Grand Patron of Fulani herdsmen (Buhari was a Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria) who wants his kinsmen to not just colonize one town, but to colonize the whole of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I am convinced that President Obasanjo saw through the ruse and figured out that the so-called cattle colony policy is just a subterfuge for the stealth implementation of a long-term dream of Fulani irredentists for Nigeria. The dream of conquering up to the Atlantic Ocean.

God forbid. God forbid. GOD FORBID! By the way, my condolences to Afenifere leader, Chief Olu Falae, over today’s destruction of his farm by Fulani herdsmen. If a Yoruba leader, a former Minister for Finance, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and a former Presidential candidate is not safe from Fulani herdsmen in Buhari’s Nigeria, who is safe? Certainly not you and I. Perhaps, just perhaps Falae’s ordeal reminded Obasanjo of his own ordeal between 1995 and 1998.

Reno’s Nuggets Marry a wife that can pray, stay and slay. But if you can’t marry a wife that can do all three, then marry a wife that can at least pray because no wife will stay except she can first pray. Do note that the right woman is better than the best woman. The best woman has the body you lust for. The right woman has the character that will help you not to get lost. One only leads you to pleasure. The other will lead you to treasure and pleasure #RenosNuggets.

JANUARY 27, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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FASHION FILE

“Beautiful Collection”

by SGTC Clothing

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 27, 2018

FASHION FILE

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

Beautiful Collection

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ast rising and contemporary Afrocentric brand SGTC CLOTHING has teamed up with Brand Influencer and C.E.O , Taje Prest to release it’s exclusive Plus Size Collection called “BEAUTIFUL ME” The purpose of the collection is to make more stylish and vibrant designs available to Plus Size Women.

With much attention paid to the creation of these pieces, it can be assured that a diverse range of women can have pieces that flatter their Curves and in turn boost their Confidence.

They celebrate Women of all sizes but also understand that sometimes, Plus Sized Women do not have as many stylish Afrocentric Ready to Wear Pieces as they deserve, hence this Initiative to dedicate this collection to them.

The Fabrics, Designs, Colors and Prints have been thoughtfully and specially selected with Love, to ensure extreme comfort whilst retaining an Impeccable Style for every Occasion.

Credits Brand: @sgtcclothing Model: @missvivacioust Photographer: @focalpointfotografia Creative Director: @style_territory Makeup: @nouveau_aphrodite Accessories: @lissaconcept x @brand2glam Location: @prestcruise

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚΀

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fashogbon... ͸΀͸͝͝͞ͺ͚͸͸Î

L-R: Multiple District 404 Nig Council Secretary, Lion Nsikan Bassey; Past District Governor & Multiple District 404 Nig Council Chairpson, Lion Gbolagade Adebisi; District Governor 404A1 Nig, Lion Olatunbosun Okpeseyi and District Governor 404B2 Nig, Lion Asiwaju Ayobola Samuel, during the Lions Multiple District Council of Governors Meeting held recently in Lagos...recently

L-R: Chairman, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Insurance Group, Mr. Gbeyega Olanbiwonninu; Director General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf;President, LCCI,Mr. Babatunde Ruwase;Deputy Treasurer, Mrs. Oluyemisi Daramola; and Chairman, LCCI Construction Group, Mr. Leye Kupoluyi, at the media brieďŹ ng on the state of the economy and the state of the nation by LCCI in Lagos...recently

Strategies to Keep You in Business in 2018 Statistics have shown that the Nigerian manufacturing sector loses about $2.8 trillion annually to occupational accidents and diseases, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Aside from the monetary loss, data also indicates that the sector records 6000 deaths daily as a result of insensitivity to safety precautions.

A South African financial analyst, Joel Chimhanda, reckoned that businesses could only be secure in Nigeria and indeed Africa through operational risk management.

He said, “In Nigeria, for instance, we have heard of explosions in power plants; uncontained market fires that bring investments and livelihoods to zero because of inadequate response frameworks; massive building collapse resulting in huge capital losses; road structures with no inbuilt utility service; excessive risk transfer to insurance, thus zero bcp.�

He added that businesses collapse because managers continued to reinvest in disaster which is dwindling resources.

To avert the menace of dying investments and also considering the alarming statistics of businesses that packed up in Nigeria in 2017, Safety Consultant and Solutions Provider Limited, SCSP, an Operational Risk Management expert offered some sustainability and survival tips for investment in 2018.

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance: It is paramount that employers identify the requirements that apply to their workplaces and also stay abreast of regulatory changes. Being compliant now doesn’t mean a company will always be compliant. Regulations and policies change, and new ones are issued.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, has increased rule-making activity by issuing several proposed and final rules over the last four years. The most recent final rule of significance was the ‘Walking-Working Surfaces ‘rule, which includes major fall protection, training, and inspection changes affecting every employer.

Hazard Assessment: Conducting routine hazard assessments is an excellent way to find hazards in the workplace before OSHA does. Focus on the “Big Four� — falls, electrocutions, caught-in or between, and struck by. OSHA is placing increased focus on these hazards, which are the leading causes of fatalities. In the past, OSHA focused on these hazards only in the construction industry, but now the agency is targeting these four hazards in general industry, as well.

Safety and Health Programme: The benefits of developing and implementing a safety and health programme are varied and many, but perhaps the greatest benefit is reducing injuries and illnesses.

OSHA says that businesses spend $170 billion yearly on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses, which comes straight out of company profits. Workplaces that establish a safety and health programme can reduce their injury and illness costs by 20% to 40%, and better yet, reduce their likelihood of being inspected by OSHA. If not done already, establish a written injury and illness prevention programme that outlines the hazards in the facility and how they are controlled. This is another way to “find and fix� hazards before OSHA finds them. It is also an eligibility requirement for receiving the “good faith� penalty reduction if cited by OSHA. Training: Ensure employees are trained

for the tasks that they perform. OSHA compliance officers are now verifying not only that required training has been conducted, but that the training was provided in a format that workers could understand in terms of both the language and vocabulary that is used. OSHA says that employers were expected to realise that if they customarily need to communicate work instructions or other workplace information to employees at a certain vocabulary level or in a language other than English, they will also need to provide safety and health training to employees in the same manner.

For example, if employees are not literate, telling them to read training materials would not satisfy an employer’s training obligation. There cannot be any

DuďŹ l Sustains Programme on Educational Growth Dufil Prima Foods Plc., makers of Indomie Noodles, has reiterated its commitment to educational growth in Nigeria as it continued its annual postgraduate students empowerment.

The initiative which has been running for over eight years was intended to boost nutrition education and research as well as strengthen the nations’ manpower in the food sector.

For this year, no fewer than 12 post-graduate students drawn from various universities across the country currently undergoing a master’s degree in Nutrition and related studies for 2017/2018 academic session were supported with N450,000 each which is expected to cover their tuition, research grant and stipend for the duration of the programme.

Speaking at the cheque presentation ceremony which held at the company’s corporate headquarters in Lagos, the Group Public Relations and Events Manager of the company, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, stressed that the company would sustain and improve on the initiative being the first and only corporate organisation sponsoring postgraduate nutrition education in the country.

Recognising that the sponsored field was relevant to the company, Ashiwaju stated that the company’s decision to invest in the initiative was to further assist in improving the health of Nigerians since malnutrition and poor diets were major causes of diseases and illnesses, as well as meet the organisation’s need for well-trained nutritionists and dieticians being a major player in the sector that is health friendly. “It is our joy that in the nearest future, Nigeria can boast of quality manpower in the area of nutrition and dietetics as very few universities offer nutrition at

the first degree and master’s level at the moment, a situation which has led to shortage of manpower in this sector. We want to re-write the nutrition template of our dear country, and Dufil as a brand is committed to raising seasoned professionals in this field. This will in the nearest future place us side by side with developed nations in this regard,� he said.

Dufil spokeperson also applauded the coordinator of the scholarship scheme, Professor Babatunde Oguntona, for his transparency in handling the exercise since inception.

Responding, Oguntona, who is also a lecturer at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, commended the company for keeping the initiative alive for nine years noting that the gesture had enhanced performance in the field.

Brand Manager of Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Onome Asagbra said: “The scheme is a noble course the brand is pleased to be associated with as one of our ways of giving back to the society and contributing towards producing highly-trained nutritionists that would drive development in the food sector.�

He urged awardees to remain focused and committed to their studies.

The 12 beneficiaries drawn from a pool of numerous entries across the six geo-political zones of the country included: Abdulahi Abubakar (Kano), Adedipe Elisabeth (Ondo), Awosanya Mubarakat (Ogun), Awotunya Ebunoluwa (Ekiti), Babatunde Odunayo Esther (Oyo), Iheme Gideon Onyedikachi (Abia) and Iyekekpolor Christiana Imuetinyan (Edo).

barriers or impediments to understanding. If this means that an employer must provide training in other languages, then that is what has to be done.

Self-Inspection: while an alert and competent workforce is the constant “real-time� protection against accidents and injuries, hazards can be and are missed. That is why inspections are an important last line of defence, and are even required by OSHA in many instances. They provide a clear and concentrated focus on potential problems.

Inspections are typically done by walking around a facility and focusing on a particular safety issue, such as machine guarding, fire extinguishers, chemical storage, forklifts, etc.

ATCON to Honour ICT Icons The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, is set to honour and reward efforts of dogged players in the information technology sector in a book.

This initiative followed the huge exploits and accomplishments in the sector which have not only aided human endeavours but assisted in enriching the nation’s economy.

The publication, featuring 100 celebrities, would highlight among others personal and corporate exploits of players in the sector, personal views, reports and challenges in the industry, developmental plans for the industry and recommendations on the way forward in the industry.

Other items that will go in the soon-to-bepublished book also include personal and corporate profile of players, their corporate social responsibility programmes and curriculum vitae.

Speaking at a press conference announcing the initiative, President of the Association, Mr Olusola Teniola, stated that the association conceived the idea to celebrate individuals and corporate organisations that have contributed and still leading innovation and creativity in the industry so as to immortalise the icons and encourage further investment in the sector. “It is believed that the publication of this book would further encourage and inspire us as an institution to continue to intensify our advocacy drive in the Nigerian telecom and ICT ecosystem and continuous protection of the existing investment with the sole aim of attracting further investment into the sector as the proposed book is expected to chronicle all that these individuals and corporate organisations have done to grow the industry to where it is today and what they intend to do to speed up development in the sector,� he said.

Explaining further the goals of the process, Teniola said the association sought to put on record those who have contributed to the development of telecom and ICT in Nigeria.

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

EVENTS

P

enultimate Saturday the family of Chief Peter and Mrs. Pamela Arigbe gave out their daughter Jacklyn ‘Tiny’ Kobaro, in a solemnization of holy matrimony to Obinna Peter of the family of late Elder Peter Emmanuel and Mrs. Maria Ononuju. The church service was held under the Lagos Diocese of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) of Our Saviours Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos State and was attended by friends and families of both families. Here are some of personalities at the event.

Photographs: Kola Olasupo and Yomi Akinyele

The newly wedded couple, Obinna Peter and Jacklyn Kobaro Ononuju

Bride’s parents, Chief Peter Arigbe and wife, Pamela

Groom’s parents, Mr. Christian Ononuju and Chief (Mrs) Maria Ononuju

L-R: Mr. M.J Orifa; Dr. Matthew Eshalomi and Apostle Yemi Omaghomi

Mrs. Felicia Bassey (left) with Mrs. Maria Ononuju

L-R: Mr. and Mrs. Tunde Odunsi and Dr. Lai Banwo

Chief Okey and Big Chy Ngonadi

Chief Emmabishop Okonkwo (right) with Chief Andrew Oru

L-R: Chief Ade Duro Emmanuel; Chief Dotun Duro Emmanuel and Mr. Dare Duro Emmanuel

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

EVENTS

L-R: Dr. Uche Ogah and Chief Ziggy Azika

L-R: Chief and Mrs. Emmanuel Okonkwo and Senator Ben Obi

L-R: Chief Victor Oyolu and Dr. Ernest Ndukwe

L-R: Chief (Mrs) Winnie Abiola and Chief Jide Offor

L-R: Mr. Nosa Igiebor and Mr. Chvis Aligbe

L-R: Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN and Otunba Niyi Adegbonmire, SAN

L-R: Tom Fabyau and Chief Dele Cole

L-R: Chief Ayo Iroche and Ms Nene Lanval

L-R:Mrs. Ayo Duro-Emanuel and Mrs. Omosan Duro-Emanuel

L-R: Lugard Amughoro and Yomi Tokosi

L-R: Joyce Sapele Odusanya and Thelma Osammor

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚΀

INTERVIEW Daniel Kanu

Nigeria Has Gone Backward Since Abacha’s Death Twenty years after he took the polity by storm by organising the two-million-man march for the late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Daniel Kanu still stands by his action.

In this interview, Kanu tells Onyebuchi Ezigbo about his ambition to contest the Imo State governorship election in 2019 on the platform of APGA, adding that the economic plan midwifed by the late despot remains the magic wand that could have transformed Nigeria’s economy

W

hy do you want to be Imo State governor?

I have been on a divine journey that didn’t start today. My year of activism started when I was much younger. It has been my desire to offer myself to serve the people. They said it is without vision that people perish.

I have always believed in vision. I believe if you don’t play a role in leadership the wrong people will keep leading us. I participated in activism to create awareness and call for vision for the country. But many people didn’t see what I saw back then – during my years of activism 20 years ago. We are worse off today than we were 20 years ago. So I believe time has vindicated me. It is time for me to come out to serve my people to change their fortune.

Obviously, we know that the country is going through a lot of difficulties. Many of these difficulties have been foreseen. Some of us didn’t see it. If we don’t participate (in politics and governance) in changing our fortunes, things will continue to get worse. Hence, I am running for the governorship of Imo State. I believe God has blessed me with what it takes to improve the fortune of our people.

What change do you want to bring about in Imo State?

To bring about change to the society, you have to start from the grass root. You have to start from the core. A lot that has been happening in the past has been more of window dressing. Where you have a society that has high crime rate you don’t just fight crime by deploying more police officers. You fight crime by changing values.

You need to engage the youths in positive activities and things like that. There are many things that we need to do in Imo State that are not currently being done. I believe that my leadership will provide these core ingredients that will translate into a moral, peaceful and harmonious society.

Imo State Government said it is providing free education to the people. How do you intend to improve Imo people’s lives?

The pronouncement of free education is one thing and to provide qualitative education is another thing. We can say free education but what quality of teachers do we have? I applaud the free education policy and I intend to continue with the policy of free education. However, I intend to pay more attention to the quality of teachers, train and re-train them, recruit more teachers,

Kanu

and improve on the quality of the classrooms. As a matter of fact, I just came back from the US from consultation with the Mayor of Dallas, Texas. The Deputy Mayor has agreed that the city of Dallas will partner Imo State under my leadership for a student exchange programme that will make a huge impact on the quality of education that our kids get.

Many of our children will be sent overseas to school and bring back the knowledge that will impact the society. We are coming up with many ideas that will transform education in the state. One of which is using the Internet to teach. I will like to have a situation where every classroom will have a computer laboratory. We have to arm our kids to compete in the current global environment. Without computer education, without IT knowledge our children won’t be able to compete. If you give them all the education they want without IT knowledge they will still face challenges and we intend to do something about that.

During the late Gen. Sani Abacha regime, you spearheaded

the now infamous two-millionman march for the dictator to transform into a democratic president. Do you regret your action?

We all have our destinies. As far as our past activities are concerned that is our decisions. Everyone has their own way of doing things. As far as I am concerned it is quite unfortunate that we live in a society that is hypocritical; a society that doesn’t see vision. Many people would have seen my ability at the age of 26 to organise the two million Nigerians to get together.

In many civilised countries, many people would have seen me as a talented kid to have the confidence to say, ‘Look that administration constituted a National Constitution Conference which put forward vision 2010’. If you remembered there were 248 members: from traditional rulers to academics, to politicians, professionals and Nigerians from all walks of life that gathered at the conference and came up with a document called the Vision 2010.

That vision was intended to make Nigeria the largest economy in 2010 and what I felt was ‘here is a vision for the country, why don’t we

Look that administration constituted a National Constitution Conference which put forward vision 2010’. If you remembered there were 248 members: from traditional rulers to academics, to politicians, professionals and Nigerians from all walks of life that gathered at the conference and came up with a document called the Vision 2010. That vision was intended to make Nigeria the largest economy in 2010 and what I felt was ‘here is a vision for the country, why don’t we pursue that vision and see where that gets us in 2010?’ But no; some people will rather throw away the baby with the bath water pursue that vision and see where that gets us in 2010?’ But no; some people will rather throw away the baby with the bath water. They were busy looking at the man that constituted the vision instead of the vision itself.

Unfortunately, the country threw away the vision and things regressed because without vision you perish. You have to know where you are going. You have to have a blueprint of where you want to be 20 years from now. Look at the western world: they think and plan ahead. But we tend to always take the fire-service approach. That is what I was telling Nigerians that many didn’t see what I saw and at the end of the day the whole vision was discarded. Back then the foreign exchange rate was officially at N22 to a dollar. Today, a dollar exchanges for N325. Petrol was N11 per litre then. Today, petrol sells for over N145 per litre. We did a sur-

JANUARY 27, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

49

INTERVIEW Why I Deserve to Be Imo State Governor in 2019 vey and it appears that most items are experiencing inflation rate of over 1000 per cent. So when people say I did this and that in 1998 they should look at where we are now.

Are we better off today as we were in 1998? If we are not, then I have been vindicated.

Do you think that Abacha’s plan to transform into a civilian president would have been good for Nigeria?

You just said it all. I believe you asked the question and you answered it. Abacha was a military head of state. He was in the process of democratising Nigeria before he died. There were five political parties during the Abacha regime.

Elections were to be held. In fact, almost every politician – about 98 per cent – around today participated in the Abacha transition programme.

Why is it that it is Daniel Kanu that is being singled out because he is a youth? We have a country that if you are a young man or you are coming up with a lot of ideas there will be a lot of envy. Instead of encouraging our young ones to grow, our society is finding a way to pull them down.

You write a proposal as a young man and take it to a government’s ministry. Somebody will hijack that initiative without you knowing.

These are challenges that young people are facing. Now going back to the issue of better transition; yes, Abacha was a military man. But he was in the process of democratising Nigeria and as you rightly said he was going to retire and contest as a civilian. So I don’t see anything wrong with what he wanted to do because we had a retired military president after him – Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, who was a former head of state and military dictator. The current President was a former military head of state also.

So by the virtue of the election of Obasanjo as a president and President Muhammadu Buhari – both former military heads of state – Daniel Kanu has been vindicated.

We need to call a spade a spade.

Those that opposed me when I urged Nigerians to support the Abacha regime so that the regime could implement the Vision 2010 are the same people that today are supporting President Muhammadu Buhari. They opposed a military man contesting; but today we have a military man. So I believe there have been a lot of hypocrisy and double standards because when a young man brings up ideas it isn’t good. But when they – the cabals that want to continue to repress this country – bring up ideas there is no problem. For 20 years Nigeria has gone backward.

Would you say the Abacha regime was more focused than the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari?

It is not about being better focused. President Buhari is a good man. In the past he was a military head of state. He fought corruption but it isn’t about having much faith in Abacha than Buhari. Remember Buhari also was part of that government that did well in terms of infrastructural development. My position is that in Nigeria we have to learn to have honour, integrity, consistency, loyalty and respect. I am not a fair-weather politician.

Today you are here, tomorrow the man is no longer there – for sure

Kanu

So because Abacha died doesn’t mean I should start denouncing what I did in the past especially when I believe that a military man has the right to retire and contest the presidency or any position in the country – and that has happened twice already. I have been vindicated. Today, Nigeria is wandering because we don’t have vision. We need vision as a country; we need a plan; a blueprint.

We have to be consistent; teach our kids to have honour and integrity. If I do anything wrong I will tell you I am wrong and (say) I am sorry. But I was wrongly accused you will regard him as a turncoat.

I guess that has been my problem because when I stand for something, I stand my ground. If you take away my meal, it is okay. The Bible said Jesus after fasting came out and was confronted by the Devil, who made Jesus some juicy offers. But Jesus said man must not survive on bread alone but through every word that comes out of the

mouth of God. So because Abacha died doesn’t mean I should start denouncing what I did in the past especially when I believe that a military man has the right to retire and contest the presidency or any position in the country – and that has happened twice already. I have been vindicated. Today, Nigeria is wandering because we don’t have vision. We need vision as a country; we need a plan; a blueprint. We have to be consistent; teach our kids to have honour and integrity.

If I do anything wrong I will tell you I am wrong and (say) I am sorry. But I was wrongly accused.

People said I was paid money – that I embezzled the money and all kinds of falsehood and fake news.

You can’t pay me enough money to follow you.

But how were you able to gather two million people in Abuja without a huge financial outlay?

I was very creative. You see ideas rule the world. Companies that are billion-dollar rich around the world were started with nothing but ideas. Facebook was set up by somebody that sat down and created the idea with his computer, sold it to the world. I came up with an idea that, ‘look, there was infrastructural development under Abacha; under PTF headed by Gen. Buhari and PTF was doing a good job’. Vision 2010 was another idea of Abacha that I shared and millions of Nigerians believed in it and contributed. People hired buses and brought supporters to Abuja.

Nobody gave me money. The subsequent government that came in investigated and I wasn’t found wanting. If you think that I am wrong then come up with better ideas let’s compete. The more you compete with ideas in the society the better the society gets. I am not averse to criticisms. I love criticisms.

Apart from the two-millionman march for Abacha, what other things have you achieved?

First of all, the most important thing I am bringing to the table are integrity, consistency, vision, ideas, vibrancy, and knowledge of how to grow an economy. One of my companies seeks to protect the environment which is actually my prime job. I believe in the protection of the environment. I believe in the protection of our city so I have been involved in the maritime sector in that regard trying to see how we can protect our environment and to diversify the economy. Also in the past, I have been running a youth foundation that moulds future leaders to have honour and integrity through sports –for several years I have sponsored sports leagues to keep the youths positively engaged.

In the past I ran an NGO with two cardinal programmes: Youths Against Crime Together (YACT) and Parent Against Crime Together (PACT).

These two programmes worked hand in hand. YACT encourages kids to report crimes; we teach them about honour and integrity. The PACT has a contract that parents are encouraged to sign with their children. The contract has 10 responsibilities of the parents and 10 responsibilities of the children –each person is encouraged to memorise his or her responsibilities because we believe that many parents don’t know their responsibilities. There are many things I have been involved in over the years.

How do you rate the chance of APGA in the 2019 Imo State governorship poll?

I believe the people should have choices and we live in a country where INEC keeps registering political parties – and they are not registering them for decoration.

They are registering them to diversify the options and choices the people have so my contesting under APGA doesn’t preclude anyone from contesting on the platform of APC or PDP. So I believe that is what makes it a true democracy.

Imo people have shown that they are very independent critical thinkers and they look at their choices across various political platforms.

I believe the electoral process has become more transparent. It has improved since I last contested and there is more awareness.

What happened to me in the past I didn’t fight them as much as I should have. I let it go because I had proved a point that I was an activist in the 1990s; I contested and people said I wasn’t popular enough to win. I contested and won; that showed that the people are independent in making political choices. That shows that the masses actually think different from what the cabals that annulled my victory.

Is there any prospect that the South-East will produce Nigeria’s president in the near future?

Anything can happen. Who says that if I contest under APGA now that in four years APGA can’t win that (the presidency) through Daniel Kanu? I think the issue doesn’t really arise because we all have the right to aspire for any office. What we need is good leadership, first of all, irrespective of where you come from. But then I understand and respect the sanctity of that agreement that the president should be rationed between the North and the South.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺͿ, 2018

Ofe Owerri, Bitter Leaf Soup, Other Sauces to Join Mr. Bigg’s Traditional Rice Menu Bennett Oghifo

igeria’s premier fast food company, Mr. Bigg’s has concluded plans to rework its menu and offer Nigerian dishes like bitter leaf soup, Ofe Owerri, Fisherman’s soup and other rice sauces to its traditional jollof rice and chicken meals.

These local dishes would be served in all Mr. Bigg’s outlets for the benefit of the buying public, beginning from next month when it intends to hold a special Food Fest Campaign, which it themed project re-ignite.

The food company plans to treat its customers to two days of sumptuous delicacies accompanied with comedy, fun, music and other forms of entertainment at a rendezvous tagged Mr. Bigg’s Food Fest in Lagos.

Mr Bigg’s Food Fest campaign is an out-of-restaurant consumer engagement to reconnect our esteemed consumers to their favourite No.1 quick service restaurant brand. The platform for this connection will be Mr Bigg’s array of sumptuous meals comprising of both existing and new meals, said the Managing Executive, UAC Restaurants, Joan Ihekwaba at the unveiling of the project re-ignite to journalists in Lagos, yesterday.

According to Ihekwaba, the “Project re-ignite was borne out of the need to meet and exceed consumers’ needs with respect to great meal offering leading to great eating experience, ambience, variety and personalised services.

According to her, the “Food Fest is an event billed to converge both lapsed, potential current consumers of the Mr

L-R: Mr. Bigg’s Food Fest Celebrity Chef- Chef Renee Chuks; National Key Account Manager Coca Cola – Grace Owolabi; Managing Executive UAC Restaurants – Joan Ihekwaba; Mr Bigg’s Franchise Partner – Titilayo Adeojo; Finance Executive UAC Restaurants – Oluyinka Abegunde; MD/CEO TBWA Concept – Kelechi Nwosu at the press brieďŹ ng to unveil the Mr Bigg’s Food Fest in Lagos‌ recently

Bigg’s brand. It’s aimed at breaking down the wall of biases for a great dining experience by converging consumers outside the confines of the Mr Bigg’s restaurants.

In preparation for a great and successful campaign, she said “the brand, in collaboration with a renowned Chef Renee Chuks, has embarked recipe improvement and meal re-engineering

process to ensure she delivers on her ’always good’ promise at the event and also in the restaurants thereafter. “Our focus now for the 2-day Food Fest event billed to take place on 10th and 11th February is Lagos. In the months ahead, we will launch out to the West, East and North markets.�

She said, “Despite the challenging business terrain daunted by escalat-

ing pressured consumer disposable income, we need to constantly refresh and sustain our brand for continued relevance and appeal to our target consumers and the public in general. “At Mr Bigg’s Food Fest, consumers will experience firsthand meals that will become the norm in Mr Bigg’s restaurants going forward.�

She said “Mr Bigg’s long standing partner, Coca Cola, would be on hand to ensure maximum refreshment satisfaction of all their guests. All meals will be sold at a discount at the Fest ground.�

Also, she said there are plans to keep the meals in the menu of Mr Bigg’s within reach of their customers. “We are serving the mass market; therefore we are mindful of cost. We are not going to present the meals at a cost that will not be affordable. We can assure you that these meals will continue to be affordable.�

She said they intend to make the meals more appealing to the consumers and in varieties that will excite the consumers more.

The company is also mindful of the health of consumers, she said, explaining that for instance, their chicken is not fried but grilled and that most of their sauces are stir-fried. They are doing this to reinforce their health consciousness.

He said, “We will still keep our existing meals, the jollof rice, the fried rice, yam pottage but we will present them in new look and taste. In addition to that we shall be presenting some Nigerian meals, I’m talking about bitter leaf soup, Ofe Owerri, we going to do fisherman soup and lots of sauces.

Relationship Pattern and Spread of HIV/AIDS Mark Neboh

s we have happily entered the New Year, we are grateful to God almighty for preserving our lives and those of our loved ones. This is also a time for sober reflection, looking back into our actions in the year that has ended to find out where we got things right and where we got them wrong.

It is this deep reflection that eventually contributes to our ability to sufficiently understand where we have to make necessary improvements to ensure greater yields in the current year.

Considering that life itself is a continuous journey that has to go beyond us, it remains binding on us to live a healthy and fruitful lifestyle that should transcend the present.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a global occurrence that has mutilated or even cutshort many brilliant lives. The severity of occurrence of the pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa makes it imperative on us to examine in detail some of our everyday lifestyle that contribute to rendering us vulnerable to the infection.

One fundamental area that deserves apposite review remains the relationship formula we adopt within our family unit.

We cannot continue to relate with ourselves in the archaic pattern we inherited from our ancestral family system without making basic modifications to reflect present day reality. The choice of relationship pattern in today world is a determinant factor in the context of the spread of HIV/AIDS. In human life, the family upbringing remains the foundation that influences in one way or the other our subsequent associations as we grow older.

As we analyze the various forms of relationship formulae as within the family unit and between married couples we shall attempt to identify some silent issues that can prevent or promote the spread of HIV/ AIDS epidemic.

In the case of family units, close relation-

The 1990 set of FGGC Sagamu, at the 40th anniversary of the school...recently

ship between the parents and children at their early age is vital to cultivate extended dialogue between them as they grow older.

This is needed to create trust and intimate rapport that will inspire the child to tell his/her parent everything that he/she does without fear of persecution.

Unfortunately this is not a common practice in this part of the world as it is in the western world. Unreserved communication between the child and parent is a continuous process that is extremely beneficial to the family unit and the society in general. Unfortunately most African parents still haven’t realized sufficiently the obvious influence the digital revolution has on the child today.

This is why some parents frown at the fact that their child that has attained the age of 16 years has a boy or girl friend.

Wholehearted communication between the parents and their children if encouraged is a positive development that helps

to eliminate avoidable mistakes the child could make in early relationship sometimes with harsh consequences.

If the child is encouraged to liberally discuss his/her relationships with his/her parent then they will offer him/her proper guidance that will help him/her make the right choice of companion and relationship pattern. But if as in most cases here, the child is denied intimate dialogue with her/ his parent he/she will then depend on what other people tell him/her to make the choice of partner and relationship formula.

This regrettably may lead the innocent child to make avoidable mistakes that might take a long time and in some serious cases resources to correct.

The same can be said of intending couples who pretend to be saints and refuse to frankly discuss every aspect of their past life experience with their would be partner. By the time the cheated partner discovers the concealed facts, he/she becomes so enraged

that it will take divine intervention to save their relationship. On the contrary, if one had already known the good, the bad and the ugly sides of his/her intending partner he/she wouldn’t get furious beyond limits if the partner puts up some character he/ she had already been aware of. In this case, sincere and far-reaching dialogue between them comes in to aid them effect necessary amendments.

The maturity of the mind which in the first place made them open up to each other then play vital role in making them to easily understand what had gone wrong and thus leads them to effect the required fine-tuning.

Call it intimate communication or continuous dialogue; the process remains a driving factor in keeping some couples happily together in the face of ups and downs of life that baffles their relations and neighbours who had known their objectionable past.

It is this spirit of far-reaching dialogue that makes it possible for one to freely disclose his/her HIV status to his/her partner early thereby save the partner from getting avoidably infected. Matured relationship formula nurtured by dialogue also helps to zero stigmatization of the infected partner thereby leading them to a better and longer marriage life.

When the opposite becomes the case, the couples infect themselves and each claim innocence and separation and divorce set in sadly and both go their ways to infect other non suspecting citizens in their quest to respond to their sexual desire.

As the case now is that HIV/AIDS is not over but can be, let us all embrace a matureminded relationship formula within the family unit and employ whole-hearted dialogue in relating with our loved ones and the society to further reduce the spread of the epidemic. –Neboh writes from Lagos (080 2990 1405)

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

POLITY

Former Minister Steps in as ACCI President Expectations are high with the stepping in of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, as the President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), writes Ndubuisi Francis

H

is pedigree has elevated expectations to the zenith that this one-time minister who held various portfolios would bring his versatility to bear in taking the sector to enviable heights.

He was at a time the Minister of Culture and Tourism; Labour and Productivity, Minister of Defence as well as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry is one of the leading chambers in the country where activities go on round-theclock even when there is no trade fair. Since the establishment of the chamber in 2006, transformation has been a constant decimal in the quest to ensure it keeps pace with global standards.

The inauguration of Adetokunbo Kayode as president of ACCI will take place on the January 23.

With his wealth of experience, it is trite to conclude that this would define the direction the chamber will follow.

He said, “I will use the experience as a citizen who has served the federal government of Nigeria to its full capacity. Considering the roles I have played in the private sector, it will help elevate the chamber to higher height.�

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce was established in August of 1986 as a company limited by guarantee with the principal object of promoting economic and industrial development within the FCT in particular and Nigeria in general.

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan, non-sectarian, member-funded organisation solely representing the common interests of the business community and focused primarily on putting the interest of businesses in the FCT first.

Presently, the chamber has formed alliances with business leaders, trade associations, sister chambers, government agencies, & foreign embassies to accomplish its goals of enhancing the sustainable growth and development of businesses in the FCT The mission of the chamber is to represent and serve members as well as support the development of our national economy. Membership of the chamber is open to registered companies which meet the its stringent conditions for good corporate citizenship.

The vision of ACCI is to be the foremost chamber of commerce in Nigeria, with the key objective of making it more accessible to local businesses while increasing membership.

According to Kayode, “This is a major priority in our future plans. We continually strive to improve the level of service. “Our strategic direction and key objective is to make the chamber more accessible to local businesses and giving local businesses assurance that they are part of proactive organisation. “Our purpose is to lead the private sector in the delivery of sustainable growth and prosperity of commercial activities and businesses in the FCT. “The principal aim of the vhamber is to promote and protect trade, business, commerce and public welfare in the FCT as well as ensuring that our members respect the rule of law and apply best commercial practices in all aspects of the businesses.�

Kayode’s emergence is expected to witness the bringing together of members to discuss issues of common interest all-year-round.

He noted, “Under my administration, I will ensure that all members are brought together quarterly to discuss issues, fashion ideas as well as key into available opportunities that will present themselves. I appreciate the past President, Tony Ejinkeonye for steering the ship of the chamber in the right direction and promised to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor. “We will continue to create a coherent and comprehensive business network. In the course of doing this, we have become a centre of business information, support, training and guidance. In the same manner, we have strived to attract investments by effectively networking and creating proactive business strategies.�

He promised to support every move by the

Wewillcontinueto createacoherentand comprehensivebusiness network.Inthecourseof doingthis,wehavebecome acentreofbusiness information,support, trainingandguidance.

Inthesamemanner,we havestrivedtoattract investmentsbyeffectively networkingandcreating proactivebusiness strategies

council to deepen the horizon of economic activities among several players across the various sectors of the economy and nations. “This will be an avenue to create and offer direct services and on a first-class scale to both local and international audience. ACCI has grown in leaps and bounds to become a platform for the support of the development of our national economy by harvesting or tapping from the abundant opportunities in and around Abuja,� Kayode stated.

ACCI, he added, has resolutely remained supportive of the growth and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), in view of the critical role they have

played over the years, which accounts for their critical contribution to national growth.

He believes that “an opportunity has presented itself for us to, as a country, once more, take a diagnostic look at our comparative and competitive advantages with the singular objective of embarking on activities, programmes and projects that will reap from the benefits and gains of economic diversification.’ For him, the low-hanging fruits are conscious and deliberate efforts of the government to undertake all-embracing decisions that would eliminate practices that impede the development of the non-oil export sector.

Kayode pointed out, “We have envisaged sustained prospects anchored on greater and robust growth which is very certain, while hoping that the present administration will vehemently sustain the current economic diversification with efforts channelled into agriculture and mining.�

Such sterling contributions that should not be overlooked include providing jobs for various levels of skills, improving prospects for efficiency and technological growth, resilience to economic setbacks, and flexibility, among others.

The chamber is working round-the- clock to return Nigeria to the path of sufficiency through non-oil export.

Born on October 31, 1958 in Akoko North West Local Government of Ondo State, Kayode; lawyer, institutions builder, statesman, business facilitator and philanthropist has been engrossed in the task of active legal practice since 1983.

During this period, he has engaged in corporate law practice as well as litigation both at trial and appellate courts and arbitral tribunals in Nigeria.

After his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), he had between 1970 and 1974 studied for his West African School Certificate (WASC) at C.M.S Grammar School, Lagos.

Upon the successful completion of second-

ary education, he navigated his way to The Ibadan Polytechnic from 1975-1977 for his A. Levels Higher School Certificate (HSC).

Thereafter, he gained admission to obtain an LLB degree at the University of Lagos between 1977 and 1981. The years between 1981 and 1982 saw him reading at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos. He was consequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982.

As a man desirous of obtaining knowledge wherever it exists, the versatile Kayode obtained a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration at the famous Keble College, Oxford University in 2003.

He also obtained a Certificate in Tourism and Finance from the School of Higher International Studies, Paris, 2008 in addition an Executive Certificate in Strategic Leadership with Said Business School, Oxford University in 2013.

Still not satisfied, he embarked on yet another certificate course in New Leadership at the Judge Business School, Cambridge University, UK in 2014. Bearing in mind that the task of running modern business demands global connectivity and contact which more often than not result into some minor disputes, he decided to fortify himself against such eventuality by taking yet, a Certificate in Negotiation at the Harvard University in 2015 capping it with another Certificate in Strategic Communications which he obtained from World Bank/ University of Southern California in the year 2016.

In order to serve his country under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, he did the mandatory one year service from 1982-83 at Public Legal Aid Counsel in Abuja. Thereafter, he embarked on the impressive journey of legal practice as an Associate at Orifunmishe & Co in the period spanning across 1983-85 where he was a legal practitioner.

In the course of his impressive legal career, he worked for and represented several financial institutions such as banks including United Bank for Africa (UBA), Union Bank , Unity Bank and Fidelity Bank.

In a similar manner, he has extended his service to insurance companies (including Nicon, Niger, Unic, Guinea) as well as power and energy companies such as Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Enugu Electricity Distribution company (EEDC), ABB, Total, Mobil, Shell, Conoil, KASTEC, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), PPMC).

Equally, he consulted for Nitel, Opensky, TK Telecoms as well as NigComSat which saw him getting involved, at one point in time or the other, in professional practice which spanned across the entire gamut of law in Nigeria.

His meticulous attention to excellence earned him the highest rank of legal practice in Nigeria when he was decorated as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2001.

As the proverbial golden fish which has no hiding place, he became an Associate , Member and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) in 2002, 2003 and 2009 respectively.

As a man who likes offering service and see to amicable resolution of disputes, he was inducted as a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Mediators and Conciliators in 2009 as well as Associate Chartered Institute of Taxation in 2010. He is currently a Bencher (member of the Body of Benchers), the highest body in the legal profession in Nigeria.

Kayode has received numerous honours but within and outside the shores of Nigeria including but not limited to: Doctor of Civil Laws (DCL) Honoris Causa Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, 2010; Presidential Gold Medal of the Republic of Liberia, 2010; Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2012. Others are: Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb, UK), FChMC, ACITN, LLD (Honoris Causa) Ladoke University of Technology (LAUTech). In November, 2017, the United States International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni have honoured him with the prestigious Award of excellence.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˞ ͺͿ, 2017

POLITY

ToyinSaraki:TrainingofHealthWorkersWillReduceInfantMortality Hammed Shittu Ă“Ă˜ Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă˜

ife of the Senate President and Founder of Well Being Foundation Africa, Mrs. Toyin Saraki has said that training and re-training of health workers remained a panacea for reducing infant mortality and morbidity among pregnant women across the world.

Saraki disclosed this in Ilorin yesterday, while speaking at a training organised for over 600 medical doctors, nurses and other health

workers, at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ilorin.

The training, on how to improve the availability and quality of maternal and newborn care in the state, was organised by the Well-Being Foundation Africa, a Project of the Wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki in collaboration with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

According to her, the exposure of the selected health stakeholders would go a long way in assisting them to acquire life-saving skills.

Mrs. Saraki, said the training started in 2015 and that yesterday’s was meant to refresh the skills of health workers in the state on modern

Group Condemns Lawmaker, Lauds Okowa’s Stance on Herdsmen Bennett Oghifo

T

he Voice of Freedom Network, a pressure group in Delta State, has condemned a member of the House of Representatives, Aishatu Dukku, who allegedly claimed that Fulani herdsmen were created to value the lives of their cattle more than human life, describing the lawmaker’s position as “an insult to the human race�.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday in Asaba, the group through its spokesman, Comrade Victor Adaka, asserted that “cattle rearing is a private business like countless other forms of economic activities and as such, cannot justifiably deserve preferential treatment.�

The group further condemned the

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria on its position that it was the anti-open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law promulgated by Benue State that led to the attack on the state.

It said: “Similarly condemnable is the abhorrent position of the Fulani Cultural Association led by one Prof. Usman that the Benue Valley belongs to the Fulani with the implication that, that’s why they attacked the people of the state to reclaim it.�

While insisting that open grazing “is no longer a viable method of animal husbandry in this day and age,� the group praised Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for “foreclosing the idea of cattle colonies in Delta in tandem with the wishes of the people of the state.

ways of saving lives.

Saraki, who was represented by a consultant with the Well-being Foundation, Mrs. Funsho Abdullahi, noted that apart from over 600 health workers that had undergone the training, thousands of health workers had also gone through in-house training to achieve the desired goals.

She added that the participants were drawn from six local government councils, including Ilorin West, East, Kaiama, Edu, Offa and Irepodun Local Government Areas of the State with the target of extending it to other local government areas in the state.

She reiterated her determination to continue to seek funding windows towards ensuring zero maternal and

infant mortality in the state.

Earlier, the Senior Technical Director of Liverpool School of Tropical School, Nigeria, Dr. Mrs. Awwa Muhammed said that the programme was organised to expose medical personnel into the real rudiments of training medical personnel that would ensure good health care of pregnant women during and after delivery.

This, she said would go a long way to reduce infant mortality and morbidity in the society.

Dr. Muhammed said that seven local government councils of the state have been benefiting from the training, so as to reach out to people in the grassroots.

L-R: Human Capital Manager, Ascentech Services Limited, Henrietta Owie; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Ascentech Services Limited, Mr. Sheeju Prabhakaran; and Business Development Manager, Ascentech Services Limited, Mr. Olusola Akinsola, during a press conference on the forthcoming career expo in Lagos... recently

L-R: Brand Manager, Guinness Nig. Plc, lfeoma Agu; Managing Director, Guinness Nig. Plc, Peter Udegwa; and Director, Human Resources, Guinness Nig. Plc, Bola Otubu, during the launch of Pan African Maltavator TV show by Malta Guinness at the Guinness HeadoďŹƒce in lkeja, Lagos...recently PHOTO: Abiodun Ajala

L-R: Marketing Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Plc., Maureen Ifada; Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc., Mr. Ben Langat; Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung; and Corporate Aairs Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Ore Famurewa, at the unveiling of the new Power Gym at the National Stadium in Lagos...recently

L-R: Head teacher, St. John’s Anglican Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, Mr. Adeleye Adetola; Head of Administration, Lagos Island Local Government, Mr. Babatunde Disu; Chairman, Hon. Adetoyese Olusi; and his Vice, Hon. Wadood Bashorun, during the unveiling of “Island of Hope� project in Lagos..... recently

L-R: Compliance OďŹƒcer, Lagos State Lotteries Board, Mr. Roland Samuel; Nigeria Representative, Emirate Holiday, Olanireti Babalola; Commercial Director, Cool World, Mr. Olugbenga Kolawole; and Head, Consumer Protection Council, Lagos OďŹƒce, Susie Onwuka, at the Cool World Electrical Retail Store Year-End Promo Rae Draw in Lagos‌ recently

53

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍżËœ ͺ͸͚Ϳ

CUTLERY AND ROSES with Vanessa Obioha vaysylver@gmail.com

The Art of Making Coffee

I

n recent times, coffee shops have been springing up in the streets of Lagos, even if arguably, the culture is still a bit foreign. Most people are more used to restaurants and lounges. But coffee houses have a lot more to offer than just a cup of coffee. They create a serene ambiance for business meetings as well as hangouts for friends who just want to indulge their palates. Just like Coffee Plus, a Lebanese-owned coffee shop that provides not only the ambiance but also a whole lot more than coffee on their menu. The owner, George Andary, is a trained engineer who has been in the country for just six months. In that short period, he has opened two coffee shops.

The first one located at Anifowoshe Close, Victoria Island, is already famous for its cappuccinos and lattes. However, Andary recently took over the pastry shop at The Backyard Bar and Grill premises in Musa Yar’adua Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. “This is more spacious and we are working on putting some designs on the walls as well as a library,� he said.

With this new outlet, Andary is poised to charm his customers with his exceptional barista skills. His coffee menu boasts of different types of coffee, from the espresso, latte to the famous italian cappuccinos. There are also colder coffee drinks like the frappuccinos.

For him, coffee making is an art which must be done impeccably. It goes beyond the mixture of milk, coffee and water. “You must know the right temperature for your coffee,� he told me, as we went behind the counter to make a cup of cappuccino from his espresso machine.

First, he poured the ground coffee into a portafilter before using the tamper to compress it. This helps to give the correct consistency of the coffee - that is, not too finely or coarse. Once done, the portafilter with the ground coffee are affixed to the espresso machine for brewing.

While the coffee brewed, he poured the required quantity of milk in a coldsteaming pitcher. It is important to purge the steam wand to ensure that there is no water retained inside before steaming the milk. “When you cannot resist the temperature of the pitcher, then you know it’s ready. A good cappuccino must not go beyond 65 degrees else you will lose the taste,� he said as he turned off the steam wand.

The steamed milk is given a little swirl and a bottom tap in order to achieve the cappuccino’s foamy head and ensure that there are no visible bubbles. “A good cappuccino should have a shiny foamy head not bubbles. Also it must be thick.�

The most fascinating thing about Andary’s coffee is the art that comes with it. He makes different decorative patterns on his lattes and cappuccinos. Sometimes, it’s a swan, other times it could be a heart or a rosette. It is no ordinary art and needs quite some practice. But for Andary, it is a natural skill. He’s been doing this all his life. “Most times, customers want me to do a particular design for them, others just allow me to do anything for them. They are always impressed by the art.�

I watched him keenly as he made a heart pattern for me. First, he poured the milk into the espresso in a circular motion. The teacup must be tilted in order to achieve the desired shape. Then gently shaking the pitcher of milk, he kept pouring the milk in the centre in such a way that it makes circles, before cutting through to get the bottom of the heart shape. On my first sip, I was blown away by the rich bold flavour. The airy foam is also firm, even when you use a spoon to spread it, it doesn’t easily dissolve into liquid. I added brown sugar to mine for that extra sweetness.

But coffee is not the only offering of this cafe. It is home to pastry, crepe, salads and ice cream. During my visit, I ran into Senator Florence Ita-Giwa who decided to ditch the comfort of her home to explore the new place. It was her first time there.

A friend of hers who was related to the owner brought her there. As an advocate for climate change, the greenery and serenity of the premises easily appealed to her. Indulging her exquisite palate, she decided to try their breakfast menu which boasted of different kinds of bacon, omelette, crĂŞpe and bread.

Ita-Giwa’s eyes widened when she saw the platter of colourful omelette, croissants, and toast bread, crĂŞpe and ham cheese, with tiny pieces of grapes. “This is quite much.â€? She exclaimed to the delight of the waiter, and of course, Andary who stood nearby, ensuring that everything was done professionally. His eyes kept darting to the senator’s table, waiting to hear her comments about the meal. But he needn’t worry. By the time the senator took a bite of the fluffy tri-fold sausage omelette filled with tomatoes and herbs, she was nodding her head satisfactorily. “This tastes great,â€? she said, cutting the crĂŞpe with her knife.

Indeed, the sausage omelette tasted very rich. The fluffy texture made it easier to cut through while the sausage and vegetables gave it a meaty taste. The soft brown crêpe and ham cheese had the perfect balance: It wasn’t too savoury or creamy. Although grapes are not my favourite but the way it was chopped into smaller pieces made it easier to absorb

Spices -

TheBestDietsfor2018 A new report by the U.S. News & World Report ranked the following diet as the best diets to try this New Year. So if your New Year’s resolution is to burn that excess fat you accumulated during the festive period, the following will guide you in your weight loss journey.

DASH Diet The DASH diet was designed to help people lower their high blood pressure, and it’s characterised by a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy.

People on this diet are told to avoid saturated fat, sugary beverages, sweets, full-fat dairy and some oils—and to eat less salt overall.

Mediterranean Diet The diet gets its name from the eating habits of people living in Mediterranean countries and has been linked to better health and longevity. The Mediterranean Diet meal plan is high in fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy fatty foods like fish, nuts and olive oil.

Flexitarian Diet A blend of the words flexible and vegetarian, the Flexitarian diet encourages people to eat vegetarian most of the time for better health, but doesn’t call for cutting out meat entirely.

Weight Watchers Weight Watchers is an especially popular diet, promoted by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey. It works on a points system, where each food is given a number of points, and people are told a total number to aim for each day. Foods that are high in nutrients and are filling have fewer points overall. Sweets, on the other hand, are high in points.

its sour taste. With the toast bread very crisp, it was no surprise that Ita-Giwa wanted some butter on it. “Well, if I have to sin today, I better go through the whole process. May I have some butter please?� she told the waiter, smiling. She chose to have tea instead of coffee.

It was fascinating to watch the senator relish her food in such a manner. “Oh I love food and sometimes I just want to be adventurous,� she enthused.

MIND Diet The MIND—a mix of DASH and the Mediterranean diet—is supposed to help protect the brain and prevent Alzheimer’s disease, though much more research is needed to determine whether it really helps curb brain decline.

People are encouraged to eat from 10 brainhealthy food groups: green leafy vegetables, all other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine. They are also told to avoid foods from five food groups: red meats, butter and stick margarine, cheese, sweets and fried or fast food.

Appetizers

TLC Diet Tied for fifth place, the TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet is meant to help people cut down on high cholesterol. Adherents cut down on fat overall, especially saturated fat.

They are also encouraged to eat more fiber.

rLocation: The Backyard Bar and Grill, 4B Musa Yar’adua street, Victoria Island, Lagos. rAmbiance: Very serene and ideal for business meetings. rMenu: Coffee, crêpe, pastry, tea, ice cream, and breakfast dishes (both English and Lebanese). rOwner: George Andary, a Lebanese.

Volumetrics People who follow the volumetrics diet—also tied for fifth place—are told to pay attention to the energy density in foods, which is the number of calories in a certain amount of food. Foods that have high energy density will have lots of calories for a little amount of food, whereas low energy density foods have fewer calories for more food.

Source: Time Health

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PERSPECTIVE/TRIBUTE

Obasanjo: The Man Who Rules Nigeria by Proxy Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has continued to exert significant influence on Nigeria’s politics and leadership. In this piece, Bayo Akinloye examines how he has been able to control the reins of power of the world’s most populous black nation from 1999 to date against the backdrop of his letter to President Muhammadu Buhari

igeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has been described as a prolific letter writer. His Tuesday letter to President Muhammadu Buhari was one in a series he had written to sitting presidents in the country. His favourite ‘pen pal’ until now was ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

There is more than meets the eye, according to political pundits, in the elder statesman’s latest epistle – with the Presidency said to be considering its content graciously.

Since 1999 Obasanjo has exerted an imposing influence on the nation’s political landscape and seat of power. Though many political watchers believe that the ex-head honcho’s political net-worth does not amount to any popular electoral following, his ability to change the country’s power equation is apparent.

They gave the example of Obasanjo’s seeing to the emergence of President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan; and, even if remotely, in the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari, the man currently in the eye of the storm.

Obasanjo’s affiliation to power dates back to the 1970s and his ascendancy as the military head of state was by described as being by accident following the gruesome assassination of his then-boss, Gen. Murtala Muhammed. Obasanjo’s stay in power was however brief as it was reported that, without any hesitation or pressure from any opposition, he conducted an election which paved way for the world’s most populous black nation to return to democracy after a chequered history of military rule.

Unlike many African presidents of his time, he did not exhibit the desire to hold on tight to power, often referred to as the sit-tight syndrome. He would, however, later be accused of wanting to cling on to power some decades after.

Twenty-three years after, Obasanjo – literally from incarceration by the military regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha – was handed the mantle of leadership in 199 by ex-Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Thus, Obasanjo became the first president of the Fourth Republic. His first four years were hailed home and abroad as he tried to redeem the nation’s battered image. After completing his first term, he ran for a second term and won.

But toward the twilight of his second term in office, he got embroiled in a controversy regarded as the “Third Term Agenda.�

Not a few people accused him of trying to perpetuate himself in power. Obasanjo was accused of planning to amend the Nigerian constitution so he could serve a third term.

But no sooner had the alleged plot got into the public domain than the public spiritedly kicked against the idea and the bill meant to

Obasanjo elongate Obasanjo’s tenure as the president was not ratified by the National Assembly.

The alleged desperation of Obasanjo, then, to remain in power was illustrated by a former President of the Senate (2003 – 2005), Adolphus Wabara’s interview with The PUNCH in November 2014, where Wabara accused the former president of offering him N250m to support his third term bid. “Many of those who share the money are still in the Senate today; those who physically distributed the N50m. By 1.30 am, the sum of N250m was brought to me in my house.

N250m was brought (to me) and I refused that money. If you juxtapose what I’m saying now with my speech that morning of May 16, 2007, I said anybody who had collected any money on my behalf should please return the money to where it came from because I knew what I was talking about. Somebody could lie that I collected that money and just keep the money.

So, mine was not even N50m. It was N250m with a promise that they would bring more to me if everything worked out fine. “The third term thing, if you have not heard, started from May 29, 2003, when Obasanjo was inaugurated for a second term.

That was why when I became the Senate President on June 3, 2003, he invited me to his office sometime in July and that was the longest time I had stayed with Obasanjo – for two whole hours. My younger brother, the then chairman of Hallmark Bank, was also there. The Chief of Staff to Obasanjo then, Gen. Abdullahi Mohammed, was interrupting the meeting every 15 to 20 minutes for two hours and Obasanjo kept telling him to wait. “By the time we came out, there were so

many ministers and many foreign dignitaries waiting to see the (ex-) President. They were wondering what these two brothers were doing with Obasanjo inside. It was then he told me that I was doing a very good job and if I knew that was what he was angling for I would have told him off. Anyway, I told him how could I be Senate president in 2007? He was trying to recruit me but I refused to be recruited,� Wabara had said.

The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, who was a minister in Obasanjo’s government also attested to the ex-president’s ambition, saying in his book, ‘The Accidental Public Servant,’ that President Muhammadu Buhari was one of the people who thwarted the general’s plan. “Merely by reaching out, we had succeeded in recruiting Buhari to spearhead the guerrilla warfare that helped end the ‘constitutional amendment debates in the National Assembly. Buhari remained available to engage with Obasanjo while making repeated trips to Abuja to visit legislators in their houses or calling them, making a pitch for them not to support the third term attempt. “Buhari had a considerable moral authority and was completely disinterested in the outcome of the third term debate, so having him available and physically in Abuja to oppose it helped a lot in defeating Obasanjo, Tony Anenih, Ahmadu Ali, Ojo Maduekwe, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Dalhatu Tafida, and other third term protagonists. What was impressive about Buhari was that he did this quietly and effectively without the desire to claim any credit,� el-Rufai had said in the book.

Despite the claims, Obasanjo has always refuted the allegation that he was involved in any plots that were intended to keep in power beyond his second term. “I never toyed with the idea of a third term,� he had stated.

Rather than diminish in his political stature afterward, Obasanjo has continued to be more relevant in Nigeria’s socio-economic affairs despite his past sociopolitical ‘baggage,’ analysts noted. He was considered as being meddlesome especially during the Jonathan six-year administration as the two repeatedly had public spat involving the exchange of letters. This came to a head in February 2015 – before the general elections – when Obasanjo severed his political affiliation with Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, with his party’s card destroyed publicly.

That month, the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, through its then Director of Media and Publicity, Femi Fani-Kayode, stated that the ex-president should accept the reality that his days of ruling the country through “surrogates are over for good.�

Fani-Kayode had added, “It is most uncharitable and unfair for him (Obasanjo) to suggest that President Jonathan wishes to remain in power by hook or by crook because

that is not the nature of Jonathan. It is even worse for him to compare him to President Laurent Gbagbo. The days of anyone attempting to rule by proxy or through surrogates are long over because we have all come of age.�

Locally and internationally, Obasanjo’s clout remains intact, according to political pundits. In the run-up to the March 28, 2015, presidential poll, the former president was said to be instrumental in the choice of APC’s presidential candidate.

In 2014, he was said to have warned the party not to field former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate as many of the APC chieftains including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu being at his Abeokuta home to confer with him. Similarly, when the current Senate had a shaky start, following the turmoil in the National Assembly, Senate President Bukola Saraki had to visit Obasanjo for direction.

Little wonder that observers are of the opinion that the former president’s staying power remains unmatched and that he will continue to wield considerable influence on the government of the day, openly or covertly.

According to Prof. Sheriffdeen Tella, Obasanjo will continue to have a say on how the country is run as long as he lives. “As things are today, nobody in politics in Nigeria can ignore Olusegun Obasanjo probably because he does not keep quiet when things are going wrong politically or economically. He is one past president that speaks out and remains well-informed, tapping on the knowledge available from all sources – including his own failures. Until he stops commenting, no one can ignore him.�

Speaking in the same vein, a political scientist, Dr. Idowu Johnson, said, “Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo is not only an elder statesman in Nigeria. He is an international personality. At a time like this, no reasonable political office holder will ignore his fatherly advice. He may have his shortcomings but that does not mean we should not appreciate his worth in the history of Nigerian politics.

Obasanjo will support any government that performs excellently irrespective of party affiliations.� But the former spokesman for the APC and current Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, felt might not be in tune with the Buhari administration’s current achievements. “We have no doubt that in the face of massive challenges in this area, this Administration has availed itself creditably. We believe that Chief Obasanjo, because of his very busy schedule, may not have been fully availed of developments in the government’s efforts to revamp the economy, which was battered by the consequences of over-dependence on a commodity as well as unprecedented pillaging of the treasury,� Mohammed said on Wednesday.

COFFHA Mourns Passing of Former Director of SON

member of the Committee of Friends For Humanity (COFFHA), Ngozi Kay Okoro has lost her dear husband, throwing the committee into mourning. “You were the wind beneath my sail,� said the wife, Ngozi Kay Okoro. “Your graceful gait and presence gave life a different meaning to us,� said his first son, Charles. “A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands put to rest and God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best,� So says the last daughter, Stephanie. “We’re comforted that those we love live forever in our heart, especially a dad as stunning as mine,� so said Michelle, the second daughter.

Derek, the last born and second son, said “Dad had so much love to give and so much compassion to understand. His love will ever remain unparalleled.�

According to Paul Ray Okoye (Son-in-law), “The wonderful memories of you will surely inspire love in all of us.�

And so many other numerous friends from USA, ECOWAS, Ghana and Nigeria recount that a true and dependable friend has passed on. Charles Ikechukwu Okoro was born 63 years ago in Port Harcourt into the illustrious family of Mazi Robinson Osisi and Adamazi

Okoro Mrs. Regina Akajiasu Okoro of Ezuma Clan in Ndiamazu, Arondizuogu, Imo State.

He attended St. Philips Primary School in Port Harcourt, Rivers State of Nigeria from 1960 to 1966 before the Civil War broke out.

After the Civil War, he proceeded to National High School, Arondizuogu in 1970 where he obtained his Secondary School Certificate in 1974. He later proceeded to Lagos and was lucky to have been among the few selected for employment into the Nigerian Customs Service as a Technical Staff in 1975, where he worked briefly before proceeding to further his studies.

In 1976, Charles Ikechukwu enrolled in the renowned University of Alabama Huntsville, Alabama, USA, famous for their contributions to space exploration, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering. Thereafter, he obtained a Master of Science Degree in the same discipline in 1982.

He returned to Nigeria in 1983 and served his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) primary assignment with Lever Brothers Ltd now Unilever Plc from 1983 to 1984. He was employed by the Federal Civil Service Commission and deployed to Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as a Standards Engineer in August, 1984.

He served without blemish in leadership roles such as the National Coordinator, NINAS, Director of Director, Systems/Metrology; Director, Standards/Head Technical Services; Head of Technical Services, Head of Standards, National Ports/Boarders Coordinator/Special Duties/Head Electrical Zonal Coordinator,

Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Head, Electrical/ Assistant Chief Standards Engineer (STDS/ CA/LAB), Head, Electrical/Principal Standards, Director/Regional Coordinator (SW) Engineer (STDS/CA/LAB) Head, Electrical/Electronic (Standards/CA/LAB) Senior Standards Engineer (STDS/CA/LAB).

Chief Inspection Supervisor (Port Operations) Standards Engineer 1 (STDS/LAB).

As Director of Standards, he oversaw the standardization activities of the various departments and Units under his directorate and has successfully seen to the elaboration, adoption and adaptation of thousand of standards for the country.

He represented the country in various capacities such as IEC representative for setting up African Electro-technical Standardization Commission (AFSEC) 2006, Expert and Coordinator for the Establishment of National Codex Contact Point in Nigeria, Initiator and Resource Person for ECOWAS standards on the classification and rating of Hotels and Guesthouses in ECOWAS in 2005 and ECOWAS Coordinator under the project Capacity building in International standard setting in the ECOWAS Region (2016).

Engr. Charles Ikechukwu Okoro was happily married to Ngozi and blessed with four children and grandchild.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 27, 2018

55

INTERVIEW Amara Agbim

How WISCAR Helped Me Turn a Simple Idea into Money-spinning Enterprise Amara Agbim is the Founder and Proprietor of The Nanny Academy, a leading childcare recruitment agency for in-home child care service, nannies hiring and nannies employment in Nigeria. A 2010 mentee of the Women In Successful Career (WISCAR) mentorship school, she spoke to Ferdinand Ekechukwu about its benefits to female entrepreneurs, the success of her personal and professional growth, career enhancement and empowerment, following the mentoring programme for career women Can you tell us about yourself?

I am the founder and proprietor of The Nanny Academy. I am 2010 mentee of the Win with WISCAR mentoring programme; a 2013 Youwin awardee; a 2010 Building Entrepreneurs Today (BET) awardee; a 2013 ‘Special Recognition Award’ recipient from Businessday Newspapers / Federal Ministry of Industry; a 2016 Cordes Fellow; a 2017 Sangster Youngster Fellow; and a 2017 Programme mentor for Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme.

Currently, I’m enrolled at the Coady International Institute, Canada, for the Community Development Leadership by Women Programme. I studied Media and Communications (M.Sc.) at the Pan African University and holds an M.A in English Language from the University of Lagos. I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Education/ English from Imo State University, Owerri, graduating with second-class honours in 2000.

How did you learn about WISCAR and what prompted your decision to sign up for its mentorship?

I learnt about WISCAR on the pages of a newspaper (I can’t remember which now).

I was at a critical period in my life. I had got married immediately after NYSC and two babies followed quickly in succession but the job was not forthcoming despite the applications. I was getting alarmed that my life was slipping into a pattern I didn’t want and I was losing confidence in myself.

I decided that whatever was keeping the job interviews from coming out successful was not going to stop me from looking out for other opportunities for growth. In the meantime, being new to motherhood, I was getting my share of managing my childcare and I noticed the problem of nannies.

I freelanced for a couple of magazines and later started my own publication, ‘WORKLIFE magazine. I did an article, ‘Vibes of a Nanny’ pouring out my concern for the state of nannies in Nigeria. In the background, I was doing my master’s programme. I was groping around with an open mind and then WISCAR came along.

The offer was too attractive and my joy was awesome when I was selected for the programme.

As a woman, have you encountered any form of gender discriminations in your career?

Luckily, I have not encountered any in my line of work. However, I am privy to the fact that when we do placements for male and female nanny/housekeeper candidates, families hiring tend to want to pay the male candidates up to N10,000 more than they would pay a female on the same job description. I had asked why that is so a good number of times and I was told flippantly, ‘Well, he might just be the breadwinner of his family!’ Does this mean that women are not breadwinners too?

Will you say that WISCAR has enhanced your personal and professional growth through the mentoring programme?

Yes; WISCAR has enhanced my personal and professional growth through the mentoring programme which is highly structured. They have helped plant a hunger for continuous learning in me by bringing successful women in close range and enabling us to engage in deep conversations. Naturally, these conversations scale

Agbim

up confidence. At the personal level, I keep saying to myself, ‘If Mrs. Oyagbola can do it, then, I can. If Mrs. Lynda Saint can do it, then I can. If Mrs. Ogunlesi can do it, then I can.’ They do so much professionally and are still thriving in their personal lives.

Have you faced any challenges having a woman-to-woman mentorship? Would you have preferred a male mentor?

No, I have not faced any challenges having a woman as my mentor on the programme. I think a female mentor is perfect and enhances the mentoring experience through mutual empathy and trust. For example, a fellow woman would detect mood swings, family pressures and other things. I did share a couple of those moments with my mentor, Mrs. Funke Amobi. It is the little things that matter. In one of our mentoring sessions, Mrs. Amobi thrust into my thoughts: ‘Would you want us to change the time for our sessions so you can go home earlier?’ That was such a huge relief. My babies were quite small then. I would not have preferred a male mentor. I think same-sex mentoring is best.

Mentoring is holistic and what better way can there be to deliver it than through someone with whom you can mirror life in entirety?

In what ways was the mentorship provided?

The mentorship was structured and enjoyable. We had the book reading sessions, one-on-one mentoring sessions, the win with WISCAR School of effectiveness and the meet a WISCAR series. All these structured sessions were always uplifting and all the facilitators and role models

unbelievably approachable.

How have you been able to use what you have learned from your mentor?

The programmes that I designed and run at The Nanny Academy remain inspired by my WISCAR background. Our students get more than childcare training; they get mentored along the way and go away with more than what they bargained for. This is especially true of our CPC (Certified Professional Childcare) six months programme.

Will you say that undergoing the WISCAR mentorship has helped you to make informed decisions in your career?

Definitely! Most times, the quality of decisions we make or do not make could make or mar our career. I remember in our second year of The Nanny Academy, I was greatly discouraged at our inability to make sustainable income and I was ready to quit. I spoke with my mentor, Mrs. Amobi, about it. She was very supportive. She said it was OK to take a career break. That was the first time I heard that expression. She did not stop there. We talked through it more trying to identify the problems and challenges I was facing. It was at this point she said, ‘Amara, The Nanny Academy should have a corporate profile and a business plan ready. She shared with me the business plan she prepared during her time as a Chevening scholar. That put a halt to my plan to quit. When the ‘Youwin’ opportunity came, that profile became an easy platform to build on to submit my application which turned out to be successful.

Do you feel empowered by the WISCAR mentorship?

WISCAR has enhanced my personal and professional growth through the mentoring programme which is highly structured. They have helped plant a hunger for continuous learning in me by bringing successful women in close range and enabling us to engage in deep conversations. Naturally, these conversations scale up confidence. At the personal level, I keep saying to myself, ‘If Mrs. Oyagbola can do it, then, I can. If Mrs. Lynda Saint can do it, then I can. If Mrs. Ogunlesi can do it, then I can.’ They do so much professionally and are still thriving in their personal lives I do not feel empowered. I am empowered.

Have you learned key skills that have aided your career?

Yes; I have learnt a lot about business etiquette and corporate culture; about setting boundaries and setting goals. It is hard for my clients to believe I had no prior work experience before starting out Nanny Academy. Recently, some background check company did a check on our office and asked if I studied ‘Nanny Services’ at a school and I laughed!

Looking back now, the most important skill I acquired from WISCAR is the skill of reading for self-development. Right now I am reading, ‘The Unfinished Social Entrepreneur’ by Jonathan Lewis and I think everyone should read it. It is available on Amazon.

Do you see yourself as a mentor under the WISCAR platform for younger career women in the future?

Yes, I do see myself as a mentor in future under the WISCAR platform. I have already started practising by volunteering as a mentor with the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme.

Do you have any advice for young women who are budding in their careers?

Oh yes! Find yourself a mentor and a good support network and system.

TR

Saturday, January 27, 2018

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Price: N250

MISSILE Obasanjo on Buhari’s Endorsement “It is a sad symptom of insensitivity and callousness that some Governors, a day after 73 victims were being buried in a mass grave in Benue State without condolence, were jubilantly endorsing President Buhari for a second term! The timing was most unfortunate.� – Former President Olusegun Obasanjo chastising governors that endorsed President Buhari for 2nd term, just days after scores were killed by herdsmen in Benue State.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

How Forceful is Baba Obasanjo’s Third Force?

F

ellow Nigerians, I’m sure this must have been a very interesting week for you like it has been for me. I spent the first few days attending the Inauguration ceremony for the brand new President of the Republic of Liberia, former World Footballer, George Opong Weah and his Vice President, Senator Jewel Howard Taylor.

I must say I was greatly inspired by what I saw in Liberia, a country which is like another home for me. About ten years ago, I received one of the greatest honours in the country when I was “gowned� and made a Chief with the powerful title, The Kiazolu of The Grand Cape Mount County. I’m eternally grateful to the Council of Traditional Chiefs of Liberia for such privilege.

Interestingly, one of the dignitaries at my “gowning ceremony� then is now the new Vice President, Senator Jewel Taylor.

I met many African leaders in Monronvia, including Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo, former Presidents, Jerry John Rawlings and John Dele Momodu congratulates President George Weah in Monrovia Dramani Mahama. Of course, our one and only But as much as I enjoyed this letter, which or, APC from power next year. It is an established indefatigable President Emeritus, General Olusegun Okikiolakan Aremu Obasanjo (Rtd.) was fully on I’ve read repeatedly since it was released, I’m fact that only two dominant Parties are viable ground. The Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola not so sure about Baba’s thesis, or hypothesis, in most countries of the world. There are a few exceptions here and there, but they belong in Ajimobi and his wife, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, stayed on the issue of a third force.

I have no doubt in my mind that Nigeria the realm of magic and miracle. A quintessential in the same hotel with the Ovation team which included the Editor, Michael Effiong. Naturally, truly requires a serious political Party with example of how tough it is for a third force to the Boulevard Palace Hotel, where we stayed, impeccable ideology. This was my dream in emerge and succeed is Donald Trump who had became a Mecca of sorts. It was the place everyone 2010, when I decided to join the Presidential race to hijack the Republican Party in the United States wanted to be accommodated in but this was well which I eventually contested in 2011. My idea to get a formidable ticket. I believe that it is too was simply that Nigeria deserves better Parties late in the day, with elections coming next year, nigh impossible.

It was while in Monrovia, that I read former than the ones on parade right now. I decided to to build a third Party, or movement, of force, President Obasanjo’s bazooka of a letter to our dear join the Labour Party for that purpose. Little did or whatever to compete against APC or PDP. I understand where Obasanjo’s problem lies.

President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari I realise the naivety in that decision. First, I did (Rtd.), and the impact and reverberation of what not know that the Nigerian Labour Congress had He can neither join APC nor PDP now. Both can almost be described as an atomic bomb is still no direct control or influence over the Labour political Parties currently harbour some of his being felt at home and even in far flung places. Party. Just imagine a party with all Nigerian sworn enemies, or people he doesn’t fancy at all.

The letter did not come as a total surprise to some workers as bona fide and fee-paying members. If he would have any influence or relevance, he of us. It was in fact long awaited and sooner This dream was truncated because no such thing would have to seek and work with other Parties expected. Baba’s letter was much more longer existed and I had to try my luck elsewhere. I except those two. But I must sound a note of and extremely detailed than the one I wrote to joined the National Conscience Party and won caution urgently. As much as I’m not a fan of President Buhari about three weeks earlier, but the Presidential Primary after a stiff contest. I PDP, I don’t see any other Party that can unseat we shared some things in common. The verdict eventually contested as a Presidential candidate in APC right now, unless that Party addresses all out there on the streets is that the ruling Party, 2011 but lost resoundingly. But despite this loss, its internal conflicts and presents a united front.

APC, has performed far below expectations and I gained two things, experience and exposure. It Truth hurts but we must swallow that bitter pill. If cannot, and should not, in good conscience, is based on that experience that I wish to plead Baba has virtually foreclosed Buhari coming back seek another term in office, under the current with the conveners of the third force to be very next year, he must be ready to accept whatever or whoever PDP throws up. It is not possible leadership of President Buhari. The other major careful.

Politics is a game of numbers and figures. It is to eat your cake and still have it. Nigeria has challenge for the President has been his health which became very worrisome for several months not for the faint-hearted. I’m almost certain that no finally reached a cul-de-sac so soon again after last year. Miraculously, the President resurrected major force apart from PDP can sack Buhari and, the exit of PDP. and returned triumphantly to power after some of his vociferous critics had written him off. But what is not known, is if he has enough stamina to cope with the rigours of running a country as I was happy to watch President Donald sums of money running into billions of naira. complex and complicated as Nigeria, never mind Trump’s speech in Davos yesterday on CNN. It was not stated how members of the House the rigorous campaigning that must precede an I was very impressed about how he spoke of Representatives arrived at their figure, but attempt at a second term. Obasanjo amplified this eloquently and convincingly about the new they claimed they’ve summoned Dr Adenuga to particular issue, repeatedly, in his latest missive. ease of doing business in America today. I saw appear before them several times but he refused.

The long and short of the matter is that Obasanjo a man who was very serious about creating The tone and anger displayed by the committee believes that Buhari should not contest again. jobs at home, by all means necessary. As a members probing the alleged infractions sounded Many have argued that it is undemocratic businessman himself, he obviously understands more like vendetta than genuine interest in to ask Buhari not to contest when the Nigerian the rudiments of running business and creating getting whatever amount his companies are Constitution expressly allows him. But there is no opportunities for job seekers. That should be allegedly owing, back to government coffers. One big deal if the same people that supported him the priority of all governments, but I’m not of them went downright personal when he said in the past are now advising him to save himself sure Nigeria is ready to treat our investors as Adenuga is not the only billionaire in Nigeria from the stress of campaigning again. The advice and he cannot disrespect them. My view is that the kings they are in reality. can easily be ignored since it is not enforceable. Let I was shocked to read the latest harassment unlike public service where you may call for me confess that I thoroughly enjoyed Obasanjo’s of one of our business icons, Dr Mike Adenuga, the Minister or Agency head, you cannot do the letter. Wow, if Baba was not a soldier, he would on social media yesterday. According to the same for a private company, particularly where have been a journalist. I’m not surprised that he widely circulated reports, Dr. Adenuga’s company the individual is not an executive Chairman. is an accomplished author to boot. is owing the Federal Government some huge There are appropriate officers of a company

It is important to note that most of the names being bandied as potential aspirants and candidates are not likely to be able to tackle Buhari readily and easily. PDP would have to get its act together.

Over-ambitious members would have to bury their vaunting ambitions and make the huge sacrifice to rescue Nigeria by seeking the best candidates at all levels. APC can also spring a surprise by dropping Buhari peacefully and give their ticket to any of the younger and cerebral elements. The job of the President these days cannot be treated as business as usual. No country, least of all a developing one, can afford to run on cruise control or auto pilot. That is more or less how we have operated these past years. The President of Africa’s greatest country must be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with world leaders and speak their language, discuss business, talk foreign affairs, understand diplomacy, and so on. Exchanging the baton of backwardness every four-years can no longer work to our advantage. Nigeria is too big to be handled and handed to those without requisite preparation for the new world order.

I believe the third force can checkmate the traditional politicians while working slowly and steadily on building a new coalition of like minds.

The death knell of APC was sounded when it chose to welcome every Tom, Dick and Harry into its fold, but it had no choice if it wanted to win elections. I also suppose that is an essential aspect of democracy. However, what APC lacked was the will to consign the chaff, flotsam and jetsam to the rubbish heap. On the contrary, they were promoted to vantage positions. Truth seems to be that the good candidates would not win elections in the near future without the assistance of bad guys. The immediate priority of APC and PDP should be how to save Nigeria from the monumental tragedy of ineffective leaders. I really do not care which Party gives us the next President but I care about the quality of leadership. If care is not taken and a third force fails to align to one of the existing Parties, the third force may act as a spoiler by chipping away at some of the votes a creditable, credible opposition Party would have garnered. A good example is the 1979 scenario where the combined force of UPN and NPP would have torpedoed the abysmal and woeful NPN which Obasanjo bequeathed to Nigeria. Clearly, this does not augur well for Nigeria.

I hope someone is listening to my patriotic sermon‌

Time to End our Military Mentality

to deal with such matters. Asking Adenuga to come personally demonstrates not only a lack of understanding of corporate nuances but also unseriousness, even arrogance, by our legislators who appear not to have done their homework.

Furthermore, if the Honourable House members have concluded their investigations and findings, are they the ones to prosecute and judge at the same time? The allegations they make are matters which are either for the civil or criminal courts. Their powers are limited. Therefore, why can’t they refer the matter to the appropriate authorities instead of this unnecessary grandstanding.

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