CANCER: Pray for me Diesani begs Nigerians

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CANCER: Pray for me, Diezani begs Nigerians • Ikokwu, Gbagi, Sarah Jubril disagree over her request

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE (With agency report)

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MMEDIATE past Petro leum Resources Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is battling with cancer in London and being investigated by UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) for alleged corruption, has asked Nigerians for a special favour.

She wants Nigerians to pray for her as she undergoes cancer surgery next week.

Speaking through Oscar Onwudiwe, her family’s lawyer, according to online newspaper, The Cable, Diezani, who denied reports of her arrest, said she was undergoing cancer treatment in the UK and “hopes to come out strong to face all the allegations.”

In a statement, Onwudiwe said: “The Madueke family, like most other families, has its own challenges.

For instance, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has been receiving treatment for cancer in the UK which started while she was in office. She completed months of chemotherapy just last week and she is scheduled to undergo surgery next week in London. The family has been bearing this challenge with prayers and as much grace and fortitude as possible; and would plead with all reasonable Nigerians to pray for her recovery so that she can face these allegations and give account of her stewardship.”

The call for prayers came after an earlier statement released on Thursday in which the family revealed the state of the former minister. Onwudiwe had made the following statement: “The stories are false but it(sic) feeds the mood of the moment; hence, the silence from Diezani all along. It is worth emphasising that Mrs Alison-Madueke was never arrested or detained and her passport was never seized. She was merely invited, and she honoured it promptly. But there is a limit to how much any reasonable person can bear the tactics of these … We all know that what makes a lie fly is the little truth contained therein. This happens to be the weapon used to defame highly-placed people.” Onwudiwe also accused the Nigerian media of reporting “laughable claims” of a purchase of an apartment in Hyde Park with an “amount which embarrassingly ranges from £12.5 million sterling to £13 billion sterling

(N3.9tr).

“This claim is utterly false and laughable, for the amounts mentioned are only in the imagination of the reporters. This property is quite popular. It belongs to a wellknown eminently successful Nigerian entrepreneur who would also find this allegation embarrassing as the intention to sell the property has neither been contemplated nor disclosed to any person.”

Mixed reaction greets Diezani’s prayer request Diezani’s request elicited mixed reactions from some Nigerians. While some said they would not pray, others said they would pray for the speedy recovery of the former minister to enable her face her graft trial.

We will pray for her and all Nigerians – Ikokwu Second Republic Politician, Chief Guy Ikokwu, who has always called for the restructuring of the country and adoption of the parliamentary system of government to check corruption, urged Nigerians to pray for the former oil minister.

From left: Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Gabriel Olanisakin, United Kingdom Chief of Defence, Gen Nicholas Hanghton; British High Commission to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, President Muhammadu Buhari; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Suleiman Aliyu and the National Security Adviser, Genral Babagana Mungono during a courtesy visit by the United Kingdom Chief of Defence, General Nicholas Hanghton to the presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. ‘’We will pray for her and all other Nigerians, both those who are ill and well so that God bestows His mercy on all for the right things to be done in the nation. Nigeria needs God’s mercy. God knows those who are guilty and those who are not guilty,’’ he said.

We will pray she recovers and asks for God’s forgiveness – Sarah Jubril Former Presidential Candidate, Mrs Sarah Jubril said apart from quick recovery it is also good for Diezani to ask for God’s forgiveness if she is guilty of the graft allegations.

Her words: ‘’Thank God

she believes Nigerians have a forgiving heart. We will pray she recovers and ask God for forgiveness if the allegations against her are true. Thank God she is alive.

I wish her quick recovery. It is good she has the humility to ask Nigerians for their prayers. We hope to see her in good health soon.’’

She doesn’t deserve our prayers – Gbagi However, former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, disagreed and urged Nigerians not to pray for her. ‘’How can we pray for her after all that happened? Let her go and ask forgiveness from God.

Revealed at last: Salary and allowances of NASS members

BY SONI DANIEL, Northern Region Editor

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HE controversy over the monthly salary of a Nigerian lawmaker has finally been laid to rest with a formal disclosure of what the legislators earn.

The National Institute of Legislative Studies, NILS, apparently worried by growing public outcry against the Nigerian lawmakers, on Friday released a set of documents, showing what constitutes the earnings of the 109 Senators and 360 members of the Nigerian House of Representatives.

The documents, which were made available to Vanguard in Abuja on Friday, indicated that the Nigerian lawmakers earn perhaps one of the least salaries among legislators in the world, as against the notion that their pay was outrageous.

Apart from releasing global comparative figures drawn from nine countries, the NILS also gave a breakdown of what constitutes the monthly takehome pay of each Nigerian lawmaker.

The figure shows that while a Nigerian Senator

gets an annual basic salary of N2,026,400,00 a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives goes home with N1,985,212, 50 per year.

But beyond that a Senator takes home a bouquet of allowances which hike their salary to N12, 902, 360.00 while their House of Representatives counterpart goes home with N9,525,985.50 annually.

Thus, for the four-year tenure which the lawmaker stay in the NASS, the Nigerian government spends a total of N1, 406,357,240.00 as basic salary on the 109 Senators and N3,428,994,780.00 on the 360 members of the House of Representatives.

The breakdown of the allowances are on: Vehicle fuelling/maintenance, Constituency, Domestic Staff, Personal Assistant, Entertainment, Recess, Utilities, Newspaper/Periodicals, Houses Maintenance, Wardrobe, Estacode, Duty Tour, which attract more money available to the lawmakers than their basic salaries.

Beyond that, the lawmakers earn special amount in every four-year period on Accommodation, vehicle loan, furni-

ture, and severance allowance, which make every Senator to pocket N24,090,000.00 and a House of Representatives member to go home with N23,822,00.00 within the same period.

Thus for every four year which a lawmaker stays in the NASS, the Federal Government spends N2,625, 810,000.00 on accommodation, vehicle loans, furniture and severance gratuity on the 109 senators and N8,575,920,000.00 on the 360 House of Representatives members.

This payment brings the total expenditure of the government to N33, 992, 360 for the senators and N33,347, 985, 50 on the

members of the HoR. The figures are lower when compared to what their counterparts in eight other countries earn.

But the monies Nigerian lawmakers earn from their oversight functions and other sources make them big earners.

A global comparison released by the NILS shows that lawmakers in the Philippines earn the highest annual basic salary of $4, 497,957, followed by their counterparts in the United States of America where a Senator goes home with $3,409,422 while a member of the US House of Representatives takes $1,429,909 home annually.

This is followed by law-

makers in Kenya who earn $968,013 per annum followed by their counterparts in Australia who take home $646,230 while those in the United Kingdom go home with £494,285.43.

The list is followed by lawmakers from India, who earn $474,484, Singapore with $253,469, and Tanzania with $230,961.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian government has been spending a total of N150 billion per year on the NASS but has been forced to step it down to N120 billion this year following rising outcry that the lawmakers are taking too much from the Federation Account leaving little for other sectors.

Rivers govt orders Amaechi, Ukpo, et all to refund about N100 billion

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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IVERS state govern ment has ordered former governor Chibuike Amaechi, Brigadier Anthony Ukpo rtd and some appointees of the former governor to refund about 100 billion naira allegedly missing from the state’s

coffer.

This development is contained in a white paper released yesterday by the state government on the recommendations of the commission of inquiry set up by the government to probe the alleged sale of valued assets of the state and related matters by the administration of former governor Amaechi.

Commissioner for Housing, Mr Emma Okah who read out portions of the white paper to newsmen yesterday in Government House, Port Harcourt said the alleged sale and lease of valuable assets of the state by the former government did not follow due process.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Tribunal sacks Kashamu, 6 other PDP lawmakers, orders election re-run in Ogun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

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HE Election Petition Tribunal for state and National Assembly in Ogun State, yesterday, nullified the victory of seven candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party including a Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Prince Buruji Kashamu.

The tribunal which also removed a member of House of Representatives, representing Ijebu North/ Ijebu East /Ogun waterside, Adekoya Adesegun and five members of the state House of Assembly ordered for rerun in all the affected areas.

The lawmakers who were removed by the Tribunal are; Adejuwon Oyenuga representing Ijebu-East, Adebowale Ojo from Ipokia, Adebowale Solaja from Ijebu North 1 , Wale Alausa from Ijebu-Ode and Oduntan Razaq from Yewa North 11 , all, of them were candidates of the PDP. Kashamu and others were dragged before the tribunal by candidates of the All Progressives Congress following their emergence at the polls.

Kashamu who was declared the winner in the last election as the Senator representing the district was dragged to the Tribunal by the candidate of APC, Abiodun Adedapo to challenge his victory.

While delivering the judgement between Kashamu and Abiodun , Chairman of the-three-man tribunal, Justice Tobei

Ebiowe said the election that brought Kashamu as a Senator was fraught with irregularities.

He said electoral malpractices were noticed in eight local governments out of the nine local governments where the election was held and thus, affected the credibility of the election in the district.

He therefore cancelled the elections in the eight local governments affected except Ijebu-Ode which he said was free from electoral

malpractices.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had awarded 99,540 votes to Kashamu while Abiodun got 84,001 votes after the last election.

But, the tribunal deducted 23,684 votes from Kashamu’s 99540 votes and declared that Kashamu had 75856 lawful votes while it deducted 13,324 unlawful votes from Abiodun’s 84,001 votes.

The tribunal held that though Kashamu was

leading with 5,179 after the cancellation of 37008 votes, because the total votes cancelled are more than the margin, thus, the need for rerun.

The Chairman however, ordered that election should be conducted by INEC in 110 polling units in the eight local governments within the district within 90 days and all the lawful votes should be added with the fresh result from the affected areas before the winner can be declared.

Tribunal upholds Ekweremadu’s victory

BY FRANCIS IGATA

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HE National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in

Enugu,yesterday, dismissed a petition brought before it by Philip Chukwudi Eze candidate of the All Progressives Congress,APC, for Enugu-West senatorial

Ministerial nominees are no pushovers — Sen. Ngige

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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ORMER Anambra State Governor, Senator Chris Ngige has said it was wrong for anyone to refer to President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees as pushovers.

According to him, the would-be Ministers have been tried and tested in the field of governance at one time or another, stressing that they have track records and pedigree.

Ngige who spoke to the State House Correspondents after a private meeting with president Muhammadu

Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, yesterday also stated that the nominees when confirmed by the senate and assigned portfolios would help the president realize the “change” agenda of the president government of All progressives Congress, APC. He said: “If you look at the list very critically, you will observe Mr President wants to go his voyage with people who have cognate experience in governance.

When I mean cognate experience, we are talking of people who have been tested, tried and trusted by their various people.

district.

Eze is challenging the victory of Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike EkweremaduattheMarch28 poll.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Michael Edem struck out the petition on the basis that it lacked substantial evidence while awarding the total sum of N60,000 in favour of Ekweremadu, the Independent National ElectoralCommission,INEC, and the last respondent.

Edem said the petitioner, failed to undoubtedly prove his case, adding that the evidence adduced in trial showedthatthepetitionerwas included and not excluded in the senatorial election which held on March 28.

“The petitioner rememberedtoforgetorforgot to remember that in law, he who asserts must prove. The petitioner first asserted and must prove. Pleading without evidence amounts to no issue,” he said.

Ogun workers confirm payment of deductions

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HE Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) of Ogun State workers, on Friday, confirmed the payment of cooperative deductions to its component unions by the state government.

The JNC also denied reports suggesting that the bailout fund meant for the payment of workers’ entitlements may have been fixed by the state government in a commercial bank for purposes of yielding interest.

“No, there is nothing like fixing. It is the bank that caused the delay. The Accountant-General even showed us documents that established when the government released the money, we in JNC never said government fixed any amount,” said Abiodun Olakanmi, JNC chairman.

In an interview on Friday, Olakanmi disclosed that reports reaching him from officials of the different unions indicate that their accounts have been credited with the deductions for the months of January to April as well as August and September, 2015.

The JNC chairman who noted that he was recently at a meeting with the Accountant-General of the state added, “I can confirm that going by the documents shown to us and the way the AG spoke to us, it was clear the banks were at fault in delaying the disbursement. No, there was nothing like fixing.”

Olakanmi who hailed the state government for being true to its words, promised the cooperation of the workers towards the actualisation of governments’ objectives.

Adegboyega, The Nation Editor buries dad today

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HE remains of Special Apostle Gabriel Adeshina Adegboyega, father of Mr Tunji Adegboyega, the Deputy Chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation, will be interred today, Saturday, October 10, 2015 at Atan Cemetery, Yaba, Lagos .

The funeral rites began on October 8 at his former residence, 31, Makinde Street, Mafoluku-Oja, Oshodi, Lagos, with Service of Songs, and Wake-Keep at Mafoluku Senior Grammar School, Ansarudeen Street, MafolukuOja, Oshodi, Lagos, yesterday at 4.00p.m.

Guests would be entertained at the school playground after funeral service tomorrow at the same venue.

Born on August 18, 1935 in Lagos, Special Apostle Adegboyega , a former manager with Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, died on August 11 after a brief illness.

He is survived by Most Mother-in-Israel Bolatito Adegboyega (wife) and children: Mr Tunji Adegboyega, Mrs Ayoade Ogundele, Mrs Mubo Ebohon, Mr Oluwaseun Adegboyega, Mr Babatunde Adegboyega, Mr Oluwatobi Adegboyega and Miss Oluwayemisi Adegboyega and brother, Mr Dotun Adegboyega, Managing Director, CSS Bookshops and Bookshop House.

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Delta community sends SOS to CNS

Chibok girls alive; many impregnated by Boko Haram terrorists – Escapee Chibok girl reveals •Many have given births to children against their will •Others carrying VVF, other diseases

By Kingsley Omonobi was the Fulani herdsmen having confirmed that the HERE were indica girl was a Chibok girl, who tions weekend that assisted her to get to the many of the 200 girls of the Baga military base of the Government Secondary multi-national Joint Task School, Chibok abducted Force.

At the Baga base, the in April 2014, are alive and escapee girl was said to holed up in the Lake Chad region of the North-East have confessed that many epicentre of the battle to of them were forcefully dislodge Boko Haram ter- married to the terrorists who not only impregnatrorists from Nigeria.

Sources disclosed to Sat- ed them but infected some urday Vanguard that the of them with different disgirls who were relocated eases. On her part, she from the initial Sambisa was not only impregnated, Camps of the terrorists, but she got the VVF disfollowing unrelenting ease from one of the terbombardments by air and rorists.

According to the escapland operations, have been relocated to Lake ee, at the camp where she Chad area with some of escaped from there were the girls spread along bor- about 60 of the girls while others were shared and der communities.

Saturday Vanguard moved to border commugathered that about two nities. Narrating more weeks ago, one of the ab- tales of woes on what the ducted girls who was for- Chibok girls went through merly kept in a Sambisa and are still going through forest camp, escaped from in the hands of the terrorthe hands of the abductors ists, the source said and ran into the hands of though the Chibok girl some Fulani herdsmen. It had just put to bed, the

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VVF (Vesicant Virginal Fistula) disease with which she was infected by the terrorist had made her uncomfortable hence her decision to flee to seek for medical help, as she was repeatedly passing solid waste uncontrollably.

Continuing, the source said, “When the Fulani herdsman saw the girl in the bush and questioned her about her mission, she narrated her experience, which made the herdsman to take her to the soldiers in that area. With her escape, there are now 59 of the girls left in her camp.”

Emphasizing that almost all of the girls have been married out to the Boko Harram terrorists while quite a number of them have delivered babies, the escapee told security agencies that the girls were always moved from place to place in the Sambisa forest during the bombardments but that when the heat was too much, they were all moved out of the

forest.

The escapee further disclosed to security agencies that Boko Haram terrorists have been seriously weakened and are now moving from place to place aimlessly like lost sheep, planting mines and IEDs (improvised explosive devices) which some security forces have mistakenly fallen prey to.

“All of us were forced to become Muslims but kept in camps far from each other”, she revealed. “You can only see and recognize those in your camp as any of us who refused being Islamized was either beheaded or shot at point blank range.”

She revealed further that the camps where the Chibok girls are now kept are in Kangoora, Mallam Fatori, Damasak, Tunbun Kaka and Tumbum Gira.

Many of these towns are located in the border communities around Lake Chad with some in Nigeria and others in Chad.

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HE people of Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State weekend, sent a save our soul (SOS) message to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas, to deploy his men to the area to help quell rising criminal activities which culminated in the recent brutal murder of their Vigilante Chairman, Mr Benson Ogedegbe.

The community which made the SOS through their Monarch, HRM, Noble Eshimetan, Orife III, when the officers and men of the Oghara Naval Logistics Command, led by the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Gomiriwu Ofik paid a working visit to the Monarch, said, “Armed men yet to be identified have turned the community into a haven of a well thriving illegal oil bunking, kidnapping, arson, robbery, among other heinous crimes, and the police which appeared to be ill equipped have not been able to flush them out.”

“We use this opportunity to also request that a section of our land encroached upon by Naval authority here in Oghara should also be returned to us. When the Navy were coming we graciously gave them 500’X500' plots of lands. The papers we signed with them are still with us.’’

Gani Adams seeks cultural education in schools

By Ebun Sessou

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EADER of Odua People’s Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams, has asked government at all levels to include the teaching of culture and traditions in the school curricula as a way of revamping the nation’s cultural values.

He made the statement at University of Lagos, UNILAG, recently when the Creative Arts students of the institution hosted him during their week.

The event which was supported by the Olokun Festival Foundation and Oodua People’s Congress.

In a keynote address, Adams, stated that, Nigeria as a nation cannot go forward unless its citizens trace their roots back to the cultures and traditions of the land.

According to him, “culture is and will be a great tool in taking Nigeria to the next level which is supposed to have attained in the last 55 years.

“Fanatics often cross the thin line between culture and religion and because of Western influence they tend to demonize the African cultural heritage.

“If we continue to forget our root, then no matter the intellectual wealth we acquire, we may not be able to move this country forward,” he said.

Ekwunife floors Umeh at tribunal

By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka

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•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd left), the Chairman, Editorial Board, The Nation, Mr. Sam Omatseye, General Manager, Metro Fm, Cordelia Okpei, Director, Radio Services, Radio Continental, Mr. Richmond Dayo Johnson and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, during a media parley, at the Protea Hotel, G.R.A, Ikeja, recently.

Lagos LG boss refutes retrenchment report

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HE Executive Secretary, Apapa/ Iganmu Local Council Development Area, Mrs Olufunmilayo Mohammed has reversed the decision to retrench some members of staff of the council saying there was no such directive from the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

According to the Executive Secretary, the decision of the Council to conduct an audit of the staff of the Council was informed by the discovery that out of the 500 temporary staff on the payroll of the Council, only about 125 were available during an audit exercise which lasted for two weeks.

She said the audit was conducted to verify the

number of staff and also to uncover ghost workers (if any) who are on the payroll of the Council.

“We have more than 500 temporary workers and I have not been seeing them at work and we gave them two weeks to do an auditing of the temporary staff. We gave them two weeks to come. The first day, they did not come and we postponed it and the final day, it is only 75 percent of the people that responded and we gave the few people who did not respond letters, that they should bring proofs of their letters of employment which they could not bring”, she said.

Mrs Mohammed however said the decision to reverse

the retrenchment, shows that there was no ulterior motive behind the exercise, as it was in the best interest of the council to ensure that probity, accountability and fiscal responsiveness were taking into account when expending public funds.

She also debunked reports that she received the directive to retrench the workers from the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, saying that the report published online which quoted her as saying the Lagos State Governor gave her directive to sack them was unfounded and totally untrue.

HE National Assembly Elections Petitions Tri bunal sitting in Awka, yesterday declared that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Anambra Central senatorial zone, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife was duly elected in the March 28, 2015 senatorial election.

The candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh had dragged Ekwunife and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to the tribunal claiming that he won the election convincingly.

He had tendered polling unit results from all the seven local government areas that make up the constituency to show that he ought to be declared the winner.

But Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Nayai Aganaba, in a judgment that lasted about two hours, said that from the calculated figures, Ekwunife polled 93,300 votes against Umeh’s 85,898 votes.

Boundary dispute: Enugu Gov warns communities

By Francis Igata, Enugu

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OVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has reconstituted the state’s Boundary Committee, urging the body to work assiduously to ward off conflagrations that may arise from boundary disputes with the state’s neighbors in view of the obvious consequences of allowing them to degenerate.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, is the chairman of the commission which was described as star-studded by the governor in view of the caliber of persons that make up the committee.

The Governor who also swore in a new member of the State Service Commission yesterday, pledged his administration’s commitment to a quality and efficient civil service in the state. He noted that no meaningful development can take place in a state of acrimony, especially in this period of economic unrest, stressing that appropriate measures must be taken to ensure peace and stability in the state.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Ministerial nominees: Presidency backs Senate on screening modalities

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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HE Presidency, yester day, said the modalities set up by the Senate in the screening of ministerial nominees, expected to commence on Tuesday, was in the best interest of the nation.

The Senate action, according to the Presidency,falls within the constitutional powers of the Red Chamber on screening and approval of ministerial nominees.

Senior Special Assistant,SSA,to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters ( Senate Wing), Senator Ita Enang , who spoke to journalists in Abuja, said the upper legislative chamber was constitutionally empowered to set out conditions upon which ministerial nominees forwarded to it by the president could be screened.

He said: “The Senate is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Senate is free to set its criteria for the screening of the nominees appearing before it.

He added that on the same template, during screening of any nominee, senators are free to ask any of the nominees , any questions they like, which must be responded to, by the nominee.

His words: “Our job will be to work with the respective senators and work with the respective nominees to make sure that the senators are satisfied and so that they can agree with their nominations.

“We will not dispute with the senate on what it want because it absolutely lies in the heart and minds of the respective and distinguished senators to determine what to ask.

“We cannot from our own end limit the question that senators can ask a nominee, because the senators are free and the nominees will be free to answer the questions since the sena-

tors are within their rights to request what they want”.

Enang who said his job is to relate with the senate on matters that proceeds from the president and create a good working relationship between the President, the vice president , all officers of the executive and the leadership of the Senate and the entire National Assembly, expressed happiness that the recent meeting between the leadership of the National Assembly and President Buhari has lowered the temperature of conjectural frictions between them in the minds of Nigerians.

Clark’s depiction of Jonathan is heretic revisionism — Obahiagbon B-R-I-E-F-S

By Emmanuel Aziken

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ORMER member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon, has described as ‘’heretic revisionism’’ the recent depiction of former President Goodluck Jonathan by elder-statesman, Dr. Edwin Clark, as weak.

Obahiagbon, presently the Chief of Staff to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State in a statement made available to Saturday Vanguard said: “I read with smug satiation and righteous indignation the abjuration of Chief Edwin Clark to the effect

that “Jonathan didn’t have the political will power to fight corruption.....Drivers of yesterday are living in palatial buildings now under his government”.

“I would expect that this animadversion from Papa Clark would put an irrefragable quietus to all Jonathanian political jingoists still spewing and yarning Goebbelian sputum in support of former President Jonathan. This is because if there exists anybody who should have intimate knowledge of the concentric layers of malversation that characterized the failed Jonathan administration, it

Tribunal upholds Gbajabiamila’s election

By Abdulwahab Abdulah beat his opponents.

His victory was howevHE Lagos State Na er challenged by the cantional Assembly Elec- didate of the Peoples tion Petitions Tribunal yes- Democratic Party, PDP, terday affirmed the victo- Mr. Tony Ashikodi, who ry of the majority Leader polled 14,550 votes, to be of the House of Represen- the second runner up.

Seeking the nullificatatives, Femi Gbajabiamition of the poll, the PDP la at the March 28 poll.

Gbajabiamila was de- candidate, had alleged clared winner of the that the election was House of Representatives marred by irregularities election by the Indepen- and a breach of the dent National Electoral guidelines set out by Commission,INEC, after INEC for the conduct of he poled 21,715 votes to the election.

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Fire razes Ogba retail market, along Abiodun Jagun, Ogba-Ijaiye, Lagos yesterday. Pix BY AKEEM SALAU

Ashikodi had also urged the tribunal to grant an order calling for a fresh conduct of election, submitting that Gbajabiamila did not score the highest number of valid votes as declared by INEC. Kalu Onuah who represented the petitioner at the tribunal argued that the tribunal ought to declare null and void the process that produced Gbajabiamila as the winner of the election, in lim with Section 53(2) of the Electoral Act, 2010 which mandated the nullification of any election where the number of votes cast exceeded the number of registered voters.

would be Papa Clark, the self proclaimed father of Jonathan. But has Papa Clark said anything new?

The answer is a resounding NO and that was why Nigerians voted for President Buhari in their gargantuan numbers. Am

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happy that President Buhari is already discharging his historical duties to our admiration.

“But that it took the eschewable fall of Jonathan for Papa Clark to peregrinate the road of the biblical Damascus and the scales

thus falling off the eyes of Jonathan’s political father is not only execrable but demonstrates a putrid and rancid narration of the story of Nigeria’s political class as a Damnosa Hereditas.”

Oil extends gains, set for biggest weekly rise since 2009

By Omoh Gabriel with Agency report

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IL extended gains yes terday and was set for its biggest weekly rise in over six years after U.S. Federal Reserve minutes suggested it was in no hurry to raise interest rates as an influential forecaster predicted a price rally. This has given hope to Nigeria whose economy depends on crude oil sales for its foreign exchange earnings. If the price continues and stabilises at $70 per barrel as being projected, then the economy could get a relief and states owing salaries may be able to pay as revenue accruing to the federation account will be boosted.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, was up 75 cents at $53.80 a barrel, 1.3 percent above the previous close and on track to rise 12 percent this week alone.

U.S. crude was up $1, or 2 percent, at $50.43 a barrel, the highest level in more

than two months.

The U.S. central bank’s meeting minutes showed more policymakers than expected agreed to keep the first interest rate hike in a decade on hold. The news also supported equity markets yesterday, with top European stocks climbing to a one-month high.

Forecaster, PIRA Energy Group issued a bullish oil price prediction on Thursday, saying oil would hit $70 a barrel by the end of next year and trade at $75 in 2017.

“The Fed minutes and the PIRA price forecast are driving prices today,” said Tamas Varga, oil analyst at London brokerage, PVM Oil Associates. “The rally may sustain for the short term but it should run out of steam some time next week because we are in a generally oversupplied market.”

Investors were awaiting indications on U.S. production with the weekly Baker Hughes rig count expected later on Friday. -down in U.S. crude stocks as a

valid reason for the upgrade. It raised its WTI forecast for the third quarter of 2016, for example, to $47 a barrel from $41. Analysts at Swiss-based consultancy, Petromatrix were more cautious on further gains on the commodity.

“Crude can try to stabilise around the $50-perbarrel WTI front anchor but to gain another $10 it will need some support from products and that is not currently the case,” they said. On Brent, Energy Aspects is forecasting prices to average $68 in 2016 and $98 in 2017, analyst Richard Mallinson told the Platts Asian Crude Oil Summit in Singapore on Friday.

After the July nuclear agreement, Iran will ramp up exports much slower than expected by the market, Mallinson said. If sanctions are eased, Iran will be able to increase crude exports by 250,000 to 400,000 barrels a day by around mid-2016. After that, significant extra volumes will only come in 2017 or 2018, Mallinson said.

Glo Dance With Peter: 30 finalists compete for Crown

O

RGANIZERS of the Dance With Peter reality TV show will this weekend pull the veil to reveal the 30 dancers who have qualified to compete for the coveted crown. A statement from the headquarters of the sponsors of the show, national telecom operator, Globacom, said the finalists will be unveiled during the telecast of the show on Africa Magic, AIT, and MTV Base.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 — 9

B-R-I-E-F-S

Oliseh: Enyeama lied against me V

INCENT Enyeama left the Super Eagles in Belgium, calling it time on his international career, but not without some huge controversy. He alleged the head coach, Sunday Oliseh insulted his late mother, had security guards throw him out of the camp and stripped him naked. However, in this interview with www.footballlive.ng, Oliseh denied the goalkeeper ’s claims, accusing him of character assassination.

We reproduce the full excerpts of Oliseh’s interview below. Enjoy.

“I am deeply saddened, troubled and profoundly hurt by the assassination of my person as Vincent Enyeama has done over the past two days on social media about me insulting his mother, these allegations are unheard of.

“When I was appointed the chief coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, I drove to Lille to see Vincent, took him to lunch and discussed how we wanted to move forward with him as my captain. I shared my philosophy with him and he made a statement I didn’t like, he said he was going to retire in a year or two, and I told him I

wouldn’t hear of it as he was the captain of the team because we were thinking of taking the team to the 2017 AFCON and 2018 World Cup; but we can’t build a team with you as captain if you are retiring in 2017.

“Two weeks ago before the camp started, he told us about his mother ’s burial, but I couldn’t go and there was an arrangement with the President (Amaju Pinnick) who assured me he’d be there on behalf of the NFF and team. But he started talking about retirement so at that moment I felt we needed someone else as captain; it had nothing to do with hurting anybody.

“I don’t know Vincent personally, I’ve only been named coach and in fact, we’ve seen only once. He’s served Nigeria very well and as Captain, I was also captain and I know how difficult that job is.

We started camp on Monday, to my greatest surprise Mikel Obi and Ighalo camped on Sunday night. We had invited four goalkeepers and he told us he had to bury his mother.

So, obviously he couldn’t report to camp early until Tuesday, just about the time we were rounding up, he

drove into the training ground.

“Prior to his coming, we had the Nigeria ambassador to Belgium come in to talk with the team because our delegation had not been given visas to come in, Six players were stuck in Nigeria over the hitch; Two of them were goalies. And somebody had to act in the absence of the Captain which Musa had been doing well, prior to the Tanzania and Niger games.

And I remember, when the Ambassador wrapped up I told Musa; as the captain, to introduce the team as a way to appreciate the support. “But the boys did not train well that afternoon, the ball playing was good but our objective on the ball was not up to my expectation, so later at dinner I called the team and told them I was not happy and demanded more from them. Only for Vincent to stand up, insisting on saying something but I told him to see me about it later. He refused and as side talks persisted I called him to order and he started raising his voice, I told him we couldn’t have two coaches in the team and that he had to retire to his

room. His colleagues got up and escorted him out of the hall. Two of his colleagues came in later to see me; the Captain Ahmed Musa and Mikel Obi, pleaded on his behalf and we left it there. Only for issues to start popping up on social media, alleging we insulted him and his late mother.

“Most people are not aware of this, but I’ll tell you now that when we went to play in Tanzania, I personally asked for the team to wear the black band in honour of his mother and for us to observe a minute’s silence.

We asked and we went through the channel of Dayo Enebi, but they said we should have made the demand earlier. Does this sound like a man who wants to humiliate his captain?

“What happened later, was alarming. We had only two goalkeepers, 15 players and we were playing a friendly game so we had to call in players who did not need visas to come into Belgium as quickly as possible to make up numbers. We now had to call in Alampasu because we had only two goalkeepers. We were already making a case with Alloy Agu to get ready if anything happened. We called Efe Ambrose and Madu in, working like we were a fire brigade.

“I did not even have time to reply social media chats because we had to work.

However, on the match day, Vincent did not come to lunch, I was confused because I thought we’d put all of the previous night’s issues behind us. I called him and asked why he wasn’t in for lunch and he said he was returning to his club. He said because I invited Alampasu he was leaving.

Alloy Agu is my witness, And God is my witness.”

Blatter appeals against ban

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is appealing against his 90-day ban from football’s world governing body.

Blatter has been suspended while FIFA’s ethics committee investigates corruption claims against him.

The 79-year-old Swiss was suspended on Thursday along with Secretary General Jerome Valcke and Vice-President Michel Platini. All the three deny wrongdoing.

The Football Association has asked FIFA to hold an emergency meeting to discuss February ’s presidential election.

Platini, the FA’s preferred candidate in the election to replace Blatter, will contest the ban “in the appropriate manner at the appropriate time”.

Oil thieves: PENGASSAN urges Senate to revisit PIB

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BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

HE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has called on the Senate to look into the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), saying that the passage of the bill, like it was done by the House of Representatives will help check the excesses of oil thieves.

It said the PIB which was passed by the House of Representatives in June should be revisited by the Senate in view of President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire to block leakages in the oil and gas sector.

The national president of the association, Mr. Francis Johnson, made the call at a training programme organised for executive members of the labour union on “Managing New Skills in Labour Relations” in Benin City.

According to him, “let the government come out with a strong legal framework that can stabilise the industry. Look at GSM; it was not like this when it started.

“So, you can look at giving Nigerians more licences; let Nigerians build refineries because they can also create jobs.

When you have a legal framework for oil and gas, the issue of pipeline vandalism, state of our refineries will be taken care of. “

Ambode lights up Lagos streets, 67 communities

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

L

AGOS State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has approved the installation of streetlights on major roads in the state and to connect 67 communities in IbejuLekki area to the national grid.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Energy, Mr. Deji Williams, who disclosed this while unveiling the planned projects, added that the projects would be completed by December 2015.

According to Williams, the Governor recently directed the state Ministry of Energy and National Resources to install streetlights on major roads. The roads are from Berger point at Lagos Ibadan Expressway, to Lagos Island and from Ikorodu to Lagos Island; to be executed in two phases.

Williams said a team from the electricity board was currently studying the architectural drawings of the roads to ascertain the number of street lights needed.

Also speaking, Head of Power, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ibilola Kasumu , disclosed that the 67 villages to enjoy electricity had been in darkness for over 35 years, adding that “now the Governor is restoring hope through this project.”

Market unions honour Rivers INEC boss

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

N

INETY-SIX market unions in Rivers State yesterday lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for giving the state credible elections in March and April this year.

Coordinator of the unions under the aegis of Rivers State Traders Association, RTA, Mr Ebi Chinedu who spoke yesterday when they conferred an award on the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dame Gecilia Khan, at the commission’s office in Port Harcourt said no market was gutted in the state in the name of elections, stressing that in the past traders were the worst hit during elections as politicans unleash their anger on markets.

FG shuts Lagos steel coy over industrial accident

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

T

HE Federal Government yesterday announced the immediate closure of Hongxing Steel Company, Amuwo Odofin to pave the way for unhindered investigations into incidences of factory accidents, including alleged death of employees, recorded in the company recently.

The Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Funso Olukoga, who made the disclosure yesterday at a press conference said the company must shut down its operations immediately for quick resolution of the crisis going on in the company.

Making public the outcome of his agency’s preliminary investigation into the factory accidents, Olukoga said the findings was done in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) represented by Simeso Amachree and the representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Kasimu Kadiri, Felix Uche, Obukese Orere and Director of Investigation of the PCC, Stella Ozojiofor.

10 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Corruption: EFCC summons Suswam, ex-Benue gov to appear Monday •Grills ex-finance commissioner in Abuja

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

I

MMEDIATE past governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has been summoned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to appear before the anti-graft agency for interrogation over allegations of massive corruption levelled against him.

Suswam, who left office on May 29, this year, is alleged to have made away with state funds running into billions of Naira and is expected to say all he knows about the funds when he appears before EFCC’s interrogators in Abuja on Monday morning.

As a prelude to dealing with the former governor, the commission on Friday grilled his former finance commissioner, Mr. Omadachi Oklobia for hours in Abuja with a view to eliciting vital information that may help them in confronting Suswam.

Oklobia, who is also said

to be involved in the Suswam alleged corruption case, reported to the Wuse 2 head office of the EFCC around 10 am and was questioned under what a source in the agency called ‘under caution’ because of his ‘complicity in the case.

A top source confirmed to Vanguard that Mr. Oklobia, who served as finance commissioner under Suswam was invited by the commission to defend allegations of diversion of public funds, abuse of office, embezzlement and fraud committed by them while in office.

The source said: “Oklobia arrived the EFCC office in Abuja at about 10 am where his statement was obtained under caution based on his complicity in the allegations of diversion of Benue State funds while they were in office.”

The Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, however said that he could not confirm

whether Suswam was billed to appear among the politically-exposed persons who had been summoned to appear before its operatives on corruption-related probe.

He promised to get back to our correspondent but did not do so as at the time

of going to press.

It will be recalled that the Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has already raised a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to probe ex-governor Suswam for alleged looting of funds running into hundreds of millions of mon-

Rivers govt orders Amaechi, Ukpo, et all to refund about N100 billion Continues from page 5 Continuing he said the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Emma Aguma, SAN will soon commence proceedings in court to recover the alleged missing money, adding that former governor Amaechi, his commissioner for Power were among those to be prosecuted, According to the commissioner, the former government allegedly diverted part of funds meant for the monorail project, failed Clinotech projects, adding that a loan secured for development of the agricultural sector was allegedly pocketed by the former ad-

ministration.

The white paper which queried issues around sale of the four power assets of the state said the government should review the action for the common good of the state., His words, “You will agree with me that the Omereji commission had several terms of references and we will be taking them one after the other. The first term of reference is to ascertain the sale of the Omoku 150 megawatts gas turbine; Afam 360 megawatts gas turbine; Trans-Amadi 136 megawatts gas turbine and the Eleme 75 megawatts gas turbine by the administration of former Governor Chibhike Rotimi Amaechi.

ey.

The panel, which is headed by a high court

Mimiko gets aplause for actualising Awolowo’s dream

E

LDER statesman and Afenifere chieftain, Senator Femi Okunroumu has described the Ondo state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko as the only Governor in the Southwest emulating late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the area of access to quality education.

He noted that the Governor is rebuilding public schools in the state to serve as model to others, adding that Mimiko has demonstrated high quality leadership and enjoined him to continue and extend it to other parts of Yoruba land.

The Afenifere Chieftain who spoke with newsmen in Akure yesterday said Mimiko had been able to use the instrumentality of office to shape the future of the state for good, by forming impactful and

Book Launch: ''Restoration'' Authored by Late Dr Tunji Otegbeye.

•From left: Chief Phillip Asiodu,Chairman of Occasion, Sen Bode Olajumoke, Sen Adulphus Wabara, Otunba Gbenga Daniel,former governor Ogun State and Prof Femi Otubanjo,Book reviewer at the occasion held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.

•Left: Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu and Lt Gen Oladipo Diya at the occasionheld at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.

judge, is yet to deliver his verdict on Suswam and his administration.

laudable education policy in line with the vision of the late Obafemi Awolowo.

Speaking in the same vein, the Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi, also thanked the Governor for his contributions to the growth of Owo Kingdom and by extension, entire Ondo State, saying that he is following the path of Chief Obafemi Awolowo Explaining the concept of government’s school project, Mimiko said his administration was creating intellectual giants through the mega school concept.

He announced the approval for the construction of another Mega Primary School in Owo Township as work is ongoing at the one at Uso in Owo Local Government Area of the state.

By Joe Akintola (Photo Editor)

From left: Mr Wale Babalakin,(SAN), Dr Femi Majekodunmi, Representative of former President Obasanjo and Dr Deji Otegbeye, son of the late Otegbeye at the occasion held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday. .

•From left: Mrs Belinda Brown, Chief Kayode Are, Dr (Hon) Muyiwa Oladimeji and Dr Fola Daniyan at the occasion held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—11

ANTI-GRAFT WAR : Buhari losing 1984 touch

•Politicians only targets for now •Impunity sstill till reigns in the police, cus ation, civil ser custtoms, immigr immigration, servvants •Indiscipline eever ver ywhere verywhere

By CHIOMA GABRIEL

T

op in the agenda of President Buhari is to fight corruption and nip it in the bud.

Corruption is an

epidemic problem in the country with serious economic consequences. It is a widespread social evil that undermines the country ’s democracy and creates disillusionment with politics and

politicians. Corruption also undermines trust and confidence.

Corruption is not just a Nigerian factor.

It cuts across the globe but in Nigeria, the situation appears

Global Financial Integrity estimates that more than US$157 billion in the past decade has left the country illicitly

worse.

Recently, the Central bank governor, said Nigeria’s economy was treading towards recession.

Large quantum of Nigeria’s resources had been cornered by crooks and fraudsters who are office holders, politicians and civil servants.

Corruption has eaten deep into Nigeria, turning the nation into a society where morons are barons, where thieves are chiefs, where the monkey works and the baboon chops, where might is right and injustice the order of the day.

Spurred by the economic downturn of the society, the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo established anti-graft commissions like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) with the mandate to tackle corruption.

For years, people appointed or elected to serve in government perceive the opportunity as the invitation to ‘come and chop.’

In 2014, Transparency International ranked Nigeria 136 out of 176 countries with a score of just 27 out of 100 on the Corruption Perception Index. About 85 per cent of Nigerians surveyed believe corruption has increased from 2011 to 2013 not just among government officials but among its citizenry.

The report further states that corruption hits hardest at the poor who are more than 40 per cent of the 179 million people. Global Financial Integrity estimates that more than US$157 billion in the past decade has left the country illicitly.

Outside the shores of Nigeria, the average Nigerian is first perceived as a crook.

In the Transparency International analysis, 55% of Nigerians interviewed said that they had paid a bribe in the past year to at least one of eight public services mentioned. Many were of the view that the police force is the most corrupt public institution in the country although top Nigerians say that the bribes policemen take are peanuts when compared with what the customs officers force out from people.

Despite the many anticorruption measures already in place, it appears to be impossible to successfully fight corruption.

It is not therefore a surprise that the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has vowed to tackle corruption.

During his campaign for the

Continues on page 12

12— SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

•Goodluck Jonathan

•Olusegun Obasanjo

Politicians are the only targets for now Continues from page 11 2015 polls, accountability and anti-corruption policies topped his agenda and many Nigerians desperately wanted a change.

Buhari’s All progressives Congress, APC, promised that change, although a foreign media reported that choosing between the then Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government and the APC was like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Corruption was monumental under Jonathan. The nation was looted blind but then, would Buhari’s APC be better?

That indeed is a million dollar question.

Enter Buhari

The fight against corruption by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been on going since the inception of the administration. From the onset, Buhari was feared by many and the name alone was expected to usher in adjustments just for the fear of what he would do. And the reason is simple.

His first time as military dictator in 1983-1985 was synonymous with discipline at all levels.

Buhari’s spartan lifestyle and Tunde Idiagbon’s stern looks were very uncompromising. People would do anything to avoid trouble because the consequences were severe.

Traffic rules were obeyed by all motorists because the punishment for traffic offence would rather be avoided. People queued to enter commercial vehicles, queued in banks and generally were careful how they conducted themselves. The environment was well managed because people dared not dispose of wastes carelessly.

There was complete compliance with orders as military fiat was applied in punishment.

Austerity measure which is also synonymous with Buhari’s spartan lifestyle was real.

General Buhari was respected by many. But he was mostly feared.

While, truly, fear has created adjustments in few areas like the power sector, impunity to corruption still reigns high in the police, customs, immigration, civil service and even the private sector. Fear has also permeated politicians especially those who served under the Jonathan administration. While there’s panic among politicians nothing, absolutely nothing is a cause of concern in the police, customs, immigration, the civil service and other Nigerians who now perceive the war against corruption as being targeted at politicians. The discipline which ruled in Buhari’s first time as Head of State and which many thought would be revived is simply not even in the air.

The national indiscipline which brought about the war against indiscipline is still real. If anything, it has worsened.

Trucks block roads and bus drivers park at the centre of roads to pick passengers. Traffic men collect bribes from them and look away. It is indiscipline occasioned by greed that brought about corruption at all level of public and private lives. If Buhari did well then in instilling fear in the citizenry in a military dispensation, will the same fear tackle corruption being championed by his administration in a democratic dispensation especially when people are pointing fingers at his close associates as being very corrupt and some unanswered questions trailing his modus operandi in government and most recently, declaration of assets?

From the appointments he has made so far, apart from being tagged baba-go-slow in some quarters, his rating before Nigerians is no longer as high as it used to be. The perception has changed a little bit.

Indeed, corruption in Nigeria was so endemic that it would require the country having a visionary leader who is devoid of tribal and regional sentiments to solve the problem.

Many have also questioned the sincerity of this anti- corruption

Many were of the view that the police force is the most corrupt public institution in the country although top Nigerians say that the bribes policemen take are peanuts when compared with what the customs officers force out from people

war, perceiving it as the agenda to rubbish political enemies but President Muhammadu Buhari had replied that it is not intended to rubbish the name of anyone.

Former ministers who served in the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, had in a statement cautioned against selective anti-corruption war and warned against labelling the Jonathan government as corrupt. Many Nigerians would disagree with them on that.

And Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, asked the Association of Ex-Jonathan Ministers to do a bit of selfreflection on the sort of government they handed to President Muhammadu Buhari back in May to determine for themselves if it would have been right for any incoming government, not just this one, to ignore the issue of the brazen theft of public assets, perhaps the first of its kind ever seen in this country.

Garba Shehu wrote: “Earlier statements made in this regard that there is no witch hunt or malice against anyone in the pursuit of the

Continues on page 13

SATURDAY

Continues from page 12 county’s stolen assets still stands”.

He added that the war against corruption knows no friend nor foe .The presidency said there was no intention to deny anyone of their good name where they are entitled to it and that President Buhari reserves the highest regards for the country’s former leaders including Jonathan who he continues to praise for the way and manner in which he accepted defeat in the last election.

“For the purpose of emphasis, the issue of fighting corruption by President Buhari is non-negotiable.

It is sine qua non to the overall reconstruction of the economy and social systems which suffered destruction and severe denigration under the last administration.

President Buhari will not be deterred or blackmailed into retreat and surrender,” the presidency had said, adding that no one in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, can accuse President Buhari of undermining the economy when “all they handed over to him is at best, was a tottering economy hobbled by corruption and the absence of due process”.

The presidency further added that the situation in Nigeria has become worsened by the continuing fall of oil prices, which is expected to fall even further with the imminent full return of Iran to the global oil market.

“All the president has been doing is to put things together, organize to defeat Boko Haram, pay outstanding salaries, clean up the mess left behind, improve security and restore Nigeria’s relationships with neighbours and the world.

“So what are former ministers afraid of in these things? Have they become a new trade union?

“Let this collection of ex-VIPs allow the President the peace he needs to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serves Nigeria’s best interests. President Buhari does not need these types of distraction presented by the socalled association of former ministers”.

But another school of thought thinks Buhari cannot solve the problem of corruption based on the way he has carried on since inception.

David Ibiyeomie, a cleric while speaking on the theme: “Financial Success” in Port Harcourt, said that the Buhari administration cannot solve the problem of corruption, saying the ongoing anti-graft fight was “merely an All Progressives Congress (APC) propaganda.”

The clergyman had opined that the seed of corruption was sown by the colonial masters when they divided the nation along regional lines before independence, thus inculcating in the psyche of modern Nigerians, regional and tribal consciousness.

This, according to him, had made it impossible for Nigerians to be objective in their assessment of the

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—13

Impunity still reigns in the Police, Customs, Immigration, Civil Ser vants

•Garba Shehu

•Ndudi Elumelu

political leadership since 1960.

Ibiyeomie had noted that Buhari couldn’t stop corruption because he has been part of the Nigerian political system, adding that the President has “not been able to purge himself of tribal or regional sentiments based on his recent key appointment of principal officers.”

The cleric had further argued that this sort of consciousness explained why political leaders always discard merit for parochial considerations in the allocation of key political positions.

According to Ibiyeomie, the root cause of corruption remained tribalism.

“Everyone who assumes political position first and foremost thinks of how to enrich his or her kinsmen at the detriment of the rest of the country.”

Drumming support overseas

During his trips overseas, the president had raised alarm about the evil exploits of thieves and looters in Nigeria’s emaciated economy. He was able to elicit support from the international community to tackle the anti corruption campaign and also

recover Nigeria’s looted funds.

As far back as 2003, Nigeria has been in the forefront of the international campaign against corruption. The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) was ratified by Nigeria on 14 Dec 2004 having become a signatory on 9 December 2003.

Nigeria is one of 168 parties to the convention, which means that it accepts the terms of the convention and is legally bound by its provisions. Under UNCAC, Nigeria as a nation is obliged to help other parties to prevent and fight corruption.

Features of the UNCAC include: prevent corruption; criminalise corruption; co-operate with other countries in the fight against corruption; and recover assets.

These requirements include the promotion of active participation of individuals and groups, including civil society and community-based organizations, in the prevention of and fight against corruption.

For these anti-corruption policies to be effective, they must comply with the rule of law, and foster integrity, transparency and accountability; whistle-blowers are also covered under the convention, which states that parties should consider incorporating measures into their domestic legal systems to provide protection against

For these anticorruption policies to be effective, they must comply with the rule of law, and foster integrity, transparency and accountability;

unjustified treatment of persons who report corruption in good faith.

Back home, President Buhari kicked off the campaign against graft by setting up the Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption (PCAC), with renowned social commentator and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Itse Sagay, as the Chairman.

Although he inherited a nearempty treasury since he assumed office, President Buhari was more shocked at the quantum of corruption in the petroleum industry.

One of the favours the president asked the international community was to help recover Nigeria’s stolen funds with a promise to bring the looters to book, especially looted public funds from the officials of the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Beyond the Jonathan administration, other big thieves who were not part of that administration exist. Across the thirty six states of the Nigerian federation, these big looters wrecked the treasuries of their states.

In ministries and parastatals of government, bigger thieves and looters exist who conducted the crooked sales of public assets in the name of privatisation .

Young school children were taught about the famous Nigerian refineries either as history or social studies. The famous Port-Harcourt refinery, Kaduna refinery and Warri refinery are now confined to the anal of history. The Buhari regime is currently trying a miracle to bring the dead back to life.

Past governments gulped billions of naira all in their bid to resuscitate the refineries by way of turn-around maintenance all to no avail. Nigeria, famous for oil production ended up importing refined petroleum products and in the process, created a cabal that that held the Jonathan administration hostage.

At a time, Nigeria decided to probe the power sector and the House of Representatives panel chaired by Hon. Ndudi Elumelu went to work and indicted the Obasanjo administration.

Continues on page 14

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Continues from page 13 In the course of this probe, the hunter became the hunted. Hon Elumelu who went about the business of probing corruption in the power projects ended up being accused of corruption.

For six years, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo was Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum, and most of what transpired during that period was unknown to the public.

The former president accounted to no one and hence what happened during that era was shrouded in mystery and secrecy.

He reported to no one and accounted to no one.

Many have opined that if the present administration must tackle corruption, they must start from within and look at those who are very close to this regime first or the fight against corruption would be a futile attempt.

By the standards of sub-Saharan African leaders, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is dirt-free.

He was adjudged the least corrupt of all Nigerian Presidents.

Corruption has eaten deep even inside institutions created to combat it like the EFCC and ICPC which were constituted to bring sanity into the system.

They became part of the problem.

The judiciary is not left out.

Allegations of corrupt judges and justices abound and they have allegedly let many corrupt politicians, civil servants and other individuals brought to them off the hook.

The police force is perceived to be the worst of all. They still mount road blocks, collect bribes from motorists. They appear not to give a hoot about the anti graft war of the current government. It is the same with other forces. One Lagos businessman who imports goods into the country laughs any time people tag the police as the most corrupt. “What you present to a top, a high ranking police officer as graft is what you give to the secretary of a top customs officer,” the man says, adding “ when you investigate the whole maritime sector you will never classify police as the most corrupt group in Nigeria.”

Yes, Buhari’s first calling was as a military leader and he was able to enforce discipline. Many argue that he could have achieved almost the same level of consciousness among the people if, on assumption, he took the right steps to set discipline government establishments like the police, customs etc by setting examples with some erring officials.

“But he relaxed and faced only the politicians. The policemen and customs officials who initially entertained some fears have even developed stronger will for corruption.

So, who will bell the cat?

Nigerian politics breeds corruption

However, a source familiar with the issue said that some retired CJNs kicked against the move.

Buhari would indeed need a corrupt-free judiciary to be able to win the war against corruption.

Nigerian politics breeds corruption

•Professor Itse Sagay (SAN)

•Femi Falana (SAN) Will Buhari win this war. What support will he get from the judiciary?

Recent reports revealed that the president is trying to figure out how the judiciary can be reformed to execute his agenda on the prosecution of corruption cases.

Many corruption cases filed by anti-corruption agencies have reportedly been pending at the courts several years after they were filed. The judiciary is often blamed for the delay.

From these indications, the president’s plan to embark on the mass prosecution of corruption cases may end up dead on arrival.

The judiciary as presently constituted, is an impediment to the fight against corruption.

A select group comprising Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Court of Appeal, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the VicePresident, Mr. Rahman Adeola Ipaye, two lawyers based in Lagos — Messrs Femi Falana (SAN) and Tunde Irukera — managing partner of Osinbajo’s law firm Simmons Cooper Partners, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, and Mrs. Maryam Uwais, has been constituted by

•VP Osibanjo

•Rahman Adeola Ipaye the vice-president Osinbajo to ensure corrupt cases brought before the judiciary don’t end up in the dustbin of history.

It was the group’s proposals that culminated in the constitution of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption recently set up

by Buhari which has Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) as its chairman.

To ensure continuity, Owasanoye was made the secretary of the committee.

Since he assumed office, Buhari has not hidden his dissatisfaction with the judiciary. It is not surprising, said a source in the presidency, that no serving or retired judge has made it into his numerous appointments so far.

It was also learned that the group coordinated by Osinbajo but led by Justice Oyewole came up with the suggestion that practising lawyers should be appointed directly into the Supreme Court and consequently one of such new appointees could be appointed the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) who will in turn drive the reform envisaged by the president.

This will enable the president bypass the age long practice of elevating a justice of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court.

At a time, Nigeria decided to probe the power sector and the House of Representatives panel chaired

by Hon. Ndudi Elumelu went to work and indicted the Obasanjo administration.

Since 1999 and beyond, many people, including former governors and presidents, became multi-billionaires after their stints in public office. Politicians who spent money during campaigns tried to recoup what they spent after election.

Nigeria’s commonwealth went into private pockets. Politicians , civil servants, state and federal government appointees and other classes of people with access to public funds built or bought choice houses in the cities, especially Abuja and Lagos.

Many became owners of choice properties in state capitals all over the federation and acquired exclusive real estate properties in foreign countries .

Ordinary individuals who worked for top public officeholders became emergency millionaires and owned hundreds of private jets , yet these people have no credible economic activities to justify their fabulous wealth.

Indeed many Nigerians who support the anti-graft war will not only desire that public funds that ended up in private pockets be recovered, they would also want that such people be sent to jail as the law prescribes.

The Sagay panel must therefore propose a comprehensive reform of the criminal law system that will ensure that once the anti-graft agencies raise queries against anyone to justify how they acquired their wealth, the said wealth will temporarily be forfeited to the government pending when the accused completes his or her exoneration in court.

The society lives in the lack of resources like power supply, water, good schools, functional hospitals, affordable housing, and security.

Except the anti graft war succeeds, only then will money be available to provide these things.

For President Buhari, history has given him another chance and that should be maximized. The war against corruption should be total.

It should be holistic, not targeted at politicians alone. This is the seeming initial mistake President Buhari has made otherwise impunity will no longer be the game in other government establishments.

It should not be politically motivated. A war against corruption in the police, the customs, immigration, other agencies and civil servants who doctor the books for politicians and help them perfect the looting should be declared as well.

This should not be the time for the President or anybody to start playing politics with anti graft war.

Buhari promised Nigerians change and it is in his interest that the change is positive.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—15

ONISHE AHABA: Why Asaba people forbid ogbono soup

BY CHARLES ADINGUPU

I

t was 6 o’clock on a weekend evening. New York City in the U.S. was getting set for the night life as guests of Nigerian extraction, decked in flamboyant African traditional attires, started trooping into the residence of late Ambassador Edwin Ogbu for a dinner party. The calibre of dignitaries in attendance easily indicated the importance of the party.

There were varieties of food for the guests and everyone had their fill, and left satisfied, except Chief Patrick Nwamu, the Odogwu of Asaba and multimillionaire businessman. The dinner left him with a swollen mouth accompanied with excruciating pains which he suffered for two days before he realised too late that he had offended Onishe Ahaba, the mother goddess of Asaba, Delta State his native land. The goddess is most times simply known as Onishe.

Chief Nwamu narrates his experience: “At the party, I had okra soup. Unknown to me, it was blended with ogbono. The next day, I had a swollen mouth with C M Y K

severe pains. Upon investigation, I was told by the Ambassador ’s wife who is a Yoruba lady that the soup I ate at the party was mixed with ogbono. It was then I knew where my problem came from. It is a taboo for Asaba natives to eat ogbono soup because our mother goddess, Onishe uses it for spiritual purification which in local parlance is known as ife-ahu.”

At the mouth of the River Niger is the sacred abode of the deity, Onishe, the spiritual mother who holds the destiny of Asaba people. Apart from the serenity that pervades the entire enclave, there are big ogbono trees lining up both sides to the groove of the mother goddess. The mystery behind these trees is the belief that for the past 250 years, neither the leaves nor the ogbono seeds have ever fallen on the ground, according to the Odogwu of Asaba. This is indicative of the spiritual value of ogbono to Onishe, as she uses it for her spiritual functions. He says Onishe is as old as the city itself.

Everyday, every hour and every

For Asaba people, it is hard to seek Onishe’s help without corresponding result. Though, for those adherents of the deity who are financially incapacitated, they are at liberty to pledge that upon the realisation of their desires, they will appease Onishe with whatever they can afford thereafter

moment, Onishe faithful besiege her vicinity to seek spiritual help and protection. But nobody goes to Onishe shrine with empty hands.

“If you must solicit Onishe’s assistance in whatever way, you visit her with either a full grown cock, a goat or even a cow depending on the financial capacity of the individual”, reveals Ogbueshi Nwosa Onwuegbuezie, the head custodian of Onishe.

For Asaba people, it is hard to seek Onishe’s help without corresponding result. Though, for those adherents of the deity who are financially incapacitated, they are at liberty to pledge that upon the realisation of their desires, they will appease Onishe with whatever they can afford thereafter.

Onishe, the deity Onishe is a woman with big long breasts. She guards and guides her children jealously. According to one of the custodians of the deity, Ogbueshi Continues on page 16

16— SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

brew) and Fanta.

Before Asaba people eat the new yam, they must first visit the Onishe shrine with the Asagba of Asaba, the traditional ruler. The people must first appease Onishe with a cow slaughtered at the shrine, and enough food would be cooked for everyone present. It is the tradition of the people of Asaba to pay homage to Onishe and solicit her help in the year ahead for a bountiful harvest as well as protection against any evil.

Duties of Onishe For ages, Asaba people have pledged their loyalty to Onishe, the deity that has been their mother both in times of war and peace. The deity protects the people spiritually and physically from both external and internal aggressions. Also, the deity alerts the people on any imminent danger threatening their existence.

According to Obi Nwamu, during the civil war, Onishe was angry that her children were being slaughtered unjustly by the Federal troops. She allegedly avenged the death of every Asaba native killed when she suddenly emerged at the middle of the River Niger to upturn the ship ferrying men of the Federal troops across the river. Some soldiers on the ship allegedly survived, though.

They could not cross to the other side of the Niger, and later confessed seeing Onishe sinking the ship conveying Federal troops to the other side of the Niger.

Some of these soldiers later lived in Asaba, blended with the people and eventually got married to our daughters.”

The Odogwu of Asaba, however, discloses that almost all the soldiers who killed Asaba natives during the civil war, died before they were crossed over to the other side of the River Niger.

Why Asaba people forbid ogbono soup Continues from page 15 Nwosa, Onishe appears to her subjects in different forms.

Sometimes she could appear as a crocodile, particularly during festive periods, to accept whatever sacrifice that is being offered her. At other times, she could appear as the mother she is, dressed in immaculate white wrapper and with her big long breasts exposed.

Chief Nwamu reveals: “Onishe once appeared to my brother ’s wife in Asaba. My brother came home to take the Alor traditional title. Though, before their departure from the city, my brother had warned his wife not to cook ogbono soup because it is forbidden in his place, she C M Y K

had refused to heed the advice. It was while she was dishing the food upstairs for the husband that our mother, Onishe appeared to her with a warning for her not to ever prepare ogbono soup for her son (her husband) again, and that she should take the soup to their non-Asaba neighbours downstairs. Immediately after, she disappeared. The woman ran to her husband to relay her experience and everybody present was taken aback.”

However, it is believed that those who see Onishe as mere absence of reality suffer consequences when they act in any way contradictory to what she stands for.

Worship of Onishe Whoever wants to worship Onishe must abstain from sexual intercourse, at least a few days before the day of worship. Also, the worshipper is expected to dress in all-white attire, including underpants.

Moreover, a woman in her period is not expected to visit the shrine.

Onishe is only worshipped on Eke day (day market). Whoever fails to keep to the rules of Onishe cannot go close to the shrine. At the shrine of Onishe, it is a taboo to drink palm wine, hot drinks, beer or any other liquor. The official and acceptable drink of Onishe are ogolo (a special brand of local

Onishe is only worshipped on Eke day (day market).

Whoever fails to keep to the rules of Onishe cannot go close to the shrine

Custodian of Onishe There are people of particular age group selected to officiate at Onishe rituals. The method of selection is done by Otuahazia, delegated by the town’s traditional council to mediate between the people of Asaba and Onishe.

However, those selected must be at a particular age group and their tenure expires when they attain a particular age bracket. Also, they are expected to serve for a minimum of ten years.

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN AND EBUN SESSOU

T

he view of many Nigerians is that President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial list read out by Senate President Bukola Saraki did not worth the long wait.

But Constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Robert Clarke, has a different view.

In this interview he says there is wisdom in the wait which enabled the President to have a grasp of what is actually going on in the ministries before knowing who to appoint. He however cautioned the Senate not to embark on a vendetta course as it will boomerang on the entire members of the upper chambers, adding that the idea of involving the anti graft agencies in the screening of nominees was only a huge joke. Excerpts Nigerians have waited more than four months for these ministers; now that the wait is over, we are going to have more politicians than technocrats becoming ministers. Are you satisfied with the list?

First of all, let us make it clear to everybody that under the Nigeria Constitution, the President is not under obligation to appoint ministers if he does not want to.

Section 5 of the Constitution says, “When a President is installed after having won an election, having declared his assets and having taken the oath of office, all executive powers in the federation is vested on him”. What it means is that every act necessary for good governance in this country is vested in him.

Except for the post of Attorney General which the Constitution has clearly designated, he can decide to handle every other ministry. The Attorney General is the only post the President can say, ‘I do not want to handle’ because it is a professional post and has been so designated in the Constitution. But other posts that he feels he cannot handle, he will appoint ministers, and then send the nominees to the senate for approval. So, Nigerians should know that there is no law that makes Buhari to appoint ministers except he must appoint an Attorney General. But in appointing ministers, the Constitution says, you must reflect the federal character in the sense that, you must appoint ministers from each of the 36 states. That again is if he wants to appoint. So, Buhari has said: ‘Look, since the buck stops on my table, before I appoint ministers, let me have an insight into what is going on in every ministry first.’ He has used this period to call the Permanent Secretaries to ask the position in the ministry, so that when he appoints a minister, it is not what he hears from a minister alone about that ministry, but he already knew about the ministry. So, there is a wisdom in the delay. He wanted to be briefed of all the facts in the ministries and so, you cannot blame him for the delay. Now, back to your question; after all the delay, we should understand that ministers are political appointees and they must be politicians.

Rarely in any democracy do you find technocrats being appointed except a few of them. In America of C M Y K

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—17

MINISTERIAL LIST

It’s a huge joke to involve anti-graft agencies in screening — Robert Clarke

today, many of their ministers are politicians. Although in one or two areas, they appoint technocrats.

And if we must define technocrat, a politician who has governed a state, or a politician who has been a commissioner in a state has become a technocrat. An accountant who has occupied a political post has become a technocrat. So, I believe that we need somebody who has been in government or has been in charge of governance to be appointed as minister.

And in the real sense, politics is a divisive game in Nigeria. In America, it is even worse. The Republicans do not want to see Obama or Hilary Clinton around them. They are divided on ideological ground, but here in Nigeria, the basis of our division is on ethnic and religious sentiments. So, I see nothing wrong in all the people who have been appointed. I don’t see reasons why Nigerians should challenge the appointments. In the Nigeria’s context, these people have the rights to be appointed ministers and Buhari has not done anything wrong in appointing them. He can use technocrats as advisers. He has not appointed his advisers and I am sure many of his advisers will be technocrats. He has done one in the Ministry of Petroleum, although he wants to handle the Petroleum Ministry himself. Obasanjo did it during his tenure for eight years even without background knowledge in the ministry.

Buhari has background knowledge in the petroleum industry. So, there is nothing wrong with that. It is a pity that Nigerians have short memory.

We have heard a lot of comments about

the nomination of Chief Audu Ogbe who was a minister in 1983, over three decades ago, and now coming again as a minister?

If tomorrow, I am appointed a minister, will you use the element of age against me with all my experience? Age does not affect the ability to perform as minister. He was relatively a young man of 36 then.

Now in his 60s, he is not an old man as you have portrayed. You cannot wither the background of the experience he is bringing in. He is somebody who has been a chairman of a party and armed with the ability to relate with people. These are what you need to perform well as minister.

In the law profession, the older you are, the better judge you are on the bench. You can’t buy experience; a young man who is brilliant but without experience will first have to learn when you put him in a position.

He will start first to accumulate experience. So, knowledge without experience is nothing. People who relate age with appointment do not know what they are saying.

With the floodgate of petitions against some of the nominees at the national assembly, do you think the screening will not be used

for settling scores?

If I write petition against the Senators, all the 103 Senators as constituted today may not be free.

No Nigerian who has held office in this country can be absolutely be free of one offence or the other. There are several Nigerians who have enough information about each one of them.

From the declaration of assets alone, not all of them will be free. I know a particular Senator who has been a member of the house before and who has been showing himself in the pages of newspaper and social media how rich he is. If you ask a few Nigerians to write petition against him, it will not be a difficult thing. The petitions submitted against them are not borne out of god intention; they are based on personal animosity.

The leadership of the Senate recently vowed to do a thorough job to ensure that persons with questionable characters are not confirmed as ministers. Now, there was a report that they might involve the anti-graft agencies in the screening of the nominees; what is your take?

They must be joking. If the Senate believes they can bring in EFCC and ICPC in screening of the nominees, they will be threading on a very dangerous path. If that is true, my advice to them is to stop it because it is going to backfire because none of them will pass if they are subjected to the scrutiny of the EFCC. Once they do it, people will write petitions to EFCC against them. I am afraid that they are starting a game which they don’t know the end.

What do EFCC and ICPC have to do with the screening of the nominees?

Nothing, except it is a vendetta and the earlier we stop that kind of politics, the better for us. The President has brought them in after doing his own check. I am aware that certain proposed ministers today have been a thorn in the flesh of the APC during the campaign and they don’t want to see them. The anti-graft crusade of the President is highly appreciated by a lot of Nigerians and the international community is helping us. A lot of our monies are going to be retrieved from overseas.

So, why shouldn’t we be happy? Those who are not happy are those who are afraid that very soon a searchlight is going to be beamed on them.

18—SA TURD AY Vanguard , OCTOBER 10—2015 18—SATURD TURDA he list of the ministers has been received by various people in various ways. As usual, the areas of responsibility were not included. This was demanded in the past and would have been welcome in this dispensation now as a mark of the expected change which many people are still waiting to discern in the Buhari government. On the other hand, some people can rattle off the number of the aspects they have noticed already. I myself can count one or two features which are welcome additions to our mode of life; though I would wish they were more, but then we are just at the start of a four-year journey, and there is still a long stretch during which we can complain.

Many who felt that four months, four whole months, had been too long to produce a ministerial list in the first place, are now loudly wondering why all that wait if that is all that would be produced, of the end of the day—if you won’t mind that hackneyed phrase. And I find it difficult to disagree with them on that score. For one thing, it was all so predictable, which is not in itself a sad aspect since some of the men and women who featured prominently on the campaign trail would naturally be expected to be in the team. That should not be the only criterion. But then, President Muhammadu Buhari is a team player. Even those who were not in a position to realize this during his first coming must have noticed this in his “body language” since he took office as President. He gave an indication of this when he remonstrated ever so •Abike Dabiri-Erewa mildly with the looks factual until you set the distinguished Senate actual situation against the President Bukola Sakaki, likelihood of an opposite or the he would work with him, contrary state of affairs. If, though he would have for instance, we agree that preferred that Saraki toed the position of minister the party line if the would require not only the appointment of some Senate energy of youth but also the officers. wisdom and experience of age, we would further agree ut Sarakj demurred. then that age matters a lot His hands were tied. also as an ingredient in the His commitment to the other discharge of a successful party from which he had ministerial appointment. been supplied his Deputy, It has to be taken into had held him firm. Two of consideration, though, that the nominees for the the critics in this regard also positions of the ministers specifically link the issue of are very prominent on the age with the fearsome hate list of his former party, phenomenon of corruption the POP, who are still which is associated with holding him by the balls those who had been on the and are likely to squeeze political scene,and have him to submission. If the list indeed been active should suffer some harm, participants therein for a however, it might queer the considerable period at that. pitch to the extent that the This is what has almost President might not be able destroyed our nation, and is to function properly without still confronting us at every his preferred cabinet, even turn of our development if we are able to escape a constitutional crisis. And that is not as unlikely as it looks from this distance.* It is also not only the perceived delay in the announcement of ministers’ It is also not only names that could cause a row with the list, but the the perceived actual personalities. There delay in the is a low substance of youthful —and thus announcement of energetic—content in the ministers’ names proposed ministerial list, in the view of some critics. I that could cause would personally take a a row with the second look at such a contention, in any case. For list, but the one thing, it is myopic and actual restricted in its scope. It is too presumptive although it personalities

T

*still waiting for godot

•Oby Ezekwesili President would be well advised to desist from it. It is a dangerous pastime that may well erode the confidence of his associates in him, and thus backfire. So indeed may this delay in announcing the names of the distaff members of his cabinet. After all, they are his to appoint and announce, so why keep them under a cover of expectancy?

It even seems childish; hardly a sport to engage in with the fortunes of a nation at stake.

B

C M Y K

B

•Chioma Ajunwa right now. Against the backdrop of our history, there can be nothing more than zero tolerance for any personality that has been tainted with this evil disease, in an administration which strode into the seat of power on the red carpet of change.

Such a state of affairs would give more than mere repulsion to such a government, but total rejection to even any mention of it.

But then, there is the low number of women which would be addressed later on, assuredly. The issue cannot be swept under any carpet, no matter how massive or colourful, as the unfortunate tenure of some women in the immediate

past administration could have been. But it would appear it has not. It would seem indeed that it will not be so since the long arm of Nemesis is reaching out to them. And we do have a good number of good women who can occupy the position of ministers with competence and grace.

Only, we have to wait for them— that word again, wait.

One of the newly-proposed minister who was very close to the President, by his own deposition, averred that Buhari must be a “surprise master”, since the announcement of his own appointment was withheld from him even at the last moment. If it is a special game he loves to play, the

ut if it would lighten his heart—or whatever—let us all get into the spirit of the game. We shall mention only three names. Here we go: Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a media personality who has also been through a two-term experience in a State House of Assembly where, though in the opposition, she bore the responsibility of the Committee on Diaspora with the elan of a Foreign Minister. And, of course there is good, old Oby Ezekwesili—old, not so much in age, but in being there for the good name of this nation, and for so long.

And then we have our only Olympic track-and-field champion, Chioma Ajunwa.

She remains an icon, an object of inspiration in sports excellence, and a police officer of impeccable record.

Many more still exist, and it is certain that some of their names, we hope, will soon be brought up, for nomination. We wait.

Time out.

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—19

They are using Boko Haram to loot public funds — Kaka Bolori

•Says Almijaris schools do not prepare students for employment even in Maiduguri they haven’t been going to school for about two and half years or so. So you can see the attitude of the leadership towards educational development of the state is not encouraging.

•Mallam Kaka Bolori

BY SONI DANIEL, NORTHERN REGION EDITOR

M

allam Kaka Bolori is a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Borno Central Senatorial election slated for later this year.

In this interview, the one-time Chairman of Maiduguri Metropolis, alleges that some top public officials are using the Boko Haram sect as an excuse to loot public funds, what the people of the Northeast think about President Muhammadu Buhari and how to end Boko Haram war and rehabilitate the Northeast.

Why have you decided to run for the senatorial seat for Borno central?

Well, my simple and honest answer is that I am eminently qualified by experience and involvement in the politics of the state and Nigeria to represent Borno Central following the demise of the man, who was first elected early this year to represent the area in the Senate. I also have what it takes to move the District forward in terms of fashioning out legislative solutions to our numerous challenges.

What do you think is the major issue facing the people C M Y K

Don’t forget that the military is obviously winning the war. I want to suggest that while the military option is ongoing, there should also be a sustained effort to look at the genesis of the problem and what can be done to ameliorate its effects on the people

of that senatorial district?

First of all, I think it revolves around lack of education. The majority of the people are lack basic education, thereby suffering social dislocation as compared to other parts of the country. It is clear that when people are lagging behind in education they tend to lack almost everything.

We have a relatively large population of jobless young men and women which in itself is a threat to national security.

That is why I have come on the stage to be able to come up with possible alternatives. One possible way out is to create vocational training centres because some will never go to school but they will have to work. The state government, I would say, is not really helping matters because as we speak there are many local governments that don’t have secondary schools. In fact, as I am talking to you we have two or three local government areas in Borno State that don’t have secondary schools. In such a situation one begins to wonder if indeed, the state government is really encouraging the development of education by not doing anything to send children of school age, to schools. As I am talking to you we have two or three local government councils in the northern part of Borno state that don’t have senior secondary school and

If you win the election how are you going to address this?

In what specific ways can this drawback be reversed?

I believe that as a legislator our responsibility is to make laws for the good of the society and I will do my best to see to the enactment of some enabling laws that will open up the education frontiers for our people.

I will also see to the possibility of making it imperative for relevant agencies, institutions and individuals to invest in education to produce the needed human resources for the transformation of the area.

But do you think that the problem is due to lack of legislation. Does it mean that there is no legislation guiding the provision of education in Borno state at the moment?

No, there is provision for education but my fear is that such may not be adequate to bring about the expected results. If education is made compulsory, it should be possible to also make the acquisition of post primary school education compulsory in every local government area of the state. It is not about the Boko Haram saying they don’t want Western Education; the body language of the government also suggests that they are not encouraging education the way it should be.

I am telling you that we have some local government areas that don’t have senior secondary school and if there is a law compelling them to establish one in each LGA that would go a long way to assist in elevating education in the state. So there are other things one can make as a law because I am aware of some of the developmental issues that prevent these boys from going to school. In many cases, some of the children will have to travel up to 25 kilometres in

order to access fresh water and their parents would reason that sending them to schools would deny them water for them.

If you provide water supply in these areas the possibility of children going to school is high because in some places they use this as an excuse for not going to school.

What do you think should be done in order to restore normalcy to the Northeast of which Borno is a part?

There are many strategies that can be used. But my thinking is that we should have the commitment of all the stakeholders in resolving all the issues at stake. Everybody must show commitment to the cause of ending the tragedy in the Northeast. It is not just about federal government, state government or local government; all tiers of government have to be part of rebuilding this region by bringing in some developmental programmes, by providing job opportunities to the people, by providing education and making agriculture more attractive. To me, these are some of the ways through which the region can grow. A commission should also be set up to oversee the rebuilding of the region and cater for the urgent needs of the area while there should be a law compelling all tiers of government to make vital inputs into the implementation of a blueprint for the region.

But that can’t take place if the problem of boko haram itself is not eliminated.

Don’t forget that the military is obviously winning the war. I want to suggest that while the military option is ongoing, there should also be a sustained effort to look at the genesis of the problem and what can be done to ameliorate its effects on the people.

First, we have young men and women who are able, healthy but are jobless. We have to even change the policy of these almajiri schools to make it in such a way that they

Continues on page 20

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Continues from page 19 can be employed after graduating from the school.

The current situation is such that no matter how long you study in the Almajiri School, you cannot get a certificate that can give you employment at the end of the day. So, that policy should be reviewed in the interest of the people.

I thought the almajiri system is to prepare people to go and write exams and pass so that they can be employable?

No! It is just to prepare you to read and write. That is the lifestyle and if you are very successful at these schools you become a teacher in the same school or you create one. If you are very good in teaching, they will bring their children for you to handle with a little token and there are no serious standards put down for this. The Alamjiri education is called ‘for the sake of God’ because it is something about religion and you don’t have to pay for it. In the 60s and 50s the colonial masters had wanted to incorporate these almijaris into the mainstream school system but they rejected it, arguing that the foreigners were going to pollute their lifestyle and system.

But my question was on how to end Boko Haram.

Ending Boko Haram requires a holistic approach. We must find an answer to what caused Boko Haram in the first place while the military option continues. Boko Haram came about as a result of the absence of basic education and opportunities for many, who felt they were entitled to those things. Nobody with a proper Islamic education will engage in Boko Haram activities. We therefore need some real orientation from all tiers of government in finding solutions to the problem of Boko Haram.

Injustice is part of the problem. For many years here, no local government elections in Borno because the government prefers to handpick caretaker committees and those denied their civil opportunities are sad.

Are you saying that lack of election is fueling Boko Haram in Borno?

Exactly! The reason the insurgency is too strong in the Northeast is largely due to poor administration and injustice on the part of the government in those places particularly Borno and Yobe. What the governors of the Northeast are getting from the Federation Account is not commensurate with the development we have on the ground in those states. They get so much but deliver very little. That is the crux of the problem.

It is only in a place like Maiduguri that you will see a 4-km road taking more than N11 billion and such a road will never be completed in more than four years. One will wonder if it is silver or gold C M Y K

road that they are building.

The federal government is talking about negotiating with boko haram but the problem is they don’t even know who to negotiate with.

How can that problem be overcome?

My answer to that question is at least if the federal government does not know where and who the Boko Haram is at least the Boko Haram knows who the government is and negotiation is an understanding between two parties. But if the other partner is unwilling, it does not appear as if the negotiation can proceed because it is a give and take situation. They are very much around, not that they are spirits or from space and if they want to negotiate they will simply find a way of presenting themselves to the negotiating table. If nobody knows them and they are not ready to appear, that means they are not ready for any negotiation.

How do you hope to win election in a state that has been under the grip of the APC in the last 16 year?

You need to understand that Borno is a very large state with different cultures and traditions and I will give you examples why I am optimistic that I am going to win the election. The pattern of election from the southern part of

Borno is totally different from the one in the northern and the central senatorial districts. The pattern of election in the north is different from the

The reason the insurgency is too strong in the Northeast is largely due to poor administration and injustice on the part of the government in those places particularly Borno and Yobe

one in the central and south. I am from the central where we have a large number of political elites. I am one-time local government chairman in Maiduguri and we have 15 wards in Maiduguri and out of these 15 wards PDP won in 11 and only four went to then ANPP. If they were to vote according to this I would not have been the chairman.

Of course the then state government was formed by ANPP but we had more PDP local government chairmen and more members in the national assembly belonging to PDP at that time. So, you can see the pattern and this mostly is taking place in Borno Central. The recent one was that when Ali Modu Sheriff was the governor he merely managed to sustain the position but could not win election to the Senate after his tenure. You can see there are more enlightened people and nobody is happy with the way APC is running the state.

How is APC running the state?

It is full of mismanagement and corruption; no development. In fact I told you that public schools have not been having classes in the last three and a half years in Borno state particularly in

Maiduguri. This does not in any way worry the governor and his team and it is quite unfortunate.

But that is because of insurgency, which claimed over 219 Chibok girls and causing serious concerns to parents, who

‘Almijaris schools do not prepare students for employment’ are afraid to send their children to any school in the state as a result.

Yes, you are right, you may think like that but Maiduguri which is actually the capital of Borno state is actually peaceful and only witnesses occasional bombings.

•Mallam Kaka Bolori

That is natural and it can happen anywhere. They have to go to school but they are not going to school in Maiduguri so why?

Because they brought the refuges and dumped them in schools while there are empty quarters belonging to the government. If the government is encouraging education they would have taken them to these quarters which are enough to contain these refuges and surprisingly the government is telling us that they are spending N6 billion on the refuges and IDPs every month. Maybe they are providing them with chicken and you can see this is

an opportunity for them to steal.

So what is giving you the confidence that you are going to win? Is it because the people love you and they are fed up with the APC government?

Not because the people love me but being a one-time local government chairman, they can judge me by what I did during my tenure and what they think I can do for them if I get into the Senate. It is a question of making a choice and they will certainly decide.

What do you think about the Buhari administration so far?

To ask those of us in the Northeast what we think about Buhari is to elicit an already known answer. For me, I can say that with Buhari, there is hope because already, relative peace has returned to the area.

The military is winning the war after recapturing most of the areas that were under the control of the insurgents in the Northeast.

The military recently accused some Borno elders of frustrating them by hiring marabouts to pray against the success of the military. As an elder in Borno state are you part of the people and why will the people not want the war to end? Why are they working against the military and who are they?

Well, I am not in the position to tell you who these people are but certainly I know

the military is not just making up this statement. So what I will suggest is that they have a proper investigation, reveal whoever the elders are and bring them to face justice. That is my humble suggestion regarding that allegation by the army. I think it is possible for people not to want the war to end because insurgency itself provides another form of looting by government officials from federal to state and local government levels. I am not therefore surprised if some people are aiding and abetting insurgency for selfish reasons.

And if proper check is done, such persons are likely to be found in the hierarchy of the leadership of the state and the local governments.

What do you mean by insurgency providing a platform for looting?

I am saying so because of what is happening in Borno State. We have 27 local government areas and only a few of them are functioning even though all of them receive their allocations at the end of the month.

The rest of them simply sit down in Maiduguri and share the allocation on the claim that they cannot go to do anything in

their respective areas because of insurgency.

So, it is a way of making quick money by some in the state.

That is why Boko Haram has provided a means of looting for government officials in many of these states.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, OCTOBER 10, 2015—21

T

hree weeks ago, I wrote a column titled ‘Rich country, poor people’ in which I lamented the disconnect between our resource rich country and its poor people. I also lamented the nonchalant wastefulness of our leaders who prefer to line their pockets instead of developing their country. The title of the column was taken from a book with the same title written by Professor Oyebanji Oyeyinka, a director at the United Nations who, as I explained in the column, is a close friend to a close friend. The inspiration for the article came from the book and I acknowledged that while taking some excerpts. Stated verbatim below is what he texted to our mutual friend after reading the article.

‘Each time I think of the issues I get so emotional. What a waste of generations. People like you and Muyiwa should be actively engaged in developing our country. What do we have? An army of poor people while vultures like Diezani loot the commonwealth. I pray there will be time soon for redemption.’

This our mutual friend I must add, was among the first set of Engineers recruited straight from the university and trained by the Federal Government in steel technology soon after Nigeria decided to develop a steel industry. He and his colleagues watched as their dreams and hopes of becoming proud pioneers in such a vital sector of the economy were dashed by bad policies, poor implementations and corruption.

One by one, they left the moribund industry and were left to pick up the pieces of their broken careers.

I texted back to say that one does get tired of speaking to leaders who refuse to see how other leaders developed their countries. But really, as long as one does not have any other country, (apologies Buhari) one cannot be tired. So today, I take another book in the hope that something will touch a chord in the heart strings of our leaders especially now in this season of change. The book is titled: ‘The Looting Machine”. Written by Tom Burgis, a journalist who had worked for the Financial Times of London, and

Incubators of poverty published early this year, it is an behind the looting of Africa. It is in investigative narration of how the many ways, a name and shame book developed world has looted and are leaving us with enough ammunition to looting the continent with the active take up the fight ourselves if we have collaboration if its leaders and war lords the stomach. who masquerade as freedom fighters.

I do not know if I would return to the Below, is how he described the book again in subsequent write ups but continent of Africa.

I would really love to. Today however, ‘Africa is the world’s poorest continent because of the menace of Boko Haram and, arguably, it’s richest. Although in the Northern part of the country, I accounting for just two per cent of want to state the book’s account of how global GDP, it is the repository of 15% the North was further impoverished. of the planet’s crude oil reserves, 40% But first, this is how it described of its gold, and 80% of its platinum. Nigeria.

Beneath its soil lies a third of the ‘Nigeria has everything: fertile land, mineral deposits found on earth. But great natural wealth, universities that this treasure has proved to be not a were in years after independence the salvation but a curse.’ It then goes on envy of Africa, an abundance of intelligence and ingenuity to describe in riveting reflected in the ease with details, how the continent’s which Nigerian expatriates resources have become a make headway abroad, curse.

Nobel-prize-winning This book is not for the novelists and savvy faint hearted. It is so businessmen. But oil has graphic; so detailed. It takes sickened Nigeria’s heart.’ us through the labyrinth of Africa is the The title of this column is a international board rooms, complex corporate world’s poorest sub-title in the book that structures and glittering continent and, deals with the effect of poverty and unemployment headquarters of what in the North caused mainly amounts to a new form of arguably, it’s by the massive smuggling in financial colonialism. It richest that part of the country. talks about the corporate ‘In the mid-1980s Nigeria raiders who have sprung had 175 textile mills. Over up to grease the palms of venal local the quarter century that followed, all political elites in what it describes as but 25 shut down. Many of those that systematic looting of Africa’s resources. have struggled on do so only at a The currencies of the trade in oil, fraction of their capacity. Of the 350,000 precious stones and ores, it says, are people that the industry employed in corruption, oppression and violence. It its heyday, making it comfortably is also a courageous book in that in Nigeria’s most important countries after countries, he gave the manufacturing sector, all but 25,000 names and sometimes the ‘modus have lost their jobs. Imports now operando’ of the shadowy figures comprise 85% of the market despite the

F

or some time now, rape has become a multiple daily occurrence in Nigeria. In spite of intense media focus, the number and frequency of rape cases, especially the sexual abuse of under-aged children, have increased. Even more disturbing is the fact that some of these abuses are carried out by the biological fathers of these young girls. Tomorrow is International Day of the Girl Child. At a time like this, you cannot help but remember the plight of these innocent and vulnerable children.

But what really necessitated today’s column was a report in the Vanguard of September 7, 2015, about an investigation police officer who refrained from prosecuting a father who primary or exclusive sexual attraction sexually abused his seven-year-old to prepubescent children, generally age daughter because it is a “family issue.” 11 years or younger…”(Wikipedia). I What is “family issue” about rape? I am always suspected pedophiles to be not a lawyer, but from the little law I people of unsound minds, if not, what studied in liability insurance, I know is sexually attractive about a seven-yearthere is a difference between civil and old girl (and your own daughter for that criminal matters. The state prosecutes matter)? No boobs, no curves, no alleged criminal offenders while civil “finishing” and all the other things that matters are between individuals or make even the greatest of men become groups. Rape is listed as a criminal foolish when they behold the daughters offence, therefore, the state is supposed of Eve. Guilty pedophiles should either to prosecute the alleged offender and if be in prison or psychiatric confinements found guilty, sentenced. So what is the until they are cured of the disorder. A IPO talking about?

Pedophile, who abuses his own To get more insight into the crime of daughter, is simply a father from hell. rape, I contacted a lawyer friend, He should consider cutting off his Barrister Peter Jude Osuji. Under the member. Or is it not better to be without Criminal Code of Nigeria, Rape is a sexually-functional penis than to go defined, as “having unlawful carnal into your own daughter? Just wondering knowledge of a woman or girl, without aloud. her consent, or with her consent, if the The seventh senate passed a bill into consent is obtained by force or by means law prescribing life imprisonment for of threats or intimidation of any kind, pedophiles. Despite the controversy or by fear of harm, or by means of false surrounding the maximum age of a act… This offence is punishable by minor in the bill, it fills a lacuna in the imprisonment for life, with or without laws of the federation and hopefully caning” (Section 357 and 358 of the President Muhammadu Buhari will sign Criminal Code Cap “C38”, Laws of the it into law some day.

Federation, 2004).

The third offence committed by the The other offence the father committed abusive father is incest. The Nigerian is pedophilia. Pedophilia is “a constitution does not provide any clear psychiatric disorder, in which an adult definition for incest, but under Criminal or older adolescent experiences a Code Act Cap 77, Laws of the Federation

What is “family issue” about rape?

C M Y K

of Nigeria 1990, Section 214 clarifies it as an offence against morality; a grave offence, if I might just add.

Sexually-abused minors can get justice through the current provisions of the law against rape, but in many cases, family members of the abusers put the muchtrumpeted “family name” above the future of the victims; the physical, emotional and psychological damage done to the victims becomes inconsequential.

So these parents go scot free only to strike again, as was the case of the seven-year-old girl.

Tragically, the police, the agent of the state, saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting these fathers abusing their underaged daughters, now see this offence as a “family issue.” It is this kind of inertia and handing of light sentences to offenders by some judges that have emboldened these offenders and made this heinous crime to fester.

Having studied how advanced societies operate, I firmly believe that Nigeria needs to reform its police/policing system and the judiciary / judicial system to bring about the real change many of us

fact that importing textiles is illegal.

The World Bank has estimated that textiles smuggled unto Nigeria through Benin are worth $2.2 billion dollars annually compared with local production that has shrivelled to $40 million. A team of United Nations experts concluded in 2009 that ‘The Nigerian textile industry is on the verge of a total collapse’.

‘The knock-on effects of the collapse ripple far into the Nigerian economy, especially in the North. About half of the million farmers who used to grow cotton no longer do so, although some have switched to other crops. Each textile employee supports maybe half a dozen relatives. It is therefore safe to state that the destruction of the textile industry has blighted many lives. The social fabric has been rent.

There is violence everywhere.’

‘The Chinese have so thoroughly captured the market that it will be near impossible for Nigerian operators to compete in the near future. There are 16 factories in China dedicated to churning out textiles with ‘Made In Nigeria’ badge sewn into them.’

And the man who has facilitated the massive smuggling of Chinese textile and in doing so facilitated the collapse of the textile industry is a Nigerian, a Norther ner. He is described as a businessman whose fortune runs in to billions, a confidante of presidents, a devout Muslim and a philanthropist whose airline transports Nigerian pilgrims to the annual hajj. He also ranks among West Africa’s preeminent smugglers. His network of warehouses and agents stretches to Dubai, China and India. According to a top banker, ‘ you put it in his warehouse, and he will smuggle it. He controls the import of everything that requires duty or is contraband and manages a shadow economy that includes border authorities.’ End of quote.

The sad thing is that everybody knows him for what he does but he is such a major political financier that nobody has the will to bring him to book. This is a clear example of how foreigners, this time the Chinese have, with the active connivance of influential locals, destroyed a vital economic sector of the country and made the North ‘an incubator of poverty and violence’.

clamour for. These two institutions are that critical. Currently, they leave the average Nigerian frustrated, vulnerable, helpless and hopeless.

Unfortunately, these defenceless minors have become major casualties of the defective system.

I suggest the Buhari government declares a state of emergency on these two sectors. Let experts tell us what we need to do to significantly improve their performances. For sure, I know we need to look at their welfare system, retirement packages, working conditions, etc. If they need a separate salary structure, let us give it to them; just anything they need to do their jobs optimally. Thereafter, we should put stringent measures in place to weed out the bad eggs. You cannot ape Bill Gate or Aliko Dangote if you are a judge or policeman. Resign and go into business. We should also explore the possibility of state police.

While that is on, we should not sit helplessly and allow some fathers to destroy the lives of their children; neighbours, school teachers, family members, child rights protection organizations, civil rights groups, the media and everybody who has a voice should continue to speak out. We should mount pressure on the relevant government agencies to do their work.

Parents are like God in the minds of little children. They trust their parents totally. Do not breach that trust. Be good role models to your children.

Protection of children is a sacred duty; it is sacrosanct (Matthew 18: 2-6 and 10, Matthew 19: 13-14). No parent has any right to abuse his/her child or any child for that matter. Custodians, that is all you are as parents and you had better be a good custodian or the law should be allowed to take its course.

Protection of family name cannot take precedence over the future of children.

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Bishop Kukah: Peacemaker or Political vigilante?

B

ishop Kukah is gradually and steadily sliding into the opposition and that is heart warming. It doesn’t matter that he would prefer a different tag. Listen to what perhaps justifies his metamorphosis: “So, the President requires other men and women outside his formal choir of party members who can help him think, men and women who are unencumbered by the vagaries of the sweet juices of political power and office, men and women who are not seduced by popular approval, men and women who live for tomorrow, men and women who have ideas about how nations are built, men and women who do not see public trust as a vehicle for vengeance, men and

women who live by the law of live and let live, men and women who do not see the exigencies of the moment as our turn to eat.” Some saints in quasi opposition?

And he hints at it again :”What the President needs is an army of non-partisan patriots committed to supporting him, but looking well beyond him and his party and focusing on the nation and its future.”Hmmmm , sounds like the peace council is headed elsewhere.

Many who want President Buhari to succeed know that he will not succeed if he is not helped by a vibrant and articulate opposition keeping him not just in check but informed. But the best opposition is the one that resides in an opposition party because it offers electoral choice. The civil society can play formidable oppositional roles but that may ultimately yield too little in the absence of electable alternatives. There should be a practical contest of ideas to be decided by the ballot. One party rule and sycophancy is the reason African democracy yields neither freedom nor progress for Africans. So any opposition is good but more energy should be spent invigorating and repositioning the opposition party. But isn’t Bishop Kukah supposed to be the peace maker?

Kukah may not have chosen the opposition. His conviction that the country would only make true progress after a process of reconciliation and national healing followed by conscious determined efforts at cultural changes chose it for him.

His antagonists maintain that his peace efforts are geared towards leniency or amnesty for looters in the name of national reconciliation. And since any such unpopular but courageous position in Nigeria must be allocated a sinister motive, they suggest that he is eager to shield looters of the treasury as a recompense to some of his erstwhile benefactors. Some others utter the profanity that the Bishop has been bought by thieving politicians. Kukah has a moral cause.

In an article on this column titled :Buhari, Bishop Kukah and the imperatives of peace and justice , I called not just for caution but for understanding. Peace making is not about agitation for punitive just deserts.

Kukah has reasons for seeing any inflexible preoccupation with coercion as remedy for corruption now as hollow and unhelpful.

Kukah has invited those who are baying for blood to check history and report where that alleviate-dour chronic corruption endemic or anywhere else where that formed the basis of a new beginning.

But what is the morality of Kukah’s argument? Kukah suggests that any preoccupation with punitiveness and severe anti corruption measures rather than the C M Y K

underlying general moral decadence is a massive distraction and is perhaps blatantly hypocritical.

Why? The country has a political culture inevitably steeped in corruption because the societal moral fabric is worn. And he illustrated by saying that if the worst and most corrupt Nigerian leader is made the president of America he would not be able to steal money. Partly because the attraction

suggesting that Jonathan’s noble concession was worthy of the foundation on which forbearance needed for true national healing and a rebirth can be built. Last week he was trending on twitter for the eloquence he exhibited at a lecture (the Platform). He hates illusions and he detests the idea of a messiah , the indolence it can engender by seducing the people into docility, the undue expectations it can generate.

•Bishop Kukah

and pressure to steal will be lacking, prohibited by the systems and culture in place. And to throw the moral picture into bold relief , he claimed that if an American or British leader is brought to lead Nigeria he would inevitably be involved in corrupt practices. Is that a bit far fetched? I don’t think so.

Take the general elections in Nigeria. The parties routinely flout electoral rules on campaign finance and nearly all engage in rigging and thuggery. Most of the officials engaged in electoral duties expect to be settled. No leader of any political party can claim total ignorance of these crimes. None can win without substantial lawlessness.

With a little sense of history, he suggests, we should know that probes alone won’t

Besides eloquence he wanted to feed his audience with a double portion of reality.

He feels that many have levitated , lost touch with reality and are living euphoric lives propelled by the supposed arrival of a messiah. There is no such messiah, he proclaimed. And how can people who are not just intellectually lazy but who place no premiums on leadership or on leaders long for messiahs whom they know not how he would look like, Kukah asked? The Bishop thinks Nigeria has no political leaders because it is one thing to be an office holder and it’s entirely another to be a leader. And the pretense by people who find them selves in offices but who have no visions, who cant be identified by any set of values, beliefs and principles can only be sustained in a

Why would Kukah repeatedly dwell on coup speeches, military regimes and their failings? work.

He wondered aloud :” if corruption is so evil, why are we so cool with it ?” If Kukah is right and he is to some extent, then how can any group be so pharisaical that it appropriates saintliness and portrays others as moral lepers? Hypocrisy,Kukah believes, is the choice garment of Nigerian politicians. And how can such perfidious effrontery, such elaborate and conspicuous foolery, be believed by the people? If it isn’t euphoria and hysteria complicated by amnesia , how can any people , even if made gullible by utter desperation , believe these sanctimonious politicians? How can recycled wastes thrown by the conveyor belts of circumstance and greed between ends called parties retain any substantive dissimilarity, let alone distinctive purity ?

A couple of weeks ago he was skewered by cyber bullies for calling for peace , for

land crippled by ignorance and amnesia.

Kukah had to dwell on coup plotters and their messages to bring those suffering from lingering euphoria and hysteria back to earth . All the promises and circumstances they came to relieve are familiar, he says.

They come to exterminate corruption and pay backlog of owed salaries but they always leave the stage worse than they met it. We are back to it again, he suggests, it’s a déjà vu. It think such references are cautionary but can be read as cynical.

Kukah the peace maker has every justification to plead for understanding and to prioritize peace over justice. And a peacemaker can rightly shift positions and show some bias for the perceived under dog to achieve peace. So one may understand why Kukah had to employ harsh words in containing the apparent intransigence of this administration. He once declared that

this is not a military regime,a veiled reference to some supposed inflexibility and severity in style. He went on to warn that there has been a drift in governance.

Kukah’s statements can be reasonably cautionary but are they perhaps so cautionary that they border on pessimism? That conclusion is plausible, tenable . For what kukah perceives as euphoria and hysteria could be positive energy. The ordinary people have suffered from chronic poor governance. It is true that they have put faith in people who came and plundered and didn’t help them.

Consequently they became apathetic and receded into paralytic cynicism. No effort geared towards a rebirth can succeed without mass participation and widespread public support or fervor. Since Kukah has conceded that a wonderful opportunity has presented why then isn’t he a bit more circumspect in disparaging those who have chosen to forget previous disappointments and mishaps to believe again? Why has Kukah, hitherto fairly quiet, taking on this government so early? Is it a bit hasty to talk about a drift?

Why would Kukah repeatedly dwell on coup speeches, military regimes and their failings?Buhari is no longer a military dictator, he has just won a popular mandate and it helps no one to dwell on the atrocities of the past and their associations. If Kukah insists that we cling to the past how then can we embrace hope . It is true some suffered the mindlessness excitement and over dramatization and rode bikes dangerously to their deaths celebrating Buhari’s victory but that is not to suggest that euphoria cannot be positively channeled. If myths are necessary for nation building then any wide acceptance of Buhari as a rescuer or messiah should not be a farce that must be punctured. Didn’t he say that strong men are needed to build strong institutions? Why is it impossible that the current probes will not kick-start a culture of accountability and institution building?

So why is faith in Buhari not a good thing?

When stripped o f equivocations,Kukah’s tale is decidedly a single story. And the tragedy is that he accused those supposedly suffering from hysteria and amnesia of telling a single story of corruption. Buhari cannot be reduced to an inflexible dictator, impervious to counsel, bent on incarcerating opponents to the detriment of good governance. History should counsel but must not bind.

It is good to engineer nation building by reconciliation, by not emphasizing investigations and probes. Because had Jonathan stayed put, sat tight, the nation would have suffered much more.

And since Jonathan left graciously , sit tight syndrome, that affliction ravaging African societies, may have been cured by the marker he laid down. Shouldn’t we then let other leaders know that they can leave and live in peace, without being hounded with probes? But can such an arrangement not be an amnesty, given in advance, to potential looters? Are we to tell leaders that they would not be held accountable for their actions?

What sort of precedent should we set for future looters? Do we seek stability that condemns to the servitude of a political class who would steal and live happily forever?

Kukah would say that he is not against prosecution of thieves. What then is he really against? Equivocation allows him to straddle both sides of the argument while throwing innuendos that clearly reveal his preference. He wants the South African example.

I agree that corruption is only a symptom of our collective moral decadence and lack of institutions and processes. I agree that patience is needed to bring about change that is not mere hollow sloganeering. I agree we must not yield to the seduction of deceitful propaganda as we did in the past.

I agree that citizens must have active deliberate individual roles to play to create a positive shift in cultural practices in order to check corruption in earnest. I do not agree we have anything within the moral or political proximity of the post apartheid South African situation.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—23

My fans believe I am the ‘cultural ambassador of Cross River’ – Smart Oshoko

BY OSA AMADI

S

mart Oshoko, in this interview with Saturday Vanguard, shares the confidence he has in Prof.

Ben Ayade, theCross River state gover nor, and the linkages between arts, culture, tourism and the environment: You were a cartoonist, musician, and now a prominent broadcaster.

When was your first song recorded?

My first music album was released in 1989 with the title Virgin. After, I released Soukus Exponent, Going back to Abanlikwo, King of Kings (a gospel album), and Aya Kaya (a remix).

What do you mean ‘going back to Abanlikwo’?

That’s my village. It’s a wonderful place. During hot season when people would be sweating, in Obudu, my hometown, people will be cold. snow falls there. The Ranch is right in Obalikwo, my village. Everyone who loves nature and tourism should visit Obudu. It is a wonderful place.

Were you born at the Cattle Ranch?

No, I was born in Kaduna. I grew up there too. I did my primary school there.

Do you speak Hausa?

Yes, I speak Hausa. I also speak Yoruba, Igala, Bishiri, and I am learning to speak Igbo too. My wife is teaching me Igbo. She is from Cross River, but she speaks Igbo fluently. Whenever I go to Niger Republic, I communicate with the local people in Hausa.

How would you classify your style of music?

My songs are truly African with complex fusion of East African, Caribbean, and West African rhythms and structures. My Soukous Exponent album contains tracks like Nigerian Girls, Ayakaya, Elizabeth, Africa must unite, Tribute to Agba, O s h o k o , a n d Soukous Exponent. The track, Africa must unite, is heavy on bass and the kind of song that drags everyone out to the

dance floor.

How did you become the unofficial cultural ambassador of Cross River, and what’s special about Smart Oshoko?

It’s a title my radio and TV audience gave me, because I am always promoting the culture of my people on radio, on TV, and wherever I go.

Others wait to be commissioned and paid to do it, but I do it on my own with my own resources. It also has to do with my belief in the potential broadcasting has – bearing art, culture, tourism, and environment as content – in taking a state like Cross River and Nigeria to the Promised Land.

My program, Na So I See Am, which comes up on Star FM 101.5 every Saturday from 3.30 pm and on MITV from 9 - 9.30 pm on Fridays is loved by the people because people see their true reflections in it. It is about their culture, their music, and their language. Pidgin English is the language of the ordinary Nigerians who form majority of the population. So Pidgin English, the language of ordinary people, is part of what makes Na So I See Am special. It is about our culture. It is about the people’s identity.

What are the connections between arts, culture, tourism, and the environment?

Arts, culture, and tourism are

We have a vision of specialised radio and TV stations to provide the needed grass root education and information about these vital issues.

We are looking up to leaders like Prof.

Ben Ayade to impliment policies, invest in projects, and establish enduring institutions, such as specialised radio and TV stations, that will communicate these values to the people.

all connected to the environment as a baby in the womb is connected to its mother.

Without the environment, there will be no art or culture or tourism. If the environment – the soil, forest, waters, animals and hills, - doesn’t exist, or is destroyed, what is going to be there for tourists to see and enjoy, or for culture to thrive on, or for artistes to draw inspirations from? If the foundation is destroyed, as they say, what can the righteous do?

Arts, culture, and tourism have always flourished in Cross River.

Yes, but it has a greater opportunity now to be more attractive, profitable and sustainable than ever.

With Professor Ben Ayade at the helm of affairs now in the state, and the wind of peace blowing across the country, Cross River and Nigeria are in for good times in tourism, arts, culture and the environment.

Why do you say so?

The governor is someone I know very well. He is familiar with my works, and I know he has interest in arts, culture and tourism; every true son or daughter of Cross River ought to be. But the governor is also passionate about the environment. You will recall that he was an environmental consultant. Some time ago,

the Japanese government gave him an award for an outstanding research he conducted regarding global warming in Africa.

Actually, this is the first time someone with such background is taking the mantle of leadership in Cross River. What many people don’t know is that arts and culture are part of environmental issues. We call it cultural diversity and that is exactly what we are doing i n Na So I See Am – promotion of different cultures through radio, TV, and movies.

You seem to have a lot of confidence in Prof. Ayade’s ability.

His Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade, has a well known track record of performance, especially in the area of environment. His passion for the masses and his philanthropy is well known too. I believe he will deliver, I have no doubt about it.

Specifically, what do broadcasters and artistes like you expect from leaders like Prof. Ben Ayade?

There’s an acute shortage of environmental awareness in Nigeria and Africa: awareness about deforestation, water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, waste management, efficient use of energy, investments in renewable energy sources, r e s o u r c e conservation through recycling and re-use, sustainable development, w i l d l i f e conservation, overpopulation issues, of which most leaders don’t care about or even understand – the solution lies in effective, grass r o o t communication, as Lagos State Government is doing presently, though not enough.

People need to be led to see that their lives, arts, and culture, have direct links to the wellbeing of the environment.

24 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

By KEHINDE AJOSE 08054680266

Davido shoots next video in Tokyo and Jamaica as he premieres five videos on MTV Base W

ITH just a few weeks to the release of his sophomore album, “Baddest”, multiple award winning popstar, Davido is set to premiere five fresh videos off his first album, OBO Genesis on Africa’s biggest music channel, MTV Base.

The videos which include, New Skul Tinz featuring label mates, Sina Rambo and BRed, Bless Me featuring May D, Dollars in The Bank featuring Kayswitch, Video and MaryJane are all unreleased videos from his debut album, OBO and will air on MTV Base’ show tagged, Davido Exposed on Saturday, October 10, 2015.

Davido who speaks about all five videos on the exclusive show reveals that “New Skul Tins” is his least liked video and he would have loved to re-enact the Michael

My private battles with age — Waje

Jackson concept for “MaryJane”. The talented performer also revealed that he will be shooting his next video in Tokyo or Jamaica as no one in the Nigerian market has really explored those countries. He also makes a hilarious promise to “jump out” of the plane like his popular hit video, “The Sound” featuring Uhuru.

An excited Davido commented, I’m glad I am releasing these videos now…

Took me a while to decide whether I wanted to release them before the new album dropped but I’m happy I’m releasing them now… Nobody has seen this video! It’s about to be shown to the world for the first time and exclusively on MTV Base.

I

T is no news that Waje is a vocal power house but most people don’t know what she sounds like when she gets emotional. The gifted songstress recently took to her Instagram page to bare her mind on the changes she has been working on in her private life.

“I am sure you agree that as you get older things change, more challenges and more responsibilities. Life also gets more interesting.

Lately, God has been teaching me not to dwell on my weakness but to embrace them and learn to work on them. I am focusing more on my strength. I am a message artist and I really like it.

I like listening to conversations and finding the twist in it to my benefit when writing. I like making a conscious effort to smile even on a bad day. I love when my ‘Thank you” means something to you. I love the stress of work.

I prayed for it.”

Nobody knows what prompted this emotional outburst, but her fans will love to see those changes reflect in her music.

•Davido

•Waje

M

agic of the Musicals peep show is a unique theatrical production featuring a compilation of popular songs from some of the acclaimed Broadway plays of all time. The idea behind Magic of the Musicals is to use Nigerian celebrities to perform these various pivotal scenes from a carefully selected bouquet of Broadway and stage classics.

The show held on the 1st of October 2015 at Ultima Studios, Lekki, witnessing a large turnout of theatre enthusiasts who came to experience Broadway plays from the African soil. There was a time when theatrical performances were a very much part of the people’s lives in Lagos, this show recreated those memories. The event organized by Notes Inc Media, provided the audience an opportunity to feast on dancing and singing blended into storytelling.

The host of the show, Jimi Solanke, known to be a master storyteller took the audience through the history of theatre in Nigeria in a captivating and

Fela resurrects in

Magic of the Musicals humorous monologue. Tributes were paid to the likes of Hubert Ogunde, Fela Kuti, Amos Tutuola and others who contributed to the growth of theatre in Nigeria. The first part

of the show unveiled children who sang, acted and danced to popular Broadway songs like A whole new world, Hard knock life and others. The accuracy in their dancing and

the conviction in their presentation confirm that Nigeria is really blessed with immense talents The Afrobeat Legend, Fela Kuti was remembered and

honoured in the second part of the performance. His character was played by Ayoola, winner Project Fame West Africa, Season 5. His entrance on stage was nothing short of awe.

He was dressed like Fela and imitated his gestures and mannerisms. He performed Fela’s Zombie alongside other performers who played the role of his dancers and vocalists.

The excitement in the hall was palpable when he mimicked Fela’s way of talking and dancing. He had an amazing stage presence, connected with the audience and made memories of the Afrobeat king come alive.

Speaking on the event, Damola Adewole of Notes Inc. Media described the Magic Of The Musicals as a new dawn in the history of stage musical productions in the country. He added that the Independence Day’s edition was a prelude to the main show which will hold in December 2015. According to him, the December leg of the show will feature a collection of stars from Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 — 25

By TOFARATI IGE 08068792241

Cynthia Morgan and baby mama syndrome I

T is unarguable that the baby mama/baby daddy syndrome has become a fad in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Apart from the fact that many entertainers now derive joy in having children out of wedlock, many of them are now even singing about it. Iyanya has a song titled, ‘Baby Mama’ on his new Applaudise album. And ‘Popori’ singer, Cynthia Morgan also seems to be seriously considering being a baby mama. Some days ago, she uploaded a picture of a baby pacifier on her Instagram page and added the caption, “Baby Mama” which got many of her fans wondering if she had gotten pregnant.

And to further lend credence to the word in the grapevine that Morgan might be considering being a baby mama to further notch up her street credibility in the music industry, she is now asking her followers on

social media about what they feel about baby mamas. She uploaded a picture of a pregnant woman on her Instagram page and added the caption, “So I had been thinking...what’s your honest opinion about being a baby mama? Fly or Fall?” to which her followers gave varied responses.

One Lynette Ruby Mitchell wrote, “You want a baby from burna boy you gotta stop smoking weed when you pregnant otherwise the baby will have problems!!! Just focus on making some more German Juice instead of babies you are just too In love to think straight !!!!” while another follower, Makkies wrote, “Please don’t, biko.” Chachaunnah wrote, “Well,as for me. lt’s better to b a baby mama than havin an abortion . Just sayin.”

TOP TRENDING 15 MUSIC AND 1

VIDEO

Mateo Vic featuring Naomi Boucka - Crazy world Afropop star, Mateo Vic returns with this socially conscious song titled Crazy world. He collaborates with Naomi Boucka on this tune.

2

Eddy Kenzo featuring Niniola – Mbilo Mbilo (Remix) Award winning singer, Eddy Kenzo teams up with Niniola on the remix of Mbilo Mbilo. Niniola blends effortlessly with Kenzo in this song.

Cynthia Morgan What do you think guys?

Do you think our celebrities are setting good examples for their followers?

3

Polaino – Nne Calabar Polaino sings about the beauty of the Calabar woman in this song .The highlife tune is dedicated to appreciate the beauty of Calabar women. The song is produced by Lord Cornel.

4

Kayefi - Idowu Ogbo Indigenous singer, Kayefi is back with a new song titled Idowu Ogbo. She takes a different approach in this ID Cabasa produced song.

I’m not in love with Patoranking, 5 Young GreyC cries out 6 F

Drey Beatz featuring Patoranking, Skales and Endia Bend Down Drey Beatz sure knows how to blend with A-list artistes to create an irresistible sound. For this song, he collaborates with the trio of Patoranking, Skales and Endia. He produced the song.

AST-rising songstress, Grace Edoja Oghenetega aka Young GreyC who is signed to Sound Sultan’s Naija Ninjas record label has dismissed the viral claims that she is in love with Reggae singer, Patoranking.

It should be recalled that she recently featured Patoranking in the remix of her hit-song, ‘Chukwuma’ and this led many fans to insinuate that the Sapele-born singer is smitten with the ‘Girlie O’ crooner.

But in an exclusive chat with Showtime, she rubbished the reports.

In her words, ‘People who say I’m in love with Patoranking are only imagining things; I’m not in love with him. He is like a brother to me and I

enjoyed working with him, he made everything so easy for me.’

On why she decided to feature him in the first place, she said, ‘I did the original version last year, so I thought about it; I needed someone who is going to murder the jam. Patoranking is a very good artiste and his kind of music suits the song. He is a reggae dancehall singer, and the song is reggae dancehall. I love him and I decided we should work together.’

When asked about how far she can go to please a fan on stage, she wasted no time in answering, ‘The most daring thing I can do on stage is to bring my male fans on the stage and show them love; like communicating and dancing with them just to make them happy.’

•Young GreyC

Korede Bello, Wande Coal, others perform hit tracks at Ijebu Ode Glo Slide & Bounce

W

ANDE Coal, Korede Bello, Burna Boy and a host of other top music acts thrilled residents of Ijebu Ode when Glo-sponsored musical concert, Slide & Bounce, berthed in the town. The concert which held at De Prime Event Centre, Molipa Quarters had thousands of Glo subscribers in attendance.

Wande Coal led the musical onslaught with his hit tracks like”A si ma peyin” and “You Bad” before blowing everyone away with “My Woman, My Everything” a song Patoranking featured him in.

Burna Boy elevated the tempo of the show when he came on stage. The Dancehall, Afrobeat, R& B and Hip pop superstar performed his hit track “Run my Race” and Checks and Balances” before Supreme Mavin Dynasty protégé, Korede Bello added fire to the audience’s excitement with rendition of his own hot numbers like ‘Godwin’ and others.Ego Ogbaro also joined in the musical fiesta with ‘Don’t give up’ and “Love me now” to the delight of her teeming fans.

Activities including a dancing and

singing competition added spice to the show.

Competitors were drawn from the crowd to vie for mouth watering gifts. The auditorium erupted in a deafening cheer when a seven year old boy, Tolulope Orimoloye was declared winner of the dancing competition.

Lexzy Doo – Skalabanduch Recall that Lexzy Doo was part of the Afropop group from the early 2,000’s known as X -appeal. He is back with a new song titled Skalabanduch. The song is produced by Puffy Tee.

7

Pinky Jay- Badman Pinky Jay is a Nigerian artiste based in South Africa. She unveils her new song titled Badman. The song is produced by E-Kelly

8

Maleek Rahym featuring Terry G- Jawo Versatile singer, Maleek Rahym releases the video of his song titled Jawo. The video was shot in Lagos and Abuja. The video is directed by Cardoso

9

Baci featuring Davido – Let’s Relate Tripple MG act, Baci unleashes his new tune titled Let’s relate.

He features talented Afropop crooner, Davido on this song.

10

Dija featuring Patoranking – Falling for you Mavin songstress, Dija features dancehall act, Patoranking in this love song titled Falling for you.

11

Lil Kesh featuring Patoranking – Is It Because I Love You YBNL act, Lil Kesh unveils his new love song titled Is it because I love you? He teams up with Patoranking on this song. It is produced

by Young John and Pheelz

12

ONE Project featuring Waje, Dbanj Banky W and others Strong Girl remix The mix of 14 male and female stars in partnership with ONE, recorded the new version to show that women’s empowerment is a song that everyone – men, boys, girls and women – must sing.

Together we can amplify the powerful message that poverty is sexist.

The song is produced by Cobhams Asuquo while the video is directed

by Godfather Productions.

13

Dtone Martins - Don’t worry Talented guitarist and soulful artiste returns with the cover of Don’t worry be happy. He does this song impeccably in Yoruba.

14

Korede Bello Featuring Asa – Somebody Great Armed with a strong voice, Korede Bello collaborates with Eye Adaba crooner, Asa in this inspirational R n B song titled Somebody Great. The song is produced by Don Jazzy.

15

Waje featuring Patoranking – Left for good Vocal powerhouse, Waje has finally released the visuals of her single Left for good featuring Patoranking. The song is a fusion of reggae and soul .The video is directed by Aje films.

26 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

When Nollywood stars stormed Ondo State

F

or Nollywood stars, including Muyiwa Ademola, Tope Tedela, Chelsea Eze, Jibola Daboh and Mimi Orjiekwe among others, their visit to Akure, the Ondo State capital, last Sunday, was an eyeopening and heart-warming experience. That was the day they stormed the state capital to read and inspire students from secondary schools around the state as part of the Best of Nollywood Awards Celebrity Reading, a precursor to the BON Awards holding in December. This year’s BON Awards is sponsored by the Ondo State government.

Held inside the expansive hall of the St. James Caring Heart Mega School, Akure, students, teachers and parents filled the hall to catch a glimpse of the Nollywood stars. And they were not disappointed, neither were the students for whom the event held.

Equally exciting for the students was the presence of the First Lady, Mrs Kemi Mimiko, who partook in

*Actor Jibola Daboh at the event

*Tope Tedela, Chelsea Eze and Mimi Orjiekwe inspiring students at the event. the reading session with the stars and select students.

The book of choice was the bestselling Half of A Yellow Sun authored by Chimamanda NgoziAdichie.

During the mentoring session, the avuncular Jibola Daboh, a star of many films advised the students to make their

education top priority, saying, “Without education, you cannot be anything. You must learn and learn and just keep learning. Many of us are successful today because we chose education.”

Also, speaking in the same vein, Bidemi Kosoko, winner of the 2011 BON

Most Promising Act Award, advocated that only education and focus can take one to the zenith of their career. Bidemi is the daughter of legendary actor, Jide Kosoko.

While responding to a question about what it takes to be a successful actor, Ademola, the second highest recipient of the BON Awards since inception, beaten only by Kunle Afolayan, declared that education and training are the major ingredients required to soar as an actor.

NFVCB,LSFVCB unite to sanitize Nollywood T

•NFVCB boss, Ms. Patricia Bala

C M Y K

he days of unwholesome practices in the movie industry particularly in Lagos, may soon be over. This is following the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, recently signed by the film regulatory body, NFVCB and its authorities in Lagos geared towards restoring sanity in the industry.

By signing the MOU, the censors Board and the Lagos State film and Video Censors Board will henceforth effectively monitor and enforce movie classification and licensing. The MOU also involves sharing information and data to aid full compliance by all cadres of industry practitioners. At the signing ceremony in Lagos, DirectorGeneral of the NFVCB, Ms. Patricia Bala who led a team from the Board, described the move as a sure-footed resolve to forge a firm and integrated design to attain the goal of well structured movie industry with a winwin value-chain for all stakeholders.

Bala hoped that with the painstaking and meticulous

effort put into the arrangement, all industry operators should support and key into it by ensuring that only approved movies are released to the market in addition to respecting the established rules guiding the industry. The NFVCB boss lamented the damaging effects of unwholesome practices and also called on operators to act within the ambit of the law adding that enforcement becomes necessary only in a situation of noncompliance.

While urging industry stake-holders to be more broad-minded rather than pursuing narrow interests that affect the growth and development of the industry, she re-iterated the commitment of the agency to be fair and just in the discharge of its mandate.

Executive Director, Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Mr. Bamidele Balogun expressed delight at the signing of the MoU, noting that it is a courageous decision to eliminate frictions and ensure harmony of purpose towards proper regulation and sanitization of the film industry in Lagos state.

Bamidele explained that the initiative became necessary in response to persistent demand by stakeholders for a comprehensive approach to implementing the common mandate of movie regulatory agencies at federal and state levels.

AFRIFF returns to Lagos ...as organizers unveil festival programme

T

he organisers of the annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) have unveiled an impressive line-up of festival programme which holds in Lagos, from November 8 through 15, 2015.

The programme, as announced by the festival’s Artistic Director, Keith Shiri reveals a series of industry sessions, master classes and movie screenings totalling 180 films, out of which 155 are in competition.

This year, AFRIFF returns for its 5th year of cinematic celebration. During the weeklong event, Lagos Island will be illuminated by the wonder and diversity of global cinema, with screenings at the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Genesis Duluxe Cinema, Lekki, and City Mall Cinema, Onikan.

Shiri who spoke to journalists from London said, AFRIFF 2015 would once again celebrate the best of African and Diaspora films the festival is known for.

According to Shiri, “The selection in this edition is not only celebrating African cinema but demonstrates once more that the cinematic storytelling industry in Africa has become more compelling and visible.” He said the official competition for Best Film which recognizes, distinctively and inspiring filmmaking will feature a diverse range of films, among them; Red Leaves, a riveting feature debut by Israel-based Ethiopian filmmaker Bazzi Gete.

“The feature film line-up also includes; Jonas C a r p i g n a n o ’ s “Mediterranea,” Akin Omotoso’s “Tell Me Something Sweet,” Genevieve Nnaji’s “Road To Yesterday,” Yared Zeleke’s “Lamb,” as well as Desmond Elliot’s “Reflections.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 — 27

Lillian Amah-Aluko battles for AMP presidency A

fter becoming the Vice President of the Association of Movie Producers, AMP, for two consecutive times, actress cum producer, Lillian Amah-Aluko, has declared her intention to vie for president of the association in their forthcoming election.

The ace producer made her intention known during an interactive session with entertainment journalists last Sunday. And to actualize her ambition, she paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, during the week to seek his support.

Lilian said her sole aim in running for the position is to put the right structures in place, with a view to facilitating the welfare of members as well as establishing treaties with other movieproducing countries.

According to her, “I served as vice-president of Association of Movie Producers under Paul Obazele’s last tenure and Zik Zulu Okafor ’s first tenure. I was vice-president for two terms of two years each. In the course of these four years, I’ve been actively involved in the guild politics. I came to realise that there is a disconnect in the industry. I just came back with some of my colleagues from the University of California where we went on training. While there, we discovered that they have very active guilds. You cannot go into America and start carrying camera or start doing anything: you must contact the guild in charge. The script writer is protected by the script writers’ guild; producers are protected by the producers’ guild among others. They have very strong unions, with rules and regulations.”

Lilian who has acted in many Nollywood films lamented the lack of professionalism and decline in the industry, pledging , however,that if elected president, along with members of her executive, she will reposition the guild by reconciling all warring factions.

“What we have in Nollywood, as I discovered in my years as vice-president, is that it’s an all- comers affair.

•Lillian Amah People come in, do whatever they want, with little or no professionalism. And with the piracy situation, you find out that the producers are suffering. Every other day you journalists help us to announce that one practitioner is down with one illness or the other; and we call on government and kind-spirited individuals to help, whereas as professionals in quote, we should not be begging for food or healthcare.

All of these things get me thinking and I said to myself and to others: what do we really need for the guild to take their rightful place? I’m speaking from the perspective of AMP, which I belong to. It’s time for us to take our rightful place.”

According to Lilian, “By venturing into movie politics, I have a lot of innovations in my agenda which will help to lift the profile of our members, with the help of the other members of the executive."

He named Me Malala comes to Nigeria The much-talked about American documentary film, ‘ He Named Me Malala’ which is generating a lot of mixed reactions across the globe since its premiere last September, is due to première in Nigeria this Sunday.

The film, directed by Davis Guggenheim will premiere at Silverbird cinemas.

Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the coordinator, Girls United Together for Success said, the film is premièring as part of activities to commemorate this year ’s United Nations’ International Day of the Girl with the theme, “The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030.”

‘He Named Me Malala’ concerns the young •Malala Pakistani female activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted

by Taliban gunmen, shot in the head and left wounded. She was targeted for speaking for the girls’ education in her region of Swat Valley in Pakistan. The title refers to the Afghani folk hero Malalai of Maiwand, after whom her father named her. It premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 2015, and received a theatrical release in the United States on October 2.

Speaking at the press preview of the documentary film during the week, Chima said, the Nigerian premiere of “He Named Me Malala” is for the nationwide girl education campaign for the more than 6 million Nigerian girls who are out of school. It’s also part of the global movement of The Malala Fund to empower girls through secondary school education. The Malala Fund empowers girls through education. “Inspired by co-founders, Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai, our aim is to raise girls’ voices and ensure every girl has access to a quality secondary education.”

C M Y K

Yabatech film academy berths •Abay Esho

I

t is good news for aspiring film makers longing to attend the prestigious New York Film Academy for capacity building and improvement of their craft as Yaba College Technology, Lagos, establishes a similar film school in the country to stem the tide.

The academy, YabaTech Film Academy, which kicks off early next year is set up basically in response to the fast changing world of film and television production and employment training needs.

The hands-on-practical film academy located within the school premises and furnished with up-to-date fleet of cameras and equipment like RED, Arri, Blackmagic, canon and Sony high will be offering professional standard practical training across all key areas

of film making.

Speaking at an interactive session with movie journalists, during the week, ace film maker, Abay Esho, consultant to YFA with his partner, Kingsley Omoefe noted that the academy was set up to bridge the gap between the need of the industry, professionalism and employment. “In this industry where professionalism cannot be discarded, there comes a need for the young ones to be grounded practically and theoretically in different areas of film making. YFA is positioned to meet that need and expose student to what it takes. Our curriculum is fashioned after the best film schools and we have scholars and practitioners to train students and the best student each session has the opportunity of a scholarship of a degree course abroad.

Since the industry accounts for 2nd highest employer of labour, there is a need for training of entrants and that is what Yabatech Film Academy stands for ”, says Abay Esho, film director of Dear Mother, Every Day People, Eve and of recent, Oasis drama series.

YFA is a joint project between the prestigious Yaba College of Technology and Crest Entertainment, a renowned production company based in Lagos.

Filmhouse unveils new mobile app for movie lovers

BY KEHINDE AJOSE

F

ilm house Cinemas, one of the largest and revered cinema providers in Nigeria; have recently announced a new mobile app through which guests can buy tickets from the convenience of their location anywhere in the country.

This was revealed recently via a press release made available from the company.

According to Filmhouse Management, “There are few things more annoying than getting to the cinemas hoping to see the latest blockbuster only to find out that the movie tickets have been sold out. The good news, as far as Filmhouse Cinemas is concerned, is that such days are set to be a thing of the past. Today, it is with great pleasure that the management of Filmhouse announce the re-launch of its website, complete with an online ticket booking portal. What this means is that guests now have the opportunity to buy movie tickets online from the comfort of their homes ahead of a visit to the cinema.”

Mr Kene Mkparu, CEO/MD Filmhouse Cinemas stated, “At Filmhouse cinemas, we take two things very seriously, the experience and the convenience.

With the launch of our online ticket booking website, we are thrilled to have once again answered the call of our loving guests. “

28 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

I was after my wife for two years before I got a lunch date – Yemi Sax

Says, “Calling yourself a celebrity is pomposity”

By ADERONKE ADEYERI

A

deyemi Adeosun, popularly known as Yemi Sax, is one of Nigeria’s best saxophonists. He is the pioneer of Afro-hip jazz in Nigeria, fusing hip-hop, jazz and African rhythm. Yemi Sax is also a singer, multiinstrumentalist, songwriter, composer and music producer.

He was born in the early 80’s in the city of Lagos, Nigeria and is from the royal family of Adeosun in Erin-Ijesha, Osun State. In this encounter, he talks about his marriage, career, and other interesting revelations. Excerpts:

It’s been long we heard from you; what’s happening?

I needed to spend time with my new family, so I was in and out of the country but I did go for performances and corporate events. I should have released an album last year but could not. My last album was 2012 and my fans know I release songs once in every two years. Aside from being a saxophonist, I am also a studio engineer, producer, and I mix sounds, write songs. And these also take my time.

How soon should we expect an album from you?

I plan to release a 21-track album before the end of October. I also intend to release some vocal works next year.

Do you plan collaborating with C M Y K

other saxophonists to achieve that?

No, I only look forward to collaborating with my sax mentors and icons by the special grace of God. People like Kenny G,Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, Dave Koz etc.

Continues on page 29

No major endorsements at the moment but I can smell some coming already (smiles)

Yemi Sax

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 — 29

Says, “Calling yourself a celebrity is pomposity” Continues from page 28 Why foreign saxophonists only?

I listen more to foreign saxophonists.

I really don’t have any saxophonist I look up to in Nigeria.

However, I will be collaborating with some Nigerian musicians like Asha, 2face, Ice Prince, and others next year. Watch out for Yemi Sax doing vocals next year.

What do you consider before playing the sound of a song?

The technicality of the rhythm and maturity of a song, lyrics, transition, and other technical factors. I am not known for playing popular songs. I play songs with good beats but I avoid those with vulgarities in them.

This gives parents who love the song the chance of playing the song in their homes without the fear of corrupting their kids.

Why saxophone?

I am a multi-instrumentalist but after learning other instruments, I tend to love saxophone most.

Why did you choose music for a career?

I never planned it but music has always been part of me. At a point, I couldn’t see myself doing any other thing better than music. Music took over me and I saw myself struggling to concentrate on other things. Music is a thing of the soul and a jealous profession, so to say. I also come from a family where you must know how to play at least one musical instrument.

What was growing up like?

Growing up wasn’t too bad but wasn’t rosy at the same time. My parents made sure we never missed

any church activity. Also, my mum was a teacher and disciplinarian to the core. She’s retired now but own a school. My dad was a bit lenient. He is now a retired banker. He was one of the pioneers of indigenous Christian music in Nigeria with his hit album in

1965. I am happy being part of that family.

Tell us about your father as a musician?

He is Prince S.A. Adeosun. He is of Christ Apostolic Church, Yaba. He had an album in 1965 with the title ‘’Kristi mo faraa mi fun o” meaning ‘’To you oh Christ I give myself”.

Did your parents, especially your mother, support your own style of music?

My mum never had problem with my choice of career from the onset.

She’s the type who supports whatever you do as long as you put God first. I come from a family where there is mutual respect of opinions.

I really don’t have any saxophonist I look up to in Nigeria.

However, I will be collaborating with some Nigerian musicians like Asha, 2face, Ice Prince, and others next year

Can we deduce you started music from the church like many musicians?

Yes, I was a church organist and already a member of the choir at age six.

of being pompous.

What has marriage changed about you?

Marriage has made me more responsible and a better person, which I really love. I thank God for blessing me with the best woman there is. No one could be better than the woman in my life. She is very understanding and supportive.

How did you meet her?

I met my wife through someone I helped. I had a friend whose own friend was stranded in Nigeria when she lost her passport. My wife was also a friend to my own friend and came to drop the stranded friend. I patronized the stranded friend who had to pay me for accommodating her.

I got my wife’s contact and we became friends on phone. I was after my wife for two years before she agreed to a lunch date. After the lunch date, I was able to take our friendship to the next level.

What is your view about the music industry?

Our music industry is really growing by the day. And we must all understand that Rome was not built in a day. Nigerians can’t expect magic in terms of structure, quality etc. Things have really improved. One can at least be proud to be recognized as a musician. In fact, many of us enjoy many juicy privileges because they call us “celebrities”. Unlike some years back, when people see musicians as beggars, dropouts, vagabonds etc.

Many celebrity marriages collapse over time; any preventive measure?

Nothing in particular. I am Adeyemi Adeosun when I’m with my wife and not Yemi Sax. I try to love my wife anew on daily basis, show her love, listen to her advice and carry her along in almost everything I do.

Those are my preventive measures.

Don’t you see yourself as a celebrity?

I see myself as one with a popular face. The moment an entertainer feels he is a celebrity, that is the beginning

Women constitute a larger percentage of your fan base; how do you handle them considering you’ re young, handsome, and married?

I appreciate my female fans a lot and I handle them with 100% level of maturity and God’s wisdom, not forgetting that I am happily married.

Has your wife ever been intimidated by any female fan?

Never, she is confident. She understands my profession perfectly and I appreciate her for that.

Which of your assets do you cherish most?

Cherish? I see every of my asset as necessity.

Why dreadlocks?

I just wanted to change my look.

Should your fans look up to you changing your dreads?

I can’t say but nothing is impossible.

What will Yemi Sax never be found doing?

Change is a constant thing in human lives. Nevertheless, I will never glorify myself for my achievements in life rather I glorify God who deserves all the glory.

Yemi Sax

We are yet to hear of any endorsement by you, why?

No major endorsements at the moment but I can smell some coming already (smiles). I’ve companies who support me in different ways.

C M Y K

30—SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 IYABO AINA 08184172548

I will care about Chris Bro wn until the da Brown dayy I die, Rihanna cries

BY IYABO AINA

A

s she readies her longawaited eighth album, screen diva Rihanna, has graced the cover of Vanity Fair for the first time.

In her most candid interview, she opened up about her highlypublicized love life, as she says her last official boyfriend was Chris Brown.

Speaking on why it took her some time to break up with Chris Brown after he attacked her before the Grammys in 2009, the singer admitted that she thought she was strong enough to be with him and “was very protective of him” even after his attack before the Grammy awards in Los Angeles.

The 27-year-old told Vanity Fair magazine she thought: “Maybe I’m one of those people built to handle this.

“Maybe I’m the person who’s almost the guardian angel to this person, to be there when they’re not strong enough” and to be able to “say the right thing”.

However, she said she soon realised that she was wrong and “finally had to say, ‘Uh-oh, I was stupid thinking I was built for this’. Sometimes you just have to walk away.”

The singer, who is one of the best-selling artists of the decade, said she doesn’t “hate” Brown.

“I will care about him until the day I die. We’re not friends, but it’s not like we’re enemies.”

Brown’s probation for the case formally ended in March this year, six years after the incident.

Rihanna concluded by admitting that fame can sometimes be scary and that she dreams “about buying my own groceries”.

Robin Williams’ wido w, I’m a real genius , K widow an es ts Kan anyye W Wes estt boas boasts children end dispute I

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obin Williams’ widow Susan Schneider Williams, and children have reached a proposed settlement after a long-running dispute over his estate.

Court papers filed in San Francisco Superior Court dismissed a petition filed by Susan Schneider Williams in December 2014 over 1,200 items belonging to the late actor.

A lawyer for Mrs Williams said in a statement the settlement was “highly favourable” and that the home she shared with the late actor will remain in her trust.

“I feel like Robin’s voice has been heard and I can finally grieve in the home we shared together,” she said.

“While it was painful to have truckloads of his belongings removed from our home, it’s the few sentimental items I get to hold onto that mean

everything to me. I thank God for this.”

The statement added that Williams’ three children Zelda, Zachary and Cody Williams will receive “more than 50 bikes and over 85 watches, as well as thousands of never-

t is no-longer news that music star Kanye West, has proclaimed his interest to run for the position of president come 2020.

But report reaching us has it that Kanye, went on another self-assuring proclamation, denouncing that he’s more than just a celebrity or rapper, but a genius.

The rapper who never seems short of confidence was speaking with showstudio where he touched on new music, his family, race concerns and also his fashion career.

When questioned about new music, Kanye maintained that a bulk of what is considered popular music today is based off of what he’s done in the last 10years.

“This is going to be just a really truthful, straight-forward statement,” he said. “The majority of things that are popular now are really directly based on something that I’ve done over the past 10 years.

You can pinpoint it. That was my purpose. To innovate. That’s what I’m trying to say. So, if you hear something that sounds similar to

something that I’ve done before, that is an extension of a new album, for me.

West then went on to re-define and let people know who he is and not the public perception people have of him. He says he’s no “celebrity,” “nigger,” or “rapper”.

“And when they use the word ‘celebrity,’ ‘nigger,’ or ‘rapper,’ it’s not in a positive way. And all those words can be used in an extremely positive way.

So, I have to define who I am.

All of my aspirations are things that currently only 60-year-old white people do. So, I have to redefine and let people know exactly who I am” Finally, West defended Caitlyn Jenner‘s gender change decision, while also declaring his wife’s family reality show, Keeping up with the Kardashians, deserves multiple Emmys for starting a whole new genre because it was such a ground-breaking “art form”

he acrimonious legal Young Mone y’s beef deepens Moneyy and Cash Mone Money’s disputes between Young T Money and Cash Money continue to deepen, with new allegations from Lil Wayne’s camp.

According to report, Wayne claims to have statements from representatives for Drake and Tyga saying they’ve been robbed of fortunes.

Nicki Minaj, meanwhile, claims that Young Money ripped her off by failing to pay producer Young Money, claims that paying producers was Cash Money’s prerogative.

The amount of money at stake is substantial. Young Money alleges that it is owed a large chunk of a $100 million advance given to

...as Lil Wayne claims Birdman ripped off Drake, Nicki Minaj, & Tyga

Cash Money by Universal.

Birdman’s team responds that the money was in fact paid already, with $20 million going to Young Money in 2012, another $12 million for Wayne’s solo album, and another $70 million in advances.

Additionally, Cash Money claims that Wayne’s stable of artists was supposed to produce 21 albums over seven years, but only contributed 13.

Recall that in January, Wayne filed a $51 million lawsuit against Birdman for his release from Cash Money.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—31

nt ate s p di el en d he F • ke m c r sta atfo l p

•Jimmy-choo-tangerine suede t-strap sandal •Michael-AntonioGracey-Mustard wedge

•Lupita at the 25th Annual Producers Guild America Awards

Look Sweet in Pastel

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hen it comes to fashion, people have their different preferences. While some go with trends, others stick with classic. Whether you like buying into trends or prefer to stick with the basics, a woman needs to infuse her wardrobe with some exciting essentials.

Soft shades bring out the lady like side of a woman and can be worn all through the year, whether rain or harmattan. So, stock up on these sweet soft hues. They are timeless and so will last long in your wardrobe.

You can wear one colour all through your ensemble or pair a few different pastel colours together for a soft yet bold look.

•Dakore Akande

•Molly-stingray pastel bag

•Atlantis mint green wedge

er th g a Le ba iu tel -M as iu t p •Mcke u B

Natures Gentle Touch introduces Anti-Hair Breakage Range ersonal style brand, Natures Gentle Touch, has introduced a new line of anti-hair breakage range into the Nigerian market.

The Eucalyptus anti-hair breakage range is a 4-step solution that includes; Shampoo, Reconstruction Masque, Breakage Leave-in-Serum and Daily Hair Breakage Control all designed to repair and revive damaged hair caused by poor hair care routine.

Speaking about the development, Brand Manager, Natures Gentle Touch, Mrs. Toyin Adepegba stated that the addition to the brand was informed by re-occurring hair breakage problem in Nigerian women and the desire to groom the hair back to a healthy state. ‘’Research tells us that 8 out of 10 Nigerian women are concerned about hair breakage and desire to have healthy hair. The common factors contributing to hair breakage in Nigerian women are unhealthy hair care practices like tight braids, weaves and extensions, over processing of hair, hair colouring and lack of moisture in the hair ‘’ she said.

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•Sky-dragon pastel shoe

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•Rita-Dominic

gr •G ee ue n sssa R nd ol al isa m in t

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

ANKARA:

Everywhere you go A

nkara clothing is loved by Nigerian women as Aso-ebi fabric, sewn into different styles and worn at weddings. It’s common to see Ankara combined with lace, chiffon or other materials. Today Ankara is used to sew casual wears and other traditional wears.

For the benefit of those who don’t have an idea about the origin and history of this fabric, Ankara is the name of the popular, patterned, cotton fabric extensively worn by Africans. Some call it Ankara print, Ankara wax, or simply ‘ wax’ or ‘print’. Ankara is synonymous with

‘traditional wear’ in Nigeria. Popular brands of this fabric include: vlisco Ankara wax, uniwax, Ghana wax, English wax, Dutch wax, Nigerian wax, woodin print and a whole lot of other African print fabric brands.

Commonly called the ‘African cloth’, one would think that it originated from Africa. Thing is, it did not – the Europeans were some of those that started manufacturing the fabric that we all now know as ‘Ankara’. In fact, the ones regarded as the high quality Ankara are made in Europe – with Vlisco’s Hollandais being one of so-called best Ankara wax.

Cast and crew of Casino: Zack Orji, Ireti Osayemi Bakare, Ayo Adeesanya, Funsho Adeolu

AYO ADESANYA and other cast of Casino series

Orji, Ayo Adesanya, others star in Glamorous Drama Series “Casino”

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Check out these interesting Ankara styles.... simply breathtaking

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icromedia marketing limited, the producers of Nigeria’s First Telenovela Drama Series Taste of Love has yet again created a sophisticated and mind blowing Action- packed Drama Series “CASINO”. Unlike any other,

“CASINO” will be released as both a movie and a drama series. This thrilling action packed movie and drama series features Nollywood legends such as ZACK ORJI, IRETI OSAYEMI BAKARE, AYO ADESANYA, SHOLA ONAYIGA, FUNSHO ADEOLU, and TONY UMEZ. It also includes other stars such as MOFE DUNCAN, OMOWUNMI DADA, LOL A SAVAGE, KUNLE REMI among others. CASINO was recently unveiled at a media parley which took place at the prestigious Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos. CASINO is an Action Drama Series revolving around the Control of a Political Dynasty, Economic Wealth of a State and Family Business which Fosters Infidelity, Assault, Seduction and Betrayal.

It is built around a Pseudo State named COASTAL STATE controlled by a GODFATHER whom everyone MUST OBEY AND BOW DOWN…The Glamour and Wealth of His Business Interest across COASTAL STATE sets the Players; Haters; Innocent and Underworld Gangsters inside the famous GRAND CASINO.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 10, 2015 — 33

•Enyimba •Shooting

Enyimba ambush Shooting Stars Stories by John Egbokhan

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he bristling and bubbling commercial city of Aba will tomorrow come alive as two traditional teams of the Nigerian league, Enyimba and Shooting Stars clash in a mouthwatering week 33 fixture that will see fireworks literary go off with rival fans revelling in the football drama that will ensue on the pitch.

In a season replete with upsets and away wins, Shooting Stars of Ibadan are bidding for an unusual away win against a title-seeking Enyimba side, who top the table with 58 points, three ahead of second placed Warri Wolves, four more than thirdplaced Wikki Tourist and 12 points more than the Oluyole Warriors.

With six matches left to play in the 2014-2015 season, Enyimba go into the game acutely aware that they need to TEAM

Enyimba Warri Wolves Wikki Tourist Sunshine Stars Giwa Nasawara Utd Heartland Abia Warriors Kano Pillars Shooting Stars Ifeanyi Ubah Rangers El Kanemi Lobi Stars Akwa Utd Sharks Dolphins Kwara Utd Taraba Bayelsa Utd

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pick up home wins to beat rivals Warri Wolves to the title.

Wolves, bidding for their first title since inception, will feel they have no better chance than now to break the jinx but Enyimba seem to have their fate in their hands and a victory against Shooting Stars will edge them closer to their seventh title.

And with Warri Wolves having the much difficult away game against Rangers in Enugu, Enyimba will feel confident of increasing their lead should the former falter on the road.

And speaking on their dream, Coach Kadiri Ikhana insists that the Aba Elephants will not allow their nearest rivals to catch up with them in the dying stages of the season.

Recalling how they narrowly lost the title to Kano Pillars last year, Ikhana, who guided Enyimba to their first Champions League title in

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given the high level of competitiveness that we have seen this season but we are equal to the task and not ready to give room for any team to overtake us, especially now that we are on top.

“I know that Warri Wolves are hot on our tail but like we ended up losing the title by one point to Kano Pillars, Warri Wolves will lose the title to us.

We are ahead of them with three points, which I think are enough to win the title. If Pillars can win it with one point, then we should feel confident of winning it with our present lead”’, added Ikhana, a an with about 30 years coaching experience.

•Sunshine

HOW THEY STAND

TOMORROW FI XTURES Giwa v Dolphins Ifeanyi Ubah v 4pm El Kanemi Sharks 4pm v W ik ki Tourist 4pm Taraba v Heartland Enyimba v Shooting Stars 4pm Bayelsa Utd v Nasarawa Utd 4pm Lobi Stars 4pm v K wara Utd Akwa Utd 4p m v Abia Warriors Rangers 4pm v W ar ri Wolves Kano Pillars v Sunshine Stars 4pm 4pm C M Y K

2003, said no matter how hard the chasing pack try to dislodge them from the top that the Aba side would hold tightly firm to their top spot till the end of the campaign.

“At the start of the season, we told the world that our objective is to win the title and 32 matches on, we still stand by that same mandate. We know it is not easy winning the title

•Pillars GA 26 26 29 31 33 34 33 38 32 31 31 38 48 34 36 33 33 41 39 36

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Pillars to prey on Sunshine Stars

ince the fall started, the free-fall has set in for Sunshine Stars, who have tumbled from the top spot on the table to fourth and may end up in the fifth position at the end of this weekend’s round of matches in the Glo Premier League.

Whoever thought the season

that started with high promises for the Sunshine Stars squad may be heading for an anticlimatic ending, with six games left to play? Who saw it coming, that the team which led the pack for more than 26 weeks will be playing catchup and fighting for a bite of the cherry, vis-a-vis a ticket to play in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup? Surely, it has been a 360 degrees curve for the Coach Kennedy Boboye’s charges, who have lost grounds to Enyimba, Warri Wolves and Wikki Tourist and may well be overtaken by Giwa if they lose to Pillars tomorrow at the Sai Abacha Stadium in Kano.

Pillars, winners of the title in the last three seasons, have had their fair share of problems this season, which account for their ninth position on the table, with 46 points, but still nurse faint hopes of catching up with fourth-placed Giwa, on

51 points. Considering the fact that fifth-placed Nasarawa Utd have 49 points, a Pillars victory over Sunshine Stars and an unlikely away loss by Nasarawa to Bayelsa United, will change the complexion of the table, with Pillars matching Nasawawa on points.

Interestingly, Pillars coach, Baba Ganaru was Nasarawa’s former coach, poached from the latter in the course of the season, when Okey Emordi was sacked because of poor results. Interestingly, since Baba Ganaru left them, Nasarawa have been waxing stronger, even ending Pillars\ unbeaten run at their fortress Sani Abacha stadium. It is this form that Nasarawa United take to Oghara to play relegation-hunted Bayelsa United while Pillars hope to prey on Sunshine Stars to keep up their slim hope for Confederation Cup ticket.

34 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 10, 2015 tension job. All the same, it is interesting because for everything you are doing, there is always time to terminate it but in football, it comes sudden.

You have had your fair share of ups and downs in coaching. There was a time that you were even attacked in Kwara, yet you have stuck to coaching?

I have been attacked about four times in the Nigerian league. One was in Aba, another in Ibadan, another in Kwara and then in Kaduna. It is part of the game because people love football and can do anything in the course of the game. They easily get carried away when their teams do not win and at the end of the day, they either attack the referee, the coach or the players. It is not something that is strange.

It is all over the world but it is not encouraging because you cannot see somebody attacking a doctor or mechanic for failed treatments or failed repairs. It is only in football that it happens. In other sports, coaches are not attacked for the failure of their teams but in football, we bear the brunt of any failure.

IKHANA WEEPS FOR NIGERIAN FOOTBALL

Even if it can cost you your life?

People die from doing their professional jobs and if that should be my lot, I will take it that way. Even the job you feel is safe, people still die on them. I am a Moslem and believe that death can come in any way.

It is not only through wars that people die.

Some eat and die, some sleep and die, some walk and die, so death comes in various ways. Death is inevitable as far I am concerned. It comes when it is time.

If it comes on the

• Why players are falling • Says clubs destroying country’s image

F

ormer African coach of the year, Kadiri Ikhana, who once coached Super Eagles captain and goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama at Enyimba, traces the root of indiscipline in Nigerian players. He spoke with JOHN EGBOKHAN.

H

ow has the coaching business been for you for about three decades now.

It has been quite interesting. I played football and coaching is part of the game. It is interesting because it is what I love doing. Football is what I have been doing all my life.

How did it start?

I started coaching in 1985.

Which team was that?

I was the pioneer coach of El Kanemi Warriors. That was where I started my active coaching.

How was the beginning for you?

It was not that easy because that was my first time of coaching and I think it was harder than playing because I also

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played to the top. Coaching a team is a high-tension job but it is quite interesting.

How have you been able to manage the problems that coaches face because if a team does not fare well, they blame the coach but if the team does well, they credit the players?

(Laughs) It is very normal for coaches to believe that we don’t have a permanent job anywhere. You may be hired today and fired tomorrow, if you lose games. That is why it is a high-

So why do you still coach despite the risks to your life and the attendant effects it may cause your loved ones?

It is the interest that I have for the game that keeps me going. Having played the game and now coaching, I have found out that this is the job for me. I have been into active football for close to 46 years now. I am immune to the game and it is not easy to remove the system from now.

•Ikhana

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 10, 2015 — 35

Clubs destroying country’s image job, you will take it as it is?

When death comes, you don’t have an option. A dead man does not have a choice. He is already gone. Death can come in any way. I have seen people who were in aeroplane and a crash occurred, leaving some dead and others alive. I do not think the number of coaches who died on the job is much. It is rare. It is very low.

Except there is a tragedy in the stadium where people are falling on themselves. I think in Nigeria, it has happened only once when one coach was manhandled in Maiduguri and lost his life. I think that is the only time that I think a coach died from fans’ violence in Nigeria.

One of your glowing achievements was the Champions League feat with Enyimba in 2003...

(Cuts in). I think all Nigerian coaches have achieved because achievement has to do with players you have brought up and those you used to win trophies. Some of the players I used to win the Champions League trophy were not discovered by me. I was not the one who brought them up, so why should I take credit for the efforts of other coaches.

So, you are not claiming any credit to yourself?

No, and it is because I know the rudiments of coaching and I know that the player I used are from different clubs and somebody must have brought them up but we were lucky to meet and

achieve these successes then. I think one should give glory to God first and the people who made it possible. What I did with Enyimba was on behalf of Nigerian coaches. It was God who mandated me to do that. Some of these players from Julius Berger, Calabar Rovers, Bendel Insurance, Kano Pillars were assembled in Aba and God made it possible. I led the team but God made it possible for us to win the trophy for the first time for Nigeria.

And about 12 years after, Nigerian clubs have not won the trophy again.

If you look at the history of things, the truth is that our present players are not serious. I don’t think we have the serious type of players today. After the time of Nwankwo Kanu, which players apart from John Mikel Obi have gone far in competing for the African Player of the Year award? None. The issue is that Nigerian players of today are not serious.

That is a damning verdict coming from you.

I am part of the game and I know how much and how hard we have been talking to the players to be serious with their game. I can cite examples for you.

Let us start with three years ago. The highest goalscorer came from Nasarawa United. After that, there was no maintenance culture and two years ago, it shifted to another club and last year because the culture was not maintained, it shifted to another club. When you look at what obtains in other countries, two or three players compete for the highest goalscorer for about five years. It boils down to the seriousness of the players in these leagues. In Nigeria, our players are not serious.

And what may have caused this situation?

It is the way the management may have managed these players. I am talking about their welfare, salaries and many other things because during the period of Kanu, the welfare of players was fairly good and all allowances were paid as at when due. So what may have caused this problem could be the mismanagement of the players by the clubs because a happy mind produces results. If the players are not happy, there is bound to be a fall in their productivity.

Is it also responsible for the slide and indiscipline in the Super Eagles?

,

•Enyea

In the Super Eagles, during my time, we used to have majority of the players in the team coming from the local league but it later dropped to about two per cent. But you can see that with the coming of the last administration and the present one, we are beginning to get about 20 per cent of local players in the national team. But we can do better than that because the home front should be the breeding ground for our national development.

The players are the most important persons in this game. Without them, there would be no no need for coaches. Even sports journalism will suffer without footballers. I have been involved in this game and I know that without proper remuneration, players’ productivity will drop. If you sign on a player and give him all the entitlements as at and when due, he knows he has to perform. If he does not perform, he knows he will suffer a pay cut, so he will have to get serious and work for the money.

But what is happening in clubs now is unbelievable. When you get to some clubs, some players determine what goes on. Some players even tell the coach that they will get him sacked before the end of the season. There are many things that are happening that baffle me and it has gone so sore to the extent that when you don’t pay a player, you beg him to play a match. Instead of the players fighting to play a match, you beg him to play because you do not take care of his welfare. I think that area of welfare should be looked into. We have expatriates in our teams, players from Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and other countries and you owe these players for close to six to seven months and you expect them not to tell their country people that Nigerian clubs owe them salaries. It is more or less destroying our

I think that area of welfare should be looked into.

We have expatriates in our teams, players from Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and other countries and you owe these players for close to six to seven months and you expect them not to tell their country people that Nigerian clubs owe them salaries

,

•Sunday

image outside. The wind is blowing round. I don’t think we deserve that. We have grown more than that.

It is time for the League Management Company (LMC) to insist on standards.

If it means having only 12 teams who pay their players promptly in the league, then so be it and I think it will be better for us than this endless embarrassment for our country, in the name of having 20 teams in the league.

That is the problem we are have. Any club that cannot finance its players should be forced to fold up. If we have a 12-team league, it will be better organised and we will see football at its best. It is not compulsory to have 20 teams in the league when eight do not fulfil their financial obligations to the players. When the defaulting clubs are ready to pay, you can increase the number to 14, to 16 to 18 and to 20. But we just want to imitate other countries and we are not imitating them in the right way. Just imagine, how can you owe a player for six months, eight months, one year and some clubs owe some players two years in salary. It is laughable. It lowers the morale of the players and now we cannot produce the African player of the year winner, coach of the year, manager of the year. We cannot produce anything and we are the giant of Africa.

I was African club coach of the year about 12 years ago, Okey Emordi about 11 years and in a decade now, we cannot produce another African club coach of the year. It is unbelievable. I have been involved with Nigerian football for long to know its problems. I am not blaming only the players but I am telling you what is happening and what caused it.

Things are not being done properly.

The LMC should look into teams’ welfare. It should cut across all teams.

The LMC must put its feet down and dictate what must happen. It will be more interesting if we have 12 teams because all of them will take adequate care of their players, there will be enough space and equipment and shorter time.

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36 — SA TURD AY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 SATURD TURDA

e Esegba laid tto o rest Late Lagos ffor or sho w as TTunde unde Eshilok un w eds Lat show Eshilokun weds

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he Eshilokun Royal Family of Lagos came out in all their majesty and glory when Babatunde Eshilokun, son of Alhaji and Alhaja Mufassir Masha Eshilokun took Lateefat Adebusola Adeniran-Bada for a wife. The traditional wedding ceremony which had top Lagos personalities, high chiefs and kings in attendance held last Saturday at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. Photos by Diran Oshe

TEARS flowed freely at Akperhe-Olomu in Ughelli South Area of Delta State, as philanthropist, late Evang. Benard Esegba was laid to rest. The burial which was attended by men and women across the country was overshadowed with wailing as the death was seen as too sudden.

The bride Lateefat Adebusola Bada with hubby, Babatunde Masha Eshilokun

The groom, Babatunde Masha Eshilokun with his parents, Alhaji and Alhaja Mufassir Masha Eshilokun.

Some children of the late Bernard Esgba. R-L: Eseoghene, Irikefe, Edafe and Ejiro Esegba.

The bride Lateefat Adebusola Bada with her parents; Alhaji and Alhaja Raheem Bada.

L- R : Alh.aji Iman Tijani Gbajabiamila, Alfa Agba of Lagos and Alhaji Musiliu Smith, former IGP

L-R:Rasaq Adisa Eshilokun, Bashorun Sikiru Alabi - Macfoy , the Bashorun of Lagos and Prince Kolawole Abayomi Balogun, the Olori Ebi Eshilokun Family of Lagos

L-R: Chief Rafiu Olusi, the Egbe of Lagos, Chief Olaseni Lamina , the Shasi of Lagos, Chief Olamilekan Akintola and Chief Yusuf Akinloye

Dr. & Mrs. Amos Itiwhe (1st & 2nd from right) with Chief Marcus Amuche..

R-L; Chief (Mrs.) Ruth Majaja, Dr. Omorovwon James, Elder Osiebe David and Comrade Okpako Ekavwon.

Cadbur ys Onosodes condolence visit Cadburyy pa pays

C

adbury Nigeria Plc lead by its Head Corporate and Government Affairs, Chief Bala Yesufu paid the Onosodes a condolence visit over the death of the patriarch of the family, Mr Gamaliel Onosode. The late Mr Gamaliel Onosode was Chairman of Cadbury for 16 years.

Fatai Aremu Aromire-Ojora, the Ojora of Ijora Kingdomand his Olori

L-R: Prince Alaba Oniru, Chief Rasaq Okoya and Justice George Oguntade.

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Mr Bala Yesufu, Head , Corporate and Government Affairs of Cadbury (m) presenting letter of condolence to the widow,Mrs Susan Onosode

L-R:Mr Spencer Onosode, Mr Ese Onosode and Mr Bala Yesufu, Head Corporate and Government Affairs Cadbury Nigeria Plc.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—37

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T The king 00 with 110 wives...

his is the African king who has close to 100 wives after inheriting his late father's queens as his own.

Abumbi II, became the 11th fon, or king, of Bafut in Cameroon after the death of his father in 1968.

Polygamy is still legal in Cameroon and it is tradition in rural areas for men to marry more than one woman, with no limit on how many wives one can take.

But as is custom, when a king dies, his successor inherits all of his wives, meaning Abumbi now has around 100 wives having been passed 72 rom his father.

He has taken on over 500 children from all

of his wives. Queen Constance, Abumbi's third wife, told CNN: 'Behind every successful man must be a very successful, staunch woman.

'Our tradition has it that when you are king, the elderly wives remain to hand down the tradition to the younger wives, and also to teach he king the tradition because the king had been a prince, not a king.'

The queens are often well spoken, speaking several languages and are accomplished in education.

The practice of polygamy is one that is often challenged in Cameroon as there are fewer polygamous marriages now than ever before.

But despite this, King Abumbi says it is his job to preserve the culture of his people and their local traditions and that his wives are very important to him.

The traditional role of the fon is to

control external relations of the area, as well as internal governance.

They are also in charge of justice and offer sacrifices to his ancestors in a spiritual role. The palace of the Fon of Baut, called Ntoh, is a major tourist attraction and is listed as one of the world's most endangered sites.

A VERY arresting beauty

A

former beauty queen has decided to ditch her modelling career to work as a police officer.

Kim Miso has become known as the 'most beautiful policewoman' after her new law enforcing role in Seoul,

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arijuana laws are relaxing in states across the

country.

With it, those involved in the controversial business are becoming more care free.

And one entrepreneur is on his way to becoming the new King of Instagram with wild social media postings of scantily-clad ladies, private jets, and cannabis.

Michael Straumietis, the CEO of Advanced Nutrients, is the acknowledged worldwide leader in developing marijuanaspecific nutrients and supplements.

The firm, based in Canada, specializes in making products for medical marijuana manufacturers C M Y K

South Korea, was revealed, reported People's Daily Online.

The 25-year-old had previously been a model and an entrant in the Miss Maxim Korea 2014 contest.

According to Korean website Dispatch, Kim Miso shared a

selfie while wearing a police uniform on Instagram recently.

The photograph became an instant success after many

Korean web users applauded her in her career choice as well as her curved figure and pretty face.

She was soon dubbed the

Meet Big Mike, the multi-millionaire legal marijuana entrepreneur who is trying to be the new 'King of Instagram'

and cannabis growers.

At 6ft 7in and with a name that serves as a tonguetwister, he has gained the nickname that has earned him

a notorious identity.

Now he flaunts his lifestyle that takes him across the world to various conferences and party cities where he promotes

his trade.

Even though he has had brushes with law, with his grow houses close to being raided, he operates a multi-

'most beautiful policewoman' in South Korea, according to Korean media, as many web users shared her photos.

Photographs of her in revealing bikinis and other sexy poses have also appeared alongside the police uniform selfie while her profile on Maxim appears to have been taken down.

South Korea's Central Police Academy has since confirmed that the former model has successfully completed training and is now working for a police department in Seoul.

million dollar empire.

Born in Portland, Oregon he came from a lowermiddle class family. But his father died as a teenager and his mother became a drugaddict.

He has had stints in jail, but still openly admits what his products are used for.

In a profile for Growing Underground, his desires to get into the business are set out.

It reads: 'Not only did he have a deep love and fascination for marijuana, but he also didn’t want to live the way he saw just about everyone else living strangled by the ironclad grip of society’s status quo.

'He flat-out refused to take orders and march around like a good little robot.'

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

WTD: Teachers also want their reward on earth

By Laju Iren & Tare Youdeowei No one knows whose lips generated the popular saying that a teacher’s reward is in heaven, but in Nigeria, the phrase has been repeated time and time again to the point that it is now believed by many. However, this year’s World Teachers’ Day with the theme: ‘Empowering Teachers, Building Sustainable Societies’; seemed to have boosted the nation’s education powerhouse to demand for their benefits in this world.

Mr Adesina Adelaja, a teacher and civil servant in Abeokuta, is one of such. His words: “I have been teaching since 1983 and till date remuneration is the challenge; it is very poor. It is not that it is not commensurate with what is being paid in the civil service. Not only that, there are bonuses and other remuneration which the other civil servants enjoy that are not extended to the teacher. The excuse is that the population of teachers is too much for the government to cater for. They limit the emoluments to only those in the office and it is very bad. Meanwhile those in charge of the policies, policies implementation, the judiciary, they all pass through teachers; they have teachers as their mentors, teachers molded them. So, why do they create such teacher-unfriendly policies?

“What teachers are expecting is financial reward. Policies should be amended so that teachers can enjoy what those in the offices, judiciary, Presidency enjoy. We should not be exempted as we are core nation builders.”

The teachers themselves are however not without their own blemishes. Mr Lezigha Tornyie, who teaches at the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt addressed some of these.

He said: “One challenge we face, to be sincere, is poor supervision.

C M Y K

be achieved by any person interested.

It is a thing of the mind and more importantly how well you develop yourself for it: studying and going the extra mile. Statistics show that students that fail examinations fail not because they are dull academically but majorly because of fear, popularly known as ‘exam fever’. I think the mass failure may be as a result of lack of confidence students often show and also inadequate preparation.

So, I advise Nigerian students out there to be confident about what they know; and in this state of mind, even what they do not know so well will become a piece of cake with time. And they should also make sure not to underrate any examination, and prepare adequately.

'I did not expect to get all A's in WASSCE’

By Laju Iren

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he West African Senior School C e r t i f i c a t e Examination is not something students take without much fasting and prayer. Ask anyone of the 1.6 million candidates who took the examinations this year. Only about 59.61 of them scored five credits and above in the examination.

O g h e n e b r o r h i e Emuophedaro is not just lucky enough to be in the top percentile; he scored straight As in all his nine WASSCE subjects.

After six years at Faith Academy, Ota, Ogun State, the 16-year-old will now embark on his dream of studying petroleum and gas engineering at the University of Lagos, UNILAG. He took time out to share his experience as well as his advice for Nigerian students.

Have you always been a high flying student?

Saying that I have always been a ‘high flying student’ feels a little awkard, but by God’s grace I have had laudable academic records.

I feel academic excellence can be achieved almost easily through dedication to studies, making a few necessary sacrifices, and most importantly reading and praying really hard!

Were you surprised when you heard about your result or did you suspect all along that you would do so well?

Honestly, I had this feeling I was going to get a good result, but I did not expect nine As at all! I was stunned.

The world celebrated Teachers’ Day recently; are there any teachers that have gone beyond the call of duty to inspire you academically? What is your message to Nigerian teachers?

My teachers were and are still great sources of inspiration for me. Mr Remilekun Oladipupo, Mr Sunday Adeniran, Ms Nike Jolaoye, Mr Kunle Odebiyi, Prof. Ezeanyi Sunday Godfrey and a whole lot of others have really majored as catalysts to my academic success so far. I urge all Nigerian teachers to give their all when teaching their students, just like my teachers did for me. I can’t say I have experienced it before, but I think it feels good to see your students excel.

Many students are of the opinion that academic excellence is for a select few who were born very smart. What is your opinion about this?

I am of the opinion that excellence in academics can

What career plans do you have for the future?

In the corporate world, I hope to become a successful engineer in the future.

Outside the corporate world, I would love to be a music producer.

scholarships or rewards per se from any private or government organisation.

How were you able achieve such a great feat of scoring nine As in the WASSCE? What sacrifice did you have to make?

Getting nine As in the WASSCE was majorly a blessing from God, but I also did a lot of studying, paid much attention in revision classes and sometimes engaged in discussions with my friends concerning certain subjects and topics.

I also sacrificed a lot of time that would have been used for soccer and other recreational activities. I took chemistry, mathematics, English Language, further mathematics, physics, economics, geography, civic education and blocklaying and concreting in the WASSCE.

Did you receive any award from the government or any private organisation for your academic excellence?

I have not received any

Tell us academic

•Emuophedaro at the Faith Academy graduation ceremony in July 2015, receiving a prize for being the overall best student in the science department.

about your journey.

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 —39

Undoing office work ravages The Camel

Tehnique: it on your heels and arrange hands next to the feet with fingers pointing backwards.

Now lift yourself up and hump the chest and let the head drop.

Stay in the posture for some 15 counts.

Lower the body, rest a while and repeat.

S

Benefits: he Camel, endows the practitioner with elasticity. The chest expansion that conies with this exercise coupled with gentle but deep breathing are most rejuvenating.

People with chest and respiratory disorders will gain help from the practice of the Camel.

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The Crescent Moon

Technique: rom sitting on your heels, rise up on your knees and streteh back the right leg as far back as you can, and keep the left knee bent to waist level. Now, with hands together, raise them overhead and bend backwards. Hold the position for about 10 seconds, then change legs and repeat.

The Crescent Moon tones the muscles of the hips, thighs and legs. It is also said to promote balance and concentration.

F

Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

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40—SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Just female

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Nabila Muhammed: From fat to fit in 8 months

o one was surprised when Nabila Shehu Muhammed was awarded the Slimmer of the Year 2015/2016 Award during the 5th Anniversary celebration of Cambridge Weight Plan (CWP), a weight management lifestyle company.

Nabila was once obese. For her, life was a bore and burdensome because she tipped the scales at a hefty 121 kilos. This made her uncomfortable, physically, emotionally and mentally.

For most of her life, the 31-year-old Kano indigene desired nothing more in the world than to lose lots of weight and become fit and trim like millions of young women her age.

Her dream came true after she lost a November.

One of the most researched massive 50kg through the CWP. At the awards ceremony held at the Oriental weight management products in Hotel, Lagos, she was the cynosure of the world, CWP’s extensive on nutritionally all eyes, as she showed off her new research complete, low calorie diets has lovely, trim self.

Nabila who comes from a large confirmed their safety and family, is a self employed, business efficacy in assisting weight loss inclined, women empowerment and weight maintenance.

Eniola Karunwi, who also lost advocate and vegetarian. Weighing 121kg was not an easy task for her 50kg through the CWP, launched especially for her health condition. the initiative in the country in She had problems coping and 2010 to promote a healthy describes her typical day as an obese lifestyle and combat the growing person as “devastating and extremely obesity epidemic and there are currently 32 consultants across uncomfortable and unhealthy”.

She began losing weight precisely on the country.

Eniola saw a gap in the December 5, 2013 after she got the motivation through a cousin of hers Nigerian health and wellness that also lost weight. She joined CWP industry for a nutritional to achieve her weight loss, and Nabila approach to weight loss and eventually lost 50 kg. “It took me 7 to maintenance, after finding out 8 months to achieve that. I now weigh that 64 percent of Nigerians are overweight. In the past five years, 70 kg.”

When she began the CWP, Nabila was no less than 6,000 persons overweight and suffering a borderline successfully lost weight, changed diabetic condition as a result of her their lifestyles, and trained to obesity. After her mother fell ill due to become Cambridge Consultants.

“According to research, obesity diabetes as a result of obesity, Nabila met with a doctor who told her she can reduce a person’s life by up needed to lose weight to avoid the to nine years and increases the chances of developing a range of same health issues.

Following this, she was introduced to health-related problems such as Abuja-based CWP consultant Zahra Bakari-Imam, who herself had lost 18kg previously on the plan this encouraged Nabila to make a make a pact to lose weight and get healthy.

Today she weighs a comparatively svelte 70kg.

“It was not easy, but since starting on the Plan, I watched the weight fall off week after week. I couldn’t have done it alone and I’m so thankful to my Cambridge Consultant, Zahra, for constantly motivating me throughout my journey. Now, I feel amazing and I am a lot more confident than I was when I was overweight, but most importantly my doctor has given me a clean bill of health. I hope through my story, others will be inspired to get healthy and join Cambridge Weight Plan. Meet the new Nabila!

“The most eventful event of my life Diabetes and Hypertension. to date was the day I was awarded by Cambridge Weight Plan provides CWP as the Slimmer of the Year 2015. an affordable solution for people I do not miss being obese because I feel who want to become healthier, look better and live longer,” said Eniola. perfectly healthy now.”

The range of CWP products Asserting that losing weight has impacted on her, the slimming queen available includes shakes and remarked: “It has given me better soups, chewy and crunchy bars, health and comfort. What I like about tasty porridge, savoury rice, ready the new me is the comfort, beauty and meals, fabulous desserts and bonus extras. All CWP products contain all stability.

For me, the biggest lesson from this the vitamins, minerals and trace experience is that I now have a diet elements needed for balanced nutrition and healthy weight loss. discipline.”

The Plan was created by Nabila is ready to tell whoever cares to listen that she is completely pleased biochemist, Dr Alan Howard and with her new profile. “CWP has given his colleague Dr Ian McLean-Baird me a new life style, new beginning and as they sought to develop the freedom!” My advice to women and “perfect diet”. Their formula men is to try the Plan as a dietary produced excellent weight loss package to have that diet discipline. I results and following many years of want to thank my consultant, Zahra research, the first commercial Imam, CWP Nigeria for making me a version of Cambridge Weight Plan, known then as The Cambridge better and new person.”

As the CWP Nigeria Slimmer of the Diet, was launched in the UK in Year, Nabila will represent Nigeria at 1984. Since then more than 30 the International Slimmer of the Year million people from all over the competition, coming up in the UK in world have benefited.

Nabila is ready to tell whoever cares to listen that she is completely pleased with her new profile

•Once obese

•After losing weight

SATURDAY

Vanguard,OCTOBER 10, 2015—41

Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2015 —41

Fact and fallacy of living with HIV

Fact and fallacy of living Lifeline: with HIV aving HIV means same with AIDS.

H

Myth. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that destroys the body’s CD4 immune cells, which help fight disease. With the right medications, a person can have HIV for years or decades without HIV progressing to AIDS which is diagnosed a person has HIV as well as certain opportunistic infections or CD4 cell count drops below 200.

It’s difficult to get HIV from casual contact Fact.You can’t catch or spread HIV from hugging someone, using the same towel, or sharing the same glass. It’s possible to get HIV from a blood transfusion, unprotected sex, sharing needles, or getting a tattoo from unsterilized equipment.

You have just a few years to live Myth.

Many people live for decades with HIV or AIDS and have a SEXUAL ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

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e generous with physical affection - Loving touch makes your partner feel good about him- or herself, promotes closeness between the two of you, and activates endorphins that cause you both to feel calmer and connected. Couples who stay sexually active and happy do not limit their expression of physical affection to the bedroom. Important truth: men are as hungry for affection as women are. In fact, men tend to want affection more than their female partners. Be responsible for your own orgasm. This doesn’t necessarily mean you do it yourself but rather that you take the initiative to know what arouses you and communicate this to your partner. Also, be aware that your partner may not always want an orgasm. When each person is responsible for letting the partner know his/ her needs, it takes the guesswork out of lovemaking, and avoids miscommunication and disconnection.

I’m a 55 year old diabetic and slightly hypertensive man with severe waist and back pain. I have been using Cleanshield, Oligosaccharide and Gingko tea that I got from you to combat these issues for the past two months and I must confess that I’m experiencing super relief. Occasionally, I get some sprains and feel slight pains here and there, if I take these products for one more month, will the issues go permanently? Or I need to keep taking them for life? I also have a daughter with irregular menses and in some cases, the period doesn’t even come at all and friend of mine recommended Cleanshield liquid. How true is this in helping her situation? Obasa Hello sir, good to know you are enjoying health better than before. Cleanshield, oligosaccharide and the Gingko tea just like you have rightly said are effective in handling these problems, just that you have to stay on them for a period of time and when you eventually get good relief, you can take them occasionally or maybe once in a week

•HIV patient normal or near-normal life span. You can help prevent HIV from progressing to AIDS by seeing your doctor regularly and following your doctor’s guidance.

You’ll know you have

HIV because of Your Symptoms Myth.

Some people don’t show any signs of HIV for years after being infected. Many can have some symptoms

within 10 days to a few weeks after infection. The only way to tell you have HIV is to get tested HIV can be cured Myth. At this time, there is no cure for HIV in most cases, but treatment can keep virus levels low and help maintain immune system. A doctor will confirm your general health, the health of your immune system, and the amount of virus in your body to decide when to start treatment.

Anyone can get HIV Fact.

Anyone can get HIV — men, women, and children, people who are gay or straight. Age is no barrier to risks of infection.

Sex is safe when both partners Have HIV Myth.

Just because you and your partner both have HIV, doesn’t mean you should forget about protection when having sex. Using a condom or other latex barrier can help protect you from other

sexually transmitted diseases as well as other strains of HIV, which may be resistant to anti-HIV medication. Even if you are being treated and feel well you can still infect others.

You can have a baby if you are HIV-positive Fact.

Infected mothers can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy or delivery. The risk is minimised by working with your doctor and getting the appropriate care and medication. Pregnant women with HIV can take medications to treat their infection and to help protect their babies against the virus.

You can’t avoid other HIV-related infections Myth.

Due to weakened immune systems, people with HIV can be vulnerable to some opportunistic infections. The best way to reduce the risk is to take your HIV medications.

HOW TO DEAL WITH SEX PROBLEMS IN MARRIAGE (VII) especially because you are diabetic and you are treating the health issues with some drugs also. All these products are herbal and are such very safe and easy to use as none of them is in either capsule or tablet form but rather, liquid, powder and teabag. As for your daughter’s irregular menstruation, let her take the Cleanshield as rightly suggested by your friend. Cleanshield is a powerful alkaline drink that increases the pH of the body in order for the body to fight off diseases and illnesses by itself. We have numerous of testimonies on the account of Cleanshield liquid helping to restore regular periods and much more. So I would advise you go for it and let her use it regularly for at least 3 months.

Thank you so much Viewden, Vigrx plus and Plump cream are just amazing. I have gotten the desired increase I want in the length and width of my penis and I have stopped using it after the third month. Hope there are no side effects either now or in future? Dare Mr Dare, Vigrx plus and plump cream works well for those who are patient enough to use it. Penis enlargement is not automatic but rather takes time and it pays off if you can wait it out. There are no side effects for using these products cos both the tablet and the cream are 100%herbal and are safe for use. Note that once in every 6 months, you can buy them to maintain the size.

I got Sexvoltz, Plant vigra and Rhino 5 from you guys sometimes back and I follow your article regularly, but I have not read about these products in your recent articles, do you still have them cos I want to place orders for them alongside with some of my friends who I have told about the effectiveness of these products in giving very good and hard erectionsBoyo

Yes you are right sir, we have not talked about these products for some time now, but Plant vigra, Sexvoltz and Rhino 5 are all available and are still very good and effective in giving erections within thirty minutes of taking them without any side effects as they are all herbal.

I need some penile extensions from your store, what are the types you have? Bright Penile extensions are artificial penis worn on the penis by men either to add to the size of the penis or for pleasure.

We have the Brown latex extension, we have extensions with strap for 6 inches, 8 inches and 10 inches and we also have the strapless which are very close to the human skin and are called cyberskin in 8 inches and 9 inches and you are always welcome to get from us at any time.

Which one is better in helping to correct weak erection and early ejaculation between Vimax and Prosolution pills? Ola Both Vimax and Prosolution are very effective in combating both weak erection and early ejaculation, just that our body types are different and responds to substances differently. Mr A might get a very good result using Vimax but not too good a result using Prosolution and the reverse might be the case for Mr. B and the time it takes for result to start showing also varies.

These are all we can take for this week.

Adults who needs any of these aphrodisiacs can call 08034666358, 07059294782 or place your order at www.viewden.com. For further enquiries, send an email to us at: vieweden@yahoo.com, viewden@ymail.com.

Kemi Fawole (MD VIEWDEN)

42—SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 10, 2015

juliecoker100@yahoo.com

My parents don’t seem to care about my siblings and I Aunty Julie, My parents are at the point of divorce. I feel like my family hates one another. My mother and father abuse each other and fight all the time while they mentally abuse me while denying that they do so. I feel like they do know but they still don’t care that they are.

What they do to each other and to me and my siblings are damaging our psyche.

I’m sick and tired of not being able to leave the house without feeling bad for something that isn’t my fault. I have no freedom and I’m under so much pressure. I was pressured into getting a job at 19 while I school, and now my parents complain that I have a job, and want me to quit. I only work at weekends.

My dad has been complaining about my weight, telling me to lose weight. My mum assumes the most ridiculous things ever, making me go insane because she is making these ridiculous assumptions that make me want to scream.

Six months ago, I fell in love with my ‘true love’ and we’re still going strong. I know that he is there for me whenever but I still don’t want to stress him about this because it makes him depressed.

My parents don’t know what they’re doing to me. They think it’s fine to call me names, trap me in the house, and not socialise whatsoever. They hate all my friends and say horrible things about them. They follow me around when I’m at school or when I’m at my work. I’ve had to lie to them a couple of times saying I was at work, just so I could go and be with my friends and boyfriend, which I know is wrong but there’s no other way for me to have a social life if I don’t do this.

My parents are forcing me to always be in the house at weekends looking after my youngest brother, and help clean the house. I’m afraid to ask my dad

for money because I know I would get a 40 minute lecture on how much of a bad daughter I am for asking him. My parents have said things to me like “you’re not my daughter” or “you’re the worst daughter ever in history”.

I do well in school, I respect my elders and I try my best to live up to my parents’ expectations but still it’s never good enough. I can’t smile at home anymore. I’ve been tempted to run away a few times but pulled through because I know how hurt they would be.

After all I’m being put through, I still think about them. I love my parents, so much! But I just wish that I would be respected and appreciated for who I am. I’m not asking for material things, I’m simply asking for love, and freedom and happiness. I’m sure that isn’t too hard. Everyone always tells me that I don’t deserve this whatsoever. I don’t think anyone does. I try to be honest as I can and yes, I’ve made mistakes but they don’t know how to accept that no one’s perfect, especially children who go through this.

I’m trying my best to pull through for my brothers and myself. But it’s too hard. My parents always twist my words on me and say that I said

If it looks like your parents are going to split up, you really have to get the extended family and your priests involved

something when I really didn’t.

They feel satisfied when I’m hurt.

They are always complaining about their jobs and how much they work. They call me names and make me feel like shit. They lie to me and have hit me several times. They say that their anger is because of me, and only me. They are all about the “do as I say because I said so and I don’t care what you say” and “I’m your parent so what I say goes, like it or not”.

They also go around asking people about my friends, investigating if they are good people or not and also trying to creep on their Facebook accounts.

I’ve let my parents know how I feel, but they don’t care. I don’t want to leave my house. I love them so much. I just want to be loved, respected, appreciated and happy. I need more freedom. I want to feel table at home again. I want to smile for real. I want to not be paranoid thinking my parents are following me around.

Tracy, Abuja Dear Tracy, There sure is a lot of stuff happening for you right now. You said your parents are at the point of divorce. That must be really tough on all of you at home. I am sorry to hear you are feeling verbally and mentally abused by your parents. No matter how much stress they are under, calling you names and bullying you is not acceptable.

On the positive side, it’s awesome to hear you are getting good grades, pull your weight around the house, you have a job and you have a supportive boyfriend who you are in love with. I’m sure it must be frustrating though to not feel appreciated and loved by your mum and dad.

Do you have extended family you can get some support from?

You say you don’t want to leave home which shows a great commitment to making things work at home with your parents, and I’m sure you want to be there and be a good role model for your younger brothers too. Are there any services near you that offer mediation between young people and their parents?

Do you have elders or pastors or priests you can trust to talk to your parents about your situation? If it looks like your parents are going to split up, you really have to get the extended family and your priests involved.

Take care and take things easy.

Am I feeling depressed?

Dear Aunty Julie, I’m a young man in my mid 20s. I’ve had depression and many other things since I was a kid. I’ve had my heart broken so many times and I don’t know who I can trust anymore. People and friends have disappointed me.

I’m not motivated to do anything and I never seem to be happy. I don’t know what to do with my life. I’m not doing good in school at all and I just want to die.

What do I do or what can I do?

Oluwafemi, Edo

Dear Oluwafemi, It sounds like you had to deal with a lot of disappointments and problems.

You’ve mentioned having had depression among other things since you were younger. Has something happened recently that’s caused you to feel even worse than usual?

Depression is more than just feeling sad; it’s a serious condition that interferes with a person’s life. You’ve described not having the motivation to do things, not enjoying anything, feeling that life isn’t worth living.

These are things that can occur in depression.

Depression can also be caused by many different things, like a very stressful experience, or difficulties with relationships and living that seem to be getting worse. You mentioned that you’ve had your heart broken many times, that’s certainly a major blow to anyone’s confidence.

Some people are more vulnerable to depression than others, but it can happen to anyone. Depression is treatable though and the most important thing is not to keep it inside without talking about it.

You’ve said that you have thoughts of wanting to die. These experiences can be quite frightening and often happen when people find themselves in difficult situations where they have no idea what to do. So it’s not surprising that these thoughts can come up when someone is depressed, but go away when people feel better.

It’s also a sign that you should get some help.

You need to get help by way of counseling or medications that help with the symptoms of depression.

You need to see a doctor or a professional for counselling.

Depression can be very hard to cope with, and it’s not something you get overnight. So although it can take some time for people to get better, the important thing is not to get discouraged and to get proper support.

C O C K - T A L E S Married Life A husband and wife were in bed watching TV. The husband had the remote in hand switching back and forth between the porn and fishing channels.

The wife got pissed off, grabbed the remote and kept it on the porn channel and said to hubby..

“Leave it on the porn channel you already know how to fish.”

The Perfect Man A man walked out to the street and caught a taxi just going by. He got into the taxi, and the cabbie said, “Perfect timing. You’re just like Ryan” Passenger: “Who?” Cabbie: “Ryan Jay Robinson. He’s a guy who did everything right all the time. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happen like that to Ryan Jay Robinson, every single time.”

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Passenger: “There are always a few clouds over everybody.”

Cabbie: “Not Ryan Jay Robinson. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand Slam at tennis.

He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy.”

Passenger: “Sounds like he was something really special.”

Cabbie: “There’s more. He had a memory like a computer. He remembered everybody’s birthday. He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out.

But Ryan Jay Robinson, he could do everything right.”

Passenger: “Wow. Some guy then.”

Cabbie: “He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. But Ryan, he never made a mistake, and he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if she was in the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too.

He was the perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could ever measure up to Ryan Jay Robinson.”

Passenger: “An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?”

Cabbie: “Well, I never actually met Ryan.

He died. I’m married to his widow.”

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10 10,, 2015—43

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Before you ‘confess’ that child is not your husband’s!

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AST Christmas,’Labi was on the verge of getting married for the second time. His two children from his first marriage were to actively participate at the wedding ceremony—his five-year-old daughter was to be the flower girl.

According to him, “Gloria, my new bride, wasn’t so keen on the idea as she didn’t particularly like Toju, my first wife. But, she had nothing against the children, and since they would always be part of our new life, she grudgingly agreed for them to participate. The wedding was fixed for the New Year.

“When I asked Toju to let the children spend either the Christmas or the New Year with me, she said she wasn’t sure she wanted them near my new woman, ‘Why?’ I wanted to know, she’s going to be their stepmother soon’. She spat, enraged: ‘Fibi is not even your daughter’. It was as if I’d been punched in the stomach. Why was she being hurtful? She’s since had a child by another man, was she angry I’d found happiness too? Whose child is she then? I spluttered. It was then she explained that before our daughter was born, she’d had a fling with a man from her office. One look at her and I knew she was serious. I felt completely shattered.

“As I drove home, I even wondered if our little boy was mine, I discreetly arranged for a blood test and was relieved to find out he was mine. As for my socalled daughter, I promptly killed her in my heart. It was a tough decision for me to make as she was the blameless victim here, but there was no logic in raising a child that wasn’t even mine! I just couldn’t bear to have her near me.

When I told Tolu this, she didn’t care. She told me she was making arrangements for the girl to meet her real dad. I felt really sorry for the poor girl as she was looking forward to the wedding.

“After the wedding, my son lived on and off with us, and was a good brother to the son we had soon after. Later, I found out through the grapevine that the poor girl’s real father

didn’t want to be involved in her life.

How devastated she must have felt. She was the victim here and it wasn’t her fault. I wouldn’t blame the father either—to be suddenly lumbered with a child he didn’t know of until 10 years later. What kind of a heartless mother puts her child through such a trauma?

“My anger towards the girl had melted by now, and I spoke to my ex that I wouldn’t mind if she also visited when my real son did. I was surprised she agreed.

Although she’s not my daughter, I wanted to still play a part in her life —- afterall, I’m still the first father she

ever knew.

“So that’s the situation now. My new wife felt really sorry for the girl and goes out of her way to be nice to her. She’d already been told I wasn’t her father and had also been paraded in front of her real father who didn’t want to know. Toju will forever be haunted by the cruel way she treated her first child, and the way she’d made me maintain the girl for five years believing she was my daughter.

“Thank goodness the poor girl is none the worse for her weird experience.

I’ve assured her I’d always be there for her. She still calls me daddy and I don’t mind. The only person that is the loser is Toju with her twisted mind...”

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As for my so-called daughter, I promptly killed her in my heart.

Menopausal symptoms no one warns you about!

he menopause has always been the bane of the average middle-aged woman. Hot flushes, weight gain and a diminished sex drive are all well-known symptoms of the dreaded menopause. But research now confirms what women have long suspected; that it can affect the body and mind in many other ways. Tanith Carey takes a professional look at what you can do to tackle these surprising side-effects...

You start snoring: For years, you’ve been complaining that your partner’s snoring keeps you awake. Now the menopause is setting in, he could well be pointing the finger at you. Many women start snoring—more seriously once they hit the change of life which is 51 on average.

The onset of snoring is partly due to falling levels of female sex hormone oestrogen, which— as well as regulating the menstrual cycle—also plays a role in keeping the muscles and soft tissues around the wind-pipe strong.

When these become more lax, the tissues collapse—and women can’t breathe as easily when they sleep.’

In the most serious cases, it can lead to sleep apnoea, where the airways become partially or totally obstructed for up to ten seconds at a time, forcing the brain to wake up—even though the sleeper may not be aware of it. A study by the University of Toronto found that 47 per cent of post-menopausal women suffer with the condition— compared to 21 per cent of younger women. Because the quality of sleep is impaired by the constant waking, sideeffects can include tiredness, anxiety and forgetfulness.

H

ow to fight back: Try buying a pillow designed to make you sleep on your back—or with your head and throat in alignment—so your airways stay open as you sleep. For women with serious cases of sleep apnoea, there are masks, called CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), which blow air into the throat to keep breathing easier.

You’re lost for Words: Word on the tip of your tongue you just can’t recall? Forgetting an old friend’s name? It could be another symptom of the menopause. In one study, 40 per cent of women aged 40—55 said they had trouble remembering things, even when their other thought processes remained as strong as ever. Studies have shown that when oestrogen levels dip it is more difficult to build connections between brain cells, and to store and recall memories.

How to fight back: The good news is that, in most cases, it’s a phase which will have passed a year after your last period, according to neuro-psychiatrist Miriam Weber. During this time, women have to face up to the fact that they need to do more to make sure information sinks in. She says: “You shouldn’t expect to be able to remember everything after hearing it just once. Repeat it out loud, or say it back to the person to confirm it—it will help you hold on to that information far longer.” A study at Durham University also found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can rejuvenate the brain. The research found it took years off a woman’s mental age because HRT helped the left and right sides of the brain to work better together.”

You crave sugary treats: There’s a reason that cupcakes and deserts look more tempting than they used to. Studies have found, women develop a sweeter tooth as they go through the menopause. A sludy at Turkey’s Ankara University found that 35 per cent of women said their palate was not as sensitive during the change of life, and that they craved stronger, sweeter tastes. At the same time, as levels of the oestrogen and the other female sex hormone, progesterone drop, women become more prone to insulin resistance—where the body’s cells don’t respond as well to insulin, making sugar cravings soar.

How to fight back: To beat your sweet tooth, eat smaller, more regular meals containing lean proteins, which absorbed more slowly into the blood stream.

As our sensitivity to sugar drops—and we may not taste the sweetness—it’s more important than ever to read food labels. Dr. Marilyn Glenville, author of Healthy Eating For The Menopause, says; “You may decide to take less sugar in your tea—but, it is the hidden added sugar in products that can be the major culprit.” It has been calculated that we could be taking in up to 46 teaspoons of added sugar in a day in the foods and drinks we consume.” Swap sugar-free brands of tomato ketchup of spaghetti sauce. You can replace sugar with xylitol, which is naturally found in fruits and berries and has a low glycaemic index (a measure of how fast blood sugar levels rise after eating).

44—SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015 YETUNDE AREBI Yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk tweeterhandle@yetundearebi 08054700825

Caught on the floor!

O

ftentimes, just when we think we have seen it all, then something happens, and we discover there is still a lot that we are yet to see. I am never one to dismiss anything as a lie. I may ask questions, but it is simply to clear the grey areas and sift out the facts.

Never to condemn.

For even the Bible acknowledges that the heart of man is deep and desperately wicked, such that no one can fathom it. Thus, once a while, even with my over 20 years experience of dealing with relationship issues, I still come across stories and events that fall my hands, as the slang goes.

Last Tuesday happened to be one of the most stressful for me this year. In my bid to ensure that I was well prepared for the long hours of harrowing traffic experience on the Apapa-Oshodi Express Road en-route back home at the close of the day's work, I slipped out of the office to fill my tank at about 2.00pm and it proved to be a great mistake. The car stopped a few meters from the filling station and after several failed attempts to restart it, I had to walk back to the office to get help. Investigation eventually revealed that the fuel I bought was heavily diluted with water. I spent the next four hours at the mechanic workshop where the tank was jacked down and almost everything on the fuel channel was tampered with before the car could start again.

I spent another three and half in the traffic jam just to make a U-Turn to the other side of the road, to arrive home at almost 10.00pm. But as they say, all things work for good, as my forced relaxation at the mechanic village did not go to waste.

About six guys worked on the car and we talked about almost any topic you can imagine until we eventually ended up on relationships. This was after their two female visitors had left. One of the women was the girlfriend of Waheed, who appeared to be the leader of my rescue team. The woman had come to complain that she had not heard from Waheed since he left for the Sallah holidays and wanted to know, albeit in a jocular manner, if they were still an item. It was not a private conversation; it was open to the house and I guessed it was a deliberate attempt to box him into a corner or whip up sympathy and support from his friends.

It was also very clear that this was not the first time that she'd had to do this. I could feel her pain and I felt very sorry for her.

If you have ever fallen in love with the wrong person, or been in a lopsided relationship where you are giving more than you are getting, then you will understand how traumatic and unhealthy such a relationship can be. I pretended to be busy with my phone, my ears acting as antennas trained to capture all sounds around.

The ladies did not appear like the typical local girls you are wont to find at such places. They appeared neatly and responsibly dressed and spoke decently enough to pass the first impression test. But Waheed paid them little attention. He ordered for soft drinks but they opted for water and engaged in little conversations with some of the other guys. About 20 minutes later, they were done and bade us goodbye. Waheed saw them off and on his return, his buddies pounced on him. First they rained abuses on him, then it turned to admonitions, then warnings. They all seemed to agree on one thing: that the lady would make him a good wife; that he must stop believing that all women are the same; and that he could C M Y K

not continue to live like a hermit because of one bad experience. Trust me, I never allow moments like this pass me by. So, I asked Waheed if he does not like the woman.

Initially, he told me not to mind his friends as he was not looking for a wife. I asked why not, if he was not married and there was someone that obviously was very much interested in him. He tried to close the conversation, insisting he was just not ready for commitments but his friends refused to back off, drawing me into the discussion. Little did they know how thrilled I was. They bombarded me with questions. "Madam, is it good for a man of this age to be living alone? At least, he should have someone to take care of him, cooking his food and washing his clothes. (Is that what wives are for? Na wah oh!) The lady is a good woman!

She is not a liability like many of these young girls. She is a hairdresser and has her own salon. The poor woman left her shop to come here, and see how he is treating her! If she slips from your hand you cannot get anyone better! Madam, is this woman not beautiful enough?"

"Mr. Waheed, what is wrong with the woman?" I asked.

"Why don't you want to marry her? You know, It is not right to waste her time, if you know you are really not interested."

Waheed finally let down his guard. He told me his friends were hypocrites and were aware of the things he went through with his first wife. One of them chipped in, "Since when? How many years ago was that?" Waheed ignored him. He told me that he has no problem with the lady and has been seeing her for close to two years. The only problem is that he has explained to her that he is not committed to the relationship.

"Why?" several of them chorused at the same time.

"Are you all mad?" he shouted back. "Madam, ask him why? What has happened to him that has not happened to any one before and would not still happen to someone else in future? Tell madam, let her say something on this matter."

Waheed said nothing and continued working. But by this time, I was too excited to allow the gist escape me. So, I tried persuading him. I told him that sharing the problem with me might provide him another insight different from all he'd heard in the past; that though no one could force him to get married to the woman, they could help him open his mind to the possibility of taking other women. It worked! Waheed turned to me, "Madam, let them tell you now. They know everything." The most vocal of them all bursted out: "Madam, if a man finds another man on top of his wife, should that be the end of his life? Should that inform his decision not to remarry?"

I was not surprised. I had guessed as much. "Mr. Waheed, is that all?" I asked "That is almost like a normal development these days oh! I even thought you were going to say that you caught her trying to poison you or something more serious", I said. Finally, I got through to Waheed and he dropped what he was doing to look at me.

He told me that there was no difference between what she did and what I just said. He insisted that it was God that saved him and that had he ignored the neighbours' gossips, he probably would be a dead man now. He then lurched into his story. According to Waheed, he married his young beautiful wife at the age of 18. She was a secondary school drop-out haven conceived their first child in school. Being the last born of her family, she was loved and pampered by everyone, including her father who insisted that she was the reincarnate of his mother and gave her everything she wanted. They

were encouraged to move in together when they discovered she was pregnant. She would eventually learn a vocation, they decided. On the birth of their first child, the baby girl was quickly weaned and taken over by her parents who insisted that she was too young to take proper care of a child. It was not a surprise that a few months later, she was pregnant again and this time, one of her older sisters also took the baby girl away.

Then, a third, a boy also came along. Though Waheed wanted them to keep the child, his wife insisted that it was time she started a business, so the boy was sent to another of his in-laws and they continued living alone. He insisted that they had no problems until the day one of the neighbours cornered him to ask what deal he had with Mr. Mike, which warranted him visiting their room almost every night.

He said he was shocked as it was news to him. Mike had never visited his room to his knowledge and his wife had never mentioned such to him. Mike, his wife and two children live in the room opposite his own and besides the normal neighbourly banters, they had nothing in common. But the neighbour insisted that he as well as a few others have seen Mike walk into their room in the dead of the night, and he advised Waheed to device a way to find out Mike's mission without alerting anyone, not even his wife.

Waheed said he had to keep vigil for several nights before Mike walked into his trap. He said that night, his wife refused his lovemaking advance, insisting that she was tired. Then he noticed that she later got up to go to the toilet which was at the back of the house. But on returning, did not lock the door and did not return to the bed but laid on their double sitter sofa. Shortly after, Mike peeped inside, softly stepped in and went down on all fours, crawling like a baby into the room. Then his wife joined him on the floor, opened her wrappers and they began having sex, right there on the floor, while the husband slept on the bed, in the same room!

By the time Waheed finished, my eyes were almost popping out of their sockets. If he was not the one narrating the story, I would have found it almost unbelievable. So, what did he do? Waheed insisted that but for divine intervention, he would have killed the man and subsequently become an inmate at Kirikiri.

He said he grabbed the first object within his reach which turned out to be an empty beer bottle and smashed it on Mike's head. The force was so much that

Waheed claimed he refused to tell anyone and that he would always insist that they asked his wife. It took several months before he told his side of the story to his in-laws and it was because his wife had confessed only half of it the bottle broke but Mike sprang up without even making a sound and ran to the backyard. He caught up with him and wanted to stab him with the bottle but something held him back. He said he dropped the bottle and began raining blows on him but Mike never made any attempt to defend himself. He did not shout or raise his voice but crouched down on his knees, pleading for forgiveness as the devil was responsible for his actions.

What did the neighbours do? The sound of the stampede brought the neighbours out and they wanted to know what was happening. Waheed said he was too ashamed, more for his wife than for himself to announce what had happened and Mr. Mike was just pleading for forgiveness and that the neighbours should beg him. Waheed later discovered that Mike's wife was aware of the illicit affair long before then but kept quiet.

She was probably afraid of her husband. She refused to plead on behalf of her husband but hissed loudly and went back into her room. By this time, Waheed's wife had fled the compound into the dead of the night. That was the last time she came to their house. Mike went to work and did not return for several weeks too. Shortly after, they moved out of the compound and they have never met again.

What of the wife, did their families not try to intervene? Waheed claimed he refused to tell anyone and that he would always insist that they asked his wife. It took several months before he told his side of the story to his in-laws and it was because his wife had confessed only half of it. She omitted the fact that she was caught on the floor of their room while he slept on the bed!

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—45

World Bank advises countries over economic slowdown

BY OMOH GABRIEL, LIMA

T

he World Bank President Dr Jim Young Kim had a press briefing at the opening of the 2015 Annual Meetings of the body in Lima, Peru. He spoke of the global economic situation, the drop in global poverty rate, the influx of migrants into Europe among others. Excerpts: Introductory remarks “Just a few days ago, we announced that for the first time in history, the percentage of people living in extreme poverty around the world will likely fall to under 10 percent this year, to 9.6. percent globally. This is the best story in the world.

“Our goals at the World Bank Group are to end extreme poverty by 2030, and to boost shared prosperity for the bottom 40 percent in developing countries. While we remain confident about ending extreme poverty, the final stretch will be extremely difficult because we are in the midst of a period of slow growth, the end of the commodity super cycle, pending interest rate hikes and the continued flight of capital out of emerging markets.

“After a decade of strong growth and tremendous social progress, Latin America, like other regions, is facing headwinds. We forecast that the region will experience a minor 0.3 percent growth for 2015, with a slight improvement to 1.1 percent in 2016.

“The slowdown poses a threat to hard-won social gains and countries must now adapt.

Countries in Latin America need to increase productivity, access to quality education and ensure that the state is more efficient in providing services. The region can promote inclusive growth through reforms that enable it to take advantage of its openness to global trade.

“The recently-completed TransPacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations could be very good news for the region even with Mexico, Chile and Peru as the only Latin American countries taking part. The TPP’s potential influence on the world economy could help boost the region’s growth.

“And now I want to get into two other issues that I want to bring to your attention. The first is on the impact of changing demographics.

We released our global monitoring report yesterday, which shows that the government must overcome a growing demographic divide, to make future progress. Half of the

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world lives in countries where populations are relatively young and growing, but are poor with little access to quality education. The other half lives in countries where populations are contracting, aging, and retiring.

“These countries drive most of the world’s economic activity, but their economic growth is at risk as birth rates and the numbers of workers decline.

These demographic realities can be a golden opportunity for both poor and rich countries. Influx of working as refugees or migrants into a country with an aging population can ultimately reap benefits for everyone.

But as we’ve been witnessing for the past few years, due to the ongoing conflict in Syria, the flow of refugees can lead to tragedy as well.

“Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey have taken in several million Syrians in recent years, generously providing shelter, schooling and other services; now, hundreds of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees have been pouring into Europe. This has tested Europe’s leaders and its people as its Syria’s neighbours, and we admire the outpouring of help and generosity for many across Europe.

“For all involved, the refugee crisis World Bank President Dr Jim Young Kim

Half of the world lives in countries where populations are relatively young and growing, but are poor with little access to quality education. The other half lives in countries where populations are contracting, aging, and retiring

is immensely difficult challenge. The World Bank Group has been assisting the host communities of the refugees in Lebanon and Jordan for the past few years, and are now exploring new ways to increase help for Syria’s neighbours.

“The second topic I wanted to talk about is climate change. Climate change affects every nation and every person, but it hit poor people the hardest. The world must cut emissions and invest in greater resilience now.

At the Paris Conference in December, countries must show real ambition.

Political will for urgent action is critical. We believe there are politically credible pathways to deliver $100 billion a year in climate financing for countries by 2020. Meeting this commitment will build the trust and confidence necessary for credible

emissions reduction targets.

“Much of that $100 billion is already flowing with multilateral development banks providing critical financing. The World Bank Group stands ready to scale up its support to meet increasing demand from countries. The world must act now to put a price on carbon and fossil fuel subsidies, increase access to renewable energy and improve energy efficiency, build cleaner more livable cities, and invest in climate-smart agriculture.

“We’ll be having active discussions with our shareholders in the coming days to do all we can to help the world find solutions that are equal to the challenge of climate change. And now I’ll be happy to take your questions.”

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Lagos loses N3.7 1 bn N3.71 pr oper ty proper operty to fire disasters

Ambode halts eviction of IjoraBadia residents

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

LAGOS state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has ordered a halt to the ongoing demolition and forceful eviction of over 15, 000 persons from their homes at Ijora-Badia East in Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area, LCDA. The demolition which commenced on Friday, September 18, 2015 was sequel to a Lagos High Court judgment delivered March 2014

by Justice Alogba. The court ruled that the royal families of Ojoras own the disputed land.

Ambode, who spoke at a meeting in Alausa, said that the Oba of Ijoraland and head of the Ojora family, Abdulfatai Aromire should stay action on the demolition and asked the affected to liaise with the meet the Ojora family reaching an amicable resolution of the dispute.

Ambode, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr. Jafar Sanuth, gave both parties 30 days to resolve the issue.

“Government cannot mediate on sentiments.

All documents presented by the evictees are temporarily documents and we should not forget that the family (Ojoras) had gone to court and the Judiciary, an arm of the government issued a judgment on the said matter.

“We are only mediating and in a bid to ensure that both parties do not feel aggrieved, we are giving both parties 30 days to meet and resolve the issues on the disputed land. “We pray that you resolve the issues but in a situation where both parties cannot reach judgment, the government will look into how to help both parties reach a common ground,” the Governor said.

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•Badia

Alimosho traders protest planned demolition of market stalls BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI TRADERS at the Irepodun/ Olorunshogo market, Oladun Road, Council/ Powerline Bus Stop, Isheri Idimu in Egbe Idimu Local Council Development Area of Alimosho local government area of Lagos state have staged a protest over plans to demolish their stalls, allegedly without giving them adequate notice.

Last week, the traders in their hundreds, stormed the secretariat of the council to seek audience with Executive Secretary of the LCDA, Kunle Sanyaolu Olowopejo, over the matter but officials there prevented them from seeing him.

The Irepodun Community Development Association in the area has vowed to resist the proposed demolition.

The CDA in a two page letter, dated September, 15, 2015 to the Area Commander, ‘Area M’ Police Command, Pipeline, Idimu, Lagos, noted that in order to “avert the consequential breach of peace and harmony within the community, we implore you to use your good office to quickly arrest the situation by calling Kazeem, his agents and all other concerned authorities to order before it is too late.”

In a letter signed by Comrade MK Shoyombo on behalf of the traders and dated October 2, 2015 the protesters noted that, “to

the majority of us, it came as a rude shock. It was served during the Ileya festival period as well as the resumption of our children back to school.

“In view of this and other considerations we urge the LCDA to extend the proposed development to afford us ample time to wrap- up our market activities for the year, balance our yearly accounts and settle various contributions.”

But the council had in a notice titled, “To whom it may concern” warned that, “you are hereby informed that Egbe Idimu LCDA will commence the redevelopment of Olorunsogo

•Gov Ambode

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO THE Lagos state government has a released a report indicating that various fire incidents in the area destroyed property worth N3.71 billion in 464 disasters in the area in the between June and September 2015.

According to the report released by State Fire Service, there were a total of 464 emergency calls including cases of collapsed buildings during which estimated property worth N22.26 billion was saved from being consumed by fire.

The Fire Service said it had secured the release of an undisclosed fund for aggressive public enlightenment programme to sensitize citizens on fire and disaster prevention.

According to the Director State Fire Service, “this is an ongoing exercise which is being conducted through motorised campaign to all nooks and cranny of the state and the Fire Service secured approval to increase its workforce with recruitment of 100 firemen to further strengthen the service.”

LSPWC begins repair of potholes

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI THE Lagos State Public Works Corporation, LSPWC, has flagged-off its “Operation fix all potholes,” an exercise aimed at ridding Lagos roads of pot holes in order to enhance the free flow of vehicular movement.

The LSPWC General Manager, Ayotunde Sodeinde, who spoke at the flag-off of the programme on Wednesday, explained that the operation was in line with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s directive to fix and rehabilitate all deplorable roads in the state.

The LSPWC boss described condition of some roads in the metropolis as “regrettable” adding that government is determined to tackle the issue headlong.

Speaking at Betalbox, at in the Ogba area of the state, Sodeinde, said that, “we are here to show you the concern of the state government on plight of the residents who ply the road.

The road has been left in this poor state for over eight years.

“When we arrived here, the entire stretch of the road is in state of disrepair and at the moment, we are grading the road and when we get to an equal level, we will pour asphalt.

“We pray that it does not rain consistently so that we should be able to complete the work in the next three weeks.

“We are working on different roads in Lagos. While some are for complete repair, some others are for full rehabilitation and reconstruction. “The Corporation has been maintaining Federal Roads in the past and we will continue to do so and our objective is to make the roads in the state pothole free so as to ease vehicular movement and reduce the stress frequently experienced by motorists.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 10, 2015—47

Wh enture int o Whyy Nigerians should vventure into grasscutter business

A

n average person in Nigeria today consumes almost 150 pounds of red meat and poultry each year.

Some health authorities have expressed concern over the consumption of so much red meat.

Also, research has shown that a substance called cholesterol in fat red meat can cause heart problems.

Most health experts agree that eating of white meat is necessary for a healthy diet.

According to animal farm consultant and Managing Consultant/Chief Executive Officer, Jovana

Far ms, Prince Arinze Onebuna, foods from animals supply about 88 percent of vitamin B12 in

BUSINESS GUIDE

our diets because this nutrient is very difficult to obtain from plant sources. In addition, meats and animal products provide 67 percent of the riboflavin, 65 percent of the protein and phosphorus, 57 percent of the vitamin B6, 48 percent of the fat, 43 percent of the niacin, 42 percent of the vitamin A, 37 percent of the iron, 36 percent of the thiamin, and 35 percent of the magnesium in our diets.

L-R: SA Media to President NIPR, Dr G r a c e A c h u m ; P re s i d e n t , Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Rotimi Oladele and Chief of Staff,NIPR President,Mr Willy Ogbidi during the Presidential Press Mdia Briefing on NIPR forthcoming Activities held in Lagos.

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Problems with cholesterol can be avoided if we can abandon red meat for white meat like grasscutter, snail, rabbit, etc.

He said, grasscutter produce white meat that is very similar in taste and texture to seafood depending on the age at which they are slaughtered.

It is high in protein yet low in fat. A recent research compared the nutritive value of chicken and beef with that of grasscutter meat. The study indicates quite clearly that grasscutter meat is far better from the health point of view as it contains far less fat, no chemical and particularly less cholesterol, than other types of meat. The demand for grasscutter meat and other white meat in the local and international markets has been growing.

The latest statistics show that

current grasscutter meat production is not enough to meet the increasing demand in Nigeria. It is expected that during the next decade, grasscutter meat may gradually replace traditional types of meat. It is currently marketed in a variety of ways, including smoked, grilled, roasted, dried and sun-dried, in addition to fresh meat. “The increasing trend towards a healthy lifestyle, led to a continued increase in demand for domesticated grasscutter meat; and it is envisaged that this trend will continue.

Attend JOVANA FARMS seminars nearest to you and discover how to breed grasscutters for profit! Email:jovanafarms@gmail.com.

Choose also the nearest venue from the advert on this page.

48—SA TURD AY 48—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

I’m ready to go to prison for Nigeria —Clark •Sa ys recy cling old men •Says recycling as ministers can’t bring desired change

•Edwin Clark

BY HENRY UMORU

T

WENTY FOUR hours after Edwin Clark told newsmen that President Jonathan meant well but had problems fighting corruption, the Ijaw leader granted us another interview where he clarified things.

He was quoted as having dumped the People’s Democratic Party, PDP for the ruling APC. “I never said that I was joining APC. I said that at my age I should be an elderly statesman and will no longer play partisan politics. At 89 why should I be playing partisan politics? What is most important to me is the interest of Nigeria. I’m ready to go to prison for the interest of Nigeria. I C M Y K

should be able to advise the younger ones on the interest of Nigeria.”

Interestingly, these were the last things he said during the interview.

In the interview he described President Muhammadu Buhari’s first batch of ministerial nominees as the beginning of failure of Federal Government’s much touted “change” initiative. He explains that after four months in office, the President ought to have come up with a list of what he describes as young and more credible Nigerian professionals to serve in his cabinet.

On the prolonged delay before appointment of ministers To me the waiting does not affect the appointment of ministers or the quality of ministers to be appointed. I believe that every President or

There are many people that we want to see appointed ministers, people who must have something special; they should not be polluted with something in the past, by the corrupt politics of Nigeria

Head of State has his own style of government. From Shagari to Jonathan, no one would say that the appointment of ministers has been done at the same time; within one month, two months or three months.

That is why I say that every President has his own style.

But having said that, one expected that Mr. President’s taking such a long time was to give him adequate time to look for special Nigerians to bring about the desired change. Having been sponsored by some of his party men, Buhari ought to appoint some of them but not people like Lai Mohammed. As Publicity Secretary of a political party, it is an important position but he doesn’t have to be appointed a minister. There are others too on the list who were not supposed to be appointed ministers. I expected that the number of party men to be appointed would be less if you want to bring that change and professionalism. The change should go with a new crop of Nigerians, recruited by Mr. President from various groups in Nigeria including civil society organisations. I expected some of them coming in. I also expected the academics, the professionals, so that we see a government that is removed from the old people because the President talks about change.

If you say you are bringing change, it should not be with old politicians who you recycle. I believe that any minister who has served, anybody who has served as a governor, as a

party man and he had problems, that person, for the sake of Nigeria and Buhari desiring to clean this society of corruption, such a person should not be considered.

There are many people that we want to see appointed ministers, people who must have something special; they should not be polluted with something in the past, by the corrupt politics of Nigeria. That is why I mentioned the the academics, the civil rights people, the journalists, there are lots of people.

So, as far as I am concerned, having raised the hopes of Nigerians for about four to five months, Nigerians were right in thinking that something special was coming by way of appointing a crop of Nigerians who are special, who should be appointed because of their professional background, because of their experience.

Role of the Senate Let me say this, only yesterday for the second time, publicly, I said that I don’t want to be engaged in partisan politics because I am so disappointed. One would have expected that a National Assembly of a country is independent of the Executive and the Judiciary. Therefore, if the Executive makes the mistake in nominating people that Nigerians don’t

Continues on page 49

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—49

Recycling old men as ministers can’t bring desired change Continued from Page 48 want the National Assembly should reject such people.

After all, the National Assembly is the mouth piece of Nigeria so, one will expect that whatever they say in that House reflects the views of Nigerians all over the country and that is how it should be.

So, the search for the change, the search for the truth continues. I believe that the three arms of government are so independent that one cannot short change the other. But as you said, they met last night and nobody knows why they met because the three arms make one government. It could be for matters affecting Nigeria which must be discussed by the three arms or two arms so I won’t say because they met that will affect the appointment of ministers or the screening of ministers.

No! Let’s not be too narrowminded. I believe that they have to meet from time to time but my worry is that the public show of solidarity by members of Senate for their President and his wife shows clearly that Nigerians need to be more independent, more trusted members of the National Assembly and once we have that, there should be no fear.

On allegations that Buhari did not consult party leaders and governors to make input into the ministerial nominations.

I have over the years opposed the idea of a president consulting governors before the appointment of ministers. I have been one of those who believe that every section of government has its own limitations. If you are a governor of a state, you should be able to appoint

your commissioners without consulting the President or the local government chairman because if the president has to consult the state governor before a minister is appointed, then the state governor should also consult the local government chairman before commissioners can be appointed from his own area.

As I said earlier, let the best people be appointed ministers, you can appoint party men as members of your government but in the interest of the country, other areas like women and the youths must come into this government and the idea that one man will remain in office for eight years is uncalled for.

Constant review of your ministerial appointments is a way for us to eliminate corruption but if you keep a man for eight years in one position, you are encouraging and bringing in corruption, but if he has to go and make the declaration of his assets, no problem. So, as far as I am concerned, consultation with governors by the President is unwarranted and that is why the governors have become over powerful.

On the other ministerial nominees People have condemned Audu Ogbeh that he was there when Shagari was President. I was there then as a Senator when Audu Ogbeh was a minister. He was a competent fellow with good ideas. He disagreed with Obasanjo over issues in the South East but he has been very consistent. He has not been jumping from one party to another after he was driven away from PDP by Obasanjo. But having been a minister many years ago, are there no new crops?

It may not be possible to go through all of them now

•Edwin Clark

but I think out of 21 ministers only three of them are women which is not good enough. I know how the women in Nigeria were shouting change and you have many educated ones both in the civil rights groups, professionals and in the market. So, I believe that he should consider more women.

On Kayode Fayemi Fayemi is a very good man. If there are Nigerians one would look for, Fayemi should be one of them. For instance, I met Fayemi once at the Lagos airport and I took him on a

conversation. The young man impressed me. I reminded him on how he congratulated his opponent after losing election and he said that is my family background and I looked at him, a young, humble man and intelligent so we need such men. He is not corrupted by all sorts of things. Otherwise by now Fayose would have brought a lot of accusations against him. So, I think he is a good man to be appointed a minister.

The next batch of ministerial nominees Well, firstly the women

should not be forgotten.

Three women out of 21 is not good enough. There should be more women in his government, at least 10 -13 should come to his government. There are many competent Nigerians.

If you look at Jonathan’s government the women carried the day, the coordinator of the economy of Nigeria was a woman and I think in APC there are many women who are qualified that should be in his government.

The mistake that has been made can still be corrected with the next list of nominees.

50—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Reporter's Diary

How I escaped death in Makkah —Bamidele

•I saw gory scenes,

blood stains everywhere

•Pilgrims leaving the Haram after the Jumaat prayer in Mecca. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

BY LAMIDI BAMIDELE

P

ilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, as the fifth pillar of Islam is a divine call on every Muslim who has the wherewithal to perform the rites. As a result, it is a prayer-point of every Muslim to have the wherewithal to embark on the exercise. It has always been my prayer to have the means to fulfill that aspect and important pillar of Islam. God answered my prayer through my appointment as one of the media team of Med-view Consult, an Hajj and Umrah agent, a subsidiary of Med-view Airline, with Alhaji Muneer Bankole as the CEO/ Managing Director.

The Med-view group left Lagos on Thursday, September 10, all clad in Ihram (white cloth) and arrived Jeddah Airport early on Friday.

There was a delay at the airport and we waited for five to six hours for the checking routine. Thereafter, we proceeded to Makkah. We settled down in our hotel – a 3minute-walk distance to Holy Kaabah – and were out again to perform the first duty of Hajj (Tawaf), to circumambulate the Kaabah. The weather was inclement at that time. Later, it became cloudy and suddenly the storm which started mildly snowballed into a terrific wind. Everybody at that point became very apprehensive. In a jiffy, over hundred people died. One of the cranes being used in the various expansion construction work going on around the Kaabah said to belong to the Bin Laden Group fell and killed many of the pilgrims performing the Tawaf.

Initially, we did not know the

magnitude of the accident as we did not have prior information of any disaster. We only noticed that some of the places around Safar and Marwa were cordoned off, directing pilgrims towards other directions. We equally noticed bloodstain everywhere. We performed Tawaf and returned to our hotel. At the hotel, we got information of what happened and we were all thanking Allah for the delay at the airport earlier. We gathered that the wind which had occurred minutes before we got to the Kaabah had fell the crane on some pilgrims.

We offered prayers for the souls of the departed and moved on with our hajj rites. We were provided with various Nigerian dishes throughout our stay. The clinic set up in the hotel by Medview Consult headed by a veteran gynaecologist, Dr Naheem Ekemode, had a nice time throughout as they were not really busy.

From Makka, we proceeded to Mina, where we were accommodated in various tents from where we went to Arafat. Muzdalifah was the next point which I referred to as 'Leveller' because all pilgrims, no matter how big, spend a night sleeping on bare floor on a mat.

The journey from Muzdalifah was the one that led to Jamarat where all pilgrims performed the rite of throwing stones at the devil. So, we departed after the morning prayer. It was on the way to Jamarat that the disaster happened.

How it happend

As we were going, we saw helicopters hovering in the sky

and we became worried, asking what was amiss again. For the safety of the pilgrims at that point, the Med-view group led by Alhaji Abdul Salam Abdul Raheem took a rewarding decision. We had two decisions to make, either to go back to our tent at Mina to drop our items we had taken to Arafat and Muzdalifa or to go straight to Jamarah to stone the devil. We chose the former, and this turned out to be very rewarding as our group was saved from the stampede by a few minutes delay as a result of our decision to go back to Mina before proceeding to Jamarah. I really don't know how I would have survived the stampede if we had proceeded with the bag and baggage virtually all of us were carrying.

Personally, I was carrying a bag with a laptop which would have hindered free movement in the stampede.

At that point close to Jamarah, we never knew what had happened. But a Saudi official had told us not to pass through a particular route. I equally noticed that the space between us was closing up and before we knew it, we were all gasping for breath. My pair of sandals was stepped on while I managed to regain my balance. I told myself, 'I dared not make any attempt to pick it' since it was not a sin to walk on bare feet. As if that was not enough, the upper Ihram cloth had disappeared and I was not in control of my legs again. It was like a wave taking one to different direction with the temperature of 43 degree celsius.

I managed to look ahead if there was hope for a free space. I noticed some pilgrims coming from the opposite direction. I looked by my side and saw a vehicle parked on the road thereby leaving a tiny space for escape. As if everybody was looking for that tiny space, a crowd surged towards that direction struggling to save themselves.

As we pushed further, it became very

close, but I was already loosing strength and reaching for the ground.

The ground to say the least was the final for any one at that spot. Well, I joined others to say the last word (Kalimah) 'Lailah ila Lah...' in case it eventually happened that I fall.

With the force of those pushing from behind, I managed to get to the tiny space, and that was how I was saved. I looked back to see how I managed to escape, and saw a gory scene of people falling as others climbed on them as the word of Kalimah rented the air.

Saudi authorities should be blamed

The Saudi Authority, no matter what their defenses are, could not be absolved from blame. Security men and all other social workers seemed to be sleeping as they were not around the scene at the time of the stampede. It took them close to 40 minutes before I saw them springing up to attend to victims. All the while, helicopters were seen hovering over the area and it still took over 40 minutes before responses came.

It was alleged that the Egyptian pilgrims were the ones coming from the opposite direction where pilgrims were not allowed to pass through.

This, however indicted the Saudi Authority for allowing this 'preferential treatment'. Again, the vehicle which was parked on the road occupying substantial part of the road should not be there at all.

Certainly, the stampede should have been avoided and also, the high number of casualties showed that the Saudi authorities were not on ground to curtail the number of casualties.

As the custodian of the Holy Mosque, it has a lot of work to do.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—51

A change will come to Delta in 2019 —Paulinus Akpeki

Says Okowa is dismantling Uduaghan’s legacies

F

ORMER Chief of Staff, COS, to the Delta State Government, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, who recently led some Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftains in the state, including two ex-Commissioners, Barrister Misan Ukubeyinje and Mr. Ebifa Ijomah, to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, spoke to Saturday Vanguard at Asaba, capital of the state, on the reasons for their action.

A confident Akpeki pointed at the rot in the system in the state, saying that few of them with guts decided to wake up from lethargy and upturn the status quo. He predicted that the road would be rough, but was optimistic that change would definitely come in 2019.

Excerpt.

You were the last person expected to defect from PDP to APC in Delta state, were you frustrated out of the party or you were running away from something?I would not know why you think I am one of the last persons that would leave the PDP because I am not the owner of PDP. Even among the 34 founding fathers some of them have since left.

Secondly, I did not leave PDP because I was chased out and I will not say that I left PDP out of frustration, but I also know that I left PDP because such a decision had to be taken. When some people do certain things that are wrong, at the end of the day, you will be tagged as one one of them because you were part of them when the things happened. So, in order not to be accused of it at a latter time, I decided to opt out now, instead of fighting all the time inside. I want to elaborate on that. I have three idols that I cherish and respect. One is former president of the United States of America, the late J F Kennedy, two, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and three, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia. Few weeks ago, Ogbemudia celebrated his 83rd birthday, he was asked by

newsmen if he had any regret being member of PDP, I remember clearly he said his regret was not being able to sum up courage at a time to resign from PDP and he was asked why. He said he saw it coming but his warning and advice to elders, elder statesmen and wellmeaning citizens inside PDP to avert the misfortune that befell the party was ignored. Having heard such a thing from somebody like Dr. Ogbemudia , who I respect so much, I am seeing some of the same things happening in Delta PDP, I do not want to be part of those who will get old, as old as Ogbemudia and I come back to say that my regret was not being able to leave PDP at the appropriate time.

So I made up my mind that this is the time to go, so that I can sit outside and be able to speak my mind when something happens. I don’t want anybody to say that he is fighting his party or somebody will sit down and say suspend him and use one small boy in their clique to insult people. That is why I decided to pull out now so that I will use the remaining part of my life to rewrite the history of my state.

What were the things you saw coming that made you to quit PDP? PDP as at today in Delta state is a party that has become a conglomerate of family and friends’ government. Looking at it the way it is set up now, the poor do not have a say in the party and administration of the state. It is either you are a family member or you are a member of a family, who is a friend to a big shot in PDP without who there is nothing for you. But , PDP is forgetting the voting class, that not everybody in this country is a member of a political party, but they are voters and they vote for individuals, even though they have sympathy for one political party or the other. But somebody asked me the question that I campaigned for Okowa, I said yes, at that time, I campaigned for Okowa because I believed he was the best and is still the best. My assumption, however, is that having come to power, he should be able

You go away because he who lives to run away, lives to fight another day. That is what I have done to look outside a particular set of families and set of friends. But when you advise and your advice meets deaf ears, in order for you not to be insulted or abused or have enemies, what do you do? You go away because he who lives to run away, lives to fight another day. That is what I have done.

But some people say you left because you did not get appointment from Okowa?

In the government of Delta state as it is presently, the organogram is the Governor, Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Head of Service, HOS, and Chief of Staff, COS, then all other positions follow. I stayed and climbed to becoming the chief of staff of this state, not just an ordinary chief of staff, but one that served with enormous powers. Having being chief of staff, the only position I would want to attain again is SSG, HOS or COS that I held before. I have served, I have gotten to this stage and I always tell people, I stay in a position for once, I don’t go back to that same position. What position do you think I would have taken in the present government? Is it to become special adviser, special assistant or board chairman that I have passed through over the years? No, one of my brothers used to tell me, you cannot be so hungry to eat your tongue. I am already in the state where I will become an elder statesman, somebody that will sit in his house and proffer advice to the younger ones and advise government. But what do you do when you find out that in the midst of the people that are in the system, you are a lone voice?

Many still think it is scandalous for you to leave the party that you

were one of the pillars in the state?

A former president in this country sat down and watched over his own liquidation because he was not listening to the truth of what the people were saying about him on Channels Television and other fearless media houses. He was listening to sycophants, who told him that all was well. They were telling him to go on, that heaven would not fall and all that. We experienced it here in Delta before and you say it is scandalous. What is scandalous there? On December 9, 2014, I sent a text message to the present governor of the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, after he won nomination on December 8, 2014 and I told him, Ekwueme, which is his title anyway, God gives power and chooses people to lead at a particular time. Now that God has chosen you to lead over your people in Delta state, find a space in your heart to accommodate everybody in that big umbrella.

These were my words. The Ekwueme, I know is an experienced politician and administrator, the man I admire because we have been together in the terrain. He replied me, saying, Ugo, thank you for this, this phase is now over, let us put what happened in the past behind us and let us work together, thank you for your message. I know that I also put in one or two things into his campaign thereafter because I believed in him and PDP at the time and I still believe that Okowa can do better, but he is also surrounded by a team like the one that surrounded President Goodluck Jonathan when he was in office and made him not to see beyond what was in the periphery.

My prayer for Okowa is that he should try a little bit to get out of the shackles of sycophants. With that, he can do better than what is happening now.

You have just painted a picture of nothing askew between you and Okowa, but many believe you had a sour relationship with him since the December 8, 2014 governorship primary, where you allegedly worked for another candidate?

Chief Akpeki as an individual and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as an individual have no personal differences and I cannot remember at anytime when both of us had any disagreement in terms of primary. Let me say this, I was to contest the governorship primary too but on the 10th of October, 2014, the former

Continues on pg 52

52—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

Continues from page 51 governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, told me to drop my governorship ambition and that was 10 days to when I was to resign as a member of his cabinet. I believed and I believe

in Dr Uduaghan, am a student of loyalty, and on the spot , I told him okay, called my supporters subsequently and opted out of the race. Having opted out, I cannot see where and how I would have had any direct confrontation, quarrel or problem with Dr. Okowa. I will not know if he had anything in mind because I was in council, I would not also know if he still has anything in mind, but as I speak to you now, I think you should also crosscheck from him, I do not think we have any difference.

Did you discuss your leaving the party with him and what was his response?

I have my own fundamental human rights regarding my decisions. I do not need to discuss anything with Governor Okowa as it concerns me politically because he would not even discuss his own with me. I also remember that I mentioned one or two things to Prof Sam Oyovbaire, though I did not tell him that I would leave, I just sounded him out because they say he is the father of the government, so I had to sound him out and incidentally , he is my uncle and a chief from my kingdom and I respect and will continue to respect him. Answering your question, I have nothing against Governor Okowa, he remains my friend, in fact, let me state here, it is not about Okowa as an individual, the decision I have taken is to pull out Deltans from slavery, nobody will understand it now, but tomorrow, they will. Not until this country fell out from the PDP at the national level, did not know that Nigeria was already in bad state. Look at a personal aide of a former minister returning $100 million dollars to the federal government, all of us are in cabinet, bad apples spoil the good ones, consequently all are bad.

How do you feel when you are in a

Okowa is dismantling Uduaghan’s legacies

system and people are calling that system corrupt, meanwhile, you did not pick one dime. That is what I am saying, Deltans will remember tomorrow the decision a few of us

have taken today. And I can tell you, many more will follow.

Talking about slavery, when did this slavery start, Chief James Ibori was there for eight years, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan was there for another eight years, is it under Okowa that this slavery in the state started?

You see this is the mistake people are making. I just said something now, it is not about Okowa, I wish people will understand this today, PDP has been in power in Delta state since 1999, it is about a system and this system we must change. And that is the change slogan, PDP was in power at the federal level since 1999, a few people saw many things wrong and they said we must change this federal government.

They came together and they changed the system and not until they changed it, many people did not know the rot at the federal level. It is today that the international community is saying that Nigeria has come out, you heard what they are saying about former governor of Bayelsa state, Diepreye Alamieseigha, now , a government that cannot take decision because of certain reasons is not a government. So, it is not about Okowa, it is about the system, maybe this system started from 1999 till now, but nobody has been able to sit up and say we must change this system.

However, a few of us have seen it and said let us change this system. I repeat,

The PDP has no agenda , it has no ideology, you were talking about Ibori spending eight years, Udaughan spending eight years and Okowa is here now. Yes, none of these three people are bad, but the PDPsystem is bad

nobody is saying Okowa must go now, whether we believe it or not, until the tribunal gives judgment, Okowa will still be in power until we have another election in 2019. I , as an individual want to effect a change in 2019, that is what I am working for. And the change must be that Delta must bring somebody that can govern this state without the dictates of this system but those of another system, the system of change.

Secondly, the PDP has no agenda , it has no ideology, you were talking

about Ibori spending eight years, Udaughan spending eight years and Okowa is here now. Yes, none of these three people are bad, but the PDPsystem is bad. Now, Ibori came in, which political ideology did he implement?

What were the programmes of PDP that he implemented? Uduaghan came in, I was part of that and I am proud to be part of that.

We came with three-point agenda of peace and security, human capital development and infrastructural development, those were Uduaghan’s programme, not PDP’s programme.

Okowa came in with his SMART programme, is it PDP’s programme? I hear the chairman of PDP and some other people say key into Okowa’s programme, but the truth is that you are supposed to key into the party’s programme because every government is put up by a political party and that political party’s programme is what you must implement, it is not your programme.

So that when a new government comes, it will continue from where the previous government stopped.

Only some few months ago, people were shouting that they (Uduaghan government) left debt behind, they are owing this and all that, I ask which money are they talking about? The amount they say the previous government was owing, I do not believe it is true that we left debt of such magnitude.

It is a matter I will address at another time, but all I am trying to say is that if a political party has a political programme, it is that programme that all who come to power must implement, not that when you come, you push aside the programme of the other man, then you start your own with the same state money. When another person comes, he will push away your own and starts his own with state money.

That should be unacceptable to Deltans. If that bridge across that road there (referring to flyover at Asaba constructed by Uduaghan) was not too

big to be demolished, may be, may be in quote, it would have been demolished because it is not good for that place. In the night, the streetlights are not good enough, so they will get money somewhere to do something else because it is not the man’s programme. The micro credit scheme of Uduaghan is not good enough, so they have scrapped it with all the monies already invested in it, maybe part of the money they claim we borrowed, you start your own. And it was a scheme the Central Bank honoured Uduaghan with an award.

You start your own, tomorrow, another person comes and begins another programme, no. Deltans should look at these matters from another point of view and when you say some of these things inside, they will say you are fighting them.

They are many and many more, it is a continuous thing, I will talk about them. I remember the former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi coming to Delta state and saying that he used to stand on the side of Onitsha and look at Asaba end of Delta state as England, today, Governor Willie Obiano probably would stand at the other side of Onitsha and look at Asaba as Oviri Okpe because the streetlights are no longer there, Trucks have demolished the streetlights on the highways, the whole place have been turned to total darkness because maybe the streetlight was Uduaghan’s programme. With all the amount of money we spent on streetlight, maybe streetlight is not in the programme of the present administration. That is what I am trying to say, that a political party without a political programme is not a political party. We have put up some of this advice before now, but nobody was listening. Would you be indifferent when one small boy, who you brought up politically suddenly becomes the thin god because he sits with the governor? I tell you something today, most leaders listen to blackmail. They are happy when somebody comes to malign you, that you are this, that you are that, because they want to push you far from him.

You once said you would swim and sink with Uduaghan, now you reechoed that you believe and still believed in him, but Uduaghan is one person that does not like dumping his party, you have just dumped PDP, how are you loyal to him?

Dr. Emmanuel Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan was former governor of this state. I , Chief Paulinus Akpeki was his Commissioner for Housing and Chief of Staff. I owe him that loyalty and I will continue to be with him. I will dine and swim with Uduaghan, political differences aside, but I tell you, I am John the Baptist, he, who cometh after me is the greatest and the greatest is the Christ. Uduaghan

as an individual has the right to take his decisions. I also have the right to take my decision. As at today, I have not spoken with Uduaghan, but I can comfortably say that wherever he is , I will always wish him well. The Tsunami movement is on, many will follow , the Christ will come, we are just mere messengers.

When John the Baptist came and said that the One coming after him was greater, students of the Bible know who he was talking about, but in this case, political students do not know the Christ you are heralding ?

(Laughs) What I can tell you right away is that if students of the Bible know who the Christ is when John the Baptist spoke, then political students should also know who the Christ is since Akpeki has spoken.

I don’t know , that is why I am asking?

Since you do not know, wait until the said Christ arrives, he will arrive at the appropriate time (another long laughter).

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015—53

r o f fo d e y a r ra p We , e j n i y e b u Akpeki, Uk P D P t i u q IjomahUztoor, Delta PDP chair — Chief

BY EMMA AMAIZE , Regional Editor, South South

C

HAIRMAN of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Chief Edwin Uzor, who was overseas when the former Chief of Staff to the Delta State Government, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, two exCommissioners, Misan Ukubeyinje and Ebifa Ijomah and an exgovernorship aspirant, Dr. Akwara, dumped the party for the rival All Progressives Congress, APC, last week, returned during the week to castigate them.

He spoke to reporters at the party’s secretariat in Asaba. Excerpt.

Political jobbers This development, to say the least, is no big deal and does not pose any threat to us as a party that has positively touched lives, including those of the decampees. T h e decampees have only succeeded in exposing themselves as political jobbers, prostitutes and fair weather politicians, who believe they must be in government at all cost.

These same persons who did not contribute to the victory of the APC at the center have suddenly realized that Delta state must not be in the opposition even when the APC did not win one local government area in the state in the last general election. Why did they not join the APC when the

The exit of Chief Akpeki, Barr Ukubeyinje, Mr. Ijomah and others from the PDP shows that God has answered our prayer because Delta state is a praying state and we of the PDP have also been praying that those who would make the government of His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, not to achieve its goal of prosperity for all Deltans should leave the party for good C M Y K

party was in opposition?

It all goes to suggest that they are selfish politicians who are only concerned with what they stand to gain from the system rather than what they can give it.

Akpeki discarded by his people Chief Paulinus Akpeki, who claims to come from ward 4, unit 7 of Sapele local government areas, has been rejected by his people because they have never seen him as one of them.

He did not mentor any younger politician to take over from him, but instead he wants to be in power in every dispensation, with nothing to show for his long stay in government in terms of development for his people.

On his advancement of being freed from the grip of the PDP in the state as a reason for quitting the party, Chief Akpeki needs to be reminded that he and his like had enjoyed the goodwill of PDP when the party was on the saddle at the center and it would take an unreasonable person to believe that he and his likes had been held down by a party he had comfortably belonged to for over 16 years.

It has become fashionable for him to remain in power and now that he has not achieved that , he has pitched tent with the APC as a short cut to gaining relevance. While the PDP would not lose sleep over his exit from the party, his new fond love, the APC, should be wary of a man who would want to reap where he did not sow.

to win the election and got reelected in 2003 for another four-year tenure, he should not forget that he was in the opposition as youth leader of the then Action Congress of Nigeria, before he was magnanimously appointed Commissioner for Agriculture in 2011 even without renouncing his membership of ACN. He also benefited immensely from the benevolence of PDP leaders in Warri North despite his not contributing to the victory of the party in the 2011 elections.

We are, therefore, not shaken by his decision to call it quit because he has never contributed anything to the success of the PDP in any election.

Ebifa Ijomah, a political apprentice Ebifa Ijomah is only a political apprentice who was brought to limelight by the PDP-led government of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan because of the influence of his father, Professor B. I. C. Ijomah. He was appointed Commissioner for Youth Development and his tenure left much to be desired as it witnessed unprecedented youth restiveness in the state before he was redeployed to the Ministry of Economic Planning where he again exposed his himself.

While we agree that he has the right to associate with any organization of his choice, it is rather unfortunate that the had chosen to dump the PDP because he has not been offered appointment which he vigorously lobbied for only two weeks back. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Dr. Akwara not a politician Dr. Akwara once came to my office

Ukubeyinje added no value to PDP For Barrister Misan Ukubeyinje, who started his political journey with the defunct Alliance for Democracy, AD, under which he lost the 1999 House of Assembly election, before crossing over to the PDP i n 2001

•Chief Edwin Uzor

to say he was to contest for the governorship seat. When asked to state his ward, he could not and did not know how many local government areas we have in Delta state. The Dr. Akwara I know is a medical doctor and not a politician.

His exit from the PDP will therefore have no effect because he he has nothing to offer politically.

How God answered our prayer The issue of Delta being in the opposition as a reason for the defection is laughable because the APC had been in opposition at the center for 16 years before winning the 2015 election. Would the party have won the election if its members had decamped to other political parties, those who decamp when things are not going in their favour are hungry politicians that lack character and must not be trusted. Defection is only an option available to lazy politicians without base and grassroots.

The exit of Chief Akpeki, Barr Ukubeyinje, Mr. Ijomah and others from the PDP shows that God has answered our prayer because Delta state is a praying state and we of the PDP have also been praying that those who would make the government of His Excellency, to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, not achieve its goal of prosperity for all Deltans should leave the party for good.

The PDP in Delta state today is stronger and more focused than ever before to deliver the state on its electioneering promises and with our governor, Senator Okowa, Deltans should expect nothing less. We call on all members of our great party across the state not to be distracted by those who are of no relevance to the future of the party and focus on current efforts to reclaim power at the centre come 2019.

54—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

•Modinat Ododfin...after the attack

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

M

odinat Ododfin, the 28-year-old woman who narrowly escaped being hacked to death by her neighbours at their compound in Igbesa area of Ogun State, over the week, gives a vivid account of how she survived the attack. Speaking from the hospital bed where she is undergoing treatment, the mother of one told Crime Guard that she was lucky to be alive after the ordeal she passed through in the hands of her neighbours and the daughter.

How the trouble started

Trouble, according to her, started after she returned from the popular Igbe market last penultimate Sunday, and met her seven year-old son, Hassan, crying profusely. “When I inquired from him, he told me that Alhaja’s grand-children beat him up. While I was scolding the children who had beaten my son, their grand-mother, Alhaja, rushed out. Angered that I was cautioning her grand-children, she began to abuse me. Later, Alhaja and her daughter attacked me with razor blade during a scuffle that ensued in Ipodo compound, Igbesa area of Ogun state.”

My ordeal

Modinat said the Alhaja who lives four buildings from her compound slapped her several times, tore her clothes and made away with the wrapper where she tied money from sales she

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How I escaped being hacked to death — victim made from the market. “I warned her to stop insulting me but she continued. When the insult became unbearable, I insulted her too. Immediately, she attacked and slapped me. I slapped her back and we began to fight. She tore my clothes, took the head tie of my wrapper in which I tied the N10,000 I made from sales from the night market and my phone.

Although the scuffle was temporarily brought to an end when neighbours intervened and separated us, all attempts made by them for Alhaja to return my head tie fell on deaf ears.

The attack

“Later in the night, she brought some miscreants popularly called area boys to my compound which is about four houses from hers. Luckily, the main entrance to the compound had already been locked so they could not enter to attack me. The next morning, some elders in the community who took it upon themselves to

broker peace said they would resolve the issue early in the morning after our usual prayers in the mosque.

Obviously, still brooding over the fight, Alhaja and her daughter attacked me again on Wednesday evening with a blade which they used to cut my hand, neck and belly. The attack took place while I was going to buy candle . She kept shouting that she was going to pluck out my eyes. I didn’t know she was holding a razor blade.

When she attempted to cut my face, I used my hand to defend myself and the blade cut my hand. It was at that time that Alhaja held me and her daughter slashed my neck and belly with the blade. I was lucky that the blade didn’t slit my artery if not, maybe I won’t be alive today. They timed the attack because people were praying inside the mosque and could not come to my rescue even when I was shouting and calling for help. I kept shouting till people who were praying in

The victim is still receiving treatment at Agbara Medical centre, the suspect and her daughter have been granted bail

the mosque finished their prayers and rescued me. By the time they arrived the scene, it was already late as I was bleeding from different parts of my body.”

Eyewitness account When Crime Guard visited the community, some residents who pleaded anonymity gave their own account of the incident. One of them who witnessed the incident said, “we were at the mosque praying when we heard people shouting. By the time we concluded the prayers and came out from the mosque, it was already late as Modinat was bleeding from different parts of her body. We had to call the police from Igbesa division who came and arrested Alhaja Barsira Akinde and her daughter, Saheedia Akinde. The case was later transferred to Agbara divisional police station. It was the police that took Modinat to the private hospital where she was admitted.”

Pleas for amicable settlement

While the victim is still receiving treatment at Agbara Medical centre, the suspect and her daughter have been granted bail.

It was, however gathered that family members of the victim have decided to withdraw the case following pleadings from the suspects for amicable settlement.

Husband of the victim , Baba Odofin, confirmed that much and stated that “we initially wanted to go to court but due to the pressure from the people who attacked my daughter, we decided to settle the case. We hand the case over to God.”

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 10, 2015 — 55

UEF A def ends UEFA defends Platini, schedules emer gency mee ting emergency meeting

Fall of Blatter

W

hen the end comes, as it surely will soon, the news will be met with a disconnected shrug. We are immune to it now, this sea of effluent washing up day after day on football’s shores.

It is the latest school shooting in America, the dread images of distraught migrants at the border. It feels like a recurring nightmare.

We’ve seen it all before, too many times now.

One day, Sepp Blatter will be gone but not, it seems, one day soon. There are too many committees to involve, too many paper trails, too many lawyers and investigators. There is a process and the process takes time. And while it drags its feet through the halls of the Swiss courts, so the accusations and the files pile up until we cannot see around them.

Our interest is waning. We want them done, banished. Yet here they are again, the FIFA zombies, stumbling towards us, moaning their denials. They can’t be killed, it seems.

Blatter and Michel Platini, the two most powerful men in football, have been suspended by FIFA’s ethics committee. We should be shocked by this news, it should resonate around the world like an assassin’s bullet. Instead, it feels ho-hum, mundane, the latest instalment. Are they still here, then? That is our question. It was June 2 when the past finally caught up with Blatter, when what was played up as a defiant stand became instead a hurried, humiliating resignation. Yet now we hear he is to be suspended.

How can a man who quit be

suspended?

But that’s the nub of it. They’re all still around. Clinging on to power, the last flourish of the expense-account charge card, the last tab, the last five-star suite. We’ve lost track of who they all are and their whereabouts.

There are too many to count.

We can’t remember which crooks are banned, and what cases are merely pending.

There are the crooks we know to be crooks, and those we merely think are crooks, then there are the ones we have on a crooks waiting list, their number about to come up.

Like Blatter and Platini. In the pending tray. Platini has advanced several unconvincing explanations for how £1.3million of FIFA’s money ended up in his pocket nine years after he had supposedly earned it, but nobody is buying his story.

Yet FIFA is so mired in sleaze that this does not even set him apart from the other candidates to succeed Blatter in the presidential election.

Platini hasn’t even withdrawn. So dirty are FIFA that he still believes he can soldier on as the reform candidate, even while being placed in the dock by Blatter’s side.

And while there are fools like Greg Dyke around, steadfastly refusing to withdraw the FA’s premature backing for the UEFA president, no matter how misguided it appears now, Platini

M

•Sepp Blatter will continue to believe he can tough it out. That seems to be the message here. That as accusation is piled upon accusation, as the waves of sleaze lap around and stain every candidate past and present, so the public will be overwhelmed by the scale of it all. If everybody is a crook, then nobody is, and almost every potential successor to Blatter has been tainted by corruption at some stage.

Yet where are the serious football men?

Where are the contenders of substance who could stand, confident

•Platini

NNPC/Chevron Junior Masters semi-final run by foremost holds today outlast Augustine Steven of Academy, tennis developer, Chris

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

W

HO are the two players who will compete in the final of the 2015 NNPC/ Chevron Junior Tennis Masters tomorrow at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club in Onikan?

The answer will be known at the end of today’s semifinal matches holding on the Centre Court of the National Stadium, Surulere, as the foremost junior tennis tournament in Nigeria nears its climax.

Battling for a place in the final is top seed, Godsgift Timipre from Rivers State, who will square up against Christopher Idoko from Kaduna State in the first semifinal match starting at 11am.

In the other semis, John Dickson from Bauchi State confronts Tochukwu Eze of Imo State.

To reach the semis, Dickson came from a set down to

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Chevron Tennis Academy in three thrilling sets of 3-6, 63, 6-3.

On his part, Eze produced a huge upset against second seed Christopher Bulus from Kaduna State 7-6, 2-6, 7-6.

The game was a thriller as the relatively unknown champion from Imo State walked his magic against his more exposed opponent who incidentally is a trainee of the Chevron Tennis

Enahoro.

Remarkably too, Bulus exit marked the end of the romance of trainees of the Chevron Tennis Academy in the tournament sponsored

by Chevron Nigeria Limited, an indication of the high level of competition and unbiased officiating that have been the hallmark of the tournament and is set to continue in years ahead.

ichel Platini is still president of UEFA, according to a statement issued by European football’s governing body. The statement insisted that UEFA’s Executive Committee “expressed its full confidence” in Platini following the Frenchman’s 90-day suspension from football by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Reports from Spain suggested that Spanish FA president and UEFA Vice President Angel Maria Villar would take over as interim president, but UEFA’s statement in support of its current chief suggest otherwise, for the time being.

UEFA has also scheduled an Emergency Executive Committee meeting for October 15, when it is expected that Platini’s future at the association will be clearer.

UEFA’s full statement is below: “In light of the events that occurred regarding UEFA President Michel Platini, the UEFA Executive Committee has taken the following decisions on 8 October.

“An Emergency meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee will be convened in Nyon on Thursday, 15 October; in addition, all 54 member associations of UEFA will meet at UEFA Headquarters on the same day.

“The UEFA Executive Committee saw no need, at this moment in time, to invoke Article 29(5) of the UEFA Statutes, pursuant to which the highestranking Vice-President of UEFA may step in to assume the powers and duties of the President in his absence.

“This is because the UEFA Executive Committee is aware that the UEFA President will immediately take all necessary steps to appeal the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee to clear his name.

“Furthermore, the UEFA Executive Committee stated that there must be a very rapid final decision on this matter before the relevant bodies, in the interests of both justice and football.

“Finally, the UEFA Executive Committee expressed its full confidence in UEFA President, Michel Platini,and stands fully behind him”.

Eunisel to pay Sharks for goals

E

UNISELL Limited, the official shirt sponsors of Sharks has said it will give out cash to the players for every match they win in the last six matches of the Glo Premier League In a move aimed at encouraging Sharks escape relegation, the the firm in a statement signed by the

Amuneke names Eaglets World Cup squad

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OLDEN Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, has named the 21 players that will represent Nigeria at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

According to the Nigeria Football Federation on their official website, the trio of Kelechi Nwakali, Victor Osimhen and Ebere Osinachi, who helped secure the World Cup ticket in Niger Republic, were picked.

Players like Chinedu

Madueke, Sunday Alimi and Chisom Chiaha, who did not make the team to Niger Republic, were listed.

And some of the new players in the team include David Enogela, Ibe Tobechukwu and Ejike Ikwu.

The Eaglets will take on USA, on October 17, in the opening match of the FIFA U17 World Cup. They will take on host Chile on October 20 before facing Croatia three days later.

•Amuneke

Communications Manager, Kunmi Balogun said that players have been told they will now get monetary reward for every goal scored.

“We will handsomely reward each goal scorer and any other teammate that makes the assist with cash prizes. This is in line with our resolve to help grow the league and make football in Nigeria become a lucrative sport and career for the players”.

The company however did not disclose precisely how much the players will receive but added that the decision was reached to ensure that the blue angels stay focused having succeeded in leaving the bottom four position after a 1-0 defeat of Dolphins in the Port Harcourt derby.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 10, 2015

IKHANA WEEPS FOR NIGERIAN FOOTBALL

Fall of Blatter >>55

•Ikhana

• Why players are falling • Says clubs destroying country’s image >>34/35

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 2) L.G.A. In Abia State - (6)

Enyimba ambush Shooting Stars >>33

Pillars to prey on Sunshine Stars >>33

1) Super Eagles Goalkeeper Trainer, Ike (8)

3) Indian Capital City - (3,5)

5) Precious Metal - (4)

4) L.G.A. In Taraba State - (4)

7) Ethnic Group in Nigeria - (4)

5) Liqueur - (3)

8) Brazilian Premiership Club-Side - (6)

6) Ethiopian Prime Minister, Mr. Hailmariam - (8)

9) Farm Animal- (3) 10) Armenian Currency - (4)

9) Former Super Eagles Assistant Coach, Fatai - (4)

11) Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom (4)

10) Goldsmith’s Tool- (4) 14) Notion - (4)

12) Action - (4) 13)Malawi’s Capital City - (8) 19) Zodiac Sign - (8) 22) Ferrous Metal- (4)

15) Kaduna United Technical Adviser, Ben - (8) 16) Democratic Republic of Congo “Leopards” Midfielder, Guy - (8)

24 Land Measurement Unit - (4) 17) French Word for “Black” - (4) 25)Country in Africa - (4) 27) Connection - (3) 29) L.G.A in Rivers State - (6)

18) President, Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), Tijani - (4)

31) [Small Piece - (4)

19) Boulder - (4)

32) Hausa Word for “Ten” - (4)

23) Compensation - (6) 26) Limb - (4) 28) Benin Republic’s President, Mr. Yayi - (4)

33) Dolphins FC Defender, Joseph - (8)

30) L.G.A. In Osun State - (3) DOWN 1) Sea Vessel- (4)

Solution on page 47

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