FUEL PRICE HIKE: Labour plans nationwide strike

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2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

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We know those bombing pipelines, Buhari should go after them — Ayiri Emami

By Emma Amaize

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IGER - DELTA ac tivist and Itsekiri leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, said on Friday that those bombing pipelines in Delta State were not ghosts, but known human beings living in the state and urged security agencies to go after them.

He told Saturday Vanguard on phone yesterday: “We know them, the security agents know them too, they are not ghosts, and we will support President Muhammadu Buhari to bring them out no matter where they hide.”

Emami, who was a former chairman of the Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, Warri and a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress, APC, faulted the Delta state government over its alleged laid-back response to vandalization of pipelines by the Niger Delta Avengers.

He also lambasted APC leaders in the state for purportedly sitting back while some criminals under the guise of agitating for the Niger Delta region, destroy oil facilities and give the state a bad name.

“APC leaders in Delta state should rise up and condemn the activities of these militants, we are not part of them, they should not destroy our state, we are in support of Buhari government, government should isolate the criminals and deal with them,” he said.

His words: “What is going on is not surprising to some of us and I want to say that government security agencies should be more serious about finding the perpetrators. I know that if they were serious, they would have fished them out because they have information on what is happening.”

“It is just some few persons that are doing all these things and security agents should not stand

and be looking at them and pretending that they do not know them. This matter is beyond what the Delta state government can handle even though it has not demonstrated enough commitment,” he said.

“I want to suggest that President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Security Adviser, Minister of State for Petroleum, the Army, Navy, Air force and Police, the state government and the communities should all wake up on this matter. The commu-

nities should identify the militants doing these things because they know them and point them to security agents for arrest,” he said.

Emami asserted: “I have interacted with people from the area, they are not happy with just some few persons that are bringing bad name to all of them for self-centered reasons and government should stop them, who they are avenging.” “ I can tell you that the name, Niger Delta Avengers, chosen by the

EOPLES Democrat ic Party, (PDP) in Niger State has described the ruling Party, All Progresives Congress one year administration in the state as a failure and asked the administration to redouble its efforts to meet the yearnings of the electorate.

Newly elected Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Barrister Tanko Beji who was addressing Journalists in Minna yesterday also slammed the state Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello over his refusal to sign to this year’s budget after it had

Daud Olatunji, Abeokuta

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O fewer than four persons have sustained serious injury while scores believed to have been trapped on Friday in the collapsed building at Itoku market in Abeokuta South local government area of Ogun state.

Confusion gripped traders and residents of Abeokuta following the collapse of the newly constructed Itoku market in the state, leaving many workers trapped.

Vanguard gathered that four persons have been rescued with various degree of injuries, while rescue effort was still ongoing.

Details of the cause of the collapse of the four story building was still sketchy as at the time of this report but security operatives and men of the national and state emergency service were still busy with the rescue effort.

The surging crowd prompted security operatives to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd as tension seems to have gone high.

At the moment, records from the site engineers indicate that there were 16 workers on site at the time of the unfortunate incident and they have all been accounted for.

A statement by the Honourable Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Adedayo Adeneye, stated that eight of them were rescued un-hurt, five who sustained different degrees of injuries were receiving treatment at the state hospital Ijaiye, Abeokuta, adding that one was critically injured, while two have been discharged.

Efforts to clear the rubbles at the collapsed building site were ongoing as at the time of filing in this report. He said: “Government has requested the combined rescue team to be more diligent with their operations as some non-site workers may be trapped in the rubble.

Late Oba Erediauwa, a friend, mentor, says J.B. Ogufere

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Governor Ibikunle Amosun going round the collapsed building at Itoku market yesterday. BY WUNMI AKINOLA

EFCC quizzes former Enugu LG chairman over N200m LG cash mitted other nefarious fiSoni Daniel, Abuja

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HE Economic and Fi nancial Crimes Commission EFCC, yesterday, took into custody for questioning the Senior Special Assistant to Enugu State Government on Special Duties, Pastor Sam Ifeanyi Iyiogwe, for allegedly appropriating over N200 million public fund when he served as Chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.

The alleged offence was reportedly committed between 2012 and 2015 when he was in office.

Pastor Iyiogwe allegedly diverted the money which was meant for the development of the Local Government into his personal account and spent it on his personal needs without the approval of the Nkanu East Local Government Area Legislative Council, and without executing up to 30% capital project captured under 2012 – 2015 for which billions of Naira was appropriated.

Iyiogwe was said to have deliberately withheld workers’ salaries and leave allowances for four years and diverted the money to his personal use and com-

PDP to APC: You have failed in Niger state

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criminal elements and economic terrorists bombing oil and gas installations in the state and their demands roundly expose their political, selfish, corrupt and destructive mission.

“They are on their own, the good people of Niger Delta are not with them, we are in support of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government, we want him to transform Niger Delta, what are these masquerading economic saboteurs avenging?

Govt building collapses at Itoku market, four injured

been passed by the House of Assembly almost two months ago

thereby adding to the retrogression of the state in all spheres of life.

Disquiet in Kwara PDP as Sunday Fagbemi leads factional exco

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HERE is now dis quiet in the main opposition party in kwara state as factional executive of Peoples Democratic Party in the state has emerged from another congress under the chairmanship of Prince Sunday Fagbemi led leadership.

Fagbemi with large members of his support-

ers addressing a press conference at the conference centre of kwara NUJ yesterday vehemently denied stepping down for the other faction of Iyiola Oyedepo, insisting that the congress that produced him was credible as it was conducted by five out of the seven electoral officers sent to the state from Abuja .

nancial atrocities against the council such as inflating cost of supplies and phantom contracts all in a bid to fleece the council and smile to the bank.

EFCC sources brought out documents to show that the SA to the governor refurbished a council bus with the sum of N5 million and gave another N5 million as bribe to some council officials to cover up his practices.

Further documents collected by the EFCC indicated that the former LG boss was paying his wife, who lives in Port Harcourt, a monthly salary of N1.5 million for doing nothing for the council but managing his vast estates and transport businesses in Rivers State.

The SSA to the governor was said to have diverted public funds for the construction of a shopping plaza near Ogui Road Junction, an estate near Mbaukwu Street Enugu, a multimillion Naira Mansion in his Village at Ubaha, a filling station at Agbani and a fleet of cars for transport services being managed by his wife in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mr. Iyiogwe was said to have also awarded contracts worth N120 million for the repairs of two nonexisting roads and pocketed the money.

ENOWNED football administrator and onetime President of West African Football Union, WAFU, Chief Jonathan B. Ogufere, has paid glowing tribute to the late Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’Edo, Akpolokpolo Oba Erediauwa. Reacting to the announcement of the passing on of the revered Benin monarch, the football administrator said that he received the sad news with “a deep sense of loss by me, members of my family and close friends,” adding, “ what an irreparable loss of a fatherly friend and mentor.”

In a tribute, he recalled his first contact with the departed monarch while in Enugu in 1959, working as a Senior Assistant Secretary in the Eastern Regional Government and later as an Assistant Telecommunication Controller in the Ministry of Communications. With time, it became friendship despite the huge age difference between both of us.

This friendship was fostered when we were transferred to the Lagos federal capital. According to Chief Ogufere, the ascension to the royal throne of Benin Kingdom in 1979 instead of hindering the relationship with his former friends, it became more pronounced due to the late monarch’s humane nature and kind disposition.

Oba Erediauwa was a great sportsman, keenly interested in athletics, football and lawn tennis and became a foremost supporter of the Super Eagles which he followed passionately in print and electronic media. “ I was the first person to be called about the results of matches in which the Super Eagles were involved through his phone calls,” Ogufere recalled.

He will say: “My friend, what is wrong with you people, disgracing the nation now and again, I keep telling you that we don’t have a team, you just parade eleven players, a team must be well balanced and properly blended. You go and tell them,” he will admonish.

Police lose 6 officers to hoodlums in Delta

By Perez Brisibe

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HE Delta State Police Command said it has lost six of its men in the last four weeks to the activities of hoodlums in different parts of Delta State.

Making the disclosure on Thursday during a town hall meeting at Ughelli, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Alkali Baba Usman while lamenting the constraints faced by the command, said: “The command has lost six of its fine police officers in the last four weeks in different part of the state.

“These officers were killed while legitimately discharging their duties as policemen.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016 — 3

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Fuel price hike: FG has not removed subsidy, says VP Osinabjo •Insists dearth of FOREX informed N145 per litre decision

By Levinus Nwabughiogu ONTRARY to popular C knowledge that the federal government has expungedoilsubsidyfromthe Nigerian oil and gas system, Vice President, Yemi Osinabjo refutedtheclaim,sayingitwas not true.

Osinabjo said that what the government did was to withdrawthemonopolyhitherto enjoyed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to allow freemarketsales.

He said that “at $40 a barrel, thereisn’tmuchofasubsidyto remove.”

Inastatementtilted“TheFuel Pricing Debate: Our story”, personally signed by him, the Vice President said that the decision to adopt a new measure was essentially informedbythenonavailability of foreign exchange for the independent marketers to importfuel.

HisStatement: “The Fuel Pricing Debate: Our Story “FellowCitizens: “I have read the various observations about the fuel pricing regime and the attendantissuesgenerated.All certainly have strong points.

“Themostimportantissueof courseishowtoshieldthepoor from the worst effects of the policy. I will hopefully address that in another note.

“Permitmeanexplanationof thepolicy.First,therealissue is notaremovalofsubsidy.At$40 a barrel there isn’t much of a subsidytoremove.

“In any event, the President is probably one of the most convinced pro-subsidy advocates.

“What happened is as follows:ourlocalconsumption of fuel is almost entirely imported. The NNPC

exchanges crude from its joint venturesharetoprovideabout 50%oflocalfuelconsumption.

Theremaining50%isimported by major and independent marketers.

“These marketers up until threemonthsagosourcedtheir foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria at the officialrate.However,sincelate

•Asks APC members to bury their heads in shame for opposing same in 2012

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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RENOWNED human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Mike Ozokheme has lambasted president Mohmmadu Buhari and the federal government of All Progressives Congress, for unilaterally jerking up the pump price of petrol to an unprecedented N145 from N86.50, saying it was unacceptable.

Speaking exclusively with Vanguard in Abuja on Friday, Ozekhome said the decision of government was insensitive and anti-people.

He said that the APC has reneged in all the promises it made to Nigerians during the electioneering campaign last year.

Ozokheme said that the increment has already impoverished the people.

The lawyer who was apparently angry with the situation reminded the APC government that most of its members were opposed to the price hike by the former government of president of Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, wondering why they were favorably disposed to it now.

Fuel price would crash in 3 months — APC

BY OMEIZAAJAYI

HEAllProgressivesCongressAPChaslentitsvoicetothefederal T government’sremovaloffuelsubsidy,saying,thepumppriceof fuelwouldcrashwithinthenextthreemonths.

Secretary to the State Government, Ebonyi State, Prof. Bernard Odoh (2nd right) presenting the letter of Partnership agreement to CEO, Vine Advisory Partner Ltd, Mrs. Bola Allison(2nd left); Business Director, Mr Ajibola Adams (left) and Project Manager, Ms. Bimpe Adesiyan (right), at the presentation of partnership agreement between the Ebonyi state Government and Vine Advisory Partners Limited for the deployment of Communication Infrastructure, monitoring and regulatory initiative to the state in Lagos.

Naira continues free fall, now N370/$

By Babajide Komolafe

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HE sharp deprecia tion of the naira in the parallel market triggered by the deregulation of petrol importation continued y e s t e r d a y, w i t h t h e naira depreciating to N370 per dollar.

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory A g e n c y, P P P R A o n

ENUGU MASSACRE:

New CP takes over •Assures communities of safety •Natives want Nsukka Area Commander redeployed to partner with all relevant

By Francis Igata, Enugu stakeholders as well as the good HE newly posted Enugu peopleofEnuguState,sistersecurity State Commissioner of agenciesandthemediaforeffective Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu,has crimepreventionandcontrolinthe assumed duty in his office at the state”.

It could be recalled that CP StatePoliceHeadquarters,Enugu.

Emmanuel C.S Ojukwu has Ojukwuwhountilnow,wasthe CommissionerofPoliceincharge servedtheforceinvariouscapacities of Eastern Port Command Port- which include; Assistant Harcourt,RiversState,relievedCP CommissionerofPoliceincharge Nwodibo Ekechukwuwhowas of Force Public Relations redeployed to Eastern Port Department , Deputy CommissionerofPoliceincharge Command.

Nwodibowasbootedoutofoffice of State Criminal Investigation followinghisperceivedinactionon Department Imo State April 25,when over 500 Fulani command,DeputyCommissioner Herdsmen invaded of Police in charge of Criminal Ukpabi,Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani InvestigationsDepartmentZone7 LocalGovernmentAreaofEnugu policeHead-quarters,Abujafrom State, slaughtering 46 natives where he became the despite intelligence report at his commissionerofpoliceinchargeof disposal indicating that the ForcePublicRelationsDepartment herdsmen would invade the Force Headquarters Abuja and thereafter became the community.

CPOjukwuinastatementmade CommissionerofPoliceincharge availabletoVanguard,”promised ofKogiState.

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last year, independent marketershavebroughtinlittle or no fuel because they have been unable to get foreign exchange from the CBN. The CBN simply did not have enough. (In April, oil earnings dipped to $550 million. The amount required for fuel importation alone is about $225million!).

“Meanwhile,NNPCtriedto cover the 50% shortfall by dedicating more export crude for domestic consumption.

Besides the short term depletion of the Federation Account,whichiswheretheFG and States are paid from, and further cash-call debts pilling up, NNPC also lacked the capacity to distribute 100% of local consumption around the country. Previously, they were responsibleforonlyabout50%.

(Partly the reason for the lingeringscarcity).

N145 per litre fuel increment: Ozokheme blasts Buhari, says decision, anti-people

Wednesday said that, with the deregulation of petrol importation, importers will henceforth be permitted to source for their foreign exchange requirements from secondary sources.

This triggered speculation and increased demand for the dollars in the parallel market on Thursday, halting the two-month exchange rate stability in the market. On Thursday the naira lost N7 naira to the dollar, as the exchange rate rose sharply to N334 per dollar from N320 per dollar.

This persisted yesterday with the parallel market exchange rate rising to N370 per dollar, indicating N50 depreciation of the naira in two days.

Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that the sharp depreciation was driven by two factors, increased demand for dollars and hoarding in anticipation of further depreciation of the naira.

According to a BDC operator who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity, “With the exchange rate going up, those who have dollars don’t want to sell, expecting the rate to rise further

so as to maximise their returns.”

Recall that the naira depreciated to N400 per dollar in February in the parallel market before retreating to N320 by the end of the month due to declining demand by importers.

According to President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, “The market has been stable all this while due to drastic reduction in import activities hence demand for dollars by importers reduced sharply. Those who had bought dollars when the rate was high and used it to import were having difficulty selling their goods, hence those who are still importing have reduced.

But the announcement yesterday has changed the whole thing. More demand for dollars for petrol importation is expected in the market; meanwhile, there is no supply of dollar. Some people with dollar, especially those who bought when the exchange rate was high, feel the rate is too low for them to sell, hence they are withholding their dollars, waiting for the rate to go higher.”

APC said, like the Global System of Mobile telecommunication, GSM,thepriceoffuelisboundtoreducesoonasaresultofincreased competition.

NationalChairmanoftheparty,JohnOdigie-Oyegunstatedthison FridayinAbujaduringabriefchatwithjournalists.

“From our point of view as a party, it has become necessary to fully and in order to recover from the economic situation which we have been plunged to totally free the economy and let the normal laws of demand and supply operate. If is unfortunate, it is painful what has happened,itwillincreasecostinalldirections.Butinthemediumterm, in three months at best, I foresee that the prices will come crashing downwhenthereisavailability.

Senator David Mark vs Daniel Onjeh: Tribunal fixes June 8 for commencement of Pre-trial

BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

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HEBenue State National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, has fixed June 8th. for the commencement ofthepre-trialsessioninthecasebetweenthedefeatedAllProgressives Congress, APC, candidate at the February 20th. Benue south rerun election, Daniel Onjeh and Senator David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Onjeh had approached the tribunal seeking a nullification of the election on the ground that it was marred by irregularities.

At the inaugural sitting of the Tribunal yesterday, Senator Mark through his Counsel, Mr. Ken Ikonne, questioned the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to entertain the suit contending that the petition was belated and incompetent.

According to him, the petition was filed on March 13th., 2016, 22 days after the declaration of the result of the election contrary to the provisions of the law which prescribed 21 days grace for all petitions to be filed.

He maintained that the position of the law on the matter was clear and unambiguous, hence apparent that the suit was filed out of time and consequently ‘dead on arrival.’

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Abdullahi Sanya adjourned sitting to June 8th. 2016 and urged the parties file and sort out their various interlocutory injunctions before the commencement of the pre-trial session.

We are not at war with Yoruba – Ijaw Youth Leader

BY TONY NWANKWO

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HE Ijaws in Lagos are not at war with Yorubas, therefore, it will be unfortunate for anybody to plan an attack on Ijaws in Lagos. Furthermore, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) have not issued any threats against any “installations in Lagos” and any other part of Nigeria, so the alleged threat or plan by Niger Delta Avengers cannot be capitalised upon to threaten peace abiding Ijaw people in Lagos State.

In a statement by National President, Ijaw Youth Development Association (IYDA), in Lagos, Comrade Fiyebo Eperetei, said, “ We use this medium to appeal to acclaimed Oodua Defender Union, (ODU) that we are not at war with anybody in Lagos State, and that the Ijaws in Lagos are peace loving people that have never caused any disunity in the state and consider it sad to hear about a group planning to attack law abiding Ijaw citizens because a group operating in Niger Delta are allegedly agitating for Niger Delta interest not of Ijaw alone.

‘We, however, appeal to ODU to withdraw the statement credited to them in a publication of May 10, this year, in the spirit of peace and unity betwen our two peoples”, Eperetei said.

4—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

Petrol price increase inevitable —Lai Mohammed

By Princewill Ekwujuru

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HE Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji. Lai Mohammed said yesterday in Lagos that the recent decision by the federal government to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS (petrol) was inevitable.

The minister made this assertion while speaking as a guest of honour at the Advertisers Association of Nigeria, ADVAN marketing conference themed: “Connecting Brand Builders,” where he said that the decision by government to increase petrol price was caused by the slide in the price of oil which is the country’s main foreign exchange earner in world oil market and the need for the government to reduce the pressure on the citizenry for them to have access to the product.

He also said that the petrol marketers could not import fuel as a result of their inability to access foreign exchange, raise funds and open letters of credit.

On the other hand, he stated that the Nigeria National Petroleum

Corporation, NNPC, was only able to supply 48 percent of the nation’s required consumption which was a far cry from what is needed in the country.

He however assured that government was doing everything possible to ensure that it did not renege on its promises. “We

are here today to bridge the gap between the government and the people. It is critical to have confidence in the government.”

On the conference, Mohammed said that the conference was designed for the organisers to share ideas that will improve consumer experiences.

Why power supply isn’t stable, by Benin Disco MD

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ITH a drop in the daily allocation to about 129 megawatts of electricity out of the 1,175 national power generation, there is little the Benin Electricity Distribution Plc. (BEDC) could do to ensure stable power supply to its customers in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti states, the distribution companies Managing Director, Mrs Funke Osibodu, has said.

She disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists at the Benin headquarters of BEDC yesterday.

According to a statement from the Disco, Mrs Osibodu, attributed the drop in the nation’s national output from the previous 3,000 megawatts to 1,175 megawatts to the vandalism of power facilities, especially

through the puncturing of the gas pipeline in the Niger Delta.

She explained that Nigeria needed to generate over 8,500 megawatts of electricity to have a relatively stable power supply.

The BEDC boss said for her company to satisfy its consumers, it would need not less than 1,400 megawatts of electricity.

She said that against the backdrop of complaints arising from billing, BEDC has developed a bill calculator that would give a rough estimate of what a customer consumed in a particular household unit within a particular period with a view to addressing the controversy generated by either underestimation or overestimation of customers’ bill.

From Left: Alhaji Garba Bello Kankarofi, APCON Registrar; Mr David Okeme, President Advertisers Association of Nigerian [ADVAN]; Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Hon Minister of Information and Culture and Mrs Johan Ihekwaba, General Manager Marketing, UAC Foods Nigeria during the 2016 Advertisers Association of Nigeria [ADVAN] Marketers Conference with the Theme: Connecting Brand Builders held at Sheraton hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

L-R: Mrs Bunmi Oke, CEO Worldwide; Kasie Abone, Mrs Remi Diagbare and Mrs Flora Archibong during the 2016 Advertisers Association of Nigeria [ADVAN] Marketers Conference. PHOTOS: AKEEM SALAU

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016 — 5

Fuel price hike: Labour plans nationwide total strike •NUPENG, PENGASSAN support subsidy withdrawal, call for dialogue on new fuel price

By Victor AhiumaYoung, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Ike Uchechukwu

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OLLOWING last Wednesday’s partial deregulation of the downstream sector of Petroleum industry by the Federal Government with an increase in pump price of petrol from N86.50 to N145, the organised labour and their civil society allies have resolved to lead Nigerian workers on strike after Wednesday, May 18.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that labour leaders will send a letter to government latest tomorrow demanding a total reversal to the N86.50 pump price of petrol before 12 am on Wednesday, failing which all installations will be shut down thereafter.

The industrial unions have said between Monday and Tuesday, they will mobilize members for a nationwide total strike, and therefore urged Nigerians to prepare for the industrial action by stockpiling food items and other essential things they may need during the duration of the strike.

Information available to Saturday Vanguard had it that while leaders of Ayuba Wabba faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, will meet with their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria ,TUC, counterparts today in Abuja alongside some civil society groups to harmonize positions on how to go about the planned action, the Joe Ajaero led NLC will also meet today in Lagos with some civil society groups to take position.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that though the National Executive Council, NEC, meetings of Ayuba Wabba faction of NLC was very stormy as labour leaders from the north were foot-dragging over the planned strike, labour leaders from the South west, South-South and South-East, insisted on fighting the government to a stand still over the hike.

After much pressure, it was gathered that labour leaders from the north agreed to give the planned strike their total support.

It was then resolved that a letter be sent to government between today and tomorrow on the resolve of labour and their civil society allies and that industrial unions should mobilize their members between Monday and Tuesday for a total strike

that could commence on or after Wednesday.

Meanwhile, TUC on its part, at its NEC meeting gave government till Wednesday to invite labour leaders to find a way forward to avoid a total shut down of the country.

However it is expected that at today’s meeting between TUC and Wabba faction of NLC, both positions would be harmonized for the action to begin on Wednesday.

Addressing journalists after its NEC meeting, yesterday in Lagos, TUC President, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, said the body was giving the Federal Government till May 18, to invite labour leaders to discuss the way forward to avoid nationwide strike. “‘The NEC in session has given the government till Wednesday 18, to invite the leadership of labour for discussion aimed at determining the appropriate way forward,’’Kaigama said, According to him, the leadership of TUC would interface with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Civil Society Allies to work out plans that would be put in place to protest the increase in fuel price if the government fails to meet the Wednesday deadline.

Similarly, the Ajaero led faction of NLC which had earlier given indication that members would join forces with other bodies and Nigerians to fight the hike, would meet today and also take a position.

Ajaero told Saturday Vanguard that as pro-people group, it would always stand by the people to find out how to lessen their pains.

NUPENG, PENGASSAN back subsidy removal, call for further dialogue on new fuel price

Meanwhile, the Joint National Executive Council(NEC) of The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) Friday threw its weight behind the subsidy removal but warned that steps must immediately be taken to review the minimum wage and for proceeds from the sector to be used effectively and judiciously for development.

The President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese who stated this Friday while briefing

newsmen in Calabar during the joint NEC meeting of NUPENG/PENGASAN said government must immediately put in place mechanisms to review the minimum wage adding that there must be palliative measures to cushion the effects of subsidy removal and deregulation of the oil sector.

According to Achese, they had expected government to deregulate the sector for more than eight years now but government had always dragged their feet.

In his words:”The deregulation of the oil sector and opening of the market is a welcome development, we must deregulate the oil and gas sector. There must be transparency. We must stop paying subsidy into the hands of few Nigerians who are mortgaging this country and that must stop, when the issue was raised in 2012 it was politicized, we must not mortgage the nations economy “he stated.

On the current price he stated that “The issue of pricing is a secondary issue but the most important thing is that government has come up with a firm plan to stop the payment of funds to the hands of a few” “we must open up the system and see how we can now talk about regulation, the key issues of price modulation is regulation as well as putting in place the necessary checks and balances that can control the price environment” he said.

“We are (NUPENG and PENGASSAN) a centre, we have also requested that if the price is too high we are going to react, we are going to ask for a platform where we will sit down and talk about the possible best price that can take this nation forward, but for now our ’s is that it is welcome by both union that the sector is deregulated and that subsidy is being removed”.

On his part the Preident of PENGASSAN ,Comrade Olabode Johnson said they were not in support of import driven petroleum subsidy.

In his words:”we are against import driven subsidy of petroleum products,our refineries must work, the most important thing that will make Nigerians key into what government is doing is to have affordability and availability.

From left: Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; Mr. Dayo Mobereola, Commissioner of Transportation, Lagos State, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, Chairman, CFAO, Yamaha Motor Nigeria Ltd and Mr. Hisashi Fujii, Marketing Director/Deputy Managing Director, CFAO, Yamaha Motor Nigeria Ltd at the showroom, during the grand opening of Yamaha showroom and assembly plant, at Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Police arrest six homosexuals in Benin

By Gabriel Enogholase

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IX suspected homo sexuals have been arrested by policemen from the office of the Zone 5 Police Headquarters in Benin.

Assistant Inspector of Police in charge of the zone, Alhaji Musa Daura who made the disclosure yesterday while addressing journalists, said the arrest was carried out by operatives of the Zonal Anti-Vice Section, acting on credible information.

He gave the names of the suspects as Festus Osagiede, male (24); Hyacinth Vincent Omahanrebho, male (20); Itama Omon, male (25); Onwuka Prince, male (48); Monye Samuel Chukwuka, male (23); and Osadebe Kelvin, male (26).

He disclosed that five of the suspects were apprehended at their hide out along No. 12 Ikpoba Slope, while Osadebe Kelvin was later picked up somewhere behind Benson Idahosa University on May 11 at about 06.00 hours while trying to escape out of Benin City.

He said that the suspects have confessed to be homosexuals and have carnal knowledge of each other on several occasions in their hide out.

According to him, preliminary investigation conducted into the matter, revealed that the suspects have been committing the offence since 2006.

“The leader of the gang

and principal suspect, Festus Osagiede first committed the crime with the third suspect, Itama Omon in 2006 when both attended a night club in Benin City. After the third suspect (Itama) got drunk, Festus Osagiede took him to his house and forcefully had carnal knowledge of him. Since then, they have been committing the crime with each other at large until on May 9, 2016 when luck ran out on them, and they were arrested by the zonal detectives”, he said.

The AIG who used the opportunity to reiterate that homosexuality was

an offence against humanity and nature, and an abominable act that should be condemned in every ramification by all, advised parents and guardians to always monitor their wards and children. It will be recalled that in January 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed a new law that makes it illegal for gay people to even hold a meeting.

The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act also criminalizes homosexual clubs, associations and organizations, with penalties of up to 14 years in jail.

APM Terminals Apapa appoints new Managing Director

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IGERIA’s biggest terminal operator, APM Terminals Apapa Limited, has announced the appointment of Martin Jacob as Managing Director, effective June 1st, 2016.

Mr. Jacob brings with him extensive experience in the industry from a wide variety of roles held during his 16 years with the AP Moller-Maersk Group, including the past five as the Managing Director of the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), in Onne, Nigeria.

WACT, which handled 233,000 TEUs in 2015, was named Nigeria’s Best Container Handling and Port Development Company of 2015 at the African Governance and Corporate Leadership

awards earlier this year.

The award was presented by the Nigerian Institute for Government, Research, Leadership and Technology in recognition of the terminal’s achievements in productivity, investment, innovation and customer service. “I am looking forward to my new responsibilities at APM Terminals Apapa, and to working closely with our customers, local and national authorities to continue to achieve success and to help facilitate the growth and progress of the Nigerian economy”, Jacob said APM Terminals Apapa is the largest container facility by capacity of the three serving Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city and business centre.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

Governors living large, drawing N35m for each trip — Kalu

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu has accused current set of Nigerian governors of squandering their states’ funds on personal luxury, saying it was the main reason they cannot pay workers salaries in their respective states.

Speaking against the

backdrop of the recent demand for more funds by the governors to meet up with their statutory obligations, Kalu said that the demand was unnecessary, revealing that the States already have sufficient funds to function optimally.

He hinted that the governors have the penchant of drawing a whooping sum of N35 million as traveling

allowance, saying that unless they stopped tampering with the security vote for personal use, the states wouldn’t see development.

Kalu who spoke to State House Correspondents after a private meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinabjo at the presidential villa, Abuja on Friday however gave exceptions of some governors whom he said were fixing their states.

He said: “I think most of these governors are doing very well and some of them also are living in the euphoria of the office.You can see most of them who are very active, I don’t need to count them for you.

“The issue of crying for fund, honestly, in my opinion, these governors have enough fund to work for their people because if you check, the money drawn as security vote is excessive. They should stop that.

“Unless they stop drawing on security vote they will not have enough fund to work with and most of them are living in absolute luxury, which is not their money that they worked out for. So it is impossible to continue living in this manner.

“Most of the governors are even living in Abuja now, they don’t even live in their states, honestly.

If you look at the books very well, in each trip they make, they will take travel allowance of N35 million, which is un-heard of.''

N1.9bn subsidy: Oil Marketers challenge prosecution without AGF’s fiat

By Abdulwahab Abdulah and Jane Echewedo

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RIAL of an oil marketer, Walter Wagbatsoma and two others over an alleged N1.9bn fuel subsidy case took a new dimension before an Ikeja HighCourtasthedefendants asked it to quash the charges profferedagainstthemonthe ground that the prosecution counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, had no Fiat of the Attorney General of the Federation,AGF,toprosecute the case.

To this end, they are prayingthecourtpresidedby

Justice Lateefa Okunnu for an order discharging and acquitting them of the offencesfiledagainstthemby the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Wagbasoma is facing the trial along with Adaoha UgoNgadi, Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer and Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited over alleged fraudulent claims from the fuel subsidy fund.

The new position by the defendant came up when Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN filed a motion challenging the legality of Rotimi Jacob, SAN to represent the Federal Government.

Lagos remains most attractive investment destination in Africa — Ambode ...Commissions 70,000 capacity motorbikes assembly plant

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AGOS State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday emphasised the leadership status of the State as the most attractive location financially and socially for investment in Africa, just as he reiterated the commitment of his administration towards putting in place policies to attract investment and facilitate conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive.

Governor Ambode, who spoke in Lagos at the grand opening of CFAO Yamaha Showroom and Assembly Plant, said with a population in excess of 21 million, a significant proportion of which comprises of the midclass with strong purchasing powers, he was convinced that the State has what every investor desires in investing in any city.

He said aside the fact that Lagos accounts for 60 per cent of Nigeria’s industrial capacity, the State also attracts between 70 to 80 per cent of $6bn annual Foreign Direct Investment (DFI) into Nigeria, adding that measures are being taken to increase the figure by 50 per cent.

The Governor lauded the collaboration between CFAO of France and Yamaha of Japan to bring about the joint venture in Lagos Nigeria, saying the partnership was good news for Lagos economy and a boost to the efforts of his administration in bringing investment to the State.

“The significance of locating this Assembly Plant in Lagos is very clear. Lagos remains the most attractive location financially and socially for investment in Africa.

I have come to assure you that you have made the right decision to locate your business here,” he said.'

Ogun Customs confiscate 108kg Indian hemp

By Daud Olatunji, Abeokuta

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HE Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it has confiscated 108 kilogramme of cannabis, popularly known as Indian hemp and 170 kegs of petroleum being smuggled out of the country to the neighbouring Republic of Benin.

The Customs Area Controller for the Ogun State Command, Comptroller Waindu Multafu disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the command headquarters, Abeokuta on the latest seizures made by the operatives of the command and the revenue realised within the first quarter of 2016.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016 — 7

B-R-I-E-F-S

Obaseki declares for Edo guber race

•Edo Assembly, ALGON, youths, market women and leaders endorse him

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN city, the Edo State capital stood still yesterday, when the chairman of the state Economic Team, Mr Godwin Obaseki officially declared his intention to run for the 2016 governorship election under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In his declaration, Obaseki said, “It will be a sin against God and my people if I walk away from Edo state with the knowledge and experience that I have gathered. It will be unpatriotic not to stand and be counted. Over the last thirty years I have had successful experience in the private sector and over the last seven years I have been part of the most successful administration in Nigeria which is Edo state”.

It was endorsement galore as Obaseki announced the state Commissioner for Works and Oshiomhole’s political son, Mr Osarodion Ogie as his Campaign Director. The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mrs Elizabeth Ativie, led other members of the state House of Assembly to endorse Obaseki. Majority Leader of the House, Folly Ogedengbe endorsed Obaseki on behalf of the Edo North people, former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Lucky Imasuen endorsed him on behalf of Edo South while the Deputy Speaker of the House Justin Okonobo endorsed him on behalf of the people of Edo Central.

Others who endorsed him include the youth wing of APC led by Tony Kabaka, ALGON led by Morrison, market women and several leaders of the party. The traditional Urhokpota hall was filled to the brim while members of the state Executive Council were also present.

Ogie who endorsed Obaseki on behalf of members of the Governor Adams Oshiomhole Political family, said they will not embark on any hate campaign because “we have a good product. You cannot build your house and abandon it for a tenant to take over. People are shouting continuity, continuity, what are you going to continue, it is Oshiomhole’s work.

“Obaseki is the best person to do the work. The game just started, we will

not abuse anybody but anybody who abuses us, we will reply. I speak for Oshiomhole political family, we have endorsed Obaseki and the game has just began”, he declared.

Obaseki in his address said “as this administration comes to an end, we are faced with new challenges, as you all know the price of crude oil has reduced significantly therefore Nigeria is not able to earn enough foreign exchange to import its goods and services.

This has brought economic hardship to many of us. These challenges pose new threats to us. In the face of these challenges, we need a leadership with fresh and original

ideas to help us face these challenges, so that we can build on the success of the Oshiomhole led administration.

“We must be courageous and determined to achieve the goals we want for our people. I therefore stand before you today, on the shoulders of the successes built by the current administration over the last seven and half years,we have transformed Edo state in all aspects. However, the Edo project is still work in progress and we are now in the most delicate part of the journey. We cannot afford any reversal in the achievements we have made today.

“There are a lot more

we still need to do. We still have to construct thousands of kilometres of road into our rural communities and into farms. We still need to improve our school infrastructure.’’

We need to further strengthen our service delivery to our people, we need to address the unemployment problem which is facing us. It will be a huge risk for all of us if we revert political powers to those who lack the deep understanding of how we got to where we are and how we have achieved what we have achieved and how we will make the link between what we have achieved and our future.

“If we make the mistake

Taxation: FIRS shuts firms In Lagos, Aba

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HE enforcement unit of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), yesterday shut the premises of many big companies for non-payment of a variety of taxes.

In Lagos, FIRS officials shut down the premises of RT Briscoe Nigeria PLC, Sinopec Nigeria, an oil and exploration company in Ikoyi, over failure to remit their taxes. The Lagos enforcement team, led by Emeka Obiagwu, sealed up Briscoe Motors located on Fatai Atere Way, Mushin, over a tax liability of N1.9 billion.

The team ordered the staff out of their offices and locked up the building.

Obiagwu told newsmen that “my mandate is to get at least 50% of the total amount owed by the company, anything less than that will not be acceptable,” Obiagwu said. At Sinopec Nigeria, the company which owes $15million, the enforcement team had no trouble shutting down the office premises and staff quarters

...seals companies in Imo

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By Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri

crack enforcement team of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, from Abuja, has sealed some Limited Liability Companies in Imo State, for allegedly failing to remit their taxes as required by extant laws.

The team, which was led for the operation by a senior official of the Tax Enforcement Unit, TEU, Mr. James Binang, effected the sanction with Warrant of Distrain served on the affected companies. Some of the affected companies included, but not limited to Imo Transport Company, ITC, Holiday and Tours Limited, as well as Dan Dollars Motors Limited.

Giving the breakdown of the tax default, Binang disclosed that Holiday and Tours Limited owed N2,411,523.72, Dan Dollars Motors Limited N3,557,361.16, while Imo Transport Company has a conflicting figures of N53,130,674.26 and N36,407,775.42.

AccordingtoMr.Binang,“theaffectedcompanieshavebeen given only 14 days to fully comply with the provisions of the law or FIRS would be forced to necessary and commensurate legal actions against the erring establishments”.

Nothing can stop PDP Convention – Fayose

By Ben Agande, Abuja

From left: Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mrs Elizabeth Ativie, governorship aspirant of the APC; Mr Godwin Obaseki and DG Obaseki Campaign Organization, Osarodion Ogie Esq during Obaseki’s declaration for Edo guber race yesterday in Benin.

Dogara expresses worries over tax evasion in Nigeria ....Reps to engage Finance Minister on tax issues

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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HE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has expressed concern over tax evasion by individuals and organisations in Nigeria.

The Speaker who made this known yesterday when he received the President of Char-

tered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Dr Teju Somorin in his office, said the situation was becoming worrisome as some people make huge sums of money without remitting the accompanying taxes to government.

Dogara in a statement by his special adviser, media and public affairs, Turaki Hassan said, “To be candid, we are worried; for instance, in Abuja here an individual can sell a property of up to a billion naira and he will not pay a dime as tax.

“And there are so many Nigerians who are not paying taxes. So what is it that we can actually do as a country? What is the problem? Is it absence of an enabling legal framework?

“Is it that we have a

robust framework but the problem is implementation? What is the challenge? How can we resolve it?”

The speaker said that next week, the House would engage Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun on issues relating to diversification of the economy and taxation in continuation of its debate on different sectors.

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HE Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has stated that despite some of the problems the party seems to be facing at the moment, its national convention has been slated for May 21, 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State .

Governor Fayose who was responding to the purported dissolution of the National Working Committee of the party by a group of concerned party members led by Professor Jerry Gana, insisted that those against the leadership of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff have lost relevance in the party as they no longer have fresh ideas to bring forward.

According to Governor Fayose, “Politics and governance is crisis management. Have you seen a party that is not in crisis when it comes to interest and leveraging of interests? Politics is about interests. Are you saying that you will call somebody in the village to come and take a position? That era is gone.

You have to struggle; you have to make efforts and show that you actually need that position.”

Before now, a lot of the people that were in party positions wereunwillingcharacters.Now,willingcharactersarecoming out; that is why you see the struggle that much. As a result, a lot of people will be displaced or feel displaced.

Kogi East Senate: High Court declares Alfa PDP candidate

BY BOLUWJI OBAHOPO

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Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has af firmed the victory of former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isaac Alfa (Rtd) as the duly elected Peoples Democratic Party, primary election candidate for the Kogi Eastern senatorial district.

The court struck out the application filled by Senator Attai Aidoko seeking a stay of execution over an earlier. Judgment against Alfa to stop parading himself as the PDP candidate for the inconclusive senatoral election of the Kogi Eastern senatorial axis.

Justice Nnamdi Dingba while delivering judgment, dismissed the motion filed by Aidoko, held that granting the prayers contained in the application would amount to standing justice on its head.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

Ekw eremadu’s 54th bir thda Ekweremadu’s birthda thdayy

FUEL: Queues disappear, prices differ •Enugu N190, Abuja N145, Minna N145, Kaduna N170, Akure N150, Maiduguri N190.

•Ibadan N145,Lagos N145,Kano N145, Port Harcourt N145,Jos N145.

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N Wednesday evening, Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ibe Kachikwu announced partial deregulation of the down-stream sector of the Petroleum industryincreasingthepump priceofpetroltoN145perlitre.

Fuel stations across the country immediately reacted to the announcement by adjusting their pumps to the new price. Queues suddenly disappeared while some fuel stations which hitherto claimed not to have the product also opened up for customers.

By Michael Eboh ABUJA ll filling stations in Abuja, as at yesterday, had adjusted their pump price to N145 per litre, while the huge fuel queues which resurfaced since the beginning of the week had started to thin out.

However, a few filling stations were still engaged in sharp practices, shortchanging motorists with the manipulation of their pump, a situation called underdispensing.

When vanguard visited petrol stations in Abuja, Nasarawa State and Niger State, the queues were gradually thinning out, while anumberofthepetrolstations only had less than 10 cars on queuetopurchasetoproduct.

Onepetrolstationattendant told Vanguard that most motorists no longer fill up their tanks, stating that majority of the people who patronized their station only purchased between N3,000 and N5,000 worth of the product.

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By Ola Ajayi IBADAN n Ibadan, it was a big surprise that after the announcement of the new pump fuel price, all filling stations that had claimed it had no fuel suddenly opened to customers. In a twinkle of an eye, the queue vanished from filling stations. Some motorists who had been on queue at some filling stations selling at the old rate of N86.50 left after the fuel pump was adjusted to the new price.

Saturday Vanguard observed that several motoristswhocouldnotafford the new price parked their

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vehicles at home and this led to reduction in vehicular movements within the metropolis.

ByAbdulsalamMuhammad KANO n Kano despite upward review of the price of petrol, the commercial city of Kano there is still scarcity of the product. Few stations that had fuel were selling to motorists at N145 per litre.

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By Luka Binniyat KADUNA ost petrol retail outlets in Kaduna which had fuel yesterday, sold between N150 and N170 per litre. Saturday Vanguard findings showed that most of the filling stations that had claimed they had no fuel, had suddenly flung open their gates on Wednesday evening and started dispensing fuel.

By Friday, not many fillings stations had fuel, but the few that had said they bought from second parties, not directly from the NNPC depot. They therefore sold fuel between N150 and N170 per litre. I would have sold even above this price of N170 per litre but we are afraid that the price may come down after the strike by Labour next week. So we want to finish what we have now,andwaitfortheoutcome of the strike”, a manager of one of the filling stations told Vanguard under condition of anonymity.

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By Jimitota Onoyume PORT HARCOURT illing stations with petrol in Port Harcourt were dispensing at N145 per litre to motorists.

Most of them suddenly opened for business after the federal government announced the new price.

Vanguard observed that there were no queues in the filling stations on Station road, Aba road and several other areas in Port Harcourt.

Motorists who spoke to Vanguard described the filling station operators as shylock, saying they were selling old stock at the new rates.

“The are selling products they got at less than 84 naira per litre at the new rate of N145, this is exploitative.”, one of them said. The new pump price of fuel has also

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affected transport fares on all routes in the state capital, Port Harcourt. Most of the taxi andcommercialbusoperators have increased their fares by fifty percent.

By Marie-Therese Nanlong JOS n Jos, the Plateau State capital,majorfuelstations were not dispensing the product at the time of this report but the few Independent Marketers that had fuel sold it at N145 per liter. Motorists however believed the fuel pumps have been tampered with to make them pay more than the said price. There were no noticeable queues in areas where the products were being sold and those buying in jerry cans from roadside traders paid between N900 andN1000forafour-literjerry can.

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By Dayo Johnson AKURE he fuel queues have not disappeared across Ondo state following the hike in the price of petrol by the federalgovernment.Findings showed that independent marketers across the state sell the product for N150 per litre instead of the N145 new pump price. The Mega station located at Adegbola junction in Akure metropolis sold the product at N145 per litre. Many filling stations which had shut their gates to consumers started selling again for between N145 and N150 per litre.

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By Ndahi Marama MAIDUGURI ollowing the announcement on the new price of petrol, fuel stations have adjusted their pumps selling at between N160 and N180 per litre.

Somestationsareevenselling at N200 per litre.

The stations are not only selling above the official price of N145 per litre but most of themhaveclosedforbusiness leaving motorists to queue for long distance without being attended to.

Surprisingly, even the Main NNPC Depot situated along Maiduguri-Biu Road which was operating a day to the announcement has stopped attending to customers as the queue increased.

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Fuel price hike: TMG calls for mass action against FG

By Caleb Ayansina

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HE Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), weekend, called on Nigerians to resist in totality the recent hike in price of petrol by the Federal Government, describing it as insensitive to the plights of the masses.

To this end, the group made up of over 400 civil organisations called for the resignation of the Minister of State for Petroleum

Resourses, Ibe Kachikwu, saying he lacked capacity to manage the sector.

The Chairman of TMG, Com. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, in a statement in Abuja, said “TMG stoutly rejects the N145 pump price of petrol imposed by Federal Government. To say the least, this imposition portrays the government as insensitive, and out of touch with the daily unbearable plight of the ordinary Nigerian.

“Coming at a time when

the implementation of the recently signed 2016 Budget, is yet to take off, the hike in the face of groaning and pains, is ill-timed and badly advised.

“It is tantamount to killing a willing horse to ask the Nigerian people, who are already carrying the heavy burden of the failure of governance over the years, to take on one more load of extreme economic hardship, as represented by the imposed price of petrol..

By Francis Igata ENUGU lso,following the announcement by federal government,filing stations in Enugu metropolis and beyond sells at N190 per liter while most commuters have resorted to trekking following eighty percent hike in cost of fares for intra-city movements.

While speaking on a live television show y e s t e r d a y, S e c r e t a r y General,NLC,Peter OzoEzon said,”the present economic situation has completely eroded the little salary that workers do have.

Ifcheckthepresenteconomic situation, the devaluation of the Naira and sprialling inflation, the average Nigerian is already unable to meet basic needs. When undersuchsituation,youthen bring electricity tariff increase to further compound that situation,then you follow with a hike in fuel price to impoverish the masses,that cannot be the way Governmentshouldfunction.

“It is unacceptable. The PPPRA Act sets up stakeholdersforuminlawthat deals with this matter. The PPPRA Board has not been constituted for over two years.

I have written President Muhammad Buhari on the

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Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, supported by his wife, Dr. Nwanneka, cuts his 54th birthday anniversary cake in Abuja

illegalityofnotconstitutingthe Board. Without a Board,how can you determine the template of N145 that we are using to sell petrol. The law is clear on how PPPRA should exercise their power. It is the Board that should set the

template for pricing. So,for somebody appointed by the MinisterofStateforPetroleum to be playing that role is an illegality.

“The Minister has become as it where, a sole administrator.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016 —9

B-R-I-E-F-S

Militants blow up another Chevron pipeline •Military seizes 5 suspects •Ozobo slams Oduku for fingering Gbaramatu people

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, SouthSouth and Perez Brisibe

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ECURITY agents have arrested five suspected militants in connection with the bombing of a Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL crude oil pipeline in the early hours of yesterday at Makaraba community, Gbaramatu clan, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State.

Makaraba community in Gbaramatu clan is host to a Chevron Flow Station.

Saturday Vanguard could not confirm, yesterday, if the apprehended suspects were members of Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, the militant group, which had been on rampage in Delta state and other parts of the region, lately, but unlike previous attacks, the group did not claim responsibility for the attack.

The spokesperson of Joint Task Force, JTF, Col Isa Ado, wasunavailableforcomments on the recent attacks when our reporter called his cell phone.

However, a dependable security source told one of our reporters: “I cannot give you details of the suspects arrested; they were arrested by the military men, who have been on the hunt for members of the Niger Delta Avengers, which claimed responsibility for series of explosions on oil facilities in the area of late.”

How they struck Reports from the area said the militants blew up the pipeline at two different spots.

Initially, it was not clear if it was a pipeline or an oil well that was bombed as fire billowed from the location in the swampy terrain, near Abiteye, but CNL officials conducted an over flight with a helicopter, yesterday morning, to ascertain the situation.

Niger Delta Avengers had warned, Thursday, that it would attack the headquarters of CNL in Lagos and tank farm if it did not abort its planned repair works on the Valve Platform earlier destroyed by the

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FG mulls DNA Databank to track terrorists •Set to conduct DNA tests on 6, 000 IDP kids

By Omeiza Ajayi

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ETERMINED to halt the activities of terrorists and other organized criminal gangs in the country, the Federal Government is considering the establishment of a Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA data-bank for use by security and intelligence services in tracking criminals.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama stated this Friday in Abuja while briefing security correspondents on the main agenda, scope and possible outcomes of the 2nd Regional Security Summit currently underway in Abuja.

He added that of the nearly two million internally displaced persons in Nigeria, no fewer than 6, 000 children age below five have been severed from their parents.

Consequently, he said building such a DNA data-bank would greatly assist in tracing the parents of the displaced children.

“We have within the country nearly two million internally displaced persons, a real tragedy which we have to address.

“We also have about six thousand children under the age of five who are separated from their parents and homes. We have to look at how to address that human catastrophe.”

ODU holds 3-day biennial conference May 26 •Arrested members of Eye fraternity cult members at Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa by Operation Burst group, May 5.

The spokesperson, Col Mudroch Agbinibo, added that the group, which had restricted itself to only pipeline attacks, might take human casualties if the company thought it was joking and defied the warning by going ahead to effect repairs on the damaged facility.

Saturday Vanguard could not confirm if CNL was carrying out any repairs at the time the militants bombed the pipeline barely 24 hours after the warning.

Saturday Vanguard gatheredthatthedaringattack occurred near the same Valve Platform the Niger Delta Avengers bombed earlier, not far from an outpost of soldiers

guarding oil facilities in the creeks. A security source, who spoke to one of our reporters, said: “The loud explosive bang was heard at the facility and it appears dynamites were used to carry out the attack.”

He said: “It is not certain if therearecausalitiesasaresult of the incident, but investigations into the attack is still ongoing, while security operatives continue their search for the perpetrators of this ugly act.”

Attempts to reach Chevron’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Relations, Deji Haastrup for comments on the incident was fruitless as a source said he was out of

the country. An official, Mr. Tunji Idowu, who spoke, however, said: “We are still assessing the situation; we do not have facts on it yet.’’

Ozobo blasts Oduku Meanwhile, national president of the Ijaw Peoples DevelopmentInitiative,IPDI, Austin Ozobo, Friday, tongue-lashed the Commandant of the Riverine Security (Coast Guard of the Federation), Commander Bibi Oduku, who fingered Gbaramatu people, Thursday, for the pipeline attacks for his “unfounded and unguarded comments.”

He said: “I am against the violent attacks by the Niger Delta Avengers, which we have condemned as a group.

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HE Ovu Development Union, ODU, Agbon, Ethiope East local government area of Delta State has concluded arrangements to hold its 3-day biennial conference on May 26, 2016.

In statement by the Assistant Secretary of the Union, Comrade Peter Eruaga, on behalf of the Union said delegates will arrive on Thursday while the Ovu day celebration which will feature Cultural display by all communities and various branches of the Union at Ovu commences on Friday May 27.

The statement further stated that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and election of Ovu Development Union, ODU executive, will hold on Saturday May 28 at Ovu town hall.

We know the plight of the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom since the days of militancy until now. It is, therefore, provocative for a mischiefmakerlikeOdukuto saythatthewholeGbaramatu people are involved in the pipeline attacks.”

“How can he say so, he (Oduku) is a questionable person, who has deceived so

many Niger Deltans under the guise of Buhari amnesty for militants and he had been boasting about that he was going to take over the security job in the area from exmilitant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

So he has embarked on a smear campaign of Gbaramatupeopletoachieve his aim,” he said.

CRUDE EXPORTS: Nigeria faces lowest output since 1970 .S. oil major Exxon •As EXXON shuts flows U Mobil has suspended kept production well below Nigeria hopes the exports from Nigeria’s top crude stream, adding to economic strains from unrest and violence that have cut production to its lowest in decades. Exxon Mobil confirmed yesterday that it had declared a force majeure — a suspension of deliveries because of events beyond its control — on Nigeria’s Qua Iboe crude oil grade BFO-QUA, and that

a portion of production had been curtailed.

The producer said on Thursday it had reduced output after a drilling rig damaged a pipeline.

Brent crude has surged to $47 per barrel from $27 in January, in part because of production problems in Africa’s former largest producer as well as a decline in U.S. output. Oil prices have jumped around 20 percent so far this quarter, their biggest such rise since 2011. Exxon Mobil declared a force majeure on the country’s largest export grade Qua Iboe BFO-QUA, traders said yesterday.

The outage adds to production problems at two of the other largest crude streams, Bonny Light and Forcados, which have already taken Nigeria’s

output to a 22-year low.

A Geneva-based trader said that output of Qua Iboe had stopped completely and that it was unclear when it would re-start.

Nigeria’s oil production has fallen to 1.65 million barrels per day (bpd) due to militant attacks, Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun said, from 2.2 million bpd.

If outages at Qua Iboe and other streams are prolonged, Nigerian output could fall to around 1.2 million barrels per day, according to Reuters calculations. This would be the lowest output since 1970, according to BP’s statistical review. Up until this year Nigeria had been Africa’s largest crude exporter with its economy heavily reliant on oil.

However rampant oil theft and corruption has

its capacity of above 2 million barrels per day. As a result, Angola has overtaken Nigeria as the continent’s largest producer since March, according to OPEC figures.

Nigeria was due to export 337,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May, according to initial loading programmes released in March.

Royal Dutch Shell’s local operation also shut a major pipeline earlier this week and declared force majeure on Bonny Light crude exports on Wednesday. An attack in February on a Shell oil pipeline also shut the 250,000 barrel-a-day Forcados export terminal.

Last week, Chevron said its platform in the Delta was attacked by militants.

Nigeria hopes U.S. will sell it aircraft to fight Boko Haram

United States will sell to it an aircraft to fight Boko Haram militants, saying its human rights record had improved sufficiently for a blockade on arms deals to be lifted, the foreign minister said on Friday.

U.S. officials told Reuters this month Washington wants to sell up to 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Nigeria in recognition of President Muhammadu Buhari’s reform of the country’s army. Congress needs to approve the deal.

Under Buhari’s predecessor Goodluck Jonathan, the United States had blocked arms sales and ended training of Nigerian troops partly over human rights concerns such as treatment of captured insurgents.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

Man or Woman;

Who’s stronger sexually sexually?

By CHIOMA GABRIEL, EDITOR, SPECIAL FEATURES

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he answer is blowing in the winds. Men are from mars, women are from hell. Man Smart, Woman Smarter. Men enjoy sex.

Women endure it. Sex fiends.

Nymphomaniacs and maniacs crop up in the sex dictionary.

You have read of the hotblooded. An insatiable appetite for sex. Multiple orgasms.

Shhhh ! Hush it.

In Nigerian society, sex is not often explicitly being spoken about. The discussion about sex is often supposed to be adumbrated and corseted.

Traditionally, men are expected to enjoy sex while the women are expected to endure it. A decent woman who is perceived

to be the weaker sex is expected to be chaste and pure and not discuss the issue openly either with her husband or anybody else. It is not the same for a man who is expected to be a warrior and a conqueror on the issue. He is therefore entitled to as many women as he wants and sow his wild oats indiscriminately.

And later, over palm-wine and other drinks, he and his male colleagues and friends would discuss and laugh over their conquests, talking about the kiss and tell syndrome. A typical Nigerian woman would shy away from an open discussion about sex. A woman who speaks openly about sex is perceived to be wayward.

That is what is expected of women in a traditional society.

Cultural and religious barriers hinder women from being

explicitly sexual. Across marital relationships, women are not often encouraged to talk about sexual pleasures unlike men who flaunt their sexuality all the way, sometimes, acquiring as many wives as they can, keeping mistresses and patronizing prostitutes.

Culturally, Nigerian men are perceived to be overbearing, controlling, and paternalistic.

They believe it is “a man’s world” and so they have the tendency to relegate women to subservient roles.

Men are fiercely macho, fiercely independent and with a burgeoning sense of entitlement thinking the world belongs to them and women are made to be at their beck-and-call.

Mostly, the rule of abstinence applies to women and not men.

In traditional societies, sex was not to be indulged in for

pleasure especially as it involves women.

A lot of women have been made to hate sex because of their upbringing.

Nigerians are still not comfortable with public display of affection and neither are they comfortable with open and public discussions of abortion, sex and exotic sex acts.

Indeed, at the core of every Nigerian, and indeed every African, is the thumbprint, the umbilical cord of their ancestors.

A typical Nigerian father or mother would rarely, if ever, utter affectionate or confidence-building words like “I love you…” to their children.

Nigerian men are afraid to turn control over to their wives? They are averse to showing their sensitive side.

They want to control and dominate.

Sexually, the perception of women has been that of weakened relevance and subordination tied to the

Continues on page 11 C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—11

Continues from page 10 oppression they face in a world referred to as “a man s world”. The world at large views the women as the weaker sex.

Female genital mutilation subdues women sexually

To ensure women do not enjoy sexual pleasure, traditional societies across Nigeria for centuries have been subjecting women to female genital mutilation. These traditional societies believe genital mutilation whereby the most sensitive part of a woman sexual pleasure, the clitoris is removed as a way of ensuring virginity and curbing promiscuity, or to protect female modesty and chastity. The ritual has been so widespread that it is still currently being practised in communities in Nigeria.

But it is a practice that has negatively affected many women who passed through it.

Andrew Eche, 39 , said his first marriage was a disaster because his wife couldn’t satisfy him sexually. She underwent female genital mutilation.

“How would you even bring up the issue of comparing a woman and a man when sex is mentioned? A woman’s position remains under the man. The man holds the aces and subdues the woman under him. My first marriage ended in a divorce because my wife was cold and unresponsive. She would hardly let me touch her and that was the woman I married with my money. She permanently complained of painful sexual intercourse that it became a big issue between my family and hers. I was later told of the genital mutilation she underwent just before we got married but it didn’t concern me because having my wife crying under me each time we had sex was not funny. I did everything, bought x-rated movies to watch together with her and extended foreplay but it didn’t work. Sometimes, in my bid to contain her and make her part of the pleasure, I ended up being shortchanged.

I come before the real intercourse. Sex was not her game. It was a punishment to her and so our marriage crashed after one child. If her family subjected her to genital mutilation before marriage, it didn’t work out very well for us. It was a living nightmare for me as her husband. It was not my fault. You know, birds do it, bees do it, and men do it any time. Even domestic animals we keep like goats and dogs do it anyhow. But my wife was only doing it to fulfill her marital obligation and she would still cry over it. And you are asking whether men have stronger sex drive than women? Of course we do. Study after study shows that men’s sex drives are not only stronger than women’s, but much more straightforward.

“The sources of women’s libidos, by contrast, are much harder to pin down. It’s common wisdom that women place more value on emotional connection as a spark of sexual desire. But women also appear to be heavily influenced by social and cultural factors as well. I couldn’t discuss female orgasm with my first wife because she didn’t seem to know what it is or what turns her on. She couldn’t even discuss it or understand that a woman needs to attain orgasm and increase sexual pleasure for her husband.

“A woman who has undergone genital mutilation dreads sex because of anticipated pain. Such women may not complain but end up becoming frigid and withdrawn resulting in marital disharmony.

That was my experience in my first marriage.”

On the contrary however, Bolu, a banker said he has a nymphomaniac at home. His wife of over 15 years was getting more insatiable by the day. “ If it would not be tantamount to abomination, I would have asked her to go outside and meet other men. In fact, I suspect she is seeing other men but I cannot prove it. She is a sex fiend. Even during pregnancy, she sexually harasses me. When she was pregnant with our third child, she forced me to make love to her during her labour and just hours before she had our third child. She has five now.

As she grows older, she gets stronger while I get weaker. My work puts a lot of

C M Y K

Who’s stronger sexually?

We have heard of the saying, what’s on a man’s mind and the artists impression was a picture of a naked woman. The truth remains that men think more about sex.

Majority of adult men under 60 think about sex at least once a day. As men and women age, each fantasize less, but men still fantasize about twice as often stress on me and whenever I return from work, I’m too tired to make love. I always try not to offend my wife and always manage to go one round but it is never enough for her. Most mornings before leaving for office, she strips me naked after dressing up and I’d end up begging her to let me go.”

The woman’s angle

Victoria, 32 on the other hand

thinks women are stronger.

“Women may be stronger. I have lived overseas and I know that white ladies have insatiable appetite for sex. Women are often known to have travelled across Europe to Africa in search of sexual gratification.

Middle aged women from Europe come to Africa to engage teenage boys in sexual encounters. Women have two X chromosomes. Men have only one X chromosome, and then they have a Y chromosome. The X chromosome is actually a larger chromosome.

“The idea that women have greater sexual strength than men always seemed very much in line with my own experience, but it’s very difficult for some men to accept this premise.

Men will vigorously challenge this but it is the truth. It is the nature of men with their strong male egos to want to be recognized as the stronger of the species and intelligent women generally recognize this manly trait, and wisely make no issue of it. Women don’t feel depleted after sex as the men do. They have the strength to go on and on.

“Men tend to see themselves as bigger, stronger and physically superior to women.

However, physical dominance is hardly the proper criteria for evaluating sexual strength.

Sexual strength, as I use the term, is the ability to generate and contain sexual excitement and ecstatic pleasure without terminating the orgasmic flow, and without losing vital lifeforce energy. It is properly measured by how successfully an individual manages his or her sexual energy. Now a simple assignment. Ask yourself: After lovemaking, are you energetically engorged or

sexually depleted? Are you happy, enlivened, and sexually fulfilled? Are you feeling emotionally connected to your partner? Or, are you sleepy, melancholy, let down, dull, feeling separate and emotionally withdrawn?

“Sorry guys, sexual strength is an area where women possess a clear advantage. A woman can sexually receive a man (or many men) for as long as she pleases.

If she is properly aroused, a woman’s sexual appetite can be nearly inexhaustible. In the sexual arena, women have two clear biological advantages over men. First, they don’t have to attain and maintain an erection to have sex. Second, and more to the point, unlike men, women generally do not lose energy through sex.

“The truth of the matter is that many men are as terrified of women’s infinite sexual capacity as they are fascinated by it.

Unfortunately, the general effect on men is to make them feel sexually insecure so they often attempt to compensate with some other strength. “ Mrs Celestina Ude in her contribution said her husband’s sexual strength is like a twominute noodle.

“He’s done in few minutes and that’s when I’m just warming up.

I have never experienced orgasm with my husband. Sex with him is wham-bam-gwam and and then he’s snoring while I languish in my unfulfilled desire.

He can’t do two rounds. He has never done it and I’m the one left wanting more when he cannot continue. So, is that the strong man? I dated a guy before I got married who is as good as a horse. He had taken me to mountains and plains and I kept yearning for more. He always said I would kill him one day but I never killed him except with pleasure. We were two extreme people but still he couldn’t cope.

He could go two or three but that was all. We didn’t end up getting married like we planned but like I said, sex with my husband is not it. He has no drive. He is too weak.”

But Franca, 39, thinks otherwise. “We have heard of the saying, what’s on a man’s mind and the artists impression was a picture of a naked woman. The truth remains that men think more about sex. Majority of adult men under 60 think about sex at least once a day. As men and women age, each fantasize less, but men still fantasize about twice as often.”

In a survey of studies comparing male and female sex drives, it was discovered that men reported more spontaneous sexual arousal and had more frequent and varied fantasies.

Men want sex more often than women at the start of a relationship, in the middle of it, and after many years of it. Men also say they want more sex partners in their lifetime, and are more interested in casual sex. Men are more likely to seek sex even when it’s frowned upon or even outlawed.

About two-thirds masturbate.

Prostitution is still mostly a phenomenon of men seeking sex with women, rather than the other way around. Nuns do a better job of fulfilling their vows

Continues on page 12

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

Who’s stronger sexually?

Continues from page 11 of chastity than priests.

More studies have revealed that women’s sex drives are more influenced by social and cultural factors.Women’s sexual attitudes, practices, and desires were more influenced by their environment than men. Women who regularly attend church are less likely to have permissive attitudes about sex. Men do not show this connection between church attendance and sex attitudes.

Women’s libidos seem to be less responsive to drugs.With men, sex drives

Women don’t feel depleted after sex as the men do are seemingly more directly tied to biology when compared to women.

Men have embraced drugs as a cure not only for erectile dysfunction but also for a shrinking libido.

A gynecologist, Dr Nwando

Ibezim thinks women want sex far more than many have been allowed to believe.

“Women want sex just as much as men do, and this drive is not, for the most part, sparked or sustained by emotional intimacy and safety.

When it comes to the craving for sexual variety, women may be even less well-suited for monogamy than men. Yes, guys are hornier but my encounters with women seem to portray that women love sex more than many think.

“However, men have more frequent and more intense sexual

desires than women, as reflected in spontaneous thoughts about sex, frequency and variety of sexual fantasies, desired frequency of intercourse, desired number of partners, masturbation, liking for various sexual practices, willingness to forego sex, initiating versus refusing sex, making sacrifices for sex, and other measures. Based on these, I would say that as much as women enjoy sex , the male sex drive is stronger than the female sex drive. Wives consistently reported that they were quite satisfied with the amount of sex they had in their marriages, but men on average wished for an increase.”

Who is stronger sexually and have better orgasms?

By Sola Ogundipe

O

n Nov. 6, 1990, Madonna, well known for pushing the limits of sexual content in her songs, released a sultry single entitled “Justify My Love” from her highly anticipated album at that time -The Immaculate Collection.

In the month that followed, Madonna filmed a highly controversial and sexually charged five-minute video for the song, and submitted it to MTV which promptly rejected it on the excuse that it was just

too hot for television.

She was accused of promoting nudity, sex, sadomasochism, bisexuality, and other forms of sexual perversion, so the video was banned.

In the highly erotic song, Madonna whispers most of the lyrics, accompanied by a woman’s heavy breathing and other sounds strongly suggestive of lovemaking, causing many radio stations to consider even the audio too obscene to be aired.

But the controversy surrounding Justify My Love turned out to be a publicity and financial success that saw Madonna smiling to the bank.

Everyone wanted a copy of the illicit video and it sold like hot cakes. The fact that it was “taboo” and banned made it more desirable.

The audio single spent two consecutive weeks at No.1 in the early ‘91. Six million copies of the album on which the song appeared peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts. Today, the album

is Madonna’s third-biggest album ever.

The explanation for the popularity of Justify My Love is not too hard to guess. Sex is awesome and humans are sexual beings. And orgasms are the ultimate.

During orgasms, our brains are flooded with information, both from our psyches and from the nerves in our genital region. There are millions of nerve endings on the clitoris, labia, vaginal opening, penis, testes, and perineum, all of which feel highly pleasurable when stimulated and aroused.

But, if we’re comparing a normal male orgasm with a normal female orgasm, which is better?

While there are ongoing debates that it might as well be a tie, the facts on ground show that if we are comparing the best of the best of orgasms, women win by a mile. Or two.

The jury has been out with the verdict that the female orgasm is not just of superior quality, but usually lasts longer. So, like it or hate it, the best male orgasm simply cannot match the most intense and prolonged female orgasm.

Why is this so? Over and over, studies make it clear that the most powerful female orgasmic experiences are more intense and last longer than the best that men can manage.

A plausible explanation is that women are much more sexually variable than men, ranging from capability of having feeble, dampsquib orgasms to the awesome, earthshattering, big-O. Unlike men, women are able to come down fairly gradually from a high level of arousal after an orgasm, which makes it relatively easy to climax all over again.

In a controlled laboratory setting, using recorded data on heart rate,

respiration, and involuntary muscle contractions to determine individual orgasms, the highest rate of orgasms ever recorded for a woman is an extraordinary 134 orgasms in an hour.

In comparison, the most that any man has ever managed in similar lab settings, is a mind-blowing 16 orgasms in an hour – over eight times less than the woman’s capacity. It’s a crushing defeat.

Ordinarily, a single female orgasm generally takes 15 to 25 seconds, with an average of about 21 seconds. In the record-breaking female orgasmic feat, the woman averaged one orgasm every 27 seconds.

Orgasms come in waves, so each wave simply merged into the next, and it felt like one, continuous, hour-long orgasm. With an average time of about six seconds between one orgasm and the next, giving a total of around 47 minutes of real-time orgasms.

Comparatively, the male orgasm usually lasts about 5-15 seconds, meaning the male lab subject could only attain a maximum of less than four minutes total.

The bottom line is that a woman potentially has a nearly inexhaustible supply of orgasms, while a man doesn’t.

Who is stronger sexually?

Getting straight answers to this poser was not as straightforward as anticipated. It’s an endless debate. On the one hand, it appeared that men enjoy sex more; on the other hand, women enjoy more.

A sex expert put it this way: “The amount of bad sex is probably greater than the amount of good sex. Women have a much wider range. It is, for example, far more common for a woman to have sex and not enjoy it, than for a man to have sex and not enjoy it. In other words, a man is more likely to have sex and enjoy it than a woman.”

Another sexologist said: “When sex is bad, it is better for men than

for women. When it’s average, it’s about equal, but when it’s good, it’s so much better for women than can be easily described.”

Individuals of either sex, male and female enjoy sex more than other individuals. Some people, male and female, have higher sex drives than others; some had better past experience with sex than others, and so don’t bring negative baggage with them to the bedroom; some are more skilled at sex than others; some (generally due to upbringing) are more sexually liberated than others.

Medically, a woman is likely to be more sexually aroused than a man. The explanation is simple.

The clitoris is twice as sensitive as the glans (head of the penis) because it has twice the number of nerve endings. Yet neither of these parts needs to be stimulated at all to achieve orgasm.

Quite a number of men and women confessed that they do a lot of pleasure from sex. There are of course times when one gets it more than the other. That really depends on the woman and the man in question. There are many people, both male and female who really don’t know how to relax and enjoy sex, just as there are men and women who know how to immensely enjoy sex together.

Women enjoy multiple orgasms from different areas of their genitalia, while searching for the elusive g-spot orgasm. Perhaps it is because of these multiple orgasms and their length that women don’t require sex as often.

For a lot of men it’s over fairly quickly and do not quite often experience deeper, longer orgasms, for the satisfaction to

last longer.

A lot of women have high sex drives while many still haven’t enjoyed an orgasm. Women don’t like to be rushed then left high, dry, and sexually frustrated. Men care about size of their organs, women are more attached to the emotional, physical, mental and psychological attachments of the act.

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—13

When a woman doesn’t enjoy sex

By Yetunde Arebi

V

arious research works on human sex and sexuality rate the female as more superior than the male in sex, both in terms of quality and quantity. By using scientific models, researchers have been able to prove that women derive more pleasure from sex and can last longer and stay stronger during sex than men. Wait for the icing; and because of the afore mentioned, they are able to have more number of orgasms than men!

Unfortunately, this is hardly the case in reality and biologists have been trying with little success to figure out the whole concept of the elusiveness of the female orgasm or why they orgasm at all since it is not part of their reproductive requirement like the male. Several major research works on human sexuality have over the decades, recorded that only about 25 percent of women climax (orgasm) or experience intense sexual pleasures during sex with their partner, while this is pretty easy for the men. The rest, either hit-or-miss, depending

on the night, or never experience a female orgasm during intercourse at all. While for the men, an orgasm is the sign that the game is over and 90-98 percent achieve this during sex.

Many factors account for why women are not able to achieve their full sexual potentials as ordained by nature and biological composition.

These can be categorised as physical, psychological and medical and for some others, tradition and culture also play major roles in women’s sexual problems.

For some women also, not being able to climax can be caused by everything from unrealistic expectations, to awful sex, discomfort with their partners or discomfort with sex itself. Medical and psychological issues may result in loss of sexual desires. In a study carried out by Dr. Edward Laumann of the Medical Centre, University of Chicago which is published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 47 percent of women

suffer sexual dysfunction compared to 31 percent of men.

Also, 43 percent women reported low libido, 34 percent were unable to reach orgasm and 39 percent had vagina dryness problems. Some of the reasons listed for these include medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disease, anaemia, hormonal disorder, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, hysterectomy, Vaginal disorder such as Vaginismus or Biathlon’s cysts, lack of sensation due to decrease muscle tone in the vagina, aging, obesity, or medical problems that affect the sex hormones, (estrogen and testosterone) among others.

Emotional, physical or psychological issues such as low self esteem, bad body image, stressful lifestyle, depression, anxiety and sexual abuse, childhood revulsion, religion, rape, cultural and traditional influence, lifestyle pressure and inadequate communication among others.

Female sexual dysfunction according to Cindy Meston, a Psychology Professor from the University of Texas, is characterised by a lack of desire, libido and orgasm and it affects about one-third of women at some point in their lives. Still wondering why some women don’ t enjoy sex?

Unlike the male, the female sexuality is very complex and most women have symptoms of a sexual problem at one point or another in their lifetime, while for some, it is an unending battle.

While, there is no normal level of sexual pleasure or response since it is different for every woman, you may also find that what is normal at one stage of life may change at another.

Though it is a fact that nature has equipped humans with organs and desires, it has not bestowed on us, the knowledge of how to perform pleasurable and satisfying sex acts. It must be learned, acquired and perfected.

And this, biologists have discovered! You can, too!!

strength to be involved in multiple sex life. Men seek sex more avidly than women, herein lies the power. Women’s sex drives are more influenced by social and cultural factors unlike the men.

Who’s stronger – the man or the woman?

By Juliet Ebirim & Aderonke Adeyeri

A woman’s appetite can be nearly inexhaustible —Cecil Williams, Lawyer

• Bunmi

Women have greater sexual strength than men, Blessing Leonard but it’s very difficult for some Solomon men to accept this premise.

Men see themselves as bigger, stronger and physically superior to women. If she is properly aroused, a woman’s sexual appetite can be nearly of the job inexhaustible. Sexual strength is being —Leonard Chukwuma, able to generate and contain sexual excitement without terminating the Businessman orgasmic flow and losing energy.

From a sentimental perspective, the woman is stronger in bed because they A woman has greater sexual possess the endless thing that no man can permanently fill. But looking at it strength —Blessing Solomon, from another angle, it is obvious that Corp member men do a greater percentage of the job A woman is stronger. If she has got no and so are stronger. The skills, strength, she won’t be able to last long. strength and intelligence needed for excellent bed games are mostly of the Women are stronger man.

—Anonymous

My take is that women are stronger than men. Women can regain their strength immediately after sex, while it takes about 30 – 50 minutes for men to get their strength back. During sex, women can stay as long as the man can go although some women are lazy and are yet to discover the strength they possess. The fact that most times men are the initiator doesn’t mean they are stronger.

Men do a greater percentage

Men are stronger, but... — Olusi Gbolahan, I.T Expert

A man is stronger, but a woman lasts longer. Women generally do not lose energy through sex.

An average woman can have 3-4 bouts of sex —Anonymous

Generally, it’s women. That’s not to say there are no weak women. An average woman can go 3-4 bouts.

Besides, she takes longer to climax. Immediately after that, depending on the woman and how the man performs, she may get up and prepare him a meal.

The man, at this stage is worn out, resting or already sleeping.

Women are at the receiving end - Bunmi Ajayi, Corp member

A woman is stronger because she is at the receiving end.

Men have higher libido — Emmanuel Asuquo, Writer and Educationist

It’s an error to think or say that women are sexually stronger than men. Medical researches have proven that men are sexually active and stronger than women. A case where a woman is perceived stronger than the man, then there is a problem in the family.

Men think more about sex than women and they have the

Women enjoy the act more —Gabriel Ajisafe, trader Women are stronger in bed than most men. This is because women are at the receiving end but men are the donors. A woman can stand two men at a go but this is not possible for a man. Also, women tend to enjoy the act more.

Physical dominance isn’t the criteria for evaluating sexual strength —Kolajo Adedolapo,

Sexual strength depends on the individuals involved. Physical dominance isn’t the criteria for evaluating sexual strength for those who believe men are stronger. Sexual strength is an area where women possess a clear advantage. A woman can sexually receive a man or men for as long as she pleases. Women do not have to attain and maintain an erection to have sex unlike men.

Men are the hunters Blessing Joyce, customer care officer

From inception, men are stronger in bed than women. Men have always been the hunters and women, the prey.

It depends on certain factors —Adeniyi Adebanjo, Lecturer

It depends on the age and level of commitment to the sexual partner. Also the purpose of engaging in the act would also affect the performance of both parties. The purpose could be for fun, sport, love or making babies.

Lastly, the state of mind at the time of sex is a determining factor.

14—SA TURD AY 14—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

The many lies they said about Abacha

by Al-Mustapha •My 200 questions about Boko Haram •What freedom means ttoo me af 4 aftter 114 yyear ear earss in prison

By Ben Agande

M

ajor Hamza AlMustapha came to national limelight as Chief Security Officer to the Head of State in the General Sanni Abacha military regime which governed Nigeria between 1993 and 1998. Al-Mustapha was an operative in the Intelligence Branch of the Nigerian Army and subsequently became one of the minders of the then army chief, Gen. Abacha.

Following Abacha’s dissolution of the country’s democratic structures in November, 1993 and his appointment as military head of state, Al-Mustapha was appointed as his Chief Security Officer, CSO. The CSO immediately became a man of many mysteries with so many tales about his prowess in intelligence gathering.

Following the death of Abacha in June 1998 the air of invincibility around AlMustapha evaporated and thus began another episode in the story of the famed Al-Mustapha.

He was locked up from 1998 and tried for alleged complicity in the murder of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 elections, Bashorun Moshood Abiola. His conviction in 2012 was eventually overturned in 2013 by the Court of Appeal setting him in the land of liberty after 14 years.

Al-Mustapha in this interview tells his story, his relationship with Gen. Abacha and his thoughts on Nigeria.

Excerpts: How does it feel like being free?

Fulfilling! Freedom and incarnation are two different worlds so every single breath of air is priceless. One can see it from the point of view of having freedom and incarceration. When one is incarcerated, you can give him everything but no matter how valuable it is, it is nothing.

The most valuable thing in the hands of him that has lost his freedom is freedom.

When you read all the stories that were published about you, about how powerful you were in C M Y K

office, how your word meant death or freedom, how you fed people to crocodiles and lions, what went through your mind?

First of all, extremely disappointed because I knew these were stories that were sponsored by people who were high up. If people who were supposed to be statesmen were sponsoring lies against me, my disappointment first of all has to do with their polluting the environment with lies. Secondly, being a victim of persecution, I knew that it did not start with me but I prayed that it should stop with me. I was destined to go through it and I went through it. But their lies were foolish.

It was the same presidency that we handed to somebody else and he too handed to another person.

The question is where was the pond that contained crocodiles that we fed with living human beings? Where were the lions and who were these individuals that we threw to lions to eat? They must have families. Did the families cry out? When people want to tarnish your image for some fears, they can use anything. This was it in my own case. Those who sponsored those things had a hell lot to hide from Nigerians. This is what I know.

Mine is to look up to God Almighty and give thanks and praises at all times, both in good times and in bad times. Bad times make you stronger and good times make you look back and give thanks to God Almighty and that is what I am doing. When I was in prison, I practiced my religion carefully but to say fear of the mischief that we went through will make us cow or get our spirit dampen, that could never have happened.

Your career in the military was cut short because of your ordeal.

Do you still have the vision to serve the country in another way?

Since the very day I came out, that first week that I came out, I began to do what I was used to doing: empowering youth

•Al-Mustapha

•Abacha

associations, men and women from the north to the south, including youth activities in the West Coast. This was what I started with and I have been doing this since 1984. Many people were not aware of this. I had many people I had nurtured and helped to grow in key places across the country.

Concerning my career in the military, that is another thing.

That can only be determined when the Supreme Court finishes. We have not finished.

There were those who persecuted us that were quick at suggesting that we should leave the military as quickly as possible because they were afraid. You cannot set bush on fire and say there should never be smoke. Smoke is the mark of fire burning.

What would you say about your former boss, General Sani Abacha?

Let me say something before I answer your question. I first learnt of the word “loot” in 1999. I was shocked and disappointed because I did not know about it. Whether that is true or not is another thing entirely. I think General Abacha was totally misrepresented for his vision and his concern for Nigerians and Nigeria. He had a dream of a new Nigeria that he was preaching to all the statesmen in the country.

General Abacha was totally misrepresented for his dear, dear, dear love for this country.

He was ready to die for the country. No two ways about it. I worked with him. I saw him through crisis times when we worked together for Nigeria at different times but to see sign of weakness or doubt or fear?

Never! He could go to any length to get anything for Nigeria and there were many Continues on page 15

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Continues from page 14 instances that had to do with the well-being of Nigeria. The laudable projects that he created, policies that he came up with that were yielding results for the country speak for themselves. If not the fact that some of these policies were halted, by now this country would have benefited from them and many of the crises we are having would not have come up.

These are the few things that I can say.

During the famous Oputa panel, you said “Power in Nigeria is like a poison covered with honey and the corrupt Nigerians are like flies who continue to perch on the layers of honey until they meet the fatal poison”. With the benefit of hindsight, do you think that you also became oblivious of the poison coated in honey until you met the fatal poison?

Even today, if you look at what is happening, the anti-graft campaign in itself is aimed at actually halting this ugly drift.

Those identified and to be prosecuted are examples of this fatal poison and honey description.

It is a painful thing because corruption has eaten deep. That is why the corruption that existed in the sixties became a bit bigger in the seventies and much bigger in the eighties. I gave examples of adding one zero, two zeros, but today you can’t hear about people stealing millions. When they decide to steal, they steal heavy so

•Al-Mustapha

My 200 questions about Boko Haram that even when they are caught, they will decide to deduct a little fraction out of it and they still remain billionaires. That is the game. If we don’t halt it, the stealing is going to go into trillions. It may sound strange but certainly it is. After all in another

administration, I wouldn’t want to call names, some people celebrated when they hit the trillion naira mark. And people applauded them. But if you look at who they are and what they do, you will know that they are incapable of making such money.

Why we must not allow Boko Haram brainwash girls against education T

he story of a young Nigerian girl using her gifts to fight the unseen danger of Boko Haram violence on young Nigerian girls.

There is really anyone that has heard the sorrowful tale of the Chibok Girls of Nigeria that has not been touched by the story of the 219 young school girls carried away from the secluded sanctuary of a school from where they aspired to become leaders of their generation.

Many have been moved by the distress of the girls to do C M Y K

something. From Afghan girl education advocate, Malala Yousafzai to the matronly Mrs. Hilary Clinton, the story of the Chibok girls has gripped an emotive tone among the civilised and well-meaning people of the world.

Malobi Philips-Ikpo, now a 19-yearold Nigerian student living in the United States was schooling in Jos, 585 kilometers from the Chibok Girl Secondary School at the time of the kidnap. Not long after the incident in 2014, Malobi, joined others in the Kingdom Kids Klub to encourage the victims of the Boko Haram violence through support outreaches to the orphans and other girl victims of Boko Haram lodged in camps in Jos. She, in her way, boosted their morale through teaching them how to play

But they were applauded in this same country where people are scavenging for food to eat. Families are looking for a few thousand naira to keep themselves afloat.

This thing in itself it’s nothing but is helping to promote insurgency where you create mutual suspicion between people.

When you came into power, you had nothing but soon after assuming office, you become a super billionaire and people look at it as normal. Certainly something is wrong with the leaders and the led. Such environment will create ground for insurgency. The insurgency in Maiduguri started like this when a group of learned young men came to the fore and said we are being confronted with hopelessness. They got their certificates torn in public. That was not a joke. Government should have moved in and identified what was responsible for that but it never did so; the young men listened to wrong people, wrong doctrine swept them into prominence as militants and anybody they see they kill. And there is the involvement of international politics. There are people who are ready to supply the arms, supply the drugs so that they can cause diversion. I have more than 200 unanswered questions about Boko Haram.

Has the action of the present administration answered any of the questions?

None.

My final exam in 10th grade, I was interrupted by a bomb in a market six minutes away from school. Of all the incidents that had happened, by far the eeriest story was that of the 200+ girls who had been kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist group in Chibok

—Philips-Ikpo, student activist

By Emmanuel Aziken

Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—15

•Malobi Philips-Ikpo musical instruments such as the clarinet and piano. Academically, she also threw in her lot by encouraging the young girls to continue their education.

For her efforts, she won a certificate of commendation from the Kingdom Kids Klub.

Now relocated to New York, the United States, distance has not separated Miss Philips-Ikpo from the plight of the girls living under the shadow of the violence in Northern Nigeria.

She has taken her support for girl child

education of the Nigerian girl to a higher level by setting up a website to boost awareness of the fate of the Chibok Girls.

Her website, www.chibokgirls.org according to her is to boost awareness of the fate of the girls.

She also hopes to draw support from charity organisations that can assist Nigerian girls to climb the ladder out of hopelessness.

Malobi tells her story: “I went to school in Jos, Plateau State for six years and while there, I often heard stories about the Boko Haram attacks further north. I also witnessed a few of terrors while at school in Jos. “For instance, my final exam in 10th grade, I was interrupted by a bomb in a market six minutes away from school. Of all the incidents that had happened, by far the eeriest story was that of the 200+ girls who had been kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist group in Chibok.”

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

By Oghene Omonisa

O

rganisers and participants at the Tackling Corruption Together Conference, and the Anti-Corruption Summit: London 2016, which held in London on Wednesday and Thursday, no doubt, had expected the usual jamboree, where papers are presented and theoretical discussions held and everyone returns to his or her country: business as usual. However, the events turned out to be business unusual as the issue of corruption was frontally discussed beyond rhetorics, and practical steps taken to confront the issue of corruption, generally seen as a major factor responsible for the underdevelopment of third world or developing countries.

The conference, aimed to underline anti-corruption as a shared agenda for civil society, business and government, was hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat in partnership with Transparency International, Thomson Reuters, Omidyar Network, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, the B Team, and ONE. The conference preceded the summit held the following day and hosted by the British Prime Minister David Cameron, which aimed to agree a package of practical steps to expose and drive out corruption.

“Fantastically corrupt” comments However, the renewed focus on corruption and practical and concerted efforts to tackle it were inadvertently triggered by the comments made on Tuesday by the British Prime Minister ahead of the conference. While briefing the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, at an event to mark her 90th birthday at Buckingham Palace, the PM had commented to Her Majesty: “We’ve got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain …

Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world.”

Afghanistan was ranked at 167, ahead of only Somalia and North Korea, in Transparency International’s 2015 corruption perception index. Nigeria was at 136.

Unfortunately for him, there were multiple cameras in the room, filming the conversation, and after it was reported by the BBC, the video went viral, expectedly instigating comments around the world, with some commentators supporting the PM’s position, while others kicking against it. In his response to Cameron’s comments at the Buckingham Palace event, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby had this to say: “But this particular president (President Buhari) is not corrupt .… He’s trying very hard”, while British House Speaker John Bercow was of a carefree position: “They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?”

Back home, there were also divergent responses. The President’s critics picked on it as proof of their position that he has not been honest and effective in his anti-corruption posture, while the Presidency faulted Cameron, that he was living in the past as

CORRUPTION: Buhari’s sincerity delights the world

•President Mohammadu Buhari

•Cameron Nigeria was no longer that country where anything goes.

“I don’t want apology; I think Cameron was being honest about it”

Addressing the conference in London Wednesday morning, in the wake of Cameron’s comment, President Buhari said he would not demand apology but, instead, would demand action from Cameron, by returning Nigeria’s stolen money and assets stashed in the United

•kerry

•Scotland

Kingdom. He admitted that the war against corruption currently being waged by his administration was not an easy task, but expressed his readiness to prosecute the war to a successful end even if it meant stepping on toes.

The following day, the President told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that the British Prime Minister was right in describing Nigeria as “fantastically corrupt”. “He’s talking about what he knows about the two of us, Afghanistan and Nigeria,” said Buhari. “And by what we’re doing in Nigeria by the day, I don’t think you can

fault him.” This implied that it is the same corruption that his government is presently fighting back home.

And in a separate interview with BBC’s Clive Myrie in London on the same day, Buhari repeated that the British Prime Minister was “talking about what he knew.”

Earlier in the day, on his way to the summit venue, Buhari had responded “Yes” to journalists when asked if Nigeria was indeed a “fantastically corrupt” country!

Positive response

Interestingly, Buhari’s honestly has drawn positive response in words. World leaders have acknowledged the need for the Western countries, including the UK, to cooperate with the developing countries, where corruption is more prevalent, in discouraging the stashing of stolen funds in their countries, and they also hailed the London meeting as the biggest demonstration of political will to tackle graft.

Britain, France, the Netherlands, Nigeria and Afghanistan later pledged to set up public registers of true company ownership. They will also implement other measures to tackle issues ranging from property money-laundering to doping and match-fixing in sport.

David Cameron would later describe the agreement as the biggest demonstration of political will for many years to stamp out international graft.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry told the summit there was no doubt corruption was intensifying the threat of terrorsm across the globe.

“And the extremism that we see in the world today comes to no small degree from the utter exasperation that people have with the sense that the system is rigged. We see this anger manifesting itself in different forms in elections around the world including ours. People are angry and the anger is going to grow, unless we shut the doors and try to prove to people there’s a fairness.”

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim highlighted the effect of what he called “radical transparency” as a deterrent to corruption. “Whether we like it or not, hackers are going to expose more and more – the Panama papers were a good example. So in that regard, since it will be forced on us anyway, we need to send a message to those who are benefiting from corruption that we’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, said anyone who was pro-growth must also be anti-corruption.

And to Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral Patricia Scotland, “It’s going to take all of us to tackle corruption in all its forms. This isn’t just about money. It’s about the corruption that sees women have to trade sexual favours for access to goods and services, it’s the corruption that sees children abused so they can stay in the classroom, it’s the corruption that blights so many lives in so many different ways.” It however remains to be seen how much of these words will be translated into action and the world finally seeing a rapid decline in corruption, especially in developing countries where corruption is commonly known to be most rampant.

VANGUARD, SATURDAY,MAy 14, 2016—17

Ekweremadu @ 54: Politics underpinned by patriotism Underpinned Patriotism

By Uche Anichukwu

O

n May 12, 1962, when Ike Ekweremadu was born in Mpu, Aninri LGA, there were no comets; there were no singing birds; not even the star; not even the wise men tracing the star; not even the traditional fortunetellers would tell that a great man had arrived. But today his homeland, Nigeria, and indeed the world, have recognised that a man in the person of Ike Ekweremadu is here.

Those were the words with which Prof. Simon Otuanya, described the birth and rise of the Deputy President of the Senate during a public lecture recently delivered by the Senator at his alma mater, the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. It couldn’t have been better said.

Call him an enigma or man of destiny, you won’t be wrong, for Ekweremadu’s life defies estimation. At a time you didn’t give him a chance, when you thought he has come to the end of the road, he bounces back like the cat with nine lives or Phoenix, the immortal bird in Greek mythology.

Who could have thought that the little town of Mpu could produce a Senator, let alone a three-term Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate? Given political permutations at about this time in 2014, who believed he would return to the Senate?

And given his party’s loss at the polls, who believed he would reemerge as the Deputy President of the Senate. Yet, he returned- not by power, and certainly not by might, but by a combination of grace, destiny, and the popular will of the people.

A rewind to Ekweremadu’s testimony in 2013 during the dedication of a cathedral he built in his community unmasks his success and philosophy. His words: “As a young man growing up, I looked around me, both in my home, my local government, and the greater part of my state, and saw hopelessness. Just finishing from secondary school, I went to church and we were asked to pray and ask God whatever we wished. I said to God, ‘Because of all the challenges I can see around me; if you make me an instrument for addressing these problems and make me successful in life, I will build a church for you’. And from that day, my life changed completely.

It has been one progress after the other”. One only needed to visit his constituency and environ to know if his prayer was answered.

Ekweremadu is a bearer of the anointing of God’s grace, no doubt. But it is also true he has profusely oiled the wheels of

Call him an enigma or man of destiny, you won’t be wrong, for Ekweremadu’s life defies estimation. At a time you didn’t give him a chance, when you thought he has come to the end of the road, he bounces back like the cat with nine lives or Phoenix, the immortal bird in Greek mythology grace by selflessness, patriotism, kindness, hard work, and commitment to the common good.

He surrendered himself early in life as a channel, not a terminus of his blessings. His approach to politics as service, his preoccupation with the collective rather than self, has continued to boost his political staying power.

For instance, when news filtered in, in September 2014, that Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had been adopted as the consensus gubernatorial candidate of Enugu PDP at the end of a meeting with the former governor, at the Enugu Government House, I met with Ikeoha at his Abuja residence to articulate our position on the matter.

Although he wasn’t a guber candidate himself, one would have ordinarily expected him to frontally oppose the choice, given the political temperament and interests that proposed him. But Ekweremadu described Ugwuanyi as a well-experienced and kind-hearted gentleman capable of reuniting the contending forces and leading the State with the fear of God. So, he said it was needless opposing a good man for the sake of opposition.

Again, in the aftermath of the acutely divisive 2015 presidential

•Ike Ekweremadu

and National Assembly elections, the patriot in him reflected in his well-publicised address at the meeting with Enugu West Senatorial District, and later, South East PDP leaders on April 7, 2016.

Although his speech was entitled “On PDP We Stand”, he emphasised: “It needs to be reiterated, however, that the South East PDP and indeed Ndigbo have nothing against General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) as a person or against his incoming administration. We will work handin-hand with him in line with our regional agenda and the overall development of Nigeria. We will give him all the support to succeed because he was elected as the President of Nigeria, not President of the APC or any section of the country in particular.

“He has the choice to be a statesman by ensuring that no part of this country is discriminated against in the distribution of opportunities and development projects on account of their ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, and region or to do otherwise. But I believe that whatever choices he makes will determine his place in history”.

Furthermore, while fielding questions on Raypower Radio’s Political Platform, recently, he said it was in Nigeria’s interest for Buhari to succeed. He added: “As PDP, we are Nigerians and we love Nigeria as well. We are not going to hinge our return on the failure of the APC. No. Certainly, we want APC to succeed. We would like APC to succeed in the interest of Nigeria. We are going to hinge our return on superior argument, superior vision, and better ideas to run Nigeria if given another opportunity.”

I was with him at a High Level Seminar on “Peace, Security, and Sustainable Development” at the

Belgium National Parliament, Brussels, in October 2015. He debunked some false assertions made by some European parliamentarians on insurgency under the current administration. Ekweremadu told the international audience that the President Buhari Administration was building on the efforts of the previous government and had shown “enormous will and commitment towards ending the twin evils of insurgency and terrorism”. This was in line with PDP’s decision not to play politics with the war against insurgency.

Nevertheless, he does not believe patriotic politicking means keeping quite when things are going wrong.

For instance, quoting Albert Camus in the opening pages of his new book, Who Will Love My Country, he writes: “I should be able to love my country and still love justice”. Thus, he once charged PDP faithful to “put the ruling party at the mercy of the truth; confront errors with the truth; stand up for what is right; offer constructive criticisms of the follies and errors of the ruling party; and proffer better ideas for moving the nation forward”. This is what he has also tried to do as an opposition leader.

Although he has often drawn the flak of the ruling party for such good faith criticism, there is nothing Ekweremadu or any PDP leader has said that compares to the unbridled name-calling and vitriolic hauled at former President Jonathan and PDP government by the former opposition!

Check out two of the many namecalling and vitriolic Tweets by a former Acting Deputy National Secretary of the APC, now a State Governor: “Weak but wicked, clueless but corrupt, shamelessly incompetent, bold-faced but cowardly, smiley but genocidal” and “Many prayers of the lazy, docile, incompetent, clueless, hopeless, useless leader!”

Ekweremadu’s patriotism also shows in courageous admissions and insights contained in his book, Who Will Love My Country. The book is an honest and patriotic attempt at dissecting the Nigerian Federation and challenges, telling the hard truths with undiluted facts to engender good faith national discourse on the way forward.

Indeed, if the glowing tributes paid to him by eminent Nigerians like General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), President Muhammadu Buhari, Governors, Ministers, heads of diplomatic missions, first class traditional rulers, and international organisations, members of the academia, corporate Nigeria, labour, civil society, professional organisations, etc who graced his book presentation are anything to go by, then one can say that although no comets or other heavenly elements annouced his birth, Ekweremadu’s good works, patriotic policking, and annointing of grace have continued to announce his presence. Happy birthday, Ikeoha Ndigbo.

18—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

BY FRANCIS IGATA,ENUGU

W

ith the assent of the 2016 appropriation Act by President Muhammad Buhari on May 6, the people of south-east geopolitical zone are strongly anticipating that the Federal Government will rescue them from the deplorable condition of their roads.

Known for their commercial and industrial prowess, the Federal Government roads in their region form major arteries that propel economic activities which contribute to the nations overall Gross Domestic Product,GDP. A copious assessment of roads especially the Aba-Ikot Ekpene and Enugu-Ontisha express roads, showed that the Federal Government abandoned the reconstruction projects two years ago while the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan embarked on a window dressing, posing to be rehabilitating the road at the peak of the 2015 electioneering campaigns to woo unsuspecting voters.

The Enugu-Onitsha dual carriage road is now completely impassable as weeds and portholes mark the roads.

Motorists now resort to Old road, plying Udi-Oji-River to connect Awka, Anambra State even as sections of 9th Mile Corner road have been washed-off following tonnages from heavy duty trucks which meander to Nigeria Brewery to load alcoholic beverages. Major portions at the round-about area are threatened by erosion which if not tackled swiftly may well cut-off the road entirely.

The prevailing situation has jacked up cost of fares to above two hundred percent margin.

Manhours which should have been channeled to productive ventures are being dissipated crisscrossing through the Old Road to the detriment of the economy.

ABANDONMENT OF 2nd NIGER BRIDGE The signed budget by the Federal Government was expected to feature some monetary allocation for the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge muted by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, but unfortunately the allocation for the construction of the bridge is missing.

The bridge,which is the gateway to western and other parts of the countries has been used by successive governments as a bargaining chip during electioneering campaigns.

Nothing happens after such campaigns.

During festive season, passengers spend hours on the now wobbling bridge to get to their respective villages.

Member,Board of Governors,Civil Liberty Organisation,CLO, Danjuma Gambo,said,”I just want to believe that the information is not quite true that not capturing of the 2nd Niger Bridge in the 2016 budget, it means it has been abandoned, this is because it will be ridiculous that the Federal Government would have forgotten such a sensitive and important C M Y K

2016 budget and the worsening state of South East roads

•South East roads...failed portions of 9th Mile corner roundabout

•2nd Niger bridge project for the people of South East and South South and Nigerians in general.

“I want to assume, a big assumption, that it is in the budget, but per adventure is not there, it can’t be explained to anybody, because we do not have the budget breakdown, we just heard about the big figures, we do not have the different allocations, so we do not know the details of those allocations and therefore they should tell us what happened.

“It will be a total disservice to South East, South South and Nigeria in general to abandon the bridge, I was listening to the Presidents first Media Chat where he asked who are marginalizing the Ibos and how? He asked that question and this issue of alleged abandonment of 2nd Niger Bridge is one example of the marginalisation.

S’EAST PDP GOVS BLAST FG

Leaders of Peoples Democratic Party,PDP,and governors of the south-east last Monday,rose from a meeting in Enugu Government House and warned against awarding road contracts in South East to incompetent contractors.

Speaking on behalf of the Leaders, Deputy Senate President,Ike Ekweremadu said that they have vowed to ensure full implementation of the 2016 budget as signed, to enable southeast people, benefit in the area of roads especially for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Enugu-Onitsha and Aba-Ikot Ekpena express roads that are death traps to motorists.

“We are here to discuss certain issues as they affect us here in the south-east. We reviewed the response of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to the recent attack on Nimbo community and commended him.

“Most of the Internally

Displaced Persons, IDP are back in their places. We reviewed ways of finding a lasting solution for the protection of our people against further fulani herdsmen attacks. We want to seize this opportunity to condole with the victims and are putting measures in place to forestall a repeat.

“We equally reviewed the 2016 budget that has been signed to ensure that it will be implemented to the fullest. Our concern is on the area of roads especially the Enugu-Onitsha, Aba-Ikot Ekpena express roads among others that are death traps.

“The Federal Government had in the past,awarded contracts for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of these roads to incompetent contractors. This time,we will ensure that competent contractors will handle the road projects to give our people a sense of belonging”.

ELECTION PROMISES Although the south-east people did not overwhelmingly vote for Buhari in the last general election,the All Progressives Congress,APC had promised the reconstruction of federal roads including the 2nd Niger Bridge.

It went further to promise 1million jobs in the region through the resuscitation of Coal to Electric Powered Plant.

The federal government will do well to calm frayed nerves in the region by establishing its presence especially in the area of roads to give the people a sense of belonging in the Nigeria nation.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—19

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

T

he federal government had announced a new fuel pricing regime which had sent the pump price to an all time high of N145 per litre, and in some place far above that.

This development was a culmination of the various economic crises that had attended the present government since inception.

The Global Economic Prospect, June 2015 edition of the World Bank titled, “The Global Economy in Transition” indicated that despite some pickup in economic growth rate across the world in the first quarter 2015, lower oil price is having an increasingly pronounced impact, albeit, negative, on oil-exporting countries like Nigeria, with lower prices sharply reducing economic activity and increasing fiscal, exchange rate, and inflationary pressures.

By the time President Mohammadu Buhari was one month in office oil price was briefly recovering from about USD53/ barrel as at May to about USD63, a development which had given a semblance of hope, but only to begin an uninterrupted drop down to less than USD30 in March 2016 before rebounding to USD45 as at this week.

Coupled with this was a less than targeted oil production at about 1.8 million barrels per day, (mbpd), achieved as at June last year, which has now dropped further to about 1.67mbpd as at this week.

With an oil-dependent economy, the impact of this development on government finances was obvious and it spilled over to all other economic facets such as external reserves, real exchange rate, inflation, gross domestic products and general well-being of Nigerians.

As at the time Buhari assumed duty inflation rate had spiked to the upper bound of the CBN target of 9% in May 2015, up from 8.7% previous month. By March this year inflation had galloped up to 12.7%.

The demand pressure in the foreign exchange market persisted since Buhari assumed office culminating in an unprecedented depreciation in the Naira value in the parallel market despite all the CBN efforts at administrative controls. As at this week it was N323/ USD1 as against N220/ USD1 as at May 2015.

As a result of the demand pressures external reserves had plummeted from USD31.8 billion in the first month of Buhari’s regime to about USD26.8 billion as at this week.

The gross domestic product, GDP, mirroring the general impact of all these on economic activities, obviously showed a steady downward trend since second quarter last year when Buhari assumed office to hit a low from 2.8% as at the time Buhari took over to 2.1% by year end 2015, with first quarter 2016 figures looming at less than 2.0%.

With these few, amongst several others, one can see a government under financial and general economic pressures. This forms the first background to the current fuel pump crises.

The crises were a direct fall out of subsidy policy that had drained huge resources from the government over the years and this government appears determined to halt it, probably to save itself from financial stress.

Besides, the well told story of corruption in the subsidy regime adds to the efficacy of its removal.

But what we are faced in this current pricing regime is beyond removal of subsidy. For instance, what is the policy thrust of the new pricing? Is it fixed or market determined? Are we now on deregulated or partial deregulated downstream petroleum economy? What are the basis of or how did the authorities arrive at the new price? And so many more questions.

First, by announcing a price whether with a band or a ceiling or both, the government has sent a signal that it is

•Ibe Kachukwu •President Mohammadu Buhari

The new fuel pricing regime:

Matters arising The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who had said that he would prefer liberalization to deregulation, ended up confusing everybody as to what is the difference not yet deregulated, that we are still in the old government’s controls. If so what have we achieved beyond just increasing the pump price, the same measure that has been taken more than 25 times since 1972 and it never worked?

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who had said that he would prefer liberalization to deregulation, ended up confusing everybody as to what is the difference.

But the point he has made obviously is that we are still not yet in a deregulated environment.

This brings to question of how they arrived at the new price. Kachikwu did not release any information on this except the pricing template of the government that had showed that actual landing cost of fuel along with marketers’ margin, would put the price at between N100 and N105 as at last

week. How come the price announced had gone up to N145?

By citing the exchange rate based pricing the ministry had made the circumstances more intriguing, more so as they are saying the price should actually be N247 with the current foreign exchange costing. Which exchange rate? The official rate of N198/ USD or parallel market rate of N323/ USD? The policy change could be more transparent.

Finally, and probably the most important aspect of the new petroleum marketing environment, Kachikwu announced that private sector operators are now to import the product. This is most important because the acute shortages the economy had experienced, the worse so far in Nigeria’s history, was as a result of abandonment of imports to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, as private oil marketers have been apprehensive over the policies of the present regime on private sector market-led economy, indicated in price controls in the petroleum industry as is also the case in the foreign exchange market.

But more confusion appears to have also trailed this as it came with upper limit price fixing. One wonders what happens if the importer’s cost is higher than the stipulated limit. In such circumstance, would the government expect the importer to sell at a loss or would the government pay for the difference, a clear case of subsidy?

Related to this is the uniformity or otherwise of pump prices across the country. Obviously, common sense tells that the price cannot be same across Lagos State let alone across Nigeria given the additional transportation cost.

Would the federal government continue to operate the Petroleum Equalization Fund, the bridging cost under which it pays for the transportation cost differential to ensure uniform prices

across the country?

With all these questions and more many analysts are looking at possible hidden agenda behind the new pump price as just a way of raising money for the cashstarved government. But there are other better policy options for this agenda rather than the complications this new regime would bring.

One would have expected a full deregulation of the downstream and midstream sectors that would guaranty efficiency in the sector, while shielding the government from the huge bureaucracy requirements and corruption piles associated with running a regulated market system.

Moreover, a deregulated system would save the government the scarce resources associated with bridging costs and foreign reserves.

The fear of higher price in a fully deregulated system appears diversionary and deceptive. Already the economy and the citizens have burn the full brunt if not more beyond what would have been the real market price of a fully deregulated pump price.

That the fuel marketers gladly agreed to import with their own foreign exchange and sell at the new price gives the indication that the new price has covered all costs including a healthy profit margin.

It is important to note here that many of the criticisms trailing the new price regime came more as a reaction to the way and manner it was presented.

Three critical issues come up in this regard: Timing, integrity and hope.

Many people would be perturbed that at a time like now when most Nigerians are gnashing under severe economic hardship, the government could have been more sensitive, especially when Buhari had recently and repeatedly acknowledged the sufferings while pledging to soften it. What the people are getting from the new pricing regime is insensitivity on the part of the government.

Secondly, many observers are quick to point out that Kachikwu has not been forthright in determining the direction of the sector especially since the prolonged fuel crises. Almost all promises and deadlines he had given on these issues have failed to materialize except the pump price increase which he did not promise. The people are questioning the integrity in the public accountability oath.

Finally, should we trust Kachikwu when he said the price will come down in six months of operation of this new market regime? How long shall Nigerians be patient before they see the positive change they voted for one year ago?

20—SA TURD AY Vanguard , MA Y 14, 2016 20—SATURD TURDA MAY

P

a Lot, a venerable pastor, parliamentarian and politician of the First Republic, spoke about the menace of the Fulani herdsmen in jocular terms, when I met him some decades ago in Jos. He was well into his 80s himself. He narrated how the herdsmen would arrive unannounced at a particular time of the year and would graze their cattle peacefully for a period of time, Then they would depart for greener pastures without any notice with only a part of the herd, leaving an appreciable number with only a few herdsmen in charge. They would return later and head for their home base without any rancour as they parted with their erstwhile hosts. There was seldom any argument because the herds were usually limited to agreed areas for grazing, and the entire transaction was conducted on friendly terms.

But then came a time when it all tur ned sour. When the herdsmen left, some of the animals would break loose and destroy valuable crops. After some serious warnings were unheeded, the Tivs, who were the offended hosts, resorted to a severe measure of self-help.

They took to slaughtering the errant animals and disposing of them gainfully. The herdsmen, of course, were very angry when they returned and found their flocks depleted. They would demand an explanation from their hosts. The Tivs blandly replied, “ Munci ”, which means, “We’ve eaten them”. That did not go down well with the herdsmen and they sometimes attempted to create an incident about it, but the Tivs had a reputation built on bitter experience as devastating archers, totally unafraid and able to defend themselves. They in fact, mocked their former friends and slapped the derisive reply of “Munci “ as a nickname, on them. The animosity has not been healed, it would appear,

Political Editor

*a matter for the police by the passage of time. Rather, the and influence that one of the sponsors herdsmen have spread their offensive was recently reported to have stated operations to almost all parts of the that nobody could stop him from grazing his cattle anywhere in this country.

They then began to habitually country. Such ar rogance. And, of conduct themselves with little regard course, no one remonstrated with him for the territories they trampled under as if he was speaking about his the hoofs of their cows. People who hereditary back yard.

The wealth of the cattle trade is a formerly ignored them as they passed through the land, began to resent their hidden one, but when you consider that high-handedness and the damage they a cow now costs about a hundred caused through their passage. Pa Lot, thousand naira—before the official hike as matter of fact, hinted me as to why. in the cost of one litre of petrol— One makes the mistake of evaluating millions of naira are on the hoof around them by their ragged appearance, but the countryside, and the owners know they have always had powerful people it. And they are the people involved, not the hapless Fulani who behind them—people of just heed their masters’ means, prominent and bidding. It is not those influential figures in the herdsmen who procured AKsociety: businessmen, 47’s for themselves in order politicians, professionals to graze some cattle. It is the and even top brass hats. It wealthy owners. They are is even no secret that 'One the ones to be tackled if we President Muhammadu wish to put a stop to this Buhari is himself a cattle Nigeria', dangerous situation. baron, having declared that and all The honourable Minister of much in the Code of Agriculture, and some funny Conduct exercise. He had that, has like-minded friends of his, earlier shown his close its limits have been proposing connection with the business ranches to be acquired by when he rose on behalf of government on areas away the Northern cattlemen in from the normal native soil their confrontation with late of the cattle merchants. I can vouch for Lam Adesina, who was then the Oyo the last man in the Southern states that State Governor. Of course, it is on no one will accept such a proposition. record that Lam would not be “One Nigeria”, and all that, has its intimidated. limits. Apart from its physical It is with the confidence of the unrealities, the amount of clashes that assured backing of their formidable are bound to occur is limitless. The patrons that the herdsmen presume “ranchers” are bound to occupy—and that they can intimidate any the word is indeed “occupy ”— the neighbourhood in which they plant allotted areas with their customary themselves. They obtain their arrogance. And the indigenes won’t sophisticated weaponry from these stand for it especially now that the sources. It is from the position of power

emmanuelaziken@vanguardngr.com 08052201189

Kashamu’s growing political empire

enator Buruji Kashamu, who was at one time famed as the financier of S the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the

Southwest, may finally be putting his influence to where he has put his money.

The Ogun East senator, who came to national political reckoning after smashing the dominant influence of President Olusegun Obasanjo over the affairs of the PDP, especially in the Southwest, was a repeating decimal in at least three states where the party elected new executives this week.

In his native Ogun State, Senator Kashamu led his group to organise one of three parallel state congresses that threw up three parallel PDP executives in the state. One faction was led by Speaker Dimeji Bankole, the former helmsman in the House of Representatives while yet another faction was led by a serving member of the House of Representatives, Rep Ladi Adebutu, the member representing Remo Constituency.

Senator Kashamu’s dominance of the political space in Ogun State, of course, is not new. In fact, what could be surprising was the fact that after edging out Obasanjo, that some other stakeholders in the state could muster the confidence to challenge his hold on

the party which he has supposedly been funding.

What is even more surprising for some was the fact that Kashamu has now taken his political dominance outside Ogun to other states in the Southwest, notably, Lagos and Ekiti states.

In Lagos State, Kashamu is said to be challenging the formidable structure erected by the former deputy national chairman of the party, Chief Bode George.

Given that George had in the past weathered challenges mounted by some local party chieftains such as Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, the addition of Kashamu to the opposition is bound to seriously stress Chief George.

The quarrel between George and Kashamu had long been anticipated, especially as both men had taken sharply separate positions on the issues affecting the party at regional and national levels.

The most recent and perhaps sharpest difference between both men was in the positions they took on the zoning of the office of national chairman of the party.

Kashamu, alongside Governor Ayodele Fayose, were in the forefront for sustaining the incumbent national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as

herdsmen have shown themselves to be capable of wanton mass murder.

The response of those responsible for the security of the nation as a whole, mostly the police, has either been lukewarm or off target. For instance, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri, said the problem faced by herdsmen was also faced in Cote d’Ivoire, stressing that it was not limited to Nigeria. I have news for the minister if he does not know that it had for decades been a problem in the United States of America before it was resolved. That is the kind of comparison one may entertain for it may elicit how the problem was solved.

But he also asserted that the herdsmen arrested were definitely not “conventional Nigerian” Fulani. I have more news for him, whatever he means by that classification: one does not have to be Nigerian to be Fulani, and a non-Fulani herdsman would be hard to find. What would he then be— a Tuareg?

Of course, they are criminals and terrorists who may be using the herdsmen for cover to achieve their despicable ends. In any case, their nationality matters little. Their nefarious activities are of grave danger to the existence of this country as a nation. They are, security wise, at par with Boko Haram. But even worse, they are covering a wider territory within the country, and the response will be countrywide. Hence the recall of the Bakassi Boys, the re-organization of the OPC, and the wake-up call to other sub-ethnic groups.

The eventual solution may be along the lines of the creation of cattle routes and resting points for the convenience of all concerned, as the North and South are locked in a symbiotic relationship of seller and buyer that must be sustained along the pace of our national development. This is expatiated upon in a 24-page proposal presented by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MCBAN recently to concerned authorities. It has all the ingredients of a practicable plan.

However, the issue of murderous gangs who break into communities and kill and pillage, is clearly an urgent matter for the police.

Time out.

national chairman at the forthcoming national convention.

Their position was against the sharp campaign of the George camp for the zoning of the office of national chairman to the Southwest on the basis of the fact that it is the only zone that has yet to hold the office.

Sources in the party claim that Kashamu’s foot soldiers were visible everywhere there was trouble during the Lagos congresses, a development they claim signposted the determination of the controversial senator to decimate George’s domination of the party in the state.

Besides Lagos and Ogun, Senator Kashamu’s influence was also surprisingly reported in Ekiti State where Governor Ayodele Fayose’s stranglehold on the party was for the first time in two years breached.

A rival group of party members believed to be loyal to Kashamu was said to have conducted a rival congress to that attended by Fayose’s loyalists where a separate state executive was elected.

PDP war against hoodlums and monsters Senator Kashamu’s hand is also not far removed from the crisis in the national party which finally led to the split of the national party last Thursday.

The group of party founders led

by Prof. Jerry Gana and including at least two former national chairmen, Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo, and Prince Vin

Ogbulafor, vowed to take back the party from the “hoodlums and monsters” they claimed had now taken over the party. It was an open declaration of war given the fact that some governors in the party are openly pushing for the incumbent governor, Senator Modu Ali Sheriff to continue in office.

Remarkably, Sheriff who joined the party just two years ago in his riposte has asked those opposed to his advent to take the exit door out of the party!

The dishonesty among a pastor’s political allies Political parties should ordinarily be a platform for likeminded individuals to rally round one another especially on issues. But not necessarily so in these shores as Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu may be finding out.

After the pastor and leading PDP candidate for the governorship ticket of his party in Edo State was quizzed earlier this week by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, what should ordinarily have been a sobriety of mind among PDP members was betrayed by the elation of some.

The reason was not farfetched: trouble in the house of Ize-Iyamu would ordinarily be to the benefit of his political rivals in the party.

But given the pastor ’s robust explanation of his expenditure of the 2015 presidential campaign funds to the EFCC interrogators, it is, in fact, debatable whether the expectation of his traducers would remain a forlorn hope or not.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, MAY 14, 2016 —

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manufacturing company did the unusual when it sent emails to its staff to tell them that the enemy of the company had been captured. Those who were interested in its identity should proceed to the conference room. Those who went found a life sized coffin. Inside it was a big mirror. The message was not lost on the staff. They were, as they looked at themselves in the mirror, individually, and collectively, the enemies of the company.

We have all lived with the scourge of Boko Haram for the past eight years or more. But we know, if we are going to be honest, that we could have nipped things in the bud. Instead, we chose first to play the religious card, then the ethnic card. The Northern leaders found it politically convenient to treat it as a localised issue, a kind of ‘tiwa ni tiwa’ problem. When we could have treated them as bandits we did not. When they became emboldened and started bombing churches, some Northern leaders, including some of those in government today, romanticised them and wanted a kind of amnesty for them like the Niger-Delta militants—only they couldn’t manufacture a cause for these rebels. Even when Shekau took to the air and started insulting the sovereignty of Nigeria, some of our Northern brothers who hoped to gain some kind of political leverage, still defended them. And because we had a President who happened to come from the South, who happened to be a Christian, who happened to want a second term badly and who happened to be weak, he allowed some Northern elites to play the usual politics of religion and ethnicity and let things fester. When they could have been listed as terrorists by the rest of the world, some of our ‘Northern leaders’ fought back and insisted they were not terrorists. The rank and file also shielded them thinking they were the better of two evils. Exasperated, Jonathan’s Southern advisers allowed the North have its way and ‘kill themselves’ if that was what they

titbits2012@yahoo.com

The enemies within treating them as bandits and murderers, wanted. By the time Chibok came, we are ethnicising the issue. These we had lost it as a people united people might be Fulani or they might towards a common cause. not be. They might be cattle rearers and We are all losers in the Boko again, they might not be. But nobody, Haram saga. We lost our pride; we no matter the tribe, no matter the trade, lost our humanity; we lost our no matter the religion, has the right to communality; we even lost our take a life. Nobody has the right to loot spirituality. We treated the Northand maim. Those governors who gather East as some remote parcel of land together to defend Fulani herdsmen in the desert instead of as a part of should cover their heads in shame. It is ourselves, of our being as a nation. not about Fulani herdsmen. It is about This is in spite of our colossal loss banditry and murder. The law in men and materials. But the enforcement agencies who look the other biggest loser is the North itself, way or seek political solutions for including the people of the criminal acts have not learnt North-East. Families have any lesson. They should be been destroyed; homes have held responsible if things been annihilated. Children escalate and individuals and have lost their innocence groups are forced to defend while adults have lost their We are themselves. They are— livelihood. Economically and all losers governors and law educationally, the whole enforcers—the enemies region would have to play in the within. Of course the buck catch-up to the rest of Nigeria Boko stops at the center. At the end for quite a while. All of these of the day, if this continues could have been avoided if we Haram for too long, we shall all end had acted decisively to deal saga up as losers but the greatest with criminality without losers are the Fulani looking at tribe and religion. herdsmen who will be treated We can blame the Jonathan with distrust by various host communities administration because the buck and denied access and integration. has to stop somewhere and We all woke up on Monday to see the because he was not assertive re-appearance of fuel queues which had enough. But the real enemies are largely disappeared by the weekend. those who felt they could leverage The reason we are told, was because on the situation and those who see some strategic pipes had been blown up nepotism in everything. They are by the weekend. A group, called the the enemies within.

Niger-Delta Avengers has claimed We are doing the same with the responsibility. Predictably, some SouthFulani herdsmen. Instead of South leaders are going to defend its

Tomorrow, the world celebrates the World Family Day, a day set aside by the United Nations to draw attention to the importance of the family. The day was also declared in response to changing social and economic structures which have affected and still affect the structure and stability of families in Africa and other parts of the world. After God, the family comes next. It is good to have a successful career, hang out with the guys/girls, but nothing comes near the family.

Great wealth without great children to manage it after your retirement/demise often becomes a term activity. We have many people who made great impacts on other fronts, but failed on the home is more rampant in the rural areas. front. They always feel incomplete later At night, they huddle together in life. David O. McKay succinctly because of limited space like captures it: “No other success can monkeys fighting off cold during winter. compensate for failure in the home.”

Many people in their 40s and The family is a micro-society; the family is the bedrock of a great society; above come from large families, but it is first stage of formation for children. those were the days when it was So unless families get it right with the fashionable, the cost of living was upbringing of their children, the bigger lower and life was communal. Some society bears the brunt later. This is of our parents were also farmers, especially so in societies like ours who needed a large family to help grappling with basic issues of policing, out in the farm. Our society, rule of law and justice administration. especially in the urban centres, has We are already witnessing it: increase become plastic and individualistic. in rape cases, armed robbery, Having and raising children has kidnapping, cattle rustling, Boko Haram become more expensive and timeand other violent crimes. No matter how consuming. The family size has much you blame the government, which become a fundamental issue. That is very much culpable, it started from is why I advise would-be couples to agree on the number of children the home.

The theme of this year ’s celebration they will have before saying “I do.”

Some have told me it is ungodly. is: “Families, healthy lives and sustainable future.” With many To such people I ask: “Where is it Nigerians living on less than two dollars ungodly in the Bible to bear only per day, many Nigerian families are children you can adequately cater anything, but healthy. They have no for?” Put differently, is it against the money to provide the three basic needs Bible to have only children you can of food, shelter and clothing. The level effectively cater for? This is what is of poverty is compounded by ignorance ungodly, giving birth to children and indiscipline. Many families whose like rabbits, knowing you do not combined income (husband and wife) have the time and resources to is less than N50,000 have as many as properly bring them up. Failing in six, seven and even ten children. This your parental responsibilities and allowing your children to grow into

Happy family day

C M Y K

monsters who terrorise the society; bringing up children without education or skill, thereby setting them back a million years before their peers in this very competitive and harsh environment.

God always wanted us to do family planning. That is why women have safe and unsafe periods. Even though he created men for all seasons, God expects men to have dick control (self discipline).

He then gave us the brain to enable us know when to and when not to. Those who do not have the discipline for natural family planning have taken refuge in artifi (artificial contraceptives). I concede, however, that the brain does not always function properly in matters of the heart.

Some have also argued that sex is the only pleasure the poor can afford, while the rich have a variety: sex, good food, exotic holidays, etc.; why deny them their fun in the name of natural family planning since they cannot afford contraceptives? But God also gave all of us brains. Why bring children into the world, knowing you have no concrete plans for them? Some people also talk of miscalculations and accidental discharge, which can lead to having more children than you planned. That is true, but that does not stop you from planning. When miscalculations and accidental discharge begin to lead to two, three, four or additional children,

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actions. Many of the leaders will be deaf, blind and dumb, hearing and seeing no evil. The people who live with its members will try and shield these crooks from the law. Let us not again romanticise things. These people are economic terrorists and the earlier we dealt with them like the criminals they are, the better for the country. They are not after the emancipation of the Niger-Delta. They are selfish crooks who are after the emancipation of their pockets and don’t care who or what goes down with it.

The last six years have unmasked many a war lord who became as rich and as corrupt as the rest of the Nigerian elite. How many of them looked back to develop their communities? How many found vocations and means of sustenance for the youths who were in the trenches with them? By blowing the oil and gas pipes, they might increase the hardship of the ordinary Nigerians.

But their own people will suffer just as well. They might plunge the nation into another round of darkness but their people will not be exempt. Yes, the country will suffer, but their people will suffer more. And for what? The blown pipes will increase the negative environmental impact on their communities while the violence and lawlessness will decrease the possibility of future investments and developments. The whole world is moving away from the curse of oil. The ‘Avengers’ are still stuck in it. By the time the sludge is cleared, if it ever gets cleared, the people will realise how much damage the militants and activists have done to their community and how far backwards they have dragged them. The Yorubas have a proverb for it. A flea is killing itself thinking it is killing the dog. They are enemies within.

My plea is that anybody who takes a life; anybody who destroys national assets; anybody who loots the treasury should be severely dealt with. Nobody kills or loots for their religion or tribe.

They must be recognised for what they are, criminals and those who shield them, enemies of state. you know your problem is actually indiscipline and ignorance.

We live in an odd and unkind society.

All the safety nets you see in advanced counties for the vulnerable, the sick, the aged and the unemployed are either absent or not properly developed here. For instance, unless you have a trailer-load of cash, you cannot buy a brand new car or build your own home.

We even provide ourselves electricity, water and sometimes road. So we must factor the society we live in into consideration when deciding our family size.

When we talk about giving our families real quality life, baby number four is a game changer. It changes the equation in accommodation, size of family vehicle and to a lesser extent, upkeep, education expenses and other expenses. It also increases the length of time parents will spend rearing children. Bringing up children with your retirement benefits or/and time is not a very great idea, if it is avoidable.

Having said that, governments at all levels need to use the opportunity of this celebration to reflect on their social contract, or lack of it, with their people.

While we cannot bring back lost time and much of the misappropriated and misapplied resources, we must get our priorities right. Development is about the people. Government programmes should lift more families out of poverty.

Our children need education that will make them contribute meaningfully to the society, not education with only a certificate as evidence. That is development. We need an enabling environment where every willing and serious Nigerian can realize his/her potentials. Once we settle the human aspects of development, physical development will naturally follow and make more sense.

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

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igeria, where everybody is God-fearing. You steal enough, you are beyond reproach. Because you will constitute governments. And have public officials validating not only your innocence but even your righteousness. Aren’t the gods what they are because they make things happen? So you deserve worship. But just in case you get on the wrong side of things and they come for you, you can mess up the investigation. You know, introduce shabbiness into the habitually sloppy process with the injection of cash. The prosecutors will then re- enact a ritual. Make so much noise, dramatize your arrest, deny you bail for a short while. Bones have to be thrown to the baying public. But they will score own goals and leave the courts with no options but to proclaim your innocence, your impeccable integrity. O, the blessedness of the rule of law.

But in the event they opt for vindictiveness , and take matters a bit personal, then you can talk to the judges. A well inspired bench can always find a helpful technicality. The standards of investigation and prosecution are naturally atrocious. So a settled judicial hand won’t need a fine toothed comb. With good lubrication , inevitable flaws have no hiding place. And in any case, even if the case is deemed watertight, judges can , with methodical ruthlessness dismantle reason. Lecturers award A’s to poor papers of willing female students . There is a spreading insensitivity to immorality. In the good old days you could just mummify the case by buying a perpetual injunction. But take heart, money has many ways

The beauty of corruption

But they will score own goals and leave the courts with no options but to proclaim your innocence, your impeccable integrity. O, the blessedness of the rule of law

of creating reasonable doubts . The very rich don’t go to prison. Imprisonment is not their portion.

Just steal enough. So that you have your village with you. Then your community can kick against any attempt to tarnish the image of their illustrious son.

Enough must be reserved to keep the traditional ruler motivated. They are greedy by nature. He has to keep in touch with his colleagues. They will have to issue communiques from time to time.

They may have to see some Emirs and Obas at night to explore ways of inter ethnic co operation because what Nigeria needs the most is peace. Steal enough and keep the youths in the community happy with occasional handouts and poverty alleviation crumbs. A branch of NANS will carry placards and yell deliriously about witch-hunting. Everyone can be rented. You didn’t even

kill anyone. Yours is essentially about the rule of law. They staged an ‘aluta’ to help a pastor whose church building fell in Lagos and killed many people. They can even disrupt public peace if they get something extra. Treat the youths well. They are the leaders of tomorrow. They are the avengers of today.

Make your philanthropy loud and obtrusive. Everything must have a touch of melodrama. That is commonsense. Set up a foundation, sponsor the education of many in the university. Send some of them to English and Ghanaian universities. Organize free medical services from time to time in your constituency. Let the ceremonies be large. Keep your charity gestures on the pages of all newspapers. They must not forget. Yes, that you changed lives. Stories will be told of your kindness. Any future tales about corruption by disgruntled elements will be shortlived. The thousands whose school fees you paid will tell their children good things about you. Free eye glasses, free rams, free bags of rice, free bags of salt, free mirrors.

Keep giving. The more you sow, the more you reap. Pastors love sowers. The orthodox churches love church builders. Build a cathedral. Don’t forget to do a residence for the priest. And always keep in touch with the Bishop.

They will explain away your tribulation to the congregation as an attempt by the devil to stop the work of God. So steal enough and sow massively. For once the Bishops are happy with you, you can’t be a thief. You are sanctified. And those who touch God’s anointed risk His wrath. After all if you were truly of the devil you would not spend millions propagating God’s gospel. Some sponsor thousands of pilgrims and marabouts to the Holy land. Your faith will be counted for you as righteousness.

He who has never sinned should cast the first stone. Bloody hypocrites, they , who have left the logs in their eyes and taken vendetta to doorsteps of the man of the people.

Steal well but stay local. Keep all your money here. Don’t remit anything abroad. These FBI agents and their European cous-

L

ast week a group in the name of Niger Delta Avengers blew up the Chevron oil platform, signaling the return of militias.

They made some demands, including the blighted Niger Delta oil spills that require remediation. In January, there was a similar bombing of a similar oil facility. There is an upwelling of unauthorized quasi-military group using weapons, arms and ammunition in the Niger Delta.

President Muhammadu Buhari has propelled defence forces and the police with a fillip to crush outlawed groups that take up arms to vandalise critical infrastructure. Tackling insecurity is part of his three cardinal programmes, including corruption and unemployment which he promised in his campaign for the presidency.

Criminality in whatever guises including the bombing of critical petroleum infrastructure and looting of the economy by corrupt officials are unacceptable. Some demands of the Avengers appear outlandish; indeed bizarre and extremely unusual. Economic losses are colossal as government spends more money for pipeline repairs. The greater problem is the damaged environment from oil spills.

The President who is the Petroleum Minister in his fatherly disposition should consider the howitzers, corruption and mismanagement in the oil sector. Last Wednesday the Federal Government withdrew petroleum products subsidy on gasoline or premium motor spirit (PMS). With the militias bombings and the President’s withdrawal of gasoline subsidy the people that have been battered in the last few months are in for a raw deal.

Is subsidy withdrawal now in line with the President’s disposition when last year he said, ‘’I have received many literature on the need to remove subsidies, but much of it has no depth.” He said that lack of security, sabotage, vandalism, corruption and mismanagement, not necessarily subsidies, are the most serious problems of Nigeria’s oil sector.

C M Y K

Impressionistic Corruption and Niger Delta Howitzers Mr. President owes Nigerians the sacred duty to bring corruption war to the doorsteps of all Nigerians that stealing public funds is evil According to the President: ‘’ When you touch the price of petroleum products, that has the effects of triggering price rises on transportation, food and rents. That is for those who earn salaries, but there are many who are jobless and would be affected by it”. One’s belief is that he should intensify the fight against corruption and economic insurgency which really are our bane. He needs a lot of work here. The Chatham House of United Kingdom Think Tank in September 2013 reported our crude oil was being stolen on an industrial scale with ready buyers in the Gulf of Guinea, the United States, Europe and several Asian countries. The Report said that Nigeria loses $8 billion a year to theft by politicians, security forces, militants, oil industry staff, oil traders,

and members of local communities, most of who have no interest in stopping it. His request for the repatriation of about $150 billion illegal oil proceeds stolen and laundered in global financial hubs including London, New York, Geneva, Singapore, British Crown Territories and elsewhere is the way to go.

President Buhari last year in India said Nigerians are corrupt. His government had said that 50 persons embezzled N1.4 trillion in Nigeria. In Addis Ababa the President said the Judiciary was part of his problem in fighting corruption. The Vice President was quoted as saying that it was $15 billion that was stolen in the security funds palaver.

Halliburton offenders involved in corrupt practices were sanctioned in their respective countries while the Nigerian collaborators are free. Secret recruitment in government departments and agencies are carried out without due process and without sanctions. The most recent was at the CBN where over 900 employment letters were distributed to children of the rich and influential in the society.

Reports have it that both PDP and APC in 2015 spent almost N5 trillion of public funds in electioneering campaigns. Twenty seven state governments were bailed out for inability to pay staff members’ salaries after the 2015 general elections. A prominent politician

ins are busybodies. They shredded FIFA from a distance. You heard what Cameron was telling the Queen? He was tipsy. You don’t have to dig holes or stash them in sewage pits. Buy lands, swathes of them. Buy finished estates and leave them fallow. You can use any name, but keep in-laws away from secrets. Once things fall apart they become squealing enemies. You can buy MRI machines. That air force chief was public spirited.

That way you can contribute to the public healthcare delivery.

Giving back to the society. But farms and agro processing industries are the vogue now. No one asks farmers how they got start up monies. Farming cleanses, launders. And that includes cattle husbandry. After a while, you can borrow massively from banks and muddle up everything. Hotels , yes hotels. Don’t forget, construction companies .

Watch CCB closely now. Proxies are now indispensable. Panama has messed things a bit but never mind. Local businessmen here are often useful but slippery, risky.

Especially those in the huge turnover businesses. Many in the petroleum marketing sector are willing and able. You can keep billions with them under the radar.

You can spread risk by using many trusted hands. That way you keep no personal accounts, no trails.

Keep a hold on the media. Be generous, they are generally not well paid. A pastor once thought 50,000 naira was what reporters deserved as daily transport allowance. Don’t you plan to get them writing just what you want? You can own a media house, so you can tell your own stories with ‘authority’. But don’t finish all the money on mainstream media. The online category is now very influential. Hire as many online mercenaries as possible . Noise is everything.

It’s good to live an enviable life.

Yours is a legacy of tolerance, freedom, kindness and love. It's the Iroko on which many built their nests. Don’t think too much now about what would happen after you die. Your generations unborn have been worked for. You have helped the poor. Haven’t you? And helped the Church.

A man that came before his time.

recently said N950 million of the people’s money was shared in his house in Kano for election. That is our corruption profile.

In syllogism if A = B, B = C, then A = C. It was a deductive reasoning that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. David Cameron described Nigeria as fantastically corrupt, i.e.

Nigeria is extremely corrupt. Should we vilify Mr. Cameron? No! It was an adverbial modification of that noun corruption.

Corruption is dishonesty for personal gains: i.e. dishonest exploitation of power for personal gain. Again our corruption profile; the United Nations very recent release was that Nigeria was losing $1.5 billion monthly to piracy, armed robbery at sea and fuel supply fraud. That we sell crude and import products into Nigeria is for corrupt tendencies. That we cannot manage the petroleum subsidy regime here is a result of corruption.

President Buhari address at the summit on anticorruption that just ended in London was on why we must tackle corruption together and demanded that all stolen funds in Britain be returned. But we must be more serious in the war against economic insurgency especially in the petroleum sector where the much talk about corruption seems to be impressionistic.

One year on our resolute President should recover funds from economic insurgents to enable him provide good governance? He must enlist all Nigerians in the crusade against economic insurgency. Some highly placed former government officials stole public funds and deprived many Nigerians including agitators’ innumerable opportunities and privileges.

Government should plan development programmes for communities hosting critical energy infrastructure who live in abject poverty and squalor alongside opulent and affluent oil companies’ settlements. We implore the government to invest in the construction of refineries and petrochemical plants in the Niger Delta region to diversify the economy.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—23

•Two Breast of the rest.... the UK truly is a nation of tattoo lovers •Tatoo Tatts off to them... more and more women are inking their assets •Tatt Breast in show... one woman’s original inking

•Titillating... a full body tattoo is topped off with a breast inking

BRAVE FRONT: Why more and more women are choosing to get their breasts tattooed

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RITISH women can’t get enough of the newest titillating tattoo trend – the breast tattoo.

The new craze has seen thousands of women inking their boobs, with many proud owners of the bra-illiant tattoos showing off their work on social media sites such as Instagram.

And, although there aren’t any statistics on the number of women with breast tattoos, the trend is really taking off amongst female ink-enthusiasts.

Stefan Dinu, of London’s Inkaholics tattoo studio, believes the rise in women getting their assets inked is down to a rise in the popularity of tattoos amongst women in general. It is not exactly so in Africa.

He said: “Women are getting more tattoos than they used to before.

“I think it’s more common for women because of how society changed – we don’t judge people like we used to and we allow people to express themselves.

“The ribs are the most painful to get tattooed, followed by the chest.”

However, these incredible inkings aren’t always just for show.

Chest tattoos can be hugely symbolic for some women, with breast tattoos being used more frequently by cancer

survivors to cover up mastectomy scars.

Post-surgery tattoos are becoming increasingly popular in general, as they represent a great way to cover up scarred tissue.

In the US, the nonprofit organisation P.Ink connects artists and survivors to help them move on after the trauma of a mastectomy, offering them the opportunity to have a unique design tailor-made for them.

A recent YouGov survey revealed that Britain are a nation of ink-lovers, with one in five Brits boasting a tattoo.

This means that there are over 10 million people in the UK with a permanent inking somewhere on their body, and the survey found that there are over 1,500 tattoo parlours in the country to serve this vast market.

Other recent tattoo trends have included the rise of 3D tattoos, where a combination of red and blue ink makes it appear as if the inking is jumping out at you.

And the rise of body modification has seen one woman take things to the cringe-inducing extreme by tattooing her eyeballs.

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

World’s largest

cruise ship, goes to sea

•Cos ts $1 7,000 ttonnes onnes •Costs $1..1b ttoo build and weighs 22 227,000 •N early 330f anic •Nearly 330ftt longer than Tititanic •Has 18 decks 165f ower •1 65ftt longer than iconic Eif Eifffel TTower

L

ong-awaited Royal Caribbean’s 227,000-ton Harmony of the Seas on Thursday headed out to sea for the first time for a series of sea trials in advance of its debut later in Southampton, England on May 22. On its first sea trial from Saint-Nazaire, Western France, with just two months to go to delivery, the ship captured world attention with its magnificent and amazing features and facilities.

Harmony of the Seas, which cost $1.1 billion to build, was helped from Saint-Nazaire Port by six tug boats. The ship had been under construction at the STX shipyard in St. Nazaire for more than a year, and the sea trials are taking place off the coast of France.

Harmony on the Seas It appears no better name could have best captured what makes this cruise ship amazing, especially besides its size, for Harmony of the Seas was built to provide cruises that will cement perfect harmony between its passengers and whatever luxury and comfort that could be had on sea.

Size Weighing 227,000 tonnes, Harmony of the Seas has a length of 1,187ft and width of 216ft.

Capacity, amenities

With a capacity of over 6,000 passengers and 2,300 crew members, Harmony of the Seas has a variety of state rooms ranging from small interior rooms through larger rooms to suites, some of which have ‘virtual balconies’.

The virtual balconies consist of a wallmounted screen that looks like a window, showing the ship’s environment as if one was looking through an actual window. The very largest staterooms are three types of Loft Suites: The Royal, The Crown and The Sky. Other amenities aboard Harmony of the Seas include: •The “Ultimate Abyss”, a 10-story dual dry slide •The “Perfect Storm” waterslides •A 3-D theatre •Casinos •The Aqua Theatre for diving shows •The Bionic Bar where drinks will be made solely by robots •Central Park and Boardwalk •Adventure ocean •DreamWorks experience •Luckey Climber playground •Plashaway Bay •Pool bars & sand bars •A nursery

•The “Ultimate Abyss”, a 10-story dual dry slide

•Pool bars & sand bars

•A 3-D theatre

•Luckey Climber playground

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—25 Edited by Ayo Onikoyi 08052201215

I am dating neither Senator Ganiyu Solomon nor Olamide — Sobola Sotayo

By OLADAPO SOFOWORA

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ike a gust of fresh summer wind, sultry actress, Sobola Sotayo, a graduate of sociology from Olabisi Onabanjo University Ogun State, is slowly and steadily winning the day as the next biggest thing in the Yoruba movie industry. As a movie producer, presenter, model, entrepreneur, philanthropist and video vixen, Sotayo is indeed poised to rule as queen in her own part of the world.

With productions like Bella, Arewa Onijogbon, Copper Jide, to name a few, Sotayo signed her name into the hall of big movie makers and obtained her own visa to fame.

With fame, oftentimes comes fortune, and with them definitely are some prices.

No sooner had her name become a song on people’s lips than unsavoury rumours began to circulate about her. With every success she records, there is a whisper that she has been padded by one big man or the other. As a not-too-old face on the scene, people have been wondering where she got the money to shoot big budget films she has been shooting consistently over the years.

How she gets funds to shoot her film “I started making money at an early stage of my life, because I was doing a whole lot of buying and selling. I had the opportunity of travelling abroad frequently, so I get stuff which I sell here in Nigeria. I have people award series of contracts to me, and jobs to do for them.

Through these means, I was able to raise the funds to shoot those movies.

I have always been frugal with my spending and do a lot of savings from my proceeds. With the kind of money I made, some might want to buy a car with their money, and some, for other purposes. For me, the little money I had then, I decided to use to make my own movie.”

Her relationship with Senator Ganiyu Solomon and MC Oluomo Some have hinted that it is the Senator that is behind her business and projects wings since they are very close.

Sometimes, the actress lovingly displays the picture of the Senator on her Blackberry, showering him with encomiums and prompting many to suggest that they must have intimate relationship. Her association with Lagos socialite, MC Oluomo is not a secret as well, and this too has brought about C M Y K

many runours. The actress explains: “Well, if some people don’t see you with any man and they eventually see you with somebody, especially when you have things going well for you, they assume you are having an affair with that individual. MC Olumo is a person you can’t hide or run away from, apparently, I don’t have any issues with him, so, I see no reason to avoid him. I don’t have any kind of romance with him; but as regards Senator Ganiu Solomon, he is like a father to me” She and singer, Olamide No doubts, she and Olamide have got something going for each other but according to the actress, it is nothing intimate. She has appeared in a couple of his music videos and she is almost always present at his shows.

“Olamide is much more like a brother from another mother,” she said of the singer. “His humility has made him achieve so much and he is still going to achieve more. I can always stand anywhere and vouch for him. I had to go and support him for his ‘OLIC’ in the United States.

Basically, Olamide is my brother. When it comes to whether we are dating or not, the answer is no. We are just like brother and sister."

Who she’s dating now?

“Well, I am engaged; but not married.

My relationship is not what I want to unveil to the media. Don’t be surprised you might see me tomorrow with my child,” she quipped. At least it is a confirmation there’s someone somewhere pulling her chestnut out of the fire.

Why she opened a multi-million naira studio.

“I have always had it in mind to set up my own company, where I can do entertainment business. But, I decided to do it now because the time is now. At this stage, I don’t think I can still do movies or production and still take it out to edit. I believe I have the time and strength to handle a proper production company right now”. She added, “We do movie productions and TV productions. We rent out production equipment, camera, light etc. We do PR jobs and events. Everything entertainment is what we do."

Growing up in a polygamous home

•Sobola Sotayo

In the English speaking genre, you can feature in over a hundred movies and you won’t get noticed Growing up, according to Sotayo, was fun, even though her movements were curtailed by her mother, who was constantly looking out for her because of the polygamous setting they lived in.

“Growing up was fun for me, but I was always indoors. My movements were restricted by my mother because I grew up in a polygamous setting.

"For me, I don’t think I want to start a family like that, it’s not easy. I don’t know why a man will want to keep two wives in the first place. Different issues keep sprouting up. This woman’s children are not happy with those of the other woman;

so many issues. If the two mothers are not in good terms, the children will definitely have issues with one another.

That, I don’t really like. I don’t even know the whereabouts of my half brothers and sisters. All I know is about myself and my brother,” she explained.

On her switch from English-speaking movies to Yoruba “In the English speaking genre, you can feature in over a hundred movies and you won’t get noticed. But in the Yoruba speaking movies, if you are different and talented, just feature in five good movies and you will be noticed.

People can’t even point out that I have acted in English movies before, but, I do both. They can always tell that I am a Yoruba actress,” she said.

Reacting to negative stories “It’s my eleventh year in the entertainment industry as a whole. I read a lot of things about me on the internet, newspapers and magazines. I heard people talk lies about me. I have learnt to wear a thick skin and turn deaf ears to negative stories. That is the only way you can go forward in the industry”.

Her next projects “I have done some couple of movies; Idakeji Ife, Egan, Corper Jide, Bella, Arewa Onijogbon etc. I am doing two English movies, and two other Yoruba movies which will be released soon.

26 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

By KEHINDE AJOSE 08054680266

Nigeria’s last hope of dying Reggae

•Timaya

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he seed of Reggae music was planted in Jamaica and made popular by the Legendary Bob Marley.

Since then, Reggae music has left the shores of Jamaica and practically has a life of its own without diluting its core message. In the words of Wyclef Jean: “A lot of my music is very Reggae-driven. Half of my life, Bob Marley was all I listened to”.

Reggae music captures the pressures of everyday life fusing it into irresistible melodies. In Nigeria, the genre used to be on the front row but now has taken a backseat, even when giving birth to an offshoot known as dancehall. However, there are some Nigerian artistes who would not allow the genre to go into extinction and are thus fanning the ember in their own music, which has pretty much deviated from the hard core Reggae.

•Patoranking

•Cynthia Morgan

2face Idibia Though 2face Idibia is known more as an Afropop and RnB artiste, his love for Reggae music is palpable. Songs like Rain drops, One love reminds you of Bob Marley’s brand of Reggae. The awardwinning music icon croons like a bird let off its nest whenever he sings songs with Reggae influences. Reggae lovers are always captivated when the likes of 2face sing songs that capture the emotion of Reggae

•2face Idibia

Timaya Enetimi Alfred Odon a.k.a Timaya is one of the few Nigerian musicians who are still fanning the embers of Reggae music and keeping it alive.

Though the message of his songs may not resonate with the message of Reggae, but he makes up for it with his Reggae driven melodies. When you listen to songs like Bow Down, Bum Bum, and Plantain Boy, you may think you are listening to Peter Tosh. He has been able to create his own style without losing the Reggae flavour.

Patoranking Patoranking broke into the Nigerian music industry with his hit song Alubarika in 2013.The song speedily spread like wildfire and gained massive airplays. At a time when Reggae music is losing relevance and Afropop taking center stage, Alubarika became a song that reveals the everyday struggle of the man on the street. The song starts off with a bouncy Reggae beat and hints at the importance of God’s blessings. “I want to touch lives and give hope to the hopeless with my music” Patoranking once said.

Cynthia Morgan Have you listened to Cynthia Morgan’s German Juice, Baby mama and Popori? You will definitely

•Burna Boy •General Pype feel the vibes of Reggae in the songs.

Though she has been criticized for the usage of Jamaican patois in her music, the voluptuous singer continues to infuse it in her song fervently. The red hair-wearing artiste has said that her patois comes natural to her, even before her manager got her a patois dictionary.

Burna Boy Burna Boy is the poster child for Nigerian dancehall music.

The Rivers State-born singer has a baritone voice that appeals to his fans who are enamoured by his brand of dancehall. From

Yawa Dey,Soke, and Dor Gongon the talented performer said his early reggae influence came from his dad.

“My dad used to play Reggae and Afrobeats. The first Reggae song I heard was in his car. The first CD we had was a mix of all different types of dancehall. I am pretty much a product of my environment” General Pype General Pype is one of the most underrated, yet talented Nigerian artistes. These days it’s difficult to detect the influences of Reggae in contemporary Nigerian music, but the likes of General Pype have constantly showed off this genre in their music. From Victorious man, Champion and Lovers Rock, the sevenstar General shows off his pleasant-sounding dancehall vocals in the songs. General Pype is known for the depth of his lyrics and unique delivery.

Is there a cold war between Seyi Shay and Tiwa Savage?

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•Tiwa Savage and Seyishay C M Y K

ince Seyi Shay became a household name in Nigeria, she has been compared on several occasions with Tiwa Savage. The Murda star doesn’t feel pleased with this. Earlier this year, Seyi Shay was interviewed on a popular TV show and she declared that she doesn’t know Tiwa Savage in person and that they are just colleagues “I don’t really know her personally ” she said in the interview In 2013, Seyi Shay granted another interview where she said:

“Tiwa and I are sisters, we chat everyday on BBM.” Before Tiwa’s marital woes started, she was interviewed on a radio station and asked what she thinks about Seyi Shay joining her as a Pepsi Ambassador. She had this to say: “Having an interview with this girl is crazy. I knew you were going to drop this in anyway.

Everybody has heard” Seyi Shay wasn’t pleased with Tiwa’s response, she took to her Instagram page to express her grouse. “Go listen to the audio, it

hurts” She later deleted her post and explained herself in another post.

“I had to delete that post because people are now talking about things and people that have nothing to do with me. In reality, I don’t care. I live my life; mind my business and I am having fun with it. People should not be so concerned with the issues in this industry.”

Tiwa posted on her Instagram page this week after a long silence, but she is yet to say a word on the brewing disaffection between them.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—27

By TOFARATI IGE 08068792241

Stars who have landed big jobs for their great curves

By TOFARATI IGE

Someone once said that beautiful people tend to have more beautiful and easier lives than others.

What the person didn’t mention is that females with tantalising curves in all the right places on their bodies tend to often get their desires met faster than others.

If you don’t believe in the above analogies, the examples listed in this piece ought to convince, and not confuse you.

CORAZON KWAMBOKA

MERCY JOHNSONOKOJIE

was very common to hear catcalls from the audience during the show, with many of the male folks professing their undying love (or is it lust) for her.

COSSY ORJIAKOR If you know Cossy Orjiakor, I’m sure the first thing that comes to your mind at the mention of her name is ‘Boobs.’

As far as mammary glands go, Cossy ’s is legendary.

An actress by profession, she has •JOSELYN landed many jobs by DUMAS virtue of her huge boobs. She was featured on Fuji star, Obesere’s ‘Apple Juice’ video where her milk factory was generously displayed on the cover.

She has also been the subject of numerous controversies because of her boobs which bloggers and news hounds can’t seem to get enough of. She has graced the cover page of many magazines for her luscious shape

PEACE HYDE To say that Peace is well endowed would be a strong contender for the understatement of the century. She is indeed a sight for sore eyes.

The British-Ghanaian beauty is a TV personality, as well as a correspondent for the respected Forbes Africa Magazine.

Interestingly, she is not just about her looks. She graduated with a First Class in Psychology from Middlesex University, and possesses a Masters Degree in Communication and Digital Media.

To further underscore the fact that her MOESHA teeming fans BUODONG can’t get enough If you ‘Google’ the of looking at her name Moesha fabulous body, Buodong, your sight she is the will be assailed by presenter of three many sexy pictures shows in Ghana that’ll definitely which include the make you swallow EFGH Show, your own saliva; Friday Night Live that’s if they don’t and MTN Hit make your member Maker Season YVONNE JEGEDE stand as stiff as a Three. While not soldier on the denying or parade ground. The dismissing her babe talent, it is is hot, period! unarguable that This Ghanaian Peace’s sexual appeal played a big actress has got curves role in landing her the above-listed to die for, and she plum jobs. knows it, so she is never tired of TOOLZ flaunting it in our The curves on this babe would faces. Often dressed make a gay man have a rethink of in skimpy and his sexuality. seductive attires, Born Tolu Oniru, the ebony hued Moesha has landed stunner has a degree in Business many acting roles on and Mass Communication from the account of her London Metropolitan University. humongous boobs.

As a radio personality, she hosts She is also often paid the Midday Show on Beat FM. to attend parties She also has a TV show called simply because of her ‘The Juice’ where she interviews sexiness. various celebrities, and she was the host of the maiden edition of Glo XYVONNE JEGEDE Factor.

“It is not my fault Though she also has a lovely that my dress cannot voice, it is unarguable that her cover my boobs,” says ‘hotness’ was one of the reasons she JOSELYN Nigerian actress, was chosen to host the X-Factor. It DUMAS Yvonne Jegede.

TOOLZ

COSSY ORJIAKOR

PEACE HYDE

The above statement should give you an inkling as to the size of Yvonne’s mammary glands; she is loaded!

Though she is not rated an A-list actress, it is a fact that she has gotten many acting gigs because of her fantastically hot body (no apologies to David Cameron).

MERCY JOHNSON-OKOJIE In every role she takes on, Mercy Johnson’s uniquely natural talent shines through. However, it is undeniable that many fans watch

Africa Magic simply to catch a glimpse of Mercy ’s humongous boobs.

She has landed many acting jobs on account of her banging body.

MOESHA Directors have BUODONG even had to rewrite scripts to make sure she and her boobs play a prominent role.

However, when Mercy got married some years ago, she disappointed some fans when she declared that she would no longer be wearing skimpy outfits as a result of her marital status. That notwithstanding, Mercy’s body still remains incredible even after two kids, and directors aren’t still tired of casting her in roles of a sexy babe.

CORAZON KWAMBOKA The sight of Corazon Kwamboka can make a warm-blooded man break out in sweat even in an air conditioned room. This Kenyan model has curves for days, and it attracts men like bees to honey.

Her fantabulous body has secured her many modeling jobs. She is also regularly paid to host events, because at every show she anchors, hordes of men always turn up, if for nothing but to feed their eyes with her gift of nature.

JOSELYN DUMAS It may just be a coincidence that Joselyn’s last name rhymes with ‘arse,’ but with the kind of backside she has, it is indeed fitting.

The Ghanaian TV host and actress has won many awards for her acting prowess, and she sets tongues wagging on account of her body frame. She is usually paid to host shows, and when she does, the excited response of the audience is better imagined.

C M Y K

28—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

DRAMA Ola Balogun storms out of premiere

•Ola Balogun

after a young actress attacked him for condemning Nollywood

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OPULAR film maker and musician, Dr. Ola Balogun, who belongs to the first

generation of Nigerian film makers in the likes of the late Chief Hubert Ogunde, Jab Adu, the late Ade Afolayan (Ade Love), Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala), Eddie Ugbomah among others, felt embarrassed and disappointed Monday night, when he stormed out of the premiere of his new documentary film, “River Niger, Black Mother” in anger.

The documentary film, premiered at Freedom Park in Lagos Island, attracted a sizeable number of young film makers and critics. After the screening of the documentary which he said took him about 10 years to produce, the legendary film maker was put on the spot, as he answered some questions from the audience bordering on his career as a film maker and the state of the nation’s film industry.

“In my opinion, the present day film makers are not interested in making quality films.

According to him, “80 percent of would-be-film makers do not want to learn the art of film making.”

In the past forty years, he said, “none of them have ever come to tell us to mentor them. I can’t go about looking for who I would mentor. They don’t want to learn anything, rather they are interested in making money.”

“There are some professionals in Nollywood such as Tade Ogidan and late Amaka Igwe. The issue is this, the young musicians usually come to me and we play music together. That’s why they are setting a high standard now. But the film makers are not interested in making good films. They have not seen any good film before, and they are not interested in making quality films. Film making is a profession and the present generation of film makers do not

Why I fell down on the set of “Pepper Soup” —Denrele Edun

By Kehinde Ajose

E

ccentric TV personality and

actor, Denrele Edun, who suddenly fell down during the shooting of the film, “Pepper Soup” has opened up on the circumstances surrounding his ordeal.

The actor was to act a scene where he would fall and faint but it turned to an accident as he hit his forehead on a sharp object, got seriously injured and passed out.

Sharing the experience at the premiere of the film, last Friday, at C M Y K

want to approach it as a profession. The so called actors in Nollywood are horrible. I can only refer to them as stars, not actors. There are only three actors in Nollywood. One of them is called Mercy Johnson, she’s a very good actress. The other one is Liz Benson. Actresses such as Ini Edo, among others, are not actresses, yet they make a lot of money.”

Shortly after Ola Balogun’s presentation, a young female film maker, Emmra, who said she studied Computer Science at Ogun State University before venturing into film making, took on the veteran film maker-turned-musician following his outright condemnation of works of the present generation of Nigerian film makers.

“I feel there is a big disconnect between the older generation and the younger generation of film makers in the country. I am going to relate my experience. Like you said, we are victims of the society not just the older generation alone. I studied Computer Science in Ogun State university and I never saw one computer throughout my undergraduate days. After my graduation, I started as an intern with Clarion Peters even though I knew I wanted to go into film making.

“During that period, I was able to save some money as I proceeded to New York Film Academy to study the art of film making for one and half years. So, when you tell me that I don’t know what I am doing, it hurts. When you tell me that I am not interested in learning the art of film making, it makes me not even want to meet with you to ask you some questions. It shuts that door for me. Yes, our work might not be as good as that of your generation.

Butthere are lot of people who are out there struggling to

make a good film. Whether you like it not, Nollywood has brought global attention to this country. And these are the people you say they do not know anything. If you talk like this, I don’t want to come near you,” the young girl fumed.

However, feeling embarrassed and visibly disappointed, Ola Balogun lost his cool as he stormed out of the venue, muttering “I am not going to come here and talk again. I have not seen anything you have done. I have a new documentary here. It is called River Niger, Black Mother. It took me about ten years to produce the documentary. You cannot learn to make film by going to film school, it’s a waste of time. You make film by watching films. I am going away from here,” the legendary film maker thundered, storming out of the place angrily.

Angry Birds land Nigeria

•Denrele on the floor bleeding

Civic Centre, Lagos, the bubbly entertainer said, “I fell down on the first day on set. I needed to make my role believable and so, I decided to do it for real. When I started bleeding, everyone was in panic. I had non-stop migraine.

After I went for treatment, I became more careful in order not to touch my eyebrow. The character I played sheds more light on what many entertainers do these days. A lot of entertainers take these substances back to back to knock out depression and other things. Acting in this movie has changed my perception about life and it couldn’t have come at a better time,” he said.

•Angry birds

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tudents from different schools across Lagos, last Saturday thronged the Silverbird Cinemas, Victoria Island, for the special screening of “Angry Birds,” a 2016 American-Finnish 3D computer-animated action-adventure comedy film which premiered yesterday in the Nigerian cinemas and other parts of the world.

The film, based on the video game series of the same name was directed by Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly (in their directorial debuts).

Produced by John Cohen and Catherine Winder, the film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks, and starrs the likes of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride,

Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Sean Penn, Tony Hale, KeeganMichael Key, Bill Hader and Peter Dinklage.

Speaking about the movie, the Manager, Silverbird Distribution Network, Mr Anieke, said the “Ängry Birds” started showing yesterday in the cinemas. He added that as a family-based film, the students and their teachers are the major targets of the film.

Based on Rovio’s wildly popular mobile game franchise, the 3D animated comedy is set on an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red (Jason Sudeikis) a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (Gad), and the volatile Bomb (Danny McBride) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.

Anieke said the moral behind “Angry Birds” which made its debut at the ongoing Cannes film festival on Thursday was that once you are angry, you play the game so as to reduce your stress.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, MAY 14, 2016—29

Rotimi Agbana 08137741609

2face bags honorary degree from Igbinedion University

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•2face

eteran hip-hop singer, Innocent ‘2face’ Idibia, has been awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree in music from Igbinedion University, Okada, courtesy of the founder of the institution, Gabriel Igbinedion, and the Esama of Benin kingdom. The African Queen award winning singer was presented with the honorary degree on Tuesday, May 10th, 2016, at the University’s 17th founder’s day and special convocation ceremonies in the institution’s premises in Okada, Edo state. During his acceptance speech, he said he thought he was being punked when he got news of the award.

“When they told me this, I thought I was being punked! Even when I came here, I still thought I was being punked. Up till now I’m still in shock.”

Patoranking signs autograph on female fan’s breast irlie O crooner, Patoranking, was

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•Patoranking Signing Autograpgh

recently caught in an unprecedented scenario when a female fan requested that he sign his autograph on her luscious-looking breast, which he had to oblige. The reggae-dancehall singer, who seemed to be excited about this occurrence while reminiscing on it, shared a picture of himself on Instagram, excitedly signing his autograph on a female fan’s breast. “She said sign it there. I follow instructions and I listen to my fans”, he reminisced.

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ennis Music act, Joel ‘Joe El’ Amadi, has disclosed that looking and sounding like 2face is something he loves, stressing that even if he tries not to sound like 2face, his looks will still betray him, so he doesn’t intend to change his singing style anytime soon.

“2Face is a good name; he is a mentor and role model, 2face is entertainment. I don’t want to separate myself from 2face, if I even try not to sound like 2face, is it possible? Is there even any possibility of separating myself from 2face? Or are you guys advising me to go and have a face surgery so I don’t look like 2face anymore? If you are a Christian or a Muslim, your holy book will tell you to speak, act and behave like your God. So if 2face is Joe El’s savior I want to follow his footsteps”.

Kenneth Okonkwo, wife welcome first child after 9 years of marriage

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opular Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo and his wife, Ifeoma, of second marriage have welcomed their first child after nine years of marriage. The handsome baby boy was delivered at St. Joseph Medical Center, University of Maryland, USA, on Friday May 6th, 2016.

The new bundle of joy is Okonkwo’s second from his second marriage. He had his first son from his first marriage that ended years ago, to Ogechi, daughter of one pastor Ezekiel of Christian Pentecostal Mission International.

Mo’cheddah has been my celebrity crush since 2012 — Adekunle Gold

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BNL act, Adekunle Gold, fondly called ‘Mr Photoshop’, has openly declared he has a soft spot in his heart for female pop act, Mo’cheddah, who is widely rumored to be in a relationship with popular OAP, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi’s brother, Bukuyi Olateru-Olagbegi.

“My celebrity crush is Mo’cheddah. I’ve been crushing on her since 2012. I have always liked her style and I have always thought that she was stylish. She is very cute. Weird enough, I told her I was crushing on her when she was with her boyfriend and he was mad at me” he said in a TV interview.

Twitter war: illbliss curses follower’s mother

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arlier in the week, Nigerian rapper, Illbliss, and one of his twitter followers engaged in a brief war of words. The said follower stormed Illbliss’ twitter handle to throw jabs at him over his rap dexterity. The follower, @pazqalEric, wrote “Oga bliss, rapping is not your calling, what you are doing is not one called rap. You’ll now be forming boss, on top wetin”. Illbliss, a political science graduate, wasted no time in responding to the insult thrown at him by this follower. He responded with unprintable words that can send an emotionally unstable person to his pillows and possibly spark off a third world war.

DJ Cuppy completes master degree at New York Varsity

I would love my funeral used in Nollywood movies — Adesua Etomi

By Rotimi Agbana

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T

he entertainment industry has been rocking with a lot of shocking revelations since the start of 2016. From January 1st till date, it’s been one shocking revelation, drama or the other. It continues as fast-rising screen goddess; Adesua Etomi recently made a shocking disclosure that because of her love for acting, she would love film makers to use her funeral in Nollywood movies after her demise. The actress who won the 2016 AMVCA Best Actress, expressed her undying love for acting, saying that she would still want to appear in the movies even after she must have passed on.

I want to keep singing like 2face – Joe El

•Adesua Etomi

illionaire oil mogul, Femi Otedola’s daughter, Florence Otedola, popularly known as ‘DJ Cuppy’, has graduated from a university in New York with a Masters Degree in arts. The celebrity DJ who is a first degree graduate of Business Economics from Kings College in London, on the 10th of May, 2016, completed her master’s degree at the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. The very excited DJ •DJ Cuppy shared the joyful news of her graduation with her fans and followers on her Instagram page. She posted a picture of her certificate and wrote “After two years of hard work, the time has finally come. #Graduation #NYU #Masters #CuppyOnAMission.”

30—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016 ingerie tycoon Michelle Mone last night revealed her most embarrassing moment – scooping up an adorable Vietnamese ‘child’ in front of 3,000 people, then discovering that he was actually a 46-yearold married man.

The Tory business tsar – nicknamed ‘Baroness Bra’ after being made a peer last year – was speaking at an entrepreneurs’ conference in Vietnam when the ‘boy’ ran up to her with flowers.

She picked him up for a cuddle and a selfie.

But then a woman sitting in the front row shouted: ‘Put him down – I’m his wife!’

Baroness Mone of Mayfair told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The guy was fine with it and the whole room was screaming with laughter.

‘I thought something was wrong – his teeth were bright yellow from nicotine.’

Later, the man’s wife asked Lady Mone whether it was simply ‘British custom’ to pick people up in that way.

The Scottish founder of the Ultimo underwear chain revealed her gaffe yesterday on Twitter with a snap and the tweet: ‘Thought this was a sixyear-old, picked him up, he’s a MAN.’ However, the revelation has left some questioning whether the tweet was simply a tactic to promote Baroness Mone’s new fake tan product – as the image was first uploaded to her Instagram page six months ago. Her spokesman denied this.

The reason for the man’s small stature has not been explained.

L

08 11 6759 759 081 6759759

Put the flower boy down, Michelle – he’s my husband

Indian mother ‘had IVF baby aged 72 to win 40year ffamily amily battle oover ver £500,000 inherit ance... inheritance...

Italy’s highest court rules that ‘stealing food when hungry is not a crime’

R

oman Ostriakov was charged with stealing •4.07 (£3.23) worth of cheese and sausages from a supermarket. A high court has ruled stealing small amounts of food is not a crime - if you’re hungry.

Italy’s highest court of appeal made the decision after Roman Ostriakov was charged with stealing •4.07 (£3.23) worth of cheese and sausages from a supermarket last year.

On Tuesday the court ruled the homeless man from Ukrainian background stole the food “in the face of the immediate and essential need of nourishment” and cleared him on all charges.

It was not the first time Mr Ostriakov had been caught stealing.

In 2011 he was spotted in a Genoa supermarket putting two pieces of cheese and a packet of sausages in his pockets.

At the checkout he only tried to pay for breadsticks. In 2015 Ostriakov was sentenced to six months in prison and handed a •100 (£79) fine. A statement from Italy’s Court of Cassation said:: “The condition of the defendant and the circumstances in which the seizure of merchandise took

place prove that he took possession of that small amount of food in the face of an immediate and essential need for nourishment, acting therefore in a state of necessity.”

It comes as Italy continues to struggle with an economic crisis.

According to figures from the Italian Business C o n f e d e r a t i o n , Confcommercio, every day 625 people are added to the group of the country ’s poorest citizens.

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that every person has the right to food.

It says: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care.”

A

N elderly woman who gave birth aged 72 is thought to have done so to end a £500,000 family inheritance row.

It has since emerged that the couple may have wanted a baby because of a 40-year legal battle between Mohinder and his family.

Mohinder, who lives in Amritsar, in Punjab, said he would only inherit his share of the cash if he had a child.

He added: “My father was trying to deprive me of a share in his property on the plea because I didn’t have a child.

“We had been engaged in a tussle for more than four decades.” Mohinder’s father Uttam Singh, who passed away eight years ago, wanted his property to be split between his children.

But Mohinder claims his

four siblings refused to give him his share because he had no children of his own to take care of. He added: “When this fight started, I was in my 40s so my wife and I tried to have a baby but there was some medical complication. “We went to see many doctors but it was the 1970s and 80s, so medical facilities weren’t that great. “It was embarrassing to not be able to produce a child, no doubt, but we got caught with litigation.”

Using donor eggs, Dalijinder gave birth to a healthy boy called Armaan. She said: “God heard our prayers. My life feels complete now. “I am looking after the baby all by myself, I feel so full of energy.

My husband is also very caring and helps me as much as he can. “When we saw the (IVF) advert, we thought we should also give it a try as I badly wanted to have a baby of my own.”

Mohinder added: “People say what will happen to the child once we die. But I have full faith in God. God is omnipotent and omnipresent, he will take care of everything.”

SA TURD AY Vanguard, MA Y 14, 2016—31 SATURD TURDA MAY

Happy cheers for Olarenwaju @ 70

T

he Ikoyi residence of General Tajudeen Olarenwaju, former Minister of Communications was a Mecca of sort last Sunday as his friends, associates and well-wishers came from far and wide to celebrate with him on th the occasion of his 70 birthday.

The highlight of the day includes a special Muslim prayer and a luncheon party. The day was also a reunion of sort for the General and some of his colleagues who haven’t seen one another in decades. Photos by Joe Akintola. Photo Editor

Captain Y unus’ Yunus’ daughter weds in style

I

t was an ostentatious display of splendour, penultimate Saturday in Lagos , when Captain and Mrs Bashir Adekunle Yunus gave out their only daughter, Aisha Ilunamie to Mr Oluwaseun David Ogunsanya. After the nuptial rites, guests drawn from the political, oil and gas, aviation and security sectors were treated to a superlative reception at Glitter Hall, Oregun, Lagos while Evangelist Ebenezer Obey serenaded them with his music .

L-R;Mrs Raheemat Adeshina;Alhaja Rafiat Arowoshola and Gen Tajudeen Olarenwaju

L-R: Senator Brimmmo Yusuf; Major General Dayo Popoola (Rtd) and Vice Admiral Jibril Ayinla (Rtd)

General Tajudeen Olarenwaju ,celebrant (m) and wife, Mrs Yemisi and with Animasahawun families.

Couple’s fathers; (1st right, 1st left) Captain Bashiru Adekunle Yunus and Chief Lawrence Ogunsanya and their wives; ( 2nd left, 2nd right) Mrs Yunus and Mrs Ogunsanya, with the groom (middle) Mr Oluwaseun David Ogunsanya

Couple with siblings The Oori's of Oba Rilwan Akinolu of Lagos

Prof Mustapha Danesi and his wife Dr Rosemary Danesi

.L-R: Alhaji Kola Animasaun,General Tajudeen Olarenwaju, celebrant and Alhaja Dupe Animasaun.

Bride with maids

Jimoh, Elizabe th Ar ogundade laid tto o rest Elizabeth Arogundade The burial ceremony of the late Chief Johnson Jimoh Arogundade, the Olukun of Ogidi Kingdom and his late wife, Madam Elizabeth Ilori Arogundade took place at St. John’s Anglican Church,Ogidi Ijumu local government of Kogi State recently. Photos By Olu Ajayi.

L-R: Mr Segun Arogundade with his elder brother, Bashorun APS Arogundade and wife.

C M Y K

Barrister Amos Oloruntoba of NDLEA, Abuja (l) and Barrister.Wole Otitoju.

Members of Club 020 Ogale: From left: Chief Olu Ajayi, with AlhajiWahaab Arubulu and Dr .Wahab Yusuf.

32—SATURDAY

Lifestyle

Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

INFERTILITY:Speak out if

you conceive through IVF T

oday, In Vitro Fertilization, IVF is practically a household word. But not so long ago, it was a mysterious procedure for infertility that produced what was then known as “test-tube babies.”

IVF involves combining eggs and sperm outside the body in a laboratory. Once an embryo or embryos form, they are then placed in the uterus. IVF is a complex and expensive procedure; only about 5 percent of couples with infertility seek it out.

To date, over five million of such babies conceived outside their mother’s womb have been born. Since its introduction in Nigeria almost two decades ago, thousands of babies have been conceived through IVF. ”If you have a fertility problem, don’t keep quiet.

Seek help. And if you achieve a successful pregnancy through IVF, speak out. Share your experience.”

This statement by Dr. Taiwo Orebamjo—a fertility specialist and Medical Director, Lifeshore Fertility Clinic, Lagos—highlights part of the challenges of fertility treatment and its options in the country today.

Recently, Lifeshore recorded the birth of its first baby conceived through IVF. The baby, a female, is the first baby of a couple that had been trying to conceive for four years.

Orebamjo said the birth of Lakeshore’s 1st IVF baby heralds a landmark achievement. “Getting results encourages patients. It makes our efforts worthwhile and gives encouragement to forge ahead.

“The couple had gone from pillar to post before they came to us and we were able to assist them obtain their goal of having a baby. ”The mother had a challenge, but we were able to correct it.

Although the success rate of IVF is not so high, however, those who need it need it.

“When one does all these and does not get results, one tends to become discouraged and starts wondering whether one does not know what one is doing and patients also start wondering whether one is not running a genuine fertility clinic.”

Further, the fertility expert said conceiving through IVF is

•Dr Taiwo Orebamjo flanked by nurses as he holds the 1st IVF baby at Lifeshore Fertility Clinic, Lagos manufacturing a baby. ultimately the Lord’s doing “All we can do as scientists because there is no human is to carry out a process up being that is capable of to a point and leave the rest

Nature’s Health

O

besity is the condition in which a person is overweight and has a high degree of body fat.

Obesity is measured by the Body Mass Index (BMI), calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms with your height in meters squared.

A person with BMI 25-29 is considered as overweight; if your BMI is between 30 and 40, you are considered as obese. Obesity can lead to various life threatening

in the hands of God. “There are many centres in Nigeria now offering IVF, but not all of them know what they are doing, but in good centres I would say IVF is beneficial to the populace and it is gradually achieving acceptance in this environment.

Orebamjo says the taboos that still surrounds IVF should be dispelled by those that have benefited from the procedure. “Most people who have achieved successful pregnancy through IVF and birth still do not want to announce it, yet there are so many other people who could benefit from IVF, but have not been informed that such facilities exist.”

When it comes to infertility, IVF may be an option if a couple is diagnosed with problems ranging from with ovulation issues, low sperm counts, problems with the uterus or fallopian tubes or other unexplained fertility problems IVF is often reserved for cases in which other methods such as fertility drugs, surgery, and artificial insemination haven’t worked.

All we can do as scientists is to carry out a process up to a point and leave the rest in the hands of God Success rates for IVF depend on factors ranging from the reason for infertility, where the procedure is being done, and the woman’s age. A woman’s age is a major factor in the success of IVF for any couple. For instance, a woman who is under age 35 and undergoes IVF has a 40 percent chance of having a baby, while a woman over age 40 has an 11.5 percent chance.

Home remedies to beat obesity

diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, some cancers, stroke etc. Consumption of more calories and sedentary lifestyle are the major cause for obesity. It is possible to control obesity or get rid of it using various home remedies and lifestyle changes. The following home remedies will not just control obesity but help you maintain a healthy body and mind.

Green Tea Green tea has been found to be very effective in weight loss and will help in treating weight loss without any dieting or weight loss pills. Boil the green tea leaves and let it simmer for a few minutes. Drink two to three times a day to see visible results in days.

Apple cider vinegar & lime juice

Mix one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of lemon juice in a cup of lukewarm water.

Drink this glass of water on an empty stomach every day for two to three months. You will see visible results as water will keep you hydrated, apple cider vinegar will boost your metabolism and lemon will help in improving the taste of water.

Start your day with honey Take a teaspoon of honey and mix it in a glass of hot water. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to this water mixture. Drink this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Repeat daily for two to three months to see an effective weight loss.

Drink hot water If you have the habit of drinking cold water, try to replace it with warm or appreciably hot water. Hot water will help in eliminating the fat deposits in your body. Drink hot water after every meal and make sure that you leave a gap of half an hour between the food and the water. Never drink water immediately after eating.

•Obesity

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, MA Y 14, 2016 —33 MAY

(Text Only)

The right attitude towards fitness Half-Plough

back onto the floor.

Technique:

P

lace a chair at the head of your practice mat. Place your head halfway underneath the chair.

Now, swing both legs and place them atop the back-rest of the chair.

Duration:

Benefits:

The Half-Plough Pose makes the spine elastic. The abdominal organs are massaged. The gastric fire is improved and constipation dealt with.

• Fingers to toes

Stay in the Plough Pose for about 10 seconds. To return to the original position, first bend the knees and gently roll down flat

Fingers to Toes

Fingers to toes variation

Technique: Sit down flat on the ground;

• Half-Plough

stretch your hands gently to touch the toes. Remain still for a period of 15 to 20 seconds and repeat thereafter for two or three times.

Benefits:

This exercise stretches your back muscles and enables you move freely at all times.

Also the hamstrings are made flexible and the legs rendered powerfully strong.

Help is available to you. Not the help of man that is vain but the help of God that will enable you to do valiantly. Your situation is not beyond the help of God. No matter how long the case may have been, it still has a solution. Don’t despair nor give up. Keep on pressing ahead towards your future that is more glorious than where you are coming from. Through the grace of God you will receive help to accomplish the task and or vision. sonally concerned about your to Zarephath as he was com- up from that bed, go about Nothing is too hard for God’s affairs and wants you to ask His manded by God. When he your duty, send that applicahelp. Gen. 18:13-14, says, “And power to help you.. Hear me, came to the gate of the city, be- tion letter, tender for that conthe Lord said unto Abraham, any problem that God cannot hold the widow woman was tract, return to that office for the wherefore did Sarah laugh, say- solve must become god to God. there gathering sticks to go and supplies and you will encouning, shall I of a surety bear a But then I know that nothing is prepare her last meal for her- ter God’s help. God provides child, which I am old? Is any too hard for God to handle. He self and son to eat and die be- for us in ways that go beyond thing too hard for the Lord? At will handle your case for you. cause of the great famine in the our narrow expectations. No the time appointed I will return don’t throw in the towel for God land. Whole this woman was matter how bitter our trials or unto thee, according to the time shall make you to laugh again. busy preparing to die, God had how seemingly hopeless our of life, and Sarah shall have a He that turned Abraham and help available for her where she situation, we should look for son”. Abraham and Sarah were Sarah’s hopeless case around least expected. This is why I say God’s hand of care. We may old and beyond the age of child will turn that seemeth impossi- to you that you will encounter find His providence in some bearing and Sarah thought it ble situation around for His glo- help where you least expect. strange places. The widow of was no more possible for her to ry. Doing the impossible is eve- The hardness of the economy Zarephath did and sod is not a bear a child. In the midst of her ryday business for God. Our big shall not swallow you and your respecter of persons. challenge of barrenness, God problems may not seem so im- concerns. God will enable you Beloved, Jesus can help when said He will help Sarah and the possible if we let God handle to outlive your challenges vic- no one else can. Matt. 9:23-26, spell of barrenness shall be bro- them. Remember that what is toriously. Believe and receive says, “And when Jesus came ken. Sarah thought this was not impossible with man is possible this message and see your life possible and so God asked the with God. prosper. You shall not commit question if there was anything God helps us when we least suicide or die because of prethat is too hard for God to do. expect it. In 1Kings 17:9-16, vailing circumstances. You will Well, God confirmed His word Prophet Elijah, arose and went receive the help of God. Rise to Sarah just as he said. Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a For more details, contact us at Christ Reality Church, beside Gossard Hotel, son in his old age, at opposite First Bank Sports Ground, Community Road, Satellite Town or the set time of which P.O.Box, 3196, Yaba Lagos. Tel: 08023062635, 08168955932; 08033378769. EGod had spoken to mail: johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org.

Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, him (Gen 21:1-2).

God is asking you A/C Nos. 0005171407; Christ Reality Ministries, Zenith Bank A/C 1011711622. the same question right now. Is your case Worship with us on Sundays, 1st Service: 7.45 am – 9:15am; 2nd service 9:15 beyond redemption? – 11:30am. Wednesday World Revelation 6pm. Counseling days Tuesdays, Of course not. This Thursdays and Fridays. 11Am – 5pm daily or by appointment. Showers of question reveals much blessing every 2nd - 4th Sat. of each month 6 a.m – 7.15am. about God who is per-

God will help you (IV)

Yoga Classes STARTED

@ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

10.00am —11.00am on Saturdays

into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, He went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land”. Here the little girl was dead and it was too late for any man to help her. But Jesus simply went to the girl and raised her. In your life, Jesus Christ, can make a difference when it seems too late for anyone else to help. God help you and all your concerns and help our great nation Nigeria.

Have you given your life to Jesus? If not, please pray this prayer. Father, I come to you as I am. I invite Jesus into my life to be my personal Lord and Saviour. Wash me cleanse with the blood of Jesus and empower me with the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you Father for saving my soul and making me your child.

34—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

Journey into the creeks in search of illegal bunkerers •Taking the war beyond the waters

By Evelyn Usman DATELINE: May 14th, 2016. DESTINATION: Akalaba, Abagbo, Corner loss, Ati-Alashe Ilado-Odo , Faji Island, Atlas Cove, in Lagos state.

ON BOARD: Operatives of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Journalists Beecroft’s operation The raid by the Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft, an operations base of the Western Naval Command, Apapa, Lagos, which covers the sea and coastal areas from the Nigeria/ Benin border at Long 002o 49’ E to Long 006o E in Delta State from the Nigerian coastline to the limit of the nation’s Economic Exclusive Zone, was t a k e n beyond the waters, penultimate Wednedssay. The operation which was witnessed by journalists was carried right in the den of vandals in communities such as Akalaba, Abagbo, Corner loss, Ati-Alashe Ilado-Odo , Faji Island, Atlas Cove, all in Lagos State.

•Commodore Adaji leading operatives at Faji Island C M Y K

Day 1 Astonishing discovery was made during the raid around the secured mooring buoy, off the Lagos encourage, as operatives set out around 2 am for their routine patrol.

While Nigerians were deep asleep in their respective homes, some unscrupulous individuals were engaged in illegal activities around the mooring buoy. During the raid, the eagle-eye operatives were attracted to a pipe that was connected to the hose, receiving import product for supply to the ATLAS Cove. As a matter of necessity , they approached the point to investigate the situation, only to stumble on an ongoing surreptitious activity. The first thing that caught their attention was the speed at which a small speed boat left the location. But as it sped off, a pipeline dropped from it.

The operatives took the pipe, followed its line , only to discover again that it was connected to wooden boat that

was stationed about 120 meters away from the mooring point.

Startling discovery Ordinarily, no one suspected any clandestine action , as there was nobody at the mooring point but, a hose that was laid under the water.

In the operatives’ bid to satisfy their curiosity and ascertain what a fishing boat was doing around that area, another startling discovery was made. Right inside the wooden boat were 235 drums of 250 litres capacity. Thirty-two of the drums were filled with Premium Auto Spirit ,PMS. Consequently, the wooden boat and the drums were towed to the base.

Simple but sophisticated technology Commenting on the recovery, the Commander, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Abraham Adaji stated that the technology used by the hoodlums was simple but sophisticated . “This is so because the pipe of about 68 boat inches connected for supply and there is an adaptor that links five other smaller badges of about 3-4 inches. It was those smaller badges that fill into these drums. So, as the main supply comes, it flows into the pipes, so at a time they can fill five drums sequentially like that because of the high pressure on the systems. In no distance time they would have filled the entire drums in the boats and speed off.”

Day 2 Next day, the operation took a different dimension. This time around, it was carried out with operatives of the Nigerian Security Civil Defense Corps, who are also charged with the responsibility of protecting pipelines across the

nations. The operatives with journalists set sail from the Western Naval Command jetty in over four boats ,with Commodore Adaji personally steering one of the ships.

Race for life The first port of call was the Atlas Cove. But there was no sight of any boat let alone illegal activities. However, when operatives proceeded to the IladoOdo creeks, a speed boat coming from the opposite direction made a sudden u-turn on sighting the naval ships and increased its pace. It landed abruptly by the sea shore and without waiting to berth the ship, its occupants numbering about four, jumped out and ran into some abandoned uncompleted buildings by the river bank.

Apprehension fo attack A t this point, apprehension set in, particularly in the minds of the ‘civilian’ journalists .

But the readiness of the heavily armed operatives allayed fears, as they (operatives ) became more conscious and positioned themselves strategically , in readiness for any likely ambush by reinforced vandals. But that was not to be Some drums filled with petroleum products were recovered from the abandoned boat. From all indication, it was obvious that the fleeing persons were vandals, suspected to be coming from where they had gone to siphon

• Recovered drums at the secured mooring buoy

• Tr tyres

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—35

Continues from page 34 product.

Shocking discoveries Next was Faji Island, which oversees a mooring buoy where ships loaded with petroleum products wait for clearance before sailing into the Lagos ports.

Surprisingly, there were fresh traces of heavy duty tyres on the sandy shore, indicating suspected illegal activities in the area. Crime Guard reliably gathered that the Island was usually a beehive of activities at night , as trucks converged there to convey siphoned petroleum products to different parts of the country. To assert this claim, over 10,000 empty jerrycans of different sizes and colours with different inscriptions such as MP3, MT, MTN, MIMO, NX, ELF,AWE, CM, MC, etc on them, were sighted at different locations in the Island, including hoses . From all indications, it was obvious that the nefarious activities could not be unconnected with illegal maritime activities.

OPC back?

After taking a long walk at the sandy Island, some men with reflective jackets on which was inscribed ‘King Lion boys’, with an emblem of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, were sighted coming out from nowhere and armed with cutlasses. At the back of the reflective jacket was inscribed; OPC , a baffling discovery since the contract of surveillance of pipeline that was awarded to the Gani Adams faction of OPC by the immediate past administration had been revoked by the present administration. However, a member of the group who claimed to be working for the NNPC, said they also complemented efforts of security agents by policing pipelines along the stretch.

races of trucks s on the Island

Land patrol Thereafter, operatives proceeded to other Islands such Akalaba, Abagbo, Corner loss, Ati-Alashe, on foot. Although a vehicle was brought to convey the operatives round the island, unfortunately, one of its tyres burst just when the journey was about to begin. Determined to finish the task , indefatigable Commodore Adaji led operatives including ‘ ‘civilian’ journalists on an endless walk round the Islands.

Abandoned houses and piles of jerrycans were sighted at almost every corner. Dead silence pervaded the island. But for the presence of the

• Recovered jerricans being pierced with cutlass

armed operatives, the fate of any stranger at such deserted island could best be imagined.

Surprisingly, it was discovered that some prominent Nigerians including politicians , businessmen and religious leaders own some of the massive structures on these Islands where vandalism strives.

Destruction of 20,000 jerrycans In one of the communities, over 20,000 jerrycans said to have been seized from vandals were seen.

Commodore Adaji immediately ordered that they be pierced in order to render them useless.

Some dug pipelines were also sighted at different spots . As expected, the vandals some of whom Crime Guard learnt live in the communities, went into hiding, while other villagers who were shocked at the presence of security men within their vicinity carried on with their activities without blinking an eye lid. But the expression on their faces, was that of fear . Even when approached, none of them was bold to expose activities of vandals openly to journalists, apparently out of fear of a possible attack.

Back to base Briefing newsmen at the WNC jetty, at the end of the eight hour patrol , Commodore Adaji explained that they decided to go on joint patrol with the NSCDC in order to facilitate the prosecution of suspects, since they (suspects) were handed over to them(NSCDC). “ We have always had this understanding and relationship with them . But we are only taking it a step further, that beyond prosecution we will also have joint patrol and we are

convinced that such synergy will facilitate the prosecution of illegal bunkerers that are arrested.”

On the resolve of the NN to tackle illegalities on the nation’s waterways, Adaji said “ The nation has a lot of problem with the issue of pipeline vandalism and crud oil theft and government is not leaving anything to chance. All measures are being explored to ensure that this problem comes to an end. The NNPC is in partnership with local communities.”

•Abandoned jerricans

Our challenge – private guards A guide who identified himself as General Commander, King Lion boys, Aminu Amusa , disclosed that they had made several arrest of vandals and handed them to the appropriate security agencies. He however, lamented that most times, vandals stormed the Island armed with sophisticated weapons such as guns. According to him “ If you come here at night, you will see what I am talking about. They (vandals ) would rob oil on their bodies, in order to make it difficult for anyone to apprehend them.

When you attempt to hold them, the oil would make their body slippery . Most of our men have sustained injuries in the process because they are usually armed.

So, we had to resort to the use of charms . The charm I use can turn them to vegetable at a touch , it can also incapacitate them. We also have locally made pistols . We don’ t use AK 47 riffles. Our weapons are licensed.

•Commodore Adaji on the bonnet of a vehicle heading to other Islands before tyre bursts

Taking the war beyond the waters

•Some abandoned jerricans and hose at Faji island

•Some abandoned jerricans and hose at Faji island C M Y K

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

By Ifeanyi Okolie

A

syndicate that specialised in robbing phone dealers who trade on various online shopping malls, has been smashed by operatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP)’s Special Intelligence Response Team (SIRT), arresting two suspects, identified as Bright Funsho, alias “Hon. Wale Elegushi”, and Yemi Akanni, while three mobile phones valued at N720,000 were recovered.

Crime Guard gathered that the suspects operated by placing orders for expensive cell phones from various websites on the internet, and providing an address to phone dealers, where the phones would be delivered, after negotiation. But on arriving at the location, the suspects and his gang would dispossess the delivery man of the phones and abscond.

Sources disclosed that several phone dealers trading on the internet across the country have fallen victims to the suspects’ activities. The suspects met their waterloo recently when they robbed a Lagos-based phone dealer, GSM Planet, on Toyin Street, Ikeja, of three Samsung Galaxy S7 Dual Sim phones, valued at N720,000.

One of the suspects, Bright Funshon, was said to have placed an order at Gbanjo Deals, a popular online shopping mall, requesting to buy three Samsung Galaxy S7 Dual Sim phones.

He identified himself as Hon. Wale Elegushi, a serving member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and Funsho was linked to the Managing Director of GSM Planet, Uzo Mbonu. Funsho asked that the phones be delivered to him at the office complex of Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Alausa, but when the delivery man arrived at the complex, Funsho allegedly took him to a corner, pointed a gun at his face and robbed him of the phones.

Victim’s ordeal Mbonu, while narrating his ordeal to Crime Guard, said: “I am the MD of GSM Planet at 9 Toyin Street, Ikeja. On April 14, 2016 I got a call from the MD of an online mall, Gbanjo Deals, that there was an Honourable who works at the Lagos State House of Assembly that wanted to buy phones. He said the Honourable wanted to buy three pieces of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Dual Sim phones. The next day, the same MD of Gbanjo called again and said the Honourable was ready. He gave me the contact details of the Honourable and I called him. The said Honourable also gave the MD his office address at the Ministry of Environment, Alausa and that we should deliver the phones to that address. I sent my delivery man, Friday Samuel. On getting to Alausa, he met the said Honourable at the same address and the Honourable took him to a side, pointed a gun at him, took the phones and absconded.

“This happened around 1:30pm on that Friday. At about 2pm, I got the news and rushed down to Ikeja Police Station, where I reported the case. The SIRT team there assured me they would recover my phones, but I had my doubts because this year alone, I had been robbed three times but C M Y K

The two suspects...

Bright Funsho, alias “Hon. Wale Elegushi”, and Yemi Akanni

f o s n o i s s e f n Co online phone

e t a c i d n y s y r e robb spect Su — b jo no d ha I e us ca be e •I took to crim sold to me were he es on ph e th ow kn ’t dn di I • stolen — Suspect . Wale Elegushi, on H ed at on rs pe im t ec sp Su • ber Lagos House of Assembly mem nothing was done. But to my surprise last week Wednesday, May 4, around 4pm, they called and told me they had arrested the ‘Honourable’ armed robber and had recovered one of the stolen phones.”

“I took to crime because I had no job” Funsho, 35, alias Honourable, told Crime Guard: “I’m from Kaba in Kogi State and married with two children.

I don’t live in Lagos but live in Ilorin.

I’m also a 2004 graduate of computer science from the University of Ilorin.” He also said he was an IT engineer and specialised in mast installation, and that he had worked at a printing press as Assistant Manager.

“I worked between 2004 to 2011. I was earning N44,000 and the company is located in Ilorin. After then, I came to Lagos State and started doing installation with a company in Gbagada. I worked for more than one year, then lost my job in 2013. I had no job; that is why I went into crime. In 2014, I contacted Learning Mall, an online shopping

the phones and he gave me all the nine phones, and I absconded.

“I sold the phones to Yemi for N930,000. But nine days later, I got a call and the caller said he was also dealing on phones and that they saw my number on the internet. They said they wanted to do business with me, and I rushed to the appointed location. Unknown to me, they were policemen and I was arrested, charged to court and I refunded the money of the phones to them.

“I spent 9 month in prison. When I was released, I did another job at Samsung office at Ogudu. I called them and I introduced myself as a staff of Ikeja General Hospital and they should bring the phones to me at the hospital. When the delivery man arrived, he called me and said he was at the gate. I went to pick him and took him to the reception. Then I collected the phones and asked him to wait for me and I took the back door and escaped.

“The worth of the phones was N95,000 each. I took them to Computer Village and sold them to one Elijah for N12,000 each. Two weeks later, the delivery man who brought the phones to me saw me at Fadeyi axis of Ikorodu Road. He was on a bike and I was at the bus stop, wanting to cross when he sighted me. He parked his bike and started shouting ‘thief’, “thief’. When I recognised him, I took to my heels, and a crowd ran after me and caught me. The man’s brother was a policeman. I was arrested, charged to court and remanded in prison where I spent three month.”

Robbing GSM Planet On the GSM Planet operation, he narrated to Crime Guard: “I got the number of Gbanjo Deals on the internet and called that I needed three Samsung Galaxy S7 Dual Sim phones and they told me that they were going to get them for me. I told them I was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and I gave them an address at the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Alausa. When the delivery man arrived, I took him to an open office, asked him to sit and I left through the back door.

“I took the phones to Yemi, my receiver, and he paid me N420,000 for all the phones. I used the money in settling my previous court cases. I was yet to relax when the police came and arrested me again.”

“I didn’t know the phones he sold to me were stolen” Yemi, 31, in his side of the story mall, and introduced myself as MR. told Crime Guard that he didn’t O.R. Wale, and told them that I know that the phones Funsho sold to wanted five Apple Iphone 6 Plus him were stolen. “I have a shop at and four Huawei phones. I asked Computer Village, Ikeja”, them to meet me at MM2 revealed the Ogun State(Murtala Mohammed Airport 2), born suspect. “I didn’t Ikeja. The value of the phones know that the phones he was N1.360m. And when the sold to me were stolen. delivery woman brought the He told me that they were phones, I picked her at the sent to him from abroad. entrance of the airport tarmac And when I bought them, and took her into a back. I I took them to the market pretended as if I was doing a and sold to other phone transaction, then I asked her dealers and issued to go and get a bag them my own where I would put the receipt at the money for her. I correct watched as she market walked out and I price. I •Uzo Mbonu followed her from made MD, GSM Planet behind. She went close to to the car that N50,000 brought her, to spoke to the N600,000 driver and went from back into the each airport tarmac. phone.”

Thereafter, I went to the driver, asked him to give me

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—37

Israel made me drop the Bible

bit indifferent about brewing and making beer. Again, I didn’t want to return to Nigeria yet or marry a German wife so I enrolled again to do Micro electronics after which I went to work in IT for Siemens at Karlsurhe.

From Siemens, I moved on to Osborne Computers which then promised heaven on earth but later closed down.

It was then I dusted up my brew tech certificates and went to work for Sparten Breweries, then to Hassia und Luisen, the water and soft drinks manufacturer. They bottle Pepsi and many other brands of juices.

Me and my work

•Man who wears only agbada in Europe

It was in February, 1992 that I wrote an application and posted that I wanted to work for the Radebager Group with two breweries in Frankfurt. They replied and called me for an interview which was done in the evening on the day. And since the last 24 years since 1992, I have never been late to work except only once neither have I reported sick. As Brewmeister at Binding Breweries, my work is general quality control to taste, bottling and all for the brewery that bottles over 31 products with seven machines each corking 80,000 bottles in one hour.

By Fred Iwenjora

E

ngr. Jacob Imade Iyamu has been living in Germany since the early 80s although he left the shores of Nigeria in the late 70s.

But unlike many people living in Europe and Americas, he could count the number of times he has won suits just as he has never won jeans in his life no matter how cold it is in winter or how warm in summer.

The Edo state Nigeria born brewing engineer is the Brew Master at Binding, one of Germany’s largest breweries based in Frankfurt where he has worked for many years.

In this chat, the President of Edo state Union in state of Hessen, Germany speaks about his odyssey to Europe and his challenges and achievements so far plus his unflinching love for Nigeria

Coming to Europe

I left Nigeria a long time ago..in 1979 to be precise. I first went to Israel in 1979 before setting foot in Germany in 1981. I studied Brewery Technology at Munich, Germany as well as Micro electronics and Information Tech.

Before then I had taught at a secondary school after leaving secondary school in 1975. I then went to work with Barclays Bank, Benin where I encountered several expatriates from Ireland, Germany and other countries who were working with the Guinness Breweries in Benin at that time.

They often came to the bank to remit their salaries back to their countries. Some of these people were fond of me inviting me to social gatherings in their clubs after work. I won’t forget Mr. Zimmermann who worked with Guinness who often warned me not to die in the banking hall. He told me to go to school and improve on my life. Then in 1977, graduate bankers were earning N204 monthly while we took home N256. In every society, bankers are well paid so I was apparently enjoying the work until Mr Zimmermann started his inspiration. I won’t also forget one Mrs. Akpata, one of our customers then. She also told me that she would even contribute to my education if I got admission. Mrs. Akpata went further to give me the address of a school in Cyprus. I applied to study at the Cyprus College of Technology and was given admission two months after.

Off to Cyprus

I had bought a return air ticket for N606 for the trip. Several of my friends gave me support to travel. The Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion also bought me the travel box with which I traveled. One was permitted to travel with N1000 BTA. I went to the Italian Embassy to get a Visa.

Even Turkey also granted me visa so I traveled with Zambian Airlines to Cyprus.

C M Y K

Nigerian to the bone

•Jacob Imade Iyamu

At Cyprus, I discovered that it was not the kind of place I wanted to be so I started to think of changing base. Turkey and Israel came to my mind until I made up my mind on Israel.

Adventures in Israel

My brother, it was in Israel that I dropped my Bible. I use to be a member of the Scripture Union in those days but my stay in Israel was all that changed my views. I had left Cyprus with two Nigerians I had met, Moses and Benjamin. It was a twelve hour sail from Cyprus to Haifa where we landed early in the morning. We then journeyed to Jerusalem. My aged mum would tease us as kids by saying ‘If you ran from Jerusalem to Jericho, I will find you’ so I wished to see those places that my mother would always yell about. We stayed for a while in Jerusalem, then visited Jericho, Sea of Galilee and Bethlehem, My account was fast depleting as my two friends were basically under my care. We headed to Tel Aviv where I met face to face with Jews who showed the biggest discrimination I have ever seen in my life time. You are either born a Jew or not.

We heard of the Kibut while exploring Golan and Tel Kasia and volunteered to join. It was a group that helped students with info and jobs and other forms of assistance. We were shocked that at a Christmas party they did not invite us even when we were members of same grouping. We were the only blacks . It was another movement to Tel Aviv where I met one Bini man like me, Whyte Eguakum who was then working in a restaurant in Tel Aviv. We decided to trail further into the Red Sea regions of Elat where the sea enters Egypt. We got a job at Neptune Hotels then moved to Red Rock. After about a month, or two, I started with the Jewish language because communication is key. Yet it was too difficult to work and school in Israel. My two other friends returned to Cyprus and Turkey but I slugged it out in Israel for the next two years before returning to Nigeria to replenish my account by my parents to move again. I got $1000. About this time, I had given my world wide ticket to one Igbinovia and he flew with it to the US. During that return to Nigeria, I started having other views. I had agreed with my friends Godwin and Fred that we would

travel to Germany so I returned to Israel. I went to the German Embassy to seek advice and they linked me up with the Goethe Institute.

Landing in Germany

I felt a different aura in Germany as compared with all the other countries I had visited. I landed in Munich and asked myself what I had been doing perambulating in Israel, Turkey and Cyprus. It was on April 1981 that I landed but by May, 1, I had started language course which took a period of six months. I was also seeking answers about my career but saw no one to ask my questions. I knew I was a science student. Then someone advised I attend a brewery school so I did enter Munich Akademy Grefenfing, a teaching and research institute where I did six months of practical work while also doing theories. I completed the studies in 1984.

Change of mind

After the course, I started feeling a

•Iyamu at work •

I feel sad when I hear bad stories about my country Nigeria. I love my country Nigeria to the bone. It is my beloved country. Despite all I have seen worldwide, I have not seen a country like Naija. I have never felt like changing my identity and my nationality. I don’t carry a German passport even though several people like me do. I see myself as a good Nigerian living in Germany. I sing Sonny Okosuns all the time; Nigeria…. My Papa’s land. It is this deep sense of patriotism that compelled me whenever I was on leave while working for Hassia, to spend it in Nigeria. I would go to Bendel Breweries to seek to work for free but they won’t allow me in. They were producing Crystal and Henningar then. It was disappointing though. I still spend my leave in Nigeria every year.

We must get something good out of our country no matter what. I have been wearing agbada and other forms of traditional wears since I left Nigeria in 1979 whether it is summer or winter. It gives me the identity of whom I am and where I am coming from. Few times I have won suits. I could make a count of the times I have won suits and it was mainly those days at the bank when it was a requirement for work. I have never won jeans in my life.

•Iyamu with Fred

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

World’s most forgiving dad How pop ssttar reconciled with his wif or another wifee who became pregnant ffor man while with him and now rraising aising his wif e’s lo ve cchild hild as his own wife’s love

E

ven at his most famous, Paul Young was never much of a limelight-hogger. Back in the midEighties, up on stage at a Prince’s Trust concert alongside Paul McCartney and Elton John, he was reluctant to step up to the mic to deliver a

line.

‘Bryan Adams was on the mic in a flash, giving it loads, and I just had the old “oh no” reflex,’ he recalls.

‘I did think, “I should be getting up there having my moment” but I’ve always preferred being in a band and sharing the limelight.’

Which is ironic, given that for several years leather-suited Paul was one of the most famous solo artists in the UK, not to mention a heart-throb.

So it’s something of a shock to realise that he has just turned 60 — although Paul does at least look good on it: while he is a little more heavy-set and silver-haired than in his heyday, he is undoubtedly still handsome.

And 33 years after that first chart hit, he is suited and booted once more on the front of another album, a collection of classic soul covers.

Called Good Thing, it sees Paul return to the white soul sound. ‘Although it wasn’t my era, soul is the root of what I do,’ he explains.

His voice is as velvety as ever, although he says he has had to sacrifice a few of the higher notes. Still, it’s sobering to contemplate that it’s his first solo release in 20 years, and you might wonder what happened to him in the interim.

Aside from an appearance on Celebrity Masterchef and a stint on the reality show Splash, he seemed to all but disappear from public view.

In fact, while he may not have featured in the charts since the early Nineties — he had a 1991 hit with Senza Una Donna, a duet with the Italian singer Zucchero — he has never stopped touring the globe with his Tex-Mex group Los Pacaminos.

Paul founded the band 20 years ago as a hobby and he is not even the lead singer. Instead, he plays guitar and does backing vocals.

‘It’s just stand back and play the guitar, let someone else take centre stage,’ he says with a smile.

Naturally shy — as a child growing up in Luton he had a stutter — he struggled with some aspects of fame and withdrew from the limelight in the late Eighties to be with his family.

‘It was fun at first but my life just wasn’t my own,’ he says.

His family is wife Stacey, 51, daughters Levi, 29, and Layla, 22, and son Grady, 19. And then there is Jude, Stacey’s nineyear-old son from another relationship. really well.’

Paul and ex-model Stacey met in 1983 while Paul is clearly devoted to his filming the video for his hit single Come Back children: he talks proudly of And Stay and married four years later, after how his eldest, Levi, was named navigating a rough patch when Stacey had a as one of Forbes magazine’s Top fling with stuntman Eddie Kidd.

30 young entrepreneurs to Then, in 2006, Stacey admitted an affair with watch, thanks to her online Israeli businessman Ilan Slazenger. The couple personal shopping business, split and Paul moved out of the family home in which recently featured on Hertfordshire, while Slazenger promptly Dragon’s Den. moved in. Jude came along shortly afterwards.

‘It all started to happen when It was enough to make most couples implode she was 25, 26 — exactly the age for good — yet, ever the gentleman, Paul I was,’ he says. ‘It’s a good age; worked hard to keep relations civilised, you’re mature enough to be memorably remarking at the time: ‘She was sensible but young enough to my mate when we got married, so why know when to go for it. I said to shouldn’t she be my mate now?’ A keen cook, her, “This is your moment.” he even agreed to help at a restaurant Stacey ’Model Layla, meanwhile, has ran with Slazenger. The couple later split up •Paul Young pictured as inherited her mother’s freshand three years after their own separation, Paul a heart-throb back in 1986 faced good looks, and Grady is and Stacey were reconciled and today Paul is studying chemical engineering raising Jude as one of his own. at Bath University. With Jude not It seems extraordinarily forgiving, although yet into double figures, empty nest syndrome is some Paul is anxious to emphasise that it is not a ‘big thing’. way off yet. And in the meantime, besides family ‘You have to have a certain amount of acceptance of things, matters, there is the band. otherwise you can never move on,’ he says.

‘I’ve always seen myself as a working musician ‘One of my better qualities is that I accept what’s in front of but now there’s no money in records for the artist at me and deal with it.’ all, it’s all in live performance,’ he says.

Still, theirs is a pretty impressive love story: blips aside, ‘The royalties from downloading are bad enough there aren’t many in showbusiness whose marriages have but the royalties from streaming are non-existent.’ stood the test of time. What’s their secret? ‘Talking, obviously And money, it turns out, is still a factor.

— and we’ve both got a sense of mischief,’ he says.

‘It’s always a factor,’ he says ruefully. ‘I couldn’t be Jude has certainly been embraced by the couple’s elder bothered back then, and when I did start to write children, and the whole family seem close. songs in the early Nineties it was too late.’

‘We are,’ Paul avows. ‘When we go out, they socialise together It is money, you suspect, that lay behind his decision C M Y K

•Paul, left, and his wife Stacey, 51, with daughters Levi, 29, Layla, 22, and son Grady, 19. And then there is Jude, Stacey’s nine-year-old son from another relationship to take part in Splash two years ago — in which celebrities competed at diving challenges, coached by Tom Daley.

‘I thought, “why not?” but it was really hard. Afterwards I said to my manager that he must never let me do a TV show where I’m not wearing clothes again.’

Looking back on the days of stardom, he insists that, for all his discomfort with fame, he had a blast.

‘It was an innocent time in many ways,’ he says, ‘and for everything everybody says about Thatcherism, that era gave birth to an optimism and positivity. It felt like the world was our oyster, and British music was strong again.’ He remains good friends with several of his fellow pop alumni including Tony Hadley and Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet and Midge Ure, and takes part in the occasional Eighties revival tour alongside the likes of Nik Kershaw, Cutting Crew and Go West.

For his 60th birthday, he deferred celebrations because of work on his album and instead enjoyed a family dinner at a restaurant.

‘If I can get the family together, that’s when I’m happiest,’ he says. ‘That’s what’s important.’

It is one reason he insists he’s not nervous about the reaction to his new solo outing. ‘Obviously I want people to like it,’ he says. ‘But it will stand or it will fall. There’s nothing I can do about that.’

Besides, there are jobs and jobs, as his daughter Levi recently pointed out.

‘She said to me, “you’re lucky, you’re looking forward to going out and playing live and not many people can say that about their job”. And she’s right.’

Paul Young’s album Good Thing and his single L-OV-E are out now.

•Culled from the Daily Mail

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2016—39

By Michael Eboh The recent hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, had thrown up a number of disturbing realities, that, henceforth, Nigerians are at the mercy of oil marketers, who are mainly profit-oriented; subjected to vagaries in the international crude oil market; and are at risk over low value of the naira against major international currencies.

The fact remains that with the gradual rebound in the price of crude oil in the international market and the weak economy of the country, Nigerians are yet to see the end to the hike in the price of PMS, as Nigerians should be prepared to pay between N250 and N300 for a litre of the commodity.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in his early days in office had rebuffed calls for fuel price increase, vowing not to increase the hardship of the people, especially with the challenges faced by the petroleum industry and the economy in general.

His administration also promised to fix the refineries and pipeline network, increase the country’s refining capacity and secure oil facilities, as there were the conditions agreed upon with organised labour and other stakeholders before any price increment is effected.

Today, the refineries are still in a dysfunctional state, pipeline sabotage is still the order of the day, while the country still refines less than five per cent of its local fuel consumption; yet the Federal Government increased the price from N87 per litre to between N135 and N145 per litre, leaving Nigerians at the mercy of market forces, in spite of the seeming less-than competitive market economy, that tilts more towards oligopoly with the existence of cartels.

Though what obtains currently does not qualify for deregulation, it is believed that the marketers have been given a leeway in determining the prices within the price range of N135 and N145 per litre.

It is also expected that the new price would remain in force till the end of June, pending further review based on price of crude oil in the international market and the value of the naira against major currencies.

The arguments put forward by the Federal Government in hiking the price of PMS appeared tenable. Some of the arguments were centred on the inability of oil marketers to access foreign exchange (forex) at official rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to import the product, and the fact that the government cannot afford to pay subsidy with the current economic realities.

Also, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, stated that the new pricing regime would solve the unending fuel crisis by ensuring availability of products at all locations of the country.

It also argued that the new pricing regime would reduce

Disturbing realities of fuel price hike ed in coming da urther expected dayys …Fur ther increase expect

Though what obtains currently does not qualify for deregulation, it is believed that the marketers have been given a leeway in determining the prices within the price range of N135 and N145 per litre hoarding, smuggling and diversion substantially, and also stabilize price at the actual product price; ensure market stability and improve fuel situation through private sector participation.

It added that the new price will create labour market stability, especially as it had the potential to create additional 200,000 jobs through new investments in refineries and retails, while also preventing potential job losses of nearly 400,000 jobs in existing investments.

However, the Federal Government has refused to inform Nigerians of

the outcome of the agreements reached with International Oil Companies, IOC, to provide foreign exchange at official rate to some oil companies to import the commodity. From recent developments, it appeared the agreement failed.

The PPPRA claimed the hike in petrol price became necessary due to the rise in crude oil price and the prevailing high cost of importation, stating that due to the decline in government income there is neither funding nor appropriation to cater for subsidy in the 2016 budget.

Though the hike was applauded by the organised private sector, the burden of additional increase in the prices would continue to linger until efforts are made to strengthen the economy, build more refineries, fix and secure the pipeline network, repair existing refineries and strengthen the value of the country’s currency.

Until the country changes its policy on the petroleum industry, ensuring that the local oil and gas industry is insulated from the vagaries in the international market, while ensuring that its oil and gas resources are utilised for the benefit of the country with less emphasis on crude oil export, the good intentions of government would continue to be met with distrust and apathy.

Specifically, Professor Adeola Adenikinju, Director, Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL), University of Ibadan, called on the Federal Government to delink the economy from short term commodity volatility, through the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF and oil price-based fiscal policy; and the creation of new and efficient institutions and structure for the sector.

He advocated a full deregulation of the downstream sector to allow for private sector participation, the setting up of regulatory, institutional and legal system that responds appropriately to commodity volatility and the development of institutions to build state capacity.

He said current emphasis on crude petroleum exports must stop and should be replaced with seeing petroleum as source of energy and growth enabler, while he called on the Federal Government to develop a medium to long term strategies to anticipate developments in the oil market. Adenikinju recommended that the Federal Government, “Promote vertical integration within the oil industry in order to develop a fully integrated economy that is able to generate jobs and development; provide special incentives for marginal field producers; ensure that we are part of the current innovation drive in the energy industry; and promote mergers and acquisitions by oil and gas companies.”

40—SA TURD AY 40—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard,MA Y 14 anguard,MAY 14,, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

How much loyalty should you expect from a love rat?

I

T was a bit uncanny. I was at this seminar when a professionally dressed female executive flitted across the room and she reminded me of a younger version of Angela. We were classmates in the secondary school. Very intelligent and a bookworm, she did so well for herself that after getting a good job, she landed a husband that she thought was a catch. But we all knew Rasheed, her husband—there wasn’t any of us he hadn’t hit on. A few had actually fallen under his modus operand!’, fancy presents, cooking gourmet meals and following them around like a lost poppy and giving them the impression that his life would end any time the affair ended.

Only, he was always eager to drop his latest find when an interesting piece of skirt showed up.

How Rasheed kept his romance with Angela under wraps was a surprise. When the wedding invitation cards surfaced, there was nothing we could do. But I’d been fairly honest with her in the past and tried to warn her of Rasheed’s dalliance with a few of the girls. “He told me about them when we started being serious about each other,”she told me. “It was more as if these girls threw themselves at him. But he wanted us to start with no secrets between us, so he told me who they were and why they shouldn’t be invited to the wedding.” Over the years, I’ve learnt to keep my opinion to myself when it comes to matters of the heart. An adult supposedly in love had already made up her mind about whom she chooses to be with, so telling anyone at all of their misgivings is a matter of information—not necessarily seeking their advice which may be what she didn’t want to hear.

So, Angela got married and right from the start, stories of Rasheed’s indiscretions continued to make the rounds.

After almost 10 years, the marriage hit the rocks. None of us thought it would last that long and Angela virtually disappeared from the social circuit. When I next saw her, I was shocked by how disillusioned she looked. “I bet all of you are now laughing behind my back “, she accused. I was amused. “Why would we laugh at you when there are many other interesting stories to cackle over?” I asked her. “You need to pull yourself together.

Look around you, marriages are crashing left, right and centre; and no one is laughing at anybody because they’ve all moved on. Except you. What about your children?”

“They’re with me,” she said. “Rasheed chips in his bit, I must say that for him.

And he loves our three boys.

My mistake was falling in love with a man I later realised did not love me enough even to stay in the same town with me— he relocated to Ibadan after we separated.

“I made a really bad choice in a supposed life partner and I’ll never reveal the reason for the depth of sadness I felt at the loss of my marriage. Thanks to a few friends, I’m trying to pick up the pieces of my life...” Years later, and a day after the seminar that I saw the lady that looked like Angela, I ran into her at a wedding. The last I heard of her was that she’d relocated abroad with her boys. We were very pleased to see each other and after the squeals, I asked if she was back for good to Nigeria.

“What would I be coming here for?” she asked. “I can’t live here on a permanent basis and can’t stand

My mistake was falling in love with a man I later realised did not love me

Nigerian men. They are a bunch of cheats and liars. You know I met another one abroad with whom I had a daughter.

“He was worse than my ex husband and by the time I kicked him out, two women were carrying his babies. My current lover is a white American, who does a lot of business in England. He’s in his early 50s and has never married. He’s filthily rich and whenever he comes to London, he spoils me rotten, takes me to the theatre where he always reserves private seats and takes me on short trips to Paris. Doesn’t she want to re-marry?’ “Why haven’t you remarried yourself?” she countered. “You think it’s that simple? My new man has

reassured me that with time we might get married”. And how did her children feel about him? “They haven’t met him”, she said a bit sadly. “The last time he came visiting and they were in my flat, he paid for them to stay in a modest bed and breakfast so we could have all the privacy we needed.

He said he wouldn’t want to unsettle the children by being a father-figure, only for the relationship to pack up.

“We’re both sure of our feelings, we’ll tell the children. I’m sure that would happen soon—he loves me to bits.” I opened my mouth to offer my opinion but quickly shut it.

This new beau of Angela’s certainly has his head screwed on right. I mean, what man of over 50, who has never been married will now settle for a mother of four with all these fresh faced and fertile women flaunting their tong-clad bums all over the place? I wished Angela all the best and went to join Amina, a friend at another gettogether. She had this slightly murderous look on her face. What was eating her? She scarcely gave me time to help myself to some refreshment when she pounced. “It’s Joan,” (her niece who once lived with her and who used to help herself to some of Amina’s boy-friends). “The last time I travelled, she phoned she needed some drugs for her child. Thinking it must be urgent, I gave the drug with

some of the things she begged me to buy for her to Sunny (another boyfriend, another story?} to give to her as I still had some weeks to spend in London.

“When I came back, I went to Sunny’s office, had lunch that was brought in from a restaurant before leaving.

As Sunny saw me out of his office, who should be waiting at the reception, but Joan? They both looked shocked. Sunny quickly pulled himself together when I asked what she was doing in his office. Before she could answer, Sunny came to her defence, gave me the cock and bull story about asking her to find out the prices of some things for him. I couldn’t make a scene as everybody in the reception was looking at us. “Both her mobiles were switched off when I later tried to make contact, so, I went to Joan’s house in the evening. The husband let me in and she was all sweetness, kneeling down as if she were a respectable wife, the slut, and asking what I wanted to eat. As soon as her husband was out of ear-shot, she was on her knees, begging me to forgive her. There was no point lying that nothing went on between her and Sunny. She assured me it would never happen again. But do I believe her?”

Orgasm-boosting diet you must try!

I

n spite of all the enlightenment going on about meaningful sex, judging by your text messages, it isn’t enough for some of you readers to achieve the pleasure you crave and sometimes it feels as if you’re destined to go through your whole life without really having an orgasm.

Quite a number would want to try some aphrodisiacs, but according to Marrena, a sexologist from Boston, USA, you don’t need them. She believes you can work your way to a climax and has written a book revealing the secrets of orgasm diet.

“I happen to have stumbled on a diet that makes women come alive often giving women the ability to have vaginal orgasms with men even spontaneous ones. The orgasms diet, involves taking fish supplements. Cutting down on carbohydrates and eating more protein. One of the recommendations is to consume half an ounce of dark chocolate daily.

She advises that women do pelvic floor exercise.

Marrena claimed she discovered the effect of diet on a woman’s sex life by accident, as rarely able to reach orgasm when she had sex with her husband has put a huge strain on their relationship.

“He would roll his frame over,” she said, and I can’t say I blame him. After I gave birth to our

second child, I started doing pelvic floor exercise and using vaginal cones to tighten up my muscles. One night when I was driving home, I decided to practice a few of my exercise. I flexed my pelvic floor muscles and suddenly began to orgasm.

“Over the next few days, I tried to reason out what was behind my new found ability.

When I first became pregnant, I took fish oil as a natural remedy for depression. I noticed that my desire had increased since I had started taking the tablets. But when I took a break from them I wasn’t able to reach orgasm spontaneously. I also found the more 1 exercise my vaginal muscles, the better my orgasm, and stepping up the work-outs, I was able to repeat the exercise in the car whenever I wanted.”

So can diet really make a difference in a better enjoyment of sex? Research suggests that eating good-quality dark chocolate might spice up your sex life because certain chemicals found in chocolate can stimulate the transmission of nerves impulses and increase sensation.

Honey may also help because it’s a rich source of the mineral boron. Studies have shown that this mineral may boost the body ’s testosterone levels.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—41

YETUNDE AREBI Yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk tweeterhandle@yetundearebi 08054700825

Why good sex is good for you S

ex has no barrier. No matter the differences between the partners involved, race, colour, age, or class, sex dissolves them instantly.

It needs no interpreter as sex speaks a universal language and aims to achieve same goal anywhere in the world. And no matter what name we want to call it, or our psychological disposition towards it, the fact is, sex is a beautiful and natural part of adult relationships which science and research has continued to reveal its benefits and importance to the human race. If you are one of those with a negative attitude to sex, I have listed a couple of reasons you must drop them right away and improve your sex life. And if you are already enjoying the fun of it, now it is time to explore sex for the great benefits you can derive from it because a good sexual health can improve your physical and psychological health, putting you in a positive frame of mind. One thing must be noted however, if you are not doing sex right, you are not likely to enjoy these benefits.

Sex promotes healthier sexual organs Studies have shown that men who have five or more ejaculations per week while in their 20s cut their risk of prostate cancer by a third. Also, 21 or more ejaculations per month are linked to a lower risk of this cancer in older men, compared to men who have only four to seven ejaculations per month.

Sexual activity increases the flow of blood to male and female genitalia, causing it to function better and maintain a healthier condition. Women’s vaginal muscles also stretch and contract during sex, which makes them stronger. For the women, getting down could actually help our reproductive health. The more sex we have, the more we produce hormones that help to increase sexual desire, thus wanting more sex.

More sex increases the level of Estrogen in women which helps protect against osteoporosis, alzheimer’s, prevent endometriosis, regulates menstrual cycles and even helps to trigger the onset of labour and speed up delivery in pregnant women. Sex can help reduce the risk of breast cancer for women who have never given birth.

A study showed that if a female increases the frequency of sex, she decreases the risks of breast cancer. Also, lovemaking strengthens the pelvic floor muscles that control the flow of urine, improving bladder control. A study published by The Journal of Sexual Medicine reported that women who have sex less than twice a month fell sick more often than those who have regular orgasm. Another report by researchers from the Women’s Health Program at Monash University in Australia found that women who had more orgasm had higher level of energy, fewer illnesses and a better psychological outlook to life.

In a related research work, A psychologist at the University of Albany, Gordon Gallup, has discovered that semen consumption helps prevent morning C M Y K

Though the reasons are not very clear yet, a study published in the British Medical Journal discovered that men who had sex less than once per month were twice as likely to die in the next 10 years than those who had sex once per week sickness in pregnant women. Gordon affirmed that morning sickness is a reaction of the body to a foreign substance, and that regular consumption of semen will build the body ’s tolerance, diminishing the effects of morning sickness.

Sex reduces risk of heart attack and stroke Most of us would have come across those shocking and sometimes scary headlines: man collapses after sex romp with undergraduate; or, man dies in hotel room after sex with prostitute, more embarrassing than being caught going out commando style. However, scientific research has shown sex does not cause heart attack, rather it reduces the risk of one developing a heart attack.

Though a fast heartbeat is one of the signs of a heart attack, a faster heartbeat during sex may actually lower the risk of a heart attack by nearly half. According to Scientists at the New England Research Institute, men who had sex twice a week were up to 45 percent less likely to have heart attacks than men who had sex once a month or less.

Another study showed that men who reported having three or more orgasms per week experienced 50 percent fewer heart attacks and strokes as compared to those who had less frequent orgasms. Sex has also been proven to reduce instances of heart disease. What this means is that when we get aroused, blood starts to pump at a quicker rate increasing blood flow to our brain and heart, thereby improving our performance in and out of bed.

Though the reasons are not very clear yet, a study published in the British Medical Journal discovered that men who had sex less than once per month were twice as likely to die in the next

10 years than those who had sex once per week while women who claimed to enjoy their sex lives lived seven to eight years longer than women who were indifferent to sex!

Sex relieves pain, headaches, stress and cold symptoms Sex has been discovered to be one of the cheapest therapies available to man in the treatment of a wide range of symptoms, including arthritis, cramps, muscle spasms, general body pains, stress and cold symptoms. According to a study from the University of Munster in Germany, sexual activity can lead to “partial or complete relief ” from migraines and they attribute this to the release of endorphins during sex.

When making love, Oxytocin is released into the body and this helps until we reach orgasm. A steady rise in oxytocin causes the release of endorphins (hormone-like chemicals that bear a close functional resemblance to morphine) in the brain and this helps in relieving pain and stress as well.

Another study has concluded also that good sex helps to develop new nerve cells in the brain which are responsible for creating more cells in the olfactory. According to the research from the University of Calgary, the surge of the hormone,, Prolactin that occurs after sex, is responsible for this. Meaning that the more sex you have, the more your ability to perceive smell improves.

Also, a study at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, reported that people who have sex two times a week are likely to have a higher amount of antibody immunoglobin, which is the main defense against colds and the flu. So, rather than turn your partner down because you are experiencing some kind of discomfort, a good roll under the sheets might just be all you need to get better.

But wait, there is a cache here. The sex is not likely to do you much good if it does not result in the big “O”. Chances are that it might actually increase your headache and this happens more with women, who often times do not get good quality sex. So, guys, be patient enough to help out if you must, rather than add to!

Sex assists weight loss and improves general health Sex can be a great exercise. A quick thirty minute session can burn between 100-150 calories. That means that you can melt off some excess pounds while having plenty of fun. The average couple engages in sex for approximately 25 minutes a session and if you do this three times a week, it means you are taking off about 450 calories of your weight. More than average couples will therefore burn off more, while those who have longer sessions and strenuous sex positions will also fair better.

Sexual intercourse stimulates the mind and body which makes skin smooth and beautiful by releasing hormones and toxins that help improve skin smoothness thereby making you look younger.

In a long term study of 3,500 people aged between 30 and 101 conducted by researchers at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Scotland, it was discovered that having regular sex may shave between four to seven years off your physical appearance.

When pictures of subjects were presented to an impartial panel of judges who were asked to guess their ages, it was discovered that those who engaged in more sex appeared to look younger than their biological ages. This was attributed to the fact that sex increases the production of human growth hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) which is known to give the skin a more youthful appearance.

The DHEA also helps to increase our response to sexual excitement and orgasm just as it helps to boost our immune system, repair tissue, improve cognition, and even work as antidepressant. Thus, another health benefit of sex if you keep the orgasms coming, is potentially a longer life. Again, people who have sex regularly do not experience difficulties in sleeping.

And this have very little to do with strenuous sex positions but the release of Oxytocin. This sex chemical helps promote sleep. So, now can you guess why guys fall asleep after sex and many women will find it difficult to?

Sex helps to build increased intimacy between couples, promoting trust, affection and bond. This means that the more sex you have with your partner, the closer and more intimate you become, further cementing your relationship. Married couples are therefore advised to have sexual intercourse often in order to have a healthy and pleasurable lifestyle.

Do have a wonderful weekend!

42—SATURDAY

Vanguard, MAY 14 , 2016

Food security: Lagos targets 4,000 metric tonnes production of rice in 2017 •To host food security summit next month

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

I

N line with the present administration’s Sustainable Food Security Initiative, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has commenced plans to produce 4,000 metric tonnes of rice by 2017, to boost rice production for the increasing demands in the state.

Meantime, it has also concluded plans to host a world-class Food Security Summit sometime next month, June, 2016 aimed at attracting private individuals who would partner with the state

government in the realization of its food security agenda.

It will be recalled that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of the state had a few weeks ago ordered immediate upgrade of Imota Rice Processing Factory, in order to mill 10 metric tonnes of rice per hour.

State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Suarau Isiaka, in company of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Sanni, disclosed this during the 2016 ministerial press briefing in commemoration of the first year in office of Ambode.

Suarau added that the state would be hosting food security summit by June, 2016, He stated that the summit becomes imperative in order to redress the food security challenges in the state, stressing that it is expected to attract organizations that seek to partner with the state in the realization of its Food Security Agenda.

According to him, “The Summit is also aimed at unlocking the agricultural potentials in the State which will ultimately open up employment and investment opportunities with improved social welfare.”

Lagos prosecutes 1,536 criminal cases in one year •Govt. committed to speedy administration of justice—AG

By Oghene Omonisa

T

HE Lagos State Government on Friday said that it prosecuted a total of 1,536 criminal cases in all courts in the last one year through the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem who disclosed this during the ongoing ministerial press briefing to herald the one year anniversary of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration, said that out of the total number of cases being prosecuted, judgements were delivered in 15 of the matters being handled by the Directorate.

He said out of the 1,536 cases, 1,375 cases were currently being prosecuted at the Federal and State High Courts as well as 122 and 38 respectively at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Kazeem said that in addition to the 1,536 active criminal prosecution files, the DPP’s office was also handling 137 applications for enforcement of fundamental rights.

“With regards to criminal prosecutions, our Directorate of Public Prosecutions is committed to ensuring that all offenders are brought to book, thereby discouraging impunity in our society.

The Directorate is also committed to speedy trials,

especially so that suspects are not detained for too long awaiting trial.

“The truism ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ is one of our guiding principles, especially in criminal justice administration. Both the victims of a crime and the alleged offender deserve to have their case resolved at theearliestpossibletime,”he said.

He added that the Legal Advisory Unit which focuses exclusively on the review of criminalcasefiles,containing reports of investigation submitted by the Police and issuance of legal advice has been able to hasten considerably the speed of criminal prosecutions by reducing the time spent on issuing legal advice.

Boosting electricity supply: Ambode commences resuscitation of transformer factory

By Monsur Olowoopejo

B

ARELY six years after the commiss-ioning of first transformer manufacturing factory, El Sewedy in Lagos State, the factory which has been performing below capacity is set to be put back on track by the intervention of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.

The El Sewedy Electrical Nigerian Limited, a joint venture between the Lagos State Government and the EL Sewedy Group of Cairo, Egypt, located at Toga-Zanmu in Badagry, commenced production of transformers in 2009, a year before its inauguration.

The factory commissioned by the former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, now Minister of Housing, Power and Works, is aimed

at addressing the power supply challenges in the state.

At the inauguration, Fashola had said that the company was a homegrown solution “to African problems. There is no

rocket science in what we have done. In many parts of the world transformer manufacturing is part of a cottage industry and it should not be different in Lagos or any other parts of the country.”

Over 500 structures gutted by fire in four months —Fire boss

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T

HE Lagos State Fire Service has revealed that over 500 fire-related emergencies were responded to between January and April 2016, in the state. Scores of lives were reportedly lost, while properties worth billions of naira were destroyed in the process.

Director, Lagos Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe disclosed this during an awareness and advocacy programme in schools and

major streets of the state as part of activities to mark the year 2016 International Fire Fighter’s Day, with the theme “Stop attack on firefighters … the unsung heroes.”

Fadipe explained that the decision to take the fire advocacy awareness to Lagos schools and streets was aimed at building fire safety consciousness in the minds of youngsters across the state and celebrate the fire heroes who died in active service.

(L-r) Ahmed Dikko, Head Teacher, Wuro Hausa Primary School, Yola Town, receiving some of the Back-to-School Kits donated by Etisalat Nigeria to primary schools in Adamawa State from Mohammed Suley-Yusuf, Head, Government and Community Relations, Etisalat Nigeria; HRH Alhaji Mustafa Aminu, Galadima Adamawa; Hassan Muhammed Toungo, Executive Chairman, Adamawa State SUBEB, and Rahima Aminu, Manager, Special Projects, Abuja Global Shapers Community in Yola on Thursday.

Enugu Attack: South East monarchs, Anambra Gov in Solidarity visit to Ugwuanyi •Trado Rulers want Fulani Herdsmen Disarmed

T

RADITIONAL rulers in the south east zone of the country who stormed Enugu yesterday in solidarity with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi have called on the federal government to take immediate steps to disarm rampaging Fulani herdsmen.

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state also came calling yesterday along with an entourage made up of the leadership of the traditional rulers’ council of his state and some members of the state executive council also to show solidarity with the Enugu governor over the killings at Nimbo by Fulani herdsmen, saying his government and the people of Anambra state were solidly behind the government and people of their sister state in this crisis.

Both group of visitors on solidarity visits commended Governor for the caliber of leadership he exhibited that worked to stave off further bloody crisis in the wake of the Nimbo attack.

One of the leaders of the South East traditional rulers council and Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, who was also on the entourage of Governor Obiano, told the two governors that it was the view of the monarchs that the people of the geopolitical zone should gird their loins and not allow this kind of attack to take their people unawares again in the future.

The chairman, South East traditional rulers council, His Royal Majesty Eze Dr. Eberechi N. Dick who led the monarchs to government house, Enugu urged the government to take the call for disarmament serious in view of the danger herdsmen’s menace poses to the sovereignty of the country.

They declared that Governor Ugwuanyi showed effective leadership in han-

dling the recent attack on the people of Ukpabi Nimbo in Uzo Uwani local government area by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

The natural rulers thanked the governor ‘for the able way and manner you handled the matter without people taking the law into their hands” and wished the injured ones speedy recovery.

Addressing the traditional rulers, governor Ugwuanyi said their visit ‘is really very comforting and reassuring and it goes to confirm our sense of brother-

hood and the common grief that we share as a people”.

Governor Ugwuanyi also expressed immense gratitude to his Anambra state counterpart for standing by him from the moment the attack broke, informing that Obiano called him as soon as the incident occurred and that his presence yesterday with a big entourage “goes to show the very special bond that exists between the people of Enugu and Anambra states and the love and empathy they share among themselves.

Police parade 15-yr-old Fulani herdsman for kidnapping in Oyo

By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan

A

15-year Fulani boy identified as Kabiru Aliyu who allegedly participated in the kidnap of a middle-aged man was among dozens of suspects paraded by the Oyo State Police command at Eleyele, Ibadan.

The suspect confessed to havecommittedthecrimeafter sealing a deal with other suspects that he would be given N50,000 out of the ransomcollected.

He,however, lamentedthat when his partners-in-crime succeededinkidnappingone Alhaji Sani Reboot and collected the ransom of N3million, he was outwitted by the older gang members.

When speaking with Saturday Vanguard , Kabiru said they committed the offenceatIkoyi-IleareaofOyo State. Hesaid,“IamaFulani herder. I take my cattle for grazing everyday. They told metolureAlhajiRebo sothat wecouldhaveplentymoney.

They promised to give me N50,000. But, when they kidnapped him, they ran away. They did not give me my own share of the money and to worsen the case, the policearrestedme”.

He said he did not know howmuchtheycollected.

Reacting to the allegation, his gang member, Habibu Muazu said he was advised to kidnap the old man.

TheStateCommissionerof Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade said, “One Alhaji Sani Rebo residingatIkoyi-Ileareaofthe state was kidnapped in a brazen manner by some ferociousgunmenonApril21, 2016atabout1300hourswhen victim wa s returning from Igbeti Market. The case was promptly reported and the Special Anti-kidna-pping Squad was mandated to ensure the release of victim andthearrestofthesuspects.”

“The arrest of Kiro Umaru aged 20 years by the local vigilantemenledtothearrest of two principal members of the kidnap gang.”

“Investigationrevealedthat the first suspect, Kabiru who met the kidnap gang in the bushduringflockingactually masterminded the kidnap of thevictim.Itwasalsorevealed that the same suspect in conspiracywithothersuspects nowatlarge,oncekidnapped another victim simply identified as Yakubu from whoserelationspaidaransom ofN3m”.

South Africa gold miners secure right to sue corporations

F

ormer gold miners in South Africa can go ahead with a class action against mining companies over health damage allegedly caused by their work, a court in Johannesburg has ruled.

The court decision paves way for what would become the largest class action in South African history.

The ex-miners say they contracted silicosis, an incurable lung disease, after years of working in the mines.

The court said that a class action was “the only realistic option.”

Judge Phineas Mojapelo’s decision could lead to a court case lasting up to 10 years. But the former miners are still hopeful that the case could help improve their lives as well as those of their families.

Among the defendants in the case are Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony Gold, Sibanye Gold and African Rainbow Minerals.

The lawyers representing the miners believe this court ruling marks the first step towards justice.

Most of the miners who allegedly contracted silicosis while working underground have been unable to work for many years, dependent on government grants for a living.

The claims, going back

decades, also involve former miners from neighbouring countries such as Lesotho.

One of the companies in this case, Anglo American, reached a $30m (£21m) suit with 400 miners in a separate silicosis case.

It is not clear if this class action will be settled out of court, but for the miners who say they have waited for too long, a speedy resolution would be a form of justice.

Silicosis, caused by inhaling the silica dust in gold-bearing rocks, can lead to breathing difficulties, regular coughing and chest pains, and it can also lead to tuberculosis.

Gold mining has played a

•Miners have long campaigned for compensation for the health damage allegedly caused by their work central role in South Africa’s history, with Johannesburg, its largest city, being built on the gold reefs.

But in recent years, its

contribution to the economy has declined with the metal contributing 1.7% to GDP in 2013, according to Statistics South Africa,

EU mission ‘failing’ to disrupt human trafficking

T

he EU naval mission to tackle people smuggling in the central Mediterranean is failing to achieve its aims, a British parliamentary committee says. In a report, the House of Lords EU Committee says Operation Sophia does not “in any meaningful way ” disrupt smugglers’ boats.

The destruction of wooden boats has forced the smugglers to use rubber dinghies, putting migrants at even greater risk, the document says.

Operation Sophia began in June 2015, as the wars in Syria and Iraq fuelled an unprecedented flow of refugees from the Middle East to Europe.

But the majority leaving Libya - itself

wracked by fighting and human rights abuses - are migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.

The operation was launched in the wake of a series of disasters in which hundreds of migrants drowned while trying to cross from Libya to Italy.

The numbers risking their lives on the LibyaItaly route have been increasing, while the numbers reaching the Greek islands from Turkey have dropped.

An EU agreement with Turkey to intercept migrant boats in the Aegean Sea and send many migrants back took effect in March.

Last year the EU authorised its vessels to board, search, seize and divert vessels suspected of being used for people smuggling in the central Mediterranean.

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SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016 — 43

Hezbollah commander killed in Syria The man believed to be Hezbollah’s most senior military commander in Syria’s war has been killed in Damascus.

Mustafa Amine Badreddine died in a large explosion near Damascus airport, the Lebanonbased militant group said in a statement on its al-Manar website.

Hezbollah supports Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and has sent thousands of fighters into Syria. In 2015, the US said that Badreddine was behind all Hezbollah’s military operations in Syria sin ce 2011. The US

treasury, which imposed sanctions on Badreddine last July, said at the time he was behind the movement of Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon to Syria, and was in charge of the key battle for the town of al-Qusair in 2013.

Navy fires officer in charge of sailors detained in Iran

The U.S. Navy officer who oversaw the 10 sailors captured and briefly detained by Iran earlier this year has been relieved of his duties due to “loss of confidence” in his ability, the Navy announced Thursday.

Cmdr. Eric Rasch was fired from his job as the commanding officer of Coastal Riverine Squadron 3 and temporarily reassigned.

These type of personnel actions typically result in the officer then retiring from active duty.

Rasch had recently taken command of the unit after serving as the No. 2 during January when the incident occurred.

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Bushmeat can be produced in your apartment A

nimal farming consultants, experts have advised that Nigerians should eat more of bushmeat and white meat with little or no cholesterol. This

understanding has increased demand for bushmeat to a higher percentage since 2001, and is expected to steadily increase in the years to come according t o experts.

However, t h e increase i n demand h a s affected the price o f bushmeat i n countries l i k e Nigeria,

BUSINESS GUIDE

US, Canada, U.K. and France.

It’s a fact that demand for bushmeat is increasing substantially every year without enough animal farmers to produce enough bushmeat.

According to animal farm consultant and Managing Director, Jovana Farm, Prinze Arinze Onebunne, you can also raise your own meat at home; even if you live in an apartment.

“When people think about raising their own meat, they generally think of chickens, cattle, goats, ducks and other livestock.

But raising bushmeat like antelope, snail, gazelle, grasscutters is an easy alternative for anyone who wants to become more self-sufficient. Bushmeat like grasscutter is also very high

Antelope

in protein and low in fat and cholesterol, so you’ll also be eating healthier while earning money from the business. So, if you choose to rear grasscutter for instance, you only need 5-6 grasscutters to get started and one young grasscutter provides you the right amount of meat to feed a family of six”.

In addition, he said, farming with grasscutters on a small scale can be economically viable if you invest in proper infrastructure and good feed from the start. So we help emerging farmers to set up small or commercial grasscutter farms as we encourage farmers with limited resources should start with only one or two colonies of grasscutters and raising them the right way, rather than more grasscutters and raising them the wrong way.

Onebunne said, “following a well structured management plan for grasscutters, the producer is assured of a healthy, productive flock which will handsomely reward his inputs.

Grasscutters are hardy and very fertile livestock type yet, as with all livestock requires care and management to achieve the very best result from them”.

“With proper management, grasscutter farmer will be able to generate a workable and proven plan to obtain the best results.

Obviously geographic location plays a role in production and

healthcare and these unique situations need to be borne in mind.

Despite its great potential to generate income and to improve nutrition for 180 million Nigerians, grasscutter industry in Nigeria is characterized by insufficient farmers, modern drying equipment and, above all, difficult access to finance.

“Among other reasons why banks should assist grasscutter farmers with credit schemes, the demand for the meat is high and it is growing rapidly and appears to be one of the lucrative aspect of livestocks worth investing. It’s so because nowadays, health conscious people are avoiding red meat and this has boosted the grasscutter market. Hotels, supermarkets, cold rooms and a growing number of individuals are buying grasscutter, so its market continues to expand.

He further said that grasscutter is a prolific breeder. They start reproducing as early as 6 months of age and you can recover your investment in a short time frame.

If you invest N100, 000 you earn up to N600, 000 as a net profit, within a year. The great thing about grasscutter is that you can grow it everywhere! In your backyard, kitchen, parking store, even if you are a tenant.

Attend JOVANA FARMS seminars nearest to you and discover everything you need to know about breeding grasscutters!

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

How to end perennial crisis in Nigerian football

BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA

I

t is no longer news that at every election year there is always crisis that usually threatens the smooth running of the nation’s football. This •Amaju ugly trend which took a rather dangerous dimension from the December 2005 elective congress of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA) in Kano has continued to rear its ugly head since then.“This write-up may not delve into all that While the chairman wanted the transpired in Kano during the reign of Ibrahim Galadima as election of four persons the Chairman of the cancelled, the majority report association, but a freely endorsed the entire election. conducted election was annulled and a fresh one That did not also go down well conducted later in Abuja in with some of those on the other August 2006.“The 2006 election side as they requested for the produced Sani Lulu as the chairman. But while those who convocation of an Arbitration called themselves the Panel stakeholders were rejoicing, many others cried blue murder because they knew right then alternate members, on the other that a bad precedent had been side. “While the chairman set.“Immediately after the 2010 wanted the election of four World Cup, Lulu was persons cancelled, the majority impeached by his board report endorsed the entire members alongside some of his election. That did not also go kitchen cabinet members down well with some of those including his first vice, Amanze on the other side as they Uchegbulam and the Chairman requested for the convocation of the Technical Committee, of an Arbitration Panel. And Taiwo Ogunjobi. Aminu like a bolt from hell, they were Maigari became the biggest at the Court of Arbitration for beneficiary as he was elected Sports (CAS), underscoring the on August 25, 2010 as the level of agitation and President of the NFF. desperation.

Maigari who has gone down in history as one of the most Chris Giwa and his group successful Presidents of the It would be recalled that NFF, with the feat of winning before the Warri election, a the African Cup of Nations group led by the Chairman of (AFCON) after 19 years, Giwa FC of Jos, Chris Giwa ordinarily would have been claimed and are still claiming rewarded with a second term, to be the duly elected NFF but that did not board. This group emerged happen. “Immediately after from the August 26 Congress in the 2014 World Cup, his board Abuja, which FIFA has refused members who accused him of to recognise and ratify. highhandedness amongst For a little recollection, the other allegations, sent him congress members had all packing before he was signed the attendance register momentarily saved by FIFA. In but left the hall in a rather blind the process, Nigeria was solidarity to the former president, threatened, suspended and Aminu Maigari who was then recalled by FIFA. Today, said to have been arrested by Maigari is out of the way. men of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Warri election Giwa and his team claimed to The September 30 election have been elected from that which took place in Warri was congress but interestingly most very peaceful with all the of the congressmen were not in designated delegates of the the hall and that raised the NFF in attendance. After a question of who indeed elected painstaking exercise, Amaju this group.

Melvin Pinnick was elected Till now, there is problem in President by majority of the the administration of the game delegates.“But like what has as this ‘parallel board’ are still become a tradition, some laying claims to be the authentic people started plotting how to executive committee of the rubbish that election. All types federation. To buttress their of machineries were employed point, they claim to have a in the process.“The Elections judgment of a Jos High Court Appeals Committee headed by which voided the Warri election.

Barr. Okey Ajunwa received But the NFF on the other hand some petitions. But due to claims that this same group had numerous interests, that last year after the intervention of committee had to split with the former President Goodluck chairman on one side and the Jonathan, withdrawn the case other members, including the and wondered why they ran C M Y K

back to the same court to obtain the same ruling.

Only last week, there was a mild drama when Giwa and some of his members stormed the NFF secretariat in Abuja but after touring the offices were immediately arrested by men of the Nigerian Police Force •Giwa (NPF). Ever since then, the group and their supporters have been talking of their plans to come and take over the secretariat but as at press time, nobody has seen them near the office located at Zone 7, Wuse.

Way out From the foregoing, it is obvious that by the next elective congress of the NFF in 2018, there will be more crises because both those who are inside today will like to remain and those angling to come inside will employ every tactic, both fair and foul to get to the Glass House.“Therefore, one is of the view that before the next elective congress, the present board has a lot of work on their hands to ensure a peaceful transition which will be devoid of the usual crisis. “Experience has shown that conducting election immediately after the World Cup raises the bar so much so that any good deeds of the incumbent are always disregarded due to what can best be described as a war of attrition.

Sacrifice To end this incessant crisis, one is of the view that there is every need for the present board, especially the President, to make some uncommon sacrifices that will also put his name in the hall of fame of those who saved Nigerian football.“I suggest that we shift our elections away from the World Cup years. In this case, I think instead of having the next election in 2018, we can have it in 2019, one clear year after the World Cup. How? “Before the end of the tenure of this present board in 2018, they can propose to the congress to allow them run the Federation for the next one year till 2019 and conduct the election, which they will not be part of or to set up a Caretaker Committee to run the Federation for one year and conduct the election. No member of the Caretaker Committee will be eligible to contest the election in 2019. Since FIFA Statutes are for the affiliates to adopt and adapt, we can equally peg our tenure of office for only two terms to reduce the usual friction.

Already, FIFA having seen the danger of allowing one man to remain in office for as long as he could, has also pegged their own tenure to three terms.

In the culture of Adopt and Adapt, we can also decide that in Nigeria, any State FA member or chairman who wins election into the board of the NFF should automatically vacate his position in the state.

Amuneke sweats on Osimhen igeria U20 coach Emmanuel Amuneke N has said his is waiting on

a medical report to ascertain the extent of a shoulder injury suffered by star striker Victor Osimhen.

•Osimhen Osimhen pulled out his shoulder in the Flying Eagles 2-1 win over Nigeria Olympic team in a friendly in Abuja on Thursday.

Amuneke said they will now wait on a medical report to advise if the striker will be fit for an U20 AFCON qualifier in Burundi on May 21.

“We are not sure how serious it is yet, so we cannot make any declarations (to him being unavailable),” he said.

“He has to see the medical team and probably undergo some tests for us to be sure the extent of the injury and we have to wait until we have a feedback from the doctors.”

The 17-year-old striker scored the winner in the 2-1 win over the U23’s, after Funsho Bamgboye had cancelled out Daniel Etor’s opener for the ‘Dream Team VI, but he appeared to have pulled his shoulder afterwards.

The Flying Eagles will travel to Bujumbura on May 18 for the first leg of the qualifier, which will be played three days later in the Burundian capital of Bujumbura.

Musa close to Leicester deal R

eports in England have it that Ahmed Musa’s transfer to English Premier League champions Leicester City is now “75% complete”.In January, Leicester tabled a bid of 18 million pounds for the CSKA Moscow flying winger, but it was rejected by his Russian club, who insisted they wanted him to stay back and win the league championship for them.

“Ahmed’s move to Leicester is now 75% complete. His former •Ahmed Musa academy coach and former agent have both confirmed that most of the agreements have been reached,” a close confidant of the player, who grew up with him in Jos, informed AfricanFootball.com “They have only asked for prayers to ensure everything is completed very soon.”The source added: “Several other English clubs like Spurs and Manchester United have been linked with Ahmed, but Leicester have clearly won the race for him now.” It was also understood that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) excused Ahmed Musa from the friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg partly to allow the player wrap up his transfer to England.

The former VVV Venlo star and Mikel Obi will not feature in the friendlies for them to be part of Joseph Yobo’s testimonial on May 27 in Uyo.

Ibrahimovic confirms he’s quitting PSG

‘I came like a king, left like a legend’

Z

latan Ibrahimovic has confirmed he will leave Paris Saint-Germain ahead of what will be his final ever game at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.

The 34-year-old arrived in the French capital in 2012 and has gone on to become to club’s all-time top scorer as well as helping them to four successive Ligue 1 titles. But it has long been rumoured Ibrahimovic would go elsewhere next season, and ahead of his final game in front of the PSG faithful he chose to confirm his exit in typically modest fashion.

‘My last game tomorrow at Parc des Princes. I came like a king, left like a legend,’ the Swedish striker wrote on Twitter. Ibrahimovic will have a number of options this summer and could use Euro 2016, likely his last major tournament •Ibrahimovic for Sweden, to improve his stock.

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—45

Julien Tetrault, Quebec Immigration lawyer (left) presenting $1000 cheque donation to representatives of Sebeccly Cancer care center during a road 'Race for Cancer' held in Okpekpe, Auchi, Edo State recently.

•Mike Itemuagbor JTH lawyers Nigerian partner

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

J

TH Lawyers showed another side of their humanitarian face last week.

At Okpekpe, the venue of IAAF sanctioned 10 kilometre race that has given Nigeria a big name, JTH Lawyers, a Canada-based company that runs immigrant investor programme, donated money to an orphanage and joined organisers of the race to promote cancer awareness in the village.

What a great show the whole event emerged. Breast cancer has been on the increase and rural women lack information about the disease. Okpekpe race being a sports event was one factor that encouraged JTH lawyers to use it to promote cancer awareness. The venue, a rural setting, was another factor.

Importantly too was the fact that their Nigerian partners, Pamodzi Sports Marketing and their boss Mike Itemuagbor are the brains behind the race that Edo State government under Adams Oshiomhole embraced and sponsored till date. The experts on immigrant matters in Canada, USA, Antigua and Barbuda made this year's race remarkable by promoting cancer awareness and thus making it a Race for Cancer awareness. VIPs identified with people battling cancer. Interestingly, Miss Nigeria, Lessi Pamela, top management of Eco Bank PLC, captains of industries, top Nigerians and the indefatigable Oshiomhole were all there with thousands of the athletes who competed for the Okpekpe Race title.

They were all part of the race against cancer. A rare opportunity was given to hundreds of women to know their health status on breast cancer, just as the company doled out money in dollars to a cancer patient and an orphanage to support their cause and give hope to the downtrodden.

Julien Tetrault, JTH and Quebec Immigration lawyer who was also a cancer survivor said it was all about supporting the cause of cancer patients and giving hope to the less privileged children in Nigeria. He said: “I want to make sure that when I come to Nigeria, I don't only take from Nigeria, I also

options of freedom of movement. It is not only about you but also about your children.

“In Canada, we have a very stable environment, we don't have shootings like some other countries nearby have. Even a young lady can walk in the midnight in the streets of down town Montreal, Toronto and other towns free without fear of molestation. Again, as people get towards retirement, security becomes more of an issue as you want to chose where the crime rate is much lower, Canada is much better.

It is mainly for the quality of life that you want. There was a ranking of top cities in the world recently. They are 160 and Lagos was 157 before Damascus and Kabul in Afghanistan; while Toronto and Montreal were among the top 10. Canada does not have the tension that most cities in Europe have. Some people like US, I respect that but it is totally different from Canada.”

On the registration, he stated: “The process is a two-step one.

First you have to be approved by the province and then approved by the Federal government. Thereafter they will verify your medical history and some other checks.

“You have to submit your application to the Quebec government, you must also show you have a net assets of $1.6million CAD and you show how this money was made legally. Also, a management experience of minimum of two years of the past five years prior to filing of application. Once these conditions are met, it will take about a year to be processed.

According to him, the programme has been attracting experienced professionals and their families as permanent residents of Canada.

“It will be 30 years now since the Quebec programme started this, thousands of families have been using this programme. The submission of application is now opened again. From May 30, There is a quota of 1900 application including 570 from outside of China.

“So, the process starts now. One good thing about it is that the government does not need proof of investment now until about 18 months when the approval and the whole process is almost finished.

Even at that, if you decide you don't want it again, you just don't pay the investment fee again and you lose nothing, Tetrault stated. Their site is www.jthlawyers.com and info@jthlawyers.com.

Immigration experts give Okpekpe Race human race face •Offer 'Smart idea' to investors want to give back. It is very important for me to give back to Nigeria. The JTH lawyers recognize that the children are the future and we have decided not to live any one of them behind.”

He added that since Nigerians love brilliant ideas, he had presented himself to offer smart business idea for investors as well as alternative good livelihood to secure the future of their children and their retirement in Canada through the investors programme created by the Quebec government about 30 years ago.

Asked to give details of the smart business idea, Tetrault said: “Paying $30,000 a year for a child's education in Canada is huge. But if a child becomes a residents or Canadian citizen, you will be paying only about $3,000 a year. So, if you multiply that to about 3-4 years of study, you will be talking about huge difference. You will be paying a lot more when your children are not Canadians. So, Why not reduce that burden by becoming Canadian?, he queried?

“The investor programme will offset the huge cost of education. So, as you save money, you are giving to

I want to make sure that when I come to Nigeria, I don't only take from Nigeria, I also want to give back. It is very important for me to give back to Nigeria the children most valuable assets. It is a smart business to do. In this world of today, you need freedom of movement. I have heard Nigerians complain about the rigorous process of obtaining visas. Why not take a passport which is visa-free. Why not?

If you are missing this opportunity, it is ridiculous going through the pains of visa process over and over again, why not take a smart business solution today and get your

•Okpekpe Race

46— SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

F

ootball almost lost Claudio Ranieri before he had even really begun his managerial career. The genial Italian, mocked by Jose Mourinho as a serial loser but loved by almost everyone else who encounters him, was sharing champagne last week with the journalists he has nicknamed his ‘sharks’, toasting his success in overseeing the most remarkable Premier League title win in history. But it was among the amateur teams of southern Italy that Ranieri, then aged 38 and a rookie coach, almost quit, tired of the politics, sackings and cynicism.

Ranieri did not even want to be a manager. He had played in Italy’s top division, Serie A, at Catanzaro, a consistent if unspectacular performer who had failed to make the grade at Roma. And it was there he was almost badgered into management.

‘When I was at Catanzaro, all my team-mates, the older ones, went to do their first coaching badge and they asked me to go,’ recalls Ranieri. ‘I said, “No, I don’t want to be a coach”. But after two or three years, I started to think, “Why not?” I wanted to see if I understood football. Everyone who watches football believes they understand the game.

They watch a lot of matches and think they know football.

But this is a completely different job. I started to understand and I thought, ‘If I don’t arrive in Serie A in five years, I will finish.’

He started at the bottom geographically speaking. Lamezia is a city with an amateur club in the deep south of Italy — near the laces if you think of Italy as a boot. And Ranieri made an immediate impact. His team were top of the league but he immediately came across his first dose of cynicism.

He said: ‘I was top of the league without losing any matches but there was something strange I didn’t like — I don’t want to tell you what. So I said, “Bye bye, I’m going home,” and I left.’

The following season he moved to a team in Serie C, Puteolana, on the outskirts of Naples. ‘The second year started more or less the same.

I took a little team in Serie C with no players.’

It was the third tier of Italian professional football but felt more like Sunday League at times. He says: ‘I had one match I started with RANIERI’S win% 10 players, not 11 — with Leicester in imagine that! But we the Premier were safe. But something strange League-the arrived and they sacked highest of all me.’

Foxes bosses Ranieri was almost lost to the game. ‘I said to myself, “This is not the job for me. I love being on the training pitch and the football but there is so much politics and I am not a politics man,” but then they sacked two coaches after me, the owners changed and the new owners called me back to finish the season.

‘They were already relegated but the players said, “We want Claudio back again.”Yet at the end of that second season he was again without a job, waiting by the phone, before Cagliari, on the southern tip of Sardinia, called. They were in the third tier but had played in Serie A. ‘Suddenly I received a call from Cagliari, because at Puteolana we had beaten Cagliari with a little team against the giants, because Cagliari was a big team in Serie C,’ he says. ‘And from that, I took off.

I arrived with Cagliari and now I am here!’

Ranieri took them through successive promotions to Serie A, the first fairy tale he oversaw. The city loved him, fans adored him and just as at Leicester, he maintained a tight group of players, achieving success without importing big names who might disrupt the club dynamic.

‘From Serie C to Serie B, I changed very few players and this group kept going until Serie A. When we got as high as seventh, I said to myself, “This is a dream, a fairy tale.

Football is not like this”. Everyone in Cagliari loved me. That is not normal, that is not football.’

62

C M Y K

•Ranieri

He soon learnt what football was like. He left at the end of the 1990-91 season to join Napoli, one of the giants of Italian football. He says: ‘When I went back to Cagliari with Naples, everyone wanted to kill me!’

Success followed at Napoli, where he introduced Gianfranco Zola to replace Diego Maradona and finished fourth —but he was still sacked. At Fiorentina, he took the club back into Serie A, briefly challenged AC Milan for the title and won his first major trophy: the Coppa Italia. He was recruited by Valencia in Spain where he won the Copa del Rey. After a brief spell at Atletico Madrid, he was out of work again but he had not gone unnoticed, with Chelsea chairman Ken Bates taking him to London.

•Ranieri His record was good: the club finished sixth, sixth, fourth and second but they lost the 2002 FA Cup final to Arsenal. And his frequent changes, a quirk that earned him the ‘Tinkerman’ nickname, frustrated players and fans. Perhaps his greatest achievement, though, was qualifying for the Champions League the season before Roman Abramovich took over, when many saw qualification as crucial to the club’s future. Yet money

soon became immaterial as in July, Ranieri oversaw a defining moment in English football.

By then, though, he knew what was coming.

‘When Trevor Birch, my sporting director, told me there was a new owner with good money, I said, “Trevor, me and you are the first who go home”. He asked why, but he was the first and I was the second. It’s normal. I know football very well. If a new owner arrives then he changes all the men. That’s normal. He changes everything.

He wanted to bring in his manager and I wasn’t Roman’s manager.’

Ranieri saw out his days at Stamford Bridge with a new nickname: ‘Dead Man Walking’.

Abramovich had been photographed with England manager Sven Goran Eriksson but the FA managed to persuade the Swede to stay, with a European Championship imminent. Ranieri explains: ‘He wanted Eriksson because he was the manager of the national team and when he didn’t get Sven, he said, ‘OK Claudio, make your decision on what kind of players you want.’

‘But to get players in July is not easy because teams are already in pre- season. We got some good players and it was a good season but I knew from the beginning that at the end I’d go home.’ Ranieri was left in charge of an unprecedented £120million spending spree in a bid to win the league. Yet Chelsea were up against Arsenal’s Invincibles, who they were also drawn against in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Chelsea looked vulnerable after drawing the home leg 1-1. Even before the second leg, news

Iheanacho: I don’t know if I’ll be a top player K

elechi Iheanacho says he does not know if he will end up being a top players or not.The Manchester City teenager has broken through impressively this season, bagging 13 goals in 34 City games this season, Plenty of City fans would have liked to have seen manager Manuel Pellegrini give Iheanacho, who has largely been used off the bench, more opportunities. But the stoical 19-year-old, who has quickly become a favourite of supporters, is simply focused on becoming the best he can. “Like all young players coming through for their clubs in this country,” he added.“I hope they do well and continue to do well. Nobody knows what will happen in the future though.“I don’t know anyone who is playing

•Iheanacho

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016—47

i

ROLLER COASTER

Ranieri has held several job in Italy (above) andspent four years at Chelsea had leaked that the Chelsea board were looking to replace Ranieri. It left him undermined before the most important game of the season.

And yet, in the 87th minute at Highbury, Wayne Bridge scored the winning goal that knocked out the favourites. Suddenly, Ranieri looked like he might embarrass the club by winning the European Cup just when they wanted to get rid of him.

It seemed Chelsea had a clear run. Monaco, who they would play in the semis, were beatable, as were the other semi-finalists, Deportivo La Coruna and Porto, managed by a certain Mourinho.

However, the success against Arsenal precipitated perhaps the lowest moment of Ranieri’s Chelsea reign. In the city of the world’s most-famous casino, Monaco, Ranieri gambled and lost big.

To be fair, he was under intolerable scrutiny.

The day before the semi-final first leg in Monaco, it became apparent Mourinho would be taking over. Still, Ranieri had a great opportunity to prove his worth. With the scores 1-1 at half-time, however, Ranieri made the baffling decision to bring on Juan

who doesn’t want to keep improving and be at the top level. I don’t know if I’ll end up being a top player or not.

“But I’ll be working hard to achieve that and I wouldn’t complain if it happened. I just have to keep going and see where it takes me.”

Iheanacho’s rise has been meteoric since joining the club’s academy in 2014.

He said: “So much has happened in the last few years it is difficult to take in. If you start thinking about being here one moment and there the next, your brain would get overload and your head would be spinning so it’s best not to think about it too much.“Whatever happens now it has been a great season for me.”

Sebastian Veron, the Argentine who plainly wasn’t fit. Even then, when Monaco had Akis Zikos sent off, all seemed well. Ranieri then sent on striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in place of right back Mario Melchiot but that move backfired, with Monaco scoring two breakaway goals and winning 3-1.

‘What the f*** was that about?’ texted one of his own players to a friend while in the dressing room at the end.

‘The pressure definitely got to him at that stage,’ says one of his former staff. ‘But he had to live with the ‘Dead Man Walking’ tag all season.’

The Mourinho twist may have been the final straw.

Ranieri almost admitted as much this week.

‘Yes. I knew that before the game,’ he says. ‘I don’t know if it affected me. But I wasn’t happy.

The people remember that game because I said it was my mistake. I was honest, I don’t fear saying it was my mistake. We were 1-1 at half-time and we went back into the dressing room and the players said, “Coach, we can win.”

‘Inside, I am an Italian man and 1-1 is good, so I recognised my mistake and said it was my mistake. If I don’t tell people of this, nobody knows. That is it.’

In the second leg, despite going 2-0 up, Chelsea drew 2-2 and went out. Until now, in English football at least, that tie defined his image along with those two derogatory phrases, ‘The Tinkerman’ and ‘Dead Man Walking’. It is why there was so much scepticism when he was appointed Leicester boss last summer.

That, and the fact that he was sacked by Greece for losing to the Faroe Islands.

Even then, after all that football had thrown at him, he had no desire to give up. ‘No! I would have gone crazy,’ he says. ‘Everyone tells me I am very calm — yes, at work. Under pressure I am very calm. If I stay at home without a job, I would go crazy. I was nervous about this and so was my wife.’

Now he gently berates his ‘sharks’ at his press conference, telling him they ought to call him ‘Thinkerman’ not ‘Tinkerman’. He does so without any sign of bitterness.

‘Superman’ and ‘Miracle Man’ are epithets now ascribed to him. Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and director of football Jon Rudkin ignored the labels and recognised the real qualities of a quietly effective coach.

Had they not done so, English football might not be now experiencing one of the finest moments in its history.

Culled from Daily Mail

LEICESTER’S SEASON... IN CLADIO’S OWN WORDS

August 6 ‘The Premier League is very hard, we are a little team but we want to be bigger. I know it is difficult because of pre-season but slowly I want to show that team.

First of all the heart, the fight and then the quality.’

August 15 After beating West Ham to go top...’I want to maintain a low profile. We can’t think we are top of the League. We have six points, that is important for us.’

September 17 Offering pizza for a first clean sheet...’I’ve told the players that when we keep a clean sheet, then I’ll pay for pizza for everybody. I want to buy them pizza. But maybe my players don’t want pizza it seems! Perhaps they’re waiting for me to say, ‘OK, I’ll give you a big dinner instead!’ Maybe they want me to improve the offer — a pizza and a hot dog perhaps.’

September 18 On Riyad Mahrez...’He is unbelievable. Just like the Road Runner... beep, beep and then whoosh! He’s gone.’

October 29 After keeping their first clean sheet...’What we are doing here is like a pizza. To do well you have to have the right ingredients. You have to work hard, you have to do everything right, but also like salt, a little luck is good.’

When asked what the fans meant to the club... ‘They’re the tomato, without tomato there’s no pizza.’

November 27 Asked if the season’s aspirations had shifted as they were still top...’Forty points.

I can’t change our project at the moment. Our goal right now is to maintain the Premier League. Be solid with two feet firmly on the floor... Our fans can dream.

Football is about dreams, about feeling a special sensation, giving a surprise and inspiring joy.’

December 17 After a question on Gokhan Inler’s lack of involvement... ‘A long time ago a lot of people told me the nickname ‘Tinkerman’. And now I am waiting until a lot of people change my nickname to Thinkerman!’

December 23 On Leicester’s stamina... ‘Why can’t we continue to run, run, run? We are like Forrest Gump! Leicester is Forrest Gump. I give you the headline there.’

December 30 On competing with the Premier League’s big guns...’We’re the basement and the others are a villa with a swimming pool. It’s a miracle what we’re doing.’

February 8 ‘None of us will have another chance like this. Never again. This is the year to win the Premier League. Next season, we will be between 10th and sixth place, if all goes well. Because Liverpool, Chelsea, United will all be ahead of us.’

March 4 On keeping his players alert... ‘From the beginning, when something was wrong, I said, ‘Dilly-ding, dilly-dong, wake up’ during training sessions. And on Christmas Day, I bought for each of the players a little bell, just as a joke. ‘ March 18 After having a sausage named after him (‘The Ranieri’ contains fennel, garlic, chilli and ‘a hint of Champions League’)...’I am the Sausageman. It is a good sausage. You bring the sausage to everybody. I pay for pizza, you pay for sausage.’

March 19 On moving eight points clear at the top...’Now we are in the home straight and I want to see my horses, how they run.’

March 22 On Leicester’s global appeal... ‘When I went back to Italy everyone was talking about Leicester. The Pope? I don’t know if he is backing us! But I do think that now all the world knows where the city of Leicester is.’

April 6 On N’Golo Kante... ‘He was running so hard that I thought he must have a pack full of batteries hidden in his shorts. I tell him, ‘One day, I’m going to see you cross the ball, and then finish the cross with a header yourself.’

April 29 One more win to go… ‘It is good we are doing something special. But it is important to finish the story like an American movie. Always in the final it is OK. Happy ending.’

Relegation bell tolls for Ujah R

•Ujah

elegation bell is tolling for Super Eagles striker, Anthony Ujah as his Werder Bremen side are in danger of being relegated to Bundesliga 2 if they don’t defeat Eintracht Frankfurt today at Weser StadiumHosts Bremen need a win to climb above their guests and out of the bottom three, thus securing another season in the top flight of German football. Draw or lose, however, and then things start to get complicated for Viktor Skripnik’s men. The equation is even easier for Frankfurt, who know that a draw or a win will see them end the season above the drop zone, whereas defeat means a relegation play-off for Niko Kovac’s men, or even worse in the event of an extraordinary turn of events which would see VfB Stuttgart overturn a sixgoal inferior goal difference on their trip to VfL Wolfsburg.

One thing is certain: three into two does not go, meaning there will be both tears of joy and sorrow at the final whistle today. In their 52nd Bundesliga season, Bremen’s top-flight survival hinges on the final day for the first time in their history.Ujah joined Bremen in 2015 and has scored 11 goals in 30 appearances. He marked his international debut for Eagles in 2013, bagging six caps but is yet to score for the three-time African champions.Werder have won their last two home games. Bremen have not managed three consecutive home wins since the winter of the 2014/15 season. Werder’s 0-0 draw against Cologne last week was their first goalless match this season. Bremen’s last clean sheet at home was in May 2015, when they beat Eintracht 1-0. Werder have conceded seven home defeats this season.

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, MAY 14, 2016

Immigration experts give Okpekpe Race human face >>45

Iheanacho:

Ibrahimovic confirms he’s quitting PSG >>44

I don’t know if I’ll be a top player >>46,47

How Claudio Ranieri almost quitcoaching and the journey that made him

•Iheanacho

THE MIRACLE MAN >>46,47

Today’s Fixtures

•Ranieri

LA LIGA Deportivo v Granada v Athletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid v

Real Madrid Barcelona Sevilla Celta Vigo

4pm 4pm 6:30pm 6:30pm

SERIE A Juventus AC Milan Napoli Sassuolo

Sampdoria Roma Frosinone Inter Milan

4pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm

v v v v

BUNDESLIGA Bayer Leverkuse v FC Ingolstadt 04 2:30pm Bayern Munich v Hannover 96 2:30pm Dortmund v Cologne 2:30pm FC Augsburg v Hamburg 4pm Hoffenheim v Schalke 2:30pm Mainz v Hertha Berlin 2:30pm SV Darmstadt 98 v M’gladbach 2:30pm Werder Bremenv Frankfurt 2:30pm Wolfsburg v Stuttgart 2:30pm LIGUE I Angers v Caen v Guingamp v Lorient v Monaco v Paris St Germain v Reims v Rennes v St Etienne v Troyes v

Toulouse 8pm Bordeaux 8pm Nice 8pm Gazelec Ajaccio 8pm Montpellier 8pm Nantes 8pm Lyon 8pm Bastia 8pm Lille 8pm Marseille 8pm

•Musa

Musa close Amuneke to Leicester sweats on Osimhen deal >>44 >>44

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Abia State Deputy Governor, Mr. Ude – (9) 5 Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Colonel Hameed – (3) 7 Friend – (3) 8 Golden Eaglets (U-17) Striker, Victor – (7) 10 President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Bobboi – (7) 11 Kenyan Capital City – (7) 13 L.G.A in Sokoto State – (4) 15 Former Democratic Republic of Congo “ Leopards” Skipper, Herita – (6) 18 Former Nigerian International Athlete, Mary – (6) 20 L.G.A in Zamfara State – (4) 22 L.G.A in Benue State – (7) 25 General Overseer, Living Faith Church, Bishop David – (7) 26 Peruvian Currency – (3) 27 Number – (3)

DOWN 1 State in Nigeria Known as “The Pacesetter State”?

– (3) 2 British Prime Minister, David – (7) 3 L.G.A in Katsina State – (6) 4 Greek Alphabet – (7) 5 Country in Europe – (7) 6 FIFA President, Mr. Gianni – (9) 9 Ocean – (3) 11 President, Burundi football Federation, Reverien – (9) 12 Cereal – (4) 14 Sea-Vessel – (4) 16 Italian “Serie A” ClubSide – (7) 17 African Antelope – (7) 19 Former Nigerian President, Alhaji Umar Musa – (7) 21 L.G.A in Lagos State – (6) 23 Young of a Dog – (3) 26 Traditional Ruler of Benin – (3)

Solution on page 33

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Advert Dept Hotline: 01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K