Nigeria cannot disintegrate - IBB

2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 3

4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 —

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Anambra 2014: APGA screens out Soludo, 5 others •Ekwunife, Odenigbo, others scale through •Soludo accepts party decision

BY EMMA UJAH & CHRIS OCHAYIAbuja

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HE screening panel set up by All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, to screen all aspirants for November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, failed to clear former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and five other contenders.

Out of the 13 aspirants contesting under the party, only seven scaled through the hurdle at the conclusion of the screening exercise which took place between August 15 and 16, 2013 at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The successful aspirants include, Hon. Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Nwogbo, Paul Odenigbo, Hon. Uche Lillian Ekwunife, Chief Willie Obiano, Mr. John Nwosu, John Okechukwu Emeka and Nwachi Patrick Obianwu.

Those who failed the screening include Emmanuel Nweke, Ogbuefi Tony Nnacheta, Chinedu F. Idigo, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, Mr. Oseloke Obaze and Professor Charles Chukwuemeka Soludo.

Chairman of the Gubernatorial Screening Panel, Alhaji Tayo Sowunmi said the reason (s) for the non-clearance of the unsuccessful aspirants are as contained in the provisional certificates issued to them.

Other members of the panel were Ifeanyi Mbaeri and Chief Onwuka Ukwa who served in the panel as Secretary and member, respectively.

It would be recalled that the National Chair-

man of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh while setting up the three-man screening panel, assured that the party has laid down a transparent process that would produce a worthy and an acceptable candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Anambra state.

Professor Charles Soludo shortly after facing the screening panel Thursday in Abuja, had told journalists that he joined the APGA not because of the governorship contest but to build the party.

According to him, “I am saying my priority in joining All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, is to help to build APGA as a formidable political party. Running for governor is not why I joined APGA. “Did that surprise you? I have joined APGA primarily to join forces with the other compatriots, other Nigerians to build APGA as a formidable political party. An APGA that will some day mainstream what APGA stands for, what APGA has to offer Nigeria.

“APGA is the only political party in Nigeria that talks about true federalism. No other political party aspires to bring true federalism to Nigeria. No other political party talks about revenue allocation, physical federalism that would allow each region or state to develop according to its own space. There is no other political party that talks about competition. “ To me, APGA should be the manifesto, national mobilisation because that is the only way Nigeria can move forward.

“I have to come here to visit the national office of APGA, but principally,

L-R Anambra State Commissioner for Water resources, Emeka Nwankwu, Gov. Peter Obi, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, David MacRae and one of the representatives of PC Africa, the firm undertaking the rehabilitation of Onitsha Water scheme,inspecting facilities at the Scheme, shortly before they were presented with the cheque of N1.8 billion for the rehabilitation of the Water Scheme yesterday. this is a new family for me. Like I have said, my first mission is to join others to build APGA as a formidable movement.

And that is basically what it is. Governorship thing is aside.”

On whether he will still remain in APGA if he fails to pick the party’s ticket, he said, “I am in APGA in the morning, in the afternoon and in the night. I am in APGA today, I will be in APGA tomorrow, I will be in APGA next year, I will be in APGA for the next seven years to come.”

He also said he had to quit the PDP because it was not a political party but a mere platform to grab power.

Speaking to Journalists in Abuja, yesterday, Prof.

Soludo said that he joined PDP by accident and now had to make a choice on where to pitch his political tent.

His words, “recently I resigned my membership from PDP and joined APGA. The basic question

people kept asking is why?

That is a short question to ask but with a long answer.

“I joined PDP by accident . I did not belong to any political party before I was appointed as the President’s Chief Economic Adviser and CEO of National Planning Commission which is more like a Minister of National Planning Commission.

“It was a political appointment and has some kind of requirement, if you like though it is not explicitly demanded of you. So I joined the PDP without even knowing what the party stood for..

“Having stayed there for a while, I have now had a chance to review the political parties in Nigeria and have reviewed their constitutions and manifestos and also reviewed the operations of the various political parties and I think this is now the time to make the decision of the political party that I should belong to out of choice, out of volition. It is now time to make a choice based on one’s

PDP crisis: Don’t defect, Bode George tells aggrieved Governors whatever grievances the

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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ORMER Deputy Na tional Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George has appealed to aggrieved governors and members in the party not to leave the PDP. Addressing a press conference yesterday in Lagos, Chief George said

governors or other party members have can be resolved through dialogue.

While he described the governors as landlords in the party, he said it is not in their interest to leave the party to become tenants elsewhere no matter the situation.

There have been speculation that some PDP governors are set to leave the party over disagreement with the leadership

of the party and the rumoured second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan, which has created a gulf among governors elected on the party’s platform.

George, who said another four years for Jonathan will not harm anybody, however said another four years is very small in the life of a nation.

He said the party had

faced a similar challenge in the past on whether former President Olusegun Obasanjo should run for a second term or not.

Stressing the need for all members of the party with misgivings over President Jonathan’s second term to dialogue with the PDP, the party leader said the party believes that all the six zones in the country should take their turns to govern the country.

conviction rather than convenience.

“PDP started off as an amalgamation of diverse groups and individuals who really had nothing in common- probably to ease off the military but since then, it has been grappling to find a bearing as political party.

“As it is today, in my considered view, it is not a political party in the true sense of a political party.

Why did I say that the PDP is not a political party?. I just described it as a platform to grab power.”

Asked if the change of party was not to actualize his dream of governing Anambra through an arrangement with incumbent Gov Peter Obi, the economist- turned politician said that even though he was aspiring to contest on the platform of APGA, he would remain in the party if he fails to secure the

ticked at the primaries.

“My decision to join APGA is not just limited to my aspiration to govern Anambra State. In as much as I would like to fly the APGA flag, even if I am not given the ticket, I will still remain in APGA and support whoever emerges. This is the party in which ideology, the constitution, manisfesto, aims and objectives are in line with my views and what I believe in.

“My decision to join APGA was a decision I made more than a year ago. I would have joined more than a year ago and the reason that I didn’t join was that when I decided I was about to join, the crisis in the party erupted and so I didn’t want to join when the party was in crisis and then you would have to join faction A or faction B.”

Lagos demolishes shopping mall Ola Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo LAGOS State Government yesterday demolished a shopping plaza, located at Ireti Oluwa street, Oshodi Local Government, which was under construction, for failing the integrity test.

The State government also marked a 20-year-old Boladale Mosque, located at 29 Boladale street, Oshodi and three others as distressed buildings with no approved plan and use of sub-standard building materials.

The mall owned by Alh. Ibrahim Afolayan, Saturday Vanguard gathered commenced

about six months ago

and construction was already at the secondfloor.

General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, Mrs. Abimbola Animashaun-Odunayo said the building failed the structural stability test.

“The building failed the test because the contractor used sub-standard building materials for the construction of the plaza. “ The contractor despite having the approved plan for the building, failed to

adhere to it. And that was why we marked the building for d e m o l i t i o n ”

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Anambra council polls ma mayy be shif shiftted

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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HE much publicized October 5, 2013 date for the conduct of local government elections in Anambra State may no longer be feasible due to unresolved issues, a human rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, INTERSOCIETY, hinted in Awka. Chairman of group, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said that after a careful study of the timetable for the election, it was discovered that if the unresolved issues were not properly addressed, there would be no need to conduct the exercise because it would lack credibility and rubbish the integrity of both the INEC and the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC. Essentially, INTERSOCIETY is worried about what it

called the flawed voters’ register and the fact that ANSIEC has not been given the register up till now, which is less than 60 days to the election.

It also noted that since the last review of the voters’ register took place in 2011, those who have attained the age of 18 years and are qualified since then to vote have not been registered.

The letter reads: “INEC, not ANSIEC, is legally and constitutionally entrusted with the round

the clock midwifery of the national register of voters, including that of Anambra State, its local governments and wards versions. Also by law, no local government poll can be conducted without INEC’s voters’ register and on the same premise, ANSIEC is mandated to apply to INEC for the release of the Anambra State’s version of the register and INEC is also mandated to issue to ANSIEC an updated, revised and cleaned up certified true copy of the register.

“Our question is, has ANSIEC applied to INEC for the register? If yes, has it been given? If yes, which version was given to it? Has it been updated and revised with deletion or inclusion of the 93.000 “double registrants recently reported? What about those who lost their voter ‘cards or have their names omitted? And what of those who have not been registered?

“In view of the fact that INEC has fixed 17th of October, 2013 as a date for the publication of the

NANS passes vote of no confidence on Jonathan

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AT I O N A L Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, through a statement made available and signed by the National P.R.O. Comrade Victor Olaogun, has passed a vote of no confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan over what they called his ineptitude to handle and resolve the ongoing impasse between

the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. While berating the lackadaisical attitude of the N i g e r i a n President,Goodluck Jonathan towards the development of the youth and his insensitivity and inattentiveness to the pains and demands of Nigerian students and university lecturers; the Association

called for instantaneous declaration of state of emergency on Nigeria’s education sector, saying “we can no longer condone his ineffectiveness, whereupon we pass a VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE on him.

Also we pass VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE on the Minister for Education, for not having the interest of Nigerian students at heart.

We also condemn the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Students and Youth Matters, Comr.

Jude Imagwe over his lukewarm attitude to the plights of the Nigerian students. As a former president of NANS, (though factional) we expect Comr. Jude Imagwe to use his good office to press for the demands of the students and even protect the interest of undergraduates who at this time are facing huge challenges as a result of the lingering strike action embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities” However the Association pleaded with ASUU to return to the classes while deliberation continues.

integrated supplementary voters list and the vote r s register for public scrutiny sequel to the November 16, 2013 governorship poll; how possible is it to use it to conduct the local government poll on 5th of October, 2013?

“Are there going to be two versions of the register; one updated, revised and cleaned up; and the other not? Is it possible to conduct legally, flawless, credible and participatory Anambra local government poll on 5th of October, 2013?”

Gunmen kill 11 in Borno Adekunle Aliyu with Agency Report

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AIDUGURI— Suspected Boko Haram Islamists have killed 11 people, residents and a local lawmaker said on Friday.

The attack happened late Thursday in the town of Damboa in Borno state, Boko Haram’s stronghold and where the governmet imposed a state of emergency as it pursues an offensive against the insurgent group.

“The attack lasted until about midnight,” said Adamu Isah, a student who lives in Damboa. He said groups of gunmen opened fire on police and civilians and that “11 people died.”

He blamed the attack on “Boko Haram” fighters.

State lawmaker Ayamu Lawan Gwasha, who represents Damboa, confirmed the details, as did a local security official who requested anonymity.

Both Isah and the lawmaker spoke to reporters in Borno’s capital Maiduguri, roughly 85 kilometres (52 miles) from Damboa. Both said they had fled to the capital after the attack.

Details were slow to emerge and the area military spokesman could not be reached for comment because of a phone blackout imposed by the military, an operational measure meant to block the Islamists from coordinating attacks.

The phones have been down in Borno since May, when the state of emergency was declared.

NDLEA arrests student with 5.960kg of drug

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

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peratives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday arrested a 27 years old Philosophy student at Ebonyi State University with 5.960 kilogrammes of drug at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Lagos.

The suspect, Mr. Chukwu Ramseyn Onyekaozuru was apprehended during the outward screening of Alitalia passengers when he attempted to smuggle

about 5.300kg of cannabis and 660 gramnmes of heroin to Rome, Italy.

Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Airport Commander, Hamza Umar pointed out that the student was caught with parcels of cannabis that were covered with dried bitter leaf vegetables inside a bag while the heroin was ingested by the suspect.

Mr. Umar further said that the arrest was one of the few cases of polydrug trafficking made by the command.

“Most traffickers smuggle only one drug at a time. This case is one of the few poly-drug trafficking cases recorded by the command since January.

The suspect had 5.300kg of cannabis packed in vegetables and other food ingredients. He also ingested 660 grammes of heroin. It is an interesting case and we have made significant progress in our investigations,” Hamza stated.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 7

Jigawa State Deputy Speaker killed in fatal car crash

BY ALIYU DANGIDA AND TINA AKANNAM DUTSE

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IGAWA State House Of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Inuwa Sule Udi is dead.

Alhaji Udi,died in a fatal motor accident at Jogana,along Kano/Hadejia highway as he was heading to his home town, Ringim Local Government Area, from Kano .

He was survived by four wives, 18 children and aged mother.

The 48 years old Deputy Speaker was buried in Ringim his home town in a funeral prayer led by the Emir of Ringim, Alhaji Sayyadi Muhammad amidst thousands of muslim

ummah including the Jigawa State Deputy Governor, the Speaker, Jigawa House of Assembly, lawmakers, Commissioners and religious leaders among others.

Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido and SSG, Alhaji Lawan Abdu Babura were absent at the funeral prayer. His burial was delayed up to 10am yesterday which is against Islamic rule which says that whoever dies should be buried immediately. People thought the delay would enable Governor Lamido to take an early morning flight to attend the burial but he didn’t show up.

Alhaji Lawan Abdu who hails from same

emirate with the Deputy Speaker was also absent. The situation resulted in side talks amongst people of Ringim, describing the absence of the government officials as a sign of misunderstanding and lackadaisical attitude of the government officials with the deceased whom many described as a friendly and a respected leader.

Emirs of Ringim, Alhaji Sayyadi Mahmud Abubakar and Dutse Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi and Speaker Jigawa State House of Assembly, Honourable Adamu Ahmed Sarawa led thousands of Muslims at the funeral prayers of the late Deputy Speak-

er.

The prayer was conducted at the Ringim mini stadium attended by thousands of family members, friends and close associates; prominent politicians and traditional rulers across the state and neighboring state. Family and friends could not control their emotion as they wept.The deceased was buried at Ringim cemetery amid tight security.

People in Ringim have commended the effort of the Emir of Ringim for attending the funeral despite his health condition but expressed dismay on the absence of any top government official.

A group of people interviewed by our correspondent in Ringim described late Inuwa Udi as a humble philanthropist and a man never ran away from his people, saying his death has created a vacuum that will be difficult to fill in the political history of Ringim and Jigawa state in general.

A member representing Yankwashi constituency, Honourable Abdu Dauda described late Udi as very friendly, loyal and committed law maker who has contributed immensely to the passage of many bills.

Scene of the accident. (Inset) The late Deputy Speaker, Jigawa State House of Assembly.

Navy arrests five pipeline vandals, recovers 3 boats, 126 Jerry-cans

By EVELYN USMAN

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AVAL operatives at tached to NNS BEECROFT,Apapa, Lagos at the early hours of yesterday,engaged some pipeline vandals who were siphoning petroleum products from a vandalised pipeline, in a shoot-out, at Majidun area of Ikorodu.

At the end of the shootout,five suspects,among them a nursing mother were arrested,with the recovery of a total of 126 jerrycans filled with the siphoned products.

Also recovered were four boats used by the suspected vandals.

Parading the suspects before newsmen, the

Commander NNS Beecroft, Commodore Chris Ezekobe, said the suspects were among several others who had allegedly converted Majidun area into a safe haven for their criminal activities. He explained that the arrest was sequel to an intelligence report received that vandals were operating in the area following which a team of naval operatives mounted surveillance at the area. ”Yesterday morning, at about 2am, the Naval men stormed the water front at Majidun area of Ikorodu.

The vandals opened fire at the approaching security men. ”In the exchange of gun fire, some of the vandals

abandoned their already syphoned products and fled. “ Ezekobe said.

During the operation, Ezekobe said it was observed that the villagers were aiding and abating the illicit business,informing that plans were ongoing to carry out raid in the area with a view to arresting those involved.

He further explained that the raid on vandals which is ongoing was inline with the Chief of the Naval Staff zero tolerance to illegal bunkering and pipe line vandalism.

However, it is sad to note that after much effort is put at arresting these vandals, they are released the next moment.

A member represe nting Yankwashi Constituency, Honourable Abdu Dauda described late Udi as a very friendly, loyal and committed law maker who has contributed immensely to the p as-

sage of many bills.

Cleaner docked for trimming flower tree

By ONOZURE DANIA

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25- year- old man, Al exander Njoku, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, over an allegation of damaging a flower tree belonging to one Ms Onyeka Onwenu.

The defendant, who was docked before Magistrate Sule Hamzat, is facing a one count charge of malicious damage, preferred against him by the Police.

It was said that the defendant trimmed the tree as part of his duties as a cleaner because he saw snakes and reptiles that could cause injuries to worshippers and occupants at the premises.

The Police prosecutor, Inspector Roman, told the court that Njoku, who works as a gardener and cleaner at House of Praise Christian Centre located at 28B Isaac John Street Ikeja Government Reserved Area GRA, committed the alleged offence on July 19, 2013.

He said that the defendant maliciously and willfully damaged the flower tree at the property, which housed both the Church and Onwenu’s office on July 19, 2013 at about 9am.

The prosecutor said that the offence committed is punishable under section 348 of the criminal law of Lagos state of Nigeria 2011.

However, when the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty to the one count charge against him.

Magistrate Hamsat, granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum and further adjourned the case to September 24, 2013, for mention.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Nigeria cannot disintegrate — IBB M

INNA:Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has allayed the fears of Nigerians on the 2015 general elections saying, “Nigeria cannot disintegrate in 2015 as being predicted by some Nigerians and foreign countries.”

Answering questions from Journalists in his up hill residence, Minna yesterday, as part of activities to mark his 72nd birthday, the former president said the prediction can never come to pass, saying the country intsead will continue to wax stronger and stronger even beyond 2015.

“Honestly, I think you should forget about disintegration in 2015. I can’t honestly see it happen. We can merely talk about it but if a country is about to disintegrate today, you will know it. It is not something that happens in one month or two months or one year. It is just out of the question,” Gen. Babangida assured.

According to him, “people say all sorts of things to instil fear in people. If you believe that majority of people in this country also believe in the unity of this country, why do you worry about somebody up there saying it will disintegrate?

I know it wouldn’t .The

press should not also give such utterances prominence,” IBB declared.

Gen. Babangida described Nigeria as one of the most amazing cauntries in the world, pointing out that what is written and read about the country especially when one is outside the country is scary but one comes back to see people going about their normal busineses happy.

“One of the most amazing countries in the world is Nigeria. If you live outside it and you read and hear about it, you’d think the world is coming to an end only to come back and find people happy, laughing and attending football matches. That’s Nigeria for you”, the former President remarked.

He described those making such predictions as prophets of doom who are just crying wolf just and called on all Nigerians to see themselves as leaders in their own rights and therefore work towards what will hold the country together and not what will divide it.

On whether he has changed his stance on eyeing any political office again, the former military president said, ” I have told you in this hall before that I won’t seek any political office again. So, there is no political ambition again but

I will continue to contribute towards stabilizing the country.”

Asked whether he was missing anything in his life, Gen. Babangida said his faith has always made him strong whenever his mind as a flesh comes knocking.

“As a very strong believer in my faith, I don’t have anything than to be grateful to God for his mercy because he has been very kind and therefore, if there is anything I could have missed, may be it is losing someone dear to me but again, my faith tells me that one of us has to give way or two of us will die at the same time.That is the faith that is keeping us going,” IBB submitted.

Asked also to comment on

JTF emale Bok am suspects JTF,, vigilante arres arrestt ffemale Bokoo Har Haram

BY NDAHI MARAMA, Maiduguri

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HE residents of Gomari and Bulunkutu wards of Maiduguri metropolis in Borno state are gripped with fear as members of Borno Vigilance Youths Group (BVYG) and the military Joint Task Force (JTF) Thursday, arrested a Boko Haram female terror suspect, along with a 35year old man, suspected to be an informant to the Islamist sect that engages women in the smuggling

Immortalise Ewherido and facilitate Ibori’s freedom — Okorodudu

BY SIMON ADEWALE

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ember, Delta State Board of Management, Federal Medical Center, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Dr Ebenega Okorodudu has asked states and federal governments to immortalize the late Senator Pius Akpor Ewherido, immediate past senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District at the nation’s upper legislative chamber, as well as ensure the speedy release of former Governor of the State, Chief James Ibori, from London prison.

Addressing Journalists , Dr. Okorodudu submitted that the late Senator has affected the lives of the people of the nation, the state and particularly, Delta Central Senatorial District through provision of social activities, scholarship awards, human capital development, infrastructural development and

through study and advancement of his native Urhobo, within the brief period he was in the Senate, while Chief Ibori has contributed in no small measure towards the realization of the 13 percent derivation which is now being enjoyed across the Niger Delta region. He added that such good gestures should not be swept under the carpet. Dr Okorodudu who implored the

Federal and States governments to fast -track a means of releasing the former governor from the British custody where he is currently serving a jail term for offences bordering on money laundering, said the exgovernor is only a human being who can err, but if after owning up and apologizing to his people and the nation, he should have been given a very minimum sentence.

Osula of Irohi congratulates Anenih Omongbale Onuwabhag-

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HE people of Urohi Kingdom in Edo State have congratulated Chief (Dr.) Anthony Akhakon Anenih, CFR, the Iyasele of Esanland and Chairman, Board of Trustees of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as he clocked 80, last Sunday. Speaking in Lagos, the Osula of Urohi Kingdom, High Chief

Our Niger State Correspondent, Wole Mosadomi presenting an official birthday message from the management of Vanguard Newspapers to Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in Minna yesterday. his life at 72, Gen. spirit because God has spirit is just there though Babangida simply said, “I been kind to me. I enjoy not like spirit of youger peofeel old but still in very high robust health at 72 and the ple like you.”

bale said Chief Anenih was a blessing to Esanland and Urohi Kingdom, having brought meaningful development to the area. “As a leader, a nationalist, elder statesman, patriot and bridge builder, we thank God Almighty for giving you to our land.’’

and carrying of rifles and ammunition to launch attacks.

Our Correspondent as told that ‘the fear of women is the beginning of wisdom’, as the security agencies and the vigilante group are showing more concern and putting more operation stop- and- search pressure on women than their male counterparts following series of arrest and discoveries that many women arrested were in possession of firearms in the State.

According to JTF sources yesterday in Maiduguri, the vigilante group has already arrested five female Boko Haram terror suspects with rifles and 254 rounds of ammunitions in three wards of the metropolis before the arresting another woman and a man during their routine “stop and search” operation.

Also a reliable security source said, “residents of Maiduguri and Jere Metropolis are being warned to be careful with women whom they associate with, as an intelligent report have it that some female Boko Haram suspects have intensified plans to break/sneak into households and put deadly poisonous substance into their food items”.

The source added that this is a new tactics being adopted by the sect members, as some of the method they were using in the fight against security agencies and the government in the past failed to yield positive results for the group.

Ibrahim Isa, a vigilance youth of Gomari told our

Correspondent yesterday that the arrested female Boko Haram terror suspect sneaked into Ajelari ward area along with 11 other girls to poison water points and underground water reservoirs of residents in Bulunkutu and Gomari wards of Maiduguri.

He however said: “we were able to arrest this woman with a rifle and ammunition, hidden under her flowing veil in a tricycle. The 35-year old man was also arrested in Bulunkutu ward, and based on the identities of this man, our boys were also able to confirm that the man did not carry any rifle but sneaked into this area to collect information on our activities and the JTF in Maiduguri.

“The other 11 girls, armed with poison and powdered substance to adulterate and poison water points and underground water reservours are on the run.

But we will get them as we intensify our searches and massive hunt for fleeing Boko Haram sect members in Maiduguri.”

Speaking on the use of women in terror activities, Chairman of BVYG, Abubakar Mallum said that women, particularly with their babies strapped on their backs, could easily smuggle arms and ammunition without being detected at the check points in Maiduguri metropolis.

He said this was why

“our boys are continuing with their “stop and search” operations in every ward and community of Maiduguri metropolis until all the sect members are rooted out and handed over to JTF for investigation and prosecution, adding that, “the Boko Haram sect members have killed many of our parents, guardians, brothers and sisters, including children and women which the sect leader, Abubakar Shekau said they never killed while targeting civilian and military formations in this state.”

Confirming the incident yesterday in Maiduguri, the JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa said that terrorists do not rely on one

style of attacks and killings, as the Boko Haram sect has commenced employing women to smuggle more arms and ammunition for terror activities in Borno state.

He said some women were arrested by the vigilante youths in three wards this week, while arms and poison were also recovered from the female terror suspects.

Musa further disclosed that: “because terrorists are increasingly becoming innovative, adoptive, and ruthless in pursuing their goals, the youths should continue with their massive manhunt for the fleeing Boko Haram sect members that are still hiding under the guise of nursing mothers and housewives in Maiduguri metropolis.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 9

Court sacks Rivers Commission of Inquiry

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, P/Harcourt

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USTICE Iyayi Lamikanra of a Port Harcourt High court yesterday prohibited the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry set up to look into the recent fracas that rocked the State House of Assembly from going ahead with its activities.

The Judge further granted an order restraining the Governor of the State from receiving or implementing any report from the Commission of Inquiry.

Continuing, the Judge said only a regular court could look into some of the criminal-related issues the Commission was set up to investigate.

It would be recalled that one of the five anti Governor Chibuike Amaechi lawmakers, Hon Victor Ihunwo representing Port Harcourt Constituency III had approached the court to among other things, stop the Commission from going ahead with its activities, arguing that its members were appointed by Governor Amaechi who he alleged was a party in the crisis to be investigated by the Commission.

“That His Excellency, Rotimi Amaechi, the 10th Respondent and his Government represented by the 11th Respondent instigated the crisis and supervised the execution of said crisis which he now purports to inquireinto by the instrumentality of a Commission of Inquiry selected, appointed and inaugurated by him, that is, the so called Judicial Commission of Inquiry comprised of the 1st set of Respondents.

The 1st set of Respondents as the Judicial Commission of Inquiry instituted by the 10 th Respondents lacks jurisdic-

L-R: Ankara Boi, Pheel, Paul and Peter (P Square) and the Symphony Group of the X-Factor fame tion to inquire into the terms of reference subject

matter of the Commission.

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HE Executive Sec retary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Mr. John Kennedy Opara on Thursday inaugurated an eight-man security

own case, wherein he can choose the members of

Oba of Benin appointees petition IGP over deposed Enogie

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

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HE traditional rul ers who were anointed by the Benin Monarch,

Oba Erediauwa, to preside over the affairs of Evouvbioba community in Oredo Local Government Council of Edo state, have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, alleging that

the deposed Enogie (Duke) of the community, Edwin Aigbe Izevbokun and one Matthew Iyoha have been involved in alleged violent activities in the community.

The Oba of Benin had

removed Izevbokun as the Enogie of the community after he was accused of desecrating the customs and traditions of the Benin Kingdom and appointed Mr Edward Okunzuwa (Ozukpongieva) and Lucky Enobabor (Okai-

Onitsha water supply revived as EU envoy visits water schemes

J

OY was the mood of Onitsha town yesterday when, after 13 years of dry taps in the town, water is set to run again with the payment of 1.8 Billion Naira to a South African Water company, PC Africa in a brief ceremony, where Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the Governor’s Lodge, Onitsha, after inspection tour of the major facility of Onitsha Water Scheme at N k i s i .

During a ceremony witnessed by the European Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. David MacRae and the traditional ruler of the town, Igwe Alfred Achebe, who commended Obi for the restoration of Onitsha ,

Gov. Obi said that the choice of a foreign company was for a thorough job.

According to him,the company had done work of such magnitude in different parts of the world.

Obi, who said he decided to make full payment in order not to entertain excuses for non-performance or delays, apologized to the people of the town for the late intervention, saying it was because things did not work out according to plans earlier that caused the resuscitation of the scheme.

Speaking earlier, the State Commissioner for Water Resources and Public Utilities, Dr. Emeka Nwankwu lamented that Onitsha, with a population of 4 Million is

NCPC inaugurates security sub-committee for 2013 for the committee based Christian Pilgrimage

BY VICTORIA OJEME, Abuja

The 10 th Respondent cannot be a judge in his

the commission who are to inquire into the same crisis which he did not only precipitate but participated actively in.

The membership of the Commission as constituted is against the rule of natural justice.

An order of injunction as given restraining the 2nd set of Respondents from receiving any report from the 1st set of Respondents, or in any manner whatsoever implementing or putting into use any report, findings or opinion tendered by or submitted by the 1st set of Respondents in their capacity as a Judicial Commission of inquiry or under any guise whatsoever.

sub- committee for the 2013 Christian Pilgrimage Exercise.

The eight-man subcommittee which is drawn from four security agencies namely Nigeria Intelligence Agency, State Security Service, Immigration and FAAN. He stressed the need

on the recent security challenges the country is facing.

In a statement, Mr Opara urged the committee to always be on top of security to plan and strategize security measures in order to achieve the aims and objectives of the commission.

having potable water problem. He said that by 2006, when the Federal Government rehabilitated some water schemes in the country,Onitsha did not benefit because the Government at that time was fighting the Federal Government. He said that when Obi became the Governor, he tried and was able to get the Federal Government to include it, but that the company handling it, Funtai, in spite of receiving bridging loan from the State Government to the tune of hundreds of millions of Naira was not serious or technically deficient. He recalled all other efforts to resuscitate the scheme through partnership which failed and that as the last resort, the Government decided to do it directly with the full payment of 1.8 Billion Naira that would take care of the first phase, involving restoration of the collapsed facilities. He said that about 10 Billion Naira would be required in the long run for expansion of the facilities to serve the entire Onitsha and environs.

Speaking on behalf of PC Africa, its Managing Director, Glenn BurtonDurham said that with the payment and co-operation of the people, the company would deliver within time.

On related development, Governor Peter Obi said the partnership with the European Union had enhanced Anambra State’s drive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Governor Obi was speaking when he accompanied the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. David Macrae on interactive session with water consumers at Umuanuko Nnewi Water Supply Scheme. Governor Obi said the collaboration was helping the State to fill budgetary gaps because of its lean resources. He noted that water and sanitation being critical components of the MDGs have received accelerated development with the support of the EU. The Governor said the provision of water had restored smiles on the faces of the people and assured that more projects would be executed in the area.

ghele) to run the affairs of the community.

However, the new leaders led by Okunzuwa and Enobabor in a petition signed by their Counsel, Tom.Oaikhinan & Co, dated 14th August, which was addressed to the IGP, Muhammed Abubakar, accused the deposed Enogie of referring to himself as Enogie despite the Oba’s decision, just as they commended the Police attached to the Homicide Section, Police Headquarters Abuja of arresting “the impostor” and one Mathew Iyoha for their alleged involvement in violent activities in the community.

The petition described as nonsensical the claim by the deposed Enogie that they were being arrested despite the fact that the matter was in court, asserting that “ it must be stated with unlimited emphasis that the statutory powers of the police to effect arrest and prosecution of offenders cannot be abridged or asphyxiated by the crooked cord of discretion of any individual no matter how highly placed on the fallacious ground that a case relating to the arrest of these duo is already before the High Court”.

The petition stressed that it would be unfair to indict the police officers who performed their duties by arresting the suspects who were arrested with arms and other dangerous objects, adding that “you cannot say because a matter is in court you now went to commit another offence.

10 — SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Anambra 2014: Aspirants bare their minds

BY CHIOMA GABRIEL and wka Awka VINCENT UJUMADU, A

C

ome November 16, 2013, the governorship election will take place in Anambra State to elect the person that will succeed Governor Peter Obi whose tenure will terminate on March 17, 2014. The aspirants are already jostling for votes and talking of what they will do for the people of Anambra State if elected. Those who spoke include Prince Chinedu Idigo (APGA), Mr. Oseloka Obaze (APGA), Chief Godwin Ezemo (APC), Senator Chris Ngige (APC), Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu (PDP) and Dr Ifeanyi Uba of Labour Party. Others are Chief Emeka Nwogbo (APGA) and Mrs. Uche Ekwunife (APGA).

Prince Chinedu Idigo, a lawyer from the ancient Aguleri royal family in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra North is contesting on the platform of APGA. According to him, service spurred him into the race. “ My main consideration for seeking to govern Anambra State is service. I have over the years been considering what will happen when Governor Peter Obi completes his tenure. Actually, I started nursing the governorship ambition in 2009 but I realized that there was no vacancy in the Government House because it was obvious Governor Obi was going to win to continue his second tenure. And having performed so well in office, if a worthy successor does not take over from him, all the things he has done in eight years will lack continuity. So I started making my plans and that is what is now being actualized. Obi has done a lot, but there still more to be done in the state. For instance, our urban centres – Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka need proper upgrading.

One of our plans is industrialization, but the issue is when the investors come, they should have good return on their investments. The environment where they are investing should also be made conducive and our cities do not boast of ideal places where they will live to carry on their businesses. We will embark on massive urban housing development suitable for such investors and such estates should have the necessary recreational facilities to make living enjoyable. We will not want a situation where they will live in neigbouring states while coming to work in our state.

Why Anambra North should pr oduce ne xt gover produce next gover-nor It is an agreement reached in 2010 among all the candidates then that the next Governor should come from Anambra North. It is unfortunate that some people are saying that there was never such an agreement.

Well, Governor Obi has promised to release the agreement at the appropriate time. During my consultations for this governorship race, I met a traditional ruler in this

state who said there was such an agreement and that he is in possession of a copy of it. Since some respected stakeholders are saying that there was such an agreement, I expect our people to respect it.

Influence of money bags in politics When people talk of influence, is it influence based on the money at their disposal? How many lives have they touched in the state? Throughout the years they have been in politics, what did they do for the people? That should be the question.

When we see somebody who has been in politics for years and the only tarred road in his community is the one that enters his house and the only nice building in his village is his own and whenever there is election, he spends billions of naira;, such a person cannot be trusted. Let me give you one example. There is this dispute about the oil in Anambra State and we have three senators. The senator from Kogi State got up to say that the oil in Anambra State belongs to Kogi and none of our senators got up to challenge him. And today they want to govern the state they could not use their

It is an agreement reached in 2010 among all the candidates then that the next governor should come from Anambra North. It is unfortunate that some people are saying that there was never such an agreement positions in the senate to defend.

Our people know what to do with such politicians when it is time for voting.

Division in Anambra North The reason for the North asking for a chance to produce the next governor is due to issues of marginalization. In Anambra North, there are other considerations, one of which is that Omambala area had been least favoured in the state in terms of development and appointments. It will be good if the next governor comes from Omambala area, which comprises of Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum and Oyi. But if for any reason it does not come to Omambala, I don’t think we will go against the decision. What is most important is for the next governor to come from Anambra North.

Politics of food and money

•Senator Andy Uba

•Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo Our experience in the field has shown that our people have become more aware politically and they are now asking aspirants what they will do for their communities rather than what they will do for them as individuals. So the perception has changed, especially in the most backward areas of Anambra State.

The money bags can try using their money to influence the people, but the average Anambrarian will vote for the person he believes will work for the state. Those throwing money about are only making fools of themselves.

Soludo’s governorship ambition in APGA The constitution allows Prof.

Charles Soludo to associate with any group he wants at any time, but it is left for that group to decide if he should be trusted with their mandate. I don’t know how many members of APGA in his ward that he knows. I must say that APGA is not a party one can just wake up and join for the purpose of contesting election and after the election, you ditch the party. It happened in Imo State. So our eyes are open. If he had come to hijack the party, our members will not allow that to happen. We have APGA members who have been toiling since 2002 to make the party what it is and I don’t think they will just watch as see the party hijacked by somebody.

•Uche Ekwunife

•Tony Nwoye

Anointing by Governor Obi I cannot deny the fact that Mr. Peter Obi is my friend. But he has never said to me that he will hand over to me. I cannot say that I am the favourite candidate of the governor, but if I am, thank God. If tomorrow he decides that I am his candidate, I will accept it with both hands. For now, he has assured us that he is not supporting anybody.

He wants the best candidate for the party and for Anambra people.

Campaign funding I am really worried about the amount of money being thrown about by some aspirants. I think we need to have a law on campaign funding and spending. I will prosecute my campaign to the best of my ability and convince the people and tell them why it has to be me. If somebody spends so much to prosecute his election and he is elected, the first thing he will do is to recoup. The ideal thing is that people should contribute a certain amount towards funding somebody’s campaign before he even emerges as his party’s candidate.

During one’s consultations for the race, people should start contributing towards his campaign and if the person does not get a certain amount through people’s contributions, he should not be given his party’s ticket. This is because when you

Continues on page 11

SATURDAY

•Amb. Jerry Ugokwe

•Walter Okeke

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 11

Ifeanyi Uba

decide which zone should start it, otherwise it will be undemocratic and will run foul of the Constitution of Nigeria if it is decreed that one part of the state should be allowed to produce the next governor.

“It must be made known here that we have been living in peace in Anambra and nobody had considered any part of the state as being superior to the other. In 1952, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who is from the present Anambra North senatorial zone, came back from Lagos and contested for premiership and ruled Eastern Nigeria for eight years before going to become the senate president and later governor – general and subsequently the president of Nigeria and other parts of Eastern Nigeria never complained.

Anambra 2014: Aspirants bare their minds Igbo nation in 2015. As I see it, the quest to bring the governorship to Anambra North is now a sacred mission for the people of the North.

Godwin Ezemo, APC aspirant: Anambra at cross road

•Mike Okoye Continues from page 10 that made it possible for him to win, he will really work for the society.

So this issue should be reviewed in the electoral act.

Oseloka Obaze, former SSG and aspirant in APGA: Why Anambra North should produce next governor There should be a moral question for aspirants from Anambra Central and South senatorial zones still angling to become the next governor of the state because their zones have been occupying the seat since the creation of the state. It should be known that the people from Anambra North senatorial zone are not groveling for sympathy and attention, but seeking what should come to them rightfully, if there is justice and a sense of equity. Thankfully, there are many well-meaning people from the South and Central senatorial zones that support our cause, our dear Governor Peter Obi, being a leading example.

In the fullness of time, everyone will have to account for their political stand, since the issue at hand is both moral and constitutional. Such rotational issues are topical in Delta, Enugu, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Lagos states.

It remains a paradox, therefore, that those who say the governorship slot cannot be ceded to Anambra North in 2014 since there is no zoning, are the first to advocate that Presidency should be ceded to the

“ Anambra State is at the cross road and therefore needs somebody who can fight what he called injustices in the land.

It is unfortunate that the days of innocence are gone and we must try to bring them back. Gone are the days when wealthy people could pull over their cars and enjoy the liberty of eating corn on the road side. No longer can men sit around under the shades of trees drinking fresh palm wine with friends. It is either they will be afraid that they can be kidnapped, or that a battery of policemen guarding them will regularly be intruding into their

Our people are highly politically aware and cannot be misled.

What the people of Anambra State want is good governance irrespective of where the person comes from privacy.

“Frankly speaking, our values have been totally eroded and we must brace up and pick up issues that hinge on the survival of the society.Good parenting, quality education, the need for graduates to learn extra trade, credible political party primaries where imposition of candidates must be seen for what it is, which is capital sin against democracy. What we need is free and fair elections where votes must count.”

Senator Chris Ngige, APC There is no zoning arrangement in Anambra “Since the advent of the present democracy, we have had four governorship elections in Anambra State and these were in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2010. In all of them, the people of Anambra North participated and contested for the governor of the state. In 1999, the major contenders were Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Professor A.B.C. Nwosu, Chief Ajulu Uzodike, among others who were from Anambra South, as well as Senator Joy Emodi, Chief Frank Oramulu, Dr. Mike Areh and Chief Ozodinobi who were from the North zone. There were also contestants from the Central and we had Sam Okechukwu, Agunwa Anaekwe, Aneze Chinwuba, among others.

“In 2003, I came from Anambra Central. The incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi is also from the Central, while Uzodike and Okechukwu Odunze came from the South and North respectively. These people from the North are not weaklings. They contested and lost gallantly. I emerged as governor and when I was removed by the court, Obi from central was returned.

“In 2007, politicians from the three senatorial zones also contested for the office of governor, which was won by Dr. Andy Uba, but was stopped by the court. In 2010, we were all there, including Dr. Alex Obiogbolu and Senator Emma Anosike who are from the North. In all the elections, people from the North never said let us leave it for the people of Central or South so that we can have our turn later.

“We are not saying that our brothers from the North should not be governors because they have the right to the office. But people struggle for power as our brothers from the North have been struggling for it since 1999.

“If we want to say that we should start zoning the office of governor, we shall sit down and discuss it and

Chris Ngige “There was also a man named Ukpabi Asika from Onitsha in the present Anambra North ruled the old East Central State unfettered and we never complained. Similarly when the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo from Anambra North became the Senate president and number three citizen in the country, other senators from Anambra supported him as they did not argue whether he was from a particular zone. We therefore do not want this dichotomy to be introduced now in the state.”

Hon Uche Ekwunife:APGA Anambra State is a unique state.

“Our people are highly politically aware and cannot be misled. What the people of Anambra State want is good governance irrespective of where the person comes from. I wish to make it known that zoning is not the issue in Anambra State. There has never been a time Anambra State agreed on zoning or a zoning formula. It is only when Anambra people come together through any manner and say this is what we want and which of the senatorial districts would start, then we address that issue and it takes off from there.

Even those who are saying that it is their turn had contested with other zones in the past.

“Though I share the same view with a cross section of Anambra State people, but this is democracy and people are entitled to their own views and opinions. However, Continues on page 12

12 — SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Continues from page 11 Anambra State people want good governance, selfless service and carrying them along and they do not care where the governor comes from. It is even better that we have good governance than trying to respect zoning and get a governor who only became one because they said that it is the turn of his or her area and he could not deliver.

“Even in the constitution of Nigeria as amended, it does not recognize zoning of any political or elective office. The only area you may look at what you are talking about is in the area of federal character and not zoning.”

Hon Chukwuemeka Nwogbo, APGA aspirant and member, House of Reps: I am inspired to move Anambra forward ”It is my conviction that government is a God -given tool for moving any community or nation forward, a tool for the common good, a tool for bringing succour to the very least man on the street. Ultimately, government is one of the cradles of life. An inspired individual or group of individuals holding the reigns of government can be a life changer at any moment in time for any nation.

This is the motivation behind my gubernatorial aspiration.

I do not arrogate excellence to myself in anyway, but I realize that to move Anambra State forward, we need someone with a clear vision and understanding of the challenges and enormous talents that Anambra people possess. All that is needed is for this person to possess a high level of humility and persuasive power to harness these limitless talents and direct them towards the achievement of set goals.”

Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu – PDP: Anambra South yet to complete two tenures The people of Anambra North have the right to demand to be governor.

We in Anambra South Senatorial zone also have the right to demand that we should be allowed to complete our two tenures of eight years as Anambra Central has done.

Between Governor Peter Obi and Senator Chris Ngige, Anambra Central has occupied the Government House for 11 years, while Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, both from Anambra South, have jointly occupied the Government House for five years.

“I, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, an Evangelist from Anambra South, am therefore presenting myself to the people of Anambra State to serve them as governor and if it is the will of God, I promise to serve them well.

Before now, our party, PDP, never believed in providing a levelplaying field for the selection of its candidates, but thanks to President Goodluck Jonathan and our national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who believe in equity and fair play, our primaries will be transparent.

•Soludo: APGA aspirant

•Okonkwo: APC

all tertiary inistutions in the state.

My administration will organise the first Ifeanyi Ubah Unity Football Competition against anti-social vices among the tertiary institutions in the state regularly.

This will be done through the office of the Bureau for Youths Affair which we will create. Through the Football Cup Competition for tertiary institutions, Anambra State will be able to mitigate not only cultism but other forms of anti social vices which students often indulge in. By engaging the students in such competitive football activities over a long spell, I will channel their minds and energies towards more productive ventures.

“Again entrepreneurship has become the buzz word in today’s global corporate milieu and is apparently the solution to the rising incidence of youth’s unemployment.

In realization of this, Labour Party government under my leadership in the state will graciously approve the organization of a two day Youths Business Entrepreneurship seminar which the office in charge of Youths Affairs will do regularly from the youths drawn from the 24 LGAs on how to start and grow their own business and generally acquire entrepreneurship education to sustain their business ideas.

T

•Chinedu Idigo

•Ukachukwu

Anambra 2014: Aspirants bare their minds Ifeanyi Uba: A fresh face in Anambra politics Ifeanyi Ubah is about the only aspirant in the race with a new face and he believes he is the only remedy to transform the old face of Anambra politics and take care of the interest of women and the youths. In his manifesto, he promises his government can afford to give the women and youths the necessary sense of belonging in the State. “ I am the right person to liberate Anambra people, to reposition Anambra State and to wipe tears from the eyes of the good people of Anambra State, the less privileged in Anambra, especially the women and their youths. I will bring down the dividend of democracy to the grassroot and transform the old face of Anambra State politically and otherwise. Anambrarians don’t need to search further, the political messiah they are waiting for is here with us. So let all Anambrarians both home and abroad, especially the women and the youths come out enmasse and demonstrate their

love and support for my aspiration by massively voting me and Labour Party so that they will get what they are bargaining for. Among all the other ones , I am the only one with a new face that can transform and change the old face of the State politically and other wise. I am the only one who is being burdened about the welfare of our women and the youths. I am the only one who is having sleepless night concerning the neglect of the women and the youths. My priority will be on the women , youth empowerment and development if elected. “ My Labour Party government will initiate so many programmes that will positively touch the lives of the youth and women of Anambra State. My administration will create over ten thousand jobs for the youth. Sports will also be a priority.

I will sponsor many youths to watch the Fifa World Cup Football Competition taking place in Brazil next year for the first time in the history of Anambra State. I will also sponsor the establishment of viewing centers for the world cup in

hrough this Bureau of Youths Affairs, my government will equally undertake collaborative initiative with several youth-based organizations to draw the attention of the youths and students to the fact that they need to become more responsible and useful members of the society. Precisely, I will partner with an NGO, the Alliance of Youths Against Crime in Nigeria Communities (AYACNC) to organize a oneday Law Enforcement Agents and Youths round-table to look at issues concerning the relationship between youths and the law enforcement agencies. I will always package a two day Agric – Entrepreneurship for over ten thousand youths in the 24 LGAs which dealt on teaching youths practical skills in fish farming, snail farming, grass cutters, soap making and confectionaries.

At both events, top level resource persons from both public and private sectors will be on hand to impact quality knowledge to the participants.

“This programme will make Anambra youths to grow their own business thus becoming financially independent and even employers of labour. If I become the Governor come 2014, I will disburse over N20bn on youths empowerment.

Anambra youths should come out enmasse and support me so that I can fully implement my programmes for our youths who are the leaders of tomorrow.

“Under my administration in Anambra State, many women will emerge as Local Government Chairpersons and Deputy Local Government Chairpersons. I will will touch the lives of Anambra women positively more than any other governor in Anambra State.I am equally telling Anambra women to come out enmasse and throw their weight solidly behind me.”

SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 13

90 DAYS OAF EMERGENCY RULE

How Special Forces reclaimed Nigerian territory from terrorists

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

B

ut for the May 14 declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by President Goodluck Jonathan and the deployment of special forces of the armed forces, the police and the Department of state security to quell what clearly was an attempt to breach the territorial integrity of the nation, Nigeria would not have been one entity today.

From these states, the strategy of Boko Haram terrorists was to launch a jihadists type invasion of the entire Northern part of the country hence the gradual build up of arms depots and training/recruitment centres in several parts of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa where several raids were carried out on banks, prisons and police stations for arms caches and members recruitment and kidnapping of women.

Prior to the declaration, the Boko Haram terrorists had become so emboldened that they planned to hijack commercial aircraft fully loaded with passengers and use it to attack one of three national monuments, namely Aso Rock Villa, the seat of the federal government, the Central Bank Headquarters (CBN) Glass house and the Four Towers headquarters of the NNPC in Abuja.

Intelligence material had shown that the terrorists would not have given a hoot about the lives of the passengers that would have been on board and in carrying out the 9/11 style aircraft attacks on Aso Rock and NNPC Towers and the message would have been that having taken over the North East, the federal capital is their next target.

Of course, having successfully bombed the Nigerian Police headquarters, the United Nations House, Abacha barracks mammy market and several churches in Suleija and Madalla close to the FCT, they believed nothing was impossible for them to achieve.

Towards this end, security sources told Saturday Vanguard that the terrorists acquired Anti-Aircraft Gun and Long Range Surface to Air technical guns, meant to shoot down aircraft that flew over the North Eastern part of the country especially the Sambisa and Gwoza forest areas where they had hoisted their flags which served as headquarters of

*Troops advancing their operations.

Upon discovery that this was the plot and knowing the social, economic and political implications of the terrorists succeeding, security agencies immediately informed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other aviation bodies to stop all local and international aircraft from over flying the North East airspace to avoid collateral damage.

All commercial aircraft both local and international were subsequently diverted from over flying the North East areas except military aircraft.

In fact, it was in furtherance to unearthing the weapons capability of the terrorists that troops of the Multi-national

ings in Kano state which resulted in the destruction of the headquarters of the AIG, Zone 1, and the killing and wounding of over 90 people including Policemen, Immigration, Customs and Federal Road Safety officers, the terrorists tried getting to the Kano Airport for a sinister motive”, a security source said.

Things got so bad that during the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Borno and Yobe states, to assess the level of destruction by the group, as well as reassure the people of the country’s concern; intelligence agencies intercepted Boko Haram terrorists plot to shoot at the Presidential Jet. This was however thwarted

The improved security situation as indicated in the general assessment has resulted in the ongoing phased restoration of telecommunication services in the states where these had to be withdrawn at the beginning of the operation Joint Task Force on reconnaissance mission to a Mosque in Baga, discovered anti-aircraft guns and rockets which were to be mounted for their targets.

“As I am talking to you, many people will not know that in one of the deadly Boko Haram attacks and coordinated bomb-

following massive deployment of security operatives as well as technical equipment to the two states with ability to intercept signals of such attacks.

Following these deployments and raids, two anti-aircraft guns, several anti-aircraft bombs, GPMG’s, AK 47 Rifles

and other heavy weaponry were recovered in some houses in Maiduguri. Aside these recoveries, conservative estimates put the number of Nigerians murdered, massacred, and brutally sent to the world beyond, at over 10, 000 since 2007.

It is against the backdrop of these brazenly devilish actions and several deadly suicide attacks, bombings and maiming of thousands of innocent Nigerians, which made the populace wonder if there was a sovereign authority in place, that the declaration by President Jonathan was welcomed with a sigh of relief and celebrated.

A

ugust 14, 2013, made it three months, which is half way stage of the six months (first phase target), set for the implementation of the state of emergency to flush out terrorists, whom it has been confirmed, have links with the dreaded Al Qaeda group and the overwhelming assertion from both within and outside the country is that the state of emergency has successfully restored Nigeria’s sovereignty.

Notwithstanding the sporadic asymmetric attacks on certain soft targets like schools, places of worship, markets, the consensus is that the Joint Security operation which has wiped out many of their camps, have drastically reduced the rate of bombings

and attacks in places outside the North East epicentre of the terrorists.

The improved security situation as indicated in the general assessment has resulted in the ongoing phased restoration of telecommunication services in the states where these had to be withdrawn at the beginning of the operation.

Hence Adamawa and Yobe states now have telecommunication services restored while Borno state government that has come to appreciate the wisdom in cutting off telecommunication services wants the JTF to tarry awhile for more successes before the services would be restored.

In meeting the mandate of Mr. President which includes destruction of all terrorists camps/bases, apprehension of perpetrators and bringing them to justice, the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, ensured that both MI 35 Helicopter Gunships of the Airforce and long range Artillery guns of the Nigerian Army were used to flush out the terrorists from their mountainous hideouts.

Thus with the synergy existing between the CDS, Service Chiefs, the IGP and the DG SSS, the mandate has substantially achieved its target of destruction of the strongholds and bases of the terrorists leading to the capture of many sect members including wom Continues on page 51

14 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

I

F the stories around a ‘certain deportation’ leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth, the division it has caused leaves a more bitter taste.

Almost every account you read has some ethnic colouration. It is even worse online where the comments tend to be down right rude and abusive— and these from our young minds!

The intellectual dishonesty— on both sides— that attended Professor Chinua Achebe’s book ‘there was a country’ was disheartening; but I tried to put it down to the lingering emotions of the civil war which the book evoked in a way. But the hue and cry about who attended and didn’t attend the funeral was difficult to ascribe to anything logical. More worrisome was the fact that the leaders of this ethnic battle cry were men of letters; people who by their training and disposition, were supposed to live in the realm of ideas and not primordial emotions. It is one thing to defend your turf. We all have to do that from time to time. But to use ethnicity and tribal sentiment as the core reason for attacking— or defending— every position is taking us out of the 21st century. Simply put, the ethnic etchings in our country are getting deeper and the tribal cleavages are becoming more alarming. It is time for our leaders, especially the intellectuals, to pull back.

As they say, real men discuss ideas and objectives, not sentiments and personalities.

Now, let us go back to the idea behind the badly executed ‘deportation’ of 14 or 72 (the emotion of the moment doesn’t even allow us to know the true figure) people to the eastern part of the country.

He said ‘we know how many mouths we feed’ —a loaded statement given the times. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had to release his own census figures when Lagos was again under counted; again in exasperation. Nobody came to the aid of Lagos then. These latter day ‘Lagosians’ knew where to defend with their pens.

Right now, all manners of job seekers, miscreants and smugglers find refuge in Lagos. If we can not help with the burden of feeding, clothing and housing people who stream into the state daily, we should at least show some understanding. There comes a time when a generous man will tell his kith and kin not to come on extended visits again because his house is full. Lagos has had to do this, not only to the Igbos, but to our brothers and sisters in the North and even to Yorubas in neighbouring states. (I heard some other states have also emptied themselves of miscreants.)Only a small mind will read tribalism into this.

A Yoruba adage says that ‘while we blame the roadside thief, we must also blame the farmer who put his yam on the road unguarded’. In other words, we can blame Lagos for its insensitive selfrighteousness; we can blame it for a policy that is not well articulated; we can remind it that the reason people pay tax is so that the destitute can be rehabilitated. Yet all the states that looked the other way as their people pour into Lagos in search of livelihood stand indicted.

Why should another state bear the responsibility of looking after your people?

One reason they are in Lagos is because of economic survival. What have you done to create jobs in your

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Simply put, the ethnic etchings in our country are getting deeper and the t r i b a l cleavages are becoming more alarming.

It is time for our leaders, especially the intellectuals, to pull back

W

e should, if we want to be fair, concede that Lagos has been a generous host to most of us. It did not invite us. We invited ourselves and it has accommodated us. After all, we all have our villages should ‘push become a shove’, to run back to as some people demonstrated during the June 12 fallout when they fled the city. But the indigenes of Lagos have no where to go. Worse, they have been hounded and pushed out of their homes. Even Isale-Eko is no longer exclusive to them. They are as naked and exposed as the Ogoni people whose waters have been polluted, whose livelihood has been taken away from them by commercial exploitation.

Just like the Niger Deltans, Lagos has been crying for a just recognition of its role in the economic and cultural life of Nigeria, but nobody pays any heed. Every census puts the population of Lagos down and inflates the population of certain cities. I remember the exasperation of Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson, the then Military Governor when Lagos was put down yet again after another census.

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state? What have you done to arrest urban migration? Nobody will leave a friendly village environment for a hostile life in the city if he can help it.

What is the way out? I believe we should create economic zones as well as political zones. All states in a zone irrespective of political leaning should come together to develop at least two industrial cities that can absorb the growing list of the jobless. The burden is simply too much for Lagos and Abuja.

Meanwhile, those who are passing out blames should stop. Nobody is blameless in this case. And the cry for reciprocity should stop. I don’t think any state in Nigeria can win any war of reciprocity with Lagos, least of all those who are crying the loudest for it. Those who call Lagos a no man’s land are insulting the sensibilities of the indigenes who have lost their land and culture to mercantilism. We all know our roots.

Finally, with the furore this exercise has generated, leading unnecessarily to the question of who owns Lagos, it is time for Fashola and subsequent governments, to begin the deepening of the indigenous character of Lagos to avert future rancour and possible bloodshed.

Divine int er inter ervvention N

o matter how bad your case may Know that all power belongs to Him. be, it can still be changed for good. Psalms 66:3, says, “Say unto God, How Everything that has a beginning surely terrible art thou in thy works! Through has an end. The only thing that has no the greatness of thy power shall thine beginning and an end is God Himself. enemies submit themselves unto thee”.

This is why He is called the unchangeable There is no power that can contend with changer. I see Him intervening in your the power of the one who created the situation in the name of Jesus. You will heavens and the earth. laugh again. God is not through with you Pharaoh thought there was no power just yet. He is working things out for your greater than his power. Today we know good. better. This is why I say to you that I declare to you that by the mighty power anyone that has tied up your destiny will of God, all your enemies will be put to be destroyed by the power of the shame. With your eyes will you behold Almighty. You will have the last laugh the reward of the wicked? Pharaoh said those who told blind Bartimeaus to shut who is the Lord that I should let the up were the same people that came to children of Israel go, so that they can tell him be of good cheer. God will worship Him (Exo. 5:2)? Pharaoh thought surprise you this year. God will he had all power and that he was the all supernaturally intervene for you. In your and all. He had no respect for God who office, marriage, family, career etc where created him. He forgot that things are contrary to the the creature can never be will of God for you, the greater than the Creator. mercies of God will bring He was so full of about a glorious change Beloved, refuse confidence that no one can for you. Know for a surety free the Israelites from his to fret about that that God will never forget domain. This year, your situation. The nor forsake you. You are mockers and enemies will still in His plans and your devil cannot congratulate you in Jesus end shall be glorious. defeat you name.

I want you to rejoice and Beloved, refuse to fret forever. again I say rejoice. In about that situation. The Luke chapter 5, Peter devil cannot defeat you Something in you went to catch fish and forever. Something in you that they do not caught nothing. At the that they do not know that close of business he met exist in you will spring forth know that exist in with Jesus who requested this year. The God of you will spring to use Peter’s boat. Peter heaven and earth will forth this year obliged Him. When intervene on your behalf.

The God who makes all things beautiful Jesus was through with the boat He in His time will beautify your life. He is intervened in Peter’s business and Peter working in your favour and all the experienced the kind of miracles that he pharaohs working against your glorious has never experienced before. You see, destiny shall be disgraced. Sometimes when God intervenes in your life, the past God will wait until when the devil says shame, sorrow, pain, humiliation, etc will there is no way of escape and then He be nothing. Whatever you may have (God) shows up to deliver you because experienced last year is nothing He is the way. This God that said He will compared to what God have in store for make a way in the wilderness and rivers you this year. There will be exceeding in the deserts will make a way for you. great joy in your life never experienced Fear not, God knows how to turn things before. It will amaze mankind. Get ready, around. this God that turns around hopeless Imagine pharaoh saying who is God? situations around is saying to you today Thank God that God revealed Himself to that He will divinely intervene and your pharaoh. Everything in your life that is years of tears of pain will turn to tears of asking who is God shall experience the joy. Please know that this is but nothing awesomeness of Jehovah God Almighty. to God. Just as God disgraced pharaoh openly, Before we end today’s message, I so shall God deal with your enemies? would like to draw your attention to two (2) things. One (1), the children of Israel cried (prayed)out to God for divine intervention. Stop being dignified and humble yourself before God and He will raise you up. Secondly, Peter gave Jesus his boat to use to minister to the people. What are you willing to give to God? Give Him your house for house fellowship, sponsor a programme in the church, sow into the life of your pastor.

Apply these principles and you will encounter God’s divine intervention. Know that God is not a respecter of persons.

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A case of the farmer and roadside thief

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For more details, contact us at Christ Reality Church, beside Gossard Hotel, opposite First Bank Sports Ground, Community Road, Satellite Town or P.O.Box, 3196, Yaba Lagos. Tel: 08023062635 08168955932; 08033378769. Email: Johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org.

Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, A/C Nos. 0005171407; Christ Reality Ministries, Zenith Bank A/C

1011711622.

Worship with us on Sundays, 1st Service: 745am-9:15am; 2nd Service 9:1511:30am. Wednesdays Word Revelation 6pm. Counseling days Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 11am-5pm daily or by appointment. Showers of blessing every 2nd - 4th Sat. of each month, 6 a.m - 7.15 am.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 15

16 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 —17

18—SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 17, 2013 Dear Julie, I was raped by a man who I was seeing. I had broken it off with him a month before, but got into a situation where he attacked me. The problem now is, he is friendly with many of my friends and he works at a place I must go to frequently. I haven’t told my friends because I don’t want them to confront him. I haven’t seen the man since he raped me and I am afraid to. I know my friends will want to see him, and I know I will eventually run into him. My question is, what do I do when I see him? I don’t want to talk to him, but I am afraid he will try and talk to me. I am scared of my reaction and don’t want to have a freak-out in front of my friends (although I know that they would understand).

How can I leave this situation behind and resume a normal life, not being afraid of seeing him in my everyday life?

Amanda, Lagos

My guy raped me Dear Amanda, It is extremely brave of you to reach out for help. Unfortunately, your experience is all too common. About 90% of sexual violence survivors report knowing the person who assaulted them and many people are faced with the same painful dilemma: What do I do if I see this person again? Your desire not to see or interact with him is, of course perfectly understandable. And yet you are faced with what seems like a very likely possibility that you will indeed see him.

This is incredibly unfair. You

should have the option of no contact with him whatsoever. But since it sounds like it may happen, let’s explore some options.

You mentioned that you did not want to tell your friends because you are afraid they will confront him. Are there any friends you can tell who would respect your wishes not to confront him? Friends often are unsure how to best support a survivor of sexual violence. Sometimes they think that confronting or threatening the offender, even against the wishes of the survivor, is

My room-mates bully me Dear Aunty Julie, I’m sharing an apartment with three other people. Our ages vary from 25 to 30+. I consider myself a very neat person and respectful to others. We all share the cleaning duties of our apartment, which I have gladly done, but the problem is that I am becoming increasingly verbally harassed from the room mates to clean and pick up messes that I didn’t make. I can take constructive criticism but now, it’s turning towards bullying. What options do I have?

We mostly get along, but I’m tired of being their whipping stick.

Ronke, Benin City Dear Ronke, Wherever it occurs, bullying shares the same dynamics as sexual harassment and spouse abuse: an intentional aggressive behaviour often repeated over time. Despite few people talking about it, bullying and harassment in general is all too common. Bullies come in all

shapes, sizes, and ages, ranging from the mean, pretty girl to the large kid at school or roommate to a supervisor. And bullying may take many forms, including name-calling, threats, property destruction, emotional abuse, and acts of physical and sexual violence.

Does your situation with your bully seem like it’s getting worse? It’s often the case with bullies that they “test” boundaries, starting with more lowlevel or subtle intimidation and then escalating to more severe forms if they feel that they may successfully do so. Bullying is an abuse and also the inaction of bystanders, especially people who are expected to respond, may become debilitating, including the loss of productivity, living in fear, selfblaming, and developing social isolation. Targets of bullying are encouraged to affirm that they did not cause the problem and that they would not be asked to solve the problem alone.

In your dreams On the morning of her birthday, a woman told her husband, “I just dreamed that you gave me “a diamond necklace. What do you think it means?”

“Maybe you’ll find out tonight,” he said.

That evening, the man came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. She ripped off the wrapping paper and found a book titled The Meaning of Dreams.

What to do about it? Several possible strategies include naming the situation to help dissolve self-blame and anxieties. Your personal health is a priority. People don’t usually wake up wanting to be berated at school or work.

Targets of bullying may feel ashamed, feel that they’re at fault for not standing up to the bully, feel weak, feel like talking does no good, or believe others don’t care because of the inaction of bystanders, but talking it out with loyal peers, trusted figures, or a counselor may help work through the stress and trauma of being bullied as well as determine next steps.

If the situation seems fixable, it may be worth giving a trial. This would be a venue to air your concerns about how you’re being treated.

You could voice your honest desire to work things out and to have a clean, peaceful, and cooperative environment.

the best way to show support.

Besides, they may feel angry, protective, and really unsure about what to do. Their hearts are in the right place, but what they don’t realize is that acting in ways that are contrary to the wishes of the survivor can be re-victimizing. Taking control away from you in this way can be triggering because that is what the offender did.

Do you have friends who might be able to understand this and act according to your wishes? If so, telling even one person can make all the difference, especially if s/he can be with you if or when you may have to see him. Just their silent witnessing of the encounter and being there for you can be hugely supportive.

My best friend’s wife abuses him Aunty Julie, My best friend is in an abusive relationship! And he knows this! He married his wife about five years ago, when she was 22 and he was 27. And since then, she’s verbally abused him, hit him, and even broke down their door once to get to him when he had locked himself in his room. But he refuses to do anything about it, since he loves her so much. I hate seeing him like this. I’m worried about him.

He’s been physically hurt by her a lot. And while he can hold his own without getting seriously injured, it’s painful to see. He calls me a lot, feeling upset about what she’s done. I’m so worried about him.

He’s told me he knows she’s abusive, and that he wants to take her to marriage counseling in their Church but I know that won’t help. I don’t want to sound biased, but she’s very close-minded and I know she won’t listen to any counselor. But he loves her so much and doesn’t believe in divorce. What can I do to help him?

Femi, Abeokuta Dear Femi, It may be hard to sit back and watch your friend go through this, but one of the most productive things you can do is to support him in getting help when he wants it. Though men are more commonly the perpetrators of relationship violence, when they are the victims, they tend to be more silent and less

C O C K - T A L E S one to click ‘Like’.

One and Only During a heartfelt chat with her friend about relationships, my wife sighed and said, “You know, if something happened to Lloyd, I don’t think I could ever marry again.”

Her friend nodded sympathetically. “I know what you mean,” she said. “Once is enough.”

How I met your father Studying our wedding photos, my six-year-old asked, “Did you marry Dad because he was good-looking?”

“Not really,” I replied.

“Did you marry him for his money?”

“Definitely not,” I laughed. “He didn’t have any.”

“So,” he said, “ you just felt sorry for him.”

For the Mrs? Even though there was a blizzard raging outside, I made it the half-mile to the bakery, where I asked the owner for six rolls.

“Your wife must like rolls,” he said.

“How do you know these are for my wife?” I asked.

“Because your mother wouldn’t send you out in weather like this.”

Facebook Love My ex and I had a very amicable divorce. I know this because when I wrote the Facebook status “I’m getting a divorce,” he was the first

The right diagnosis A man tells his doctor that he’s incapable of doing all the things around the house that he used to do. When the examination is over, he says, “Okay, Doctor. In

likely to seek help. Due to the fact that men are often raised with the mentality that they are supposed to be physically and emotionally strong and self-sufficient, admitting to or seeking help for domestic violence may be difficult or embarrassing for them. Adding to this, there are fewer male-focused resources available. This may convey an unintended message to male victims — that their situation does not warrant concern. This is not true. Letting your friend know that asking for help actually makes him a stronger person may help him get beyond that fear or feeling of isolation.

It is unlikely that you will be able to singlehandedly fix his relationship issues, but instead you may want to help him recognize that this abusive relationship is not normal.

Don’t force the issue, but when it comes up, try to remain non-judgmental since criticis-

ing his partner will probably only make him feel worse. Let him know that he is not alone and that help is available. However, don’t forget that listening may be the greatest tool you have at your disposal. If your friend feels as though you’ve got his back, he may be able to parlay this support into the first step to leaving this relationship. When he’s ready, you may be able to help him put together a plan to do this. His life is more important than any other thing and he should always realise that.

plain English what’s wrong with me?”

“Well, in plain English,” says the doctor, “you’re just lazy.” The man nods. “Now give me the medical term so I can tell my wife.”

Irresistible irony About a year had passed since my amicable divorce, and I decided it was time to start dating again. Unsure how to begin, I thought I’d scan the personals column of my local newspaper. I came across three men who seemed like they’d be promising candidates. A couple of days later, I was checking my messages and discovered one from my exhusband. “I was over visiting the kids yesterday,” he said.

“While I was there, I happened to notice you had circled some ads in the paper. Don’t bother calling the guy in the second column. I can tell you right now it won’t work out.

That guy is me.”

A beautiful friendship I was supposed to go out with this guy on Friday night. On Friday afternoon, he called and said that he didn’t think it was a good idea, because he just wanted to be friends. So I hung up and called him back.

“Hello?” I said “Hey, friend, it’s me. Want to hear what this jerk just did?”

SATURDAY

Vanguard AUGUST 17 17,, 2013—19

Anxious to get married? Look out for that love rat!

OST people want to meet Mr. or Miss Right,” said Jare, a 30-year-old single mother of one. “Most people in their youth dream of one day making a commitment to one person.

When they do, they don’t then leave the marriage because they do not respect it, can’t stand living with an unfaithful partner or because their partner is drinking or spending the house-keeping money on current fashion. And people who don’t get married do not reject marriage because of their lack of respect for it either, they just can’t find anyone half-way decent who is free.

Unfortunately, a lot of young people are not prepared for the ups and downs of marriage.

Jare continued, “it is not marriage per se that young people should hear about in the school curriculum— that is the institution of marriage —but the ingredients of what makes a good marriage.

Respect, trust, understanding, unconditional love and fun!

People do not have a problem with the concept of marriage, they simply have a problem with finding someone they want to marry and stay with. “What is needed in state we were in. In spite schools these days is not lesson on of our Catholic-style the sanctity of marriage which upbringing, neither my moves you no nearer to an altar, sister nor I are married. but lessons on how to pull a We’ve never even come partner you might actually marry. close. Neither of us had

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People do not have a problem with the concept of marriage, they simply have a problem with finding someone they want to marry and stay with

These lessons would incorporate information and individual qualities that would be suited to your own personality and needs. The source of my own relationship problem could have been ironed out at an early age if such advice had been available...”

Jare told me that she should have been prepared for now to smell a rat a mile off and make a run for it. By the time she realised the love of her life was married, she was literally holding the baby! “I met him with a couple of guys he shared a three-bedroom flat with.

What he didn’t tell me was the fact that he paid his share of the rent but only keep his room as a guest house —he was already married and living at the other end of the city with his wife and two kids. Unfortunately, there were no tell-tale signs of this in his rented, well-furnished room.

“I grew up in a society that celebrated marriage. I had a mother and father who stayed together and it never occurred to me until now, that there was any alternative to the family

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ever really lived with a man either. She is 36,1 am over 30 and responsible for a child whose father was a trickster.” Did I detect a tinge of ‘bitterness’? “Not necessarily,” she assured me.

“But lessons on successful relationship could have taught me, for instance that the frog who has one date with you and vamooses is a bad emotional investment. I could have learnt that a man who criticizes everything about you, from your hair to the job you do, to the position of the watch on your wrist, leaves you alone on Christmas eve and Easter celebrations, is a man with problems of his own.

They could have told me to heed the alarm bells when a man who wants to leave his girlfriend for you, says, that he wants to stay with her long enough for her to lose enough weight so that, she could attract

someone else and not have a broken heart when she is eventually ditched. How selfcentred can you get?

I mean how many frogs is a girl expected to kiss before she finds her prince? A few years

back, Jare said people in her age group got together for a self-help project. The idea then was that since they were mostly marriageable materials, they should be able to match make. “Afterall, we all came from identical family backgrounds,” she explained.”I was already involved with the father of my child, whom I thought I would marry, and was out of the ‘arrangee’ marriages.

But a lot of our mates fell for it and quite a number

of the marriages we matchmade were celebrated ones.

“I ran into an old friend recently who was ‘lucky’ to get introduced to her husband and she said it was the costliest mistake she ever made. But her husband is a good provider and they actually live in their own house. She has a thriving fabrics shop but she’s not happy. She said she’s never been in love with the man - nor in love with the idea of getting married. It got to a point where she couldn’t bear to be touched by the man she slept on the same bed with.

Now she’s met a man she’s hopeless in love with but is unfortunately trapped in a loveless marriage with two kids. She says she’s seriously thinking of her own happiness - not her duty to her family.”

Uche, a thirty-two-year old banker said she stayed single by pushing the self-destruct button at just the right time. She used to be so scared of commitment because of what she’d seen of her mates’ marriages. But now, with most of her friends settled and having babies, she would love to settle down, especially when she hopes to have children.

Not with just any man, she assured me. “It won’t just be physical attraction, but there

What type of

will be a click, something that just happens chemically. His qualities will include allowing me to be in the context of the relationship and enabling me to have my own space. I have stayed this long to think of getting hitched, so I must settle for a reasonable man. And he must be comfortably well off as I have certain standards I want to maintain. I can’t stand the idea of worrying about bills!

“Friendship is of course,the most important feature of the relationship. If you meet someone with whom you get on so well that you become best friends, you have a real chance for a long-term relationship to survive. It also means there is no playacting or living up to someone’s idea of what you should be like.

“In my mid-twenties, I wanted all the glamour and excitement and jet setting that life as a banker could offer me. I wanted a handsome man who would dress in a sophisticated way.

Now I see how superficial that was. These days, I prefer to go out with men who are an intellectual challenge so I could take the time to know them first before declaring any underlying love...”

parent are you?

E

VERYONE has a different parenting style.There is no right or wrong way to be a mum or dad. But, parenting expert, Bill Lucas, believes that it could pay to switch approaches once in a while. He says: “It’s very easy for parents to get stuck on one way of doing things.” But before you can make changes, here are things you need to identify to know what kind of parent you are: The ‘it will all end in tears’ parent: The advantage of being a pessimist is that you are always well prepared if things go wrong. But Lucas says a permanently negative attitude can

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It’s very easy for parents to get stuck on one way of doing things

affect your children’s happiness. If your child tends to be lazy, you might be tempted to say: “Make yourself useful for once in your life and go down to the supermarket.” This is a hurtful comment —and you are unlikely to get a positive response. It is much better to say: “You are always good at helping with the shopping.

Do you think you could go to the supermarket

and choose something for breakfast?” Lucas says: “Parents need to surround their children with words like this so they feel good and want to do things.

The ‘let’s try something new’ parent: Your interest in trying new things will help to develop your children’s sense of curiosity.

But youngsters also need some structure in their lives. Lucas suggests making a list of routines such as getting up, meal times and tidying up. Decide whether these are working well, could be improved or need to be established. There may be a few tears along the way as you try to enforce a new way of doing things. But after a few practice runs, it’ll become second nature. So much time that would otherwise be spent arguing is saved.

The ‘my way is best’ parent: You are certain there’s one right way to do things and you make sure your children know about it. But Lucas warns: “If you get into the habit of telling your children to do things all the time, this is likely to degenerate into nagging.” He suggests a coaching approach instead. Coaching helps youngsters to feel as if they have achieved something by themselves. It also gives them confidence and a sense of responsibility.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 08052201257 anyagafu@yahoo.com

Will a liar ever change?

Being lied to by someone you love and felt you could trust is very painful and frustrating. You love your partner, so you find yourself forgiving his/her lies the first time, perhaps the second and third time as well, before you realize you are just involved with a liar. However, because you feel strongly for this person, it is not easy for you to break away, even though you know that is probably what is best for you.

You hang on, with hope that things will change and he will not lie to you anymore. You justify staying with him by telling yourself that he is a good person and deep down you know he loves you and that your relationship is wonderful and perfectexcept when he lies.

What you need to ask yourself when this happens is: Do you consider a wonderful relationship one in

Do you consider a wonderful relationship one in which your partner lies to you? Is being lied to by a liar your idea of love and respect? When you are emotionally involved with someone, it is not always easy to ask and answer these logical questions. would like to believe. Of course, there are different kinds of lieslittle ones and big ones, but a lie is still a lie, no matter the size or reason for the lie.

Look at it like this: if your partner can lie so easily over little things that are unnecessary to lie about, then you can be pretty sure that he/she will lie to you about bigger things that will really matter and damage the relationship.

which your partner lies to you? Is being lied to by a guy your idea of love and respect?

When you are emotionally involved with someone, it is not always easy to ask and answer these logical questions. You often will make excuses for a liar, just

to make yourself feel better about staying with someone who does not truly respect you. When your partner lies to you, it is because he does not respect you and is not as committed to the relationship as you

It hurts to be lied to by someone you love and trust. When you find that your partner has lied to you, it poisons the relationship. You begin to question every sweet and enduring word you have heard in the past. It doesn’t matter if it is a small lie or a “relationship breaker,” the lie inflicts a searing wound on your soul. A violation of trust is painful and frustrating.

You are deeply in love with your partner and committed to the relationship. The first time you find yourself making excuses for the deception and forgiving the lie,

We had a one night stand Ques: My friend and I went to a club recently and there were many attractive guys there one of which caught my eye. I would have chickened out if the guy we were with hadn’t gone over to him and brought him back. We talked for a while and then went back to my friend’s house.

I was so attracted to this guy that I could have died. We started to fool around and things got heavy that he went out to the store to get condoms .

He seemed very sensitive in the way he acted, letting me know that it would go only as far as I wanted it to and afterwards asking me about how I was doing and how I was feeling . He even started cooking the next morning. After breakfast, things got a little weird when he expressed that he wanted to see me again and I took his number, but didn’t give him mine. Of course, I also told him that I’m living with a guy who I’ve been going out with, but that I am moving out in the next month . I felt that I’d better be

honest.

How seriously should I take this guy?

How much of what he told me should I believe? Do you think that this guy just has sex and moves on? I didn’t initiate the subject of seeing him again, although I would totally be into that.

How should I handle the subject of the guy I live with?

Amaka, P/Harcourt Ans: So many questions, so little time, so let’s get down to business. The great news is that there are answers for all of your queries; the not so great news is that there are a host of possible answers.

The bottom line is that the people best equipped to answer most of them are you and your hook-up.

You’ve got his number in hand, so consider giving him a call. Although you’ve already hit all the proverbial “bases,” consider stepping back up to bat and take a few practice hits.

Hanging out casually and getting to know each other may help you determine how serious he is about

dating, whether he is as honest as he seems, and whether he viewed your rendezvous as a one time hit only. It may also help you figure out whether your physical attraction has deeper roots and whether you two are in sync when it comes to other important relationship factors like personal values and interests.

The fact that you’re able to recognize that your sexual attraction could have clouded your initial judgment of him may help you avoid heartache, but consider giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Instead of judging him by the circumstances under which you two met, try looking at the bigger picture. You refer to him as responsible enough to go out to buy condoms and as sensitive, and you both clearly want to see each other again. The way to learn whether your relationship with him has a future is to step up to the plate.

Similarly, with your current

the relationship continues, yet the doubt remains. When you catch your partner in a second or third lie, you have to face the fact that your are in love with a liar.

When trust is destroyed, the relationship may be damaged beyond repair. However, because you love this person, it hurts your heart to consider saying goodbye. You hang on, with the faint hope that the relationship will heal. He will not lie to you ever again. You want to believe that. You justify the violation of your trust by making excuses to yourself. You tell yourself that behind the lies, he is really a good person and he does love you. Who are you kidding?

When a partner lies to you, it is because he does not truly respect you. If he is willing to violate your trust, his actions tell you that he is not as committed to the relationship as you are.

boyfriend, the best way to answer your questions is to consider communicating with him. Are you both on the same page with wanting to end the relationship?

Have you both moved on? You seem to be nervous to tell your live-in love about your exotic new guy, so ask yourself why this is and let that guide your plan of action.

If you’re concerned about coming straight out and telling him that you’re seeing other people, perhaps open up the conversation by discussing the limits and boundaries you both expect in this last month of living in the same apartment.

Together, you might be able to come up with an agreement on how exclusive you want your relationship to be.

Albeit, every person and every relationship is different, so there isn’t one clear solution to the situation you’re currently in, but by being open and communicating to both of your guys, you may be able to find the answers you’re searching for.

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SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013—21

08056180112

Shrink your kidney stone, dissolve it and pass out T

here is a common perception about the pain of kidney stones. Anyone who has ever experienced the pain of kidney stones would know what I am talking about.It’s an excruciating pain. It is a pain like no other.

This type of pain is often on one side of the abdomen,radiating down into the stomach or into the genital area.

Sometimes there’s nausea and vomiting.

A lot of people compare it to the pain of labour and childbirth. Many women even say it is worse than childbirth.

A mother of four who once had kidney stones, admitted she would rather have four more pregnancies and go through four more childbirths than have just one more kidney stone.

Such is the intensity of the pain of kidney stones.

What is a kidney stone?

A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones tend to develop from waste matter hardening and becoming attached to the inside wall of thekidney and may remain unnoticed until the problem is severe. Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine.

Why the pain?

The kidney is producing urine but it can’t get pushed down. The stone blocks the flow of urine, causing a backup. The system is trying to push urine out from the kidney and the

•Make your own lemonade high salt intake and a diet rich in animal protein, it causes your urine to acidify and then you could become more prone to having stones.

Also, if you have a family history, you’re more apt to get a stone. After you have had a stone,you are more likely to have one again unless they take preventive measures.

You may be able to prevent getting more kidney stones by drinking more fluids and making dietary changes.

Diagnosis & t r e a t m e n t Diagnosis is not

Kidney stones tend to develop from waste matter hardening and becoming attached to the inside wall of thekidney and may remain unnoticed

,

stone is blocking it, causingthe intense pains. It’s called hydronephrosis, it comes and goes and it’s extremely painful because you’re expanding your system.

Besides the flank pain there could be blood in the urine.

Most stones remain unnoticed until dislodged, getting caught in a ureter or other passageway, while moving through the body during urination.

Dangers There are certain diseases conditions associated with kidney stones,including obesity and diabetes. If you do not drink water adequately or you are fond of indulging in

,

complicated but doctors always recommend a CT scan as the gold standard for diagnosing kidney stones. It can’t be done convincingly from a blood test or anything else.

If the stones are small enough, they usually pass out on their own. Sometimes it can be an uneventful passage, or sometimes it’s just an excruciating passage, but analgesics and some other medicines can help.

Quite often, stones larger than 5 mm may require surgical removal.

But you certainly do not want that because it is invasive, time-consuming and expensive. So the best

way to go is to shrink your stone, dissolve it or avoid it altogether.

Prevention There are simple, affordable ways of avoiding the pain of kidney stones using common herbs and foods either to alleviate a wide range of kidney disorders, or to restore renal activity. It begins with drinking fresh, clean water regularly and avoiding diets rich in animal fat.

Try the following proven home reme Lemonade Lemonades are high in citrate. The juice of fresh lemons is strong enough to dissolve certain types of kidney stones, and drinking lemon water can help take advantage of the these benefits.

Make your own lemonade by mixing fresh squeezed lemon juice with filtered or spring water. To dissolve kidney stones, simply drink up to two litres of this mixture spread throughout the day, every d a y .

Apple cider vinegar Drinking apple cider vinegar adjusts the body’s pH and helps to establish an alkaline-forming state in the urine. Uric acid, the chemical responsible for the formation of gout crystals and urate kidney stones cannot crystallize in alkaline urine.

Additionally, any existing kidney stones will dissolve in alkaline urine, passing from the body during

•The stone blocks the flow of urine... elimination. About two or three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed in a large glass cup of filtered or spring water,taken twice daily helps to dissolve most kidney stones.

Cranberry juice Cranberry juice has found its place in the medical world as an effective treatment for preventing kidney stones and relieving a variety of urinary tract disorders, according to the British Journal of Urology.

It is high in nutrients such as anthocyanins, vitamin C,and antioxidants, all known to reduce inflammation. A cup of unsweetened cranberry concentrate mixed with three cups of pure water, can be throughout the day, every day. Sweeten with honey if you like.

Parsley and dandelion Fresh parsley and dandelion greens are herbs famous for their exceptional medicinal properties for relieving urinary tract disorders. Both are natural diuretics, stimulating urinary output and flushing the system of waste materials that

contribute to the formation of kidney stones. They remove toxins,cleanse the kidneys,dissolve uric acid, and create an alkalineforming environment in the kidneys and bladder, helping urine maintain a neutral or slightly alkaline pH. Use either as tea or chop and add to salads.

Marshmallow root Marshmallow root is known for treating urethritis and helping to flush kidney stones. It produces mucilage, a thin mucus film that coats the urinary tract as well as the entire digestive tract, protecting the lining from ongoing assaults from toxins.

Take as herbal tea.

Buchu Used to relive inflammation of the urinary tract and possesses antibacterial properties. As a tea, it helps with treatment of the kidneys, relieves cystitis, and acts as a diuretic. It increases urine production and stimulates excretion. Not for pregnant women and should be used only under supervision, as too high a dose can cause kidney irritation.

This information may save your life!

M

aking tea with Chinese rhubarb can reverse end-stage kidney disease and prolong life by slowing down the

progression of renal failure.

Also to be used only under supervision, and administered under strictdosage guidelines.

22— SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, A UGUST 17, 2013 AUGUST

08052201867

(Text Only)

Building the body for all seasons Head to Knee Pose it down, breathe in deeply as you raise both hands overhead and lift slightly backward.

Rest the forehead on your knee with the two h a n d s backward.

T h e

S

head to knee pose gives tone to the hamstrings, the spinal column becomes flexible and the abdominal organ gets massage leading to their better functioning.

Constipation is banished and painful periods in the w o m a n f o l k becomes a thing of the past.

The Camel Tehnique: it on your heels and arrange hands next to the feet with fingers pointing backwards.

Now lift yourself up and hump the chest and let the head drop.

This is the Camel, stay in the posture for some 15 counts.

Lower the body, rest a while and repeat as much as you can.

S

Head to Knee:

By Adewale

The Bow Technique: ie flat face down wards on the floor.

Keep the hands at your side. Breathe out and bend the legs at the knees, drawing the feet above the thighs.

Stretch the arms back and catch hold of the right ankle with the right hand and the left ankle with the left hand.

Make secure the

L

position of the hands, with normal breathing.

Raising the head, body and knees by tugging the hands and legs, so that the whole weight of the body rests on the abdomen. Retain the posture for a few seconds. Gradually increase the duration.

While remaining in the posture, concentrate on

The Camel: By Bonny the abdomen, thighs and back muscles.

Release the ankles, stretch out the legs and bring the legs, chest and head to rest in a straight line on the floor. Relax in Makarasana for a seconds. Repeat this Asana twice with normal breathing.

Benefits The bow expands the

thoraxic region. Of great benefit to those with respiratory problems, it renders the spine elastic and the muscles of the back get a good massage and there’s a general strenghtening of the entire musculature.

Benefits: The Camel, Ustrasara in Sanskrit, endows the practitioner with elasticity. The chest expansion that conies with this exercise coupled with gentle but deep breathing are most rejuvenating.

People with chest and respiratory disorders will gain help from the practice of the Camel.

Yoga Classes The Bow: By Self

@ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013—23 asking your partner to do something, so leave it to him. He knows he’s supposed to do it and he will do it when he’s free. The way women shout shows that he’s undeserving.

There’s nothing worse to a man than a woman who won’t get off his case.

Don’t be that woman.

Be yourself A lot of women show that they’re very understanding, loving and caring and that is only when they’re new in a relationship but as time passes, men get to see the other side of them. We mean, in the beginning, you try to be someone else and later you be yourself. Men don’t like it when women put on a show or pretend to be something they’re not. So, be who you are.

Things a man hates about a woman D

eep down, they may love women, but there are times when they find women really annoying. Ask any man and they’re sure to mention these five habits that they hate about women. So, run through these points women and make sure you avoid these five big mistakes.

Jealousy This is natural and mostly happens when women see their partner checking out other

attractive women around them. If you too feel jealous about that, you’re absolutely normal. But, there’s a better way of letting your man know that you do not like him checking out other women. And, if he has more of girl friends in his circle, you need to be more understanding and you got to trust him. So, the jealousy we’re talking about is the type that seems to intrude on the inner space you two share. If you constantly bring up feelings of jealousy, it can often lead to a fight between the

Jumping to conclusions Women love jumping to conclusions to prove themselves right, isn’t it?

But it tends to bug men when women falsely assume something that ends up leading to an argument. Play it safe women and have an open mind. This will save both of you from a headache.

two of you and can ruin your relationship. In stead, deal with it in another way, because remember, he hates it when you distrust him.

Nagging Women love passing on difficult tasks to their partner and if he’s still seen sitting on the couch watching TV, he’s gone. Women expect men to move it the minute they’re asked to do something. It doesn’t work that way ladies! You’ve done your job of

Spying on him Men are more comfortable in a relationship when they get some space, as they want to be free. Most women love keeping an eye on every move that they make but this is like making him feel that he’s in a cage. If you’ve ever tried to keep tabs on where your guy is, he hated it whether or not he told you. So, instead, trust him and he’ll never let you down. Of course, if your partner has betrayed you in the past, you have all the right to keep an eye on him. But, there’s no harm in giving him a second chance.

Things women hate about men W

omen have no shortage to their lists of an noying habits that men have. Knowing what women find annoying about men is invaluable not only because they are habits that you may not realize you do but also because it gives you an opportunity to break those habits and improve your relationship with the fairer sex. Here are some common annoying things that women hate and men often don’t even realize they do.

Adjusting the privates This isn’t something that you grow out of after puberty. Men have a lot of fascination with what lurks beneath and as long as they have full use of their hands, a lot of time can be spent down there ‘sorting the boys out.’ It may not be sexual, and may just be for the purposes of comfort but it is something that women time and time again complain about. Despite the reason, it isn’t the most hygienic practice and the image of a man lying on the couch with a bag of chips in one hand and his manhood in the other will never break into a woman’s top ten sexual fantasies.

Selective hearing

Men all over the world have sat in front of a television and watched a programme while their wife or girlfriend attempted to initiate a conversation with them. It never ends well. Apart from ‘eating chips, adjusting the privates and watching the TV,’ scientists have demonstrated that men are less capable than women at multitasking; yet they still attempt to watch TV and listen to her. The TV usually wins.

This phenomenon happens in other situations too, like when driving, eating, or reading. Pretending to listen to her or selectively listening to her is more annoying to women than just not listening at all.

Passing gas Whatever form it may take, it is repellent to a woman. It may have been big and clever to see who can make the biggest belch in grade school but after reaching the age of majority, the novelty should have long gone. You may see nothing wrong with it, but nothing is more likely to put an early end to a night of passion than releasing hot air.

Man flu The term ‘man flu’ has permeated the public consciousness as a way of suggesting that men, unlike

women, exaggerate symptoms of minor illnesses.

Scientific evidence for this is ambiguous and sometimes unreliable, but researchers at the University of Cambridge have suggested that evolutionary factors may have led to men becoming more vulnerable and susceptible to illness than women and so, there may be some credit due to ‘sick’ men throughout the world. But just because you are ill doesn’t mean you have to be such a baby about it.

How many times has your sweetheart nursed you back to health and how many times have you returned the favour?

Ogling Women absolutely despise catching their men ogling other women. Women ogle too, visually admiring the opposite sex just as much as their male counterparts, except they generally do it with a greater level of subtlety. You might not be able to help it but you can at least be more discreet about it. There are multiple levels of irritation she experiences when she catches you ogling: she is annoyed, threatened, embarrassed, and she is likely also angered by the fact that you can’t do it well enough that she doesn’t notice.

Ask the Sexpert Ques: I am 39 years old and my wife is 33. During sex, there are certain positions in which I get excited. Of late, my wife has been taking more time to achieve an orgasm, and I have to make her orgasm at least six times to satisfy her completely.

Earlier, it would be easier to match her expectations. Now, I am buried under too much work and I’m very stressed. But I need

to keep her happy too. Please guide me.

It’s either your workload or her. Try to find a middle ground. Presumably, you are giving your wife so many orgasms through digital stimulation. If not, do so.

It will be less tiring.

Ques: I am a well-built 27-year-old man with no vices, but my busy work schedule does not allow me time to work out. I have been enjoying a healthy sex life with my partner for

the past six years. However, about a month ago, during sex, I lost my erection midway and since then, I have not been able to have sex with her at all. Also, I am not experiencing healthy morning erections either. I am quite tense as I am supposed to get married by the year-end. What could be going wrong?

You could be overworked or just tired.

Take a break, and a four-week course of Viagra, one tablet every morning and

evening, on an empty stomach.

Ques: I have been married for seven years. Even though I have ejaculated a couple of times in the past, of late, I am unable to ejaculate inside my wife.

I feel that my wife’s vagina has become loose after delivering our child.

Please advise.

You could try different positions, which

can give you a tighter feel. Both of you can start Kegel exercises to tighten the genital muscles.

24—SA TURD AY 24—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 20133

With no place to go after graduation, Fati joins Emeka in Lagos and her first night in Emeka’s house made the biggest difference in her life, at least, so she thought.

My World, My Destiny

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU

E

meka wasn’t particularly hun gry but the urge to behold the beautiful face of this stranger on campus who has captured his heart, has been so strong since he saw her with her friends four days back on their way to the cafeteria. He knew the only place to get a glimpse of her and perhaps, steal a peck or two, was no other place than the cafeteria.

He adjusted his sparkling white t-shirt and brand new black jeans, making sure his mien was on point. As he approached her, he heard himself spell out in his usual americana style. “Hello?”

“Hai”…Fatima said, barely looking up to see who was trying to disturb her meal. Stories of how campus guys used and dumped female students have created a kind of phobia in her. Whatever this guy wanted couldn’t work because of the obvious.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Emeka asked.

“I don’t”… Fatima snapped, obviously sending a clear signal of a hatred for talking to strangers, especially a male student. Disregarding Fatima’s hostility, Emeka quickly made an introduction.

“Sorry, I’m Emeka, a Mechanical Engineering student from the Eastern part of the country. Actually, I’m in my final year…em... what about you?”, he finished.

Fatima regarded him with such contempt and just to make sure she doesn’t end up insulting a cultist in case Emeka was one, she managed a simple, “ well…my name is Fatima… Fatima Ahmed”.

“Is that all about you?”, Emeka inquired. And before he could get the unexpected, he continued pushing her.

“Common baby I need to know more, I’m serious”. Emeka pleaded. And after waiting for a reply that never came, he quickly intervened. “Hei …look, hope you don’t take me to be one of those playboys on campus. Babe, honestly, I have been waiting and hoping for a chance to chat with you…this is a harmless conversation, so please...”

“Okay, okay…” Fatima interrupted in an attempt to quickly discharge him. “I am in the Accountancy Department...

300 level, and I know my name tells you I’m a Northerner”.

“That’s it!” Emeka told himself. That night, he held a compulsory vigil without prayers as every minute passed with thoughts of his new found angel. How to show Fatima around to his friends just to prove he's got the guts to date every pretty girl on campus was up-

permost in his thoughts.“She appeared too rigid, too religious and untouched”, he soliloquised. “How am I gonna make her kiss me and may be one thing will lead to the other, then…no!”, he jolted from that thought.

“Slow down man, you’ve got to slow real down or you'll lose her”.

Emeka realised that if the blind failed to pick the fruit he stepped on, picking another might become a mirage, that was according to his lovely mother whenever she had need to urge him to work harder and achieve a set goal.

Fatima has never felt the way she was feeling right now. “What could be wrong with me?”, she questioned herself. She was being frank at the moment because no guy has made her feel the way Emeka made her feel since they met. She has struggled to keep her flower intact all her life and nothing was going to make her lose it. “We've been hanging out for some time now, what if he insists and… No!, I can’t endure a break up, we must find a convenient way around it”, she assured herself.

Hakeem’s visit four months later after he got into Zaria, from Lagos where he managed one of his father’s seemed an unwelcome development for Fatima.

Love or lust whichever one it was, she was beginning to understand could not be concealed. That day, after receiving a brand new IPhone, the laptop she requested during his previous visit, some additions to her wardrobe, and ofcourse, some naira notes after he deposited one hundred and seventy five thousand naira into the bank for her upkeep, she knew she was brewing trouble for herself. Her poor father Mallam Ahmed and Alhaji Audu...

“Oh! Alhamdulillahi...Emeka!”, she exclaimed, “but rejecting those things as never before would definitely send the right signal to Hakeem”, she thought and fell backwards, laid flat on her bed and fell asleep.

She was woken up the next day at 8am by Emeka’s knock on her door.

After breakfast together at her place, they departed for lectures and met again later that evening for study. It has become loving for both love-birds to study together after school hours, at least that gave them the chance to share knowledge on general courses and most importantly, have the opportunity to be close to each other.

Sheila, Fatima's friend confronted her one fateful day while she studied with Emeka, on why she had distanced herself from her friends. Fatima explained how it had become difficult for them to be apart and pleaded with Sheila to understand. “I don’t doubt you”, Sheila said. “For sure from the way he looks

at you and his subtle moves that keep your friends or should I say former friends far away from you, I am almost certain that he has given up his play boy attitude because of you”. That was the last thing Fatima wanted to hear about Emeka. Her sudden change of mood cut short their study period and as Emeka walked her back to her hostel, they had a heated argument that separated them for two weeks.

With barely one week to the start of his final semester exams, Emeka discovered he needed to make peace with Fatima else, he would perform badly.

He paid Fatima a visit against her warning not to ever come around her again. After all he said fell on deaf ears, Emeka knew he had gotten his match; a woman who was as heady as he was.

“But should a woman be that stubborn?” He thought. “Look baby, you can’t keep listening to your friends. I love you and even if you maintain it’s all over, I will forever love you”, Emeka said.

“There he goes again, just the play boy that you are”, Fatima shot at him.

“You can’t mean that you truly believe I came into your life to take advantage of you? Fati, we've been together for almost a year now and I have never attempted sleeping with you, can't you get the point?” Emeka asked, praying she understood.

“I guess it’s all pretense”, Fatima replied.

“No!,.. common baby, you are the best and I’m only saving you for last”, Emeka pressed on. Fatima knew it was time to give up but that would mean destroying her only tactics with which to call off her relationship with the only male companion that had given her a reason to feel loved.

“Emeka”, she heard herself saying, “I’m sorry, I can longer continue with this relationship”…

“But baby why?”Emeka pleaded, “Just hang on”, Fatima interrupted, “hear me out, I love you Emeka in spite of our differences as regards culture, religion, background and... in short…” This speech as far as Emeka was concerned was taking them nowhere and to save the situation, he did what he has always wanted to do.

“Marry me Fatima…marry me, so I can prove my love for you”, Emeka said, kneeling on one knee. He continued as Fatima’s lips remained parted after it was thrown open on hearing the proposal.

“Baby I got you a ring but it’s at my place, if we can just go over, I will give it to you”.

“Please get up …I love you so much”, Fatima said with a tear roll-

ing down one cheek as she helped him up. The moment presented another opportunity for both lovers to exchange passionate kisses which Emeka wished would last forever.

“There is something you must know Emeka”, she said, “I love you and will stand by you forever, but I'm afraid this can’t work”, she tried explaining.

As far as Emeka was concerned, that was a riddle he couldn’t solve. “How can you love me to the extent of standing by me forever, yet we can’t be together?”, he inquired. And to save the situation from dragging further, Fatima told him the story of her life.

Fati as she was fondly called at home was the only daughter of her parents.

Out of 15 children from three wives, she was the only female. Mallam Ahmed couldn’t hide his excitement when Fatima was born although that excitement was short lived because her mother Hajia Zainab died few weeks after child birth due to some complications which the local herbalist insisted was caused by witchcraft. Fati however learnt later from a doctor’s report which she stumbled upon in her father’s room while cleaning it up, that her mother died as result of Vesico-Vagina Festula.

Two months after naming ceremony was held for Fatima, Alhaji Audu in a bid to reward Ahmed and perhaps, solidify their relationship for Ahmed’s timely intervention many years ago when he had an accident, decided to let his son Hakeem marry Fatima. In a simple ceremony, the baby girl was betrothed to Hakeem who was 27 years old at the time.

Fatima grew up into a decent and intelligent girl and things went well between both families as Hakeem kept performing his duties of seeing to the welfare of Fati.

Emeka’s countenance changed from sympathy to fury. “Jesus Christ! And you kept all that from me? Now I know you never loved me”.

“No, please I did and still do”, Fati pleaded now weeping.

“No, you can’t anymore, I can’t believe I’ve been dating another man’s woman...know what? This is your world, your destiny, you’ve got to rule it girl, I’m out of here”, Emeka said and slammed her door behind him.

Trouble started at Mallam Ahmed’s house two days before Emeka bid the campus farewell. Fatima visited her father to inform him of her resolve to marry Emeka who was the only man she loved. “Besides”, she insisted, “Hakeem is too old for me and I'm sorry I don't feel anything for him”. Every effort to get her to see reasons to change her mind proved abortive. Subsequently, Mallam Ahmed disowned her only daughter amidst pain and regrets for allowing her get into the university in the first place.

With no place to go after graduation, Fati joined Emeka in Lagos and her first night in Emeka’s house made the biggest difference in her life, at least, so she thought. A month later, she fell ill and tests at the Igando General Hospital proved she was pregnant and surprisingly, Emeka insisted they head to the registry to legalise their union.

A year later, Mallam Ahmed sat outside his house one cool evening and listened as his son Jimoh read the content of the letter he received from Lagos. The same level of rage he felt when he disowned his only daughter came building up once again but when it got to the part where Kelvin and Kate were mentioned as his grand children, he paused and few seconds later, burst into a wild laughter that began with a smile.

“I forgive you my Fati.. I truly forgive you. I thank Allah you found happiness”, he kept shouting to Jimoh's surprise.

Apart from thanking Allah for preserving his daughter's life and settling her down, Mallam Ahmed also praised God for rescuing Hakeem from hanging himself after Fati jilted him which coincided with the time his first wife Halima died in a motor accident, because that would have meant a more fierce war between both families.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 25

08116759764 anozieegole@yahoo.com

Ejir o’s triumphant entr Ejiro’s entryy

Dr. Sid set to say’’ I Do’’

By IYABO AINA

I

t is no longer news that Dr Sid has proposed to his beautiful fashion consultant girlfriend Simi Osomo in Venice, Italy.

Rather, what is news is the fact that the sensational singer is telling whoever cares to listen that he’s a married man now.

While performing at the grand finale of the nation’s biggest musical fiesta, Star Music Trek, last weekend, the popular singer let the cat out of the bag asking fans, “You know I’m married right?”

The news came as a surprise to many of his fans who have only just begun to relish news of his recent engagement to his heartthrob.

The lovebirds left the shores of Nigeria some days ago for their vacation and have been delighting fans with beautiful and romantic pictures from

their holiday.

Friends, family and fans, on declaring his intention towards marrying the sexy lady, have been sending congratulatory messages to them via Twitter and other social m e d i a .

Meanwhile, the only regret is that his late actor father, Justus Esiri is not alive to witness their wedding which comes up before the end of this year .

B

orn and bread in Sapele Delta State,Nigeria, Ejiro Ruth Okosun is popularly known as “Ejiro” .

A young, dynamic,creative and a fantastic female (artiste) vocalist that the Nigerian music industry is about to experience, she is an artiste that flows on every beat.

Ejiro came into the limelight when she won the maiden edition of The Delta Talent Quest organized by the State government under the Ministry of Art and Culture/Tourism which involves music,dance,comedy and acting. She won the music category worth 1million naira with a record deal which raised her from the regular choir girl where her career started to a classic entertainer.

The best way to describe Ejiro is her electrifying way of creating a stage presence with her voice and her niche to set the crowd ablaze.

Best known for her latest singles “stole my heart away” and “number one”, “Stole my heart away”is a song with good lyrical content and good beat that will take you to the dance floor.

DR SID AND FIANCEE

Chris Attoh quits Tinsel !

By OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI EJIRO

C

ast, fans and crew of TV series, Tinsel are probably not finding it funny as hunky Ghanian actor, Chris Attoh recently walked out on Tinsel. The role of the character, Kwame Mensah will be written out over the next few months and Chris will shoot his last scenes in September.

According to his South African management, WAKA Agency, headed by Rosie Motene, the reason for Chris’ resignation is to pursue another career of interest.

According to Chris, “the last seven years on Tinsel have been an incredible journey and experience for me.

Working with Mnet was phenomenal and it took a lot of deliberation but I have decided to pursue another career of interests”.

Tinsel has witnessed the exodus of Damilola Adegbite, Angela and now Chris Attoh, who has spent seven years with the MNET Africa’s production.

” e y b by e y ye B “ s p o r ro d k r rk a P Pa a Jed W

ith the release of his

hit

, th is sin gl e, “B ye by e” icist, lyr m scintillating singer cu Jade .a, a.k n, Ochigbo Christia ga kin ma of rge ve Park, is on the n ria e Ni ge bo ld en try in to th gl sin hit e mu sic ind us try. Th joy in g a wh ich ha s be en en release its ce sin y massive airpla on the en be en be s ha in March des in du lips of most happening e. rit ou fav ’s town and also, DJ dent stu rn bo te sta The Benue rsi Unive ty, of Nnamdi Azikiwe ub led hi s Ch ris tia n, ha s do eo of his vid the preparations for market the hit ll wi hit track which re . In hi s in th e ne ar es t fu tu poised to words, he said, “ I am s with a fan ng provide my teami n and tio nta ese pr l mature voca My nt. me crazy lyrical arrange d. sai he best is yet to come,”

26 — Vanguard, SARTURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

W

hy did you choose to be called Holy Mallam?

When I started comedy thirteen years ago, I had conventional names like Mallam Audi, Mallam this and that. At a point, I felt it was necessary for me to have a unique name that would attract attention. But I still wanted to retain Mallam because I started with Hausa intonation. When I started my career in comedy, there were a lot of my colleagues who were exploring different intonations; Warri-pidgin, English-comedy but I was not part of the trend. This is because I don’t like things that are common. That is why when they organise their shows, I hardly attend them. I thought I should brand myself by adopting Hausa intonation. I was inspired by people like Tunde Sawyer who played an Alhaji in “Sunny side of Life” in the 1980s. I was also inspired by people like Patrick Itoye.

What do you hope to achieve in the next five years?

I’d like to empower young people in a greater capacity than I am doing now. In the meantime, while using the platform of ‘Good Hands’, my CSR project, I frequently visit schools to talk to young people on how to use education with their talents to affect their world positively.

What was your growing up like?

My father was comfortable before I was born. That is why I was named Adebayo, because I was born into joy.

We used to stay in Festac town, but after a while, things started changing for us. My father had to sell our house in Festac and we moved to Okoko. He could no longer pay my school fees. In fact, I was hawking bread, and sometimes my classmates would see me on the streets and laughed at me. It really affected my selfesteem and brought me face to face with the true meaning of embarrassment and intimidation. I also sold eggs and pure water to make ends meet. There were times we lost the respect people had for my family.

When we relocated to Okoko, I saw life from a different perspective. I understood the intensity of embarrassment as a child, and I’d never like to experience it again. I still feel the shock and grave shyness that was part of me then. But it’s not as bad as it used to be in the past. In fact, it got to a point in my life where I indulged in evaluating myself and discovered what I’m worth.

Were you born a comedian?

Not really. As a child, I never wanted to become a comedian. There were times when I would say something funny among my peer group and they would laugh. But it never occurred to me that I would be a comedian. I think I must have taken after my mum who used to be a very funny woman. Comedy was not really what was in vogue then. You had Baba Sala, Baba Suwe, Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo. But there wasn’t really much of stand-up comedy then. I never knew that I would have anything to do with comedy. I wanted to study Law or Mass Communication. When I completed my secondary

Continues on pg 27

I hawked bread, pure water to pay my school fees fees — Holy Mallam His story runs like a novel. From hawking bread and pure water to make ends meet, to cracking the ribs of the high and the mighty in the society and earning millions of Naira for making others laugh, Adebayo Ajiboye a.k.a Holy Mallam has seen it all. He shares the story of his rise from grass to grace with Showtime Celebrity.

Vanguard, SARTURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 27

Continues from pg 26 school in 1995, I was so frustrated. I did not gain admission into the university on time. We were poor and my parents got separated. I was doing menial jobs, carrying sand, and earning about N100.

After a while, I got a job as a teacher and I was being paid N500 per month. My Dad offered me a job as an Office Assistant to be paid N5, 000 monthly but my mum objected my working for him. Later, he introduced me to one of his friends who wanted me to undergo a training on Town and Regional Planning at Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH). But I did not blend there, hence I refused to accept the job. I got a job at Consolidated Foods and Beverages as a casual staff for two years, 1996-1998 and I was earning N1,000. But even then, I would speak and people would listen to me.

There were times when we didn’t agree with some policies that the management of the company introduced, and I would influence my co-workers to boycott work if I felt we were being treated unfairly. As a result of my charisma, I was sacked. My mother is a nurse, so she introduced me to the USAIDS. I began to attend courses and conferences on that platform and gradually, I started standing out. I did not know that I was being prepared for what I’m doing today. I finished as a Peer Health Educator with the USAIDS in 1999,with the best result. I had opportunity to shake President Bill Clinton when he came to Nigeria. That was the same year I gained admission into the Lagos State University to study Communication Arts . But I there was no money and moreover, it was the same year, my father passed on.

Then, I started assisting my mum by supplying pure water for her in bags. It was very difficult because I had to carry bags of water to cover long distance.From the proceeds, she would give me N50 out of which I would use N5 to pay for my transport fare to school. I would use the change to buy zobo and youghuts.

Sometimes, campus babes would want me to hang out with them. But I usually laugh at them because you can’t give what you don’t have. I learned how to dodge them though. I did not buy any textbook or handout throughout my university education because I couldn’t afford any.

How did you get into comedy?

It was in 2000 that I finally

started comedy. It was in my local church, Ultimate Power Ministries. Comedians used to come around and make people laugh. Then, I was an instrumentalist. I used to play the conga and the drums. I still play the drums at Winners Chapel mostly on Sundays. I used to make the people around me laugh a lot, and they would ask me to do comedy in Church.

Most times, I would refuse because I can’t imagine making a fool of myself in

more responsible.

Everyday you wake up to see them and the older they get, the more responsible you feel. As a father and a husband, it doubles my responsibility because you do not think independently anymore. There are other people now depending on you. My wife and I have been married for eight years now. We are best of friends.

She is such a down-to-earth person, and with her, what you see is what you get. We

I realized that I could do better. The comedians that used to come around would crack dirty jokes, insult everybody and get paid the presence of other people. You know shyness is a kind of fear; you’re not sure about what the outcome would be if you take a particular step, so you just hide in your shell. But after a while, I took courage because I realized that I could do better. The comedians that used to come around would crack dirty jokes, insult everybody and get paid. That was when I decided to step out. Just before the first night I was to perform, I rehearsed with a guy called Chinedu a.k.a Ultimate Mallam. I innocently rehearsed with him. Luckily for him, he was called upon to perform before me. He ended up saying nearly all my jokes.

Unfortunately for me, I performed after him so, there wasn’t enough time for me to invent new jokes. But God helped me, I said the few jokes that were left and they laughed. Thank God, if they hadn’t laughed, it would have been a different matter altogether because there were about 3,000 people there. That was how comedy started for me. It wasn’t even as a career then, but a hobby. The fact that I stood before people monthly and made them laugh gave me a lot of joy. It has been thirteen years now.

Then, I noticed that there was nothing like Christian comedy, and I decided to start that. I also wanted to be an MC. The late Dr. Levi Ajuonumah trained me in that area. I met Mr. Yinka Craig, Uncle Soni Irabor, Mr. Bisi Olatilo. I realized that in an industry like ours, you can become obsolete if you don’t develop yourself.

That is why I always advise young people to develop their God-given talent. I started building my social capital as well. I would say that God has helped me so far.

What is it like being a dad and a husband?

It makes me want to be

met at a show; she was at the entrance of the hall taking data for registration. I did have an idea that I was going to marry her. At that time, I was spending all my money to woo another girl that did not have my time. I left my card with her. Then she called me, I saw the call the next day and I called her back. From there, we started hanging out. My father-in-law did not give his consent to our marriage initially. We just kept on planning ahead. But three weeks to our wedding, he gave his blessing.My wife is the closest person to me. I am not really a social person and I do not have many friends anymore. This is because friends tend to back-stab you when you accelerate. My life mostly revolves around my home, my office and the events where I am invited to anchor.

sugar. We were not allowed to buy things on credit, my mum would kill us.

Sometimes, I would buy dry soya beans, mix it with garri, and eat it dry. We did not have a television. In fact, by the time I started appearing on television, I had to leave my house with the permission of my mother to watch myself on television. I started appearing on television in 2001. I used to appear on ‘Humor on Ice’ and get paid N2000 per week. When I was writing my GCE, I would go from Okoko to Ajegunle in my red bathroom slippers. Even in poverty, I still loved red.

When did you finally had your big break?

I was an undergraduate at Lagos State University. The Foursquare Campus Fellowship, then led by Pastor Seyi Jaiyeola organized an event at the LASU car park. One of my Church members knew the pastor, so she introduced me to him. He auditioned me for about five minutes before he gave me the opportunity. I spent about seventeen minutes on stage.

It was explosive. From then on, I began to get a lot of invitations to different churches, fellowships and events. There was a particular night vigil where I worked as the Master of Ceremonies and got paid N500. N500 in one night! I was so excited. There was a time when I worked as a teacher and got paid N500 in a month, but as an entertainer, I got it in one

We heard your kids singing and playing with the name Holy Mallam. How do they react to knowing their dad is a celebrity?

I don’t even know. I love my children so much, and to them, I’m just a daddy.

Sometimes, they jokingly call me Holy Mallam, but I don’t chastise them when they do so. My wife takes my kids to school, but when she is not around, I help out.

Tell us more about the challenges you have faced while on your journey to stardom?

There were times I even considered suicide because of how difficult things were for. I have been through a lot of things in life and I am just trying to encourage people that because you are going through challenges, does not mean that God hates you or you are about to die. I suffered a lot. There were times people told me they did not think I

would go far in life. There were times we had only garri at home without

•Holy Mallam

night. The money was given to me in N5 and N10 denominations. I did not want to lose it, so, I made sure I stayed awake in the bus on my way home. There was also another event I went for where I was given N1,000 and a chicken lap. I took the chicken home, and my siblings and I used it to cook stew. We all had that chicken for dinner. I also met someone who introduced me to a programme on NTA where I did about 26 episodes and got paid per episode. That was when people around the country started knowing Holy Mallam. It was during that time I did an event for Nestle in Ibadan and Lagos. I was paid about N60, 000.

What is it that you are very passionate about?

Drumming, I am very passionate about God, 80 % of everything I do is spiritual. I also love drumming, and encouraging young people.

I enjoy being a business man too. I sing a bit too, I did a song in 2004, and Lagos state government liked it and made me an ambassador for LASTMA. How do you manage to stay clean and scandal free?

It took me thirteen years to build a clean brand. I am a brand, and my personal capital is very important to me. I started ethical comedy in Nigeria and I chose to be clean. As for scandals, I’m a very private person.

28 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 29

30 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

Compiled by

Ephraim Oseji 08023542350

TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfersTransfersTransfers

Wenger in crisis zHe has brought in only one player, has only 11 fit senior players ahead of today's season opener Granero joins Real Sociedad on loan Esteban Granero has agreed to join Real Sociedad on a season-long loan from QPR. The move marks a return to Spain for the 26-year-old who joined the English club from Real Madrid in 2012.

A

rsene Wenger's lack of summer spending looks like it's going to come back and bite him, with Arsenal teetering on the brink of a crisis. For the season opener against Aston Villa today, the Gunners are barely going to be able to get a first XI together and will have to rely

Nani linked to PSG

on a string of outcasts, misfits and youngsters to make up their bench.

In the close season, 17 players has left and only one

Paris Saint Germain have been linked to Manchester United’s Nani after missing out on Gareth Bale. According to reports that Nani is now PSG’s top target, while the French side are also reportedly interested in Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria. Nani is reported to be the more likely target for the defending champions however, with the attacker being EU eligible while Di Maria, a Argentinian native, is not.

Dinamo Moscow signs Anzhi trio Dinamo Moscow has announced the signings of the trio of Russian internationals from A n z h i Makhachkala, after the bigs p e n d i n g Dagestani club decided to part with its priciest stars.

Dinamo Vice President Gennady Solovyov said the team had completed the transfers of Igor Denisov, Yury Zhirkov and Alexander Kokorin from Anzhi for an undisclosed sum.

came. With a crisis of playing staff brewing, there are currently question marks over 10 of the 24 players who are listed under the first-team squad . Three of those are rather liberally placed in the first-team bracket. Bacary Sagna hobbled off for France m i d week, Thomas Vermaee ln, Abou

Daiby and Nacho Monreal are all long-term injury concerns, Mikel Arteta is also out for six weeks, while Santi Cazorla

Pellegrini determines to sign Pepe Manchesto sign Real their bid to It is thought that for the player, havPellegrini, who Etihad Stadium this current defensive opfaces further defensive Nastasic has picked up an City are short of cover at club on a free transfer to Lescott, who was not at his best

Napoli ready to steal Zapata from QPR

S

erie A side Napoli have made a last minute bid for Estudiantes striker Duvan Zapata dealing a heavy blow to Queens Park Rangers' hopes of signing him. The Serie A runners' up from 2012-13 season are looking to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season and manager Rafael Benitez has identified Zapata as a key target.

ter City manager Manuel Pellegrini is determined Madrid defender Pepe, and the club will raise £23million in an attempt to sign the 30-year-old . the Spanish giants will accept this improved bid ing rejected an initial offer of £16million. took over from Roberto Mancini at the summer, remains unconvinced by his tions ahead of the new season, and woes with the news that Matija injury. the back, with Kolo Toure leaving the Liverpool, and doubts over Joleon for much of last season.

Monaco may sell Radamel Falcao

M

onaco may have to sell star striker Radamel Falcao just three months after signing him from Atletico Madrid, with rumours that Ligue 1 will force the club’s players to pay the top tax rate of 75% like the rest of France. There have been disagreements between Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev and the president of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), Frederic Thiriez, for much of the summer.

last week travelled to and from Ecuador to play with Spain.

Aaron Ramsey also pulled out of the Wales squad as a precaution.

New boy Yaya Sanogo, still just 20, could also miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury - he withdrew from the France Under 21 squad last week. That takes us to the next three members of Arsenal's 'first team' Emmanuel Frimpong, Park Chu-young and Nicklas Bendtner.This trio of misfits and unwanted hangers-on can hardly count themselves as bona fide first-teamers.

Departed Gunners include the much-maligned Chamakh, Gervinho, Santos, Arshavin and Squillaci. Mannone has also left for Sunderland, while Djourou is on loan to Hamburg. The above names aren't elite players that will wina league title but all are useful as reserves and all, bar Mannone, have extensive experience at international level.

If you are getting rid of players wholesale, perhaps there should be a plan to bring in adequate replacements - or, perish the thought, better players. There is always the argument that younger players can be promoted to plug the holes.

Thiago Silva reveals PSG doubts

T

hiago Silva has revealed he harboured major doubts about leaving AC Milan for Paris Saint-Germain last summer. admits that - at first - he was apprehensive about swapping Serie A for Parc des Princes, but that he has come to perceive French football as amongst the highest quality in the world I had some pretty big doubts when I signed here," the Brazil international - who has been linked with Barcelona throughout the current transfer window.

Madrid confident of sealing £81m Bale deal

R

eal Madrid are confident that Gareth Bale will complete a transfer to the Spanish capital from Tottenham before the end of the transfer window.

Madrid are known to have been admirers of Bale for some time and are thought to have made him their top summer target. Tottenham have reportedly already turned down an £81 million offer from Real for Bale’s signature, despite the fact that fee would set a new world transfer record.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013 —31

30 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

Compiled by

Compiled by

Ephraim Oseji 08023542350

Ephraim Oseji 08023542350

TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfersTransfersTransfers

Wenger in crisis zHe has brought in only one player, has only 11 fit senior players ahead of today's season opener Granero joins Real Sociedad on loan Esteban Granero has agreed to join Real Sociedad on a season-long loan from QPR. The move marks a return to Spain for the 26-year-old who joined the English club from Real Madrid in 2012.

A

rsene Wenger's lack of summer spending looks like it's going to come back and bite him, with Arsenal teetering on the brink of a crisis. For the season opener against Aston Villa today, the Gunners are barely going to be able to get a first XI together and will have to rely

Nani linked to PSG

on a string of outcasts, misfits and youngsters to make up their bench.

In the close season, 17 players has left and only one

Paris Saint Germain have been linked to Manchester United’s Nani after missing out on Gareth Bale. According to reports that Nani is now PSG’s top target, while the French side are also reportedly interested in Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria. Nani is reported to be the more likely target for the defending champions however, with the attacker being EU eligible while Di Maria, a Argentinian native, is not.

Dinamo Moscow signs Anzhi trio Dinamo Moscow has announced the signings of the trio of Russian internationals from A n z h i Makhachkala, after the bigs p e n d i n g Dagestani club decided to part with its priciest stars.

Dinamo Vice President Gennady Solovyov said the team had completed the transfers of Igor Denisov, Yury Zhirkov and Alexander Kokorin from Anzhi for an undisclosed sum.

came. With a crisis of playing staff brewing, there are currently question marks over 10 of the 24 players who are listed under the first-team squad . Three of those are rather liberally placed in the first-team bracket. Bacary Sagna hobbled off for France m i d week, Thomas Vermaee ln, Abou

Daiby and Nacho Monreal are all long-term injury concerns, Mikel Arteta is also out for six weeks, while Santi Cazorla

Pellegrini determines to sign Pepe Manchesto sign Real their bid to It is thought that for the player, havPellegrini, who Etihad Stadium this current defensive opfaces further defensive Nastasic has picked up an City are short of cover at club on a free transfer to Lescott, who was not at his best

Napoli ready to steal Zapata from QPR

S

erie A side Napoli have made a last minute bid for Estudiantes striker Duvan Zapata dealing a heavy blow to Queens Park Rangers' hopes of signing him. The Serie A runners' up from 2012-13 season are looking to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season and manager Rafael Benitez has identified Zapata as a key target.

ter City manager Manuel Pellegrini is determined Madrid defender Pepe, and the club will raise £23million in an attempt to sign the 30-year-old . the Spanish giants will accept this improved bid ing rejected an initial offer of £16million. took over from Roberto Mancini at the summer, remains unconvinced by his tions ahead of the new season, and woes with the news that Matija injury. the back, with Kolo Toure leaving the Liverpool, and doubts over Joleon for much of last season.

Monaco may sell Radamel Falcao

M

onaco may have to sell star striker Radamel Falcao just three months after signing him from Atletico Madrid, with rumours that Ligue 1 will force the club’s players to pay the top tax rate of 75% like the rest of France. There have been disagreements between Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev and the president of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), Frederic Thiriez, for much of the summer.

last week travelled to and from Ecuador to play with Spain.

Aaron Ramsey also pulled out of the Wales squad as a precaution.

New boy Yaya Sanogo, still just 20, could also miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury - he withdrew from the France Under 21 squad last week. That takes us to the next three members of Arsenal's 'first team' Emmanuel Frimpong, Park Chu-young and Nicklas Bendtner.This trio of misfits and unwanted hangers-on can hardly count themselves as bona fide first-teamers.

Departed Gunners include the much-maligned Chamakh, Gervinho, Santos, Arshavin and Squillaci. Mannone has also left for Sunderland, while Djourou is on loan to Hamburg. The above names aren't elite players that will wina league title but all are useful as reserves and all, bar Mannone, have extensive experience at international level.

If you are getting rid of players wholesale, perhaps there should be a plan to bring in adequate replacements - or, perish the thought, better players. There is always the argument that younger players can be promoted to plug the holes.

Willian excited about Liverpool interest A

nzhi star Willian is excited by interest from Liverpool. The Reds are weighing up a move, and even though a formal bid has yet to be lodged, the former Corinthians playmaker has admitted he is praying for some good news.

“There are conversations, and I am hoping in the next few days for an offer from a club like Liverpool,” he admitted.

“If it is Liverpool, then they are a great club. The news came as a real shock, but I’m calm about it and hoping for the best, because I’ve been told they will help the players to go, if they get a good offer.

“The players have been told in six months’ time the club will move back to Makhachkala [Anzhi currently play their home games in Moscow], they will bring in more Russian players and the foreign players can go, if they get the right offers.

“It’s not true that we will be allowed to leave for nothing.

But the owner has said if he gets an offer close to what he paid for the players, then they can go.

“So I am hoping there will be something from Liverpool, because England has a league that I’ve dreamed of playing in.”

Mesut Ozil in Moyes’ sights

D

Thiago Silva reveals PSG doubts

Fa-ni K a o y d e : Mourin-

T

hiago Silva has revealed he harboured major doubts about leaving AC Milan for Paris Saint-Germain last summer. admits that - at first - he was apprehensive about swapping Serie A for Parc des Princes, but that he has come to perceive French football as amongst the highest quality in the world I had some pretty big doubts when I signed here," the Brazil international - who has been linked with Barcelona throughout the current transfer window.

Madrid confident of sealing £81m Bale deal

R

Transfers Transfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfers TransfersTransfersTransfersTransfers

eal Madrid are confident that Gareth Bale will complete a transfer to the Spanish capital from Tottenham before the end of the transfer window.

Madrid are known to have been admirers of Bale for some time and are thought to have made him their top summer target. Tottenham have reportedly already turned down an £81 million offer from Real for Bale’s signature, despite the fact that fee would set a new world transfer record.

avid Moyes is weighing up a move for Real Madrid midfield Mesut Ozil. New Manchester United boss Moyes has been trying without success to strengthen in the centre of the park.

United will have to persuade Real to sell, but doing so may help the Spanish giants balance the books after a big summer. Especially if they manage to winkle Gareth Bale out of Tottenham in what would be a world-record helsea manager Jose Mourinho is lining up a sensational £65million double swoop on his old club Porto for striker Jackson Martinez and defender Eliaquim Mangala. The pair have been making headlines for much of the summer after their impressive form for the Portuguese side last season, and have been widely tipped to make big-money moves before the close of the transfer window.

French centre-back Mangala has been identified as a top target by Mourinho for some time now, and he looks ready to test Porto’s resolve with a massive £30million bid for the 22-year-old, who is rated as one of the best young defenders in the world. The returning Chelsea manager, who has also had spells in charge of Inter Milan and Real Madrid, has been keen to strengthen his defence with doubts over John Terry’s fitness and the commitment to the club of David Luiz.

ho plots £65m double Porto PSG, United waitingraid to Laudrup insists pounce for Di Maria Michu not for sale R

eal Madrid winger Angel di Maria is attracting interest from Manchester United and PSG. Le Parisien says PSG and United are ready to pounce for Di Maria once Real sign Tottenham star Gareth Bale. Both clubs are well aware that the arrival of Bale could change the situation and that the player could be willing to listen to offers. But while the Bale saga drags on, the two giants must anxiously wait.

S

C

wansea boss Michael Laudrup has told Arsenal even a "ridiculous" offer would not be enough to prise Michu away from the Liberty Stadium. Michu is thought to be one of those alternatives after the 27-year-old Spaniard enjoyed a stunning first season in English football with the Swans, scoring 22 goals after his £2.2million move from Rayo Vallecano.

Luiz Gustavo joins Wolfsburg

G

ustavo, 26, has reportedly agreed a fiveyear deal with Wolfsburg as he looks to secure regular first-team football ahead of next year's World Cup. The Brazil international had been strongly linked with Arsenal, who are in the market for signings, but he has opted to remain in the Bundesliga. Following the summer arrivals of Mario Gotze and Thiago Alcantara, Gustavo's place in the Bayern pecking order had slipped, leading to conjecture over his future.

Chelsea design special scouting app for Abramovich's iPad Roman Abramovich is keeping track of Chelsea's next superstar signings on a specially adapted personalised iPad. Sources reveal Chelsea's owner has become infatuated with the device and is constantly monitoring progress reports around the world. It means Abramovich can keep track of scouting across the world from his enormous boat Eclipse or whenever he is in the air on his Boeing 737 jet. The system is constantly updated in a database at Stamford Bridge and Abramovich is one of only a select number of people who can access the system.

U.K. 2012 Olympics "Bond" stuntman dies in wingsuit accident The British stuntman who parachuted into the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony as James Bond has been killed in an accident in the Swiss Alps while flying a special wingsuit.

According to reports Mark Sutton was killed during a gathering it had organized involving 20 wingsuit pilots who were filmed as they jumped from helicopters. Sutton's death was "a tragic loss for the global wingsuit community."

Man to run length of Britain with fridge on back

A

man who has raised thousands of pounds for charity by running around the country with a fridge on his back is set for his biggest challenge to date.

Tony Phoenix-Morrison, or ‘Tony the Fridge’ as he is known, is aiming to run from John O’Groats to Land’s End with the 42kg (93lb) monstrosity on his back in just 40 days.

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

BY IYABO AINA

Jennifer Aniston faced with lawsuit J ENNIFER Aniston has just been hit with a lawsuit filed by a construction company.

According to report J.R. Darnall Associates, Inc. has launched legal action against Jennifer Aniston popularly known as “Horrible Bosses” actress, alleging that she has not paid for a party platform it installed at her Bel-Air home, which she and her fiance Justin Theroux bought last year.

The complaint, filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court, says that Aniston hired the company to do some renovation work to the $21 million mansion in October 2012 and several other projects until March 2013. we also learnt that there has been no problem with the work and payment until she requested it to build a fancy $43,710 deck for a party on March 24.

The next day after the party was over, the contractor received a call about a leak in the deck. According to the

suit, an expert sent for inspection could not do his job as the actress apparently had already had the deck ripped down. Since then, the actress has reportedly cut off all communication and yet to pay the fee.

•Jennifer Aniston

Kim and Kanye West secretly planning wedding

T

hey’ve been discussing marriage for a while, a source recently disclosed of the pair. “A wedding is in the works.” It would be the third wedding for Kardashian but the very first for West which means that her initial desire for a low key, intimate affair following her ill fated $10 million 2011 nuptials to Kris Humphries might go by the wayside.

“Kanye has never been married before and wants a big wedding,” a Kardashian confidante says.while Kim is getting used to the idea again.

West, another insider says, “ wants something really cool and big and over-the-top,” although the event would not be televised. “They’ll most likely have destination wedding,” says the confidante, noting that a bash near West’s Paris home is a contender.

•Kim and Kanye West

Usher’s son gains recovery after pool incident I

T has been described as a “near fatal accident” but Usher ’s five-year-old son is on his way to making a full recovery , after the near fatal pool accident which left the five year old in a coma.

Also the youngster, named after his father, is “sitting up in bed, eating, laughing and chatting to people” Usher ’s ex wife Tameka Raymond hasn’t left her child’s bedside since the accident and has filed court papers asking for an emergency hearing, claiming her ex husband is “creating a dangerous environment” for their children.

It is the latest tragedy to hit the Usher family, as year ago Usher’s stepson and Tameka’s child 11year old Kile Glover died two weeks after he was critically injured in a boating accident.

Kile was hit in the head during a jet ski collision while riding an inner tube on a lake in Atlanta,

Georgia.

During Kile’s two weeks on life support , Usher and his ex wife were locked in a custody battle as tagged to be incapable of being a proper parent , while Tameka was said to be someone who does not have the emotional stability or capacity to bond with them, and therefore she

is handicapped.

Tameka’s attorney countered that Usher travels all the time and does not have a good relationship with his mother. Usher’s son was reportedly rushed to hospital on Monday after an accident in the singer ’s pool.

It is said that the star’s son got his arm caught in a pool drain while playing in the water with his aunt after he saw a toy stuck inside.

•Usher, wife and son

Da tar TTrek rek shut do wn Lagos Dayy S Star down

By ANOZIE EGOLE

T

HE musical road show, “ Star Trek” organized by Nigerian Breweries Plc, eventually came to a close last weekend with a bang.

The concert which kicked off in Festac, Lagos,lasted for more than 9 weeks.

As against the high expectations of fun seekers who besieged the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos venue of the grand finale to catch their fun, the musical concert lived up to its billing.

The star-studded concert featured the likes of Waje, Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, Tuface, M.I, Sound Sultan, Ice Prince, Jmartins, among others.

Songstress Waje opened the show with a thrilling performance that gave her music, a toast that she desired.

Ace comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, who compered the concert alongside “Tinsel”

star, Gideon Okeke, stirred the bored audience with their ribs cracking jokes as soon as they mounted the stage. But the night could be said to belong to the Marvin records boss, Don Jazzy and his artiste, Tiwa Savage. Backing the latter when the performed the track, “Kerekere Love”, Don Jazzy reaffirmed his supremacy on stage. Most fans who have not been privileged to watch Don Jazzy perform on stage were amazed at his great talent and stagecraft. Fans could not get enough of him as they kept yearning for more even after he disappeared from the stage.

Also, Wande Coal and MI gave a good account of themselves on stage. Particularly, Wande Coal spent longer time while performing on stage more than any other artiste that thrilled fans at the event. 2Face and Ice Prince equally graced the stage in a special way. The night also, witnessed a dancing competition which saw the winners smiling home with a cash prize, a Polo and MP3 respectively.

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 33 always locked me up in the studio all alone and it made me find my rhythm. Before long, I could handle a whole programme all by myself.

While in TVC, I starred in Egberun Maili, a Dotun Tailor film. So I had to juggle media work with business because doing business is an intricate part of me. That’s why I said I like to see myself as a media entrepreneur.

So why did you leave TVC? Leaving TVC is a decision I don’t want to talk about because it was forced on me. After TVC, I worked with OnTV, then left and started working with Search For Common Ground, an American NGO. It was during the Amnesty period and they needed me

Showcasing plight of the deprived motivates me —Fiberesima Even during a chance encounter, you can’t ignore the passion in her voice, especially when she’s defending the rights of the African child and women. Short version, Funmi Fiberesima is not just a media personality but also an actress, producer and human rights advocate. From Lagos back to Okrika, her home-town, she’s all set to assist humanity.

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI What do you do at the moment?

I’m doing a lot of things, but I just finished producing my first movie.

At a point that will be a subject to talk about, but right now I have lots of humanitarian work that I’m into.

I’m working with some NGOs, and I got working with them because during my years in the media, I did a lot of media relations for some of them. So I now work with Wafrika Development Coalition and M & G- A Funmi Foundation. I also sample charity decisions for a couple of individuals.

So what’s your movie all about?

Okay, I might just say the name.

The title is Onikola. It’s a Yoruba movie about female genital mutilation. I chose to do the film because currently among the Yoruba tribe where it is mostly practised, it is done to female babies. I am still trying to get to a point where I don’t have to cry whenever I talk about it because we filmed a live circumcision of a child and it haunted me for days. It was terrible and everybody who watched it was haunted by it. Since then, I kept getting feedback and at a point, I felt I should just air it. Maybe if people saw the wickedness, it would change things.

Why choose to do your first movie on this topic. Were you a victim too?

No, I wasn’t a victim. I feel like my life is directed by a hand that is greater than my life. I saw a script, I liked it and it was talking about female circumcision. I later found out that in some areas, it was done to women without their knowledge. But what really gets to me is when it is done to a child. At least, a woman can take a decision to be circumcised but a child can’t.

I feel like my life is directed by a hand that is greater than my life. I saw a script, I liked it and it was talking about female circumcision. I later found out that in some areas, it was done to women without their knowledge So who were the cast?

I have Ronke Ojo, Ibrahim Shaka, Late Fatai Rolling Dollars. It was his last project and I’m just grateful for his support and advice.

What other movie did you shoot before this?

Funmi Fiberesima

I started on stage with the Rivers State Council for Arts and Culture. Then I went into Nollywood and in 2002, I did a wakapass role in Oduduwa.

How do you combine journalism, acting and running a Foundation?

I don’t like to call myself a Journalist. I prefer to be referred to as a media person because I am still evolving.

There was a time when I was really interested in acting.

Then my attention shifted to wanting to be behind the screen so I started writing TV programmes. People like Sam Dede helped shape me and he introduced me to people into TV programmes. Then, there was this synopsis I wrote which a cable mission television in Port-Harcourt wanted to partner on with me, but there was no sponsor. So I came to Lagos to find a sponsor but got a job with TVC. So when I started with TVC, I was taken to the radio department and learnt radio journalism under Niyi Ojemakinde. He was a lovable brother because he took time to teach me. He

to go back home to do a radio programme for them with the Amnesty crew. So that took me out of Lagos to Rivers.

So you went back to your village?

Yes, I went back to my village. M & G Foundation saw some of the work I did with other NGOs and wanted me to go to Okrika to help do some video log. At the end of the video log which was about girls forced into womanhood as a result of having kids out of wedlock at younger ages, these girls can’t even take care of themselves let alone take care of a child and even their so-called boyfriends are either nowhere to be found or dead. So they are left alone to care for their children. Funny enough, these girls have potentials. But even in their poverty, they still want to share what they have with you. So thinking about all that brought me to tears. When an uncle of mine saw what I’d done, he decided to help me put together the Foundation. So I moved to Okrika like three months ago. I also have another

project which reaches out to children and women.

Right now, I’m working with M & G Etomi Foundation because they are interested in the arts. But personally, I have people I’m training at the Training Institute in Okrika.

Don’t you feel bored in Okrika?

Oh yes, I feel bored. But a couple of weeks ago, I decided not to leave Lagos permanently because I’m already used to Lagos. So I’ll just shuttle between both states.

So when are you releasing the film?

It will be released next year on the day for Zero Tolerance For Female Circumcision.

What else will you be doing between now and then?

I will be working on a project in my village because we’ve been through a lot of violence of recent and are going through a healing process now. My village is called Wakrika so I’m working with Wakrika Development Coalition and we do a lot of things like skills acquisition and mentorship programmes.

Describe your passion in few words To be able to voice and show accurately to the world exactly who the Nigerian woman and African children are, their hopes and aspirations. In this country, we seem to be having trouble with our politics. But you would still see children carrying water and cleaning windscreens in traffic. So, even the street is helping to mould children because you see the spirit of survival in African children.

Don’t you think projecting just the challenges in Nigeria to the world makes them see us in a negative light?

Nigerians live in the negative things and we evolve despite that negativity. What we have here is different from what happens in the outside world because most countries have almost everything done for them by the government, but the same isn’t true here.

You can watch the film and see just negativity, but I want to be able to say that there’s light shining through us despite the odds. Yes, you would see a kid who hustles all day and still struggles to send himself to school- that is our reality.

Go to MaryLand at night and you would see people sleeping on the streets, but you dare not steal any of their children because you think you saw a woman and her children sleeping under the bridge. The woman will go to any length to protect her children despite her negative circumstances.

So I believe if we have more Nigerians trying to portray Nigeria positively, Nigeria will never be on any watch list or among terrorist nations because an average Nigerian doesn’t want to die. And I’ve discovered that no matter how poor a mother is in this country, she won’t abandon her responsibilities to her children.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013—35

Mikel Obi’s first love revealed! *Plans to do collabo with younger brother BENJAMIN NJOKU

I

f Nigerian International and Chelsea FC midfielder, John Mikel Obi is not making waves today in his chosen career-football, he probably would have pitched his tent in the music industry.

This stunning revelation was made recently by his younger brother, Patrick Tochukwu Obi, while officially unveiling the six artistes who are signed to the soccer star ’s records label, Matured Money Minds(MMM) which he established last year.

Patrick, popularly known as Edgar and a fast rising act, disclosed further that, Mikel’s undying love for music informed his decision to invest in the entertainment industry.

According to Edgar, also an ex-footballer and former playmaker for Pepsi Academy in Jos El-kanani , “If Mikel wasn’t a footballer, he would probably have taken the same path in life with me.”

He hinted that the soccer star is planning to do a collabo with him.”Actually, I was with him a couple of weeks ago and told me concerning his plans to do collabo with me.

Hopefully, you will be seeing that happen soon.

Disclosing further, Edgar said ,Mikel has written a couple of songs, adding, his closeness to Psquare is not unconnected with his passion for music.

Edgar however, plays hip hop and R n B, and was formally based in the UK before he later relocated to the country. Last year, he dropped his single under MMM Records

mixtape.

“I have already made up my mind before relocating to Nigeria that I was coming home to do music. While I was playing football, I was at the same time doing my music. I always knew that if it wasn’t going to be football, it must be music.

Unfortunately, football didn’t work for me.

Once I was above 21 years, I did not see any need to pursue a career in football anymore. That’s why I delved into music,” he narrated.

Continuing, he said, “I have never wanted to be carried by my elder brother.

It’s actually very difficult for people to see reasons with me. I don’t believe that somebody should carry me to my destiny.

Mikel had no hand in my football, not because he doesn’t love me or he doesn’t have the belief in me but because I wanted to be in control of my destiny.”

On why he prefers to sign on new talents, Edgar who manages Mikel’s record label explained that he believes in discovering talents. Last year, MMM signed on six artistes including Splash, Charass, Kido and Mr Jay who have been working tirelessly with sound engineers and producers to take the industy by storm.

Accordig to the rising act, “the artistes are planning on how to get stronghold in the industry by releasing one or two individual singles into the market.”

Introducing Yemmy’s ‘My Treasure’!

FLORENCE AMAGIYA

Y

emi Olatunji discovered that he could sing at the tender age of eight. Today, he’s a master of his own art as a prolific gospel singer. His music could best be described as Afro/urban contemporary music. He was a praise worship leader for several years before he graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University. Yemy who is the first child in a family of five, hails from Esa Oke, Osun State, but was born in Ibadan. He is a graduate of Microbiology.

Presently a member of a Professional body called Chattered Institute of Environmental Health in United Kingdom (CIEH, UK), Yemmy’s new singles which are currently making waves are “My Treasure,” a song he dedicated to his late mother and ‘Erujeje.”

When asked why he choose gospel music as against secular music, he said, ‘the Almighty God has given me a reason to win souls for Him through my music

M i k e l

M i k e l Obi and h i s younger b ro t h e r, Patrick

MCSN loses to CONSON The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN), has been dealt another blow at the Federal High Court in Lagos as the Hon Justice I.N. Buba in a recent judgment dismissed MCSN’s suit against Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and Hotel and Personal Services Employers Association of Nigeria (HOPESEA), the organization of which most of the major hotels in Nigeria are members.

MCSN had by Originating Summons dated December 7, 2010 gone to the Federal High Court Lagos seeking an injunction restraining HOPESEA from entering into any form of agreement with COSON related to or connected to the payment or collection of royalties with respect to the use of musical works or related audio visual works. MCSN also asked the court to restrain COSON from receiving any payment whatsoever from HOPESEA or any of its members for the use of musical works and related audio visual works.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013—35

Mikel Obi’s first love revealed! *Plans to do collabo with younger brother BENJAMIN NJOKU

I

f Nigerian International and Chelsea FC midfielder, John Mikel Obi is not making waves today in his chosen career-football, he probably would have pitched his tent in the music industry.

This stunning revelation was made recently by his younger brother, Patrick Tochukwu Obi, while officially unveiling the six artistes who are signed to the soccer star ’s records label, Matured Money Minds(MMM) which he established last year.

Patrick, popularly known as Edgar and a fast rising act, disclosed further that, Mikel’s undying love for music informed his decision to invest in the entertainment industry.

According to Edgar, also an ex-footballer and former playmaker for Pepsi Academy in Jos El-kanani , “If Mikel wasn’t a footballer, he would probably have taken the same path in life with me.”

He hinted that the soccer star is planning to do a collabo with him.”Actually, I was with him a couple of weeks ago and told me concerning his plans to do collabo with me.

Hopefully, you will be seeing that happen soon.

Disclosing further, Edgar said ,Mikel has written a couple of songs, adding, his closeness to Psquare is not unconnected with his passion for music.

Edgar however, plays hip hop and R n B, and was formally based in the UK before he later relocated to the country. Last year, he dropped his single under MMM Records

mixtape.

“I have already made up my mind before relocating to Nigeria that I was coming home to do music. While I was playing football, I was at the same time doing my music. I always knew that if it wasn’t going to be football, it must be music.

Unfortunately, football didn’t work for me.

Once I was above 21 years, I did not see any need to pursue a career in football anymore. That’s why I delved into music,” he narrated.

Continuing, he said, “I have never wanted to be carried by my elder brother.

It’s actually very difficult for people to see reasons with me. I don’t believe that somebody should carry me to my destiny.

Mikel had no hand in my football, not because he doesn’t love me or he doesn’t have the belief in me but because I wanted to be in control of my destiny.”

On why he prefers to sign on new talents, Edgar who manages Mikel’s record label explained that he believes in discovering talents. Last year, MMM signed on six artistes including Splash, Charass, Kido and Mr Jay who have been working tirelessly with sound engineers and producers to take the industy by storm.

Accordig to the rising act, “the artistes are planning on how to get stronghold in the industry by releasing one or two individual singles into the market.”

Introducing Yemmy’s ‘My Treasure’!

FLORENCE AMAGIYA

Y

emi Olatunji discovered that he could sing at the tender age of eight. Today, he’s a master of his own art as a prolific gospel singer. His music could best be described as Afro/urban contemporary music. He was a praise worship leader for several years before he graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University. Yemy who is the first child in a family of five, hails from Esa Oke, Osun State, but was born in Ibadan. He is a graduate of Microbiology.

Presently a member of a Professional body called Chattered Institute of Environmental Health in United Kingdom (CIEH, UK), Yemmy’s new singles which are currently making waves are “My Treasure,” a song he dedicated to his late mother and ‘Erujeje.”

When asked why he choose gospel music as against secular music, he said, ‘the Almighty God has given me a reason to win souls for Him through my music

M i k e l

M i k e l Obi and h i s younger b ro t h e r, Patrick

MCSN loses to CONSON The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN), has been dealt another blow at the Federal High Court in Lagos as the Hon Justice I.N. Buba in a recent judgment dismissed MCSN’s suit against Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and Hotel and Personal Services Employers Association of Nigeria (HOPESEA), the organization of which most of the major hotels in Nigeria are members.

MCSN had by Originating Summons dated December 7, 2010 gone to the Federal High Court Lagos seeking an injunction restraining HOPESEA from entering into any form of agreement with COSON related to or connected to the payment or collection of royalties with respect to the use of musical works or related audio visual works. MCSN also asked the court to restrain COSON from receiving any payment whatsoever from HOPESEA or any of its members for the use of musical works and related audio visual works.

36—SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

people's dream irrespective of tribe, race, geography or creed. I want to be a global citizen and a pride to my country, Nigeria.

Reading books can liberate your mind — Saidi Ahmed Enagi

S

AIDI is 24 years and has a knack for philosophy. He also has a strong flair for writing and public speaking. Saidi is regarded by several young people as one making a visible difference in his community. The Nupe born youth who resides in Kaduna takes on a journey into his world of change making. Excerpts: sexes.So,what I do is to teach and inculcate in those within my reach the type of character they saw and admire in me. I learnt that from my father and got the strategy from John Maxwell’s books on,‘The 360 Leader and ‘To Be a People Person’.

•Saidi Ahmed Enagi

M

y humble background I was born on march 27,1989, to Late Alh. Ahmed Enagi and Haj. Hauwa Ahmed. Before Alhaji Ahmed's death, he was AssistantComptroller of Customs at Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Port Harcourt,River State. Due to the paramilitary structure of his ocupation, I attended different primary schools across Nigeria, Aunty Rose Schools, Delta State, Framer Schools, Zamfara, Yahya Abdulkarim Model Schools, Sokoto, Abubakar Gumi Schools, kaduna and Supreme International College. Now a 300-level Student of Abubakar Tafawa Belewa University,(ATBU)Bauchi.I am from a polygamous family.

Barr. Moh’d Enagi is the eldest son. We have three graduates and five undergraduates in the family,and we live in Kaduna.

My passion My greatest passion has been reading,writingand leadership.I got used to reading books(classics, politicalphilosophy, psychology and economic theory)in my tender age.As a matter of fact,Moh’d Ibn Katamba, a political scientist introduced me to books on philosophy.In my secondary school days, I already read the works of by Karl Marx, Bentham, Aquinas,Ibn Taimiya, Aristotle, Sun Tzu, karl Popper etc. Recently, books like, The Global Future,

by Kegley & Raymond, Poisoned Wells:The Dirty Politics of Africa Oil,by Nicholas Shaxson, The End of History, by Fukuyama,The Ethical Brain, by Gazzaniga, Usul-ul-Siyasat,by Ibn Fodiyo were some of the works I read, and have written personal p h i l o s o p h i c a l conceptualizations on them. I started writing early. I have published dozen of articles in

the Desert Herald Newspaper.

I have also delivered papers in national and international conferences, most recent is, ‘Dialogue with Reality:A NeoClassical Observation on the Economic Interdependence among Third World Nations”.

Leadership I found myself leading right from primary school;I was the class monitor throughout and later head boy. In secondary school, I was Health Prefect and Amir (Governor) Muslim Student Society. President and Member of Parliament at the Student Union Circle in ATBU Bauchi and Niger State.

All these positions are from God though I am human. I have empowered those around me by adding value to their personality. I have a lot of admirers from both

Living in the North as an average youth It is a blend of joy and trepidation. A kind of life that resembles moment in the ancient fissiparous city-state of the Persian Gulf. A cascade of event that requires an appreciation of the impact of yesterday’s event on today’s realities and how current ideas and practices may shape tomorrow.

Poverty and illiteracy are eating into the socio-economic and intellectual fabric of the youth.

We need entrepreneurship, re-education and social engineering. Youth in the north are energetic, insightful, innovative and law-abiding but they are not motivated; the platforms for change are under influence of the iron law of Oligarchy.

If entrepreneurship and education can be addressed,

the insecurity and inadequate regime will be rectified.

The next five years Wow! In the next five years, if I'm alive and healthy, I want to see myself in an organization whose philosophy and core values are geared towards ending poverty and hunger, toward crafting policies that will improve the political wellbeing of mankind. I want to see myself in a world where my voice and ideas are part of the catalyst that can actualize

My greatest passion has been reading, writing and leadership. I got used to reading books in my tender age

YOUNG NIGERIANS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE Lead’ was born out of the desire to educate, empower and inspire Nigerian children and youth to becom e leaders who would be agent s of chang e in respe ctive their c o m m u n i t i e s irrespective of their age econo mic or background. Through inspiring workshops in ICT, Leade rship , Skills , Creat ive Entrepreneurship and Sports, students were timel ess taugh t leadership principles and life skills to develop self-c onfide nce and make inform ed decisions about their future.

2013 Leadership Holiday Camp held from July 29- August 2, 2013 and was atten ded by 130 stude nts from comm unity secon dary schoo ls in Rivers State namely Igwurutta, Aluu, Nkpo lu, Rumu kwuru she, and Amad i-Ama Orow orukw o, ipants Partic . s unitie comm ma Abulo were provided with free bus shuttle,

Mind Foundation inspires youth IND Found ation, a not-fo r-prof it organization based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently held a one-week Leadership Holiday Camp for students from resource—poor schools and other economically disadvantaged communities in Rivers State.

The progr amme tagge d ‘Inspi red to

M

My current works So far, I have 3 unpublished books, the time is limited for me to discuss in totality the nature of projects I designed in the books. They are about human resources development, job creation, national food security, youth empowerment, Oil and Gas. If I have the support of Niger State Government under the Chief Servant, Dr. Muazu Aliyu or any organisation, those projects will be extracted and harnessed for the development of Nigeria.

My words for Nigerian youth If there is fear of God in our mind and life, the sky will be our limit. God is pure and omnipotent. It is there in all the scriptures. A friend (Aisha Ibrahim Tahir), the granddaughter of late Dr. Ibrahim Tahir will advise me that fear of God is the gateway to freedom. It is also important for each of us to have role models; youth should have someone they admire in the society. For me my role models include, All the Prophets of Allah ( Mohamed, Jesus, Moses, Ibrahim etc), Sir, Tafawa Balewa, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Justice Abdulmumini Enagi (uncle), Late Dr. Ibrahim Tahir (Talban Bauchi), Chuba Okadigbo, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Dr. Adesina Adewumi, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Dr. Muazu Aliyu (Talban Minna), Dr. Obadiah Mailafiya and Sheik Usman Dahiru Bauchi.

Youth should also read; reading liberated my mind and thinking power.

The hope I have for Nigeria is far greater in effect than the hope President Obama has for America and the unique hope Mahatma Gandhi has for India. If you look deep into my words: The answer lies within!

camp kits, project materials,meals and other resources which were provided.

According to the Executive Director, Ms. Olere Iluebbey, MIND Foundation creati ng about passi onate is oppor tuniti es for disad vanta ged children to gain the knowledge and skills that would enable them rise above their challenges and compete favourably with their peers from privil eged backgrounds. She also said that the Leade rship Holid ay Camp had provided these students with the tools to turn their ideas into action; we look forwa rd to seein g them contr ibute meaningfully to their communities and respective schools.

Since 2007, MIND Foundation has been offeri ng expan ded learn ing programs to students of resource-poor econo mical ly and schoo ls disadvantaged communities in Nigeria, using a 3-prong approach that develops knowledge and skills in ICT, Leadership traini ng.Th e vocat ional and is one of Camp ay Holid Leadership MIND Foundation’s enriched learning progr amme s for disad vanta ged childr en and youth and it holds annually during the long holidays.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 37

Pornography in Nollywood!

BY FLORENCE AMAGIYA & OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

B

elieve it or leave it, pornography has come to stay in Nollywood. Every now and then, on the internet, along the streets and in the market place, the business of pornography is booming in Nigeria. While this ugly trend has been blamed on many factors, questions are being asked today regarding the future of Nollywood. Worried with this development, our team once again sought the opinions of entertainers on the issue.

Blame it on America — Oritz Wiliki

B

lame it on America because we emulate them in everything we do. Do you just walk into any store in Nigeria to buy a gun? But we see gun in all movies produced in America. All these things go a long way to influence us.

If you say because sex is what everyone does in the confines of their rooms, why don’t they also act scenes where an actor or actress is deficating in the toilet because we all deficate.

There are somethings which are sacred before God and shouldn’t be done in public or in the face of our children, and sex is one of them.

I can’t be found in such movie — Eniola Badmus

We shouldn’t overdo things — Julius Agwu

I

n our quest to meet up with civilization, we copy the Western cultures, forgetting who we are as Africans, our family values and morality. So it behoves on parents and guardians to re-orientate.

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong showing such movies but it should be guided. Not to be seen by underaged.

And I’m not against anyone who is trying to make money out of anyhting but such should be seen in private. I’m also an actor and I can act romantic scene. But I can’t act in pornographic movies.

So in trying to copy the Western world, we shouldn’t overdo things.

Different strokes for diferent folks — Doris Simeon I

don’t know what to say concerning pornography in the movie industry because everybody is free to do whatever he or she wants. Different people with different opinions. Whether the movie industry decides to display scenes of nudity or not, one has the right either buy the movies or ignore them. I can’t decide for others what they should do or shouldn’t do.

I

, Eniola Badmus can’t be part of such a movie. But I can’t stop every other person from doing whatever he or she likes. I don’t want to condemn anyone because different things soothes different people but I can’t be part of pornography.

Nigerians are hypocrites —

W

Benson Okonkwo,Actor

e watch movies like that in Hollywood; Nigerians are hypocrites! I think pornography makes our movies more real and for that reason l am in support of it. If you take a good look at Hollywood movies for example, you will notice that it’s so rampant, like it’s nothing to them. To them, it’s like acting normal roles. First and foremost, it’s a movie and you act exactly what is in your script or you can say that you are interpreting the script given to you. And there are restrictions; besides kissing and touching here and there. What we do in Nollywood is not porn. Nigerian movies are basically for everyone.

Besides, the regulatory body gives approval before such films are shown in public.

Pornography, not in Nollywood!

— Anita Joseph

I

am not aware of the advent of pornography in Nollywood. But if it ‘s actually happening or about to happen then it means that the people planning it or producing these movies should seek for deliverance. This is wrong and outrageous; we are Africans and we have a culture.

And if we must emulate the lifestyle of the western world, then, we must strive to emulate the positive side, not the bad side. Have we forgotten that Home video is meant for the whole family. I am against pornography in Nollywood.

38 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Angela s ’ e i r o k O waiting for God’s calling

•Angela Okorie

E

x-Delta Soap model and actress, Angela Okorie who reportedly said, everything about her is sexy, is now dreaming of winning souls for God. In a recent chat with newsmen, the Ebony State born actress and mother of one declared, “I know I have a calling to work for God. It might come to pass soon but I don’t know when. My aim in life is to touch souls one way or the other because it’s important I leave my foot prints in every life I meet.”

Angela debuted in Nollywood in 2009, after she starring in “Holy Serpent.”

Since then, the actress has not looked back, starring in over fifty movies.

Apart from working for God, Angela said, she has a plan to go into movie production, as well as set up a foundation where the less-privileged children can be catered for. “I will go into producing

Lagos big boy,Wale Faniyi Opens Bite Billionaire Lounge

movies. I also want to set up a foundation where motherless babies can be catered for. I want to go into a lot of positive things.

Some of the movies she acted in, include, “Sincerity” which was her first film, “Maidens”, “Heart of a Widow”, “War in the Palace”, “Girls in the Mood”, “Girls on Point”, “Stolen Desire”, “Soul Mate”, “End of Soul Mate” among others.

Lillian Bach’s ‘Eletan’ out on DVD T

he half-Polish, Half-IsaleEko Nigerian beautiful actress has finally returned to the movie scene after her marriage and a long absence from the make-believe world of acting.

The half-caste damsel, still regarded as one of the dropdead-gorgeous faces of Nollywood is doing so in a big way as a producer with a Yoruba flick titled ‘Eletan’ which literally means ‘Deceiver’.

The film which she produced and featured in, also has a cast including top Yoruba acts like Bolaji Amusan (Baba Latin), Yemi Blaq, Ireti Osayemi, Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande), Ayo Badmus and a host of others.

According to Lillian “ The film was a cinema succes and now we are releasing it on DVD this month. ‘Eletan is a tale of a woman’s greed, deception and how the vices resulted in painful consequences.

Movie lovers are sure to behold again the easy eyes a n d scintillating curves of the talented actress after what seemed almost like too long time of recess.

But Lillian, who also recognised how much her fans m u s t h a v e missed h e r quipped “ I have b e e n b u s y w i t h

•Wale Faniyi

By

D

Ayo

Onikoyi

ebonair entrepreneur Wale Faniyi popularly known as ‘Mr Bite’, has perfected plans to expand his business frontier. The new line is hospitality, and herald it,with the berthing of Bite Billionaire Lounge, a dancing bar cum restaurant, magnificently located on Adeniyi Jones ,Ikeja, Lagos.

Trust the cosmopolitan dude,he expressed his stylish inclination by putting up a very alluring and c o m f o r t a b l e edifice,that will arrest,Lagos jet-set crowd, nouveaux rich and habitual fun seekers.

Bite Lounge,is an architectural delight,parading i m m a c u l a t e surrounding which makes it an ideal place for pleasure and business. With an halo of paradise,the watering hole, uniquely features designed interiors laced with contemporary furnishings, elegant styling with great attention to details. If you are looking for the perfect backdrop to a candlelight dinner or a kingly buffet, then you need not look too far, as Bite Restaurant proposes both international and local cuisines.

Nollywood takes centre stage at DISCOP Africa 2013

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•Lillian Bach

HE Los Angeles and Johannesburg-based DISCOP organization has announced a major new initiative to celebrate the content, production and distribution industries in key territories served by its two regional markets, as it introduces a ‘Guest Country’ focus at both DISCOP Africa and DISCOP Istanbul.

Nigeria will be the first country to take centre stage at Johannesburg based DISCOP Africa in November 2013. A range of dedicated events, screenings and conference tracks will take place to mark the 20th anniversary of Nollywood, highlighting the rapidly growing Nigerian movie industry, which was recently ranked second in the world in production terms.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 39

Colette Orji’s birthday gift

By AYO ONIKOYI

B

EAUTIFUL and fast-rising Nollywood actress, Colette Orji, has shown she is not just a piece of beautiful body and sexy curves, she is a beauty with a load of heart. Or how else would you describe her reaching out to the special people on her birthday as part of t h e celebration.

Maybe, a lot o f Nollywood people are coming out of the wood to do that these days, for one reason or the other. But this Cameroonian bred Nigerian

• Colette Orji

actress has always told anyone who would listen that she could not stand the sight of people down on their luck.

Long before she came up with the idea of launching an NGO to be an official body in catering to this her secret •Yinka Mayungbo and Lolu Onigbogi at the event

Another African Movie Channel unveiled!

L

•Papa Ajasco

Papa Ajasco & Company returns with new episodes V

iewers of Papa Ajasco & Company are in for a treat as Wale Adenuga Productions cast and crew are currently on location recording fresh episodes of Nigeria’s Number One TV Comedy which will hit the silver screen from 24th of August, 2013.

According to Wale Adenuga Jr., Managing Director of WAP, “The brand new episodes we are recording have been meticulously written and planned in order to give viewers the usual top-quality entertainment which they deserve from us. We also encourage them to like us on our Facebook Page, ‘PapaAjascoAndCompany ’ for a chance to act in the programme, win fantastic prizes, interact with the stars, behind the scenes

footage, up-to-date info and lots more.”

These fresh episodes star the main cast of the series with supporting roles by your favourite stars including Niyi Johnson, Cassandra Odita, Femi Brainard, Henrietta Kosoko and several others. Also, starring in the new episodes are fresh faces from the internationallyrenowned PEFTI Film Institute .

The award-winning TV Comedy Papa Ajasco & Company is watched by millions across Nigeria weekly on 20 key stations as well as on wapTV (StarTimes 116) across Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Guinea.

yearning, Coco, as she is called by friends has been reaching out to the needy. The one she did in Abuja a couple of years ago caught the attention of people and even then, it was just a spur-of-the-moment caper for her and a few friends who hopped on the drive. They visited homes, donating relief goods.

Now on her birthday, Coco has done it the special way by launching her own NGO, known as ‘Coco Medicare Foundation’ to care and manage people with medical conditions beyond their capacity to handle, either financially or otherwise.

ike a breath of fresh air, a new TV channel better known as African Movie Channel berthed in Nigeria amid resounding ovation last Sunday.

The channel which started operation since 2006, in the UK, and mainly dedicated to showing of top Nollywood and African movies promises to raise the standard already set by Africa Magic, owned by Dstv.

AMC is either expected to compliment or if possible, overtake whatever Africa Magic has done for the nation’s movie industry in the past ten years.

The duo of Yinka Mayungbo and Lolu Onigbogi, owners of the new channel, said, they are in the country to make the difference with the channel.

According to them, AMC is a 24-hour linear African movies

and series channel offered on various TV platform across the African continent and beyond.

“AMC is the world’s first global channel dedicated to showing of the best movies and series from the second largest motion picture industry in the world-Nigeria’s Nollywood and the best from the rest of Africa. This is the home of African movies. We carefully selected the movies to enlighten and educate the viewers. That’s what AMC is all about,” said Mayungbo.

Notable TV platform carrying AMC include Startimes in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique, TopTV in South Afric. The launch of the channel, which held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, was graced by top Nollywood practitioners and actors.

Bob-Manuel Udokwu set to bury mum

BY AYO ONIKOYI

G

angling actor and now Special Assistant to Governor Obi of Anambra, Bob-Manuel Udokwu, who lost his mother some days back has unveiled the burial plans to see the late woman on her journey to eternal rest.

In a Blackberry broadcast message, the high chief pinged “ Hello everyone, my late mum, Madam Joy Ezelagbo Udokwu will be buried on Friday August 30, 2013 at Geoffrey Udokwu’s Compound, Nkwelle, Ogidi.

Service at St. Philips Anglican Church, Ogidi, Anamabra State. Time is 10am Bob Manuel has described his mum as the jewel of his life and it would not be a surprise if the handsome dude breaks the bank to give her a befitting burial. Being the number one creative mind of Anambra State must count for something.

•Bob-Manuel

40—SATURDAY, Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Dur o Oy ek anle buries mum in style Duro Oyek ekanle

E

minent Nigerians from every corner of the country converged on the city of Ilare, in Obokun Local Government of Osun State for the burial ceremony of Oloye Mama Dorcas Eminola Oyekanle, mother of Chief Duro Oyekanle, business tycoon and Chief Executive Officer of City Errands, Abuja .

The funeral service took place at the Methodist Church. Photos by Dare Fasube

L-R:Mr David Ladesuyi, Mr Paul Agboola and Mr Dipo Onabanjo.

The Ogunnoikis and the A desojis unit e Adesojis unite

T

he traditional nuptial union between former Miss Folasade Ayodeji, daughter of Mr and Mrs Michael Ogunnoiki and Mr Adedayo Oluwaseun, son of late Mr and Mrs Solomon Adewuy Adesoji held at Rosebay Garden, Festac Town Lagos, penultimate weekend. Family and friends who graced the occasion had enough to eat and drink. Photos by Lamidi Bamidele

L-R:Mr David Ladesuyi, Mr Paul Agboola and Mr Dipo Onabanjo.

L-R:High Chief Fabunmi Akanbi, Obanla of Ilare and Chief Olu Falomo.

L-R:Mr Michael Ogunnoiki, bride’s dad; Mrs Olukorode Adesoji, groom’s mum; Mr and Mrs Adedayo Ogunnoiki, couple; Mr Patrick Odeyemi, representing groom's dad and Mrs Olufunke Ogunnoiki, bride's mum.

L-R:Mrs Meg Mozia and Eng John Martins.

From left; Dr Leke Kehinde; Otunba Kole Olatunji and Otunba Idowu Adenuga.

From left; Mrs Folusho Lawal; Mrs Yinka Jolaolu and Mrs Toyin Jimi Solanke.

thda ev. Obiora Ezekiel birthda thdayy of R Re 70th bir

G.O. (CPM),Rev (Dr) Obiora Ezekiel centre with wife, children; (L-R):President,(PFN), Rev. Felix Omobude, his wife Rev. (Mrs ) Abiola; Rev Mike Okonkwo; Rev Wilson Badejo, the Childern and others.

C M Y K

L-R: Nat. President, Pentecostal Fellowship (PFN), Rev. Felix Omobude, wife, celebrant, Rev. Obiora Ezekiel, G.O, Christian Pentecostal Mission (CPM); Bishop Mike Okonkwo (TREM) and Rev. (Mrs.) Mercy Ezekiel.

Cour ase of Courttesy call on Iy Iyase Asaba @ 80

The Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Oyiobi (right) welcomes Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah to his home

The Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Oyiobi (middle) The Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah (left) and The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information Austin Mowah

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 41

42—VANGUARD, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 43

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Couple seeking for baby girl for 22 years welcome 12th son 08116759759

A

fter 22 years of trying to conceive a daughter, one Michigan couple have just welcomed their 12th son. Kateri and Jay Schwandt, who gave birth to their first son, Ty, while they were in college, decided to try for one more child, hoping they might finally have a baby girl. Instead, the couple brought the family. 'This is a pretty home Tucker on Sunday testosterone filled house!' Mr August 4, the 12th boy to enter Schwandt said'.

Judge orders parents to change son's name from Messiah to Martin...'only Christ earned that title' judge has ordered a seven-month-old baby’s parents to change his name from Messiah to A Martin after they appeared before her in a dispute about the child’s surname. Instead, the pair were ordered to change the baby’s first name, because, according to the judge, only one person earned the name Messiah, ‘and that one person is Jesus Christ’. According to WBIR Newport, the mother of the child, Jaleesa Martin, and his father couldn’t agree on whose last name the boy should have, so they went before child support magistrate Lu Ann Ballew at Cocke County Chancery Court to decide the matter.

However, Ballew took issue not with the baby’s surname but his first:Messiah. The baby’s full name was officially Messiah DeShawn Martin, but Ballew told the baby’s parents that they must change it to Martin DeShawn McCullough, which incorporates both mother and father’s surnames but leaves out Messiah.

“The word Messiah is a title and it’s a title that has only been earned by one person and that one person is Jesus Christ,” Judge Ballew told WBIR.

Tina TTurner urner weds @ 73

Firefighters smash hole in wall of obese patient’s bedroom

he tied the knot S with her longterm love Erwin

irefighters smashed hole in wall of obese pa F tient’s bedroom and put him in a digger before he is taken into an ambulance designed for

Bach at a private ceremony in Switzerland over the weekend.Tina Turner has opened up about the wedding, for which she wore a green and black silk Armani gown with Swarovski crystals.

Describing marriage as ‘a wonderful place

...'It's a wonderful place to be'

to be’, the 73-year-old stamp on a traditional music icon admitted that American ceremony. she wanted to put her own

Marine who lost l i m b s i n Afghanistan can now run, cycle again ark Ormrod’s M state-of-the-art limbs can be adapted at the touch of a button— with settings for five different activities. Mr Ormrod, 30, lost both of his legs and an arm six years ago after he stepped on an IED. The father-ofthree was later dubbed a ‘real hero’ of the war by Prince Harry. Mr Ormrod feared he would have to remortgage his home to pay for the top-of-the-

range £115,000 legs but they were supplied for free on the NHS thanks to an

£11million Government scheme to help veterans.

As a result, he has now

become the first injured British veteran to be fitted with a set of Genium limbs.

Maximum security prisoners get a day off their sentence for every three days they work for fashion label

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oring over their fine-quality crochet, the prisoners of Brazil’s Arisvaldo de Campos P i r e s m a x i m u m security penitentiary are a model of concentration. And it’s no wonder, when you consider what’s at stake. Thanks to a collaboration with Brazilian fashion designer Raquel Guimaraes, the inmates have one day taken off their sentence for every three days of

knitting they perform. The designer turned to the prison for help in 2009 when she had trouble finding knitters for her Doiselles label, which specialises in beautiful knitting and crochet work. She trained 18 prisoners sentenced for crimes ranging from robbery to murder, and their work is now exported globally, including to America, France and Japan.

The hand-made pieces, which are strictly qualitychecked, are also sold in 70 stores in Brazil.

four people. A 63-stone man had to be rescued using a giant digger after he had heart failure. Michael Lehberger called the emergency services when he began to notice symptoms. But it soon became apparent that he would not fit through the door of his home in Riegelsberg, Germany. Firefighters were forced to smash a hole into the side of his house to allow him to escape. He was then loaded into a cushioned CAT digger and lifted to safety.

The specialists had spent time building scaffolding outside his house, but found that it was too dangerous to try and carry him. The 29-year-old was taken to hospital in an ambulance designed for four people. The entire rescue mission took six hours to complete. He was taken to a hospital with special beds designed for the patient’s needs.

SATURDAY Vanguard,

AUGUST 17, 2013—45

How middle aged man was bathed with acid

BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

F

or Monday Obinnah, the 15th of June, 2013 was a day he would always remember for the rest of his life because it was a day he had a close shave with death. Today, he is still battling with the pains of an acid bath allegedly inflicted on him by a professional colleague and some hoodlums.

Obinnah who is now in pains narrated his ordeal to Saturday Vanguard, amid sympathizers who thronged daily to console him.

The middle aged man said he is an employee of an advertising firm that is based in Lagos with special attention on outdoor advertising.

According to him, “I am a marketing officer and North Central supervisor of ‘Ahaa Media’ and we specialize in outdoor advertising which include the mounting of billboards across the country. ”On that fateful day, I travelled to Makurdi to supervise and monitor our billboards in the town, but to my chagrin, I saw that one of our authorised billboards located on Otukpo road, close to Sev-Av Foundation Headquaters had Hero larger beer illegally advertised on it without due authorization.

“I made enquiries as to who posted the advertorial to no avail. I had no option but to climb the board in an attempt to remove the advertised image.

“While I was doing that, one Chidiebere Okugo who claimed he is the sales representative of the firm whose product was advertised on the board, mobilized hoodlums who assisted him to attack me while I was still hanging on the

billboard.

“They used dangerous weapons including sticks, stones and what I later realised was a chemical to force me down, but I refused because the way they confronted me, I was afraid for my life.

“And in their desperation to get me down from the billboard, they struck and cut down one of the electric power lines that was close to the billboard which fell on me and almost electrocuted me.

“At that point, I fell down and they descended on me, but I was lucky to have been rescued by a team of Police men from the command headquaters. It was at the police station that I noticed that parts of my body were peeling off.”

He said after making his statement at the station, he was granted bail and rushed to a hospital in Makurdi for first aid treatment and afterwards transferred to the National Hospital Abuja and later to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital where he underwent plastic surgery and is currently battling with pains and life

advert billboard belonged to his company.

He also claimed that he noticed the burns on the victims body when he was taken to the Police station.

“It was at the Police station that I noticed injury on the man’s body.

“I noticed that his leg and other parts of his body were peeling off and I do not know how to describe it.

“As a sales representative of my company covering Makurdi only, my work does not cover billboards but to my knowledge, the billboard in question is our company’s billboard.

“The branding department of our company told me that they are the people who mounted the billboard. I will be surprised to know that my company does not own the billboard in question.

“I am not aware that the billboard is being claimed by another company.

Though I was aware that the victim was rushed to the National Hospital Abuja, I did not order anybody to beat him up”, Okugo said.

Meanwhile, a Makur-

Monday Obinnah, acid victim

They used dangerous weapons including sticks, stones and what I later realised was a chemical to force me down, but I refused because the way they confronted me, I was afraid for my life threatening burns on parts of his body.

Meantime, Saturday Vanguard gathered from the First Information Report, FIR, filed at the Police station by the lead accused, Chidiebere Okugo, a sales representative of the firm whose product was advertised on the billboard, where he claimed that the

di based legal practitioner, Terfa Akosu has taken up the matter in pursuit of justice for the victim.

Akosu told Saturday Vanguard in Makurdi that he opted to take up the matter againt the accused and his firm because “the

treatment meted out to the victim was dastardly, brutal and beyond comprehension.

“That the young man is still alive today is just by the

share grace of God and we strongly believe that justice would be done in the matter to serve as deterrent to others ,” Akosu said.

46 — Vanguard,

SATURDAY AUGUST 17, 2013

PATHETIC!

BY UJU MBANUSI

W

HEN Tayo Ajasa, 34,left his house at about 11pm on August 5, 2013 to find something to eat, little did he envisage the danger that lurked around the corner at the Janet Fagbemi street, scene of the incident.

Having returned late from work, it was gathered that the Ogun-state born father of two who is also a driver, went to a food vendor in Diamond estate, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos, to get something to eat for his late diner.He was about being handed a plate of Indomie he ordered for, when a drunken man later identified as Corporal Mohammed Abubakar, attached to Mopol 17, Ondo State, shot indiscriminately at everyone on sight. Like everyone else, he took to his heels.

Unfortunately for him, the plain-clothed police man shot him at close range. Bullets pierced his thigh inflicting grave injuries to his groin and left arm.

Consequently,Tayo was rushed to a clinic at Festac Town,Lagos where after obtaining a police report at the clinic’s request, he was admitted and is currently receiving treatment.

When Crime Guard visited Tayo at St. Jude’s Hospital in Festac, his condition has improved.He was seen moving around on his own,

Victim of police rendered impoten although he walked with a little discomfort.He told Crime Guard that he was full of gratitude to God for sparing his life, because he lost hope of surviving.He also stated that even though his condition had improved, he was saddled with the burden of clearing his medical bills. “As you can see, I am getting much better compared to when I was first rushed here last week. I am thankful to God and also to my friends who spared no time in rushing me to the clinic.

Although when they brought me here, the hospital management asked us to go and get a medical report from the Police station. We went to Festac Police station and they issued us one. They started treatment when we came with the report and the next day, I was operated upon. My only fear now is the issue of paying up the bills. Without being told and judging by the quality of

...laments orde

•The victim, when he was first brought to the clinic

A-G-O-N-Y O-F P-A-R-E-N-T-H-O-O-D

Mysterious death of girl inside factory raises dust • family suspects foul play

BY EVELYN USMAN

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HEN Jeniffer Onyeche,17, left her parents’ abode in Ketu, a suburb of Lagos State, for work a month ago, little did she realise that tragedy was in the offing.Onyeche who just completed her secondary school eduction was reportedly processing her admission into the Lagos State Polytechnic.

Determined to furthering her eduction, she reportedly opted for a factory job at Rotpat Nigeria Limited located at 9, Adisa Akintoye street, off Demurin Ketu, apparently to save for that purpose. But little did she realise that her job option would be her greatest undoing, as barely two weeks after she started work at the

•The deceased, Jeniffer Onyeche

•Bereaved mother, Mrs Onyeche

factory, she reportedly died inside the company ’s premises.

The tragic incident occurred on July 24. But till date, the circumstances surrounding

what was considered a mysterious death is yet to be unraveled.

While the company claimed she was electrocuted, an autopsy report from the

Pathology Department of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, conducted on her remains by Dr. O.O Lawal, attributed the cause of death to asphyxia, a condition in which an extreme decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the body accompanied by an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide leads to loss of consciousness or death.

Asphyxia can be induced by choking, drowning,injury, or the inhalation of toxic gases.

When Crime Guard visited the factory, every one approached was silent on the issue.But a colleague who pleaded anonymity said the deceased apparently did not know how to operate the machine, as she was only

•Bea

taught how to handle it for an hour thirty minutes. “She was to be paid N12,000 per month, but only worked for two weeks before the incident occurred.

Mother narrates experience.

At the home of the bereaved in Alapere, Ketu, sympathizers still thronged to console members of the family, particularly the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Dorcas Onyeche. Mrs. Onyeche who still found it difficult to come to terms with her daughter ’s demise, narrated how she got the devastating news that has thrown the family into mourning.

According to her, “ I was at home that fateful day when I heard a knock on the door at about 12.20pm.When we invited the visitors in, their faces were not familiar to me. They simply asked if I was Jenifer’s mother and I nodded.

The next thing I heard threw me off balance. They said my daughter had

Vanguard, SATURDAY AUGUST 17, 2013

— 47

stray bullet in Lagos nt , ,

I need the police authority that the perpetrator represented to come to my aid. This incident has caused I and members of family much ordeal. As it is now, I don’t know if I can be able to father any more children in the future. I did not bargain for this

eal!

treatment I am receiving here, the bill must be on the high side. I am just a driver; I can not foot the bill. I need the police authority that the perpetrator represented to come to my aid. This incident has caused I and members of family much ordeal. As it is now, I don’t know if I will be able to father any more children in future. I did not bargain for this,”the father of two lament-

ed.

The Chief Medical Director of St. Jude’s Hospital, Dr. Jude Mbama who spoke with Crime Guard stated that though the clinic requested for a Police report when the victim was initially brought in at about 11:45pm on August 5, 2013, in a pool of his blood, but they swung into action as soon as he was brought back with the report.Dr. Mbama

also started that Tayo’s situation was very bad when they first brought him “but by God’s grace, we were able to get him to the state he is now. The notso-pleasant news here is the damage done to the patient’s productive organ. This is because his right testicle was badly affected. This situation could be challenging in terms of productivity. Another challenge we face here is the bill settlement,but like medical ethics demands, our main focus is to get the victim back to his feet within the next couple of weeks, then we will decide how best to sort that out,”he said.

PHOTO SPEAK

•The victim, Tayo Ajasa

areaved family been electrocuted at her place of work.

I screamed in shock and disbelief and told them to take me to the factory. A neighbour who rushed out to find what was happening followed me. On reaching the factory, some of the staff told us my daughter was in a good condition.They told me she had been rushed to the General Hospital, Gbagada. “ I became apprehensive on reaching the hospital because I did not see Jenifer there. From there, we proceeded to the General Hospital, Ikeja. Yet,there was no sight of my daughter, same was the result at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, IdiAraba, LUTH. We went back to the factory and in my confused state, I held two of the staff we met, demanding that they revealed the whereabouts of my daughter. That was when they opted to drive us to

Fine Day Hospital at Alapere where to my greatest fear, the news of the death of my daughter was broken.

“At that point, my world was shattered. Yet I insisted on seeing her. It was at that point that I noticed an ambulance and when I took a proper look , I discovered through the glass that it was my daughter that was inside. Just at that same time the doctor pointed to the direction of the ambulance that my daughter was inside.I fainted out of shock.”

Crime Guard gathered that when she regained consciousness, she was driven to Alapere police division from where she was later joined by her husband.Mr Friday Onyeche.

After a while, Mrs Onyeche continued,“Can you imagine that the police forced one of my co-tenants to sign for the release of my daughter ’s corpse to be taken to the morgue even before the arrival of my husband?They said since it was getting late , they would not allow the ambulance to remain in the premises till the next day. But that was the last time the family was allowed to see the corpse as the Police

•From left: CP Abdulmajid Ali,Commissioner of Police EOD (Anti-Bomb) Command; DCP Y . G . Ardo, AIG Zone 2, Mamman Ibrahim Isafe, representing IG of Police and Mr Tajudeen Adigun,O/C EOD Abuja at the Passing out Parade of the Police Bomb Squard at the Police College in Ikeja Lagos recently.

Pix Shola Oyelese

claimed they had to get permission from the court before they would allow us see the corpse.” Again, Mrs Onyeche paused, looked at the faces of people around her and shook her head intermittently. One of the relatives who identified herself as Nike Olanita told Crime Guard that the corpse was eventually released to the family for burial after the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department , SCID, Yaba.

Counter claims Explaining further, Olanita said , “some of the family members were taken to the morgue by operatives at the Homicide section,where they discovered, to their shock, that the deceased had bruises on her ears and hand. “At this point, we suspected there could be more to her death as claimed by the company. Other areas that need to be clarified are; one, while the company claimed Jenifer was taken to the hospital alive, the doctor told us she was brought in dead. Again, the company claimed the injury on her face and hand were sustained

while she was trying to remove a blocked juice.How true that is remains to be justified.

“The managing director said usually, they turned off the machine to unblock whatever fragments was blocking it but because she was new, she probably didn’t know that, and was electrocuted in the process. How would she know how to operate it, when we were reliably informed that she was only trained for an hour, thirty minutes. All we want is for justice to be done by unearthing the circumstances that led to her death and bring anyone found culpable to book. Only then, will we assume justice is done,”she stated.

While the remains of Jenifer whose dreams of becoming a graduate and taking good care of her parents and other siblings was shattered, her body was laid to mother earth last Wednesday. However, operatives at the Homicide section of the SCID have assured that they would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the circumstances surrounding the mysterious death is unraveled.

48—SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

By SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

W

hen the late Afrobeat legend, Fela AnikulapoKuti sang his popular number, Teacher, Don’t Teach Me Nonsense, many thought it was just a song but the song had become a reality in time.

It was sometime in 2011, when Governor Adams Oshiomhole paid an unscheduled visit to a primary school in Edo North senatorial district of the state that he found out the rot which has pervaded the Universal Basic Education in the state. For someone who has embarked on massive construction and rehabilitation of schools in the country of course, he must be concerned with the quality of teachers in these schools. Oshiomhole beckoned on a teacher in the school and asked him what are his workings hours. The teacher could not answer and said I don’t know and later murmured “7am to 4pm Sir”. A visibly shocked Oshiomhole now called a pupil and asked, “ where is your teacher? The teacher standing beside him replied on behalf of the pupil “na me”. That was when the governor knew that he has a serious problem in the educational sector. A week after the incident, a group of Universal Basic Education teachers who were at the Government House in Benin to protest their non absorption into the state teaching service stormed the state government House, unknown to them the governor was waiting for such an opportunity to bare his mind on the rot in the system. While addressing the UBE teachers he asserted that employment into the state teaching service will no longer be automatic, adding that the applicant must show competence beyond paper qualification. He said to them, “the governor does not have a guaranteed job, therefore nobody can have one. You must go through proper interview. The system must be convinced that you have what it takes to be a good teacher ”. He stressed that the system must go through progressive change to ensure that education is restored to its pride of place, stressing there are teachers who cannot speak English. “Whatever they were doing before, we have to review it in the light of current experience. We have teachers who cannot speak English. I asked a teacher last week what the working hours were. He did not know, he said 7am to 4pm. And I asked a pupil, where is your teacher?

The teacher said, ‘na me’. The governor disclosed that government was going to employ teachers to fill the existing vacancies, but it must be based on merit and not geographical area.

While noting that government will weed out unproductive teachers from the school system to restore the dignity of education, the Governor stressed that government cannot guarantee jobs for all UBE graduates simply because they have passed through teacher training. He however assured them that government would direct the Universal Basic Education Board to commerce the process of employment of teachers. “l

Oshiomhole and Mrs Augusta Odemwinge, the teacher who cant read

Drama in Edo as teacher can’t read own certificate *** Oshiomhole expresses shock appreciate that after going through teacher training, you expect that you would be employed, but it would not be automatic”. And following his resolve to clean up the mess in the system, the governor commenced the recruitment of teachers and saddled members of the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) with the responsibility to recruit teachers. But

We have teachers who cannot speak English.

I asked a teacher last week what the working hours were. He did not know, he said 7am to 4pm. And I asked a pupil, where is your teacher? The teacher said, ‘na me’ the governor got another shock of his life, when petitions started flying around that the members were receiving bribe to recruit unqualified teachers. Saturday Vanguard was reliably informed that an official of the Board slept with a female whom he promised to give employment but

at the end of the day refused to fulfill his promise even after sleeping with her. As a result, the governor in collaboration with the state House of Assembly dissolved the Board chaired by Hon. Joseph Emoabino and cancelled the recruitment exercise. While Mr Omorotiomwan was sworn-in as Commissioner.

Worried by the mess in the educational sector, the state called for a town hall meeting with a view to find solution to the problems in that sector. But before the town hall meeting, there was an audit of primary school teachers in the state and it was revealed massive falsification of age of Primary School Teachers in the State Public Schools. But the teachers and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state saw the governor ’s action differently. They alleged that it was because the teachers went on strike that the state government decided to punish them. They even alleged that it was because the Governor was accused of not having his primary school certificate by the PDP governorship candidate in the last governorship election, Gen.Charles Airhiavbere that informed the governor’s reform in the sector.

Though they were reminded that the court had quashed those allegations, after it declared that Airhiavbere failed to prove any of the allegations against the governor.

However the town hall meeting held penultimate week and all the stakeholders were on hand to bare

their minds. While declaring the meeting open, Oshiomhole who was the first to pull the trigger disclosed that from the audit carried out by the State’s Information and Communications Technology, 789 teachers out of 1,379 obtained their Primary School Leaving Certificates before the age of 8 or 9. He said “some of the records show there were a few who were particularly gifted and they finished primary school before they were born. We found that of all our primary school teachers, only 1,287 representing 9% out of 14,484 teachers have proper records in our system. 91% have various forms of discrepancies in their records. About 1,379 teachers representing 11.5% claim that they obtained their Primary School Certificates after they had been employed as teachers. In fact, some obtained their Primary School Certificates not more than two years ago, from the school in which they were employed as teachers. The question is whether they went to Teachers’ Training College or obtained National Certificate of Education (NCE) before they went to primary school. These are facts that have been well documented. It would not be helpful to the cause of education and our resolve to deliver quality education to our pupils if we do not deal with this issue decisively”.

The Governor who reeled out statistics on the teachers-student ratio in all the Local Governments in the State said the average of 30 students per teacher in the State is much lower than the UNESCO recommendation on student-teacher ratio saying this might mean that there are more teachers in the State primary schools than needed. While noting that there were positives from the audit, the Governor said there are more female teachers than male teachers in the State and that “in some cases, we have more female pupils in schools than male and that is very encouraging, because in some States, they are still battling with how to get their female children

Continues on page 49

SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013—49

Drama in Edo as teacher can’t read own certificate Continues from page 48 to school, but that is not the case in Edo.” He also noted that “as a result of the steps we have taken to restore confidence and integrity to our Public Schools, there has been a steady increase in enrolment in Public Junior Secondary Schools in the State. The Governor who said the town hall meeting on education was called to find a solution to the problems said the Government was open to suggestions on the way forward.Some of the stakeholders at the town hall meeting including the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Patrick Ikosimi, the Aidenojie of South Ibie, H.R.H Kelvin Danesi, the Ojirrua of Irrua, H.R.H William Momodu, Comrade Jude Obasanmi, Chairman, Conference of Non Governmental Organizations in Edo State, Rev. Asibor, Mr. Efe John, Mrs. Rosemary Abode and others urged the Governor to take a tough decision to properly sanitize the education sector.

Determined, to sanitize the system despite the criticism from the PDP and some teachers, the State Government invited 1,300 Primary School teachers who have irregularities in their education certificates and age records to appear before a verification committee to defend themselves.

This was made known at a meeting Govenor Oshiomhole held with the leadership of the state Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) led by Comrade Patrick Ikosimi. The

Governor said that the exercise is not to witch-hunt anybody however insisted that it would not be business as usual and that those who have become too old to teach will have to give way. Oshiomhole said “it is not my wish to preside over dismissals, first it is not cheap. Secondly, I have a responsibility to keep Edo going and ensure that our children are in good hands of teachers who are senile and also still strong to stand and competent to teach. If the facts reveal that there are teachers in the classroom who do not have the requisite qualification, you cannot insist that they remain in the system.

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he good news is that those who are not too old, who are capable of training, if we find that they are deficient and it is possible for them to benefit from training, we will give them training, what is not acceptable is to say it is business as usual. We can mismanage everything in our country, if you mismanage education, you are killing our tomorrow, our collective future. The roads we are building, we won’t have brains to look over them. In the absence of brains, we won’t have growth and development.

I have asked the Ministry of Education to invite those category of teachers whose number is about one thousand three hundred who from the records appear to have started their Primary School before they were born to come and speak to the fact because we are not assuming that those documents are iron-cast.”

The Governor said the Primary School teachers will be paid their monthly salary which was withheld while they embarked on strike.

And on the day of the verification exercise, it was drama at Asologun Primary School, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Benin City, Mrs Augusta Odemwinge could not read a sworn affidavit she tendered as part of her credentials. Governor Adams Oshiomhole who paid an unscheduled visit to the State Staff Training Centre venue of the exercise was appalled that a teacher could not read, saying “if you can’t read, what do you teach the pupils, what do you write on the board?”

Chairman of the state Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Patrick Ikosimi who was also at the screening to monitor the exercise said the woman’s failure was “an embarrassment”.

On arrival at the centre, the governor took time to peruse some of the teacher’s credentials and documents presented. When Mrs. Odenwingie took her turn for the exercise, the Governor who listened to her defence asked her to read the affidavit she presented, however, she was stuttering and read the affidavit as if a kindergarten were learning to read, to the consternation of everybody around. Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers NUT, Comrade Ikosimi who described Mrs Odemwingie failure as an embarrassment said the union was in tune with the state government on the need to sanitize the school system.

He said: “We are committed to partnering with the government to

reposition Education in the state. What this teacher has just displayed is a show of shame, it shows the decadence in the education sector. As the chairman of NUT, I have written to the governor that we are in total support of what he is doing. He should properly involve the NUT so that together we can fish out the culprits who are not viable as far as the system is concerned,” he said.

Reacting to the situation, the state Commissioner of Higher Education, Mr Washington Osifo, said: “We represent the trust of the people. We will do what the people want us to do.

But I think we are not far from the people, the people want quality service delivery, we will not also shy away from that. We will not have those who are not qualified manning such sector. You cannot invest tax payers money to develop any sector particularly the educational sector.

Because it is very critical, it is a recruiting ground for other sectors of the economy. We are teaching leaders of tomorrow so we must ensure we give them the best. If a teacher cannot put words together then he cannot be in the class room. There is no sentiment about it. The only thing she was able to pronounce that day was her name, and it is very embarrassing to the state government. I have not been able to recover from that shock.

Yes it was bad but it is not incurably bad. All the teachers are not bad, our teachers are sound but we want it better and that is why we embarked on the reform. The Governor wants the best for our children and we are working towards that direction”.

Unveiling creative industries mapping for fashion, music, film sub-sectors

By Emmanuel Edukugho

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N order to stimulate interest in Nigeria’s creative sector, grow its potential, boost the relatively low profile compared to other sectors of the economy, foster job creation, aid policy making, provide information on size, employment and other trends, the British Council has commissioned a mapping working group to begin a pilot study of selected key sub sectors which are fashion, film an music.

At the mapping of Lagos’ creative industries creative industries project launch/stakeholders meeting recently, Mr. David Higgs, Director, British Council Nigeria, in his welcome address, explained the actual and potential contributions of the creative industries to the economy, the larger role they are playing especially in the demography of youths and job creation.

He paid tribute to the efforts of the Society for Nigerian Theatre Artistes (SONTA), Pan Atlantic University School of Media and Communications and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as partners in the project for strategies mainly from which members of the Mapping Working Group were drawn.

According to Higgs, study of the creative economy could provide insight,

Ojoma Ochai, Asst Country Director, British Council skill, knowledge, employment opportunity, revenue and other things available.

Why map? It’s for data, awareness, profile, knowing the trends and to assist in decision making.

He said that in the United Kingdom, the creative industries contribute 6 per cent of the GDP. UK Mapping 2011 showed key fundings on the contribution to the economy, exports of services, employment and number of businesses,s adding that 10 per cent of Britain’s exports come from creative industries.

It was asserted that the creative sector

has proven to be a viable contributor to the economic development of nations, especially with consideration to the immense export potentials of the sector.

Nollywood (the Nigerian film industry) is recognized as the second largest film industry in the world and Nigerian music, after conquering Africa is now attracting growing interest across the world.

However, the activity within the industry, “the creative industry in Nigeria continues to maintain a relatively low profile and this is attributed to lack of verifiable data on the economic contribution, job creation and other macro economic indices of the sector,” said a British Council statement.

After a stakeholders forum in July 2011, it was unanimously agreed that an economic study (a mapping) of the Nigerian Creative Industry sector should be undertaken, and following a scoping methodology in 2012, fashion, film and music sub-sectors in Lagos were selected for a pilot study.

“The decisions were made in recognition of Lagos as one of the hubs of creative activity in these three sectors which are themselves vibrant and high profile sectors and which we are confident will provide data that make the case for further investment in the mapping process.”

To Ojoma Ochai, Assistant Country Director of British Council Nigeria, the

mapping will be very advantageous to policy making.

“Evidence based decision making regarding the creative industries in Nigeria is key to its growth and we hope that by providing much needed data on key sub-sectors through the mapping exercise, we can start to identify scale, opportunity, trends and patterns that will allow responsible stakeholders make short and long term decisions that will impact the sector positively,” said Mrs. Ochai. Professor E.S. Dandaura, Head, Dept. of Theatre and Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, President of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) Nigeria and immediate past President of SONTA, who coordinates the Mapping Working Group believed the mapping project will provide the needed empirical data that will “demonstrate the extent to which the Nigerian creative industries offer Nigeria a viable alternative to oil.”

On the reliability of the data collected, Dandaura said, “the data collection process for Lagos pilot will cover various sector clusters across Lagos. The establishment and household surveys will cover the core clusters of music, fashion and film industries in both the urban and semi-urban Lagos.”

The results of the mapping exercise will be announced during the 3rd edition of the British Council’s Creative Industries Expo.

50—SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

*President Jonathan

*Clark

*Gbagi

2015: Day South-South leaders rose for Jonathan

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, Deputy Political Editor

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ATURDAY, August 3, 2013 was a spe cial day for the people of Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State. It was a day South-South leaders and eminent Deltans stormed the area to mobilize support for re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

As early as 7a.m on the day in question, all roads led to Sapele Athletics Club, Sapele from all parts of the district for an event billed for 10 a.m. And at 2p.m, when the rally, which was organized by former Minister of state (Education), Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi to unite the Urhobo Nation in Delta Central Senatorial District and mobilize support for President Jonathan’s transformation agenda, began, about 10,000 people had massed at the pitch of the club.

At the event, Elder statesman and Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark and some South-South leaders, insisted and advanced reasons President Jonathan should be allowed to do a second term.

According to them, President Jonathan deserved a second term because his administration had recorded a quantum of achievements since he came to power and as president he had carried on as a detribalized Nigerian without favoritism or subverting the Nigerian constitution for any sectional interest.

The leaders included Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; Chief Godwin Ogbetuo; Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi; former Presidential Spokesman, Olorogun Ima Niboro; Urhobo Leader, Chief Ighoyota Amori, Chief Fred Sohwo, Hon Benjamin Iweta and Mrs. Patricia Efetobor.

North should back Jonathan as payback for past S/South support – EK Clark Clark, who was represented by Chief Ogbetuo, chairman, Delta Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, urged the North to back Jonathan’s re-election in view of past political alliances between the South-South and the North. “Considering the good political alliance between the South-South and the core North in the pre-independence constitutional conferences also in the First and Second republics, supporting the South-South aspiration in President Jonathan come 2015 is like payback time for the support of the region for the North in the past.”

He said: “The South-South geopolitical zone of which Delta State is a part; holds President Jonathan, who is our illustrious son, in highest esteem. We are very proud of him because of his great accomplishments in all facets of human, economic, political and social de-

The South-South will support President Jonathan for 2015 because as a minority he is detribalized and had carried on as president without favoritism or subverting the Nigerian constitution for any sectional interest velopment. He enjoys our support because of the uncommon transformation, ordinary masses, which are not blind-folded by pi-partisan politics, regional or tribal considerations are experiencing under his Presidency.

“These Nigerians are not interested in the politics of where the President comes from, or a president based on ethnic, regional or religious background. The President they want is a leader, who will give them food on their table, good education to prepare them for leadership and revival of our decaying infrastructures to sustain our harmony as a nation. This is what President Jonathan is doing since becoming President.”

He continued: “The South-South will support President Jonathan for 2015 because as a minority he is detribalized and had carried on as president without favoritism or subverting the Nigerian constitution for any sectional interest. President Jonathan sees every Nigerian irrespective of where he comes from, religious background, economic or political base as one united entity. The president today is a unity bridge that

binds the South and the North together.”

Delta‘ll work for Jonathan, PDP victory –Uduaghan Governor Uduaghan, who was represented by Delta State Commissioner for Housing, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, assured the president that Delta State, the Urhobo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had resolved to work for total victory for him and the PDP in 2015.

He commended the president on the transformation agenda, which he said had yielded results in critical sectors like transportation, power, education, physical development, social amenities and job provision.

He pledged the full support of Delta for President Jonathan because of his economy-boosting programme, curtailing of Boko Haram insurgency and upgrading of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurum, to a full-fledged university among others.

Jonathan has made South-South proud –Amori Chief Amori said: “This is the first time that the people of Delta Central are coming together to back Jonathan. He is our son, we identify with him. Jonathan has done well and made South-South proud, come 2015, we will support him to go back to Aso Rock.”

Also speaking, Niboro, who recalled how he met President Jonathan when he was deputy governor of Bayelsa State and how he rose to become governor, vice president and now president, said the president had shown leadership and tremendous dexterity, who should be allowed to continue.

It is Jonathan or nothing in 2015 – Gbagi On his part, Gbagi, a veteran Delta State governorship aspirant, who is aspiring to succeed Uduaghan in 2015, said it was sad that a section of the country, which believed that it had a birthright to rule Nigeria

had laid a siege on the president.

Noting that President Jonathan deserved a second term for many reasons, he said: “It is Jonathan or nothing in 2015. We have been having presidents from other parts of the country in the past.

None of them was asked to terminate his tenure in his first term. It is an insult to the South-South zone to ask Jonathan not to run for second term,” he argued.

Jonathan’s achievements According to Gbagi, the SouthSouth support for Jonathan was informed by his achievements since he came to power.

The achievements, he said include: * Railway sector 2012: Rehabilitation of main Western line; Lagos to Kano (1,124 km) is completed and functional * Road Sector 2012: 651 km of road constructed, 976 km of road rehabilitated, 1,002,343 sq km of pot holes patched through FERMA, five bridges constructed, 28 bridges maintained, improved travel time on federal roads to 90km/hr * Education sector: 12 new federal universities established with first nine starting academic activities * 5000 scholarships provided for staff of Nigerian tertiary institutions for Doctoral level study in Nigeria and overseas in addition to 101 beneficiaries of the Presidential Special Scholarship for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) selected for training in the top 25 universities in the world. * Security installation and deployment of over 2000 video surveillance cameras (CCTV) in Abuja and Lagos with 36 equipment rooms and 2 main switch centres in 2012; procured in first quarter of 2013, 3 helicopters, 275 Toyota Hilux pickups and 33 armored personnel carrier for police patrol

SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013 — 51

Continued from page 13

en and children. Most of them (women & children) were however freed from the camps as their captors fled in disarray.

In several updates and briefings on the special operation in the North East, Director of Defence information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, did say and it was confirmed that a total of 58 detainees linked with Boko Haram terrorists were released in Borno and Yobe states in keeping with Presidential directives.

This comprised 23 women and 35 children, with some of the teenagers confessing that they were conscripted to run errands for the terrorists who paid them N5, 000 to monitor troops and set public buildings ablaze. The women and children were subsequently handed over to the governors of Borno and Yobe states for rehabilitation and reintegration.

At this juncture, one must salute the courage and supreme sacrifice that had been paid by over 30 dead military and police officers as well as the SSS since the operation started. Some were killed by landmines; some got killed during ambush while others died during crossfire.

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little over a fortnight ago, fifteen of these gallant officers including two Army Majors and thirteen soldiers killed by the terrorists were given national burial at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja. Another twelve soldiers and seven Policemen were killed near the border between Borno and Cameroon on August 4.

The 15 soldiers are Major Abdullahi Fambiya, Major Abdulllahi Kanoma, Staff Sgt. Keku Adebayo, Corporal Ahmed Usman, Cpl. Mathew Ade, Lcpl. Adamu Ibrahim, Lcpl. Suleiman Gimba, Lcpl Saduaki Salisu, Lcpl Usman David, Lcpl. Olusola Ajani, Private Zakariya Dauda, Private Daniel Kantona, Private Nya Bassey, Private Bassey Emmanuel and Private Enyenihi Effiong.

In contrast, a number of terrorists, over 1,000 of them have been apprehended by the Special Forces. Many of them have also died in battle.

This was made possible by various resources including trained Military Police dogs that facilitated the arrest of insurgents who tried to infiltrate cities after being dislodged from their bases at the onset of the operation.

A recent encounter in the terrorist’s main enclaves in Balabulin Nganaram, Aljajeri and Faluja in Maiduguri metropolis led to the death of Amir of Balabulin Nganaram, one of the kingpins on the JTF wanted list. During the encounter, many women and children were rescued and handed over to their families

*Troops on the march

How Special Forces reclaimed Nigerian territory from terrorists by the JTF. Cordon and Search operations have started enjoying tremendous support and cooperation of the locals; and several terrorists including their foreign members are being tracked down. Key terrorists especially those in the cadre of Amir and those helping their renewed mobilization and recruitment of minors are being hunted.

An outcome of the cordon and search operations in Balabulin area of Maiduguri recently, is the discovery of a vast network of underground tunnels connecting houses and many bunkers, some of which have the capacity to accommodate over 100 persons. More corpses were also discovered in soak-away. Various weapons were discovered in the same area.

Abubakar Shekau’s parent’s in-law were picked up in the raid which also discovered various audio recordings of terrorists' messages. Since then, recoveries are made almost on a daily basis as the operation progresses. Some of the recoveries which the media had opportunity to inspect in the camps are of frightening proportion.

They include 5 Rocket Propelled Grenade, 14 IEDS, 8 AK 47 Rifles, 9 AK 47 Magazines, 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade Charger, 1 G3 Rifle, 3 FMC Magazines, 166 Rounds of 7.62 mm Special, 3.35mm Bazooka, 34 Rounds of 5.56mm.

Others include 1, 740 rounds of 303inch, 10 Rounds of 7.62 NATO, 1 round of .50mm, 1 Dane gun, 1 locally made pistol and 2 mega phones. In one of the updates on the operation, General

Olukolade himself acknowledged that most of the arms and ammunition seen and recovered from the terrorists are those nobody ever thought were in this country.

The operation further exposed the ideological confusion professed by the so called Islamic sect as a lot of immorality was unmasked and their true identities of drug addicts, abusers of cocaine, heroin and Indian hemp were let out of the bag.

The discovery of large storage of both used and unused condoms explained the resort to kidnapping of women also.

In fact the international community recently came to terms with the magnitude of

vance, the military authorities have decided to boost the security cover of states under the emergency. In this direction, additional troops are being brought back from the peace support operations in Mali to join the internal security operations.

One area of concern raised by observers is the allegation that certain human rights abuses have been committed on the part of the special forces but authorities contacted pointed out that the zeal to indict the operation on issues of human rights should also note the peculiarity of the situation in relation to infrastructural capacity for managing the insurgents preparatory to

Recent encounter in the terrorists’ main enclaves in Balabulin Nganaram, Aljajeri and Faluja in Maiduguri metropolis led to the death of Amir of Balabulin Nganaram, one of the kingpins on the JTF wanted list. During the encounter, many women and children were rescued and handed over to their families by the JTF the atrocities committed and the mass murder perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorists when the International Criminal Court (ICC), indicted the group as a murderous terrorist organization saying its leaders and members of the group will face charges of crimes against humanity if arrested.

As a way of working to curtail the new tactic of launching isolated attacks on soft targets to try to feign rele-

ensuring that they face justice.

Firstly, judicial officers including Judges, Lawyers have always rejected having anything to do with Boko Haram suspects. Prisons and Police Stations where these suspects would have been detained have all been attacked and destroyed thereby making it impossible to achieve quick dispensation of justice.

In another development, troops have engaged and dislodged elements of insurgent

groups who carried out attacks on citizens in localities such as Gamboru ward recently.

At the end of the encounter, a total of 10 suspected terrorists were confirmed dead while weapons such as Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers, assorted ammunition and rifle magazines were recovered.

The area is being combed to fish out any of the surviving insurgents.

Also, some of the fleeing insurgents from various camps have been noted to be in search of fuel from neighboring communities.

Citizens are advised to report to JTF, any group of persons roaming around the local communities with large quantities of containers in search of fuel. The advance of troops is continuing in all fronts as scheduled.

The Defence Headquarters has further enjoined the troops to sustain the intensity of the operations.

Saturday Vanguard was further told that the shooting at, of an Air force Helicopter Gunship by the terrorists from the dreaded Sambisa Forests where several camps for recruitment, training and IEDS construction were based, using anti-aircraft technical guns from mounted vehicles, confirmed that indeed the terrorists were on course to carry out that plot.

2 Majors, 13 soldiers killed by boko haram buried in abuja as Jonathan vows to win war on terror Also speaking at the event, Minister of State Defence, Dr. Erelu Olusola Obada stated that the country appreciates the bravery of the fallen officers and men, and promised federal government’s support for the military.

“On behalf of the armed forces, I want to reiterate that the gallant efforts of these men who proudly showcased the great spirit and tenacity to serve and save our nation from destructive elements shall not be in vain. We therefore see their death as noble in the course of duty to serve humanity”. “The nation appreciates the great sacrifice of these men and other members of the armed forces of Nigeria who continued to make sacrifices to ensure enduring peace in our nation and other parts of the African continent.

We are committed to doing our best in supporting the armed forces in the call to duty and ensure the unity of Nigeria”. She added: “Let me end by saying, and I quote, ‘good men must die but death cannot kill your names’ and the names of our fallen heroes will never die in our hearts”.

Speaking on behalf of the next-of-kins at the event, Pastor Iliya Joshua called on government to thoroughly investigate the cause of death of the officers and men as their death remained a mystery to them.

52— SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Insecurity: FG orders tanker drivers to relocate from MMIA

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

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HE Federal Government yesterday gave a fortyeight hours ultimatum to Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), access road to relocate their vehicles from the airport environment or face being sanctioned.

Disclosing this development during a stakeholders meeting at the conference room of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Regional Manager, South West, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Edward Olarerin said the need to relocate the drivers became mandatory due to the dangers the present location poses to the airport community.

The meeting which comprises FAAN management team, the Nigerian Police Force, Air Force, Aviation Security, and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), MMIA branch was held to find a lasting solution to the security threat posed by the location of the drivers.

Mr. Olarerin said the present location of the drivers which has tank farms and trucks parked close to the airport constitute the highest threat to the environment and communities around adding that it could become a ready tool in the hands of terrorists who might be planning to use it as a weapon of mass destruction.

He said that the Authority has provided another location for the drivers to relocate their trucks to adding that work to cordon off their present site will commence Monday next week.

He said: “When we went to Abuja, I am talking about the presidency now; we were given directive before the last meeting that we must move everybody out of that place.

“This is an instruction from Abuja and coupled with the transformation that is going on in all the airports now.

We appreciate the fact that if the pipelines were working, there would have been no need for the tankers to be there in the first place but because you

have to take aviation fuel directly from the depot to the airport, we had to allow them because we have to make sure that aviation fuel is available.

“That is why you have the tankers there. They are supposed to be very few, where you have six (6) marketers that could not require more than 6 vehicles at a particular time. We now have tankers that are not supposed to be here at all, that are not meant for the airport, that are not Jet A1 tankers coming to the airport.

“A lot of the tankers you see in that place are broken down and most of the trucks have been abandoned by the owners.

Now we have transformation going on, airports are being

remodeled and new car parks are being constructed. If you have all these facilities and the road to these facilities are bad, how would you feel?

The airport manager further stated that FAAN had already engaged the service of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority(LASTMA), to assist in relocating the trucks.

Responding, the Secretary General, NUPENG, MMIA branch, Mr. Tayo Aboyeji said the drivers are not against the relocation of their trucks from the present location, saying that they are ready to move provided that FAAN will assist in providing the necessary facilities to make their stay comfortable.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (left), receiving the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International, Nigeria Award for his giant strides in the State from the former National President of the Fellowship, Arc. Bunmi Adedeji (right) while the National President, Arc. Ifeanyi Odedo looks on during the opening of the 2013 Abeokuta Regional Convention of FGBMFI, Nigeria, in Abeokuta on Thursday.

IFC to facilitate additional 1500 MW to national grid

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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NTERNATIONAL Finance Corporation, IFC has announced its plans to support investments that will add 1, 500

megawatts of power generation to the national grid.

Addressing news men in Lagos, IFC Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Jean

Philippe Prosper said the corporation has already signed a mandate to mobilize funds for a power generation company and aims to provide similar support for others, adding that IFC also plans to sup-

port up to three power generation companies.

“These projects will add 1,500 MW to the national grid and are part of the World Bank Group’s intervention in the sector which is built into the Energy Business Plan.

Safety expert calls for caution on insecurity

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SSOCIATION of Safety Practitioners and Professionals (ASPPro) has appealed that all hands must be on deck to curb the rising cases of insecurity in the country.

National Co-ordinator of ASPPro, Lanre Ajegbomogun, in an interview with newsmen yesterday said the country is going through a trying period similar to the pre-civil war era and there is the need for all to exercise utmost restraint, so as not to plunge the country into anarchy.

Ajegbomogun especially appealed to politicians to avoid dragging the security agencies into the various flashpoints of crisis in the country, particularly, that of Rivers State.

According to the safety expert, who is also the Veterinary Director of Lahrivet Clinik, advised politicians and members of the public to seek civilised and decent means of resolving their differences, devoid of violence and confrontation so as

not to rubbish the achievements of the present Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who has performed creditably well up till now.

Ajegbomogun said IG Abubakar since assumption of office, has been working tirelessly to reposition the Nigerian Police and to restore public con-

fidence in the force beginning with his efforts at implementing N50, 000 minimum wage for a constable in the Force, as such will go a long way to boost morale and promote efficiency.

The IG, Ajegbomogun said also made proposal to the Federal Government and making a “seri-

ous representation” for the actualization of the new salary structure for the police believing that apart from salary, other welfare packages like housing, training, mortgage policy and efficient cooperative society should be restructured to ensure that every policeman benefits from the scheme.

Glo X Factor: SmoothBoiz receive heroic were driven by Globacom welcome in Ikorodu into a waiting reception

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P-AND-COMING singing group, the Smooth Boiz of Glo X Factor, received a rousing welcome from family members, friends and neighbours in a rustic Odonguyan community in Ikorodu, Lagos State, as they returned home after their elimination from the world’s biggest singing reality TV show brought to Africa by Globacom.

‘The show offers the biggest prize money in singing reality shows in Africa, N24 million (USD 150,000), and a recording contract with the internationally acclaimed

label, Sony Music.

The SmoothBoiz were the first to be eliminated out of the top 9 finalists as the television show entered the eviction stage three weeks ago.

The first result did not produce any elimination as the judges could not agree on who should leave between Vicky and SmoothBoiz who were in the bottom two in the voting. The group finally went out in a blaze of glory in the second result show.

The SmoothBoiz, made up of Peter Godwin, Victor Simeon, David Oboh and Festus Oboh

party organized at the home of the parents of David and Festus, Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Oboh, in Odonguyan, in Ikorodu town.

Those who waited to receive the boys included leaders of the community led by its Treasurer, Alhaji Rahman Sambo, uncles, aunts, siblings of the boys, cousins, friends, neighbours and a large crowd of well wishers.

As soon as the SmoothBoiz came out of the car, they were hailed by the waiting welcome party as they stepped into the warm embrace of their parents.

IFC is also considering participation in a gas-topower project,” he said.

He explained that under the Energy Business Plan, each World Bank group institution will leverage its competencies and products to provide solutions to projects that encourage their viability and contribute to the sustainability of the power sector.

Prosper further noted that, “the federal government has demonstrated strong commitment to successful implementation of the power sector reform so that all the pieces of a sustainable power sector are coming together. The World Bank Group has put together an Energy Business Plan that will allow IFC, the World Bank and MIGA to help address key project structuring issues and boost power supply to Nigerians,” he said.

“IFC and the other institutions of the World Bank Group are committed to supporting Nigeria with targeted interventions in the power sector that facilitate demonstration projects and boost investor confidence and contribute to better living standards,” he added.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government estimates that N1.6 trillion investment is required for infrastructure development in Nigeria to achieve its target of 40, 000 MW generation capacity by 2020.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013—53 Egharhevwa: Economy will improve if the issue of power supple is settled

120m people have no access to electricity 53 years after independence—Egharhevwa A

ruviere Martin Egharhevwa is a young qualified Nigerian lawyer living in London, United Kingdom. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard Business, Urhobo born citizen of Delta State, laments the rate of unemployment among Nigerian youths, epileptic power supply that has crippled business operation in the country, insecurity and poor level of economic development in the country.

Excerpts: Since the ban of Okada in some states in Nigeria without a better replacement, insecurity is on the increase, what do you think is the solution?

Today, Nigeria is increasingly being seen and projected as a lawless state. The impression is that you can commit any type of crime and nothing would happen to you.

The law enforcement agencies are seen by the perpetrators of crimes as impotent; and the courts, where they are meant to be prosecuted, as prostrate. Thus anything can go and the system is helpless about it.

It is for this and all such failures by the state that many see Nigeria either as a failed or failing state, depending on persuasion. There is upsurge in crimes in Nigeria because it is not only lucrative; criminals hardly pay the price for their activities. The nation’s dysfunctional judiciary has emboldened them the more.

Suspects are arrested, but before you could think of what becomes of them they are released either on bail or surreptitiously.

The same set of people goes back to their pastime. Renowned American jurist, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., once

said that crime in the eye of a bad guy is terminds of the consequences that go with its B o k o commission. The only solution to crime is Haram’s terjustice; somebody must and should be held ror aren’t responsible for a crime. Thereafter, poor, its foot prosecution and subsequent sentencing. soldiers are Do you think the oil companies in the r e c r u i t e d Niger Delta have done enough from the flotempowerment for their youths? sam and jetNo! They have failed the people abysmally. sam of the Empowerment, even development and p o p u l a c e , employment is comatose. Take my immediate from the ecocommunity for example, Kokori Inland. We n o m i c a l l y produce one of the best crude oil in the world disaffiliated but today the community is worse for it. No in the society, jobs for my people! Graduates, skilled work- from young ers and the rest of them are roaming our people who apparently have nothing monthly electricity bills they are forced to streets dejected and rejected by the multi to live for and can therefore be easily pay for poor services rendered by PHCN. nationals operating in the Niger Delta re- manipulated into unthinking, Across the country, businesses of artisans, gion. small-scale entrepreneurs and other unreflecting extremism.

Could you please suggest how Nigerian If British politician Benjamin Disraeli investors are being crippled by erratic youths can be empowered? is right that “the youth of a nation are electricity supply. This has led to more blueCriminologists have known for ages that the trustees of posterity,” then the chip companies relocating from Nigeria to economic disaffiliation is one of the most imperative of governance should be to neighboring countries, where conducive potent triggers of counter-cultural and give the youth of any society something operating environment is guaranteed. violent tendencies. They have known, too, to live for. In other words, the fulcrum Whereas in Nigeria that aspires to be among that the disempowering tyranny of poverty of governance should revolve around the first 20 frontline economies in the world and the all-too-familiar indiscretions that the securing the future of the youth, by 2020, 120 million of the 160 million exuberance of youth instigate are a rejuvenating their hopes, and people after 53 years of independence, have combustible mix that all too often ignite empowering their present. no access to electricity supply. Also, as at extreme social conflagrations. Nigerians Nigerians pay high tariff on power 2006, more than 60 million generators were don’t need any high-minded social science supply, yet they don’t have it. Recently, imported into the country yearly while a theorist to tell them this. They know, from it has been increased, is it how it is be- whopping sum of N1.6 trillion was their recent live experience, that poverty ing done abroad? expended on fueling generators. and youth don’t mix well. The Boko Haram It is scandalous that even The Presidency Not at all, you enjoy whatever you violence, although now definitely fizzling pay for. I must quickly state it that, I and the various tiers of government across out, is eloquent testimonial endorsement of consider it unfair, unjust and the country are contributors to this avoidable this fact. It isn’t accidental that Yobe and unacceptable for government to place waste and drain on the financial resources Borno states, the big burden of electricity tariff on of the country. Importation of generators has which have the customers despite the increasingly become a big and highly lucrative business dubious honour deteriorating services of PHCN. There handled by a powerful and influential of being among is no justification for it especially when cabal. This seems why over the years, Nigeria’s states agos State government has the desire to have a reliable that are poor, the generality of electricity consumers nothing is working in the power sector. As across the country are yet to derive long as the generator business is booming, database for planning, research disclosed that it has spent bear the worst over N35 million in the and development of the sector burden of the sustainable satisfaction from the services the problem of epileptic power supply will production of tourist guide book and not for economic Boko Haram in- provided by the PHCN. In spite of the persist since there is criminal collaboration for the hotel and hospitality considerations as speculated in s u r g e n c y . high tariff, electricity supply across the between importers of generators and some country remains erratic. Domestic and unpatriotic and corrupt persons in high some quarters. industry in the state. Ä database of practitioners and Although the industrial electricity consumers are not places.

Speaking at the stakeholders ideological mas- getting value for the outrageous meeting, Commissioner for location of tourism and Tourism and Intergovernmental recreational facilities will be Relations, Mr. Oladisun created to enable government Holloway, however noted that provide necessary infrastructure. less than N20 million has been Realizing that some practitioners generated from the hotels in the were reluctant to comply with the he vision and passion of ar and friends around the exhibition language.

However, in his quest to perHotel Licensing law 2003, which last five years. tistic invention that runs in centre in Ajah, Lagos, had at the According to Holloway, Lagos was promulgated to ensure the family of Chief Ogbonna was age of 9 developed special petuate and develop the ideals state government’s registration, grading and an ancestral heritage from the art interest in traditional art forms of his late father, Aguene Art determination to register, classify standardization of hospitality and loving family of late Chief including paintings, sculptures, Foundation, an indigenous nonAguene Nwinyinya Okorie of bronze, wood, etc. At the age of governmental organisation was and grade hotels is borne out of tourism practice.

Umuchita-Uudomi village in 11, he was already a regular sight set up for the collection, preserin the company of his father at vation, development and adOnicha Igboeze, Ebonyi State.

Speaking on the development high profile traditional vancement of arts and culture. To and benefit Nigeria stands to ceremonies and gatherings of further enhance the preservation gain through Aguene Art titled men, though without of our proud African heritage on a global level, Chief Solomon Foundation, Solomon said, prejudice to his education.

It was funny, when at 15 with Ogbonna, chairman, Board of “ without vision the people perish”, quoting the Bible. “A the influence of his father was Trustees of the foundation, the man without vision is not capable admitted into the spiritual group, patron of Onicha Igbo-Eze Town of achieving any high enterprise, “OGBO-EKWA” which then Union, Lagos branch, an and he that has focus should not stood as ancient police in Onicha ambassador for Peace, also an allow anything to distract him Igbo-Eze (a group that chastises awardee of Pan-African Partneruntil he gets to his final evil doers in the community and ship Award for Peace, Art and Culture Development etc. has destination”. This philosophy has brings them to justice), he said.

He believes that art is a form of embarked on the establishment helped him today to raise this art foundation that would not only culture and an extension of the of Aguene Museum Of Master anchor on preservation of the art, mind and reasoning of the spirits. Pieces of Art. President, South-East, Southculture and tradition of the Therefore, he is resolute in his people but is bent on bringing advocacy for custom and tradition SouthTraditional Ruling Council, development to the country and of Africans, and he is convinced Lagos, Dr. Sylvan O. Ebigwei, advised all and sundry to support His Royal Highness, Eze Dr John Nwosu Asuwaju Ndi Igbo of also making it a tourism site for that nothing will strengthen a Chief Solomon succeed in this people as much as a proper apall and sundry.

Mushin Land;Igwe Sunywhite Obiaku Eze Diora Nma 111 of Chief Solomon, who officially preciation and understanding of vision taken to make Nigeria Ojo; Chief Solomon Ogbonna,Chairman BOT AAF, at the conducted Ohanaeze Ndigbo in their own history as recorded by great like other countries of the launching of Aguene Art Foundation, Ajah, Lagos.

Lagos, well-wishers, pressmen their own people, in their own world.

Lagos spends N35 million on tourist guide book

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Aguene Ar oundation se o de Artt FFoundation sett tto devvelop, pr omo ourism in Nigeria—Ogbonna promo omotte ttourism

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54—SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 17, 2013

ONOCHIE ANIBEZE’S MOSCOW DIARY

Igwe in Malawi

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JOURNALIST from Malawi here takes delight in meeting Nigerians.

“Ieeegweee” he would hail a Nigerian, thrusting a

hand up and slightly bowing in a typical way an Igbo would greet an Igwe.

Asked if he knew the meaning of Igwe, Stalin, said “of course. It means a

high chief.”

And how did he come to know about this? He explained that he watches Home Videos from Nigeria and that a channel in their television bouquet in Malawi “permanently shows African movies.”

Stalin has picked up some Nigerian cultures and proudly speaks of them here.

Dare Esan’s $200 wine, Sports minister’s birthday

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HE tension that gripped Nigerians here while Blessing Okagbare stepped out for the 100m final last Tuesday was unbelievable. After winning in the Olympic Games anniversary meet where she ran 10.79 seconds, a new African record, the hype on the World Championships turned towards the Delta girl. Expectations grew among Nigerians and Blessing appeared to have developed more confidence.

The gold chase was on.

And when they were about to start the race, heart beats increased. Julius Ogunro, the SA to the sports minister, asked at that moment if it would not be healthier to shut one’s eyes like some people do during penalty kicks in soccer. I asked him why he came

here. Dare Esan, the Complete Sports Editor stood. He couldn’t sit to watch the race. I was already standing. Duro Ikhazuegbe, the sports editor of Thisday also stood.

We were all tensed up.

Julius held his shoulders and remembered that it was Tuesday, August 13, the birthday of his principal, the sports minister. “What a wonderful birthday gift it would be for Blessing to win the gold here,” he said.

Such was the expectation of many Nigerians. On your marks, set, the gun went and Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce had left all on the blocks. Muriela Ahoure of Ivory Coast was gone, Carmelita Jeter was gone.

We watched and hoped that, as usual, Blessing would recover and power home. She had always won

Okagbare’s tears impress official

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EARS, naturally, should attract pity if not sympathy.

When Blessing Okagbare failed in the 100m final here and burst into tears, many felt for the Nigerian athlete.

Nigeria is here with 20 athletes but only Blessing is a medal potential. She already has one, a Long Jump silver. But when she dropped to the sixth position she cried all night.

“We have athletes here who crashed out in the first round of their events but they are acting as if nothing happened,” Jide Josiah, a Nigerian official fumed.

Blessing Okagbare

“You see them playing around, wearing skimpy things and showing off as if they are here for another business. But see how Blessing is crying. And that’s somebody who already has a silver. Can you imagine? Blessing has shown how patriotic she is.

She has shown her determination and the will to win. Look at how she was crying. That shows her good spirit.” If you didn’t follow the story and heard his last remarks, you would think that he was commending Blessing for weeping over her failure.

her races in the last ten meters or so. But from 50 metres we saw her struggling and English Gardner of USA passed her and Kerron Steward followed. What an evening. We expected gold but found our country not good enough for silver or bronze. We all stood there petrified. Speechless momentarily. The weather wasn’t cold but the air around us made us cold.

Blessing was sixth. As we walked away, Dare Esan only said “this morning I had told some foreign friends that we would have a drink tonight. I kept $200 for the wine that I was going to use to toast to our victory. I’ll now walk straight into my room when I get to my hotel. I’ll keep my $200.”

We stepped out of the main arena to the entrance of the VIP Hospitality zone where sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi was already standing.

“I think that it will be unfair to talk about what we didn’t get. It’s better that we talk about what we have.

We have a silver here from long jump, from the same athlete. It’s worth celebrating. It’s our first medal in the World Championship for14 years” the minister said, trying to console everybody. Solomon Ogba, the AFN President had joined us. So was Amaju Pinnick, Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, Rene Thobi, a Camerounian journalist who was so impressed by the concern and conduct of Abdullahi that she told the minister “I want to take a picture with you so that I’ll tell our own sports minister how a minister of sports should be close to the people.”

Abdullahi obliged and continued to commend Blessing but added that Nigeria should produce many top athletes so that “all our expectations would not be on one athlete.”

He was right but his ministry has to lead the way. He seems to be pulling strings to do so.

Time will tell. Julius later left with him and we never heard anything again about his birthday.

Nigerian athletes deserve much more, says Ngerem F

ORMER Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Dan Ngerem has declared that it was time Nigerian sports authority end their rhetoric and help the country’s athletes to maximise their potentials and achieve success at the world level.

Ngerem was speaking against the background of the chequered performances by Nigerian athletes at the world stage. He submitted that the different between Nigerian and other nations’ athletes was the adequate funding and training programmes that produced world champions.

“We would be only going around in circles if we fail to do what we are suppose to do. First of all we must have a clear policy and adequate funding of those programmes.

“For instance an athlete like Blessing Okagbare has all the potential to become a world champion. But how have we helped her to get the desire results,” said Mr. Ngerem He stated that poor showing of Nigerian at the 2013 World Championships shouldn’t be a surprise. This was because the athletes were not pre-

pared for the event.

“The Sports Minister is there in Moscow celebrating a silver medal that came through cheer luck. After the Cross River/ All Nigeria Championships, the AFN was looking for funds to camp the athletes and there wasn’t any camping of the athletes. That

would have even afforded them the opportunity to practice for the relays where we have prospects. “Now Okagbare wins a silver we are celebrating it. Why can’t the government put in money for the preparations of these athletes, so that there will be many more athletes to celebrate.”

Blessing Okagbare and Allyson Felix after their 200m race

Asumnu: I made a mistake running for Nigeria she did with other US-born leadership. Asumnu should Sprinter, Gloria Asumnu has summed up her threeyear sojourn with the Nigeria’s track and field team and concluded that it has been a huge mistake.

Asumnu, born and bred in the United States, turned to her fatherland in 2011 after she failed to grab a spot in the American team. Her coming was welcomed by the Nigerian track and field officials who had always tried to convince the multitude of Nigerian-born athletes in the diaspora to consider Nigeria. But for Asumnu and others who responded to the call, it has always been a harvest of frustration and she let it out yesterday on her twitter handle.

“Choosing to run for Nigeria was a decision I thought I made for the better. But in turn I’m thinking it was a big mistake.”

In Moscow, Russia Asumnu ran 11.44 in semifinal of the women 100m and claimed that that was her last event of the season.

She stated that she may not be running in the women 4x100.

Former national heptathlon champion, Patience Itanyi who recruited Asumnu for Nigeria just like

Nigerian-born athletes submitted that the country was not treating athletes well, adding that officials were not helping matters with the management of the athletes and their conduct.

“It is painful our athletes are going through what they are going through.

Imagine some of the USbased athletes were denied their earnings at the former Mobil Championships and up till now the AFN president knew who was responsible yet he did nothing about it.

“Even the AFN top officials are not showing good

have been kicked out of the team last year after she displayed some unprofessional conducts at London 2012,” Itanyi said.

Asumnu represented Nigeria at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. She was part of the Nigerian 4x100m relay team that reached the final. At the All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique she placed third. She also won a bronze in the women 100m at the African championships last year in Porto Novo, Benin Republic as well as gold in both 200m and 4x100m relay.

Ohuruogu will never be British hero IGERIA-born Christine Ohuruogu has achieved all there is in track and field winning two world championships title and an Olympic gold and silver for Great Britain.

Yet for many, she will never be up there with British heroes Dame Kelly Holmes, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Sally Gunnell - or mentioned in the same breath as Paula Radcliffe, Tessa Sanderson and Denise Lewis. The problem stems from 2006 when Ohuruogu was suspended from competing for missing three out-

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of-competition drugs tests.

It was a massive blow to British athletics, more so as she was being touted as a potential face of the London Games.

To her credit, she immediately apologised but insisted she was guilty of nothing more than not informing the testers of when she moved training venue.

Ohuruogu was cleared twice by drugs testers either side of her third missed test and three independent inquiries concluded “forgetfulness” was behind her mistake.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 17, 2013—55

NSC plans Chess tourney for South East Secondary schools on the forthcoming THE South East Zone 1 of the National Sports Commission comprising Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra States has

commenced moves to organise a two day 1st chess competition for secondary schools in the zone.

Speaking with sports writers

Fuludu identifies lack of sponsors as bane of sports devt T

HE Chairman, Delta State Football League Management Board, Edema Fuludu, (MON), has said that the greatest challenge to football development is lack of sponsorship, just as he commended grassroot coaches and footballers for their efforts at ensuring that developmental football takes its pride of place in spite of the daunting challenges.

Edema made the observation when he led other members of the Delta State Football League Management Board on a courtesy visit on the Transition Committee Chairman of Okpe Local Government Area to formally intimate him with the workings of the board and further ask for support and assistance in the area of developmental football.

Stressing the importance of grassroot football and how it can help checkmate social vices, he said that football helps in reducing youth restiveness in the state, noting that Delta state has the best organized league in the country that could further boost the economy of the state and instill good morals in the the youths.

Fuludu canvassed for the assistance of the local governments to suppo t the board to devel p the players and the game because the clubs are managed by coaches and individuals who don’t have the financial capability to take these teams on football matches outside the

NBBF Continues from B/P -ted to depart for Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Monday to drum support for the team as they gun for the title of the Afrobasket 2013.

One of the key officers of the Hoopers, Alhaji Nasiru Mohammed, Chairman, Disciplinary Committee who disclosed this in Lagos said they are ready to cheer the team to success as they have always done since 1996. ”We are going there to give the team all our support.’’

BRIEFING... Former Super Eagles midfielder and Initiator of Lagos International Football Tiurnament (LIFT), Mutiu Adepoju (l),Lagos State FA Chairman, Mr. Seyi Akinwunmi and former Super Eagle Captain, Peter Rufai at the Media launch of the Lagos International Football Tournament at the Teslim Balogun Stadium during the week.

Keshi wants total mauling of Malawi S

UPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi said he and his wards are looking forward to a comprehensive beating of Malawi when they clash on September 7 for the group qualifiers of the FIFA 2014 World Cup. Keshi who was speaking in Johann-esburg after the 2-0 win over Bafana Bafana in noted that his team’s performance in friendly in South Africa will amount to nothing if Malawi escapes defeat in

Calabar. He added that he was excited by his team cohesion and that was what mattered.

“It it’s about the unity of the team. How we played and the attitude of the players in the match againt South Africa.

“But the most important game for us is on the 7th of September against Malawi.

The match in agaisnt Bafana Bafana is a great reunion factor for us. We must now to build our confidence to go on

FIFA U-17 World Cup:

Amuneke sees Eaglets flourishing despite MRI set-back

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OLDEN Eaglets assistant coach, Emmanuel Amuneke has said that the recent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test, which questioned the true age of certain players of the national team will not deter the Eaglets from achieving their goal of winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup billed for the United Arab Emirate in October.

tournament at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu , the coordinator in charge of the zone, Stanley Okebugwu explained that the competition would help to raise a formidable Under-17 Chess team for the zone.

The competition, Okebugwu disclosed would take place at the Media Center, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu from the 21st to 22nd of August, 2013.

He disclosed that 32 athletes are expected to participate in the event, adding that the Chess Tournament is open to players in secondary schools (under 17) within the zone.

Amuneke, former striker of the Super Eagles, stated that there are players who could replace those that have been disqualified by the test.

“I remain optimistic about the chances of the team, we know that this journey was going to be full of challenges when we started. But we have been transparent enough as regards the twin issue of

players’ selection and the MRI test and it is important for the public to be well educated on this matter.

The truth is that these players have not remained the same since we picked them almost two years ago because they have been training and eating well and their growth is expected,” he stressed.

and get ready for that game against Malawi.”

Meanwhile Keshi has lambasted MalawicoachTomSaintfeitover hiscallforthematchtomoved from calabar.

“The Malawi coach cannot tell us where to play our matches. He can say whatever he likes, that’s his own opinion and problem. We have no problem and he is not qualified enough to make that call or request.

“This is where we play our games and other countries are fine with that.

“Someone cannot say to Nigeria to take the game elsewhere because he feels too important.

“Please tell him [Saintfiet] the game will take place in Calabar, he can choose nottocome, we have no problem with that.”

Pillars, Union Bank battle for Final 4 title

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IGERIA Basketball Federa-tion, NBBF in conjunction with the DStv, sponsor of the Premier Basketball league have fixed September 6-8, 2013 for the Final 4 Play-Offs at the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos, following the conclusion of both the Savannah and Atlantic Conferences’ Top Four competition.

Towards this end, a joint press briefing to usher in the competition will be held on September 3, 2013 by the NBBF and DStv while a clinic for invited Secondary Schools as well as a demonstration game by selected sides will will hold on September 4, 2013.

A day before the Final 4 Play-Offs dunks off, an All Star Game will hold, shortly after the 3-point shooting and Slam Dunk competitions.

Four teams, Kano Pillars and Mark Mentors from the Savannah Conference and Atlantic Conference duo of Union Bank and Dodan Warriors will vie for the top position after emerging from the Top 4 competitions held in Abuja and Lagos r e s p e c t i v e l y.

The top two teams of the Final 4 will represent the country in the 2013 African Cup Club Championship.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 17, 2013

Afrobasket 2013: NBBF names 12-man squad as team depart Sunday

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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:

FTER a series of trial matches and camping which took the Senior Men’s National team through Abuja to China and the United States, the Nigeria Basketball Federation,

NBBF yesterday named a 12-man squad for the Afrobasket 2013 which dunks off on Monday in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

According to the list released by the team’s

I’m blessed, Okagbare says •Dedicates medals to Uduaghan, Ogba, Nigerians

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE, Moscow

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O Nigerian has won two medals in one World Championships. No Nigerian has two World Championships medals.

Blessing Okagbore did that yesterday in the 14th edition of the championships here in Moscow and said the following at the Mixed Zone: “Two medals in the World Championships is worth celebrating. I celebrate with thanks to God. Oh God, this is great. I feel blessed. It was tiring coming from six jumps to do the 100m meters. It affected me.

But that’s over and with a medal in the 200m how can one complain. I just wanted to be on the podium and I got there.

Special thanks to God. It’s really great to win two medals here. 100 m , 200,

Dashing to the finish...(L-R) Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure, Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce during the women’s 200 metres final at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow yesterday.

Long Jump and possibly 4x100m, yes, they could be weighty for one person but I prepared for them and I have no pressure.

But honestly, I’m tired.

I dedicate this to my Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who has been my back bone. He lifted

me when I was down. I also want to dedicate my medals here to AFN President, Solomon Ogba who has been a father and

mentor. There are others who I want to dedicate my medals here to. They have to work out how to split them.”

Nigeria’s football needs sound administrators to grow — Onigbinde F ORMER Super Eagles coach, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, has said that for Nigeria’s football to hit the zenith, the sport needs to be managed by well grounded administrators who will not ignore the major actors such as players and coaches.

Onigbinde, a FIFA and CAF Technical Instructor, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN), said effective administration would help to reposition the nation’s football both locally and abroad.

“We need to sit down as a football-loving nation and get ourselves properly organised.

Having abundant talents is not enough for the development of football if there are no good administrators to develop them,” Onigbinde said.

TODAY’S MATCHES Liverpool Arsenal Norwich Sunderland West Brom West Ham Swansea

v v v v v v v

Stoke Aston Villa Everton Fulham S’hampton Cardiff Man Utd

12.45pm 3pm 3pm 3pm 3pm 3pm 5.30pm

The Modakeke-born administrator added: “A good administrator should ensure that coaches, who are the major points of contact with the players, are not ignored.

Football administrators abound in the country, but they

are not doing enough to ensure that coaches are encouraged to source for raw talents and nurture them to stardom.”

On the establishment of private football academies in the country, the CAF technical instructor said

it was a right step in the right direction.

According to him, they will help to discover talents at the grassroots.

Onigbinde, however, lauded the contributions of Pepsi Football Academy in Ogun to grassroots soccer.

Head coach, Ayo Bakare, the players are Abdulwahab Alade Aminu, Alfarouk Ajadi Aminu, Andy Obinna Ogide, Ben Chukwukelo Uzoh, Chamberlain Nnameka Oguchi, Gani Oladimeji Lawal, Ike Somtochukwu Diogu, Jamaal Olasewere, Olumide Oyedeji, Richard Chukwuma Oruche, Stanley Gumut and Stan Chukwuemeka Okoye.

The technical staff led

by Head coach Bakare include Sani Ahmed, Ayinla Johnson, Ogoh Odaudu and A b d u l r a h m a n Mohammed while team doctor is Suleiman Ohida, Physioterapist is Ekundayo Ogunkunle as well as Patrick Omorodion, the Media Officer.

Meanwhile, the team are expected to arrive Lagos today from the United States where they had their final camping and head straight to Abuja where the federation will host them to a reception later this evening, Tijjani Umar, the NBBF president disclosed.

Sports Minister/ Chairman, National Sports Commission, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi is expected to attend the reception and officially bid the team and officials farewell and a successful championship before they depart Abuja for Abidjan tomorrow.

The championship holds from August 20 to 30 and the play their first match against Mali on August 21, 2013.

Meanwhile, a 35-man team of supporters of Team Nigeria’s Basketball Men’s team, the Hoopers, are expec-

*Continues on page 55

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Tunisian Premiership Club Side (9) 5.Super Eagles Midfielder, Joel (3) 7.French Word for “Name” (3) 8.Traditional ruler of Nupe (4) 10.L.G.A in Abia State (4) 11.State in Nigeria (5) 12.Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin (9) 16. Legal (5) 18. L.G.A in Kwara State (5) 19.Colour (5) 20.Ethiopian National President, Issais (9) 24. Kano Pillars Forward, Mannir (5) 26. Enyimba International FC Striker, Sibi (4) 27.Country in Africa (4) 29. African Waterbuck (3) 30.Akwa Ibom State Capital (3) 31.Former Super Eagles Striker, Jonathan (9) DOWN

1.Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie (3) 2.Dolphins FC Coach, Stanley (5) 3.Mother’s Sister (5) 4.President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Osahon (9) 5.Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Abdulwaheed (4) 6.L.G.A in Enugu State (9) 9.Golf-peg (3) 12.Former Imo State Governor, Senator Ike (9) 13.Story (4) 14. Senate Majority Leader, Victor (5,4) 15.L.G.A in Lagos State (5) 17. Common Name for “Eba” (4) 21. L.G.A in Sokoto State (5) 22.Proportion (5) 23.Container (3) 25. L.G.A in Gombe State (4) 28. Number (3)

SOLUTION Solution on page 14 on page 55

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