ALLEGED TREASON:- S-Court okeys MASSOB leader, Uwazuruike, six others for trial

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2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

Alleged treason: S-Court okays MASSOB leader, Uwazuruike, six others for trial

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, CHIDI NKWOKPARA and IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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HE Supreme Court, yesterday, gave the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Mohammed Adoke Bello, SAN, the nod to prosecute the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike and six others, for allegedly committing treason against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A five- man panel of justices of the apex court led

by Justice Mahmud Mohammed, dismissed an appeal before it by the accused MASSOB members, saying that their “trial should proceed with d i s p a t c h . ” However, the Supreme Court’s decision triggered angry reactions from Igbo, most of who described the Federal Government position on MASSOB as absurd, especially in ‘’view of the kid glove approach it had adopted in the case of Boko Haram adherents who are being considered for amnesty.’’

Aside Uwazurike, the other accused persons the apex court directed the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to promptly commence their trial included Ambrose Anyaso, Augustine Ihuoma, Chibuike Nwosu, Kelechi Ubabuike, Chimankpa Okorocha and Benedict Alakwem.

The Federal Government had on November 8, 2005, arraigned the accused persons before the Federal High Court, on a four-count criminal charge bothering on treasonable felony.

The government had alleged that the accused persons who it said were top officials at the MASSOB headquarters situated at Okwe, Onu-Imo Local Government Area of Imo State, on diverse dates between January 2004 and October 2005, at Owerri and other places in Nigeria, “with intent to levy war, overawe and overthrow the legitimate government of Nigeria,” conspired to commit felony to wit: treason against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, contrary to Sections 37 (2), 62(2) (1) 64, 237 (1) of the Criminal Code Act Chapter 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under Sections 37 and 63 of the same Act. Besides, they were accused of belonging to a militant group called MASSOB Army and undergoing training with the intent to levy war in order to overthrow the President and government, as well as, formed, managed and assisted in the management of an unlawful society of more than 10 persons whose aim was to incite acts of violence and disturb peace and order in the country.

The accused persons had pleaded not guilty to the charge and urged the trial court to quash it for being incompetent and baseless, contending that

there was no proof of evidence indicting them to the commission of any crime known to law.

Their Counsel, Festus Keyamo, however, challenged their arraignment despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Owerri, made on January 18, 2005, which had restrained the Federal Government from infringing upon their fundamental human rights.

Following the refusal of the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako to either quash the charge or release the accused persons on bail, Keyamo, took the case before the Appeal Court in Abuja, which on May 15, 2008, granted them bail, but also refused to dismiss the c h a r g e .

Dissatisfied, the accused persons took the case to the Supreme Court.

According to Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour who delivered the lead judgement, “this appeal to my mind is unnecessary and clearly a waste of precious judicial time since all the information imaginable that the appellants’ would need for their defence has been available to them before they appealed to the Court of Appeal.

“Courts are set up with the sole purpose to do substantial justice between the parties... The argument that the charge should be dismissed because it was not accompanied by proof of evidence is a mere technicality designed to defeat the course of justice.

“In the light of the fact that the proof of evidence

L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; mother of the deceased, Mama Grace Famuagun; Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Bisi Akande; National Leader, ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and father of the late deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Festus Famuagun, during a Condolence visit to by the ACN leaders to the Famuaguns, on the demise of their daughter, late Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, in Ado-Ekiti... on Friday. has been filed and is available to the appellants, trial should proceed with dispatch. This appeal is dismissed,” he added.

Other members of the panel who concurred with the lead verdict were Justices John Afolabi Fabiyi, Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili and Kumai Bayang Akaahs.

However, reacting to the judgement, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman of International Society

for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, said, “I wonder the circumstances under which Uwazurike and his MASSOB colleagues should be tried for treason. MASSOB is a non-violent organization that has not at any time taken up arms against the Federal Government like the other groups such as Boko Haram and the Niger Delta militants had done.

“Despite taking up arms

Okorocha cheats death by whiskers

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA,Owerii

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MO State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, narrowly cheated death yesterday when a Mercedes Benz 200 saloon car allegedly rammed into his convoy along the ever busy Owerri-Orlu federal highway.

Saturday Vanguard

gathered that the Governor was on his way to inspect some projects in Orlu area yesterday afternoon when the automobile crash occurred.

It was suspected that the Governor was driving himself and probably did not engage the seat belt, which ultimately led to the contact he must have had with the windscreen that lacerated his

NNPC GMD buries slain brother amidst tears

BY LUKA BINNIYAT, Kafanchan

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HOUSANDS of mourners yesterday witnessed the burial of the younger brother of the Group Managing Director, GMD, of the the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, )Andy Yakubu, late Yohana Lar Yakubu at Unguwan Wakili Village, in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Yohana was kiiled near Idon Village, about 110km South of Kaduna metrop-

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olis last Sunday by unknown gunmen while travelling home for a funeral.

“Now that Yohana is gone,” the village women choir sang solemnly, “who is going to take care

of our needs? Jesus, please, Jesus, wipe our tears”.

The song was said to have been specially composed for Yohana, who most of mourners said was an uncommon phi-

lanthropist.

Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, represented by his Deputy, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, lamented that in spite of the huge investment the state

was spending on security in the state, not much was being realised in return, promising however, that the evils in the society must be fished out at whatever cost.

NDA Chairman murdered in Ilorin

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI, Ilorin

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HE immediate past Chairman of the Kwara State chapter of Nigerian Medical Dental Association, NDA, Dr Adewunmi Ariyo,42, has

been reportedly killed by unknown assassins.

Ariyo a father of three, was killed in his residence in the Basin area of Ilorin, the state capital on Thursday night.

Five suspected suspected assassins were said to have stormed his

against government and killing people and destroying the economy of the country, these groups have not been made to face any trial.

“The decision to try Uwazurike and members of his group shows the inequality that exists in Nigeria and we condemn the court pronouncement on this matter because it is an extension of war against the Igbo using judicial mechanism.’’

house and killed him.

The deceased was known to be a vocal and renowned member of the association. Ariyo’s murder came exactly four days after the burial of the former state Police Commissioner, Chinwike As-

adu, who was equally killed by unknown assassins near his house in Enugu State last month.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the five assassins who killed Ariyo, laid ambush on him at the entrance of his residence.

head.

Confirming the near ugly incident to newsmen in Owerri, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Katsina, said he was rushed to a nearby hospital in the area before he was moved to Owerri.

Mr. Katsina disclosed that “an accident investigation team” of his Command is working round the clock to ascertain the real cause of the road traffic crash.

Meanwhile, addressing journalists in Government House, Owerri, Okorocha, who was bandaged on his head said the Mercedes Benz 200 saloon car ran into his convoy and he had his head bruised.

He debunked the rumour that it was a gunshot wound, adding that he was in stable condition but needed further medical attention.

Speaking also, Okorocha’s personal physician, Dr. Sylvester Igwe, said the Governor had a minor laceration of the scalp, adding that what the Governor needed now was further medical examination.

SATURDAY

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Vanguard APRIL 20, 2013—3

4—VANGUARD, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013

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SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20 , 2013 — 5

FG, OGSG protocol officials clash at Awo’s funeral

BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

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HE

funeral service held for late Chairman of Tribune titles, Chief Oluwole Awolowo on Friday was almost disrupted following the clash between protocol officials of the Fede r a l Government and their counterparts f r o m O g u n Sta t e Government. Confusion started few minutes before the commencement of the programme which was held at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church Ikenne, when one of the Protocol officials of the State government asked some members of the delegation of the Federal Government to vacate the front seats for the State governor Ibikunle Amosun and other governors.

The Federal Government delegation which comprises, the P r e s i d e n t Sp o k e s m a n , D r. R e u b e n Abati, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashriru, Minister of State ,Federal Capital Territory, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide and Special Assistant to President Jonathan on Policy a n d St r a t e g i e s , M r.

Oronto Douglas had already occupied the front seats in the Church before the arrival of the state government protocol offic i a l s .

The clash of interest between the two governments’ officials was hinged on who should sit on the first seats in the Church that had already been reserved for dignitaries.

The Protocol officials of the Federal Government became infuriated over the action of their counterparts in the State government who insisted that, only one person from the delegation of the Presidency would be allowed to sit on the front seat.

The issue almost got out of hand before a grand child in the

Awolowo family, Segun begged them not to disrupt his uncle’s funeral service.

There was a pin-drop silence in the Church during the crisis which prompted a quick adjustment to accommodate Amosun and his wife on the same seat and the issue was put to rest for a while.

H o w e v e r, w h e n t h e Minister of Information Mr Labaran Maku later arrived the Church after the first crisis had been resolved, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru had to leave the seat for him.

The crisis later reared its ugly head when another set of seats were arranged in the front for the five Governors that were at the service.

This development did not go down well with the delegation of the President who resisted it but were ignored.

The crisis got to its peak when the moderator called the representative of the President to speak before the governor of the State contrary to the order of protocol.

The Labaran Maku-led delegation ignored the call and did not stand up to deliver the President speech. The gesture put the programme on hold for a while before one of the Awolowo daughters, T o k u n b o

Awolowo-Dosunmu quickly went to the moderator to correct him. Governor Ibikunle Amosun while making his remarks publicly acknowledged the flop in the protocol, saying the Presidency would make the final speech as the protocol demands. The President’s representative later spoke last.

(L-R)..... Ogun State Governor Sen Ibikunle Amusun and his wife,Minister of Foreign Affairs Otunba Olugbernga Ashiru, and Minister of State Federal Capital Territory Oloye Jumoke Akinjide Singing during the burial ceremony of Publisher Nigerian Tribune Newspaper in Ikenne Ogun State on Friday

Cleric blasts politicians as Jonathan, Govs, others bid Oluwole Awolowo farewell Oluwole Awolowo and

BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

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NCOMIUMS and grief rented the air as remains of the late Publisher of the Nigerian Tribune titles, Chief Olu-

wole Awolowo were committed to mother earth in a public cemetery in Ikenne, few hours after his remains arrived Our Saviours Anglican Church in Ikenne, Ogun Sttae in a Hearse led by a C h a r i o t .

Delivering a sermon, at the service, before the internment, Bishop of Remo Anglican Diocese,Rev. Micheal Olusina Fape on Friday lambasted politicians in the country who use public offices

t o enrich themselves to the detriment of their people who they claimed to be serving .

The Bishop who eulogized the late Awolowo for his simplicity, philanthropy and humility urged political office holders to bear good fruits for them to be talked about when they die.

Bishop Fape who spoke in the presence of the Federal Government delegation led by Minister of Information Mr. Labaran Maku, the Speaker of Hopuse of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, governors of Ogun, Osun, Lagos, Delta and Ondo states; Ibikunle Amosun,Rauf Aregbesola, Babatunde Fashola, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Segun M i m i k o respectively described some Nigerian roads as death traps.

He said, “ there are so many Christian, today but they are not fruitbearing ones, unfortunately today, many Christians are morally bankrupt, reckless and they have nothing to show for being identified as Christians.

“Unfortunately, Christians are adding more to the problems of our nation today. There are Christian contractors in the nation today. handling some of our road constructions, they

bear Christian names and then why are our roads becoming death traps.

“In the present political dispensation, politics has become a thing of personal enrichment as against the tool for serving humanity. Insincerity is the bane of this country, if God could only open our eyes as we are sitting here today and help us to see what we concealed within us, people will run for some people and they will not stay close to them. In Nigeria, how many people who are there today and sincerely believe that Wole is worth celebrating, how many people?

PresidentGoodluck Jonathan who was represented by Mr. Maku said, “I can say as the President of this Republic that I cherish the good ideals of Chief

his good examples of not using his family name and tradition for self aggrandizement throughout his life, in spite of the privileges that the family name could have opened doors to the corridors of power.

In his remarks, Governor Ibikunle Amosun described Awolowo as awesome, colossus, saying, ” Uncle Wole did very well and achieved so much and, the few times I met with him, I know he was a good man, very humble.”

Present at the funeral service were former two governors of Ogun, Osun and Ekiti Chief Olusegun Osoba, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Segun Oni respectively while other dignataries filled the Church to pay their last respect to the late Oluwole Awolowo.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

Catholic Church Bombing: Kabiru Sokoto pleads not guilty, remanded in Prison

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI, Abujua

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HE Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, remanded the alleged mastermind of the Christmas day bomb explosion that killed about 44 persons and wounded 75 other worshippers at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, in 2011, Kabiru Umar, a.k.a Kabiru Sokoto, in prison custody.

Sokoto was remanded shortly after he pleaded not guilty to an amended three-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Federal Government, which attracts life imprisonment on conviction. His counsel, Mr Adamu Ibrahim, made an oral application for his bail.

The alleged kingpin of the Boko Haram Islamic sect was initially docked before the high court on May 20, but he could not take his plea owing to his inability to secure the services of a lawyer.

Aside allegation that the accused person trained over 500 men on how to manufacture and detonate Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, the Federal Government, maintained that he had prior knowledge of the sect’s plan to bomb the said St Theresa’s Catholic Church on the fateful day, but failed to disclose the information to any law enforcement officer as soon as reasonably practicable.

The prosecution said that the accused person was alleged to have between 2007 and 2012, at Mabira Sokoto, Sokoto State, facilitated the commission of terrorist acts, including planting bombs at the Police headquarters and some government organizations in the state.

The Federal Government told the court that the accused person set up his terrorist training camp at Abaji, a suburb of Abuja.

Meantime, Sokoto who was previously arrested by the Police in Abuja on January 14, 2012 and declared missing from custody two days later, leading to the retirement of the former Inspector

Boko Haram: Kabiru Sokoto Suspected Mandala Bomber Federal High Court in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan General of Police, Hafiz Ringim and outright dismissal of then Commissioner of Police incharge of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Zakari Biu, however begged the court to release him on bail pending the determination of

the charge against him.

Sokoto had been in custody since February 10, 2012 when he was re-arrested by a combined team of officers from the Department of State Service, DSS, and soldiers.

Turning down his bail request, the presiding

judge, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola ordered him to file a formal application, and directed all the parties to ensure that they filed and exchanged briefs before April 26.

Ademola, however, granted the accused per-

son’s plea to be transferred from DSS custody to the prison.

Hearing on the case was adjourned to May 2 and 9.

Specifically, the amended three -count charge against him read: “That you Kabiru Umar (alias Kabiru Sokoto ) member of an illegal terrorist organization known and called Boko Haram, between 2007 and 2012 at Mabira Sokoto, Sokoto state did facilitate the commission of terrorist act to wit: by planting and encouraging your boys (now at large) at Mabira Sokoto, in Sokoto State with the intention to bomb the police headquarters Sokoto and some of the government organizations in the state and thereby committed an offence contrary to section15(2) of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and punishable under the same Act.

*That you Kabiru Umar (Alias Kabiru Sokoto ) on or about December 25, 2011 at St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, had information about the bombing of Madalla Catholic Church and failed to disclose it to a law enforcement officer as soon as reasonably practicable, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(1) of Terrorism and Prevention Act 2011, and punishable under section 33(1) of the same Act. “That you Kabiru Umar (Alias Kabiru Sokoto ) about July 2011 at Abaji, did support the act of terrorism by training about 500 men and inciting them to commit a terrorist act, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4(1) (a) of Terrorism and Prevention Act 2011, and punishable under section 33(1) (b) of the same Act.”

17 killed in Plateau attacks in one week – STF

BY TAYE OBATERU, Jos

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HE special Task Force (STF) maintaining security in Plateau State has confirmed the killing of 17 people in different attacks in Riyom and Local Government Areas within the past one week.

Media Officer of the STF, Captain Salisu Mustapha who confirmed the killings in a statement on Friday said 25 cows were either rustled or killed in the affected areas.

STF was deployed to restore law and order in plateau where over seventeen persons were killed in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGA of plateau state this week alone.

It listed the affected villages as Tan Jol ,

Gilgrare , Dan , Gero, Gyal, Rim, Joil and Tashek adding that the first attack took place on Sunday when unknown gunmen ambushed and attacked cows in Riyom LGA at about 1.30pm killing six and injuring three.

According to the statement, another attack took

place on Monday at about 11 30 pm at Dakum village in Riyom LGA where eight people were killed and one person was injured.

Similarly, seven people were killed and several houses torched at Tanjol, Rim And Gilgare during

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HE Obi of Onicha Ugbo, Agbogidi Chukwumalieze1, has debuncked reports of rancour and strife in his domain, over the choice of Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu as the Odog-

visited the areas to assess the situation.

The statement added that men of the STF are patrolling the area to forestall further attack on innocent people and assured that no efforts would be spared to fish out those behind the attacks.

‘Why Oshodi/Isolo LG impeached Leader’

BY ALADE AROMASHODU

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RKED by the inability to coordinate the conduct of the House; insensitive to the sitting of the Councillors; incompetent to handle the House; inexperience; among other reasons, Oshodi Isolo Local Government Legislators (Councillors) have im-

peached its House Leader, Hon. Abolore Shobayo.

Speaking with Saturday Vanguard, newly installed Leader, Hon. Adeyinka Adesina Quosim from Afariogun Ward, stated that “Shobayo was impeached because he’s a new Councillor, he’s inexperience; insensitive to the sitting of the Councillors;

Onicha-Ugbo monarch denies rift in Kingdom

BY HUGO ODIOGOR, Foreign Affairs Editor

which 19 cows were killed and six injured.

It said the situation had been brought under control and that the Commander of the STF, Major General Henry Ayoola and the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone Four have

wu- designate of Onicha Ugbo in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Addressing media team that witnessed the “Ida Nzu” ceremony of Dr. Kachikwu, in his Ezechime Palace, Onicha Ugbo, Agbogidi Chukwumalieze said “the joyous

mood in the town and festive display by the family of the recipient of the title, contradicts media reports that the town was boiling or experiencing any form of crisis, over the choice of the Odogwudesignate, who is eminently qualified for the office.

incompetent to handle the House; among other reasons.”

In his own contribution, Hon. Luqman Lanre Ayinla, Chief Whip of the council, noted that the action of the Councillors was purely legislative matter, adding, “the impeached Leader has been refusing to pass resolutions of the Legislature to the Executive arm of the Local Government. He went on: “The House member, having investigated and found him guilty, six other members of the House, including one opposition member, from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Shogunle Ward, Hon. Is’haq Olamilekan passed a ‘Vote of No Confidence’ that impeached Hon. Ab-

olore Shobayo on Wednesday,” Hon. Ayinla stated.

He stated further, “When we are starting, we decided who to lead us, nobody interfered, no leader came in, no leader of the party came in, we sat down and chose our Leader as at the time we came in; but, along the line we realised that he has not been leading us well, probably because of his inexperience. “How can you sit down in your office, doing your official duty without necessary tool to work in the office,” Ayinla asked.

The impeachment move, sources close to the House reliably hinted Saturday Vanguard, that, it was raised by Hon. Mejindade and was supported by other members.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013 — 7

Edo LG Polls: Police deploy 5,000 men •Quiz chairmanship candidate •Govt restricts movements

BY SIMON ELEGBULEM, Benin City

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LL is set for the Local Government Council election in the 18 Local Government Councils of Edo state today, as the Edo state police command deploy over five thousand policemen across the 18 Local Government Council of the state. The Edo government yesterday announced restriction of movements from 6:00am to 5:00pm during which the elections will hold today.

It said in a statement that “Only security personnel, electoral officers, accredited election observers, accredited press men and others on essential duty are exempted from this restriction order.

Meanwhile, thse embattled chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ikpoba-Okhai Local government Council of the state, Chief Edegbe Ugbogbo was yesterday quized by the police over allegation of threat to life against Mr Amos Omoregie, who is laying claim to the PDP ticket in the area.

It would be recalled that the High Court in Benin had earlier granted an injunction restricting Chief Ugbogbo from parading himself as chairmanship candidate of the PDP in the area. Mr Omoregie emerged as the authentic candidate of the PDP in the area at the congress conducted on the 9th of February, but was surprisingly replaced by Chief Ugbogbo.

The implication is that the PDP may have no chairmanship candidate in Ikpoba Okhai Council in today ’s election.

Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Mr Folunso Adebanjo has vowed that his men will not tolerate any form of thuggery in today ’s election and warned candidates to admonish their supporters against any form of violence.

According to him, “What happened in Fugar last week will not be allowed to happen again. We will not allow thugs to destroy the election and that is why we are warning our

political leaders to warn their supporters to shun violence. The police will continue to maintain its

neutrality and we appeal that people should play according to the rules because anyone caught making trouble will regret ever being in this state”.

Saturday Vanguard also learnt that soldiers have been drafted to areas according to security reports may experience violence.The Edo State Independent National Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) said arrangements for the distribution of election materials to the entire 18 Local Government Councils have been concluded. Spokes woman of the Commission Mrs Uwagboi, said election materials will get to each polling center early today.

According to her, “everything is ready for the election.

We have ensured that materials get to centers as at when

due. We are only advising politicians to play according to the rules to avoid violence. For us, we are ready for a free and fair election”.

Debunking the allegation by the PDP that ACN members were recruited as adhoc staff, she asserted that “the Commission has flushed out all those identified as partisan politicians when the new Chairman came in. So it is not true, we have staff that are not partisan and they have undergone training on how to conduct free and fair election. This is a new branded EDSIEC and it’s determined to conduct an election that will be hailed by every one”.

Saturday Vanguard learnt that there is still tension in Fugar Etsako Central where two persons were shot dead last week during a clash between Action Congress of Nigeria youths and that of the PDP. It was learnt

Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal (middle) answering questions from Pressmen during the Y2013 Annual Ministerial Press briefing to commemorate the second year, second term of the administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) in Office at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, on Thursday. With him are: Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba (right) and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dr. Yakub Olayide Bashorun (left). that some former Niger Delta militants have invaded the area with a view to cause mayhem. The ACN had earlier raised an alarm over plot to disrupt the election in the area due to the feelers by the

top shots of the PDP in the area that they may not win the election.

Governor Oshiomhole led the ACN campaign in the 18 Councils and reminded them of the rot in

the state during the PDP administration and urged voters to support the ACN so that the incoming chairmen will replicate the developmental strides of the state government at the grass root.

80 persons arrested over Orogun festival in Delta

BY FESTUS AHON, Ughelli

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T least 80 persons were yesterday arrested by the police for

defying orders of the Ughelli North Local Government Council on the postponement of the annual ‘orogun efe’ festival.

The local government

council in a meeting held at the council secretariat with prominent Orogun indigenes ordered that the festival be postponed, following the

disagreement between two warring factions over when the festival should be held.

Unconfirmed source told Saturday Vanguard that the five quarters that

Permit for tinted glass is free — IGP •Urges Nigerians to resist extortion

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

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NSPECTOR General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar yesterday advised Nigerians not to allow any policeman anywhere in the country extort money from them over the issue of tinted glass permit disclosing that permit for tinted glass is free.

The IG gave the advice even as he noted that the law on tinted glass and implementation was motivated by the need for safety for all Nigerians adding, “nobody can compel law enforcement agencies to abandon their responsibilities of implementing the law and order as stipulated in the statute books”.

Abubakar who was speaking during an emergency security

meeting with Zonal AIG’s at Force headquarters, said, “The issue here is that most criminals use tinted glass to hide arms and ammunition, they use it to hide IEDS’, they use it to throw bombs at churches and kill innocent Nigerians and we cannot allow this to continue”.

Explaining that according to the law, tinted glasses are supposed to be used for two purposes, by security outfits and for medical purposes, the IG said, “Now, kidnappers use it, armed robbers use it, terrorists use it. That is why we have to checkmate it”.

Abubakar frowned at those trying to make issues out of the tinted glass directive saying, “There is nowhere that an amount of money was written to be paid for tinted glass permit.

Police is not a revenue generation agency. In any

case, tell me, what a commercial vehicle owner is doing with tinted glass?

What is the ordinary citizen doing with tinted glass?” he asked.

Lagos gets cerebral palsy centre

BY EPHRAIM OSEJI

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ENOLA, a cerebral palsy initiative , founded three months ago, has unfolded plans to build a cerebral palsy centre in Lagos where those who cannot afford the medication of managing the disability can go for free treatment, counseling and management.

Cerebral palsy is the term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscles coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during foetal development or during infancy.

Speaking after a two-day round table meeting of experts on early detection and effective management regime for persons with ce-

rebral palsy in Nigeria hosted by Benola, the founder, CEO, AVM Femi Gbadebo (rtd), said the organization’s long time goal is to build a cerebral palsy centre in Lagos, adding that the centre would later be located in several states of Nigeria when the initiative would have started attracting local and international donors.

Gbadebo said the centre would have in-house doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, nurses and social workers, adding that those suffering from the disability would attend the centre twice or thrice a week for the management and treatment of children with cerebral palsy is free of charge.

made up the Orogun clan had met and agreed in a meeting held at Umusu quarters that the festival be held on the 18th of April, 2013.

Another source from the Unukpo quarter said their agreed date was on the condition that the disagreement between Umusu and Unukpo be resolved before the end of March, 2013, adding that agreement was not met hence they fixed 10th of April 2013 for the festival but was not held on the orders of the council.

As at the time of filing this report, armed soldiers and policemen were still seen patrolling the streets of the town to forestall the breakdown of law and order in the hitherto peaceful community.

Speaking to Saturday Vanguard, the Council C hairman, Chief Friday Akpoyibo said the council was out to maintain peace and order in the council without minding whose ox is gored.

He said he has however appealed to the police to release all those arrested in connection with the crisis resulting from the date of the festival.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20 , 2013

Anambra/Kogi border: 19 persons missing, 22 houses burnt in renewed clash •Aguleri people send SOS to Federal Government

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka

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O fewer than 19 persons from Okpeze, Aguleri in Anambra East local government area of Anambra State were said to be missing following two nights of heavy fighting between the community and their Echonwa and Odeke neighbours in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State .

About 22 houses in Okpeze were also burnt down by people suspected to be from Kogi during a battle in which dangerous arms and ammunitions were freely used.

Since the renewed fighting began in the area last month, many lives have been lost and property worth millions of naira destroyed on both

Gov. Peter Obi (2nd left), Emeka Nwankwu (1st left), Dennis Okafor (middle)

at a meeting with Anambra partners on ANIDS Independent Power Project represented by Helgaard Muller (1st right) and Noel Guy (2nd right) who were in the State to brief him on the progress so far.

sides.

Some of the relations of the missing people told Saturday Vanguard yesterday that they were taken unawares on

Wednesday and Thursday nights by heavily armed people from Kogi State who allegedly swooped on their homes at wee hours and started shooting and setting fire

on houses.

They claimed that those who ran out of their houses were captured and taken to unknown destination, adding that those taken away in the

Female gang member arrested at bank premises over ransom paid by kidnap victim

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA Asaba

A

woman has been arrested while trying to cash an undisclosed amount of money paid into her bank account as ransom, which further led to the arrest of three other men which police described as members of her gang. .

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Lucky Uyabeme said in a statement in Asaba that, “on the 4th of this month, a male resident of Care Time Street Umuaji quarters Asaba reported at ‘B’ Division Police station Asaba that on 3/4/13, an unknown person called him with a GSM line and told him that he was paid

to kidnap him. The complainant added that following his plea with the caller, he was asked to pay an undisclosed amount as ransom into an ECO Bank account No. 0013414514 with the account name of one Sandra Agbonya, female.

“Sequel to the report”, he went on, “detectives swung into action and on 18th /4/ 13 arrested the said Sandra at ECO bank branch Warri while trying to withdraw money paid into the aforementioned account number. Her confession led to the arrest of one

Ifeanyichukwu Kingsley, male who also confessed one Ngozi Halim, male and White Mordi, male who have equally been arrested. Investigation is ongoing and suspects will thereafter be made to face the full wrath of the law”, he added.

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA Asaba

D

ELTA State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts says it has uncovered alleged fraud in monumental proportion in all the existing 25 local government councils in the

State without exception, running into billions of naira.

The Public Accounts Committee of the House led by Mr. Denis Omovie stated this while presenting its report on the Review of Report of the Auditor General Local Governments on the accounts of the 25 local

government councils between 2009 to 2011.

It stated that, “Mr. Speaker, this committee was shocked that various sums of money such as Withholding Tax, union dues, retention fees, PAYE etc were placed on the deposit accounts of the local government councils on behalf of Federal

T

ENSION is currently brewing at the federal department of fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the workers appear ready for a show down over the

director on them.

Vanguard investigation revealed that the proposed DG who has been away from the fisheries department for over four years was allegedly posted as the acting director of fisheries by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina above

development, according to our source did not go down well with the workers in the fisheries department.

One of the workers in the ministry who would not want his name in print, recalled with nostalgia that the most senior female deputy director (nameswithheld) who is

interview of director of fisheries, wrote to officially complain of the injustices meted against her to the head of service of the federation, the chairman civil service commission, the secretary to the government of the federation and Mr President.

weapons.

Hundreds of expended bullets were said to have littered the community after the gruesome raid.

Mrs. Martha Nweke, who said her husband was among those missing, regretted that despite her pleas and cries for the invaders to leave her husband, they still took him away.

Heavy rains: Edo advises residents to vacate flood-prone areas E DO State Government has advised residents in the low lands, river banks and other floodprone areas of the state to relocate to higher grounds as preventive measure to avoid a repeat of the flood disaster of last year.

The Government in a statement by the Commissioner of Environment and Public Utilities, Prince Clem Agba also advised residents to avoid indiscriminate waste dumping habits that end up blocking the drains.

The statement reads: “the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET) in its seasonal rainfall prediction for 2013 has predicted heavy rainfall in the year and the likelihood of flooding in many states.

“Edo State has

Fraud rocks LG councils in Delta, Assembly raises alarm

Workers flay imposition of female director at Agric Ministry imposition of a female her superiors. This due for the promotion

BY GAB EJUWA

last two days have not resurfaced. According to the people, the type of arms and ammunition used during the raid on Okpeze Aguleri was an indication that the raid was sponsored by people outside the two Kogi State communities, adding that the people of Echonwa and Odeke could not have had easy access to such

Government, State Government, other institutional bodies and individuals.

“From 2009 to 2011, which is the period under review, these amounts were still outstanding and un-remitted to the beneficiaries, to the total sum of four billion, thirty six million, six hundred and seventy eight thousand, one hundred and thirty three naira, thirty two kobo (N4,036,678,133.32).

“Mr. Speaker, it is of interest to note that these deposit balances were supposed to have been remitted to appropriate government bodies/ agencies/individuals as they were monies collected at source for various types of services rendered to the local councils.

consistently recorded an increase in rainfall volume, frequency and intensity.

We as a people must not underestimate the power of weather again. We must take every preventive measure to avert the repeat of the disaster of 2012.

“The good people of Edo State are hereby advised to collectively take precautions to forestall a recurrence of similar incident of flooding and its consequences in the state.”

The statement urged the people to stop “indiscriminate waste dumping habits that end up blocking the drains which can result in the breeding of mosquitoes, flies and other disease carriers that may eventually result in high prevalence of malaria, yellow fever, lassa fever and cholera.

“Ensure to de-silt the drains in front of house and remove same.

“People in low land, river banks and other floodprone areas of the state are advised to relocate to higher grounds.

“Because of the stormy nature of the expected rainfall pattern of 2013, residents are advised to take a second look at the binding of their roofs to ensure that they are firm “Government also hereby calls on the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to immediately take another look at all their distribution facilities within the state to ensure that they are firm and strong enough to withstand the expected stormy weather in 2013 in order to avoid electrocution-related but avoidable deaths.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20 , 2013 — 9

Police raid Delta kidnap headquarters •Arrest 50 suspects in Kokori •Demolish ‘commander-in-chief’, Kelvin’s residence •Villagers under oath not to divulge information •Kidnap kingpin still on the run

BY EMMA AMAIZE, Regional Editor, SouthSouth and Festus Ahon

P

OLICE in Delta State, weekend, raided Kokori, an Urhobo community in Ethiope East Local Government Area, alleged to be the headquarters of the flourishing kidnap industry in the state and demolished the country home of the “commander-in-chief ”, Kelvin.

No fewer than 50-suspected partners in crime of Kelvin, an assumed PhD holder, declared wanted by the police, since last year, were arrested and undergoing interrogation at the time of this report.

The pulling down of the building, which had served as a hideaway for kidnappers for many years is a major burst through in the war against kidnappers in the state.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan ordered the flattening of the residence after efforts to obtain information from elders and leaders of the community on the whereabouts of Kelvin were rebuffed.

Intelligence information Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the demolition of the house and arrest of over 50 suspects to Saturday Vanguard, last night, said intelligence information showed the residence was a training and recruitment center for kidnappers and other criminals in the state.

Kelvin, declared by the police as the most wanted kidnapper in the state, has been on the run following the intensive manhunt for him, in the past two months, by security agents over his daring escapades, which included killing of soldiers, police officers and warders of the Nigeria Prisons Service, NPF. The once-bustling Koko-

ri community was a shadow of itself when Saturday Vanguard visited yesterday morning. It was strangely quiet and most of the shops were under lock and key. Villagers sat indoors in their respective homes even at 10.00 am.

Saturday Vanguard’s Akpokona Omafuaire, who traveled to the town to take pictures of the demolished building escaped being attacked by some youths, suspected to be working for the kidnap top dog.

Stiff resistance There was no police officer on ground when Saturday Vanguard got to the demolished building on Irevwurie Street, Kokori and the attempt by our photographer to snap the knocked down structure met with stiff resistance from the youths, who pursued him. He managed to take some shots that were not clear, as he fled for his dear life.

A reliable source confided in Saturday Vanguard, “The up-to-the-minute exploit by the police was facilitated by the Delta State Government, which gave imprimatur to the destruction of the house after numerous criminal operations were traced to the owner.”

According to our source, “Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who temporarily relocated to Warri, in the last few weeks, to tackle some security challenges, invited the leaders of the area to a meeting and solicited information on the whereabouts of Kelvin, but they refused to divulge anything.”

Kelvin not a spirit “He, reportedly, told them that Kelvin is not a spirit and was living among them, but when the leaders refused to open up, the State Security Council met in Warri and decided that the police should demolish his house, as well as arrest any of his associates,” he

added.

Commissioner Aduba said he was baffled that the mighty and low in Kokori appeared to be under oath not to disclose anything about Kelvin.

Aduba, who has also been shuffling between Warri and Asaba told Saturday Vanguard that as soon as he got the green light from the state government, he moved his men into Kokori to demolish the kidnap headquarters established by Kelvin because the action was long overdue.

He said the whole state was boiling because of the escapades of one man, whose gang had killed soldiers, police officers and other security agents, and a radical action had to be taken.

The police chief explained his men had swooped on Kokori and arrested over 50 persons prior to the demolition, Thursday, adding, “A decision has now been taken that the house of any known kidnapper should be pulled down and the police are going to implement it.”

Interrogation His words, “Those arrested are undergoing interrogation, they are over 50, we are screening offenders, when we conclude our screening, those that are not involved we will release them, but those found connected with him will be charged to court.”

Besides demolition of kidnappers’ residence, he said their investments would also be destroyed and those associated with them would not be spared either.

According to him, “manhunt is on for Kelvin, no matter where he has fled to surely, the long arm of the law will get him.”

He said the state government has tried by making incentives available for people to give information on criminals operating in their areas, but some people were not

•Demolished house of kidnap kingpin, Kelvin willing to talk.

His words: “In Kokori, the people are on oath, more that 80 per cent of them are on oath not to talk, the governor invited them, but they have not disclosed anything on Kelvin.”

Recently, the kidnap gang was said to have attacked troops from the 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Effurun, who made an incursion into the area in search of Kelvin, killing one or two soldiers.

Dreaded It was gathered Kelvin was dreaded in Kokori and his gang killed those who dared to challenge his authority or expose his evil kingdom.

Unconfirmed report said he allegedly killed two chiefs for purportedly collaborating with security agents to effect his arrest.

“After slaughtering the chiefs, Kelvin, who bestrides Kokori like a colossus, warned that he would execute as many as unveiled his movement to security agents, that is why people are scared to say anything about him,” a community leader told Saturday Vanguard.

Kelvin bamboozled security agencies in the state, last month, in

broad daylight, when he pulled a daring mission in Warri, killing a number of prisons officials, as his gang ambushed warders and snatched two of its men being taken to court for trial.

The state government, as part of security measures to stem the high level of criminality in Ethiope East, placed a ban on the use of motorcycles in the area, last week. Commissioner Aduba had before the ban told Saturday Vanguard those motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada riders in Kokori were on the payroll of Kelvin, as they tip him off whenever security agents enter the town to look for him.

So long without arrest A security officer , who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity said, “Kelvin has stayed so long without being arrested, not because he is very smart, but probably because it is not his time yet and there have not been a concrete link to him in some of the cases he was arrested for in the past.”.

“I think his cup is now full, he has killed soldiers and policemen and kidnap cases have been traced to him, the evidence is overwhelming,

there is no way he can escape justice now, it is not the one he walks out of police station after arrest like before,” he added.

There had been complaints about the dangerous escapades of Kelvin and his gang from neighboring communities and other arms of government before the present debacle, but Kokori leaders had always pleaded they did not know that their son was a notorious criminal and asked for time to investigate.

Soldier killed At a meeting, two months ago, in Ughelli, attended by the monarch, HRM, Oharisi III, security agents, Kokori chiefs and leaders, the chairman of Delta state vigilance group, Mr. Monday Ohwosiri , alleged that Kelvin and his gang killed a soldier at Ekiugbo junction, December, last year.

He predicted that Kokori community would not know peace until the people surrender Kelvin to security agents, but Kokori chiefs, who had earlier feigned ignorance of the criminal exploits of their son, promised to return back home and consult with their people.

Associates hail DRM coordinator over award

BY GAB EJUWA

T

HE national coordi nator of Delta Renais-

sance Movement (DRM), and Director-General of Ithihikpebe Campagn Organisation, Architect Ambby Okuhor has been elevated to the status of Fellow by the authority of the council and Board of Education and Regent of strategic finance and administrative institute.

The renown politician who

was recognized with other distinquished members of the institute at a recent induction ceremony in Lagos was hailed by his colleagues and contemporaries for his leadership style.

A colleague of the awardee, Arch. Austin Emuan, described the new status of Arch Okuhor as an honour well deserved.

He recalled that Arch Okuhor has distinguished himself in differ-

ent fields of human endeavours and will continue to work for the good of the common man, a motto, he personally adopted for himself.

Similarly, Secretary General of DRM, Barrister Elohor Ediviri described the award as an honour that is long over due.

( See more news on Pg 45)

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

By Emmanuel Edukugho

I

nitially, Nigerian universities, indeed tertiary institutions were conducting entrance examinations for candidates seeking admission until 1978 when the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was established

by Decree (Act) which subsequently was amended in 1989 and 1993.

JAMB was empowered to be responsible for the: *general control over the conduct of matriculation examinations into all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education; *appointment of examiners, moderators, invigilators, members of subject panels and committees and other persons with respect to matriculation examinations; *placement of suitable qualified candidates in the tertiary institutions in collaboration with those institutions.

Until very recently, JAMB was conducting separate entrance examinations into Degree awarding institutions known as the Universities Matriculation Examination (UME) and Polytechnic/Colleges of Education (PCE) Matriculation Examination.

But now these examinations have been collapsed into one called Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) whereby candidates are required to choose two universities, two polytechnics and two colleges of education of their choice and sit for the examination once. This reform was meant to liberalise admission opportunity so that a candidate who cannot be admitted into a university, can either get admission into a polytechnic or college of education and so not likely to lose out entirely. Yet majority of candidates preferred university education to the detriment of polytechnic, college of education and vocational studies.

Even before this innovation, there was introduction of Post-UME or Post-UTME to further screen candidates who obtained 200 and above for specifically university admission so as to check cheating or malpractice by candidates that often scored 300 and above in JAMB only to drop out of the university because they lacked academic competence to cope with university education. Therefore, Post-JAMB or Post-UTME was like sifting the chaff from the wheat and get the best and most competent candidates. JAMB results were not reliable enough due to various malpractices hence universities were allowed to conduct weeding tests for those seeking admissions into them.

Yet the process cannot be said to be perfect nor free of corrupt tendencies and malpractice because other considerations like federal character, quota system, catchment areas and even outright gratification make university admission going only to the privileged, highest bidders. The Post-UTME, conducted by individual universities seemed to have been abused and compromised by the powers-that-be in these universities where the admissions are eventually decided.

JAMB At crossroads NECO

Fate unknown (private) candidates, while still going ahead with the internal examinations for secondary school students.

Saturday Vanguard talked with some of the stakeholders in the university system on the fate of JAMB as the nation awaits Federal Government’s White Paper/decision as regards Oronsaye panel report.

zProf Promise Okpala NECO Registrar

The Oronsaye panel recommended that JAMB be divested of the powers to conduct matriculation examinations into tertiary institutions while universities should be allowed to conduct their own entrance examinations With the report on the reform of government agencies and ministries submitted by Mr. Steve Oronsaye, former Head of Federal Civil Service who chaired a panel to look into rationalization of agencies in order to reduce cost of governance, it recommended abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in ministries.

Among the casualties were the

zProf Dibu Ojerinde JAMB Registrar Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and National Examinations Council (NECO) domiciled in the Federal Ministry Education.

The Oronsaye panel recommended that JAMB be divested of the powers to conduct matriculation examinations into tertiary institutions while universities should be allowed to conduct their own entrance examinations.

According to the recommendations, as widely reported in the media, although JAMB would not be scrapped, it would be an administrative structure to set standards for minimum requirements on how universities in the country would conduct entrance examinations.

On the other hand, the panel recommended the scrapping of National Examinations Council (NECO) and its infrastructure merged with that of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) which will also take over the structures of NECO across the country. If accepted by government, WAEC would then conduct two external examinations – one in January and another in November for external

JAMB should remain clearing house Professor Isaac A. Adeyemi, Vice Chancellor, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, expressed what he called his “personal opinion”on divesting JAMB of the powers to conduct matriculation examinations into tertiary institutions.

What is your response to the recommendation that JAMB hands off conducting matriculation examination?

In my own personal opinion, I will like JAMB to remain as the body conducting entrance examinations into the universities. The stand of the committee of Vice Chancellors is made known to the nation. If you ask me, I want universities to still conduct matriculation examinations for candidates seeking admission.

Let JAMB continue to do so. It should remain as the clearing house. I prefer it to to be like that.

Another vice chancellor of a stateowned university, Professor Tolu Odugbemi responded thus to Saturday Vanguard: I am not going to comment on the issue because government has not taken a decision yet. Ït’s just speculation as at now, needless to say anything on it, even as the Minister of State for Education had commented on the issue which is still pending and awaiting decision of government.”

Continues on page 11

SATURDAY

Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013—11

NECO: Can it weather the storm?

By Emmanuel Edukugho

T

he National Examinations Council (NECO) was estab lished in April 1999 by Federal Government in line with decisions reached at the 49th meeting of the National Council on Education. This was in response to the national outcry for another public examination body indigenous to the country. WAEC serves the entire English-speaking countries of West Africa. NECO came to break the monopoly of WAEC which had been conducting school examinations since 1952. NECO has the onerous task of conducting the schoolbased (June/July) and external candidates (November/December) Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), the Junior Secondary School (JSS1) as well as the National Entrance Examination into Senior Secondary Schools (SS1) of Federal Unity Senior Secondary Colleges (NEEFUSSC).

NECO also conducts the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). It was initially confronted with several challenges that sought to undermine its examinations causing crisis of confidence among candidates who felt WAEC seemed more credible, better known and better recognised, at least internationally.

Many students, at the beginning were either hesitant or reluctant to enter for NECO examination especially at the Senior School Certificate level, as they preferred WAEC particularly in seeking admission into tertiary institutions.

But as the years went on and with the appointment of a Research Professor of Educational Evaluation as NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive in April 2007 in the person of Prof.

The vision, mission and core values of NECO were reviewed to bring it in line with international best practice in educational assessment as well as in tandem with its mandate Promise Nwachukwu Okpala, he had embarked on changes that brought about tremendous, positive turnaround of the organisation.

The vision, mission and core values of NECO were reviewed to bring it in line with international best practice in educational assessment as well as in tandem with its mandate. NECO’s

question papers are now kept in only one place from where they were safely moved to the various examination centres, thereby reducing chances of question papers leakage.

Eliminating examination malpractices through use of highly customized answer scripts making it impossible for candidates to smuggle worked answer scripts into the examination halls. In the 2011 SSCE for schoolbased candidates, NECO became the first public examination body in this country to introduce and successfully deploy Biometric Data Verification machines for candidates that registered for its examinations. This new system has zero-tolerance for impersonation as a duly registered candidate can be identified through his/her fingerprint and other features.

NECO releases its results in a record time of 60 days from the end of a given examination. Its SSCE results had evoked a lot of public reactions because of the high failure rate which scared many candidates away due to stringent measures put in place to ensure credibility. For example, about

JAMB at cross roads Continued from page 10 Immediate Past National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie said, in his own response to whether or not JAMB test candidates for admission said “I believe JAMB should continue to conduct matriculation examinations. If universities do it, they won’t achieve desired result.

The examination should continue to be conducted

by JAMB, as universities do not have the capacity to do so. Only JAMB can do that successfully considering the interest of candidates inside this country and those outside Nigeria writing the examination."

Dr. Kabir Olusegun Akinyemi, erstwhile chairman, LASU-ASUU decried the recommendation to rid JAMB of its legal mandate to conduct matriculation examination.

He blamed inconsistent policy for

zProfessor Isaac A. Adeyemi

this development. This was his response on the issue.

Policy inconsistency, bane of our education system I don’t know exactly, why government will want JAMB canceled. One of the problems of Nigeria’s education system is inconsistency of policy. At the end of the day, it will bounce back. The so-called Post-

zProfessor Tolu Odugbemi

UTME has helped a lot. JAMB conducting matriculation examinations is a way to harmonise the university system.

Apart from curriculum harmonisation in the university system, matriculation examination for admission, is generally for all and sundry. If universities are allowed to conduct entrance examinations by them-

10.54 per cent of candidates had five credits and above including English language and Mathematics. “Students should be allowed to write two examinations which are parallel.

Monopoly is not good for consumers as it severely restricts opportunity to make choices. With NECO, Federal Government provided opportunity for Nigerian youths and therefore not compulsory to patronise only one product,” said Maryann Amaju, an educationist.

Mr. Bass Musa, Proprietor, Lexington Group of Schools, Mebamu, Okokomaiko, Lagos, in his opinion, said there is no need for the continued existence of NECO. According to him, NECO is of no use and should be scrapped. He wondered why NECO was established in the first place.

“It’s waste of time. What is NECO doing? Who is NECO? What has it done so far? Why NECO? Some universities don’t accept NECO for admission. It should be scrapped, so that the nation can face one direction and achieve good standard of education. They’ve used NECO to destroy the focus of our children,” Musa told Saturday Vanguard.

He said that things were done well when it was only WAEC in existence, and NECO created by government to compliment WAEC but it did not work as envisaged. “Some candidates will bring subjects from NECO and bring subjects from WAEC, joined them to get the required number of subjects and grades. This is not good for our educational system. In those days, there was HSC for direct entry into universities but no longer available.”

He added: “With two roads to a destination, one is likely to miss the proper road. NECO is not serving any useful purpose, so government can scrap it.”

selves some will be difficult and tough, charge high examination fees while others will be very simple and easy, like a kangaroo exam, for universities looking for students. So there’s need to harmonsie the policy.

What about qualification?

It is true to have basic qualification and the requisite grades in WAEC and NECO in order to sit for entrance examinations. But we know there are some students with several As in WAEC or NECO who are no where to be found when it comes to the entrance examination.

How can JAMB be strengthened?

I think JAMB cannot be phased out. We need statistics to know how many candidates are admitted in the system, the number of those yet to be admitted. JAMB should be standardised, based on NUC standards. NUC can come into the admission process and help to standardise it.

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

tions to be of a great potential in the country. Presently, the people who are running the education system in Nigeria are not well equipped and therefore they are not conscious of the essence of the eduaction and until we are able to do that, we will not be able to come out of our bondage. The education system in Nigeria must be able to take care of the economic advancement and human development which individuals are seeking.

A right decision — Okojie

M

It’s worst decision anyone could ever take —Ogudoro

BY EBUN SESSOU

T

he proposed scrapping of National Examinations Council, NECO, National Poverty Eradication Programme, NAPEP, make Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UTME the only entrance examination into higher institutions had since been generating uproar.

In this interview with Peter Ogudoro, an education analyst Saturday Vanguard gathered, the proposal is not only capable of ruining the education system but also making the lives of the citizens especially the youths unbearable.

The Oronsaye panel proposed that NECO and JAMB should be restructured.

That JAMB will only be an administrative body to set standards on how universities would conduct entrance examinations for admission.

What is your opinion about the proposal?

I do not think that decision is the best thing for us to do. What I think is to develop the capacity that would sustain the adminstration process that guides individual universities. But scrapping the system would mean that the University admission would only be available to the highest bidder. Our experiences have so far proven that when University Chancellors, their Deans and other authorities have so much power on who gets admitted, then they will be giving the preferential opportunity. They are likely to want to use it to make money and use the opportunity to bring in their cronies, friends and relations which is also the direction the system is moving now.

What about NECO? NECO is a no go area. Nobody should be thinking about shutting down NECO. NECO is the only examination body at that level that is

eligible. Scrapping means running the system into the mud. But, if there is any problem at all, I believe the only thing to do is to identify the challenges and find out the lasting solution.

The fact is that our society is generally corrupt. But, there are still some things to be done. A structure can be put alongside NECO itself to give a credible result. But, scrapping it could be the worst decision anybody can take.

But, the Oronsaye panel said the decision was taken in order to stream-

NECO is a no go area. Nobody should be thinking about shutting down NECO. NECO is the only examination body at that level that is eligible line some agencies of government and reduce cost of governance?

It is due to the fact that the Chairman of the Committee had some accounting background and so the driving force is to minimise the cost of governance. But the truth of the matter is that when it comes to minimising cost of governance, it shouldn’t start from shutting down the system that enables you to empower the young people to pursue their dreams and ensure that only those who are really in line of getting awards are the ones getting awards thereby preventing the rest of the society to further their education which would make it impossible to produce human capital for the development of all the infrastructures that Nigeria needs. So, shutting down

*Ogudoro

the system is not a good decision and I am sure the government is not thinking in that direction.

So, what would you recommend, if you were Oronsaye?

I probably will not touch NECO or JAMB but I would lay emphasis on a more pragmatic approach to running the affairs of those organisations. And also minimise the influence of quota system in the institutions. Those are very sensitive institutions within the education system and serve as very important platforms for whether or not Nigeria is going to be successful.

But as an educationist and a Public Relations Practitioner, how would advise on the standard of education that had dropped much that most people now seek solace in foreign education. Do you think, we are lagging behind in Nigeria?

The major problem we are having in our education system is the fact that, we do not have a very good philosophy of education that makes it clear that the essence of education is not the acquisition of certificate but it is a process that is suppsed to enable Nigeria as a country to empower the products of the system to acquire the knowledge, skill and the right value that would enable them become profitable citizens that would enable their contribu-

eanwhile, the executive secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, in an interview with News Agency on Thursday supported the Federal Government’s streamlining of the National Examination Council (NECO) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The Federal Government had resolved to scrap some of its agencies in line with the recommendations of the Stephen Oronsaye-led Presidential Committee on Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.

Okojie said the decision by the Federal Government was not to merge NECO with WAEC, “but to restructure.

“You can use the facilities in NECO to do the same examination under the same administrative setting.

“NECO is an alternative examination to the West African Examinations Council or Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and we think it is possible to manage the two examinations under the same umbrella.

“This does not necessarily mean we are going to dismiss all the staff of NECO, no, but WAEC must be sustained for logistic reasons.

“A student has the option of writing examinations many times a year, just like one can write GCE London. So, NECO examination is supposed to be equivalent to WAEC,” the NUC boss said.

He said that WAEC was a subregional examination for West Africa, adding that countries in the region would not accept NECO result.

“For WAEC or SSCE, let’s see if we can do it four times a year, using the same facilities and I think government means well.”

*Okojie

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013—13

NECO, JAMB:

To scrap or not to scrap ?

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

'NECO is of no importance in gaining admission'

By Olayinka Ajayi

M

ixed reactions have continued to come from Secondary School directors and principals following Steve Oronsaye's recommendation to the federal government to restructure the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board JAMB and scrap the National Examinations Council NECO in order to save cost of running these establishments. Among those that were absolutely against such is the Director of Progressive Educational Centre, PEC in Lagos, Mr. Charles Ogbonna.

In a chat with Saturday Vanguard he stated that the proposed plan is an attempt to empower the tertiary institution system to be more independent and less corrupt.

Lately many Post JAMB examinations in the South-East were canceled due to a high rate of examination malpractices. Do you know how much it is going to cost each student to sit for Post JAMB in his school of choice? So what is the motive behind this?

If it is to cut down the budget how has NECO and JAMB affected the budget compared to what the political office holders are getting.

If their claim is about standard, I put it that NECO questions are of better standard than WAEC. He further stated that, contrary to popular opinion that NECO examination is cheap to pass and substandard to WAEC, go and check the ratio recently then you will realize that NECO examination questions are of higher standard and not easily passed as WAEC, he stressed.

He however stated that the solution to curb menace of examination Malpractices in Nigeria is not to scrap the body in charge but to enact laws that will checkmate students and parents as well as examination officials to desist from compromising the derogatory act that has led to the fall of our educational standard in Nigeria.

On the contrary, other high ranked principals in Government owned secondary schools in Ojo, Lagos, who pleaded to be anonymous are of the opinion that NECO is of no importance in gaining admission into international institutions. In her words, I

If it is to cut down the budget, how has NECO and JAMB affected the budget compared to what the political office holders are getting? If their claim is about standard, I put it that NECO questions are of better standard than WAEC. have been part of those coordinating and invigilating both NECO and JAMB examinations. I notice that the organization is very poor and the remuneration comes a year after the examination had taken place. She continued, the students don't seem to take it serious because is being funded by the Government compared to that of WAEC the parents usually pay for.

Also in support of the proposed scrapping of NECO by the Federal Government, a front line director of a privately owned international school in Lagos who also preferred to be anonymous stated that multi-choice Examinations is causing lots of distractions for the students. "I strongly believe the proposed idea is a welcome development because the students are writing their WAEC at hand and soonest they will be preparing for JAMB after that comes NECO. How well will they prepare for these Exams and get good grades? The whole process should be streamlined to just two.

Which is WAEC and POST JAMB organized by the higher institutions internally," he submitted.

However the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, said recently, that the government was yet to take any decision on the issue.

The spotlight has again fallen on Nigeria’s educational system. And right now, the nation and its education stake holders are in a state of serious debate as to whether or not to still retain some of the examination bodies already seen as part of the determinants to higher studies.

What exactly started the argument was prior to the Federal Government raising a committee, headed by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsanye, to look into the number of agencies and departments in the country and to recommend ways of saving costs.

The committee made some recommendations to government, which in turn, set up another panel to write a White Paper on it. At the moment, the White Paper Committee is yet to issue its recommendations to government but Nigerians are already pouring out their minds as to the possibility of such committee coming out with the right decision.

Tracing the reason why government instituted the National Examination Council(NECO), was to break the monoploy formerly enjoyed by the West African Examination Council(WAEC).

NECO was meant to drive WAEC to excellence hence, the high rate of failure or strictness exercised by WAEC in the past would be drastically reduced. But what happens if the government eventually scraps NECO? Does it mean Nigerians will return to the dark days of WAEC monopoly?

Over the years it has been observed, that passing WAEC and NECO, doesn’t guarantee students automatic admissions into universities. He or she has to still pass through the hurdle of JAMB. Also, it has since been proven that even scaling through JAMB doesn’t mean into universities come that easily, as what determines the number of students admitted into an higher institution of learning, rests solely upon facilities possessed by that particular school.

Upon seeing that JAMB could’t guarantee students automatic admission into schools of higher learning, coupled with irregularities experienced by students who took JAMB, higher institutions of learning were given free hand to organize the post JAMB examinations. And eventhough schools now set up internal examinations, the number of students who enroll for post JAMB examinations outweighs the few who eventually get admitted. And at the end, this amounts to exploitation on the part of those who lost out.

So, with all the measures already put inplace to prove the credibility of students who eventually get admissions into universities, the Nigerian educational system is still sinking into what can be refered to as comatose. What then is the way forward- to scrap JAMB, NECO or not to scrap?

Going by the opinion polls already conducted, Nigerian University Vice Chancellors seem not to rule in favour of the scrapping. They say scrapping the above bodies will lead to high rate of fake admissions which may likely flood Nigeria if such move is followed. But pundits have argued that the reason why this set of stake holders have ruled against scrapping is due to the huge amount of money they earn during post UTME/JAMB examinations.

C M Y K

14 — SA TURD AY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013 SATURD TURDA

By CHIOMA GABRIEL

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neasy calm has engulfed the South-South part of Nigeria following re newed violence in the region and the vow by a faction of the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND,to avenge the killing of Southerners in the North by threatening to bomb mosques even though the Joint Military Task Force has dismissed the threats, saying MEND no longer exists.

MEND for instance claimed responsibility first, for the killing of twelve policemen in Bayelsa along the Azuzuama waterways in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state after an earlier threat that security operatives did not take seriously; and second , for the destruction of Oil Well 62 belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Ewellesuo, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The group claimed the destruction of the oil well was part of its Operation Hurricane Exodus to oil companies in that area. Many also believe the renewed attacks have everything to do with the prison sentence given to Henry Okah in South Africa.

MEND’s spokesman, Gbomo Jomo had recently announced the group’s readiness to commence fresh hostilities to save Christians from Boko Haram violence in an operation codenamed Operation Barbarossa, which he said would begin on May 31 and would target mosques and Islamic clerics.

MEND’s statement read: “On behalf of the hapless Christian population in Nigeria, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta will from Friday, May 31, 2013, embark on a crusade to save Christianity in Nigeria from annihilation.

“The bombings of mosques, hajj camps, Islamic institutions, large congregations in Islamic events and assasinations of clerics that propagate doctrines of hate, will form the core mission of this crusade code-named Operation Barbarossa”.

But the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta code-named Operation Pulo Shield debunked these claims by the MEND that it was responsible for renewed hostilities in the region. The JTF statement signed by the JTF’s Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu read: “It must be made clear that the authentic MEND as we all know went into extinction since Yar’Adua’s amnesty and quite a good number of former members are partnering with their various states and communities for development.

“Those attempting to christen themselves MEND today are impostors and a bundle of “never do wells” who want to be accorded undue recognition at the expense of the peace currently savoured in the Niger Delta. The lack of focus and genuineness of intention of this gang seeking to hide under the name of MEND is apparent in its statements.

“As it continues to contradict itself, you’d recall that it had earlier claimed to be acting under the directives of Henry Okah and now it refers to the same person as just one of the respect-

C M Y K

Abubakar Shekau

Henry Okah

Between Boko Haram and MEND’s renewed attacks Now they are seeking sympathy and acceptance of the public by claiming to want to avenge christians. Niger Deltans should not be deceived by the tricks of the devil ed leaders of the Niger Delta.

“Now they are seeking sympathy and acceptance of the public by claiming to want to avenge Christians. Niger Deltans should not be deceived by the tricks of the devil. Lawlessness is never a solution. Obviously, their aim is to engender panic and a sense of insecurity in the region using MEND’s name, but we assure them that their cup is full and will soon be caught up with by the law.”

In another reaction sent to Saturday Vanguard, the national coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Comrade Joseph Eva said that those who killed the policemen in Bayelsa State are criminals. “MEND did not kill the po-

licemen. In fact, there were some robbery incidents that took place in the North under the cover of the Boko Haram.

“There is no doubt that the prison sentence given to Henry Okah will generate anger in some quarters among our people because Henry Okah is a leader. But the incident was purely criminal. How can you kill security men and most of them are Ijaws and you claim you are fighting for Ijaw nation? That is madness. The Ijaw nation has not abandoned Okah for the problem he is facing. Americans cannot abandon their citizens no matter the condition of that citizen outside America.

“How can any group claim it is fighting for Niger Delta when they told us they want to bomb mosques and muslim worship centres? MEND is not a confusionist group. Are you saying that MEND wants to defend religion?

That is rubbish. Did Boko Haram attack Niger Delta? Is MEND telling us they want to help Jonathan and Dr. Namadi Sambo to fight Boko Haram?

The threat is senseless. I’m not denying that MEND exists. Look, MEND is faceless the way Boko Haram is faceless. We have MEND and the real

MEND is faceless and principled and any confusionist and unprincipled character you see is the fake MEND in Niger Delta.”

Meantime, Northern youths recently threatened to fight back should MEND attempt to carry out

it’s threats. The youths through the National President of the Arewa Youth Forum, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambo Gujungu in Abuja sent a warning message to MEND not to be too boastful, as violence does not belong to just one group. Gujungu said the northern youths are ready to fight back should the militants make real their threat. The group’s leader said: “The most recent threat by MEND is indeed unfortunate, callous and counter productive, especially coming at a time when patriotic Nigerians are making strident efforts and sacrifices to resolve the current security challenge.

“MEND, as usual, is putting spanners in the works for unpatriotic selfish economic benefits. It is painful that these elements are threatening more violence despite the colossal amount being paid their leadership and the training of Niger Delta youths abroad by the Federal Government to the obvious disadvantage of other Nigerian youths outside the region.

“MEND and its members are hereby warned that they do not have monopoly of ideas, strength or ability. The youths of the North and other Nigerians are united and shall face them to truncate any of their threats which are aimed at separating Nigerians along religious or ethnic divides for their selfish economic goals.

“It is very sad and mind-boggling to note that instead of supporting and ensuring that President Jonathan succeeds in finding a lasting solution to the present security challenge in the North, MEND has re-opened another insecurity theatre in the Niger Delta to cause distraction and make him fail.

“The obvious disrespect, which MEND shows to President Jonathan as not being among those they respect enough to intervene in the ongoing debacle, is food for thought, to say the least,” Gujungu said What Nigerians worry about is what would become of Nigeria should MEND carry out it’s threat and Northerners react? Will our country survive religious uprising of such a magnitude?

Okwudiri Ikenna who reportedly lost relatives in Maiduguri said the threat by MEND will teach the Boko Haram terror group and its sympathizers that no one has monopoly over wickedness.

“Since the insurgency started, some of us have lost relations, friends but none of the Northern elders and clerics have condemnedBoko Haram. All they are calling for is amnesty. If MEND goes ahead with its threat, we shall see who will condemn them.”

However, Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, earlier in the week was quoted to have urged security services to provide security in both Christian and Muslim places of worship. He said that: “Anyone parading or masquerading himself as Jomo Gbomo is not operating from Nigeria. It may be the voice of a mischievous and an unpatriotic Nigerian operating from outside Nigeria. I therefore appeal to all the ex-militant leaders and their followers not to allow themselves to be used and they should also ignore and openly condemn the so-called voice of Jomo Gbomo” .

SATURDAY

Of life and legacy and her kith and kin the best way she knew. When Britain’s economic interests were threatened by governments like the Murtala Mohammed’s government, she made a U turn. The fall of apartheid thereafter became inevitable.

Its easy however, to forget what Britain was like before she took over the reins of power. The trade unions had become so powerful that they had disgraced many a Prime minister – labour and conservative – out of office. In a moment of frustration, James Callaghan, a labour PM once said he would emigrate if he was a young man. I remember getting to London on a wet May morning to meet the street littered with putrefying, stinking garbage that had been left uncollected for days; another product of the seemingly unending strikes in the country.

Margaret Thatcher cleaned Britain up, literally and figuratively. The ‘once sick man of Europe’ as Britain was derisively called, got a shot in the arm and became a healthy, family man.

She was disdainful of the unions and those on the dole while wining and dining with the rich and the powerful. Britain became a capitalist state in almost everything but the name.

Her critics believed that the she destroyed the soul of Britain as a caring, welfare state when she reduced State support for the poor. But no one, not even her most vitriolic critics could deny that she was a transformational leader. Very few would argue that she gave respect and a voice back to Britain in international fora.

She had a vision and the strength of character to pursue this vision. It was inevitable that she would step on toes and make mistakes. The Falkland war raised her profile while the poll tax pulled her down. But she left office with her integrity intact and had remained scandal free save for the unfortunate incident of her son Mark who unwisely interfered in the affairs of Equitorial Guinea.

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Everybody who has a life has an opportunity to leave a legacy

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his was Sunday, April 7. A day later, the person whose vision I had just relived, passed on. Baroness Margaret Thatcher, perhaps the most powerful Prime Minister Britain ever had, died on April 8, at the age of 87. It was Margaret Thatcher and her team that envisioned Canary Wharf as the financial hub of the world, and moved with characteristic doggedness to achieve that vision, and create a place that became conducive to high finance and deals.

I had also relived another of her legacy a few days earlier at the airport when I had to show an authentic visa before I could be let into Britain. Until her era, Nigeria didn’t need a visa to enter the UK. She decided that Nigeria, along with certain–not all– commonwealth countries had to procure visas to enter the UK in order to control immigration.

Another policy of hers that I found distasteful was her open support for Southern Africa during apartheid. It is a no brainer to say apartheid would have fallen long before it did but for her clear support. As a young journalist, I found the position of Britain frustrating and I remember discussing this with the late Joe Garba who was then the External Affairs Minister. But she defended the interest of her country C M Y K

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hat about us? What legacy are we leaving behind? To those who think life is about the accumulation of wealth, let me say that I have never heard of or read a citation that mentions the number of containers a person has at the wharf or the houses he has in the country side.

Everybody who has a life has an opportunity to leave a legacy. Those who have the chance to transform their country or their community don’t know how lucky they are. The pursuit of material things should be the last thing a sensible person in leadership should do.

Baroness Thatcher has lived her life and left her legacy. What is yours going to be?

Don't quit T

he previous year had been a year of tremendous great grace for majority of people while some will say there is nothing good about it. I know that so many expectations were not met but if you take a proper look you will see that the Lord God almighty performed a great work in your life. Let me just ask you one simple question. Do you know how many unseen battles the Lord fought and won for you? They are uncountable. Do you know that the devil did not intend for you to see the end of last year but thank God you did not only see the end of last year, you have also entered a new year of Fulfilled Promises. Let me tell you whether the devil likes it or not, “All things will definitely work together for your good” (Roms 8: 28).

As our topic for today says “Don’t Quit”, quitters never win. It is too soon to quit. Don’t even contemplate it despite all you are going through.

You may call it the worst period in your life while God may call it the time for greater heights in your life. One thing you should know is this; your darkest hour is nearer the day than you think. No wonder the Bible says, “Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning”. You see, for every night there is a day. I remember clearly in the Bible that just when it was time for Jesus to complete His assignment here on earth He cried out to God and said father, how I wish this cup would pass me by but nevertheless not my will but your will be done, (Matt 26: 39). Jesus for a moment was willing to quit because of the magnitude of the task at hand but then He remembered that there is a greater glory ahead of Him. There is a greater glory ahead of you.

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he view from the 14th floor of Britannia International Hotel at the Canary Wharf was pretty impressive. You saw sleek, modern buildings that dotted the skyline and housed some of the biggest banks in the world. You saw names of financial institutions that you had heard and read about. You saw tall, modern apartment buildings that rose into the sky and penthouses that you would give almost anything to live in. You saw light rails snaking their way mid-air, round these tall buildings and cable cars that flew like big birds, over the buildings. You saw the interplay of chrome, glass and modern architecture.

In the night, you saw creative, carnival-like lights that gave life and light to the night skies. In the morning, the crisp but bitingly refreshing spring air hit your face as you made a brisk, five minute walk to the Hilton Hotel for breakfast with a few close friends.

This was not my first visit to the Canary Wharf. It was not my second. But I have never seized to be amazed at the vision that gave birth to what is known as ‘the city’— a place for business and businessmen. Canary Wharf was not always Canary wharf, the financial capital of the world. For many years, it was known as Dockland Yard because of its sea port.

The port served its purpose which was to bring goods to central London. Only a few people at the time could have imagined or envisioned what later became of Dockland Yard.

Vanguard Vanguard,, APRIL 20, 2013—15

Keep pressing on. The miracle is just around the corner.

The Bible says “Looking unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb 12: 2).

Jesus would not have received the joy and be where He is now if He had given up. Don’t give up.

There is now still a miracle for you.

What about Joseph, God showed him a vision that people including his family will bow before him. He believed it and waited patiently for it to happen. No sooner had he ended up in prison for no offense of his. If anybody had any reason to quit, it was Joseph.

He was just a little over seventeen years but then he had to wait for thirteen good years to become the prime minister in a strange land. This must be a miracle. Listen, Joseph did not contest any election. The hand of God supernaturally worked behind the scene to get Joseph to the throne.

The God that did this for Joseph will also do it for you if you don’t quit in Jesus name. Amen. Remember that the ways of God are never the ways of man. God will come true for you.

Don’t give up.

Remember the certain man at the pool of Bethesda. This man kept believing for his miracle for thirty eight years. Just when he thought it was his turn for the miracle, something else happens. But still the man kept pressing on, he refused to quit. He had only one thing in sight, his miracle. Every other person entered into the pool to receive their miracle but Jesus came into the scene and commanded the man to rise up, take up his bed and walk. This man believed that this miracle would come from the pool, but Jesus showed that you don’t have to receive your miracle the way others did. Don’t quit. Jesus has a miracle for you.

TESTIMONY: I am writing to appreciate what God has used your message that comes up on the weekend Vanguard to do in my life for the past three years. I recall being hedged in valley of life but God’s word from your mouth brought me out and established me on Rock to stay.

All the glory and honor be to God. The oil and the anointing will never run dry in your life in Jesus name. Elder F.I

No wonder the Bible says, “Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning”

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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. E-mail: Johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org.

Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, A/C Nos. 0005171407.

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.

16—SATURDAY Vanguard , APRIL 20, 2013

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*bothered and bewildered *celebrating *celebr ating insecurity

am in one of my dull moments again when simple situations that are as clear as daylight fail to emerge from the depths of confusion for me to grasp and comprehend like all others around seem to do. Why can’t I understand what is going on?

Just when I think I am on top of the unfolding events, something that leaves me panting turns up again.

We at last arrived at the point where we were going to convene a meeting between some leaders of the Islamist insurgent group, Boko Haram, with the intention of working out an arrangement by which they could be considered for clemency — I beg your pardon, amnesty. I did not get the impression that President Goodluck Jonathan was entirely for the idea until there were suggestions that members of the group—call them terrorists or whatever—were going to shed the heavy veil under which they operated so far. The President was openly pressurized, almost blackmailed even, to yield grounds in the proposition to participate in a confab with “ghosts.” He averred that he was all for a meeting with real people but had no faith in communicating with masquerades. But he was given the assurance that it would not be case.

Accordingly, the government commissioned a technical committee to “review fresh ways” of tackling the security problems in the North — in other words, the Boko Haram menace. Based on a report submitted by this committee, The National Security Council recommended a Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North. Twenty-six good men and true were promptly appointed as members of the panel which is known as the “amnesty panel”.

THEY HAVE COMMITTED NO CRIME! If so, they indeed deserve no pardon since they have committed no offence.

But what name do you give the murders, the bombings, the demolitions? The laws of this country call them felony, that is, what felons do. And yet the country is made to witness this farce of peacemaking with people who have not broken the peace? WHO IS TO BE PACIFIED? WHO IS TO BE APPEASED? Who should apologize? Who is to make amends? I am not clear.

There must be some facts that I am unaware of.

•President Jonathan there ought to be an infusion of Southern elements in the resolution of an issue that affects them as much, at least, as it affects any other group, not a token representation.

This tendency to cast an overlay of Northern concern only deepens the division that the Boko Haram scourge has thrust upon the country. That was why we had always felt that the voices that are raised loudest for amnesty could have spared a decibel or two for the cause of the victims. The scourge is not only inflicting havoc on our slender chances of nation-building: it is set on re-orientating our vision of development as a people. In these past several months, each ethnic group’s consciousness of itself as a distinct entity has become heightened.

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hey are to engage members of the Boko Haram in a parley to find a way out of the unrest unleashed by the group on the rest of the country; to “design a framework” by which amnesty can be processed; to prescribe an agenda for the disarmament of the belligerent group within a period of 60 days; to invent a programme for the support ,of the victims of the Boko Haram terror; and fashion a plan for eradicating, or combating, the root causes of insurgency in the country.

A tall order; an ambitious project; but a beginning of some kind.

The twenty-six Nigerians, good and true, appointed to serve on the panel, headed by the Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki.

Every member seems to be of Northern extraction with the exception of Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs who, at the last check, was a Southwestern and by all accounts, still is. His

O

ther objections have been made to the constitution of the panel. For instance, according to the Executive Director of the Civil Rights Congress, Shehu Sani, the appointment of the panel was precipitate. An earlier meeting should have taken place between the Boko Haram members and people they could have confidence in. He gave out the names of three of such people. That had been his standpoint before the creation of the panel, to which he was all the same named; he therefore had no qualms in

But you must have heard that in the midst of all this, the Boko Haram has remained its old self

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inclusion in the list raises an eye-brow or two, not for being a Non-Northerner, but as the only Southerner appointed to serve in the group. In the first pace, the emphasis of this issue as it is given an absolutely Northern coloration neglects the important aspect of its effect on the entire country. It also seems to deliberately twist the resolution in a northerly direction in spite of the fact that most of the victims are Southerners.* So C M Y K

They have seen no rationale in the clamour by a section of the community for amnesty, since they hold themselves to be innocent of any crime

withdrawing his membership from the body. Yet, at least one more nominee has also pulled out.

But you must have heard that in the midst of all this, the Boko Haram has remained its old self —steady of purpose, unconcerned with other people’s anxieties, and totally unflappable. They have seen no rationale in the clamour by a section of the community for amnesty, since they hold themselves to be innocent of any crime. That is the point at which I really get nonplussed ... that is, confused, concerned, baffled, bewildered, at a loss ...

Who needs the amnesty? For whose benefit is the amnesty? Who should be asking for the amnesty? THEY SAY

Slim = that was his name— worked in a gas station in downtown Washington, DC. He was so called because of his slender frame. He did everything gently, as though to complement his peaceful appearance. Then on his way home, one day, his car was stopped by a cop for no known reason. The cop dismounted from his motorbike and reached for his gun. That was standard operational procedure (S,O,P) in that part of DC. But somehow, at the sight of the gun, Slim “flipped!” The man lost control, and went for his own gun, and shot the policeman dead. Then he began to run. Pandemonium!

Next day started out with the expected headline — “ Cop-killer on the run ”.... that sort of thing, as if any cop-killer ever stood stock still. The funeral took place at high noon. It was a dignified motorcade which several people stood by to watch.

Everything remained calm.

However, the streets were sparsely populated, though not deserted, because everyone knew what was to follow. At about half-past seven in the evening, it began.

A tidal wave of sirens, of different pitches and various tones shook the air. It went on and on till past midnight. And then, it tailed off.

In the morning, it was bright and breezy. Everyone grinned at nothing. We knew that Slim was past tense. When you kill a cop, you get a “fair” trial, but fast. You don’t kill a cop and get a chance to tell the story — who needs it? You don’t kill a cop— period. Of course, when it comes to gunning down ten, 12 policemen, you ‘dead, Pete.

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How many days now since a Commissioner of Police was killed here in our country?

Promises, promises, that’s what they are still dishing out.

The reaction should have been short and sharp. The killing of a police officer in such a licentious manner should hardly be contemplated in the presence of adequate security preparedness. But we have now arrived at a point where we even seem to celebrate our insecurity.

Boko Haram only complicates the issue. The fact is that miscreants have little regard for the law enforcement capability of the land. For instance, MEND gleefully announced that they would wreak devastation on the land, and they do. Then the group proceeds to frighten the nation by promising to extend its nefarious acts to attacks on mosques. And all this is because they believe that the government is implicated in the conviction of their erstwhile leader, Henry Okah.

But what has mosques and Islamic worship got to do with that? This nation is now stretched between amnesty, which those for whom it is meant aver is not their portion, and immunity which everyone aspires to claim for himself.

In the meantime, the police have the gall to clamp down on journalists who are told to violate one of the most revered tenets of their professionalism.

The Leadership journalists may clap and sing, engaged in a battle which they cannot lose and which the police dare not win.

Echoes : Why is it that you have not deemed it fit to write about Margaret Thatcher?(Eddie ...

0802122193) Well, I really think she was a magnificent piece of work. One in a million! She gave Britain a higher world position than she found her in. She corroborated with Gorbashev, whom she described as a “man you could do business with” to end the Cold War with the fall of The Berlin Wall; she maintained a good relationship with France and most of the East European countries, who dropped the epithet of “Iron Lady” to give her the nick-name of “TINA”, the acronym of “There is no alternative”; she enforced the No Standing” rule in football, which has brought down the incident of football rioting in England, and she won her country a war. She was Prime Minister!

For three consecutive times, she was.

The evil that men (and women) do lives after them.

Time out

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013—17

C M Y K

18—SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 20, 2013 Aunty Julie, I am a 30-year-old man.

There is this lady I know and I take her out a lot. I like her a lot but I don’t know how to tell her because she thinks we are going out as friends. I would like to be a little more than just friends. Also, the last time we went to the movies, she kept rubbing my elbow with hers.

Should I put my arm around her or what?

Kemi, Lagos Dear Kemi, Of course, you can wrap your arm around her. Or, you can put your hand next to hers and then gradually and gently begin to hold or intertwine her fingers with yours.

Remember to be aware of her response: Is she open to your moves? Or does she back away from you? Is she particularly resistant to your action? Or does she smile or seems to welcome your moves? Does she seem

We have too much sex but relate too little

I want to be more than just friends with her uncomfortable in any way? A lot depends on reading the signals she gives you. You can try to gauge her feelings by her looks, how she responds to what you say, etc. So, let her response to you,her body language, her facial expression, and her verbal comments help guide you on whether it’s okay to stay where

you are, to proceed further, or to stop and take away your arm or hand.

If you decide to test the waters, whatever her reaction, after the outing is over, it would be good to talk with her to help clear up any possible confusion over a potentially awkward situation.

If she seemed to enjoy the closeness, you can bring up the conversation by saying something like, “I had a really good time with you tonight, and I hope you did, too.” If she agrees, then say: “I’d really like to get together with you again soon. What do you want to do next time? I’ll give you a call so that we can make plans.”

People mistake me for gay Dear Julie, I am what you may call a nice guy. I’d say I’m rather sensitive and easy going. I don’t really like sports, race cars, or other manly things.

I’ve never had a girlfriend. I enjoy theater arts and my favourite cable station is a decorating network. You can see where I’m going. BUT I ENJOY WOMEN. I’m very attracted to them, I think about them all the time, I check out female butts a lot.

Yet everyone, especially women, seem to think I am gay. It bothers me because it makes me feel like less of a man. Additionally, how am I supposed to get this woman that I’ve been waiting for all these years, if she thinks I am gay? Please help me!!!!!

Dede, Warri Dear Dede, To be entrenched in a culture whose institutions perpetuate these rigid dichotomies and strict gender ideals, it may be extremely difficult to break the norms and be accepted for doing so.

However, the fact that you are comfortable in your personal

Gay men may like sports and cars, too, and it has nothing to do with who they’re sexually attracted to tastes, regardless of their alignment with these ideals, shows confidence which many women find extremely sexy.

Though some women may find a man’s penchant for cars and sports to be the seeds of attraction, it’s oftentimes more the content of someone’s character that truly tips the scales when it comes to love.

As you’ve experienced, if you don’t conform to a traditional male gender role, some people may label you as homosexual, “metrosexual,” “girly,” or simply just less of a man. The irony is that there is no one size fits all representation of masculinity.

Gay men may like sports and cars, too, and it has nothing to do with who they’re sexually

• A young lady visited the government matchmaker for marriage and requested— “I’m looking for a spouse. Can you please help me to find a suitable one?” The marriage officer said, “You’re requirements please.” “Well, let me see. Needs to be good looking, polite, humorous, sporty, knowledgeable, good at singing and dancing, willing to accompany me the whole day at home during my leisure hour, if I don’t go out and telling me interesting stories when I need companion for conversation and be silent when I want to rest.” The officer listened carefully and

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attracted to. “Feminine” characteristics such as caring for others, expressing emotion, and getting enjoyment out of the arts, theater, and fashion have nothing to do with anatomy but are still widely seen to be emasculate and unacceptable in males. To be fully accepted by others (at work, in relationships, etc.) men and women may feel pressure to adhere to their respective gender role rather than finding their own unique placement on the spectrum of gender identity. But why is that?

For some men, this feeling of being different, wrong, or “weird” may lead to denial of self. For example, this is often noted as one of the forces that keep homosexual or bisexual men in the closet. One of the unfortunate side effects of this is that boys who are raised to strictly adhere to these gender roles instead of developing their own sense of self-identity often exhibit more violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and unsafe sex practices. This brings up the question of whether these roles are benefitting or

hindering young men. Though for many, it may not be an issue, in your case, it seems the latter.

The fact that you are able to step outside the proverbial box in spite of this is great. But being outside the norm may be difficult and garner criticism so the trick is learning how to manage that while maintaining your self-confidence.

One way to do this is to surround yourself with people who don’t make snap judgments on your sexuality based on surface traits like your affinity for the arts. It may take time and a little extra effort but first ask yourself a few questions: Do you find this judgment to be more prevalent within certain groups of people? Could you try to shift your social circle to include people who may be less likely to assume your sexuality before getting to know you?

Perhaps you could explore clubs, organizations, or common interest groups that would allow you to not only pursue your hobbies but also give you the chance to meet women in a more personal setting.

C O C K - T A L E S replied,” I understand. You need a television.”

•A businessman was being interviewed about his life and career when the subject of his wife of 30 years came up. ”To what do you attribute the success of your marriage?” asked the interviewer. ”Well,” replied the businessman, “You know that saying ‘Behind every successful man there’s a woman?” “Yes.” “Well, behind every successful marriage, is a pre-nuptial agreement.”

•A husband visited a marriage counselor and said, “When we were first married, I would come home

Dear Aunty Julie, I’m a 25 year-old guy, average looking, and I think I have a normal personality. I met this very nice and pretty girl about a month ago.

Almost since the beginning, all she wants is to make love.

This was great in the beginning, but you and some guys out there may think I am crazy, I am starting to get worn out. I like her very much and we get along great in bed, but I want to date her just like my friends date their girlfriends, although my friends tell me they wish they had my problem. When I suggest going out, she shrugs and says that she likes to be in bed with me. Can you give me some advice about how to move the bed over to a friendship?

Tingles, Benin Hello Tingles, Balancing the needs and expectations of your partner with your own may be challenging, but open communication may go a long way to resolve relationship concerns. It sounds like you would like to nurture the relationship and give it time to grow and develop outside the bedroom. Have you spoken with her about what you want in a relationship?

Consider telling your partner that you’d like to develop a friendship, both in and out of bed. Try using “I” statements, such as “I have noticed we have been spending a lot of time inside, and I think it would be nice to get to know you better over dinner.” You may mention things you like to do , like going to the movies, taking long walks, playing chess, etc.

Additionally, try to find out what your partner’s expectations are for the relationship, and what your partner likes to do. Perhaps you may plan a date involving one of these favourite activities. Asking questions about your partner’s needs and interests may help you to determine if you will be compatible as friends.

from the office, my wife would bring my slippers and our cute little dog would run around barking. Now after ten years, it’s all-different. I come home, the dog brings the slippers and my wife runs around barking.”

“Why complain?” said the counselor, “You’re still getting the same service.”

•A woman told a marriage counselor that her husband’s complaint that he leads a dog’s life is probably well founded. “He comes in the house with muddy feet,” she said, “tracks across my clean floors, barks at nothing, growls at his food and makes himself comfortable on my best furniture.”

SATURDAY

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ICTOR and Sola r e the kind of couple you wouldn’t want to go out to social functions with because if you did, they ’d only start fighting and cause a big scene and you’d be embarrassed.

They ’re both silver spoon kids, have been married only a few years with two children, but don’t seem to have mastered the art of staying married. Their neighbours were also fed up with their antics. A seemingly loving couple, Fred, their next door neighbour said he was sick to the stomach of Sola always rushing to their house whenever Victor ’s jealously took the better of him. “Some few months ago,” he recalled, “ we were having a cosy birthday party for my wife when it happened again. Both of them were invited but it was Sola who fled into our house looking like a woman possessed. a

Vanguard APRIL 20, 2013—19

of kids whose parents picked them up from school because ours never did — leaving it up to the maids to do that, often endangering our lives by squashing all of us on the okada.

“It was inevitable that they broke up and we left to live with our mum. I missed my dad terribly as we were very close, it was a relief though that those horrible arguments had stopped but I still would have preferred we lived together under the same roof.

How domestic violence could put your kids off marriage!

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lthough I saw my dad every week, the break-up had damaged my sister and I psychologically. I became withdrawn and it took me years to accept dad’s new wife.

“I’ve since finished university, have a good job and live in one of dad’s flats but I can’t forgive what my parents made us go through. They were selfish and have put me off marriage. The way they shouted at each other, knowing how much it upset us, makes me wonder if they never thought about our feelings. Were they ever in love?

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change of clothing in their house when they wanted to go out, his body covered in scratches—his wife’s trade mark! One had

wound. Heaven only knows what type of example they would set their children in future …”

Stella was 14 when her

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econds later, Victor followed, yelling and screaming abuse. He ripped a necklace she’d obviously worn to attend the party from around her neck, scratching her in the process. Then he virtually grabbed her by the throat, her blood curdling screams scarcely putting him off!

“My guests were appalled as Victor towered menacingly over his wife, ordering her to go back to the house. We insisted she stayed but she told us it would only aggravate his jealously, so she went meekly back to the house with him. Yet, they’re still together. My wife couldn’t understand their type of love either as it became apparent that both of them were wracked with jealousy. Victor ’s friends often painted a different picture of the fighting that had dogged their marriage.

Some remembered seeing Victor when he had a

I’m currently in a relationship with a man who is patient enough to convince me that although marriage doesn’t come with a life time guarantee, it’s better to take a chance on love than not to try at all

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even recalled witnessing Sola aim a vicious kick to Victor ’s knee. He’d just had a mild surgery at the time, yet his wife had lashed out at him, kicking him right on the surgical

parents’ marriage finally hit the rocks; yet, memories of their unhappy marriage still haunt her. “My parents argued all the time, and had done so for years,” she

recalled. “They just weren’t compatible. I shared a room with my younger sister and we’d hear them shouting and cursing while we were in bed. 1’d put my hands over my ears to drown out the violence and most times, mum would weep bitterly. When dad started his own crying, I couldn’t really deal with that.

They would apologise and we’d think everything was Ok but it never was. My parents often went days without talking, which put us under a lot of strain.

They even tested our loyalty by using us to get at one another. That was hard as we felt stuck in the middle and didn’t want to take sides. I remember being jealous

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t was because of this that my views on marriage changed radically. I decided it was not really worth it. To me, it had become something that never lasted — a union that was pointless because people only fall out with each other in the end. I’m currently in a relationship with a man who is patient enough to convince me that although marriage doesn’t come with a life time guarantee, it’s better to take a chance on love than not to try at all. Who knows what will happen in future because of his patience and love, I might give marriage a chance....”

What your new man doesn’t want to hear! aul sees himself an expert in relationships. He’s tapped into his vast experience to warn prospective girlfriends on topics to stare clear off when you’re with your beau. At nearing 40, he still sees himself God’s gift to women. ‘ About your ex-boyfriend: Harping on about how good your ex was in bed or recollecting his gargantuan manhood is suicide for your current relationship. Also, there’s nothing worse than a partner who keeps slagging off her ex. It shows he’s still thinking about him.

My tip is to keep mentions of C M Y K

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Harping on about how good your ex was in bed or recollecting his gargantuan manhood is suicide for your current relationship

him to a minimum. He’s history, right?

That our sex life could do with livening up: Sadly, I was once on the receiving end of this remark.

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My (now ex) girlfriend asked if I was content with our sex life.

“I’m not saying I’m not happy,” she sighed, “but I feel like we’ve got a bit... cosy.” Bam! It was the

beginning of the end. I got paranoid. The fact is, I like cosy. I was happy. She wasn’t. Seriously, if you’re not fulfilled sexually, find another way to tell him.

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ou putting your self down: Here, we are thinking you’re an amazing sex goddess, and you ruin it by acting all kooky and neurotic. I’m not saying you should stride around thinking you’re perfect, but if you spend an entire evening cracking jokes about how fat and useless you are, we might start believing you.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20 20, 2013 who hasn’t acknowledged your existence with even a brief look?

“I need to see, by her looking and smiling at me, that she wants me to approach her. If I don’t see it, I don’t approach,”says a regular reader. So next time you think he catches you looking at him, don’t look away,hold your stare for a few seconds so he knows you’re looking and that you like what you s e e .

08052201257 anyagafu@yahoo.com

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things that make women unapproachable

Grinding out on the dance floor is fun to look at and looking at strippers too but no man would take any home to meet his mama

re you dying for a guy you admire to talk to you? Sometimes, it seems like no amount of silent prayer or aggressive cleavage will get that cute stranger to take a hint and chat you up.

Could you be scaring away men before they even approach you? There could be reasons.

Men share the surprising reasons they stay away. *You look pissed Swap the pouty lips for a genuine, friendly smile and your eye candy for the night will be more likely to approach you. Majority of men agree that an unfriendly

* You’re too flirtatious

facial expression will keep them from approaching you, so flash those pearly whites at the guy you’ve been eyeing!

*You’re not locking eyes What’s harder than approaching a stranger, approaching a stranger

A chip on your shoulder is a turn-off to any guy waiting to make his approach but so is the other extreme.Men are put off when women cross the line from friendly to flirty with everyone they see.

If you're flirting with lots of guys, it turns men off.

There's nothing like a woman who is basically telling

everyone in the place that she’s open for business with anyone.

Flirting with everyone would put a man off.

Grinding out on the dance floor is fun to look at and looking at strippers too but no man would like to take any home to meet his mama.

Sure, he’ll notice you if you’re the loudest, most aggressive girl in the room but not in a good way. *You’re surrounded by friends Admit it, your awesome group of friends can be a little intimidating, especially when a strange guy approaches to hit on just one of you.

Being surrounded by more than one friend makes her less approachable because of the embarrassment of being rejected in front of more people.

Make sure you’re giving him the opportunity to approach you alone, check out the jukebox and linger for a bit, or offer to grab the next round of drinks for your friends.

I have a big problem with commitment also still phoning, visiting and

Ques: I am a 31-year old lady, and I have confidence in myself and other people see me as an outgoing, strong character and pleasing person. I have one problem and that is commitment to my relationships. I have been in five ‘commited’ relationships and the length of relationships are one year, three years, two years and four years, but after the first couple of months I got bored, became unfaithful and found a way to get out of the relationship. I have always made certain that my partners get the blame and make them feel guilty, although I know the problem is me. After I quit, I missed them and felt bad about what I have done. I then contact them but in the meantime, have a new ‘lover’. I end up in a situation of having a ‘commit-

having sex with my previous partner. I cannot carry on like this anymore. Recently, I dumped my partner only to be with someone ‘new ’ I met two weeks ago at a friends place, and I am still uncertain about going back to my previous partner. Please help!

Alicia, Abuja

Ans:You are seeing the predictability of your pattern. Each person has some deep set of patterns which comes out in relationships and love which can be limits to the depth of healthy, lasting intimacy.

The patterns I am talking about are originally developed in childhood, between the ages of two-six years mostly. They are the result of choices made by a six-year-old mind, doing the best it could to figure out how to connect to others while protecting the ed’ relationship with a man, and, self.

These choices were made long before we became verbally adept or cognitively proficient at thinking, which was mostly after the age of ten.

We all have a set of emotional patterns that operate in the attempt to self-defend us and deal with the core problems of vulnerability and connection. These patterns come up in relationships. They come up the strongest in our strongest relationships, i.e. with a romantic partner. And these patterns are, for the most part, way beyond our conscious understanding because they were developed at an earlier stage in our cognitive development.

To change a deep-seated pattern like this, you need to go deeper within yourself to the root of the pattern.

You need to make an emotional contact with the part of you that is running your life, operating at

a deeply unconscious level. You need to connect with that part of yourself and start an authentic dialogue within yourself. You need to commit to personal growth, and make it your highest priority if you want to grow beyond your pattern.

You can describe the symptoms of the pattern, the feelings of boredom, the actions you take to avoid commitment, and you have repeated the pattern often enough to know that your feelings and behaviours are predictable and somewhat automatic.

You need to develop the ability to contact that part, understand what it really wants, and deliver it from yourself ultimately so that you can evolve the pattern towards who you really want to be with in a loving relationship and who you are beyond this selflimiting pattern.

class and God-fearing lady of 20-29 for a •Max, 33, graduate, wants a good looking relationship that could lead to marriage female friend for relationship on 08096598454 on 08069707648 • Oluwadarasimi, 27, busty, wants a God•Joe, 27, based in Abuja, caring and fearing man for a life-time relationship on loving, wants a slim, fair, lady of 20-25 who 08095287751 is also based in Abuja for a serious •Sammy, 35, from Lagos, needs a good Christian relationship on 08067773936 lady for a serious relationship on 07065075990 sister and wife on 08060028609 •Isiaka, 40, male, based in Lagos, needs •Favour, 21, from Imo State, based in Delta, •Raphael, 29, from Delta State, needs a working a tall, fair, wealthy lady as wife on desires a God-fearing man for a long-lasting 08157115026 relationship on 08163471308 •Emmanuel, 23, Do you have reactions to our stories or have you any experience you want •Mike, 27, is searching for a woman e, undergraduat to share with our readers? Please e-mail,anyagafu2@gmail.com aged between 20-27 for a mutually tall, wants to beneficial relationship on meet a Do you want to be linked?

08174617263 responsible man Neither Chioma Gabriel nor Saturday Vanguard has any relationship with anybody wanting to be •Roland, 39, based in Lagos, dark, linked. We have no agents anywhere and charge no fees. We have no personal information of people for a serious handsome, only child of his parents, who have been linked or want to be linked and therefore, are not answerable for disappointments or relationship on needs a woman who will be his friend, embarrassments some people may encounter in the process.

08111895505 C M Y K

SATURDAY

What is your motivation? drive?

For me, what gets me going is very simple, its listening to loud music while singing along, and generally just being in my own zone alone when I wake up every morning. This alone always manages to make me feel very

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hat gets you going?

Although it may seem to be an easy and simple question, the answer is rather intricate as it entails many nuances and it varies person to person.

Knowing the answer can determine your ultimate success. Everyone is motivated by different things. For instance, I have read that before Steven Spielberg begins filming, he watches Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, a film that moved him. This is his way of getting motivated. Being deeply moved is always an inspiring experience. At these times your thoughts are crystal clear, and you have no trouble generating enough excitement.

Motivation is defined as “the act of giving somebody a reason or incentive to do something.” It is having — or discovering — the enthusiasm to get up and accomplish a goal.

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e all strive daily to accomplish our set of goals while staying focused on the tasks at hand.

However, have you stopped lately to think of what really drives you to keep going? Are you aware of what matters most to you in your daily struggle to achieve? Whatever your goal is you must be aware of the impetus that moves you to follow through on getting it done. Whether you are trying to get a promotion at work, lose some weight, or pass an exam, how do you maintain your

Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013 —21

For some people, all it takes for them to get motivated daily is a short prayer, an hour at the gym or a bit of encouragement from a friend or family member. Most people are motivated by their children, an intense workout, or playing their

D

For some people, all it takes for them to get motivated daily is a short prayer, an hour at the gym or a bit of encouragement from a friend or family member

optimistic, positive, and energized by the time I get in the shower. I am also motivated when I leave church every Sunday. Spreading my love, and being a good person also motivates me. In achieving my personal goals, knowing that I am on the right track and closing in on my goals by achieving small milestones motivates me.

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favorite sport. For others it takes the spirit of competition to drive their enthusiasm, or the possibility of being the first to do something, and most people are motivated by their children, an intense workout, or playing their favorite sport.

My colleague said to me “Death motivates me. I don’t want to have any regrets before the moment I die.

T

he way and manner a government treats persons with disabilities shows how responsive or irresponsive that government is. The disabled constitute the most vulnerable members of any society and a government that discharges its responsibilities to them, no doubt serves the entire citizenry creditably. The Cross River State Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development was

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n view of the laudable objectives of the Ministry, when they approached us at Mobility Aid and Appliances Research and Development Centre (MAARDEC) in 2010 to supply mobility aids and appliances, we were very excited with the prospects of working with the state government to empower persons with disabilities in the state. MAARDEC was established in 1991 with the vision to empower persons with disabilities through the provision of innovative and affordable mobility aids and appliances and complementary services to ensure that they are socially, economically and politically relevant to society. 50% of our workforce is made up of persons with disability.

We were excited when we were told that Governor Liyel Imoke layed a lot of emphasis on the protection and care of the disabled. So we really looked forward to an exciting partnership with C M Y K

Governor Imoke must hear this Cross River State.

When we were eventually contracted to supply a substantial quantity of mobility aids and appliances viz:wheelchairs, leg braces, artificial limbs, Braille embossers, Braille machines etc, we did not hesitate to raise funds to execute the contract with the hope that our payment will not be delayed by the ministry.

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ll the items were supplied.

Medical consultants such as prosthetist and orthotist, audiologists and medical engineers were engaged

by MAARDEC to ensure that all these items were properly installed in the schools and other centres where they were needed including the St. Joseph’s Center for the Blind in Obudu, while individual recipients were

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established and charged with the responsibility of providing social welfare services to the disabled and others citizens in Cross River State. Its major focus is on the welfare of the disadvantaged groups in the state.

professionally fitted with the limbs, leg braces etc.

Two installmental payments were made by the Cross Rivers State Government at the time, which covered the cost of producing and importing some of these machines into the country. A substantial balance of N2, 315,693.44 (two million three hundred and fifteen thousand six hundred and ninety three naira forty four kobo) till today, is yet to be paid.

MAARDEC is a non-profit organization. Our revenue is internally generated mostly through project executions and sales of mobility aids and appliances. So when we are owed, our clients suffer and we are unable to fulfill our obligations and commitments to the

We really looked forward to an exciting partnership with Cross River State

This is the greatest motivator because it makes me live each day like my last, and the most special day in my life otherwise I will procrastinate too much.” Death goes hand in hand with Time, which is the general consensus at my work place. Knowing that you can never make more time exist, or go back in time is a great motivator to make every moment count. Some men said that they get their motivation from watching sports; by watching people push themselves to the limit, and winning a football match or a tennis tournament.

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epending on your goals, age and at what stage you are at in your life, the factors that motivate you will be different. An integral part of reaching your full potential, and achieving your goals is to learn your own motivational triggers. Understand what excites you— what makes you feel like you could conquer the world. This is how you drive your own creativity, whenever you need it. Each of us is responsible for our own success.

People shouldn’t rely on someone else to motivate and inspire them.

Find what motivates you and make it a point to do it. We should all take that responsibility. You need to find out what gets you excited about waking up each morning and putting your best foot forward and ultimately being the best you can be.

society at large not to mention our inability to pay our staff.

We have spent a lot of money and time, in our effort to get the Cross River State Government to pay the balance of our bill to no avail, so we are left with no choice but to reach the Governor through this medium.

At this juncture it behooves one to ask: was the Cross Rivers State Government’s intention to reach out to persons with disability in the state truly genuine? Or was it just another political stunt to endear itself to the hearts of its citizens? The failure of the state government to pay our organization two years after fully executing the contract satisfactorily raises a lot of questions.

Certainly, the Governor is not aware of this; surely, there has been a breach in the chain of communication between the office of the governor and the relevant offices whose duty it is to ensure that this payment is made, or perhaps someone in the hierarchy of the state government has simply failed in his or her duties to the state.

We at MAARDEC want to use this medium to appeal to his Excellency, Governor Liyel Imoke to use his good offices to please see to it that this debt is paid without further delay. We can assure his Excellency that once this bill is paid, our doors will be open to continue to partner with his government, in reaching out to persons with disabilities in the state.

May we use this opportunity to thank other state Governments and corporate organizations and individuals who have partnered with us successfully. You are the reason why we are still here 22 years.

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22—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013 f steamy thoughts rarely cross your mind and leave you cold, or if you go out of your way to avoid love-making, odds are you’re overlooking your sexual life.

Even if a sexless relationship doesn’t bother you, it’s likely to irk your partner. Here’s how to uncover the issues blocking your sexual side:

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*Stress Juggling work, family and other activities make most women stressed.

While men tend to want intercourse as a stress reliever, tension turns women off. Here’s why: When you’re in stressful situations, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol, which some researchers say causes a nosedive in your level of testosterone, the hormone that controls your libido. Women naturally produce less testosterone than men, which might explain why they lose interest in sex more easily.

The following stress-inducing situations can also squash your intimacy drive: * Financial worries Losing your job can be a big blow to your self-worth. Combine it with the financial worries of not earning enough pay and love-making is likely to be the last thing on your mind. Who feels like slipping into lingerie when her head is filled with payments? * Getting set to say ‘I do’ Many engaged women panic more about the life-changing commitment they’re about to make than about wedding planning itself. This causes them to push away from their fiancé not only emotionally but physically, too. * Falling in love Marriage isn’t the only thing that can sabotage your love drive. When you fall in love, your testosterone and dopamine levels soar. But after the infatuation stage, couples grow comfortable with each other and their hormones calm down.

Stress is multi-faceted, so you need a comprehensive solution. Start with a balanced diet, regular exercise and a full eight hours of sleep. Try stressreducing activities, like meditation or writing in a journal. If you have too much on your plate, re-arrange your schedule with your top priorities. *Overweight Love-making feels great, but you have to feel good about yourself to enjoy it.

With a poor body image, you’re likely to put up a wall to block anything that feels remotely sexual because you’re too uncomfortable or embarrassed.

Let that behaviour become a habit, and you can lose your intimacy drive completely.

If you can’t get comfortable in your own skin until you lose weight, find a

Ask the Sexpert My wife and I are both 55 years old. She is currently going through menopause, and no longer enjoys sex with a condom. Will unprotected sex at this stage lead to pregnancy?

She hasn’t undergone any operation.

No, there is no way of her getting pregnant without a condom, as she no longer menstruates. But please remember that you need to do in-

Why people overlook their sexual lives weight-loss programme that will work for you. Choose an exercise routine

that’s fun and challenging. Being more active will help burn extra calories, boost energy levels and have you feeling and looking better in no time.

In the meantime, emphasize your best features, like your sexy legs, and flaunt them for your partner. * Conflict W o m e n sometimes withhold intimacy b e c a u s e t h e y ’ r e resentful, bitter or angry toward their partner. You might still love him when you’re mad, but chances are you won’t feel very attracted to him. You may feel more in the mood to brood than to cuddle.

Love-making often takes a backseat until the conflicts in the relationship have been resolved.

Never go to bed angry. Stay up and fight. Don’t allow anger to linger and turn into something worse. Or use your anger for some really great make-up intimacy.

You might just forget what you were arguing about in the first place.

of your medication. He or she may be able to suggest other alternatives for treating your depression. * Pregnancy

Some women find that the urge for love-making fluctuates along with their stage of pregnancy.

After giving birth, new mothers are often simply too tired, too sore or too preoccupied to be in the mood. Others find it difficult to reconcile their sexual identity with their maternal one.

Another c u l p r i t : Prolactin, the h o r m o n e released by breastfeeding m o t h e r s combined with o t h e r hormonal changes, can quash your libido.

It’s easy to pull out the pregnancy card when your husband wants to get frisky. But if you’re comfortably pregnant, and just not in the mood, do it anyway.

If you need more help with the baby after giving birth, ask your hubby for it. Or have a family member or friend come over to baby-sit so that you can get dressed up and have a date night. It’ll help you reconnect with how it feels to be a woman and a lover, not just a mother.

If none of these apply to you but you still have a low sex drive, it could be time to talk with your doctor.

Remember: These problems are temporary. Just as getting sick can make you lose your appetite, life problems can steal your sexual hunger but you can regain both.

Marriage isn’t the only thing that can sabotage your sex drive. When you fall in love, your testosterone and dopamine levels soar

* Antidepressants Antidepressants are notorious for causing low intimacy drive and inhibiting performance in the bedroom. Depression itself can also lower libido.

It’s important to let your doctor know that you’re experiencing a low intimacy drive as a side effect

dulge in foreplay for a longer period of time, so as to get her excited and lubricated. Also, use a lubricant.

I am 49 years old. I feel I am losing my intimacy drive. My manhood isn’t stiff enough during intercourse. Please suggest some tablet or anything that could help me get the desired stiffness and retain it.

After 40, erections are never as strong as two years before. Indulge in a lot of

foreplay. Get yourself a medical check up. Try Vigomax Forte, one tablet, twice a day, for a month. Take it on an empty stomach with milk or water. If you do not get the desired result after the medication, see a sexologist .

I am 47 years old and I have two daughters. My husband is amazing but the problem is that he wants to make love twice or thrice a week. I don’t like having it as often. Also, I have no-

things every guy is afraid to do in front of his woman

There are certain things a guy would never want you to catch him doing. It could be quite amusing and definitely rang a bunch of true points from experience. That experience could be that in some marriages, wives don’t care about their husbands farting or burping. But some men would feel embarrassed to fart ot burp in the presence of their wives.

It could be other things that men are afraid to do in front of women.

There are four things that particularly ring true ...

Troll around on Facebook This one is equal for both sexes.

While couples freely go on Facebook in front of each other, there’s always that one profile you see that makes you think “why are they talking to this person?” Some husbands would constantly ask ,“did you bang that guy?” Facebook is one of the largest causes for divorce these days and so, there’s definitely reason for concern.

Watch any female type show or movie Some men would be dead caught watching certain movies in front of their wives even though such movies are interesting. Seriously, they find themselves changing the channels. Even when alone and watching something remotely feminine and they hear their wives coming , they quickly change to another channel.

Show hey are in real pain Lifting boxes. Lifting groceries. Any kind of lifting. Any kind of sport. Any kind of anything. If a man smashes his arm against a table and is writhing in pain, sure he’ll say it hurts but 100% of the time, he doesn’t let on how much it really hurts. It’s just their nature.

Cry It’s sad but it’s true. While some men don’t have any reservations about crying in front of their wives, some would rather avoid it. It’s usually for the plain and simple reason that he wants to be her protector and that involves being strong. Crying generally means weakness for most men but that’s not true. But even then, some men would never cry in front of their ladies.

ticed that my vagina has grown wider due to many years of love-making. Is that the reason why I no longer enjoy lovemaking ? What can I do to tighten it to make it pleasurable?

Visit a gynaecologist to confirm your doubts. He may suggest a vagina-tightening operation. Meanwhile, learn kegel exercises by looking them up on the internet, as they will exercise the muscles around your vagina.

SATURDAY

An attack of asthma can be brought on by a host of things - from dust to fumes.

There is great difficulty in breathing. And when the attack lasts long enough it can leave the sufferer too debilitated. It can be so exhausting as to make one look like a shadow in just twenty-four hours. In my late teens I knew of a man very big and muscular. One day he had a bout of asthma.

By the next morning this man was about half his size.

He was such a sad spectacle.

Well, I have actually taught a couple of yoga postures and a simple deep breathing exercise to a colleague here at Vanguard.

He has been cured without a recurrence in almost two years. Moreniki is the second colleague to have been helped by yoga.

Here are the very exercise I taught my friend.

THE COBRA C M Y K

Yoga for asthma: A success story!

This is a colleague’s account of her relief from asthma with yoga. I started yoga about 6 months back and I’ve been gradually weaned off my drugs. Now attacks are few and far between and any sign of an attack is driven by a couple of exer-

cises rather than drugs. With these poses I can feel my lungs opening up. Recently, a doctor asked me about my asthma situation. I told him I now do yoga. As long as it works, he said.

My son has also benefited from yoga. — Morenike

entire musculature.

THE CAMEL Technique: Sitting on your heels with feet almost close together arrange your hands on the heels. Now, gently lift up your trunk humping your chest skyward.

Duration: Stay in the posture for some 10 to 15 seconds. Then lower your

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S I have always pointed out in this column, yoga is not only concerned with exercise for the healthy, it takes into consideration almost all the ailments that afflict man and offers a simple but amazingly a l t e r n a t i v e treatment. I made mention of how yoga can be used for such diverse conditions as insomnia, constipation, piles, diabetes, bronchitis and so forth.

I would want us to get into the treatment of asthma the yoga way, I don’t believe this is the first lime I am treating the topic.

But 1 have been approached by a few new individuals, who either have asthma themselves or know people who have it and would want them to get some help. It’s for such people that I write. But then anyone else can use the techniques below in augmenting, complementing whatever treatment they may be currently on as these techniques involve no drugs at all.

Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013 —23

It can be so exhausting as to make one look like a shadow in just twenty-four hours

This is basically an exercise that helps to expand the chest.

Technique: Lie flat on your belly and arrange the hands by the shoulders.

Inhale deeply and raise the trunk up with the head thrown back.

Do not straighten the elbows completely. Breathe normally in this posture for 5 to 7 seconds. Rest briefly and repeat.

Benefits: The cobra helps to expand the chest, that means we can take in a greater volume of air. And deep breathing improves the blood which in turn improves the immune system helping the asthmatic successfully fight

trunk and sit back on your heels for a brief rest and repat.

Benefits: The Camel, endows the practitioner with elasticity.

The chest expansion that comes with this exercise coupled with gentle but deep breathing are most rejuvenating.

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

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back the allergens that bring on the attacks.

A more advanced chest expander is THE BOW Technique: Lie flat on your stomach with the forehead placed on the floor.

Bend the knees and grasp the ankles with the respective hands. Breathe in deeply and arching the body upwards lift the thighs and chest off the floor. Keep the toes relaxed not to waste energy.

Benefits: The Bow expands the thoracic 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 strengthening of the

Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

Countries that expand oppor tunities for women achieve greater prosperity — Azeez

When we talk about empowering the Nigerian woman,the northern sisters must be on focus also. I personally believe that in comparison to their counter parts in the West and

Azeez:Women should not be viewed as supporting acts but as front runners

BY MOSES NOSIKE

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rs. Adeola Azeez is the chairperson of WIMBIZ, an organisation that advocates women empowerment and contribution in the society. Azeez is a seasoned correspondent banker with Deutsche Bank, an organisation she has worked with for over two decades.

In this interview , she emphasises the need for women education and empowerment.

It’s said that when you empower a woman, you are definitely building a nation, to what extent do you believe this statement?

It seems that people are only just waking up to see what women...our mothers before us, have been saying for generations and that is “women matter”. It is for this reason and more that WIMBIZ was formed 11 years ago. Therefore, for women to be empowered, they must first be educated so that once empowered, their impacts will be felt in every aspect of society.

WIMBIZ, as an organisation, is working towards redressing the inbalances of power in our boardrooms, government and society as a whole, thereby creating more and more opportunities for women to become empowered and take control. It is because of our passionate belief in that very statement that we have become the catalyst that elevates the status and influence of women and their contribution to nation building in Nigeria.

We want our country to be all it can be. However, we do not believe that feat is possible without Nigeria first throwing its doors open to the input, support and creativity of its women.

It’s been proven severally, that women’s empowerment is catalytic and central to achieving social and economic goals on many levels. And

countries that expand opportunities for women achieve greater prosperity. So, as a nation, it is time to pay attention and address the overwhelming need to empower our in-

creasing female population.

Tell us various ways women can be empowered to impact on the society?

Education is one of the foremost ways we need to utilise in empowering women. Unfortunately, even tradition has worked against us in this regard, with women being considered a less profitable investment and encouraged to focus on just being good wives and mothers. However the reality is, when you educate a man, you educate an individual; when you educate a woman, you educate a whole nation. This is because, we are the core of any family, and it is in our very nature as women to nurture and educate; passing on knowledge from generation to generation. So a nation that seeks to uplift the standard of living of her people needs to stop relegating the educational needs of her women to the background.

Access to entrepreneurial funding is another key issue that needs to be addressed. With many women breaking out of the traditional 9 to 5 environment to create their own business ventures

the South, Northern women have allowed themselves to be relegated to the background. I want to urge them to end the dichotomy, to find their voice and stand up and be counted as part of the process helping to build a well rounded nation.

As an organisation, WIMBIZ can provide them with the tools they need to change, but they have to be willing and ready to walk through our doors before we can help. They ultimately have the power to bring change and get the wheels turning for empowerment in their regions.

Access to entrepreneurial funding is another key issue that needs to be addressed. With many women breaking out of the traditional 9 to 5 environment to create their own business ventures, female-owned businesses are now one of the major employers in Nigeria.

However, not too long ago, many organisations were still reluctant to back female-owned businesses financially and held back on doing business with them.

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ow, slowly but surely, the tide is beginning to turn. Women have proven themselves to be equally as competent in running successful enterprises. Research has also shown women to be more credit-worthy and adept at managing investor funding.

The financial sector is starting to see the trend. They are doing the maths and their attitude and mindset towards women-owned businesses is changing.

Now more than ever, WIMBIZ is being approached by financial organisations, NGO’s and government projects; asking us to help identify suitable women they can invest in.

We also applaud the Central Bank, who through their financial inclusion strategy, are making available funding at the grass roots level, to SME’s irrespective of gender. Based on their policies, small business owners can go through banks to obtain loans at low interest rates.

This is great news of course, but we need more,more organisations willing to invest, better interest rates and more women willing to take advantage of these emerging opportunities.

Our government, banks, and investors etc. all need to come together to ensure that female run SME’s have the same access to funding and contracts as their male counterparts. We also need to bring women out of the shadows where political roles are concerned.

Women still continue to aspire to leadership positions in all spheres of governance both in the public and private sectors. Great strides have been made in the political realm with our current government holding the record

for the highest number of women in positions of authority than at any other time in our history. While we applaud this, there is still room to ensure that this current participation continues to translate into equal representation in political leadership positions.

In comparison to other African nations, Nigeria still lags behind on female representation in government. Women make up more than half of one house of Rwanda’s legislature, a fact that sets the country apart, not just in Africa but globally. Of the other twenty countries boasting the largest proportion of female representation in 2012, seven were African.

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igeria needs to start putting the policies in place to address this glaringly obvious issue. Politics should be more about character and policies; not money and lineage. Women should not be viewed as supporting acts but as front runners, deserving of the same level of support and financial backing as any of their male counter-parts running for office.

What is your organisation doing to ensure that women are fairly empowered and given their rightful position in the society and at the same time be useful in their homes?

A huge focus for WIMBIZ as an organisation is providing women with the tools to acquire these leadership positions and training them to utilise the opportunity; not just for their own career enhancement but for the good of our society. We do this by providing training, mentorship, advocacy and access to a network of women and organisations with the standing to help women aspire to their goals in all areas, corporate, entrepreneurial and political.

We are not advocating women to turn away from their traditional roles as wives and mothers; but rather giving them the tools they need to achieve a work- life balance that work for their individual lifestyles.

Our aim is to promote leadership, and encourage women to make an impact.

We are constantly partnering other like -minded agencies, both local and international to identify and assist women capable of making this impact.

Some of our home grown initiatives include our Winning Without Compromise (WIWIC) which focuses on preparing undergraduates on workplace balance, business and health through interactive session with established female professionals in various fields. We also focus very highly on mentorship, advocacy and so much more.

WIMBIZ is continually developing innovative, effective ways to help these young women improve their lives and harness the collective power of their wisdom and creativity. We understand that investing in empowering young women in leadership is essential to social change now and for the future.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013 — 25

Pastor Sign Fireman set to wed C

ontroversial man of God, Pastor Sign Fireman who once claimed to have healed late Nollywood veteran actor, Enebeli Elebuwa before he passed on, is getting ready to shock the world, as he concludes plans to walk down the aisle with the love of his life.

Fireman dropped this hint while addressing the press during the week. But unfortunately to many, the high-flying pastor who came to limelight following the showbiz personalities that attended his church in Surulere area of Lagos, kept the identity of the lucky bride under wrap.

According to him, “I wouldn’t like to disclose the identity of my bride to save her some embarrassments. I am inviting all of you to come on the 28th of this month to see her yourself,” he said.

For those who don’t know, Pastor Fireman is one of the wealthy men of God who dominates the four walls of Nigerian Christiandom.

His extravagant lifestyle was brought to questioning some time ago by the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN). In his respond then, he said, “Jesus Christ was never a poor man, he had an accountant following him around” . In his garage are exotic cars ranging from Hummer jeep, cardillac, the list is endless...

Ice Prince gets a new name!

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or fans of this talented rapper,Ice Prince this news will be coming to them as a rude shock. The singer who is known for mesmerizing his fans with a unique dress sense has decided to re brand himself with a change of his dress code. In the MTV all stars event held recently, the talented singer was spotted with a “Kafftan” which gave him a new name, “Aboki” by his fans. Could this be a new Ice- Prince?

Nnenna & Friends head to London T

his summer is set to be the most memorable for kids and teens across Nigeria, as Nnenna plans to tour London in four months time with few lucky kids.

This is a follow up to her previous educational tours to Paris, Ghana and other exotic locations.

According to Nnenna, the educational tour promises to be an exciting trip as Nnenna and the participants would visit tourist places like, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, The Greenwich Meridian, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and enjoy special activities including River Thames Cruise, London City Tour, Ice Skating and lots more.

The London tour, Matinee gathered is open to kids and teenagers between ages of 6 and 18 . They are expected to return home with goodies such as grooving pictures, videos, branded T-Shirts, bags, notebooks and stories to share with their families and friends. They will also watch their London adventures on wapTV across Nigeria.

Denrele still missing Goldie

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lthough he has been trying as much as possible to move on without his bosom friend, Goldie, Denrele Edun seems to be more drawn to her even in death.

Before Goldie’s demise, he had hatched plans to unveil a reality TV show to be anchored by two of them.

Just last Saturday, at an event on the Island, the channel O presenter relived memories of his departed friend. He said, he owes some of his dress code to Goldie.

According to him, late singer helped in designing his wrist bangles. “ Goldie designed my wrist bangles. I am really missing her and I can feel her all around me. Even right now, my mind tells me she is here with me. Where is Goldie? Okay, here she is”, Denrele soliloquizes.

Meanwhile, many are inquisitive especially now that he’s frequently spotted at social events in the company of ex-BBA winner, Karen Igho. Is she filling the vacuum Goldie left in his life?

C M Y K

*Ice Prince

Modupe drops

album Modupe Adediji made a debut in the nation’s gospel music scene recently with the release of her maiden album, “Alaanu mi” (my benefactor). The venue of the event at Egbeda was filled with other Yoruba gospel musicians. Modupe took her numerous fans through all the tracks on the album, coupled with a wonderful stage performance.

*Modupe Adediji

26—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

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SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013—27

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28 — Vanguard, SARTURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013

Vanguard, SARTURDAY, APRILE 20, 2013 —29

My parents always get hurt whenever terrible things are written about me — Jim Iyke Love him or loathe him, Jim Iyke is one of the very few Nollywood stars who have a knack for gaining attention. From his bad boy/lover boy movie persona to his more than fair share of media outbursts, not to mention the whole AMVCA fiasco, Jim Iyke has lived his life in the pages of newspapers. His controversial lifestyle has become a way of life for him, yet he’s the most sought after in the industry.

In an attempt to give a new meaning to his life, Jim during the week debuted with his reality TV show on DStv called, Jim Iyke Unscripted, where he decides to unveil himself to the world. In this enagging interview, he talks about the show, the man, Jim Iyke and his many undoings.

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HAT’s Jim Iyke Unscripted all about?

It’s a chronicle of my everyday life.

An unbarred access into my life by cameras which capture the essence of my existence. Mostly my beliefs, my philosophy, my ideology and my everyday life. I wanted a perspective that is entirely mine so that when people choose to make judgments about me, my brand and life, they will have a second thought. For once in my life, I want people to see me in my entirety without bias and to judge me without prejudice. This is the platform for me to tell my story not doctored, unscripted and on a different platform.

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ow long did it take you to conceptualise this idea?

They have been chasing me around to actualise this dream since middle of last year. Initially, I refused doing it.

But you see, I was bored while sojourning in Nollywood. It’s the same run-of-the mill. I’m not saying that Nollywood is not a great entity because it’s the industry that made me who I am today. I am eternally grateful to Nollywood. But there is need for me to move on and stop travelling in circle.

I think it was at this point that the idea was born. I didn’t believe in a reality TV show. I have paid my dues in every respect. I was waiting for the time the right role will come my way. It was at that point, that Greyology Inc started managing me. According to them, I was picked because they thought I was the only person who could propagate the African brand. I felt honoured.

However, in the course of our discussion,I was eager to know the next step to take. OH Africa and AfricaMagic at that point told me that I live a very interesting life that involves travelling around the globe. In fact, I travel to an average of twelve countries every year on my own personal capacity. They were also eager to know what I do in these countries.And when I told them, they were excited, hence they suggested that we capture my travelling life through a reality TV show. Initially, I didn’t buy the idea as I never believed in a reality TV show. But on a second C M Y K

thought, I said to myself whether I like it or not, reality TV is the new TV show.

The biggest of the names are doing it, and the ones who are not involved are trying to be part of it. TV content is becoming increasingly boring, you need to hold an audience that cut across every facet of life. And the only thing that brings them together is a reality TV show. I knew it was coming and the question is, who is going to be in the forefront when it arrives. Am I going to keep refusing and be another guy that is experimenting on an idea that has already been experimented. I have never shy away from taking bold decisions or going against the dream.

They went further to argue that the entirety of my brand and my person has always been taken from the point of view of others, namely, the press, my family, my friends, people that are not really my friends and bloggers. There has always been a story to tell about me and people have drawn conclusion based on what they read in the dailies and soft-sell magazines and created their own judgement from it.

kinds of not too delectable women. It was a bit flattery.I retraced my steps the moment I realised it wasn’t the right place for me to be.

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n your opinion, would you say, you have been misunderstood over the years?

I have always been misunderstood. Many times when things happen, I hardly come out to state my own side of the story. This is because I hate to join issues with anybody.

Nobody likes to be intensively scrutinised. I have felt that intrusion in the deepest part of my life. I think that’s what made me to rebel to some extent. You

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ou travelled to how many countries to shoot the series?

We travelled to over eight countries and ten cities to shoot the series. Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, London, Armsterdam, America, Dubai and Nigeria. In every sense of the word, it got a global perspective.

im Iyke has virtually achieved everything he set out to achieve, except finding the love of his life. Is Jim ever thinking of settling down?

We are on it, and I’m working even harder in my career too. I don’t know anyone that works harder than I do.

But again, I enjoyed my relationships on the pages of newspapers and I know it always ends adversely. So, I’ll rather keep this one very close to my chest and when we are both ready, we’ll announce to the whole world.

as it something you wanted to create; the bad boy of Nollywood?

It wasn’t what I set out to create. It was forced on me to make a little noise with it. Everybody has a claim to fame and obviously, it was because of the few roles I played when I started acting which happened to be bad boy roles. So, it’s easy when you are dealing with a country where certain things are consciously embraced.

Nigerians are stubborn in what they accept and it’s very hard to break it.

We are very traditional thinkers. So, if Nigerians label somebody as ‘a bad person’, it becomes a trademark.

Importantly, when you weigh your pros and cons, it comes to a point

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re you saying you are in a relationship at the moment?

I didn’t say yes or no. Anybody can think whatever he or she likes.

•JIM IYKE: Unscripted is a chronicle of my everyday life.

I don’t shy away from life experiences and I’m not ashamed of them. They don’t embarrass me because I ‘ve embraced them.

They inform me, they order my steps, and they strengthen my convinction.

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where you throw your hands up and surrender. As long as people that care for me, no matter how small they are, I’ll survive. It is not the best notion, but I’ve always survived. Unscripted is the wisest project for me to embark upon.

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hat are we expecting to see in Jim Iyke Unscripted?

Expect everything that’s unplanned, a risk and people with a logical view will not say or do. There are things in Unscripted that will hurt me but I just want to tell my story. I’m tired of being judged for the wrong reason. I want to give people a proper perspective.

When you have a proper perspective, then, you’re being judged in totality and not in a biased way. I just want to tell my story because I’m tired of people telling my story for me whether in good or in bad faith.

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ill you say it’s a way of rebranding yourself?

Re-branding is making it commercial because people’s argument is that I was paid a lot of money to do it. It’s not shady and I have some kind of incentives to do this. It’s not easy to take a large number of people across the globe to shoot the series because that’s what my life is all about. It’s easier to budget myself into my day’s endeavour but to take in all lessons and everybody wants to have the best of things. So, it takes a lot of money.

The returns were not shady but the focal point is to tell a story that’s been told for over a decade by people that were not in the know. Whatever anybody wants to say in the simplest form is that it came from the horse’s mouth.

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ut isn’t that the problem because you hardly say anything and people put words into your mouth?

They don’t put words into my mouth.

They put words into their own mouths.

That is what informs the essence of my brand. The fact that it’s easy for people

efore coming up with this project, there was another project you anchored called, Jewel for Jim. What happened to the show?

It was a novel idea at that point in time. But everything in life has time frame. It was about me looking for love in continental America. While I wasn’t given to it, I thought it was fun travelling from city to city. I was in America for two months, and there was this group of nice people who offered to bankroll my stay in America, just for us to have fun. They sold the idea of the project, Jewel for Jim. But at a point, a better part of me cautioned and said, hold on, this is not where you should be heading to. At that point, I pulled out. id you find the love you were looking for thereafter?

I didn’t find a brass. There were a lot of Latino women, Caribbean women, Africans in the diaspora. Seeing all

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in the limelight and of course, pointing accusing fingers at me will make news. People forget that I’m a normal human being that is going through the normal issues in terms of business transactions.

I can’t come out to claim that some people tried to defraud me because nobody knows them. At the end of the day, it takes the strongest of character to survive all the ordeals. And while I’ve survived it, it has made me stronger and wiser. Yes, I don’t shy away from life experiences and I’m not ashamed of them. They don’t embarrass me because I’ve embraced them. They inform me, they order my steps, they strengthen my conviction and tell me the direction to follow. And that I think more than anything else re-enforces my philosophy.

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By BENJAMIN NJOKU

know what happens when fingers are pointed at you. I’ve seen people who do not live a normal life, yet they are first to point accusing fingers at others. The press didn’t help matters in my case. Who is paying the price? They forget that I have a family which I’m answerable to. It’s my parents who get hurt whenever wrong things are written about me.

People who are dear to me probably do not find what they are doing very funny. So, while these were going on, it degenerated to the point where it became a way of life for me. It became a belief in Nigeria and Africa. And everybody that has been affiliated with my brand over the years readily embraced it.

Unscripted has given me an avenue to revisit every issue that has been an issue in my life. It came up during the course of our shooting the series. One way or the other, on the social media, with the print and electronic, personal issues with friends and fans which I’ve taken actions in the wrongest forms. In such little thing as business, people do business and end up in court because of disagreement.

And while it’s easy to point accusing fingers at me and call me names because I’m

to blow things out of proportion and we create the excitement as it seems. I can’t help that course, and why I said this, is that it can’t help my brand.

Personally, it caused me a great deal of distress. At the end of the day, somebody suffers for it every time the wrong conclusion is made-either somebody is doing business or about to do business with me.

•Jim Iyke

ow do you relate with women around you?

I grew up among women. It’s another thing that people find very hard to embrace. I grew up traditionally. I have traditional Igbo parents. No matter how enlightened you are, your people are domiciled on tradition and culture. A Nigerian is a Nigerian and trust me, I’ve travelled round the globe and I can pick our people out from a crowd of millions without saying a word. I’m a Nigerian.

I propagate this gospel anywhere I go to. We are arrogant and rash, we are one in five and we cannot go unnoticed. So, when you are in a place headlining people that are smart, you have to be exceptional. Our women are the same; outgoing, strong, goalgetters even when they are doing the wrong things, they do it with an air of certainty.

So, I grew up with open-minded women and if you are a man who is not strong, you may find their ways reprehensible. If you grow up in such a circle, your first friends are women.

I’ve dated people who always question my relationship with other women. How can you tell me a woman is your best friend and you are with me? But then, I’ve made men my best friend and they didn’t add any value to my life. But because I grew up in the company of women, I understand how it works. I know how to demarcate the two boundaries.

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30 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013

By Oseji Ephraim

African internationals set for Europe this summer

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n this article, Sports Extravaganza profiles 10 African internationals who could be poised to make a move to Europe this summer.

While some of these players have already tasted competition north of the Mediterranean, in European leagues, others have never left Africa, and yet are poised to take their careers to the next level and demonstrate their ability with a major club.

Mohamed Aboutrika

Sunday Mba

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tephen Keshi’s initiative to promote young, homebased talents ahead of Nigeria’s Cup of Nations victory paid dividends as the inexperienced, yet hungry and vibrant side ended up claiming continental gold.

While a number of players truly “made their names” in South Africa’s spectacle, few shone quite as brightly as Sunday Mba who was only perceived to be a squad player heading into the tournament. Mba was the difference maker in both the quarterfinal against Cote d’Ivoire and the final against Burkina Faso—with two crucial goals that ensured his name will never be forgotten in Nigeria.

At 24, he is not a wonderkid, but goalscoring midfielders can often be worth their weight in gold, and Mba’s performances on the continental stage may have appealed to some of those watching.

Tresor Mputu

T Nathan Sinkala

Sunday Mba

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Mohamed Aboutrika

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he Pharaohs’ playmaker is much more than just a footballer, he is a philosopher, a philanthropist, a freedom fighter and a symbol of a national future that has long been missing for the beleaguered North Africans.

With Egyptian football still facing upheaval and still plunged into disarray following the Arab Spring and the horror of the Port Said stadium massacre, there has been a major exodus of players from the Gulf State. While

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resor Mputu has been one of the central figures in the recent success of Congolese giants TP Mazembe. At times, the Corbeaux have conquered all before them, on both a domestic and a continental level. The diminutive forward has been a fulcrum of creativity during this period and has long looked like being poised for bigger things.

Godfrey Oboabona

Stoppila Sunzu

arlier this season, it looked as though the highly rated Sunzu, 23 year old was set to leave Congolese side TP Mazembe and seal a move to Premier League side Reading . Despite impressing while on trial with the Royals, his club side refused to release him, insisting he honours his contract, and thus he remains a Corbeaux player.

It now looks like Sunderland are to be his likely destination, and even though Martin O’Neill has been replaced

by Paolo Di Canio, there appears to be a genuine desire on behalf of the Wearsiders to confirm the move.

Stoppila Sunzu

•Godfrey Oboabona

n all of the fuss and furore that surrounded Nigeria’s triumphant return to the top of the tree in Africa and all of the praise that was heaped upon Stephen Keshi and his boys, it was often forgotten just how brave the Big Boss had been in plumping for so many untried and untested players.

Despite having covered Nigerian football extensively, it was shocking when he opted for the young and inexperienced centre-back pairing of Godfrey Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo over skipper and most-capped player Joseph Yobo.

The gamble paid off, and the pair demonstrated compo-

Tsepo Masilela many have ended up in Belgium, or in various other leagues across Europe, Aboutrika remained closer to home currently on loan with Emirati side Baniyas.

Tsepo Masilela

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ack in 2010, so much was expected of Tsepo Masilela, Steven Pienaar, then South Africa’s skipper, before the World Cup, suggested that Masilela was “as good as Roberto Carlos” and had the capacity to make as big an impact as the former Brazil and Real Madrid star.

Offering both defensive solidity and a menacing attack-

ing threat, one expected bigger things when Masilela left Israeli side Maccabi Haifa in 2012. Beyond a brief loan spell at Getafe, he has never ventured into a major European league, and a return to South Africa, to Kaizer Chiefs, was a step backwards.

The 27-year-old left-back might be a tempting option for a Premier League side, although in reality, it is “now or never” for the defender to make an impact in Europe.

sure and refinement as they protected Vincent Enyeama in the Nigeria goal and guided the Super Eagles to gold.

Oboabona was a joy to watch, particularly in the quarterfinal against Cote d’Ivoire, as he silenced Chelsea icon Didier Drogba.

Clearly the performance caught the eye of Arsene Wenger, who offered the Sunshine Stars skipper a trial at the end of March.

Nathan Sinkala

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athan Sinkala was only 20 years old when he was part of the Zambian side that stunned the continent with their unlikely and emotional victory in the 2012 edition of the Cup of Nations.

As Stephen Keshi was brave in including hungry, young players in his triumphant Nigerian squad, so Herve Renard was not adverse in turning to the younger generations to support his team.

Itumeleng Khune

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hen Bafana Bafana k e e p e r Itumeleng Khune, 25,was being tracked by Turkish giants Besiktas, it came as no surprise. In fact, the only surprise was that it had taken so long for a European heavyweight to give such attention to a goalkeeper that has been so impressive for so long.

Tresor Mputu Itumeleng Khune

Vanguard, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013 — 31

By Oseji Ephraim

TENNIS

Murray: "I need to do a lot of work" W orld No. 2 Andy Murray admitted he needs to ‘iron out’ parts of his game on clay after winning just three games in his third-round defeat to Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka at the on-going Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

“I need to make sure I get good practice, that's for sure, over the next two weeks,” said Murray. “I played a lot of matches this year, obviously just not on the clay. The issue is, there are certain things I need to iron out in my game, things I need to work on.

“No one wants to lose matches but hopefully, I can use it as motivation to improve because I need to do a lot of work. Sometimes, you can squeeze through matches and not necessarily play well, but you don't actually see what's gone wrong because you've won the matches, so you think it's okay. Obvi-

ously, I'll need to work really hard over the next two weeks to get myself ready for Madrid.”

Murray has 26 tour-level titles to his name, but the Scot has not contested a final. In 2012, Murray was unable to advance past the quarter-finals in the four clay-court events he played.

“It does take me time to feel comfortable on the surface,” Murray said. “I need matches against top players to see what's going wrong and what's going right, things I need to work on to get better. Normally, towards the end of the clay court season, I start to feel better with my game and I've had some good results, but at the start, I have struggled a little bit.”

The 25 year old intends to remain in Monte-Carlo for a week of practice before continuing his training in London.

Andy Murray O

Off the Pitch

Kot ok o grant Annan otok oko permission to take Brugge trials

LIVERPOOL VS CHELSEA

I can't forget the fans and the success — Rafa

Asante Kotoko have granted permission to goalkeeper Felix Annan to undergo trials in Belgium with Club Brugge. The Ghana U20 goalkeeper has received an invitation to train with the Blue-Blacks with a view of a permanent deal if he excels. The Ghana Premier League champions have granted their third choice goalkeeper permission to travel to Belgium to take the trial.

“The player (Felix Annan) presented us with an invitation for trials with Club Brugge and we have given him permission to travel,” Kotoko’s Administrative Manager Ben Nti said.

Liverpool is my home... but now I have to beat them!

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afa Benitez has not made a habit of going back. He has never taken a team back to Valencia, where he won two Spanish titles, and he has yet to return to Inter Milan but on Sunday, he will take Chelsea to Liverpool.

Rafa’s return will be an opportunity to test his emotional strength and his ability to remain inside a professional shell. The Kop will sing his name and familiar faces will trigger a cascade of memories from six successful years at Anfield.

The date sprang out as soon as he studied the schedule of fixtures after accepting the interim job at Stamford Bridge.

‘A special week,’ he acknowledged, the week of his 53rd birthday, the 24th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, the first since the truth was C M Y K

unveiled, and his first return to a club where he remains a hero. He won the Champions League and the FA Cup and won hearts with his readiness to scrap: he tackled Sir Alex Ferguson and Everton; he even waded into the political dispute between Liverpool’s co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

And, of course, he sparred with Jose Mourinho during an

unfeasible series of games against Chelsea, a team storming the established powers to win their first title in half a century while trying to prise away his captain Steven Gerrard.

Nearly three years after leaving Anfield, Benitez goes back with Chelsea, determined to secure three points and stay on track for a top-three finish.

Rigober Rigobertt: Barcelona’s Song regrets leaving Arsenal Alex Song is considering his options at Barcelona. His cousin Rigobert Song, the former Liverpool defender, admits Alex regrets leaving Arsenal. “Playing in the first team of Barcelona is not easy, but this season, he has only played as a substitute. He’s not happy. At Arsenal, he was a leader on and off the field. “At Barcelona, he does not feel happy and that makes him feel sorry,” Rigobert said.

Tottenham will launch bid for Isco if ...

Tottenham have made Malaga forward Isco their top summer target, provided they can secure Champions League football for next season.

Isco, 20, has emerged as one of the hottest properties in Europe with his performances for Malaga in La Liga and Europe this season, helping Manuel Pellegrini’s side to fifth in the league and the Champions League quarter-final.

Spurs sent head of youth development Tim Sherwood to scout Isco last summer but declined making a bid for the Spanish international.

32— SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

I miss fruits from my village— Femi Femi Mokikan, is a seasoned Human Resource personnel and Executive Director of Seven-Up Bottling Plc. He has lived all his professional life managing people. He is our guest in this edition of Celebrity Tummy Talk.. Enjoy it

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* Mokikan

hat does it take to eat a balanced diet?

For me, a balanced diet is any food that is good for one’s system. But it is important not to eat only one food.

What’s your eating habit like?

I used to have a bad eating habit before my recent experience. Then, I was only eating lunch and dinner. Unfortunately, my dinner comes very late because of the nature of my work. I eat mostly when I’m at home, so, it is difficult for me to have dinner early although my lunch is regular,and I wouldn’t recommend my eating habit to anybody.

Was it the same while you were growing up?

We were eating very well. But rice comes once or twice in a year. I’m sure most of my generation will testify to this claim. We looked forward to eating rice during Christmas . Then, there were so much we could do with yam. We could eat pounded yam round the clock: morning, afternoon and night.

NSC, LCCI farmers move to stop illegal frozen foods

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fforts are in top gear to stop the importation of contaminated frozen foods to Nigeria. This was disclosed in the on-going stakeholders’ meeting between the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries, LCCI in partnership with the Poultry Farmers Association.

The meeting which has entered its third week was intended to strategise on how to eradicate importation of frozen poultry foods through the border.

In a meeting held in Lagos recently, it was disclosed that the menace caused by consumption of these products especially in Nigeria is enormous and the only way to overcome this is to eradicate imported frozen foods through the borders.

Speaking at the event, Controller Federal Operations Unit, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Inuwa Mohammed Abubakar said, the platform will pave way for meaningful de-

Study Chips and fried food can cause prostate cancer

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en who eat fried foods more than once a week may increase their risk of prostate cancer by a third, a new research has suggested.

According to the research, junk food staples like chips, fried chicken, battered fish and doughnuts could play an important role in the formation of aggressive and lifethreatening forms of the disease, the Daily

liberations on how to practically enforce the ban on importation of frozen poultry products into the country.

Our belief is in-line with our intention and zeal to ensure restrengthening of the already known government policy as regards to importation of illegal poultry products.

Although, it has been banned for a long time, the nonrepentant nature of a few individual still call for concern.

His words: “Some people believe that the only way they can make money is at the expense of the health of others, this is why we find it expedient to re-strategise and also ensure that we nip the issue of rice smuggling through the border and other routes.

“Rice is an allowable commodity only

Mail reported.

The research found that snacking on deep fried foods at least once a week seemed to increase cancer risk by 30 – 37 percent compared to men who ate them less than once a month.

The risks increase with age, with men over 50 likely to develop a tumour, and there is a strong genetic element to it.

Further research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle revealed these from two studies involving a total of 1,549 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and another 1,492 men of similar age and profile who had good health.

...Between childhood and adulthood?

Today, one can eat rice almost everyday because it is the easiest food to cook.

There are some foods we eat today that were not available during our time. For instance, Semovita, Noodles, Macaroni, Spaghetti. But for me, my kind of food is African food. Pounded yam, rice and beans together with locust beans (iru) cooked together. I also miss fruits from my village. I can’t remember buying agbalumo in Lagos, as well as mangoes.

Fruits...

I don’t discriminate with fruits. After my past experience, I have been living on fruits.

How do you relax on weekends?

I go to work on Saturdays. My weekend starts on Sundays. I go to Church and wouldn’t return until 2 pm.

My week-days are occupied.

through the seaport. It is sad to know that major importers of these products lament on the seizure of their products in the warehouse because of the illegal activities of the smugglers but we plead with the real importers to heave a sigh of relief.

The last seizure we made on the high waterways was almost over 8000 bags of re-packaged parboiled rice and we believe with their culprits will be brought to book".

However, he said that the partnership with farmers' association and poultry owners in Nigeria would facilitate their plans. “We have entered into this partnership, we are into restrategising and certainly, we are sure of bringing the culprits to book.

“For the farmers, we are using the opportunity to encourage the local farmers to be up and doing in order to ensure that our efforts and the synergy we are putting together is sus-

tained because we are taking the fight to the door-steps of the smugglers to fish them out. According to him, “Apart from its economic implications, the imported frozen products also pose a lot of health hazards including cancers, malaria, and typhoid diseases threats among others”.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries Prince Wale Oyekoya, has commended the Nigeria Customs Service for their monumental achievements in ensuring compliance with the Federal Government directives on zero tolerance for the importation of frozen poultry products.

Power Pasta Lasiciliana Ingredients 1 mediumeggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 largeonion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 128 ouncecan crushed tomatoes 1/4 cup red wine 2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary.

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 pack of Power Pasta Spaghetti 3/4 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese (3 ounces) How to Cook Power Pasta lasiciliana *In a large skillet, cook eggplant, onion, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat about 10 minutes or until eggplant and onion are tender, stirring occasionally. *Stir in tomatoes, wine, oregano, salt, rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. *Cook the Power Pasta spaghetti according to package directions. *Serve eggplant mixture over hot cooked Power Pasta Spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese.

When calling on wine for recipes, you needn’t pull out your very best bottle, but don’t use an inferior wine, either. The general rule is that any wine you use in cooking should be good enough to drink. Consider using the same wine you plan to drink with dinner in your recipe. Or, next time you enjoy a wine but don’t quite finish the bottle pour the remaining wine into a smaller container (air is the culprit that makes good wine go stale). Store it in the refrigerator to help keep it fresh.

Nutrition Facts (Power Pasta lasiciliana) •Servings Per Recipe, •Cal. (kcal) 397, •Fat, total (g) 12, •Chol. (mg) 11, •Sat. fat (g) 4, •Carb. (g) 61, •Monosaturated fat (g) 5, •Polyunsaturated fat (g) 1, •Fiber (g) 8, •Sugar (g) 8, •Pro. (g) 13, •Vit. A (IU) 972, •Vit. C (mg) 17, •Sodium (mg) 983, •Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet Did you Know?

Popular legend has it that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy following his exploration of the Far East in the late 13th century; however, we can trace pasta back as far as the fourth century B.C., where an Etruscan tomb showed a group of natives making what appears to be pasta.

The Chinese were making a noodle-like food as early as 3000 B.C. And Greek mythology suggests that the Greek God Vulcan invented a device that made strings of dough (the first spaghetti!).

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013—33

boss and he or she is not doing what he or she is supposed to be doing, you

just have to do it yourself and if your boss is ready to

work with you along the line, then you guys should work together . As you want your boss to carry all the attention and responsibilities on his head, he or she has his own esponsibilities hanging on his or her neck and other unfinished businesses he or she might be thinking of.

So, you just don’t need to put everything on your boss, you need to do something on your own. I can tell you that the amount of money and strength I personally put in this new song is working for me today.

To the average music follower in Nigeria, Jaywon needs no introduction. His fans nicknamed him “Oba Onitinko” after he dropped his debut album, Tinko Angel. Also ‘Oluwajuwonlo’ came into the limelight courtesy of that popular song, ‘Fi-Le-Be’ which made Kenny Ogungbe to sign him on. Jaywon, who recently spoke with our reporter IYABO AINA said he has done a song that will live after him.

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hat’s so special about the new song ‘This Year’?

It’s the grace of God and the urge to do something different. I just needed to be different from everybody and that was what brought about the song and since it’s release and everybody seems to love it. In the industry, everybody is talking about it but we give God the glory that we could bring out a song that everybody loves and we thank all the fans who have been supportive; those who have been there since the beginning and they are still very much around. I won’t lie to you, the song has done very well in the short time of its release. As a matter of fact, the same song brought me back to the music scene and put me on the lips of every music lover in and outside the country.

They have been calling almost everyday requesting for this same song. We just give thanks to Almighty God and to all the people that have been encouraging us, especially our friends in the electronic media, print media, radio Djs, presenters and bloggers. I thank everyone for being supportive to my career.

What else have you been doing?

I have been working, I have been on tour and at the same time doing a lot of things underground. You know, while on tour, a whole lot of things happen; there are songs that people want to listen to like Gbongbon, Filebe, Facebook Love and at some point, they couldn’t get these songs and people started wondering where’s Jaywon but what I believe is that God’s time is the best for everything and when God says

yes, nobody can say no. When we released this song This Year Odun yi, I personally didn’t know it would be this successful. It is not up to two months and its video is not up to one month but the song is everywhere. A lot of people are talking about it.

With the rate of response the song has attracted, what do you think is going to happen to it in the next two years?

I’ve been very much around dropping songs into the airwaves with the same connection and promotions trend but it’s just that this song has been a crowning blessing to my other efforts.

What are you working on

because right now, we are taking it back to the roots and if you listen to the song ‘This Year’ and you compare it with the old song, you will feel a whole lot of juju, highlife and pop tunes in it.

So, we are doing a lot of different tunes together, songs that the elders would be able to listen to, dance and appreciate. So now, I’m much interested in doing a song that is going to have the flavours of juju, highlife and pop tunes in it.

Does that mean you are changing your style of music?

I just want to do something different from what everybody is doing. I just want to be on my own. I just want to create an avenue

I just want to do something different from what everybody is doing, I just want to be on my own, I just want to create an avenue where people would differentiate my style of music and know that this is Jaywon at present?

At present, I’m working on an album. A lot of songs are going to be released pretty soon. I have been working with different producers, so just watch out for different kinds of tunes and different kinds of music.

What should your fans expect from you in your next album?

People should expect something different, not the regular gba gbo gba music,

where people would differentiate my style of music and know that this is Jaywon.The kind of music I was doing then is a blend of pop, RnB and Dance-Hall. Yes, I did those styles of music which made me travel out of the country in just two-three years, but this particular song ‘This Year’ has really changed a lot in me since the day of its release. Everywhere I go, people always pray for me and everywhere

people are saying, yes Jaywon, you just got the music right, this is an evergreen song and people tell me this new song would definitely live after me. I don’t think you know what that means to Jaywon?

Some also say that after Jaywon has died, his children and grandchildren would still be singing it, do you understand? And if I can release a song like that and people love the song this much, what do you expect me to do? It’s much better for me to stay on that lane and keep doing that same style of music.

What is happening in Kennis Music?

Everything is looking so good and since I personally dropped this song, ‘This Year,’ everything has changed for better and all the artistes under Kennis Music Record from Joe El, Minijin, FEMI, everybody has been itching to bring out a new song. Many of them have released their singles and are still working very hard to get that song that will get across to everybody and I personally thank God that I did that song everybody has been looking for and everybody is loving and it’s a big shout out to all Kennis Music team for being supportive.

Is it true that Kennis Music abandons its artistes to face the struggle alone?

This issue of a thing happens everywhere, there’s no record label in Nigeria that has no problem either from the artistes or staff. To complain is just a normal thing. If you go to other companies, people would still complain of mismanagement in one or two areas. It’s a normal thing to complain and it will get to some point that you just have to stop complaining and face the work, but for me, I don’t complain of anything. I just want to do my job because it’s my life and career, but if you have a

What about your song titled Catch me if you Can ?

Well, the song ‘Catch me if you can’ featuring Ice Price and Ryhno, is one of my craziest songs that is enjoying massive airplay, though ‘This Year – Odun Yi’ is overshadowing it because everybody is now talking about it and its toping most music charts and it’s a big shout out to Ice Prince and everybody in that song.

What are the gains and pains so far in your career?

So far, the gain has been working for me, despite the fact that money isn’t coming in yet but hopefully, this year is going to be different and better because already everything is looking great and we give God the glory.

Do you still consider yourself as an upcoming artiste?

No, I have been on top of my game since three years ago but the thing is that we are still growing but we have covered 70 percent of the journey while 30 percent is yet to be covered. I believe that soon, we should get closer to where we are going but I have been at the top of my game in the past three years and I don’t need anybody to tell me that. It’s obvious, but we have a target to meet.

How do you cope with female admires?

I cope well with them. I know how to treat them fine and how to make them happy and also how to time myself; when to get close to them and I limit my hanging out with them because there is time to play and time to work but if I wish to get anybody impregnated or get married to anyone, I’m ready and nobody is going to stop me. I have a girlfriend and we are in a serious relationship and she also understands the nature of my job.

But it was said sometime that you have a wife and child in your hometown?

I don’t have any child, wife or secret lover in my hometown, that’s not true; it is absolutely a fake and fabricated story.

34—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

AMAA 2013: Who becomes African queen of the screen?

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HE stage is set again, and Africans are full of expectation. With celebrities from all walks of life storming Yenagoa, the capital city of Bayelsa State, this evening, for this year’s edition of the prestigious Africa Movie Academy Awards, the question on the lips of everybody is who becomes the next queen of the screen in the continent?

For anything, the possibility of Rita Dominic writing her name in gold is being predicted. Rita who won last year’s Best Actress award for her role in a Kenyan film ‘Shattered’ got nominated again for her role in her own movie, ‘The Meeting” to set herself for greatness. She was pitched against Ghanaian Yvonne Okoro who also was nominated for role in the film, The Contract”, Florence Masebe (Elelwani), Mariam Ouedraogo(Moi Zaphira), Mbutung Seikeh (Ninah’s Diary) and Malawian Flora Suya who was nominated for her role in Shem Joya’s ‘Last Fishing Boat.’ While some have tipped Yvonne Okoro,for the prize , those who have seen “Shattered”, are less doubtful that Rita will win the trophy. However, winning the award for the second time, as posited by many will definite-

ly go a long way to boost the profile of Rita as a record breaker.

Judging from time immemorial, Rita has shown that she is on top of her game. Her stagecraft, professionalism and composure aptly give her an edge over her rivals, and clinching the prestigious prize for the second time in two

•Rita Dominic

years is a dream that needs to be realised.

Indeed, looking back, the gap-toothed actress broke record last year when she won the Actress Of The Year Award in Kenya, at the expense of two Kenyans; Patricia Kihoro and Joan Amara, for her role in Shattered. She also won the best actress in a leading role

at the 2012 AMAA awards for her role in the same movie ‘Shattered’ and FAB awards’ most stylish actress of the year.

In addition to this, her film, “The Meeting” which got six nominations brightens her chances of clinching the coveted prize. But who knows, as the battle is not always open for the strong to win.

Like Rita, many are also tipping fast-rising star, OC Ukeje for the Best Actor category.

He emerged the Best Actor on the continent recently at AMVCA, and got nominated for AMAA 2013 Prize For Best Actor In A Leading Role for Charles Novia’s newly released movie, “Alan Poza.”

For Ukeje, the sky is his limit.

The rising star is optimistic that he will win the coveted prize no matter the odds. “I think I have done it once this year. I will do it again,” he said, in a recent chat with HVP. Unfortunately, Ukeje is pitched against thoroughbred actor like Bob-Manuel and late Justus Esiri, Hlomla Dandala, Femi Jacobs and Amurin Wumnembom. One thing is however certain, and that is , the prize is only meant for the best and only the best will embrace the tape.

Meanwhile, the event, which holds amid glamour and glitz this evening, is already serenading the indigenes of the state and opening up tourism potentials for would be guests and investors.

According to the organizers, all is ready as the Bayelsa State government has put plans in place to ensure a hitch-free awards ceremony.

During the week, the state government announced raising about N.8 billion for hosting of the event.The amount, is expected to boost efforts of the organizers in ensuring a successful hosting of the annual award ceremony.

•Yvonne Okoro

EbonylifeTV unveils Fattening Room

By ANOZIE EGOLE

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ARELY three months af ter EbonylifeTv unveiled their first television series, they are warming up with another breathtaking reality TV show, “Fattening Room” which will soon debut on television stations. Unlike the common reality shows, fattening room is entirely a very different and unique package as it aims at bringing the continent of Africa together and depicting the true picture of an average African tradition to the whole world. They spent 30 days on set.

The series which feature six pretty ladies across the continent of Africa, like, Stephanie Unachukwu, (Nigeria) , Rosdyn Ashkar, (Ghana) , Patricia Kihori, (Kenya) , Tshepo Maphanyanye, (Botswana) , Sally Berold, (South Africa) and Limpo Funlika , (Zambia),

seeks to bring unity to the continent.

Shot in the ancient city of Efik in Cross-River State, the series talks about the various marriage traditions of some African countries. It tells the whole world what an average African lady should be before she talks about getting married to a man. It thoroughly took them through the rudiments of African culture. The show is a wonderful way of bringing unity to the continent as each of the ladies were opportune d to travel to different African countries in the course of the series. The actresses were left with amazing experiences as they never failed to thank the good people of Efik for their hospitality.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, held on the Lagos island, the producer of the series, Priscilla Mnzemiro said, the show was being produced to correct the negative

impression people have about the culture and tradition of Africa especially, when it comes to marriage life. “ The show is meant to correct the

bad impression people have about African traditions especially, when it comes to marriage.”

•Bob-Manuel

Cast of the reality TV show

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013—35

Is Room 027 Porn?

Omotola makes TIME magazine’s 100 World icons list

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OLLYWOOD ac tress, Omotola Ja lade- Ekeinde has added another feather to her cap, making the 2013 Time 100 world’s Icon List, as one of the most influential people in the world.

On the same honors list with her are Beyonce, Kate Middleton, Michele Obama, Justin Timberlake, the Chinese tennis star, Li Na Previous honourees were President Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie. And in this year ’s edition, President Obama was recognised as one of the world’s most influential leaders, while Beyonce’s husband, Jay-Z was recognised as a titan.

In a statement released by the magazine, Omotola was described as Africa’s leading lady of showbiz.

After nearly two decades of consistent on-screen success, the African Jewel’s accomplishments have been recognized as a pioneering force of the Nollywood film industry.

Omotola has received dozens of accolades, however, being noted on the TIME 100 not only catapults her superstardom but also reinforces the African film industry as a

global powerhouse. Omotola’s influence has transcended the African continent thanks to her stellar award-winning performances, respected humanitarian efforts, and being coined “The African Magic” by international media outlets alike,” the statement reads.

Michael Djaba of I Factory Live & leading African entertainment provider OH BOX remarks: “Omotola epitomizes the 21st century African woman and after producing her successful reality show, Omotola: The Real Me, it’s with great joy we congratulate her being recognized as one of the most influential people in the world. She has so much more to come.”

Since the news broke, the curvy actress’ twitter handle and facebook page have been buzzing with congratulatory messages from across the world.

In celebration of the honour, Omotola has been invited to New York City for the TIME 100 Gala on April 23, and will be interacting with other honourees such as Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, and Steven Spielberg.

Called OmoSexy by her fans, Omotola has made 300

Aki steps out with wife in grand style

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•Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde or so features, from the 1996 Mortal Inheritance to the 2010 super production Ijé, shot partly on location in Los Angeles. Married to an airline pilot, Jalade_Ekeinde brings a juggler ’s grace to her roles as actress, singer, reality-show star, mother of four and philanthropist (the Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme).

in the social circuit in attendance. The actor got married to his sweetheart last year, and they have since become an inseparable couple.

OOM 027 is undoubtedly the most controver sial film on the Nollywood scene till date, and it hasn’t even been released yet! The trailer of the movie features Collins Onochei and actress Chinelo Ememchukwu in steamy scenes that many say will put Tonto Dike’s Dirty Little Secrets to shame. However, Onochei argues that Room 027 is not soft porn.

While talking to newsmen recently, he said: “And I’m going to say this with all sense of responsibility that the average Nigerian viewer is a hypocrite. Why? Because you will sit down in the comfort of your bedroom and watch a normal porn movie. No problem.

Let’s even leave a porn movie. You will sit down in the comfort of that same room of yours and watch a Sharon Stone movie featuring maybe Michael Douglas and they are completely naked. You go and watch in Silverbird or other cinemas movies where there are sex scenes. They are all naked, yet nobody makes a fuss about it. Room 027 is nothing close to a soft porn movie. I have no interest in nudity. I just did my job as an actor. Nigerians have not seen the movie, they don’t know whether the girl was naked or if anyone was naked and they are making a whole lot of noise about it.”

Well is Room 027 soft porn? You’d have to find out for yourself, because being a respectable newspaper and all, we can’t publish the pictures we found. But Collins, may we ask: “If we remove ‘soft’ will you agree that it is porn?”

Sadiq Daba set to get O’jez Entertainment award

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ollywood actor, Chinedu Ikedieze and his wife, Nneoma were the cynosure of attraction at the annual Encomium Magazine's White and Black ball party which held last Saturday at Ruby Gardens, Kilometre 11, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos.

The actor stepped out with his wife looking stunning ever like a match made in heaven. He was one of the celebrities that headlined the party which had who is who

By GUINEVERE MARCUS

ETERAN television actor and presenter, Sadiq Daba will on Sunday, April 28, at 7pm join other distinguished Nigerians in the O’jez Hall of Fame as he will receive the prestigious O’jez Entertainment Award at the O’jez celebrity restaurant inside the National Stadium complex, Surulere, Lagos.

Daba, who wowed Nigerians from the late 70s through the 80s in unarguably one of Nigeria’s most successful TV series, Cock Crow At Dawn, with his role as ‘Bitrus’ the son of Bello, is being honoured for his consistency and staying power in the television world for almost four decades now. “For us at O’jez, ‘Bitrus’ is a living legend in the Nigerian film and television world,” Chief Executive Officer, O’Jez Entertainment Limited, organizers of the monthly award that has been on for more than 10 years now,

Chief Joseph Odobeatu, said in a statement signed by his media Company, Media Image Managers, MIM, early in the week.

“When the awards committee headed by Nollywood star Zach Orji, nominated him (Daba) as recipient for this month’s award, it was a unanimous decision that he gets it as he sure deserves this and more for his contributions to the industry,” Odobeatu said.

Aside the usual ratzmatazz, Daba would be soaked with high octane highlife music as performed by veteran Fatai Rolling Dollars backed by the versatile O’jez band. The Evergreen band will also take a shot in a night that promises to be packed with a lot of entertainment events as comedians MC Shakara, Elenu and the rave of the moment, Elder O take turns to crack up the audience with funny jokes.

•Sadiq Daba

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

Encomium Magazine crowns Ebube Nwagbo as Most Elegant Entertainer •D’banj, Julius Agwu bag Most Stylish Man and Entertainer awards

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OLLYWOOD actress, Ebube Nwagbo is the Most Elegant Entertainer in Nigeria. This is the verdict of Encomium Weekly, Nigeria’s leading celebrity journal.

The delectable actress was crowned at the Encomium Black & White Ball/ Elegance & Style awards, which held at Ruby Gardens Lekki, Lagos last Sunday.

Others who were given awards include, D’banj who was crowned the Most Stylish Nigerian Entertainer, Julius Agwu(Most Stylish man), Florence Ita-Giwa who bagged two awards, Abike-Dabiri Erewa, Chris Okotie and High Chief Alex Akinyele in recognition of their enormous efforts in setting the pace in fashion and style in their respective fields.

Twenty-eight awards including two lifetime achievement awards, were given to remarkable Nigerian individuals who have distinguished themselves

in their various professions and imparted positively on the Nigerian society.

Speaking at the event, Florence Ita-Giwa, appreciated receiving the award saying, “It is good I’m being awarded while I can still wear high heels and walk up the stage to receive this award.”

The glamorous event witnessed fashion parade as well as lifestyle and fashion

awards. Organizers said it was meant to celebrate forerunners and pioneers in the fashion and style business and also, to showcase designs from upcoming designers.

The Encomium Black & White Ball was proudly sponsored by Intercontinental Distillers Limited and Veleta Sparkling Fruit Drink.

•Susan Peters and Shirley Igwe

FAJ debuts with MEGA awards

•Femi Akintunde

RENOWNED music awards producer, Femi AkintundeJohnson, has announced plans to hold the maiden edition of the gospel music award in Nigeria called, Music and Entertainment Gospel Awards(aka mega awards).

FAJ as he is fondly called who has been missing in action for over twelve years said, the desire to return to the centre became irresistible after he watched the scene and realised the time had come to intervene again.

According to him,”After twelve years watching the scene and advising others quietly, we are now convinced that the time is right to intervene again.”

He said, in recent years, gospel music in Nigeria has witnessed a phenomenal surge in popularity, participation and investment. “Our gospellers have continued to command admirable followership amongst millions of adherents and ordinary music lovers across the globe.”

Glo lights up Abuja with X-Factor

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

H

UNDREDS of aspiring singers on Wednesday besieged Globacom’s regional office at the Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, in a last-minute rush to register for the world’s leading music singing talent reality TV show, “The X Factor”.

Although thousands of youths across the country had registered for the auditions since the show was unveiled in Lagos on March 27, the number of applicants for the Abuja audition has increased sharply in the last few days ahead of the event scheduled for the Federal Capital territory this weekend. A large number of young male and female singing enthusiasts as well as a few elderly ones were seen at the Glo office on Wednesday queuing up to register for the auditions.

Sponsors of the show and leading telecommunications company, Globacom, had last week announced that the Abuja audition of the show C M Y K

would be held this weekend at Ladi Kwali Hall of Sheraton Hotel, on Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21.

The first audition which held last weekend in Port Harcourt witnessed a large turnout of participants, with a 68-eight-year old woman, Evelyn D. Lawson, making history as the oldest person to register in the contest so far. She competed in the audition alongside her 42-year son, Minabo S. Lawson.

Entertainment industry watchers believe the profile of X Factor and Globacom’s mouth-watering prize money of $150,000 (N24million), the biggest purse among current music reality TV shows, are responsible for the huge interest the show has generated in the country.

The winner of the show will also get a recording contract with the internationally acclaimed Sony Music for the recording of an album and professional management of the winning individual or group.

Jahborne set America on fire with new single

By ESTHER ONYEGBULA

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OPULAR and talented singer, Arinze, Derick Iheme, a.k.a, Jahborne, is now one of the most sought-aftersingers in God’s own country-America. The Imo State born musician is seriously rapping his way through the major cities of America. The young rapper could be likened to a proverbial hunter who killed two birds with one stone as he did not only storm America to pick up a job he was called for, but seized the opportunity offered by the trip to add vibe and

•Jahborne

spice to his highly anticipated album, dropping in a few months time. While in the United States, Jahborne released new songs, including 99 Problems, 2Bad, Ghetto People, Drank, Envy and the widely used street parlance, Oga at the Top. Jahborne who recently signed a new endorsement deal with motor manufacturing giant Dodge Motors, a deal which according to the young artiste is worth millions in both foreign and local currency, has disclosed through his publicist, Chilaka Patrick, his intention of going to South Africa for both business and pleasure .

SATURDAY, Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013—37

Funeral ser vice ffor or madam Grace Amadin service

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t was a fanfare of sort when the remains of late Mrs Grace Ihese Amadin (nee Bello) was laid to rest. The funeral service was held at the Goodnews Baptist Church in Benin City on 23rd of March, 2013.

L-R: Atari Boyo, Hon. Christian Okonedo, Mr and Mrs Collins Ayu, Hon. Okoroloko, Chief Oti Adams, Engr. Joe Omatsola, Hon. Solomon Areyenka, Joe Aseyenku, Hon. Francis Maku and others

Late Mrs. Grace Ihese Amadin who was a devout Christian till her death was born into the families of Iguagbomwen of Iyeke-Orhionmwon and Ogbebor some 71 years ago. Iye, as she was fondly called was survived by five children.

L-R: Eve, Eki, Nekpen and Helen (Iye’s children)

R-L:Engr. Joe Omatsola Idahosa (Charlie Temple)

Rtd. Admiral and Mrs Dan P. Omatsola with Mr and Mrs Joe Omatsola and children

Some G.C.U. Old Boys, Mac Oviaghele, Billy Amuka, Joe Omatsola, Sy Ojukwu, Ejiri Tabiowo (Sinatra) and Benji Omatsola

and

Charles

Emperor Joe Aisuen and Martins Edigin.

Fir st cor onation anniv er sar waek e 1 of Umiaghw aAbrak a First coronation anniver ersar saryy of A Aw aeke Umiaghwaa-Abrak Abraka

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t was a roll-call of honours during the celebration of the first anniversary of His Royal Majesty [ Air Vice Marshal ] Lucky Ochuko Ararile [RTD] Awaeke 1 Ovie Of Umiaghwa-Abraka Kingdom. Some of the eminent daughters and sons of the community honoured with chieftaincy titles include Olorogun Kenneth Okpara Delta State Commissioner of Economic Planning and Olorogun Engr. Christabel Oke Obiuwevbi, the Ivie of Umiaghwa-Abraka Kingdom and Executive Assistance To Delta State Deputy Governor. Photos by Nath Onojake

HRM AVM Lucky Ochuko Ararile [RTD] Awaeke 1 Ovie Of Umiaghwa-Abraka Kingdom confers chieftaincy title on Olorogun Kenneth Okpara

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L-R: Chief Sunday Eromedoghene Onoriode Avwerokere Of Umiaghwa-Abraka and Olorogun Engr. Christabel Oke Obiuwevbi, the Ivie Of Umiaghwa-Abraka

L-R: Chief Nath Anho The Otota Of Umiaghwa-Abraka Kingdom And Chief [CAPT] Anthony Onoharigho

Kachukwu endorsed as Odogwu of onicha Ugbo

rums rolled out last Saturday at the palace of the Obi of Onicha Ugbo, in Anioma North local government of Delta state, as friends and well wishers from all walks of life gathered to witness the acceptance of Odugwu stool by Dr Ibe Kachukwu. With his acceptance, Dr Kachukwu, who has reportedly given scholarship to over 9000 students will be the third in command in the administration of the community.

Dr Kachukwu approaching Obi of Onicha Ugbo, Agbogidi Chukwumalieze, during the occasion.

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Dr Kachukwu( in white) rising from his seat after he was declared the Odogwu

Dr Kachukwu (r) with one of his well wishers

38— SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

Late Goldie willed properties to charity

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

F

AMILY of late pop singer, Goldie Harvey has indicated their willingness to fulfill the wishes of the songstress who they revealed willed her properties to charity.

Before her death, Goldie was said to have been an ambassador of ‘Project Alert on Violence Against Women’, and had supported them in several ways.

Her properties will be auctioned to the public on the 1st of May,

2013, and the proceeds from the sale will go to charity.

Though the venue for the auction is yet to be disclosed, family sources promised to announce the venue as soon as possible. Some of the late singer ’s properties to be auctioned include her house, furniture, dinning tables, chairs, bed, glass cups, video cameras, artifacts among others.

Harvey died on Valentine’s Day shortly after returning from the United States where she attended the Grammys.

•Goldie

Daddy Showkey staging a comeback?

By GUINEVERE MARCUS

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ELL, somebody must be calling his name.

1990s music icon, Daddy Showkey is said to be planning a comeback into the music industry after more than a decade of being away from the spotlight. Even though Showkey released his last album in 2007, it was nothing compered to hit songs such as ‘Welcome Daddy Showkey’, ‘Ghetto Soldier ’ and ‘Dyna’ that shot this star from Ajegunle into the spotlight in the 1990s.

Daddy Showkey told online sources: ‘I have been busy with a lot of projects but by the grace of God, I’m now back to my music and I will be releasing the first single from the project very soon. After the single, the album will follow immediately.’ Well, there’s another screen appearance of this musician that may not be as monumental but is also quite memorable. Remember the Transcorp adverts of 2007/ 2008, before shares became the elephant in the room for most Nigerians? Daddy Showkey was the brand ambassador.

*Goldie properties

I wasn’t sure of myself until I was announced winner — Lalu Surdiham, winner of Knorr Taste Quest reality TV show

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NDONESIA-born Chef with a high-flying restaurant on the Lagos island, Lalu Surdiham, was dumbfounded penultimate Friday when he was announced the winner of the maiden edition of Knorr Taste Quest cooking reality TV show.

Surdiham beat Nigeria’s Patricia Allison and Saratu Mamman to clinch the coveted prize. The victory comes with a top prize of a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, one million naira and kitchen equipment worth three hundred thousand naira.

The tension soaked grand finale saw Patricia and Saratu emerge second and third place winners respectively.

While Patricia went home with N1million prize and a kitchen set worth N300,000, Suratu C M Y K

got N500,000 and a kitchen set worth N300,00. Similarly, Ifeyinwa and Gregory emerged fourth and fifth place winners respectively and went home with mouthwatering prizes including kitchen equipment and Knorr branded products.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony that held at Unilever

Headquarters in Lagos, Surdiham could not contain his excitement. He muttered: “I was thinking that Patricia would emerge the champion.

Then they announced her as the first runner-up and I was a bit confused. And then, I looked round and saw two other contestants including Gregory.

Lalu celebrating his victory

“I wasn’t sure of myself until I was pronounced winner. I couldn’t believe my eyes.” the 44 year-old Chef added.

According to Dr. Roberts, master Chef and head of the judges, the best contestant emerged winner. His words, “The choice of winner was basically based on their performance of the task that they had in front of them. It had nothing to do with whether you are a man, woman or child, it was strictly based on the task at hand.

The show has proved that anybody can be a Chef irrespective of gender, provided you can put your mind to it. Cooking is not only a skill that women do.”

•Daddy Showkey

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013—39

‘I Hit It First’ not about Kim Kardashian — Ray J

By IYABO AINA

F

rom the blog Hip-Hop Media Training , Ray J is still adamant that his new song, “I Hit It First,” is not about his ex-girlfriend, Kim Kardashian.

Also the R&B songstar Ray J is continuing to address his much talked about, new record “I Hit It First,” as the singer is yet to reveal who the record is about. But many feel that “I Hit It First” alludes to Ray J’s former girlfriend Kim Kardashian.

While chopping it up earlier this week with Shade 45’s “The All Out Show,” Ray J again refused to speak on who exactly the song touches on and instead revealed that “I Hit It First” is more so about him.

“I mean a lot of people saying a lot of different things about the record.

For me, the record is self-

explanatory,” Ray J revealed. “Like I tell everybody, I’m not trying to put fuel on the fire. We just want people to enjoy the record. It’s more so about me than anybody else.”

The topic of Kanye West, Kardashian’s current boyfriend, was even brought up during Ray J’s interview. When asked if West has a right to be angry, the crooner explained that no one has the right to be upset over something that happened in the past.

“I don’t think nobody should be upset about something that really happened,” said Ray J. “I think when people do music everybody talks about their life and what they go through. This is just my chapter and I think people need to look at it like that and don’t look at it for nothing more than that” he said .

Be e5 Beyyonce , Ja Jayy-Z celebrat celebrate year earss of marriage A

pril 4th marked Beyonce and JayZ’s 5th wedding anniversary, as the couple flew to Cuba to celebrate. The couple was mobbed by adoring fans and press as they walked down the street, Beyonce rocking her box braids and tropical prints, and Jay rocking the sentiquential Cuban leisure outfit; the straw fedora and Cuban cigar.

Beyonce and Jay’s mothers Tina and Gloria also went on the trip, which consisted of fine dining at La Guarida restaurant and a tour of Old Havana.

The hip-hop power couple have become proud parents, giving birth to baby Blue Ivy in January 2012. As of late, they can be seen doting on their adorable daughter, mingling with highprofile friends like the Obamas and generally conquering the world. They even topped Forbes. “Highest Paid Celebrity Couples” list in 2012.

Beyonce opened up about why their relationship works in a 2011 interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “We have been together since I was 20 years old,” she said. “We took our time and developed an unbreakable friendship before we got married. I admire his ability to inspire others,” she said.

C M Y K

Selena Gomez t looks ho at MTV award T

he former Disney actress, 20, shows off her clean-cut image as she rocked Culver City, California, with her spicy new single Come & Get It, also an antics look set to continue for Selena, who was also promoting new movie Spring Breakers where she stars as a bikini clad teen tearaway.

After being introduced by a heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian, she took to the stage in a flowing red sari-like outfit, complete with a bindi and gold anklet.

Selena completed the look by wearing no shoes and went on to steal the show with the most memorable performance of the evening.

The star was recently reported to have ordered ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber to remove all footage of her from his upcoming documentary.

40— VANGUARD, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013

We cannot continue to deceive ourselves about one Nigeria —Adebiyi Rt. Reverend Peter Awelewa Adebiyi was born on April 27, 1943, at Osi-Ekiti, to a fairly educated father, Chief Samuel Ogunmola and Madam Alice Fatinuwe Adebiyi both of blessed memory.

He joined the priesthood 46 years ago in the Anglican Church.

He served humanity as the Vicar at Archbishop Vining Memorial Diocese of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion for 46 years. He was a Bishop for 20 years at the same church.However, he will be retiring on April 27, 2013 when he would be 70 years old. His retirement was announced during a farewell service which held at the Church recently.Rev. Adebiyi applauded media practitoners for publicising news about the Church since he was consecrated Bishop 20years ago. In this interview, he talks about his personal experiences and plans after retirement. elected Bishop in 1993. I have had great encounters with principalities and powers in this country. Several times, I have been accosted by men of SSS when I was a Vicar.

Even at Owo, Ondo State, I was confronted by the then Governor, yet I have not stopped talking and preaching and searching for the good of the country.

I am looking further to a better and a profitable country where the people will rejoice. Where, there will be enough food to eat.

I’d enjoyed a little privilege in my early times and my university days. I remember that when I completed my course at the university, seven organisations came looking for me. I was given employment opportunities in six but I turned down all of them because I wanted to be a priest.

So, I went back to the church to work and later, I became a Bishop after sometime.

Right now, Nigeria as a country is producing graduates who are roaming the streets on a daily basis in search of job, food and security. Whereas, when we were young, security was given prominence.

I have written several books but the most important of all is “Let the Nations Hear”. I wish Nigeria becomes a better country. The killings that are going on in the country are very unprecedented. The

situation in the country is g r o w i n g worse and life is becoming more sorrowful. The situation is becoming so tensed, life is becoming so unsafe while hunger and death are nearer

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My retirement My retirement became necessary as it is stipulated in the constitution of the Anglican Communion that after a Bishop has attained the age of 70, he should retire and that is what I am going to do on April 27, 2013. I will be 70 years old on April 27 and that is when I will be retiring as a Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West.

The constitution of our church says, a new Bishop should be elected six or three months before the incumbent Bishop goes away and so Bishop James Olusola Odedeji was elected in January and consecrated on February 24 and when I retire on April 27, he will be resuming as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West on April 28.

You will continue to see him more than you will see me and I am sure that you will have interest in the Diocese while I am away. There can be no success without a new successor and you will do me the favour and honour to cooperate and bring the activities of this Diocese to the news-stands.

For 20 years, you have given me the support that I needed. Even though, people have nailed me as a controversial person, I believe, I am representing the voices of the people.

I resumed in this cathedral in 1987 as a priest and archdeacon of Ikeja archdeaconry where I was

For 47 years, there were odd moments of life that I had experienced but I believe those were challenges

It is only God that has been protecting me since all these years and I know that the same God will see me through

to everyone. Nigeria is said to be a top producer of crude oil in the world but we are working like an elephant and eating like an ant.

I am using this medium to appeal to media practitioners to be fair in their news judgment because they have a role to play in the attainment of a new Nigeria.

Journalists do not need to be intimidated in any way.

My experiences so far It is only God who has been protecting me since all these years and I know that the same God will see me through.

I look forward to a better country. There are no wife or children then. But now, I am blessed with a wife, children , grand children and even great- grand children. I have no challenge whatsoever in my family unlike in the service, that I was faced with numerous challenges.

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attached to the service. I remember when I was about buying the church land and there was no money. But with the help of God and His people, we are where we are right now.

My advice to Nigerian leaders This is very heavy for me. I don’t support tribalism. For the past 99 years, we have been living together as a one but it is unfortunate that, it is all on a deceptive ground. The fact that there are troubles here and there and the lives of Nigerians are no more safe call for serious attention.

Today, we can no longer walk freely on the streets of the country.

Until Nigerians come together and decide if they are ready to stay together, then, we should not call ourselves a nation.

Nigeria is more than a nation that can live on its own. I am not advocating for disintegration but if we had lived in a country for 99 years and we are still afraid of one another, then, it is nothing to write home about. Things are getting worse on a daily basis.

We have done so much evil to one another in this country. We are no more safe to live with one another.

Yorubas do not have the confidence to live in other states especially in Maiduguri, Borno State.

I do not know what will not happen or what will happen but I know that things cannnot continue this way, something will have to happen.

Life as a Bishop I have done the little I could although, there are lots of things I would have done which I did not do. That is why I am not satisfied but I am fulfilled. There are a lot of work to be done in the Church of God. There is no work without its hazards and regrets.

I have been in the service of God for 46 years. I was a students for six years in Emmanuel College and a Bishop for 20 years.

I have been through difficulties that is beyond comprehension.

41—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

PHOTO NEWS

Action Congress of Nigeria (A CN) Convention in Lagos (ACN)

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Convention was held at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos on Thursday.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola , SAN (3rd left), his Ogun and Osun States counterparts, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (5th left) and Rauf Aregbesola (4th right) and other party members

Governor Fashola (2ndleft), his Imo, Ogun and Osun States counterparts, Owelle Rochas Okorocha (3nd left), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (3rd right) and Rauf Aregbesola (2ndright)

A cross section of party supporters at the Convention

Governor Fashola SAN (middle) National Leader, Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwau Bola Ahmed Tinubu (right) and Chief Koleosho (left)

Funeral service for Chief Oluwole Bolade Akanni Awolowo

Funeral service for Chief Oluwole Bolade Akanni Awolowo was held at Our Saviour's Anglican Church, Ikenne -Remo, Ogun State, yesterday

R-L: Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Delta State counterpart, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola SAN (right) and Mr. Segun Awolowo

L-R: Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and wife; Minister of Foreign Affairs Otunba L-R: Damilola Awolowo, Mrs. Yejide Awolowo Olugbenga Ashiru and Minister of State Federal Badmus, Olori Ladun Sijuwade and AmbassaCapital Territory, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide dor Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu

L-R: Executive Secretary Federal Capital Territory, Mr Olusegun Awolowo; Chief of Staff to the President Mr. Oronto Douglas; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Otunba Olugbenga Ashiru, and Minister of State Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide

L-R: Chief Segun Osoba, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Senator Remi Tinubu and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola

42—SA TURD AY 42—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, APRIL 20,, 2013

Only Sango, Ogun deities can stop politicians from being corrupt —Alex Akinyele

By Ishola Balogun & Florence Amagiya Chief Alexander Opeyemi Akinyele was Minister of Information and Culture; Chairman, National Sports Commission NSC, and Chairman, National Reconciliation Committee. He is recognized not only for his sharp sense of humour, but also for flashiness in his outfits. Akinyele, who is the Lobosin of Ondo Kingdom, is a Public Relations icon, spoke with Saturday Vanguard on his life at 75, Nigeria, the Newswatch saga among other issues.

A

t 75, you still have a wonderful sense of humour, is that the secret of your ageless look?

Yes, it is one of those elements that keeps me going.

As a result of the fact that I am always humorous, and I turn every situation of life to humour; I continue to look younger. I don’t have high blood pressure. I don’t have wrinkles and my heart is also very young. No doubt, I have problems like any other human beings, but I don’t allow my problems to kill my spirit or overwhelm me. So, I believe in humour.

Again, I don’t do anything in excess. I eat good food moderately, I drink socially, I don’t smoke, I sleep by 9:00pm every evening. The following morning, I listen to news to know what’s happening. I don’t bother my head about what others are doing, and above all, I am absolutely content with what God has done for me.

attacking it but with deep thinking and tactical approach, and if you cannot achieve that, you go on with your life. There is no one without a problem and there is no reason worrying over it.

There is no reason why you should allow it to kill your spirit and dampen your enthusiasm for life. I’ve always believed that whatever has a beginning must have an end.

Even in the face of adversity you’re always happy, how do you do it?

Everybody especially the younger ones should appreciate that they have challenges and problems. Some of them may be very herculean but to solve the problem or difficulty depends on how amorous you become and how much you let people know you’ve a problem. The best way to solve a problem is by

cannot exactly say that this is how it is or how it will be. It throws you here and there and there is no one particular philosophy or formula for life.

If there were formulas for life, everybody will use it and organise it in such a way that they will all succeed. Some students who were very brilliant in school; later in life you don’t hear about them again.

They just failed. You ask why life is so unkind to them.

After so many years of weathering the storm, what lesson have you learnt in life?

Life is a terrible phenomenon. You live it; you cannot adequately describe it. You

Akinyemi...Life is a terrible phenomenon

Some say as you make your bed, so you will lie on it, but life can be disappointing.

As an elderly man, one will expect that you have a wife as a companion.

How do you cope without one?

It is either some people are giving the President bad advice or the President himself is goofing

,

Don’t worry, you have solved the problem, let your colleague be my companion (laughs). Yes, that is what I’ve just told you about life. There was a time I had a wife for 30 years and six months. We were very happy without any problem. The same Akinyele took another wife after my wife’s death and between two and half years, she had to leave. Then, after two years, I took another wife but the

same thing happened. I guess it had been written so; that “heh look, you’re going to have a wonderful marital life for 30 and half years and after that, you shall be having unstable marriages.

Do you intend to take another wife?

I am not in a hurry to do that.

‘God made a man, man made a woman and woman made a devil and the devil made a fire’; that is the way I see it.

In all of these, if you look back, what do you think you would have done differently?

I would have behaved differently the way I acted in my marriage with Lady Maria. I was guilty but she had her own faults. I would have handled her with greater measure of care. I would have allowed her to grow and mature. That is why I said it was my fault in spite of the fact that she was a bundle of faults. So, the fault for the dissolution of that marriage was absolutely mine.

The President is on the verge of granting amnes-

ty to Boko Haram insurgent group. Do you think that is the way out of the crisis?

It is either some people are giving the President bad advice or the President himself is goofing. He did say that he will not give amnesty to ghosts which meant that he did not know them. So, what is the fundamental reason for amnesty? He shouldn’t have made that statement. We all hailed him then but on deeper thought; the fact that he doesn’t want to expose them does not mean he doesn’t know them. There are people in the corridors of power that are moral coward. Moral cowardice is worse than corruption tendencies.

They should have been bold enough to tell the President the truth. The greatest thing that is lacking is that we’re not patriotic at all. If you put money down and put Nigeria down, they will destroy Nigeria and take the money. I’m ashamed of this attitude. At 75, I feel very sorry for this country. I went to India in

Continues on page 43

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SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, APRIL 20,, 2013—43

Continued from page 42

The President has said he inherited these problems, you were a Minister in a past government...

(Cuts in) Did the President not promise electricity? Can he tell us that he did not know those who are responsible for our calamity? If he does not know, why is he still the President? It is not sufficient to tell us that he inherited these problems, did he not know that he was going to inherit them? He knew and he told us that within a specified period, he will give us stable

Akinyemi...I was never a politician, perhaps, you link me to politics because of my relationship with General Babangida

‘ If you put money down and put Nigeria down, they will destroy Nigeria and take the money ’ electricity. Even those who are hanging to be the next President know the problems but when they get there, they pretend as if they don’t know.

The president is surrounded by bad advisers and God will punish them. Immediately God turns around to destroy the bad advisers that surround Jonathan, the problems of Jonathan is solved.

,

1977 with some former Directors of Newswatch on Air-India free flight, with what we saw in India then, and a second look at Nigeria, we were very happy and proud of this country. But today, you’ll want to cry.

We’re having this interview in darkness; without electricity just because President Jonathan cannot give us electricity, and the same Jonathan wants to go for another election to rule us for another four years in darkness ? Is that fair? He cannot deliver electricity just because he is caged by some very terrible and unpatriotic individuals. It is unfortunate that like most other Nigerians, I cannot provide electricity for myself for 24 hours. The cost of diesel, and maintenance of generating sets are overwhelming. All the artisans and other poor Nigerians needs electricity, and because we don’t have electricity, we’re not happy in our own homes. I have a 150 KVA generator which is supposed to be standby. But when you make it permanent, it dies. As it is to me, so it is to other Nigerians. The President should have looked at what he could do to be remembered for. If he gives us electricity today, we will never forget him and he will not have to campaign for reelection again, because that is the greatest need of every Nigerian.

Why can’t he give us just that? All other offences of the government like corruption will be forgiven. Are we not ashamed that other neighbouring small countries give electricity to their people for 24 hours uninterrupted. People have stolen money meant for providing electricity for this country and nothing has been done to them. They destroy the country with impunity.

The happiest people in this country are the corrupt ones who trample on the constitution, they are above the law.

It is sad and unfortunate.

ly. We have all these powers but we don’t use them. That is the only way I think we can cleanse Nigeria. I say it and I mean it and I don’t care if anybody says I am not a Christian. I am a true Christian, I believe in God but we have to call a spade a spade.

These corrupt Nigerians don’t have sense of shame. Sometime ago, a thief was to leave the prison and then they rolled out the drums with ‘aso-ebi’ to receive him. Is that right? Also, when Alamieyeseigha returned from prison, there was a crowd-pulling service held for him and the Bishop that preached was lamenting. Where is our integrity and sense of honesty?

These are the beginning and the end of our problems.

follower of a man whom I trust. I am not a politician and that is the fact.

With all these image deficits Nigeria has as a result of corruption, bad leadership, among others, as a PR expert what PR strategy will you offer for Nigeria?

The PR strategy, I can offer is for every Nigerian to think in terms of Nigeria; that whatever touches Nigeria is your

,

The president is surrounded by bad advisers and God will punish them

After you left government as Minister, why didn’t you go into active politics, what discouraged you?

I was never a politician.

Perhaps, you link me to politics because of my relationship with General Babangida.

He is not active in politics these days and you don’t hear my name. By tomorrow, if he says he is going to Kaduna to campaign, I will follow him.

But that still does not make me a politician. I am just a

priority. We are not patriotic. Once money is involve, we throw away Nigeria. Anybody who is going to do PR successfully for Nigeria will first call out all the Ministers to swear before the gods of Ogun so that they will not steal our money. The first thing they will say is that it is anti-Christ. Jesus Christ does not in anyway support corruption. So, if we are doing anything to curb corruption, it is in line with the ideals which Jesus taught. But you

see, most of these flambouyant pastors encourage them.

They build their churches on the foundation of native medicine. If you want to cure Nigeria, let them swear to these native deities.

How did you know, have you had encounter with them?

At 75, why won’t I know? If I don’t know, then what have I done and how have I lived?

You want to tell me I have not gone to a shrine before? I know all these things. Why am I all over the places? Do you think I closed my eyes to all these things? I don’t, or do you want me to tell you that I am Alex Akinyele who knows only one God, that I have never being to a shrine before? If you come to our area in Ondo State, there is what we call ‘Aiyelala.’ It is a terrible deity. If you swear there and you steal, you will become dead in no time. Let them all go there and swear.

We need terrible things to turn us to the way of God. If you stole and you are taken to Oyo; to the shrine of ‘sango,’ and they perform their rituals on you, you will see the consequence immediate-

On Newswatch, there is this proverb that says that when an old man is present in the market, the head of a baby at the mother’s back does not dangle; what are you doing to bring the stakeholders to the table and possibly settle out of court?

God bless you. (long pause).

I could have called it a challenge especially when the old man calls himself a PR practitioner. I would have loved to handle it headlong, but... (another pause). What is happening in Newswatch, I feel like crying for Nigeria. These gentlemen came here yesterday. (last Tuesday) but when there is a moral bankruptcy, it is difficult. It is just like what I call “Olowo-Ojebi” which means ‘the rich is never guilty’ but let us see how far this will go. I don’t want to say more than that.

But why, you are also a stakeholder?

Yes, there are many stakeholders in Nigeria who lose gallantly.

Have you lost out?

I have only lost out to Nigeria.

What about others?

Well, it is wisdom for you to know when you have lost out.

I told them something yesterday. Some of us are stupid, we think God is not watching.

The wheel of justice from God is ever rolling. Anybody that thinks he is winning should know it is only a Pyrrhic victory.

What are the plans for your 75 birthday, is it going to be loud?

No! It is going to be solemn.

I am not calling the world like I did when I celebrated my 70 th birthday. Now I am very sober.

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

Chinese student hosts her own Funeral Z

Obese American woman who founded night club for larger women has to leave

eng Jia, 22, lay in a coffin for an hour as friends filed past and paid tribute. Delivered a speech at her own wake after service in city of Wuhan. 'Experiencing death has made me appreciate life more keenly,' she says

S

hadoe Grey, 49, set up Club Curves nightclub for big girls in LA in 2005. Used to eat 5,000 calories every day... then lost 12 stone in one year. Dropped to 8 stone and realised she could no longer be club figurehead. Now wants to help other people start their own clubs for big people. 'I will never stop feeling like a big girl'

ter af es di y bo by ba ld -o th on m oTw : ss ki a Killed by virus his father infects him with the cold sore

K

aiden McCormick died of multiple organ failure after catching herpes virus. Father Carl Maclaren's heart 'broke in two' when told what killed his son. Mother Marrie-Claire McCormick: 'He is distraught.

But I never blamed Carl'. Couple urging government to raise awareness of the dangers of cold sores.

Marrie-Claire, who is pregnant again, said: 'No baby should die from a kiss'

Terminal cancer sufferer

T

erminal cancer sufferer, 14, who wanted to attend a prom as part of her bucket list is too sick to attend the party... so her friends brought it to her hospital room instead.

Katelyn Norman has suffered from osteosarcoma for two years and doctors told her last week that there is nothing more they can do. She drew up a bucket list of activities, including attending a prom. Event was thrown in hometown last night but she had been hospitalized. Moving photographs show how enjoyed the party from her bed instead.

Caves that can banish pain?

N

ow that really is holeistic! In side the Austrian mountain that offer an amazing cure. Radon treatment said to help cure a number of medical conditions. The cave is said to treat joint pain, chronic bronchitis and skin conditions

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013 — 45

Rivers PDP Crisis: No plans to impeach Amaechi PDP elders seek peace with Amaechi — Legislature •Rivers •Elders Deny Presidency’s hand in the crisis

BY HENRY UMORU & CALEB AYANSINA, Abuja

F

OLLOWING the sack of the Rivers State Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP which was loyal to Governor Chibuike Amaechi, Elders of the party yesterday said there were moves to put in place a process to reconcile both the governor and the new Executive Committee.

The PDP elders also said that the Rivers State governor will not dump the party for another on account of the court judgment, just as they said that there was no reason the governor should do that because he was currently the leader of the party in Rivers State.

Addressing Journalists in Abuja yesterday, the PDP elders led by Sergeant Awuse and a former House of Representatives’ deputy speaker, Austin Opara who spoke under the aegis, ‘’Concerned PDP Elders of Rivers State”, stressed that there was the urgent need for this peace process if development, growth and a peaceful working environment must be guaranteed.

According to them, the new executive committee of the PDP in Rivers State led by Felix Obuah had put in place a

reconciliation committee to ensure that all members of PDP in the State were properly united ahead of 2015 elections.

Other members of Rivers State PDP Elders Forum include, Senator Lee Maebea, while members of the Rivers State Legislators Forum include among others, Hon. Kelechi Nwogu, Hon. Inunwo Victor, Hon. Micheal Chinda and Hon. Martins Chike.

Meanwhile, members of Rivers State House of Assembly also yesterday denied allegation of plots to impeach the state governor, Chibuke Ameachi.

Kidnapped French family of 7 released in Cameroon

BY EMEKA MAMAH, with Agency report

A

Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi(m); flanked by House of Representatives member, Chief Andrew Uchendu(left), Elder Chidi Wihioka and supporters on arrival in Port Harcourt yesterday

Nine feared dead as suspected Fulani herdsmen ambush commuter bus in Benue State

BY PETER DURU Makurdi

A

commuter bus convey ing 13 passengers from Gbajimba in Guma local government area of Benue state capital was yesterday ambushed at Ajir village by suspected Fulani herdsmen with nine of the occupants reportedly killed or missing.

Saturday Vanguard gathered from sources that the incident has left all commuters traveling to and out of Gbajimba stranded as commercial motor operators have withdrawn all their ve-

hicles on that route.

According to the source, “the occupants who were mostly native Tiv farmers were traveling from Gbajimba to Makurdi at about 11am when the heavily armed herdsmen waylaid and opened fire on them, killing two at the spot, four of the passengers managed to escape while seven others were chased into the bush by the assailants. ”Our fear at the moment is that those that were chased into the bush might have been killed because no one knows their whereabout and their families are yet to trace them.

”The search for them is still continuing but we are scared that they might have been killed because if they are still alive, we would have seen at least one of time, “ he said.

When contacted, Benue

New Rivers PDP chair resumes at party secretariat BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, PH

A

MID very tight security the new Chairman of the Rivers state chapter of the Peoples

Diesel Scam: S-Court declines to reinstate sacked CBN Director

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI, Abuja

T

HE Supreme Court, yesterday, declined to reinstate a former Assistant Director, Building Engineering Services Department at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Rasaki Abiola Ekunola, who was dismissed in February 2000 following his alleged complicity in diesel fraud.

The appellant was said to have masterminded the illegal diversion of diesel meant for

distribution to other locations of the CBN’s points of business activities.

An audit panel that was set-up by the apex bank had found him guilty and referred him to a disciplinary committee which inturn, recommended his sack, noting that his action not only resulted in a heavy financial loss equally but incurred huge financial deficits for the bank.

However, dissatisfied with his dismissal, Ekunola took the case to court, insisting that he was not accorded fair hearing.

Besides, he argued that the Director of Personnel at the CBN, Alhaji Saidu Mohammed, witchhunted him unnecessarily, just as he sought to be returned back to office and paid all his entitlements.

Meantime, following the dismissal of his suit by the high court, the ex-Director went on appeal were he also lost.

In his appeal before the apex court, the appellant, contended that by not having been arraigned before the appropriate central disciplinary committees

State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Suprintendent of Police Daniel Ezeala disclosed that the Benue state Commissioner of Police had directed an immediate investigation into the matter.

of the bank by the bank itself but before an illegal committee that was set up by the machinations of 2 nd r e s p o n d e n t (Mohammed), his dismissal amounted to a nullity.

The appellant said he was irked by the fact that having placed sufficient materials to show who had powers to discipline him and who actually wrongfully disciplined him, yet the trial court as affirmed by the appeal court, wrongly found that he failed to prove his case to entitle him to a recall.

Democratic party, PDP, Prince Felix Amaechi Obuah aka Go round , yesterday arrived the state secretariat of the party on number 23 Aba road with his team.

Crowd of supporters thronged the secretariat to welcome him. The Chairman, Mr Obuah arrived the secretariat in a long convoy of vehicles and security men at about 4pm.

Addressing a cheering crowd of party faithfuls, the Chairman, Mr Obuah assured that he would unite the party, stressing that he would create an atmosphere for members to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the party.

Continuing, he said PDP was a political party and not a pressure group, adding that his leadership would encourage respect for party leaders.

He further affirmed the support of the state chapter of the party to President Goodluck Jonathan.

French family of sev en, including four children, who were kidnapped by gunmen on motorcycles on February 19 have been released in Cameroon following secret talks, France said yesterday. They had been snatched near the Waza national park in north Cameroon, about 10 kilometres from the Nigerian border and ferried into a remote village in Borno State.

The release of the holiday makers by their abductors ended two months of captivity in the hands of Islamist militants.

Reuters quoted the French President, Francois Hollande as telling a news conference in Paris yesterday, “I spoke to the father this morning ... He told me how happy and relieved he was. This is an immense relief. This will redouble our determination to free the hostages who remain.”

Eight French hostages remain held by al Qaedalinked Islamist militant groups in the Sahel region.

Hollande said there had been contacts over the last few weeks to discreetly free the family under French terms and denied any ransom was paid.

“France has not changed its position, which is not to pay ransoms,” he said.

The father of the kidnapped family, Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, worked in Cameroon for French utility firm GDF Suez. He was kidnapped with his wife, two daughters and two sons, and his brother, who was visiting them on holiday.

“We are very happy to be released. I want to thank (Cameroon) President Paul Biya for making all the effort to ensure our release,” his tired-looking wife, Albane MoulinFournier, said on Cameroon television, holding her smallest child.

46— SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

Shocker for Lagos couple ...as cour iled 7-yr -old int courtt sends def defiled 7-yr-old intoo remand home

A

Lagos-based couple, two weeks ago, got what they did not bargain for when an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court ordered the remand of their 7year- old ward (name withheld) at the Child Correctional Center, Yaba, Lagos because they could not take proper care of her, which made her vulnerable to sexual assault.The victim was allegedly raped several times by three men:Kassim Mohammed, 43, Oluwatobi Daramola and James Aniekan.

The Magistrate, Mrs E. B Daudu of an Ikeja Magistrate court granted the application that the little girl be remanded in the child correctional center.

She, however, released one of the suspects, Tobi, alleged to have had canal knowledge of the girl severally, on bail. It took the kind intervention of the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Lagos High Court, Mr A.O. Isaacs for the Magistrate to temper justice with mercy by releasing the victim to her guardians after spending nearly the whole day at the correctional center.

According to the little girl, the police prosecutor, Anthonia, whom she described as the ‘fat woman’ accompanied her to the remand home and threatened that her people would not see her again. She said, “I saw the mother to one of the suspects give the police woman N3,000. I heard her say, ‘thank you madam, you did well today.”

The little girl said that she was shown a cell with no windows at the Correctional Centre, and she

was threatened that she would be locked there for five days.

Mohammed, Daramola and Aniekan were said to have allegedly defiled the little girl serially between July 2012 and January 2013. Daramola and Aniekan, were said to be about 21 and 19, years old respectively although, tthey claimed to be 17.

The little girl’s ordeal in the hands of the three men, who defiled her started when she was only 6 years old. Two of the suspects, Daramola and Aniekan were arraigned at a magistrate’s court in Lagos for alleged defilement. The arraignment of Daramola, was held weeks before that of Aniekan. Tobi was arraigned on a one- count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with the hapless little girl.

The charge sheet reads; “That you Daramola Oluwatobi ‘m’ between July 2012 and January 13, 2013 at Idowu Egba, Ikotun, Lagos in Lagos Magisterial District had sexual intercourse with one girl “f” aged 7 years and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

The victim who lives with her aunty and her husband at 2, Oladipo Close, off Lawani Ogunle Street, Greenland Estate, Isheri area of Lagos, narrated what she has suffered in the hands of the men. “My uncle (her aunt’s husband) and I were going to the shop. Tobi saw us. He then greeted my uncle. I also greeted him. The next day, my uncle told me to stay at home, eat and do my home work. My uncle said

•Justice Ayotunde-Philips, Chief Judge of Lagos State

•One of the suspects, Kassim he would be back at home very soon that he wanted to go and collect money from his shop.

When I went downstairs to buy biscuit, Tobi saw me. He greeted me and said, “Fine girl, how are you?’ I said ‘fine.” He asked if he could buy me anything and he bought gala and a bottle of cocacola. He then asked me to show him our house, which I did and later when I was in bed and about

,

By ONOZURE DANIA

It was two weeks later that we discovered that there were others. I heard my two-year old son ordering the girl to lie down in bed

,

to sleep, Tobi came into our house. He played football with me and left. The next day, Tobi, James and one small boy came.

They put their fingers inside my bum-bum (that is they thrust their fingers into her private part). The next day, Tobi and James came again without the small boy. They now put their wee-wee(penis) inside my bumbum(private part). Another day again Tobi came with Kassim, Kassim was holding a knife and a pack of Five-Alive and gala. ”Tobi left but Kassim used his wee-wee on me. He said that if I

shouted he would kill me with the knife. When Kassim had finished, he said I should show him my bathroom. I showed him and he bathed. After bathing, he said I should bring a glass cup. He shared the five-alive. He gave me four rolls of gala while he took two. He told me to throw the empty pack of five-alive into the dustbin. Kassim left after he had made sure that I discarded the empty pack of the juice into the dustbin.”

The victim who has gotten used to being violated sexually every day was relieved temporarily as she escaped being abused the next day by the suspects, as she went on holiday. “The next day, I did not see Kassim because I went to my aunt’s sister’s place at Igando on holiday.”

It was however a temporary relief for her because the sexual assault continued when she came back from the holiday. ”When I came back from aunt’s sister’s place. I was sent on errand by my aunt. On my way, I met Kassim who asked after my uncle and aunt. I told him they were around. Kassim now said that I should enter his house. The next day I wanted to go and buy biscuit for Chibuike my little brother (the aunt’s son), Tobi saw me and asked that I should follow him to his house. He threatened that if I refused, he would make sure I got lost and so would not see my parents again. I followed him out of fear while carrying my

two-year old cousin along. Tobi defiled me once again using his male sex organ. When he finished, he told me to go and bathe in his bathroom, but I left with my brother to buy the biscuit. My aunt asked me why I came back late. I told her that there were many people that wanted to buy things from the Mallam (the man selling provisions). I did not report all these things to my aunt and her husband because Kassim threatened to deal with me if I mentioned his name.”

Narrating her own side of the story, the victim’s aunt simply called, Ngozi, said when the ordeal of her little niece started, she was in Abuja where she went to give birth. She said she was in Abuja between June and August last year, and even had to return to Abuja for medical attention because she developed complications after she had given birth through Cesarian operation. While she was away, she said the victim was left in the care of her husband and a cousin.

She said it was in January this year, while she was going through the little girl’s clothes that she discovered that two of the little girl’s under wears had blood stains, then she suspected that something was amiss. She then persuaded her neice until she told her about James who worked in a barber’s shop nearby. She said the little girl also told her that James defiled her and threatened to deal with her if she revealed what he had done to her.

She said, “Immediately, I called my pastor and told him what happened. He called one of the members of our church who is a policewoman. The woman said I had to come down to Ikotun Police Station to officially report.” After the police had interviewed the girl, they got James arrested. The father of James was trying to defend his son that he could not have defiled the girl since he, the father,is a pastor. However, James was detained and arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, where he was granted bail.

According to Ngozi, James confessed that he did it. He, according to her, even wrote a confessional statement at the police station. But James’s father allegedly maintained that he made the statement under duress. Unfortunately, while this was going on, her guardians did not know that she had been raped several times by more than one person.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013 — 47

Drug cloning syndicate smashed in Lagos

By CHIOMA OBINNA

A

syndicate which specialised in cloning fast moving drugs, among which are locally manufactured anti malaria and pain relief drugs, has been smashed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC, in Lagos,following the arrest of one of its suspected members.

The syndicate, according to NAFDAC, perfected its cloning act in China, from where it imported the cloned drugs into Nigeria.

The arrested suspect identified as Maduabuachi Abuzu, reportedly owns a shop at 21 Ashogbon Street,Idumota market,where he allegedly used as warehouse for the imported fake drugs.

Maduabuchi, according to the Agency’s Director of Enforcement, Mr Garba Macdonald, had been under the

,

Some of the drugs discovered in his possession at the time of arrest included; coartem tablets, packaging materials and labels , amalar, unlabeled tablets, maloxine tablets, packaging materials and leaflets etc

,

Agency’s watch list for two years, informing that investigation had begun to identify his China-based partners.

To this end, Crime Guard gathered that NAFDAC had contacted its Chinese counterpart , to ensure that when it concludes its investigation here, the alleged Chinese partners involved, would be punished according to China’s counterfeiting drug laws, which include life imprisonment.

Maduabuchi, according to Garba, was arrested in his apartment located on 9 Alhaja Hassana Street, Orile Iganmu with various fake products worth

over N20 million.

“The arrest of Maduabuchi Abuzu is a major breakthrough in the fight to stem activities of the syndicate who had in the last two years brought into the country fake drugs with its partners in China”.

He informed Crime Guard that the suspect confessed to have imported the drugs from China through his contacts there, adding that through intelligence gathering, “ it was established that the suspect used his house as a warehouse where the alleged cloned drugs are stored”.

Some of the drugs discovered in his possession at the time of arrest included; coartem tablets, packaging materials and labels , amalar, unlabeled tablets, maloxine tablets, packaging materials and leaflets, sealing

•Maduabuchi Abuzu, 2nd right and other suspects paraded by NAFDAC last week. hand machines, Ibupkris, Richy Gold Int’l Ibuprofen amongst others.

Madu abuachi according to Garba, was currently assisting the A gency in its investigation to get to the root of the matter.

Reiterating the agency’s determination to rid the country

of fake and unwholesome drugs, he therefore, called on Nigerians to report any suspicious activity relating to NAFDAC regulated products around their community for immediate action.

An official of one of the companies whose products

were faked, spoke on condition of anonymity, decrying the challenges genuine companies were faced with following cases of fake drugs. He said: “ Activities of fake drug merchant will put government’s policy of encouraging local production of essentials drugs into jeopardy”.

Family of beheaded woman calls on IGP for justice ...as .as Police in Imo investigate death of housewife

By CHIDI NKWOPARA, OWERRI

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HE family of late Mrs. Evelyn Uzodinma, who was beheaded by hoodlums about 10 months ago, at Egbu, Owerri North Local Council area of Imo State, has called on Police authorities in Abuja to take over investigations into the matter alleging that Imo State Police Command has been compromised.

Speaking to newsmen, the widower, Mr. Nathaniel Uzodinma, appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar to take over the case expressing discomfort with the manner the state command has been handling the case. He passionately appealed to him to change the officers handling the matter as they no longer have confidence in them.

While members of her immediately family are still passing through agony, as well as awaiting justice in the matter, fear has gripped the villagers and other residents of Ofeuzo, Egbu since the ugly

incident was reported.

It would be recalled that late Mrs. Uzodinma, a petty trader, was gruesomely murdered in a farm near her home, and following investigations by operatives of Imo State Police Command, two suspects, an undergraduate and a commercial motorcycle operator, were arrested. The burial of the 65-year old woman, about two months after the incident, triggered serious protests by her fellow women.

The women, as well as the Catholic priest that officiated during a requiem mass in her honour,expressed misgivings that Mrs. Uzondinma was being buried without her head.

When Crime Guard contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, for comments, she said the story was strange to her, adding that the Commissioner of Police and herself were new on the posting.

In another development, Imo State Police Command is now investigating the circumstances that led to the

death of a housewife, Mrs. Gloria Okoro. This is sequel to a petition addressed to the Police by the father of the late woman, Mr. Eugene Anyasodo, a native of Mpama, Egbu, Owerri North Local Government area of Imo State.

According to the petition, the woman’s father not only gave names of the suspects allegedly involved in the crime, but equally said that she was beaten to death in her husband’s country home, Amaukachi, Akabo, Ikeduru Local Council area.

He recalled with grief how his daughter, who wedded Mr. Cletus Okoro on December 27, 2012, came home (Egbu) April 9, 2013, to complain about some persons (names withheld). Anyasodo also recalled that he was in hospital when his daughter came again in April 10, 2013, to complain about the serious threat she was facing in her matrimonial home.

Continuing, the aggrieved father said he advised his daughter to go back to her matrimonial home and promised to visit his in-laws with a view to sorting out the

problems. He informed the police that later the same day, Miss Stella Anyasodo went to Akabo to see her elder sister, Gloria, but was told that she was in the mortuary.

Mr. Anyasodo recounted that his daughter “went to the mortuary and saw bruises all over her body and stains of blood gushing from her mouth, eyes and nose, which prompted us to believe that she was murdered”.

He also told the police that his in-law, Mr. Cletus Okoro, “called me on phone that my daughter, Mrs. Gloria Okoro, was dead and that he was taking her corpse to the mortuary”.

Anyasodo therefore appealed to the InspectorGeneral of Police to properly investigate the matter, stressing that whosoever is involved in her daughter’s death should be made to face the full weight of the law.

Although the PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, could not be reached at press time for comments, a senior police officer, who spoke on anonymity confirmed the incident and added that investigations were on.

48—SATURDAY VANGUARD,

APRIL 20, 2013

M

R. Chidi Ojobor is a managing partner at Zitronix Engineering Limited, an indigenous engineering company that is into manufacturing and assembling of power electronics in Nigeria despite the unconducive environment facing manufacturing companies in the country.

According to Ojobor, whose company is located in Warri , what the company needs is government support to compete favourably with foreign products and for our local manufacturers to remain in business so that they could make a meaningful impact in the growth and development of the Nigerian economy. Also, for the country to reduce its high rate of unemployment, government should not relent in its effort to empower SMEs which constitute the bedrock of any economy.

Speaking on the future of the company and its activities , Ojobor said, Zitronix Engineering Limited is an indigenous engineering company registered with the corporate affairs commission in 2007. “Our major activity is centred around manufacturing/assembling of power electronics equipment and solar energy systems. We locally design, assemble and construct equipment like inverters, voltage stabilizers (domestic and industrial types),battery chargers and solar charge controllers.

We are equally involved in installation of solar powered bore holes, street lights, design, construction and instal-

NDIC to launch new framework for Mortgage Financing

We need govt support to compete with foreign products —Ojobor lation of solar powered chemical injection pumps.

In addition, our scope of activities encompass design and production of microprocessor based control systems/ modules. At the moment however, we employ the use of locally manufactured and foreign equipment to carry out production while trying to keep abreast with modern technology that makes production process simple.

According to him, it is our dream some day to equip our factory with more sophisticated equipment and gadgets that would facilitate and enhance mass production for the benefit of Nigerians.

“Our products are often rugged and compete favourably with foreign products. Most of the design process involved often are a combination of first principle design and design cloning which is further modified by including some other interesting features.

Ojobor said that electronics

assembling/manufacturing is one area our people may have completely given up, probably with the feeling that we can never be able to meet up with the standards obtainable overseas because they are more advanced in science and technology. It was discovered that most of the growing manufacturing companies in China today only sprang up few years ago because of government support to local producers. I want to believe their government may have directly played a role by providing soft loans or partnerships and also creating enabling environment for business to thrive.

Albeit, if the Nigerian government would give full support to local manufacturers through soft loans, partnership with local manufacturers, steady power supply and also provide security of lives and property, definitely our locally made products would compete favourably with foreign made ones.

SON presents cer tif icat e tto o Pr oton Security Ser vices certif tificat icate Pro Services

F

or excellent perfor mance in the security services in Nigeria and having met the requirements, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, (SON), recently in Lagos, presented Proton Security Service Ltd. with NIS ISO 9001: 2008 certificate for quality management system standard.

Director General, SON, Dr. Joseph I. Odumodu (MFR) represented by the Director, Laboratory Services, Louise Njoku, said, Proton Security Service has joined the lofty class of quality management system certified companies in Nigeria. This is a giant stride in the pursuit of

excellence to provide quality services to clients and this is worthy of commendation and emulation by well meaning businesses, he said.

According to him, the security challenges of the world including its attendant effects on lives and property is of great concern to world leaders and their subjects. Any security company today that wants to gain a respectable position in the market place will have to work hard to satisfy its customer’s current needs and also be ready for tomorrow’s

challenges.

Njoku stated that the relevance of quality management in ensuring security of lives and property cannot be over emphasized, saying that the NIS ISO 9001:2008 quality management system approach provides a globally recognized and acceptable solution to the challenges associated with quality management.

He advised the security company that this journey to excellence it has embarked upon does not have an end because quality is a moving target. “Our challenge to you today is to keep the

system healthy and up to date in order to reap the benefits of ISO approach to management.”

“However, the certificate will be withdrawn, if the structures in place for certification break down and necessary corrective actions are not taken.”

In addition, Managing Director, Proton Security Services Limited, Mr. Mike Igbodipe, said that the company is celebrating a manifestation of our collective determination to continually improve the quality of services rendered to our clients to world class standard and by so doing, offer our clients value for their investment and also continue to retain their confidence in our services.

“We therefore see this significant milestone as a challenge as so much would be expected from us, saying further that the company shall not fail its clients.

AMNI, Afren commission projects in Akwa Ibom

NCC scores Air Airttel high on quality of ser vice BARELY two weeks after launching a robust network campaign in demonstration of its extensive network coverage in Nigeria, industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has scored Airtel high in key quality of service parameters, saying the leading telecoms operator has met all targets in Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Measurements carried out in December, 2012.

The Commission’s report entitled Quality of Service Indicators for Mobile Operators in December 2012 and published in key National Dailies on the 28th of March, 2013, Airtel was given a clean bill of health as it met all the KPI targets as signed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between telecoms operators and the NCC for Drop Call Rate (DCR), Call Set-up Success Rate (CSSR), Traffic Channel Congestion (TCHcong) and Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion (SDCCHcong).

In the four network measurement criteria, Airtel proved to be the best performing operator as it outperformed other operators in key indices, recording the lowest drop call rate and also recording the least congestion on the Traffic Channel Congestion parameter.

Turkish govt seeks to improve bilateral relations with Nigeria

C

ommunities in Akwa Ibom have start ed enjoying the dividends accruing from partnership between International Petroleum Development Company (AMNI) and Afren Nigeria as they announced the formal commissioning of two major development projects in the State.

It was said that the projects form part of AMNI and Afren’s community development work in the region.

According to a management source, Afren and AMNI have completed the construction of three jetties in the Ikonta, Amadaka and Emeroke communities within Eastern Obolo. The jetties will open up these isolated communities and allow them expand their fishing businesses and improve social interaction. It is now official that one of the Jetties (Ikonta/Obianga) is currently the longest in Nigeria. The landing and walk-way measure 189 metres.

In December 2012, it was recorded that both companies completed the construction of three science blocks in the Okoro-

THE Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) plans to develop a framework for granting financial assistance to Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) and Micro-finance Banks (MFBs). The proposed aid will help to reposition the sub-sector for greater performance. However, stringent conditions would be put in place to ensure only deserving MFBs and PMBs benefit from the programme.

Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revised supervisory guidelines for primary mortgage banks and refinancing scheme in the mortgage sector. The various reforms embarked upon by the regulator are to ensure stability and sustainability in the subsector. The initiatives would also fast track the transformation agenda of the Federal Government in the area of affordable housing for all – taking into cognizance the huge housing deficit.

L-R: Managing Partner, TruContact Ltd., Mr. Ken Egbas;immediate past Chairperson, NIPR Lagos State Chapter, Mrs Nkechi Ali Balogun and MD NECCI Consulting; Chairman NIPR Lagos State Chapter, Barrister Jide Ologun at a press briefing to unveil the 2013 SERA Theme in Lagos recently. ette, Iko and Amadaka communities. The development of capacity and skills in the blocks each has three classrooms for Chem- areas where we operate. He said, these istry, Physics and Biology and are fully fur- projects delivered are in line with our susnished and equipped, while Akwa Ibom tainable community development policy Ministry of Education sent eighteen sci- to leave lasting values in our areas of opence teachers to these schools to help eration in education, income generation promote interest in science subjects and infrastructure. General Manager for External Affairs (AMNI), Wale Olafisan, amongst the students.

At the commissioning, Chairman, Afren said, “the beginning was challenging Plc., Mr Egbert Imomoh, said, the scope but with these landmark projects in Eastand scale of these projects in Akwa Ibom is ern Obolo, AMNI has lived up to the Latin testament to our commitment towards the phraseology fortitude inevincimus - “by endurance we conquered”.

IN a bid to further deepen Nigeria, Turkey bilateral relationship, Turkish government has empowered President/ Chief Executive Officer, Twins Holding Group Limited, Abdulhameed Taiwo Sogbesan, to set up Nigeria Turkish Business Council and Africa Turkish Business Council in Nigeria. This, according to Sogbesan is to fast-track business and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Nigeria and African as a whole.

It is said that this project would attract a lot of businessmen and women from Turkey to the country and the rest of Africa.

In recognition of Sogbesan’s contribution, experience and versatility in business, Twins Holding Limited one of the leading multi-companies in construction, consulting, oil and gas, mining, air/aviation services among others, Abdulhameed Sogbesan was recently recognized and honoured in Ghana among other new generation Nigerian business chief executives with pedigree in international consultancy and key players in the promotion of bilateral chambers of commerce in Ghana.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL, 20, 2013—49

In C’River, a dense forest has metamorphosed into first class housing estate

W

hen on the 31st of March, 2009, Senator Liyel Imoke, the Cross River State Governor laid the first block to kick start the construction of a housing estate in the barren forest of Atimbo, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, some five kilometres East of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, his action was greeted with a lot of scepticism and criticism as many wondered how he would transform a dense tropical forest to residential homes. The legion of sceptics who saw the project and its hype as a political gimmick by the governor to pull wool over their eyes to get them to re-elect him for second term, pointed to ready examples of failed housing schemes littered all over the state by preceding administrations.

Worst was the immediate past administration, which according to sources, did not erect one single structure in the name of housing in the state for eight good years but “sold off all houses we had left of our heritage as a people at give away rates.”

Indeed, the last administration that build estates in the state was that led by late Brigadier U.J.Esuene several decades ago.

Conscious of the past failings in mass housing scheme

in the state, Governor Imoke announced at the flag off of the construction work that the state has a 5% growth rate which is quite considerable and excepts measures are taken to develop estates like the one he was initiating , there would be no houses for the people to live in the not too distant future. “For the first time in a long while, there have been no govern-

There has been a continued rise in the cost of accommodation in our city in spite of the global economic down turn and low income of our people ment housing projects in this state. We appreciate the need for the people to have decent, affordable and secured accommodation which under-

scores the need to have a scheme like this one which is a private –public partnership i n i t i a t i v e ” .

Located in an expansive virgin forest stretching through 51.5 hectres in four villages of Akpabuyo, Atimbo East , Ikot Asuquo Oku and Ikot Ewa, Senator Imoke said then that when completed, pressure would be significantly lessened on accommodation needs in Calabar.

“There has been a continued rise in the cost of accommodation in our city in spite of the global economic down turn and low income of our people; something urgent has to be done to address this and this project would succeed despite the scepticism ” .

He declared that it was in keeping to his campaign promise to ensure that civil servants and residents of the city are made to own places of abode that compelled him go through the stress and rigours in acquiring the expansive land for the housing scheme. “The first challenge is that Cross River State withdrew from the National Housing Loan Scheme in 2002 which ought to have provided the platform for our people to build their own homes; this scheme is meant to get workers in the state the opportunity to take advantage of the low interest rates that this scheme provides to own houses at a low cost”.

It was in this direction that the state government went ahead to pay compensation to the landlord communities, provided amenities and infrastructure like roads, electricity and water at a cost of over 1.7 billion naira and kept its commitment of bargain in the partnership by providing Aso Savings and Loans all the encouragement and assistance it needed to complete the construction of the first phase of 200 housing units which comprises of 64 three bedrooms bungalows, 98 two -bedrooms semi-detached bungalows and 12 units of one bedroom terraces which were commissioned on the 10th of December, 2012 by Ms Ama Pepple, the Minister for Housing.

With its commissioning in December, life immediately started picking up in then hitherto dense forest now turned serene housing estate.

Over a hundred houses have since been fully occupied with another seventy partially occupied while their owners are carrying out some fine tuning of their apartments to meet their individual needs and tastes.

Mr Eyong Otu, the Secretary of the Crospil landlord Association who is full of praises for the Governor for demonstrating his commitment to the welfare of the people by completing the construction of the housing

estate said: “Calabar is landlocked which makes it practically impossible to have expansive land to site a major estate as this one.

“The environment here is serene and secure which gives one the opportunity to relax.We are really proud of this place”.

A house wife, Mrs Zion Iyeli said outside the occasional power failure “which is everywhere including Calabar, we are enjoying life here. We feel secure because apart from the fact that there is a police post here, the policemen do patrol the estate all night”.

The estate which is kept neat

by Rashino company limited, environmental cleaners is airy, well drained, and fitted with a football field, a health centre, and a police post to meet the needs of the people.

“We have constant water supply here, there are provision shops and a health post so we do not have to walk long distances to buy anything”. Mrs Iyeli said.

The family of Mr Greg Okem, a director in the Internal Revenue Service who occupies House 11B, Block 21 said:”life in the place is far different from the hustle and bustle in the town. We have enough space here to play football and even hockey which was not the case when we were in Ekotenim where we lived before moving here”.

Celestine Okem, son of the director said: “We also have a bore hole from which we get water, though water supply by water Board is fairly constant here-this place is good”.

Down the road, where Barrister Emmanuel Ekaya from Obubra lives, his cousin, Ebri said they moved into their House 13, Block 3 apartment in February and since then “life has taken a new meaning as one does not have any worries over flooding or any mishap since the houses are well built with proper drains”.

A 7- year-old pupil of University of Calabar International School, Gift Imoh said she moved in with the dad, Dr Imoh since January and during the Easter break, “it was fun here as we moved to the recreational ground to relax and have fun; apart from the frequent cut in electricity supply, we love it here”.

Basically, with Calabar landlocked and accommodation cost increasing by the day, the new estate, which is one of several being built across the three senatorial districts, is expected to significantly reduce the strain on housing and accommodation in Calabar.

50—SATURDAY

Vanguard APRIL 20, 2013

Day Amnesty”settled” delegates

By JUDITH UFFORD

T

hey stood at the entrance of the Institute. Fierce looking, battle ready soldiers took their position at the gate of the Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research on Victoria Island.

This can’t be venue of the post amnesty programme I whispered aloud as I put the car in reverse heading back towards the Mint building. As one drove along making inquiries, it was obvious not many knew Harbour Point. Just as I was beginning to give up, two young adults directed me back to the Institute’s gate.

Within seconds, I was back at the gate where a vulcaniser,(no I didn’t have enough courage to approach the soldiers still standing at alert) directed me to Harbour Point. As I approached the gate, there they were like a swarm of bees, soldiers every where. Why soldiers at this event I pondered still.

The answer was not long in coming.

Just as the event was been wrapped up, the 300 delegates were getting all worked up and agitated about numerous unanswered questions. It took the intervention of the soldiers to bring the situation under control.

But, if the truth be told, the programme for the post training empowerment/Start-up business showcase at Harbour Point in Lagos last week Thursday began on a warm note.

The 300 delegates all male were regale in their green and white Tshirts and face caps.

In a charge to the delegates, Mr. Joel Bisina (head, post training and peace building dept) who stood in for Hon. Kingsley Kuku told them to ensure the pieces of equipment and wares they were given are used to grow their businesses. Delegates were cautioned not to sell the equipment as well as eat monies made from engaging their business. Prior to the day’s event, delegates had been given a year ’s

Following the closure of disarmament, demobilisation of the 26,358 young men and women enlisted in the 1st and 2nd phases of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta has been grappling with the ever challenging Re-integration component rent to enable them acquire space for their business. As part of the business Start-up package, each delegate had the business name, bank account, complimentary card as well as email address all put together for effective take off.

According to Mr. Binisa, 8000 exmilitants are done with training and the 300 been commissioned to start of their business is the beginning of another phase of the programme.

Said he:”Following the closure of disarmament, demobilisation of the 26,358 young men and women enlisted in the 1st and 2nd phases of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger

Delta has been grappling with the ever challenging Re-integration component.”. Highlighting the various aspects of training delegates were involved in, he noted that over 4,608 are currently under-going various forms of skills acquistion training in Nigeria and other parts of the world. The skills range from marine, heavy duty operations, welding, diving, agriculture, boat building, Oil and gas technicians, entrepreneurship, automobile technology, aviation, amongst others.

Continuing, Mr. Bisina said the Amnesty Office was particularly grateful to their implementation partners for their doggedness and ability to provide managerial and leadership skill. He informed delegates that they would enter an agreement with the Amnesty Office to put to good use all the items released to them. He emphatically drew their attention to the fact on no condition must the items be sold.

Delegates were also give the option to refrain from entering into any agreement if they were not interested thus forfeiting the Start-up business item For the purpose of the day’s business, about five businesses were commissioned: building materials, super market, fishery, welding,and electronics. Items for these businesses would be moved to the various locations of the delegates. As the Amnesty Office gave itself a pat on the back for a job well done, delegates grumbling and complaints almost wipe off the smiles from officials faces. The complaints ranged from allowance matters to rents that about to expire and the big question of employment. On the issue of employment for instance, some delegates said they were promised employment after the training but from every indication, they can’t see any job insight. Elvis Ibe from Rivers State is one of such delegates. According to him, about 90 of them who went to South Africa for training in welding are now be

asked to start a business. Hear him: “About 90 of us wenr to South Africa.

Some opted out and asked to be brought back to Nigeria because of the weather- it was very cold. The place where we had our training didn’t have sufficient equipment, so while some trained, others just watched. We complained to the Amnesty officials, they said they would do something about it, but nothing was done. When we were going for the training (pipeline welding), we were told that after the training, we would be offered employment in oil companies. Now we are back, they say there’s no job, that we should go and start our own business. This is a bit challenging for me because I was not trained to do other types of welding. But given the present situation, I’ve no choice but to accept what is offered. On my own, I’ll go and learn the other aspects of welding so that I can make use of the eqipment given to me.”

Elvis’ training was for six months.

But Progress Orli also from Rivers State had a better tale to tell. “My training was in Obirako, Delta State.

The training was for nine months and three weeks. There were about 40 of us. The training went well. In fact, looking at what has happened today, I didn’t expect the whole exercise would be on this large scale.

So, if I’m to score the programme, I would say they’ve done well.”. And this was exactly what he did as he was called upon to give a vote of thanks on behalf of the delegates.

The delegates were equally concerned about their allowances as they asked if this would be stopped when they take delivery of their Start-up package. They were also concerned about rent for office space that was able to expire. For every question, there was a ready answer.

According to Mr. Bisina, the N60,000 monthly allowance would be paid for the next three after with it would be stopped. He was also quick to remind those agitating for more funds for rents that rents would not expire until three months time. And those clamouring for employment opportunities instead of owning their businesses should go in search of jobs if they so desire. One thing was clear, as far as the Amnesty office was concerned, they had done their bit and expects delegates to put to good use the opportunities they’ve been given. Mr. Bisina sound a note of warning to delegates that from now on they either choose to be of good behaviour or face the long arm of the law. Said he: “Since this programme began, we’ve been begging you. We begged you to lay down arms. We begged you to go to school or training. When things are not as we expect them to be, we begged you to be patient. But from today we’re through with begging.

We’re not going to beg anyone to accept these items. If you don’t accept them, fine. You’ve been trained, you can go look for work.

But be warned that government would not take it kindly with anyone who after this programme disrupts public peace. If you’re caught, you would be charged to court. Please don’t call us in the Amnesty Office.”

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, APRIL 20,, 2013—51

Petitions against Military Pensions Board are written out of ignorance —Commodore Audu

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

Is there any cause for concern over military pensioners?

As far as military pension is concerned, we are up to-date in the payment of our pensioners. As at today, we do not owe any pensioner any amount of money. Any military pensioner that says we owe him is definitely a fake person. He is not a military pensioner. So as far as this issue of strike is concerned, the only thing that concerns the military pensioner is the payment of 53% and the 53% is being handled by the federal government. Apart from this, we don’t have any issues with payment of death benefits, gratuities and pensions.

How have you been able to cope with the demands of meeting up the payment of military pensioners?

We have succeeded in aligning our payment status with that of service personnel.

What I mean is that, as the services are collecting their personnel cost allocations; we are also collecting our allocation for pensioners. So as the services are paying, we are also paying along with them.

We pay promptly. In addition, we don’t keep our pensioners money a day longer. If we get the money in the morning and we are able to pay it in the afternoon, we pay. But at most, the following day, we will pay. So we don’t keep pensioners money.

How have you been able to reconcile issues of benefits of military pensioners who were formerly under PENCOM but

,

L

ast week, owing to the ill treatment meted out to pensioners in the country, and the corruption in the sector that has resulted to several senior citizens suffering untold hardship, the Nigerian Labour Congress and Civil Society Groups threatened a national strike. It was later shelved following federal government intervention.

Aside this, intelligence reports from the military have indicated that thousands of retired soldiers who have mobilized themselves would have used the opportunity to carry out violent protest over the non payment of the 53% arrears of salary increment in July 2010. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard, Chairman of Military Pensions Board, Commodore Simeon Audu speaks on the situation of things at the MPB, insisting that there is no cause for worry as soldiers and officers are well catered for.

Commodore Audu.. I will say petitions are a normal part of life all the contributions that were collected from the military pensioners. They need time to recover all the money. That is why they have decided to be returning the monies in batches. But they have paid the first batch. They are now working on the second batch.

So those that have not collected will definitely collect. They are working towards recovering the money and those that have not collected will get theirs.

Talking about incidents of fraud and other malpractices, how have you been able to checkmate these sharp practices including ghost pensioners?

We thank God that the Biometrics system that is used by

We have succeeded in aligning our payment status with that of service personnel

have been returned to the military pensioners board?

Have they started receiving their monies collected by PENCOM? As I speak to you, all those returnees from Pencom have been fully integrated back to the military pension’s board.

They are getting their pensions regularly. Secondly, the issue that is outstanding as far as Pencom is concerned is their contributions, because Pencom has invested

,

the pensions board has succeeded in eliminating the menace of fake pensioners and I am happy to inform you that the military pensions board is the first pension office to introduce biometrics.

You will recall that before the biometrics, the military pension office used to experience some crisis. You see pensioners or supposed pensioners in the street begging, but we thank God that today, it is a thing of the past. I won’t say

that we don’t have challenges here and there, but we have succeeded to a very large extent in eliminating fake pensioners. And I want to assure that the process of sanitizing the pensions board is an ongoing process. We are trying to update and upgrade the system so that in the next few years, we will have a perfect system and everybody will be happy.

Talking about sanitization of the military pensions system which was in a sorry state, how would you say the turn around was achieved?

First of all, I must commend my predecessors in office for the turn-around, for the success because they worked hard to ensure that we are at the position we are today. As I said earlier, they introduced the biometric system and they succeeded in establishing a very viable database which has plugged all loopholes for sharp practices. Secondly, we succeeded in convincing the government to align us with the services. So as they are releasing funds for payment to service personnel, they are also releasing funds to us for payment of pensions. These two combined, have succeeded in taking us to the healthy position that we are today.

How have been able to tackle cases of banks receiving monies and benefits of military pensioners and dribbling the pensioners for sometimes, months, before paying?

I want to thank God for the

technology that is available to all of us today. Because of this technology, things have become easy and less cumbersome. Now we ask our pensioners to open account in any bank of their choice and the money is credited to their account directly,unlike in the past where you find out that we have to write cheques and the cheques have to take days or so to be cleared. This gave room for such things but today, technology has taken care of all those shortcomings and things are easier. So we don’t have problem and the pensioners don’t go through that harrowing experience any more.

Once in a while, we see petitions about someone not getting his pension or not captured in the database of the pensions board, why are these issues so?

Well, I will say petitions are a normal part of life. But one thing we have discovered is that almost all the petitions are written out of ignorance.

We have received quite a good number of them; we have investigated and found them to be sent out of misunderstanding of the operations of the pension’s board. Even the EFCC and ICPC have also received some petitions concerning us; they have investigated and found most of them not to be true but malicious. But we are very receptive. Anybody that has any genuine complaint is welcomed.

This recurring issue of 53% increment, what is the position now and what is the assurance that things will continue this way?

The 53% is actually a constitutional issue and it is not restricted to military pension’s board. It is an act. We have done our part. The constitution says any time there is increment in salaries of workers; there should be corresponding increment in pensions. So when the military salary was increased in 2010, the military pension’s board wrote to the government requesting for a corresponding increase in pensioners’ benefits. We have been on it and the government is aware of the computations and financial implications. I believe that the government is doing something about it. But as I said, pensioners have been calling, asking questions as to when they will receive the money and we have been explaining to them and they have shown understanding. Government is very sensitive about pensions and military pensioners.

I am confident that the government will continue to re-

52—SATURDAY

Vanguard Vanguard,, APRIL 20, 2013

Onolememen comes to Benue with two roads

F

ew weeks ago, the Honourable Minister of Works, Arc Mike Onolememen led his team of Ministry officials to Benue State to flag-Off the construction of 20 kilometre Manyam-Ushongo-LesselKartyo-Tse Agberagba-Oju-Agila road and the 25-kilometre Vandeikya-Obudu Cattle Ranch road which will remain memorable in the hearts of many Nigerians for a long time.

Both roads are of immense economic value as they link many agricultural communities with paved roads and provide alternative access to the famous Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State.

The decision taken by the Federal Executive Council to approve the construction of the two roads may have been inclined by the transformational agenda of Mr. President to provide good and motorable roads to institutions, agro communities and tourists destinations across the country.

T

he two road projects when completed within the time frames will increase the transportation of farm produce to markets across the country in near time. In the words of Arc Onolememen while in Ushongo Local Government area to flag-off the Manyam-Ushongo-Lessel-KartyoTse Agberagba-Oju-Agila road, ‘we are here to flag-off this project, which when completed, will improve the

evacuation of farm produce and services within and outside the State and provide an alternative link to Ebonyi and Cross River States.’

‘This is indicative of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s determination to transform the socioeconomic well-being of the people of this country by the provision of good and motorable roads that will interconnect the six geo-political zones to enhance movement of goods and services in a seamless manner,’ he added.

Benue State was agog during the flagOff ceremony as government functionaries, politicians, businessmen, farmers and traditional rulers were on ground to witness the

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By GODSON ALIYU

under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. The first being the Agriculture Minister who earlier on, visited the community over an agricultural project. This however confirms the agriarian nature of the communities.

T

he Chairman of Ushongo council; Engineer Terver Orduen stated that the project was one of the best things that has happened in the council in recent times and thanked the Federal Government for deploying over one billion naira to execute the ‘highly important and economic road project.’

The Ushongo road project is of

This is indicative of President Jonathan’s determination to transform the socioeconomic well-being of the people

mobilization of caterpillars and Bulldozers to sites for massive road construction. For Chief Ambrose Iortyer, the Ter Ushongo, a paramount ruler in one of the host communities, ‘there is no better way to express gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration than to come out in droves and in colourful attires to witness this(flagoff) ceremony.’

He added that it was a rare opportunity as Arc Onolememen was the second Minister to visit the area

,

particular interest because it was awarded to a local construction firm based in Benue State; Tilley Gyado Nigeria Limited. The company joins others to enjoy the local content being promoted by Arc Onolememen. The Works Minister recently made a commitment to ensure that all contracts below N5 billion at the Federal Ministry of Works were awarded to indigenous firms as a way of promoting and motivating them to grow and consolidate in the industry, which apart from helping to build

indigenous capability will stem capital flight in the construction industry.

At Vandeikya where the VandeikyaObudu Cattle Ranch road was being flagged-off, the crowd was ecstatic. The project starts at a junction in Vandeikya town along Adikpo-Ogoja expressway and terminates at Obudu town in front of the Federal College of Education.

The Chinese contractor; Messrs.

CCECC Nigeria Limited was given a completion period of 12 months to deliver the road. With the enthusiasm of the host communities, one can readily be assured that the contractor will receive maximum cooperation as the traditional and political leaders led

by Senator Barnabas Gemade were all on hand to herald them into the site.

J

ust like was experienced in Ushongo, Arc Onolememen was dressed in colourful traditional Tiv attire, which according to them was a way of expressing their hospitality to the august visitor.

The drive from Abuja to Ushongo and Vandeikya by Onolememen and his team also afforded them the opportunity to observe the rehabilitation efforts on Akwanga-Lafia road, Lafia-Makurdi road, MakurdiAliade-Otukpo roads which in the past few months have been transformed beyond belief, as part of the Federal Ministry of Works’ Operation Safe Passage launched by the Honourable Minister, Arc Mike Onolememen in October 2012.

Godson Aliyu writes from Benue State.

This star can't be dimmed: Tribute to Marie Nwandu

By OKEY OKOH

I

t just seems that William Shakespeare has Marie Nwandu in mind when he wrote that “death would come when it would come”. Six months, according to the doctors, was all she had to live. By God’s infinite grace and sheer indefatigable spirit, she lived for six years. Yet it is a reality so difficult to accept. Times like this not only cause pain but offer temptations to ask questions that could channel us down the path of pain and torpor.

A woman of such extraordinary determination, unassuming and without guile, always eager to see the best in others,Marie carried herself with grace and distinction. She elevated and brightened the lives of countless friends and willingly extended a helpful hand of friendship even to those she barely knew. She was polite, and readily did favours for others without even letting them know that she had a hand in changing their circumstances. We remember that remarkable smile that came easily and often, a relaxed easy manner and her capacity to know just how to make people around her happier and better. No one who is loved is ever forgotten. Marie remains immortal as long as memory lives.

She will always be held in enduring esteem and affection by countless friends whose lives she touched.

Her life, though not a long one

•Marie Nwandu measured in years, was a simple and contented life rich in service to humanity. Our lives will forever be better because Marie shared her life with us. Family and friends were the central tenets of Marie’s life. Both brought her immense joy and challenged her to do more for humanity. Marie’s life remains both a lesson and an example to us all. A soul unsoiled and untroubled by wealth or life’s challenges, she exuded the charm and grace of one at peace with herself. She was thoughtful, possessed of great warmth, immense spirituality

and a vast capacity for doing good.

Her love for fellow human beings was visceral, upfront and genuine.

Those of us privileged to belong to her circle of friends were dazzled by her unpretentious generosity and sense of moral integrity.

She was endowed with equanimity and optimism —virtues that endeared her to her friends, and served her well in her last forlorn years. When she was diagnosed with cancer, instead of complaining about the ailment, she accepted her fate without complaining and was neither despondent nor fearful about her future. She met the challenge of the sickness that claimed her life with serenity and poise, stubbornly refusing to yield to fear or panic.

Sickness to her was a challenge to transcend, not an ailment in which to wallow. She never even for a fleeting moment said “why me Lord.” Rather, she saw her predicament as a pin hole through which to see the grace of God. Her terminal illness gave her a fresh purpose and a new mission—to win souls for the Lord. She always talked with excitement and evident pride about her faith in God and urged all who cared to listen to make peace with God. Whenever friends called or visited, she refused to discuss her condition or share her sorrow, preferring instead to share her inspiration.For

me personally, I marvelled at her extraordinary combination of strength, faith and resilience.

Her story, at its simplest, is about the triumph of faith over adversity, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Marie taught us that self fulfillment is not attained through self gratification but through commitment to things better and greater than self.

Anytime friends and well wishers gather to examine how wives, mothers, daughters, friends should be, we will all say without reservation or equivocation: Let them be like Marie Helen Keller once asked “What is so sweet as to awake from a troubled dream and behold a face smiling upon you.” That will be Marie’s awakening from earth to heaven. As she returns to her maker a victorious soul, I believe that Almighty God, smiling approvingly, will say those words every Christian longs to hear: Welcome and Well done my child. Marie lived a good and decent life. She ran well and finished her race. As we “give back to mother nature, to her clasp and kiss, one of the bravest sweetest souls that ever lived in human clay,” I say Rest in Peace dear Marie. We loved her living and we love her still, for not even death could dim her star.

Okey Okoh, Prof. of Law, Southern University Law Center,Louisiana,USA is a Director at National Institute for Legislative Studies, Abuja

SATURDAY

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Vanguard APRIL 20, 2013—53

54 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 20, 2013

AFN GOLDEN LEAGUE:

No lowering of golden league standards — Nesiama

A

*WINNERS... Five lucky football fans second from left, Nwafor Felix Amobichukwu, George Mayowa Opeyemi, Isaac Onochie Ijeh, Franklin Chukwu Ijeh and Diana Nwajiaku-Smart have won tickets in the Heineken race to the final, at a draw held in Lagos for an all expense paid trip, courtesy of Nigerian Breweries Plc, to watch the final of the UEFA Champions League at the Wembley Stadium in London next month. First from left is Senior Brand Manager, Heineken, Jacqueline Van Faasen and first from right is Brand Manager, Heineken, Mrs. Kehinde Kadiri. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele

POLO: Max Air retains Royal Signal Cup HE prestigious contested final to retain Katsina Max Air and T MTN Zaria Inter- the coveted Governor ’s Yola Acadian fought well national Polo tournament Cup. to retain the Royal Siggalloped to an exciting end, with pomp and pageantry last weekend in the ancient city of Zaria, with the all-conquering Katsina Max Air retaining the event’s top prize, the Royal Signal Cup, after a hotly-contested tournament.

Marx Air paraded toprated players like Bello Buba, Prince Umar Kabir, Muhammedu Seriki and team patron, Lawal Mangal, edged out hard fighting Abuja Rubicon 7-6, in a tense final, to keep the biggest title of the tournament which they won last year, while Yola Acadian, which witnessed Asharaf Yahaya, Aliyu Dahiru, Mohammed Baba and Nura Rabiu, outscoring Katsina Massanawa, in a keenly

Ladipo’s son weds

HE son of the PresiT dent of Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, Olushola and his heartthrob, former Miss Oluwakemi Olawumi Makinde will be joined in holy matrimony on today April.

According to a statement by the parents of the bride and bridegroom , the wedding will take place at Redeemed Christian Church of God, Victory Parish at 52/53 Aguntasolo Street off Omilani, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos while reception comes up at Abalti Barracks, Surulere, Lagos.

Ladipo, while commending notable Nigerians who witnessed the engagement and traditional marriage ceremony held on Thursday at Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos, noted that arrangements have been put in place for the successful wedding.

Reputed for its cuttingedge competition, the MTN Zaria International Polo Tourney, lived up to its ratings, as two defending champions,

nal and the Governor ’s cup respectively, just as Katsina Sultana made history by winning the first-ever Emir of Zazzau Cup.

2014 NSF: Cross River begins recruitment drive

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N a bid to win the 2014 National Sports Festival as host, Cross River state has thrown open its recruitment drive for athletes that will represent the state in the biennial event, reports Osaretin Emuze.

Saturday Vanguard Sports reliably gathered that Cross River state Sports Council has asked gold medal hopefuls across the country to come to Calabar for screening to enable them recruit the best for next year’s festival.

A reliable source close

to the council said the screening for individual sports began last Monday and would end this weekend while that of team sports is expected to begin next week.

“We have started screening in athletics, swimming, table tennis, tennis and gymnastics, among others. Next week that of team sports will start. We will screen players in volleyball, basketball, handball, football as well as hockey,”the source stressed.

THLETICS Federation of Nigeria technical director, Omatsheye Nesiama has said that there will be no reviewing of the standards set for athletes in the golden league series.

There were grumbles by the athletes after last week’s first leg of the golden league in Sagamu, Ogun State. They argued that the World Championships A standards set by the AFN was too high and it will take them an effort to achieve the necessary scoring that will qualify them for financial rewards.

But Nesiama, a Nigeria Navy Commodore, stated that the athletes were only concerned about the money they want to win and not improving on their performances.

“We are not lowering any standards. We want our athletes to work hard and achieve world class performances.

“It is not enough for them to come to the golden league to record low performances and go away with the prize money. We don’t have money to throw away, rather we will put it into running junior camps.

“We set the standards as part of our Rio 2016 project. We can’t have athletes running poor times when we want to go and compete with the rest of the world.

“For the athletes, it is

about the money but for the AFN we want high performances. Secondary schools athletes are running 10.5 and here we have our seniors running the same time this is not acceptable,” said Commodore Nesiama.

Long jumper Stanley Gbagbeke who leaped 7.79m in Sagamu stated that the AFN was right in setting the standards. “ I don’t think it has to do with the standard.

It’s about them not getting any money. One cannot blame the federation for what is going on though. The low

standard of our athletes is the major cause for this. You can’t be spending money when the results are not coming. Any serious athlete should be able to get the standard. Any athlete that refuses to go to Benin is not helping him or herself. They are not competing for Nigeria but for themselves.

The standard is very low and if they cannot get it, that means, nothing is expected of them this season,” said Gbagbeke who is chasing Yusuf Alli’s 8.27m national record.

Gelena, Kiplagat light up London Marathon

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ORLD marathon champion Edna Kiplagat and Olympic champion Tiki Gelana are set to clash at the London marathon on Sunday.

Kiplagat is one of the favourites having finished third in 2011 and second last year, both times behind winner Mary Keitany who is not competing.

“London is one of my favourite races, it’s one of my favourite cities,” Kiplagat said.

Kiplagat’s previous marathon was in London, at the 2012 Olympics, but things did not go according to plan and

she faded badly in the latter stages to finish 20th.

The Olympic title went to little-known Ethiopian Gelana who upset the Kenyan favourites when she held off Priscah Jeptoo to win by just five seconds.

Both athletes are warning for a rivalry in London and this time the spotlight is very much on Gelana although she does not feel under any extra pressure. “There is no pressure because I have the Olympic medal,” Gelana told Reuters through a translator.

“I’ve come here to run and I hope to enjoy it.”

Mba, Agbim belong to Warri Wolves — NFF

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HE Nigeria Football Federation has reiterated that Super Eagles’attacking midfielder, Sunday Mba, belongs to Nigeria Premier League club, Warri Wolves FC. The Federation also disclosed that Super Eagles’ goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim is also a player of the Warri outfit.

“The NFF made it clear in a press statement before the end of last year that its ad-hoc committee on the matter had decided that the player has his contractual obligations to Warri Wolves,

and told both clubs to decide a transfer fee for the player. Unfortunately, both clubs have not been able to do so.

“This is also to declare that goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim is, legitimately, a Warri Wolves’ player. Any club in quest of the services of these two players should go and negotiate with Warri Wolves.

“The NFF is very much interested in the career progression of our players and will continue to ensure that nothing jeopardises this progression.”

SHUFFLE . . . (From right) Edna Kiplagat, Tiki Gelana, and Mary Keitany.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 20, 2013 — 55

Patani council boss promises to groom sports talents

BY ISAAE OLAMIKAN

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2017 NATIONS CUP:

HAIRMAN of Patani Local Government Council of Delta State, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, has promised that in line with the state governor,

Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s three point agenda and vision “to use sports as a launching pad for development” he we will strive to bring the council to sports limelight.

In this wise, the coun-

Libya earmarks N50bn to build 11 stadia L

IBYA plans to invest 400 million dinars ($314 million), about N50 billion on building stadiums this year as it prepares to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, the deputy prime minister said.

It is hoped that football can unify the country after its 2011 war.

“Just like Nelson Mandela unified South Africa, we hope to unify Libya under this cup,” Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Awad Ibrahim Elbarasi told Reuters.

Libya had originally been scheduled to host the 2013 Nations Cup. Precarious security saw South Africa, who had been down for the 2017 event, hosts the event instead.

Last month, Libya said it would use all its resources to ensure that it kept the right to host the 2017 finals.

“We will resume construction of these stadiums in June and have asked the government for a budget of 400 million dinars to build 11 stadiums this year,” add-

*Wants to use football for national unification ed Elbarasi.

Libya plans to build a new 60,000-seater stadium for the hosting of the 2017 African Nations Cup finals, Sports Minister Abdussalam Guaila told local media this month.

A second stadium for the tournament, seating 23,000 spectators, is planned for the coastal city of Misrata. Matches would also be held in the eastern city of Benghazi, Libya’s second biggest city, the Libya news agency reported.

Hosting the African Nations Cup finals would allow Libya to demonstrate that life has returned to normal in the country and encourage investors, Elbarasi said.

He added that Libya’s interior ministry was taking all necessary measures to ensure safety and security in the country, still awash with weapons left over from the 2011 uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi.

“The security situation is exaggerated from re-

dent of the Libyan Football Federation, told Reuters.

He said the first game would be played in Tripoli between Libya and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Previously Libyan clubs used neutral venues to host their matches while the Libyan national side have played ‘home’ World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifiers in Mali, Egypt and Tunisia over the last 24 months

Kaduna Utd coach laments poor run in the league

*Abdussalam Guaila

ality. We’re actually in a much better position than many of our neighbours,” he said.

Meanwhile, world football’s governing body Fifa has lifted a ban on Libya hosting matches, the Libyan Football Federation said.

The move comes after

a decision last month by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to again allow continental club competition matches to be hosted in Libya.

“They (Fifa) only informed us [on Wednesday] that the ban on Libya stadiums was lifted,” Anwar al-Tashani, presi-

Lifters show class at Lagos weightlifting tourney

BY EDDIE AKALONU

L

IFTERS were at their best as the rejuvenated Lagos State Weightlifting Association held a one day Closed Championship at the Row Park Sports Centre.

Although no new records were set, top officials of the national body, referees and other technical officials including Olympian, Sefi Onabuya who oversaw the event were full of praises, first at the standards declared very high going by the lifts registered and the fact that so many new lifters competed.

More than that, about 30 male and female lifters representing three clubs, K-Square, Royal Crown and Best Sellers who flexed muscles themselves in the day- long event, praised the sponsor, Kunle Komolafe, who is chairman of the State Association for providing them the opportunity to compete and earned

mouth-watering cash prizes in addition.

This declaration came in the face of the dearth of national competitions in the past four to five years as dejected officials and athletes recalled with nostalgia that the National Sorts Festival held every two years remained the sole platform for competition in the country over this period.

Joy Chima of K-Square club, who won the women’s 58kg class with a total lift of 190kg said though she won three gold at the 18th National Sports Festival last year in Lagos for the host state, she was glad to compete with an impressive result better than her Festival outing.

“I am now looking forward to having a national team call-up so I can represent the country,” she stated. On his part, the sponsor, Komolafe said he was overwhelmed by the turnout, the enthusiasm of the lifters and standards exhibited, pledging that,

“the State Association will put in more effort to organise competitions in the state now that we have seen the high level of interest shown by athletes and their trainers.”

Some of the results show that Gladys Chukwuemeka won the female 53kg class with a total lift of 143kg, followed by Olorunsoye Adijat with 138 kg while Blessing Njoku was third with 65kg lift. In the male category, Taju Giwa won the 62kg class with a lift of 220 kg over the efforts of Ojo Adekanye and Azeez Sadiq, Daniel Nnaji won in the 69kg class with 210 kg in a close race with Olalowo Kukoyi who lifted 197kg while Jamiu Abdulraman placed third with a lift of 195kg.

Eweje Danmola won the 56kg class with a lift of 162kg, Adefemi Raphael subdued Richard Abang and Osho Makanjuola to take the top prize in the 85kg class while Sadiq Jamiu, who lifted 280 kg in the big men’s class topped

cil will be organizing a sports festival in the second week of May. He disclosed that hitherto it used to be a football tournament tagged chairman’s cup, adding that the format is being changed in line with the state government’s dream to keep the youths busy positively.

“We are now upgrading it to a sporting meet with the addition of a few more sports like swimming, track and field, volleyball, taekwondo, basketball and wrestling.

The idea is not only to keep the youths busy but to identify talents that we can groom and possibly push to the state and, indeed, international level.

“It will be an annual event which we will also use to boost tourism in the area. We’ll brand it in such a way that it will elicit interest in those coming after us such that they will continue with it,” Dr. Ekiyor stressed.

Jonathan Ezewele and Isaac Maduabuchi to cart away the first prize.

K

ADUNA United coach, Saleh Tanko-Lato has said his side are facing challenges in the seven-week old Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The side, which lost 01 to NPFL newcomers, Nembe City on Matchday 7 in Yenagoa, are placed third from bottom on seven points from a possible 21.

Tanko-Lato said his side have not fared well so far though concerted efforts are afoot to redress the dwindling fortune of the side.

“We’ve not got our act

*ON THE RUN... Okorie, one of Kaduna United’s players warming up for a match. Their coach, Saleh TankoLato is worried over their poor run so far. Photo: Courtesy Shengol pix

right so far in the league, the last away defeats at Nasarawa United, Heartland and Nembe City and shared points against Enugu Rangers have combined to worsen our poor situation.

“I fear the situation doesn’t deepen in the days ahead. If we’re finding it difficult to pick points especially on the road now that teams are not yet having firm grip of the league it will be really tough grabbing points later in the season when desperation would have set in among the teams.

“Admitted, all is not well with us at the moment though we’re doing everything to turn around the fortune of the team.

“I’m confident of victories in our next two home matches against Warri Wolves and ElKanemi which will change our position.

“It’s not yet a hopeless situation, I know the side will pick up. The league is still young, we have close to 31 matches to play and it’s huge to change one’s fortune,” said the former Plateau United player to supersport.com.

Tanko-Lato said what is uppermost in their minds is the spot the side will occupy when the curtain will be drawn at the end of the season.

“We didn’t start off well but I think what is important is how one finishes at the end of the season and not per se how one starts.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 20, 2013

NFF in better position to resolve Keshi, Yobo feud – Siasia

BY ISAAC OLAMIKAN

E

x-Super Eagles Coach, Samson SiaSia, has distanced himself from

the feud between his successor, Stephen Keshi, and some of his key players.

The Bayelsa State gaffer, who had a similar

SANDWICHED.... Two Golden Eaglets players sandwich an Ivorian player in the nail-biting second group game last Thursday which the Eaglets lost 0-1. They have vowed to beat Congo DR today and pick the semi final and World Cup tickets at stake.

We won’t fail against Congo, Eaglets promise Nigerians N

IGERIA’s Under-17 team the Golden Eaglets have promised to beat Congo DR and make up for their slip against Cote d’Iovire in a group B match of the CAN Under-17 Championship in Morocco.

After handing Ghana a 6-1 thrashing last Sunday, the Eaglets fell to Cote d’Ivoire 1-0 on Wednesday, but as they play their last group game today, the tournament’s highest goal-scorer, Success

Isaac has promised that the team will come out clean and pick a FIFA Under-17 World Cup ticket by beating Congo and reaching the semifinal. “ Against the Ivorians, we wanted to win and we went into the field with that positive mindset. But it was unfortunate that we lost.

However, we are promising Nigerians a better performance starting with the game against Congo.

We are determined than ever to do our best

Today’s U-17 matches Congo DR Cote d’Ivoire

v Nigeria v Ghana

4pm 4pm

Premiership matches Fulham Norwich QPR Sunderland Swansea West Brom West Ham

v v v v v v v

Arsenal Reading Stoke Everton S’hampton Newcastle Wigan

3pm 3pm 3pm 3pm 3pm 3pm 3pm

and by the grace of God, we won’t disappoint,” said Isaac who scored all his goals against Ghana.

Cote d’Ivoire lead the group with four points.

The Eaglets need to beat Congo to make good their entrance to the semifinal. The Congolese

team with two points in the kitty will try hard to cause another up-set in the game and also aim for a semi-final slot depending on the result between Ghana and Coted’Ivoire.

The defeat by the Ivorians was the first in

CROSS WORD PUZZLE Across 1Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Kayode – (6) 4 L.G.A in Cross River State – (6) 7 Japanese Currency — (3) 8 Imo State Deputy Governor, Jude – (6) 10 Ethnic Group in Nigeria – (6) 12 Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim – (9) 13 Former PDP National Chairman, Ahmadu – (3) 15 CBN’s Director of Currency Operations, Muhammad – (3) 17 Taraba State Capital – (7) 18 Venomous Snake – (3) 20 Flamingoes (U-17) Goalkeeper, Amina – (3) 22 Sweden Capital City – (9) 23 Uruguay Striker and Liverpool FC Forward, Luis – (6) 25 Former Nigerian Star Actress,s Liz – (6) 26 Yoruba god – (3) 27 Country in Africa – (6)

the Eaglets competitive matches in the continent.

And it brought the team down to earth, but according to Nigeria Football Federation technical committee chairman, Chris Green, the Eaglets were still favourite to win the title.

1

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28 France “Ligue One” Club Side – (6) Down 1 L.G.A in Abia State – (6) 2 Flying Eagles (U-20) Striker, Edafe – (6) 3 Yoruba word for “Happiness” – (3) 4 Former Ekiti State Governor, Olusegun – (3) 5 Monkey – (6) 9 L.G.A in Rivers State – (6) 11 Former Anambra State Governor, Theophilus – (9) 14 Zodiac Sign – (3) 16 Record – (3) 18 Guinea Bissau Capital City – (6) 19 Eritrea’s Capital City – (6) 20 Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle 21 Solar Planet – (6) 24 Bangladesh National President, Khaled – (3) 25 Lever – (3)

experience with some of the players during his tenure as national coach, refused to make any comment when approached by Vanguard Sports recently.

He opined that though he had a similar experience while incharge of the squad, he will

rather reserve his comments, adding that the officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are better placed to resolve the bone of contention between Keshi and the Super Eagles players.

“Keshi’s problem with some of the Super Eagles players is not my concern.

The issue is better handled by the coach and the NFF. I cannot make any comment.

I don’t want to be dragged into the issue. Keshi is in charge, he is the Head Coach whatever he tells the players they have to do,” he said.

On the successful outing of the Super Eagles at the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in South Africa, SiaSia, who is a former striker of the Super Eagles, gave kudos to the technical input of the coaching crew led by Keshi.

“It was a sweet victory for Nigeria. Considering that it came 19 years after we won it last makes it a very historic outing. Keshi has done well and my advice is that all Nigerians must queue up behind him to support his effort,” Siasia said.

•Stephen Keshi

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