Why we invaded N/Assembly - Police

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2—SA TURD AY Vanguard , NO VEMBER 22, 2014 2—SATURD TURDA NOVEMBER

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SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—3

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4—SA TURD AY Vanguard , NO VEMBER 22, 2014 4—SATURD TURDA NOVEMBER

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S-Court reinstates impeached Taraba Deputy Governor •AGF orders Acting Governor to hand over immediately •Asks IGP to tighten security in Taraba

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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HE Supreme Court, yesterday, voided the impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Sani Abubakar by the State House of Assembly.

In an unanimous judgement, a seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court held that he was illegally removed from office on the recommendation of a “Kangaroo panel”.

It ordered the appellant to resume his duties as the Deputy Governor of Taraba State forthwith.

Stressing that the appellate was denied fair hearing, the Supreme Court said it was convinced that the the seven-man panel that purportedly investigated allegations that the Deputy Governor divertee funds earmarked for Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, to his private school, Yagai Academy, “merely played out a script previously prepared and handed over to the panel”.

Besides, the apex court held that it was illegal for19 members of the Taraba State Assembly to have conducted the proceeding that culminated to the impeachment of the appellant at a guest house that belongs to the majority leader.

The court maintained that the the sitting ought to have been held at the hallowed chambers of the House, saying the conduct of the lawmakers was in breach of section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.

In the lead judgement prepared by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta,the apex court said the appellant was denied the opportunity to effectively defend himself before the panel.

“From the undisputed facts of this case, one has the inevitable but disturbing impression that the panel composed of the respondents was a mere sham and that the removal of the appellant from office was a done deal as it were.

The most disturbing aspects of the Kangaroo panel is that it was headed by a man described in the process before this court as a barrister- one Barrister Nasiru Audu Dangiri.

“The third member of the panel was also described as a barrister- one Barrister R.J. Ikitausai”, Justice Ngwuta noted, saying “the harm they have deliberately perpetrated in this matter is so serious that the attention of the Disciplinary Committee of the bar ought to be drawn to it”.

According to the court: “Impeachment of elected politicians is a very serious matter and should not be

conducted as a matter of course. The purpose is to set aside the will of the electorate as expressed at the polls. Whether it takes one day or the three months prescribed by law, the rules of due process must be strictly followed.

“If the matter is left at the whims and caprices of politicians and their panels, a State or even the entire country could be reduced to the status of a Banana Republic. The procedure for impeachment and removal must be guarded jealously by the courts”.

Consequently, the apex court, yesterday, vacated the judgment of the Court of Appeal Yola Division dated July 19, 2013, which had affirmed an earlier verdict of the Taraba State High Court dated March 19, 2013.

“In conclusion, based on the undisputed facts in the affidavits of the appellant, I am of the considered view that the court below ought to have resolved the issue of denial of fair hearing against the respondents and in favour of the appellant.

“The court below ought to have declared the entire proceedings of the panel made up of the respondents null and void and of no legal or factual effect whatsoever. In consequence, I allow the appeal and vacate the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

“I hereby order that the entire proceedings of the panel that purportedly, at the instance of the Taraba State House of Assembly, to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct made by the House against the appellant, the Deputy Governor of Taraba State, up to and including the incomplete and edited report relied on in removing the appellant by the House, be, and in hereby, declared null and void and of no legal or factual consequence whatsoever.

“In effect, at all material times, the appellant, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi remained and still remains the Deputy Governor of Taraba State and he is to resume his interrupted duties of his office forthwith.

“Parties are to bear their respective costs. Appeal allowed. Proceeding and report of the Panel declared null, void and of no effect.

Appellant to resume his duties forthwith as the Deputy Governor of Taraba State”, the apex court held.

The other Justices that concurred with the judgment yesterday were Justices Walter Onnoghen, Bode Rhodes-Vivour, Kumayi Aka’ahs, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and John Inyang Okoro.

Danladi who was serving

his second term as Deputy Governor of Taraba State under Governor Danbaba Suntai, had gone to the apex court to challenge the legality of his impeachment by the Assembly.

After his impeachment, Alhaji Garba Umar took over as the Deputy Governor of the state.

However, following the involvement of Governor Suntai in an air accident that left him incapacitated, Umar took over as the Acting Governor of the state, a position he occupied until yesterday when he was sacked by the Supreme Court.

Members of the State Assembly had on September 4, 2012, laid before the Speaker of the House a notice of complaint of gross misconduct against the appellant. Subsequently, the House on September 18, passed a motion, pursuant to section 188(4) of the constitution, to investigate the allegations against the Deputy Governor.

Consequent upon the resolution of the House, the Speaker of the House requested the Acting Chief Judge of the state to constitute a 7-member panel to conduct the investigation.

Though the Deputy Governor filed an Originating Summons restraining the panel from investigating him, he told

From rght Mr Sam Olumekun, Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner presenting Permanent Voter Card to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at his Hilltop resident, Abeokuta Thursday. Photo: Wumi Akintola

the court that the panel ignored his court action.

Following the refusal of the panel to allow him to call witnesses to prove his innocence, the appellant amended his suit, contending that he was denied fair hearing.

While upholding the case of the appellant, the apex court noted that the Taraba Assembly, at the lower court, relied on an incomplete and edited report, their own report, to say that the appellant did not prove he was denied fair hearing.

Cited as respondents in the appeal that was decided by the apex court yesterday were Barr.

Nasiru Audu Dangiri (Chairman of the Investigative Panel), Arch. Umana Binga, Barr.

R.J Ikitausai,Elder Jacket Wubon, Alhaji. Mustapha Sani, Hajia Aishatu Muhammed and Mr. Julius Dawhai Kaigama, who were all members of the panel.

Meantime, in as swift reaction to the judgement, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, yesterday directed the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Umar, to immediately hand over the reigns of governance of the state to the reinstated Deputy Governor, “and ensure a smooth transition process in

order to prevent a vacuum in the governance of the state and guarantee the maintenance of constitutional order”.

The statement which was signed by the Solicitor General of the Federation, Mr. Abdullahi Yola further read: “The Honourable Attorney General equally calls on the Inspector-General of Police to take necessary steps toward the provision of adequate security in the state within this transition period by the Nigerian Police Force in order to prevent any breach of peace and ensure the sustenance of law and order”.

Only military presence cannot defeat insurgents, Gaidam tells FG •Says Nigeria must engage Cameroun, Chad, Niger

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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S the debate over the extension of emergency rule in the North east rages, Yobe Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to adopt a new approach to tackling insurgency in the country.

Gaidam, in a reaction to the extension being sought

by President Jonathan, noted that the current military tactics being employed in the fight against Boko Haram were not yielding the required results.

Gaidam made this position known in a press statement released in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Press Affairs and Information, Abdullah Bego.

“However, ongoing emergency rule has, so far, failed to roll back and contain the disaster that is Boko Haram.

“Only ten days ago, our very young students full of hope for the future at Government Science Technical College, Potiskum, were killed in a

very evil and grotesque manner. And there were many others before them in four schools across our state and in communities across the affected States,” Gaidam noted.

The governor was of the view that while the presence of military troops on the ground is absolutely necessary, it is not however sufficient to take the war to the insurgents and to defeat them.

According to him, other vital factors must be taken into consideration by the government if the current extension is to enjoy any success at all.

Gaidam stated that there was absolute need for the nation to provide heavy weaponry and military gear for the military since experience in countries such as Afghanistan and Somalia has shown that terrorists and insurgents could be defeated or forced into hiding through the use of advanced weaponry.

“The governor has said before – and it bears repeating now – that the federal government also needs to adopt or build on an approach that addresses ongoing

security challenges from the bottom up.

“That means actively partnering with local communities and community leaders to get them to enrol more actively in the fight to restore peace and security.

“Governor Gaidam believes that the federal government can do this by providing more support to affected and

distraught communities than is currently the case. With more support to people who have been displaced or who have lost limbs, livelihoods or loved ones to the criminal activities of the insurgents, it’s more likely that people will participate more actively going forward.

Police promote 233 officers

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HE Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of 233 senior police officers at a meeting of the commission held in Abuja.

It also approved the adjustment of promotion dates of five other officers.

A statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission, Mr Ikechukwu Ani yesterday, said that 55 of the officers were promoted from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, to the next rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP; 177 to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, while only one Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, promoted as Deputy Superintendent of

Police, DSP. Some of the officers promoted include the Area Commander for Onitsha, Anambra State, Benjamin Nwodu, who was promoted as DCP, along with Usman Mobi, Area Commander, Azare, Bauchi State and Sola Danbaruba, Area Commander, Umuahia, Abia State.

Also Michael C. Iyidah of the Delta State police command was promoted from CSP to ACP, just as the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, 9th Mile Corner, Enugu State, Mike Odo was promoted from CSP to ACP among others.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

TAMBUWAL: We are satisfied with Police conduct— IGP •Arrests 6 Suspects over fracas •Reps C’ttee on Police Affairs shuns IGP’s team, summon IGP •As PDP gives IGP 72 hours to tell Nigerians what happened •Hold Jonathan responsible—Tinubu

By Kingsley Omonobi, Henry Umoru & Emman Ovuakporie HE Police High Command yesterday in Abuja exonerated its officers who reportedly attacked members of the National Assembly Thursday, from any blame saying that the officers carried out their duties of barricading the complex to prevent Speaker Aminu Tambuwal from gaining access, satisfactorily.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba, who spoke at a short interview with State House correspondents said that the police were investigating the incident and would make the findings and actions to be taken public soon. Abba’s said, “Who did what and who didn’t do what will be disclosed to you later. You know we work with investigations, investigations are going on and the press officer will address you.

“Are you saying you are not aware of this operation?

I still repeat, who did what, who didn’t do what you will hear later. It is subject to investigations we just don’t talk anyhow.

“Everybody has seen that somebody was even beating somebody, somebody was pushing a policeman from the car.

Somebody was removing road blocks mounted by police, we have never seen this kind of thing in the whole world . So we will talk to you later. Just wait our findings will reveal.”

Also speaking at a separate news conference, the Police Force Public Relations Officer, Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said that the officers acted according to their discretion.

Ojukwu said that six persons had been arrested in connection with the fracas adding that all those found culpable will be prosecuted on completion of investigations.

This was even as members of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, yesterday shunned representatives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr Sulaiman Abba, who appeared before it to answer questions on why the police allegedly unleashed terror on National Assembly members on Thursday.

The PDP however asked the police authorities investigate the circumstances leading to the siege on the National Assembly saying that the sanctity of the assembly as an arm of government and

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Amb. Yuguda expects oil prices rebound soon

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HE Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, is to meet in Vienna next week to discuss ‘’output and the issue of falling prices,’’ the Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, has said.

Yuguda spoke while addressing newsmen in the wake of Tuesday’s Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting in Abuja yesterday.

He stressed that OPEC members were already holding preliminary meetings among themselves as a means of co-ordinating action to defend the oil market.

According to the Special Adviser, Media, to the Minister, Mr Ikechukwu Eze, Yuguda however, expressed the hope that the crude oil market recently hit by falling prices would soon record a rebound even as he reassured the nation that the Federal Government’s strategic scenario- based response was designed to shield the economy from the shocks of declining oil revenues.

“We believe that very soon the prices of oil will go up again,” Eze quoted the Minister as further saying.

He noted that the revised 73 dollars per barrel benchmark proposed to the National Assembly for the 2015 budget was part of the scenario-based response to falling oil prices , pointing out that “further measures may be introduced if oil prices continued to slide deeply.”

Olu Craig, buried amid tributes

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Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, displaying the APC gubernatorial nomination and expression of interest forms at the APC state secretariat in Sokoto, yesterday. citadel of democracy must be to invade the offices of of accusations and counter upheld at all times INEC, the National accusations, over the But, the Chairman of the Assembly and the unfortunate incident that led to the shutdown of the Peps Committee on the Presidency.

Police Affairs, Usman Ojukwu argued that other National Assembly on Kumho told Abba’s members of the National Thursday, the National representatives led by Assembly who conducted Working Committee of the Deputy Inspector General of themselves in an orderly PDP has called on the IGP to Police, DIG, Sotonye manner were searched and institute full inquiry to Nwakama, that the police cleared to enter the unravel the circumstances and facts surrounding the boss must appear in person premises. to answer the questions on On the Speaker, Aminu development within the next the issue.

Tambuwal, he alleged that 72 hours.

“The sanctity of the “After consultations with he had hinted that he would my fellow lawmakers, we arrive with a motley crowd National Assembly as an arm decided to pick November of thugs and bad elements. of government and citadel of 26 for the IG to appear before ‘The speaker came with democracy must be upheld us,” Kumbo said, adding that thugs, refused to be at all times... the matter it was the duty of the searched and six of the should not be shrouded in National Assembly to hoodlums (members) controversy, sinister plots summon anybody to answer attacked a police man, after and mundane accusations.

“While we acknowledge questions on any issue. which the police tear-gassed According to him, the only the Speaker and his riotous that due to the security man who can answer the crowd so as to restore order,’’ challenges in the country, the security agencies are within questions on the issue at he added. stake was the IGP himself, He denied that the police their constitutional powers to and not his representatives. acted at the behest of the search individuals and The committee had on President President ensure that only responsible Thursday after the police Goodluck Jonathan over the and duly accredited persons harassment of lawmakers at issue just as it was untrue gain entrance into the the National Assembly that the police allegedly National Assembly complex, summoned the IGP to come locked the gate on sighting we wish to state in strongest possible terms that the PDP and explain his roles on the the Speaker. matter. Abba, had however Meanwhile, the national is fully with the President in replied the committee, leadership of the Peoples not condoning any act that saying that he would be Democratic Party, PDP, might indicate that the police unavoidably absent at yesterday asked the IGP, went beyond their bounds in Suleiman Abba to as a matter the incident. yesterday’s hearing.

However, speaking at a of urgency institute a full Tinubu reacts Reacting to the attack on news conference, the police investigation into the Spokesman said: “The circumstances which led to the Speaker, the National policemen on ground acted the heavy presence of leader of the opposition party, according to their discretion armed security operatives at Bola Ahmed Tinubu said: By deploying hundreds of and to the best of their ability. National Assembly and the I am satisfied with what the prevention of Speaker Police to prevent the Speaker police men did yesterday, Tambuwal and other of the House from entering the thing is that law and lawmakers from gaining the National Assembly, the order must be respected at access to the complex to President has revealed his deliberate on the extension hand to be a devious one. all costs and at all times.”

He insisted that the police of emergency rule in the Having asked the Speaker to convene the House to mounted the cordon North-East.

In a statement by the consider extending the state following intelligence reports and comments National Publicity Secretary of emergency in Adamawa, attributed to stalwarts of the of the party, Chief Olisa Borno and Yobe states, the opposition All Progressives Metuh, who spoke gave the Jonathan government then Congress, APC, who had police, 72 hours to unravel deployed the nation’s Police earlier on Wednesday the facts surrounding the to stop the fourth ranking citizen of the nation from picketed the Police Force development.

Metuh said, “In the light entering his place of work. headquarters and promised

HE remains former Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Military Police, Colonel Victor Olusegun Craig, who died on Wednesday 22 October, 2014 was yesterday committed to mother earth amidst military honours.

Colonel Craig, born October 22, 1945 died October 22, 2014, which made his death distinct.

The funeral ceremony, which kicked off with a wake keep on Thursday climaxed with a brief lying-in-state at his Ogudu GRA, Lagos residence yesterday and followed by a church service at St. Andrews Anglican Church, Ogudu before his remains were moved in a motorcade manned by the military to Ikoyi Cemetery, where he was interred at about 1.30pm.

Among those in attendance were former Minister of Communications, General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd); anticorruption advocate, General Ishola Williams; former Military Governor of old Oyo State, General Tunji Olurin (rtd); former Military of Lagos State, General Raji Rasaki (rtd); first Governor of Osun State, General Olusegun Ajiborisa (rtd).

No crisis in Ogun UPN —Fashehun

By Daud Olatunji

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HE national chairman of Unity Party of Nigeria, Dr Frederick Fasheun has said that there is no crisis of leadership in the party in Ogun State, saying the party remained one and united in the state.

Fasheun stated this yesterday while visiting the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, where he presented a document containing all the names of chairmen of the party throughout the country.

Speaking with newsmen after the submission of the names which had Otunba Femi Soluade, as Ogun State chairman of the party, Fasheun said any other person claiming to be chairman of UPN in the state beside Soluade is fake.

“I am here at INEC office Ogun State as the national chairman of UPN. I registered the party and I have the certificate with me.”

“I just submitted a list containing the names of our chairmen across the country and the FCT, Abuja. For Ogun State, Otunba Femi Soluade is the man. Any other person claiming to be chairman in Ogun State is fake,”he said “Despite the removal of the Policemen and Security team around him he still proceeded at great personal risk to answer the call of duty. He took the risk, believing his personal situation was a secondary thing when the fate of the nation comes into question.

“No Commissioner of Police will ever embark on such an action without the clearance of the Inspector General of police and no IGP will order his men out here without approval by the Presidency. Nigerians know where the buck stops.

The Jonathan Presidency must take full responsibility for the attack on the

leadership of the National Assembly.”

“Instead of seriously treating Boko Haram’s incursion against our internal security, the President’s men decided to turn the event into a partisan and embarrassing circus.

Perhaps they saw this as a birthday present to Mr. President. But it is nothing but brigandage masquerading as governance. What this Presidency does not realize is how terribly it has exposed its pettiness and dictatorial penchant for elevating narrow political interests above the fate of the nation.’”

Tinubu said.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 — 7

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No Nigerian territory has fallen to Boko Haram in one week—Jonathan celebrates in London

By Ben Agande, Abuja

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RESIDENT Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said Friday in London that the Federal Government, the Nigerian Armed Forces and security agencies were working very hard to ensure that Boko Haram do not capture more Nigerian territories.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting of Nigeria’s Honorary International Investment Council (HIIC), President Jonathan assured the gathering that the Armed Forces and security agencies were making steady gains in recovering areas recently taken by Boko Haram. His remarks, however, underscored the menace of the insurgents who have been seizing Nigerian towns and killing Nigerians. It has been so bad that for a short period that no Nigerian town fell to the insurgents the President had some relief.

And he indicated that in his remarks in London. Said he: “We are improving on security. For about a week now there have been no reports of Boko Haram seizing more territories.

Rather, we are steadily pushing them back. The impression being created by sections of the media that the situation is worsening is not true. I can assure you that it will never get worse,” President Jonathan told the gathering.

The President also seized the opportunity of the occasion to call for greater support from the National Assembly for the Federal Government’s efforts to curb terrorism, insurgency and insecurity in the country. He told members of the council headed by Baroness Lynda Chalker that he had offered himself as a candidate in Nigeria’s next presidential elections because he was convinced that with four more years in office, he will be able to further consolidate the positive national reforms initiated by his administration and take them to a point of irreversibility for the good of all Nigerians.

“As you already know, I have indicated my willingness to carry on for another four years if I am given the opportunity so that we can carry forward some of the reforms we have been talking about,”

the President said.

He cited the expansion of transportation infrastructure, improvement of local content in Nigeria’s oil industry, more inclusive economic growth, job creation and national security which are on the agenda of the meeting as some of the areas in which his administration still hoped to achieve further improvements.

“We cannot move the economy forward without good infrastructure. We have been working very hard in that area. We have improved our road network significantly. In the next three to four years, we should be able to resurface

Synagogue building collapse: SCOAN files prohibition suit against Coroner

By Wahab Abdullah

almost all federal roads in the country and begin new ones.

“We are improving our airport terminals and aviation security. Reforms are also ongoing at our ports to drastically reduce the time required for import clearance formalities.

“In the rail sector, we may require private sector funds to quicken the pace of development. Our goal is to link all state capitals by rail. It may not be an objective that can be achieved by a single administration, but we want to lay a solid foundation that others can build on.

“We are also promoting

the increase of local content in our oil industry, because that is the only way in which our people will benefit more from the industry and begin to see themselves as true stakeholders who need to protect and help in the development of our oil and gas resources,” President Jonathan said.

He thanked Baroness Chalker and other members of the council for their valuable advice to the Federal Government over the years. The meeting later went into a closed door session to receive briefings, updates and presentations from relevant ministers and council members.

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HE Lagos State Coroner Court sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, was yesterday informed by one of the counsels representing the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Olalekan Ojo that the registered trustees of SCOAN alongside its founder, Prophet Temitope Joshua have filed a prohibition suit before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja against the coroner.

Joined as respondents on the suit are the Coroner’s Court of Lagos State and Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe.

Specifically, the suit brought pursuant to Order 40 Rule 5 of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure Rules) 2012 and signed by one O.M Abimbola is praying Justice Okunnu for an order of prohibition, against the Coroner’s Court of Lagos State and the presiding magistrate Komolafe from exceeding their jurisdiction in the conduct of coroner’s inquest into the death of unknown persons in the collapsed building within the premises of SCOAN on September 12, 2014.

According to the suit designated ID/188MJR/2014, SCOAN also want the Lagos High Court to issue, “An order of Certiorari to quash the proceedings of the 1st and 2nd respondents in the conduct of the coroner’s inquest into the death of unknown persons in the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Ikotun Egbe, Lagos on 12th September, 2014 in suit number CR/AL/01/ 2014 concerning matters, issues and circumstances other than what directly caused the death of the victims and the manner of their death for having been conducted without or in excess of the statutory jurisdiction of the 1st and 2nd respondents.

Ekiti Assembly crisis: Lawmakers protest in Lagos over Speaker’s impeachment

T •From left: Council Co-ordinator, Honorary International Investor Council (HIIC) Baroness Lynda Chalker; President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga at the 17th meeting of the Honorary International Investor Council (HIIC), in London on Friday.

2015: Plans to impose a new comer on Lagos PDP’ll fail — Obanikoro

By Charles Kumolu

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ORMER Minister of State for Defence and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, in Lagos State, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has said that plans to give the party’s governorship ticket to a new entrant in PDP would fail, noting that the party requires a mainstream party faithful to fly its flag at the polls.

He also noted that his supporters would not be distracted in the face of attempts at ensuring that he did not participate in the primaries.

Obanikoro, who stated this yesterday in Lagos at an interactive session with his supporters, also visited the state secretariat of the party where he

formally notified the state executive members of his intention to participate in the race.

His words: ‘PDP is greater than individuals.

My message is for all of you to remain focused and not to be distracted. All the antagonism against us will not stop us from fulfilling our promise to Lagosians.

I don’t want you to allow yourselves to be affected by the things going on in Lagos PDP today. Most of you, who have followed my political history,

should know that there has always been opposition against us, but I have continued to emerge victorious. All great men pass through challenges. The claims that they have all the powers is baseless. We are all residents of Lagos and know that they are not speaking for Lagosians.

They are not interested in any election, all they want is to sit down and write results. It is very unfortunate that things are turning out this way.’’

Don’t insult me, Aregbesola’s counsel tells Omisore’s lawyer

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OUNSEL to the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Professor Yemi Osibajo, SAN, has warned the lead counsel to Senator Iyiola Omisore, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the August 9 election in the state, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, against impugning the professional integrity of his team.

Osibajo was reacting to alleged consistent statements by Omisore’s counsel that Governor

Rauf Aregbesola, APC and INEC legal teams were deliberately delaying the hearing of the petition filed against the election.

Uche, had at the continued hearing of the petition of Omisore and PDP against Aregbesola’s re-election before the Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime-led tribunal sought to tender the register of voters’ used in all the units and wards of the 17 local governments, including the ones not being challenged in the petition.

By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Monsur Olowoopejo

HE embattled All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly and some other civil society groups, yesterday, protested in Lagos State over the impeachment of the Speaker of the House, Dr. Adewale Omirin.

The demonstration is coming 24 hours after the state governor, Ayodele Fayose endorsed the impeachment process and congratulated the new Speaker, ProTempore, Dele Olugbemi and his deputy, Mrs Abeni Olayinka, on their elections.

The protesting lawmakers who arrived at the Government House, Alausa, late evening were joined by their Lagos State counterparts, to condemn the act.

Speaking on behalf of the protesting lawmakers who displayed banners with various inscriptions indicating that, ‘’Democracy is in Danger,’’ the Majority Leader, Mr. Churchill Adedipe, said that the crisis in the state allegedly started following the reported public blackmail of the assembly by Governor Ayo Fayose.

Adedipe further noted that the impeachment of key officers of the House was sponsored by the state government following the refusal of the House to approve the list of commissioners and other aides sent by the governor, saying “We did not see the people the governor forwarded their names to us. And we decided to adjourn the sitting till the next day, to allow the house to do its findings. This alone infuriated the incumbent governor.”

Also, the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said, “We were shocked when we learnt that seven members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly purportedly removed the Speaker and other principal officers of the House.”

Fashola presents 2015 budget proposal to Assembly, Monday

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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OVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State will on Monday, November 24th,2014 present at the chamber of the Lagos State House of Assembly Year 2015 budget proposal before the state lawmakers.

The year 2014 Appropriation law of the state was N489.6 billion.

Speaker of the House, Adeyemi Ikuforiji on behalf of the lawmakers confirmed the planned presentation at the chamber of the state House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja by 10.00am.

The presentation which was earlier scheduled for Monday 10th November, 2014 was postponed to 24th, November.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, NOVEMBER 22 22, 2014

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Uduaghan challenges doctors on maternal healthcare

By Festus Ahon, ASABA

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ELTA State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has challenged Gynaecologists and Obstetricians to strive towards improving the health conditions of pregnant women and their new born babies in the country.

Uduaghan gave the charge on Thursday while declaring open the 48th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and scientific conference of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) in Asaba.

The conference which was well attended had as its theme, ‘Human Resources Development in Improving Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria: Looking Beyond MDGs.” Governor Uduaghan charged the medical experts to assist in the national efforts to improve maternal and child healthcare across the country, stating, “I wish to encourage you not to relent in your efforts towards our concerted quest for great ideals in the healthcare of our women and newborn.”

The Governor said that his administration introduced free maternal health care programme in November 2007 to reduce maternal mortality rate and scored his administration high in the feat it has so far recorded in that direction.“ Prior to the introduction of the programme, maternal mortality rate stood at an alarming 456 per 100, 000 live births – which was

unacceptable to us. However, today with more women availing themselves of the opportunities of the programme, the maternal mortality rate has reduced to 188 per 100, 000 live births in 2013 and we are still working hard to reduce these figures,” he said.

Uduaghan stated that from the inception of his administration, it “embarked on critical programmes in the health sector, implementing the

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AT I O N A L leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday made a u- turn on its easier decision of sacking the state working Committees of Adamawa and Ebonyi states.

Rising from its National Working Committee, NWC meeting, the leadership of the party rather than

of screening exercises and sustained advocacy to our people at all levels.”

According to him, the State Government has also introduced the Maternal Death Review State Steering Committee (MDRSSC) for the sixty two hospitals in the state including the Delta State Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, describing the measure as “a further testimony of our commitment to safe motherhood.”

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has slated Monday to deliver judgment in a suit seeking to void the outcome of the congress election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, conducted in Cross River State on November 1. Aggrieved members of the party in the state led by Honourable Jones Tangban had on November 6 entered the suit before the high court, alleging that the ward congress election was manipulated by the national leadership of the party.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/824/2014, which was heard by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, is seeking to restrain the Party, its National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’Azu, the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo and the National Working Committee of the party from using the outcome of the congress for the purpose of the 2015 general elections.

Court remands 50-yr-old man, 4 others over N21m fraud

By Godwin Oghre

T

HE police in Zone 5, Benin City, Edo State yes terday arraigned a 50 years old man, Christopher Sunday Jamijaye and four others at the Sapele Magistrates’ Court 2, Presided over by Chief Magistrate Mrs B Okumagba, for allegedly conspiring within themselves to defraud Ugboren community, in Sapele Local government Area of Delta State, to the tune of N21m.

Others remanded with him are, Edward Okpetsegha, Gabriel Ofrie, Ufuoma Etie and Festus Gari.

They were remanded for conspiring along with Christopher Sunday Jamijaye, in a nine counts charge of defrauding the community of the above sum on the 9th of June, 2014, within the Sapele magisterial division.

From left Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Zannah Umar; Jigawa State Deputy Governor, Ahmed Mohmed Gmel; Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Rev. Ifeanyi Nwoye and Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Yomi Awoniyi during National Economic Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday

16 aggrieved PDP aspirants: Allow party select our guber candidate — Okocha

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, PH

F

ORMER president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief O.C.J Okocha has urged the 16 aggrieved aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP

PDP reverses decision on Adamawa, Ebonyi Executives, recalls Caretaker Committees

By Henry Umoru

free maternal and under five healthcare programme with the aim of effecting a sustainable reduction in maternal and newborn deaths in the state, the horizon of this extends to tackling gynaecological malignancies in our rural communities.

“This has been effected through community education and mobilization, rural healthcare programme, capacity building for health workers, activation of the referral system, institution

Cross River: Court reserves judgement on suit against PDP congress

outright sack, it has now turned it to a one- month s u s p e n s i o n .

Also yesterday the NWC of the PDP lifted the suspension of members of the Cross River State Chapter of the party, saying all members of the party in the state were now free to participate in all party activities including our congresses, just as it has fixed Monday next week for fresh congresses in Cross River, Oyo and Lagos States.

to allow the party produce a candidate for the next governorship election in the state.

Okocha who is a chieftain of the PDP in the state said he was disturbed by the actions of the aggrieved governorship aspirants of the party when the party had not decided on a candidate for the election.

Continuing he said it was the responsibility of the party to decide who should emerge its standard bearer, adding that the party should take it as its duty to produce a candidate that is likely to win the election for it.

He further appealed to elders in the state not to whip up ethnic sentiments, stressing that it is individuals that vote and not ethnic groups.

“I have heard ethnic groups issue statements that parties should se-

lect their sons and daughters else they will not vote for the parties.

They even call for zoning, citing constitutions. As beautiful as the arguments may be FUNERAL democratic principles should be promoted.

It’s a matter strictly within the purview of political parties to decide who becomes their candidates”, he said.

“Ethnic groups do not contest elections, it is individuals that contest elections. It is for a party to select who it feels will help it win elections.”

A party must be pragmatic, sagacious enough to know which of its aspirants will be most likely acceptable.

When people go to cast their votes they go as individuals and not as ethnic group. When I go to cast votes I should go for who will best represent my interest,“ he said.

Edo renames Varsity after Tayo Akpata

T

By SIMON EBEGBULEM

HE Edo State Government has immortalized one-time Executive Secretary of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and Commissioner for Education in the defunct Bendel State, Chief Tayo Akpata, by naming a University after him.

At a funeral service in honour of the late Chief Akpata, Governor Adams Oshiomhole who made the announcement said the College of Education, Ekiadolor which was recently upgraded to a University status will now be known as Tayo Akpata University of Education, Ekiadolor.

Oshiomhole said, “We feel the pain of the loss of our Elder Statesman, a man whose life symbolised the fighting spirit, the resourcefulness, the intellectual capacity of the Edo people. One who has shown that the average Edo person is not contented at looking after himself alone but often is willing to carry the burden of others.

Group condemns police arrest of Orazulike over comment on anti-gay law

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

A

group, Philia life Foundation, has condemned alleged arrest of Mr Ifeanyi Orazulike over his reported comment on Nigeria’s Anti gay law.

President of the group, Mr Michael Asuquo in a statement in Port Harcourt said Orazulike was allegedly bundled out of his Abuja office recently by policemen, adding that though he had been released the action of the Police was condemnable.

He said the police arrested him over his alleged condemnation of the nation’s anti gay law, an act he described as a violation of Orazulike’s right. “ We express disappointment with the actions of the Police as it relates to to the arrest of Ifeanyi Orazulike, while celebrating his birthday at the office with friends and colleagues, at around .The Policemen gave neither a reason nor warrant for his arrest, but it is generally believed the arrest was in connection to Orazulike’s outward condemnation of Nigeria’s anti-gay law.”, he said.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, NOVEMBER 22 22, 2014 — 9

BRIEFS

No air force aircraft crashed in Yola — DHQ •Brigade Commander Shot, wounded •2 soldiers killed as troops secure more communities

By KINGSLEY OMONOBI-ABUJA.

T

HE Defence Head quarters yesterday debunked online media reports that a third Nigerian Air force helicopter crashed in Yola, yesterday.

A statement contained in the twitter handle of DHQ said, “There was NO crash involving any Helicopter or Airplane of the Nigerian Air Force today as reported on Social Media”.

The report in social media had claimed that a third helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Airforce has crashed in the Damare neighbourhood.

The neighbourhood is close to the Federal University of Technology in Yola, Adamawa State, where an air force Super Puma helicopter crashed last week.

Meanwhile, Saturday

Vanguard gathered that the Brigade Commander of the 234 battalion in Yola (names with-held) was shot and wounded on the hand and 2 soldiers lost their lives as he led troops in the offensive to recapture communities seized

by Boko Haram terrorists.

During one of the encounters, 5 soldiers also sustained injuries. The Brigade Commander and the 5 soldiers are currently receiving treatment in various hospitals.

Confirming the development in its blog, DHQ noted that in the ongoing battle to liberate communities captured by Boko Haram terrorists in the North East, troops are currently conducting aggressive patrols in and around Garkida after clearing the town of terrorists yesterday.

According to DHQ, “A

highly coordinated Air Force operation is backing the troop’s movement and operations in the mission area.

“Similar air and land patrols along with mop up operations are being conducted in places such as Gombi, Pella, Hong, Fachi and Duma localities where terrorists have been dislodged as troops continue to advance in their pursuit.

“Also, more heavy weapons such as Anti-Aircraft Guns, General Purpose Machine Guns, IED materials, Rocket Propel Launchers as well as rifles and items such as vehicles, motorcycles are being recovered from the fleeing terrorists.

“The morale of troops is reported high as they continue on the offensive.

“The bodies of 2 soldiers who died in one of the en-

counters have been recovered while the 5 wounded including a Brigade Commander are presently receiving treatment.”

Enugu PDP crisis: Court reserves judgment Nov 28

BY FRANCIS IGATA

C

HIEF Judge of Enu gu State, Justice Innocent Umezurike yesterday reserved ruling till November 28, on a motion asking him to dismiss and strike out a suit filed by Mr. Charles Okafor and others demanding the cancelation of the November 1st 2014 ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu state.

The application for dismissal of the suit was made

by Chief Alex Izinyon, SAN, the counsel to first defendants, the PDP, who based his argument on the fact that the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, which he said, was an abuse of court process and that his clients, PDP, was not properly served.

Leading a team of over six lawyers including; Emeka Etiaba, Obinna Nanka and M.O. Fagbemi, Izinyon posited that a similar suit filed by Chinenye Orji, Cletus Akalusi and Orji C. Orji on behalf of themselves and other delegates elected on November 1st ward congress in Enugu state, exists at Federal High Court Abuja.

He said that the Abuja Federal High Court had earlier granted two injunctions first restraining PDP from tampering with the result of the November ward congress and or conducting a fresh ward congress in Enugu State, and also another injunction restraining Mr. Ikeje Asogwa from parading himself as chairman of the party in Enugu state as Elder David Aja remained the Acting chairman of the party following the resignation of the former chairman, Engr.

Vita Abba.

APGA to ratify Obiano as party leader Dec. 17 •To adopt Jonathan as presidential candidate

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

T

HE All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has fixed December 17, 2014 for a Special National Convention to formally ratify the appointment of the Anambra State Governor Chief Wiliie Obiano as its leader and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BOT. The party will also use the Special National Convention to adopt President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate, approve and adopt the APGA amended Constitution.

The National Working Committee (NWC) also suspended the Abia State Chairman of the party, Prince Nnanna Ukaegbu from APGA with immediate effect for what it termed palpable anti-party activities and directed its National Vice Chairman South-East, Uchenna Okogbuo who is also from the state to oversee, coordinate and manage the affairs of the party in conjunction with the Abia state Executive Committee of the party.

Gov Aliyu apologises to Senate President over unruly behaviour of Niger member

By Wole Mosadomi, Minna

G

OVERNOR Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger state has apologised to the Senate President,Senator David Mark over the unruly behaviour of a law maker representing zone A of the state.

He was said to have attacked the Senate President during the rowdy session at the National Assembly on Thursday which led to the shut down of the Two Chambers by the Senate President.

The Governor in his reaction described the action of lawmaker representing the State at the Lower House as “despicable, notorious and dishonourable for a Law Maker,”

Attack on NASS: Police action makes Nigeria laughing stock internationally—NUPENG

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

N

IGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Work ers, NUPENG, yesterday in Lagos, berated the Nigerian police and other security agents over their siege on the National Assembly on Thursday, saying the action “portrays us in bad light before the international community and makes Nigeria a laughing stock.”

NUPENG in a statement by its President, Mr. Igwe Achese, declared that the action of the police was undemocratic, crude and unfair and had never happened in any part of the world where democracy was practiced.

According to the statement , “The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), condemns in its entirety the action of the Police and Security agencies on members of the National Assembly by tear -gassing them in the course of performing their legislative duties.

Iwuamadi passes on

A

consummate patriarch, a renowned community leader and a devout christian in Amauzari, Isiala Mbano, Imo State Pa Micheal Chukwukere Iwuamadi passes on at the age of 91years. Funeral arrangements will be announced later by the family. He is survived by his children among whom is Barr. Uche Iwuamadi, Group Executive Director, African Industries Group, Lagos.

•Late Pa Iwuamadi

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

Continues on page 11 C M Y K

SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—11

By CHIOMA GABRIEL The birth of a child is almost always a cause for celebration.

Although the good book says that the faithful would deliver like 'Hebrew women', what many don't know is that childbirth is sometimes dangerous for women. Nigeria records one of the world's highest rates of maternal death. One in 13 Nigerian women dies at childbirth. Although, many of these deaths are preventable, the coverage and quality of health care services in Nigeria continue to fail women and children. At present, less than 20 per cent of health facilities offer emergency obstetric care and only 35 per cent of deliveries are attended by skilled birth attendants.

Mothers, during childbirth, die as a result of exhaustion, dehydration, infection, hemorrhage, or convulsions.

The United Nations Fund for Population Activities UNPF, recently said that 110 Nigerian women die from pregnancy and childbirth related complications on a daily basis.

It revealed that out of 2,443,000 pregnant women deaths recorded worldwide between 2003 and 2009, 90 per cent of the cases occurred in developing countries, including Nigeria. But because women are poor and disadvantaged, their deaths are often ignored. UNPF revealed, “Every two minutes, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications somewhere in the world. Between 2003 and 2009, this resulted in deaths of 2,443,000 women. This is equivalent to one full Boeing–747 jet crashing every day.

About 90 per cent of these deaths occur in developing countries, including Nigeria. One out of every eight of the women dying live in Nigeria. This translates to about 110 Nigerian women dying every day.

“But poor, disadvantaged women with little or no education are dying and their deaths are oftentimes ignored. Excessive bleeding and convulsion during pregnancy were the two leading causes of the deaths.”

Have you ever bothered to ask a woman that put to bed her experience in the labour room besides asking whether it's a male or female child that she's got?

Saturday Vanguard did and got some revelations.

Our near-death experiences Vivian Omenka became pregnant the first time at the age of 26 shortly after her marriage. She duly registered and attended ante-natal and was given her expected date of delivery, EDD. But one week after the EDD, Vivian realised she was not having signs of labour and carrying on with the pregnancy became an issue for her. Besides the fact that she was having challenges in her marriage, anxiety began to creep in.

Her consistent fights with her husband under her condition and the threats from him became too much that Vivian decided to do something.

She had the feeling that her life and the life of her unborn baby were under some kind of threat and so, she paid a visit to her doctor. She specifically requested from the doctor to bring out the baby which the doctor considered strange. He tried to encourage her after conducting medical checks on her but Vivian was determined. So, the doctor accepted to bring out her baby.

Pregnant women in hospital room

Our near-death experiences

She shares her labour room encounter with Saturday Vanguard.

“It seemed the right thing for me to do. I was under a kind of pressure over what I didn't know about. My husband was having issues with his finance and he was transferring the aggression to me. I was tensed up most of the time and very anxious about my situation. We didn't have money and my pregnancy was due but I was not in labour or feeling any kind of pains.

Life is strange. So, I went to meet the doctor and shared my problems with him and he brought out the Bible and began to preach to me. I was impressed but I insisted on his bringing out the baby by Caesarean section. We didn't even have money for the C/S but I was vehement. I went to visit my cousin and explained my predicament and he took me to a friend who gave me part of the money for the C/S. Strangely, the guy that gave me money was one of the people that died in the Dana air crash in Lagos sometime ago. The one that died with his wife and all his children.

Very tragic for such a good man. “ I had a near-death experience inside the labour room. I remember being wheeled into the theatre and hearing praise-worship by the surgeons and the nurses. That was the last thing I remembered before losing consciousness. I guess the Anastasia was working .

“But at the same time, I saw myself walking up and down 22 Road in Festac Town. I was restless, crossing the road to the other side,

sitting down to talk to the people without anybody seeing me, hearing me or talking back. I would get up and continue to walk aimlessly until I found myself trapped in a place. I began to hit the door and the walls of the place asking that they open it. Then, I became conscious and realised I was still in the theatre and had just had a Caesarean section in the Labour room of a hospital. I was back to life! It must have been my spirit walking up and down the road. I believe that I could have died from there if I was not trapped somewhere.”

Favour Michaels shared a different experience she had in the Labour room. She told Saturday Vanguard that she had been married for several years without a child until her first pregnancy came nine years after.

“I carried the pregnancy without stress until delivery period. But the Labour experience was something else. I was in labour for several days and the baby was not coming.

I was getting weak and it was like I was going to die. I didn't want a caesarean section because my faith is against it. The church was praying but as my suffering got worse, I had no choice than to accept C/S. But Even then, I almost died. “I was conscious of being wheeled into the theatre and the rest was like a dream. I saw myself leave my body and I was leaving the theatre when a man accosted me. He asked where I was going and I told him I needed to rest. The man asked me to look back and I

did. I saw myself still lying on the bed where surgery was being performed on me. I saw my baby being brought out and the man asked, 'if you go, what happens to the baby?' I told him the baby would be taken care of because my husband is rich. The man said, he would prefer I look after the baby myself but I said the baby would be okay, that I needed rest. I saw myself pass through the wall of the labour room and I came to a 'still river'. I immediately recalled the verse, He leads me through the still waters.

Again, I saw the man I met earlier who asked me to stay and take care of my baby. This time, he told me that if I cross the still waters, I would not come back. I told him it's okay, that I needed to rest. Then he said he would want to show me something.

He wiped my face and I saw my pastor and my husband praying.

They were sweating profusely and looking so agonised but I told the man that my husband and the pastor would be okay. But he said no, that because of them, I should go back.

He pushed me and that was when I regained consciousness. The first thing I heard on coming around was the doctor saying, 'we almost lost her'. That was how I came back to life. I was admitted in the hospital for over two weeks because of my weak condition.”

Also sharing her experience, Grace who was one of the people who survived the Lagos armoury explosions in January 2002 told

Continues on page 12

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

Continues from page 11 Saturday Vanguard her story. She was preparing for her wedding when on that fateful Sunday, she went to visit some people around Oshodi and was returning to her base at Ikotun. That was when calamity struck and she found herself inside the canal that claimed the lives of hundreds. But Grace was saved from the canal and her wedding took place. But the death experience she escaped at the canal surfaced again at the labour room when she was pregnant with her first child.

“It was a great thing to experience such a miracle . I would have died before my wedding but God saved me. The wedding went through and I became pregnant shortly after.

I lost the first pregnancy after I went for a massage in a traditional midwife's home. I was having excruciating pains and somebody requested I went for a traditional massage and I did. When I got home after the massage, I slept but the pains got worse at midnight. I woke to find out I had lost my pregnancy. But God was faithful. I became pregnant again and carried it through. But close to the delivery, I went for a scan and learned that the umbilical chord was around the baby's neck. I was also told I could not have a normal delivery. So, I opted for a C/S which nearly claimed my life. “ Although my body was lying in the theatre and surgery was going on, I was somewhere else picking flowers and decorating myself. My hands were full of flowers and my hair was well decorated but I realised I was alone in an all-white environment with flower plants everywhere. I began to shout, asking where were the rest of the people there and that was when I came back to life. I learned there were complications during the surgery and I would undergo another surgery later to correct it and I thank God, I was able to have two other children after. If I had died then, I would have made heaven because I used the period of the pregnancy to correct everything about my life. I put my house in order and reconciled with everybody I had issues with and thank God, I'm alive to tell this story.”

Bisiriyu Mogaji told Saturday Vanguard how he went into the labour room with his wife and how he ran out when things became too hot. “My wife was sickly throughout pregnancy and I became so scared.

The doctors were saying all kinds of things. She was in labour for a long time. I watched her writhing in pains and gnashing her teeth for days. They later told us that the baby was not properly positioned and suggested a C/S but I could not have it. For one thing, we had no money. My wife suffered for days and eventually the baby came. It came with legs first and that was a very painful experience for my wife.

As she screamed in the labour room and I caught a glimpse of the legs first, I shouted and ran out of the place. Her life was in danger as well as the baby's own. We named the baby Ige but he died shortly.

My wife was hospitalised for weeks and was even on the danger list at a point. But she survived. Ige was

The problem of maternal death

Safe delivery of a baby our second baby but after my wife's experience, she became pregnant again and that was the last. The doctors asked us to stop because of her health.”

The problem of maternal death Maternal death is a common tragedy. It's generally related to complications during delivery.

Experts say obesity and giving birth in late 30s and 40s, increases the risk of maternal deaths. Death from childbirth remains fairly rare in the United States now and the rate of the maternal death in childbirth has plummeted in the 20th century worldwide.

Experts also say there is a distinction between a direct maternal death that is the result of a complication of the pregnancy, delivery, or management of the two, and an indirect maternal death that is a pregnancy-related death in a woman with a preexisting or newly developed health problem unrelated to pregnancy. Fatalities during but unrelated to a pregnancy are termed accidental, incidental, or non-obstetrical maternal deaths.

The traditional factor The quest to have a male child in traditional institutions have been observed to cause maternal deaths as the woman keeps trying to have the highly prized male child and in the process, ends up having more than she bargained for. Biola Dada, had her first child at age 17 and by age 30, she was pregnant for the seventh time in a

quest to deliver a prized male child, but following 36 hours of labour she bled to death. None of her seven children was delivered in the presence of a medical professional.

Biola's experience is common in Nigeria, where just 35 percent of births are attended by a skilled health professional, and one in 18 women dies in pregnancy or childbirth, according to World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) statistics.

“Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate is still comparable to those countries at war,” according to Iyabo ObasanjoBello, when she was the chair person of the senate health committee.

Half of Nigeria’s maternal deaths are due to postpartum haemorrhaging, which unskilled health workers lack the know-how or equipment to stop.

West Africa, according to UNICEF has the world’s highest mortality rates, which puts women at greater risk of dying in birth.

“If a woman has more than four children, the fifth pregnancy can be more dangerous than the other pregnancies put together. Starting young also increases mortality, ” said Ejike Oji, a gynecologist with the reproductive health NGO IPAS. In the conservative north,many women give birth in their teenage years. In Kano state, many men do not allow their wives to have a male doctor present during childbirth.

“I don’t think it is proper for a male doctor to attend to my wife, not to talk of assisting her during delivery,” said Hassan, 48, a farmer . “In our tradition, culture and religion, we do

not encourage close contact between men and women who are not related; especially for unmarried women. I would rather have a female traditional birth attendant attend to her. Even my wife is not comfortable with having a male doctor around her when she is delivering a baby,” he added.

A mother of three who also shared her experience said many women in Nigeria die from childbirth simply because they don’t know how dangerous it is to have babies without medical supervision.

“We hear it all the time. We see the advertisements on TV. Even if you don’t have a television at home to watch, you see people walking around telling people that having babies at home is not good."

United Nations Children's Fund health specialist Esther Obinya said her organization in conjunction with Nigerian government and several other nongovernmental organizations is trying to tell as many Nigerians as possible that lives can be saved when babies are born in hospitals.

She observed that poverty, isolation, traditions and lack of access to health care are among the other causes for the high death rate of women during childbirth.

“If a woman from a poor village starts to bleed excessively during childbirth, she has only hours to live without emergency medical treatment. In many remote villages, modern transportation is not

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SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—13

of their mothers' death.

Continues from page 12

What gynecologists say always available and even if it is, many women can’t afford to pay the fare. Even getting from her home to the primary health care maybe a big problem. Even those who make it to the hospital on time might not be able to get emergency treatment.

“Mothers also die because child marriage and pressure to have many babies are common in some parts of Nigeria. Young girls often are too fragile to have a healthy birth and women who have children in quick succession become run down.”

Stars who died during childbirth Ijeoma Okorie, a Nollywood star died February this year during childbirth. The Rivers State chapter of the AGN announced her death and issued a statement that read, “The Actors Guild of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter regrets to announce the painful loss of our member, Mrs. Ijeoma Okori of Eleme Satellite, who died during child delivery. It pains more to know that our Comrade died alongside her twin baby.”

Also a Yoruba actress, Bisi Komolafe died after childbirth on December 31st last year at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan. The actress is remembered for major roles she played in Igboro Ti Daru and Eja Tutu.

It’s indeed so sad that women lose their lives these days at childbirth even with so much focus on wiping out maternal mortality rate as part of Nigeria's Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Last month, Kemi Omotoyinbo a choreographer, who danced for several popular musicians including Pasuma, KWAM 1 and Shina Peters, died during childbirth in a private hospital in Lagos ,exactly twenty days after her wedding to husband, Godwin Eloanyi, Her husband, Godwin Eloanyi took her to the private hospital where she was in and out of labour for several days. It was reported that when it was certain that it wasn’t possible for her to have a natural childbirth, the doctors informed her that she would undergo a Caesarean Section. According to her younger sister, Seun Omotoyinbo, “On Saturday, September 13, 2014, my sister got married at White House, Toyin Street Ikeja, Lagos. Then on Monday, September 22, she went to the hospital for check-up where the doctor told her she needed bed rest and was immediately admitted in the hospital till the day of delivery. Before her wedding, the doctor had already informed her that she would undergo surgery and she already paid N170,000 meant to cover the hospital bills. On Wednesday, October 1, 2014, my sister called me and said she wanted to give me a surprise without knowing I was getting two surprise packages from her. At about 8-9pm, our elder sister called to inform me of her safe delivery. I requested to

What gynaecologists say speak to her but was told she was still in the theatre. I decided to go to the hospital the next morning because I stay at Akoka and the General Hospital Oreke where she was, is located at Boundary, Ajegunle, Lagos. At 1am, I received a call from my elder sister saying, “Kemi just passed away”, I became mad that moment. I did not believe my sister was gone until I got to the hospital and saw her body.

“My sister never knew she had fibroid until she was almost due for delivery when the doctors detected it, that was why the doctor decided she would have a caesarian session because she would not have the strength for natural birth. I think she started bleeding after the surgery and did not survive. Kemi still spoke to her husband after the operation saying, “Honey, I made it” but did not have the opportunity to carry her son because she was still weak. The fibroid she had led to internal bleeding and unfortunately, she did not survive it”.

Why do so many women still die in pregnancy or childbirth?

Women die as a result of complications during and following pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these complications develop during pregnancy. Other complications may exist before pregnancy but are worsened during pregnancy. The major complications that account for nearly 75% of all maternal deaths are: severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth) infections (usually after childbirth) high blood pressure during pregnancy (preeclampsia and eclampsia)complications from delivery unsafe abortion.

In 2013, 289, 000 women reportedly died from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth worldwide. For every woman who dies in childbirth, around 20 more suffer injury, infection or disease – approximately 10 million women each year. While these are the main causes of maternal death, unavailable, inaccessible,

unaffordable, or poor healthcare is also fundamentally responsible.

Women need not die in childbirth.

Young women need information and support to control their reproductive health, help them through a pregnancy, and care for them and their newborn. Majority of maternal deaths could be prevented if women had access to quality family planning services, skilled care during pregnancy, childbirth and after delivery, or post-abortion care services and where permissible, safe abortion services. 15% of pregnancies and childbirths need emergency obstetric care because of risks that are difficult to predict.

Going by WHO's commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal deaths by three-quarters by 2015, maternal deaths should become history by 2015.

WHO has it that : Every day, approximately 800 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.

99% of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries. Maternal mortality is higher in women living in rural areas and among poorer communities. Young adolescents face a higher risk of complications and death as a result of pregnancy than older women. Skilled care before, during and after childbirth can save the lives of women and newborn babies.

Maternal mortality is unacceptably high. About 800 women die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications around the world every day. In 2013, 289, 000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth complications. Almost all of these deaths occurred in lowresource settings, and most could have been prevented.

Maternal deaths are detrimental to social development and well being, as some 1 million children are left motherless each year. These children are more likely to die within 1-2 years

Women can suffer excessive bleeding after childbirth in some cases that can result in death if not checked fast, according to obstetricians and gynaecologists.

Affected women can lose as much as 500 ml of blood or more within 24 hours during childbirth which is one of the causes of maternal deaths globally. According to them, affected women feel unwell, faint and dizzy, among other indications, while some of them may become unconscious. “In some instances, they know about the possibility of bleeding after childbirth and prepare for the challenge.”

Experts opine that women who are aware of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) –bleeding after childbirth are often frightened about the amount of blood they will lose and become apprehensive. Failure of the womb to contract properly after the baby is born, problems with the placenta and prolonged labour have been identified as major causes of bleeding after childbirth. A gynaecologist with the National Hospital Abuja said that excessive bleeding during delivery had remained the commonest cause of more than 25 per cent of maternal death, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. “Once the excessive blood loss is beyond 24 hours, it is called secondary hemorrhage and if it is properly managed, it will not result in death. Poor ante-natal care was another predisposing factor to excessive bleeding after childbirth .Being in labour for some days before childbirth means you have been contracting the womb for long, so after giving birth, the uterus (womb) will be weak. By the time such a person gets to the hospital, it might be too late for her survival because she must have lost much blood,” she noted.

“Besides, many women had also cultivated the habits of seeking spiritual solution in prayer houses when they were directed to undergo caesarian operation. With this habit, sometimes, such women become anemic and by the time they are brought to hospital, it may be difficult to save their lives. We are in a country whereby most of our women are not educated, their ante-natal care is poor, and they can labour for days at home.

Women with multiple gestation (conceptions) and those who had had five or more previous pregnancies, were inclined to experience PPH. “Most of our women are dying because of inadequate ante-natal care, during ante-natal clinics, these women are supposed to be identified.” Another gynecologist, also advised that women who were at risk of excessive bleeding after childbirth should be identified for the purpose of planning for their delivery dates. “Giving birth in registered healthcare centres would enable the doctors to give necessary medical attention to prevent excess bleeding. When it comes to somebody who has the tendency to bleed, steps are taken to ensure that it is prevented and for those who still bleed, we look for the cause and control it fast.”

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

Delta 2015:

fail to reconsider their position before December 8, they will go there and split their votes and open the door to the Urhobos .

When they fail, I doubt if they will ever have an auspicious opportunity as this. If they engage themselves in a crab fight and lose the battle, the present and future generation of Anioma people will not forgive them.

Ned Nwoko warns Delta North aspirants

•Alleging imposition because it does not favour you is wrong •Uduaghan has nothing to lose if Anioma fails to produce governor

H

on. Ned Nwoko, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives speaks on 2015 gubernatorial election in Delta State:

By Hugo Odiogor

W

e have not heard of your political moves although your posters are all over the place. Are you contesting?

No, I am not contesting for any position this time around.

Why not?

I am not contesting because I am concentrating my energy on seeing to the emergence of the next governor of Delta State from Delta North. I am committed to the actualisation of the Anioma agenda, which is to see that Delta North takes its rightful place in the political and economic development of Delta State.

What is your reading of the situation in the State?

I think it is positive from the point of view that there seems to be an unwritten agreement that it is the turn of Delta North to produce the next governor for the state. There are discordant tunes from Delta South and Delta Central but contemporary political reality does not support their case.

The incumbent governor is from Delta South so any body who is aspiring to be the next governor from that district is embarking on a futile journey. Delta Central District has already done 10 years under the respective leaderships of Olorugun Felix Ibru and Chief James O. Ibori, so naturally you expect Delta North to produce the next governor, going by the unwritten practice of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party at the state and national levels.

How would you interpret the body language of the incumbent Governor C M Y K

over who succeeds him?

Well, you know that I am not a fan of the Ibori and Uduaghan political machine. But Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, in his wisdom, has harkened to the cries of Anioma people, that the principles of equity should be observed in deciding which zone should produce the governor in 2015.

Given the demographic composition of Delta state, there is no ethnic group that can singlehandedly produce a governor for the state. This why I think it made sense for the governor to look at all the aspirants.

The incumbent governor has enormous influence and structure to throw behind any candidate but the fact that he is leaning towards Delta North is very significant in this process. Any other ethnic group will welcome such gesture of nod even though it is just a nod.

So, I don’t think it is wise for Anioma people to join hands with those that are angry with the Governor for showing preference for Delta North or for any particular aspirant for that matter.

If you were in the race how would you react to the development?

For me, Delta North 2015 is not about personal interest but the collective destiny, struggle and aspiration of Delta State. I have dedicated my political life to defending the interest of Anioma people and to that extent I will not see what the governor is doing as an imposition.

He has shown preference for a particular aspirant, the issue therefore is whether the aspirant has what it takes to be governor. I am also looking at it from the point of view that there is no way an incumbent governor or President will not show interest in who

•Hon. Ned Nwoko

•Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan

succeeds him.

I have met Sir Tony Obuh only once and I see him as a breathe of fresh air. He has no baggage and he seems to be less controversial and politically exposed.

If Anioma people join the Urhobos to fight Dr. Uduaghan, will the Urbohos support Anioma agenda? The answer is No and if Dr. Uduaghan fails, the Urhobos will only laugh at our folly.

We have lots of eminently qualified aspirants as can be seen in the number of aspirants that have indicated their interest but the fact remains that if all of them

The Asiodu Committee was supposed to resolve this issue, can it still be done now?

I know but it was politicised. . Some of the aspirants attended the screening and interviews while others did not. Those who did not attend turned around to declare that the process was not fair. That is the usual way of politicians. At this point we should put all that behind us and think of the bigger picture. If an incumbent Governor is defeated or disgraced over his decision to support the Anioma agenda, the shame will be on us. Supporting the Anioma agenda is Dr. Uduaghan’s biggest political gamble. If we fail him, his people will make him a laughing stock.

Many people believe that the Governor is merely flying a kite Why will the Governor be flying a kite over such a serious matter. He knows that the Urhobos have opposed him through out his tenure, they are not going to become friendly with him over night. We have read the statement from UPU which is anti Uduaghan and anti Anioma people.

These are warnings to what lies ahead.

The political class are arguing that if Obuh emerges as the Governor, he will be a puppet governor. What is your view on this?

There is no way he can fail to be his own man. As close as Dr. Uduaghan is to Chief James Onanefe Ibori when he got into office he discovered that he had to be his own man.

Chief Ibori made it possible for Dr. Uduaghan to become governor in 2007, but today Uduaghan is his own man. Every governor that is leaving office must have a choice of who will succeed him.

This may not necessary be an imposition because such a choice will still face the electorate who have the ultimate choice to elect the governor. It is not automatic that the voters will go the way of the governor but the idea of saying that the governor’s choice is wrong or that he is imposing somebody because you are not the one does not seem right to me.

My position is that our people should stand with the governor because he needs our support to realise the dream of a Delta North person to become a governor in 2015. Dr. Uduaghan has nothing to lose if Anioma fails to produce governor in 2015; we must rise above this crab mentality.

SATURDAY

BY EMMA AMAIZE, REGIONAL EDITOR, SOUTH-SOUTH

D

oes the end justify the means?

IT was the Italian historian, politician and writer, Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli that popularized the apothegm, “The ends justify the means,” in his book, “The Prince,” but many people misunderstand what he truly meant.

Nowadays, many, including politicians construe it to mean that you can use bad or immoral methods as long as you accomplish something good. Like in other parts of Nigeria, all the governorship, senatorial and House of Assembly aspirants in Delta state want to achieve their ambition no matter the method employed to achieve it.

•Victor Ochei

In the beginning Before now, all the governorship aspirants in the state were hobnobbing with the governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

They used superb words to describe him. They all wanted his anointing for their 2015 bids. Some made offers, swore that they would protect and share things with him if they emerged winners.

The night visits There were those that came in the night and knelt down before him, pledging their perpetual loyalty to him if only he would facilitate their emergence as his successor. The supporter of one governorship aspirant told Saturday Vanguard, “My principal asked the governor to give him one of the bullet proof cars he (aspirant) saw in his (governor) residence. Uduaghan asked him to collect it after much pestering; he is using the car in our campaign now.

He told us the governor has endorsed him. And he flaunts the car as a proof of the governor’s endorsement.” A number of aspirants boasted to their followers about their camaraderie with Uduaghan and how he had secretly endorsed their candidature. In the bid to get endorsement, some also traveled to meet with the former governor, Chief James Ibori, who is serving jail term in the United Kingdom to prevail on him to talk to Uduaghan on their behalf. Aspirants flaunt relationship Indeed, Governor Uduaghan had familiar relationship with most of the aspirants and each expected him to work for the actualization of his/ her ambition. For instance, he and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa were seen as the two musketeers after his victory in 2007 when Okowa was appointed Secretary to the State Government.

Also, Uduaghan and former Speaker, Rt Hon Victor Ochei were always together until the latter lost his position as speaker. Former Minister of Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, stated unequivocally that Uduaghan had endorsed him as the biggest industrialist in the state, whom he would be pleased to hand over power to in 2015. Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege told whoever cared to listen that he had no scruples with Uduaghan, while former Minister of Niger-Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe, maintained a similar position.

Besides scrambling for Uduaghan and Ibori’s support, which a few of them boasted of at a time, some of the aspirants also sought the C M Y K

•Ndidi Elumelu

•Ifeanyi Okowa

•Godwin Obielum

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—15

elections are not satisfactory; That we reject in its entirety, moves by the Governor of Delta State to single handedly pick his successor by manipulating the processes; We further reject attempts by the Governor to use state machinery and resources to intimidate and harass public officials and political leaders who have refused to support his preferred candidate.” According to them, “We also reject moves by an out-going governor to single handedly pick candidates for State and National Assemblies in Delta State.”

This was after the ward congresses of the party in the state.

Uduaghan fights back Responding to the invective of the governorship aspirants, Governor Uduaghan said he was not afraid of the gang-up, but the aspirants should speak the truth and desist from engaging in divisive actions that are capable of breaching the peace of the state.

His words, “Those who are aspiring to be •Peter Okocha governor should stop creating trouble, I have tried to be fair to all in our journey to 2015.

Two weeks ago during the ward congresses, I had meetings with the governorship aspirants, every aspirant and every leader contributed to the emergence of the delegates through a consensus list and they all applauded the free and fair nature of the congress that brought up the delegates list.” “The panel took the list to Abuja and some aspirants even went on television to commend the process, so, where is this opposition coming from?” He queried.

DELTA 2015:

Politics of gang-up endorsement of former Federal Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, while a number tried to woo the governor through his wife, Mrs. Roli Uduaghan, all of which are acceptable and called lobbying in politics.

Game changes However, the game has changed. On November 11, 14 governorship aspirants of the party issued a stern warning to the governor to stop manipulating the electoral process by using state machinery and resources in support of Mr. Anthony Obuh.

The aspirants, who met at the Abuja residence of Chief E.K Clark were former Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ovie Omo-Agege; former Minister, Chief Kenneth Gbagi; former

House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei; House of Representative member, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu; former Presidential Adviser, Prof. Sylvester Monye; former Principal Secretary to the President, Mr. David Edevbie, Serving Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; former House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sam Obi; former Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Esther Uduehi, former commissioner, Mr. Clement Ofuani, Mr. Johnson Opone, Mr. Gabriel Chukwuma Oyibode, Chief.

Godwin Obielum, and Chief Peter Okocha.

Accusations They said in a communique: “That the unfolding events in our great party, (the PDP) in Delta State, in the run-up to the 2015

Plots/counter plots A party chieftain said, “Most of the aspirants had a list of their preferred delegates, but the governor called for harmonization of the lists with all the leaders, a situation that saw an aspirant, who is not from Warri North Local Government Area, the governor’s local government, nominating a delegate from the area and the governor did not object.”

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the process that led to the emergence of delegates was full of intrigues as each of the aspirant tried to manipulate it to suit his whims and caprices. The PDP big wig informed Saturday Vanguard, “Because of preconceived agenda, the atmosphere was tense at the meeting, a senator abused Uduaghan in the course of deliberation, but the governor stood up and embraced him to the surprise of the Abuja panel that came. That is why the governor is not happy with those accusing him of bias when they truly know that the emergence of delegates was through consensus.”

His words “You saw what happened in states where the governors hijacked the process. That is not what happened in Delta. Probably after analyzing the consensus list, some of them, who thought they were adept politicians, discovered that they were not in control. And so, those who commended the governor for his demonstrated openness have turned around to charge him for manipulation.’

16—SATURDAY Vanguard , NOVEMBER 22, 2014

I

which one you dey? - (1)

A

C M Y K

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 was made to witness that farce of peace-making with people who pleaded innocence? 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.

Since then, that is before the middle of last year, these selfconfessed jihadists have committed mayhem of an unprecedented scale.

Most sensational, but not most brutal, was the abduction of over 220 school-girls from their dormitory in Chibok. But beyond that there have been the murder, and bombing, and maiming of thousands of Nigerians and the destruction of homes, climaxing in the proclaimed acquisition of our soil. Our consolation in that regard has been the re-capturing of territories lost to these brigands. A meeting with their delegation was supposed to have been arranged, but ended like a spent breeze that drifted away in the wind.

Of course, we all blame the government,

We are never at a loss to reel them out— poor power supply, bad roads, unsteady economic situation, deteriorating educational standards, devastating insecurity and much more besides. Yes, he is to blame, but is he solely at fault?

Let us briefly cast our minds on the instruments provided for him to accomplish his job of correcting the ills that his office is called upon to address. As the Chief Executive, he is in charge of the administrative arm of government made up mainly by the police and the civil service. But although he has no direct control over the two other arms of government, that is the legislative and the judiciary, it is clear that he has, and exerted tremendous influence on their conduct.

Without any attempt at criticizing his conduct, it might be justifiably remarked that his impact on the two other arms of government has not often been of salutary benefit to the process of governance during his term of office.

S

o, regrettably, is the pattern of succession that is being engrafted into our political culture. It springs from the general inclination under which high officials in political office aspire to perpetuate, or prolong their presence in the corridors of power. And so a local government councillor lunges for the chairmanship of the council; the chairman himself reaches out for a legislative seat; the legislator wants to become a state governor; a governor covets

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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. That was over a year ago. 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 first pace, the emphasis For instance, according to them terrorists or of this issue as it is the Executive Director of the whatever—were going to usually given an Civil Rights Congress, shed the heavy veil under absolutely Northern Shehu Sani, the which they operated so far. coloration, neglects the appointment of the panel The President was openly important aspect of its was precipitate. An earlier pressurized, almost effect on the entire meeting should have taken blackmailed even, to yield country. It also seems to place between the Boko grounds in the proposition deliberately twist the Haram members and people to participate in a confab resolution in a northerly they could have confidence with “ghosts.” He averred direction in spite of the in. He gave out the names that he was all for a fact that many of the 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 have become known as the “amnesty panel”. They were to engage members of the Boko Haram in a parley to •Kabiru Turaki find a way out of the unrest unleashed by the group on the rest of the country; to victims are Southerners. of three of such people. “design a framework” by So there ought to be an That had been his which amnesty can be infusion of Southern standpoint before the processed; to prescribe an elements in the creation of the panel, to agenda for the resolution of an issue which he was all the same disarmament of the that has affected them as named; he therefore had belligerent group within a much, at least, as it no qualms in withdrawing period of 60 days; to invent affects any other group, his membership from the a programme for the not a just a token body. Yet, at least one support of the victims of the representation. other nominee also pulled Boko Haram terror; and This tendency to cast out. fashion a plan for an overlay of Northern But you must have heard eradicating, or, combating, concern over this that in the midst of all the root causes of tragedy only deepens this, the Boko Haram has insurgency in the country. the division that the remained its old self— Boko Haram scourge has steady of purpose, tall order; an thrust upon the country. unconcerned with other ambitious project; if That was why we had people’s anxieties, and you ask me, but a always felt that the totally unflappable. They beginning of some kind. voices that are raised have seen no rationale in Twenty-six Nigerians, loudest for amnesty the clamour by a section of good and true, were could have spared a the community for appointed to serve on the decibel or two also for amnesty, since they hold panel, headed by the the cause of the victims. themselves to be innocent Minister of Special Duties, The scourge is not only of any crime. That is the Kabiru Turaki. Every inflicting havoc on our point at which I really get member seemed to be of slender chances of nonplussed... that is, Northern extraction with the nation-building, it is set confused, concerned, exception of Professor Bolaji on re-orienting our baffled, bewildered, at a Akinyemi, a former Minister vision of development as loss ... of Foreign Affairs who, at a people. In these past Who needed the the last check, was a Southseveral months, each amnesty? For whose western and by all accounts, ethnic group’s benefit was it? Who should still is. His inclusion in the consciousness of itself as be asking for the amnesty? list raised an eye-brow or a distinct entity has THEY SAY THEY HAVE two, not for being a Nonbecome heightened.

COMMITTED NO Northerner, but as the only Other objections had CRIME! If so, they indeed Southerner appointed to been made to the deserve no pardon since serve in the group. In the constitution of the panel. they had committed no

He averred that he was all for a meeting with real people but had no faith in communicating with masquerades

personified by President Goodluck Jonathan—who else? Whose responsibility is it? Who asked for the job - and got it? Who promised that he could do it? But the job is still there. It has not been done. There are so many, many aspects to the questions it has raised and continued to raise. And so are the reasons for our disappointment and complaints. The President has often said, without much pleasure, that hardly had any other President been criticized like him in the history of this country.

That cannot be very far from the truth since no one has ever been placed in the situation of being an elected head of state in such dire circumstances.

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the more permanent seat of a senator; the president wants to be re-elected—or else! This generates a whirlwind of compromise, concession, carpet-crossing, and confusion that weakens the entire system, but moulds and hands over the power to an unconstitutional extent to the recipient, Now is the time for succession into several powerful positions in the country. The season for declarations, sycophancy, disloyalty, schemes and plans and intrigues, is here. So many men and women are asking for the job.

Which one you dey?

Time out

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—17

T

his is a true story. A close friend was driving on a fairly busy road on Lagos Island when he was stopped by a traffic light. He looked right and his eyes caught a nine or ten year old child crying uncontrollably by the side. The sight so moved him that he parked his car and got down to see what was making the child so distraught. It turned out that the figures didn’t add up for the poor child. The money she had on her from the day’s sales did not correspond to what was left of her wares and she knew all hell would break loose at home. My friend solved the problem the only way he could – by making up the difference. But it was a disturbed man that walked into his air-conditioned SUV. Emotions welled up inside to miss out on the joy of childhood him as he narrated the story so easily or lose the innocence of to his wife. At a point he childhood so quickly. A child on started sobbing and had to the road at six in the evening is at park the car for the second a considerable risk. What the time. The wife who had danfo drivers might not do the hardly seen her husband of okada drivers will accomplish. thirty years cry had to take Then there are the child molesters, over the steering that child abductors and child rapists. evening. It was a sober In all probability, her walk home couple that went to bed at at dusk, would take her through night. short cuts that would further I am sure it was not the first expose her to untold risks. Would time my friend was seeing she tell if she was raped or children dash in and out of molested? In any case who would traffic with goods that listen? Her death would be as amounted to very little as it is a common sight on many, if not all Nigerian major roads. But something tweaked inside him that evening.

His brief conversation with the hapless child brought home the importance of ten, twenty Naira to a family that is insignificant and invisible as really struggling to exist. her life has been. And how far In a normal setting, a tenwould she go to get an extra year old should have finished Naira into her pocket? her home work by six, had I don’t know what actually one or two hours of play time made my friend to cry that with her peers and be looking evening. But the story of the forward to an evening meal. very poor in Nigeria will well She should not at ten, be up emotions in you if you have balancing books with dire a compassionate mind. I know consequences if they didn’t I have had to look away add up. She should not have sometimes when a particular

God, why did you create the poor?

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C M Y K

scene disturbs me. It is true that Nigeria has no business having over 60% of her population in extreme poverty when we pump two million barrels of oil per day.

It is true, and studies have proved it, that just 10% of the money our leaders and their cronies fritter away will reduce the poverty ratio by as much as 30%. But what about you and I and the life styles we lead? How many of us spend considerable sum on consumables and goods we don’t need against Warren Buffet’s injunction to spend only on what we need? An average

Over one billion children live in poverty with over 20,000 dying every day due to poverty

,

‘middle class’ Nigerian should plead guilty and I will explain why.

Once a month, he attends his old school meeting. After an hour or so of a directionless meeting, the food comes out along with expensive liquor. He and his mates gorge themselves on these until they are satiated. The rest is put in the freezer or thrown away. The next Sunday is the church society meeting. Again we permit ourselves

an hour of a directionless meeting before the food and drinks come out. The following Sunday is a town meeting and so on. The Saturdays are filled with weddings and birthdays. The success of these functions is measured by the quantum of food served and wasted. A very successful wedding is the one that has bottles of champagne on every table and is able to serve three, four course meals.

Now, before you attend your next function lets crunch some figures.

More than half of the world’s population lives on less than 500 Naira per day. Over one billion children live in poverty with over 20,000 dying every day due to poverty. Almost 30% of children in developing countries are underweight or stunted. Nigeria has not in any way helped global statistics because we are actually above the global average in almost every index. So a 12-year old on the streets in Nigeria might actually be 15 or more. It gets disconcerting when we read that the wealthiest 10% use 60% of the world’s consumption while the poorest 10% use just 0.5% and even more so in Nigeria where the richest 10% corner almost a whopping 90% of what all of us

consume. So each time you want to indulge yourself, think of the fact that one billion out of 2.2 billion children are in poverty.

So why did God create the poor?

A man of God told a story of a wealthy man who found himself in a poor neighbourhood. He saw congestion, he saw leaked roofs that could only promote diseases and he realised that his domestic animals had a better living condition. He went home a sad man and for once, the ambience of his home only depressed him more. A rich array of food was waiting for him but he couldn’t eat. So he went to his room and stared unseeing at his panelled ceiling. In frustration he cried out; ‘God if you are so compassionate then why did you create the poor and allow so much suffering?’ A soft voice replied him; ‘son that’s why I created you’.

All Christian youths know the story of the three servants who were given talents. Two invested and one buried his. The moral was that we should never bury our talents otherwise it would be taken away from us. But have we ever stopped to think of the master who gave out the talents and in so doing shared his possession, his estate? That the moral might actually be that we should also share? The GDP of 41 indebted countries is less that the wealth of seven of the richest combined. It’s a no brainer therefore that poverty would reduce if they could just shed a bit. After all just one percent of the money spent on arms would put all children, 72million of them, in school.

18 — SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

I am the male version of Mariah Carey —Samcole

•Samcole’

W

ith over 100,000 downloads in the first few weeks of his debut single, ‘Shakara’ , Samson Edhosa known by the stage name ‘Samcole’ signed his way into reckoning in the Nigerian music industry. Thereafter the goodlooking 26-year-old, public administration graduate of University of Benin followed up with two more singles ‘Love You and Baby Sweet’ , featuring Timaya, to prove he’s not just another flash in the pan.

In this encounter with Star Tracker, the musician talks about his career, music, his works and women: How long have you been in the industry?

I have been in the industry for three years now. I got signed to Efam Eldosa records.

What were you doing before you were signed on officially?

I was a choirmaster in the church for thirteen years. My responsibility was to train and groom the choir.

Wasn’t the church a good platform to promote your music?

The church was a good platform for me to showcase my talent. I saw the church as a grooming place where I actually developed my skill and my talent. Now that I am a professional, I decided to choose where I would like to be, which is where my record label is leading me now. My record C M Y K

label didn’t sign me to be a gospel singer, but I can choose to spice my work with gospel music.

What would you say music has done for you?

It’s been wonderful going into music. I got signed by Efam Elhosa records and I get my wardrobe changed twice a year with many other benefits to go with it. I feel fulfilled musically seeing myself singing on stage and entertaining people.

Who do you look up to in the music industry?

I look up to the likes of Dbanj, 2face Idibia and Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Why do you look up to them?

I like Dbanj’s dress sense and also his style which is unique. I want to carve out a style which people would say is unique.

What is your style?

First of all, when it comes to Nigerian music, a lot of artistes copy one another because they are trying to do what is trending and it makes them sound alike. What makes me unique is that I listen to them and at the end I am able to create my own style from it, sounding totally different.

Which foreign artistes would you like to work with?

I like John Legend, especially the way he sings. I have this RnB feel in me that I would love to bring out soon. I also like Mariah

Carey. I would love to work with her. I think I am her male version in terms of vocals. She has this airy voice that I love.

We will blend well What do you do to train your voice?

Training my voice entails rehearsing constantly. I rehearse every morning. I have a studio at home. I also watch what I eat. I don’t take cold water because I notice I lose the airy part of my voice each time I do so. I am a singer, an entertainer and not just anybody that wants to sing.

Would you say you are satisfied with your journey so far with your record label?

I will say yes. First of all, I signed three years contract and recently I extended it to five years. I am very satisfied, cash wise and otherwise.

How do you hope to deliver your music to your fans?

As an artiste, I want to be able to pass a message in every song I sing. I want to be able to communicate, apart from the beat being very good. I also want to be able to say something that would transform and inspire people. In addition, do songs that will lift people, give them reasons to live and fight their ways out of depression.

Do you think pornography is a selling point in the industry?

Yes, it is a selling point, but it

is not my own selling point. For instance, my video Shakara tells you about the beauty of a lady, what she has and how she flaunts it .The video is more like an interpretation of the song.

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BY KEHINDE AJOSE AND MAUREEN NWANZE

Training my voice entails rehearsing constantly, I rehearse every morning; I have a studio at home and I also watch what I eat

,

What inspired the Shakara video?

When I travelled to South Africa, there was a particular girl I met that I tried talking to, but she was putting up some attitudes and putting me off.

She really had natural feminine endowments but her attitudes were a complete put-off. She was actually the person that inspired the Shakara song.

What did it cost you to feature Timaya in your song?

My manager spoke with Timaya’s manager and they asked us to send the song, they listened to it and one lovely evening Timaya sent for me and my manager to come and the next thing we just started voicing, we recorded and made some modifications.

How do you handle affection from the opposite sex?

Affection from the opposite sex is really crazy. As an artiste, that is one thing you have to fight all the time. I keep myself away from the temptations women bring and focus on my music. I am not saying I don’t have feelings for women. I do but I keep myself in check. For instance, when shooting the ‘Shakara’ video I had a lot of challenges, with ladies dancing around me and touching me.

That alone could arouse some guys but I got myself together.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—19

JULIET EBIRIM 08137897935

Would yyou ou att end yyour our ex’s wedding? attend O

ne of the most difficult issues to deal with when it comes to heartbreaks or broken relationships is coping with those people we have dated in the past. Whether we like it or not, we run into them once in a while. To witness an ex’s wedding ceremony can be very tough especially if the breakup was nasty. Memories of regret and pain can struggle with feelings of envy and embarrassment on such occasions. So if you have received an invitation to your ex’s wedding, would you go or simply excuse yourself?

Can you stand seeing your ex being married off to someone else? Hear our celebrities:

I went to my ex’s wedding - Ijeoma Imoh, Actress

I

would and I’ve done that before. My ex got married to my friend. It was easier for me because I didn’t want to marry him, he was dating my friend and I found out. Even his family members were surprised to see me. Sadly though, two years later, they couldn’t go on with the marriage and they have gone their separate ways. It’s not a big deal, except you’re still emotionally clinging to your ex and you’re not ready to let go.

It depends on how we broke up - Mar ant a, Actress Maryy Ur Urant anta, es, I would if I’m invited, though it all depends on how we broke up. If we parted ways peacefully, I would gladly Y attend. But if we broke up on a very hurtful and unpleasant note, I wouldn’t .

I enjoy attending such weddings - Adokiye, Actress

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f course, I’ll gladly attend it.

Granted, jealousy is a natural thing, but maturity is the ability to accept situations we can’t change. As a matter of fact, I get very happy attending such weddings because I know that whatever made us not to walk down the aisle must be something to be thankful for, instead of worrying. I only say ‘Goodluck’ to whoever the girl is and also wish and pray he doesn’t become ‘Ex’ again to her.

I’ll def init ely gr ace her wedding definit initely grace - Kris Kristtama, Singer

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t’s a good deal if I was invited, because it shows that we are still friends even after our break-up.

That it didn’t work out for us doesn’t mean I’ll ignore her invite or refuse to celebrate with her.

Everybody needs somebody. My presence might mean a lot to her, so I’ll definitely grace her happy moments. My ex-s are always still my best friends and I still maintain that friendship even though, we are no longer intimate. I respect them as well as their husbands and most of them still fall back to me for advice when they have issues with their man.

20 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

With FLORENCE AMAGIYA 08061644307

email: daise4000@yahoo.com

I •C ol e, Go v. Am ec hi , Ka te H en sh aw , an d Az uk a of Th is Da y

I

t is one in a million occurrences that a young man would be given a contract worth billions of naira to execute and he would do the job without diverting the fund for personal use. Honesty as a virtue is rare among today's youths, because the youths lack discipline and they are in a hurry to make money without actually earning and working hard for it. It is no wonder, therefore, that integrity has been thrown out of the window in this generation.

In this edition, we celebrate Tonye Cole, the MD of Sahara Group. Tonye has had opportunities in the past to prove himself and he did just that, emerging as a man of profound integrity. With the help of his partners, he has built one of the biggest energy companies with over 30 branches in the world. He has provided employment for a lot of youths and sent many to different fields of acquisition.

Tonye Cole is currently a minister at the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He is that man who prefers sharing his birthday with school children from the slums as against dinning with the high and mighty in a presidential suite somewhere in the Bahamas.

creation, the Sahara Group, and its expansion is a living proof.

Sahara Energy somewhat kicked off in a match box setting and has replicated to over 30 branches worldwide.

Tonye schooled abroad but he did not forget his he roots. He is an architect who studied in the University of Lagos before proceeding to the University of Brasilia in Brazil.

Tonye Cole, after graduation,

Tonye Cole

Enjoy!

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onye Cole is husband to Slyvia Cole and father to three lovely children. He is a man with many parts. He was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he hails from, but he was raised in a privileged home in Lagos state.

Although he was raised in that type of home in which money wasn’t a problem and even attended one of the best primary and secondary schools money could afford, this did not affect his humility. Also his background didn’t make him to sit down and expect life to give him everything he needed. He knew early in life that he had to work hard and work true. His

•Tonye and wife

Cole and some entertainers

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 — 21

e h t e Insid a r a h a S f o world D M p Grou World Bank-financed water project valued at about $58m for the Lagos State Water Corporation which was a success.

INVESTMENTS Tonye is the Managing Director of Sahara Energy Resource Limited, a company that was co-founded in 1996 with his two friends, Tope Shonubi and Ade Odunsi. Sahara

,

worked in a Brazilian architectural firm known as Grupo Quartro in Brazil. He was part of the team involved in the design and implementation of the urban planning and city development of Palmas, the capital city of the newly created state in South America. After returning to Nigeria in 1993, Tonye was employed as the Director of Operations in EMSA S.A., a Brazilian Civil Engineering Company, said to be the 7th largest engineering firm in Brazil. The company was awarded a

•Cole and Mai Atafo

We learnt a long time ago to never make promises that we cannot keep and to never oversell and then fall short in expectations

Energy started out as an oil and gas company whose core business at the time was to trade excess fuel oil from some places in the Niger delta refineries. Sahara Energy later moved away from being a 'middleman' to become an established trading entity diversifying into storage depots and vessel ownership as well as building depots in strategic locations with a combined capacity of 55,000 metric tonnes and a fleet of five vessels moving products across West Africa.

Sahara Energy today is a major employer of labour with staff strength of over 300 people. Tonye Cole launched another project for his church known as the NEHEMIAH PROJECT. The project is to rebuild, just like that of Nehemiah’s in the bible. Tonye Cole is the brain behind all the restructuring in Redemption camp. Tonye Cole is one of the sponsors of Monalisa •Gbemi Shasore, Tonye Chinda’s Cole, guest & Mo Abudu Foundation, Slum2School.

Slum2School foundation is a nongovernmental organization for children living in slums to have access to good education and life.

Tonye Cole’s mission statement any day is: one should promise less and give more.

,

•Cole having a swell time on his birthday with some children

22 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

Nigerian artistes with good hits but yet to release an album

By KEHINDE AJOSE

Skales

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t a time when his former record label refused to renew his contract and wasn’t seen as a good business deal, Skales soared above the rejection, scaled through the obstacles and fine -tuned his craft .The youngster signed a new deal with Baseline records, became more visually appealing and jarred our ear drums with the wonderful song Shake Body which now has a French version. It is unbelievable that Skales is yet to release an album, but the fact remains that he is gradually making himself an irresistible artiste.

Mc Galaxy

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he name Mc Galaxy may possibly not really ring a bell amongst music lovers, but whenever his hit song Sekem is being played accompanied by the dance steps ,people get their groove on. What makes this song a hit perhaps is the bubbly beat, bass line and his melodious delivery on the song.

Though, the singer cum comedian is yet to release an album, he has been able to define what a hit song sounds like.

C M Y K

In those days in the Nigerian music scene, you are not considered a bonafide musician until you have an album to your name. Now, the story has changed as we have artistes who are yet to release their first albums, but already have massive hits, huge fan base and commanding high performance fees. An album takes an artiste out of the rookie zone and serves as the approval the artiste needs to prove their mettle.

This report highlights 8 Nigerian artistes who have hit songs but are yet to release an album.

Praiz

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ven though Praiz is gradually switching from the RnB genre he is known for, his talent and versatility is however not in doubt. The success of his reggae themed hit song Rich and Famous , shot him up, winning him fans who are reggae inclined .As the year is running to an end, there is no better time for praiz to fete his fans with his debut album than now.

Orezi

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hile we wonder why Orezi is yet to release his debut album, the artiste who once proclaimed he has a crush on Rihanna and dedicated a song to her, dominated the airwaves with two hot singles Rihanna and Shoki. Even though the songs have been said to lack depth by music veterans, Orezi makes up for it with his energy, stage craft and delivery. Shoki made him one of the most sought after artistes of 2014.

Seyi Shay

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he beautiful and artistic Seyi Shay burst into the Nigerian music scene when she released her song Irawo, laying claim to the fact that she is a star who has come to take her place. Even though the Murda crooner is yet to fully go mainstream with her music, the success of her semi hit song Murda; featuring Patoraking and Shaydee gives her the super star status. She is a brand ambassador to Baccardi Breezer and toured major cities of the world even though she has no album to her credit.

Cynthia Morgan

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ast-rising pop artiste Cynthia Morgan, whose groovy hit song Don’t break my heart has been welcomed with loads of airplays is one artiste who doesn’t just flaunt her talent but also her sensuality. Don’t Break My Heart is a fastpaced contemporary highlife song termed as her claim to fame. She is signed on to Jude Okoye’s Northside Music Inc. Her work ethic has seen her being nominated in three categories for BEN TV Awards 2014 and also in 2 categories for Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA).

She has done all these without an album.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 — 23

By AYO ONIKOYI, 08052201215

Nigerian artistes with good hits but yet to release an album Zaina

Patoraking

S

ince she returned to Nigeria, the Soul Musik first lady has continually been dishing out songs, striving to make her mark in the music industry. This year, she surprised everyone with the release of her massive Afrobeat inspired song Sarewale. Zaina’s growing confidence, sex appeal and voice texture makes this song one of the biggest songs of 2014. Her fans gladly anticipate the release of her album.

T

he pop singer released his highly successful and commercial hit song Girlie O this year which made him a toast of show promoters.

Years back, Patoraking was just a greenhorn in the music terrain.

Today, the story has changed, as he is undoubtedly one of the most featured artistes of 2014. He has made songs with A- listers like M.I, Timaya and Tiwa Savage. What makes him the rave of the moment is perhaps his reggae styled delivery.

No show seems to be complete without Patoraking’s name on the menu. If he has an album it must still be forming in his head.

Lil Kesh

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lolade Keshinro, known as Lil Kesh is a fast-rising indigenous rapper signed on to YBNL Olamide’s record label.

Though the Olamide protégé is yet to finally create his own unique style and punchlines,the youngster made 2014 a remarkable year for his fans when he took advantage of the Shoki craze and made a song out of it just like Orezi. Having done two different versions of the song, featuring top guns like Davido, Olamide and Chidinma, Lil kesh is progressively stamping his stage craft on the Nigerian music terrain but still a long shot from having his debut album.

I can’t be like Maheeda but I am funky — Sefiya S

efiya is a budding Afropop artiste who may appear like a greenhorn in the music terrain, but she knows what she is about and how to go and get it. In a ‘no holds barred’ interview with Showtime she boldly declared that she is in a world of her own.

“There is so much competition in the music industry but I am not here to compete with anybody. I just want to do music and be my best. So when you hear my song, you can know that this is Sefiya .I am happy female artistes are coming out and doing well for themselves. I want to be a part of that success” she declared On female artistes like Maheeda exploring sex to push their music,

Sefiya said she won’t be walking that path. “I can’t be like Maheeda; I am just a funky person that loves to keep it funky and sexy” she said.

The charming singer also opened up on the challenges she has been facing in her music career: “I am not getting the responses I expect to get from people. I don’t know if it’s from me, I don’t know if it’s from the people I am working with. The responses I am getting are good, but I want much more.”

Don’t call me just a rapper, Ice Prince cries out

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otable rapper, Ice Prince has said he doesn’t feel too cool being boxed in as just a rapper. The Minnaborn, Jos town –bred Chocolate city artiste expressed his displeasure in a popular online interview known as The Truth. “I know how to rap and I know how to rap really well, but I am an all round musician. M.I taught me how to write songs, how to arrange vocals and how to structure music. I am more about making music; I hate to be boxed as a rapper.

I want to be seen as someone who creates music irrespective of the genre.” The Oleku crooner also gave a hint about his marital status and his relationship with his baby mama.

Why I titled my album Baked — Gt the Guitarman

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he buzz has been on for a while now about the release of Gt the Guitarman’s long anticipated album titled Baked. The soulful artiste who also doubles as a music producer took out time to explain the reason why he titled the album Baked.

“When fire burns you, you either get burnt or get baked. When you get baked, you become a better person having learnt from the fire experience. The Baked album is a collection of groovy tunes that will set my fans on fire” he told Showtime On the artistes he featured: “I decided to work with Yemi Alade, Ruggedman, Patoraking,General Pype and Pryse because these artistes are not just talented, they embody passion for their craft and represent the kind of sound I want to deliver to my fans.”

Gt the Guitarman is currently shooting the video of his melodic song Coolu Down.

C M Y K

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22 , 2014

Omotola, F Genevieve reunite at AFRIFF

or those who thought the lead stars of Nigeria’s highest grossing movie, Ije:The Journey, Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde and Genevieve Nnaji, are not best of friends, they need to bury their heads in shame as the two stars had a good time together in Calabar, last weekend.

They were in Calabar for the closing ceremony of this year’s Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, and it was a reunion of sorts for them after their last meeting on the set of Ije: The Journey. Bubbling with life, Omotola and Genevieve who were present for the screening of the last movie, Hard to Get, joined CEO of Ebonylife TV, Mo Abdul and the entire Ebonylife family to pay their last respect to their late Head of Programming, Pamela Ofoegbu, who passed away recently. This was followed by a candlelight procession in honour of the deceased. The procession, led by Fuji House of Common stars, Chika Chukwu, Chineze Anyaene, and the CEO of AFRIFF, Ms. Chioma Ude, kicked off from Tinapa and terminated at Ebonylife TV studios within the complex. Present during the procession, which witnessed a short service were Rita Dominic, Kalu Ikeagwu, Chelsea Eze, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Beverly Naya, Linda Ejiofor, Andy Amenechi, among others. Pamela Ofoegbu was until her demise, the Head of Programming and Director of Reality Programming, Ebonylife TV.

Omotola and Genevieve Nnaji at AFRIFF

Filmhouse to unveil 15 more cinemas

Onyeka Onwenu for Jonathan sings

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resident Goo dluck Jonath an’s carnival-like declaration Square in Ab uja to seek th at the Eagles e mandate of good people of th office may hav Nigeria for a second term e e come and g in razzamatazz one. But the which spiced would linger up the event in And one of th the minds of Nigerians. os occasion was e artistes who electrified the ‘Elegant the S Onwenu (M FR). Onwen tallion’ Onyeka u, who is now Director-Gen th er Women Devel al of National Centre for e opment, NCW the top musi D, was amon cian a colourful ev s who made the declara g ti en with one of h t. She thrilled the gather on er songs, Ru ing n, which she re corded and re Goodluck, Run, support of M leased in 201 r. President’ s electioneeri 1 in campaign. ng

•Gets African Capital Alliance’s funding

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he management of Filmhouse Cinemas has announced its readiness to open 15 new cinema outlets from December 2014, in additional to the existing four. The company which began operations in December 2012, is fast becoming ubiquitous, beating old player, Silverbird Cinemas on the number of outlets across the country. Co-founder and Managing Director of the company, Kene Mkparu, told newsmen in Calabar, Cross River State, during the just-concluded Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), about a new deal with African Capital Alliance (ACA). The deal, according to him, is to establish five new cinemas before the end of December and additional10 outlets by 2015, and then about 4 yearly from 2016. Mkparu’s words confirmed ACA’s earlier announcement of its investments into Filmhouse Cinemas and Film One, its associated film production and distribution company, which described the latter as the fastest growing cinema chain in Nigeria with a C M Y K

•Ekene

great team.

ACA is currently investing out of its third fund (CAPE III), a $400 million private equity fund.

Speaking on Filmhouse and Film One’s growth prospects, ACA Partner Paul Kokoricha said, "Despite Nigeria having one of the largest film industries in the world the cinema space is largely untapped. The world over, cinema exhibition and film distribution are key segments of the film industry and the main drivers of economic value in the sector. We are looking forward to partnering with the team to deliver on the promise of the sector." Kokoricha praised the initiative of Mkparu and his team for diversifying its operations by launching Film One which has released the two highest grossing Nigerian blockbusters this year, Half of a Yellow Sun and October 1.

•Onyeka

Bridget John bags another award

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•Bridget John

fter scooping one award out of five nominations at the just th concluded 4 annual Nollywood African Film Critics’ Awards (NAFCA), actress Bridget John has added another feather to her cap.

She won Best actress award for her lead role in the wavemaking movie, Adora. The latest award was bequeathed on her by the well-respected Hollywood

Magazine at its annual film festival which was held recently in California, USA. Speaking on the award, Bridget said, "It has been trails of awards since Adora was first screened at the film festival in USA, and now I even feel more humbled with my most recent conquest."

John promised never to relent on her efforts to position Nigeria high on the global acting stage. "I have come to realize that an actress has to even work harder and keep doing the good job because diligence always pays. I am also determined like never before to earn more laurels and raise the bar in the pursuit of excellence in the movie industry," she said.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—25

Nike Oshinowo’s late night whispering

BY CHRIS ONUO HA

E

x-beauty queen an d fa Oshinowo, who is kn shion icon, Nike own for her unrivalled style sta te m ent, has debuted with a talk show ta gged, Late Night wi th Nike Oshinowo. The prog ra Thursday, Novembe m to be aired weekly from r 27, on African Inde Television, AIT, is an pendent exciting entertainm lifestyle late night ent and talk show, showcasin g of art, culture, mus ic, politics and pop- the best culture.

Unveiling the talk show to the media, Oshinowo said she had been working on the show for about a ye ar, with Nike Oshinowo adding that Late Night will be an extensio n of her personality and ho bbies.

"It will inject life an d evenings of the view fun into the weekday ing audience, bringi vast array of local an ng a d international acts celebrities from the and world of art, cinem a, music and politics into th e viewer’s living ro om," she said.

•Aki

Aki excited as he bags award N

ollywood actor, Chinedu Ikedieze (MFR) a.k.a Aki, emerged Best Actor at the 2014 edition of Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards, NBMA held at the Ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, last Saturday.

Aki who was unable to attend the event clinched the Best Actor award in the competitive category for his interpretation of the character of Efe in Mnet’s sitcom, The Johnsons.

"I am happy I won, I thank the organizers for this honour. I understand that last Saturday’s edition was the fifth, I am happy I won. I assure my fans that I will continue to do my best to win more awards," Aki said.

•Nike Oshinowo

NFVCB DG challenges African filmmakers T

he Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board, Ms Patricia Bala, has challenged African filmmakers to correct the negative misrepresentations of Africa and its culture using the medium of the tube.

Bala made this call recently in London at the African Film and Academy Global Awards (ZAFAA), while delivering a paper on African Culture in World Pictures. She stated that Africa for a long time has suffered a systematic trend of misrepresentation of its cultures in world pictures.

According to her, despite Africa being the "cradle of civilization with its family traditions, music and the social patterns of its cultures, misinformation about Africa has become a growth industry." Bala therefore challenged African filmmakers to rise up and

outdated and repugnant rites.

"These pictures are of course inaccurate and fixated reality with several true missing images," the director general declared.

Bala blamed the misrepresentations on commercial propriety interests and the monopoly enjoyed by those who Ms Patricia control the Bala major platforms for pushing these pictures to the rest of expose what she described the world. While frowning as "patterns of at the actions of some misrepresentations, which in African filmmakers as a turn deepen stereotypes or disservice and distasteful generalizations about for perpetuating these Africa." To the world public, misrepresentations of some of the images of Africa African culture in world include, the dark continent pictures, she urged them to comprising of uncivilized re-invent and rewrite the peoples who are culturally, region’s profile in world intellectually, politically and pictures. According to her, it technically backward, crisis is only when this is done ridden and the poorest and that Africa can re-engage least developed of all the world on its own terms. regions. She regretted that Bala thereafter called on in this day and age, Africa is African filmmakers to painted and depicted in the capitalize on the major pictures of heathen peoples windows of competitive and thrive in backward advantage by investing in traditions and practices, the distribution of movies in superstitions as well as Nigeria.

Mary Uranta relaunches self with Husband Shopping

M

ary Uranta is surely on top of her game.The sexy actress who recently opened her production studio called the 50th Film Academy, located in Lekki area of Lagos, is at it again. She has just completed work on her debut film as a producer and is ready to hit the cinemas.

The delectable actress

known for being focused and coolheaded in the industry is leaving no stone unturned in her resolve to make a statement with her latest offering. A romantic comedy, the film Husband Shopping, is directed

by Ghanaian producer, Pascal Amanfo and stars like Mary Uranta, Majid Michel, and Kalsoume Sinare, among others.

Interestingly, Uranta will be having a private launch of the movie at the prestigious Four Point by Sheraton Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, this evening.

According to her, the movie will relaunch her career not only as an actress but also, as a producer to reckon with in Nollywood.

•Mary Uranta C M Y K

26 —Vanguard, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

anozieegole@yahoo.com

08116759764

I feel blessed to host this edition of CHOAMVA14 — Eku Edewor

B

Eku Edewor

e it gracing the covers of magazines or interviewing stars on 53 Extra, Eku Edewor, has established herself firmly in the African entertainment industry as a talent on the rise. The sexy model,was recently unveiled alongside, Siyabonga Ngwekazi to host this year’s edition of Channel O Africa Music Video Awards, billed to take place on the 29th of this month.

The delighted model and presenter said, “I feel incredibly blessed that I have been given a great opportunity to display how much I love what I do and I look forward to having a great night celebrating our musicians on the largest music platform in Africa,”.

In 2006, Eku was cast as a contestant on the hit reality show, Britain’s Next Top Model and has since gone on to build an extensive resume including appearing on Big Brother Africa All Stars, hosting the 2013 Miss Nigeria competition, the Elite Model Look Nigeria competitions (in 2010 and 2011) and recently wrapped up shooting the movie When Love Comes Around.

Waje, Toolz, feature in Vector’s Shiga

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arely few months after the release of a hit single, Shiga, talented singer, Olanrewaju Ogunmefun aka, Vecto tha Viper has released the video for the single. The single, is a bonus track from his mixtape, A7. The Afropop video Shiga which means Enter in Hausa language, has an infusion of the Fulani culture nicely portrayed in the costume and the dance styles.

“We are trying to have fun, and I have left no stone unturned to meet the expectations of my fans” he said. The crisp video which was produced by Ekelly and was directed by Toyin Lawani, also features

cameo appearances by Hypeman, Jimmie Akinsola, Black Magic and on-air personality, Osam. The award-winning rapper, who was recently unveiled alongside ace comedian, Bovi and Toolz as Vitafoam brand ambassadors, has released two studio albums State of Surprise (SOS) and The Second Coming.

M.I, Olamide, Flavour battle for supremacy

By KEHINDE AJOSE

N

o doubt, the Nigerian music industry is getting bigger and better with artistes signing endorsement deals and living their dreams. But one thing that constantly bothers any artiste is how to win more fans and attract them to their brand of music.

The trio of M.I, Olamide and Flavour has just released their albums which are meant to show how superior they have

become and also garner more fan-base.

M.I calls himself The Chairman in his new album, Olamide proudly states that he still has the Street O.T Olamide (Orientation) that has made him a sought a f t e r r a p p e r.

Flavour on the other Flavour

hand, still stays on his highlife lane while trying to win fans drawn more to hiphop. The simultaneous release of their albums is causing uproar in the music industry, as the artistes are battling for the heart of their fans.

The question on the lips of music critics is this:”Who will e m e r g e triumphant”?

C

C M Y K

her newest single Show produced by Made Men Music group, producer of Tekno Miles. Following up her successful East African hit Prokoto which featured Diamond Platnumz and Ommy Dimpoz, Victoria Kimani delivers yet another party track to rock the dance floor and celebrate the holiday season across Africa.

The single, comes with a cool groovy tune that has this mature flow to it, it also doesn’t fail to take you to the dance floor. Victoria Kimani does an amazing job with her vocals with excellent beat by Tekno Miles.

Waje

M.I

e n i l d a e h o t , mma i d i h C , d i k z i W cer t n o c s r a t S l l Lasgidi A

Victoria Kimani drops a party banger Show hocolate City’s rave of the moment songstress Victoria Kimani has released

Toolz

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etite singer and MTN brand ambassador, Chidimma, will be joining Star boy Wizkid, as the headliners for this years edition of Lasgidi Allstars concert billed for next week. The talented duo, will be joined by impressive line up of stars like, Wande Coal, Olamide, Cynthia Morgan, Oritsefemi, Orezi, Rayce, Samklef, Erigga, K Switch, Solidstar among others for the show.

The event which will be anchored by MTV Base, VJ Ehiz and OAP Shine promises fans and music lovers exciting and memorable night of

fun and entertainment.

Speaking about the coming event, the Executive Producer of the concert, Akpor Donell Gbemre, said “More established artistes will be confirmed as performers in the coming days. The stage, lights and sound equipment to be used for the concert will dazzle the audience “ he boasted

Cynthia Morgan

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 — 27

Is Bill Cosby really a chronic serial rapist?

By AYO ONIKOYI

T

O most of his fans, American top comedian, Bill Cosby is the squeaky clean, father-figure that could do no wrong. Unknown to most of them is the gloomy cloud of rape allegations this father-figure had had to battle with for over a decade. This tiny speck of dishonour on his impeccability reared its ugly head again recently as more alleged victims, violated by Cosby came out to speak.

It has been going on for weeks now with one alleged victim after the other coming out to recount their ugly experience with the Ghost Dad. Interestingly, no single accusation has come to anything. Even those that resulted in lawsuits were either dropped or settled out of court.

The whole episode started in 2005 when a woman named Andrea Constand, the former director of operations for the Temple University women’s basketball team, filed a lawsuit against Cosby, alleging that he drugged and molested her at his home in

Pennsylvania in 2004. After Constand’s accusations become public in 2005, a second woman, Tamara Green, same year said on Today Show that in the 1970s, Cosby gave her pills that knocked her unconscious and then raped her. Court papers in the Constand case mention Green and 12 anonymous women who make similar allegations against the actor and comic.

Cosby denies ever molesting any of the women.

In June 2005 The Philadephia Daily News published a story identifying Beth Ferrier as one of the anonymous women mentioned in the Constand court papers. Ferrier said Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her in a car in Denver in the 1980s.

Barbara Bowman, another anonymous woman from the Constand lawsuit told People in 2006 that Cosby had mentored her as an actor in the 1980s and sexually assaulted her in Reno

•Bill Cosby

He raped me D

•Janice Dickinson C M Y K

ICKINSON, now 59, recalls first meeting Cosby, now 77, when her agent set up a meeting with him to hire her for a role on The Cosby Show. After they had dinner, she says their next conversation was when he called her out of the blue while she was in rehab for drugs and alcohol. Following her stay in rehab, Dickinson says Cosby reached out to her during a trip to Bali and had her travel to Lake Tahoe, because he was performing there and wanted to offer her the job they had discussed as well as help her with a singing career.

Dickinson says they had dinner in Lake Tahoe, and claims that he gave her a glass of red wine and a pill, which she asked for because she was menstruating and had stomach pains.

And that’s when she tells ET that things took a disturbing turn.

“The next morning I woke up, and I wasn’t wearing my pajamas,

and New York City during that time.

The accusation reechoed recently when comedian Hannibal Buress repeatedly called Cosby a “rapist” during a show in Philadelphia, setting in motion another deluge of accusations. But before that, Newsweek had published interviews with Barbara Bowman and Tamara Green in which the women repeated their earlier allegations.

After Hannibal Buress, two other women, Joan Tarshis and Janice Dickinson had come out with their own stories. Janice Dickinson, self-styled first supermodel spoke with ET on Tuesday, giving graphic details of how Bill Cosby drugged and raped her.

However Hollywood actress Whoopi Goldberg has expressed skepticism about the accusations leveled against Cosby, wondering aloud why one woman who came forward did not go to the police or hospital after the alleged assaults. Of the settlement reached with Andrea Constand, the original accuser, Goldberg said, “Settlements don’t necessarily mean you’re guilty. You generally settle because you don’t want to put your family through it again…I’m going to reserve my judgment. I have a lot of questions.”

– Supermodel Janice Dickinson

and I remember before I passed out that I had been sexually assaulted by this man,” she tells ET. “... Before I woke up in the morning, the last thing I remember was Bill Cosby in a patchwork robe, dropping his robe and getting on top of me. And I remember a lot of pain. The next morning I remember waking up with my pajamas off and there was semen in between my legs.”

Dickinson also says she tried to write about the assault in her 2002 autobiography No Lifeguard on Duty: The Accidental Life of the World’s First Supermodel, but claims that when she submitted a draft with her full story to HarperCollins, Cosby and his lawyers pressured her and the publisher to remove the details.

“I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do, and it happened to me, and this is the true story,” she says about coming out with her story now.

“I believe all the other women.”

Dickinson says that keeping the alleged sexual assault a secret for 32 years drove her to a life of hurting

herself. “Stuffing feelings of rape and my unresolved issued with this incident has drove me into a life of trying to hurt myself because I didn’t have counsel and I was afraid,” she says. “I was afraid of the consequences. I was afraid of being labeled a whore or a slut and trying to sleep my way to the top of a career that never took place.”

But now Dickinson, who says she never confronted Cosby after the alleged incident, doesn’t mince words when it comes to what she would say to him now.

(Culled from ET)

Top artistes also accused of rape

•Tupac Shakur •Sean Kingston •Jeffrey Jones Mugshot •R. Kelly •Ian Watkins •Paul Reubens •Micheal Tyler •Vincent Margera •Shane Sparks and many others.

28 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

H

e is best known for his remake of Fela Kuti's "Double Wahala" song. Before he came out with that hit song, Ekele Majemite Oritsefemi was unknown. Today, he is a hot brand . The Ajegunle-bred singer, who started his career as a member of a two-man band, The Junglist, recounts the touching story of his rise from grass to grace, recalling how he had to hawk and engage in other menial jobs in order to make ends meet. He also narrates how his poor background made him not to fend for the mothers of his children.

to invite some top American stars such as Shabba Ranks, Tupa and many others to come and perform in Nigeria. We would visit the African Shrine with these foreign musicians, where we usually met with Fela. But importantly, I was conscious of Fela's message and the lyrics of his music.

BENJAMIN NJOKU

A lot of your fans are confused about your marital status. For the record, are you married officially?

Honestly, for now, I am not married. But definitely, I am going to get married very soon. I have a fiancé and we have been together for close to two years now.

Your song, 'Double Wahala' was a hit.

What actually inspired it?

I got the inspiration from God. Everything you want to do, you definitely put God first. Before I came out with 'Double Wahala', I was receiving low responses from my fans. I tried my best, but my fans did not identify with my songs. I had to go back to the drawing board to review my style of music.

But you have children?

Yes, I have two beautiful daughters who are between ten and nine years. I have a family and I'm from a polygamous home. I have a responsibility as a father.

So you knew that "Double Wahala"was going to be a hit song?

I wouldn't say I knew. But I tried to do something close to it. Eventually, God crowned my efforts with success.

Are you saying that "Double Wahala" brought you good fortune?

It brought me more than a fortune; it opened doors - signing of contracts, endorsements, and hitting international stages.

What was life like before "Double Wahala?”

I was comfortable but things got better when I released it.

You seemed to share the same ideology with Fela. How much did he influence your music?

Naturally, I used to listen to Fela's songs as well as King Sunny Ade's as a child. My father happened to be one of the fans of these legends. I tried to pick some of Fela's lyrics and blend it with the lovely African melodies of King Sunny Ade to create my own brand of music. Interesting, I was the only young artiste in Nigeria that met Fela face to face. Then, I was under the tutelage of Maverick John Nabella, the founder of Raga Dub Chapel, where likes of Daddy Showkey, Baba Fyro sprang up back in Ajegunle. They used C M Y K

What happened?

It's a long story. Back in time, as a street boy, growing up in the ghetto city of Ajegunle, I had some childhood girlfriends who got pregnant. Then, I had no means of livelihood to sustain them. But I ensured that I took care of my kids right from when they

,

At a point, you took a break from music. In fact, it was rumored that you went into dubious business. Were you into '419' business?

Definitely, people must say what they like, especially when they see you as a versatile artiste who should be on top of his game. May be, my fans felt disappointed, watching me go down the drain. But honestly, I tried my best to sustain my music then. I did not give up. I continued working hard to prove my mettle. Until last year, I was not okay financially. But look at me today, my hard work has paid off.

Frankly speaking, I have never ventured into '419' business before. I don't defraud people nor deceive them.

I am contented with what I have achieved. Back in Ajegunle, I had some street boys as friends who were into dubious businesses. But I was bent on creating my own business.

Isn't your fiance the mother of your two daughters?

No. My two daughters are from different mothers and I am not marrying any of them.

My two daughters are from different mothers and I am not marrying any of them

,

Why I lef t th mothers of my children —Oritsefemi

•Recalls what life was like in Ajegunle

were born. Unfortunately, I couldn't take care of their mothers because of my financial status then. But now, that God has elevated me, I am planning to take my children abroad.

,

he f n

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 — 29

Growing in Ajegunle, you have to hustle, otherwise your contemporaries would snatch your girlfriend from you

,

Before this success, what were you doing?

I was struggling. I was on the streets, hustling to make ends meet. I actually stayed away from my family. I couldn't depend on my dad, because he had his own challenges as a polygamist. That was why at 14 years, I went into the street to hustle. I hawked in the street.

My dad was an engineer, and he taught me how to dismantle and repair boat engines. I learnt all that. Then, I had my own boat that I was using to transport passengers from Ajegunle to Lagos Island. I also worked as a bus conductor. Growing in Ajegunle, you have to hustle, otherwise your contemporaries would snatch your girlfriend from you. Ajegunle residents believe in hustling. That time, nobody knew me, so, why would I go into hiding. But honestly, I didn't engage in any dirty or illegal business. I believe in my music and that's what is seeing me through today.

How did growing up in Ajegunle influence your lifestyle and music?

I actually grew up in Tolu which is one of the worse areas to live in Ajegunle. I experienced all types of miserable lifestyles, but I survived them all. Today, I am a role model to a lot of the Ajegunle youths.

I used to counsel them that if I could make it, they too, can make it.

•Oritse Femi

C M Y K

30—SATURDAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

SATURDAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 — 31

32 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

P&G fabrics drags fashionista to world parley in Berlin F

ASHION experts from different countries gathered at the Café Moskau, in Berlin, Germany, recently to address the latest advances in fabrics, and how individual subconscious decisions affect clothing perceptions.

The annual event and the 2nd edition in its series themed: ’The science of the beauty and care of clothes” was organised

by Proctor&Gamble, P&G Future Fabrics Forum, showcasing its latest fabric care innovation.

Welcoming the 150 guests to the event, made up mainly of journalists’ from 20 countries, trend forecasters and other industry expertsRobert van Pappelendam, Vice President of P&G Fabric Care Europe, said: “Last year we announced that P&G’s mission was to redefine and elevate what cleaning and caring for clothes means and this year, in collaboration with our incredible partners, we’re taking that mission to another level - to explore how human psychology and cognitive

behavioural analysis is helping to fuel p r o d u c t innovation” Three main e x p e r t s addressed the session before the forum broke into sub-groups for f u r t h e r

•Leading cognitive psychologist Dr Lawrence Rosenblum

discussions based on region and brand usage. The experts were: Mr John Turner, Sabine Le Chatelier and Dr Lawrence Rosenblum, Giving his presentation, Mr. John Turner, P&G’s Research & Development director, focused on why people’s preferences and perceptions toward their clothes change.

Tu r n e r

•Robert van Pappelendam, Vice President of P&G Fabric Care Europe

revealed that ‘’P&G Fibre Scientists are introducing new advances in the 3-Step Fibre SCIENCE approach; to clean, protect and enhance, which focus on prolonging and improving the multi-sensorial fabric properties that influence people’s perception of their clothes: the look, the feel and the scent”. The life cycle of clothes he noted “is often cut short because these properties are not cared for properly”.

Continuing, he noted: “Our closets are full of clothes, yet we only wear 20% of them 80% of the time, so why aren’t we wearing the rest? Why have we fallen out of love with a garment that we spent our hard earned money on?”

According to him, “P&G is breaking new grounds by applying latest research in the cognitive science of human perception to understand why people reject a garment and relationship with clothes changes over time.’ By

•Première Vision Associate Fashion Director, Sabine Le Chatelier

John Turner, Research & Development director

applying this knowledge to our FibreSCIENCE expertise we are redefining what Fabric Care means for consumers and their clothes.’

In her own contribution, respected fabric trends forecaster, Sabine Le Chatelier, Associate Fashion Director, Première Vision-P&G, Future Fabrics official partner, opened with a presentation on ‘Fashion as a multi-sensorial experience.’

She affirmed that fashion as a sensorial experience illustrates how “fabrics are more than visual – an alchemy of look, feel and handle or behaviour”. She also revealed the current industry trends in textile and fabric innovation, adding, “imagination and technology are combining to produce exciting sensorial fashions that are also washable, easy to care for and sustainable”.

This fashion trend towards the multi-sensorial was further explored by a presentation from leading cognitive psychologist, Dr Lawrence Rosenblum, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside. He revealed: “the last years of research in perceptual psychology has given rise to a “multi-sensory revolution”, showing that our senses are always influencing one another, and impacting our preferences and moods much more than we realize and often in ways in which we are not aware”.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—33

Girlie glamour Girlie glamour continues with tiers and tumbling layers floating down the red carpet.

Keep this trend casual for day and increase the frill for evening. Get frills that flatter you; flirty chiffon, organza or even Ankara will achieve flounces for you. You can also be classic in demure black if that’s the style group you subscribe to. You can have full length flounces its all about preferences.

C M Y K

34— SATURDAY

S

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

ometime ago, I went on a business visit to a client and friend. Inevitably the discussions veered from business to life. We talked about the ephemeral nature of life and vanity. As if preempting me, he told me that when he goes to bed, he sleeps like a baby. That is to say his fleet of vehicles, houses and assets mean nothing to him. We both agreed that what matters most in the mundane is what you eat and drink. These are the only things that go with you to the grave; you leave behind your money, houses, cars, other personal belongings and assets to be scrambled for and partitioned. But I reminded him that “even the food we are talking about is endangered.

I look at my generation and How much do adults eat these days?” We both realised that I wonder what is happening. only about five per cent of our Many young people in their expenditure on food and other 30s, 40s and early 50s are household consumables go to dropping dead as a result of us and our spouses. The stroke, high blood pressure, cardiac arrest, diabetes, children take the chunk.

A few years ago, a friend cancer and other health called after leaving his doctor. conditions. As I was writing this column, the news of the He started lamenting over the death of a friend’s promising phone: “Francis, what kind of younger brother, Festus life is this? In the past when I Omonemu, hit me. He died in wanted to eat everything I his 30s leaving behind a wife fancied, I didn’t have the money to buy them; now that I can afford them, my doctor says don’t eat this, don’t eat that.” That conversation has had some impact on how I am bringing up my children. I steer them away from junk and two children. A few weeks food. earlier, it was the wife of a relative, Charles Ziregbe. She eyond that, I allow them left behind a toddler. May eat whatever they want, their souls rest in peace. provided it is within budget. I Many of us moving around pray our children do not are struggling with one health encounter the myriad of health challenge or the other. Some become mobile challenges many of us are have facing, but I do not want them pharmacies, gulping tons of to look back many years from drugs everyday just to stay now, for any reason and like alive. Painfully, we are not my friend, and have any even eating what we want mainly for health reasons. regrets.

This life!

Many people in their late 30s and above now eat mainly to survive; the enjoyment part has taken a back seat in a distant row. I went to visit a very rich man long ago. Then I had not started taking this much precaution on what I eat.

When he invited me to join him at his expansive and expensive dining, I refused; the food was too diminished and impoverished and I just wondered silently, “ what kind

I do not want to be driven to the point of depression or suicide

,

B

,

of suffering is this in the midst of plenty”. I could also not help but notice the irony between the surrounding opulence and the food he was eating. But that was what his health allowed.

I know life is a leveler: rich, poor, famous, obscure, sane, insane, saint, sinner, we all came into the world through the union of our parents and we shall all end up in the belly of mother earth, cremated or buried; buried in a multi-million

naira casket or in a simple white cloth like Muslims do.

Is health-induced eating another way life has closed the gulf between the rich and poor?

I have resolved to eat and live healthy. Fruits of all kind (they say you cannot go wrong with fruits, how true?) have become regular meals, still not my will though. I now consume more vegetable than goats do, also not my will. Red meat is an endangered species in my menu, I do not know what ice cream taste like any more, I view cake with suspicion, butter/ margarine is now distant memory. Unripe plantain has replaced ripe plantain, but I still eat fried plantain (dodo) and other fried food once a while with guilt, same with cow leg, shaki and many other delicacies I used to feast on. Even beloved chicken is now eaten without the skin, unfortunately one of the tastiest parts. They say chicken skin is cholesterolladen. Once in a while I rebel and indulge. I need the break; I do not want to

be driven to the point of depression or suicide. These strict regimens have the capacity to do just that.

Moderation is my guide.

But there seems to be no respite as we grow older.

Many years ago, people who consume raw garlic used to irritate me with their breathe.

Consequently, when my doctor insisted I had to start taking garlic, I opted for processed ones in tablet form. I have since switched to raw garlic and joined the band of people with irritating garlic-infested breathe.

D

o I have any apologies?

I begi, man has to survive. In Urhoboland, every adult is expected to have an alias (Od’ova).

My grandmother ’s was Osevwe r’emare (old people’s fashion).

If you call her osevwe r’emare, she will respond: “obijiwoni, wo kw’epharo ku fia.” (If you find it unattractive, look the other way). So if you find our garlic-infested breathe irritating, just turn the other way. As good neighbours, though, we are struggling to reduce or kill the odour with mouth spray, chewing gums, sweets and other remedies, but raw garlic smell strong, sha.

This life! No wonder, King Solomon spent his old age writing about life, among which is the great Book of Ecclesiastes. Excerpts: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for these are all that man was created for.”(Ecclesiastes 12:13)

(Text Only)

T

he hope of a return to better health and fitness can be anybody’s. All what it takes is the commitment to help oneself.

You have not exercised in years, suddenly, you look in the mirror and you find fat has assailed your body. Your pot belly is rather tasking... adversely affecting your posture.

You look older and less energetic. But then, you have resolved to do something about all that.

Your magic tools are going to be physical exercise for the body, breathing exercise to throw out all the stale air in the lungs and introduce sufficient oxygen to ensure healthy blood circulation.When you take up a regimen to improve the body, it must include a sensible eating habit. Observing these points, the body is likely to respond beautifully. In about three months, you will be on your way to a totally new you.

The first to go will be your depression over a physique you don’t love. Your self confidence will return as your body takes on a better shape. You will find your power for work and play improving. Oh yes, you will find a new zest for life.

This new life will make you wonder how you managed to live at the low – energy level that you’d been used to for all those years.

The advice here is that once you get started don’t let up or you’ll find the body returning to ruination. The body will have to be toned on a daily basis via exercise.

The beautiful thing about a resolution to live a healthier life is that, all the negative C M Y K

A return to youthful fitness habits you once had will be dropping off of themselves.

If you smoke and drink, you will soon find that you don’t need to indulge as much as before.

In fact, it’s not surprising that a lot of p e o p l e manage to quit these t w o terrible habits

completely, after a few months of living a healthconscious life.

The following are some postures of yoga you can use to improve the body.

The Triangle Technique: Standing with feet wide apart, turn to the left as you bend the left knee.

Keep the right knee locked with the whole leg in a diagonal position to the trunk. Keep the hands over head with the palms together. The neck and head

must be straight. Maintain the posture for some 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Benefit: The posture tones up the leg

muscles shedding excess fat... This exercise also helps you hold the body in a straighter posture.

The Triangle (A variant) Techique: Stand with the feet about three feet apart. Bend the right knee while keeping the left leg diagonal to the trunk. Bring the trunk lower towards the right tigh.

Keep the left hand stretched out on the side of the head as you drop the right hand next to the right foot.

Hold this position for 10 — 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Benefits: This asana or posture improves the legs like the previous Triangle. The difference being that with this pose the flanks also get a good workout eliminating excess fat there.

Standing Forward Bend Technique: Standing with feet together, fold the arms, take a deep breath and exhale as you lower the torso.

Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—35

juliecoker100@yahoo.com

I get erection during massage Dear Julie,

Dear Desmond,

his has become an embarrassment to me. I am a young man who lives a happy but often stressful life. I visit a massage parlour during weekends to ease off but I’m worried about what happens when I’m virtually naked and being rubbed all over by another person especially female massage therapists. I get full erection during massage and there seems to be no way to hide it. How do I deal with this? I don’t know how the people feel but am I perverted? I feel strange when I’m lying on the table and standing at attention.

It’s understandable that you’re worried about having erection during a massage. Erections, no matter how common, can be unpredictable, and hence, a cause of worry. But rest assured, this topic is discussed by massage therapists in training because it is a normal aspect of anatomy and physiology.

T

Desmond, Abuja

During a massage, as the body relaxes, some people may fall asleep, drool, or pass gas, all of which are completely normal physical responses to tension relief. But, like erections, these normal occurrences are stigmatized socially as embarrassing. The irony

is somewhat amusing when you think about it — the goal of massage is to relax, but as your body shows signs of relaxation, you become preoccupied with how those responses may be perceived. Many massage therapists and health care professionals try to normalize these bodily functions and responses to decrease clients’ feelings of anxiety or insecurity.

Many people have learned to associate erections with purely sexual arousal but, in fact, erections occur for a variety of reasons. They can occur during sleep, when someone is angry or scared, or when someone is deeply relaxed, like during a massage. Reflexive erections, a normal physiological response to touch, relaxation can go away within minutes. Massage therapists know this and will often simply ignore an erection during a session, as long as the client is behaving appropriately. Some masseuses and/or clients may choose to address the potential issue in advance. As the client, you can discuss the topic with the massage therapist before a session, if it helps soothe your concerns. You are certainly not alone in your worry. Erections are a normal part of your body’s response to relaxation and a professional massage therapist will likely be understanding.

She’s afraid of lovemaking

Hello Aunty Julie,

I

have been dating my babe for more than two years now. We’re both in our twenties and haven’t had sex yet, but during the last year and a half, we tried pretty much everything there is besides it. I really feel this is the right time, but when I try to talk to her about it, all she says is that she is afraid. She says it is not that she does not believe in losing virginity before marriage but she is just afraid. I don’t want to pressurise her, but I just feel that maybe I am not the right person for her or something. What should I do? Thanks.

Yinka Bob-Manuel Dear Yinka, ‘Losing’ one’s virginity or choosing to have sexual intercourse for the first time can be a major decision.

Addressing your partner’s concerns is especially important, both in terms of respecting your partner’s feelings and for strengthening your relationship. Should you two ultimately decide to have sex, it is important that both you and your partner feel 100% comfortable with your decision.

You mentioned that your partner is afraid, do you know exactly what she is afraid of? Discussing the issues with your partner may give you a

Coming home late

better sense of what she is afraid of when it comes to sex, and help you build your communication, trust, and respect for each other.

Does she worry about unwanted pregnancy? Above the pleasure, exploration, and fun, love-making comes with a whole lot of responsibility. It is important that you and your partner have a strategy for birth control, and have spoken about what you would do if she becomes pregnant. Fortunately, there are a multitude of methods to protect you and your partner from unplanned pregnancy.

Or, is she concerned about sexually transmitted infections,STIs? Even if you and your partner are each other’s firsts, it can be reassuring to talk about STIs, including HIV. Having this conversation can be tricky, but it is a crucial component of being comfortable when having sex.

Does she fear physical pain? It is important to speak with your partner about how you imagine your first time to be. For women who have never had vaginal intercourse, the first few times experiencing penetration can be uncomfortable or painful. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to minimize pain and maximize pleasure.

Are you the right one for her, is she

Two married buddies are out drinking one night when one turns to the other and says, “You know, I don’t know what else to do.

Whenever I go home after we’ve been out drinking, I turn the headlights off before I get to the driveway. I shut off the engine and coast into the garage. I take my shoes off before I go into the house, I sneak up the stairs, I get undressed in the bathroom. I ease into bed and my wife STILL wakes up and yells at me for staying out so late!”

His buddy looks at him and says, “Well, you’re obviously taking the wrong approach.

I screech into the driveway, slam the door,

the right one for you? While this may be a difficult question to ask, it is extremely important to be honest with each other. Are you having fun in your relationship?

Are you able to communicate well with each other? Are you caring towards one another both emotionally and physically?

These characteristics of a relationship signify compatibility and maturity, both important for a satisfying and healthy sexual relationship.

After you bring up these questions to your partner, the two of you may need some time to think to yourselves. If something stands out or keeps coming up in the list, it might be an important topic of conversation to bring to the table.

Don’t forget to continue to enjoy spending quality time with your partner. Regardless of your sexual activity, being in a relationship is a unique journey filled with companionship, love, and just enjoying the little things together. Take the time to enjoy being with your partner, and continue to learn more about each other.

C O C K - T A L E S storm up the steps, throw my shoes into the closet, jump into bed, slap her on the butt and say, ‘You as horny as I am?’ . . . and, she always acts like she’s sound asleep!”

Twice a week

After just a few years of marriage, filled with constant arguments, a young man and his wife decided the only way to save their marriage was to try counseling. They had been at each other’s throats for some time and felt that this was their last straw.

When they arrived at the counselor’s office, the counselor jumped right in and opened the floor for discussion.

I don’t have orgasm during intercourse Aunty Julie,

M

y boyfriend and I have been sexually active for about three months. I enjoy making love to him very much, but intercourse doesn’t give me any pleasure. He can easily bring me to orgasm through oral sex, but I don’t feel any pleasure from regular sex. Sometimes, I can’t even tell if he’s inside of me or not. I feel so bad about it, and we’ve been trying to find some information that might help us, but there isn’t any. Why is this happening? It isn’t like I don’t know how to have an orgasm; I do but nothing works during intercourse. Can you help me?

Joan, Lagos Dear Joan, Your ability to have an orgasm through oral sex may be able to teach you a big lesson. Perhaps your partner could incorporate oral sex into your intercourse routine. A woman’s sexual pleasure mostly comes from stimulation to the clitoris which is highly sensitive and full of nerve endings. In fact, there are as many nerve endings in the tip of the clitoris as there are in a male organ!

So, ask your partner to touch, rub, caress, and/or press your clitoris with his fingers, whether before, during, or after sex. You can guide him by placing your fingers over his fingers or hand, and pressing the spots you like in the motion and frequency . You can try using your own fingers during sex, too. Also, try a variety of sex positions where your clitoris might be further stimulated. For example, the woman-on-top position has more potential for clitoral stimulation than the missionary position. On top, you can have more control over the amount of stimulation, rhythm, and pacing.

Get creative! Certain positions may feel more exciting to you than others, and this may differ each time you make love.

Remember, if you love making love with your partner, there is no need to be dismayed by your lack of vaginal sensation or pleasure during intercourse. Instead, if you wish, you can use sex play as an opportunity for you and your partner to experiment with and learn from your bodies.

Either way, it is important to let your partner know, either verbally or by demonstrating, what turns you on the most. Take the time to learn exactly what that is.

“What seems to be the problem?”

The wife began talking 90 miles an hour describing all the wrongs within their marriage.

After 15 minutes of listening to the wife, the counselor went over to her, picked her up by her shoulders, kissed her passionately for several minutes, and sat her back down. Afterwards, the wife sat there speechless.

He looked over at the husband who was staring in disbelief at what had happened. The counselor spoke to the husband, “Your wife NEEDS that at least twice a week!”

The husband scratched his head and replied…

“I can have her here on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

08 116759 759 081 6759759

Meet the 'Skimpies':

T

hese women make a living pouring beers and collecting tips but they aren't your average bartenders.

They call themselves 'skimpies' and can earn up to $6,000 a night by travelling to pubs in remote towns in Western Australia just to entertain miners and farmers in their lingerie.

Shae,29, has worked as a skimpy for almost a decade and says the money is the biggest draw card for the 300-odd women in the industry.

'The money is very good, that's why we put up with so much.'

'We get paid a base rate to be at the pub around $1,000, but you can earn five times on top of your base rate from tips during a four hour shift.'

Shae and her colleagues feature in a new documentary called Skimpy that will air on ABC2 on Monday night to shed light on their careers as skimpily-dressed bartenders.

'You've got to be comfortable with who you are and the way you look to do this,' Shae said.

'We meet a lot of weird characters who will pick on you for personal things like if they don't think you're the right body shape. So you really have to have a thick skin, especially when alcohol is involved.

Shae, who can travel four to five hours for a fourhour shift in regional WA, said it took several years to learn to deflect criticism and build up the confidence she has now.

'I remember when I first started I'd have a complex.

Some shifts I'd run off to the bathroom to cry because

Woman police recruits ffor or ced tto o strip orced naked for 'virginity tests' in Indonesia

F

emale aspiring police officers in Indonesia are being forced to undergo 'virgin tests', a human rights organisation reports.

Following a recruitment drive earlier this year, 7,000 women are currently undergoing training in Indonesia, after fulfilling a number of criteria.

In order to become a policewoman, a candidate must be aged 17.5-22 years, follow a religion, be at least 5ft5in, not need glasses and: be a virgin.

'In addition to the medical and physical tests, women who want to be policewomen must also undergo virginity tests, so all women who want to become policewomen should keep their virginity,' the Indonesian police states on its website.

However, according to a report by Human Rights Watch, a number of applicants were only told of the test moments before it was about to take place.

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'I felt embarrassed, nervous, but I couldn't refuse, ' a 2013 applicant told the HRW according to GlobalPost. 'If I had refused, I couldn't have become a policewoman.'

According to another female applicant, the tests have seen the aspiring police officers undress in front of 20 other candidates before being led into a room without a door, in pairs.

There, in the company of the other applicants, the women were subjected to internal examinations to determine if they were virgins.

of someone saying something to me,' she said.

'But majority of the customers just want to chat and have a good laugh. Some guys have been out bush for 60 days so they just like having a female to talk to.'

Skimpy documentary director Mariel Thomas spent a week on the road with Shae and her colleagues as they worked a bar circuit.

'What I found surprising was the skimpies are part of the furniture at these venues,' Ms Thomas told Daily Mail Australia.

Skimpies are as much a part of the WA mining landscape as road trains and stubbies and whenever men have flocked to mining boomtowns, women providing the entertainment haven't been far behind.

Boyfriend cuts off his penis after girlfriend dumps him for being bad in bed

A

man blamed his small penis for his girlfriend breaking up

with him and decided to chop it off with a razor.

But after cutting off his

Kinki University to change its name because you kNOW why

T

he Japanese school announced it is changing its name, the Agence France-Presse reported. Dean Hitoshi Shiozaki told outlets he has had enough of foreigners giggling at the name.

Kinki is an actual region in Japan, but no matter.

"The word ‘kinky ’ also means perverted,” he said. “We have no other choice than changing the English name because we are serious about pursuing a more international school culture."

The campus is being renamed Kindai University -- a combo of “Kinki” and “Daigaku” (university).

The new name will take effect in 2016.

The Telegraph notes that the school was founded in 1949 and has become one of the largest universities in western Japan, with three teaching hospitals.

"It is not clear whether the change in name will affect the university's English language newspaper, the Kinki Times," the BBC wrote.

organ and throwing it in a bin, 22-year-old Oliver Ilic, was unable to stop the bleeding.

He called emergency services and was taken to a hospital in Kocani, Macedonia, where he told medics he had decided to cut it off because it was no use.

He explained his girlfriend had ended their relationship after telling him he was not good in bed.

Police searched his house and found the severed penis in a bin along with the razor blade he had used.

Local doctors were unable to reattach the organ and Mr Ilac was taken to another hospital in capital Skopje - where surgeons successfully reattached it in a five-hour operation.

But it is too early to know if Mr Ilac's penis will function properly again.

Another Macedonian man recently chopped off his own penis.

But unlike Mr Ilic, the man flushed it away in the toilet so it was not able to be reattached.

SA TURD AY Vanguard, NO VEMBER 22, 2014—37 SATURD TURDA NOVEMBER

N

UI holds 66th FFoundation oundation Da Dayy

igeria’s premier university on Monday rolled out drums to celebrate its 66th Foundation Day. Highlights of the occasion include admissions for doctorate degrees, conferment of honourary degree, amongst others. The ceremony held at International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

L-R: Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof.Tekene Tamuna, Emeritus Prof. Theophilous Ogunlesi and Mr. Olujinmi Olukoya.

L-R: VC, University of Ibadan, Isaac Adewole, Prof. Wole Soyinka, his wife, Folake Soyinka and Mr. Olujinmi Olukoya, UI Registrar.

L-R: VC, UI, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Emeritus Prof.

Theophilous Ogunlesi and Mr. Olujinmi Olukoya, Registrar.

When Y emi Emik o submitt ed nomination fform orm Yemi Emiko submitted

P

rince Yemi Emiko, senatorial aspirant for Delta South on the platform of the APC, on Thursday submitted his nomination forms to the State leadership of the party.

L-R, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prof. Tekene Tamuna and Prof.

Theophilous Ogunlesi

Faith and FFrida rida ridayy

T

he wedding between Faith and Friday Imobighe which took at TREM, Apapa, Lagos on Nov ember 1, 2014. Their families and friends graced the occasion.

L-R: Chief Adelabu Bojor, State Vice Chairman, Delta Central; Prince Emiko: Chief Cyril Ogodo, State Deputy Chair; State Chairman, Prophet Jones Erue and State Legal Adviser, Barrister Onojejeghuo.

L-R: Chief Bojor; Prince Yemi Emiko, Chief Ogodo, Prophet Erue, Apostle Yemi Omaghomi & Chief Onojeghuo.

Amina and Biola

B

iola Olubadejo changed his marital status recently when he was joined in a holy matrimony with his beau, Amina Mustapha, daughter of Alhaja Y. Mustapha. Family members, friends and well-wishers were there to witness their union.

The couple; Mr & Mrs Friday Imobighe.

The couple, Mr and Mrs Biola Olubadejo

From right: The bride, Amina Olubadejo, kneeling as she collects her dowry from the groom, Biola Olubadejo while family members watch.

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From right;Mr. Ola Olubadejo, groom's father; groom, Mr. Biola Olubadejo; bride, Amina Olubadejo; bride's mum, Alhaja Y. Mustapha and a relative

From left: Mrs Gladys Chukwuedo, Emmanuel Chukwedo, Mr & Mrs Friday Imobighe, Myke Chukwuedo & Chidinmma Chukwuedo.

38 — SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Tricked into getting pregnant by a married love-rat!

W

HAT is it with men who lie to get a woman into bed even when they don’t have to? Is it because they’re just compulsive liars or irresponsible men who see nothing wrong with lying through their teeth to get whatever they want?

They lie to get female attention, steal colleagues’ ideas and present them as theirs to get promotion and lie out of buying rounds of drinks when it’s their turn.

Unfortunately, the number of these type of irresponsible men are on the increase, and it doesn’t matter if they are well bred or poor! The disease is often in the blood!

Franka and Kayode are members of a club and they met regularly—especially in the gym. They were good friends too, and last December, when everyone was rushing home to get ready for the club’s all-night Christmas eve party, Kayode was at the club’s bar, downing beer. “Hurry up”, got over his heart problem. daughter.. He brought her Franka called out to him, That was the first time I heard over a couple of times and cheerily, “or you’ll miss all about his dad being ill, but I told me sadly he wanted the fun.” Kayode shrugged decided to be patient with more children—but his life and told her: “I’m not him. That marked the didn’t.

That was one of the coming, I had a fight with beginning of his disappearing major reasons they didn’t my wife and this time, we acts—if he wasn’t ill, his see eye-to-eye. He then have had one too many.” started urging me to let’s try Franka was taken aback. for a baby, buying gifts and According to her: “I had no fancy gadgets for my flat. idea he’d been having Why not, I thought I was problems with his wife who already 30 years old and I’d seen a couple of times. I wasn’t getting younger. told him to go home, and try “When I got pregnant a to sort things out with his few months later, he was wife. He agreed but when over the moon. He got down next I saw him, which was mobile phone would be on his knees and kissed my’ in the New Year, he told me switched off. stomach—then thanked me he’d finished with his wife “When I learnt from a over and over again.

When I as things, hadn’t worked mutual friend that there was told him a few weeks later it out. nothing wrong with his dad, was about time I met his “He was so upset that he he said the friend was lying parents, he promised I turned to me for support. He but it was obvious who was. would as soon as his father wanted to call at my place and I said he was free to do so. Anything to put the smile back on his face. And that’s how he became a This can easily be innocent, ere, a marriage constant visitor to my flat. but where is the extra cash? counsellor who has Before we took things (You might never know if lover spent over 16 years sifting further, I wanted to know boy is giving her overtime through the ruins of other how things were with his pay?). people’s relationship gives wife and he told me they his analysis of how stayed together that long Sexually transmitted because of their daughter. partnership can lose its infections: That it was time for him to meaning, and a few Towels and toilet seats move on. A lot of my suggestions for not letting it explanations simply aren’t friends, especially the ones happen. good enough. at the club were skeptical Signs she is having an about our relationship affair: because of the short time Things she is getting from Look for a sudden short between the end of an affair that she is not term drop-off sex. Everyone Kayode’s marriage and the getting at home: has appetite—exactly where start of our relationship. But “Excitement; that is the main is she satisfying hers? the ones who knew us well thing”.

Having a secret life. If Radically, different sexual agreed we were happy you are clever enough, your behaviour; if she suddenly together and wished us marriage should be her secret starts suggesting things he well. So most nights he life! hasn’t done before, or doing stayed at my place, I never things very differently even if felt guilty! The only time he Full time attention: it’s better, where is she was away was weekends getting the idea from?

He is trying harder than when he went to spend time you. Usually a step up, Sudden increase in with his eight-year old someone better than husband working hours:

Did he love me at all?

He assured me he did but a few days later, he turned up at mine visibly shaken. ‘My wife’s found out you’re pregnant,’ he croaked. I told him it was about time since they were no longer an item. Shortly after, my mobile phone beeped with a message.

It was from his wife.

‘Now that you’ve wrecked my marriage, I hope you’re happy’, it read. When I showed it to Kayode and asked why his wife was calling me names, he said it was because she was jealous he’d found happiness and I should just ignore her. I’d had enough of all this cat-and-mouse game, so I called his wife.

As soon as I told her who I was, she started ranting: ‘I know who you

The number of these type of irresponsible men are on the increase, and it doesn’t matter if they are well bred or poor!

,

are and about your affair with my husband.’

Affair? She went on, ‘ you lied to him that you! religion forbids contraception so you

could trick him into getting married’. I assured her our baby was planned, that we weren’t having an affair since her relationship with Kayode was over before we got together. She snorted they never broke up. That he had time for me because he was working away.

“She must have told Kayode of our conversation because I didn’t see for a long while. He just sent a text that he was disgusted with me. I texted back: that I never wanted to see him again, that I was well rid of him and lots more.

‘I don’t know what I’ve done for you to arrive at that decision’, he replied, ‘but it will never get in the way of me and my child. I’ll make sure it knows who I am.’

Now Kayode’s back with his wife and I’ve discovered a lot of things he told me were a load of rubbish. My child is due soon, and it is sad there’s no husband or a prospective father to make the event a thrilling one.

But I’ll be fine. I don’t have any respect for irresponsible people like him and I certainly wouldn’t be proud to call him the father of a child I’d so long looked forward to having”.

,

Ho w tto o ttell ell when yyour our relationship is dying How H

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in at least one respect— looks, money, youth.

Mistakes husbands make: Not adjusting to the fact that you are married. Like it or not, you are now part of a double act, and you can’t carry on as if nothing happened. Women like to see visible signs of commitment, so cut down on after work drinks with the boys.

Getting fat: It sounds harsh, but there are a lot of thin guys out there who’ll be trying it on your wife.

Taking her for granted: Undervaluing her,

expecting her to be there and expecting her not to get suspicious when you’re having affairs.

Overworking: A lot of high-achieving guys drive themselves hard often thinking it is for the sake of their wives or family. But outing in excessive hours to generate your wealth just provides her with motive, means and opportunity for adultery.

“However painful, there comes a time when a marriage is beyond repair”, continues the counsellor. According to him, “Violence is not a good sign.”

VOL. 1: NO. 3

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Executive, Legislature face-off heats up Ekiti politics

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

T

here is no love lost between members of the All Progressives Congress, APC dominated lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly and the new state government of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, since October 21, when the new governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose came on board.

Naturally, one is expected the kind of cat and mouse relationship existing between the two opposing parties, who had earlier engaged each other in the turbulent June 21 governorship election in the state.

It is interesting to note that before the inauguration of Governor Fayose, of the 26member state assembly, the PDP had only one member, while the remaining 25 were members of the APC. But when Fayose came on board, six aggrieved APC members dumped their party for the PDP, therefore, leaving APC with 19 lawmakers and seven PDP lawmakers in the state assembly.

In the wake of Fayose’s inauguration, rumour had it that the APC under the regime of Dr. Kayode Fayemi allegedly worked in concert with the state judiciary to stop Fayose

from being inaugurated through the court based on the eligibility case filed against him by the Ekiti-

Omirin had been under serious suspicion by members of the PDP in the state assembly

based socio-political organization, the E 11.

The calculation, according to those in the PDP was that after the removal of Fayose and the expiration of the 4-year term of Fayemi, the allegedly impeached Speaker of the state assembly, Hon. Adewale Omirin would emerge as the Acting Governor of the state, for the next 90 days according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Following this scenario, Omirin had been under serious suspicion by the members of the PDP in the state assembly.

This frosty relationship

between the executive arm of government and the APC dominated House, played out glaringly on June 11, 2014, when the governor wrote to the House to thrash out three issues.

Three contending issues

One, the screening and confirmation of the list of the three commissioner nominees sent to the House by Fayose.

Two, power to constitute caretaker committees in all the 16 local government areas of the state and the approval of the House to source for the sum of N2 billion loan from the N220 billion Central Bank Continues on Page 2

IN THIS EDITION

Residents groan over 102-yr-old abandoned Ojutu bridge

Ogun youths recount shocking tales of enslavement by foreign firm •Page 2

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•Page 3

Blood bath as factional carpenter association clash in Ondo •Page 7

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

OSUN STATE

Residents groan over 102-yr-old abandoned Ojutu bridge

BY LATEEF DADA

I

LOBU—-One hundred and two years old Ojutu bridge is an ancient bridge in Ilobu, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun state with remarkable history. The most interesting history of Ojutu river is that it has been a force against external attack of the town during wars.

The bridge which was constructed in 1912 by the British colonialist, South West Voice gathered has been abandoned, by successive governments at the state and federal levels, leaving untold hardship on the people.

The bridge which links Osogbo, the state capital with Ilobu, is however, on the federal way, but because of its narrowness and rickety condition, it can only accommodate a car at a time.

A lecturer in Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, who is an indigene of Ilobu, Mr. Adewale Azeez, said the river has been a major source of water and a natural barrier against enemy attacks, adding that all efforts to mobilise the community for the construction of the road has been futile as the cost rehabilitating the bridge is beyond the financial muscles of the community.

Financial muscles He said the successive governments in the state have been approached in the past, but they have insisted that the road belongs to the federal government, and so not in their purview to carry-out any rehabilitation work on it.

According to Hon. Lasun Yussuf, who represents Osogbo/ Irepodun/Orolu/Olorunda Federal constituency at the House of Representatives, he confirmed that the bridge is indeed ancient and needs urgent attention.

Speaking to South West Voice, during this year ’s annual celebration of Ilobu Day, Yussuf lamented the neglect of the bridge by the federal government, saying that it has hindered free access to and out of the town.

Ilobu said: “The poor condition of the bridge is as a result of the years of neglect by successive federal governments.

Even as a legislator, if you recommend it to be fixed, nobody will finance it and government will not give attention to it until they are convinced.

“It is a federal road and the C M Y K

*Gridlock on Ojutu bridge...

attention of the executive arm of government has been drawn to it several times. The Committee on Works has visited the place severally, yet nothing has been done about it.”

On whether he has raised the issue at the House of Representatives, he said “even

the present members of the House had sent delegates to visit the bridge but no tangible results have come out of the visit.”

Meanwhile, the National President, Ilobu Development Union, IPU, Alhaji Lekan Yusuff, has urged Governor

Rauf Aregbesola to help arrest the problems of road plaguing the community.

Speaking at the 2014 Ilobu Day, the IPU president said: “Your first tenure had positive impact on the lives of the good people of Osun. It is our fervent hope that your second term in

office will bring more dividends of democracy to all the people of Osun. You had promised that Osogbo-Ilobu-Oyo State boundary road would be reconstructed and dualised very soon. We believe you. We pray that God will help you to fulfil your promise.”

Executive, Legislature face-off heats up Ekiti politics Continues from page 2 of Nigeria, CBN business loan.

The House at its plenary session approved the raising of the N2 billion CBN loan and tactically turned down two other requests, given reasons that the commissioner nominees were turned down for confirmation, because their curriculum vitae were not attached with the letter of request.

On the composition of the caretaker committees, the House refused to deliberate on the issue on the premise that the matter was pending in the court However, Vanguard gathered that the lawmakers were only looking for lame excuses to advance their course, as they were alleged to have made certain demands, some of which were considered ridiculous and undesirable by the new governor.

Parts of the demands, according to Mr Owoseni Ajayi, a lawyer, the state’s new Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice was the issue of not reopening some of the murder cases hanging on the neck of some of the APC leaders in the state.

As the ongoing melee continued, there was another bombshell on Monday, November 17, when the

7 PDP lawmakers in the assembly and three unidentified people sat at the assembly amid water-tight security, to ratify the list of the three commissioner nominees earlier sent to the House.

The lawmakers who appointed Speaker Pro tempore in person of Hon. Dele Olugbemi equally empowered the governor to appoint 12 Special Advisers and go ahead to constitute caretaker committees to man the affairs of the 16 local government councils in the state.

This happened with no fewer than 100 anti-riot policemen and a sizeable number of officials of Department of State Security (DSS) to provide security for the PDP lawmakers. The lawmakers were later piloted out of the assembly premises with a government coastal bus.

However, this action has since stirred the hornet’s nest in the state, as there have been accusations and counter-accusations between the APC and the PDP. In a swift statement by the state APC image maker, Taiwo Olatubosun, he insisted that only 7 PDP lawmakers were in the House, and thus the actions were illegal since a two-third quorum was not reached.

Olatubosun, however challenged the governor to mention the names

of all the 10 law makers involved in the ratification and the constituencies they are representing.

This is even as the Speaker, Hon. Omirin alleged through his spokesperson that the account of the running grant of the House has been frozen by the governor; his office sealed up and that all the official vehicles attached to the speaker including his aides have been withdrawn.

Responding, the chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi described all the allegations as untrue, pointing that “the governor was magnanimous in approving 100 per cent of the running grants of the lawmakers. The running grants of all the ministries, agencies and parastatals have been cut because of the acute shortage of state resource.

Similarly, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, said “it was the government of Fayemi that had a law that only the state governor could appoint aides to the lawmakers and council chairmen. The governor has merely revalidated the laws made by Fayemi. So, if the speaker still wants some of his aides working with him, he needs to present their names to Mr Governor to consider the request.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 —3

OGUN STATE *The aggrieved workers during the protest in front of Midland Rolling Mills Limited...

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTAThe expression of frustration and anguish was what wroth the faces of over 100 youths, who recently stormed the Secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, in Oke-Ilewo Abeokuta, Ogun State, to protest their alleged enslavement by their employers, mainly foreigners.

The youths between the ages of 20 and 30, said they came to seek the help of the media over their plights, lamenting that several of their colleagues have lost their limbs and lives, while operating heavy duty machines, at their work places, mostly construction sites.

According to them, they have become victims of explosion which occurred within the premises of the companies they work. And when their colleagues suffer serious injury or die, during the course of operations, the companies established by foreigners in their fatherland, usually abandon them to their fate.

Expectedly, after listening to their pathetic story which they attributed to the lack of ‘decent jobs’, in the country, which left them to opt for the available dangerous jobs, members of the state NUJ resolved to assist them make known their plights to the authorities.

In a related development, the aggrieved workers staged a protest in the front of Indianowned Midland Rolling Mills Limited, located at Kilometre 10, Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway, of the Abeokuta North Local Government, of the state.

Medical benefit The irate youths who carried placards with various inscriptions such as: “Implement night allowance,” “Implement agreement for annual increment,” “Implement sustenance of medical benefit due to industrial hazard,” among others, however vowed to continue the disruption of work, unless their demands were met.

The workers who also alleged that the company did not allow them to form a union, which could represent their interest. This according to them had subjected many of them to casual workers for upward of four years, even as their salaries and allowances have not been increased over this period..

Spokesman for the aggrieved workers, Olawale Joe, said for four years they had endured the inhuman treatment in the company, which manufactures cold rolled steel coils.

He said: “The protest is peaceful.

All we want from the management are basically salary increment, because we have been working for several years without any increment, we want bonuses and payment of night allowance since we do night shifts.

“We also demand the C M Y K

Ogun youths recount shocking tales of enslavement by foreign firm *Akinola Asiwaju who lost his four fingers to a cutting machine during the construction of a bridge at Itoku market...

regularisation of employment for those of us who have been working as casual workers for some years, paid between N3,000 and N4,000.

Some us are exposed to smoke from acid, we need prompt and regular medical check up. Apart from these, we need to be taken milk regularly to neutralise the effect.

“Severally, we have spoken to the management concerning our plight but up to this moment nothing has been done.”

Reacting to the allegation, the management of the company said they would look into the grievances and address the demands of the workers within two weeks.

The General Manager, Bibhas Bhanjdeo, an Indian, said the company was undergoing some challenges, which include drop in sales. He however, pledged to meet their demands within a short period.

However, last month, no fewer than seven workers lost their lives during an industrial accident in Phoenix Steel Mills Limited, Ogijo-Remo, Ogun State.

Vanguard gathered that the melting machine was over loaded with input that added extra pressure beyond its melting point, forcing the substance from the furnace to splash on the workers at the platform.

According to an eyewitness, the victims, who were writhing in pains, were immediately rushed to a private hospital at Ikorodu in Lagos, though they were still talking. These workers it was learnt were referred to a specialist hospital in Lagos, but due to complications, they lost their lives.

Another incident occurred on Monday November 17,2014,

when a labourer with Chinese wood and in the process, the Civil Construction Engineering cutting machine pinned down my Company, Oyebola Adeolu fell hand and severed four fingers. down from an uncompleted “I was rushed to a private flyover at Iyana Mortuary in hospital, but, the hospital rejected Abeokuta and sustained injury in me because of the extent of the the back, hands and legs. damage. I was later taken to a state The victim who was said to be hospital in Ijaye by the company working as a carpenter with the but, I was abandoned there. company suddenly lost a grip “The company did not check on while working on the bridge and me, it only sent one of the company fell down. nurses who brought N3,000 to pay He was quickly rushed to the for my cards and some small state hospital where he was being expenses. But after that, nobody treated. showed up again until I When our correspondent visited discharged myself. the hospital, at Ijaiye, Adeolu was “After I discharged myself, I went seen being wheeled into the back to the company but, later in theatre where an X-ray was to be February this year, I was sacked done on him. because I reported them to a Shortly before the x-ray, the human rights group. victim who was a contract staff said “Since then, I have been jobless. he could not say the extent of the When I went to work at a small injury until the result of the x-ray company that produces sachet water, I was rejected come out. because of my hand.

Also, a pathetic “I have been story narrated by a 27rendered jobless and year-old Akinola I am just sitting at Asiwaju who claimed home doing nothing to be a casual worker because of my hand. I of CCCEC in have sought for a Abeokuta at the lawyer’s assistance to carpentry section. help me because I Akinola had lost his have not been four fingers to a compensated. I want cutting machine justice. I demand for during the N10 million,” he said. construction of a When contacted, a bridge at Itoku He did not man identified as market.

Personnel Manager According to him, “I lose four described the lost my four fingers on fingers. He allegation levelled October 5.2013 when against the company I was working on the lost only one Itoku bridge. On that finger and he as a blatant lie.

He said the fateful day, I had has refused to company has never finished my work, but, been negligent or my immediate boss come for lackadaisical with its asked me to help one treatment workers lives, saying, Matthew to cut a

when the recent incident occurred the company quickly rushed the victim to the state hospital.

According to him, “when the issue occurred, we took him to the state hospital. but, Asiwaju didn’t allow the company to treat him.

Although, the company paid him four months salaries while he was absent from work. We asked him to go home and rest, but, when he came back to the company, he was just doing what he wants, he would come one day and absent the other days.

Court service “He arranged lawyers to fight the company. When he was asked what he wants he said he wants those fingers back and the next thing he served us court service.

“He did not lose four fingers. He lost only one finger and he has refused to come for treatment,” he said .

It was also gathered that some workers with a telecommunication outfit in Abeokuta are suffering from ear and eye impairments.

Vanguard gathered that, some of them have been having serious complaints on their eyes and ears following the long hours they spent on the system.

One of the victims, who claimed that she had lost her ear drum and could not hear a word unless with hearing aid said “I can not get work anywhere because of this problem.”

Attempt to get reactions from the company was unsuccessful as some of its officials referred our correspondent to the Managing Director, who they said was not around.

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

OWA'NBE... THE SOCIAL LIFE OF YORUBA Thanksgiving Service

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (middle), his wife, Olufunso (2nd right), Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo (2nd left), his wife, Olori Gbadebo (left) and wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola (right) during the Thanksgiving Service held in commemoration of Alake's 9th Coronation Anniversary at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta.

Debbie and Ike’s traditional wedding

*Iradat Faruq-Onikijipa and Abdulrahman Akanbi’s Grand Ilorin & Lagos Wedding

Debbie and Ike met through mutual friends and this happened when both took time off their normal day routine. The connection was astonishing and they couldn’t go their separate ways without becoming friends. Ike made sure he got Debbie’s contact details and they have been inseparable ever since.

*MOTILAYO & BANJI

Little girl in her colourful Aso Ebi

Motilayo was not ready to settle down when she met Banji. Motilayo didn’t want to fall just for any guy but someone special and dear to her. Lola was concerned about Motilayo’s single status because she knew she was insecure about men. She tried really hard to bring Motilayo out of her comfort zone to mingle with people and see that she can actually be loved and cherished if she gives LOVE a chance. Lola introduced Banji to Motilayo; it wasn’t love at first sight but the connection was great…The rest they say is history.

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 — 5

OSUN STATE

Osun teacher escapes death by whiskers for scolding students

By LATEEF DADA

O

SOGBO—For more than 15 years that Osho Bamidele Samuel has been teaching, Friday, October 24, 2014, will forever remain unforgettable, as he escaped death by whiskers, in the hands of some of his students who beat him black and blue because he scolded them for indiscipline.

Trouble started that fateful day, when Samuel, who teaches English Language and Literature-in-English to the SSS2 and 3 students of St. Marks Anglican Grammar School, Kolabalogun area, Osogbo, Osun State, when he scolded a group of students, numbering five, who were not in their classrooms while lectures were ongoing.

Vanguard gathered that it was around 1pm that day, when Samuel, who was assigned to distribute learning furniture (chairs and desks) to other schools, saw the group of students gathered in an empty classroom within the school premises, while lectures were ongoing in other classrooms.

It was when he enquired why they were not in their classrooms like other students receiving lectures, that they pounced on him like angry tigers, twisted his arms to the point dislocation, as well as dragged him on the floor for several hours before other teachers came to his rescue

*Accused students being led out of court However, it was also gathered that the assault suffered by Samuel in the hands of the students may not be unconnected to the controversial merging of schools by the Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.

Investigations by our correspondent reveals that this kind of scenario has currently been recurring, because students that were merged with other schools, are usually known to be recalcitrant in taking orders from teachers that do not originally belong to their school.

Narrating his ordeal, Samuel said: “It

was around 1p.m on Friday, October 24, 2014, that I was assigned by school authorities to distribute learning furniture to other schools. On going back to my office in Block 5, after I finished, I discovered that lectures were ongoing, in all the four classrooms, except the one close to my office.

“On entering the classroom, I met a group of students there. I asked them what they were doing but they didn’t answer me. I said are you in my school?

If you are in my school, go to the class.

If you are not in my school, go to your school. I don’t want to see any student

Alaba Market road undergoes repair

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

A

FTER many years of neglect, motorists and traders around ever busy Alaba International Market Road, Ojo, will soon heave a sigh of relief as the Lagos State Public Works Corporation has commenced maintenance work on the road.

Alaba International market which is noted for both genuine and fake electronic products is always thronged by customers from wide and near to trade. Businesses in billions are being transacted on weekly basis in the market.

The extensive work which is to cover critically failed sections of the road started last Saturday November 15 th , 2014, following a directive from Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State to address the deplorable state of the road by direct labour C M Y K

*Alaba road before the re-construction

approach, pending major reconstruction work in the nearest future.

Speaking at a stake holders forum attended by the Alaba

market representatives, and key officials of Ojo Local Government and other leaders in the community, the Executive Chairman, LSPWC

Mr. Gbenga Akintola hinted that the work has been planned as night operation,

Continues on page 7

disturbing when lecture is going on in the class.

“At this point, one of them came close to me and steering at me in the eyes. I said to him, are you mad? I asked you to go to your classroom and you are coming to me. He came closer and wanted to chest me. I said, definitely you must be a tout.

“When I got angry and held on to his trousers in order to take him out for punishment, his friends pounced on me and started twisting my hands.

They pushed me to the wall, dragged me on the floor.

Unfortunate incident “However, it was when some students who saw the unfortunate incident, ran to call other teachers, we apprehended two of them, while the others ran away and began to throw stones at us.”

Speaking further, the teacher said: “It has been hell for teachers in Osun State, since schools were merged and students began using the same uniform. Before the reclassification programme, the situation was under control, but now, if we call a student to do something, he or she will just walk away saying I am not in your school,” As at the time of filing this report, the teacher was still unable to move his hands, as he was said to be receiving medical attention.

Meanwhile, while three of the students who allegedly dealt with their teacher have been charged to court, others were charged to juvenile court, as they were not yet 18 years, thus their exclusion from the charge sheet.

This is even as their ring-leader known as Rado is still at large.

The police prosecutor, Mr. Isiaka Ajadi, said efforts are on to arrest Rado.

6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

ONDO STATE

*Hon. Ebenezer Alabi, Ondo PDP chairman

*Gov. Olusegun Mimiko

ONDO PDP IMBROGLIO:

Can the umbrella still be mended?

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—-The crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Ondo State, following the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko to the party, seem not to be settled.

Despite the marathon meeting, in Abuja, to broker peace by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party, led by President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu and the Senate President, David Mark among, the troubled cloud in the party seem not to be settled, as indications have it that the resolutions have somersaulted few days after.

Some leaders of the party in the state who attended the meeting, and are said to be crucial to all the agreements reached have capitulated and are now singing a new song on touching their feet in the state.

Leaders of the party that attended last week’s two-day marathon meeting include former governorship candidate Chief Olusola Oke; business mogul, Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim; Dr Bode Olajumoke, Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, the state party chairman, Hon. Ebenezer Alabi who led members of the state working Committee.

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Others include Presidential instituted to tie the hands of Adviser on Amnesty, Kingsley the NWC from sacking the Kuku, Tokunbo Kayode, the state EXCO following Director General of the Mimiko’s defection was a National Sports Commission, business mogul, Barrister NSC, Hon. Gbenga Jimoh Ibrahim, said to be Elegbeleye, the Chief of staff arrow-head and the sponsor of to President Jonathan, the many suits in the courts.

The former governorship Brigadier General Jones Oladeinde Arogbofa candidate of (rtd); Dr. Pius the party, Osunyikanmi, two Chief Olusola former Speakers in Oke, who also the state House of described the Assembly, Hon. integration Victor Olabimtan and agreement and Taofiq reached in Abdusalam, as well Abuja as unfair as former and lacked Information justice, held Commissioners that it was Eddy Olafeso and meant to huJohn Mafo. m i l i a t e Also in attendance members of are the National the old PDP, Assembly members and thus would representing the be resisted. state and other Ibrahim on notable leaders of the other hand, the party.

I will stand is said to dicMeanwhile, Chief tate the by the state Olusola Oke and leadership of Jimoh Ibrahim who EXCO none the party by attended the two of them will the governor meetings in Abuja, and has instiresign.

The separately confirmed gated many that the peace state party leaders from agreement has the Southern structure can broken down. part of the First to disagree not be negostate to with the agreement frustrate all tiated in to withdraw the entries by the pending suit isolation governor.

Oke, who spoke in Akure, pointed that “I will stand by the state EXCO none of them will resign. The state party structure can not be negotiated in isolation. All options suggested to the governor to resolve the crisis were turned down.”

Noting that the disqualification of the 47 House of Assembly aspirants who are members of the new PDP was “organised,” he added “I will stand with the state EXCO. Nothing has changed. But we will continue to explore all avenues to reconcile with the new PDP members.”

Vanguard learnt that during the meeting, the governor was asked to produce the Chairman and 13 other officers in the State Working Committee, while the Old PDP were given the secretaryship position and 12 other officers down to the ward levels.

The party chairman and others displaced by this new political re-ordering of positions were to be accommodated in the state cabinet and boards and parastatals.

Other agreement reached according to a leader of the party who is also a BOT member Dr. Bode Olajumoke was that the new PDP takes 17 of the 26 seats in the House of Assembly, while the old PDP takes nine.

Also, the governor is to take another five seats in the House of Representatives, while the old PDP takes four.

The old PDP is also to take one of the seats in the Senate leaving the other two to the new PDP. Also, of the 27 positions in the State Working Committee, the new PDP is to take 14 while the Old PDP takes 13.

This agreement is said not to have gone down well with the old PDP which prefers to have 10 seats in the Assembly.

But the governor sensing that if he concedes the 10 seats to the old PDP as against his 16 which is not a two third, they may give him sleepless nights till when he leaves in two years time.

It was gathered that while other state Working Committee members of the party have agreed to honour the Abuja agreement by resigning, the state Chairman Hon. Alabi, said to be acting on the instruction of some leaders and the 47 aggrieved House of Assembly aspirants recently disqualified by the screening Committee, has vowed not to resign

Discouraging attitude Alabi, who spoke during a meeting with the business Mogul Jimoh Ibrahim held with aggrieved PDP aspirants who were disqualified from contesting the House of Assembly election next year at his Igbotako Country home, debunked the rumour that he had resigned his position owing to the pressure mounted on him.

Alabi, however, disclosed that he only volunteered to throw in the towel based on the discouraging attitude of some leaders of the party in the state.

Ibrahim who at the meeting, appealed to aggrieved members of the party in the state not to defect to another party, however advised them to remain in the party and fight any injustice done to them, adding that the current crisis in the state chapter of the PDP would soon be over.

Barring last minute decision, many aspirants eyeing positions in the state and National Assembly are waiting in the wings considering whether to stay in the PDP or to seek political relevance elsewhere since the umbrella seems not big enough to contain the new and old PDP gladiators.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014 — 7

ONDO STATE

Blood bath, as factional carpenters association clash in Ondo

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE—-The once united and formidable Carpenter and Furniture Makers Professional Unions Ondo state Chapter is now disunited. No thanks to alleged high-handedness by leaders of the Association.

South West Voice learnt that the crisis which has lasted over a year has degenerated and has led some members of the union to break-away and formed another union called Carpenter Association of Nigeria.

However, the insistence of the parent body to continue to collect fees from the breakaway group snowballed into a bloody clash last week, leaving many members from both sides wounded and hospitalised.

It took the timely intervention of detectives from the State Police Command to quell the clash, which saw the members fighting with dangerous weapons.

Furniture contract

*The association’s vandalised vehicle

they formed another association and was South West Voice gathered registered with the Corporate that the crux of the matter was Affairs Commission, after that some well educated which it notified the state members of the parent body government. allegedly diverted furniture He pointed out that their contracts awarded to the demand for the sharing of the union by the state government assets and liabilities of the running into millions of naira. association was turned down The contracts according to by the union leaders. investigation has to do with It was gathered that the the supply of table and chairs break-away carpenter for the Mega association Primary schools instructed its constructed by members not to government pay any fees into across the state. the coffers of the One of the parent body after members of the their registration break-away with CAC and the union said the state governor. ‘educated T h i s leaders always development corner the lion reportedly irked share of the gains One of the the parent body of the contracts, which also members of leaving others to instructed its share peanuts. the breakofficials to stop Speaking with any carpenter away union South West working in any Voice, Chairman said the construction site of the breakif association fees ‘educated away carpenter are not paid. leaders association, The matter got K o l a w o l e to a boiling point always corner Olakunle said week when the lion share last they went their some carpenters separate ways of the gains of working at a because “ we site the contracts, construction were been in Ipinsha area of cheated.” leaving others Akure were Olakunle assaulted and to share added that after beaten up for not the break-away, peanuts fulfilling the C M Y K

monetary obligation to the union.

News of the attack filtered to other carpenters and they mobilized en masse to the scene and a bloody clash ensued leaving many wounded.

A member of the parent body Aremu Adedipe said the break-away group are the aggressors.

Adedipe said that the members were asked to stop work at the different sites they were engaged following their failure to pay the compulsory fees into the association coffers.

“Instead of them to explain the situation to our members

they mobilised themselves and started beating and dragging our members on the ground.”

However, Olakunle said his members were harassed and beaten up by officials of the other association for failure to pay the fees.

“Why should we keep paying fees to them when we have formed our own union,” he asked.

According to him three members were wounded during the fracas while the association vehicle was damaged.

Contacted, the Special Adviser to the governor on Union Matters, Comrade Dayo Fadahunsi confirmed

that the new union was dully registered after they brokeaway from their parent union.

Fadahunsi, however condemned the bloody clash between the two groups, warning that government would not take kindly any breach of peace in the state.

He appealed to the two groups to continue to maintain peace in the interest of the association and their members Similarly, the state Police command image maker, Wole Ogodo when contacted, said the matter is been handled by police, assuring that the internal imbroglio would soon be resolved.

Alaba Market road undergoes repair Continues from page 5 owing to the high volume of human and vehicular movement in that axis.

Akintola explained that the stake holders forum was necessitated by the need to see the co-operation of road users, shop owners and others whose activities might slow down the pace of work if necessary steps were not taken.

He therefore used the opportunity to charge traders

and residents in the area to take ownership of the road after the maintenance work by waging a collective war against any habits that could lead to avoidable damage of roads such as dumping of refuse in drain and excess axle load among others.

He also explained it took the cooperation to commence repair works due to the new Badagry Asphalt Plant which’s completion was being awaited.

He however added that now that the plant is being

completed, Asphalt and other necessary materials would be easily sourced in a more efficient way rather than bringing them from the Ojodu-Berger Plant.

In her remark, the Council Manager Ojo Local Government, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Salami expressed her appreciation to the LSPWC boss and his team for their intervention on the road, which according to her is one of the most strategic within the Ojo community.

8 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Oronna Ilaro festival grand finale tomorrow

Court to hear suit against Lagos environmental sanitation exercise

A

Federal High Court Lagos Tuesday fixed January 28, 2015 to hear a suit filed by a Lagos lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, challenging the monthly Environmental Sanitation exercise in Lagos State.

The lawyer is seeking a declaration that the restriction of his movement, and that of other residents of Lagos State on the last Saturday of every month, constitutes a breach of

their rights to freedom of movement.

Joined as respondents in the suit are the Inspector General of Police, L agos State Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Governor and the state’ Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

Other respondents are: Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, and the Lagos State Ministry of Environment.

No faction in Ogun UPN —Fasheun

*Ilaro indigenes at one of the past editions of the festival...

T

he grand finale of the Federal Government endorsed Oronna Ilaro Festival comes up on Saturday, November 22 at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion, Yewa Empire Field , Ilaro.

The climax of the week long cultural tourism event will have Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the governor of Ogun state as the Special Guest of Honour while the Director General of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation Mrs. Sally Mbanefo and Alhaji Aliko Dangote are Special Guests of Honour .

Other important dignitaries expected at the occasion are Sir Kessington Adebunkola Adebutu, who is the chairman of the Grand Finale as well as other top state and federal

government functionaries.

The Chairman of the planning committee, Chief Kayode Odunaro said the over two decades annual cultural festival which was endorsed as a tourism festival on national tourism calendar by Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in 2012 is celebrated in honour of the legendary warrior Oronna as a unifying platform for the display of cultural practices of Ilaro and Yewa people of Ogun state.

Tourism activities Earlier in the week the whole Ilaro community had kicked off the festival with a road show/ street carnival and various cultural and tourism activities

like tributes to Oronna and other deities, Egungun and Gelede Masquerade display, Sisi Ilaro cultural beauty pageant, Poosu Night in celebration of food tourism, a three day medical checkup programme, Festival 50 Kilometer race and the all white attire Onigba Aje ceremony.

At the grand finale over 50 clubs and societies will pay homage to HRM Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, the Olu of IlaroYewa and paramount Ruler of Yewaland.

As in last year, sons and daughters of Ilaro and Yewaland in Diaspora, as well as other foreign tourists from United Kingdom, USA and Barbados with cultural origin traceable to Ilaro-Yewa are participating in the festival geared toward eco-tourism.

Ex AAUA Pro-Chancellor donates books to varsity A

former Pro-Chancellor

and Chairman of the Governing Council of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Dr. Bode Olajumoke, has donated 392 volumes in 340 titles of books to the University Library.

Presenting the books to the

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Vice Chancellor, Prof. Femi Mimiko, Dr. Olajumoke, said the gesture was informed by his desire to encourage incoming generations to cultivate the habit of reading and to challenge the wellmeaning citizens to contribute to the development of

THE national chairman of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Dr. Frederick Fasheun, Tuesday, dismissed reports that there are two factions of party executives in Ogun State, saying the party remained one and united.

Fasheun made the clarification when he visited the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission

(INEC), where he presented a document containing all the names of chairmen of the party throughout the country.

Speaking with newsmen after the submission of the names which had Otunba Femi Soluade, as Ogun State chairman of the party, Fasheun said any other person claiming to be chairman of UPN in the state beside Soluade is fake.

Oyo NOA Director warns politicians

T

HE Oyo State Director of National Orientation Agency, Mr. Remi Omowon, has warned politicians in the state against buying voter cards or amassing them by fraudulent means, saying the system put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2015 general election would checkmate any attempt to vote by proxy.

Omowon spoke on Tuesday at the Oyo State House of Chiefs, Ibadan, during the agency’s Voter Education and Security Awareness Campaign.

He said: “Politicians should not bother to buy voter cards as the

arrangement put in place by INEC will not allow for voting by proxy or using another person’s voter card.

We call on the electorates not to sell their voter cards because it’s the only instrument they have to choose who will be their leader and how the nation’s future will be determined.

Anyone who sells his or her voter card has committed electoral malpractice.

We call on political parties, security agencies, judiciary, INEC and media involved in the process to play it according to the rules and regulations governing elections.”

THE TEAM Editor: Adeleke Adeseri education.

Olajumoke, an erstwhile Senator, however, advised the students of the university to maintain the peace in the university, as well as cooperate with the university management to move the institution forward.

Correspondents: Ola Ajayi Gbenga Olarinoye Dayo Johnson Gbenga Ariyibi Dapo Akinrefon Daud Olatunji Olasunkanmi Akoni Monsur Olowoepejo Ikenna Asomba

Ibadan Osogbo Akure Ado Ekiti Abeokuta Lagos

SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—39

YETUNDE AREBI

Family Planning: why men should take up the battle (2) T he advantages of family planning cannot be overemphasised both in terms of individual and societal good. Besides helping the woman to maintain a healthier lifestyle, it helps to harness and manage family resources better, while on a broader perspective, societies can control population explosion, as well as improve socio-economic infrastructure of their people. It is pure common sense and logic which has helped many economies across the world to thrive better.

Family planning, also known as child spacing or birth control dates as far back as 1550 BCE and are well documented in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt history which listed the insertion of acacia leaves, honey and lint into the woman’s private part to block the flow of sperm into the uterus as one of the earliest methods of contraceptive devices.

Contrary to popular opinion now, abortion was once classified as a form of contraceptive. A confirmation that this very important decision about family welfare has always been dumped on the shoulders of women. Our men simply ride us, spill their seeds and turn their attention to whatever catches their interests next. The outcome of such spillage is the responsibility of the woman. Modern technology has not really helped matters as most available contraceptives devices are still manufactured to work with the female anatomy. From barrier methods include the cervical caps, sponge, spermicide and diaphram; devices which provide physical barriers for the woman’s uterus, preventing sperm from entering. The Condom which used to be a male device in this category and acclaimed the most effective because of its dual preventive roles, (pregnancy and STD) now has a dubious and clumsy female version, still targeting women as the underdogs. You also have hormonal contraceptives which come in three forms, the pill, the shot or injections and the patch, with variations such as the ring and the intrauterine devices (IUDs), all designed to work against the natural mechanism of the female reproductive system. Then, you have the surgical contraceptives, also known as sterilization which are permanent forms, and include surgical tying, burning or clamping of the tubes, and hysterectomy which involves a partial or complete removal of the female reproductive organs. Of all the devices, only the condom and the vasectomy are designed for men who wish to take firm control of their reproductive destiny.

Just as there is a long list of contraceptive method options, so there exists a long list of side effects to their usage. There have been reported cases of weight gain and obesity as a result of hormonal contraceptives, spotting and bleeding in- between periods as well as irregular periods, secondary infertility among others, not to mention the

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discomfort of going through a process that is not foolproof. And when all these fail and an unwanted pregnancy occur, the trauma of undergoing an abortion is still the woman’s to bear. In countries such as Nigeria where abortion is technically outlawed, it is only natural that activities of unskilled or quack health workers will be high, taking advantage of the situation, causing permanent injuries to their helpless victims or sending them to their early graves. Even then, this would not stop the guy responsible for her pregnancy from having an erection the following morning, even if he has no use for it, or going ahead to marry another woman thereafter who will most likely have more children for him.

I recall an incident which took place about a decade ago in Iju, a sub-urban area of Lagos State where I lived until 2005. Early one morning, the neighbourhood was rudely woken up by the loud wailing of several voices, it was obvious that something dreadful had happened.

A woman in one of the four flats, Mummy Oyin as neighbours called her, had died. She had an abortion early the previous day but had later complained to one of her friends in the compound that she was bleeding and in severe pains. By the time they rushed her back to the hospital, she’d gone into shock, then more complications and she died. Everyone was shocked beyond words, including her husband who as the story went had forced her to have the abortion as he could not cater for an additional mouth. Mummy Oyin, already had three, the oldest, about seven years old at the time. In their anger and grief, some members of mummy Oyin’s family stormed the flat later that evening to rain curses and threats on their in-law for allegedly killing their daughter. Eventually, common sense prevailed and peace returned.

But only for a while as this widower a couple of months after got entangled in another relationship which further irked his in-laws.

Daddy Oyin married this woman barely a year after his wife’s demise and they had a child together before I left Iju. In annoyance, his inlaws came to retrieve the children, then returned them on second thought. This man went on to have a total of three children with his new wife.

Hmm! Though this might sound a bit extreme, there is no doubt that most women constantly live in fear of being betrayed by their men one way or another through the relationships they cultivate. More often, our fears stem from our own insecurities and dependence on the men. If they fall in love with another woman, what will happen to them and their children? Would a

new woman take him away completely? A new woman, most times mean additional children; would these children now share in the hard earned fruits of our love, labour and sacrifices? Except for the Igbo culture where the first born son gets a large chunk of the father’s wealth, the Islamic culture or religious practice already has a laid down sharing formula which does not discriminate between the children, regardless of their mothers, ditto, the Yorubas, not unless there is a Will stating otherwise. A friend of mine, who lost her husband a couple of months back informed me recently that a second woman has shown up with a 10 year old boy for her husband.

The new woman had only come forward to add salt to a festering wound as my friend’s husband had died suddenly and mysteriously in the arms of another woman who we had earlier discovered was carrying a toddler by him. Shola, about 15 years ago had been forced to apply her womanly wiles and wits to have a third child, their only daughter after her husband insisted he was done with just two children, both male. The same guy went on to father two children from two different women! A couple of months back, Mrs. Aduni Bankole, stepmother of Dimeji Bankole, a former Speaker of Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives took several pages of a popular Soft-sell weekly magazine to air her anger and humiliation when her husband, Chief Alani Bankole walked in with a new bride hanging on his arm, a young lady still in her 20s. She revealed her numerous struggles in a polygamous marriage and how she’d sometimes had to pick up meagre jobs in London (like mere mortals do), just to make ends meet and keep the family name and status intact. The truth is, an outsider might not really know what goes on between a couple behind the scene. Unless revealed by the duo in a relationship, you might never be able to guess the level of compromises, sacrifices or tolerance either of them have had to make before they got to their present level. Many couples got married when the men had no jobs or could barely support their families. Hope and faith brought most of them thus far. This is one of the reasons divorce laws are very stringent in the Western world. The lack of such laws is what has informed most of the extremes women go through to keep their marriages, even when it is obviously not a marriage. Two weeks ago, about 12 women died in India as a result of a sterilisation procedure gone wrong. India is famous for providing free sterilisation for women as a form of birth control to stem the growth of its huge population. It even provides monetary incentives to volunteers. India first introduced family planning in the 1960s when its populations was about 450 million. However, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, discovered that it was the men that ought to be sterilised if the country were serious about getting results. So, she imposed a policy of sterilising men who already fathered two children but the men kicked against it and an outrage erupted. Since then, vasectomy has remained unpopular in India and the population has continued to rise despite government’s pegging of the number of children allowed each couple.

Many reasons have been postulated about why vasectomy has remained unpopular among men generally and men in this clime in particular. From the fatal to the ridiculous and hilarious. Culture and tradition play very big roles in the mindset of the average African man, regardless of level of education. As head of the family, they ought to decide the roles played by the rest. Man is naturally created to be polygamous. Circumstances and personal convictions shape his decisions. There is also the belief that a man who undergoes a vasectomy will reincarnate as an impotent man. (haba!) The simple truth here is that vasectomy is still largely shrouded in mystery, there is not enough information or discussion about its advantages nor facts about the procedure itself, for many think it could make them lose their turgidity or lower their libido and worse still, it is a form of castration. For men generally, their manliness is tied to their manhood and measured by its performance. A vasectomy might not work in tandem with such beliefs. But I ask, should we be stuck with culture, tradition and beliefs based on old wife’s tales if there are obvious and proven advantages to be derived from vasectomy? For Uncle Steve, it was only a birthday gift for the woman who stood by him and behind him through the rough, thick and thin, assuring her that all he had was for her and her children. However, it was also a way of achieving his own peace of mind and providing him the much sought freedom to do his ‘thing’. And finally, it saved him from the clutches of a young bare faced, cold liar and calculating gold digger. Do have a wonderful weekend!

40—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

My link with Ogun politician — Lagos cultist

Suspected Cultist, Abiodun Taiwo

T

he Police in Lagos, recently, recorded a breakthrough after detectives arrested suspected leader of a notorious cult gang that has been terrorizing Bariga and its environs.' The 29-year-old suspect identified as Abiodun Taiwo, was arrested in Shomolu area while allegedly attempting to mobilize members of his gang for an operation in Ogun state. Police sources intimated that the group usually engage in robbery, looting and other nefarious activities in the area.

Crime Guard gathered that his arrest was made possible based on intelligence report over the nefarious cult activities in the area which made the Lagos State Police boss, Kayode Aderantti issue stern directives that members of the gang must be fished out 'dead or alive.'

The directive yielded positive results, leading to the arrest of their leader, Abiodun Taiwo who reportedly doubles as a political thug. Surprisingly, Abiodun was said to have been to prison twice and was recently released from Ikoyi prisons where he spent 14 months in jail.

SUSPECT'S ACCOUNT C M Y K

The suspect opened up to Crime Guard at the Police headquarters, Ikeja where he is still undergoing interrogation. “I am very famous in Bariga because I am a boxer and I also train prospective boxers. I was initiated into cultism at Olabisi Olabanjo University while I was a diploma student. I was only able to finish my diploma program. After I completed it, I went for computer training to enable me secure a job as a computer operator. While in school, I belonged to Aiye but each time I returned from school to Bariga, Eiye confraternity was dominating the space in Bariga and I wasn’t happy with the development, but I kept my cool. During my stay in Bariga, some cult boys known as Saggy boys killed a guy called Surebiscuit. This led to serious attack between the groups and consequently, the death of some of them. I wasn’t part of the attack but because I mingle with Saggy boys, I was arrested. I was later charged to court and then sentenced. I spent about a year and two months before I was released in October but while I was serving my jail term in Ikoyi prisons, I renounced my membership as

a cultist. It was then I learnt that a friend of mine Seun, who is also a member of my cult group, was stabbed to death. Initially, I told detectives that my fellow cultists had three guns because I was afraid. One Abiola that I mentioned is not a member of my cult group. I just mentioned his name to defend myself. But, Seun was a member of my cult group before he was stabbed to death in Shomolu area of Lagos. He was the only person I used to mingle with each time I was in Bariga.

When he was alive, he had a locally-made gun which we used.

HOW I WAS ARRESTED “I came to see my girl friend in Bariga. I was walking along the street at about 8pm to collect my wife's pregnancy test report from a nearby laboratory. While coming back, I decided to see a politician in Bariga who was organizing political campaign in his house. He is a ward chairman.

I usually go to him each time I am broke as he often assisted me with cash. It was while I was going to see him that I was arrested. Concerning my wife, we are yet to marry

,

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

I was initiated into cultism at Olabisi Olabanjo University while I was a diploma student

,

officially but she is my girlfriend and she is pregnant. I believe she is aware that I am in Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, custody because that very day I left, her people in the vicinity saw when I was being arrested. I feel very bad now that I have been arrested.

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH POLITICIANS

My relationship with politicians started when a friend of mine called me and said that there was one politician vying for a position in Ogun state House of Assembly, that he wanted us to mobilize young men who would travel from Lagos to Ogun State to register as voters. He said he would give two buses to us to enable us travel to Ogun state where we would register with INEC in that locality and also come there to vote for him during the election.

So, I told the politician that he would pay five million Naira for me to be able to mobilize the number of youths. Initially, I demanded ten million because my friend that introduced me to the politician told me to bill the politician so that we can have enough to go round. The politician gave us two options, the outright pay off or the benefits. According to him, each meeting day he would give every member N10, 000. I was still trying to mobilize the youths when I was arrested.

MOBILIZING YOUTHS Already, I had met a couple of youths in Bariga area who showed interest in the deal. They agreed to register in Ogun state as far as money was involved. I usually travel with the politician.

Each time he is traveling, I abandon everything I am doing and go with him. And any time I travel with him, I come back with about N10, 000 to N15, 000, it makes me happy. I love traveling with him because I know I won’t come back empty handed. Most times, I follow him to his political meetings and campaigns; I am a member of APC.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—41

BY EVELIN USMAN AND ONOZURE DIANA

N

Brother of NSE’s former boss charged for allegedly raping UNILAG student Victim showing brutalised body

•Suspect Daniel Okereke Nigerian Stock Exchange NSE and cousin to a front-line Nollywood actress who ironically has a foundation which promotes the well being of women.

He was said to have been released on bail, an action the victim frowned out. The case was thereafter transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID Panti, where the 36-

year-old Okereke was rearrested.

He reportedly claimed that the victim destroyed his property , an action that was engendered by the violence meted to her. Okereke was charged to court Thursday.

Equally charged was Idris Abubakar, the security guard who allegedly assisted Okereke to tie up the victim. He is an alleged accomplice.

Our ONOZURE DANIA who was in the court put her report this way: Lagos- Two men Daniel Okereke 32 and Idris Abubakar 37 were yesterday arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court, over alleged assault and rape and threat to life.

The defendants who are businessman and a security Guard respectively were docked before Magistrate Y. O Aje-Afunwa.

They are facing a five count charge bordering on conspiracy, assault, rape and threat to life preferred against them by the police. The police prosecutor Superintendent Godwin Anyanwu, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offence on November 6, 2014.

He said that the incident took place at Mende, Maryland in ikeja area of Lagos state between 2:30-11pm.

He said that the first defendant allegedly raped and assaulted one lady (names withheld).

Anyanwu also claimed that the

,

ovember 6, 2014 was like every other day for 300 level student of Computer Science (names withheld) at the University of Lagos, Akoka Yaba. As the ailing student who managed to attend lectures stepped into her apartment located at Moremi hall, never in her wildest imagination did she envisage she would end up being a victim of rape. However, the signal of an imminent emotional and psychological trauma reared up after one Daniel Okereke, a man that had reportedly being wooing her since last month, came visiting. Without any inkling of an apparent sinister motive, the undergraduate was said to have reluctantly left to attend to her visitor,who upon seeing her condition, opted to take her to a pharmaceutical store around Akoka to get some drugs.

Not yet done with his show of concern, the visitor reportedly took the female student to an eatery, so that she could eat before taking the drugs.

Thereafter, he reportedly took her to his abode at Mende, Mariland where he allegedly ended up raping her.

Narrating her ordeal to the police, the student who had marks of strings on her back, hands and legs , narrated how she narrowly escaped being murdered

by Okereke, in her bid to free herself from his grips.

According to her: “ When he came visiting, I never knew he had something sinister in his mind until we got to his place.

At the eatery, he ordered that the food be made take-away and asked me to go eat it in his place and at the same time rest before taking me back to the hostel.

Immediately we entered the room, he secured the door and I had supper and later asked to be taken back . But he said he must have sex with me. I tried to appeal to him to consider my state of health and take me back to campus.

Before I knew what was happening, he started beating me, forcing to have his way. As if that was not enough, he called in seven guards in the compound who assisted him and tied me down. He thereafter, went into his kitchen and brought out a knife, threatening to kill me if I resisted. He took me to one of the rooms where he brought out a condom and raped me.

Crime Guard gathered that when the 23 year-old lady was untied, she went violent and started shattering every property she could lay her hands on. In the process, one of the objects she allegedly threw out of the window, landed on a vehicle belonging to one of the tenants, smashing its windscreen. That attracted neighbours.

The case was reported at Area ‘F’ Ikeja , following which Okereke was arrested . During interrogation, he reportedly claimed to be nephew of a former Director -General of the

Thereafter, he reportedly took her to his abode at Mende, Mariland where he allegedly ended up raping her

,

defendant unlawfully had canal knowledge of the victim without her consent, adding that he beat her up with a brown belt and also threatened her with a knife.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed,contravened sections 409, 171, 261 and punishable under section 56 and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Earlier, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The defendants counsel, R. Amokea, urged the court to grant the defendants bail in the most liberal term, as the offence committed, was a bailable offence and that they were still presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The prosecutor Anyanwu objected to the bail application, on the grounds that the charges levelled against the defendants were charges of rape, sexual assault and occasional harm.

However, Magistrate AjeAfunwa, granted the first defendant bail in the sum of N200,000, with one responsible surety in like sum, while the second defendant was admitted bail in the sum of N50,000, with one surety in like sum.

She also said that the surety must either be a relative, a cleric or a community leader.

The matter was adjourned till January 9, 2015, for trial.

C M Y K

42—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—43

C M Y K

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

Enugu 2015:

BY EMEKA MAMAH

A

ny political watcher of the political developments in Enugu State will understand that all is not well with the ruling party in the area. The uneasy calm in the party which started in May this year, when Governor Sullivan Chime announced the zoning of the governorship position to Nsukka Senatorial Zone, took another dimension with the decision of Chime and some top leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state to anoint the member representing Igboeze North/ Udenu in the House of Representatives, Hon Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, as a consensus governorship candidate of the party during the 2015 general elections.

However, the volcano that erupted shortly after the announcement has reshaped the nature of politics in the state not known for rancorous politics in the past.

Earlier media reports had indicated that Ugwanyi was unanimously chosen to succeed Chime as governor in 2015 at a meeting attended by all the contestants at the Government House in Enugu with other leaders like the former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, the former Governor of the old Enugu State and national chairman of the PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former deputy governor of the state, Dr Okechukwu Itanyi, Senator Ayogu Eze, Hon Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, the state chairman of the party, Chief Vitta Abbah, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, Senator Fidelis Okoro, Chief (Mrs) Justina Eze, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Chief Dubem Onyia, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo, Chief Maduka Onyishi, Dr Godsmark Ugwu among others in attendance. According to the media reports, Governor Chime allegedly introduced Hon Ugwanyi for the number one position in the state before the motion for his adoption was raised.

It was also stated that the state party chairman, Chief Vita Abba who was also said to have nursed similar ambition to succeed Chime, immediately threw his weight behind the governors position, saying that, “ having served the party for several years. I will align myself with the position of the governor and am stepping down for Mr. Ugwuanyi.”

However, few days after the reported adoption of Ugwanyi was made public, several versions of what transpired at the same meeting started emerging. It was revealed that aspirants like Senator Eze, the Speaker, Eugene Odo, the proprietor of Peace Mass Transit, PMT and philanthropist, Chief Onyishi, and a former Commissioner in the state, Mr Chinedu Onu were strident in their dissenting voices at the meeting as they allegedly described the governor’s unilateral imposition of a candidate on the party as dictatorial. Though, some of the aspirants were said to have expressed their deep resentment over what they said was a kangaroo arrangement, Senator Eze was the first formidable dissenting voice as others who equally raised objection in the said meeting initially appeared to have chickened out.

Eze who said that he would never be intimidated in his determination to clinch the party’s ticket, addressed a news conference at Abuja, where he insisted that he was still the candidate to beat in the race for the Lion Building as the Enugu State Government House in popularly called. “I’ve been inundated by calls and personal visits by my supporters who have expressed worry and outrage at newspaper reports purporting

Pendulum swinging to Ayogu Eze •Senator Ayogu Eze

•Senators Ayogu Eze and Ike Ekweremadu who is the deputy Senate President that a consensus candidate has been anointed for Enugu State 2015 governorship election. My supporters are particularly worried by the aspect of the story claiming that I have stepped down for the said anointed candidate. I wish to state clearly and unambiguously that I have not and will not step down for any anointed candidate. I am still squarely in the race for the Enugu Lion Building in the year of our Lord 2015.”

Apparently miffed by the developments in Enugu, the National Working Committee, NWC, through the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, frowned at the gale of endorsements of aspirants by some stakeholders in their states, adding that the National Executive Committee, NEC, was the only organ of the party empowered to endorse a candidate contesting under its umbrella. Metuh in a statement said, “The NWC has noted the activities of some persons and groups supporting some aspirants for the 2015 general election at the state level. While the party cannot stop individuals, groups or communities from endorsing persons of their choice, the national leadership wishes to restate in the strongest possible terms that elected party officials at the state, local government and ward levels must remain as unbiased umpires in the nomination process. For the avoidance of doubt, only the NEC, as an organ of the party, can officially endorse a candidate under the PDP constitution. All party officials at all levels are expected to be guided by this.”

GAME CHANGER However, as Eze was receiving all manner of criticisms from the governor’s supporters for backing out of the consensus arrangement, the state Chairman of the party, Chief Vitta Abbah suddenly resigned his position to contest election into the House of Representatives in Nsukka /

Igboeze South federal constituency on the platform of the party, thereby throwing the Chime camp into confusion. As if to quench a raging fire with ones clothes, the Chime’s camp when Abbah resigned, hurriedly appointed one their own in the person of Mr Ikeje Asogwa as acting chairman, contrary to the position of the NWC of the party that Abbah’s former deputy, David Ajah should act as chairman until a new chairman was elected from Abbah’s area to complete his tenure in line with the party’s constitution.

But, apparently infuriated by the audacity of the development, the NWC announced the recognition of Ajah as the acting PDP chairman in Enugu. Following the recognition of Ajah as acting chairman, he was given the electoral materials for delegates to the governorship primaries of the party on November 1, which the Chime’s faction was not part of. This was because as the governor and his supporters were hoping against hope that the materials would be delivered to his camp, the Senator Ike Ekweremadu faction which included Senator Eze were holding the election at a venue,

•Vitta Abbah

said to have been approved by the NWC. Already, the NWC has approved the results of the election which saw Eze and Ekweremadu’s loyalists emerging victorious. The alleged refusal of the Chime’s camp amounted to boycotting an election, hence the group could not appeal against the outcome.

New Man on the Block The meaning of the latest development is that Ayogu Eze could be the new man on the block. He is almost coasting to victory as the governorship candidate of the party during next month’s primaries of the

party. Eze, a journalist turned politician is a second term Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District on the platform of PDP in the Senate. Eze, who is the Chairman of Senate Committee on Works, had been a top contender for the governorship ticket in the state. He has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration .

Before his election into the Senate, he had been Commissioner, Special Adviser to the Governor, and Special Assistant to the Governor. After being elected to the Senate he was appointed into the committees on Police Affairs, National Planning, Information and Media and Federal Character and Inter-Government Affairs. Observers believe that all things being equal, Eze could likely emerge as the PDP flag bearer for Enugu State for the 2015 governorship election. This was because the latest news reports indicate that the Chime’s group had approached the opposition All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, where its members could probably actualise their dreams of contesting elections into the state and national assemblies as they had met their road block in the PDP. Apart from Ugwanyi, other aspirants to the various political positions who submitted their interest/ nomination forms to the Ikeje Asogwa- led faction might have reached their political dead ends.

Those whose allegiance were with Ekweremadu/ Eze could scale through since their application forms were with the appropriate authority in the first place.

Apart from Chief Ken Nnamani who is on the governor’s camp, other political gladiators including Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, Dr Joe Nwodo, Senator Fidelis Okoro, Chief Frank Nweke jnr, Chief Dubem Onyia, Senator Gil Nanji, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu (Omeiheukwu) among others are not comfortable with the style of Chime who appeared to be fighting many people in the state. Meanwhile, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Abuja federal high court, has granted an interim injunction restraining the PDP, it’s national chairman, and other officials, from from taking any step on any purported report or list of candidates or persons purporting to be the list of elected delegates at the ward congress from any person or persons other than the electoral committee constituted by the NWC. The court also granted an order for substituted service on the defendants through the legal department of the PDP at the party’s headquarters in Abuja and fixed hearing on the substantive motion on notice for Friday.

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—45

I

t was simply a showdown between the Nigeria police and the members of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly complex on Thursday over the refusal of the former to allow the Speaker Speaker,, Aminu Tambuwal access. R ead accounts Read of what have become a show of shame for a nation.

BY LEVINUS NW ABUGHIOGU NWABUGHIOGU

E

ven though some people had somewhat anticipated a showdown, it definitely wasn’t the one that would assume such a gargantuan, absolutely dishonorable dimension.

If at all it would, no one thought it would be fought outside the chambers where decorum and decency were all thrown to the winds, giving rise to a free for all.

To them, his “sins” were many and so, must not go unpunished. To them, he is a traitor, an ingrate who stabbed them in the back. He hit them where it hurts most by deserting them for another political party and still remained the Speaker.

For them, any thinkable thing was extremely necessary to exert their own pound of flesh even if it means doing the unthinkable.

At first, they withdrew his security details and left him vulnerable. They cited a section of the constitution to back up their action.

But in response to their action, he headed for the courts and secured an order that quieted the situation. But yet, palpitations didn’t stop.

Apparently, they went back to the drawing board. Luckily, a natural opportunity played out with the expiration of emergency rule in the three north eastern States of which needed utmost urgency and attention. They smiled and waited.

With a letter from the presidency, he reconvened the House shot closed by way of parliamentary adjournment on October 28, 2014.

But that was where they waited for him. And upon sighting him make an entry into the road leading to the complex, they became agitated, acting like people who were taking orders from above.

One by one, they barricaded the entry gate, literally asking him to make a u-turn. But obviously, that couldn’t have been possible. And what followed suit can comfortably pass for one of the scenes in a drama. Indeed, that was the scenario that played out between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and a section of the Nigeria police at the National Assembly complex on Thursday.

How it all started Here Tambuwal is the protagonist while the badge of the Nigerian police led Federal Capital Territory Commissioner, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu was the antagonist.

Apparently determined to bar the Tambuwal, Inalegwu woke up at the first cock crow and went to the National Assembly to mount an unusual sentry.

Inquiries revealed that he had earlier on arrival, asked for, got and confiscated the key to the House of Representatives chambers. On sighting the Speaker who made his

Tambuwal: Beyond Police Duties

Senator Olusola reacting entry into the assembly, the police blocked the main entrance, stopping the Speaker from accessing the complex.

Apparently confused, Tambuwal alighted from his car and approached the gate to make inquiries. But every one kept a straight face. Hear him: ‘’gentlemen, my name is Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and I am the Speaker of this House. I am here as our constitution demands to go in and preside over the sitting of the House. Officers, I would like to know who the commanding officer here is.

Can you identify me as the Speaker of this House?”, he asked. Receiving no response from them, Tambuwal retreated and resigned his fate on nothingness even as the scorching sun bathed his head.

Apparently, he was waiting for a the ranking of the police team to come. At that point, word spread and some other lawmakers, those coming and those already inside raced to the gate. For several minutes, they banged the gate, pleading for entry. Yet again, no one listened. This prompted a violent push. Some agile parliamentarians jumped over the gate. Some struggled to do that.

Some were athletic and even flipped while jumping over. It was a sight. The Speaker had been whisked away through an opening.

More drama at National Assembly complex One would think that it was

Members climbing the Iron fence after police looked the gate over at the gate, but no, it wasn’t.

On sighting Tambuwal into the premises guarded by most of his colleagues, the atmosphere changed. From here and there, canisters of tear gas started flying around, prompting everyone to take to his heels.

The Speaker was lucky to have avoided about two that flew at his direction. But at that point, they became unperturbed and marched on.

At the chambers Hearing about crisis, the chairman and President of the Senate, Mr. David Mark raced into the green chambers and were it not for some providence, some angry and highly agitated lawmakers almost descended on him. And so, he left. Thereafter, he ordered for the closure of the assembly till

Tuesday next week using his powers as the chairman of the assembly.

Executive Session Despite the imbroglio, the lawmakers had a closed door session that lasted for about 2 hours. Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed flanked by his Deputy, Hon. Victor Ogene later briefed Journalists on the decision of the House on the proposed extension of the State of Emergency. But before the session, the Lawmakers had started gathering signatures which most people interpreted were to kickstart an impeachment process against President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mohammed: “At the executive

Continues on pg 46

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

A

s the 2015 general election approaches, tension now brews in Enugu North Senatorial Zone, Enugu State between two biological brothers jostling for one political position, under the same party, to represent Nsukka/ Igbo Eze South federal constituency in the House of Representative.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the two are of one womb and natives of Echara in Nsukka local government area. One is Kenneth Okonkwo (a.k.a Andy), the famous Nollywood actor, while the other is Luke Okonkwo (a.k.a Aguma). The two were said to be locking horns for the occupation of Nsukka /Igbo-Eze South federal constituency seat at the national House of Representative under People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

According to investigation, Luke, who is Kenneth’s younger brother, had first indicated interest to vie for the seat. He had sent out his campaign posters earlier than Kenneth and other contestants, who later advised Luke to step down for his elder brother, Kenneth, for peace to reign in the the family. Rumors are however rife at the University town of Nsukka over the feud between the two brothers. It may be of interest to know that their eldest brother, Peter Okonkwo (Ohamadike), had severally contested the governorship election under different political parties from 2007 without success, and has now allegedly decided to take a shot at again in 2015 under the platform of APC. In a telephone interview, the famous Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okwokwo, said there was no rift in their family over 2015 general elections, explaining that no other person in his family is running for election to the House of Representative apart from

Two brothers battle each other over one political slot

•Kenneth Okonkwo (a.k.a Andy) him. Kenneth said he wants to change the face of the constituency for effective representation, pointing out that he will not speak for any other person from a different political party, but he remains the only one from his family that picked the PDP form for the House of Representatives for the 2015 general elections.

Mr. George Okonkwo, chairman, Nsukka Building Materials Union, who is also a brother to Kenneth and Luke, said that politics is all about interest in any given position. He

confirmed it was Luke who first showed interest to contest for election into the House of representatives under PDP. Later, Kenneth queued in for the same position under the same political party.

According to George, Luke has to step down for his elder brother, Kenneth, not minding that he had distributed his posters for the 2015 race. “There is no problem in our family in connection with the way the two showed •George Okonkwo interests; we are jnr brother to Andy bounded by one blood, one love and one interest. Luke cannot battle for an elective position with his elder brother. The entire family supports the ambition of Kenneth to reposition honesty, accountability and transparency in Nsukka /Igbo Eze South Federal Constituency,” he said.

A prominent politician in Nsukka, Mr. Festus Omeje, said the emergence of the two brothers from one political party sends danger signal which shows that all may not be well in the PDP family.

Tambuwal: Beyond Police Duties Continues from pg 45 session, we agreed that the president should rely on provisions of the 1999 constitution bordering on Sections 218, 217(2c) 33, 14, 42b to prosecute whatever situation in the country. “The House needs a maximum of ten days and a minimum of 2 days to seat on such a national matter but for now no extension of the military rule”.

“What transpired in NASS is sad and we condemn it in all ramifications because we are Nigerians who were elected”.

“We swore to an oath of allegiance and we must uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

If things continue this way then one day we will meet armed policemen at the legislative temple trying to deliberate with us”.

APC reacts Vexed by the incident, the All progressive Congress, APC warned impunity of the federal government. ‘’The plot was simple: The Presidency decided to use the reconvening of the House as an opportunity to remove the Speaker.

While Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha was accorded a presidential ride into the premises of the National Assembly, House Speaker Tambuwal was barred from entry by the hordes of security C M Y K

agents who have been deployed solely for that purpose. ‘’Their plan was to ensure that, with Tambuwal locked out, Ihedioha would preside over the reconvened House and the Speaker will then be removed. The consideration of the request to extend the State of Emergency was not important to the Presidency. The fate of the Nigerians who are suffering from the insurgency, which has displaced 1.5 million people, does not bother the Presidency.

All it wanted is to remove Tambuwal. ‘’However, the plan failed as members of the House overpowered the security personnel and the Speaker was led on foot into the Chambers, even as a rain of tear gas fell on them. In the end, the President himself sabotaged his Administration’s tepid war on terror, and he got himself a birthday gift he didn’t bargain for: A humiliating political defeat that played out on national television. This is a clear reminder that there is always a limit to impunity!

Atiku too On a similar note, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar asked

the federal government to retrace its move against opposition.

“What is happening at the National Assembly taken together with what unfolded today (Thursday) at the Ekiti House of Assembly is totally strange. It is not the democracy we fought for; for which many of our compatriots paid for with their lives. These free-riders should not be allowed to destroy what others built with their sweat and blood. “It is not too late, however, for President Jonathan to pull the plug on these assaults to our democracy because it is inconceivable that the show of shame at the National Assembly is what he wanted as a birthday present”

that happened was totally uncalled for. And on behalf of the House of Reps, my sincere apologies go to him. I do hope and pray that this will be the last of this experience, because I believe that the House as parliamentarians, we should be able to address our issues internally. And I believe that this issue will be put to rest as soon as possible. I want to appeal to everybody to give us the opportunity, because I’m convinced beyond reasonable doubt that our capacity to address this issue is not limited.

We at the House should be able to handle this using the instrumentality of the House as contained in our rules.

Deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor, apologizes What actually happened today was quite unexpected. It was not an incident that anybody was looking onto. Sincerely, I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the people of Nigeria. It is a very bad experience. And I want to also use this opportunity to apologise to the Senate president who also came in to try as much as he can to make sure that there is peace in the house. But it is unfortunate that the altercation

Last line Though the police later left, the saddest thing according to analysts of the event on Thursday, however was that the police never disclosed who ordered their mission and action.

This left one wondering what could happen when the House formerly resumes on December 3, 2014 even as it is obvious that the State of Emergency was not literally approved by the lawmakers.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 — 47

EKITI: The predicted drama begins

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

T

HE overwhelming

loss of Governor Kayode Fayemi of APC at the June 22 Ekiti State Governorship election to PDP's Ayo Fayose, a man whose first tenure as governor was dogged by controversies, has not stopped raising apprehension over the future of the state.

There are fears that the governor may be cut to size by the State House of Assembly controlled by the All Progressives Congress,APC. And Fayose appears to be offering himself for the kill.

Though not all the happenings on the side of the administration were found worrisome by observers, there are concerns over the reduction in number of ministries, scrapping of newly created local governments and the fuzz over new government house.

Others include: Purpoted impeachment of the Speaker of the House, Dr. Adewale Omirin by seven PDP lawmakers, alleged freezing of the House of Assembly's account, closure of T-Five Integrated Service Filling Station, owned

by Omirin; bribery allegations against the House; controversial confirmation of commissionership nominees by PDP legislators, sacking of the political aides of the Speaker and his deputy and reversal of the appointments of eight permanent secretaries.

Despite backing most policies with assurance that they were done in the interest of the state, the feeling that much attention has not been accorded to real governance is widespread.

It is particularly so, considering the fact that the ruling party has resorted to exchanging tirades with the opposition-a tendency that could distract Fayose from providing the much-needed good governance in Ekiti.

Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Mr. Jide Awe, told Vanguard that

•Kayode Fayemi

•Ayo Fayose

governance has been relegated to the backwaters. ''A lot has been happening in the past one month. These are not what the people expected. Our initial comments condemned most of these anomalies.

Unfortunately, more are still happening,'' he regretted. Expatiating further, Awe noted: ''The judiciary has been crippled. Now it is the turn of the legislature.

Even the executive is not spared because the civil service is part of the executive.

Governance is about making life easier for the people but that has not happened in Ekiti since the coming of this administration. The people cannot be asking for bread and you are giving them stone. They must apply caution in the interest of the people. Some of the anti-people policies represent a tip of the iceberg. I think the administration has not been carrying on well because people are dragged to the extreme.''

Another person, who shares Awe's grief is the Chairman National Coalition for Accountable Governance, NCAG, Comrade Bayo Adewusi.

He said: ''We are at it again in Ekiti. We saw it coming but the people made their choice. The descent to doom has commenced. Our fears have been confirmed.

Now that it is at the teething state, we expect the eminent persons of Ekiti origin to save this administration from self-destruct.''

However, the state chapter of the PDP dismissed assertions

that governance had been neglected since October 16, 2014.

The party's scribe, Mr. Kole Oluwawole said: ''How can they claim that governance has been neglected when the House of Assembly has refused to do its work? If we were not concerned about governance we would not have submitted the list of our nominees to the House. We followed the due process stipulated by the law but the House has refused to do its job. They have been giving flimsy reasons for refusing to perform the jobs they were elected to do.''

He was referring to the governor's list for political appointments which the House has not approved. APC dominated House of Assembly appears set to challenge the governor in many ways and good governance may be sacrificed. This is the stage in Ekiti at the moment.

For him, the issues of governance should not be treated along partisan lines, adding that the PDP would not allow itself to be distracted from its vision. ''When the APC makes statements, it seems they lack the right words to capture the happenings in the state. The House should stop being partisan and perform its constitutional duties. As a responsible government, we have been working hard to ensure that we meet the expectations of the people. We will not be deterred by their attempts at stifling the business of governance,''Oluwawole added.

48—SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 ARUVIERE Martin Egharhavwa is a concerned Nigerian in diaspora, a lawyer, politician and public affairs analyst from Kokori Inland, Ethiope East LGA of Delta State and resident in the United Kingdom. In this interview with Moses Nosike, he feels concern about the massive rate of youth unemployment, decaying state of infrastructure and low pace of economic development. We need leaders that are not self-centred. Excerpts: Which candidate do you think can bring about development, transform youths and reduce unemployment in Delta? he candidate has to be a man that can hold his own any day, anywhere and anytime.

And that individual is Obaisi (Barr.) Ovie Omo-Agege, a lawyer, politician, administrator and business mogul. In fact, he needs no further introduction.

His CV and his political, economic and community track records easy going accommodating posture of the Isoko.

Surely Omo-Agege is formidable enough to speak for themselves. And either a brief or a detailed examination of the man’s record comprehensively win the governorship for his party and will assure any sane and reasonable mind help President Goodluck achieve higher voter turnout in that he will surely take Delta State to greater the presidential election. His nomination will guarantee heights. Without wishing to blow trumpets the PDP a start off with about 60 percent of the votes which or denigrate any character or aspirant it is the Urhobos can muster all across the state and effectively overwhelmingly clear that none of the other put the election out of play for the opposition even before aspirants can match up to what Ovie Omo- the campaigns begin.

There is a clarion call to carry the youths along in Agege brings to the table.

He is one aspirant whose declaration for leadership for future economic development, what is your the governorship has electrified the take?

If we flash back to Nigeria of the 60s and up to the 70s, the political space in Delta State. Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, is a political titan whose situation of the youth and people in age bracket 20s to 30s political astuteness is stuff for legends. He was different. At age 19 or so, late Ambassador M.T. Mbu is also a trained lawyer, who honed his legal was Nigeria’s High Commissioner to UK and he was skills in the United States, he is a major Minister of Navy at 20 plus. At his early 30s, late Chief player, who has built tested and reliable Obafemi Awolowo was already in his bloom in the Western bridges across the ethnic groups in Delta Region and he was leader of Government in the West before State. Omo-Agege is a household name in 40: ditto the late Nnamdi Azikiwe and Ladoke Akintola.

The likes of Gowon, Murtala Muhammed, Olusegun Delta State. He has become a political Obasanjo, were Heads of State in their 30s. Their likes phenomenon.

So far, he only, I emphasize, he only populated the civil service as super permanent secretaries among the horde aspiring to become while the Military Governors ranged between 20 plus to governor of Delta State has a programme early 30s. I’m of the view that qualified Nigerian youths of action which is a well crafted manifesto should be carried along and incorporated into position of he code-named FOUR PILLARS OF governance to help secure a better tomorrow for our nation.

The country is characterised with leadership challenges, CONSOLIDATION. Omo-Agege symbolizes the soul of Delta, what is responsible for this?

Unfortunately, the virtue of selflessness which largely its destiny and essence. He embodies the cultured pacifist spirit of the Anioma, characterised public service at the dawn of Nigerian’s dignified comportment of the Itsekiri, Independence in 1960, has since been replaced by the vivacious robust tendency of the Urhobo, ignoble culture of greed and every man for himself. spartan courageous latitude of the Ijaw and Corruption, lack of sincerity of purpose, ineptitude and crass

T

We need leaders that will create jobs, empower youths and develop economy—Eghar ha vw a Egharha havw vwa

Egharhavwa: brigandage is the cause of the leadership challenges that characterize our nation.

Majority of our leaders are not sincere and as such thrive in deceit.

How best can youths be developed so they can develop the country?

Nigerian youths can be developed by massive youth employment through small public works contracts and

Stif tition as BoConcept un tifff compe competition unvveils furniture compan companyy in Lagos hile some investors are running away from Nigeria, more are W tapping the huge business opportunities abound in the country, kudos to a Danish furniture company, BoConcept as it unveils its first spacious 600m2 store in a highbrow area of Lekki Phase I as part of its continued world-wide expansion of first class furniture business in more than 60 countries. With this world class furniture concept, first of its kind, Nigerians can now upgrade their home and business outlook that ensures comfortability.

According to a management source, Nigerians are assured of a new concept, quality, accessible and affordable furniture counting on our 60 years of experience in this business.

Unveiling the accessories and décor, tastefully designed for urban minded customer, is His Excellency, Mr. Per Christensen representing the Danish Embassy to the Federal Republic of Nigeria who said, Ï have never seen anything like this before and this feels like a store in New York. The event that gathered CEOs of top Lagos business tycoons, models and fashion blogger Isio Wanegho and celebrities from the entertainment industry such as Don Jazzy who himself already has taken advantage of the interior design service of BoConcept, all welcome and admired a foreign company establishing its plant in Nigeria for business, considering the employment opportunities attached to it.

Again, one of the directors of the company, Mrs Aisha Oyebode said, “We knew there was a pent up demand for beautiful, quality and locally assembled furniture but we had never imagined it would be this huge.”

In the same vein, the CEO, Charlotte Obidairo, said that, the reception by Nigerians has been overwhelming, saying further that Nigerians love

L-R:CEO, BoConcept, Charlotte Obidairo, Danish Consular General to Nigeria, Per Christensen and company Director, Aisha Oyebode, during the company’s unveling of its first Lekki office, recently in Lagos. fashion and style and it has always been my dream to introduce Danish design here. BoConcept is amongst the world’s leading furniture companies with 260 stores in 60 countries. The company, established in 1952, sets itself apart with its sleek design and the functionality of its beautiful products. All products sold in Nigeria can be reveiwed online on a local website, where the customer can play around with design, colours and combinations and of course see the total prices in Naira – a service that helps the customer stay within budget. It seems like furniture shopping just got a whole lot more exciting with BoConcept’s arrival in Nigeria, she said.

In addition, country Manager, Grace Kalu, said that with BoConcept, Nigerians will never regret this new furniture concept that came to make a difference in the industry.

Talking about the quality of design,

Zainab Quadri, one of the interior designers said, “Our entry into the Nigerian market is focused slightly more on customers or businesses, that have an appreciation for detail, design and furniture that lasts. We set ourselves apart by offering a range of services and tools that go beyond what Nigerians are used to. For instance, we offer free interior design services for businesses, and our website boasts a tool that permits you to become your own furniture or interior designer to customize furniture with different types of materials, fabric, leather and colours. It also includes a Naira price calculator, which is extremely useful and not offered by anyone in the industry”.

institutional strengthening including capacity enhancement of youths in skills acquisition; scaling up/expansion of community driven development activities using the structures of the community and social development project; and grants to technical, vocational and agricultural training institutions, among others.

SA TURD A Y Vanguard SATURD TURDA anguard,, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—49

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re you not afraid to go into this race considering the fact that someone has already been anointed for the same job?

I am not afraid at all because even if someone has been anointed or endorsed, power belongs to God at the end of the day. The truth is that power comes from God through the people. In this case, it is the people of Akwa Ibom State,who will vote for the governor of their choice. I believe that the level of political awareness in Akwa Ibom is one of the highest in the country and Akwa Ibom people are very smart, very republican in nature and they know what they expect out of the next governor and they have their views, they have their expectations and they want to support someone they can connect with, someone they know, someone that has a track record in public service in the politics of the area. I know as a fact that they don’t just want to follow somebody just because they’ve been directed to so do.

That’s my confidence.

The governor of Akwa Ibom is credited with Uncommon Transformation, which has basically provided the state with what they need. What else do you have to offer the people?

First of all, let me make it clear that I was part of this government for about six and a half years and I am a part of the success story of the administration. A lot has been done in several areas particularly in the area of infrastructure. However, a lot still needs to be done because as we speak, there are still parts of the state that are yet to be touched. Of course it’s not possible that the government will be able to touch all parts of the state. For instance, the road to my village is still not tarred and I am sure the road to many other communities in the state are yet to be paved. Indeed, I must admit that the governor has done his bit but the fact remains that there is still a whole lot to be done in infrastructure, a whole lot in rural development. A majority of the people of Akwa Ibom live in rural areas and if you go to a typical rural village in Akwa Ibom it is the same as any other rural setting in the country. So, in terms of infrastructure, in terms of maintenance, maintaining the infrastructure that has been put on ground already by the present administration, you see that there is still a lot that is required. Apart from that, the governor has been recognised as a great performer in terms of infrastructure but what I am coming to do is to build a sustainable and enduring economical base. I want to deliberately build the private sector for Akwa Ibom State, something that is currently not in place.

We don’t have a vibrant private sector now. The policies of government will be deliberately tailored to help the private sector come alive and attract major players in the sector in the national economy to come into the state and to operate at that level.

Once we are able and we succeed in building a vibrant private sector, you will see that the economy will be built. In developed economies, it is

My goal is to build a vibrant private sector for Akwa Ibom —Ekere, ex-dep gov

In this interview, former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, and one of the Peoples Democratic governorship aspirants,Obong Nsima Ekere, speaks on why he wants to succeed Governor Godswill Akpabio and other burning issues in Nigeria. Excerpts:

the private sector that builds the economy not the government.

Industries will be built, jobs will be created for our youths, the local economy will be stimulated and wealth will be created. The standard of living automatically will increase because there would be more money across the state.

The Gross Domestic Product of the state would take an upward turn. That is where my main focus will be. I want to see Akwa Ibom people become entrepreneurs. We will look at what the factors are that are hindering them from operating at the local and national economy and address those issues while deliberate and specific policies of government would be put in place to ensure that our people can live their dreams.

That’s the foundation we want to come and build in the state. We will set up a system that will run on auto pilot basically so that eventually you see that when the private sector thrives, even the state dependence on the Federation Account will reduce because if you have a good private sector, the internally generated revenue would improve and you will begin to do things and ginger the local economy.

Nigerians were taken by surprise when you resigned...(cuts in) That was then, now I am running for governor. I resigned about two years ago. I have even forgotten what it was or the circumstances at that time but it was important at that time that I left for very personal reasons. You must have noticed that I have refused to talk about the subject. I must commend the Nigerian media and the Nigerian political class; they have respected my privacy on that.

What’s the relationship with your former boss today?

I want to say that Godswill Akpabio is the governor of Akwa Ibom today and I believe strongly that a man cannot lead the people if God doesn’t give him that

power or says he should lead. As a Christian, I believe that if you begin to fight leadership, it means that you are fighting God and that’s why you will find out that I have never and will •Former Deputy Gov. Obong Nsima Ekere never attack him principally out of my Christian beliefs. If you believe in God you from the state to other parts of the must accept leadership. I have a world in the name of seeking better good relationship with the medical attention. To do this, I governor; I speak with him from would build a medical park time to time. We don’t have any incorporating the 20th Anniversary personal issues.

Hospital started by this administration. What I want to do is What is your blueprint on to expand that into a medial park Education, which is the fulcrum where you have a chain of specialist of development in any society? hospitals where you can get the Education is one of the four key same treatment like you get areas we are going to look at anywhere in the world. That would when I come in and I have said involve bringing in experts and the that some of the largest best management companies in the companies in the world today are world to partner with us to have a knowledge-based companies. medical park in Akwa Ibom State.

I want to Where do you want Akwa Ibom That is one of the things we want to see Akwa people to be in the next five, ten do so that we can stop people going Ibom years? And when you decide that out of the country to make Akwa people you want to make them to Ibom the medical tourism hub of compete with others around the become Nigeria. globe, then you must be able to entrepreneurs. change the curriculum to give to How do you think political We will them the basic skills that would violence can be solved in Akwa look at enable them to operate at that Ibom and Nigeria? what the level and then we bring it into our curriculum and then we now factors are The panacea to resolving political train and retrain our teachers to that are violence in this country is that the be able to offer that and if it political class should play by the hindering means attracting specialists to rule, play by the constitution of the them from come in and do this we will do it party and the constitution of the operating and give them incentives. nation. What makes people get at the local angry are cases of manipulation. If Education and wages for people in the educational sector must be and you see that you are supposed to given special consideration so that national come and this process is supposed we can attract the best brains that to take a certain way then all of a we require. sudden you see that some people, Healthcare is one of the areas we because they are highly placed or will give priority to. We will strive maybe they have some facilities or to ensure that you don’t have to some access that you don’t have, go too far before you are they now try to change what the able to access a primary health guidelines say. That’s why you see care faculty, that is one. For the people get angry. But once you play tertiary health care the kind of by the books I expect that if we are facilities we will bring will change able to be transparent in the the way services are being processes I don’t see any reason rendered to the people. why there will be cases of political My vision is to stop capital flight violence in Akwa Ibom state.

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BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

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50—SA TURD AY 50—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard , NO VEMBER 22 NOVEMBER 22, 2014

TRIBUTE

ONOWU CHIKE FRANCIS OFODILE 1924-2014

BY ERNEST NDUKWE, OFR.

O

nowu Chike Francis Ofodile was a special person; he was a man of truth, with a deep

sense of honesty, fairness, integrity and basic decency. Onowu had this capacity to mix with people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds or race. He will be immensely missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him and associating with him closely. There was hardly a dull moment when you were around Onowu. He was just simply a good and kind man.

Onowu perhaps is best described as a good family man. He spent as much time as possible with his beloved wife and family and showered them with much love and affection. That was perhaps why he was not particularly welcoming when I showed up as a competitor to the exclusive rights he assumed over the love of his beloved daughter Ndali! However, when I persevered, he welcomed me to the family and we were to become the best of friends; a fatherly love and friendship that I will forever cherish.

Over the years, I have benefited from copious doses of wise counsel and guidance from this great man and I feel extremely privileged to have had Onowu as a father-in-law. We will miss Onowu greatly and it has been difficult to accept that we will not see him again on this side of eternity. But we must thank God for the great and fulfilled life he lived as a loving family man, an accomplished Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a renowned former Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the revered Onowu Iyasele of Onitsha and a beloved community leader.

I join rest of the family and his many friends and associates to mourn the passing of this statesman, lawyer, astute defender of truth, intellectual giant, motivator, a father and a dear friend. May his gentle and illustrious soul rest in peace. The funeral rites will begin with special session at the Onitsha High Court in his honour.

This will be followed by a masonic service at St. John’s Lodge Egerton Road, Onitsha by 2:00 pm.

•Late Onowu Chike Francis Ofodile Internment and entertainment of guests will be held at his residence along water works road, Onitsha on Saturday 15, 2014.

The passage of the erudite lawyer who was also the Onowu Iyasele (Traditional Prime Minister) of Onitsha, is a huge loss to the nation, especially the legal profession where he left indelible imprints. There is no doubt that the late legal icon served his nation, the legal profession and his community distinguishably. Ofodile, served

as a member of the defunct Supreme Military Council, SMC, under Buhari from 1984-1985. He was born to the family of Ofodile Ezeugo of Umuobi royal family of Ogbeozala village in Onitsha, Anambra State. He attended Immanuel Church Infant School, St. Mary’s Primary School and Christ the King College (CKC), all in Onitsha. He taught briefly at the Holy Trinity School, Onitsha in 1941 and later worked at the P&T (Post and Telegraphs) Department, Enugu, between 1944 and 1945. He thereafter proceeded to Balham and Tooting College, London and North Western Polytechnic London, for further studies. He was at the Inns of Court School of Law, London in 1959 and was called to the Bar at Middle Temple, London, in 1959. He was equally called to the Nigerian Bar in Lagos in 1960.

When he returned to the country, he worked in the chambers of Hon. Justice C. Ikpeazu as a junior member from 1959 to 1964, before going into private legal practices from 1964 to 1983. He was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) as well as Life Bencher in 1979.

In appreciation of his contributions to national building, the Federal Government conferred on him

the National Honour, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), in 2008. After working as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from 1984 to 1985, he returned to private legal practice. The Obi of Onitsha conferred on him the traditional title, Onowu Iyasele of Onitsha in 2003 and he distinguished himself by serving creditably in that capacity until his death. Ofodile retired from active legal practice in 2009 after 50 years at the Bar. Ndukwe, son inlaw to Ofodile is past Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

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overnor Raji Fasho la of Lagos State was TOYIN IBITOYE’S guest on Channels sports programme Thursday night. He spoke on Nigerian sports and how to improve our football. Lagos is the host of the Challenge Cup final that comes up tomorrow at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. He spoke on it but started with Eagles crash from the Nations Cup. He attributed the plunge in sports to the state of the nation and said that it was a global trend that when a country is doing well economically it robs off on all aspects including sports. We reproduce his comments: Lately, if you look at Europe, Germany is the dominant economy there and you would see what has happened in their sports.

There’s a lot of work to do.

By the simple law of probability, if you have 170 million people, you are likely to find natural talents, but what do you do with those talents? What plans are in place to develop the talents? At the National team level, one thing we have overlooked is the fact that National team football is not the same as club football. You can buy stars into a club, but you can’t buy nationalities, even with the dual nationality and all the flexibility that FIFA has created across board. The trick to enduring national football is the league. The Italian clubs have not been doing well in Europe over the last decade, but the Italian National team always acquits itself. You won’t kick them out before the quarter finals of any major championship. The British league is the best, but Britain barely goes beyond the quarter finals and the reason is that most of their players are not playing in their top-flight league. It’s a league dominated by foreigners. Spain has been constantly and lately the team to be, until recently, Brazil and Germany too.

When you go back to the time when our national team was really at its best, most of the players then were in the local league and those abroad were playing first-team football, even if it was in small clubs like Victoria Setuba.

When our players make this money-moves to big clubs only to go and warm

— 51

Fashola thrills talking football benches, it is an ominous sign for the national team because there’s only that small window to assemble a team together to practice.

At the national team level, you don’t teach ball control, you teach team shape, team discipline, tactics and set pieces. That is why players who play together in the same league every day are usually more adaptable, they form the brain work of the national team. When you assemble them in three days, you realise that most of them have played together either in the same club or in the same league, where the league philosophy is the same and that’s why you see the Argentines, Brazilians playing in Spain majorly, where the philosophy is essentially same. Most of their defenders play in some of the Italian and European clubs where the defensive philosophy is also the same.

The solution to what happened on Wednesday to Eagles is to go back to the local league. We became defending champions by going with some homebased players, bringing in some experienced players who were playing firstteam football. Most of those players now, Mikel and the likes, are not playing first-team football anymore. Matic has taken Mikel’s position. Someone who plays 15 or 30 minutes every week, suddenly you want him to come and give you 90 minutes command performance. He’s going to burn out. That’s why you saw that Ahmed Musa was easily the most effervescent player we had, because he plays every week in Champions league, local league and even for his club in Moscow, Russia.

These things are not accidental and that’s why the philosophy here in Lagos has been to build from the basics and grassroots.

That’s why we are spending money on sports centres, small playgrounds, Ifakojaiye Campus, Agege and a few others like that.

We are coming into schools. We have a partnership with Astroturf where we are putting those football fields on a PPP basis, they ’ll maintain them in all our schools. We’ve done the same thing with boxing, scrabble, tennis, street football, swimming etc. We now have a classic event that runs from the middle of the year till December when it’s capped with the boxing championship. We are beginning to develop a store of talents, but there is work to do as regards developing them.

You talked about focusing on our domestic football. Let’s look at government’s involvement, what should be the role of government in football administration?

What you should say is, Where have those government clubs gone? When the government or governor that loves football leaves, what happens?

That is why I’ve refused to put government money into sponsoring a club.

This is something I have participated in as a hobby and it is a life passion. I understand that government can’t be the sole driver of sports. People have asked me why Lagos doesn’t have a club.

We have a club, Bridge FC, my

Governor Raji Fasho

friends and I formed a limited liability company, put money together. We run the club and it’s still running in the lower league.

They are holding out their own and hopefully we will get it, because we want to build the proper models.

Despite private sponsorship, government has a role to play as regulator through the ministry, but it mustn’t be the operator.

We have all the facilities to start a modern and efficient football league if we think properly. Almost all the states where we wanted to host the U-17 World Cup repaired their stadia.

We can make arrangements with all the clubs to lease out these stadia. We already have the centres, how do we get people in?

We can play our matches on Sundays after church service. Most of the Italian games are played on Sundays after church service.

We have to make those stadia family destinations. We have to change the way we build sporting facilities and stadia because they must be beyond the event.

If my wife doesn’t want to watch football, we can have a salon in the stadium. My children may not also want to watch football. We are still building g r a d u a l l y, there must

be efficient transportation that takes everyone to and from there. It’s not just enough to build it, we must integrate it into the family culture, so that when you return from church, you know you’re going to eat lunch in the stadium and whoever wants to make his/her hair can also get that done there. You also know if you’re going to eat dinner with the children, there’s something to buy there.

Then you know everyone is going home to sleep and get ready for work the next day. It has to be a family destination. When you have about 50,000 pairs of eyes in one place, sponsors will follow suite. We need to understand this, so it’s not even one stadium, that stadium must always be green to make it television-friendly. Every club should have three other practice pitches. In most of the pitches we see on TV, the players don’t train there. I know that Manchester United has ten practice pitches and there’s a pitch manager that dictates when a particular pitch will be used. It’s a very big industry and it consumes everything it produces. Players become groundsmen, broadcasters – sports ambassadors, cadet trainers, scouts, sports journalists. It takes up everything. Nobody who was once a sportsman should be unemployed continues on page 52

52 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

AFCON 2015

Hayatou saved African football

—Djagba

By John Egbokhan

T

OP African sports consultant Foussena Djagba has hailed the President of the Confederation of African Football Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou for his foresight in not postponing next year ’s Africa Cup of Nations, originally billed to be staged in Morocco but now holding in Equatorial Guinea.

Morocco had notified CAF

of its intention not to stage the tournament in January due to the spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa and feared that it was going to spread further with fans entering its country from the affected countries during the tournament in late January and early February.

With concerns mounting over the spread of the disease and calls for the tournament to be shifted to another date growing, CAF rather than

buckle under the weight of apprehensions, stuck to its ground that the tournament was going to go on as planned and later named Equatorial Guinea as the new hosts of the 16-nation tournament.

And reacting to CAF’s decision, Djagba hailed the courage of Hayatou to

Fashola thrills talking football Continues from page 51 when the right policies are in place. We need to look at the legislation, but we need to have a long-term vision. It’s not about going to win the next tournament. Coaching football at senior level is not the same as coaching it at cadet level and also the nutrition issues.

Some of my friends started an academy in my name very early when I became governor and most of kids played with us every Sunday. One day, I told them these kids were not growing and I thought was due to malnutrition. They played great football but were not growing. We contributed money, took them on tours to South Africa and Europe for exchange programmes. I found out that one of them was about 12, but my son who was then eight was a clear head taller than him. So, we went to King’s College, booked their hostels for boarding and ran a training programme for them for over three months, the results were amazing. What did we invest in? Oats, Beans, Milk, Fish and Eggs which they couldn’t get from home.

We’ve been doing it every

year and it has been yielded positive results.

Talking about the Federation Cup, we recently had a guest, 80-year- old Jonathan.... one of the legends that was honoured this year and he was singing your praises, appreciating you for remembering what he did about 56 years ago. Where did you get the idea to honour legends of the game who have been forgotten by many?

It is because they inspired me so much. I used to skive classes to go and watch them play football and I remember players like Sam

Dada Okoye, Christian Madu, the list is endless. I still find it funny calling it Federation Cup, it’s Challenge Cup. One of the things I objected to immediately then was, why move the Federation Cup away from its traditional home. The British have not moved the FA Cup from Wembley except during the period they were constructing. There are some things we shouldn’t just do,

Issa Hayatou stand his ground on the tournament.

The Gbana-based Togolese consultant said “due to the determined and astute leadership of Hayatou, a substitute capable country, Equatorial Guinea has been identified to take the place of Morocco.

“Mr. Hayatou has once more proved that he is a visionary Leader and pragmatic problem-solver. His passion and dedication to the game

that aren’t just right. This is where it was born and as long as the facilities and stadia are there, we should let this things go on. The only opportunity for players in other leagues to play at Wembley is to play in the FA Cup finals. It’s a destination, we don’t dishonour the memory, and that’s why football grounds develop that kind of tradition.

What you see while watching the FA Cup in England is the kick -off of the game, even though the FA Cup starts at mid-day.

On that day, all the old players are on parade, they are honoured and celebrated. Before the kick off, they remember all those who have made the competition the institution it has become. It is our own modest way of saying ‘Thank you’.

Many of them who are coaches have been engaged by our sports ministries. They are helping to maintain stadia and to train young players. We found something for as many of them as we could. We can’t do these things without looking back. We haven’t celebrated our heroes. If we look for heroes today, we must remember those people. We should be able to document things and tell stories. This inspires and tells the young and present generation that they won’t be forgotten.

You were honoured the ‘Governor of the Year’ at the Nigerian Sports Award,

have once again triumph.

“Hayatou should be commended for his determination to have Equatorial Guinea host for the second time this time alone the prestigious annual soccer event on the continent.

“When the challenge was imminent and there was hue and cry to postpone it just as in the case of Qatar, he stood his ground and pulled the rabbit out of the hat”, added Djagba.

how rewarding is it for you that people are taking note of the investments you are making in grasroots sports development?

As far as awards are concerned, I accept them on behalf of my team. Those men and women in our public service who have agreed to work with me.

They deserve the award, not just the team leader alone. The award is in recognition of their efforts and I hope that it inspires them to continue to do more of these things even long after I have left office, which isn’t going to be too long.

How would you want to be remembered , particularly in the minds of sports lovers?

It’s difficult to answer this kind of question. What is important for me is that we’ve built an idea. All of these individual things don’t prosper a nation, but when people rally round an idea, they even forget who brought the idea and work towards making it enduring. It’s the idea that we should build from the grassroots that is most important. The German teams don’t lose in Javelin, discus, athletics etc and that’s the kind of spirit we need.

We are looking for champions of today, tomorrow and forever. We don’t go to the field hoping to win by praying, but by preparing and praying that our work will be rewarded.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

— 53

Jonathan’s hand in Eagles ouster Continued from back page

AFCON 2015:

Touching story of how Guinea beat Ebola to qualify

*Ibrahima Traore

E

bola-ravaged Guinea over came considerable odds to book an African Nations Cup finals place, but must still deal with logistical difficulties and prejudice as they look ahead to the tournament in January.

Guinea is one of the African countries hit hardest by the ravages of the deadly haemorrhagic fever, which has claimed more than 1,100 lives there. Their national team have had to play homes games at a neutral venue after the Confederation of African Football banned the hosting of international matches in Guinea.

Their players have also come under pressure to avoid the competition.

Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Ibrahima Traore, who scored for Guinea in their decisive tie against Uganda on Wednesday to secure qualification, was threatened with isolation from his Bundesliga team mates when he returned.

“We have had to go around in a very strange context,” coach Michel Dussuyer said this week, “ with health checks and fleeting glances.”

Morocco allowed them to play their ‘home’ games in Casablanca, but the players had to undergo temperature checks twice daily.

“There have been some measures

we’ve felt have been discriminatory and when you have your temperature taken twice a day it can get annoying. But everything really is in the attitude of people you meet and the strange responses we get,” Dussuyer added.

The coach has stayed in Guinea’s capital Conakry even though almost all of his players fly in and out of Africa from their clubs in Europe.

“We ourselves have been very attentive to what is happening within the squad. We are not irresponsible. We are prudent, it’s a logical approach and it is accepted,” Dussuyer said.

The coach, however, also thanked Morocco, who allowed them to play their qualifiers in Casablanca, and Benin, where they held training camps. Guinea now need to find a training venue for two weeks in January, before the Nations Cup kicks off.

“There is great satisfaction in being able to qualify and to silence our detractors,” Dussuyer added, after Guinea finished second in their group behind Ghana.

torial Guinea Speaking yesterday to Saturday Vanguard Sports, Kojo said that it was wrong for President Jonthan to overturn the decision of the NFF to relieve Keshi of his duties after last month’s AFCON qualifying match against Sudan in Abuja, arguing that the Presidential directive created the mess Eagles have found themselves in now.

“The one person who created this mess is the President. It was wrong of him recall Keshi when he was told to go by the NFF. We do not know if Nigeria would have qualified under the consortium of coaches led by Shaibu Amodu but that infamous decision to recall Keshi was responsible for our failure as the latter became bigger than the NFF as he was no longer answerable to them again”, said a livid Kojo.

Indeed, Keshi, in the days leading to the final two AFCON 2015 qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa, said his future with the team was not tied to the Eagles performance, a subtle way of saying that no matter the results that he was going to remain in charge..

It is this attitude of the former Togo and Mali manager that Kojo finds most resentful, insisting that it was time for some total cleansing of the football house.

He pointedly attacked the NFF board, led by Amaju Pinnick as a lame duck for accepting full responsibility for Keshi’s failure to safely steer the Eagles ship to next year’s AFCON. “The NFF as presently led by Amaju Pinnick has

Wenger unleashes Welbeck on Man U A

rsene Wenger plans to unleash England striker Danny Welbeck on Manchester United in this evening’s EPL big match at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger told reporters

that he would be happy to see Welbeck score against his former club.

“It will be great if he scores against Manchester United, even though I know that he would not celebrate the goal”, said Wenger.

First Bank golf tees off O ver 200 golfers are expected to participate at the 53 rd annual First Bank Amateur Open Golf tournament which tees off today at the Ikoyi Club 1938 golf section, today.

The tournament which is one of the longest privately sponsored sporting events is th coinciding with the 120 anniversary of First Bank will attract participants from golf clubs around the country.

In recognition of the anniversary of the sponsors, past winners of the tournament will be involved in the two-day event which winds off tomorrow.

The tournament will also feature a special event, ‘Beat the pro challenge’ which will attract prizes for winners in the longest drive and closet to the pin categories.

Speaking in a press briefing in Lagos yesterday,

been caged. Those guys do not have the guts to stand on their decision. It is most shameful and disgusting that they have accepted responsibility for Keshi’s failure to qualify for the Nations Cup. “When Siasis failed to qualify the Eagles for the Nations Cup in 2012, he was sacked. So why are they afraid to sack Keshi after he failed to qualify us for Equatorial Guinea 2015? I am totally shocked with what is going on. I am tired of this country.

“I expected Pinnick and his board to have resigned when the President overturned their decision to sack Keshi because they are the ones running our football, not our President, who has a lot on his hands to deal with. They should have stuck to their ground and told the President why they sacked Keshi but all of them, simply kept quiet and look at the mess that came out of that decision”, Kojo added.

Corporate Champions Cup begins

T

HE second Nigeria Corporate Soccer championship kicks off today at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos today with six teams participating.

The six teams include MTN, Etisalat, EMTS, Chevron, ExxonMobil among others.

According to to the draw carried out yesterday at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos, there are six teams participating in the two-day competition.

Group A has ExxonMobil, King’s Pride Group and Etisalat while Group B is made up of Chevron, EMTS and MTN. The competition ends tomorrow with the winners primed for a giant trophy and the gold medals. The first and second runners up will get the bronze and silver medals respectively.

First Bank’s head of Marketing and Corporate Communication, Folake Ani-Mumuney said the bank was committed to the health and well being of its core customers and the development of the sport in Nigeria. “Apart from golf we are also involved in the sponsorship of numerous other sports including basketball, the Kaduna Polo tournament, the Dana Hardcourt, among others.

54—SA TURD A Y Vanguard , NO VEMBER 22, 2014 54—SATURD TURDA NOVEMBER

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014—55

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

AFCON 2015:

President Jonathan’s

hand in Eagles ouster —Kojo — attacks NFF for accepting responsibility for Keshi’s failure

By John Egbokhan

ARSENAL V MAN UTD Today 6:30pm

Wenger unleashes Welbeck on Man UPg 53 Today’s Fixtur es

Outspoken former head of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Anthony Koj-Williams has blamed President Goodluck Jonathan for the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in EquaContinues on page 53

Fashola thrills talking football

EPL Chelsea Everton Leicester Man City Newcastle Stoke Arsenal

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West Brom West Ham Sunderland Swansea QPR Burnley Man Utd

4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 6:30pm

LA LIGA Atletico Madrid Eibar Barcelona Deportivo

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Malaga Real Madrid Sevilla Real Sociedad

4pm 6pm 8pm 10pm

BUNDESLIGA Bayern Munich M’gladbach Hannover Mainz Paderborn Schalke Cologne

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Hoffenheim Frankfurt Leverkusen SC Freiburg Dortmund Wolfsburg Hertha Berlin

3:30pm 3:30pm 3:30pm 3:30pm 3:30pm 3:30pm 6:30pm

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CROSS WORD PUZZLE

Touching story of how Guinea beat Ebola to qualify - Pg 53

Egypt sack coach

E

gypt have shown Nigeria how to deal with failure by sacking coach Shawky Gharib after he failed to qualify the team for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

The Pharaohs missed out on the 2015 finals when a 2-1 defeat in Tunisia on Wednesday left them out of contention in third in Group G.

ACROSS 1)Super Eagles Midfielder, Sunday – (3) 3)Ninth Month of The Year (9) 8)Insect (3) 9)Beverage (3) 10)Number (6, 3) 12)Ethnic Group in Nigeria (5) 13)Inter Milan President, Massimo – (7) 17)3SC Shooting Stars Defender, Chima – (4) 19)L.G.A in Anambra State (6) 20)Portuguese Premiership Club-Side (6) 22)Former France “Les Bleus”Striker, David – (4) 24)Renowned Nigerian Novelist, Chimamanda – (7) 27)Former Super Eagles Striker, John – (5) 28)Former Zimbabwe “Warriors”Striker, Benjani – (9) 30)Norwegian Currency (3) 31)Female Rabbit (3) 32)Former Ondo State Deputy Governor, Otunba Omolade – (9) 33)Ocean (3)

DOWN 1)Malawi National President, Mr. Peter – (9) 2)Ebonyi State Capital (9) 3)Country in Africa (7) 4)Country in North America (6) 5)Organic Compound (5) 6)Wager (3) 7)Greek Alphabet (3) 11)Intelligence (3) 14)Norwegian Capital City (4) 15)Nigerian Premier League Side (9) 16)L.G.A in Kogi State (9) 18)Japanese Word for “Crab”?

(4) 21)Head of National Office, West African examinations Council (WAEC), Mr. Charles – (7) 23)Former PDP Chairman, Mr. Barnabas – (6) 25)Precipitation (3) 26)Major Ethnic Group in Nigeria (5) 28)L.G.A in Akwa-Ibom State (3) 29)Former Benue State Governor, M. Aper – (3)

SOLUTION on page 50

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