20 mini-skirt ladies massacredin Maiduguri - JTF blames Boko Haram

C M Y K

2 —SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012 — 3

C M Y K

4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012

C M Y K

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Group calls for level playing field in Benue LG election

BY PETER DURU, Makurdi

A

The Senate President, Hon. David Mark ( middle), flanked by Gov. Obi (right) and the VC of Anambra State University, Prof. Fiddles Okafor(left) during the 4th Convocation Lecture at the Igbariam campus of Anambra State University on Thursday.

S the Benue State local government election holds today across the state, the Independent Election Monitoring Group, IEMG, has implored the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC, to avail all the parties and contestants a level playing field to ensure the credibility of the process.

The IEMG, maintained that when that is done, the outcome of the elec-

Refrigerator repairer loses bid to claim Ibori’s $15m bribe money •Escapes jail, as court dismisses his application •Judge urges NBA to discipline his Lawyer

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI, Abuja

L

AGOS based Refrig erator repairer, Mr. Olalekan Kayode, yesterday, escaped jail by the whiskers, as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, threatened to commit him to prison for attempting to claim the $15million that was allegedly offered to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in 2007, by convicted former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori.

Kayode had approached the court, asking it to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to release the money to him for “proper man-

agement”, saying he intends to commit it to a special trust that he said would be manned by eminent Nigerians with a view to providing basic infrastructure for the citizenry.

In an application he filed through his London based lawyer, Mr John Olufemi Aina, Kayode, who said he resides and repairs Fridge and Air Conditioners at Alagbado in Lagos State, maintained that instead of allowing either FG or Delta State to take possession of the bribe money, it should be handed to him, contending that going by its antecedents, the Federal Government, has shown that it cannot be trusted to effectively utilize the fund

for the general welfare of the public.

He argued that there was no guarantee that the Delta State Government which is equally laying claim to the money would not equally divert it into private pockets, adding that he would channel part of the money into charity based projects.

Meanwhile, the EFCC, through its lead counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, dismissed him as a big joke, describing him as a jobless busy-body seeking cheap publicity.

Consequently, the agency urged the court to severely sanction him to serve as a deterrent to any other person that may be nursing the ambition of trivializing the matter

Police tasked on diligent investigations

By EVELYN USMAN

J

USTICE Olabisi Ak inlade of the Lagos High Court has challenged the Police to ensure diligent investigation of criminal cases before charging them to court with a view to enabling judges convict such criminals to serve as deterrent to others.

Speaking at the 2012 security conference organized by the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators AISSON, Justice Akinlade lamented that only few crimes were successfully investigated and prosecuted .

She noted that secu-

rity issues were of vital concern to humanity and a crucial responsibility of any government all over the world but the scope and sophistication of crimes in Nigeria in the past five years had gone beyond anybody’s comprehension.

She therefore, called on stakeholders in the criminal justice administration, the Police, Justice Ministry, the Courts and the Prisons to collaborate and ensure criminals were prosecuted and punished to serve as deterrent to others.”

She said :“The United States has one of the largest land mass in the world, the state of Israel is surrounded by enemy states

yet, it does appear that there are more attacks in Nigeria because our law enforcement agents have not risen to the situation.”

, noting that the intending “Intervener”, failed to show any recognizable interest rather than the fact that identified himself as a Nigerian citizen that has a claim to the fund by virtue of his citizenship.

tion would gain general acceptance by the populace and political party f a t e f u l s .

National Coordinator of the IEMG, Bar. Festus Okoye who stated this yesterday while briefing newsmen in Makurdi, also urged the electoral body to exhibit high sense of professionalism and etiquette in the conduct of the polls in order to avoid suspicion and disputes arising from the process.

The group also advocated the timely distribution of electoral materials to designated centres in the state advising further that electoral officers and supervisors must also ensure that results of the elections were announced at the various polling units in the 23 LGAs of the state as directed by BSIEC. According the the group, “The timely announcement of results and declaration of winners of the election will undoubt-

Mark leads FG delegation to Vatican •Yakowa, Oronsaye, Ogiadomhe, Oduah, others make list

BY HENRY UMORU, Abuja

S

ENATE President David Mark yesterday led the Federal Government’s delegation to the Vatican city for the consecration of Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan as Cardinal of the Catholic Church.

The event takes place today at the Vatican.

According to a text message by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Paul Mumeh, the delegation left the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport yesterday at 12noon.

Also on the trip are Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadome; Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State;

Steve Oronsaye; Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah and Minister of State, FCT, Jumoke Akinjide.

Others are a member House of Representatives; the Executive Secretary, Christian Pilgrims Board, John Kenndy Opara; Villa Chaplain, Onwuzurumba; Mrs Ade-

P

OLITICAL associ ates of Hon. Van Nwoko have endowed a Foundation to immortalize and promote the political vision of the former member of Bendel State House of Assembly under the platform of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria.

The proposed Van Nwoko Foundation which will be launched on December 14, 2012, in Asaba, Delta State capital, will attract notable political actors and dignitaries among whom will be Senate President, Sen. David Mark; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu , National leader, Action Congress of Nigeria ;and Prof,

biyi (Director of Protocol in the Villa); P/A to Oghiadome and Chief of Staff to Senator Mark, Senator Anthony Manzo.

It will be recalled that the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI last month elevated Archbishop Onaiyekan as a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.

Delta LG elections: Politician tasks Isoko on credible candidates

I

SOKO politician and Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) candidate for Delta State House of Assembly, Olomoro Isoko South Constituency II in 2011 elections, Hon Oke Idawene has appealed to Isoko indigenes to unite, irrespective of their political differences and

Van Nwoko Foundation for launch, holds inaugural lecture

BY HUGO ODIOGOR, Foreign News Editor

edly eliminate anxiety and rumours that can lead to violence”.

While noting that the country was facing obvious security challenges, the group warned that “we cannot afford to add political insecurity to the burden the country is currently confronted with”.

Okoye who was a member of the Justice Uwais Election Reform Committee, further cautioned the participating political parties to desist from using thugs as agents at the polling units in order to eschew violence and loss of innocent lives in the state.

On security, he said, “security agencies must be handed copies of the Code of Conduct for Security Agencies on election day. They must carry out their duties professionally and ethically so that the safety of all can be guaranteed”, he added.

Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Independent Electoral Commission.

The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terence P. Mc Culley is also expected to attend the event which will feature the inaugural lecture in honour of the former lawmaker, while Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan will deliver the keynote address.

vote for candidates in the state council polls who will work for the development of their local government areas.

Idawene spoke with our correspondent at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja during the constitution review hearing organised by the National Assembly.

“In a few months from now with the legal expectation that Governor Uduaghan will conduct the elections very soon, we are going to elect our councilors and chairmen in the twenty five local government areas of our great state, Delta. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. The only thing we need to fear is fear itself.

“Let us unite, irrespective of our political differences and vote for credible candidates who will assiduously work for the development. of our various local governments”.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 7

NPAN/APCON advert rift: Court rules case to continue

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

T

L – R: Business Head, Hand Held Products, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas; Operator Account Manager, Ms. Lolade Shonubi, Managing Director, Mr. Bravo Kim; all of Samsung Electronics West Africa and Samsung Brand Ambassador, Mr. Olubankole Wellington (Banky W), at the unveiling of Samsung’s new Galaxy Note II Smartphone at Westown Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

HE disagreement between Registered Trustees of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) over placement of adverts on newspapers would soon be laid to rest as a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ruled that the matter be continued.

In a ruling, Justice Musa Kurya held that justice cannot be slaughtered in one hand and ordered that cost be paid to the 1st defendant (APCON) before the next

20 mini-skirt ladies slaughtered in Maiduguri

BY Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri, Ishola Balogun & Aliyu Adekunle with agency report

B

ARELY 24 hours af ter over ten people were slaughtered in Maiduguri, twenty ladies in mini skirts and trousers were yesterday slaughtered in their separate homes in the metropolis by yet to be identified terrorists.

This ugly development is one of its kind, as many believed that most of the daily killings in Borno are only targeted at men and security agencies.

The slaughtering of about twenty different ladies ,our correspondent gathered, took place in the early hours of yesterday precisely at about 1 to 2am when most of residents were still asleep in their houses due to the curfew imposed on the state in the past five months.

A source told our correspondent that the most hit areas were Mary wards, few meters away from the University of Maiduguri, one of the places accommodating students of the institution living off-Campus due to accommodation shortage.

Also affected according to investigation, were ladies living close to the black spots areas of Gwange, London Chiki, Abbagaram, Kaleri areas where series of killings and bomb blasts had oc-

curred in the past, killing JTF officers.

When contacted on phone, both the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa and the Police Commissioner, Mr. Yuguda Abdullahi said that they are not in Maiduguri, the state capital to confirm the incident.

But a top JTF Commander said, he had directed his men to the affected areas yesterday morning to evacuate the remains of over twenty girls slaughtered within the Maiduguri metropolis.

Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force, Operation ‘Restore Order ’, Maid-

uguri, have declared the suspected terrorists wanted and placed a reward on each of them.

They are wanted in connection with terrorist activities particularly in the region that led to the killings, bombings and assassinations of some civilians, religious leaders, traditional rulers, businessmen, politicians, civil servants and security personnel amongst others. They are also wanted for arson and destruction of properties worth several millions of Naira.

A statement listed 19 alleged senior members of the extremist group blamed for hundreds of

deaths in connection with its insurgency in northern and central Nigeria as suspects.

The rewards ranged from N50million for the suspected leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, to N10 million for various Boko Haram “commanders”.

Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, who issued the statement on behalf of the Military Task Force operating in the region did not respond to phone calls. Violence linked to Boko Haram’s insurgency is believed to have left over 3,000 people dead since 2009, including killings of security forces.

adjourned day, saying “on November 21, they came to court to argue the issue of cost. On the other hand, the learned counsel cannot say cost would not be paid.”

At the resumed hearing, Counsel for NPAN, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), opposed APCON’s motion challenging the locus standi of his client saying “the summary of the plaintiff is that Articles 21 and 137(a) of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion are ultra vires (beyond the powers) of APCON, which adversely affects the right and interest of Media House Owners, who are members of the plaintiff ’s association (Registered Trustees of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria).”

Urging the court to hold that the plaintiff has locus standi, Oyetibo said the plaintiff claim is not as to the harassment of its employer by the defendants, adding that the peak and substance of plaintiff case is the Constitutionality of Article 21 and 137(a) of the advertising code.

“Under the administrative law, a person who had been, has been or is likely to be affected by a particular statutory provision can go to court to complain. Article 21 and 137(a), which the plaintiff is complaining against did not mention employers but media

Constitutional review: Amaechi pushes for two federating units R IVERS State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has urged the National Assembly to put forward a structure of two federating units only, between the states and the federal government at the centre in the ongoing constitutional review He spoke when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Youth and Social Development led

by Hon. Kamil Akinlabi Mudashiru visited him in Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The Rivers State Governor said, “there are only two federating units in most countries in the

world . In Germany, there are two federating units. In America, there are local governments but there are only two federating units – the states and the federal government. The local counties(or what we call councils) are not part of the federating units. So I want to urge the National Assembly to disregard this talk of autonomy for Local Government Councils that would make the Councils one of the federating units.

We will not support it. Governors will not support. ” On financial autonomy for the state legislature, Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum(NGF)

said governors and the legislature should meet and discuss how much money the States get and how much both the legis-

lature and the judiciary could get, so that the executive could still perform its functions and responsibilities.

houses” he added.

Oyetibo submitted that APCON has no power to control the right of Media House Owners by asking them to present their adverts to APCON before any publication, adding that Articles 21 and 137(a) of APCON’s Code expressly measures media houses as target and the plaintiff is an association of media house owners, comprising of more than 20s media houses.

“There is no separate interest of the plaintiff with that of media houses. The plaintiff has no other business but to protect the interest of media houses. This is why the plaintiff has standi to come to the court to complain” he said.

In an objection, APCON’s lead counsel, Mr. A. Idigbe (SAN), told the court that the plaintiff does not have the standi to initiate the action, looking at what is filed by the plaintiff originating summon.

Idigbe said that in paragraph 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the affidavit in support, the plaintiff has admitted that the complained and regulatory action was against named staff and employees of NPAN members, noting that the named staff and employees are not members of the plaintiff.

He told the court that owners of newspapers coming out to fight APCON for inviting its staff to the police and their statements taken is simply “busy-body ”, adding that they do not have any business in the matter but the staff that have business in the matter.

Four die, 1 0 injure in Ogun aut o crash 10 auto

By DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

F

OUR people yesterday were reportedly killed while 10 sustained various degrees of injury in an auto crash that occured on Abeokuta-Lagos road in Onihale village in Ifo local government area of Ogun State.

According to an eyewitness, the accident involved a Lagos-bound bus with registration

number Lagos XY178 LSR which skided off the road and summersaulted while coming from Abeokuta.

The source however said that,the driver and the conductor of the ill-fated bus and two others died on the spot,while others sustained variuos degrees of injury and have been taken to a nearby hospital.

Confirming the incident,the Itori Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC,

Mr. Fatai Bakare said the bus carried 14 passengers before the accident.

He said that out of the 14 passengers,four have been confirmed dead while the remaining 10 sustained injury.

According to Bakare, the bus was coming from Abeokuta but later veered off the road and then summersaulted.

Four passengers who were all male died in the accident and the others have been taken to Ota general hospital.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Govs vow to kill autonomy for Local Government

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, PH GOVERNORS in the country have vowed to kill any move to grant autonomy to local governments in the country.

Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, governor Chibuike Amaechi who spoke yesterday at Government House, Port Harcourt when the House of Representatives Committee on Youth and Social Development visited said governors would not support any effort to accord local government a federating status in the constitution.

“There are only two federating units in most countries in the world …. In Germany, there are two federating units. In America, there are local governments but there are only two federating units – the states and the federal government. The local counties (or what we call councils) are not part

of the federating unit. So I want to urge the National Assembly to disregard this talk of autonomy for Local Government Councils that would make the Councils one of the federating units. We will not support it. Governors will not support Continuing, the governor urged the National Assembly to ensure only two federating units are created by the constitution He further called for a constitution that would see the federal government shed off more of its responsibilities to state governments.

He said at the moment, the federal government was carrying too much, adding that the excess load was affecting its successes in most areas.

The governor who noted the achievement of the federal government in several areas said more could have been recorded if most of the responsibilities being handled by the government were

constitutionally assigned to state governments.

“The Federal Government is making the state governors not to keep to their responsibilities to their states. We are carrying too many responsibilities that belong to the f e d e r a l government. Like for instance, it is not our (state) responsibility to take care of the NYSC but I would renovate the current NYSC camp in Onne, Rivers State and build more hostels. This is not my responsibility or that of any State governor. It is the responsibility of the federal government.”

OBJ w oos Nor th with N350m mosque, woos North Arabic school in Abeokuta

BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta

A

HEAD of 2015 gen eral election, former President Olusegun

CJN swears in Jombo-Ofor, Acting PCA •Bars Journalists from attendance

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI, Abuja

S

EQUEL to the direc tive of the National Judicial Council, NJC,

the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar, yesterday, elevated Justice Ifeoma Jumbo-Ofor to the Appeal Court Bench.

However, the CJN, who

GCU Old Boys plan luncheon party

T

HE Old Boys’ Asso ciation of Government College Ughelli (GCUOBA) Lagos branch has finalised plans to organise its annual luncheon party on December 2, 2012 at the Banquet Hall, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja by 1.30p.m prompt.

A statement by the Association’s Committee Secretary, Akeju Akintomiwa, said the luncheon which is expected to attract prominent members of the group and other eminent Nigerians will also provide an opportunity to raise funds for other laudable projects in the school.

Akintomiwa disclosed that Chief (Dr) Newton Chukwukadibia Jibuno, former Chairman, Managing Director of Costain West Africa Plc has been elected to preside over the event as Chairman.

The secretary stated that the choice of Chief Jibunor as the Chairman of

the event was predicated on his meritorious profile.

Akintomiwa however disclosed that in the last five years, the association has supported the Delta State government by committing over N120 million to the provision of much needed facilities in the school.

He said that the Association in partnership with the Exxon-Mobil Nigeria Limited built and equipped an Information and Communicating Technology (ICT) Laboratory valued at over N23 million in the school.

From left: Chioma Gabriel, Editor, Saturday Vanguard; Ishola Balogun of Vanguard who won the Celebrity Media Award, CMA Best Investigative News story 2011 Award and Mideno Bayagbon, Editor Vanguard Newspaper, after receiving the plaque recently.

was visibly embittered by plethora of criticisms that trailed her earlier refusal to administer oath of office on the new Appeal Court Judge owing to her declared state of origin, barred journalists from covering the event.

It would be recalled that the CJN had on November 5, declined to swearin Justice Jombo-ofor alongside eleven other newly appointed Justices of the appellate court.

Though Justice JomboOfor, who on that day, came to the apex court auditorium, venue of the swearing-in, with her friends and relatives, abinitio got the nod of both the NJC and President Goodluck Jonathan to ascend to the appellate court, however, she was directed to vacate the seat reserved for the new Judges, barely few minutes to the swearing-in ceremony.

Obasanjo on Friday wooed norther people especially Muslims as he laid the foundation of three hundred and fifty million naira ultra modern central mosque and arabic school within the premises of his Presidential Library in Oke-Mosan Abeokuta.

Saturday Vanguard reliably gathered that, Obasanjo decided to construct a mosque within the premises of the controversial Presidential Library so as to make the place look international and as well erase the impression that, he hates notherners and their religion which is Islam.

An insider at the

HE Church of God Mission International has urged the federal government to provide enabling environment for enterprise and citizens to maximise human and natural resources.

In a communiqué is-

sued and signed by both Rev. Efosa Akenzua and Rev. V. Iyawe after the church 40th international convention held in Benin City, Edo State, with the theme: “Dare to Believe” said Nigeria is blessed with natural resources

makko, Katsina state governor, Sheu-Shemma Shetima who was represented by his deputy.All of them donated N20 million each for the construction of the mosque.

Among those that contributed to the Obasanjo’s mosque and arabic school were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal who pledged N2 million, Chairman of Damngote group of companies ,Alhaji Aliko Dangote who also promised N25 million, former governor of Kebbi State,Senator Adamu Aleru who also pledged N10 million.

Deployment of Nigerian troops to Mali will halt spread of Boko Haram — Salamatu Suleiman

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

F

OLLOWING wide spread complaints and apprehension about the deployment of Nigerian troops and officers of the Nigerian Police Force to spearhead the quelling

Church makes case for maximum human resources

T

Obasanjo hiltop building hinted that, the four governors in the north held a closed door meeting with Obasanjo before the event where the 2015 election top the agenda and how President Goodluck Jonathan would be either convinced or stopped from re-contesting to pave way for Northerner as the next President.

Eminent peronalties who were at the foundation laying and fund raising of Olusegun Obasanjo Baytus Salam central Mosque were four governors from the North. They are Kebbi,Usman Dakingari, Kano State, Rabi Kwakwanso, Sokoto, Aliyu Wa-

and great potentials that should be utilised.

Advising Nigerian youths, the church urged youths to learn and develop entrepreneurial skills instead of searching for white collar jobs which seems not to be available.

of the deadly Malian Crises, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman has said the mission is to checkmate the spread of Boko Haram and movement of Al Qaeda groups into Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Suleiman made the disclosure just as the minister of state for Defence; Erelu Olusola Obada disclosed that terrorism is an international crisis that should be nipped in the bud especially in Mali which is in Nigeria’s backyard so that it does not spread to other parts

of the continent.

Speaking to Saturday Vanguard on the vexed issue, the ECOWAS Commissioner, a former minister of state for foreign affairs, said, “Firstly, Nigeria ’s territorial and national interest is at stake. Another thing people should know is that it has been proven that Boko Haram terrorism which is rocking Nigeria today, originated from Mali . Nigeria is able to survive it because of her endowment and capable security agencies but same cannot be said of smaller countries around hence the need to stop the spread”.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 9

District head, 9 others burnt as Nasarawa ethnic clashes persist …over 50 houses destroyed

BY ABEL DANIEL ABOGONYE, Lafia

T

HE crisis that erupted on the early hours of Wednesday between Eggon and Migili ethnic nationalities in Agyaragu, headquarters of Jenkwe Development Area in Obi local government council of Nasarawa state entered its third day leaving the District head of Gidan Rail, Zhe Meri dead and was found in ashes when the state Deputy governor, Damishi Luka Barau led state government delegation to assess the level of damage caused by the incident amidst tight security.

Among the people burnt to ashes were two aged visually impaired women who despite their condition could not attract mercy from their attackers while they could not be whisked away by their relations when the militias who were carrying sophisticated weapons over powered them and set the house the victims

were hiding ablaze leaving them roasted.

Vanguard gathered that the District head who recently fled his ancestral domain in Gidan Rail in Ekye development area of Doma Local Government Council as a result of the on-going Fulani/Farmers crisis in the area and was taking refuge in Agyaragu finally met his death in the bloody attack.

Paramount ruler of Migili Chiefdom, Dr. Ayuba Agwadu whose palace was completely razed by the attackers had remained hostage in his home town in Musha and was later accompanied by armed Police men to Lafia, the state capital where he is taking refuge.

Our correspondent who was on the entourage of the state deputy governor observed that the attack which seems to have been well planned was targeted mostly at destroying the modern houses belonging to prominent persons in the community.

State deputy governor

Suspected kidnappers threaten Tompolo’s top adviser

BY EMMA AMAIZE, Warri

S

USPECTED kidnappers in Warri, Delta State, have threatened to abduct Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, an activist and top adviser of ex-militant leader, G o v e r n m e n t Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

The supposed kidnappers in a text message from a GSM line, O8153979335, to the activist, accused him of not releasing an undisclosed amount of money that Tompolo allegedly asked him to disburse to them.

They said he was giving them between N200 and N500 and vowed to abduct his wife and children if they failed to get him.

Speaking to Saturday Vanguard, the activist confirmed that he received the threat message from suspected

kidnappers, saying, “I do know them and what they are saying is not true” However, Mr Bebenimibo called on the Federal Government not to cancel the pipelines surveillance contract awarded to Tompolo in the state, saying that hundreds of youths have been employed by Oil Facility Surveillance Limited, OFSL, which was executing the contract and that terminating it, could spell trouble crisis worse than what the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, was causing now.

His words, “President Jonathan should not contemplate cancelling the contract, rather, he should renew it because it has helped in his transformation agenda in Delta state.

Oil production, which dropped to 700,000 barrels before has increased to 2.7 billion barrels in the region.

who expressed shock at the level of destruction described the incident as barbaric, vowing that government would do everything possible to unravel the circumstances that led to what he further described as unfortunate development.

While appealing to the bereaved families and the displaced persons to remain calm, the deputy governor assured them of government commitment to restore peace in the area.

Rivers state Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi[right] welcomes Hon Kamil Akinlabi Mudashiru, chairman House of Representatives committe on Youth and Social Development to Government House, Port Harcourt, Friday.

Uduaghan presents N398.31b for 2013 budget

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA, Asaba

D

ELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, on Thursday presented a budget proposal of N398.31billion for the 2013 fiscal year.

A breakdown of the figure shows that N145.94 is for recurrent expenditure while N252.37 is for capital expenditure.

The 2013 budget is lower than this year’s budget of N437.21 billion by N38.9billion.

Uduaghan however announced the setting up of what he described as a “self-evaluation process,” to appraise the performances of his commissioners.

Presenting the budget, Governor Uduaghan said, “the reality of the need for us to build Delta State beyond oil is becoming more evident by the day.

In the past few months, our oil revenue has dwindled drastically resulting in adopting stiffer financial measures.

“Mr. Speaker, Delta

State is being repositioned. I am glad to let you know that what we have embarked upon is a process which is unique to Delta State and Nigeria, in the sense that it is a self-evaluation process, not dictated by anybody, but by ourselves because at this point in

time, there is no proper accountability in the governance of Nigerians.

“The Delta State Economic Dashboard we have recently put in place is a traffic-like methodology where we look at all the sectors, the ministries, departments and agencies and subject

them to a rigorous level of scrutiny and come out periodically with a result on their performance. It also facilitates coordination, and enables each MDA see how they fit into the overall objectives of growing the economy.’’

Mark visits Saraki’s family •Says late Saraki was a bridge builder •E.K Clark pays condolence brought up people in polBY HENRY UMORU, Abuja

S

ENATE President David Mark described the late second republic Senate Leader, Senator Abubakar Olusola Saraki as a bridge builder who united Nigerians irrespective of tribe, faith and politics . This statement came even as Chief E.K Clark also extolled the virtues of the late statesman.

Speaking on Thursday when he paid a condolence visit on the

scion of the Saraki family, Senator Bukola Saraki and the governor of Kwara state, Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed in Ilorin, Senate President Mark urged Nigerians to emulate the legacies of late Saraki whic was built on integrity and honour. in a statement by his special Adviser, Media and Publicity, K o l a Ologbondiyan, Senate President Mark said, “ the Oloye never acted nor pretended in any vocation he engaged in.

He lived naturally and

itics and other areas of our lives. ”We should not mourn him as if he died without a legacy rather today’s pretenders on the political scene should learn to live naturally and leave behind legacies that would form guiding principles for the younger generations.”

In his own condolence Chief E.K Clark expressed shock and sadness on the sudden passing on of Senator Olusola Saraki, the father of Kwara politics.

Oil subsidy scam: Implement Ribadu’s report, community leader urges FG

BY FESTUS AHON, Ughelli

C

OMMUNITY leader in Olomoro, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Dr. Oscar Oduemi has urged the Federal Government to implement Mallam Nuhu Ribadu’s report on subsidy scam.

Odueni, who spoke to

newsmen, on Thursday insisted that the report should not be swept under the carpet and decried the high rate of corruption and fraud among those in positions of authority in the country.

According to him, the Ribadu report had shown how certain individuals had allegedly siphoned the wealth of the nation

into their private pockets, adding that those indicted by the report should be brought to book to serve as deterrent to others.

He said; “The oil subsidy Cabals should not be treated as sacred cows. If Mr. President is serious in fighting corruption, he should punish those indicated no

matter how highly placed they are.”

Speaking further, he decried the deplorable condition of the East-West road, lamenting that “the Niger Delta region which produces over 80 percent of Nigeria’s wealth and Olomoro which has 36 oil wells have not had their fair share in terms of development.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 —5

$12.4bn Oil windfall: AGF asks Court to hands off suit BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI, Abuja

I

N a bizarre legal move, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, has approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, asking it to hands off the suit seeking to expose how $12.4 billion oil windfall money that accrued to the Federal Government between 1988 and 1994, was spent.

Consequently, the judgement which had earlier been deferred for six consecutive times after all the parties had been invited to court on the excuse that there were minor typographical errors which needed correction, was once again adjourned till Thursday, November 29.

The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole apologized to all the parties yesterday, saying the judgment was not yet ready, as according to him, the AGF recently served him with a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear and determine the issues raised by the plaintiffs.

Justice Kolawole said, he needed time to properly scrutinize the fresh motion by Mr Adoke with a view to incorporating it in the judgment he promised to deliver on November 29.

Aside yesterday, the judgment suffered sudden adjournments on October 20, 2011, April 27, 2012 and July 27 among other dates.

Six civil society groups led by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP had instituted the action under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.

Specifically, the plaintiffs had aproached the court seeking “an order of mandamus compelling the respondents, individually and/or collectively, to publish detailed statement of account relating to the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994, and to publish in major national newspapers a copy of the statement of account.”

In 1994, the Federal Government under the

administration of late General Sani Abacha constituted the Pius Okigbo Panel to investigate the activities of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and recommend measures for the re-organization of the apex bank.

In the course of its assignment, the Okigbo Panel reportedly discovered that about $12.4 billion which accrued to the country during the Gulf War and was reserved in the ‘’Dedicated and Special Accounts,’’ of the CBN had been depleted to $200 million by June 1994.

Following the alleged mismanagement of the money during the administration of the then Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, the investigative Panel, recommended an immediate discontinuance of the said ‘’Dedicated and Special Accounts.’’

Though verdict on the matter was stalled since October 2011, when hearing was concluded, Justice Kolawole invited the parties in court to readopt the processes they filed on September 26, 2 0 1 2 .

This was after the plaintiffs had claimed that the non-delivery of the verdict was aimed at thwarting the course of justice on the matter.

Meantime, the plaintiffs have already filed a counter-affidavit, challenging the competence of the AGF’s motion seeking to scuttle the verdict.

The AGF had contended that the plaintiffs lack the locus-standi to institute and maintain the action.

SERAP had in its suit, asked the court to order the AGF to prosecute anyone indicted by the Okigbo report, as well recover and return the money to the national treasury.

Besides, the plaintiffs further asked the court for an order directing the respondents to provide adequate reparation, which may take the form of restitution, compensation, satisfaction or guarantees of nonrepatriation of the money to millions of Nigerians that had been denied their human rights as a result of the respondents’

failure and/or negligence to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994.

In two separate preliminary objections by the AGF and the CBN, which was equally joined as a respondent in the suit, they urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety.

The two defendants also asked the court to reject the Okigbo Panel’s report, saying it was not admissible in law considering that it was neither gazzetted nor a White Paper issued on it.

They maintained that they could not find the Okigbo report, and had no duty to render account on the spending of the accrued revenue.

The CBN insisted that the suit was non justiceable, contending that it was not covered under the fundamental rights provisions of sections 33-46 of the 1999 Constitution.

The apex bank submitted that only the AGF, as a defender of public interest, had the right to seek information on the spending of the $12.4 billion oil windfall, pointing out that the plaintiffs had no such right.

The plaintiffs however, countered, saying that their legal action against the government was prompted by “the failure of the AGF to carry out his duty in this respect.”

They further argued that: “The diversion and/ or mismanagement of the $12.4 billion oil windfall was a violation of

His Grace Most Rev. Nicolas Okon, Prelate, Anglican Church of Nigeria & Chairman Nigeria Pilgrimage Board, presenting the ‘Second Nehemiah of Our Time’ to Gov Godswill Akpabio during a courtesy visit to Government House, Uyo, Akwa Ibom

Nigerians’ right to natural resources and wealth and to economic development, as recognized and guaranteed by 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and

Enforcement) Act)”, noting that under the African Charter, the Nigerian government has a legal responsibility to utilize the natural resources of the country to benefit the whole people.

“Just as the people of

every sovereign state have a permanent right to choose their form of government, so the people are entitled to insist that the natural resources of the nation are exploited in the interest of the people,” they added.

Bomb manuf acturing ffact act or manufacturing actor oryy uncovered in Mubi

BY UMAR YUSUF, Yola

A

NOTHER bomb manufacturing factory has been uncovered in the volatile town of Mubi, Adamawa State by the Joint Military Operation overseeing security of the area.

The factory located in a rice farm, brings to three the number of such factories uncovered by the security operatives.

Conducting newsmen round the premises of the

building housing the bomb factory yesterday, the Brigade Commander, 23 Armoured Brigade, Nigerian Army Yola, Brigadier- General John Nwaoga said the discovery followed the arrest of one Mohammed Ibrahim at a road block in the area.

He stated that Ibrahim was nabbed at a checkpoint with over N3 million and 200 dollars and a pistol stuffed in his Honda salon car with number plate CF 26 SMK. According to Nwaoga,

the arrest of the suspect and his subsequent interrogation led security operatives to discover the building along the Mubi - Maiha road in the outskirt of the town.

Items discovered in the building include police uniforms, locally made grenades, charms, bags of fertilizers, gas cylinders, thousands of ready made cans of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, remote control devices of different makes, car batteries and various sizes of wires.

Bichi riot: Police arrest 22 suspects

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD, Kano

T

HE Kano state police command have arrested 22 suspects in connection with the ethnoreligious crisis that swept through Bichi town Thursday.

A statement by the Command signed by the Public Relation officer, ASP Magaji Musa Majia confirmed that two persons lost their lives to the mayhem while two others that sustained life threatning injuries are recuperating in the Hospital. ASP Musa Majia disclosed that no

fewer than 7 churches were set ablaze by the vandals as 8 shops and one residential building were burnt down during the mayhem.

Bichi, a town located along Km 27 Kano- Katsina federal highways erupted

into religious crisis Thursday following an alleged mispronounciation of Hausa words considered by first speaker of the language as blasphemous.

The command said that

normalcy has been restored to the troubled town,adding that the command has intensified its patrol to ensure residents go about their businesses without fear of molestation.

22-yr old Newspaper Vendor clubbed to death BY JOHNBOSCO some shots of local gin AGBAKWURU, Calabar (Ogogoro) but later had a disagreement with one of Newspaper Vendor, his neighbours whose Monday Francis, was name was given as Eno clubbed to death in who allegedly hit him sevCalabar on Thursday at a eral times on the head drinking joint near his and neck with a shovel. house. The deceased One of their neighbours had gone to the local Godwin, said that Eno drinking parlour to take had told his younger

A

brother, Innocent to leave the scene before clubbing the vendor to death. Late Francis poured part of his drinks on Eno before the assailant hit him with the shovel. The matter was reported at the Federal Housing Police Station.

10—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

,

At a time, one of my kinsmen in the village advised me on having a concubine that would bear me a male child. That option was however contrary to my Catholic faith since I was wedded in the church, a true communicant at that

,

B

efore Vincent Maduka married his wife twen ty-six years ago, he had planned for five children consisting of three boys and two girls. But this arrangement was tucked in a destiny that would not be. Narrating his ordeal to Saturday Vanguard at his Ojodu residence in Lagos, Maduka recollects with nostalgia that the first two years of his marriage was an agonising one because no child was in sight, despite frantic efforts they made. He laments, “initially, my aged mother (now deceased) heaped all sort of venom on my wife because of our childless state. Also, my two elder sisters even made matter worse as they would not allow the poor girl (my wife) to be. All medical explanation by the Doctor to them fell on deaf ears. At a point, they even attempted to throw her personal properties outside my house while I was away on official duty. These in addition to gossips by neighbours were one trauma too much to bear by one woman.

The Medical Doctor has assured me that a child would definitely come having placed me on fertility medication.

This, I explained to my aged mother and worried sisters who were not ready to listen to my explanation. However, God acceded to our prayers as precisely two years after, my wife became pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.”

However, one thing led onto another and within a span of five years, the Madukas became proud parents of three lovely children – all girls. This fragile reprieve then opened a fresh bottle of trouble for the couple. Just while he was basking in the euphoria of fatherhood, came a mounting

CHILD SEX CONTROVERSY:

The search for a male child

The prejudice torwards the female child has in many ways led to ripples in some families, and in extreme cases, divorce. In this report, CHARLES ADINGUPU reviews a survey on this gender controversy in the family as men trouble themselves in search of a male child and advocates the way forward. pressure from the elder brother, (who has three boys and two girls) aged mother and sisters again. Their grouse: ‘you must bear us a male child. Somebody to look after you and continue from where you stop. You have tried, but you still need to do something about this

even if it’s one male child.”

This was just a mild advice as Maduka recalls, “at a time, one of my kinsmen in the village advised me on having a concubine that would bear me a male child. That option was however contrary to my Catholic faith since I was wedded

in the church, a true communicant at that.”

Interestingly, the Madukas were further blessed with two additional female children, bringing the total number of their children to five.

Speaking earnestly, he says, “I’ve balanced my family. I just

need five children I can conveniently cater for. Despite these pressures, I’m a happy man, quite comfortable with my family size and excited with the wisdom in my decision not to take another wife for the sake of a male child.

Today, two of my five daughters are comfortably in their matrimonial homes. The third is in school in the United States of America (USA) just as the last two girls are doing relatively fine here in Nigeria,” Maduka confirms.

The story of Mrs Agnes Iheme is not quite different.

She gave birth to six children, all female. The husband determined to get himself a male child got involved in an extramarital affair on the advice of his kinsmen. Ironically, this second marriage produced three female children. He came back home a defeated and dejected man. But a short while after, the first and legal wife surprisingly had a male child for him.

A popular Lagos based lawyer (names withheld), married about 30 years ago. Soon after his wedding, the wife gave birth to their first child, a female. The second followed shortly afterwards. But his love for a male child and being deContinues on page 11

Hurray! It’s a bouncing baby girl

BY CHARLES ADINGUPU

to pray for.

All over the world, women are beginor hours, Daniel Abiodun was ning to make indelible impressions in lurked in a deep despair, as he virtually every spectrum of human enpeaces restlessly at the maternity ward deavours, ranging from politics, econoin a Lagos hospital. Like a flash, series my and even social life. of event race through his troubled mind In most countries in Europe including as he waits impatiently for his wife who the United States of America, women bewas wheeled into the ward. At the midtides both the political and social scenes dle of his endless thought came the news like a colossus.

The likes of Hilary Clinfrom the Nurse, Harry! It’s a bouncing ton, Condolus Rice former Foreign Afbaby girl. fairs Secretary of States of the USA, Daniel who was lost in wondering conMargret Thatcher, the iron lady of Great templation, unconsciously screamed, girl Britain to mention but a few.

In the Asian again? countries, women have gone beyond the That was the kind of empathy Africans post of ministers to becoming President. have towards the male child. But ironiIn Africa, the story is near the same cally, recent development has shown that but this discriminatory traditions that the male child only turned out to be a Continues on page 12 blessing most family household will live

F

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—11

The search for a male child Continued from page 10 termined to have one, he secretly got another woman for himself. But the law of “karma” you may say, caught up with him as that other woman gave birth to three successive female children. He was however compelled to resign to faith as he resolved not to dare any adventure any more.

Conversely, the family of Chief Anthony Okongwu remains in disarray today, courtesy of his wife’s perceived inability to give birth to a male child. Chief Okongwu took in a second woman, who incidentally gave him his desired male child.

However, as fate would have it, the first wife became pregnant and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.

But for the Adeyemi’s family in Ojota, Lagos, it was a sorry tale to recount. For them, it is “one man’s meat, another man’s poison,” as having too many males have brought them endless grief. A family of nine, all males. Willingly,five of them joined the Nigeria Army during the civil war. The family saw the return of only one after the ridiculous and avoidable war.

According to the family spokesman, Mr. Adebayo Adeyemi “the idea of craving for male children does not arise as far as the family is concerned.”

Although, Adeyemi is not against male children per say, but he’s bitter and bothered about having too many of them. He, however, declared that “the notion that For better or for worse..male or female child till death do us part male children are the back bones of a family is a fallacy, ther in search of a female child. as most female children are As for him, there is no regret now taking up the challenges for having three male children, of being the pillar of families. but it has recently dawn on him Tosan Omaseye, a newly marhow useful the female child ried woman holds a balance could be at home. view on child sex controversy.

“I’ve learnt to accept what She believes that both sexes God gives me even in other are good depending on indispheres of human endeavour vidual experience. To her, “in and I tend to enjoy it like that. most cases, if properly handled, I pray to God to give people the ability, sense and intellipower to appreciate what He gent quotient (IQ) of both male gives them and by so doing, and female go side by side,” as praying for a female child “do or die” affair. His wife had they will enjoy it the more. such, it matters little if any to against his wife’s wish for a to give birth to their third child Is anything wrong with the her whether she has all male male child. Fortunately for him, after persuasion by him when female child? or all female children. the first child turned out to be he made up his mind to stop The wrong notion that womIn expressing optimism that female. For the father of three after the first two, and had acen are no better than home the procreation of any sex is the girls and a boy, both sexes are tually stopped for 49 months. keepers held by most African work of God which nobody has good and a blessing from God. During the last pregnancy, the men still hold sway. This is rean influence over, Mrs Omas- He is fascinated with females wife enthusiastically expressed flected particularly in men’s eye condemns the prejudice based on his experience about optimism that with signs she dealings with the female colagainst female child. She fur- their usefulness at home and was experiencing, she would leagues in the workplace. ther posited that this should his family history at large. give birth to a female child.

Some have even extended not arise in the first place, rathThe wishes, aspirations and This imagination made the cou- this bias to their homes. This is er, families should be preoccu- experiences of Mr. Jimmy Yusuf ple to chose a feminine name demonstrated by the inequalipied with taking adequate care is quite contrary to that of for the child before its delivery. ty of attention the male and feof their offsprings. This view Adelana which made him Alas! The baby eventually male children get from their was collaborated by a retired prayed fervently for male chil- came, and it was male again. parents. varsity don, Dr. Sophia Olu- dren. Which he ultimately got He, thereafter rebuffed other In an interview with Saturday wole in programme as she que- in abundance. The father of attempts to persuade him furVanguard, Udofia Ekong says ries, “ which sex that is not a three considers himself lucky to child?” have all his children as males.

According to the retired According to the mechanical teacher, “any attempt to delib- engineer, a relation’s daughter erate on women’s liberation living with him who now plays implies a tacit acceptance that the daughter ’s role in terms of women had been in one kind care and other related domesof bondage or another.” tic chore makes him more comTaking a chauvinistic posture, fortable at home than even his Merilyn Okorokporo argues legitimate sons could. that female children have provHowever, Mr. Yufuf believes en to be more concerned in their in effective monitoring of a feparents’ welfare. “the girl child male child during her growing even after leaving home to join up years. Though cumberher husband is still interested some, but it is a task that must in her immediate family affairs. be done to help the child avoid But the male child may not be falling into trouble. While a so involved as he may be pre- male child demands less of this occupied with the problems of control as one can easily dichis immediate family.” tate and command a male child Long before the birth of his going astray. child, Mr. Aina Adelana, civil Yusuf believes that having a engineer in Lagos had been particular sex should not be a

The tradition is that whenever the father passes on, the male child automatically assumes the responsibility of head of the family, even if the male child is under aged

,

that irrespective of the formal education and training, the girl child acquires, her rights ultimately are guaranteed at the husband’s home.

“Due to the disregard the female child suffers in our culture, often times, she is not allowed to contribute to family discussions nor her opinion sought on serious family issues.

The tradition is that whenever the father passes on, the male child automatically assumes the responsibility of head of the family, even if the male child is under aged,” Ekong said.

However, for Agnes Dorgu, the first child of her parents believes that her position would not be in contention.

“We’ve a family of six daughters. I’ve no regrets because I have decided to do whatever any male first child could do giving the same play field.

Though, I know that people in my neighbourhood and even relations of ours might be worried, seeing our situation as a plight.

But I feel my parents are not worried at all. Unfortunately, the African society places more value on the male child, but I do not subscribe to this archaic philosophy,” she said.

In some families, the female child is seen as a supplement.

And this worries Odaertey Lamptey, a Ghanaian shoe cobbler based in Lagos.

His words: “Every average family in Africa craves for a female child after about one or two male children simply to strike a balance.”

The shoe cobbler observed in dismay that in most African countries, the female children are seen as a source of wealth.

Despite these idiosyncrasies on female children, Lampertey believes that the female child can still play the role of a male child to a conclusive extent.

Any reason for the preference for a male child?

The preference for a male child against the female as expressed by the African man is based on continuity of the family’s lineage. Someone to carry on the family’s name and probably look after the estate.

Tony Eziashi who hails from Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State, says it’s a taboo for a man to bequeath his estate to a girl child upon transition to the world beyond.”

According to Eziashi, the preference for male child has compelled most parents or family to make a male out of their female child. “I do know of a parent who gave birth to all girls. All the girls eventually got married except one of them.

Continues on page 12

,

12—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Hurray! It’s a bouncing baby girl I married a second wife for the sake of a male child —Pa Mike Odafe

Continued from page 10 seems to lock them out of the political space.

In Nigeria, our women now engage the men in healthy competition in virtually every aspects of our national live. From the political space to the boardroom, the Nigerian women have made parents of the girl child to be proud.

Inn the banking industry, the Nigerian women have recorded tremendous success just as they did in politics. The likes of Senator Florence Ita Giwa, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Petroleum Minister, Mrs Maduaeke and others too numerous to mention.

Perhaps, it was against this discriminatory traditional stance on women, that government of most African countries including the developed ones, now opted to reserve not less than 35% for women in government.

For most government all over the world, it has become a campaign issue. But for Nigerians, this is mere widow dressing as the exclusive place for women inn government must be enshrined inn the nation’s legal book if the government must be taken seriously.

There is no gainsaying that the Nigerian women, and indeed African women have come of age. However, available evidence abound to show that they are no more the home keepers but home grown to become women of substance.

Y

Florence Ita Giwa Hillary Clinton

Ngozi OkonjoIweala

Alison Maduaeke

Daughters who made their parents proud

The search for a male child Continued from page 11 She remains in the home and gives birth to children whom the father adopted as his own grandchildren. They bore his name but the identity of the true father of these children were never known. The essence of this singular bold decision was for the man to ensure that his name is not forgotten when he dies.

Today, the community respects those children and they equally enjoy equal rights with other legitimate members of the community,” Eziashi enthused.

A respondent who would not want his names in print stated that men generally craze for male child because they want to uphold their family name.

But Andrew Oghenekaro dismisses this erroneous impression. “It is wrong, both (male or female) are children from God and face equal responsibility. These perceptions held by men against female child has denied women great opportunities that would hitherto improve on their lives,” Oghenekaro noted.

He however recalled that in some developed countries like Britain and Europe, women had been given the opportunity to assume leadership role

and they have done perfectly well.

The likes of Indira Ganhdi of India, Margaret Thatcher of Britain and other great women even in Nigeria who have distinguished themselves in the respective endeavours. Against this backdrop, Mathew Adepoju an elder in the church, prophesies strange things to come, saying, in a few years to come, women with their seeming awakening, can rule even this country, as most male politicians have failed us.” Though this appears as huge task because certain African

practices tend to favour the male child.

Joseph Onwuka who hails from Arochukwu in Abia State, regrets that the female child has no inheritance in the father’s estate, except in very rare occasions.

According to him, a woman has no right to give her daughter ’s hand in marriage. This is a function that is exclusively reserved for men. Besides, there are so many other things that women are not allowed to participate in, especially in matters relating to wealth and properties in the family.”

EARS after a blissful marital life with my first wife, I took a decision that caused much. We were blessed with a female child. Earnestly, I was quite comfortable and happy with my family size.

Things worked perfectly as God had arranged them. But this arrangement did not go down well with my kinsmen. They thought otherwise of my family’s position.

After a shot spell of time, I gave in to their mounting pressure of marrying a second wife for the sake of male child. Well, as God would have it, the second wife gave me my first male child. The boy is big now and precisely doing fine.

However, in the society where I come from, preference is given to male children as against the female. Coincidentally, experience has shown that female children are even more interested in their father’s upkeep when age starts weighing down on one. Then the male child will be more preoccupied with his immediate family’s responsibilities.

Every African man wants to bequeath his assets to a male child. It is all about continuity of the man’s lineage, something to be remembered for when he passes to the wold beyond.

Though, I quite appreciate the essence of this sentiment as expressed by African tradition on the male child. However, I must admit that there are imminent dangers that lurk around this quest for a male child. In my case, I’m a Catholic by faith, and the acquisition of a second wife has denied me the privilege of receiving the Holy Communion. By extension therefore, I’m no longer a communicant. But I still hold dearly to the Catholic faith. I believe, the arrangement is God’s design and I’ve since accepted it in good faith. I advise the younger generation, especially prospective fathers to accept any child as a bundle of gift from God. By so doing, God can spring surprises when you least expect.

How the female child comes

M

EDICAL expects say that the male sperm contains tiny thread-like structures called chromosomes. The fertilised egg contains 46 chromosomes with 23 each from both parents.

The sex chromosomes from the mother’s egg is always the same and is tagged Xchromosome.

On the other hand, the sex chromosome from the father’s sperm may be an ‘X’ or ‘Y’ chromosome. By implication therefore, the husband determines the baby’s sex as he solely posses the XY chromosomes. Therefore, if the egg of the mother is fertilised by a ‘Chromosome, the baby becomes a boy carrying an ‘XY’ chromosomes.

Conversely, if the egg is fertilised by an ‘X’ chromosome, the baby invariably becomes a female child.

Apart from determining the sex, the X and Y chromosomes in the fertilised egg dictate

the baby’s inherited traits, with each chromosome carrying about two thousand genes which are responsible for such physical characteristics as the baby’s height, built, hair, blood group and eye colour. Hence, it is possible for children to look like or bear resemblance with either of the parents.

Also, the gene is affected by other physical attributes as the environment and how a child is brought up influence features as personality and intelligence.

However, experts disclosed that parents have chance of knowing the baby’s sex before birth through scientific method, in the amniocentesis method – a special tube is passed through the oval of the abdomen into the amniotic fluid which surrounds the baby in the womb, a sample of the fluid is drawn out and tested.

An ultrasound scan is another method of knowing the baby’s sex before birth.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012 — 13

C M Y K

14—SATURDAY Vanguard,NOVEMBER 24, 2012

,

That the erudite jurist was above all forms of corruption in the discharge of his professional duties was very well documented in so many lawsuits

I

t is a common belief that each year rolls on, albeit gently or turbulently, towards its end and then, in the “ember” months, suddenly bears many of “its children” away.

It is indeed curiously noticeable that the pace of mortality seems to quicken during the “ember” months, though it is understandable in traffic accidents due to the increase in the volume of travelling all over the country. But away from accidents on the road and elsewhere, the icy hands of death still reach out, it would appear, more frequently to rob the populace of dear ones, especially among public figures. So it has happened this year with the demise of two notable politicians and one eminent jurist, among others.

Death came to all of them in comparatively old age.

Justice Kayode Eso, of the Supreme Court fame, died at 87, nine days ago on the 16th. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, a great legislator, passed away at 79, on the 14th, and Lam Adesina, a former Governor of Oyo State, was 73 when he gave it all up on the 11th, all within one week of one another. They were not only associated in death, but also by a trait of courage in public life.

,

*three men of courage hectoring style. Lam afforded him all the courtesy of his station, and then politely, but firmly, put him in his position. It was accounted an occasion of sound education for the former military leader who had arrived at the governor’s office with the evident intention of intimidating a “bloody civilian” governor. In stead, he himself was reduced to an ordinary civilian who could do with better manners. That was a demonstration of sheer guts.

N

•Justice Kayode Eso

L

am Adesina was already identified with the title of a governor before he attained the position in Oyo State. He was what you might describe as a “cool customer”, straight forward and self-assured. Always an activist, he had paid his dues before he went into real politics. He had by then outgrown the blessing or curse of a godfather. He occupied his office as the Oyo State Governor so well that he himself might be said to have become a godfather, so highly had his stature grown.

His aides still recount with admiration the way in which he faced down a former Head of State, noted for his

•Gov.Lam Adesina

Lam afforded him all the courtesy of his station, and then politely, but firmly, put him in his position

,

Waziri of Ilorin, was a Lagos boy as many who knew him in his early days would testify. His manifest concern for the underdog, and his “vibrancy and flamboyance” are typical Lagos traits. His hectic political career, especially as a ranking member of the Senate, depicted the stature of a man of muscular courage and consistency of purpose. He did not invite conflict, but never avoided confrontation being always confident in the power of the good volition.

That was the source of his strength— and he was very strong.

As Babatunde Fashola, the Lagos State Governor, eulogized: “The consistency of his political views, which he always expressed very eloquently, was perhaps responsible for the leadership positions which he held in both the Senate, into which he was elected in 1979 under the banner of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, as well as the All-Peoples Party, of which he was the National Leader in 1998, and the Peoples Democratic Party where his influence saw the election of his son, Bukola, as the Governor of Kwarra State in 2003. Indeed, Nigeria has

o less was it courageous of Justice Kayode Esho to deliver that minority judgment in the Awolowo versus Tafawa Balewa presidential wrangle. That the erudite jurist was above all forms of corruption in the discharge of his professional duties was very well documented in so many lawsuits. But one of the defining cases—in fact, the defining case to some people— had to be that particular case. It was suffused with several significant features.

Apart from the momentous character of its purpose which was to decide the person qualified for the foremost political position of the nation, it was the one in which the acceptability of fractionalized humanity would be canvassed, and which would also carry a ban on being cited as a precedent in the arbitration of a lawsuit in our history.

Justice Eso sat tight, immovable; he stood upright, unshakable. It was indeed a defining moment, a glorious moment, for integrity.

Whatever one would like to say here has been recorded, and more, by the erudite first female SAN, who is an icon of the legal profession in her own •Senator Olusola Saraki right, Mrs Fola lost a political giant whose’ counsel Sholanke, in this tribute is most certainly needed, which she gave in an interview, particularly at this time when our describing the late justice as “one of budding democracy is cutting its the best of the best on the bench: teeth and taking its challenging “He lived his life as a God-fearing steps towards consolidation". man. As a justice of the Supreme Nigeria will always need people like Court, he represented the golden these, men of integrity and courage. age. His legal knowledge was They are role models at which we are awesome. He was always ready to seldom directed to look until they help. The thought that he is no are gone and can be seen no more. A longer here is too painful to bear ... monument should be erected in He was very cerebral. “ marble to remind future generations Erudition, yes; integrity, yes; but of the valour of each of them monumental courage too back it all Time out. up ..

Senator Olusola Saraki, the late

,

SATURDAY

Vanguard Vanguard,, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—15

Jesus ffor or lo or mone lovve, Jesus ffor moneyy Jonathan’s jumble, mumble media chat not automatically translate into the temple of God; just as a house does not become a home because it has a roof and some furniture.

We forget also, that the lifestyle of the early apostles is there to serve as a model, and the lives of the departed saints should instruct us on austere and disciplined living. These were people, like Mother Theresa, who identified with the poorest of the poor.

O

f course, when you become more focused on financial growth than spiritual growth, when you move from feeding the flock to fleecing the flock, when this year’s harvest must be more than last year’s harvest, when you translate from Jesus for love to Jesus for money, then no matter how well intentioned you started out with, your spiritual standard is bound to be lowered.

Money launderers and conscience launderers will infiltrate your church; and the church will become like the Asian churches in the book of Revelations which the Lord promised to spew out.

The spirit says ‘ you think you are rich with your big church, fine apparel and private jet.

But you are wretchedly poor, naked and blind.’

There are places of worship in every corner these days, yet corruption and crime are growing unabated. If

,

We forget also, that the lifestyle of the e a r l y apostles is there to serve as a model

T

he more successive governments impoverished the people, the more the people came to rely on prosperity message. All you needed to do, according to the message, was sow your seeds in tithes, first fruits, harvests, and church donations then watch the seeds germinate and grow into mighty oak trees.

The more the hospitals became consulting clinics and mortuaries, the more Nigerians keyed into miracles of healing and fertility. The more people lost hope in the system, the more churches sprouted and grew.

Warehouses that should generate employment, were converted into churches. Smaller churches were pulled down to make way for bigger ones. More like the man in the Bible who, on realising that his farm had yielded more produce, decided to pull down his barn so as to build a bigger one. But Jesus told him, just as he is telling us, that his treasure should be in heaven.

We forget that the hood does not make a monk, and bigger churches do C M Y K

,

these places of worship are not correcting the ills of the society, then what are they there for? After all, if salt loses its saltiness then we should throw it into the sea.

These places of worship have the power to arrest the moral decline in the country because they control such a large captive audience. Its not for nought that a general overseer was named one of the top 50 most influential people in the world. But they finance their many projects by taking money from the corrupt rich.

They flaunt wealth and materialism.

They befriend the rich and tolerate the poor thus losing their moral influence.

The effect is that a young man grows up to see poverty as the ultimate sin and wealth as the reward of God’s favour. Nobody is deemed to be successful unless he is rich.

When Pastor Tunde Bakare raised the alarm that a revolution might start with the house of the Lord, some people started calling for his head.

What he is decrying goes beyond the acquisition of private jets. It goes directly to the mindset of those ‘men of god’ who are living lavishly in the midst of poverty; those who emphasize materialism instead of deemphasizing it.

Those who think Pastor Bakare is an alarmist should read 1Peter 4; 17 on God’s promise of judgement on men of God.

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan’s media chat on Sunday, November 18, 2012, has come and gone. Just like his previous media outings, this one ended up with too many loose ends and hopelessness. No direction, no vision that could be discerned from his presentation of facts and the policy focus of his administration.

A commentator captured the whole essence more aptly, when he declared that President Jonathan was talking like someone who is running for office and not someone who is running an office. According to the commentator, the President’s usage of terms suggests that he has not settled down to the business of governance two and a half years in office. He is still speaking the language of “I will”, instead of saying “we are” doing A, B, C and D. It is a matter of fact that this government lacks the moral courage to confront issues of security, corruption and infrastructural development. We do not have to pretend about it. It is on the lips of people in beer parlour, market stalls, public gatherings, offices, motor parks and school environment, that this government is not performing. Our roads are bad across the country.

Contractors are being owed huge debts and manufacturers have reached their dead end because the power sector is nothing to write home about.

What we hear are stories about wavers and import incentives to encourage importers to plumage our economy by their dubious imports.

The government seems to be at crossroads about how to navigate itself

,

I

f you were fed on a diet of James Hardly Chase, Sydney Sheldon and Harold Robbins as some of us were in the seventies or thereabout, you probably would have come across ‘The Spellbinder’, one of Harold Robbins latter novels.

It was a novel that came out at the advent of the tele evangelism in the US, and it tried to capture this growing phenomenon.

It had different sections including ‘Jesus for love’, and ‘Jesus for money’ which is the title for this week’s column. It was, briefly, a story of a young man who was consumed by his zeal and love for Christ. He was also, a charismatic and fiery preacher. But to get the kind of audience that his talent required, he needed to be on TV. Unfortunately, TV slots in the US, have never come cheap. (Ask Obama and Romney) .Then a group of men who saw beyond this man’s love for Jesus came up. They saw a potential.

They saw a young, charismatic orator who could bring in top dollars, and were willing to invest in that potential. Inevitably, the man became a willing captive, and Jesus for love became Jesus for money. After all, bills have to be paid.

And like one famous man of God once said, ‘you can’t serve God on Halleluyah alone’.

Once tele evangelism took root in the US, it was inevitable that it would come down to Nigeria where the people needed its message of hope, faith, positive thinking and prosperity.

The messengers themselves, felt obliged to become symbols of their prosperity messages by looking like successful Hollywood stars all the time.

away from the tidal turbulence of developmental challenges. Debts are accumulating by the day in a manner that rubbishes the earlier explanation by OkonjoIweala on the paid up loans during the Obasanjo regime.

Curiously, the woman who saw to the so-called debt relief during Obasanjo regime remains the architect of a new debt regime that is mortgaging the future of N i g e r i a .

question about second term when we all are agreed on the barefaced fact that this leadership is not working and performing. Is it difficult for us to tell the president that thus far, he has performed abysmally poor and he needs to wake up else the country crumbles on his feet.

Such question of second term simply glorifies the president. How do you ask a man who is not performing whether he intends to contest 2015? Are we saying we are happy that the country is drifting and wants the drift to continue by asking the President to continue through reelection? We should be bold to tell a president who is not performing to simply quit when the time comes rather than dragging us on the inelegant route of perfidy that has swallowed this administration.

All the jumble and mumble of the media chat simply explains that the President does not have answers to the developmental challenges confronting us. Pretending about our problem is digging graves for mass burial. Nobody will complain if the Villa decides to put a stop to this media chat ritual. It simply does not impress.

Period.

Time to say goodbye for now

I

am sure my readers have heard the news of my appointment as Special Adviser Media and Public Affairs to my State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Mni, CON. I had contended not going back to Edo State for any official assignment after my first intervention, but I finally bowed to the wishes of my numerous friends who prevailed on me to accept the appointment.

I wish to thank the Comrade Governor for the opportunity given to me to serve the good and wonderful people of Edo State. The fact that the Comrade Governor is able to tolerate opposition viewpoint

Pretending about our problem is digging graves for mass burial

If the president’s media chat was drab and uninspiring, his reasoning on issues and the comparism he draws to substantiate his points appears misleading. His response to the question of how much the villa guzzles for feeding and entertaining guests is to me most unpresidential. We need to move away from drawing petty references about issues that impact on the collective will of the people. We need to chart a course of action that explains the road to tread and what government is doing to bail the country out from its present morass.

All the fossilised thoughts about a second term and the response of the president are to me, a matter of selfish interest. Why will people be asking

,

and criticism given my earlier stance against him, speaks volume about his leadership orientation. In spite of my critical stance against the Comrade Governor on the oil subsidy discourse earlier in the year, we have both mended fences which culminated in my participation in the campaigns for the July 14, election.

I wish to state here that I am indeed very grateful for the confidence reposed in me to have offered me this job despite my initial rejection to serve in his cabinet. I will therefore put in my best in the discharge of my duties as I do hope that my numerous readers and critics would bear with me for signing off my column until when governmental duty terminates.

I wish to thank my one and only boss, the consummate Consultant-inChief, General IBB for giving me the nod to proceed on this journey of service to my people.

16— SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

How family of five escaped from collapsed building

BY EVELYN USMAN

N

ovember 21, 2012 may have come and gone. But it has no doubt left one remarkable memory in the lives of several Nigerians . To some, it left a memory to relish on all the days of their lives and to others, untold anguish and pains.

This day could best be described as a midnight of horror for occupants of block M20 in Low Cost Housing Estate, Oke-Afa , Isolo , Lagos, following the tragic incident that has plunged them into beginning life all over again. The occupants retired to bed that fateful day unaware that tragedy loomed. Just when most of them were attaining the crescendo of their sweet sleep, the unimaginable occurred!

First, it started with a crack followed by a deafening sound which resulted in the collapse of the left wing of the two- storey building.

While some of the occupants managed to escape, the likes Scene of the collasped building at Oke-Afa of Mrs Christiana Cooker, a 68-year-old retiree from Shell Petroleum and her two But Saturday Vanguard evendaughters could not. They tually sighted her in the midst crashed right under the deof some of her friends and bris, from where Mrs Cooker church members who were was rescued alive . But same thanking God for their eswas not the fate of her two cape. daughters: Toyin(32) and When approached, she said, Buki (26) as they were sent to “ I really did not know how it eternal rest from their sleep. collapsed.

But I was told that Mrs Cooker was discharged some people went to watch from the hospital next football and when they arrived day(Thursday), losing every,one of them could not open thing she has labored for all his door. When they noticed her life. Again, the Ogun state the building was cracking, indigene is thrown into a secthey said they went to alert ond round of mourning. First the neighbour up stairs. And was the demise of her husband, 17 years ago. Since cupants, as the incident left while they were on their way out of the building, their wing then, the widow has been her virtually empty .

However on the other hand, collapsed.” At that point, she struggling to bring up her two children, a task she did whole for the Daramolas , a family paused and heaved a sigh of heartedly until they both of five who occupied flat 5 of relief. But as she attempted to graduated. While Toyin (32) the collapsed building are continue, someone hugged graduated three years ago, counting themselves privi- her and started jubiliating her younger sister leged for surviving the evil with her. After a while, she Buki(27)just returned from day.Call it a dint of miracle continued: “ This is God’s dowhere she had gone to serve or outright work of provi- ing , not man. I owe it all to the mandatory one year dence and you won’t be God. That night, I heard peowrong . This is because every ple shouting Jesus! Jesus!

Youth Service.

While apparently looking member of the family escaped That was what alerted me. By then, I did not know the buildforward to reaping the divi- unhurt.

When Saturday Vanguard ing had collapsed because our dend of motherhood from her daughters, the unexpected visited the scene on Wednes- wing was still intact . I then occurred, thereby shattering day, Mr Daramola was too said , Jesus, na your name her dreams. Today, Mrs Cook- stunned to speak. He only them dey call now, make you er who as at Thursday was stared at the remains of what answer this person I beg .My unaware of her children’s de- used to be their home in husband went out to the balmise, could be described as shock. His wife, a banker was cony to find out what the the most affected of all the oc- nowhere to be found at first. problem was. The next thing

,

When they noticed the building was cracking they said they went to alert the neighbor up stairs. And while they were on their way out of the building, their wing collapsed

,

* Scene of tragedy

I saw was that he dashed in and said the house was collapsing. Immediately, I jumped up, went to where our children were sleeping and carried them. That was how we managed to escape without a scratch! It is by the mercy of God that we were not consumed,” she said waving her hands in appreciation .

Asked if they did not notice the crack on the wall, she responded, “ we have reported to the concerned office , LBIC and they promised they would come and inspect it.”

When next Saturday Vanguard visited, her husband was sighted at the scene trying to sort out their belongings from the rubbles. When approached , he simply said

he went there to check if he could get the children’s school clothes in order for them to go to school. “ At least, we cannot keep them at home forever. They have to go to school” The question on the lips of the affected occupants was same. Where do we go from here? Most of them escaped with the clothes they had on.

At present, some of them are putting up with relatives and friends. But for how long? “ We want government to come to our rescue”, they appealed.

For Mrs Cooker, the flat she occupied according to her was bought with her retired benefit when she retired, while the rest are on rent.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—17

18—SATURDAY VANGUARD,NOVEMBER 24, 2012 Dear Julie, It seems I always make allowances for a guy who abuses me. He had a problem sometime before I met him and he works with me now. His job is more or less like a security work but he abuses the priviledge by playing into the hands of my ‘enemies.’ It is affecting me. Yes, I know he also has personal issues before we met and he is suffering, but my own suffering goes unseen, unheard. Is that how it is? We see the pain of others in their cruelty to us, but those cruel actions leave wounds that are very deep. I am trying to understand the situation that is really affecting me negatively.

Fatima, Ibadan Hello Fatima, We have all been hurt, betrayed, by others. Of this, there is no doubt. But ask yourself a very simple question: What is gained by hurting another regardless of what they have done to us? If we can see ourselves at all, be

I was raped as a teenager Aunty Julie, When I was 14, I was sexually abused and violently too.

Its effects have permeated my life. This has affected my self-esteem, my relationships, and is, I believe, the root cause for past substance abuse and a lifelong weight problem. In as much as possible, I have forgiven my abuser but how do I forgive myself, improve my self-esteem, my life, and the lives of my children? I no longer choose to remain a victim and wish to fulfill my purpose in life. I want to move on in life. It’s been years but I am not getting over it.

Labake, Lagos

He abuses me, yye et I feel sorr or him sorryy ffor honest about what we see, the answer is inescapable. The only “profit” in returning punishment to the one who punishes us is the livelihood of the negative state in us that drives us to take such an action.

So you see, it isn’t a question of standing by , silently and hating that one has chosen to endure another’s hatred. It all boils down to our being willing to see that the

Dear Labake, The real problem, strange as it may seem at first , is not your past. It’s that something in you has formed a life around its revisitation and now that sense of yourself has become the problem. So the healing you need isn’t in some way to forgive yourself, but in coming to understand that who you are NOW is not that girl who lost her way. You cannot change the past, but you can change the way in which you choose to live in the present and that new choice changes you and also changes everything in the only real way it can be changed.

anger and resentment we harbor for another always sinks our “ship” first.

When we really understand the truth of this self-defeating darkness in us , then we are able to let go not because we are better than they, or stronger or even spiritual, but because we want to have our own life more than we want to belong to the dark states that take us over.

Should I opt out of this relationship?

Dear Aunty Julie, I am 41 years and I have been in a marriage relationship for 19 years and for the last six years, it has not been good. I don’t find my husband sexually attractive and I get turned off by him. I reject having sex with him very often and sometimes when I agree, I do so just to fulfill all righteousness. My husband never did anything to hurt me. We didn’t quarrel or anything. He is a faithful husband but all that makes things more annoying. I think I am the one that has the problem and I feel guilty about everything. What criteria is the best to use to decide if it’s time to quit? We put up with each other and that’s it.

What could be the problem?

Rose, Makurdi

Our relationship is de detteriorating Aunty Julie, I have been dating this lady for over two years but it seems the relationship is deteriorating.

We hurt each other terribly, argue over irrelevant things and fight over trivial matters. Sometimes, it is difficult to communicate with each other as something I say can degenerate into another controversy that could spark off an argument and then a fight. We misunderstand each other’s intention and read meanings into each other ’s statements. It seems that all we do is hurt each other and demand change from one another. We blame each each other for being responsible for what we are facing and the whole relationship has become one big negative cycle. What do we do to break this negative cycle?

Edwin, Lagos Dear Edwin, Whenever someone hurts you, remember the following: He or she cannot do anything different toward you than what he or she understands to do at that moment. Simply put, that person who is hurting you is doing the best they know how to do. But here’s what we say: “That’s not good enough!” Our response is to try to drag the other person through a change, which means we resist their negative behaviour. And what do we do when someone re-

sists our own negative behaviour? We just hunker down all the more. So our resistance to someone else’s state not only keeps their state alive, but we become convinced that we’re different than them when really it’s one secretive relationship, perpetuating itself.

Here I am in a space where I’m really upset with you because of what you just did to me.

This space wouldn’t exist if I weren’t standing as a secret opposite to you. What I’m really looking at and feeling is me!

Yes, you may have done something, but who is on fire? I am!

Therefore, it is mandatory to realize that I must abandon this space that I’m in – meaning my sense of self and all of the relationships that are producing this sense of self. This is what we can do. Instead of focusing my attention on the person that I say has set me on fire, I can intentionally place my attention and my wish on love. I place it on my understanding that even though I can’t see it at the moment, love exists right there within me and above me, and it is the truth that would free me from this moment.

In the moment I understand that this human being could not do better than what he or she is doing right now, and even though I’m sure they’re wrong, that doesn’t help me. That doesn’t take me to the next lev-

* A jealous husband hired a private detective to check on the movements of his wife. The husband wanted more than a written report; he wanted a video of his wife’s activities.

A week later, the detective returned with a video. They sat down together to watch it.

Although the quality was less than professional, the man saw his wife meeting another man! He saw the two of them laughing in the park. He saw them enjoying themselves at an outdoor cafe. He saw them dancing in a dimly lit nightclub. He

el. That’s impossible. Therefore, I must quit the relationship that seems to be the only one at that moment.

This is the problem: I know the truth is above me, but right now I’m angry and upset, and I don’t feel any love at all. By the same token, I know that what I am feeling is not only conducive to keep this conflict going, but it’s not me rising above myself. You can intend to be a loving human being.

You can intend to be a wise human being. You won’t be feeling these things, but the relationship exists, and if you intend it, if you wish it, you take yourself out of the destructive relationship and place yourself in the vine in which it’s possible to be given all that you long for.

Dear Rose, Certainly nothing can be more difficult than knowing that something either has come to an end or must, especially when we have so much seemingly invested in it. A successful relationship is timeless in that it is a place of nourishment, growth, and developing wisdom. This criteria we all know is the truth. What we must do is learn to be true to ourselves. At what point did things change in your relationship with your husband and why? Are there children in the marital relationship? Are you happy doing what you said you are doing to your husband? Are you under any kind of pressure? These are some of the things you need to consider before taking any decision about quiting. You must be careful though so as not to make mistakes.

There’s so much demand on me Aunty Julie, I am constantly feeling overwhelmed by all the different demands on my time. It seems that I live out each day trying to keep my head above water.

This inevitably leads to discouragement that I will never succeed at anything. Please advise me.

Benard, Akure Dear Benard, What you’re really experiencing is the overwhelming

presence of one thought that has the power to freeze you in your tracks. This deceiving thought calls itself “one-hundred-and-one things to do.”

The next time you “hear” this inner voice of imminent doom, listen instead to this higher instruction: Never again look for a way out of any anxious condition. Look instead for a way to see through it.

Success only becomes impossible when you try to deal

C O C K - T A L E S saw the man and his wife participate in a dozen activities with utter glee . ”I just can’t believe this,” the distraught husband said. The detective said, “What’s not to believe?

It’s right up there on the screen!” The husband replied, “I can’t believe that my wife could be so much fun!” *A seventy year old man is over head over heels in love with a twenty year old girl. But it isn’t mutual. Grandpa decides to do something about it: fitness, plastic surgery, everything is done to make him look more youthful. And with suc-

with what isn’t in your power.

Renegade parts of you want you to waste your powers dealing with them. Your misguided attention to their punishing presence gives them a life they wouldn’t have without tricking you into giving them one. This means you don’t need power to deal with what has been defeating you, only the higher understanding it takes to consciously dismiss it from your inner life.

cess, a couple of months later ,he walks out of the church a married man, holding the hand of his beautiful bride. Great is his anger when at that time a bus runs over him and kills him. Furious he walks up to the angel Gabrielle at the gate of heaven and says: “How can you do this to me now that I’ve finally got what I wanted!” Gabrielle laughs painfully and says: “Sorry man but I just didn’t recognize you.” *Soon after marriage, a lady's husband stopped wearing his wedding ring. She asked, "Why don't you ever wear your wedding band?" He replied, "It cuts off my circulation."

She answered back, "It's supposed to!"

SATURDAY Vanguard NOVEMBER 24, 2012—19

I

Will never forget the day I agreed to have a talk with a friend who was on the verge of ditching her husband for another married man. “l am tired of giving birth to ugly children”, she snapped at me when I broached the subject, telling her it was at the insistence of her husband, who was also a close friend.

My daughter is so dark I feel for her at times as there is the possibility of her attracting only ugly men. I am dark, my husband is dark. You have seen the new man yourself, he has lovely children. Let me also have children I can be proud of for a change!” So she left and eventually had three children by this other man.

I wish I could say they were as ugly as the ones she had with her first husband, but no. They are quite attractive and athletic, and she was proud of her feat!

Her husband also remarried, of course. “And his new set of kids are even uglier than the ones I had for him,” Smirked my friend. Lately, I learnt both of them were thinking of going back together since they were not properly divorced. I thought the idea absurd. I would have termed it impossible, if I hadn’t heard it from the now bitter father of her ‘lovely’ children, her second ‘husband’.

those with very light skin are called, that reap the most attention. I mean, if someone was described that way, there was no need to say that person was good-looking. It was a given that light was lovely. It is up to those with darker skin who have to now prove themselves. “lt is a general belief that dark-skinned people often don’t take time to groom themselves - but that is not true. When I was darker, I really put in more effort than now, but it seldom showed.

If we want to be frank with ourselves, we would admit that light skinned girls get picked up first - either as dancing partners or lovers.

We shouldn’t be fooled by the “Black is beautiful” mantra,that died with the seventies!”

Why men are fixated on ‘Yellow pawpaws’!

hen she phoned a few days later, I told her of the ridiculous rumour I heard about her husband coming back to her. “Don’t mind the jerk, he’s just jealous,” she said of her now ex-lover, “by the way, Sam (her husband) is here and wants to talk to you.” “Are you back together” I asked him incredulously when he came on the phone. “0f course, we are!” he actually sounded happy.

“That stupid man is just an opportunist who wants to spend my wife’s money. He can talk until his face muscles burst, I am back with my wife. You tell him that! Let him try his luck elsewhere.”

It is true really, that some of us, dark or light, prefer light skinned mates so they could have “pretty babies”, that is why skin lightening creams and horribly concocted local

ittle wonder then that men too have jumped into the “yellow-pawpaw” bandwagon with glee! Few years ago, a prominent lawmaker that was impeached in one of the Northern states proudly bleaching soaps still sell; though they are now advertised as good for making blemishes fade rather than for lightening whole complexion.

Jennifer was a dark skinned beauty in her secondary school days and had her share of boyfriends—though not particularly spectacular ones. She

,

W

L

rejected by blacks because your skin is cocoa and not cream, ebony and not olive or because you are short with kinky hair instead of tall with wavy hair hurt.

“Back home, I’ve discovered that my investment in changing the colour of my skin has more than paid off. It didn’t come

some of us, dark or light, prefer light skinned mates so they could have “pretty babies”

travelled abroad and came back ten years later almost as white as the next white; sporting multi-coloured hair extensions and wearing green contact lenses!

“When you are abroad,” she said later, “you experience a lot of racism because of your skin. It got worst when I discovered that coloured people were also picky. Being

,

cheap either. Apart from very costly injections I paid to slow down the pigmentation of my dark skin, I have to keep on using expensive creams and lotions. I look in the mirror and I like what I see. It is money well spent. And my confidence has had a great boost. “In this part of the world, it is often the ‘yellow pawpaw’ as

defended his bleached, ‘glowing’ well groomed skin, and said it had nothing to do with his efficiency.

How true! But there is a limit to how far you should compete with your partner in the bleaching department!”

A colleague’s husband works with a big advertising agency and he is one of their top officers. He grew from fairly light-skinned, to albino light. lilt was a bit embarrassing trying to talk him out of his stupid obsession with his skin but tried, I did” confessed his wife. “He didn’t listen to me, of course. He did look better as he made the effort to slim down to compliment his ’ new complexion— until he over did it and spotted black patches all over his face and neck.

The chemicals in the creams he used were so potent they burnt his skin. He now has to spend a lot of money to get rid of the patches — but he still hasn’t thrown his bleaching creams away. As things are, I leave him to do his own thing, afterall, it’s his skin, and the fact remains that in major towns and cities, a light complexion has always been a passport to special treatment whether you’re rich or poor!”

Six w ays to rekindle se x af ter c hildbir th ... wa sex after childbir hildbirth emember— You’re a lover as well as a mum.

Buy some sexy new undies, have a new hairdo and get a make over — even the cheapest one could do wonders to your ego.

•To overcome nerves, try making love the night you get the doctor’s go-ahead.

But remind your partner to be sensitive. ·If you’re wary, tighten your buttocks to protect yourself from any discomfort as he slides.

Then relax and see how it feels.

C M Y K

·once you’re more confident, try different positions. Going on top will give you comfort. And

,

R

some ‘you time’ for cuddles and lovemaking. ·If your doctor has given you the green light but

Buy some sexy new undies, have a new hairdo and get a make over

use lots of lubrication. ·Make time for sex. At least once a week, book

,

you’re still not enjoying sex, go back to your doctor— there may be a

physical problem.

…And ways to boost your confidence

·List all the successes you’ve had in your life. Pin that list on your mirror and read it every morning. ·Recognize the fear you feel about the future, your dreams, your hope— and then puch right through the fear and go forward anyway. ·Don’t try to do everything alone. Ask advice from the

experts and learn from those who’ve succeeded. ·Decide on the first small step you need in order to start— then do it. The more steps you take, the more you’ll build your selfesteem. ·Confidence depends on good planning, so make a list of what you need to do in order to succeed. ·When you’re successful, share your triumphs with loved ones and let their admiration give you a boost.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012

If you have a partner with a wandering eye and are tired of it, then it is time for communication! There is no shame in letting your partner know that you feel hurt and upset by his or her behaviour

Is your partner constantly checking out other people ?

I

t happens all the time they go out.

Jaja's wandering eyes have become an embarrassment to his wife and children. He literally strips every woman he sees naked with his eyes and whenever he is alone, he makes direct moves by trying to have direct contact with the people he strips naked with his eyes. Through his wandering eyes, he has been able to make female friends some of whom he eventually took to bed. He has also met some who thoroughly abused and insulted him.

On many occasions, some of his victims , especially the under-aged girls he philandered with had had their parents call up his number and abused him. Some have approached his wife directly and warned her to tell her husband to stay away from their daughters.

It’s no secret that we will all encounter other people we find attractive and we will look. It is only natural to look at someone who appeals to you and there is no need to feel guilty about it, for it is in no way being unfaithful or unloving to your partner.

But what if you have a partner who is constantly checking other people out?

Is there such thing as looking “too much”? Is it disrespectful to you and the relationship?

While finding other people attractive is normal and part of human nature, there is a way to go about it and not go about it. When a person is on his or her own, he or she can feel more free about looking at someone else, without worrying about anyone feeling hurt by it. When one is with their partner however, it would be best to try and be

discreet about checking someone else out. A quick glance is harmless, but if a partner is checking someone out in a way that is in the form of staring, exchanging smiles or undressing them with his or her eyes, it then becomes disrespectful to their partner and the relationship. This can make their partner feel hurt, upset, disrespected and even unattractive which can unnecessarily lower their self-esteem.

Checking other people out is usually

harmless if done casually every now and then. It can become a real problem when it is done constantly though. If your partner is more occupied checking other people out rather than focusing on his or her time with you and admiring you, then it could be a sign that your partner is losing interest in the relationship and you should start paying attention to other signs and behaviours that can help you figure out what is really going on.

If you have a partner with a wandering eye and are tired of it, then it is time for communication! There is no shame in letting your partner know that you feel hurt and upset by his or her behaviour. After all, a relationship is about being open and honest with each other and your partner should care about your feelings and want to make you happy. This is not about you being immaturely jealous either. It is about you claiming the respect you feel you deserve from your partner (the same kind of respect you partner would expect from you). So let your partner know that his or her constant wandering eye is upsetting you and makes you feel disrespected and you are not okay with it. If your partner truly cares, then he or she will make a real effort to stop checking others out in front of you, or at least keep it under real control so you do not feel so disrespected. If the wandering eye continues after you pour your heart out about it, then your partner has shown you how important your feelings are to him or her and you should then decide if you wish to continue putting up with it or not.

How do I get my libido going after baby?

E

ver since I had a baby, nothing seems to get my libido going.

My husband is complaining and has threatened to start a relationship with someone else if I keep denying him. But the truth of the matter is that I don’t feel like sex after having a baby until about two months after or more. I have tried explaining things to my husband but he is not interested . He said he is sexually pressed.

Sometimes, I caught him masturbating but I don’t know what to do. This is our second baby and the second time

it is happening. I feel bad when he lies down beside me and masturbate. It embarrasses me. Is it normal for a grown married man to masturbate?

What can I do?

Ans: You describe perfectly what many new mums, and some new dads, experience. They ’ve been so overwhelmed with “baby chores” during the day that their minds simply can’t focus. But why make it just your problem? Ask your doctor about postpartum depression because symptoms in mild cases can be a lack of focus and loss of sex drive. Next, if

•Tony, 48, divorced, trained in the US, resident in Lagos, wants a woman aged 20-45 from any country who wants to settle down on 08064667517 •Ekene, 23, female, from Enugu,needs a cool-headed guy on 0816310753 •Casmir,male, from Lagos desires a wealthy woman who desires satisfaction on 08180990369 •Michael, 36,from Anambra, based in Abuja needs a lady aged between 34-40 for marriage on 08177420200 •Samuel,male, from Imo, needs a weathy woman for a serious relation on 08035709206

C M Y K

your mind is going to wander, let it wander to a fantasy that turns you on.

Another tactic: Ask someone you trust to babysit to simply give the two of you some quality time on your own. Don’t talk about baby things; talk about the things you two enjoy. The little break doesn’t have to be for having sex; use it to go for a walk or to watch a steamy movie. Whatever you do, don’t hide this from your husband. Let him know how much you love him but that you’re a bit mentally or emotionally overwhelmed by all the changes a baby brings.

As for your husband masturbating

besides you, ignore that. What counts is what works for you and him.

What matters is that you’re both experiencing a symptom of your new lifestyle and having to take care of a baby. You clearly realize that you’re not available for sex regularly. As long as he continues to have sexual denials, he will continue to masturbate. So this is an issue and it’s for you two to work on this.

What you need to do is sit down together and look at the issues to see if you can afford to make any changes.

It’s really up to the two of you to make this choice.

•Lisa, 22, based in Delta State, needs a relationship with an employed guy that could lead to marriage on 0802479712 •Abayomi, 28, based in Ibadan, needs a cool-headed , pretty lady

Do you have reactions to our stories or have you any experience you want to share with our readers? Please e-mail,anyagafu2@gmail.com Do you want to be linked?

Neither Chioma Gabriel nor Saturday Vanguard has any relationship with anybody wanting to be linked. We have no agents anywhere and charge no fees. We have no personal information of people who have been linked or want to be linked and therefore, are not answerable for disappointments or embarrassments some people may encounter in the process.

who is also employed for relationship on 08098031332 •Tola, male, needs a Godfearing, neat , employed, humble, and attractive Christian lady aged 28-35 for a serious relationship on 08182175840 •Jay, 25 based in Lagos needs a sexually active lady in Lagos, for a serious relationship on 08180990369 •Adrian,19, Christian,from Imo State, fair, financially independent, caring , wants a relationship with a lady aged 1825 on 0816847439

SATURDAY

Sensual Lovers: You’re warm, totally committed to your partner and you enjoy intimacy. But be careful not to judge your partner’s spicy ideas for your intimacy life. While emotions may be your language of love, there’s something to be said for more physical expression, too. Don’t be offended if your partner doesn’t always open up as much as you’d like. If your relationship is solid and satisfying in other ways, sometimes sex can just be sex!

Sensual partners with an erotic partner are especially prone to fear that their lovers value sex more than the actual relationship. Instead of retreating when you feel hurt by your partner’s advances, find a gentle way to communicate that you want to feel close and you need plenty of kissing and eye contact, especially when you try something new in bed.

If you’re a sensual partner with a reactive, stressed or detached partner, you may want more physical intimacy. Take a playful, low-key approach to showing your affection and help your partner find other ways to express his or her love for you.

Erotic Lovers: You are passionate and inspired when it comes to intimacy.

Never one to fall into a rut, your sexual energy can be both a blessing and a burden. Beware of impossibly high sexual expectations that can deprive you of a close, loving relationship.

You may find yourself getting bored and be tempted to write off a relationship in search of sexual perfection elsewhere. Or you may alienate a partner with too many sexual requests or criticisms.

Try to find creative ways to keep intimacy interesting without pressuring or pushing your partner. Instead of directing sex, be gentle and explore together. Also, remember that intimacy isn’t going to be spectacular every time. Routine intimacy can be a sign of comfort and love, and the occasional lack of fireworks in the bedroom doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with your relationship or your partner. Erotic lovers are usually compatible with dependent or reactive partners. But erotic lovers with a sensual, stressed or detached partner can get into a vicious cycle, in which they’re the sexual pursuer while their partner becomes the withdrawer. Over time, the latter begins to feel hurt or turned off by an erotic partner’s sexual pressure. Both drift farther apart when they actually want the same thing ? Intimacy! Tune in to your partner’s needs and you’ll get your turn soon enough .

Dependent Lovers: You can’t live without daily intimacy. While regular intimacy is great for your health and your relationship, acknowledge the

Take the initiative more, even though it is bound to feel uncomfortable at first.

Tune in to your own pleasure and sexuality, not just your partner’s. Share whatever pleases you physically with your partner.

Dealing with mismatched libidos fact that most relationships experience a decline in the frequency of sexual activity as they progress. If you want sex every day and your partner wants it once a week, try to prevent your feelings of frustration from becoming your partner ’s problem. Work together to find a middle ground that works for both of you when it comes to frequency. Dependent partners usually pair more smoothly with erotic or reactive partners, who are up for frequent sex.

A sensual partner will likely feel that sex is meaningless if you want to have it every day. A stressed or detached

,

You used to have a fulfilling sex life, but somehow things have changed. Or maybe you and your partner were never on the same page. Differing libido types can lead to tension over frequency, activities or preferences. Sex therapists in this edition tells you how to reconcile those differences and have a satisfying intimacy life with a partner who’s not your type .

Great intimacy and a great relationship happen when you work with your differences, not against them. Pertot, author of When Your Sex Drives Don’t Match outlined the six most common libido types in Sex or a Good Night’s Sleep? Now she offers guidance to help you and your partner find sexual harmony.

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24,, 2012—21

quency that works for you both and respect it.

Reactive Lovers: You give 100% to your partner’s pleasure, but your own desire is a mystery. You may have a low libido or you may be a pleaser who loves sex in a selfless way. Chances are, your partner wishes you expressed more sexual needs or desires. In fact, your partner may feel that the entire weight of your sexual life is on his or her shoulders. Your partner is apt to feel like something is missing. Sensual, erotic or dependent partners may

You can’t live without daily intimacy. While regular sex is great for your health and your relationship, acknowledge the fact that most relationships experience a decline in the frequency of sexual activity as they progress

partner will feel less inclined to have sex if you pressure them for it or blame them for withholding it.

The solution for all three is to find other outlets for dealing with stress and negative emotions, and to nurture intimacy unrelated to lovemaking.

Show affection that isn’t just a comeon. Or try to compromise on a sex fre-

,

feel that you are too disconnected from your own desire to make intimacy satisfying or meaningful for them. Or they may feel pressure to perform during sex to make you more responsive.

Stressed or detached partners may find your eagerness to please and your intent focus on them a turn-off.

Stressed Lovers: If your libido is on the wane, the decline may be a natural result of aging or being in a long-term relationship. However, if you’ve lost interest in having sex with your partner altogether, the problem has snowballed into something larger. Take a step back and assess the situation. Perhaps your partner has expressed disappointment with your intimacy life and created enough anxiety that you’ve stopped initiating intimacy. If so, your partner may feel rejected.

Unless you have a detached or another stressed partner, it’s likely your lack of interest in intimacy is pushing your relationship to the brink of collapse.

You may have a valid reason for feeling turned off by sex, whether healthrelated or relationship-related. Whatever the case, it’s important to reach out for help. An intimacy therapist can help with sexual function and related issues, such as orgasm and ejaculatory problems. A general therapist can help get to the root of fears and other issues that may be inhibiting your desire for sex .

Detached Lovers: You may have a great relationship and decent sex when you get around to it, but you don’t make intercourse a priority in your life.

While you may be content with this setup, it’s likely your partner feels neglected or undesirable. You might argue that intimacy isn’t all that matters and that you contribute many other valuable things to your relationship, but the fact is that relationships weaken when sex stops. You can help yourself and your relationship by paying more attention to sex.

ASK THE SEXPERT

How do we make sex less difficult?

Ques: My husband has a curve in his penis, and it makes it difficult for us to have sex comfortably. What should we do?

Ans: Rather than looking for a short-term fix, you should seek out the root of his problem. He should ask his doctor to refer him to a urologist for a consultation. In the meantime, it’s best to stop doing positions that bring you discomfort, and use lots of lubrication to help. He may want to try penetrating you from behind very gently so that he’s in control and can angle his manhood in a way that won’t be painful to either of you.

Does size really matter?

Ques: Does size really matter when it comes to having more or less pleasure in bed?

Ans: Ladies will say all sorts of things about size and the like but at the end of the day, what’s most important is that you and your husband share your own style of sexual enjoyment. Some women are “size queens,” but don’t buy the hype! Men on the small side are often kings when it comes to foreplay because they try to make up for what they think they’re lacking. You can also choose positions where you can create the most friction.

My husband doesn’t last long enough?

Ques: My husband doesn’t last more than five minutes during sex. Is there a way to make him last longer?

Ans: When the timing is right and you’re cuddled up together, tell him that you’d like to “draw things out.” While holding his hand, show him the sorts of caresses you want.

Or suck his finger to show him the pressure you’d like on different parts of your body. When he’s focused on your pleasure, he’ll be less focused on his own. Stroke his hair, his back, his chest but don’t stimulate his package.

Ask him to bring you to orgasm before you even have penetrative sex. He can use his mouth or his hands. Once you’ve had your first orgasm, you can then start having sex. Try to get him to last longer by changing positions or the things you’re doing without even telling him. This will actually slow him down. Imagine you’re in the missionary position, and then you teasingly tell him how much you’d like to try doggy-style. By simply moving around to behind you, he stops getting immediate stimulation.

Finally, if he learns to strengthen his PC muscles (the ones he uses to stop himself from urinating), he can pulsate those when he’s getting near to his own climax and slow down his orgasm. Let him know it’ll make his orgasm more powerful when he gives into the desire , a great incentive to draw it out.

22— VANGUARD, SATURAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

By FLORENCE AMAGIYA

M

ARVEL Odiete, aka Marvelous, the first runner up of the just concluded MTN Project Fame is not just an ordinary star. His foray into the music world started at infancy, making him so grounded in the art. He grew from children’s choir to teenage one and finally graduated to the adult league.

Marvel played his first base guitar at the tender age of twelve, amongst other musical instruments that he has perfected playing today. In this interview, he talks about his early childhood as a Bishop’s son, his principle of waiting for God’s set time, his philosophy of not mixing business with pleasure and the miracle that happened to his cracked voice in MTN Project Fame House whilst he was scheduled to do a duet with Ella and many more.

Music and family usic runs in my family; my father has four albums to his credit. You cannot believe this, but my dad wrote this popular praise song ‘All glory, glory, glory to the Lord, hallelujah…. etc. My dad is a musician as well as a minister of the gospel. We all grew up watching him minister in music. My mum runs a school, but she also was involved in the musical albums my dad produced. Jodie is my younger sister and her single still rules the airwaves. Each time I watch Jodie on stage, I feel so proud! I always wondered if this was the little sister l knew growing up! When she went for West African Idol, l wasn’t in the country at that time, but every time l watched her perform, l was indeed proud. She also came to watch me perform in the MTN Project Fame House and I am sure she was also proud of me.

M

,

The controversy about Ella and I in the house The episode between Ella and I wasn’t my fault at all. It was just a misunderstanding.

Ella came into the House at the seventh week through the wild card winning, and at that time, my voice was already going sore. I needed to take things easy; I needed to be quiet for my voice to be healed as l was instructed. Ella on the other hand was very fresh from outside; hence she couldn’t understand what l was going through and there was the duet song we were scheduled

I went into the House with a mindset of a competitor and the other plans were not part of it. The peck from Ella was to show her appreciation on how the performance we had went, that’s all.

to do together. But the issue was resolved by Uncle Ben and the day was saved by God’s infinite mercies.

E

lla and I did well judging from the audience and the judges’ reactions. We ended up becoming the best of friends in the House and we are still friends today. We became very close and it would seem like we dated but we didn’t at all. After the performance, l had the opportunity to meet her fiancé. I did not have any intention of dating Ella or any woman at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, Ella is a pretty woman, a beauty to behold and an Ibo woman for that matter. But in life as any reasonable person would think; I believe in first thing first.

And as for falling in love with any other woman in the house; it wouldn’t have been possible because of my principle and my philosophy. It would have distracted me. I went into the House with a mindset of a competitor and the other plans were not part of it. The

,

peck from Ella was to show her appreciation on how the performance we had went, that’s all.

Growing up and my university days I had an interesting childhood; it revolved around my family and the church. If l wasn’t at home with the family, then l was at church rehearsing music or something.

I wasn’t a stubborn child, but l was a very playful one. I used to return home sometimes a battered and loosing button or two of my shirts. And these things used to happen in the course of playing with my mates and all that.

I can speak with honesty that I grew up in church as my father is a Bishop. He plays the piano and sings also. I started singing from the children’s choir to the teenage choir and then to the youth choir until I graduated to the adult choir.

I started playing the bass guitar at 12 and I haven’t looked back since then. My dad has four albums, so music has always been there for me and

my siblings. I think l became interested in music by watching my dad sing, play the piano and other musical instruments. Being a Bishop’s child didn’t make me a bad person in the university like the proverbial Bishop’s son. To God be the glory, I wasn’t bad at all. For me, it was just fellowship and music. So if l wasn’t in class, l was in fellowship.

M

y journey to MTN Project Fame and my position My father was supportive; he supported my younger sister, Joy Odiete during her West African Idol competition in 2007’. Joy is the same person as Jodie, she sang Kuchi Kuchi. The church also was supportive. While l was in MTN Project House, my dad, mum and my youngest sister who is still in school visited and watched me perform live.

I was the First runner up, perhaps because West Africa didn’t like my performances.

The vote is the determining factor. It also should be noted that what I went for was a competition, so there is bound to be the first position and the second.

My future collaboration with Jodie It has been long coming, but l had to make myself known as Marvelous before our collaboration. I didn’t want a situation whereby l would be described as Marvelous, Jodie’s brother because she has made her name. I wanted to be appreciated for me. Right now, I think it would be a nice thing to be done.

My saddest moment in MTN Project Fame House My saddest moments were two actually. The first was the eviction show where Edward had to go home; Edward and I were already very close and I felt very bad, we cried, l cried. The other time was the work, l was having stress with Ella. I needed my voice to come back because that song we were about doing was so technical; Beauty and the beast by Celine Dion . I did everything l was instructed to do; I took the ginger, I wrapped my neck with muffler, I tried to be warm, I avoided cold things, but it was not just working. One of those days, l went into the music room and l was playing one

of my songs and I broke into tears. I was telling God that I had done all I knew to do, but that l still needed HIM to help me on it because all I had done didn’t help me. This happened on a Thursday, then Friday and Saturday we needed to perform and somehow my voice returned!

Music for me

I would be doing songs that would inspire people; l would be doing love songs, songs also that talk about God. I did my own song in the competition, a song l titled ‘lady’. It is a song that talks about the role the woman plays in the life of a man. I wrote that song because l feel men do not thank their women enough. The women take care of the kids, pray for us and also stand by us. The song was written to appreciate the women and their contributions to the lives of the men.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—23

Women need to rise above traditional sentiment to excel —Orakwusi

M

BY MOSES NOSIKE

rs Margaret Orakwusi is a barrister, Ex-President, Nigerian Trawler Operators Association (NI TOA), Chief Executive Officer MORBOD Fisheries Limited, a maritime consultant and public speaker.

In this chart with Woman in Her Prime, she cautions women against playing down their potentials and listed effective time management as sine qua-none for women’s advancement in their choosen endeavours as well as coping with family obligations.

As a barrister cum Managing Director of a fishing company who does business locally and internationally, how were you able to achieve this feat as a woman?

Yes, I’m engaged in deep pit fishing, trawling and I’m also a lawyer. I practise my profession in and out of the country.

What were those challenges of building a successful law career?

Well, I’m lucky in my profession because I have not seen any differences between a man and a woman in the legal profession.

Probably, those who came before us went through that process.

But right now, I’m given same the right of hearing that is given to a man in any court in this country. Having said so, women face challenges, of course you know our background, custom, tradition and those things we have put in place to limit the efforts of women. But I believe that when a woman rises above those

Despite their potentials, most women are still lagging behind, is it because of the gender issue?

It’s easy to understand, a man would only think about his career, family in quote. A woman for instance, we have these nine months that we stay thinking of our condition as pregnancy and also delivery.

And you don’t just give birth and rush back to the work you are doing. So, a man does not go through all that, no matter how sympathetic he is to his wife during that period, the fact still remains that he doesn’t experience childbirth, pregnancy or nurse the baby.

These are additional burden for a woman. And this is one of the things that limit our potentials. But there again, you can say, some women try to delay their career, sort of saying, let me devote six years of my life in building my home, that means a man has taken six years. If it’s a race, he has started six years before the woman. So, there is nothing you can do about that. Some women are able to combine all these activities, looking after

,

sentiments and see herself as a human being created by God; having same right, brain and functions like the male, she excels. As far as I’m concerned, a woman should acknowledge her potentials, see herself first and foremost as human see herself as having same natural right as a man. And when you believe in one ability, then your story is a success one.

profession, we follow hierarchy. You don’t just jump into a situation. There is this seniority element in everything we do. I think everybody would gain by toeing that line.

We give honour to whom honour is due. They didn’t just give it to her because she is a woman, she went through the process and of course it’s her turn to be so appointed. She has come a long way. And she is now a role model. She is been first in everything. She is now a role model.

Having been in the law profession for a long time, how can a woman become an achiever in this society?

A woman can become an achiever by being steadfast. I always give myself as an example. I dabbled into deep pit fishing, here is a woman, a

A man would only think about his career, his family in quote

their homes, going through childbearing, going through nursing, doing all the school runs and also being effective in their chosen career. I think that is where the distinction lies. And again, for those of us in business, or anybody in business in this country, the cost of fund is expensive, but it’s more expensive for the woman because some of us don’t have all those things we need to secure the fund with.

For instance, the issue of land, property ownership in this country. But then, we are trying to talk with the policy makers, the banks to be more friendly to the woman because of the custom, tradition and what have you.

Appointing a first woman Chief Justice of the country, what does that say about women, and do you see women achieving more results when they are leading?

In terms of having the first woman Chief Justice of the country, it’s a plus for the judiciary, and you know, in my

Orakwusi: A woman can become an achiever by being steadfast

,

maritime lawyer but not a maritime engineer so to speak.

What do I know about operations of a vessel. Putting the legal documents together, knowing when to do this is a different thing.

We are talking about what do I know about a part of a ship, what do I know about crewing investor. But I keep telling everybody if you have an inquisitive mind, willlingness to learn, then success is not far away.

There are no challenges you can’t overcome, if you are determined to succeed. And then you have to have fulfilment, you know when you are hungry, you eat, drink and you are satisfied. You must be hungry for something. I like to offer employment to people.

Job creation. I also like to share my experience with people. I am ‘a people’s’ woman, ‘a people’s’ lady. When I put smiles on the faces of people, I’m very happy. I think that was what really motivated me into expansion to different projects. To have more people

around me,happy faces that we can brain storm together and create jobs.

Managing your home front, law firm and fishing company, how are you executing the three demanding assignments?

Effective management of time, because you are dealing with things that are quite demanding. And everything is demanding your time. The children are demanding your time, the home front, your business and law practice are all demanding of your time.

It’s challenging. But you can overcome. When you manage your time effectively and as a human being you have to also recognise the things you can’t do and accept it. What I’m saying in essence, you have time for your children, your family and thank God for the advent of GSM, internet. You can work anywhere. You can be in your room taking care of

your child and also be on the internet at the same time giving instructions to your lawyers or workers - do it this way or that, and they are sending papers to you. So you can actually work from home.

It’s a lot easier now than when we started. We didn’t have the luxury of phone, internet and all that, but we were able to also succeed because we were quite effective in managing our time, and you have to get your priorities right.

My priority as a woman, first my children, so everything stops when my children need me. Is that at the expense of my work, the answer is no. You must always make provision, you must also learn to train people so that when you turn your back the business goes on. When you have good managers in place, then you can afford to also be jack of all trade, master of all, and a lot of things now become achievable.

24—SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 in 2011 and 2012. At this forum, children with and without disabilities interact while playing and having a good time; in the presence of parents and teachers. The driving force behind this party is the growing need to promote the spirit of inclusion in our society. It is our belief, and one backed by the research of early childhood educators, that the earlier children without disabilities begin to socialize with disabled children, the earlier

S

MAARDEC’S celebration: Providing platform for children with/without disabilities to socialise

ocially, it is nearly impossible for disabled children and chil dren without disabilities to socialize. There is hardly any forum or platform for this interaction to take place. Diverse socio-economic circumstances of parents have put paid to this interaction. Our school system is segregationist in nature given that these children attend separate schools. They are denied social interactions because society and our school system has erected an unnatural barrier to separate them.

Early childhood educators have ascertained that the school environment is the ideal place for children with and without disabilities to interact naturally. This has led to the new trend in inclusive education worldwide. Unfortunately, this system has not taken a foothold in Nigeria.

This idea evokes an advice an English Physiotherapist Mrs. Gudrun Agunwa, may her soul rest in peace, gave my father nearly 40 years ago; after I underwent a two- year stint at a rehabilitation centre run by the Salvation Army. She advised my father that I should be enrolled in a

A

Lady colleague here at Vanguard complained of debility and a constant feeling of unwellness to me.

My suggestion was that she takes to a bit of exercise to improve her body.

About a week later, this same lady called on me for exercise. Not withstanding her clothing, which were most inappropriately tight, I got her to do three Yoga postures, namely, the Head to Knee, the Cobra and the Spinal Twist. This was on a Thursday.

And I asked her to practise those three till we next meet.

Come the following Tuesday and my lady friend confirmed to me that she’d had a dramatic turn to her chronic case of constipation.

She was overwhelmed by the relief.

All I could do in response was nod in agreement. I whipped out a little book and pointed out to her that one of the benefits of the Spinal Twist is its cure of constipation.

Now once the body becomes capable of ridding itself of wastes efliciently, it feels lighter and the disposition becomes livelier.

Now we shall go into the Shoulder stand, and The Spinal Twist and see how these help us improve the genera! health.

The Shoulder stand Technique: Lie on your back with the feet drawn.

Now, quickly raise the back off the floor on to your shoulders while C M Y K

•Cosmas (middle)withMAARDEC’s Children’s Day Celebrants they discover that little or no conventional school for the rest of difference exist between them, and my academic career. My father took her advice. This course of events they will grow with informed opinions played a pivotal role in my about disabled people. This is against the usual prejudicial stereotypes educational career.

The need for a platform for perpetuated by past generations.

You will agree with me that the best children with and without disabilities to socialize outside of the school and greatest teachers in the world are parents. I call on all parents to system informed the introduction of the MAARDEC’s Novel Children’s continue in this tradition, which they Day Celebration. This event was inherited from their own parents. This initiated by my organization, teaching is not by word of mouth MAARDEC, in 2010. It was also held alone, but also by what we do. I am

Health in tatters?

Stand on your shoulder

sure most readers are aware of how sensitive and observant children are, and their uncanny ability of learning by doing. For example, if as a parent one exhibits a negative attitude towards children or people with disabilities, chances are that one’s children will pick up this attitude and probably grow up with it. It is therefore in our best interest as parents to bring up our children to emulate the right and proper attitudes to adopt while interacting with persons with disabilities. Our educational system alone cannot provide this attitudinal change. It must begin at home.

There are few if any schools in Nigeria where children with and without disabilities attend school together. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to discover about 4 years ago that the Lagos State Government was a leading light in promoting inclusive education in Nigeria. There are about 30 designated schools in the state where children with and without disabilities attend school together.

For this, I doff my hat to the Lagos State Government. Our Novel Children’s Day Celebration is a yearly affair we intend to sustain. The 4 th edition comes up in May 2013. It will coincide with the Children’s Day holidays. We are profoundly grateful to the partners that have kept the faith with their support: Banex Group, Crusader Insurance Plc., MTN Nigeria Foundation, UAC Foods, Beloxxi Foods, Nigeria Bottling Company, Viju Industries Ltd, Consolidated Breweries, Promadsidor Industries Ltd, Citiserve, Classique Beverages Nigeria Ltd, Newage Industries, Stacy Philips Ltd., May and Baker , Deli Foods, Mr & Mrs.Brisibie and Adorable Ladies Club.

in place. Highly recommended for women after child birth. * Improves asthma, indigestion, constipation, painful periods ‘and seminal weakness.

Warning: Refrain from the Shoulder stand if you suffer from organic disorder of the thyroid or .chronic nasal catarrh.

The Spinal Twist Sitting with both legs stretched in front of you, bend the right knee, placing the right foot on the outside of the leg near the left knee. Bring the left hand to hold tight the left shin and place the right hand back with the palm lying on the left lap. Turn the trunk, neck and head rightward and breathe in deeply but slowly.

Retain the posture for 10-20 seconds and repeat on the other side and rest.

supporting the hips and back with the hands. Then gently raise both legs up.

Get the trunk very close to the chin.

Breathe in slowly but deeply. Stay in the posture between 20 and 60 seconds.

To come out of the posture, simply bend the knees and gently roll out the back Slat down.

Relax lying down for about a half

minute U allow the circulation stabilize.

Benefits: * Strengthens the nerves * Purifies the blood and promotes good circulation. * Strengthens the digestive and pelvic organs and enables them to stay

Benefits: * Improves the tone of the digestive organs. * Increases the synovia! fluid of the joints improving their activity. * Removes adhesions brought on by rheumatism. * Massages the digestive system, improving the gastric fire. * Improves the bowels, liver, bladder kidney and spleen.

Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 25

26 — VANGUARD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

SATURDAY, Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—27

The A wevias dedicat e their ‘bundle of jo y’ Aw dedicate joy’

T

he saying that “ True joy is to be shared” rang true for Sunday Awevia, the Operations Manager of Vanguard Media Limited and his wife, Adlin, last Sunday, when they were joined by family, friends and

colleagues for the dedication of their son, Isaac. The joyful day began with a church service at The

P e n t e c o s t a l Congregation Church, Ilupeju followed by a lavish reception at the

Anthony Village Field, Anthony Village, Lagos.

Photos by Lamidi Bamidele.

Mr and Mrs Sunday Awevia dancing with their Child, Isaac, during the church service.

Vanguard’s Tony Ubani as M.C.

L-R: Mr Gbenga Adefaye, Editor-in-Chief/GM, Publications, Vanguard; Mr Isaac Iku, Mr Sam Amuka,Publisher, Vanguard; Mr and Mrs Sunda Awevia, parents of the child and Mrs Rita Amuka

Dr. Hakeem Agboola and Chief Yinka Ogunmekan L-R Mr Fred Odueme, AGM, Brand, Vanguard and Mr Eze Anaba, Dep. Editor, Vanguard

R-L: Mr Kunle Adekoya, Mr Richard Okotie and Mr Victor Omoreige, Mgr. Corporate Affairs, Vanguard.

R-L: Mr Kalio Theophilus, Miss Hope Ezekwe, Mr Dudu Utienyinand Mr Utiome Austin

R-L :Mrs Rita Amuka and Yeye Rewane

Sunday Awevia with Mum, Paulina Awevia C M Y K

R-L:Chief Sunny Okedi, Mr Matthew Efole and wife, Betty

L-R:Mr Namso Umo; Mrs Bukky Ejoor and Mrs Regina Ikenwe

Mr Kunle Oyatomi, former Deputy Editor, Vanguard, with Tosan Roro- Ogoshe

28 —Vanguard, SARTURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

J

oseph Benjamin is not a green horn in the entertainment industry. Apart from being the host of the popular MTN Project Fame, he is also into acting. The tall, chocolate and handsome dude has become more famous with his latest movie titled, “Mr. and Mrs.” where he acted the stubborn and uncaring husband to renowed actressNse Etim-Ekpe. In this interview, Joseph for the first time, talks about his personal life experiences as an actor: Excerpt.

B

ETWEEN MTN project fame and acting, which one would you say brought you into limelight?

I have been acting before I started hosting project fame.

And I can say that project fame gave me the boost that my career needed. It was a very good platform for me and I leveraged on it. MTN Poject Fame re-launched and re-introduced the brand, Joseph Benjamin into the industry.

What are your greatest achievements so far?

My greatest achievements so far are the awards I have been receiving in recent times. Also the fact that I have been putting smiles on the faces of the people, and seeing that they love me in return.

Has your usual co-operate disposition helped in getting more co-operate endorsements?

Of course. It is beginning to reward me. Recently, I got another endorsement from MTN. So, my corporate disposition opens a lot of doors for me.

MTN endorsing you after about two years when your last contract with the company expired, would you say it came late?

MTN has never done that before now. It is not a brand that endorses faces. This new development just started this year. That is why I am not claiming that I am the only person on that platform. MTN doesn’t just endorse people without subjecting them to rigorous test.

It is called experimental marketing. And that is why it takes time before the company endorses faces they will use in pursuing their marketing goals.

Your role in Mr. and Mrs? It is amazing. Do you know what I tell myself? Sometimes, I tell myself that it is amazing that Mr. and Mrs. has made

me more popular than any other movie I have done over the years. I still find it to believe that everywhere I go to, the movie follows me there. Even when I go into the mall, people call me MR and Mrs. I get positive comments following my role in that movie.

And it’s nice working alongside actress like Nse EtimEkpe. It was a pleasurable experience for me and I enjoyed everything about the movie. She was equally humble. I am really very glad that we were able to interpret our roles excellently. You know, it is one thing for you to have a script and another to have people who can interprete the roles very well.

Are you surprised by the sudden break you had in the industry after the role you played in Tango with Me I wouldn’t say I was surprised by the big break I had in the industry after the role I played in Tango with Me, where I acted alongside Genevieve Nnaji. I knew from the beginning that the film was going to be a turning point for me because it was a bigbudget movie for Nollywood. I’m grateful to the producer, Mammod Ali-Balogun for believing in me and also, giving me the opportunity to star in the film. It really boosted my acting career.

•Jo-

to bring into the industry- a situation where actors and actresses can have value for themselves.

seph

So far, people believe you are the hottest in the inBendustry. Does it reflect on your pocket? jamin That is a compliment I get everyday from my fans. As for whether it reflects on my pocket or not, it is personal. ho is the next person you would like to work with in the industry?

I would like to work with Rita Dominic. I would also like to work with my sister from Kogi State, Mercy Johnson, Omotala Jalade and Stella Damasus. And talking about the people I have worked with, I have worked with Nse, Genevieve, Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha , Ini edo among others top rated actresses.

For male actors,I would like to work with Pete Edochie, Olu Jacobs and many others.I have also

Even when I go into the mall, people call me MR and Mrs. I get positive comments on my role in that movie, and it’s nice working alongside Nse Etim-Ekpem

Looking back from where y o u starte d and where you are now, what do you have to say? thank God for where I am now and I am happy for that. I hope to achieve much more. Looking back, it is a big leap for me because, what I h a v e been

symbol.

But such notion goes with the job because everybody will start saying I’m hot and will think that I’m a sex hunk.

W

,

By BENJAMIN NJOKU & ANOZIE EGOLE

To someone who doesn’t know you, how can you describe yourself?

Well, I am simple and easy going.

I keep it simple but, classy.

,

worked with Desmond Elliot and Justice Esiri.

yond my limit. I always like to push myself to the edge.

What is your driving force?

My driving force is to surpass every standard I have set for myself at every point in my career. I am also driven by the goal to achieve excellence that always pushes me to go be-

Do you see yourself as a sex symbol in the industry?

I do not want to see myself in that angle. I want to be seen as somebody who is thorough, principled and likes maximizing his craft and not as a sex

able to

What makes you fell bad in the industry?

We still have a lot of work to do.I know we have been doing fine but, a lot more can be done in the industry to put things straight.

We should try to elevate the standard. When I was in London for the Nollywood award , I was thrilled at the way they arranged security for their veterans. I want the industry to emulate that. Sometimes, some of our veterans could fall ill and there will be nothing for them to fall back on. These are some of the things I want them

•Joseph Benjamin

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 29

C M Y K

30 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 31

C M Y K

32 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 33

C M Y K

34 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 35

C M Y K

36 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 37

C M Y K

38 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 39

C M Y K

40 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 41

C M Y K

42— SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 43

C M Y K

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, SARTURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 45

I get a lot of strange calls from my fans, some will call you and tell you they like you, some will want to hear your voice, but I wonder how they get my number

,

side beauty but it is an added advantage.

How often do you get passes from your female fans?

As far as you are a man and you are good

achieve within this short period of time would have only come by the special grace of God.

Y

our job goes with a lot of temptations, which of them have you been able to surmount?

Everything is temptation.

Even the money that we desire is a big temptation, that is why the Bible says we •Joseph Benjamin should not love it so much. Basically, what you are trying to say is how I handle female advanc-

es.

I will not shy away from the fact that they are real temptations but actually, I love my female fans. They constitute a lot of my fan base. I relate with them accordingly and also, try as much as possible to draw the line where it’s necessary. But one doesn’t have to get himself over-bored.

How often do you get strange calls?

I get a lot of strange calls from my fans. Some will call you and tell you they like you. Some will want to hear your voice. But I wonder how they get my number.

How many friends do you have on your facebook account?

Actually, I have two facebook accounts. The second one is being handled by my publicist. I do not even know what is happening there. I have a lot of friends there.

What does marriage mean to you?

Marriage to me is ‘work.’

It is a big journey which can only be accomplished by two people who agree

to come together for the journey in love. Love for me is beyond the word, it is an act.

It is a journey and you have to totally understand the second person you want to embark on the journey with. For me, I am not available for now.

looking, there must be advances. And I handle such advances very well. It even happens on set but, you have to be very professional in handling them.

If you want to be carried away then, how many will you be carried away with? It is something that happens every time while I’m on set.

So, you have to apply professional approach to all these things and that is what I do. I focus on my work basically.

And when I done, I’m hardly seen around again.

How will you feel if a woman walks up to you and accuses you of impregnating her?

Well, I will be shocked.

So who is the woman in your life now?

Nobody. All I know is that choosing the right person can never be a problem for you when you are ready.

Who is your ideal woman?

For me, an ideal woman is somebody who has the beauty right from inside, not really an outside beauty. I mean one who understands life and who has passion for God. I do not like a woman who is materialistic but she has to look good.

I’ m not really carried away by out-

CELEBRITY FOOTNOTES

,

Between Monalisa Chinda and ex-hubby’s crashed 2nd marriage

N

ollywood actress, Monalisa Chinda whose marriage to her ex-husband, Dejo Richard crashed few years ago may be in a joyous mood at the mo•Monlaisa Chinda ment, thanking her maker for vindicating her. Dejo’s second marriage to his US based wife, Yemi a.k.a Lamide crashed recently. The news of the break up filtered in during the week.

Dejo remarried early last year, less than two years after his marriage to the actress which produced a beautiful daughter, Tamar crashed due to accusations of infidelity and domestic abuse. According to our sources,Dejo met Lamide while she was on vacation in Nigeria. However, less than two years, Lamide’s friends say she’s separated from Dejo and is planning to officially divorce him soon.

Dejo confirmed their break-up when a source close to him contacted him. Meanwhile, it appears Lisa’s ex-hubby is not having it smooth with his love-life.

Or should we say Monalisa has been vindicated!

Bond of marriage

Isaac Chinwe

E

very lady would be a mother as well as a mother in-law some day. Same thing is applicable to every man. Your daughter will get married to an unknown person just as your son will bring an unknown woman to your home as wife. Be nice in your time so that your generation ‘ll not fall into wrong hands. Look far, not near for what goes around comes around.

•Chinwe Isaac

Davido’s give-away spree

R

•Joseph Benjamin

ising pop star, Davido clocked 20, last wednesday and to mark his birthday anniversary, he threw a ‘naira rainparty ’, over the weekend in Lagos, where he gave out the whopping sum of N500,000 as a birthday present to fans.

The O.B.O music star confirmed this gesture on his Twitter page, where he announced to the world his intention of giving out money. What a way of appreciating fans!

•Davido

46—Vanguard, SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Storm Records battle s Show promoter over

threat to drag Naeto C to EFCC A

popular show promoter, Fine Boy Swag (FBS) Entertainment is currently in a face-off with Storm Records, following its threat to drag one of the artistes signed under the latter ’s label, Naeto C to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over what it termed an alleged ‘f r a u d u l e n t obtainment of money under false pretence’

from the company by the artiste.

According to a statement made available online, through its representative, Muhammad Nura, the show promoter claimed that Naeto C failed to honour his side of an agreement to perform at one of the shows which his company contracted the rapper in July, this year, after making an initial payment of N400,000 out of the N600,000 agreed upon as the total payment.

The statement reads, “13th November , 2012, Attention: All Media Houses report of

fraudulent obtainment of money by Mr. Naeto Chikwe.”

“We write to report the case of obtainment by false pretence committed against our enterprise Fine Boy Swag Entertainment (herein referred to as “Our Company ”) by Mr. Nato Chikwe (A musician by profession who is popularly known as “NAETO C” also herein referred to as “NAETO C ” . ) ”We would like to state that we had discussions with NAETO C over a contract to perform at the show which was scheduled to hold at

Anny bags NMVA, NGMA nominations

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

N

igerian prolific singer,

Anny Emmanuel I b r a h i m who won Best Gospel Artiste of the year 2009 at the Appreciation of Women in Entertainment and Art in London has been nominated for Best Indigenous (contemporary) and Best Female Vocalist at the Nigeria Gospel Music Awards (NGMA) 2012.

Anny who has carved a niche for herself with her superb

vocal delivery and immeasurable talent has performed in several events as a result of her outstanding performance in the Nigeria music industry.

The NGMA which will take place at NECA events centre, central business district Alausa Lagos, on Friday 14th December, is to encourage gospel artistes in Nigeria who have used and are using their God given talent to promote and spread the gospel across and beyond the nation.

The award winning artiste who was also a nominee at 2010 edition of Nigerian

Music Video A w a r d s (NMVA) has been nominated again this year for Best Gospel Music Video at NMVA which will come up in Lagos by December 20 at the Exhibition Hall of Eko Hotels& Suites.

Talented and energetic vocalist, Anny is indeed redefining the

Nic ki Minaj denied entr ty Nicki entryy ttoo her own album par party

A

merican rapper-singer Nicki Minaj was early this week prevented from attending her own album release party.

The ugly incident happened at about 2:30am on Monday at a New York club, when Nicki Minaj reportedly showed up with 25 people and cops never

allowed her to enter with the people she brought.

Nicki Minaj wanted to celebrate the release of her new album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. Reports say this occurred because the venue was at capacity and there was nothing organisers and Police could do to

accommodate her. Nicki was said to have scheduled to make an appearance alongside rappers and music producers Flo Rida and Fabolous but arrived at the event too late. ‘The YMCMB queen wasn’t happy about it, so she and her group just left’, one report said.

Cubicle Arena, Maitama Garden, Maitama on 18th of July 2012 by 5:00pm in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria and he agreed to perform at the show. ”Our agreement is detailed in a one page contract agreement dated 14th July, 2012 and signed by NAETO C and our enterprise. A copy of said contract is hereby a t t a c h e d . ”Consequently, and as agreed upon discussions with NAETO C, Our Company paid a deposit in the sum of four hundred thousand Naira (N400, 000.00) in to NAETO C’s Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Account with the account details as follows Account Name: Naeto Chikwe. Acct Number: 0115788951. A copy of the GTB payment teller is hereby a t t a c h e d . ”NAETO C defaulted in performing as agreed in the contract signed, and also failed to pay back the money paid in respect of the contract four hundred thousand Naira (N400,000.00) being the deposit paid in respect of the contract.

H

is actions as stated above apart from being a breach have also constituted an obtainment by false pretence which constitutes an offence under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ”We hereby write to inform the general public of the activities constituting a betrayal of trust and serious criminal offence which should be accorded attention by all concerned. ”NAETO C’s actions have made Our Company to suffer damages, which among others include loss of good image, business goodwill and withdrawal of contract deals by clients as many clients now see Our Client as being u n r e l i a b l e . ”Our discussions with Naeto C to recover the amount paid have been fruitless and have been met with insults. We have written to EFCC to ensure that justice is done in respect of this matter and also to ensure that NAETO C is brought to book to curb the crime rate in Nigeria ”We will be available for further consultations in respect of this matter as the claims are not in any way frivolous.

However, reacting to the allegation, a representative of Naeto C said, the rapper fulfilled his side of the bargain but claimed that the show promoter defaulted in paying up the balance of Naeto C’s fee.

Vanguard, SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 47

JUNGLE MIS TRESS, ONYINYE RECOUNT S ORDEAL ‘I w ant ed ttoo mak want anted makee his histtor oryy but luc luckk wasn’t on my side side’’

Onyinye and her mother,Barr. Martha Udodi

BY BENJAMIN NJOKU

T

here is one name which will continue to ring bell as far as this year’s edition of the Gulder Ultimate Search reality TV show is concerned. The name is Onyinye Udodi, the 23 year-old girl who would have become the first female contestant ever to win the competition. But she was narrowly edged out by her close rival, Paschal Eronmose who evenually won the star prize.

She recounts her jungle experience.

How were you able to conquer the jungle with your hair-do?

I purposely made this hairstyle for the competition. I had to roll my hair in the Akwa-Ibom State style so that I could carry it for a longer period of time and it didn’t weigh me down. It is merely wool and capable of withstanding any condition ; water, dust and the rest.

While you were in the jungle, you got tangled with Paschal.

How are you going to spend your money?

How I’m going to spend my money is my personal decision .

Are you going to pay your tithe?

Definitely, I will pay my tithe.

Are you the first child in your family?

I’m the last child.

Did your boy friend miss you?

I’m sorry, I don’t have a boy friend.

How old are you?

I’m 23 years.

You don’t have a boy friend, are you saying you are a virgin?

My God....

When you went for selection, what was uppermost in your mind?

Solid Star, Shank for St.Remy Gbedu Slam Jam

S

uperstars including Shank, Solid Star, Nemo, Eminic, among others yesterday took the centrestage as they thrilled audience at this month’s edition of St.Remy’s monthly signature party tagged St.Remy Gbedu Slam Jam. Held at the classy Moore Night Club, Amuwo Odofin Link Road, Festac, Lagos, the month’s event proved to remarkabe as the brand left no stone unturned to ensure that it ups the level of excitement and fun previously generated by the event.

On the wheels of steel for the event was the ever vibrant DJ Atte of Naija 102.7 FM. Together with the choice

ensemble of top stars, the show witnessed no dull moment and unparalleled fun.

It was indeed a night to remember.

From Shank, Ne-mo to Solid Star, the elated audience had more than what they bargained for in terms of good m u s i c .

In his opening remark, StRémy Brand and Markets Manager, Antoine Couvreur thanked all the brand’s lovers and fans alike for the wonderful warmth and support which they ’ve demonstrated towards the brand all year long.

According to him, its December edition promises to

What was uppermost in my mind was to win. I didn’t settle to be the last woman standing

,

Was it why you lost to him?

What you see on the screen is based on your perception of it. But for me, Paschal was my best partner in the jungle. Ever since I have been with him, we always relate with each other.

And each time, we were paired together, we were always winning. I think there was a bond between us, but we are just friends.

,

What was uppermost in my mind was to win. I didn’t settle to be the last woman standing.

That wasn’t what I wanted, rather, I wanted to win the ultimate prize.

How did you feel losing to your friend in the jungle?

I felt much better that I lost the crown to Paschal, and not to someone else. I think it’s a twist of destiny and I feel I can handle it better because it is him.

B

ut when Paschal was announced as the winner, you felt so bad.

Why was it so?

Yes, when he was announced as the ultimate winner, I had mixed-feelings. This is because it looked somehow when you know that you were there at that point in time, only for me to leave for someone else to take the shine off me.

I had mixed-feelings and outburst of emotion, which resulted in my breaking some stuff in the jungle just to let out my emotion.

You felt bad also that you didn’t make history as the first female contestant?

I felt so bad also that I didn’t make history. I really wanted to make history as the first female contestant to win the ultimate prize but luck was not on my side.

There is this feeling that you were restless and that was why you lost the crown to your close rival. How true is it?

People thought I was restless but I think I was just counting on my instinct to discover the gatekeeper’s fortune in the first place. I had this rush on my head to quickly dig and if I couldn’t find the fortune box, go to somewhere else in order to beat time and be ahead of my rival.

But I guess, it’s a twist of destiny for Paschal to have found the Gatekeeper ’s fortune.

How do you intend to build on this platform?

With this platform, the organisers have given to me, I intend to build on it. I’m going to generate more money than I have gotten so far. It’s a platform I appreciated so much.

What I’m going to be doing with the money is still under wrap. But I assure you I’m going to spend the money judiciously.

Are you thinking of going into showbiz?

Not really showbiz per se. But I’m considering of going into modelling.

Have you modelled before now?

Yes, I have modelled before.

While you were in the jungle, what was your driving force?

God and my principle which is to take things a step at a time. I kept on praying because it wasn’t easy; the mental pressure , the expectancy and all that.

Did your parents object to your decision to participate in the competition?

They full supported me. But my mother was not really in support of it but, after a while,

by God’s intervention, I got her full support. I am happy she is here today to witness what her support has done in my life.

Tell me, the first thing you will do with the N4 million?

N4 million is a whole lot of money for a 23year-old girl like me. The first thing I am going to do with the money is to go and pay my tithe in the church.

I really have lots of projects lined up and I put them in mind before I came here.

But I have to be grateful to God for taking me this far and making me to have enough resources to take care of the projects.

Are you a graduate?

Yes I am a graduate.

What did you study?

I studied Computer Science Education at the University of Nigeria Nsukka(UNN). Before I entered for the competition, I was doing contract jobs.

48—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Stella Damasus denies dumping acting AYO ONIKOYI

I

• St. Obi

St. Obi gives out car at Entertainment Extravaganza L

EADING Nollywood hunk, St. Obi recently raised the bar in the nation’s showbiz sector when he hosted the historic Entertainment Extravaganza, at the upscale Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Interestingly, at the event, St. Obi doled out a car to the lucky winner to the surprise of everyone in the audience.

Tagged, “ Annual Night of Fun”, the well-attended event in the words of the actor-turned-filmmaker, was specifically designed for the Nigerian business community.

Sponsored by Agwhyte Global Entertainment Network, the memorable event that began with a red carpet session was beautifully anchored by comedian par excellence, Elenu, who dazzled the audience with his rib cracking jokes. The duo of soul crooner, Tosin Martins and gifted pop apostle, Sound Sultan separately held the audience spell bound when they mounted the stage.

In fact, they nearly brought down the roof of the hall with their electrifying performances, which saw the audience asking for more.

A well choreographed cultural dance troupe further added spice, verve and vigour to the fun filled extravaganza that had victuals in surplus.

The grand gathering also witnessed the premiere of St. Obi’s latest and long awaited international movie, Truecolor, which was screened to the delight of the audience.

Meanwhile, the highpoint of the memorable evening was the presentation of a brand new Kia Rio, to a lucky winner, Eniola Odukale, who came to unwind at the event.

Mrs. Odukale, who works with Resourcery Nigeria Limited, was speechless when her raffle ticket was announced.

While receiving the car keys, the visibly excited lady thanked Obi and his partners for coming up with Entertainment Extravaganza. “Sincerely, I thought it was a joke when I was declared winner of this brand new car…,” she gushed.

T is no longer news that sultry actress turned singer, Stella Damasus, now lives in the capital city of Abuja. The popular actress who exolained reason for her relocation said, “Abuja makes her think properly’’ but sources persist that the main reason she did so was to pursue a number of projects she has been handling of late.

Stella has been busy doing other things outside acting. In August, she was into some sort of radio tour in Abuja to promote her concert, tagged, The Alternative which held at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel.

She also joined forces with Yinka Lawanson known as Lamboghinny to solicit for relief materials for flood victims in Delta state as well as turning a social motivator, teaching some ladies on how to handle matters in-

Stella Damasus volving men, money, sex and the fear of God. This and many more engagements, including launching her musical career has sparked off speculation that the seasoned actress may have dumped acting for other juicy deals.

In a chat on phone, the Delta state-born star, con-

th a e d ’s h e n E r e t e AGN mourns P

N

ational President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ibinabo Fiberesima has described the death of veteran actor, Peter Eneh, as a big blow to the motion picture industry, stressing that it is one of the reasons she is keen on securing health, pension and insurance schemes for practitioners.

In a statement sent to HVP, Ibinabo said “firstly, on behalf of AGN and the entire motion picture industry, I express my condolences to the family of late Peter Eneh. Sadly, death is a necessary end that will come when it will come. But when death takes away a good man, the heart bleeds. I am in grief and utter shock over his demise.

“The pitiable state of most motion picture practitioners, even though we are in the klieg light with loads of fans and accolades, there is still much to be desired. It is for reasons like these that I am pursuing with so much vigour, the health plan, pension scheme and insurance for AGN members across the nation. The idea of running cap in hand to government at any level when incidents such as this occur isn’t the solution, though necessary under the present circumstance. I pray that under my watch, the necessary uplift of actors would be achieved.

“Actors and practitioners alike should borrow a leaf • AGN president ,Ibinabo from this amiable gentleman who just passed on.

May goodness and mercy follow us all. Goodnight my dear Pete Eneh. Though no more, your love and gentleness lintrappings of the American Dream.

About two years after showing in gers. Rest in peace.” the cinemas, ‘Ije‘ the much talked Now ten years later, Anya is Nigerian actors have continued accused of killing three men in a about movie which stars two of to pay tribute to the late actor Nollywood’s best Omotola Jalade- Hollywood Hills mansion- one of who died at the Enugu State Ekeinde and Genevieve Nnaji will them, her record producerhusband.

Chioma travels from University Teaching Hospital at be released on DVD this December. about last Thursday. He died few The high grossing movie was Nigeria to Los Angeles, and with days after his left leg was amdirected and produced by Chineze the help of a young, unproven attorney, discovers that the dark putated due to an infection.

Anyaene.

Ije tells the story of Chioma, a secret her sister wants to keep The Enugu-based thespian had child growing up in the Nigerian hidden might be the only thing been down since last year after countryside who warned her that can win her freedom. sustaining an injury on his left restless sister, Anya about the leg.

Ije out on DVD from December

• Omosexy & Genny

firmed relocating to Abuja but said the gist about her dumping acting has no truth in it. In her words, “It is not true I have quit acting because I have three yet to be released movies I have done and I just finished a short film.

I am about to start a featurelength movie”.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—49

Faced with new technologies, Nollywood seeks par tnership with NCC

BY OKOH AIHE

T

HE idea of the Nollywood visiting the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) didn’t look appropriate but it took that visit from the Actors Guild of Nigeria to price open the symbaotic relationship which exists between the two sectors inadvertently and almost unnoticed. Rather fortuitously, the link has been exposed and both parties can see what such a relationship brings to the table for the good of country and industries.

The NCC is not an operator in the Communications industry but relying on the Communications Act, the Commission superintends the industry and creates favourable environment to attract investment from local and international communities. And doing just that in the past eleven years since the industry gathered more speed, has created an industry, one of the fastest growing in the world, of which Nollywood practitioners have been major beneficiaries.

With a booming industry that has been variously acknowledged, Nollywood through sponsorship deals and endorsements has more access, giving practitioners the latitude to live more reasonable life, even live like the stars they are, with their esoteric taste well funded. This really is their time and the telecom

• Nollywood representative during a visit to the NCC office in Abuja reecently. industry has been a major contributor to the growth of the industry that was almost a walk mate with poverty; an unserious vocation.

This is what brought the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ibinabo Fiberesma and her team to the NCC to thank the Commission for its support to the industry, explaining that having travelled all over the country during her campaign, and seeing some creative manifestations, that more grounds even exist for a

bigger relationship between the Commission and the creative industry.

H

owever, the team found a little dose of surprise as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Eugene Juwah flanked by some of his directors explained the nexus between the Commission and Nollywood.

In November last year, he explained, NCC was a major sponsor of a big event in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, which

O’jez celebrates Ejike Asiegbu @ 50 N

OLLYWOOD icon, Ejike Asiegbu turned 50 years few days ago and the industry he had meritoriously served in the last 27 years has planned a massive birthday party for him at this month’s O’jez Entertainment Forum Award.

Scheduled to hold tomorrow at the celebrity restaurant, O’jez, inside National Stadium premises, Surulere-Lagos, Asiegbu, a veteran actor, and one of those who started the film revolution now known as Nollywood, would be awash with highlife music, comedy and dance.

“The oncoming event is a special one for us at O’jez because Mr. Ejike Asiegbu is a member of the O’jez family, also, it is not everyday one attains the golden year.

So it is very special for us as we celebrate a film icon,” Chief Joseph Odobeatu, Chief Executive Officer of O’jez said.

Odobeatu said Sunday’s event will be a unique difference from other O’jez monthly awards ceremonies.

“We are bringing a large number of performers for Ejike Asiegbu because he sure deserves to be honoured. For the first

time in many months, we are bringing wave making comedians, such as MC Shakara, Elenu and Elder O together on one stage. It uses to be either one of them anchoring the O’jez monthly award but since Sunday event is a special one, we are bringing energetic Awilo the dancer and captivating African Michael Jackson. It is going to be a loaded evening I must say,” he said.

He described the actor as “one with a big heart, a fearless fighter, activist and humanitarian, adding that “we all pray he lives much longer for the next generation to tap into his wealth of experience” Asiegbu on his part expressed happiness over the planned Sunday show. “When members of your constituency decide to honour you, no honour is greater than it. I am pleased, I am excited and I am looking forward to Sunday,” he said.

• Ejike

brought together academics from different parts of the world to Georgia Tech, to discuss Nollywood and more ways of exposing the industry to the international community by way of business and entertainment, explaining that the event boosted his belief in the industry, causing the Commission to take a long time view at the sector.

The New Media Department being built at the Digital Bridge Institute, Lagos is the immediate outcome of such forward looking view at the industry.

DBI, Dr Juwah told the visiting team is a subsidiary of the Commission and its activities are fully focused on capacity building in the ICT sector.

Explaining that convergence has brought entertainment and telecommunications into one industry, Dr Juwah informed that part of the relationship between the Commission and Nollywood will be serviced by DBI which will help build capacity for the sector in the area of new media and emerging technologies for entertainment, production and post production.

Technology is becoming more exciting and daring.

Celluloid is blending with video productions to present super screen images. Under the mobile for short platform, people are producing short films to be exposed on mobile phones alone. The switch over from analogue to digital TV transmission which in Nigeria will happen in 2015 will further create opportunity for content producers to provide materials to fill more television air time. There is the need for a mastery of production facilities that can make this job possible for content producers. From a all indications, the New Media Department at DBI will play a central role in meeting the production capacity needs of Nollywood. This is the point Juwah made very strongly to Ibinabo and her team. The DBI is currently building a modern studio for film production activities.

The President of the Actors Guild seems to be fired up.

Campaigning across the country, she saw a production in Katsina that excited her non-stop. She is of the opinion that most of these skills could be appropriated to produce new stars and expose them to the world of fame and wealth. Very vehemently, she is looking for development partners across the land and the quiet but landmark intervention of the NCC through DBI seems to have given her a much needed assurance that it is possible for help to come for Nollywood who from an unlikely quarters in order to encourage an industry which, apart from telecoms, is one of the country’s biggest contributions to the global community since the early 90s. *Okoh Aihe, Special Assistant, Media, to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, wrote from Abuja.

50—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

R. Kelly to bring ‘Trapped in the closet’ to broadway Stories by IYABO AINA

R.K elly Kelly

T

he RnB singer

finally made the revelation of the new chapters of his wacky epic opus at New York’s Landmark Sunshine Theater.

R.Kelly also has announced that he is currently working on a theater adaptation of his

hip-hop opera titled “Trapped in the Closet” and plans to make it a Broadway hit.

After the screening and during his Q&A session, the “I Believe I Can Fly ” hitmaker said that he had received an offer from Broadway to do a Broadway version of the

viral saga. He also answered questions whether or not he would appear on the Broadway version. “Some of the cities, I can’t guarantee all of them, and that’s what’s being negotiated right now because it takes a lot of time to do these chapters - I’m the only one in the studio writing these chapter,” he explained.

Kelly did not give further details about the current status of his Broadway project but it seems that the singer-songwriter has a lot to work on in order to give a satisfying theater version of the hip-hop opera and make it live up to its amusing and entertaining r e p u t a t i o n . ”Trapped in the Closet” is a 23-chapter song series released from 2005 to 2012. It tells the story of a man named Sylvester (played by R. Kelly in the videos) who, after waking up from a one-night stand, is forced to hide in the woman’s closet in order to prevent being caught by her boyfriend. Within the different chapters, other strange and funny characters turn up such as cheating spouses, escaped convicts, farting midgets, knifewielding deacons and sassy strippers.

Jackie Chan to retire after next movie

T

he star of the “Rush Hour ” series with Chris Tucker, as well as numerous other films including “Drunken Master” and “Rumble in the Bronx,” is well-known for performing his own stunts in his films. But at the age of 58, he’s made it clear he’s going to be hanging up his stuntman clothes.

“Why do I have to use my own life to still do these kind of things?” he said. “I will still do as much as I can. But I just don’t want to risk my life to sit in a wheelchair, that’s all.”

Chan wrote, produced, and directed his next film, “Chinese Zodiac 2012,” in which he plays

a treasure hunter searching for s t o l e n sculptures of the Chinese z o d i a c animals. It will also mark the end of his career of risking his body - Chan is often cited as the actor with the most broken bones in film history, thanks to his Jackie affinity for performing his own stunts. But he says that with stunt doubles and special effects technology, he will still be able to appear in action films in the future.

Shakira sued for $250 million

Shakira & ex-boyfriend

R

eport gathered was that Pop star singer , Shakira is

I have no regrets for troubles in my life — Lindsay Lohan

A

Chan In the meantime, Chan has become a noted philanthropist, raising millions of dollars for charities in his native China and around the world.

facing a USD 200 million lawsuit from her ex-boyfriend Fernando

de la Rua over allegations that their business partnership went bad after their relationship came to an end.

After the couple must have dated each other for eleven years,their relationship seems to have turned sour as de la Rua has filed a lawsuit here accusing his ex-girlfriend of breaking a promise to continue paying him a share of her business profits.

Fernando de la Rua son of former Argentine President argues that he left his career as a publicist while he was dating the star, eventually becoming her business manager and is thus entitled to monetary compensation for this work.

Presently, De la Rua is seeking 18 per cent of the profits from her deal with Live Nation, the world’s largest entertainment company, a contract reported to be worth approximately USD 100 million.

ctress Lindsay Lohan says she has no regrets for all the legal troubles and drama in her life.

Lohan, 26, who has had tough days in her life be it the custody for six times or visiting a rehabilitation centre, said she wanted to be known for her acting prowess rather than her troubles in life, as she said “I regret nothing, I’m not saying I wanted to go to a jail cell, but I’ve drawn all of it.

“I want to be known as an actress, not a

troubled starlet. People can think what they want, and the only thing I can do is prove them wrong,” .

A n d recently , the 26-year-old ‘Ugly Betty ’ star has put her troubles Lindsay Lohan aside and recently attended ‘Liz dress and arranged & Dick’ premiere at the her hair into a wavy Beverly Hills Hotel in do. an elegant slinky ivory

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—51

07088551416

Omotola reinforces!

•Omotola

I

t’s quite obvious that Nollywood diva, Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde doesn’t want to grow old.

The beautiful mother of four is putting a positive reinforcement of actions together to keep up her game in the movie arena within and outside Africa.

Evidently, these new set of Omotola’s pictures are additional strengthening materials to stand her out amongst her competitors.

No doubt, Omosexy, as she is fondly called, is leaving no stone unturned to keep her flag flying.

Cassandra Madu opens a Spa

8 year-old Amarachi rocks Nigeria’s Got Talent F or those who missed the opportunity to watch the continent’s biggest show, Nigerian’s Got Talent, it is really amazing. What baffles people is no longer the talent in the show but the manner by which an 8-year old Amarachi Uyanne opened the show with a breath-taking ballet and contemporary performance at the fourth semi final of the show. Her ballet rendition of one of Nigeria’s dance song’s Ara by Brymo made everyone fall in love with the cute bundle of talent. But her switch to contemporary dance got the judges and audience on their feet and also gained her unending applauses from both groups. “You have shown range, you have

shown different things that you alone can do,” said Kate Henshaw.

Amarachi said as she pleads for votes after her performance“I love dancing a lot. I dance with every bone in me. I also sing but that is done through my eyes. I want to be a doctor when I grow up so I can share and transfer the love and energy that I have inside of me with sick people. If I win this competition, I’m going to use my money to take care of the orphans, because they need help.

I’m also glad that the judges were impressed as it is a sign that I did well and I didnt let my family and dance instructor down,” she said.

C •Mercy

Mercy Johnson and her baby bump T

he Nollywood talented queen, Mercy Johnson has surfaced again with her sexy baby bump.

We gathered that the Kogi State-born actress, will soon be a mother.

asandra Madu, the delectable so ciety lady has opened a new spa on the Island yesterday. The body treatment business which is gulping the Imo state born beautician some millions of naira, has various equipments and a wide range of amazing apothecary-inspired products from Indian, UK and other parts of the world.

The spa which is named Aqua Beauty and Spa Limited is located on Adetokunbo Ademola street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Madu hinted that Aqua Spa is poised to be like O’ Spa London which is one of the the five leading spar in UK, offering good services for your money; adding that apart from the normal massaging and manicure/pedicure which most Spa in the country are known for; “our services will include body treatment in the form of Detox speed spa, Re-storative, De-toxifying, invigorating and Cuerp Body polish, there are also body rituals like Shirodosha, which is a course taken with warm aromatic herbal oils drizzled onto the forehead for calming and soothing the mind and body.”

According to her, others include indulgent ritual and Indian head massage handled down which will result into a feeling of deep relaxation and renewed energy,” she said.

Yomi Gold Alore gets baby girl from US based wife Some months ago, popular Yoruba actor, Yomi Gold Alore married his US-based wife, Victoria . Just yesterday, the actor’s loving wife gave birth to a baby girl in the United States. Ac-

cording to information, the mother and child are in good condition. Yomi Gold is one of the promising actors in the Yoruba film sector.

52 — VANGUARD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

I make my hair to lift my spirit — Essence U

wale Okoro popularly known as Essence is regarded as one of the best female sound vocalists in the music industry with her dynamic music style.

This dark complexioned diva, who hails from Itsekiri Local Government Area of Delta State, has made remarkable success in her musical career since she started. And everyone who is familiar with popular song, Facebook Love featuring Jawon, would not forget her eloquent voice in a hurry as the sound vocalist. This lovely artiste with great sense of humour is the last child of seven children. In a chat with her ,Essence talked about her hair and how she has managed to grow it .Enjoy

By IYABO AINA

What does your natural hair look like ?

God has really blessed me with good hair. My hair is no longer naturalit’s permed, long and quite full.

What do you to it that made it grow so long?

I don’t do much to make my hair go this long. It’s naturally long. All I do is make sure I retouch it as at when due, I use good hair treatment too. I also don’t always wear my natural hair. So, I protect my hair by fixing weave-on all the time.

What happened to your front hairline, how did you lose them?

Laughs. I used to like Ghana weaves and hair colouring a lot. So, I lost my front hair while I was busy experimenting with color and Ghana weaving. I haven’t quite recovered from it but I’ve put a hold on full head coloring and Ghana weaving.

Which hairstyle is your favorite?

My favorite hairstyles are those that compliment my facial structure.

So, I like side swept bangs, center parting and short hairstyles because they suit my square shaped face.

Do your moods dictate your hairstyles?

I change my hair style every two weeks and that is because I’m being modest. I easily get tired of one . So, I make my hair to lift my spirit and it’s one of my feel good quick fixes.

What can make you color or change the color of your hair?

I don’t color my hair anymore,once bitten twice shy. I can only highlight it sparingly.

Can you ever shave your hair for any reason?

I’ve rocked Anita Baker in the past. The hairstyle gives freedom that short hairstyles afford. But my hairstylist is adamant about me cutting my hair again. If not for her, I would have cut it into Anita Baker again.

The only thing that can make me shave my hair is money.

What kind of hairstyle can you wear any day any time?

The hairstyle you would most likely catch me wearing will be center parting because it’s easy to fix and it doesn’t stress me.

Which hairstyle do you dislike and why?

I dislike Ghana weaving because of my past experience. I spend a lot on my hair that I may start crying if I decide to calculate the amount I’ve spent on my hair.

Female Hair Loss before Menopause - (part 1) F

emale Hair loss before menopause is a common and upsetting problem that has a serious impact on a woman’s self-esteem.

Understanding female hair loss before menopause and knowing how to treat it effectively is essential in controlling this problem and lessening the effect it has on your life. Please read the following article providing useful information about female hair loss before menopause and how to manage it.

What is female hair loss before menopause Female hair loss before menopause, also known as alopecia, means that a woman is losing more hair than usual. A normal strand of hair grows approximately 1/4 of inch per month, and continues growing for up to 6 years. When the hair falls out, another grows in its place. Female hair loss before menopause occurs when the amount of hair that falls outnumbers the amount being produced.

Most people associate hair loss with men

but all women will experience some degree of hair loss during their lifetime, and many will be affected by female hair loss before menopause. During perimenopause, the stage before actual menopause begins, some women will experience thinning and hair loss before menopause. However, when hormone balance is restored it´s possible that their typical hair thickness will be restored as normal hair regrowth begins.

In contrast to what happens to men, female hair loss before menopause does not usually result in complete baldness. In fact, most women suffer hair thinning, which is a loss of hair density (leading to clear areas in the scalp) but not resulting in complete loss of hair, rather than female hair loss before menopause.

Uncontrolled and excessive hair loss before menopause can knock a woman´s confidence and make her feel less feminine. Therefore it´s important to fully understand this condition and how to deal with it successfully. Keep reading to find out more.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—53

TODAY’S MENU

I don’t eat pork—Davies

BY KATHERINE USEH

B

unmi Davies, producer of popular comedy show, “STAND UP NIGERIA” has paid his dues as a promoter of comedy and comedians in Nigeria. He is our guest in this edition of Celebrity Tummy Talk as he speaks on healthy living and what keeps him fit.

What was your eating habit a child?

My mother gave us the best of food. She gave us what she felt was good for us although we occasionally hunt for other meals aside our daily routine. For instance, I’ve had course to crave an ice cream as a child. Those were the kind of treat we used to get outside the regular every day meal. ...Now as an adult?

The nature of my job wouldn’t allow me eat what I desire most. I’m always on the run every time so, it is difficult to talk

about food. Right now, I eat whatever food I find on my table. It is shameful but that is the truth. Well, I don’t eat pork because of my religion but I eat almost anything labeled food.

When it comes to food what can you say?

My best meals are home made food. I am not used to patronising Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) ,also known as fast food restaurant but I do that once in a blue moon. I cook when I want to relax with my family and treat my wife a little. ...Exercises?

I engage in some walking exercise with my dog every Saturday as the show I engage in involves both physical and mental exercise and that is a serious one.

I do not just sit and instruct but I ensure that things are done accordingly.

Your fruits and drinks?

I’m good with all kinds of fruits and drinks including water.

When it comes to healthy living, what can you say?

I’m not an expert in that field but I would advise that people should take lots of water. Water is very important because it controls dehydration.

Tummy Palaver

YOUR FOOD& YOUR HEALTH

Talking fork

Stories by EBUN SESSOU

Why pork is good for you?

A

lthough, it seems not to be too appealing to our different beliefs or religions, but it does more good than evil. Pork meat is very high in thiamin which is known to be effective in healthy functioning of the brain.

Compared to other meat, pork is very low in salt. This is good news for those suffering from kidney ailments.

One of the health benefits of pork meat is that it has very high protein content. Pork is so rich in protein to almost half of what you need

Hayden Panettiere doesn’t let a little thing like eating keep her from talking on the phone. Well done, girl. Keep it up.

every day.

For those suffering from anemia, pork is your best source of iron.

A hundred grams of pork is around 15 percent of the protein you need each day. And the better news is that protein in pork is of the type that is easily absorbed by the body.

Pure or P oor W at er (1) Poor Wat ater

N

igeria is the most producing bottled and sachet water country in Africa. This might be due to the demand in consumption of the product. The level of unemployment in the country has made it possible for anyone to dabble into the buiness of manufacturing water.

Today, the business has grown and the industry has literally created its own water culture. For example, there is hardly a place where you will not find at least a few different brands of bottled or sachet water.

To this extent, people no longer take into consideration, some unavoidable considerations before producing a portable poor water.

My experience recently with one of these products landed me in the hospital where I spent some days battling water related diseases.

PO WER PPAS AS POWER ASTTA SP AGHETTI WITH SPA TOMA OMATTO & BEEF Recipes Two tablespoons olive oil Half cup minced onion One clove garlic, minced Half cup minced celery Two tablespoons butter One pound lean ground beef Half teaspoon white sugar One teaspoon salt Half teaspoon dried mint Six ounces fresh chopped mushrooms One small can tomato paste Two small bowls beef broth (30 cl) Two teaspoons dried basil One packet Power Pasta Spaghetti (500 gm) One teaspoon olive oil Three tablespoons salt One tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish Quarter cup grated cheese

Preparations In a large pan, warm olive oil over low heat; saute onion, garlic and celery until onion is transparent.

Put butter while stirring and increase heat to medium.

Brown the beef until no longer pink. Mix in sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, mint and mushrooms. Lower the heat and stir for about 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine tomato paste and broth. Pour this liquid and basil to the pan. Simmer over very low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil with 3 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Slip Power Pasta Spaghetti into water holding on to ends until strands soften a bit. Cook over high heat for about 10 minutes. When properly cooked, raw taste should be gone but still have a firm texture.

When ready to serve, combine pasta with meat sauce; serve on a warmed platter or bowl topped with parsley and cheese. Original recipe makes 6 servings

I believe that so many people would have been wondering how I managed to be trapped. I guess, you know that so many people have also suffered the same pain and are still suffering until today.

God, please save our souls from these desperate manufactureres and their co-workers of evil deeds.

C M Y K

54 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid:

Talking points from UCL blockbuster Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The game was an end-toend spectacle which saw both teams dominate possession for large periods of each half, but ultimately a Sergio Aguero penalty was not enough to rescue the Citizens from elimination.

Was Alvaro Arbeloa deserving of a red card?

Should the referee have given a penalty? Are these teams still classes apart?

What's up, Cristiano?

In four of his last five games, Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to score.

He's not in danger of losing his ridiculous goal-to-game ratio or anything, but it's a certifiable dry spell that Jose Mourinho will be eyeing with a furrowed brow.

Ronaldo had his chances at the Etihad Stadium to break this unwanted run, but failed to beat Joe Hart on multiple occasions.

A trip to Betis awaits. Can he exact his revenge on Los Beticos this weekend?

Was it a penalty?

The decision that turned the tide in this game was the red card to Alvaro Arbeloa, followed by the subsequent penalty scored by Sergio Aguero.

But was it a penalty? With

City surging into the box, it appeared Arbeloa didn't do too much wrong. He stumbled and the referee clearly believed he clipped the Argentine, but there's not a lot in it at all.

With it being potentially accidental, the referee doesn't have to give a red card either.

A class apart?

Despite billions of pounds invested, Manchester City still seem a long way short of Real Madrid.

Over the two games, Jose Mourinho's men were significantly better than Roberto Mancini's in almost every department.

Before Los Blancos went

Rafael Nadal will surpass grand slam expectations in 2013

O

NLY three players in men’s tennis history have more Grand Slam titles than Rafael Nadal. And no player has ever won as many French Open championships as the 26-year-old Spaniard.

Like Roger Federer, Rafa is a legend in today ’s game.

Most have to wait until they walk away from a sport to achieve such a status, but not Nadal, and that’s why he will surpass Grand Slam expectations this coming season in 2013.

Nadal is one of only three active players in men’s tennis with at least three Grand Slam titles to his name, the other two being Federer and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

It’s not a matter of Nadal being ready for the competition, but the

competition being ready for Nadal. Rafa’s style has proved both entertaining and superior over the last eight years, and he’s done nothing but beat the best.

Nadal is 50-29 all-time against the other three of tennis’ Big Four (Federer, Djokovic and Andy Murray).

Rafa has a winning record against each, which assures him a place in tennis lore.

As far as achievements are concerned, Rafa has won at every major over the course of his decorated career and even won Olympic gold in 2008 in Beijing.

The only thing Nadal has left to accomplish in the sport is to recover from his left knee injury and cap off his comeback with a 12th career Grand Slam title.

down to 10 men at the Etihad Stadium, they were absolutely dominating proceedings.

David Silva was only able to play his game when facing

one less player and Edin Dzeko still struggled despite the red card.

At the Bernabeu, City were clinging on for their dear lives

for a 2-2 draw and eventually succumbed to a Cristiano Ronaldo strike.

Is it bad European form or a gulf in class?

Managing Chelsea will give me the best chance to win more trophies—Benitez

R

AFA Benitez has vowed to win over Chelsea fans after the news of his appointment was met with a hostile reaction from the Stamford Bridge faithful.

The former Liverpool manager has been installed as Chelsea manager until the end of the season following the dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo on Wednesday.

There was some surprise that Benitez was willing to accept a short-term contract, but the 52-year-old said the chance to manage Chelsea was too good to pass up.

“My priority was to work in the Premier League, I’m really happy to be here with a top side,” said Benitez, who confirmed that Boudewijn Zenden.

•Benitez

TENNIS

Martin Kaymer becomes Martin Kaymer has officially become the latest European take up membership on the PGA Tour in 2013.

The 27-year-old, who captured his first major title at the 2010 PGA Championship, joins what seems like an evergrowing list of players choosing to jump over to this side of the Atlantic in pursuit of higher purses, more lucrative endorsement deals, better practice weather and of course, the opportunity to escape a European recession that is showing no signs of waning any time soon.

The PGA Tour’s new qualifying process would also have played at least some role in player’s decision to take up membership now before the door slams shut in 2014.

Peter Hanson (Sweden), Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) and David Lynn (Great Britain) have all decided to take up PGA Tour membership as well in 2013.

This latest influx of Europeans will join the likes of Rory McIlory, Luke Donald, Greame McDowell, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, who are already members of the PGA Tour.

Virtually all of these players still retain their European Tour membership, which is a requirement in order to be eligible for the European Ryder Cup team. But a vast

Vanguard, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 55

h c t Ranking the top candidates i P e h T f f O for the Chelsea job Following Roberto Di Matteo’s dismissal, a whole host of names have been advocated as his successor. In this article, Ed Dove considers five chief candidates and their suitability for the role.

Whoever takes the hot seat will have to contend not only with the demands of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, but also the club’s crumbling Champions League defence and their unconvincing Premier League form.

Which of these men would have the fortitude to prosper under such circumstances?

Steve Clarke

W

hat is it about Roman Abramovich and West Bromwich Albion? The Russian appears to be unable to tolerate a defeat to the Throstles from the Black Country. AVB was dismissed following defeat by West Brom, whilst Sunday’s defeat to the same team clearly preempted his dissatisfaction with the Di Matteo regime.

What better way to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself than to pluck the very mastermind for this latest defeat from the Albion, and who is more perfect to fill the Chelsea hot seat than a man who knows the club as well as anyone?

After over a decade as a player in West London and with another handful of years as part of the staff more recently, Steve Clarke is approaching legend status at Stamford Bridge. With his knowledge of the club and his players, the goodwill generated by the fans and his undoubted loyalty, Abramovich could do worse than to turn to the Scot.

Still, despite the Albion’s excellent start to the EPL campaign, Clarke is only five months into his first managerial job and this inexperience would surely count

against him in the face of other candidates.

Pep Guardiola

T

he ex-Barcelona supremo will surely be the people’s pick to take the hot seat at Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard is one of the most highly esteemed bosses in world football at the moment, having guided Barca to an unprecedented, superlative period in their history, playing a brand of football revered universally for its aesthetic qualities.

Pep’s credentials, as well as the fact that he is available after leaving his post in the summer, must make him a seductive prospect for Abramovich.

You can almost imagine, as you read this, the Russian himself, flanked by Bruce Buck and Ron Gourlay, standing outside Guardiola’s villa, hurling money at the door in an attempt to lure him to West London.

And that’s where the problem lies: The impression is that Guardiola just doesn’t want to go. Not only is he intent on recuperating and enjoying his liberty, he is also, wisely, hesitant to sign up to the whims and fancies of a Russian oligarch. Can you

•Di Matteo

•Pep Guardiola

•Jose Mourinho

•Rafael Benitez

work at Real Madrid.

The club are still waiting for that luminous 10th Champions League, and Mourinho seems to have made it his personal quest to obtain it. Not one to leave a job half done, it’s hard to see Jose jumping ship without that 10th European Cup in the cabinet.

Still, the man has surprised us before, and Mourinho and Chelsea, both unloved to the point of resentment, arrogant to the point of ignorance, have always felt like a perfect fit.

For all of the glory of "That night in Istanbul," the truth about the Spaniard’s reign at Liverpool are considerably more inglorious. Despite having a squad containing the likes of Steve Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, not to mention Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina in the prime of their careers, Benitez failed to bring the Premier League to Anfield. In fact, there was only one season where he was remotely close to the league’s summit.

Benitez’s temperament can also be questioned; his squabbles with Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson were exuberant to the point of embarrassment, whilst his transfer policy can also come under scrutiny. Whatever became of all those bright talents that he signed (for considerable fees) at Liverpool?

They tell me Antonio Nunez works in a café these days.

Still, one of Abramovich’s obsessions in recent years has been getting the best out of Fernando Torres—his £50 million Spanish bombshell.

Could Benitez, who brought his compatriot to England and who got the best out of him in the EPL, be the man to ignite El Nino?

blame him?

And what of the Mourinho factor? Would a Guardiola appearance at Chelsea not feel like slipping into bed with your worst enemy’s ex-wife?

Not recommended.

Jose Mourinho

A

nd what of Mourinho?

The fabled former boss, the man who ended the wait of half a century for a league title, an icon at the club, the Special One. Jose has bored us with his oft-quoted declarations of love for both the English game and for Chelsea specifically, and what better time to make true on his word than now? Does a return to London beckon for a managerial superstar who has found affection hard to come by in Spain?

The answer is probably no.

Enticing as it may be, as delicious a prospect as a Mourinho return would be— certainly for the headline writers, there is still a sense of unfinished business in his

GOLF NEWS

latest European to join the PGA tour majority of these European imports now spend much of their time in America playing a schedule consisting of mostly PGA Tour events.

The European Tour now faces a two-fold problem: 1. It is facing an unprecedented financial crisis that has already cost it tournaments and sponsors and will likely cost it more tournaments moving forward.

2. Virtually all of its top stars have jumped ship and taken up membership on the PGA Tour. They will still play a number of events in Europe, but they will more than likely not become “full-time” members of the European Tour anytime in the near future.

One bright spot moving forward for the European Tour is that the PGA Tour’s closeddoor qualifying process may actually transform the European Tour into a more attractive option to talented young international players looking to move up in the world of golf.

•Clarke

Rafael Benitez

W

hilst I am personally unconvinced of his suitability for the role, Rafael Benitez has emerged as the favourite to settle into the hot seat at Stamford Bridge.

Ostensibly, however, I can see the appeal for Roman Abramovich: Benitez has extensive Premier League experience, he has European pedigree, having won the Champions League with Liverpool and the UEFA Cup with Valencia and he has the sort of cosmopolitan persona that has historically appealed to the Russian boss.

However, the flaws in Benitez’s CV are hard to ignore, and may count against him in such an environment as Chelsea.

56—Saturday Vanguard, November 24, 2012

SA TURD AY V anguard, NO VEMBER 24, 2012—57 SATURD TURDA Vanguard, NOVEMBER

C M Y K

58 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012 — 59

C M Y K

60 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012 — 61

62— Vanguard, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

By DONALD ARJI

C-A-U-G-H-T I-N T-H-E A-C-T

I sold human parts to churches and ritual killers—Joshua withheld) who advised me to stop ridding okada and to join him into ritual killing and cannibalism” when asked how he carried out his activities, he confessed :“Whenever I see somebody working alone without being conscious of who is watching, he walk slowing to them using a big ply wood to

other members of the vigilante and the palace guard to the Baale of Ajara Topa community and also he has been monitoring his movement for the past 5years told Crime Guard that at about 1 a.m on 21st of November, he was on his normal

•Joshua caught with some human skeletons

•Joshua ‘s hole where he stores human parts hit them on their heads and when they fall unconscious, I will drag them alone into the hole and use a knife to cut them into parts which I sell to some churches and some ready buyers who indulge in ritual killing for easy money, and some times when I feel hungry late in the night, I ate some parts for food. He, however, confessed that he sells the parts as follows: Heads of human for 7,500,human breast 1,500,human penis 1000,hands and legs for 3,500.” He confessed.

The member of the vigilante group who alerted

,

N

ovember 21st will ever remain indelible in the heart of Oloko villagers... as members of the palace guard to the community leader of Ajara Topa community in collaboration with the vigilante group of Nigeria arrested a notorious ritualist who eats and sells human parts to ritualists,and also has been hiding within their reach for 15 years while crawling into a hole which he dug under the Gbaji bridge along the Badagry-Seme border and also recovering some human parts inside the holes.

Joshua Akindele,56, hails from Etokia Local Government in Ogun State was earlier spotted by one Anthony Amos who has been keeping surveillance on his activities while crawling in and out of a hole under the Gbaji bridge in Oloko village along Badagry express way confessed that he had been into cannibalism and ritual killing for the past 15 years, after being introduced into the business by his friend who convinced him to stop driving the popular motor cycle known as “Okada” which he claimed profited him a little,and could not sustain him. He further said that he had been convicted for 5 years over raping a 17-year old girl.

Speaking with Crime Guard, Akindele confessed to be the brain behind the incessant killing within the village using ply woods to hit his human prey,and dragging them into the holes and splitting the parts of his victims for food and business... with some ritual buyers. In his statements “I have been into these activities for the past 15 years when my friend(name

I have been into these activities for the past 15 years when my friend who advised me to stop ridding okada

routine watch on Akindele when he noticed him crawling into the hole with a rice bag, he quickly alerted his members that confronted him by pointing a gun at him to drop and open what he was crying and when he did, they discovered some rotten human parts, like skull, legs,

,

hands, breast e.t.c. and they dragged him to the palace of the Baale who later handed him over to the Badagry police division.

When Crime Guard visited the palace of the Baale of Ajara Topa community, Chief Samuel Amosu Owolabi, who confirmed the incident told Crime Guard

that he was in his palace when an emergency call waked him up that a man has been arrested by members of his palace guards in collaboration with members of the vigilante group of Nigeria with human parts, and he quickly called the Chief Patifo ,Baale of Iyafin whom his community shares the bridge to accompany him to the scene. When he got their, he noticed some mobs beating the Joshua Akindele and he begged them to let him live so that proper investigations will be carried out by the police.

Crime Guard confirmed the handling over the suspect to the Badagry police division from a police source who pleaded anonymity.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—63

By DONALD ARJI

T

hree blood brothers, recently in Lagos, made startling revelations when they confessed that they earn their livelihood through armed robbery. In fact, the eldest of the brothers confessed that they used their younger brother to get vital information about their victim.

Their robbery exploits were blown open recently after members of Lagos State neighborhood watch arrested them in OttoAwori Local Development Council. The three brothers identified as Kabiru Sesan,25, Toheed Sesan, 23, and Femi Sesan, 19, were alleged to have robbed one Mr. Chude at gun point who reportedly just arrived the country from a trip overseas.

One ocally-made pistol was said to have been recovered from the suspects while they were sharing their loot in an uncompleted building at Etigbi Community in the area. Sources said the suspects got information about the arrival of Mr Chude through his female house help (name withed) who happened to be the girlfriend to one of the suspects, Femi. Their eldest brother, kabiru boldly told Crime Guard when he was cornered at the office of the vigilante group that robbery has kept food on their table since the death of their parents. He also confessed that they were the brains

•The 3 armed robbery brothers

Robber y has been sustaining us

...Confessions of 3 brothers arrested for armed robbery behind the incessant robbery attacks within Etigbi community stating that he asked his younger brother to go into a relationship with their victim’s house help

because they knew he is based in United States of America and normally come back with a lot of money.

The younger brother, Femi, however told Crime Guard

that he did not know that his brothers had evil intention when they asked him to go into relationship with the housemaid. According to him,”I was surprised when

my brothers told me to go into that relationship with the maid,and I never had the knowledge that my brothers were armed robbers. I was so surprised, even when I asked my brother why? he said that I should just do it. There was a day my brothers told me to get information on when Mr Chude will return back to the country. I was confused but I did as they said. That was all I knew until I got a call from an anonymous person to come to Shibiri round about within the community, on getting there, I was handcuffed by the vigilante group.”

T

•City Pride magazine recently in Lagos, presented an award of the ‘Best Investigative Crime Editor’ of the year 2012 to Vanguard Crime Editor, Emma Nnadozie. Pix shows the Publisher of the magazine, Josuah Uloko, presenting the award to Mr. Nnadozie with Vanguard Editor, Mideno Bayagbo(R) and Deputy Editor, Eze Anaba(L) at the Headquarters of Vanguard Media Limited, Kirikiri Canal, Apapa.

he leader of the vigilante group, Alhaji Saka Owoyami, narrated how they rounded up the three brothers to Crime Guard. “We got a call from an unidentified person who said he heard a gun shot from a flat nearby. We quickly went into action but before we got to the place, they had disappeared after shooting one of the residents. We started combing the area and ended up fishing them out in an uncompleted building where they were busy sharing their loot.

After interrogations, we were shocked to discover that they were blood brothers. They named their younger brother as their source o f information.

We swiftly went into action and arrested him and after interrogation, we handed them over to the police at Hausa-Ihemba division for further investigation and possible prosecution.

64—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

L

ast Sunday ’s Presidential chat, about fourth in the series, was probably President Goodluck Jonathan’s well conceived strategy to sketch out his pan-Nigerian view, react to some national questions, forge interaction with the nation, explain, defend crucial policies and standpoints of the government, reassure the electorate on the transformation course of the administration.

The format was markedly different from that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo which was a phone-in thing receiving calls on issues from people all over the country and the president responding.

Political analysts and critics believed that Goodluck Jonathan may have had foreknowledge of the issues to be raised and the questions packaged for him. But no one can be so emphatic about that.

However, the crux of the matter is that the country is riddled with so many socioeconomic maladies, security challenges, seething with corruption and injustice appalling to the people who looked up to their president at the media chat to assuage and honestly, genuinely point the way to redemption. To a large extent, it was not exactly so.

Rather, the presidential me-

PRESIDENTIAL CHAT:

Jonathan warding off anxieties dia chat brought more questions than answers, leaving people more confused than before.

Eustace Folusho, an engineer with a construction firm, said the president was just beating about the bush.

“How can President Jonathan say that electricity supply has improved? As I was listening to the chat on TV, there was sudden blackout.

PHCN took power. I had to look for a transistor radio to continue listening to the interview. It seemed that the government is only interested in the oil sector where cheap money comes from.”

He added: “Jonathan was even justifying the involvement of some past heads of state in the power sector insinuating that because they are former heads of state does not mean they should not earn a living. I was shocked. It is so sad that these ex-leaders are coming back to bid for their

,

BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO

We have dealt with political corruption, the corruption in fertiliser procurement and corruption in the oil industry

,

companies to own distribution and generating companies in the power sector.”

Folusho lamented that there had been no improvement in power supply since the exit of Prof Barth Nnaji.

“Electricity has multiplier effect on the economy and

power supply has dropped drastically. We are now paying more for darkness. It is mere propaganda for Jonathan to say power has improved.

This could be so in few places but we have darkness in most places.”

Deinde Oluyemi, an administrative executive with an Insurance firm in Lagos, decried the attitude of President Jonathan to corruption, making excuses for the Halliburton and Siemens bribe scandals in which no Nigerian has been found culpable so far.

“I think he lacks the political will to fight corruption.

There are glaring incidents of high profile corruption involving top politicians, their children, friends, relatives and so on, but nothing has happened to them. Let’s hope justice will come soon for the corrupt leaders and government officials.”

Oluyemi noted that the president seemed dodging some

questions and giving income inconclusive responses to many others.

“Look at the issue of monetisation. The president agreed that the idea of monetisation was theoritically good, but the problem was implementation.

Yet there are cases of officials using government vehicles and still receiving vehicle allowances. Also those top people who bought their official houses at rock-bottom prices only to demand that new houses be built for them at high cost.

Again probe reports are never implemented, locked up inside government cupboards and left to gather dust. Those indicted by these reports are not brought to justice. For how long can we continue like this?”, he asked. “Yet the president was telling the nation that reports are being implemented only that people are not noticing the implementation.”

On the disparity between capital and recurrent expenditures in the national budget, Oluyemi believed that the ratio between capital and recurrent can be further bridged.

“A situation in which over 70% of the budget goes to recurrent expenditure while less than 25% for capital can not make for national development, I observed President Jonathan trying to explain how

Continues on page 66

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012—65

O

tunba Lateef Owoyemi, the Otun ba Jadiara of Ijebuland and former president, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, has served in many capacities and contributed to the economic development of Nigeria. An astute management consultant, his firm, LOP Consulting Ltd, has remained an active player in nation-building in the last 34 years. The 73-year-old, who was a good companion of late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, spoke to Saturday Vanguard on issues arising from President Jonathan’s last presidential media chat, linking the whole parasite eating deep into various spheres of Nigerian public life to corruption. Excerpts: President Goodluck Jonathan among many other things had scored himself high in fight against corruption, provision of stable power supply and road infrastructures across Nigeria; during the last presidential media chat. With what eyes do you look at those issues he raised?

First and foremost let me start my response on the issue of corruption. What I can say is that Jonathan is doing the best he can but it will take all Nigerians to fight this thing called corruption. When you have elections based on moneybag consideration, the guilt of corruption comes in through the electoral process. The lawmakers are guilty of corruption; the judges are guilty of corruption and, going by this way of life, there is no how you will not have cases of kidnapping and assassination. Young boys, now in Nigeria, are no longer interested in working but in business of kidnapping.

In Ijebu-Ode here, they took somebody away and demanded for ransom to release him!

You see? It is not a one-man fight against corruption because it is at every level of Nigerian society.

And you can take it back to the Murtala purge when he just removed a lot of civil servants who were hard working and honest! Those who survived the purge moved around to say that, “We must now make arrangement to secure our future!” They are the ones teaching the politicians how to steal. Every Permanent Secretary is a wealthy billionaire and many of them are now going to Senate? Where are they getting the money from? The owners of land and largest number of buildings in Nigeria are civil servants. And you now have what I can call fake due process! Where you say there should be three quotations, the

It will take all Nigerians to fight this thing called corruption —OWOYEMI, FORMER ICAN PRESIDENT

,

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

Jonathan is therefore just an unfortunate scapegoat.

His job is one that is beyond any ordinary Nigerian

,

permanent secretary would go and allocate contracts to themselves.

The other issue raised in the media chat was subsidy removal. Mr. President said total removal of subsidy was inevitable to ensure establishment of refineries locally. But now, considering the fact that when the four refineries were working in full capacity in the past, subsidy was in place and things worked well, one is forced to want to ask: Why do you think it is only by removing subsidy that things can get better talking about the oil and gas in this country?

The whole thing is interlinked. If the refineries are not working well, there is no way we are not going to have escalated cost. The refineries will not work well because those who should make them work well will not make them work well because of corruption!

They are making money from all these subsidy things. It is up to Nigerians themselves to expose those civil servants who are enriching themselves from this thing, who therefore are living beyond their earnings

and as a result of that will never want it to work well! Go to any ministry, there is a lot of corruption in it. So is any of the armed forces; so any sector of Nigerian public or private life, there is a lot of corruption inside it. Tell me, which Federal Government department or agency is not corrupt? Which state of the federation is not corrupt? Which bank is not corrupt? Which segment of the private sector is not corrupt?!

And this is caused by the civil servants as a result of the destruction that the hitherto quality based and patriotic civil service suffered in the hands of General Murtala.

They destroyed the civil service by uprooting those civil servants who were good and allowed the bad, corrupt ones to stay on and anyone who opposed them they removed him.

But now, without a proper civil service, no government can do much. Jonathan is therefore just an unfortunate scapegoat.

His job is one that is beyond any ordinary Nigerian. You need a radical Muslim or pastor, since they all claim one religion or the other, in the pres-

idency who will be in the seat of power, thoroughly guided by the Constitution to put this country straight. And by radical I mean who does not want money; all he wants is just to make heaven by doing the right thing for the good of the people and with the fear of God. The role of civil servants in the decadence that our public life has witnessed is enormous and the only way out of it is to, first and foremost, take the time to embark on thorough civil service reforms without listening to influence from any quarters. There have been a lot of white paper reports in this country that are either missing or not brought up for implementation. Whose fault do you think it is? Not that of the minister or the president but it is squarely the fault of the civil servants. They are the ones.

What about the 12.5 billion dollars under General Ibrahim Babangida regime? A file can always disappear and once that happens, you are stuck.

What should be done to tackle the issue?

So, no matter what probe pan-

el you set up, the civil servants must still carry the file and work upon its report. If the file disappears, what would you do? Until we get the civil service right, we cannot get anything right in this country. The civil service is so corrupt. All of them are looking for money and they are not interested in working. Let’s face the truth.

Many people in the civil service are only looking for how to get money by awarding contracts to themselves and they are the richest Nigerians now followed by politicians. That’s the truth.

It all started from the regime of Murtala Mohammed who punished those he should not have punished and destroyed those things he should not have destroyed and now nobody regrets the errors of the past. That was where and how corruption started. Murtala started corruption. I was a civil servant myself; he was the foundation of all this corruption we now have which has eaten deep into all spheres of our public life in Nigeria. It’s the civil servants now that thought the corporate officers how to also make money and anybody who has been chief executive of any company in Nigeria, if quoted, turns to being a mult-millionaire acquiring most of the houses from that company whether by shares or whatever. If you appoint somebody managing director of a bank, he becomes the owner of the bank before you know.

But I bet you, let them probe any ministry; health, works, any and Nigerians would be surprised what they will find there. every ministry is corrupt.

Is it the same parasite that has eaten into why the road system in Nigeria has never worked for quite sometime?

On roads, I just feel that our authorities have been extremely insensitive. We’ve had this Lagos-Ibadan ut to Abuja road project for a very long time now.

What presently obtains on that road is not found anywhere in the world. Even if that is the only thing you do in one year, we can say oh, we now have a 10-lane road from Abuja to Lagos and everybody will be happy about it. That this thing is not working the way it should is all corruption! They awarded the contract (call it concession) and now they have sacked the company without a negotiation. I mean how can that happen? How can you award a contract and the man has started the job and now you just come up to say you are sacking him from the job without quantifying and properly assessing what is on ground.

Is that how to do things?

66—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

BY CHARLES ADINGUPU

F

OR sometime, the Ni gerian media was awashed with speculations that the President Goodluck Jonathan was in a secret dialogue with members of the Boko Haram sect, ostensibly to end the unwanton carnage it unleashes on unsuspecting Nigerians.

At some points in the media report, names of some eminent northerners were penciled down as representatives of the terrorist group to negotiate with the president. As the report continues to generate more heat on Nigerians and the government, those listed as representatives began to decline their appointment.

But President Jonathan took Nigerians by surprise when he opened a can of worm that those stories reported on the Federal Government’s dialogue with the group were mere fallacies, probably crafted out of the figment of the imaginations of the reporters.

In a two-hour broadcast session on television and radio network, President Jonathan declared unequivocally, that the Federal Government had never been in any negotiation with the Boko Haram sect.

“How can you dialogue with a faceless group,” he enthused.

Since the President disclosure of the Federal Government stand on the Boko Haram insurgence, conflicting signals have continued to trail his revelation.

The United States government said there is no magic formula to ending the Boko

Divergent views trail Jonathan’s speech on Boko Haram Haram insurgency. The United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Micheal Posner who made this declaration at recent press briefing in Lagos, however, implored the Federal Government to adopt a multifaceted approach to combating the sect’s violent attacks on Nigeria.

The United States government representative who expressed his country’s concern about human rights abuses and violations by security agents in an attempt to end the sect’s insurgence, noted in dismay that excessive use of force might be fuelling and apathy for the group.

Posner however observed that numerous reports of mass arrests, extra-judicial killings, torture and prolonged detention without due process were of serious concern to the United States government.

But Nigerians’ concern goes beyond the president’s recent revelations. For most Nigerians, they were disturbed by the decision of the Federal government to deploy well about six hundred soldiers to tackle the insurgence of Islamic fundamentalists who had

torn Mali apart and captured the northern part of that country. President Goodluck Jonathan in his address to ECOWAS leaders in Abuja stated that the deployment of troop must be done to avert costly consequences on the sub-region in particular and the Africa continent in particular.

“Guinea Bissau and Mali need our help to stabilise and recover lost grounds. The long suffering peoples of Guinea Bissau and Mali will be looking up to us to end their nightmare and open the door of security and prosperity to them.

We must not fail them, the President declared.

Since this announcement, Nigerians have been reacting differently moreso, as the same Islamic fundamentalists appears to hold the nation by her jocular, bring the nation to near standstill.

A Catholic priest, Reverend Father Micheal Iroh, the Principal of Saint Vincent De Paul Secondary School, Oraifite, Nnewi, Anambra State reacting this way: “If we are to compare President Jonathan and his predecessor, Chief Olusegun

Obasanjo’s administration, it might seems, President Jonathan is too slow in attending to the Boko Haram insurgency.

Although, if we are to look at the President’s decision to deploy troop to Mali within the ECOWAS’ treaty, it was a laudable obligation, because it is part of the responsibilities of member states to accede to such call whenever the need arises to defend the territorial integrity of the region.

Also, if the issue is viewed within the prism of the civil society, it is a mission that is laughable because we, as a country have our peculiar security challenges. Hence, the President must first tackle his own problem before addressing those of other countries.

Already, the Nigerian people and even the government seemed overwhelmed by the

Jonathan warding off anxieties Continued from page 64 the recurrent is now going to 65% and capital above 35% and that any demand for increased salaries and allowances are met from the capital fund. And that the objective is to have a parity of 50/50, promising the country would get there.”

The insurance practitioner likened the chat to Tales by moonlight usually told to children by elders in a village setting.

“Our president is yet to get cracking and be more serious in finding solutions to national problems.

He cannot just be telling story.”

On corruption, Oluyemi enjoined Nigerians to take with “pinch of salt,” president’s declaration that he is fighting the monster.

Jonathan had said: “I can assure Nigerians and the global community that this government is fighting corruption frontally,” pointing to free and fair election as a prerequisite for a fight against corruption as he cited Anambra, Edo and Ondo governatorial elections for examples.

Jonathan’s words: “We have dealt with political corruption, the corruption in fertiliser procurement and corruption in the oil industry. There has never been a time corruption in the oil industry has been

attacked in all fronts. The effort this government has put in fighting corruption, I don’t think any other person has done that.”

There were some inconsiscies in Jonathan’s pronouncements on wealth creation and poverty reduction saying he did not promise to reduce poverty rather he wanted to create wealth. The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) took him up on this describing this latest shift as “a clear political equivocation which is patently illiterate at best and self-indicting at worst.”

In a statement by ANPP publicity secretary, Emma Eneukwu, it added: “Nigerians are now left to wonder who Mr. President had set out to empower all along. This is because for sure, creating wealth might actually be a metaphor for putting more money into the hands of his already rich party members and cronies, while leaving the poor of the nation in the hands of chance.”

On poor ranking of Nigerian Universities whereby University of Ibadan once ranked as fourth in the Commonwealth has now slipped to 34th in Africa, President Jonathan bemoaned the drastic drop, wondering how this came about and that efforts are being made to restore the lost glory of our universities. He said government was studying the report

President Goodluck Jonathan

Boko Haram insurgency.”

But a lecturer at the Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic, Tony John in an interview with Saturday Vanguard, criticised the Federal government for deploying troops to Mali, when ironically the same soldiers have failed to tackle the menace of the dreaded Boko Haram. The Don dismisses insinuations that tackling the source of Islamic fundamentalists, as Mali, rightly identified by some intelligence report would help to put to check the infiltration of members of this sect to the Nigeria’s soil.

“It behoves on the Nigerian government to make the country uncomfortable for the sect members by deploying all its security arsenals. They will relocate if they discover that the country is no longer safe for them to operate on,” he said.

on the rot of the universities characterised by all types of corruption and abuses which would be looked into and remedies found. But a University of Lagos lecturer (prefers anonymity) blamed government neglect and inadequate funding of the University system for falling standard.

Roads also were among issues which the president promised to fix especially the Lagos-Ibadan expressway which has become slaughter slab, describing it as one of the busiest highways in the country.

A day after he expressed dismay over the unsatisfactory performance of the contractorconcessionaire – the federal government revoked the contract bringing sigh of relief to people who used the road.

And when some one twitted that any president who can fix the Shagamu-Benin road will be the best president ever in Nigeria.

Jonathan was quick to contend that should the road be put right by him then he ‘ll be the best president. The bottom line is the fact that our road system across the country has virtually collapsed and we need a messiah to fix the roads and stop the carnage going on daily.

Anxieties of the people remained feverish as they are yet to be convinced that Jonathan can effectively deliver on his promises.

SA TURD A Y Vanguard SATURD TURDA anguard,,

A

head of the 2013 operations of the federal roads, the Federal Road Maintenance Agency FERMA has identified and prioritized road recovery projects based on a number of factors including present condition of roads, cost implication, traffic volume, economic importance and geographical spread.

The operations are focused on general repairs and pavement strengthening as well as progressive works to address rehabilitation backlogs within the funds made available to the agency.

The focus and direction of the agency may not be too different or similar in its past strategy which to a large extent is to maintain Nigerian roads through rehabilitation work, pavement strengthening, pot-hole patches and emergency repair work.

The 2013 action plan of the agency is too aggressive to be ignored in spite of government constrains in its yearly appropriations in no particular reference to FERMA, it is a general constrain of the Federal government which of course has to be addressed with time.

The country has a total of about 34. 000 kilometers of federal roads currently being maintained through various methods, the state of some of these roads are

State of federal roads: Ferma Prioritizes road recovery in 2013

indeed very deplorable, some in fair condition and others in perfect condition.

FERMA is an intervention agency of government trusted with the responsibility of addressing all forms of road maintenance on federal highways all year round to promote commerce and trade across Nigeria.

In the last few decades, the agency has intervened in several failed sections of federal roads after a long neglect by successive military administrations.

The only effective and efficient means of transferring goods and services within the country and to neighboring countries is the road transport which

if allowed to collapse will truncate economic activities.

However, FERMA like every other agency of government has been accused of not carrying out routine maintenance work on all federal roads at the same time, but that again is a hard nut to crack considering the fact that government business is tied to due process and yearly budgets.

There is also an ongoing Subsidy Re-investment programme called SUREP. The road maintenance agency has recently initiated its public works

NO VEMBER 24, 2012—67 NOVEMBER

geared towards preventive maintenance to ensure that economically viable routs are motorable all year round.

To achieve these, necessary equipment were acquired, technicians trained and deployed to work under the supervision of experienced field engineers and management team of the agency to achieve desired results.

This aspect of government intervention has created employment for Nigerian youths and FERMA as the agency has added to its fleet of engineers to carry out regular maintenance work on highways.

The agency is mindful of quality control on Nigerian roads because of soil texture so it does not in any way allow rehabilitation work, strengthening of pavement and other forms of road maintenance to be carried out without the effective supervision of top ranking engineers of FERMA. It is important to note that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency is not by any means empowered to award contracts for heavy construction work, but to move into federal roads already commissioned and handed over to government by contractors.

I have cause to fault its operations in some time past, for instance small pot holes on a particular road caused by erosion wash out is allowed to develop into cracks and sometime develop into complete wash out of the road

without any form of intervention.

FERMA has enormous responsibilities that if not properly funded and policed, fundamental errors and negligence may mar its operations.

So, it is important for strategic agencies like FERMA to be proactive because economic trade agreements within the country is determined by good roads.

For instance the location of Obajana Cement, the road is about one of the most deplorable and it is of a very high economic importance, heavy duty trucks loaded with cement ply road daily.

Statistics has shown that a minimum of about 200 trucks loaded with tones of cement pass through this road and Nigerian business men like Aliko Dangote Chairman Dangote Group, manufacturers of Dangote cement, salt, spaghetti and other commodities can afford to partner with government to address the menace on federal high ways.

Nigeria is about the only country that relies heavily on government for the development of major infrastructure like road, this is not obtainable any where in the world and that explains why the deplorable state of federal roads has lingered for too long.

What stops Dangote Group as major beneficiaries and heavy users of these roads especially routs plied by the manufacturing companies from saying to FERMA come lets jointly intervene on failed sections of a particular rout of interest?

Ufem Uket, writes from 10, Arab Road, Kubwa District, Abuja.

Awka Stands Still for La Casera ‘Apple Story Campaign’

F

From Left; Mrs Liza Nichola, Commercial Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr seni Adetu, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr Austin Ufomba, Marketing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, and Mr Daniel Amokachi,assistant manager of the Nigeria national football team, During the Press Briefing / Official Sponsor of the super Eagle by Guinness Nigeria Plc, Held on Thursday 22-11-2012, At Eko Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos .PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi

ollowing the flag-off event of the La Casera Apple Story Campaign in Lagos and series of experiential marketing activities across markets, shopping malls, motor parks, and campuses in the six geo-

political zones of the country, students, traders and numerous loyal patrons of the La Casera Apple Flavour Carbonated Soft Drink in Awka, Anambra have experienced first-hand, the spectacular display

WIMBIZ conference refocuses women in business

By Princewill Ekwujuru, Moses Nosike

T

he rising level of w o m e n unemployment and their movement up to managerial positions have become major concern to stakeholders especially in the face of insecurity, kidnapping and youth restiveness in the country.

The country today, amidst myriads of other socio-economic challenges, is grappling with the problem of women unemployment which has risen to a higher proportion in recent times.

...set to bridge gap barrier in workplace

Official figures from the World Bank indicate that 40 million Nigerians out of the 150 million population are effectively engaged in the labour market. By implication, it means that over 60 percent of Nigerian youths, women inclusive, are u n e m p l o y e d , considering the fact that 40 percent of the entire population were between the ages of 1840 years.

No doubt, Nigeria has one of the highest unemployment figures in the world despite her vast human and mineral

resources. This situation clearly reveals the unstable socio-economic structure characterised by high level of social vices, thus raising fears on the ability of government to effectively address the menace of youth unemployment, especially women.

Minister of Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on assumption of office has shown concern over the plight of the Nigerian youth. Acknowledging the risk posed by the high percentage of unemployed Nigerians, his first assignment was

to draw a tree headed template; The educated, the uneducated and those who simply require re-training in the latest trends in their chosen career.

He had also advocated for an appropriate data gathering of the demography of the youth population. This way, he believed there would be proper segmentation into various sub-groups in terms of locations, level of education/skill, size, disposition, challenges etc.

This, he noted, would ensure that the demography of the

unemployed youth is taken into consideration so that job intervention policies would be effective.

The Minister had also outlined these intervention policies for the next four years of President Goodluck J o n a t h a n ’ s administration to include a youth employment project which is intended to provide skills acquisition and entrepreneurship trainings, job placements, business development service and credit scheme for the

and the refreshing taste of their favourite, La Casera Apple flavoured drink.

The La Casera Apple Story Activation stormed Awka, Anambra with its new thematic campaign ‘What’s Your Apple Story ’ berthing at notable spots such as the Eke-Awka Market, Onitsha Market, Uni Junction, Nnewi Market, among other business zones in the state.

During the sampling exercise, the public were thrilled with various acts of entertainment while served with chilled La Casera Apple Flavour drink. Perhaps, the most spectacular aspect of the entire programme was the couple contest amongst some selected consumers.

The couple contest entails an act by a male and a female student comprising a couple contesting against other couples in various acts such as dance performances,

68— SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Nations Cup open for Eagles to grab, says Owumi

top if they want it adding that, “a good performance by the team now that we have so many dark sides in our football will be a boost for moving the game forward.

If the team is successful, that would act as a catalyst for growth of our league and the game itself because given the present dispensation, the young ones, the players in our clubs will look up to the current crop of Eagles and coaches as role models.”

While he welcomed the current effort to rebuild the national team, Owumi insisted that the team’s handlers and those who run the game in the country should be

BY EDDIE AKALONU

F

ORMER Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League, Davidson Owumi has expressed hope that the Super Eagles will rank among the best teams in the African Cup of Nations in South Africa next year even as he agreed that other top playing countries want the cup too.

“It is open and we can grab it if the country can be more aggressive with good preparation and if the players put in the best effort,” he said.

Speaking to Saturday Vanguard Sports, the exEnugu Rangers hit-man and team manager said the Eagles can get to the

mindful that the process collides into a major tournament.

“Rebuilding the team is okay since we want the best and I commend the entry of new names like Victor Moses and other players that have made the team. So if there is a good team and we are be more focused, that will give confidence to the coaches to run the c o m p e t i t i o n programme,” he said.

He however, predicts that it’s going to be tough but recommended hard work as the only right way to take, stressing “if right steps are taken, by competition time, we would have been ready and that is the stand-point to scale through the group stage and go all the way.

But like I said, we have to be more aggressive with preparations because it is open for the best teams, and I know we are rated among the best,” he added.

•Yobo

Ensure Eagles win Nations Cup, Jonathan charges NFF

N

IGERIAN President Goodluck Jonathan has again urged the Super Eagles to win

next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The director general of the National Sports Com-

Drogba desperate for Nations Cup title E LEPHANTS of Cote ‘d Ivoire captain, Didier Drogba said that he and his teammates have learnt their lesson from the shock defeat to Zambia in the 2012 Nations Cup final and are ready to make amends in South Africa 2013. The Ivorians have reached two finals. They narrowly lost to Egypt in 2006 and Zambia last January.

In those games Drogba missed goals, but now he stated that he wanted to be in top form and do a good job of winning in South Africa.

“What is true is that we were never that close to the trophy. But if we were to get despondent every time we lose, that would be pointless. We have to learn from the lessons of the past.

“We are heading back to the Afcon to go and get the trophy,” stated the striker with 59 na-

O

R

F O

T

W

E

E

L

D

V

U

T

D

G

N

R

I

A N G

B

O

A

E

By JACOB AJOM

T

N

S

A

E

S A

S

B

N

A

F

O

I E

D

A N

E

D

R

R

A

O

P

O

E

S

K

H

I

T

A

S N

W K

A

L U

T

N

E

S

N A

A

A K

R

HE Local Organis ing Committee for the 18th National Sports Festival yesterday announced a bumper package offered by Nigeria Bottling Company, makers of popular beverage drink, Coca Cola towards the organisation of the sports fiesta.

Chairman of the LOC and Deputy Governor of Lagos State Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire

I D

N

K R

S

D

G K

U G

E O Y

G

S

D V

A

E

P B

R E

O B

I

I

L G

T

G

A

N

R

nese Super League is on break.

“I know that I have to play regularly to stay in form.

“The most important is to arrive at the Afcon 2013 in full possession of my abilities and to be efficient in the upcoming Afcon. It is a competition that is very close to my heart.”

free preparation for the tournament.

The top sports official told MTNFootball.com in a separate interview, “The minister has written to Mr President for an express approval of funds needed for AFCON 2013 from the 2013 NFF appropriation to enable them prepare the team. I know that by early next month the money should be ready.”

The SWAN gala and award night was the climax of a week of activities to mark the 2012 FCT SWAN week.

The night saw Godfrey Ali Gaya, Governor Lyle Imoke and NFF President Aminu Maigari bag distinguished merit awards.

Eko 2012: Adefulire showers praises on NBC

S P

Thursday. The Ivorian talisman will now seek other means of keeping himself fit as the Chi-

•Drogba

Z

E

B

M A

I A

O

W

tional goals to his name confidently.

Drogba’s quest of joining Chelsea on loan was blocked by FIFA on

mission (NSC) Patrick Ekeji at the 2012 FCT SWAN gala and award night announced that,”The message to the Nigeria Football Federation from Mr President ahead of the AFCON 2013 is for the Eagles to return home with the cup. ”The President is not concerned on how the NFF intend to do this, but it must be done.”

The Eagles have won the Nations Cup twice, in 1980 and 1994.

Ekeji has also disclosed that the proposed 1.4 billion Naira (about $9 million) budget for the AFCON will soon be approved to ensure a hitch-

A

disclosed at the LOC Secretariat, Teslim Balogun Stadium Tuesday that apart from the sponsorship fee, the company was also giving our Coca Cola and water worth N1 million.

“We are happy to get the Nigeria Bottling Company to identify with us in this huge project. We believe they will get good value for their money,” the Deputy Governor said, while calling on other companies to also partner

CAF Award: Nigerian players miss out again AGAIN no Nigeri-an player made the list as the Confederation of African Football (Caf) yesterday unveiled the final five shortlisted players for the 2012 African Player of the Year.

Those shortlisted are Ghana’s Andre Ayew, reigning player of the

year Yaya Toure, Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba, Alexander Song of Cameroon and Senegal’s Demba Ba. For the Player of the Year in Africa category, the list has been whittled to three from five nominees. These are Moham-

ed Aboutreika of Egypt, Zambia duo Rainford Kalaba and Stoppila Sunzu.

The winners for the year under review will be announced at the CafGlo awards gala at the Banquet Hall, State House, Accra on December 20, 2012.

with them.

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Bottling Company, Ben Langat said, “we are very excited as a company and a brand to identify with Eko 2012.,” He disclosed that apart from the sponsorship money and the drinks his company would spend over one hundred million naira to brand the venue.

“This is the first time, since the NBC was set up 62 years ago that we will be branding our product to support an event of this magnitude. We want participants to refresh themselves during the games and for now we have released over 1million of the branded product to the market and we believe this will also help to sensitise people about the games,” Langat said.

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2012 — 69

70 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24 24, 2012

C M Y K

SATURDAY Vanguard,NOVEMBER 24, 2012—71

ODD NEWS

Compiled Richard Okotie

Well that’s one way to get your fivea-day!

Conjoined twins

C

onjoined twins who fall ill together and have to scratch each other’s itches chart their amazing lives in new reality show. Just don’t ask about boyfriends... Abigail and Brittany Hensel, who share one torso fused at the torso, have astounded doctors in their hometown of Minnesota with their remarkable development into young adults. They have now been given their own show called ‘Abby and Brittany’ which will air on TLC later this month.

The girls are the rarest form of conjoined twins, the result of a single fertilised egg which failed to separate properly in the womb. They have many of their own organs, but share ones from the waist down, including the intestine, bladder and reproductive organs

P

C

heeky chimp steals all his friends’ carrots.

Greedy: This cheeky chap is well on the way to having his five a day - after stealing an entire meal of carrots and chomping his way through the whole lot....Neuwied Zoo in Germany.

Unforgettable artwork

Life-changing surgery for schoolgirl L

ainting by Asian elephant that uses brush gripped in its trunk goes up for sale on eBay....

Asian elephant Karishma (left), a 14year-old female, paints colourful artworks using a tiny brush gripped in its trunk (above right) at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. Now one of the elephant’s paintings (below right) is being auctioned on eBay to raise money for conservation charities

ife-changing surgery for schoolgirl, 11, with an ARM growing on her back - and doctors think it belonged to her unborn twin... Large mass on girl’s back contained a breast and an arm with two fingers .Doctors said it was part of an identical twin that had failed to develop and was enveloped by its sister. Case was reported in a British journal by doctor based in Beijing, China.

T

,

oo many people are today being deceived that their future is hopeless and that nothing good can come out of it. They have been lied to by satan that change is not possible. Some believe this lie or their present situation because probably they have tried certain things for years and yet no positive change has occurred.

Thus, they have concluded that their lives can never be better.

God has sent me to you today to let you know that His thought concerning you is of peace and not of evil and to give you an expected glorious end, a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11).

God did not create you with a destiny that is useless. God is a glorious God. Everything He does is wonderful. This is why I know that your life is planned with great wonders waiting to happen. Don’t believe the lie that your present status is your destiny. It is not true. It can be changed. You can change it.

Jabez in the Bible, was given the name by his mother. Jabez means sorrow, pain, displeasure etc. jabez was not responsible for his mother’s condition at birth yet the mother gave him a

You can change your destine name that for a season was controlling his life.

He saw himself as a hopeless person. Nothing seems to work for him. His brothers were celebrated everywhere they went while he was neglected. He was not recognized. He was despised by all. Everywhere he turned to, he could only see sorrow.

His life was not only complicated but also messed up. To man there was no way out for him. He has no future and so he was not important.

One beautiful thing about this whole situation was that his case seems unbearable. One would be wondering where is God? After all Jabez did not conceive himself, why should he be made to suffer unjustly. The truth is that before any man is formed God already knows. Remember Jer. 1:5, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of

the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations”. So you see the destiny of a man is not in the hands of any man. It is in your hands.

God never creates anyone useless. There is no uselessness in God. He is an excellent God. Thus you are an excellent person. You may not look like it right now but that is the truth. Shortly, all those that look down on you will regret it because your destiny will soon change for good. The best of God in your life will start to show forth. I perceive a stirring up in your Spirit.

It is time to rise up.

Jabez accepted his situation until a day and

time like this when he said to himself God is a good God and so my destiny cannot be hopeless but colourful. He rose and saw himself beyond been sorrowful.

He saw that there is a God who changed the life of Jacob and made up his mind to call upon that same God that is the same yesterday, today and forever. The God who said call upon me and I will hear and answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not presently know.

Thus, in 1 Chron. 4:910, the Bible states, “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez,

God who changed the life of Jacob and made up his mind to call upon that same God that is the same yesterday, today and forever saying, because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Isreal, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested”.

From the text above, Jabez’s destiny as orchestrated by the devil through the mother was changed by him. Jabez had to rise to the reality that he was not created for pain, shame and sorrow. This applies to you today. You can change your destiny now. The God who did it for Jabez will also do it

For more details, contact us at Christ Reality Church, beside Gossard Hotel, opposite First Bank Sports Ground, Community Road, Satellite Town or P.O.Box, 3196, Yaba Lagos. Tel: 07029235279, 07029235280. E-mail: Johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org.

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

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

,

for you. First, do you really desire a change?

How desperate are you?

When you are truly desperate for a change, change will become inevitable.

Call on God now from the depth of your heart.

Cry out like the Isrealites did while in Egypt and God will hear you and change your destiny. Satan has denied you your glorious destiny for too long and it’s time to put an end to it now. Pray fervently about the change you desire and your destiny will begin to shine.

Have you given your life to Jesus? If not, please pray this prayer.

Father, I come to you as I am. I invite Jesus into my life to be my personal Lord and Saviour. Wash me cleanse with the blood of Jesus and empower me with the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you Father for saving my soul and making me your child.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Nations Cup: Gen Adebiyi warns NFF against misleading Keshi

By EDDIE AKALONU

O

NE time Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, NFA, General Gregory Adebiyi (rtd) has warned that the Alhaji

EXPECTED.... SA Tourism is expecting about 150,000 football fans and visitors during the 2013 Africa Nations Cup in South Africa from whom it expects to rake in about US$154 million (about N24 billion).

2013 Nations Cup:

South Africa budgets N8bn to host Africa *We’re targeting 150,000 visitors – Dhlomo *Expects to rake in N24bn

By PATRICK OMORODION

S

INCE after the crash of Apartheid in South Africa and the country first hosted an international event in 1996, the African Cup of Nations, the country has continued to strive in the area of hosting major football events.

The biggest of such opportunities came in 2010 when it became the first country in Africa to host the FIFA World Cup which turned out to be one of the best since FIFA started the event in Uruguay in 1930.

Again from January 19 to February 10, 2013, South Africa will play host to Africa when it hosts the first Nations Cup in odd number years for which it has budgeted US$53.3 million (about N8.5 billion) to cover various hosting costs excluding construction of stadia.

According to Phumi Dhlomo, SA Tourism Regional Director for African markets, “The fact that South Africa built

stadiums for the FIFA 2010 World Cup makes hosting AFCON that bit easier,” as he disclosed that over 50 per cent of the entire budget will go into areas like security, protocol and migration services.

“Of the US$53.3 million, US$37 million will go to South African national departments to cover costs associated with hosting (including security, protocol and migration services).

A further US$2 million will be used by the provinces and another US$14 million will be used by the five host cities to cover various hosting costs,” he said.

Dhlomo said because SA Tourism sees tourism as a major boost for the South African economy, it has worked out plans to ensure that the country benefits further as visitors who troop into the country for the Nations Cup are expected to contribute about US$154 million to the economy.

“AFCON gives us another opportunity to welcome

African tourists to South Africa and show them a great time. It gives us an opportunity again to showcase our destination, our welcoming people, our capability and infrastructure not only to the continent, but also to the world.

Aminu Maigari-led Board of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF may mislead Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi.

Describing the NFF’s action as retrogressive, the retired army general told Saturday Vanguard sports that he has never heard anywhere in the world where a coach is granted a free hand to prepare a team to a major competition without the input of the football federation.

“It’s outrageous to hear such coming from the football federation. I rather think the technical committee of the NFF should work closely with Keshi because no one person can achieve the goal of a country acting alone. That is strange talk to me. I’ve never heard an FA anywhere in the world make such type of statement.

They should ask for his programmme, scrutinise it and make input where necessary in agreement with Keshi but not to interfere or take total or partial control of it or impose ideas or programmes on Keshi,” he said in Lagos.

Continuing, he said, “ What I mean is, the FA cannot leave the coach to work alone but he should have complementary input from the FA technical committee.”

General Adebiyi, who was also the former chairman of NFA’s technical committee said while doing this, care must be taken to avoid the mistake of 2002 where after Shaibu Amodu qualified Nigeria for the World Cup in Korea/Japan was shoved aside and his place taken over by those who were supposed to be his

•Keshi advisers.

Another area he disagrees with the NFF is the setting of targets for the Nations Cup instead of the bigger stage which is the World Cup as he queried, “how can an FA implore coaches to qualify the country and reach the semi final of a competition we have won in the past. I mean Nigeria has won the African Cup of Nations twice and the African Women Championship six times, besides picking Olympic Games tickets for the country in both men and women.

So by now targets should be on the world stage and not Africa. It looks strange to me that Siasia and Keshi at different times were given conditions to qualify Nigeria and get get to the semi final the same conditions for a competition we have won in the past. The same goes for Uche Eucharia and Kadiri Ikhana who got same conditions recently in respect of the African Women Championships.

How can that be,” he asked, insisting that, “We should be marching forward and not seen to be going backwards.”

Today’s matches Sunderland Everton Man Utd Stoke Wigan Aston Villa

v v v v v v

West Brom Norwich QPR Fulham Reading Arsenal

1.45pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 6.30pm

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Minister of State for Trade & Investment, Dr. Samuel (6) 4. CBN Governor, Lamido (6) 7. Monkey (3) 8.Imo State Capital (6) 9.L.G.A. in Gombe State (6) 11. Netherlands “Eredivise” Premiership Clubside (7) 14. Super Eagles Striker, Ifeanyi (3) 16. Fruit (5) 18. L.G.A. in Niger State (5) 19.Town in Delta State (5) 21. Lubricant (3) 23. World’s Highest Mountain (7) 25. Imo State Deputy Governor, Jude (6) 27. Super Falcons Coach, Kadiri (6) 28.Japanese Currency (3) 29.Former Cote D’Ivoire President, Mr. Laurent (6) 30.African Textile (6)

DOWN 1. Enugu Rangers International Striker, Chikeluba (6) 2.Dozen (6) 3.Cereal Crop (5) 4.Malaysian Currency Unit (3) 5.African Country (6) 6.L.G.A. in Ondo State (6) 10. 3SC Shooting Stars Defender, Mutiu (7) 12. Female Tiger (7) 13.Farm Tool (5) 15. Excavate (3) 17. Greek Alphabet (3) 19. Ethnic Group in Nigeria (6) 20.Panama Currency (6) 21.Canadian Capital City (6) 22.Zambian Capital City (6) 24. Spain and Liverpool Goalkeeper, Jose (5) 26. State in Nigeria Known as “Pacesetter”? (3)

SOLUTION ON PAGE 68

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Editor: 08062315286 (TEXT ONLY). Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: weekend @vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com.

Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) EDITOR: CHIOMA GABRIEL. All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K