How I survived Ebola by Vanguard Media Limited

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2015: Sule Lamido’s entry rattles Presidency, PDP BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

UBTLE trouble is brew ing at the Presidency over the last-minute decision of Jigawa State Governor, Dr. Sule Lamido, to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan in next year’s presidential election. The two-term governor’s decision is said to have rattled President Jonathan and the party, which had long concluded that the race would be a straight fight between the president and others from the opposition parties. In fact, given its internal permutations, the PDP believes that Jonathan would have a smooth sail to the election, as no other candidate would be able to challenge him and get victory at its planned national convention, which some see as a mere formality for the incumbent to be crowned. However, Saturday Vanguard gathered from very reliable Presidential sources that there is apprehension in the Presidency following the confirmation of Lamido’s plans. One of the sources said that the Presidency and the PDP had initially dismissed the rumoured ambition of the governor with the hope that it was mere speculation that would fizzle out with time. A reliable source said that based on the information that Lamido had concluded plans to run for the presidency, Jonathan immediately summoned him to the Presidential Villa to clear the air on the issue. One of the sources said that Jonathan was shell shocked when Lamido stormed the Villa recently and told the President openly that he was keen on running in the next polls. “At that point, the President was shocked to hear from Lamido that his presidential ambition should not be seen as mere rumour, as he had made up his mind to run against him,” a presidential source said. “The way Lamido spoke with the President showed that he was not ready to back down from the race and the way he spoke about the matter was a bit unsettling to Mr. President, who had all along regarded him as one of the governors, who could not move against him,” the source explained. Lamido was said to have told the President that he had made up his mind to contest against him in the next polls despite a deliberate attempt by forces opposed to his ambition to frame him and his children

ernor is said to have angered the Presidency, which promptly reported him to the National leadership of the PDP and asked it to call him to order. It was learnt that Lamido was emboldened to go for the top job by some of his governor friends and prominent Nigerian leaders, who are uncomfortable with the way things are going in the land. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is a friend and father figure to Lamido. Almost at the same time early in the month, docuDeputy Speaker, House of Reps. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha with the former ments began to fly about Head of state, General Yakubu Gowan (rtd) during the funeral Mass of late that Lamido received Prof. Dora Akunyili at Madonna Catholic Church Agulu, Anaocha LGA, gratification of N1.3 billion from two contractors, Anambra State . who had completed two projects valued at N13 bilpassed through an airport up. agencies to tarnish his lion. without declaring The governor, it was family’s image all in a bid Although an EFCC learnt, told the President $40,000 in his possession. to make him drop his agent admitted last night He is said to have also that he was upset by the frepresidential ambition but quent embarrassment of his drawn the president’s at- that he was not ready to that the agency had been investigating the Lamido children by some agencies tention to the fact that back out of the race. family for a long time, he there was a deliberate atof government over allegaThe action of the gov- denied that the informatempt by government tions that one of them

tion on the N1.3 billion bribe allegation was instigated by the Presidency. “Let me tell you that since we arrested Lamido’s son at the airport over non-declaration of $40,000, our operatives have been investigating the family’s account and it is not at the instance of the Presidency as some people are alleging,” the EFCC official said. But confronted yesterday to confirm or deny his rumoured ambition, Lamido declined to make a categorical statement on the matter. The governor however foreclosed the possibility of going to the Senate as is the practice of most of his outgoing colleagues. According to him, the atmosphere for him to become president is not yet there, adding that it is better for him to seek a higher office than to go the legislature to make laws after implementing laws passed by others for eight years.

2015 presidential race: Cold war in APC *Buhari rebuffs younger presidential aspirants, undergoes medical check up ahead of declaration •Save Nigeria from total collapse — Party urges past leaders •As Amosun wants Ogun people to beg Osoba BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor, DAUDA OLATUNJI and WOLE MOSADOMI

cold war has broken out among presidential aspirants in the All Progressives Congress, APC following reported entreaties by younger elements among the contenders to persuade erstwhile head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari out of the contest. The party also called on past leaders of the country to salvage the country from total collapse in the hands of present administration. National chairman of the party Chief John Oyegun made the call when he led top members of the party to the Up Hill resident of former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida on a courtesy visit Thursday night. He noted that with what was going on in the country, Nigeria’s future was very bleak both economically and socially with the electorate left to suffer from the mismanagement of the country’s resources and that it was now left for the past leaders to join hands

together to bring the country to its right path. However, Buhari, the object of the alleged gangup, meanwhile has travelled abroad for what sources told Saturday Vanguard is a comprehensive medical check up ahead of his declaration for the 2015 presidential contest. Close associates of the general who had earlier chosen September 1 to announce Buhari’s intention to vie for the presidential ticket of the party, were yesterday, said to be contemplating the deferment of the launch on account of the general’s absence. Besides Buhari, former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso, Leadership Newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah are among those said to be jostling for the presidential ticket of the country’s major opposition political party. The intentions of the party leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu remain unclear as party insiders spoke yesterday of unclear signals from the former Lagos governor on his intentions. Also in the permutation of party insiders is Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who though

still a member of the National Executive Committee, NEC of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is believed to be a top contender for the presidential ticket of the opposition party. Until recently, there had been suggestions that Buhari would back Speak-

er Tambuwal in the event he declines from contesting. Meanwhile, the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has asked the people of the state to help him beg a former governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba to pave way for reconciliation of the crisis

lingering in the All Progressives Congress in the state. Amosun who expressed his willingness to contest for a second term due to the overwhelming commendation and love from the people of the state, said Chief Osoba remained his leader and that of the party, saying he would not do anything to undermine his leadership.

Smugglers now hide arms in rice, cassava flour — Customs boss The Customs boss said BY DAUD OLATUNJI

HE Ogun State Area Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service, Haruna Mamudu has raised the alarm that smugglers have devised another means of hiding arms and

ammunition in bags of rice and in sacks of cassava flour. Mamudu stated this while displaying 1,480 cartridges of live ammunition concealed in 15 bags of rice intercepted from suspected smugglers along Abeokuta-Igboora bush path.

using food stuff to smuggle arms and ammunition into the country was adopted because food stuffs are hardly checked especially cassava that is locally produced. He also disclosed that the command made a seizure of nine sacks of Indian hemp at Imeko axis.

Group seeks Fintri disqualification for holding APC card •Owie flays waiver for Ribadu BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN & CHARLES KUMOLU

HE People’s Democrat ic Party, PDP has been asked to bar the acting governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Umaru Fintri from its governorship primaries on the claim that he is also a member of the All Progressives

Congress, APC. The petition dated August 29 and addressed to the Adamawa State Governorship Screening Committee of the PDP, alleged that Fintiri registered for the APC during the party’s recent national registration exercise when he and many other PDP officials in the state switched to the APC in

solidarity with the former governor of the state, Alhaji Murtala Nyako. This came as former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Rowland Owie called on the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, to be careful about granting waiver to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, noting that Adamawa State chapter of the PDP should be allowed to handle the matter.

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BRIEFS

ADAMAWA GUBER: PDP grants Ribadu, others waiver, clears all aspirants •Mantu leads c’ttee to screen aspirants today BY HENRY UMORU, Assistant Political Editor

HE National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday granted waiver to former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to seek for the party ’s governorship ticket ahead of the October 11 governorship polls in Adamawa State. This came after days of political intrigues and extensive deliberations on the issue. Indeed, the National Working Committee, NWC unanimously cleared all aspirants, who purchased expression of interest and nomination forms to contest for the party’s ticket. With this clean bill of health, Ribadu, the 2011, presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) will now participate with other aspirants in the September 6 primary election for the emergence of the PDP’s candidate. Also, the Adamawa State PDP Governorship Waiver Panel which has the PDP National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha as chairman, granted former Military Administrator of Lagos and Borno states, Brig. General Mohammed Buba Marwa and 2011 ACN Governorship candidate for Adamawa State, Marcus Gundiri waivers to participate fully in the exercise. Meanwhile, former Deputy Senate Presi-

dent, Senator Ibrahim Mantu is heading the Screening Committee of the PDP that will today screen Ribadu and other governorship aspirants on the party’s platform. Disclosing this to Saturday Vanguard yesterday, PDP National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha said that screening com-

mittee is made up of five members. Meanwhile, as the screening Committee screens the aspirants today, a group under the aegis, Concerned youths for good governance in Adamawa state has written to the panel, asking for the disqualification of Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, over allegations that he

HE Federal G o v e r n m e n t yesterday said plans had been put in place to ensure steady supply of electricity in the country by October this year. Minister of Power, Professor Chenedu Nebo who briefed State House Correspondents in Abuja said government had made efforts to ensure constant availability of gas at power stations to boost power generation. Professor Nebo, who spoke after a meeting with power stakeholders at the presidential villa,

BY OLA AJAYI

RESIDING Bishop, The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to prove to Nigerians that they do not have weak and lame duck leaders by dealing decisively with the Boko Haram sect for declaring Gwoza as Caliphate Republic. Oke said it was amazing that since the insurgents hoisted their illegal flag in Gwoza, the Federal Government had not taken any swift action to deal with the situation and to make matters worse, about 480 soldiers found themselves in Cameroun following a clash with the terrorists. Urging the government to go with all its might to stop the insurgents, he said Boko Haram was following the scripts of Islamic State in Iraq and that handling the issue with kid gloves after such a treasonable declaration would be very antithetical to the unity and oneness of the country.

No plan to form alliance with Jonathan, others —PDM ...says Atiku not our card carrying member BY DAUD OLATUNJI

From left: Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State, Chief Sir Victor Umeh, National Chairman of APGA and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former Vice President at the Episcopal Ordination of Rt Rev Monsignor Jonas Benson Okoye as the Auxilliary Bishop of Awka at the St Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, yesterday.

Son kills father, buries him in shallow grave in Enugu BY TONY EDIKE

young man said to be a member of a kidnap gang operating in Enugu State, Mr. Chukwuekezie Ofonago has shot his father dead. The suspect now in police net admitted to have shot his father, Mr. George Ofonago with a double-barrel gun at a hideout where he was kept while demanding an

undisclosed sum as ransom from his family. The incident occurred at Abor village Enugu Inyi Community, Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State. According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, operatives of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal and Investigations Department (SCID) of the

Nigerians to enjoy steady power by Oct — FG BEN AGANDE, ABUJA.

belongs to the All Progressives Congress, APC and not PDP. But reacting to the allegation through his Chief Press Secretary, Solomon Kumangar, the acting governor who noted that those raising the allegations were afraid of him, describing the petition as spurious and lacking in substance.

Boko Haram: Prove you are not a weak president, Wale Oke tells Jonathan

Abuja, chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo, added that the debt owed power generation companies would also be cleared. He said “The generation companies have been complaining that they need to have all their bills paid. The good thing about this is that arrangements are being made to make sure that all the generation companies get their money as at when due. “We are working on that. That is part of the meeting that was chaired by Mr Vice President. “Next thing is how far

we have come with the issue of even settling the gas question. The gas question has remained for quite a while. But very thankfully, the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources and I, the Central Bank Governor and Chairman of NERC met severally to address those issues. “And that eventually ended in finding resources to take care of the indebtedness of the generation companies to the gas companies. “So once we take care of the backlog, we insist that the gas companies will eventually produce more gas.”

state police command have already commenced full scale investigations into the incident. He said that the deceased had suddenly disappeared from his home prompting his family members to raise an alarm. The son was fingered to have been involved in his father’s disappearance in the course of the search. “Following the sudden disappearance of the deceased, information got to the security operatives about the involvement of the son whom his family suspected reasonably to have played a suspicious role,” he said. While the kidnappers continued to demand for ransom from their hideout, the son of the deceased was tracked down by the police. He gave an insight on how he abducted the father and took him to where he allegedly shot him dead with a single barrel gun and buried him in a shallow grave. Chukwuekezie confessed that it was not his wish to shoot the father but that he was under pressure from the father who had instructed him to shoot him to death.

HE People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) has said that it had no plan to form alliance with anybody including President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2015 general elections unless he defects to the party. The party also cleared the air on the status of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, declaring that he is neither a card carrying member nor financier of the party. Addressing newsmen yesterday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the State-protem chairman, Ishak Gbadamosi, also stated that the party would not even consider an offer from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is an offshoot of the PDM. Gbadamosi, who was accompanied by other officials of the party such as the Protem Secretary, David Adeife and Ogun West Senatorial Chairman; Mr. Muhammed Adeyemi among others said the PDM which got its certificate of registration as a political party last year, “we will not form alliance with any other political party.

Police service commission promotes 37 to CPs

HE Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of 30 Deputy Commissioners of Police to the rank of Commissioners of Police after their success in the recently concluded interview exercise organized by the Commission. The officers are: Pius U. Imue, Valentine U. Ntochukwu, Felix Goodluck Ogundeji, Frederick Taiwo Lakanu, Hilda IbifuroHarrison, Micheal Ogbodu, Nwodibo Ekechukwu, Etop John James, Ademola Omole, Olushola Emmanuel Amore, Joshak Habila, Adegbuyi Samuel Damilola, Rasheed O. Akintunde, Istifanus Shettima, Jimoh Omeiza Ozi-Obeh, Ibrahim Lamorde, Ghazalli Mohammed, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, Victory Niro Menta, Clement O. Adoda, Austin I. Iwar, Adekunle J. Oladunjoye, Adaji-Adejo-Gabriel, Sobulo B.T.M., Mohammed Lawal Hussein, Ishaku Alhaji Barau, Emmanuel T. Inyang, Olufemi Olanipekun Oyeleye, Gabriel Achong and Ezekiel Danboyi Zang.

Boko Haram: Insiders compromise sensitive information — Security expert

HE National Assembly has been advised to urgently pass legislation on sensitive information in order to safeguard Nigeria’s economic and military secrets from prying eyes. Presenting the lead paper at the 2014 Security Seminar/Workshop held recently, the President of Association of Industrial Security & Safety Operators of Nigeria (AISSON), Dr. Ona Ekhomu said that foreign espionage was a concern for the compromising of national secrets for economic or military gain. Ekhomu, contended that given the penchant of some of our policy makers to give sensitive contracts to foreigners our national secrets are constantly under severe threat. He said that foreigners in Nigeria are here “to serve their home interests or the interests of any metropolitan powers that recruited them”. “Intelligence is a key component of the war on terror, and since fifth columnists have been identified in the security agencies and in the government, national secrets need to be better protected in order to give Nigeria the strategic advantage in the war on terror.”

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BRIEFS 15 die in Rivers boat mishap BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

Ebola in PH: Questions on why diplomat hid in hotel •No more handshake in govt house •Tension as body is taken to the morgue BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME LEASE no more “Phandshake, keep your

hands in your pocket until we contain the disease”. The foregoing were the words of Governor Chibuike Amaechi in Government House, Port Harcourt four days after the first death was recorded from Ebola virus in the state. Though it is not in any law book in the state but it is now like a taboo to shake hands in Government House, Port Harcourt. This new culture that came with the first recorded case of death from Ebola virus is gradually becomingthenorminseveral parts of the state. The whole of last week, friends, colleagues and business associates who ordinarilywouldshakehands as part of their greetings and exchange of banters merely waved or cup their right fist in the air, saying “ I greet you in Jesus name” or “ Ebola greetings”. The state government had consistently maintained that there was no Ebola case in the state until last week Thursday when the Commissioner forHealth,Dr Sampson Parker announced with a heavy heart the first casualty of the dreaded virus. According to him, Doctor Iyke Sam Enemuo who died from Ebola virus treated a diplomat,astaffofEconomic Community of WestAfrica, ECOWAS, who escaped from a quarantine centre in Lagos to Port Harcourt. The diplomat was reportedly in the team that received the index case, late Patrick Sawyer when he came to the country. Like others who contracted the virus from Sawyer the diplomat also did. Why treat the Diplomat in a hotel It was not clear who asked the diplomat to check into a hotel in Port Harcourt for his treatment. But the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Parker confirmed that the diplomat checked into a hotel

BOUT fifteen people died yesterday in a boat mishap on the ever busy Bonny River. Simeon Wilcox who spoke to newsmen on the incident said the mishap occurred barely three minutes after the boat took off at about 6.30 am in Bonny heading to Port Harcourt. Saturday Vanguard gathered that there were about thirty five passengers in the boat when it capsized. The others managed to swim to safety. According to an eye-witness, the passengers had their life vest on, adding that the incident was due to congestion in the boat. “The passengers who died were those who could not swim when the boat capsized. At press time, community sources said the corpses of those that died had been deposited at the morgue in Bonny.

Delta community holds rally for Uduaghan BY FESTUS AHON, Ughelli

T Security men at the state government owned Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, BMH testing body temperature

in the state capital.And the late Dr. Enemuo was going there to treat him. The Diplomat who allegedly fled a quarantine centre in Lagos chose to remain incommunicado, switching off his phones while in Port Harcourt. Hereportedlyregainedhis health and headed back to the quarantine centre in Lagos, apparently for a certificate of clean health. But how come the Diplomat received his treatment in a hotel when Dr Enemuo ran a clinic on East West road in Rumuokoro area of Obio Akpor local government area, Rivers stateisthequestiononmany lips. The Diplomat and his late doctor could certainly answer the question. Meantime,speculationshad it that the late doctor, Enemuo didnot want his patients in his hospital to be affected with the virus and that was why he arranged for the Diplomat to be treated in a hotel. Another angle to the story said the diplomat feared he could be tracked to any hospital so he offered to hide in a hotel and take his treatment.Athirddimension to the issue said the diplomat and his deceased doctor feared that if he was admittedintoahospital,staff of the place could tip government off on the presenceofanEbolapatient. Meantime, one week after the Diplomat left, Dr

Enemuo took ill. His wife who is also a doctor took up the responsibility to manage him. When the situation seemed like it was getting out of hand, they reportedly approached the first hospital that rejected him until the Medical Director, Good Heart Clinic offered to assist. Dr Enemuo vomitted blood and was stooling. The Medical Director of the Good Heart hospital who suspected that the patient could have contracted the virus, alerted the state Ministry of Health. Blood samples were taken but Dr Enemuo died before the result which confirmed he had Ebola came out. Painfully, his wife according to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Parker showed symptoms of the disease and was quarantined. At the time of this report the Commissioner said about 100 persons who had primary and secondary contact with the deceased were on the watch list of the state government. Saturday Vanguard gathered that the late Enemuo and his wife have a three-month old female child. Corpse of late Enemuo caused panic at UPTH The remains of the late Dr Enemuo deposited at the morgue of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching

hospital caused tension as families hurriedly discharged their relatives from the hospital. Some workers in the morgue lamented that they were not told when the Corpse was brought in, that it was a case of Ebola virus. A top staff of the hospital who spoke off camera said there was no need to panic as all measures had been taken to ensure the corpse did not create problem for staff. Residents who offered comments to the Vanguard said the corpse should have been cremated. “Since a test had confirmed that it was an Ebola case, cremation should have been done on it rather than keep it in the morgue”.”Government should shut down the morgue”, another staff said. Hand sanitizer sells for N1000 and above Hand sanitizer that hitherto sold for N300 has suddenly gone up to N1000 and above as most organisations insist as an un written code that the liquid must be applied on the hand before any one steps into their officers. Some organisations even went a step further to acquire easy handle equipment to test body temperature. A security man told the Vanguard that temperature above 36 were politely turned back at the company’s gate.

HE people of Eku, Ethiope East local govern ment area, Delta state, Thursday, staged a solidarity rally across the local government area to reaffirm their support for the administration of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. THE rally, which lasted for over five hours, was also to affirm that Eku community was the home of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and to appreciate the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan for the numerous projects in the community. Insisting that there was no space for opposition political parties in the community, they said the Uduaghan government had done much for Eku community and it was time for them to show appreciation.

Ethiope West calls for extension of voter registration exercise

HE chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Hon. Precious Ajaino, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to extend the days for the ongoing voters registration exercise in Ethiope West Local Government. Hon. Precious Ajaino made this statement recently at an emergency meeting of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, stake holders at Oghara. He noted that the machines for the registration exercise are very slow and cannot register up to 200 persons per day, saying that long queues of people are seen being unattended to before the day runs out. Ajaino further stated that the bad weather of continuous rainfall also prevented eligible voters from going to the various units to register. While commending Prof Attahiru Jega the INEC boss for ‘a solid arrangement’ and also a way of making credible elections, she noted that the days were short for the exercise.

Ebola: AfDB pledges $1m support BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

NTERNATIONAL Development Partners in Ni geria, have commended the government for its efforts so far in containing and managing the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country. The commendation came at the weekend at a Dialogue Session with the International Development Partners, IDP, organised by the National Planning Commission in Abuja. Meanwhile, the African Development Bank, AfDB, has pledged to release $1m to support Nigeria in the fight against the disease under its Emergency Relief Assistance Programme (ERAP). The AfDB also pledged that another $60m will be released to be managed by WHO to strengthen the health system in the entire West Africa, pointing out that in a few weeks time, Nigeria can be a beneficiary as well.

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BRIEFS ‘Don’t allow children travel to Ebola-prone zones’

Ebola: Wife of late Dr Enemuo moved to Lagos •Dr Enemuo knew Koye had Ebola and treated him in secret — Rivers Commissioner tise the place”. •Corpse still at UPTH BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

IFE of late Dr Iyke Samuel Enemuo who died of Ebola disease in Port Harcourt has been moved to the quarantine centre in Lagos. Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker who disclosed this yesterday at a briefing in Port Harcourt, gave the name of the Nigerian Diplomat working with the Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS, who was treated by late Dr Enemuo in Port Harcourt as Olu Ibikunle Koye. This is coming amid fears that the dreaded Ebola disease may have spread further than anticipated be-

cause the body of the late Dr Enemuo is still at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital mortuary. Parker said the late Dr Enemuo was aware of the Ebola status of Ibikunle before treating him, adding that after the patient went back to Lagos the late doctor poured bleach in the hotel room where the patient stayed and received treatment. “ The patient had received the late Dr. Patrick Sawyer in Lagos. Upon developing the symptom confided in a female colleague, called Lillian, who contacted the late Dr. Enemuo. It was after contact was established with Dr. Enemuo that Olu Ibikunle Koye flew to Port Harcourt to see Dr. Enemuo”, he said. The Commissioner said

the Diplomat who escaped from a quarantine centre in Lagos sneaked into a hotel, Mandate Gardens in Rumuokoro area of the state and also switched off his phones to evade arrest. The late Dr Enemuo who runs Sam Steel clinic in the same Rumuokoro area had to be going to treat the patient at the hotel. “From what we have gathered so far, Dr. Enemuo, knowing full well that Koye was positive of the Ebola virus took some measure of precaution to protect himself while treating Koye. Knowing the enormity of what he was doing, Dr. Enemuo upon Koye’s departure for Lagos poured bleach all over the room that Koye slept in order to sani-

“Upon developing the Ebola symptom, Dr. Enemuo approached one of our colleagues for treatment at Green Heart Hospital, along Evboh Road, in G.R.A. Dr. Enemuo did not tell the doctor that was treating him the truth. He merely told him that he had fever. He lied. He did not tell the doctor that was treating him his full story”. But the doctor, a nice and conscientious professional, suspected that Dr. Enemuo was either hiding something or was suffering from a strange ailment because he proved negative to malaria, fever and typhoid fever. To be sure of what he was doing, he spoke to other very experienced doctors about the strange case he was handling in his hospital.”

How kidnappers killed Sylva’s uncle •Police recover body after family paid N5m ransom The state Deputy ComBY SAMUEL OYADONGHA, Yenagoa missioner of Police, Mr. Bello Ahmed, while parading the suspect, said HE police in Bayelsa the family of the deceased State have recovered has been contacted to be the corpse of the kid- present during the connapped 87 years old, duct of full autopsy by a Chief Benson Ayerite Adi- pathologist at the Federal gio-Eseni, a retried major Medical Centre to ascerand uncle to former gov- tain the cause of death. He added that a special ernor Timipre Sylva at Kula, a border town be- police team had been detween Rivers and Bayel- ployed to track down the sa on the Atlantic fringe. suspects in the heinous Saturday Vanguard crime. Ahmed in a prepared learnt that the ailing octogenarian, who was statement read to newsseized and whisked away men at the state police from his country home in command Friday said: the coastal town of Okpoa- “Today, (Thursday) 28th of ma in Brass local govern- August, 2014, on a tip off, ment area of Bayelsa State a combined team of secuon July 28, by armed men rity agencies in Bayelsa reportedly died in the State and men of the hands of his captors on Bayelsa Ministry of Health were led to a borAugust 14. According to the police der town between Rivers authorities, the corpse of and Bayelsa State near the deceased was recov- Kula village, where a ered in a shallow grave shallow grave was discovwhere it was buried by the ered. “On excavation, the kidnappers. The corpse, which was body of the late Chief Adilocated Thursday was ex- gio-Eseni, aged 87 years, humed under the super- who was earlier kidvision of a senior pathol- napped on 28th of July, ogist from the state Min- 2014 by unknown gun istry of Health and depos- men,was exhumed from ited at the morgue of the the shallow grave under Federal Medical Centre, the supervision of a senior pathologist from the Yenagoa. Meantime, a 27 years Bayelsa Ministry of old suspect has been ar- Health. The corpse was rested in connection with removed and deposited at the abduction and death the Federal Medical Cenof the former governor’s tre Mortuary, Yenagoa for autopsy.” uncle.

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA, Asaba

ELTA State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare has called on parents to be mindful of the movement of their children/ wards during the holidays particularly travelling to highly susceptible places plagued by the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The commissioner also said that he was sending his officials to the field to monitor strict compliance with the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education that ordered for the immediate closure of all summer holiday lessons. The Commissioner in a statement in Asaba yesterday stated that the advice has become necessary because “as a ministry that stands in for parents of school age, it is the desire and hope of the ministry to see all of them back to school in good health”. In a related development, the commissioner said that arrangement was under way to assist teachers in public schools to acquire their own laptops on credit and allowed to pay back to dealers instalmentally.

2015: Jaro Egbo declares for DTHA BY FESTUS AHON, Ughelli

EPUTY National President of Urhobo Youth Council, UYC, Olorogun Jaro Egbo has declared his interest to run for the Delta State House of Assembly to represent the Ughelli North constituency II in 2015. Making the declaration tagged; ‘The Camp Moses Declaration’ in his Ughelli country home which coincided with his birthday, Egbo said he was offering himself for the service of his people and to add value to governance. He said; the “Camp Moses Declaration is divinely inspired. The Biblical Moses was a leader, a lawmaker and a visionary who led the children of Israel from the wilderness to the promise land. This declaration offers you the good people of Ughelli North Constituency II the train that will take you to the promise land, our political Canaan where you all will enjoy good dividends of democracy through quality representation.

Delta communities call on INEC to extend registration date

Late Chief Benson Ayerite-Adigio-Eseni The corpse, it was learnt, was found wrapped in polythene bag in the shallow grave. N5m ransom paid A family source who confirmed the sad turn of event said: “we have been informed by the police and would be present during the conduct of the autopsy. “It is sad that a man that served the nation as a military man and retired as a Major was killed in a dastardly manner. It is a shame on the security of the state and the nation. We paid ransom of N5million for his release and yet he was killed.” How he died The arrested suspect, simply identified as Nelson, aged 27, an indigene

of Tofuogbene in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta, confirmed to newsmen that the octogenarian died on August 14 in their custody even before they collected the ransom from the family. Nelson, a secondary school leaver, said he was recruited for the abduction of Chief Adigio-Eseni through deceit and coercion by leader of the gang identified as Ebino. He added that they purchased a Thuraya phone from hitch plaza in Warri, Delta state for easy communication. Nelson said his share of the ransom, which was given to him by the leader of the kidnap gang was N250,000.

VER sixteen communities of Olomu kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to extend the voter registration exercise currently going on so as to accommodate more persons even as they appealed to the commission to deploy more data capturing machines to the area in question. This plea was made by the deputy president general of the Olomu Kugbere Union, Chief Paul Agboroh while addressing newsmen at the communities headquarters recently. He noted: “the data capturing machines brought for the exercise were grossly inadequate. The only three machines available could not serve several hundreds of thousands of persons in the area as so many people had to return home frustrated each day.”

Ebola: Public school students to be tested in Niger

TUDENTS and pupils in public schools in Ni ger State are to be tested and certified to be free of the Ebola virus before being allowed into school premises on resumption in October. Already, the state government has concluded plans to train two people in each of the primary and secondary schools across the state to carry out the test. Similarly the state government has placed order for the purchase of Thermometers for the exercise. Addressing journalists in Minna, yesterday, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Shuaibu Bako Adamu said the decisions were adopted at a recent council meeting adding that the measure may be extended to tertiary institutions in the state.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 9

BRIEFS

Pastor Oyakhilome’s wife accuses him of adultery, sues for divorce T

HE dissolution of the marriage between Christ Embassy Church founder, Pastor Christian Oyakhilome, and his wife, Rev. Anita Odegwa Oyakhilome, has entered the final phase, TheCable can report. Pastor Chris and Anita Oyakhilome are undergoing divorce proceedings. The wife is seeking divorce on the grounds of “unreasonable behaviour” and “adultery ”. She outlined several allegations against the pastor which TheCable cannot publish for legal reasons. The divorce case, with Suit No FD14D01650, was filed on April 9, 2014 at Divorce Section A, Central Family Court, First Avenue House, High Holborn, London, UK, on Anita’s behalf by Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors, a full-service law firm with expertise in commercial law and a strong consumer focus in family, wills and estate, personal injury law and medical negligence. Efforts to reconcile the popular couple, whose church is one of the biggest denominations in Nigeria and has branches all over world, have failed. They have two teenage daughters, Sharon and Charlyn. Oyakhilome is the president of Believers’ Love World Inc, the registered name of the Christian ministry, while his wife is the vicepresident. The pastor, according to an elder of the church, has denied allegations of adultery and believes his wife was being influenced by “bad friends” who were intent on destroying their home. While Anita believes she has been relegated in the scheme of things in the church, her husband has reportedly accused her of trying to usurp power and authority above her seniors in the ministry. Sources told TheCable that the pastor had been making efforts to avoid divorce in the hope that the wife would eventually have a change of mind. However, TheCable can also report that the decree nissi was served on the charismatic pastor in his hotel room during a recent visit to the UK. Decree nissi, in legal terms, is like a yellow card in a football match which is a precursor to a red card (“decree absolute”) if no new evidence is provided to stall proceedings. Church insiders said Oyakhilome had been hoping for rapprochement, but he was left with no option than to receive the papers when the lawyers cornered him at his hotel in London. The decree absolute, which will

Awka people threaten government over land acquisition BY VINCENT UJUMADU

•Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and his wife effectively end the marriage, is expected to be issued soon while terms of the divorce will be worked out by the lawyers on both sides. TheCable learnt Anita recently wanted to go public with the details of her allegations against the husband but reached an informal agreement to sheathe her sword in the interest of the church. Oyakhilome is regarded as one of the richest and most influential pastors in Nigeria, and co-authors the fast-selling Christian daily devotional, Rhapsody of Realities, with the wife. However, following the strain in the marriage, the wife had been complaining to friends that her husband had stopped the payment of royalties due her from the devotional literature. “She complained of being deliberately starved of funds, perhaps to bring her to her knees in the belief that she would eventually return to her matrimonial home and mend things,” a church member told TheCable in the UK. A wealthy Zimbabwean businessman, who is into telecoms, is one of the biggest financiers of the London branch of the church which Anita pastors

along with other branches in Europe. When the crisis got to a head, the Zimbabwean stopped funding the church - some said in solidarity with Oyakhilome, his close friend and neighbour in Johannesburg, South Africa. However, Oyakhilome was said to have been shocked when the wife announced at a fundraiser that she was sowing a “seed” (donation) of $1 million - despite her assumed lack of access to funds. Matters got to a head on Sunday, July 13, 2014, when some relatives of Anita locked up the London branch of the church to protest against the “humiliation” being meted out to their sister who had not overseen services at the branch since November 2013. Some church members had sometime in May 10, 2014 launched facebook campaign, asking: “Where is Rev. Anita Oyakhilome?” They said Pastor Chris and Rev. Anita must unite “for the sake of the gospel, the church and their two beautiful daughters”. They quoted Malachi 2:16 in the Message Bible: “I hate divorce, says the God of

Israel.” The facebook page, which has over 3,300 “likes”, was opened with a stated mission: “This is a Call to Prayer for all believers who understand God’s heart concerning marriage and a Call to Action by Pst. Chris. D o W h a t Yo u Pr e a c h ” . Officials of the church quickly moved to deny any rift between the pastor couple. One official, Kenneth Achumasara, told the media last June: “I can tell you authoritatively that there is no issue between Pastor Chris and his wife, Anita… If you go to the UK now you will see her along with the kids. She is still with him and there is no issue between them. I have been with him for 22 years and the Pastor Chris I know cannot even utter such words as reported. He will never address such a gathering. She will soon be in Nigeria for a programme and I will definitely invite you to have access to her.” All efforts to reach the church in Lagos failed last night. Pastor Sylvester Egbodaghe, EditorIn-Chief of the Ministry’s newspaper, National Daily, did not answer calls or reply text messages sent to him.

Another MASSOB bloodshed imminent in Owerri •Chieftain warns members to boycott today’s meeting BY VINCENT UJUMADU, AWKA

HE crisis rocking the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has taken a new twist with the organization’s director of information, Mr. Uchenna Madu warning members to steer clear of the meeting convened in Owerri today by its leader,

Chief Ralph Uwazurike as there is most likely to be bloodshed during the meeting. In a statement made available to reporters in Awka yesterday, Madu said it was improper for Uwazurike to convene such a meeting when the mayhem that led to the loss of several lives at Okwe, Uwazurike’s home town, was yet to calm down. He said: “Uwazuruike

has just summoned a meeting of all MASSOB members at Owerri for Saturday, 30th August, 2014. We see this as another evil plan to sacrifice the blood of some members. “Because of the face-off between Uwazurike and the Nigeria police, there was unwarranted death of some members from Onitsha at Okwe on the order of Chief Ralph Uwazurike recently.

UNDREDS of people from Awka, the Anambra State capital, especially the youths, yesterday embarked on a peaceful demonstration to drive home their opposition to alleged illegal acquisition of their land by agents of the state government. But the permanent secretary in the state ministry of lands, survey and town planning, Mr. Douglas Mba, said all land acquired by the state government were duly compensated for. Specifically, the said land, estimated to be about 1600 plots, is located at the highbrow Ngozika Estate in the capital city which is being developed by a private developer. The leader of the group, Chief Anayo Obidigbo, who ordered artisans on site to stop work, said that the state government did not write or consult them before acquiring the land. He said that they would vehemently oppose further construction on the land until proper acquisition was made by the state government. He said: “There are procedures under the Land Use Act of 1978 for acquisition of land by government “No compensatory land was given; no compensation on crops destroyed or valuation was made; neither was there any committee set up by government to liaise with the community.”

No way for Obi, Ekwunife in PDP now — Odumegwu BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and one-time Coordinator of the Party in Anambra State during the Bamanga Tukur era, Chief Sunday Odumegwu has said that PDP would not give waiver to the former Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and Iyom Uche Ekwunife to contest any elective positions under the party, as new entrants, for now. He said that Ekwunife’s case was even better than that of Obi because Ekwunife has come out boldly and declared for PDP, while Obi was just eying the party but yet to declare officially since he resigned his chairmanship of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the All Progesssives Grand Alliance, APGA.. Odumegwu who spoke to newsmen during the installation of Sebastine Anaekwe as the 31st President of Rotary International in Awka, weekend, pointed out that Ekwunife would have to queue behind others in PDP before she can get her turn in any appointive or elective position, while Obi who is yet to declare for PDP should not dream of becoming President Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign Coordinator for South East, as was being speculated in some quarters.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

By Florence Amagiya

Saturday Vanguard Red-Hot Exclusive

How I survived Ebola

Dennis Akagha who lost his pregnant spouse to Ebola and got infected tells his story

I was taking ‘Holy Communion’ and God healed me The first interview with a Nigerian Ebola survivor At a point people stopped selling things to me

e and his wife-to-be had lofty dreams of living fulfilled lives and raising wonderful children together. The fiance was two months pregnant and their traditional marriage had been fixed for October. Her fiance, a graduate nurse, had just secured a job at First Consultant Hospital, Lagos. He too also just got a marketing job with an oil and gas company. His fiance was reluctant to go to work on the first day she was expected to resume on account of ‘morning sickness’ (pregnancy symptoms) and he encouraged her. She did! Lo and behold, her first duty and first patient to nurse on her first day at work was the late Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American, who brought the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to Nigeria. And that decision put a full stop to the lofty dreams of a promising family. Welcome to the world of Mr. Dennis Akagha, the husband-to-be of late Miss Justina Ejelonu, the nurse, who contacted and died of the Ebola disease from Mr. Sawyer. In an exclusive, explosive and passionate interview with Saturday Vanguard, Akagha, who contracted the disease from Miss Justina, was quarantined, treated, cured and discharged last week, spoke on how and why his fiance died, how he contacted and survived the disease, how he was stigmatized and abandoned by co-

workers and neighbours, and why victims must be given adequate care. He said perhaps, Justina would have survived with better care. Dennis, a penticostal, whose clothes and GSM phones were collected and burnt by the Lagos State Government because the items were infected attributed his healing to prayers and taking of Holy Communion, which he blessed on his own. Read on: His thoughts on Ebola and late Justina The truth is that Justina and I were not legally married, we were planning for our traditional marriage in October

and she just got this job. She was a qualified graduate nurse and got the job at the First Consultant Hospital in Lagos. She resumed duty at the hospital on the 21st of July, while Patrick Sawyer was admitted at the hospital on the 20th. He was her first patient. She was one of the nurses that nursed him. She was pregnant and so her immune system was weak, which made it easy for her to contract the disease. On that first day which was a Monday, she was having some pregnancy symptoms, but I just encouraged her to go because it

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SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014—11

How I survived Ebola Continues from pg 10 was her first day at work. Sawyer was her first patient. The next day, Tuesday, she didn’t work on Sawyer. Wednesday and Thursday, she was off. Then on Friday, Patrick Sawyer died. They didn’t know he had Ebola, it was three days later that they realized it was Ebola. When did you know that she had contacted the Ebola virus? It was after Sawyer died that she told me she nursed him but that she was on gloves. She even thanked God that she didn’t have direct contact with him. The fever continued and we thought it was just pregnancy symptoms and even when she went to her hospital, they confirmed the same thing. She took drugs and ran tests, yet it persisted. At night, she was usually cold and feverish and her body temperature was usually very high. At a point, I began to suspect that she had contacted the virus. I did some research on the disease and realised that she was having similar symptoms. On the 14th of August, it became serious, she started stooling and vomiting. I had to clean up everything. All of a sudden, she started bleeding and she started crying that she had lost the pregnancy. I had to call her relatives and other people. The bleeding persisted and I had to clean up everything.

•Late Justina Ejelonu

While you were attending to her did you wear gloves? Initially I was not wearing gloves because I felt I had already been exposed to the virus. But later I cautioned myself and started wearing nylon on my hands. But I couldn’t stay away from her. I kept consoling her. Even when I took her to the hospital, she wanted to hold me and I told her to also consider my safety. She managed to hold herself and was able to find her way out in a pool of her blood. We chartered a taxi to the hospital, but first, I took her to First Consultant Hospital because I felt they should know more. When we got there, I was directed to IGH, Yaba. I told the taxi driver to take us there. The driver wasn’t even aware of what was going on as he took us to Yaba. Justina was on the floor for 30 minutes before she was attended to. She was screaming that she was going to die. She was seriously bleeding, she had to come out of the taxi and lay on the floor. I ran around, trying to get doctors to attend to her. After everything, they took her in, took her blood samples and the following day, the result came out that it was Ebola. They washed the taxi with chlorine and also bathed the taxi driver and I with chlorine spray. At that point, the taxi driver knew what was going on, he couldn’t even take me home because he was so scared. I had to look for somewhere

She said I should tell my people to go and meet her father so as to finalize our marriage plans, that she’s leaving that place

to pass the night in the hospital. Early the next morning, I left the Hospital. The taxi driver is alive today, nothing happened to him. We have been checking on him and the last time we spoke he told me, he was fine. So what happened after you got exposed to the virus? 14 days after I was exposed to Ebola, my temperature rose from the usual 35.2 degrees centigrade to 37.2. The Lagos State government gave me a thermometer the day I dropped Justina off at the centre. It took them two straight weeks to visit my home and to disinfect it. Before they came, I had already done the much I could do. I used bleach and detergent to clean the whole house, furniture and clothes inclusive. After that, what happened? We should be reminded and educated that a healthy person with Ebola virus cannot get anybody infected, except if the person is sick and totally down with the virus like what happened to Sawyer and to my late wife-to-be, Justina. I contacted the virus because Justina was very sick and I was taking care of her without any appropriate protection. When we knew what we were dealing with it was almost too late

for me as I had already contacted the virus. Since you had already visited the centre what else was done for you by the state? The Lagos State government sent health professionals to check on me regularly to know how l was doing or if l had the signs of the virus manifesting. So they used to come around to check on me. At some point they created scenes with their visits. I was embarrassed and I was stigmatized. I complained severely to them that I didn’t like what they were doing. Then, one Saturday they visited again, I complained about the pains I was beginning to experience; excruciating pains around my waist. I started praying and asking people to pray for me. Before this time, I believed in the Holy Communion, so I usually take it daily and do feet washing. I was going to the hospital daily to see late Justina. Initially, I was seeing her through the window and she would say I should take her out of the hospital. She complained of lack of care. Perhaps, Justina would have survived the virus, if not for the

Continues on pg 12

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

Continues from pg 11 state she was in. Her immune system was down because she was pregnant. Along the line, she had a miscarriage and lost the baby due to the Ebola virus disease. The doctors, who were supposed to do an evacuation on her couldn’t do it because they claimed that an evacuation was too risky as she was heavily infected and may pass on the virus to another person. Since nothing was done even after the bleeding had stopped, it led to more complications for her because the already dead foetus somehow got rotten in the womb and started a damaging process which led to further complication. Meanwhile, she was still stooling and vomiting and since nobody could dare to touch her, she was left on top of her excretions even when she couldn’t do much for herself due to her weak state. She was given her incisions and other drugs. I believe if some people survived Justina should have been one of them. At a point, I wished I was a doctor myself; I would have taken the risk of doing the evacuation because it really affected her.

Was she taking your calls while she was at the facility? Yes, in fact she called me that last day and I knew she was going to give up, because she was saying some funny things. She said I should tell my people to go and meet her father so as to finalize our marriage plans, that she’s leaving that place. from what you have said, were you not scared that you may die as well from the disease? I personally don’t believe in taking medications. I had the mentality that I wasn’t sick. I told the government what I was experiencing. On the day they came to pick me up for treatment, all of a sudden, my temperature went back to normal. The shivering and pains were all gone. So they decided that they would be checking on me. But it got to a point people stopped selling things to me. It was as if the government got a report that I shouldn’t be around. So, they came

•Akagha with Dr. Terry

How I survived Ebola

When was the last day you saw Justina? The last day I saw her, I had to go inside the ward because she was so unkempt as nobody attended to her. At that time, the quarantined patients were in the former facility where there was no water and she had messed up herself again. I had to look for water to clean her up, change her pampers and arrange her bedding. Since I was aware of what I was dealing with, I got myself protected while cleaning up the place. I made sure she looked better than when I saw her. Justina was shivering the last day I saw her, one side of her stomach was already swollen, and her legs were also swollen. I prayed for her. At a point, she needed oxygen and the hospital couldn’t provide it. Her friends had to provide it. That was the last day I saw her. On Sunday Morning, I called her line like I usually did before visiting her, but she didn’t pick her calls. When I got to the hospital, I was told that she was dead.

Initially, I was seeing her through the window and she would say I should take her out of the hospital. She complained of lack of care

and said I should go with them that they wanted to take my blood sample. I went with them and they took my blood sample, I was kept in a ward known as the ‘suspected ward.’ The result came out and it was positive. I was then taken to a confined ward. One of the doctors from UNICEF, a white lady told me that they were having issues with the results and that they would have to re-run the tests. They did the tests again and it was still positive. I told them that it wasn’t my result and that I was healthy. I was even doing my usual exercises (press-ups) every morning. I kept telling them that I wasn’t sick. They took my blood sample the third time. That night, they told me that I tested negative in the last result and that I don’t have any reason to remain there. That was how I was discharged. While you were going through all these at the facility what happened to your job? I was a marketer in an oil and gas company. I worked on commission basis, but at a point, I realized that people were not calling me and when I called they won’t pick my calls. Even the person that I report directly refused to pick my calls and also refused to associate with me. Justina and I just got our jobs, she got hers at First Consultant Hospital and I got mine as a marketer with

the oil and gas company. Do you think that the government or First Consultant Hospital should compensate Justina’s family? Although, no amount of money they give to the family will bring her back I think the government owes Justina’s family a lot because she died trying to save a situation. Justina died in active service as her death wasn’t natural. So how did your status change from positive to negative? I was reading a book on healing and taking of the Holy Communion. So I learnt to take Holy Communion morning, afternoon and night. I also engaged myself in feet-washing every day before going to bed. The Almighty God saved me; the Holy Spirit healed me. It wasn’t as though l didn’t fall sick as l had direct contact with Justina but the Almighty God healed me. When I was discharged, I got to my house on Saturday evening and spent two hours the next day, Sunday, thanking God on my own. I didn’t go to church or anywhere because of the already established stigma but today I can confidently attend church activities because I guess they all know I’m free now. I know my faith and belief healed me. God also worked for me apart from the fact that my immune system is also working. I believe I got healed also because friends prayed for me.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014—13

Capture of Nigerian territory, Mutiny in the Army, Soldiers fleeing to Cameroun:

Who can stop the Boko Haram rage? z Northerners in Jonathan’s govt have failed Nigeria – Arewa Youth Leader z There’s a grand design to destabilize Nigeria – Balarabe Musa

C M Y K

BY EMMANUEL EDUKUGHO, ISHOLA BALOGUN, EBUN SESSOU, OSA AMADI

he latest in the series of grisly and gruesome execution by Boko Haram terrorist group was the shooting at close range of about 20 men in civilian clothing with their hands tied behind their backs lying by the

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14 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

Who can stop the Boko Haram rage?

Nigerian soldiers who fled into Cameroon during fighting with Boko Haram militants returning home through Mubi, Adamawa State

Continues from page 13

C M Y K

roadside. They were allowed some minutes to say their prayers. Some others were beaten to death with shovels and their bodies dumped into a trench. Many Nigerians will never forget the barbaric slitting of throats of armless Nigerians, killing of women, children and innocent people by the Boko Haram group while explosions and gunfire on people, public institutions and market places go on ceaselessly. No one knows exactly the condition of the over 200 Chibok girls abducted over four months ago except their captors. As hope seems to have been lost, their parents held a symbolic funeral rites for the girls recently. Now, the dreaded sect has taken over part of Borno State, declaring a caliphate ruler ship therein. Yet we pretend that everything is in control. To many Nigerians, if after nearly a decade of violence, government still does not have effective strategy for dismantling the group, then the terrorists are in control. The questions on the lips of many Nigerians, are where are our military while Boko Haram insurgents almost easily have a field day from time to time and now hoisting their flags in their captured areas? Why has it taken so long to dismantle the Boko Haram even with a steady annual increase on defence budgets? What with the recent 20 per cent increase of the defence budget? Why and how did we allow a local terrorists group to gradually but progressively develop into such a monster that is even overpowering our military who now flee into neigbhouring countries for safety? What

Jonathan is a civilian and it is perceived in other African countries that Jonathan is to blame for this atrocity

with the efforts of the heavily publicised foreign forces? Or have they said ‘to your tent O’ Israel’, and many more? Alhaji Shettima Yerima, an activist and president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum attempted to answer some of these questions. The youth leader described the Boko Haram, declaration on Gwazo as their territory as another national embarrassment, adding that it portends a great danger to the nation. “It has become a threat to our national unity and it is obvious that they have gone long to demonstrate their capacity and the weakness of our military. And this is an embarrassing moment in our national security. To me, I can say government is not being sincere because it is not proper to put a woman in a man’s position. A situation where we have the Northern sons as the security adviser, minister for defense, Inspector General of Police, yet terrorism has taken over the country, is a huge embarrassment to our national root. “That our Nigerian forces do not have the capacity, they are running away, is a proof that over the years, they have been pretending and we have refused to tell ourselves the truths. To me, it is so unfortunate that we have South-South President who is surrounded by weak officers. These people should be replaced because they have clearly demonstrated that they are not capable in tackling insurgency in the country. To me, they have no business in government. They have clearly demonstrated that they have nothing to offer. Rather than the President taking all the blames, that he is not capable to rule the country, he should

reshuffle the cabinet and bring people who are competent to do the job. People are dying everyday at the expense of the weaknesses of these people. It is an embarrassment for insurgents to make statement and military makes their own and one would find it difficult to tell which is the truth, it is embarrassing. The youth leader maintained that President Jonathan has a responsibility to contain the problem. “Jonathan is a civilian and it is perceived in other African countries that Jonathan is to blame for this atrocity. And I find it difficult to explain to a layman that Jonathan is not enjoying what is happening. But I can’t understand why he put incompetent people there. People believe that Jonathan has what it takes to make change and that is why he needs to live up to his duties.” “I have no doubt in my mind that Nigerian military has the capacity to curtail insurgency if given the wherewithal. These are soldiers who have engaged in different battles and conquered. So, it is ridiculous to subject the military to what it is today. Somehow, someone is sabotaging the peace of this country. The truth of the matter is that you can not fool the people all the time. President Jonathan should prove his mettle and reshuffle his cabinet rather campaigning for 2015. The Nigerian military has the capacity to work.” On why the efforts of foreign forces have not yielded any result, Shettima said; “We tend to wipe out history easily and concentrate on things that are not realis-

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SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 15

Cameroonian soldiers battle ready to fight Boko Haram

Military not equipped to fight terror Continues from page 14

tic. Before Nigeria’s case, there were other African countries that went through the same thing, yet nothing happened. Their intervention is nothing to write home about. I am afraid, we may end up like Libya. We don’t need external force, the Nigerian force, if given the necessary support, will deliver. On what collaborative effort the Northern leaders are taking against the insurgents and in the rescue of the Chibok girls, Shettima said “I don’t know if the Chibok girls are still alive because after four months, there is nothing to write home about”. He lampooned the northerners who are in the present government, saying that they have no business in the government if they cannot influence the fight to put an end to terrorism in the country. “They have all failed. The Northern sons should be challenged on how they are helping to solve the problem in the country. Are they working to give this government a good image? Are they in touch with their constituents? Do they interact in town hall meetings with their people? The truth is that they are not in touch with the people. Abuja is neither the whole Nigeria nor is it their constituency. They should all go back to their constituencies. I speak as a Northerner because I know what is obtainable here. It is painful that the people in government are far from the people.” He surmised that there was need for a

A situation where we have the Northern sons as the security adviser, minister for defense, Inspector General of Police, yet terrorism has taken over the country, is a huge embarrassment to our national root.

new constitution that will be people oriented but added that the just concluded national conference was a total rubbish as recommendations would only end up in Jonathan’s office. Second republic governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said there was a grand design to fracture Nigeria. “It is part and parcel of the plan to destabilize Nigeria for political purpose. There are already groups of two insurgents in the north - Boko Haram, the cattle thieves and the suicide bombers. The so-called cattle thieves and suicide bombing, in the North-East, North-West, North Central, and FCT are part of the plan, starting with the north, to extend it to the whole country. All these insurgencies are politically motivated. This is because of the sophistication and the equipment used. They are part of the grand design to destabilize Nigeria starting from the north to the rest of the country, probably in a different way but it is all insurgency for the purpose of destabilizing Nigeria and making Nigeria uncontrollable for a political purpose,” he said. In the same vein, The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins said that the dreaded Boko Haram sect constitutes a major threat to the nation’s unity and continuous existence, adding that the situation needs urgent and drastic measures to combat the activities of the sect.

While condemning, in strong terms, the continuous blood-letting that has constituted the hallmark of their activities in the country, he described as even more alarming the current trend whereby the sect members seem to attack police stations and other security apparatus in the country and cart away their arms and ammunition. “By the recent attack on one of the nation’s Police Academies, and the sacking of a Gwoza community, the Boko Haram sect has shown once again that they have little or no regard for human lives. Indeed, it is now clear to the people behind these atrocities do not mean well for this nation. Their mission is to violate the territorial integrity of our country Nigeria. It therefore behoves on the government to stop the insurgents.” Archbishop Martins, while urging the Federal Government not to rule-out the possible involvement of some foreign forces in destabilizing the country through their terrorist activities, advised government to thoroughly investigate the group activities to unravel their sponsors and bring them to book, no matter who they are. He expressed deep concern about the similarity of the activities of the Boko Haram to that of the ISIS in Iraq. “Their lust for territorial conquest and the declaration of Caliphates is a worrisome development that should be taken

Continues on page 44 C M Y K

16—SATURDAY Vanguard , AUGUST 30, 2014

mong the recommendations of the recent National Conference of 492 delegates are some proposals that need to be seriously reviewed. One of them is the removal of the immunity clause from the Constitution. As a layman, I understand that the provision is to protect the people in positions of high responsibility from being molested by frivolous court cases which may distract them from responding adequately to the demands of their duty. Such distractions may take on the scarlet hue of blackmail, or scandal, or even the total destruction of a good reputation. They could lead to severe disruption in the course of a good administration and might seriously affect other lives than those who are directly targeted because of the connections of several people to high places. It was acceptable at the inception of the Constitution as a provision of merit because many people recognised the fact that it was a common aspect of the Constitutions of other nations. The highly-placed officials concerned are usually the Heads of State or Government and their deputies. And the period of their immunity lapses the moment they are out of office. In Nigeria, this refers to the President and Vice-President, or State Governor and his Deputy. Our political history has not disproved the effort to protect these high official personages behind this provision. Rather, it has provided an environment of confidence •Justice Kutigi and Prof. and pre-eminence within which they have been able to administration, but the thrive. The outcry against the machinery for making our protection has been the system of justice more supposition that it equally equitable. The present affords the officials a solid situation would have been wall behind which they are a case of chaotic free to involve themselves in development if governors, various inappropriate actions, who could obtain particularly, the looting of the injunctions against being treasury—leave alone prosecuted or arraigned nepotism and other shades of for obvious unfair maneuvering and misadventures, had been dishonest deals. confronted with litigation while they were in office ut out recent past and in power. They would disproves this. State have naturally reacted by Governors have been called to launching their defence question for their perceived or which could involve evident malfeasance when scurrilous witch-hunting. their official terms of office are What is desirable is a over. Although none has been judiciary system that is convicted so far, it has not been due to the viability of the law, but rather to its due enforcement. The few who were arraigned escaped the full length of the lash through manipulations that did not remove from the power of deterrence that was implicit against any attempt to inflict structured to function any burden of embarrassment effectively in the delivery of incapacity on the officials of justice, over and above while they were in office. open or subtle abuse of And still relying on the influence and benefit of recent history, one manipulation. would feel relieved that the The removal of the provision of immunity had immunity clause should been in place with the not be entertained any defection of the State further. It offers little Governors who routinely advantage to the keeping dumped their former parties of seating high officewith impunity, though one or holders in line, and even two of them still got caught in less protection for the the web of impeachment, just cause of sanity in imagine the extent of the executive administration. disruption, if there had been On the other hand, the room for further reprisal return of the reaction by way of direct “independent candidate”, litigation! as also recommended by What is desired, therefore, is the Conference, adds not the removal of a protective more power to the sinew organ for smooth of free choice. It blocks out

*the confab continues

knew he could contest for the Adamawa gubernatorial prize by simply presenting himself. Tom Ikimi would need not look over the wall to the other side, as he is probably doing now, since he is a seasoned political warrior and a credit to himself. Neither would several others whose unwilling confinement to a particular party, or stressful severance to another from their former one, gives rise now to so much rancour within the political scene. The National Confab scored a high mark in this area.

Akinyemi at the Conference any suggestion of a straightjacket membership of any political party, because it would have no meaning if it was saddled with any imposition of a continued tenure in any political organisation. One could come and go, or stay put as one pleases. And so the nearcultic nature of membership in a party would be displaced by such freedom. It would not be new except to the youthful cadre of citizenship within the country. There were many cases of politicians who ventured into the elective process under their own steam, entirely innocent of the membership of

The removal of the immunity clause should not be entertained any further

a political party. And won their election! There were two cases in Ondo, one not the Federal legislature and the other into a Regional House. Honourable Babalola won the election into the House of Representatives, purely on his own merit, but then declared for the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC). Honourable Oduola Oshuntokun won a seat in the Western House of Assembly unattached to any party, but thereafter joined the Action Group. And both of them were subsequently appointed as Minister to boot. The case of Nwakpa, of Port

Harcourt fame, was even more expressive. He had been a member of the NCNC Port and was an official of the party. But come election time, he was denied the party’s nomination which went to another. He thereupon resigned from the party and sought election as an Independent Candidate — and won, defeating the party’s nominee. He then later rejoined the NCNC which had to form a coalition with another party in a parliamentary system of government. And he was appointed a minister.

he list of candidates was replete with the independent seekers of office outside the aegis of a political party in the First Republic, when there was so much freedom in the air. Politicians were more respected by the party officials and a political party chairman would never have dared to elevate himself to the position of a tin-god as someone recently attempted to do, asking State Governors to kowtow to him, or else undergo some stringent discipline. Ironically, there was little carpet-crossing. And there would really be less eagerness to change from one party to another with the introduction anew of independent candidature as it is today, if politicians were free to contest for election without the constraint of belonging to a party. Nuhu Ribadu would have no need for all his criss-crossing efforts if he

owever, the tally of 54 states appears a bit on the high side. Those who are set to enjoy the glamour of belonging to a new state are, of course, more than the section of the populace who are disposed to be realistic about the issue of State creation. They will argue that it is in favour of the over-all development of the nation, although it is clear that mini-states that simply do not possess the potential for maintaining a single, separate administrative unit are adversaries to the progress of a federation. It will all lead to the lengthening of the cue for the monthly allocation in Abuja, which is already the blight to the hopes of a bright future for the industrialisation that can only come with the exploitation of our native resources spread, as they are, across ethnic boundaries. And the number of 54 roughly bespeaks those areas. It is much too much. There are those who believe that the Confab has achieved enough to “shame its critics”. All it has achieved so far is to run a fair course to the end. While one would agree that, given all the obstacles perceived at the beginning, to bring it to an end without as much as a broken head is a commendable feat, it might not all the same be stretched to the tone of an outstanding success. The submissions will still have to endure some scrutiny, after which comes the matter of implementation. We shall surely have more to contribute to that and other aspects. The Conference has ended, but its issues continue. Time out.

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, AUGUST 30, 2014—17

he room was dark; matching his mood. But the grey light that filtered in through the slits between the heavy drapes showed dawn had finally broken. He had not been able to sleep all night—he kept tossing and turning on an otherwise comfortable bed that had given him many beautiful nights in the past— yet he did not want dawn to break. He did not know which new problems dawn would bring and he was afraid to face the day. Soon, very soon, the palace guards would stir and the activities of the day would start. He wondered why the sleeping tablets he took the night before didn’t work as they should. Was his system caused by him. Many of the getting used to them? He was people in the kingdom getting too dependent on including his lieutenants and them anyway. He also opponents knew that too. Yet wondered why the women— he could feel behind their beautiful and not so smiles, behind their beautiful— were not giving sometimes kind gestures that him comfort any longer. It used they held him responsible as to thrill him no end that he the King. Or was he getting could have his fill of women paranoid? in and around the palace. He stared at the luminal hands of the gold clock in the ven those he would not ornate room. It was just a few have dared turn to in the minutes past five. How much past now threw themselves at longer could he enjoy this him. He soon found out they were the ones showing off and using his relationship with them as a passport for all kinds of misdemeanours. Now the thrill was gone. In its place was the emptiness that reminded him of King Solomon in the ancient Bible luxury of solitude? In another who found that women, hour, one of his trusted aides money, power and even would bring a cup of hot tea. laughter could not fill the void, Sometimes, he laced the tea the emptiness within. They with his favourite alcohol to were all, as Solomon found pep himself. Sometimes the out, vanities upon vanities. hot tea was enough. Today, he The past months had brought wanted neither the tea nor the too many problems to the alcohol— he was drinking too kingdom and everybody was much anyway. He just wanted pointing accusing fingers at to be alone. But being a king him. Well, not everybody but means you are never really that was how he felt. He knew allowed to be alone. After the many of the problems were not tea, another aide would bring

The gods must be angr angryy

a file containing the appointments and activities of the day. This used to give him immense pleasure in the past as he looked forward to meeting famous personalities in his kingdom and neighbouring kingdoms. He also used to enjoy being seen by the adoring eyes of his people as he solved their problems. Of late, what he felt were cold stares from the people and sympathetic but condescending handshakes

Worse, the young and the old were dying to a new, dreaded disease

and remarks from the personalities. Some of the foreign kings even tried to make him feel inferior with their remarks while some suggested he was complicit to the untoward activities of his lieutenants. And speaking of lieutenants, how many were really on his side? Many he was sure, would smile at him and make scathing remarks at his back. Many dined with his growing

ow many of these people that had gained prominence and immense wealth through their association with him would not abandon him if push came to the shove? He had covered the backs of many of them from enemy attacks. How many would cover his back? In fact, his chief warriors were beginning to cause him more sleepless nights. He had given them latitude and looked the other way as they touched the money meant for the rank and file. All he expected in return was that they should protect him from internal attrition and the kingdom from external aggression. But they did neither to his satisfaction. Again, if push came to shove, how many of them would not rise up against him? How did it get to all these? How did it happen that he now had very few real friends left? How did it happen that events were breaking fast around him tradition to stop you f r o m reaching out to Jesus. T h e woman with the issue of b l o o d decided to throw away religion and tradition to reach out to her miracle and she indeed received her miracle, which no one else could give her. If you can make up your mind just as this woman and also as I did some years ago, you will experience a supernatural change. It does not matter how long or how difficult the situation may seem. For with God, nothing shall be impossible. God bless you, our great nation Nigeria and President Goodluck Jonathan. We are trusting God to make a way for us to go on radio and television with the same message of His reality and we count on your financial support in bringing this vision and mission to pass. You can call us on phone to discuss with us or you can send y o u r donations in B A B A Y A cheques and O cash to our G R I C contacts at the

elcome to another exciting time. We continue with the teaching of “The Impossible Place” We rejoice knowing that you readers are richly blessed with our anointed message as inspired in us by the person of the Holy Spirit. Often in life, you see people who are faced with situation beyond their control. For some, depending on the nature of their case, they have proceeded to seek a solution. For the sick, they run to the doctor, financial problem, they run to friends, relations and bankers. Others may run to native doctor for help. But in all of this, they soon find out that whatever solutions they receive or gain is always temporary. This is because genuine and often permanent miracles comes only from the Lord who is the miracle working God. He knows no impossibility. Let’s look at a case history in the bible. In Mark 5:25-34 the bible says “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and suffered many things of many physicians and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. When she had heard of Jesus came in press behind and touched the His garment, for she said, if I may touch His clothes, I shall be made whole and straight way the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. But the woman fearing and trembling knowing what was done in her came and fell down before Him and told Him all the truth, and He said to her, daughter thy faith has made thee whole, go in peace and be whole of thy plague”. Like our text above, some years

number of opponents who spent the small hours of the night plotting against him. Last week at a meeting of the council chiefs, a thought came to him as he looked around.

The impossible place (3) ago I found myself in an impossible situation. I kept falling ill and started losing a lot of weight. All manner of test and treatment were carried out on me. But instead of getting better, my health was getting worse. I spent so much money on treatments that I lost count on the amount. All I was concerned about was to get well. Then one day, the doctor said to me that they have done all they know how to do. In fact, I was like a vegetable. Everyone who saw me was convinced that I will soon die because of my condition. But I made up my mind that I will reach out to God and trust Him for my miracle. I am so glad I did, because today I am hale and hearty. The mighty hand of God touched me and broke the power of hell that was destroying me. This was twentytwo years ago. The God who did

it for me can also do it for you if you can trust Him. The woman in our text had an impossible case. For twelve years running she was constantly losing blood. She had consulted with doctors/physicians but every one of them could not help her. Instead of getting better, her condition grew worse. Some of you right now may be in an impossible situation. The case may be such that you have tried so many things and yet no result and you want to give up. Please don’t be discouraged, there is a miracle in Christ Jesus for you. The woman in the bible having tried all she knows best then decided to get in contact with Jesus. She made up her mind that Jesus who heals, delivers and sets people free can heal her and change her situation. She didn’t allow hindrances on her way to stop her. Don’t allow religion or For more details, contact us at Christ Reality Church, beside Gossard Hotel, opposite First Bank Sports Ground, Community Road, Satellite Town or P.O.Box, 3196, Yaba Lagos. Tel: 08023062635 08168955932; 08033378769. Email: Johnson_crm@yahoo.com. Website: www.christrealityministries.org. Our account details are Pastor Johnson Omomadia, Guaranty Trust Bank, A/C Nos. 0005171407; Christ Reality Ministries, Zenith Bank A/C

1011711622.

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

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end of this message. The mission is estimated to cost about N7.5m (Seven million, five hundred thousand naira). As you support our vision to take His reality to the world, the Lord will supernaturally turn around every impossible situation in your life and family. Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour? If not, but you desire to do so. Then pray this prayer out loud and believe. Father in heaven, I have heard your word, I give you my life; cleanse me of my sins with the blood of Jesus. Make me a new person, Jesus come into my life and be my personal Lord and Saviour. Thank you for saving me in Jesus Name, Amen

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and he had very little control over them? Are the gods angry? But they must know he meant well when he took over the reins. He had assembled knowledgeable people to take care of the welfare of the people and improve the Kingdom’s economy. Perhaps his one mistake was that he felt he could do things round the kingmakers and not tamper with a system that allowed a few to enrich themselves at the expense of the majority. But the dissidents and the rebels who kept raiding the outskirts of his kingdom caused too much distraction. Again, perhaps he could have handled the situation differently, but his chief warriors and advisers misled him. Now, what started as a distraction had become a major headache. It had also led to impunity and insecurity all over the Kingdom. As If the kidnapping of people on the way to the farms was not enough, the rivers were now polluted. Worse, the young and the old were dying to a new, dreaded disease. And the oracles were not telling him anything. Can the priests even be trusted? He knew from history that whenever there was famine, whenever the old died and the young disappeared, the King bore the responsibility and the wrath of the gods could be fierce. Is there a way to appease the gods or is it too late? A discrete knock caressed the door. The aide with the hot tea had come. He sighed for it was time to face the day.

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18 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

instance, remuneration for every person that works on the set of a movie, from the actors to the people working in welfare, I’ll pay them all well. I would also pay more attention to detail. There is a lot lacking in that aspect. I would work on the distribution of our movies. I would reduce the amount of shoddy movies that are produced. I would do a lot, (laughs) easier said though.

By JULIET EBIRIM

desua Etomi broke her duck in the acting world when she starred alongside Michel Majid and Blossom in Emem Isong’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door,” a film that got many rave reviews and a healthy box office rating. Since the big moment, the Edo State-born beauty has remained on the radar of many producers. But beyond the pretty face and the talent, she believes she was born with, there is more to the person named Adesua Etomi. Meet here:

What would you have been, if you weren’t an actress? I would be a crime scene investigator. In all honesty, I am very insightful and things hardly pass me by. I think I’d make a great crime scene investigator.

What movies have you done? Most of my training lies in theatre, but I’ve been privileged to do a few movies. Knocking on Heavens Door, The Call, Brave, etc. I’m also currently working on some new projects which I’m sure the Nigerian audience will love.

What was your first time on set like? Scary! That will have to be the word. I wanted to do well so badly that I could have fainted. It was also very challenging, but Mr Desmond Elliott was a very patient director and that helped with the nerves and in no time I was able to channel that energy into my work.

What has been your experience since you joined the movie industry? It has been challenging, but it has also been extremely rewarding. Getting work in this industry can be extremely difficult especially when you don’t have ‘connections’ but God has been faithful and he has granted me favour. When and how did you start acting? My first encounter with acting was at the age of 7, when I joined the drama club in primary school (Corona Victoria Island), but I suppressed my desire to act until 2004 when I went on to study Physical Theatre, Musical Theatre and Performing Arts at the City College, Coventry, United Kingdom. After completing these courses in 2006 with triple distinctions and being part of numerous productions, I went on to study Drama and Performance at the University of Wolverhampton, graduating in 2009 with First Class Honours. My first feature

How I interpret my romantic roles — Adesua Etomi, Nollywood actress film titled ‘Knocking on Heavens Door’ was released on the 18th of April 2014. What are some of those challenges you’ve encountered as an actress? Too many but I’ll mention a few. Getting work, getting paid adequately, knowing what jobs to take and what not to take without offending producers/directors. In the movie, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, you sang so well. Do you hope to do music professionally? I absolutely love music and I’ve considered doing it professionally at some point, but I’m not sure it’s the right time to delve into that yet. Having said that, I will not say no if 2face or M.I asks me to sing the hook on their songs. (Laughs) Are you also thinking about branching out into other aspects of entertainment? Yes, but not right now. Who knows what the future holds. Do you have plans to go into movie production like most of your colleagues? Oh definitely. I’m actually working

on my company at the moment and it has a production side to it. I would love to produce mind-blowing movies. Shake up the industry a bit or at least give it a good go.

ollywood is very competitive, how do you intend to hold your own despite this? It is very competitive but I can’t really worry myself with the competition. I believe that what is mine will not pass me by. And I will continuously train because therein lies the key to being an amazing actor or actress. Mediocrity will never be an option for me. How far can you go in interpreting a role? I’m not sure I’ve not been offered a role that will let me know how far I’ll go, at least not yet. So in all honesty, I don’t know. Who knows, I may be a Daniel Day Lewis on the inside. (He takes Interpretations of roles to a different level). Is there any role you’d turn down? Yes. Any role that requires me to act nude or disturbs my peace. How far would you go in interpret-

ing sexual and romantic scenes? I don’t do sex scenes but with romantic scenes, I just allow myself to be present in the moment (in my character’s shoes of course) and I put Adesua in the back seat till I’ve completed my job successfully. Which A-list actors have you worked with? I’ve been privileged to work with Majid Michel, Desmond Elliott, Ini Edo, Van Vicker, Gideon Okeke, Florence and Ik of Tinsel, to mention a few. If you had the power to change anything in the industry, what would that be? I don’t know if I’d change anything but I’d improve on a few things. For

Family/Childhood/ growing up? My childhood was a mixture of great times and also some very hard times, which is why I consider myself a well rounded human being. I was born into a middle class family. My dad was a soldier and my mum, a civil engineer. He’s from Edo state and she’s from Ogun state.I was born in Owerri, Imo State. I was there till the age of three before we moved to Lagos. I’m the last born of three children, but I’m far from spoilt. There was no way my mother was ever going to allow that happen. I went to primary school at Corona Victoria Island, then went on to Queens College, Yaba, Lagos where I studied for a few years before relocating to the United Kingdom. Would you mind dating any of your male colleagues? I’m currently in a relationship. My heart doesn’t work that way. When I’m with someone, I don’t look elsewhere. I have many amazing male colleagues but I don’t see them in that light. What are you currently working on? I’m working on a new television series called Lasgidi Cops. I’m really excited about this project because my character is so different from anything I’ve played before. Can’t say more though but everyone should be on the lookout.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 —19

JULIET EBIRIM 08137897935

I’ll inform the authorities

Would you abandon your loved one if he/she contracted Ebola?

— Belinda Effah, Actress

Reasons will be more profitable to all concerned in this case and not sentiments. First of all, I’ll report to the authorities, so they can handle the situation properly as I am neither a doctor or a nurse and can’t save their lives. If I truly love my spouse, that’s the best thing I can do, in order to avoid contracting and further spreading it. I don’t mind being quarantined.

ver since the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus, Nigerians have been living in fear of contracting the disease. This fear has been brought to the home-front with couples and families scared that their partners and loved ones may become victims. God forbid it!, if your spouse or child is suspected to have the virus, would you abandon them?

I’ll take them for treatment

— Doris Simeon, Actress

won’t abandon them. I would take him or her to the healthcare centre and then await further instructions. I will also submit myself to the healthcare authorities for treatment, since I’ve already made direct contact with the patients.

•Belinda Effah

I’ll pray and stay close if ....

— Benson Okonkwo, Actor I believe so much in love. Of course, I won’t abandon them. Ebola is just a phase and I’m not scared of death. If my child,(God forbid) is suspected to have Ebola, I won’t abandon him/her. I will pray and stay close even if it means both of us dying together. If it’s God’s will, so be it. What if it’s just that child I’m destined to have? If it’s my partner that has contracted the virus, I’ll only stay if she has been dedicated to me, but if not I’ll pray for her from afar.

•Benson Okonkwo

I won’t, it’s not their fault

— Halima Abubakar, Actress

•Doris Simeon

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I won’t abandon them. It isn’t their fault that they got infected with the virus. There’s a wide difference between Aids and Ebola. Though we don’t pray for either.

•Halima

20 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

email: daise4000@yahoo.com

08061644307

With Florence Amagiya

ensational R&B duo singers, Peter and Paul Okoye, need no further introduction to Nigerians. They have contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian music industry and Africa at large. Their genre of music can better be described as R&B and they are the reason, Nigerians still believe that group singing has its advantage. One or two of their fans still see them as the spitting likeness of the American super star, Usher Raymond, for their similar looks, pattern of dressing and style of singing. Today, they have written songs, they are performers and their songs and albums have won lots of applause both in Nigeria and outside, and have raked in billions of naira. They are the highest-paid group performers in Africa. They are also the biggest spenders. They have made millions, bought expensive cars, jets and out-of-this-world mansions, both in Nigeria and the United States. In each of their wedding ceremonies, millions were epended as the likes of Aliko Dangote; oil mogul, Foloronsho Alakija; Genevieve Nnaji; Kate Henshaw; Don Jazzy and his amiable team, were invited for the occasions. Expensive drinks, rich and surplus food and amazing gifts items were the order of the day at each of the weddings. We bring to you, the famous P Square. Although, there have been undisclosed issues between the duo, these have not crippled their strength, wealth and fame. Enjoy! The identical twin brothers known as PSquare were born 33 years ago, precisely on November 18, 1981, in Jos, Plateau State, although they are Ibos by tribe, from Ifite Dunu in Anambra State. The duo have their own record label. They are songwriters and amazing performers. Their story started at St. Mulumba Secondary School, where the twins were members of the school music and drama club. That was where they began singing, dancing and mimicking songs by MC Hammer, Bobby Brown and the ever green, Michael Jackson. They produced and released their albums through Square Records. Since then, they have remained active in music production. Along the line, they formed an a cappella quartet group called “MMMPP”, M Clef, a.k.a, Itemoh, Michael, Melvin, Peter and Paul. Their inspiration was drawn from their music idol, Michael Jackson, hence they learnt to dance break dance and formed a group known as the “Smooth Criminals” in 1997. M Clef later dropped from the group leaving behind “MMPP”. The MMPP group was so talented and precise in their dancing routine. It made them famous in the city of Jos, Plateau state as they performed at school functions and other occasions. When they left Secondary School, the MMPP group couldn’t thrive, but the group didn’t breakup until they went to study in different universities. Peter and Paul in 1999 returned to music school to develop their skills on musical instruments. Today, they have had lots of soundtracks even for movies like Mama Sunday, Tobi, Moment of Bitterness and Evas River. They also enrolled to further their education in 1999 at the University of Abuja where they studied Business Administration. It was there the group, Smooth Criminals got dissolved as the members were registered in different Universities. Peter and Paul eventually tried

P SQUARE

their hands on different stage names like the Double P, the P&P, Da Pees and finally settled for “P Square.” They were managed by Bayo Odusami, aka Howie T, a seasoned concert promoter. Challenges/ achievements After graduation, the twins moved to Lagos State and since they didn’t plan on using their degrees to search for jobs, they struggled to carve a niche for themselves in the music world. They sang at events and shows for free, went from oneTV house to the other, from one radio station to the other, and one newspaper house to the other, begging for publicity. Here and there, they did odd jobs to survive while praying for the big break. They won the “Grab Da Mic” competition in 2001 and got sponsored by Benson & Hedges to launch their debut album, Last Nite. That same year, P-Square was also nominated as “Most Promising African Group” in the Kora Awards three months after the release of their debut album. They also won the 2003 Amen Award for “Best R&B Group”. They are still the best R&B group till date. They have performed alongside some international artists like Sean Paul, Akon, Ginuwine and Busola Keshiro. In December 2011, P Square signed a multimillion naira record contract with Akon’s Konvict Muzik label. In May 2012, they also signed another multimillion naira record distribution contract with Universal Music in South Africa.

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The incre of two a perform

…The richest musical group

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 21

• Psquare's fa

mily

•Some of thei

r cars

•Their Mansion in US

UARE:

edible lives amazing mazing ers mer

p in Africa, worth billions of naira…

contract with Universal Music in South Africa. Charity The stars were currently in Tanzania for their world tour. And they decided to •Their Mansion in Lagos help the needy. As part of their social responsibility, they collaborated with Vodacom foundation and purchasing cars as their taste is almost donated to the less-privileged and mentally alike. They have cars in the league of challenged in Tanzania and others that they millions of naira. Cars such as the do yearly in commemoration of their BMW X6, Range Rover Sports, the birthdays. Jaguars, the Hummer jeeps of this world, the Prado jeeps and much more. Properties You could actually get a filled day It is worthy of note that the twins have a glancing at the beauties worth million of way of duplicating whatever the other twin naira. decides to buy as they are identical twins. This is seen in the purchasing and building Clothes/ accessories and perfumes of twins’ houses and mansions everywhere When it comes to good clothes, they go. One of their properties is their twin perfumes, shoes and accessories, P mansions worth over 500 million on Lola Square do not blink when they spend Holloway Street, Omole Estate Phase 1, in millions of naira collecting them. You Lagos state. Another of their property is cannot see what they wear on any down another twin duplex bought in the United the road boutique. Their clothes are State of American worth billion of naira. customized for them; sometimes their colognes are customized as well. They Cars buy their shoes from stores only the very It is not different when it comes to rich can afford. C M Y K

22— SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

By AYO ONIKOYI, 08052201215

American superstars, Ja Rule and Ashanti for Warri Independence Day Show

Ja Rule and Ashanti

BENJAMIN NJOKU

HE ancient city of Warri, Delta State will be temporarily shut down come October 1, when American gruff-voiced rapper, Ja Rule, and R&B singer, Ashanti perform with their Nigerian counterparts in a show to mark this year’s Independence Day celebration. The organisers of the show, tagged: ‘Warri Again: The Flagship’, Brownhill Events Centre said, both Ja Rule and Ashanti have already confirmed storming Nigeria for the show. Ja Rule, born Jeffrey Atkins, is one of the biggest American rappers from the early 2000s, known for hits like “Between Me and You,” “Always on Time” and “Put It on Me.” He made his way onto the rap scene in 1999, with his debut album, “Venni Vetti Vecci” which became No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and launched the career of the rugged rapper with a grizzly voice. Also, being singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous debut album, featuring the hit song “Foolish”, which sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release throughout the United States in 2002. The album set a Soundscan record as the biggest opening week sales for a new female artist, outselling debuts by Alicia Keysand Lauryn Hill. Ahead of the show, the Managing Partner/CEO of Brownhill Events Centre and Browhill Luxury Villa, Mrs Julie Pinnick said, during the

week that they were leaving no stone unturned in their bid to give fun seekers in Nigeria an experience of a life time, adding that the foreign artistes are excited to be part of the show. According to her, the decision to bring the artistes to Nigeria was borne out of the need to spice up the one-stop show. The maiden edition was held on October 1, last year, and featured a lot of the country’s A-list stars. “This year, we decided to bring in foreign stars just to spice up the show a bit. It’s not just entertainment. All the artistes have not only confirmed their participation in the show, but they have also been paid before hand,” Mrs. Pinnick said.

•Mrs. Pinnick

Nigerian entertainers should stop begging for votes - Etcetera N

•Etcetera

IGERIAN soft rock sensation Etcetera who is fast building a reputation for himself more as a writer than an artiste has condemned Nigerian entertainers for the way they beg for votes whenever they are being nominated for awards. “I’ll love to appeal to Nigerian entertainers to stop the habit of going about cap in hand begging for votes each time they are nominated for awards. If your materials are good enough and the award process is transparent, I see no reason why you should go about embarrassingly soliciting

for votes like a politician. No award should be given based on public opinion. There should be a “competent” panel of judges selected to review the nominated materials and advise the organizers who the winners should be. It calls to question the motives of award organisers. Same goes for the numerous music talent shows in Nigeria today. A music talent hunt show is supposed to be the “music world cup”, and the decision making should be left to the umpires not the spectators. You can imagine if winners of all sporting competitions are determined by votes, China would be unstoppable.”He reveals.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30 , 2014 — 23 By KEHINDE AJOSE, 08024212530

M.I returns as King James *Says he’s the one all rappers worship

Konet

Why I have a crush on Tiwa Savage —Konet Afro hip hop singer Konet who is signed on to Purple Ice Entertainment has revealed the reasons why he has a crush on Tiwa Savage.In a chat with Showtime the Mummy Joanna crooner says:” Tiwa Savage is my celebrity crush.I love her personality, her delivery on songs and most importantly the fact that she has a great and a unique voice.I look forward to working with her. The suave dude also reveals what drives him:”In this music business what drives me is simply doing good music.I am not driven by fame not even money though the money is important.On whether he is intimidated by the likes of Davido and Wizkid he says:” I am not intimidated by the likes of Davido and Wizkid because we are equally talented but I get inspired by their work ethic and achievements “

he self-proclaimed ‘Chairman ‘ popularly known as M.I has re-introduced himself after years of being off the music scene as King James. The short-black boy whose real names are Jude Abaga got the internet buzzing recently when speculations about him quitting his record label went viral. King James is M.I’s latest single and has been getting a lot of reviews from both his fans and music critics. The song is a self adulation track with a reggae melody. It’s a departure from M.I ‘s trademark energy filled rap flows .He says this in one of the verses:” They call me King James, I am he who all ye rappers worship” Another school of thought believes the song is indirectly directed at Olamide the badoo crooner who is currently one of the rappers stealing the shine on the mainstream music scene.Music buffs are looking forward to the outcome of this they are asking if Olamide will release a diss track real soon to counter M.I’s King James.

M.I

tt ed being ffeatured eatured regrett tted Some people go I once regre on a collabo —Tipsy as far as wanting to kiss T me —Mz Kiss

Omowunmi Justina Akindele known as Mz Kiss gained attention of music lovers when she released her dance track ‘Figure 8’.The light skinned songbird revealed in a chat with Showtime why she opted for the name Mz Kiss. She puts it this way:” I was new in the industry at that time . I and my team were just thinking of a name. Then we came up with kiss. Since then ,people have been calling me kiss even my mum calls me that name. I later discovered that some artistes bear that name so I decided to add the ‘Mz’ which is Mz Kiss. I chose the name because its attractive it’s a name you will never forget .I get this a lot .People asking questions like: “Why are you bearing ‘Kiss’? Some people even go as far as wanting to kiss me .Kiss is an acronym for knowledge inspires special souls. We all have our own knowledge , but it’s just the special ones who can pick something out of that knowledge and inspire others to do something different and creative.” C M Y K

Mz Kiss

Tipsy

alented indigenous rapper Tipsy who recently trademarked her name is back with a new street inspired song titled So le featuring Olamide .Stating the reasons she featured Olamide on the track she says:”I featured Olamide on the song because we have similar styles also bearing in mind that we once did a song together. I thought since we have both grown musically we should do another song.On whether she paid Olamide to feature on the song she says:You asking if I paid Olamide is like asking if I pay my mum to cook for me. Olamide is like family.He is a good friend. He was in London at that time and I just decided to call him. When asked the worst thing she has ever heard about herself she says:” The worst thing I have ever heard about myself is that I am dating Terry G. Because we were always together at that time people got it so wrong. Like every other human being, Tipsy has had her regrets.In her words:”I did a song with someone and regretted being featured on that collabo, I was surprised and disappointed when the song came out .I had to overlook it because the guy is a nice person . It was a terrible song.” Emma Nyra ‘s Rocks Sexy Denim No doubt Emma Nyra is one songstress whose selling point isn’t just that she can sing, she also has this sex appeal and unique fashion sense that makes her stand out .Emma once revealed to Vanguard’s Show time celebrity that she loves to be sexy and classy. According to her:”I like to be sexy and classy. I work really hard on my body and anytime I am doing anything fashionable I like to show a little bit of skin .” The Kereshere crooner who is currently in London with Iyanya preparing for a gig was clad in a sexy ripped denim jean as well as washedout hoody top .She wore this to a rehearsal and was glad to share it on Instagram.

24— SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

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Let’s win the war against Ebola and stop bickering •Rita Dominic begs Nigerians BY IYABO AINA

•Zik Zulu

ollywood actress, Rita Dominic is one of the celebrities who is having sleepless nights over the spread of the Ebola virus in the country. The actress took to her Twitter handle to share details about the Ebola containment Trust Fund which she has set up with trustees such as Dr. Alero Roberts, Christopher Kolade, Pastor Paul Adefarasin of the Hosue on the Rock church, Mr. Felix Ohiwerei and Mr. Gamaliel Onosode, advising Nigerians on the need to unite and fight the common enemy than engaging in bickering. Her tweets: “Hey guys, we now have a legitimate Ebola Containment Trust Fund, a non-profit body created to galvanize necessary resources to contain Ebola.” “Let us get together and fight this problem and stop all the bickering. This is for those who have been looking for a way to help out.” Also, the diva tweeted: “We have been searching for something like this for a while and I am happy that some concerned people actually created this.” The objectives of the fund are to collaborate with governments and its agencies in their efforts to contain the virus, and harness the creativity and enterprise of the private sector to execute the emergency purchase and deployment of necessary supplies and personnel in the support of the containment endeavour. It is also to engage citizens on media and social platforms aimed at educating and informing Lagos residents, visitors and private hospitals about Ebola. Dominic said the fund is currently working on its website and would make available a hotline for telephone enquiries.

Zik Zulu’s Oasis ready to hit the silver screen T

•Rita Dominic

w e n t u o s l l o r ro NFVCB g n i s n e c i l e i v o timeline m

t a new CB has rolled ou ance of FV N e th , cy issu agen timeline for the ovie regulatory igeria’s apex m ive for a two-week maximum The goal is to ease and y. policy initiat n and n in the countr ovie distributio hanism for movie distributio of the m r fo es ns ce Li or ec ct m se ng ie si ov en speed up the lic igeria as a key activity of the m N in exhibition y. orporate Affair, nation’s econom the Board’s Acting head of C those that by will only benefit e sought. e m In a statement gi re ng si w licen Licens Ceasar K, the ne ents for any given category of 14, will also see 20 em er ir ob qu ct re O l from meet al hich takes effect tor not having any form of w y lic po w ne la The selves as ie industry regu the nation’s mov ction with those parading themithout valid license. ra w business or inte itors or Exhibition Premises tricia Bala has ib Pa xh s. E , M rs cy to en bu distri ent to tory ag al of the regula and Documentation Departm e er en G r to ec ir D g th l in al t ns ce ee Li m e icants ted th already manda ence and ensure that all appl of the licenses. es lig ri di go e te du ca s se variou exerci ements for the ir qu re ed at ul stip

Ms. Patricia Bala C M Y K

he CEO of Zik Zulu Films, Mr. Zik Zulu Okafor has said that, he’s ready to hit the silver screen with his new TV drama series, Oasis. The TV series which he produced in conjunction with The Incubator is a sequel to the rested sitcom, Heaven’s Gate, as an unusual drama that borders on a story of change through Christ. Speaking at a media parley last Saturday, Zik Zulu described “Oasis” as a story of violation, rape and loss of confidence. He further revealed that the 35-episode drama would start airing sometime in October. Oasis, he said ,tells the story of KK (Sean Faqua), a young man rooted in campus cultism. He has never loved a girl; so, when he meets Paris (Beverly Naya), it seems he has found his first love. But brainwashed by the characters around him, what would have been an amazing love story turns out to be a turbulent and devastating encounter that will leave Paris blind from KK’s violence. While Paris denounces God, KK surrenders his life and everything to God, having escaped a near fatal accident. Fast-forward three years, KK is a businessman and roving preacher, while Paris is still that devastated girl. As events unfold, his past comes to haunt him. On the other hand, Kaylah Tomi Savage falls in love with Oreva Amata (Tope Tedela), a law student. When he mentions his name to her mother, Olufunmi (Monalisa Chinda), a sad memory of her father’s betrayal and mysterious murder in prison is evoked. The former lovers find themselves in opposing sides of a war they didn’t start. Oasis stars the likes of Beverly Naya, Moet Abebe, Tope Tedela, Segun Arinze, Monalisa Chinda, David Nnaji, Ifeanyi Williams, Mary-Jane Ugbaja and Zik Zulu Okafor.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 25

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Shan George battles British promoters over son’s new song! The delectable Nollywood actress-turned-singer, Shan George is very angry at the moment, and this is authoritative. Shan annoyance is not unconnected to ‘Edo Boy’, the just released song of her second son, Jaga. While the song that was released during the week(Monday), is currently making waves on some of the world’s most popular music sites and radio stations, one would have thought that it would make the actress happy. But it may interest you to know that the bold and blunt screen beau is in hot war with Jaga’s London based music promoters. Shan is miffed, saying that the promoters released the song without letting her hear and approve of it in the first place, since she also doubles as Jaga’s manager besides being his mother. She also complained that the song is too long and may give her problems when she shoots the video, since most TV stations in Nigeria don’t take in music videos that exceed a certain number of minutes. Stating her own side of story, Ms Linda Jacks, the Head of Babylynn Promotions in London said, “The song wasn’t given to the artiste’s (Jaga) manager before release, because when we released Jaga’s

Uduaghan throws his weight behind Ugbomah’s 50yrs celebration fter an open-letter written to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta A State and his Lagos State counterpart, Babatunde Raji Fashola recently, by Chief Eddie Ugbomah, protesting over the attitude of their aides who were

frustrating his moves to meet with them in connection with the celebration of his 50 years as an entertainer, the veteran filmmaker can now sleep with his two eyes closed as his state government has agreed to bankroll the celebration. Hosting the embattled film maker to a grand reception at the Government House, Asaba, last week, Governor Uduaghan promised to throw his weight behind Ugbomah’s celebration of his 50 years on stage as well as his 74th birthday anniversary. “On behalf of my cabinet, I hereby welcome you to Delta State. We are proud of you and your achievements. You have inspired millions of youths and no doubt your name rings bells. Let me congratulate you on the celebration of your 50 years on stage and your 74th birthday.” According to Uduaghan, Ugboma’s movies are thematic and most especially, his Black Gold keys into the state’s Beyond The Oil project. “The message in that movie is in line with the vision of the state’s Beyond The Oil project. The objective is to kicks-start a new age in the state where we look beyond our oil. Tourism, agriculture and of course, the creative industry are industries that have potentials to move our state to the next level by creating jobs and empowering our youths. An oil economy is not sustainable and we must begin to diversify. Our strongest area is not oil but human resources.” Commenting on plans for Ugboma’s 50 years on stage and 74th birthday celebra tions, Uduaghan said: “We are going to support you and throw our weight behind your celebration of your 50 years on *Gov. Uduaghan stage and welcoming Ugbomah your 74th at Govt.House, Asaba birthday.”

C M Y K

Shan George’s son, Jaga other song ‘Mboro’ two months ago, Shan George gave out the song to too many people before release date, and that affected the monitoring the progress on the song out there. That is the reason our company decided not to give out the song to anyone before release date,” Jacks concluded. Reacting to the brouhaha between his mom and the promoters, Jaga said, “‘I’m doing good music. The the two ladies, my mom and promoter should be dancing instead of fighting.”

and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos in March 2015. The AMVCAs were created to celebrate the contribution of African filmmakers, actors and technicians in the success of the continent’s film and television industry and with the success of the 2013 and 2014 editions, preparations are in top gear for the 2015 edition. Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, Regional Director for M-Net (West), said: *Veteran actor, Olu “We are pleased to Jacobs and wife, announce the call to Joke Silva at this entry for the 2015 Africa year’s AMVCA. Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. The African movie and television industry is brimming with exciting talent, and at Africa Magic we contribute to the industry by not only giving these talents the platform to showcase their art/efforts and celebrating their achievements, whilst also encourfrica Magic, in association with Multi aging them to keep honing their choice and proud sponsors Amstel Malta, is craft.” announcing the call to entry for the 2015 edition This year, a number of awards in of the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards different categories will be present(AMVCAs), the prestigious initiative that ed ranging from acting and honours film and TV talent across the continent. directing to scriptwriting and A special announcement will be broadcast on cinematography. Other categories Africa Magic channels on Wednesday, the 3rd of will include: editing, make-up, September, as participants can begin to send in sound, and lighting amongst their entries from the same day. Winners will be others. announced at an award night at the Eko Hotel

AMVCAs returns with more magic

26—Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2014

anozieegole@yahoo.com

Reminisce bags Samsung brand ambassador N

igerian singer, rapper, and songwriter, Remilekun Abdulkalid Safaru, a.k.a Reminisce, has joined the long list of brand ambassadors as Samsung West Africa, recently unveiled the singers as the ambassador for its mobile division. The company plans to leverage Reminisce in its product advertising for entry-level mobile phones. According to Samsung Electronics West Africa’s Director for Information Technology and Mobile, Mr. Emmanuel Revmatas, the singer, symbolizes the values that Samsung has stood for over the years. “The Samsung brand stands for quality innovation, change, discovery, self-expression and excellence. These qualities are epitomized by Reminisce, whose quality and depth of work as well as versatility as an artiste have endeared him to Nigerians. We are very proud to have him endorse our new entry-level mobile phones. We want to further connect with our customers at all touch points, especially through music, which is one of the passions of people worldwide,” he explained.

*Reminisce

08116759764

It’s fun working with Juliet Ibrahim —Mercy Contrary to the news making rounds that actress Mercy Aigbe’s yet to be released movie, “Life after Marriage” has something to do with her marital life, the sexy actress has stepped out to debunk the rumour, saying it’s all false. Giving the synopsis of the new movie, the award-winning actress explained that the movie is about a young lady called Moyeni and her

experience, but had no choice of what is happening in her life and how to deal with the woman she turned out to be. “ My movie has nothing to do with my marital life, its about a young lady, Moyeni and her life experiences. I am out here to make a change in the society because things are happening both in marriage

Skales to announce winner of Shake Body fan video

enowned musician and CEO of a musical record label, Skales has concluded plans to announce the winner of his much played fan video contest tagged, Shake Body in September, where the winner will go home with a huge sum of $10,000. This announcement is coming barely few weeks when the singer and his label mate, Seaon, premiered their new singles, “ Give it to me and Dogado” recently.

* Skales

Produced by Kenny Wonder, “ Give it to me” by Skales is a fusion of Afrobeat and highlife while Saeon rides on Sarz’ beat to produce the melodious Dogado. Saeon on the other hand is presently working on releasing a four track EP in October. She describes her genre of music as a “Fusion” primarily R’n’B but consisting of other genres from Afro Beats, to Pop, Techno, Dub-step, and even Rap. Plans are on hgher gear to release Saeon’s Dogado online. The both artistes are signed to Baseline Entertainment.

Yvonne Okoro inspires the less-privileged T op Ghanaian actress, Yvonne Okoro has taken her kind gesture to the orphanage home as she charged the less-privileged to be focused in life irrespective of the condition they found themselves. The sexy actress, who is also an entrepreneur said this when she visited OrphanAid Africa’s young adults at the Young Adults Support Services Ghana recently. In her words, she said, “There’s

and in other areas which need enlightenment. I will say that it was fun working with Juliet Ibrahim. She is willing to take on a new challenge which she delivered,”. The star-studded flick has cast like Olu Jacobs, Juliet Ibrahim, Fathia Balogun, Seun Akindele, Jude Orhorha among others.

something I learnt which is letting your imperfections shape you into being almost perfect or perfect in human eyes. No matter what career path you choose, people would come at you with full force. People would pull you down because it is in our nature as human beings to criticise and to remember the bad that others do, but there is a point where you need to keep your focus and work

harder. You can choose to let people get at you or you could make your mind up to succeed regardless of anything. The truth is, some of the things people say would be true and constructive; but develop an ear with filter. Filter out those that do not seek to grow you and take on constructive feedback. I challenge you to do this,” Yvonne Okoro advised.

*Saeon

*Yvonne

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 27

BY IYABO AINA 08184172548

Amber Rose bares it all at MTV VMA awards

Jennifer Lopez set to give marriage a second chance

he 66th edition of Emmy award which took place on Sunday, 25th August, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles was full of spectacular glamour, giltz and grace as the event saw different superpowers in the entertainment industry, which includes the likes of Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Jay Z, Amber Rose, Taylor Swift, Kim Kardahsian and others flock to the event taking turn to show off their wardrobe on the red carpet. One of the highlights and ‘horrofic’ moment of the whole thing was when Amber Rose and husband, Wiz Khalifa walked on the red carpet, with Amber showing up with a dress that revealed every part of her body more like tiedshiny-strings kind of dress. This made the whole world wonder just how hard does Amber think she could try to get all the attention to herself.

..says I like being in a relationship

ennifer Lopez may have been married three times, but she is still ready to give the holy institution another shot. The sexy singer was spotted on Thursday’s Chelsea Lately, where she explained why she likes to be in a relationship. The 45 year old star who recently broke up with dancer boyfriend, Casper Smart, got tongues wagging when they were both spotted together cruising around in LA. “I would get married again, why not?” Lopez admitted. “I like being in a relationship, I do. I’m not one to like, whore around and stuff like that. That’s not my thing.” She said. Unlike the popular belief that she likes to date dancers, Lopez says she has variety taste when it comes to men.

Chris Brown escapes

death T

op American Singer Christopher Maurice, better known as Chris Brown was reportedly shot during a pre-VMA (Video Music Awards) party he hosted on Sunday 25th August 2014. The star was at 1oak in West Hollywood where he was believed to have been targeted. Although he escaped uninjured,

while music producer Suge Knight, 49, is said to have been hurt, along with two others in the shooting who were taken to hospital . Suge was said to have been well enough to walk out of the club unaided, where he was spotted by a police officer and taken to an ambulance before being rushed to hospital.

Robin Williams

Cremated H

ollywood comedian and actor, Robin Williams who was found dead at his home few days ago, has been cremated. RadarOnline obtained a copy of his death certificate which reads, “Williams was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the San Francisco Bay just one day after his death, on August 12.” The certificate issued by the State of California, County of Marin also lists Williams’ cause of death as “pending investigation.” He was found dead in his Tiburon, California, home on August 11. According to the Marin County Sheriff ’s Office, the 63 years old actor hung himself to death. At a press conference held August 12 the day he was reportedly cremated a rep for the sheriff ’s office said toxicology tests will determine if Williams had any substances in his system at his time of death.

C M Y K

28 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

or most ex-beauty queens, the challenge of sustaining the tempo after their reign has always been difficult. But the story is different for Munachi Abii, former Most beautiful girl in Nigeria. A combination of beauty, brains, and talent has kept her in the limelight. In this interview, she reveals how Banky W’s Lagos Party remix helped her gain recognition as a rapper and other interesting things. Excerpts:

By KEHINDE AJOSE and ANU TELLA What prompted your decision to do music professionally? have always wanted to do music professionally. My mum used to sing but she didn’t go too far with it. I come from an artistic family. I didn’t want to be that person who didn’t go anywhere with the music. My brothers and sisters are all into some form of arts. I just found myself there. If you didn’t win the MBGN, would you have been an artiste? Yes, I would have still been doing music. My ride to music could have taken a different approach. MBGN took me from level one to level five. Most people start from level one and begin to climb. In the Industry, there are a lot of ups and downs. I had to collaborate with a lot of people so that people would get to know me. When things become slow some people can handle it while many others can’t. I couldn’t handle it because first, there are too many fake people in this show business that don’t know what they are doing. Secondly, there are individuals who talk a lot and don’t have any action to back it up . Thirdly, we don’t have the right environment and stability, so artistes usually don’t have something to fall back on. This thing called music is like a gamble. So, after the experiences I had, I really had to step back in order to stage a comeback. It will always be music for me .I am still climbing .That is how it has been so far. A lot of people didn’t take you serious when you opted for music . How were you able to grow the thick skin to be able to withstand the pressure? I had a thick skin when I came in. This is the honest truth. If you are not surrounded by good people insecurity starts to creep in. That is how everybody here is. They are always looking at other people instead of focusing on what they are out there to accomplish .The people around me were not helping me. I am not blaming them too as well as myself. When you say people around you, what do you mean? What I meant was that everybody thought their own craft was more important than the other person’s craft. Singers would tell you, “Why are you rapping? You should be singing” while rappers will tell you :”Why are you trying to sing? You should stay true to yourself. Be loyal to the rap game.” It’s a constant struggle if one doesn’t have people that are confident and who believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. It’s going to be very hard for you. It’s similar to what happened to me. The fact that people didn’t take me serious when I started they didn’t know what I would be up to .I didn’t care about it because I knew what to do. The story changed with Lagos Party remix .People didn’t really know who I was , but they liked me .They would say, “ That’s Muna? Are you serious?” So people started paying attention from there.

C M Y K

How did you get on Lagos Party? Banky W saw me rap somewhere and he said, “ what are you doing?” That was my wake up call .He said:”You should be doing this, there is so much you can do” So that inspired me. Banky called me up and told me he wanted me on his album .I was actually just meant to do the skit. Lagos Party was played and I was asked to do rap on it. The rest is history. How did it help you gain acceptance? It helped a lot because it was like my show -off period because people now saw that this girl could rap. She is not just a pretty face. It’s one thing to do that, and it’s another thing to follow up with other stuffs. It’s not been easy but I expect to grow from there. How where you able to go beyond the ‘Pretty face’ stereotype? At first I felt like discountenancing the pretty face toga. I thought I needed to just show off the talent and ignore the pretty face. At that time I didn’t want to be associated only with the fact that I have a pretty face. If you asked me then, I would tell you just call me Muna and don’t attach the MBGN prefix. I just wanted people to know me and my music . I later realized that when I did, it put me on the defensive . This is something I had to learn along the way. I realized that in order to break free from anything, you have to accept the truth. The truth for me is that I am a beautiful lady. I had to accept the fact that I am beautiful, and use it to my advantage. So what if I am beautiful? So what if I can rap? I am a beautiful rapper, I am a beautiful musician. People want to see that. The first thing they want to see about me unfortunately is my look. They see the look and they look into the content. Would you say your beauty has been a blessing to your career? Yes, I will say so. How has it been a blessing? I won a pageant and that opened doors How did you get to the point where you started believing in your craft? I nearly reached that point, then I stopped .You lose confidence in yourself; There are times it happens to great people. I am a woman, I happen to be my mum’s heaven and earth so I take care of her. There is so much politics in the industry. It’s not as easy as one thought it would be, secondly there are a lot of people in there that don’t make it easier for

I’m co the true s mance sa Oko

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you and there are a lot of people that won’t believe in your music so you have to be strong .I wanted to know what exactly I wanted to talk about in my music .I have talked about owning Benz and Porsche that I don’t have which everybody talks

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 29

oming out with story of my roaga with Peter oye of Psquare

— Munachi Abii weight. Being a model is something I can do with my eyes closed. Music is something I have to work on constantly. If you were not a model and a rapper, what else would you have loved to do? I love to cook and that’s something I will like to go into. I also love fashion. I don’t really know what the future holds for me, but the little impact I can make would be fine for me. What qualities do you admire in a man? I like a man with a good sense of humour. I like a kind person. Generosity won’t hurt? Do you not consider the state of his bank account? When I like somebody it’s not about what I can get from the person. It’s not about the money. What will you consider as your greatest achievement? I haven’t had my greatest achievement yet .Life is my greatest achievement .I am grateful to be alive. I thank God for my life .Everyday is an opportunity to do something again. What part of your body gets you the most attention?

about. That’s good for the club, but the question is can everybody relate to that? If I tell you about my struggles, somebody will relate to that. I am sure there is a young budding female rapper somewhere writing her rap and hoping that someday she will get noticed by someone .There will be a time when she will not believe in herself .There will be a time when she will say :”You know what? Forget everything. “ When you say there is politics in the industry, what do you mean? You see, there is politics everywhere .When I say politics I mean biases. Take for instance sports, everybody focuses on football, these days. It’s difficult for you to find a child that would say I want to represent Nigeria in gymnastics at the Olympics. Soccer is it for them. But on the flip-side there is so much more that can be leveraged on. You can show that there is a market for these sports by focusing on them , but when the focus isn’t there people will think there is no market for it .It’s a challenge when you are a high jumper but there are no platforms to show your talent and you have to go away to look for where you can practice your craft .Isn’t that sad?. We need to embrace all kinds of music. We can’t all focus on high life because it’s what is reigning right now. It’s okay to have one or two hi-life songs and make them timeless but let’s embrace other genres of music. As a multi-talented individual, how have you been able to maintain balance? Being a model comes naturally to me. All one has to do is to keep yourself in check, don’t add

Sex sells everywhere. I don’t think it should be the only think we should talk about, it’s okay to talk about sex if that’s your forte, if that is what you do

That will be my face. If you were to start all over again what would you do differently? I won’t listen to people for the most part, I will listen to myself. Who do you consider your celebrity crush? My celebrity crush will be the Indian actor Shahrukh Khan What’s the difference between ‘Muna’ the celebrity and The Muna behind the cameras? When you come out in the public with photographers ready to take pictures, you have to put up that face. You become a different person. People don’t approach me. They just have this preconceived idea about you .That is how rumour spreads. People think because you look a certain way, you will be a snub. When I am outside I am working, it’s a show and I know the cameras are going to be there I have to present myself in a certain way. How do you handle controversies? When you don’t have the right public relations, they could be a problem. Back in the days , I heard things like :”Muna is dating this person, doing this and that” The last time I read what they wrote about me, was may be in 2008.Every other thing you want to know will be addressed in a song. There was a time when you were said to be dating Peter Okoye? You know it’s funny. It’s just one of the things that won’t just go away. I intend to respond to all this with a song so watch out for it. I always get asked this question in every interview .It’s better to ask him too. Are you satisfied with your music career at the present? Yes, I am happy that I am working again. I’m not afraid to put my heart into the music this time around . I am speaking from my soul .Any how the music comes out, I will be happy with it. I don’t need anybody’s approval this time around. You may dislike my music.

It’s okay , but the fact will be that it came out. What’s new about Muna? I just dropped a song called Winner. It’s a club banger and will also be dropping another song with Lamboghini. I will be doing my own stuffs too back to back. You often call yourself the goddess and the hustler. Can you explain that? The goddess is the way I look , my disposition, my countenance. I am not a river goddess o. I like to feel some air of royalty. The hustler is who you are seeing right now- no makeup, am just chilling and am hustling from place to place doing my work .The hustler is the rapping side of me, the ‘Behind the scenes’ part of me .Two different personalities but the same person. What is your relationship with other female rappers? I am very pro- female .I love Sasha, she is a strong woman. Eva is a hustler, Fresh Carter is my baby .I love them and we support each other .I know that we are women going through one struggle or the other and I can relate with that. What stands you out as a rapper? I guess I am the only rapper who has ever been a queen .That’s one thing and it’s a prominent thing. How many beauty queens in the world rap? None. There is always a first. In addition, I am a conscious rapper .I love to talk about the issues people don’t want to talk about. This is the first time I will be coming out to say this. Was any of your songs inspired by personal experience? When Waje and I did ‘So Inspired’, it was a personal experience from both of us obviously. Have you ever been heartbroken? Yes, a couple of times. How were you able to handle it? After a while, you move on. That’s the best one can do. You cannot kill yourself. You just move on and won’t feel it anymore .Time is a great healer. Can you quit music for your relationship? I have thought about that. Would I ever stop doing music because of my relationship? I don’t think so. Whoever I am with, if he really loves me, he won’t advise me to quit .He would push and make sure that no matter how much I want to give up on myself, he would encourage me on .That is how to know if it is real. Do you think sex sells in entertainment? Sex sells everywhere. I don’t think it should be the only thing we should talk about. it’s okay to talk about sex if that’s your forte, if that is what you do .Do what is comfortable for you, that is the most important thing. If you are comfortable with your sexuality and you feel like you want to share it with the world, by all means go right ahead What is your definition of a sexy woman? Confidence is sexy, not pride. There is a very thin line between pride and confidence. When you are confident, you look better, you feel better, you communicate better, and everybody loves that. If you are not confident you will be sad and angry all the time and guys don’t like that .It’s not about just the looks. No matter how big or small you are, confidence is what drives anybody close to you C M Y K

30—SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

here are countless health and fitness benefits associated with muscle toning. Regularly performing a muscle toning exercise routine will raise your basal metabolic rate. What this means is that your body will burn more calories per day, promoting effective weight loss. Muscle toning will also promote strong bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Improving muscular tone will increase endurance and strength, which will allow you to perform common daily activities with less effort. Other benefits include decreasing your probability of contracting Type 2 diabetes, lowering the probability of contracting several forms of cancer, increasing the strength of your entire immune system, improving mood and mental stability and improving posture, balance and coordination among others. Regularly toning your muscles you will not only firm your entire body but, create a leaner and well sculpted muscular appearance. In addition, regularly performing a muscle toning exercise routine will also reduce excess body weight at the same time. Here are simple ways to tone your body. Play tennis for great arms Playing tennis may give you sculpted arms. Slamming or lobbing a ball over a net works on your arms. Your forehand swing is also good for your chest, and your backhand for your shoulders. Tennis has another advantage: It’s aerobic, so you can burn lots of calories along with fat. Less fat gets your muscles noticed, no matter what activity you do. Swim for upper body

Be a sport, tone your body muscles: quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. You can make the workout more intense by using toe clips, which let you pull the pedal up, as well as push it down, which gives you some extra resistance. If you’re a beginner, skip the toe clip on a moving bike, as it can make it tricky to get your foot out of the pedal. Or challenge

Muscle toning will also promote strong bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis

strength Swimming laps is good for everything above your waist. Pulling against the water provides resistance for your arms. Doing freestyle, back stroke, or butterfly uses the deltoid in your shoulders and pectoral muscles in your chest. Swimming is less helpful for the legs simply because people tend not to kick very hard. So if you want to work your legs harder, use a kickboard. Ride a bike for lower body power Biking is great for your leg

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•This sport can burn your body calories always

yourself on a stationary bike. Run for your whole body Like biking, running and jogging are good for the calves and thighs. Because they’re weight-bearing exercises, they strengthen bones to help protect against osteoporosis. They are high-impact activities, so they may be jarring on your joints. So start off slow, especially if you’re overweight. It’s fine to switch between walking and jogging, too. That’s easier on your joints, and varying your pace is a good challenge. Walk for your joints

•Muscle toning exercise can promote strong bones

Walking is the kinder, gentler cousin of running and jogging. It gives you many of the same benefits, including building strength in the leg muscles and stronger bones. At the same time, it puts less stress on your joints. If your ultimate goal is to run a mile, or a marathon, walking is a good start. Dance for your core and hips Most types of dancing strengthen your core and hips. From ballet to belly

dancing, waltz to disco, any type of dance you enjoy is a good choice. Team sports for your legs and feet Football keeps you moving and is great for your glutes and the legs. You get stronger to sprint and to kick. Basketball also builds your strength and speed, and your shoulders benefit when you shoot hoops. Or, run the bases on the baseball diamond to work your glutes and legs.

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Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014—31

Foods that can save your heart F

resh herbs Fresh herbs can help make other foods heart-healthy when they replace salt, sugar, and trans fats. These flavour powerhouses, along with nuts, berries — even coffee — can be part of heart-wise eating. Try rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme contain antioxidants. Black beans Mild, tender black beans are packed with nutrients including folate, antioxidants, and magnesium, along with fibre, which helps control both cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Red wine and resveratrol If you drink alcohol, a little red wine may be a good choice. Resveratrol and catechins, two antioxidants in red wine, may help protect artery walls. Alcohol can also boost HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Only drink in moderation: no more than one glass a day for women and two for men. Salmon A top food for heart health rich in the omega-3s that may lessen the risk of heart rhythm disorders and lower blood pressure. Salmon also lowers blood triglycerides and helps curb inflammation. Two servings of salmon or other naturally oily fish a week.

•Drink Red wine

Tuna Tuna is another good source of omega-3s, and it generally costs less than salmon. Other sources of omega-3s, include mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and anchovies. Grill tuna steak with dill and lemon. Choose tuna packed in water, not oil. Extra Virgin Olive Oil This oil, made from the first press of olives, is especially rich in antioxidants called polyphenols, which can help protect your blood vessels. It’s also a good source of monounsaturated fats, which are a better choice than saturated fats (such as butter) for your cholesterol. Use a little bit for salads, on cooked veggies, or with bread. Look for coldpressed and use within 6 C M Y K

•An assemblage for wise eating... Almonds months. Slivered almonds go well with vegetables, fish, Walnuts chicken, and desserts. A small handful of They’re chock full of plant walnuts a day may lower sterols, fiber, and heartyour cholesterol and ease healthy fats. Almonds may inflammation in your help lower “bad” LDL heart’s arteries. Walnuts cholesterol, if you favor them are packed with omegaover other fats. Grab a small 3s, monounsaturated fats, handful a day. and fibre. The benefits come when walnuts Sweet potatoes replace bad fats, those in Swap out white potatoes chips and cookies. Walnut for sweet potatoes. With a oil has omega-3s, too; try low glycemic index, they it in salad dressings. won’t cause a quick spike in

blood sugar. They also have fibre, vitamin A, and lycopene. Oranges This sweet, juicy fruit has the cholesterolfighting fibre pectin as well as potassium, which helps control blood pressure. Research shows that orange juice may make your blood vessels work better and lower blood pressure a bit. Carrots These sweet, crunchy veggies may help control blood sugar levels and make diabetes less likely. They may also help your cholesterol levels, since they’re a source of soluble fibre — the kind of fibre also found in oats. Coffee Coffee and tea may help protect your heart— even decaf coffee works! Studies show that people who drink 3-4 cups a day may be less likely to get diabetes, too. If you

already have high blood pressure, be careful, since caffeine can make it worse. Choose black coffee or a non-fat milk to limit fat and calories. Cherries Cherries are packed with anthocyanin, believed to help protect blood vessels. Cherries in any form — fresh sweet cherries, the sour cherries used for baking, as well as dried cherries and cherry juice — all have that antioxidant. Blueberries Blueberries are simply brilliant when it comes to nutrition. Their anthocyanins give them their deep blue colour and support heart health. Blueberries also have beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and fibre.

32—Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2013

C M Y K

SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 30 30,, 2014—33

Prostate cancer: C Can vitamins actually be harmful? V itamin pills are big business —from chewable ones for children and tablets especially tailored for women going through the menopause to essential oils for dodgy joints and high-dose Vitamin C to pep up your immune system, there’s a supplement for everyone.

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shorten the duration of colds, there is little real proof that it staves off illness, Dr. Kristal says. And the high doses recommended by some supporters of alternative medicine may do more harm than good. In February, 1n 11-year study of more than 23,000 men found that those who took high doses of the supplement—typically 1,000 mg—were twice as likely to develop kidney stones compared to men who took no pills.

But can vitamins actually be bad for your health? It seems that your daily pill can do more harm than good. Indeed, about a year ago, there was the revelation that fish oil capsules have been linked to high levels of prostate cancer •— a shock for the millions who take fish oils or omega-3 fatty acids everyday in the quest to ease joint pain, improve heart health and fight mental decline. A study of more than 2,000 men found that those with the highest levels of omega-3 in their blood were 71 per cent more likely to develop lowgrade prostate cancer. And it’s not just omega-3 involving 230,000 people— that is under scrutiny. which found no evidence that According to Dr. Alan Kristal, multivitamins prolonged life. who led the study at the Fred Some studies have even Hutchinson Cancer Research suggested that high doses Centre in Seattle, there is could do more harm than good. surprisingly little evidence In 2011, the lowa Women’s that any vitamin or mineral Health Study looked at the pills prevent disease — unless health of more than 38,000 people are suffering from a older women and found that nutrient deficiency. women who regularly took •”As we do more and more multivitamins were 2.4 per cent of these studies, we find high more likely to die over the 19 doses of supplements have no years of the study. effect or increase the risk of Their research also showed the disease you are trying to that use of vitamin B6 prevent,’ he said. Yet millions increased the risk of death of busy hopefuls take vitamins during the study by 4.1 per to compensate for a poor diet. cent, folic acid by 5.9 per cent, iron by 3.9 per cent, ne in three of us takes magnesium by 3.6 per cent, a supplement, and we zinc by 3 per cent and copper spend tons of millions of Naira by 18 per cent. a year on vitamin pills. The However, the study didn’t message from experts is not take into account the fact that to panic. For most people, who many people start taking take multivitamin and mineral heavy doses of vitamins only supplements at the when they develop serious recommended dose is safe. diseases such as cancer. So amid all this confusing But Dr. Kristal says: ‘Dozens and sometimes contradictory of studies of multivitamins advice, which supplements show that they do absolutely work and, more importantly, nothing at the recommended which ones are safe? doses.’ So if your diet contains Multivitamins: While they plenty of fresh food and your might be the most widefive-a-day, it’s unlikely as ranging supplement— multivitamin pill is essential. providing 100 per cent of our daily allowance of everything itamin C: Doctors have from vitamin B to copper— known since the 1750s, there is little evidence that when British sailors were first they do any good. issued with limes, that Vitamin In 2010, French researchers C is essential for health. It followed 8,000 volunteers who helps to heal wounds, had taken either a strengthens the body ’s multivitamin or dummy connective tissues and keeps placebo pill for six years, they cells healthy. found that those who popped But despite the many health the vitamin pills were just as claims, made about vitamin C, likely to suffer heart disease there is little evidence that it or cancer as those taking the does much good as a placebo. supplement. That work followed a 2008 While it does appear to major review of 67 studies —

vitamin E is vital for healthy cells. According to the Department of Health, most adults need between 3mg and 4mg a day. Studies have shown that foods rich in vitamin E may protect against heart disease. But there is little evidence that vitamin E pills do the same —and some that say they may do harm. In 2011, U.S researchers at Cleveland Clinic found that men who took a ‘high strength’ 268mg vitamin E pill each day during the seven year study were 17 per cent more likely to to develop prostate cancer than men who did not take the supplement.

nd, in 2005, a sevenyear study of 4,000 people found it increased the risk of heart failure by 13 per cent. While the Department of Heath says taking 540mg or less a day is unlikely to do harm, the prostate cancer study published by Dr. Kristal also looked at the effect of daily 400mg vitamin E doses. Dr. Kristal say: ‘It increased the risk of prostate cancer by 17 per cent. We don’t know why. But one thing to remember is that, unlike vitamin C, it

About a year ago, there was the revelation that fish oil capsules have been linked to high levels of prostate cancer

A 2002 study showed that 1g doses of vitamin C and vitamin E almost trebled the risk of premature death among postmenopausal women in any year. The Department of Health says adults need 40mg a day but does up to 1,000mg a day are unlikely to cause harm. Anyone who is worried about their intake should make sure whether or not they are exceeding their safe daily dose. For example, the effervescent vitamin drink brocade contains 476mg. One tablet of a supplement like this, combined with a diet of fresh fruit, could tip you over the safe dosage. Vitamin E: Found in nuts, germs, wheat and oils,

is soluble in fat and so levels build up in the body over time.’ Experts say that one egg or 28g of almonds a day should provide all the vitamin E you need— making it unlikely that any of us need a supplement. Calcium: Calcium is often taken by middle-aged and older people to protect their bones. There is also evidence that it can prevent the recurrence of bowel polyps ? growths that may develop into cancer. However, calcium supplements could increase the risk of heart disease in men, according to a study in February from the U.S. National Cancer Institute. A

study of 388,000 people found that men who took more than 1,000mg, or 1g, a day in supplements were at greater risk of heart problems — and had a 20 per cent higher risk of death. Women were not at greater risk, the Journal of the American Medical Association found. Scientists believe that high calcium levels harden the arteries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The Food Standards Agency recommends adults have 700mg of calcium a day. One yoghurt and a 300ml glass of milk would meet your daily calcium limit, so it’s unlikely you would need a supplement. Selenium: Selenium is a trace mineral found in seafood, meat and grains. It is essential in small doses, and selenium deficiency is linked to mental decline, impaired immune systems and premature death. But although it is commonly recommended to help prevent heart disease, too much can be harmful. Medical experts advice that men need 0.075mg a day, and women 0.06mg, in their diet. But after looking at data from 20,000 adults, Warwick Medical School researchers found that it did little to lower the incidence of heart disease in people with a good diet. High doses were linked to type 2 diabetes, the authors reported in the Cochrane Library journal. Beta Carotene: Beta carotene is a pigment that gives yellow and orange plants colour. The body converts beta carotene to vitamin A, which we need for good vision, healthy skin and a strong immune system. Beta carotene is a natural antioxidant and is usually taken to prevent cancer. But there is no evidence it works, and plenty to show that high doses can be harmful. In 1994, researchers found that smokers who regularly took a large 20mg dose of beta carotene a day were 8 per cent more likely to die from lung cancer than people who did not take the supplement. As well as all this, beta carotene can also give white skin an orange tint, and can trigger upset stomachs, joint pain and dizziness.

34—SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 30,2014

juliecoker100@yahoo.com

We don’t ttalk alk about the future Aunty Julie, I have a boyfriend and we have been in a monogamous and committed relationship for almost a year. We never talk about our future together. It is a one-day-at-a-time kind of relationship. We are very compatible spiritually which was the key reason for the development of the relationship. We did not have sex for the first five months of the rela-

tionship which has turned out to be one of the best things that has ever happened in a relationship for me. We built intimacy based on who we are together and getting to know who we are. But I’m very worried and the question is, I want to talk about future stuff. How do I do that or should I even do that? I have subtly let him know what I want but there has never been a discussion about it. So, I am wondering if you can help me through this dilemma? Do

He’s not interested in sex anymore

I bring up the subject or not? I want to live together with him eventually. Philomena,Enugu Dear Philomena, It appears that all of the sudden you are ahead of your partner and ready for something he is not. You have two choices - do nothing, and wait for him to catch up to you or initiate a conversation. There is no way to know which choice is the better one. Listen to your gut on this one. Subtly letting him know what you want is not one of the choices if you want to continue to have a great relationship - it’s really nothing more than manipulation. If you do decide to initiate a conversation, there is some language that should make it pretty palatable to your guy. Don’t make him feel as if you are desperate or trying to force him into something he is not ready for. Good luck to you.

Aunty Julie, I have been married for five years and have two boys. I am still the way I was before child-bearing. My shape and slim looks are still intact and many people who don’t know still see me as a hot spinster and I always tell the guys that I’m happily married and they should stay off. But an important issue is shaking the foundations of my marriage.My husband has had little or no interest in sex for about a year. I have tried to find out why he suddenly lost interest in sex but he is not forthcoming. We have a good relationship apart from this problem but I cannot remain like this for long. I have done all kinds of things to seduce him. I’ve tried lingerie, backrubs, and romantic dinners, but nothing works. I don’t know what else to do. Please help me. Blessing, Benin

How do you get this relationship right? Dear Julie, I have been in a relationship for many years with a guy and we love each other very much. He is the only guy I’ve had a relationship with who has felt so deeply about it and I would do anything to avoid hurting him or straining this relationship. I love too deeply too and would want the relationship to survive. Can you offer any insight into achieving intimacy, openness and honesty in a relationship without hurting the other person? I see anger as the root of most intimacy problems. Francesca, Abuja Dear Francesca, You are right. Unresolved anger turned into resentment is the root of most intimacy problems. Resolving anger and resentments when they arise, as they will occasionally in any relationship, is the surest path to intimacy, openness and honesty. However, it’s almost impossible not to hurt the other per-

son, in any relationship. The truth is, you will hurt your partner - sometimes unintentionally and sometimes even intentionally. Hurting each other occasionally does not have to mean the end of the relationship. It is what the two of you

do with the hurt that matters. In an open, intimate relationship the two people will talk about their anger and hurt, and learn to listen to each other in such a way that the negative emotions will get worked through.

Dear Blessing,

Every couple goes through periods when one or both partners are too busy or not in the mood. But the sustained lack of interest you mention signals that something is wrong. Some physical conditions can lower libido in men, as can some medications. If you think illness may be a factor, urge your husband to have a complete physical. Stress can also diminish sexual desire, as can a deep-seated fear of intimacy. An affair can take a spouse’s attention away from his partner, too. However, the most common reason men and women avoid lovemaking is unexpressed anger at their partner. Could your husband be upset about something in your marriage? Does he expect things from you that he doesn’t feel he’s getting? Any hostile or negative feelings he has must be recognized and dealt with before you can find pleasure in lovemaking again. Have a serious talk about the issue, but if you can’t communicate, I strongly suggest you see a therapist together.

He doesn’t mak irirsst mo ve makee the ffir move Hello Julie, Good morning Aunty Julie. I’m really impressed with some of the answers you gave to the questions posed to you. Perhaps you can help me. I need an objective third party opinion. I’m a female and 24 years old. I’m working for a professor, and I noticed a male student around 26 yrs old always looking at me. On several occasions, there have been intense eye contact between us and he has stared at me many times. I wonder if I should have given him a smile or said ‘hello’ to him first? I didn’t feel comfortable initiating it and so, I didn’t. Is it generally true that if a guy could have enough nerve to stare at a woman like that over a period of several months, that he would have the guts to approach her? Otherwise, he didn’t hold a sincere interest for her in the first place? In which case I should forget even having any interest in him whatsoever? What do you think?

Doyin A. Ade, Ibadan

Dear Doyin, Well, I try not to play mind reader, especially when it comes to opposite (or same sex) attraction. It’s possible, like you, he doesn’t feel comfortable taking the first step. Is he also working for the professor? Some folks become more reserved socially in work settings. Also, I believe a female has as much right and responsibility to initiate or engage in social feedback and even a little flirtation. Clearly, a smile or hello is just fine. At the same time, I don’t want to overlook his behaviour. Maybe he isn’t sufficiently self-confident; perhaps he feels a bit intimidated. Maybe, you both are sensitive to rejection. And, yes, it’s possible staring may have some hostile implications. He might be angry with you because he doesn’t feel worthy of you. But I think the moral here is act more assertively on your curiosity. In addition to that invitational smile, try a touch of coquettish humour, “Have our eyes been crossing paths for a while?” If he sheepishly acknowledges your question, you likely have a ball game. If he denies or gets defensive, he’s not worth more time or eyeball energy.

C O C K - T A L E S

Why we split up She told me we couldn’t afford beer anymore and I’d have to quit. Then I caught her spending $65 on make-up. So I asked, how come I had to give up stuff and not her. She said she needed the make-up to look pretty for me. I told her that was what the beer was for. I don’t think she’s coming back.

C M Y K

Good women are hard to find

Benefits of a long marriage

Nigel and Stephen, are keen fishermen and wine drinkers. There is a photo taken while they are enjoying some night fishing while on holiday, with their wives, in Poitou-Charente, France, last year. Slurping a large Bordeaux Supérieur, Nigel announces, ‘I think I’m going to divorce my wife, she hasn’t spoken to me in eighteen months.’ Stephen downs his glass of the red wine thoughtfully and after a while responds, ‘Think it over a bit more, Nigel; women like that are hard to find.’

On their 50th wedding anniversary and during the dinner celebrating it, Byron was asked to give his friends a brief account of the benefits of a marriage of such long duration. ‘Tell us Byron, just what is it you have learned from all those wonderful years with your wife?’ Byron responds, ‘Well, I’ve learned that marriage is the best teacher of all. It teaches you loyalty, forbearance, meekness, self-restraint, forgiveness and a great many other qualities you wouldn’t have needed if you’d stayed single.’

joying and hiding from us...” I was confused and asked what my crime was. “You mean you can wack (be intimate with your spouse) in the morning before going to church without hangover (guilt of sin)? “Yes o”, I answered, “but God first; it is better to go to church and come back before you do that your wacking. Normally two kinds of courting couples go into marriage: those who had sex during courtship and those who did not. Whatever side of the divide you fall into, there is always relief after your wedding: For the former, that you can now do your thing without guilt and for the latter group, at last the looong wait is over. The latter group, especially, normally look forward to their wedding night. The experience can transport them into a realm hitherto unknown. It might just as well be the clumsiest and most awkward experience they ever

SA TURD AY Vanguard, A UGUST 30, 2014—35 SATURD TURDA AUGUST woman is cut to create months old. Sometimes it extra room for the pas- also happens to women sage of the baby. At who have been married other times a nasty tear for a while. Trust me can occur when the many of these pregnanwoman is pushing. cies were not planned. Sometimes the woman’s What happened was that pelvis is too narrow for after childbirth, the the passage of the baby couple resumed interor for other medical and course before the first precautionary measures; menstrual flow and just the woman undergoes a before or during ovulacaesarean to bring out tion resulting in pregthe baby. Whichever nancy. case, honeymoon is efway, the woman’s body Finally, long ago, I fectively over and you needs time to heal before went to visit a friend, two must wait for the prodshe can resume her con- days after his wedding. uct of your brief honeyjugal activities with her I was shocked on arrival: moon to bring fresh sunhusband. The husband there were eight adults shine into your home. should therefore be pa- living with them already; Next is the momentient with his wife. his relatives and his tous and wonderful ocSome men call them- wife’s. “Shouldn’t casion of the arrival of selves boobs men. Nice newly-weds have priyour first baby. Some one, but you would have vacy? Can’t the wife take guys are scared of blood to adjust after your wife her bath and just walk and will never be with gives birth and starts lac- naked from the bathroom their wives during tating, unless you want to the bedroom if she so to share your wife’s wishes (Their bedroom breast milk with your was not en suite)”, I baby. muttered under my Sometimes, love grows breath. It did not make cold shortly after mar- sense to me. I really get riage. It is an awkward upset when I see newlychildbirth; they prefer to experience, but young weds housing so many pace along hospital cor- couples must sit down extended family memridors and wait for doc- and find out where bers. Some of these tors to give them the things went awry. One couples live in a single good news. Some are too of the challenges of mar- room or two rooms. So jealous to watch male riage is that it is a tag where is the space and doctors digging into their team sport. No matter privacy for intimacy? wives. There is a way it how good you are, you Again, if they must supis sha and I can tell you are just as good as your port their siblings or that some of these male tag team mate and un- relatives, which I am not doctors are mischievous. less your spouse coop- against, must the sibBut there is a solution: erates, there will be no lings and relatives live with them? I feel relainsist on female doctors marital success. You would have seen tives should be reasonor matrons. Not all childbirths go some women getting able or made to see reasmoothly; sometimes the pregnant when their first son. baby is just three to five

Pleasures and pains of newly-weds

had. But not to worry, you will have many more opportunities to do things right and become masters of the game. Wedding night can be frustrating for some. As a result of the running around and excitement of getting married, a bride’s menstrual flow started a little earlier than usual and just before the wedding day of all days. For personal and religious reasons they decided to put the consummation of the marriage on hold until thereafter. Unplanned pregnancy is another matter that newly-weds are confronted with. Some decide to spend the first few months savouring each other before starting a family. The challenge is, they cannot take their hands off each other and caution takes the back seat, so barely few weeks into their marital bliss, madam starts vomiting one early morning. If they are

lucky and it is a quiet pregnancy, the honeymoon continues with plenty of fun (There is, however, this small matter of women who accumulate tons of saliva and spit incessantly during pregnancy; if your wife falls into this category and you like kissing, hmmmm). But if it is a difficult

s newly-weds settle into matrimony, they are confronted with new experiences and challenges. Long ago, an old friend drove a long distance to my home one early morning. Immediately I opened the door, without formal courtesies, she went into a friendly tirade: “Francis, you’re wicked, you are a baaad boy; so this is what you have been en-

Whatever side of the divide you fall into, there is always relief after your wedding

pregnancy, the honeymoon is over. Some early pregnancies are very difficult and the women are in so much pain that they are in no mood for pleasure; their husbands must therefore “maintain”. This can go on for the first trimester before the situation normalises. Some women experience acute pain throughout the pregnancy. In fact they are placed on bed rest until delivery. In that

assage which comes in the form of pinching, chopping and kneading has been known to bring about improved physical well-being. Some people seem to register a decrease in tension in the body after a massage. The relief that follows makes the next and spine more supple and flexible. Remember, it is along the spsisssnal column from the nape of the neck to the scral region just above the buttocks that most people store tension. But this is the massage that is given to one by another on the outside of the body. The Yogis who devised the various postures for man’s health had the wisdom to know that the internal organs which you cannot touch can benefit from gentle but efficient massage. To be able to massage the innards, the great men devised the Peacock Posture — Mayuras Sana in Sanskrit. We see men with pot bellies everywhere; women who have reached menopause, from a cursory observation of womenfolk the world over, also register a high incidence of increase in the girth aside of fatty deposits in the body. The pot belly according to a report I picked up from the C M Y K

•The peacock

Massage for the internal organs cosmopolitan magazine was indicative that all was not well with the condition of the heart. People with pot bellies it said were very likely to suffer heart attacks. Lack of exercise and the extra helping at the table at each meal, have given the body extra mass and weakened the heart— which is rather a muscle. If the muscle does

not get exercise like other muscles in the body it gets weak and weaker over time. The experts say an overweight person is likely to be hypertensive, have a dangerous level of cholesterol. With these, the person

is set up for a heart attack. This information is not intended to scare our fat brothers and sisters; it is meant to awaken in their minds

the disadvantage, the handicap they put themselves at by not resolving to do something to bring about a trim form. In Yoga, the reasoning is that by the right mechanical manipulation of the body, (which is what the postures are), one gets a wonderful response practised along side sensible eating and breathing exercises. Medical science is almost poised to declare a connnection between sufficient oxygen in the system and an increase in the body’s ability to burn up more calories. Back to our posture. The peacock pose is quite difficult and may require long practice. Whatever time it takes, won’t matter once the ability is acquired.

Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

08 116759 759 081 6759759

Go Topless Day!

omen all around the world will be getting something off their chest on Sunday: Mainly their tops. August 24, marks Go Topless Day, a 24-hour period where women (and men) are encouraged to bare their upper bodies to protest hypocritical laws that force women to cover their breasts while allowing men to walk around with no shirts. This year marks the seventh anniversary of the pro-breast protest, organized by a group of UFO believers called the Raelians. Members believe that humans were created by advanced extraterrestrial scientists known as the “Elohim,” and that not allowing women to go topless is an insult to the aliens’ artistry. This year, rallies are planned in 54 cities around the world, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Denver, Miami and Washington, D.C. Go Topless spokeswoman Rachel Jessee said the principle of the protest is to promote “equal rights and respect for each other.” “The idea that women should cover up is shameful,” she told The Huffington Post. “We

should not feel ashamed. We want to instill self love and a love for each other.” In some cities, like Washington, the female protesters will bare their breasts while males will wear bikini tops to show their support. In cities with more rigorous public decency laws, protesters will wear something called “The Tata Top,” a bikini top designed to resemble naked female breasts, complete with nipples. Jessee has participated in two other topless protests and said the reaction from spectators varies. “Lots of people are supportive,” she said. “Some people who are against it don’t stay around too long — except for the

I had sex with over 100 corpses —Mortuary attendant

Japanese Porn stars are ditching The Ice Water in favour of Tit squeezing for charity

C M Y K

iro you sly sonofabitch. You’ve earned it. The nine adult movie stars told local media on Monday they could barely contain their excitement about the “Stop! AIDS” campaign event — which will be televised live — but asked, perhaps somewhat optimistically: please be gentle. “I’m really looking forward to lots of people fondling my boobs,” Rina Serina told Tokyo Sports. “But I would be very happy if you would please be delicate.” It comes after sexist heckling of a Tokyo assemblywoman hit the headlines, highlighting old-fashioned views towards women that still permeate Japanese society. “I never thought my boobs could contribute to society,” added the ponytailed Serina, apparently unaware of any contradiction. Fellow porn actress Iku Sakuragi had no qualms about being groped by hundreds of pairs of hands. “It’s for charity,” said the 21-year-old. “Squeeze them, donate money — let’s be happy.” “Squeeze them, donate money — let’s be

happy.” Yes. Let’s be happy. Now this, THIS is a surefire way to raise funds for a good cause. Forget about dumping water over our heads, if there were tit-grabbing posts for human disease, famine and starvation on every block we’d be immortal by the end of the decade. We all know super funding and getting the powerful involved are the main keys to awareness. Shit, if ALS and AIDS could only be contracted by white people through the grips of a golf club then there would’ve been cures for both deadly diseases decades ago. But grabbing boobies is as grassroots as it gets and should raise enough money to draw more eyeballs to the cause. Love the one broad requesting people to “Please be delicate”. That’s the wrong thing to ask people who have succumb to paying for a handful of tit. Most of these Japs haven’t seen a naked breast that wasn’t pixilated or animated. They’re absolutely going give it a healthy squeeze once they realize it doesn’t feel like a bag of sand. Also, they have Purple Hearts for the porn industry? Gotta be tough losing an eye to a moneyshot. A true pirate of porn.

morgue worker has confessed to having sex with up to 100 corpses. Kenneth Douglas was jailed in 2008 and again in 2012 after admitting sexually abusing the dead bodies of three women. Now he has admitted having sex with up to 100 corpses while drunk or high on drugs as he worked the nightshift at an Ohio morgue from 1976 to 1992.In a deposition to the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals obtained by WCPO, he explained: “I would just get on top of them and pull my pants down. ” The 60-year-old’s crimes have come under scrutiny as a Federal appeals court on Friday informed the families

people with signs that say, ‘You’re going to hell.’” As the photo above imply, demonstrates many of the female participants are attractive. Jessee admits she’d like to attract more conventional-looking people to this year ’s rallies. “We encourage people of all ages and sizes to join in,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s much more difficult to get people who aren’t fit to show themselves.” There is also another contingent she is concerned about: Guys who ironically support the cause as an excuse to see bare-breasted women. “I say to them: If you really are for this cause, bring your girlfriend, sister and mom to the rally, as well,” she said.

of his victims they can sue his employer, Ohio’s Hamilton County. The three known women Douglas was convicted of abusing (two of which were murder victims) were Karen Range, Charlene Appling and April Hicks. WCPO writes: “A jury might conclude the former coroner and morgue director failed ‘recklessly and wantonly’ to supervise Douglas.” Douglas said: “If I hadn’t had anything to drink when I went to work, it wouldn’t happen. I would do crack and go in and drink and go in.” Douglas’s wife said she complained to the morgue

supervisor about her husband smelling of sex and alcohol after work but claims she was told: “Whatever happens on county time and county property is county business.” The county says the abuse was the unknown criminal act of an employee and it should not be held liable. Antronette Shirley, Hicks’s older sister told the Associated Press: “I imagine Kenneth Douglas pulling her out of a freezer, climbing on top of her just like he said and having sex with her. “This will creep up in my mind until the day I die.”

The interest rate was creepycrawling up!

woman who kept her life savings hidden in a cupboard because she didn’t trust banks has been left heartbroken— after the pile of notes was eaten by termites. Cai Hou went to check on the pile of notes she had spent decades building up at her home in the city of Jinjiang, in eastern China’s Fujian province, only to find it had been chewed to pieces.The thrifty 70year-old —who had saved 10,000 Yuan (£1,000) at first thought she had been burgled. But she then spotted the insects next to the shredded notes and realised what had happened. ‘I was heartbroken,’ she said. ‘I’d never trusted banks and I always thought it would be safer to hide the cash in a safe place at home. How wrong could I be?’. Cai’s family painstakingly managed to piece together 5,900 Yuan (£570) in nibbled notes and took them to two local banks. Bank officials managed to verify notes worth only 1,950 Yuan (£190) and rejected the rest as too damaged. Cai said: ‘They said so much was missing that they couldn’t be certain they had ever been banknotes at all let alone the value of them.

‘I suppose we are lucky to get anything back. It’s certainly taught me a lesson and all the money I have left went straight back into the bank in my new account.’

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, A UGUST 30, 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201D;37 AUGUST

70 hearty cheers for Olabisi Adebowale I

t was indeed a celebration galore spruced with glamour and panache when Mrs. Olabisi Adebowale celebrated her 70th birthday. Apart from her immediate family, friends and wellwishers were amongst those who thronged the Zen Gardens, G.R.A. Ikeja to celebrate with the woman widely adjudged to have a large heart. Preceding the reception at Zen Garden was a thanksgiving service and Luncheon Party. Photos by Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

Dr .Yemi Ogunbiyi (centre) with Chief & Chief (Mrs) Mike Inegbese.

L-R: Chief (Mrs.) Folashade Ogunbiyi; Mr .Bimbo Adebowale and Mrs. Yetunde Akinfolarin

Mrs. Olabisi Adebowale (2left), celebrant with children cutting the Birthday cake at the occasion.

Mrs Olabisi Adebowale, celebrant, flanked by Chief and Chief (Mrs) Bandele Eroju

L-R: Mr Adewole Somole; Mr Goke Olayinka and Mrs Nike Goke-Olayinka.

L-R; Mrs Kanku Funsho and Alhaji Salihu A. Elimeakhe.

L-R:Alhaji Sheriff Folami And Mrs. Modupe Adams.

L-R: Mrs Olabisi Adebowale, Celebrant and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi

The Celebrant , Mrs. Olabisi Adebowale, (m), with relations, friends and well-wishers

38â&#x20AC;&#x201D;SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

YETUNDE AREBI

Is polygamy really bad?

Hi Last Tuesday, I received a text message from a close friend. It was short and rather vague. It read, "Yetunde, Please come over. It has happened". The first thing that hit my mind was that someone had died. Perhaps her husband since she had sent the text. Time was almost 6.00pm and I hardly ever leave home once it's that late in the day. Bisola's case was a peculiar one, she had been having serious issues with her marriage for a while which a couple of friends, me inclusive, have been helping out with. I could therefore not ignore such a text from her. I called her number but it was her daughter who picked the phone and promptly informed me that her mother was expecting me to come over and could not even speak on the phone. I asked after her father and she said he was fine as she had spoken with him that very afternoon. My mind was now at peace. Since the problem did not involve death, it was not something that could not be remedied. I could hear Bisola's voice weeping in the background. Reluctantly, I wangled through the evening traffic to Bisola's house. Her younger sister as well as her favourite neighbour were already there, trying to console her. Immediately I walked into her room, Bisola began a fresh round of loud wailing, telling me how her life has been ruined. How all her sweat and suffering in her 22 years of marriage had come to naught. How her husband has exposed her to the hands of her enemies. How she will become the butt of jokes and ridicule among family, friends and even the neighbours. What will she tell the church members? What has happened? I eventually shouted when I couldn't stand the suspense any longer. Akin has married another woman, she announced. I breathed a loud sigh of relief. Is that all? Is that why your life has been ruined, I asked? "Ah! Yetunde, it's not only that, she already has a child for him"! "And so", I asked? "Why are you talking like this, Yetunde, don't you know the implication of what Akin has done"? "I don't, please tell me"? "Yetunde, you are supposed to be my friend, why are you supporting my husband", she asked? At this point, her favourite neighbour was already clapping her hands together in cynical disgust. "Men are demons. No one would have ever suspected daddy Oyin was capable of what he has done. Ah! men will never get to heaven. They are snakes. They are .....". She went on and Bisola began another round of wailing while her sister too began scolding her to get a grip of herself. I sat on a corner of the bed and watched as the woman helped to fuel the situation with more invectives on men, indirectly insulting Akin, her so called friend's husband. After a few minutes, I told her I was leaving if she would not stop her wailing and allow me talk. Her neighbour was forced to stop her ranting at that point while she

The spread of religion, western life style and feminism helped to entrench monogamous marriages and exclusive relationships and slowly the practice of polygamy began to wear a new face

mellowed down on the weeping. To throw her off balance, I asked why she felt so devastated about the news since we had always suspected that Akin had a mistress somewhere. Confirming it to be true ought not to cause so much grief and wailing as if she lost one of her parents or that Akin had slumped suddenly and died. How did she confirm it? Akin, on one of his brief visits home (he had started sleeping out in the last two years, providing a dozen and one excuses for his actions) had mistakenly left his briefcase open while he took a bath. As she cleared the tray after his meal, she'd spotted a couple of green booklets that looked like Nigerian international passports, so she decided to check who they belonged to since her own and the passports of their three children were in her care. Lo! The three passports belonged to Akin, a certain woman and a little child of about two years, both, bearing Akin's name. Shocked, she had taken the three booklets to Akin who was still in the shower, demanding to know the meaning of what she was holding. The three passports had visas for the UK on them. Akin had earlier that afternoon informed her of a planned visit to the UK for a conference that, though he had not announced a date yet. She said rather than answer her question, Akin asked why she was snooping around on his things, adding that she had found what she was looking for. He then went on to ignore her and finished his bath. By this time, Busola had gone berserk, screaming all over the house, threatening hail and brimstone. After dressing up, Akin parked his things and told her he was not coming home for the night. "So, now that you know he has another family, what do you plan to do about it", I asked. "Yetunde, Akin has betrayed me. He has put my life and that of my children on the line and I will show him. He has finally disgraced me and I will disgrace him too". "How many people have you sent text messages to"? "Not many, just my parents in Akure, my sister in London and the three of you", she quipped. "You have also told Aunty Cynthia and Brother Abayo", her sister interjected, obviously annoyed. "Ok, and those ones too". "Bisola, listen to me", I said. "In your own interest, I beg you not to discuss this with anybody again, especially your in-laws. Be wary of advice that will totally ruin your marriage. People will readily tell you that if they were in your shoes, this and this are what they will do. Please tell them to wait for their turns so that they can do those things. You are not the first woman that her husband will betray and you surely will not be the last. Besides, why are you so afraid of the other woman? Why do you think your own life is ruined and not hers? Has he brought her into your home to live"? As I spoke, Bisola's sister interjected, "aunty, please help me tell her oh", while my friend's favourite neighbour murmured, "mummy Oyin, please listen to your friend". As I made my way back home later that night, I

could not help but wonder why we make so much fuss when a man decides to take another wife. Why does the woman at home always feel so threatened? Why is the other woman always regarded as the wicked one, the gold digger and home breaker? Is polygamy really a bad thing? Bisola might have come from a monogamous family, but Akin did not. Ditto, so many of us. Besides, polygamy, or rather, polygyny as practiced in many cultures, is not a strange thing in our culture and society and has been practiced for centuries. Many successful men and women are offshoot of polygamy and have wonderful stories to tell about growing up and how they lived in a loving, selfless communal life with their parents. The spread of religion, western life style and feminism helped to entrench monogamous marriages and exclusive relationships and slowly the practice of polygamy began to wear a new face. Today, even Muslim women demand for monogamous marriages despite the fact that their religion promotes the marriage of up to four wives by their men. Indeed, the practice of polygamy has been stigmatised with a lot of stereotyping. Thus, a horrible picture of oppression of women and children, unhealthy rivalry among the women and children, male dominance and chauvinism, economic and financial dependence on the man and even abuse of women and children have been highlighted as demerits of a polygamous marriage. However, can we truly say that these things are exclusive to polygamous marriages alone? Can all of these and perhaps more not be found in monogamous marriages too? Nigeria is a society where everyone is always quick to throw the religious card up when we want to argue our points. But most of us are religious, not God fearing. Whether as Muslim or Christians, if we are God fearing and loving, for God is love, love is peace, our society will be a better place. We will not speak from both sides of our mouths, depending on the situation. Bisola and Akin claimed to be Christians and even rose to become Deacon and Deaconess in the early days of their marriage. This was before they struck gold and Akin became a mega businessman. Businesses often took him away from home for several days and then, their problems started. Bisola, like most women, will readily throw it in his face that she helped make him as she married him when he had nothing, a nobody. And over the years, she'd gathered enough evidences to show that he was no longer faithful to their vows, but she remained in the marriage, sharing him with his many lovers. So, why all the commotion now that one of them has bore him a child? Dear readers: Please, I will really appreciate your views on this couple's problem. And while at it, let us try to answer the question above; is polygamy really bad? Remember, you may also reach me via email address: yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk. Do have a wonderful weekend!

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard , A UGUST 30, 2014—39 AUGUST

How Uduaghan adopted a bus conductor who “I had it now says ‘I’ll make the Governor proud’ coming

fJirst from home, but I said no” BY AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

aphet Omene would never forget , August 19, 2009. It was the day of his instant departure from poverty. Japhet was a Secondary School (SS1) student of Alegbo Secondary School Effurun, who made ends meet by working as a commercial bus conductor during holidays. But day came when Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan met Japhet and his story changed. It appeared destiny arranged for the Governor and Japhet to meet at an interactive meeting at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun, where the governor had gone to assure the people of Delta Central of speedy development of the area. Aware of the usual over zealousness of the security officials, the governor had stopped at the entrance of the premise to ensure that all who wanted to be part of the meeting were allowed in. That was when his eyes caught the poor Japhet. Moved by compassion, Governor Uduaghan, on the spot, adopted the then 17-year old Japhet Omene as his son to the joy of the people. Now, 22 years old Japhet, with the help of his adopted father (Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan) has graduated from secondary and is currently studying History and International Relations at Bowen University, Ogun State. Japhet Omene is a native of Mosogar in Ethiope West Area, Delta State. His parents had him and his sister in Lagos. But the family had to relocate to Delta State to find a better living condition. Life was hard and rough for Japhet and his family until God sent the governor to their rescue. “Despite the tough condition,” says Japhet, “I vowed that I would not do

anything dubious.” Narrating how he met the governor at the gate of the meeting venue, Japhet said: “that morning, when I left my house I went to the garage where I worked as a bus conductor. It was there I heard that the Governor was coming to the town hall meeting to hear what Deltans had to say about his administration. Immediately I got the information, I left the garage and headed to the venue of the meeting. On my way, a commercial motorcyclist carried me for free to the venue. That assistance made it possible for me to meet the Governor at the gate of the venue, addressing those who could not gain access into the hall. “The Governor on seeing me,” continued Japhet, “beckoned on me to come. Seeing my physical appearance, the Governor knew that all was not well with me, and seeing that I was the only teenager among the crowd, he decided to ask me some questions like: “what are you doing here when you are supposed to be in school?” I told him all was not well with my family, and that I work as a bus conductor. On hearing that, he told me to come with him to the hall. There, we sat down together. The Governor, in his characteristic way of providing better living condition for people of the state, changed my fortune right from that moment.” Asked whether he had anticipate he would meet such a fantastic luck in life, Japhet said he had dreams in which his life turned around, and that some men of God had prophesied so to him, but he never knew it would come in such a wonderful manner. He says the whole thing still feels like a dream. There is no basis for comparison between life now and before for Japhet. The Governor gave his mother a two-bedroom flat in Effurun and opened a trading business for her. For humility and some personal reasons, Japhet does not disclose his identity as a Governor’s Godson to his friends in school. So people see him as ordinary citizen. “I try to be like every other person and hide whatever the Governor is doing for me. I try

Japhet Omene the bus conductor with Gov Uduaghan

to be carful and show discipline. I try to live my life in a way that will not bring shame to the Governor,” he says. On his aspiration in life, Japhet says he would like to be like the Governor. “I want to become a politician after my studies.” He described the governor, his benefactor, as “somebody that is passionate about the common man. He cares about the plight of people. I want him to keep doing the good work, and I promise to make him proud.” Japhet vowed to work hard to impact on the life of others, just as the governor has impacted on his life. For Japhet’s mother, Beauty Omene, a petty trader before the governor came into her life, words cannot express her

Japhet Omene, the undergraduate gratitude to the governor who adopted not only her son, but the family, sent Japhet to one of the best universities in Nigeria, and set up a business for her. “We were hopeless. We were living from hand to mouth…” She said she never dreamed that life would turn out so for them. Sharing how the governor set up a business for her, Mrs. Beauty said: “After my son met him, about two days later, the Governor sent for me to come and see him at his Ogunu Road House; that was where he discussed my business with me and even hired a two bed room flat for me and furnished the house for me. Since then, he has been taking care of my family. In fact, during Christmas period, he usually sends something to us to make sure we too celebrate.”

40—SA TURD AY 40—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard , AUGUST 30 30, 2014

•Robbery Suspects

‘I ssttarrtted armed robberryy afftter Ogboni ’ e m d e il a le f fai y it rn e n t ter a fr fra n Co

ave you ever been hit from the rear by a motorcycle while driving? If yes, never attempt to alight to check the damages done on your vehicle, or exchange words with the erring motorcyclist, particularly if the rider is not alone. This is because you could fall prey to robbers who have devised such method to snatch vehicles from unsuspecting motorists. This admonition is coming on the heels of the arrest of four suspected members of a robbery gang who specialised in snatching vehicles from their owners at gun point, by operatives of the Ogun State Command Special Anti Robbery Squad, using such method. One significant trait about this robbery gang is its penchant for posh cars, preferably Toyota Camry cars and jeeps. Its members who reside in Ogun state, as gathered, travel to other states in the south west region to operate and thereafter, sell the stolen cars at give away prices to ready buyers in Lagos state.

Crime Guard gathered that the armed gang stormed Agbara area of Ogun state last month,where they blocked their victim who slowed down on reaching a bad spot,with their operational motorcycle. They thereafter, ordered the fear stricken motorist to get down from the vehicle , pointing a gun at him and thereafter zoomed off with the Toyota Camry car . Barely had they driven off than the vehicle reportedly stopped. While they were contemplating on the next move, a team of policemen reportedly stormed on them. Three of them were said to have fled into the bush, leaving their partner in crime, Olalekan at the mercy of the policemen. Olalekan’s confessional statement reportedly led to the arrest of other members of the gang, including a popular car dealer who resides in Ejigbo area of Lagos, who was alleged to be one of the gang’s receivers. It was gathered that several vehicles suspected to have been stolen by the gang were recovered from the receiver’s showroom in Lagos. Another car dealer identified as ‘Major’, who was also indicted by the suspects , is currently at large. Also, some stolen vehicles were reportedly recovered in his showroom at Abule-Egba area of Lagos. Preliminary investigation as gathered, revealed that three members of the gang were arrested in January 2014, by policemen

BY EVELYN USMAN

I am a secondary school drop out. I have tried my hands on many menial jobs without being able to feed myself. Several times, my family have suggested I got married

attached to the Lagos State Police Command, over a similar case and were charged to court, from where they were granted bail. The suspects identified as Isiaka Olalekan, Kazeem Abiodun, Rafiu Ojolowo and Ife , however,blamed their indulgence on unemployment. One of them, 24 yearold Abiodun, a Nigeria Certificate in Education ,NCE holder, told Crime Guard that he had to join the ogboni confraternity in his frantic search for money but never had his desire met . I started with snatching female bags In this interview with Crime Guard the suspects revealed their respective roles,with 25 -year-old Kazeem Abiodun who hails from Otto -Awori , Ojo Lagos, saying: “ I am an NCE holder from Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education , Ijanikin, Lagos. I graduated in year 2011. I have have had several jobs but made no head way. I had to join Ogboni confraternity out of frustration. Yet, I did not make any headway. I started with snatching handbags at busstops, from where I met Rafiu Ojolowo. Our major place of operation was Agabra busstop. We were into that until wee met Isiaka who introduced us to real robbery where we used arms. I was given a pistol while Rafiu rode the okada”. I graduated from yahoo to robbery Isiaka “I am a secondary school drop -out. I have tried my hands on many menial jobs without being able to feed myself. Several times, my family have suggested I got married. But no woman wanted to marry me because I have no money. I learnt tiling but could not get money to start a business of my own. I ventured into internet fraud . But because I am not educated, I could not make any thing reasonable out of it.

Along the line, I met Ife who introduced me into robbery . I learnt how to snatch cars from where they were parked , using a metal key. Our choice car then was Toyota Camry because it is easy and faster to sell. Anytime we succeeded in moving the vehicles from where they were packed, my job would be to drive them down to Lagos , from where we would hand them over to Major , our receiver. We were initially taking it to Alhaji Balogun who has a show room ,before we switched to ‘Major’ who paid higher. For every car I took to Major, I got N10,000 to N50,000, depending on the model. I was arrested January this year by SARS Lagos,alongside Isiaka, Ife and Bakare, over a stolen Toyota Camry car. I met one Solomon in the cell who gave me Kazeem Abiodun’s contact. Immediately I was released , I went in search of Abiodun in Agabara, from where we formed a gang of three. We initiated Rafiu Olowo, a tailor, who drove our operational motorcycle. I graduated from being the driver to the gang’s hit man ,while Ojolowo volunteered his motorcycle.

How we were arrested All was going on well until July 19, 2014. Three of us rode on the motorcycle. When we saw a man with a Toyota Camry coming, we hit him from behind when he slowed down on reaching a bad spot. He alighted and started speaking grammar. Before he knew it, I hit him with the butt of my gun and asked him to lie down . I jumped into the car with Afeez and sped off, while Ojolowo left with the motorcycle. We immediately put a call across to Alhaji Balogun who lives in Ejigbo area of Isolo. But on the way, the vehicle suddenly stopped and before we knew it, we were rounded up by the police”, said the 24 year-old suspect. . However, the forth suspect, Afeez Bakare, claimed he never partook in the robbery. He disclosed rather that other members of the gang mentioned his name to avenge him of a previous offence. According to the Ogun state suspect, “I have never joined them in any operation. One of them, Ife , only called to inform me that he had a RAV4 Toyota Jeep to sell. I never knew he stole it. He told me it was his and wanted to sell it because he had no money. All I did was to get him a buyer , one, Major, based at Abule-Egba, Lagos. I took them in the vehicle to ‘Major’ house in Sango and he bought the vehicle for N270,000. I was only given N10,000 . But two months later I discovered they went behind me to sell another vehicle to Major for N750,000,without my knowledge. I was angry and decided to set them up by reporting to the Police, thereby leading to their arrest . That was a long time ago. I have not set my eyes on them . They only implicated me to revenge” said the 32-year-old suspect. The suspects according to the Ogun State police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, would be charged to court soon, adding that policemen were on the trail of other fleeing members of the gang.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 41

42—SATURDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

Communities Shut Down of Erhoike Flowstation despite negotiated GMoU — NNPC

he Management of the Nigeri an National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has confirmed the shut-down of the Erhoike flowstation located within the OML 30 operation area in Delta State which belongs to its upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), by youth from the host communities. Indigines from the eleven Orogun host communities who had earlier threatened to disrupt the operations of the NPDC in the area if their demands for patronage and community development projects were not met within fourteen days shut down the flowstation.Some of the demands made by the communities included: ·Payment of the arrears of rentals and leases owed by SPDC before and after divestment of the field. ·Remediation of their environment and refrain from further degradation. ·All roads within the communities where NPDC operate should be tarred or constructed. ·5% of oil production should be invested in community development and 25% equity shares ceded to their communities. ·Stable electricity supply and 80% skilled workers, 100% unskilled workers vacancies must be filled by community applicants. ·All contracts below N1Billion must be reserved for indigenous contractors of host communities who must also be given first right of refusal. ·A development plan for host communities with implementation timeline. ·All quick-win project contracts awarded and outstanding contracts to the communities to be paid for with immediate effect. NNPC, in a statement statement partly said the following:“We, however, wish to state that most of the demands have been addressed by the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) which has been negotiated with the OML 30 host communities amongst which are the 11 host communities of the Erhoike flowstation. The draft of the GMoU is at the last stage of ratification as NPDC plans to discuss it with the Governor of Delta State after which a date will be fixed for the signing ceremony. “We also wish to state that a scheduled inspection visit to the communities by the Management

All contracts below N1Billion must be reserved for indigenous contractors of host communities who must also be given first right of refusal

L-R: The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha shaking hands with Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Kenneth Minimah, during a courtesy visits at the Army Headquarters

of NPDC to verify the complaints about the deplorable state of the roads and identify which of the roads needed immediate intervention was scuttled by the youth in the communities who chased away NPDC officials who went for the inspection. “On the payment for quick-win community projects, we would like to state that approval has been given to the NPDC to pay contractors who have completed their projects. “We appeal to the communities to cooperate with us to engender a peaceful environment for business as no meaningful development can be achieved under a rancorous atmosphere”.

NNPC Seeks Greater Collaboration with Army, Police on Asset Security

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha has expressed the desire of the Corporation to enhance existing cordial relationship between the NNPC and the Nigerian Army as well as the Nigeria Police Force towards the achievement of efficient protection of vital oil and gas assets. Speaking during courtesy visits to the Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Kenneth Minimah at the Army Headquarters and the Acting Inspector General of Police , Suleiman Abba at the Force Headquarters, Dr. Dawha expressed gratitude to the Security Chiefs for their role in providing the much needed cover for the smooth operations of the NNPC despite mounting security challenges. At the Army Headquarters, Dr. Dawha said his visit was meant to renew the existing cordial relationship between the two organisations, stressing that NNPC would continue to collaborate with the Nigerian Army which he said has been providing security support for the Corporation’s assets in the Upstream, Midstream and Downstream Sector. The GMD lauded the role of the Nigerian Army in the security Joint Task Force (JTF), extolling the performance of the outfit in protecting NNPC assets in Port Harcourt, Benin and Auchi and also in the Chad Basin where one of the corporation’s Strategic Business Units, Integrated Data Services Limited, is currently engaged in Seismic data acquisition activities. The GMD also noted the role of the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps in clearing and provid-

ing security for NNPC Right of Way across the Country. D r. Dawha enjoined the Nigerian Army to continue to provide security support in the fight against crude oil theft which he said has had a negative impact on the nation’s resources in recent times. Welcoming the GMD to the Army Headquarters in Abuja, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah expressed satisfaction in the collaborative bond between NNPC and the Nigerian Army saying the two organisations would continue to have common grounds of cooperation for the economic development of Nigeria. Lt. General Minimah said providing security to national assets including those of NNPC was one of the first lines of duty of the Army assuring the GMD and his team of sustained support. Lt. General Minimah appreciated the recent interventions from the various tiers of Government in providing appropriate platforms to enhance the Army’s effectiveness in providing security for NNPC assets, adding that the Army would strive to improve on its performance for the development of the country. Before the visit to the Army Headquarters, the GMD was at the Louis Edet House where he paid tribute to the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force for their untiring support in providing security to NNPC’s assets and facilities across all sub-sectors. “We need to deepen and strengthen the close ties between NNPC and the Nigerian Police Force for the socio-economic growth and stability of the country,” the GMD said. Responding the IGP said the Nigerian Police would continue to accord high priority to the protection of oil and gas facilities across the country. “I have a new team in place and I assure you we will do whatever we need to do to give you better services in terms in terms of pipeline protection, ‘’ the IGP said. The NNPC team on the courtesy visits included the Group Executive Director, New Business Directorate, Dr. Attahir Yussuf, GED Corporate Services, Dr. Dan Efebo and the General Manager, Security, Fred Owotorufa .

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44 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

Continues from page 15 with the seriousness that it deserves. As the ISIS is a threat to Iraq, the Boko haram is also growing in that direction and should not be treated with kid gloves so that we do not have to start looking out for US to intervene as in Iraq.” “Many believe the group activities thrive because there is no cohesive strategy for combating the group. “Lack of adequate weapons for troops sent to fight the well-armed rebels has hampered the counter-insurgency and some soldiers have refused to be deployed to Gwoza without better gear in an apparent mutiny.

Northerners in govt have failed Nigeria

CORRUPTION

Many analysts however believe the military still has the capacity to reverse the insurgents. There are those who opine that despite huge budgetary allocation to security and defence, the efforts would not yield any result unless the pandemic corruption is tackled.

On Islamic Caliphate

C M Y K

President Jonathan blamed for Boko Haram and that’s a problem. Asked whether the claim by foot soldiers that they were not well equipped and motivated was true, the ex-soldier said it was true. Complaint about poor equipment of Nigerian military is not new. The last time governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state brought it up, Presidential Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe hit back, playing more politics than addressing the reality. He said, “We state categorically that the Nigerian military is one of the best equipped in Africa and that in 2014, the Federal Government made budgetary provision in excess of N1 trillion for the military and other security agencies, an amount, which is about 22 percent of our entire national budget for this year. This definitely belies the suggestion in certain quarters that the Federal Government is not doing the needful in prosecuting this war.” Where are the weapons? He may want to answer too.

The Maitatsine example

There are obvious similarities between the Maitatsine insurgency which broke out in the late 1970s to early 1980s and

For anyone who has good grasp of Islamic history Shekau and his Boko Haram do not in any way represent Islam. A number of Islamic teachers who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, have have condemned Shekau. A particular Imam who did not want his name in print questioned the sanity of Shekau in declaring Gwoza, a southeastern town of about 300 000 residents in Borno state a Caliphate. “Does he know what a Caliphate is? A Caliphate is an empire.” Shekau, however. feels those condemning him are infidels. . His war against Nigerians and the world is well guided by faith in a brand of Islamic fundamentalism that embraces terrorism. He said: “Allah is going to use Islam to rule (not only) Gwoza, (but also) Nigeria, and the whole world.” Since the collapse of the Islamic Caliphate in 1924, when the leader of Turkey, Kamal Ataturk, pulled Turkey out of the Islamic world, the hurt Islamic radicals have been scheming to re-establish a global Islamic authority called the Caliphate. There are three stages involved in this scheme, according to experts in terrorism: First, establish Islamic states. Second, join these states together under a caliphate. Third, use the caliphate to submit the entire world to Islamic authority. Last month, in July, Abubakar Shekau had announced his support for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State armed group which had similarly seized part of Iraq and Syria declaring himself “the caliph” and leader of Muslims everywhere.” On why the Nigeria military has not been able to dislodge Boko Haram, a retired top brass of the Nigerian army told Saturday Vanguard that there is more to it than what the people are told. Fighting Boko Haram is big money to some people. They have infiltrated some places. “Or who do you think helps the members of Boko Haram members to escape arrest? The military is aware of all these. There is more mutiny going on in the army than they let out to the public. Some want the trouble to end but they lack the wherewithal to fight on. There are those who lack the guts to fight on. They are divided

There is more mutiny going on in the army than they let out to the public

Boko Haram insurgency which started in 2002 but whose terror has intensified in past five to six years. The leader of the Matatsine Islamic sect was Mohammed Marwa, born in a town called Marwa on the border of Nigeria with Cameroon. He was said to have started preaching in 1945 trying to cause trouble at that time which compelled the British colonial government to exiled him. Claiming to be a prophet and Mujahid in the mold of Usman Dan Fodio, founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, he preached against radios, wearing wrist watches, cars, bicycles and possession of wealthy things including excess money. He had growing follower ship especially in Kano drawn from both Almajiris and some middle class youths who absconded from home. His adherents refused to interact or mix with other Muslims, living in their own enclave as a result of which their practices and activities conflicted with the authorities. At first, the Islamic religious leadership did not know how to contain Mohammed Marwa and the message he was preaching. When however, he travelled to Mecca in 1975 for the hajj, it seemed he was to be accepted.

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Nigerians running away from their country

Grand design to destabilise Nigeria Continues from page 44

But in 1979, when the military quit power for a civilian dispensation, he rejected the prophet-hood of Mohammed (SAW) and the Hadith and Sunnah. Consequently, he was also rejected. Instead of dealing decisively with the Maitatsine sect, it was treated with kid gloves by both Kano State government under late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) founded by late Mallam Aminu Kano which was in opposition to National Party of Nigeria (NPN) then ruling the country with Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the President of Nigeria. While the two sides were playing politics, often arresting Mohammed Marwa and releasing him, Maitatsine sect grew in leaps and bounds. As people began to disappear in Kano especially when they entered the compound of the sect and never came out again. The Emir of Kano at that time (Ado Bayero) was very worried, more so, as the sect members, unlike other regular Muslims, did not respect his authority. They owed allegiance only to their leader. In subsequent years leading up to 1980, violent confrontations between Maitatsine members and the Police increased just as membership of the sect rose. Kano was sitting on a keg of gunpowder, which later exploded. The inevitable happened on a Friday after the Jumat prayers. Unknown to the authorities, Maitatsine members had been stockpiling weapons with more of the sect followers from outside Kano coming in. When the onslaught began, they overran the mosques, churches and police stations. At the end of several days of sporadic attacks, thousands of people were killed. Reports of Maitatsine sect members

Many believe the group activities thrive because there is no cohesive strategy for combating the group

impregnable to bullets, members having a gaze that paralysed people instantly who confronted them became rife in the media. It was the army who moved in and overpowered the sect, killing Mohammed Marwa, the leader. After his death, a certain Musa Makaniki, who took over the sect’s leadership and fled to Yola with other Maitatsine members, causing another mayhem there in which nearly 2,000 people died and several, thousands rendered homeless. The sect members caused riots again in Bulum Kuttu near Maiduguri and in Kaduna, leaving thousands dead. All these riots were quelled by the military the military. Troops chased them to Gombe, then finally into Cameroon. The sect had spread its deadly incursion not only into Borno State but also to the old Gongola State, unleashing violence in Jimeta, Dobeli Zango, Yelwa, Runde and Nasarawa before security forces successfully battled to restore order. But not after thousands of people lost their lives while properties worth millions of naira had been destroyed. The military chased them into neigbhouring countries and even went their killing them. It was very decisive. Maitatsine were deadlier than Boko Haram but they were dealt with. “Maitatsine,” which literally means “One who curses,” attracted massive followers among tallakawa (commoners). It was referred to as yan Tatsine (those who curse). The activities of Maitatsine were destructive and a source of worry to the federal and state governments. They launched attacks on police formations, government establishments, churches, Christians and moderate Muslims. The same way NPN/PRP initially played

politics with Maitatsine before they were dealt with may have similarities with what’s happening with Boko Haram. Members of Maitatsine led by Mohammed Marwa, shot their way into notoriety when they took to the streets of major cities in the north, proclaiming their brand of Islam to be superior to every other one, thereby igniting widespread violence that claimed lives and properties. Between Maitatsine riots and Boko Haram insurgency there had been several ethno-religious disturbances which claimed over 20,000 lives and destruction of properties worth billions of naira. Boko Haram had been exceptional with several military casualties, equipment losses, brazen suicide bombers including girls and even fleeing of a large number of soldiers from battle into Cameroon. It has been so bad for the Nigerian military although the government has continued to be optimistic that it would defeat Boko Haram. The whole of Africa has been blighted by Boko Haram’s horrifying acts of inhumanity. The terrorist attacks on Nigeria have been devastating of which our response needs to be equally sharp. Said Stephen Omare, an engineer: “We cannot take our personal safety for granted. People must take active part in the vigilant protection of our country. Civilians must assume roles in our civil defence as block watchers, neighobourhood police, campus security and informants to military authorities and security operatives about those who act suspiciously. “It’s easy enough to say Boko Haram insurgents represent pure evil, but it’s also pertinent to ask: What is it in Nigeria that led them into such bestiality, wanton killings, abductions, bomb attacks and so on?.”

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Glo Xchange solution to Nigeria’s payment system T

HERE are diverse solutions to bring money to the mobile and electronic world. One is the POS option and another is the ATM cash machine; both of which are being adopted mainly in big cities and metropolises. Expectedly, the adoption of ATMs and POS is slow and meticulous, hampered by power supply, cost of deployment, technicality of process, road network security and other developmental challenges. Currently Nigeria boasts of about 6,000 bank branches, 12,000 ATMs, 200,000 point-of-sale (PoS) terminals and less than 20 million bank accounts in a country of over 150 million people. The majority of Nigeria’s population of over 174 million people have no access to financial services. A total of about 20 million are banked while 80 million others, who are at the bottom of the social pyramid, are unbanked. Given these challenges, there must be another solution, a simpler solution to facilitate the penetration of the cashless payment policy of the Federal Government and deepen financial inclusion in the country. From all indications, mobile money appears to have come to the rescue. Or, so it seems. This is considering that the figures and prospects of mobile phone penetration appear more sanguine - Nigeria has more than 120 million active mobile lines - than the formal banking figures.

L-R: Globacom’s Chief commercial Director , Mr. Prabhat Aggarwal, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali and the Director Consultancy services University of Ilorin, Prof. Olugbenga Mokuolu during a courtesy call to Globacom’s corporate headquarters in Lagos recently. The adoption of a Telco-based financial system therefore has more prospect of bringing in the unbanked millions of Nigerians into the financial system. An effective financial inclusion system holds the key to unlocking the vast economic potential, locked in the Nigerian informal sector and Small and Middle scale Enterprises (SME). It should be noted that the potential GDP growth rate in Nigeria is 11 per cent, whereas the actual GDP growth rate as discerned from the rebasing exercise recently carried out by the Federal Government is six per cent. Since people don’t live

on potential but actuals, it is of utmost importance therefore to implement policies that will help Nigeria to actualize the potential growth rate. This was the view of Mr. Bismark Rewane, the Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company Limited and macro-economics expert. One veritable way of achieving this is to capture the money lying outside the formal sector. Considering that

Unemployment: FG empowers over 500 youths on skill acquisition In order to reduce the rate of unemployment and forestall non violence, peaceful co-existence among youths in the North-East of Nigeria, the Federal Government has embarked on empowering over 500 youths on skill acquisition. The welcome initiative which is being handled by the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) will also seize the opportunity to train them on rice re-bagging exercise. Speaking on the exercise, the Program Development and Implementation Associate, Mr. Mohammed Danjuma, said it is designed to provide skills acquisition and empowerment opportunity for over 500 youths within the six states of the

North east. According to him, these youths will not only be empowered with new skills and equipment, they will also be temporarily employed for the duration of the re-bagging exercise, he said. “PINE as a federal government agency would boost the component of the exercise and espousing the intrinsic benefits of empowering the youths with the requisite skills that would later enable them make a living for themselves”. Danjuma stressed that the initiative will help them become responsible citizens towards contributing to the stimulation of the local economy. In addition, the Finance and Administrative Manager, Lintex Internation-

Nothern youths receiving skill acquisition training

al Limited, Ms. Panmwa Sim Bewaran during a chat in Lagos recently, said Lintex is partnering with PINE as consultant and contractor towards making the programme a success. She said, the initiative binding both parties includes, bagging of 500,000 bags of rice in 6 North Eastern States on entrepreneurial skill training in sealing of the bags of rice. Continuing, she said, Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe and Maiduguri respectively would benefit from this project. She further explained that the partnership will undertake and oversee the economic rejuvenation and redevelopment of the North-Eastern States of Nigeria. It would help to implement an emergency assistance and economic stabilisation programme in the mentioned states”. Bewaran also averred that Lintex as the sole consultant and contractor to the initiative, will oversee the project which is in line with the mandate and objectives of PINE, hoping that at the end of it all, over 500 youths would have been equipped with packing, sealing and loading machines to start up their own businesses.

over 46 per cent of Nigerian adults currently have no access to financial services, mobile money appears to be a strong tool for financial inclusion of this huge population. The foundation for Electronic banking began with the launch of M - Banking by a telecoms network, Globacom on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 to the general banking public. Former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Dr. Chukwuma Soludo presided over the ceremony. This was followed by the issue of licences for the mobile money operation to mobile money operators and financial institutions in 2007. The CBN then issued operating licenses to an initial 11 mobile money firms, namely: Fortis Mobile Money, UBA/Afripay, GTBank Mobile Money, Pagatech, eTranzact, Monetise, Eartholeum, Paycom, FET, Ecobank and Kudi. The operating license allows the companies to provide products such as electronic payments through mobile phones. For the purpose of broadening participation in mobile money system, in general, and the cash-lite policy in particular, the apex bank issued licences to more financial institutions including, First Monie, Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC, thereby bringing the total number of operators to about 20 as at today. If the mobile money potential is properly harnessed, it will definitely contribute to the efficiency of Nigeria’s payment systems, lead to more efficient

leveraging on the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) with their over 7,000 outlets. Shonibare also explained the simple recruitment process of the network: “With as little as N20,000, Nigerians can become Glo Xchange Agents by sending through SMS their First name/Last name/City/State to 33003 or 08150033003 Or visit w w w. G l o w o r l d . c o m / Mobilemoney”. Launching the Glo Xchange super network, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele said the initiative marks the beginning of the deeper collaboration between the financial industry and the telecommunications sector for financial inclusion and simplification of our payment system. During his tenure, the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido campaigned vigorously for a cashless society. CBN’s primary objective is to reduce the physical movement of cash in our daily transactions in the economy. The Apex bank’s effort may have been paying off as many corporate organisations have been coming up with concepts that fit into the CBN’s strategy. Globacom has lent its might to the entire campaign with its Mobile Money Agent Network, Glo Xchange. At the launch of the platform in Lagos, Rewane agreed that Glo Xchange is an essential ingredient for

Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and the 26th largest in the world, is largely cash-based, a situation which he said constitutes a barrier to rapid growth transactions and open a floodgate of opportunities for a lot of stakeholders from the top to the bottom of the mobile money value chain. This is where distribution and penetration of mobile money agents come in. Globacom seems to have the answer to this challenge. The company on Thursday, August 21, launched Glo Xchange to help with the acceleration of mobile money services. Globacom’s Head of Corporate Sales, Mr. Kamal Shonibare, said at the launch that Glo Xchange will avail the mobile money sector with the much needed agent network across the entire country, as well as the technology platform required for seamless mobile money transactions. According to him, Glo Xchange provides the partner banks on the project with the telecom company’s extensive network of 150 Glo World & Glo Zone shops, over 35,000 Glo Dealer and Sub Dealer outlets and over 400 Con Oil filling stations across the country. Globacom aims to recruit over 500,000 Mobile Money Agents across the country in the next 5 to 6 years, who will earn excellent commission monthly on sales. He further said that the initiative is also

accelerating electronic payment and financial inclusion in Nigeria. He described Nigeria as a mineral-rich and commodity-dependent economy with a nominal GDP of $510bn. According to him, it is 12 times the size of Kenya’s economy which has profited massively from mobile money service. He observed that though Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and the 26th largest in the world, is largely cashbased, a situation which he said constitutes a barrier to rapid growth. He said therefore that Glo Xchange will help to enhance the cashless policy of the CBN and also improve the velocity of money in order to drive economic activity and economic growth. Dr. Ayo Teriba, CEO of Economic Associates and a renowned financial analyst shared similar views. He noted that while Mobile Money service has been in Nigeria for over three years, it has failed to grow as expected because of certain reasons, including lack of an efficient and expansive agent network. He noted that Glo Xchange, with the nationwide network of agents as unveiled by Globacom, is just the ingredient the industry has been waiting for “.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 47

Chief Victor Umeh

Chief Willie Obiano,

Peter Obi

Mrs. Uche Ekwunife

Is APGA going into extinction? BY VINCENT UJUMADU

Why we left APGA –Ekwunife Ekwunife, who was the leader of the Anambra caucus in the House of Representatives and chairman of the House Committee on Environment, said that they left APGA because of unfair treatment. While handing over her resignation letter to her Nri Ward APGA chairman, Ekwunife told her supporters: “Political party is only a vehicle towards achieving a political purpose and I am happy I passed through APGA and this is the time for me to change the baton... I want to be in a party where I will have the opportunity to express myself. I had a passion for APGA but something happened that made me to change my mind. I cannot continue to be frustrated because I am in APGA. I am not going to abandon my supporters and I want those who have been associating with me to continue to do so. Everything about politics is local and it is the people at the grassroots that determine how a politician succeeds. Obi’s surprise move A few days after the defection of the four lawmakers, immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, in a surprise move, resigned as the leader and chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT. Though Obi agreed that he ought to have intervened more aggressively to stop the defecting members, he said he did not actually know on what platform he would have done so, since, according to him, his position as the chairman of BOT and leader of APGA were yet to be ratified. The former governor was made the BoT chairman and party leader at an impressive ceremony

HESE are really not good times for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. Though the leadership tussle between its National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh and Chief Maxi Okwu, is still at the Supreme Court, members heaved a sigh of relief when the Court of Appeal resolved the tango in favour of Umeh. However, as Umeh settled down to put the party in a right shape in readiness for the 2015 general elections, there was another internal squabble. This time, four members of the party in the House of Representatives led by Mrs. Uche Ekwunife defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Before the defection, there had been concerns about Ekwunife’s future in APGA since she lost the party’s governorship ticket to Chief Willie Obiano, who eventually won the election last year, with speculations that she might return to PDP, the party on which platform she won her first election to the House of Representatives in 2007.

Describing the defection of the lawmakers as worrisome, Obi said the development called for a serious reflection, especially with the 2015 general elections drawing near

in Awka early this year. Describing the defection of the lawmakers as worrisome, Obi said the development called for a serious reflection, especially with the 2015 general elections drawing near. The former governor said he remains a member of the party and urged APGA members across the country to reflect on the way forward for the party. Shortly after the defection and Obi’s resignation, APGA, alleged that two prominent members of PDP in Anambra State, who have interests in oil and gas enticed the decamping federal lawmakers and promised them automatic tickets for the 2015 election to destabilize APGA in the state. President of Initiative for Good Governance, Chief Jude Emecheta, a Governor Willie Obiano support group, warned that any attempt to destabilize APGA in Anambra would not be in the interest of PDP during the 2015 presidential election. He expressed happiness that Governor Obiano and the party hierarchy were intervening on the issue with a view to resolving the APGA matter amicably. He also said the fact that Obi refused to join PDP to become a minister was because he has integrity and should not be a reason to destabilize APGA. Did Obi influence the lawmakers’ move? Obi’s reasons for resigning did not draw more suspicion than his comments that the defecting legislators had the right to personal decisions about their political future or any other endeavour for that matter. For instance, Umeh alleged that the defection plot was hatched by Obi and his associates, adding that part of the group’s game plan was to go to the presidency to say that APGA was not supporting Jonathan, which he said was not true. He described those who decamped from APGA as election ticket hunters, noting that whenever they don’t get what they want from a party, they begin to curse that party. He also said that the reason given by Obi for resigning as the APGA BOT chairman was his new appointment as the South East coordinator of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN. Umeh said APGA had wanted to inaugurate Obi as a BoT chairman before he left office last March as governor and the party asked him to provide a budget for the special convention to that effect, regretting that the former governor dilly-dallied, apparently because he had made up his mind not to accept the role. “With all our hearts, we wanted to make him the APGA BoT chairman and leader of our party, but the issue was that because of the leadership crisis being experienced in the party then, he thought that my leadership had come to an end and there was therefore no need to deal with us. However, when we won at the Court of Appeal, he found out that his game plan had failed and he

began another move to destabilize the party by engineering our members in the House of Representatives to defect to PDP. Now, after pursuing other things and when he did not succeed, he resigned from the position of BoT chairman which is most unfortunate.The resignation letter he sent to our office was dated August 1, 2014, but he had already been appointed the South East coordinator of TAN and that was why he backdated the resignation letter,” he said. Umeh said that with Obi’s resignation, all issues will be reserved till the party’s national convention slated for next year to elect new leaders of the party, adding that at that convention, all the outstanding matters in the party would be handled. Attacks on Obi unwarranted –Obienyem Obi’s media aide, Mr. Valentinee Obienyem, however, wondered why the former governor’s resignation as APGA BoT chairman and leader should elicit unfair reaction from some people, even when he is still a member of the party. He said: “Resignation could mean that he is not comfortable being associated with posts yet to be confirmed. It could be that he wants to allow the leaders of APGA to choose a person better than him. It could be that he needed more time for other engagements. In such decisions, what gentlemen do is to respect the person that has done so, recognizing that he acted within his rights. He also said that Obi is not coordinator of TAN as being suggested. Ogene, Nwogbo insist on APGA As APGA members were still expressing concern over the defections, two members in the House of Representatives – Afam Ogene (Ogbaru federal constituency) and Emeka Nwogbo (Awka North and South) - said they remain members of APGA. Their statement came after their meeting with Governor Obiano in Awka. Ogene, at a meeting with his constituents at Atani, the headquarters of Ogbaru Local Council of the state said he has not left the party and debunked rumours that Obi influenced the other legislators to leave APGA for PDP. He told the people that what happened was that there was a meeting on whether it would be better for all the elected federal lawmakers to contest on the same political party with President Goodluck Jonathan since all the elections for 2015 would be contested on the same day. According to him, after the meeting, the affected lawmakers also discussed with Governor Obiano. He said because of the issues involved, he has been meeting stakeholders in the constituency, including traditional rulers and the clergy, explaining that it has been decided that they should remain in APGA.

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SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 49

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

hief Tom Ikimi who led the committee of the legacy parties that formed the All Progressives Congress, APC last Tuesday walked away from the party strewing his exit route with ideological and personality issues that could endanger Nigeria’s only formidable opposition party

Bola Tinubu

Tom Ikimi

IKIMI AND TINUBU:

An Acrimonious divorce

For those who had believed that one of Nigeria’s most enduring political figures lacked strength of political conviction, Chief Tom Ikimi’s farewell message to the All Progressives Congress, APC was a shocker. “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu having paraded himself both at home and abroad as The Leader of Opposition and of the APC had great difficulty in descending from the fictitious throne. In order to continue manipulating the party from his parlors in Abuja and Lagos he struggled to retain Chief Bisi Akande as Chairman.” The acerbic dismissal of Tinubu, the revered national leader of the APC by Ikimi was the latest blow to what was once believed to be the impregnable fortress of the opposition. Ikimi who exited the party he led to fruition only a year ago, follows the path of other foundation members of the APC such as Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, Mallam Ibarhim Shekarau, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa (rtd,), Mr. Marcus Gundiri among others who have left the party. Ikimi’s exit had been predicted since the controversies that shaped the party’s national convention last June when the former governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun emerged as the national chairman of the party. OdigieOyegun was the favoured candidate of Tinubu to lead the party and emerged after Ikimi was prevailed upon not to contest or was allegedly systematically barred from the contest. Though Ikimi did not forthrightly announce his next political direction in his treatise published last Wednesday, it is not unlikely that he will find his way back to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from where he drifted to the opposition at the middle of the last decade. Ikimi had gained national renown for his melodramatic role in supervising the presidential nomination convention of the PDP in 2003, where he played the crucial role of Chief Electoral Officer. His stay in the PDP at that time was largely uneventful especially when he had to contend with the tight grip of Chief Tony Anenih, a fellow Esan man in the politics of Edo State. It was not surprising that Ikimi not too long gravitated back to the opposition and was part of the handful of men including Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu who laid the groundwork for the emergence of the first formidable opposition to the PDP since the advent of the Fourth Republic in the shape of the defunct Advanced Congress of Democrats, ACD. The ACD was to later transform into the Action Congress, AC and then the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN before the final collapse into the APC last year. Ikimi’s stay in the ACN was to eventually prove rewarding, if not for anything, as he for once got the better of his long time political rival, Anenih when his party, ACN triumphed over Anenih’s PDP in the courts to take control of Edo State in 2008. Ikimi may have rejoiced as the Adams Oshiomhole phenomenon made

Ikimi’s ideological punch if not anything, would raise the red flag for the remaining conservatives in the APC such as Chief Ogbonnonya Onu, the leading Igbo man in the APC

mockery of Anenih’s famed political grip of Edo State. However, whatever satisfaction Ikimi got from the inconveniences that befell Anenih were increasingly doused by the increasing influence of Tinubu as a political colossus in the Southwest, nay Nigeria. Ikimi, apparently got fed up last June after he was supposedly edged out from the chairmanship contest of the APC, but he waited till last Tuesday to pour out his recrimination. He remarkably did it after the APC national hierarchy

named him into the Board of Trustees, BoT of the party last week. Remarkably, his vituperation was on Tinubu, a man he tried to prove had not sown as much as he, Ikimi has done in the nation’s political landscape but was trying to reap or position himself far above his superiors. “I was always told that the man was the overwhelming financier of the Party. While I disagree stoutly with this bluff, it is true that the particular individual constantly boasted of his wealth and of his funding of the party. I on the other hand could recall that this was a man I knew who was an easily forgettable character in the 1990s when I was National Party Chairman and when my candidate Sir Michael Otedola of blessed memory, won the Governorship of Lagos State.” “To further bolster his image it was also frequently said that Tinubu has control of all the votes from South Western Nigeria which, as has been currently touted, when added to the votes of North Western Nigeria would guarantee victory for the APC in the upcoming Presidential election.” “This reckless and arrogant selfaggrandizement paved the way for the imposition of a strange leadership on the APC in July 2013 when the party obtained registration from INEC. Those of us who had worked so hard towards the successful merger and creation of the APC were manipulated out of the scheme of things. In the bizarre struggle to seize control of the party we were even openly accused by the selfproclaimed owners of the party, of wanting to steal "their" party. Many of us in the party as well as keen observers outside frowned at the skewed leadership image of the party that was being paraded. An image that blatantly

ignored national sensitivities.” Besides, Ikimi was to raise an ideological issue that many may have ignored in the recent crisis in the APC as he stated: “It is not a coincidence to me that the prominent members of APC targeted by Bola Tinubu such as Alhaji Atahiru Bafarawa, Sen Ali Modu Sherriff and myself are former NRC members or those perceived as Conservatives.” Ikimi’s ideological punch if not anything, would raise the red flag for the remaining conservatives in the APC such as Chief Ogbonnonya Onu, the leading Igbo man in the APC. APC spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed claimed that the APC leadership was yet to be notified of Ikimi’s missive when contacted last Tuesday, but a party source in the national leadership welcomed Ikimi’s exit saying that they had never trusted him as a progressive. As if giving fillip to the allegation by Ikimi that Tinubu was on an ideological purification campaign, the source likened Ikimi to Senator Sheriff who sources in the APC leadership claim was regarded as a mole of the PDP in the APC. The PDP was yet to celebrate the exit of Ikimi from the APC as at press time, maybe because Ikimi was yet to formally declare for the party, but Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who was also formerly in the APC was ecstatic, tweeting: “I congratulate my leader and my Chairman Chief Tom Ikimi on his historic decision to leave the APC. He has shown immense courage.” More courage, however, would be needed by Ikimi to go back to his vomit, that is, the PDP and willingness to play second fiddle to Anenih in the local politics of Edo State.

50 — SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

Ekiti Elections: Corper recounts experience By Morenike Taire

When Adebola Odubitan was posted to Ekiti State for her mandatory national service, little did she know she would undertake such a sensitive and potentially dangerous national assignment as that of an electoral officer. In this eye witness account of the June Ekiti gubernatorial elections, a National Youth Corp member who participated in coordinating the elections confirms the polls were free and fair; and calls for Corpers to be engaged in the upcoming general elections. How did you feel being involved in the elections? At first I was scared because I’ve heard so many things about elections but then during the training we were assured that security was going to be provided. Was it provided? The security was adequate. Policemen were around my polling unit and anytime I saw them, I was confident. At a point some voters on the queue were already saying a maa fo’go o (we are going to break bottle). I just carried the whole ballot bag and as I stepped out I saw a police van. They were not even normal police, they were SSS people. Immediately they saw me, they came with the van and said, “What’s the problem?” When the party agents saw that SSS guys were around, they just shut up. He told them I had the authority to cancel the polling unit. They made everything smooth. Was it the party agents that were rowdy? It was the people on the queue. Protocol said we had to first deal with the old people, the disabled and pregnant women before everyone else. They wanted to vote right on time but we told them that that was what we’ve been trained to do. Who was responsible for your training and what did you feel about it? INEC. To me it was a piece of cake. The whole issue of training us every week was just a waste of time; it was something we could have learnt within a week. Was there a case of election malpractice on the side of the winning party in your own ward and in the ward of your friends or people you heard

Adebola Odubitan with colleague about? No. In a friend’s ward she said it was the incumbent party that was trying to bribe. Even in my ward the party agents were like, “aunty se ee ni m’omi ni” (will you not drink water?) or, e je ‘a ri’ra (let us see in camera). PDP won that election. Will you prescribe for corpers to be in charge of elections? Yes and they should be paid more. Is it not your National Service? I didn’t eat throughout. If you pay your corpers well, they will do a good job. I would encourage the involvement of corpers because they are neutral.

Is APGA going into extinction? Continues from page 47 Ogene said he could not have left the party that sent him to the National Assembly without informing them, explaining that he never resigned from APGA in his ward which ought to be the starting point if he was to leave the party. He said: “I have not left APGA and I remain a committed member of the party. It is the people that sent me to Abuja and there was no way I could have left APGA without informing you. As a representative of the people, there is need for me to explain to those who elected me when an issue of this nature arises. It is you, the party members that will decide if I will go for a second term. What happened was that there was argument that support for President Jonathan will be maximized if we all belong to one political party, but that is not the case now.” Officials of APGA in the constituency said they were shocked when they read in the media that Ogene was among those who defected, adding that if he had done so his integrity as a politician would have been questioned. Chairman of Ogene’s Akili Ogidi/Obeagwe ward, Mr. Emeka Odogwu, said it was unfortunate that some people wanted to use Ogene’s name

to destabilize APGA in the area. Also, the member representing Awka North and South, Emeke Nwogbo described the recent defection of four APGA Reps to the PDP as a voyage of convenience. Describing the defection as unfortunate, the lawmaker regretted that it came at a time the federal lawmakers were expected to join hands with the leadership of the party and the state governor, Obiano to build a united and viable political party with Igbo identity preparatory to the 2015 general elections. He also urged members of the party to shelve their personal interests and place APGA above all considerations to salvage it from those he described as jobbers, noting that the bickering and personality conflicts could only cause more divisions in the party. The recent happenings have led to observers to speculate on the future of APGA. Will the developments affect the party’s fortunes at forthcoming polls? Only time will tell. For now, the leadership of the party is sounding very optimistic that it would perform better in 2015 than it had done in the previous elections. As Chief Umeh put it, APGA will win in most states in the South East and even beyond in 2015.

POLITICAL NOTES

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor Sowing and reaping in PDP The political configuration cum conspiracy that forced Admiral Murtala Nyako from office as governor of Adamawa State was one that many predicted would not last long. So, it was not surprising that once Nyako was eased out of the way that the many political stakeholders who conspired against him took up battle, one against another. Now, the ensuing battle of wits has led to the healthy debate on the issue of political fidelity. Some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abuja, allegedly led by a venerated leader of the party from the South-South are against the demand by some gubernatorial aspirants for a waiver from the requirement that aspirants for public office should have been members of the party for a minimum of two years. The argument of the leader as it was learnt is that allowing waivers would weaken morale of party members who took the risk and sacrifice of staying in the party to fight against Nyako. The logic is in line with the biblical saying that whatsoever a man sows, that shall he reap. So why should Nuhu Ribadu, Buba Marwa and Markus Gundiri come to reap where they did not sow, those pushing that argument ask? Many would remember a dozen years ago when the now late Chief Sunday Afolabi took the now deceased Chief Bola Ige to task telling him that he was a guest in the PDP administration who had only been invited to come and eat! Mimiko reshapes Southwest PDP After much dithering procrastination, Governor Segun Mimiko is set to defect from the Labour Party to his first love, the PDP. Governor Mimiko’s defection associates say, is based on the political realities the governor has found himself in. Though the fact that he is in the second term would not mean any much personal political gain for him, Mimiko’s movement, it was learnt, is to safeguard his political legacy with the approach of the 2015 elections. Mimiko who is an unabashed supporter of the 2015 Jonathan project is said to have considered the political implication of asking supporters to vote for Jonathan for president and Labour for the National Assembly elections. The confusion was said to have cost Labour much votes in 2011 and the governor is said not to want to take the risk again. The governor, it was learnt, is also tired of political alienation, being the fact that he is the only Labour governor and bearer of the cost of running the party. The impact of the defection may be of little import in Abuja where the governor ’s support for Jonathan has largely been taken for granted, but it is bound to resonate loudly on the political landscape in Ondo State. For the PDP in Ondo State which itself had largely been split between supporters of Governor Mimiko (PDP –Gbesibe) and his foes in the party who have recently inched towards Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (PDP, Jagban), the coming weeks and months are bound to be interesting. It would also give more fibre to the PDP Southwest in the continuing battle to reshape the political configuration of the zone. No morality in politics The impeachment of Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi as deputy governor of Enugu State has notably raised the question of morality in the political arena. Given what some allege to be the slavish attitude of the former deputy governor to Governor Sullivan Chime, especially at the peak of the illness of the governor, many were shocked at the unpretentious hostility meted out to Onyebuchi. That was despite the reported intervention of high level PDP big wigs who sought to intervene. Onyebuchi, it seemed, touched the raw nerves of the governor for him to forget the fidelity of the former deputy at the height of his own personal crisis just over a year ago.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 51

52 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014

BOKO HARAM:

Lawyers condemn govt, proffer solution BY INNOCENT ANANA, IKECKUKWU NNOCHIRI, ONOZURE DANIA, BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

he war against the Boko Haram insurgency is one that most Nigerians want to be waged on all fronts and won as fast as possible, so that life can go on for most Nigerians, who depend on daily efforts to survive. Aside the bombing, raiding of villages, abductions, killings, the insurgents seem to have added the hoisting of their flags on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;captured townsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to their atrocious acts, as witnessed in Gwozo, coupled with the recent fleeing into Cameroon of Nigerian soldiers, during heavy fighting with members of the Islamic sect. Saturday Vanguard sought the opinion of lawyers to the deteriorating security situation in the country. Prof Itse Sagay, SAN I believe that the army and other security agencies have the capacity to deal with the problem. But we are not, probably, giving them enough incentives. I think we should do a rethink of the situation. We should now think what kind of weapons they need and what type of incentives they need. For example, if anyone of them is a casualty, what type of compensation would the family get? How long would the family be allowed to be in the barrack unmolested? . I do not think we need a new army, all we need to do is improve their weaponry and give some more incentives. Of course the issue of intelligence is very important. We are not behaving as if we have an Air force. I have not really heard, like the way Obama is saying America Air force in Iraq, or seen that being done here. And yet we have Air Force. . Why is our Air force ineffective? We have the people, but I don't know whether we have the equipment. Chief Morah Ekwunoh The way out of the present Nigerian quagmire over Boko Haram activities lies in the most urgent application of both stick and carrot, inherent in military and diplomatic channels. This is because of the failure of military option. There are other factors like corruption, sabotage, low moral of our fighting forces, linkage with, and sponsorship of the sect by our political elites, coupled with its international affiliation with Al Qaeda, Al Shaab and, you may add, ISIS. Nothing attests to complete failure of military option in this regard than the demonstrations by wives of the fighting soldiers, against their husbands' further fighting, and recent massive abandonment of battle- fronts by our soldiers and their escape "on tactical maneuvre" into Cameroon, whereas it took the same Cameroonian forces only two days to rescue their Deputy Prime Minister's wife from the same sect. Yet our over 200 Chibok school girls have spent their most excruciating 138 days in the captivity of Boko Haram.

Mr Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, a lawyer and rights activist Section 14 (2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution states that: "The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government." This is indeed the essence of government, whereby the people surrender themselves to be governed, upon a mutual covenant, for the government to take over and provide common services, such as security, infrastructure, etc, for the common good. Once it becomes impossible for government to guarantee the

Olu-Adegboruwa

I do not think we need a new army, all we need to do is improve their weaponry and give some more incentives

and insurgents. Also, it may be necessary for Nigeria to seek foreign assistance, from those countries such as Israel and the USA, which have a rich culture and experience in combating and containing insurgencies. As it is presently, it would seem that this particular government has left Nigerians to their own fates, as the focus presently, is all about the 2015 elections. I therefore call upon and urge the Goodluck Jonathan administration to do all in its powers, to offer protection for the people of Nigeria, in the discharge of the basic responsibility of government. Mr Monday Ubani, former Nigerian Bar Assocation, Ikaje branch chairman: In tackling the security challenges in Nigeria, it has to be a multi- dimensional approach. One of the ways is the economic policy. Nigerians are not enjoying the economic fare, it is only a few that are enjoying same, which is why we have all these criminals like the Boko Haram insurgence. They resort to all kinds of criminality, so it is a consequence of economic policy. The Federal Government has to implement robust economic policy. The second issue is equipping the military. I am sure you are aware that they fled to Cameroon because they were not properly equipped. How can you say they should fight people whose weapons are more sophisticated? The wives of the soldiers even protested over that. The issue of betrayal and that of politicians are there too. Some people are giving out information to them while some politicians are supporting with funds. Mr Jiti Ogunye, lawyer and activist: Nigeria is at a cross road. The Boko Haram has been with us for sometime and our leaders are always saying that they are on top of the matter, that they will soon end the insurgency. And the menace of Boko Haram is becoming ferocious and out of hand. The reason is simple. Lack of equipment, sabotage or support from some big people as people have alleged. The reason this Nigeria has failed to deal with this problem is because there is no well defined common good, purpose and creed in Nigeria. What is the moral right to persuade a soldier to go to war? The wives of some soldiers who lost their lives, came out on a public television that they have not been catered for since their husbands died. If one were to be the wife a soldier, won't you protest too?. In the midst of wars, the soldiers are dying, it is not the quality of uniform that will stop this insurgency. The morale is low.

Sagay

Akpan

common security of the people, then such government has lost the right to govern. At Present, the security challenges of Boko Haram in the North East, seems to have overwhelmed the government. The embarrassing revelation of Nigerian soldiers scampering into safety in Cameron, is to say the least, humiliating, given that the Army had before now, given the impression of being on top of the security situation, in that region. When all these are viewed against the backdrop of the recent protest by wives of soldiers, demanding the redeployment of their husbands from fighting or confronting Boko Haram insurgents without weapons, it is becoming clearer, day by day, that the Nigerian military, seems to have lost the battle against the terrorists. I believe that the option available to the government is to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, whereby funds appropriated and designated for security, will be used for that purpose and not be frittered away by politicians, only to leave soldiers and indeed the military, at the beck and call of criminals

Chief Nkereuwem Akpan, a lawyer and activist The popular view is that those soldiers are cowards and should be tried for mutiny. The mere thought of Nigerian soldiers scampering over the border fence and fleeing into enemy territory on foot is not only bad, disgraceful and sad but truly humiliating. Secondly, we must address the root cause or causes of this scandalous affair, if not for anything for the sake of national pride and the need to restore confidence in the ability of our armed forces to perform their statutory mandate. Thirdly, there is of course an urgent need to provide training and state of the art machinery and equipment to our troops so as to prevent them being outgunned by these vicious insurgents. Fourthly, erring officers and men must be punished accordingly.

Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey

I do not think the country has put enough efforts. Is the senate or National Assembly still absorbing the kind of fund that they absorb, when the army is purportedly fighting a war? The president must confront the areas of waste in our governance. When a government is at war, they divert resources from those who are benefiting from such. The budget as currently structured for security agencies is poor. The police budget is N315billion for 2014, in fact less than last year. And N219billion goes for salary, so what is left? That is why in seven years, the Federal Government has only given the Lagos State command five vehicles. I do not think the country has yet confronted the reality. And when countries are fighting war, like we are at war with terrorists, sacrifices have to be made. The question to be asked is if the National Assembly is still receiving those huge amounts of money, while the country is at war and everybody is saying that the army is not well funded? need.

SATURDAY Vanguard, AUGUST 30, 2014 — 53

54—SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 30, 2014

South South meet

should wake up to modern realities and begin to fund the sport in their localities. “Delta and Edo were known for sports developmental progr-ammes. But can you imagine that their athletes to the competition came on their own? We had to rally round to provide them some

succour,” Dr. Ijirgho said. Confirming the development, shot putter, Austin Nwoye said that he and his colleagues from Delta State tasked themselves to be in Calabar. “We paid our way down here. But I think the Delta sports commission was not aware of the new date.

“This is because they provided buses for us, when the event was first scheduled to hold in July. However, I still want them to take athletics development seriously. We have so many youngsters who are dying to be exposed to competitions like this,” said Nwoye.

… A call from Bruce Ijirigo AST Saturday at the Common-wealth Games trend in the four years L U . J . to the African that this show has been Esuene Stadium, it championships tired was quite a thrill watching athletes from the South South zone and others jostle for cash and honours during the fourth South South All Comers meet. The competition has been on for four years, yet, the sports commissioners of the zone seem not to have made it their priority. But this did not stop the athletes from coming in their numbers to contest in the meet sponsored by the Cross River State government and the Niger Delta D e v e l o p m e n t Commission, who recently threw its weight behind the meet. About 550 athletes were on hand to grace the occasion. However, some of the elite athletes from the zone, did not show up. It was gathered that the long haul from the

them out. This left the field open to the junior athletes, who did not disappoint. Athletes like Fabian Edoki, Mercy Ntiabong, Praise Idama Dudu and Tobiloba Amusa ,who were stopped from the Youth Olympics in China because of the Ebola scare, had a the chance to compete. Also there to add colour was fast and up and coming Edidiong Ofonime Odiong who reached the 400m final at the world juniors in Eugene, USA. The Primary and Secondary school category was particularly exciting. It was a delight to see young and talented athletes, who have a bright future in athletics burn the tracks. But sadly, officials who should be observing these young talents, were not there. It has been the

on and one wonders if the song about going back to the grassroots is coming from their. Competition was keen in the junior cadre, with Cross Rivers and Rivers States rubbing shoulders while Delta State also made its presence felt. At the end of the day, it was the well-groomed youngsters from Cross River that won most of the medals. “It is always a delight watching these young athletes. We have seen that this country is blessed with talented athletics. I can only wish that all the States in the federation will take developmental programmes seriously just like we are doing in Cross River,” said former national 400m champion, Bruce Ijirigho. He added that governments of the South South States

Man U parade most expensive squad ever in EPL T

HE current Manchester United squad cost £401.2m to assemble • It is the most expensive squad ever in the English game • Angel Di Maria’s move from Real Madrid for £60m has seen United

•Shaw

overtake rivals Manchester City, whose squad was built for a combined £344.15m • United have also signed Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera and Marcos Rojo • Chelsea squad put together for £341.8m, Liverpool £245.8m and Arsenal £209.5m Manchester United are attempting to return to the summit of the Premier League with the most expensive squad ever assembled in the English game. The arrival of Angel Di Maria this week takes the combined transfer fees of the United squad to an e y e - w a t e r i n g £401.2million - and that figure could grow with new signings before the transfer window closes. The value of United’s squad now outstrips their neighbours and defending champions Manchester City, who are

•Herrera worth a collective £344.15m when the transfer fees are added up. Expensive: Angel Di Maria’s £60m move to Manchester United from Real Madrid has pushed the total transfer fees of United’s squad beyond the £400m mark Chelsea come a close

Breezing... Edidiong Ofonime Odiong, she and others junior athletes stole the show at the South South Championships. third on £341.8m following the acquisitions of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa over the summer. City ’s title-winning squad from last season cost £364.7m to put together, while their successful team from the 2011-2012 season was worth £334.5m. United have so far spent £131.7m on four players Di Maria, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo - as Louis van Gaal desperately tries to strengthen a squad that slumped to seventh in the table last season. But these big money signings are merely an escalation of United’s exponential buying over the last decade with 17 members of the squad costing in excess of £10m when they arrived at the club. Chris Smalling, for instance, cost £10m when •Angel di Maria and Louis Van Gaal signed from Fulham in £30m-rated Arturo Vidal title contenders Liverpool, 2010, Phil Jones cost from Juventus and other who squad was put £16.5m when he arrived last-minute buys. together for £245.8m, and from Blackburn in 2011, United have made Vidal Arsenal, worth a and Wilfried Zaha cost their prime target combined £209.5m. £15m. The much- following the arrival of Di As transfer fees grow maligned Anderson was Maria and are involved in ever-more extortionate, £27m, Antonio Valencia negotiations with the the price of assembling a £16m and Ashley Young Italian champions. title-winning squad will £17m. They are also interested grow higher and higher. The result is by far the in the Ajax defender Already, United have most expensively- Daley Blind, who is well smashed the £400m assembled squad in the known to Van Gaal, the mark. It surely won’t be Premier League. And the former Holland coach. long before the half-anumbers could increase United’s total transfer billion point is reached. further if United land fees far outstrip those of

SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 30 2014,

— 55

ormer U.S Open champion, Venus Willaism in this interview at the ongoing U.S Open in New York, says that she would have excelled as a 200m and 400m runner. Excerpts.

d l u o w I : s u n a e V n e e b e v a h n i r sta tics e l h at

If you weren’t playing tennis, what would you be doing? That’s impossible to say. Interior design, fashion, translator? I don’t know. I used to run track. So perhaps I would have excelled at that. What did you run? I ran the 200 and the 400. What was your best? I was a child, so I don’t think I got to the best. Maybe I loved it, I probably would have continued that. Do you follow track? No, no. It kind of passed me by. Are there more moments when you’re serving well and moving well where you feel like 10 years ago, 15 years ago, you could do anything? Well, this summer I’m playing a lot of tournaments. I was playing a lot of great defense. Even today some good defense, as well. I played a lot of defensive players this summer. It was interesting because my defense was really on par with theirs, which is interesting for an offensive player. So that feels good, as well, to know that I can get over there and retrieve some balls. Do you ever think when you are so tall, so powerful, how different it could be for the tennis player when you are very short with no power? Yeah, you know, there’s some players who are taller and shorter. You’re going to have different strengths and weaknesses because of that. For her, because she’s not as tall as some of the other players, she’s developed other parts of her game. Her foot speed, really an allaround game, her mental strength, all of those things which are equal advantages. What’s awesome about it is it makes tennis interesting. If everybody was big and tall it would be boring, but it’s a nice juxtaposition. We know you follow fashion; you’re into interior design; you like visual art.

Obviously beauty is important to you, the esthetic. How do you think the emphasis, if there’s too much emphasis on beauty in the promotion of women’s tennis and talent and skill gets short shrifted compared to the glamour? No, I don’t think so, because if you don’t have any talent or skill you’re not going to get noticed. First of all, you have to play well. I definitely would focus on the aesthetic. I’m definitely into aesthetic value in terms of presentation, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you were in charge of tennis, you could change any rule you’d like or add a new rule, what might you like to change about the rules of the game? I would be against the rule for anyone named Williams to lose. That’s very selfish (laughter). I haven’t really thought about that really. I think tennis is going in a nice direction. I would just love for young people to continue to be involved, because that’s the future of our sport. So, yeah, probably that. I understand you’re pursuing a degree in business administration at Indiana University. What has that experience been like for you? Well, I have no life, but it’s made me a better boss and it’s made me more aware of how I can make better business decisions. I’ve had to take classes, too, that I didn’t think I’d be interested in or that I was interested in that I didn’t like at all. I have to say accounting almost killed me. I’m telling you, it messed my vision up. Now I’m not an accountant but I’m okay.

What do you think about the WTC’s program and what it’s doing for women? The WTA? The WTA, I’m sorry. In terms of programs? There’s a lot of players now pursuing degrees at Indiana University. It’s a great school. You work extremely hard. You have to be focused, balanced. You have to balance your time so you don’t get that F. I think it’s important to explore yourself outside of tennis, because there’s so much in life and it opens your eyes. You mentioned young people in the sport. There’s been a lot of attention on CiCi Bellis here. What sort of advice would you give her on how to handle a big arrival into the sport? I think just stay relaxed in the match obviously, because she can hit the ball. I haven’t seen her play. If she won, she can hit the ball it seems like. That’s great for women’s tennis in terms of, you know, a great Fed Cup team. I hope she keeps playing well. She’s so young, though, so sometimes it takes a little time. For her I would say to don’t be in a rush, build a good team around you, family, positive people, whoever that is, and just continue to grow. Do you see yourself being a Fed Cup captain one day? No. Huh-uh, no. Why? Because it’s not easy to deal with the players (laughter). It’s hard to sit on the bench, and the players aren’t doing anything. On the bench, you never miss. It would be tough.

I don’t think I could do it. But you never know. I would maybe do it if Serena and I were allowed to co-captain. That would be fun. What do you value more in terms of you won Olympic gold and Grand Slam championships; is one more important or valued more than the other?

I would say the medals, because those were beyond my dreams. Let’s say I never won a major, I would still say the medals because I never won a major so I’d be trying to pump that up. But in terms of having experienced both, the medals mean the most to me.

No cause for alarm - Giwa P RESIDEnt of Nigeria Football Federation, Ambassador Chris Giwa has allayed the fears of Nigerians over a letter from world football –governing body, FIFA of Friday, 29th August, 2014, saying that the NFF will relay a detailed and convincing response to the world body on Monday morning. “We have seen the letter from FIFA and digested the full content of it. Nothing has changed, as far as we are concerned. We will present our position to FIFA by Monday morning and they will be convinced beyond any reasonable doubt. “We call on Nigerians not to panic. The NFF is not intimidated and we do not expect any sanction because we have done the appropriate thing. For us, it is not about noise making. FIFA has admitted in its letter that the General Assembly is the highest decision –making body of any association/federation. That is perfect,” Giwa noted. Giwa recalled that the General Assembly of Nigeria Football

Federation had at the 69 th meeting on Thursday, 28th November, 2013 decided that elective Congress would take place on 26th August, 2014 “If FIFA admits that the General Assembly is the highest decision –making body, and the highest decision –making resolved at their meeting in 2013 that elections would take place on 26th August, 2013, no other body can change that decision. Certainly, the NFF Executive Committee is not qualified to change that decision. “FIFA talked about some persons walking away from the Congress as a result of the fact that some persons were arrested. We were not aware of that. The Congress went ahead and moved a motion to hold elections same day, in deference to the decision of General Assembly of November 28, 2013, and the motion was seconded and there was no counter motion. “There is absolutely nothing to fear. Our response is ready. FIFA will receive position of the Federation and will be convinced that elections have, indeed, taken place,” Giwa concluded.

C M Y K

SATURDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 30, 2014

Today’s Fixtures EPL Burnley

Man U

12.45p.m.

Man City

Stoke

3 p.m.

Newcastle

Crystal Palace

3 p.m.

QPR

Sunderland

3 p.m.

Swansea

West Brom

3 p.m.

Everton

Chelsea

5.30 p.m.

FIFA nullifies Osaze, Moses Giwa’s election face City’s fire City

v Stoke

UPER Eagles attacking duo of Osaze Odemwingie and Victor Moses will today face their first real test in the Premier League, when they travel with Stoke to confront Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Stoke City coach Mark Hughes has admitted Victor Moses has added to his selection problem for today’s game. “It’s still a little bit early for him,” said Hughes to Stoke Sentinel “So we will see whether he starts or comes on, but he’ll play a part, I’m certain of that. “He looks strong, but was visually tiring against Portsmouth the other night. “We’ve got an international break coming up as well, so that’s an opportunity to do more conditioning work with him..” •Moses

Costa fit to play Everton D IEGO Costa has been passed fit for Chelsea’s trip to Everton today, after Jose Mourinho earlier confirmed his injury is not as bad as it first seemed.

•Costa

Torres off to Milan

HELSEA have agreed a deal with AC Milan for striker Fernando Torres to leave on a two-year loan deal. The move is now subject to the Spanish forward agreeing personal terms with AC Milan and passing a medical examination. A statement on the club’s official website read: “Chelsea Football Club and AC Milan have agreed terms for the twoyear loan deal of Fernando Torres to the Italian club.”

Across 1 Chairman, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Dr. Musa – (6) 4 Minister of Science & Technology, Mr. Abu – (6) 7 FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph – (3) 8 Cereal – (4) 9 Minister of Special Duties & InterGovernmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru – (6) 11 Traditional Ruler of Benin – (3) 12 Former Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ibrahim – (5) 15 Bayelsa United Media Officer, George – (5) 17 Burkina Faso “Stallions” Midfielder Wilfred – (5) 20 Fabric – (5) 22 L.G.A in Bayelsa State – (5) 25 Chairman, Nigerian Electrical Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam – (5) 28 Igbo Word for “Tortoise” – (3) 29 Ghana “Black Stars” Midfielder, Mubarak – (6 31 Lesotho Currency – (4) 32 Carpet (3) 33 L.G.A in Gombe State – (6) 34 Country in Africa – (6)

…to ban Nigeria on Tuesday if...

Blatter

HE decision of the Ministry of Sports to mastermind and give credence to the kangaroo election that produced Chris Giwa as the new President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has drawn the rwath of FIFA, which has ordered Giwa to vacate the Glass House by Monday. In a letter signed by the Secretary-Generakl of FIFA, Jerome Valcke and adressed to NFF scribe, Musa Amadu said the failure of Giwa to heed the

Danagogo directive will atrtact a suspension, which immediate repercusion is that the Super Eagles will not host Congo in next Saturday’s AFCON 2015 qualifying match in Calabar. “We understand from the sequence of events that the general assembly duly convened by the NFF Executive Committee could not start as planned because some NFF members, including the president, were being held by security forces for questioning.

No cause for alarm — Giwa — Pg. 55 Down 1 Colombia Capital City – (6) 2 Enyimba International FC Coach, Zachary – (6) 3 Greek Alphabet – (5) 4 Gambian Currency Unit – (5) 5 Former PDP National Chairman, Chief Solomon – (3) 6 The Oba of Lagos, HRH Oba Rilwanu – (6) 10 Former Ugandan President, Idi – (4) 12 Niger State Capital (5) 13 Nigerian currency – (5) 14 Former FCT Minister, Mr. Jeremiah – (5) 16 Super Eagles Midfielder, Sunday – (3) 18 Sphere – (3) 20 Benue State Governor, Mr. Gabriel – (6) 21 African Deciduous Tree – (4) 23 Ogun State Governor, Olusegun – (6) 24 Former Chief of Naval Staff, Joseph Dele – (6) 26 Cameroun “Indomitable Lions” Striker, Patrick – (5) 27 State in Nigeria Known as “The Big Heart”? – (5) 30 L.G.A in Abia State – (3)

“Finally, we have learnt that the persons who claim to have been duly elected during the so-called ‘elective general assembly’ have come to the NFF offices claiming to be the legitimate president and members of the NFF. It also appears the Ministry of Sports has recognised them. “As a consequence, we will not recognise the outcome of the above mentioned elections and should there still be persons claiming to have been elected and occupying the NFF offices at midnight Monday 1 September 2014, we will bring the case to the appropriate Fifa body for sanctions, which may include suspension of the NFF.”

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SOLUTION on page 17

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