Nigerian observer 27 09 2013

1 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2013THE NIGERIAN

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 38 NO.320 • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2013 • N100.00

APO KILLINGS: Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, Chief of Staff to Federal Capital Authority,Muhammed Yau Gital and Chairman, House Committee on Security and Intelligence, MohammedMuttawale, speaking to newsmen after an investigative meeting on the Apo recent killing in Abujayesterday.

The Nigerian

ART ALIVE8

INTERNATIONALFEATURES

Page 26Kenya: Savedmall goers

thank police

cmyk

The need forculturalresource

management

INEC receives 43m voterscards - Jega

Lassa Fever: Teaching Hospitalrecords 93 deaths

Continues on page 2

Gunmen kidnap High Court Judge

Apo Killings: FCT to demolishillegal, uncompleted buildings

2015 ElectionsHelp lower pol tension,

Ekweremadu urges media

Continues on page 2

ABUJA - The Ministerof the Federal CapitalTerritory (FCT), AlhajiBala Mohammed, hassaid that illegal and

uncompleted buildingsin Abuja metropolis willbe demolished.

Mohammed madethis known in Abuja at

a meeting with the Houseof RepresentativesCommittee on PublicSafety and NationalSecurity.

On September 20,seven persons, allegedto be members of theBoko Haram sect, were

ABUJA - TheChairman of INEC,Prof. Attahiru Jega,said that thecommission hasreceived 43 million

permanent voters’registration cards out ofthe required 73.5 million.

He told newsmen inAbuja that thecommission was waiting

to ensure that substantialcards were deliveredbefore they begin todistribution.

In 2012, the FederalExecutive Councilapproved N2.6 billion,being the first phase forprinting of 40 million outof the 75 million cardsneeded in the country forgeneral elections.

Jega said the

commission would beginthe issuance of the 10-year permanent cards toregistered voters beforeDecember.

“You know Nigerians,when INEC distributescards to some states andothers are not given,there will be politicalinterpretations to it; weare putting mechanismsin place to ensureeffective distribution.

According to him,INEC has learnt from its

By OSE EHEBHA

IRRUA - The Instituteof Lassa FeverResearch and Control,Irrua Specialist TeachingHospital (ISTH) Centre,Irrua said it recorded 93

deaths between 2011and 2013, out of 377patients admitted in atthe centre.

Director of the

institute, Dr. DanielAsogun while speaking atWorld Lassa Fever Dayat Irrua, Esan CentralLocal Government Area

of Edo State, disclosedthat 17 persons have sofar died in 2013.

He added that the

By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON

BENIN CITY – Unknown gunmen haveabducted an Edo State High Court judge,Justice Daniel Iyobosa Okungbowa inEkpoma, the administrative headquarters ofEsan West Local Government Area of thestate.

It was learnt that theHigh Court judge wason his way to Abujawhen the armed men

struck yesterday. It could not be

i m m e d i a t e l yascertained whether

the gunmen havecontacted his family witha view to demandingransom.

The Edo StateCommissioner ofPolice, Mr. Foluso

Adebanjo confirmedthe incident to ourcrime reporteryesterday.

Mr. Adebanjo statedthat some lawyers in

Benin were in his officeyesterday afternoon toregister their protestagainst the abductionof their colleague.

The NIGERIANOBSERVER gatheredthat courts in the statecapital could not sityesterday following theprotest embarked uponby lawyers in Benin

City. Justice Daniel

Iyobosa Okungbowa’sabduction came barelytwo weeks after ahuman rights activistBarrister MikeOzekhomen regainedhis freedom fromkidnappers whoabducted him on thatsame road in the state.

By JOSES SEDE

Continues on page 2

ABUJA - The DeputySenate President hasurged the Nigerian mediato help lower politicaltensions over 2015general elections byredirecting the attentionof the leaders and thepolitical class to servicedelivery, while alsoguiding the people to holdtheir leadersaccountable.

He made the call at aninternational experiencesharing conference onmedia and electionsorganised by the NigeriaUnion of Journalists andthe internationaldevelopment partnersunder the auspices of theUnited NationsD e v e l o p m e n tProgramme, UNDP, inAbuja, yesterday.

Senator Ekweremadusaid: “It is now a little lessthan two years away fromthe next general electionand politicking and

contestations arepresently at a feverishpitch; the nation isalready caught in thepolitical fireworks of 2015;and governance hastaken the backstagebecause we have turnedNigeria into an electionnation in perpetuity.

“After elections,mandate delivery shouldfollow and those alreadyelected deserve somebreathing space to dotheir work, while themedia and the publicshould hold themaccountable to theirpromises. On the other

hand, those elected intooffices should alsoconcern themselvesless about the nextelection, knowing thatonly one good termdeserves another.”

The Deputy President

N/Delta youthshonour Odubu

BENIN CITY – Inrecognition of his doggedcommitment towards theactualization of NigerDelta Youth MomentDream, Edo State DeputyGovernor, PuisEgberanmwen Odubu

By CLIFFORDAGBAJOR

has been conferredwith an Award ofOkaduo of Niger DeltaRegion by a bodyknown as Niger DeltaYouth Movement(NDYM).

Speaking shortlybefore receiving theaward in Benin City, Continues on page 2

Continues on page 2


By RAHEEM IBRAHIM

NewsTeaching Hospital records 93 deaths

Help lower pol tension, Ekweremaduurges media

Continued from page 1


INEC receives 43m voters cards

Revenue Mgt: Edo BIRScommends ANEEJ


FCT to demolish illegal, uncompletedbuildings Continued from page 1

N/Delta youths honour Odubu


institute recorded 33 deathsin 2011, while 43 were lost tothe disease in 2012.

Asogun attributed thedecline in the number ofdeaths at the centre to theawareness being created bythe institute.

“Through the activities ofthe institute of Lassa FeverResearch and Control, ISTH,the case of fatality from lassain ISTH has dropped from 60percent – 80 percent in thebeginning of this millenniumto 30 – 45 percent.

“Awareness of the infection

is at a high level as is theindex of suspicion amongclinicians, a prerequisite forearly diagnosis and favorableoutcome” he said.

He reiterated calls for theestablishment of morediagnostic centres across thecountry to reduce the burden

on the ISTH institute.He called on the federal

government to pay moreattention to the fight againstthe scourge throughallocation of fund to buildinfrastructures, as well asbuild the capacity ofpersonnel..

yesterday, Dr. Odubuappreciated the youth bodyfor its efforts at promotingpeace and tranquility in theNiger Delta Region.

He expressed hisreadiness to join forces withthe body in the quest toensure that Niger Delta takesits rightful place in the scheme

of things, taking intoconsideration the region’seconomic contributions to thecountry’s development.

The deputy governorurged NDYM to appeal toyouths in the region to shunkidnapping and other socialvices that could work againstthe development of the area.

He called on youths to

participate in politics, but notat ‘thuggery level.’

While noting that peace isnecessary for thedevelopment of the region, Dr.Odubu enjoined the body tosustain the initiative to enablethe group achieve its aimsand objectives.

Speaking on the formerlocation of Ivbiotor PrimarySchool, along Sapele Road

by Dumez Road junction,Benin City the deputygovernor noted that what thestate government did was forthe overall interest andadvancement of Edo State,Particularly in the area ofemployment.

He stated that the stategovernment entered intoagreement with shop rite, witha view to building a big mallthere stressing that the floodravaging the proposed site ofthe mall would berechannelled.

Chairman of NDYM, EdoState, Comrade NosaAsemota stated that the bodywas founded in 2000, to fosterunity and peaceful co-existence in the region,discover creative and talentedyouths for exposure andempowerment as well ascheck youth restiveness andother social vices.

Comrade Asemotaexpressed the willingness ofNDYM to partner with thestate government in order toameliorate youthunemployment andrestiveness, stressing that aprogramme tagged“Restoring Dexterity in theNiger Delta Youth” is beingpackaged to that effect and itis scheduled for the later partof the year.

On the award, ComradeAsemota said it wasconferred on the deputygovernor in recognition of hiscontributions towards theadvancement of NDYM andhis economic contributions toEdo State and Niger Deltaregion.

of the Senate who alsowondered if the single term forelected executivesrecommended by the SenateCommittee on ConstitutionReview was jettisoned in ahurry, however, observed thatwhile the politicians were tobe held responsible foroverheating the system, themembers of the media shouldalso ask themselves if theyhad done enough to temperthe political trepidation over

2015 general election.He said: “As agenda setters

to chart the trajectory ofnational discourse to thosekey governance issues thataffect the lives of the ordinaryNigerians; the media shouldnot play into the hands ofthose bent on making politicalhostages out of the nation andher people.

“I urge members of themedia to turn down thevolume on the 2015 election.

It is too loud, and it isunacceptable”.

Senator Ekweremadu alsocalled on the media to be lesspartisan in reporting electoraland election matters as themedia could not afford to bepolarized along party, ethnic,religious, and other lines inthe interest of the nation.

“ O w n e r s h i pnotwithstanding, I believe themedia is one critical sectorwhere he who pays the pipershould not dictate the tune- atleast on editorial matters”, heemphasised.

past mistakes.“We don’t want a situation

where the cards produced aredumped somewhere elsewithout getting to everyeligible voter.

“This time around, INECwill distribute the cards at thesame time nationwide toguard against any complaint.

“We will go back to thepolling units to ensure that allregistered voters in each ofthe polling units collect theircards there.

“INEC is very meticulous

about the distribution, but wewill commence thedistribution. As at today, thereare 73.5 million temporaryvoters’ cards awaitingreplacement,’’ Jega said.

According to him, the 2015general elections will be muchbetter than the previousexercises due to the lessonsthe INEC has learnt from theprevious ones as an unbiasedumpire.

“I want to use thisopportunity to assure you thatINEC will continuouslyimprove on the transparencyand credibility of the electoralprocess.

“I am assuring Nigeriansthat 2015 elections will beremarkably much better, ’’ thechairman said.

He said one of the securitymeasures put in place wasthe production of the newcards that contained securityfeatures - embedded chipswith printed voters’ details,photograph barcode, micro-text, hologram andfingerprints.

“The cards will beelectronic in nature and will beused for identification,authentication, and for votingto prevent multiple voting andfraud.” Jega said.

killed by security operatives atan uncompleted building nearApo Legislative Quarters inAbuja.

He said that the FCTadministration would nolonger condone any delay bydevelopers in completing theirbuildings after being allocatedplots of land.

According to him, verysoon, we will take a decisiveaction on uncompletedbuildings in the FCT.

“We will ensure that allbuildings that have exceededthe two year period approvedfor building will bedemolished.

“If we cannot demolish, wewill make it a Police Post, thistime around we will take adefinite action,” he said.

The minister blamed theinability of the FCTDepartment of DevelopmentControl to carry out itsmandate on frivolous courtinjunctions obtained bydevelopers.

He said that between 3,000and 5,000 double allocationsexisted in the territory due torevocation and re-allocationof plots as a result of court

injunctions.According to him, 100,000

illegal buildings have beenidentified since he took overas minister of the FCT.

Mohammed said that theissue of squatter residencesin the FCT had beenextensively discussed withsecurity agencies.

He solicited the support ofthe National Assembly toaddress the challenge ofillegal structures in theterritory.

Alhaji Yahaya Yusuf,Director of FCT DevelopmentControl, said that theuncompleted building wherethe killing took place belongedto a woman.

He said that 435uncompleted buildings wereat various locations in theFCT.

Yusuf said that someowners of such buildings hadcomplied with the control’sdirective to carry out integritytest on such buildings whilesome had not.

He explained that anyonegiven allocation of land in the

territory was expected tocommence the developmentof such plot within six monthsafter allocation.

Yusuf said that theincessant court injunctionsbeing obtained by developerswere hampering the job of theagency.

Earlier, the Chairman of thecommittee, Rep. BelloMutawalle (PDP-Zamfara)

called for the demolition of theuncompleted building wherethe killing took place.

However, after plea bysome members of thecommittee to allow theSenate to carry out aninvestigation on the matter,the chairman reversed hisearlier position.

The committee also metwith the Chief of Army Staff,Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirikabehind close-door.

EDSG inaugurates C’tteeto monitor medical Lab

scientists

BENIN CITY - Edo StateBoard of Internal RevenueService has commendedAfrica Network forEnvironment and EconomicJustice, ANEEJ for makingNigerians most especiallytax payers have value fortheir money.

The Executive Chairmanof the Edo State Board ofInternal Revenue Service,Chief Oseni Elamah madethe commendationyesterday when officials ofAfrica Network forEnvironment and EconomicJustice and journalists led byits Executive Director,Reverend David Ugolorvisited the state revenueservice in Benin City as partof ANEEJ measures ofholding governmentfunctionaries accountable tothe people.

The Revenue BoardExecutive Chairman, whodescribed ANEEJ as anorganization synonymouswith value for money, saidANEEJ is a transparencyorganization that goes tograssroots to get their facts

rights before publishing dueto their commitment topromote good governancein the country.

“ANEEJ to me issynonymous with goodgovernance, transparencyand value for money. Thatis what ANEEJ is. TheTransparency Internationalwould not help out because(ANEEJ) this is anorganization, down to thegrassroots, goes to get thefacts.

“Each time I go anywherelike I was talking with theworld bank people recently, ifI was actually looking formoney to fund some of theactivities here I think the bestvehicle I would have used isANEEJ”, said the boardexecutive chairman.

Chief Oseni Elamah saidthe Revenue Board has notonly moved from more thanN200 million to N2.2 billionmonthly generation; the boardhas also put an institution onground that would sustain andadvance the pace of revenuedrive and continue to meetANEEJ demands for propertransparency andaccountability in governance.

BENIN CITY – Edo StateCommissioner for Health, Dr.(Mrs.) Aihanuwa Eregieyesterday inaugurated a fiveman monitoring committee onthe activities of MedicalLaboratory Scientists in EdoState. The committee has the stateDirector, Medical LaboratoryServices, Dr. Moses Aigbirioras Chairman, with the South– South Zonal Co-ordinator,Medical Laboratory ScientistsCouncil of Nigeria, Mr.Gbenga Akinola; Chairman,Guild of Medical LaboratoryDirectors, Edo State, Dr. KolaOderinde, Mr. Sule Fagbuyiand Mr. Odion Obumese asmembers. Inaugurating the body, Dr.Eregie charged members tohelp flush out quackery in thelaboratory services, pointingout that the role of laboratoryscientists in healthcaredelivery is very important. The commissioner urgedthem to carry out theirassignment without fear orfavour, advising them tooperate within stipulatedguidelines. Responding on behalf of themembers, the committeechairman assured thecommissioner that thecommittee would carry itsduties within the ambit of theguildlines, saying that

quackery must be stopped inMedical Laboratory Servicesin the state. The committee is chargedwith the responsibility tomonitor and regulate theactivities of medicallaboratory practitioners in thestate. In a related development,the Health Commissionerreceived briefs from partneragencies who arecollaborating with the stategovernment on health relatedmatter. The PathfinderInternational, represented byits Project Co-ordinator, Dr.Reme Mary Matthew told thecommissioner that theorganization has been in EdoState since August, 2008 forthe implementation ofprogrammes for prevention,care and treatment ofHIVAIDS. She stated that their fiveyears programme in the staterenders support to 17 PrimaryHealth care centres and 3General Hospitals in rural andsemi-rural areas of the state. On their part, the WHO andUNICEF through Dr. AyodejiHassan Isiaka (WHOConsultant) made apresentation on polioEradication Initiatives Updatein the State to theCommissioner. He appealed to both thestate and local governmentsto make adequate fundsavailable for immunizationprogrammes in order tomaintain a polio free state. Receiving the briefrespectively, thecommissioner commendedpartner agencies who arecollaborating with the stategovernment in improving thehealth care delivery servicesto its citizenry and promisedto continue to partner withreputable and responsiveagencies with a view to takingthe health sector of the stateto a greater levels.

3 killed in Lagos building collapse

LAGOS - A four year-oldgirl, an 82 year-old man anda middle aged Igbo traderwere killed when a dilapidated3 storey building collapsed onanother six bedroom structurebeside it in Lagos Island onWednesday night.

Also, four children, an oldwoman, three girls and twomiddle aged men wererescued from debris of thecollapsed building by youths.

According to eye witness,the three storey buildingsituated at 15 Alli Street,Lagos Island cracked and

collapsed at about 09.55pmand fell on top of the sixbedroom bungalow situatedat 13 Alli Street, killing the oldman and the Igbo trader whowas sleeping in his shopunder the dilapidatedbuilding.

It was gathered that the 3storey building had beenmarked for demolition byofficials of the Lagos stategovernment who had sent outthe occupants before thestructure finally collapsed.

The eye witness whoclaimed to be buying roasted

meat, popularly called ‘Suya’from an Hausa man at thefront of the collapsed buildingsaid, “I just heard ‘bang’sound as if there was a bomband saw heavy bricks fromthe house was flying about”.

“I and the Hausa manselling Suya managed toescaped, but the Hausaman’s junior brother who wastrying to pack their loadssustained fatal injury on hishead.

“We ran away from the spotand returned after fiveminutes to see whathappened”, he narrated.

By OSAZUWA AKONEDO


Inside EdoCouncil BossInspectsSchoolProject

Okpella Youths VisitEtsako East LG Boss

Edo Police Command Arraign54 Suspects

Cleric Tasks Nigerians On Selflessness

BENIN-CITY - The EdoPolice has said 54 suspects,who were arrested for variouscrimes in the state from August21 to date, had been chargedto court.

Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, thestate Commissioner of Police,announced this in Benin at anews briefing.

He said that the suspectswere arrested in different partsof the state for alleged crimeslike robbery, rape and unlawfulpossession of firearms.

He, however, said that thestate had not recorded any caseof kidnapping in the last twoweeks, reiterating thecommand’s resolve to rid thestate of criminals.

Adebanjo urged thepeople to assist the law-

AGENEBODE – TheChairman, Etsako East LocalGovernment Council, Hon.Abdulmalik SuleimanAfegbua has inspected therenovation of five classrooms block in AthekhaiPrimary School Iviukwe,Agenebode. Expressing satisfactionwith the level of work done,the council boss commendedthe Engineering Departmentfor giving him professionaladvice on the project. The chairman assured theschools authority that chairsand desks will be madeavailable to the pupils, sayingthat the project would becompleted within a week. Vice Chairman of thecouncil, Hon. JohnAlimikhena who expressedjoy over the project,commended Hon. Afegbua. He however called on thepeople to be patient withgovernment in its quest tobring more development toEtsako East LocalGovernment Area. House Leader, ComradeFidelis Osikwemhe said he isproud with the governmentfor responding to theyearnings and aspirations ofthe people. Describing the councilchairman as an epitome ofdevelopment, he said the lawmakers are comfortable andsatisfied with the councilboss state style ofgovernment. Mr. Abdulsalam Othuemheand the Supervisor forEducation, Hon. IdodoNasiru commended thechairman for the numerousdevelopment projects in thearea. The therefore called on thepeople to support thegovernment at all times.

BENIN-CITY - Theformer Chairman of NigerianLabour Congress (NLC), Edostate chapter and the generaloverseer of The HabitationChurch of God InternationalRev. Olu Aderibigbe has calledon Nigerian Leaders to have thefear of God and do away withgreed, selfishness and selfcenteredness as this is the onlyway for peace and developmentin the nation.

By RICHARD EWEKA

AGENEBODE – TheChairman, Etsako East LocalGovernment Council, Hon.Abdulmalik Suleiman Afegbuahas received a delegation of theHome Branch of Okpella YouthForum (Risers Club of Nigeria). While congratulating thechairman on his electoralvictory, the leader of thedelegation and chairman, Hon.Femi Williams noted that thecouncil boss has started histenure on a sound note, addingthat the club will give him everynecessary support to ensure asuccess. Hon. Williams appealed to thecouncil boss to assist OkpellaCommunity with the provisionof electricity transformation forthe Industrial Estate Locatedalong the Auchi – Okene needto relocate mining and crushingactivities from residential areasto the industrial in the area,adding that it has hugeeconomic benefits to the entireEdo State. The council boss thankedmembers of the group for theirsupport towards his election,inspite of political differences. Describing Hon. FemiWilliams as a former councilorwho served his peoplemeritoriously, he congratulatedthe club for supporting a goodcourse, stressing the need forthem to remain vanguard ofsocial change for which theywere known over the years. He however promised thatgovernment would takenecessary action to relocated allmining and quarry activities inresidential areas to theindustrial estate and promisedto partner with the group to takeEtsako East to higher level. Meanwhile, a delegation ofImiegba Grammar School OldStudents Association has visitedthe council chairman, Hon.Suleiman Afegbua inAgenebode. The President, ComradeEtafia Usman, in his addresscongratulated the councilchairman on his electoralvictory, noting that he councilchairman has since lived up tohis electoral promises to thepeople. The group which advised thechairman to focus on theupliftment of public schools,health care, youth and womenempowerment howeverbemoaned the neglect ofImiegba Grammar Schooladding that the school lacksteachers, basic facilities andwith dilapidated structures. He called on the chairman touse his good office to ensurethat National Youth ServiceCorps members are posted tothe school to compliment the

teaching limited teacherspresently working there. Responding, Hon. Afegbuathanked the Association for theinterest they have for the schooland the council. He said efforts are being madeto ensure that public schools inthe area are better. While describing a schoolwithout teachers as a kingdomwithout a king, he maintainedthat the state government isputting machineries in motionto address the shortage ofteachers in secondary schoolsacross the state. He further stated that he willmake work attractive to corpsmembers posted to ImiegbaCommunity.

enforcement agencies bygiving them usefulinformation.

“Like we have said, weare poised to arrest every formof criminality in the state butthe people must assist us towork better.

“The people must watchany suspected movement ofpersons in theirneighbourhoods and reportsuch movements to the police.

“The people must be veryconscious of their ownsecurity, especially now thatwe are in the ‘ember’ months,”he said.

Adebanjo said that thecommand would review its

Rev. Aderibigbe madethis know while speaking withThe Nigerian Observer in hisoffice on the crisis facing thePeoples Democratic Party(PDP) at the federal level.

He said the crisis facingthe party is actually a fall out ofthe problem of the nation. “Thecrisis is over heating the polityof the nation and it is makinggovernance difficulty. Ourleaders should not allow thecrisis to divide the nation for thebible says a house divided

against itself shall not stand,” hesaid.

“We should not allowthis to continue. In politics, wedisagree to agree. What ishappening now has alsohappened to other parties andstill happening today but thedifference is how those involvedhandled it. Option A4 should beadopted by various politicalparties to elect their leaders asthis step will reduce unnecessarytension in the polity of thenation” he added.

current security strategies so asto ensure crime-free “ember’’months.

Items recovered from the26 suspects, who were paradedbefore newsmen in Benin City,include desktop computers,laptop computers, cell phones,guns and ammunitions.

UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon (right), welcoming President Goodluck Jonathanto the UN Headquarters In New York recently.

L - R: Principal Secretary to the President, Amb. Hassan Tukur; Nigeria’s Permanent representative to the UN, Prof.Joy Ogwu; President Goodluck Jonathan and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Mr Hallmariam Desalegn, during a meeting inNew York


NewsCommunity Leader

Applauds New Yam Festival

Physiotherapist Cautions Expectant Mothers On Exercise Plan

LGInaugurates

RevenueCommittee

Ophthalmologist Advises WomenTo Use Chemical Free Make-Up

ABUJA -Dr MuhammadChiroma, a consultantophthalmologist with theUniversity of Abuja TeachingHospital Gwagwalada, hasadvised Nigerian women to usechemical free make-up to avoiddamage to the eyes.

Chiroma told newsmen inAbuja that most cosmetics usedin developing countriescontained toxic and harmfulsubstances.

‘’ The advice for most make-up users is to avoid make-upwhich contain mercury, leadand parabens as they are veryharmful to the eyes andprolonged use can lead toblindness.

“It is best to try natural orchemical free make-up as theyare less likely to harm the eyes,’’he said.

Chiroma said that the greatestdamage caused by make-up wasto the eyes, adding that the skinof the eyelids was the thinnestand most delicate part of theeyes.

He explained that the skin ofthe eyelids easily became dryfollowing the application ofmake-up that caused wrinkles andpremature ageing of the skin.

results.He said that by looking at the

condition of the heart, previousmedical history and presentcondition, the specialists couldrecommend an exercise planbest suited to the woman inquestion.

“There are different levels ofrisks that are involved whenyou are pregnant, so thecomplexity and the amount ofexercises each person has to doreally go along with the history

IGARRA-The Chairman,Akoko Edo Local GovernmentArea of Edo State, Hon JosephAkerejola has inaugurated aRevenue Committee for theLocal Government.

The committee which has themandate to boost InternallyGenerated Revenue (IGR) of thecouncil has Barrister GodsonHayioye as chairman, with Mrs.P.S. Balogun as secretary.

Members of the eight mancommittee includes MessrsEvans Balogun, NelonAkeredolu, Ojo Orilede, SamuelOmolaiye, Ganiyu Sule andVictor Obanefi.

The council boss said theInauguration of the committeewas in line with hiselectioneering campaign.s

By JOEL CHUKWUAGHONIM

OMOLUA-IGBANKE -The Odionwere (CommunityHead) of Omilua (Igbanke) inOrhionmwon LocalGovernment Area of Edo Stat,Pa Owie Uwabor has praisedthe orgainsation of the 2013Ney Yam Festival in the

By JOEL CHUKWUAGHONIM

The ophthalmologist said thatmake-up could cause weaknessto the hair of the eyebrows andlashes which caused them to falloff easily and become thinner.

“ Pseudomonas spp, anorganism that causes infection,is known to widely contaminatemascara and followingscratching of the lids, theorganism causes infectionwhich can lead to blindness.

“ Titanium dioxide used inabout 800 different types of eyeshadows and mascara causesirritation, redness, and longterm exposure may lead tocancer.

“Kohl causes lead poisoningas majority of them procured indeveloping world contain leadinstead of antimony which it iswidely thought to contain,’’Chiroma said.

The ophthalmologist said thatif make-up must be used, therewere rules to follow, to avoidcontacting infections.

Chiroma said that make-upand its tools should not beshared and users should avoidapplying cosmetics inside theeyes.

The ophthalmologist saidusers should avoid the use of

of that person.“Patients need to be educated

on the role of exercises inhaving children and require orrequest their physicians to putthem in touch with aphysiotherapist who can helpwith that.

“Three things that theyalways look at: one, state of theheart; two, previous medicalhistory; and three, the presentcondition or situation thatyou’re going through.

“Each person is a uniqueentity that they (expectantmothers) need to be examinedfor what is best for them.“

Akinwuntan said expectantmothers should be examinedbefore an exercise plan wasrecommended for them becausethe risks and precautions for awoman who had severalmiscarriages differed from thatof first-time mothers or oldermothers.

He added that women on bedrest were not exempted fromexercises because suchworkouts were designed to getaround bed limitations under aphysiotherapist’s supervision.

The physiotherapist also saidthat unmanaged strainexperienced during labourcould cause sciatica, a type ofback pain.

He explained that sciatica, arelatively common form of lowback and leg pain, could becaused by compression of thesciatic nerve during labour.

Symptoms of sciatica includelower back pain, buttock pain,and numbness or weakness invarious parts of the leg and feet.

Akinwuntan advised womengoing into their third trimesterto avoid the problem by notbending forward in the searchfor body balance duringpregnancy.

“The way they compensate

cosmetics if they had an eyeinfection.

He said that make-up must bewashed off before going to bedand cosmetics must be properlyclosed to avoid infections.

“Once you notice anycosmetic agent irritates you,stop using it immediately andsee a medical practitioner,’’Chiroma said.

for it is rather than keep thelordotic curve in the back theybend over it to be able tosupport the weight.

“So what you have is an anti-lordotic curve, which curves theother way and that is typicallywhat causes a lot of back painafter delivery.

“Sciatica is a commonproblem from how long youwere in the delivery positionand how much weight you puton the sciatic nerve.

“But if you’re used toexercises and you are used toworking out, your muscles arein a state of readiness towithstand the stress that youwant to put them through.

“Then pushing is faster,contraction is much better,everything happens so fast, youhave less chances of developingsciatica,“ he added.

LG BoostMass

Transit With6 Buses

IGARRA -The Chairman,Akoko-Edo Local GovernmentCouncil, Hon. JosephFolorunsho Akerejola hascommissioned six new buses toboost the fleet of the Akoko-EdoMass Transit bus as part ofefforts to ease the burden of thetransportation in the locality.

The Chairman said the movewas in fulfillment of part of hiselectioneering promises to thepeople of the Local GovernmentArea aimed at putting smils ontheir faces . In an interview, Mr.Obajaja Rotimi, the Akoko-EdoLine mass Transit Director said;we are going to make Akoko-Edo proud”. He promised toensure that the buses are in thehands of competent andexperienced drivers.

Mrs. P.S Balogun, Secretaryto Revenue Committee howeverasked for the cooperation of thepeople and assured that therevenue generated from the massTransit scheme would be usedjudiciously.

locality, saying it was historic.Pa Uwabor who spoke with

newsmen in Omoua noted thatthe annual festival has becomea unifying platform forbringing together sons anddaughters of the community.

While commendingindigenes of the communityfor gracing the event, PaUwabor urged them to Sustamsuch patronage.

He also lauded the support ofthe CommmunityDevelopment Association andthe Enogie of the community,His Royal Hylness, IsaacOgbewi Uwaifo for theirleadership role in thecommunity.

Pa Uwabor used the occasionto draw government attentionto the dilapidated state of theonly secondary school in thecommunity as well as shortageof teaching staff in the school.

LAGOS - Dr AbiodunAkinwuntan, a professor ofphysiotherapy, LagosUniversity Teaching Hospital,has advised expectant mothersagainst adopting a physicalexercise plan withoutconsulting a physiotherapist.

Akinwuntan told newsmenin Lagos that seeking the adviceof obstetrics, gynaecologistsand physiotherapists beforeadopting any aerobics regimewould provide them with best

L-R: Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Ali, Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Federal Executive Council Meeting in Abuja onWednesday

Rt. Hon. Dr. Pius Odubu, Deputy Governor of Edo State (2nd left) a plaque from thePresident of Niger Delta Youth Movement (AYM) Comrade Nosa Asemota (2nd right),Comrade Orobosa Osaigbovo (right) and Madam Helen Ozigbo (left) Woman Leader ofthe group during courtesy call to Government House, Benin City.


South SouthDep Gov’s

Wife MakesCase ForHealthMatters

Bayelsa Faults World Bank Report

AkpabioInauguratesProjects

Rivers Crisis: PDP Tasks Royal Fathers On Fairness

Promote Human Capacity Development,Stakeholders Urge NDDC

IKOT EKPENE (AKWAIBOM) - Governor GodswillAkpabio of Akwa Ibom hasinaugurated 8.8 kilometre dualcarriage road in Akwa IbomPolytechnic, Ikot Asurua, as partof activities marking the state’s26th Anniversary.

The reports say that theinternal roads in the schoolcomprise a single and dualcarriage ways to enhancefacilities in the institution.

The Governor said that apartfrom the roads, the StateGovernment also constructed 12kilometres of drainage and7.75kilometres of service ductsfor water as well as provision ofelectricity.

According to Akpabio, othersinclude 7.6 kilometres ofwalkway to ease students’movement within the campus.

The Governor urged the staffand students to protect thefacilities from vandals andmaintain them for posterity.

“This is a differentpolytechnic from the one wesaw in 2009.

“Some of the projects’photographs seen on thebillboards here remind us ofwhat existed before theinauguration of these projectstoday.

“With these projects, AkwaIbom Polytechnic, Ikot Asurua,now ranks near or at the top ofthe tertiary institutions in thecountry with most modernphysical infrastructure.”

Mr Samuel Inyang, theManaging Director of SeyangLtd., said that all the projectswere of high quality and in linewith international best practice.

Inyang’s company handledthe projects.

He said that Seyang, thoughan indigenous contracting firm,had been consistent in providinghigh quality products that werecost effective and aestheticallypleasing.

The contractor thanked theState Government for giving thecompany an opportunity to bepart of the uncommontransformation in the state.

PORT HARCOURT -President of Port HarcourtChamber of Commerce,Industry, Mines and Agriculture,Engr. Emeka Unachukwu hasurged the Niger DeltaDevelopment Commission,NDDC to de-emphasize theirinterventionist programmes oninfrastructural development,stressing that the commission

By ELIZABETHAGBOEGBULEM

YENAGOA - Ms FredaMurray-Bruce, Director-General, Bayelsa InvestmentPromotion Agency (BIPA), saysthe state’s investment climatehas improved since the 2010World Bank Report.

The report had rated the stateas the most difficult place to startinvestment in the country.

The World Bank report basedits assessment on “the inefficientand undue delay in registrationof company and employees withrelevant authorities as well asclouded tax regime”.

Reacting to the report, thedirector-general told newsmenthat the report did not reflect thecurrent state following theestablishment of BIPA over oneyear ago.

Murray-Bruce said that thecurrent administration in Bayelsahad since repositioned the stateand made it investor-friendly.

This, she said, had resulted ininflux of foreign and localinvestors.

“We may have no problemwith this assessment.

“But can categorically saywithout any fear of contradictionthat the 2010 report is an oldreport and is not a factual andaccurate reflection of the exactsituation of things in Bayelsa of2013.

“Since 2010, and especially

BENIN CITY – Wife of EdoState Deputy Governor,Deaconess, Endurance Odubuhas emphasized the need forhealth matters to alwaysoccupy the front burner in thestate.

She made the remark whenthe Medical Director, CentralHospital Benin, Dr. EdithKayode – Iyasere paid her acourtesy visit in Benin City,yesterday.

Deaconess Odubu noted thatthe present administration hasdone a lot to upgrade healthfacilities in the state.

The wife of the deputygovernor described the CentralHospital Benin City, as amother hospital to otherhospitals in view of its strategicposition in the state and urgedthe management team tocooperate with and support thenew Medical Director to enableher pilot the affairs of thehospital effectively.

She expressed confidencethat the new medical directorwould live up to expectation inview of the caliber ofprofessionals that make up hermanagement team.

The Medical Director of thehospital commended the stategovernment for the building ofan edifice at the hospital whichbefits its status.

PORT HARCOURT - Withthe ongoing political crises inRivers State, traditional rulershave been advised to playimpartial roles and keep off actsthat could undermine their roles

By ELIZABETHAGBOEGBULEM

since February 2012, a lot ofinstitutional changes for thebetter have occurred in thebusiness climate in BayelsaState.

“This present state of affairs isas a result of proactive measuresand business friendly policies ofthe Hon. Seriake Dicksonadministration in the state.

“Conscious of the need todevelop the real sector of theeconomy and provideinvestment haven in BayelsaState, Governor SeriakeDickson, on assumption ofoffice, established the BayelsaState Investment PromotionAgency.”

She said that this had createda clearing house and one-stopshop for investors.

Murray-Bruce listed theinvestor-friendly policies toinclude collaboration with

several Federal GovernmentAgencies, including Customs,Immigration, Corporate AffairsCommission and Federal InlandRevenue Service.

According to her, the agency

has streamlined businessdocumentation and start upprocesses for investors and isshowcasing the investmentpotential of the state on itswebsite.

as fathers for all.They have also been

counselled against hob-nobbingwith persons of dubious intentwho ride on the crest of thecurrent political turbulence inthe state to desecrate the sanctity

of the paramount stools some ofwhich are as old as humancivilisation.

Reacting to recent commentsattributed to His Royal Majesty,Eze Chukumela Nnam Obi, 11,

the Oba of Ogbaland, whohosted the leadership of theGrassroots DevelopmentInitiative, GDI, in his palace atOmoku, the PDP under theleadership of Chief GodspowerAke said the visit had politicalundertone much as thestatement credited to the Ogbamonarch was “mostunfortunate.”

Speaking through its StatePublicity Secretary, GeorgeUkwuoma-Nwogba, the Ake-led PDP advised the Rivers StateCouncil of Traditional Rulersled by His Royal Majesty KingGNK Gininwa, not to dabbleinto politics and beware ofpoliticians who come in sheepclothing but are raveningwolves, adding that anythingshort of that would rubbish theirhard-earned reputation and thesacredness of the stools theyhold in trust for their ancestorsand the people.

should rather dedicate more oftheir budget on human capacitydevelopment.

This according to him is keyto sustainably advancing thepeople and positioning themfavourably for the challenges ofthe future. He cited the NationalTechnology Centre (NATEC) asone of those projects that willfacilitate the realization of thisobjective.

Unachukwu who gave thischarge when he led a delegationof PHCCIMA exco andmembers on a solidarity visit tothe newly appointed ActingManaging Director of NDDC,Dr. (Mrs.) Christy Atako at thecommission’s headquarters inPort Harcourt, emphasized theneed for the two bodies to workclosely to enable the chamberbring their value to bear at the

commission. He congratulatedand extolled the new Acting MDassuring her that PHCCIMA andthe OPS will support her tenureand partner with thecommission.

In her remark, the new ActingNDDC MD, Dr. (Mrs) Atakosaid the commission has donewell in human capacitydevelopment but howeveradmitted the need to do more inthe area of empowering andsetting up those already trained.

By CLIFFORD AGBAJOR

Some of the 13,000 newly recruited teachers awaiting deployment letter in Port Harcourt recently.

INEC National Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega (left), discussing with INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Ishmael Igbani(right), during Resident Electoral Commissioners Quarterly Meeting with the Chairman in Abuja recently. With themis INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Chris Iyimoga (2nd left) and Mrs. Thelma Iremiren.


South WestAssociation Urges Govt To

Popularise Usage Of Cooking Gas

Osun Commends National CouncilOn Information

Commissioner Tasks EkitiResidents On HIV Status

Dep Gov Urges Concerted Efforts Against Drug Abuse

ADO-EKITI - Mr. DipoKolawole, the Commissionerfor Finance in Ekiti, hasurged people of the state toknow their HIV status via thefree medical screeningprovided by the stategovernment.

He made the plea in Ado-Ekiti at a two-daysensitisation programme onHIV and AIDS, organised bythe ministry in collaborationwith the State ActionCommittee on AIDs (SACA).

Kolawole noted thatSACA, which was headed byMrs. Bisi Fayemi, wife ofGov. Kayode Fayemi, hadbeen sponsoring and

LAGOS - The NigeriaLiquefied Petroleum GasAssociation (NLPGA) hascalled for the support of theFederal Government topopularise the usage ofcooking gas in Nigeria.

Mr. Dayo Adeshina,President of the association,told newsmen in Lagos thatgovernment should make theenvironment conducive formore players to come into themarket.

Adeshina said thatgovernment’s policies hadnot changed over the years topromote wide usage ofdomestic cooking gas in thecountry.

He said that distributionfacilities such as inlandstorage terminals and truckscould help to reduce the costof LPG per kilogramme toend users.

“Fabrication of LPGequipment in Nigeria is veryexpensive due to lack ofstable power and high cost ofraw materials and labour.

“On the other hand, theduties and tariffs on importedequipment are very high,between 20 per cent and 35per cent.

“Access to Safe Medicines isYour Right.”

The deputy governoridentified drug abuse,especially among youngpeople, as a major challengefor the nation and called forproactive measures to curbthe menace.

She urged the society tohelp in addressing theproblem of quackpharmacists, saying if the

OSOGBO - The OsunGovernment has said theNational Council onInformation(NCI) hadsucceeded in streamliningthe nation’s informationflow for socio-political andeconomic development.

The Commissioner forInformation, Mr. SundayAkere, said this at theopening of the technicalsession of the 44th NCIannual conference inOsogbo.

Akere said it was a thingof joy that the state was

“There is VAT on thedomestic LPG supplied to themarket, while imported LPGenjoys zero VAT. This usuallycreates additional cost on thedomestic LPG,’’ he said.

The gas expert said thatbecause of these challenges,the local cooking market hadremained largely untapped.

The association presidentsaid that Nigeria’s currentpopulation could consumeabout 3.5 million metrictonnes if cooking gas was themajor fuel for cooking inNigeria.

He, however, said thatNigerians consumed onlyabout 150,000 metric tonnes,a huge gap from the expectedconsumption annually.

“No preference is given toLPG equipment imported;rather duties are beingincreased on LPG equipment.

“ This has created slowgrowth in the industry,’’ hesaid.

Adeshina said that therewas no major policy thatencouraged wide usage ofabundant LPG.

He also said that there wereno clear regulations forsegmentation in the LPGvalue chain.

“Funding provided bybanks is usually short-termfunds for long term projects,

“he said.He said that no specific

fund was set aside toencourage the growth of LPGmarket as done for othersectors.

“Interest rates for availablefunds are very high such thatthey can lead to likely defaultin re-payment of loans,thereby slowing downproduction.

“ There is no majorcommitment from the CBNto assist SMEs in growing theLPG market, which should bea strategic fuel in the Nigerianenergy mix,’’ Adeshina said.

considered to host the NCImeeting.

He urged NCI to use theconference to evolve far-reaching decisions oncommunication andinformation development toimpact positively on thenation’s march towarddemocratic government.

‘’At the end of thisconference, there should bea resolution calling for amore focused approachtoward technologicaldevelopment to enhanceinformation andc o m m u n i c a t i o ndevelopment.

‘’It is on record that somelandmark decisionsconcerning informationdissemination in Nigeriahad been taken by NCI andwhich has added value tothe purveying ofinformation business.

‘’It would not be out ofplace to note that the birthof NCI and its existence hasbeen a blessing of sort toNigeria as it has succeededin fulfilling the dreams ofthe founding fathers,’’Akere said.

Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan,the Permanent Secretary,Federal Ministry ofInformation, said theconference would deliberateon the vital aspects ofinformation managementthat would impact positivelyon the citizenry andfacilitate nationaldevelopment.

Yemi-Esan, who notedthat the nation was stilllagging behind in the usageof multi-media platforms,urged information managersto embrace the new trend forproper information

dissemination to the public. ‘’As information

managers, we have thetraditional responsibility tokeep Nigerians adequatelyinformed.

‘ ’ E f f e c t i v ecommunication ofgovernment’s decisions,policies and programmes ina timely and comprehensivemanner helps to bridge thegap between thegovernment and the people.

‘’ But unfortunately weare yet to avail ourselves ofthe great possibilitiesoffered by the new multi-media platforms that canhelp us to do our job betterand help us to get ourmessage across to millionsof people simultaneously,’’she said.

Yemi-Esan also urgedinformation manager toembrace the present daysocial media such as blogs,micro blogs and socialnetworks for prompt

information dissemination.‘’ A dynamic information

management has thusbecome critical to thesuccess of any governmentbe it among the developedor the developing nations.

‘’It is my belief that thismeeting would giveadequate consideration toissues bordering on socialmedia as a publicity strategyas well as other vital issuesthat would portraygovernment programmesand activities favourably tothe people,’’ Yemi-Esansaid.

The reports say that thetheme of the meeting is‘’Social Media and PublicInformation Management.’’

The conference, whichhas state commissioners forinformation, head of stateand federal governmentmedia outfits andpermanent secretaries ofstate and Federal Ministryof Information inattendance, would end onFriday.

executing variousprogrammes aimed atcurbing the spread of thedisease.

The commissioner, whowas represented by Mr.James Akinola, the state’sDeputy Accountant-General,decried the nonchalantattitude of the people towardthe transmission of HIV.

He urged the residents toavail themselves of thenumerous health interventionprogrammes of the stategovernment to make lifemore bearable for them.

Kolawole also advisedthem not to stigmatise thoseliving with HIV.

ADO-EKITI - TheDeputy Governor of Ekiti,Prof. Modupe Adelabu, hascalled for concerted effortsby stakeholders in the healthsector against drug abuse.

Adelabu made the call inAdo-Ekiti on Wednesdaywhen the leadership of thePharmaceutical Society ofNigeria (PSN), Ekiti chapter,paid her a courtesy visit.

The visit was part of thesociety’s sensitisationprogramme with the theme:

problem was left unsolved, itwould endanger the health ofinnocent citizens.

Earlier, the Chairman of theorganisation in Ekiti, Mr.Kolapo Olatunde, had calledfor governments’ assistancein the area of training and re-training of pharmacists.

Highpoint of the visit wasthe donation of reliefmaterials to the Ekiti StateRelief and RehabilitationCentre, Ado-Ekiti.

L - R: A Director, Ministry of Information, Mr Joe Obudeze, Permanent Secretary, Dr.Folashade Yemi-Esan and Osun Commissioner For Information, Mr Sunday Akere, at theTechnical Session of the 44th National Council on Information in Osogbo on Wednesday

Students of Mass Communication, Banking and Finance Department of FederalPolytechnic Bauchi, protesting over non inclusion of their names in NYSC scheme inBauchi on Wednesday


LagosLagos Assembly Condemns Filthy State

Of Abattoir

...Organises 3-DayRetreat For Staff

Lagos Assembly Begins AssessmentOf MDAs

Lagos Speaker ExplainsSurvival Strategies

LAGOS - Lagos State Houseof Assembly has organized a 3-day retreat on LanguageProficiency Training for itsstaff.

The programme wasorganized by the Assembly incollaboration with MessrsPervium consulting.

Declaiming the retreat onbehalf of speaker Rt Hon.Adeyemi Ikuforiji, at BedrockHotel and Suites that open inBadagry, the Director Financeand Administration, AzeezSanni, explained “Lagos Houseof Assembly considers itsworkforce as important elementin attainment of its goals andobjectives”

He further explained thatefforts are continuously made to

Stories By SURAJU RAJI

LAGOS - The ChairmanLagos State House ofAssemgbly, committee onPublic Accounts (state), Hon.Bolaji Yusuf Ayinlarepresenting Mushin II hasvowed to sanction any of theparastatals found culpable,saying the

House is bent to do thoroughwork. He disclosed this tonewsmen over the weekend atthe Lateef Jakande Auditorium,Alausa.

However, the Lagos StateHouse of Assembly hasembarked on assessment of theaccounts of the Ministries,Departments and Agencies(MDA),

LAGOS - Lagos State Houseof Assembly has condemned thefilthy environment of the Oko-Oba abattoir in Lagos

The house also lamented thatit is not only unhealthy butappalling and consumption ofunwholesome meat from theplace could lead to a breakout ofdiseases and epidemic for

teeming Lagosians.This was one of the findings

of the report of the 4-Man adhocCommittee on the modalities for

train and retrain members ofstaff in order to improve theirskills and make them competefavorably with their colleagues.

The DFA advised the Staff ofAssembly to use the retreat todiagnose the basic linguisticchallenges, practicaliseproficiency on the job,understand the grammaticalaspect of writing; understandthe fundamentals of writing.

He also implored the staff tobe accurate and precise in note-taking and documentation.DFA Sanni also remarked thatthe language proficiencyprogramme targets the users ofEnglish language indocumenting the records andproceedings that lead to processof law making.

“We are trying to let themknow that a proper retirementhas to be done because thefinancial rules and regulationsof section 603 says all invoicesand receipts must be attachedto the vouchers.

“We believe this timearound, there should benobody found wanting if theyfollow the Auditor General’sreport of 2011.

They are trying to comply towhat we stipulated unlike thepast’s report,” Ayinla said.

The chairman explained asthe committee is carrying outits oversight function; it wouldlater give a detail report at thefloor of the House. He said,

“we must lay the report, wehave to debate it extensivelybefore arriving at a conclusionbefore passing resolution.”

Ayinla explained that apartfrom inviting the officers, thecommittee would have to gofor inspection to verify theclaims. “We look at variousprojects and see whether theytally with the reports.”

“We are still expecting moreof the MDAs and everything isdone openly and transparently,if anyone is found wrong wewill let the world know. Don’tforget that the head of thelegislature was a teacher such

experience would come to bearin everything we do in theAssembly,” Ayinla said.

Hon. Ayinla who is servinghis third term in the Houseexplained that though there isa private consultant to assist inthe exercise, yet he has therequired knowledge to do athorough work.

“The recommendations ofthe consultant would be partand parcel of what we aregoing to use as a tool intackling the

MDAs. This is anindependent work thatexecutive has no input in it,”Ayinla noted.

LAGOS - Speaker, LagosState House of Assembly, RtHon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, hasdisclosed his survivalstrategies.

He explained that he hadbeen the speaker of theAssembly for long because ofhis reliance on God and thebelief that he was a mereservant of the people andmembers who elected him tostay at his duty post.

Ikoforiji further explained,“this is beside the knowledgethat one-third plus one voteswere what a speaker needed tobe in office, but difficult to getand easy to lose”.

The speaker disclosed thiswhile interacting with studentsAssociation, Faculty of Arts,Lagos State University(LASU), Ojo Campus.

However, Ikuforiji would beabout the longest servingspeaker of state Assembly inthe country by 2015 as hewould have put in 12 solidyears.

“A speaker needs a one-thirdof the House plus one vote tocarry on. It is difficult to get theone-third and easy to lose it,”

he said.Hon. Ikuforiji said, he

considered himself as servantof the people and would not becarried away easily by the factthat he was elected as speakerof Lagos Assembly.

Ikuforiji also revealed that hehad always been delighted byputting smiles on the faces ofpeople and sustain goodrelationship. He noted that hehad always known that aspeaker must see himself asservant of members whoelected him into office ratherthan see himself as a boss.

“For me, life is sweet whenyou live for others. My life isabout putting smiles on thefaces of others if opportunityarises to do so.

“No matter howcantankerous a member is, Iwant to carry him along. For meto give up on that person theperson should go forpsychiatric test,” Ikuforiji said.

Nevertheless, the speakerlamented the decay in thesociety currently, especially intotal upbringing of children.

the creation of an agency tooversee matters concerningveterinary services in the statefor effective performances andbetter service delivery.

Presenting the report of the 4-man ad hoc Committee, Hon.Abdurrzaq Balogun said, “theCommittee discovered that theAnimal Hospital in Oko-Obawas under funded and lacks thenecessary equipment needed foran hospital of its nature”.

According to the report, fromthe data made available to theCommittee, Hon. Balogunexplained, “no fewer than 4,000cattle , 10,000 sheep and goats,500 pigs and 10 camels are beingslaughtered daily at the abattoirand other slaughter slabs in thestate”.

the committee observed thatrelevant committee of the Houseshould prepare a draft bill for anenabling law to put the necessarymachinery and structure in placefor the Animal Health Agency.

It also recommended that aveterinary services and AnimalHealth Agency should be set upby the State Government.

The report further noted that“The said draft bill should alsoput up a better and morefunctional administrativestructure in place to actualize theobjectives of the bill onveterinary services of the State

The veterinary Agency to beestablished shall ensure that onlyqualified veterinary officers(doctors) and other qualified

Animal Health workers areemployed for veterinary servicesof the State.

The Committee also advocatedthat more enlightenmentcampaigns be put in place toshowcase the importance ofvertenary services to enhancetheir service delivery.

The House which resumedsitting after 6 week break waspresided over by the Leader ofthe House, Hon Ajibayo Adeyeyeand later adopted therecommendation of the report asresolution of the house.

L-R: Lagos High Court Judge, Justice Toyin Ipaye, Chief Judge of Lagos State, JusticeAyo Philips and Controller of Prisons, Lagos State Command, Mrs. Cathrine Ononyiduring the visit of Lagos Chief Judge to Kirikiri Minimum Prisons in Lagos recently.

L-R: Representative of Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olatunji; India High Commissioner toNigeria, Mr. Manesh Sachdev; President, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN),Dr. Anthony Omotola and President, Nigeria Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Uduimo Itsuili at anIndian Medical Tourism and Wellness Programme in Lagos recently.


Across Thr Nation Computer-Based Test Will

Curb Exam Malpractice -JAMB

LG Polls: Parties Agree OnGuidelines

Measles: Kano Records 200 Deaths

Embrace Insurance

Scheme, NUJBoss TellsJournalists

Poor Staffing: Benue Shirt 3Colleges Of Education

FERMA Plans Massive RoadsRehabilitation In Borno

MAIDUGURI - The FederalRoad Maintenance Agency(FERMA) yesterday said itwould soon commence massiveroad rehabilitation in Borno.

FERMA Director in the state,Mr Salaam Murtala, said this inan interview with newsmen inMaiduguri.

“We are working on plans tocarry out mass roadrehabilitation on federal roads inthe state,” Murtala said.

He said the agency hadsubmitted a proposal to FERMAheadquarters in Abuja forconsideration.

According to him, the exercisewill begin with federal roads

located in Southern Borno dueto the prevailing securitychallenges in the state.

He said that most federal roadsin the state had gone bad,blaming the situation on thelingering insecurity in the area.

Murtala said although contracthad been awarded for the re-construction of some of theroads, the contractors could notmobilise to site for fear of theirlives.

He however said that sincerelative peace had been attainedin parts of the state, FERMAwould soon mobilise itspersonnel to rehabilitate theroads.

KANO- Kano StateGovernment has signed aMemorandum of Understandingwith Dangote and Bill andMelinda Gates Foundations forthe revitalisation of routineimmunisation and other primaryhealthcare services, an officialsaid.

Dr Shehu Abdullahi, theExecutive Secretary, Kano StatePrimary Health CareManagement Board, made theplan known in Kano at theinauguration of the Kano StateImplementation Training for2013 Integrated MeaslesCampaign.

The secretary said that the statehad recorded 200 deaths from8,000 cases of measles since2012.

He said that 80 per cent ofthose affected, aged between 0to 59 months, were notimmunised against the disease.

, “Measles is one of thechildhood killer diseases, whichcan be prevented throughimmunisation,’’ Abdullahi said,

He said it was unfortunate thatparents and caregivers of theaffected children did not makethem available for immunisationand as such exposed them to thedisease.

He said that the training forLocal Immunisation Officers,State Technical Facilitators andLocal Government Facilitatorswas aimed at addressing thechallenges facing immunisationin Kano State.

Abdullahi said halting thespread of the wild polio virus,particularly, posed enormouschallenges but gave an assurancethat the government was poisedto meet the challenges.

Abdullahi commended KanoState development partners fortheir support toward the successof healthcare services in thestate.

JOS- Political parties inPlateau have pledged toadhere to the guidelines of thestate electoral commission(PLASIEC) for the December7, 2013 local government polls.

They gave the assurance inseparate interviews withnewsmen.

some of the parties said theyhave been served with copiesof the guidelines only onMonday, while others said theywere just receiving theircopies.

They said they would stick tothe commission’s time-tableparticularly, by holding theirprimaries as stipulated.

The All ProgressivesCongress (APC), Labour Party(LP) and Democratic PeoplesParty (DPP) told newsmenthey would hold primaries andwould not resort to consensusin picking their candidates.

The party officials said theconsensus option was an

undemocratic form of electionand did not give aspirants thenecessary level playing field totest their popularity.

DPP’s Secretary, Mr NamfaThomas, acknowledged that theparty had received a copy of theguidelines from PLASIEC.

He, however, said he was stillworried because the tenure ofthe local government officials toemerge from the polls had notbeen stated in the guidelines.

“The chairmanship andcouncillorship aspirants of ourparty who have been troopingin for the nomination andexpression of interest formshave been asking to know howmany years their tenure wouldbe.

“This is not stated in theguidelines, and the Secretary ofPLASIEC collected my phonenumber and said he was goingto give me the information later.But, up till now, we are still inthe dark,” Thomas said.

The State Secretary of LabourParty, Mr James Diwa, also saidhis party had received theguidelines.

“We earlier, on September 2,

received the time-table fromPLASIEC, and today we alsoreceived the guidelines fromPLASIEC.

“We have informed our partymembers, and so many of themhave come for the nominationforms.

“We have aspirants for bothpositions in all the 17 LocalGovernment (LGs) and nofewer than 73 aspirants have sofar collected forms forcouncillorship andchairmanship positions.

ONDO (ONDO STATE) -The Joint Admissions andMatriculation Board (JAMB)has said the introduction ofComputer-Based Test (CBT) inits examinations would curbexamination malpractice.

Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, JAMB’sRegistrar, said this in Ondo atthe first technical meeting of theboard on 2013/2014 admissionto Nigeria National Diplomaand National InnovativeDiploma awarding institutions.

It was reported that themeeting took place at AdeyemiCollege of Education, Ondo.

It was also reports that JAMBhas commenced the inspectionof schools which would be usedas CBT centres in the state.

Ojerinde said that CBT wasalso a way of making thecandidates to be ICT-compliant.

He said that CBT would makethe results of any examinationconducted by JAMB to be readywithin a week.

“We have gone digital in

JAMB. What we are going todo now is to make use ofcomputers and within a week,the results will be on theInternet.

“Unlike before when wewere using the analogue style;the new scheme will stopmalpractice,” he said.

Ojerinde, however, noted thateverybody now wanted to go tothe university to obtain degrees,adding: “Obtaining a degree isnot the only way to make it tothe top.

“We are encouraging asmany people as possible todevelop interest in technicaleducation and entrepreneurialeducation,” he said.

Also speaking, Prof.Adeyemi Idowu, the Provost,Adeyemi College of Education,Ondo, lauded JAMB fordevising strategies to curbexamination malpracticethrough the introduction ofCBT.

MAKURDI- The BenueCommissioner for Education, DrElizabeth Ugo, announced thatthe State Government had closeddown three colleges of educationfor poor staffing andinfrastructure.

Ugo made the announcementin Makurdi at a news conferenceon the activities of the ministry.

She named the colleges asEmmanuel Ebije Ikwe Collegeof Education, Otukpa, Ityiav-Gar

College of Education, Mkarand Malamin College ofEducation, Gboko.

The commissioner regrettedthat the schools were beingmanaged solely for commercialgain.

Ugo said that the standard ofthe colleges had fallen belowthe expectations of the NationalCommission for Colleges ofEducation (NCCE).

She said the closure of theschools was to ensure thattertiary institutions in the statecomplied with the minimumrequirements of the NCCE.

Ugo, however, disclosed thatthe commission grantedapproval to seven otherColleges of Education at Oju,Katsina-Ala, Aidogodo,Otukpo, Adoka, Naka andLuga.

She said that provisionalapproval was given to twocolleges of education at Lesseland Aliade in the Ushongo andGwer Local Government Areasof the state.

The commissioner said thatthe ministry was determined todeal with examinationmalpractices to restore thefallen standard of education inthe state.

IBADAN-The NationalPresident of the Nigeria Unionof Journalists (NUJ), MalamGarba Mohammed, has called onmembers of the union toembrace its insurance scheme.

Mohammed made the appealin Oyo State NUJ 2013 PressWeek held at the Iyaganku PressCentre, Ibadan.

The NUJ boss, who wasrepresented by the ZonalSecretary, NUJ Zone 8, MrGbenga Lawal, said that thescheme became imperative inview of the hazardous nature ofthe work of journalists in thecountry.

Mohammed, who recalled thatthe union lost some of itsmembers in an auto crash onAugust 2, described theinsurance scheme as a crucialwelfare initiative.

He commended the NUJ in thestate for its “invaluableachievements” in the last threeyears under the leadership of MrGbenga Opadotun.

Earlier, Opadotun said that thecelebration was low-keyed toreflect the mood of the unionfollowing the loss of one of itsmembers in the August 2 crash.

He, nonetheless, promisedthat the executive of the chapterwould not relent in its effort totake the union to greater heights.

In his good will message, MrGbenga Aderemi, the Chairman,Senior Staff Association ofNigerian Universities (SSANU),University of Ibadan Chapter,described journalism as the“strength of the weak.’’

The SSANU boss, who alsodescribed journalists “as thehope of the masses and thechallenger of the oppressor,”urged them to report the truth allthe time in spite of thechallenges facing them.

Contributing, Mr AdebisiAdegboyega, the Chairman,Academic Staff Union ofPolytechnics, Ibadan chapter,said there would be no lifewithout journalism.

The Chairman of the NigeriaLabour Congress in Oyo State,Alhaji Basiru Olanrewaju, calledfor better remuneration forjournalists in the country.

Deputy Governor of Plateau, Mr Ignatius Longjan (left), greeting victims of Asakio cri-sis in Nasarawa State at their camp.

Victims of Asakio crisis in Nasarawa State at their camp in Quaan’Pan Local Govern-ment Area of Plateau on Wednesday


AbujaFees For Recruitment

Ministry Denies Allegation

FCT: Security AgentsArrest 174 Robbers

Failure To Appear

Court Orders Arrest Of Ex-Lawmaker

Abuja Residents CondemnLate Evacuation Of Waste

ABUJA- An AbujaMagistrates’ Court has issued abench warrant for the arrest ofa former member of the Houseof Representatives, NuraMarafa (PDP-Zamfara), forfailing to appear in court.

The Senior Magistrate, MrAbdullahi Illelah, gave theorder, after Marafa who wasalleged to have issued a dudcheque to a businessman,Abubakar Ibrahim, owner ofInterlink Communications Ltd,failed to appear in court.

“In view of the absence of theaccused in court, in spite of thefact that he was duly served withthe writ of summons, theDivisional Police Officer (DPO)of Life Camp is hereby, orderedto arrest him.

“The DPO is also ordered toproduce the accused on the nextadjourned date one week fromtoday.

“This bench warrant is issuedin line with section 149 of theCriminal Procedure Code,’’Illellah ordered.

Earlier, the complainant had

ABUJA- A cross-section ofresidents of the FCT havedescribed as unacceptable thelate evacuation of waste by theterritory’s cleaning contractors.

Some of the residents whospoke to newsmen said itsometimes took the contractorsdays or weeks to evacuate thewaste, even after payments hadbeen made.

Mrs Sarah Ajunwa, a residentof Gwarinpa, said the contractorin charge of her estate oftenfailed to evacuate waste as atwhen due.

She said the bad odouremanating from the heap ofwaste in front of some houseshad made the affected areasuninhabitable for residents.

Ajunwa said that she alwaysmade sure she paid her wastebills on time.

“I make sure that I pay all mybills, but I still notice that ittakes days for the contractors toevacuate the waste in front ofthe house.

“ The odour that comes fromthe accumulated waste in everyhousehold makes the areauninhabitable,’’ she said.

Mr. Segun Bolarinwa, aresident of Apo, said that as aresult of the delay in evacuation,alternative means of evacuatingthe waste were being deviced.

He said that dumping wastein front of houses for dayswithout evacuating them wasunacceptable.

Bolarinwa also faulted theattitude of some contractors

ABUJA- The Ministry ofInterior in Abuja has deniedcharging fees from applicantsseeking recruitment into theNigeria Immigration Service.

Mrs Fatima Bamidele, thePermanent Secretary in theMinistry of Interior, said in astatement that the ministry didnot collect N1,000 as processingfee from applicants.

Bamidele denied theallegation when she receivedrepresentatives of the NigerianUnemployed Youths Vanguardled by its National Coordinator,Mr Solomon Adodo in theministry, according to thestatement.

“For the avoidance of doubt,the Ministry of Interior and theNigeria Immigration Service, donot charge and will not acceptmoney for jobs,

“Anybody who demands forand accepts money or bribes forjobs into the services under theministry will be appropriatelysanctioned in line with extantregulations guiding discipline inthe service,’’ she said.

The permanent secretary saidthat the current recruitment wasin continuation of an earlier

ABUJA- The FCT securityagencies arrested 174 armedrobbers in the territory betweenApril and September 2013.

This is contained in astatement issued by MrMuhammad Sule, Chief PressSecretary to the FCT Minister,in Abuja.

It said the FCTCommissionerof Police, MrFemi Ogunbayode, disclosedduring a high-point discussionat the FCT Security Committeemeeting chaired by FCTMinister, Sen. Bala Mohammed.

It said that 604 rounds of liveammunition were recoveredduring the period.

Justice Baba-Yusuf grantedthe prayer of the prosecution andadjourned the suit to Nov. 26.

Baba-Yusuf said that theadjournment was in the interestof justice.

He ordered the prosecution topresent its witnesses unfailinglyin court by the adjourned date.

NAN reports that the four werealleged to have robbed one MrLuke Alakwe of his Mercedes

Benz 230 model saloon Carwith registration NumberAY385A PP on Jan. 11, 2006.

They were also alleged to havecollected of 10, 000 from theirvictim.

The police said the offencecontravened Section 97 of thePenal Code.

The accused pleaded not guiltyto the charges.

Absence Of IPO Stalls TrialOf Robbery Suspects

ABUJA- The absence of theInvestigating Police Officer(IPO), Insp. EmmanuelBonaventure, stalled the trial offour men for alleged armedrobbery

Samuel Nwosu, Faeren Labe,Christian Ugockwu and EbukaOzodibe are standing trial ontwo counts of felony and armedrobbery.

At the resumed hearing of thecase, before Justice HusseinBaba-Yusuf of the FCT HighCourt, the police prosecutor,Insp. John Ashu, told the courtthat the IPO was not in court totestify.

Ashu prayed for anadjournment to enable the policeto produce the IPO who was theleader of an investigating teamin the case filed against the fouraccused persons.

effort by the ministry to recruitofficers into the NigeriaImmigration Service.

She further explained that theexercise that was done manuallywas marred with controversyand had to be discontinued.

“Consequently, a new ICT-based recruitment exercise hadto be adopted for the purpose of

fairness, transparency andaccountability in line with thetransformation agenda of thegovernment.

“A consultant was engaged toprovide an Internet platform toenable applicants access theapplication forms that willenable the ministry process theapplications,’’ she said.

“The number of armsrecovered include 27 locally-made pistols, three AK-47riffles, one Lar-Riffle, 11Wooden/Toy Guns and oneJoeJeff Pump Action Gun,” itsaid.

told the court that the accusedcame to his shop on June 25 andbought six blackberry cell-phones of various models, oneI-pad, one I-phone, amongothers, totaling N898,000.

He said that the accusedissued him a July 1, post-datedcheque of N440,000 being part-payment for the items he hadcollected but it turned out to bea dud cheque.

Ibrahim said that he also gavethe accused a receipt in respectof the transaction.

The complainant said thatafter repeated demands theaccused again gave him anothercheque on July 24, which alsobounced and so was returnedunpaid.

He said that all efforts madeby him to compel the accusedto pay him the money provedabortive, resulting in his makinga direct criminal complaint atthe Life Camp Police Station onJune 25.

In his submission, the CourtBailiff, Mr Abdulkadir Yakubu,said that he had personally

served the accused with the writof summons and that Marafahad endorsed the duplicate copy.

Meanwhile, An FCT HighCourt in Gwagwalada hasgranted a ‘garnishee order nisi’on four bank accountsbelonging to an estate company,Split Second InternationalLimited .

Garnishee order nisi, is a legalprocedure by which a creditorcan collect what a debtor owesby reaching the debtor’sproperty when it is in the handsof someone other than thedebtor.

Justice Balami Mwada, gavethe order, following a motionexparte brought by Mr PromiseMbani, Counsel to MrAkinwumi Ajibola.

The defendant’s bank accountnumber affected by the orderedare: Guarantee Trust Bank Plc.,321214016110 and32124016120; Fidelity BankPlc., 4010612658; and KeystoneBank Plc., 1005363895 withinthe court’s jurisdiction.

Mwada explained that thecourt granted the prayers toenable, Ajibola, recover ajudgment debt of N54 millionpaid as part payment for buildingsix units duplexes.

The judge said that thedefendant would also pay 10 percent interest rate on judgmentsum, totaling N54.5 million.

“Upon hearing the motionexparte and accompanyingaffidavit of Promise Mbani, agarnishee order nisi is herebygranted.

“A garnishee order nisiattracting the sum of N54million and a 10 per cent interestrate on judgment sum from thedate of judgment until finalliquidation is hereby given.

“The order is made to enablethe creditor recover his money,’’Mwada said.

The court ordered the banks toappear before it to explain whythey could not pay to theplaintiff the entire judgmentsum toward the satisfaction ofthe debt.

who litter the area with wasteswhen moving them.

“The way they handle bins isnot proper; they will turn thewaste and throw the binsanyhow thereby breaking themand littering the whole placewith waste,’’ he said.

A resident of Area 1, Mrs.Jumai Salam, said that in ordernot to keep the waste in front ofthe house for days they disposeof them indiscriminately.

“I cannot keep waiting forthem for days to come and pickthe waste; therefore, on myown, I dispose of themanyhow,’’ she said.

L-R: Chairman, Igbo World Assembly (IWA), Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze; UPP NationalChairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie; Assistant Director, Funding; IWA, Mrs. Amaka Ezukwoand former President of Ohaneze Ndigbo , Igwe Eze Ozobu, during IWA’s 7th Conventionin Enugu recently

L-R: Representative of Nigeria Immigration Service, ACI George Didel, representativeof the Nigerian Navy, Navy Capt. Danjuma Moses; representative of the Chief of De-fence Staff, AVM. Ahmed Iya and Consultant, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Re-tired AVM Chris Marizu at a workshop on Information, Intelligence Gathering, Commu-nity Policing and National Security in Abuja recently.

1 0 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2013THE NIGERIAN

Business + EconomyLagos Residents Urge FG To Check Rising Price

Of Kerosene

NNPC Calls For SpeedyPassage Of PIB

Google Launches Improved NigerianMap

Cassava ProductionWill Create 3 Million

Jobs - InstituteLAGOS - The Federal

Institute of Industrial Researchin Oshodi (FIIRO) says the useof cassava flour for productionof bread is capable of creatingthree million jobs within threeyears.

A statement issued by FIIROin Lagos quoted its Director-General, Dr Gloria Elemo, asmaking the assertion.

Elemo also appealed to theFederal Government to urgentlyaddress the issue of creation ofenabling environment for theimplementation of cassavainclusion in bread-making.

According to her, if this stepis taken, an average of 25bakeries will be established byentrepreneurs per localgovernment area in Nigeria overa period of three years.

“ Cassava bread has highpotential for job creation throughprocessors and producers of highquality cassava flour, farmers,suppliers, bakers andresearchers.

“Many will take advantage ofthe new regime of incentives forbakers and processors on bakeryequipment and reduced tariff on

all equipment for processing ofhigh quality cassava flour andflour blending.

“This implies that the cassavabread policy could lead toestablishment of about 19,350additional bakeries in all the 774local government areas withinthe next three years.

“With an average employmentof seven workers per bakery, thisimplies that about 135,450 jobscan be created in these bakerieswithin the next three years.

“Considering a multipliereffect on the downstreamindustries, the cassava breadpolicy, if properly implemented,has the capacity to generateabout three million jobs in threeyears,’’ She said.

The director general said thatcassava was being cultivated inNigeria mostly by peasantfarmers with average landholding of less than two hectares.

She said that if an average landholding of two hectares wascultivated per farmer with anaverage national yield perhectare of 10.6 tonnes, thenfarmers could have an averageoutput of 21.2 tonnes per annum.

GOOGLE Nigeria hasintroduced advanced featureson its maps to make driving orwalking through unfamiliarterrains easier for mobilephones users.

The features are accessibleby any smart phone user.

A statement signed by MrTaiwo Kola-Ogunlade, theCompany’s Communicationsand Public Affairs Manager,said that “Google Maps forMobile” would makedirections more easier to get.

He said that the GoogleMaps Navigation systemincluded everything expectedfrom a GPS navigation system

and much more.“We have worked to improve

the comprehensiveness andusefulness of Google Mapsthrough advanced features likevoice-guided, turn-by-turnnavigation.

“Many Nigerians are todayusing this tool to navigate theirway around the country,” theGoogle official said.

He said that Google MapsNavigation (Beta) could beaccessed by any smart phoneuser running Android 2.2+andiOS 5.1+ and required nodownloads or updates.

Kola-Ogunlade said that inaddition to guiding the user onany journey, the user wouldalso have access to informationabout thousands of cities,towns, roads and points ofinterest.

“In other words, whether youare heading to Abuja Stadiumfor a football match or Calabarfor a family holiday, GoogleMaps Navigation has youcovered,’’ he said.

The public affairs managersaid that with Google MapsNavigation, the user’s phonewould announce upcomingdirections as one moved alongthe route in English or French.

ABUJA - Nigeria NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC)has urged the National Assemblyto ensure speedy passage of thePetroleum Industry Bill (PIB) totransform the nation’s oil and gassector.

The Group Managing Directorof the Corporation, Mr AndrewYakubu, made the call in Abujaat the 3rd Upstream andDownstream Oil and GasConference.

Speaking on a paper entitled“PIB and InvestmentOpportunities-Characteristics ofthe Document’’, Yakubu saidpassage of the PIB would attractForeign Direct Investment intothe oil and gas sector.

According to him, the PIB,when passed into law, will go along way in complementinggovernment’s reforms in the

sector.“The PIB, currently before the

National Assembly, offers anopportunity to increaseinvestments in the entire valuechain of the petroleum industrywith attendant positive impactson the economy,’’ he said.

Yakubu noted that the PIB waspainstakingly drawn up withinputs from all stakeholders inthe oil and gas sector with a viewto replacing about 16 obsoletelaws.

He enumerated the benefitsinherent in the bill to include thecreation of a commerciallyviable National Oil Company,establishment of an effectivefiscal framework, promotion ofNigerian content andenhancement of explorationactivities.

Other benefits of the bill, hesaid, included deregulation ofpetroleum product prices,promotion of health safety andenvironment and creation of a

robust economic environment toattract investments.

He said the PIB would go along way in unleashing anddeveloping the gas reserves inthe country, which he said iscurrently grossly underutilisedand wasted through flaring.

“One of the very importantresources for Nigeria’s future isnatural gas.

“Nigeria holds huge gasresources with a proven reserveof 187 trillion cubic feet of Gaswith unproven Gas potential ofabout 600TCF.

“The scorecard for gas hasbeen low in terms of bothdevelopment and localconsumption, more so, largevolumes of gas are still beingflared.

“The bill, therefore,incorporates the earlier measurestaken by government withrespect to the domestic supplyobligation in order to underpin

the gas master plan,’’ he said.Yakubu, who was represented

by Mr Victor Briggs, ManagingDirector, Nigerian PetroleumDevelopment Company,expressed optimism about abright future for the oil and gassector, “anchored on a robustPIB’’.

Earlier, Mrs NKechi Nwaogu,Chairman, Senate Committee onGas, gave the assured that theNational Assembly wascommitted to the speedy passageof the PIB.

She, however, decried thealarming rate of gas flaring in thecountry, which is put as thesecond highest in the world andurged stakeholders to joingovernment in addressing thenegative trend.

International Oil Companies,National Assembly members,officials from NNPC, PTDF andNigeria Export Processing Zoneare attending the three-day event,which has ends today.

LAGOS - Some residents inLagos have appealed to theFederal Government to urgentlycheck the rising cost of kerosene.

They told newsmen in separateinterviews that price of kerosenehad soared to N155 per litre atfilling stations from the officialpump price of N50.

Mrs Odunayo Yusuf, a foodseller at Ojuelegba, said that thehigh cost had further increasedthe cost of cooking for themasses.

According to Yusuf, most ofthe stations within Ojuelegba areselling kerosene for betweenN140 and N155 per litre from theofficial price of N50.

“ Currently, we are faced withthe challenge of getting theproduct because most of thefilling stations preferred sellingto retailers than individuals,” shesaid.

Mr Francis Debola, a bankerwith Zenith Bank, appealed tothe Federal Government to putin place effective mechanisms tocheck marketers.

Debola said that kerosene wasgradually getting out of the reachof the poor.

“Since the beginning of thisyear, kerosene has sold forbetween N135 and N150 per litreand no regulatory agency hasdone something about it,’’ hesaid.

Mr Sunny Ezeugwu, acommercial bus driver atObalende, urged labour leadersto intervene to save Nigeriansfrom further exploitation.

“What baffles me is that eachtime government increases pumpprice of petrol, labour unions andother organisations will call forstrike.

“But as in the case of kerosene,we have not seen anybody that

will fight for the masses whoonly depend on it to survive.

“The commodity is not scarce;filling stations are selling it attheir own price because nobody

is monitoring them,” he said.Mrs Kofoworola Ilori, a civil

servant in Lagos, urged thegovernment to find out what wasresponsible for the high rise in

price.“NNPC said that it pumped out

the product at the rate of N40 perlitre on daily basis, we mustknow the people behind theunlawful increase,” she said.

Reports say that some depotsin Apapa were selling kerosene

at the rate N108 per litre tomarketers.

Mr Isiaka Aremu, AuditorGeneral, Sahara Unit of NigeriaUnion of Petroleum and GasWorkers (NUPENG), blamedthe middlemen for the price hike.

L-R:l Member, House of Representatives Committee on Industries, Rep. Nasiru Ilah,Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu andChairman of the Committee, Rep. Mohammed Onawo, during an oversight functionvisit of the Committee to SON in Abuja recently.

Equipment at the International Print Expo in Abuja recently.


NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY{26/09/13)Stocks Open Close Change Deals Units Value

7UP 72 72 0 20 32,496 2,105,859.73

ABBEYBDS 1.65 1.49 -0.16 2 150,300 223,947.00

ABCTRANS 0.77 0.79 0.02 15 541,411 425,528.80

ACADEMY 1.87 1.87 0 6 177,020 331,051.40

ACCESS 9.91 9.93 0.02 277 34,323,539 340,969,452.12

AFRIPRUD 1.9 1.87 -0.03 33 111,760 210,011.00

AFROMEDIA 0.5 0.5 0 1 3,000 1,500.00

AGLEVENT 1.55 1.55 0 7 57,676 89,215.38

AIICO 0.76 0.78 0.02 38 1,345,205 1,026,672.19

AIRSERVICE 4.23 4.23 0 2 210 800.1

ARBICO 5.05 5.05 0 1 50 227.5

ASHAKACEM 19 19.1 0.1 42 214,338 4,118,190.54

ASOSAVINGS 0.5 0.5 0 3 20,500 10,250.00

BERGER 8.7 8.7 0 9 29,507 254,381.66

BETAGLAS 11.87 11.87 0 1 100 1,187.00

BOCGAS 6.5 6.5 0 5 11,479 74,288.50

CADBURY 46 46 0 40 206,051 9,472,645.73

CAP 39.07 37 -2.07 26 233,839 8,679,387.99

CCNN 9.09 9.09 0 18 132,277 1,144,797.30

CHAMPION 16.99 16.99 0 2 600 9,180.00

CILEASING 0.5 0.5 0 2 2,000 1,000.00

CONOIL 28.8 28.8 0 17 12,481 324,407.57

CONTINSURE 1.12 1.15 0.03 6 20,016,700 23,004,995.90

CORNERST 0.53 0.5 -0.03 6 102,286 51,143.00

COSTAIN 1.11 1.11 0 16 150,608 157,027.96

COURTVILLE 0.75 0.75 0 3 13,670 9,295.60

CUSTODYINS 1.35 1.4 0.05 21 1,346,529 1,884,767.70

CUTIX 2 2 0 19 295,142 532,492.84

DANGCEM 190 190 0 88 222,711 42,311,952.68

DANGFLOUR 9.01 9.05 0.04 82 796,214 7,200,913.57

DANGSUGAR 10.83 10.9 0.07 70 1,276,175 13,825,418.13

DIAMONDBNK 6.16 5.9 -0.26 71 4,752,700 28,817,345.35

DNMEYER 1.9 1.9 0 2 3,600 6,170.00

DUNLOP 0.5 0.5 0 1 75,000 37,500.00

ETERNA 2.75 2.75 0 25 274,487 757,814.39

ETI 13.5 13.4 -0.1 91 7,831,370 104,955,266.43

EVANSMED 3.29 3.29 0 1 500 1,645.00

FBNH 15.96 16.01 0.05 370 8,026,822 128,551,971.96

FCMB 3.68 3.67 -0.01 88 3,293,489 12,145,685.10

FIDELITYBK 2.49 2.51 0.02 97 6,747,296 16,958,521.27

FIDSON 1.96 1.97 0.01 13 784,700 1,540,616.00

FLOURMILL 83 83 0 38 107,735 8,662,407.91

FO 35.7 35.7 0 47 167,930 6,188,578.20

GLAXOSMITH 69 69 0 16 35,327 2,245,427.06

GNI 0.5 0.5 0 2 2,000 1,000.00

GUARANTY 25 25 0 319 26,947,660 673,613,933.23

GUINNESS 249 248.6 -0.4 74 438,165 109,069,240.08

HONYFLOUR 2.7 2.82 0.12 35 804,241 2,257,803.36

IHS 2.9 2.8 -0.1 4 100,000 280,015.90

IKEJAHOTEL 0.8 0.8 0 3 50,990 37,007.28

INTBREW 19.75 19.75 0 47 567,815 10,511,371.57

INTENEGINS 0.72 0.65 -0.07 17 1,960,065 1,277,941.61

IPWA 0.9 0.99 0.09 14 673,073 665,817.27

JAPAULOIL 0.5 0.5 0 13 1,442,790 721,395.00

JBERGER 76.99 76.99 0 39 907,722 64,381,782.34

JOHNHOLT 1.07 1.07 0 2 7,836 8,714.36

JOSBREW 5.4 4.86 -0.54 34 884,830 4,307,273.80

JULI 1.93 1.93 0 1 3,832 6,667.68

LASACO 0.5 0.5 0 2 372,615 186,307.50

LEARNAFRCA 1.95 1.95 0 8 136,130 245,034.00

LIVESTOCK 3.9 3.72 -0.18 24 428,192 1,627,638.10

MANSARD 2.01 2.01 0 7 267,400 547,745.00

MAYBAKER 2.2 2.2 0 19 288,996 584,574.00

MBENEFIT 0.5 0.5 0 1 22,556 11,278.00

MOBIL 107 107 0 26 42,280 4,609,853.13

MRS 36.14 36.14 0 4 10,902 354,642.06

TOP 10 GAINERS TOP 10 GAINERSStock Close LossNESTLE 990.03 -10.97PRESCO 33.3 -3.7CAP 37 -2.07UACN 57.99 -1.01JOSBREW 4.86 -0.54GUINNESS 248.6 -0.4VITAFOAM 3.66 -0.33DIAMONDBNK 5.9 -0.26LIVESTOCK 3.72 -0.18ABBEYBDS 1.49 -0.16

Stock Close GainTOTAL 157.01 5UNILEVER 60.61 2.61PZ 37.5 0.5UAC-PROP 15.7 0.48NASCON 11.92 0.37OANDO 10.82 0.32ZENITHBANK 19.9 0.2HONYFLOUR 2.82 0.12ASHAKACEM 19.1 0.1VONO 1.88 0.1

TOP 10 LOSERS

MULTITREX 0.5 0.5 0 2 242,500 121,250.00

MULTIVERSE 0.5 0.5 0 3 7,500 3,750.00

NAHCO 6.1 6.1 0 24 245,712 1,498,839.56

NASCON 11.55 11.92 0.37 87 1,126,156 13,366,162.70

NB 161 160.99 -0.01 170 682,083 109,514,049.62

NCR 16.83 16.83 0 1 8,500 128,775.00

NEIMETH 1.15 1.15 0 13 158,936 179,251.40

NEM 0.69 0.7 0.01 25 2,015,753 1,408,170.88

NESTLE 1001 990.03 -10.97 81 288,259 285,579,275.30

NIGERINS 0.5 0.5 0 2 34,374 17,187.00

NNFM 25.65 25.65 0 3 1,100 25,399.00

NPFMCRFBK 0.79 0.79 0 6 58,887 43,378.64

OANDO 10.5 10.82 0.32 219 4,053,944 44,194,387.03

OASISINS 0.5 0.5 0 1 180,000 90,000.00

OKOMUOIL 48.05 48.05 0 32 139,166 6,370,390.20

PAINTCOM 2.04 2.04 0 2 60,000 122,400.00

PORTPAINT 5.6 5.6 0 1 2,600 14,560.00

PREMBREW 0.74 0.74 0 1 4,599 3,725.19

PRESCO 37 33.3 -3.7 10 114,785 3,830,181.25

PRESTIGE 0.6 0.6 0 2 5,100 3,054.00

PZ 37 37.5 0.5 64 374,276 13,886,601.30

REDSTAREX 4.1 4.1 0 7 81,000 334,650.00

REGALINS 0.5 0.5 0 2 1,000 500

RESORTSAL 0.5 0.5 0 1 200 100

ROYALEX 0.5 0.52 0.02 18 346,230 180,211.43

RTBRISCOE 1.35 1.44 0.09 44 748,236 1,047,919.57

SCOA 5.32 5.32 0 1 49,166 235,505.14

SKYEBANK 4.19 4.1 -0.09 97 1,695,409 7,006,587.10

SKYESHELT 100 100 0 1 500 50,000.00

STACO 0.5 0.5 0 1 200 100

STANBIC 19.3 19.3 0 29 182,200 3,458,240.06

STDINSURE 0.5 0.5 0 1 4,820 2,410.00

STERLNBANK 2.26 2.33 0.07 65 6,676,558 15,346,422.81

THOMASWY 1.04 0.94 -0.1 1 100,000 94,000.00

TOTAL 152.01 157.01 5 32 285,693 44,581,843.41

TRANSCORP 1.45 1.5 0.05 198 43,518,749 64,923,218.00

TRANSEXPR 1.45 1.36 -0.09 13 471,575 640,074.00

TRIPPLEG 2.29 2.29 0 1 238 492.66

UAC-PROP 15.22 15.7 0.48 30 340,305 5,334,783.76

UACN 59 57.99 -1.01 55 561,862 32,591,284.51

UBA 7.4 7.35 -0.05 236 11,992,514 88,755,895.19

UBCAP 1.31 1.38 0.07 55 1,757,641 2,366,904.42

UBN 10.25 10.16 -0.09 94 1,263,312 12,878,136.60

UNIC 0.5 0.5 0 1 25,834 12,917.00

UNILEVER 58 60.61 2.61 52 464,874 28,088,094.12

UNIONDAC 0.5 0.5 0 2 5,000 2,500.00

UNITYBNK 0.53 0.55 0.02 116 29,503,876 16,683,481.57

UNIVINSURE 0.5 0.5 0 1 367,000 183,500.00

UPDCREIT 10.5 10.5 0 1 2,000 18,900.00

UPL 3.74 3.81 0.07 17 326,694 1,238,052.14

UTC 0.58 0.59 0.01 17 322,925 192,180.93

VANLEER 12.68 12.68 0 1 1,000 11,500.00

VITAFOAM 3.99 3.66 -0.33 33 1,327,003 5,116,155.97

VONO 1.78 1.88 0.1 6 111,241 197,298.01

WAPCO 90 90 0 37 215,190 19,538,058.76

WAPIC 0.82 0.8 -0.02 25 14,277,553 11,433,689.45

WEMABANK 0.94 0.93 -0.01 23 38,192,849 35,531,240.00

ZENITHBANK 19.7 19.9 0.2 205 18,413,170 367,994,480.32


THE Senate of the Federal Republic ofNigeria has voted in favour of theremoval of the National Minimum wagefrom the “Exclusive List to theConcurrent List” in the ongoingconstitution review.

THE Trade Union Congress in a swiftreaction on Tuesday called on theSenators to reconsider their position onthe deregulation of the minimum wage.The Union’s President, Mr. BobboiKaigama said the decentralisation of theNational Minimum wage Law showedclearly that the upper legislative arm wasacting contrary to the will of the Nigerianpeople.

WE are tempted to share samesentiments with the Trade UnionCongress given the unpopularamendments the Senate has embarkedupon since it commenced voting on therecommendations of the IkeEkweremadu-led Committee reports onconstitution review. From the obnoxious6 year single tenure, to the ChildMarriage and now moving NationalMinimum wage out of the Exclusive Listto the Concurrent List.

WE believe that there are moreimportant constitutional changesNigerians have been clamouring for to bereflected in the grand norm which theSenate who ordinarily should be therepresentatives of the people are shyingaway from in utter preference for theirpersonal issues and those of their political

Senate’sConstitutional

Ammendment OfMinimum Wage

godfathers. Some of the important issuesNigerians want to see in their constitutioninclude but are not limited to thefollowings: true fiscal federalism orresource control, in the alternative, returnto regional government as provided for inthe 1963 Constitution, devolution ofpowers to federating states, LocalGovernment Autonomy, removal ofimmunity clause particularly with criminaldimension to immunity among others.

RATHER than give Nigerians a people-centred constitution, we are worried thatthe Senate is currently chasing shadowsand wallowing in self-glorification andperpetuation. This is condemnablebecause, it is only sheepish for a Senatorto vote for Child Marriage only to burstinto tears when confronted by hisconstituents. It goes to show that many ofthe Senators are not voting according tothe wishes of their constituencies. Thisexplains the untoward voyage into thederegulation of minimum wage by theSenators.

IT is our contention, therefore, that if the

Federal Government should legislate forfederal workers and the stategovernment legislates for the stateworkers, which assembly have theSenators put in place in the sameconstitution to legislate for the privatesector and other none state actors?

CREATING two regimes of minimumwage and excluding the private sector inthe fixing of wages in the country, offersprivate operators a blank cheque toexploit Nigerians in their employ. Weexpect Senators to have thisunderstanding more than any otherNigerian, hence our utter disappointmentand we call on the distinguished senatorsto rescind their stand.

IT is for this reason, we want to urgethe House of Representatives which hasbeen very progressive in its legislationsand resolution since inception of theseventh National Assembly to voteagainst this obnoxious decision of thesenators.

WE urge the Committee onharmonization of both houses positionsto throw out this vexations provisionsfrom our statute book when theyeventually commence sitting onconstitution review. In the same token,we call on all State Houses Assembly toreject the proposal if it comes their way.

FINALLY, we urge organised Labouras represented by the Trade UnionCongress and the Nigeria LabourCongress to rise to the occasion and resistthis anti-labour move of the senators.

THE NIGERIAN


Health

By ANNA ANGBAZO

Incorporating Traditional MedicineInto Nigeria’s Healthcare System

Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health

IN recent times, traditionalmedicine has been receivingsignificant attention in healthmanagement efforts across theworld partly because severalpeople have somewhat lostconfidence in the efficacy oforthodox medicine.

Analysts attribute thepeople’s loss of confidence inorthodox medicine to factorssuch as drug counterfeitingand drug reactions, as well asthe affordability andaccessibility of the healthcaredelivery.

They also observe thattraditional medicine has beenused to cure various life-threatening ailments in allparts of the world at lowercosts, even before thediscovery of somemedications.

The general acceptance oftraditional medicine is evenattested to by the World HealthOrganisation (WHO), whichnotes that more than 80 percent of the population ofAfrica depends on traditionalmedication.

According to the globalhealth agency, certaincomplementary andalternative medical therapiesare also getting popular amongAustralians and Europeans.

Besides, a survey conductedby the Roll Back Malariaprogramme indicates that 60per cent of children with highfever in countries such asNigeria, Ghana, Mali andZambia, use herbs as first-linetreatment.

With this trend in itspatronage, experts, therefore,recommend that traditionalmedicine should be regulatedand incorporated intoNigeria’s healthcare system toensure the quality, safety andpotency of products.

Sharing similar sentiments,Mrs Julie Offoboche, a formerSolicitor-General of CrossRiver, urged the FederalGovernment to acknowledgethe work of traditionalmedicine practitioners bylicensing them and creatingroom for them in hospitals.

She stressed that althoughorthodox medicine had a greatvalue in healthcare delivery,there were some ailments thatcould only be effectivelytreated with local medicinalherbs.

Offoboche noted thatvaluable goods and services,including herbal medicine,were being produced in

Nigeria, urging thegovernment to give tangiblesupport to these small-scaleenterprises.

“The government shouldgive them some grant andensure that the amount ofmoney given to them isactually given to the rightperson.

“When this is done, herbalmedicine practitioners wouldbe independent and be able togive quality service delivery;they can even perform betterthan their counterparts inIndia and China.

“As regards herbal productscoming in from India andChina, people will tell you Itook this and I took that but itdid not work; when they takethe Nigerian herbal formula,it would work for them.

“Our herbal products areevery efficacious. Thegovernment should givesupport to the herbalmedications’ producers bygiving them grants to enablethem to conduct research andproduce more drugs,’’ sheadded.

Nevertheless, Offobochenoted that the Cross RiverGovernment had beenlicensing herbal medicinepractitioners via annualrenewable agreements,urging the FederalGovernment to replicate thepolicy at the federal level.

Mrs Quincy Ayodele, atraditional medicinepractitioner, shares a similarviewpoint. She underscoredthe need to develop andimplement a national policyfor regulating traditionalmedicine in the country so asto ensure its efficacy.

She also stressed the needto incorporate traditionalmedicine into the country’sPrimary Health Care system,saying that it would expandthe citizens’ access to good,affordable healthcaredelivery.

Ayodele called onstakeholders in the healthsector to develop long-termand short-term trainingprogrammes for traditionalmedicine practitioners toimprove their knowledge.

At the 62nd WHO AfricanRegional Meeting in Luanda,

Angola, in November 2012,traditional medicinepractitioners also argued thatresearch was very essential inthe drive to improve the qualityof traditional medicine.

Traditional medicine

practitioners from Congo,Mozambique and Mali, in theirseparate contributions at themeeting, particularly stressedthat the integration oftraditional medicine intonational healthcare systemswould enhance the people’saccess to affordablehealthcare.

However, Prof. AbayomiSofowora, the formerChairman of WHO RegionalExpert Committee onTraditional Medicine, stressedthat the practice of traditionalmedicine ought to be strictlyregulated.

He said that the regulation ofherbal medicine would

stimulate the production ofquality, safe and efficaciousherbal medicines.

Sofowora said: “Traditionalmedicine has been with ussince the beginning of time,and it is the only source of

healthcare for most people dueto its accessibility andaffordability.

“The holistic approachattracts many people who wantto go back to nature fortreatment because manypeople are not happy with thehealthcare provided byorthodox healthcare.’’

Sofowora stressed that theglobal trade in herbs grossedover 100 billion dollars perannum, stressing that Africashould seize the opportunityand start reaping the economicbenefits of traditionalmedicine

Angola’s Minister of HealthJoseviera Dias Van Dinem

noted that many Africanspreferred traditional medicineto orthodox medicine becauseof its affordability andaccessibility.

He, nonetheless, advisedtraditional medicinepractitioners to share theirknowledge with others,stressing that most

practitioners only bequeathedtheir skills to their familymembers alone.

However, Mr ShekwoduzaBaba, the Manager (HealthSystems StrengtheningProgramme), Clinton HealthAccess Initiative, in Liberia,suggested that rigorousanalytical work ought to becarried out to ascertain thepotency of any herbal remedywhich traditional medicinepractitioners claimed to havediscovered.

“I have a soft spot fortraditional medicine becausethe knowledge of healing hasbeen passed on fromgeneration to generation on mymother’s side.

“I am working to catalogueall the medicinal plants whichmy mother recommended formanaging or curing differentailments in 2013.

“This is in an effort to set thefoundation for furtheranalytical work, which willinvolve isolating the activeingredients in the plants.’’

Baba, nonetheless, stressedthat in spite of claims of cure

by traditional medicinepractitioners and the demandfor collaboration, thepractitioners ought to disclosethe contents of their medicinalpreparations for scientificproof.

Corroborating this view, DrDorcas Angbazo, anephrologist at the NationalAssembly Clinic, said thatinasmuch as there wereclaims of cure in traditionalmedicine, there should beclinical trials to ensure safetyof the medications.

She warned that the healthhazards of ingestingtraditional medicines withoutknowing their ingredients anddosage could be quitedevastating.

Angbazo cited an incidentin Belgium in 1992 whenchronic interstitial nephritiswas diagnosed in mostmiddle-aged women in thecountry who were usingChinese herbal pills to shedweight.

She, therefore, called ontraditional medicinepractitioners to subject theirclaims to the NationalInstitute for PharmaceuticalResearch and Development(NIPRD) for verificationthrough thorough research.

However, NIPRD’sDirector-General, Prof.Karniyus Gamaniel, said thatinstitute was only engrossedwith research, adding that itwas not a final productdeveloper.

He, therefore, stressed thatthe institute’s work ontraditional medicine productscould not satisfy the extantmarket standards in terms ofthe products’ dosage andstandardisation.

Besides, Gamaniel said thatthe institute was trying toreduce the spurious “can-cure-all’’ claims of traditionalmedicine practitioners byverifying their claims on thetreatment of sundry diseases.

He, however, gave theassurance that the institutewould collaborate withtraditional medicinepractitioners in efforts togarner wider acceptance fortheir products.

According to him, researchinto herbal medicines wasconsidered imperativebecause of the high patronagefor the medicines, especiallyat the grassroots.

Gamaniel and other experts,therefore, insist that withoutscientific proof of the potencyof any traditional medication,the users face the risk of toxic,adverse side-effects. (NANFeatures)

“The holistic approach attracts many peoplewho want to go back to nature for treatmentbecause many people are not happy with thehealthcare provided by orthodox healthcare.’’


PUBLIC NOTICE

RECONCILIATION OFNAME

STOLEN VEHICLEI, Mrs. Tessy Ogbemudia of No. 4, OmoruyiStreet, Ugbor Quarters, Benin City wish to bringfor the information of the general public that myvehicle, Toyota Camry Car, with Reg. No. DG400 BEN, Dark Blue in Colour, Engine No. 5-S-0376559 and Chassis No.JT25K12E7R0237091 was removed from theposition it was parked opposite OLA PrimarySchool along Airport Road, Benin City onMonday, September 16, 2013. All efforts torecover the car have proved abortive. Concernedauthorities and the general public should pleasetake note as I solicit that any useful informationthat may lead to the recovery will be rewarded.

Signed:Tessy Ogbemudia

08038716396

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ThisSpace IsFor Sale


A BROAD spectrumof prominent Mexicans,including formerministers, businessmen,artists and a NobelPrize-winning scientist,on Wednesday urged thegovernment todecriminalize marijuanain a bid to curb gangviolence and corruption.

Since 2007, about80,000 people havebeen killed in turf warsbetween drug cartelsand their clashes withsecurity forces, leadingto calls for a change inpolicy in Mexico andelsewhere in the U.S.-led war on drugs.

W e d n e s d a y ’ sn e w s p a p e radvertisement urgingthe decriminalization ofcannabis broughttogether one of the mostdiverse coalitionspushing for change inMexico. Those lobbyingincluded a number ofinfluential figures inpublic life.

Among the signatorieswere several formerministers from theruling InstitutionalRevolutionary Party,famous actors, mediatycoon Ricardo SalinasPliego, one of Mexico’srichest men, and 1995Nobel laureate forchemistry, MarioMolina.

The ad argued thatcriminalization madenarcotics more lucrativefor cartels, noted that anumber of U.S. stateshad liberalizedmarijuana laws and thatUruguay’s Congresswas taking steps tolegalize the cultivationand sale of the drug.

“Mexico has paid ahigh cost for applyingthe punitive policy ofprohibition,” theadvertisement read.

View gallery.”File photo of Mexican

soldier arranging blocksof marijuana …

A Mexican soldierarranges blocks ofmarijuana, weighing atotal of 46 tons, beforethey are inciner …

“We know well thatn e i t h e rdecriminalization norany other individualmeasure represents apanacea to end theviolence, corruption andlawlessness in Mexico.But effectivedecriminalization ofmarijuana consumptionby raising the dosepermitted for personaluse is a step in the rightdirection.”

In 2009, Mexico madeit legal to carry up to 5grams (0.18 ounces) ofmarijuana, 500milligrams (0.018ounces) of cocaine andtiny amounts of heroinand methamphetamines.

Despite that step, then-President FelipeCalderon staked hisreputation on riddingMexico of brutal drugcartels. He sent in thearmed forces to fightthem, but the violencerose, and around 70,000people died in gang-related crime on hiswatch.

His successor, EnriquePena Nieto, assumed thepresidency in Decembervowing to reduce thekillings. But while thedeath toll has fallen, theshootouts andexecutions still claimclose to 1,000 lives amonth in LatinAmerica’s secondbiggest economy.

Pena Nieto has so faropposed relaxing druglaws in the country, butsays he is willing todebate the matter.

Former PresidentVicente Fox, a staunchadvocate of drugreform, said in July hebelieved Mexico couldlegalize marijuanabefore Pena Nietoleaves office in 2018.

A man smokes a jointduring a rally for thelegalization ofmarijuana Mexico Cityin this September …

A notable signatory ofW e d n e s d a y ’ sannouncement wasformer Finance MinisterPedro Aspe, a mentor ofcurrent FinanceMinister LuisVidegaray, one of PenaNieto’s closest aides.

Others included actorsGael Garcia Bernal andDiego Luna, two formerhealth ministers, peaceactivist Javier Siciliaand Calderon’s brother-in-law, Juan IgnacioZavala.

Lawmakers have saidMexico City could serveas a launchpad for achange in drug policy.Mexico City’s localcenter-left governmenthas taken advantage ofmore liberal views in thecapital to pass landmarklaws such as legalizinggay marriage.

The publicadvertisement made thesame argument.

“Public opinion in thecapital is increasinglytolerant of individualchoices and could alsobe regarding marijuanause, with a view to amore completeregulation in future,” itread.

Senior officials in theParty of the DemocraticRevolution, which runsMexico City, say theparty could put forwarda proposal to relaxmarijuana laws in thecapital later this year.

DiscourseProminent Mexicans Urge Govt

To Decriminalize Marijuana


kingdoms in urhobolandthan Traditionalkingdoms.

At the last count wehave 24 kingdoms inUrhobo land approvedby the Delta stateGovernment, namely:Agbon, Agbarho,Aravwarien, Agbarho-otor, Olomu, Udu, Ogor,Uwherun, Evwreni,Ughievwen, Ewu,Okparabe, Effurun-otor,Oghara, Ijerhe,Mosogar, Oruarivie-Abraka, Umiagwa-Abraka, Okpe, Orogun,Okere-Urhobo andUvwie. But some of thekingdoms and theirkings are no longer atease as they are sunkenin litigatory escapades,balkanization travails,press wars, diabolicalmanipulations, politicalidioglossia and socialcataplexy.

The politicalimplications are toogruesome tocontemplate. In the 1953elections the vastmajority of Urhobopeople pitched theirpolitical tent with theNCNC, whilst somemajor tribal groups inthe Western Regionpitched thus politicaltents with the ActionGroup (AG). Thedevastating politicalconsequences beforeand after the electionsare still with the Urhobopeople till today as theItsekiri Monarchbecame the TraditionalRuler of WarriKingdom. We pitchedour political tents atvarious levels with theMDF, NPN, SDP, andPDP. But now theUrhobo politicalmachine is now betweenScyllas and Charybadis,between the Devil andthe deep blue sea and inschismatic politicalentropy torn between thePDP/DPP/APC etc.

With the Urhobopolitical structure andinterest dichotomizedalong political,m o n a r c h i c a l ,kingdoms, kingship, etcmatrix and lines, howcan we move forward?The death of theLegendary Senator PiusEwherido has broughtout the political beast inthe Urhobo politicians

Traditional Kings .Some of them havebecome surrogates,stooges and fifthColumnist to theGovernment. We expectour Urhobo people to beproud of themselves andshun low self-esteemthat is the cause ofshameful receipt of basebribes and fighting to

proliferation of Kings isof our making gingeredby government politicalagents.

The writer in the‘Duchess ofMalfi’posited that Nomatter how violentlybad we are pushed intoa well, it is our weightthat will quicken our

likepen

balkanize kingdoms andcarryout profane questfor power.

As we approach 2015,let our politicians andthe totality of theUrhobo nation say ‘No’to disunity, shamelessquest for kingship andproliferation ofkingdoms. The people ofthe Great UghiewenKingdom are one andnothing on earth shoulddivide them. Let ourUrhobo people learnfrom the Edo Kingdom,Itsekiri Kingdom andfrom our own OkpeKingdom, etc. We mustnote that thebalkanization ofKingdoms and the

plunge into the well andWilliam Shakespeareobserved that The faultythere Brutus is not in ourstars, but in us that weare underlyings. Thecourage to take the bullby the horns must wipedup in the UrhoboProgress Union(UPU)the zeitgeist tointervene on such issuesof responsible politicalconduct of politicians,the way forward forUrhobo Nation in 2015,the proliferation ofkings and balkanizationof kingdoms in Urhobo.

Finally, we take solacein the words of ClaudeMckay [1848-1998] “Ifwe must die; let it not be

Insight Urhobo Kingdoms And Po

By CHIEF BOBSON G

“It is a maxim founded on theUniversal experience of mankindThat no nation is to be trustedFurther than it is bound by its interest”.George Washington (1732 – 1799).

I

in their knack for a ‘nocompromise’ approachto politics. Is it notbetter to pick a‘ c o m p r o m i s e dcandidate’ agreed uponby all Urhobo speared-headed by the UPUinstead of the torpsy-turvydom andl u d i b r a s t i cdiscombobulation thatthe quest for power hasprecipitated.

Some of ourkingdoms and kings thatare supposed to call thepoliticians to order havebeen compromised bythe Government that putin power and that gavethem staff of politicalOffice and not

INit is pexacand acritileadorganinstitthe lefail founthis wOkpe

ThOkpepolitfoun1930inaug1930interobjeVERof undebrotOkpthemtogeeviscprogcordineigh

Toagaineconmargbrindynato atOkpmassOkpintegand tand integOkpestakpartnphenembrthe gkingd

In pragmUnioOkpover equaunitydevepeopOkpe

Aftof EKingof Ointer

WHEN Orwellianduplicity, schizothymicproclivities laced andintermingled withschizophrenic mien istheatricalized in anycollectivity, itprecipitates a dementiapraecox andneurological obsessionwith recondite divisivespirit. Is this what iswrong with ambitiouspoliticians, kings andkingdom mongers inUrhoboland? Hence,Governor Uduaghanobserved that “Exceptyou are recognized bythe state Governmentyou cannot be called atraditional ruler. If youare calling yourself atraditional ruler you willbe arrested andprosecuted”.

The Urhobo peoplehail from Delta state andhave numericalsuperiority over everyethnic group in the state.They are the fifth largestethnic group in Nigeria,fifteenth largest inAfrica and consistentwith statistical data, theyare the fifty-first (51st)largest ethnic group inthe world. One of thelargest oil producing inNigeria, the 21st inAfrica and the 45th in theworld.

But the Urhobo peopleare hewers of wood andfetchers of water in aState and Nation wherethey hold numericalsuperiority and such agreat fiscal height. Theyare in government, butnot in authority andpower. Are they evenreally in government?This is as result of aNeanderthal brand ofplacebo Republicanismthat has made theUrhobo people theirown worst enemies asbrothers are turned

against brothersbefuddled by psychotictreachery, the dog eatdog syndrome andconsequent upon thefederal might bringskewed against us.

In the midst of powerand fiscal drought inUrhobo land the peoplehave turned againstthemselves. A kind ofimplosive Paleolithiceviscerality and poweracquisition by hook orcrook. This iscompounded by themanipulative politicalshrewdness of our stateGovernment in thepolitics of creation ofnew Kingdoms, Kingsand selective handingover of Staff of Officeand the Official Seal ofthe Staff of Office totheir political stoogesand surrogatesmasquerading astraditional rulers inM e p h i s t o p h e l e a nKingdoms.

Is it the StateGovernment that shouldpick our traditionalrulers through itspolitical acrobatics orthe people of thatkingdom? Thispoliticization has led tothe balkanization of thekingdoms and thewanton proliferation ofkings in Urhoboland andDelta state. Once the laiddown kingshipprocedure, historicalprecedence and traditionis jettisoned it stimulatessplinter groups whocreate their ownkingdoms and kings. Itis clear that the Ibori/U d u a g h a nadministration havegiven more Staff ofOffice to traditionalrulers and created morekingdoms in Delta statethan any otheradministration. Indeed,there are more political

Gov Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State


e dogs hunted andnned in an inglorious

spot, while round usbark the mad hungrydogs making their mockof our accursed lot. If we

must die, O’ let us noblydie, so that our preciousblood may not be shedin vain. Then even the

monsters we defiledshall be constrained tohonour us though dead!O’ kinsmen! We must

olitical Staff Of OfficeInsight

GBINIJE

nterrogating Okpe Developmental ChallengesBy CHIEF BOBSON GBINIJEN consequentialist Ethics

posted with mathematicaltitude that deontologicalaxiological rudiments areically crucial fordership success,nizational efficiency andtutional progress. Hence,eadership and institutionswhen they lack this

ndational equipoise. Iswhat is happening to thee Union?

he Okpe Union is a Pan-e Socio-Cultural-Quasitical organization

nded on the 16th May,0. But formallygurated, on the 16th July,0. It’s constitution statesr alia, that its aims andectives are to (NOTRBATIM) foster the spirit

love, mutualerstanding andherhood amongst thee people and sensitize

m on the need to liveether as one family,cerate the zeitgeist ofressive change and haveial relationship with theirhbours. defend Okpe peoplenst hostile neighbours,nomic and politicalginalization, usingksmanship and the

amics of “lobby-power”ttract development toe Kingdom, promotesive education for thee people, to ensure

grity of the Okpe peopleto promote multicultural

cross-culturalgration. To ensure that thee nation is a formidableeholder, player and

ner in the globalizationnomenon and to bring all-racing development tograss-roots of the Okpedom.these set objectives andmatic dreams, the Okpe

on, the Umbrella of thee Nation, has workedthe years with Spartan

animity to promote they, progress andelopment of the Okpeple within and outsidee land.

fter the passing unto glorysezi 1, Orodje of Okpe

gdom, there was a periodOrodjeship abeyance andrregnum which almost

constitution on or before June24th, 2013 and a freshelection conducted on orbefore September 5th, 2013and the new Executivesworn-in immediately.

Without slips of prolixity, itis indeed, a platitudinoustruism that the Okpe nationhas been forgotten by themarch of civilization as weare in a state of troglodytebackwardness, socio-e c o n o m i c ,underdevelopment and crassmarginalization, even as anoil, gas, timber producingnation/kingdom with ournumerical superiority inpopulation. We have not beenable to harness and husbandour resources as a nation andas a people. We are beingradically bemused by ourneighbours and our lands arebeing legally and forcefullytaken over whilst weluxuriate in intra/inter OkpeUnion squabbles andrelocation blues. There is nofederal presence in terms ofschools and industries inOkpe kingdom. We are notappointed into Federal orState’s administrativecabinets.

We have no water, no roads,no houses or shelters, nolight, no industries and noviable tertiary institutions.We attend our neighbour’sschools and we have sold allour fertile lands to ourneighbours who are nowreselling back to us. We lackthe labenstraum and positiveaudacity to hold our headshigh in the comity of nations.The challenges of our growth,development and progress arecolossal and leviathan. Wemust develop a revolutionarystand and a bellicosereorientation to move theOkpe nation from thegangrenous labyrinth of anapocalyptical epicenter. Weneed total radicalization ofour struggle to bringdevelopment to our land.

Our first clog to the wheelof our progress is the“Modern Day Okpe Man”who betrays cowardice in allthings unlike our courageousforefathers. The Okpe unionmust be built into a fighting

machine and no more thehabitue of jobless politiciansand hungry artisans. Thechallenges ahead areenormous. Okpe kingdom isthe land of the rising sun, welove and cherish it. Belovedhomeland of our forebears.We must defend our own orshall perish. We shall andmust protect our hearts andlands from all our foes. Butif the price is death for all wehold dear, then let us diewithout a shred of fear. Wefear too much in Okpe landthat is why all our neighbourswalk on our heads. It muststop.

We can no more afford theluxury of Okpe Union’simbroglio and nay Okpekingdom’s politicalventriloquisms. We must callthe spade ofunderdevelopment andmarginalization in Okpe landa spade and not a meregardening tool. The Ijaws didit and today they havefreedom, liberty anddevelopment to show. Thetrees of liberty must bewatered with the bloodtyrants and there cannot begreat strides in historywithout sacrifices.WHITHER GOETH OKPE?

We must start today to startfinetuning logistics,orchestrating actions andperfecting our renaissancemachine (The Okpe Union)with a view to shaking awayall excess luggages andpossessing our possessions.Let us not falter, forShakespeare asserts that “thefault dear Brutus is not in ourstars, but in us that we areunderlyings”. We shallemerge triumphant fromthese chains of penury andthrough the hot cauldron wewill pass unscathed. After thebattle, we shall rememberthose who died in mass. Thenshall our trumpets sound theglorious song of victory wescored over might and wrong.

We cannot continue toremain one of the largestdialectical amalgams in DeltaState, Oil and Gas producingkingdom and one of thelargest contributors to thecommonwealth and continue

precipitated anarchicalentropy in Okpe kingdom.But great Herculean andTrojan intervention by theOkpe Union led to therekindling, rebirth andresuscitation of theOrodjeship with theinstallation of Esezi II.

It has continue to promoteOkpe customs and tradition,through dress codes,festivals, book publications,songs and dances (MrEvwighademu ofOkwokpokpo, LateEgbikume Azanor ofUghoton and Mr LayaAkpaboro etc). The OkpeUnion still continues to bethe Okpe political think tankand lodestone. It hascontinued to advice Okpepolitical leaders andaspirants on the way andmanner of carrying outsocio-political strategicrepositioning of the Okpenation for effectivedevelopmental strides.

Indeed, Okpe Union hasdone well in its set objectivesunder some of its past andpresent leadership, likePresidents Ake of Mereje,Ero of Ughoton, SamEmujeta of Okwidiemor,Taire of Okwitaire, Agbiwanof Jeddo, Agala of Ughoton,Chief Phillip Ewetuya ofAdagrassa, Oha and Ugolo,Egbejumi, Chief DickGberevwie, Arch RalphKarienren and Mr JohnEkpoke (Ag. PresidentGeneral). Etc.

But, it must be noted thatin the past few years thebubble got bust as the peaceand tranquility in the OkpeUnion got rubbished by theinter and intra schismatict u r p s y - t o r v y d o mprecipitating tenebrousmelange, acrimonious mediawrangling and apocalypticrevisionism. This hasintroduced the behemoth ofmalice, legal prestidigitationand diabolical manipulationsamongst brothers.

As peace, efficiencycatalyst and crisismanagement strategy theODOGUN OKPE (OKPESUPREME COUNCIL) in aconsultative meeting held onthe 14th July 2012 with theOkpe Union and HRM

thought it fit and proper torelocate the Headquarters ofOkpe Union to Orerokpe (Theancestral home of the Okpepeople, Headquarters of OkpeLocal Govt. Council and theabode of the Orodje of OkpeKingdom). The relocation ofOkpe Union to Orerokpe hasits positive and negative sides.

But it will help to bring theactivities of the Union closerto the grassroots, it will createa nexial dovetailing with localand international branches onissues affecting the Okpekingdom, it will be more proneto explicitly articulate on thedevelopmental challenges ofthe Okpe nation and therelocation will bringleadership closer to the Okpepeople. But some have thesuspicion that it will barricadeand create barracoons againstthe Okpe nation, because itwill be too far from Lagos, thecommercial capital and Abujathe political capital.

The concern of this writer isthat a crisis-befuddled OkpeUnion being relocated willcarry over it accoutrementsand appurtenances ofdestabilization and it cannotstand. We must reconcile thewarring factions, conduct afree, transparent and fairelection in the Okpe Union,ratify its constitution, get acertified audit report, bankreconciliation, secretariathallmarks, organogramsurgeonization and personalgrieviances sorted out.

We should allow the formerHeadquarter Office in Lagos toremain a branch of OkpeUnion and we must open aliaison office in Abuja andLagos to help Okpe kingdomhave outreach to theinternational community.Otherwise, the relocation fromLagos will magnetisecommunication blackout,political dwarfishness anddevelopmental erebus to Okpekingdom.

The quality of the leadershipthat will come on board whenit is relocated to Orerokpe willbe fundamentally important.Will the Okpe Union not behectored and hounded by self-seeking power mongers intheir theatrics of politicalrascality? We call for theurgent ratification of the draft

to luxuriate in abjectunderdevelopment. Wemust crystallize thesecherished ideas intopalpable fruition. But wecannot start the revolution ifand when “Okpe Union” isin disarray. We must put ourhouse in order to enable usface the gargantuanchallenges ahead.

Indeed, principles areprinciples. They can only betransformed into realitythrough the institutions ofsociety. Otherwise theyremain inert and useless. Itis our firm conviction thatin the tapestry andprojectiles of the OkpeUnion it has the potentialsto kineticise the struggleinto a tangible reality and itis the duty of all Okpepeople and theirsympathizers. Looking atthe institutions in oursociety, the very vehicles forcarrying out revolutionaryprinciples, what do youfind? We find old, faded andrusty machines creakingalong most in efficiently anddelaying the People’sProgress and Progress of theRevolution. We hope andpray that the Okpe Unionshould be disemboweledfrom this cocooned state.

Finally, as we heed thiscall to rise to take ourdestiny in our own hands,we beseech God Almightyto protect us from theclandestine and furtivedungeon, guide all ourmovements lest we goastray, give us the zeal andstrength to heed thisglorious call. To give andnot to count the cost. Blessthose who will win the OkpeUnion elections and thetotality of our leaders inOkpe kingdom to serve withaltruism and resolutenessand to make Okpe kingdoma land of milk and honeylaced with patriotism andrighteousness.

God save Okpe Union andbless Okpe kingdom.

UMOGUN!!! WUNE SUTOR

Chief Bobson: GbinijeMandate Against Poverty

(M.A.P)WARRI - 08023250378

meet the common foeon all fronts,-pressed to the wall,dying, but fightingback”. Indeed,‘vestigia nullarestrorum’ [NO

RETREAT, NOSURRENDER] topolitically salvageUrhobo kingdoms fromourselves and from theMachiavellian acrobaticsand ventriloquisms ofDelta State politicians.


Art AliveThe Need For Cultural Resource

ManagementBy BENJAMIN A. AKPEVBO

WithFRANCIS ODUPUTE

IN describing andevaluating critically theneed and problemsassociated with culturalresource management incontemporary Nigeria,cognizance must be taken ofwhat is cultural resource orwhat are cultural resourcesvis-à-vis cultural resourcemanagement. Cultural resources arethose materials and nonmaterial aspects bothnatural and man made suchas tools or implements,furniture, automobile,buildings, irrigation,cultivated farms, artifactsand any substance whichhas been changed and usedby man including thoseclassified as antiquities. The non-material aspectsconsist of words people use,ideas, customs and beliefsthey hold. These are alsoregarded as philosophies ofthe people. Other resources could bethe wealth, supplies ofgoods, all the free gift ofnature, such as land, forest,potential water power,productivity of the soilincluding both metal andphysical and all sorts ofman-made aids to furtherproduction such as toolsmachinery and buildings. WHAT IS CULTURALR E S O U R C EMANAGEMENT? Be that as it may, culturalresource management canbe referred to as anoperational process becauseit is aimed at making thebest use of the abovecultural resources entrustedto any body or culturalorganization such as theNational Commission forMuseums and Monuments,to achieve its predeterminedgoals in general terms. These goals involve themanagerial function ofobjective setting, planningand decision making,

building and developing,formulating policies,administration, creating andcontrolling systems. Theinclusion of staffing and thegiving of the commitmentsof operating employees isimportant. From the foregoing,cultural resourcemanagement deals with therestoration, preservationand conservation of thesecultural resources. In America, this aspect ofcultural resourcemanagement was styledNew Archaeology, purelyarchaeological research tocontract studies in thepreservation of resourcemanagement goal. This is anew conservation model asAdeniran (1995) in lipe putsit, was carried out to salvagearchaeological sites,monuments and artifactsfrom destruction anddamage by landmodification, agencies, fire,among others. In Nigeria, culturalresource managementincludes restorationpreservation andconservation of culturalresource started way backbefore and after the colonialrule. Prior to colonial rule, themanagement of culturalresources was crude. Themethod of management wasthe preservation of metalobjects\bronzes, wood andclay, sculptures on roof topsand ceiling protecting themagainst the attack of insectsor flood. etc The destruction of thisnatural heritage regarded asidolatries by colonialmasters/British missionarieswere either burnt or cartedaway at variance,purportedly to have beentheir claim of protectingthese material objects fromfactors like light, relativehumility among other

problems in thelaboratories. To articulate the place ofour cultural heritage inbringing about developmentin our cultural resources inour environment holdslimitless promise fortourism, trade and socialdevelopment (Eboreime1994).

Eboreime continues, thesector over which themuseum has legal and socialresponsibility is so grosslybeset with managerialproblems such as in the areaof funding. Furthermore, funding, is todeal with the provision orthe availability of adequatefunds or money for theupkeep of the activities onservices of the museumwhich is limited to the

extent that our exhibitionsare now stale.For example, the Benin Citywalls are crumbling and ourobjects are getting rotten inthe stores. No fund topurchase equipments,chemicals and for goodtraining of staff/personnelfor improved productivity.There is also the lack of

awareness! appreciation inthe country. Little or noappreciation that materialsymbols and artifacts morethan any other are concreteveins around which social,political and economicrelationships run over spaceand time, but these are notproperly harnessed hencethe UNESCO in theiroperational directives(Section 4.5) has prescribedthat countries which are ableto document and present

their cultural property willreceive support forintegrating culturaldevelopment within over alle n v i r o n m e n t a lDevelopment package(EDA) Eboreimeconcluded. However, Nigeria is notdoing this because of thecrisis in culturalmanagement strategy whichhas robbed the museum ofadequate financialsympathy for mobilizing

culture for economicdevelopment such asKenya, Zimbabwe andMozambique have fullydone.Political and economicreasons also militate againstmanagement of culturalresource in terms ofdevelopment vide theconstruction of roads,industrialization and growthof cities and towns by theFederal government. Individuals and privateenterprises also contributeto the desecration anddestruction of thearcheological sites forquarry business in Nigeria.One could see it throughsome of the Museums andMonuments (NCMM.) Inher status vide the thenOrdinance No 17 of 1953when it was known as the

Antiquities servicecommission, it had achievedcertain objectives amongstwhich is; the discovery,presentation and study ofmaterial artifacts throughout the country that broughtabout such ancient culturessuch as Nok, Ife, lgbo-Ukwu, Owo and Benin. The above findingsresulted in the establishmentof earliest museums inNigeria first started by theBritish Education officersand District officers such asK.C. Murray, E.A.Duckworth and BernardFagg. Some of the museumsare Esie (1945), Jos (1952),Ife (1954), Lagos 1957,Kano (1960), Owo (1968)and Benin (1973).Today theNational Commission forMuseums and Monumentswhich changed its namefrom the former Antiquitiesservice by Decree No. 77 of1979 has given muchcredence to theadministration of NationalMuseums, antiquities andMonuments, to makerecommendation to stategovernments or otherpersons or authorityconcerning theestablishment of museumsand the presentation ofantiquities and monuments,for example Rivers StateMuseum, Port Harcourt,Didi museum, Lagos amongothers. CONCLUSION To ensure the best use ofresources, there is a pressingneed for cultural planningand management throughthe establishment of controlsystems in which feedbackscan be given to promote oraid the management of ourscare cultural resources. The problem underlyingany planning andmanagement of materialresources is the fact thatsupply is ultimately finitewhich demand iscontinuously growing insize and nature. However,this simple equation iscomplicated by the fact thatalthough any singleresources particularly inrelation to these elementswhich are useful rather thannecessary to man, variesgreatly from time to timeand from place to placedepending on the culturaland technical level of thepeople.

“In Nigeria, cultural resource managementincludes restoration, preservation andconservation of cultural resource started wayback before and after the colonial rule”

Edem Duke, Minister of Culture and Tourism


Art And Culture

Guardian Angels Of CultureWith

Ambrose O. Ekhosuehi

THE liturgical feast ofthe Holy Guardian Angels,in Catholic culturalobservances occurs onsecond day of October.

There are four rulingprinces of the order withtutelary or ministeringangels.

They are Uriel, Raphael,Gabriel, Michael. Thereare also seventy Guardian

Angels of nation; one incharge of each state.

The Angels are purespirits, the mighty princesof heaven who standbefore Almighty cod;gazing on his unveiledpresence, burning of love,filled to overflowingplenitude of happiness.They are the perfectimages of God, mirrors ofHis Divine perfectionsreflecting His Love, Hisbeauty, His holiness, Hispower, His Divineattributes and perfections,but each Angel in ownspecial way.

God perfections areinfinite and countlessAngels reflect theseperfections in divinelymarvelous way. EveryAngel is specificallydifferent from the other asone differs from another.

The Angels areunspeakably lovely, theyhave no shadow ofimperfection, no defectand nothing on this earthcan possibly give an ideaof their resplendent glory.They are living replicas ofGod beauty.

All the millions of menand women who peoplethe world, all those whohave ever lived or everwill, are of one and thesame specie but eachAngel is a specie all in self.

The Angels reflect Godgoodness and sweetness,reflect all his divinevirtues and perfections.They enjoy the vision ofGod infinite Love, with allthe mighty strength andintensity of their natures.

The happiness that anAngel enjoys in onemoment is so deep and all-satisfying, that it exceedsall the happiness that amortal person could enjoyin a thousand years.

When therefore, theAngels appear to humanpersons, they take a humanform, so as not to over aweor confound those wholook on them.

The moment a child isborn, God calls one of Hisglorious spirit and givesthe new born child into theAngel’s special care.

When the soul is createdand united to the body;which takes place beforebirth, then, the child is still,one with the mother andprotected by the parentsAngles, but it is when thechild is born into thisworld, that the child’sAngel begins the care forthe child.

Every person has aguardian Angel, God inHis infinite goodness hasgiven to each person,whether pagan, heretic,Catholic etc has a guardianAngel; whose great duty isto watch over the person,day and night, asleep orawake, alone or in themidst of companion, inhomes, in street, workingor in leisure, everywhere,every moment of lives, injoys or in troubles. TheAngel never abandons aperson for single instantbut sees every movement

and ever at all sides; hencein the hymn; “Dear Angelever at my sides, howLoving must thou be, toLeave your home inheaven to guide, a simplechild like me”.

They watch everymoment so that not asingle hair falls from aperson’s head withoutdivine permission, whenan Angel takes charge of a

soul, the spirit devotes allglorious intelligence andknowledge, all power andvigilance to protect,defend and help in everypossible way the personwho God has given intothe Angel’s charge.

The Angels long to sharejoy, happiness, Love,holiness with generosityand earnestness desire,Labour every moment,day and night to makebetter, holier and happier.

These great angels tooare constantly whisperinginto our ears, counsels fullof Love and wisdom.

The Angel may notinterfere with our free will,but can and does act on ourmemories, recallingvividly something weought to do or warning usof something we ought notto do.

The Angel acts

benevolently on ourimaginations and on ourreason, persuading us,urging us to correct ourweakness, to fight againstevil inclinations, inspiringus with new ideals andstimulating us to fresh andgreater effort.

They are angry if we dowrong. They are ever onthe alert to defend us fromfierce attacks of thedemons, our restless foesthat use their malice to ruinus, to tempt us and stir up

every soft of troubleagainst us.

Angels with the Love ofGod and full of intenseLove for us, intercedingconstantly for us beforethe throne of the MostHigh God, cannot refusewhat the Angel ask fortheir clients since Godwho gave them chargeover us and ordered themto take every care of us.

companion and guide toTobit’s Son-Tobias whojourneyed to Media fromNineveh. It is only at theend of the journey thatRaphael reveals himselfby name as one of theseven holy Angels thatattend the throne of God.Raphael is charged to healthe earth and through him— the earth furnishes anabode for people whomalso he heals of maladies.Raphael is one of the threeAngels that visitedAbraham in Genesis 18,the other two Angelsidentified as Gabriel andMichael. He is theArchangel of Wednesdayof week

days. -Gabriel — God is my

strength, is one of the twohighest ranking Angels inChristian and Islamreligious lore. He is theAngel of annunciation,resurrection, mercy andvengeance, death andrevelation. Gabrielpresides over paradise. Heis said to sit on the lefthand side of God. Gabrielis the spirit of Truth and inDaniel Chapter 8, Danielfalls on his face beforeGabriel, to Learn themeaning of the encounterbetween the Ram and theHe-goat. Gabriel bringsthe glad tidings to VirginMary in annunciation. Heis the Archangel ofMonday week day.

Michael — Who is asGod, ranks as the greatestof all Angels, whether inJewish, Islamic orChristian Lore. He is Chiefof the order of Virtues,Chief of archangels,prince of the presence, andangel of repentance,righteousness, mercy,sanctification andconqueror of Satan.Michael announced toMary her approachingdeath. He holds in hishands the scale of Justice:He is the Archangel ofSunday week day.

Uriel-fire of God is oneof the leading Angels innon-canonical Lore andrank variously as a Seraph,Cherub, Regent of the sun,flame of God, Angel of thepresence, preside overTartarus, I-fades, andAngel of salvation. He actsas heavenly interpreter ofEzra’s vision, He is theAngel who watches overthunder and terror, and inthe teaching of CatholicChurch, Uriel is the spiritwho stood at the gate ofthe lost Eden with the fierysword.

Raphael — God hashealed, is one of threegreat Angels in post-Biblical Lore. I-fe firstappeared in the book ofTobit — Canonical inCatholic, apocryphal inprotestant scripture.

Raphael acts as

“The Angel acts benevolently on ourimaginations and on our reason, persuading us,urging us to correct our weakness, to fight againstevil inclinations, inspiring us with new ideals andstimulating us to fresh and greater effort.”


AgricHarnessing The Economic

Potentials Of Tiger Nut, WalnutBy IFEANYI NWOKO

TIGER nut and walnut are two very popular edibletropical crops that are cultivated mostly in the northernand southern parts of Nigeria respectively.

Consumers of both crops eat them as snacks, with littleor no knowledge of their medicinal value and economicpotential.

Tiger nut (Cyperus Esculentus) is classified as tuber acrop even as it grows as grass, while walnut (JuglansRegia) is usually staked because it is a climber.

Research efforts have since revealed that both cropshave potential to change the economic fortune of ruralfarmers as they could also be important raw materialsfor the country’s pharmaceutical and cosmeticsindustries.

The Raw Materials Research and Development Councildescribes them as “untapped goldmines’’ that should bepopularised for the benefit of the nation’s economy.

“If the cultivation of the two crops is encouraged, theywould greatly boost the export earnings of the countryand also generate employment.

“Tiger nut and walnut plants possess the potential toalleviate poverty and ensure food security for the nation’seconomic diversification,’’ Prof. Peter Onwualu, DirectorGeneral, Raw Materials Research and DevelopmentCouncil, said recently in Abuja.

Onwualu estimated that the two crops could fetchNigeria N100 billion annually and create direct andindirect employment opportunities for more than 5,000people.

Onwualu made the disclosure at a sensitisationworkshop on the crops entitled: “Harnessing the Socio-economic uses of Tiger nut and Walnut.’’

Quoting statistics from the Food and AgriculturalOrganisation (FAO), he noted that “the worldwideproduction of walnut seeds has been increasing rapidlyin recent years with the largest increase coming fromAsia.

“The world produced a total of 2.55 million metrictonnes of walnut seed in 2012 with China producing 1.06metric tonnes, while Nigeria produced only 8,130 metrictonnes.’’

Dr Theresa Igbinosa, a pharmacist, noted that tiger nutis the world’s richest source of fibre.

“The nut is used in manufacturing hair and bodycreams, and is rich in nutrients which includecarbohydrate, oil, protein, minerals, and vitamins hencethe global demand,’’ she said in a paper she presented atthe workshop.

Medical reports show that every 100mg of walnutcontains 15.2mg of protein (containing essential amino

acid), 65.2gm of fat, and 6.7gm of dietary fibre.According to Mrs Augusta Uzomba of the Federal

Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Lagos, walnutis useful in boosting fertility.

She said in her presentation entitled: “Exploring theFood, Nutrition and Medical Values of Tigernuts andWalnuts,’’ that the leaf of walnut plant is also used forthe treatment of cancer.

“The root is used in the treatment of pile; the nut isalso useful in the treatment of skin diseases, and itincreases fitness and resiliency of tissues.

“Walnut helps in preventing mental decline in theelderly; it serves as an aphrodisiac (stimulant) andprotects the arteries against fatty acid-induced damage.

“The walnut is used in candies, baked goods and icecream; the shell is used as a cleaning medium and alsomixed with paints and vanishes,” she added.

Mrs Veronica Ajayi, of Global Foods Limited, Osogbo,urged farmers to invest more in the cultivation of thecrop because of its nutritional value.

She restated the medical potential of walnut, stressingthat it is very good for the treatment of dysentery,infertility and stress management.

“‘Researchers in the agriculture sector have declaredthat one hectare of walnut farm can fetch more than

N500,000 annually, if well managed.“Imagine what a farmer with five or more hectares will

earn annually; so let farmers especially in the southernparts of the country embrace walnut cultivation toimprove their income,’’ Ajayi advised.

Ms Yemisi Olowookere, a dietician at the GarkiHospital, Abuja, echoed the medical potential of walnut,adding that it helps in the prevention of anaemia.

“The Vitamin B1/Thiamin present in walnut isnecessary for the function of the heart, as well as thestability of the nervous system.

“Walnut is a good source of Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and

particularly vitamin B6,’’ she said.Dr Bartholomew Brai, a biochemist at the Nigeria

Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos,who spoke on the potency of tiger nut, noted that it“reduces bone pain in sickle cell patients, and preventheart diseases’’.

“A lot of people eat tiger nut without knowing its healthbenefits; it has essential minerals like calcium,magnesium and iron necessary for bones, tissues repairs,muscles and the blood stream.

“Its regular consumption can prevent you from fallingsick,’’ Brai said.

Dr Bamidele Iwalokun, a molecular biologist atNIMR, further stated the health benefits of consumingtiger nut, especially by sickle cell patients.

“The primary reason sickle cell patients experiencecrisis or pain in the bone is because their red blood cellssickle excessively to block the blood vessels.

“This blockage prevents blood from flowing intoorgans in the body.

“But if they consume these nuts every day, it willactivate blood circulation in the body to all the bodyorgans thereby preventing bone pain or crisis,’’ Iwalokunsaid.

Given the economic and medicinal values of bothcrops, it is, therefore, desirable for the government,entrepreneurs and private individuals to encouragecommercial cultivation of the crops to boost economicgrowth and generate employment.

“The world produced a total of 2.55 millionmetric tonnes of walnut seed in 2012 withChina producing 1.06 metric tonnes, whileNigeria produced only 8,130 metric tonnes.’’


Education

By PROF IGNATIUS ONIMAWO PHD FNSN

Quality Education For National Transformation,A Collective ResponsibilityTHE highest quality teachers,

those most capable of helpingtheir students learn, have deepmastery of both their subjectmatter and pedagogy (Darling-Hammond, 1997). Thepreparation that teachersreceive before beginning theirwork in the classroom,however, varies significantlyaround the world and evenwithin the least developedcountries.

Teacher Competence andSchool Efficiency.

Whether a teacher usestraditional or more currentmethods of instruction, efficientuse of school time has asignificant impact on studentlearning. Teachers’ presence inthe classroom represents thestarting point. Many teachersface transportation and housingobstacles that hinder them fromgetting to school on time andstaying until school hours areover. Many teachers holdsecond jobs, which may detractthem from the time and energythey expend in the classroom.Teachers may miss schoolaltogether.

A study in China, Guinea,India and Mexico found thatnearly half the teachersinterviewed reported beingabsent at some point during theprevious month (Carron &Chau, 1996), requiring otherteachers to compensate forthem or leaving studentswithout instruction for the day.

A recent teachers’ auditcarried out by the Edo StateGovernment is an eye opener toall who care about qualityeducation not only in Edo statebut also in Nigeria as a whole.A school teacher who cannotread an affidavit statementdefinitely has no business in theeducation system. It is believedthat many of such teachersabound in the primary schoolsystem. Teachers withoutintegrity who falsify their agescannot impart moralinstructions on their pupils andthis could have very longlasting effect on the educationsystem upstream. The quality ofa school and the quality ofteaching of the individualteacher holds the key to qualityeducation.

Ongoing ProfessionalDevelopment.

Professional developmentcan help overcomeshortcomings that may havebeen part of teachers’ pre-service education and keepteachers abreast of newknowledge and practices in thefield. This ongoing training forteachers can have a directimpact on student achievement.Case studies from Bangladesh,

Botswana, Guatemala, Namibiaand Pakistan have providedevidence that ongoingprofessional development,especially in the early yearsafter initial preparation and thencontinuing throughout a career,contribute significantly tostudent learning and retention(Craig, Kraft & du Plessis,1998).

Continuing Support forStudent-centred Learning.

Teacher education, both pre-service and in-service, shouldhelp teachers develop teachingmethods and skills that takenew understandings of howchildren learn into account. Justas curriculum should be child-centred and relevant, so alsoshould instructional methods.The limited view of teaching aspresentation of knowledge nolonger fits with currentunderstandings of how andwhat students learn. Instead,instruction should help studentsbuild on prior knowledge todevelop attitudes, beliefs andcognitive skills; as well asexpand their knowledge base.Teaching styles in many places,however, remain traditional,teacher-centred and fairly rigidor even authoritarian (Carron &Chau, 1996).

Teacher FeedbackMechanisms.

Good teachers are skilled notonly in instructional methods,but also in evaluation andassessment practices that allowthem to gauge individualstudent learning and adaptactivities according to studentneeds. This process shouldinclude both performanceassessment and assessment offactual knowledge.Observations in Guinea andIndia found that teachers arevery poorly trained inevaluation techniques, and thereality is far from thecontinuous evaluationprocedures recommended byofficial programmes (Carron &Chau, 1996). Indeed, manyteachers and educationalsystems continue to rely almostexclusively on traditionalpaper-and-pencil tests of factual

Continued from last week

knowledge that tend to promoterote memorization rather thanhigher order thinking skills(Colby, 2000).

Teacher Beliefs that allStudents can Learn.

The way time is used isrelated to school priorities andexpectations. Quality educationputs students at the centre of theprocess; student achievementmust be the school’s firstpriority. Since schools existbecause of students, this wouldseem self-evident. Perhapsbecause of the complexity ofeducational systems, however,teachers may not alwaysbelieve in the school’s ability tohelp all students. For example,teachers interviewed in Guineaand Mexico had little awarenessof the school’s role in pupilfailure and dropout. Instead,they tended to blame the pupilsand their family environment

(Carron & Chau, 1996).Research around the world

has shown that lowexpectations for studentachievement permeateeducational systems. Ratherthan setting high standards and

believing that students can meetthem, teachers andadministrators in manydeveloping countries expectthat up to half the students willdrop out or fail, especially inprimary grades. Schoolscommitted to student learningcommunicate expectationsclearly, give frequent andchallenging assignments,monitor performance regularly,and give students the chance toparticipate in and takeresponsibility for diverse schoolactivities (Craig,Kraft, & duPlessis, 1998).

Teachers’ WorkingConditions.

Teachers’ working conditionsaffect their ability to providequality education. Manyaspects of school life andeducational policy go intoteachers’ perceptions of theiremployment. As mentionedabove, the condition ofinfrastructure, availability oftextbooks and learning

materials and class sizes allinfluence the teacher ’sexperience as an educator.Teachers’ remuneration alsomatters.

Supervision and SupportAdministrative Support

and Leadership.The quality of administrative

support and leadership isanother critical element inschool processes, both forstudents and for teachers. At amore macro level, ensuringfinancial resources foreducation, especially forrecurrent budgets is a necessity.Teachers need governmentswho are supportive of educationsystems. In Malawi, for

example, supervisors in theschools that showed the greatestlearning gains regularlyevaluated teachers, contributingto professional developmentand improved teaching practice(Miske, Dowd et al., 1998).

Unfortunately, however, fewhead teachers andadministrators in developingcountries have had any formaltraining in the leadershipfunctions of schools, and

promotions may not be basedon leadership or managementskills.

Student access to languagesused at school.

The languages schools use forinstruction can have an impacton learning and academicachievement in general.Research suggests that manybenefits can be gained bybeginning primary education inthe student’s home language.Yet in Africa, especially inFrench speaking West Africabut not excluding Anglophoneareas, resistance to primaryinstruction in the local languagepersists. Many parents andteachers believe that learning inthe mother tongue can impairlearning French or English later.A belief exists that Africanlanguages are not equipped todeal with scientific andtechnical concepts; and manyparents refuse to have theirchildren learn a nationallanguage when they consider itto have been imposed forpolitical rather than socio-linguistic or demographicconsiderations (Obanya, 1995).

“A recent teachers’ audit carried out by the Edo StateGovernment is an eye opener to all who care about qualityeducation not only in Edo state but also in Nigeria as a whole.A school teacher who cannot read an affidavit statementdefinitely has no business in the education system.”


View PointCelebrating International Day

Of PeaceBy EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU

THE late Indian great,Mahatma Gandi, wasonce quoted as saying:“An eye for an eye willonly make the wholeworld blind”. Also,Martin Luther King Jr., inhis book; A Festament ofHope: The EssentialWritings and speeches,noted “Darkness cannotdrive out darkness: onlylight can do that. Hatecannot drive out hate:only love can do that”. Man in his earthlysojourn, has foundhimself constantly in oneform of conflict or theother. Today, there are manywars and conflicts acrossthe world and that has ledthe United Nations (UN),to set aside 21 Septemberto mark the InternationalDay of Peace. Theinternational Day ofPeace, was established in1981 by resolution 36/37of the United NationsGeneral Assembly, andwas first observed in1982 and seeks tostrengthening the idealsof peace, both within andamong all nations andpeoples”. In 2001, the UNGeneral Assembly byunanimous vote, adoptedresolution 55/282 toestablish 21 Septemberas an annual day of non-violence and ceasefire. Similarly, theInternational Day ofPeace is to promote oneof the most fundamentalof human rights: Theright to peace, explainedDirector andrepresentative ofUNESCO, Beijing,

Abhimayu Singh. On 2013 InternationalPeace Day, the UnitedNation’s Secretary-general, Ban-moon,declared that it would befocusing on peaceeducation, the keypreventive means toreduce wars sustainably.According to Ban Ki-moon, peace educationwithin schools andcommunity groupsthrough the Peace Craneproject would helpachieve world peace. According toWikipedia, “followingthe incredible success ofthe Global Truce 2012campaign, Peace Dayhas launched a newtheme for Global Truce2013: who will you makepeace with? Peace startswith individual action, sopeace day (21 September2013) is an opportunityfor all of us to becomeengaged in the peaceprocess with ourfamilies, friends andcommunities. Peace Dayis not just about areduction of violence inareas of conflict, it’s alsoabout reducing violencein our homes,communities andschools”. Again, Ban Ki-moonsaid that “It is not enoughto teach children how toread, write and count.Education has tocultivate mutual respectfor others and the worldin which we live, andhelp people forge morejust inclusive andpeaceful societies”. Today, many childrenare denied access toeducation globally.

Figures by the UNrevealed that about 50million children arelacking or denied accessto education across theglobe.

A Pakistani girl, MalalaYousafzai, one of suchchildren who are fightingagainst this (deniedaccess to education). Shewas shot by Talibans inher home country and

has since started thecampaign for improvedaccess to education.Malala said: “Oneteacher, one book, onepen, can change the

world”. Education is the mostpowerful tool/weapon tocurb global violence andas such, countries andindividuals have been

urged to join thecampaign to provideevery individual witheducation. It is with thiseducation that peoplewill be taught values thatwill help them to seethemselves as part of aglobal community.Making them buildpeaceful relationships. As wars continue to

ravage many parts of theglobe, this is anopportunity to teachpeople the need formutual respect, toleranceand harmony. VirginiaWoolf said that “Youcannot find peace byavoiding life” and AlbertEinstein said: “Peacecannot be kept by force;it can only be achievedby understanding”. Truly, the world cannotget peace with war.Fighting cannot ensurethe global peace that has

been so elusive in today’sworld. It is high time everyindividual began to learnand even teach theconcept of peaceeducation. Right fromthe home, parents mustinculcate that need forpeace in their wards/children. For the leaderscum governments, theycan always partner withdevelopment agencies/groups to ensure thattheir citizens especiallychildren, get access toquality education, andalso embark onsensitization campaignsto input the need formutual respect, harmonyand peace amongcitizens. The UNexplained that“Governments andDevelopment partnersare working to get everychild in school andlearning well to equipthem for life in the 21st

century. There is newmomentum in countrieswith the greatest needs,such as those affected byconflict, which are hometo half of all childrenlacking education. Butwe must do more-muchmore”. As the world marks thisday, these few lines bythe writer, will suffice tobring the important ofeducation to peace:With peace, the worldwill not be in pieces.When all embraceeducation, the peace thatall nation needs will notjust be a dream. As allwill be in a realm, wheretolerance, and notviolence is the norm.leaving out doom andgloom. Certainly, investing inschools and teachers thatwill build fair andinclusive world, willensure world peace. Letthe world embrace thedove which symbolizespeace!

“It is high time every individual began to learnand even teach the concept of peace education.Right from the home, parents must inculcatethat need for peace in their wards/children.”

United Nations Headquarters.


Reflection

As Carmelites Celebrate25 Years In Nigeria

WithREV. FR. JOHN DAMIAN ADIZIE

PHONE: 08076635886

WHOEVER is familiarwith the history of theChurch in Nigeria wouldagree with me that the Irishmissionaries did atremendous work in Nigeria.They were the ones thatevangelized most parts ofNigeria. They left anindelible legacy in theNigerian soil. A goodnumber of them died andwere buried here in Nigeria.Each time I reflect on the lifeof these early missionaries Ikept wondering what musthave motivated them.Compared to where theycame from Nigeria was likea poor rural village withunstable power and watersupply. The kind of food weeat here is not even the kindof food they eat over there.The early missionariessacrificed their last pennyand even their last breathe toensure that Nigeria wasevangelized like othernations. Thank God, theysucceeded! We, Christians,are the fruits of their labour.

When the earlymissionaries came to Nigeriathey built missionary schoolsand hospitals and evenChurches. Unlike the presentday missionary schools thatare managed by fellowNigerians which has becomeso expensive, these schoolsand hospitals were greatlysubsidized. The interests ofthe poor were greatly takeninto consideration. Most ofthe services performed by

these earlier missionarieswere selfless services, withlittle or none ulterior motives!

The most recentachievement of the IrishMissionaries was theintroduction of the CarmeliteOrder into the Nigerian soil;an Order that has reallyinfluenced the global Church.The Carmelite order is one ofthe Orders that haveproduced a great number ofSaints. Among these saintsare St. John of the Cross, thefounder of the DiscalcedCarmelite Order, St. Teresa ofAvila, the Co-founder of theDiscalced Carmelite Order;St. Therese of the Child Jesus,the Patroness of Mission andthe co-patroness of theChurch in Nigeria, BlessedElizabeth of the Trinity andso many other great Saints.With these and many otherlitanies of saints you willagree with those who oftenlabel Carmel as the “collegeof saints”

One thing that makes theCarmelite Order unique andattractive is their charism,which is prayer. Everyoneprays but for the Carmelitesprayer is a way of life. Youcannot separate a trueCarmelite from prayer. Evenwhen he or she is working,studying or even sleeping, heis praying. That is why theCarmelite Rule states, “Eachof you is to stay in his owncell or nearby, pondering theLord’s law day and night(Psalm 1:2) and keeping

watch at his prayers”(Discalced CarmelitesConstitutions and Norms,page 23). A Carmelite is, orshould be, a prayerful childof God.

The Carmelites broughtinto the Church a unique formof prayer, known ascontemplative prayer. Just asthe rule states the Carmelitesponders on the law of theLord. This act of ponderingor meditation as some peoplemay describe it is what theChurch in Nigeria and otherparts of the world need. Withthe influence ofPentecostalism a lot of peoplehave reduced prayer as an actof shouting and emotionalexpression. Prayer should godeeper than that. Jesus toldhis followers, “In yourpraying do not heap up emptyphrases as the Gentiles do; forthey think that they will beheard for their many words.Do not be like them, for yourFather knows what you needbefore you ask him”(Matthew 6:7-8). That doesnot mean people should notexpress themselves in prayer.But after these public andexternal expressions oneshould withdraw inwardly asJesus often did during hispublic ministry. Afterattending to the needs of thepeople he will go to a lonelyplace to pray.

The more the Carmeliteslisten to God in prayer themore they are inspired. I

believe, it was this uniqueway of life that motivated thethen Catholic Bishop ofEnugu Diocese to invite theCarmelites to Nigeria. Hewanted the Carmelites tocome and deepen the prayerlife of the Nigerians. And itall started twenty five yearsago with an invitation fromthe Rt. Rev. Dr. MichaelEneja (of blessed memory),who invited the Anglo-IrishDiscalced Carmelites toNigeria in 1988. The firstplace where they landedwhen they came to Nigeriawas Enugu. They boughttheir first house which theystill use as a Prayer Houseand Vicariate Headquarters atno. 17 Nike Avenue, TransEkulu, GRA Enugu.

Since then, for the pasttwenty five years, theCarmelites have establishedsix other communities andmissions scatteredthroughout the country: aNovitiate House and aRetreat Facility at Nsukka; astudents’ House at Ibadan; 4parish-communities: Marythe Queen Parish, Ekpoma,St. Therese, Ugbo-Odogwu,in Enugu Diocese, St.Therese, Umueze-Anam inOnitsha Archdiocese andChrist the King CatholicChurch, Abuja. With twoflourishing schools: Mt.Carmel School, Ekpoma inEdo State and Little FlowerAcademy, Ugbo-Odogwu,Enugu. I understand thatthere are other communities

and missions in the making,such as the CarmeliteAdoration of the Holy Spirit,at Ekpoma, Edo State.

In terms of personnel, theNigerian Carmelites are closeto 80 friars belonging to theVicariate of Our Lady of Mt.Carmel. About 45 of thesefriars are solemnly professed(4 of whom are deceased), 27are simply professed while 6are novices. It will interestyou to know that two of thetwo early missionaries fromIreland are still in Nigeria.They are Very Rev. Frs.Charles Newell, OCD andFrank Considine. The bestthing God did for theCarmelites in Nigeria, as Ialways prayed, was topreserve the life of Fr.Charles Newell till this daywhen the Nigerian Carmelitesare celebrating their twentyfifth year’s anniversary. Amsure the Nigerian Carmeliteswill remain ever grateful tothe Anglo-Irish Province forsupporting them bothfinancially and with capablepersonnel.

Historians often say, “Hewho does not know where heis coming from may not knowwhere he is going to.”Moreover, a tree cannot makea forest. The NigerianCarmelite order belongs to aglobal Carmelite family,known as the DiscalcedCarmelite Order. They havetheir Generalate in Rome,with Very Rev. Fr. SaverioCannistra as SuperiorGeneral. They belong to theAnglo-Irish Province, wherevery Rev. Fr. Jim Noonan,one of the Irish missionariesthat worked in Nigeria, isnow the Provincial Superior;and of course, our Lady ofMt. Carmel Vicariate whereRev. Fr. Francis UchennaOdigwe is the Vicar.

Carmelites trace their rootsand their name to MountCarmel in the Holy Land.They were inspired by thelifestyle and activities ofProphet Elijah on MountCarmel. Elijah for instance,expressed his zeal for Godwhen he said, “I have beenvery zealous for the Lord,God of armies” (I Kgs 19:10).The zeal for God is one of thethings that inspired the earlyCarmelites. In the 12thcentury, a band of Europeanmen gathered together to livea simple life of prayer. Theirfirst chapel was dedicated tothe Blessed Virgin Mary.They called themselves the“Brothers of the BlessedVirgin Mary of MountCarmel”, hence, the‘Carmelites’.

The Discalced Carmelites,or Barefoot Carmelites, is aCatholic mendicant orderwith roots in the eremitictradition of the Desert Fathersand Mothers. The order was

established in 1593, pursuantto the reform of the CarmeliteOrder of the AncientObservance by two Spanishsaints, Saint Teresa of Ávilaand Saint John of the Cross.The Discalced Carmeliteorder is known by the initials“O.C.D.” The secular branchof the order (formerly knownas the Third Order), has theinitials “O.C.D.S.”

The Discalced Carmelitesare men and women whodedicate themselves to a lifeof prayer. The Carmelite nunslive in cloistered (enclosed)monasteries and follow acompletely contemplativelife. The Carmelite friarswhile following acontemplative life alsoengage in the promotion ofspirituality through theirretreat centres, parishes andchurches. Lay people, knownas the Secular Order, followtheir contemplative call intheir everyday activities.Devotion to Our Lady is acharacteristic of Carmelitesand is symbolised by wearingthe Brown Scapular. Thesethree orders have beenestablished in Nigeria. TheCarmelite Nuns areestablished at Owerri in ImoState and Zin in Taraba state,whereas the secular order arevarious communities wherethe friars are established.

The Nigerian CarmeliteOrder is at last twenty fiveyears! This calls forcelebration. I understand agood number of Bishops,priests and lay faithful areinvited to celebrate with theCarmelites on Mount TaborNsukka on October 5th 2013.The Carmelites also invitedall the Irish missionaries whohave worked in this greatnation to celebrate the fruit oftheir labour. What anopportunity to give honour towhom honour is due!

If I may add, this celebrationcalls for sober reflection.Socrates, an ancient GreekPhilosopher once said, “Anunexamined life is not worthliving.” Now that the NigerianCarmelites are 25, it will beadvisable for the Nigerians tostart thinking, not just for legalor juridical autonomy theyshould also consider financialautonomy. They shouldconsider expanding to otherAfrican nations and alsoconsider the interest of thepoor as indicated in theirconstitution, “We must behard-working. There must beno sign of luxury in ourhouses. We must mix with thepoor and promote theiradvancement” (DiscalcedCarmelites, Constitutions andNorms, no 29, page 49), takinginto consideration thescriptural demand of James1:27. In all, I wish all theNigerian Carmelites and theirfounders a joyful and peacefuljubilee celebration.

Very Rev. Fr. Charles Newell, the first Irish Carmelite Missionary in Nigeria


International‘NSA Spied On

Martin Luther King’

US, Iran Gear UpFor Nuclear Talk

Kenya Buries Its Dead AmidstSearch For Bodies And Clues

NEW YORK CITY (USA) -With the eyes of the world uponthem, the United States and Iranwill Thursday have one of theirhighest-level meetings since the1979 revolution as their foreignministers join talks on Tehran’ssuspect nuclear program.

And while officials are sayingthat no bilateral talks are plannedbetween US Secretary of StateJohn Kerry and his Iraniancounterpart Mohammad JavadZarif, there remains the chancefor a quick tete-a-tete in thecorridor.

Zarif will be the first Iranianforeign minister to sit down withhis counterparts from the fivepermanent members of the UNSecurity — Britain, China,France, Russia and the UnitedStates — plus Germany todiscuss Iran’s nuclear program.

The Iranian delegation willonly join part of the talks beinghosted by EU foreign policychief Catherine Ashton however,and no-one is keen to raise hopesof a breakthrough in the draggingnegotiations.

Indeed the encounter withEuropean, Russian and Chineseforeign ministers is set to bebrief.

It comes after speculation thatIran’s new President HassanRouhani would meet or at leastshake hands with PresidentBarack Obama at the UnitedNations fizzled out.

But diplomats say Thursday’smeeting will give them the firstchance to take the measure of thenew Iranian leadership whichtook office in August.

And they insist it will give theIranians the opportunity to provethere is some substance behindRouhani’s charm offensive, andhis claims that Iran is onlyseeking to pursue a peacefulcivilian nuclear energy program.

Ashton, who has led Westernefforts to engage with Tehran,said this week she was “struckby the energy anddetermination” of Zarif.

But “as you would appreciate,there is a huge amount of work

to do,” she added.The international powers made

a new proposal to Tehran thisyear, before Rouhani’s election,believed to offer some relieffrom international sanctions thathave crippled Iran’s economy inreturn for a scaling back of itsuranium enrichment.

“There’s a sense that we neveractually got a firm response or adetailed response to that,” asenior US official said.

One Western diplomat saidhowever that “while we aresensitive to signals there isn’t theslightest overture, it’s the sameold speech.”

“We told him that there is anoffer on the table, and that if youhave an offer we’ll look at itcarefully,” the diplomat said.

“If the Iranians say they wanta new round of talks as they havesomething serious to propose,we’ll accept. If there is theslightest opportunity we’ll takeit.”

For his part Zarif said on hisTwitter account from New York:“We have a historic opportunityto resolve the nuclear issue,” ifworld powers adjust to the “newIranian approach.”

In remarks published Thursdayby Iran’s official news agencyIRNA, Zarif said a meetingbetween the two presidents“would have been a goodbeginning.”

“A meeting is not an end initself, nor is it ruled out...President Rouhani has noproblem in principle” withmeeting Obama, he said.

He called Obama’s remarks atthe United Nations “moremoderate” than in the past,adding: “If that is the basis of anew political will to solvemisunderstandings and easeIranian concerns, this would bemore important than a meeting.”

Obama and Rouhani, in almostback-to-back speeches at theUnited Nations on Tuesday, bothstressed their willingness to tryto resolve the nuclear issue. Butthey came at it from differentperspectives.

WASHINGTON - TheNational Security Agencyeavesdropped on civil rights iconMartin Luther King andheavyweight boxer MuhammadAli as well as other leadingcritics of the Vietnam War in asecret program later deemed“disreputable,” declassifieddocuments revealed.

The six-year spying program,dubbed “Minaret,” had beenexposed in the 1970s but thetargets of the surveillance hadbeen kept secret until now.

The documents releasedWednesday showed the NSAtracked King and his colleagueWhitney Young, boxing star Ali,journalists from the New YorkTimes and the Washington Post,and two members of Congress,Senator Frank Church of Idahoand Senator Howard Baker ofTennessee.

The declassified NSAhistorical account of the episodecalled the spying “disreputableif not outright illegal.”

The documents werepublished after the governmentpanel overseeing classificationruled in favor of researchers atGeorge Washington Universitywho had long sought the releaseof the secret papers.

The intensity of anti-wardissent at home led PresidentLyndon Johnson to ask USintelligence agencies in 1967 tofind out if some protests werefueled by foreign powers. TheNSA worked with other spyagencies to draw up “watch lists”of anti-war critics to tap theiroverseas phone calls.

The program continued afterRichard Nixon entered the WhiteHouse in 1969, and historianssay it reflected a climate ofparanoia pervading hispresidency.

US Attorney General ElliotRichardson shut down the NSAprogram in 1973, just as theNixon administration wasengulfed in scandal.

The 1975 disclosure of theNSA program, along with otherdomestic spying on Americans,caused public outrage and one ofthe senators who had beentapped, Church, led reforms thatcreated stricter limits onsurveillance and spy agencies.

But the NSA has been accusedof overstepping its authority andflouting civil rights protectionssince the attacks of September11, 2001.

The agency carried outwarrantless wiretapping between2001-2004 and recentrevelations from US intelligenceleaker Edward Snowden haveexposed far-reaching electronicsurveillance of phone recordsand Internet traffic.

The researchers who publishedthe documents Wednesday saidthe spying abuses during theVietnam War era far surpass theexcesses of the current program.

NAIROBI - Kenya buriedvictims of a four-day mallmassacre by Islamist gunmen asinternational forensic andsecurity experts scanned therubble for bodies and clues.

Weeping mourners frommultiple religions gathered forthe latest funerals of the 67victims whose bodies have so farbeen recovered from thewreckage of Nairobi’s Westgateshopping mall.

Across Kenya, flags flew athalf mast for the second of threedays of national mourning.

President Uhuru Kenyattaannounced an end to the 80-hourbloodbath late Tuesday, with the“immense” loss of 61 civiliansand six members of the securityforces. Five suspected attackerswere also killed, and 11 detained,officials said.

Police said the death toll wasprovisional, with the Kenyan

Red Cross reporting 71 peoplemissing.

In one of many funerals, overtwo thousand mourners turnedout yesterday morning to paytheir final respects to RuhilaAdatia, 31, a popular televisionand radio personality who waspregnant with her first child, ina joint ceremony also held forShairoz Dossa, 44, a mother ofthree.

Both came from Kenya’sIsmaili Muslim community.

Shelina Manji, a friend ofAdatia, said the last time theysaw each other they promised totalk later.

“We never had thatconversation,” she told thesomber crowd, some dabbingtheir eyes as tears welled up.

The front page of TheStandard, one of Kenya’s maindaily newspapers, simplyshowed a red rose and the

headline, “in honour of our fallenloved ones”.

Teams of volunteercounsellors and psychologistshave set up several centres,including at the main morgue inNairobi, where “anyone whowas affected by the Westgateattack can obtain counselling,”they said in a statement.

Victim had just bought apresent for her unborn baby

Fellow radio presenter KamalKaur was with Adatia at achildren’s cooking contest on themall’s rooftop parking when theattackers struck, recounting thehorror as the insurgents raked thescreaming crowds with bulletsand hurled grenades.

“I had around 30 to 35 kidswith me... and when the blastwent off I tried to protect themby ordering them to get downand lie on the floor... After theblast, and screaming from the

kids, the shots started comingin,” Kaur told The Standard.

Kaur, who huddled against awall as she tried to stem thepumping blood from the neck ofa little boy, said she did not seehow Adatia died.

But she recalled her finalwords, just minutes before thecarnage began.

“She was telling me how shehad bought something for ‘mylittle papa’ (her unborn baby),and I was telling her to stopbuying too many things becausewe will have nothing else to giveas a gift when it finally comes,”Kaur added. “Those were the lastwords I said to her.”

As Kenyans mourned,rescuers and investigatorscontinued to search the damagedWestgate mall complex, a largesection of which collapsed afterheavy explosions and a fiercefire.

President Barack Obama of US

Kenyan preparing for burial.-


International

Political Uncertainty In ItalyDeepens

Syrian Conflict Takes Toll On Palestinian

Refugees

Teen Accused Of Killing 2 Arrested

NEW YORK, USA -Displaced Palestinians arelosing out to Syrians indesperate need of aid, and theUnited Nations is asking Arabcountries to pitch in and bolsterfunding for its agencymandated with helpingPalestinian refugees.

U.N. Secretary General BanKi-moon and his counterpart atthe Arab League, Nabil ElAraby, are co-chairing aministerial meeting Thursdayin New York on the fundingchallenges that the U.N. Reliefand Works Agency is facing.

UNRWA, which helps nearly5 million registered Palestinianrefugees in Jordan, Lebanonand Syria in addition to theWest Bank and Gaza, is facinga $54 million shortfall of itsroughly $600 million annualoperational budget.

“Every single year of the lastfew years has been difficult,”UNRWA’s CommissionerGeneral Filippo Grandi toldThe Associated Press in aninterview on the sidelines ofthe U.N. General Assemblymeeting in New York.

“Since 2008 and theeconomic downturn, aidbudgets in many countries haveshrunk. What we are trying todo this time is we are going

especially to one group ofdonors: the Arab donors,”Grandi said.

Arab countries have madepledges to fund 7.8 per cent ofthe U.N. agency’s operationalbudget, which is made upentirely of voluntarycontributions, and not U.N.funding. So far, they have onlycontributed about a fourth ofwhat they promised, andGrandi said the meeting’s maingoal is to push those donors tocome up with the rest of themoney.

The war in Syria, where overhalf a million Palestinianrefugees live, has beencomplicating matters.

“Syria has drained a lot ofhumanitarian resources,”Grandi said. “When you havetwo million refugees, acatastrophic situation inside,neighboring countriesburdened by this huge crisis, ofcourse this will drain a lot ofresources and the Palestiniancrisis will seem less urgentbecause it’s been there for solong.”

On the ground, the Syrianconflict has increased theplight of Palestinian refugeeswho live in 12 camps in Syria.“Seven are not accessible to usbecause of fighting,” Grandisaid. “More than half of530,000 refugees in Syria, aredisplaced inside Syria and Iwould say 70,000 have left thecountry. These people arealready refugees from beforethe (Syrian crisis) and theybecome refugees again.”

But the agency is not limitingits outreach to Arab nations andWestern states, reflecting achange in the field of globalhumanitarian aid.

“After New York, I am goingto Brazil. Brazil is becoming animportant donor. At thismeeting on Thursday we haveinvited other donors such asTurkey,” he explained addingthat roughly 80 per cent of theaid agency’s funding comesfrom the United States, theEuropean Union, Japan andAustralia.

ROME - Italian PresidentGiorgio Napolitano canceled hisattendance at a conference onThursday because of what hecalled disturbing politicaldevelopments after center-rightsupporters of Silvio Berlusconithreatened to walk out ofparliament.

Italy has lurched closer to acrisis since Berlusconi, a partnerin Prime Minister Enrico Letta’scoalition government, wassentenced last month to fouryears in prison, commuted to ayear under house arrest or incommunity service, for taxfraud.

Late on Wednesday,Berlusconi’s allies made theirlatest threat to bring down thegovernment, saying they wouldresign if a special Senatecommittee meeting on October4 voted to strip the 76-year-oldmedia tycoon of his seat in theupper house.

Letta has said that Italy needspolitical stability while itstruggles to emerge from morethan two years of recession, reinin a 2-trillion-euro ($2.7-trillion)public debt, and bring its budgetdeficit under control.

As the latest bout of politicalbrinkmanship preoccupiedRome, rumors swirled that Italyfaced a renewed downgrade ofits government debt, sending theMilan bourse lower and pushingup borrowing costs onbenchmark 10-year bonds.

Napolitano, who had been dueto attend a conference on post-war premier Alcide De Gaspari,sent a message to organizersexcusing himself and saying that“a sudden political developmentthat is institutionally disturbing”required his attention.

How serious a threat the latestmove presents is difficult toassess given a series ofcontradictory signals fromBerlusconi’s allies in parliament,who are divided between afaction of hardliners and moreconciliatory doves.

On Thursday, TransportMinister Maurizio Lupi, amember of Berlusconi’s ForzaItalia (FI) party, said the center-right had no joint commitment

to stand down. “The resignationof the parliamentarians is adecision which will depend onthe conscience of eachindividual,” he told RAI stateradio.

But Letta’s center-leftDemocratic Party (PD) said thethreats could undermine thegovernment as it grapples withproblems ranging from strainedpublic finances to the fate of bigItalian firms including TelecomItalia and national carrierAlitalia, both embroiled incomplex takeovers.

“Unfortunately, this back andforth with threats weakens anequilibrium which is alreadyvery delicate,” Luigi Zanda,Senate floor leader of the PD,told the daily Corriere della Sera.

PD leader Guglielmo Epifaniaccused the center-right of“blackmail” but said his partywould not change its approachand would vote to stripBerlusconi of his seat.

Berlusconi’s political fate hashung in the balance since the taxfraud conviction opened the wayto his expulsion from parliamentunder legislation passed last yearthat bans politicians withcriminal convictions fromholding seats.

He says the sentence, which islikely to remove hisparliamentary immunity fromarrest over other cases, is unjustand accuses what he calls left-wing magistrates of plotting todrive him out of politics.

Pressure on the coalition fromForza Italia rose hours after Lettasought to reassure internationalinvestors in New York that Italywas a stable and reliable partner.

Without citing its sources, theCorriere della Sera daily said thatLetta had informed AngelinoAlfano, the deputy primeminister and party secretary ofForza Italia: “Angelino, if thismess keeps up, I could resignfrom here.”

Napolitano, who would haveto decide whether to call newelections or seek to build a new

coalition if the center-right bowsout of the government, has saidhe does not want a vote.

But the constant tension withinthe coalition has hobbled reformefforts and wasted weeks inwrangling over issues including

tax cuts and Berlusconi’spolitical future.

Financial markets have shownnone of the panic seen duringprevious government crises in2012 or at the height of the eurozone debt crisis in 2011. Butborrowing costs have ticked upduring the latest bout ofuncertainty. On Thursday, yields

LAS VEGAS, USA - A LasVegas-area teenager who hadbeen sought in the U.S. andalong the Mexican borderfollowing the butcher knifeslayings of his mother andyounger brother was arrested ashe sat alone in a food court onthe Las Vegas Strip.

An unidentified tipster whorecognized Adrian Navarro-Canales from media reports toldHenderson police the 16-year-old was at the food court at theShowcase mall, policespokesman Keith Paul said.Navarro-Canales offered noresistance when policeapproached him at about 10:30a.m. on Wednesday.

“He was sitting at a table,”Paul said. “The two detectiveswalked up to him and took him

into custody.”Navarro-Canales was booked

into juvenile detention at theClark County Detention Centerin downtown Las Vegas to awaitan initial court appearance.

Paul said investigators thinkNavarro-Canales walked the 9miles to the Strip from thesuburban apartment where thebloody bodies of his mother andbrother had been found Friday.They don’t believe he returnedto the apartment, and they werestill trying to determine where hehad been staying.

Navarro-Canales was namedas an adult in a warrant issuedMonday accusing him of killingElvira Canales-Gomez, 40, andCesar Navarro, 9.

Police say the mom was foundwith multiple stab wounds and a

butcher knife in her chest. Theboy was stabbed once in thechest and was found in thebathtub.

Police think the killingshappened Sept. 17 — sometimeafter the mom picked up the 9-year-old from school and a dayafter she, the two boys andCanales-Gomez’s boyfriend,Carlos Rubio-Villanueva,celebrated Navarro-Canales’16th birthday.

Navarro-Canales was initiallynamed as a possible victim, nota suspect. The Associated Presstypically doesn’t identify minorsaccused of crimes but is namingNavarro-Canales because of theseriousness of the crime andbecause he was identified byauthorities while they searchedfor him.

Officers went to the apartmentthree times last week at therequest of Canales-Gomez’sniece and Rubio-Villanueva —once Sept. 18 and twiceThursday — before entering andfinding the bodies Friday.

The niece, Ana Martinez, 23,told investigators her cousindidn’t have any friends that sheknew of in the Las Vegas area,didn’t like living in the UnitedStates and wanted to go back toMexico. She described Navarro-Canales as anti-social and saidhe spent most of his time in theapartment playing video games.

The mall, next to the MGMGrand casino-resort, is markedby giant M&M and Coca-Coladisplays, several shoe andapparel retailers, and an eight-plex movie theater. It alsofeatures a video arcade.

John Kerry

Silvio Berlusconi


International FeaturesKenya: Saved Mall GoersThank Police AS al-Qaida-linked

terrorists threw grenades andfired automatic weapons, thethree plainclothes Kenyanpolice officers, lightly armedand wearing no bulletproofvests, helmets or otherprotective gear, worked theirway to the roof of Nairobi’sWestgate Mall and led agroup of frightened shoppersto safety.

“I will be forever gratefulfor those three brave andselfless Kenyans,” said

Lyndsay Handler, anAmerican who was amongthose rescued from the roofin the first hours of the siegethat began Saturday. “Wordscannot fully capture the depthof this gratitude, but anyonewho has come close to losinga child or spouse canunderstand.”

Undercover police officersarmed only with pistols andwalkie-talkies like those whorescued Handler and herhusband and 2-year-olddaughter helped savecountless lives in the initialminutes of the attack —heroics the New York native

and others they brought tosafety say have gotten toolittle attention.

Handler was in theshopping complex with herhusband, Nick, and their 2-year-old, Julia. Father anddaughter were at the populareatery, Artcaffe, when abouta dozen al-Shabab militantsdescended on the upscalemall popular with foreignersand wealthy Kenyans andbegan firing indiscriminately.

Lyndsay, upstairs at abookstore, headed to the roof,while Nick took shelter withJulia in a ground-floorstoreroom of the mall’sflagship department store,Nakumatt.

Father and daughterhuddled fearfully for threehours until plainclothespolice came to their rescue.

“It’s hard to describe therelief I felt when I saw thedoors to the storeroom open,and several incredibly braveplainclothes police, weaponsdrawn, motioned for us toleave as quickly as possible,”said Nick Handler, of the

Philadelphia suburb ofMerion, Pa.

“Perhaps it was notrational, but I instantlytrusted these guys with ourlives. I felt a surge of hopethat we were going to befine.”

The 31-year-old Handler,who works on agriculturalissues in western Kenya, saidthe officers rushed into theattack zone “knowing thatthey were up against heavilyarmed gunmen and were

putting their own lives on theline.”

Video from inside the mallshows how securitypersonnel worked to savelives. In one, a man thoughtto be a plainclothes policeofficer was seen scooting onhis belly across the shoppingcenter’s ground floor to coaxa mother and her twochildren lying next to a cafecounter to stand up and rushout.

The regular mall securityguards were unarmed andpowerless to stop attackersarmed with semi-automaticweapons.

The al-Shabab gunmenappeared to specificallytarget the unarmed guards asthey began their attack, saidBen Mulwa, a communityorganizer who was shot in theleg near one of the mallentrances. One of the guardswas shot through the headjust feet from where Mulwawas hiding.

He said the first responders— particularly the lightlyarmed officers who wereamong the first on the scene

targeted.“The fact that kind of

gunfire can go on in a primelocation like that ... I think theresponse probably wasn’t asgood as it could be,” Mulwasaid. “There’s some lapsesthat need to be addressed.”

Kenyan army troops tookthe lead in securing the mallfollowing the initial chaos ofSaturday’s attack, and itwasn’t until late Tuesday thatPresident Uhuru Kenyattadeclared the terrorists hadbeen defeated. Mopping-upoperations continued intoWednesday, and occasionalgunfire could still be heardfrom the mall.

The official civilian deathtoll stood at 61 late Tuesday,but officials said more bodiescould still be inside the mall,and 71 people remainmissing, according to the RedCross. Six Kenyan securityforces, as well as five al-Shabab militants, also werekilled.

Among the six Kenyantroops killed, three were first-responder police officersaccidentally gunned down byKenyan army officers in thechaos after the attack, policeofficials said.

Kenyan officials have beeneager to declare the situationunder control for days. Butthe challenge they face couldbe read on the faces of thesoldiers tasked with clearingthe mall in the aftermath ofthe attack. Trudging from thegutted complex to theOshwal Center, a nearbyIndian community center thathad been turned into amakeshift command centerand triage location, the troopslooked like they werereturning from battle.

Some put on a brave face,like the soldier hauling ananti-tank rocket launcherwho wore aviator sunglassesas he ate his lunch inside. Butmany others looked clearlyshaken and worn out.

Ashok Halai, the Nairobicommissioner for St. JohnAmbulance, which has beenproviding volunteeremergency medical servicessince the attack began, saidhis crews have beencoordinating with Kenyansecurity forces in treatingcasualties. The operation toclear the sprawling complexhas taken a toll on the moodof the Kenyan forces chargedwith securing it, he said.

“Obviously they are

stressed,” he said Tuesday.“They would like to havepeace. We would like to seethis ending.”

He said he wasn’t surprisedthat it took so long to bringthe operation to a close.

“They’ve tried their best,”he said of the security forces.“Hostages were there. ...Because of the hostages, theymight have taken this long.”

Two soldiers involved inthe operation described thechallenges of securing themall this week even as seniorofficials were declaring it allbut over.

The first floor was soakedwith water from overheadsprinklers that went off afterfire broke out Monday, andthere was no power on thethird and fourth floors, theysaid. That meant troops hadto carry out door-to-doorsearches and hunt for whatauthorities feared werebooby-trapped rooms in neardarkness.

“It’s really not easy. Youdon’t know where you areand where the terroristsmight be,” said one of thesoldiers. They spoke oncondition of anonymitybecause they were underorders not to speak to themedia.

Solomon Ichahuria, a 24-year-old sales clerk whoworks at a clothing shop onthe ground floor, barricadedhimself and more than 20others inside the store whenthe shooting began.

He said no one found themfor about three hours, whenan armed man in jeans and achecked shirt — apparentlyan undercover police officer— knocked on the door.Those hiding inside didn’tanswer because they wereunsure if he was friend or foe.He returned two hours laterwith a soldier who guidedthem out, he said.

Ichahuria said the firstresponders were heroes who“should be celebratedbecause they did save a lotof lives.”

He felt lucky to get outalive after only five hours,though he acknowledged theresponse could have beenbetter.

“If I was in a G-20 countryand it took five hours, in myopinion that would have beena job terribly done. But thennow, this is Kenya, anddisaster management is notone of our strengths.”

— displayed immensecourage in a chaotic anduncertain situation.

“They’re only holdingpistols. ... The other guys arewalking with machine guns,”he said. “They could haveeasily shot them. I found thatextremely brave.”

Individual acts of courageaside, however, Mulwa andother Kenyans questionedhow prepared the country isto confront a large-scaleattack. Kenya has been hit byterrorists in the past, andWestern officials havewarned that malls and otherpublic spaces could be

Kenyan Soldiers


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XX31


Liverpool’s Luis Suarez (left) and Manchester United’s Jonny Evans (right) battle for the ball.

Ozil’s Father Pursues False Agent

Arsenal Draw Cup ClashWith Cheslea

Suarez Vows ToMake Amends After

Troubled Spell

Gareth Bale The Fixtures

Man U Made £100m£100m£100m£100m£100mBid For Gareth BaleBid For Gareth BaleBid For Gareth BaleBid For Gareth BaleBid For Gareth Bale

MESUT Ozil’s father hasfiled a charge against anagent who allegedly falselyclaimed to represent theplayer during transfer talkswith Manchester United,Express reports.

Ozil, 24, became the mostexpensive German playerever when making the 50million Euros switch fromReal Madrid to Arsenal onthe last day of the transferwindow.

Now, Mustafa, Mesut’sfather and agent, has filed acharge against the unknownagent, who allegedly forgedhis signature on a document,which enabled transfer talkswith Manchester United tobegin. The document datedAugust 7, 2013, was leakedto Ozil senior, who will presscharges.

“I would have neverdeemed it possible what somedodgy people venture to do,”Ozil told the paper.

“Someone wanted to makecontact with Manchester inmy name and even signedwith my name. That is notrivial offence. We will get tothe bottom of it,” he said.

Following the transfer toArsenal, the agent FrancoisGallardo had claimed thatOzil senior had shopped hisson around most of theEuropean top teams.

However, Ozil seniorfirmly denied this claim,saying: “As you can see,

that’s wrong. You don’t needto offer a player of Mesut’sclass to any club in theworld.”

United also missed out intheir pursuit of ThiagoAlcantara who joined BayernMunich and Barcelona’sCesc Fabregas while AthleticBilbao midfielder AnderHerrera was also the subjectof a bid from ManchesterUnited but claimed he neverspoke to the club.

LUIS Suarez vowed tomake amends for atroubled spell after theLiverpool striker finallyreturned from suspensionin Wednesday’s 1-0 defeatat Manchester United.

Suarez was back in aLiverpool shirt for the firsttime since thecontroversial Uruguayinternational was handed a10-match ban last seasonfor biting Chelsea’sBranislav Ivanovic.

He lacked matchsharpness but played thefull 90 minutes of theLeague Cup third round tieat Old Trafford and lookedcommitted to the cause.

That was in contrast tohis attitude early lastmonth when he attemptedto engineer a move toArsenal after the northLondon club made a bidfor him, in the processangering Reds managerBrendan Rodgers and theclub by claiming they hadreneged on a deal to allowhim to leave for a side inthe Champions League.

Liverpool’s principalowner John Henry wadedinto the matter by insistingthe player would not besold at any price and theMerseysiders kept hold oftheir prize asset when thetransfer window closed.

Speaking after his returnto action, Suarez toldLiverpool’s website hewas determined to help theclub make up for lost time.

“The result is not goodbecause we lost but thefeeling is good because weplayed very well, wecreated chances and wemissed,” he said.

“I know it was a difficultmoment but for myself andfor the team it’s veryimportant I’m backbecause I can help the teamand being off the pitch Ican’t.

“We’ll keep going for theweek and for the nextgame.

“All the time I try mybest on the pitch. I’m hereto help the team and helpLiverpool and I’ll try mybest.”

MANCHESTER United made a sensational world-record £100million bid to hijack Gareth Bale’s move fromSpurs to Real Madrid.

Mirror Sport can revealWelsh flier Bale even flewback from Spain to hold talkswith United officials, whowere desperate to help newboss David Moyes make ablue-chip signing.

On Tuesday, Real Madridpresident Florentino Perezpublicly confirmed thatanother club came in for Baleduring their negotiations inAugust. And, as Mirror Sportrevealed in July, United hadalready made a £60m offerfor the player.

Perez, who eventually paida world-record £86m forBale, said: “Tottenham didnot want to sell and werespected that. “Then, whenwe found out that ManchesterUnited would be making anoffer, we made our own.

“Since his childhood he hadthe dream of playing for RealMadrid and he asked us tomake it possible for him tocome.

“Perez also claimed that,despite his world record

transfer fee, Bale representeda bargain.

He added: “Bale wascheap. The signing of GarethBale is the model of Real

Madrid, signing the bestplayer in the world at thismoment, and that is what Isay.

“All the great players ofReal Madrid have beencheap. I will not say the

amount, but we must notfocus too much on thepurchase price.

“ Moyes’ only signing aftersucceeding Alex Ferguson atOld Trafford was his formerEverton midfielder MarouaneFellaini - in the final minutesof the summer transferwindow.

ARSENAL andChelsea will meet in amouthwatering CapitalOne Cup fourth roundclash, while ManchesterUnited and ManchesterCity have both drawnPremier Leagueopposition.

Jose Mourinho’s sidewill travel to the EmiratesStadium after Arsenaldefeated West Brom onpenalties on Wednesdaynight.

United, who knockedLiverpool out of thecompetition thanks to

Javier Hernandez’s goal,will host Norwich City,while ManuelPellegrini’s City travel toSt James’ Park to faceNewcastle United.

Two other all-PremierLeague fixtures seeTottenham play Hull andSunderland hostSouthampton.

Fulham were drawn atrip to Championship

side Leicester City andStoke are pitted againstBirmingham City, whoknocked holdersSwansea out in the thirdround.

Elsewhere, West Hamwill be expected toprogress when they takeon Burnley.

All matches will beplayed on the week ofOctober 28.

Sunderland v SouthamptonLeicester City v FulhamBirmingham City v Stoke CityManchester United v Norwich CityNewcastle United v Manchester CityBurnley v West Ham UnitedArsenal v ChelseaTottenham Hotspur v Hull City


Confident Atletico ReadyFor Madrid Derby

Almeria Out To EndBarca’s Run

AC Milan Paying For Each Mistake, Says Allegri

Massimiliano Allegri

Bayern Thirsty For 3 Points

Sociedad Out To Spoil Sevilla’s Party

Dortmund Looking To AddMore Misery On Freiburg

REAL Sociedad will lookto bounce back from a heavydefeat when they host Sevillain a La Liga match onSaturday night.

The Erreala were hammered4-1 by Barcelona away fromhome on Tuesday night andhave now failed to win in theirlast five league fixtures.

Jagoba Arrasate’s men arecurrently in 11th place withsix points and midfielderJavier Ros believes they haveto put the tough encounteragainst the defendingchampions behind them.

“It was a tough game, we

knew it was not going to beeasy,” he said. “Although westarted well with Markelshooting over the bar, theyscored two early goals and itbecame very difficult.

“We’ve played at the NouCamp, which is among themost difficult in this league,now we have to leave it behindand think about Sevilla.

“We’ll be playing at home,in front of our fans and we arevery strong here. We should begoing for the three points. “

Sevilla have had a difficultstart to the season, failing towin in their first five fixtures,but go into this clash full of

confidence after registering aconvincing 4-1 win over RayoVallecano on Wednesdaynight.

The win moved theAndalusians from the bottomof the table up to 15th placewith five points and Ros sayshe is expecting a difficultteston Saturday.

“They have played againststrong teams and have not hadthat bit of luck,” he added.“But, Sevilla is a great teamand will be a tough opponentto beat in Anoeta.”

Last season Sociedad had thebetter of Sevilla, beating them2-1 at home and away.

THE 46-year-old hasvoiced his frustration withthe Rossoneri’sdisappointing start to thenew season and feels theyhave lacked good fortune

AC Milan coachMassimiliano Allegri hasrued his side’s profligacyin front of goal in theopening weeks of the2013-14 campaign andfeels they have beenpunished for all of theirearly mistakes.

The San Siro side sit 12thin the Serie A table withfive points from as manygames and have alreadyconceded 10 goals so far,much to the frustration ofAllegri.

“A single point from ourlast two games means thatwe have to work more. Atthe moment it seems as ifwe’re paying for everysmall mistake,” Allegri

said at a press conference.“We have got to improve

in defence, but also inattack, seeing as we onlyconvert about 30 per centof our scoringopportunities.

“I can’t criticise the teamin terms of gameplay. Bothagainst Napoli and versusBologna we had a lot ofchances. The importantthing is to keep on gettinginto the opponent’s penaltyarea as we’re doing.

“We have to be morecareful in defence andwork hard.”

Milan will be looking toreturn to winning ways onSaturday when they hostSampdoria.

ALMERIA will be out tocause an upset when they hostBarcelona in a La Liga matchat the Juegos Mediterraneo onSaturday night.

The Catalans have won all sixof their matches so far thisseason and are currently sittingat the top of the log with 15points.

Gerardo Martino ‘s men willgo into this match havingrecorded a convincing 4-1 winover Real Sociedad on Tuesdaynight.

Defender Gerard Piquebelieves too much is being

made of the drop in their ballpossession statistics and insiststhat they aim to continuewinning while playing goodfootball.

“There is too much importancegiven to the issue of possessionand style,” he said. “We are theonly club in the world to win 4-0 and the discussion afterwardsis dedicated to whether or not wehad possession.

“Our style is already definedand we have a style of play thathas made us famous, butevolution is not bad.

“We want to achieve the beststart. It is simply a reflection thatthings are going well.

“There is much talk but theteam must still win. No-onewants to stop winning. We cancontinue to talk about it while wewin.”

Newly-promoted Almeria onthe other hand are still in searchof their first win of the season,having drawn three and lost threeof their opening six fixtures.

Francisco Rodriguez’ menconceded late goals on Tuesdaynight as they went down 2-0 toMalaga away from home, but thecoach says they have to focus onthe next challenge.

“We had our chances, like theone from (Hernan) Pellerano, orfrom Rodri (Rios), we had goodchances but they just wouldn’tgo in,” he said.

“It wasn’t to be but we’ll tryfor something in the next game.We’ll think now of Barcelona, ofcompeting against one of the bestteams in the world.”

Almeria are currently in 18thplace on the La Liga standingswith three points and the lasttime they hosted Barcelona in2010 they found themselves onthe receiving end of a 8-0drubbing.

ATLETICO Madrid will look to extend theirwinning streak when they visit arch-rivals RealMadrid for a La Liga clash at the Santiago Bernabeuon Saturday night.

The Rojiblancos arecurrently only one of twoteams in La Liga who stillhave a perfect recordhaving played sixmatches, alongside co-leaders Barcelona.

Diego Costa scored abrace on Tuesday night tohelp his side downOsasuna 2-1 and defenderJuanfran Torres theirwinning streak has giventhem extra confidence

ahead of the derby.“We’re looking forward

to it,” he said. “The lasttime we were there we wonso let’s go for it. It’s a veryimportant game for ourfans and for us.

“The good thing is thedynamics of the team,which is all about winning.

“We go in to every gamewith the thought that wewill always win and that isleading us in the rightdirection.”

“We know that travelingto the Bernabeu is nevereasy, they are also on formbut we believe are going toplay well and things aregoing to be fine.”

Real are currently sittingin third place on the tablewith 16 points, two lessthat Atletico Madrid andgo into this match havingneeded a last minutewinner from CristianoRonaldo to beat newly-promoted Elche 2-1 onWednesday night.

“We are lucky that he ishere and that he earns us

points in each match,” saidgoalkeeper Diego Lopez.

“The derby will bedifficult but it’s not goingto be decisive. We arehungry and we want toplay well, especiallybecause of what happenedlast year in the Copa delRey.”

Atletico defeated Real inthe Copa del Rey final inMay with Joao Mirandascoring the winner in extratime.

BAYERN Munich will belooking to enjoy more of theOktoberfest when they gohunting for three crucialleague points against VfLWolfsburg at the AllianzArena on Saturday afternoon.

The Oktoberfest – Munich’sannual beer festival – mayhave already begun, but theonly thing Bayern will bethirsting for on Saturdayafternoon will be three morepoints towards the defence oftheir Bundesliga title, at theexpense of a sixth-placedWolfsburg side.

Bayern weren’t in townwhen Oktoberfest 2013kicked off, which was perhapsjust as well. Pep Guardiola’smen were in Gelsenkirchen,expertly passing their waythrough Schalke 04 en routeto a 4-0 victory.

Guardiola’s Bayern joinedDortmund at the top of thetable on points and goaldifference courtesy of thatthumping 4-0 win at Schalkeon Matchday 6, their greatdomestic rivals now edgingfirst place only by virtue ofhaving scored three more.

Although Pep’s troops havelooked impressive this season,when the world’s most famousbeer festival is in full swing,home advantage isn’t alwaysas helpful as it would seem forthe 22-time Bundesligachampions. Bayern have won52 of their 80 matches, with 21draws thrown in during thisperiod of the year.

The Wolves will arrive inMunich on the back of a

narrow win againstHoffenheim which maintaineda 100 percent record on hometurf, in stark contrast to theirthree defeats on the road so far.

One man in their ranks willinevitably find himself in thespotlight if selected: Brazilianholding midfield ace LuizGustavo, who of courseswapped Munich forWolfsburg only a matter ofweeks ago.

BORUSSIA Dortmundwill be looking to maintaintheir lead at the summit of theBundesliga when they hoststrugglers SC Freiburg at theSignal Iduna Park on

Saturday afternoon. Kick-offis scheduled for 15h30(CAT).

Dortmund are currentlyleading the Bundesliga tablebut are at the top of the leagueby virtue of goal difference.

The Black & Yellowscurrently have 16 points, thesame number of points astraditional rivals BayernMunich.

Dortmund’s draw lastweekend at Nurnberg andBayern’s 4-0 thumping ofSchalke meant that DieRotten joined Jurgen Klopp’sside at the top.

Freiburg have beenstruggling throughout theseason so far. They arecurrently winless so far intheir first six games.

A first league win of theseason looks highly likely toelude them this weekend, buta shock result in Dortmundcannot be discounted.

This is the same Freiburgside that boasts an undefeatedrecord against the almightyBayern in the league thisseason after they point took apoint of Pep Guardiola’s men,the only time that Bayernhave failed to bag maximumpoints in the league thisseason.

Dortmund’s new sensationHenrikh Mkhitaryan sharedhis thoughts on Dortmund’supcoming Bundesliga andChampions League fixtures.Dortmund are under greaterpressure to beat Freiburg thisSaturday after Bayern gainedtwo points on them lastweekend.

“We have to win. It’simportant because, afterFreiburg, we have aChampions League gameagainst Olympique Marseille.If we beat Freiburg, we willbe confident going into thenext game.”

Carlo Ancelotti


Qatar 2022 OrganisersAppalled By ‘Slaves’

Report

Cairo To Host EgyptWorld Cup Qualifier

Tennis: Williams Reaches Semi-FinalsIn Tokyo

Namo Says He Will Equal All-TimeNPL Goals Record

Tunisia Flirts With FIFABan

Violence during an Egyptian domestic match.

Venus Williams

VENUS Williamscontinued her run of form inTokyo with a battling 6-3 6-76-3 win over Canadian hopeEugenie Bouchard.

Williams came into thequarter-final match off the

back of an impressive winover top seed and worldnumber two VictoriaAzarenka.

But Bouchard, ranked 17places higher than Williams

at 46 in the world, was alsoon a good run having beatenJelena Jankovic in straightsets to reach the last eight.

Wiliams, who continues tofight an auto-immunedisease, looked solid in thefirst set before Bouchardlevelled the match in a secondset tie-break.

The American finished thestronger of the two, however,storming out to a 5-2 leadbefore closing out the matchtwo games later after justover three hours.

Williams will take on eitherSvetlana Kuznetsova or PetraKvitova in the last four.

Kuznetsova and Kvitovaboth won their rain-delayedthird round matches instraight sets, against SoranaCirstea and Madison Keysrespectively, and are due backon court later in the day fortheir quarter-final match.

QATAR’S 2022Supreme Committee,responsible for organisingthe World Cup, says it is“appalled” by freshrevelations about theconditions suffered bymigrant workers, who willbe heavily relied upon tobuild the infrastructurerequired to host thecompetition.

A report in the Guardianon Thursday morning onceagain put the spotlight onQatar’s labour conditions,detailing how Nepaleseworkers flown into thedesert nation “faceexploitation and abusesthat amount to modern-dayslavery.”

As a Yahoo-EurosportSpecial Report recentlyshowed, Nepalese workershave been dying inalarming numbers in Qatarand labourers are oftendenied basic rights whileworking long hours forminimal pay.

Although work is yet tobegin on the stadia to hostthe FIFA tournament, theQatar organisingcommittee says it wasshocked by the detailscontained in theGuardian’s report, and thatthe Qatari government willnow be investigating thenewspaper’s allegations.

“Like everyone viewingthe video and images, andreading the accompanyingtexts, we are appalled bythe findings presented inThe Guardian’s report,”

read a statement.“There is no excuse for

any worker in Qatar, oranywhere else, to betreated in this manner.

“The health, safety, well-being and dignity of everyworker that contributes tostaging the 2022 FIFAWorld Cup is of the utmostimportance to ourcommittee and we arecommitted to ensuring thatthe event serves as acatalyst toward creatingsustainable improvementsto the lives of all workersin Qatar.

“We firmly believe thatall workers engaged on ourprojects, and those of theother infrastructuredevelopers in Qatar, havea right to be treated in amanner that ensures at alltimes their wellbeing,safety, security, anddignity.

“This is our top priorityas we begin to deliver onthe promises made in ourbid to host the 2022 FIFAWorld Cup in Qatar.”

Human Rights Watchand ITUC, the world’slargest trade unionconfederation, have bothattempted to raiseawareness of conditionssuffered by foreignworkers in Qatar.

As reported by theGuardian, this summer theNepalese workers flown into work in Qatar “died at arate of almost one a day”– many of them from heartattacks.

EGYPT’S World Cup qualifier against Ghana willbe played in Cairo, the Egyptian Football Associationhave confirmed.

In a statement on theirwebsite they said that,following extensivediscussions, the country’ssports minister Taher AbouZeid agreed to makeconcessions for the gamewhich is set to take placeon November 19.

Restrictions had been inplace since a post-matchpitch invasion at a gamebetween Al Masry and AlAhli at Port Said last yearresulted in 74 casualties.

That disaster led to thecancellation of thedomestic league season

and restrictions on crowdswatching Egypt’s nationalteam or top club sides incontinental competition.

In February, one yearafter the Port Said stadiumdisaster, Egypt’s leagueresumed only to be calledoff for a second successiveseason after presidentMohamed Morsi was

overthrown in July.Al Ahli and Zamalek —

in the group phase of theAfrican ChampionsLeague — are the onlyEgyptian sides to havetaken part in anycompetitive action of note,although all of their homematches have been playedat the Red Sea resort of ElGouna.

Egypt finished top oftheir qualifying group,despite their off-pitchdifficulties and somegames being playedbehind closed doors, andnow face a two-leggedplay-off to clinch a placeat the 2014 World Cup inBrazil.

TUNISIA face theprospect of a FIFA ban aftersports minister Tarek Dhiaballegedly asked Zurich todissolve the Tunisia FootballFederation.

The relationship betweenDhiap and FTF boss WadiiJarii has been frostyfollowing a long-standingfeud between the two thatdates back to February.

FIFA have promptlyreacted to Dhiap’scorrespondence warning thatany interference from theTunisian government into theaffairs of the FTF will leadto Tunisia’s suspension fromall FIFA competitions andactivities.

Should FIFA go ahead withits threat, it would put into

doubt Tunisia’s forthcoming2014 World Cup play-off,first leg qualifier at homeagainst Cameroon scheduledfor October 11.

That threat has forcedTunisia’s premier AliLaarayadh to quicklyintervene in the standoff andassure FIFA that there will beno interference whatsoeverfrom his government into theFTF’s affairs.

Tensions between Dhiaband Jarii began last Februarywhen the FTF boss appointedNabil Maaloul as Tunisianational team coach whileDhiab was pushing for theappointment of Khaled BenYahia.

VICTOR Namo of NasarawaUnited scored his 16th goal onWednesday and he said he willequal the 20-goal all-time recordof the Nigeria league this season.

Jude Aneke holds the all-timerecord after he scored 20 goalsfor Kaduna United two seasonsago.

Namo fired a brace againstShooting Stars in Lafia onWednesday and he toldMTNFootball.com the 20-goalmark is very much within hissights now.

“I know I can score 20 goalsthis season and that was why Iset that target when the seasonwas about to start, I am on 16now and I am sure I will get atleast four in remaining games,”Namo stated.

“But my main priority is tohelp my team escape the drop.”

The former Kano Pillars starscored in the 39th and 42ndminutes to help Nasarawa beatvisiting 3SC 3-0, with SolomonBabatunde netting the other goalin the 20th minute.

Meanwhile, 3SC have insistedthe officiating against Nasarawawas terrible as there was a scriptto make sure they lose the game.

“I don’t want to complainabout the referee, but I can’t helpit because it was obvious theywanted us to lose,” 3SCspokesman Jubril Arowolo toldMTNFootball.com

“A penalty was awarded to

them in the first 40 seconds,which was saved by DeleAjiboye. And then one of theirgoals was scored while there wasan infringement of ourgoalkeeper, and the third goalwas a clear offside.”


Austin Ejide, Super Eagles No 2 goalkeeper.

No Pressure To PlayEthiopia - Ejide- Ejide- Ejide- Ejide- Ejide

N97m Re-Grassing Cost For AbujaStadium Pitch Doubtful - Gaiya

Amateur Boxers Need Strong FoundationTo Thrive - Egbegi

Babalola Urges LeagueClubs To Act With Decorum

OghenekaroEmerges NigeriaLeague Star Of

The Week

... Ethiopia Confirm Oct 13 ForFirst Leg THE Ethiopian Football

Federation have confirmedthey will play the first legof the 2014 Fifa World Cupplay-offs against StephenKeshi’s men on Sunday

Ethiopia’s 2014 WorldCup first leg play-offs clashagainst Nigeria has beenslated for Sunday, October13 at the National Stadiumin Addis Ababa.

Speaking to news men inAddis, General Secretary ofthe Ethiopia FootballFederation (EFF) Yigsaw

Bezuayehu disclosed thatthe match will be staged ona Sunday.

“We have traditionallyhosted all our homematches on Sunday and ourgame against Nigeria willnot be an exception as wewill play the first leg at theNational Stadium onSunday October 13,”Bezuayehu said.

The Nigeria Football

Federation had earlierraised alarm that Ethiopiaare yet to confirm the matchday. With this development,it means that Nigeria willfly out on a chartered flighton Saturday, October 12, soas to beat the effects of thehigh altitude in AddisAbaba.

Nigeria have opted out forSaturday, November 16 asthe date for the return legmatch to be played at the UJEsuene Stadium in Calabar.

THE House ofRepresentatives Committee onSports has expresseddissatisfaction with therenovated Abuja stadium pitch.

Rep. Godfrey Gaiya, who ledhis committee members onoversight function to the AbujaStadium on Tuesday, describedthe N96.6 million used for there-grassing of the pitch as“doubtful’’.

He told newsmen that as a

legislator, he was disappointedwith the level of work carried outby Julius Berger PLC as therewas not enough drainage to drainthe water after the rain.

“The re-grassing is just anaspect of the renovation and theysaid today that it cost them N96.6million to do.

“My verdict is that I am notcomfortable with the level ofwater logged on the pitch.

“I was in Calabar and it rainedfor three days non-stop beforethe match and you cannotcompare Calabar that is intropical environment to Abujathat is in the Savannah whererain is lighter.

“So, if it rained in Calabar forthree days when Nigeria playedMalawi and I never saw anythinglike waterlogged spot, whyshould ordinary drizzling causewater ponds on the renovatedAbuja pitch,’’ Gaiya asked.

The legislator vowed that theNational Sports Commission(NSC) must give detailedaccount of all their spending for

the renovation of the stadium.Gaiya regretted that he had no

powers to summon thecontractors, Julius Berger PLC,to explain but maintained that theNSC would be held responsiblefor any poor job done.

“We never entered into acontractual agreement withJulius Berger. Our oversightfunction rests on the NSC.

“It is the NSC that will bringits client to order when ourobservations are made known tothem.

“We hope if they can relay themessage to Julius Berger to getit done the way every Nigerianwill be comfortable with,’’ hesaid.

Rep. Gaiya further describedas “uncalled for’’ the ceremonywhich followed the renovation,noting that it was not a norm inthe country to celebraterenovation of projects.

He pointed out that it was onlyideal for new projects to becommissioned.

TRIGO Egbegi, a renownedboxing analyst, yesterday saidthat a vibrant foundation wasneeded to mould the country’samateur boxers into worldbeaters.

Egbegi told newsmen inLagos on telephone that if thefoundation was strong, it wouldimpact positively throughcreditable performances atinternational tournaments.

“They need to be exposed, inorder to have a good foundation,and that in turn gives them anedge over their counterparts inother countries.

“An amateur boxer shouldhave gone through several localand foreign tournaments, to beadequately prepared forinternational tournaments.

“They must have competed inover 30 tournaments, tofamiliarise themselves with theiropponents,’’ he said.

Egbegi, who was a formerSecretary of the Nigeria BoxingBoard of Control (NBB of C),noted that the leadership was notaware of the strength andweaknesses of boxers underthem.

“They must know whether ateam is weak or strong, and aswith a weak team, you will knowhow to work towards improvingthem.

“Here in Nigeria, theauthorities are not aware of theabilities of the boxers; they justpack them in camp and do notwork on anything,’’ Egbegi said.

He stressed the need forintense preparations by theNigeria Boxing Federation(NBF) towards the improvementof the boxers.

“A solid team with goodexposure is all that is needed forthe boxers to win in internationalcompetitions.

“They need to box with toughboxers from around the world,before they can win medals,’’Egbegi said.

The analyst, however,expressed doubts on thecountry’s chances at the WorldBoxing Championships inKazakhstan from October 10 toOctober 27, as well as the 2014Commonwealth Games and the2016 Olympic Games.

TUNJI Babalola,Secretary, LeagueManagement Company(LMC), yesterday said thatclubs in the GlobacomPremier League shouldconduct themselves withdecorum, so as to attractspectators to match venues.

He told newsmen ontelephone that collective

responsibility was needed toboost attendance at matchvenues, for spectators to beentertained.

Babalola added that leagueclubs should endeavour to putin collective efforts to playgood games, with adequatesecurity measures toguarantee the safety ofspectators.

“They need to complementthe efforts of the LMC andalso need to play good, cleangames to encouragesupporters and get more fansto participate actively.

“Good security can alsohelp to encourage supporters;if they know the venues aresafe, they will definitelycome out to watch matches,’’Babalola said.

The secretary alsoexpressed satisfaction withthe ongoing 2012/2013Globacom Premier League,which would soon getconcluded with four matchesleft for each club to play.

“This season has been fluid,no hitches and we are happyabout that, though there isneed for more improvementsin the next season.

“The LMC has tried thisseason and we can all see thatthe season has been smoothand will definitely end on thatnote.

“Everyone needs to worktogether to ensure that theseason ends on a good note,’’the LMC secretary said.

He stressed the need forcollaborative efforts fromclubs and for theiradministrators to work withthe LMC towards enhancingthe league’s profile

AS Nigeria prepares to face Ethiopia in the firstleg of the 2014 World Cup play-offs, theexpectation is very high that the Super Eagles willbeat the Walya Antelopes and book a ticket tothe world’s biggest football showpiece.Sharing in this

optimism is Super Eaglesgoalkeeper Austin Ejide.The Hapoel Be’er Shevaof Israel net minder saidthat the players areexperienced enough toweather the storm whenit matters most.

“We have experiencedplayers who are playingat the high level and socan handle suchsituations. Instead it willbe the Ethiopians thatwill be under pressure,”Ejide told CompleteSports.

He went furtherclaiming that the climaticconditions won’t be anexcuse when both sidesclash in Addis Ababa.

“There are manycountries in the worldwith high altitude wherethe Super Eagles havegone to play and did well.Also, this is not the firsttime we’ll be playing inAddis Ababa. I rememberthe last time we playedthere and came out with

a 2-2 draw, it’s not goingto be new to us but I’msure the NFF are workingtowards that,” he said.

The Super Eagles travel

first to tackle theAntelopes in AddisAbaba in the first legwhile the second leg willbe staged at the UJEsuene stadium inCalabar.

WARRI Wolves forwardOghenekaro Etebo is theMTNFootball.com league star ofWeek 34 after his treble in a 4-1thrashing of Wikki Tourists.

This will be Etebo’s thirdaward in his rookie season in thetop flight and his remarkableprogress has been furtherunderscored by the fact that heis already knocking on the doorof the Super Eagles

Interestingly, this highlypromising youngster also scoredthe first hat-trick of the currentseason.

He has scored 15 goals nowand he is the second leadingscorer behind Victor Namo ofNasarawa United, who has 16goals.

He was picked ahead ofEnyimba’s Bright Esieme, whoshone like a million stars in the1-0 win over Akwa United andSharks star Christian Pyagbara,who netted a brace in the 3-0spanking of El Kanemi Warriors.

Other nominees were VictorNamo, whose brace helpedNasarawa United sink 3SC 3-0;Obioma Arinze, who scored thelone goal to hold back BayelsaUnited, and Enyimba’s ChineduUdoji who was rock solid in theheart of defence.

‘Afaras’ toldMTNFootball.com he hopes tokeep firing in the goals.

“I thank God for my goals. Iwill keep doing my best to get inthe goals, I am sure more willstill come,” he said.

Bolaji Abdulahi

3 2 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2013THE NIGERIAN CMYK

Printed and published by Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, 24, Airport Road, P.M.B. 1334 Benin City. Telephone; Lagos: 01 4930929, Benin: 052 257492, 257531Editor. BARR. SOLOMON IMOHIOSEN (KSJI) - (07030699646), Deputy General Manager (Marketing) (08023457566), Assistant General Manager(Advertisement) (08023808856)

Lagos Office: 3/4 Amode Close, Kudirat Abiola Way, By Olushonsun Bus Stop, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos. Abuja Office: Floor 1, Edo House, 75 Ralph Shodeinde Street, CentralBusiness District, Abuja. Tel/Fax: 09-5237631. All correspondence to: 24 Airport Road, Benin City. E-mail: [email protected] (ISSN 0331-2674)

By KINGSLEY OGBEIDE-IHAMA

F E E DF E E DF E E DF E E DF E E DBACKBACKBACKBACKBACK

PDP Crisis: A ShortDistance From The TruthINITIALLY portrayed as

being overblown by massmedia, but at the end,Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is beginning toaccept the fiendish crisis inits rank and an inability tocontinue with the ‘all iswell’ pretence. Thoughscheming amongst thedifferent camps to out-smart one another inpower tussle and gainingof Nigerians’ sympathy arebeing exhibited throughnumerous dramaticepisodes, yet, a lot ofNigerians know that suchepisodes have only beencentred around how onecamp has affected thepersonal interest ofanother camp, and notwhat their corporateactions from the inceptionof their political era havecaused Nigerians becauseof the steadfast pursuit ofthis manner of personalagenda.

So far to most Nigerians,the kernel has not beenreached. There is still adeliberate cover-up of thejuicy part of the quarrel.For now, it is l ike thewoman who is over-powered by the gods andplunged into the people’sassembly to merely admither witchcraft. This doesnot make for an interestingexercise as much as theconfession of her role inthe evil acts which thepeople want to hear and ofcourse the reason thegods are angry anddetermined to break theconspiracy of her formersilence. As a matter of fact,when there is this type ofquarrel between two wivesmarried to the same man,their husband receives abeneficial dose of usefulinformation bordering onthe women’s secret acts orintentions.

But presently, the PDPcrisis is still so much likethe quarrel between a manand his wife which has todo with the man’s inabilityto fulfi l l his sexualobligations. Though thematter may uncontrollablyget to public domain and alot of rambling is angrilymade concerning thesubject, however, while it

is always understood as amatter not for everybody’sconsumption; even in thewisdom to avoid an openor a brash discussion ofthe subject, it remains afact that all attempts tosolve the core issue fromthe peripheral or adjoiningissues would neverquench the anger and painarising from the woman’ssexual starvation.Importantly, for a gloriousresolution of the matter,

the man must somehow betactfully told or encouragedto ‘fully perform’ his maritalobligations.

Interestingly sometimes,there is something positiveabout watching andlistening to opposingcamps quarrel, which Ibelieve may not have to dowith an entirely pervasivemind or a devious interestin fanning the ember ofsuch discord. The benefitsof observing this type ofquarrel could help to re-emphasise the true natureof certain persons and thezeal with which theypursue their personalinterests over and aboveall other interests: Thisbecomes very instructivewhen transacting anymanner of contractualrelationships: It, on the

overall, actually makes fora good knowledge of thekind of alliances to keep,because the principle ofnatural justice always hasa way of using somepersons andcircumstances to open upon each person’s role incertain corporate wrongfulacts. It is as interesting ashow the gods have a wayof making the ostrich getweary of burying its headin the sand.

Right now, the dramatispersonae in the PDP crisisare supposed to beprincipally married toNigerians’ electoralmandate. But an accurateassessment of certainpersons from the stock ofthe party would reveal howunfaithful they have been

in the marriage. If howeverthe party cannot give to theentire Nigerians a fullworth of their electoralmandate comprehensivelyacross the nation, theyshould also not preventNigerians from enjoyingthe full version of theirquarrel.

And of course the benefitof this type of quarrel is theopportunity for Nigerians toknow the role each politicalfigure or their associates

are playing in the grandplot of keeping them(Nigerians) imprisoned inthe mist of unfulfi l ledpromises. It is from thismanner of quarrels thatNigerians are supposed toknow how and who areperpetually orchestratingthe rigging of the electoral

campaign or projects;those responsible for thevain attempt at stemmingexploding acts ofcriminality in the face ofwidening unemploymentand broken communal tiesand values; thepropagators of theprolonged ironies of totally

feeding the nationthrough the disincentiveand impropermanagement of theagricultural sector; thosebehind the financialregulations whichstipulate that the missinglink between a soaringaccruable from oilrevenue and abewildering inability ofthe Finance Ministry tofully remit to the Statesand Local Governmentstheir statutory monthlyallocations is a true testof astute financialbrinkmanship.

However, whether thePDP crisis would presentthe kind of resultpopularly desired is adifferent kettle of fish.But usually, it may notresult to the citizens ofNigeria being thegainers, because thereis still profits to sharefrom even theirestranged relationshipby finding the strangestways to minimallyreconcile, than letting-upand allowing thecommon Nigerians togain from their ‘trueconfessions’ which isneeded for a purgationrite before thecommencement of anideal era of Nigeria.Though one may not betoo sure of how long itwould take to arrive atthe destination of thetruthful revelation, but itis wished that it comessooner than later.

processes; why therefineries would neverwork and fuel subsidyregime never going tostop; be exposed to thosefanning the amber ofregional and religiousbigotry with the wisdom ina polarised amnesty

• Bamanga Tukur, PDP National Chairman • Gov. Rotimi Amaechi

“But presently, the PDP crisis is still somuch like the quarrel between a man andhis wife which has to do with the man’sinability to fulfill his sexual obligations.”

Nigerian observer 27 09 2013

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Transcript of Nigerian observer 27 09 2013