How to avert voter apathy in Lagos, by LASIEC

Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) yesterday expressed worries over recurrent voter apathy in the state, urging traditional rulers and community leaders to mobilise people for future local government polls.

Its chairman, Justice Fatai Adeyinka (rtd), lamented the decline in the turnout of registered voters at periodic elections. He said democracy cannot be sustained by the reluctance of people to choose or reject their leaders during elections. The former Chief Judge of Lagos State said, since local government is the closest to the grassroots, more people should turn out to vote for the chairmanship and councillorship candidates.

Adeyinka spoke in Lagos at the ‘Civic populace stakeholders’ forum’ organised by the commission. It was attended by representatives of the state Council of Obas and Chiefs, market men and women associations, council chairmen and councillors, and community development associations. At the forum, a member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs. Funmilayo Tejuoso, delivered a lecture titled: “Building a culture of effective representation: The role of a civic populace”. She said the people have uncritically confused the roles of the legislature with the executive, thereby rebuking legislators for lapses committed by the executive arm of government. Tejuoso pointed out that many voters expected lawmakers to construct roads and provide other social amenities, despite the fact that they lack the constitutional power to implement the budget.

Frowning at voters’ apathy, he said: “Organising elections in which participation and turnout is low is a frustrating experience for election managers. Low turnout at elections denies the populace the opportunity to exercise their civic right and duty”.

In 2008, 4.1 million voters registered ahead of the council polls. Only 1,5 million voted, representing 25 percent of the registered voters. The figures declined in 2011. While 6.1 million voters registered, 781,363 voted, representing 12.76 per cent.

Adeyinka appealed to Lagosians to embrace voting at grassroots elections as a patriotic duty in the interest of democracy. He said a vibrant and active civic populace should promote public trust, foster accountability and build support for democratic values in the state by participating in governance through the choice of democratic leaders.

The LASIEC boss highlighted the roles of the community leaders in mobiisation for democracy. He said: “The role of the civic populace in any democracy is of utmost importance as these groups are the closest to the grassroots. The civic populace interacts with the electorate on daily basis. They also provide spiritual, moral and commercial assistance to the people. The elders and leaders can significantly influence the level of citizen education and participation and contribute to the transparency and fairness in any electoral process”.

Urging the traditional and religious leaders to discharge their obligations to the polity, Adeyinka said they should build a culture of encouraging their people to appreciate the significance of periodic elections. He added: “We all have the right to take part in the governance of this nation, directly or indirectly, by choosing our representatives through the electoral process. The collective will and trust of our people are the basis of authority of government. This authority is exercised periodically through the conduct of elections into various offices”.

Tejuoso, who is a former deputy speaker of the House of Assembly, conducted political education for participants at the forum. She stressed the constitutional attainment of school certificate for eligible office holders in the country, adding that aspirants are not required to forge the certificate, even if they came out with poor results.

The legislator also highlighted the functions of the legislature, clarifying that they are not in charge of execution of projects. She pointed out that House of Representatives members may implement some constituency projects because they get constituency allowances for them. But she said that state legislators can only lobby the executive to attract projects to their constituencies.

Tejuoso stressed: “It is important to quickly point out that legislators don’t construct roads, award contracts, provide water or electricity. It is not our job, but that of the executive. Legislators lobby to get some of these things done, to attract these things to our constituencies. Basically, our responsibilities revolve around making laws that would bring about good governance in all ramifications”.

The lawmaker said effective representation also required gathering views of constituents and reflecting them at the level of decision making. She however lamented that the economic downturn had beclouded the perception of the people about the roles of the legislators.

Tejuoso said: “Because of the poverty challenges, we have become the provider of solutions to economic challenges in our constituencies. Many of our constituents approach us for financial help during the wedding and naming ceremonies of their children. When we wake up, people are lining up to see us. When we get to the office, people are waiting to see us. When we get home in the night, they are there to see us for solutions to their economic problems. Unfortunately, the resources available are never sufficient to meet these challenges”.

The lawmaker said when a legislators boasts of attracting good roads to their constituencies, people usually discourage them by urging them to “tar our mouths, instead of tarring our toads”. Tejuoso also complained that street urchins, popularly known as ‘area boys’ often harass lawmakers, oblivious of the fact they depend on their salaries to survive.

She urged the constituents to cooperate with the legislature by furnishing information on the needs of their needs to the legislators who live among them. She said that the people can also monitor the implementation of government projects by reporting to the appropriate agencies the observable lapses of the contractors on site. Tejuoso however, warned them not to convert project monitoring into an opportunity to extort the contractors, warning that it would be counter-productive.

The lawmaker also urged the people to project government’s assets and projects in their environment. She said maintenance culture involves the protection of public utilities, especially roads, transformers, hospitals and other social infrastructure, adding that people should also refrain from building on canals.

Tejuoso added: “Let it be known that legislators are not out to steal money. As we request for your cooperation, you must appreciate that the communal interest must supersede individual interest. So, instead of abusing us that we have not given you money, you should criticise us if your roads are not tarred”.

OAU at 50 graduates 78 first class students

OAU’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole

Seventy-eight graduates have bagged first class degrees at the 39th convocation ceremony of the  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Bamitale Omole, stated this on Thursday during the ceremony, which witnessed the conferment of 5, 249 first degrees and 3, 363 postgraduate degrees on students.

He said 1, 161 students bagged second class upper degrees while 2, 260 students bagged Second class lower and 877 students bagged third class degrees.

Quoting the latest Web-o-metric ranking, Omole explained that OAU ranked first in research among Nigerian universities, adding that the transparency, justice and integrity will continue to be the guiding principles of the university.

He said, “In furtherance to its claim as the number one IT university in Nigeria, OAU recently competed for and won a $2.7m Cloud Computing and Telepresence Facility. This achievement makes our university the only university in Nigeria with hi-tech facility.

“While other universities still use the iLab developed and made by MIT, OAU has developed her own iLab and this has helped us in solving some of the basic needs of experimentation.”

Enjoining graduates to brace up to the challenges of life after school, Omole said that the rigorous training by OAU will come in handy in the future.

“As graduates of Ife, we expect you to come up with innovative ideas in job creation and entrepreneurial skills which will stand you in good stead in settling down quickly to making your marks in national development,” Omole said.

True entrepreneurs are doers, not dreamers, Awosika tells graduates

A cross section of graduating students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, during the 28th convocation of the institutiuon...on Friday.

The 28th convocation ceremony of The Polytechnic, Ibadan is remarkable for both the students and members of staff of the institution in many respects. For the 9,487 graduates with National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma certificates, the occasion was a moment to celebrate success and look forward to another phase of life.

To the workers and undergraduate students of the institution, the occasion was remarkable for different reasons. The approval of implementation of the 2012 harmonised retirement age for members of staff of The Polytechnic, Ibadan by Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Friday was, for instance, hailed as a welcome development.

The governor, who gave the hint in his address at the convocation ceremony, said that the approval was in line with his administration’s readiness to improve on the welfare of the state’s workforce. With this, he said that the retirement age of the staff of the institution had been put at 65 years.

Ajimobi promised that his administration would not hesitate to approve the legitimate demands of the staff members. He, however, advised members of staff of the institution to reciprocate government’s gesture through hard work, dedication and commitment to statutory duties. He specifically commended the leadership of the unions (students, academic and non-academic) in the institution for their maturity in pressing their demands.

He promised to consider the request by the institution’s management for upward review of the salary subvention in order to give room for recruitment of more workers into areas of critical needs. He advised that the authorities of the institution should be pro-active in generating additional funds for the institution through consultancy services.

The governor said that the implementation of the Prof. Clement Kolawole-led visitation panel, which White Paper had been released, would be beneficial to members of staff, students and the authorities of the institution. In its determination to improve the standard of the school, the governor said that government would welcome new ideas from the stakeholders.

Ajimobi expressed concern on the admission challenges currently being faced by the institution, which he said to a large extent, denied some qualified candidates access to polytechnic education. He promised that the institution’s facilities would be upgraded to cope with more intakes, adding that efforts would also be made with other state governments in the South-West zone to influence the National Board for Technical Education to review its decisions on the admission quota for polytechnics.

As part of activities commemorating the occasion, the governor inaugurated the first phase of the institution’s administrative block and an ICT building.

He explained that “the polytechnic has succeeded in producing technical and professional manpower in different fields that has contributed to development both within and outside Nigeria.”

While congratulating the graduates, the governor urged them to go all out and convince the world that they were not to be relegated by showing high entrepreneurship skills and providing services which would contribute to the improvement of the nation’s Gross National Product.

Earlier on Thursday, the Guest Speaker at the graduation lecture, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, said that the best way the graduating students could justify the knowledge acquired was through proper application of their trainings. Awosika, who is the Chief Executive Officer, The Chair Centre Group, Lagos, urged graduates of the institution to aspire to become employers of labour rather than seeking white-collar jobs.

To survive the challenge of being self-employed, she advised the graduates to have mentors who could add value and offer useful advice on how to grow businesses. She said, “It will be naïve to think that you want to start off a business without having useful inputs from those who are in the business ahead of you.

Awosika, who dwelt on the topic, ‘Positioning for entrepreneurial success as a graduate,’ noted that professionals could provide useful guide on areas of interest if adopted as mentors.

She stressed, “They tend to be more comfortable delivering critical news and advice. Since many of them have either started up businesses ahead of you or have worked in areas where you are trying to venture into, they can also fill experience gaps, as well as impart their wisdom on how to handle specific business challenges.”

Quoting the founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, Nolan Bushnell, Awosika said “The critical ingredient (of entrepreneurship) is getting off your butt and doing something.” She charged the budding entrepreneurs to launch out without hesitation after meeting the necessary benchmark.

She said, “A lot of people have ideas, but, there are a few who decide to do something about them now, not tomorrow, not next week, but today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer. Commerce favours the swift.” She also remarked that it was not enough to have a business idea, but to have such idea run through certain metrics to verify its workability and relevance in one’s socio-cultural setting.

Awosika said, “This is checking your ideas based on available statistics and hard facts, not hunch feeling or by faith. You should ask, ‘will my idea be marketable and then profitable? There must also be sustainability check, which is running the idea through its ability to stand the test of time.

“Can it be continually re-invented to come up with different products or service lines? An environment check will also help you to ascertain if your socio-cultural setting will be conducive for the commercialisation of your business idea.

“This will save you from investing huge funds in producing ice in the land of the Eskimos.”

She charged the management and students to make effective use of the newly inaugurated Information and Communication Technology Centre, the first phase of the Central Administration Building and a 33KVA electricity sub-station by the state government to the advantage of the institution.

The Acting Rector, Polytechnic of Ibadan, Mr. Adebisi Adeniran, at a press conference preceding the institution’s 28th graduation ceremony, had said that increased provision of infrastructure was important to improving learning.

He charged the graduating students to work hard to contribute their quota to the overall development of the nation.

The Chairman, Governing Council of the institution, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, commended the state government for its support to the council. This, he said, had helped the council in repositioning the institution. Afolabi, however, appealed to the government for the improvement of the welfare of the staff in order to motivate them into delivering excellent services.

Afolabi, who said that the council made efforts to get approval for upgrading the polytechnic to a degree awarding institution, said, “The award of degree to the institution has been granted by the NUC.

Oladapo also explained that the sum of N1bn given to the institution by the Education Trust Fund was utilised for the construction of the new administrative office complex, computer based testing centre, 300KVA sub station, Mechatronics Engineering Complex and work study scheme.

Children, women protest planned demolition of Ogun estate

Some of the protesters

Hundreds of residents of Aro Love Estate in Ota, Ado-Odo Local Government Area of Ogun State have protested alleged plan by the state government to demolish their houses for the extension of Oja Ota Market.

The protesters, including women and children on Friday took to the streets chanting war songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Our land is not under acquisition,”  “No to injustice against Aro Love Estate occupants,” “No to oppressors”, “Don’t render us homeless,” and “Please, don’t treat us like slaves.”

The surveyor in charge of the land, who also doubles as the spokesman for the landlords in the community, Mr. Akeem Soola, said the land on which the people had erected property worth over N2bn was sold to them by the original owners, the Aro family about 20 years ago.

Soola said there was no prior notice from the government before its officials came to mark all the houses in the estate for demolition.

The residents, he said, had perfected their documents with the Bureau of Lands.

They therefore appealed to Governor Ibikunle Amosun to intervene and save them from losing their property.

He said, “Those people just came from Abeokuta and started marking our houses without asking the residents where the local government boundary is. I had to go and meet one of them and asked them as a surveyor. They said they have been given a directive to come and mark all the houses within the area if the market for demolition.

“They said they were going to demolish them after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum. I have never seen it in this country where you wake up one day and give people seven days to leave their houses.

“We have been going to the Ministry of Land and Housing in the past three days. One of the landlords here just received his own report from the ministry that his plot falls outside the market. Once a land that is here falls outside the market, I don’t know why they started marking other buildings here.”

Another landlord in the area, Mr. Kolawole Ishola, said there was something fishy and suspicious about the marking of the buildings.

Ishola alleged that some companies, banks and other firms located in the community and whose buildings were initially marked along with those of the residents had been cleared.

He said, “We and the companies belong to the same community development association. We don’t know what we have done wrong.

“The land is so big that the market cannot occupy everything. We all have our documents. We are appealing to the governor to visit this place. He should not only rely on what some people are telling him at Oke-Mosan. Let the governor visit this site and see things for himself.”

But the Director of Lands Acquisition at the Bureau of Lands in Abeokuta, Mr. Isaac Akogun, told our correspondent on the telephone that the land was acquired by the state government since 1985.

“The land on which the estate is located around Oba Titi Dada Market is under acquisition. It was properly acquired by the state government as far back as 1985,” Akogun said.

Osun set to inaugurate tourist-friendly park

TOURISTS and travellers passing through Osun State using the Ibadan–Ife Expressway will soon have a place to unwind, relax, bail out stress and travel fatigue as the Osun State Government is gearing up efforts at ensuring the completion of a multi–million naira tourists’ - friendly park before the year ends.
The park which is located at Gbogan junction, along the Ibadan–Ife Expressway is the initiative of Governor Rauf Aregbesola who believed that such a recreation centre is not only fit for the people of his state at this specific location, but a necessary incentive for tourists and travellers passing through the state to other parts of the country.
The park which is about 80 per cent completed is on three acres of land, giving enough room for the facilities in consideration of expected patrons and buyers.
The facilities therein are targeted at all for the purpose of recreation, fun, relaxation, sight–seeing, leisure and hospitality.
A tour of the park conducted by Tribune Tourism Magazine recently revealed alluring fountain to be erected on an Elephant’ effigy, public toilets, a multi–purpose event centre with function rooms, 12-bedroom hotel, police post, restaurant and bar, canteen, mechanic workshop, car wash bay, children recreation centre, love garden and parking lots tailored at giving the travelling masses a place to relax while on transit.
Though the park is under construction, the community has started benefitting from the few inquisitive travellers who stop at the junction to have a look at what is being constructed.
Madam Taiwo Adelani, middle-aged woman who hawks oranges at the junction has this to say: “I don’t really understand what Governor Aregbesola is doing there. But it seems it is a good project as it has compelled many people to stop to see what is in there. These people also buy one or two things from us. I am sure at completion, more people will come and that is more patronage for us.”
The park which has started to boost commerce at this junction, is also adding value to the environment through its unique design and aesthetics which parades the coat of arms of the state which proudly announces IPINLE OMOLUABI.

K1/PASUMA:Ijebu fans snub Paso

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Praise him for his guts —Obesere
He must apologise to K1 —Koleru
THE reported tiff between K1 and Pasuma has now got to their fans, as Pasuma learned the hard way in Ijebu Ode penultimate Sunday during the launching of Queen Lola Ajibola’s movie. His usual fans, who had followed him since he declared allegiance to K1 years ago, and who themselves have been the latter’s fans for decades, refused to ‘paste’ money on his head as he sang their praises for several minutes at the event.
The film launch took place at the Prime Hall, Molipa on November 25, 2012.
Even when Pasuma swiftly started singing K1’s praise and debunked any rancour between the two, the pool of fans, comprising individuals and members of several society associations in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, ignored Pasuma and continued to down what was on their tables.
One of the fans, Alhaji Fatai Banjo (a.k.a Koleru), who admitted to R that he was a fan of K1, revealed that it was a collective decision by his Traders Association in Sagamu “to make the young musician see the folly of biting the hands that feeds one”. Hence the blackout the 17 fans gave Pasuma at the event that Sunday by refusing to part with the usual cash that accompanies praise-singing.
“K1 does not need all the disrespect that he’s getting from this issue, he has been good to a lot of people, Pasuma inclusive,” Koleru said.
“Not until he apologises, we will continue to ignore him”, added Buari Apanifuja.
However, among the few that managed to ‘spray’ Pasuma that night was Nasiru Jayeoba. The businessman said the media took the Arabambi/Oganla issue “way too far and it has got out of Paso’s hands, but there is nothing wrong in what he has done. After all, many others had done so in the past and not much noise was made about it”.
Abass Obesere, however, praised Pasuma for having the guts to cut himself loose from the Arabambi clan as he (Obesere) had always believed Pasuma had the means to stand on his own.
“I told him three years ago that he should dump the clan because he could stand on his own, but he took it personal and stopped talking to me.
“Now, he has proved to be a man, and not a boy anymore. As for K1, I have no problem with him either. He should be happy that Pasuma has decided to move on”.

Saheed Balogun returns with You or I

NOLLYWOOD actor cum producer, Saheed Balogun, is back with a bang in the movie industry. Saheed has been missing in action for sometime, but the reason is not far to seek, the fairly skinned producer was out of the country shooting his latest flick in the United States of America, Spain, South Africa and is now back in his base to present his latest work to his home fans.

Still basking in the euphoria of the success of his last movie, Eti Keta, that was endorsed by the Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Chief Olusegun Runsewe and some top shots in the financial institutions, Saheed Balogun said he was not losing sleep over the success that greeted his last flick, claiming that it actually spurred him to come out with something bigger.

Saheed who some people now referred to as Mimiko’s Boy’s said he was particularly challenged by the level of acceptance of Eti Keta by the Nigerian audience, hence his resolve not to settle for the less. When asked how much the movie might have gulped, the actor said he doesnít want to reveal much about the cost of the movie but hinted that it actually cost him a fortune. A close source to the actor, who was also part of the crew that travelled with Saheed said the movie might have cost the producer millions of naira.

Speaking on his latest movie, Saheed disclosed that You or I preaches love, tolerance and perseverance.

Council boss ordered attack on me – Youth leader

Youth leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area, Lagos, Adedeji Oshinowo, has accused the Chaiman of the council, Mr. Abdulfatai Oyesanya, of orchestrating an attack that left him with eight machete cuts.

Forty-three-year-old Oshinowo told PUNCH Metro on Saturday that his problem with the council boss had to do with the fact that he did not belong to Oyesanya’s political camp.

Our correspondent learnt on Thursday that there were sporadic shootings at Ketu area around 9pm.

Findings later revealed that a man (Oshinowo) was attacked in the area by thugs who came in a white van marked, Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area, Lagos, and a Volvo car.

At a hospital where Oshinowo was being treated, he gave an account of the attack that landed him in the emergency ward.

He said, “Around 6pm on Thursday, I was at a meeting in my ward. While the ward chairman was addressing members, some ladies, who are loyalists of Oyesanya were being rude to him. I cautioned them and appealed to the ward chairman just to quell the crisis.

“I went home after the meeting and was relaxing in the front of my house around 9pm when I noticed a white van and a Volvo car pull up close to my house. Some men dressed in black and a lady I know as Shade came out with them.”

Oshinowo explained that Shade was one of the ladies who were allegedly causing problem during the ward meeting.

He added that the lady was the one who identified him for his attackers.

The youth leader said, “She pointed to me saying ‘that is the Deji.’

“When the men approached, I recognised one of them, Saheed, an aide to Oyesanya.”

According to Osinowo, the attackers, who were wielding guns and machetes, shot sporadically into the air and pounced on him.

He said he must have lost consciousness during the attack as he could not recall much of what happened.

“I was told I was revived in the hospital. I don’t have any problem with Oyesanya except that he is angry because I’m not one of his loyalists,” he said.

The case was reported at the Ketu Police Division. In May 2012, Saturday PUNCH reported a crisis at Ketu after some hoodlums wreaked havoc in the area following an attempt to impeach Oyesanya.

When Oyesanya’s spokesperson, Mr. Ajibola Adeyinka, was contacted on Sunday, he said the council boss could not possibly have anything to do with the attack on Oshinowo.

He said, “Why would the chairman send people to attack anyone? Are they contesting an election against each other or what? Even if they are, would that warrant an attack on him? It does not make sense.

“The report we got was that the man (Oshinowo) slapped someone at the ward meeting and there was pandemonium. We got a report that he was drunk. You can even confirm this from Ketu Police Division.”

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident.

“Three people have been arrested and will be charged to court tomorrow (Monday),” she said.

Couple arrested for dumping day-old baby inside bush

The police in Ekiti State have arrested a couple, Mr. Dada Ojo and his wife, Adejoke, for allegedly dumping their newborn baby inside a bush.

Our correspondent learnt on Sunday that the woman and her husband were arrested on Friday.

A source in the community said the cry of the baby in the bush attracted residents of the area, who alerted officials of Ikere Local Government Area.

It was learnt that Adejoke, 26, gave birth to the baby at home last Wednesday without anybody’s assistance because she could neither afford hospital bills nor patronise the local birth attendants.

She was said to have dumped the baby inside a bush in Ikere-Ekiti where the couple lives.

The woman reportedly blamed her action on poverty, saying the family was having great difficulty raising the three children they already had before the arrival of the new baby.

Ojo, a commercial driver, reportedly told the police that his wife did not inform him of her plan.

He claimed that he returned home in the evening and observed that her wife had given birth and asked her about the baby but she simply told him that the baby was dead.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Victor Babafemi, confirmed the arrest when he was contacted.

He said that the couple was arrested but added that the wife had since been released to the Welfare Department of the state Ministry of Women Affairs where she and the baby were being given treatment.

“The man is still with us but the mother and child are being taken care of by the welfare department. The authorities of Ikere Local Government Area and the ministry are involved. They will take over the welfare of the baby,” Babafemi said.

Team Delta wins Eko 2012 •As N222m awaits medallists •Victorious Team Delta holds thanksgiving •Final medals table

TEAM Delta has emerged winner of the 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012 which ended on Sunday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, amid pomp and ceremony.
Delta amassed 116 gold, 97 silver and 75 bronze medals to dethrone Team Rivers which finished second with 76 gold, 71 silver and 71 bronze medals while the host, Team Lagos placed third with 65 gold, 47 silver and 71 bronze medals.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and his wife Roli, were on hand to witness another historic moment by his athletes who reclaimed the title they last won at KADA 2009.
Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State also witnessed the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Delta State government will cough up about N222million as cash incentives for the Eko 2012 medallists.
Uduaghan had promised to reward each gold medallist with N1million, N750,000 for a silver medal while a bronze medal will be rewarded with N500,000, just as the medals eventually clinched by Team Delta at Eko 2012 would attract over N222million.
Other members of the team without medal would also be rewarded as well as officials of the victorious side.
Team Delta also picked the prize money of N20million promised by the Federal Government during the opening ceremony of the Games as Team Rivers which came second goes home with N15million, while Team Lagos settles for the prize money of N10million for coming third.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, expressed satisfaction with the organisation of the Games.
Earlier, Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Patrick Ekeji, noted that the Games was historic as all the states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja went home with medals, saying that “at Eko 2012, everybody is a winner.”
Meanwhile, GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State on Sunday in Lagos led the state’s contingent to the 18th National Sports Festival, to The Redeemed Church of God (TREM), Gbagada - Lagos for a thanksgiving service as the team savours the joy of emerging tops at the fiesta.
Uduaghan said at the event that though Team Delta prepared well for the national fiesta, it was imperative for the contingent to seek the face of God “before, during and after the games.”
He recalled that on arrival in Lagos, Team Delta was at the same church to ask for God’s favour and protection, noting that the overwhelming victory of the team was an indication of the mercies and grace of God.
“We are here because God has been gracious to us in the last few weeks. God granted us journey mercies and as the games progressed, the medals difference between Delta and the second-placed State continued to widen.
The gap is overwhelming”, he stated.
The Governor, who was accompanied by the wife, Roli, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, particularly commended the efforts of the physically-challenged athletes, stressing that in spite of the complexity of Delta as a State, they were able to distinguish themselves and win valuable gold medals for the State.
Said he: “These athletes have proven that disability does not retard ability”, and thanked Presiding Bishop of TREM, Dr Mike Okonkwo for praying for the State and Team Delta.
On his part, Bishop Okonkwo commended Delta State Government for investing heavily in sports noting it has paid off.
He was particularly delighted that in spite of the abundance of talents coupled with her dominance of sports in Nigeria, Delta State has always honoured God, knowing that without God nothing can be achieved.
However, the Bishop decried the general standard of sports in the country blaming it on the politicization of sporting administration and sports activities.
He cautioned against politicizing sports, arguing that it was responsible for why America’s Michael Phelps could become world best swimmer when Nigeria has millions of people living in the riverine areas of the country and nowhere to be reckoned with.
The chairman of the State Sports Commission, Mr Amaju Pinnick, who attributed Team Delta’s victory to discipline, hardwork and prayers said after all the preparations, there was need for prayers to actualize the desire.
He said the Team Delta has set a record by amassing 114 gold medals in the Eko 2012 Festivals as at Saturday (Dec 8, 2012), and thanked Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for his support for the Team as well as for the commitment to sports development in the State.

             Final medals table

       State       G       S      B    Total

1.    Delta      116    97    75    288
2.    Rivers       76    71    71    218
3.    Lagos       65    47    71    183
4.    Edo          25    23    44      92
5.    Bayelsa    19    17    22      58
6.    Ondo        18    12    28      58
7.    Ogun        15    22    31      68
8.    C/River     12    14    23      49
9.    Oyo          12    13    17      42
10.  A/Ibom       7    18    19      44
11.  Imo            7    14    18      39
12.  FCT            7    12    10      29
13.  Kano         7      4     12      23
14.  Plateau     6      9     18      33
15.  Ekiti          5      1        9     15
16.  Niger        4      2        5     11
17.  Benue      3      5      21     29
18.  Bauchi      3      3       7     13
19.  Nasarawa 3     3       1       7
20.  Ebonyi     3      2       3       8
21.  Jigawa     3      0       6       9
22.  Kaduna    2      2      7      11
23.  Osun        2      1     4        7
24.  Abia         1      6    13      20
25.  Enugu      1      5     8      14
26.  Borno       1     3      5       9
27.  Kwara      1     2      9      12
28.  Kogi         1     2      3        6
29.  Kebbi       1     0      1        2
30.  Anambra  0     2      3        5
31.  Taraba     0     2      1        3
32.  Zamfara   0     2      0        2
33.  Yobe        0     1      4        5
34.  Adamawa 0    1      3        4
35.  Gombe     0    1      2        3
36.  Sokoto     0    0      4        4
37.  Katsina    0    0      3        3

ACN, ANPP, CPC to form new party in 2013

Buhari, Tinubu and Onu
:

THREE  major opposition political parties   -  Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change and the All Nigeria Peoples Party  – may drop their identities by April 2013, when talks  on  their proposed merger are expected to be completed.

The merger of the parties  is  one of the strategies being canvassed by some  politicians to defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party which has dominated power since the advent of the present democracy in 1999.

Analysts are of the opinion that any genuine and honest cooperation among opposition parties for the 2015 general elections could make the election tough for the PDP.

The  Chairman of the ANPP National Rebuilding and Interparty Contact Committee, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, told journalists in Abuja on Sunday, that the merger talks between the three ACN, CPC  and ANPP had reached the last stage.

 Shekarau, a   former Governor of Kano State, added that the chieftains of the three  parties had decided to forget their individual ambitions to make the fusion a success.

He  said  that  the leaders had realised that an alliance between the three parties would not work and that it was better for them to merge.

The ANPP  chieftain  said, “Certainly, we are going to submit our party certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission after our merger. That is what a merger means. The Electoral Law is so clear on the procedure for a merger.

“If we decide to merge, the next thing is that we go back to our parties, call National Executive Committee meeting, and discuss with the members, in the presence of INEC officials. Then, you can call congress and that is all.”

He said that both the ANPP and the ACN were not new to mergers.

Shekarau said, “We have passed through this before when we were All Peoples Party and then Action Congress too, before it became ACN.

“The difference now is to pass a resolution and all this will be simultaneously done (by the three parties) and we will inform INEC about it. When that is done, INEC has no choice than to register your new identity.”

In the alternative, he said the parties might decide to adopt the name of one of the existing political parties while the remaining two would dissolve into the adopted one.

The other two options, according to him, are to “take a symbol, a flag and any other identity  from the parties so that every party will have a sense of belonging  or all of us will just forget our identity.”

Asked if the parties had learnt any lesson from their failed ambition to merge in 2011, Shekarau said ‘Yes’. But added that one of the reasons was that they started the process late.

He said, “We started late then. In fact, the negotiation  started  when all the political parties already had their presidential candidates and had finished their congresses.

“That was what made it difficult. Who among the candidates   would  you  have expected to step down?

“Arguments came for example, that I had won the presidential primary of the ANPP. Out of the 3,000 delegates, I had 2,500 votes or thereabout. Now, sitting down in a room with about 10 people and I say I’m stepping down for you, it is no longer my personal mandate.

“What do you do with the people who stood in the rain and sun, slept in the bus, on the roadside and overnight. And again, our party had already submitted names of persons to INEC and when you merge, it would be beyond national election.

“What do you do with other elections like governorship elections, where each political party had their candidates?

“The CPC, ACN, and ANPP all had their candidates for other elective positions. These candidates had spent money, canvassed for votes and all that. That was why we said let all the parties go for elections.”

The former presidential candidate said all the political parties had agreed that the electoral ambitions of party members must not feature during their discussion.

 “We are all coming to the table on equal terms. Whoever has any ambition is with his political party and not ours now. We are all talking on the same level. None of these parties has any candidates for any elective office for now. We can only talk about former candidates,” Shekarau said.

The National Publicity Secretaries of the CPC and ACN, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday confirmed what Shekarau said.

 Both Fashakin and Mohammed said their parties were committed to the merger and that the modalities were being worked out.

They said their plan was to form a stronger political party that would be capable of sacking the PDP.

Fashakin said, “Yes, we are ready to lose our identity for the sake of the bigger party that is capable of sacking the PDP.

“My National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, has said it several time that he is ready to lose his position as well. I’m also ready for that, if that will enable us form a party that will be big enough to confront and remove the PDP from the central government.”

Mohammed said, “ACN is committed to getting a single platform of all opposition political parties that will drive the PDP out of power.”

On whether the ACN was also ready to lose its identity, he said “All I can tell you is that the modalities are being worked out. And we are committed to it.”

INEC may deregister 25 more parties

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

BARELY 72 hours after 28 political parties had their names deleted  from the register of  the Independent National Electoral Commission, indications emerged on Sunday  that 24 more political parties might cease to exist  before the 2015 general elections.

The PUNCH learnt that INEC  had  decided  that only 11 political parties  would participate  in the 2015 electoral processes. Sixty-three political parties participated in the 2011 elections.

INEC, last Thursday, had deregistered Pastor Chris Okotie’s Fresh Party; Balarabe Musa’s Peoples Democratic Party; the late Anthony Enahoro’s  National Reformation Party, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite’s  National Advanced Party  and  24 others for not meeting the provisions of Section 7 of the Electoral Act 2011.

The section states, “The commission (INEC) shall have powers to de-register political parties on the following grounds: (i) breach of any of the requirements for registration, and (ii) for failure to win a seat in the National Assembly or state Assembly election.”

Only 11, out of the parties that participated in the 2011 polls, satisfied the requirement of Section 7 of the Electoral Act by winning at least a seat in the National Assembly.

The parties  are the Peoples Democratic Party, Congress for Progressive Change, Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Labour Party, Progressive Peoples Alliance, Peoples Party of Nigeria, All Progressive Grand Alliance, Accord Party, Democratic Peoples Party, and KOWA Party.

Apart from the 11, only Chief Chekwas Okorie’s United Progressive Grand Alliance, which was registered two months ago and which has not contested in any general election will be allowed to stay.

Our correspondents learnt at the weekend that INEC would wait for the conclusion of any suit occasioned by the deregistration of the 28 last week before announcing the 25 others to go.

Many of the promoters of the deregistered parties had threatened to contest   INEC’s action in court.

Commenting on  the possibility of the  deregistration of  more parties , the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said, “For as long as the provisions of the law subsist, they will be applied as and whenever deemed necessary by the commission. No consideration will feature outside the provisions of the law as we have them.”

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of one of the parties’ deregistered last week, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has said Nigeria has too many political parties and that the registration of some of them is justified.

Mohammed, who headed the now defunct Peoples’ Salvation Party, said this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Sunday.

He said that while the PSP would not contest it’s deregistration in court, it would not hesitate to join others who might see the need to do so.

This, he said, was because the Chairman of the INEC, Prof. Atahiru Jega, did not base the decision to deregister the parties on provisions of the law.

Junaid said, “The parties were simply too many. Jega himself registered a few; it would have been difficult for him not to register them on resumption because the paper work had been done.

“Coming to my party, strictly speaking, I was simply tired with mine anyway because some elements were using the platform to go begging for money.

“I have no intention to challenge the decision in court but if other parties do so we will join them because Jega did not follow the rule of law.

“And without the rule of law, there is no basis for a democracy. My concern is that all of the actions of a body like INEC must be within the law.”

Financial choices in your twenties

Nimi Akinkugbe

For most people in their twenties, the idea of saving and investing seems like a lifetime away. Most people don’t start thinking about saving or investing for future until they are well into their 30s. It is important to realise that the choices you make in your 20s play a critical role in your future financial security. Here are some tips that will help you to build a solid foundation for your future.

Focus on your career. In your 20s, getting established in your career and earning a regular income should top the list of your priorities. This is the time to invest in yourself, to acquire and develop those skills that will enhance your career and boost your earnings. You might have good ideas about becoming an entrepreneur and getting rich, but the discipline of earning regular income from a job and sticking top it for a time, will go a long way in preparing you for lasting financial security.

Take deliberate steps to improve your understanding of money matters. There is a plethora of information in the media, books, magazines, newspapers, seminars and the internet that will help guide you as you make decisions.

The first step in financial planning is to identify your goals. Your short-term goals (under five years) might include a wedding, buying a car or taking a vacation. Your medium term goals (five to 10 years) may be to get a mortgage, whilst your long term goals may be to plan for your retirement.

 Live within your means.

It is very tempting when you first start earning, and particularly where you have few financial responsibilities, for you to spend excessively on clothes, accessories, mobile phone bills. All these can be a serious drain on your finances at this stage if not carefully considered. Look over your income and monthly expenses. Create a budget so that you can see exactly where your money is going and make adjustments where necessary.

Be cautious about borrowing

It is better to borrow for things that have lasting value such as a home or an education rather than for consumables such as gadgets and clothes. Give yourself a deadline by which time you would have paid off or at least reduced the most expensive debt, usually credit card or store card debt. Pay your bills on time so that you can build a solid credit history from now. This will be important when you need to borrow more significantly in the future.

Pay yourself first

Once your debt is under control, automate your saving. Even if money is tight, try to have at least 10 percent of your monthly salary transferred to savings or to a mutual fund account through a direct debit. Start small; you will be surprised how quickly this builds up.

In your 20s, you have the luxury of time. Even where you make mistakes, there is time to recover as your investment earnings grow over several years; this means that if you are consistent and disciplined, your savings will be able to grow significantly. Remember too, that this is the time to travel, pick up new skills, and have new experiences before you have larger responsibilities to take care of. Time is on your side; so enjoy it.

Start investing to meet your goals.

Historically, the stock market has out-performed other types of investments over the long term, but it comes with some risks. If you don’t own any stock, the market continues to present an opportunity to purchase attractive stocks at decent prices. If you don’t have the time or expertise to select stocks and you have only a small sum of money to invest each month, a stock market mutual fund may be the ideal investment to meet your medium and long-term goals.

It may seem odd to talk about retirement when you have barely got started with work; naturally you are more concerned about your job and not the end of your working life which is decades away. As soon as you start work, you will be eligible to contribute to a Retirement Savings Account (“RSA”) through your Pension Fund Administrator (“PFA”) You have an edge if you start to invest regularly for retirement from now, and you have a better chance of building a significant nest egg with relatively little effort.

Accomodation is often a challenge. Even if you are fortunate enough to have a free roof over your head provided by your parents or other family members and friends, you can contribute to family expenses on items like utility bills. You can also set aside some of the money that you would have had to use for rent to build up equity towards getting a mortgage so that you can own your own home. 

Earn your independence.

It is the desire of every parent to ease the path for their children and most children will embrace this gladly. Whilst it’s nice to get a lot of help from your parents, don’t let it get in the way of your attaining financial success. Earn your independence and start to take charge of your financial life. Your parents provided you with an education; now you are no longer a child; your finances are your responsibility.

It is not how much you earn that matters, it is how much you keep. The key to building a solid foundation for future financial security is to have a budget, save, invest regularly, and control your debt. The choices you make now, will largely determine how your life will be in the future.

Notorious B.I.G. autopsy released, 15 years after his death

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office released the autopsy report on Christopher Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, on Friday, more than 15 years after the rapper was shot to death.
The 23-page report offers fresh details about his death, which remains one of the city's best-known unsolved homicides.
Wallace, 24, was shot and killed early on March 9, 1997, as he was leaving a music industry party. He was riding in the front passenger seat of a Chevrolet Suburban when another vehicle pulled up beside his and someone opened fire.
Wallace was shot four times, according to the autopsy report.
The fatal bullet entered his right hip and ripped through several organs, including his liver, heart and lung. The other bullets struck Wallace in his left forearm, his back and his left thigh.
He was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he arrived in full cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m.
At the time of his death, he had no drugs or alcohol in his system. Wallace was 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighed 395 pounds and had a tattoo on his right forearm that read: "The Lord is My Light and my Salvation ..."
His slaying has long stumped investigators.
Los Angeles police and the FBI both looked into the case but made no arrests.
Wallace was killed just six months after his former friend and rap rival Tupac Shakur was gunned down in Las Vegas, leading some to believe both shootings were tied to a so-called rap war between East Coast and West Coast hip-hop artists and their record companies.
Shakur recorded for Marion "Suge" Knight's Los Angeles-based Death Row Records, while Wallace was signed with New York-based Bad Boy Entertainment.
Shakur's killing is also unsolved.

Mo Abudu joins league of TV channel owners

Television talk show presenter and producer, Mosunmola Abudu, is set to launch a private television channel.

The cable television channel is called EbonyLife, a lifestyle channel that will run on Dstv in several African countries. According to reports, the crew is currently being selected, following the acquisition of equipment and the signing of a “landmark JV and concession agreement with Tinapa, in Cross Rivers State.”

Abudu, popularly known as Mo on her talk show, Moments With Mo, is funding the project herself. The 48 year-old entrepreneur is also a human resources management consultant.

She began her talk show in 2009, and focuses on issues such as lifestyle, culture, health, entertainment, marriage and politics.

With the forthcoming inauguration, she increases the number of Nigerians that have launched television channels both cable and terrestrial.

In August 2012, popular producer and Chief Executive officer of Consolidated Media Associates, Tajudeen Adepetu, took his act a bit further by launching OnTv, an all entertainment channel that covers music, movie, fashion and sports.

Television and radio host, and co-owner of Kennis Music, Kenny Ogungbe, also launched a channel, Kennis Music Channel.

The channel, currently running as a cable station, is a 24-hour music, entertainment and events one.

Popular film producer, Wale Adenuga, has also unveiled his wapTV, which is currently on Star Times