Apr 19, 2012 - Nigeria World News

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Banks’ stress test to hold before year end – CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Wednesday reiterated that it would conduct another round of stress test on Deposit Money Banks in the country before the end of this year.

It had dropped a hint in March last year that a fresh stress test would be conducted on the banks in June of 2011, but this time around, it refused to give a definite time.

The apex bank said the fresh assessment was to prevent a similar crisis situation that led to the near total collapse of most of the banks in 2009.

A stress test refers to the comprehensive capital analysis and review programme that examines the ability of the banks to survive a financial crisis.

Following a stress test on all banks in the country in 2009, the CBN had classified some of them as unhealthy and not having the required capital adequacy ratio to remain in business.

Consequently, the apex bank removed the Managing Directors of five banks, whose situation was deemed as requiring urgent intervention. The affected banks are Intercontinental Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Oceanic International Bank Plc, Finbank Plc and Afribank Plc.

It injected N620bn into the affected banks, a development which led to the recapitalisation of some of the DMBs, while those that did not show the capacity to recapitalise were later nationalised.

The Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability, CBN, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, said during a retreat by the Risk Management Association of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday, that the fresh stress test would determine the ability of the banks to survive in times of financial crisis.

“As a follow-up to the last stress test conducted in 2009 at the request of the CBN, plans are underway to conduct another round of assessment on commercial banks before end of 2012 as part of the Financial Sector Assessment Programme under a technical assistance programme facility provided by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank,” he said.

Moghalu noted that the CBN had also strengthened the supervision of offshore Nigerian banks as there was an ongoing cross-border supervisory cooperation and coordination with other jurisdictions where the nation’s banks had presence.

“There is also an evolving effort to set up a forum of Chief Risk Officers of banks to provide a platform to periodically discuss risk issues in individual banks and the industry at large,” he said.

The CBN deputy governor said significant attention must be paid to professionalising risk management education in Nigeria and called for the establishment of an accreditation and assessment system for risk management training providers in the financial services sector.

This, he said, would address issues such as risk identification, types, analysis and measurement; market, economic influences and impact; compliance roles and responsibilities, and lessons from past banking and financial crises.

“Considering the identified skills and capacity gaps and the paramount importance of having in place a sufficient pool of skilled talents and risk professionals to drive and support effective risk management in financial institutions, significant attention should be given to these points,” Moghalu said.

However, the announcement of a fresh stress test for the banks has generated mixed reactions among financial experts, who spoke to our correspondent on Wednesday night.

The Chief Consultant, B. Adedipe Associates Limited, Dr. Biodun Adedipe, said stress tests on banks should be done at regular intervals.

He said, “This is an ongoing thing that the CBN should actually be doing from time to time to prevent the type of crisis we experienced in 2009. If the central banks worldwide had been doing this regularly, we wouldn’t have had such a shock treatment when they eventually did it and there wouldn’t have been a lot of changes to our banking system.”

“For me, I don’t think it is out of place and it should be at regular intervals, not too far from each other.”

The former President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Nzekwe, said the CBN was heating up the financial system by making such a pronouncement.

He said, “I have always said it that the CBN’s multiple pronouncements are causing panic in the financial sector.”

by Okechukwu Nnodim

We are ready for break-up –Northern leaders

6:08 PM News No Comments

Northern leaders have called their southern counterparts’ bluff, insisting that the North will survive in the event of a break-up of Nigeria.

The call for a review of the national revenue formula by the Northern Governors’ Forum and their Southern Governors’ Forum counterparts’ demand for fiscal federalism and resource control as well as calls for a national conference by many in the South have escalated tensions in the country.

But the northern leaders, under the auspices of the Arewa Elders Forum on Wednesday, said the North could stand on its own in a divided Nigeria.

Former adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Food Security, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said on the British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna that the region would survive on agriculture if the country divides.

However, Abudullahi said the North would not push for the break-up, as he alleged that some Nigerians had been hiding under the agitation for the convening of a national conference show to the world that they were tired of staying in a united Nigeria.

The former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said, “We have resolved that we are not going to be the cause of Nigeria breaking up but if others decide that the country should be divided, and they insist that Nigeria should break up, we won’t say no because we realise there is nothing we are getting in the current arrangement that other sections of the country are not getting.

“If they insist, why don’t we sit down and talk? If at the end everybody agrees that Nigeria should be divided, if in the long run, everybody is satisfied that the country should break up, let it be.”

The former presidential aspirant, who lamented insecurity in the country, and reiterated their resolve to work towards the continued existence of the nation.

by David Attah

Ibori’s conviction, lesson to Nigerian judiciary – Babalola, Akanbi, others

6:02 PM News, Politics No Comments

former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori

Two legal luminaries, Chief Afe Babalola and Rotimi Akeredolu have described the conviction and sentencing of former Governor James Ibori of Delta State to 13 years in prison by the Southwark Crown Court in London on Tuesday as a great lesson as well as food for thought to Nigerians in positions of authority.

The lawyers, who noted that there were many ‘Iboris’ in and out of government, said the conviction of the ex-governor should teach those entrusted with state funds to refrain from diverting it to private pockets.

Babalola, in an interview with THE PUNCH, said, “The lesson which I feel that his conviction holds for Nigerians is that those who are entrusted with public funds should refrain from diverting it to private use. Furthermore, it should now be clear to all that no matter how long it takes, the law will always catch up with those who act contrary to it.

“The wheels of justice may turn slowly but they always catch up with the offender.”

He added, “The sentencing of former Governor James Ibori demonstrates that plea bargaining through which his guilty plea was agreed and obtained can, if properly annexed, be of benefit in Nigeria’s criminal administration. Consequent upon his guilty plea and imminent sentencing, much of the funds which were looted from the treasury of Delta State will be returned to the state. Without plea bargaining, the process would have taken much longer.”

Akeredolu, in a statement on Wednesday, said Ibori’s case exposed the weakness in the country’s judicial system and confirmed the level of criminal compromise.

It said, “It is shameful indeed that while a foreign country feels appalled by this expression of bovine predilection for the acquisition of ill gotten wealth, Nigeria keeps celebrating the worst species of the human race. There are many Iboris in and out of government. We will only be taken seriously when we display sufficient courage to send them to where they belong.”

Founding Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, retired Justice Mustapha Akanbi, on Wednesday said the convicting and sentencing of Ibori was a challenge to Nigerian judiciary and a signal to the public.

Akanbi in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said it was puzzling that Ibori, who was acquitted of all the corruption and money laundering charges by a Nigerian judge, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by a British Court.

Akanbi said, “The conviction of Ibori is a challenge to Nigerian judiciary.

“We must be able to make sure that we really fight against corruption and corrupt practices so that once we solve the problem of corruption, a lot of problems would have fizzled out. I am happy that at least, Ibori has been convicted and hope that other corrupt people will also be dealt with and accordingly.”

The Vice Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Aize Obayan, called on public office holders to imbibe the values of integrity and accountability.

In a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday, she said, “No one person is above the law and it is a lesson for our leaders and even the younger ones, because these rules are international.

President, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, in his reactions, said the conviction of the former governor should ignite the much needed reform in Nigeria’s legal system.

Awuzie said, “What has just happened shows that people no longer have confidence in our legal system and this remains a major challenge in our quest for national advancement and transformation.

“I also wish to task the EFCC to intensify efforts in the manner at which they intend to check corruption, especially among public office holders, otherwise, people’s confidence in their ability to fight this social ills will also continue to wither.”

A Niger Delta human rights group, Justice and Human Rights Defence on Wednesday described Ibori’s the convictionas a warning to corrupt leaders in Nigeria.

The group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, said Ibori deserved his 13-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to financial fraud.

The group said Ibori’s conviction had brought relief to the people of the state whose funds he looted.

by Akinwale Aboluwade, Mike Odiegwu and Success Nwogu

Feeding Bottle Federalism: Ekweremadu’s assumptions

5:48 PM Politics No Comments

The debate on the appropriate makeup of the nation’s federalism is again brought to the fore. Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s intervention was another yell in the increasingly vociferous debate on the country’s structural frame.
Delivering a lecture at the weekend, the deputy President of the Senate brought focus to what he described as the feeding bottle federalism that is presently obtainable in the country.
Senator Ekweremadu spoke while delivering the Sixth Annual Oputa Lecture at the Osgoode Hall Law School, York University in Toronto, Canada at the weekend.
His lecture titled “Nigerian Federalism: A Case for a Review” is undoubtedly bound to elicit interest among students of Nigeria’s federalism. It would also be of interest to power brokers who have thrived as the nation’s federal system foundered over time.
Before Ekweremadu’s intervention last week, some other frontline commentators including Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN had intervened with similar suggestions on redefining the nature of the country’s federalism.
In Agbakoba’s submission made last June just as the present National Assembly commenced deliberation, he suggested among others that the 36 states of the federation should be knocked down into their respective geopolitical zones which should be recognized as the basis of the nation’s federation. He claimed to have prepared a bill to actualize that purpose.
With power conceded to the six geopolitical zones the country in his dream could then have six super Governors administering the six geopolitical zones with the states maybe reduced to at best provinces or administrative units.
The submission elicited some reactions with the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP being the most vociferous in its commendation of the proposal.
Welcoming the Agbakoba bill on returning the country to true federalism, the body said in a statement last year,
“The CNPP supports the convergence of national consensus on the imperative to return Nigeria to a True Federal Republic as distinct from the Unitary System of government being practiced today; hence the clamour and urgency to amend the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the body said in a statement issued on its behalf by its spokesman, Osita Okechukwu.

“Public commentators have queried the inelegant manner in which a Constitution with the tag Federal Republic is structured and chartered along Unitary System of government.”
“It is our considered view that the inherent capacity for True Federalism to accommodate multi-ethnic nationalities and their diversities without undermining national unity; was what made our founding fathers to adopt Federalism in the London Constitutional Conference of 1953.
“We accordingly endorse the Bill submitted to the National Assembly by Mr Olisa Agbakoba, (SAN), the position of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum for review of the Revenue Allocation Formula and the agitation of many patriots for true federalism.”
It was as such remarkable that Senator Ekweremadu would amplify the debate, albeit in a subtle manner. Ekweremadu’s suggestion on the collapse of the states is, however, contrary to the aspiration of his immediate political associate, Senator David Mark who to the bemusement of many, is seemingly fixated with creating at least one more state. Mark is from the Idoma ethnic group in Benue State.
The Idoma people have never produced a Governor for the state and believe that their only way of having an Idoma Governor is through the creation of an Apa State compassing the Idoma nation. Mark has at almost all functions involving his people continued to reiterate that promise.
Ekweremadu’s lecture, however, skirted around the issue of the recklessness of creating more states. He, however, thrust sharply with his submission that the country’s federalism is deformed, a development he said had hindered economic and political growth.
The deputy Senate President was to liken the nation’s federalism as a master-servant relationship, a submission many of the nation’s state Governors would no doubt agree with.
He also recalled the period between 1954 and 1966 which he described as the golden era of the country’s federalism on account of the prosperity and viability recorded among the three regions of the country in that period.
In the West, Chief Obafemi Awolowo effortlessly and without debt erected some of the institutions that continue to abide today including the Liberty Stadium, Premier Hotel, Western Nigeria Television among others, using revenue derived from cocoa.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

In the East, the Eastern Regional government was also able to build for itself many legacies including the two Presidential Hotels in Enugu and Port-Harcourt, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, among other legacies using revenue from palm kernel among others.
In the North, the Ahmadu Bello administration established the Ahmadu Bello University, the School of Agriculture Kabba, the many investments of the Northern Nigeria Development Company, NNDC, among many other legacies.
It is not surprising that Senator Ekweremadu would describe that period as the golden era of Nigeria’s federalism.
He thus regretted that “the brand of fiscal federalism in place today looks every inch that of master and servant relationship and is therefore killing industry, initiative, and creativity, while promoting indolence, bad governance.”
Characteristic of the indolence Ekweremadu referred to is the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC when the 36 states come to share what is described as federal revenue.
Structural frame of the nation
The states ironically do not bring anything to support the structural frame of the nation. Bemoaning this attitude, Ekweremadu in his lecture said the nation should “move away from the current military-imposed ‘feeding bottle’ federalism to enthrone one predicated on self-reliance, hard work, enterprise, resourcefulness, and ingenuity to catalyse development”.
Senator Ekweremadu in his lecture also noted how the states have lost several of their powers over a period of time. He listed such powers which the federating units have been stripped of to include the power of the original regions to control resources within their territories, have diplomatic representations in London, appoint judges without reference to a central body (the National Judicial Council), own constitutions and coat of arms, and right of the local governments to have their own police forces.
“One major step, therefore to returning Nigeria’s federalism on a strong and prosperous footing is to reengineer politically viable federating units by devolving more powers to the States”, Ekweremadu emphasized.
Need for State Police
On the need for State Police, he said: “Prevalent global trend in crime-fighting and the realities of security challenges in Nigeria makes the decentralisation of policing pertinent as it makes it easier to track and burst crimes, gives the police the advantage of knowing the environment- geographically, culturally, socially, politically, and even economically”, he said.
“All constitutional provisions that tend to or are liable to manipulations to aggravate the nation’s fault lines must be revisited, while we need to replace State of Origin (indigene) in Section 147 with State of Residence”, he reiterated.
Urging Nigerians to consider a return to regionalism against the present 36 state structure, he said the unhealthy and unviable state of the component states of the federation had made it imperative for the nation to take a second look at the continual proliferation of states and the dispersal of resources.
He commended states in several geopolitical zones who were already coming together to streamline their development policies and agenda as well as aggregate their resources and areas of comparative advantages to develop their regions.
“A return to the regions in the long term seems a major plausible thing to do if we are to nurse any hopes of reversing the dwindling fortunes of our federalism by engendering viability and self-reliance of the component units, massive development, healthy competition, reduce cost of governance and enthrone acceptable level of equity’ Ekweremadu concluded.

Educating 9.5m almajirai: How far can FG go?

5:44 PM Education No Comments

One of the objectives of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is to ensure the acquisition of appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative, communicative and life skills as well as the ethical, moral and civic values needed for laying a solid foundation for life-long learning.
Resolute in achieving this objective and Education for All, EFA, by 2015, the Federal Government launched the Almajiri model school in Sokoto State, which would be replicated in other northern states of the country aimed at broadening the horizon of over 9.5 million almajirai on spiritual and moral values.
The term ‘almajiri’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Almuhajirun’ which means someone who leaves his home in search of knowledge in Islamic religion. In Nigeria, the word has been used interchangeably to mean street urchins or one who abandons Quranic schools to beg for alms all the time.
President Goodluck Jonathan at the inauguration of the first Almajiri Model Boarding School in Gagi, Sokoto State, said his administration was aware that knowledge remains the pedestal on which a nation’s social cohesion and economic development depend, hence the need to cater for the educational needs of the Almajiris.
“It is alarming to know that there are 9.5million almajiri children in northern Nigeria. The almajiri system which started in the 11th century under the Kanem Borno Emirs leadership was aimed at training future scholars for the propagation of Islam.
“Unfortunately, it has become a platform for breeding vulnerable male children who live under some greedy Islamic scholars whose agenda are basically to financially exploit them while they fend for themselves through alms begging. Worse still, it has become a ground for radicalising children for misguided missions in recent times.”
Pointing out that its objective was drawn from the National Policy on Education and included the inculcation of national consciousness and national unity among the participants, the Minister of Education, Prof Ruquayyat Rufa’I, said the thrust of the policy are the acquisition of appropriate mental, social and physical skills, abilities and competences, as well as equipment for the individual to live in his society and to contribute to its development among others issues.
According to her, “Almajiri system is designed to build in young minds, sound doctrines of Islam as specified in the Holy Quran. Essentially, it was meant to teach children basic spiritual, moral and social values in order to enhance their sense of responsibility. Already, N5bn has been earmarked for this project.
“Its objective was principally drawn from the National Policy on Education and included the inculcation of national consciousness and national unity among participants, acquisition of appropriate skills, abilities and competences, as well as equipment for the individual to live in his society and to contribute to its development among others issues.”
The schools are equipped with six blocks of three classrooms each, 16 units of computers, science lab, vocational workshop, library, dormitory, dinning and recitation halls, Mallam’s quarters and a clinic. Under the programme, government plans to build a total of 400 schools in the 19 northern states, about 100 of which are expected to be delivered before the end of June this year.

...Cross section of Almajiri students

Already, 35 of such model schools have been constructed, and states with large populations of almajirai will have both the boarding and day schools.
Commendations, knocks
Meanwhile, more commendations than knocks have continued to trail the policy, though some have expressed fears that the policy would go the way of the nomadic education policy initiated in 1989.
Established in 1989, the Nomadic education programme was to cater to the educational needs of nomads in the northern region. The programme, which has three major objectives of raising the living standard of the rural community; harnessing the potentials of the Fulani; and bridging the literacy gap between them and the rest of the society, recorded no meaningful development.
As education minister, Prof. Jubril Aminu facilitated the establishment of the Nigerian National Commission for Nomadic Education (NNCNE) to cater for an estimated nine million nomads. By the 1995/96 academic session, 890 nomadic schools existed in 296 LGAs of 25 states. Of that number, states ran 608, LGs ran 130, and local communities 152. Of an estimated 3.1 million nomadic school age children, only 88,871 could be catered for.
It is on record that less than 10 per cent of Fulani men and two per cent of their women are formally literate because the nomadic education scheme was hampered by faulty procedure, inadequate finance, incessant migration of students, obsolete data, and religious taboos.
Commending the federal government for taking calculated steps in ensuring equal access to education in the north, Policy Advisor, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, CSACEFA, Mr. Wale Samuel, said the initiative is a policy aimed at using public funding of education to achieve the much needed equity in the society.
“There remains a huge gap between the rich and the poor and such education is useful in bridging this gap on the long run. However, we hope the initiative will be sustained and not suffer from ‘policy somersault’ which is the hallmark of policies and initiatives in Nigeria.”
The Sultan, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, observed that the school system would provide succour and relief to millions who had been left out of the conventional school system as Nigeria cannot afford to allow the emergence of unequal societies and the adverse social consequences associated with it.
“We must endeavour to provide fair opportunities to every child and equip our school age population to lead productive lives and contribute their quota to national development. We must encourage self help and facilitate the establishment and sustenance of community schools by restoring the culture of endowment to support educational and religious institutions.”
Imams in some mosques in Gagi, Mallams Bello Shehu, Umar Naibi and Nasiru Mamuda, described the school as a welcome development, but lamented that the immediate community of Gagi was not adequately considered in enrolling the almajiris there.
“Government should have considered the almajiris in Gagi as well as recruited instructors from here, too. Government should also consider the attitude of the teachers that are being recruited to teach the almajiris,” Shehu said in the Hausa language.
“We are not sure of the credibility of the teachers that are being employed to teach the almajiris. The capability to impart knowledge is one thing and good characters of the teachers is another, but we are ready to cooperate if we are sure of the teachers’ characters.”
Calling on government to ensure adequate public enlightenment and restructuring of the Al-Mmajiri school system so as to ensure its success, former Governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, tasked government to embark on public awareness on the scheme as some people are still skeptical about the policy and its impact.
“The north needs qualitative and a holistic educational system for us to overcome the economic and security challenges facing us. There is the need for government to empower and carry the Al-majiri schools teachers (Ulamas) along in the design and teaching of the school curriculum. There is no need for government to build big schools equipped with chairs and tables before the scheme takes off. What is important is to empower the Ulamas and create the right environment for teaching and learning.”

Nurse shoots mother, steals newborn

5:35 PM News No Comments

CHICAGO (AFP) – A Texas nurse has been charged with murder for shooting a young mother and kidnapping her three-day-old baby outside a pediatrician’s office, officials said Wednesday.
Verna McClain, 30, had recently suffered a miscarriage but did not tell her fiance about it, local media reported. She allegedly kidnapped the baby in hopes of passing him off as her own.
Police managed to find the unharmed baby after several desperate hours of searching by tracing the suspect’s Lexus to a nearby apartment complex.
McClain didn’t have the baby when she returned home, but told police little Keegan Schuchardt could be found at her sister’s house.
“To recover a child who was kidnapped and a mother killed by a stranger within no connection within five or six hours is as good of police work as you can do,” Lieutenant Dan Norris of the Montgomery County sheriff department told reporters.
McClain was parked in front of a pediatrician’s office in Spring, Texas, when Kala Golden, 28, emerged with her son after a checkup on Tuesday afternoon.
She allegedly shot Golden and grabbed the baby, but Golden kept fighting even as blood was pouring out of her wounds.
Golden tried to grab her son out the car and was knocked to the ground as it sped away. Witnesses said she was screaming “my baby” as she struggled to get Keegan back.
Witnesses used Golden’s cell phone to contact her husband and mother. She died in hospital before her husband could get there.
Keith Schuchardt said that while he couldn’t understand why anyone would want to harm his wife he was relieved to have his son back safe in his arms.
“It was nice to know he’s still alive,” the distraught father told reporters outside his home.
The shooting sent shockwaves through the community.
“I feel so, so, so terrible for the family and the baby that will never get to know his mother,” neighbor Amanda Johnson told KHOU news.
“I can’t imagine. I have an 8-year-old. I can’t imagine not being able to see him grow up. It’s really sad.”

Research & Devt: Red palm oil, our health elixir – Dr. Chukeze

5:30 PM Education, Health No Comments

Many diseases hitherto unknown to our ancestors are becoming commonplace in Africa today as a result of change in lifestyle. Incidence of cancer, diabetes, hypertension etc., are on the rise. Westernisation has affected every area of the African life; from fashion to diet. Scientists are of the opinion that going back to our natural foods will help immensely.
In this chat with Vanguard Learning in his laboratory in Awka, Dr. Ezenwa Chukeze, a researcher and lecturer in the Department of Applied Biochemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, spoke on why “we retrace our steps because we can never be wiser than nature.” Excerpts:
For Dr. Ezenwa Chukeze, owner of Chukeze Research and Development Laboratories, his research works are not only focused on researches that are very relevant to Nigeria’s problems but also on those that will be of general interest to the international community.
According to him, “In researches focused on solving local problems, we don’t only try to solve problems of the environment; we want to patent ideas that we can sell. That was the main reason why I invested in this laboratory.” The researcher has been able to produce industrial alcohol from cassava, gin from decaying mangoes, glucose syrup, glucose powder and glue from cassava starch.
Palm oil:
Dr. Chukeze said that in the 60s, “the eastern part of Nigeria was the world’s largest producer of palm oil, the north was the largest producer of groundnut and the west was the largest producer of cocoa but we have lost all that because of petroleum. Sometimes it looks like petroleum is a curse.
The Malaysians collected the seeds in the 60s and now they are leading in palm oil production in the world because they were serious about it. We were given the impression that palm oil is very rich in saturated fatty acids and because of that, it is not good for human consumption but should be used for making soap and all that, and that the best oil should be those oils that are rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
That stuff is no longer tenable based on research. I think the major culprit in cardiovascular disease, hypertension and others, is trans-fat. When we are processing fat, the saturated fatty acids are converted from cis- to trans. If you have a double bond and the two hydrogen bonds are in one direction, you call it cis- and if they are in opposite directions, you call it trans.
The cis is natural while the trans is generated during processing like heating the oil, production of margarine, baking, deep frying, bleaching palm oil etc. Today, there are international standards for the production of margarine, cooking oil etc., to ensure that trans-fat is eliminated. Unfortunately, I think our industries are still using the old method.”

He warned against consumption of oil-rich foods such as margarine, confectioneries and fast foods made with partially hydrogenated oil which contains trans-fat as consumption of trans-fat is associated with high cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, and cancers among other diseases.
He argued that “the so-called vegetable oil is usually palm oil which has been processed, bleached, oxidised, deodorised, de-gummed, fractionated and heated several times. It is further adulterated with palm kernel oil which is not good for human consumption. Chemical additives are also added to keep the oil fluid at room temperature. All the potent nutrients at this time are removed or destroyed with several contaminants left in the oil.”

Kits for identification of adulterated palm oil:
“In recent times, red palm oil is adulterated with red substance to enhance the red colour of poorly extracted and poorly stored oil. This practice evolved out of greed and ignorance on how to store and process palm fruit for good quality oil.
We have developed a simple analytical kit for on-the-spot identification of adulterated red oil. This kit can be used by anybody. One kit will identify oil pitched with red colour additive and the others will identify poorly processed or stored palm oil.”
The researcher warned against bleaching of palm oil as that not only destroys the vital nutrients but also produces dangerous trans-fat.
“We do not need to bleach palm oil because that red colour we are removing is the oil’s power house, highly fortified with vitamins. We have very high levels of vitamins E, A, K and Q and these are very potent biological substances in the oil that will promote health. Studies have shown that natural palm oil will guard against development of cancer, hypertension, diabetes etc.
Palm oil is a kind of miracle oil. We were deceived that it was not good so we started bleaching it. The fact is that palm oil, even traditionally, is the first line of drugs for a sick person. If somebody is sick in a traditional setting, usually, a lot of the medicines have palm oil in them. We seem to have forgotten all that. I, personally, have come back to that.
For instance, when I am weak, I take one spoon of palm oil in the morning and one in the evening. Some companies now put red palm oil in capsules as supplement for pregnant women and nursing mothers because just a spoon will cover your daily requirement for vitamins E and A. I can actually see why in the village, when a goat eats poisonous cassava leaves and it is about to die, they give it palm oil and it survives.

Dr. Chukeze

“The claim that red palm oil lowers blood sugar may be in line with its potent antioxidant activity. Diabetes is the consequence of oxidative stress damage and red palm oil is loaded with a natural mix of carotenoids and antioxidants. It is the most fortified of all known natural dietary oils. This explains its importance as our traditional antidote in poisoning and folk medicine.
“There are lots of things we still don’t know. For example, palm oil contains Vitamin E in a class of compounds called tocopherols. We have alpha, beta, gamma and delta, so there are different types of tocopherols. If you look at the drug in the market, it is just one type of vitamin E, so why does nature have several types? Those other types must have important roles to play and that is why palm oil is very powerful. We also have trienols, another type of Vitamin E.
“There are about eight types in palm oil, a powerful mix, and I think that is why it is very potent as a supplement and why it is used in folk medicine to treat all kinds of things. Some people rub it on wounds. There is need to create awareness that we have to stop eating bleached palm oil which contains trans- fat. We can use groundnut or soybean oil. They are better than bleached palm oil.”
Also, he noted that the antioxidant property of the palm oil enables it to inhibit tumour growth and initiate apoptosis which is the ability of cells that have acquired corrupt programmes to commit suicide rather than develop into cancer cells. “Those who fry akara (bean cake) and use one pot of oil to fry day after day, everyday, they pour new oil into the old one and continue using it. That has a lot of trans-fat.”
Industrial alcohol:
“Alcohol is the second most important industrial solvent after water. You drink it, you use it to dissolve drugs, to sterilize in hospitals, in perfumes, in chemical industries, in a lot of things. Today, we use alcohol to drive cars as we seek renewable energy. I produce alcohol from cassava. We grind the cassava, add enzymes to convert the starch to sugar. We then add yeast to convert the sugar to alcohol. We also use decaying mango fruits to produce alcohol which I call Mangin,” he said.
“We also produce glucose syrup and powder from cassava. Glucose syrup is used in sweetening confectioneries and drinks. We have glucose powder that people add to their food or beverage. Glucose syrup is healthier than ordinary sugar because sugar is fructose plus glucose and what makes the body react to hunger is glucose, fructose does not.
So when you eat sugared food, the tendency is that you eat a lot more because the sugar you are eating is half fructose and half glucose. That is why a lot of people are fat; they consume a lot of sugar. But if you are consuming glucose, you have higher glucose level and you feel more satisfied and that makes you eat less.”

NIPOGA: Ede, Nasarawa Polytechnics for soccer finals

5:17 PM Sports No Comments

The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, and Nasarawa Polytechnic have qualified for the finals of the male football competition at the ongoing NIPOGA Games at Ede, Osun State.
Federal Polytechnic, Ede, on Wednesday afternoon defeated Federal Polytechnic, Offa, 2-0 to reach the final, while Nasarawa Polytechnic got to the final by defeating Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, 2-0.
In the first semi-final match involving the host team, Abubakar Muyideen scored the first goal in the seventh minute of play, while the second goal scored in the 83^rd minute by Victor Nwobiko.
The coach of the host team, Olaleye Olawole, commended his boys for the wonderful performance and pledged that his team would win the gold medal in the male football event.
In the second semi-final match Ayuba Bwandi scored the first goal for Nasarawa Polytechnic in its encounter with LASPOTECH in the 43^rd minute, while Abdulmutalib Bilal crowned the victory with another goal in the 52^nd minute of the match.
In the women’s football event, LASPOTECH will on Thursday meet Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, in the semi-final match, while Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, will have an encounter with Nasarawa Polytechnic.
LASPOTECH and Yaba College won three matches apiece to reach the semi-final stage, while Nasarawa Polytechnic and Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, won one match, drew in one and lost one match respectively.
Meanwhile, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, has taken over from LASPOTECH in the medals table; as it is currently occupying the first position.The institution is leading with 10 gold, three silver and three bronze medals, ahead of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, with six gold, five silver and six bronze medals.YABATECH is occupying the third place with five gold, five silver and 10 bronze medals. (NAN)

NLC vows to resist withdrawal of minimum wage in Kebbi

5:14 PM News No Comments

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that it would resist any attempt by Kebbi State Government to withdraw the full payment of the N18,000-minimum wage that was earlier approved.
The state NLC Chairman, Mr Sadiq Kaoje, gave the warning, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
He said that the chairmen and secretaries of all the labour unions in the state met and demanded the immediate restoration of the payment of the minimum wage.
Besides, Kaoje said that the NLC was pressing for a change of the schedule of officers in the Ministry of Finance who were responsible for the anomalies which occurred in the payment of March salaries.
He said that the Congress was also requesting the return of all “collapsed allowances’’ in the March salaries and the payment of 27.5 per cent and 12.5 per cent increase in the salaries of professional and non-professional teachers respectively.
“The circular on the payment to teachers was still valid and the allowances removed from the salary of workers in RATTAWU, NUJ, fire service, information and urban development agency should be restored.
“We also demand the immediate payment of annual increment that had been denied workers in the past three years, as such payments are not negotiable.”
Kaoje said that the NLC was also demanding the payment of the new minimum wage to local government workers, as well as the payment of the 12.5 per cent and 15 per cent increase in pensions to pensioners.
“Our demands were made in the belief that workers are the machinery of government that deserve priority attention; we also believe that the state has enough funds to pay what we are demanding and execute other projects,’’ he added. (NAN)

IMF welcomes $34 bn in new pledges

5:09 PM Business, News No Comments

WASHINGTON (AFP) – IMF director Christine Lagarde has welcomed pledges from Switzerland, Poland and other countries to provide some $34 billion in additional funding for the world lender.

Lagarde, in separate statements late Wednesday, singled out Switzerland and Poland for increasing their contributions, hailing their “enduring support for the spirit of multilateralism.”
“Ensuring the Fund has sufficient resources to tackle crises and to promote global economic stability is in the interests of all our members,” she said.
The IMF statement said “Switzerland and other countries” had pledged $26 billion of increased funding while Poland had agreed to provide $8 billion.
“This brings to about $320 billion the commitments received so far. I am, (of) course, very encouraged by this strong demonstration of support for the Fund, and I look forward to further commitments from our broader membership.”
In a Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung interview published this week, Lagarde revealed that the International Monetary Fund is seeking some $400 billion for expanding its crisis intervention “firepower.”
That was sharply lower than the original target of $500 billion. Last week Lagarde said the Fund was lowering its target, citing a slight easing of financial tensions, both globally and in the eurozone.
The largest contributions thus far have come from the eurozone, which has pledged some $200 billion, and Japan, which pledged $60 billion.
The IMF is hoping to firm up more commitments, especially from the big emerging economies like China, Russia, Brazil and India, at the Fund’s spring meetings held at the end of this week in Washington.

Boy,14, others gang-rape girl,17, in S.Africa

5:06 PM News No Comments

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Eight suspects, including a 14-year-old boy, will appear in a South African court on Thursday for the rape of a 17-year-old girl whose attack was filmed and has gone viral.
“Eight suspects, aged between 14 and 37, will appear at the Roodepoort magistrate’s court today,” said police spokesman Tshiskhawe Ndou.
Seven of the suspects, aged between 14 and 20, were arrested after they were traced to the video which horrified the nation that is battling shocking levels of violence against women and sexual assaults.
“The arrests emanated from the circulation of the video by the suspects – that’s how the police picked it up,” Ndou told AFP. “It resulted in the arrest of seven suspects.”
The eighth suspect, a 37-year-old man, was arrested on Wednesday after the victim, whom local media reported has the mental capacity of a four-year-old, was found in his house.
She had gone missing on March 21 but her disappearance was not reported by her mother, said Ndou.
“We found him with the girl in his house and he was charged for abduction and rape.”
Watching the video is a crime under South Africa’s child pornography law.
The Cape Times on Thursday said the low-quality cellphone video showed the girl screaming and begging for her attackers to stop as they took turns to rape her.
It ends with one offering her two rands (26 US cents) for her silence and she is heard crying, the newspaper said.
The video’s spread has forced South Africa to confront its staggering incidence of rape. More than 56,000 cases were reported to police last year.
But the crime is often under-reported, like the case of the 17-year-old. A 2009 study by the government’s Medical Research Council revealed that only one in 25 rapes were reported to the police.
The same survey found more than one quarter of South African men admitted to raping a woman or girl.

SUBSIDY PROBE REPORT: How NNPC, others looted subsidy fund

5:00 PM News No Comments

ABUJA—The House of Representatives Ad-hoc committee that investigated the implementation of the subsidy regime in the country, yesterday, recommended that the sum of N1,067,040,456,171.31 be refunded to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, marketers, companies that refused to appear before the committee as well as the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency. Out of this amount, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation which came under heavy criticism from the Committee is to refund N310,414,963,613.00 for subsidy it collected on Kerosene after the subsidy on the product had been outlawed in the country; N285,098,000,000 for subsidy it collected above the PPPRA recommended amount and N108, 648,000,000 for self discount it granted itself while marketing companies are to refund a N8,664,352,554.00.

Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Diezani Allison Madueke

Companies that failed to appear before the committee are to refund the sum of N41,936,140,005 while the PPPRA is to refund the sum of N312,279,000,000 being excess payment it made to itself. The refunds are to be made within three months.
The Committee chaired by Hon. Faruk Lawan also recommended that relevant anti-corruption agencies should investigate and prosecute all persons and companies that have been found to have committed any crime while those companies that obtained foreign exchange, FOREX, but failed to import petroleum products should also be referred to the Anti-Corruption agencies with a view to verifying what they used the forex for.
And contrary to the official figure of subsidy payment of N1.3 Trillion, the committee noted that ‘the Accountant General of the Federation put a figure of N1.6 Trillion, the CBN N1.7 Trillion, while the committee established subsidy payment of N2,587.087 Trillion as at 31st December, 2011 amounting to more than 900 per cent over the appropriated sum of N245 Billion’.
It noted that the committee arrived at this figure based on the CBN figure N844.944Billion paid to the NNPC in addition to another figure of N847.942 Billion reflected as withdrawals by the NNPC from the excess Crude Naira account as well as the sum of N894.201Billion paid as subsidy to the marketers.
The committee which came hard on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ‘for not being accountable to anybody or authority’ recommended that the corporation be unbundled to make its operations more efficient and transparent, adding that ‘the Management and Board of the NNPC should be completely overhauled and all those involved in the following infractions should be further investigated and prosecuted by the relevant anti corruption agencies’.
See who to refund what? here
The infractions for which the committee recommended further investigation/prosecution are: Payment of N285.098Billion in excess of the PPPRA recommended figure for 2011; subsidy deductions of N310,414,963,613 for kerosene against a presidential directive; Direct Deductions from funds meant for the federation account in contravention of section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution and the illegal granting of price differential (discounts) of crude oil price per barrel to the NNPC to the tune of N108.648Billion from 2009-2011.
Wants NNPC audited
It further recommended that ‘the House do direct for the auditing of the NNPC to determine its solvency. This is as a result of plethora of claims of indebtedness and demands for payments by NNPC’s debtors which, if not well handled, will not only affect the entire economy of Nigeria but also the supply and distribution of petroleum products.
On the part of the PPPRA, the committee recommended that ‘the Executive Secretaries of the PPPRA who were the Accounting Officers, and under whose watch abuses were perpetrated that led to the government losing Billions of Naira should be held liable. We strongly recommend that those who served as Executive Secretaries of PPPRA from January 2009 to October 2010 should be further investigated/prosecuted by relevant Anti-corruption agencies. This should also include the GM Field Services, ACDO/Supervisor Ullage Team 1 and ACDO/Supervisor Ullage Team 2 within the same period for their roles in the management of the ullaging under the subsidy scheme.
Part of the committee report reads: “Our investigation further revealed that certain marketers collected subsidy of over N230.184 Billion on PMS volume of N3,262,960,225 litres that from the records made available to us were not supplied. Apart from proliferation and non-designation of bank accounts for subsidy payment, PPPRA and the OAGF were unable to manage in a transparent manner the two accounts they chose to disclose. There were indications that PPPRA paid N258billion to itself in 2009 and N157Billion in 2010. When confronted, the OAGF was unable to submit details of the bulk payments arrogated to PPPR A and the account from which the bulk sums were disbursed to the supposed beneficiaries.
“Curiously too, the particular Accountant General that served during the period 2009 was found to have made a payment of equal installments of N999 Million for a record 128 times within 24 hours on the 12th and 13th of January 2009, totalling N127.872Billion. The confirmed payments from the CBN records were made to beneficiaries yet to be disclosed by the OAGF or identified by the committee. We however discovered that only 36 marketers were participants under the PSF scheme during this period. Even if there were 128 marketers, it was inconceivable that all would have imported the same quantity of products to warrant equal payment” the report noted.
On the quantity of fuel that is consumed nationwide daily, the committee in its report noted that from its findings, ‘the consumption level for 2011 is estimated at 31.5 million litres per day. However, in 2012, marginal increment of 1.5 million litres a day is recommended in order to take care of unforeseen circumstances, bringing it to 33 million litres per day.
“And to maintain a strategic reserve, an additional average of seven million litres per day (or 630 Million litres per quarter) for the first quarter of 2012 only is recommended. Thus PPPRA is to use 40million litres of PMS in the first quarter as its maximum ordering quantity per day. In subsequent quarters, PMS daily ordering quantity should be33 million litres per day for Kerosene, the committee recommends a daily ordering quantity of 9 million litres” the report noted.
It therefore proposed a budget proposal of N806.766 Billion for the 2012 fiscal year for payment of subsidy on PMS and Kerosene based on its projection that the PMS consumption is 40million litres per day (including the strategic reserve for the first quarter of 2012); and 9million litres of Kerosene per day.
Other recommendations by the committee:
*Marketers without storage facilities and retail outlets should be excluded from participating in the PSF scheme.
*The services of the Accounting Firm of Akintola Williams, Deloitte and Olusola Adekanola and Partners should be discontinued with immediate effect for professional incompetence and should be blacklisted from being engaged by any Federal Ministry, Department or Agency for a period of three years.
*All those in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Office of the Director general Budget and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation involved in the Extra budgetary expenditure under the PSF scheme (2009-2011) should be sanctioned in accordance with civil service rules and the code of conduct Bureau.
*The overhauling of the PPMC management.
*Mr. president should reorganize the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to make it more effective in carrying out the much needed reforms in the oil and gas sector.
*Given the large and complex nature of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the committee recommends that two ministers should be appointed to take charge of the Upstream and Downstream.
*The PPPRA should provide the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA advance copies of allocation and vessel arrival notification documents to enable the navy monitor, track and interdict vessels seeking to avoid Naval certification.
*The committee recommends that the regulatory capacity of PPPRA be strengthened and the National Assembly should commence the process of amending the Act to make the Agency autonomous
*The committee recommends that FIRS should follow up on the companies listed earlier to pay their taxes with due penalties in line with the provisions of the Companies Income Tax Act.
*The PSF guidleines should be revised to make Tax compliance a mandatory pre-qualification requirement for all participants under the scheme.
*The CBN and the Federal Ministry of Finance should critically examine and review policy guiding payment for importation of petroleum products to avoid the current fraudulent system that allows importers to bring in products from off-shore ‘lome’ or cotonou to qualify for forex payments
*The committee recommends that the PPMC management be overhauled.

Permanent voter cards ready Oct – INEC

4:54 PM News No Comments

ABUJA—Permanent cards for 40 million registered voters across the country would be ready by October 31, 2012, even as contract for the project worth N2.6 billion has been awarded to ACT Technologies Ltd.
This was disclosed yesterday in Abuja by Mr. Emmanuel Akem, Director in charge of Voters Registry at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, headquarters, Abuja.
Giving a deeper insight into why INEC decided to embark on the project, Akem explained that production of permanent voter cards would reduce the incidence of fraud and rigging in future polls.
He said: ”Once biometric information of registered voters is captured in our records, we would be able to use it for the next elections in the country. It would reduce the incidence of rigging in future elections across the country.”
He further stated that with the aid of a card reader, permanent cards would be used to authenticate voters in the next elections.
Throwing more light on how the system works, he said: “Once a voter presents his card and his finger to the electoral officer at the polling booth, he would in turn screen the card with the card reader in order to authenticate whether the individual concerned is the real owner of the card or not.
“This was designed to prevent politicians who are in the habit of buying voters’ cards during elections from using such cards.”
In a related development, the electoral body stated that Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, had offered to assist INEC prosecute 878,000 electoral offenders in different parts of the country.
This was disclosed by the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Umenger, while speaking to Vanguard in Abuja, yesterday.
He explained that this became necessary because INEC lacked the capacity to prosecute the huge number of electoral offenders scattered in different parts of the country, adding that so far, the commission and Police had successfully prosecuted 200 of such offenders.
Nevertheless, investigation by Vanguard revealed that most of the 878,000 electoral offenders were those involved in multiple registration during last year’s voter registration conducted before the general elections held last April.

By OKEY NDIRIBE

New constitution out in 2013 – Senate

4:51 PM News No Comments

ABUJA — Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said yesterday, that a new amendment to the 1999 Constitution would be ready by July 2013.
Ekweremadu, who chairs the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, disclosed to newsmen in Abuja that the committee had started the process of further amendments to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said: “Give and take, our estimation is that by July 2013, we will be able to conclude another set of constitution amendment. We even thought we can move faster than that but we are going to engage in other national assignments, we are going to engage the 2013 budget which I suppose will come in September and then ensure that the other legislations did not suffer. So when we put all these things together, we believe that July 2013 will be an appropriate time to deliver the next set of amendment.”
Ekweremadu also expressed the readiness of the Senate to work with the House of Representatives in the amendment of the constitution, bearing in mind that both chambers carried out separate amendments in the sixth National Assembly.
According to him, “it will be our pleasure to work with them and that has been the tradition. That will save Nigeria huge resources. It will save us time.
I have always believed that two heads are better than one. So we intend to approach the House and ask for all of us to work together.
If that happens, that will be nice and we will work together with them but if that doesn’t work, we will also continue to engage them. We brief them on what we are doing and also ask them what they are doing as well so that we will all be working towards one direction.”
He also added that the committee was open to receiving inputs from stakeholders that include the Governors’ Forum and the Justice Alfa Belgore’s Committee, while assuring that critical issues in the constitution will be looked into.
“We intend to meet again next week to possibly identify the areas that need amendment and we are going to do that based on the work we did in the last Senate. That will guide the present Senate. We will articulate what we consider to be the burning issues to make our democracy workable and of course put our country on the part of political progress. We are going to make allowance for inputs from executives, you are aware of the Belgore committee, we will take their inputs.
“Also believe that the Governors’ Forum will oblige us their own input. NUJ, bar association too, so that we will quickly articulate them. We are also going to allow inputs from the public.”

S-South states to partner Rwanda on conflict resolution

4:49 PM News No Comments

States of the South-South region are to tap from the experiences of Rwanda in resolving its conflict and tackling the security challenges and economic problems of the region.
Already a delegation of the states, including the chairman of the South- South Governors Forum, Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and his Delta State counterpart, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, had met with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda to work out the modalities of the cooperation.
To cement this new partnership, President Kagame will be in Nigeria later this month to give a talk during the Second Economic Summit of the South-South states billed for Asaba, Selta State, between April 26 and 28.
Fielding questions from journalists shortly after the delegation’s meeting with President Kagame in Kigali, Rwanda, Tuesday evening, Governor Uduaghan, said the region under the BRACED Commission had resolved to tap from the Rwandan experience.
He said: “We believe we should have someone who has an experience and success in crisis management and post-crisis management in tackling our peculiar situation hence the need to look in the direction of President Kagame and Rwanda,” he said.
He added that the objective was to come together to see how the region could come out of the crisis situation and become an investment destination.

Slain journalist’s family begs Police to fish out killers

4:45 PM News No Comments

BENIN—THE family of slain journalist with Independent Television, ITV, Benin City, Edo State, Mr Chuks Ogu, has appealed to the state Police Command and the state government to assist in fishing out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has condoled with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Chapter and Mrs. Joy Ogu, widow of Mr. Chuka Ogu, a cameraman with ITV, Benin, who was shot dead by suspected assailants, last weekend.
In separate condolence messages to NUJ and the widow, Governor Oshiomhole said it was unfortunate that such a promising young journalist was cut down in his prime.
However, making the appeal on behalf of the family when the executive members of African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, a non-governmental organisation, paid a condolence visit to the family, elder brother of the deceased, Mr. Gashion Mba, said the family was yet to understand the motive of the killers and that justice could only be done to the deceased if security agencies were able to apprehend the killers.

Treat Keshi like Westerhof – Kalu

4:29 PM Sports No Comments

Sensing discomfiture in ties between the GlassHouse and Eagles’ coach Stephen Keshi over the appointment of an expatriate Technical Director,Former Abia state governor Dr.Orji Uzor Kalu Wednesday pleaded with the Football Federation to give the Nigerian a breather.
Kalu advised that perhaps Keshi should adopt Dutchman Clemens Westerhof’s survival strategy to realise the objective of rebuilding the senior national team.
He said,”The NFF may appear to mean well,but you cannot have two captains on a ship.If we really want to re-enact the Westerhof Golden Years of Nigerian soccer ,then Keshi must be given a free hand to run this show.Westerhof succeeded because he was not a ‘primus inter pares’[First among equals],he was de facto Manager.”
On the country’s free fall in FIFA Rankings,the former governor explained that such classification was just for record purposes arguing that the best on the World list could lose to rank outsiders in a World Cup match.
“It is too early to start judging performance.Yes ,Eagles have fallen to No.60.That is not the end.What was Cameroun’s position when with nine men,the Lions devoured defending champions Diego Maradona’s Argentina at Italia ’90?Senegal did the same to France in 2002.It is more honourable to fumble in friendlies and win in competitions.It takes time to rebuild,football is highly technical,”,he added.
Kalu would later punch a joker when he implied that Keshi could as well read Westerhof’s Green Book that made him a die hard strategist in the murky pool of officialdom.
“I remember the story of the Netherlander finding his way to Adm.Augustus Aikhomu’s office while some top sports officials waited at the reception.I know President Goodluck Jonathan has officially descended on God fatherism,but when it comes to the round leather game, Nigerians may gladly sing Niccolo Machiavelli’s dictum ‘the end justifies the means’.Fans do not need any more heartbreak”,Kalu summed up.

Hairstyles for round faces

4:21 PM Fashion/Lifestyle No Comments

It is important to get the basics right! When it comes to hairstyles for round faces, there are a few things to keep in mind when styling.

Parts
A side part with a sweeping fringe is the traditional recommendation for round faces. It is so feminine and it adds more dimension to the face with the different angles
A centre part can work well – it creates a balance between the roundness of the cheeks and the hairline.

Fringes
Side swept, longer bangs is the standard advice given to round faces because they add dimension as well as flatter the face shape.
Round faces have always been warned off the straight bangs. However these need not be totally off limits – they just need to be a bit choppy at the ends, finishing just before they hit your eyes, and not too full.

Long
Texturising and layering, slimming down hair round the face looks great – it reduces bulkiness around the face, allowing the face shape to shine! Long layers are the perfect compliment – so sweeping and feminine!

Short
A really great style is one that is a little shorter at the back and a little longer at the front, hitting between the chin and the shoulder. This is a sexy, edgy look, with a great contrast between the face shape and hairline. One thing to avoid with short hair is rounded bobs sitting at chin level – you are not doing yourself justice with this hairstyle! Try growing it out a little to have it sitting a little lower, and getting the sides trimmed so there is less roundedness.

Curls
Loose, sweeping curls are hot! Avoid tight ringlets round the face – these just add bulk. Keep them full around shoulder height and lower, and loose the bulk around the cheeks and you will have one sexy head!

Straight
If you have a round face and straight hair, I bet you have despaired at times, as straight hair has often been told it is ‘too severe’ for round faces. Well, I disagree – you can certainly make straight hair work for you! Adding layers, shifting the part and going for asymmetric styles is where its at! Because round faces by nature very symmetrical in shape from all angles, they are complimented by asymmetric styles, regardless of whether they are curly or straight.

In an up-do
Have the hair fuller at the crown, and close to the head around the ear and cheek level. This balances the hair and face shape nicely. Conversely, avoid volume at the sides – this will not do your face justice!
For something more casual, if you have a couple of waves in your hair, tie it in a loose, slightly tossled, low side bun. This is such a sexy look – the loose waves create a gentle look, and the low bun gives a nice balance! To make this style a little more striking, get a couple of bobby-pins and loosely pin the top half of your hair in the middle at the back, pushing the bobby’s upward to add height. Then grab the rest and make the same bun.

Culled from Amazon.com

Boko Haram: N-Delta youths vow to protect Jonathan’s presidency

4:39 AM News No Comments

PORT HARCOURT— Following recent threat by Boko Haram Islamic sect to bring down the Federal Government led by President Goodluck Jonathan, youths of the Niger Delta have vowed to protect the presidency.
South-South Youth Leaders Forum and Association of Ethnic Nationalities in Niger Delta, in a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, described the statement credited to Boko Haram as a grand design by some northern elders to destabilise the country.
The statement by Amachree Odiadom and Mike Udofia, vowed to counter any such move by Boko Haram and called on the Inspector General of Police to immediately declare the leader of the sect wanted and commence a massive man hunt for him.
The group expressed worry over the silence by the northern political leaders and elites on the said comment, stressing that it was becoming clear by the day that Boko Haram was set up by some political class in the north to forcefully take over power from President Jonathan.
Calling on northern leaders and elites to caution Boko Haram, the youths said they would not hesitate to cut supply of petroleum products to the north and occupy oil and gas fields in the South, if they fail to call their subjects to order.
The Niger Delta youths also urged the Federal Government to discontinue any plan to negotiate with Boko Haram.

SSS parades 11 suspected kidnappers in Edo

4:33 AM News No Comments

BENIN—ELEVEN suspected kidnappers, including a female staff of a new generation bank, alleged to be involved in the killing of a State Security Services, SSS, operative in the state, Amenaghawon Ogbeide-Ihama, in Benin City last month, were, yesterday paraded by the SSS Command in Edo State.
The suspects included seven males and four females. SSS Director in the state, Mr. Bello Bakori, who paraded the suspects before Governor Adams Oshiomhole, said the operation that led to their arrest was conducted by a joint operation of the military, the police and SSS.
Bakori described the arrest as a major achievement, explaining: “Some of the gangs that participated in the killing of our personnel had been arrested by us and by the grace of God, we are going to get others. In the process of executing the assignment, we were able to rescue a Pastor, who was kidnapped.
“I want to also let you know that it was a joint operation, the military gave us wonderful support and we had other teams that gave us support. We want to assure the people of Edo State that by the grace of God, we will ensure that there is peace and security in this state.”
Governor Oshiomhole, who commended the officers and men that were involved in the operation, said that the arrest of the suspects was an indication that criminals have no hiding place in the state.
He said: “The message is clear; there is no hiding lace for these criminals. It may take us time but we will get them. And they can’t win the war, we must win the war. It is interesting to know that a lot of those involved in this crime, some are from Edo while some are from different states, which shows that there are no brothers for criminals.”

By SIMON EBEGBULEM

Why Men are not eager to get Married Today

4:16 AM Fashion/Lifestyle No Comments

Recently I came to the conclusion that a lot of our men are no longer eager to get married. I believe they have their reasons and like most of them say, they never have enough money for the wedding day and maybe afterwards.
That makes me realize that we may not have prepared our men enough for marriage, to help them understand what measure of blessings are poured down on the man who chooses to take the bull by the horn and trust God enough to go into this institution that has been ordained by God himself.
I am yet to see anyone who consulted God before getting married, and didn’t pull through despite all the lessons that we learn on the way which gives us room to grow up.
I can understand some of the reasons why men don’t want to marry these days, but the one I find strange is when I discover that some men don’t actually want to get married because they are ashamed and very uncomfortable about the size of their penis.
One of the texts I have been bombarded with lately says “Dear sir, can small Penis satisfy a woman with big buttocks? How many inches is long, and what do you consider as short. You may flash me and I will call you so you can tell me”.
I later found out he has not tried to get close to anything called marriage because he thought he will be ridiculed for the rest of his life. What do you make of that? Meanwhile I will like to take you through some of the reasons why some men don’t get married.
1. They can get sex without marriage more easily than in time past.
A lot of men realize now that they can get sex more easily than in times past, when women insisted in getting married before sex. I am a man and I can tell you that a lot of women have lost it when it comes to keeping themselves whole.
I am not so sure who is more promiscuous these days anymore, because it seems women offer sex like no man’s business this time around. There are women now who are sleeping with about 4 men at the same time and probably accommodate more if they can.
When women come to me to tell me how their husband was caught in Adultery, and seek my opinion as per if they should leave him, I always reassure them that most men who commit adultery these days, don’t go out looking for these ladies, but that the ladies seem to be everywhere making themselves available and have removed the fun we men use to have chasing them, since they are just there not to be chased but to be taken and dropped.
When men realize that they can have all the sex they want without getting married, they just don’t see the point GETTING MARRIED.
2. They can enjoy the benefits of having a wife by cohabiting rather than marrying.
I believe it must have come to your attention now that a lot men and women are living together now without being married to each other. It came to my own attention through my counseling sessions.
By the time I ask the lady or man where the husband or wife will be right now, they go like “actually Jerome, I think there is one more thing you need to know and that is we are not legally married, but are just living together”.
Now that blows my mind, because you are not legally married, you are living together and also have a child or two, in Africa, yes in Africa!
I know some of these starts on Campus where a lot of girls are just not staying in their hostels, but have moved in with their boyfriends who probably have a room at the BQ of the lecturer’s Quarters on Campus or in their rented apartment in town, and most of their school mates consider it acceptable.
Please note that this is also happening amongst those who profess to be religious on Campus as well. So continuing in that way of life isn’t a problem later. How do you expect these men to consider getting married when they have found a short cut to it?
3. They want to avoid divorce and its financial risks.
The rate of divorce is on the increase and lot of financial implication to go with it. So the guys figure out why marry if it can cost you more than having a family and catering for them at the end.
4. They want to wait until they are older to have children.
Most men today don’t express “burning desire” for children, saying they are not ready yet. Another factor may be at play, “They know they will have to be there equally with a wife and provide hands-on child care.”
5. They fear that marriage will require too many changes and compromise.
Most of the time you will realize that a man just wants a wife “to look good, provide great sex, join in his recreational activities and tell him he is wonderful, while the Women’s requirements are much broader.” They want affection.
They want to feel loved. They want a great conversationalist, a man who is funny, a good father for their kids, someone who is attractive, a good sexual partner, a man who is ambitious and successful and God fearing.
And most men are simply not” all these things. For them to do this, a lot changes may be required which some men are not just ready for.
6. They are waiting for the perfect soul mate and she hasn’t yet appeared.
Let me describe a SOUL MATE using what D.H. Lawrence said; “You are the Call and I am the Answer. You are the Wish, and I the Fulfillment. You are the Night, and I the Day.
What else? It is perfect enough. It is complete. You and I.” What I realize here is that you may never find a compliment until you are capable of complimenting. Most of the time, we are looking for someone who will compliment us without the intention of complimenting anyone.
I guess we may wait for a perfect soul mate forever until we change our attitude and go out to look for someone to compliment.
7. They face few social pressures to marry.
Men face few social pressures to marry compared to what the females have to face. So at the end of the day, they don’t think it’s a big deal after all. One reason young men balk at marriage is “they don’t yet get it”, the problem is they just don’t realize what is in it for them.
We have not done a good job of selling marriage to men. They don’t know all the good things that will change their lives. Married men are healthier than single men, wealthier, they live longer and happier lives, they have more sex, they have somebody who knows them, and tolerates them anyway.
8. They are reluctant to marry a woman who already has children.
Most of the time single men are reluctant to marry a woman who already has children for a lot of reasons and one of them being that his family will object to it, the other reason could be that he begins to wonder how many men she has been with and abortions she has had before being forced to have the child with her now, and yet another reason can be that, he is not sure he will be comfortable with her having any form of contact with the father or fathers of the child/children when he is married to her.
Men feel this way forgetting that they can be worse when we talk in terms of morality. It’s more of the case of the pot calling the kettle black. Unfortunately they get away with it, because no one is holding them to ransom.
9. They want to own a house before they get a wife.
So some men say, but it’s just another way to avoid becoming a responsible person. What a lot of men may not realize is that marriage is a vision that is bigger than who they are and all they have to do is give themselves to it with the Almighty God as a witness and then begin building together with their wives as they obtain favor from the Lord.
Men have to realize that when we are children age 0-11 we have privileges, then from age 12-21 we retain our privileges through responsibilities e.g. if you want to take your father’s car out, be ready to refill the tank after using up the fuel in it otherwise, don’t ask for it the next day since you are not ready to be responsible.
Then from age 21- what we have left is responsibilities, and a lot of us fear that, I mean being responsible. So you find a lot of irresponsible men out there, who can change if we start to prepare our younger generation for the real life out there.
10. They want to enjoy single life as long as they can.
Well, some people just don’t want to grow up, do they?

By Jerome

Warning on Boko Haram: No cause for alarm, says Maku

4:06 AM News 1 Comment

Following the US embassy warning on Wednesday that Islamist group Boko Haram may be planning new attacks against hotels or other areas in the capital Abuja, the Nigerian Information Minister Labaran Maku said there was no cause for alarm.
The minister said “Whereas we believe that every country has a duty to secure its citizens and take decisions that will ensure the safety of their nationals, we have always appealed to such embassies and agencies not to create public panic in our country,” the minister said.

Mr Labaran Maku, Communications Minister

He added that “our security agencies have over the last year increased their capacity to respond to some of the threats, particularly within this city and several other cities.”
The US embassy in Nigeria had warned on Wednesday that Islamist group Boko Haram may be planning attacks against hotels or other areas in the capital Abuja, but the government sought to downplay the concerns.
“The US embassy has received information that Boko Haram may be planning attacks in Abuja, Nigeria, including against hotels frequently visited by Westerners,” an emergency message to US citizens on its website said.
“The US government has no additional information regarding the timing of these possible attacks. The Nigerian government is aware of the threat and is actively implementing security measures.”
It gave no further information on the threats.
Nigerian police said they were not aware of any “special threat” of attack, while the country’s information minister downplayed the US warning and advised against causing panic.
The US issued a similar message in November that drew harsh criticism in Nigeria. No attacks occurred in Abuja in the wake of the November warning.
A US diplomat at the time however said the warning was based on specific and credible information, adding that the embassy had no choice but to warn American citizens.
The Islamist Boko Haram sect has carried out scores of attacks, mainly in Nigeria’s predominately Muslim north, that have killed more than 1,000 people since mid-2009.
It claimed responsibility for the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja which claimed at least 25 lives.
The group’s deadliest attack yet occurred in the northern city of Kano in January, when coordinated bombings and shootings left at least 185 people dead.
Nigerian Information Minister Labaran Maku said there was no cause for alarm.
“Whereas we believe that every country has a duty to secure its citizens and take decisions that will ensure the safety of their nationals, we have always appealed to such embassies and agencies not to create public panic in our country,” the minister said.
He added that “our security agencies have over the last year increased their capacity to respond to some of the threats, particularly within this city and several other cities.”
Despite heavy-handed raids and a number of high-profile arrests, Nigerian authorities have appeared unable to stop attacks blamed on Boko Haram.
An attempt to hold indirect talks between Boko Haram and the government in March collapsed after a mediator quit over leaks to the media and the Islamists said they could not trust government officials.
Authorities blamed the deaths of a British and an Italian hostage in northwestern Nigeria in March on a faction of Boko Haram. A spokesman for what is believed to be the main branch of the group however denied any involvement.
US Ambassador to Nigeria Terence McCulley recently urged Nigeria to focus on development in its impoverished north as well as security to bring an end to the deadly attacks.
Analysts say poverty and frustration in the north have pushed young people toward extremism.

Vanguard news

Terrorism is killing businesses in Kano – NGO

3:34 AM News No Comments

Kano – The Centre for Research and Documentation (CRD) in Kano on Wednesday said that 97 per cent of businesses in the state had been negatively affected by the spate of bombings since January.
Mr Umaru Abdullahi, an official of the Centre, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), disclosed this at a one-day seminar for businessmen and government officials.
According to him, the hospitality industry is the most affected by the disaster as many of the hotels in the state had been adversely affected.
He quoted a study conducted by the CRD as indicating that 50 per cent of the manufacturing sector in the state had been recording low sales since January.
“Insufficient power supply that coincided with the events in the state also greatly worsened the situation,’’ Abdullahi said.
According to him, a survey contained in the World Investment Report (2011) of the United Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) indicated that Nigeria had lost about N1.3 trillion to the terrorist activities of Boko Haram.
NAN reports that the centre organised the seminar in collaboration with ENABLE Project to map out ways of tackling security challenges that were affecting businesses in Kano. (NAN)

Nigeria can earn $100 million per year through motor sport – Ribi Adeshokan

3:32 AM Business, Sports No Comments

Nigeria: Good People, Great Nation’ was a slogan coined by the Federal Ministry of Information in its bid to positively project Nigeria’s image to the world and attract foreign direct investments in the process. But the Nigerian situation needed more than mere rhetoric and one man chose to take the proverbial bull by the horn by bringing in a sport hitherto the exclusive preserve of Europeans, Americans and Asians.
Not only will the sport entertain people, it will also boost the nation’s economy by bringing in tourists and prospective foreign investors, foreign exchange as well as creating jobs. This will yield better results than the practice of government officials spending the nation’s scarce resources to junket the globe in search of elusive foreign investors.
In this chat with Mr. Ribi Adeshokan, the Chief Executive Officer of GRC Motorsport, a UK-based motor racing team, he said Nigeria stands to earn about 100 million USD per year through motor sport.

Excerpts:
A graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the London South Bank University in the UK, Mr. Ribi Adeshokan worked for a number of years before veering into the business of motor racing.
On how it all started, he said: “I got into motor racing years ago. It started as a hobby with a group of friends who love motor sports. We came together and began to race ourselves. After a while, I said to myself: ‘Why do this as a hobby, why don’t you make it a business?’
So in 2007, GRC Motorsport was born and it became a motor sport company. It is registered in the UK as well as in Nigeria. Right now, we are putting together a racing team to fly the Nigerian flag and promote Nigeria’s image at the international motor sport arena. It’s called Team Nigeria or Nigeria Racing Eagle.”
Speaking on the vision of the company, Mr. Ribi Adeshokan said: “The core vision of GRC Motorsport is to introduce and develop motor sporting in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Yes, we have in South Africa, Morocco and here and there, but right now, there is no international motor racing event in Africa so from the business angle, it makes a lot of business sense to us and that is one of our strong points in talking to Motorsport partners about the potentials in Africa.
Africa being the next emerging continent after Asia, and with a population of over a billion people, we are able to show them the huge business opportunity that is available and that is yet to be tapped. So, although it is a sport, at the same time, it is serious business.
Part of what we are working on is to have a race team that will be competing across the globe – UK, USA, China, Dubai, Macau, Malaysia, Australia, Germany, Brazil etc. and part of our negotiation is to have the race hosted in Lagos, Nigeria and Motor sport’s world body, France-based Federation of International Automobile, FIA, has given its approval for us to organise the FIA GT World Series in Nigeria.”
He further said that Team Nigeria will not just be representing Nigeria alone but the entire Black race – Africans, African-Americans, Caribbeans, Brazilians etc., “which makes us very unique because we will go down in history as the first team to represent Africa in motor sport at the international arena.”
On the planned hosting of the race in Lagos, Adeshokan said: “We have been talking to the Lagos State Government and we have done some feasibility study. We brought some of the best circuit designers to Lagos who sacrificed just to have everything in place to hold a world-class event.
So, hopefully, with the support of the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government, very soon, we will have an international event in Lagos and it is going to be a street circuit to showcase the commercial might of Lagos and Nigeria. Motor sport, in a way, is the richest sport in the world, richer than football.
Football has more followers whereas motor sport works more with corporate organisations, car manufacturers and telecommunications industry. It’s not about sports alone; it’s about development of automobiles as well.
For instance, the Audi R8 LMS is a limited edition car, maybe it’s only about 10 produced in a year and part of what we’ve been doing is assisting them to develop the cars because all the feedback they get from the field, they use for car development so it’s not just racing as a sport, it’s technology advancement as well.
That’s one of the things we will be exposing Nigerians to, so, it’s an opportunity for our youths to have career in mechanical engineering, technology, communications etc. because there are lots of things to be done. We are having Nigerian drivers and technicians although we are bringing in expatriates at the initial stage but we will start training Nigerians so it’s an opportunity for Nigerians to be trained.”
On what Nigeria stands to gain: “In terms of how much it can contribute to the Nigerian economy, from our analysis, it’s going to be a two-day event in Lagos but it will take like two weeks activation as people have to come in, we have to bring in the cars, the engineers, etc., and we have to build the tracks which will take 20 weeks. That will be built somewhere outside the arena so we are looking at about 100 million US dollars per year.
Our target is to attract 10,000 foreign visitors to Lagos so we have to market the event internationally. We looked at where the demography will like to come to Nigeria. Apart from the sport, we are putting together a series of business/investment fora so we will be talking to different potential investors.
It is, therefore, a platform for business-to-business networking, a platform for corporate organisations to benefit from brand positioning, exposure and unique selling points (USPs) that come with associating with Nigeria and international motor sport,” the GRC Motorsport boss said.
Continuing, Adeshokan said: “Again, we will be doing a reality show in Nigeria, like the Next Top Driver which will be open to anybody who believes he/she can drive.
We will then select the first three drivers and send them for training. Secondly, we will be going to the universities to pick up first class students of mechanical engineering and telecoms to come on board. We will pick up the best of the best in Nigeria because it is not about the training only, it’s about promoting Nigeria.
Again, if you look at it, the car is green-white-green. Like what we are proposing to Cross River State Government. As a tourist destination in Nigeria, we are proposing to have our headquarters there and at the same time, build a permanent circuit and academy there which means we will be having our training and testing there.
Then we will be having what we call corporate driving where we let ordinary people come and have the experience of motor sport driving and that will attract more people to Cross River State.”
He said the FIA GT World Series reaches about 500 million homes across the globe and that is a great opportunity for anyone that wants to promote their business, service or brand. “Association with Motorsport will go a long way in terms of business to business opportunity it offers, the positive PR images so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.”
According to Adeshokan,Team Nigeria will be competing in FIA GT3 series, a grand touring series having super sport car manufacturers like Audi, McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin, Maserati , Porsche and BMW competing with their most prestigious and iconic models. “These are specially made cars, they are not just road cars,” he stated.

Nigeria World News

Followers

Recommended Sites

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Banks’ stress test to hold before year end – CBN

We are ready for break-up –Northern leaders

Ibori’s conviction, lesson to Nigerian judiciary – Babalola, Akanbi, others

Feeding Bottle Federalism: Ekweremadu’s assumptions

Educating 9.5m almajirai: How far can FG go?

Nurse shoots mother, steals newborn

Research & Devt: Red palm oil, our health elixir – Dr. Chukeze

NIPOGA: Ede, Nasarawa Polytechnics for soccer finals

NLC vows to resist withdrawal of minimum wage in Kebbi

IMF welcomes $34 bn in new pledges

Boy,14, others gang-rape girl,17, in S.Africa

SUBSIDY PROBE REPORT: How NNPC, others looted subsidy fund

Permanent voter cards ready Oct – INEC

New constitution out in 2013 – Senate

S-South states to partner Rwanda on conflict resolution

Slain journalist’s family begs Police to fish out killers

Treat Keshi like Westerhof – Kalu

Hairstyles for round faces

Boko Haram: N-Delta youths vow to protect Jonathan’s presidency

SSS parades 11 suspected kidnappers in Edo

Why Men are not eager to get Married Today

Warning on Boko Haram: No cause for alarm, says Maku

Terrorism is killing businesses in Kano – NGO

Nigeria can earn $100 million per year through motor sport – Ribi Adeshokan

Search This Blog

Subscribe via email

Subscribe Now

Popular Posts Today

Blog Archive

Contributors

Followers

Recommended Sites

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Search This Blog

Subscribe via email

Subscribe Now

Subscribe To

Popular Posts Today

Blog Archive

Contributors