PHOTONEWS: Nigerian Children Scramble For Food

Nigerian children lined up to take their portion of food.

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Hiring Tips For Small Business Owners

Experts say a business is only as good as the people it employs. As any small business expands, there will be need for adequate assistance and inputs from employees. The entrepreneur, therefore, has to source for workers to help him achieve his goal. Some small business entrepreneurs spend so much time trying to market their business, as well as undertaking other tasks.

By Ademola Alawiye

At this point, it is important for the entrepreneur to employ the services of another worker to help out with assigned duties. Working so hard may make an entrepreneur forsake some of his marital obligations and this may not augur well with the entrepreneur’s spouse.

Management experts say that hiring an employee is a big step and a big responsibility. According to them, it has both tangible and intangible factors to consider, adding that there are many favourable sources of information on hiring the right person after advertising, writing a job description, conducting interviews, getting employee to mention a few.

They point out that to avoid being sanctioned by the government or regulatory agencies, small business entrepreneurs must understand some basic information before they start hiring workers. Below are tips to guide a small business owner when hiring employees.

Work description

The employees you seek must know what they will offer when they work for you. This can be achieved by adequately detailing the job description for interested persons who will visit your office for employment opportunity. The job description should be used to determine necessary skills needed for the position, the employee’s education status and his/her experience.

The entrepreneur should also use the job description to find out whether he can afford to hire somebody with those qualifications. The entrepreneur should remember to include all costs of a new employee, not just the monthly wage. This, however depends on what terms of payment is agreed with the employee. Entrepreneurs should also consider other benefits which the employee will receive after resuming duty and working for some time with the company. They note that the entrepreneur might seek the services of an accountant to help him with the estimation.

Advertise for the right person

Advertising for the right person is important because it gives you the chance of getting the best talents that will help move your business good steps forward. The entrepreneur knows that he can afford to hire, the next line of action is to find the right person for the job. The first step is spreading the information through classified ads, word-of-mouth, and using the services of employment agencies.

Other channels of circulating the search could be through schools, associations, and religious groups. After you have screened applications and interviewed outstanding candidates, you should check the references of applicants carefully. When the job is offered and accepted by suitably qualified persons, the entrepreneur should let the employees fill out employment forms according to the demands of the business.

5 Fashion Items Young Nigerian Artists Rock

1) Versace: Once insanely popular in the mid 90′s thanks to Notorious B.I.G and2Pac Shakur, the Medusa head brand is back in full force in the second decade of the new millennium. Versace silk shirts and gold jewelry started popping up in videos last year now the trend has crossed borders with Nigerian celebs such asWizkid, Davido and Ice Prince rocking the brand. To be part of the in crowd, a Versace item or two must be seen on you at public functions. Even Davido has done a freestyle on the popular ‘Versace’ song. We guess it is here to stay for a while.

2) T-Shirts with contrast pockets: The cool trend started late last year. From an American design it has now become a global phenomenon. T Shirts with contrast pockets is a little step higher from the simple and classy ordinary T-shirt. The contrast pocket adds a little bit of colour to the T-shirt, denim and sneaker get up. It’s a fresh fad which young pop Nigerian acts have started embracing.

3) Camo: the Camouflage or camo as it is popularly known is back in fashion circles. According to Forbes- the military-inspired motif is the hottest print in menswear seen in everything from shirts to shoes. For those who have discerning eyes, the Camo trend is in Nigeria with celebrities sporting the military wear. Camo or camouflage is making a resurgence after the height of its popularity 99/00. The trend started last summer in Paris with many top brands putting out camo designs. The camo fever is still very high in Europe, Asia, and North America and is beginning to seriously catch on in Nigeria.

4) Denim Jackets: Denim Jackets have stylishly replaced the Varsity jackets trend which was hot last year. Since the creation of denim it has been a mainstay of pop fashion over the decades. This year more and more young, cool and trendy people are taking the evergreen denim love higher by rocking denim jackets. The denim jacket can either be sleeveless or long sleeve depending on your style and taste. Denim jackets go best with chino pants. Double denim (that is the act of wearing a denim jacket on denim pants) is frowned upon in fashionista circles.

5) Rolex: Move over G-shock, the rolex is back. Many Nigerian artistes are dumping their Casio G-shocks for something more mature and what’s more mature than a Rolex? Whether gold or silver, a Rolex watch denotes class, taste and maturity. No wonder the chairman of rap music M.I wears one. With endorsement money flowing around in the music industry these days, young acts are buying Rolexes to make a power statement that they have moved from boys to men.

Isn't Nigeria's Centenary Celebration A Misplaced Priority? Nigerians Speak!

Nigerians have described the ongoing year-long celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates as a misplaced priority.

By Temitayo Famutimi

According to the information on the centenary website, www.nigeriacentenary.com.ng, there are dozens of events, competitions and games which Nigerians are encouraged to participate in online as part of activities lined up for the celebration.

The events lined up for the celebration include college road shows, music competitions, comedy night shows, Miss Centenary Pageant, festivals and carnivals.

The organisers of the multi-faceted and multi-location celebration, which is expected to climax in January 2014, also asks citizens to upload “state heritage pictures,” promising them cash prizes and other goodies.

But most Nigerians following the ongoing centenary activities on the Internet say “celebrating history” is not enough to mark the nation’s journey from the amalgamation of 1914.

According to them, the feast amounts to a celebration of mediocrity. They say it is therefore unnecessary and a waste of resources. They argue that the project has no significance in the amelioration of the challenges of Nigeria’s nationhood.

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, frowns on what she sees as a  jamboree, which she says, has taken shine off the careful introspection, such occasion should have provided the nation with.

According to her, there is nothing special to brag about on Nigeria’s 100 years of existence as the polity is currently “suffocating all.” She adds that decisive steps need to be taken to get the nation back on track.

“How can we be celebrating 100 years of being a country that has yet to become a ‘nation’ with fanfare? I wish the President and our political leadership could redirect it to a season of frank dialogue on the future of Nigeria,” Ezekwesili says in a Twitter post.

She insists that there is a need for the Presidency to cut short the amalgamation “fanfare” for a “frank talk,” warning that failure to do so may spell doom for the country.

She adds, “Our country is currently brittle and that is not a good place to be no matter what the President or his aides say. Nigeria’s centre is not holding because the parts that make up the whole – levels, sectors, persons, persuasions, are creaky.

“If you take a credible poll across our diverse divides as a people, you will find out that this old Nigeria is suffocating all; this old Nigeria hobbles us all to less than we are. There is so much more to us than what we currently are as a people.

“We may keep pretending that we do not need to talk, but God forbid we land in a spot where we are forced to talk.”

Another Nigerian on Twitter, Bode Omotoye, says the Federal Government’s hinging of the reason for the fanfare on the unity of the country is sheer insincerity.

He notes, “One major problem with Nigeria is that we are not honest with ourselves. Things are bad but our leaders are pretending.”

Aligning herself with the thoughts of Ezekwesili, one Ego Okoro, observes that the centenary celebration is out of place.

“Don’t know if our leaders are seeing the poverty and illiteracy level in this country. As far as I am concerned, we have very little to celebrate,” Okoro notes.

President Mugabe: "Never, Never, Never Will We Support Homosexuality in Zimbabwe"

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has denounced Archbishop Desmond Tutu for speaking in support of LGBT rights and says his country will "never, never, never" support homosexuality.

Mugabe, 89, has accused the South African Nobel Peace Prize winner of wrongly interrupting the Bible.

Archbishop Tutu was speaking on Friday in Cape Town at the launch of a UN anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia global campaign.

The 81-year-old said he would never worship a "homophobic God" and would rather go to hell.

He also urged South Africa to reject homophobic discrimination.

In response, President Mugabe, who has previously described Archbishop Tutu as "evil", told his Zanu PF supporters on Saturday: "Never, never, never will we support homosexuality in Zimbabwe.

"Archbishop Tutu said it is nice to be gay, yet he has a wife, he should have begun by getting himself a man for a woman.

"When you are a bishop and cannot interpret the Bible, you should resign and give it to those who can. We will not compromise our tradition and tolerate homosexuality.

"I want to urge parents to be careful with your teenage children who are 17 years and older not to be swayed into this act as children are easily persuaded to accept it."

Mugabe, who is seeking a seventh term in office, added: "During creation, God made Adam and saw that he was lonely, and he created Eve out of Adam's rib and not another man.

"Animals are better off as they know who to mate with. Everyone knows what to do, even animals know which animal to mate with, goats know where to go, and cows know where to go too. We see donkeys all the time on top of each other, why can't you humans do the same?"

In a speech last Tuesday to Zanu PF supporters Mugabe criticised US President Barack Obama for linking foreign aid to the protection of gay rights.

Mugabe reportedly urged for the heads of gay men to be chopped off and said gay people are worse than "pigs, goats and birds."

Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Zimbabwe and since 1995 the government has carried out campaigns against gay men and lesbians.

Mugabe, president since 1987, has been a staunch promoter of homophobic persecution.

He marked his 88th birthday party in February 2012 by urging gay people to go to "hell" in a public speech.

ACCEPT YORUBA LEADER OR LEAVE LAGOS —Igbo Traders Warned

The traders of Igbo origin operating at the Ladpo Auto Spare Parts Market, Mushin, Lagos have been told to accept Yoruba man as leader or leave the state.

The ordeal was handed down to the protesting traders due to their continued resistance of Alhaji Oladotun Abibu Oki as the Babaloja of the market.

Lamenting their ordeal, the royal father of the market Chief Nwosu told reporters that “99 percent of marketers in Ladipo are Igbo. To be fair to all, he should come and contest if elected he will be accepted. “We appeal to the South East governors, Igbo leaders across the globe to come to our aid. They asked us to go back to our villages, if we are not ready to accept the leadership of Alhaji Oki. We pay our taxes in Lagos and have every right as Nigerians to buy and sell anywhere in the state.”

Meanwhile LACEC Secretary General, Pastor Steve Ijioma told reporters : “There has been controversy over the imposition of Alhaji Oki as the Babaloja. This led to several clashes and it was agreed that Alhaji Oki should restrict his authority in his unit pending when the matter is sorted out. During the environmental sanitation, he encroached on our territory and we resisted. The protest is to pass the message across that we do not want his leadership rather a free and fair election should be conducted. It is a pity that an Area Commander could openly ask us to accept Babaloja or return to our various states.”

LACEC, according to the President General, Comrade Ikechukwu Animalu, is opposed to the imposition of Alhaji Oladotun Abibu Oki because “out of the 34 existing units in the market, Alhaji Oki controls only a unit. There is still an on going battle over his appointment as the new Babaloja. It was his attempt to impose his authority on us that led to the crisis that erupted on Thursday. We demand a formal election, so that the people will decide who their leader will be.

“We also appeal to the police to be fair in this controversial matter and call to order those who openly ordered us to either accept the imposition or return to our various states.”

Stating his part of the story, Alhaji Oki said that he was ready to dialogue with aggrieved members of LACEC to find a way forward. He told Sun: “I was nominated two years ago to be installed the Babaloja of the market.

LACEC through several petitions frustrated that move and the process was delayed. However two months ago, the late Abibat Mogaji finally installed me. To pass their message across they did not attend my installation, which was held in June 27, 2013.”

Watch Your Weight...Live Longer!

Shedding some weight is no longer a beauty tip these days. It is now the advice experts — especially cardiologists — hand out to their patients daily.

By Bukola Adebayo

Recent studies have showed that more Nigerians are becoming obese, and this is to the detriment of their health. Scientists say being overweight could increase an individual’s risks for at least 10 diseases including stroke, diabetes, cancers and cardiovascular disease, all of which could cut short one’s life.

Life expectancy could reduce by five to 10 years unless aggressive efforts are made to halt obesity, according to a team of scientists supported in part by the National Institute on Aging.

Also, a physician with PathCare Laboratories, Lagos, Dr. Olushola  Shobowale, says the Nigerian culture, which in many cases, favour fat bodies, thus encouraging diets rich in bad cholesterol, as well as policies which hold no restriction on alcohol consumption, makes obesity a huge health problem.

Shobowale notes that just being overweight, not even obese, can affect blood pressure in an unfavourable way. He also discloses that chronic high blood pressure is one of the many conditions that can decrease life expectancy in adults.

On how being overweight causes hypertension, Dr. Robert Miller, in her column on Sharecare.com, says being overweight directly leads to high blood pressure due to increased pressure caused by fat on some tissues in the body.

Miller says, “When there is increased weight, it takes more pressure to move the blood around the body.  When the weight gain is in the abdominal area, there is a greater risk of high blood pressure because this type of fat is more likely to cause the arteries to become thick and stiff. “When the pipes (the blood vessels) get stiff, it is harder to push the blood through. When it gets hard to move blood around the body, there is an increase in adrenalin. This will increase salt retention and further increase blood pressure.”

You may also need to lose weight to reduce your risk of diabetes. Studies conducted under the Diabetes Prevention Programme shows that about 80 per cent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.

It states, “Insulin carries sugar from blood to the cells, where it is used for energy; but fat causes cells to change, such that they become resistant to this hormone (insulin). When this happens, blood sugar cannot be taken up by the cells, resulting in high blood sugar; and the cells that produce insulin must work extra hard to try to keep blood sugar normal. This may cause the cells to gradually fail and lead to type 2 diabetes.”

Experts at the Centre for Prevention and Health Services Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, US led by Dr. Rik  Bogers, concluded after combining data of 302,296 participants, that being obese increases one’s chance of developing coronary heart diseases by  47 per cent, compared to those of normal weight.

“People who are overweight or obese often have health problems that may increase their risk for heart disease. These health problems include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. In addition, excess weight may cause changes to your heart that make it work harder to send blood to all the cells in your body.

To reduce the risk, scientists say strategies that produce successful weight loss, which include improved eating habits and increased physical activity, play a vital role in preventing obesity.

Weight loss through daily exercise could do the trick, such as 10-15 minutes of walking around the house; or up and down a few flights of stairs at work could do the trick, they say.

Keshi Blames Poor Start For Eagles’ Loss

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has admitted his team's poor performance at the start of their 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying match against the Elephants of Ivory Coast which led to them conceding two quick goals.

Goals in the fifth and 25 minutes from Sewe Sport striker Kevin Zougloula looked like they would set the tone for Nigeria’s elimination from the competition, but the Eagles fought back in the second half to deny their hosts the decisive third goal.

“If you say it was a game of two halves I may tend to agree with you. Because we started poorly largely due to experience and then when we came into the game they struggled against us, but that is football, we are just grateful to God, the NFF and Nigerians that we made it for the first time to the CHAN tournament,” Keshi said.

Ivory Coast coach Saraka Norbert, on the other hand, said Nigeria were more experienced than his side and that earned them qualification to next year’s CHAN.

“Nigeria is a great country economically, socially and even in football. We must admit that when we get to their heights in the near future, Ivorian football will be great again,” he said.

Norbert again reiterated his love for the Nigerian coach, whom he once again described as an Ivorian and wished him well in his future endeavours.

A former assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Fatai Amoo, commended the team for their feat as he expressed hope that Nigeria’s success at the CHAN finals next year will further place the domestic league in international focus.

“That qualification is something special for Nigerian football. We’ve just won the Africa Cup of Nations and now we’ve qualified for CHAN; it means there are players from the domestic league that should be reckoned with,” the Sunshine Stars coach told our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday.

The team’s next assignment is the Mandela Challenge contest against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Durban in August.

Meanwhile, Nations Cup winner Sunday Mba said he was unlucky in Abidjan not to have scored. He, however, expressed his joy that the team qualified for the tournament.

Pope: "Don't Judge Or Marginalize Gays"

Pope Francis greets people during a vigil on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, July 27, 2013

Pope Francis, in some of the most compassionate words from any pontiff on homosexuals, said gays should not be judged or marginalized and should be integrated into society.

In a conversation with journalists on board the plane bringing him back from a visit to Brazil on Sunday night, Francis defended gays from discrimination, but also referred to the Catholic Church's universal Catechism, which says that while homosexual orientation is not sinful, homosexual acts are.

The Pope said he won't judge priests for their sexual orientation: "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"

His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, authored a document that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. Francis is being much more conciliatory, saying gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten.

His remarks came Monday, as Francis arrived back in Rome on Monday after a triumphant week-long tour of Brazil which climaxed with a huge gathering on Rio de Janeiro's famed Copacabana beach. Organizers estimate the event had attracted more than 3 million people.

Court Jails Man Eight Years For Raping 12-Yr-Old Girl

The Ado Ekiti High Court has sentenced a middle-aged man, Innocent Eze, to eight years imprisonment for assaulting and raping a 12-year-old girl.

Justice Adekanye Ogunmoye in the judgment delivered on Friday held that Eze  was guilty of indecent assault and defilement.

The convict was jailed one year for the first count and seven years for defilement.

Oluwaseyi Ojo and Tayo Bade-Gboyega who had appeared for the state had told the court that the offences were contrary to Sections 360 and 218 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Prosecutors told the court that Eze, on August 31, 2011, in Ijan-Ekiti, grabbed the victim after assisting him to fetch water from a well and dragged her inside his room where he forcefully had carnal knowledge of the girl.

The court was also told that the convict stuffed a handkerchief in the girl’s vaginal to stop the bleeding after he had raped her. Eze was also said to have given the victim N100 to buy drugs after the defilement.

Confirming that the victim was defiled, a witness, Dr. Oluwagbemiga Alade, who treated the victim at General Hospital, Ijan Ekiti, confirmed that the girl’s hymen was “traumatised, with laceration along the vaginal wall.”

Counsel for the convict, Mrs. N. Nwafor, had pleaded that the court temper justice with mercy. However, the judge described the act as barbaric, saying the perpetrator should be punished to deter others.

The judge said, “It’s unfortunate that a 12-year-old girl was sexually defiled as was done to the victim in this case. It is more unfortunate that the matter came to the public domain.

“The convict, by his act, had succeeded in placing a stigma on the person of the victim, which may take a long time to erase. The trauma suffered by the victim would take a longer time to forget.

“The act of the convict is not such as should be encouraged. This is definitely a barbaric act and the sentence must be such as would serve as deterrent to the convict and others who still harbour similar tendencies.”

Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, in a statement issued by her Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Akin Oyedele, in reaction to the judgement, said such punishment would serve as deterrent to other sexual perverts on the prowl.

She urged rape victims to always speak out to stop rapists from their wicked acts.

"Ex-Gov, Fayose Disrespecting Jonathan"

A governorship aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, has described the rejection of the consensus arrangement proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan to select the party’s governorship candidate in 2014 election as gross indiscipline.

Adeyeye said this in a statement issued on his behalf by the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Mr. Bisi Kolawole, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.

Although Adeyeye, a former aide to the ousted state governor, Mr. Segun Oni, did not mention the name of the aspirant,  but former Governor Ayo Fayose, who is also a governorship aspirant, has consistently rejected the consensus arrangement, describing it as an attempt to impose “weak candidate” on the party.

Adeyeye said none of the governorship aspirants was afraid of a primary election. However, he said the President proposed the consensus arrangement in the best interest of the party.

The aspirant, who is from Ise Ekiti in Ekiti South Senatorial District, said, “The major problem of the PDP is indiscipline, and if we must continue to make progress as a party, there must be discipline.

“It smacks of high level of indiscipline for any aspirant to be kicking against a position openly canvassed by Mr. President, who is the leader of the party. Would such an aspirant respect the President  and other party leaders if he or she is picked as the party’s candidate and he or she becomes the  governor?”

Three Teenagers Killed At Governor Wammako’s Ramadan Food And Clothing Distribution Stampede In Sokoto (SHOCKING PHOTO)

A stampede at Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko's residence in Gawon Nama area of Sokoto has claimed three kids and wounded several others.

Saharareporters learnt that the incident occurred on Sunday night during the distribution of clothing and food personally handled by the governor at his residence.

Thousands of hungry and unemployed of youth had converged at the residence of the governor to receive   materials including food and clothing during the end of Ramadan fast break when the stampede happened.

A doctor on duty at the Accident and Emergency unit of Specialist Hospital Sokoto who didn’t want his name mentioned confirmed to SaharaReporters that three corpses has been deposited at the mortuary of the hospital while about eight other victims are receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the stampede.

Residents told our reporters that some youths lost their lives at a similar event during 2012 Ramadan season.

ASUU Denies Plan To Call off Strike

ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has described as speculative reports that the strike embarked upon by the union over the inability of the Federal Government to implement the 2009 agreement it willingly entered into with the union would be called off this Thursday.

National President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge, told Vanguard that he was surprised to hear that the union was going to call off the strike on Thursday when the issues tabled before government had not been resolved.

Faggae said: “There is nothing like that (suspending the strike). I am also surprised to hear people say that we are going to call off the strike.

He said: “Our members have made it categorically clear what they want. This meeting we had with government on Friday at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, is just exploratory.

“We are trying to look at issues holistically and see how we are going to address them. So assignments were given to various people that attended the meeting and the expectation is that we will meet tomorrow (today), Monday and look at the assignment given and also look at it on Thursday again.

“So, that is why I’m surprised to hear people say that we are going to suspend strike on Thursday. The mandate of our members is very clear. So, we will wait and see what the Monday and Thursday meetings unfold and then we report back to our members.”

On how long it would take ASUU leaders to convene a meeting with its members after the meeting with government on Thursday, the ASUU boss said “we are in constant consultation with our members, we don’t really have problems with that.

“After the meeting, we will decide when to link up with our members depending upon what is placed on table on Thursday.”

Commenting on the speculation that the union might suspend the strike if the government met up to 50 per cent of the agreement, Faggae said the union would prefer to get to the bridge before crossing it.

He commended the positive disposition of the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Education towards the resolution of the crisis.

Fagge added: “For us, the interaction we have had with the Joint Committee clearly indicates that they are concerned like other Nigerians”.

“This is expected of the representatives of people. You see the problem has always been that the executive arm of government does not really hearken to advise that are given on how best to address the problems on education in this country.

“We are convinced as a union that the only thing the government can really do for Nigerians is to avail them of education.

“Once you are able to do that, you will see that people will be able to generate jobs and they will be able to take care of themselves and contribute to nation building. So that is the argument we are placing on the table.”

False Witnesses Were Sponsored Against Me –Al-Mustapha

Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Gen Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al- Mustapha, said he has set an achievable target to bring Nigerian youths under one umbrella to restore peace and foster unity that had eluded the country, as part of his mission to propel development.

The recently-freed former CSO, made the disclosure when a group from the Gbaramatu Kingdom of Izon extraction, Oporoza House, paid him a solidarity visit in Abuja at the weekend. He promised to unite the youths in the 19 northern states for an epic peace summit of Nigerian youths in Abuja, to catalyse speedy growth and development in Nigeria.

Responding to appeals from the leader of the group, Chief Timi Ogiriba and founder of Odua People Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasheun, to tackle Boko Haram insurgency, at the occasion, which coincided with his birthday celebration, Al-Mustapha disclosed that he was undertaking a mission to cement a bond among the Northern and the Southern Nigerian youths.

“I want to send a personal request through you. I want you to know that in few weeks or month to come, we would need your help to call upon our brothers in the South-South, South-East and South-West for the youths there to join hands with their brothers in the North, think together and define a common course for Nigeria to follow.

“I cannot go deep with other issues I had wanted to respond to because I’m still a soldier. I must say that the Northern youths in the shortest time possible from now, will surely come together to speak to themselves, to their parents, political leadership, the younger ones, the intellectual class for assistance and support. By His grace, the entire 19 Northern states would have truly cemented youths to face one common direction.

“I will then call upon you to prepare the minds of the youths from other zones to come to Abuja alongside their brothers in the North to discuss, as an entity and force, to fight a common cause that will better Nigeria and bring peace and unity to speed up growth and development in our land.

“I have this as a mission before me and I hope the intellectuals, activists, the committed and the rich will not lean backward. This is the time to step forward and lead the youths to have a sound footing in supporting Nigeria on the positive part for peace, security and development. I want everybody to begin to work for the mega meeting of the Nigerian youths later in Abuja,” he told the visitors.

Speaking further, he said: “Time and events in the history of Nigeria have shown so much unity in terms of comradeship among our great grand parents from the South-South, South-East, South-West and the North. The political alignment and realignment particularly in the late 1940s till date, time and time again, speaks for itself.

“If we are honest to ourselves as true promising children that have something to uphold, protect and defend, we have to define a chat in sustaining that true friendship, so that the souls of our great grand fathers, the forefathers of Nigeria will be at peace, knowing that they have promising children promoting progress, peace and unity in our country.”

Italy Bus Crash Leaves 38 Dead

A bus has plunged off a flyover in southern Italy leaving at least 38 people dead, rescue services say.

The bus hit several vehicles before smashing through a parapet and toppling down a steep slope near the town of Avellino, in the Campania region.

At least 10 people have been injured, some of them seriously, Italian media report.

The bus was taking about 50 people, including children, back to Naples following a pilgrimage, reports say.

The cause of the accident is not clear. The driver of the coach is said to be among the dead.

"The situation is critical," leading fireman Pellegrino Iandolo told Italian television.

"Our men are working to save as many lives as possible." A police spokesman told the French news agency AFP that the number of victims could not yet be confirmed.

"We are still pulling people from the vehicle," he said. He added that the Naples-Bari motorway had been closed to traffic because of the accident.

Reports say the bus smashed through a guardrail on the flyover and dropped 30m (98ft), coming to rest in heavy undergrowth.

The injured have been taken to hospitals in Avellino, Salerno and Nola, Ansa said.

2015: Nzeribe Can’t Speak For Igbo – Njiko Igbo Chieftain

Barely one week after he stated that Igbo should not aspire to the Presidency, Senator Arthur Nzeribe has been taken to the cleaners.

Commenting on the former senator’s remarks, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, Director of Operations, Njiko Igbo, stated that Nzeribe had no moral right to make such a statement, since he has not, in recent times, talked about the injustice meted out to the Igbo.

“First and last, given his personal history, Senator Arthur Nzeribe lacks any moral or legitimate standing to speak for Ndigbo on either the 2015 question or any question whatsoever,” he stated.

Continuing, Senator Onwe said: “It is curious that this nation has been in a quasi state of war for over two years but the voice of Nzeribe has been silent. Ndigbo have been bombed and butchered in their places of worship and business in some sections of this country by nihilistic Islamic fundamentalists and yet the voice of Nzeribe has remained silent. The corpses of dozens of young men who were clearly victims of extrajudicial executions were recently plucked from Ezu River in Anambra State and yet Nzeribe did not call a press conference to condemn it or demand answers from the Nigerian state.

“History has no record of Nzeribe’s intervention either publicly or privately in the organised anti-Igbo massacres in Kano in 1980, Maiduguri in 1982, Yola in 1984, Gombe in 1985, Kaduna in 1986, Bauchi in 1991, Funtua in 1993, Kano in 1994, Damboa in 2000 and the Apo 6 massacre in 2005.”

He wondered what’s wrong with Nzeribe, to make him take such a stand against the Igbo, asking: “What is really wrong with men like Senator Nzeribe, a geriatric who, at the age of 74, still prefer to offend the sensibilities and legitimate aspirations of decent people through shameless self-promoting politics?”

Senator Onwe stated: “It is disheartening that Senator Nzeribe, who ought to know better, has allowed himself to be sold on this preposterous argument, which is nothing but a cheap blackmail designed to cloak the pervasive prejudice that has kept Ndigbo in the third class tier in the politics of the Nigerian federation.

“No Nigerian civilian president or prime minister has ever launched himself to power on the springboard of ethnic unity since the advent of the Nigerian state. By taking the position that he has taken, Senator Nzeribe has demonstrated that he lacks any measure of grasp or apprehension of central executive power politics in this country. Having been a participant in the political game, as Nzeribe clearly had been, does not confer such understanding.

“It is hard to resist drawing the conclusion that Senator Nzeribe came to his erroneous and inflammatory conclusion having been seduced, induced or deceived by personal and selfish considerations rather than by considerations of what is in the best interests of Ndigbo and indeed Nigeria in general. But it must be emphatically stated that a hundred, a thousand, a million Arthur Nzeribe’s cannot and will not break the Igbo spirit nor weaken the Igbo resolve.”

He stated that if ethnic unity was the prerequisite for aspiring to the presidency, “as posited by Nzeribe, then the philosophy of Njiko Igbo should come highly recommended to him. Njiko Igbo is an organisation dedicated to the struggle for the ascent of a citizen of Igbo extraction to the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015. We are fully committed to the security and peace of our nation, and to the comradeship of a common justice for all Nigerians.

“We are neither a political party nor are we affiliated to one. Our primary mission is to enlighten and mobilise the Igbo population, both at home and in the Diaspora, to stand firm and united in the pursuit of our collective goal. Our secondary duty is to connect with and persuade the rest of the Nigerian population about the justice of our cause.”

The Njiko Igbo chieftain said that as the Igbo, “continue to swim against the tide of baseless suspicion, distrust and deep-rooted prejudice in this country, characters such as Senator Nzeribe bring unfortunate affirmation to the very elements that negate the status of Ndigbo as legitimate citizens with legitimate aspirations in their own country.”

Man Anger Over Debt Sets Nursing Home Ablaze, Killing 11

A squabble over $32 led a nursing home resident to set the building on fire, killing 11 people, Chinese state-run media reported.

Police said 45-year-old Wang Gui lost his temper after accusing another resident of stealing 200 yuan from him, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Staff members at Lianhe Senior Nursing Home tried to calm Wang down. So did other residents. But nothing worked.

Early Friday morning, Wang set fire to the home in the northeast city of Hailun, authorities said.

The blaze killed 11 people, including Wang. Their ages ranged from 45 to 87, the Hailun public security bureau told Xinhua.

Wang had been sent to the nursing home because he suffered a stroke and had no one to take care of him, according to Xinhua.

About 32 people were in the inpatient building when the fire broke out, the agency said. The nursing home serves rural elderly residents who have no source of income.

Al-Mustapha: I Could’ve Taken Over Power Immediately Abacha Died, But…

Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to General Sani Abacha, Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha has revealed that God Used him after Abacha's death to keep the nation from falling apart.

He said this while paying a courtesy visit to the leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo in Abuja.

Al-Mustapha who said he chose not to assume power during the death of General Abacha lamented that some people capitalised on his humility and loyalty to the service of the country to punish him unjustly.

He said, “Ours is to serve, preserve the country and so I did. If I had wanted, after the death of General Sanni Abacha, this country was to witness another thing. But in our character, ours is to serve the country and I did. Nobody fired one bullet the day General Abacha died. God gave me the courage. But there was so much confusion, so many agitations at that time.

“But God used me to stabilize a course and it is the course that gave birth to this democracy. So, if I had not done so that time, we would have changed the course of history. But because we kept quiet, we were humble and committed to the country, people now turned it around.”

Receiving the former CSO, Asari-Dokubo urged Al-Mustapha to forgive his accusers, adding that he was convinced the former CSO did not kill late Mrs. Kudirat Abiola.

Asari said: “For me as a person, I was very convinced that you were not part of what happened because I was very close to Kudirat and I was very close to the Lagos group that was responsible for the judicial manipulation that was going on. And I wrote those things and people said we were paid to write. People believe that anybody who says the truth or has a contrary opinion has been paid to do it.”

“We just thank God that this is not a period for politics and making political statements, but what is important is that truth has prevailed and the hypocrisy of those who wanted to sacrifice an innocent man to satisfy their perceived interest.

“As a brother, I will tell you to forgive all the people who have offended you over these years they have kept you there. Many be even if you were around, you would have died. In one way or another, they would have killed you if you have not been away but Allah who kept you alive this period of difficulty when it was quite easy to kill you didn’t put it in their mind.

“For me, forgive them. It is when you forgive that you gain more benefits from Allah.

Responding, Al-Mustapha recalled part of his struggles to clear his name:

“You know there were 10 panels I faced in five years. None of these panels found me guilty of anything. My offence was just one: Mrs Abiola’s murder. All in all, I stayed for 5 years, 2 months in solitary detention.

INEC Are Trying To Kill Us - APGA National Publicity Secretary, Benard Akoma

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been accused of plotting to kill the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) by taking sides with the Victor Umeh factor rather than performing “its constitutional functions of monitoring internal democratic mechanisms of political parties.”

National Publicity Secretary, Benard Akoma made this allegation recently and also faulted INEC's recognition of the Umeh faction, which he said as being based on misreading the appeal court's ruling on Umeh's suit.

APGA right now have two National Chairmen as neither want's to recognise the other's as the rightfull occupant of the position.

 “INEC Recruited to Kill APGA”By Benard Akoma :

“The ostrich game being played by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the protracted crisis rocking the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA has been identified as one of the several measures designed to consign APGA into irrelevance. The electoral body rather than step out boldly to perform its constitutional functions of monitoring internal democratic mechanisms of political parties has pretended in the case of APGA and instead decided to take side with a faction of the party in order to keep the party in perpetual crisis.

The Commission has continued to rely on court rulings which in anyway do not impinge on its functions to shy away from its constitutional roles in the matter concerning APGA. For instance, the recent Enugu Court of Appeal judgment on APGA crisis stated that the complainant has no locus standi to bring the matter before the court. It never said that the convention of APGA in 2011 which was the issue in contention was properly conducted according to its constitution.

The judgment simply leaves INEC with an opportunity to do its job in this regard because it monitored the convention. The truth remains that APGA would not have been in court if INEC had performed its constitutional roles concerning APGA 2011 Convention; as done in PDP 2012 Convention. It is the double standard approach of the Commission that has left APGA where it is today.

“The Electoral Act 2010 among other things empowered INEC to monitor activities of political parties particularly the congresses and conventions. Though INEC responsibility does not include directing political parties on how to go about its activities but it must ensure that such activities adhere to constitutional provisions of the party. In February 2011, the National Convention of APGA took place in Awka, Anambra State. This was duly monitored by INEC. Article 18, sub-section (1) and (4) of the APGA constitution stipulates that election into the various offices of the party from the wards through the state to the national level must be by secret balloting.

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PDP: Court Hears Motion On Tukur’s Sack Today

An Abuja High Court at Apo will today hear a motion seeking to sack National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, from office.

The motion was filed by three aggrieved members of the party, Abba Yale, Yahaya Sule and Bashir Maidugu.

This is coming as fresh facts emerged, yesterday, on what transpired between President Goodluck Jonathan and five northern governors at a parley, weekend. Sources said the governors wanted a comprehensive convention to oust Tukur and elect all officers, a move that has been criticised by a northern pressure group, the Inspired Group.

Meanwhile, Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, said the parley between the President and the northern governors and the issues they discussed were private.

Abati said: “It was a private meeting. Ordinarily, key principal officers normally attend such meetings but no principal officer was at the meeting. It is not every meeting the President holds that we attend. Anybody writing anything on what the President and governors discussed is speculating.”

However, an impeccable source, who accompanied one of the governors to the meeting, which he said Senate President David Mark attended, disclosed that the parley dwelt on the crises ravaging PDP across the country and at the national level.

The source said: “The President wanted to know why Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State said he was going out of PDP, and that he would help bury the party. You know that the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has taken the Adamawa PDP away from the governor.

“As we speak, Nyako’s commissioners and aides have moved into All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP. So his leaving the party is a question of time, if the issue was not well addressed.

APC Has Met Requirements For Registration –ACN

The Action Congress of Nigeria on Sunday said the All Progressives Congress had met all the needed requirements for its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The party made this known in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The ACN noted that despite the “antics and the challenges of some negative forces” in the polity, the electoral umpire would do what was right concerning the APC registration.

It therefore dismissed as speculative the report that INEC was planning to write a letter to the promoters of APC to find another name following a court case instituted by a political association over the APC acronym.

The party said, “We are convinced that INEC has no discernible reason to write such a letter to us. In the first instance, there exists no court injunction anywhere restraining the commission from registering APC. There could be many court cases, but until there is a court order, no one can preempt what a court will do and act on that basis.

“Again, we have met all the stipulated requirements. INEC has also inspected our proposed headquarters in Abuja and sighted all our interim officers. The merger process may be novel, but we have played according to the rules and we expect nothing less from INEC.”

The party also expressed satisfaction with the statement credited to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, that there was no court injunction compelling the commission to stop the merger.

The ACN added, “We believe we are on the same page with INEC as far as this trail-brazing merger is concerned, and that has been confirmed by the INEC spokesman, and we therefore call on the commission to do the proper thing right now – which is the registration of APC.

“There is no doubt that INEC is under tremendous pressure, from both the card-carrying Peoples Democratic Party members of the commission and their collaborators, who are mortally afraid of the merger, and who will want the electoral body to commence, right now, the process of rigging the 2015 election in their favour.

“But we urge INEC not to compromise its neutrality and integrity by acting contrary to the law. We remind the Commission that Nigerians are keenly watching how it will handle this merger issue, and whatever it does will determine whether Nigerians can count on it to organise free, fair and credible elections in 2015.

“Given the already over-heated polity ahead of the 2015 elections, we believe INEC will not do anything that will aggravate the situation.”

Meanwhile, the ACN has appealed to all the supporters of APC to remain calm over the registration issue.

The ACN said, “We know that many of our teeming supporters are upset by the report of the shenanigans in INEC over this issue. But it is important for them to remain law-abiding as we await the decision of INEC. We are confident, going by the words of INEC itself that the court case instituted by those laying claim to the APC acronym has no bearing on what is going on.”

'Gani Adams Challenges Fasheun To Name His Sponsors Or Cover His Face In Shame'

Gani Adams, the leader of a faction of the Odua People's Congress (OPC), has described as a wolf in sheep’s skin the septuagenarian leader of the other faction, Mr. Fredrick Fasheun over the latter's controversial solidarity with recently acquitted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha.

The criticism is contained in a statement released by the organization and signed by the General Secretary, Mr. Tanimowo Babajide, and the Publicity Secretary, Akeem Ologunro

Referring to Fasheun’s threat to name Adam’s sponsors, he challenged Fasehun to come out and name them or cover his face in shame and keep quiet.
“Unlike Fasheun, whose antecedents have proved beyond any doubt that he has always had a price tag that can be paid for anytime by the highest bidder, Otunba Gani Adams has remained consistent with the dream behind the formation of the OPC, which was to fight for the rights of the Yoruba race and the right for self-determination,” the statement said.

It noted that “the same people who are paying [Fasheun’s] bills” tried several times to enlist the support of Otunba Adams to support their cry for the release of their man, Al-Mustapha, but he rebuffed them on each occasion, remaining steadfast to upholding the Yoruba’s age-long logic of ‘Oruko rere san j’owo lo’.

Mr. Adams described Mr. Fasheun as a flip-flopper who has over time reneged on collective objectives and values to pursue personal political interests in the company of oppressors of the masses. In doing so, Adams said that Fasehun’s greed has manifested from the time of General Sanni Abacha, who callously attempted to elongate his stay in power.

The fraudulent scheme, according to Gani, attracted Fasehun who had fallen in with the military dictator, even though he also publicly claimed a stance again the gruesome murder of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola.

The statement further said that the OPC, which was said to have formed to collectively demand justice and restore the mandate of the June 12, 1993 presidential election to the winner, late Chief MKO Abiola, broke into factions from the greed of Mr. Fasehun which most members of the group felt was antithetical to the objective that created OPC.

The statement is reproduced below:
                 FASEHUN A WOLF IN SHEEP'S SKIN
With the comments credited to the Dr. Fredrick Fasheun’s group in Sunday Punch, casting aspersion on the person of Otunba Gani Adams, it is now very clear to us that Fasehun has chosen to thread the path of perfidy and self-destruct, with all the dire consequences.

Ordinarily, we would have dismissed the comments as coming from a drowning man seeking to hold onto anything for survival, having realized his grievous and damning miscalculation, but we have realized that there is need for us to answer him and put the records straight.

While trying to justify his support for Major Al-Mustapha, Fasehun, in the story, entitled ‘Gani Adams sponsored to criticize me, claimed
that Otunba Adams was sponsored to criticize him, and that the sponsors were afraid of his (Fasehun’s) acceptance in the North.

Laughable as this accusation may seem, we would, however, want him and his cohorts to stick to the subject matter rather than beat around
it. Let him be reminded that Otunba Adams’ criticism was based on Fasehun’s unholy romance with

Minister’s plea to bosses

A GOVERNMENT minister last night told UK bosses they should hire British workers before immigrants.

The Business and Education Minister said taking on British employees was better for UK companies and the wider economy

MP Matthew Hancock urged firms to avoid the “easy option” of filling jobs with foreign workers when they could train local recruits.

The Business and Education Minister said taking on British employees was better for UK companies and the wider economy.

The Coalition’s immigration clampdown means foreigners now fill 55% of job vacancies, compared with 74% under Labour.

But Mr Hancock believes firms could still hire a larger proportion of British workers.

“To build a strong, long-term economy we have got to play our part in government, and businesses need to take their responsibility.”

MP Matthew Hancock

He said: “As vacancies rise and unemployment falls further, it is the duty of companies, especially big business, to take on local young people – not immediately take the easy option of recruiting from abroad.”

Mr Hancock, who is a close ally of Chancellor George Osborne, said he understood why so many firms took on foreigners.

But he added: “To build a strong, long-term economy we have got to play our part in government, and businesses need to take their responsibility.

UK teenager feared drowned in France is named

A BRITISH TEENAGER feared drowned has been named as Kieran Knight.

Messanges, Landes, is known for its beaches

The 16-year-old, who went missing off the south-west coast of France on Wednesday, was "caught by a strong undercurrent and was unable to make his way back to shore," a Foreign Office statement said.

The Foreign Office are providing consular assistance to the family of the boy.

The statement added the family needed privacy "to come to terms with this tragic event concerning their much loved son."

Rescue workers were told on Wednesday afternoon of the boy's disappearance near the town of Messanges, in the region of Landes, French officials have confirmed.

Three helicopters and a patrol boat were used in the search for the boy, without any success.

The Foreign Office statement said: "Despite extensive ongoing searches by the French authorities, Kieran has not been located."

Holly Willoughby's passion for fashion stems from Dita Von Teese

WITH her sexy curves and spark-ling personality, it’s no wonder Holly Willoughby has the country hooked.

Holly Willoughby loves to look gorgeous at all times

Now the sizzling telly babe has revealed her inspiration – burlesque babe Dita Von Teese.

Holly, who conquered the TV world on This Morning, The Voice and Celebrity Juice, has been leading the fashion pack with her collection for Very.co.uk.

The 32-year-old, nicknamed Holly Willoughbooby thanks to her ample cleavage, says: “There are so many gorgeous women out there.

“I look at Dita Von Teese and think she is a mysterious, dark sex goddess and a beautiful woman who is committed to her look.

“She looks so feminine and striking so I admire her for that.”

The mum-of-two from Brighton is said to have netted a fortune of £10million thanks to her many jobs.

And she’s no stranger to awards success either.

She won a Bafta for her time working on children’s TV and earlier this year Holly bagged the National Television Award with co-host Phillip Schofield, 51, for best factual programme on This Morning.

And last year on National Cleavage Day, Holly was awarded Best Celebrity Cleavage.

It was based on a poll of 1,000 women who chose her as the first star to get into the Wonderbra Cleavage Hall of Fame.

But as well as super-sexy Dita, 40, she admits she sometimes prefers more natural glamour.

Holly explains: “I love the look of someone like Heidi Klum, who probably looks gorgeous when she gets out of bed in the morning.

“She probably doesn’t have to put any make-up on and she has this really fresh, beautiful face and is just effortlessly natural.”

Even a wonder woman like Holly can have bad days, so how does she manage to keep smiling on TV?

She says: “Everyone has off days, that’s part of being human.

“My piece of advice would be to think about what makes you smile and keep it at the front of your mind for the whole day.”

And as well as writing a children’s book with her sister recently, Holly has other work plans in the pipeline.

Holly Willoughby with her TV partner Phillip Schofield

“I love the look of someone like Heidi Klum, who probably looks gorgeous when she gets out of bed in the morning.”

Holly Willoughby

She tells us: “I get asked quite a lot if I would ever bring out my own range of beauty products.

“Maybe – I do have an interest in it. I really love that side of things.

“I love getting a new product and thinking: ‘Ooh, how does this one work?’

“I think it’s more down to a time issue with me.

“I have enough on my plate as it is and I want to do the things I’m committed to as well as I possibly can. So maybe in the future.”

Her own beauty regime is much more streamlined, with Holly relying on products to make her look fab.

She says: “I’m not a natural blonde. I have highlights, then I have a tint, and I’m always having my hair blow-dried.

“So I put my hair under quite a lot of stress, which means I really have to look after it.

“There’s a bit of a theme when it comes to my beauty regime – I like one product to do an awful lot of things. I expect a lot from them.”

Holly Willoughby is the face of Oral-B 3D White Luxe, out now.

Liam Gallagher gets some family support over marriage fears

LIAM Gallagher received a little brotherly love yesterday after ditching his wedding ring.

Liam Gallagher got a visit from brother Paul after his five-year marriage singer Nicole Appleton appears to have hit the rocks

The rocker got a visit from Paul after his five-year marriage to ex-All Saints singer Nicole Appleton appeared to have hit the rocks.

He and Paul, 47, had a heart-to-heart at Liam’s home. After their chat, Liam went running with a rucksack full of weights strapped to his back.

The Beady Eye frontman, 40, bolted across Hampstead Heath, north London, out-pacing some fans who had jogged alongside him, and disappeared into the distance.

One witness said: “It looked like he was preparing for Nicole’s return. He might have to flee for his life then.”

Liam has been home alone since returning from a bender in Ibiza with his Beady Eye bandmates.

His trip came as American journalist Liza Ghorbani, 39, claimed he was the father of her baby daughter Gemma.

Following the bombshell revelation Nicole, 38, remained on holiday in Orlando, Florida, with their 12-year-old son Gene and other relatives.

She was also pictured without her wedding ring.

Paul recently house-sat for Liam and Nicole at the five-storey home in Hampstead while the couple were on holiday together.

Pals said he has been supporting his brother through his marriage woes.

The ex-Oasis frontman goes for a run

“It looked like he was preparing for Nicole’s return. He might have to flee for his life then.”

A witness

Liam and Nicole’s relationship appears to have ended since news broke that Liza filed a paternity suit in New York asking Liam to stump up cash to support her daughter.

They met when she interviewed him for the New York Times last year.

The rocker’s management is also said to have sacked his PA Debbie Gwyther, 31, for becoming “too close” to him.

The pair were pictured sharing sun cream, lounging by a pool and sipping cocktails together in before a recent festival gig in Ibiza.

Liam reportedly told pals he does not believe his marriage is worth saving.

On Monday he released a video for Beady Eye’s new single Shine A Light showing him surrounded by a bevy of naked models.

Instead of dashing to the US to try to smooth things over with his missus, a photo appeared on the group’s Instagram page showing him “moon-bathing” on a beach with bandmates and a beer.