Update: Nigerian government releases details of National Conference

The Federal Government on Thursday unveiled the modalities of the National Confab, disclosing that a total of 492 delegates will partake in the dialogue which would be named National Conference.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, gave the modalities to journalists at a press conference in his office in Abuja.
Mr. Anyim said the National Conference will last for a total of three months and that nomination of delegates will commence on Thursday, January 30 and end onFebruary 20.
Giving a breakdown of the proposed composition of the National Conference, Mr. Ayim said government gave expeditious consideration to the report of the Advisory Committee and after long and mature deliberations on the report accepted the following recommendations for immediate implementation:
- The Official name of the conversation/conference shall be “The National Conference.”
- The National Conference shall hold in Abuja;
- The National Conference shall tentatively last for three months and shall discuss any subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation, therefore the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable;
- A conference management secretariat shall be established to manage, administer and run the affairs of the conference;
- Decisions at the National Conference shall be by consensus; but where it is not achievable; it shall be by 75% majority;
- The National Conference shall advise the government on the legal framework, legal procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the national conference into the Constitution and laws of the country; and
- The National Conference shall have a Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson of unimpeachable integrity.
A breakdown of the modalities for the nomination of the delegates is as follows:
- Elder Statesmen: One per state and the FCT making a total of 37 will be nominated by the President;
- Retired Military and Security Personnel which include one delegate per geopolitical zone each from the Military, Police, State Security and National Intelligence Agency – making it a total of 18 delegates to be nominated by stakeholders;
- Traditional Rulers: two per zone and one from the FCT making a total of 13 delegates to be nominated by stakeholders;
- Retired Civil Servants: one per zone. A total of six to be nominated by stakeholders;
- Labour Representatives: the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, shall each nominate 12 delegates making it a total of 24 which would reflect Geo-political and gender balance;
- The Organised Private sector: NECA, MAN, NACCIMA, NESG shall each nominate two delegates;
- Nigeria Youth Organisations: National Youth Council of Nigeria and National Association of Nigerians Students, NANS, shall each nominate six delegates, one from each geo-political zone, while the Federal Government shall nominate six delegates, one from each geo-political zone for “other” (Outstanding Youths and Role Models) making it a total of 18 delegates;
- Women Groups: National Council Of Women Society, NCWS, shall nominate 12 delegates – two per geo- political zone, while Market Women Association shall nominate one per geo-political zone. International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA; Nigerian Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ; and Women in Management and Business, WINBIZ, shall each nominate two Delegates;
- Political Parties: parties that have representation in the National Assembly, including the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, All Progressives Congress, APC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Accord Party, Labour Party, LP, shall each nominate two delegates making it 10 delegates;
- Christian and Muslim Leaders each shall nominate six delegates while Civil Society Organisations shall nominate 24 delegates across board;
- Nigerians in Diaspora ( Europe, America, Africa, Asia, and Middle East) shall nominate two delegates per location, making it eight delegates;
- People Living with Disabilities shall nominate six delegates, one per geo-political zone.
- Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria shall nominate 2 delegates each;
- Socio – Political/ Cultural and Ethnic Nationality Groups shall nominate 15 delegates each, per geo-political zone to reflect religious and ethnic diversities;
- Professional Bodies including NBA, NSE, CIB, NMA, NIM, NIA, ICAN, ANAN, NIPR, AAPN, NIESV, Nigerian Environment Society and Nigeria Economic Society, shall each nominate one delegate, making it a total of 13 delegates.
- National Academies including the Academy of Science, Academy of Engineering, Academy of Education, Academy of Letters and the Academy of Social Sciences shall each nominate 1 delegate;
- The President shall nominate six persons not currently serving on the bench from the Judiciary;
- Former Political Office Holders including former governors, Senators Forum, House of Reps Forum and the Association of Former Speakers shall each nominate one delegate per geo-political zone making it a total of 24 delegates;
- The Federal Government of Nigeria shall nominate 20 delegates of which at least six will be women;
- The state governments shall each nominate 3 delegates while the FCT shall nominate 1 delegate based on Senatorial District at least one of whom shall be a woman. The nomination shall be done by the state governors and where the state fails to nominate, the President shall nominate the required number from the state;
- The ALGON shall nominate one Former Local Government Chairman each from the six geo- political zones;
- The President shall nominate the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Secretary, observing geo-political spread.
Fielding questions from journalists Mr. Anyim said that there was already a proposal for the funding of the Conference in the Budget. He added that the Conference will be concluded before the next election season.

Police detain Chinese for assaulting employee in Ogun

The State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Ogun State, has detained two Chinese nationals, Mike Jackson and Tony Jackson, for allegedly brutalising Adeleke Owolabi, an employee of their company, Jivan Plastic Company.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Thursday that Owolabi, a graduate of Mass Communications from Olabisi Onabanjo University, was beaten black and blue by the suspects on his first day at work after a disagreement with Mike.

Owolabi had said the police refused to arrest the Chinese men due to their status as foreigners.

However, it was learnt that after PUNCH Metro’s publication, the police immediately stormed the PVC manufacturing company in Sagamu and whisked the suspects away.

It was learnt that the suspects apologised to Owolabi, who was also at the SCID to write a statement.

Owolabi said, “Yes, the Chinese men have been detained at the SCID and I am satisfied with the action of the police so far. I am happy that the media are helping to ensure that the matter is not swept under the carpet.

“I am not after money but I just don’t want a situation whereby Nigerians are treated badly by foreigners in their own land.”

It was learnt that the suspects would remain in police custody until the completion of investigation.

Owolabi had said, “I was bringing out PVC materials out of a bag and Mike said I was not handling the materials properly. He kicked me and slapped me repeatedly so I held unto his shirt to prevent him from beating me further.

“However, his cousin, Tony, smashed a bottle on my head and they beat me until I fainted and woke up on the way to Makun Police Division covered in blood.”

Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the arrest of the Chinese men, promised that justice would prevail.

“The matter is at the SCID and we are compiling the case files. We want to assure members of the public that justice will prevail,” he said.

Policeman sentenced to death by hanging for killing 20yr old man

Justice has finally come the way of the family of slain Emmanuel Victor (pictured above), a 20 year old young man who was killed in front of his mother by a trigger-happy Policeman, Mathew Egheghe, two years ago in Yenogoa, Bayelsa state.

Victor was shot dead after he confronted a group of policemen who were trying to extort money from motorists as he was coming back from church. Angered by his effrontery to question their action, Policeman Egheghe moved close to Victor and shot him at close range.
Narrating what happened, Victor's mother Grace, who witnessed the incident said:
"They shot my son brutally. As he fell while they were shooting him, the tallest of them still continued shooting him on the ground". She said she was harassed and stopped from going close to her dying son even as he lay gasping for life in the pool of his own blood.
Delivering his judgement on the case, Justice Lucky Boufili said that such a cruel act was only punishable by the maximum penalty which is death. He sentenced Mathew Egheghe to death by Hanging. The police has since dismissed Mathew Egheghe and his two accomplices from the force.

Schumacher 'responding to instructions' as doctors try to bring him out of coma

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher has been in an artificially induced coma since he fell and hit his head while skiing in French Alps on Sunday Dec. 29th. But according to new reports, he is 'responding to instructions' as doctors slowly bring him out of his coma.

His manager said Michael's medical team are reducing his sedation in an attempt to wake him up
"Michael's sedation is being reduced in order to allow the start of the waking up process which may take a long time,' Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kehm, said in a statement
It's also being reported that Schumacher is 'responding to simple instructions'. He reportedly blinked his eyes during tests on his brain. May God help him.

Gunmen Kill Niger Polytechnic lecturer

Three gunmen suspected to be hired assassins on Thursday killed the Head of Science Department at the Niger State Polytechnic, Malam Abdulrashid Abdullahi, along Zungeru-Tegina road, while on official assignment to Kaduna State.

He was shot dead at an abandoned check point after the Zungeru Bridge at about 8am.
The deceased had been penciled down as the polytechnic’s next rector.

Abdullahi’s cousin, Malam Hussaini Babangida told journalists in Zungeru that they left for Kaduna at about 7am and got to the abandoned check point where the gunmen attacked them few minutes later.

Recounting their ordeal, Babangida said, “when I was stopped I thought they were security men, but no sooner that I stopped the gunmen headed for his (Abdullahi) side and attempted to force his door open by hacking it with a machete. Sensing danger I quickly drove away.

“In that situation, the only thing I heard from him was that he had been shot as they could not open his door. Even as I was escaping the gunmen were still raining bullets on the car, especially his side, but on getting back to Zungeru, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.”

He said nothing was taken from the vehicle, apart from the attack on the lecturer and himself by the gunmen.
“It was sad that they killed my cousin for undisclosed reasons,” Babangida lamented

SSS seizes arms in Port Harcourt

State Security Service (SSS) operatives intercepted yesterday high-calibre ammunition in a 20-foot container at the Port Harcourt Port in Rivers State.

The interception of the ammunition raises fears of impending violence in the state ahead of the 2015 elections.

Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi raised the alarm on the return of militants to the state after a rally by the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) —a group loyal to him— was smashed in Bori, Khana Local Government Area, three weeks ago.

The vessel carrying the lethal cargo, MV Iron Trader, came from Panama in Central America.

The captain is under arrest. Also being held are the agent and six crew members. They were undergoing interrogation at the SSS office in the oil city last night.

The container was being guarded yesterday by a combined team of SSS operatives, soldiers and policemen.

It was gathered through a security source that the intercepted ammunition was packed in many iron boxes in the container.

The source said: “The interrogation of the eight arrested persons is ongoing to determine the consignee and the destination of the seized items.”

Senior officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Port Harcourt declined to comment on the “sensitive” issue yesterday.

The SSS’s interception of the ammunition is coming at a time militants have been let loose in the state, shooting, killing and maiming, with the police, led by Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu, seeming helpless.

The Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, who is the grand patron of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) – the organisation pushing his governorship ambition – also declared at its rally in Degema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Degema Local Government Area — on January 19 that Amaechi would not know peace, until he resigns.

Amaechi, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), however, declared that he would remain focused and complete his tenure in 2015 “by God’s grace” and that his successor would be decided by the Rivers people.

The NGF chairman also expressed surprise that the militants he used the military to chase away in 2007, when he assumed office, were returning to the state. He said those he described as the “Abuja forces” are behind insecurity in the state.

Beyonce to be studied as a course in US University

You can now have a 'diploma in Beyonce'

Students with an avid interest in Beyonce will soon be able to study for a diploma on the star now Rutgers University has added her to the curriculum.

Her husband, rapper Jay-Z, has already been honoured with a Georgetown University sociology course named after him, but now it’s Beyonce’s turn to be dissected in a classroom.

Rutgers University’s Department of Women’s and Gender Studies will soon be exploring the social and cultural significance of the Destiny’s Child singer’s music and image.

The course, ‘Politicizing Beyonce’, will allow fans and pop-culture vultures to explore the 30-year-old Single Ladies singer’s alter ego Sasha Fierce, and debate the extent of control she has over her own image.

They will also debate whether her red hot persona is an outlet of female sexual empowerment or merely complying with western gender stereotypes.

In charge of the course is Rutgers PH.D. candidate Kevin Allred, who explained the importance of the course on the university’s website.

‘This isn’t a course about Beyonce’s political engagement or how many times she performed during President Obama’s inauguration weekend,’ he said.

‘She certainly pushes boundaries. While other artists are simply releasing music, she’s creating a grand narrative around her life, her career, and her persona.’

Students will also discuss other iconic female singers including Lady Gaga, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.

It is not known what the Texas-born singer, who became a mum for the first time earlier this month to Blue Ivy, thinks of the new addition to the university’s curriculum.

We knew Eagles lack penalty scoring skill – Ghanian coach

”We purposely stretched the match into penalty shootout because we knew that Nigeria did not know how to play penalty,” says Ghanian Coach, Maxwell Konadu.

Konadu made the statement at a post match interview on Wednesday after Black Stars defeated Super Eagles 4-1 on penalty to qualify for the final of the third African Nations Championships (CHAN) in South Africa.

Ghana will on Saturday at the final meet Libya which earlier defeated Zimbabwe 5-4 also on penalty shootout.

The full and extra times had ended goalless.

The two semi final matches were played on Wednesday at Free Town Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Konadu said that although the Eagles were better tactically, the team lacked penalty shootout scoring skill.

According to him, the Eagles would have scored within the 90 minutes time of the match but his boys matched them one on one to stretch the match to the penalty shootout.

The forcefully contested match was marred with several yellow cards and one red card against the Stars with many players on each side seriously injured.

The Eagles, however, failed to utilise the 11 players against 10 for about 70 minutes to score during the match.

Coach Stephen Keshi said that he was looking forward for the third place match on Saturday against Zimbabwe.

The third and the final matches will be played at Cape Township Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday. (NAN)

CHAN: We were too anxious - Keshi

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has said they were edged out of CHAN by Ghana as a result of anxiety on the part of the players.

Debutants Nigeria lost the CHAN semi-final to Ghana after a penalty shootout when there were no goals in normal and extra time.

“There was so much anxiety because the players wanted to do so much,” lamented Stephen Keshi.

“We wish to thank Nigerians for their prayers and support for this team.”

Substitute Joshua Obaje told MTNFootball.com they were unlucky not to go through to the final against Libya this weekend.

"We were just unlucky not to beat Ghana. We didn't deserve to lose the game, we put in our best, did all but we couldn't score and lost through penalties," Obaje said.

“All the same, we hope to improve for our next game.”

However, Nigeria may be missing several players for their next game after they suffered serious injuries against the very physical Black Stars.

Rabiu Ali, Solomon Kwambe and Kunle Odunlami are all on the treatment table.

Meanwhile, a $100,000 bonus promised them by the sports ministry if they defeated Ghana will still be paid to them.

Sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi confirmed the payment, saying Nigerians should continue to support the team.

Nigeria will now play the third-placed match against Zimbabwe on Saturday in Cape Town

Mauritania emerges new AU Chair

Mauritania has been elected the new Chairperson of the African Union with President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz taking over from Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn of Ethiopia.

The election took place at the ongoing 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU.

The result of the election was announced on Thursday in Addis Ababa during the opening session of the AU summit.

Other countries elected into the AU Bureau for one year included Zimbabwe, which was elected as first Vice President, Democratic Republic of Congo, second Vice President; and Nigeria, third Vice President.

In his acceptance speech, Aziz pledged to promote the objectives of the continental body, and commended the out-gone president for strengthening the role of Africa in the world.

He also praised African leaders for their `tireless efforts’ in ensuring that Africa took its rightful place in the world.

“I am deeply honoured to be the chairperson of AU; this, for me, is a mark of confidence which I truly appreciate,” he said.

From Our News Desk 30th January 2014

UPDATES: APC Wants To Kill Democracy In Nigeria – FG. Bonga Spill: Reps Chide DPR For Slow Pace Of Action. Reps Screen Service Chiefs In Camera. Power Outage Disrupts Bayelsa Assembly Sitting. Akpabio Donates 100 Laptop Computers To Journalists In A/Ibom. Rivers Assembly Approves N100bn Bond For Amaechi. 2015: Atiku Storms Benin, Confers With Oshiomhole. Security Votes: Kaduna SSG’s Office Gets N4.8bn. Confusion Trails 11 PDP Senators’ Defection To APC. Centenary Celebration: Govt Bans Telecom Operators’ Promos. Unpaid N600b NDDC Fund Stirs Anger. Shekarau Defects, Promises To Work For Jonathan. My Conscience, Understanding, Position Are With PDP – Aliyu. N17m: EFCC Arraigns Kano State Commissioner. Job losses loom in telecoms industry. 2014 budget: Senators blast Okonjo-Iweala … accuse minister of imposing World Bank/ IMF policies. SURE-P: FG to buy N240m locally-made vehicles. Suntai’s aide debunks video, says it’s fake. Politicians hide fortunes in real estate, hospitality sectors. Obasanjo, Amosun to unveil ethanol plant today. EPL: Aston Villa 4-3 West Brom, Chelsea 0-0 West Ham, Man City 5-1 Tottenham. CHAN2014 10-man Ghana shocked Nigeria 4-1 on penalties to join Libya in the Final.

FCMB workers arraigned for stealing N13.5m from bullion van

Two workers with the First City Monument Bank Plc,  Adeyemi Adebayo,  32, and Ogundare Julius, 46, have been arraigned before an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s court for allegedly stealing €50,000 belonging to the bank.

The men were asked to transport the money in a bullion van from the bank’s headquarters at Marina,  Lagos, to a branch of FCMB at Adetokunbo Ademola, Lagos Island.

Adebayo, the cash transit officer, allegedly connived with Julius,  the bullion driver, to divert the money to an agreed place.

The matter was said to have been reported at the police station when the bank officers at the receiving branch did not see the funds.

They were subsequently arrested and arraigned on Tuesday on four counts of conspiracy and stealing.

The charges reads in part, “That you, Adeyemi Adebayo and Ogundare Julius, on December 31, 2013, at First City Monument Bank Plc Headquarters,  Marina,  Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District did conspire between yourselves to commit felony to wit: Stealing.

“That you being the cash transit officer and bullion driver respectively to First City Monument Bank Plc,  Marina in the aforesaid magisterial district, did steal the sum of €50,000, property of FCMB.”

The police prosecutor, Inspector George Nwosu, who stood in for the resident prosecutor, ASP Etim Ekankuk, said the offences were punishable under sections 409, 18, 72, 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2011.

The defendants said they were not guilty and elected summary trial.

The defence counsel, Ola Ogunbiyi and Lekan Ayinla, asked for the defendants bail in liberal terms.

The magistrate, Mrs Demi Ajayi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N1m each with two sureties in like sum.

“The sureties must be at least 40 years, gainfully employed and resident in Lagos. One of the sureties must be a blood relation of the defendants with evidence of tax payment and affidavit of means.  The address and means of livelihood of the sureties must also be verified,” she added.

The matter was adjourned till February 19, 2014 for mention.

From Our News Desk 29th January 2014

UPDATES: Copyrights Infringement: Court Orders INEC To Pay N17.2bn Damages To Firm. Sokoto Conducts Mass Wedding For 125 Couples. Adamawa Shut Down By Presidential Visit, Journalists Molested. Give Us Automatic Tickets, Reps Tell New PDP Chair. FG Designates Akure Airport As Perishable, Non-Perishable Cargo Airport. Boko Haram: Kogi Varsity Lecturer, Others For Arraignment Feb 3. Benue Youths Protest Frequent Fulani Herdsmen Attacks. 10,000 Scramble For 60 Jobs In Kogi. Commissioners: Gov Ahmed Forwards 16 Nominees To State Assembly. INEC Timetable: Frenzy Activities In Ekiti, Osun. APC To Jonathan: Remove CP Mbu From Rivers Now. Borno, Adamawa Attacks: Death Toll Rises To 138. States Abandon N48bn UBE Funds. Jonathan Heads To Addis Ababa For AU Summit Wednesday. Patience Jonathan Congratulates Archbishop Onaiyekan At 70. Police Disrupt Anti-Corruption Rally In Abuja. UBA Boosts Power Sector Privatisation With $700m Facility. B’Haram militants cut church members’ throats – Bishop. All PDP aspirants must go through primaries –Mu’azu. New service chiefs’ll curtail B’Haram excesses – Jonathan. EFCC charges Cross Country boss with stealing N82.85m. SSS releases el-Rufai on bail. Ajudua’s 10-year-old fraud case to start afresh. Nigeria imports 1,500 armoured vehicles yearly – Proforce boss. CBN to withdraw N1tn from banks Feb 4. Seven power plants down as electricity supply worsens. Bus somersaults on Third Mainland Bridge, injures 12. CBN To Shift Reserves Into Yuan From Dollars.  EPL: Arsenal 2-2 S/Hampton, Man Utd 2-0 Cardiff, Liverpool 4-0 Everton.

Photos: Bus burns on Third Mainland bridge

A 14-seater bus is reported to have gone up in flames at Iyana Oworosoki. This accident has caused a standstill on the ever busy bridge. Unconfirmed reports say one person died. Another pic after the cut

FBN Holdings unveils new logo, counts down to 120th anniversary

FBN Holdings PLC, Nigeria’s largest financial services group, today unveiled a refreshed corporate identity for the entire group, including all its subsidiaries. Designed to reflect the company’s strategic direction and position it to meet the future needs of the market, the refreshed identity will be rolled out across the Group’s operations, including First Bank of Nigeria Limited. The announcement also marked the countdown to the celebration of another milestone in the history of FBN Holdings, the 120th anniversary celebrations. Founded in 1894 as The Bank for British West Africa, FBN Group’s FirstBank was the very first banking institution to be established in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the CEO, FBN Holdings, Bello Maccido, said; “Today’s announcement of the refreshed FBN Group’s identity is an important milestone and the culmination of much hard work. We are committed to building a financial institution that consistently supports growth and that celebrates and showcases the unique characteristics of the diverse nations on our continent. We believe that our continued success will be built on the principle that we will add value nationally, regionally and at continental level. Our customers have always come first and each and every change that we implement as a group is designed to ensure that continues.”

Also speaking, the Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Folake Ani-Mumuney enthused; “the refreshed identity embodies our internal values and the direction we are headed in as a group, like the iconic elephant, which signifies strength and resilience, two of the greatest traits to have as an individual, as an institution and as a nation. Since launching in 1894, the FBN brand has established itself as a brand of strength and dynamism, with the vision to be the leading international financial services group in Sub Saharan Africa. Our brand is at the heart of the holistic experience we seek to deliver to our stakeholders, an essential part of retaining patronage and the competitive edge that keeps us at the coveted position of market leader. Refreshing the FBN Group brand is a major milestone in a wider strategic plan to ensure that the group is more efficient and effective in delivering on the needs of its customers. Our approach places the highest priority on the needs of our customers.”

From Our News Desk-28th January 2014

UPDATES: Alleged N10m Bribe: Kaduna Assembly Member Apologises To Colleagues. Gov Ahmed Approves Appointment Of 500 Workers. 2015: North-Central Stakeholders Back Atiku’s Defection To APC. Kidnappers Abduct Kogi LG Chairman’s Wife, Child. NSCDC Official Faces Dismissal Over Attack On Journalist. Amaechi, Ikimi Lead Peace Committee On Bayelsa APC Crises. 2015: APGA Will Support Jonathan – Umeh. Money Laundering: Fani-Kayode Refuses To Take Plea. Blockage Of Bills Will Check Belligerent Executive – Fashola. Explain Depleting Foreign Reserve – TUC Tells Finance Minister. Nigeria’s Telecoms Sector Has Potential For Massive Growth –Report. Forgery: Court Clears Ministerial Nominee, Boni Haruna. We’re Responsible For Agip Tug Boat Attack, Kidnapping Of Engineer, Captain –MEND. Defection: Court Directs PDP To Serve G-5 Govs With Hearing Notice. B’Haram kills 74 in church, village. Drama As el-Rufai Storms SSS Headquarters. Ogun Police Arrest 70 Suspects, Recover 38 Bags of Hemp. INEC releases timetable for Ekiti, Osun gov polls. APC senators ignore party directive, screen service chiefs. Ministers with political ambitions should resign – President. N’Assembly: PDP, LP, others unite to confront APC. Paraded defectors not our members – Kaduna APC. N220bn debt, import allocation delay threaten fuel supply. Power: Nigeria loses 2,994MW to gas shortage, faults. EU gives FG N4.2bn for investment climate reforms. Patent row: Samsung to pay Ericsson $650m, royalties. Eagles Arrive Bloemfontein, Start Training For Ghana. Imo govt deports 84 Boko Haram suspects to Katsina.

Giant Python Snake Killed By Residents Of Riverside Community In Lagos [SEE PHOTOS]

Some male residents of a Lagos community yesterday made a startling discovery in one of the rivers in the area. The young men found an enormous python-like snake in the Majidun River in the Ikorodu area of the state. They managed to kill it and they put it on display at a roadside with the intent of selling it for a price of N50,000.

See another photo below...

From Our News Desk - 27th January 2014

UPDATES: Ogun Police Arrest 70 Suspects, Recover 38 Bags of Hemp. Gov Jang’s Aide Escapes Assassination Attempt. NIMASA Commences Construction Of Maritime Institute In IBB Varsity. PHCN Severance Pay: BPE Proceeds To Settle Residual Issues. Gaddafi’s Sex Chamber Uncovered In Libya. 2015 Elections: Police Train 60,000 Officers. Again, Reps Advocate Merger Of NSCDC, NEMA, Fire Service. Delta LG Poll: DSIEC To Spend N4.3bn On LG Polls. Tukur’s Reign Of Impunity Diminished PDP, Nigeria’s Image — Gov. Lamido. FCTA Offers Investors 15,000 Hectares Of Land For Agric. Blockage Of Executive Bills: APC Slams Critics, Says Directive Yielding Results. Police Arrest 320 Boko Haram Suspects In Rivers. El-Rufai Surrenders To SSS Today. Mu’azu, Obasanjo In Secret Meeting. Nexim Bank Rated Best Performing African Development Finance Institution. Hoodlums vandalise buildings, 50 cars in Lagos. 17 PDP senators’ll defect to APC this week –Saraki. APC holds national convention April 26. 2014: Fayemi to re-contest, names campaign team. Eagles get $100,000 to beat Ghana. CBN moves to prevent naira’s further fall …removes $250,000 weekly sales limit on BDC. Manchester City were drawn at home to Chelsea & Arsenal will host Liverpool in the 5th round of the FACup.

Family of Kim Jong-Un's executed uncle are 'dragged out of their homes and shot' as North Korean dictator's purge continues By Lizzie Parry

Children, brothers and grandchildren of Jang Song-Thaek said to be dead
South Korean news agency reporting 'purge of entire family'
Executions mean 'no traces of Kim Jong-Un's uncle will be left'
The direct relatives of the executed uncle of Kim Jong-Un have been put to death upon the orders of the North Korean leader, it has been reported.

Jang Song-Thaek's children, brothers and grandchildren have been condemned to death, according to media reports in South Korea.

Jang, 67, was executed last month, after being accused of plotting to overthrow the communist regime.

Since Kim Jong-Un came to power in April 2012 he has shown himself to be a brutal tyrant, having executed or demoted a long list of people he has deemed a threat.

According to newspaper Chosun Ilbo, Ri Yong-ho, Kim Yong-chun, U Tong-chuk, and Kim Jong-gak, all part of his father Kim Jong-il's inner circle, were handpicked to groom the 31-year-old leader, but have since disappeared or been demoted.

As well as his uncle, Jang Song-Thaek, other high-ranking members of the military have been purged, including three defence ministers and three chiefs of the army's general staff.

In August last year, members of a female musical group, Unhasu Orchestra — which included his ex-girlfriend — were reportedly publicly machine-gunned apparently for watching pornography and filming themselves naked.

There are said to have been between 40 to 80 public mass executions in North Korea in 2013.

Sources told the Yonhap News Agency it is unclear exactly when the family members were killed, but they are believed to have been put to death after Jang's execution on December 12.

'Some relatives were shot to death by pistol in front of other people if they resisted while being dragged out of their apartment homes,' a source told Yonhap.

Among those allegedly executed were Jang's sister Jang Kye-Sun, her husband and Ambassador to Cuba Jon Yong-Jin and Jang's nephew and Ambassador to Malaysia Jang Yong-Chol, as well as his two sons.

The children and grandchildren of Jang's two brothers are also said to have been killed.

One source told the news agency, which is publicly funded and has close links to the South Korean government: 'All relatives of Jang have been put to death, including even children.'

Another source said: 'The executions of Jang's relatives mean that no traces of him should be left.

'The purge of the Jang Song-thaek people is under way on an extensive scale from relatives and low-level officials.'

The family were recalled to the Pyongyang area of the country by Ministry of State troops in early December before being killed, sources said.

Wife who gave husband her kidney wants it back after he dumped her

A loving wife who saved her husband's life by giving him one of her kidneys now wants it back after he dumped her.
Andy Lamb was dying of renal kidney failure and was only being kept alive by weekly sessions of dialysis until his wife Samantha persuaded him to take one hers

The 41-year-old mother-of-one who got married to him in 2007 told theSunday People:
'He needed a new kidney or he would die.He was on dialysis three times a week. I told Andy he should go through with it. He had children from an earlier relationship and he wanted to be there for them.'
Samantha believes he was having an affair with her friend Clare who she confronted and which Andy denies.Samantha gave her husband one more chance but claims she later discovered he was having sex chats online with women.

Andy finally left his wife in August 2012.

While she was working a night shift at Tesco he moved his stuff out of their home including the TV and stereo before posting the keys through the letter box without a note or letter, she claims.

Samantha said:
'I would definitely go through the operation again - but I wouldn't give the kidney to him.I hate him. If I could I'd take it back and give it to someone else.'
Andy still denies having an affair with Samantha's friend but admits walking out on her.
He said:
'I never wanted her to donate her kidney because it was a big risk. But she insisted and I'll always owe her my life'.
At the time of the operation Andy said:
'Sam's doing all this for me and I'll never get over that. She is just amazing and fantastic.I could never put into words how I feel about this. If this happens she will have given me the gift of life.'Dailymail UK

Juan Mata completes record £37.1m Manchester United move

The Spain international missed first-team training with the west London outfit on Wednesday as he closed in on the club-record move to the reigning Premier League champions in a deal worth £37.1 million.

Jose Mourinho has already moved to secure a replacement for the Spaniard, as the Blues gazumped Liverpool to agree a fee with Basel for Mohamed Salah, a transfer which could cost up to £15m.

Speaking about the deal, Mata said he was delighted to have joined the reigning Premier League champions, describing Old Trafford as the "perfect place for me".

"I am thrilled to be joining United. I have enjoyed some very happy years at Chelsea but the time has come for a new challenge," he told the club's official website.

"United is the perfect place for me and I am excited at the chance I have to be part of the next phase in the club's history.

"Chelsea is a top club and I have many friends there but you cannot turn down the chance to join Manchester United. I look forward to helping the manager and the team be successful in the coming years."

David Moyes, meanwhile, confirmed that Mata will make his United debut against Cardiff on Tuesday at Old Trafford.

"I have been impressed with the excitement he has shown to be part of the new Manchester United," he added.

"I know our fans have admired Juan for some time now – he has always played well against us – and I know they will be delighted to see him in the red of United, starting on Tuesday.

"Juan is one of the finest playmakers in the game today and it's a real pleasure to have secured his signature," he added.

"He's been instrumental in Chelsea's recent success, with a notable 28 assists and 32 goals in his last two Premier League seasons."

Mata, twice named Chelsea's Player of the Season, struggled for regular football under Mourinho, with the Portuguese recently admitting his "door was open" should the playmaker seek an exit.

And United have jumped at the opportunity to bring the 25-year-old to Old Trafford, with David Moyes keen to boost his midfield options and strengthen the club's bid to claim Champions League qualification after the disappointment of crashing out of the Capital One Cup.

Wawrinka stuns Nadal to win Australian Open tennis final

Eighth seed Stanislas Wawrinka has taken his first Grand Slam title, winning the 2014 Australian Open in an upset over injury-troubled world number one Rafael Nadal. The victory was a long time coming for the Swiss star.

Top seed Nadal entered his 19th Grand Slam final appearing to be affected by a back injury, as Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka took a shock two-set lead in Sunday's Australian Open final, at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Losing the first set 6-3 to eighth-seed Wawrinka, Nadal winced and clutched his back during the third game of the second set, requiring repeated treatment.

He went off the court for a medical timeout at 2-1 down, receiving further treatment on court at 4-1 down, and after losing the second set 6-2 with an ace from Wawrinka.

The Spaniard staved off his injury and dug deep in the third set, saving two break points before holding serve with a barrage of forehands, taking the set 6-3.

Wawrinka then captured a break in the fourth set, surrendered it, and then recovered to serve for the match, winning the final set 6-3 with an imperious forehand rocketing down the line. The final championship scores were 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

It was Wawrinka's first win over Nadal in 13 meetings, and the second in a series of dramatic career reversals after having knocked out Novak Djokovic in the quarter finals, following a loss of 14 consecutive matches to the Serb.

The 28-year-old, now the top Swiss after Nadal beat Roger Federer in the semi-finals, will stand third behind Nadal and Djokovic in Monday's ATP ranking.

"In one year, a lot has happened"

A relieved Wawrinka, who won the title on what was Australia's annual national holiday, paid tribute to his opponent at the trophy ceremony.

"I'm really sorry for Rafa, I hope your back will be fine. It's always a pleasure to play you.

"Last year I had a crazy match here [which he lost in five sets to Djokovic]. I lost it and I was crying a lot after it. In one year, a lot has happened," Wawrinka said.

"I don't know if I'm dreaming or not, I'll know tomorrow morning I guess. This is just an amazing grand slam to play," he added.

Nadal, the tournament's 2009 champion, shed tears at the ceremony.

"First thing I want to say is thanks to Stan, we have a great relationship and you really deserve it today, so many congratulations and all the best.

CHAN 2014 Semi-Final: Ghana - Nigeria On Wednesday

Ghana defeated DR Congo 1-0 in the final African Nations Championship quarter-final on Sunday, setting up a West African derby against rivals Nigeria in the last-four.

A 67th minute penalty was enough to see Ghana through, Kwabina Adusei slotting his place kick comfortably past the Congolese keeper.

Congo had a few half chances to pull it back, but never really looked like equalising.

On 83 minutes Ghanaian striker Mohammed Yahaya should have put it beyond doubt. Clear through on goal he shot the ball directly into the keeper's body.

At the end of the day the extra goal was not needed. Ghana won 1-0.

Ghana's victory ends the quarter-finals, which also saw Zimbabwe, Libya and Nigeria go through.

Earlier in the evening Libya defeated Gabon on penalties in a hard fought quarter-final that finished 1-1 after extra-time. They will now face Zimbabwe.

I can’t stop calling my husband Brother Mike –Gloria Bamiloye

Film producer, Mike Bamiloye of Mount Zion Film Productions and his wife, Gloria, talk about their 25-year-old marriage

How did you meet?

Mike: We met in 1983 after I graduated from the College of Education in Ilesha. I saw her during one of my visits to the campus Christian fellowship drama group.

What was the attraction?

Mike: The Lord is the attraction. I knew it was the will of God. We didn’t just start talking because of marriage. We were already working together in the Christian fellowship. I was the drama director and she was a member of the fellowship.

Gloria: He was very humble and simple. Nothing really attracted me more than the fact that he loved and had the fear of God in him.

Did you have a difficult time wooing her?

Mike: It is a normal thing for any Christian that has the spirit of God in her to pray first in a situation like that. She said she had to seek God’s face and I agreed because that was the normal thing. After some time she knew it was God’s will and told me. We were working together in the ministry till we got married in 1988. We started the ministry in 1985 with a few brethren. We had been working before then in the Christian fellowship.

Were you dating someone else?

Mike: It wasn’t common in our time.  As a child of God and a leader in the ministry, I was not dating anyone. Although I prayed about some other people at that time, but there was nothing like dating. I never even knew the meaning of that word at that time.

Gloria: I was young and people were coming but I wasn’t ready for such a thing. I wasn’t led to give myself to something like that. I had prayed over someone like that who wanted to marry me, but I felt convinced not to go for him. He was a child of God also, he still is, but I was certain that he wasn’t the will of God for me.

Were there oppositions from both families?

Mike: Yes there were. The oppositions were based on the fact that I was involved only in the drama ministry, although I taught in a school briefly.  My parents were opposed to the fact that I wanted to marry even though I was not working.  Her parents saw that we didn’t have tangible jobs. But we believed that we were working. We were doing the work of God. But the opposition didn’t last for long. They all reasoned with us, when we were about to get married.

How did you propose to her?

Mike: I just told her that the Lord led me to speak to her. I prayed about it first.  She said she would pray about it.  There was no kneeling down or giving of flowers.

Gloria: He asked me to marry him,  I told him I didn’t know whether to say yes or no. I said I had to pray about it. He agreed.

Were you interested in him before then?

Gloria: I didn’t have that in mind then. I was young and had a lot on my mind.  I wasn’t ready for a thing like that. Later on I prayed and became convinced that he was the will of God for my life.

How did you adjust to married life?

Gloria: It was a spiritual thing. We acknowledged God as the centre of the marriage and we had deeper love for each other. We had grace from God to understand each other and live together.

Mike: It is very natural with everyone once you get married. We knew we came from different backgrounds so we had to adjust. In our case it was easy. It was the Lord that brought us together. Every marriage usually has a rough beginning. So it was God’s grace that helped us to adjust. We were so much pre-occupied with the work of the ministry. We got married one Saturday, and the next Saturday we were on a drama ministration in Ilesha.

That means there was no honey moon…

Mike: No there was no honey moon. We did not even have money to go for any honey moon.

What challenges have you encountered in your marriage?

Mike: Every marriage has challenges. But the difference is the presence of God. We had challenges when we were raising children, even in our personal lives too. We were involved full time in the drama ministry then. It was so rough, there was no full time employment, and we had members. But God helped us. And today, it’s more than 25 years.

How did you run the home since both of you were doing the same job?

Mike:  Initially, we went from church to church for ministrations. At a time, she had to stay at home with the children while I travelled with the brethren as far as Zaria, Jos, and Kaduna. As time went on, her grandmother came and helped take care of the children.

Gloria: We were doing the job before we got married; it’s part of my life. When I was having children at the initial stage, I stayed at home, especially when I was pregnant. But now, I am able to balance my time properly. Our work is entertaining and evangelistic as well.

How would you describe each other?

Mike: She is a woman of faith and prayer, with great understanding. She is hardworking and relates with people better than I do. She is sociable.

Gloria: He is a man of God. He likes to do the right things, and he loves God. He is always ready to say sorry. He doesn’t like to hurt people’s feelings.  He has his ego as a man, but he is very humble.

How would you describe your marriage so far?

Mike: Our marriage has produced great ministers. Our children also are in the ministry, my first son is a drama producer and director of Christian movies also, my second son is into music and our third child is studying English in the university. She is a scriptwriter. The marriage has been fantastic. It has been very good. It has been highly productive and successful, and has given birth to many fruits.

Gloria: It has been very wonderful and beautiful, because we got it right from the initial stage. I thank God because I have been enjoying the benefits. That is why I advice singles to seek God’s face and pray for the right person.

How do you settle differences?

Mike:  Once in a while there has been disagreement in principles, but we always come together to agree. When there is a disagreement, one party approaches the other, depending on whoever see reasons first. There is always an agreement when there is a disagreement. We work together and sometimes we disagree during film productions but at the end of the day, we still have to reach an agreement.

Gloria: We are children of God, and we cannot sleep without forgiving each other. I do not want to miss rapture. We are able to cope because we fear God. The fear of God has sustained our marriage.

Do you pay your wife to appear in your movies?

Mike: I do not pay people. In drama ministry, we don’t pay. We give honorarium to the cast as the Lord provides. We only pay the crew and hired hands. We work together, so I don’t pay her.

Do you operate a joint account?

Mike: We use the same back account and we are both signatories to it. It is the major family account. But we still have separate bank accounts.

How do you spend time together as a couple?

Mike: The ministry takes us around, so we travel together, spend time together and we go out together. We also spend time together with the children

Gloria: We travel together, and we always have time for each other.

What common hobbies do you share?

Mike: We both like to sing and pray.

What pet names do you call each other?

Mike: She calls me Brother Mike. She calls me that because that was what she used to call me when we were in the fellowship before we got married. Even the children call me Brother Mike sometimes. Other ministers get surprised when she calls me Brother Mike. I call her Mummy Daniel.

Gloria: I have tried sometimes to stop calling him Brother Mike, but I couldn’t.

Gaddafi's sex chamber where he raped girls and boys uncovered

Two years after the death of Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, a chamber where he raped girls and boys as young as 14 years old has been discovered. Read the incredibly sad story below...
The full horror of his brutality has been slow to emerge, with many Libyans still fearing retaliation by those who continue to be loyal to their late leader. But it can now be revealed that the most heartbreaking of Gaddafi’s victims include hundreds, possibly thousands of teenage girls who, throughout his 42-year reign, were beaten, raped and forced to become his sex slaves.
Many were virgins kidnapped from schools and universities and kept prisoner for years in a specially designed secret sex lair hidden within Tripoli University or his many palaces. In the 26 months since he was deposed, Gaddafi’s den – where he regularly raped girls as young as 14 – has remained locked. But today its gaudy interior, where the colonel brutalised his victims, can be seen for the first time in photographs from a hard-hitting BBC4 documentary.
Inside the small, nondescript single-storey complex, the girls were forced to watch pornography to ‘educate’ them for their degrading treatment at the hands of Gaddafi. And even those who did manage to escape were often shunned by their deeply religious Muslim families who believed their family honour had been tainted.

When the dictator’s body was dragged through the streets by a baying mob, just hours after he was beaten and shot in the head, the hastily convened transitional government moved swiftly to seal off the sex dungeon. They feared the full extent of Gaddafi’s debased and lewd lifestyle would horrify the Western world and cause deep embarrassment to Libya.

One of the rooms holds little more than a double bed, lit by an orange lamp. Its 1970s decor and grimy Jacuzzi – all left exactly as they were when Gaddafi last used it – give it a seedy and gloomy air. But even more chilling is the clinical gynaecological suite in an adjoining room. It was here, on two beds fitted with stirrups behind a table laden with surgical instruments, that Gaddafi’s young victims were examined to ensure they had no sexually transmittable diseases. And here they were forced to undergo abortions if they became pregnant.
They, however, were the lucky ones. Other young victims were so badly abused that they were dumped in car parks and on waste ground, and left to die.Gaddafi’s modus operandi was to tour schools and universities where female students were invited to his lectures.

As he spoke before his hushed audience, he would silently scan the room seeking out attractive girls. Before leaving he would pat those he had ‘selected’ on the head.
Within hours his private bodyguards would round up those chosen and kidnap them. If their families tried to keep them from Gaddafi’s clutches, they were gunned down.

One teacher at a Tripoli school recalled how the girls were all very young. ‘Some were only 14,’ she said. ‘They would simply take the girl they wanted. They had no conscience, no morals, not an iota of mercy even though she was a mere child.’

One mother, whose daughter was a student, said the community around Tripoli University lived in fear when a visit from the colonel was announced. ‘The girls he wanted would be rounded up and sent to him,’ she said.
‘One just disappeared and they never found her again, despite her father and brothers searching for her. Another was found three months later, cut, raped and lying in the middle of a park. She had been left for dead.’

Even today, the Libyan people are afraid to speak openly about Gaddafi’s depravity, fearing reprisals from his former henchmen.

But one woman – who was repeatedly raped by the despot over seven years from the age of 15 – has anonymously spoken of how he terrorised and abused her. She had been chosen to present the colonel with a bouquet when he toured her school in his home town of Sirte on the Mediterranean coast, 350 miles east of Tripoli.

When he patted her head afterwards, in an apparently paternal gesture,  she thought she had pleased the man she and her fellow Libyans were forced to call ‘the Guide’.

The next day three woman dressed in military uniform arrived telling  her parents she was needed to present more flowers. Instead, she was driven at high speed to Gaddafi’s lair. Once there, he barked at his women soldiers: ‘Get her ready.’

The girl was stripped, given a blood test and shaved of all  but her pubic hair. She was dressed in a G-string, forced into a low-cut gown and had thick make-up plastered on her face. When she was shoved into Gaddafi’s room, to her horror he was lying naked on the bed. When she tried to run out, the women soldiers grabbed her and flung her back on the bed.

She was raped repeatedly during the seven years she was held captive, eventually escaping when a door was accidentally left unlocked.

Fuelled by cocaine and alcohol – and often Viagra – Gaddafi abused her horribly. ‘I will never forget that first time, that moment,’ she says. ‘He  violated my body and pierced my  soul with a dagger. That blade will never come out.’

It took the documentary-makers months of negotiations to be allowed access to information on Gaddafi as Libya remains secretive and hide-bound by bureaucracy.

But they also established that Gaddafi set up a ‘murder for hire’ team run from Havana to rid him of enemies around the world. In a secret interview from Cuba, former CIA agent Frank Terpil said: ‘I would say [it was] Murder Incorporated .  .  . murder for hire. Gaddafi thought that anybody who was a dissident, they [should be] eliminated, he had contracts out on a bunch of people in London.’
He often stored the bodies of those killed in Libya in freezers so that he could regularly view them.

If Gaddafi was power-crazed, he was also paranoid. A Brazilian plastic surgeon found himself escorted deep inside a bunker in Tripoli in the middle of the night in order to remove  fat from Gaddafi’s belly and inject it into his increasingly wrinkled face.

Despite the pain, Gaddafi refused a general anaesthetic, fearing he might be poisoned – and because he wished to remain alert.

Halfway through the operation, he stopped to have a hamburger.
He also created an elite squad of bodyguards – all female – whom he used for sex and forced to watch multiple barbaric executions.

For decades Gaddafi surrounded himself with these beautiful young women. Dressed in close-fitting military uniforms, with manicured nails and perfectly coiffed hair, they exuded glamour while toting guns.
But they were little more than disposable prostitutes used and abused by Gaddafi and his family.

Known as ‘the Haris al-Has’ – the private female guards – almost  all were coerced into joining his cadre. One of them, who admits she had ‘once adored him’, recalled the horrific treatment they had to endure. ‘Early one morning, at 2am, we were taken to a closed hall,’ she said. ‘We were to witness the murder of 17 students. We were not allowed to scream. We were made to cheer and shout. To act as though delighted by this display. Inside I was crying. They shot them all, one by one.’

According to Benghazi-based psychologist Seham Sergewa, who interviewed scores of the girls for the International Criminal Court, there were about 400 members of the elite squad over the years.

‘A pattern emerged in their stories,’ she explains. ‘The women would first be raped by the dictator then passed on, like used objects, to one of his sons and eventually to high- ranking officials for more abuse.

‘In one case a girl of 18 said she was raped in front of her father. She kept begging her distraught father to look away. Many of the victims say they contemplated suicide many times. Doubtless there were some who took their own lives.’

It has also emerged that teams of boys were sent to Gaddafi’s sex den, where they too were abused. Former chief of protocol Nuri Al Mismari, who was at Gaddafi’s side for 40 years, adds: ‘He was terribly sexually deviant. Young boys and so on. He had his own boys. They used to be called the “services group”. All of them were boys and bodyguards .  .  . a harem for his pleasure.’ One of the few Libyans who was prepared to be named and talk about the horrors Gaddafi inflicted on his people was Baha Kikhia, the widow of Libya’s former foreign minister with whom Gaddafi had a frosty relationship.

When her husband vanished one evening, she confronted Gaddafi about his whereabouts. The colonel insisted he was being kept alive but, to Baha’s horror, his body was one of many found in freezers after the regime fell.

‘He liked to keep his victims in the refrigerators to look at them now and again,’ she says haltingly. ‘He would visit his victims.
‘It was as though they were some sort of macabre souvenirs. Something that he could look at and touch to remind himself of his omnipotence. Some had been there as long as 25 years.’

Source: Daily Mail UK

No big deal in WAEC exams — 9-year-old candidate

Nine-year-old Anjolaoluwa Botoku, who passed English and French at credit levels in the 2013 November/December West African Examination Council exams, talks about her aspirations in this interview with TOBI AWORINDE

 Why did you decide to enrol for the examinations?

It all started when my brothers were studying for an exam and they were so serious about it. I asked them, “Why are you so serious?”  They told me that the exam was hard, so they had to study well for it. I then told them that there was no big deal in sitting for an exam. I later checked their books and discovered that what they were reading was not really tough.  I told them and they said I was claiming to know everything. That challenged me to register for the exams. I wanted to prove to them that I was not boasting.

How old are your brothers?

The first is Babajide. He is studying telecommunications engineering in a private university. He is in part three. The other one, Olujuyin, is in the same school with me. He is 14 years old and in Senior Secondary School II.

Did you tell any other person of your intention to sit for the examination?    

No. I didn’t tell any other person.  I only told my parents.

Why didn’t you tell anyone else?

I felt that if I failed the examination, those I had told would make fun of me. That was why I decided to keep it as a secret between my parents and myself.

Can you remember the subjects you registered for?

I remember I registered for seven subjects: Mathematics, English, French, Food and Nutrition, Yoruba and Christian Religious Knowledge… I can’t remember the last one.

Why did you sit for only English and French?  

I sat for only English and French because by the time I made up my mind on other subjects, registration was closing.  There were also no teachers to teach me. My parents were the only ones available to assist me.

Have you ever considered skipping classes to a higher one?

I have never thought of that. I think if I do that, I wouldn’t be mature enough to face challenges in the upper classes. Also, there is no way I can learn things taught in the classes I skipped.

What do your parents think of you moving to a higher class?

My parents think the same thing. They think I won’t be well prepared for a higher class if I skip classes. Also, I don’t think I would be able to cope.

How do they encourage you to study?

They always advise me to have a positive attitude and to do the right thing at the right time. They also often tell me to go for whatever I want and I shouldn’t let anything or anybody stop me from doing what I want to do.

What are your hobbies?

I like swimming, dancing, singing and reading.

What do you want to be in future?

I want to be a medical doctor.

Why do you want to become a doctor?

I want to save sick people’s lives. Doctors are well respected in any society. They are also intelligent people. It is a profession for bold and intelligent people.

What are your favourite subjects?

My favourite subjects are Mathematics, Science, Art, English and French. I like Science a lot.

How often do you watch television?

I don’t watch too much television. Although I like watching educational programmes, I like watching movies.

What kind of books do you read?              

I like to read science encyclopaedias and French books.

How long does it take you to read a book?

It depends on the book. But if I can’t finish a book, I fold the page where I have stopped to continue the following day.

What book did you read last?

The last book I read is The Seven Wizards and Other Stories. I really can’t remember the name of the author.

Who is your favourite author?

My favourite author is Charles Dickens.

Are you involved in any activity in school?        

I am a member of my school’s French Club.

Have you ever won any academic award?

Yes, I won the Spelling Bee competition when I was in Grade 2. I have won it every year since.

How often do you study? 

There is no particular time for me to study. I study anytime.

Do your parents have a study time-table for you?

No, they don’t. They allow me study whenever I like.

Who are your role models?

I once read about a girl named Alia Sabur. She sat for her secondary school examinations when she was just 10 years old. She graduated at 14. She later became the youngest professor ever at 18 years of age. She is my role model.

What is your advice to pupils?

I want them to stay focused and be serious with their education. They should cultivate a good reading habit. I also want the government to build libraries and install Internet facilities in them, to encourage pupils who don’t have access to the Internet and to places where they can read. Pupils need to learn in a good environment. I also want to see more children committed to education. There should be a positive attitude towards education. They must be encouraged to acquire new skills and knowledge and be hard working. They need a good attitude to be successful in life. But also, government needs to play a big role in installing Wi-Fi and constructing libraries around schools in Lagos State and other parts of the country.

17 PDP senators to formally defect to APC

No fewer than 17 senators of the Peoples Democratic Party will this week defect to the All Progressives Congress,  Chairman Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Dr. Bukola Saraki has said.

In an interview with journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Sunday, Saraki stated that the concerned senators had already consulted with their senatorial districts.

He added that they had signed the letter and perfected all other strategies for their defection.

This move is in spite of the overtures made to them and the reconciliatory efforts of the PDP and its new Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.

“We are going to formally defect. Before we started we were already 19 senators. Then Jigawa pulled out.  We have about 17 senators that will defect from PDP to APC.  The letter has been signed.

“I have signed my own. Others have signed theirs. So it is not a matter of probability. It must  be and not a matter of months or weeks but a matter of days,” he said

Two brothers die of thunderbolt 'magun' after sleeping with uncles

DETECTIVES of the Oyo State Police Command are battling to unravel the mystery behind the death of two brothers one after the other and an attack on their uncle accused of killing them with a deadly anti-adultery charm, magun, laced in the bossom of his wife and that of his brother’s.

The uncle is lying critically ill in a hospital in Ibadan after irate youths attacked him following the death of the second man.

The incident happened at Jagun community near Iyana Ofa, Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, a serene settlement where people whose lifestyles are closer to nature dwell. Residents are mostly farmers while others engage in one trade or the other. The youth among them are artisans.

The serenity was, however, broken towards the end of 2013 when two blood brothers, Kunmi and Adeniyi Adetokun, died, one after the other, within three days, allegedly of a local charm used to punish adulterous men, commonly referred to as magun in Yoruba.

This literally translates ‘don’t climb’ in English. But the two brothers climbed the metaphorical mountains that were too high for them. And they somersaulted down the hills, breaking their necks in the process. The occurrence, however, sparked off anger among the youth of the community, resulting in them setting ablaze the residence of the Balogun of the community, Chief Segun Oyetade, the deceased’s uncle, as he was suspected to have been responsible for the duo’s death. They also attacked him with weapons but was only saved when the youth got a hint that policemen were approaching.

The scene opened on Monday, December 2, 2013 when Kunmi reportedly died after having sex with a woman allegedly laced with magun and who was said to be his aunt-in-law. The woman was said to be his uncle’s wife.

On December 5, three days after Kunmi’s death, his younger brother, Adeniyi, was also reported to have died of unknown ailment which he battled with for a couple of weeks after allegedly sleeping with the wife of Chief Oyetade’s brother, whose name was given simply as Femi.

According to the information gathered by Saturday Tribune, Niyi was the one who fell ill first after he slumped and started vomitting blood. His brother, Kunmi, was reportedly taking care of him at a hospital at Lalupon community.

It was further learnt that Kunmi left Niyi at Lalupon and went to Jagun community where he allegedly had sex with his uncle’s wife. His own illness did not take much time before it consumed him and he died three days after it manifested. Having noticed this, Niyi reportedly opened up that he slept with Femi’s wife, which confirmed the suspicion of the villagers that he must have been hit with the deadly charm.

A member of the community described the type of magun used on Niyi as Olorere which usually takes days or weeks before killing the man who sleeps with the woman laced with such.

After Kunmi’s death, Chief Oyetade was reportedly summoned by the Baale of Jagun community, Chief Isiaka Akinpelu, who asked him about the allegation that he laced his wife with magun. The man denied and the Baale appealed to him to find the antidote so that Niyi could be healed.

The Balogun reportedly came back to the village head to demand for N4,000 which he said was the fee demanded by the herbalist who volunteered to prepare the antidote. Members of the community were said to have contributed the money but before he brought it, Niyi gave up the ghost.

Niyi’s death after his brother’s spurred the community’s anger as Chief Oyetade was also accused of sleeping with the mother of the two brothers, which prompted the question on why he should be angry that someone was having an affair with his wife or his brother’s wife, to the extent that he could aim at killing the brothers.

The anger led to the attack on him while his house was set on fire and his wife and children sent out of the community in the dead of the night.

Chief Isiaka Akinpelu, who was said to have got a hint of the youth’s plan to attack Chief Oyetade, had reportedly gone to Iyana Ofa Police Division to quickly give the information to the police but before they got back to the village, the youth had struck. As they saw the approaching policemen, they were said to have fled in different directions, leaving the injured chief to his fate.

However, Chief Oyetade, during an interview with Saturday Tribune on hospital bed where he was receiving treatment, alleged that it was the Baale who sent the youth to attack him because of a tussle between them over a piece of land.

He denied the allegation that he laced the women with magun, saying that his accusers were only trying to tarnish his image.

“What I only heard was that Niyi was sick, but I didn’t know the kind of ailment because he was living at Lalupon. Later the Baale called me and some elders, saying that my nephew, Femi, laced his wife with magun, which resulted in Niyi’s illness. I didn’t believe the allegation because Niyi had been ill for some weeks and from the story we used to hear about magun, it doesn’t take so long before being felt.

“They went further to say that I was the one who gave Femi the magun which he laced his wife with, accusing me of doing same for my wife, which led to Kunmi’s death. I exclaimed in shock, disclosing that my wife was pregnant and wondering how one would lace a pregnant woman with a charm such as magun.

“It was after this that Chief Akinpelu said he was after the wellness of Niyi, tasking me and the head of Niyi’s family, one Mr Adewale Adekambi, to go and look for the antidote. By then, Niyi was being cared for in Ibadan and it was Ibadan we went to seek the antidote. Unfortunately, Niyi died on Thursday, December 5.

I joined Niyi’s sibling, Seun and his aunt in taking the corpse away from where he died. As we wanted to take him to the cemetery, his brother said we should take him home, unknown to me that it was a trap set for me. As soon as I disembarked from the vehicle, hoodlums descended on me with sticks, pestle and cutlasses. I kept asking them of my offence and when they saw that I did not collapse, one of them struck me with an axe on the head and I fell down.

“A sympathiser called the Baale to inform him of what happened to me but before he came, I was already crawling away. A community member saw me and jeered at me, saying: ‘Where are you going? Your house and property are still going for it.’

He said the disagreement between him and Chief Akinpelu occurred when he sold his own father’s parcel of land and the Baale challenged him by saying that he did not inform him. “He has no business with the land. My brother and I agreed before the land was sold and it belonged to our father,” Chief Oyetade said.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the police detectives, led by the Divisional Police Officer, Iyana Ofa, Mrs Justina Ogunleye, took the victim to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Chief Oyetade’s wife, Rachael, also narrated her ordeal thus: “I was invited by the Baale and he asked me about Kunmi’s death. I told him that I did not know anything about it. I also swore in the presence of the elders seated, asking if anyone of them had ever seen my nakedness. It was when I was raining curses that the Baale asked me to go.

“On Thursday, December 5, my husband travelled to Ibadan and told me he was not coming back. At about 11:00p.m., I heard a knock on my door and when I opened, I saw four men who asked me to leave with my children without picking a pin, threatening that if I delayed, they would burn us with the house.

“I slept in the bush with my children, among who was a two-year-old, and at dawn, we trekked to a town near Ibadan, from where we took a bike to Iyana-Ofa. From there, I boarded a bus to Ibadan. I tried to contact my husband but could not get him. It was later I learnt that he had been attacked.”

When contacted, the police spokesperson in Oyo State, DSP Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor, confirmed the development, disclosing that two of the suspected arsonists and attackers had been arrested. She added that the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa, had ordered that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, for further investigation.