PHOTOS: Meet Cheerful 17-Months-Old Baby Girl Born Without A Nose

Meet an adorable 17-month-old baby, Tessa Evans, who was born with a rare congenital disorder, arhinia, that means the girl does not have a nose.

Arihnia could lead to a partial or complete absence of the nose at birth. It is an extremely rare condition, with few reported cases in the history of modern medicine. Tessa’s parents were notified about their baby’s condition during the 20-week scan which showed an abnormally flat facial profile. However, the next several tests revealed stable development of the healthy fetus. 

While talking to journalist, baby mother, Gráinne Evans, said she had no idea about Tessa’s problem until the girl draw the first breath. She said, "I was so excited to have a natural birth for the first time, but as soon as I saw her face I knew something was wrong. I was in shock and I just froze. The midwife cut the cord before I could even say anything and whisked her away from me. There were alarm bells ringing and I was so frightened I couldn’t stand without fainting."Continue reading

I didn’t have amorous relationship — KWASU best graduating student

For 21-year-old Comfort Folorunsho, her graduation from the Kwara State University, Malete, shall for some time to come remain memorable in her life.

Of course, the Osi, Kwara State, native has every reason to hold this view. She not only bagged a first class degree in agriculture, she also emerged the best graduating student from the university for the 2013/2014 academic session.

With a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.62, she also took home awards as the best graduating student in the Department of Animal Production, Fisheries and Aquaculture; as well as in the College of Agriculture.

She also bagged the prize instituted by the Lubcon Company Limited for overall best student; the Mary Kolawole Prize for Best Female Graduating Student, as well as the university’s Alumni Prize for Excellence.

Sharing the secret of her success, Folorunsho, who also has a good dose of beauty in her, says her good looks attracted many admirers to her. Even at that, she notes, her loveliness did not make her to lose her academic bearing or focus.

She declares, “I lost count of those that wanted to be my lovers. There were many of them. Some of them tried but I ignored their overtures. When you do not go out at odd times and you do what you are supposed to do at the right time, you will not fall into traps.

“I studied for five hours daily, aside lectures. I did not have a lover but I had friends that were boys; not amorous ones. However, I must admit that there were distractions from boys. But when you are determined and you know where you are going and you try as much as possible to keep at bay these side attractions, God will make it possible for you to actualise your desires.”

The fourth child in her family notes that focus, determination, implicit faith in God and His grace were the veritable instruments for her outstanding academic outing in the university.

Beyond the stampede from the men folk, she identifies her fish farming project as the most challenging period of her stay in the university.

Taking measurements in the mornings and evenings during the two months of the exercise, according to her, was her most stressful period on campus.

She adds, “Ever since I came into this school, I dreamt of obtaining a First Class. I tried as much as possible to be diligent in my reading, going to class regularly and doing my assignments. Though I kept on doing this, I must also admit that the routine was both tiring and demanding.”

Folorunsho, who aspires to be a lecturer and an owner of a crop and animal farm, says her father, Fashiko, literally pushed her into agriculture.

She notes, “Ever since I was a little girl, I have developed interest in agriculture because my father is a good farmer. Sometimes, before we went to school, he would take us to the farm to do some work. Of course, then we were not happy with the decision, which we considered tough, but some of us later fell in love with it.

“You plant a crop and it grows. Maybe you planted a little seed and at the end of the day, its yield will be huge. We were also involved in livestock farming I must admit, these aroused my interest in agriculture. So, when I told my family that I wanted to study agriculture, nobody opposed the idea,” she explains.

Stressing the importance of agriculture, she adds, “People run away from it, but it is what humanity depends on. Without agriculture, where are we going to be? The food we eat, our clothing, raw materials and so many other benefits come from agriculture. Agriculture is a very interesting area.”

To boost agriculture in the country, Folorunsho pleads with the government to invest more in the sector and to encourage farmers with loans, improved seedlings and other necessary logistics.

She adds that agriculture is a practical subject, which will not only engage young people but also make them self-reliant and employers of labour.

“It will improve national food security, boost industrialisation and provide more foreign exchange earnings for the country.”

Folorunsho had her post-primary education at the Emmanuel Baptist College, Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State.

Meanwhile, a former diplomat to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Prof. Olabiyi Yai, during the convocation themed, “Orientation: Lost and found”, canvassed greater attention to education.

The diplomat, while seeking more cooperation with the Eastern countries such as India, China, Japan and Malaysia, also decried Nigeria’s import dependency.

“We need good and patriotic leadership before Nigeria can really take off. If not, the country risks missing the 2015 goal deadline.

“Though Nigeria is now the first economy in Africa, I believe it should have been the first economy of Africa 20 years ago. With the country’s material and human/intellectual resources, we should not have been lagging behind for such a long time.

“In the 70s, we were at the same level with Korea. Now Korea is manufacturing cars and we import them. Yet they do not have the resources we have, only that they have manpower/intellect. Six hundred years ago, we were more oriented towards the ancient East,” Yai said.

KWASU’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, on the occasion hailed the attainment of the university so far.

According to him, its College of Engineering and Technology has also excelled in the accreditation conducted by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.

For instance, he noted, the university’s astronautics, computer engineering, agricultural engineering, material science engineering and mechanical engineering had all passed the accreditation.

He added, “KWASU has continued its leadership in entrepreneurship education in Nigeria. The KWASU’s Centre for Ecological and Environmental Research, Management and Studies has been positively projecting KWASU into the limelight for the introduction of allied health courses.

“In addition, the Department of Food, Agriculture and Biological Sciences of the College of Engineering and Technology is undertaking research to produce bio-fortified cassava custard to fight Vitamin A deficiency, hidden hunger and reduce post-harvest losses,” Na’Allah said.

Also, while the Chancellor, Prof. Agboola Gambari, advised the graduands to prove to be worthy ambassadors, the Pro-Chancellor, Shaba Lafiagi, urged Nigerians and corporate organisations to assist the institution to overcome some of its problems.

Lafiagi added that the institution, in identifying its mission of teaching, research and community development, was collaborating with the University of Bahia in Brazil to set up the African Book Project as well as student and staff exchange programme.

He stated that through the Nigerian High Commission in Canada, the University of Alberta, Canada, had established a pact with KWASU’s Centre for Innovation and International Studies.

Lafiagi added, “KWASU has signed a pact with UNESCO through the office of Permanent Representative of Nigeria in UNESCO to establish an African Regional Asian Studies Institute in KWASU for the study of China and Asia.

“Consequently, the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has donated 500 books on Chinese culture and 21st century aspirations; as well as N1m towards the establishment of Chinese Library at the University. The Embassy recently, has promised to donate additional 500 books towards strengthening the Chinese Library at KWASU.”

Messi didn’t deserve Golden Ball— Maradona

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona said compatriot Lionel Messi did not deserve to be named best player of the World Cup, arguing it should have gone to Colombia’s James Rodriguez.

“I’d give Lio the sky, but when it’s not deserved and it’s just marketers who want to make him win something he didn’t win, it’s unfair,” Maradona said Sunday after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Germany 1-0.

“Rodriguez was the best player of the World Cup,” said Maradona on his TV program “De Zurda,” which is broadcast by Venezuelan network Telesur and retransmitted in several Latin American countries.

The 23-year-old Rodriguez was the revelation of the World Cup and the top scorer with six goals.

Messi dazzled in the group stage with four goals, but failed to score in his last four games, including the final.

Maradona said Messi himself did not seem to feel he deserved the trophy.

“It looked like he didn’t want to take it,” he said.

But Maradona praised Argentina and said the match could have gone either way.

“I’m sad about Mario Goetze’s (game-winning) goal,” he said. “But we can’t forget that we took this World Cup step by step. If we had scored (Gonzalo) Higuain’s (disallowed) goal we would be partying. Germany were not dominant.”

Maradona, 53, was Messi’s childhood idol and is his rival for the title of greatest-ever Argentine footballer.

To many fans, the 27-year-old Barcelona striker still needs to add a World Cup win to his resume to match the greatness of Maradona, who led his team to the title in 1986.

Why do people wear tattoo?

Tattoo, according to Wikipedia, is a form of body modification made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment.

The word “tattoo’’ reportedly has two major derivations. The first is from the Polynesian word “ta’’, which means striking something and the Tahitian word “tatau’’, which means marking something.

The tattoo tradition began over 5,000 years ago and the patterns are as diverse as the people who wear tattoos. Tattoos are created by inserting coloured materials beneath the skins surface.

However, there are some reports that the first tattoos were created by accident.

“Someone had a small wound and rubbed it with a hand that was soiled with soap and ashes; when the wound healed, it left a permanent mark on the skin,’’ says one of the reports.

In spite of the growing interest of social scientists in the study of tattoo traditions, there have been scanty historical records of the age-old practice.

All the same, tattoos come in various forms and designs and they have been used as ornaments and religious symbols by humans for thousands of years, with examples found on numerous preserved prehistoric specimens.

Its prevalence notwithstanding, experts insist that modern tattoos are not a cheap tradition, as tattoo artists usually charge good fees for their services.

“Most tattoo artworks are charged by the hour. This is always the case with large pieces which take multiple sessions to finish or anything that requires freehand,’’ says Mike Paul, a London-based artist.

“The hourly rate is, however, determined by factors such as operation costs, artists’ time, type and quality of the design, among other things.

“Some shops charge as little as 50 U.S. dollars (about N8, 000) per hour, while other fees may be as much as $250 (about N40, 000),’’ Paul adds.

However, Mr Ononiwu George, an Abuja-based artist, says that tattoos are permanent body marks which people choose to wear tattoos for various reasons.

“Some people wear tattoo because they want to remember somebody or an event. Others wear it because they want to express themselves artistically.

“Such people want to communicate some messages via the artwork on their bodies; particularly those messages which they may not be able to convey in words.

“However, some people wear tattoo for rebellious purposes; they just want to be different,’’ he adds.

Obi, who is into body arts, including tattoo art, says that tattoos are permanent body arts.

“We, however, do temporary body arts, face paintings and glamour arts; we call them celebration arts.

“Celebration arts are those kinds of designs you wear during birthdays or fashion shows. Besides, you may just want to take some photographs with the body arts, looking different.

“What makes the difference is the duration of the artwork on the body.

“Tattoos are more expensive because, they are permanent; the price ranges from N5, 000 to N40, 000, depending on your location,’’ Obi says.

Miss Rose Edobor, a trader, says that wearing tattoo has increasingly become fashionable among the youth.

“Young people have a liking for tattoo; tattoo may not appeal to you when you are old because by that time, your skin would have become wrinkly and saggy.

“So, when I become old, it is not going to make any difference if my skin has been tattooed or not. I just love tattoo because it beautifies my skin,’’ she says.

Sharing similar sentiments, Mr Osas Igbinosa, a barber, says that he likes the tattoo on his body because it gives him a sense of self-satisfaction.

“I like the tattoo on my body because it has a special meaning to me; anyway, it looks quite good on me.

“ I do not care what people think about tattoo, it is my body and I see the tattoo on my body as quite trendy.

“The tattoo designs are a mere decoration of my body and I love art; I love to wear art,’’ he says.

However, many people seem to have different conceptions or misconceptions about tattoo.

For instance, Mr Paul Phipps, an evangelist, insists that God has warned people to refrain from wearing tattoo because tattoo inscriptions are forbidden.

“God in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy specifically warned the children of Israel not to tattoo their body because any form of body inscriptions is forbidden.

“Tattoos even have some spiritual connotations, as they may be occultist in nature and whoever engraves such marks in his or her body can never enter the kingdom of God.

“So, it is not advisable for anyone who is a child of God to put on tattoo because it has to do with body inscriptions.

“Body inscriptions, no matter how they are done — whether manually or mechanically — involve blood and they are, therefore, not pleasing in the sight of God.

“Tattoos, whether permanent or temporary, are considered as some of things which God detests so much.

Expressing similar viewpoints, Alhaji Fuad Adeyemi, the Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Mosque, Abuja, says that tattoos are forbidden in Islam, adding that Islam is an all-encompassing religion that touches all aspects of human endeavour.

“In Islam, tattooing is a forbidden area. Prophet Muhammad says the curse of Allah is upon those who those who wear tattoo and those who make tattoo inscriptions.

“Based on the teachings of the Hadith, it becomes a prohibited thing for a Muslim to wear tattoo.

“The main reason why tattoo is prohibited is that it mutilates the human body and changes the creation of Almighty Allah.

“When you try to reconstruct your body, it is, therefore, Haram (proscribed by Islam). It is also a sort of deceit to pretend to be what you are not,’’ Adeyemi adds.

The different viewpoints notwithstanding, anthropologists insist that tattoo is an ancient tradition in all cultures which has definitely come to stay. (NANFeatures)

Germany earn $35m for winning World Cup

Germany defeated Argentina in extra time of the final of the World Cup, not only did they get to hoist an 18-carat trophy, but they also hauled off a cool $35 million.

It’s fitting that the largest prize in World Cup history was distributed in the most expensive World Cup in history. Spain, winner of the 2010 World Cup, received $30 million.

That money is the only thing Germany get to keep (except for bragging rights) since the expensive trophy stays with FIFA and teams are given a cheaper replica.

Argentina received $25 million as the runner-up, which is up from $24 million in 2010. The Netherlands earned $20 million for finishing third and Brazil earned $18 million for fourth place.

Here’s a look at the prize money distribution for the 2014 FIFA World Cup:
Group Stage (16 eliminated teams): $8 million each  Round of 16 (eight losers): $9 million each
Quarterfinals (four losers): $14 million each
Fourth place: $18 million
Third place:: $20 million
Runner-up: $24 million
Winner: $35 million

Rust-Oleum: Firm to empower graduates

IC Alpha Bravo Nigeria Limited, the firm with the franchise to distribute Rust-Oleum paint aerosols in West Africa, is rolling  out a self-empowerment scheme for graduates who will be trained on how to use the  products for professional purposes.

Speaking at the unveiling of the products in Lagos, Mr Victor Adewumi, IC Alpha Bravo Nigeria Limited CEO, explained that the products are formulated to reduce preparation time, reduce application time, reduce downtime and lengthen the lifespan of domestic and industrial assets.

“Rust-Oleum products are aimed at professionals and consumers with a do-it-yourself passion, thereby saving the cost of application especially for the maintenance and beautification of residential environments. This products come in handy aerosols which produces instant results when sprayed on an equipment that is becoming rust or on a leaking pipe.

They are affordable and come in over 7000 products which we are introducing gradually to the Nigerian market. The exposure of materials and objects to fluctuating weather and working conditions means requirement of effective protection against premature damage and expensive replacement, so instead of having to call an artisan to fix that little job, with Rust-Oleum aerosols, you can easily get it done yourself in a few minutes. Rust-Oleum paints do not only come in aerosols, they are also available in conventional paint buckets for industrial use”, the CEO said.

Adewumi explained that the products are eco-friendly and non-toxic with guarantee to last up to five years, the products also come with security features which makes it difficult to adulterate. “The products are environment friendly such that you don’t have to vacate your office when a Rust-Oleum paint is being sprayed because they are odourless, the products are also pocket friendly. The Rust-Oleum brand also have anti-slip products which prevents slippery in homes and offices, they also have automotive brands which prevents rust and scratches.

For instance, there is the anti-scratch product for automobiles which prevents scratches from staying on your car, this product is colourless so it won’t change the colour of your car”, he explained.
Some of the products on the stable of the company include Rust-Oleum spray paints which comes in over 70 colours, leakseal, neverwet, floor coatings, glow in dark paint, epoxy shield floor paint, counter coating, primers, wood finishes, stripping paint, cabinet transformation among others.

Mo’Cheddah: Is The Storm Over?

Born Modupe-Oreoluwa Oyeyemi Ola, Mo’cheddah was once the darling of Nigerian music fans, till she left the house at knight, and her fans and the whole Nigerian music public were left in the dark.

First time i heard Mo’Cheddah was on the track “Knighthouse ft Tha Suspect, Mo Cheddah and Clarence Peters“, that was in 2009, i never really paid attention. Same year i heard her on the monster hit track back then “The Finest (Wonberi)” by Knight house ft Saucekid and Teeto Ceemos. The way she took her hook with that tender voice with confidence, not letting herself get relegated by the two heavy weight rappers was very impressive.

Mo’cheddah later teamed up with Skuki to do the track “Stamina” which also dropped in 2009, and also became a hit. I later found out she was signed to Knight house, and i knew she was going to blow up. It was evident, as everything she was on back then was a hit song.

She then made use of the hype she was getting and later dropped her first single “If you want me” which was a single off her debut album which would drop later in 2010. By the time she dropped her single, i was already in love with her voice and her the progress she was making. Her debut single was perfect at that time, she was more like talking indirectly to the Nigerian music fans indirectly in the love song: “If you want me, to ba fe mi, you got to take me as i am, don’t be afraid i got you“. These words stuck in my mind

The video for “If you want me” later dropped in 2010, with a follow up single “Ko ma roll” which i must say was a smash hit single, both off her “Franchise Celebrity” which later dropped October 2010, and did really good for a debut album.

The album was so good she won two international awards, MTV and Channel O awards respectively, even though she narrowly lost out at the Headies Awards (Biggest Entertainment Award in Nigeria), it was obviously a Mo’cheddah year in 2010.

2011 was quiet from the diva, due to her tertiary education, but she still dropped a single “See Me” featuring then label mate Phenom. A video to the song soon followed same year. The song was an instant hit by the way.

Unfortunately, She hit the top and everything began to crumble. First she had to take some time off to complete her education at the University of Lagos, then she became a topic on twitter for the wrong reasons, when her nude pictures surfaced online, and then in February 2012, to the shock of everyone she called it quit with her record label Knight house.

She dropped 3 singles in June 2012 titled “D’ting“, “Louder” and “Lady” which were mean’t to be off her sophomore album “Super Changed” , but unfortunately even though the songs were really nice,but it couldn’t resurrect her already dying career, caused by the negativity that had piled up over the last year. Same year she dropped “Coming For You” ft May D, but that again was overlooked.

From 2012 not until recently, we heard nothing from Mo’cheddah, not until recently in April 2014 i came across “Destinambari ft. Phyno (Prod. Cobhams)” and i had goose bumps after listening to the song, the DIVA is back i tweeted after listening. From the beat by Cobhams the genius, to Phyno’s verse and to Mo’cheddah’s soothing voice and beautiful lyrics.

A befitting video for the song later followed, and a follow up single “My Time” dropped days ago. After listening to the song and watching the video, i thought to myself: Is the storm over? Is Mo’cheddah making a BIG comeback? Is it going to be her time soon again? Only time will tell.

In my opinion, following her 2 recent singles, she seems to be on the right path to success again, and i wish the diva success.

Written by Tosinadeda 2014

At last, ASUP suspends strike

Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has suspended its 11 months strike.
This was disclosed by the President of the Union, Dr Chibuzor Asomugha,Saturday, after their National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held in Abuja.

Speaking with Vanguard on telephone he said, “Our National Executive Council, NEC, met today (Saturday) and resolved to suspend the strike for three months starting from Tuesday next week.”

Asomugha who said that the  strike  was suspended for three months explained that the consideration was to allow the new Education Minister, Alhaji Abrahim Shekarau study their demands and take appropriate action.

He, therefore urged students and lecturers without further delay to go back to their classrooms.

He said: “The decision to call off the strike is in consonance with the demand of the present Minister of Education, Alhaji Abrahim Shekarau to allow him study our demands.”

According to the union leader, “all ASUP is asking for is that government makes commitment on when and how the issues will be resolved.’’ He did not state whether the Federal Government has however made any commitment before the suspension of the strike.
You will recalled on Thursday last week after Shekarau was sworn-in as minister on Wednesday that he met with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP demand for time to study their demand.

Police uncover plans to bomb Abuja

The Nigeria  Police on Saturday said it had credible intelligence reports that terrorists had perfected plan to attack the Federal Capital territory (FCT)’s  transport sector.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mba.

It therefore ordered the Commissioner of Police in the territory and commissioners in adjoining states to beef-up security at major parks around Abuja and its environs.

The statements stated that “the attacks are intended to cause panic amongst Abuja residents and visitors alike.

“They are planned to be perpetrated through suicide bombings, or through the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) concealed in luggage, bags, cans, and other receptacles.’’

It called on the people of the territory to be vigilant and report any suspicious persons, objects, movements or activities to the security forces promptly.

The statement, however, enjoined them not to panic as security forces were working round the clock to neutralise and effectively deal with the threat.

It called on the various managements of motor parks to strengthen security at the parks and take measures to ensure the safety of travelers as part of efforts to forestall the intended attacks.

The statement advised them to constantly scan their environments and carry out a thorough search on passengers and their bags as well as vehicles entering and leaving parks.

It further advised that such search must have the active participation of passengers and warned that any item or luggage unaccompanied by any passenger must be rejected out rightly.

“Passengers are also enjoined to be on the lookout for any passenger, who might come in with luggage but will attempt to disembark without such luggage’’ it said.

It asked the operators to discourage overnight parking of vehicles at motor parks, particularly by unknown persons, and advised workers at parks to reduce congestion by disallowing the indiscriminate parking of private cars.

Meanwhile, the statement urged the public to reach the police on the following hot lines in case of emergencies: FCT Police Control Room – 07057337653, Force Intelligence Bureau Operations Room – 08139379245, 08075650624

 It said that the force could also be reached on the National Emergency Line: 112. (NAN)

My Father Turned Me Into Armed Robber ––22yrs old Lagosian

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a gang of armed robbers who specialised in robbing traders and commuters in the early morning hours at the Iyana Oba and Badagry areas of Lagos. Members of the four-man gang are Bode Oladejo, who is said to be the ring leader, Christian Opene, Matthew Nwachie, and a yet-to-be identified member, who the police said was still at large.




In his confession, 22-year-old Oladejo, who hails from Kwara State, said he took to armed robbery because of his father’s irresponsible attitude at home which had also frustrated the family.

“Since I was 11, I have been tearing people’s nets at night and breaking in to steal their property. I started to do this because my father had been irresponsible at home. Then, we were staying at Ikorodu, Lagos.

“At a time, the landlord sent us out of the house because my father did not pay up the rent. He travelled to Ibadan. My mother stayed back in Ikorodu. I became a street boy, trying to fend for myself. Since 2003, I have been robbing. It is all because of my father’s irresponsible attitude.

“I was initially using machetes to rob until I got a gun...

From one Monday. He sold the gun to me for N30,000. I usually robbed around the Iyana Oba and Okokomaiko areas. But I came to Ajegunle for an operation on that fateful day on the invitation of a gang member, Christian.”

Oladejo confessed that he made about N50,000 on each robbery operation he participated in with the gang.

The police, according to Punch, received a tip-off about the gang, and the Commissioner of Police, directed the Special Anti-Robbery Squad team, led by Abba Kyari, to go after them.

It was further learnt that the gang members were arrested on Sunday, June 15, in the Ajegunle area of Lagos after they had returned from an operation. They had raided a house on Tona Eradiri Street, Ajegunle, the previous day and dispossessed a man, Mr. Godwin Perebor, and two ladies of N285,000, two Automated Teller Machine cards and their company’s Identity cards, among other valuables.

It was learnt that the suspects told the police that they usually went to people’s houses at night with weapons such as guns and cutlasses to rob them. They also confessed to have been preparing for another operation on the Sunday they were apprehended by the police.

A second member of the gang, Opene, from Oghara, Delta State, said he invited the gang to rob Perebor, who was also his co-tenant, because the latter offended him.

He said, “Godwin (Perebor) and I used to work in a factory in the past before I joined the gang. At that firm, one of his friends poured hot water on me during a quarrel. I asked Godwin to take me to his house, but he refused, joining sides with his friend against me.

“When I joined the gang, I remember the incident and decided to teach him a lesson. That was why I arranged for them to rob him and two other ladies.”

The third gang member, Nwachie, a 20-year-old from Isele Ukwu, Delta State, said he took to stealing since he was 16, and had robbed several passengers and traders.

He said, “I was only using cutlasses. It is only Bode who carries a gun. With the money I realised, I took care of myself. But I also used my loot to smoke, drink and to have séx with women.”

2 men sentenced to 7 lashes each for public nuisance

A Gudu Upper Area Court in the FCT on Tuesday sentenced Rabiu Sani, 18, and Thompson Gabriel, 23, to seven strokes of cane each for constituting public nuisance.

The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, handed down the sentence when Sani and Gabriel pleaded guilty to the charge of constituting public nuisance.

Kagarko also said the convicts should avoid the “black spot’’ where they were arrested and warned them to be of good behaviour.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Ambi Ayuba, had told the court that the accused were arrested at a “black spot’’ in Area 1, Garki, Abuja, by a police patrol team from Durumi Divisional Headquarters on July 5.

Ayuba explained that “the black spot is a place where notorious criminals gather to snatch handbags and motor-cycles from innocent citizens.’’

He added that during police investigation, the convicts could not give satisfactory account of themselves.

He said the offence of public nuisance contravened Section 183 of the Penal Code.

The convicts had pleaded for leniency. (NAN)

Ghanaian Star is dead !!!

Reports from Ada, say that celebrated
and award-winning Ghanaian musician,
Castro has died from a jet skiing
accident. Asamoah Gyan, Castro and 3
others checked in Peace Hotel in Ada
since late Friday. All five including
Castro hired 5 jet skis (with life
guards), on Sunday for a ride. After
hiring the Jet Skiis, Castro was said to
have gone to pick his girlfriend from the
Peace Hotel. Eye witnesses say, they saw
all five riding until the girl was allegedly
seen falling in the water. Eye witness
say, Castro was seen trying to rescue the
girl. At this point the electronic trackers
on Castro went off, signifying he was off
his Jet Ski. That’s when the search
started. All four persons have since been
found, Castro’s Ski was found minus
Castro. Body later seen lifeless. –

Power supply may not be stable for the next 20 years —Ex-Gov Ladoja

Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Chairman, National Conference Energy Committee and a  former Governor of Oyo State, walked tall as hundreds of APC, PDP members in Ido Local Government Area of  the  state embraced the party that he leads.  In an interview with Sunday Vanguard at his Bodija GRA, Ibadan home later, he spoke on  the energy situation in Nigeria vis-à-vis what his committee at the confab has done and expressed  optimism that his party, Accord, now stands the chance to win Oyo State come 2015.  Accord Party made a surprise outing as it went to election under three months of  its formation in the state winning seven of  the 16 state legislative seats; four of six House of Representatives seats and slugged it out with the now Governor Abiola Ajimobi on a 275,000 to 340,000 votes basis. Excerpts:

You have always been concerned about the energy situation in Nigeria.  Would you say that your being the Chairman of the National Conference Committee on Energy has provided you the opportunity to get over your worry?

Being in the confab energy committee, I believe, has just confirmed my professional concern about the energy situation in Nigeria particularly the power sector.  But whether my being there will solve the problems is another thing because the conference can make recommendations but the decision still remains with the government.  What I discovered is that the recommendations have always been there.  They were not non-existent.    The roadmap is there. So, recommendations are not the problems but the implementation of those things.

There has been stagnation since 1986.  The government has not added any generating plants since that time.  We need production to grow everyday.  Of course there are some plants that were added by Shell, Agip. We still talk about 4,000 megawatts whereas we should be talking about 45,000 megawatts or more.  And the major problem, from what the policy is today, is that Nigeria has not yet accepted that power is a strategic issue.  We still look at it in terms of naira and kobo.  Whereas developed countries look at power from the angle of being strategic.

In Germany, they have about 200,000 megawatts and their need is just about 25,000 megawatts.  So, they have more than two times of their need.  That is why it is possible for them, in one day, to say, ‘close down all the nuclear ones’ which gave them about 15,000 megawatts.

So, from that angle, we can say that we are still far from understanding the world politics because power is part of the world politics.  South Africa is a population of about a third of Nigeria’s population.  They have 45,000 megawatts and Nigeria has 4,000 megawatts.  So, you can understand that we are very far from getting there.

What have you really discovered?

We have discovered that if we have to leave power in the hands of the private sector for them to grow it, we will not come out of the woods in the next 20 years.  And from what I saw, out Vision 20:2020 may just be a spent bill and I think they have just dabbled into areas that are not really the problems.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in his last days, established the NIPP, National Integrated Power Project, which he said would add 4,000 megawatts to the national grid but its implementations, even since Obasanjo left office, many of them are yet to come on stream.  Either the sites chosen were not feasible or there is no gas.

I just assume that there is more to the situation with the NNPC than what we can see.  Because, if you look at it, those turbines were not normally meant to be kept in the shelves, they are not supposed to be kept in the store for eight years before they start working.

When you finished in Belgium and became a chemical engineer, you worked with Total and rose through the cadres to become the operations manager. Meaning that you are  abreast of the situation in the energy sector and the conference energy committee that you are heading now is seen as an opportunity for you to translate your many ideas into quality recommendations to guide government.  Since insufficient gas supply has been blamed for the bulk of our power generation inadequacies, why must Nigeria  stick to gas to generate power?
It should not be, but we have concentrated on gas whereas there is abundance of coal.  Our recommendation is that they should put power plants where they have the raw materials (means of generation).

It is not necessary for us to pipe gas to Sokoto and Kano when there is coal in those places.  There is also coal in Bauchi and there is coal virtually everywhere except the South-west. Where they have cola they should put power plants there and also where there is gas they should put power plants there.  They should not unnecessarily pipe gas so that vandalism can reduce.

Also where they have hydro they should put power plants there.  Like Katsina, we discovered that the state  can get between 2,000 and 6,000 megawatts.  Yet they have not developed it.  So, you can just ask yourself whether successive governments understand power as strategic because they do not behave to seem so.

What is the way out?
We are saying government should  continue to develop the facilities because they will need at least five million dollars every year if  we are going to be anywhere in year 2020.

It is not only generation that we have problem with, we also have problem with transmission which is  inadequate for the requirements of today.  The people that got it, they now discovered that what they were told was different from what they saw in term of losses and so they are still talking.  You have coal, you have hydro, you have gas and so, diversification is highly required.

Politics at home in Oyo: you appear to be very well on ground.  What went wrong that Senator Rashidi Ladoja did not win the 2015 governorship election?

Nothing went wrong. We were not destined to win and we did not win.

At that time, most politicians did not believe  we stood any chance. So, most politicians did not join us because they looked at us as jokers, saying, “Two months to election, you say you are forming a new party?”

To that extent, they did not join us and it was the people, the voters, the ordinary people who had faith in us that stood with us. Now that politicians have started seeing that this is where the people will vote, many of them are joining us and so we stand  a very good chance of winning the elections come 2015.

We were not destined to win the last election because, if you look at it, we won conveniently and convincingly in Ibadan but, outside Ibadan, and you know that development radiates from the centre to those areas, people were not convinced that we could make any headway. That is why it happened that way. Not that anything went wrong. We just did not win.

The coming of Senator Lanlehin into the Accord, what value  is he adding to the party?

Everybody adds value to the party. When you are contesting, everybody counts. Senator Lanlehin is coming with a lot of goodwill and also a lot of members; people who believe in him.

So, people have begun to believe in Accord. It is a grassroots party. It is a party that believes in the need of our people and believes in the ability of our people to rule themselves. That is why they say our party is together because all decisions continue to be taken at the constituency level.

As at today, we feel comfortable that we are going to win the coming election in every local government. If you are aggrieved in the PDP, you come to Accord. If you are dissatisfied with APC, you come to Accord. So, they have always been coming to Accord and they have not been disappointed.

Day I was raped in Calabar — Alariwo of Africa

Oluwarotimi Martins, known in the music industry as Alariwo of Africa, has been around for a long time and seemed to disappear after his hit song, Yawa Go Gas, an afrobeat single. Even Cable News Network, CNN, was confused the single could have been done by the late Afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

But Alariwo has resurfaced and ready to take the front-seat again and he is singing his way back to reckoning through his video, Dancia, which featured popular Yoruba actress, Biodun Okeowo, Pasuma and Ajasa. In this interview, Alariwo of Africa speaks on the entertainment industry:

Can you compare the then music industry to now?

The industry is getting better now but we still have some meaningless songs. Because back then, we were singing for fun and not for money. But at the same time, it’s better, as artistes now get paid good money, they get endorsement deals and all other things.

But do you feel threatened by the new artistes?

Why would I, when most of them see me as a source of inspiration to them. They respect and appreciate me a lot.Everything in life has got its time and seasons. Also am still relevant and still making money in the industry so I don’t agree to your saying that, they are the ones making it in the industry or if I feel threatened by any of them. They are good but am yet to decide on who to work with.

What was your relationship with Fela?

Fela inspired me to go into the music industry. I was encouraged to play afrobeat back then by my sponsor, Femi Lasode, because according to him, I sounded like him. I never met Fela in my life, I only listened to a lot of Fela’s songs but never met him.

What kind of instrument do you play?

Keyboard. It was my producer, Nelson Brown, who taught me how to play the keyboard

So how do you see the young artistes not being able to play music instruments, and how can it affect their career and the industry?

Most of them play the instruments. It’s not a must to play instruments, but it’s a plus, because of ideas.

There was a video you did where you featured Biodun Okeowo, Why did you feature her or is there any relationship between you both?

She’s my friend, she featured free and nothing is going on between us. I used her in my new video titled, Dancia,featuring Pasuma and Ajasa. And Dancia is my new video after being away for awhile. Also, Dancia, is a local slang for dancing

Was there anything between you and Jennifer Eliogu?

Jenny (Jennifer Eliogu) and I are just friends. It’s only in Nigeria that people misunderstand it when a lady is a friend to a man. I’m man enough to tell you if something is going on between me and anyone

What kind of child were you while growing up?

I was a very playful and stubborn child. But I’ve always been a singer from childhood. Then, my mother was always singing while my father was always playing songs of veterans like Jim Reeves, Don Williams, Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey and Victor Olaiya. I was very stubborn which is or was natural. Natural, because I was also very playful.

And were you really sent to the street by your father?

That is not true. My father trained me in a very different and decent way. Though he was very strict, but he made sure we all got the best of education

Was there anytime you sued CNN?

No! What really happened was, my agent in UK wrote to CNN for compensation because they played my songYawa Go Gas and claimed that it was the music of Fela so they paid for false information.

Do you have any unforgettable moment as an artiste?

Yes, I do, and it was when I was raped in Calabar. It happened long time ago and it is something I haven’t talked about until now. I think the girls were with the rival club of the club where I was performing and they were set out to do it. They were actually two in number. I don’t want to go into the details because it happened long time ago. The second was when I was singing on stage in Benue State and bullets were flying all around in the air . It was in 2001, it’s past and I don’t want to remember it ever again.

And there was a story that you were beaten up by Area boys over a girl?

I haven’t talked about this because it is absolutely false and I don’t want to give it any credence. My management is not happy about it. My wife is not happy about it. I think somebody paid somebody to peddle that story. It never happened and I never knew such a girl.

SHOCKING! Mother Stabs Teacher To Death In Front Of Students

Everyday we keep hearing different kind of news and gists, this happened at a primary school in the southern French town of Albi when a female teacher was stabbed to death by a student’s mother on today, Friday.

“This morning, a mother showed up with a knife and stabbed a 34-year-old teacher in front of her students, for reasons that will be determined by the investigation,” Albi prosecutor Claude Derens told
AFP.
“When I arrived at the scene they were trying to revive her. She was in cardiac arrest in her classroom,” he said.
President Francois Hollande immediately sent Education Minister Benoit Hamon to the school to take charge of the government response.
“All state services will be mobilised to take care of these children and the staff who witnessed this awful tragedy,” Hollande said in a statement.
The stabbing took place as morning classes began at Albi’s Edouard Herriot primary school, which is attended by 284 students aged from three to 11.
No further details were immediately available and a press conference was planned for Friday afternoon.
A spokesman for Hamon said he was on his way to the school to show his support, saying the education minister “is deeply shocked by this crime, which plunges the end of the school year into mourning.”
“This tragedy confirms there is a need to fight against violence in and around schools, to protect schools, teachers and students.”The incident comes amid concerns in France over assaults by parents on teachers, with a study released
in April saying nearly half of primary school principals had been verbally or physically abused by parents.

Nigerian Po.rn Star Afrocandy Is Back Home (Photos)

It’s been a while since we heard from Afrocandy.Since she asks fans to help with her daughter’s tuition fees, she has been keeping a low profile..She is back in
Nigeria maybe for audition for her movies, lets wait and hear from her first…

SSS Arrests NFF President Maigari

Latest reports coming in from Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, indicate that the President of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Aminu Maigari, who was arrested in Abuja early hours of Friday, 4 July, 2014, by the Nigeria State Security Services (SSS), has been released.

It was gathered that no reason was given for his arrest.

Earlier reports had stated that Maigari was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja by security operatives after he returned to the country with the Super Eagles.

Analysts are already saying the arrest of the football boss may be connected to the sacking of the entire board of the NFF by a court in Jos, Plateau State, on Monday, 30 June, 2014.

According to the court order, Maigari and his board members were restrained from acting as administrators of the NFF.

The suit was filed by former Nigeria Premier League chairman Rumson Baribote, who requested the court to restrain Maigari and all the committee and congress of the NFF from managing the affairs of football matters in Nigeria.

* NFF's President, Maigari

Hon. Justice P. L Lot of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos granted the Order of Interlocutory Injunction restraining the president of the NFF, the executive committee members as well as the NFF Congress from running affairs of Nigerian football pending the determination of the Motion on Notice before the court.

Gongnews.net had reported that Maigari have queries to answer with the security agencies one of which was the issue of his alleged fake grade III Teachers certificate with which he contested the office of NFF president.

As at the time of compiling this report, the NFF has not released any statement on the arrest of Maigari neither deny the news of the fake certificate scandal charged against him.

Meanwhile, Channels TV reports that coach Stephen Keshi led the Eagles into the country in the early hours of today.

The Nigerian national football team were ousted from the Mundial after they were defeated 0-2 by France in the round of 16 of the football showpiece.

In an interview with sports writers at the airport, coach Keshi said the team would have loved to progress beyond the round of 16 but expressed gratitude to God for the outing in Brazil.

* Super Eagles players

When asked on media reports of his resignation immediately after the match against France, Keshi was reported to have said that he had not resigned.

It could be recalled that it was reported on Thursday, 3 July, 2014, that Keshi had been offered a new contract by the Nigerian football governing body.

The report also added that Keshi had not said whether he would accept the offer or not.

When asked on media reports of his resignation immediately after the match against France, Keshi was reported to have said that he had not resigned.

It could be recalled that it was reported on Thursday, 3 July, 2014, that Keshi had been offered a new contract by the Nigerian football governing body.

The report also added that Keshi had not said whether he would accept the offer or not.

What's omotola real age

Fans of top Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, have continued to express deep concern over the real age of their idol.

Mr and Mrs Ekeinde

The actress, during the week shared the photo of her primary School Leaving Certificate online, leaving  tongues wagging in respect of her real age. The certificate in question revealed that she left primary school in 1987, meaning that the actress couldn’t have been anything less than four years before entering primary school.

In fact, since she uploaded the photo of her certificate online, fans have been expressing different opinions regarding her age. Before now, the reality talk show host has been claiming that she’s below 40. She married her pilot husband, Captain Matthew Ekeinde at the tender age of 17. So, is it possible that the actress will be less than 40, judging from when she completed her primary education.
Nevertheless, Omotola has remained consistent. She was happy that she’s always excelled in debating as well as acting.  However, it is true that not much has changed about her. The question is, how old is Omotola?

Again, 13-year-old Adegboyega emerges Cowbell Maths champion

A pupil of Ota Total Academy, Ogun State, Akintokun Adegboyega, again wins academic glory in a Mathematics competition.

Akintokun and Adesina

Thirteen-year-old Akintokun Adegboyega’s appearance does not convey anything special about him. He looks ordinary like many other pupils in his age bracket– harmless and innocent.

But beneath this innocence lies a head full of figures. Little wonder, he has again emerged the 2014 Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition champion.

The young lad earlier in 2012 had emerged NASSMAC champion in the junior category.

In this latest feat, Adegboyega alongside another 13-year-old Deborah Adesina emerged the overall best Mathematics pupils at the grand finale held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, last Thursday.

Adegboyega, a pupil of Ota Total Academy, Ogun State, emerged tops in the senior category, while Adesina, a pupil of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, came first in the junior category.

For their outstanding performance, the duo received monetary and sundry gifts from the organisers of the competition, Promasidor Nigeria Limited. The duo and their teachers will also enjoy an all-expense-paid holiday trip to Ghana, courtesy of PNL.

For coming first, Adegboyega’s earned N300, 000, just as his school received five desktop computers and printers. He scored 87 per cent out of 100, (41 in objective and 46 in theory questions) in the second stage of the competition.

Adesina, who scored 81 per cent out of 100 (35 in objective and 46 in theory) , also received N250, 000 for her industry. Her effort similarly made her school to receive five desktop computers and printers from the organisers.

Adegboyega, Adesina and 18 other pupils from across the country were among those honoured at the prize-giving ceremony in Akwa Ibom State. They were among the 29, 000 pupils who sat for the first and the second stages of the NASSMAC competitive examinations this year.

The other high flyers in the senior category are 15-year-old Fiyinfoluwa Abioye, a pupil of Nigerian Turkish International College, Wuse, Abuja, who came second with 85 per cent; and David Oluwasayo of Oritameta Baptist Model School, Ibadan, Oyo State, who emerged third, scoring 83 per cent.

They received N250, 000 and N200, 000 respectively in addition to other special gifts, including laptops and plaques. Their schools also received desktop computers and printers.

Two others -13-year-old Atolagbe Olayinka of the Turkish International College, Isheri, Ogun State;, and Stella Johnson of the Reality High School, Ilesha, Osun State, came second and third respectively in the junior category. While Olayinka took home N200, 000, Johnson got N150, 000.

Like other institutions that produced national winners, their schools got desktop computers and printers.

The Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, in an address on the occasion, described Mathematics as the “foundation of all sciences and everything in life.

According to him, Nigeria’s realisation of its dream of being a technological giant depends on the emphasis it lays in Mathematics.

The minister, who spoke through the Director, Federal Inspectorate Service, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Chioma Philips, also urged stakeholders in education to help in checking the phobia pupils have in the subject.

He said, “It is a known fact that Mathematics is today seen as a nightmare by our students. This phobia reflects in the poor performance of students in internal and external examinations. To stem this trend, the Federal Government has directed the Federal Ministry of Education and called on other stakeholders, including the Promasidor Nigeria Limited, to leave no stone unturned in a bid to reverse the negative trend.”

Hailing PNL for its efforts in developing the country’s education, Wike noted that NASSMAC particularly had reawakened pupils’ interest in Mathematics.

The PNL Managing Director, Mr. Olivier Thiry, in his remarks, noted that there was the need to prepare Nigerian youths for the challenges of the 21st century, especially with the increasing globalisation and digital revolution.

According to him, for the country to remain relevant in the comity of nations, it needs to develop and nurture a human capital base to meet its numerous challenges.

He said, “Transformational development will come from the quality of human capital Nigeria has and this can only be developed through education, especially the learning of Mathematics and science.”

Thiry also promised that the company would continue to sustain the initiative in order to produce better Nigerians.

He added, “We have demonstrated this faith in the Nigerian society by investing millions of naira in the conduct of the NASSMAC competition and we promise to sustain our support for Mathematics as best as we can.”

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, who urged other firms to emulate PNL example, noted that education held the key to the future of the country.

Akpabio, represented by the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Atim Antai, said, “We owe our children the responsibility of equipping them with the right skills, knowledge and preparing them to be useful members of the society. It is only on such basis that we would be sure that they will maintain the pace of our development and that our efforts today would not be in vain.”

The NASSMAC, targeted at improving performance in Mathematics, is open to pupils aged between 10 and 18 years in Junior Secondary School and Senior Secondary School 2 in the country.

Flyover collapses in Brazil World Cup host city

A flyover has collapsed on to vehicles in the Brazilian World Cup host city of Belo Horizonte, killing two people.

The concrete and steel bridge, which was under construction, fell on to traffic on a busy highway.

The front of a commuter bus was crushed along with two apparently unoccupied construction lorries. A car was also reported crushed.

The south-eastern Brazilian city is due to host a football World Cup semi-final match next week.

The health department of the state of Minas Gerais, of which Belo Horizonte is the capital, said the bus driver and another person were killed, and 22 other people were injured.

Authorities said they had not yet reached a small passenger car that was flattened by the collapse. It was not known if anyone was inside the car but officials said they would be working through the night to try to free it.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said on Twitter that it was “with sadness” that she found out about the accident, and she offered her “solidarity to the victims’ families”.

Belo Horizonte Mayor Marcio Lacerda visited the scene of the accident and declared three days of mourning for the two victims, the city government said in a statement.

The construction firm that was responsible for building the flyover, Cowan, said it “deeply regrets what happened”.

“At the moment, the priority is to support victims and their families,” it said in a statement.

The company said technical staff had been sent to the scene to start investigations.

Source - Punchng

Fashola gives automatic employment to 200 graduates

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has given automatic employment to over 200 graduating students of the Lagos State College of Health Technology.

The governor, who is the Visitor of the college, made the declaration during his address at the second convocation ceremony of the institution in Yaba, Lagos, on Thursday.

Fashola in his address reminded the students of the importance of their profession to society.

He said, “Health workers, from the lowest to the highest, are like gods on earth. If you have not been ill before, you will not understand their importance. I have been ill, so I know what I am talking about.”

He wondered why health practitioners, whose primary duty was to save lives, should embark on industrial action.

“Health practice is a call to service, service to God and the community. If you are like gods on earth, why then should you go on strike? Imagine if God goes on strike. Imagine if the police, military or fire service should go on strike.

“Take the police for example – it is not as if all is well with them. You (the graduates) must make a choice between self and saving lives. You should endeavour to put your patients, whose life you are supposed to save, into consideration.”

On the issue of full autonomy for the institution earlier raised by the Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Dr. Abiola Tilley-Gyado, Fashola said he would welcome any proposal that would ease the state government’s burden of having to concern itself with the daily affairs of schools.

He, however, cautioned that autonomy did not mean that the government would cede ownership of the institution.

This, according to him, is because the government in most cases would still be called upon, if any problem should arise.

The Chairman of the college’s Governing Council had earlier advised the graduands to be dedicated to their profession, so as not to waste the many years of training they had received.

The College graduated a total of 265 students from five schools namely, Environmental Health, Community Health, Medical Laboratory Technician, Pharmacy Technician and Health Information Management.

The graduands are for the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 academic sessions.
Source - Punchng

Confab endorses creation of Ijebu, Aba, 17 other states …supports rotation of presidency among zones

THE National Conference on Thursday voted for the creation of 18 more states in the country.

The creation of new states was one of the decisions taken by the delegates at their plenary while considering the report of the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government.

Apart from the 18 new states proposed, the conference said a separate state-yet-to-be named should be carved out of the South-East to bring the number of the states in the zone to six.

In creating a new state from the South-East geopolitical zone, the conference said the creation would correct the imbalance of the zone having the least number of states.

In the existing 36 states arrangement, each zone has six states with only the North-West having seven states.

The new states proposed by the conference are: Aba, to be carved out of the present Abia State; Katagum, from Bauchi State; Ijebu, from Ogun State; Amana, from former Sardauna Province; Apa, from Benue State; Anioma, from Delta State, Savannah, from Borno State; and Etiti, from South-East.

Others are Njaba/Anim, from Anambra and Imo states; Gurara, from Kaduna State; Ghari, from Kano State; Adada, New Oyo from Oyo State; Orachi, from Rivers State; Ogoja, from Cross River State; and Kainji, from Kebbi and Niger states.

Two other states, one each from the South-East and South-West zones, are also yet to be named.

It was agreed by the delegates that the 18 new states would be shared among the six zones in a manner that no zone would have more states than the other.

Though it was also agreed that states were free to have their constitutions, the request to change the name of Adamawa State to Gongola State was overwhelmingly rejected by the delegates.

The delegates also voted that the Presidency should rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the country.

They said the rotation should be between the northern and southern regions.

It was also agreed by the delegates that in the case of death, impeachment or incapacitation of the President, the deputy would no longer assume office automatically.

Rather, they said that the Vice President should only act as President for a period of 90 days within which another election should hold.

“In the absence of the death of the President, the Vice President shall act as President for a period of 90 days within which an election to the office of the President shall be held,” the conference said.

The delegates argued that since the office of the President would be rotated among the six geopolitical zones, it would be unfair to allow the Vice President to take the turn of another zone by automatically assuming power.

President Goodluck Jonathan, a southerner from Bayelsa State, had assumed the Presidency in 2010 following the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua, a northerner from Katsina State.

The delegates rejected the proposal that the President should be in office for a single term of six years, and favoured the present arrangement of two terms of four years each.

It was also agreed that the President and his deputy should run on a joint ticket, thereby rejecting the recommendation that the President should pick his deputy among members of the National Assembly after he must have won.

The conference also supported the bicameral legislature. This implies that there would still be the Senate and the House of Representatives.

It was also agreed that the office of the governor should rotate among the three senatorial districts in the state while the office of the chairman of a local government council should rotate among the components in the local government areas.

The conference also recommended that that the Independent National Electoral Commission should divide each council to two or three equal parts as the case maybe for the purpose of electing the local government chairman.

The delegates rejected a motion that the number of states in Nigeria should not be more than 55.

However, a delegate, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, condemned the decision to create more states.

He said the action was at variance with the decisions and resolutions earlier taken by the conference on the need by government to cut cost.

“Having regard to the several resolutions of the National Conference on the need to reduce the cost of governance, I found the recommendation for the creation of additional 18 states rather contradictory,” Falana said.

The conference also said that a referendum should be conducted in each of the states that want to merge with 65 per cent of the eligible voters in each of those states approving merger and that the National Assembly, by resolutions passed by a single majority of membership, should approve such merger.

On the running of local governments, the delegates said that states were free to create or reduce the number of local governments within their territory.

It was agreed that all government officials must use made in Nigeria cars.

The conference also agreed that the old national anthem, “Nigeria we hail thee…” should be adopted in place of the current one.

Probably to show their preference for the old anthem, all the delegates rose to sing it to the surprise of the leadership of the conference.

Another delegate and a SAN, Chief Mike Ozekhome, who spoke to one of our correspondents after the plenary, said, “I stand by the recommendation; we have recommended that 18 more states and an additional state should be created for the Igbo, they are the only one with five states.

‘‘With 54 states I believe that government would be brought closer to the people.”

However, a Nigerian Bar Association presidential aspirant, Mrs. Funke Adekoya, SAN, said, “I don’t think that creation of more states will solve the problem of underdevelopment. I don’t think that it will solve the problem of bureaucracy in the society. What I think we should focus on is the delivery of dividends of democracy to Nigerians. I don’t support creation of more states.”

Nigeria about to have 18 more states!!!!....any update about the chibok girls?? *sigh*...... I may not know much but I think our leaders f**king confuse.