Ligue 1 - Beckham dropped by PSG for season finale

 

Beckham was given an emotional send-off by PSG's players in their final home game at Parc des Princes last week, a Ligue 1 win over Brest last week. The reception was so warm, in fact, that many assumed it would be his last game.

And this has been confirmed by Carlo Ancelotti, whose match-day squad for the dead rubber at Lorient does not include the former England, Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy and AC Milan midfielder.

Other players missing for PSG include Italy goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, Brazil midfielder Lucas Moura, France forward Jeremy Menez, and Brazil defender Thiago Silva.

Ancelotti - who is also expected to leave Ligue 1 champions PSG in the coming weeks - handed Beckham a start and the captaincy for the game against Brest, and he was given a standing ovation as he came off 81 minutes into a good performance in the 3-1 win.

It still seemed possible that there would be a final curtain call for Beckham, however, with fans getting so excited that English minnows Leyton Orient claimed to have been overwhelmed with requests for tickets by Beckhamites confusing Orient with Lorient.

Ancelotti had already said that Beckham would be unlikely to feature at Lorient, however, since the title is wrapped up already and Lorient have nothing to play for either, as they cannot finish higher than seventh.

There was also the question of Lorient's plastic pitch, which could aggravate a long-standing Achilles weakness for Beckham, who first suffered the injury during a loan spell at Milan.

Beckham earned 115 caps for England, a record for an outfield player, and announced his retirement on May 16, although some thought he could continue to play.

AU endorses Nigeria for UN non-permanent seat

   

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Olugbenga Ashiru

The African Union has endorsed Nigeria’s quest for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, told journalists on Friday at the sideline of the ongoing 21st ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Ashiru spoke just as President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Addis Ababa for the summit.

The minister said the decision was taken at a meeting of ministers of the union’s 50-member states on Thursday evening.

He said having earlier secured the backing of the Economic Community of West African States for the seat, Nigeria will now concentrate on reaching out to other regional groups since two-third of the nations is needed.

The minister said the decision to endorse Nigeria was taken unanimously by those who attended the meeting.

He said, “The endorsement was done based on our nation’s track record and achievements. It was done unanimously.

“The next step is for us to reach out to other regional groups like Asia, Europe and America.

“But one thing is sure, the regional endorsement that we have secured is like obtaining a B+ already. Other regional groups will only shore up the score.”

Ashiru added that the endorsement had further confirmed Nigeria’s robust foreign policy.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martins Uhonmoibhi, said this was the first time since 1960 that Nigeria would be getting the seat ‘back-to-back.’

He said with Nigeria’s role in peace keeping across the world, the nation deserved to get the seat and have a say in global affairs.

“There is no taxation without representation. Nigeria is demanding that because it has done peace keeping role since 1960, it has a right to determine how the world is governed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jonathan arrived in Addis Ababa on Friday to join his counterparts across Africa for the summit, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Union that later transformed into AU.

At the sidelines of the summit, the President is expected to hold bilateral talks with some African leaders, including those of Egypt, Benin Republic and Serbia.

Barring any last minute change in plan, Jonathan is also expected to hold talks with the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon; and United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry among others.

Suspected ritualist escapes lynching

Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar
| credits:

A man said to be in his 30s and identified simply as Saka was nearly lynched in Ilorin, Kwara State on Friday by a mob after he was allegedly caught with human parts.

The entreaties of elders in the community to hand the suspect over to the police at the ‘C’ Division, Oja-Oba, was said to have saved Saka from being killed.

The suspect was said to have been apprehended by the residents around Ajia compound in Gambari area of Ilorin while he was allegedly exhuming a corpse.

It was also allegedly caught with a bag containing human parts.

The residents feared that the human parts were meant for a ritual purpose.

Our correspondent learnt on Friday that because of the ongoing construction of a road which affected some tombs in the Ajia compound, family members were exhuming their relations’ corpses for re-burial elsewhere.

It was learnt that the suspect, who was not a member of the affected families, reportedly took advantage of the situation to exhume some corpses and allegedly removed their parts.

Luck, however, ran out on him when the family members noticed him and raised the alarm. Residents thereafter swooped on him.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Olufemi Fabode, confirmed to journalists on Friday that two people had been arrested in connection with the illegal act.

He added that though the suspects claimed innocence, the police were still investigating the matter.

NGF election: Governors jubilate as Amaechi emerges winner

 

L-R: (Sitting) Director-General, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Asishana Okauru; Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); and (standing) Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), briefing journalists after the NGF election, in Abuja... on Friday
| credits: File copy

Months of intrigues and political permutations among the 36 state governors ended on Friday with the election of Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum for a second term.

The election, which was held at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, in Abuja was witnessed by 35 out of the 36 state governors.

Only the governor of Yobe, Ibrahim Geidam, was not at the venue of the election and was not represented.

Amaechi defeated his only rival, Mr. Jonah Jang, who is the governor of Plateau State.

While Amaechi got 19 votes, Jang had 16.

Also elected as the deputy chairman of the forum was the Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulazees Yari, who was unopposed.

His rival for the position, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, had voluntarily withdrawn from the race.

Announcing the result of the election, the Returning Officer for the election, who is also the Director-General of the forum, Mr. Asishana Okauru, said the election was well contested.

He said, “The governor of Yobe was not present. We counted all the votes and the chairman, Chibuke Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State emerged winner with a total of 19 votes against the governor of Plateau State, who secured a total of 16 votes.

“Now, for the vice-chairman, it is important to announce to you that there were four candidates, two of the candidates withdrew from the race but they participated in the voting process.

“Governors Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State also participated in the election. At the end, it is clear that the chairman emerged as the chairman for the next two years. The vice-chairman position was also up and there were two candidates: Governors Mimiko and Yari.

“But the governor of Ondo withdrew from the race and yielded the position to the governor of Zamfara, who, as from today, is the vice-chairman of the NGF.”

As soon as the results were announced, the opposition governors, including some PDP governors, were seen exchanging greetings. They also shook hands as they sang songs of joy.

Amaechi, in his brief remarks, said he was happy and would work with all the governors, including those that did not vote for him.

But when they realised what had happened, some of the governors, led by the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio, headed for the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodges, where they said they rejected the result.

Jang, who spoke at the briefing, said he stood by the pre-election arrangement, where the PDP governors endorsed him as their candidate.

Before going for the election, some PDP governors had endorsed Jang and asked both Shema and Yuguda to step down. Both aspirants agreed and signed a statement to that effect.

The two governors said they were doing that for Jang.

But at the briefing, Jang insisted that the stepping down of the two aspirants and his endorsement was enough to guarantee his success.

Akpabio said that Amaechi ought to have stepped down before the conduct of the election, adding that there was no way an incumbent could be in office while an election was being conducted.

When asked about the position of the NGF’s constitution on the matter, he refused to answer.

He said as far as he and members of his group were concerned, Jang remained the chairman of the NGF while Mimiko was his deputy.

Akpabio also refused to state why he and his group agreed to be part of the election when they noticed the perceived anomalies.

Those who were at the briefing were the governors of Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Abia, Kogi, Bauchi, Ondo, Delta, Anambra, Enugu and Kogi states.

It was gathered that some of the PDP governors were not happy with the emergence of Jang as the consensus candidate and decided to vote for Amaechi.

This might have resulted in the defeat of Jang.

The voting process, which was by secret balloting, was said to have worked against Jang.

Jang read a statement, which was signed by the 19 governors that endorsed him to buttress the claim that he won the election.

He said, “The northern governors met in the morning and both Shema and Yuguda agreed to step down and I was asked to take their place.

The PDP governors also agreed and endorsed the action.

“Any further discussion about the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I should be addressed as the chairman of the forum as from today.

“We the undersigned governors of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum having taken cognisance of the state of the nation and the perception of the Nigerian people, do hereby resolve as follows:

“That we thank the outgoing chairman, His Excellency, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State for his leadership and achievements;

“That we strongly agree for a change of leadership of the forum from May 2013 to May 2015.

“We hereby elect His Excellency, Jonah Jang of Plateau State as the new chairman,” the statement said.

While the entire statement was typed, the name of Jang was written with pen, which indicated that his coming into the race was not predetermined.

Those who signed the statement were the governors of Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue, Anambra, Kogi, Ondo, Plateau, Kaduna, Enugu, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Delta, Abia, Katsina, Yobe, Cross River and Kwara.

The statement was signed before the voting.

As soon as Jang finished reading his speech, the Governor of Bayelea State, Seriake Dickson, said there should be no question from journalists.

The Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, said he was going to introduce his successor as the deputy chairman of the forum.

He later raised the hands of Mimiko.

Akpabio said there was no election and that what happened was not a valid election.

Before the election, governors from the northern states met in the morning, but sources at the meeting said the governors were unable to arrive at a consensus candidate.

Our correspondent observed that telephone communication was jammed at the venue of the election to prevent the governors from being influenced by outsiders, probably from the Presidency or PDP leadership.

This was the first time that such a situation would happen since the governors have been having their meetings.

Meanwhile, Amaechi has affirmed the forum’s commitment towards supporting President Goodluck Jonathan to fight insecurity and reduce tension and uncertainty in the country.

Amaechi said in a statement shortly after he was re-elected the NGF chairman in Abuja on Friday that the forum would back President Jonathan to achieve the development dream of Nigerians.

He also pledged the forum’s resolve to work alongside the President to improve the living standard of Nigerians through transparent and accountable stewardship.

 He expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their tenacity and determination to ensure the unity of the forum and the nation in general.

“Today, our democracy was tested and proven. Democracy is about participation. The aim of democratic governance is for everyone to partake in winning.

“Today, the governors have spoken with one voice, reaffirming our faith in democratic governance as the hope of Nigeria’s future.

 “I must thank my colleagues for their tenacity and determination to ensure the unity of the forum but more importantly of our nation.

 “We remain committed to supporting our leader, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to realise the development dream of all Nigerians by reducing tension, uncertainty and insecurity in our beloved country.

 “We want to pledge our steadfastness and resolve to work alongside Mr. President to better the lives of our people as we render transparent and accountable stewardship,” Amaechi said.

Similarly, the NGF Director-General, Dr. Asishana Okauru, explained that the forum under the leadership of Governor Amaechi was eager to work with the Federal Government to achieve its (FG) development programmes for Nigerians.

Okauru pointed out that Amaechi’s determination to assist the Federal Government to develop the country made him (Amaechi) to go for a second term as the NGF chairman.

 “The chairman (Amaechi) won and the election was transparent as every governor except one voted. His victory portends well for Nigeria.

“Amaechi means well for the country and he is eager to work with the Federal Government to achieve the best for Nigerians,” Okauru stressed.

Okauru was, however, silent on the issue of external interference in the affairs of the forum before the election.

As soon as Jang finished reading his speech, the Governor of Bayelea State, Seriake Dickson, said there should be no question from journalists.

The Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, said he was going to introduce his successor as the deputy chairman of the forum.

He later raised the hands of Mimiko.

Akpabio said there was no election and that what happened was not a valid election.

Before the election, governors from the northern states met in the morning, but sources at the meeting said the governors were unable to arrive at a consensus candidate.

Our correspondent observed that telephone communication was jammed at the venue of the election to prevent the governors from being influenced by outsiders, probably from the Presidency or PDP leadership.

This was the first time that such a situation would happen since the governors have been having their meetings.

Meanwhile, Amaechi has affirmed the forum’s commitment towards supporting President Goodluck Jonathan to fight insecurity and reduce tension and uncertainty in the country.

Amaechi said in a statement shortly after he was re-elected the NGF chairman in Abuja on Friday that the forum would back President Jonathan to achieve the development dream of Nigerians.

He also pledged the forum’s resolve to work alongside the President to improve the living standard of Nigerians through transparent and accountable stewardship.

He expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their tenacity and determination to ensure the unity of the forum and the nation in general.

“Today, our democracy was tested and proven. Democracy is about participation. The aim of democratic governance is for everyone to partake in winning.

“Today, the governors have spoken with one voice, reaffirming our faith in democratic governance as the hope of Nigeria’s future.

“I must thank my colleagues for their tenacity and determination to ensure the unity of the forum but more importantly of our nation.

“We remain committed to supporting our leader, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to realise the development dream of all Nigerians by reducing tension, uncertainty and insecurity in our beloved country.

“We want to pledge our steadfastness and resolve to work alongside Mr. President to better the lives of our people as we render transparent and accountable stewardship,” Amaechi said.

Similarly, the NGF Director-General, Dr. Asishana Okauru, explained that the forum under the leadership of Governor Amaechi was eager to work with the Federal Government to achieve its (FG) development programmes for Nigerians.

Okauru pointed out that Amaechi’s determination to assist the Federal Government to develop the country made him (Amaechi) to go for a second term as the NGF chairman.

“The chairman (Amaechi) won and the election was transparent as every governor except one voted. His victory portends well for Nigeria.

“Amaechi means well for the country and he is eager to work with the Federal Government to achieve the best for Nigerians,” Okauru stressed.

Okauru was, however, silent on the issue of external interference in the affairs of the forum before the election

Dame Patience takes a cue from her husband

 

Reactions have been coming in since this column made its debut last week. But one from a senior colleague was quite instructive. He expressed concern over whether ‘the powers that be’ would allow the column to survive. When I demanded further explanation, he identified ‘the powers that be’ as ‘Aso Rock super powers’. Whoever that may be referring to, the lines of the mantra that are exclusive to President Goodluck Jonathan’s handlers readily came to my mind. “This administration is committed to the rule of law. President Jonathan respects the freedom of information and that is the reason he signed the FOI Bill into law. He will not gag the press.” That is Yours Sincerely speaking, not Dr. Reuben Abati or Dr. Doyin Okupe please!

 Dame Patience takes a cue from her husband

Since last year’s ill-health episode of the wife of the President, Mrs. (I think she prefers Dame or Dr.) Patience Jonathan, all her subsequent foreign trips are now being linked to issues about her health.

In order to avoid such speculation every time the Bayelsa State Permanent Secretary jets out, her media aides have now decided to take a cue from her husband. They have resolved to henceforth be issuing public statements on her trips and provide information on the country or countries she is heading to and the purpose(s) of such trip(s). That was exactly what they did when she travelled recently to Sierra Leone to participate in the inauguration of the country’s National Strategy for the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy.

Meanwhile, although many are aware of the February 17 “I was dead for over a week” testimony of the President’s wife at the Villa Chapel, what has not been reported are the circumstances leading to that famous testimony.

Left to her speech writers, the ‘Mother of modern Nigeria’ would have read a speech that journalists would describe as ‘empty’. As she made her way to the altar, her security detail had placed a copy of the speech on the lectern for her. But as the Dame mounted the podium, it appeared as if something else took over and changed the course of events. In a broken voice, she started with how she had limited the number of conversations she engaged in in the last three days just because she did not want to lose her voice.

She said it was to enable her to give the testimony to the fullest and “put the devil to shame.” She said despite that self-restriction, she woke up on the D-day to find out that she had lost her voice. “I told myself that devil is a liar. WhetherI lose my voice or not, I will give this testimony to the glory of God,” she declared as the congregation which included her husband and other top government officials laughed and clapped.

Holding a copy of her speech high enough for all to see, she said, “This is the speech my people prepared for me to read but I have decided that today is not a speech-reading day. I must narrate my story properly so that people will know the magnitude of what God did for me.” Her aides who were scattered all over the chapel looked uncomfortable but the congregation again applauded ‘Mama’.

Pin-drop silence enveloped the sanctuary of God soon after that applause. She, however, did not start the testimony until after making a passionate appeal to journalists in the house.

“Before I start, let me appeal to my journalist friends that whatever I say, that is wrong, please remove it. Whatever I say that is right, report it,” she pleaded. That statement again attracted laughter. Whether journalists heeded that clarion call is left for the President’s wife alone to decide. The testimony proper moved people to tears as intermittent sighs of “hmmmmmm” and “Oh my God” rent the air. She indeed held the congregation spellbound. It took the intervention of the Chaplain to the President, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, to tactically stop the testimony, but not after Madam had given journalists a good story to write. That much was attested to by the lead stories of almost all national newspapers the following day.

The Eaglets and their dashed hope

That President Goodluck Jonathan pleasantly surprised members of the Super Eagles when on February 12 he hosted them to a lavish reception at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after their victorious outing at the African Nations Cup in South Africa is no longer news. Their cash gifts came with a plot of land and national honours for each member of the team.

Coming from this background, members of the National Under-17 football team and the Under-18 African Youth Athletic champions had their hopes risen (justifiably so) when they heard that the President would be hosting them last Tuesday. The Eaglets had finished second in the just-concluded African Under-17 football championship in Morocco while the athletes topped the table at the maiden edition of the tournament held in Warri, Delta State.

Some of them attended the presidential reception with their proud parents. A mother of one of the athletes was seen taking photographs with her invitation cards displayed conspicuously like a graduating student would proudly display his or her certificate.

As the event commenced, the footballers and athletes, full of smiles, took turn to shake hands with the President. When he started his short remarks, they kept punctuating the speech with loud applause. Their mood, however, changed quickly when the President announced that he had decided to reward them with “token sums” because as young people, he did not want to spoil them with money.

“In recognition of your performance, we are giving you a token cash appreciation. It is a token because you are young people and we don’t want to spoil you. The Under- 17 players will get N500,000 each…,” he announced. Suddenly, the applause lost steam.

At the end of the event, I approached some of them, who looked unhappy. I knew they were not happy. The first one apparently took me for a security operative and was not forthcoming when I asked if the President met his expectation. He simply said, “at all, at all, na im bad pass.” But the second guy felt at home with me when he looked closely at my tag and discovered that I am a journalist.

“Bros, the man fall my hand. He say he no wan spoil us. He for spoil us small na. Who tell am say young people no dey spend money?” he said. All of them left the venue quietly.

This sack fever again?

Again, sack fever is gripping Jonathan’s cabinet members. The fear is that as the administration enters its mid-term on Wednesday, the President may want to show those seen as dead woods the way out in order to give way for fresh blood. Already, media reports on the alleged imminentreshuffle are increasing by the day. We have passed this road over and over again. One thing is clear, no one was born a minister. Even the position of permanent secretary is not permanent. An incumbent today will be an ex tomorrow. Either now or later, these ministers will definitely go.

I gave hoodlums N40,000 to escape being gang-raped –Resident

 

Residents of Mushin area of Lagos are still living in an atmosphere of fear after Sunday’s mayhem in which their homes were looted and a man was allegedly killed.

Saturday PUNCH visited the area on Wednesday to see what has changed since the incident, but observed that many of the residents are afraid that the hoodlums who carried out the attack might soon come back as they reportedly promised.

Some of the residents, who told our correspondent their stories, insisted the perpetrators, who they said numbered more than 50, came from Akala Street, Mushin.

Ike Olu Street was the most affected area. There were still remnants of shattered vehicle windscreens, house windows and burnt vehicles on the street when our correspondent visited.

The residents told Saturday PUNCH that the hoodlums went from house to house about 1.30 am on Sunday, robbing, looting shops and smashing cars before fleeing when they noticed police presence.

The looting hoodlums came back after they had initially fled, Saturday PUNCH learnt.

More looting was recorded during their second coming, it was learnt. It was during that period that they reportedly burnt the vehicles they had already smashed.

At least eight vehicles were said to have been burnt down. Our correspondent counted five burnt vehicles that had not been taken away by their owners.

A youth in Fadeyi, Monsuru Olayiwola, who had been reported to be one of the masterminds of the attack, told our correspondent he knew nothing about the matter.

He said, “I read in a newspaper report that I was wielding a pump-action rifle during  the mayhem. That is a blatant lie.

 “It was a ploy by the  criminals responsible to implicate me. I was at Ikorodu overnight during the mayhem and a lot of people can attest to this. I have not been in that particular part of Mushin for three years because of the violence of the youths in the area.”

A resident of Fadeyi, Wale Ayodele, told our correspondent that the hoodlums were suspected to comprise area boys and cult members.

He said, “We were very shocked when it was reported that the attack was carried out by youths from Fadeyi. This is not the first time this kind of attack would be blamed on Fadeyi boys by Mushin youths.

“Go to the street where the attacks took place and the residents themselves will tell you where the hoodlums came from.”

Tunde, a resident of Ike Olu Street, said the hoodlums announced their presence by shooting and smashing the windos of parked cars.

He said, “They smashed anything in sight and went from house to house, robbing people of cash, telephone sets, televisions, generators and even clothes.

“They destroyed some of the furniture I had been contracted to make for someone. But I fared better than some other people on this street.”

But another resident, who identified herself simply as Florence, said she narrowly escaped being gang-raped by about 15 men, who kicked down the door of her apartment.

Florence said, “I have no doubt that the men moving about the street, robbing and attacking people were up to 70 because the ones who came into my room were up to 15. There were other groups in other apartments at the same time.

“They kicked down the door and demanded money and my phones. But I was begging them that I had nothing in the house.

“I thought they would move on to other houses if I told them that. But some of them suddenly pulled down my trousers and wanted to rape me. I started begging and quickly dipped my hand into a place where I had saved N40,000 and handed it to them.

“I begged them to let me go. I told them that was all I had. I was lucky they left after that.”

Another resident, who pleaded anonymity, lost his commercial buses to the hoodlums.

He said, “I’m just a mechanic and I have a shop on this street. I’m not a resident of this street. I got to the workshop on Monday morning and saw the burnt carcass of my bus.

“I told the driver to always park the bus in front of my workshop every night. These hoodlums have destroyed a good source of money for me. To add to my woes, I have not finished paying for the bus because I’m paying on an instalment plan.”

Our correspondent learnt that a driver with a new generation bank has been arrested in connection with the burning of a vehicle during the mayhem.

The unidentified driver was said to have taken the official vehicle of his boss, a new Toyota Corrolla, home after the close of work the previous Friday.

It was burnt by the hoodlums where he parked it. The burnt car was still on the street when our correspondent visited.

Each of the residents had one thing or another to tell our correspondent, as he moved round the area.

A hairdresser said the door of her shop was kicked down and the hoodlums took away her generator.

A resident, Mrs. Rachael Adepoju, lost her savings and telephone sets to the hoodlums who came into her house, wielding guns, broken bottles and machetes.

Another resident said they threatened to kill two people in her house if she did not hand over her belongings.

A man next door was brutally beaten because he was not fast enough when he was handing over his belongings.

“They are cult members,” a resident, Fatai Owolabi, told our correspondent.

“Everybody on this street is aware that there has been a long-standing feud between members of the Eiye Confraternity and Black Axe.

“I don’t know who is accusing who, but we heard that one said the other was responsible for the death of two of its members. Anytime there is a problem, they use the opportunity to loot, rob and unleash mayhem on residents,” he said.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the men responsible for the mayhem were suspected to be those vending hard drugs and Indian hemp in Mushin.

Spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, had on Sunday said some suspects had been apprehended in connection with the case.

It is not clear how far the investigation had gone as Braide’s phone line indicated it was switched off when our correspondent contacted her on Wednesday.

Nigerians pester me for sex movies – Afro candy

 

US-based Nigerian actress, singer, writer and model, Afrocandy, real name Judith Opara-Mazagwu, talks about her obsession with sexually explicit movies and her latest work, Destructive Instinct, in an online interview with JULIET BUMAH

Any special reason you chose the name, AfroCandy?

I chose the name because guys call me ‘Eye Candy’. And I figured, if I’m an eye candy and I’m African, I should be an AfroCandy.

Did you do a boob job or are your breasts natural?

No, I did not do any boob job. My boobs are all mine, naturally made and given to me by my creator.

Why did you go into pornographic movies?

I’m not into pornography. I’ll say this over and over. The fact that I chose to make romance and sex scenes in my movies real should not make me a porn star. Now tell me, would you call the actors that play assassin and killer roles in movies murderers because they play such roles? Why are eyebrows being raised over this my movie? Or, is it because it has to do with sex, which is supposed to be a way of life? I find that to be sexist honestly. You can call me daring, brave, bold and beautiful. And I will like you to tell me what you call movies like ‘Basic Instinct, ‘I spit on your grave’ and the likes of them. And I’ll also like you to tell me what you may call actors like Sharon Stone, Halley Berry and co for taking similar roles in those movies before I can answer you directly.

Is there a market for pornographic movies in Nigeria?

Yes, there’s definitely a big market for my kind of movies in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, judging from the responses, requests and orders I have received so far. You already know your people, they will criticise in public but go behind to buy it and hide in their bedrooms to watch it. I’m not worried about the censors board, we got that locked down.

Have you settled issues with the guy who acted in your movie, ‘Destructive Instinct,’ and wanted to pull out?

Yes, we have settled the matter and are moving on.

What was the contract like?

I wouldn’t want to go into the details; but the bottom line is, the case has been closed and we are on to the next one.

Was the guy aware that he was going to feature in a porn movie?

Yes he was. And again, not a porn movie, but he knew he was going to get naked in the movie and he willingly did it.

Why did he want to pull out?

It’s a long story and I think I already addressed that already in one of my interviews.

How do you deal with advances from men?

I don’t deal with that at all.

What is your impression about gays?

My impression about them is, they are mostly adults, they know what is right and what is wrong and choose to do what is best for them. I guess they know what they want and what they want to do with their lives. So it’s normal.

Would you act in a gay movie?

Yes, I will. Matter of fact, I have a script for that and I guess that doesn’t make me gay now, right?

Which part of your body turns guys on the most?

Ha ha ha…thats’a very funny question, but how would I even know that? I guess you should conduct a wide search for that and maybe ask the guys for that.

Uche Ogbodo has reportedly turned down your offer to feature in a porn movie. Who will you invite to replace her?

I never even spoke to her yet, only made an announcement for an up and coming production. But I have worked with bigger and better actors and will always do; so that’s not important now.

How many films have you acted in and produced so far?

As many as possible.

Where are you from? What is your educational background?

I am from Imo State in Nigeria. As per education, I am a graduate with two associate degrees in office administration and computer science; a Bachelor’s degree in business management and a graduate in medical billing and coding. I’m also getting ready to go back to school to study law.

Have Cossy Orjiakor and Anita Joseph accepted your offer?

I wouldn’t like to disclose that, but I’ll keep you posted.

How do your daughters feel about your roles in porn movies?

I may be their mother because I brought them into the world. I may have the privilege to raise them up to adult age. But you know, I cannot tell them what to do or follow at a certain age. Besides, they are Americans who have their own minds. If they graduate from college and decide to follow my footsteps, it’s their own calling. If I can predict, they wouldn’t want to do what I do because they have better opportunities and better futures than mine. All I do now is to secure a better future for them so they don’t have to go through what I went through in my life time. Mind you, I tell my daughters everything I do. I even told them about this project, the nature of it, but I could not show them because they are not up to 18 yet. I just had to prepare them in case they run into it on the Internet, they won’t be shocked. So don’t worry about my daughters, they are the best children any mother could ever ask for and I thank God for the gift.

Snakes are our constant companions in school –Ogun primary pupils

Human beings desire happy memories that will last a lifetime. Many of these have to do with the experiences in primary school.

More often than not, a child’s character and views begin to be shaped at the primary school level. This is why the ambience of the school a child attends is as important as the knowledge being impacted within the walls of the school.

However, some people will rather not remember the experiences of their primary school days.

Few days before the Children’s Day  – the only day particularly set aside to honour children and lay emphasis on their education – Saturday PUNCH set out to seek the experiences of pupils in some schools in some rural areas. Of course, school children in rural areas usually have experiences that are different from their urban counterparts.

The journey took our correspondent to Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

At Olayemi Village, located few kilometres from Lisa, the site of the 2005 Bellview plane crash, St. Saviour’s Anglican Primary School stands in the middle of a forest.

St. Saviour’s is a two-block primary school. The two blocks have three classrooms that can best be described as sheds, and a decrepit headmaster’s office.

The teachers’ offices are in each of the classrooms – a corner with a table and chair.

A commercial motorcycle, who took our correspondent through the thick forest that led to the school, had to stop about 50 meters to the school.

The reason was obvious, getting to the school had to be done on foot because every space surrounding blocks of classrooms was overgrown with a forest of grasses as high as four feet.

Crossing from where the motorcycle stopped to the front of the blocks required a lot of will power.

Something becomes immediately obvious to any visitor to St. Saviours – the scanty number of students and teachers.

But a teacher soon enlightened our correspondent on the reason for this.

“Do you think any teacher would want to come here? Even many parents around here avoid this school and prefer to take their children to schools in the nearest big town,” he said.

Those who do not have the wherewithal to take their children to schools far from the area are the ones who bring their children to St. Saviour’s.

The teachers at the school would not speak on record and the headmistress had left for the Ministry of Education in Abeokuta.

In Ogun, teachers are not authorised to speak on record to the press without an authorisation from the State Universal Basic Education Board.

The classrooms at St. Saviour’s are merely rudimentary. They look at least 40 years old.

The walls of the building housing Basic Kne and kindergaten pupils has a gaping crack on it, revealing the mud bricks under the coat of age-old cement.

The roof is a tattered mess of rusty roofing sheets that has numerous holes through which sunlight stream on to the heads of the young pupils.

“What happens to these pupils if it suddenly starts raining?” our correspondent asked one of the teachers.

“Anytime it starts to rain, we quickly rush them into the other two classes with better roofs,” the teacher answered.

The answer further explains how the school is able to manage with just three classes even though there are Kindergarten pupils and those from Basic One to Six in the school.

Our correspondent soon learnt that the first classroom – the worst – is for Kindergarten and Basic One pupils, the second for Basic Two and Three pupils and the third for Basic Four to Six.

To test how this works, our correspondent entered the classroom housing Basic Four to Six.

The pupils immediately all stood up to perform their memorised greeting, “Good morn……ing sir. You are welcome to our midst. God bless you.”

There are three rows in the classroom.

“What class are you?” our correspondent asked a pupil on the first row.

“I am in Primary Six,” he answered. When another pupil was asked on the second row, he answered, “Primary Five.”

On the third row, a pupil answered, “I am in Primary Four. Each row is for each class.”

There is the same set up in the Basic Two and Three classroom.

But that of the Kindergaten and Basic One pupils is another matter entirely.

The pupils sat haphazardly, each perching where he or she could get a space. Those who could not find a space on benches with their little friends, took up vantage positions on the bare floor as they sang, “A for Apple, B for Ball…”

Then our correspondent learnt about a scary issue -snakes big and small, sometimes drop from the leaking roof, which has no ceiling.

Our correspondent asked a pupil in one of the higher classes about the snakes.

The boy said in Yoruba, “We kill many snakes here all the time. Snakes are normal here. We see them regularly in our classrooms.”

He pointed to some of the gaping holes in the asbestos ceiling of his classroom. “They sometimes drop from those places,” he said.

Because of the ceiling in their classroom, theirs is a better place than that of the Kindergaten and Basic One pupils whose skulls are not protected from the heat coming down directly from the roof.

Our correspondent stepped outside the classroom for a moment and observed that truly, the classrooms were tempting abodes for the snakes, which may need a warm place.

The thick and high bush surrounding the classrooms are barely three feet away, an easy reach for any snake that needs a warm bed.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the head teacher’s office was particularly a tempting abode for some of the snakes, making the poor woman to abandon the office altogether.

“She has stopped staying in the office because of snakes. She sits in the classrooms when she needs to work. Even if the headmistress has a document she needs to take in the office, she is always careful to check the door posts and corners of the office first before she enters, in case snakes are hiding there,” our correspondent was told.

“Bring your cutlasses tomorrow. We need to do some work on this bush,” one of the teachers announced to the pupils of the higher classes.

It did not seem to our correspondent that the pupils would have the power to make any difference if they were to start clearing the nearest bushes.

“We cannot just sit around. We still need to do something. Of course, these pupils cannot do much on this bush, but they will try what they can,” he said.

St. Saviour’s has a plain football field in the front of the classes, with two goal posts. But no child dares to play on the field.

The bell rang at 11am. It was break time.

All the pupils trooped out of the classrooms.

“Where are they going?” our correspondent asked a teacher.

“They are going home, of course. There is nowhere to play here and no food vendor comes here. So, what will they be doing around here at break time? They will come back to school after break time,” he said.

As our correspondent watched the students jump into the grassy field on their way home, they cut an eerie sight.

Our correspondent was able to see indeed how dangerous the overgrown field was as the pupils moved through it. Most of them could barely be seen above the tall grasses.

“Not to worry, they are used to it. Most of them grew up on farms,” a teacher said.

Saturday PUNCH could not confirm how old St. Saviour’s Anglican Primary School was. But it is doubtful if any further work has been done to develop the school since it was created.

Few kilometers to St. Saviour’s is another rural school, St. Paul’s Primary School, Oluke, which has also suffered years of neglect.

Both schools surprisingly have a lot of things in common. Like its counterpart at Olayemi, St. Paul’s has two blocks of classroom as well but not as old as that of St. Saviour’s.

The worst classroom is also dedicated to the Basic One students in this school.

The block housing the young pupils is an eyesore that speaks of years upon years of neglect.

Half of the roof of the building had become so rusted and eaten away, that it was obvious that if nothing was done soon, a strong wind may rip off the remnant of the tattered roofing sheets altogether.

Reading words on their blackboard with enthusiasm, the young pupils had no idea of the danger looming over them.

Our correspondent noticed a piece of old asbestos hanging precariously over the young pupils as they sat in the class.

Most of them sat on small plastic chairs they brought from home because the school’s wooden benches that were still in good condition would not contain all of them.

When our correspondent visited St. Paul’s, the teachers said there had been a “circular from SUBEB” that directed them to ensure no “strange visitor or journalist” was allowed to make any findings in the school.

It was obvious the pupils in St. Paul’s are not likely to suffer the menace of reptiles as much as the St. Saviour’s pupils. The vicinity of the school was not so overgrown with high and thick bushes.

It is doubtful that those who included universal education as one of the millennium development goals, thought about it in terms of the kind of education the pupils in schools like St. Paul’s and Saviour’s are receiving.

One thing is sure, though. These pupils will never look back at their primary school years with relish when they grow older.

They will wish something had been done to help improve the environment in which they studied.

Commissioner for Education in the state, Mr. Segun Odubela, said it was not surprising that the schools were in such deplorable conditions.

Odubela said, “These schools have suffered many years of neglect. But I can assure you that work will get to them.

“Our plan is to reconstruct and renovate about 1,490 primary schools throughout the state. Currently, we have touched more than 400 of them, which you can independently verify. Work will get to the schools in those villages soon. They only have to exercise a little patience.”

US drones spy on Boko Haram

 

Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states may have been bolstered by United States drones stationed in Niamey, Niger Republic.

The Nigerian government had deployed thousands of troops to the three states after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in their territories on May 14, 2013.

A top intelligence official, who declined to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, told Saturday PUNCH that US drones had been spying on Boko Haram bases in the forests and plains around Nigeria’s borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The source said this was part of assistance provided by the US Government, in its bid to destroy terror bases in West and North Africa.

The security official did not, however, give further details of the spying mission as well as other aspects of US military assistance to the campaign against Boko Haram.

“Yes, it is true. We have got assistance from the United States, including what you mentioned,” he stated.

US President Barack Obama had in February announced that 100 American troops were being sent to the drone base in the Nigerien capital.

The drones had been deployed in missions against Islamist extremists in Mali but may their area of coverage may have now been extended to cover Niger’s border with Nigeria.

Nigerien President Issoufou Mahamadou had told the Associated Press in January that his government invited Washington to send surveillance drones because he was worried that the country might not be able to defend its borders from Islamist fighters based in Mali, Libya or Nigeria.

“We welcome the drones,” Mahamadou said in an interview at the presidential palace in Niamey. Citing the “feeble capability” of many west African militaries, he said Niger and its neighbours desperately needed foreign help to track the movements of guerrillas across the Sahara and Sahel, an arid territorial belt that covers much of the region.

“Our countries are like the blind leading the blind,” he said. “We rely on countries like France and the United States. We need co-operation to ensure our security.”

The Predator drones in Niger are unarmed, US officials said, though they have not ruled out equipping the aircraft with Hellfire missiles in the future.

The US Embassy in Niamey, Niger Republic did not respond to an email on the matter.

When contacted, spokesman for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, denied any collaboration with the US in the campaign.

He said, “This is solely a Nigerian planned operation and we are doing it our own way. This operation is our own and we are doing it in line with best practices. It is Nigerian designed and executed.”

Meanwhile, Nigerian security agents may join the ongoing investigation of two British men, who hacked a soldier to death on Wednesday in Woolwich, United Kingdom.

The two British-born suspects of Nigerian origin, Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are under guard in hospitals after being shot and arrested by police after the murder of 25-year-old Afghan war veteran Lee Rigby on Wednesday in Woolwich in broad daylight. They have not yet been charged.

UK detectives are trying to determine whether the suspects had links to militants in Britain or overseas.

Sources familiar with the investigation have said no sign has emerged so far of direct links between the attack and the Boko Haram insurgency.

British investigators are looking at information that at least one of the suspects may have had an interest in joining Somalia-based Islamist rebel group al Shabaab, which is allied to al Qaeda and Boko Haram, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

A senior State Security Service official told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity on Thursday that although a request had yet to be received from UK authorities, security agents would be ready to aid the investigation of the alleged killer’s possible links to Boko Haram and other terror groups.

He said it was still early for such a request to be sent to Nigeria but noted that the agency was following developments on the matter closely.

Attempts to obtain comments from the SSS spokesperson, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls to her phone.

Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, asid, “We will not discuss that. Talk to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Spokesman for the British High Commission, Robert Fitzpatrick, declined to comment on the matter. He said since British Prime Minister, David Cameron, had issued a statement, there was nothing more to add.

Also speaking, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Ogbole Ahmedu-Ode, said, “Those two are of British nationals but of Nigerian ancestry. I am not aware of any request from the British Government on their roots in Nigeria.”