The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • WCQ: Nigeria draws Ethiopia

    WCQ: Nigeria draws Ethiopia

    …  Ghana to meet Egypt, Ivory Coast vs Senegal

    Super Eagles of Nigeria would meet the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in the final round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier for African zone.

    In the draws held on Monday morning in Cairo, Egypt, Ivory Coast was paired with Senegal, while Ghana would square up with seven-time African champions Egypt.

    Other pairings are – Algeria versus Burkina Faso and Cameroon versus Tunisia.

    The matches would be played in October and November to determine the continent’s five representatives in next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

     

     

  • FG to regulate electricity tariffs

    The Chairman, Round Table Committee of 11 companies that bought Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Mr. Ransom Owan, said the Federal Government will regulate the electricity tariffs to protect consumer’s right.

    Owan made the disclosure in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

    He said companies which bought the PHCN had paid up as at August 21 and would soon commence operations.

    Owan said electricity prices were controlled and governed by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission as the protector of the consumer.

    He said the new PHCN owners would treat the consumers as “kings’’ since they stand to pay for the industry’s financial responsibilities.

    “Why won’t the consumer be king when generation, transmission and distribution of power are paid for by the consumer through rates that are controlled,’’ Owan said.

    The chairman said the new electricity owners were not expected to exceed the prescribed regulated price by the commission.

    He urged consumers to remain confident as their interest would be protected in the regulation of tariffs.

    Owan also said that all existing staff of PHCN would be paid off 100 per cent by the Federal Government in line with labour unions demand.

    He said the new owners of PHCN also had an agreement with the government to retain some PHCN employees for a period of six months for continuity.

     

  • South African fast-food operator buys stake in Mr Bigg’s

    South African fast-food operator buys stake in Mr Bigg’s

    South African fast-food restaurant operator Famous Brands said on Monday it would buy 49 percent of the restaurant arm of UAC of Nigeria Plc to bolster its presence in the country.

    Famous Brands said the cash deal for an undisclosed amount gives it a wider footprint in Nigeria, where it has operated for the past 11 years through licence and franchise agreements, and is part of its strategy to expand further into Africa.

    Stuck with slower growth at home, South African companies are increasingly looking to fast-growing Sub-Saharan markets.

    UAC Restaurants has 165 franchised restaurants in Nigeria, with 57 of those in Lagos. That includes the popular Mr Bigg’s brand, Famous Brands said.

    Reuters reports that Famous Brands operates the Steers and Wimpy fast-food restaurants in South Africa.

     

     

  • South Korea troops kill man swimming to North

    South Korean troops have shot dead a man trying to swim across a border river into the North, officials say.

    BBC reports that soldiers opened fire after the man jumped into the Imjin River and ignored repeated warnings to stop.

    The North and South remain technically at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice and not a peace treaty.

    There are thousands of North Korean defectors living in South Korea, but few attempt to make the journey the other way.

    The incident comes as South Korean workers returned to the Kaesong industrial park in North Korea, five months after work was halted amid high political tension.

    The man, who has not yet been identified, was spotted by guards near the western border in Paju, north of Seoul, at around 14:23 local time (05:53GMT).

    Soldiers fired off warning shots and told him to return to the South. When he disobeyed the order and jumped into the river, he was shot dead, military officials told Yonhap news agency.

    A military spokesman also told the Agence France-Presse news agency that the man’s body has been retrieved.

     

     

  • Amaechi, Aliyu,Lamido, others in closed-door meeting with Jonathan

    Towards resolving the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday met with the aggrieved governors at the First Lady Conference room in the Presidential Villa.

    The aggrieved governors had on the 31st of August break away from the main party to form the ‘New PDP’ under the chairmanship of Kawu Baraje.
    Journalists were barred from entering the venue of the meeting which started some minutes after 4 p.m. They were told that the meeting did not need media coverage.

    Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, wearing white shirt, drove himself to the First Lady office around 5:14 p.m. in a Black Range Rover jeep with plate number Nasarawa AE 153 NBB behind Babangida Aliyu, Niger State Governor’s vehicle.

    Other aggrieved governors at the meeting included Kwara State, Abdulafatah Ahmed, Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, Jigawa State, Sule Lamido,

    Among the Pro-Jonathan governors at the meeting included Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, Cross Rivers State , Liyel Imoke, Kogi State, Idris Wada, Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwanbo,

  • Presidency attacks El-Rufai

    The Presidency has  described former FCT Minister and Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Nasir el-Rufai, as “a double minded and unstable man in all his ways”.

    The Special Assistant (New Media) to the President, Mr Reno Omokri made this remark in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

    He was reacting to an interview published in the Saturday Sun of September 14, 2013, in which el-Rufai had said that ‘Nothing can make Jonathan succeed.’

    El-rufai had said that the President “is grossly incompetent, he doesn’t listen, he doesn’t even understand the issues”.

    The Presidential aide urged the public not to be misled by the machinations of el-Rufai, “a man who is in dire need of prayers and perhaps psychological assistance”.

    Omokri recalled that contrary to his position in the interview, El-Rufai had at a meeting with Ambassador John Campbell in April of 2007 said that Jonathan, the then Vice Presidential nominee of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, “is clean and honest”.

    He said  El-Rufai had told the ambassador that “Jonathan was the only candidate that met Obasanjo’s guidelines- honesty and Ijaw”.

    According to him, unknown to El-Rufai, the ambassador kept a record of their conversation which is now a public record in America.

    He said: “Beyond that, Nasir El-Rufai, who had gone into voluntary exile under the presidency of Malam Umaru Musa Yar’adua
    after he was accused of corruption and abuse of office while he was minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, felt safe enough to return to Nigeria as soon as President Jonathan ascended to power.”

    Omokri recalled that when  El-Rufai returned to Nigeria, in 2010, he visited President Jonathan at Presidential Villa on May 11, 2010, and was the first major political figure to call on him to contest for the 2011 presidential election.

    Omokri said that in the double speak nature of El-rufai he showered encomiums on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the latest interview contrary to a damning conclusion on the General in 2010.

    “I think that where Nigeria is today, only someone like Buhari, with the experience of having run the country before, and having run it along certain principles of discipline, integrity and accountability, that Nigeria needs”.

    Omokri recalled that the same El-Rufai had however, in October 6, 2010, said Buhari was not a suitable person to rule the country.

    “Mallam El-Rufai wishes to remind General Buhari that he has remained perpetually unelectable because his record as military head of state, and afterwards, is a warning that many Nigerians have wisely heeded.

    “His insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus are already well-known.

    “In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father to enter Nigeria unchecked at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new.

    “Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal and not regular courts of law.

    “Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity even from truthful reporting.

    “That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole.

    “That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance. These are facts of recent history.

    “The story of counter-trade and import licensing, the cornerstone of Buhari’s stone-age economic strategy and those whose interests it served, is a tale for another day.”

  • Ogenyi Onazi loving life in Lazio

    Ogenyi Onazi loving life in Lazio

    Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, says he’s truly living his dream life in the cosy Italian city of Parma.
    Speaking exclusively to The Nation Sports & Style recently, the Parma FC midfielder reflected on his career and life in the ancient city and noted that he’s enjoying every bit of life in the ‘beautiful city’.
     Hear him: “When I got to Lazio I was put in Team B, so I had to work very hard in training and on the pitch to achieve lots of strength and stability in the team. I was desperate for success and everybody in the team knew. I was quite young at that time and knew that to command regular shirt would be tough. I knew the only way to achieve my dream of first team shirt was to be committed and dedicated. So when I got the opportunity I was able to justify the first team shirt. I was born to play and be great. I love the club and the cosy life in Lazio. The city is also beautiful. The fans and the management of the club are fantastic and I have never regretted my life in the team because I am already living my dream.”
    Onazi, for many that do not know him too well, is a ‘promised child’.
    Until recently when he became a household name being sought by Eagles handler, Stephen Keshi, to hold his midfield alongside Mikel Obi, Onazi was a youngster in the colours of My People FC; a youth team put together by televangelist TB Joshua.
    While Onazi was a key player in Nigeria’s recent Africa Cup of Nations’ victory, this was not the first time that the 20-year-old has been brought to public attention. In fact, few players have been raised and developed with such expectation and anticipation as Onazi. His progress has long been a subtle narrative for Nigerians.
    Onazi and his compatriot, Sani Emmanuel, were selected for the Nigerian U17 team before long and soon earned moves to Europe, and to Italian giants, Lazio.
    Since the transfer, Onazi has flourished, and at the time of writing this piece has taken his game to the national level. Onazi, who has identified Chelsea as an ideal future home, speaks on other issues. Excerpts:
    Flying high with Eagles
    I will like to say I have been so fortunate to maintain my regularity in the national team. It was not that I am perfect in commanding regular shirts but I think God has been so helpful to me not only in Super Eagles but in my career generally. I came into the national team with passion and visions and I thank God my dreams are perfectly coming through.
    Patience in career
    My career generally has something to do with time. I endured a lot with prayer and determination to get to this level of my career. It took me lots of patience because I have believed in God’s time, which is the best. During my endurance, I tried as much to learn a lot of things in the game and also held my determination to be a better player. So I would like to say, the awaited time of God is paving ways to my success at the moment.
    Afcon glory
    I was born to be a champion. I will forever be a living champion because I have been ordained to live, conquer and be successful. I went to South Africa with a huge confidence. But I never disclosed it to anybody. The game of football is about one philosophy; you must not doubt your mind, the moment you doubt your faith, it will definitely shake off. I went to the tournament with big faith of winning. Even when critics started kicking against the team, my faith was intact. I had that belief that Eagles would conquer in South Africa and it became stronger when we beat Cote’d’ Ivoire. I see the Ivoirians as the tournament’s main threat to the Super Eagles and we handled the game well. That was when our critics started believing that we could go all the way to win the trophy.
    God-made
    When you work in God’s directions and obey his commandment, you are bound for greatness. I am God-made because I dedicate everything I have to him because he has been wonderful to me at every point of my career. The first thing I do on waking up is to praise his name before any other thing. And I always see that effect in my daily activities because I have put him before anything.
    Making waves in Lazio
    When I got to Lazio I was put in Team B, so I had to work very hard in training and on the pitch to achieve lots of strength and stability in the team. I was desperate for success and everybody in the team knew that. I was quite young at that time and knew that to command a regular shirt would be tough. I knew the only way to achieve my dream of first team shirt was to be committed and dedicated. So when I got the opportunity I was able to justify the first team shirt.
    I was born to play and be great. I love the club and the cosy life in Lazio. The city is also beautiful. The fans and the management of the club are fantastic and I have never regretted my life in the team because I am already living my dream.
    Onazi, the midfielder
    I improve with every action tasted in Lazio and that is the magic of my game. I work hard to play better than my last game. I don’t believe I can’t do anything my mates are doing. I think it is a general thing in a footballer’s career; the more you play, the better you become intelligently. Consistency has really paid off for me because I find joy mostly on the pitch especially when I am doing my job well. However, I am not yet there because there are many great footballers in the world today, that is why I am not resting on my oars. I am taking my game higher, higher and higher every day. As a midfielder, you must be dynamic in your style of play and let your team mates feel your impact either in defending or offence; so I am putting lots of creativity into my games.
     Positivity
    I love living a positive life even in the world of negativity. I am always positive.
    Off the pitch
    I play snooker to unwind. I can never get tired of it. It is another great game that I love with a passion. I play the game well and my teammates know I’m really good at it.

  • Oando to build 50 mega stations

    The Chief Operating Officer of Oando Marketing Plc, Mrs. Olaposi Williams, announced in Lagos on Sunday that the company would build 50 mega stations within the next five years to boost petroleum products supplies nationwide.

    Williams made the disclosure at a ceremony to announce modalities for the building of the stations.

    She, however, did not put a figure to the cost of the project.

    She said that each of the stations which would be built in major cities in the country would have capacity to dispense at least three trucks of premium motor spirit per day.

    The COO said the new stations, which she described as one-stop shop, would be located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other key cities in the south-east, northern and south-west geo-political zones of the country.

    According to her, Lagos will have the lion’s share of the stations with 50 per cent, the Federal Capital Territory 30 per cent, while the south- east and north will get 10 per cent each.

    “We hope to build 10 mega stations every year in the next five years, which will bring the number to 50. We are repositioning our retail outlets across the country, especially filling stations which have been driving our volume.

    “Before now we had over 1,000 stations but we have 338 of them that are dispensing over a million litres per month, about three trucks per day. In the last one year, we have upgraded 10 stations in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, “the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the Oando chief as saying at the forum.

    Williams noted that the plan of the company was to build at least 10 stations in a year, noting that nothing would be compromised in the bid to achieve the highest standards in dispensing fuel to customers.

     

     

  • Ogbeide predicts penalty shootout in Fed Cup decider

    Ogbeide predicts penalty shootout in Fed Cup decider

    Warri Wolves coach, Solomon Ogbeide, has said penalty shootout will decide the winners of the 2013 Federation Cup.

    The Seasiders will confront two-time Cup winners, Enyimba in the final billed for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Sunday.

    Supersport.com reports that Wolves devoted quantity time perfecting penalty kicks in the side’s training session on Saturday’s evening at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

    Ogbeide said he is not leaving any stone unturned in the bid to ensure his side win this year’s Federation Cup at the expense of the two-time African champions.

    “I won’t say for sure that the match will end in penalty shootout. I remain an optimist but something inside me is telling me the encounter might end that way.

    “So what we did was to prepare for everything, as a coach I train my wards for the unseen, the unexpected so that when the unexpected happens you won’t be found wanting.

    “Nothing happens in football by magic, you must train for the known and unknown as well as anticipate everything.

    “Surely, Enyimba must be tired of trophies. This is our turn to shine though we’re not unmindful of the fact that every football game is a big competition, “supersport.com quoted Ogbeide as saying on Saturday.

     

  • Judge orders Mubarak’s trial blackout

    Judge orders Mubarak’s trial blackout

    An Egyptian judge has ordered a media blackout during the next phase of the retrial of Hosni Mubarak, BBC reports.

    Judge Mahmoud el-Rachidi said the sessions, to be held on 19-21 October, would involve national security issues.

    Mr. Mubarak, 85, appeared in court on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising.

    Defence lawyers are seeking to blame Islamists from the Muslim Brotherhood and foreign forces for the deaths of about 850 people killed in the unrest.

    Mr. Mubarak was jailed for life in June last year for contributing to the killings.

    But he appealed against his sentence and a retrial was ordered.

    He is on trial along with his two sons, the former interior minister, and six security chiefs.

    Certain parts of his original trial were also held behind closed doors.

    Judge Rachidi had promised more transparency in the retrial.