The Nation Newspaper

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  • Zoning: PDP must admit 2011 mistake – Atiku

    Zoning: PDP must admit 2011 mistake – Atiku

    Former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is of the view that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot move forward until it admits the wrong it committed in 2011, when it gave its presidential ticket to President Goodluck Jonathan in alleged contradiction to its zoning policy.

    Reacting to the declaration by the party leadership, last week, that it will stick to its zoning policy for the 2015 elections, Atiku told The Nation that “If the leadership is serious about making amends for the injustice of the past, it has to first admit that a wrong had been done and then take appropriate steps to do the right thing.”

    Atiku, one of the PDP presidential aspirants that lost out in 2011, following the abandonment of the party’s zoning policy said: “It is a fact that the issue of zoning is still enshrined in the constitution as amended. However, recall that in the run up to the 2011 election, the principle of zoning as enshrined in the party was implemented in breach. If the current leadership wants to right the wrongs of the past, it has to match its intent with action. It cannot be that zoning is right for some people and it is abandoned when it comes to others.”

    National Secretary of PDP, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, had told newsmen that the party will stick to its zoning policy in picking its presidential candidate for the 2015 election.

    He explained that the party’s leadership’s decision was informed by the realisation that, “What has endeared the PDP to Nigerians is the zoning arrangement, which has given minority groups the hope of realising their political aspirations in the country.”

    Asked if that declaration would put paid to the long drawn controversy, Atiku retorted, “You cannot eat your cake and have it. If the leadership is serious about making amends for the injustice of the past, it has to first admit that a wrong had been done and then take appropriate steps to do the right thing.

    There cannot be atonement without confession. The admission of error is the first step to rectification.”

    Other Nigerians, including other PDP stalwarts expressed a similar sentiment. One of them is Mike Okorie, a Lagos- based lawyer and former PDP House of Representatives aspirant in Abia State.

    Responding to the PDP statement Okorie said “For more reasons than one, the statement is not conclusive of the matter. Besides, the Party is noted for policy shifts, somersault and double standard. Let us not forget in a hurry the events leading up to 2011 Presidential elections and even thereafter, when zoning was observed in the breach, if not jettisoned. Now the trillion naira question is whose turn is it for at least to produce the next Speaker, House of Representatives, not to talk of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

     

  • Glo donates classrooms, ICT lab

    •Amosun, Awujale hail Adenuga

     

    National Telecoms Operator, Globacom, has reiterated its commitment to improving the lives of future leaders in Nigeria.

    It said this during the donation a block of fully equipped classrooms to Ijebu Muslim School, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, as part of the activities marking the 2012 Ojude Oba festival.

    At the commissioning of the block of classrooms and an ICT laboratory on yesterday, Globacom said this was one of the many projects it designed as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility drive.

    The telecom operator last promised to deliver the block of classrooms during last year’s festival.

    Its Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mrs. Ben Ayede, said the company is committed to providing facilities that will assist youths become the best in their various endeavours.

    Ayede explained: “We are mindful of the fact that government alone cannot successfully fund a functional educational system.

    “This block of five classrooms is enriched with an IT centre, 50 internet-enabled computers and fully furnished classrooms with students and teachers’ desks and chairs.

    “The facility will make the world indeed a global village for the students and teachers of this great college.”

    She also said the facilities would empower the students of the college and other scholars to reach the world at the speed of light. Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, applauded Globacom for the donation.

    The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Dr Tunji Abimbola, said: “We’ll take the photographs of this facility and recommend it as the standard structure for schools in the state”.

    He said Globacom has done what is unprecedented by making provision for disabled students.

    Amosun said: “I challenge the students and teachers of this school to put the facility into good use.

    “I also call on others in the private sector to emulate Glo and partner with the state government in providing ultra modern facilities for our schools.”

    The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who was represented by the Baagbimo of Ijebuland, Chief Fassy Yusuff, commended Globacom Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga (GCON) for the kind gesture which he said demonstrated his commitment to the cause of humanity.

    He advised business organisations to take a cue from Globacom, adding that successful business ventures must give back to the society to sustain mutually- beneficial relationships.

  • Ondo polls: Accept defeat, Obasanjo tells Oke

    Ondo polls: Accept defeat, Obasanjo tells Oke

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday asked the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the recent Ondo State governorship election, Mr. Olusola Oke, to accept defeat in good fate.

    He said going to the election petitions tribunal to challenge the result of the election in which Mr.Oke came second will amount to a waste of time and resources. The former President spoke at the South-West caucus meeting of the party in Ibadan.

    The former President said the party and Oke have nothing to be ashamed of about the Ondo election and that the PDP candidate performed well. He said that rather than brooding over what might have been all PDP members should learn necessary lessons from the election. He told Oke pointblank: “there is no perfect election.”

    “Whatever may be the shortcomings of the election should be overlooked since such may not necessarily upturn the table. We should accept defeat and start looking forward,” he added.

    Obasanjo who arrived the venue of the meeting close to the end re-iterated that the ruling party is “not sufficiently disciplined and there cannot be any meaningful progress and development without culture of discipline.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Cleric tasks FG on insecurity, flood

    THERE is need for a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s security forces and judicial system to restore public confidence in crime control and justice delivery, Bishop Taiwo Akinola of Rhema Christian Church, Ota, Ogun State has said.

    Speaking on current national issues at a briefing on the forthcoming annual convention of the church tagged “Blessed beyond curses”, the cleric opined that a drastic action was necessary to tackle the spate of violence and insecurity in Nigeria.

    He said: “The news of the gruesome murder of 40 students of The Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State and the four students of the University of Port Harcourt who were tortured, murdered and burnt in Aluu, Rivers State came to me as a rude shock. These events were, to say the least, appalling, reprehensible, horrific, repugnant and absolutely condemnable”.

    Akinola added: “The fact that innocent lives could be snuffed out with impunity with no concrete action taken after several days portend a gradual and very dangerous systemic failure of our security agencies in combating crime.”

    He urged government to take proactive measures to contain flood currently ravaging parts of the country.

    According to him: “We, as a nation, must develop our proactive abilities in the face of national disaster rather than always engaging in bush fire crisis management.

    “It is time for us to develop our National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to be able to respond effectively and efficiently to event of national crisis in future.”

  • Abortion: Choice or miscalculation

    Abortion: Choice or miscalculation

    In Nigeria abortion is said to be illegal and the act is usually done in the shadows . Unfortunately, a number of women and young girls continue to die via abortion especially in the hands of quacks. Yetunde Oladeinde, Joe Agbro Jr. and Rita Ohai take a look at abortion and why many continue to lose their lives this way.

    For Sophia it was the worst period in her life. The pain she was experiencing was excruciating and she just could not move her legs. It was also terrible because the young man who put her in this condition was nowhere to be found. He actually brought her to the hospital, paid half of the bill and promised to come back the next morning with the balance.

    But he never came back again. Abandoned with an aborted dream, it looked like she was a few metres away from hell. Luckily, for this teenager, the abortion was successful and she was eager to put the ordeal behind her. But it wasn’t so easy. She had become a ‘detainee’ of some sort pending when the balance would be settled.

    Who is going to pay for this mess? Could she bring her parents into the matter? Or is it better to find another Samaritan to pay the balance for this abortion that was almost suicidal?

    Sophia is not alone, there are so many teenagers in her shoes. Sex, the enjoyable pastime usually reserved for adults for fun or procreation, is now an activity that many teenagers have now embraced. But, one of its price, unwanted pregnancy, which many are not ready for often comes up. Consequently, many teenage girls find themselves deciding on becoming mothers or having abortions.

    While for many young girls who venture into abortion, they get introduced into the act by their peers and age-mates. But, for others, it is their mothers who introduced them. Such was the case of Temilade who had been put into the family way by an older friend. At only 16 years old then and still in SS 1, having a baby, Temilade said, was not an option that her family tolerated. Hence, with guidance from her mother, Temilade was herded into a kiosk somewhere in Agege, Lagos State where she had her first abortion.

    “My mother after much questioning, threatening and scolding, decided she had to abort the pregnancy which was then three months old,” Temilade said. “But, it was painful. I bled for three days.”

    She, however, went through four different abortions before she was 20.

    Such was also the story from Ramota, another girl who in her own case, claimed she was led to the abortion table at age 18 by her boyfriend. After that first time which she considered painful, she said others were just routine. And just like Temilade, Ramota said she had visited her ‘specialist’ who is popularly referred to as ‘nurse’ in the neighbourhood on two other occasions. Now, age 30 and with two children, she recalled her turbulent years. “After doing three abortions from a ‘specialist’, Ramota said, “I see everything as normal.”

    Such worrying dimension is what currently confronts the Nigerian society today.”On a daily basis, you find young girls walking into the clinic and making enquiries about abortion. I always tell them that it is not done in my clinic and I watch them walk away miserably. It is very unfortunate but it is obvious that they would go and seek help elsewhere. Sometimes, they bring some of them who have complications after visiting the quacks. While some are lucky to survive the ordeal, others die even before getting to the hospital”, informs Adewunmi Akanni , a nurse.

    Statistics reveal that the number of people dying from abortion and other pregnancy related ailments is on the increase. According to statistics from the Guttmacher Institute about 750,000 women have abortions every year. Unfortunately, 20% of pregnancies in Nigeria are unplanned while 50% of those end in abortion. As you take a deeper look, you also come to the realisation that 60% of those are “unsafe” while 20% are done by traditional healers.

    Experts say that lack of contraceptives and its awareness is part of the problem. “Sometimes, you find people having to do abortion because the girl has been raped. In the case of rape, it is likely that the girl would not want to keep such a pregnancy. Here they can make use of emergency contraceptives but sometimes there is little awareness about this.”

    Some of the ladies who spoke with The Nation said that their boyfriends usually refuse to let them use contraceptives. Others simply believe that contraceptive use can be dangerous to their health later in life. Most of them did not tell their partners or their families they were pregnant, and had to borrow money from friends to pay for the abortion. In unqualified hands, an abortion could cost as little N5000.

    For Dr. Oye-Adeniran of the Campaign for Unwanted Pregnancy (CAUP), unsafe abortion is a simple matter of individual and public health. “As obstetricians and gynaecologists, we know that anybody who has made up her mind to discontinue a pregnancy will do so,” says Dr. Oye-Adeniran. “She will go to any extent, any length, to get it done. So why not do it safely? As a provider, in spite of your religious inclinations or teachings or lineage—if your father was a priest or your grandfather was a priest and you cannot see yourself doing that—you must recognise that even if you think the patient has sinned, she must be alive to repent. That is our position. Maternal mortality is on the rise in Nigeria, and we know that one-third to 40 percent of it is attributable to complications from unsafe abortion. So this is the real issue.”

    Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio is among the highest in the world—one in 14 mothers will die from pregnancy or childbirth—and many of them will seek the services of unskilled providers to terminate their pregnancies. Young women are at the greatest risk: Over half of the patients seen for complications from unsafe abortion in Nigerian hospitals are teenage girls. And the poorest young women are at the greatest risk of all. As in many countries worldwide where abortion is highly restricted, safe care is often a matter of resources. Those with money can find a doctor to perform a safe procedure. “In Nigeria, access is denied to those on the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder,” explains Dr. Oye-Adeniran. “The poor, the unsung, and the young persons.”

    Religion, experts say, plays an important role effect on students’ attitude towards abortion. “My parents are members of the Jehovah Witness and my mother wanted my elder sister to marry someone from our church. Unfortunately, she fell in love with someone who is not a member of our church and got pregnant for him. My parents rejected the pregnancy and insisted that she must have an abortion. She went for the abortion and died in the process, they were devastated. At that point, they wished they hadn’t been too rigid on her but somehow it was too late,” recalls Fadeke.

    Experts also recommend that counsellors and teachers should make reproductive health knowledge available to students in tertiary institutions through the provision of sex education.

    Awareness programmes should be encouraged which will aim at highlighting the consequences of sexual promiscuity and abortion among Nigerian youths and there should be complete sanitisation of moral laxity and other social vices of students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

  • Fire razes 6-storey building in Lagos

    Fire razes 6-storey building in Lagos

    Disaster struck yesterday at the popular Balogun Market in Lagos when a six-storey building was completely gutted by fire.

    The fire, which eyewitnesses said was ignited on the sixth floor before it extended to the others, started at about 5.30pm and razed the entire building to its foundation.

    Men of the Lagos fire service, who reportedly arrived, the scene on time could not however put off the fire due to the crowd surging that created a serious human bottleneck.

    The development prevented the firemen from moving in their equipment to rescue the situation.

    Residents and traders inside the building, who attempted to salvage their properties, were forced to abandon the act when the raging fire razed on uncontrollably.

    The fire was not put off at as the time of filing this report though no casualty was recorded.

    One of the traders trapped inside the building was rescued by the fire fighters.

     

  • Civil War Genocide Allegation: I’m ready for ICC trial, says Gowon

    Civil War Genocide Allegation: I’m ready for ICC trial, says Gowon

    • ‘Awo and I have no regrets
    • Says Achebe is ignorant

     

    Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, told critics yesterday that he is ready to face trial anywhere over allegation that he and Federal Government under him starved millions of Igbo to death during the Civil War.

    He said Professor Chinua Achebe whose latest book ‘There was a country’, triggered the current frenzy over who played what role during the war, wrote out of ignorance.

    “It was the Igbos that objected to the creation of corridor for movements of medical aid and food supplies to the civilian population at the period and on this I am ready to face the International Criminal Court of Justice at the Hague for prosecution over roles played by me when the war ended,” he told journalists in Minna, Niger State after a courtesy call on Governor Babangida Aliyu.

    “Fortunately, some Nigerians are still alive to bear witness to the roles played by both the leadership of the secessionist group and the then Federal Military government under my leadership.”

    Gen. Gowon who was in Minna for a two day prayer session organised by Nigeria Prays, said the secessionist leaders, more than anyone else, caused the massive deaths recorded in the defunct Biafra. He said contrary to allegations his government had no war policy to starve anyone to death.

    The high death toll in Biafra, according to him, was caused by their own propaganda machinery which claimed that the ‘Northern invaders’ were coming to their camps and that caused panic and pandemonium among their people because some people were trying to move from one location to the other out of fear of imaginary attacks by the so called northern invaders and without foods.

    “In fact, if there was no secession by the South Eastern part of the country, there would have been no civil war because right from the beginning of the crises the war would have been averted if not for the secession. It was something I believed we could have stopped,” General Gowon said.

    He cited an attempt by the secessionists to smuggle in arms in a ship named “Josina”. He said when the ship which they had claimed was carrying Agricultural Implements was captured by the Federal Troops and was subjected to a thorough search it was arms and ammunition that were found in it.

    He said he and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo have no regret whatsoever for playing the roles they played in the war.

    On Achebe, he said: “What role did Achebe play in the secessionist plans? Achebe must have been outside the country during the war and probably did not know what happened at the period otherwise he would not have written on what he was not sure of.”

    Achebe in his book had said: “It is my impression that Awolowo was driven by an overriding ambition for power, for himself and for his Yoruba people. There is, on the surface at least, nothing wrong with those aspirations.

    “However, Awolowo saw the dominant Igbo at the time as the obstacles to that goal, and when the opportunity arose – the Nigeria-Biafra War – his ambition drove him into a frenzy to go to every length to achieve his dreams.

    “In the Biafran case, it meant hatching up a diabolical policy to reduce the numbers of his enemies significantly through starvation – eliminating over two million people, mainly members of future generations.”

     

  • Dealing with eczema

    Dealing with eczema

    THE skin which protects our organs, muscles, bones and regulates our body temperature can run into plenty of trouble, like acne when pores become clogged. But pimples are not the only upsetting skin problem people may encounter.

    Another common yet unexplainable challenge condition a wide range of individuals face is eczema. According to the World Health Organization, this disease affects many children and adults in our parts of Africa due to the humid temperature and poor sanitation habits. Most infants who develop the condition outgrow it sometime during childhood while others continue to experience symptoms on and off throughout life.

    Defining this health issue, Dr. Kayode Oyediran of Diamond Crest Hospitals, Egbeda says, “Eczema is a group of skin conditions that cause skin to become red, irritated, itchy, and sometimes develop small, fluid-filled bumps that become moist and smell.

    “Science has not been able to prove the cause of eczema but some researchers think it could be a difference in the way a person’s immune system reacts to things in the environment. For example, too many folks in Nigeria make use of adulterated topical lotions or body creams as most people would call it.”

    Although it is not contagious like a cold, but most people with eczema have family members with the condition. Researchers think it is inherited or passed through the genes.

    While the exact cause of eczema is unknown, some irritants have been identified to worsen the situation.

    Medical practitioners state that patients with eczema are also likely to have some degree of asthma. For others, food allergies such as cow’s milk, soy, eggs, fish, or wheat may cause or worsen eczema. Those who are allergic to animals and the waste they produce, rough fabrics, and dust would reduce their chances of developing eczema if they avoid these allergens.

    It can be difficult to avoid all the triggers that may cause or worsen eczema flare-ups but it is essential to understand how the symptoms manifest. Oyediran said, “In many people, the itchy patches of eczema usually appear at the elbow, on the back of the knees, ankles, and wrists and on the face, neck, and upper chest although any part of the body can be affected.

    “Then, if the person scratches, the skin may become red, inflamed, or blistered. Some people who have eczema scratch their skin so much it becomes almost leathery in texture. Others find that their skin becomes extremely dry and scaly. Even though many people have eczema, the symptoms can vary quite a bit from person to person.”

    To protect children from this infection, studies have highlighted the importance of breast-feeding. Reports show that children who are breast-fed until they are 4 months old are less likely to get skin diseases.

    However, in the face of all of these, there’s good news. If you have eczema, medical experts say it usually clears up before the age of 25. Until then, you can learn to tune in to what triggers the skin condition and manage it.

    Your self-esteem doesn’t have to suffer just because you have eczema and neither does your social life!

     

     

     

    Tackling  eczema

    1. Try to avoid hot water. Too much exposure to hot water or overuse of soaps or cleansers can dry out your skin. So take short warm, not hot, showers and baths and wear gloves if your hands will be in water for long periods of time.

    Be sure to gently and thoroughly pat your skin dry, as rubbing with a coarse towel will irritate the eczema. Also, it isn’t the water that causes your skin to react; it’s the water evaporating that’s not captured in the skin.

    2. Don’t scratch that itch. Even though it’s difficult to resist, scratching your itch can worsen eczema and make it more difficult for the skin to heal because you can break the skin and bacteria can get in, causing an infection. As a precautionary measure, keep your fingernails short to prevent skin damage.

    3. Moisturise skin affected by eczema often. In most cases, moisturisers are the first step in itch control. Applying moisturiser helps lock in your skin’s own moisture. Recent studies reveal that individuals with eczema have gaps between the cells in their skin that allow allergens to get in. Moisturizer can fill these gaps and make it harder for allergens to get into the skin.

    The key is to moisturise often, especially right after bathing or washing. Look for a moisturiser that is unscented, because additives and fragrances can irritate the skin. For the most moisture protection, choose a thicker ointment, like petroleum jelly.4. Use cold compresses to soothe itchy skin. Cold compresses applied to the skin can also soothe itch. You can place an ice pack inside a plastic bag or soft towel. Hold the ice next to the itchy skin for a few minutes or as needed to help relieve itch.

    4. Wear comfortable fabrics that feel good. Say yes to cotton. Clothes made of scratchy fabric like wool can irritate your skin. Choose comfortable, loose-fitting fabrics that make your skin feel good. Cottons and cotton blends are usually the most comfortable. Avoid coarse materials, wool, and synthetic fabrics since these fabrics can irritate your skin.

    5.Avoid anything that makes your symptoms worse. This may include foods such as eggs in a very young child, strong soaps or detergents, as well as chemicals and solvents

  • Floods: Ateke Tom flays diversion of relief materials

    •Says it will attract God’s wrath

    Diverting relief materials meant for victims of floods in Rivers state and others will be criminal and attract God’s wrath, a former militant leader in the Niger Delta, Chief Ateke Tom, has declared.

    He spoke yesterday in Ahaoda West after donating relief materials worth millions of naira to victims of the disaster in the area.

    He warned those diverting relief materials meant for the poor and displaced victims to desist, expressing displeasure over the act.

    The deputy governor, Tele Ikuru, had admitted to newsmen that relief materials, which cost the state over N300million, were being diverted.

    Ikuru, who is also the Chairman of the Rivers State Flood Relief Committee, declared that the criminal diversion of relief materials by leaders of communities would not be tolerated.

    Akete, who was represented by his senior aide, Mr. Richard Akinaka, pleaded with persons diverting relief materials to fear God.

    He said: “When you divert what is given to the poor to survive, whatever prayer made in anger by the displaced poor people on the matter will be answered by God. You cannot take away food from a hungry man and expect him to be happy.

    “Dubious people exist everywhere. You cannot take away unscrupulous human elements from every society. But I advise that it is necessary to be wary of stealing from the poor.

    “It is bad to hear that those who are supposed to give to the poor are the same people taking the materials given to the poor.”

    Ateke donated items of 50 bags of rice, eight bags of beans, 15 bags of salt, cartoons of soap, 200 litres of palm oil and groundnut oil.

    The camp coordinator, Mrs. Caroline Okpokiri, identified lack of big pots to cook food items for the displaced people as one of the major challenges facing the camp.

     

  • 15 Osun principals get overseas training

    FIFTEEN secondary school principals have been sent abroad for training by the Osun State government.

    The deputy governor, Chief (Mrs.) Titi Laoye-Tomori, disclosed this at the distribution of 10,000 notebooks to thirty-four secondary schools in Oriade and Obokun Local Government of the state by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nathaniel Agunbiade.

    Laoye- Tomori maintained that the training was necessary to improve the standard of education in the state.

    She said the training was meant to help school administrators acquire new skills and modern techniques that would enhance their work and make their students competitive.

    The deputy governor lamented the deplorable condition of schools and other facilities in the sector when the present administration assumed office in November 2010.

    She commended Agunbiade for contributing his quota by offering free education materials to students and teachers in his constituency.

    Agunbiade assured the support will not be limited to Oriade and Ibokun Local Governments but to all parts of the Osun State.