Timeline of 5-month ASUU strike

Here is a simple timeline
reminding us of the most major events related to ongoing ASUU strike, which will be entering its sixth month over the weekend:

July 1, 2013: The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on a nationwide
strike over alleged Federal Government's refusal to implement the agreement between it and the union over unpaid entitlements.

July 15: The meeting between the Senate, FG and the leadership of ASUU over the ongoing industrial action ended without parties reaching any compromise.

July 22: We are ready to remain shut for three to five years - Prof. Iyayi, former ASUU President, said in an interview, which later becomes historic.

August 1: The delegation of FG led by Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, had a failed meeting with ASUU officials, as the lecturers insisted on the implementation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement.

August 13: The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the government has no resources to meet the union demands.

August 20: Meeting between striking university lecturers and FG ended without a resolution of the crisis.

August 23: FG ordered that lecturers should go back to classrooms after it had disbursed the sum of N30 billion for earned academic allowances , N100 billion for the provision of infrastructure on campuses of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment .

August 27: ASUU rejected the N130 billion the Federal Government disbursed into the university system

September 5: ASUU strike is beginning to take a toll on students, the fact that female students in Kaduna are now resorting to
prostitution .

September 16: New People's Democratic Party (nPDP) has commenced a seven-day fasting
and prayer, to intercede for the prolonged ASUU strike.

September 26: The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) gave a two-weeks ultimatum to FG and ASUU to resolve the strike.

September 30: The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) joined an indefinite industrial action of ASUU.

October 4: TOTAL PARALYSIS: ASUP shuts polytechnics , joins ASUU strike.

October 11: FG fights back, implements the 'no work-no pay' policy against the striking
university lecturers.

October 12: SSANU ends strike .

October 14: It seems it's not just the students that are affected by the ASUU strike, as protesting traders, under the aegis of National Market Women Association, stormed the
National Assembly.

October 21: A student of the University of Abuja tried to kill herself because of the effects of the
lingering ASUU strike.

October 24: Senate mandated its leadership to search for possibilities of terminating the strike by meeting the Federal Government and the
ASUU executives.

October 30: The Nigeria Police Force used tear gas against the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities as they mobilised for their protest into the streets of the Federal Capital City, Abuja.

November 5: President Goodluck Jonathan had 13-hour marathon meeting with the leadership of ASUU in conjunction with representatives of the NLC and TUC. The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities said they would now go and brief their members on the details of the discussions.

November 12: Prof. Festus Iyayi died on his way for ASUU NEC meeting in Kano in a vehicles accident involving Kogi Governor's convoy. The death ruined the plans for a repeat meeting between President Jonathan and ASUU leaders.

November 23: ASUU NEC members agreed that before calling off its strike the government should pay the four-month salary arrears being
owed varsity lecturers.

November 26: Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Federal Universities called for the immediate re-opening of all shut down universities across
the country.

November 28: FG gives one-week ultimatum to ASUU or face expulsion; ASUU officials dared
FG, referred to the Education Minister as a 'joker'.

Soldiers, police stop Tinubu, Buhari, others at INEC office

By Friday Olokor, Abuja

Soldiers, riot policemen and other security
agencies on Thursday confronted the leaders
of the All Progressives Congress during their
march to the headquarters of the
Independent National Electoral Commission
in Abuja to protest against the November 16
Anambra state governorship election.
After a strategic meeting in the APC’s new
secretariat in Wuse 2 in the Federal Capital
Territory, which lasted about three hours, the
party leaders took to the streets and
embarked on a procession to INEC’s office in
Maitama District.
The protesters however met a stiff resistance
from stern-looking security operatives
comprising the Police, soldiers, SSS and
Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
An Armoured Personnel Carrier, marked
NPF 6359 C, measuring about 40-feet long,
was used to barricade the entrance to the
commission’s office, while the driver of the
truck and police officers were pelted with
sachets of water by the APC youths.
In their separate speeches, the APC national
Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; National
Leader of the party and former governor of
Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former
chairman of ANPP, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; and
ex-Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari(retd.), called for the sacking of INEC
Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, with
immediate effect for his handling of the
Anambra State governorship poll and the
recent Delta State Senatorial by-election.

Call off strike in one week or face sacking, Jonathan tells ASUU

by Agency Reporter

The Federal Government on Thursday gave the Academic Staff Union of Universities, one week ultimatum to call off the ongoing strike.
The acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja.
Wike said those who refused to report to work after the one week ultimatum among the ASUU members would lose their jobs.

FG gives ASUU one week ultimatum to call off strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities,
ASUU, has been given one week ultimatum to
call off the ongoing strike.
The directive was given today, in Abuja by
the acting Minister of Education, Mr.Nyesom
Wike while speaking with journalists.
The union has been on strike since July 1
over the non Implementation of a 2009
agreement with the federal government.
According to reports, the lecturers at their
NEC meeting last week in Kano, demanded
that government should pay the four-month
salary arrears being owed varsity lecturers
while there should be immediate
implementation of the N1.2tn offerred by
the goverment to public varsities, starting
with the release of N100bn this year, before
the strike can be called off.
A demand the acting Minister Wike had
described as ,”outrageous.”
Meantime, ASUU had said it would meet with
President Jonathan on the decisions reached
at its NEC meeting before any
announcement will be made concerning the
5months old strike.

New demands: Education minister, Wike lied against us – ASUU

IBADAN - STRIKING members of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU,
have called on Nigerians to disregard the
comments made by the Minister of
Education, Nyesom Wike that the union was
making new outrageous demands, saying it
was a blatant lie.
ASUU said: "We are not making fresh
demands. In fact, the NEC of the union
would have suspended the strike, but the
concerns of our congresses were that many
of the things agreed to with Mr. President
during the November 4 meeting him were
not included in the letter signed by a
permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry
of Education, Dr. Mark Nwobiala."
The union also advised President Goodluck
Jonathan to expedite action on the
endorsement of resolutions reached with
him.
Such resolutions, the academic union
insisted must be signed by high ranking
government official possibly the Attorney-
General of the Federation.
While warning that the resolutions must not
be signed by the Permanent Secretary, ASUU,
through its National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola
Aremu said the N200 billion agreed upon as
2013 revitalisation fund for public
universities should be kept and disbursed to
concerned universities by the Central Bank
of Nigeria.
Dr. Aremu, who said this, yesterday, while
speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, faulted
the Education Minister, saying he failed to
tell Nigerians that apart from the N30billion
earned allowances released for university
staff, the government was yet to release the
N100billion it announced earlier.
To him, the strike could be called off within
24 hours once the observed omissions were
corrected and reflected in the new
resolution.
"They are interested in wasting the time and
lives of Nigerians. What we observed does
not require an additional kobo effect. The
letter does not include non-victimisation
clause. This is a routine when you negotiate
any agreement. There is nothing that talks
about renegotiation. We have now asked that
it be included in the resolution,” he said.

CBN to Introduce N 5000 Note in March 2014

The Deputy Governor of CBN , Tunde Lemo (pictured above), disclosed at the weekend that it would
soon conclude plans to produce and roll out N5000 bills , a project which was initially abandoned due to its rejection by Nigerians.
Lemo , who disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the NIBSS 20 th anniversary conference held in Lagos , said in one to two months from now , the N5000 notes would be in circulation .
According to The Sun be said : " We only
stopped the project due to the low level of
understanding of its benefits among
Nigerians, but we now plan to educate the
people about the importance of the notes
to our economy before we eventually
launch it ".
He added that Nigerians would soon see
the notes in circulation and start to enjoy
its benefits .
Speaking on the cashless initiative , Lemo
noted that it has been a great success
within the experimented states , stressing
that the apex bank has deployed 120 , 000
Point of Sale ( PoS ) Machines across the
states where cashless policy is being
experimented in Nigeria .

ASUU plans to end strike Jan 2014 -UNILAG faction *Insists strike must end this week *Minister condemns new conditions for suspension of strike

Written by  Clement Idoko and Moyosore
Solarin

Tuesday, November 26, 2013
THE Academic Staff Union of Nigerian
Universities (ASUU) is planning to end the
ongoing five-month strike mid-January next
year, a faction of the University of Lagos
(UNILAG) chapter alleged on Monday.
The faction, however, insisted that the
closure of Nigerian universities by the
lecturers must end this week.
Leader of the faction, Dr Adeyemi Daramola,
a lecturer in the Department of English,
Faculty of Arts accused the body of assuming
oracular posture on the strike.
According to him, "The position of ASUU has
not demonstrated original function of its
rules which says "reports on agreement from
the union universities' branches should be
collated and announced".
"ASUU-NEC has assumed an oracular posture
by its very poor communication to members,
government and the Nigerian society.
"The target of ASUU is to call off the strike by
mid-January of 2014 which is no longer a
rumour in the domain of its members. We
have postponed other meetings of this
pressure version of UNILAG
ASUU to discuss issues and shall call a new
one if ASUU-NEC fails to suspend the strike
before the end off the week.
"If necessary, we shall take all legitimate
steps to ensure that normalcy is restored to
all the Nigerian universities as soon as
possible, as the group would not accept the
rumour of a resumption date fixed for
January, 2014. About two universities'
academic calendar have been wasted on
strike, including lecturers' four months
salaries lost."
Controversies have continued to trail the
participation of UNILAG's chapter of the
union, with the new faction allegedly
creating uproar at the congress held in the
institution yesterday.
Another leader of the anti-strike faction, Dr
Michael Ogbeide of the History Department
told the Nigerian Tribune on phone that "the
ASUU strike had become nonsense and must
be stopped. A lot of our members also
believe so but are afraid to speak out."
He assured that the faction would keep
pressurising the leadership until the strike is
called off.
When asked the next line of action if
UNILAG ASUU leadership did not accede to
the faction's request, he said "as an
historian, in war, you don't divulge your
strategy before hand."
Early on Monday morning, there were
rumours that the Unilag ASUU had decided to
withdraw from the strike, but this was
debunked by some members of the union,
though it was confirmed that there was a
split among the members, with Daramola's
faction reportedly kicking against the
institution's continued participation in the
strike.
According to a source who pleaded
anonymity, the congress actually turned out
disorganised and divided, as some members,
during the meeting began to protest,
demanding UNILAG's withdrawal from the
strike.
It was learnt that after the meeting became
rowdy, the two factions later held separate
meetings, with both reportedly resolving to
maintain their postures.
The main body insisted that the strike would
be on until grey areas are sorted out.
Minister condemns ASUU's conditions for
suspension of strike
The Supervising Minister of Education,
Nyesom Wike has condemned the new
conditions set out by the leadership of ASUU
as a yardstick to call off its over four month
old strike.
The minister, who said he was going to meet
with President Goodluck Jonathan on the
development, said the union wants
immediate implementation of the N1.2
trillion offered by the government to public
universities, starting with the release of N100
billion this year and the balance of N1.1
trillion to be spread over five years from
2014.
Wike, who spoke in Abuja on Monday added,
that the Union though indicated readiness to
call off the over-prolonged industrial action.
He stressed that the Federal Government and
members of the National Assembly would
engage the union further on its decision.
According to him, "ASUU has given new
conditions, after they had an agreement with
President Goodluck Jonathan at the Villa.
"He said, he would meet with the President
on the new conditions by ASUU. Among the
three conditions given by ASUU in order to
end the strike were payment of four months
salary arrears which accumulated during the
period of the strike; immediate
implementation of the N1.2 trillion offered
by the government to public universities,
starting with the release of N100bn this year
and the balance of N1.1tn to be spread over
five years from 2014".
The union also demanded that the salary
arrears must not be paid piecemeal. These
were some of the resolutions reached by
members of the National Executive Council
of the union that met in Kano on Friday
which has been sent to the Federal
Government before they will call off the
strike.
Reports indicated that the university
lecturers in Nigeria have agreed to end the
five-month old strike by ASUU. If the Federal
Government agrees to three conditions.
EBSU dares ASUU, resumes tomorrow
The management of Ebonyi State University,
Abakaliki (EBSU) on Monday announced
that academic activities would resume in all
the campuses of the institution today.
It also ordered lecturers and students of the
institution to return to classes following the
inability of ASUU to end its over four-month
strike in the country.
In a statement signed by the Registrar of the
institution, Mr Sam N. Egwu, it stressed that
the institution had resolved to commence
academic activities, not minding the
disagreement existing between ASUU and the
Federal Government.
"Having waited patiently for Federal
Government and ASUU to resolve the
impasse behind the over four-month strike
embarked upon by the union to no avail, the
management of EBSU has resolved to re-
open classes for learning to commence on
Tuesday, the 26th day of November, 2013.
"We therefore inform all concerned that
teaching and learning will begin fully on
Tuesday, 26th, November, 2013. This is to
enable us to cover what we have lost to the
strike," the statement read.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the resolution
was the outcome of the meeting held last
week by the management of the institution,
including lecturers where 80 per cent of the
lecturers in attendance agreed that they
should ignore the ASUU nationwide strike
and return to class.

New twist in Anambra guber: Ekwunife asks court to declare her APGA candidate

FROM GEOFFREY ANYANWU, AWKA

There is a new twist in the controversial
Anambra State governorship election whose
outcome remains inconclusive and a
supplementary poll is planned for November
30. One of the aspirants for the ticket of the
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Hon.
Uche Ekwunife is asking that the court
declare her the authentic candidate of the
party.
Ekwunife is the runner- up to Mr. Willie
Obiano at the APGA governorship primary,
having scored the second highest votes.
In a suit filed at the Federal High Court,
Awka, Anambra State capital, Hon Ekwunife,
a member of the House of Representatives,
prayed the court to declare her as the
rightful candidate for APGA in the
November 16, 2013 governorship election. In
her suit which has Mr. Willy Obiano, the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) and APGA, as the first, second and
third defendants respectively, Ekwunife is
urging the court to disqualify Obiano as the
candidate of APGA, by virtue of his alleged
multiple registration in Lagos and Anambra
states.
In the originating summons filed by her
counsel, Chief Ugo Ugwunnadi, she argued:
"By virtue of the multiple registration, which
is a serious electoral offence and by the
combined effect of Sections 9 (1), (2), (3), 2,
3, 12 (1), (2) and 24 (1)(e) of the 2010
Electoral Act of Nigeria, as amended, and
Section 178 (5) of the 1999 Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,
Mr. Obiano is not a registered voter
qualified to vote and be voted for in
Anambra State and therefore, he cannot
contest an election in a state, where he is not
a legally and validly registered voter."
In her supporting affidavit to the originating
summons, the federal lawmaker alleged:
"Mr. Obiano was assigned with three
different VIN numbers, by virtue of the
multiple registration as follows – (1) 90F5
B12B 0129 6204 172, (2) 90F5 B15E 7D37
8200 332, and (3) 90F5 B12B 8837 7091 121
respectively, annexed as Exhibits UE2, UE3
and UE4. All these appeared in three
different Voters' Register."
Consequent upon this, Ekwunife is also
asking the court for an order directing APGA
to substitute the name of Obiano with hers
and for INEC to deal with her as the rightful
candidate of APGA and moreso, for the fact
that elections were contested, lost and won
by political parties and not individuals.

Jonathan returns, shifts meeting with G7 govs *Receives probe panel's report on Oduah, sacks aide

Written by  Leon Usigbe and Clement Idoko - Abuja

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan returned to
Abuja on Sunday night from London, saying
that he was too tired from the six-hour flight
and his health challenge to meet with G-7
governors as scheduled for Sunday night.
He also confirmed to State House
correspondents that he has received the
report of the Administrative Panel headed by
Head of Service, Isa Sali, to probe the
circumstances surrounding the purchased of
bullet proof cars approved by the Minister of
Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.
The panel was set up on September 23 and
given two weeks within which to submit its
report.
Jonathan also dispelled speculation that
some ministers disappeared from the venue
of Nigeria Honourary International
Investment Council (HIIC) in London to
which he had led a federal delegation to in
London, noting that the ministers that were
supposed to participate in the programmes
performed their duties in full.
The president, whose plane touched down at
the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,
Abuja, at about 7.05pm, told waiting State
House correspondents that the meeting with
the group of aggrieved Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) governors would now hold
during the week.
He was confident that all the issues in
contention would be resolved as he observed
that they were members of the same party
who would continue to discuss their affairs.
The president thanked Nigerians for their
concern for his ill health while he was away
in London and also for their goodwill on his
56th birthday even though he did not
celebrate the occasion.
Fielding questions from reporters, he said: "I
have to thank Nigerians and especially on
the issue of my health, I really had some
health challenges. I have to thank God again
because of the concern shown by Nigerians.
Thank God that I am very okay to resume
work, I believe, from this night."
On whether he would still meet with the G-7
governors, he remarked: "I don't think I will
be able to hold any meeting. You know six
hours flight is quite a distance and also
following my health challenges but we will
meet."
Asked how soon the meeting would now take
place, he said:
"I don't know I am just coming in. I believe
within the week, we will be able to meet.
Politics is about discussion. We belong to the
same political party. Even people from
different political parties engage in political
discussion and political discussion is a
continuous process.
"Even during election people discuss. So, we
will continue to discuss."
While confirming the receipt of the report
on the Aviation Minister, President Jonathan
noted: "The committee I set up, they have
submitted their report."
Also speaking on media report on ministers
not staying for the HIIC meeting, the
President explained: "All of them performed
very well. I think there is some kind of
misconception. The Honorary International
Investors Forum meets two times in a year,
one in Nigeria and one outside Nigeria,
sometimes it in London, in most cases it is
London. The last time it was France or so.
"Ministers are not meant to sit throughout
the period. Ministers are meant to go and
make presentations. Even in Nigeria, the
only person that normally sits throughout is
the Minister of Trade and Investment that
warehouses the HIIC.
"Some ministers don't normally sit for two
days. In a day, you may not see a minister. If
a minister is meant to make a presentation
on the second day, is not that for the two
days, you will expect all the ministers.
"Because I read some of the perception in
the media, that the Minister of
Communications Technology was not there
on Thursday, the Minister of Petroleum was
not there on Thursday. They were not meant
to make presentations on Thursday. They
appeared on Friday and made their
presentations.
"Even in Nigeria, I even sit more in the
meeting because it is a group that advises the
president. If I'm not there, the Vice-President
takes over. Myself or the Vice-President,
Trade and Investment Minister, CBN
Governor, Economic Adviser, Finance
Minister, Planning (minister) are the ones
who stay more.
"So, there is no issue about ministers. People
make a lot of insinuations out of nothing," he
declared.
On how serious his illness was, the President
responded: "The most important thing is that
I am back. You will expect that when you are
holding a political office as the president of a
country, anything that affects you attracts a
lot of attention.
"So, that the President is sick alone, even if
you don't know the ailment, definitely it will
cause apprehension."
The president was received by a welcome
party led by the Secretary to the Government
of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius
Anyim; Chief of Staff, Mike Ogiadomhe and
ministers, including Bala Mohammed (FCT),
Edem Duke (Culture and Tourism), Viola
Onwuliri (Foreign Affairs), Emeka Wogu
(Labour and Productivity), the Inspector
General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.
President sacks Aisa Umar as aide
President Jonathan has relieved Mrs Aisha
Umar of her appointment as Senior Special
Assistant to the President.
Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,
conveyed this in a statement in Abuja on
Sunday.
The statement signed by his Special Assistant
on Media, Mr. Sam Nwaobasi, said the
disengagement is with effect from
November, 2013.

Pope Francis Gets A FIFA's No. 10 Jersey! (SEE PHOTOS)

FIFA president Sepp Blatter visited Pope Francis in the Vatican during which he presented him with FIFA Jersey Number 10 with his name emblazoned on it.

Mourinho, Lampard praise Mikel

by Pius Ayinor with agency report
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and his
midfield star Frank Lampard praised
Chelsea’s performance at West Ham on
Saturday evening and paid tribute to the
exceptional defensive work of Mikel Obi.
Mourinho was full of praise for Lampard
and Oscar following the 3-0 London derby
win at West Ham but tied Lampard's
performance to the quality cover provided
by the Nigerian who now enjoys a
commanding role with his national team.
Lampard scored twice against his former
club as Chelsea claimed a second away win
in the Premier League this term, with Oscar
also on target at Upton Park.
The 35-year-old England midfielder
converted a penalty and a trademark strike
from the edge of the area to end a 10-match
scoreless run in the Premier League and take
his tally to five goals in his last five league
games against the club he left in the summer
of 2001.
“He played very well,” Mourinho said.
“We gave him the protection of Mikel to let
him go forward a bit more. After that Lamps
felt a bit more freedom to go and to support
and to arrive in shooting areas.”
The England midfielder, like Mourinho,
acknowledged the role of Mikel in his
performance and also had kind words for
the Nigerian.
He told Chelsea Tv , "It was enjoyable,
because from the first minute we were on it.
We haven’t done it well enough away from
home this season and having lost some silly
points in the last two games we were very up
for it. It was a very complete performance.
We caused them loads of problems.
"Obi in there is a great guarantee behind
you. It certainly gives me a few more
opportunities to get forward."
Mourinho then revealed he hopes to help
Lampard to a successful conclusion to his
career.
“I was his manager in the best period of his
career and now I come back with him to
enjoy the last period of his career,” said
Mourinho, for whom Lampard was a
mainstay in the side during his first spell as
boss from June 2004 to September 2007.
“When he has this relationship with the
manager, I think he feels even more
comfortable to enjoy himself. He’s in a
moment where he has nothing to prove – to
you, to the fans, to me, to himself. He has
nothing to prove. He has just to enjoy the last
years of his career, try to play the maximum
he can, try to score because scoring was
always something that was part of his DNA
as a player, and enjoy life.”
Mourinho would not be drawn on how long
he expects Lampard, 36 next June, to
continue, but believes Oscar has a long and
bright future.

Lebanese arrested for defiling underage girls

AKURE - A 32-year-old Lebanese, Jack
Sankary, whose hobby is to have carnal
knowledge of under-aged girls in Akure, the
Ondo State capital, has been nabbed by
detectives.
Also, a middle aged woman, Chinwe Chinasa, has been arrested
for allegedly trafficking six young girls to
Libya for prostitution.
His recruiter, Patience Godwin, is currently
undergoing interrogation at the state CID.
Vanguard gathered that Patience was
arrested at her hideout in Odopetu area of
Akure metropolis and one 14-year-old girl
about to be taken to the Lebanese rescued.
Speaking on the woman who trafficks young
girls to Libya for prostitution, the state Police
command said she was arrested at the
Olufoam area of Federal Housing Estate,
ShagariVillage in Akure following
intelligence reports.
The command image maker, Wole Ogodo,
said after the raid on the hideout, it was
discovered that the six young girls had been
prepared for the journey to Libya.
Ogodo said part of the preparation was
shaving of their hairs and cutting of their
nails.
He assured that investigation was ongoing to
apprehend all her collaborators.
Ogodo said that some Nigerian international
passports, cheque books of different banks
and fake Naira notes were recovered from
the suspected trafficker's house. Speaking
while she was paraded by the police, Chinasa
said she picked four of the girls from a hotel
in Asaba, DeltaState.
We were virgins
Some of the girls confirmed that the suspect
deceived their parents that she was going to
help them look for jobs and not prostitution.
They alleged that they were virgins before
they were lured into the illicit business by
the suspect.
The girls were said to have pleaded that the
police should temper justice with mercy
since they were deceived into the trade by
the suspect.
According to Ogodo the suspects will be
charged to court after completion of
investigation.

UNBELIEVABLE!!! Angola Bans Islam, Destroys Mosques!!

According to several Angolan newspapers,
Angola has become the first country in the
world to ban Islam and Muslims, taking first
measures by destroying mosques in the
country.
“The process of legalization of Islam has not
been approved by the Ministry of Justice and
Human Rights, their mosques would be closed
until further notice,” Rosa Cruz e Silva, the
Angolan Minister of Culture, was quoted by
Agence Ecofin on Friday, November 22.
Silva comments were given during her visit last
Tuesday to the 6th Commission of the
National Assembly.
She asserted that the decision was the latest
is a series of efforts to ban ‘illegal’ religious
sects.
The minister added, in her answer to questions
raised by the MPs of the 6th Commission of
National Assembly, that the action will oblige
the revision of law 2/04 of May 21, related to
freedom of religious assembly, Angolan official
news agency, Agencia Angola Press, reported.
The Angolan government would also be
obliged to update the current national context
as a way of fighting the rise of new religious
congregation whose religious assemblies are
contrary to “habits and customs to Angolan
culture,” Silva added.
Same as Islam, Silva announced that there are
at least 194 religious sects that were not
authorized to have their activities.
“All sects on the list published by the Ministry
of Justice and Human Rights in the Angolan
newspaper ‘Jornal de Angola’ are prohibited to
conduct worship, so they should keep their
doors closed," she was quoted by Cameroon
Voice.
"In addition, we also have a long list of more
than a thousand legalization applications,”
she added.
The anti-Islam comments were not the
first by Angolan officials.
“This is the final end of Islamic
influence in our country,” President José
Eduardo dos Santos was quoted by
Osun Defender newspaper on Sunday,
November 24.
Last October, Muslims from the urban
municipality of Viana, Luanda, attended
the destruction of the minaret of their
mosque Zengo.
The provincial governor of Luanda,
Bento Bento, has also said on the
airwaves of a local radio that "radical
Muslims are not welcome in Angola and
the Angolan government is not ready
for the legalization of mosques."
He added that Muslims were not
welcome in Angola and that the
government would not legalize the
presence of mosques in the country.
According to CIA Factbook, 47% of
Angolans practice indigenous beliefs,
38% Roman Catholic and 15%
Protestant.
Islam’s opinion about freedom of
religion is evident from the Qur’an,
which says what means:
*{Say, ‘The truth is from your Lord’:
Let him who will, believe, and let him
who will, reject [it]}* (An-Nisaa' 4:29)
Again, God says: *{Let there be no
compulsion in religion: Truth stands
out clear from Error…}* (Al-Baqarah
2:256)

Not everyone was convinced by the Super Eagles’ showing against the Azzurri in Monday night’s friendly, but Goal’s Ed Dove found a lot of positives in their performance

Nov 20, 2013 9:00:00 AM

ANALYSIS
By Ed Dove | At Craven
Cottage

I may not be Nigerian, and
I may only mumble
through the words of ‘Arise, O compatriots’, but
on Monday evening, sitting amongst you all, I felt
very much like I was watching my team . We’ve
been through a lot together, and having
witnessed (and covered) the delirious highs and
the aching lows, it was, naturally, a special
experience to watch Keshi and his troops perform
in one of London’s cosier sporting confines.
I was impressed with what I saw.
Like those in front of me, new friends Femi and
Timmy, like the gorgeous brown-eyed lady to my
left, whose name I didn’t catch, and like the
massed ranks of Super Eagles fans among whom
I celebrated and commiserated, I was largely
encouraged. Nigeria may not be in line to claim
the world title in Brazil next summer, but I doubt
Italy will want to meet them again any time soon.
In an editorial published on Tuesday , Goal
International’s Kris Voakes was critical of Nigeria,
or at the very best, sceptical of the Super Eagles’
chances in Brazil. Voakes is a fine writer and an
accomplished journalist, but reading his report, it
felt like we had been watching very different
players on Monday night.
He praised Nigeria as being ‘flair-filled’, but
suggested that they failed to play as a unit.
Nigeria's XI v. Italy: A Few Unfamiliar Faces
This was not what I witnessed.
The eleven that Keshi chose to start the game
featured Shola Ameobi and Bright Dike in
attacking roles. In the past, I have described both
men as being a potential ‘Plan B’ for Nigeria.
Dike, at 6’1 and 220 lbs, and Ameobi, at 6’3 and
210 lbs, offer more presence, and a greater
physical threat, than our other forwards. They
both advocated their case with fine performances
and well-taken goals; Ameobi’s, in particular, was
excellent, although his agile finish doesn’t
transform him, overnight, into the Nigerian
Zlatan!
Ameobi and Dike certainly bring another
dimension to the Super Eagles’ attack, but while
they encourage direct play and disrupt opposition
defences, they certainly don’t transform Nigeria
into a ‘flair-filled’ outfit.
The creative influences in the side certainly
stretched and troubled Italy’s defence, but while
John Obi Mikel demonstrated his proficiency at
alternating the pace and direction of an attack,
and while Victor Moses caused problems with his
electric pace, direct running and upper-body
strength, neither man can be accused of being
extravagant or ostentatious without backing it all
up with an end product.

'World Cup is nothing without me' - Ibrahimovic

Following Sweden's defeat to Portugal in a World Cup play-off the attacker made the incredible claim that Brazil 2014 will not be worth watching now that he is not involved.

Nov 20, 2013

Sweden international

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has
made a startling assertion
that the 2014 World Cup
will not be worth watching
following his side's
elimination from the play-offs because he will not
be there.
Ibrahimovic could not prevent his side's hopes of
making it to Brazil from being dashed despite
scoring a double, as Cristiano Ronaldo stole the
show with an outstanding hat-trick to win the
match for Portugal in the second leg play-off 3-2
(4-2 on aggregate).
The 32-year-old, who admits it might be his last
attempt to reach a World Cup, says the major
tournament being held next June will not be
worth following now that he will not be involved.
"It was probably the last attempt to reach the
World Cup with the national team for me. One
thing is for sure, a World Cup without me is
nothing to watch so it is not worth while to wait
for the World Cup," he said to his app Zlatan
unplugged.
"Congratulations to Portugal, but both teams
deserved to get to the World Cup.
"The disappointment of course is great now that
the World Cup in Brazil will remain a dream for the
Swedish national team."

Students Try to Occupy Bulgarian Parliament Building

SOFIA, Bulgaria — Student protesters tried but failed to occupy the Bulgarian Parliament building here on Friday, then marched through the city center and broke through four police cordons in the latest of a series of angry demonstrations against the center-left government of Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.

There were no reports of serious violence, and the police made only scattered arrests before the student demonstrators retreated to the main building of Sofia University, which they have occupied since Oct. 23, bringing classes to a halt. Officials were bracing for the possibility of additional unrest at rallies by rival political parties this weekend.

Bulgaria has been convulsed by near constant protests since mid-June, when citizens took to the streets in outrage over the appointment of Delyan Peevski, a politically connected media magnate, as the head of the State Agency for National Security. Although Mr. Peevski resigned, some protesters said his selection proved that shadowy business interests controlled the government.

The protests briefly turned violent at the end of July, when demonstrators trapped lawmakers inside the Parliament building for eight hours. The police broke up that protest with force, and demonstrators responded by throwing rocks and bottles.

In recent weeks, students have taken the lead, occupying the main university and making an initial failed attempt to storm the Parliament building on Tuesday. Protest leaders said the renewed attempt on Friday was intended mostly to antagonize the police.

“The goal of the protest today was to drive the police crazy,” said Ivaylo Diney, a student leader. “We know that we can’t break through them, but we can have them run in circles while we call for politicians to listen to civil society and follow the law.”

Public opinion surveys show that a majority of Bulgarians agree with the protesters’ demand for new elections, and some analysts said any use of force by the police would only increase that support.

“By now it seems the protesters have won the argument — 60 to 70 percent of the country say they agree with the main demands,” said Daniel Smilov, a political science professor at Sofia University. Still, Professor Smilov said, it is unclear where the protests are headed, given the government’s refusal so far to grant any concession.

“There is no response from the government,” he said. “The government is generally saying that they are going to sit out the whole thing. They are making plans for a full four-year mandate and so on. And of course, this is triggering quite a lot of student anger.”

Professor Smilov said he viewed the mostly peaceful protests as a sign that Bulgarian democracy had progressed. But there seems to be no political party or candidate that the protesters are prepared to embrace, he added.

“For the first time, we have a strong civil society movement demanding political reforms,” he said. But “we don’t have a kind of savior coming.”

On Friday, about 2,000 students began gathering in front of the Parliament building about 11 a.m., pressing up against newly installed metal barricades. Then they hung a large poster depicting the metal barriers in Sofia as the Berlin Wall.

From there, students thronged into the city center, swarming police officers on the street, who gave up their posts and retreated behind the barriers outside Parliament.

At the occupied university, Boris Stoyanov, a professor of modern history, said the students were justified in their anger. “Our government can accept protests that are driven by money,” Professor Stoyanov said. “But these students want politicians to do what is moral. They protest for morals, for responsibility, for transparency, and this the politicians cannot understand.”

Watch it guys! Your posts can become adverts on Facebook!!!

SAN FRANCISCO — If you post something on Facebook, let there be no doubt that it can end up as an ad shown to your friends and acquaintances.

Facebook pressed forward on Friday with official changes to its privacy policies, first proposed in August, that make the terms of using Facebook more clear than ever: By having an account on the service, its 1.2 billion global users are allowing the company to use their postings and other personal data for advertising.

And teenagers are no exception. Although the company deleted language that said parents were implicitly consenting to ads featuring their children’s posts by letting them use Facebook, the company said it was already getting that permission when teenagers sign up to use the service.

After the proposed changes were originally announced, they drew an outcry from many users, some privacy groups and members of Congress, and prompted the Federal Trade Commission to scrutinize the company’s plans.

Senator Edward J. Markey is a sponsor of the “Do Not Track Kids” bill on privacy.
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Your feedback was clear — we can do better — and it led to a number of clarifying edits,” the company wrote in a blog post on Friday announcing the final version of the policies, which went into effect immediately.

But in the end, the edits didn’t add up to anything major, according to both the company and its critics.

The new terms of use do not affect a separate change that the company announced last month that allows teenagers to post status updates, videos and images that can be seen by anyone, not just their friends or people who know their friends.

However, Friday’s change does fit into a broader pattern: Facebook is pushing its users to share more data while also making that information easier to find. That is raising public awareness of just what it means to post content on the service.

“Every day, people post billions of pieces of content and connections into the graph and in doing this, they’re helping to build the clearest model of everything there is to know in the world,” Facebook’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, told Wall Street analysts in a conference call last month. “This has the potential to be really powerful, but right now, we actually do very little to utilize the knowledge that people have shared to benefit everyone in our community.”

Facebook is promoting sharing mostly as a way to make the service more useful. The company’s graph search tool, for example, mines user posts to help people find, say, restaurant recommendations posted by a friend. Public posts by teenagers let them spread their views to a wide audience.

But Facebook also has big business motivations for finding ways to show the 1.2 trillion posts on its service more frequently and to more people: The more time people spend on Facebook, the more advertising they see and the better targeted those ads can be.

One of its most important advertising products, called sponsored stories, involves rebroadcasting user posts praising a company’s product to their friends. Advertisers find such endorsement ads very appealing because people tend to trust recommendations from friends over other types of ads.

So if someone posted “Just had a great seafood feast at Red Lobster” or even just hit the like button on the chain’s Facebook page, the restaurant company might pay to make sure that post, or sponsored story, showed up high in the Facebook feeds of that person’s friends.

Facebook has maintained that its previous terms of use granted it the right to use a person’s name, face and posts in ads sent to other people in that user’s social network. But with the new policy, the company has replaced vaguer language with more specific wording that clarifies its policies.

A coalition of privacy groups and Senator Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, had complained about the language, saying the new terms could violate a 2011 consent decree between Facebook and the F.T.C. requiring the company to clearly inform users before exposing their data to new audiences.

The F.T.C. began an inquiry into the most recent changes, but apparently raised no strong objections.

“Commission investigations and deliberations are nonpublic, therefore we cannot comment on any particular case,” said Jay Mayfield, an agency spokesman, in a statement. “However, the F.T.C. rigorously monitors compliance with all of its orders, and that includes reviewing any material changes to the privacy policy of a company that is under a privacy order.”

Senator Markey, who joined several other lawmakers in introducing a “Do Not Track Kids” bill on Thursday, said in a statement that Facebook’s decision not to shield teenagers from advertising underscored the need for Congress to act. Currently, the law only restricts advertising to children under age 13.

Facebook said it changed the language in its terms of use partly in response to a class-action lawsuit against the company, settled in August, that contended it had not properly disclosed to users how their comments about products and other personal information would show up in ads.

While Facebook has clarified its disclosures, it has not yet put into effect two other important provisions of the settlement that would give users more control over how their information is used in sponsored stories.

One provision requires the company to give parents the ability to prevent their children’s information from being used in such advertising.

The other would allow all users to see if Facebook had turned any comments they had made on the service into a sponsored story ad and allow them to opt out of future broadcasting of that ad.

“The innovative controls we agreed to in connection with the settlement take time to build,” said Jodi Seth, a Facebook spokeswoman. She offered no timetable for introducing them.

Beheading in Syria Is Called a Mistake

November 15, 2013

It was a deadly case of mistaken identity set against the chaotic, sectarian backdrop of the Syrian conflict.

Jihadists from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, a rebel group linked to Al Qaeda, discovered a man named Mohamed Fares Marroush in a hospital after a battle this week near Aleppo, in northern Syria. He was badly wounded and under anesthesia, muttering the names of Shiite religious figures, according to a group that monitors the Syrian war and a spokesman for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Omar al-Qahtani.

To the jihadists who found him, his half-conscious mumblings marked him as both an apostate and an enemy combatant, and when a hospital aide told them that he believed Mr. Marroush to be a Shiite, they promptly killed him, according to an account of the episode posted to Twitter by Mr. Qahtani.

But Mr. Marroush’s killers did not stop there. On Wednesday, the same day he is believed to have been killed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition group that is based in Britain and draws information from activists in Syria, posted a graphic video to YouTube that showed two jihadists holding aloft Mr. Marroush’s severed head and warning a crowd about the danger posed by Shiites.

“If they come here, they won’t differentiate between opposition and government supporters,” said one jihadist in the video, while the other held Mr. Marroush’s head in one hand and a knife in the other. “They will come and rape the men before the women, that’s what these infidels will do. They will rape the men before the women. God make us victorious over them!”

But if their goal was to make a gruesome example of Shiites and government supporters, there was just one problem: Mr. Marroush was neither.

Mr. Marroush was a rebel fighter with Ahrar al-Sham, an Islamist group allied with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and he appeared to be an enthusiastic supporter of the call to holy war in Syria. In an undated video, he can be seen leading a group of men in chants of, “Our path is jihad!”

It is not clear why, in his injured state, he might have muttered Shiite religious invocations.

Mr. Qahtani, the spokesman, described Mr. Marroush as “our brother” when he recounted the circumstances of his death on Twitter on Wednesday, but also recounted a religious parable from early Islamic history to urge forgiveness for the killers.

Ahrar al-Sham, however, reacted to the death of Mr. Marroush with outrage, and on Thursday released a wanted poster for the two men who appear in the video. The group has said the men will face a trial in a Shariah court.

Ronaldo Puts Portugal in Sight of World Cup

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

November 15, 2013

Cristiano Ronaldo upstaged Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a showdown of superstar forwards Friday, sending Portugal past Sweden 1-0 in a World Cup playoff. France's hopes of qualifying took a big hit with a 2-0 loss in Ukraine.

Ronaldo transferred his prolific scoring touch from Real Madrid to the international stage, diving to head home the lone goal in the 82nd minute. The second leg is Tuesday in Stockholm.

France faces the prospect of missing a major tournament for the first time since 1994 after Roman Zozulya and Andriy Yarmolenko scored second-half goals for Ukraine.

Kostas Mitroglou scored twice to help Greece beat visiting Romania 3-1.

Iceland held on with 10 men to draw 0-0 with Croatia, keeping alive its chances of becoming the least populous nation to reach a World Cup.

Italy drew 1-1 with Germany and an experimental England side slumped to a 2-0 home loss to Chile in headline friendly matches.

One of the world's top forwards will be absent in Brazil next summer — and it looks more likely to be Ibrahimovic, not Ronaldo.

Ronaldo dived to glance in a left-wing cross for his 44th goal in 108 international appearances, and almost added another when he headed against the crossbar.

Ibrahimovic was largely anonymous in Lisbon and, at the age of 32, could be set to miss out on what would likely be his final World Cup campaign.

Another star of the world game, Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, also might be absent in Brazil after France tumbled to defeat in Kiev on a night that proved to be one to forget for Laurent Koscielny. The Arsenal defender conceded the penalty that Yarmolenko converted for 2-0 in the 83rd minute, and was then sent off in stoppage time.

Iceland, with a population of around 320,000, is seeking a place in a major tournament for the first time but the biggest soccer match in the Nordic country's history turned sour when Olafur Skulason was sent off for a professional foul in the 51st.

However, goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson and his packed defense stood firm to repel wave after wave of Croatia attacks in the second half. The 10,000 Iceland fans in the Laugardalsvollur national stadium greeted the final whistle as if their team had won.

Italy maintained its proud record of not having lost to Germany since 1995 — but needed a 28th-minute equalizer by Ignazio Abate to preserve that run.

Germany took the lead in the eighth minute through Mats Hummels and twice hit the goal frame in Milan.

In another match between two World Cup qualifiers, Chile ended England's 10-game unbeaten run thanks to Alexis Sanchez's double at Wembley Stadium.

The Barcelona forward scored in the seventh minute and again in second-half injury time to deliver a reality check for England, which gave three players debuts.

Death After the Typhoon: ‘It Was Preventable’

November 15, 2013
TACLOBAN, the Philippines — Richard Pulga lay on a hard steel gurney for five days with only a saline drip after being seriously injured in the typhoon that devastated his country.

On Friday, Mr. Pulga, 27, died — essentially of a broken leg.

Doctors said the father of two small children could have been saved. Instead, he became a victim of the incompetence and inaction that have plagued relief efforts here for the hundreds of thousands left injured, or homeless or hungry, and sometimes all three, since the typhoon hit.

By the time Dr. Rodel Flores, a surgeon with a team of visiting doctors, found Mr. Pulga on Thursday, he had received no antibiotics or antiseptic and his leg was badly infected. The doctor ordered an emergency amputation to try to save his life. But the surgery was too late, and death soon followed.

“In short,” Dr. Flores said, “it was preventable.”

Mr. Pulga was one of the first victims of Typhoon Haiyan to be brought to the top government hospital in the city. He was there because he had tried to protect his home, sending his family to a safer place as some of the highest typhoon winds ever recorded slammed into his island. Those winds sent a coconut rocketing through the darkness into his leg, shattering it.

His death is one of the clearest signs yet of the human toll taken by a slow and troubled relief effort since the typhoon swept ashore on Nov. 8. Like much-needed water and food, medicine — including antibiotics — was held up for days as rescue teams struggled to operate amid the chaos of a city with too few military or police officers to provide security and too little government control.

Aid workers huddled for days at the airport, unable to obtain vehicles or fuel and fearful of venturing out amid reports of sporadic gunfire as desperate people nearly hijacked one convoy approaching Tacloban, which turned back. Some of those workers have since said the inadequate government response has made this disaster more difficult in some ways than such historic catastrophes as the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

By Friday, a full week into the disaster, aid had finally begun to flow more smoothly, in part because of help from better-equipped foreign militaries. Field hospitals had begun to be set up, but as with the Indian Ocean disaster, aid workers worried that infections from lacerations would claim many more lives.

For Mr. Pulga’s family, the loss is catastrophic. A farmer, Mr. Pulga was one of the few men in his extended family able to earn money. In his final days, as he spoke with a reporter from The New York Times, it was that thought that consumed him.

On Friday, his widow, Marycris, wept next to his covered corpse in a hallway at St. Paul’s Hospital here, a private hospital the surgeons transferred him to in the last-ditch effort to save him.

After initially being too traumatized to visit, she had arrived in time for his surgery.

“I want to bring him home,” she said Friday, “but we have no home left.”

Mr. Pulga arrived at the first hospital, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, shortly after the storm swept through.

The hospital had been partly swamped with seawater, losing electricity and most of its medical supplies. In his time there, Mr. Pulga received virtually no care.

When his wound began leaking blood during the interview on Wednesday, two workers in orange Philippines Department of Health vests removed the blood-caked, four-day-old bandage, showed the wound briefly to a government doctor, then secured the same bandage with gauze to stop the bleeding.

The hospital was running low on antiseptics, antibiotics and painkillers; Mr. Pulga received none. It was unclear why the hospital’s triage team did not make him a higher priority.

Luminada Florendo, Mr. Pulga’s aunt, said on Wednesday that a doctor had suggested she take him home because she had no money for his treatment.

China to Ease Longtime Policy of 1-Child Limit

The Chinese limit of one child for most families, which was enacted to slow population growth, has led to criticism.

November 15, 2013
HONG KONG — The Chinese government will ease its one-child family restrictions and abolish “re-education through labor” camps, significantly curtailing two policies that for decades have defined the state’s power to control citizens’ lives, the Communist Party said Friday.

The changes were announced in a party decision that also laid out broad and potentially far-reaching proposals to restructure the economy by encouraging greater private participation in finance, vowing market competition in several important parts of the economy, and promising farmers better property protection and compensation for confiscated land.

Senior party officials, led by President Xi Jinping, endorsed the 60 initiatives at a four-day Central Committee conference that ended Tuesday, but details were released Friday. Mr. Xi described the document as a bold call for economic renewal, social improvement and patriotic nation-building — all under the firm control of one-party rule.

“We must certainly have the courage and conviction to renew ourselves,” he said in a statement accompanying the decision. Both were issued by the official news agency, Xinhua.

Mr. Xi, who assumed China’s top party leadership post a year ago and the presidency eight months ago, has tried to project an image as a leader who can pursue a potentially conflicting agenda: making China’s economy more responsive to market forces and giving its people greater social and economic freedom while fortifying traditional one-party rule.

For months, analysts have speculated about the economic policies that could be introduced at the meeting. But the planned changes to population policy and punishment, two areas where overhauls have been debated, and delayed, for years, gave the decision significance beyond the economy. They could stir public expectations of even bolder changes under Mr. Xi and Prime Minister Li Keqiang in the decade they are likely to spend in office.

“Xi Jinping may have the most concentrated power of any Chinese leader since Deng Xiaoping,” said Xiao Gongqin, a professor of history in Shanghai who closely follows Chinese politics and advocates “neo-authoritarian” rule to protect the march of market overhauls. “Politically, he has pursued an ideological tightening, because he wants to prevent the kind of explosion in political demands that could come in a relaxed environment. That’s the biggest danger for any government entering a period of reform.”

For decades, most urban couples have been restricted to having one child. That has been changing fitfully, with rules on the books that couples can have two children if both parents are single children. But that policy will now be further relaxed nationwide. Many rural couples already have two children, and some have more.

“This is the first time that a central document has clearly proposed allowing two children when a husband or wife is an only child,” said Wang Guangzhou, a demographer at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. “Now it’s just talking about launching this, but the specific policies have to be developed at the operational level.”

If carried through, the relaxation would be the first significant nationwide easing of family size restrictions that have been in place since the 1970s, said Wang Feng, a demographer who teaches at both the University of California, Irvine, and Fudan University in Shanghai. He estimated the policy could lead to one million to two million more births in China every year, on top of the approximately 15 million births a year now.

“This step is really, I think, the middle step toward allowing all couples to have two children, and eventually taking away the state’s hand,” Professor Wang said. “But this shift is historical. It’s fundamental.

Ex-Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff Buys World most expensive Jet for N11.5b!!

According to a report by Encomium magazine,
former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu
Sherriff has toppled Bishop David Oyedepo as
the owner of the largest fleet of private jets in
Nigeria with the acquisition of a new jet valued
at N11.5 billion.
Encomium reports
Former Borno State governor, Senator Ali
Modu Sheriff has topped the chart of top
10 private jet owners in Nigeria with the
acquisition of a brand new Gulfstream
G650 model worth about $72 million
(N11.5 billion). Encomium Weekly’s
check revealed that it’s the most
expensive private jet among wealthy
Nigerians who are privileged to have
these expensive toys. The latest
acquisition brings to four planes in his
fleet.
We gathered that the aircraft, which was
registered in Dubai with special
specifications, is the fourth in his fleet, as
the former governor already has three old
Dornier aircraft which he acquired from
Aero Contractors at an estimated $3
million (N480 million).
According to our source, a Dornier aircraft is
used for charter services as Sheriff recently
obtained an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from
the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for
his airline, Skybird. But a source said the
Gulfstream was acquired for Sheriff’s personal
use.
An operator who is aware of the purchase
described the aircraft as top of the range,
adding that it was unlikely that the former
governor would deploy it for commercial
service.
A Nigerian pilot and chief executive officer of
an airline that provides charter services, said
by registering the aircraft overseas, Sheriff had
denied Nigeria taxes and import duty on the
aircraft.
He added that no Nigerian pilot or engineer
would be employed to operate or work on the
aircraft because with the foreign registration,
only pilots and engineers licensed in the United
Arab Emirates would be authorised to operate
and service the aircraft.
“By registering the aircraft overseas, he has
avoided tax and import duty, which he should
pay to a country where he is a citizen and
from which he made the money which he now
spends on a foreign crew,” he said.
The source also explained that Sheriff would
also be paying overseas facility managers for
the maintenance of the aircraft and would also
pay charges to the company under which the
aircraft was registered overseas.
The main price of the aircraft is $65 million but
other charges could have raised it to $72
million, and according to US-based Forbes
magazine, the Gulfstream G650 has an order
book of 200 customers throughout the world.
“A $65 million price tag doesn’t seem to
detract from the fascination with this incredible
airplane. While the rest of the business
aviation industry is battling the depressed
economy, there seems to be a buoyant market
in the US and abroad for this ultra-high-
priced, high-performance jet.
“And why not? With a top speed of 92 per cent
of the speed of sound (arguably the fastest
civilian jet in the world), room for a basketball
team, 8,000-statute-mile range and some of
the most sophisticated avionics rivalling
nearly anything in the sky, this airplane is
perfect for doing business on a global scale.
“Because of its superlatives, including price,
however, it also appeals greatly to the ‘if
you’ve got it, flaunt it’ crowd,” Forbes said on
its Brand Voice website.
Gulfstream described the aircraft as ultra-
high-speed, ultra-long-range business jet and
the gold standard in business aviation.
The model was introduced in 2008 with a
capacity for eight passengers and a crew of
four on nonstop legs of 7,000 nautical miles
(12,964 km) for standard configuration.
“That means it will link Dubai with New York
and London with Buenos Aires. With its
powerful Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, the
G650 will cover shorter distances at a speed
of Mach 0.925. No traditional business jet will
take you closer to the speed of sound,”
Gulfstream said on its website.
The Gulfstream G650 was formally launched
as an internal company project in May 2005,
and publicly unveiled on March 13, 2008. At
the public announcement occasion, company
executives stated the new model would
become Gulfstream’s largest, fastest and most
expensive business jet on entry to the market.
The G650 has a cruise speed of Mach 0.85 to
0.90, with maximum speed of Mach 0.925
and a range of up to 7,000nmi (13,000 km). It
can be equipped with a full kitchen and bar
and may be equipped with a variety of
entertainment features including satellite
phones and wireless Internet.
The jet use two Rolls Royce BR725 engines,
each producing a maximum thrust of 17,000
pounds-force (75.6 kN). Gulfstream states
that with a weight of less than 100,000
pounds (45,360 kg), it is able to land at small
airports avoiding the busy airports around the
world.
To provide better usage of the internal volume,
Gulfstream designers rejected the usual
circular fuselage cross-section in favor of an
oval which uses a flatter lower portion. The
cabin is 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 m) wide and 6
feet 5 inches (1.96 m) high. The fuselage is of
metal construction and composite
construction is used for empennage, winglets,
rear pressure bulkhead, engine cowlings, cabin
floor structure and many fairings. The eight
oval cabin windows on each side of the
fuselage are 28 inches (71 cm) wide. The
wing uses greater sweep (36 degrees) than
previous Gulfstream aircraft (for example, the
G550 wing has 27 degrees of sweep). It does
not use leading-edge high-lift devices, and
tracks for rear-mounted flaps are completely
enclosed within the airfoil contour. The wing’s
leading edge is a continuously-changing
curve, and the airfoil varies continuously from
root to tip (the tip incorporates winglets).
The aircraft controls are completely fly-by-
wire, with no mechanical control between pilot
and flight surfaces. The surfaces are moved by
dual hydraulic systems. More airliners today
are using fly-by-wire, but only one other
current business jet (the Dassault Falcon 7X)
is so equipped.
The G650 shares its yokes and column with
the G550 in an effort to receive a common
type rating. The wing design was completed in
2006. A total of 1,400 hours of wind tunnel
testing was completed by 2008. A pressure-
test fuselage was built and tested, including
an ultimate-pressure test of 18.37 psi.
The G650 taxied under its own power for the
first time on September 26, 2009.  A public
rollout ceremony was later held on September
29, 2009. The G650 had its maiden flight on
November 25, 2009.
Flight testing for the maximum operating
speed of Mach 0.925 was announced as
completed on May 4, 2010.Gulfstream
reported on August 26, 2010 that the G650 hit
a maximum speed of Mach 0.995 during a
dive as part of its 1,800-hour flight test
programme. In April 2011, a G650 crashed
during flight testing. The G650 test aircraft
were grounded until May 28, 2011, when the
remaining test aircraft were allowed to return
to flight testing. On September 7, 2012, the
G650 received its type certificate from the US
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Its first
delivery was to an American customer named
Preston Henn on December 27, 2012.
The former governor, who is also the chairman
of opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
Board of Trustees hides in Atlanta, Georgia,
USA, because Boko Haram boys want his
head. SAS is also wanted by the Borno Civilian
JTF who recently burned his partner, Mala
Othman’s house and got him arrested.

Thus, findings by ENCOMIUM Weekly revealed
that the new top 10 private jet owners in
Nigeria are:

Name        No of Jets          Types
1.             Senator Ali Sherriff 4
Gulfstream G650, 3 Dornier

2.             Bishop Oyedepo 4
Gulfstream G550, VG450, Bombardier 604

3.             Alhaji Dangote 2
Bombardier Express, Global

4.             Dr. Mike Adenuga 2
Falcon 7X, Bombardier 604

5.             Gov. Rotimi Ameachi 1
Bombardier Global

6.             Gov. Godswill Akpabio 1
Gulfstream V

7.             Pastor Adeboye 1
Gulfstream V

8.             Gov. Aliyu 1
Gulfstream V

9. Folorunsho Alakija 1
Bombardier Express

10.          Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor 1
Bombardier 607

ASUU postpones NEC Meeting to January 15,2014 Due To Iyayi’s Death

As expected, the death of one time ASUU president Prof. Festus Iyayi has paused the decision making process. Iyayi who before his
death was the Head of the department of Business Administration, University of Benin
and also one of negotiating team of ASUU.
It was reported that they were on the way to Bayero University Kano, where the decision was to be taken when his vehicle and one of the
vehicles in the convoy of Kogi state Governor, Captain Idris Wada (Rtd) collided.
Information gathered from a reliable source says that Iyayi’s death causes ASUU to postpone NEC meeting to January 15th, 2014.
Iyayi who was in company of Benin Zonal coordinator of the union, Dr. Sunny Iyalo; the National welfare officer, Dr. Ngozi Ilo and University of Benin chairman of ASUU, Dr. Anthony Monye-Emina was the only one that died as Ilo was badly injured and presently receiving treatment in Lokoja General Hospital.
The remaining two only escaped with minor wounds. Eye witnesses said this ill-fated accident happened at Banda, a village close to Lokoja and neither the government nor any of the vehicles in his convoy stopped to check what had happened. Although the Special
Adviser to Kogi State governor on Media and Strategy, Mr. Jacob Edi denied the accusation claiming that he did not only stop at the scene but also ordered the medical personnel in the ambulance in the convoy to attend to the victims.

Mexico U17 0-3 Nigeria U17: Golden Eaglets are world champions

The Golden Eaglets, fuelled by a deafening
atmosphere inside Zayed Stadium, brought El Tri
down to their knees with an outstanding display
to win the tournament for a fourth time

Nov 8, 2013 6:49:00 PM

Nigeria made an easy
meat of Mexico 3-0 to win
the 15 th edition of the Fifa
U17 World Cup played on
Friday evening in Abu
Dhabi.
A first half own goal by Erick Aguirre and a mid
second half strike from Kelechi Iheanacho were all
the highly-talented Nigerians needed to seal a
fourth title on Asian soil.
The Golden Eaglets were in supreme form inside
a rasping Stadium, ripping the defending world
and Concacaf champions to continue their
unbeaten run, and claim the trophy for a record
fourth time, alongside their triumphs of 1985,
1993 and 2007.
El Tri dominated the early seconds of the
tension-soaked encounter but were unable to
near the rock solid Nigeria defence. Samuel Okon
made the first attempt at goal in the fourth
minute but his shot was not enough to threaten
the Mexican goalie.
Few minutes later, Ivan Ochoa forced Dele
Alampasu to a brilliant safe after his header was
punched for a corner by the impressive Nigerian
goalie. Mexico’s dominance was short-lived after
Erick Aguirre’s own put the Garba Manu ahead in
an attempt to clear away Taiwo Awoniyi’s well
laid pass meant for Musa Yahaya.
Mexico launched a comeback but their attacking
forays were brought under constant check by the
Musa Muhammed anchored defence. Alampasu
made another brilliant save midway in the first
half after saving Ulises Jaimes’s header off a
free-kick taken as a result of Aliyu Abubaker’s
foul on Alejandro Diaz.
The Eaglets could have scored more goals but
were unlucky as Yahaya’s chance in the 40 th
minute rattled the cross bar before Awoniyi’s
side-netted his chance of a pass from Kelechi
Iheanacho.
With less than a minute to the end of the first
half, Awoniyi’s bicycle kick was parried by
goalkeeper Raul Gudino who was well positioned
to clear away the Imperial Academy forward’s
brilliant effort.
Golden Eaglets’ onslaught continued 11 minutes
after the restart when Iheanacho put another past
a shell-shocked Mexico, who showed their
ineptitude at both ends when captain Musa
Muhammed barrage of shots was parried into the
way of Nigeria’s no 10 by Gudino.
Though, Raul Gutierrez made all his changes mid-
way into the second half, that could not hand his
team a glimmer of hope as Golden Eaglets
stamped their authority in all departments of the
game.
Mexico had a few chances to restore a little
pride, but Ochoa’s header from close range went
off target.
However, Muhammed sealed the win with less
than nine minutes to play courtesy of a well
taken free-kick outside the penalty area of the
Mexican after Iheanacho was fouled by Teran.
In addition to this, Nigeria holds the record of the
most goals in a single U17 World Cup tournament
with 25 goals eclipsing the record once set by
Germany in Mexico 2011.

Frequently confused words

Instruction:
Choose the appropriate word from the
alternatives in the parenthesis
1. Kanu Nwankwo is a player of (proven/
prove) ability.
2. It is a (proven/prove) fact that the earth is
spherical.
3. Pajero has a (proven/prove) track record
of reliability.
4. He cited an example to (proof/prove) his
point.
5. You're wrong and I can (proven/prove) it.
6. You'll need your passport as (proof/prove)
of identity.
7. These results are a further (proof/prove)
of his outstanding ability.
8. The (proof/prove) of the pudding is in the
eating.
9. I'm a living (proof/prove) that Jesus saves
sinners.
10. The past participle of get in British
English (BrE) is ('got/gotten') while in
American English (AmE), it is usually ('got/
gotten').
11. Do not go out when it is (raining/ rainy)
very hard.
12. Always carry an umbrella in (raining/
rainy) weather.
13. The (raining/ rainy) season will soon be
over.
14. (Runny/Running) is the word that keeps
company with 'nose' or 'eyes'.
CORRECTION
1. Kanu Nwankwo is a player of proven
ability.
2. It is a proven fact that the earth is
spherical.
3. Pajero has a proven track record of
reliability.
4. He cited an example to prove his point.
5. You're wrong and I can prove it.
6. You'll need your passport as proof of
identity.
7. These results are a further proof of his
outstanding ability.
8. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
9. I'm a living proof that Jesus saves sinners.
10. The past participle of get in British
English (BrE) is got while in American
English (AmE), it is usually 'gotten'.
11. Do not go out when it is raining very
hard.
12. Always carry an umbrella in rainy
weather.
13. The rainy season will soon be over.
14. Runny is the word that keeps company
with 'nose' or 'eyes'.

Baby face saga: Don Jazzy dumps Wande Coal, releases statement

Mavin Records have released a statement
that officially announces the exit of ‘Go Low’
hit maker Wande Coal from Mavin Records.
The statement reads…
It is with deep regret that we officially
announce the departure of recording artist
Wande Ojosipe, popularly known as Wande
Coal, from Mavin Records due to
irreconcilable differences.
Over the past few months, Mavin Records
has made a concerted move to consolidate its
position in the Nigerian music industry.
Mavin has pursued a renewed ethos to raise
its standards of quality and professionalism
to a world-class level. Wande's vision has
not aligned with ours and a few months ago
all parties mutually agreed that a separation
would be the best course of action.
Legal parties on both sides have spent the
past six months trying to reach an amicable
solution in terms of musical property rights.
However the decision by Wande Coal to
release 'Baby Face' purportedly as his own
material is a direct breach of intellectual
property law and compelled an immediate
clarification on our part.
Both Mavin Records and Wande Coal have
enjoyed a remarkable run in the course of
their working relationship. It is unfortunate
that conflicting priorities contributed to the
premature curtailment of a hitherto fruitful
accord.
Mavin Records reaffirms its goal to
constantly provide high quality music to our
fans and introduce new and exciting talent
into the industry.
We wish Wande Coal the best of luck in all
his future endeavours.
Signed
Management
Mavin Records Ltd

Lagos: Woman arraigned for playing loud music

A 57-year-old woman, Elizabeth Noibi, has
been arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrate's
Court for allegedly playing music "at its
highest volume."
Noibi, who resides on Badiru Street in the
Lagos Island area of Lagos State, was said to
have caused a breach of peace of a
neighbour through the action. The
neighbour, Kunle Coker, reported the matter
to the police.
She was arraigned on one count.
The charge read, "That you, Elizabeth Noibi,
on October 30, 2013, at 2.20pm, at 16,
Badiru Street, Lagos Island in the Lagos
Magisterial Distict, did conduct yourself in a
manner likely to cause breach of peace by
playing music at its highest volume,
provoking the breach of peace of one Kunle
Coker."
The prosecutor, Sergent Igodonlo Daniel said
the offence was contrary to Section 57(c) of
the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria,
2011.
Noibi said she was not guilty of the offence.
The magistrate, Mrs O.M Ajayi admitted the
defendant to bail in the sum of N40, 000
with one surety in like sum.
The matter was adjourned till November 25.

Ekiti: Man divorces wife for hiding receipt of child’s school fees

IKOLE (EKITI)

A bricklayer, Mr Gabriel
Omode, has divorced his wife for failing to
show him receipts for payment of school fees
for their only child.
The plaintiff had approached an Ikole
Customary Court on September 30, seeking
dissolution of his three-year-old union with
his wife, named Ruth.
He had told the court that Ruth had not been
giving him peace of mind through her
insubordination, lack of trust and constant
threat to his life.
Omode averred that he had been responsible
for the care and maintenance of the only
child of the marriage. He said that he never
failed to meet up incessant demands for the
child's school fees.
He said: "Ruth never deemed it fit to show
me anything as evidence of the payment of
the fees."
He, therefore, prayed the court to uphold his
request for dissolution of the marriage.
Omode assured that he would continue to
cater for the needs of the child, provided
Ruth showed evidence of payment of the
child's school fees.
Ruth, however, denied the allegation, saying
that she never diverted her child's school
fees to other things.
She also refuted the threat to life allegation
made by Omode, saying that the plaintiff was
always making night calls to another
woman, which she kicked against.
Ruth said that she had to pack out of her
matrimonial home when she could no longer
cope with the situation.
She did not object to the dissolution of the
marriage but pleaded that the court should
compel the plaintiff to take full
responsibility for the child's maintenance.
In her judgment, Mrs Yemisi Ojo, dissolved
the union and ordered the plaintiff to pay
five N5,000 monthly for the upkeep of the
child .
She also directed Omode to henceforth pay
the child's school fees himself.

ASUU may call off strike next week *Demands slash of lawmakers' salaries by 2014

Abuja

THE about five-month-old strike embarked
upon by members of Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) may be called off next
week.
It was gathered that the union would
conclude consultations with its members and
may resume class soon.
The union, it was also gathered, had asked
the Federal Government to slash across
board, salaries of National Assembly
members, ministers and other political office
holders by 2014.
The demand was placed on the Federal
Government at a marathon meeting
leadership of the union held with President
Goodluck Jonathan and other key
government officials at the Presidential
Villa, on Monday.
ASUU president, Dr Nasir Isa Fagge, could not
confirm this, as calls put to him on his
mobile line were unsuccessful, but ASUU
source told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja
that the demand formed part of their
deliberations on Monday to early hours of
Tuesday.
The source said ASUU had suggested this
based on the complaint by the Federal
Government that it had no money to
implement all aspects of the 2009 agreement
as demanded.
Nigerian Tribune, however, gathered that
branch chairmen of the ASUU had been
directed to brief their members on the offer
by President Jonathan, which is largely an
addition of N20 billion to the N200 billion
already agreed upon with Vice President
Namadi Sambo to be released to universities
annually.
According to the fresh pact, the Federal
Government had agreed to release N220
billion yearly to the public universities,
beginning from 2014 till the next five years.
It was also gathered that the meeting adopted
the accord struck by the vice president with
the union, on the need to increase the N30
billion already released for the payment of
academic earned allowance to N40 billion.
According to sources, government also
agreed that the N40 billion should be
regarded only as first instalment, and not a
once-and-for-all payment.
At the meeting, the government assured that
it would, among other things, revamp the
public universities by ensuring that all those
issues that always led to strike were dealt
with once and for all.
ASUU president had, after the meeting, told
reporters that his team would take back the
message of President Jonathan to varsity
teachers before a decision would be taken on
the next line of action.