Port Harcourt's first freely distributed fortnightly newspaper May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

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15 Years of Democracy?

#BringBackOurGirls

So why is it that

they can't bring

the girls back?

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The 'Healthy' Pulse of The Democratic Nigeria Page 12

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May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17 2

Life’s Wall

What’s that day you can never forget in your life? What happened?

Last Edition Question:

Paul Rumuomasi, PH

MercyBorokiri, PH

Tipson GRA, PH Rumuodara

Chuks Town, PH

Felix

Question For Next Edition: What will you write?Make it short: Max 160 charactersIf you are to be the president,

What will you to do stop insurgency in Nigeria?

Question For Next Edition:

I can never forget the d a y a s m a l l b o ystole my phone from my pocket inside the bus on my way for an interview.

I can’t forget the day I fell off the fashion stage in mysecondary school. That was how my p r i d e s t o p p e d .

I can’t forget the day my dog ate my food.I was so hungry, I just stood up to get water before I could return the food is gone.

I can never forget the day I forgot my atm at home. I was stranded at the bank and I just s t o o d t h e r e n o t knowing what to do.

I can never forget the day I lost my wallet. No money and no atm card, the bank has closed and no airtime to make any call for h e l pI trekked my life out for 2hours.

I can never forget the d a y a s m a l l b o ystole my phone from my pocket inside the bus on my way for an interview.

I can’t for get the day I g a v e m y l i f e t o Christ and became born again, it was a beginning of a great change in my life.

Unknown

I can’t forget the day I my mum died in mypresence and also on the burial day. I weptl i k e a b a b y n o t m i n d i n g t h e environment.

Agip, PHC

I can’t forget the day I saw my first period. I t w a s s o embarrassing, that I was on that spot for almost 10mins crying.

I can never forget the day I lost my wallet. No money and no atm card, the bank has closed and no airtime to make any call for h e l pI trekked my life out for 2hours.

UnknownBonny Oginigba, PH

Joel ChidoziePst. Fred BlessingRuth .T.

3

Editorial

Publisher Folarin O. Phillips

Managing Editor Anita B. West

PR Executive Nengi Charles Halliday

Circulation/Operations Adeniran Adekola

Graphics Editor Olawale Olaogun

Reporter Faleye Ayodeji

PH Microscope is a freely distributed fortnightly publication, dedicated to showcasing PH businesses, info, events, & offers affordable and effective advert platform to all.We do PR inserts, and help businesses, organise connect with their immediate environment. Even though we have our convictions, and we express these convictions in a generally objective manner, we pride ourselves as being non-partisan and we are not affiliated to any brand or organisation, we simply strive to provide an equal platform for opinion sharing, and information dissemination.

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Editorial Team

n the 29th May, 1999 as OR e t i r e d G e n e r a l Olusegun Obasanjo was being sworn in as the democratical ly elected president of Nigeria, I was filled with both a sense of a c c o m p l i s h m e n t a n d optimism; accomplishment that I was witnessing the birth of another republic, and optimism that maybe at last, Nigeria will finally be firmly enroute the journey to her destiny. I was perhaps egged on by the manner of the President's inaugural speech and the sense of purpose I heard in his words.1 5 y e a r s l a t e r , a n d 3 p r e s i d e n t s a f t e r , m y optimism is fast giving way to dashed hopes for the country. The sense of a c c o m p l i s h m e n t a t witnessing the arrival of a democracy has evaporated, and is now replaced with a d e e p e n i n g s e n s e o f foreboding about where the

country, with its current crops of rulers, is headed.In this edition, we try to examine what democracy h a s d e l i v e r e d t o t h e Nigerian Citizens. We are trying to see if our lives have been positively impacted, and how much of the various promises that were made to us over the past decade and half by our various presidents has been implemented or are being implemented.The one good thing about the current dispensation is that we have at least managed to hand over power twice now without the bloodshed and violence that has become associated with our polity. Not that there was no violence, but

at least we can consider it n o t w i d e s p r e a d , a n d certainly not in the manner of the 2nd republic where whole towns are set ablaze and people k i l led for h o p e l e s s r e a s o n s . Therefore we think that the singular most important thing to celebrate is that the military has remained in its barracks.Sadly, as it regards our r e c e n t d e m o c r a t i c experience, the negatives outweigh the positive. Our democratic rule has been remarkably silent on overall positive impact on the economy. We are told that our economy is booming, and there is upward swing to our GDP, but there is more poverty than before, there is a whole new dimension of hopelessness in most people. Factories h a v e l a r g e l y a l m o s t completely shut down; Banks who used to be the

l a r g e s t employers of labour now recruit m o r e m a c h i n e s than men. The Oil and Gas industry as sort of crested, and there are no new investment coming in since it has taken us 8 years plus to pass a simple PIB (PIB means Petroleum Industry Bill). The posture is to wait and watch. So if we say the economy is growing, then we, the people, are not feeling it. To be honest, it has not been gloom and doom all around. There are pockets of progress here and there, but what we need as a country are not palliatives, but a total surgical

here are some things that start like a joke, but T

then leave a long lasting sour taste in the mouth. This episode with the Boko Haram group is a perfect example of a logjam. The

operation to take us

back to a place where the average

person is not dehumanised because of constant lack of the three basic things that are required.The state governments in some states have continued to move in the r ight direction. Infrastructural c h a l l e n g e s a r e b e i n g tackled in a number of places. Rivers State over the past 6 years has devoted energy into bringing the primary and secondary education back into a state o f r e p u t e . R o a d infrastructure and the medical sectors have also received a lot of attention. However, the decay has gone past the relief that is being seen today, but in the p l a c e s w h e r e s t e a d y progress is being made, we

c a n h o p e t h a t tomorrow will also be better than today. I n s e c u r i t y h a s been the one thing

that has taken the shine off all these

p o c k e t s o f achievement. What is the

sense of a good school that no one can go to, or a good road that no one can travel on. Violent crimes are common place in Rivers state. Kidnapping continues to be the replacement form o f p r e v i o u s k i n d s o f cr iminal ity today. The governor recently said no d a y p a s s e s w i t h o u t someone being kidnapped. A number of LGA chairmen have tasted this menace. No one is a scared crow.We are now one year away from another general election. We do not know what this election will bring about. But as a country, and as citizens, we must take our destinies into our hands and ensure that we get the kind of government that we want, and therefore each person must speak to himself, that he or she will be kind of citizen that is d e s e r v i n g o f t h e government that we have hoped and prayed for so that at last there can be a true democracy in our land, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

15 Years of Democracy? Are expectations being met?

Nigerian nation wants her g o v e r n m e n t t o d o something to get the girls back. The whole world wants the girls back. There are two options open to the government today; either

our military or their foreign fr iends fight their way through the forest to rescue the girls, or we negotiate with the group for their release.Over the past 4 weeks, the

kind of things that we have been hearing and reading makes the average Nigerian lose total confidence in the a b i l i t y o f h i s / h e r government to protect her citizens. A respected Social Media Commentator noted t h a t “ t h e N i g e r i a n government is now adept at using the 5Ds to deal with anything that comes its way. They Deny; Detain. D i s c r e d i t , D e f e n d (themselves) and Derail ( p e o p l e w i t h w r o n g information). To buttress this point, it should be noted that there has not been any coherence in the information that we are getting from the various government and military functionaries. The army is in a shambles. The other day, there were newspaper and TV reports of mutiny! The defence spokesman says t h e r e i s a d e l i b e r a t e misinformation. We beg to ask, who is misinforming who?

So why is it that they can't bring the girls back?1 month and couple of days, the missing Chibok girls are still missing!!!

The federal government then gave an ultimatum to the state governor to provide information on the whereabouts of the girls. This is the same governor who does not have the power to rule the state anymore, due to the state of emergency that is in force. Even the military asked him to be doing the daily press briefing! What shall we say also to the

theatrics of the presidency and the first lady and the accusations of arrest and detention, and the swift rebuttal of same? It seems that we have left the real issues, and we are now running around with what is not consequential.A much as it feels good to castigate the government, we rather wish to submit

Continued on page 14

We are told that our economy is booming, and there is upward swing to our GDP, but there is more poverty than before, there is a whole new dimension of hopelessness in most people.

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

4

Port Harcourt News!

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Violence erupted at the election of the Eleme Petrochemical branch of the Petroleum and Natural G a s S e n i o r S t a f f Association of Nigeria, bringing the process to a disturbing halt On Saturday 11th of May, 2014.Chika Onuegbu, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in Rivers State and National I n d u s t r i a l O f f i c e r o f PENGASSAN, was among v i c t i m s a s s a u l t e d b y youths.“As a union, PENGASSAN will resist any attempt by a n y b o d y t o m a k e PENGASSAN a community association."Onuegbu said “ A n d t h e o u t g o i n g executives would carry on in acting capacity until a fresh election is conducted.

N e w l y c o n s t r u c t e d International Conference Center on Chief G. U. Ake Bypass has been named after Senator Obi Wali, Governor Chibuike Amaechi h a s a n n o u n c e d .Amaechi announced the decision when he played host to his kinsmen and p r o m i n e n t I k w e r r e t r a d i t i o n a l r u l e r s a t Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday, under t h e a u s p i c e s o f t h e Supreme Council of Ikwerre Traditional Rulers.

Nigeria is said to have huge index for investment and enjoys strong and healthy economic growth despite the security challenges that have been on the increase at the Northern part of the c o u n t r y .This was the position of, Engr. Emeka Unachukwu, .President of the Port H a r c o u r t C h a m b e r o f Commerce while speaking to PHCCIMA media in his office in Port Harcourt. He described as unfortunate the spate of increased insecurity in a section of the North which ultimately is shifting attention from the concrete efforts of the Jonathan led administration to transform the economy, t o t h e c o n t i n u e d destruction of lives and property by Boko Haram insurgents.

Bomb Explosions Kill At Least 200 People In Jos Market

'The abducted wife of the P e r m a n e n t S e c r e t a r y Special Service Bureau office of the Secretary to t h e R i v e r s S t a t e Government, Mrs Edith Okari, says her abductors had demanded for a N100 m i l l i o n r a n s o m .Okari was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on the 25th of April, 2014, at her shop along 131 Aggrey Road, Port Harcourt but was released on the 2nd of M a y , 2 0 1 4 .Reliving her ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers, in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, Mrs Okari said that the kidnappers demanded for N100 million ransom, but later reduced it t o N 3 0 m i l l i o n .She, however, said that no ransom was paid as her abductors abandoned her and ran after hearing gunshots from securi ty operatives.

My Abductors Wanted N100m’

PENGASSAN is NOT a community association - Chika Onuegbu

Govt Names Int'l Conference Centre After Obi Wali

Nigeria Investment Index High Despite Wave Of Insecurity – PHCCIMA

The much awaited SARMA 2014 kick started on the 6thof May at the Port Harcourt Primary School, Old GRA with an intra school search and wi ll come to a grand exciting close for the kids on the 2 7 t h o f M a y a t t h e Silverbird Showtime. Star Kids and Role Model Awards is a Rivers State Ministry of Education, Silverbird Communications and Young Engineers Edutainment powered project that was birthed out of a pressing need to s p o t l i g h t a c a d e m i c tenacity and excellence and encourage students to b e m o r e p r o l i f i c i n academic pursuits that will in turn lead to social economic development, model students to career discovery and reduce crime among youths.Five students will emerge f r o m t h e d i s t i n c t categories to represent theirschool at the finale on C h i l d r e n ' s D a y 2 0 1 4 . W i n n e r s f r o m t h e finalecontest will receive medals, and consolation pr izes from the Rivers StateMinistry of Education and the organizers, Ostyles Entertainment...they will a l s ounder go young engineer scholarship training for three months.

Port HarcourtSARMA Awards!!

The Rivers Commissioner for Health, Dr Samson Parker, said that the state government was shopping for N82.3 trillion to solve the problems confronting its health sector.Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, he said that the money would be spent on construct ion of more hospitals, training of staff and for the purchase of equipment. He stated that since its administration 2007 the government has spent N 6 billion on health sector.

Rivers state needs N82 trillion for health sector

The Aba road axis was agog with fire fighters working feverishly to quell a car that was a b l a z e i n f l a m e s belonging a middle aged woman The Audi sports car erupted in flames from within the bonnet unknown to the driver as she drove at a high speed along Aba road. No lives were lost but the car was a write off.

Woman Escapes Death By Hair's BreathThe #BringBackOurGirls

protest hit the streets of Port Harcourt as the masses took to the streets first week of May to raise the p r e s s u r e p l a c e d o n authorities to hasten the strategy to rescue the girls kidnapped by the faceless B o k o H a r a m m e n a c e

Port Harcourt joins the #BringBackOUrGirsl Crusade

Nigeria is faced with. Mothers and concerned citizens could be seen under the blazing sun at the Government House axis with placards bearing heart-breaking messages on the plight of the girls held hostage.

Another catastrophic blow added salt to injury as a participant in the protest rally held by the Christian Council of Nigeria held in the town axis of PH when the he V i c e C ha i rm an o f t he

Reverend dies during #bringbackourgirls rally

Christian Council of Nigeria, R i v e r s S t a t e C h a p t e r , Reverend Ogadinma Jim O d o l l o f t h e B a p t i s t Convention slumped and was later confirmed dead.

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

5

Port Harcourt News!

THE Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger D e l t a h a s c l a i m e d respons ib i l i ty for the explosion around the Port Harcourt Refinery Jetty on Sunday which claimed several lives. MEND, in a

Why We Bombed Port Harcourt Refinery Jetty On Sunday– MEND

statement released on M o n d a y b y i t s s p o k e s p e r s o n , J o m o Gbomo, said the attack on the pipelines was part of its o n g o i n g o p e r a t i o n codenamed 'Hurr icane Exodus'.

55 persons charged in connection with militancy have been discharged by a Port Harcourt High Court.The discharged persons, Otoye Kuna and 54 others who were charged for militancy in the State six years ago were full of jubilation at the court premises following their release.Justice Boma Diepiri in his rul ing discharged the accused persons following the withdrawal of charges a g a i n s t t h e m b y t h e D i r e c t o r o f P u b l i c Prosecution. The State withdrew the charges after t h e a c c u s e d p e r s o n s appl ied through their counsel to the State for leniency.Justice Diepiri also advised them to shun anything that could lead them to prisons again. He encouraged them to turn a new leaf and change their lifestyles for the better and become good and responsible citizens.

High Court Discharges 55 Persons

The third accused person in the murder case of the four University of Port Harcourt students in the Rivers State High Court, Ikechukwu Amadi (aka Capoon) has admitted that he saw himself in the video clip, hitting one of the four deceased in Omokiri Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.The accused person, Ikechukwu a d m i t t e d h i t t i n g t h e student, during a cross examination by the Rivers State Solicitor General, Rufus Godwin in the case of the murder of the UNIPORT Four.Ikechukwu admitted that he used the stick but to drive the deceased out from their compound.However, the court adjourned the matter till May 22 and June 12, 2014 for ruling on the a d m i s s i b i l i t y o f t h e statement and continuation of hearing of the matter respectively.

T h e G r a s s r o o t s Development Initiative has called on the Rivers State Government not to extend the tenure of the local government chairmen in the state, after their tenures e x p i r e i n J u n e . T h e coordinator of GDI in O b i o A k p o r L o c a l Government Area Collins Onunwhor stated this at the i n a u g u r a t i o n o f u n i t executives and standing committees of the GDI in the area. “He said that the GDI would challenge any tenure extension for the chairmen. Any man who claims he can win elections in Rivers State, let him come and conduct election. Let us know those that are on ground and those that are not on ground”.

No fewer than seven persons were feared dead o n S u n d a y w h e n a n explosion rocked the Port Harcourt Refinery Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.It was gathered that several persons were seriously injured as a result of the explosion, which was allegedly triggered by the a c t i v i t i e s o f p i p e l i n e vandals and oil thieves.We learnt that suspected oil thieves had tampered with one of the pipelines close to the refinery with the intention of stealing p e t r o l e u m p r o d u c t s .A source explained that the action of the oil thieves had ignited a deafening noise and a huge fire around the jetty, leaving not less than seven persons dead

A 28-year old man identified as Ahamehule Chukwu, a r e s i d e n t o f E l i o z u community in Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers State has been arrested by officers of the Rivers State Police Command, for allegedly murdering his 21-year old girl friend identified as I f e a y i n w a A n i .T h e l i f e l e s s b o d y o f Ifeayinwa, who is reported to have been head-over-heels in love with her lover-turned-killer to the extent that she moved in with him even though they were not y e t m a r r i e d , w a s discovered in front of the Eliozu Health Centre by the Chief Medical Officer of the centre, Dr. Ama Flag-Amachree, recently.

Two big explosions rocked the Jos University Teaching H o s p i t a l ( J U T H )area inside the Terminus M a r k e t n e a r M u r t a l a Mohammed way, in Jos cityon the 20th of May, 2014.E y e w i t n e s s s a i d t h e explosions shook the entire a r e a c a u s i n g m a j o rp a n i c i n t h e a r e a .The bombs were primed to inflict maximum casualties a s t h e y e x p l o d e df e w m i n u t e s a p a r t .Over 200 people were killed, up from the official 72 d e a d r e l e a s e dearlier by government s o u r c e s , a s t h e t w o apparent car bombings hadexploded 32 minutes apart.The first vehicle to explode was a Peugeot J5 van, with the registration number XG 148 BLD. The second blast was carr ied out witha Toyota van, with a Gombe state license plate number.

I Took Part In The Killing Of The Aluu4 Students - Ikechukwu Amadi

LG Chairmen Tenure; No extension! – GDI

Refinery Explosion Kills Seven In Portharcourt

Man, 28, allegedly murders girlfriend in Eliozu, PortHarcourt

Bomb explosions rocked Jos market

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House Moving services (Packing & Unpacking).

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

6

Health/Relationship

Health Nuggets

E-mail: ayductdejiro@gmail.com

Tel: 07034636125, 08079694583

222HeartHeart

HeartHeart

By:By:By:

Ayodeji FaleyeAyodeji FaleyeAyodeji Faleye

By: Nengi Charles Halliday

My girlfriend and I have been dating three good years now. She loves me so much just as I do. She told her friends about me and some of them added me on Facebook and other social networks. She knew that I do chat with her friends because I always update her with whatever they say. Now it happens that she started suspecting me to be having affair with one of her friends. I tried to make her understand but she refused. On her graduation day I went to see her along with my friends, but she told her friends that she doesn't want to see me. So I started talking with the girls I knew their through her, and one of them told me to snap her with her Ipad, of which I innocently accepted. As I was doing that my girlfriend

saw me and got jealous. After that day, each time I call her she feels less concern and asks me more about her friends and at the long-run, end the call with quarreling. She loves me that she doesn't want to lose me, but now she is telling me to give up on her. Please what should I that will make her know that I’m not cheating on her.

Please what can I do?

Text us your advice/suggestions to the number above.

Your contributions will be published in our next edition.

I'm afraid of another break up! P l e a s e h e l pIt's been up to 10 months that we separated. She left me confused, wondering what th e pr ob le m is . Ab ou t 6 months ago, I called to ask her if I've done something wrong, but she said I've done nothing wrong, just that she wants to have time for her studies, so she's not interested any more, and I decided to let go of her. Ab ou t 3 we ek s ag o, sh e flashed me and I declined to

call back. Just a day before yesterday, she flashed me again and I still didn't call back. I'm just wondering why she would be flashing me when she's supposed to call. I don't wa nt to be li ev e th at sh e doesn't have money to call because I know that is a lie. Would it be a good idea for me to call her back? I'm just confused. I still have feelings for her though, but I'm afraid of another break up. Please help.

More to stress thanmeets the eye

n the spirit of the ongoing democratic anniversary I

Nigeria is celebrating, the topic we are spotlighting has become an integral part of the average Nigerian's life- STRESS. It is a part of h u m a n l i f e t h a t c a n endanger your health if not properly managed. Chronic stress can have a serious impact on our p h y s i c a l a s w e l l a s psychological health due to sustained high levels of the chemicals released in the 'fight or flight' response. Let's take a close-up look at what's going on in your system.The Role of the Nervous System The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a vast network of nerves reaching out from the spinal cord, directly affect ing every

organ in the body. It has t w o b r a n c h e s , t h e s y m p a t h e t i c a n d t h e parasympathetic, which have opposite effects. The former helps us deal with stressful situations by initiating a 'fight or flight' reaction. After the danger has passed, the latter takes over- decreasing heartbeat and relaxing blood vessels.In healthy people, the two branches of the ANS maintain a balance — a c t i o n f o l l o w e d b y relaxation. Unfortunately a staggering number of the populace's sympathetic ANS stays on guard, making them unable to relax and let t h e p a r a s y m p a t h e t i c system take over. If push comes to shove, this situation becomes chronic and a whole variety of stress-related symptoms

and illnesses can follow. M i n d a n d b o d y a r e inextricably linked and the interaction between them can produce phys ica l changes. Our brain notices a stressor, a physical reaction is triggered, and the reaction can lead to further emotional reactions and mental and physical damage. Some problems such as headaches and muscle tension are often directly caused by the bodily responses that accompany stress. Many other disorders aggravated by stress are;Heart ProblemsOver the long term, people who react more to stress have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. This risk particularly is linked to people who tend to be

excessively competitive, impatient, hostile, and move and talk quickly. Of these character ist ics , hostility is often pinpointed as the most significant.T h e c o m m o n s t r e s s response of eating comfort f o o d s , w i t h t h e i r accompanying fat and salt, is not beneficial to the heart either.

High Blood PressureKnown as hypertension, this is a very common chronic disease which usually has no obvious symptoms. But it raises your risk of stroke, heart

failure, kidney failure and heart attack. Stress increases blood pressure in the short term, so chronic stress may contribute to a permanently raised blood pressure. If you have a f a m i l y h i s t o r y o f hypertension and heart problems, make sure you have regular checkups with your doctor, and try to follow his advice.Susceptibility to InfectionThere is no doubt that under stress the immune system is suppressed, m a k i n g y o u m o r e vulnerable to infections. Allergies and autoimmune diseases (including arthritis and multiple sclerosis) may be exacerbated by stress. This effect can be partly offset by social support from friends and family. Being stressed also slows the rate at which you recover from any illnesses you already have.Skin ProblemsS t r e s s i s k n o w n t o aggravate skin problems such as acne, psoriasis and eczema. It also has been linked to unexplained itchy skin rashes. These skin problems are themselves intensely stressful.PainContinued stimulation of m u s c l e s t h r o u g h

Get on with your life and don't let that bother you. You don't have the entire world to chase a woman. If she's yours she'll definitely come back. The time you'd be wasting begging her, you would have better invested to better your life...

Well, there are limits to whatever you share with her friends and not just getting over used to them. You know the kind of lady you're going out with, because I'm sure there are thousands of times you both shared your likes & dislikes, and along the line after she might have introduced you to them, and you've started chatting with them she might have made her intention known to you. But all the same you st il l owe al l d blames, because the particular lady you suddenly get used to is not only the one been introduced to you, so why getting too intimate with her? Well I think you should invite your lady to the most beautiful place she likes, beg her there properly on your knees, that is if you can be so humble to that level. Celebrate her there and let her friends, including the other lady and your friends to just show up at the scene and celebrate her together. Remind her of how you started, sweet memories you've shared together, how far you've gone and the most of all, the STRONG feelings you both share. I'm so sure she'll say YES once again. Be WISE next time.

Responses

Ibitoye David

Ogunleye Peace Oluwadamilola

Austin Otto

you are not dating any of her friends, then with a big “SORRY” she'll forgive you, having seen how far you w e n t o n k n e e l s o f confession even in PH-M I C R O S C O P E . B u t r e m e m b e r , s o m e d a y , TRUTH reveals itself. Both of you are influenced by Age and Exposure.

You made mistake by acting like a gossip. If you're sure

If she doesn't believe you, at least there should be another person that she trust, just go straight to the person that she trust so much and explain your situation to the person, then leave the rest to God's hand.

Faleye Yetunde

You have to buy her gift and stop talking to her friend, to prove to her that you truly love her.

Are you sure you're not dating one of her friends? You supposed not to be c a r r i e d a w a y b y t o o involved in her friends at the expense of her. Her friend might even be interested in you or vice versa and this has definitely affected her. You are the only person that can solve the problem. Tender your apologies and

that you don't have affair with her friend? If your answer is true, talk to somebody that she can listen to. Secondly, you need to beg her in a way she will understand, if you need to call one of your friend to go along with you to beg her on your behalf, please do so. Don't just forget her, because she may be your real Angel. Best of luck!

Lovet West .P

Ogundele Ayokunle

Hmmm…If you still love her, fight for her. Is it true

Aasa Taiwo

And you on the other hand do not need to create unhealthy environment for your relationship. If your girl has issues with you because you're close to her friend, I'll advise that you part ways with them. But before that, let the same girl that is making your girl fr iend uncomfortable meet your girl friend and let her know that she doesn't have intention of separating you guys. If she's not willing to meet her friend, then you need to involve someone she respects so much. You guys should go together and sort things out and possibly make a promise to break fr iendship with anyone who she feels is a m a j o r t h r e a t t o t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p . I f s h e reconsiders you, we will have to collect al l the phones that can chat from you and give you Nokia 3310, Lol.

I trust you know that you caused all these? And be ready to fix it. I don't intend to blame you but just to share some facts. I see fear in both of you. I believe in what is called conviction, do you guys have any? If you do then there's no need to play games with your tomorrow. Absolute love the bible says banish fear. For your girl friend to love you perfectly, she needs to fight her fears.

Tope Adeola

Question:

prolonged stress can lead to muscular pain such as backache. Together with our sedentary lifestyles and bad posture, this makes back, shoulder and neck a c h e e x t r e m e l y widespread. Stress also is thought to aggravate u n d e r l y i n g p a i n f u l c o n d i t i o n s s u c h a s h e r n i a t e d d i s c s , fibromyalgia and repetitive s t r a i n i n j u r y ( R S I ) . F u r t h e r m o r e , m o s t migraine sufferers say that stress contributes to their headaches, which can last for days.DiabetesThere is some evidence that chronic stress may lead to insulin-dependent diabetes i n p e o p l e w h o a r e predisposed to the disease. It could be that stress causes the immune system t o d e s t r o y i n s u l i n -producing cells.

InfertilityStress does not normally cause infertility, but the two have been linked many times. People who are trying for a baby are more likely to conceive when on holiday or when facing little s t r e s s , a n d f e r t i l i t y t r e a t m e n t i s m o r e successful at these times too.

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

MOVIE SCHEDULEGENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS

7May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

Nigeria: 54 years after...

8

“PAPER” Democracy or the real deal?Is Nigeria still searching for true democracy? “The values of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of holding p e r i o d i c a n d g e n u i n e e l e c t i o n s b y u n i v e r s a l s u f f r a g e a r e e s s e n t i a l elements of democracy. In turn, democracy provides the natural environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights. These values are embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” – UN.

u i t e a n u m b e r o f QNigerians often say “Nigeria has no democracy, and that there is “politics” in Nigeria, in fact too much of it.Hmm! Could it be true that our democracy is yet evolving?On May 29, 2015, Nigeria will mark its 15th year of democracy. In the light of t h i s , P o r t H a r c o u r t Microscope conducted an opinion poll, asking citizens of Port Harcourt if those 15 years have been beneficial.Ayodeji Faleye brings the excerpts:

To some extent, I would say it has been profitable, because democracy in Nigeria has really exposed the nation to lots of foreign investors. The only setbacks a r e t h e i s s u e s o f u n e m p l o y m e n t a n d security, which I believe were erupted by corruption. But I believe to a great extent, democracy has been profitable.

As far as I am concerned, the profitability of democracy is still absent in Nigeria. Democracy is meant to be the kind of government where people's opinion counts, but the reverse seems to be the case here in Nigeria. So many policies are being imposed on us. However, there is still a slight difference from when we were under military governance. I would tag this kind of government as 'auto-democracy', because there are still forms of autocracy in it, as true fundamental human rights are still tampered with. But overall, Nigeria is growing.

Asonda Julius

Mr. Philip Obi What we have done is a transfer of power in 1999, from military to civilian rule, not a democracy. In that sense, marking May 29 as Democracy Day in Nigeria is a misnomer. It is not about celebrating Democracy Day; i t i s a b o u t t h e commemoration of the day, May, 29 1999, when military ru le was succeeded by civilian rule.”

As citizens in a democracy, we are meant to be full p a r t a k e r s o f t h e government. It is, however, a pity that in 15 years of Nigerian democracy, the reverse seems to be the c a s e . I n s t e a d o f t h e governmental power being in the hands of the citizens, t h e y h a v e c r e a t e d a governmental system in which the ruling party has the ultimate power; a winner takes it all system instead of the majority. Sincerely, this has not been a profitable democracy and that is why a lot of things are being gradually damaged.

Madam Rose

It is obvious that it has not b e e n p r o f i t a b l e . A profitable democracy is a practicable one in the realm of its embedded concept.

Mr. Bob Eze

Democracy, as they say is, meant to be a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Unfortunately, democracy in N iger ia has r ig id ly remained government of exploitative tyrants and there is nothing sensible to real ly point out as the dividends of democracy. The 15 years of Nigeria's d e m o c r a c y i s o n e o f intimidation, exploitation and corruption.

The only gain I can deduce from this democracy is the sustainability of democracy and rule of law. The worst democracy is far better than the best military regime.

Miss Christiana Ann

I don't believe democracy in Nigeria has been profitable, because corruption seems to have become the order of the day.

Mr. Imoh Jude

As for me, it is as if we are ce lebrat ing 15 years of corruption. The question is,

Mr. Samuel

are we truly practicing democracy? The masses are suffering with no solace or help from the government to alleviate their suffering. This is not even different from the military regime where people do not have to air their matter on the circumstances of things in the country. Insecurity is the order of the day, with different terrorist sects rising every day. We are not celebrating democracy and

indeed, we are living in a nation where corruption is the idiosyncrasy.

Miss Chika

The 15 years of democratic governance in Nigeria has been a mixed grill of the good and the bad. We only had civil rule but democratic culture is far from taking r o o t i n o u r c o u n t r y . However, the last 15 years experience could serve as springboard to plant real democracy in our land. Our myriad national challenges

Barr. Tina

could be fought frontally if the nationa l lead ership allows free and fair election to be embedded in our democratic ethos.

been stable, but in practice, Nigerian democracy has not been encouraging enough. P o l i t i c i a n s a r e n o t governing, but playing petty politics. Politicians in this country need to start govern ing and by th is , Nigerian politics would grow and by then, we could talk of a profitable politics.

I wonder why people are making so much noise about the scorecard for democracy in Nigeria when there are no results to show for it. Democracy in Nigeria has been a total failure. The situation in every sector of our economy has gone from bad to worse and nothing seems to be working. The agricultural sector is down, the power sector is in shambles and the education is deteriorating by the day. The judicial system can be likened to a cobweb that is strong enough to catch the weak, yet too weak to catch the strong. The leaders are doing nothing to help the plight of the citizens. Democracy in Nigeria so far, has been a total failure.

Mr. Festus

Nigerian democracy would have been more profitable if we didn't have the type of leaders we have now. They value their political parties more than the citizens. Many of our leaders are greedy and self-centered on the resources that belong to the masses. For instance, of the about 66 mineral resources in the world, Nigeria could boast of 63. So for this reason, we should be enjoying more than this, but nothing seems to be i m p r o v i n g e x c e p t corruption, insecurity and unemployment.

Anonymous

I would say it has been 15 years of hectic exhibition of democracy. In principles, we can say 15 years of democracy in Nigeria has

Mr. John

The 15 years of democracy in Nigeria has not been profitable because the leaders are not taking the people into consideration in their governance. The only thing that can be pointed out as the dividend of d e m o c r a c y i s t h e introduction of mobile phones, introduced during the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo. But since democracy in Nigeria has become a do or die affair for politicians, So in all, democracy in Nigeria has not been profitable.

Anonymous

Democracy in Nigeria has only given way for more people to be involved in corruption. Democracy has become expensive and the evidence is the allocation of budgets for political office holders.

Anonymous

The question is has Nigeria developed more than it was 15 years ago? I would say no, because there is nothing to show as the dividends of democracy in Nigeria. Nigeria is only developing day by day in terms of corruption.

Although we are happy that we are in a democratic regime, yet we are not satisfied with the way things are. Corruption has pervaded all sectors of our economy while our leaders are nothing but dealers, taking governance as their p r i v a t e b u s i n e s s e s . Fourteen years is enough to make a positive change, so we are highly disappointed in our leaders.

Mr. Terry Diamond

Miss Chineye Justina

Democracy is about the p r o v i s i o n o f , a n d p r o t e c t i o n o f H u m a n Rights. It is not simply a process of putting papers in b a l l o t b o x e s . T h e c o n d i t i o n s t o t e s t ; questions to ask ourselves are: Are we lead or ruled? Are any of those who rule us the people we would really choose with our eyes open? Do those who rule us represent us and provide us our basic rights? Do they lead us to where we need be, or do they only rule over us for their gains? Are we able to remove them when they fail? And then, can we honestly say that the 80 million rural dwellers are r e p r e s e n t e d , k n o w candidates and vote for candidates to lead them in our current system, or these villagers do not count in the selection but suffer t h e m o s t f r o m i t s consequences; these rural dwellers who account for 80% of our 100 mill ion destitute population. These questions are essent ia l condit ions democracy fulfils; do we have them?

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

9

A Month and Nothing from Government on Missing Nigerian School girls

With rain of rumors come mysteries. Where are the kidnapped Nigerian girls? Various magazine and news media reports have said that the kidnapped girls are being sold. Others go to t o w n w i t h h e a d l i n e s screaming that the girls being forced into marriage. However some media houses, working closely with the government reports that the militant has made contact with the government asking for ransom for the release of the girls. Nigerians are d e m a n d i n g t h a t t h e government do more to bring home kidnapped girls. Demonstrations and protest matches all over the country and even outside are gathering pace. The single message is Bring Back our Girls. Boko Haram mil itants seized more than 200 girls at a high school in the nation's North-East about a month ago. The girls were marched out of their beds and forced into militant trucks on April 16 in the town of Chibok. It's now a month since the convoy of trucks disappeared into the dense forest bordering Nigeria-Cameroon. Can the

By Ayodeji Faleye

Nigerian government not do better than what they have so far done? The answer from far and near is Yes they can, and they ought to. The government should stop acting as if the p o o r p a r e n t s o f t h e k i d n a p p e d g i r l s a r e culpable and the differnt tiers of Government, the State and Federal, should come together to fight a common enemy rather than tear the house apart with bickerings. they act better than the current sullen state towards the parents and concerned Nigerians. It's a shame that no one is safe any longer, not only in the North but potential in the whole of the country. The momentum of these pressures mounted on government from all over the world has been largely helped by continuous s o c i a l m e d i a ' s vociferousness. Twitter, facebook and whatever else exist have rallied to spread the campaign worldwide using the slogan#BringBackOurGirls. Here in Port Harcourt, our reporters went to town to feel the pulse of garden city residents on this most

distressing situation. Here are some of the reactions from the streets.

Boko Haram have shown t h a t t h e N i g e r i a n government is weak and a bunch of pussies. I love the American policy towards terrorists- they don't negotiate with terrorists. When Boko Haram kidnaps 100o girls again what are they going to demand? The w e a k l e a d e r s h i p o f Goodluck Jonathan is setting a bad precedent. Trust me this is only the beginning.

Mr. John Pele

I'd like to be optimistic, but I don't believe anything that comes out of the mouth of Mr. President. It's been a month already. He doesn't care about the gir ls , he cares about appearances. He is a

Mr. Chibuke Jonas

Mr. Chibuke Jonas

Mr. Anthony - I don't care h o w m a n y e c o n o m i c summits a country holds, or whether or not it rebases its GDP! What's the point of all of that, if a country cannot guarantee the lives and wellbeing of li tt le children? Nigeria must find those girls and re-unite them safely with their families. Children are the future of every Nation. The government has to do whatever it takes to ensure they "Bring back our girls".

I don't care how many e c o n o m i c s u m m i t s a country holds, or whether or not it rebases its GDP! What's the point of all of that, if a country cannot guarantee the lives and wellbeing of little children? Nigeria must find those girls and re-unite them safely with their families. Children are the future of e v e r y N a t i o n . T h e government has to do whatever it takes to ensure they "Bring back our girls".

Mr. Anthony

Governments should act n o w . B o k o H a r a m ' s kidnapping and killings are acts of World Terrorism against education. Weeks before the 300 school girls were kidnapped, 59 school boys were burned to death in their class room.

Mrs. Rebecca

This is outrageous! There has to be an end to all this. I don't believe any religion advocates for killing and m u r d e r i n g i n n o c e n t human beings.... Who are we to judge and kill? Who has given us the right to do so? Not God, not Allah, NO! This is man made!

Madam Yinusa

It is a very delicate and fraught s ituation and needs to be handled with great care. One step in the wrong direction could lead to all these girls dying or being sold. I do not think USA public involvement is a good thing. They are hated by the Boko Harams and it w i l l s i m p l y c a u s e antagonism.

Mr. Tony

I am generally against f o r e i g n i n t e r v e n t i o n nowadays, but with these holes in Nigeria who kidnapped these girls, I think the U.S. should send in Special Forces and the drones and light up their

Mr. Kingsley Thomas

Mrs. Annie - So pissed to say it politely, "talking" isn't going to get these poor girls home. Less talking and more action before all the girls are sold and never make it home to their families. As a mother I understand the heartache and rage. May all our prayers and efforts bring these girls home!

Mr. John Pele

Mr. Tony

A n o n y m o u s - W h y i s government sitting by and doing nothing? They have billions of dollars from oil s i t t i n g i n t h e i r b a n k accounts but they don't give a damn about their own citizens being killed and kidnaped.

interviewed says he is father to two of the missing girls says; I may not know much, but I know for sure that my two daughters are a m o n g t h o s e s t i l l i n captivity after almost a month.Another father adds “the family is so afraid”, he says, that they have fled their home and taken to sleeping in the bush. "Life is very dangerous in Chibok right now. Since on 14th of April, to date, we don't sleep at home," the father said.Continuing, he said that starting around 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening, "people will disappear into the bush because there is no security." "We sleep in the bush with all of our little ones," he said.Nigerian officials have defended their response and said they are searching. "We've done a lot -- but we are not talking about it," presidential spokesman Doyin Okupe said. "We're not Americans. We're not showing people, you know, but it does not mean that w e a r e n o t d o i n g something."Boko Haram, on the other hand, appears to be deeply entrenched in the region. They have operated almost unstopped in recent times, with daring raids and bomb blast in various places in the north east region and recently in the FCT, Abuja. The Nigeria continued to defend its response to the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls by the terror group Boko Haram, even as details emerged about a second mass abduction, adding to a growing global outrage over the fate of the children. Ther have been muted undertones that the most of the protests and demonstrat ion in the a f t e r m a t h o f t h e kidnapping were staged and are poli tica l in its nature. The APC has come on air severally to criticize the government's handling of the situation. One of its leaders Chief Bisi Akande was quoted as saying that the APC knows what to do to get the girls back. Majority of Nigerians have reacted to this statement, criticizing the party as being insens i t ive in p lay ing politics with the situation. May say if the APC has the solution, now is the time to come together irrespective of political and ethnic affiliations and get these girls returned safely.In the meantime, Nigerians continue to rally around this c a u s e , w h i l e t h e Government continues to work with foreign military advisers from US, UK, France, and China to mention but a few. There is no doubt however that Boko Haram has become a major threat to the security and well being of Nigeria and Nigerians.

M o r e q u e s t i o n s t h a n a s n w e r sThere are questions about just how many girls were taken, with varying reports putting number between 230 and 276, depending on who is talking. In the days afte r the attack , the Nigerian military said all the girls had been released or rescued. But after the girls' famil ies began asking where their daughters w e r e , t h e m i l i t a r y spokesmen retracted the statement.O n e m a n w h o w a s

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

10

Lifestyle

ne of the key indices Oused to appraise the development of any nation is t h e s t a t e o f i t s infrastructure, be it road, rail, air, electricity, and lots more. Without stable and sufficient electricity supply, there can be no meaningful industrial, social or economic progress. If we use the electrical power generation index to measure N i g e r i a , t h e r e s u l t i s obviously a tale of woe. The very first power station built in Ijora in 1896 had a capacity of 20MV. Since that time, with all the major p o w e r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e development such as the Kanji Dam, the Shiroro Dam, and others, Nigeria has only been able to increase generation capacity to about 12000MW on paper, out of which effectively 4500MW can be evacuated. Add on to these distribution losses due to obsolete distribution networks, the peak power generation and distribution stands at about 3200MW today.O u r g e n e r a t i o n , t r a n s m i s s i o n a n d distribution capacity is a far cry from what is needed to break even on uninterrupted p o w e r s u p p l y . T h e t r a n s m i s s i o n a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n n e t w o r k wheeling capacity of the nation is within the range of 4500MW and current daily generation is at 3200MW where as an approximate 10000MW will serve for the daily needs of the nation's uninterrupted power supply state. It is common knowledge that this capacity is grossly insufficient to cater for the electricity needs of over 170 million Nigerians. Current d a y d e m a n d i s conservatively put at well

A chat with M.Saleh’s Ese Ekawhare The Branch/Sales Manager of M.Saleh & Co. Ltd in Port Harcourt.

o v e r 1 6 0 0 0 M W . T h e government argues that the current power projects that she has embarked upon will provide a way out of this c o r r u p t i o n a n d mismanagement imposed darkness, but this same story has been going on for years now, and the citizenry sees no end to their power challenges.A lot of money has been pumped into this sector at various times, and under various rescue schemes, but there is little or nothing to show for all these monies spent. PHCN, and before it NEPA put a stranglehold on Nigerians, and the economy suffered for its inefficiency. Thankfully, the government eventually pushed through reforms in that sector that has led to the breaking apart of the PHCN monopoly.However, breaking the monopoly is one; the other side of the story is that even though we have broken up the NEPA monopoly, what we still have are smaller distribution monopolies. Talk about the children of NEPA, the investors in these D I S C O S a s t h e y a r e abbreviated has refused to m a k e a n y m e a n i n g f u l investments into the assets they bought. Instead, they continue to milk the asset to try and recoup their initial i n v e s t m e n t s . I n t h e m e a n t i m e , N i g e r i a n s c o n t i n u e t o s u f f e r discomfort, misery, hardship and even death as investors smile to the banks.Unavoidably, this gap in generation demand and supply means that someone has to step in to shore up demand for the populace. Welcome the generator m a n u f a c t u r i n g a n d marketing companies. The biggest of them include M.Saleh, Mikano, CAT, FG Wilson, HOLT, and others. They entered the sector to p r o v i d e a l t e r n a t i v e generation using diesel and

petrol powered generators. They have s ince been making a fortune, from the smallest Ibo trader selling the small generator called “I better pass my neighbor” to the huge ones used by industrial complexes. There have been and there continues to be allegations t h a t t h e g e n e r a t o r importers are in collusion to continue to sabotage the state electricity generation and distribution company to ensure that they remain in business. This, although hard to believe is not unlikely given that there is nothing impossible anymore in this country. Like them or not, the fact remains that without these generators, the nation's economy would have been flushed down a dry hole. Every business from the barber, to the tailor, to the welder to the cold room, the fast food restaurant, the hotels, the banks and name it, has a generating plant. Most businesses have different r a n g e s a n d t y p e s o f generators and publ ic power supply that out to be the main source is now a distant third backup. Today, on the scale of reliability, it is the Generators first, then inverters and then PHCN power.We spoke to one of the leading importers and distributors of Generators, M.Saleh. The company sees itself has having helped to keep the economy of the c o u n t r y r u n n i n g continuously. According to them, if there were no generators, how will people g e t p o w e r ? T h e y s e e themselves as been a partner to the Nigerian government. According to

the ir spokesman, “we believe that eventually, power is going to be stable in this country” and we are already trying to focus on other areas of the economy. Agriculture and construction machinery is one our key focus areas at the moment. In like manner, recently aired interviews with small scale generator sellers seem to confirm our submission that “one man's misfortune is another man's fortune”. The generator sellers continued business performance relies on power not being available to Nigerians. They lament that if power is to become stable, what will they eat.It is interesting to note how the ecosystem works in the power sector. A mill ion generator sets given freely to homes and business cannot substitute for stable and sufficient public power generation. The associated costs of maintaining the generators; the cost and pressure it puts on the petroleum sector who has to supply the diesel and petrol; the pollution due to smoke a n d n o i s e t o t h e environment, and a lot of other factors should tell us that generators , even though it brings money into some pockets, ultimately does more damage to the economy of the nation.The undesirable nature of the power infrastructure is obviously due to lack of timely investments into that sector. In the debilitating years of military rule, no serious investments were made into that sector, as with many other sectors. Our military rulers couldn't care a hoot if there was power or not. In fact, they are not bothered if the ruled existed or not. The famous slogan of 'telephones are not for the poor” is still fresh i n o u r s m o k e f i l l e d memories. Why would the military rulers bother with some poor lots in the land when it has all it wants from the country? Despite all reforms, the power sector still operates the same way it has always operated. The only thing that kept changing over the decades is the name of the electricity monopoly. It started with Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (

stakeholder in the Nigeria electricity market?J u s t l i k e e v e r y o t h e r company we started small but as time went on we grew and our products became popular because people realized that our g e n e r a t o r s w e r e dependable, reliable and durable. These qualities brought them back and lots of recommendations to others from our customers. We also have good after

W h a t d o e s M . S a l e h represent? How old is M.Saleh?M.Saleh was incorporated in the year 1999 in Nigeria, but it is over 57 years old in the middle east. We deal on generators, heavy duty equipments, agricultural equipment like tractors and all their accessories. We deal with transformers, wheel barrows and still poles, etc.How did M.Saleh come about becoming a major

By: Nengi Charles Halliday

Can there still be electricity for all by year 2020?

sales services, we service and maintain the generators of our customers. We bring quality generators and also have a large range of engines we deal with ranging from Perkins, Lester Peters, Volvo Penter, Douz, John Deer. We even handle Caterpillars if requested by our customer.Hurdles faced so far in aiding the power issues in Nigeria?We had lots of challenges

especially when we heard that the government were trying to build gas turbines. We were a little taken aback and started preparing and looking into other areas we could diversify. We felt threatened because we thought if power becomes stable we will be out of b u s i n e s s . We s t a r t e d diversifying into other things like Agricultural equipments, transformers, St i l l po les and Wheel

ECN) in 1951; National Electric Power Authority (NEPA )in 1972 as a merger of ECN and Niger Dam Author ity) and i t was eventual ly changed to Power Holding Company of Nigeria, at the inception of this democratic experiment. The beginning of democratic rule promised a lot of things, power being on the top agenda. The Obasanjo government made some very bold strides with the Integrated Power Project (IPP) which was going to provide about 10,000MW extra at a fast throttle. The Yaradua government came i n a n d s t o p p e d a l l investments and people went to town with all kinds of probes, but a few years later, these projects were ordered to restart. But a combinat ion of pol icy c h a n g e s a n d l a c k o f execution willpower has meant that no appreciable progress is made on these projects. 15 years on, we are still at the promissory phase even t hou gh s o m e f o rw ard m o v e m e n t s a r e b e i n g seeing. Our optimism as a nation has given way to great dismay as the masses realized that a change in the system of government d o e s n ' t n e c e s s a r i l y

transcend to a change in the epileptic state of social a m e n i t i e s a n d a f f a i r s especial ly in the power sector. The much ta lked about privatization of the PHCN is y e t t o y i e l d n o t a b l e milestones to allay the skepticism of the average Nigerian that epileptic power supplies will soon be a t h i n g o f t h e p a s t . Generations of children still continue to scream with joy when public power comes up. The shout of 'Up NEPA' is still one thing that every Niger ian ch i ld can be

By: Anita Boma West with contribution from Folarin Omotade Philips

A million generator sets given freely to homes and business cannot substitute

for stable and sufficient public power generation.

improve electricity supply across the country. Painfully as it stands now, we are still taki ng todd le r steps to approach a power sector that requires gargantuan m a r c h t o w a r d s i t s emancipation. Wil l our democracy ever deliver one of its much publicized promises – Uninterrupted Power Supply in this life or the next?

identified with.

What then seems to be the underlying factor for the erratic hampered power supply we are constantly bequeathed with then you may ask, seeing the futile e f f o r t s d i f f e r e n t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s k e e p grappling with? Unbridled c o r r u p t i o n i s o n e . Mismanagement of the c o u n t r y ' s a s s e t s b y guardians who are being paid is another. Thirdly, the g o v e r n m e n t a n d i t s a d m i n i s t r a t o r s h a v e underestimated the size of the investments that are required to be in place, the c o n t i n u o u s c a p a c i t y planning that has to be done, to forecast the future power needs

Our 15-year-old democracy is well over grown and ripe enough to start yielding the m u c h - a w a i t e d f r u i t s , especial ly in the power s e c t o r . M a s s i v e development is what we all imagined would accompany a government of the people, for the people and by the people government but this is not turning out to be so. The si gn if icant financ ia l resources of the country should be used for the urgent development of the electricity sector so we can

Continued on page 11

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

11

THE TOWNSHIP GIRLDiary of a PH Chick

B-WEST (abwspectrum@gmail.com)

Lifestyle

Excerpts from last edition

I wasn't sure Jesus was ready to listen to my whining at the moment, he sure has more pressing things to attend to, with the state of kpakparoism the world was in at the m o m e n t e s p e c i a l l y N i g e r i a . M a y b e o n Sunday when he is more relaxed from the hustle and bustle of the week, then I could table my trivial matter to Jesus. Today was Thursday, so that meant I won't be on speaking terms with Chinda till Sunday! Kai! Jesus please help oooh! I fit die oooh…my heart ached…

hat period of the year every student like me T

loved here! A shower at almost midday was the next thing on my mind, as I had been sleeping in all morning, without having to scramble off hurriedly to the hostel bathroom to beat the monstrous queue that held the hostel siege every school morning. The holidays were here! Pretty short-lived but relished it all the same. Waking up groggily to the airwaves oozing out the sultry honey coated voice of an on air announcer as he engaged his imaginary listeners in some mindless fasc inat ing chatter . I wondered if I could wear his shoes career wise, the announcer that is –as I pondered what it would be like, holding a conversation with myself, hoping my l i s t e n e r o u t t h e r e somewhere was mentally in agreement with me as I chatted to myself. mbanu, abeg professionalism or not , I didn't possess any zany tendencies to say the l e a s t . S o N . O . r a d i o personality career didn't cut it for me .as I went on to soften my features as a frown had formed crease o n m y f o r e h e a d unconsciously from my thoughts.My fan was doing a good job impressing me beyond any form of doubt that it was an investment not in vain and as it washed billows of clean air all over me, I was getting chilled to the bone. Sitting up in my bunk as I yawned lazily, as I tried working my brain up on the tasks for the day, I realized – I'm free there's nothing for me to do! No lectures, no meetings,

nothing! I thought to myself as I couldn't help but part with half smile, half laughter.Sun rays came tumbling in and lighting up the entire room and as the beams hit the mirror on the wall ,it c r e a t e d d a z z l i n g reflections the room over .“Ouch “ I screamed “ haba! Who is that now, that wants to blind me? dem send you ?” “mtcheww, na your fault ? No! Don't wake up oh, sleep your life away!” it was Fellowship, my grumpy roommate who had just returned from her trip to the bathroom. “Your mates are looking for w h a t t o d o w i t h themselves gainfully, you are here sleeping like someone who just got p r e g n a n t ”“Kai!” I muttered as I rolled my eyes, laid down again on my bed & covered my face with my pillow to muffle my screams “how can I wake up on this lovely day to this she-devil as the f i r s t p e r s o n I s e e ? I monologued “ my day go beta so?”“ S o t o n y e ! S o t o n y e ! ! Sotonye!! Hehnn! How many times did I call you” she ranted “I didn't bring you to Uniport ooh! Avoid me!That thing you are looking for, I cant give you . The people who will give you dey road dey wait you” she spat out icily .And I burst into a hearty laughter “I saw you in my dream na, after the part 1 you started yesterday night, we continued in my dream so this is part3” I teased, it was a joy being able to press her buttons at the slightest provocation. She was so touchy! “You need deliverance, you and yourself will be in this room and do round 100 sef, because me I'm out of here” And true to her word, she hurriedly flung her clothes on her body, much to my entertainment, in the twinkling of an eye, she dashed out, stil l very disheveled.“Fellowship! Fellowship! Come back! Your skirt is tucked into your dross, pull it out biko” I screamed at her, laughing so hard as I choked .“chei people will think she is a loony ooh!” I thought aloud.My roommate was gone and loneliness strangely was closing in on me. I let

out a deep sigh thinking of my family back home I missed dearly... When memories of the last meeting I had with Chinda flashed before my eyes, a sour taste formed in my mouth and a lump in my throat stopped me from swal lowing. I quick ly grabbed my phone to see if he had called – he hadn't. My heart sank, yearning to call him but my huge ego wont let me. “ehn !we will stay now. If h e d o e s n ' t c a l l , h i s business! I definitely wont be the one to call him,” I thought to myselfMy ego screamed – Don't you dare call him! My heart chose to be the voice of reason and urged me to call him. Pride is and will always be concerned with who is right. Humility on t h e o t h e r h a n d i s concerned with what is right. I was still right in the middle of winning the battle against my lesser

carnal mental faculty, grappling with my senses and my phone, that I didn't r e a l i z e t h e r e w a s a presence in the room.It wasn't until I got hit with the distinct notes of that cologne I only knew too well, that had a way of knocking me out of my s e n s e s i n t o A l i c e ' s wonderland whenever I was around him that I noticed Chinda standing right there in front of me, all spick and span, almost eatable!“Hi beautiful” his voice resonating the room over, the butterf l ies do ing O l y m p i c s t a n d a r d cartwheels in my tummy almost had me getting worked up to the point of puking.And before I could piece myself together to utter a word, he spoke again “ I'm sorry, I had no right to speak to you the way I did .I respect you and your decisions and will never impose my selfishness on you” his eyes looked at me pleadingly like a stray dog yearning to be picked up and taken home by the good Samaritan who had casually thrown him a bone.“Please, please and please find it in your heart to

forgive me” he continued “ I just can't imagine going home and spending all these weeks without you! I'll die!” he blurted out frustratingly “You can't have it all Chinda” I retorted quietly, “You want to be with family and at the same time have me, ever thought I'd also love to be with my family?All that was lip service, my heart was dying to be with him all year round but of course being a typical female, who had grown up with older female figures, I'd learnt the art of being not easy.“Yeah, I thought about that, that's why I'm here, tails tucked in between my l e g s a n d o f f e r i n g a n apology from the bottom pot of my heart” he said, as his eyes sparkled with mischief. I couldn't stop myself from smiling “ I actually can't see the tails you are talking about, no forgiveness until I

“Good day sir, we are doing you an sms as you suggested, even though it is unethical

to the profession and not our style but this is to regrettably inform you that your

test came out positive”.

see them! I said.“Well before I say anything further, this should be enough proof that my tails a r e a c t u a l l y t u c k e d between my legs” and that was when I realized he had come with some parcels he then handed over to me. Curiosity got the better of me as I peered seriously into the bags to see it's content. The way my eyes lit up and I was immediately giddy with excitement had him laughing heartily “Well.. From the look of t h i n g s , I t s e e m s I ' m forgiven then?” he asked craftily“O yes you are forgiven” I replied sweetly in my best mimicry of an animated character. How could I not forgive him when right before me was a litre bowl of vanilla blue bunny ice cream and a 6-inch full pound chocolate cake? “Yes! It was undisputed! I was in love! He just knew how to strike the right chords,” I thought to myself as I dug in to do justice to my spoils of war chuckling happily.“Babe please let me step out for a bit to take this call, it's really important” he said as he dropped his IPhone on my bed and

clutched his Blackberry to his ears.“Take your time hun” I responded cheerfully, still engrossed in my guilty pleasure, thinking of all the hours I'd have to do at the gym to burn off al these extra calories.A vibrating buzz from his IPhone had me looking at his screen, and there it was – the most spine chilling message was displayed, my raving appetite was gone, my throat was altogether parched and dry , my entire body went limp . What explanat ion could be offered for what I saw – “Good day sir, we are doing y o u a n s m s a s y o u suggested, even though it is unethical to the profession and not our style but this is to regrettably inform you that your test came out positive”.

Continued from page 10

barrows, etc. These fears actually lead us to other areas of our business.Key stepping stones since inception till date?We have worked with a lot of multi-nationals. We have installed some sub stations like in Uniport; we installed two 1500kv generators with synchronized panels. We have worked with lots of companies like Shell and construction companies like Gito, MCC, Candies engineering and Ministry of p o w e r . M o s t o f t h e transformer used in Rivers S t a t e a n d i t ' s l o c a l government are supplied by us because we are one of the major partners with ministry of power.Where does M.Saleh see itself in the Nigerian market 10 years from now?Ten years from now, we believe the power will be very stable at that time. We see ourselves being giants in the agricultural sector because we are looking into i t s e r i o u s l y a n d t h e government seems to be interested in that sector of the economy. We are looking into going big in the production of agricultural equipments. Also a lot of construction works are going on (both buildings and road construction) b e c a u s e o f t h e development of cities. We are going into partnership

A chat with M.Saleh’s Ese Ekawhare

The Branch/Sales Manager of M.Saleh & Co. Ltd in Port Harcourt.

with a lot of companies abroad, companies in China, Japan and Italy to g e t c o n s t r u c t i o n equipments to Nigeria. We are looking at expanding our scope outside the power sector. Getting big o n c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d agricultural equipments.W h a t i n t e g r a l contributions have been made by M.Saleh to the society?We have given back to s o c i e t y i n o u r h o s t communities. We built a block of classrooms for primary schools at Nkpogu before the government came and took over, we also built a tank stand at Orobun. We award lots of scholarships and our host communities send people from time to time that we train in our work shop. Q u a r t e r l y w e o f f e r scholarships to young people on our trainings. To a large extent we have reduced unemployment b e c a u s e w e e m p l o y p e o p l e f r o m o u r jurisdiction except for jobs t h a t r e q u i r e s o m e technical expertise. We encourage government programmes by donating generators and presently we are about starting training in partnership with NDDC.How has the democratic state aided your business growth?The democratic state has aided our business greatly because we have seen reasons to diversify into other areas .Democracy h a s b r o u g h t l o t s o f i n f r a s t r u c t u r a l development and with lots of constructions going on; we will have more businesses since we are involved in production of construction equipments. Also the new focus on agriculture is also an edge for us because of our involvement in agricultural equipments. Our business is really benefiting from t h e d i v i d e n d o f democracy.What do you feel can be done to harness the staggering amount of power Nigeria generates but isn't properly utilized?I think they should partner with companies abroad that have the technical knowhow on distribution of power because we generate enough to give to other countries. With the help of experts we will d i s t r i b u t e t h e h u g e a m o u n t o f p o w e r produced properly to put an end to the power problems faced in the country.

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

12

Creche [0-2yrs] Pre-School Care [2-3yrs] Afterschool Care (3-10yrs) School Run Services

Auntie Titi’s Place

Tel: 08054299978, 08035201171

Caring for the next generation since 2004...

38, Circular Road, Elekahia Estate, Port Harcourt.

Bungalow 2, Plot 1Mini-Ezekwu Road,off Okporo Road, PH.

3, Ejike Wike Street, Off Ada George Road, Port Harcourt.

Website: www.auntie-titi.com Email: enquiry@aunty-titi.com

eralding the failures and uncontrollable H

collapse of prior advances at enthroning democracy for decades on end after the shackles of colonialism were broken, Nigeria for the first time truly embraced the government of the people by the people and for the people in the twilight of the 21st century. The 29th day of May 2014 marks fifteen years of 'unbroken' democracy in the country (if you call it t h e o r e t i c a l a n d n o t altogether practical who can blame you? But still it is democracy!), the longest period of civilian rule since the country was granted absolute independence by the British on the 1st day of October 1960. These last f i f t e e n y e a r s h a v e witnessed l imited but r e l a t i v e p e a c e - w i t h changes in the economy occas ioned by steady growth, a large reduction in

e x t e r n a l d e b t , a n d structural reforms of the f i n a n c i a l a n d t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s sectors. That these changes have signif icantly rubbed off positively on the standard of living of the majority of t h e c i t i z e n s i s q u i t e debatable. As we mark May 29th this year; a 15 year old democratic state, it is in our own interest that opinions on the country's health situation over the last decade are brought to light.T h e W o r l d H e a l t h O r g a n i s a t i o n ( W H O ) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of d isease or inf i rmity" . Therefore, improving the health of the worst-off can i m p r o v e a c o u n t r y ' s aggregate performance in health and development i n d i c e s . D e m o c r a t i c institutions are expected to

affect health positive ly t h r o u g h p o l i c i e s a n d actions that translate to universal access to high quality health services and products that improve the lives of the citizenry.Health care provision in Nigeria is a concurrent responsibility of the three tiers of government in the country . H o wever, becau s e t h e

country operates a m i x e d economy, private p r o v iders of health care also play visible roles in the country's health care delivery. The

federal government's role is m o s t l y l i m i t e d t o coordinating the affairs of the university teaching hospitals, while the state government manages the various general hospitals and the local government focus on primary health care a n d d i s p e n s a r i e s . We zero in on how the act ions and inact ions

of the play

e r s i n

Nigeria's present democratic s e t - u p

h a v e impacted on

the country's persistent health crises in the last ten

years, to say the least. Certa in ly , a country 's d e m o c r a t i c s t r u c t u r e affects virtual ly every aspect of society, including

health. The relationship between democracy and health o u t c o m e s c a n ' t b e disintegrated. With an e s t i m a t e d 1 7 0 m i l l i o n people currently, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. In the health sector, progress has been slow and many challenges remain: from weak health s y s t e m s t o t a c k l i n g HIV/AIDS; from improving immunization coverage (which in the past has impeded the global goal of e r a d i c a t i n g p o l i o ) t o implementing the new I n t e r n a t i o n a l H e a l t h Regulations (IHR); from achieving the Millennium D e v e l o p m e n t a l G o a l s (MDGs) to preparing for pandemic flu. In many communities of the c o u n t r y , c r i t i c a l infrastructure that support health e.g. water, good sanitation and electricity are still lacking; health facilities r e m a i n di lapidated…wait ing for GAVI, the Global Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates, PEPFAR, Wo rld Bank and other d o n o r s a n d m u l t i l a t e r a l / b i l a t e r a l partners. On the other side of the coin, workers in many g o v e r n m e n t h e a l t h inst itut ions occasionally 'down tools' over unpaid entitlements. Yet, we are

just few months away from 2015; the magical year for the MDGs! Government officials still readily jet out of the country to seek medical solace in the arm of foreign medical i n s t i t u t i o n s i n o t h e r countries at the expense of taxpayers, leaving the chunk of the masses in the path of peril God help them, if their pockets don't seek deep enough to afford basic health care on foreign shores. Shouldn't we do better?In the words of Professor M i c h a e l R e i c h i n 'Democracy and Health', democratization involves a process of political change that increases the degree of p e a c e f u l c o m p e t i t i v e political participation in the governmental system and enhances political and civil liberties at the same time. After more than a decade of continuous 'democracy' in Nigeria, citizens are not yet assured of the right to health, which is a civi l liberty. Indeed, one of the several causes of increased mortality and morbidity among the citizenry is lack of access to basic health care. Can we then say we are truly in a democratic dispensation?. Nigeria we hai l thee! Happy 15th democratic anniversary.

By: Nengi Charles Halliday

The 'Healthy' Pulse of The Democratic Nigeria

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

13

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VIEWPOINT BY TIMI DOKUBO

It was once said that, “if you want to hide something from an African, put it in a book”. Such sentiments can be said to be true when oral tradition was at its peak in Africa and very few were being introduced to the culture of reading by Christian missionaries as they began to adapt African d i a l e c t s i n t o l i t e r a r y languages. Over the years, Africans have not only become better at reading, but the continent has produced its fair share of c e l e b r a t e d a u t h o r s , including Nobel laureates -

who are telling their own s t o r i e s .

In spite of this, one cannot claim that a reading culture has been established across Africa. One proable reason for this is that most books found in Africa are still written by authors in Europe and North America, who fashion their narratives within the context of their cultural milieu. Secondly, as most of these books are i m p o r t e d , t h e y a r e perceived to be expensive or overpriced relative to other consumer items.

Nevertheless, in Nigeria, a crop of globally acclaimed authors in the likes of Helon H a b i l a , C h i m a m a n d a Adichie, Sefi Attah and Lola Shoneyin, who, following the footsteps of their fore bearers - Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Elechi Amadi and the rest , are forming a critical mass of writers intent on getting more people reading. New publishing houses such as

Kachifo, Cassava Republic, a n d F a r a f i n a B o o k s , matching the best of internat ional standards, have also started publishing the works of young writers from within the country. Add to this notable book fairs, book readings events in major cities and book sellers that have become more visible on the main streets alongside grocery stores, the world has started to take notice of a changing attitude towards books and reading in the country.

S i n c e 2 0 0 1 , t h e U n i t e d Nations Education , Scientific a n d Cultural Organiza t i o n (UNESCO ) started a practice o f nam i ng a city as t h e W o r l d

Book Capital every year. Cities that have been so honoured in the past include: Madrid (Spain), followed

by Alexandra (Egypt), New Delhi (India), and Antwerp (Belgium). Others are: Montreal (Canada), Turin (Italy), Bogotá (Colombia), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Beirut (Lebanon), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Buenos Aires ( A r g e n t i n a ) , Ye r e v a n (Armenia), and Bangkok (Thailand). For this year 2014, UNESCO has given the title of World Book Capital to Port Harcourt our darling city here in Nigeria.

Although most of the cities mentioned above have strong literary tradition and commitment to books - one would never know what other criteria that UNESCO uses to confer the title. But an examination of one of the cities that have won that conferment in that past - Buenos Aires, may give some insight. It has

been noted that this city is a world book capital in more than one way. With 200 bookstores, 70 libraries, and scores of kiosks – the city is assured to hold more books per sale per capita than perhaps any other city in the world. And the Buenos Aires International Book Fair - better known to Spanish speakers as the 'Feira del Libro', lasts for three weeks and attracts over a million visitors every year, and in the process accounts for over 25% of the revenue for Argentine publishers each year. The f a i r a l s o h a s a h u g e international following.

While this year's title holder – Port Harcourt, may not lay claim to such distinguished résumé, it qualifies for this r e c o g n i t i o n h a v i n g instituted the Garden City Book Festival, now Port Harcourt Book Fest ival since 2008 with the active support of the Government of Rivers State. As an annual affair, hundreds of literary enthusiasts have been noted to make their w a y t o t h e c i t y t o participate in this six-day event, which comprises a b o o k f a i r , w r i t e r s ' workshops, diverse literary forums, a symposium, drama performances and other cultural displays. Guest authors in the past have included Wole Soyinka (Nobel Laureate), the late Kofi Awonoor, Ngugi wa T h i o n g ' o , P e t r i n a Crockford and Lindsay Barrett. And no doubt support for this portfolio of literary performances in Port Harcourt builds on the nat ional campaign of “Bring Back the Book” initiative – a citizen's framework to revive the reading culture in 'our communal and national spaces'.Starting from the opening day on April 23rd – which is also the day set aside to mark the UN World Book and Copyright Day, Port Harcourt city as World Book Capital 2014 has lined up a year-long programme of a c t i v i t i e s t o p r o v i d e e x t e n s i v e p u b l i c participation, as well as aim to develop 'reading for all'. T h e s e i n c l u d e : a n International Arts, Culture

and Book Exhibition; a Roundtable Discussion with Young Africa Authors; Drama Performances; and R e a d i n g s w i t h t h e President and other leaders and celebrates; in addition to opening of the Port Harcourt Book Centre that is planned to serve as literary hub for the city, a m o n g o t h e r engagements. And it expected that before the city passes on the baton to Incheon (South Korea) in 2015, the profile of books and reading would have been raised to a national development agenda.

In the meantime, many observers have noted that apart from availability of books, which itself is a critical constraint – other factors that may impede p r o g r e s s t o w a r d s a national reading culture include poverty and low literacy levels. Moreover, there is no National Policy on Books, and as such there is no government-run grants awarding body to support the production of books. But given the attention the idea of widespread reading is now receiving from government - there is some possibility for government to begin to take actions that can halt and reverse the poor reading culture in the country. It is expected that resources would be made available for developing and sustaining a virile book industry that can allow e v e r y o n e t o r e a d , irrespective of their level of education, social class, and economic circumstances. This would also make room for book printers and self publishing authors now so rampant in the country to be better organized and i n t e g r a t e d w i t h i n a n efficient literary system. However, the generations o f A f r i c a n s w h o a r e growing up with modern electronic gadgets are i n s i s t i n g t h a t b o o k s targeted at them should not only be relevant in content and be affordable, b u t s h o u l d a l s o b e conveniently delivered in new media that they are already familiar with - such a s c o m p u t e r s , s m a r t phones and other devices.

OginigbaFirst Bank, Oginigba

Stadium RoadViontel HotelCharlies Gym

Elekahia/OkporoAuntie Titi’s Place

G.R.A.Genesis Deluxe Cinema

UBA (Elelenwo Rd.)

Golden Tulip Hotel

Best Bite

(Elelenwo Str.)

Palomino Body Shop

(Elelenwo Street)

MAAS Central Hotel

(Tombia Street)

Marriot Hotel

(Tombia Street)

Charcoal & Spice, GRA

Jevinik Restaurant,

(Tombia Road GRA)

Midland Microfinance

Bank (Elelenwo GRA)

Trans - Amadi

Eliozu

Choba Area

Woji

Mile 3

Tantalizer (Waja)

Sterling Bank

UBA Waja

Living Water Int’l

Christian Centre,

Rukpokwu

Sterling Bank

Uniport Radio Station

Airport

First Bank, Woji

Welcome U

Supermarke, Woji

Kilimanjaro

Gtbank

First Bank,

Agip Junction

Peperroni

Auntie Titi’s Place

(3, Ejike Wike Str.,

off Ada - George Rd.)

Unity Bank

Access Bank

Zenith Bank

Ecobank

Ada - George

UTC Road

Olu - Obasanjo

First Bank

Sterling Bank

UBA

Heritage Bank

FCMB

Keystone Bank

Unity Bank

The Promise Eatery

Fidelity Bank

Diamond Bank

Port Harcourt ‘reads'…as World Book Capital 2014 opens

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

14

Faith & Religion

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arital conflicts are the disagreement, M

misunderstanding and various divergent views a n d o p i n i o n s t h a t a husband and wife may have on different issues. There is n o p r o b l e m w i t h arguments themselves. After all, no two people are alike and having differing points of view is but natural. However, arguing s h o u l d b e d o n e i n a constructive manner and parents should disagree w i t h e a c h o t h e r r e s p e c t f u l l y . We c a n disagree without being disagreeable. In doing so, parents can impart one of the great skills of life to their children, which is that of conflict resolution – which will help children build better relationships in the future. When marital conflict or argument and disagreement are not properly handled and resolved in the presence of children and teenagers, it has some very profound negative effects on the children and teenagers. Major examples of marital conflicts: Disagreements that result in hostile, aggressive ways of fighting are finger pointing, names c a l l i n g , s c r e a m i n g , slapping, storming off in anger, hurling insults, venting resentments and bringing up stories from the past etc.). These all have harmful effects on children and teenagers.

EFFECTS OF MARITAL CONFLICTS ON CHILDREN /INFANTS1. Crying more than usual.2. Having more feedingproblems.3. Sharp change in sleeping patterns.4. Repeated nightmares by children who can express themselves.5. Unexplained stomach aches or headaches.6. Aggressive behaviour such as picking fights with other ch i ldren, us ing p h y s i c a l f o r c e w i t h classmates.7. Throwing objects at others.8. Having trouble following instructions or listening to authority.9. Some children may

become quieter than they used to be and withdraw from social interactions or even freeze in social situations.10. Children can become d e p r e s s e d , e x p r e s s excessive worrying, throw m o r e t a n t r u m s a n d b e c o m e o b s e s s i v e l y interested in objects, food, computer games, etc.

EFFECTS OF MARITAL CONFLICTS ON TEENAGERS

1. Insecurity2. Fear / timidity3. Aggressivenessviolence4. Bullying5. Inferiority complex/ poor self image.6. Seeking for acceptance outside home/ joining gangs or cults.7. Developing hatred for the parent who seems to be more hostile.8. Having a distorted image of what our heavenly Father is, hence finding it difficult to trust God.9 . P o o r a c a d e m i c performance/ grades.10. Developing hatred for marriage.11. Inability to sustain a relationship for long: if a child keeps seeing conflict w i t h o u t s e e i n g t h e resolution, the process of conflict resolution will not b e c o m p l e t e d i n h i s subconscious. He will live with the lie that conflict is a bad game and it cannot be resolved. He will always go for an easy way out of any relationship.1 2 . H i g h e r r i s k o f depression.13. Increase in stress level.14. Feeling guilty that he or she is responsible for the conflict.

Conflicts that are not properly resolved brings about a negative, sad and depressive atmosphere in the home. There may be cold war between husband and wife. This will affect the children. The discipline method and attitudes of parents will also change to the children. All this brings about an environment where any kind of vice can germinate.

CONCLUSION:

Witnessing marital conflict that is resolved with respect, warmth and in an atmosphere of forgiveness has a very positive effect on children. It teaches the children how to manage stress in a healthy way and how to resolve conflict in gracious manner. The intense and frequency of c o n f l i c t s s h o u l d b e minimized. Parents should never involve or recruit their child against each other during confl ict. Parents should learn to handle conf l icts in a constructive way, and see this as an investment in protecting their child's s o c i a l , e m o t i o n a l , professional and marital future. Your child will live to call you blessed if you do t h i s . E p h e s i a n s 6 : 4 seriously admonishes, “ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

If you have a question or need counseling or you want to comment on this write up, you can write to us via our email address or send a text or use our facebook profi le. The publisher may print your response in the next edition

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Effects of marital conflicts on children and teenagers

Continued from page 3

that everybody needs to work together now to ensure that these girls are returned soonest. We don't even want to consider the emotional trauma and p r o b a b l e p h y s i c a l defilement that may have been meted out to these girls. The longer we wait, the more 'damaged' these girls may become. Interestingly we don't know what their average ages are, but if they are supposed to be writing their WAEC exams, then you can imagine they are from 15-20.On a different note, we also question the wisdom of accepting the plethora of foreign assistance that has b e e n p o u r i n g i n . F o r starters, we all know that for the fact that America has now shown some interest in the affair, all the enemies of America will see it as a moral responsibility to support their own, and we may have unwittingly moved the theatre of war and carnage into Nigeria.Apart from this, too many cooks, they say, spoil the broth. Where you have Americans, the French, the Britons, the Chinese, and all

s o r t s o f o t h e r nationalities...how do you concentrate on getting the job at hand done without the current state of global political unease creeping in a g a i n b e t w e e n t h e s e countries in the fight to ensure their group of Samaritan soldiers become the commanders of the team?When the menace of the Boko Haram group started about six years ago, we all thought it was a fly running around the mouth of a beer bott le . I t e i ther gets swatted or gets drowned. But six years on, with a c o m b i n a t i o n o f nonchalance and gross mismanagement of the immediate and remote causes of the problems, we are now at a point where we cannot say for sure what needs to be done and how this debacle will end.As a publication, we may not know what is being done, or what else has not even been tried yet, but we know enough to also lend o u r v o i c e t o s a y #BringBackOurGirls

So why is it that they can't bring the girls back?

May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

Sports Extra15May 21, 2014 - June 5, 2014 Vol. 2 No. 17

2013/2014 TablePOS TEAM GD Pts

1 Manchester City 63 86

2 Liverpool 50 84

3 Chelsea 43 82

4 Arsenal 25 79

5 Everton 20 72

6 Tottenham H. 1 69

7 Manchester Utd. 21 64

8 8 569 -7 50

10 -16 49

11 -15 45

12 0 42

13 -11 40

14 -19 38

15 -22 38

16 -15 37

17

Southampton

Stoke City

Newcastle Utd.Crystal Palace

Swansea City

West Ham Utd.

Sunderland

Aston Villa

Hull City

-16 36

18 Norwich City

West Bromwich Al.

-34 33

19 Fulham -45 32

20 Cardiff City -42 30

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2013/2014 TablePOS TEAM GD Pts

1 Paris Saint-Germain 61 89

2 AS Monaco 32 80

3 Lille 20 71

4 St Etienne 22 69

5 Lyon 12 61

6 Marseille 13 60

7 Bordeaux 6 53

8 -5 49

9 -7 49

10 -14 49

11 -8 48

12 2 46

13 -5 46

14 -12 44

15 -8 42

16 -8 42

17

Stade de Reims

Llorient

Toulouse

Nantes

Bastia

Stade Rennes

Montpellier

Nice

Guingamp

-14 42

18 Sochaux

Evian Thonon G.

-24 40

19 Vallenciennes -28 29

20 AC Ajaccio -35 23

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38

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2013/2014 TablePOS TEAM GD Pts

1 Atletico Madrid 51 90

2 Barcelona 67 87

3 Real Madrid 66 87

4 Athletic Bilbao 27 70

5 Sevilla FC 17 63

6

Real Sociedad

16 59

7

Villarreal

7 59

8 -2 49

9 -5 49

10 -8 48

11 -7 45

12 -34 43

13 -19 42

14 -10 42

15 -24 41

16 -20 40

17

Valencia

Celta Vigo

Levante

Rayo Vallecano

Espanyol

Malaga

Elche

Granada

Real Valladolid

-28 40

18

Almeria

Getafe

-30 39

19

Osasuna

-22 36

20 Real Betis -42 25

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2013/2014 TablePOS TEAM GD Pts

1 Bayern Munchen 71 90

2 Borussia Dortmund 42 71

3 Schalke 04 20 64

4 Bayer Leverkusen 19 61

5 VfL Wolfsburg

-2 53

6 Borussia Moncheng.

0 52

7 Mainz

2 44

8

-13 42

9

-8 41

10

-24 39

11

-17 36

12

-18 36

13

-13 32

14

-24 27

15

-33 26

16

FC Augsburg

TSG Hoffenheim

Hertha Berlin

Hannover 96

Werder Bremen

Eintracht Frankfurt

SC Freiburg

VfB Stuttgart

-31 25

17 Numberg

Hamburg SV

13 60

18 TSV Eintracht Brau.

16 55

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Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare raced and jumped to the top of the IAAF Diamond League rankings Sunday inShanghai,China with victory in the long jump and 200m events.The world championships long jump si lver medal winner last year in Moscow leapt a distance of 6.86m to win the event and the maximum four points on offer.Okagbare also took full advantage of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pyrce's absence to win the 200m in a 22.36 m e e t i n g r e c o r d . Both mark and time are personal season's best for the double IAAF World Championships medalist. Her 22.36 run is also her third fastest time ever in the event.

Claudio Ranieri has left French Ligue 1 runners-up Monaco after two years as head coach. The ex-Chelsea manager led the club to the Ligue 2 title in his first season and they finished nine points

Claudio Ranieri steps down as Monaco coach after two years

Okagbare Rules In Shanghai

With 38 days to the start of the 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil, Super Eagles and Fenerbache of Tu rkey striker, Emmanuel Emenike says the Super Eagles are not scared of any team going into the world cup in B r a z i l . E m e n i k e t o l d 365footballnews.com that the tournament will be an interesting one and hopes things go well for the national team.“I think it's going to be an interesting one for the world cup, I think everyone wants to go to the world cup and I think everyone is preparing; all the players. I think it's going to be an interesting one and I hope things works out, the way i'm thinking. We are not scared of anyone like the way we are right now in Nigeria. We are not scared of any team.”Emenike stressed that the national team is ready for the world cup as they are prepared as individuals to make an impact at the world cup.“We just have to always go there and do what we normally do because any team that makes it to the world cup is not a small team and it's not a joke. We are ready for the battle b e c a u s e e v e r y o n e i s p r e p a r e d . ” E m e n i k e enthused.

Eagles fear no foe – Emenike

New Manchester United coach Louis van Gaal has revealed his plan to bring the Red Devils back to the top.The Dutch tactician, who w a s a n n o u n c e d a s United's new manager earlier this week, has set himself high goals in his new position as he hopes to emulate legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.“The aim is to bring them back to the No?1 position as soon as poss ib le , because that's where they w e r e u n d e r S i r A l e x Ferguson,” Van Gaal told D u t c h t e l e v i s i o n o n Monday.“United is the biggest club in the world. Marketing-wise, but also if you look at their budget. They have to finish high.”The former Ajax, Barcelona a n d B a y e r n M u n i c h manager says it has always been a dream to coach in England.“It was always a wish for me to work in the Premier League,” Van Gaal said.“To work as a manager for Manchester United, the biggest club in the world, makes me very proud.“I have managed in games at Old Trafford before and know what an incredible arena Old Trafford is and h o w p a s s i o n a t e a n d knowledgeable the fans are.

Van Gaal: I have big ambitions

The Bayer Leverkusen star has been linked with a move to the Emirates this summer but insists he has a lot to improve at his current clubB a y e r L e v e r k u s e n midfielder Lars Bender has moved to distance himself f r o m s p e c u l a t i o n concerning a summer move to Arsenal.The Germany international was linked with a move to t h e E m i r a t e s a s t h e Gunners look to build a t e a m c a p a b l e o f challenging for the Premier League title.However, he says he sees no reason to leave the BayArena and is looking forward to proving himself next season."I have only recently extended my contract until 2 0 1 9 , I ' m h a p p y a t Leverkusen and I feel totally comfortable," he told Bild."I don't have to change. Also, my season wasn't brilliant, so I have to take the lead at a big club now."It was not an easy year year for everyone. After the joy of the first round, there were so many losses in the second round."We also lost three games in a row twice, which was u n c o m f o r t a b l e . We ' d never experienced that.”

There's no reason to leave Leverkusen - Bender shuns Arsenal interest

'I will fight the battle of my life' - Babatunde vows to make final team

W o r l d C u p i n v i t e e Michael Babatunde has vowed to play himself into Stephen Keshi's final 23-man squad to Brazil next month.T h e V o l y n L u t s k midfielder was a surprise i n c l u s i o n i n t h e provisional list of 30 players announced by the Nigeria Football Fededration on Tuesday. H e h a s m a d e t w o substitute appearances for Nigeria.The 21-year-old will fight for a place in the middle of the field as he hopes to reach the Mundial that will start on June 12.“Firstly I thank Almighty God for making the list of 3 0 f o r t h e t e a m ’ s camping for the World Cup," Babatunde tod Goal." I also sincerely thank the chief coach who is like a father to me and the rest of my colleagues and I am using this medium to say that I will fight the battle of my life in training at the camp and also work extra hard to make the final list. "This is the only way the chief coach will be happy and not regret giving me this opportunity to prove myself,” he said.The midfielder who has s c o r e d t w i c e i n 2 1 appearances for Volyn gave credit to his club coach Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi for encouraging him to stay ahead in his career while in and out of training sessions. Babatunde said that the retired Soviet football player has been the brain behind his surge of form since joining the team.“My Club (FC Volyn Lutsk) Coach Vital iy Kvartsyanyi has always encouraged me to put in my all in both training sessions and matches that I played for the club saying you never can tell who is watching," said Babatunde.

Barcelona have appointed Luis Enrique as their new first-team coach on a two-year deal.The 44-year-old former Barca player, who managed the club's B team between 2008 and 2011, left his role as Celta Vigo boss last week.H e r e p l a c e s G e r a r d o Martino, who left after Barca finished second to Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

Barcelona appoint Luis Enrique as first-team coach

behind champions Paris St-Germain this year. Ranieri was denied the services of the club's £50m striker Radamel Falcao from January onwards by a cruciate knee l igament injury. Club vice-president Vadim Vasilyev said the Italian had done "a very good job". Monaco are owned by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, who bought the club in December 2011.

Wayne Rooney ‘looking very good’ as he returns to fitness, says England boss Roy Hodgson

By: ‘Wale Olaogun with collaboration from Adekola Adeniran

Keshi's team also play Bosnia-Herzegovina and Argentina, but most of the focus has been on the South American giants.The Nigeria coach insists that the first game is the most important one of all. "The Argentina game is not important right now," Keshi said."The most important game is against Iran and when I finish playing against Iran and Bosnia then I can have an answer to that.”

Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has revealed that the main reason for his decision to join Bundesliga arch-rivals Bayern Munich is "to win".The Poland international, w h o s e c o n t r a c t w i t h Dortmund expires next m o n t h , w i l l j o i n t h e B a v a r i a n s o n a f r e e transfer, and says his main motivation for the switch is to add to his trophy cabinet."It's got to be my goal to win and collect titles," the forward told Germany's B i ld newspaper . " I 'm certainly going to have b e t t e r c h a n c e s w i t h Bayern.”

Sports Extra

Liverpool star Luis Suarez and Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo are joint winners of the European Golden Shoe this season after scoring 31 goals each in the Premier League and La Liga respectively.Last year's winner Lionel Messi has to settle for third s p o t t h i s c a m p a i g n following his 28 goals for Barcelona in 2013-14.Suarez was in danger of m i s s i n g o u t o n t h e p re s t i g i o us i nd i v i d ua l award as Ronaldo still had one game to add to his tally at the weekend, but the P o r t u g u e s e f o r w a r d eventually missed his side's victory over Espanyol due to injury.Both Messi and fourth-placed Diego Costa failed to find the net in Barca's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid, while Torino star Ciro Immobile did not score either in his side's 2-2 draw against Fiorentina.

Ronaldo and Suarez joint Golden Shoe winners

Lewandowski aiming for silverware

Keshi dismisses Argentina, focused on Iran

Arsenal end trophy drought with FA Cup win

A r s e n a l e n d e d t h e i r infamous nine-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup.After falling 2-0 behind within the f irst e ight minutes, goals from Santi C a z o r l a a n d L a u r e n t Koscielny took the game to extra time, before Aaron Ramsey fired home in the 109th minute to send Gunners fans all over the globe into a frenzy.

Arsenal 3 - Hull City 2Arsenal 3 - Hull City 2

Stoke city of England and Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie has expressed his gratitude to Nigerians for the love shown and the desire to see him return to the Super Eagles ahead of the 2014 FIFA world cup in B r a z i l 365footballnews.com have gathered. Odemwingie took to his official Twitter h a n d l e t o s h o w e r e n c o m i u m s o n t h e pervas ive inte rest of Nigerians to see him make a return to the national team after been out of the team for a while. He noted that the love from fans alone meant more than the recall to him.“This is to thank all my naija fans for the support. Even b4 the recall I dey feel the love. That means more than t h e r e c a l l t o m e . ” Odemwingie tweeted.The former West Brom striker is one of the 30 players invited by the coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles Stephen Keshi in his 30 man Provisional world cup list.

Odemwingie thanks Nigerians

Susic backs Bosnia to reach last-16

Bosnia - Herzegovina coach Safet Susic has backed his team to advance from their FIFA World Cup group into the last 16 at the showpiece event in Brazil.“We must have a goal and that goal is to try to go through to the second round, to qualify for the round of 16,” Susic told reporters as he presented his provisional 24-man squad for the World Cup.“We will play for second place but I believe that we could find ourselves among the 16 best teams in Brazil,” the 59-year-old Susic said.B o s n i a , t h e f o r m e r Yugoslav republic which gained independence in 1992, will be making their debut at the World Cup finals. Susic's squad, which he has gradually built up since he took over the national team in 2009, will be led by two star strikers in Manchester City's Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic of Stuttgart.Dzeko and Ibisevic were the second and third best s c o r e r s i n B o s n i a ' s European qualifiers for the World Cup, with ten and eight goals respectively. Bosnia will kick off their World Cup campaign on 15 June against Argentina, Susic saying that Muhamed B e s i c o f H u n g a r y ' s Ferencvaros would have the unenviable job of shadowing Lionel Messi.

Following his inclusion and recall to the national team ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, AS Parma of Italy midfielder, Joel Obi says he is excited as well as happy as it was difficult for him during the early stages of this season.Joel revealed that he is happy to have made the 30 man provisional list to kick start Nigeria preparations ahead of the world soccer extravaganza this summer in South America.“I am very excited and happy to have been invited because it has been very difficult for me this season but I am back playing now and I give God the glory”Obi has been used sparingly this season (7 times) by Parma boss and former Italy international, Roberto Donadoni due to the numerous injuries suffered by the 24 year old. Obi is however expected to return back to his parent club, Inter Milan at the end of the season.

World cup prospect excites Joel Obi

Paul Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, believes that his client would only leave Juventus if all parties want him to do so.The Frenchman has found himself the subject of i n t e r e s t f r o m a c r o s s Europe, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly keen on securing his services.Juve director Pavel Nedved has insisted that he would develop best by remaining in Turin but his agent says he will only do what is best for the midfielder."Pavel knows that I will do my best for Pogba, as I always do for all of my clients," he told Tuttosport."And I know, in the same way, that Pavel does his best for the club."I knew that I brought Paul into an honest club. Pavel rates Paul enormously . Juve have just announced that Pogba is not for sale. We'll see in the next few meetings what will happen.

Raiola: Pogba can only leave if everyone agrees

G o m b e U n i t e d h a v e complained about the threats and intimidation they suffered in Jos in Sunday when they lost 1-0 to Giwa FC in a Week 13 game of the Glo Premier League.The complaint was made by, Tanimu Umar, the Mesia Off icer of the Desert Scorpions, who informed that fans of Giwa FC made v i o l e n t t h r e a t s t o i nt i m i d at e t he m at ch officials during the pre-match meeting in the morning of the game."Even before we get into the field the fans were threatening to kill the centre referee should they not win the game."Some of them were brandishing knives to augment their threat," Umar revealed.There were however no notable violent scenes both during and after the game, and an early goal from

Gombe alleged pre-match assault

Eagles Winger plays for 10 minutes in the last gameB y J o h n n y E d w a r d : Super Eagles winger Ahmed Musa helped his Russian side CSKA Moscow retain the Russian title in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season on Thursday after a 1-0 win a g a i n s t c a p i t a l r i v a l s L o k o m o t i v .The Nigerian international who has scored eight goals in 26 appearances replaced Alan Dzaogev in the 79th minute of the encounter as Serbian winger Zoran Tosic netted the only goal of the g a m e t o m a k e i t 1 0 consecutive wins to end the campaign and finish above Lokomotiv and Zenit St Petersburg.

Musa Wins Russian Title Again!

Did you Know?

The biggest ever attendance for a World Cup match is 200,000

people. They all squeezed into the Maracana

Stadium for a match between Brazil and

Uruguay during the 1950 World Cup. It'd never happen these days…

health and safety gone mad and all that.

The 2014 World Cup will see matches take place in 12 different

cities, more than any other finals on record.

Federer is the only player in history to win

Wimbledon and the U.S. Open consecutively for

three straight years. Before Federer, Bill Tilden (1920-21) and Don Budge (1937-38) were the only

players to win Wimbledon and the U.S.

Open back-to-back in two consecutive years.

One of the world's most popular actors, Samuel L.

Jackson, is also an avid golfer. In fact, the star of flicks like “Pulp Fiction”

and “Django Unchained,” has a contract clause to play golf twice a week

whenever he films movies

The fastest goal ever scored at a World Cup

was knocked in by Turkish superstar (and one time Blackburn Rover), Hakan

Sukur against South Korea in the 2002 World Cup. It took him just 11

seconds.

The most prolific boxer in history was Great Britain's Len

Wickwar who, between 1928 and 1947, fought 463 bouts. He also

holds the records for the most wins

(336) and most losses (127) of any

boxer.