Scrapping Of NECO A Great Setback For The Country – NECO Workers, Others

The workers of the National Examination Council, on Thursday, appealed to the Federal Government not to scrap the examination body, as workers were reported to be wondering what their fate will be if the government eventually implements the plan.
Reports on Wednesday said the Federal Government had decided to implement the recommendations of the Oronsaye-Panel that listed NECO among 38 federal agencies that would be scrapped or merged with others. The Federal Government had not confirmed or denied the planned action though, but there was palpable tension in NECO on Thursday.
A senior official, who pleaded anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the press, told Vanguard there was no wisdom behind the attempt to scrap NECO.
“Let’s look at it this way: Britain is not up to half the size of Nigeria and it has about eight examination bodies. How then can Nigeria have only examination body?
“Secondly, why lump us with the West African Examination Council? WAEC does not belong to Nigeria, so what does the country stand to gain by handing over structures of NECO to WAEC?
“Thirdly, how possible is it for WAEC, or any examination body for that matter, to organise one SSCE in November and organise another one two months later, when they have not released the result of the one conducted in November?.
“Again, we should not be in a hurry to forget when Nigerian candidates suffered untold hardship in the hands of WAEC, which led to the birth of NECO.
“As at that time, open any newspaper and what you see are appeals by candidates asking WAEC to release their results. The coming of NECO stopped all that. Now, we are going back to the era of colonialism, maybe we should even hand over the Presidency of this country back to Britain,” he said.

Also reacting, the Niger State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Abdulhameed Danladi said though he believes government’s policies are dynamic and can be changed at any time, the decision to scrap the examination body must be given a second thought in the overall interest of Nigerian educational development. He stressed that the nightmare Nigerians went through in the hands of WAEC should not be allowed to come back.
He pointed out that government has the right to make policies, but such policies should have positive bearing on the lives of the people because governance is all about people.
“My concern about scrapping of NECO is about the over 5,000 Nigerians working there that will lose their job.
“Here we are in a country where unemployment is on the high side and because of that, the government is coming up with a lot of programmes aimed at creating employment and mopping up unemployed youths from the streets and now you want to scrap NECO and increase the rate of unemployment in the country.”
He argued that “what I don’t think is right is for government, in an attempt to solve one problem, start to create another. Examination is the only way to evaluate the performance of students and if you now scrap NECO, how do you evaluate candidates? If it is NECO that the Federal Government does not want, let them set up another one, but there must be an examination body that is wholly Nigerian.”
Danladi therefore advised that rather than scrap NECO, the government should reposition it and add value to it for better performance.
Also speaking on the proposed scrap of NECO, Minna-based human rights activist, Evangelist Udoh, urged the Federal Government to analyse the Oransanye report again.
“Why would any sensible person recommend that NECO be scrapped and its structures and statutory responsibility be taken over by WAEC, a regional body".
InformationNigeria

‘CPC Not An Islamic Party’

Acting Chairman of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Taraba State, Alhaji Hassan Ardo, yesterday faulted the notion in some quarters that CPC is an Islamic party, stressing the party is an all inclusive one which is opened to all interested persons.
Ardo, who made his position known in Jalingo during a meeting of wards, local government and state executive members of the party to discuss the party’s restructuring and merger plans with other political parties, said those advancing the notion that the party is an Islamic one are just using that as a political gimmick to cause disaffection and disunity in order to score some cheap political points as well as keep interested people away from the party.

Ardo cited the examples of Pastor Tunde Bakare and Prince Tony Momoh who hold key political positions at the national level of the party and argued that if the party was an Islamic one, it wouldn’t have been the case.
He described his appointment as the acting chairman of the state by the national body as a call to duty and promised to run an open door policy where everyone would be given an opportunity to make inputs.

Foods that boost virility

Food performs various functions in the body, the most basic of which is keeping us healthy to be able to meet other obligations, including sexual obligations, especially for men.

Nutritionists say food can boost or bust a man’s libido, depending on what he ingests. Indeed, researchers say it’s impossible to build manly vigour on a diet of denatured foods like processed meats and other junk foods that fill the space these days.

Experts warn that to boost manly strength behind closed doors, men need foods that are well supplied with the elements that give strength and stamina.

Nutritionist and weight loss expert, Dr. Oluwakemi Oluwa, says all foods that are best for building health, pure blood and vitality are also best for virility building, most especially when eaten in their natural form. Indeed, she nails foods that have undergone “processing, refining or improper cooking,” such as refined flour, refined sugar, and polished rice, among others. These foods, she contends, are only filled with pure starch or other carbohydrate, literally starving the nerves, bones and blood vessels of the elements which they need most.

In terms of warning, researchers recommend this diet for the impotent and sexually debilitated men, especially those over 40 years of age. Young men in their prime who scientists consider already sexually overstimulated are advised to use less of eggs and meats — especially red meat, because of its stimulating character.

They also advise that, where possible, a breakfast could consist of mainly fruits and vegetables, with two small portions of solid foods to round off the day.

This being the case, what foods do we have within reach which can give men the sort of strength they always dream of?

Nutritionists recommend full diet for this category of men, with a fairly liberal allowance of meat, eggs and other proteid (protein-rich) foods. Poultry, fish and sea food are said to be of little help here, though their dietary value cannot be contemned. More important, they also advocate a diet rich in fruits and vegetables eaten “as is.”

Top on the list is watermelon. Currently in season and sometimes throughout the year, this fruit is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is also considered as a good source of potassium, and a very good source of vitamins A and C. Its crowning glory, however, is citrulline, an amino acid that stimulates nitric-oxide production and increases blood flow to the male organ, strengthening erections.

For those with sweet tooth, it seems to pay off here. Researchers at the University of California say the flavonoids usually found in dark chocolates improved blood-vessel dilation by more than 10 per cent among men that ate it. The result is an improved blood flow to the nether region, with the attendant boost as needed.

Other sources of flavonoids are green and black tea, apples, apricots, blueberries, pears, strawberries, cabbage, onions and tomatoes.

It’s not just the phallus shape of bananas that make them a fruit of interest. Their libido-boosting values are also of great importance. Said to be high in potassium, nutritionists say this lush fruit relaxes blood-vessel walls, allowing for better blood flow throughout the body. Indeed, a study published in the journal, Hypertension, claims “it offsets a high-sodium diet, keeping the blood pressure in check.

Though smelly, the influence that garlic has on men’s sexual well-being overrides its obnoxious smell. This is because this vegetable boosts blood flow to the penis by increasing nitric-oxide production and relaxing the blood vessels.

Walnut is another rich fruit that scientists say boost the libido. In separate researches, the European Food Safety Authority, and researchers at the University of Malaya in Malaysia say L-Arginine, an amino acid found abundantly in the fruit, is one of the building blocks of nitric oxide. As such, they say, a diet that includes these nuts with the rock-hard shell makes for consistent, rock-hard erections.

Ginger is spicy and can be used as food seasoning, meat tenderiser or taken in juice form. Whichever way you like it, a study published in the International Journal of Cardiology claims that ginger rids the blood vessels of free radicals and decreases inflammation, thus relaxing the arteries and improving blood flow. The researchers say just about one teaspoon of ginger (in powder form) a few times a week is all you need to reap its cardiovascular rewards.

Better still, a Nigerian scientist at the University of Ibadan, Dr. Yinusa Raji, reportedly fed rats ginger extract for eight days. At the end of the experiment, he found that their testosterone levels had increased, while their testes had gained weight. The jury is still out on these findings, though.

Nutmeg is also a seasoning agent and it is available in powder or block form — all in its natural state. In a study of natural aphrodisiacs published in the journal, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers say nutmeg increases libido and erectile performance, what with its myristic acid, which they say stimulates the production of nitric oxide, “the key to a healthy erection.”

Olive oil is not only good for anointing, as a study published in the journal, Lipids, seems to suggest. The researchers claim that the revered oil helps increase testosterone production. And when the testosterone level increases, we know better.

So, as the world marks the 15th ‘birthday’ of Viagra, with its controversial side effects, the uplifting — literally — derivable from the aforementioned foods can be indulged in, with no fear of untoward side effects except, possibly, that of a quick visit to the labour room by Oga Madam nine months after.

Punch Nigeria

Keshi snubs Yobo again, invites 30 players

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has invited a total of 30 players for the team’s hectic mid-year schedule with the team captain Joseph Yobo still missing from the list. The Fenerbahce defender was not called for the match against Kenya last month – a development that brought about a public spar between the player and the coach.

The Nigeria Football Federation officials though has moved to settle the rift between them.

But while Yobo has still not been recalled, South Africa 2013 top scorer Emmanuel Emenike is back to the fold. He was also not called for the match in Calabar against Kenya but on account of the injury he sustained at the semi-final stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. Midfielder Kalu Uche also returns after 16 months on the sideline.

A notable fresh inclusion is Anthony Ujah who stars for FC Cologne of Germany. The striker is actually on loan to Cologne from Mainz of France.

 The Eagles have a busy schedule of about 10 matches between the end of May and mid-July. The African champions have an international friendly against CONCACAF champions Mexico in Houston, Texas, USA on the last day of May, before two World Cup qualifying matches in Nairobi and Windhoek. Those games are billed to hold just before the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil.

Nigeria will play Tahiti, Uruguay and Spain in Brazil in the first round of the Confederations Cup. They will return to Africa for a 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying fixture against Cote d’Ivoire. The African Championship is strictly for African-based league players.

In all, there are four goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and 11 strikers.

The delegation of 12 home-based players and staff will depart Abuja for the training camp in Nuremberg, Germany on May 15 while the overseas-based professionals are expected to join the team in Germany later.

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland, Nigeria)

Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic, Scotland); Elderson Echiejile (Braga, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Ebenezer Odunlami (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Benjamin Francis (Heartland, Nigeria); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga, Norway); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal); Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars, Nigeria); Sunday Mba (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Emeka Ezeh (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Victor Moses (Chelsea, England); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia); Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine); Nnamdi Oduamadi (AS Varese 1910, Italy); Anthony Ujah (Cologne, Germany); Kalu Uche (Kasimpasa, Turkey); Gomo Onduku (Sharks, Nigeria); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland, Nigeria); Gambo Mohammed (Kano Pillars, Nigeria).

Punch Nigeria

MEND Threatens A Series Of Attacks Starting On Friday Over Henry Okah’s Sentence

Henry Okah

Following the sentence of Henry Okah to 24 years imprisonment by a South African court, the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta on Wednesday announced that it would on Friday resume hostilities in the country.
MEND’s spokesman, Gbomo Jomo, in an e-mail sent to journalists said a series of attacks, codenamed ‘Hurricane Exodus’, would begin at midnight on Friday (tomorrow).
It said the attacks would be “a direct repercussion of a forged threat letter contrived by the Nigerian and South African governments purporting to have originated from MEND”.
Security agencies on Wednesday however said they were prepared to checkmate the militant group.
Speaking about the security operatives’ readiness to contain the threat, Director of Information at the Defence Headquarters, Brig Gen. Chris Olukolade, warned those behind the threat to avoid any action that could endanger the peace in the area, adding that the DHQ had its operatives on the ground and are prepared at all times to defend the interest of the country.
“The DHQ has our outfit on the ground in the Niger Delta. Our structures are on ground in the area. They should not reverse the hand of peace; nobody should threaten the peace in the area.

“The JTF is on the ground and is prepared to do their duties in defence of every interest of the nation. Anybody trying to threaten the peace in the area is advised against it.”
The police also promised to bring to book anyone that engaged in any act that contravened the law of the land just as the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba said the police would not be drawn into responding to threats issued by criminal elements.
“The police will not respond to threats by criminal elements, but suffice it to say we are ready to curb any acts of lawlessness or criminality in the country,” he said.


The statement by the militant group read, “This fake letter was used as evidence against Henry Okah on whom a 13- year sentence was passed. To make matters worse, the prosecution’s second witness, Mr. Sele Victor-Ben, had exclaimed in court that the letter was not genuine after failing to catch the prosecutor’s eye who wanted him to lie under oath.
“We are now determined to conjure this imaginary trumped-up threat into a painful reality.
“The attacks will be sustained until an unreserved apology is offered to MEND and the Nigerian government shows its willingness to dialogue. The same way they are willing to dialogue with Boko Haram.”
InformationNigeria

Tribute to Ashikiwe Adione-Egom: The Motor-Park Economist Uzor Maxim Uzoatu Published: April 2,2013

Shared from Osaze Iyamu's fb.
 

Ashikiwe died of prostate cancer.
Ours was a meeting of minds on the OP-ED pages of The Guardian in the 1980s. He signed off his articles as “Motor-Park Economist” while I signed off my pieces as “Peasant Theatre Director”. I was in wonder why a “motor-park economist” wrote in a language that could only be grasped by only seasoned professors. I did not have to wonder for a long time before we met physically in the same office as pioneer staff of the African Guardian magazine. The man was then known as Ashikiwe Adione-Egom but was later in life addressed as “Pastor Luke” and Peter Alexander Egom.
The news-feature magazine, African Guardian, with Ted Iwere as editor and Andy Akporugo as editor-in-chief, had in my humble opinion the most distinguished staff ever gathered anywhere, notably Eddie Iroh, Sully Abu, Pini Jason, Greg Obong-Oshotse, Okey Ndibe, Ada Momah, Ngozi Ojidoh, Kingsley Osadolor, Fred Ohwahwa, Joni Akpederi, Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Stanley Amah, Ola Alakija, Seun Sonoiki, George Ola Davies etc. Of course, Ashikiwe who always wore short knickers to the office stood out. It was inevitable, as arranged by Editor Ted Iwere, that the “motor-park professor” and the “peasant theatre rustic” would somewhat “clash”. Ashikiwe, as the head of the economic team had anchored a cover story on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) against the background of falling oil prices that threatened the very existence of Nigeria in the early days of Military President Ibrahim Babangida’s regime in 1986. Ashikiwe’s report was worthy of a professorial dissertation but Editor Iwere felt it could not be understood by the common reader. I was then summoned by the editor to write the cover story in a language that the average magazine reader could get along with. I could not say no, for in the business, the editor’s word is final.
It took me a very long night to get to grips with the meat of Ashikiwe’s offering, before I finally settled down to write the cover story. I refrained from putting my byline on the story so as not to draw the ire of Ashikiwe. When the magazine was published I found out that Editor Iwere had put my name smack as the writer of the cover story. I promptly decided to make myself very scarce from Ashikiwe’s presence. I was indeed very surprised when he eventually caught sight of me and embraced me, advising me that I had a style that suited literary writing which will bode me well in writing novels. He then bought me lunch at the Guardian canteen. He instantly adopted me as his bosom brother, sharing his salary with me, for he had no need for money, as he told me. I had to believe him because he was living in the hotel!
I cannot forget the day Ashikiwe came to the office, not in his trademark shorts, but in this bespoke black suit complete with tie and a red kerchief jutting out of the breast pocket. He was waiting for me, and promptly accosted me.
“You poet, I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, dragging me along. “Follow me, I’m going to propose.”
I followed him to the Guardian canteen but I did not see any lady he was about to propose to. He kept buying drinks until very late in the night without making the announced proposal.
I came back to the office the very next morning only to see Ashikiwe in an even more breathtaking suit with an elegant white lady, a Dane, as his companion. There was no need for words. We had a very silent launch thereafter before he departed with the ever-smiling lady.
Born in Ukala-Okpunor in Oshimili North LGA of Delta State, Ashikiwe saw himself as “a full-blooded Igbo” that runs counter to the identity crisis of some of his Anioma brethren. He was a star student and athlete at Kings College, Lagos. He took his educational pursuit to the esteemed, Downing College of Cambridge University in England where he used to share honours with the British champion and latter-day novelist Jeffery Archer, author of The Prodigal Daughter, in the 100 metres dash.
He left Cambridge University in June 1966, and flew into Lagos after the July 29, 1966 counter-coup in which the Igbo were routinely killed. He was detained for seven months at Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons from July 18, 1967 to March 14, 1968. He then flew out of Nigeria for Europe on April 18, 1968. He spent 14 years in Denmark and Tanzania, reading and teaching Social Anthropology and Economics. He served as an adviser to the Tanzanian Central Bank under the watch of then President Julius Nyerere before returning to Nigeria for good late in 1982.
He quickly built up a solid reputation on the pages of The Guardian when it was set up in 1983 and then became a foundation member of The African Guardian magazine in 1985. He later became the editor-in-chief of Financial Post newspaper and Business in ECOWAS magazine.
A devout Catholic, he had occasion to branch out into Pentecostalism and served as Pastor Luke at the Ibru Centre in Agbarha-Otor. He later returned to Catholicism of course. He became attached to the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos and ran a book publishing concern on the side. He was celebrated as the character Ashiki by his former colleague Okey Ndibe in the novel Arrows of Rain published in the esteemed Heinemann African Writers Series.
He wrote his 2002 book, Globalization at the Crossroads: Capitalism or Communalism, with the name Luke Adione-Egom while the 2007 book Economic Mind of God bore the name of Peter Alexander Egom. The latter book was dedicated to his grandchildren Laerke, Magnus and Kasper.
He had a liking for living in hotels, and even on his bed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos he retained his sense of humour to the very last, telling his friend Tam Fiofori who had come visiting that cancer of the prostrate was unkind to have denied him the God-given ability to walk!

Jonathan Grants Amnesty To Boko Haram Sect

Indications emerged last night that President Goodluck Jonathan may have resolved to declare amnesty for the Boko Haram sect.
This was the outcome of a meeting between the president and the leadership of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) at the presidential villa, Abuja.
This is even as Jonathan has summoned a security meeting with chiefs in the country, which will be held today at the presidential villa.
Jonathan also used the occasion to deny ever ruling out amnesty for the sect.
The president is expected to set up an amnesty commission to fine- tune details of clemency to the sect members.
Former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Prof Ango Abdullahi, told State House Correspondents after the meeting which ended at about11:30pm that the president’s response to the call for amnesty at the meeting, which is sequel to the one held between the president and the NEF in May last year, was positive and that he assured the NEF delegation that the amnesty for the insurgents will be tabled before the security meeting today.
Abdullahi said, “The meeting is simply a follow-up visit on the invitation of Mr. President. Many of you will recall that about eight or nine months ago, we interacted with the president on matters of the nation.
We submitted a memorandum to him and he promised that he was going to look at our submission and he will call us back to further dialogue on the issues we have raised in ou submission. Ans this is precisely what transpired today.
“The contention here that there are challenges in the country, especially in the area of security which is the greatest challenge.
What we discussed is that general opinion in the country is that amnesty should be factored into all effort made by government to overcome the security challenges all over the country or in most parts of the North.
Fortunately the president is already thinking hard on it.
And he assured us that there is a special meeting on the matter and that I’m sure that  tomorrow something substantial will come out of that meeting”.
Corroborating Abdullahi’s disclosure, information minister, Labarn Maku also said the president has never said no to the issue of amnesty, adding that what the president is saying is that, just like in the case of Niger Delta, some structures and processes have to be in place before the amnesty option is fully explored.
The minister further explained that the insurgents need to be identified and come forward before the dialogue that would lead to the amnesty programme is put in place.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the president intention for convening the meeting was to to give a listening ear to the umbrella body of Northern elders to clarify on issues partaining to clamour for the amnesty for the sect and why he may have been reluctant to consider calls by a section of Nigerians that he should declare amnesty for the sect.
Spiritual leaders from the North, including the Sultan of Sokoto,  Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III had appealed to the president to consider granting amnesty to the deadly group, with his  position receiving a boost from the Arch Bishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan during the Easter period.
But the president had kept mum over the matter since after his encounter with elders of Borno and Yobe States respectively after a town hall meeting with them during his two weeks working visit to the epicenters of the Boko Haram.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the president may have deemed it necessary to pour out his mind before the NEF , to let them understand his earlier position that members of the insurgents must present themselves before him to enable him know who he is actually dialoguing with, as he was not ready to grant amnesty to ghosts.
The president’s declaration early March this year in Borno and Yobe had elicited a lot of mixed reactions, with most prominent citizens from the Northern region accusing president of insensitivity to the plight of people from the region that have suffered great loss due to the gory and gruesome activities of the sect.
Present at the meeting were leader of the group, Yusuf Maitama Sule, Paulen Tallen, Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Kali Gazali, Safiya Mohammed, Solomon Dualong, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu,  Shehu Malami, John Wash Pam, Lawal  Kaita, Bello Kirfi, Paul Unongo, AVM Al-amin Daggash, Sani Zango Daura, N.A. Sheriff, Yahaya Kwande, Saleh Hassan, Muslim Maigari, Bashir Yusuf, Gen.
Paul Tarfa, Justice Mustapha  Akanbi, Prof Idris Mohammed, Capt Paul Tahal and Capt Bashir Sodangi.
Leadership