PHOTO:: PYTHON SNAKE KILLED IN OSUSTECH,ONDO

Students of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Osustech campus were in shock when they found a giant python in their school. They did justice to the python by sending it to its early grave this afternoon.

MILITARY COUP ATTEMPT FOILED IN GAMBIA

A group of disaffected soldiers launched a foiled coup bid in the Gambia on Tuesday while the president was abroad, military and diplomatic sources said. Forces loyal to President Yahya Jammeh, who has ruled the west African country for 20 years, killed three suspects including the alleged ringleader – an army deserter, a military officer said. The officer, speaking from Bissau, said the deserter – named as Lamin Sanneh – led a heavily-armed attack with six men on the presidential palace in the capital Banjul. The pre-dawn assault triggered panic in Bissau, while national radio went off air for several hours and state television was suspended. Jammeh’s precise whereabouts remained unclear. Gambian officials said the president was on a private visit to Dubai and foreign diplomats said he was in France, but an official in Paris said there was no sign he was in the country. Opposition politician Sheikh Sidya Bayo told a private Senegalese radio station that the unrest was “the start of a mutiny that changed” into a bid to topple Jammeh. Three of the suspected coup plotters were killed and another captured by Jammeh’s forces, but there was no confirmation of an overall death toll from the fighting. “Police and the army are now entirely in control of the situation,” the military officer said. A Gambian diplomat said the presidential palace in the heart of the small city on the Gambia river was attacked at about 3am by armed men, including members of the presidential guard. “They wanted to overthrow the regime,” a military source told AFP, while a western diplomat said a coup attempt had apparently been foiled. Army patrols urged people to return home and remain calm. Jammeh, 49, the former head of military police, has ruled the largely rural country of 1.8 million people with a firm hand since 1994, when he came to power in a coup that toppled founding leader Sir Dawda Jawara. Backed by his Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Reconstruction (APRC) party, which enjoys a large majority in parliament, Jammeh has come under fire for human rights abuses, including the disappearance of his foes Jammeh has denounced gay people, once threatening to behead them but instead overseeing the imposition of long jail terms.

MY CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY FIRE ~ Sambo

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has told the Independent National Electoral Commission that his Bachelors and Masters degrees certificates in Architecture from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, have been consumed by fire. Sambo, who is the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the declaration in the documents he filed with INEC and displayed on the commission’s office in Abuja although the details of the fire that consumed the certificates were not given. Sambo’s papers were received and stamped in INEC headquarters between December 10 and 18, 2014. The VP’s declaration was validated by two letters from the ABU, a copy of which was obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday. The first letter, signed by one Alhassan Garba for the institution’s registrar under the title, “To Whom it may Concern: Mohammed Namani Sambo,” read, “I certify that the above-named person having completed an approved course of study and passed the prescribed examinations was awarded the Bachelor of Science (Architecture) with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) in 1976 by the Senate of this University. His original certificate got burnt. Please treat his case in view of this certification. Thank you.” The second letter, also signed by Garba for the ABU registrar, read, “I certify that the above- named person having completed an approved course of study and passed the prescribed examinations was awarded the Master of Science (Architecture) on May 25, 1978 by the Senate of this University. His original certificate got burnt. Please treat his case in view of this certification. Thank you.” Meanwhile, indications have emerged that only 13 political parties would field presidential candidates in the 2015 elections. The parties and their candidates are the People Democratic Party, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); Action Alliance, Tunde Anifowose- Kelani; Kowa Party, Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya; United Progressives Party; Chief Chekwas Okorie; and National Conscience Party, Chief Martin Onovo. Others are African Democratic Congress, Dr. Ibrahim Nani; United Democratic Party, Godson Okoye; Alliance for Democracy, Rafiu Salau; Peoples Party of Nigeria, Kelvin Alagoa; Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Alhaji Ganiyu Oseni; African Peoples Alliance, Alhaji Adebayo Ayeni; and Hope Democratic Party, Ambrose Owuru.

HORROR :::UNTOLD STORlES OF DAVID OGUNTUASE'S DEATH

Credit :: Olumide Olateru-Olagbegi

There is a report on national news about one Dr David Oguntuase that works at Federal Medical Center Owo. He was killed and burnt in a clinic at Akure. Dr David Adetayo Oguntuase was killed and burnt in his private clinic on Xmas day 25th December 2014. He was the Consultant Pediatrician/Head of Pediatrics, paediatrician at Federal medical centre Owo, Ondo State. His death is related to the ongoing EFCC fraud investigation of the chief medical director, Dr. O. A. Omotosho. He is accused of embezzling 100 million naira meant for staff training and medical equipment. Dr Oguntauase was acting as CMD prior to appointment of Omotosho. Most people thought Dr Oguntause will be appointed but we all know how Nigerian system of God fatherism works. Dr Omotosho was appointed directly from Abuja with the help of Owo ruling Monarch King DVF Olateru- Olagbegi. Dr Oguntause problems started when the federal budget allocated for staff training, purchase of CT scans and other medical equipment went missing and EFCC was alerted. The EFCC team came to arrest Dr Omotosho but he escaped through the morgue section of the hospital and jumped over the fence. The administrative manager, Mr Lagundoye and public Relations Officer [PRO], Mr. Yusuf Olarewaju with the rest of the senior management team were not so happy with Dr Oguntause because they believe he was the only senior member of the team that was not in support of their embezzlement depriving the hospital and reduction of salaries paid to junior staffs. They knew he will spill the beans TO EFCC. On December 15, Lagos State High Court judge Lawal- Akapo issued a bench warrant against the doctor.He ordered the EFCC to produce him on January 26, 2015 to come and take his plea. Dr Omotosho was arrested three days before xmas day. Dr Oguntause was going to take over as acting while Dr Omotosho is suspended from office. On xmas day 25th Dec 2014,Dr Oguntuase was killed and burnt beyond recongnition in his clinic at Akure .

88 YEARS OLD CAID ESSEBSI WINS TUNISIA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Beji Caid Essebsi today emerged as the winner of Tunisia’s presidential elections after winning 55 percent of the electoral votes and beating his challenger and incumbent president, Moncef Marzouki, as reported by Reuters . Beji Caid Essebsi Was Pronounced Winner Of Presidential Elections On Monday "I dedicate my victory to the martyrs of Tunisia. I thank Marzouki, and now we should work together without excluding anyone," the 88 year- old Essebsi told local television. Sunday’s presidential election, which is regarded as the first democratic presidential elections ever held in Tunisia, was conducted with little disturbances amidst a turnout of 60 percent of eligible voters.

Incumbent President Moncef Marzouki, a 67 year-old human rights activist who was forced into exile under Ben Ali, struggled to excite his voter base despite being seen as having the backing of the powerful Islamist party, Ennahda. Meanwhile, president-elect Essebsi appears to have successfully distanced himself from the Ben Ali regime despite having served as a senior minister in the now-deposed Ben Ali’s government. President Marzouki’s supporters had sought to equate an Essebsi victory as a return to the autocratic Ben Ali regime, but it appears a majority of Tunisian voters are more fearful of an Islamist led government under President Marzouki. In 2011 Tunisia was the first country to experience the ‘Arab Spring’ revolts which saw the removal of long-time leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, thereby paving the way for the country to move towards a more democratic system of governance. Unlike Libya and Egypt, which experienced their own versions of uprisings which toppled long serving leaders amidst much violence, Tunisia has remained relatively peaceful. Still, there is much tension and anticipation in the country as Tunisians attempts to forge a new chapter, albeit increasingly with members of a previously discarded administration.

HOODLUMS INVADE AKURE CHURCH, FLOG PASTOR, STEAL OFFERING

Scores of hoodlums on sunday during church service reportedly invaded the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Pillar of Fire located LA primary school area of Akure, the Ondo state capital during service, flogged its Pastor, Pastor Arije and other church members. Besides, the thugs who stormed the church on motorcycles were also said to have destroyed some other items which include Plastic Chairs, wall Clock, window glass and electrical appliances among other items found in the church after the members had run away for safety.

OPEN LETTER TO JONATHAN , BUHARI ~BY PROF.BOLAJI AKINYEMI

Your Excellencies, Shortly after his appointment as National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Andrew Azazi, at his own request, met with me in my office in Lagos to discuss the State of the Nation. It was on the eve of the 2011 elections. I told the General that I was not worried about the conduct of the elections or about the outcome which I expected President Goodluck Jonathan to win. What really worried me, I told the General, was the management of the violence that would ensue after the elections. I was sure that there would be violence on a massive scale and I made some suggestions to him about how I thought the violence could be contained. My suggestions were not acted upon. The elections occurred, President Jonathan won and all hell broke loose. Missing were the conflict-controlled measures which I had discussed with Gen. Azazi. Now, we are back at the same crossroads again, except this time is more precarious and dangerous than the last time. Firstly, we have this very notorious prediction from the United States of America’s semi-official sources that the world is expecting a cataclysmic meltdown of the

Nigerian nation come 2015. Of course, most Nigerians have taken umbrage at this prediction for their country. But there are Nigerians who are indifferent to the outcome of this prediction. One of my low moments during the just concluded 2014 National Conference was when in an attempt to break an impasse, I painted a grim picture of devastation which would follow a breakdown of the Nigerian state, to which a delegate between 45 and 55 years old replied, “So what?” I thought to myself, here is a man who would probably run away to a neighbouring country at the boom of the first gun but was callously indifferent to the fate of the youth, women and children who would be caught in the middle. Secondly, the certainty of violence after the 2015 elections is higher than it was in 2011. If President Jonathan wins, the North would erupt into violence as it did in 2011. If Buhari wins, the Niger Delta will erupt into violence. I don’t believe that we need rocket science to make this prediction. The violence of 2015 is going to be horrendous and worse than the one of 2011 for the simple reason that the illegal massive importation of weapons into the country has reached such alarming proportions that I really wonder which is better armed, the militias on the one hand or the official armed forces on the other hand. For the avoidance of doubt, I am not imputing the illegal importation of arms to any particular zone. Some years ago, some Iranians were arrested for bringing in a shipload of weapons into Lagos harbour. They were tried and jailed and then smuggled out of the country. Some months ago, sophisticated weapons were discovered buried in the basement of a Kano house. All these have now fallen below the radar. These are the ones we know about. How many do we not know about? There are states and movements out there, African and non-African, which do not mean well for the Nigerian state, which wish Nigeria to dissolve into a theatre of bloodshed, gore and instability. They will succeed if we continue the politics of making enemies of ourselves and friends of our enemies. WHAT IS THE WAY FORWARD: The first step forward is for the two presidential candidates to meet and sign a Memorandum of Undertaking that will commit both to:A civil and peaceful campaign, devoid of threats.A commitment to preach peaceful elections to their supporters.A commitment to control their supporters after the elections. Supporters of whoever loses should be entitled to peaceful protests but not to violent protests. I also appeal to the following: The Sultan, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III; the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II; the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; the Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba Erediauwa; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, His Excellency General Yakubu Gowon and His Excellency, Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami to facilitate the pre- election meeting between the candidates, the preparation off the Memorandum of Undertaking and as a Council of Wisemen to assist in managing the post-election conflicts. Yours sincerely Bolaji Akinyemi Prof. Akinyemi is a former Minister of External (Foreigna) Affairs and Deputy Chairman at the 2014 National Conference.

BOMB BLAST IN GOMBE KILLS AT LEAST 55

A bombing at a bus station in Gombe city killed at least 55 people on Monday, the latest violence in the region repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram, the Red Cross said. more details soon …

EKITI APC LAWMAKERS WANT XMAS LARGESSE FROM THEIR LAGOS SPONSORS

Claim by the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) lawmakers in Ekiti State that they sat in Ado Ekiti yesterday, has been described as a ploy by the embattled lawmakers to get fresh attention from their Lagos based sponsors so as to be able to get some money to celebrate Christmas and New year. Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, who reacted to the purported sitting of the APC lawmakers in a statement issued on Saturday, said "the APC lawmakers only succeeded in advertising their drunkenness by sending press release and photographs taken in a beer parlour to the press, claiming that they sat and took decisions as Ekiti State House of Assembly. " Olayinka said; "Having been abandoned by their Lagos based party leaders, who had promised them eldorado, the runaway lawmakers needed to make some noise in the media so as to be noticed once again. "Most importantly, having wasted their resources on hotel bills, ogogoro and women of easy virtue in Lagos, they must be desperately in need of money to celebrate Christmas and New year "That's the reason they gathered in a beer parlour somewhere in Idi-Oro, Mushin, Lagos and placed a toy in front of Omirin as mace, took his picture and send it to the press , claiming that a sitting of the Ekiti State House of Assembly took place." He said "the APC lawmakers dribbled themselves beyond the field of play by going to court to challenge Omirin’s impeachment and having done that, they ough to know that until the court decides on the case they filed, Omirin’s impeachment stands." On Omirin’s admittance that the APC lawmakers took N200, 000 each for fuel from Governor Fayose, the governor’s aide said; "with that coming from Omirin himself, it is now clear that they actually demanded N135m bribe from the governor. "Or isn't it strange that supposed Progressives would collect N200 , 000 just to buy fuel? "N200 , 000 will buy more than 2,000 litres of petrol and one wonders whether they were travelling to Australia to require over 2,000 litres of petrol." Lere Olayinka SA (Public Communications & New Media)

TINUBU PICKS YEMI~OSIBAJO AS BUHARI'S RUNNING MATE

December 15, 2014 – Feelers reaching our news desk revealed that the All Progressive Congress (APC) has picked former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Lagos State, Professor Yemi Osibajo as running mate to General Muhammadu Buhari who last Friday emerged as Presidential flag-bearer of the party. Chieftains of the party have been meeting in the last 24 hours to pick a good VP candidate for Buhari. Sources say Osibajo flawed all other candidates, the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi (Christian), Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (Muslim) and Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole(Christian). Osibajo a Christian, served as Commissioner for Justice under the former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is a very loyal and has always been with Tinubu even in his most critical moment. Sources revealed the following as possible permutation that produced Osibajo. We gathered that three parties fused into APC,(ANPP, ACN and CPC). We were informed that the All Nigeria’s Peoples Party(ANPP) produced, former Governor of Edo State, Mr. John Oyegun as Chairman of APC, while the Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC), Buhari’s party produced Buhari as President while Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), Tinubu’s party produced Osibanjo as Vice President.

WHY LP IS CONSIDERING GOV. ALAO-AKALA ~ Barr. Ajulo , LP Scribe

LABOUR PARTY IS THE NATURAL CONSTITUENCY OF GRASSROOTS POLITICIANS The Labour party has said that there was nothing strange in Alao Akala clinching the gubernatorial ticket of Labour party in Oyo State. This was contained in a statement issued by the National Secretary of the Party, Barrister Kayode Ajulo. “It is just a matter of water eventually finding its level. The issues must be put in correct perspective. It is not enough to limit ourselves to mere tooth picking analysis or fixated social media opinion. “When we take the case of Akala, for instance, it will be recalled that during his tenure as Governor of Oyo State, he carried along the workers in the various unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Teachers, Market Women, Civil Societies, etc. While other governors in states controlled by supposedly progressive and pro-people party placed embargo on employment and were not ready to implement minimum wage, Akala employed more workers and did not denigrate the position of the working class. “Equally important is the fact that Akala did not just get the Labour ticket in Oyo State on a platter of gold or for the asking. It was not also a matter giving the ticket to the highest bidder. Akala worked his way rigorously and painstakingly up the ladder. He was endorsed by all those who matter in the party after a thorough check on his renewed commitment to the cause of the common man. He indeed had the support of other aspirants who acknowledged his worth and surrendered everything to him. Barrister Ajulo further said that it is not surprising that politicians leaving other parties are coming to Labour party. It is a party with potentials. “As we have always maintained in the past, our party is the natural constituency of many grassroots politicians and they have merely strayed to those other larger, winning parties, which can use all sorts of gimmicks to entice them. It is therefore only natural for them to want to come back home when reality dawns on them. Akala is a grassroots politician, was a civil servant, and then became Chairman of a Local government, Deputy Governor and Governor, he has seen it all and he can with politicians of sound pedigree. “In fact the leadership of the party is currently inundated with requests by politicians from the so- called large parties, who have either been betrayed or shortchanged and are seeking credible platform on which to blossom and achieve their objective of truly transforming the polity. Some of our leaders have left their usual abode in order to avoid the deluge of politicians. They are coming in slews, seeking succour from injustice, seeking refuge from backstabbing, and seeking hope in a political future free from money mongering and selfish greed. This is an acknowledgement that the Labour Party is the last hope of the people. Of course, this does not mean that as they come we will open our doors to them. No. We are very careful, not to herd our sheep with a pack of wolves. They are being screened, and only those found worthy will pass through. We will never compromise our principles, our perspectives and programmes. Furthermore, they must sign an agreement to pursue pro-people policies, just like Governor Mimiko did when he joined the Labour Party. Remember Mimiko came from PDP and no governor in Nigeria could be compared with him in implementation of pro-people policies. “Ordinarily, Labour should be the ruling party or the main party, as we have in the United Kingdom, and not just one of the opposition. In Nigeria most aspiring politicians often find themselves in the parties they consider as the ones with prospect to win in their own locality. Ideally principles and programmes of a party, its manifesto, should determine its membership. But in Nigeria a lot of primordial considerations come to the fore. Only very few parties indeed have clear-cut ideology. Labour is one of such parties founded on principle. Elechi Jude Media Assistant From the Law Firm of: Kayode AJULO LL.B. (Hons.), LL.M., B.L., MNIM, MCIArb, fcl Messrs Kayode Ajulo & Co. Castle of Law, UK +234 (0) 803 315 4349 +44 (0) 755 374 8319

GAS EXPLOSION HITS AKURE

Gas explosion rocked Arakele road in Akure, Ondo state this evening Dec. 13th, killing several people. According to eyewitnesses, the explosion happened at a gas station in the area and the fire from the explosion spread to residential houses within the area.

COUNTDOWN TO 2015 : NMA RECOMMEDS PSYCHIATRIC TEST TO NIGERIAN POLITICIANS

The Nigerian Medical Association has advised that all politicians seeking for public offices in the next general elections be made to undergo psychiatric test to determine the state of their mental health. The NMA recommended this in a communique at the end of the National Executive Council meeting in Jos. The communique was read by Dr Kayode Obembe, who said it had become necessary for politicians to undergo psychiatric test due to the manner of some politicians in the nation. The communique also said all psychiatric doctors had been advised to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission that will supervise such tests and all medical doctors to participate in the political process at all levels. On the issue of the NMA strike, the communique clarified issues saying NMA was not on strike, but would continue to keep services running and would not succumb to blackmail. Dr. Kayode Obembe, also advised medical practioners to register as polling officers to assist INEC to conduct free and fair elections. The communique expressed reservations at the level of services in the health care delivery, which had been compounded by the unhealthy power tussle among the medical practitioners. The communique frowned upon the selective treatment of doctors by the Lagos State Government and demanded payment of doctors who participated in the last industrial action.

BOKO-HARAM SET MINNA PRISON ABLAZE , KILL 5,FREE 300

There was pandemonium in Minna, the Niger State capital, as yet-to-be-identified gunmen on Saturday evening invaded and attacked the Nigerian Prisons (Medium) in Tunga, killing one and setting free over 300. An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said he was threatened by the three armed men who came in a Honda car and snatched two other cars. He said: “They were dressed in Police bullet proof uniforms and snatched two cars, which they used in conveying their gang members. “They succeeded in freeing over 300 inmates. “I saw them and I do not know where other young men with guns numbering about 40 joined them.” The three-man gang arrived the Minna Medium Prisons at exactly 4:30pm. They were said to have been shooting sporadically in a bid to scare away residents on David Mark Road in Tunga, with many prisoners running for freedom through the Tunga Hills towards the Three-Armed Zone that links to Maitumbi axis of the city. While they were escaping, they shot a man who tried to raise the alarm and to stop them in Karfin Tella community in Tunga area. Although, it was not really clear whether they are members of the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, but some prisoners believed to be over 300 escaped from the prison. While some persons thought they were armed robbers, others concluded it was a jail break. Before forcing their ways into the prison, eyewitnesses said they shot the warders on duty and succeeded in setting a number of them free. The situation and rowdiness at the prison was however brought under control after exchange of gunfire between the gunmen and the police. It lasted for about 40 minutes. An eyewitness told The Eagle us that the Warders who were injured were immediately rushed to the Minna General Hospital for treatment.The gunmen, it was also gathered, stormed the bye pass after leading the prisoners to escape and snatched vehicles from unsuspecting owners to ferry them out of danger zone. The prison’s spokesman, Rabiu Shuaibu Muhammed, who confirmed the story, could not however ascertain the number of prisoners that escaped and the exact number that sustained injuries. Muhammed however said they had 323 inmates before the attack. Three hundred flewed , leaving on 53. When our correspondent spoke to the Police Public Relations Officer in Niger State, Gambari Ibrahim Gambari, to confirm the incident, he said they had made some arrests, with operations still on to apprehend others

LENS - VIEW ~ By Ogbenነ Laa

How do we salvage our defective value system ? Today,I write about a certain man of God in one the Christain faith denomination around. I had a heated argument within me trying to determine whether I should reveal the identity of this church or not. My instinctive drive does not even have patience for such inner debate. But I desire not to heat up the already charged religious polity whereas my primary objective is to merely expose the questionable yardstick for our value system. By the way,value-system simply means the principles of right or wrong that are acceptable by an individual or social group. So said, my shout out goes to my readers who are Daddy G.Os' bootlickers. My disdainful respect for your 'spiritual ego' has successfully cautioned me from mentioning the name of the church involved in my tale. A man whom for the purpose of this story we shall address as Bro Joe is a dedicated man of God by all Nigerian standard. He has served in the vineyard of the Lord for quite some years. Of course,this selfless service comes with the prospect of becoming an ordained pastor soon. I want to believe this is standard practice except God fancies you and 'calls' you himself. Therefore,it is only fair to put it that Bro Joe's ambition was not inordinate. He was reasonable. But soon never came for Bro Joe after many years of 'apprenticeship.' Something was apparently wrong for Bro Joe was an acclaimed devout even within the his parish congregation. Younger brothers that joined the vineyard after him have all being posted to new parishes as pastors. God didn't 'promote' Joe-at least that's the impression the church hierachy gave. Anyway,that's my personal feeling on the whole insensitivity to Bro Joe's donkey years of service in the vineyard. God must have been telling the Church elders something inaudible to the rest of us sinners. As it turned out and quite sadly too, God didn't 'call' Bro Joe because he was not literate! Apparently, ability to communicate in good English does not qualify Bro Joe as literate. God wanted his Degree certificate too. As soon as Bro found this was what his 'promotion' delay was all about,he set out to right the wrong no matter at what price. Bro Joe began a full time degree course at the Federal University of Technology,Akure in Ondo state. This was some distance from his church in Abeokuta ,Ogun state where he is as active as ever. The five years he spent to obtain the degree certificate was spent shuttling between the two states. He spends the first half of each week for the church in Ogun state and the other half for the school in Ondo state. I guess since it was God that wanted him to have it,He, as a matter of duty saw him through the program. We can not say otherwise for Bro Joe never missed a test or assignment during the five years. Neither a single carry over. He passed out in flying colours. Everyone was happy for Bro Joe turned Pastor Joe. Everyone perhaps except his friend whom we shall call Mr Killjoy. Not that he was unhappy per se. But he had the nerve to question Bro Joe's credibility. Mr Killjoy was the one that housed Bro Joe in that five years of studying in the University. According to him,he has never seen Bro Joe with a course note whenever he comes around during that five years and it beats him hollow how Bro Joe made his Second Class Upper. What ensued between Bro Joe who was unimpressed by the question mark put on his integrity by his friend,Mr Killjoy is another is a story for another lesson. What have we learnt from my story ? We don't need an ouija board to know that Pastor must have been 'generous' to some lecturers during the span of his studies in a desperation to meet the value-system of his Christain faith denomination. Do we think such value-system is excusable if it breeds corrupt practices even among those who are supposed to be models to the pew. What moral justification would a Pastor Joe possess to preach or to paraphrase Tosin Ayo,'to reach out' to that lady prostituting her body for cheap marks from the lecturer? I could go on and on with scenarios Pastor Joe has no moral justification to poke his contaminated nose into. Something I can not comprehend is wrong with our value system. We put value on vanity. We succumb ourselves to undue pressure to impress people we do not care for. We use the money we don't have to purchase the goods and services we don't need. We wilfully make ourselves contestants in the rat race. And a sage once cleverly remarked,'the problem with the rat race is that even if you win,you are still a rat'. Sounds more like vanity upon vanity all is vanity. If the church is not getting it right,the future is bleak. ®Adedayo Olaoluwa fisayo aka Ogbeni La writes from the Sunshine State.

ECCENTRIC ONITSHA BILLIONIARE BURIES MUM WITH HUMMER JEEP

**FREE MADNESS** Donatus Ampa is a billoniare know for outrageous acts; Just recently he carried out his latest larger-than -life plan out by putting his $500,000 Hummer Jeep six feet under to buried his mummy,

According to Ampa, every one thought it is absurd when i said am going to bury my mum with my latest customise and finest automibile jeep.....In nutshell that is my own way of life. I love it HUMMER JEEP in lieu of CASKET ..

AGGRIEVED PDP MEMBERS BARRICADE WADATA PLAZA WITH COFFIN

**INCREDIBLE** Our politics and politicians are hilarious. So a coffin was brought to the PDP national secretariat in Abuja yesterday that sent PDP chairman and other party members running for their lives. LOL Angry PDP members from Rivers state yesterday staged a weird protest against the leadership of the PDP over the choice of former Education Minister Nyesom Wike as the party's Governorship candidate for River state in the 2015 elections. The protesters who stormed the party secretariat around 6am with the coffin, barricaded the entrance of the secretariat, stopping everyone who worked at the building from gaining entrance. The group was later dispersed by mobile police with five protesters arrested.

FACE TO FACE WITH LERE ~ OLAYINKA

Lere Olayinka, the Special Assitant to Governor of Ekiti State of Nigeria Opens Up Lere Olayinka is a journalist and politician who shoots straight no matter whose ox is gored. He is the Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose. Personal branding is a leadership requirement; how far would you go in branding yourself for the success of your career and development as a leader? I am not a formal person. I am also not a protocol person. I do things as my spirit leads me. However, I love to be seen in the picture of a problem solver, someone who is accessible to everyone, answers all phone calls and respond to all text messages. To achieve this, I can go to any length and I do not mind any inconveniences. We know that you are a successful man; What's success to you and how do you go about it? I do not see myself as a successful man yet. I am still struggling, striving to put my name on the lips of the entire people of the world. Nevertheless, I see success as a relative term, just the way I see wealth. Tell us about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant to you? The recent one is getting the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi out of office and its eventual accomplishment. From the very day Fayemi assumed office, I knew he was not the desire of God for Ekiti State and I set out to confront the government. Two weeks after Fayemi became governor, I wrote an article titled; “Ekiti: Between men and God” which I ended thus; “In Ekiti, the reality is that men have passed their own judgment, which implies that all that is needed to win an election through the judiciary is for a loser to destroy electoral materials by whatever means, including setting INEC office ablaze. The beneficiaries of the judgment have not stopped giving glory to the man, who made it possible. But there is yet one other judgment that will come soon, which is that of God. When it does, no one, except Himself will take the glory.” On this project, I faced death! I was brutalised, arrested, charged to court for sedition and detained for days. If you were given a contract, loved everything about it, and are paid what you asked for; what kind of offer from another institution would make you change your mind? If I get another offer that will be more beneficial to the people around me, I will change my mind on any other offer no matter how mouth watery. Looking back into your journey and what you have achieved so far; who and what inspired you? I am an independent minded person and a realist. I do not live my life waiting for miracles to happen because I do not believe anyone can get to eat say Eba without having to get Gaari and boil water. My journey of life has not been easy, because of my background but I have refused to be defeated by hereditary poverty and failure. For instance, I left secondary school at less than 14 years but instead of going further with my education, I went into shoemaking for six years. For six years, I was an apprentice shoemaker and a shoemaker. I later worked for four years as an office messenger before going to school. All along, I have been inspired by the desire to achieve results and make my mark despite being born without spoon in my mouth. If we're sitting here a year from today rejoicing what a year it's been for you in your role as Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State on Media; What would you say you have achieved with your team? I want to be seen as a bridge between the government and the governed. The one through whom the public gets to hear the truth, nothing but the truth about the government. And most importantly, I love to see myself as a changer of the public perception of the government. Which animal would you compare yourself with? I am not a lover of animal but I like the attitude and character of dog. Dog does not betray its benefactors. That is why the Yorubas say “aja o kii gbagbe oloore.” Dog is also a wise animal. It protects its own children and benefactors against external aggression. Do you easily get worried with any negative comment about you or your institution? I don’t get worried about those negative comments. In fact, they encourage me to fire on because when you hit the desired target as a political communicator, your must be abused. I have been called names, even my parents were not spared, but I am not deterred. It is part of game and I have played the game long enough to know this. You have been impacting your community, your voice has been heard in so many platforms; please tell us what you have done so far and what are your plans for the future? Unfortunately, apart from championing the cause of the people through my job as a journalist, I am yet to see myself as having done much for my community. What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last before you sleep? Like I said earlier, I am not a protocol person. I do things as they come and what I do today might not be what I do tomorrow. But in most days, the first thing I do when I wake up is to check my phones. What calms you down when you are stressed? I hardly get stressed because I work 24 hours and do things at my own pace. For few readers that don’t know you, what would you like them to know about you and to always remember you for? Lere Olayinka is a kind of man you get to meet on the streets. He is a free minded person. He is a lover of peace and hater of oppression. Lere Olayinka is someone who says his mind without minding whose ox is gored. He hates sycophancy and bootlicking and love to be seen in his own mirror.

DESMOND ELLIOT WINS APC HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TICKET

Reports coming from Surulere, Lagos venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC)Primary Election for the House of Assembly have it that a Nollywood actor, Desmond Olusola Elliot has emerged victorious. Desmond Elliot, who hail from Olowogbowo family house in Surulere, Lagos is seeking to represent Surulere Constituency 1 in Lagos State House of Assembly come 2015.

Desmond Elliot defeated the incumbent member representing the constituency in the state House of Assembly kabir Lawal by 39 to 62 votes.

ARMED HOODLUMS INVADES ADO-EKITI PRISON FREED INMATES

Attempt to free NIYI ADEDIPE (Apase), Sola Durodola (Inter Party), R TEN chairman, Adebayo Aderiye (Oju Igo) and other

APC thugs remanded in prison custody over their alleged involvement in the murder of former NURTW Chairman, Omolafe Aderiye was foiled this morning. Armed hoodlums were said to have invaded the Ado Ekiti Prison along Afao Ekiti road early this morning. Some of the prisoners were set freed. Among those who escaped was OJU IGO but he was rearrested .

BOKO-HARAM INVADES YOBE VARSITY KILLED SCORES

News reaching us from Damaturu, Yobe State capital indicates that gunmen, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect, Monday morning invaded state capital shooting at anybody on sight. It was gathered that the gunmen’s first point of attack was the Yobe State University located in Damaturu. The attack, which is ongoing at the time of filing this report, has crippled early morning movement in the northeastern state.

HORROR :: Snake Withdraws Money at Bank ATM

On Saturday a strange accident occ

urred in Harare, Zimbabwe. In accordance to the report a snake slithered to an ATM machine at Barclays Bank Angwa Street and then entered a car. Passers-by surrounded the car to get a closer view of the snake and its owner. Others were busy taking photos from the onset and managed to capture pictures of the snake and the car that it later entered. Social media was awash with pictures of the incident. A large crowd of onlookers had also gathered to see what was going on.

BREAKING~NEWS : Plane Crashlands in Ilorin

Plane crashlands in Ilorin Overland Airlines plane from Abuja on Saturday reportedly crash-landed in Ilorin, Kwara State. Details later…

I DID A DNA TEST AND I WAS TOLD TWO OF MY CHILDREN ARE NOT MINE ~ Femi Kuti

AFROBEAT king, Femi Kuti who clocked 46 two weeks back has revealed in a recent interview with Encomium that he still regrets that he is not the father of two of his five children. Out of his alleged five children: Made, Afolabi, Dupe, Tosin and Ayomide, two of them, Dupe and Tosin (a boy and a girl) have been discovered not to be his biological children, ac

cording to a recent DNA test. He confessed being disappointed and pained that a woman can actually give someone what does not belong to him. “I did a DNA test and was told two of the children are not mine. The first two (after Made), a boy and a girl. It is very serious. I never knew somebody could give you what is not yours. I’ve three boys now. I can’t father children I was tricked to believe I am their father,” he lamented. Because of the betrayal, he returned the two children, Dupe and Tosin, to their mothers. Funke, his ex-wife, gave birth to his first child and son, Made, who Femi treasures so much. And Bisi Ajala gave birth to Ayomide and one other child that the DNA test recently proved not to be Femi’s. The third woman’s name was not revealed.

PHOTOS ::LAWMAKERS SCALING FENCE INTO ASSEMBLY COMPLEX

PHOTOS:SHAME...

So sad, what is really the problem with Nigeria? At the same time what type of role are our securities playing to ensure that sanity and safety of our people were guaranteed? According to eyes witness, there's currently heavy police and other security agents presence at the National Assembly in Abuja as the House of Reps reconvene today to discuss the proposed state of Emergency extension in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno state. As we can see vividly from the photos, our lawmakers were denied access into the complex, resulting for them to scale the locked gate in this 21st century! A lawmaker that is scaling a fence is a potential armed robber, period. We are really a third world country.

SOLDIERS FLEE AS BOKO HARAM CAPTURES MORE TERRITORY

The Boko Haram terrrorists on Monday expanded their control over Adamawa to include Maiha town, Maiha is about 25 kilometres from Mubi, the commercial town captured by the insurgents in Adamawa last week. Maiha is also about 200km from Yola, the state capital. [Related: Boko Haram: Soldiers Trying to Reclaim Mubi Allegedly Meet with Death] Even before the town fell to the insurgents, it was already a shadow of itself as commercial and social activities were paralyzed. People were already leaving the town due to its proximity to Mubi. Fleeing residents said they saw many soldiers running away from the area with some of them hitch-hiking in residents’ vehicles. The soldiers told the residents that if the insurgents caught up with them, it would lead to instant death. “The insurgents started trooping into the town around 2:30 p.m. and engaged troops stationed at Kosha before advancing to the main town of Maiha,” a fleeing resident, Kabir Musa, said in a telephone interview. “The soldiers, who advanced to the area in their bid to recapture Mubi, started running away as the insurgents overran the entire town.”

Don Jazzy & his Marvin Crew in Uyo for Akwa Ibom Stadium Launch | Photos

MACAULAY CULKIN OF HOME-ALONE MOVIE FOUND DEAD AT AGE OF 33

Sources are reporting that Macaulay Culkin, best known for his role as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, has been found dead at the age of 34. Multiple unconfirmed reports say Culkin was found dead Friday afternoon in his Manhattan apartment after police responded to a wellness check requested by a family member. At least one occupant of the Manhattan apartment confirmed the apartment belongs to Culkin but police have not confirmed the man's identity at this time. "The apartment was exceptionally clean and we found no signs of abuse or foul- play so we are depending on the coroner to make a final ruling of what happened here today," said Det. James Patterson, of the Manhattan Police Department. Born August 26, 1980, Culkin began acting at the tender age of four. At the height of his fame, he was regarded as the most successful child actor since Shirley Temple. This story is still developing. More details will be made available once they

LP SEEKS REVISION OF NIGERIA'S MINIMUM WAGE ~ Ajulo

The National Secretary of Nigeria's Labour Party, Barr. Olukayode Ajulo on Thursday recommended an upward review of Nigerian Workers minimum wage, in accordance with the extant National Minimum Wage Act signed by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010. Barr. Ajulo, a constitutional lawyer who also doubles as the Chairman of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, said the present wages of Nigerian workers going by inflation indices was below international standards. "The N18,000 minimum wage currently in place in Nigeria is grossly inadequate to cater for any home. What is worse is that these same workers who toil for the nation are compelled to buy from the same market that the politicians looting the nation's treasury go to," Ajulo said. “Ideally, minimum wages should be reviewed regularly in order to maintain workers’ purchasing power, especially in the face of skyrocketing prices on the market. At the current exchange rate of N 166 naira to $1 dollar, no worker should earn less than N 25,000, if the N 125 minimum wage when the 1981 minimum wage Act was enacted is anything to go by. He warned that if the trend of the rich getting richer and the woes of the masses continued unabated, Nigeria maybe facing a situation that would be worse than the Boko Haram Insurgency. "The worst thing that can happen to a nation is hungry citizens. It is unfathomable how the nation's leaders fail to see the impending danger of perennial hunger in the land. A situation in which states spend billions on frivolities and populist jingoism, golden beds and the proverbial gangster’s wedding cake is unacceptable. Those governors who want to compete should do so on the basis of ‘my workers are better fed and more humanely rewarded than yours’ rather than the attitude of ‘my state house is bigger than yours.’ "Revenge by the poor will be worse than a holocaust and that is what will happen if nothing was drastically done to reverse the present situation" Ajulo said. He urged the Federal Government to urgently put in place a committee that would ensure that a review is put in place before the end of the year. "The Nigerian workers constitute major stakeholders in the electioneering process. We cannot get our democratic process right with workers that are hungry," he said. Ajulo, however, urged the Nigerian workers to also rise up to the situation to demand for their rights in the polity. He recalled that the current democracy would not have been possible without the great political labour strikes of the 1990s which energized the process and reinvigorated the people in their fight against the military dictatorship even when some of the politicians had abandoned ship or merely ‘siddon look.’ “The struggle was championed by the Labour Movement, the affiliates in the oil sector and Civil Societies and for which the rank and file as well as the leadership paid dearly, some with their career and lives. It is therefore unacceptable that the condition of the Nigerian workers worsen pari passu with economic rebasing and improving business climate and the declaration of Nigeria’s as largest economy in Africa. Nigeria cannot be a symbol of justice and equality when we juxtapose the large economy with the shrinking size of the workers dinner table. "The voting powers of workers must not be underestimated. The workers can actually decide who wins at all levels if they set out to organise themselves," he further said He also took a swipe at state governments that fail to implement the existing N18, 000 minimum wage, pointing out that the issue of minimum wage is a minimum benchmark and that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention does not provide for selective application or review by state or local authorities. Rather, what is paramount is that the state governments should do the needful by putting in place legislations that would ensure compliance, sanction in case of default and adequate compensation of employees whose rights have been breached. If even in America the home of capitalism, a national minimum wage review from $7.25 per hour to $10.1 per hour is being proposed by the Obama administration, then there is no reason why Nigeria, a fledgling democracy in the throes of developmental challenges should not embrace minimum standards it set. "This is where I faulted the just concluded National Conference for failing to come up with strong recommendations that would put the Nigerian worker at par with their foreign counterparts. As signatory to the African Charter on human a Peoples’ Rights which became a force of law by the Act of 1990, non-compliance of the minimum wage or whimsical and selective implementation is unacceptable, inhuman and clearly an anti-labour posture. It is retrogressive and reprehensible beyond description. It is clearly amount to abdication of responsibility. The statement further stressed that “It is important that political parties take a clear stance on this, so that Nigerian workers will know exactly where their bread is buttered and know who to vote for as Labour Party is all set to ensure that social justice and equal opportunity take root in Nigeria. The move to remove minimum wage from the exclusive legislative is not only backward, but also illegal and irresponsible in the face of existing reality where Nigeria is signatory to the ILO convention. “As far as the Labour Party is concerned, attitude to minimum wage is a non-negotiable index for the progressiveness or not of a party.

DON JAZZY, MARVIN CREW LIGHT UP UYO NEW STADIUM

Nigeria’s foremost producer Don Jazzy and his Marvin Records crew thrilled guests onto their dancing feet at the launch of Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom. The appearance of Don Jazzy and his crew- Tiwa Savage, Korede, D Prince, Dr. SID, sent the audience into frenzy and the crew wasted no time in entertaining their fans who sang along in their hit single, ‘Dorobucci’.