Alexander Okere, Benin

The family of a teenager, Benedict Sani, who was electrocuted in the Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State, on Friday blamed the death of their son on the alleged negligence of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company.

The father of the deceased, Pius, also said that he had aspired to become a Catholic priest on completion of his secondary education.

The late Benedict, a JSS 3 pupil of Eyaen Secondary School, had on Thursday died after making contact with a faulty electric pole belonging to the BEDC along the Benin-Auchi expressway.

The pole, bearing high-tension cables around Eyaen Primary School, was said to have been damaged when a vehicle rammed into it on Monday.

The 13-year-old boy, who was the only son of his parents, was said to have touched a metal rod that had been exposed due to the damage and was instantly electrocuted, leaving him burnt beyond recognition.

The development was said to have sparked a protest by angry pupils and residents, who blamed the BEDC for allegedly failing to fix the pole.

It was learnt that the protest, which grounded traffic on the road, turned violent before the intervention of the Enogie of Eyaen, Dr. Aiwerioghene  Iduriase.

One of the protesters was also alleged to have been shot dead and another injured by police operatives deployed to the scene.

However, Pius, who hails from Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, said the family had yet to recover from shock occasioned by the death of his son.

He explained, “Someone called me saying that she was the principal of Eyaen Secondary School and told me that my son had a serious accident. On my way to the place, the driver that took me told me that my son was burnt.

“He even refused to collect money from me, saying that I had lost something more than money. When I got to the scene, I checked and confirmed that he (deceased) was my son.

“In fact, I was shocked because I did not expect it. My son left home early that day for school, expecting that I would seen him; he did not come back home.”

The distraught parent, who earned a living as an automobile electrician to cater for his wife and four children, said that his late son was a devout Christian, who was dedicated to his service to God, as an altar server, and his academic studies.

“He (Benedict) told me that he wanted to become a reverend father because he was an altar server at St. Mary’s Catholic Church,” he added.

He further noted that though the bereaved family had yet got any response from the management of the company, the deceased would be buried at the end of police investigations.

Pius said, “Nobody has come from the BEDC. The police could not come because of the angry boys in the areas. Even some soldiers who came with a vehicle narrowly escaped because they were stoned.

“Well, it was the carelessness of the BEDC because it was supposed to take an action to repair the pole. But it did not. Even the driver that hit the pole was arrested and he paid for the pole. But that was how it ended.

“It was BEDC’s negligence that killed my son. Well, I give thanks to God. We are waiting for the commissioner of police so that we will know what can be done.”

When our correspondent visited the scene of the incident on Friday, the damaged pole had been cordoned off by officials of the local government council in order to prevent a recurrence.

One of the officials, who did not want to be named, wondered why the equipment had not been fixed since the driver, who was arrested by the police, allegedly paid the sum of N120,000 for the damage.

Speaking with Southern City News at his palace in Benin on Friday, the Enogie  stated that the tragedy would have been averted if the Disco had been proactive.

Iduriase, however, commiserated with the family of the deceased.

He said, “The BEDC officials could not respond on time. This kind of incident happens all over Nigeria. If they had responded on time, maybe that child would have been alive.

“They should always respond on time. It would be better for us not to have power supply for days than to see a human being die.”

When contacted, the management of the distribution company said that it would conduct an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Head of Corporate Affairs of the BEDC, Mr. Tayo Adekunle, said, “Essentially, we are still trying to get a full report of what actually happened from our field officers. Once we get the full report, a full-scale investigation will be launched into the matter.

“The outcome of the investigation will determine the next line of action by the management. What I can say is that the affected area has been disconnected from (electricity) supply.”

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Fraudsters have tricked scores of Nigerians by selling them football World Cup fan passes to travel to Russia, leaving many stranded and penniless, victims and anti-trafficking campaigners say.

Some Nigerians told AFP they used the official Fan IDs to come to Russia with the promise of finding work or even playing professional football themselves.

Others said they came to watch World Cup matches but got stranded when their return plane tickets were cancelled by bogus travel agencies that booked them.

Ismail Olamilekan, 21, and his brother Sodiq, 25, said they paid 250,000 naira (€600, $700) each to a man in Lagos for their Fan IDs.

“The man told us that with the Fan ID we could get a job and stay here,” Ismail told AFP at a hostel on the outskirts of Moscow.

“But when we got here we discovered that it was a fraud, that he had just collected the money and lied to us.”

Football career

The plastic-coated passes issued by the Russian government enable foreign fans to enter the country without a visa during the World Cup – but they expire before the end of July.

They are issued free to fans who have bought tickets for World Cup matches. But some agents sold them to Nigerians who wanted to come to Russia to work.

It was not clear how the bogus agents obtained the Fan IDs that they sold.

A FIFA spokesman stressed that the Fan IDs system was implemented by the Russian communications ministry.

FIFA “continues to make efforts to identify and curb unauthorised ticket sales”, he added.

The Olamilekan brothers spent about a thousand dollars each for their plane fare to Moscow, on top of what they paid separately to the agent.

“In Nigeria I play football. He told me that if I started working I can also start a (football) career in Russia,” Ismail Olamilekan said.

Nigerians stranded

A fellow Muslim was allowing the brothers to sleep in his hostel until their return flight on July 22.

Other Nigerians however found themselves stranded in Russia after fraudulent “agents” who booked return flights for them then cancelled the bookings to get a refund.

A group of about a dozen Nigerians waiting at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Tuesday told AFP they had been sleeping there for days.

Some of them said they paid more than a million naira each to an agent for a package including flights, match tickets and a fan ID.

“We’ve been sleeping on the floor like fools. We’ve got no place to go,” said Alonge Ademola, 35, a cement dealer from Lagos.

“We really do want to go back to our country. We’ve cried, we’ve wept, but still no solution.”

Russian charity Alternativa said it had helped about 50 Nigerians stranded in Russia and estimated there were about 200 in difficulty overall.

“With globalisation the opportunities for criminals are also increasing. The Fan IDs make an extremely profitable business for them,” said the group’s spokeswoman, Yulia Siluyanova.

Natural problem

Siluyanova told AFP on Thursday that the authorities in cooperation with Alternativa had made arrangements for about 20 stranded Nigerians to be flown back home.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing that the issue of stranded fans was “not desirable but it’s also natural”.

“It’s really a problem that primarily the fans themselves should resolve along with diplomatic and consular missions of their countries,” she said.

The Nigerian embassy did not respond to requests for comment.

“You can’t rule out that some of the foreign guests, taking advantage of visiting the World Cup, are counting in some way or another, usually illegally, on crossing the Russian border and entering one of the European countries,” Zakharova said.

“If such an action is recognised as illegal, the relevant authorities will take the necessary administrative measures.”

Lesson learnt

The Olamilekan brothers meanwhile are waiting to board the return flights that they bought with money their parents borrowed.

“We don’t have any option but to go back home and work and pay our parents’ debts,” Ismail said.

“I spoke to them last night. They asked if we’ve got a job and if we’re living well and I decided to tell them yes. I don’t like lying to my parents,” he said.

“I still give thanks to God because He has taught me a lesson.”

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A baby cow has stunned locals after being born with two heads on a farm in Brazil. A video of the two-headed calf posted by Mirror UK, shows the newborn sporting two faces that appear to be attached at the skull.

The animal, which has four eyes and two mouths, can be seen lying on the ground as a worker at the farm feeds one of its mouths with milk using a modified bottle. The worker claimed both its mouths were fully functioning.

The rare birth took place on a farm in Caiaponia, a town in the state of Goias. Zica Soares, wife of the farm-owner, told local media: “I never imagined a calf like that would be born on the farm, we are surprised.

“The vet says that we need to either put the calf down or look after him until the end. He is very bad, really weak, but I am looking after him.”

Local veterinarian, Daniel Camargos, said the birth was a rare event. According to him, “It was probably a case of inbreeding that caused the calf to be born with the anomaly. It is a very rare situation.”

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Etim Ekpimah, Uyo

ExxonMobil workers in Akwa Ibom State on Friday protested the sack of 860 spy police without entitlements.

The workers, who began protest at about 8:12am, blocked Mobil Housing Estate along Marina Road in Eket, Eket Local Government Area of the state.

They were observed to be chanting solidarity songs while displaying placards with inscriptions such as, “ExxonMobil sacked 860 Nigerian workers after over 22 years of slave labour” , “ExxonMobil, respect the rule of law”, “Supreme Court of Nigeria is higher than ExxonMobil.”

Other inscriptions include, “ExxonMobil, comply with Supreme Court Judgment”, “Calculated disobedience of Supreme Court judgment on its employees is an insult to the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, “ExxonMobil masters of slave labour”, among others.

Chairman, Security Workforce, ExxonMobil, Mr. Okon Johnson, said he was displeased over the attitude of the company.

He added that ExxonMobil had meted out injustice to those that have entrusted their lives and property to the company.

Johnson asked the oil conglomerate to reabsorb the 860 spy policemen and reward long serving personnel.

“The management of ExxonMobil called us today for a meeting at Eden Hotel and they addressed us that mails would be sent into our emails.

“In the meeting, the multinational company told us that the company has acknowledged us as staff and working to implement the Supreme Court judgment.

“After the meeting, surprisingly as we were going back to our offices, we noticed that ExxonMobil had withdrawn our access badge and we could not have access to the premises of the company again,” he said.

Johnson appealed to ExxonMobil to reabsorb 860 employees of the company and implement their entitlements before they would end the peaceful protest in the state.

He expressed disappointment that ExxonMobil does not want to comply with Supreme Court judgment.

He said, “Our demand is for the company to fully comply with the judgment of the apex court. The apex court is law and it should be respected and if the company is doing this that means it is disrespectful to the nation, Supreme Court and Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The Manager, Media and Communications, ExxonMobil, Mr. Oge Udeagha, said in line with the judgment by the Supreme Court of Nigeria will provide, Mobil Producing Nigeria will compensate the affected personnel.

He added that the company has asked an HR consulting services to assist them with employment opportunities with third party.

He said, “Following the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria will provide compensation packages for the affected personnel and is offering HR consulting services to assist with employment opportunities with third parties.”

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Akinpelu Dada

The Federal Inland Revenue Service has announced that it realised a total of N2,529,615,174,601.25 from various taxes between January and June this year.

The amount, according to a statement by the Ministry of Finance on Friday, shows that the FIRS has realised 75 per cent of its total revenue target for the year, an improvement over what was recorded in the corresponding period in 2017.

A report on the revenue performance by the agency, which was submitted to the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, confirmed that the N2.53tn was an increase of N746.1bn or 42 per cent over the N1.78tn total tax revenue realised in the corresponding period of last year.

An analysis of the revenue performance shows that N1.17tn was collected as Petroleum Profit Tax in the first half of this year against the N636bn realised for the corresponding period of 2017, indicating a difference of N532.46bn.

From Company Income Tax, the FIRS realised a total of N680bn, which was N128bn more than the N551.9bn in the same period of the previous year.

Value Added Tax yielded a total of N536.5bn in the period under review, which was N68.8bn more than the N467.68bn realised in the first half of 2017.

Education Tax brought in N77.2bn, which was N18.3bn compared to the N58.87bn in the corresponding period of 2017.

The revenue from Stamp Duties was N7.5bn, which was N2.35bn higher than what was realised in the first six months of last year.

The FIRS said it realised N1bn from Capital Gains Tax, which was N65m more than the N941.6m recorded in the first half of 2017.

From the National Information Technology Development Fund, a total of N9.25bn was realised between January and June 2018, resulting in an increase of N736m when compared to the total of N8.5bn made in the same period of 2017.

The Consolidated Tax Revenue for January to June 2018 was N54.2bn; an amount that was higher by N4.8bn than the N49.42bn of the first half of 2017.

With continuous revenue generation strategies, the FIRS expressed optimism that its efforts would have a significant outcome, particularly in increasing revenue for 2018.

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Afeez Hanafi

A transport union worker, Sunday Anyau, and the owner of a Bus Rapid Transport, Alhaja Sidikat Bello, are at loggerheads over who should foot the medical bill after the former lost his arm in a crash involving the bus and a trailer.

While Anyau blamed the woman for not showing enough concern for him, the owner claimed he caused the accident, insisting that she had done the little she could to assist him.

The 34-year-old told Saturday PUNCH that he had boarded the bus from Oshodi where he worked around 8:30pm when he closed from work.

While the journey progressed, the bus, which was heading for Sango, reportedly rammed into a truck that was stuck in traffic at Amje Bus Stop, inwards Tollgate, Ogun State.

The Abia State indigene, who said he became unconscious following the crash, explained that he discovered his arm had been cut off.

He said, “The accident happened on April 13, 2018 when I was returning to my residence in Lafenwa, Sango. I boarded the BRT after close of work. On getting to Amje Bus Stop, we suddenly heard a bang. That was the last thing I heard. I found myself lying in the bus. I discovered that my arm was gone. With blood gushing out, I looked for it around, but could not find it. Other passengers also sustained injuries.

“I was taken to the Sango Police Station to get a police report which I tendered at a nearby private hospital. The hospital referred me to Sango General Hospital. The following day, I was admitted to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja.”

Anyau stated that Bello visited him at LASUTH on April 19 along with her son, who reportedly took his photo on the hospital bed.

He said the woman gave him N30,000 out of the N115,000 hospital bill, adding that the hospital requested N350,000 for the grafting of the severed upper arm.

“I learnt my picture was taken to the Alakuko Police Station, where the bus was detained. I was still at the hospital when the bus was released.

“The hospital said I needed to undergo a surgery to cover the opening at the upper arm. They charged N350,000 which I could not afford.

“The woman promised to foot the surgery bill. After I was discharged, she also promised to be sending money to me, but she did not keep to her promise. I started disturbing her and about a month ago, she sent N10,000 into my account. I spend N2,000 every two days to dress the wound. I have exhausted my drugs and I can no longer endure the pain. It is much,” he said.

However, Bello, claimed to have supported Anyau with about N90,000, stating that he caused the accident by distracting the driver in an attempt to extort money from him.

The woman stated that she was still struggling to raise funds to repair “the badly damaged bus,” noting that she only assisted Anyau because she felt pity for him.

She said, “The man was neither a passenger nor a conductor. The bus was going to close around 12:00am; no passenger was there. He wanted to collect money from the driver and was disturbing him. The bus ran into a truck because he made the driver to lose concentration. He hanged onto the bus; that was why he lost his arm.

“The first day I visited him at the hospital, I bought drugs worth N31,100 for him. After then, I sent my son to give him N20,000. He told me that the operation would cost N150,000. I said I could not afford it because the bus that would have been my source of income had broken down.

“I discussed with his bosses and family on the way forward. Three days after, his brother said he had raised N70,000 and I sent another N30,000. After he was discharged from the hospital, I sent N10,000 to him. I have the evidence of all the payments.

“I have spent close to N800,000 to fix the bus, yet, it is not in good condition. I am an elderly person. The man is just trying to extort money from me. The driver ran away after the accident and I have not been able to reach him.”

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Kamarudeen Ogundele, Ado Ekiti

The European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States of America have said the Ekiti governorship election is a pointer to the 2019 general elections in Nigeria.

They also condemned vote buying, describing it as illegal.

The international communities said they would watch with keen interest how the election would turn out.

At a joint press briefing in Ado Ekiti on Friday, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Ketil Kalsen, said the union was committed to achieving consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.

He said, “The Ekiti election will be a litmus test to the upcoming elections in 2019. All we want is a free, fair, credible and peaceful conduct before, during and beyond the election.

“We say no to hate speech and intimidation. People should have the free will to choose who will be their leaders.”

Kalsen said the Independent National Electoral Commission had been on the right track, advising the security agencies to play their role well.

He said, “It is important voters go out and vote freely for their preferred candidate.

“Tomorrow will signal to the entire world that Ekiti will show the way for a free, fair, credible and peaceful election for the February and March 2019 general elections.”

Also speaking, the UK High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright, said the eyes of the world were “on this election.”

The US Consul General, John Bray, said much greater preparation had been recorded by INEC for the election.

On vote buying, Arkwright said, “It shouldn’t happen. People should be allowed to vote according to their conscience and not because they have been paid some amount of money.”

Meanwhile the Ekiti State Government on Friday paid N3,000 to government workers in the state.

Workers are owed five months’ salaries in the state.

A worker who spoke under condition of anonymity said the stipend “is for transportation to our polling units. Some of us don’t have money to go to polling units to vote.”

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’Femi Asu

The International Monetary Fund on Friday said Nigeria’s inflation, which has been declining for more than a year, would increase in the second half of the year.

The IMF stated this in an emailed statement after a team led by the Senior Resident Representative and Mission Chief for Nigeria, Amine Mati, visited the country from June 27 to July 9 to discuss recent economic and financial developments, update macroeconomic projections, and review reform implementation.

The nation’s inflation rate dropped for the 16th consecutive month to 11.61 per cent in May from 13.34 per cent in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

“Nigeria’s inflation would pick up in the second half of 2018 as base effects dissipate and higher spending and supply constraints in agriculture put pressure on prices,” Mati said.

He stated that increased oil exports would keep the current account in surplus, helping stabilise gross international reserves even if the current pace of foreign portfolio outflows continued.

“A coherent set of policies to reduce vulnerabilities and increase growth remains urgent. This includes specific and sustainable measures to increase the currently low tax revenue — including through avoiding new tax exemptions — and ensuring budget targets are adhered to even in an election year,” he noted.

Mati said this process should be supported by keeping the monetary policy tight through appropriate monetary policy tools that would help contain inflationary pressures and support a move towards a uniform market-determined exchange rate.

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Timilehin Akinkahunsi

Hip hop star, Ebitimi Odom popularly known as Timaya, has said that baby daddies are usually better fathers than many husbands in Nigeria.

Speaking exclusively with Saturday Beats, the ‘Dem mama’ crooner fondly nicknamed Egberi Papa by his teeming fans, said that  while many young men, who became fathers by impregnating their unmarried lovers show more care to babies produced through such copulations, many married men lacked the capacity to show love or affection to their children.

According to the musician, beyond what many people actually think, baby daddies, as men, who father children without having married the mothers are often referred to, have proven to be better than those that had consummated their unions.

“People fail to understand that a lot of baby daddies are better fathers than a lot of husbands. The kind of role I play in my children’s life, I don’t think some husbands do that.

“I have time for my children, I love my children but some married men don’t even have time for their kids. They don’t show their kids love, they don’t know what it means to be a father. It doesn’t have anything to do with money; it’s about love and attention.

“Even my daughter sometimes wonders why I make babies if I was not ready to get married yet but I tell her that if I don’t make babies then she won’t be born.

“My life is in stages, I don’t think I want to get married now. It is not something I would want to venture into for now,” he said.

While revealing the real reason he mostly wears bathrobes these days, the Bayelsa State-born artiste, told Saturday Beats the idea is just a new way he found to express himself without holding anything back.

“The bathrobe is not a fashion statement. A lot of people know I dress well and even appreciate my style and fashion sense.

“The bathrobe thing started one morning when I woke up. I told myself that I am not trying to impress anybody and that I needed to be me. I am a happy man, I am fulfilled, I can wear my bathrobe to anywhere. I was on bathrobe during the Headies Awards and I also travelled from Nigeria to Turkey wearing it too.

“As humans, we should attain certain heights in life before taking certain decisions. It’s not like Timaya does not have clothes and shoes to wear, it’s just a sign of fulfilment.

“Modern slavery is not about the white people and what they do to us, it is you imprisoning yourself by trying to impress people and bothering about what they would say about you.

“I don’t think any musician has the kind of clothes I have but I don’t have to prove anything to anybody. Young people try to impress others and that’s why their lives are filled with problems,” he said.

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Veteran entertainer, Charles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy, has said that the level of lawlessness in Nigeria is disturbing.

Speaking to Saturday Beats on Friday ahead of the governorship election in Ekiti where scenes of violence have attracted global attention, the Area Fada as he is fondly referred to by many for often speaking out for oppressed persons and groups, said that until citizens change their attitudes, things might not improve in Nigeria.

He said, “There seems to be an obnoxious lawlessness even from those who parade themselves as leaders, adapting to a different rule of play as against what is constitutionally right.

“The people at the helm of affairs did not come to do democracy with us, they are not concerned about our constitutional rights; everybody is on their own, there is a serious case of injustice in the country and all the regions are affected.

“Until like minds come together and to something about it, this evil will persist.”

While revealing that he had other things occupying his mind at the moment than going into the studio to wax a new record, the 67-year-old called on all hands to be on deck to save the future of young people in Nigeria.

He said, “My main concern right now is on how to salvage the future of young Nigerians.

“I am concerned with the oppression of very talented and good Nigerians who want to express themselves, who want to do something for the country but the right kind of environment is not created for them.

“I urge young musicians to know that it is time for them to think about what is happening to their fellow citizens and use their songs as a tool to speak against the negative things happening in the country.

“They should realise that God has given them the special talent and they must use it positively to uplift humanity.”

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In the past couple of weeks, we have been discussing the challenge of male factor infertility and due to popular demand, we are continuing the discussion of treatment this week. All over the world, male infertility appears to be on the rampage, and Nigeria is not left out. We used to think the problem was mainly genetic in nature, but studies have shown otherwise. There are no specific figures for Nigeria, but in Europe, an average of one in 18 men have low sperm counts and the number of men that are affected is increasing. However in Nigeria, we are seeing more men who are having bad sperm, abnormal sperm, and weak sperm.

Clinical records show that in Nigeria, 25 per cent of couples are infertile, half of the causes due to male factor issues. More than 90 per cent of male infertility cases are due to low sperm counts, poor sperm quality, or both. In 30-40 per cent of cases of sperm abnormalities, the cause is unknown, nutrition is suspected and it may be the end result of one or a combination of factors that include chronic illness, malnutrition, genetic defects, structural abnormalities, and environmental factors. Partial obstruction in the long passages through which sperm passes can also reduce sperm counts.

Environmental factors and lifestyle factors are more responsible for the downward trend of sperm counts globally. There are many things in the environment causing what is described as oestrogenisation of men. Things such as paint, heavy metal poisoning (such as lead, mercury, antimony, etc), exposure to petrol and even insecticides can affect sperm health. People working in the fuel stations and those with unhealthy habits like smoking are known to suffer from low sperm counts.

Sperm motility is the sperm’s ability to move. If movement is slow, not in a straight line, or both, the sperm will have difficulty fertilising an egg because it would not be able to invade the cervical mucous or penetrate the hard outer shell of the egg. To stand a good chance of impregnating a woman naturally, a man must have sperm count of at least 15 million and in addition have sperm motility (movement) of more than 60 per cent. Below 30 per cent sperm motility is undesirable. Also, a man is most likely to be fertile when more than 12 per cent of the sperm has a normal shape and structure. He is least likely to be fertile when fewer than nine per cent of the sperms have normal appearance. The morphology or the shape and structure of the sperm, is sometimes considered more important than the sperm count or sperm motility in determining potential fertility. An abnormally shaped sperm cannot fertilise an egg. At least 60 per cent of the sperm should be normal in size and shape for adequate fertility. The perfect structure of healthy sperm is an oval head and long tail. Abnormally shaped sperm may include a number of variations ranging from a very large round head, an extremely small pinpoint head, a tapered head, a crooked head, two heads and a tail with kinks and curls. Essentially, quality of sperm is determined by its motility and its morphology. The quality of the sperm is often more significant than the count of the sperm.

Thankfully, there is hope for couples faced with the challenge of male-factor infertility that is attributable to low sperm count and poor sperm motility. Such couples can benefit from a procedure known as Intra-Cytosplasmic Morphologically-Selected Sperm Injection (IMSI).

This is an assisted reproduction technique and an advanced form of another male factor infertility treatment method known as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).

The major indication for IMSI is men with very bad sperm parameters. Sperms are too small to be seen with the eye and it is only the exploration of sperm parameters at very high magnification that shows the defects in sperm heads, shapes and sizes. This exposes sperm abnormalities that cannot be seen in conventional microscope that is used for normal laboratory investigation.

During IMSI, using micro-injection, the embryologist ensures only the best morphologically selected sperms are micro-injected into the eggs, and this usually leads to higher pregnancy success. Both IMSI and ICSI boost the chances of men with the problem of low sperm count and low sperm motility so that they can become the biological fathers, however IMSI is more sensitive and more effective and provides a good correlation between test results, pregnancy rates, and fertilisation in vitro for the individual patient and it is particularly helpful for couples with repeated failed IVF-attempts, to men whose sperm count is low, or men with large number of abnormal or immobile sperms.

The primary essence of IMSI is to meet the growing proportion of men that need help in this direction.

How it achieves this is quite unique. First it enables embryologists to sort bad sperms from good sperms after which the good sperms are selected and then directly injected into the woman’s egg in order to successfully achieve fertisation and subsequently pregnancy.

In ICSI, the sperm is magnified 200-400 times, but in IMSI, the sperm is magnified 6,000-7,000 times, so one is seeing the sperm completely and is able to select the good ones from the bad ones. ICSI requires only a single sperm to be injected into each egg and is considered by many to be the greatest advance in the treatment of infertile males. In theory, it can help a man that can produce only a single sperm, and the sperm does not even need to be able to move or to be fully mature. ICSI can be used to help men who have total blockage between the testes and the penis; ICSI makes it possible for sperm to be sucked directly from the blocked tubing or from the testicles.If a man produces too few sperms, the sperms may be retrieved through ICSI for IVF, or in cases where very few sperm shows adequate movement. However, the major challenge in ICSI has always been to ensure that the selected sperm does not have a morphological defect, and this is exactly what IMSI successfully achieves.

ICSI and IMSI require considerable training and experience as it is very easy to damage the egg.The reason for carrying out IMSI is crucial. Sperms carry half the genetic material necessary to make a complete human being while the eggs hold the other half genetic material. We know that all sperms are not the same and you cannot tell good sperms from bad sperms by just looking at them physically except you examine their structure and motility.

With IMSI, only those sperms with the best morphology or structure are selected for the assisted reproduction process that is carried using a high resolution microscope that allows exploration at several thousand times magnification. A study in Rome once showed that success rate with IMSI is quite better than with ICSI.

Actually, IMSI was first developed in 2004 by a gentleman in Israel and as explained, what it involves is just to use higher magnification to pick the sperm that is injected into the eggs and it produces better embryos, higher blastocyst rates, increased pregnancy rates and reduced abortion rates in pregnancies that are effected by men with bad sperm parameters.

Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, pioneered this technique in West Africa several years ago and it has been successfully doubling the chances of men with the problem of abnormally low sperm count and poor sperm motility to impregnate their wives and become biological fathers of their children.

It is no secret that every man wants to know what a “normal” sperm count is, especially when only one “good” sperm is needed to fertilise an egg. So for men who have been wondering if they can have their own biological children and how they can achieve such feat, IMSI is a dream come true.

In general, the results of the treatment of male infertility using IMSI and ICSI outstrip the results from all other treatments by IVF. In fact in the UK, the HFEA (Human Fertility and Embryology Authority) claim that the success rates are now so close to those achieved using ‘natural’ fertilisation in routine IVF that they do not report the results separately. However, IMSI remains a better choice for men with extreme poor sperm parameters

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Adelani Adepegba, Abuja

The Ambassador-designate, Turkish Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Melih Ulueren, has warned the Federal Government about alleged indoctrination of students at Turkish schools owned by the Hizmet movement in Nigeria.

He explained that the Turkish government had alerted countries around the world where the movement had schools to pay close attention to what was going on at the schools.

Addressing journalists at the embassy in Abuja on Friday in commemoration of the second anniversary of the failed 2015 coup in Turkey, the new envoy stressed that the movement was carrying out indoctrination of pupils in its schools all over the world. He stated that his government had requested the Federal Government to transfer the ownership of the Hizmet-owned schools to Turkish Maarif Foundation, a public foundation established in 2016.

The diplomat described the Fetullah organisation which owned the schools as a terrorist organisation masquerading as a humanitarian group.

Ulueren said, “The Hizmet movement was indoctrinating students and people in Turkey and all over the world where they have schools, I don’t think Nigeria would be an exception. They infiltrate, they have sinister methods using humanitarian acts as cover. Turkey has expressed concern to all the countries where they have schools.”

Asked if the Turkey had expressed its fear to the Federal Government specifically, the ambassador-designate said, ‘It (Hizmet) is a political organisation, their agenda is always political; We are requesting the government to transfer the ownership of their schools to Turkish Maarif Foundation, a public foundation that was established in 2016.”

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Leke Baiyewu and Godwin Isenyo

The two All Progressives Congress senators from Kaduna State, Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna-North) and Shehu Sani (Kaduna-Central), have said that they are still in the ruling party but will dump it soon.

Hunkuyi and Sani, who belong to the breakaway faction of the APC named ‘Reformed APC,’ said they would notify the public about their defection.

There were reports on Friday that the two lawmakers, who were leading a faction of the APC in Kaduna, had dumped the party but had yet to join any other.

Denying the reports in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, Hunkuyi said, “I have not left yet, but I will leave.”

The lawmaker stated that he belonged to the R-APC and not the factional APC Akida in Kaduna.

“I am not a member of Akida and they don’t have any party chairman in Akida; no they don’t. What we have is the R-APC Chairman, Col. Dauda Gora (retd.), and he is not a member of Akida. I am still in the APC,” he said.

Asked when he along with his loyalists would carry out their defection threat, he said, “I am holding that to my chest but I will make it known in due course, even if it is a day notice. Shehu Sani too has not (left the APC); we are leaving at the same time.”

Also, Sani told our correspondent that his group (same with Hunkuyi’s) was in reconciliatory talks with the APC as well as the Peoples Democratic Party and other parties lobbying them.

He said, “We are talking with both parties and the others who want us to defect to their parties. Discussions and consultations are ongoing between us and the APC, and between us and the parties who want us to defect.”

Asked if the group would remain in the R-APC pending the conclusion of the talks, Sani laughed, saying, “Whatever you say.”

The senator later issued a statement in which he said he would make his defection from the APC to another party formal and that he would announce the move on his social media platforms.

It read, “I’ve yet to defect or defect from the APC to any other party. However, discussions and consultations are ongoing as regards to our future in the party. Decision will be taken in a matter of a week or two on whether to remain in the party or migrate. And when the time comes, I’ll make a formal announcement on the floor of the Senate and my Facebook and Twitter handle.”

Sani also posted on his Facebook page, “Clarification: I’ve yet to leave the Broomcity FC for the Umbrella United or any other club in the Premier League. Discussions and consultations are ongoing. If such will happen, it will be backed by a signed formal letter to the ‘club management’; and a formal announcement on the side of the pitch by myself.”

Earlier, two factional groups in the APC in Kaduna – APC Akida and APC Restoration – had announced the defection of the members of the groups.

Tom Maiyashim represented the APC Akida as the Chairman, while the Legal Adviser of APC Restoration, Jaafaru Abbas Ibrahim, represented his group.

Maiyashim, who spoke on behalf of the two senators and other group members, said they were leaving the ruling party because it lacked internal democracy in the state and at the national level.

When asked whether the defection included the two senators, Maiyashim had said, “We are speaking on behalf of all our members, which include the senators in both the APC Akida and APC Restoration.”

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John Ameh and Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja

With the refusal of some state governors to give land for ranching, the Federal Government has decided to reactivate and convert the country’s grazing reserves to ranches, as it strives to end the deadly clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

 It was also gathered on Friday that plans were being perfected to convert about 177 out of the 415 grazing reserves across the country to ranches.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the 177 grazing reserves had been gazetted already and that the Federal Government was still confident that some states would provide land for ranching.

Aside from Kogi State that had officially agreed to provide about 5,000 hectares of land, no other state had publicly announced its willingness to provide land for ranches or cattle colony.

On Sunday evening, governors of the South-East states rose from a meeting in Enugu with a decision that no land would be made available for the establishment of cattle ranches in the zone.

When asked what next step the Federal Government would adopt in order to establish ranches, sources at the lands department of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, as well as officials at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development stated that the option of grazing reserves was being considered.

“The ministry will do something about the establishment of ranches and we know that state governments were initially contacted to freely donate land because we realise that ranching is the best way forward,” an official at the lands department of the FMPWH, who pleaded not to be named as he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said.

At the FMARD, a senior official said, “Considering the opposition to the provision of land by states, I can tell you that right now the President has asked the ministry to find out which of the grazing reserves are still available. It was established that about 100 of the grazing reserves that have been gazetted are available.

“So between these reserves and what the state governments will offer, we will see how we can handle the issue, as something is being done to start up the ranches. Now, it is important to also state that it costs a lot of money to build a ranch and that is why individuals are not going into it (ranching). But the government has decided that the best thing is to reactivate and turn the grazing reserves into ranches.”

The source added, “The land available in the identified grazing reserves seem to be even more than what is required, but it is not going to be handed over to individuals. Whoever has cattle and wishes to graze them in the facilities that will be established will have seamless access and will be required to pay a token, no matter their tribe.”

On the actual number of grazing reserves in Nigeria, the official stated that there were about 415 of them across the country, adding that not all the reserves would be used as ranches.

The source said, “There are 415 grazing reserves and as I am talking to you now, we have 177 that have been gazette, which are still legal and open. The 177 of them are the ones the ministry is going to work with and some state governments are also willing to join in; but they have to sit down with the Federal Government to discuss all the necessary modalities.

“These grazing reserves that we are talking about are the ones that have already been gazetted and they belong to the Federal Government. Again, they are 177 in number and they are ready, while the others are not ready at the moment. Altogether we have 415 of them.”

The official said the government believed that once the ranches were established, herders would stop roaming the streets with their cattle.

“You are in Nigeria and you know the extent of damage that the clashes have caused. So it is in the best interest of the nation to come up with measures to address it. The President, minister, as well as the ministry are not happy with the clashes and so we need a solution that will allow farmers to do their farming and herders to carry out their business too.

“Once we develop the grazing reserves, the issue of roaming about with cattle will be a thing of the past. Meanwhile, in some other climes, it is only the female cattle or cows that are being reared, they do not rear bulls as such because they now adopt artificial insemination,” the source added.

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Samuel Awoyinfa, Abeokuta

The National Chairman, Peoples Democratic  Party, Uche Secondus, has said the party, if it wins the presidential election in 2019, will probe the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration on the way it spent the $322m looted funds recovered from the late dictator, Sani Abacha.

He said this on Friday in Abeokuta during the meeting he held with the state executive and party faithful in the state, led by the state chairman, Sikirulahi Ogundele, and a governorship aspirant, Oladipupo Adebutu.

Secondus berated the anti- corruption war of the President, arguing that his administration claimed to be fighting corruption “whereas it is committing mother of corruption” with Abacha’s loot.

He said, “How on earth will a government engage in mother of corruption? Abacha’s loot has been withdrawn from the banks and being given to cronies.

“We want to assure President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress that they will be held accountable. No government will put money in baskets and starts sharing.

“When the PDP takes over in 2019, we will ask them to refund every kobo of Abacha’s loot. It is primitive to be spending money without proper appropriation.

“I believe that the money is meant for the 2019 elections and they have started using it. If they do, when we take over, we will probe it.”

On Ekiti poll, he boasted that the party and its governorship candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, would win Saturday (today’s) governorship election in the state.

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Femi Makinde, Kamarudeen Ogundele and Tunde Ajaja

As the Ekiti State governorship election holds today, findings by Saturday PUNCH investigations have revealed that some political parties have been offering bribes to residents who have the Permanent Voter Cards to influence them to vote for their candidates.

One of our correspondents gathered that trusted agents of the parties involved in the act started distributing cash inside envelopes from house to house on Thursday night up till Friday morning.

A resident of the Immigration area, along the Poly Road, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one of the parties was with a list of some targeted voters and was inducing them with N4,000 each.

The resident said the party’s agents had come to his residence and given out money to three persons in the house.

He said, “Politicians started distributing money to influence voters to cast their votes for their candidates in the election. We were already asleep on Thursday night when they came and knocked on our gate and handed envelopes to three persons whose names were on their lists.

“They gave three persons, but I was not given because I didn’t register as a voter in the area. I think they used the voter register unit-by-unit to identify those they had given money to. They would have given me if my name was on their register. Those who were given envelopes opened them and discovered that there was N4,000 inside each envelopes.”

It’s criminal to take pictures of ballot paper, sell votes, INEC warns

Responding to the development, the Independent National Electoral Commission has warned the electorate not to for any reason, take pictures of their ballot paper or collect money in exchange for their votes.

The spokesperson for the commission in Ekiti State, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, who gave this warning in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, said anyone found wanting for either of the offences would be arrested and prosecuted.

There had been rumours that some politicians told their supporters to take pictures of their ballot papers as a way of protecting their votes.

But INEC said such an act was against the law and would not be condoned.

Gbadegesin said, “No one is allowed to take pictures of the ballot paper. It is criminal and anyone caught will be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. Help us educate the people not to allow politicians push them into doing such because it is illegal.

“Likewise, it is illegal to collect money or give money to influence people’s votes. Anyone caught sharing money to influence voters or selling votes at the polling booth has run afoul of the law and will be prosecuted accordingly. People should take note of these because ignorance of the law is not an excuse.”

Arrest, prosecute vote buyers, CSOs tell security agencies

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Civil Society Organisation Situation Room has appealed to security agencies to arrest and prosecute whoever buys or sells votes during the election.

Briefing journalists in Ado Ekiti during its first preliminary statement on the state governorship election, the chairman of the coalition, Clement Nwankwo, said vote buying must be eradicated in the country to sanitise the electoral system.

“We have made recommendations to the security agencies on how to tackle vote buying. It is a serious electoral offence that must not be allowed in our country,” he said.

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Jesusegun Alagbe, Olaleye Aluko and Enyioha Opara

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel; the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights; and the Campaign for Democracy, among others, have condemned the alleged police attack on the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

In a statement, Emmanuel said such action portended grave danger for the sustenance of democracy in the country.

Fayose had on Wednesday claimed he was brutalised by policemen who allegedly stormed the main entrance to the Ekiti State Government House to stop a rally by the Peoples Democratic Party.

Residents said gunshots were fired at the main entrance to the Government House, while tear gas canisters were reportedly shot to disperse the crowd at the rally.

The governor also alleged he was hit with the butt of a gun by one of the mobile policemen.

Reacting to the incident, Emmanuel, who is the national coordinator of the PDP’s election team in Ekiti, said all governors from the party saw the police’s action as an abuse of the Constitution.

He said, “It is not about Fayose or Ekiti State, it is about every one of us. If it can happen to Fayose, it means it can happen to anybody. We should not just look at Fayose today, we should not just look at Ekiti State, let us look at Nigeria. So what is happening?

“Elections will come and go, faces will come and go, but Nigeria will remain. Let us not do something that will bring down this country.”

In his reaction, the CDHR President, Malachy Ugwummadu, said the legitimacy of the Ekiti governorship election was the popular participation of the people without police harassment or assault.

“We do not need the narrative that the police tried to paint. That interruption exposes the police as being partisan. I hope that this police action will not undermine the credibility of Saturday’s election,” he said.

The CD President, Usman Abdul, described the police’s “crude” intervention as unfortunate.

“The withdrawal of security personnel from the Ekiti State Government House is rather unfortunate. I believe the civil societies will mobilise fully to ensure that democracy, due process and credibility are not truncated in the Ekiti election,” he said.

Similarly, the President General, Ohanaeze Igbo Women Organisation Worldwide, Mrs. Calista Adimachukwu, tagged the alleged attack on Fayose as an attack on democracy and the people of Ekiti State.

“I call on the Federal Government to ensure that those involved in this crime are brought to justice, regardless of their status and rank, because we cannot continue to allow this country to drift into a lawless state,” she said.

Also condemning the incident, the Niger State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, said the police action was a violation of the 1999 Constitution, which grants immunity and protection to a serving governor.

In the letter by the State Working Committee, chaired by Tanko Beji, the party said Nigerians must rise against the police action.

The party also said it had sent a protest letter to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, through the Niger State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Yakadi.

Confirming the receipt of the letter, Yakadi promised to forward it to the IGP.

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Dear Aunty Temi,

Keep up the good work you’re doing in preserving the dignity of the female folk. However, I feel your message should be extended to the males as well as this will effectively drive your message home as we are always at the mercy of these guys. To be frank, a lot of us crave their attention and feel we can never do without them especially with their romantic overtures! I also think you should discuss homosexuality particularly lesbianism because in a bid to preserve their virginity while still being raunchy, some girls engage in this disgusting practice. Some others are misguided by their parents into lesbianism. They are told the typical old wives’ tale that talking to boys will make them pregnant and ruin their lives least of all getting close to them. We need you to discuss these issues ma.

Folake

Dear Aunty Temilolu,

I go through your Facebook wall on a daily basis to read your posts because they educate and awaken my spirit. I wish you post articles on your timeline every day. Sincerely, our present generation is very lucky to know the things most of our mothers and great-grandmothers didn’t know. I’m sure our mothers didn’t know what evil family pattern was, and the spiritual implications of sex which crippled a lot of their destinies! I remember how my mum suffered marital abuse in the hands of my late dad and his siblings. She went through all that because she didn’t know where to run to and so many women are passing through same thing. She was always acting timid and lived in perpetual fear throughout their marriage. It also affected us (my siblings and I) while growing up. You’re really doing a great job by enlightening young women and girls. You are saving a lot of destinies. Please keep it up. God bless you ma!

Victoria M.

Dear Folake,

Thanks for writing in. I shall discuss homosexuality in due course. God bless you my dear.

Dear Victoria,

I’m so glad to know you actually visit my Facebook timeline every day. Much as I want to reach out to you girls as often as I can, the social media could be so distracting and if one isn’t careful, so many important things would be left undone. However, I promise to improve on the frequency of my posts! On what your mother suffered, inasmuch as some of us are doing all we can to ensure girls are well raised into godly and strong, young women who can make the right choices in life and live a most triumphant life, I can tell you there’s serious fire on the mountain! In spite teachings on getting good education, setting priorities right and becoming self-reliant, sadly, too many girls are going to end up experiencing what your mother went through! Your mother would have bolted if she was educated or at least had a source of livelihood but perhaps she didn’t because she couldn’t get educated/raise enough business capital. Today, what should be the easiest way to become educated and the world’s greatest in every field under the heavens has become a tool of satanic diversion, deviation and distraction! After watching their mothers go through so much hell in the hands of their fathers and after suffering so much lack and all forms of abuse, many girls would rather prepare themselves for a wealthy man than prepare themselves to lead a most beautiful life with financial freedom, making the most of their wonderful innate skills. Talk about the Proverbs 31 woman! Why should any woman live in perpetual fear of a man who is lucky or better still blessed to have her in the first instance! Prov.18:22 Amazing! We have a wonderful manual for life – the Holy Bible which gives everyone- both gender so much power to command the type of life we wish, yet the entire world is suffering! Hmm…!

Dear Guys,

I really wonder the number of hearts you’d have broken by the time you spend your first quarter on earth; how much more the number of girls you would have slept with, the number of spirits that would have been transferred into your lives and the mass of tears and curses trailing you! This is a very serious matter! I know a lot of you are just going with the flow of adolescence. However, many of you are courting so much trouble for your future. Never tell a girl you love her when you really don’t! Girls are fragile in nature and such sweet words coming from you could make them surrender their entire existence to you if they fancy you! Can you imagine anyone treating your daughter the way you’ve treated some girls-deceiving them, “using” them and dumping them! And to think having a girl-friend in your teens also distracts you badly- believe me! It could forestall the champ in you! Hmm…Boys Club on the way!!!

To be continued.

I invite you to follow me on Facebook –TEMILOLU OKEOWO (not Temilolu okeowo girls club or TEMILOLU OKEOWO Girls Club group). Instagram @ Okeowo Temilolu.

Scam Alert: Temilolu okeowo girls club page and group as well as Temilolu cares for you are fake facebook accounts.

Are you still engaging in pre-marital sex? Each act devalues you! Your wonders are waiting to start. God is waiting for you to become a Secondary virgin! You are most welcome on board the chastity campaign train and Girls Club is open for all girls and ladies. Please text your name, age, school or occupation and State of domicile to 07086620576.

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Tunde Ajaja

Sitting quietly in front of her small shop as youths in the area excite themselves in the ayo olopon local game few metres away from her, Mrs. Deborah Afe was no doubt enjoying the moment, as they traded banters. Time was 1:23pm on Thursday in Ayegbaju, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

It was barely 48 hours to the governorship election slated for Saturday (today), and as one could imagine, the issues around the candidates, the parties, the promises and even the expectations from the incoming government formed part of their discussion.

But, from where she sat, she only observed from the distance and laughed at their chat intermittently.

Asked if she would also like to participate in the voting exercise, with deep confidence that could only come from a determined mind, she said, “I must vote since I’m still alive.”

Not done expressing her desire, Afe, who appears to be in her 80s, said, “The good thing is that the polling unit is right there (pointing) under this tree, so I don’t have to go far. Even if it’s far away, I would go, because it’s my civic responsibility. Why won’t I vote when I’m still alive?”

Expressing optimism that the election would be peaceful so she could participate, she said, “I have always voted in all the elections and by the grace of God, this won’t be my last. I want Nigeria to be better and my children to also be better, so I want to be a part of governance myself by voting. So, I will vote.”

Leaning on the door of the shop for more comfort, the octogenarian stressed that as long as there would be no violence, her PVC was ready for use. She pointed out she only brings it out during elections.

Her humour as she segued from one issue to another was interesting, but with much emphasis on the point that she wouldn’t miss the exercise for anything. “Make sure you also vote so you too can have a say in how your country is being governed,” she said.

Gauging the comments and the anxiety that had mounted in the build up to this election, residents of the state said it would no doubt be one of the keenly contested elections in the history of the state. And not even the elderly citizens want to be left out.

Several kilometers away, Mr. James Ogunleye, who appeared to be in his late 70s, leaned on the wall of his small hut where he takes rests from time to time. The question as to whether he would vote or not came to him as a surprise. Perhaps he had a lot on his mind.

Adjusting his cap from one end to the other, Ogunleye said even though there had been little or nothing to encourage him to vote, he would always vote because it was his civic responsibility.

Bringing in historical perspective, he said, “There was a time in the past when Christians were encouraged not to vote or even participate in the process, but it was later realised that it was better to participate than run away from the process. Since that time, I have decided to always participate in elections. If everybody stays away, who would be left to fix the rot? So, with prayers and human efforts, like voting, we can move this country forward.”

His new belief and conviction was interesting, but he had a caution to add. “However, I will only vote if the atmosphere is safe enough. If there is violence, I will stay in my house. Like I said, already, there is no motivation, so why should I endanger my life because of that? I won’t.

“My other concern is that if they channel the bulk of the money some of them are throwing around now into development, we won’t be where we are now. We can only hope for a better life for our children.”

The funniest and most interesting response our correspondent got from these senior citizens was from Mrs. Asake. She wouldn’t give more than that and she wouldn’t allow our correspondent to take her picture, but was ready to talk.

“I’ll vote. As long as I’m still alive, I will go out and play my part,” she said.

The nonagenarian, who is a yam seller in Ifaki-Ekiti, Ido Osi Local Government Area, said she had always voted in past elections and that this would not be an exception as long as she was still alive.

Asked for her Permanent Voter Card, she said she always kept it safe in her house and she only brings it out when there is an election.

At her age, one could presume that she would barely know who to vote for. But she dismissed such notion, saying since her ears were working, she followed what people said about the candidates and that she would make her decision known based on that.

“The only thing that can make me not to vote is if there is violence, which we don’t pray for. I’m too old to run, so once I hear that there is violence, I would either stay in my house or go to the farm,”she said.

The senior citizens who spoke to Saturday PUNCH would seem more than ready to participate in this election.

Also determined to participate in the governorship election is Mr. Idowu Olayiwola, a retired soldier, who now spends most of his time reminiscing on the past and keeping hope alive.

He told our correspondent he looked forward to the election with keen interest because he still wants a better Nigeria.

“I’ll vote if God spares my life. I’m still a citizen of this country as long as I’m alive. By God’s grace, there will be no violence because that is one thing that can discourage people from going out to vote. For me, I know there will be no violence in our polling unit because we know ourselves. As long as there is strength to move around, I believe one should be a part of the process. Let us play our part by being part of the process, even if we have nothing to show for it.”

Across the length and breadth of the state, there has been increased anxiety towards the election, with many expressing their readiness to vote.

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Festus Abu, Moscow

Nigeria faces a potential FIFA ban after  the body on Friday said they would  not accept Chris Giwa as  Nigeria Football Federation president.

Sports minister Solomon Dalung  recently  directed the NFF to  comply with the  apex court judgment  on April 27 restoring  the orders of the Federal High Court setting aside the purported NFF election  on September 30, 2014, which brought in  Amaju Pinnick as the president of the federation.

Giwa, who won in  a parallel  NFF  poll on August 26, 2014,  has since assumed control of the national football house, with moves by Pinnick — who is allegedly targeting a reelection — to stop him suffering a setback in court last week.

 But  FIFA  boss  Gianni Infantino told reporters  at a closing press conference at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow  that  the world football ruling body only recognises  Pinnick as the leader of Nigerian football.

“We have statutes and  we have regulations that there can be no interference in the running of the association,”  Infantino said when asked for his comments on the leadership crisis in the NFF.

“For this reason, Pinnick is working here in an official capacity. He is the president recognised by FIFA, he is the president elected by the members of the Nigeria football association and that is the end of the story.”

The Swiss added, “If any external body thinks that they can change the situation, then of course Nigeria will risk being banned as it has happened with other countries because we have processes that need to be respected.”

Infantino expressed his delight at the organisation of the Russia 2018 World Cup, describing it as the “best World Cup ever.”

He said, “Since a couple of years I was saying that this will be the best World Cup ever. It is the best World Cup ever. I would, first of all, like to thank everyone who was involved in the participation and the organisation.”

The 48-year-old lawyer added, “The World Cup has changed the perception of the world towards Russia. I think everyone who has been here for some time has discovered a welcoming country.”

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