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IF you believe what the government says, it has created millions of jobs, the only challenge is that millions of Nigerians who need the jobs do not know what the jobs are, or how to apply for them. It appears to be a trap from which there is no escape for the government or the millions of unemployed Nigerians. Are there jobs? Yes, but not the millions that the government promised, and definitely not the other jobs that multiplier effects of government’s policies should spin. In making its forecasts, government did not consider the militating effects of poor infrastructure that continues to depreciate. Government officials had caught the buzz words, “value chain.” They repeat them as if on their own to make any changes to the unemployment situation. It is true that the government has some programmes that have created “values”, what is left is the “chain” to link the values to spurn the new jobs, new opportunities, which if the projections hold, would continue a spiral that would result ...

BY PETER DURU Second Republic Minister of Steel and elder statesman, Wantaregh Paul Unongo is the deputy chairman and spokesman of the Northern Elders’ Forum. In this interview he spoke on the position of the North on the 2015 election and other nagging national issues. Excerpts: L ooking back on the anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, would you say Nigeria's democracy has developed, particularly in the area of credible elections? [caption id="attachment_401366" align="alignright" width="225"] Paul Unongo[/caption] I think the people who said Abiola won the freest election in the history of this country were either talking with their tongues in cheek or they are secessionists or they are people that have vested interest because I don’t know what was free about an election that was held under the military. And while we slept and deceived ourselves that we had a system that was democratic, I knew that the military had given us some ...

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA ASABA — BARELY one week after a first generation bank was raided at Agbor, there was another attempt to rob another bank in Asaba supposedly  by the same gang,  state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Lucky Uyabeme, has said. Briefing newsmen in Asaba, yesterday, he said it was the same gang that struck at the first generation bank in Agbor on June 21, 2013 that attempted, in the early hours of yesterday, to raid the Asaba branch of the new generation bank located on Nnebisi Road, Asaba. His words: “On June 30, 2013 at about 0200 hours at a new generation bank (names withheld), Nnebisi Road Asaba, police patrol team from ‘A’ Division Asaba had fierce gun duel with a gang of robbers numbering about 12 who came in three different vehicles in an attempt to rob the bank. “At the end of the gun battle, due to superior fire power and gallantry of the policemen, the hoodlums were forced to abandon their evil mission and escaped with bullet wounds while the leader of ...

BY OLA AJAYI IBADAN — THE popular Bodija Market in Ibadan was, yesterday, shut to customers to protest the killing of 25 traders who travelled to Maiduguri to buy beans and fish. This came about two months after about 15 traders were allegedly killed in similar manner by some gunmen believed to be Boko Haram insurgents. As a result of the latest killing, traders in the market warned of possible reprisal attack. Mostly affected in the killing were sellers of fish, palm oil  and beans who were said to be apprentices. The incessant attacks by the gunmen had resulted in scarcity of some foodstuff like beans, yams, tomatoes and pepper in Ibadan. According to information gathered, the slain traders comprised nine Yoruba  beans traders and 16 Hausa fish sellers. Though they claimed that the gunmen were Boko Haram, it was not confirmed as some survivors of the attack were shielded by the traders who were visibly angry and showed their grievances at the level of insecurity in the country. One o...

Under-fire striker Brown Ideye has received a vote of confidence from Emmanuel Emenike after he was vilified during the Confederations Cup. Ideye has come under heavy attack after he failed to score and threw away several begging chances in Brazil. [caption id="attachment_75648" align="alignright" width="384"] Brown Ideye in action[/caption] “As far as I am concerned, Brown (Ideye) is a top-class striker any day, any time. As a striker, he is expected to score goals, but sometimes you may find it difficult to do so. But this was one player who made a huge impact at the Nations Cup. I enjoyed a good partnership with him and we won the trophy together as a team. I therefore totally disagree with those now condemning him,” Emenike told MTNFootball.com “Sometimes, criticism does not help a player. Since nobody is perfect, we are all bound to have a down side at a particular time. “Ideye is a hard working player, who is always ready to die for Nigeria and we s...

By Tony Ubani Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi’s olive branch to out of favour Osaze Odemwingie and captain Joseph Yobo to rejoin the national team has hit a sour note with former chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Kojo Williams telling him to drop the idea. [caption id="attachment_375279" align="alignnone" width="412"] Coach Stephen Keshi and Captain Joseph Yobo.[/caption] “Keshi should forget about recalling Osaze and Yobo. He should be wary of polarising the team. He has a very good team at the moment. The boys that I saw at the Confederations Cup were mentally and physically strong. What the team lack is basically technical and tactical. It is not about bringing new players. That is why I said that Keshi needs help. He is a fantastic coach but all good coaches have experts who work with them to achieve results. Westerhof brought Jo Bonfre. Look at the Brazilian bench. Felipe Scolari has Luiz Pereira. Keshi will still remain the boss o...

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, HENRY UMORU, DEMOLA AKINYEMI, DAPO AKINREFON, GBENGA OKE & JOSEPH ERUNKE THE cold hands of death dealt Nigeria’s political and sporting firmament a devastating blow yesterday by snatching Senator Pius Ewherido (PDP, Delta Central) and ex-international, Thompson Oliha. Ewherido, 50, the only Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, senator died a week after declaring his intention to run for the governorship of Delta State in 2015. [caption id="attachment_401433" align="alignright" width="221"] Pius Ewherido[/caption] And Oliha, 45, died after helping Kwara Football Academy where he was a coach beat Ben Machezie Football Foundation of Northern Mali on Saturday. Oliha, a Benin boy from Ogbe Quarters, was a member of the Super Eagles of Nigeria to the United States of America, USA, FIFA World Cup in 1994. He was said to have slumped in his toilet yesterday morning and was subsequently rushed to a hospital in Ilorin where he died. Ewherido pass...

IN 2002 , when Mr. Peter Obi threw his towel into the political arena of Anambra State, many wondered what prompted the gentle and soft-spoken young man to dare the political jungle of the state. Not even the knowledge of the profoundly deep pocket of Mr. Obi could explain his will to wade into the murky waters of politics, particularly the brand that Anambra State traded; for then the state was at the height of its political hemorrhage. At that time, Mr. Obi might not be the wealthiest Anambra man, but even his detractors would not deny him privileged membership of the select wealthy who understand the mores and lures of riches amidst the ambience of comfort and luxury. But having conquered every tendency of material deprivation early in life, Mr. Obi willingly opted for a modest and unassuming life. Invariably, this choice freed him from the weight of excess luggage which consciousness of his mega material worth would have laid on his shoulders. Realising that a decadent society spa...

By Onochie Anibeze Five days ago, Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan honoured Blessing Okagbare with one SUV, Hyundai Santafe,  for her training sessions when at home in Nigeria. He did so when he found out that the Nigerian star was always hiring a car when at home or relied on  Amaju Pinnick, the Delta State sports boss,  to make one available. [caption id="attachment_401385" align="alignnone" width="412"] Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare celebrates winning the women's 200m during the IAAF Diamond League athletics meeting at The Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, central England on June 30, 2013. AFP PHOTO[/caption] Uduaghan wanted Okagbare never to regret her choice of Sapele as training ground most times she is in Nigeria. Okagbare thanked the Governor and reassured him that she would always strive to make him proud of Delta’s  investment in her career. And when she ran a blistering race yesterday in the  Birmingham Diamond League, she calle...

Former Super Eagles’ mid fielder, Thompson Oliha is dead, the midfield maestro who was among the 1994 victorious Super Eagles’ squad that won the Nations cup in Tunisia died yesterday at the Yusjib industrial medicare hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State. Thompson Oliha was born on October 4 1968 in Benin City and he is a retired Nigerian professional football star who played for clubs in Africa and Europe during an injury shortened career. [caption id="attachment_401298" align="alignright" width="412"] Late Oliha[/caption] Confirming his death to supersport.com in Ilorin, Doctor Yusuf Addulraheem said that Oliha was brought to the hospital at the time when there was nothing he could do to resuscitate him. “I feel so sad to confirm to you that Thompson Oliha is dead and by the time his wife brought him here, his body was completely lifeless. “His wife, Irish Oliha, told me that he slumped in the toilet before she rushed him to hospital and there was nothing we c...

By Paul Bassey No apologies for repeatedly saying that for me winning the Confederations Cup was not as important as qualifying for the World Cup. The FIFA Confederations Cup was therefore an opportunity for us to test run our World Cup team. There is no doubt that that is exactly what the “Festival of Champions” turned out to be, affording us a post mortem of our squad. Nigerians for the first time are unanimous that the team is far from being complete. We all agree that our attack is near zero, that the defence needs some firming up and the middle could do with some serious and attack minded individual different from the “ don’t touch me, am a Chelsea big boy delay “ style of Mikel Obi. We agree that this team lacks a General, a Yobo figure. [caption id="attachment_399805" align="alignnone" width="412"] Mikel celebrates his goal with teammates[/caption] In the process of expressing these and other shades of opinions, many have taken up arms, especially ...

By Ochereome Nnanna I READ Martins Oloja’s front page story on The Guardian (Monday, June 24th, 2013) with interest and decided to put in a word. Oloja, the Editor of the newspaper, interviewed Ambassador John Campbell in Washington DC. Campbell was the chief envoy of the United States of America in Nigeria. When he was through with serving his country, he wrote a controversial book: Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink. Campbell describes himself as “a friend of Nigeria”, who is so concerned for the unity of the country that he opted to speak “the truth” about the situation in a country bedevilled by instability and threatened with an uncertain future. The aspect of the diplomat’s assertions that tickles my interest is his contention that the “core North” (Arewa, or the Muslim North) is “alienated”. He is concerned that Nigeria’s leaders are not doing enough to address the “discrepancies in the social statistics” that portray “alienation” of the region. These, he insinuates, manifest in viol...

BRITAIN has expressed regret for the abuse of Kenyans by colonial forces during the 1950s Mau Mau insurgency and announced compensation for 5,228 survivors, but stopped short of apologising. The deal was settled out of court after elderly Kenyan torture victims won the right in October to sue the British Government. “The British Government recognises that Kenyans were subject to torture and other forms of ill-treatment at the hands of the colonial administration,” Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament. “The British government sincerely regrets that these abuses took place.” The 5,228 claimants are due to receive 13.9 million pounds ($21.4m), about 2,600 pounds each,or about 340,000 Kenyan shillings. Lawyers representing the veterans will separately receive six million pounds in fees for years of work on the case. London will also pay for a new memorial in Nairobi to the victims of torture and ill-treatment during the colonial era. A British diplomat said Hague stopped short o...

By Umar Tani When the first National Education Innovation Exhibition took place from November 19 to 21, 2012, nothing prepared the audience for the hope embedded in the products and services of some young Nigerians. More encouraging, too, was the fact that the event highlighted  partnering and networking between ministries critical “to the promotion of innovation for national development”. The first National Education Innovation Exhibition was held in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of CommunicationTechnology, Health, Science and Technology, Trade and Investment in Abuja. President Goodluck Jonathan himself attested to this when he observed that “in putting this exhibition together, the Federal Ministry of Education has recognized a very key aspect of successful education and innovation, which is collaboration”. This, according to Mr. President, “provides us with the opportunity to know what others are doing, as well as share and contribute to our success”. There is absolutel...