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Stella Damasus under fire over Sharia comment

Actress, Stella Damasus, has added her voice to the underage marriage controversy generated in the National Assembly after Senator Ahmed Yerima from Zamfara State coerced the Upper Chamber to retain a section of the 1999 Constitution which states that “any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.”
In a video recording she pointed accusing finger at the Nigerian Senate for endorsing what she termed “slavery.”
However, she must have let her emotions take over as she spoke in the recording that she started mixing up issues. According to her, the senators are trying to make an Islamic agenda law in Nigeria, adding that they are “forcing Sharia law on the whole of Nigeria.”
While some hail her courage, she has, however, received more knocks than praises for the video.
Comments on the video criticised Stella for not knowing what she was saying and mixing up issues. One commentator pointed out that Stella could not differentiate between being from the North and a Muslim. “Because Northern senators shamefully endorsed the bill does not mean that its a Muslim agenda,” the comment read.

When discipline becomes abusive?

 
With the world gradually itching towards a communal village, old traditions, beliefs and ways of live are giving way to the influence of the Western World. In typical African societies, perhaps the worst hit by the influences of the west, debates are daily being generated on the legality and propriety of some our traditions that have sustained the continent for centuries.
Prominent among these debates is, the issue of child discipline. While modern apostles of the right way to discipline a child think the Biblical injunction of sparing the rod and spoiling the child is ancient and barbaric, members of the old school insist, a child must not be given all the freedom in the world to grow out of control.
Citing the lack of discipline and waywardness of the average child in the Western world as example of how not to bring up a child, the modern apostles insist, any form of physical punishment is infringing on the rights of the child hence amounts to child abuse.
Determined to drive home their points, the old school missionaries maintain that the policy of sparing the rod by the Western World is aimed at immigrant children; significantly to ensure they become of no use to their parents back home. Whether this notion is right or not is subject for another debate. They demand of the modern day apostles, to cite cases of children of prominent families the world over who are allowed to go wild and fully disrespect their parents all in the name of child’s right.
While the two opposing groups have continued in their tug- of-war verbal tussle, our Senior Reporter, Anthonia Soyingbe, in this report speaks to some parents on their views on corporal punishment and its relation to child abuse.
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child; of which Nigeria is a signatory, defines corporal punishment as “any punishment in which physical force is applied to cause some degree of pain or discomfort. It includes hitting children with a hand or object, kicking, shaking or throwing children, scratching, pinching, biting or pulling at their hair, forcing them to stay in uncomfortable positions, locking or tying them up, burning and scalding.”
Going by this definition, nobody is even allowed to smack a child whatsoever or insist a child goes to a school or country he or she isn’t comfortable with. This, therefore entirely gives the child total control of his or her life.
Amira Stephen, a Nigerian born in America explains the thin line between child abuse and corporal punishment. “The majority of reported cases of child abuses through corporal punishment come from the assumption of parents who think beating and slapping are normal way of bringing up a child. Most parents who administer physical force on their children do not intend to harm them. However, regardless of a parent’s intention, any form of physical punishment can easily become child abuse, which could have dire consequences on the child, the parent, society, and can even contribute to the very behavior the parent is trying to correct. Thus, it is necessary that parents, teachers, and other authoritative figures associated with the task of bringing up a child are informed of the harmful effects of physical punishment and the alternative forms of discipline that exist. Parents must realize alternatives to corporal punishment and the benefits over physical force. There are many arguments against banishing corporal punishment, though most can be faulty.”
Arguing along a different line, Mrs. Toyin Adeyemo, a mother of five boys, says, “I am a proponent of the fact that discipline is moral without visible injury, the intent of many parents is to teach and not to harm children. Physical discipline is often the social norm of Africans. I support corporal punishment but we must correct our children with love when we doing so.”
“Spanking Children: Evidence and Issues:” a book on corporal punishment defines it as “hitting a child with an open hand on the buttocks or extremities with the intent to discipline without leaving a bruise or causing physical harm”. On the other hand, physical abuse is an extreme form of corporal punishment that is typically intended to leave scars.
But when does corporal punishment cross the boarder line into child abuse? According to the author of the book, it becomes abusive when an object is used. Physical punishment can easily escalate and cross the line to abuse and cause serious injury.
Somi Asakome, a child right activist urges parents to note the difference between physical discipline and child abuse. She explains that, “even good-intentioned discipline can lose effectiveness over time. In order to get the intended message through to the child, parents will eventually have to punish a child longer and harder. At first, when a parent taps the bottom of a child screaming over the parent’s refusal to pay attention, there is typically no indication of serious child abuse. This incident may even be forgotten until the next time when the frustrated parent spanks the child harder, presuming the child will not react dutifully to any other form of punishment. This notion can continue, as the reprimanding grows persistently stronger and harsher eventually leaving physical scars for the world to see, but also it can potentially cause damage to the child’s mental and emotional wellbeing.”
Asakome went on, “parents must be mindful when applying corporal punishment as it can escalade when the parent grows impatient with the child. When this happens, the parent should try simple stress-relieving techniques, such as breathing deeply or counting backwards from ten to zero.”
Kicking against every form of Corporal Punishment on children, Sandra Odebunmi argues that, “Children need guidance and discipline.  Effective discipline helps a child develop self-control by teaching, guiding, modeling and explaining what is wrong and what to do instead. Effective discipline starts with our attitudes about children and their behavior.”
Olayinka Ojo, a mother of one in annoyance says, “I don’t know why we want to copy everything from the western world. Must we bite all they feed us with? I don’t support unnecessarily indulging a child. My parents didn’t over-pamper me neither will I over-pamper my child by not snapping at him when necessary. My parents beat me and I still have some marks on my body so why won’t I beat my son whenever he deserves it? Let us be mindful of what we copy from the western world, my son knows that I love him and I scold him with and in love.”
There are many ways to punish a child; “you don’t necessarily have to use cane. For me at times, I punish my children without using my cane and today they are better for it. I have canes at different corners of my home and my children despite the beatings, still respect and know that I and their mother love them,” Chidi Okechukwu a medical doctor base in Lagos said.
A common thinking among advocates of corporal punishment is that without the obvious appearance of physical scars or bruises, this form of discipline is completely moral. Even with all the evidences supporting alternative forms of punishment and Child Right Acts, many parents still believe that corporal punishment is the most effective. It is only effective when done with love for the erring child.

ROAD CRASHES: AS THE YEAR COME TO AN END, DRIVE CAUTIOUSLY

One hundred and forty nine persons lost their lives, 627 sustained various degrees of injuries in 285 accidents that occurred in different parts of Niger State between January and June this year.
As part of efforts to improve on the performances of the men and officers of the command, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Niger State Sector Command, has said it has evolved strategies that would guarantee closer work ties between it and stakeholders.
The Niger Sector commander, David Usman, who disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Minna on Monday, said most of the accidents, which occur along high ways could be traced to violation of some road safety rules by drivers.
Usman said the command had in past six months occupied itself with enlightenment campaigns to all road users, particularly public transporters plying most highways, which recorded the highest number of accidents.
Attributing the new look and successes recorded by the command to the in-house orientation and re-orientation of officers and men tagged, ‘Durbar’, Usman said such gathering by officers and men provided opportunities for them to share ideas on how best to go about their service to the Nigerian populace.
During such orientations, Usman told our correspondent that officers of junior and senior cadres were given the opportunities to freely share ideas on areas that would help improve on the commands’ promotion and instilling road safety rules among road users.
He also spoke of efforts being made by FRSC in the state to curb under aged driving, non-usage of helmets and checking some of the excesses by private commercial transport operators to guarantee safety of their passengers and other road users within its jurisdiction.
Besides routine monitoring of their activities, Usman said the command also carries out routine re-accreditation of all transport companies to ensure that they comply with globally accepted road safety standards.

MAGARET BENSON IDAHOSA - WHY I CANT MARRY AGAIN

Archbishop Margaret Ekhoe Benson-Idahosa, the spiritual leader of the Church of God Mission International and Chancellor of the Benson Idahosa University, will be 70 years on July 29, 2013. Wife to the founding Archbishop of the Church, Archbishop Margaret Benson Idahosa was consecrated Bishop of the Church on April 5, 1998 following the demise of her husband, Archbishop Benson Idahosa on March 12, 1998. She was elevated to the position of Archbishop on November 7, 2009. In this interview with reporters, including our Special Correspondent, the Archbishop spoke on her experiences and challenges in the last 70 years, as well as why she has remained unmarried since her husband departed. Excerpts…

•Idahosa

What have been your experiences these past 70 years?
Thank you very much gentlemen of the press for coming to celebrate with me, what God has done in my life. I sit here not by my power or might, but by the power of the Almighty God. I owe it all to Him because some of my mates that we were born at the same time and in the same area are no longer alive. It is not because I am too good, holy or too righteous, but because of the grace of God. For that, I say thank you unto God. I welcome all of you because we are partners in progress. Just as we, pastors, stay behind the pulpit to teach and dish out what God has in mind for the people, you pressmen also play the role of pastors, telling the people our own visions and what God has for the people in the community, state and the nation at large. I want to let you know that we are all working together. We are partners in progress.
Since I assumed the position of Archbishop of the Church of God Mission, I will say it has not all that been easy, but God has been on my side.  God has provided me wide shoulders to cry and lay in times of problems. He has always been there for me. July 29 this year by the grace of God, I will be 70 years old. However, I still do not feel it because of the strength God has given me. It is a fact that I am not as strong as I used to be when I was 20 or 30, but I am still strong. I give all the glory to God. I see how some of my mates have become shadows of themselves because they have lost their husbands. I do tell them losing a husband or a wife is not the end of life. There is more to life than what you are experiencing. It depends on how you react to certain things that happened to you.
However, I have to say that since the death of my husband, there have been days I did not feel like getting out of bed, because I missed him. But when I look at the work that God has given us, I get up and braced up myself to do what God has asked me to do. I will say things have been going on well by the grace of God. Though, it has not been a bed of roses, but life has been going on well as expected.
What are those memorable things you think have happened to you for the past 70 years?
There is so much. Number one is that I am still alive. I am excited, elated and I give all the praises to my God that I am alive. That I still have the breath of God, I can still wake up early in the morning, go to the bathroom and take a shower, come in and dress myself, and go out for my daily job. With these, I am grateful unto God my creator.
Secondly, the children God gave me have been blessings to me.  Every one of them has cut out a niche for his or herself in the ministry. I consider this a great honour and pride to God and to this ministry. I did not need to pray to God to arrest them. Some pastors come to this ministry to ask for prayers for their children. They will say, “please pray for my son, my daughter” among others.  But I thank God my children went to God by themselves. It was not because their father was a pastor or a bishop and now their mother, no!  They found God by themselves. God spoke to them individually on what to do and they are doing it. I am grateful to God. God is helping us in the family.
What are the challenges?
I will say the challenge I am facing is myself. God speaks and I begin to ask questions.  God who am I? Why should I do that? But the moment I surrender to God, he always helps me.  So, the challenge I have is actually myself. How to obey God and how to do the things God has asked me to do. For the people, once I stand to say this is what God has said and I explained to them, they believed me.  But the challenge I have, is just me. I will say to God, “nobody has ever done that, why are you telling me to do that?” That is just the challenge I have. I am still praying to God that he should let me hear when he speaks and grant me the ability to carry it out.
What will you consider most memorable experience in the past 70 years?
My most memorable experience was when my husband died. I will never, never forget the day my husband died.  We went for a crusade outside the country, and when we finished, we were to return to Nigeria together. But he asked me to stay back to meet with the children who we had not seen since the beginning of the year. But I told him, honey! I am not staying behind. I am coming home with you because we came together.  But he reminded me that the children’s school fees had not been paid. So he gave me money and instructed me to go see them, spend two or three days with them, and ensured their schools payments were settled before I could return to Nigeria. You know what children mean to a woman? So agreed to stay back because of the children.  Two days after he left me, I was told he had died. I will never, never forget that day. It was as if the roof over my head was taken away. That day is a day I will never forget.
At 70, what is more to add?  Do you feel you have reached the peak of your ministry?
Not at all! I am waiting on God. Whatever he tells me to do, I will do. I know God will not give me task I cannot perform.  He knows my abilities and inabilities. So, whenever, he speaks I am ready and prepared to carry it out.  Wherever he sends me, I will go. I am strong and ready.
You are the chancellor of the Benson Idahosa University. What have been the challenges of running a private university in addition to the ministry?
Having a university is not an easy thing. Before the death of my husband, the university was not fully accredited by the Federal Government.  So we had to work on it. We worked on our programmes and all those requirements the National University Commission (NUC) demanded. In 2002, it was finally approved by the Federal Government. We all know that running a university is not easy.  Even state governments find it difficult. But we want to thank God that the foundation of our university is built on God.  When God gives a vision, he makes the provision. God has been helping us from one stage to the other since the beginning of the university.
As a woman as well as a role model to womenfolk what is your message to the Nigerian women?
My advice to the womenfolk out there is to let them know that God is not a respecter of persons.  What he has done for one he can also do for others. What he has done for man he can also do for woman as well. So the major challenge is availability.  So I advise them to cling to that which is their strength and be focused.  They should not be intimidated because they are women. I felt like that when the Archbishop left (died). When I was appointed to take over the mantle of leadership of the church, I had no one to ask except God. So, I prayed to God and asked him how he wanted me to function in a man’s world. For about two weeks, I did not hear anything from God. But I kept on asking and crying onto him. I did not know that God is not moved by tears or needs, but by faith.
The moment I brushed up myself and I said to God, “now I realised that no needs move you. You put me in this position.  Now, I want you to let me know why and how I am going to function in a man’s world”.
After few weeks, God spoke to me. He said “Margaret, if I made the appointment, I will release the ability”.  I said, that is good. Since then, God has kept his word. So let the women be focused. Let them know that they are not the first to loss their husbands. We lost husband yesterday, some will lose husbands today, some will lose husbands tomorrow, but life goes on. Somebody who knows who his or her God is, should remain focused, even when his husband or her wife is no longer alive.  Focused on your strength and do that which God has earmarked for you to do for yourself, the family and the community at large.
They should look on to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
You know insecurity is just a Nigerian problem. It is everywhere. It is just that we have never experienced the type that is going on presently in the history of Nigeria. Insecurity is new to us and that is why everybody is singing about it. But with God on our side, we will overcome. Rather than complaining, I urge everybody in this country to join hands to pray for our leaders, that God should direct them aright.
The Restoration Centre was established by the church to train women on several skills as well as empowered them. How many women have been trained by the institute and how much has been spent to empower them?
The restoration centre was given to us by God.  Like I said, if God gives a vision he ensures its realisation. God has been very, very faithful to us since the establishment. When God gave us the name, ‘Christian Fellowship Women International’, he did not reveal to us, all the details. The hurdles we are to circumvent.
But every year we come together as a body God, he opens a little more about his vision. For the centre, we have trained and empowered a good number of women. At the centre, we have skills acquisition where they learn how to fix hair, make harts, acquire computer training, among others.  We train many of our women, and when they finished, we buy them equipment.  Those that came from villages and other states, we provide them money to go back and start their own businesses.
Can you be specific on the number of women that have been trained and empowered by the centre?
I cannot give the actual figure at the moment.  But I know we have been training women since 1975.  I cannot exactly tell the number of women we have trained.  I am interested in making sure women are educated.  So we have been training and re-training as well as empowering women. I do not advertise it because I am not doing for people to praise me.
On my own, I have started constructing  boreholes in some communities. As a matter of fact, I have done one Central hospital for the women and children. My passion is for the less privileged, the widows and physically challenged persons in our society. By the grace of God, I have about three orphanage homes I cater for. We have our own that we call “my sister place”. With God giving me more life and wisdom, I will do more for the society.
The World Faith Group of schools is owned by the Church. It is a general belief that churches establish schools to make money. How would you react to it and what informed the establishment of the school?
World Faith of School is owned by us, that is true. It is a fact that money is coming now. But at the time we established it, we were putting money into it. Money to build infrastructure, provide academic equipment; money to pay academic and non- academic staff, among others.  But now money is coming from it. The initial objectives of establishing the school was not to make money, but to teach children right from cradle. We have a crèche, toddler, primary and secondary school. If you look at Benin before this ministry came into existence, maybe some of you were not even born or not living in the Benin City, you will agree with me that Benin was not like this. It was called city of blood. If a native doctor tells you that by 2 p.m. you will be dead, you better go and get ready because you will be dead. But when the real gospel came, we were making men and women know that God is not a killer. God wants them to give their hearts to him, that he will protect them and their children, we saw a lot of changes. So, I looked at these children and I said 20 years from now they should be able to serve the society. Twenty years from now, they should be able to contribute their quota towards the development of Benin City. That was what was in our minds when the World of Faith Group of Schools was established. But today we have schools in all nooks and crannies of the state. Thank God they are not shrines. It is still better than Sango, Ogun or Oramina shrines. But whatever it is, it is to develop the child. Because when a child is developed mentally, he can become anything in life.  We bring them up to know who God is. Ours school is Christian- based. We let them know who God is. That with God, they can be anything in life. This is why the World of Faith Group of Schools was established. To say it makes money, maybe now. But whatever comes from there is put back into the ministry.
How have you been able to perform your duty as the head of the church as well as a mother?
I will say I am able to function because I work with a team of men and women that know the vision that God has given unto us. Like you rightly said, we have churches, we have schools, a university, a Bible school, Hospital and an International leadership institute. For instance, in the churches we have different bishops. Here we have one bishop who is in charge of finance and budgetary. So I do not have to crack my brain because he is trained for that. Since I was not trained for whatever concerns money, finance, budget, expenditures among others I just call him and say to him this is your area of specialty and he does it very well. The man in charge of administration is also here and he directs the affairs of the churches. We have different bishoprics. Every bishop directs the affairs of their bishopric. So, as far I am concerned, I don’t  have much to do than may be once in every two or three months we all come together  to rob minds on the strength, weakness, and how to improve and go to the next stage. I believe strongly in teamwork. Every member of the team has become a team player.
 Mama and grand mama what will you expect as a birthday gift from the church?
Last month we had a council meeting that comprised all the (CGM) pastors in the country, who are over 300. Before then we had the bishop and coordinators’ meeting. I overheard them making some plans behind me. I told them I do not need any husband  because I had one, and I enjoyed him. Secondly, I do not need biological children, because God has given me children. I have seven children ( four biological and three adopted).  I do not need a house because I live in a palace.  I told them, “one thing I want all of you to do for me is to help me move Benson Idahosa University from the temporary site to permanent site”. They were all looking at me.  I said yes! That is what all I need. I do not need clothes, I do not need jewelries. There are some clothes I am still hanging on my wardrobe. People just give me the clothes and others. But I told them I don’t need anything. All I want is to be able to move the university from its temporary site to the university village. So that is what I want.
Women are to be seen and not to be heard.  What is your view on this? In addition, what are those things that really equipped you to be a bishop?
On the first question: that is an old adage now. We are letting women know that they must be seen and heard. I am not advocating women usurpation of the authority of the men, no! God has made the men heads of the homes. If the head of the home is active, doing all God expects of him, there is no reason for the woman to usurp his authority.  But that which God has embedded in a woman, is important.  Women should not die with the gift and talent God has given them. They should do their bit in the home, make sure their husbands eat, do whatever their husbands love.  But they should not die with their gifts and talents.
Myles Morose said, “There is a place on this planet earth that is very rich”; and that is the cemetery. The cemetery is rich in talents. That is gifts and songs that were never sang. I tell everyone to make sure they do whatever God has earmarked for them to do for their families and generation at large.
On the next question, the secret of my success: The secret of my success is God, the Holy Spirit. I rely on Him every day. First thing I do in the morning is to kneel down by my bed and just sing some lovely hymns to Him and he re- rejuvenates me. That is what I tell people. Not that I do not have problems, but I do not let the problems have me. I dominate the problem. With the Holy Spirit in me, I am able to surmount the problems. I say to the women out there, “Do not let problem have you. Dominate the problem with the Holy Spirit and with God”.
You have been a widow since 1998. Why have you not considered re-marrying? Is it that there are no suitors or what?
I assumed this position when my husband left (died). He left me when I was 55.  Next month by the Grace of God, I will be 70. The interest in men, the interest in re-marrying just died when my husband died. I have asked God to keep it that way. I do not want him to resurrect it. Since my husband left, I have never looked at any man and lust after him. All I need to do is to do the work that God has handed over to us. I had one, and enjoyed him. I just feel this is the time for me to really, focus on what God wants me to do.
Were there no suitors?
Not that there were no suitors, but I did not give in. I do not give them opportunity to come to that area. Men are there saying to me: “Mama, you look beautiful,” you look gorgeous,” you look charming”. I just say to them, oh, thank you very much. It is the Holy Spirit that rejuvenates me. And if you believe in God that I believe, he would also rejuvenate you. So I don’t give them that room to get there.
Some orthodox clergymen are clamouring for government regulation of church establishment in the country, due to proliferation of churches. What is your take on this and the call for churches to pay taxes? 
As far as I am concerned, I would like every street to have churches. Whether they are preaching the way they ought to preach or not. It is better to have churches all around than to have shrines, beer parlours or brothels.
As far as taxation is concerned, the government knows the best thing to do. And we are letting them know that it is the people that work in the various government and private establishments, whose taxes are deducted at source that come to church. It is businessmen and women that come to church. These people pay their taxes. Why then charge the church again for tax? We are still on it, and we are praying that God would answer us and let them know that it is the same people that pay their taxes to government individually that are in the church. There is no reason for the church to pay taxes anymore.
There have been arguments back and forth, as to whether women should mount the pulpit to preach the gospel. Is it biblical?
Like I said before, God is not mad at men or women. In Genesis 1: 28-29, the bible says: “And God created the man and the woman” not only that he created them, he gave them authority. That is both of them. Not the man alone. The two of them .The bible says: “And he gave them power”. He gave them the might and the authority to go and dominate, and multiply. You can multiply by the word of God, and multiply biologically. God said: “Go and multiply, dominate and spread the word whenever you go”. It is religion and tradition that relegated the woman, and the women embraced it.  But the mind of God is that men and women work together amicably. Before God, there’s no difference. But functionally we have differences. A woman is created to produce children, to get pregnant. The man is not created for that. So, functionally, they are different. But before the Most High, they are equal. There is no male or female before God. We all are equal. If a man can fulfil the thing embedded in him from the foundation, why should a woman not fulfil that as well? So, I believe that God has called the man as well as the woman. God is not mad at the women when she preaches. God is not mad at the man when he preaches. It is only tradition that has kept the woman relegated.

MY WIFE IS MY WORLD - ZEB EJIRO

Amiable president of Zeb Ejiro Production Company Limited, is an accomplished and respected professional who has made tremendous contributions to the development of film industry in Nigeria. He has produced and directed many successful movies and soaps. They include: Goodbye Tomorrow, Mortal Inheritance, Domitilla, Sakobi, Conflicting Shadow, Intimate Strangers, Fatal Desire, Gentle Solution, Amadioha, Maniac, Faces of Evil and more. In this interview with our reporter, Lucy Ezeliora, he speaks on Nollywood and his family. Enjoy the Sheik of Nollywood
You are one of the founding fathers of the industry. What is your view of Nollywood? 
I will be celebrating almost 25 years in Nollywood.  The journey has been tough especially as it has to do with piracy. I’m delighted with the N3 billion grant to the industry by President Goodluck Jonathan. I pray it will be well circulated to all our members in the industry.  It is a means of encouragement to many of us.  Though the industry has done well; but I sometimes weep because this is not the same industry we built. Currently, it is down for the count and if care isn’t taken, it will extinguish. Training is lacking in the industry; most of the people you see today came in through apprenticeship. Apprenticeship is good, but it is better to go and get formal training, to improve on one’s skill. When you go through our storylines, they are so weak. You can tell the end from the beginning, no suspense anymore. You’ll find out that scripts are being written at locations. This is very unfortunate. You’ll see an actor in two movies and you can’t tell the difference. No characterisation. Also, there is the distribution network problem. You see, I thank God for the AGN president, Ibinabor Fibresima, who is my daughter in the industry. She is really doing a great job. Recently, she came up with a new initiative we rushed to buy into it. I personally gave her my commitment to the success of the programme. She is really making the industry proud. Unfortunately, there are people bent on killing the industry. It’s sad. No structures; no style, nothing to show for it. I have a movie I just shot; the sequel to Sakobi. I can’t release it because there are no structures.
Do you think the N3b grant will ever get to Nollywood?
Jonathan is a man of his words, and I believe he will not say what he cannot do. Officially, the money has been signed to us; they are just waiting for the right time to release it.
 You once ruled the industry with your movies and soaps. But in the last couple of years, not much has been heard from you. What has been happening?
I am getting old as you can see and I need to pave way for up-coming directors in the industry. It gets to a point in one’s life when one gets bored doing a routine. I need something more challenging. I think I have gotten to that stage when going to locations is not too exciting anymore. I want to impact knowledge; which is why I am spending my time building film schools in Delta and Lagos States.  The schools will be known as  Film and Broadcast Academy. We intend to teach script writing, production management, directing and anything that has to do with film making and television broadcasting. This is where I have been channeling my energy to, recent.
Back to the beginning, how did you find your way into the movie industry?
(Laughs) I keep telling people, coming to Nollywood isn’t the main issue but making a success of it. My diversion into this industry was sheer luck. I was home one day and there was an announcement on television requesting for people who can write script for a 30 minutes drama. They requested it be specifically sent to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). The announcement said selected candidates would be trained and given jobs. So I wrote a play, “But My Ring on My Grave” which was a horror piece and sent it. Someone called me one day and told me to buy newspapers that my name was among the 27 persons invited out of about 5,000 people who applied from all over the industry. We were trained by NTA and BBC. That was how I started.
What year was that?
1985. We were trained in script writing, directing / producing. After the training, I created my first soap, ‘Ripples’. It ran for five years. Till date, it remains the longest uninterrupted TV soap opera on NTA.
After the training, did you work for NTA?
Yes. I stayed with NTA for a very short because I easily get bored. When I left, I was still writing for NTA on Village Headmaster, Second Chance and for other soaps. At a point, I got tired of writing. I needed something more challenging; so, I thought I should create my own soap opera. That was how Ripples came into being.
Why do people call you the Sheik of the Nigerian movie industry?
It was one of these tabloids that came up with the name. I guess it was because I was vibrant in various productions. At a point in this industry, I was the one calling the shots. My office at Aguda, Surulere, Lagos; then was the hob of the industry where the famous Nollywood stars we have today used to gather. If you wanted to be part of the industry then, you had to come there. I guess the tabloid saw all that and just arrived at the conclusion.
Are you working on any new movie?
Yes I am working on two movies. The first one has to do with rape while the second one is the follow up to Sakaobi which was released in the 90s. This is a movie I really want people to watch again because it has been edited and corrected in way that people will learn great lessons from it.
When are you releasing it?
I told you I have finished shooting, but will not release it because of the situation at hand. I have spent nothing less than eight million naira but if I release it in this market, I will go bankrupt. If the distribution structure does not take off immediately, there is going to be problems. This industry is suffering. Don’t let anybody deceive you that they are making money now. All the big movie-makers are just doing their best.
Tell us about your family?
I am from a family of five; my parents and three boys. Peter Red Ejiro is my elder brother while Chico Ejiro is our baby brother.
How come all the Ejiro brothers are in the movie industry?
My mum had a strong influence over us. She was addicted to the cinema and always took us along.
Is she a Nigerian?
Yes. The got married here before they took off to Equatorial Guinea, where I was born.
Can you describe your wife to us?
My wife’s name is joy.  Just like my younger brother, Chico Ejiro’s wife. I mean they bear the same names. We have seven lovely children and doing well.  She is a wonderful woman and a complete mother indeed. If I am given an opportunity to come back to this earth, I will marry my wife again because she is absolutely wonderful and my world.
How do you relax?
Walking, I love to do exercises a lot and that is why I still look smart despite my age.
So what is your relationship with your female fans?
Well I don’t drive woman away because I trust them more than men. As you can see, most of them call me daddy because of how I treat them. I prefer working with women that is why I am very close to the AGN president. She is my daughter and listens to me a lot.
What is your best colour?
Blue; ecause it’s cool on me and means royalty.

Tears as Army buries 14 Boko Haram victims, 1 other - Jonathan, Obada, Ibrahim, Ihejirika vow to defeat terrorism

Tears flew freely at the Military burial ground, Abuja, on Thursday, when the remains of two officers and 13 soldiers who paid the supreme price in the ongoing prosecution of the state of emergency in the Northern-eastern part of the country and the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission in Dafur, Sudan, were laid to rest.
Families and friends of the deceased, including those present, could not hold back tears as the fallen heroes were given full military and national honour for their sacrifices to ensure that peace reigns in Nigeria and the African Region.
The two officers are; Major A.T. Fambiya and Major Abdullahi Kanoma while the soldiers include; SSGT Keku Adebayo, CPL Ahmed Usman, CPL Mathew Ade, LCPL Adamu Ibrahim, LCPL Suleiman Gimba, LCPL Salisu Sadauki, LBDR Usman David, LCPL Ajani Olosola, PTE Zakariya Dauda, PTE Daniel Kantoma, PTE Nya Bassey, PTE Bassey Emmanuel, and PTE Enyenihi Effiong.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who recalled the need to declare a state of emergency in the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency, urged the families of the deceased to take solace in the fact that the country was winning the war against insurgents and terrorists.
“Indeed, for us all, the loss is taste of regret but we take solace in the fact that we are winning the war, they shall rest in peace knowing that, as members of the Armed Forces, you must know that the military profession is a hazardous job and in conflicts like this, there are bound to be casualty, including death. Rather than despair and lose focus of our objective, it is incumbent on us to respect and honour the dead by giving them a befitting burial while we keep strategising to defeat the enemy.
“On several occasions and in different fora, I have reiterated the commitment of this administration to strengthening and improving on the nation’s security capability to enable us to confront challenges of the 21st century. As a result, this administration has steadfastedly evolved and implemented policies and measures to tackle the country’s current developmental challenges, especially, the Boko Haram terrorist insurgency.
“Accordingly and in order to face the threat headlong, I declared emergency in three northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa on May 14, 2013, thus the Chief of Defence Staff was mandated to deploy troops in these states to take all necessary actions within the ambit of their rule of engagement to end the impunity of insurgents and terrorists. Today, we are here to lay to rest two officers and 13 soldiers who gallantly paid the supreme price as a result of this declaration. I want to reiterate that their sacrifices shall not and will never be in vain,” the President represented by Vice President, Namadi Sambo, stated.
He assured the families of the deceased that the nation would not forget the sacrifices of their loved ones, promising that their entitlements would be duly paid.
“To the families of the deceased, gallant officers and soldiers, I want to assure you that our country will not forget you in this trying time. I have conferred with the Chief of Defence Staff, COAS, and I want to also assure you that all settlements due +to you shall be promptly settled. All other welfare issues shall also be duly taken care of, remember that your loss is also the nation’s loss, be comforted that your departed ones are resting in the bosom of the Lord, may the Almighty grant you the fortitude to bear the loss,” President Jonathan told the families of the departed.
Minister for State for Defence, Olusola Obada, also commended the selflessness with which the departed officers and soldiers carried out their duties.
“Their death, though in line of duty, was a gallant sacrifice for peace to reign in our dear nation. Members of the Armed Forces and the Nigeria nation will not forget the gallant efforts of these great men who proudly showcased the great spirit and tenacity required to save our nation from destructive elements.
“We must, therefore, see their death as a call to duty to serve humanity and not to let the sacrifices be in vain as we continue to confront the present challenges, we must emulate the selflessness, courage and commitment exhibited by these men.
“At times like this, words of comfort will be difficult to console or completely heal your losses, my appeal to you is to take solace in God who is the greatest comforter. We will stand by you to mitigate whatever hardship their death will bring,” the minister said.
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ihejirika, who explained that many of the fallen heroes died in the North-east, also noted that for paying the supreme sacrifice, ‘these courageous officers and soldiers have made all of us proud as Nigerians.”
“As we all know, the military profession is a hazardous one and in any armed conflict, casualties are bound to occur, some of which may result in the supreme sacrifice. Therefore, when it occured, it was incumbent upon us all to honour and accord our departed colleagues the highest and last solemn respect.
“Today, we are laying to rest 15 heroes, comprising two officers and 13 soldiers who paid supreme in the service of our dear nation. Many of these heroes lost their lives in the North-east, three lost their lives in operation in other parts of the North and one died while serving on peace keeping mission with the United Nations Mission in Dafur, Sudan,” he stated.
“They were outstanding throughout their careers with much sense of responsibility, doggedness and commitment to duty and global peace. Let me say that for paying the supreme sacrifice, these courageous officers and soldiers have made all of us proud as Nigerians. Undeniably, the gallantry and high sense of functionality displayed by these gentlemen have contributed to the restoration of peace and normalcy to most parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly, the North-eastern part.
“It is, therefore, our resolve that the labour of these fallen heroes shall never be in vain. We will remain spurred by their zeal and gallant efforts to ensure that terrorism and insurgency are defeated so that our country can enjoy the much desired peace and progress,” the COAS stressed.
To families, he said; “For the families of the departed colleagues here, along with those whose wards have been buried earlier in accordance with Muslim rites, I know that no amount of compensation can replace the lives of these gallant heroes, we share with you all this moment of grief and we will do everything possible to assuage the sense of loss.
“Let me assure you that the Nigerian Army will ensure the next of kin of these deceased get all their deserved benefits and timely too. It is said that every soul shall taste death, these officers and soldiers have bound to mother earth, certainly, this is monumental loss to their families, the Nigerian Army and Armed Forces and other security agencies and our dear country, Nigeria. We take solace in the fact that they lost their lives in order that Nigerians and Nigeria will continue to enjoy peace and freedom.”
Earlier, the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, warned those who were bent on destabilising the country to beware of the Armed Forces readiness to ensure the peace and protection of the nation’s territorial integrity at all cost.
“While we take solace in the fact that their death will not be in vain, what we are doing here today is a warning signal to those terrorists and all persons seeking to destabilise and undermine the corporate existence and territorial integrity of Nigeria that Nigeria, especially our Armed Forces, are willing and capable of safeguiding the nation, even at the cost of their lives.
“To the families of our departed officers and soldiers, members of the Armed Forces and the entire nation share in your loss and grief. Be rest assured that the nation appreciates the great sacrifices of your loved ones. Their colleagues have assured us that they will ensure that their deaths are not in vain and they will continue with vigour to solve the problem at hand, especially the one that led to the loss of these gallant officers and soldiers.” he said.
Pastor Aliyu Joshua, who spoke on behalf of the bereaved families, thanked the Armed Forces for the honour accorded their loved ones but also called for investigations into the remote causes of the death.

THE SPECIAL ONE BEGINS :Jose Mourinho hints Manchester United risk putting themselves 'under pressure' if they delay Wayne Rooney transfer to Chelsea

Jose Mourinho warned today that one rival Premier League club would be left short of players and “under pressure” as Chelsea prepare to move on the Wayne Rooney saga with an increased bid for the Manchester United striker.

Asked about David Moyes' belief that even the big deals will be concluded late in the transfer window, Mourinho said that some clubs who lose players later on risk destroying the "balance" of their squads when the transfer window closes on 2 September. Chelsea are aware that United would sell for around £30m and are considering an improvement on their original £22m bid.
Mourinho, speaking at a press conference to welcome the club to Indonesia, the final leg of their tour of Asia, said: "It depends on the philosophy of each one. The sooner you have the players the better. You know the squad you have, you know what you have to work with, you have time for that. But, yes, he [Moyes] is right. The market is open until 2 September and many clubs are waiting to the last moment to make their decisions, and those decisions affect a number of other clubs.
"The one who sells has to go and buy, then they have to buy to replace, so no club is safe. Until the last minute, a club can go there and 'steal' a player. I don't mean steal a player, but steal the balance that a manager has when he's working with a team. In that aspect, we are ok because we don't have players to sell, so none of my players is leaving under any circumstances. Many teams will be under pressure until the last moment without knowing how the squad is going to be."
Chelsea play an Indonesia All Stars XI on Thursday at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium. Asked by a Jakarta-based reporter whether he was employing "mind games" against Moyes, Mourinho denied that was the case.
He said: "If to say my colleague in United is a great coach, deserves success, deserves time to work, didn't win trophies at Everton because it's difficult to win trophies there ... if that is playing mind games, what would you say if I spoke bad about him? The best thing is not to speak, and if I don't speak."

Confessions Seasons of Rape: Pastors, Others

Child defilement is becoming a source of concern in Benin-City, Edo State capital. It is even more worrisome when the act is carried out by supposedly men of God.

In the last few weeks, no fewer than five children have, allegedly, been defiled in Benin-City by men old enough to be their fathers. On Thursday,  Edo State Police Command paraded 32 suspected criminals, amongst them, three accused of defiling children. The suspects include  a pastor with the Deeper Life Bible Church, Abudu, Edo State, Eze Fidelis, who was said to have had carnal knowledge of two girls: Joy, 9, and Anthonia,11.

There is also the case of one Grace, 12, who was sent on an errand by her mother to get her a rechargeable lantern from a hall within their compound.  When the said girl failed to return after 30 minutes, the mother went in search of her, only to discover that one Segun Oteru,  42, was allegedly having carnal knowledge of her in the hall.

The woman raised the alarm which attracted members of the public while the suspect was arrested.

The incident happened on July 6. The following day,  one Saturday Cole, 35, and a co-tenant of the complainant (names withheld), allegedly lured the complainant’s daughter, identified as Mariam, 11, into his room and had a carnal knowledge of her. While the victim was coming out from the suspect’s room, her elder brother saw her and, on inquiry, discovered that the victim was not putting on her pants. The victim narrated her ordeal in the hands of the suspect. According to the victim, “uncle has always bought me things but I didn’t know he wanted to have anything with me. He forced me and removed my dress, I was shouting but he closed my mouth and forced his penis inside me”.

Suspected rapists, Segun Otaru and Pastor Fidelis Eze

On July 12, one Eugene Odozor, 46, allegedly took a 13-year-old girl, identified as Oluwabunmi,into his room and forced her to lie on his bed where she was said to have been defiled by the suspect. For Eze, the suspect in the September 11, 2013 alleged rape, luck ran out on him after one Joseph observed that his daughter Joy, 9, was not walking properly. While suspecting that the daughter may have been defiled, he invited her inside the room and threatened to deal with her if she refused to say the truth. The little girl allegedly that her pain started after she had sexual intercourse with the pastor. She further confessed that the pastor had intercourse with her friend, Anthonia, 11, too. Joy revealed that the unwholesome practice had been going on for about a year.

Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Adebanjo, who expressed worry over what he described as the increasing number of underage sex in the state, said the action of the suspects was wicked and they will face the wrath of the law.

Confessions
Pastor Eze confessed that he defiled both girls, Joy and Anthonia, saying he was possessed by evil spirit to commit the act. “I am really ashamed of myself particularly as a pastor. I have been a pastor at Deeper Life for over six years but I was tempted to defile the girls. They were always visiting me; so, on this particularly day, I defiled both of them. It was temptation.  I have a child. Joy brought Anthonia to my house. They were my church members. Their parents have left my church but we still leave close. I know their parents very well. They  come to collect wheel barrow from us.  Sometimes Joy will ask me for money to go to school. That particular day, I did not have money to give to her, so I asked her to go to school and come during break. It was during the break that she came in company of the other girl. I was tempted to defile both of them. They undressed and we all went to bed”.

Oteru, the 42-year-old who had sex with girl, 12, also narrated his story: “It happened that the woman employed me as her security guard. So there was this little girl working with the madam, but, whenever madam was not around, she would come to play with me. The girl is about 12 years old.

I was tempted to have sex with her on several occasions. I have a wife but I don’t have girl friend. The day we had sex, she told her madam that she wanted to go to the toilet, but she had informed me that she would come and use my phone because she was always playing games with my phone. I always assisted her in operating my handset.

Each time she came, she would sit on my lap.  That particular day, I was tempted to defile her. Unfortunately, the madam started looking for her and she entered my room and caught both of us making love”.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/why-we-defile-small-girls-pastor-others/#sthash.j3d0MlIH.dpuf

Amaechi's Exclusion: Serious Heat in PDP Polity

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has accused the PDP of being unrelenting in its determination to overheat the polity and set the country on fire, if that will satisfy one man’s personal ambition to hold on to power.

In a statement issued in Lagos ,Sunday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was left with no choice than to reach that conclusion after a faction of Rivers PDP reportedly loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan expelled the state Governor, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, at a time all people of goodwill were calling for a resolution of the lingering crisis.

It warned that the overzealous ruling party’s sole interest is power, without caring about the responsibility that goes with it, hence it must be checked through all constitutional means before it plunges the country into unmitigated chaos. 

ACN said while whatever transpired within the PDP is not its business, its (ACN’s) concerns stem from the dangerous impact that the Rivers crisis can have on the polity, especially its implication for the country’s fledgling democracy, to which most of the rabble-rousers in the ongoing crisis contributed nothing.

”Because of the danger their actions pose for our polity, we are concerned that these trouble-makers are hell bent on annihilating Gov. Amaechi. Those who have accused us of crying more than the bereaved do not get it. We are indeed the bereaved once anything happens that can torpedo our democracy and destroy our country. This is why we will also be unrelenting in calling on all Nigerians to call the puppets and puppeteers in Rivers to order.

”Needless to say, in the words of the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka: The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny,” the party said.

Hon Evan Bapakaye at Loggerheads with a Mobile Police Officer at the Rivers State House of Assembly during the Crisis that Rocked the House. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

It said the reason that Gov. Amaechi has been targeted by his all-powerful enemies, who have used national institutions – including the police – against him, are his strenuous defence of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), which he chairs; His battle for his state and its people over their oil well dispute with Bayelsa, which is in furtherance of his efforts to live up to his oath of office and constitutional responsibility, and his audacity in rejecting dictations from an unelected self-important personality on how he governs his state.

”It is no longer news that Gov. Amaechi, as the Chair of the NGF, exercised his mandate with dignity by fighting for true federalism, especially as it relates to the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). In the process, he ruffled some feathers. But those who are irked by his efforts should have known better than to stake the credibility of their high office on stopping, at all costs, Amaechi’s re-election.

”They also forget that state Governors are elected just like the President, that they are not subordinate to anyone and that nowhere in the constitution is it said that Governors must report to the President or agree with everything he proposes

”As for the allegation that the Rivers Governor failed to heed the instructions from high (though unelected) quarters that he MUST halt the demolition in Okrika, we leave Nigerians to judge whether somebody occupying a post that is unknown to the constitution can override one who is a creation of the constitution….regarding that person’s constitutional mandate. We leave it for Nigerians to determine whether a state Governor, who is the Chief Security Officer of his state, should have no say over the security of the state, just because an overbearing ‘political’ Police Commissioner has assumed extra-powers at the behest of his puppeteers!” ACN said.

The party again appealed to all people of goodwill not to keep silent while naked power is unleashed in Rivers state, warning that if the crisis spirals out of control, the entire country will be the victim.

”For us, this is not about politics. It is about the rule of law and the survival of our nation,” it said.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/amaechis-expulsion-pdp-overheating-polity-instigating-anarchy-acn/#sthash.YaDdEC6r.dpuf

LESSONS: 3 People You Need to Ignore Online

Here are 3 people to stay away from:

1. The Spectator

Do you know who the football coach never invites into the locker room for some advice during halftime? The spectators. The wide receiver never runs into the stand and asks for feedback from someone sitting in the 10th row.
Why? Because spectators aren’t on the field. They aren’t playing. They’re watching other people do it.
What does that mean for you? It means you need to ignore the person who hates your blog but doesn’t have their own. They’re just a spectator. Their hands aren’t dirty. Their knowledge has not been paid for with experience. Ignore them. Instead, get feedback from other bloggers, other people who are in the trenches where you are.
2. The Hater

It’s time to require the “squeaky wheel gets the oil” theory. For years it caused many of us to ignore the people who liked our dream in order to focus our energy on the people who hated it. (I call this theory, “Critic’s Math,” which is “1 insult + 1,000 compliments = 1 insult.” We have the ability to receive 1,000 compliments and ignore them in the face of 1 insult.)
The truth is, you should never waste time trying to turn someone who hates you into someone who likes you. Instead focus on turning people who like your dream into people who love your dream.
So how do you know who a hater is? Simple, someone who hates on something without a solution to make it better is a hater. If they don’t have a fix, an idea, a spark of improvement, they’re just there to hate. That’s one of the main differences between hate and feedback.
Feedback’s goal is to cause improvements. Hate’s goal is to cause wounds. Let them go.
3. The Complainer

A complainer is someone who won’t respond when you attempt to fix a problem. For example, let’s say you strongly disagree with something I wrote on my blog and I ask you a clarifying question. If you don’t respond, you’re a complainer.
If you respond, you’re a conversationalist and we can talk. That’s completely different. We can debate. We can go back and forth until we might even reach a resolution. That’s the beauty of the Internet, a simple question can clarify so many of the nuances that can be misinterpreted.

Cybercriminals Steal $45million From ATMs in 27 Countries

The U.S. Justice Department accused eight men of allegedly forming the New York-based cell of the organization, and said seven of them have been arrested. The eighth, allegedly a leader of the cell, was reported to have been murdered in the Dominican Republic on April 27.
The ringleaders are believed to be outside the United States but prosecutors declined to give details, citing the ongoing investigation. What’s clear is the sheer scope and speed of the crimes: in one of the attacks, in just over 10 hours, $40 million was raided from ATMs in 24 countries involving 36,000 transactions.
“In the place of guns and masks, this cyber crime organization used laptops and the Internet,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta Lynch said at a news conference. “Moving as swiftly as data over the Internet, the organization worked its way from the computer systems of international corporations to the streets of New York City.”
The case demonstrates the major threat that cyber crime poses to banks around the world. It also shows how increasingly international and sophisticated criminal gangs have become, particularly those using the Internet.
Prosecutors highlighted the “surgical precision” of these hackers, the global nature of their organization, and the speed and coordination with which they executed operations in 27 countries.
According to the complaint, the gang broke into the computers of two credit card processors, one in India in December 2012 and the other in the United States this February. The companies were not identified.
The hackers increased the available balance and withdrawal limits on prepaid MasterCard debit cards issued by Bank of Muscat of Oman, and National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah PSC (RAKBANK) of the United Arab Emirates, according to the complaint. They then distributed counterfeit debit cards to “cashers” around the world, enabling them to siphon millions of dollars from ATMs in a matter of hours.
In New York, for example, members of the cell fanned out into the city on the afternoon of February 19, armed with cards bearing a single Bank of Muscat account number. Ten hours later, they had completed 2,904 withdrawals for $2.4 million in all, the final transaction coming around 1:26 a.m., prosecutors said.
Casher crews in other countries were busy doing the same, pulling some $40 million from Bank of Muscat to add to the $5 million they stole from RAKBANK in December, according to the indictment. In total, cashers made some 40,500 withdrawals in 27 countries during the two coordinated incidents.
Prosecutors said the method of attack was known as “Unlimited Operations” in the cyber underworld.
Representatives for the two banks could not be reached for comment outside of regular business hours.
In a statement, Mastercard said it had cooperated with law enforcement in the investigation and stressed that its systems were not involved or compromised in the attacks.
In late February, Bank Muscat disclosed that it would take an impairment charge of up to 15 million rials ($39 million) because it had been defrauded overseas by 12 prepaid debit cards used for travel. That charge was equal to more than half of the 25 million rials profit it posted in its first quarter ended March 31.
HIGHLY SKILLED HACKERS
Cyber experts said they believe the operation likely required the work of several hundred people, at least several of whom were highly skilled hackers capable of devising ways to penetrate well-protected financial systems.
“Hackers only need to find one vulnerability to cause millions of dollars of damage,” said Mark Rasch, a former federal cyber crimes prosecutor, based in Bethesda, Maryland.
The group may have targeted Middle Eastern banks because they tend to allow customers to put much larger sums on cards and do not monitor them as closely as banks in other regions, said Shane Shook, global vice president of consulting for the security firm Cylance Inc.
“It’s a target-rich environment in terms of soft electronic security,” said Shook, an Arabic speaker who has spent more than a decade investigating cyber crimes.
The case is similar to one in 2009 that targeted the prepaid debit-card unit of Royal Bank of Scotland, which lost more than $9 million in less than 12 hours, said Jason Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor who supervised the Justice Department’s handling of that case.
That case was considered a watershed moment in cyber crime prosecutions at the time. “This dwarfs that case,” he said.
It is not clear if banks can seek to recover losses from card processors, legal experts said. Contracts usually have specific language governing the security protocols that must be in place, said Frederick Rivera, an attorney with Perkins Coie who specializes in financial services litigation.
If the processors failed to follow those requirements, they could be liable for the losses. If they had adequate security, however, the banks “could be left holding the bag,” Rivera said.
The banks might also be able to seek reimbursement under their insurance policies, many of which now have cyber crime provisions, or from the processors’ insurance carriers.
Weinstein also said that the processors could face regulatory scrutiny over whether they provided proper security.
The eight defendants – all U.S. citizens and residents of Yonkers, New York – were charged with withdrawing cash from the ATMs and transporting money, not hacking into the credit card processing firms or managing the operation.
The seven arrested are: Jael Mejia Collado, Joan Luis Minier Lara, Evan Jose Peña, Jose Familia Reyes, Elvis Rafael Rodriguez, Emir Yasser Yeje and Chung Yu-Holguin (known as “Chino El Abusador”). All except for Rodriguez were arraigned on Thursday and pleaded not guilty. Rodriguez’s attorney was unavailable. Only Pena has been released on bail.
The defendant who reportedly had been killed was Alberto Yusi Lajud-Peña, also known as “Prime” and “Albertico.” Lynch said it was unclear whether the murder was related to this case.
Prosecutors said cashers often laundered their proceeds by purchasing luxury goods, and sending a portion of the money back to the organization’s leaders.
Lynch said the New York gang kept roughly 20 percent of their takes, and sent the rest to the organizers. Authorities said they seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and bank accounts, as well as two Rolex watches and a Mercedes SUV, from the defendants.
Investigators said that they found an email exchange with an account associated with a criminal money laundering operation in St. Petersburg, Russia, describing wire transfers.
An investigation is ongoing to see if other cells are operating in the country, Lynch said, adding that U.S. law enforcement had worked with counterparts in Japan, Canada, Germany, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Belgium, France, United Kingdom, Latvia, Estonia, Thailand, and Malaysia to uncover the ring.
No individual bank accounts were compromised by the scheme, Lynch said.

NOLLYWOOD STAR ACTOR IKEM CHUDE WED'S IN LAGOS , WISH IN GOOD LUCK IN MARRIAGE

On Sunday 16th March 2013, Nollywood actor Ikem Chude married his heartthrob of many years, Chioma Peter Dike at the popular Dr. Fireman’s Church, Ketu Close off Brown Rd, Aguda Surulere, Lagos. They were joined in Holy Matrimony by Rev. Jesse, one of the top Pastors at the Ministry. The Reception also took place at the same venue. Many friends, fans and colleagues gathered to celebrate with him. MC Shakara, compered the event and he ensured that he entertained guests. The cake and food was handled by Fikky caterers, while music was supplied by the Church band.

The bride, currently an undergraduate of National Open University, where she is studying Environmental Resources Management, is equally a worker at the FireMan Church.

The groom, Ikem Chude who is one of the best Actors in the Nigeria Film Industry and has acted alongside A-List stars, left Nollywood to become a Pastor because he feels he needs to serve God better

PARENTS, LADIES ,; TAKE NOTE - SEE HOW THESE YOUNG NIGERIAN GIRLS WERE TURNED TO SEX SLAVES

In what appears like a recurrent cycle of shame, the men of Nigeria Immigration Services have foiled an attempt to export five Edo girls into slavery. The five teenagers and one boy were intercepted with a suspected human trafficker, simply identified as Stella Daniel, from Cross River State at Seme border as they were trying to enter neighbouring Republic of Benin enroute war-torn Republic of Mali.

The girls, Blessing, Abigael , Ella Ojo, Faith and Isabella and Lucky, the only boy, (other names withheld) had quietly absconded with Daniel to chase the proverbial Golden Fleece in Mali. They all claimed ignorance of the civil war in the country of their destination. For them, the attraction to work in a bar abroad was too tempting to ignore.

The promise of N30,000CFA, equivalent of N10,000 monthly, was more than enough consideration to ‘escape’ from the allure of love and care of their parents. They confessed to have sworn to on oath with their madam not to run away until they have fully refunded her through services to customers. However, the alertness of the eagle eyes men of Nigeria Immigration Service at the border post saved them from what appears like exportation into sex slavery in foreign land.

According to the Comproller of Immigration Services (CIS) at the border, Julius Ogbu, who explained the circumstances of the arrest of the girls and their madam to Crimewatch, the appearance of a woman and young girls of college age almost in the same age bracket aroused the suspicion of the officers. The suspicion of the officers was confirmed, when, upon interrogation, none of them had any traveling document while their destination also raised more curiosity.

“They said that were going to work in a restaurant for the trafficker. She said she recruited them from Nigeria. Incidentally, neither the trafficker nor any of the girls had traveling documents.“More curious was the fact that none of their parents was aware they were traveling outside the country. That was why we had to detain them and conducted further interrogation. By the time we put our facts together, we came to a conclusion that it was actually a case of human trafficking. Number one, no traveling document; number two, their parents and relatives were not aware that they were leaving the shore of this country.

“And their age is between 18 and 20. Only one of them is 22. That is the age they gave us in our records. They all claimed they were from Edo State. “By virtue of our training: you are trained to be a border patrol officer and patrol prepares you for jobs in mega routes while control officers are those you see in the main borders. You’re also trained to be very vigilant so that any movement that is suspicious, you apprehend, and interrogate and then you refer.

“At the end of the day, you come into a conclusion. So, on this night when they came out of the bus, it aroused the suspicion of our men. The driver and the bus are still being detained because we have not been able to ascertain if they are culpable or not. We want to know if they boarded the vehicle as just routing passengers or not. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), the agency responsible for cases of human trafficking will be able to give their verdict along that line after we have handed them over to them.

“We always warn the transporters to be careful of strange movements. If you have five young girls, traveling with a woman and you could easily infer they are not her children, then you should be suspicious. Ours is to apprehend and hand the suspects to NAPTIP. By the time they conclude their investigation they will assist those girls to re-unite with their families while the trafficker will face prosecution,” he said.

While our reporter was still at the border with the officers, mother of one of the girls, Mrs Oforue Imagbosoria, came in tears all the way Edo from Benin State, in search of her daughter, who she claimed had disappeared since penultimate Sunday. She said her daughter called her on GSM and apologised for her conduct.
Her words: “My daughter just called me yesterday and informed me that she had been arrested. She just called me and said, ‘Mummy, I beg you to forgive me; they don catch me for road.’ I asked her, where you dey go my pikin? She said she dey Lagos. She said it was a woman from Cross River State that carried her to swear juju because she wanted to carry her travel abroad.

She explained that her daughter disclosed that she and her friends were at Seme border. “So, that was how I came from Benin,” she stressed. According to her, Abigael’s action was very strange because she had been well catered for by her parents.

“We made sure she does not lack anything. She said it was her friends that introduced her to the woman,” she said.
The alleged trafficker in a chat with our reporter, however, insisted that the decision to take the girls to the foreign country was motivated by compassion and pity. “Although I needed one girl and one boy to work in my restaurant and bar in Mali, I decided to take others along out of pity and from what they told me,” she said.
Madam Daniel, who claimed to have spent three and half years in Mali where she has a boyfriend, who she has a daughter for, said she planned to accommodate the girls in her apartment and that she promised to pay them N10,000 each every months as remuneration.

She confessed that she did not obtain any document to facilitate their traveling since the route is familiar to her. “I myself, I don’t have any paper because I do not know that I need to collect papers to travel,” she said.
She spoke on how she recruited the girls: “When I came for Easter, I told them where I was staying in Benin that I needed one boy and one girl to take along with me when I’m returning to Mali. My plan was that the boy would be operating the bar while the girl would take care of the restaurant.

So, they brought a girl and a boy to me.
“However, others started coming and said they must follow me. One of them said she was an orphan, two others joined us and started crying that they had nobody to support them. I told them, I didn’t have enough money but they were crying. So, I decided to help them. This one (pointing to one of the girls) came on Sunday morning, the day we wanted to leave Benin. She was crying.

She said she must follow us. I told her that I didn’t have enough money to take us to Mali but if we get to Cotonou, I could make phone call so that they would send money to us. I asked her to go and bring her parents because I could not take anybody away without the consent of her parents, who must also stand as surety. The one that said she didn’t have parents, I asked her to bring her sisters or any close relation.

“Now, in the morning we found this one (Abigael) waiting outside, crying that she must follow us. When I asked her to go and bring her parents, she said no. That was how they started crying. They said that life is tough for them because they don’t have any care from their parents.

It was the way they explained their plight to me that made me to accept them.”

I can’t break my head for love – Naomi Emmanuel, actress

Wherever she steps out, her fashion sense attracts attention. Even in school, they will never let her be. Fast rising actress Naomi Ihemelu in the make-believe, recently change her name to Naomi Emmanuel. According to the sexy actress cum model, she is yet to have a challenged movie in her record, but has carved a niche from one of the popular episodes of a TV series “Clinic Matter” where she acted as Titi.
Born and bred in Lagos State, the final year student of History and International relations in Lagos State University and the actress from Anambra tells Saturday Sun that she can bare it all in the name of movies and her love for fashion.
What are you working on?
I am shooting a movie right now and I still have a deal with Tinsel. I will soon go into production which will go across West Africa. It will be a cinema standard.
How do you cope as a student and actress?
Right now, I am in my final year in Lagos State University studying History and International Relations.
As a student you have to be fashion conscious because everybody wants to look up to you. In school I am very popular, everybody knows me. It has not been easy. Everywhere my “name”, Nurse Titi echoes from left to right. I shouldn’t bring down with my fashion sense. I am aiming up, giving them new styles when I going to school every day, new dresses, new shoes, looking smart all the time. I am not to impress anybody.
How did you get into the industry?
I joined movie industry before I gained admission into the university after my high school. I have the flair for acting even while I was still in secondary school. Then I used to participate in church drama and activities. When I finished my secondary school I told my mum that I want to go further in acting and she agreed as far as that is what I wanted to do. I took a bold step to national theatre where I got myself fully registered. With little connection I have, some colleagues give me update on the audition going on the city.
I started attending auditions. That was in 2007.
What brought you to limelight?
Clinic Matters brought me into limelight in 2009. When we had an audition for a soap opera, there were so many upcoming actors; it was tough because we were more than 400 girls, only three girls were needed. There were people who are tall, fair, different structure, very beautiful, the intimidation was much. I trusted in God because I had attended an audition eventually I didn’t do the job. So I felt it is one those things, but I didn’t know that God was saying that this is time for me.
At the end the audition I was among the three persons that were picked. That was Theresa and Nurse Abigail. I was to play Titi and when it went on air it was so interesting that I couldn’t pass my street and in the public. People started calling me Nurse Titi until date.
I thank God that Clinic Matters brought me to limelight and I am still forging ahead.
Why did you change your surname recently?
In our family we are large and others do change their names. we decided to bear our father’s name, Emmanuel, as a surname in place of Ihemelu. For now my new name is Naomi Emmanuel.
What was your parents reaction when you joined movie industry?
At the initial stage my Dad was not just comfortable, not that he didn’t support it, he wasn’t just comfortable. It is normal in those days parents wanted their children to be a doctor, lawyer or something big. If you go below that it means you are a spoilt child or you’re not valuable. My Dad wasn’t comfortable about it, but my Mum was fully in support of it. Then she wouldn’t say much things.
She would encourage and give me transport money. It was because of my aunt in the industry who is doing well at that time that made my father to give in. I am glad that today all my family are happy for me and they want me to do more in the industry including my dad.
How many are you in the family?
There are five girls and one boy I am the last child.
Tell us about your growing up.
I grew up in boarding school. I schooled at Federal Govt College Ikorodu, Lagos. So I grew up in Lagos. I grew up among different kinds of people, different background, home, upbringing, and growing up in the hostel I think, is the best thing that would ever happen to anybody in life. When you go to boarding school you must be smart, intelligent; you are going to learn different things.
I am a Christian today but I know how to pray in Islam. So growing up wasn’t too challenging but I know that I learnt a lot of things. Then in school I never thought I am going to be an actress, but I knew I love entertainment. I knew that I love socializing to the extent that they made me the social prefect of my school.
What were your early challenges as an actress?
I have had many challenges, jumping from one place to another. It wasn’t easy.
The audition is very hectic, keeping late nights which I don’t like and at the end of the day you can never tell whether you would get the role. I think another challenge I had was when you eventually get a script, you go home, work on the script but the next thing you see is that the same movie is out without them informing you.
I thank God it’s not happening anymore.
Can anything make you give up acting?
I don’t think so. Nothing. Which part of your body do you consider the sexiest? I think it is my smile, once they look at my face they would always say that I ‘m smiling. I heard that it is not always good because people hardly know when you are sad. They will always keep complimenting you even when you are sad. I think that smile and my legs are my selling points.
People like my legs especially when I am on heels. I think I have this carriage, the way I walk. People fancy me because of who I am and the way I carry myself and the kind of things I do despite I am not all that tall. Also, they fancy me because of the kind of movies I do. I have a large fan base. Most times they tell me they like the way I dress, package myself and the role I play in the movie.
What inspired you into acting?
It takes me good money.
You have to spend good money to look good. I spent a lot when it comes to fashion. It is just me. Right from time I have always loved neatness and looking smart. I appreciate people when I see them on Television or Newspapers looking smart and clean. I love fashion a lot. Even at 100 years, I want to look good. When you see Naomi Emmanuel, that is fashion for you.
Does fashion have anything to do with earning you a role in Clinic Matters?
Not everybody can wear white from morning till evening without staining it. During shooting we put it on from dawn to dusk despite the fact that you might be sweating.
That is one of our director’s critera to choose his cast. I think he saw that in me with other “nurses”. So neatness to Clinic Matters go together from beginning till end. You are flaunting an engagement ring.
Are you getting married?
These are fashion rings, nothing much. I am not engaged. I am still single.
Does that mean that men don’t toast you again?
They are plenty on my list, they keep knocking on my door, but I know if I get any man now I could get distracted. I wouldn’t say I am searching because I am so focused with my job. I won’t have time to hang around with men here and there. It is going to be a distraction to me which I really do not want right now. So I am single, but I am just focused. I am too busy to have extra headache.
I am not saying guys are headache, but I am saying that for now no man is in my life because I don’t need any distractions. Maybe, probably when I graduate from university I will accept one.
Lesbianism in the industry: Have you had any encounter?
Not at all, I am not and I will never be. God forbids that nonsense. I totally don’t support it. God doesn’t approve it. Don’t you believe in love? Of course I do. Love is a strong thing and I believe in it.
Who is your ideal man?
He must be God fearing, tall, dark, humble, handsome and capable enough to take care of me. I would like him to give me attention. I don’t need a noise maker. I need a man who can connect with my vision and dreams.
Do they pamper you as a last child?
Not just pampered, I was well caltured because I get advice from my four elder sisters. So I ‘m able to handle these approaches from men. Thank God I don’t even have time for any silly thing because immediately I left high school, I went into acting. I was struggling in acting, school and modeling.
I really don’t have time for all these things at all. Who taught you how to be fashionable? I grew up with it; my mum is a fashionable person. She loves fashion and she salls pure gold accessories. With this my four sisters and I grew up wearing gold from our little age. I got gold on my ears, necklace both white and pure gold, ankle chain, wrist watches are all gold.
So, these things drove fashion soul to me and by the time my elder sisters are all dressing up I want to do it. So my growing up and getting into entertainment industry all contributed to my being fashionable because when you go out for shows and events, you just have to be fashionable. Again, my own kind of modeling is photography.
How do you cope with all these activities?
It’s God because before I do anything I have to go on my knees. For the fact that I am focused and I know what I am aiming at, if I get a little distraction, I lose focus. I am managing my time because any little time I have I still go back home, do my house chores.
What crazy thing has a fan done to you?
I have this crazy fan that any time I go to my fan facebook database, all I see is airtime. He keeps sending and I said thank you, don’t send any more. I appreciate it, but he keeps sending and asking for my phone number.
I can’t give them my number. I don’t have to impress everybody, I will do my best. Sex for role in the industry, have you ever experienced it? No! I have never had any experience because I am good at what I do. I think people who are getting this thing are those who are not good in what they do.
If you catch your man with another woman, would you fight to get him back?
Capital No! Never, if I catch him with another woman that means he wants to belong there.
He can go, I can fight for my man when it is right, but not when you dabble with another woman and you still expect me to come and fight for you, no!. I can’t fight for love, another man will always come. When one door closes another will definitely open. I can’t break my head for love.
What is your take on porn movies in the Nollywood?
It will not encourage the youths, and I can never be part of it. Why should we act such? African culture doesn’t allow that.
What are you doing lately?
I went to France precisely Paris for the Nigeria fashion reception which was held last month in Wallem Sagrem, Paris, hosted and organised by Lexy Mojo Eyes of Legendary Gold limited. About 16 fashion designers came from 16 different African countries to showcase their designs. I was invited as a guest actress along side some other few selected actors.
It is a fashion show in Europe to promote African fashion and style. Some great personalities who were in attendance were her Excellency, First lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, Bola Momodu, Mamuzee, Aisha Babangida among others

SUN