Corps members pull out of polls in Delta

Some youth corps members, who served as INEC ad- hoc staff in Delta State during the March 28 presidential and the National Assembly elections, have pulled of Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly election citing threat to life. The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Anidi Ikowak, in an interview with journalists on Thursday, said an unspecified number of corps members had written to the National Youth Service Corps to say they would not participate for fear that violent may erupt in some parts of the state during the elections. Ikowak said an arrangement was already being made to replace the corps members with INEC staff or officials of some other federal agencies. Ikowak said, “We cannot really say the number of the corps members who don’t want to participate in the election because they don’t write to us. They wrote to the NYSC, and then the NYSC wrote to us that in so and so areas there are corps members who said they will not participate because of threat to life. What we do in instances like this is to look at such areas and deploy INEC staff or staff of other federal agencies to go there and work in their place.” Meanwhile, transportation of electoral material to local government areas started on Thursday. Several vehicles were seen transporting these materials while some others were being sorted out at the INEC office in Asaba. The REC said the commission was ready and on course with its target of ensuring credible, free and fair elections. He said, “Since morning, I’ve been endorsing result sheets. I’ve also ordered the electoral officers to endorse materials going into the field. This is just so that the electorate will have confidence in the process. “In terms of logistics we have made arrangement with the drivers directly. We need about 1200 vehicles. We have agreed that all the vehicles must report tomorrow (Friday) morning. We have also set some people to monitor the local governments to see the number of vehicles that will report at each of them. “The last election, we did not conduct it 100 per cent from the RACs. This time round we want to make sure that by Friday evening, there will be nothing left outside the RACs. That way it would be easy to commence elections by 8am on Saturday. That is our target and so far we are on course.” The REC added that the Delta Central senatorial election that was declared inconclusive will not be held on April 11 due to inadequate manpower in the affected area. He said a new date will be announced for it. He, however, said the Ethiope Federal Constituency election will hold alongside the governorship and state House of Assembly election on Saturday.

Two non-indigenes contest Lagos Assembly seats

At least two non-indigenes will contest the Lagos State House of Assembly seats on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday. The candidates are Emeka Idimogu (Oshodi/Isolo constituency 2) and Robert Obhafuoso (Ikeja constituency 1). The state assembly has 40 seats and are currently being occupied by the All Progressives Congress. It was learnt that Obhafuoso, who is originally from Edo State, will contest against Jimi Lai-Mohammed, the son of the National Publicity Secretary of the APC. In the March 28 election in Lagos, two Igbo and one Delta State indigene won House of Representatives seats in Amuwo Odofin, Oshodi/Isolo and Ajeromi/Ifelodun federal constituencies. They are Rita Orji (Ajeromi Ifelodun), Tony Nwulu (Oshodi/Isolo 2) and Oghene Egboh (Amuwo Odofin) The PDP said it decided to give the non-indigenes seats in order to give them a sense of belonging in Lagos. A former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, said areas that have large non-indigene populations had the right to be represented by their own people rather than Yoruba.

Ambode: Outrage over Akiolu’s death threat against Igbo

Various organisations in the country have expressed outrage over the threat by Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, against Igbo if they fail to vote for the Lagos State All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in Saturday’s election. The monarch reportedly told Igbo leaders in Lagos on Saturday that he would “make life unbearable” for the Igbos in Lagos if they frustrate efforts to ensure that Am¬bode emerges as the next governor of the state. Oba Akiolu was quoted as saying, “On Saturday, if anyone of you goes against Ambode, whom I picked, that is your end. If it does not happen within seven days, just know that I am a bastard and it is not my father who gave birth to me. “By the grace of God, I am the owner of Lagos for the time being. On Saturday, if anyone of you, I swear in the name of God, goes against my wish that Ambode will be the next governor of Lagos State, the person is going to die in¬side this water.” Among those that have called out the monarch are the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria and the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo. While the CCFN asked Oba Akiolu to revert his “curse” on the Igbos, the Ohanaeze youths gave the monarch 48 hours to withdraw his threat and apologise for his outburst against the Igbos. CCFN, an organ of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, on Monday in Abuja said Akiolu was “missing the point that Nigeria is a Republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.” He said, “We humbly call on the Oba himself to withdraw his curse and rather appeal to the people, for indeed, such a threat may amount to playing God and God, who is a merciful father, will not allow his children to die so senselessly just because they are fulfilling the dictates of their conscience.” Listen to him: According to him, the fact that APC is the government at the centre is a strong factor to employ and appeal to people to vote for its candidate “rather than invoking ancestral powers for destruction.” Bassey added, “Why is it that in Africa we usually invoke our powers for destruction and not for building-up? Why single out a particular ethnic group for this curse? Does it mean a Yoruba or Hausa person, living in Lagos. who votes for Jimi Agbaje will go scot-free, while any Igbo, who votes for Agbaje, will drown in the Lagoon? “Does it mean that people should vote out of fear and not their consciences? Would such an election be free and fair, where people have to vote out of intimidation? Does not the threat of the Oba Akiolu amount to voter intimidation?” The Ohanaeze youth wing said it considered the comments credited to the monarch as “a despicable insult on the Igbo nation home and abroad, least expected of a royal father in the rank of Oba of Lagos.” In a statement in Umuahia on Monday, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said, “Igbo youths will not take this insult lightly, and unless he apologises within 48 hours, he should know he is courting our wrath. “Nobody, no matter what he thinks he is, has the right to command Ndigbo anywhere on who to vote for in a democratic setting.” He said the “unprintable comments”, credited to the Oba, had only revealed his innate hatred against “Ndigbo, whom God has destined to prosper in any part of the world even in hostile environments.” He, called on security agencies to immediately invite the monarch for questioning over his remarks “which portend grave security implications.”

Is Easter still about religion for most?

A large, feathery Easter egg stands in the middle of a small street in a shopping area in north London. Beneath it is an Easter message: "This egg is to remind people to shop at independent retailers". I had thought that it might be to remind people of the other message of Easter - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, for example, which churches across the country will be marking on Sunday. But the message of shopping appears to be the louder one, with the magazine Retail Week announcing the glad tidings that footfall at shopping centres, retail parks and high streets will surge almost 5% over the Easter weekend "as shoppers splurge their payday cash". It's not clear whether footfall at churches across the country will also surge by the same amount, although Christmas and Easter services continue to attract higher numbers than most weeks. Some 1.3m people in the UK attended Easter Church of England services alone in 2013 - compared to 2.5m for Christmas. For many years now, leading church figures have bemoaned the fact that in a country that is still officially Christian, with almost 60% of people identifying themselves as such in the 2011 census (although far fewer actually attend church services, or believe in God), the religious message of Easter has been drowned out by the secular festival of chocolate and shopping being celebrated at supermarkets across the country. Supermarkets accused This year, some large supermarket chains were accused of being positively "anti-religious", because they refused to stock chocolate Easter eggs with an overtly Christian message - on the grounds that they had not sold well enough in previous years. One supermarket chain buyer apparently asked the company that supplies the eggs, the Meaningful Chocolate Company, what Easter had to do with the Church. It was a story that left many church leaders deeply saddened, and agonising over how such a key time in the Christian calendar has apparently lost so much of its religious meaning. A few years ago, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, in his Easter Sunday sermon, expressed his regret that nearly a third of British children in one survey said they thought that Easter marked the birth of the Easter bunny, while over half had no idea of its religious significance. Confectionary remains as popular as ever It wasn't a question that would have puzzled an older generation in the UK, many of whom remember with nostalgia the Easters of their childhood. Going to church on Easter Sunday might have been seen as a little dull, but it brought many families and communities together. What was the religious make up of England and Wales in the 2011 census? Christian: 33.2m (59%, down 12% from 2001) Muslim: 2.7m (5%, up 2% from 2001) No religion: 14.1m (25%, up 10% from 2001) For the children born during the war, chocolate remained a rare treat - with Easter all the more memorable for it. The Easter egg hunt remains a highlight for many children today, but in a period of relative plenty for many people in the west, chocolate and new clothes are no longer a "special" treat, but a more frequent indulgence. Influence of God And God appears to have little place in the lives of many young adults today. A YouGov poll on social attitudes among 18-24 year olds in Great Britain in June 2013 found that of the over 900 polled, parents (82%), friends (77%), politicians (38%), brands (32%) and celebrities (21%) were more important influences over them than religious leaders, who came in last with 12%. Just 25% of those who responded said they believed in God, 19% in a higher spiritual power, while 18% didn't know, and 38% said they didn't believe in any God or higher spiritual power. Yet the one aspect of Easter that some have begun to embrace with increasing enthusiasm in recent years, even if only anecdotally, is Lent - not so much in its original form of a spiritual fast, or giving up meat, but using the weeks leading up to Easter as the chance to give up chocolate, alcohol or smoking. Yoga provides a spiritual outlet for some Perhaps Lent is now seen by some as a secular opportunity to cleanse the body from daily abundance, if not the soul. Yet while many of us may be able to sate our hunger for treats more often than in earlier decades, and the majority in the UK are either avowedly not religious or far less religious than in previous decades, there is a hunger that remains. It is a hunger for some kind of meaning in life, above and beyond the materialistic. From the growing popularity of humanism and mindfulness, of non-religious "Sunday services" or "kabbalah", and the enduring popularity of yoga, not to mention the growth of some of the non-established churches, and books such as Alain de Botton's 'Religion for Atheists', many in the west are clearly still searching for the answer to the question "why are we here?", even if they no longer believe the answer lies in organised religion. The new organisations and individuals offering answers could perhaps be seen as the "independent retailers" in this market for higher meaning, as the former established retailers of the Christian Church in the UK lose worshippers, albeit more gradually than the steep decline of previous decades. However, the only certainty that some families may feel about the meaning of Easter in the coming days is that whatever the question, the answer is not more chocolate.

Presidential poll: Jonathan, Nigeria’s sacrificial lamb —Kumuyi

President Goodluck Jonathan’s singular act of conceding defeat to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in a peaceful way saved Nigeria from political violence, loss of lives and property, thereby placing himself as the sacrificial lamb for peace to reign in Nigeria. This statement was made by the Church secretary, Deeper Life Christian Ministry, Pastor Segun Asemota who represented the General Superintendent of the Church, Pastor Williams Kumuyi. Kumuyi while delivering the church annual Easter message to newsmen said that the church remains grateful to President Jonathan for his humility and conduct, before, during and after the presidential poll. “We as a Church join millions of Nigerians, home and abroad to commend President Jonathan for his love and sacrifice for the nation. According to Pastor Kumuyi , this individual and selfless statesmanship act has put President Jonathan’s name in the annals of Nigeria and world history as the first Nigerian president ever to concede defeat, accept and congratulate his opponent, even before the announcement of the results. Pastor Kumuyi also charged the president -elect, General Buhari to live up to his promises and face the responsibility of delivering the needed dividend of democracy to Nigerians in no distant time. especially in the areas of security and corruption. He also advised the President- elect to be ready to make sacrifice for his nation as well as emulate the democratic and statesmanship nature of President Jonathan. The Church wish to pray for the smooth transition of power from the incumbent President Jonathan to the President- elect, General Muhamadu Buhari come May 29th. In his Easter Message he advice Christian to benefit from the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ by dying on the cross for us which is the theme of the church Easter Retreat “ The Power of the Cross” We as Christian can live a meaningful life if we live a life of victory without sin. this according to him can be achieved if Christians learn to be contented with what God has given to them.

I’ll speak at the right time, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday promised to break his silence on his experience in office and other sundry issues at the appropriate time. He however did not give any indication on when the appropriate time would be. Jonathan made the promise when State House correspondents approached him for interview at the end of the Good Friday Service organised by the Aso Villa Chapel. “Don’t worry, I will talk to you at the appropriate time,” the President said amidst smile as he made his way from the chapel to his official residence. He was accompanied to the about three-hour service that featured the Seven Words of Christ on the Cross by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State; and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christians Pilgrims Commission, Mr. John-Kennedy Okpara. The seven short exhortations that accompanied the seven lessons all centred on the sacrifice the preachers said Jonathan made to keep the county united. They likened his decision to concede defeat in last Saturday’s presidential election and congratulate the President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of the All Progressives Congress, to the sacrifice Jesus Christ made to safe mankind. All the preachers agreed that that bold step, taken by the President at the appropriate time, was commendable. They urged him to remain focus because his future is in the hands of God. “This man (Jonathan) said here that he is the most criticised President and he prophesied that by the time he will be leaving, he will be the most celebrated President. That has come to pass with the way he is being celebrated worldwide for conceding defeat,” one of the clergymen, who led intercessory prayers, said. The service also featured renditions of special hymns as well as intercessory prayers for the President, for peace and for the country at large. Apart from Dickson and Okpara, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Joan Ayo; Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Ima Niboro; and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, also attended the service. Wife of the President, Patience; and his mother, Eunice, were however absent. Both of them had hitherto been accompanying Jonathan to such service. The service saw only the first three rows of both sides of the chapel occupied by worshippers.

Anti - Venom Against Deadly Snake Bites Coming

A new anti-venom to treat victims of potentially deadly snake bites in sub-Saharan Africa is just a few years away from reality, according to scientists at the Liverpool school of Tropical Medicine (LSTM). They aim to create a potent new anti-venom that can be stored safely at room temperature, without the need for refrigerator. Dr. Robert Harrison is leading the research at LSTM’s Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit, where he has collected 21 species-450 animals in total- of sub-Saharan Africa’s most deadly snakes. Harrison and his team have been extracting venom from the reptiles, using a process known as ‘milking’, to concoct a new anti-venom that he hopes will prevent the deaths and severe injuries of snake bite victims. Anti-venom are made by first ‘milking’ the venom from a snake before injecting it in low doses into a horse or sheep. The animal doesn’t become ill, but the venom induces an immune response that produces anti- bodies in the animal. These anti-bodies are then extracted from the animal’s blood to create anti-venom. In rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa where people are exposed to various species of deadly snakes, the current treatment involves a broad-spectrum anti-venom to cover all the snake species that could be responsible. But the current method for producing anti- venom means the animals make only a small amount of anti-body to any one species; resulting in a weak anti-venom. Patients are therefore having to be treated with multiple vials; carrying an increased risk of side effects and making the treatment largely unaffordable to rural subsistence farmers. According to the UK’s Medical Research Council, a single vial of the most effective broad-spectrum anti-venom currently costs about $140 USD per vial, and because several vials are needed to achieve a cure it can cost over $500 USD per treatment; an insurmountable cost for people who often earn less than $1 USD a day. However, the research team at LSTM plans to vastly improve the potency of broad-spectrum anti-venom using an innovative new technique they have dubbed ‘antivenomics’, which targets unique proteins in a particular snake species’ venom. This, they say, will significantly expand the effectiveness of the anti-venom to cover all the poisonous snakes of sub-Saharan Africa. The anti-venom will be manufactured using a more cost-effective system developed in Costa Rica, reducing cost by up to three quarters and making it more affordable to rural African communities. The current need for anti-venoms to be refrigerated throughout their manufacture and storage is a further limitation that they hope to overcome. Harrison’s team plans to test a series of special molecules added to the anti-venom during creation to increase its stability at ambient temperatures, with the aim of it still being effective after at least a year stored at room temperature.