100 world leaders in South Africa for Mandela funeral

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – South Africa struggled Monday to meet the unprecedented logistical challenge of hosting close to 100 world leaders flying in from every corner of the globe for the state funeral of freedom icon Nelson Mandela.
"The world literally is coming to South Africa," said the government's head of public diplomacy, Clayson Monyela.
"I don't think it has ever happened before," Monyela said of the wave of 91 leaders, including US President Barack Obama, bearing down on the country.

Nelson Mandela
Many will join the 80,000 people expected to cram Tuesday into the FNB stadium in Soweto to take part in a grand memorial service for their inspirational first black president.
Reflecting the depth and breadth of Mandela's popularity, the event will see political foes Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro share the same stage in paying tribute to one of the towering political figures of the 20th century.
South African President Jacob Zuma will make the keynote address, and other speakers will include UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.
Four of Mandela's adored grandchildren will speak for his family, while neither his widow, Graca Machel, nor his ex-wife Winne Madikizela-Mandela are listed on the programme.
The memorial service, in the venue where Mandela made his last major public appearance for the 2010 World Cup final, is seen as a final chance for grieving South Africans to unite in a mass celebration of his life ahead of the more formal state funeral.
Some 120,000 people will be able to watch the event on giant screens set up in three overflow stadiums in Johannesburg.
'You are never prepared enough'
Although Mandela had been critically ill for months, the announcement of his death on Thursday night still rocked a country that had looked to his unassailable moral authority as a comforting constant in a time of uncertain social and economic change.
"I don't think you are ever prepared enough," said Zelda la Grange, who was Mandela's long-time personal assistant both during and after his presidency.
"We had prepared ourselves emotionally but still we are overcome by this feeling of loss and sadness," La Grange said.
A single candle was lit in Mandela's tiny prison cell on Robben Island, where he spent the harshest of his 27 years in apartheid jails, before emerging to lead his country out of the shadow of apartheid into a multi-racial democracy.
The week-long observances will culminate Sunday in Mandela's burial at a family plot in his boyhood home of Qunu in the Eastern Cape.
The government has sought to dissuade A-list dignitaries from attending, citing Qunu's rural location, the lack of amenities and limited space.
Ahead of the burial, Mandela's body will lie in state for three days from Wednesday in the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings in Pretoria where he was sworn in as president in 1994.
Each morning, his coffin will be borne through the streets of the capital in a funeral cortege, to give as many people as possible the chance to pay their final respects.
11,000 troops mobilised
Around 11,000 troops have been mobilised to ensure security and help with crowd control.
Despite the sudden influx of international dignitaries and the compressed preparation time, National Police spokesman Solomon Makgale insisted that the security apparatus could cope.
"Having so many heads of state is not a security headache for us. We've learned over the years," Makgale said, adding that they would be "working closely" with the foreign leaders' own security details.
As well as Obama and three previous occupants of the White House, British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and Afghan President Hamid Karzai were all on the guest list.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was among the first to arrive, visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg where he paid handsome tribute to a "giant for justice" whose "mighty life" touched millions.
Parliament met in special session Monday, with MPs carrying single red roses as they entered the assembly building that was flanked by giant portraits of Mandela in tribal dress and as an elder statesman.
Opposition leader Helen Zille said every politician had a duty to carry forward Mandela's ideals of justice and equality for all.
"He has handed the baton to us and we dare not drop it," Zille said.
Africa will be represented at the funeral by Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan and more than a dozen other heads of state and government.
Notable absentees include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cited high travel and security costs, and Mandela's fellow Nobel peace laureate, the Dalai Lama, who since 2009 has twice been denied a visa for South Africa.
Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey and singer-activist Bono, as well as British billionaire Richard Branson and musician Peter Gabriel were expected to be among the celebrity mourners.
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Fan kills self over United loss

A Kenyan fan unable to cope with Manchester United's loss to Newcastle United committed suicide over the weekend, according to police.
John Macharia, 28, plunged to his death from a multi-storey apartment block in the capital, Nairobi.
This followed United's 1-0, their second home defeat in four days.
 
Newcastle's first win at Old Trafford since February 1972 means the reigning champions are now 13 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
"Macharia jumped from seventh floor of an apartment at Pipeline Estate after realising that his team Manchester United lost 1-0 to Newcastle at Old Trafford and committed suicide," said Nairobi's County Police Commander Benson Kibui.
Macharia's death is reminiscent of the suicide by a Kenyan Arsenal fan in 2009. Suleiman Omondi, 29, was found hanging in his flat after the Gunners were trounced 3-1 by Manchester United in the second leg of a Champions League semi-final.
Kibui urged football-obsessed Kenyan fans to support local teams rather than foreign clubs who do not have a link to the east African nation.
"The football fans should enjoy the matches… but they should not commit suicide since life is very precious," Kibui added.

www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/fan-kills-self-united-loss/
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Nelson Mandela Memorial Service In Abuja (Pictures)

A memorial service was held today in honour of Late Nelson Mandela at Aso Rock Chapel, Abuja. Here are pictures from the service.
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FG Bans Fish Importation

The federal government may have made good its plan to ban importation of fish and other food products into the country.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the federal government has stopped importation of fish into the country since October 31 this year.

A concessionaire of a leading fish terminal in Apapa Port told our correspondent in an exclusive interview that the terminal and other terminals have stopped receiving fish product cargoes, which Bill of Laden were dated later than October 31, as they have been directed to do so by the federal government.

The General Manager, Port Operations, ENL Consortium, Mr Mark Walsh, said the new fish policy had now added to such others as the ban on cement and rice, which had seen the terminal losing up to 800,000 tons of rice in about 10 months.

He said: "The government banned fish importation since October 31 this year. Before we were doing 20,000 tons of fish every month, but now, that is gone. Any bill of laden after that date cannot be brought to Nigeria. What we have coming in now are those imports with earlier bills of laden dated before October 31.

"I talked to a lot of the fish association and they have said that by the end of December, there will not be fish in the cold rooms. So it is a serious situation because it will affect everybody in the country."

The ban on fish came barely three months after the Agriculture Minister, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, disclosed at the inauguration of the Special Growth Enhancement Support Scheme for fisheries and the aquaculture value chain in Ado-Ekiti on August 6, that the federal government would soon place a total ban on the importation of fish and other aquatic consumables.

The federal government in recent times appears to have intensified its zeal to discourage importation of certain goods that can be produced locally, including food products such as rice, chicken and fish; and automobiles such as cars and buses in order to improve local production of the products.

According to figures provided by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, between 2010 and 2012 Nigeria imported an average of 780,000 metric tonnes of frozen fish annually from Europe, Latin America and Eastern countries, worth about N100 billion.

With annual fish demand estimated at 2.66 million metric tons (MMT), Nigeria currently produces about 0.78MMT leaving a demand-supply gap of about 1.8MMT.

Regrettably, the shortfall of fish supply in the country had led to a low annual per capita fish consumption rate of only 7.5 kilogrammes as against 15 kilogrammes per annum recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

It is expected that increase in national fish production would not only diversify the country's resources base, but also complement efforts aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The government also expects production of 4.0MMT annually from its fish production programme, which could conveniently meet the national demand of 2.66MMT, as well as generate considerable export earnings, provided adequate and effective policies were put in place to drive the industry.

But most Nigerians are of the opinion that the steps are good ones taken before the right time.

"It may not be totally ideal to stop fish for now, but placing a ban on some kinds of fish such as Croaker will be fine because Croaker is a tropical fish and we have enough of them in our waters," said a fish vessel controller at Blueseas Marine, who preferred not to be mentioned.

"From the ban on cement to the increase in the tariffs on rice and now fish is no longer coming in, it has been very difficult. We have lost up to 800,000 tons since January this year. But you see rice in the market. All the vessels bringing rice are going to Cotonou and the rice is somehow making its way across the border.

"So, you can still go the market whether in Apapa or any other place anywhere in Nigeria and still find rice, why? So you can see there is a problem. Cotonou does not make rice. They are Thai rice, Indian rice getting into Nigeria somehow. So the government increasing the duty only affect the government itself because all the duty on that rice is going to the government of the Benin Republic," Walsh said.

But the Chairman of Nigeria Ship Owners Association (NISA), Dr Isaac Jolopamo said the new fish policy would help save a large chunk of about N2 trillion which the country loses in freight as capital flight to other countries from where Nigeria import fish.

The minister had said that the ban would be imposed only if arrangements being put in place by the government to that effect worked as planned.

Represented by the Federal Director of Fisheries, Mrs. Foluke Areola, the Agric minister had stressed that the country had no business importing fish, given its huge natural and renewable resources.

"The value chains are to create an enabling environment for increased and sustainable production of over one million tonnes of fish within the next four years, generate employment and pursue gradual reduction of fish imports," the minister said.

http://leadership.ng/news/091213/fg-bans-fish-importation
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Jay Z dominates Grammys shortlists with nine nominations

Rapper Jay Z has dominated this year's Grammy nominations, being shortlisted for nine awards.

He is in the running in categories including best rap song and best rap album but has missed out on the prestigious album and record of the year for Magna Carta Holy Grail .

Justin Timberlake, up for seven awards, also saw his best-selling album of 2013, The 20/20 Experience, snubbed.

Mercury prize-winner James Blake has been nominated for best new artist.

He is up against fellow Brit Ed Sheeran, rappers Kendrick Lamar and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and country singer Kasey Musgraves.

Album of the Year nominees included Sara Bareilles, Taylor Swift and new artist nominees Kendrick Lamar and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

Pop music has dominated the song of the year with Pink, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry in the running against teenage newcomer Lorde.

The 17-year-old New Zealander is nominated in four categories, mostly for her hit single Royals.

There are more British nominations in the shape of Calvin Harris and Florence Welch in the dance recording category.

Harris is also nominated in the dance/electronica album category – for his album 18 Months – where he is up against Mercury-nominees Disclosure.

David Bowie has a best rock performance nomination while Black Sabbath, also on the comeback trail, have been nominated for best rock album, performance and song.

The Grammy awards will be held in Los Angeles on January 26.
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ASUU Adamant as Deadline Expires Today

Striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)  Sunday vowed  not to resume work despite the federal government's  ultimatum that they should do so by today or risk losing their jobs.

The federal government had last week shifted the deadline for the resumption of the teachers, who have been on strike since July from last Wednesday to today.

However,  the union has remained adamant, insisting that its members would not go back to work, despite the threat as the government is not towing the line that would resolve the crisis.

The union again added that it would not resume work until its demands as agreed with President Goodluck Jonathan at the November 4 meeting are all met.

The All Progressives Congress has however told the federal government to take responsibility for prolonging the strike, adding that it should do the needful to end the industrial action by the university teachers.

A member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of ASUU  confided in THISDAY that  the position of the union has not changed on the issue, notwithstanding the threat by the government.

He said: "Yes, a lot of our members voted that the strike should be called off, only if those conditions are met. We have insisted that the agreement be produced into a binding document. Why is that a big deal if the government is serious?  That Memorandum of Understanding  (MoU)  is a tradition anytime a strike is to be called off, between the two parties. This is a document that would be followed by the two parties. Nobody has done that, no instruction has been given. 

"Finally, we asked that the non-victimisation clause be added to the MoU. Whenever we undergo any strike, we expect that our members should retrieve whatever they lost during any strike.  That has been the practice throughout history. We do not want another strike in the next few months concerning the salary arrears of all academic staff in the universities. That clause should be in the MoU." 

Reacting to comments credited to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, that the N200 billion infrastructure revitalisation fund had already been deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the ASUU official said the claim was left for   pro-chancellors and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to verify as ASUU was not in position to do so.

Another ASUU official told THISDAY that the re-opening of some schools such as University of Abuja,   Enugu State University and several others does not in any way affect the strike.

He said as far as the union is concerned,  all ASUU members across Nigeria were on strike and would not teach.

"The managements of the schools say they have re-opened, but is any lecture going on? ASUU does not close schools anyway, we can only suspend our services," he said.
The NUC had last week clarified that the resumption order did  not necessarily mean lectures would commence immediately.

Briefing journalists in Abuja last Tuesday, the Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, said some steps had to be taken before lectures could  resume fully.

He noted that the school environments would have to be put back in shape as reptiles may have taken over some places, and the Senate of each institution has to revisit the academic calendar.

Okojie had also explained that the demands for salary arrears by ASUU could only be considered when the members of the union return to work, as some may have left the system during the strike. Those who resume work would receive their salary arrears, he added.

The government on November 28, at a press conference addressed by the supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, had issued an ultimatum to the striking members of the union, after accusing the union of presenting fresh demands.

"...Any academic staff who fails to resume on or before the 4th of December, 2013 automatically ceases to be a staff of the institution and, Vice Chancellors are also directed to advertise vacancies (internal and external) in their institutions. The NUC is hereby directed to monitor compliance of these directives by the institutions" he said.

The union, however at a press conference addressed by its National President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, last Monday, said it was not bothered by the threat.

It also refuted claims by Wike that it presented fresh demands.
Fagge explained that the union was only seeking for the consolidation of the agreements reached at the end of the 13-hour meeting with President Jonathan.

The government, barely 24 hours to the expiration of the initial deadline, had shifted the deadline to today to enable the teachers participate in the funeral of a former ASUU President, Prof. Festus Iyayi,  who died while on his way to Kano to attend a meeting of the union.

"...So that government and ASUU would not have to deal with matters arising from the ultimatum during the funeral...councils have been directed to shift the resumption date to December 9," he said.
But in order to avoid incessant cases of striking university lecturers, the Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, has called on the federal government to establish endowment fund for universities to curb the perennial crisis in the system.

The   governor who spoke at Bayero University Kano (BUK) alumni convention at the weekend,  urged  government to try as much as possible to be sincere whenever a dialogue is held between them and lecturers.

"Government should always try and come to the negotiating table with clear facts. That will indeed make room for amicable resolution of disputes between them and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)"   Aliyu said.

  Meanwhile, APC  has asked the federal government to accept responsibility for poor handling of the lingering ASUU strike, instead of accusing the opposition of seeking to capitalise on it to win the 2015 elections.

In a statement   yesterday by its interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said all that was needed to end the logjam was for the federal government to honour the agreement it willingly signed with the union in 2009.
The federal government had at the weekend accused APC of fuelling the ASUU strike and using it as a campaign issue to discredit the PDP.

The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said APC was encouraging the university lecturers in their defiant attitude in continuing with the strike in the hope that the party would benefit from it ahead of the 2015 general election.

However, APC in the statement accused Maku of insulting the intelligence of the striking lecturers by suggesting that they are being manipulated by the APC, wondering what more blunders the federal government will commit before the strike is over.

APC said the litany of blunders committed by the federal government include reneging on the pact it signed with ASUU, failing to think out of the box to end the strike and finally threatening to sack the lecturers for daring to demand the pact's implementation.

''To the waffling and dishonourable federal government, we say the APC does not need ASUU strike to win the 2015 elections when the PDP and the government which the party sired at the centre have done everything there is to do to lose the election.
The biggest obstacle to PDP's victory in 2015 is the PDP itself.

''Apart from being incompetent, this administration has succeeded in shooting itself in the foot time and again. A government that is swimming in corruption cannot expect to win the hearts and minds of Nigerians, who know firsthand what corruption has done to the country,"  the party added.
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Drogba, Eboue face fines over Mandela tributes

DIDIER Drogba and Emmanuel Eboue face fines from the Turkish FA after displaying vests bearing tributes to Nelson Mandela.
The two Ivory Coast internationals unveiled their personal messages after Galatasaray's game against Elazigspor on Friday, their first game after the death of South African icon Mandela.
Chelsea legend Drogba peeled off his shirt at the 2-0 win to reveal a tribute which said: 'Thank you Madiba' and former Arsenal defender Eboue's vest said: 'Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela'.

Eboue and Drogba
The Turkish FA (TFF) are planning to summon the Galatasaray pair to appear before the Professional Football Discipline Committee because they had not sought prior permission to display their messages.
It is in contrast to England where games this weekend have been preceded by a minute of applause in celebration of Mandela's life and his role in ending apartheid in South Africa and transforming the international profile of Africa.
Plans to discipline Drogba and Eboue are certain to attract criticism and fuel debate in Turkey, where the TFF are trying to keep political imagery out of football as directed by FIFA, although it has proved increasingly difficult in a football-crazy nation beset by political tension.
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