Former Ijaw Youth Council president and founder of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, Mr Asari Dokubo has given his opinion concerning child marriage in Nigeria. Below is what he wrote on his Facebook page a few days ago...
.........
People should learn to respect other people’s sensibilities………………. We Muslims have the right to marry when we want or give out our daughters at any age we want. It is not your business and the law must respect our right to do so. Anything short of that is an infringement on our right. We did not ask you to marry ladies of that age or give your daughters out in marriage at that age. Plzzzzzzzz respect our sensibilities.
Hmmmmm……lips sealed. What’s your take on this, do you agree with him?
Friday, July 26, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Lions in Aso rock!!!!
Since the days of President Shehu Shagari, a particular man has been the first citizen’s animals’ keeper. Shagari left office some 30 years ago. That means the man, who was hired then and just died at 58, took up the job in his 20s.
The man, popularly known as SA (Special Adviser) Lion, has left the president’s zoo against his wish; death snatched him away from the beasts he had been tending in the past 30 years.
The wild animals’ keeper, Mallam Yahaya Adamu (Dan Zaria) more adequately, S.A. Lion, hailed from Kaduna State.
Dan Zaria, died in his sleep on that fateful Sunday at his residence in Masaka, Nasarawa State. Those he left bereaved are his two wives and 18 children, five girls and 13 boys. If the animals he kept are intelligent enough to know what death means, then many more than you think are actually bereaved because he had been with them in the past 30 years, but would not come back.
He was employed as Head Gardener in December 1983 in Dodan Barracks, Lagos under President Shehu Shagari, shortly before the Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s coup.
He was later sent to Niger Republic to train in wild beast handling by the State House Veterinary.
Trained 3 lions
Dan Zaria, a very jovial individual while in the employment of the State House, successfully trained about three lions in the villa from cubs.
Rescues Aso Rock from stray lions
During Gen. Abdullasami Abubakar’s regime, one fateful day, one of the three lions escaped from its cage at the back of the Head of State’s residence, shortly after Dan Zaria had taken permission from his bosses to rush to town and handle a banking transaction.
The soldiers ,guarding the villa, were ordered by the then CSO, Major Aliu, to take position and shoot the lion down should it try to attack anybody.
A search party was then sent to look for Dan Zaria, who luckily was on his way back to the Villa.
On his arrival, he panicked when he saw guns drawn and pointing at the lion and pleaded in a voice filled with emotion that he be allowed to lead it back to its cage. He got a water hose and increased the pressure of the water, aiming it at the lion and the beast quietly returned to its cage. Of course, Dan Zaria was hailed and applauded for his bravery and mastery.
On another occasion, a lion again escaped from its cage. News of the danger filtered into the meeting of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC). Again, heavily armed soldiers were ordered to surround the venue of the meeting to forestall any possible attack from the lion. Some of the members of the PRC, ran out of the meeting into the C-in-C office for cover. It was Dan Zaria again that came to the rescue and returned the lion to its cage.
Veteran
Dan Zaria worked with many heads of state, including President Goodluck Jonathan but the one that kept him most busy was the Abacha administration because of the CEO’s love for pets. He had different animals, including antelopes, tortoise, zebra, peacocks and others, parading around the villa.
While some of the wild animals like lions and tortoise have since been transferred out of the villa to the Children’s Park in Abuja, the zebras, giraffes, antelopes peacocks are still seen all over the villa.
His death
Dan Zaria suffered partial stroke that affected the entire right half of his body and the use of his right arm. The stroke left him, limping when he recovered. That seriously affected his job and during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, he was affected by staff downsize in the State House.
The then Chief of Staff, Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi, on noticing that he was no longer seeing Dan Zaria, sought to know what must have happened to him and he was informed of his sack.
Abdullahi pleaded with the then State House Permanent Secretary, Steve Orasanye, to reinstate him and ensure his Villa tag was always renewed alongside others until he decides on his own to stop coming. He convinced the permanent secretary that sacking him would hasten his death.
He was still on the employment of State House until his death in the early hours of Sunday, April 14.
Media person
Dan Zaria was fond of the press and would always come to hang around the press gallery contributing to any discussion with deep knowledge that surprised his listeners.
He was not afraid to talk to anybody and was very vast on national issues even though he was illiterate. His arguments came in fluent Hausa and pidgin English.
On one occasion, Dan Zaria had walked into the press gallery as usual and one of the journalists asked jokingly: “Dan Zaria, it’s weekend, so take care of your people”, after letting out a long laugh, he said: “But you promised us fresh air, so give us fresh air.”
Dan Zaria hated any currency other than naira, especially the American dollar.
The longest serving photographer attached to the State House, Alhaji Sule always made fun of Dan Zaria each time he returned from a foreign trip with his estacode.
Abacha made him agbada
On one of those occasion, Sule gave Dan Zaria $100 bill but he refused to collect it and when he persisted and forced it on him, he almost tore it to pieces but for the quick recovery from him by Sule.
Dan Zaria was also very simple and not materialistic. While many would have used his position to enrich themselves, Dan Zaria was known to reject gifts, including a car from one of is admirers.
Gen. Abacha at a time was said to have asked Dan Zaria to name whatever he wanted and he replied: “Nothing. It is against my religion to ask for anything”. But when Abacha insisted, Dan Zaria was said to have requested for agbada. And Abacha ordered that 50 sets be made for him.
House gift
His residence in Masaka was bought and built for him by the former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau.
Every Sallah, Dan Zaria got ram gifts from Gen. Gusau, Gen Abdullahi and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed. There was a standing order for him to pick rams from their homes.
On another occasion, a certain Customs Comptroller General had sent a Golf car to Dan Zaria without prior notice. Dan Zaria never drove it but sold it off at little or nothing, “saying I don’t want to be have problems and the stroke has left me partially paralysed, so what will I do with a car?”
Children’s fees
When Mrs. Remi Oyo was the Special Adviser on Media to President Olusegun Obasanjo, she was reported ill at a time. Dan Zaria on hearing it cried that he would prefer to die in place of Mrs. Oyo because: “She is the one that pays my children’s school fees.”
After Mrs. Oyo left the Villa and resumed as the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) she left a standing order that Dan Zaria must not be stopped when he comes looking for her.
IBB’s friend
Dan Zaria, who was well known to all past leaders and governors, would fearlessly walk up to them and strike a conversation. A couple of times, he was seen chatting with past leaders like Gen. Ibrahim Babangida the last time he visited the Villa.
He lost his mother just a month before he died, had given one of his daughters out in marriage and was preparing for another on May 18 before his death.
Two weeks before his demise, he had approached the Minister for Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, to seek assistance on his daughter’s upcoming marriage, which she obliged him. Family members said he had procured everything needed in the party after Alison-Madueke’s assistance before he died.
Culled from the punch
The man, popularly known as SA (Special Adviser) Lion, has left the president’s zoo against his wish; death snatched him away from the beasts he had been tending in the past 30 years.
The wild animals’ keeper, Mallam Yahaya Adamu (Dan Zaria) more adequately, S.A. Lion, hailed from Kaduna State.
Dan Zaria, died in his sleep on that fateful Sunday at his residence in Masaka, Nasarawa State. Those he left bereaved are his two wives and 18 children, five girls and 13 boys. If the animals he kept are intelligent enough to know what death means, then many more than you think are actually bereaved because he had been with them in the past 30 years, but would not come back.
He was employed as Head Gardener in December 1983 in Dodan Barracks, Lagos under President Shehu Shagari, shortly before the Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s coup.
He was later sent to Niger Republic to train in wild beast handling by the State House Veterinary.
Trained 3 lions
Dan Zaria, a very jovial individual while in the employment of the State House, successfully trained about three lions in the villa from cubs.
Rescues Aso Rock from stray lions
During Gen. Abdullasami Abubakar’s regime, one fateful day, one of the three lions escaped from its cage at the back of the Head of State’s residence, shortly after Dan Zaria had taken permission from his bosses to rush to town and handle a banking transaction.
The soldiers ,guarding the villa, were ordered by the then CSO, Major Aliu, to take position and shoot the lion down should it try to attack anybody.
A search party was then sent to look for Dan Zaria, who luckily was on his way back to the Villa.
On his arrival, he panicked when he saw guns drawn and pointing at the lion and pleaded in a voice filled with emotion that he be allowed to lead it back to its cage. He got a water hose and increased the pressure of the water, aiming it at the lion and the beast quietly returned to its cage. Of course, Dan Zaria was hailed and applauded for his bravery and mastery.
On another occasion, a lion again escaped from its cage. News of the danger filtered into the meeting of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC). Again, heavily armed soldiers were ordered to surround the venue of the meeting to forestall any possible attack from the lion. Some of the members of the PRC, ran out of the meeting into the C-in-C office for cover. It was Dan Zaria again that came to the rescue and returned the lion to its cage.
Veteran
Dan Zaria worked with many heads of state, including President Goodluck Jonathan but the one that kept him most busy was the Abacha administration because of the CEO’s love for pets. He had different animals, including antelopes, tortoise, zebra, peacocks and others, parading around the villa.
While some of the wild animals like lions and tortoise have since been transferred out of the villa to the Children’s Park in Abuja, the zebras, giraffes, antelopes peacocks are still seen all over the villa.
His death
Dan Zaria suffered partial stroke that affected the entire right half of his body and the use of his right arm. The stroke left him, limping when he recovered. That seriously affected his job and during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, he was affected by staff downsize in the State House.
The then Chief of Staff, Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi, on noticing that he was no longer seeing Dan Zaria, sought to know what must have happened to him and he was informed of his sack.
Abdullahi pleaded with the then State House Permanent Secretary, Steve Orasanye, to reinstate him and ensure his Villa tag was always renewed alongside others until he decides on his own to stop coming. He convinced the permanent secretary that sacking him would hasten his death.
He was still on the employment of State House until his death in the early hours of Sunday, April 14.
Media person
Dan Zaria was fond of the press and would always come to hang around the press gallery contributing to any discussion with deep knowledge that surprised his listeners.
He was not afraid to talk to anybody and was very vast on national issues even though he was illiterate. His arguments came in fluent Hausa and pidgin English.
On one occasion, Dan Zaria had walked into the press gallery as usual and one of the journalists asked jokingly: “Dan Zaria, it’s weekend, so take care of your people”, after letting out a long laugh, he said: “But you promised us fresh air, so give us fresh air.”
Dan Zaria hated any currency other than naira, especially the American dollar.
The longest serving photographer attached to the State House, Alhaji Sule always made fun of Dan Zaria each time he returned from a foreign trip with his estacode.
Abacha made him agbada
On one of those occasion, Sule gave Dan Zaria $100 bill but he refused to collect it and when he persisted and forced it on him, he almost tore it to pieces but for the quick recovery from him by Sule.
Dan Zaria was also very simple and not materialistic. While many would have used his position to enrich themselves, Dan Zaria was known to reject gifts, including a car from one of is admirers.
Gen. Abacha at a time was said to have asked Dan Zaria to name whatever he wanted and he replied: “Nothing. It is against my religion to ask for anything”. But when Abacha insisted, Dan Zaria was said to have requested for agbada. And Abacha ordered that 50 sets be made for him.
House gift
His residence in Masaka was bought and built for him by the former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau.
Every Sallah, Dan Zaria got ram gifts from Gen. Gusau, Gen Abdullahi and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed. There was a standing order for him to pick rams from their homes.
On another occasion, a certain Customs Comptroller General had sent a Golf car to Dan Zaria without prior notice. Dan Zaria never drove it but sold it off at little or nothing, “saying I don’t want to be have problems and the stroke has left me partially paralysed, so what will I do with a car?”
Children’s fees
When Mrs. Remi Oyo was the Special Adviser on Media to President Olusegun Obasanjo, she was reported ill at a time. Dan Zaria on hearing it cried that he would prefer to die in place of Mrs. Oyo because: “She is the one that pays my children’s school fees.”
After Mrs. Oyo left the Villa and resumed as the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) she left a standing order that Dan Zaria must not be stopped when he comes looking for her.
IBB’s friend
Dan Zaria, who was well known to all past leaders and governors, would fearlessly walk up to them and strike a conversation. A couple of times, he was seen chatting with past leaders like Gen. Ibrahim Babangida the last time he visited the Villa.
He lost his mother just a month before he died, had given one of his daughters out in marriage and was preparing for another on May 18 before his death.
Two weeks before his demise, he had approached the Minister for Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, to seek assistance on his daughter’s upcoming marriage, which she obliged him. Family members said he had procured everything needed in the party after Alison-Madueke’s assistance before he died.
Culled from the punch
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
We Didn't Legalise Child Marriage, Say Senators
Responding to the nation-wide umbrage expressed on the said passage of a Bill legalising child marriage, two senators, Akin Odunsi (Ogun West) and Atiku Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi Central), at separate
briefings yesterday, expressed concerns over the outrage against the Senate over its perceived move to legalise child marriage. Odunsi claimed that the Senate was misrepresented over the issue, explaining that the alleged under age marriage provision as contained in Section 29 clauses 4(b) had been in existence in the 1999 Constitution, stating that "any woman that is married in Nigeria is of full age." He explained that: "What the Senate attempted to do that day was to expunge that clause but couldn't do so due to shortage of 13 votes because 60 senators voted for its removal as against 73 required votes, while 35 voted for its retention. Therefore, from what happened on the floor of the Senate last Tuesday, the Senate attempted to expunge the somewhat archaic clause and not in any way created the law as it is now wrongly portrayed by Nigerians." On his own part, Bagudu expressed regret that the Senate had been put on the spot by the allegation of endorsement of under-age marriage in Nigeria, describing it as terrible misrepresentation of what the Senate considered or voted for under Section 29 clauses 4(a) and (b) of Nigeria constitution and as presented for consideration by Senate Committee on Constitution Review. According to him, it was renunciation of citizenship that was considered and voted on as contained in Section 29 clauses 4a and b, insisting that it was not anything about marriage. "Clause 4a of section 29 of the 1999 Constitution defines a full age for any Nigerian who wants to renounce his or her citizenship to be 18 years and above while clause 4b states further that in the case of women, aside the 18 years prescribed in clause 4a, any woman that is married can be considered to be of full age," he noted. He also claimed that in many places around the world, marriage below the age of 18 years for girls is allowed by parental consent, since according to him, the Holy Bible, the Quoran, the Torah and the like, all view full age for women from the age of puberty. Yet, another senator, Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central senatorial district), added some tinge of drama to the under-age marriage saga, when he broke down in tears while trying to explain his role in the controversial vote in support of the under age marriage law. Akinyelure, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Petition, told the gathering, mostly women from the six local governments that constituted the senatorial district, that he voted in error. The explanation of the Idanre-born senator, popularly called 'Allover' came as women stormed the premises of the Ondo State Cultural Centre, Adegbemile Akure with placards of various inscriptions condemning the action of the senator. The senator was said to be the only lawmaker in the Upper Chamber in the South West who voted in support of the under age marriage law. Some of the placards carried by the women include "Allover Be Warned Yoruba Culture is not for sale"; "Allover should make good law to better the lot of people not immorality"; "Allover should be recalled"; "We say no to early marriage"; "It is allover, Allover sold Yoruba", among others. Minor crisis ensued when some people loyal to the embattled senator started hauling pebbles at the protesters, which almost degenerated to free for all but for the timely intervention of the policemen that were stationed in the premises. Addressing people inside the Adegbemile Hall, the senator in emotion-laden voice said the vote was misrepresentation of what he intended to do. "What the Senate considered for determination under the review of Nigerian Constitution was 'Renunciation of Citizenship Under the Nigerian Constitution contained under Section 29 (4b), which provides that any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age. "The question before the Senate for which I voted in favour was that whether married woman is deemed to be of full, age to renounce her Nigerian Citizenship and not whether a woman can marry before attaining the age of 18 years. Meanwhile, still peeved with the said vote for child marriage, members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have passed a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the Senate for legitimising underage marriage. Besides, they also called for the immediate prosecution of Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima at the International Court of Justice at The Hague for alleged child abuse, having married a 13-year-old Egyptian girl. The Senate had last week voted in favour of the underage marriage during a debate on the ongoing constitution amendment, a development that had generated condemnations and furore in the country and beyond. In a statement yesterday in Ado Ekiti, NANS Chairman, Ekiti axis, Oluwadamilare Bewaji, described as sad and unprogressive, the annulment of the constitutionally recognised age for adulthood by the Senate, saying this would further debase womanhood in Nigeria. NANS said the passage of the bill, had brought serious ignominy to the nation in eyes of the international community, adding that the action must be challenged by all right-thinking Nigerians. The students' body added that it was a serious slap on African culture for minor to be given out in marriage, saying the body will continue to fight hard to ensure that Nigerian children are not desecrated in any way.
culled from Thisday
briefings yesterday, expressed concerns over the outrage against the Senate over its perceived move to legalise child marriage. Odunsi claimed that the Senate was misrepresented over the issue, explaining that the alleged under age marriage provision as contained in Section 29 clauses 4(b) had been in existence in the 1999 Constitution, stating that "any woman that is married in Nigeria is of full age." He explained that: "What the Senate attempted to do that day was to expunge that clause but couldn't do so due to shortage of 13 votes because 60 senators voted for its removal as against 73 required votes, while 35 voted for its retention. Therefore, from what happened on the floor of the Senate last Tuesday, the Senate attempted to expunge the somewhat archaic clause and not in any way created the law as it is now wrongly portrayed by Nigerians." On his own part, Bagudu expressed regret that the Senate had been put on the spot by the allegation of endorsement of under-age marriage in Nigeria, describing it as terrible misrepresentation of what the Senate considered or voted for under Section 29 clauses 4(a) and (b) of Nigeria constitution and as presented for consideration by Senate Committee on Constitution Review. According to him, it was renunciation of citizenship that was considered and voted on as contained in Section 29 clauses 4a and b, insisting that it was not anything about marriage. "Clause 4a of section 29 of the 1999 Constitution defines a full age for any Nigerian who wants to renounce his or her citizenship to be 18 years and above while clause 4b states further that in the case of women, aside the 18 years prescribed in clause 4a, any woman that is married can be considered to be of full age," he noted. He also claimed that in many places around the world, marriage below the age of 18 years for girls is allowed by parental consent, since according to him, the Holy Bible, the Quoran, the Torah and the like, all view full age for women from the age of puberty. Yet, another senator, Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central senatorial district), added some tinge of drama to the under-age marriage saga, when he broke down in tears while trying to explain his role in the controversial vote in support of the under age marriage law. Akinyelure, who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Petition, told the gathering, mostly women from the six local governments that constituted the senatorial district, that he voted in error. The explanation of the Idanre-born senator, popularly called 'Allover' came as women stormed the premises of the Ondo State Cultural Centre, Adegbemile Akure with placards of various inscriptions condemning the action of the senator. The senator was said to be the only lawmaker in the Upper Chamber in the South West who voted in support of the under age marriage law. Some of the placards carried by the women include "Allover Be Warned Yoruba Culture is not for sale"; "Allover should make good law to better the lot of people not immorality"; "Allover should be recalled"; "We say no to early marriage"; "It is allover, Allover sold Yoruba", among others. Minor crisis ensued when some people loyal to the embattled senator started hauling pebbles at the protesters, which almost degenerated to free for all but for the timely intervention of the policemen that were stationed in the premises. Addressing people inside the Adegbemile Hall, the senator in emotion-laden voice said the vote was misrepresentation of what he intended to do. "What the Senate considered for determination under the review of Nigerian Constitution was 'Renunciation of Citizenship Under the Nigerian Constitution contained under Section 29 (4b), which provides that any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age. "The question before the Senate for which I voted in favour was that whether married woman is deemed to be of full, age to renounce her Nigerian Citizenship and not whether a woman can marry before attaining the age of 18 years. Meanwhile, still peeved with the said vote for child marriage, members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have passed a vote of no confidence on the leadership of the Senate for legitimising underage marriage. Besides, they also called for the immediate prosecution of Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima at the International Court of Justice at The Hague for alleged child abuse, having married a 13-year-old Egyptian girl. The Senate had last week voted in favour of the underage marriage during a debate on the ongoing constitution amendment, a development that had generated condemnations and furore in the country and beyond. In a statement yesterday in Ado Ekiti, NANS Chairman, Ekiti axis, Oluwadamilare Bewaji, described as sad and unprogressive, the annulment of the constitutionally recognised age for adulthood by the Senate, saying this would further debase womanhood in Nigeria. NANS said the passage of the bill, had brought serious ignominy to the nation in eyes of the international community, adding that the action must be challenged by all right-thinking Nigerians. The students' body added that it was a serious slap on African culture for minor to be given out in marriage, saying the body will continue to fight hard to ensure that Nigerian children are not desecrated in any way.
culled from Thisday
Stella Damasus bittered about the Senate's Endorsement of the girl -child -marriage
During the weekend our very own raised her voice against what she called a barbaric act by the senate. i hope her colleagues would join in this fight against marriage of underaged girls. She uploaded a video in this regard, where she bared it all and seriouly, i admire her courage. and to that say go Stella!!!!!
Sorry, i'v not been able to upload videos, so click on the link below . save/open and share your views ; Enjoy........
https://fbcdn-video-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-prn2/v/1049379_418937161554915_1915477095_n.mp4?oh=2d5d53d61e9ba844bd0b4fc899a2d340&oe=51F02A8E&__gda__=1374692393_9a9cc62e4775b2a9d163d27c361c0323
Sorry, i'v not been able to upload videos, so click on the link below . save/open and share your views ; Enjoy........
https://fbcdn-video-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-prn2/v/1049379_418937161554915_1915477095_n.mp4?oh=2d5d53d61e9ba844bd0b4fc899a2d340&oe=51F02A8E&__gda__=1374692393_9a9cc62e4775b2a9d163d27c361c0323
Monday, July 22, 2013
Three Boko Haram suspect killed in failed mosque attack
Three suspected Boko Haram members who allegedly came from Bama council area, Saturday evening, and stormed the El-Amin Daggash Mosque in Government Reserved Area in Maiduguri, Borno State with the
intention of killing Islamic cleric, Modu Mustapha, while preaching during Tafsir (Ramadan preaching), were lynched by angry mob. Our correspondent gathered that the terrorists came in a Golf Saloon car and one tricycle armed with AK47 rifles and a pistol before they met their untimely death. A source told our correspondent that the incident happened at about 4pm, when the Tafsir programme was going on. The source said someone sighted one of the terrorists with a pistol sitting among the congregation, and alerted others who apprehended him. It was gathered that immediately the suspect was nabbed, a mob swooped on him and beat him to death, while the other two suspects who were also inside the mosque were arrested in the process of attempting to escape. They were equally beaten to death some few metres away from the mosque. However, The Joint Task Force (JTF) 'Operation Restore Order' in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, has said it was not a Boko Haram attack, saying it was an error of judgment by a policeman on duty who pursued someone who allegedly stole a Keke Napep and a bag of rice and drove off towards the mosque. A statement by the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, said: "The incident was not a terrorist attack as insinuated, rather, it was an error of judgment by a policeman on duty that pursued someone who allegedly stole a tricycle and a bag of rice and drove off. The policeman was in mufti, wore Police reflective jacket, pursued the alleged thief and fired two gun shots."
intention of killing Islamic cleric, Modu Mustapha, while preaching during Tafsir (Ramadan preaching), were lynched by angry mob. Our correspondent gathered that the terrorists came in a Golf Saloon car and one tricycle armed with AK47 rifles and a pistol before they met their untimely death. A source told our correspondent that the incident happened at about 4pm, when the Tafsir programme was going on. The source said someone sighted one of the terrorists with a pistol sitting among the congregation, and alerted others who apprehended him. It was gathered that immediately the suspect was nabbed, a mob swooped on him and beat him to death, while the other two suspects who were also inside the mosque were arrested in the process of attempting to escape. They were equally beaten to death some few metres away from the mosque. However, The Joint Task Force (JTF) 'Operation Restore Order' in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, has said it was not a Boko Haram attack, saying it was an error of judgment by a policeman on duty who pursued someone who allegedly stole a Keke Napep and a bag of rice and drove off towards the mosque. A statement by the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, said: "The incident was not a terrorist attack as insinuated, rather, it was an error of judgment by a policeman on duty that pursued someone who allegedly stole a tricycle and a bag of rice and drove off. The policeman was in mufti, wore Police reflective jacket, pursued the alleged thief and fired two gun shots."
NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR MY NEAREST AND DEAREST ...by Chioma nnani
It's really funny how people can feel safe in a theory, and think it's a belief. Especially when they are not directly affected.
I was in a church some years ago, and after the sermon, the pastor let this guy into the pulpit. This other guy had tattoos, long hair, and was clearly not an Oxbridge grad. The disapproval was instant. It was like the Holy Ghost had left the building. People who had been dancing and singing "Hallelujah" sat stiff, and actually sneering. Some probably thought the pastor had lost his mind ... and anointing. I was intrigued, not just by the hostility, but by the 'odd-looking' man in the pulpit. It wasn't because of the tattoos - those didn't bother me. I'd actually wanted to get one, many years ago, so I wasn't fazed by them (long story, don't ask). What bothered me were his eyes. They were piercing, and then he began to speak.
He introduced himself. And no, home boy & 'conventional' did not go together. He had the 'audacity' to call himself a Christian. By this time, some people were itching to leave. Then, he asked "How many of you here, are parents?" A fair number of hands went up. His next question was "If someone took your child, how many of you would give anything to get them back?" Same number of hands. His third question was "If I told you that I could get your kid back, would you care how I did it - even if you knew I might have to employ violence? How many of you would care, if I had to kill someone to get your baby back?" No hand went up. Odd. We were all conservative 'church people'. Nice, saved, sanctified, holy, and Spirit-filled. Surely, we could just pray and advise?
It turned out that he was from a charity, working to re-unite kidnapped kids with their parents, in a specific African country. These kids were typically kidnapped for use as sex slaves. Some of their limbs would also be amputated by the kidnappers. This man worked to get the kids back, and somehow I don't believe his 'negotiations' involved wearing suits, drinking tea at a conference table made of glass, and speaking in a posh accent. It was funny to see people who a few minutes before, would have sworn they would never do certain things - when the personal element wasn't there. Just a few more minutes, and the anthem of "Nothing but the best for my nearest and dearest, but the rest of the world can go to hell" would have started playing.
The reality is that until you are tested, you don't actually know what you believe. You can dress it up, 'cute-ify' it, and theorise about it any way you like. You can quote any part of the Bible you like. You can call it 'being nice'. Or 'having faith'. It's funny how man who claims that a woman who succumbs to a Caesarean Section is living proof of lack of faith ... until his own wife needs one. Or how some people are adamant that a woman who is being abused, 'should stay and fight for her marriage' ... until they visit their own sister, or daughter in hospital, because she's been beaten black and blue. And she's lost one eye.
I don't believe I fit the requirements for 'a nice person'. But I am realistic. I don't need to have my sister lying battered, bandaged, and broken before knowing that telling a woman to return to an abusive man, is not Christian behaviour. I am not afraid to ask certain uncomfortable questions. Or to take stances that some may find unpopular. I'm not afraid to bite back, on occasion. I will never forget that Sunday afternoon. I wasn't a parent, then. But there was no doubt that in my mind that if he had asked me, "If someone kidnapped YOUR child, would you care what I had to do to get them back?" my answer would have been swift.
Copyright©Chioma Nnani, 2013
I was in a church some years ago, and after the sermon, the pastor let this guy into the pulpit. This other guy had tattoos, long hair, and was clearly not an Oxbridge grad. The disapproval was instant. It was like the Holy Ghost had left the building. People who had been dancing and singing "Hallelujah" sat stiff, and actually sneering. Some probably thought the pastor had lost his mind ... and anointing. I was intrigued, not just by the hostility, but by the 'odd-looking' man in the pulpit. It wasn't because of the tattoos - those didn't bother me. I'd actually wanted to get one, many years ago, so I wasn't fazed by them (long story, don't ask). What bothered me were his eyes. They were piercing, and then he began to speak.
He introduced himself. And no, home boy & 'conventional' did not go together. He had the 'audacity' to call himself a Christian. By this time, some people were itching to leave. Then, he asked "How many of you here, are parents?" A fair number of hands went up. His next question was "If someone took your child, how many of you would give anything to get them back?" Same number of hands. His third question was "If I told you that I could get your kid back, would you care how I did it - even if you knew I might have to employ violence? How many of you would care, if I had to kill someone to get your baby back?" No hand went up. Odd. We were all conservative 'church people'. Nice, saved, sanctified, holy, and Spirit-filled. Surely, we could just pray and advise?
It turned out that he was from a charity, working to re-unite kidnapped kids with their parents, in a specific African country. These kids were typically kidnapped for use as sex slaves. Some of their limbs would also be amputated by the kidnappers. This man worked to get the kids back, and somehow I don't believe his 'negotiations' involved wearing suits, drinking tea at a conference table made of glass, and speaking in a posh accent. It was funny to see people who a few minutes before, would have sworn they would never do certain things - when the personal element wasn't there. Just a few more minutes, and the anthem of "Nothing but the best for my nearest and dearest, but the rest of the world can go to hell" would have started playing.
The reality is that until you are tested, you don't actually know what you believe. You can dress it up, 'cute-ify' it, and theorise about it any way you like. You can quote any part of the Bible you like. You can call it 'being nice'. Or 'having faith'. It's funny how man who claims that a woman who succumbs to a Caesarean Section is living proof of lack of faith ... until his own wife needs one. Or how some people are adamant that a woman who is being abused, 'should stay and fight for her marriage' ... until they visit their own sister, or daughter in hospital, because she's been beaten black and blue. And she's lost one eye.
I don't believe I fit the requirements for 'a nice person'. But I am realistic. I don't need to have my sister lying battered, bandaged, and broken before knowing that telling a woman to return to an abusive man, is not Christian behaviour. I am not afraid to ask certain uncomfortable questions. Or to take stances that some may find unpopular. I'm not afraid to bite back, on occasion. I will never forget that Sunday afternoon. I wasn't a parent, then. But there was no doubt that in my mind that if he had asked me, "If someone kidnapped YOUR child, would you care what I had to do to get them back?" my answer would have been swift.
Copyright©Chioma Nnani, 2013
the Genesis Pt 2
Seriously, this is suppose to be the Genesis actually..........but then it doesnt matter.
This is a write up by Mr. Reuben Abati.
Before he became President Jonathan's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity in 2011, he was a newspaper columnist and the chairman of the editorial board of the Guardian Newspaper (2001 to 2011). Well, here's a 2010 article he wrote about the wife of his current boss...Dame Patience Jonathan, before his appointment. Very interesting read...enjoy
Democracy is readily associated with freedom: the freedom to be free in many respects and increasingly in Nigeria, many of our compatriots, particularly persons in positions of privilege and authority confuse this with the right to be disagreeable. The sober truth is that democracy is about rights and responsibilities, a democratic dispensation therefore cannot be a licence for disagreeable conduct as a norm; just as the possession of power in any form does not guarantee the right to be reckless or to ignore the etiquette required of office holders. Anyone in the corridors of power, either by chance or right, or appointment, is expected to behave decorously.
Dame Patience Jonathan, as she is now referred to, our President’s wife, failed the test this week in Okrika, Rivers State.
It is trite knowledge that there is a critical difference between Yenagoa and Abuja, and a world of difference between being the wife of a Deputy Governor/Governor/Vice president and being the wife of Nigeria’s No 1 citizen. When people suddenly find themselves in such latter position, prepared or unprepared, anywhere in the world, they are taken through a crash programme in finishing and poise and made to realize that being the wife of an important man comes with serious responsibilities lest they sabotage the same person that they should be supporting.
If Dame Patience went through such re-orientation, the course was incomplete. This week, we got a feedback drawn from her visit to Rivers state to launch her NGO – the Women for Change Initiative, when she ended up in Okrika, her home town. This homecoming became an egoistic show-off as she openly contradicted the state Governor, offering him unsolicited lessons on how to develop the Okrika water front and school system, in addition to pointed comments on the use of the English language. The Governor had reportedly insisted that his administration must demolish some houses which adjoin the schools in Okrika in order to create a proper learning environment. Dame Patience disagreed.
She then gave an unsolicited lecture on the land tenure system telling the Governor: “I want you to get me clear. I am from here. I know the problems of my people so I know what I am talking…” The Governor tried to explain his administration’s policy and the larger public interest. The Dame reportedly cut him short: “But what I am telling you is that you always say you must demolish; that word must you use is not good. It is by pleading. You appeal to the owners of the compound because they will not go into exile. Land is a serious issue.” Wao! “that word must..is not good.” We must all commit that to memory as we re-learn Practical English according to Patience Jonathan!
If it is in the place of the President’s wife to teach a state Governor how to run his state, it is definitely not in her place to veto a state policy (the reason the governor used the word “must”), not even her husband has such powers. It seemed as if Dame Patience Jonathan was determined to impress her kith and kin. She told them she had directed the governor not to demolish their houses. Then, she left straight for the airport obviously having overstayed her welcome and having behaved like a bad guest. She was scheduled to visit the prisons to grant amnesty to some inmates (is that really her duty or something that should be in her itinerary? ); she was also meant to commission some projects. The face-off between her and the governor put paid to all that.
On the eve of her arrival, a group which calls itself “the Okrika Political Stakeholders Forum” and “the people of Kirikese” had actually placed an advert in the papers welcoming “our amiable daughter and sister…to Rivers state and your home town Okrika.” They also brought up the issue of “the land reclamation and shore protection project at Oba Ama, Okrika being undertaken by the Rivers state government.” (Daily Sun, August 23, 2010, p. 2). Either on the strength of this advertorial or private consultations, Dame Patience must have felt compelled to be a partisan stakeholder and intercessor. She needed to put Rotimi Amaechi, the state Governor in his place and that was what did. She recommended “pleading,” – that advice is actually meant for her. A state Governor is a duly elected official; and in a Federal system, he is not answerable to the President, and nowhere is the president granted the powers of a Headmaster over state governors. In Okrika, Dame Patience behaved so impatiently and spoke to Governor Amaechi as if he is on the staff of the Presidency. It may not be her fault though. Amaechi caused it all by bringing himself to such level by undertaking to debrief Dame Patience about his administration’s programmes and activities in the misguided hope of getting cheap political endorsement. He should have asked his wife to attend to her. On the issue of land, Dame Patience should be reminded that the Land Use Act, Section 1 thereof, says the state Governor holds the land in trust for the people. Land matters in the state are beyond the ken of the wife of the President!
The wife of the President of Nigeria, or a state Governor, or a local council chairman, is not a state official. The same applies to husbands if the gender is reversed. He or she is unknown to the constitution or the governance structure. Recent history has however made it a convention to have the spouses of persons in such positions under the guise of providing support, play some ceremonial roles. This has been routinely abused. Under the Jonathan presidency, Dame Patience Jonathan even got a special allocation in the original budget for the 2010 Golden jubilee anniversary whereas she has no official, financial reporting responsibilities! The international standard is that spouses in these circumstances must not only appear but be seen to be above board like Caesar’s wife. They must not misbehave like Marie Antoinette.
When Cherie Blair, wife of former British PM, Tony Blair started buying up houses, apartments and antique furniture, the public raised questions. It didn’t matter that she was a professional in her own right, a Queen’s Counsel with a traceable source of income. There were also questions about the scope of Hillary Clinton’s influence during her husband’s Presidency: Americans wanted to be sure that it was the man they elected that was in charge, not his wife. A couple of weeks ago, the American public was up in arms against Michelle Obama and her poll rating dropped drastically after a visit to Spain where she and her daughter reportedly stayed in a $7, 000 a night hotel.
Much earlier, Nancy Reagan was also the butt of public criticism, with people asking: who is she? And this is not a female thing. In Britain, Prince Phillip, the Queen’s husband, is constantly criticized for putting his foot in his mouth. He once said for example that “British women can’t cook.” He told a visiting Nigerian President, all dressed up in babariga (name withheld): “you look like you’re ready for bed.” During a state visit to China, he told British students: “if you stay much longer, you’all be slitty-eyed.” Prince Phillip’s supporters insist that he is honest, but the majority ask: how is the Queen coping with such a man who is perpetually saying something offensive? There may be persons who defend Dame Patience’s aggressive style, but some of us ask: how is the President coping?
Since Dr Jonathan assumed office, he and his wife have been practically on the road. The Dame has travelled from one state to the other, under the auspices of the Women for Change Initiative. In every state she tells the women to vote and “make sure your vote counts if you like my husband.” Is she now a partisan politician? The Jonathans must be told that Nigeria does not have a co-Presidency. We have only one president and his name is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. And by the way, what does Dame Patience Jonathan do for a living? She obviously does not have to deal with the challenges of rotation and zoning in her home, unlike the three wives of the Adamawa Governor, Murtala Nyako for whom zoning and rotation have become topical subjects or the wives of South African President Jacob Zuma – that is why she can afford to be so meddlesome!
When she misbehaves as she did in Okrika, she creates the impression that her husband is not in control of his own home. First ladies are prominent figures but their conduct is an eternal subject of public interest. In Nigeria, there was Victoria Gowon, there was also Ajoke Muhammed: dignified and restrained. There was Maryam Babangida – she was influential but no one could accuse her of verbal recklessness; Mrs Abdusalami Abubakar was a court judge, totally self-effacing, No major social party was complete without Mrs Stella Obasanjo, yet she controlled her tongue. Mrs Turai Yar’Adua was described as the power behind the throne and she proved that during the period of her husband’s illness but she was carefully reticent. At the state level, there was Remi Tinubu in Lagos state and Onari Duke in Cross River state who have both conducted themselves responsibly in and out of office. The new First Lady likes to travel, party, and talk outside the script. People are beginning to learn to read her lips in order to understand her husband. Dame Patience must not push her Goodluck.
-This piece was written by Dr. Reuben Abati in The Guardian of Thursday, 27th Aug 2010
Culled from Sahara REporters
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Join the fight, sign the petition.......
Girls can't choose WHEN & TO WHOM they will be BORN. But we all MUST protect THEIR right to choose WHEN & TO WHOM they will be BRIDES.
Stop The Nigerian Senate From Making Under-Age Marriage The Law!" on Change.org.
Don't say its not your business......it could be your daugther,grand-daugther......its not even about you,but the future of the Girl child.
Sign the petition now......
Stop The Nigerian Senate From Making Under-Age Marriage The Law!" on Change.org.
Don't say its not your business......it could be your daugther,grand-daugther......its not even about you,but the future of the Girl child.
Sign the petition now......
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Senator Ahmad Yarima Fires back at his critics
'Nigeria has many uncountable problems and none of them is early marriage. As a matter of fact, early marriage the solution to about half of our problems.
For those who wonder if I can give my daughter(s) out in marriage at the age of 9 or 13, I tell you most honestly, I can give her out at the age of 6 if I want to and its not your business.
This is because I am a Muslim and I follow the example of the best of mankind, Muhammad ﺻَﻠَّﻰ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪُ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻪِ ﻭَﺳَﻠَّﻢَ .
In Islam, marriage is not only about sex, it is about family and helping one another in achieving their goals, which is the attainment of Paradise.
In Islam, a girl can be given out in marriage as early as 6 years old, but consummation of the marriage can only be done when the girl becomes physically mature and she gives her consent to it because unlike English law, it is not permissible for a man To Molest his wife in Shari'ah Law.
So what can anybody tell me?
~ I live in a city where young girls at the age of 12 have already became serial fornicators and cannot count the number of man they've Were Intimate with.
~ I live in a City where primary school children disvirgin themselves behind toilets on Valentine day.
~ I live in a city where young girls flood the street at night looking for men that would give them N500 to Be Intimate with them.
~ I live in a city where parents send their daughters out overseas to prostitute and send dollars down.
~ I live in a City where Government officials pick undergraduates from University car parks with Coastal Buses to wild sex parties.
~ I live in a city where abortion is so common that even a Chemist shop owner can perform abortion with just N2,500.
These are your daughters, and this should worry you and not Yerima's private matters. So ask me again why I support early marriage and I will slap the Jinn out of your head''.
- Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima
For those who wonder if I can give my daughter(s) out in marriage at the age of 9 or 13, I tell you most honestly, I can give her out at the age of 6 if I want to and its not your business.
This is because I am a Muslim and I follow the example of the best of mankind, Muhammad ﺻَﻠَّﻰ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻪُ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻪِ ﻭَﺳَﻠَّﻢَ .
In Islam, marriage is not only about sex, it is about family and helping one another in achieving their goals, which is the attainment of Paradise.
In Islam, a girl can be given out in marriage as early as 6 years old, but consummation of the marriage can only be done when the girl becomes physically mature and she gives her consent to it because unlike English law, it is not permissible for a man To Molest his wife in Shari'ah Law.
So what can anybody tell me?
~ I live in a city where young girls at the age of 12 have already became serial fornicators and cannot count the number of man they've Were Intimate with.
~ I live in a City where primary school children disvirgin themselves behind toilets on Valentine day.
~ I live in a city where young girls flood the street at night looking for men that would give them N500 to Be Intimate with them.
~ I live in a city where parents send their daughters out overseas to prostitute and send dollars down.
~ I live in a City where Government officials pick undergraduates from University car parks with Coastal Buses to wild sex parties.
~ I live in a city where abortion is so common that even a Chemist shop owner can perform abortion with just N2,500.
These are your daughters, and this should worry you and not Yerima's private matters. So ask me again why I support early marriage and I will slap the Jinn out of your head''.
- Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima
I weep for the Nigerian Girl Child" -Femi Fani Kayode
The Nigerian Senate includes some of the brightest minds in our country many of whom are friends of mine and most of whom have been in active politics for many years. They have my respect. However what transpired in the Senate chamber a few days ago was a great cause for concern for not just me but millions of Nigerians from all over the world. How an innocent and seemingly uninteresting, uninspiring and unimportant debate about when and at what age a Nigerian citizen could legitimately and lawfully renounce his or her citizenship turned into a referendum on paedophilia and child marriage I dont know. Yet sadly that is precisely what happened and ever since then the nation has been on fire.
Senator (ex-Governor) Ahmed Sani, the Yerima Bakura and the Apostle of political sharia in Nigeria finally got his way and the futile attempt by a small number of good, noble and honourable Senators to amend the existing law on marriage and properly define the age of a female that is eligible to marry was thwarted by the pro-paedophilia, pro-child rape and pro-child marriage group within the Senate. Sadly our distinguished Senators eventually bowed to the will of Yerima and his friends and agreed to remain silent about the age that young girls can get married in Nigeria. What this means is that girls that are as young as 9 years old can continue to be lawfully bedded and married in our country providing they are deemed as being ''physically developed enough'' to do so by their suitors, their prospective husbands and their parents. That is the law and that is the sordid level that we as a people and as a nation have degenerated to over the years.
I weep for Nigeria and, perhaps more appropiately, I weep for the Nigerian girl child. I weep because it is obvious to me that the Yerima's of this world wish to turn our country into a giant Bangkok to which millions of sexual deviants flock from all over the world to ''enjoy'' our ''tourist attractions'' and ''have a taste'' of our young and beloved children. Worst still they wish to use religion to defend and justify it. Yet we have no choice but to live with this new reality and to accept it as it is. After all, our representatives in the sacred halls of the Senate were not sensitive enough or ''man enough'' to shoot down the whole thing, to stand firmly against the unholy agenda and to say boldly and firmly that ''come what may'' our children must be protected from sexual deviants and reprobates.
And since the Senate, in its infinate wisdom, has now bought into and openly endorsed the "Paedophile Charter" which essentially makes it lawful and constitutional for very young girls to get married and to have sex at a very young age it is my firm view that we have now become a nation of perverts and paedophiles. The Senate had a chance to clear the air and amend the law but, out of nothing but sentiment and an inexplicable eagerness to compromise with that which is clearly evil, they threw that chance away and sacrificed our most sacred values to Yerima and his gang. Worst still they did it with a smile on their faces. Every Nigerian should bow his or her head in shame because instead of crushing the head of the lustful beast that seeks to fornicate with our children, to steal their virtues and to destroy their future what the Senate did the other day was to compromise with and cater for the filthy appetites and godless fantasies of a bunch of child molestors and sexual predators. It is sordid. It is ungodly. It is evil. And it is unforgiveable.
Surely we ought to be seeking to protect our children and not seeking to bed them. Yet it appears that not everyone shares our outrage and collective sense of shame. One Uche Ezechukwu made the following contribution which went viral on the social media networks and which I think speaks volumes. He wrote-
"Those who are railing against 'paedophile' senators, like Yerima Bakura, must be told that a muslim can’t go wrong while imitating the examples of the Apostle of Allah himself and the founder of his religion, in the same way a christian cannot be criticized for following the examples of Jesus Christ. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) married Aisha at the age of six and consummated the marriage when she was nine. So, why are we judging muslims by our own standards?"
I am appauled by these words. The truth is that I have never heard such a self-serving and specious arguement in defence of the philosophies and beliefs of the Ayatollah of Bakura, Senator Ahmed Sani, the practising paedophile who married and bedded a 12 year old Egyptian girl, as this one. Ahmed Sani himself could not have argued it better. Yet I think that it is an utter shame. And this is more so because the individual that is putting the arguement is supposedly a christian. The Old Testament of the Holy Bible prescribes ''stoning'' for adultry but that does not mean that christian countries, or indeed secular states like Nigeria, should stone adulterers.
Neither does it mean that we should preserve the institution of slavery or crucify petty thieves simply because the Holy Bible endorsed both practices in the Old Testament. We must accept the fact that the interpretation of biblical and koranic provisions are evolutionary and are ever changing. Jesus Himself said ''laws are made for man and not man for laws''. The suggestion that paedophilia has any place in any modern and decent society simply because it was once practised in the distant past is not only a despicable arguement but it also does not make any sense. After all cannibalism and child and human sacrifice were once widely practised and were held as being perfectly acceptable throughout the world as well but that does not mean that we should practice any of those terrible vices today.
The young man, Uche Ezechukwu, who appears to be defending child rape in the name of islam, should either let someone lay with and ''marry'' his own 6 or 9 year old daughter or he should seal his lips forever and stop trying to defend the indefensible. His assertions, and I daresay those of Senator Ahmed Sani and anyone that shares their primitive views, are not only utterly immoral and reprehensible but they are also intellectually dishonest. I say this because the truth is that there is NO muslim country in the world that has adopted the "paedophile charter" where 6 or 9 year olds can marry and be bedded except for Saudi Arabia, Iran and Yemen.
Every other muslim country in the world, including Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Senegal, the Sudan, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Qatar, Bahrain, Dagestan, Albania, Bosnia, Somalia, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Azerbejhan,Niger, Turkestan, Chechnya and Syria have specifically banned child marriage, paedophilia and child rape in their various constitutions and laws and some have declared it ''repugnant'', ''unacceptable'' and ''unislamic''. Are these people not muslims too? As a matte if fact are they not better muslims than those that insist on sleeping with or marrying underage girls in the name of islam?
Like christianity and judaism, islam is a noble, pure, honourable and ancient faith that seeks to protect the weakest and most vulnerable in society, including children. No-one should use the misinterpretation of its provisions to try to justify or rationalise what is essentially depraved, shameful, disgusting and barbaric behaviour and the most sordid and filthy expression of sexual deviance and perversion. Even animals do not marry or bed their own infants. The bitter truth is that paedophiles have no place in any civilised society.
I am constrained to say that in the light of their "yes" vote to child marriage and their green light to paedophilia, every single member of the Nigerian Senate that voted with Yerima on that day and that supported his filthy agenda should bow their heads in utter shame and they should be compelled to offer their own infant and under age daughters to strangers for marriage. I repeat, they have turned us into a nation of perverts and paedophiles and I say a pox on all their houses. I reserve my commendations and respect only for those Senators that opposed and voted against Yerima's protestations and agenda and that stood for that which was right even though they could not muster enough votes to have their way. My word to this brave and righteous few is simple and clear- keep the struggle alive and continue to resist the evil that resides amongst us all. You are the only thing that stands between our children and the practising paedophiles in our midst who seek to ravage and bed them even before they have entered their teens.
Senator (ex-Governor) Ahmed Sani, the Yerima Bakura and the Apostle of political sharia in Nigeria finally got his way and the futile attempt by a small number of good, noble and honourable Senators to amend the existing law on marriage and properly define the age of a female that is eligible to marry was thwarted by the pro-paedophilia, pro-child rape and pro-child marriage group within the Senate. Sadly our distinguished Senators eventually bowed to the will of Yerima and his friends and agreed to remain silent about the age that young girls can get married in Nigeria. What this means is that girls that are as young as 9 years old can continue to be lawfully bedded and married in our country providing they are deemed as being ''physically developed enough'' to do so by their suitors, their prospective husbands and their parents. That is the law and that is the sordid level that we as a people and as a nation have degenerated to over the years.
I weep for Nigeria and, perhaps more appropiately, I weep for the Nigerian girl child. I weep because it is obvious to me that the Yerima's of this world wish to turn our country into a giant Bangkok to which millions of sexual deviants flock from all over the world to ''enjoy'' our ''tourist attractions'' and ''have a taste'' of our young and beloved children. Worst still they wish to use religion to defend and justify it. Yet we have no choice but to live with this new reality and to accept it as it is. After all, our representatives in the sacred halls of the Senate were not sensitive enough or ''man enough'' to shoot down the whole thing, to stand firmly against the unholy agenda and to say boldly and firmly that ''come what may'' our children must be protected from sexual deviants and reprobates.
And since the Senate, in its infinate wisdom, has now bought into and openly endorsed the "Paedophile Charter" which essentially makes it lawful and constitutional for very young girls to get married and to have sex at a very young age it is my firm view that we have now become a nation of perverts and paedophiles. The Senate had a chance to clear the air and amend the law but, out of nothing but sentiment and an inexplicable eagerness to compromise with that which is clearly evil, they threw that chance away and sacrificed our most sacred values to Yerima and his gang. Worst still they did it with a smile on their faces. Every Nigerian should bow his or her head in shame because instead of crushing the head of the lustful beast that seeks to fornicate with our children, to steal their virtues and to destroy their future what the Senate did the other day was to compromise with and cater for the filthy appetites and godless fantasies of a bunch of child molestors and sexual predators. It is sordid. It is ungodly. It is evil. And it is unforgiveable.
Surely we ought to be seeking to protect our children and not seeking to bed them. Yet it appears that not everyone shares our outrage and collective sense of shame. One Uche Ezechukwu made the following contribution which went viral on the social media networks and which I think speaks volumes. He wrote-
"Those who are railing against 'paedophile' senators, like Yerima Bakura, must be told that a muslim can’t go wrong while imitating the examples of the Apostle of Allah himself and the founder of his religion, in the same way a christian cannot be criticized for following the examples of Jesus Christ. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) married Aisha at the age of six and consummated the marriage when she was nine. So, why are we judging muslims by our own standards?"
I am appauled by these words. The truth is that I have never heard such a self-serving and specious arguement in defence of the philosophies and beliefs of the Ayatollah of Bakura, Senator Ahmed Sani, the practising paedophile who married and bedded a 12 year old Egyptian girl, as this one. Ahmed Sani himself could not have argued it better. Yet I think that it is an utter shame. And this is more so because the individual that is putting the arguement is supposedly a christian. The Old Testament of the Holy Bible prescribes ''stoning'' for adultry but that does not mean that christian countries, or indeed secular states like Nigeria, should stone adulterers.
Neither does it mean that we should preserve the institution of slavery or crucify petty thieves simply because the Holy Bible endorsed both practices in the Old Testament. We must accept the fact that the interpretation of biblical and koranic provisions are evolutionary and are ever changing. Jesus Himself said ''laws are made for man and not man for laws''. The suggestion that paedophilia has any place in any modern and decent society simply because it was once practised in the distant past is not only a despicable arguement but it also does not make any sense. After all cannibalism and child and human sacrifice were once widely practised and were held as being perfectly acceptable throughout the world as well but that does not mean that we should practice any of those terrible vices today.
The young man, Uche Ezechukwu, who appears to be defending child rape in the name of islam, should either let someone lay with and ''marry'' his own 6 or 9 year old daughter or he should seal his lips forever and stop trying to defend the indefensible. His assertions, and I daresay those of Senator Ahmed Sani and anyone that shares their primitive views, are not only utterly immoral and reprehensible but they are also intellectually dishonest. I say this because the truth is that there is NO muslim country in the world that has adopted the "paedophile charter" where 6 or 9 year olds can marry and be bedded except for Saudi Arabia, Iran and Yemen.
Every other muslim country in the world, including Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Senegal, the Sudan, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Palestine, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Qatar, Bahrain, Dagestan, Albania, Bosnia, Somalia, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Azerbejhan,Niger, Turkestan, Chechnya and Syria have specifically banned child marriage, paedophilia and child rape in their various constitutions and laws and some have declared it ''repugnant'', ''unacceptable'' and ''unislamic''. Are these people not muslims too? As a matte if fact are they not better muslims than those that insist on sleeping with or marrying underage girls in the name of islam?
Like christianity and judaism, islam is a noble, pure, honourable and ancient faith that seeks to protect the weakest and most vulnerable in society, including children. No-one should use the misinterpretation of its provisions to try to justify or rationalise what is essentially depraved, shameful, disgusting and barbaric behaviour and the most sordid and filthy expression of sexual deviance and perversion. Even animals do not marry or bed their own infants. The bitter truth is that paedophiles have no place in any civilised society.
I am constrained to say that in the light of their "yes" vote to child marriage and their green light to paedophilia, every single member of the Nigerian Senate that voted with Yerima on that day and that supported his filthy agenda should bow their heads in utter shame and they should be compelled to offer their own infant and under age daughters to strangers for marriage. I repeat, they have turned us into a nation of perverts and paedophiles and I say a pox on all their houses. I reserve my commendations and respect only for those Senators that opposed and voted against Yerima's protestations and agenda and that stood for that which was right even though they could not muster enough votes to have their way. My word to this brave and righteous few is simple and clear- keep the struggle alive and continue to resist the evil that resides amongst us all. You are the only thing that stands between our children and the practising paedophiles in our midst who seek to ravage and bed them even before they have entered their teens.
Friday, July 19, 2013
a Must Read For Everyone
“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? I avoided her question.
This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other.
She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her! With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly.
Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of relieve. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now. The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.
In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage. This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into our bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.
I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully. My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset.
I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office. On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her. On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger.
I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I drove to office…. jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind…I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore. She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.
That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed – dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push through with the divorce.— At least, in the eyes of our son—- I’m a loving husband…. The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves.
So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!
This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other.
She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her! With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly.
Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of relieve. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now. The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.
In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage. This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into our bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.
I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully. My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset.
I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office. On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her. On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger.
I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I drove to office…. jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind…I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore. She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.
That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed – dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push through with the divorce.— At least, in the eyes of our son—- I’m a loving husband…. The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves.
So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
The Genesis of the Crisis in Rivers State Pt 1
According to The First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, the crisis started as far back as four years ago.
Rivers has been embroiled in a political crisis, which culminated in a free for all at the House of Assembly last week, with some members injured.
Jonathan said this during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa by 16 bishops from the South-South geo-political zone.
“Rivers state issue is one thing I’ve committed to prayer because I believe there is nothing God cannot do. God restored me and I’ll do His work without the fear of man.
“The truth will always remain the truth and what God ordains must come to pass and so Rivers issue is something we’ve handed over to God.’’
The president’s wife said contrary to some reports, she had always mediated between Gov. Chibuike Amaechi and other parties in a crisis that began four years ago.
“This matter started as far back as four years ago at Anyugubiri in Okrika when I begged him not to demolish a part of Okrika but (that he should) dialogue first with the people.
“After that incident, he called the chairman of Okrika (local government) and sacked him for holding a reception in our honour; that boy was the first victim.
“He also put my people on curfew for nine months. I called him and pleaded with him but he refused. Then I began to hear all sort of propaganda in the media against me; this is not the way.
“I’ve never spoken about this issue but as men of God, I believe you’ll say the truth always because there are a lot of conflicting interests; some will hear one thing and say the exact opposite.
“I also want you to know the genesis of this problem and pray that God touches Amaechi’s heart as per his hot temper because when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.’’
Jonathan urged the parties involved in the crisis to help to resolve issues plaguing the state and not “whip up sentiments that will aggravate the problem.
“I appeal to Amaechi to sheathe his sword so that we can defend our state and this country with love, unity, patriotism and truth at all time.
“Hebrews 12:14 urges us to embrace peace with all men without which, we cannot see God.
“Amaechi is my son, I cannot fight him and I cannot kill him. He shouldn’t be used by outsiders against his own blood because this seat is vanity.
“One day, no matter how long it takes, we will leave this seat. Power is not forever. This seat is vanity, others sat here and left so one day I’ll also leave and we will meet at home; so why should I fight him?
“Let’s take it easy, face issues, leave non-existent matters, stop magnifying lies and respect our leaders and people in authority. Let’s give peace a chance,’’ she said.
Earlier, Bishop God-Do-Well Awomapara, Chairman, Niger Delta Bishops Forum, who led the delegation, said the visit was significant “in view of emerging situations in our region.
“We are on a quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding the Rivers issue and mediate where necessary
Rivers has been embroiled in a political crisis, which culminated in a free for all at the House of Assembly last week, with some members injured.
Jonathan said this during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa by 16 bishops from the South-South geo-political zone.
“Rivers state issue is one thing I’ve committed to prayer because I believe there is nothing God cannot do. God restored me and I’ll do His work without the fear of man.
“The truth will always remain the truth and what God ordains must come to pass and so Rivers issue is something we’ve handed over to God.’’
The president’s wife said contrary to some reports, she had always mediated between Gov. Chibuike Amaechi and other parties in a crisis that began four years ago.
“This matter started as far back as four years ago at Anyugubiri in Okrika when I begged him not to demolish a part of Okrika but (that he should) dialogue first with the people.
“After that incident, he called the chairman of Okrika (local government) and sacked him for holding a reception in our honour; that boy was the first victim.
“He also put my people on curfew for nine months. I called him and pleaded with him but he refused. Then I began to hear all sort of propaganda in the media against me; this is not the way.
“I’ve never spoken about this issue but as men of God, I believe you’ll say the truth always because there are a lot of conflicting interests; some will hear one thing and say the exact opposite.
“I also want you to know the genesis of this problem and pray that God touches Amaechi’s heart as per his hot temper because when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.’’
Jonathan urged the parties involved in the crisis to help to resolve issues plaguing the state and not “whip up sentiments that will aggravate the problem.
“I appeal to Amaechi to sheathe his sword so that we can defend our state and this country with love, unity, patriotism and truth at all time.
“Hebrews 12:14 urges us to embrace peace with all men without which, we cannot see God.
“Amaechi is my son, I cannot fight him and I cannot kill him. He shouldn’t be used by outsiders against his own blood because this seat is vanity.
“One day, no matter how long it takes, we will leave this seat. Power is not forever. This seat is vanity, others sat here and left so one day I’ll also leave and we will meet at home; so why should I fight him?
“Let’s take it easy, face issues, leave non-existent matters, stop magnifying lies and respect our leaders and people in authority. Let’s give peace a chance,’’ she said.
Earlier, Bishop God-Do-Well Awomapara, Chairman, Niger Delta Bishops Forum, who led the delegation, said the visit was significant “in view of emerging situations in our region.
“We are on a quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding the Rivers issue and mediate where necessary
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Chimamanda Adichie Wins American Prize for Fiction
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's third novel AMERICANAH has been awarded the 2013 Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for fiction. The Heartland Prize is a literary prize created in 1988 by the Chicago Tribune
Newspaper.
According to Elizabeth Taylor, the literary editor of the Chicago Tribune, the prize is awarded yearly in two categories, fiction and non-fiction, to books that are concerned with American issues, causes and concerns.
"We loved AMERICANAH. It's a powerful, resonant novel and we would be delighted to celebrate it and try to share it with a wider audience," Taylor wrote.
"I'm very pleased," Adichie said on receiving news of the prize. "You never know what will happen when you write a novel. And for me, a Nigerian, to have written this book which is partly about America, and to receive this quintessentially American prize means that I have said something about America as seen through Nigerian eyes that Americans find interesting.
I take that as a wonderful compliment. It reminds me of the ability of literature to make us become briefly alive in bodies not our own."
Past fiction winners of the Heartland Prize include Jonathan France for his novel FREEDOM and Marilyn ne Robinson for her novel GILEAD
The prize will be awarded on November 3, 2013 at an audience-attended event hosted in partnership with the Chicago Humanities Festival in
Chicago.
Newspaper.
According to Elizabeth Taylor, the literary editor of the Chicago Tribune, the prize is awarded yearly in two categories, fiction and non-fiction, to books that are concerned with American issues, causes and concerns.
"We loved AMERICANAH. It's a powerful, resonant novel and we would be delighted to celebrate it and try to share it with a wider audience," Taylor wrote.
"I'm very pleased," Adichie said on receiving news of the prize. "You never know what will happen when you write a novel. And for me, a Nigerian, to have written this book which is partly about America, and to receive this quintessentially American prize means that I have said something about America as seen through Nigerian eyes that Americans find interesting.
I take that as a wonderful compliment. It reminds me of the ability of literature to make us become briefly alive in bodies not our own."
Past fiction winners of the Heartland Prize include Jonathan France for his novel FREEDOM and Marilyn ne Robinson for her novel GILEAD
The prize will be awarded on November 3, 2013 at an audience-attended event hosted in partnership with the Chicago Humanities Festival in
Chicago.
Gov Ameachi of Rivers State and His Four Northen Counterparts Stoned by Protesters
As unbelivable as it sounds,this is how BBC news online is reporting it.
Excerpt;
Powerful Nigerian governor Rotimi Amaechi and four of his northern counterparts have been pelted with stones by opponents in his home state.
Their convoy was attacked as it left the airport of Port Harcourt, the capital of his oil-rich Rivers state.
The northern governors were visiting to show their support for Mr Amaechi.
He was suspended from the ruling party for what analysts see as his opposition to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The governors of Nigeria's 36 states are extremely influential and have large budgets at their disposal - and can help determine the outcome of national polls.
Mr Jonathan, from the southern state of Bayelsa, which neighbours Rivers, is expected to stand for re-election in 2015 on the People's Democratic Party ticket.
Analysts say it is imperative for him to have the support of Rivers, which is Nigeria's wealthiest state.
Beatings in parliament
Chanting anti-Amaechi slogans, a crowd of about 300 people was at the airport when the northern governors arrived.
Some of the protesters threw stones and other objects as the convoy left, shattering the windscreens of some of the vehicles, Nigeria's ThisDay newspaper reports.
Since Mr Amaechi's suspension at the end of May, there have been political tensions in Rivers state, and moves to oust him as governor by factions alleged to be loyal to Mr Jonathan.
Last week there were chaotic scenes in the local parliament as four anti-Amaechi MPs tried to take advantage of an empty chamber to impeach the speaker.
When their plan was discovered, they were rounded on, and some were beaten and chased from the parliament building.
There have also been accusations that the police have been acting against the governor, which the visiting northern governors said they deplored.
The governors of Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger states said the state police commissioner should be redeployed and if not they threatened to stop funding the federal police.
"Having interacted with our colleague and other persons, we are shocked at the role of the police in Rivers state and condemn its clear partisanship in the show of shame that took place at the Rivers State House of Assembly," they said in a statement, Nigeria's Daily Trust newspaper reports.
"With the way the police is being used and abused... we do not see the need for state governments to fund an antagonistic police and may be forced to reconsider our position on the financial contribution of the states towards the funding of the Nigeria police."
Before Mr Amaechi's PDP suspension, he had been re-elected as chairman of the governor's forum, but a rival disputed the outcome, declared himself chairman and the body remains split.
The suspension was not related to the governors' forum vote, but over a local council issue in Rivers state.
Excerpt;
Powerful Nigerian governor Rotimi Amaechi and four of his northern counterparts have been pelted with stones by opponents in his home state.
Their convoy was attacked as it left the airport of Port Harcourt, the capital of his oil-rich Rivers state.
The northern governors were visiting to show their support for Mr Amaechi.
He was suspended from the ruling party for what analysts see as his opposition to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The governors of Nigeria's 36 states are extremely influential and have large budgets at their disposal - and can help determine the outcome of national polls.
Mr Jonathan, from the southern state of Bayelsa, which neighbours Rivers, is expected to stand for re-election in 2015 on the People's Democratic Party ticket.
Analysts say it is imperative for him to have the support of Rivers, which is Nigeria's wealthiest state.
Beatings in parliament
Chanting anti-Amaechi slogans, a crowd of about 300 people was at the airport when the northern governors arrived.
Some of the protesters threw stones and other objects as the convoy left, shattering the windscreens of some of the vehicles, Nigeria's ThisDay newspaper reports.
Since Mr Amaechi's suspension at the end of May, there have been political tensions in Rivers state, and moves to oust him as governor by factions alleged to be loyal to Mr Jonathan.
Last week there were chaotic scenes in the local parliament as four anti-Amaechi MPs tried to take advantage of an empty chamber to impeach the speaker.
When their plan was discovered, they were rounded on, and some were beaten and chased from the parliament building.
There have also been accusations that the police have been acting against the governor, which the visiting northern governors said they deplored.
The governors of Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger states said the state police commissioner should be redeployed and if not they threatened to stop funding the federal police.
"Having interacted with our colleague and other persons, we are shocked at the role of the police in Rivers state and condemn its clear partisanship in the show of shame that took place at the Rivers State House of Assembly," they said in a statement, Nigeria's Daily Trust newspaper reports.
"With the way the police is being used and abused... we do not see the need for state governments to fund an antagonistic police and may be forced to reconsider our position on the financial contribution of the states towards the funding of the Nigeria police."
Before Mr Amaechi's PDP suspension, he had been re-elected as chairman of the governor's forum, but a rival disputed the outcome, declared himself chairman and the body remains split.
The suspension was not related to the governors' forum vote, but over a local council issue in Rivers state.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Breaking News: Boko Haram Begs for forgiveness
Yesterday, Imam Muhammadu Marwana, an influential member of the Boko Haram sect, confirmed a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government to end their deadly activities.
Vanguard reports that sounding apologetic during the Radio France Hausa Service news, Imam Marwana said:
WE are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country.
I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us.
I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school (Government Secondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State).
And to confirm the ceasefire deal sign, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Special Duties and Head of Boko Haram Amnesty Committee, Tanimu Turaki, yesterday, said that it had signed a ceasefire agreement with the militant group.
Although details of the peace deal were scanty, Turaki who spoke in Hausa further said that the Boko Haram insurgents had agreed to lay down their arms. Turaki told his interviewers:
We have sat down and agreed that Jama’atu Ahlul Sunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad, known as Boko Haram will lay down their arms as part of the agreement so as to end the insurgency. Government agreed with ceasefire and will look into ways to ensure that the troops relax their activities till the final take off of the ceasefire,”
Meanwhile, efforts by SaharaReporters to confirm with the presidency this stunning development have not yet yielded results, but it is to be noted that NigeriaVillageSquare.com reported the same story a few days ago.
In that press statement, Boko Haram said the ceasefire would be in effect for 60 days, and that during the period, any attacks in its name or in the name of its leader, Imam Shekau, would be bogus attacks.
A source knowledgeable about the workings of Boko Haram, however, told Saharareporters that the ceasefire agreement announced by the Nigerian government should be discounted until Imam Abubakar Shekau issues a video message to state the position of the sect.
The source further stated that so far, this new ceasefire agreement looks much like the phony ones before it.
Nigerian Writer wins Caine writing prize
His name is Tope Folarin, a US-based writer. He won the prize for his story - Miracle - a short story set in an evangelical Nigerian church in Texas.
Tope, who was shortlisted with three other Nigerians and a Sierra Leonean for the prize, received $15,000 at an event that held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Congrats to him.
Tope, who was shortlisted with three other Nigerians and a Sierra Leonean for the prize, received $15,000 at an event that held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Congrats to him.
Monday, July 8, 2013
UNICEF condemns Yobe school killings
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Monday in Abuja expressed displeasure over the killing of some school children in Yobe. UNICEF said in a statement by its Regional Director for West and Central Africa,
Manuel Fontaine, that there was no justification for targeting children and those looking after them.
"As we extend our sympathy to the families of the victims, we would say in the strongest possible terms that there can be no justification for the deliberate targeting of children and those looking after them," the statements said.
It called on governments at all levels to ensure that those responsible for the dastardly act were brought to book.
The statement noted that 48 students and seven teachers had been killed since June 16 in four separate attacks in the region, and stressed the need for safety in all schools, to prevent future occurrence of such act.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect on Saturday attacked the Government Secondary School, Mamudo, along the Damaturu-Potiskum highway, killing 24 students, a teacher and an Islamic preacher.
The attacked occurred while the students were asleep.
Manuel Fontaine, that there was no justification for targeting children and those looking after them.
"As we extend our sympathy to the families of the victims, we would say in the strongest possible terms that there can be no justification for the deliberate targeting of children and those looking after them," the statements said.
It called on governments at all levels to ensure that those responsible for the dastardly act were brought to book.
The statement noted that 48 students and seven teachers had been killed since June 16 in four separate attacks in the region, and stressed the need for safety in all schools, to prevent future occurrence of such act.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect on Saturday attacked the Government Secondary School, Mamudo, along the Damaturu-Potiskum highway, killing 24 students, a teacher and an Islamic preacher.
The attacked occurred while the students were asleep.
Secondary School Students killed in Yobe State by Gunmen
Gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram stormed Government Secondary School in Mamudo Yobe state on Saturday July 6th and killed at least 29 students and one teacher.
Eyewitnesses and other students who survived the attack said the gunmen gathered the students, put them in one of the hostel rooms, threw explosives and opened fire, killing at least 29 students and wounding others. Some victims had their body parts blown off, some were badly burnt, while others had only gun shot wounds.
Following the violent attack, the Governor of Yobe State, ordered all secondary schools in the state to be shut down until September.
This killing is the third attack on secondary school students in less than a month. On June 16, suspected members of Boko Haram killed seven students of a secondary school in Damaturu, then the next day, June 17, nine students sitting for an exam at a Secondary School in Jajeri ward in Maiduguri, Borno State were killed. RIP to the young ones we have lost.
Gunmen believed to be Islamists from Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgent group killed 42 people, mostly students, in an overnight attack on a secondary school in restive Yobe state, a medical worker and residents said on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses and other students who survived the attack said the gunmen gathered the students, put them in one of the hostel rooms, threw explosives and opened fire, killing at least 29 students and wounding others. Some victims had their body parts blown off, some were badly burnt, while others had only gun shot wounds.
Following the violent attack, the Governor of Yobe State, ordered all secondary schools in the state to be shut down until September.
This killing is the third attack on secondary school students in less than a month. On June 16, suspected members of Boko Haram killed seven students of a secondary school in Damaturu, then the next day, June 17, nine students sitting for an exam at a Secondary School in Jajeri ward in Maiduguri, Borno State were killed. RIP to the young ones we have lost.
Gunmen believed to be Islamists from Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgent group killed 42 people, mostly students, in an overnight attack on a secondary school in restive Yobe state, a medical worker and residents said on Saturday.
Enrolment for National ID number is completely free - NIMC
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has disclosed that there are no charges attach to obtaining or enrolling for both the National Identification Number (NIN) and the General Multipurpose
Card. This was made known in statement by the Deputy Director Corporate Communications of the commission, Abdulhamid Umar, stating that "Enrolment for the National Identification Number (NIN) is completely free. There are no charges attached in the process of enrolling and issuance of both the National Identification Number (NIN) and the General Multipurpose Card."
He urged members of the public to enrol for NIN, saying the exercise has started in all NIMC state capital offices and FCT Abuja, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm daily.
"NIMC is working tirelessly to ensure that all the NIMC offices in the 774 local government areas in the country commence enrolment live very soon," he added.
On the benefit of the National Identity Management System (NIMS), he said that apart from improving governance and service delivery, it will help in curbing identity theft and fraud by providing a simple, reliable, sustainable and universally acceptable means of confirming one's identity at all times as well as eliminate multiple and ghost identities which will automatically enhance the National payment system in the country.
Card. This was made known in statement by the Deputy Director Corporate Communications of the commission, Abdulhamid Umar, stating that "Enrolment for the National Identification Number (NIN) is completely free. There are no charges attached in the process of enrolling and issuance of both the National Identification Number (NIN) and the General Multipurpose Card."
He urged members of the public to enrol for NIN, saying the exercise has started in all NIMC state capital offices and FCT Abuja, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm daily.
"NIMC is working tirelessly to ensure that all the NIMC offices in the 774 local government areas in the country commence enrolment live very soon," he added.
On the benefit of the National Identity Management System (NIMS), he said that apart from improving governance and service delivery, it will help in curbing identity theft and fraud by providing a simple, reliable, sustainable and universally acceptable means of confirming one's identity at all times as well as eliminate multiple and ghost identities which will automatically enhance the National payment system in the country.
Police rescue abducted NYSC members
The Rivers police command said on Sunday in Port Harcourt it had rescued three members of the National Youth Service Corps who were abducted on June 29. Angela Agabe, the command's Public Relations
Officer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the corps members were freed on July 6 at Abua town in Rivers.
NAN recalls that two male and one female corps members were seized by gunmen in the Abua/Odual local government area of Rivers while boarding a speed boat at a waterfront.
Agabe said men of the command had arrested the ring leader of the kidnap gang at Abua on July 6.
"The ring leader then led the anti-kidnap unit of the command to the kidnapped corps members, who were freed unharmed,'' she said.
The police spokesperson said no ransom was paid to members of the gang, and assured that the corps members were in good condition.
'The suspect is with the anti-kidnap unit of the command and investigation is on to arrest other members of the gang,'' she said.
Officer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the corps members were freed on July 6 at Abua town in Rivers.
NAN recalls that two male and one female corps members were seized by gunmen in the Abua/Odual local government area of Rivers while boarding a speed boat at a waterfront.
Agabe said men of the command had arrested the ring leader of the kidnap gang at Abua on July 6.
"The ring leader then led the anti-kidnap unit of the command to the kidnapped corps members, who were freed unharmed,'' she said.
The police spokesperson said no ransom was paid to members of the gang, and assured that the corps members were in good condition.
'The suspect is with the anti-kidnap unit of the command and investigation is on to arrest other members of the gang,'' she said.
Nigeria Is Not A Problematic Nation - Labaran Maku
The Honorable Minister for Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday at the Nigerian Consulate-General in Atlanta Georgia, said that Nigeria was not a problematic or failed nation but a country that is
facing the challenges that almost all the countries in the world face. He added that those challenges would go off with time.
Addressing The Nigeria Conversation jointly organized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Information and the Nigerian Consulate-General in Georgia, Mr. Labaran Maku said that there was no society without its own problem just as he asked the public to stop describing Nigeria as problematic.
"People should stop lamenting about problems, they should look for ways to solve such problems and by so doing, they will turn all these problems to investment opportunities in Nigeria. This is what America has been doing to make the country look the best despite the challenges it faces as well. America does use its problems to achieve reformation" he said.
He further asked Nigerians to stop listening to negative information about the country, urging them to always go to the Social Media websites of the country in order to be properly informed about what is happening in different sectors and then find a way to actualize what they could do to help the federal government in all the sectors.
Speaking on power, Minister Labaran Maku said that there would be a power revolution between the next two and three years just as there was a revolution in the Telecommunication sector which he said had opened a lot of business opportunities and as well created employments and made communication easier in Nigeria.
His words: "We are building ten new power plants across the country and before the end of this year, most of the power plants will be completed.
I also want to note that before the end of 2014, all the power plants will be fully completed. In this month, one of the power plants in Aba will be commissioned, and this will make the areas to have a stable and uninterrupted power supply.
"Gradually, power problem will be solved and what we see as a problem is now an investment opportunity because of the government's policy to open the sector to private investors. Now, we are converting all the problems to business opportunities".
According to him, the competition among private sectors in order to make profits would stabilize the power sector in Nigeria because the investors would be informed that their failure to work hard in order to generate the required and sufficient power for the citizens would endanger their investments in Nigeria.
Speaking on security, Labaran Maku said that there was a lot of efforts, policies and actions ongoing to curb insecurity, criminality and what he described as a few challenges in the Niger Delta. He added that the insecurity and crime rates in some of the first class countries were even more than the ones in Nigeria.
"There have been a lot of cooperation from the citizens of Nigeria in the Northeast to curb the insecurity which they already know has the tendencies of crippling the infrastructures in the area. At this point, i will like to assure you that Nigeria is safe for foreign investors to do their businesses.
The risk we talk about is in almost all the countries across the world so i urge Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora to be part of the challenges and as well partake in the economic and infrastructural developments of the country" he noted.
He pressed further that the federal government had put in place the mercenaries that would make foreigners see Nigeria as a place where there were several opportunities for them to invest without any risk, stressing that the democratic system and President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda had made Nigeria to be predictable by foreigners, an achievement he said had brought lots of investments into the country.
On Diaspora Voting Right, Mr. Maku urged Nigerians abroad to be patient, saying that the process would be put in place at the appropriate time. He added that the government wanted to be sure that it curbed the activities of those that manipulated the electoral process in the country before the implementation of the Voting Rights from the diaspora.
He continued that the President had transformed the electoral process of the country just to make it very competitive, stressing that the idea of the federal government was to ensure that nobody got into any elective post through rigging and all sorts of election malpractices without being voted for by the electorates.
His words: " This electoral idea of President Jonathan will curb stealing and embezzlement because all the elected leaders will be know that the electorates will surely vote them out if they steal of fail to perform to their expectation.
"All the reformations going on in Nigeria today as a result of democratic process are those that no future government can ever take away or reverse"
On revolution, Labaran Maku said there should be no controversy about this as long as it was going to bring positive changes to the nation, adding that there was nothing bad in people asking for a new thing that would not be perilous to a country to take place.
Maku said: "We are a country of diversities. We are a large constituency so revolution should not be our major worry as a democratic nation. The democracy in Nigeria has been able to halt dictatorship in the entire West Africa".
facing the challenges that almost all the countries in the world face. He added that those challenges would go off with time.
Addressing The Nigeria Conversation jointly organized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Information and the Nigerian Consulate-General in Georgia, Mr. Labaran Maku said that there was no society without its own problem just as he asked the public to stop describing Nigeria as problematic.
"People should stop lamenting about problems, they should look for ways to solve such problems and by so doing, they will turn all these problems to investment opportunities in Nigeria. This is what America has been doing to make the country look the best despite the challenges it faces as well. America does use its problems to achieve reformation" he said.
He further asked Nigerians to stop listening to negative information about the country, urging them to always go to the Social Media websites of the country in order to be properly informed about what is happening in different sectors and then find a way to actualize what they could do to help the federal government in all the sectors.
Speaking on power, Minister Labaran Maku said that there would be a power revolution between the next two and three years just as there was a revolution in the Telecommunication sector which he said had opened a lot of business opportunities and as well created employments and made communication easier in Nigeria.
His words: "We are building ten new power plants across the country and before the end of this year, most of the power plants will be completed.
I also want to note that before the end of 2014, all the power plants will be fully completed. In this month, one of the power plants in Aba will be commissioned, and this will make the areas to have a stable and uninterrupted power supply.
"Gradually, power problem will be solved and what we see as a problem is now an investment opportunity because of the government's policy to open the sector to private investors. Now, we are converting all the problems to business opportunities".
According to him, the competition among private sectors in order to make profits would stabilize the power sector in Nigeria because the investors would be informed that their failure to work hard in order to generate the required and sufficient power for the citizens would endanger their investments in Nigeria.
Speaking on security, Labaran Maku said that there was a lot of efforts, policies and actions ongoing to curb insecurity, criminality and what he described as a few challenges in the Niger Delta. He added that the insecurity and crime rates in some of the first class countries were even more than the ones in Nigeria.
"There have been a lot of cooperation from the citizens of Nigeria in the Northeast to curb the insecurity which they already know has the tendencies of crippling the infrastructures in the area. At this point, i will like to assure you that Nigeria is safe for foreign investors to do their businesses.
The risk we talk about is in almost all the countries across the world so i urge Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora to be part of the challenges and as well partake in the economic and infrastructural developments of the country" he noted.
He pressed further that the federal government had put in place the mercenaries that would make foreigners see Nigeria as a place where there were several opportunities for them to invest without any risk, stressing that the democratic system and President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda had made Nigeria to be predictable by foreigners, an achievement he said had brought lots of investments into the country.
On Diaspora Voting Right, Mr. Maku urged Nigerians abroad to be patient, saying that the process would be put in place at the appropriate time. He added that the government wanted to be sure that it curbed the activities of those that manipulated the electoral process in the country before the implementation of the Voting Rights from the diaspora.
He continued that the President had transformed the electoral process of the country just to make it very competitive, stressing that the idea of the federal government was to ensure that nobody got into any elective post through rigging and all sorts of election malpractices without being voted for by the electorates.
His words: " This electoral idea of President Jonathan will curb stealing and embezzlement because all the elected leaders will be know that the electorates will surely vote them out if they steal of fail to perform to their expectation.
"All the reformations going on in Nigeria today as a result of democratic process are those that no future government can ever take away or reverse"
On revolution, Labaran Maku said there should be no controversy about this as long as it was going to bring positive changes to the nation, adding that there was nothing bad in people asking for a new thing that would not be perilous to a country to take place.
Maku said: "We are a country of diversities. We are a large constituency so revolution should not be our major worry as a democratic nation. The democracy in Nigeria has been able to halt dictatorship in the entire West Africa".
Nigeria Is Not A Problematic Nation - Labaran Maku
The Honorable Minister for Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday at the Nigerian Consulate-General in Atlanta Georgia, said that Nigeria was not a problematic or failed nation but a country that is
facing the challenges that almost all the countries in the world face. He added that those challenges would go off with time.
Addressing The Nigeria Conversation jointly organized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Information and the Nigerian Consulate-General in Georgia, Mr. Labaran Maku said that there was no society without its own problem just as he asked the public to stop describing Nigeria as problematic.
"People should stop lamenting about problems, they should look for ways to solve such problems and by so doing, they will turn all these problems to investment opportunities in Nigeria. This is what America has been doing to make the country look the best despite the challenges it faces as well. America does use its problems to achieve reformation" he said.
He further asked Nigerians to stop listening to negative information about the country, urging them to always go to the Social Media websites of the country in order to be properly informed about what is happening in different sectors and then find a way to actualize what they could do to help the federal government in all the sectors.
Speaking on power, Minister Labaran Maku said that there would be a power revolution between the next two and three years just as there was a revolution in the Telecommunication sector which he said had opened a lot of business opportunities and as well created employments and made communication easier in Nigeria.
His words: "We are building ten new power plants across the country and before the end of this year, most of the power plants will be completed.
I also want to note that before the end of 2014, all the power plants will be fully completed. In this month, one of the power plants in Aba will be commissioned, and this will make the areas to have a stable and uninterrupted power supply.
"Gradually, power problem will be solved and what we see as a problem is now an investment opportunity because of the government's policy to open the sector to private investors. Now, we are converting all the problems to business opportunities".
According to him, the competition among private sectors in order to make profits would stabilize the power sector in Nigeria because the investors would be informed that their failure to work hard in order to generate the required and sufficient power for the citizens would endanger their investments in Nigeria.
Speaking on security, Labaran Maku said that there was a lot of efforts, policies and actions ongoing to curb insecurity, criminality and what he described as a few challenges in the Niger Delta. He added that the insecurity and crime rates in some of the first class countries were even more than the ones in Nigeria.
"There have been a lot of cooperation from the citizens of Nigeria in the Northeast to curb the insecurity which they already know has the tendencies of crippling the infrastructures in the area. At this point, i will like to assure you that Nigeria is safe for foreign investors to do their businesses.
The risk we talk about is in almost all the countries across the world so i urge Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora to be part of the challenges and as well partake in the economic and infrastructural developments of the country" he noted.
He pressed further that the federal government had put in place the mercenaries that would make foreigners see Nigeria as a place where there were several opportunities for them to invest without any risk, stressing that the democratic system and President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda had made Nigeria to be predictable by foreigners, an achievement he said had brought lots of investments into the country.
On Diaspora Voting Right, Mr. Maku urged Nigerians abroad to be patient, saying that the process would be put in place at the appropriate time. He added that the government wanted to be sure that it curbed the activities of those that manipulated the electoral process in the country before the implementation of the Voting Rights from the diaspora.
He continued that the President had transformed the electoral process of the country just to make it very competitive, stressing that the idea of the federal government was to ensure that nobody got into any elective post through rigging and all sorts of election malpractices without being voted for by the electorates.
His words: " This electoral idea of President Jonathan will curb stealing and embezzlement because all the elected leaders will be know that the electorates will surely vote them out if they steal of fail to perform to their expectation.
"All the reformations going on in Nigeria today as a result of democratic process are those that no future government can ever take away or reverse"
On revolution, Labaran Maku said there should be no controversy about this as long as it was going to bring positive changes to the nation, adding that there was nothing bad in people asking for a new thing that would not be perilous to a country to take place.
Maku said: "We are a country of diversities. We are a large constituency so revolution should not be our major worry as a democratic nation. The democracy in Nigeria has been able to halt dictatorship in the entire West Africa".
facing the challenges that almost all the countries in the world face. He added that those challenges would go off with time.
Addressing The Nigeria Conversation jointly organized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Information and the Nigerian Consulate-General in Georgia, Mr. Labaran Maku said that there was no society without its own problem just as he asked the public to stop describing Nigeria as problematic.
"People should stop lamenting about problems, they should look for ways to solve such problems and by so doing, they will turn all these problems to investment opportunities in Nigeria. This is what America has been doing to make the country look the best despite the challenges it faces as well. America does use its problems to achieve reformation" he said.
He further asked Nigerians to stop listening to negative information about the country, urging them to always go to the Social Media websites of the country in order to be properly informed about what is happening in different sectors and then find a way to actualize what they could do to help the federal government in all the sectors.
Speaking on power, Minister Labaran Maku said that there would be a power revolution between the next two and three years just as there was a revolution in the Telecommunication sector which he said had opened a lot of business opportunities and as well created employments and made communication easier in Nigeria.
His words: "We are building ten new power plants across the country and before the end of this year, most of the power plants will be completed.
I also want to note that before the end of 2014, all the power plants will be fully completed. In this month, one of the power plants in Aba will be commissioned, and this will make the areas to have a stable and uninterrupted power supply.
"Gradually, power problem will be solved and what we see as a problem is now an investment opportunity because of the government's policy to open the sector to private investors. Now, we are converting all the problems to business opportunities".
According to him, the competition among private sectors in order to make profits would stabilize the power sector in Nigeria because the investors would be informed that their failure to work hard in order to generate the required and sufficient power for the citizens would endanger their investments in Nigeria.
Speaking on security, Labaran Maku said that there was a lot of efforts, policies and actions ongoing to curb insecurity, criminality and what he described as a few challenges in the Niger Delta. He added that the insecurity and crime rates in some of the first class countries were even more than the ones in Nigeria.
"There have been a lot of cooperation from the citizens of Nigeria in the Northeast to curb the insecurity which they already know has the tendencies of crippling the infrastructures in the area. At this point, i will like to assure you that Nigeria is safe for foreign investors to do their businesses.
The risk we talk about is in almost all the countries across the world so i urge Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora to be part of the challenges and as well partake in the economic and infrastructural developments of the country" he noted.
He pressed further that the federal government had put in place the mercenaries that would make foreigners see Nigeria as a place where there were several opportunities for them to invest without any risk, stressing that the democratic system and President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda had made Nigeria to be predictable by foreigners, an achievement he said had brought lots of investments into the country.
On Diaspora Voting Right, Mr. Maku urged Nigerians abroad to be patient, saying that the process would be put in place at the appropriate time. He added that the government wanted to be sure that it curbed the activities of those that manipulated the electoral process in the country before the implementation of the Voting Rights from the diaspora.
He continued that the President had transformed the electoral process of the country just to make it very competitive, stressing that the idea of the federal government was to ensure that nobody got into any elective post through rigging and all sorts of election malpractices without being voted for by the electorates.
His words: " This electoral idea of President Jonathan will curb stealing and embezzlement because all the elected leaders will be know that the electorates will surely vote them out if they steal of fail to perform to their expectation.
"All the reformations going on in Nigeria today as a result of democratic process are those that no future government can ever take away or reverse"
On revolution, Labaran Maku said there should be no controversy about this as long as it was going to bring positive changes to the nation, adding that there was nothing bad in people asking for a new thing that would not be perilous to a country to take place.
Maku said: "We are a country of diversities. We are a large constituency so revolution should not be our major worry as a democratic nation. The democracy in Nigeria has been able to halt dictatorship in the entire West Africa".
Friday, July 5, 2013
Judge’s Absence Stalls Trial of Cynthia Osokogu’s Alleged Murderers
The trial of the alleged murderers of Cynthia Osokogu was stalled on Friday due to the absence of Olabisi Akinlade, the trial judge. The court registrar said that Mrs. Akinlade was "indisposed."
The court adjourned till September 20 for a 'trial-within-trial.'
Ms. Osokogu, 24, was allegedly drugged and murdered in a hotel room in July 2012 in Festac, Lagos.
The suspects, Okwumo Nwabufor and Olisaeloka Ezike, are charged, for Ms. Osokogu's death, with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and felony.
Osita Orji, a pharmacist who sold the Rophynol drug to the alleged murderers, is accused of reckless and negligent act; while Nonso Ezike, who pawned the deceased's Blackberry phone, is charged with possession of stolen property.
Friday's 'trial-within-trial' was billed for the argument on an alleged confessional statement from Messrs Nwabufor and Olisaeloka.
Victor Opara, counsel to Mr. Nwabufor, told a source that the police obtained the statements under duress.
"The police say they had obtained a confessional statement from both the first and second defendants (Mr. Nwabufor and Olisaeloka respectively)," Mr. Opara said.
"The trial-within-trial would determine whether the statement was made voluntarily.
"If the court comes to a conclusion that it was made under duress, it would not be admitted," Mr. Opara said.
"The larger trial is still on," he added.
Seven witnesses have testified in the ongoing trial, with a post-mortem examination result revealing that the deceased died from asphyxia – absence of oxygen supply to the body.
The defendants arrived the court from the Kirikiri Prison, except Mr. Orji who had been attending from home after he was granted bail by the court.
Mr. Nwabufor, looking physically unwell, limped out of the court when it was time to return to the prison.
At the last sitting in June, Joseph Edo, a police investigative officer with Area E, Festac Town, told the court that Ms. Osokogu was chained and strangled to death by her killers.
In a testimony which was as chilling as it was revealing, Mr. Edo said that during the interrogation of Messrs Nwabufor and Olisaeloka, the former verbally attacked the latter, accusing him of trying to implicate him.
"Nwabufor confronted Ezike at the station saying why did you bring me to the police to arrest me? Why didn't you tell them you strangled the deceased to death?" Mr. Edo, a police Inspector, had said during his testimony.
Mr. Edo also testified that Mr. Nwabufor had confessed to the police that Mr. Olisaeloka, after allegedly committing the act, placed Ms. Osokogu's international passport on her chest and took her photograph with his blackberry phone.
He also said the police recovered some property of the deceased at Mr. Olisaeloka's home.
The recovered property, which were tendered before the court, include two international passports belonging to Ms. Osokogu, her driver's licence, a vibrator, jewelries, a pair of shoes, and two bags.
Others include a laptop, two mobile phones, and a pair of sun glasses.
The court adjourned till September 20 for a 'trial-within-trial.'
Ms. Osokogu, 24, was allegedly drugged and murdered in a hotel room in July 2012 in Festac, Lagos.
The suspects, Okwumo Nwabufor and Olisaeloka Ezike, are charged, for Ms. Osokogu's death, with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and felony.
Osita Orji, a pharmacist who sold the Rophynol drug to the alleged murderers, is accused of reckless and negligent act; while Nonso Ezike, who pawned the deceased's Blackberry phone, is charged with possession of stolen property.
Friday's 'trial-within-trial' was billed for the argument on an alleged confessional statement from Messrs Nwabufor and Olisaeloka.
Victor Opara, counsel to Mr. Nwabufor, told a source that the police obtained the statements under duress.
"The police say they had obtained a confessional statement from both the first and second defendants (Mr. Nwabufor and Olisaeloka respectively)," Mr. Opara said.
"The trial-within-trial would determine whether the statement was made voluntarily.
"If the court comes to a conclusion that it was made under duress, it would not be admitted," Mr. Opara said.
"The larger trial is still on," he added.
Seven witnesses have testified in the ongoing trial, with a post-mortem examination result revealing that the deceased died from asphyxia – absence of oxygen supply to the body.
The defendants arrived the court from the Kirikiri Prison, except Mr. Orji who had been attending from home after he was granted bail by the court.
Mr. Nwabufor, looking physically unwell, limped out of the court when it was time to return to the prison.
At the last sitting in June, Joseph Edo, a police investigative officer with Area E, Festac Town, told the court that Ms. Osokogu was chained and strangled to death by her killers.
In a testimony which was as chilling as it was revealing, Mr. Edo said that during the interrogation of Messrs Nwabufor and Olisaeloka, the former verbally attacked the latter, accusing him of trying to implicate him.
"Nwabufor confronted Ezike at the station saying why did you bring me to the police to arrest me? Why didn't you tell them you strangled the deceased to death?" Mr. Edo, a police Inspector, had said during his testimony.
Mr. Edo also testified that Mr. Nwabufor had confessed to the police that Mr. Olisaeloka, after allegedly committing the act, placed Ms. Osokogu's international passport on her chest and took her photograph with his blackberry phone.
He also said the police recovered some property of the deceased at Mr. Olisaeloka's home.
The recovered property, which were tendered before the court, include two international passports belonging to Ms. Osokogu, her driver's licence, a vibrator, jewelries, a pair of shoes, and two bags.
Others include a laptop, two mobile phones, and a pair of sun glasses.
Help save Okiki
On May 13, 2010, a baby girl; Okiki(Jesu) was born to the Olawuyi’s in Ibadan, oyo state, Nigeria, with a rare medical condition subsequently diagnosed as ‘Congenital Cranial Deficiency’. In other words, she was delivered with at least 50% of her skull unformed. For the Olawuyi’s, that day marked the beginning of a 3year struggle against stigmatization, discrimination & near hopelessness.
After rejections from several hospitals around the world, renowned neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Medical International hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. Ben Carson agreed to lead a team of surgeons in performing a skull reconstruction surgery on 3 year old Okiki. After a review of her case history, the tentative cost of Okiki’s surgery was put at US$234,000 (Two hundred and thirty four thousand United States dollars). On receiving this estimate, GIPLC reached out to her local network of donors and phenomenally raised this sum of money in approximately 72hours.
3 year old Okiki and her parents under stewardship of Coordinator and Project Director of GIPLC journeyed to the US on May 4th 2013 to undergo her skull reconstruction surgery which was scheduled for the 22nd of May 2013 at the Johns Hopkins Medical International. However, complications have occurred following her over 14 hour’s initial surgery, as a result of inconsistencies in her medical history, in addition to the fact that it was a maiden attempt in paediatric neurosurgery. This has led to a further accumulation of medical bills totalling over US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand United States dollars), a figure that increases with each passing day Okiki spends at Johns Hopkins.
Prior to the complications which have arisen, what made a determination of the full cost of Okiki’s surgery difficult is that in modern times, it is an extremely rare (perhaps singular) medical condition with no precedence to draw indicators from. This latter fact also means that it is equally difficult to tell what other medical complications may arise; just like the fluids that were retained in her cranial cavity has posed an unforeseen challenge and may have led to a fatal infection.
As Okiki may not be released from hospital until all outstanding bills have been paid on one hand, and as we and her parents are desirous of her condition being fully remedied before she does leave the hospital on the other, we would like to appeal to the global public to support our cause in ensuring that Okiki gets a full chance at life.
Your donations go directly to Okiki’s account with Johns Hopkins Medical International.
We thank you for your generosity.
GIPLC
For more info call GIPLC 08089693240, 08163183797, 08085101664
NOTE; The over 7 billion people that inhabit the earth, okiki is the first known patient to undergo such a treatment and still be alive, for her condition, on that scale.
The Global Initiative for Peace Love & Care (GIPLC) is a charitable organisation based in Abuja, Nigeria that works with orphans & vulnerable children aged 0-9 years. Over the last 7yrs, GIPLC in partnership with a broad network of supporters has raised the equivalent of US$2M through local fundraising initiatives toward increasing access to education, nutrition, health, water, hygiene/sanitation for over 4000 Nigerian children.
After rejections from several hospitals around the world, renowned neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Medical International hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. Ben Carson agreed to lead a team of surgeons in performing a skull reconstruction surgery on 3 year old Okiki. After a review of her case history, the tentative cost of Okiki’s surgery was put at US$234,000 (Two hundred and thirty four thousand United States dollars). On receiving this estimate, GIPLC reached out to her local network of donors and phenomenally raised this sum of money in approximately 72hours.
3 year old Okiki and her parents under stewardship of Coordinator and Project Director of GIPLC journeyed to the US on May 4th 2013 to undergo her skull reconstruction surgery which was scheduled for the 22nd of May 2013 at the Johns Hopkins Medical International. However, complications have occurred following her over 14 hour’s initial surgery, as a result of inconsistencies in her medical history, in addition to the fact that it was a maiden attempt in paediatric neurosurgery. This has led to a further accumulation of medical bills totalling over US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand United States dollars), a figure that increases with each passing day Okiki spends at Johns Hopkins.
Prior to the complications which have arisen, what made a determination of the full cost of Okiki’s surgery difficult is that in modern times, it is an extremely rare (perhaps singular) medical condition with no precedence to draw indicators from. This latter fact also means that it is equally difficult to tell what other medical complications may arise; just like the fluids that were retained in her cranial cavity has posed an unforeseen challenge and may have led to a fatal infection.
As Okiki may not be released from hospital until all outstanding bills have been paid on one hand, and as we and her parents are desirous of her condition being fully remedied before she does leave the hospital on the other, we would like to appeal to the global public to support our cause in ensuring that Okiki gets a full chance at life.
Your donations go directly to Okiki’s account with Johns Hopkins Medical International.
We thank you for your generosity.
GIPLC
For more info call GIPLC 08089693240, 08163183797, 08085101664
NOTE; The over 7 billion people that inhabit the earth, okiki is the first known patient to undergo such a treatment and still be alive, for her condition, on that scale.
The Global Initiative for Peace Love & Care (GIPLC) is a charitable organisation based in Abuja, Nigeria that works with orphans & vulnerable children aged 0-9 years. Over the last 7yrs, GIPLC in partnership with a broad network of supporters has raised the equivalent of US$2M through local fundraising initiatives toward increasing access to education, nutrition, health, water, hygiene/sanitation for over 4000 Nigerian children.
Help save Okiki
On May 13, 2010, a baby girl; Okiki(Jesu) was born to the Olawuyi’s in Ibadan, oyo state, Nigeria, with a rare medical condition subsequently diagnosed as ‘Congenital Cranial Deficiency’. In other words, she was delivered with at least 50% of her skull unformed. For the Olawuyi’s, that day marked the beginning of a 3year struggle against stigmatization, discrimination & near hopelessness.
After rejections from several hospitals around the world, renowned neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Medical International hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. Ben Carson agreed to lead a team of surgeons in performing a skull reconstruction surgery on 3 year old Okiki. After a review of her case history, the tentative cost of Okiki’s surgery was put at US$234,000 (Two hundred and thirty four thousand United States dollars). On receiving this estimate, GIPLC reached out to her local network of donors and phenomenally raised this sum of money in approximately 72hours.
3 year old Okiki and her parents under stewardship of Coordinator and Project Director of GIPLC journeyed to the US on May 4th 2013 to undergo her skull reconstruction surgery which was scheduled for the 22nd of May 2013 at the Johns Hopkins Medical International. However, complications have occurred following her over 14 hour’s initial surgery, as a result of inconsistencies in her medical history, in addition to the fact that it was a maiden attempt in paediatric neurosurgery. This has led to a further accumulation of medical bills totalling over US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand United States dollars), a figure that increases with each passing day Okiki spends at Johns Hopkins.
Prior to the complications which have arisen, what made a determination of the full cost of Okiki’s surgery difficult is that in modern times, it is an extremely rare (perhaps singular) medical condition with no precedence to draw indicators from. This latter fact also means that it is equally difficult to tell what other medical complications may arise; just like the fluids that were retained in her cranial cavity has posed an unforeseen challenge and may have led to a fatal infection.
As Okiki may not be released from hospital until all outstanding bills have been paid on one hand, and as we and her parents are desirous of her condition being fully remedied before she does leave the hospital on the other, we would like to appeal to the global public to support our cause in ensuring that Okiki gets a full chance at life.
Your donations go directly to Okiki’s account with Johns Hopkins Medical International.
We thank you for your generosity.
GIPLC
For more info call GIPLC 08089693240, 08163183797, 08085101664
NOTE; The over 7 billion people that inhabit the earth, okiki is the first known patient to undergo such a treatment and still be alive, for her condition, on that scale.
The Global Initiative for Peace Love & Care (GIPLC) is a charitable organisation based in Abuja, Nigeria that works with orphans & vulnerable children aged 0-9 years. Over the last 7yrs, GIPLC in partnership with a broad network of supporters has raised the equivalent of US$2M through local fundraising initiatives toward increasing access to education, nutrition, health, water, hygiene/sanitation for over 4000 Nigerian children.
After rejections from several hospitals around the world, renowned neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Medical International hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; Dr. Ben Carson agreed to lead a team of surgeons in performing a skull reconstruction surgery on 3 year old Okiki. After a review of her case history, the tentative cost of Okiki’s surgery was put at US$234,000 (Two hundred and thirty four thousand United States dollars). On receiving this estimate, GIPLC reached out to her local network of donors and phenomenally raised this sum of money in approximately 72hours.
3 year old Okiki and her parents under stewardship of Coordinator and Project Director of GIPLC journeyed to the US on May 4th 2013 to undergo her skull reconstruction surgery which was scheduled for the 22nd of May 2013 at the Johns Hopkins Medical International. However, complications have occurred following her over 14 hour’s initial surgery, as a result of inconsistencies in her medical history, in addition to the fact that it was a maiden attempt in paediatric neurosurgery. This has led to a further accumulation of medical bills totalling over US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand United States dollars), a figure that increases with each passing day Okiki spends at Johns Hopkins.
Prior to the complications which have arisen, what made a determination of the full cost of Okiki’s surgery difficult is that in modern times, it is an extremely rare (perhaps singular) medical condition with no precedence to draw indicators from. This latter fact also means that it is equally difficult to tell what other medical complications may arise; just like the fluids that were retained in her cranial cavity has posed an unforeseen challenge and may have led to a fatal infection.
As Okiki may not be released from hospital until all outstanding bills have been paid on one hand, and as we and her parents are desirous of her condition being fully remedied before she does leave the hospital on the other, we would like to appeal to the global public to support our cause in ensuring that Okiki gets a full chance at life.
Your donations go directly to Okiki’s account with Johns Hopkins Medical International.
We thank you for your generosity.
GIPLC
For more info call GIPLC 08089693240, 08163183797, 08085101664
NOTE; The over 7 billion people that inhabit the earth, okiki is the first known patient to undergo such a treatment and still be alive, for her condition, on that scale.
The Global Initiative for Peace Love & Care (GIPLC) is a charitable organisation based in Abuja, Nigeria that works with orphans & vulnerable children aged 0-9 years. Over the last 7yrs, GIPLC in partnership with a broad network of supporters has raised the equivalent of US$2M through local fundraising initiatives toward increasing access to education, nutrition, health, water, hygiene/sanitation for over 4000 Nigerian children.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Update on Save OJB
Finally, just when it seemed it wasn't going to happen, help arrived. And it's coming just in time as OJB celebrates his birthday today. Great news!!!
According to Nomoreloss's statement, Governor Rotimi Amaechi reached out to the committee with a pledge to foot the entire bill for the transplant.
He also said for now, they don't know yet where the operation will take place.
Nomoreloss says:
Officials of the government reached out to us this evening, (Wednesday, June 3) promising to donate a $100,000. The presentation, they say, will be made on Friday (June 5). We are indeed grateful to the Governor and the people of Rivers State. Now we can finally have that surgical procedure’
We also appreciate the kind hearts of Nigerians who have made donations and those that supported us with prayers. May God bless them all’.
We had a place in mind initially, but recently, there’s been several suggestions from some quarters on better options. We would be having a meeting by the weekend with all concerned parties to decide which of the options is best.
The musician also says the identity of the kidney donor will not be revealed.
‘The donor is a family member, but for some reason, we do not wish to disclose the identity. All that matters is for him to have a successful operation’.
Insiders say that the producer who is currently at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) undergoing dialysis hopes to have a low-key celebration with a few family and friends if discharged today.
According to Nomoreloss's statement, Governor Rotimi Amaechi reached out to the committee with a pledge to foot the entire bill for the transplant.
He also said for now, they don't know yet where the operation will take place.
Nomoreloss says:
Officials of the government reached out to us this evening, (Wednesday, June 3) promising to donate a $100,000. The presentation, they say, will be made on Friday (June 5). We are indeed grateful to the Governor and the people of Rivers State. Now we can finally have that surgical procedure’
We also appreciate the kind hearts of Nigerians who have made donations and those that supported us with prayers. May God bless them all’.
We had a place in mind initially, but recently, there’s been several suggestions from some quarters on better options. We would be having a meeting by the weekend with all concerned parties to decide which of the options is best.
The musician also says the identity of the kidney donor will not be revealed.
‘The donor is a family member, but for some reason, we do not wish to disclose the identity. All that matters is for him to have a successful operation’.
Insiders say that the producer who is currently at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) undergoing dialysis hopes to have a low-key celebration with a few family and friends if discharged today.
Amaechi Vs Jang: Again, disagreement over legal representation stalls proceedings
guess we'v not heard the last of this faceoff and there is no indication that it would end soon. A mild drama played out in court yestaday in this regard and this how SUN NEWS ONLINE, reports it:
For the second consecutive time, proceedings in the suit filed by Lagos State Governor, Chief Babatunde Fashola over the leadership crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) was abruptly adjourned yesterday following disagreement between lawyers over legal representation.
While the earlier disagreement involving Chief Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN) over the representation of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State had been resolved, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN) and F. N. Nwosu yesterday locked horns over who among them was the official counsel for Asishana Bayo Okauru (the forum’s director general) and the trustees of the forum.
The presiding judge, Justice Peter Affen who was shocked by the trend had to order members of the registered trustees of the NGF to depose to an affidavit indicating the lawyer of their choice so that the court could proceed with the case.
The argument between the lawyers dragged on for over 40 minutes and was later reduced into legal submissions with both lawyers claiming to have the authority of the 4th respondents to appear for them. Kalu for instance, informed the court that attempts to resolve the issue with his colleague (Nwosu) failed. “I invited my learned friend for a meeting in my chambers.
Unfortunately, very unfortunately, our meeting was not productive leading to the situation we now have. It is now left for the court to resolve the matter.” Justifying his appearance for the 4th respondents, Kalu told the court that he filed his memorandum of appearance on behalf of the 4th respondents on June 12, saying “until I withdraw my representation for the 4th respondents, I cannot be blown aside by an evil wind.”
He referred the court to the case of FRN Vs Abiola to establish a legal principle that when a counsel first announced his appearance for a party, he would continue to represent him until a proper change of counsel was effected. Kalu further referred the court to Order 12 Rules (1) (3) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court to point out the fact that “if the court rules that the first memorandum of appearance is valid, then, there can be no other memorandum of appearance before the court for the same party.”
On his part, Nwosu insisted that he was in court on the instructions of the registered trustees of the NGF and urged the court to accept his appearance as proper. According to him, “appearing first without a proper instruction from a party represented does not accord any priority against the party been instructed. I was instructed based on the majority of members of the 4th respondents.
“Before this court is an affidavit showing how we were instructed. The affidavit is deposed to by the 3rd respondent with the consent of the 4th respondent and its content has not been challenged,” he said.
After listening to the submissions of the contending counsel, Justice Affen said his court lacked the powers to choose a counsel for the 4th respondents, saying it was within their constitutional right to choose a counsel of their choice. In the suit before an Abuja High Court, Fashola was seeking among others, an order restraining Jang from parading himself as chairman of the NGF on the grounds that Amaechi won the election.
The Lagos State governor also wanted an order restraining Osaro Onaiwu from acting as the forum’s sole administrator. Named as defendants include Jang, Asishana Bayo Okauru (forum’s director general), Onaiwu and the forum’s registered trustees. Jang and Onaiwu had filed preliminary objection and statement of defence to the suit.
They wanted the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it, the suit was frivolous and that the plaintiff lacked the necessary right to sue.
For the second consecutive time, proceedings in the suit filed by Lagos State Governor, Chief Babatunde Fashola over the leadership crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) was abruptly adjourned yesterday following disagreement between lawyers over legal representation.
While the earlier disagreement involving Chief Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN) over the representation of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State had been resolved, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN) and F. N. Nwosu yesterday locked horns over who among them was the official counsel for Asishana Bayo Okauru (the forum’s director general) and the trustees of the forum.
The presiding judge, Justice Peter Affen who was shocked by the trend had to order members of the registered trustees of the NGF to depose to an affidavit indicating the lawyer of their choice so that the court could proceed with the case.
The argument between the lawyers dragged on for over 40 minutes and was later reduced into legal submissions with both lawyers claiming to have the authority of the 4th respondents to appear for them. Kalu for instance, informed the court that attempts to resolve the issue with his colleague (Nwosu) failed. “I invited my learned friend for a meeting in my chambers.
Unfortunately, very unfortunately, our meeting was not productive leading to the situation we now have. It is now left for the court to resolve the matter.” Justifying his appearance for the 4th respondents, Kalu told the court that he filed his memorandum of appearance on behalf of the 4th respondents on June 12, saying “until I withdraw my representation for the 4th respondents, I cannot be blown aside by an evil wind.”
He referred the court to the case of FRN Vs Abiola to establish a legal principle that when a counsel first announced his appearance for a party, he would continue to represent him until a proper change of counsel was effected. Kalu further referred the court to Order 12 Rules (1) (3) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court to point out the fact that “if the court rules that the first memorandum of appearance is valid, then, there can be no other memorandum of appearance before the court for the same party.”
On his part, Nwosu insisted that he was in court on the instructions of the registered trustees of the NGF and urged the court to accept his appearance as proper. According to him, “appearing first without a proper instruction from a party represented does not accord any priority against the party been instructed. I was instructed based on the majority of members of the 4th respondents.
“Before this court is an affidavit showing how we were instructed. The affidavit is deposed to by the 3rd respondent with the consent of the 4th respondent and its content has not been challenged,” he said.
After listening to the submissions of the contending counsel, Justice Affen said his court lacked the powers to choose a counsel for the 4th respondents, saying it was within their constitutional right to choose a counsel of their choice. In the suit before an Abuja High Court, Fashola was seeking among others, an order restraining Jang from parading himself as chairman of the NGF on the grounds that Amaechi won the election.
The Lagos State governor also wanted an order restraining Osaro Onaiwu from acting as the forum’s sole administrator. Named as defendants include Jang, Asishana Bayo Okauru (forum’s director general), Onaiwu and the forum’s registered trustees. Jang and Onaiwu had filed preliminary objection and statement of defence to the suit.
They wanted the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it, the suit was frivolous and that the plaintiff lacked the necessary right to sue.
Amaechi Vs Jang: Again, disagreement over legal representation stalls proceedings
guess we'v not heard the last of this faceoff and there is no indication that it would end soon. A mild drama played out in court yestaday in this regard and this how SUN NEWS ONLINE, reports it:
For the second consecutive time, proceedings in the suit filed by Lagos State Governor, Chief Babatunde Fashola over the leadership crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) was abruptly adjourned yesterday following disagreement between lawyers over legal representation.
While the earlier disagreement involving Chief Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN) over the representation of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State had been resolved, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN) and F. N. Nwosu yesterday locked horns over who among them was the official counsel for Asishana Bayo Okauru (the forum’s director general) and the trustees of the forum.
The presiding judge, Justice Peter Affen who was shocked by the trend had to order members of the registered trustees of the NGF to depose to an affidavit indicating the lawyer of their choice so that the court could proceed with the case.
The argument between the lawyers dragged on for over 40 minutes and was later reduced into legal submissions with both lawyers claiming to have the authority of the 4th respondents to appear for them. Kalu for instance, informed the court that attempts to resolve the issue with his colleague (Nwosu) failed. “I invited my learned friend for a meeting in my chambers.
Unfortunately, very unfortunately, our meeting was not productive leading to the situation we now have. It is now left for the court to resolve the matter.” Justifying his appearance for the 4th respondents, Kalu told the court that he filed his memorandum of appearance on behalf of the 4th respondents on June 12, saying “until I withdraw my representation for the 4th respondents, I cannot be blown aside by an evil wind.”
He referred the court to the case of FRN Vs Abiola to establish a legal principle that when a counsel first announced his appearance for a party, he would continue to represent him until a proper change of counsel was effected. Kalu further referred the court to Order 12 Rules (1) (3) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court to point out the fact that “if the court rules that the first memorandum of appearance is valid, then, there can be no other memorandum of appearance before the court for the same party.”
On his part, Nwosu insisted that he was in court on the instructions of the registered trustees of the NGF and urged the court to accept his appearance as proper. According to him, “appearing first without a proper instruction from a party represented does not accord any priority against the party been instructed. I was instructed based on the majority of members of the 4th respondents.
“Before this court is an affidavit showing how we were instructed. The affidavit is deposed to by the 3rd respondent with the consent of the 4th respondent and its content has not been challenged,” he said.
After listening to the submissions of the contending counsel, Justice Affen said his court lacked the powers to choose a counsel for the 4th respondents, saying it was within their constitutional right to choose a counsel of their choice. In the suit before an Abuja High Court, Fashola was seeking among others, an order restraining Jang from parading himself as chairman of the NGF on the grounds that Amaechi won the election.
The Lagos State governor also wanted an order restraining Osaro Onaiwu from acting as the forum’s sole administrator. Named as defendants include Jang, Asishana Bayo Okauru (forum’s director general), Onaiwu and the forum’s registered trustees. Jang and Onaiwu had filed preliminary objection and statement of defence to the suit.
They wanted the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it, the suit was frivolous and that the plaintiff lacked the necessary right to sue.
For the second consecutive time, proceedings in the suit filed by Lagos State Governor, Chief Babatunde Fashola over the leadership crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) was abruptly adjourned yesterday following disagreement between lawyers over legal representation.
While the earlier disagreement involving Chief Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Paul Erokoro (SAN) over the representation of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State had been resolved, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN) and F. N. Nwosu yesterday locked horns over who among them was the official counsel for Asishana Bayo Okauru (the forum’s director general) and the trustees of the forum.
The presiding judge, Justice Peter Affen who was shocked by the trend had to order members of the registered trustees of the NGF to depose to an affidavit indicating the lawyer of their choice so that the court could proceed with the case.
The argument between the lawyers dragged on for over 40 minutes and was later reduced into legal submissions with both lawyers claiming to have the authority of the 4th respondents to appear for them. Kalu for instance, informed the court that attempts to resolve the issue with his colleague (Nwosu) failed. “I invited my learned friend for a meeting in my chambers.
Unfortunately, very unfortunately, our meeting was not productive leading to the situation we now have. It is now left for the court to resolve the matter.” Justifying his appearance for the 4th respondents, Kalu told the court that he filed his memorandum of appearance on behalf of the 4th respondents on June 12, saying “until I withdraw my representation for the 4th respondents, I cannot be blown aside by an evil wind.”
He referred the court to the case of FRN Vs Abiola to establish a legal principle that when a counsel first announced his appearance for a party, he would continue to represent him until a proper change of counsel was effected. Kalu further referred the court to Order 12 Rules (1) (3) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court to point out the fact that “if the court rules that the first memorandum of appearance is valid, then, there can be no other memorandum of appearance before the court for the same party.”
On his part, Nwosu insisted that he was in court on the instructions of the registered trustees of the NGF and urged the court to accept his appearance as proper. According to him, “appearing first without a proper instruction from a party represented does not accord any priority against the party been instructed. I was instructed based on the majority of members of the 4th respondents.
“Before this court is an affidavit showing how we were instructed. The affidavit is deposed to by the 3rd respondent with the consent of the 4th respondent and its content has not been challenged,” he said.
After listening to the submissions of the contending counsel, Justice Affen said his court lacked the powers to choose a counsel for the 4th respondents, saying it was within their constitutional right to choose a counsel of their choice. In the suit before an Abuja High Court, Fashola was seeking among others, an order restraining Jang from parading himself as chairman of the NGF on the grounds that Amaechi won the election.
The Lagos State governor also wanted an order restraining Osaro Onaiwu from acting as the forum’s sole administrator. Named as defendants include Jang, Asishana Bayo Okauru (forum’s director general), Onaiwu and the forum’s registered trustees. Jang and Onaiwu had filed preliminary objection and statement of defence to the suit.
They wanted the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear it, the suit was frivolous and that the plaintiff lacked the necessary right to sue.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
JONATHAN CONDOLES WITH FAMILY OF NATIONAL ANTHEM COMPOSER
President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday commiserated with the family, colleagues, associates and friends of the composer of Nigeria’s National Anthem, Benedict Odiase, who passed away on Tuesday. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati.
“President Jonathan believes that the late police officer, who was the Director of the Nigerian Police Band until he retired in 1992, will always be remembered and honoured whenever the National Anthem which captures the vision of Nigeria as a great nation is played.
“As he is mourned, the President urges Pa Odiase’s family, former colleagues in the police and friends across the country to be consoled by the knowledge that the late police officer lived an exemplary life.
“In passing on, he bequeathed an indelible legacy to the nation which will continue to inspire present and future generations of Nigerians to greater heights of accomplishment,” Mr. Abati said.
He said that the president prayed for the peaceful repose of Mr. Odiase’s soul.
“President Jonathan believes that the late police officer, who was the Director of the Nigerian Police Band until he retired in 1992, will always be remembered and honoured whenever the National Anthem which captures the vision of Nigeria as a great nation is played.
“As he is mourned, the President urges Pa Odiase’s family, former colleagues in the police and friends across the country to be consoled by the knowledge that the late police officer lived an exemplary life.
“In passing on, he bequeathed an indelible legacy to the nation which will continue to inspire present and future generations of Nigerians to greater heights of accomplishment,” Mr. Abati said.
He said that the president prayed for the peaceful repose of Mr. Odiase’s soul.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Let's Talk about ADULTISM
First heard this word on Nigeria Info an interactive radio station here in Nigeria,didn't pay attention to know what it was all about. But I had an experience yesterday which led me to write this piece.
Here in Nigeria,because we young people are expected to respect our elders,the word respect has been abused if not taken advantage of by the elders(pardon my language).an Elders would rather command you to do something for him or her rather than say please,they insult you at any slightest provocation rather than correct you and a whole lot more.
Adultism could be referred to all those behaviors and attitudes which flow from the assumption that adults are better than young people and entitled to act upon young people in a myriad of ways without their agreement.”
If we are to be successful in our work with young people, we have to tackle the pervasive existence of adultism.
- John Bell, Co-founder of YouthBuild, USA
Adultism could also be defined as "the power adults have over children". More narrowly, 'adultism is prejudice and accompanying systematic discrimination against young people'
we tend to experience this one way or the other,either in our families,work, even in our society.
The Academy for Educational Development’s Center for Youth Development and Policy Research USA has assembled a basic primer that outlines some of the ways in which we understand adultism.
There are several basic assumptions that underlie adultism:
Youth are troublesome and hence adults need to deter and correct youth’s problems and stop youth from “acting out”
Youth are poor investments because they offer little to society
Youth do not desire to become contributing members of society
Youth do not care about their community
These assumptions have several effects on society:
We hold lower expectations for youth and expect them to fail or just subsist
We fail to provide youth with the resources and opportunities to participate
We fail to empower youth to make full use of their skills
Adultism can take several forms, independently or all at once, which are important to recognize as we try to achieve a positive developmental environment for youth. That is to say that in order to encourage youth we need to make sure that we are not subconsciously or overtly suppressing youth.
To combat all forms of adultism, youth workers and e-mentors can adopt a set of alternate “caring behaviors” which mitigate the impact of adultism in their interactions with youth.
For more info log on to www.hopeworks.com
Here in Nigeria,because we young people are expected to respect our elders,the word respect has been abused if not taken advantage of by the elders(pardon my language).an Elders would rather command you to do something for him or her rather than say please,they insult you at any slightest provocation rather than correct you and a whole lot more.
Adultism could be referred to all those behaviors and attitudes which flow from the assumption that adults are better than young people and entitled to act upon young people in a myriad of ways without their agreement.”
If we are to be successful in our work with young people, we have to tackle the pervasive existence of adultism.
- John Bell, Co-founder of YouthBuild, USA
Adultism could also be defined as "the power adults have over children". More narrowly, 'adultism is prejudice and accompanying systematic discrimination against young people'
we tend to experience this one way or the other,either in our families,work, even in our society.
The Academy for Educational Development’s Center for Youth Development and Policy Research USA has assembled a basic primer that outlines some of the ways in which we understand adultism.
There are several basic assumptions that underlie adultism:
Youth are troublesome and hence adults need to deter and correct youth’s problems and stop youth from “acting out”
Youth are poor investments because they offer little to society
Youth do not desire to become contributing members of society
Youth do not care about their community
These assumptions have several effects on society:
We hold lower expectations for youth and expect them to fail or just subsist
We fail to provide youth with the resources and opportunities to participate
We fail to empower youth to make full use of their skills
Adultism can take several forms, independently or all at once, which are important to recognize as we try to achieve a positive developmental environment for youth. That is to say that in order to encourage youth we need to make sure that we are not subconsciously or overtly suppressing youth.
To combat all forms of adultism, youth workers and e-mentors can adopt a set of alternate “caring behaviors” which mitigate the impact of adultism in their interactions with youth.
For more info log on to www.hopeworks.com
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