PATIENCE GOODLUCK THANKSGIVING SERVICE

I Actually Died! I Passed Out for More Than a Week” - Patience Jonathan Finally Opens Up on Health Condition that Kept her in a German Hospital

For about seven weeks in 2012, First Lady of Nigeria Patience Jonathan was away from the country and during this period, speculations were rife about her health condition. There were several insinuations about her absence. Some media reports claimed she had cancer, others claimed she had fibroid while some claimed she went to have a cosmetic surgery among others. During this period, the Presidency only denied the insinuations saying she travelled to rest and kept mute for so long, even when she returned to the country to a lavish reception.

However, yesterday at a thanksgiving service held at the Presidential Villa, she finally revealed how a debilitating sickness almost took her life saying that she passed out for over seven days and that her aides, believing that she was dead, were already selling her personal effects before God “miraculously” brought her back to life.

Punch reports that she did not reveal the nature of her ailment but spoke about some of the things she passed through during that period.

“I remember when Chief (Olusegun) Obasanjo was the President of the country, I was close to his late wife, Stella. We worshipped together in this chapel. It was a painful moment for me that time when she died and her corpse was brought here. That was how my corpse would have been brought here. It was not an easy experience for me. I actually died; I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.

“I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his own. My doctors said all hope was lost. A black doctor in London who is with us in this service was flown in when the situation became critical. It was God himself in His infinite mercy that said I would return to Nigeria. God woke me up after seven days.

“I know that some people somehow leaked the information that I was dead. They are people that I trust and rely on; to them, I was dead and I would never return to the country alive. Some of them even sold my things off. I won’t say everything here. It is the Lord’s doing that I returned alive. When God says yes, nobody can say no.

“People are always afraid of operation (surgery) but in my own case, while my travail lasted, I was begging for it (surgery) after the third operation because I was going to the theatre every day. It was God who saw me through. I did eight or nine operations within one month. It was not an easy one.”

She said her experience taught her that there was nothing like a First Lady and that she realised that she was “a common woman and my name is simply Patience.” President Goodluck Jonathan who spoke at the reception after the thanksgiving service said that he lost a second cousin while he was still a deputy governor in Bayelsa State and that during the burial, a story was told how anybody in his community who is gradually going into limelight always die mysteriously. Following this, he said all eyes were focused on him, apparently insinuating that it was his time to die, Punch reports.

“The story was that one of us (the President or his wife) will die. Today we are celebrating her. Her recovery has put an end to that belief. I am not too good in celebrating, but for this particular one, I think we have to thank God for keeping the life of my wife.

“If anything had happened, there would have been different stories. Fake prophets would have given their stories. As mortals, we must fall sick and die but how and when is what matters most. To die when serving your people is not good. Death should come after you have finished serving.”

The first lady was away between August and 14th October 2012. When she returned, she denied having a cosmetic surgery or tummy tuck as was widely speculated and since then, has been silent about her absence until yesterday.

America's 'Slave Narratives' should shock us

"I was owned by Johnson Bell and born in New Orleans, in Louisiana."

Those words were spoken by a man named Frank Bell.

He said that according "to the bill of sale, I'm 86 years old."

His words, and those of thousands of other American citizens, were transcribed in the 1930s, at the depth of the Great Depression. As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's efforts to restart the economy, the Works Progress Administration was founded, and one arm of the WPA was something called the Federal Writers' Project.

Men and women were hired by the government to work on various assignments documenting American history and American life.

One of those assignments, vast in scope, came to be known as the Slave Narratives.

"If a woman was a good breeder she brought a good price on the auction block," said Hattie Rogers, a North Carolina resident, when she was interviewed in 1937. "The slave buyers would come around and jab them in the stomach and look them over and if they thought they would have children fast they brought a good price."

We are in the midst of Black History Month. The slave years in the United States were not only black history, they were American history -- the ugliest and most indefensible chapter.

I had long heard of the Slave Narratives, but had never read them. The original interviews comprised 17 bound volumes in the Library of Congress, filled with the firsthand accounts of more than 2,000 former slaves, and hundreds of photographs.

The interviewers were sent to 17 states, and that is how the printed conversations are bound and arranged. I have been reading two volumes -- covering interviews done in North Carolina and in Texas.

1865: Lincoln talks of 'sin of slavery'

What is so shattering is the matter-of-fact tone of what the former slaves said. The United States was well into the 20th century by the time the interviews were conducted; automobiles had come to the nation, as had radio and motion pictures and air travel. The country, in many ways, was beginning to resemble the nation we live in now.

Yet residing in America's cities and towns were men and women who recalled being sold at auction, of seeing brothers and sisters led away in chains, of having -- in their words -- "good owners" or "cruel masters." Survivors of a time when, in many states, it was perfectly lawful for human beings to own other human beings, and to buy and sell them.

Mary Armstrong, 91 and living in Houston when she was interviewed, said the person who owned her family was "so mean he never would sell the man and woman and (children) to the same one. He'd sell the man here and the woman there and if (there were children) he'd sell them someplace else."

Charity Riddick, 80, interviewed in North Carolina, had a similar memory. "I belonged to Madison Pace in slavery time," she said. She had a brother whose first name was Washington, she said, but he was "sold away." Their mother "cried a lot about it."

The former slaves who were still alive in the 1930s were, of course, the youngest of those who were enslaved before emancipation. Many of them were relating childhood or adolescent memories, while others were passing on what their parents related to them.

There were many, however, who were old enough to have vivid firsthand recollections of specific instances. Stearlin Arnwine, who was 94 and living near Jacksonville, Texas, when he was interviewed, said he would see slaves on the auction block, stripped to the waist for inspection by potential buyers. Women and their children, he said, would be crying and begging "not to be separated," but it did no good: "They had to go."

As anguishing as are the stories recounted by the former slaves, troubling in a different way was the methodology many of the interviewers chose in committing the stories to written form. Most of the writers were white; in the 1930s, apparently it was still considered acceptable to use crudely rendered dialect in recreating on paper the speech patterns of African-Americans. That is how some of the writers transcribed the interviews, and in many cases it comes off as something close to mockery, whether or not it was intended that way.

The power of the stories overrides everything else. The quiet starkness of the telling:

"My father was a slave, A.H. Stewart, belonging to James Arch Stewart, a slave owner, whose plantation was in Wake County," said Sam T. Stewart, 84, interviewed in North Carolina in June 1937. "When I was two years old James Arch Stewart sold my father to speculators, and he was shipped to Mississippi. I was too young to know my father."

You can read from the volumes for hours at a time, and when you are finished for the evening you can look around you and try to comprehend that all of this was taking place in the same nation where we live today.

Alex Woods, of Raleigh, North Carolina, born on May 15, 1858, said that as a boy he saw slaves being marched on their way to the auction block, each person chained to the one next to him, and, as he witnessed this, being "afraid my mother and father would be sold away from me."

Story after story after story. Henry H. Buttler, 87, living in Fort Worth in the 1930s but born a slave in Virginia:

"The plantation consisted of about 30 acres, with about 30 slaves, though this number varied and sometimes reached 50. Mr. Sullivan owned my mother and her children, but my father was owned by Mr. John Rector, whose place was adjacent to ours."

And, when Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that this must no longer be permitted to go on, millions of Americans said that he was dead wrong.

CULLED FROM www.cnn.com

The Rigmarole over Maina

In the past one week, the public has been treated to a media feast that clearly demonstrates how cheap corruption has become in Nigeria. The chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, was summoned by the senate in connection with the alleged misappropriation of pension funds amounting N195 billion. Maina maintained a snobbish disposition to the senate summons, which prompted the upper chamber to direct the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar to arrest him. The senate also directed the anticorruption agencies to immediately commence a probe and prosecution of Maina. But he remained out of reach amid accusation that the senate committee investigating him for pension fraud was demanding N3 billion from him.

Sensing that the executive might be engaged in a covert effort to shield Maina, who is widely believed to be close to President Goodluck Jonathan, the senate took the battle to the executive, asking it to choose between Maina and the senate. The president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, responded in a statement where he denied that Jonathan was backing Maina, insinuating that the president was handicapped in the circumstance, and insisting that only the Head of Service could act against the pension taskforce head.

But barely 24 hours later, the president moved against Maina and directed the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to commence disciplinary action against him for absconding from duty. This seems like an afterthought by a reluctant anticorruption campaigner. It certainly does not portray Nigeria as a country seriously concerned about fighting one of the most virulent causes of its underdevelopment.   

This back-and-forth coincides with the assertion by Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Ekpo Nta, that the country has enough laws but lacks the will to fight corruption. “We have more than enough laws that will stamp corruption out of our system but the problem is implementation. Implementing our laws is the problem,” Nta said on Tuesday in a lecture he delivered at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan. This should be food for thought for the government – if the fight against corruption ranks highly on its preferences.  

CULLED FROM www.thisdaylive.com

Wenger should offer his resignation after Blackburn shambles

Mike Dean's final whistle was barely audible above the boos as he blew an end to Blackburn's smash and grab victory over Arsenal, leaving disgruntled supporters pouring from their seats, spitting venom and bawling expletives at the Arsenal bench. “Disgrace! Wenger has to resign after that. Disgrace!,” an especially irate supporter shouted at the press box. And he was not alone.

This was the first occasion Wenger has ever overseen a home cup defeat to a lower league club. In short, this is his lowest ebb, and one that he looks powerless to recover from.

Some will point to the nature of the defeat as proof that this was an unfortunate one-off. Arsenal dominated possession, had more shots and had a whopping 16 corners. Yet it made no difference. This is the second non-Premier League outfit the north London side have lost to this season following the hugely embarrassing loss to Bradford in the Capital One Cup.

Some will say that it was mere misfortune that Arsenal did not convert their chances into goals. They were in on goal twice – Gervinho fluffing his lines, predictably, hit the crossbar, and drew young Jake Kean into a number of magnificent saves.

But that is the minimum expectancy when Arsenal play someone like Blackburn at home. Indeed, this same fixture last year saw the Gunners win 7-1. But when the pressure is on, the problem is, and has always been, the mentality of the players Wenger calls his second string.

He spoke in the build-up to the match of rotating his squad, but in a manner meant to reassure anxious supporters: “We only have big names in our squad, so it will be a team of big names, for sure.”

Big names? Abou Diaby, one of those alleged 'big names' who underwhelmed again in midfield, called for his team-mates to show 'character' in his pre-game call to arms, but he was as guilty as the other starters of shying away from battle.

The constant emphasis on 'character', 'mentality' and 'belief' have become a weight too big to bear for many of the players. Hoodwinked or not, it is clear Wenger's players just don't believe their manager's assertion that they can rise to these occasions that require something more than the motivation of Premier League points.

There is a belief that they can tap a ball around the pitch for 90 minutes and emerge with victory, as if this really is a training match. As if Blackburn just turned up for a runaround. What Wenger does not seem to realise, is that his own superiority complex has manifested itself in the conscience of the majority of his players.

Removing all but a couple of his key players was far too big a risk to take in a game that always looked like a potential banana skin. Blackburn barely surged forward but they knew, if they could nick a goal, or hold on to their clean sheet for an hour, their opponents would get nervous, worry about the repercussions, collapse.

By the time the trio of Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla arrived, it was too late. The fear had already set in. Wenger got his team selection wrong today. If Wilshere and Co. were fit enough to come off the bench, they should have started the game and provided the drive and spirit required to break down a stubborn Championship team.

Taking the raw facts – Arsenal, traditionally one of the biggest clubs in England, and presently...one of the biggest clubs in England, have been eliminated from both cup competitions by lower league opposition. This would be enough for some chairmen to hand the manager his P45 – especially following seven trophyless years.

With the Bundesliga leaders arriving on Tuesday night, is it worth going through the entire autopsy again? As fans and pundits alike rally against Wenger, it is time for the Frenchman to admit that he will never get Arsenal into a position to win a trophy and bite the bullet. His time at the club is done.

CULLED FROM  www.goal.com

Truck crushes 15-year-old pupil while on teacher’s errand

Tragedy struck in front of Lafenwa Comprehensive High School, Ota, Ogun State, last Thursday, when a 15-year-old pupil, Miss Kemi Obanla, was crushed to death by a truck driver.

It was learnt that Kemi was killed while running errands for her class teacher.

It was alleged that the teacher had asked Kemi to go and buy cooked ‘ofada’ rice for her around 10am on the day.

An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said the SS1 pupil was knocked down by a truck while crossing the road.

He said Kemi died while she was being rushed to the hospital.

 “The girl was knocked down when she was crossing the road. After hitting her, the driver of the vehicle attempted to escape but the youths around apprehended him.

“It was when the girl was being taken to the hospital that she died. When we inquired where she was going at that time, we were told her teacher, whose name was not given, sent her to buy ofada rice for her.”

The father of the deceased, Mr. Peter Obanla, said the death of his daughter, dealt a devastating blow to the family.

He said when the girl left their Ajegunle Close, off Mefun Road, Ota, home, she was full of life.

Obanla said about two hours after his daughter left for school, someone informed him that she was involved in a fatal accident.

He said, “The accident happened on Ahmaddiya Road, Ota. By the time I got there, I learnt that they had taken her to an hospital. She died on the way to the hospital.

“Since then, we are yet to come to terms with the fact that that she is dead. I still cannot believe it. Kemi was very industrious, respectful and brilliant. Her death has dealt a blow to us.”

Obanla, who works with Dangote Group of Companies as a driver in Ibeshe Plant, said the school was shielding the teacher.

“It is only the Principal of the school that has been showing up. We do not know the teacher that sent my daughter on an errand. Though many teachers from the school have been coming to our house, we do not know who among them sent her on errand on that fateful day.

“The driver that killed her and the school authorities have been begging me to drop the case. They said what happened was the will of God.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Ogun Police Command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, promised to get the details of the incident.

However, as of the time of going to the press, he did not get back to our correspondent.

Subsequent efforts to speak with him were not successful as his phone rang out many times without him picking it.

CULLED FROM  www.punchng.com (february 15,2013)

Oscar Pistorius Charged With Murder; Olympic Star Allegedly Killed Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee "Blade Runner" who became one of the biggest names in world athletics, has been charged with murder.
Officials allege that he shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, dead at his home.

Police said they had opened a murder case after a 30-year-old woman died at the track star's house after an incident in the Silverlakes gated complex.
"At this stage he is on his way to a district surgeon for medical examination," police brigadier Denise Beukes said outside the heavily guarded neighborhood.
Pistorius and girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp had been the only people in the house at the time of the shooting at his residence in Pretoria, Beukes said.
Police said a 9 mm pistol had been found at the scene.
"When a person has been accused of a crime like murder they look at things like testing under the figure nails, taking a blood alcohol sample, other tests," Beukes said.
Pistorius is due to appear in a Pretoria court today.
Before the murder charge was announced, Johannesburg's Talk Radio 702 said the 26-year-old may have mistaken Reeva Steenkamp for a burglar.
South Africa has some of the world's highest rates of violent crime, and many home owners have weapons to defend themselves against intruders.
In 2004, Springbok rugby player Rudi Visagie shot dead his 19-year-old daughter after he mistakenly thought she was a robber trying to steal his car.
Steenkamp, a model and regular on the South African party circuit, was reported to have been dating Pistorius for a year; there had been no signs of strife.
In fact, some of her last Twitter postings indicated she was looking forward to celebrating Valentine's Day on Thursday with the Olympic track star.
"What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow???" she posted.
However, Beukes said police were aware of previous incidents of "domestic nature" and Pistorius is believed to keep an assortment of weapons in his home.
"Cricket and baseball bats lay behind the door, a pistol by his bed and a machine gun by a window," Britain's Daily Mail wrote in a profile last year.
He was arrested in 2009 for assault after slamming a door on a woman; family and friends said it was just an accident and the charges were later dropped.
Reeva Steenkamp's colleagues were distraught.
"We are all devastated. Her family is in shock," her agent, Sarita Tomlinson said. "They did have a good relationship. Nobody actually knows what happened."
Pistorius, who races wearing carbon fiber prosthetic blades after he was born without a fibula in both legs, was the first double amputee to run in the Olympics.
He reached the 400 meter semi-finals in London 2012.
Respected worldwide for triumphing over his disabilities to compete with able-bodied athletes, his sponsorship deals are thought to be worth $2 million a year.
Oscar Pistorius is sponsored by British telecoms firm BT, sunglasses maker Oakley, sports apparel maker Nike and French designer Thierry Mugler.
"We are shocked by this terrible, tragic news. We await the outcome of the South African police investigation," a BT spokeswoman said before Pistorius was charged.
A Nike spokesman said before hearing of the murder charge that the company was "saddened by the news, but we have no further comment at this stage."
Neighbors, as well as the Olympic community and world at large, expressed shock at the arrest of an athletic ambassador and all-around "good guy

CULLED FROM  http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com

The difference between Christianity and Religion:

Christianity is unique in the fact that it is the ONLY faith which is not a religion- as a 'religion'- by definition means "to be bound" by rules and regulations and rituals in order that one MAY attain salvation. (whatever their definition of salvation may be)
This is in stark contrast to the teachings of THE most anti-religious person there ever lived- Jesus the Christ.
Jesus taught that the truth would SET YOU FREE and that it would be faith ALONE in His sacrificial death and resurrection for our sins which would save us and NOT our good deeds.

"For it is by God's grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's GIFT, so that no one can boast about it." (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

This means that (although good in themselves and recommended) it is NOT by attending 'church', being baptised** or even believing in God! (Satan is not an atheist himself!)
To put it plainly: We are saved by faith and DEMONSTRATED by good works- but it isn't the works themselves that actually save us.

"His choice is based on His grace, not on what they have done. For if God's choice was based on what people do, then His grace would not be real grace." (Romans 11:6)

You see, religion is humanity trying to reach God by their own efforts..whilst Christianity is God paying the price Himself- in essence- reaching down to us..it is a RELATIONSHIP with our creator.

Still not convinced? Has religion still got a strangle-hold on you?..then consider Isaiah 64:6 :

"ALL of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags."

Did you note that it isn't just our sins that are filthy to God..but even our RIGHTOUSNESS? You see, Gods standard is HIMSELF, who is THE epitome of Holiness and purity.

"God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1John 1:5) So, to a pure a Holy and perfect God, ANY sin/darkness would naturally be alien and repugnant to Him..so, humanly speaking, it IS impossible for us to be saved..THAT is why God demonstrated His love for us by coming down in human form as the Lord Jesus Christ.

The 10 commandments and other laws were designed to show us that we are sinners..there is NO way any human could keep all of them-

For example: How many things do you have to steal (regardless of value) in order to be a thief?
-Just one.
How many lies do you have to tell (no matter how ‘big’ or ‘small’ it is) to be a liar?
- Just one.
So how many sins does it take for us to be a sinner?
-Just one.

These were just two of the ten commandments..and every one of us has broken them all!
Furthermore "For whoever shall keep the whole law and stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)

Therefore, if you are trying to live by the law and fail just once you shall die by it- for it is humanly impossible to keep. That is the very reason the Jews had to continuously offer sacrifices as substitution for their own lives. But the blood of bulls and goats weren’t sufficient to take sin away entirely.

Since every single person is a sinner, that is, we have all rebelled against God's wishes, so, every single person is doomed to an eternity in hell- separated from light and love- forever.
It doesn't have to be this way though- God loves us so much that He supplied a solution.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23)

Men die because they sin. If one was perfect they would not then die. The very fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead (this is a historical fact) proves that all our sins were paid for. Romans 4:25 tells us that if just one sin wasn’t taken care of, Christ would still be in the grave for all to see.

Jesus, being God AND man, was the ONLY one who could be perfect and keep the commandments- and since He did- He satisfied The Law and then on the cross He bore the punishment of our sins- ALL OF THEM, past, present and future, died and then rose again to show that He had conquered death for us and as a promise to all those who trust in His sacrifice for our sins- that they too will rise from the dead and into eternity with God. This is the gospel.

**Note on baptism- Baptism is important, but it does not save us- it was the shed blood of Christ which accomplished this. Baptism is the New Testament signification of God's New Covenant (Testament) with Man as circumcision was to the Old Covenant (Testament) representing our spiritual death, burial and resurrection in Christ.

Nigeria’s present Leadership: The Worst offspring of Lugard’s Predictions

Although Frederick Lugard’s curse-prediction/definition of the characteristics of the several ethnic groups which Britain eventually compelled into the near-century shame called Nigeria has been the discourse of several analysts for years; it however became resounding as Nigeria culminates towards its inevitable doom. I personally believe that every word needed to address the foundation of Nigeria has been released, but seeing that those leaders who have personally passed judgment upon themselves have not really come to terms (maybe because they have truly come to accept Lugard’s prophecy of doom as their destiny) with the irrevocable gravity of their many offences, I have decided to relate to them once more as they bask in the illusory euphoria of mere games – football games.
To make myself clear, I’d start with the first paragraph of the said Lord Frederick Lugard’s judgment of/on those he, in the pleasure of immorality with his mistress, named Nigeria:
"In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable person, LACKING IN SELF-CONTROL, DISCIPLINE, AND FORESIGHT. Naturally courageous, and naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity, with little sense of veracity, fond of music and loving weapons as an oriental loves jewelry. HIS THOUGHTS ARE CONCENTRATED ON THE EVENTS AND FEELINGS OF THE MOMENT, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future or grief for the past. His mind is far nearer to the animal world than that of the European or Asiatic, and exhibits something of the animals’ placidity and want of desire to rise beyond the State he has reached. Through the ages THE AFRICAN APPEARS TO HAVE EVOLVED NO ORGANIZED RELIGIOUS CREED, and though some tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more often to take the form of a vague dread of the supernatural."
Deducing from Lugard’s description of our forefathers and their offspring above, what he, and by extension Briton, actually believe Nigerians to be are: Animals in human form, who waste whatever future there may be for the pleasure of today; who lack the ability to discern or plan for the future; who believe that the law is for self-endowment on those who can afford it just as the rich can afford diamonds, and a curse on those who cannot; who are the least of humans in all societies of the world; who never had any understanding of a true God (that, according to Lugard, should not be dreaded) except that they constantly live in fear.
Well, at this point, I’ll have to give credit to this man who mastered what destiny the country he was about creating would have. Although his predictions were made public in 1926 in a book called Dual Mandate, his assessments happened before the amalgamation of 1914. Many have got it wrong in that they actually believed that this Lord of a Brit, through his descriptions, was referring to the peoples he met before the immoral amalgamation. No! He was, instead, predicting the outcome of Britain’s determination to bring peoples with quintessentially divergent destinies together as one country. He took his time to pen what he foresaw as the outcome of Her Majesty’s decision. Possibly too, he could have advised the British authority against the amalgamation before it was carried out, although many Nigeria would still have it that he gathered generations of warriors and ancestral think-thank together single-handedly into an impossible compulsion and gave it a name: Nigeria.
There are no ethnic or racial groups in the entire world without their history of ‘the ignorant days;’ those bound under Nigeria had theirs too before the British invaded them. However, without Britain’s bloodied-interference in the lives of the people which today are called Nigerians, it’s possibility today would have seen Europeans struggling (and dying en route as well) to enter Africa as Africans have been doing and still do to date in flight to Europe – to their detriment. In other words, the prediction of Lugard could well have been realized in Europe in general and Britain in particular.
Nevertheless, I am dealing with the present leadership in Nigeria and how it clearly manifests the true nature of Lugard’s vision.
Good enough for those who love soccer games, Nigeria, on Sunday, February 10, 2013, won its first Africa Cup of Nations title since 1994. The country celebrated it in grand styles to the point that many even died in the euphoria of “winning.” The presidency celebrated this victory too. But the attitude of Nigeria’s senators and Reps as they eagerly awaited soccer victory, and especially, the president’s impulsive and barbaric reaction to this soccer victory, leaves much to be desired. If anything, it clearly reveals the soul of the Nigeria which Frederick Lugard amalgamated: A bunch of animal-like and child-like leaders who dance for toys but reject toy-making factories.
According to the February 13, 2013 headline of Daily Post Nigeria (and indeed several other Nigerian newspapers), the incumbent president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, BSC, PHD, GCFR, BNER, GCON, perhaps in celebrating his utmost national achievement of having won a mere Africa recreational trophy, awarded/rewarded the players and officials of Super Eagles’ team with national honors, cash and plots of land in Abuja. To all who carry the soul of Lugard’s curse/prediction, this soccer-victory pleasure is all there is for these far-nearer-to-the-animal-world Nigerians to be happy for the day. As far as the presidency is concerned, it has given Nigerians all they wanted – all they ever needed. Here we see the culture of a thriftless, excitable, animal-like leadership in display. While they have destroyed and continue to destroy the houses of struggling and peaceful Nigerians all over Abuja/Nigeria without providing alternatives for them, they are throwing away plots of these very land, along with money, to those whose work bring nothing to Nigerians’ table, save the very soul of Lugard and his curse: thriftless and carefree wastages. What more could explain this show of bestial love? To Nigeria’s soul and leadership, a game victory equals spraying of unaccountable/unaccounted-for cash and plots of lands! To all who have bowed to the destructive spirit of Nigeria’s amalgamation, what the presidency did was simply customary and in line with our heredity. But to all who have sworn neither to walk in the destructive path which Britain and their son, Lugard, has set for Africans nor to let their children wallow in such destructive ignorance, the action of the presidency invites goose bumps and a shudder of rejection from/by all.
Finally, it’s no longer a question of if Nigeria is ripe for dissolution or a question of willingness; it’s a question of choosing life, future and destiny between the curse with which the maker of Nigeria, Lugard, has purposed to curse all who bear this name and the destiny which we shall determine for our individual selves, our ethnic groups and our posterity in line with God’s will for creation. Even now, that prediction has born much unpleasant fruits. But for me and my house, neither the curse of Lugard nor its fruits thereof in Nigeria will ever be acceptable, no matter how it is constantly compelled.

CULLED FROM    www.nigeriamasterweb.com

Things fall apart in Tanzania: on media manipulation and hypocrisy – By Edward Clay

A Tanzanian journalist, who won an award for journalists of exceptional potential enabling him to work for British newspapers in 2009, gave evidence for the defendant in November 2012 in a libel trial in London brought by a Tanzanian media magnate, Reginald Mengi. Mr Mengi lost his libel suit, and hefty costs.
Erick Kabendera, now aged 33, worked on The Times and Independent under arrangements of the David Astor Journalism Awards Trust in 2009.
His home in Tanzania has been burgled three times in recent months, and Tanzanian officials have interrogated his elderly parents about their right to be Tanzanian citizens; officials said their son was under scrutiny for selling secrets to European powers and should be more ‘humble’.
Mr R Mengi is executive chairman of IPP Limited, well-connected and very prominent in Tanzania. He presents himself as a philanthropist and opponent of corruption. His flagship newspaper is The Guardian of Tanzania, for which Mr Kabendera worked in 2009 when he won his Astor award.
Mr Mengi is also a member of the Commonwealth Business Council which is committed to promoting good business practice in Commonwealth countries.
He is the older brother of Benjamin Mengi, another prominent businessman. In 2004- 5, Benjamin Mengi made a legal lease of land to two British private investors in Tanzania, Stewart Middleton and Sarah Hermitage, and then welched on the deal.
The Middletons were harassed and intimidated by officials; denied proper protection of the law, they and their staff were mistreated and their farm despoiled. They were forced to flee Tanzania in fear of their lives in 2008. Benjamin Mengi then took possession of the land.
In seeking recompense for their illegal treatment and the loss of their investment, Sarah Hermitage alleged that some of Mr R Mengi’s papers supported their mistreatment with hostile and defamatory allegations. Reginald Mengi denied during the trial of his libel suit against Hermitage that he was responsible for the editorial content of his newspapers. Erick Kabendera, his former employee, testified in support of contrary evidence, showing there was such interference.
R Mengi lost his suit. He was held to have been complicit in his brother’s corruption and intimidation; and to have brought misleading and untrue evidence before the Judge in pursuing his oppressive litigation.

***

Successive British High Commissioners to Tanzania have been sympathetic to the Middletons. In contrast, Ministers in the Coalition government have turned their backs on their travails. The then International Development Secretary , Andrew Mitchell, assured the Chairman of the Lords’ Select Committee on Economic Affairs, Lord MacGregor, in testimony to the Committee in 2011, that ministers had made repeated representations on behalf of the Middletons, and “..would continue to raise this disturbing case with the Tanzanian government whenever the appropriate opportunity arises.”
In fact, Freedom of Information enquiries of the three relevant government departments – FCO, DBIS and DfID – to test this assertion, elicited no evidence that Coalition ministers had ever raised the issues.

***

DfID’s programmes for Tanzania over the five years to 2015 include spending £34 million on helping civil society and the media to hold the government to account; and a further £20 million to improve the ability of institutions like the judiciary and police to fight corruption.
IPP Media reported on 7 February that the Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete, said on his country’s National Law Day that people should safeguard and promote justice by helping the law enforcement agencies. IPP Media reported him to have added:
“…[they] should always learn how to use legal institutions such as courts to secure their rights and stop taking law into their own hands, even if a person was suspected to have committed an offense.”
It was announced this week that the government had started distributing Tanzania’s new ID cards for citizens. That makes more sinister the interrogation of Kabendera’s parents about their citizenship.
Last September, a TV journalist was killed during clashes between opposition party supporters and police. In January 2013, another journalist was found murdered in unexplained circumstances.
The government has also delayed for further consultation a freedom of information bill.
Evidence given in R Mengi’s lost libel case showed that editors were instructed not to comment on President Kikwete without clearance from management.
Will British ministers express their concern and demand a full, independent and open enquiry into the persecution of Erick Kabendera and his family?
He acted bravely in giving evidence for the defence in a British court.
In the process will they also protest over the treatment suffered by two British citizens in Tanzania at the hands of prominent businessmen, supported by the media organs of one of them, and the misbehaviour of State institutions which should have protected their rights?
If British ministers ignore abuse of the rights of British citizens in another country, they condone abuses of the rights of citizens of that country. Meanwhile, the returns on DfID’s investments in civil society, media and the rule of law in Tanzania seem doubtful.
Sir Edward Clay is former British High Commissioner to Kenya, Uganda and non-resident Ambassador to Rwanda and Burundi.


culled from     http://africanarguments.org

Nigeria arrests journalists over polio worker killings

Three Nigerian journalists have been arrested for inciting violence by saying on a radio show that polio immunizations were an anti-Islam Western conspiracy, just days before health workers administering the vaccines were killed.

Gunmen on motorbikes shot dead the nine health workers in two separate attacks in Nigeria's main northern city of Kano on Friday.

No one claimed responsibility but Islamist militant group Boko Haram, a sect that has condemned the use of Western education, has been blamed for carrying out a spate of assaults on security forces in the city.

Kano Police Chief Ibrahim Idris told Reuters on Monday three journalists from Wazobia FM had been detained after they said on their show on Wednesday that immunization against polio was anti-Islam and a Western conspiracy to cause infertility in women.

Some influential Muslim leaders in Kano openly oppose the vaccinations for the same reasons.
The killings could hamper efforts by global health organizations to clear Nigeria's mostly Muslim north of the virus that can cause irreversible paralysis within hours of infection.
Polio crippled thousands of people every year in rich nations until the 1950s. As a result of vaccination, it is now only endemic in three countries - Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to the World Health Organisation, there were 121 new cases of polio in Nigeria last year, compared to 58 in Pakistan and 37 in Afghanistan.

In 2003, northern Nigeria's Muslim leaders opposed polio vaccinations, saying then they could cause infertility and AIDS.

Their campaign against the treatments was blamed for a resurgence of the disease in parts of Nigeria and other African countries previously declared polio-free.

WELCOME TO IYKE NMEZI'S BLOG.: Africa’s rising rage: the middle classes call for ...

WELCOME TO IYKE NMEZI'S BLOG.: Africa’s rising rage: the middle classes call for ...: Africa’s rising rage: the middle classes call for revolution – By Richard Dowden February 7, 2013 I had not intended to come back t...

Africa’s rising rage: the middle classes call for revolution – By Richard Dowden

February 7, 2013

I had not intended to come back to the Africa Rising debate for a while. But on my recent trip to Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda I was shocked at how angry the young professionals are. These are highly educated, ambitious young men and women who could be found working in the corporate sector anywhere in the world. They should be taking Africa to the Promised Land. Instead I found them frustrated and furious with many calling for coups and revolutions.
Coming from London where we had been basking in a warm bath of Afro-optimism, I had expected to find a similar feeling in Africa itself. Growth has remained strong despite the economic problems in Europe, Africa’s biggest trading partner, and the prices for the continent’s abundant commodities have remained high. Governance is said to be improving.
There is no doubt that Africa has come a very long way from where it was in the 1980s and 90s. My prime piece of evidence for that is traffic jams. At that time you could drive into Nairobi, Kampala or Johannesburg at any hour and rarely be held up by anything except a red light. Now you have to leave hours earlier to be sure of getting into the city centre on time. Outside the towns and cities you can now actually drive in a straight line on many roads. As they used to say of the potholes in Uganda: “if you see a man driving in a straight line you know he must be drunk.”
But the questions about Africa’s dozen years of strong economic growth remain:
Firstly, has Africa’s growth been driven by a long commodity boom or is it now self-sustaining? Where is the large scale manufacturing?
Secondly, has governance really improved? Are the figures about numbers in school, clinics being built, power, water and sanitation delivered true?
Thirdly, are there two Africas? One in a bubble of western-style wealth inhabited by the rich and powerful and another Africa on the other side of the security fence – barefoot, one torn shirt, no money, no prospect of a job – “suffering and smiling” as Fela Kuti sang, but with big and increasingly angry eyes.
What shocked me in Lagos, Uganda and Nairobi was the fury of the young middle classes – the very people who are supposed to driving the new Africa into the 21^st century. They were angry about the poor levels of education, about the lack of electricity, but above all about corruption at the very top. And they see the growing ranks of ill-educated, unemployable young people being churned out of badly-managed state education systems.
In Nigeria they have all but  given up on the government. But what about people like Lamido Sanusi, the Governor of the Central Bank, and Nkonjo Iweala, the Finance Minister? I pleaded. Their reply was: of course they do what they can but their space is limited. They are not allowed anywhere near the real money – the oil. That, I was told, was managed in complete secrecy by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Vice President and the oil minister, Ms Diesani Alison-Madueke. They are filling a huge war chest so that Jonathan can run for president again in 2015.
Two remarks struck me. One was how utterly out of touch the President is. When street protests broke out a year ago in reaction to the sudden removal of the fuel subsidy, he claimed that people were being paid to demonstrate. My informant pointed out that all the evidence was that people had reacted in spontaneous fury to the government’s removal of the only benefit it delivers to the Nigerian people. Yes, the only one.
One said: “I am extremely optimistic about the future of Nigeria – once there has been a revolution and the current ruling elite is removed”. No one in the room showed dissent or even surprise.
In Uganda the entire middle class – except for those in government – realize that the country is heading for a crash or a coup. Even President Yoweri Museveni himself warned that if his own ruling party does not stop bickering the army may step in. That is the most extraordinary statement I have ever heard from an African president. The reaction of many Ugandans (under their breath) was: “bring it on”.
Museveni has stayed too long and he has cultivated no obvious successor. He is trapped, talking now about installing his deeply unpopular wife and or his son in his place. 27 years ago he did a good job and ruled well (except in the north) and this lasted for a decade. But now he has turned into the very president he criticized so severely as a young man – the one who stays too long in power.
Meanwhile, in Nairobi the population is battening down the hatches for the election next month. Most are optimistic that their new constitution will curtail the worst excesses of the professional politicians, although these people still made up about 80 percent of the winners in the recent party primaries.
So where exactly is The New Africa flourishing? Botswana? But it was always successful and never suffered from the political and economic catastrophes that hit Africa in the 20^th century.
The fact is that the five big African countries: Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo are in political turmoil or stasis. None of their governments have the vision or the capacity to position their countries to develop rapidly and sustainably as Indonesia, Malaysia and China have. The good things that are happening in many African countries – with the possible exception of South Africa – are happening in spite of their governments, not because of them.
Secondly, two of the most successful countries in terms of human development – Ethiopia and Rwanda – are dictatorships which allow minimum democracy and freedom of speech. This makes it difficult for Western governments to support them. Aid has been cut to Rwanda and if the next election in Ethiopia is not free and transparent, Western allies and donors may have to turn a blind eye or step away.
Some countries are doing reasonably well: Ghana, Senegal, Namibia and Zambia are OK. Cameroon and Gabon are quiet but not dynamic, still run by small wealthy elites who do not spread the new wealth. Cote d’Ivoire has emerged from its civil war and Somalia may bounce back quickly if the new government is strong enough to crush al-Shabaab and smart enough to manage clan politics. But meanwhile Mali, a former favourite of western countries, has imploded and both Sudans are in an increasingly bad way. It is hard to imagine Mauritania, Niger and Chad will not also be affected by Islamic militancy.
China has been the main player in Africa’s economic transformation, but how long will it be before Africans react against the growing power and exclusive behaviour of the Chinese and their total disregard for Africa’s environment and culture?
Africa rising? Bits of it yes, but watch out for Africans’ rising anger.

CULLED FROM www.africanarguements.org

I can stop 'best in the world' Ronaldo, insists Manchester United

I can stop 'best in the world' Ronaldo, insists Manchester United defender Rafael

The 22-year-old right-back has praised his former team-mate ahead of their Champions League clash on Wednesday, and believes the Real Madrid forward is better than Lionel Messi

Manchester United right-back Rafael believes Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world – but insists he knows how to stop the Real Madrid star.
The Portugal forward has 36 goals in 35 appearances for los Blancos this term, and has netted a sensational 182 in 179 games since his €96 million move from the Red Devils in 2009.

Despite Ronaldo’s scintillating form in front of goal for the Liga giants, his former team-mate says his time spent training against the 28-year-old will give him a vital edge on Wednesday night.

"For me, [Ronaldo is] the best player in the world," he told The Sun. "I think he is the complete player and I really like him. I think he is the number one.

"I know what he can do because I played and trained with him a lot. So he's not the type of opponent where you would say 'He is good but I don’t know what he can do' - I know what he can do."

With Rafael performing well against Gareth Bale during United's recent 1-1 draw with Tottenham at White Hart Lane, the defender suggested concentration is key to keeping out top-class players in big games.

"If you concentrate, that’s the key, reading the game," he continued. "[Ronaldo and Bale] are both very quick but maybe they are just different. Ronaldo is right-footed and plays a different type of game.

"He can come inside and shoot with power but both of them are tough players to come up against."

Sir Alex Ferguson has sung the full-back's praises of late, and suggests competition for places is driving the side on to succeed this season after increasing their lead at the top of the Premier League to 12 points.

"I like it when I hear Sir Alex Ferguson or Rio [Ferdinand] saying these things about me," he added. "It's nice and I hope I can keep going. It's important to get the team medals first of all because, if you get them, then the other personal things are going to come as well.

"If everyone is fit we have two teams - two good teams. So if we can split it sometimes, players can get a rest and stay fresh. That is always a good point for us - if everyone is fit we definitely have a good squad."

CULLED FROM www.goal.com

Mancini slams City performance

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini accused his players of showing a lack of strength and personality after Saturday evening's 3-1 loss at Southampton, and feels his side now have only a ten per cent chance of retaining the Premier League title.

GettyImagesManchester City suffered a 3-1 loss at Southampton to leave their title charge hanging by a thread

Inexplicable mistakes by Joe Hart and Gareth Barry helped the Saints achieve their first win under Mauricio Pochettino in style.
Hart could have possibly done better with the shot that led to Jason Puncheon's opener, and there was no doubting the England goalkeeper's culpability for Steven Davis' bundled second goal for the hosts.
Edin Dzeko reduced the deficit as half-time approached, but soon after the break Southampton's two-goal cushion was restored as Barry passed into his own goal unchallenged.
"I am disappointed with our performance. They deserved to win,'' Mancini said on ESPN. "We didn't play well. We conceded a goal that I have never seen in my life. That's it. Now we can do nothing - only say congratulations to Southampton for their performance. I think (the players) understand that we played really bad. I think it's the worst game in the last two or three years, maybe.
"We're missing Vinny (Kompany) and missing (Matija) Nastasic, and we have some players who are not in form. They played really bad - without strength, without personality. I'm very disappointed in them.''
Asked what this defeat meant for his team's title chances, he replied: "We have ten per cent, maybe.''
Southampton striker Rickie Lambert felt his team were worthy winners against the defending champions.
"I think it's our best performance (of the season),'' he said on ESPN. "We were absolutely superb today and got exactly what we deserved. We looked for the early goal and looked to put them under pressure early and hope to capitalise on it. It worked perfectly. Then we went 2-0 up, which was even better.''
The margin of victory could have been even greater had referee Martin Atkinson not waved away Jay Rodriguez's penalty appeals on the stroke of half-time.
Man of the match Rodriguez said: "I ran in and I think there was a little nudge, but the referee hasn't given it so we got on with the game.''
He added: "We press hard, took the game to them. As you can see, it creates chances and puts us on the front foot. We've taken to it well and put in a great performance.''

Information from the Press Association was used in this report

CANCER – AFRICA’S TICKING TIME BOMB!!!!

http://www.thenewsnest.com/cancer-africas-ticking-time-bomb/

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says clubs must stamp out diving

Sir Alex Ferguson: Believes clubs have a responsibility to help eradicate diving

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes it is down to England's clubs to deal with players who dive because it is so difficult for the Football Association.

There have been calls for retrospective action against divers and the issue of simulation was brought up at the two-day League Managers Association conference at St George's Park earlier in the week.
Ferguson feels it is down to the clubs rather than the FA to impose their own discipline, admitting that he did have to lecture Cristiano Ronaldo about the matter during his early days at Old Trafford.
"Do the sanctions come from the club or the FA?" said Ferguson.
"The FA have a problem because is it legal? How can they prove a lad has purposely dived?

"It is very difficult. The FA have always said that. Does it go to the clubs? At the end of the day it probably does."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers this week voiced his displeasure after Luis Suarez admitted to diving in a match against Stoke earlier this season, although the FA have indicated they will not be reviewing the incident.
"The FA could react," said Ferguson.
"I haven't a view on it myself because I don't know much about the interview, apart from what I have read in the sense he admitted the dive."
Ferguson insists he has not been afraid to bring up the subject of diving with his players when it has been appropriate, adding: "We did it with Cristiano.
"He was only a young boy when he came to us and it took him a couple of years to understand. But after that he was fine.
"There is a connection to the foreign players coming into our game I don't think there is any doubt about that."
CULLED FRROM WWW.SKYNEWS.COM

For the providential records on the meaning of the Odili Story

For the providential records on the meaning of the Odili Story

From providential historical analysis, a President of a nation is in the position of the parent of the nation. In a way, the President is like the Adam figure of the nation. The President is supposed to make the nation to be fruitful, to guide the nation to increase and multiply and to lead the nation to have dominion over all resources in the nation.
In the case of independent Nigeria, Tafawa Balewa and Nnamdi Azikiwe were in such a position first but were dethroned by the military, which began a new course toward a new Adam figure in 1979. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Musa YarÁdua became the forerunners who handed over in 1979 to Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme in 1979 and they occupied a similar position of the nation’s Adam figure until they were dethroned by the military. As the military took over, they began a process of a search for a new Adam figure, which took place in 1999. When the military finally handed over in 1999, it was another opportunity to create a new national parent for the nation.

If we understand providential history carefully, we will realize that in 1979, OBJ and Shehu Musa YarÁdua who handed over to Shehu Shagari in 1979 were supposed to return back together as a pair again. Unfortunately, Shehu Musa YarÁdua died before 1999. Therefore, a new YarÁdua was needed and that was the foundation upon which Atiku Abubakar became the Vice President with OBJ as President. Together, they became the first pair of leaders to complete two tenures of civil rule in Nigeria and had two options before them. They were either to handover to another leader to lead the third tenure from 2007 or get the National Assembly to include three tenures in the constitution to allow them continue during the third tenure until 2011.

Unfortunately, OBJ and Atiku became divided against each other on this position of third tenure. While OBJ wanted third tenure, Atiku was against the third tenure and their partnership for national leadership ended in failure. Being the first VP to complete two tenures of civil rule in Nigeria, Atiku was best positioned to become the next President of the nation. Unfortunately, the division between OBJ and Atiku prevented the ascension of Atiku and OBJ sought to replace him even as VP. Therefore, the partnership of leadership between OBJ and Atiku ended in failure and the nation has no choice than to seek for a replacement. This is the reason for the hurried efforts to get someone handover to as the constitution did not allow OBJ and Atiku to remain in office beyond May 29, 2007.

Inevitably, the failure of the inclusion in the constitution of the third tenure provided the option of bringing a new Presidential and VP candidates. As stated earlier, Atiku emerged on the foundation of Shehu Musa YarÁdua and since he failed in relationship with OBJ, Umaru Musa YarÄdua became the internal viable alternative, despite his external challenges of health and period of preparation.

I watched the discussion today on AIT about the Odili story and the sentiments expressed showed the feeling that Odili should have been made the Presidential candidate, in view of the general outlook of his work at that time. The discussion on the Odili story also showed that he expected to have been made the Vice Presidential candidate and would have become President, which implies that he should have been the President today. From an external understanding, this is the way it should but issues of emergence of national leadership goes beyond external understanding.
The internal perspective should not be ignored. Just as Atiku did not emerge because he was the best across the country, but for the internal representation of the YarÁdua family leadership with OBJ, we should not fail to realize that national leadership does not depend on external abilities only. So, even though Odili was externally more qualified the internal dimension of history did not favor him. As rightly stated in the discussion, he was disqualified for being in support of the killing of the third tenure, the very reason that Atiku lost out for

On the issue of the VP candidate to partner with Umaru Musa YarÄdua, it can be best understood from understanding the principle of restoration. When Adam fails in his position and responsibility, the providence is divided into a Cain camp and an Abel camp, with the Cain group with more external ability and the Abel camp more internally favored. The VP position was zoned to the South South zone. For this reason, Dr Odili expected to be selected as VP. Unfortunately, the providence of restoration is guided by a fundamental principle of Cain and Abel position. Within the South South zone, Cross River, Rivers and Edo States were in the providential position of elder states or Cain-like states. In the same way, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta States were the younger states and in the providential positions of Abel-like states.

So, when Adam fails, the providence shifts to Abel and not Cain. So, it does not fit into the principle of restoration, in attempting to lay a foundation for national salvation that the elder Governor Odili should have emerged as VP to YarÄdua. Rather, the younger Governor Jonathan was better positioned. In terms of providential positions, Dr. Odili is in an elder brother position or Cain, while Dr. Jonathan is in the younger brother position of Abel. Therefore, the political future of Dr Odili does not lie so much in harboring the ill-feelings of having been cheated for his younger brother Goodluck Jonathan but in seeking to unite, support and guide his younger brother who has been favored by the providence to become the VP and now President. If this is not understood, the story of Cain and Abel will replay itself between Odili and Jonathan from the new epistle of Odili.

A similar mistake was made by Atiku when OBJ handed over to Umaru YarÁdua in 2007. Within the YarÁdua GDM group, Atiku was in an elder brother position to Umaru YarÄdua who was in the younger brother position. If Atiku had completely united with and supported his favored younger brother, Umaru, the challenges that emerged in 2007 - 2011 dispensation would have been overcome or the argument of who should inherit the second tenure of YarÁdua would have been obvious. At the moment of death of Umaru M. YarÁdua, Atiku as former VP and Jonathan as then present VP were again placed in the position of elder VP and younger VP with the younger more supportive to the late President than the elder VP. For this reason, Jonathan could win the 2011 ticket over Atiku.

I understand very deeply that one of the expected outcomes of the recently launched Odili story is to draw some deserved sympathy to the ill-treatment of Odili and to see what that can play into by the 2015 - 2019 dispensation. However, from the providential perspective, elder Odili needs the unity of his younger brother Jonathan than building public sympathy. What is needed to establish the foundation for effective national leadership 2015 for national salvation is not the present struggle of those in the positions of Cain (elder) with those in the favored position of Abel (younger) but a harmony of relationship by both sides.

Humility on the winning side is needed while forgiveness on the losing side is important. The Jonathan group need to be humble, focused on the central goal of national transformation and not to persecute the opposition and the likes of Odili and many others that have emerged and will be emerging at this time. The winners should win the heart of the losers and the losers should learn the way of winning from the winners. I believe that if we really desire for a prosperous nation for all from 2015, the story of Odili should rather unite Odili and GEJ than divide them more. The story should bring CRS/AKS together, RVS/BYS and EDS/DTS together and for them to create a unified region that remains central in the new providence of restoration of the nation.

Boko Haram Commander Arrested By JTF In Senator's Home

One of the Wanted Boko Haram Commanders, Shuaibu Mohammed Bama has been arrested at the private residence of Senator Ahmed Zanna representing Borno Central Senatorial District.
Bama was arrested yesterday when the Joint Task Force JTF Operating in Borno State storm the house of the serving Senator  who has been under serious  watch by security forces  for allegedly romancing and sponsoring the Boko Haram sect.
These was contained in a press statement Issued to reporters in Maiduguri by the Spokesman of the JTF, Lieutenant Sagir Musa.
According to Musa the JTF intensified its cordon and search operation  ” when suspected Boko Haram sect launched multiple attacks at different locations of the JTF troops in Sinimari and Lagos street of Gwange general area and that all the attacks were repelled by JTF”.
He continued ” the JTF was able to arrest one notorious Boko Haram Commander in a serving Senator’s House along Damboa road GRA”
Pointblanknews.com recalled that the Senator Ahmed Zanna was once indicted by the former Police Commissioner in Borno State Simeion Midenda for finding some Boko Haram related materials in hands of Zanna’s Supporters.
Consequently, a top security source in the state revealed that he had made available enough security reports on to his headquarters on Senator Zanna’s  connections with the Boko Haram terrorist.
Zanna who belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) became very popular when he defeated the then incumbent Governor  Ali Sheriff to occupy the Borno Central seat.

33 die as sleeping driver plunges bus into river

The long medium range luxury bus still remained drowned at the point of entry to the river but the three survivors that included a pregnant woman who hung between a tree branches have been rescued.
The Unit Commander, Ijebu – Ode Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), Seidu Isah Osilama said the FRSC operative arrived at the scene of the accident few minutes after it occurred.
He added they were able to rescue the three survivors, saying they fell off the bus and landed on tree.
He, therefore, said rescue effort would require the crane and divers to ascertain the location of the bus and the passengers inside the water.
According to him, no one knows the exact numbers of passengers in the bus or the casualty figure as they are still in the water.
The FRSC confirmed that the driver of the vehicle slept off the wheel, disclosing that the vehicle plunged into J4 River thereby making rescue difficult for the FRSC.
Mr Osilama said the option left was to make use of local divers, saying the local divers were mobilized to search the river for rescue of survivals while a crane was on ground from Omo Wood industries to pull out the vehicle from the river.
He added all effort to locate the vehicle in the river proved abortive while the divers became tired to continue, saying that the crane was called to report back to office by 6pm.

CULLED FROM www.channelstv.com

Man Arrested With N1b At Airport For Trial print

Published on October 18, 2012 by pmnews   

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A 25-year old man,  Abubakar Sheriff Tijani who was recently arrested while trying to smuggle $7 million (about N1.1 billion) out of Nigeria at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos southwest Nigeria, will be arraigned in court tomorrow.

THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOUND ON TIJANI

It was learnt the suspect declared he was travelling with $4.5 million but when operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, screened him thoroughly, $7 million was found on him.

PART OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOUND ON TIJANI

He was said to be on his way to Dubai, United Arab Emirates when he was arrested on 27 September, 2012.When he was interrogated, Sheriff reportedly confessed to EFCC operatives that he was hired by 20 people to ferry the money to Dubai.
He will be arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on Friday.
Sources at EFCC said he will be docked for contravening section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap. F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 2(5) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.

Nigeria: Achebe and the Myth of Nigerian Exceptionalism

opinion

It has been only a few weeks since the prolific and renowned author, Professor Chinua Achebe's personal account of the 1967 Nigerian civil war, "There Was a Country" was published, yet the firestorm it has generated in the Nigerian public sphere still rages on. Admittedly, many, including yours truly haven't read the book, but the little we have gleaned of it, from the book's synopsis in the UK Guardian, has driven many into a frenzy and is further straining Nigeria's fractious unity.
My intention here is neither to review nor critique the book, as others have done a better job of critiquing, deconstructing and disputing some of Achebe's alleged inaccurate depiction of events and personalities of the Nigerian Civil War. Max Siollun, a Nigerian historian questions Achebe's claims of non-integration of the Igbo in Nigeria; Ibraheem A. Waziri disputes Achebe's jihadist colouration of events; Jumoke Verissimo, writing for African Arguments, points out the ethnocentric slant to Achebe's book, while Chris Ngwodo analyses the disconnect between Achebe's generation and the "post-civil war generation"; and many others have written or cited credible evidence to dispute a number of Achebe's claims and one-sided portrayal of events.
However, my particular grouse with Achebe's latest treatise is that it disappointingly feeds into an increasingly disturbing trend in public discourse on national issues in Nigeria, of a perceived Nigerian exceptionalism, and the deployment of such to excuse the failures of nation-building, socio-economic development and social cohesion in Nigeria.
Proponents of this view of Nigerian exceptionalism (defined as the perception that a country or society is unusual or extraordinary in some way and thus does not need to conform to normal rules or general principles) believe Nigeria occupies a unique place in the world stage because it is an artificial British creation, from an amalgamation of the Northern and Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria for administrative purposes in 1914. This artificial creation is chiefly responsible for the present dysfunction of the Nigerian state, according to this view, and thus, social cohesion and national unity will forever remain elusive as Nigerians are "not one".
The advocates of this view also assert that certain events in Nigeria's immediate post-colonial history, especially the 1967 Civil War, its intrigues and aftermath of creating a unitary-federalism have and are still holding Nigeria back, and therefore, it's necessary to regularly exhume the debris and the horror of these events, as Achebe has done. Thus, we are now in 2012 inundated daily with news clippings of the 1960s Nigeria-Biafra War, sad pictures of emaciated starving children in Biafra over four decades ago and many other horror stories, because the war according to this view was a monochrome event between the forces of "good" and "evil" and nothing else in-between.
These two historical events according to proponents of this view, mostly but not exclusively account for why Nigeria is so "different" from other countries in the world and for its continuous dysfunction.
On closer examination though, Nigeria is certainly not different and this perception of exceptionalism for all intents and purposes smacks of intellectual escapism of shying away from Nigeria's most pressing problems, shirking away from complicity in Nigeria's present challenges and the otherness syndrome that characterizes who we blame for Nigeria's development challenges. It's the 1914 Amalgamation, the post-independence elites, key instigators and participants of the Civil War many of whom are now deceased, or as Achebe has recently done, its everyone else's fault in Nigeria for marginalizing his own ethnic group. It doesn't matter who it is, so long as it is someone else, the finger always points away somewhere.
Looking at the basis of this "uniqueness", Nigeria is obviously not the only "artificial" colonial creation based on arbitrary drawing-up of boundaries. The boundaries of much of Africa, with the exception of countries like Ethiopia and Liberia were artificially created by Britain, France, Germany, and other European colonial powers. The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is particularly appalling as it was not just a colony, but at some point, it was the personal property of King Leopold II of Belgium.
Most countries that make up today's Middle East and North Africa were carved out of the defunct Ottoman Empire from the 1920s by Britain and France after the latter's defeat in World War I. It's the same story in much of South America and South-East Asia and most of these countries are till date grappling with their own nation-building challenges. Take for example, the case of the Kurds in Iraq who have for years, been agitating for their own sovereignty.
Similarly, Nigeria is not the only country in the world to experience a terrible Civil War. Many countries, even the "developed" ones have gone through particularly bloody civil wars at some point. The American Civil War of 1861 to 1865 between the American federal government and the secessionist southern states (ring any bells?) led to the death of over 750,000 soldiers and yet to be determined civilian casualties; Britain, Spain and France had their shares of bloody civil wars and in the developing world, much of South America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia have gone through tumultuous wars with the particularly bloody ones including but not limited to China, Russia, Cambodia, Burma, Yugoslavia, Sudan, DRC, Liberia and Sierra Leone with in most cases, millions of lives lost. These wars significantly scarred each of these countries, though I doubt the stirring up events of the past is a key component for those which are now politically stable.
Since Nigeria is not the only "artificial creation" neither is it the only country to have experienced a civil war, one wonders why some of our "intellectuals" thrive on exhuming buried sentiments of decades past and why they obstinately insist on invoking demons of a traumatizing past of which no side can claim to be wholly innocent or wholly guilty. Why are they fixated on distracting Nigerians from more relevant issues of the present with direct bearing on the future? Well, Achebe states that his "aim" of rousing such emotions "...is not to provide all the answers but to raise questions and perhaps to cause a few headaches".
One truly wonders if this is really a "headache" Nigeria needs at this juncture when many parts of Nigeria still lack electricity, quality healthcare and education, and other basic infrastructure that many countries have for long overcome; when Nigerian youths are having a crisis of self-discovery in the absence of sufficient jobs, economic opportunities and worthy role models and when none of these ills discriminate among Nigerians on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Yet Achebe's contribution is to pitch young Nigerians against one another as we squabble over events we neither witnessed nor participated in, and which we cannot change.
The truth is people like Achebe greatly traumatized by a painful past have been perpetually subjected to view the world through a two-dimensional lens of black and white, preventing them from realizing that Nigeria has considerably evolved with all shades of grey in between. When Achebe claimed for instance that his Igbo ethnic group "...were not and continue not to be reintegrated into Nigeria..." and haughtily refers to this marginalization, as the primary source of Nigeria's backwardness, one wonders if the American-based Professor has in the last two decades or so, been to the section of Kaduna Central Market where Igbo women selling crayfish and the finest palm oil are comfortably nestled close to the Hausa butchers. One wonders if Achebe has ever wandered around Park road in Zaria or Ahmadu Bello Way in Kaduna where hundreds of Igbo dealers sell a vast array of Japanese, Taiwanese and lately Chinese manufactured electronics; curtains, cooking gas, furniture and apparel. Max Siollun provides further evidence of Igbo "integration" in politics and the economics in Nigeria.
So far Nigeria is not unique for having these problems but will attain an "exceptional" status when she gets her act together, becomes a strong nation built on the richness of her diversity, has a robust middle class riding on the back of a roaring industrializing economy, provides moral and socio-economic leadership and well-springs of business opportunities to Sub-Saharan Africa and indeed the black race, and provides equal opportunity for her citizens irrespective of religion and ethnicity. Then Nigeria will truly become exceptional, not when she lacks basic infrastructure, when almost 70% of the population wallow in abject poverty in the face of stupendous wealth of the mostly decadent few, when monumental corruption persists, and the mostly young citizenry are further polarized and engaged in futile squabbles stoked-up by intellectuals like Achebe who should otherwise be beacons of social cohesion. Then Nigeria remains another African country that just can't get it right.
After all is said and done, Achebe is entitled to his opinion, no matter how prejudiced or ethnocentric it may seem. One hopes that Nigerians and foreigners alike remember that this remains a personal opinion, and just one piece of the intricate puzzle of Nigerian historical dynamics. Importantly, Achebe's is one side of a story, that of Biafra and for those interested in the complete story, the Nigerian side deserves attention as fundamentally, there are two sides to every story just as there are two belligerents in every war.

CULLED FROM DAILY TRUST