The Abduction Of Nkiru Sylvanus In Owerri/By Kenneth Uwadi,

247ureports
-
0

Nkiru-Sylvanus-1

It was in May, 2012, that Philip Amadi, a friend of mine, experienced his worst nightmare — being kidnapped. He was driving home from work when he was intercepted near Fancrid Hotel Omoku  in Rivers State  by armed men in a car. Within seconds, they whisked him into their vehicle, leaving his car abandoned. Before he  could react, he was blindfolded and being driven away. He  was terrified.The next morning Philip came to know that he was ‘somewhere’ in Ahoada also in Rivers State  and his family has been asked to pay 10 million naira for his safe return. An engineer by profession and coming from a humble background, Philip  was home a couple of days later but only after paying 1.6 million naira following a series of phone calls between the kidnappers and his family negotiating the ransom amount; his family never reported the incident to the police.

December 2012 was  also  a nightmare for Nollywood Actress Nkiru Sylvanus. The light-skinned actress was kidnapped in Owerri by gunmen wearing police uniform and using a tinted glass  siren blowing SUV. When  the news of the kidnap in Owerri  of Nollywood actress, Nkiru Sylvanus  hit the airwave, I was worried sick and downcast. I am a huge Nkiru Sylvanus  fan.  She is a talented actress. I think the last few movies that she’s featured have been terrific. I  am so fond of her that I always watch any movie that she featured. I try to think of ways I could meet her . I  love her cry baby roles especially in the movie ‘A Cry for Help’ where she cried from the beginning of the movie to the end. I have always wished to see her in person. We were told by the police that her family paid  8 Million naira ransom to her kidnappers to get her freed.

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary  defined  kidnapping as the act of taking somebody away illegally and keeping them as  prisoner, especially in order to get money or something else for returning them. It is a violation of human rights as stated by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It violates the right of association, freedom of movement and the right to life. It is a crime against humanity.

In Nigeria, Kidnapping used to be a word in the  dictionary. It is now a reality and threat on our  South South and South Eastern  streets. We do not only read about it in  newspapers, but we sometimes get to know the families of the victims. The kidnappers sometimes abduct their victims from urban areas and transport them to rural areas  or bushes while they conduct negotiations. They use more violence to frighten those negotiating to pay up quickly. Some of the victims are murdered after ransom negotiations.Of great concern is the negative picture the menace of kidnapping has created of the Nigerian society at international level. This has affected virtually all aspects of life of the people.

Imo State Governor Owelle  Rochas Okorocha to me is  working hard to stop this monster in Imo State. He has  made   aggressive moves  to arrest what seems like a looming apocalypse: the state government  introduced community policing  and  enacted a law which stipulates death penalty for kidnappers and which also empowers the state to acquire and destroy properties belonging to suspects. The law was made deliberately ruthless to tackle the menace of kidnapping, a crime that virtually brought business activities and social life to its knees in the state.

Okorocha’s efforts made the crime rate of Imo state decreased, and is now at its lowest point. The number of reported kidnappings in Imo significantly decreased from  89 percent  to  32 percent , a remarkable  percent decline. Statistics showed that the security operatives in Imo State  was able to solve so many kidnapped cases and apprehend  so many members of various kidnap gangs. I appreciate the governor’s efforts in this war against kidnapping in Imo State  and that is why I choose to shun traders of specious rumour  who are tongue lashing  Owelle over the kidnap of Nkiru Sylvanus recently in Owerri and  are dismissing the governor’s effort in the fight against kidnapping  in Imo. I don’t believe in blind criticism.

Politics, as we know, is generally assumed to be a dirty game. Indeed, it is dirty in so many ways and senses to the extent that most politicians and their gullible followers often pretend against positive steps  and  distinguished achievements  so as to give  a dog a bad name in order to hang it. In spite of this unfortunate political trait of some  people, truth is always clear, constant and unblemished. No amount of gossips can erase the  solid facts that Okorocha is  working hard in this fight against crime in Imo. Like any other politician ,he has his own weakness of which I  am  one of those who  criticized him severally  but the fact still remains that when he does well we should shun politics and praise him so that he can do more.

The abduction  of Nkiru Sylvanus in Owerri  we know is an indication that Imo  still have more work to do. Okorocha  in his year-end report  to  Imo people confirmed it that Imo has more work to do in this  fight against kidnapping and  vowed that next year, the state  will proceed with phase three of its anti-criminality program. “We can build all the bridges, all the roads, all the beautiful houses and homes, all the industries, all the schools and Universities  but all these will become useless if the security  of lives and property cannot be guaranteed’’ the governor said. To me this is  good news.

In  year 2013  we  should  intensify efforts through a joint police and vigilante group  patrol of our roads and streets  . This brings us back to the issue of community policing. We must take community policing more seriously. Community policing is very important. Community Policing remains the best security tool to stamp out all shades of criminal practices. Vigilantee groups should be equipped.

We should intensify manhunt operations against identified target groups and criminal syndicates .People from the communities know these kidnappers and they can help us smoke them out from their holes. We must go after the kidnappers. We must not wait for them to strike again before we pursue them. Whether we are using  Operation Rescue or Operation Sweep, Operation Wipe, Anti-Kidnapping Squad or Joint Military Task Force ,all Squad must  take the battle  to whatever hide outs of these kidnappers and crush them.We should also use the media too for  sensitization of the populace on the need to be security conscious. Yes, government should educate people on the need to be more security conscious, especially high profile individuals, and those who are playing vital role in governance.

Let us not forget to  tackle unemployment in year 2013. We should introduce economic empowerment projects and create enabling environment for private sector businesses to thrive in order to create job opportunities for young school leavers and graduates and make the youth busy and away from the trappings of crimes. Some of these restive youths may have been forced into criminality for survival. Bringing them back to the path of rectitude would therefore require providing them with jobs or sending them to acquire skills. God bless Imo State.

Kenneth Uwadi, Mmahu-Egbema,Imo State, Nigeria

 

Presidency: How Marketable Is Governor Sule Lamido?/By Emeka Oraetoka

247ureports
-
0

SONY DSC

 

When the news of endorsement of the duo of Governor Sule Lamido and his counterpart in Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi by former President; Olusegun Obasanjo to run in 2015 for the post of  President and Vice,  under the umbrella of the ruling People’s Democratic Party [PDP], a mixed reaction greeted the information. Though, Obasanjo later denied endorsing both men.

The truth of the matter is that Lamido/Amaechi 2015 ticket has elicited interest from many quarters. Of note however is that political scientists, researchers and analysts have directed attention to Sule Lamido as a person, ostensibly to see his marketability. But in truth, is this man, Sule Lamido marketable in all ramifications as far as Nigeria Presidency is concerned? The answer to this question is simply YES.

Politically conscious Nigerians as well as political scientists will easily tell you on enquiry that Obasanjo himself became President of Nigeria two times not because he put food on the tables of Nigerians, but simply on account of his nationalistic inclination, to start with. He is also seen in many quarters as probably the only man, South-West of Nigeria that has no iota of tribal proclivity in his official engagements. If this writer may ask, was Obasanjo overwhelmingly voted for by Nigerians on the basis of his performance from 1976-79 in 1999? The fact here is that his Nationalistic leaning made the difference for him when his people rejected him. Yes, performance in office can lead to acceptability, but that alone cannot guarantee one the exalted position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Background political check on Sule Lamido.

Effectively Lamido entered politics as a member of People’s Redemption Party [PRP] in second republic. He can be said to have schooled in Mallam Aminu Kano’s politics of the Talakawas. Being a member of a political party that followed order, one can easily tell where he is coming from. He became the National Secretary of Social Democratic Party [SDP] during the third republic; this also illuminated his progressive tendency in Nigeria political setup. It is on record that when General Sani Abacha unfolded plan to return Nigeria to democratic path, Lamido pitched his tent with Social Progressive Party [SPP], and became the National Secretary of the new party. Record has it that he was imprisoned in 1998 by Abacha for criticizing Abacha’s plan to perpetuate himself in office. Under Abdulsalam Abubaker midwife transition programme, Lamido became a member of Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in 1998. He contested for Governorship position of Jigawa State 1999 elections and narrowly lost to All Peoples Party [APP] candidate, Saminu Turaki.

In June 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo as he then was appointed Lamido, Foreign Affairs Minister. For the brief period he was in charge of Foreign Affairs Ministry, he gave a good account of himself. Speaking at the United Nations in November 2001, Lamido described the corrosive impact of corruption on new democracies such as Nigeria, and called for “an international instrument” against transfer of looted funds abroad. In March 2003, Lamido reacted to a claim by Governor Turaki of Jigawa State that the Federal government had neglected the state, calling on him to account for the way in which he had spent federal funding.

In April 2007, Lamido contested and won the governorship election in Jigawa State. In June 2007, Lamido accused new generation banks of helping state governors to loot their treasuries, and called for tighter regulations. In July 2007 Lamido announced plans to spend N2 billion in the next six months on education, using the money to rebuild schools and provide basic teaching materials. The state also invested N450 million naira for training teachers teaching core courses in junior secondary schools. He initiated major construction programs, led by the Dutse Capital Development Authority and the Jigawa State Housing Authority. In September 2009 Lamido offered to provide free plots of land and basic infrastructure to investors in the tourism and hospitality business in Jigawa State. In December 2009 Lamido announced a plan by which beggars would be given a basic monthly payment to stay off the streets.

Sule Lamido Nationalistic Stands On National Issues In Perspective

It is a well known fact that when it became obvious to everybody that Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was on his way out of power on account of ill-health, Nigerians knew there was going to be  dangerous scheming for power that needed management by well meaning leaders. But in a system where every well meaning Nigerian was an interested party as it were then, presented a tricky scenario; that was exactly what happened in the run-up to 2011 general elections in Nigeria. Of note here is the stabilizing role played by Governor Sula Lamido in the period under review. On the issue of opposition to President Goodluck Jonathan .by a section of Northern elite before and after the primary election of PDP, Lamisdo’s utterances stand him out as a stabilizer per excellence. Hear vintage Sule Lamido:  if Northern Muslims could insist that President Jonathan, a Southern Christian, should not be President, then, there is a need to divide Nigeria and let each zone determine its direction. “The point is they are using such sentiments to destroy the North. What is politics all about?  Following your opinion. But for someone to say one must abide by his opinion no matter how is wrong. People should be allowed to do what they want. If that is the case, we should divide the country so that we could have the section for Christians and that of the Muslims,” This writer wonders what would have been the fate of 2011 elections in the North if Sule Lamido and his likes were not there.

Perhaps, Sule Lamidod’s position on zoning of Presidency in 2011 could be seen as the most forceful argument from the North and may have been largely responsible for realistic assessment of position by the elites from the zone. Again, this is what he said:  “We should know that this issue of zoning, out of about 60 political parties, this zoning issue is for the PDP alone. It does not bother those in the ANPP, CPC or ANC. But because of the circumstance we found ourselves, it has become a general issue. Now they are denouncing the PDP but the fact is that they cannot change anything.  “Look at what happened in Kano during the ANPP, there was this boy called Ibrahim Little. For many years he was the only major figure in the ANPP but in the end they forcefully rejected him. Look at how Abacha’s son joined a party within two months and seized everything. So those people, what they are doing, they feel is what everybody is doing. Democracy has a universal definition but then it has no universal application. The application of democracy is beyond the definition. When you are talking of zoning or no zoning, Nigeria is a democracy and should be able to apply democracy to her comfort. Zoning is a kind of mechanism. The application of zoning is based on the existing realities.

The needless tension and noise that greeted General Mohammadu Buhari’s alleged threat in Hausa language that if 2015 election is rigged, blood will flow, will not have occurred if the view of Lamido was sought. Hear him on rigging and 2015: I am not saying that Buhari is not a democrat going by his comments, No, it is not the issue of being a democrat. It’s the issue of self-gratification, because what he is saying is beyond human comprehension. How do you rig election, where we won, he said there was no election. Then how did we win? He won in the entire north yet he said he didn’t win, that his supporters were chased away, they were not voting him. So what is the purpose? On 2015 elections, Lamido further said, Buhari used a Hausa idiom, Kare jini biri, jinni. This is Hausa proverb which simply means that if dog keeps on pestering the monkey, one day the monkey will fight back and both will sustain bloody injuries. Buhari has taken the Hausas hostage. He can’t go to the south and ask them to fight for him; he can’t go to the west and ask them to fight. Will Bakare fight for Buhari in the west? Will people in the east fight for Buhari because he loses an election? Even the Idomas, people from the middle belt will they fight for Buhari because he lost an election? Who are those he is asking to fight? The Hausas. So the rest of Nigeria is wishing us luck on how we are killing each other. From what he said it means Hausas should be killing one another. I don’t see any Igbo man dying because of Buhari, not even Tony Momoh the CPC chairman or Bakare the pastor, I don’t see them dying because Buhari did not win an election. Even the Yorubas cannot die for Buhari. He is asking the Hausas to kill one another.

Those who are talking about Jonathan now have no idea how he became a vice president and how he became the president and what transpired within the governors to make him the president. So people are talking about Jonathan the finished product and not the raw material. And they are free to appropriate him, to localise him. Was that how he emerged, were they the ones who voted him, were they the ones who made him the VP. These people, who are now talking, were they the ones who made him the vice president, had they any input. When he became the president, had they any idea that he was going to run in 2011. We will not allow anybody to appropriate or create a local president for their own locality; we are looking for the Nigerian president. Not president of the Nigerian Hausas, the president of the Nigerian Yorubas, the president of the Nigerian Igbo, the president of the Nigerian Urhobos or the Munchis. We are looking for a Nigerian president whether Yoruba or Igbo. Jonathan is a president of Nigerian consensus. Nigerians made him. Jonathan symbolizes Nigeria because he is a creation of all Nigerians across all divides. Jonathan is not the president of the Urhobos, Jonathan is Nigerian president and therefore nobody should appropriate him. Now whatever is going to happen by 2015 is going to be by the same Nigerian consensus.

On issue of corruption Sule Lamido calls it a national phenomenon. In an interview, he said: “Again, you are speaking like typical Nigerians. You are also part of the Nigerian crisis. People in the National Assembly, government houses, in the Armed Forces, in the police, in the market, in the universities are all drawn from the Nigerian environment. So, when we are speaking about corruption, why don’t you do some kind of reflection? Are we upright? “It is a very serious problem. It is not an issue of Farouk, it is a Nigerian crisis. Are you upright? People take you and try to make money out of you. If you go to market to buy oranges, they put big ones on top and the little ones under.“When the media go to get news, they play it up. So, all of us as a people, what do we do? Why don’t we begin to define some standard upon which we can begin to operate? What do we do as a people? Corruption is a national phenomenon. Everybody has to be able to say yes, ‘I will not do it.”

On insecurity in Nigeria occasioned by Boko Hara menace, Lamido warns against sectionalizing the problem. Hear him: “Stop looking at this thing in isolation. You are facing a wider problem of national security in the country and therefore, no place will be secure if one part is not secure. Nobody will be secure in the north if people in the south are not secure and vice versa. “Even the pressmen should be able to raise the debate in a more serious way that we don’t trivialize and make it sectional or give them compartmentalized localities. No. It is more holistic. “Today, security has gone beyond what you call sovereign security. It is now security from fear. It is for all of us. The country is going through a lot of problem. Therefore it needs our understanding, our unity and our patience to be able to rescue ourselves from our misdemeanor. “How do you become free from fear? It is by passing information, by being law abiding, by being cooperative, by doing everything to entrench national security in our statement, in whatever we say. There must be some circumspection in what we do and whatever we say.”

Clearly then, Sule Lamido stands head and shoulder higher than his pears with respect to consideration on Presidency. His curriculum vitae speak for itself. He has never been controversially sectional in politics, his position on National issues are faultless. He does not maintain double standard in politics. But one thing is certain about Lamido, he is not the one that can be stampeded into presidential contest. Just like he said, NIGERIAN CONSENSUS will determine 2015; however, SULE LAMIDO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FROM THE NORTH!

Emeka Oraetoka

Information Management Consultant& Political Researcher

Wrote in from Abuja. P.O Box 18928

e-mail:oramekllis@lycos.com   

Heroes Park, Now Final Resting Place For All True Legends And Heroes Of Bayelsa State …Gov Dickson Declares

247ureports
-
0

seriake-dickson

 

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson says, the Heroes Park, the proposed burial site for the late former National Security Adviser, General Andrew Owoye Azazi in Yenagoa will henceforth be the final resting place for all true legends and heroes of the State.

According to him, the Heroes Park will also serve as a monumental and historic site, as well as a constant reminder of those that gave their all to the service of the State and Nation at various times and a source of inspiration to Bayelsans, both present and in the future.

He said great sons of Bayelsa like Late Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro, Ernest Ikoli amongst others are going to be strategically placed in the Heroes Park as a mark of honour and respect for their selfless and committed service to Bayelsa, the Ijaw Nation and Nigeria in general.

Governor Dickson stated that, the Heroes Park will also become a unique Tourism destination, not only for the Ijaw Nation, but to other Nigerians and people from other parts of the world.

Government’s intention, he noted is to make the Heroes Park a regular Tourist site like the famous Lincoln Memorial and Ground Zero in the United States, among others.

Meanwhile, a Government House statement says, a number high profile guests are expected to attend the burial activities of late General Owoye Azazi this weekend in Yenagoa.

Expected to arrive in the Bayelsa State capital from Today are former Heads of State, State Governors, members of the National Assembly, top Military Officers both serving and retired as well as members of the diplomatic corp.

The statement also called on Bayelsans to participate fully in the burial programmes as that is one way by which we can honour a worthy son, who rendered quality service the State and the Country.

Yuletide: FRSC Sets Up Roadside Clinics In Abia

247ureports
-
0

frsc

The Abia State command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), says it has established two road side clinics at kilometer 78, Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway and the Abia Tower in Umuahia.

Abia state Commander of the agency, Mr. John Meheux who stated this at Osisioma Motor Park in Aba during the flag off of the final phase of the ‘Ember Months’ campaign sponsored by Nigeria Breweries Plc, Aba, said the aim of the campaign was to reduce accidents during the festive season.

Meheux said the essence of establishing the clinics was to assist road accident victims. “Within 20 minutes after an accident, men of the commission would be at hand to attend to the victims at the designated clinics,” he stated.

He disclosed that the FRSC has deployed over 400 regular marshals and a number of special marshals to man roads in the state to ensure lane discipline during the Christmas festivities.

“During the period of the campaign, we interacted with the leaders of transport union in the state on the dangers inherent in their members driving when drunk.

“We chose to meet with the leaders of the drivers’ union at their various motor parks because and they are the ones on ground who should know when a driver was drunk and should replace him with another for a journey.”

He urged motorists to use the toll free line of 122 to contact his men in the case of any emergency during this period.

Speaking on the occasion, the Public Affairs Manager- East, Nigeria Breweries Plc, Mrs Emete Tonukari said her company sponsored the campaign as part of her social responsibilities.

She added that although her company was involved in the production of alcoholic beverages, it still deemed it necessary to partner with FRSC to mount campaign against drunk driving

“Things seem different when you are drunk, so don’t drink any form of alcohol when driving,”Emete said.

 

Former President Obasanjo’s Hiltop Residence On Fire

247ureports
-
0

247-breaking-news

 

Reports reaching 247ureports indicate former President Hilltop Palatial Residence is at present on fire.

According to eyewitness, the house is located in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital.

As at the time reporting this story, the officers of the fire service has arrived the scene and the fire is currently being put out.

obj

More details later.

Diapora Nigerian Empowers Youths, Lift Schools with Water Projects

247ureports
-
0

new-2

Worried by the high rate of joblessness among the youths in his community and its environs, a Nigerian who lives in Europe Mr. Timothy Ebelechukwu Chukwukelu has offered to help out youths in the area of skill acquisition involving computer training, cookery, tailoring, bakery and mechanics etc by running a vocational study center with his Charity initiative known as Mr/ Mrs Ebelechukwu Foundation.

Mr. Chukwukelu who is a native of Nkpor in Idemili North Council of Anambra state, has according to reports, empowered a good number of school leavers and jobless graduates through the programs of the  vocational study center which is  located at his country home in Akuzo Nkpor Agu.

The report which was contained in an address of welcome delivered by Mr. Chukwukelu during the graduation of students of the study center known as Ebelechukwu Vocational Study Center

According to him, the youth empowerment drive and other philanthropic services was a decision he took with his wife to help the youths help themselves through skill acquisition few years back stating that over 30 youths made up 18 boys and 14 girls have benefited from the vocational scholarship

In addition to the empowerment drive the German based Nigerian also informed that the foundation has executed series of development projects in and around Nkpor, explaining that the foundation which came into existence in 2006 have carried out number of projects in the areas of education, health (water) and providing aid of cash and materials for the needy.

“We have helped in paying medical bills for poor people especially women and children, pay school fees for families and other things” he continued.

Parts of the address reads: In chronology, the charitable works/activities of our son and the beloved wife started in 2008. The year 2008 witnessed a gigantic building project at united primary school Nkpor-Agu. This encompassed the re-roofing of the dilapidated school building block, the toilets, provision of two plastic water tanks of 1000gallons each for the preservation of drinkable water for school children. In 2009, couples/ philanthropists directed their attention to the Alma mater primary school of Timothy Ebelechukwu Chukwukelu i.e CMS central school Nkpor –Agu where we carried out another building project. This concerted involvement resulted in the re-roofing of five long dilapidated school building, demarcation of two open schools building into separate class room with cement blocks, the building of six new water system toilets with roof, windows and doors. And the painting of the entire renovated class room blocks.

Towards the second half of 2010, Ebelechukwu foundation moved to C.M.S central school Nkpor-Uno where they dug water bore hole and provided the pupils there with clean and pure drinking water. They complimented the above with an over head plastic tank for the preservations of the pure and clean water for the pupils.

new-4

On the completion of the above they also moved to Ifite Primary School Nkpor-Uno where they dug water- bore hole and provided the pupils with clean and pure drinking water. They also provided them with plastic tank of thousand gallons, for the preservation of the clean and water for the pupils.

The foundation finally concluded the first phase of the project they have for Nkpor at St. Peter’s Nursery and primary school Nkpor-Agu where they dug water- bore hole and provided the pupils with clean and pure drinking water. What a marvelous humanitarian work! 

The report further explained that in 2011 the St. Alphonsus primary school Nkpor-Uno also benefited from the charitable services of the foundation by having a water borehole dug for them.

“It could be seen that the primary objective of Ebelechukwu foundation is to provide school children in the environment with clean and pure drinking water”.

The year 2012 witnessed the provision of water borehole to two public (primary) Schools namely; United Primary School Nkpor Agu and Community Primary School Azu Ogbunike in Oyi L.G.A.

Currently we are embarking on our primary school, mechanic workshop and primary health care projects all situated at Umusiome Nkpor.

In our efforts towards youth’s empowerment, we have successfully added another tentacle to our body: The Ebelechukwu Foundation Football Club Our passion for youths has led to the adoption of this club hitherto Black Stars. Since the inception of this club into the family of Ebelechukwu foundation, remarkable achievements began to be visible as u can see on their table.

In conclusion the Nkpor born philanthropist observed that the youths required the company and support of the wealthy men in particular to enable them learn how to survive hard times calling on wealthy people in the society to give the youth 5% of their time and if need be resources.

2013: Nigerians Have To Review Their Religion, Education And Diet – Ogirisi Igbo

247ureports
-
0

ezeonwuka

Last week the Ogirisi of Igboland Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka organized a full fledge cultural event at Rojenny Tourist and Games Village Oba to mark the end of 2012. The one night event which involved various dancing groups, masquerades and music concert by youths was witnessed by visiting African Americans who were in Igbo Land to identify with their ancestral home.  Prominent personalities also witnessed the Night event during which the host Chief Ezeonwuka fielded questions to journalists on the purpose of the cultural event, the state of  Ndigbo, Nigeria and his assessment of year 2012.

The Excerpt

Firstly let us take your reaction on the death of Yakowa, Azazi and others who died in the Helicopter crash in Bayelsa last weekend?

It is most unfortunate that such prominent people had to die on a very short air shuttle. It is another sign of carelessness in some quarters which really have to be probed with utmost seriousness. It is sad and shameful to have such accident at this modern age of highly sophisticated and advanced technology. There is natural feelings that something was wrong somewhere and that is why the incident have to be probed with a serious view to avoid future occurrences.  Permit me to use this opportunity to commiserate with the family of Yakowa, Azazi and others who died in the crash and charge those in position to probe the incident to do a good job to unmasked the circumstance behind it .

What is the reason behind the cultural night event?

The reason is to revive and promote the culture of Igboman which is on the thresh hold of being extinguished in the system. Our people have massively turned their back at the culture and tradition of our ancestors and the development is having negative impact on our day to day live. Things are changing for the worse. Other tribes are progressing ahead of Ndigbo because they respect the culture of their lands. People are dying untimely under unacceptable but avoidable circumstances. The crime rate is high. Armed robbers and kidnappers are terrorizing people in Igbo land. As I speak with you Igbo guys in Diaspora, in Abuja, Lagos and elsewhere are afraid of coming home for Christmas and New Year because of fear of being kidnapped or attacked by armed robbers. Worst of all most Igbo businessmen who have enough resources to invest in the land and provide subsistence activities for the youths are running away. They are taking their business to other part of the country or even aboard where they feel their lives and their resources are safe.  The situation is very bad and dangerous toward the development and progress of Ndigbo and nobody is doing anything about it. The federal government appears to be incapacitated in check mating kidnappers and Armed Robbers in Igbo land. As matter of fact Ndigbo are doomed if we don’t find lasting solution to the menace of insecurity. I have told them that the solution is not running away they have to come back and let us joins hands to fight the problem. On my own as the Ogirisi Igbo with the mandate for conflict resolution among the people individually, family, community and general level, I have made recommendations in finding lasting solution to the problems facing Ndigbo. My recommendations includes according those who died during Biafra civil war the normal Igbo burial rite, this is one. Secondly I have told Ndigbo to stop depositing dead bodies in mortuary because it unholy and absolute nonsense. Storing dead bodies in mortuary is totally nonsense.  Our antecessors in their wisdom and concern for the welfare of the succeeding children established it that when someone dies the person have to be buried immediately with the survivors according him or her the deserved burial rites, but today we have ignored that particular way of burial by storing dead bodies in mortuary. In Igbo land today the number of dead bodies in various mountains are alarming and I can tell you that their spirit are behind some of the problems we have in Igbo land now. Having said all these things I want you people to quote me anywhere that I have observed and said as Ogirisi Igbo that the causes of the problems of Ndigbo especially insecurity are traceable to the failure of the people to follow the cultural path of their ancestors. We have tried boys oyee, bakkassi boys, vigilante group with the Police and Army to no success. Let us go back to the root and appease our ancestors and the gods of the land.  Some people mostly Christian would totally disagree with your recommendations on the ground that they are against their interest to involve in some cultural activities because they have negative implications of paganism? Such Christians are more dangerous with their activities than armed robbers and kidnappers. They brain wash the people with fake miracles, false prophesy and extort money from poor widows to build mansions, buy exotic cars and private jets. They are not models for good character and behavior among the people. They are agents of darkness who aid crime in the society. And except we reject them and go back to the way of our ancestors the society would continue to grow from bad to worse.

One of the major highlight of the cultural night you hosted is the presence of the African Americans. how come their visit to Rojenny?

They came to identify with Igbo land as their ancestral home land. There was a research which proved that Igbo land is the ancestral home of the African Americans. It was discovered that their fathers were those who were sold to white people from Igbo land as slaves during the slave trade and those who were convinced by the out come of the research came down from America to perform the ritual of cleansing at the palace of Eze-Eri in Aguleri, Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State.  They were taken to a place called Omambala river where the Eze-Eri carried out the cleansing exercise to cleanse them from the abomination and stigma of slave trade. We invited them as part of tourist attraction in their land of origin.

What is your expectation in the on going review of 1999 constitution?

I am expecting noting because we need to review three major things that are far more important than constitution. The three things include our Religion, our education and our diet. I call it review   of (RED) Religion, Education and Diet. You see it is high time for Nigerians to look at these three things critically. People commit grievous crime of extortion and get away with it in the name of religious practice. A lot people have lost their sense of reasoning and thinking because of religious practice. We have to look at it; we have to review it with utmost seriousness. Some of the churches have nothing to offer for the welfare of the society yet they are milking the society on a very fat note because the state and all worth not recognize them. Such churches mostly the so called Pentecostals are supposed to be shut down from operation completely. Then we talk about education, our universities are producing empty headed graduates with bogus certificate. No skill acquisition program in Nigeria university system. In other countries student are practically taught about carpentry, motor mechanic, and other things that should help them to be self employed on graduating. So we have to review our education mostly at the university levels. Lastly we have to review our Diet. The kinds of food Nigerians eat are terrible. I have told people around me that it is very bad to eat pounded cassava because pounded cassava which is called fufu or akpu is highly demonic. It is demonic in the sense that it has no nutritious ingredients capable to enhance one’s body or sense of reasoning. Most Nigerians don’t know that bad food contribute a lot to their sense of reasoning on the negative. Have you ever thought about the reason why Nigeria cannot be found in the field science and technology, why our athletes cannot win Olympic medal. It is because of bad food that people consume on daily basis. So my brother we have to look at the diet we take. India, China and other Asian countries did all these things reviewing their diet and other things before finding their way out of darkness to the light. And except we do same we shall ever remain in darkness and suffering.

What is your assessment of 2012?

Very poor. Nothing changed nor improved for the better. Corruption increased, armed robbery and kidnapping increased.  Nigeria still remains darkness with out hope for steady power supply. More people died this year than last year. Is that a good sign of a growing country? So 2012 is a colossal failure and except we review RED we are going no where.

 

R-E-V-E-A-L-E-D: How FCT Minister Of State, Olajumoke Akinjide, Lied To Nigerians Over The Sure-Programme

247ureports
-
0

Akinjide

 

  • Promised Fake, Non-Existent Jobs

An ambitious pledge by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, of “massive” recruitment before year ending, has turned out an elaborate deception, with just days away from December 31, 2012.

New slots of about 10,000 jobs were to be provided for Abuja under the federal government subsidy reinvestment programme, the minister had said. But days to the year’s close, the openings are nowhere near reality. Neither the advertisement, registration, pre-selection calls, nor recruitment tests have taken place, PREMIUM TIMES has found.

Weeks of inquiries have proven the idea of preliminary registration for the jobs as Ms. Akinjide announced separately in August and November, to not only be a ruse, but a subject unknown to several officials of the FCT administration. One official said the selection had been concluded since March.

The contradictions come as the intervention programme, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, faces mounting criticisms over its failure to deliver on proposed projects, with critics dismissing the initiative as a drain pipe that squanders badly needed funds, while unemployment, which it was partly meant to address nationwide, escalates.

If anything, the inconsistencies at the Abuja ministry point to the indifference authorities accord a pressing national need as jobs creation, which are often eagerly promised by officials, but hardly delivered. Ms. Akinjide gave her promise as a passing remark while addressing two women groups in August and November.

“There will be massive employment before the end of this year and we have started registration of unemployed women and youth in the FCT,” the minister said in a remark to the National Council for Women Societies, Abuja chapter, who visited her office on November 13.

Applicants were to be “be employed into different fields and also vocation acquisition programmes,” of the SURE-P plan, the minister said.

To demonstrate seriousness, Ms. Akinjide advised interested women and youth to register with the FCT Social Development Secretariat as of November.

No registration

Repeated visits to the office and contacts to other arms of the FCT administration supposedly responsible for the ‘recruitment’ since November have proven no such job drives exist, and officials have consistently denied knowledge of any job-related registration.

At various units of the FCT Secretariat at Area 10, Garki, Abuja, a week after the minister’s promise, all key officials spoken to said they were unaware of the plans. PREMIUM TIMES also observed no registration took place.

“As you can see, there is nothing like that going on, maybe you could get further clarification from the minister’s office,” one official said on anonymity, fearing sanctions if he were identified.

Despite the apparent absence of the existence, a spokesperson for the minister, Oluyinka Akintunde, insisted the plan was afoot. Mr. Akintunde denied the minister had misled the unemployed by announcing a non-existent exercise, possibly as a passing political remark. He said as part of the SURE-P, the programme was being administered by a central presidential task team.

He also said the plan was targeted at the grassroots and the recruitment was meant to done on the basis of electoral Wards.

“There are provisions made for these things, and there are people working on them,” Mr. Akintunde insisted. “The minister did not lie.”

Yet, he provided no verifiable detail about where the listings were actually done, and no explanation was given as to why, if the registration existed elsewhere, Ms. Akinjide had given a different venue.

Again, there were no truly existed plans for the exercise elsewhere, as PREMIUM TIMES found none ongoing within Abuja as the minister claimed.

At one of the FCT units our reporters were referred to for clarification, an official who spoke under anonymity said the so called grassroots registrations had been completed since March, and 15,000-more than the 10,000 required- were captured.

“We even had excess application,” the staff said.

Rosy initiative, fat budget, no delivery

At least 370,000 jobs are to be created under the SURE-P, with each state and Abuja providing 10,000 in partnership with the federal government.

A second component of the programme is tagged the Graduate Internship Scheme, GIS, designed to enhance the employability of another 100,000 unemployed graduates across the federation. That will involve internship placements with interested companies.

A new website has recently been dedicated for registration into the GIS.

But the 470,000 total slots, a potentially significant figure for an ever-soaring unemployment rate, have barely taken off months even at the state level, months after the SURE-P was created.

The programmer’s dismal performance, despite its huge multibillion budget, recently alarmed federal lawmakers.

At a budget meeting a fortnight ago, the National Assembly joint committee on petroleum downstream, declared the programme a scam that has failed to keep any of its promises of job creation, and accused Christopher Kolade-led SURE-P committee of reckless spending.

The lawmakers accused the subsidy committee of duplicating projects with ministries, and defrauding the nation by making double payments for projects also financed by the ministries.

Most shocking, the committee found out how the committee claimed spending N2.2 billion on “secretariat services” and another N75 million on travels between July and October.

Another N27 billion was also spent on “Public Works for Youths”, and N8.9bn for the purchase of 800 buses. Details of how the monies were allocated were not provided to the lawmakers.

“The SURE-P funds should not be seen as crude oil money which everybody is sharing,” Magnus Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Downstream Petroleum Committee warned as the committee pressed for more information.

For 2013, SURE-P is to spend N273.52 billion.

At a separate meeting, Mr. Kolade claimed the amount involved with office administration was N1 billion and not N2.2 billion as earlier stated. He knocked off criticisms trailing the committee’s failings by declaring he will not quit.

“I will not quit, if you attack me, I will defend myself. The National Assembly and the SURE-P Committee and everybody are supposed to be working for Nigerians not individuals,” he was quoted as saying at a media luncheon in Lagos.

Across the states, the confusion has played out, with barely any state releasing provable data of how much of the 10,000 jobs have been in the months that SURE-P existed.

PREMIUM TIMES’ attention was first drawn to Ms. Akinjide’s bogus job announcement for Abuja, after early responders to her notice of registration alerted that no such exercise was taking place at the designated venue.

Reporters, who visited the secretariat and the FCT head office at Area 11 repeatedly, confirmed same to be true.

Source: Premium Times

 

 

USA List Erroneous, Edo Is Safe— SSG

247ureports
-
0

Our attention has been drawn to a travel advisory issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the United States Department of State which listed Edo State as unsafe for visitors during this holiday season.

We find it laughable that Edo State is on the list, and this might suggest that the US Department of State is not in tune with events in Nigeria.

While we are unclear on the parameters used by the Department of State, we however make bold to state, and this can be confirmed from the security agencies in the country, that Edo state is the safest in the South-South region of Nigeria and one of the safest in the country.

It beats the imagination of discerning minds that while some states which record violent crimes on a daily basis in the country are excluded from the list, Edo State which has been commended by all, including the World Bank which, through its Country Director, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly said: “Edo state’s social indicators are above the national average” and which had earlier through her predecessor, Mr.  Onno Ruhl said: “Edo State is one of the states in Nigeria where the willingness to change is the fastest in Nigeria”, is included in the offensive US list.

Those who come to equity must do so with clean hands. If the US Department of State could include Edo in its advisory list, then it should also issue a travel warning to citizens of the world to avoid Connecticut where 20 innocent Elementary School Students and six of their teachers were cut down in the confines of their classrooms just two weeks ago,

It would do good to also issue a travel advisory to people of the World  on New Jersey which, according to the Cable News network (CNN)  “has already suffered 65 violent deaths in 2012” and on Philadelphia where the “the year-to-date total of homicides is 322. Last year, 324 were killed.”

While we concede that the security of lives and property is an integral part of development, we make bold to state that no society is eternally perfect.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has invested heavily on security more than any government before it and the gains of such investment are there for all to see.

The Government of Edo State therefore rejects the travel warning issued by the US Department of State and wishes to assure Edo State sons and daughters and other visitors to the state of their safety during their stay.

 

Signed:

Prof Julius Ihonvbere

Secretary to the State Government

 

CPJ Condemns Arrest And Detention Of Nigerian Journalists By Men Of The SSS

247ureports
-
0

sss-duoreuters3

Nigerian authorities must immediately release two journalists who have been detained since Monday and allow a third journalist who has fled into hiding to return to his home and work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In pre-dawn raids on Monday, about 40 armed security agents arrested Aliyu Saleh, a reporter with Al-Mizan, a weekly Hausa-language newspaper, and Musa Muhammad Awwal, the paper’s editor, at their homes in Rigasa in the northern state of Kaduna, according to news reports. The agents also confiscated the journalists’ phones and money and briefly detained the journalists’ wives, news reports said.

Yusuf Idris, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, told CPJ that Saleh and Awwal were being held at the headquarters of the State Security Service in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. Idris said the reason for the arrest was still unclear.

Marilyn Ogar, spokesman for the security service, did not immediately respond to CPJ’s inquiries.

Later on Monday, security agents raided the home of Al-Mizan Editor-in-Chief Ibrahim Musa, who was not on the premises at the time, according to the daily Premium Times. Musa has since fled into hiding, news reports said.

Musa told the daily Punch that he believed the journalists were being targeted for the lead story in the latest edition of Al-Mizan called “Atrocities of JTF in Potiskum.” The story said the Nigerian federal government’s Joint Task Force, the special unit combating the insurgency of militant Islamist sect Boko Haram, had allegedly abducted 84 individuals in the northern state of Yobe, he told Punch. The whereabouts of the individuals were still unknown, news reports said. Musa also said the story included pictures of the individuals, who were still missing, and accounts from their family members.

In October, both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International accused the JTF of abusive detention practices, according to news reports. Nigerian security forces denied the allegations, according to news reports

“We condemn the arrests of Aliyu Saleh and Musa Muhammad Awwal, along with the raid at Ibrahim Musa’s home, which appear designed to silence coverage of alleged abuses by Nigeria’s security agencies,” said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita from New York. “We demand the immediate release of these journalists and a halt to the security agencies’ efforts to intimidate the press. National leaders must make it clear that security agents are not above the law.”

 

1...5,3735,3745,375...5,736Page 5,374 of 5,736