Information available to 247ureports.com indicate that the temporary calm in Jos has shattered as students protest the stabbing of their colleagues. Reports from Jos, the Plateau State capital, indicate that students from the University of Jos have hit the streets protesting the stabbing of two of their colleagues. Chanting anti-government slogans, the students have blocked the highways leading to Bauchi and traffic along that route is on a standstill. Eye witnesses say the students are suspecting some Hausa men staying close to the Naraguta hostel of the university for the stabbing of their colleagues.
The security forces in Jos are reported to be apprehensive in approaching the protesting the youths/students. This is as the protest appears turning into a riot. Some injuries have been recorded.
Former Deputy Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and a
chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Taiwo
Olatunbosun has said former governor of the State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose
cannot claim to be member of the PDP yet, saying; “For Fayose to be
anything in the PDP, he must be accepted into the party at the
national level and that is yet to be done.”
Olatunbosun, who also described as preposterous claim by Fayose that
he (Olatunbosun) was biting the finger that fed him by going against
Fayose said; “Rather than Fayose saying that he made me, we are the ones that should say that we made Fayose because it was as a result of
our collective efforts that he was elected governor in 2003.”
The PDP chieftain said in a statement issued today that the violent
acts perpetrated by Fayose against PDP members in Irepodun/Ifelodun
Local Government area of Ekiti State in the last two weeks were
inimical to the progress of the party.
Olatunbosun said; “if Fayose could publicly insult former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, a man who is old enough to be his father, who else
can’t Fayose assault?”
He called on the Acting Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje to
come out with an official position as to the membership of Fayose in
the party.
Olatunbosun, who decried the return of culture of violence into the
PDP in Ekiti State, said he was still at lost as to why Fayose could
descend to the level of sending thugs to attack me, despite what I did
for him when he was going to be impeached in 2006.
“Out of the 26 members in the House of Assembly, only two of us stood
by him and refused to support his impeachment. Even at the risk of my
life, I stood by Fayose and refused to sign his impeachment paper.
“It therefore beat my imagination that the only way Fayose could pay
me back for this standing by him in his trying time was for him to
send thugs after me simply because I stood against the imposition of
members of Labour Party (LP), who just decamped to PDP and are yet to
be given waiver by the party as members of the exco in
Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government,” Olatunbosun said.
Speaking on Fayose’s return to the PDP, Olatunbosun said; “Our people
thought he has changed. They thought he is no longer violent, and he
himself pledged to abide by the patry’s rules. That’s why he was
admitted back into the PDP by the party members in his Local Council.
“However, with what he has done in the last two weeks, it is obvious
that Fayose has not changed a bit.
“We are therefore happy that he has not been fully admitted into the
party and the National Working Committee of our great party should
take note.
We are by this medium giving the business partners, suppliers, bankers and other stakeholders of Private Networks Nigeria Ltd. (PNN) an update on the status of the Final Award delivered by the Honourable Justice D.F. Akinsanya (Rtd) on the 20th day of April, 2011, so the said parties will not be in the dark over the continuous efforts of MTN to frustrate the efforts of PNN to recover the amounts due to all stakeholders in the Site Integrated Maintenance Service contract between PNN and MTN.
After the Final Award was delivered on the 20th of April, 2011, PNN wrote a letter dated 29 April 2011, requesting for the payment of the award sum, which was divided into two parts, i.e., (1) N256,227,881.12, which was admitted by MTN (with 21% interest); and (2) N652,410,123.52, which was the amount calculated by PNN on the excess diesel.
When PNN did not receive any response from MTN between April 29 and June 1, 2011, PNN registered the award at the High Court of Lagos State and obtained a garnishee Order Nisi against MTN’s account in 11 commercial banks, namely: Access Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, United Bank For Africa Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, and Bank PHB Plc.
MTN went on to file an Originating Motion to set aside the Final Award of the arbitrator. MTN also filed a Motion on Notice to set aside the garnishee order nisi. The Honourable Court discharged 10 of the 11 banks after GTB informed the court that it was willing to bear the burden of the garnishee order. Since then MTN has continued filing several applications to delay the proceedings at the High Court and the inevitable payment of its indebtedness.
The trial judge directed both PNN and MTN to calculate the cost of excess diesel supplied on each of the wrongfully classified sites of MTN. When the parties met to do the calculation, MTN deliberately disagreed with a simple calculation, based on unfounded technicalities. The trial judge directed either of the two parties to apply for a remission of the case back to the arbitrator. When PNN brought the application, MTN still filed an objection to the application, asking the court to refuse to remit the case back to the arbitrator.
One wonders why MTN is approbating and reprobating at the same time. They do not want to agree on the outstanding amount and the do not want to go back to the Sole Arbitrator whom they appointed to determine the amount once and for all and put an end to the delays.
The matter is still pending at the High Court of Lagos State for Ruling on the various applications before the Court.
The total amount due from MTN to be paid to PNN (and about 56 suppliers) as at 29 February, 2012 is N1,118,326.584.56 (One billion, One hundred and Eighteen thousand, Three hundred and Twenty Six thousand, Five hundred and Eighty Four Naira, Fifty Six kobo).
In a gesture of peace and humility, PNN’s management pursued an amicable settlement of the matter, upon which MTN offered to pay N425million which is about 38% of what they owe PNN (and about 56 suppliers). PNN then appealed to MTN to increase it to N700million thereby conceding a 37.41% discount to MTN so that all stakeholders would be able to receive a reasonable part the amounts outstanding to them after waiting for 2years. MTN has since discontinued all amicable settlement of the matter.
It is important to note that PNN’s calculations of what is due is based solely on the Arbitration Award delivered by the arbitrator selected by MTN. MTN has, till date, refused to provide a basis for the N425million offered to PNN as a full and final settlement.
From the foregoing, we have shown that we are doing everything within the legal system of the country to ensure that all amounts due to PNN and any corporate or individual person who transacted business with PNN on behalf of MTN is paid by MTN.
Quite unfortunately, a few of the suppliers have continued to harass officials of PNN with security operatives, in particular the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). We have consistently provided evidence to show to EFCC and the other security operatives that products were supplied by various suppliers on behalf of PNN directly to MTN, and of which MTN has enjoyed the benefit of the supply since February 2008 but obstinately refused to pay what it owes despite the decision of an Arbitrator appointed by MTN itself.
We have written several petitions to the EFCC against MTN about the actions of MTN in obtaining petroleum products under false pretences, consuming it and denial of liability on their part. Past leadership of EFCC had consistently refused to take any action against MTN. We are optimistic that with the renewed vigour of the present leadership of EFCC, positive action will be taken to ensure that justice is served on PNN and the 56 contractors affected by MTN’s action. This is especially necessary in a situation where MTN is lavishing a few million of Naira on ‘humanitarian’ activities and public imaging while hundreds of people are dying as a result of non payment of a paltry sum N1,118,326.584.56 on services rendered for which MTN made profit of over N130Billion.
PNN has also written petitions to the NCC, which is the regulatory authority, but they have also refused to act, claiming that they cannot interfere because the case is in court.
We are aware that PNN has also reported this act of desperate economic sabotage against PNN and 56 other small businesses whose money has been wrongfully withheld since March 2010 to the Honourable Minister of ICT and there has not been any action from the Ministry till date.
We believe that this is only possible because MTN is a colossus which is untouchable in Nigeria. No Nigerian company can however do the same in South Africa. When a persistent cry of justice goes without answer, it almost always leads to greater problems.
It is our resolve that PNN shall get justice, no matter what it takes and all those who have been victims of this transnational corporate tyranny shall be compensated. For any clarifications and updates by any of the affected contractors, please contact the solicitors through the medium provided below.
The imbriglio over the Bayelsa State gubernatorial exercise appears lingering beyond the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] primary elections and the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] controlled electoral exercise recently concluded in the home state of the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Bayelsa State. This is as available information indicate the treasury of the Bayelsa State has gone into the red.
It is recalled that the President of the federalrepublic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan played a pivotal role in the victory of Seriake Dickson during the PDP primaries – the President was fingered as having conorated his political godson to the seat of Bayelsa State governor.
According to credible information received by 247ureports.com through a source close to the State House in Yenogua, the capital of Bayelsa, the coffers of the State government has gone into the red following recent “cash movements” by the newly sworn-in governor of the State, Hon Seriake Dickson. As gathered, the newly sworn-in governor was obligated to make settlements to many groups that were asked [or forced] to step down to enable his accession to the post of governor. Among the personalities settled were Timi Alaibe, Alamesia and others. Our correspondent gathered from official sources that N1.13billion was disbursed for the said settlement.
As gathered, the newly sworn-in Governor made a significant cash movement of N15billion to unknown recipients in Abuja. Cursory inquiry revealed that the newly sworn-in governor – while at a recent stakeholders meeting in Yenogua calmed the nerves of the worried stakeholders who were concerned about the upcoming court case at the Supreme Court between the former governor of the State and the PDP. The newly sworn-in governor assured the stakeholders that he has settled the Supreme Court judges – and that there are not need for worries. Our source quotes the newly sworn-in governor as having said that he has reached out to the Judges of the Supreme Court against the upcoming ruling on March 21, 2012.
Following the meeting at the stakeholders, the newly sworn-in governor made the announcement that he will halt the payment of salaries to civil servants – until the civil service of Bayelsa State is properly audited. He stated that the N6billion salary price tag was excessive. But associates to the Governor discount the governor’s reasons as not completely true. One of his associate indicate that the State was not in the financial position to remit the salaries of the civil servants. He reveals that Gov Dickson is forced to halt all financial transactions as a result.
The remittance of the latest federal allocation to Bayelsa State – in the amounts of about N28billion – was reported to have been expended before the money reached the treasury of Bayelsa State. The Governor who finds himself between a rock and a hard place has reached out to the President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for assistance out of the financial quagmire. The governor is faced with defaulting on loan payments and salaries – should the President not come to his rescue. The governor has since visited the Presidency 18 times in the month of March 2012.
An Adamawa state High Court sitting in Yola, has sentenced a former Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Teachers in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa state, Mr. Japhet Dadiye to two years in prison over N3.8million scam. Dadiye was sentenced by Justice Audu Lagre for defrauding a new generation bank to the tune of N3, 848,678 (three million, eight hundred and forty-eight thousand, six hundred and seventy-eight naira).
Dadiye was arraigned by the EFCC on June 23rd, 2011 on a one count charge of criminal breach of trust. He was alleged to have diverted and converted to personal use the sum of N3, 848,678, being part of a loan obtained by the NUT for the purpose of cooperative and welfare needs of the union.
Justice Lagre in his judgment, held that, having perused and weighed all testimonies, arguments and pleas by the prosecuting and defence counsel, came to the conclusion that the Dadiye was guilty as charged. He therefore sentenced him to two years imprisonment without an option of fine. In addition, he was asked to pay the sum of N10, 000(ten thousand naira) to the court.
Information available to 247ureports.com through sources in Adamawa State indicate that the six [6] corpses were recently found at the town of Mubi in Adamawa State following a shooting reportedly credited to the men of Nigerian security forces.
According to available information, the security agents who were reportedly dressed in a uniform belonging to the Nigerian Police Force [NPF] or the Nigerian military began shooting sporadically inside the city of Mubi at minutes to 12noon. According to eyewitness sources, the shootings by the agents were not targeted at any group or and person. “They were just shooting at all directions”, stated the eyewitness who did not want her name mentioned.
The identities of the six persons murdered were yet to be ascertained but a police source revealed that the men were Moslems. Other security sources inform 247ureports.com that the shooters were not Nigerian security agents. The agent points to the men of the Boko haram as the possible culprits.
It is recalled a few months ago, the men of Boko haram were responsible for the murder of over three dozens of Anambra indigenes in Mubi, Adamawa State.
MARK COLVIN: As the drumbeat about possible war against Iran continues a former head of the Israeli spy agency, Mossad, says that if his country attacked Iran, it would still not stop the Islamic Republic from being able to make a nuclear weapon.
And Meir Dagan told the American program 60 Minutes that an Israeli strike on Iran would bring a revenge attack which would have a ‘devastating impact’ on the country. He said an attack would start a regional war.
Dr Emanuele Ottolenghi is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington. He’s the author of ‘Iran: The Looming Crisis’, and most recently ‘Pasdaran’, a book about Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard. He’s been studying the possibilities of an Israeli strike.
I asked him first, if Israel were to bomb Iranian nuclear sites, how they would get there.
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: There is a northern route; they will go either over Turkey and Iraq or Syria and Iraq. There is a southern route; they will probably go along the Iraqi-Saudi border which is longer.
MARK COLVIN: Form WikiLeaks we know that Saudi Arabia is very strongly opposed to Iran getting a nuclear weapon, might they turn a blind eye?
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: They might, although of course all of the countries in the Gulf, when they look at Iran and the possibility of an Israeli strike, would very much fear a retaliation if they were to open their airspace to an Israeli passage. They would need to have a high enough degree of plausible deniability to do that.
I think that, from the Israeli point of view though, a northern route would make Israel’s planes gain a certain number of air miles. Which are critical because this would be a strike that would be conducted at the outer limits of Israel’s air force. It would require refuelling in the air for all the air planes involved. So if you gain 50 or 100 miles that would make a significant difference in operational terms.
MARK COLVIN: I’ll ask you in a minute about the consequences of a successful Israeli strike. But first of all, it doesn’t seem to be much discussed, what if the Israelis struck and something went badly wrong and it was a failed strike?
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: I think the consequences would be very, very severe, because you would still have a nuclear program ongoing. A strike that failed to dent the nuclear infrastructure would have adverse political consequences, certainly for Israel.
But I think the worst consequence of it all is that Iran would be in a position, would have a pretext, to justify withdrawing from the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) because it would say, ‘we have been negotiating; we have been trying to solve this issue amicably; we have been attacked, we have no choice but to remove the inspectors and go deeper underground.’ So certainly the consequences of a failed strike would be significant.
I think the Israelis will take that action only if they feel that their back is completely against the wall, that Iran is about to cross the finish line its road to a nuclear weapon, and no-one else is willing to do it.
MARK COLVIN: There are a lot of nightmarish scenarios here. Is it even possible that one of them is an Israeli nuclear first strike on Iran?
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: No, Israel will not use nuclear weapons in a first strike scenario.
MARK COLVIN: How certain are you of that?
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: I am very certain of that. Israel may use missiles to target Iran. And I think that those who assume that an Israeli action against Iran would rely entirely on its air force are sorely mistaken. Israel has other means to integrate an air strike against Iranian facilities.
But using nuclear weapons on a first strike against such a target would be an act that is unprecedented. And quite aside from the question of operational success, would have a political price that Israel cannot afford to pay.
MARK COLVIN: If there was a successful attack, by the same token, would there be something like a dirty bomb going off? Would there be radioactive fallout in Iran if Israel succeeded?
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: If the strike is carried out before some of these facilities are fully operational, no.
MARK COLVIN: So if Israel were to conduct a successful strike, what are the potential consequences, what’s the worst-case scenario?
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: The day after the strike the Islamic republic is still standing. The regime is intact, its internal support is actually given a boost by an attack. And the regime feels strong enough that it can go on the attack and retaliate against Israel by taking a number of steps that would include, most likely, unleashing Hezbollah on the northern border with Israel from Lebanon, and perhaps Hamas from the Gaza Strip. So what…
MARK COLVIN: Because even though Hamas is a Sunni organisation it has strong connections with…
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: Strong ties with…
BOTH: Shiah Iran…
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: …which go back to the early 1990s.
MARK COLVIN: So a successful Israeli attack creates a pincer movement from south and north against Israel.
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: Correct.
MARK COLVIN: What about in the Gulf? Is there a possibility that Iran will try and, as it’s threatened to, close the Straits of Hormuz? Would it possibly attack Gulf state’s oil installations? What kind of things might it do?
EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI: Iran can do all of the above. They can try and close the Strait, they can attack oil installations along the Arabian shore of the Gulf, and other critical installations and strategic targets of Gulf states. It could attack American targets in that area too. I mean there is a very significant military and non-military presence by the US in the region.
I think that if they did that, certainly with the Straits, but also with the abovementioned targets, they would draw the United States into conflict with Iran. And that would be a terrible mistake on their part.
So it’s not something to be ruled out, because ideologically that would be a strong temptation from the Iranian part. But it could spell the end of the regime if the Americans were drawn into this conflict.
MARK COLVIN: Emanuele Ottolenghi, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington.
Once a person and above all a personality dies it is common practice to treat him or her with kindness and with more compassion and general understanding. After death, hatchets are buried and hitherto foes are seen through less hostile prisms. The case was not different in the case of the Emeka Ojukwu, but we also saw something beyond mere compassion. In death, Ojukwu was not just buried with compassion and dignity, he was apotheosized.
It must be said at this point that Emeka Ojukwu was neither the first military officer, military governor, regional leader nor politician to die and get a national or state funeral in Nigeria. Many other leaders have held such posts after him and many more have had state funerals before him but I doubt anything can be compared to what we saw for the Biafran leader. No doubt, the National Burial Committee chaired by Justice Chukwudifu Oputa and co-chaired by Senator Uche Chukwumerije did a fantastic job but the Eze Igbo Gburugburu had led a life with an end only few can even dream of.
The glorification of the dead Emeka Ojukwu began in Lagos where he grew up and studied in Nigeria like me. As a big fan of Ikemba, I was there at the Tafawa Balewa Square with some old and new friends to pay our last tributes to this great man and what we met there was a rare enchanting pan Nigerian spirit on display. Protagonists of the occasion were not just the expected Lagosians of Igbo origin shouting “Igbo Kwenu” but a host of well known Nigerians from different parts of the federation there at the occasion as Nigerians and feeling at home at the event.
The process of apotheosis of Ojukwu was initiated by Dr Tunji Braithwaite, the Lagos based legendary lawyer, politician and childhood friend of the late Biafran leader, who in his capacity as chairman of the Lagos event for Ojukwu stunned most listeners when he took the microphone and in an unusual short speech, for Nigerian standards, declared that his friend, Emeka, only waged war against corruption, lies, and injustice not against his fatherland. In his own words he said; “let me correct the wrong impression that Ojukwu declared war against his fatherland, what he declared war against was corruption, lies and injustice. That’s why we would continue to declare war against lies, injustice and corruption so that we can have a united and better Nigeria”! His speech was received and continuously interrupted by the thunderous applause of the square.
The speeches that followed Dr Tunji Braithwaite ‘s oration were by other well known Nigerians of different national descent and their speeches were all in line with the chairman of the occasion’s speech.
Later during the proper funeral rites, former military head of state and commander in chief of the Nigerian armed forces during the civil war, General Dr. Yakubu Gowon, although not physically present at the ceremony was represented and his message amongst other things read that “Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu loved Nigeria so much, he merely wanted to opt out because of the perceived injustice meted out to his people”.
In the last weeks since he passed away, media reports online and in print have been full of reports and testimonies by analysts and observers praising and repositioning Emeka Ojuwku as not just a rebel or defender of his people but a true patriot and champion of justice.
As if not to be outdone by others, the governor of Niger State and chairman of the northern governor’s forum, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu was even more direct and went to the point of empathizing with the late Ikemba. Aliyu who spoke at a funeral held in honor of the late Biafran leader at his birthplace in Zungeru, Niger State, said Ojukwu fought for the emancipation of the less-privileged. He said Ojukwu was misunderstood, positing that the former Biafran warlord was forced by the circumstances to take up arms and protect his people. In Aliyu own words “He was forced to take up arm to protect his people. If I was in his shoes I could have done the same!”
I personally love all these but even when we are crying or laughing, we must see through our tears and thus we must ask ourselves as individuals and as a people if Ojukwu is a hero, who then is the villain? If Ojukwu was right who was wrong then? We need to be clear here and avoid any kind of misunderstanding, hence we must emphasize that the ongoing mood of celebrating the great man is fantastic and the logical consequence of reconciliation is highly welcomed. As a people however, for the sake of justice and for the benefit of our future union we must without prejudice ask ourselves a rather simple but pregnant question: which individuals or group committed the atrocities and injustices Ojukwu spent his life fighting? We must ask and answer the questions: who benefitted from Ojukwu’s battles and losses, is there a way for such villain or villains to redeem themselves?
This is a true story. And it is about the dire state of security in Edo state,Nigeriaespecially the capitalBenin City. To the uninitiated, Comrade Governor is the nick name of the current governor of the state – Mr Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole.
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole was a labour leader who ran for Governor of in April 2007 on the Action Congress (AC) platform. The election was flawed. Mr. Oserheimen Osunbor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was initially declared the winner, but after appeals Oshiomhole assumed office on 12 November 2008.
Oshiomhole was formerly president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and was prominent as a campaigner for good governance and security inNigeria.
Buddy Connect is the nick name of a very good friend and school mate of this writer, Odenigbo Chidi Anyaeche. Buddy Connect is a prominent medical doctor and entrepreneur originally from Edo state but now based inNorth Carolina, US in the city nicknamedQueenCity.QueenCityis also called the The Hornet’s Nest.
Buddy Connect had all his education inBenin Cityfrom primary level to university, where he studied medicine atUniversity of Benin,BeninCity, before seeking greener pastures in theUSviaLondon,UK. Before emigrating, Buddy Connect has never lived in another town butBenin Cityso you can see that his affinity to the state and town is very deep rooted. Also his surname means “No one individual is greater than the wholeEdo’s.Edobeing his ethnic group. He is tribally marked. This all goes to show that he is a very true son of the soil. And a loyal one too.
My good friend, Buddy has been so blessed family-wise, professionally and entrepreneurially in theUSthat is mind boggling. His, is the classical American dream. But not of the rag to riches variety though, for he was solidly middle class and well educated fromNigeriabefore he settled in theUS. But the boy Buddy done well andAfricawill be very proud of him.
Surprisingly or as fate may have it, Buddy unlike his people, Bini’s, who follow African Traditional Religion, is a practicing Christian of the Pentecostal faith with very strong belief in the Lord. This may be due to the strong influence of his good wife, Peggy who is not a Bini. But let’s leave this issue for another day. The scriptures in Luke 12:48 tell us that: “…..to whom much is given, much is expected.” Buddy lives up to this scriptural quote literally and physically. He is a very generous giver, sharing his blessings both materially, spiritually and otherwise to all that need and deserve it.
Materially, he has provided employments, scholarships and other goodies to deserving individuals inNorth Carolina,Edostate and other places. Though no Igbo person or town has benefitted from him. Again let’s leave the issue of Buddy and Igbo’s for another day.
Spiritually, Buddy is pastor and lay reader with his localPentecostalChurch, The Redeemed Christian Church of God,QueensCitywhere he regularly preaches the word of God to both the spiritually fulfilled and challenged.
TheUSgovernment equally benefits from Buddy’s wealth for the IRS has never being after him. He pays his taxes as at and when due.
Besides, his very generous philanthropic nature, Buddy is also a show man par excellence regularly cruising the streets of Queen’s City in his Bentley with a number plate that reflects his love forEdostate. Despite being a Pentecostal, he has great love for alcohol and his regular tipple is Veuve Cliquot.
Now to get the main gist of this article. Buddy’s dream will be to set up a foundation, business and medical practice inBenin City. That will be the pinnacle of his career for like I wrote earlier, he is a true son of the soil. But the spate of armed robberies, murder, kidnappings, dilapidated infrastructure and complete absence of government and governance in Edo state is currently keeping him away from visiting his beloved state and home town let alone coming back to invest. Hence the title of this piece.
My good friend Buddy has already built a nice house in a choice area of Benin City since early 2000’s, furnished to the tilt and with a swimming pool for he is a man of exquisite taste that again Odenigbo puts down to his good lady wife. But since the past five years or thereabouts Buddy has not set foot inEdostate for reasons stated above. Even last December, His elder brother was made the Obasuyi of Benin by the Edo Monarch but Buddy was too scared to attend the ceremony. His palatial home inBenin Cityis now occupied my rats and lizards with the rats oppressing the lizards. That is how bad things have become inEdostate.
Comrade Governor, there is a heavy intellectual and financial flight from Benin Cityoccasioned by the unacceptable level of insecurity in the state. Kidnapping of the elite ranks very high in the list of factors leading to this flight. With the likes of Buddy shying away from the town, who will support your efforts in building a 21st Century State? Comrade Governor, you are the chief executive and chief security officer of the state so the ball lies in your court to see that Edo state andBenin City are safe. Safe to live in, safe to invest and very safe for Buddy to come back and connect with his buddies.
Comrade Governor, as you campaign for your second term in office, please make security of life and property a cardinal point this time around. You have done remarkably well in the state considering the sorry condition it was in before you ascended into office. The slogan: “Edostate is working! Comrade Governor is working!” Is true to some extent but will be to all extent if you can make state safe for Buddy to come back and invest to the benefit of all.
Finally, Comrade Governor, there are many Fidelis’ out there fromEdostate that want to come back and connect with their buddies. Create the enabling environment for them to do so. That is your job, that is your mandate, that is your contract with your people. And that is your duty to God.
Americans watching President Obama and the Republican presidential candidates address the American Israel Public Affairs Committee might be surprised to learn that American Jews hold widely divergent views on the issue of Iran and its possible development of a nuclear bomb.
In fact, the American Jewish community is deeply split over the difficult policy challenge of confronting Iran’s nuclear program, with “hawks” and “doves” in the community engaged in heated, and at times acrimonious, exchanges.On Wednesday, for example, in The New York Times, a full-page ad taken out by the liberal magazine Tikkun, the Network of Spiritual Progressives, and The Shalom Center was headlined in part: “No War on Iran and No First Strike.”
“We want to speak directly to the public as well as Congress and the president,” says Rabbi Arthur Waskow, leader of The Shalom Center in Philadelphia, in an interview. “We think there is a deep opposition to going to war; this is totally crazy this whole policy of a preemptive strike.”
The long-brewing crisis over Iran’s nuclear program seemed to become even more urgent over the weekend, as Republican presidential candidates addressed AIPAC’s annual policy conference, with each one trying to sound more hawkish. Former Sen. Rick Santorum declared, for example, “If Iran doesn’t get rid of nuclear facilities, we will tear them down ourselves.”
President Obama likewise warned Iran to halt any effort to build a bomb. As the Shalom Center ad noted, the only difference between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to be how long to use economic sanctions against Iran before resorting to military strikes. Obama did caution, however, that “Already there is too much loose talk of war.”
The issue of supporting Israel in the face of Iran’s nuclear aspirations is particularly sensitive for Obama as he seeks reelection. According to a September survey of American Jewish opinion conducted for the American Jewish Committee, 45 percent of Jews disapprove of the president’s handling of the Iran nuclear issue, while 43 percent approved.
But if sanctions and diplomacy – the preferred path so far for the Obama administration – fail, the survey found, some 56 percent said they supported military action against Iran to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon; 68 percent supported Israel taking military action.
There are, nevertheless, many Jews who publicly disagree with the need for war, says Rabbi Waskow, whose supporters include Bianca Jagger, Jonathan Demme, the film maker, and Barry Commoner, an environmentalist who ran for president in 1980 under the Citizens Party ticket.
“There were so many people who signed and contributed we could not have printed all the names,” says Waskow. “It is important for people to know there are Jewish organizations and flesh and blood Jews who oppose the notion of a first strike against Iran.”
the middle of this are many Jews who feel the issue has reached a sensitive moment and is delicately balanced. One of those is Rabbi Aryeh Feigenbaum of Congregation Ohr Ha Torah in Dallas.
“I would say that most of the Jewish community is not separate from the general community in that terms of being afraid of a nuclear Iran and also going to war,” he says in an interview. But, he thinks most Americans agree “a nuclear Iran is crossing the red line for the world. Israel would be the first to be attacked and we cannot let that happen.”
Last Saturday, Rabbi Feigenbaum told his congregation “the fear is real,” and it was time “to renew our prayers.”
The heated internal dispute in the American Jewish community started getting more attention in the media after March 1, when a group called the Emergency Committee for Israel ran a full-page ad in The New York Times attacking two liberal Washington-based think tanks, the Center for American Progress and Media Matters, for their views on the issue. Included in the ad were the names of phone numbers of key funders for both organizations.
The Emergency Committee ad was particularly critical of Jewish columnist M.J. Rosenberg of Media Matters, who used the term “Israel-Firster” to refer to those American Jews who want to go to war to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.
“Israel Firster has a nasty anti-Semitic pedigree,” wrote Alan Dershowitz, the noted lawyer and Harvard professor, who vowed to get Mr. Rosenberg fired from Media Matters.
Mr. Rosenberg, who was not available to comment, still works for Media Matters.
Noah Pollak, executive director of the Emergency Committee, says in an email that the Center for American Progress has “conceded the phrase ‘Israel-Firster’ is anti-Semitic” and “claims to have taken steps to deal with inappropriate rhetoric by their staffers – though we do not believe they’ve done enough.”
He says the phrase implies that pro-Israel Jews are not loyal and patriotic Americans. “Media Matters has done nothing to address the problem,” he writes.
For its part, Media Matters says it is an organization dedicated to accuracy and fairness in news coverage. “We have a long track record of holding those who hold anti-Semitic views accountable,” says Ari Rabin-Havt, executive vice president of Media Matters. “The kind of claim made in the ad is ridiculous.”
In a column in the Huffington Post, Mr. Rosenberg said his comments really were about those who support Mr. Netanyahu. “The people I call ‘Israel Firsters’ are, in fact, Netanyahu Firsters,” he wrote.
“After all, if they were putting Israel first, they would not be promoting policies (such as war with Iran or the perpetuation of the occupation) that could very easily lead to Israel’s destruction or, at least, to its losing its Jewish majority.”
