The ladies have really established themselves this year. From Omawumi, Waje, Kel, Mo’Cheddah, L’Ami based in Nigeria and then the rising talent like AiRis and Zara based in the US.Now there is Shiikane – a new group consisting of twin sisters Shayshay & Princess Annamay and younger sister Baby-K, the sisters share Nigerian heritage which they are very proud of.They have recently signed a deal with Marginal Records who will be instrumental in pushing the project. Shiikane write and produce all of their music and are looking forward to being at the forefront of the music industry for many years to come!The group has just released a new video for their song “Bamboo Dey Chop (Say Goodbye)”. The video was shot in LA by Director Taj (who also directed Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ and videos for NAS, Ne-Yo, LL Cool J, Fabolous, Kristinia De’Barge and The Dream)HeadlinesBoko Haram Reloaded as http://tinyurl.com/kalaKotoEntertainment 2009 http://tinyurl.com/2009SightSnSoundshttp://www.9jamovies.com new movies addedhttp://www.ask9ja.com your classifieds for 2009
Read more…
A parcel bomb exploded in the premises of Superscreen, a private television station, in the Onipanu area of Lagos yesterday, ripping off the right hand of the conveyer of the explosive device.
advertisement
The incident, which occurred at about 1.30 p.m, sparked fears and apprehension among staffers and other occupants of Logemo House, the multi-storey building occupied by the television station.
Doctors are batling to save the life of the bomb conveyer, while the building has been evacuated.
Daily Sun gathered that the young man, whose mission and sponsors remained shrouded in mystery, had stormed the television house, spotting jeans trousers, T-shirt and canvass with parcel bombs disguised as Christmas gifts.
The agent of death who could not be immediately identified was said to have requested to see the most senior official of the television station.
The security guards on duty, it was learnt, granted him access after questioning him.
Daily Sun gathered that as the man was climbing up the stairs, the parcel of bomb slipped off his hands and exploded, ripping off his hand.
The explosion was said to have attracted the staff of companies occupying the building, as well as others in the neighbourhood who scampered for safety.
The management of Superscreen quickly contacted the police at the Onipanu Police Station who invited the police bomb disposal unit to the scene. The police bomb disposal unit was said to have recovered three unexploded parcel bombs and quickly detonated them.
As at press time, the nine-storey building housing many companies including two churches has been evacuated. However, some armed policemen including those from anti-bomb section were seen manning the gate. Journalists and other sympathisers who thronged the scene were barred from entering the premises.
A senior public officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “Barring people from entering the place was to ensure that the place was safe before allowing people to enter.”
The police officer further revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Marvel Akpoyibo, had directed the anti-bomb unit to comb the premises. The commissioner was equally said to have pleaded with the medical doctors treating the suspect to make sure that he was alright to enable him to assist the police in their investigations.
When contacted, police spokesman, Mr Frank Mbah, confirmed the incident and said the suspect was being treated in a hospital. Though, the bomb disposal unit had certified the building safe, he warned people to stay away from the area till further notice.
Mbah, warned members of the public to be wary of the Christmas gifts especially hampers and parcels they received from strange people. The police spokesman assured that the security agents would unravel the mission of the suspect, his targets and sponsors.
Letter bomb in history
Letter bomb, also called parcel bomb, mail bomb or post bomb, according to experts is an explosive device sent via the postal service, and designed with the intention to injure or kill the recipient when opened. They have been used in terrorist attacks in several cities around the world.
Letter bombs are usually designed to explode immediately on opening, with the intention of seriously injuring or killing the recipient (who may or may not be the person to whom the bomb was addressed). A related threat is mail containing unidentified powders or chemicals, as in the 2001 anthrax attacks.
A letter bomb apparently timed to coincide with crucial regional elections exploded on May 16, 2001 in the face of a journalist known for his denunciations of the violent Basque separatist group Eta.
By the afternoon, no one had claimed responsibility for the attack against Gorka Landaburu, a reporter for the Spanish Cambio 16 magazine and a national television station. He suffered face and hand injuries.
Similarly on October 24, 2008, Ivo Pukanic, Editor-in-Chief of Zagreb’s second widest read political weekly, was killed late in a car bomb blast in downtown Zagreb. The attack continues a pattern of organized crime in the eastern European country that could jeopardize its EU accession.
However, one of the world’s first mail bomb was mentioned in the 18th century diary of Danish official and historian Bolle Willum Luxdorph, where he wrote that Edward White, formerly an artist at Madame Tussauds, was alleged to have sent a parcel bomb to John Theodore Tussaud in June 1889 after being dismissed.
A Swedish man named Martin Ekenberg used a mailbomb August 20, 1904, targeting CEO Karl Fredrik Lundin in Stockholm. It was made of a box loaded with bullets and explosives.
In 1915, vice president of the United States Thomas R. Marshall was the target of an assassination attempt by letter bomb.
Austrian Nazi war criminal, Alois Brunner was sent a letter bomb by the Israeli intelligence services, Mossad, to which he lost an eye and several fingers.
Ruth First, a South African communist anti-apartheid activist was killed by a parcel bomb mailed by the South African government to her home in Mozambique.
Theodore Kaczynski, the “Unabomber”, killed three and injured 23 in a series of mailbombings in the United States from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.
In August 1985, a woman in Rotorua, New Zealand, Michele Sticovich, was instantly killed and a close friend of hers seriously injured after she opened a parcel addressed to her containing a number of sticks of gelignite. Mrs Sticovich’s estranged husband, David Sticovich, was arrested and ultimately pleaded guilty to her murder.
Robert Smith Vance, a U. S. federal judge, was killed instantly upon opening a letter bomb in the kitchen of his home in Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife, Helen, seriously injured. Walter Leroy Moody was later convicted of killing both Vance and Georgia attorney Robbie Robertson by use of letter bombs delivered through the mail.
Franz Fuchs, Austrian mail bomber, killed four and injured 15 with mail bombs and improvised explosive devices in the mid-1990s.
Singer Björk was sent a letter bomb charged with explosives and hydrochloric acid by fan Ricardo López in 1996. The bomb did not reach Björk, having been randomly intercepted by London Police.
In February 2007, a series of mail bombings in the United Kingdom injured nine people, though none of them were critically hurt.
In January and February 2007, a bomber calling himself “The Bishop” sent several unassembled bombs to financial firms in the United States, and was arrested in April 2007.
In August 2007, a Lebanese immigrant was charged in connection with a letter bomb ring in the Toronto-Guelph, ON area; he was responsible for injuring 1 person. He was also responsible for the precautionary closing of a portion of the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto on August 31, 2007.
Dele Giwa, Nigeria’s first victim of parcel bomb
By PHILIP NWOSU
The first incident of letter bomb in Nigeria was recorded on October 19, 1986 in Lagos and the bomb was dispatched to Dele Giwa, a leading Nigerian journalist, editor and founder of Newswatch magazine.
Dele Giwa was killed by the letter bomb in his home located at No. 25, Talabi Street Ikeja, Lagos.
According to reports, the journalist was at home having a late breakfast with a colleague, Kayode Soyinka, when a mail delivery man brought a parcel addressed to him.
The parcel was allegedly delivered to his eldest son, Billy; then 19 years old, who later handed it over to his father.
It was gathered that Dele Giwa allegedly looked at the parcel and commented “this must be from the president,” a statement many said was linked to the seal of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which appeared on the envelope.
Reports said Dele Giwa allegedly tried to open the parcel and a deafening explosion ensued.
According to Giwa’s lawyer, the now late Gani Fawehinmi, State Security Service (SSS) officials had earlier summoned the popular editor to their headquarters on October 17, just 48 hours before he was killed.
The SSS, it was gathered, had accused Giwa of planning a social revolution and of smuggling arms into the country.
Early reports of the incident said government’s coat of arms was sighted on the outside of the package.
Although police investigated the murder, no one was ever prosecuted. In 2001, former Nigerian president Ibrahim Babangida, who ruled the country from 1985 to 1993, refused to testify before a national human rights commission on the Giwa murder.
Read more…
Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Brittany Murphy, the bubbly, free-spirited actress who appeared in such films as "Clueless" and "8 Mile," died Sunday, apparently of natural causes, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said. She was 32.Murphy was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. PT Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Sally Stewart told CNN Radio.An autopsy had not been scheduled as of Sunday night, but Captain John Kades, a spokesman for the coroner's office, told CNN that there was no sign of foul play or trauma. He added that it's not unusual for a younger person to die of natural causes.The coroner's office is looking into Murphy's medical history. A final report could take up to eight weeks.The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the death, and robbery and homicide detectives will be at her home, LAPD spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said."The sudden loss of our beloved Brittany is a terrible tragedy," her family said in a statement issued by her publicist. "She was our daughter, our wife, our love and a shining star. We ask you to respect our privacy at this time."Funeral arrangements are pending, the family said.Murphy starred in several movies, including "Just Married," "Don't Say a Word" and "Riding in Cars with Boys." She also voiced the character Luanne on the animated TV series "King of the Hill."She is survived by her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, whom she married in 2007.Fans took to Murphy's official Facebook page Sunday to issue their condolences."She was a great actress and was going to go far in her career! She will be greatly missed!" read one post.Murphy's former boyfriend and "Just Married" co-star Ashton Kutcher posted his reaction to the news via Twitter."2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon," Kutcher posted.He added later: "see you on the other side kid."Singer-actress Jessica Simpson tweeted: "Brittany Murphy was an incredible ray of Light to so many people. Her smile was contagious. My prayers are with her family and loved ones."Actress Alyssa Milano, who did a USO tour with Murphy in 2003, wrote on Twitter: "She was a sweet soul, with a lot of talent and heart."Murphy was best known for her work in a string of romantic comedies in the early 2000s, including lead roles in "Uptown Girls" alongside fellow Georgia native Dakota Fanning, and "Little Black Book" with Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates, but her movie roles had declined in recent years.Last month, Murphy reportedly was fired from "The Caller," a movie she was working on in Puerto Rico. Her representative issued a statement to news outlets disputing the report, saying: "She was not nor has she ever been fired from any job big or small. ... [Due] to creative differences Ms. Murphy and the production mutually parted ways," according to People magazine.In addition to her "King of the Hill" role, she lent her voice to a number of animated works including the TV series "Futurama" and the 2006 hit movie "Happy Feet."Her work as troubled teenagers in "Don't Say a Word" and "Girl, Interrupted" also gained her critical acclaim.Murphy was the subject of tabloid gossip after she transformed from a pudgy brunette in 1995's "Clueless" to a petite, lithe blonde who graced the cover of such magazines as Cosmopolitan in 2005. She frequently denied rumors of an eating disorder and plastic surgery.Her love life also was fodder for gossip sites as she broke two engagements in 2004 and 2006, then married Monjack after only four months of dating."All these ridiculous people came out and said all this nonsense when we got married, [but] thank God we had the substance and the history within that to [say], 'Yeah, whatever!' " Monjack told People magazine in a 2008 interview. "We still don't understand what happened. It's made us laugh, it's made us cry, but it's made us stronger."
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 20, 2009 at 9:56pm
1. Quantum Mechanics for Beginners
- An Introduction -
How the Princess began to Feel the Pea.
Science is exciting because it is always in trouble. No matter how excellent a theory is, it always misses some point or other. Even our most precious ideas about the universe are not able to explain everything; there's always a blind spot. And when the hopeful folks zoom in on that blind spot it pretty much always turns out to be a lot larger than anybody thought, and all of us a mere bunch of naive beginners.
At the end of the eighteenth century the blind spot of regular mechanics (=the library of dogmas that teach the ins and outs of objects moving and colliding) covered the behavior of very small objects, such as electrons, and the behavior that light caused when it hit small things like electrons.
Light had been a mystery for centuries. Some experiments proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that light was waves. Some other experiments proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that light was particles. The truth about light was obviously hidden and it wasn't until 1900 that people began to understand that there was something very weird about the world of the small. Something that required a complete revision of understanding.
It was decided that the world of the very small was governed by rules that were different from the rules that governed the world we can see, and regular (or classical) mechanics begat Quantum Mechanics. And that unanticipated breach in mechanics spawned this very important rule:
Hold that thought (1):
Individual quantum particles are subjected to a completely different law than the law to which large objects made from quantum particles are subjected.
The introduction of the quantum
The Quantum Mechanical era commenced in 1900 when Max Planck postulated that everything is made up of little bits he called quanta (one quantum; two quanta). Matter had its quanta but also the forces that kept material objects together. Forces could only come in little steps at the time; there was no more such a thing as infinitely small.
Albert Einstein took matters further when he successfully described how light interacts with electrons but it wasn't until the 1920's that things began to fall together and some fundamental rules about the world of the small where wrought almost by pure thought. The men who mined these rules were the arch beginners of Quantum Mechanics, the Breakfast Club of the modern era. Names like Pauli, Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Born, Rutherford and Bohr still put butterflies in the bellies of those of us who know what incredible work these boys - as most of them where in their twenties; they were rebels, most of them not even taken serious - achieved. They were Europeans, struck by the depression, huddled together on tiny attics peeking into a strange new world as once the twelve spies checked out the Promised Land. Let all due kudoes abound.
Believing the unbelievable
One of the toughest obstacles the early Quantum Mechanics explorers had to overcome was their own beliefs in determinism. Because the world of the small is so different, people had to virtually reformat the system of logic that had brought them thus far. In order to understand nature they had to let go of their intuition and embrace a completely new way of thinking. The things they discovered where fundamental rules that just were and couldn't really be explained in terms of the large scale world. Just like water is wet and fire is hot, quantum particles display behavior that are inherent to them alone and can't be compared with any material object we can observe with the naked eye.
One of those fundamental rules is that everything is made up from little bits. Material objects are made up of particles, but also the forces that keep those objects together. Light, for instance, is besides that bright stuff which makes things visible, also a force (the so-called electromagnetic force) that keeps electrons tied to the nuclei of atoms, and atoms tied together to make molecules and finally objects. In Scriptures Jesus is often referred to as light, and most exegetes focus on the metaphorical value of these statements. But as we realize that all forms of matter are in fact 'solidified' light (energy, as in E=mc2) and the electromagnetic force holds all atoms together, the literal value of Paul's statement "and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Col 1:17)" becomes quite compelling.
Particles are either so-called real particles, also known as fermions, or they are force particles, also known as bosons.
Quarks, which are fermions, are bound together by gluons, which are bosons. Quarks and gluons form nulceons, and nucleons bound together by gluons form the nuclei of atoms.
The electron, which is a fermion, is bound to the nucleus by photons, which are bosons. The whole shebang together forms atoms. Atoms form molecules. Molecules form objects.
Everything that we can see, from the most distant stars to the girl next door, or this computer you are staring at and yourself as well are made up from a mere 3 fermions and 9 bosons. The 3 fermions are Up-quark, Down-quark and the electron. The 9 bosons are 8 gluons and 1 photon.
Like so:
But the 3 fermions that make up our entire universe are not all there is. These 3 are the survivors of a large family of elementary particles and this family is now known as the Standard Model. What happened to the rest? Will they ever be revived?
We will learn more about the Standard Model a little further up. First we will take a look at what quantum particles are and in which weird world they live.
(If you plan to research these matters more we have written out the most common quantum phrases in a table for your convenience. Have a quick look at it so that you know where to find it in case you decide you need it).
Summary 1: Quantum Mechanics for Beginners; an Introduction.
Everything is made up from little chunks called quanta.
Small particles are completely different animals than large objects.
The visible universe is made up of 3 fermions and 9 bosons (not counting gravity)
The matter that makes up the visible universe is part of a larger family of particles called the Standard Model.
2. Big Rules for Small Particles
- Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle -
Uncertainty.
A scientific model or theory is supposed to be a cascade of certainties and whenever someone uses the word 'uncertainty' most scientist will run for the nearest airlock.
Great therefore was the consternation when uncertainty appeared to be one of the most characteristic qualities of quantum particles. Einstein even went as far as to boldly state: I don't believe that God plays dice!
But God did. Or so it seemed.
The year was 1927 when a brilliant 26 year old German named Werner Karl Heisenberg postulated a principle that would go down in history as the Uncertainty Principle of Heisenberg. It goes like this:
A large object that moves along a trajectory has, at any point in time, a certain speed and a certain position. Both speed and position for any point along the track can be accurately calculated or measured. But of a quantum particle that zips through space the speed and position can not both be accurately known. Either the position of the particle is known or the speed. And when one of the two is known accurately, the other one is hidden. When we know the speed, we have no idea where the particle is situated. And when we know the position of the particle, we are oblivious to its speed. And that is not because we're not smart enough, or our instruments are not accurate enough. It simply does not exist!
Hold that thought (2a):
The Uncertainty Principle of Heisenberg:
Of a quantum particle, speed and location can not be simultaneously known.
We like to think of speed and position as two separate things but in fact they are two sides of one thing. Just like space and time are really not two but one: spacetime. Einstein was right when he said that God doesn't play dice. He doesn't. In stead He created the universe on a principle of sovereignty. Quantum particles are allowed to surround themselves with mere blurs of their intentions. No one is to know their true speed-position, not even God, because it does not exist.
The Famous Slot Experiment
Quantum-uncertainty has a very peculiar consequence. It can not be predicted where a particle will end up when we shoot it at a target. Particles are sovereign and can not be coerced.
Take a look at the following installation:
A particle canon shoots particles at a screen with a slot. Behind the first screen we place a recording screen that marks the place of particles impact with a black dot. We let the installation run for a couple of hours, or at least long enough to have fair coverage of possibilities.
If particles were regular objects they would have been easily directed through the slot
and on to the same spot on the recording screen. But particles are not regular objects and our recording screen shows a blurred black smudge at the spot we were aiming at.
Obviously most particles hit the recording screen somewhere in the vicinity of our target. Particles can not be coerced but they seem nevertheless quite willing to join the fun.
But the black blur does not have a boundary. It smudges across the entire recording screen, graying out radially until at the edges hardly any impact shows. It appears that some particles chose to avoid the mainstream and steer for the edge. In fact, if we would have placed recording screens all around the canon, we would have seen impacts everywhere, even behind the canon! Some particles simply tear a U-turn and hit a wall 180 degrees opposite the one we were shooting at.
We decide to count the number of impacts directly behind the slot in an area with a certain small radius. Then we count again but cover a larger area. We count more hits of course because we've added surface to the first count. Then we count again, and again until we have a pretty accurate picture of the spread of particles. We plot the numbers in a graph and find a curve that never becomes zero (since particles hit everywhere). This curve was plotted for the first time in 1925 by an Austrian named Erwin Schrödinger and has been called the Schrödinger Wave ever since.
Schrödinger solved the troublesome particle/wave duality paradox that had plagued scientists for so long. The question whether things such as photons were waves or particles was answered with a loud negation across the board: they are neither, or rather: both! Quantum particles are particles that propagate through space by means of chance-waves. That is the wave some scientists had detected. This wave does not propagate through some kind of medium, like water or air, but emerges from the individual sovereignty of quantum particles. Before quantum theory waves always ran through a medium, like the ocean. Take away the wave and you still have water. A quantum wave does not use a medium; it uses chance. Take away the wave (which are the particles) and you'll be left with nothing.
The Famous Two Slots Experiment
If quantum particles that burst forth from their source behaving like a wave, we should be able to observe interference. Interference happens when two waves collide and some parts of both waves cancel out and other parts add up. (To construct a resultant-wave we add up the amplitudes of both waves for all points - above the gray line is positive, below is negative).
And to make two waves in order for them to interfere we take out the slotted screen of our previous experiment and insert a screen with two slots. We fire at will and wouldn't you know... interference! Indeed many particles ride the wave of their identity.
But! we're not happy so fast. We decide to fire off one particle at a time with an interval of one minute between particles. Quantum particles are those things that can not be divided.
Particles must go through one of the two slots, our intuition dictates. Firing off particles one at a time should not produce an interference pattern, we think.
A few hours later we return, and find the recording screen adorned with yep! an interference pattern. How is this possible?
Well, apparently we have stumbled upon the heart of quantum weirdness. The rule is easily derived, but not easily swallowed. We'll have to choke it down: Quantum particles are per definition individable, but they travel through space according to all the many possibilities that they have to choose from. They are not compelled to choose one specific trajectory, but are allowed to travel all of them, according to the chance that they will.
Particles will travel everywhere from source to target, like a smear, thick where the particle is most likely to be, and thin where it is most likely not to be. The smear by which they travel is called a path integral: the total area covered by all possible trajectories.
Interpretation
In the two-slots experiment the following is true:
The chance that the particle goes through slot 1 is x%. The chance that the particle goes through slot 2 is y%. Chance x and chance y are both Schrödinger-waves and they will engage each other to form an interference pattern behind the two slots.
Quantum particles are indivisable but will interfere with themselves to form complex patterns when they encounter obstacles. When we repeat the experiment we will find the same results. Approximately the same number of particles hit in certain areas. Uncertainty appears to have its certainties after all. Or...doesn't it?
What if we shoot one hundred particles at a target and the first ninety nine of them 'choose' to fit the pattern. Then, if certainty existed, the hundredth particle would be forced to land in the only spot left by its predecessors. No way Jose. There's no way of telling where the hundredth particle will go. The last one's freedom will always infringe ultimate certainty.
The more particles we fire off the more accurate we can predict how the spread of particles will be. If we shoot off a million particles, we can quite accurately predict the percentage of hits per area. If we shoot of a hundred particles we can still predict how the spread will be but not very accurately. And if we shoot off one particle we can not make any sound prediction where it will end up. All we can talk about is the chance that our particle will end up in a certain area.
If 95% of one million particles ends up in a radius of 50 centimeter from the projected heart of the slot we can say that there is a 95% chance that particle number one-million-and-one will end up in the same area. But this says nothing about the actual destination of the particle.
Hold that thought (2b):
A large number of particles will display a pattern that is near equal to the initial possibilities of a single particle.
A quantum particle can not be coerced. If it chooses to do so it will end up there where only 1% of the particles ended up. It might even boldly go where no particle has gone before. Nothing is certain. Everything is possible.
Which brings us to another phenomenon: quantum tunneling, which allows a quantum to simply up and leave and show up somewhere else. In fact, there is a very real yet astronomically small chance that all particles that make up you and your computer suddenly decide to zip to Mars. The chance that this happens naturally is so small that we don't incorporate it in our daily experience of reality. But it is certainly not zero. Quantum tunneling is a very real thing, like say electricity.
Before electricity was comprehended and harnessed by man, all natural manifestation of it (lightning, static electricity, magnetism) must have seemed miraculous and magical, but nowadays we don't look up from a illuminating light bulb. Same with quantum tunneling. If the principle is understood and a pact is sealed with the world of the small, large objects such as a human being may be freely transported instantaneously over great distances. Like Philip in Acts 8:39, or the disciples in John 6:21. No magic. No super natural goings on. Just a utilization of one of nature's freely available principles.
Still, even sovereignty is limited. Freedom seems to be something that exists between borders. Freedom has its parameters after all.
Summary 2: The Uncertainty Principle of Heisenberg.
Freedom is the most fundamental principle of the universe
The Uncertainty Principle: Speed and position of a quantum can not be simultaniously known
Quanta move along according to the chance that they do, and can interfere with themselves.
A large number of particles will display a pattern that is near equal to the initial possibilities of a single particle.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 17, 2009 at 8:15pm
ONE HUNDred and Seventy ! ! Not One touch am !
The Federal High Court in Asaba today discharged and acquitted the former governor of Delta State, James Ohanefe Ibori, of the 170-count charge of corruption filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The presiding judge, Marcel Awokulehin, had adjourned the judgment three times in the past before today’s ruling.
The trial of some associates of Mr. Ibori at the Southwark Crown Court in London was put on hold to allow judgment to be delivered in the case before the Asaba High court.
The London trial involves Udoamaka Onuigbo Okoronkwo, Adebimpe Foleyinmi Pogoson and Christine Ibori-Ibie, who are charged with conspiracy to defraud Delta State, as well as related money-laundering charges regarding Mr. Ibori’s alleged theft of $140 million belonging to the state.
ONE HUNDred and Seventy ! ! Not One touch am !
Online Comments from some News WebsitesIKECHUKWU OKWUOSA
"THIS IS ANOTHER FAILURE IN THE NIGERIAN JUSTICE SYSTEM, IT IS NOT A SUPRISE TO KNOW THAT IBORI IS DISCHARGED OFF ALL COUNT CHARGES, IBORI WHO LOOTED ALL WE HAD IN DELTA STATE, AND WHO WAS CONVICTED AS A CRIMINAL BEFORE HE BECAME GOVERNOR IS TODAY LET GO OF ALL THOSE MONEY LAUNDRY CHARGES, IN SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT, WE BARELY HAVE SPACE IN COURT AS NIGERIANS TO WITHNESS THE CASE OF IBORI ASSOCIATES, BUT INSTEAD LITTLE INDIAN AND PAKISTANI BOYS ARE PAID £100 EACH TO OCCUPY THE SEATS IN THE COURT ROOM. IF ASABA HIGH COURT CAN PUT UP THIS JUDGEMENT, WHAT ABOUT THE EVIDENCES HELD IN LONDON, THIS IS WHY THERE WILL NEVER BE RESPECT FOR OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THE COUNTRY NIGERIA WILL NEVER SEE RESPECT ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD, THIS CASE WAS CLOSELY WATCHED ALL OVER THE GLOBE, AND THE ADJOURNEMENT IN LONDON IS JUST TO TEST OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, IT IS A SHAME, EVEN THE DEAF AND DUMB KNOWS IBORI STOLE OUR MONEY, AND THIS HAS TESTED YARADUA'S GOVERNMENT, THEY ARE JUST DECEIVING NIGERIANS, AND AS FAR AS THERE IS STILL IN-SINCERITY IN GOVERNANCE, WE ARE GOING NO WHERE, THAT CASE WAS DECIDED IN ASO ROCK, HENCE IBORI WAS SET FREE."
Posted by Eleniyan omo london on Dec 18 2009
Na padi padi gofument be this o egbami o , na arrangee gofument be this o yeparipa o. This is infact a sad day for nigeria , with this govt we have embarked on a journey of no return where the forces of evil have triumph over good,we all know the start of the journey but no one knows the end. Marcel Awokulehin , James Ibori and Co looters know that we bring nothing to this world and and we will leave with nothing one day all men will be answerable to the almighty where the ultimate judgement lies. Marcel Awokulehin remember what happen to late Justice Bassey Ikpeme of the june 12 midnight ruling! Marcel Awokulehin the man has finally died in you and you have murdered sleep. My people wait and see a bloody revolution is brewing up where all the blood of all saboteurs,vultures and all their collaborators shall be shed to cleanse the land , we are getting there.
Posted by bio on Dec 18 2009
The ruling should not amaze anyone who understands this country called Nigeria run by criminals and a cabal that should have all its members rounded up and jailed for life, if shooting them dead is too callous an option. Remember this barawo called Ibori is still wanted in the UK? So can i hear anyone say Ibori 2011?
Read more…
Hundreds of lives would have been lost yesterday in a near collision of aircraft when the communication and radar system of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) broke down, leaving a dozen aircraft hovering in the air for several hours at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Ethiopian Airlines, carrying 180 passengers on its way to Lagos from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, demanded emergency landing when its aircraft was running out of fuel as it hovered for several hours, waiting to be directed to land by the Air Traffic Controllers at the airport.
Also, a Qatar Airways aircraft with about 190 passengers also requested precautionary landing at about 2.30 pm after hovering for a long time as the aircraft was exhausting its fuel.
THISDAY investigations revealed that both communication and radar systems of NAMA were down at the airport and the controllers could not direct aircraft to land, which led to a crowded airspace – a critical safety situation.
With the near crash situation, other aircraft in the airspace had to give way for Ethiopian Airlines to land.
One of the pilots of the aircraft that hovered at the time told THISDAY that there was a point it became unsafe to remain at the airspace around Lagos and he requested to divert his aircraft to another airport.
Almost all other aircraft had lost so much fuel because they had all waited for more than two hours.
“We waited for hours and there was a time there were more than 15 aircraft in the airspace, which was risky, so I requested that I wanted to divert my aircraft to another airport. Already, our fuel for the flight had finished. We were waiting on endurance fuel,” the pilot said.
The Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, acknowledged the incident and said he did not have the details yet but he had directed his officials to investigate.
The pilot also told THISDAY that the safety consequence of the incident was that there were so many “air misses” (near collision) of aircraft as many of them converged on the same flight level.
“The long hours spent hovering exhausted the fuel of almost all the aircraft and because we were all converging almost on the same level it gave rise to many air misses, so many lives would have been lost if there were crashes,” he said.
The pilot said NAMA should have contingency plan whenever the radar fails, so that this kind of incident would not happen again.
“What happened today exposed the danger of not well-managed airspace; there would have been at least a collision and you know the consequence of that, but when the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft declared emergency so we had to allow it to land otherwise it would have crashed,” the pilot told THISDAY.
The radar in Lagos has just been installed as part of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) project, which went on stream a few months ago. Analysts found it surprising that it could break down so soon.
But THISDAY learnt from a NAMA official that power outage aborted the operations of the agency in Lagos and this lasted for several hours as there was no immediate alternative power source.
Although the agency has about two generators at the MMIA, Lagos, for three hours yesterday none was working when the public power supply from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) was cut off.
THISDAY also learnt that since August this year the agency had been powering its facilities in all the airports in the country.
“This is why we said that the airlines should pay us all the charges they owe us because we need the money to provide them service,” the source said.
The Secretary-General of African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Nick Fadugba, had warned of the danger of allowing airlines to hover around the Lagos airspace waiting with the poor communication and radar system in the Nigeria, noting that it is tantamount to endangering people’s lives.
Read more…
I stumbled upon this today while browsing the net and realised that a person's name just like his spirit,soul and body is a distinct criteria for his purpose in life .God has many names and the one we look at today is yahweh .
The Hebrews according to this article below are the progenitors of the naming convention and overtly and covertly have been identified with the history of the written word as we see it today.
Meaning, origin and etymology of the name YHWHYHWH is the second creation Name of God. God's Name changes from Elohim to YHWH Elohim in Genesis 2:4 .
As told by Joel M. Hoffman Ph.D. in his delightful and riveting book In the Beginning: A Short History of the Hebrew Language - - the Hebrews were the first to incorporate vowels in their written text, and by doing this the previously esoteric art of writing and reading became available to the masses. The seemingly casual command to 'write' something on doors or foreheads included the invention of a writing system that could be learned by everybody. A very big deal, and resulting in the most powerful tool of data preservation up to this common age.
Hebrew theology is by far the most influential ever, and this is in part due to the Hebrew invention of vowel notation. This power (this theology) contrasted others by use of the vowel notation, using symbols that were already used and until then only represented consonants: the letters (waw), (yod) and (heh), and to give an example: the word is either the word dod, meaning beloved (and the is a vowel), or it is the word dud, meaning jar (and the is again a vowel), or it is the word dawid, which is the name David (and the is a consonant).
These letters became markers for both the Hebrew identity and the Hebrew religion, including the various names for God. One of these names is the famous Tetragrammaton (YHWH) which actually exists only of vowels, and is utterly exceptional in many ways, including the fact that it can not be pronounced.
The word (El) was the name of the prominent Canaanite god, whose name was either derived of or became the common word for god in general. The plural of this word is ; gods. With the addition of the letter , creating the word , the Hebrews not only stated essential monotheism (by naming a single God after the plural word "gods") but also marked their God as theirs: Elohim is the singular pantheon of the vowel-people.
Something similar occured when the name of patriarch Abram () was expanded with the heh into Abraham , and the name of matriarch Sarai () was expanded with the heh to Sarah ().
The meaning of the name YHWH is not very clear, and therefor subject to much debate. The key scene in this respect seems to be Ex 3:13-15, where God names Himself first: (I Am Who I Am), then (I Am), and finally (YHWH) and states that this is his name forever and a memorial name to all generations. It has been long supposed that YHWH is derived from the verb that is used to make I Am, namely (haya 491) to be, to become, to happen, or rather from an older form and rare synonym of haya, namely , hawa, hence y-hawa or yahweh, the proper imperfect of the verb, thus rendering the name either Being or He Is. (But note that the Hebrew language is far more dynamic than our modern languages. The verb to be indicates an action that intimately reveals the nature of the one who is doing the acting. For more more on this, see our article to be is to do.)
TWOTOT ( Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Moody Press Chicago) recognizes two separate verbs hawa:
(hawa (484) is the aforementioned older form of (haya 491), to be or become.
(hawa 483) means to fall, with derivatives calamity, wickedness, evil desire, disaster. Perhaps this curious double meaning is in some ways comparable to our word happen, as the words happening and happenstance are often used as euphemisms for typically unfortunate events.
TWOTOT goes even further as it states, "...there is a problem with the pronunciation Yahweh. It is a strange combination of old and late elements.[] In view of these problems it may be best simply to say that YWHW does not come from the verb hawa at all. [W]e may well hold that YHWH [...] is an old word of unknown origin which sounded something like what the verb hawa sounded in Moses' day. However, if the word were spelled with four letters in Moses' day, we would have expected it to have had more than two syllables, for at that period all the letters were sounded."
In other words, the name YHWH looks like a hybrid of times, as if it can not be localized but spans centuries of evolving grammar. Then it also looks very much as if it was derived of a verb that means to be, but which is spelled differently than the regular verb to be, and similarly to a verb that means something very bad. Perhaps all this confusion, or rather, this wide pallet of negotiations is what this Name most essentially conveys: existence in its broadest sense, yet unlike any regular human perspective; a blessing to the wise, but the undoing of the wicked.
On the other hand, perhaps the name YHWH means Tom, Dick or Harry in a language that has slipped out of the collective human consciousness and we are left with the echo's of a revelation that was as sincere and confidential as the word abba: daddy.
If God took so much stock in giving himself all these names and the almost impossiblity of knowing their exact meanings then maybe we should take a closer look at upgrading ours !
Thinking of changing your name now ?Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 11, 2009 at 10:42pm
Kabir Audu is a very successful Nigerian. He's 30. And he has an idea.
"It was Ben Gurion in the late 1940s," he says.
"He called on Israelis around the world to come home. To build an Israel greater than their wildest imagination."
He pauses.
"We see Nigeria every day - tremendous talent, this tremendous potential. Imagine if it's wielded toward one vision."
Kabir and his friend Tunji Abdul are living proof of Nigeria's mass migration homeward.
Both were making a fortune on Wall Street. Both were bored.
'New life'
"Every deal felt just an extension of a previous project," says Tunji.
"I came back to Nigeria after 10 years. I realised this place was calling for young entrepreneurs - to breathe new life into the system.
"That's why I came back."
They're real estate developers, building modern homes - and the first sustainable skyscraper in Lagos.
It will harvest its own rainwater and be powered by solar energy.
"We want our architecture to shape the way people feel about their space, their community," says Tunji.
"Great buildings, inspirational buildings, don't just have to be in the UK or the US."
Renaissance
Tunji and Kabir are two among hundreds of thousands.
Bode Pedro is another.
He's 26 and runs a computer manufacturing start-up business employing 75 people.
"It's a renaissance," he says. "We're talking about art, science, technology, entertainment, media and business.
"People are coming home because they want to be part of it."
All of them were educated in the US, but their rich American accents are barely noticed in the nightclubs in Lagos.
Here, vowels from New York and Oxford blend into West African pidgin English.
Another giveaway - Lagos is sprouting recruitment agencies with a difference.
They specialise in bringing talented Nigerians back home.
"In 2003, we thought around 5,000 people a month were coming in," says Funto Akinkugbe from Find A Job In Africa.
"That's multiplied by three now. We're looking at the best part of 15,000 people on a monthly basis."
Seeking shelter
The influx is startling. Nigerians have a word for them - "re-pat".
And, it appears that there are two types.
Entrepreneurs like Kabir and Tunji have spotted a market and are starting businesses.
Some 140 million people living here makes Nigeria quite a business opportunity.
Meanwhile, thousands of others are seeking shelter from the global financial crisis.
Job losses in the financial sector - and the financial crisis itself - make going home suddenly seem very attractive.
And these refugees are attractive employment for the entrepreneurs tapping into Nigeria's potential.
With a huge market and a huge labour force combined, Nigeria ought to stand alongside Brazil or Russia.
So why doesn't it?
'One step ahead'
The answer is that Nigeria has not enjoyed the same economic growth.
Here, a businessman's lot is not always a happy one.
Chronic electricity failures, traffic jams that last for hours, the delays, the half truths and shadows of corruption. All of that makes doing business here very difficult.
"What do you need to survive? Passion!" laughs Tunji Abdul.
"You have to make sure you're one step ahead.
"Get up earlier and leave the office later. Move around when traffic is a bit less.
"It's your business to find a solution."
And if you can make it work the rewards are worth it.
"Nigeria is phenomenal," says Kabir.
"People keep saying, 'Oh, you gave up a lot of money on Wall Street, to come back here…..'.
He pulls a face and smiles. "Actually, it's not the case. In terms of rate of return, it is significantly higher than where we're coming from."
Being part of change
Bode Pedro agrees.
"Nigeria is so fresh. Right now, we have 5% computer usage here.
"It's changing fast - and you're either part of it, or not."
For all of them, the bottom line is very good - but the personal kick that thrills them is the impact they're having.
"You coming here is being part of a renaissance," says Bode softly.
"In five years, you'll be part of something new. You'll be part of something different.
"You'll be part of the growth of a superpower called Nigeria."
He is deadly serious.Read more…
The senate has confirmed the appointment of Arunma Oteh as the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Also confirmed on Thursday was the appointment of Ahmed Remi Makele as an Executive Commissioner (Legal & Compliance).
Both were nominated by President Umaru Yar’Adua in July this year and their names were forwarded to the senate for confirmation in accordance with the provisions of the Investment and Securities Act 2007.
Following the confirmation, Ms. Oteh will take over from Daisy Ikineh, who has been acting as the commission’s Director General since Musa Alfaki resigned from the position in April this year after he was allegedly implicated in the poor handling of the AP share manipulation saga.
During the screening exercise that preceded her confirmation, senators praised Ms Oteh’s resume. She was described as a “round peg in a round hole”.
“I think that for once we have made a choice based on qualification and not political inclinations,” Victor Ndoma-Egba (PDP Cross River State) said.
The new SEC bosses
Ms Oteh, 41, has over 16 years of capital market experience and is currently the Vice-President (Corporate Services) of the African Development Bank Group (ADB).
Before becoming the vice president of the ADB, she was the Bank’s Group Treasurer for 5 years (2001-2006) with overall responsibility for the Bank’s fund raising and investments in major international capital markets. She has worked variously in ADB as Division Manager Investments and Trading Room from 1997 to 2001, and Senior Investment Officer/Senior Capital Markets Officer from 1993 to 1997. Cumulatively, she has worked with ADB for over 16 years.
Before joining the ADB, the new SEC chief worked in corporate finance, consulting, teaching and research for several institutions, including the Harvard Institute for International Development, USA, and Centre Point Investments Limited Lagos, Nigeria.
She is on the board of a number of organisations, including the advisory board of the African Investor, as well as the International Financing Facility of Immunization (IFFIm), a charity organization.
Ms Oteh has an MBA from Harvard University, USA, and a First Class Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She has received both a Harvard Fellowship Award and a National Merit Award.
Mr. Makele is presently the Associate Director, Legal Risk & Compliance of DTZ Group Holdings Plc, an international corporate finance and investment management company. He has also previously served as the Senior Manager, Regulation & Compliance at Royal Bank of Canada/Dexia Group – one of the World’s top 10 global custodians.
He has worked with other major UK legal and financial companies, as well as the UK Personal Investment Authority (now Financial Services Authority).
Mr. Makele has also consulted domestically for the Investment & Securities Tribunal (IST) and published papers on a number of domestic financial issues.
He is from Kogi State and has a Masters degree in Public International Law from University of Cambridge and BA Honours in Law from University of Sussex, United Kingdom.
He also has a diploma in Regulation and Compliance from the UK Securities & Investment institute and is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 10, 2009 at 9:10pm
Fashola lights Africa’s tallest Christmas tree today
Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, will today light the tallest Christmas tree in Africa at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu area of Lagos State. The light is part of Coca-Cola’s Christmas marketing campaign.
The colourful tree lighting ceremony, which would attract media executives, would also be attended by dignitaries from both private and public sectors of the economy.
Coca-Cola’s 30-metre high Christmas tree weighs 15 tons. It is mounted on a massive platform 2.5 metres high and 12.5 metres in diametre, which gives the tree an overall height that reaches more than 100 feet into the sky, nearly as tall as a 12- storey building. The splendid landmark stands imposingly on the large grounds of the iconic National Arts Theatre, the nation’s symbol of cultural excellence. The Coca-Cola tree is a refreshing addition to the Lagos skyline and will captivate national and international attention this festive season and after.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 10, 2009 at 4:59am
Facebook or Satan's Playground?
I was talking to some friends at a party a few weeks ago when the hostess took me aside and asked me if I was on Twitter. On Twitter?!! The nerve! I threw my glass of soda in her face and told her I’ve never done drugs in my life. What an accusation!
Later that day, my kids explained that Twitter was a social messaging site on the computer. They said there are similar sites called Facebook and My Space.
The whole thought of someone communicating with others on a computer for social purposes seems ridiculous to me. If it was actually possible, wouldn’t it be awfully nerdy to sit at the computer talking to people you can’t see all day? Maybe shut-ins and hired assassins would have reason to do it, but certainly not teens or members of Generation X! And the claim that you can talk to lots of people simultaneously seems preposterous. Anyone who says you can type a message and hit one button to send it to over five people at a time is an outright liar. I’d stake my reputation on that – or so I thought. In the back of my mind, though, I knew I’d have to do some further investigating.
I began my quest at the nursing home where our family volunteers. Millie, the wisest woman I know, lives there. She was celebrating her 95th birthday when I asked what she knows about social networking sites on the Internet. She told me that all social networking tools and websites are part of a satanic cult! Millie met President Calvin Coolidge in her youth, so I believe her. Millie’s words scared me. I don’t want to be involved with Satan! I don’t know about you guys, but in my family, we don’t even like Satan. In fact, we have a sign painted above the inside of our front door that says, “Live, laugh, love” and then, on the adjacent wall, another painted sign reads, “We hate Satan.”
If Millie is right, our family was in danger. “Why did we buy the kids 13 computers this past Christmas?” I asked myself. But this wasn’t a time for regrets. It was a time for action. I invited my priest, Daniel, to dinner and asked him to bless our computers. He blessed them and doused them with holy water, rendering 11 of them useless and mistakenly electrocuting my son, whose hands were on one computer's plug and an electrical outlet at the time. Roberto was electrocuted only a little bit, but whined and cried like a school girl, despite still having full use of both legs. Both the priest and I told him to act like a man. Anyway, I am getting off track.
I needed to investigate more in order to give you some advice. I advise from direct experience, not just hearsay. For example, when my sons were little, I didn’t just tell them not to cross the street without looking both ways -- I showed them what I meant. Without looking, I ran into the street in front of my house as my neighbors were driving home from work. Although I sustained severe injuries, it was worth it. My kids now had practical knowledge and, more importantly, they learned that they can trust whatever I say. My method is so effective that one son is 17 now and never crosses the street. Another son is 15, and he doesn’t even leave the house. Of course, he’s developed crazy fears about the outside world, but that’s probably due to the influence of public schooling.
Anyway, the next step was for me to actually get on Facebook. I said a prayer and then created an account. I was armed with Bible passages to keep evil influences away. What I discovered will blow your mind. Facebook is an absolute delight! It turns out that Facebook isn’t a cult and Satan isn’t involved. The site is wonderful. I posted a status, and then people wrote back to me. I already have THREE friends, a testament to my immediate popularity.
So I take back what I said earlier. I now fully endorse the site and feel confident that I can speak for President Coolidge in saying that if he were alive and used a computer with an Intel processor, he would endorse Facebook too. So go ahead and create an account, and search for me, Jackie Phillips. I’ve posted a picture of my dog on the account so that you’ll recognize that it’s me. Put in a friend request, and I’ll befriend you, if that is the correct technical term.
As for Twitter and My Space, however, I have NOT tested those sites, so please DO NOT use them until further notice. I cannot assure you that they are Satan-free. My friends, Jill and Carole, have encouraged me to get on Twitter, which makes me distrust the site even more.
You’re probably thoroughly confused now. Twitter . . . Facebook. . . which is ok? Let’s make this as simple as possible. Just remember the acronym FUP, which means Facebook is Undeniably Pleasant. Twitter and My Space, on the other hand, are “Potentially Satanic – Do Not Use” or PSDNU (pronounced “Sudnew” because the P is silent). FUP and PSDNU should help you keep these lessons organized. Have a great day and remember to think outside the blog.
Jackie
Read more…
Pregnancy can be a hard time to consider fashion, and with maternity clothing that is so expensive, it can be hard on the pocket book too. But every woman should have at least one outfit she can wear during pregnancy that makes her feel comfortable and feel good about the way she looks while pregnant.
Certain styles look especially good on pregnant women such as A-line skirts, empire-waist dresses and tops, and pencil skirts paired with swingy shirts.
If you are feeling really self-conscious about your changing body accentuate other parts of your body that you feel more comfortable with. To get people to notice your neck and shoulders choose a shirt with a ballet.
Carefully choose your accessories and after your pregnancy you won't feel bad that you spent money on them . You can wear cut or bateau neckline, or dress all in one colour and add a scarf or some other stunning accessory like a brightly colour piece of jewelry, a pair of shoes that match your handbag, a colorful scarf or a button-up sweater.
A money-saving tip for maternity clothing shopping is to avoid impulse buying. Make a list of a few must-have items that can go with almost everything. For stay-at-home moms this list may include a pair of jeans, a pair of dressy black pants, a black or some other universal colour skirt, two shirts, and a casual dress. For working moms you will probably need to add two or three more skirts, another pair of dressy pants and a couple more shirts.
This should be good for your initial shopping trip, then on later shopping trips try to buy things that will match what you already have, and try to limit what you get later to just one or two items.
Another tip is to buy clothes that have a style that matches the style you wore before your pregnancy. You'll feel better about the way you look and be more likely to keep the clothing for your next pregnancy, which will save you money.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 8, 2009 at 11:00pm
Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-rufai returns to Nigeria December 27th 2009.
Huhuonline.com can disclose that the embattled former minister of the federal capital territory, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-rufai, who last week revealed his intention to return to Nigeria to face charges against him, will return to Nigeria on Sunday,
27th of December, 2009. In a missive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which is trying to secure a warrant for his arrest, the former FCT minister said “For the avoidance any doubt, I am returning to Nigeria on the 27th of December, 2009. Your worst nightmare - that I will dare the now, new and wholly-corrupt EFCC and return to Nigeria - will be realized on that day - and the ball will then be in your court, and that of Nigerian and international public opinion,. I will never be afraid to face a bunch of lackeys like you”.
Full text of Nasir Elrufai missive reads:
"Mr. Femi Baba femi"
"The EFCC's attempt to try this case via headlines is pathetic, disrespectful and contemptuous to the Nigerian Judiciary. Your press releases which often grossly misrepresent what actually transpired in Court is an abuse of your privilege as prosecutors. You have shown yourself by your idiotic, self-serving "press releases" to be persecutors - not prosecutors, and completely unaware of what a justice system should be. Your conduct is disgraceful and violates the principles of presumption of innocence of any accused person entrenched under our Constitution and laws of Nigeria".
"these falsehoods you are dishing out are meant to intimidate me from returning to Nigeria - while smearing my reputation. My Nigerian and international legal defense team are assembling all your defamatory falsehoods for subsequent legal actions in Nigerian and other courts where your statements are published".
"For the avoidance any doubt, I am returning to Nigeria on the 27th of December, 2009. Your worst nightmare - that I will dare the now, new and wholly-corrupt EFCC and return to Nigeria - will be realized on that day - and the ball will then be in your court, and that of Nigerian and international public opinion,. I will never be afraid to face a bunch of lackeys like you". "See you soon".
Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, OFR
Read more…
I was innocently looking for Christmas present ideas on his computer. Literally, I was typing in “fireplace tools” in Google. And, as he turned to me and said hey, let’s watch this show together, I knew I had to quit. Me, being the Web geek that I am, immediately went to his Web history to erase my clues. That’s when I found it: a full history of porn sites. How did I know? Well, let’s just say the terms were a bit revealing. Shocked, I clicked on one. Password protected. Wow, not even just porn history, but registered porn history, credit-card-paid-subscription porn history. My stomach sank.
We have been together now for a year and a half. I recall casual conversations about this in the early days, and I’m pretty sure I asked and I’m pretty sure he denied. I remember having the “have you ever watched it with another boyfriend/girlfriend” conversation and I recall him saying yes and me saying no. I know I asked about it because my last boyfriend hid it from me, and I also discovered it, at which point he got angry, defensive, and accused me of being inadequate. So, you can see where my baggage begins
Cut to this relationship: much more open, much healthier, happier, and I dare say, great in the sex department. Great, meaning traditionally great—nothing too non-traditional, no costumes, no toys, no role-playing, and until this moment, no porn. So, my first thought was—why? Should I have initiated a costume? A toy? Am I not enough? I looked over him, his image on the couch with my dog starkly opposing the names I was seeing in his history (and not just the names but the amount of sites—I mean how long does it take to get horny on a Friday night when your girlfriend is out of town?). In my last relationship I would have just closed the browser, silently freaked out, and waited until my next bottle of wine to unleash irrationally on the topic. I am slowly learning that this is not always the best way to open a can of worms. I couldn’t take it. So, I just called it out. “Hey, I was searching for your Christmas present online and found all of your porn sites.”
Discovering Porn (On Your Boyfriend’s Computer)
By: Francis McKenzie (View Profile)
We talked about it. And, it reigns up there as one of the most uncomfortable conversations I think we both have ever had. He was not defensive, nor was he angry. In fact most of the time he was blushing, like a little kid whose mom found Playboy under his bed (note: I do NOT want to be anyone’s mom, but this was the emotion I felt). After a while a few things came out of him and of me:
Me first:
Are you doing this because you are unhappy sexually with us?
Are there things you watch here that you want to do, but have been unable to initiate with me, don’t want to do with me, or that I do not inspire in you?
Do you see me as your “wife type” and these are your “vixens” and the two are totally separate?
Are you looking at young girls that would be considered illegal?
Are you looking at gay sex with two men? (Let it be known, I have nothing against gay sex. My issue here is that if my boyfriend is struggling with his sexuality I would rather he do it outside a monogamous heterosexual relationship).
Are you looking at anything that involves any kind of violence? Animals?
I gave a disclaimer before I asked these. I said, look, I know you are a good person. But my sister had a friend whose husband was caught online chatting with an illegally young girl, and no one would have ever guessed, including the wife. These stories are out there. There are people who look at porn in an unhealthy way. I need to know that this is not what we are talking about here and you need to be honest with me.
He said:
Every one does it. It is normal.
He does it every once in a while. It goes through stages.
He loves our sex life and is not doing this because he is unhappy with us.
He does not look at anything scary, illegal, or gay.
He has never watched porn with another girlfriend, but he has watched it prior to being with me. (He later admitted that he might not have been totally honest with me in the beginning due to embarrassment.)
He said he thought I was sexy and I had a hot body (Ok, honestly, I almost stopped here. Will we ever tire of hearing this?)
He admitted this was an embarrassing conversation that he had never had with another girl, and, more importantly, he said he was actually glad after we had it.
He said this would be a good time to tell me: he has caught me masturbating in my sleep. Several times.
Whoa. Ok, so the doors flew wide open at that point—masturbating while asleep? Talk about embarrassing. And remember, this has been for a year and a half. Oh boy.
So, after a few days I started thinking about all of this. And it comes down to a few things. We’re all sexual, and to be honest, we have many sides to this sexuality. We have our past, which really, only we know about. Someone else might piece it together with some serious detective work across years, partners, cities, and doctors, but it’s unlikely. We have the time we spend alone, which unless there are hidden cameras in the bedroom or in the mind, no one really knows that story either. And, we have the sexuality we share with a partner (yes, sadly this comes and goes and we are back to that alone time again). The partner part is only a slice of that sexuality.
The challenge is allowing that partner to have that slice without being intimidated or threatened by it. I believe that only comes with honesty and discussion. I realized that sex was a really hard thing to talk about with someone. But I also realized that by doing it, I unveiled some of my own baggage. I was raised with all girls whose only exposure to porn in any sense was accidentally finding my Dad’s Playboy stash. I was raised in a home where sex was to be avoided until marriage, and then it was something you figured out on your own. After stumbling my way past virginity and a few partners, I carried those ideas and thoughts with me. The years exposed me to the topics of abortion and diseases, which only made me want to avoid it altogether.
My last boyfriend cheated on me—twice—while we were long distance. He was also the one who also told me I was sexually inadequate to him. That’s a lot to bring in to a porn history list on a computer on a Sunday afternoon. But without this event, my current partner and I would have just delayed or never had these discussions.
He too, admitted a few things. He said he is at heart traditional—his favorite position is missionary. He said he feels completely fulfilled. He said to him, when we have sex he sees me and us and our relationship as part of the act and because of that it is a deep emotional experience for him. He said the porn was a quick way to deal with being horny, and it was not anything to compare.
Later that week I was talking to my friend about the chain of events. She said “Oh God, that’s no big deal, everyone does it. Did you not have brothers?” She talked of her conversations with her husband (who does it too). I asked her if she felt threatened by it, and she replied, “Seriously? Threatened by a guy who watches two girls getting each other off with one hand on the laptop mouse and the other on his crotch? No way.”
She had a point.
But, my point was—can sex always be as he sees it now? Will it always be this deep emotional connection (with orgasm of course)? And when it isn’t, what then? I brought this up too, and if nothing else, I’m glad I found the porn so that we could have this conversation. I said at some point, the sex might get dull. And I need to know that my partner is someone who can talk about this and not reach out to his computer or another woman to solve it. I want to know that if I want to us to try tantric sex (which I read about in my yoga magazine and actually do want to try at some point) or ask him to do something for me that I won’t feel wrong or awkward.
I still cringe at the thought of those site names and the picture of the whole scenario. But who likes thinking about their monogamous partner in that light? I have started to come to the conclusion that the last thing I want to do in a relationship is stifle someone. And I have to admit to my own sexual baggage, which colors every sexual experience as I face it. So, I have to let that image go. There are some things in an open relationship you don’t need to know in detail. I am glad to know he does it because I don’t want any secrets. I don’t, however, need to know his favorite site, character, or image. We as individuals need to have our private time—without it we are solely relying on someone else to define our sexuality, which cannot be healthy. Exploring sexuality in a committed relationship should not mean cheating. To me that’s just a continuum of identifying sexually through someone else. It does mean talking, and trying, and respecting, and always making time to do it together (as well as alone).
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 7, 2009 at 7:34pm
A police signal to arrest the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, and the former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, has been issued in Abuja from the office of the Inspector General of Police, Ogbonnaya Onovo, according to authoritative police sources.
However, Emmanuel Ojukwu, spokesperson of the police, in a telephone interview with NEXT yesterday said he was unaware of such a signal. "I am just not aware of such a thing and if it is a warrant it is not the duty of the police to issue a warrant. Our job is to obey court orders." However, Peter Adobamen, a lawyer who spoke to NEXT said the police can indeed issue a warrant of arrest on anybody.
This is indeed what appears to have happenned in the case of Mr. El-Rufai and Mr. Ribadu. NEXT investigations in Abuja yesterday revealed that the warrant was issued on November 5, with the instruction for the arrest of both men "on sight". This is coming against the background of Mr. El-Rufai's planned return to Nigeria after a temporary exile in Europe and the United States of America.
Messrs. Ribadu and El-Rufai's difficulties with the police leading to the issuance of the order of arrest, NEXT gathered, are based on an alleged claim that they are conducting treasonable activities abroad.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, has consistently made the allegation of treason against both men, saying extradition charges will be eventually brought against them. Sources at the Justice Ministry yesterday told NEXT that "dialogue is already ongoing with security institutions to prepare the extradition process."
Ribadu' challenge
The Code of Conduct Tribunal declared the former anti-graft chief, Nuhu Ribadu, a fugitive of the law two weeks ago, claiming he did not declare his assets. In an angry statement of rebuttal, Mr. Ribadu described the order as another episode of what he called the "relentless persecution against me" and wondered how the court that was fully aware of the circumstances under which he left the country, could tag him as a fugitive.
"I had to leave the country on January 3 this year after a relentless persecution which climaxed in two assassination attempts," he said.
El-Rufai's cross
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Aondoakaa, had said, based on the Senate Committee on FCT's report which allegedly indicted the ex-minister, he had commenced extradition proceedings on Mr El-Rufai.
"In invoking the relevant clauses of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between Nigeria and Britain to bring El-Rufai to justice, we need to back our request with relevant documents," Mr. Aondoakaa told the media.
Fighting back
Mr. El-Rufai's lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, has taken the attorney general's threat serious and has published a whitepaper dated December 1, 2009 that seeks to highlight the former minister's innocence.
Mr. Amsterdam, the founding partner of the international law firm, Amsterdam and Peroff, said in a 48-page whitepaper which chronicled the former minister's stewardship as a public servant that he is seeking "to present Nasir El-Rufia and his accomplishments to the world, to summarise the motives behind the attack on his reputation, and to provide ample evidence to prove his innocence of all these libel and slander."
According to Mr. Amsterdam, the publication "marks the formal announcement that we are open and willing to defend Nasir on any platform available with all the facts in front of us". While describing Mr. El-Rufai as a man who holds "ambitious dreams for Nigeria's future", the author stated that all the attack on the former minister are "groundless and without evidence" and "manufacture by a hardworking scandal factory".
In the foreword to the whitepaper, the former Attorney General of Nigeria, Kanu Agabi, described Mr. El-Rufai as "fair-minded, hardworking and unrelenting". "The things that El-Rufai has had to do for the nation are difficult things. He has had to tread upon hard and difficult ground and to do for the nation difficult things" Mr. Agabi said.
Kanu Agabi's testimony
Mr. Agabi further added that Mr. El-Rufai and Mr. Ribadu are agents that will lay "the modern foundations of the rule of law in Nigeria", extolling the work done by the former minister to return the Federal Capital Territory to its master-plan which had suffered what seemed then as irredeemable distortions.
Tracing the roots of Mr. El-Rufai's travails, Mr. Amsterdam recalled that Mr. El-Rufai first wrote himself into the bad books of the powers-that-be when he revealed that the Senate's deputy majority leader, Jonathan Zwingina, and deputy senate president, Ibrahim Mantu, solicited a N54 million bribe for an accelerated confirmation as a minister. According to the author, "the Nigerian Senate as an institution never forgot or forgave him."
The whitepaper also gives a detailed account of Mr. El-Rufai's stewardship as the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
According to the author, while at the BPE, Mr. El-Rufai was profoundly successful. His dedication to his work resulted in his raising N40-50 billion in revenue from the privatisation programme. Despite his successes at the BPE, the leadership of the Nigeria parliaments were not impressed. In March 2002, the author of the whitepaper recalled, the speaker of the House of Representatives then brought a defamation suit against the former minister in response to Mr. El-Rufai's criticism of the Speaker's proposal on what to do with NITEL.
The suit was squashed by the Court of Appeal on June 2, 2003. According to the judgment the legislature can only look into cases of corruption and mismanagement of public funds. This judgment is described by the learned gentleman as posing "an unprecedented challenge to the boundaries of the power of the Legislature in the Nigerian Constitution and the role of the Nigerian Judicial system in reviewing its decisions and actions"
Tarnishing El-Rufai
The whitepaper recounted how the House of Representatives failed in its attempt to blame Mr. El-Rufai for the manner in which NITEL was privatised, through public hearings. On May 25, 2005 the House of Representatives placed a ban on Mr. El-Rufai from holding public office for life. When this was challenged in court, the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 24, 2005 discarded the pronouncement of the house committee.
Recounting Mr. El-Rufai's days as the minister of the FCT, Mr. Amsterdam recalled that the mandate given to him, amongst other things, was to reduce corruption in public administration and to enforce the Abuja Master Plan for urban development tasks, which the former minister approached with unprecedented passion. "El-Rufai implemented a Strategic Development Plan designed to halt and reverse the "Lagosification" of Abuja."
In order to restore the FCT to its Master-Plan, the former minister's work involved the demolition of houses "erected along sewage lines and the restoration of parks which had been parcelled out and allocated to men and women of rank." By this action, he invariably crossed the path of some of the country's elite "accustomed to favouritism".
The whitepaper is of the view that with the expiration of the Obasanjo administration and the assumption of office as president by the former Governor of Katsina State, Umaru Yar'Adua, the authorities started going after certain former Obasanjo officials, with Mr. El-Rufai and Mr. Ribadu at the top of the list.
While describing Mr. El-Rufai as a man who holds "ambitious dreams for Nigeria's future", the author stated that all the attack on the former minister are "groundless and without evidence" and "manufactured by a hardworking scandal factory".
Back
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 5, 2009 at 5:14am
Now, there is no hiding place for the Eagles.
This evening in Cape Town, South Africa, Nigeria's group opponents in the forthcoming World Cup taking place in that country, were unveiled.
If Nigerians expected a soft draw, they did not get it as they have found themselves in a group from whose passage into the second round may not be easy. The Super Eagles, who squeaked their way to the World Cup, will play alongside two-time champions, Argentina, 2002 World Cup semi-finalists, Korea Republic and former European champions, Greece in Group B.The Argentinean bogey
The biggest surprise for most Nigerians and perhaps their biggest fear is the presence of Argentina in the group. Parading young and exciting players with newly crowned European Footballer of the Year, Lionel Messi as arrowhead, the South Americans are tough customers any day - the fact that like Nigeria they barely managed to qualify for the World Cup notwithstanding.
In South Africa, Nigeria will be meeting Argentina for the third time at the World Cup. In their two previous meetings, in 1994 and 2002, the South Americans ran away with a 2-1 and 1-0 victory respectively.
The two countries open proceeding in the group on June 12, 2010 at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg. The outcome of that encounter will determine the trajectory of the tournament for the Super Eagles. Their coach, Amodu Shuaibu, speaking on the match after the draws said he was happy his team will be starting out with the game against the Argentineans.
After the encounter with Argentina, the Eagles face Korea on June 17. Both sides have not meet at the World cup at senior level. The last meeting between both countries was at the U-17 level when Nigeria's Golden Eaglets beat Korea's U-17 3-1 in the quarter-final of the U-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria between October and November.
The Eagles will round off their group games on June 22 in an encounter with Greece. It will be Nigeria's second meeting with the former European champions. Their first encounter at the 1994 World Cup in the U.S. ended 2-0 in favour of Nigeria courtesy of goals from Finidi George and Daniel Amokachi.
Ivorian hard luck
Nigeria is not the only African side to be handed a tough assignment by the draws. Its West African brothers, Cote d'Ivoire led by Chelsea FC of England striker, Didier Drogba, have been lumped in Group G with five-time winners, Brazil, Euro 2004 finalists, Portugal and Korea Democratic Republic.
To get out of this group, Drogba and his colleagues have to be at their best, particularly against the Brazilians, who have been playing exciting football powered by young and delectable stars like Kaka, Maicon and Robinho to name a few of the Jewels in the Carlos Dunga coached side.
In Group C, Ghana have their job clearly cut out. They will play against Australia, Serbia and three-time champions, Germany. To the uninitiated, Ghana's only obstacle may be the Germans but for those who followed the qualifying campaigns for the 2010, they know that Serbia's impressive performance forced the former champions into a play off with Ireland. The central Europeans not only topped the group but rounded off its qualifying campaign with a 5-0 rout of Romania on October 11 this year.
For Algeria, making a return to the World Cup after 26 years, a difficult job awaits them in Group C where they have been grouped with England, U.S.A. and Slovenia. The last African country and hosts of the tournament, South Africa, will play in Group A alongside Mexico, France and Uruguay.
The groups
Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana,
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile.
Read more…
If someone told me years ago, when I was a devoted member of the Pioneer organization, that one day I would start reading articles describing the various ways to love my own body and then discuss them with my girlfriends, I would kick their butts.
Good girls have no clue what a man and a woman do when left alone or where kids come from, let alone more complicated issues.
If you are still in the dark and pretend to have no idea where to put a condom, do not read any further. Otherwise, you’ll blush and your moral values will be shattered. Although you probably read in the Biblical Book of Genesis a story of Onan who had sex with the wife of his diseased brother but performed coitus interruptus each time, spilling his "seed" on the ground. The story says that this displeased God, who killed him.
For some reason, this story is often mentioned by priests as an example of God’s punishment for those who masturbate. However, the story only describes coitus interruptus used by many couples, and not masturbation that we will be talking about.
Majority of doctors believe that a lion share of all our issues is caused by the fact that we do not know our own bodies well. Marriages collapse because spouses are not satisfied with their sexual lives. Men cheat on their wives because the wives enjoy TV more than sex.
Michael Perry, a London sexologist, thinks that people first of all have to know their own bodies, sensations and desires.
Contemporary sex education specialists believe that masturbation is healthy, normal, and useful experience. Bernie Zilbergeld, the author of The New Male Sexuality, said that masturbation was a form of relaxation. It is not physically harmful, no matter how frequently it is practiced.
Some women have extremely negative reaction towards masturbation. Avodah Offit, a writer and psychiatrist, the author of Virtual Love, described the following situation in her book. Once she received a late night call. A woman was calling to complain that her husband was having a fit of raving madness. As it turned out, she woke up in the middle of the night to see that her husband was masturbating. The lady was so naïve that she thought her husband was doing it in his sleep. Many women cannot understand that sex can take other forms other than regular sex with a partner. Masturbation, however, is not a replacement for that. Some couples think that mutual masturbation or looking at the masturbating partner can be a pleasant experience.
the difference between coitus and masturbation is physiological. Glands that release pre-ejaculatory secretion during foreplay are not used during masturbation. Different sets of nerve endings are involved during these two acts, which affects the nature and quality of an orgasm. Michael Perelman, a sexologist, believes that women who claim masturbation to be a “mental adultery” underrate the importance of this exercise in keeping their marriages monogamous. Masturbation helps men to have versatility, relax, and be faithful in real life. Women who do not mind “mental adultery” are most likely happier in their marriages. Sexologists also recommend masturbation to those men who suffer from erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.
Some specialists suggest that masturbation that does not result in an orgasm an hour before coitus causes a stronger and longer erection. Masturbation is also believed to improve reproductive function.
For women, masturbation is a chance of a stronger orgasm. Masturbation is most frequently practiced at the age of 25-50 years old. Married people masturbate less frequently, and it is especially true for married men. Frequency of masturbation varies from once or twice a year to once or twice a day.
Arguments “pro” masturbation
- You will not hear “I’m too tired.”
- You can masturbate whenever and wherever you want.
- STDs are not an issue.
- No one knows you better than you know yourself.
- No side effects!
- Women can use the following tools: cucumbers, bananas, carrots (a condom should be used to prevent infection), used mascara applicators, plastic toys, shower heads, electric toothbrushes, deodorant containers, and, naturally, hands.
17.8% of women who participated in a poll think that there is nothing wrong in studying their own bodies and satisfying themselves. Men think that masturbation is natural, especially when it helps release stress.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 6, 2009 at 9:40pm
Understanding the nation’s brand of Nazism
Nazism - a term associated with the Third Reich, that conjures fear, hatred and awe especially among the Jews because of the genocide of the fuhrer . Reminiscences of the atrocities of the triad of Hitler, Goering and Gobbeles, their march on Czechoslovakia, Poland, the breach of the Belgian neutrality, their adventures in France, Russia and the Bombing of London were atrocities unparalleled in history. Perhaps the climax of the Hitlerian genocide was the final solution, which meant the extermination of the Jews.
The Nazi had their bedfellows all over the world; the Pol Pots and Suhatos of Indonesia, the Pinochets of Chile; the Eyademas of Togo, The Mobutus of Congo Democratic Republic (CDR) the Idi Amins of Uganda and the Mugabes of Zimbabwe. A sprinkling of them also reincarnated in Nigeria: the Abacha's, the Babangidas and the Obasanjo'. Nigerians generally believe that Abachas was the worst tyrant Nigeria had ever produced, but some people think otherwise. They have certain traits in common: brutality, ferociousness, narcissism and paranoia.
Sometime ago, I read an interview granted by General Jeremiah Useni, retired, popularly known as “Jerry Boy”, and what intrigued me was his refusal to make a comparison between Abacha and Obasanjo. When the interviewer asked him which government he preferred, Obasanjo's or Abacha's, he replied “there was no basis for comparison, Abacha is a Saint! “ The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory even warned the journalist never to compare the two rulers, for he was convinced beyond doubt that Abacha is a Saint compared to the Obasanjo. Although in matters concerning abstract values, people differ in visualizing their scales of judgment and this makes it pretty difficult to conjecture from what binoculars, prism or ideological aperture the former Minister saw the duo.
Again, the argument seems to have been brought to its peak at the 11th anniversary of Abacha's death, when other tyrants like Babangida and Buhari claimed that Abacha did not steal money and therefore exonerated him of his misdeeds of the past. I know that both Christians and Muslims abhor speaking ill of the dead, but they also believe in eschatology and the virtues of truth. Therefore any argument that seeks to beatify an African leader is a serious one that must of necessity be dragged to the court of public opinion.
I therefore elected to compare and contrast the nefarious activities of Abacha and Obasanjo, who operated like the Nazi's in their desecration of democratic values, censoring the press, their penchant for destruction and primitive accumulation. The time difference of the two leaders notwithstanding, both Abacha and Obasanjo were groomed in the military tradition of Sandhurst Academy. Perhaps the thin line of distinction is that whereas Abacha held the reins of power at a time Nigeria was navigating the brink of anarchy, Obasanjo was graciously released from the gulag to be having being persuaded by IBB, a fellow Sandhurst trained tyrant, to be President. By that position OBJ became the Head of State and arrogated to himself near-omnipotent powers to head all organs of government, including the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Peoples DemocraticParty and even emasculated the judiciary. His economic policies of privatization was unpopular as he imposed maximum hardship on the masses, with astronomically increase in petroleum products and its attendant spiraling inflation. It was like the Nazi's who conquered Ukraine and stole all their food and exported to Germany.
Both were ferocious in persecuting political opponents. The high point of Abacha's goons was the extra-judicial murders of the Ogoni nine including Ken Saro-wiwa, and the abbreviation of late Kudirat Abiola - wife of late Chief M.K.O. Abiola - the acclaimed winner of the June 12 1993 Presidential elections. Obasanjo's eight years witnessed more than seventy documented high profile politically motivated murders. On the contrary, Abacha never feigned ignorance of his timidity. He read no printed matter, did not give a damn about the international media opinions; he only depended on his marabouts and fortune tellers who conjured voodoo inspiration to prop up his tyranny as long as it lasted. Obasanjo definitely scored a shade above distinction in terms of persecuting political opponents including his Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and he prosecuted such battles like holy wars under the guise of restoring sanity to the polity. The President and his Vice tried to outdo each other in kleptomania.
On the economic front, OBJ could have been scored very high if his reform agenda succeeded in creating even some marginal impact. At no time in Nigeria's history has the price of crude oil soared to $80 per barrel. With the stupendous wealth accruing from crude oil, Obasanjo inaugurated what he called a “Reform Agenda”. First, OBJ suffocated the banking sector by weeding out the small players under the re-capitalization scheme with Prof. Soludo as the CBN Chief. He also assembled a few pro-IMF egg heads to give legitimacy to his reforms. The administration embarked on a privatization spree and sold all choice corporations to his friends and cronies. Otedola and Dangote were major beneficiaries of the President's largesse. Third, he increased the pump price of petroleum products about nine times, and each time an increase was announced, he justified it by pontificating the same argument that our refineries were producing at very low capacity. This argument is difficult to reconcile with the huge sums of money voted for Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the refineries. Fourth, OBJ's IMF team like fifth columnists plotted to obliterate the time-honoured “public good” concept of education through a policy of marketisation of institutions including the unity schools. Nigerians know the truth about the stories surrounding the African Petroleum, the PTDF imbroglio, the Pentascope saga and now the gale of scandals have radiated to the power sector, Police Equipment Fund, Aviation Intervention Fund and others yet to catch the eager gaze of the anti-graft agencies. It is because of the despicable role Chukwuma Soludo played that makes this writer believe that Soludo is not the kind of Governor Anambra State needs now. The State has a formidable assemblage of tested technocrats, with experience in statecraft.
Arguably, the past eight years of mis-rule have brought about double digit inflation, increase in the price of petroleum products; privatization of refineries and all that could be regarded as our national heritage. At least under Abacha, the educational system was stable, the exchange rate of the naira was tolerably low and inflation was single digit. Worse than the Abacha junta, Nigeria in the past eight years can be described as a corporatized entity. Wages are not keeping pace with the spiraling inflation, graduate unemployment has worsened, our educational institutions seem to have lost their glamour and the so called reform agenda is like bitter pills forced down the throat of Nigerians. For nearly eight years Obasanjo was misguided by a class of mindless pro-IMF economic adventurers who mis-interpreted pro-poor growth as development. Economic growth was only noticed in Soludo's power point presentations, but the reality is that Obasanjo's eight years reign wrecked havoc and increased the misery index of Nigerians, as epitomized in the life expectancy rate, standard of living, access to health care facilities and other basic infrastructure including education.
Obasanjo and Abacha were both sworn enemies of the media. Abacha muzzled the press because he never read newspapers but OBJ deliberately killed the independent media, climaxed by his refusal to assent to the “Freedom of Information Bill”. Thus while Abacha attacked the physical manifestation of the media such as censoring the press, jailing practitioners, OBJ killed the soul of the press; and he who kills the soul is the real murderer of press freedom. Even the Freedom of Information Bill, which has been muzzled by the NASS may continue to suffer setbacks in the future. It is still in the morgue, and only some esoteric conjuration may bring it up for the gracious discussion of the honourable men.
One of the casualties of the Obasanjo self-perpetuation scheme was the lethal injury inflicted on the electoral system. Obasanjo superintended over the worst elections ever conducted in Nigeria since independence. Elections are supposed to be a decision-making process where people give their mandate to their representatives at all levels of government. In political theory, the principal mechanism for translating that consent into governmental authority is the conduct of free and fair elections. The 2007 elections were characterized by massive rigging and bizarre subversion of the popular will. The hullabaloo about electronic voting system and the over seventy billion naira of the taxpayers' money expended on the project demonstrated monumental waste. The NASS may not be in a hurry to review the Electoral Act because of the self-perpetuation scheme. That is the unenviable legacy Obasanjo bequeathed to the Nigerian State and the Yar'Adua administration is too slow to push through these reforms. They may never see the light of day till 2011 or even beyond.
OBJ can be described as the luckiest Nigerian, yet his years of democratic rule also witnessed more strikes, more riots, more collapsed buildings, more crashed airplanes, more politically motivated assassinations and other sundry disasters. The causes of these events are being investigated but this may continue ad infinitum. Of course the Nigerian Police lacks the capacity to investigate because of the bogey of corruption and the get-rich-quick mania.
Abacha's regime centralized corruption such that only Abacha, his friends and other lackeys of the junta enriched themselves. On the contrary OBJ set out to fight corruption by establishing ICPC and EFCC. Whereas ICPC has since inception not recorded any landmark achievements, the EFCC was used as an outfit to hunt down politicians who overtly expressed disdain for the third tenure plot. Nigeria's corruption rating by Transparency International was higher in the last 8 years. Even the World Bank reported in 2003 that 51% of corrupt activities were perpetuated at the Presidency. Now Nigeria ranks 130th among 180 countries in the corruption perception index.
•John wrote from Yenagoa
To many impartial observers, OBJ only de-centralized corruption and corporatized Nigeria under the guise of reforms. Verily, the application of double-standards has diminished the tempo of the anti-corruption crusade. This momentum may be gained with the sack of the former anti-corruption Czar. In fact, the Czar has long been replaced by Mrs. Farida Waziri, who in the imagination of most Nigerians, is attempting to re-position the outfit but the NASS poses a huge bottleneck. Obasanjo - the civil war hero, and gentleman farmer of the Operation Feed the Nation fame, wore the garb of democracy but like Abacha, he suffered from acute military hangover. A soldier by training, character and actions, an archetypal dictator, OBJ sought to push through his punitive reforms by brute force rather than appeal to the conscience of Nigerians. It would therefore be a terrible misnomer for anyone to see the past eight years of unmitigated disaster as democratic rule.
Obasanjo is a fighter and he fought very hard to humiliate his opponents. His is lucky and audacious but bereft of the basic elements followers look out for in a democratic leader. It is difficult for a leopard to change his skin, and for most Nigerians with strong analytical minds, his two tenures in power will go down as an uneventful interlude of military hangover.
I am one of those Nigerians calling for the trial of OBJ, IBB, Chief Tony Anineh, Atiku, and other Nigerian involved in high profile corruption. especially on account of the economic atrocities perpetrated against Nigerians for the past eight years. Obasanjo should also tell Nigerians the truth about the punitive expedition he sent to Odi, Okerenkoko, Odioma, and other communities that were laid waste during his inglorious tenure. Nigerians have the right to know how the former President made his stupendous wealth, using his office as President.
The trial of OBJ and his Vice-Atiku by the EFCC will complete the anti-corruption war, and many Nigerians are looking forward to the time this would happen under the Yar'Adua administration. As a student of creative philosophy I have the conviction that leaders, no matter their description, ideological orientation or world view, must account for their stewardship at some date in the future. Just as the Nazi war criminals were tried in Nuremberg and convicted, the Nigerian brand of Nazists should be tried and convicted, and only then will there be full restitution and the souls of their victims will rest in perfect peace.
Idumange John (Mnim, CBA)
Is a University Lecturer and Activist
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 6, 2009 at 9:37pm
Policeman kills okada rider - AC killed - Houses Burnt - Civilian casualties uncertain
Tragedy struck in Bariga, Lagos, at the weekend as a policeman killed a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada for not wearing crash helmet.
The motorcyclist, Mr. Kehinde Olayiwola, was shot to death by one Mr. Nlephen Sunday, a police officer with service number 324788 attached to Pedro Police Station on Thursday because Olayiwola’s passenger failed to wear crash helmet.
Sunday Tribune gathered that the policemen, who included Constable Olajide Samuel, 430490, Constable Lawrence Egbe, 378079, and Sergeant Egbemebor Sunday with service number 193603 of Pedro Police Station often waylay commercial motorcyclists along Bariga Road for not wearing helmet.
It was learnt that the policemen had charged Mr. Olayiwola to pay some money for carrying a passenger who had refused to wear the helmet but the okada man could not pay the money.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as Dotun, told Sunday Tribune that the policeman, Mr. Nlephen, shot Olayiwola at the belly because he refused to compromise.
Dotun said, “Immediately they saw that the okada man fell down, the policemen wanted to run away but the crowd apprehended them and took their names and numbers.”
However, Olayiwola died while receiving treatment at Gbagada General Hospital while his body had since been deposited at the Ikorodu General Hospital’s mortuary.
Speaking to Sunday Tribune, a Pastor of the Four Square Gospel Church, Magboro, Gauun Road, a suburb in Ogun State where Olayiwola attended, Reverend Sunday Igbalajobi, said that police has been using various tricks to bury the case.
He told Sunday Tribune that the police did not let the family know when they carried away Olayiwola’s body from Gbagada General Hospital.
“The police hid their vehicle, a white Ford with registration number NPF 9532 B with the inscription of Area H Bariga at the back of the hospital. They blocked sympathizers from entering the hospital and quickly tok the body away. I had to follow them when I realized that they had carried the dead body. I trailed their vehicle to Ikorodu where they deposited the body,” the pastor said.
...Another foils his kidnap attempt
Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr Jonathan Johnson has recommended for promotion an ASP for foiling a kidnap attempt and robbery at Enugu/Port-Harcourt expressway, by overpowering the gang and killing them in a shoot out.
The commissioner said, the officer, who was heading back to Aba after a usual security briefing at the headquarters in Umuahia, ran into the gang that dragged him out of his car into a land cruiser jeep, and left him in the company of one of them while they went to chase their main target.
It was at this point that he was able to dispossess the robber of his gun, took cover in the bush and alerted the joint army patrol force that reinforced and helped him kill the rest of the armed robbers.
Mr. Johnson who disclosed this when speaking with newsmen at the Abia state Police Command, Umuahia, said it was unknown to the armed robbers/kidnappers that the man they had caught was a police officer.
Items recovered from the hoodlums include three AK47 rifles, ten magazines, a laptop, a motorcycle and a land cruiser jeep while two of the robbers died on the spot as a result of gunshot wounds.
Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on December 2, 2009 at 7:41pm
Yar’Adua’s family divided over resignation bid - He must resign - Mum - No, he’s fit to continue - Turai - Resign now, el-Rufai, Nnamani, Masari, Falae, 50 others tell Yar’Adua - Security tightened at Aso Rock - Ogbulafor meets Jonathan - Senate rejects motion on president’s health - VP summons Bayelsa gov, deputy
From Taiwo Adisa, Adewale Ajayi, Donald Ojogo, Okey Muogbo and Ayodele Adesanmi
THE family of President Umaru Yar’Adua is said to be divided over the bid by some forces to have the President resign his position on the basis of his ill health.
your 9jabook advertisement here call 07083793511
Sources on Tuesday said there was a sharp division between the president’s wife, Hajia Turai and his mother, Hajia Dada Habib, over the next step to take by the president.
While the mother was said to be advocating that the president should resign so that he could take care of his health, Hajia Turai was said to be insisting that he would soon get over his health challenges.
A source said the matriarch of the Yar’Adua family was insisting that her son should be brought back to the country alive, while he should resign from the office to face his health situation.
It was gathered that the matriarch also insisted in her calls to Hajia Turai that she did not want to lose Umaru like she lost his elder brother, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
It was gathered that Turai had to attend this year’s hajj and she was sighted at Mina, Saudi Arabia. This, a source said, she had to do, though it was not originally on the travel agenda.
It was gathered that the first lady had insisted that her prayers and those of millions of Nigerians would surely work and her husband would soon recover.
Calls for the president to resign had started gaining grounds on Tuesday, following indications that his condition relapsed at the weekend.
Though there were plans to receive the president early this week, this did not materialise, as his condition was said to have relapsed late on Saturday.
Reports from the governors and other government functionaries who visited Saudi Arabia also indicated that none of them was able to see the president as he had been kept in intensive care from Sunday.
It was gathered that the presidency had beefed up security at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was said to have cancelled all late night appointments.
Sources said the vice-president had taken the precaution since Thursday, so as not to give the wrong impression that he was holding nocturnal meetings.
A source said most of those who had late night appointments on Friday were reached to either come earlier in the day, or reschedule such appointments for another day.
Also in Abuja, on Tuesday, sources informed that some Northern political power brokers had started thinking of options left in the wake of the president’s ailing health.
It was gathered that some groups were already thinking of supporting the bid to ask the president to resign from office so as to pave the way for a strong personality to emerge as vice-president to Jonathan.
It was, however, gathered that underneath such plans was the plot that would ensure that the vice presidential candidate would engineer the removal of Jonathan through impeachment after a short stay in office, such that power could effectively return to the North.
But some concerned Nigerians were already alerting the international community to the unfolding situation in the country. Former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, visited the British Embassy in Abuja, where he discussed the issues of Nigeria’s electoral reform and the president’s health with the high commissioner.
Tinubu had earlier visited the German and the United States embassies before the Tuesday call at the British embassy. He specifically raised the issue of electoral reform during his earlier visits to the embassies.
Sources said Tinubu spoke the minds of opposition figures during the visit to the British embassy, where he was said to have told the high commissioner that Nigeria would abide by constitutional order, no matter what happenned to the president.
Sources close to some groups in the North, however, said the only option open to the region now was to quickly pick a strong candidate as vice-president, while allowing Jonathan to take over as president.
Meanwhile, former Senate President Mr. Ken Nnamami; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Masari; General Alani Akinrinade, Chief Olu Falae and 50 other eminent Nigerians have demanded for the resignation of President Yar’Adua, arguing that his deteriorating health had made it difficult for him to perform his functions as the president of the country.
The concerned Nigerians, which included members of the civil society groups, Dr. Joe Okei–Odumakin and Mrs Ayo Obe, said it was known to every discerning observer that President Yar’Adua’s physical condition had had a negative impact on his ability to discharge the functions of the highest office in the nation.
According to them, “within the last few months, he has been unable to attend to crucial affairs of the state at home and abroad and whenever he has found time to do so, his judgment appears impaired by his ill-health.“
They noted that his health condition had necessitated several medical trips abroad but he had not transmitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he was proceeding on vacation or that he was, otherwise, unable to discharge the functions of his office as required by Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution.
They observed that President Yar’Adua, though was invited to attend the United Nations General Assembly for which a private meeting had been arranged between him and President Barack Obama for high level discussions of issues mutually beneficial to Nigeria and the United States, he went to Saudi Arabia to “open a university” which was a dummy sold to cover up his treatment.
The concerned Nigerians said it was also common knowledge that the incapacity of the president had affected the implementation of the nation’s budget because he had been unable to coordinate the management of the national economy and to preside over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in a diligent manner.
They noted that in the circumstance, ministers had routinely flouted the orders of the president and engaged in in-fighting as a direct result in the vacuum of leadership.
“As responsible and concerned individuals from every part of Nigeria, we call on President Yar’Adua to immediately choose the honourable option of either resigning his office immediately, or, if he is confident of his true physical condition, request the FEC to pass a resolution pursuant to Section 144 (1) of the Constitution to the effect that the president appears incapable of discharging the functions of his office. This honourable step will enable the Senate President to appoint a medical panel to confirm the fitness or otherwise of the president to continue in office,” they said.
The group of Nigerians said they sympathised with the president over his health, but the country needed effective governance.
“We sympathise with him and believe that his health should be given priority attention. At the same time, the need to provide effective governance for this nation of over 150 million people cannot be compromised,” they said.
Those that signed the document included Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Chief John Oyegun, Dr. Tunji Braith-waite, Colonel Abubakar Umar (rtd).
Others were Professor Itse Sagay, Alhaji Buba Galadima, Honourable Olawale Oshun, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Alhaji Adamu Waziri, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Mr. Femi Falana, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Alhaji Sadiq Yar’Adua, Honourable Adamu Farouk Aliyu, Chief Jos Ayomike.
Also included were Hajia Naja’atu Muha-mmeed, Ms. Annkio Briggs, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, Chief Supo Shonibare, Mr. Odia Ofeimun, Honourable Lawal Garuba, Mr. Biodun Sowunmi and Dr. Ishaq Kurufi, among others.
Meanwhile, suspense and uncertainty still remain the words, as the nation prays for the quick recovery of President Yar’Adua who is currently undergoing medical attention in Saudi Arabia.
The suspense heightened as security around the President Villa, Abuja, has been tighetened.
Vice-President Jonathan, who, the Nigerian Tribune learnt, gave the directive, had also barred visitors who did not have any official responsiblity.
This development is coming amid political power permutations and debates over a perceived succession battle between the South and North.
The nation has contended with media reports that the number two man, from the South-South, has been under intense pressure from Northern power players to resign in anticipation of a vacuum arising from the inability of President Yar’Adua to continue in office.
Both the office of the vice-president and the ruling PDP had denied that there were such pressures on Jonathan.
But, according to the source, the vice-president, on Monday evening, subtly restricted all visitors to the villa.
“From Monday evening, oga has directed that all visitors who do not have any official thing to do should be stopped by the security agents. This will remain in force until the arrival of the president anytime from now.
“For now, there are no more courtesy calls because such calls are usually unpatriotic and mischievous in their motives and intentions. The man has told those who wanted to pay a courtesy visit to him to wait until after this period of prayers for the president. Most importantly, those who want to offer prayers for the president or support the vice-president in prayer should remain in their homes. Most of such moves are indirect lobbying for a non-existing position because by the grace of God, the president will join us soon,” the source said.
However, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, was sighted at the office of the vice-president on Tuesday afternoon.
The purpose of the visit was not known as State House reporters could not have an interview with him before he left.
He came at the time the vice-president was meeting with a team of businessmen from South Korea and went upstairs.
Ogbulafor was quoted in one national daily on Tuesday to have declared that the office of the president of Nigeria was not vacant, an apparent reference to those calling for constitutional action over the long period the president had been away for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the office of President Yar’Adua remained quiet on Tuesday as government activities shifted to the office of vice- president.
But Vice-President Jonathan, it was learnt, has summoned the Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva and his deputy, Peremobowei Ebebi, to Abuja, over the current political turmoil pervading the state in the wake of the local government primary of the party.
Violence was reported to have marred the exercise, even as protests rocked the state in the last four days, with each trading accusations.
The invitation to Abuja, it was learnt, was not unconnected to the reported explosion which occurred beside a filling station reportedly owned by the deputy governor, who had raised the alarm that his life was being threatened by agents alleged to be the governor’s loyalists.
The Senate, at the plenary session on Tuesday, refused to have a special debate on the state of the health of President Yar’Adua, who was currently undergoing medical treatment in a Saudi Arabian hospital.
It, however, urged all Nigerians, no matter their religious beliefs, to fervently pray for quick recovery of the president.
The Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, after Order 42 and 52 of Senate Standing Rule, asked the Senate to allow him to present a motion on the state of health of the president.
According to him, “Mr. President, the subject matter of my motion which I discussed with you yesterday and this morning is the state of health of our dear president, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“Under Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rule, the matter for discussion shall, if possible, be referred to the President of the Senate before commencement of the day’s sitting and the President of the Senate shall refuse to allow the claim unless he is satisfied that the matter is definite and urgent.
“Notice shall not be dispensed with in the case of a motion or in respect of any other proceeding for which notice is required except with the consent of the president of the Senate and general assent of the senators present.”
Consequently, in a reply to Ndoma-Egba, the Senate President, David Mark, said “distinguished colleagues, Senator Ndoma-Egba discussed a motion which he intends to raise this morning with me. I have no problem with the motion. Basically, it is just to ask us and the nation to continue to pray for the improvement and for the quick recovery of the president.
“That is the summary of the motion. I have no problem with it, but as is required by Order 42, I have to seek the consent of the Senate and if we are up to one-fifth in support of his moving the motion, then we allow him to raise the motion. It is a very short motion.”
However, when the Senate President put it to the whole house, the response was negative.
The Senate Committee Chairman on Media and Publicity, Senator Ayogu Eze, told newsmen that the Senate President had earlier called for prayer for the president and it would be a mere waste of time to start debating it.
Eze, who briefed National Assembly correspondents, said, “the reason we did not take that motion is that as a serious chamber, we don’t indulge in surplusage. The Senate President is the chief spokesman for the Senate and chief spokesman for the National Assembly and he has just issued a statement on the same matter, asking Nigerians to pray for our president.
kustomize page ! set privacy INVITE FRIENDS ! Change Profile Photo Musik !
jokes encycleopedia
