A female bank manager with a new generation bank in Onitsha (names withheld) has committed suicide following her alleged involvement in the defrauding of her bank of over N30 million.advertisementSources close to the bank told Daily Champion that the lady who was said to be in her late 40s was until her death, the operations manager of the bank in Onitsha. She allegedly removed the money from the bank’s vault about a fortnight ago.But the fraud was discovered when a team of auditors from the bank found out that what was in the paper did not tally with the amount in the vault and started to raise questions on what actually happened.The lady from Abia State was absent from the office when the fraud was discovered.When she came to work the following Friday, she was confronted with the missing money, but the lady was said to have excused herself from the other senior staff around and went up the supper floor of the office.While her colleagues were discussing, the lady had plunged from an air conditioner opening on the third floor and landed on the ground outside the bank.The source said it was the shout and cry of people outside the bank that attracted the bank staff, but by then her two legs had broken and she was unconscious.The lady was immediately rushed to New Hope Hospital, Onitsha where she died.Contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP), confirmed the incident but said they are still investigating the matter.Daily Champion, however, learnt that the marketing manager and the auditor of the bank who were detained by the police after the incident, have been granted bail.Sources said that the lady must have been swindled by some con-men who promised to use the money to invest in the lifting of crude oil, but when the game was up and they were not forthcoming, she could not bear it, especially after putting many years of service to the bank.
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A Manchester United fan in 9geria has allegedly killed four people when he drove into a crowd of Barcelona supporters after his team's Champions League defeat.
Police said the crowd in the town of Ogbo were celebrating Barcelona's victory when the minibus drove into them.
A police spokeswoman said ten people were injured and the driver was arrested.
She said: "The driver had passed the crowd then made a U-turn and ran into them."
Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 in what has been hailed as a "dream final" between two of Europe's best clubs.
Both teams have large fan bases in 9geria, Africa's most populous nation.
http://9jakids.ning.com
Naija children now have a social network
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Published on: Friday, 29 May 2009To ensure that a seat is available for you please send an email directly or a text to confirm attendance or participation.nlibertyforum@googlemail.comSTATE OF THE Ni.ge.r.iaN NATIONLondon Metropolitan UniversityStapleton HouseHolloway Road London N7 8HNConfirmed SpeakersProf Wole SoyinkaMallam Nuhru RibaduBarrister Femi FalanaProf Sola AdeyeyeSowore OmoyeleSister Affiong AffiongOkey NdibeKayode OgundamisiThis event is organised by Ni.ge.r.ia Liberty Forum with the support of London Metropolitan UniversityNig.er.ia Liberty ForumMr Kayode Ogundamisi or Dr Abraham Dalang email: nlibertyforum@googlemail.comTel: 07951402986Media Enquiries for NLF Event.E-mail: nlibertyforum@googlemail.com Phone + 447984212553 Media Contact Only.THE STATE OF THE Ni.ge.r.iaN NATION SYMPOSIUMEvent Date: Friday, 29 May 2009 Event Time: 09:00:am - 05:00mEvent Location: London Metropolitan University Stapleton House Holloway Road London N7 8HNPROFILE OF SPEAKERSKey SpeakerProfessor Oluwole "Wole" SoyinkaProfessor Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka is a Ni.ge.r.ian writer, poet and playwright. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, the first African to be so honoured. In 1994, he was designated United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Goodwill Ambassador for the promotion of African culture, human rights, freedom of expression, media and communication.Mallam Nuhu RibaduMallam Nuhu Ribadu former Executive Chairman of Nig.eria'sEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the government commission tasked with countering corruption and fraud. Under Ribadu's administration, the EFCC has charged prominent bankers, former ministers, Senate presidents, high-ranking political party members and large-scale 419 gang operators.Sister Affiong L. AffiongSister Affiong L. Affiong is Secretary General of Moyo wa Taifa, a Pan Afrikan Women's Solidarity Network based in the UK and Ghana . Her political life began as a student activist in the Ni.ge.r.ian student union movement in 1983 at the University of Ibadan and at the University of Lagos in 1987. In 1990, she relocated to the UK where she is active within the Black community where she has worked as a political organiser, campaigner and community advocate on race, immigration, employment and other anti discrimination issues in the community.Barrister Femi FalanaBarrister Femi Falana. President of the West African bar Association. Femi Falana is acknowledged as a credible and consistent voice in the ongoing campaign for a just rule of law in Nige.ria. He is highly regarded as a strong and effective pillar against rights abuses and tyrannical rule as well as an advocate of good governance in Ni.ge.r.ia and across Africa.Sowore OmoyeleSowore Omoyele.Omoyele Sowore is a Ni.ge.r.ian who has spent the last years working to promote human rights and democracy in Ni.ge.r.ia, and to stop the militarization and violence that multinational oil companies have brought to his country. He is the publisher of the anti fraud on line magazine Sahara Reporters New York.Okey NdibeOkey Ndibe is a novelist, poet, political activist from Yola, Ni.ge.r.ia. He is the author of Arrows of Rain, a critically reviewed novel published in 2000. Ndibe relocated to the USA in 1988, where he founded African Commentary, an award-winning and widely acclaimed a magazine. He is a published poet, and a former associate professor of English at Bard College at Simon's Rock.Event Moderator:Professor Sola AdeyeyeProfessor Sola Adeyeye former Ni.ge.r.ian law maker, scientist, pro democracy activist, social justice campaigner and renowned for Human Rights Campaigns.Other invited speakers:Representatives of the Ni.ge.r.ian High CommissionLondon Metropolitan University Bussiness SchoolNLF Convenor Kayode Ogundamisi
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IN line with the vision to improve the transport system in Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Fashola has commissioned 1,255 modern taxi cabs for the second phase of his administration' s Modern Taxi Scheme.Commissioning the cabs yesterday at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, Fashola noted that the feat, which was in partnership with the private sector, is the actualisation of one of the many campaign promises made by him during his pre-governorship election campaign to boost employment and change the face of the state.He said: "Our strategic partnership with the private sector has yielded yet another positive result. It is evident in our waste management, our security management, road transportation and construction, among other sectors of the economy that the success of the private partnership has recorded."This partnership has brought about 1,255 taxi cabs and by immediate consequence, 1,255 direct jobs. It also confirms that the private sector is the engine of growth and that government policies and actions are the fuel that are necessary to guide this engine of growth."The occasion, the governor said, afforded the state government opportunity to open a new sector of democratic development and dividend, applauding the involvement of I-Trans Logistics and other taxi cab operators as encouraging.Managing Director of I-Trans Logistics, Adebayo Ajakaye, who disclosed that his company was the second to be licensed in the state, took up the challenge to support the state government's development projects "because we see the genuine desire by the governor and his team to move the state forward by laying the beautiful future foundation for Lagosians now and those unborn."The management of the I-Trans Logistics further explained that the feat would boost and repackage taxi operations in the state.Noting that I-Trans' 200 black I-Tec Honda cabs were sponsored by the South African-based GROFIN, the Executive Director, Corporate Service, Segun Omoworare, stated that the 200 cars in the taxi fleet cost about N500 million, adding that "they were duly insured by the state Assurance Company (LASACO)."In another development, Fashola has reiterated the commitment of his administration to making a difference by improving the wellbeing of the largest number of people in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).He spoke at the South-West Zonal Conference on Deepening Women's Understanding and Participation in the Implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)/African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) - National Programme of Action (NPOA) organised by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government in conjunction with Equity Advocates and NEPAD - Nigeria held at Eko FM Hall, LTV 8, Agidingbi.Fashola, whose speech was delivered by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Mr. Rotimi Agunloye, emphasised his desire to ensure eradication of extreme poverty and inequality, empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, as well as other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop the global partnership for development.
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Tragedy struck Naija football on Tuesday morning when Warri Wolves first-choice goalkeeper, Adun Orobosa, slumped and died during a training session at the Oleh Township Stadium in Delta State.
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Spokesman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) club, Azuka Chiemeka, confirmed the death too our correspondent on Tuesday afternoon in a telephone interview.
Chiemeka disclosed that the goalkeeper was one of the three players that was attacked by soccer hooligans during the fracas that broke out at the Beverly Hills Hotel Mini Stadium in Nnewi, before the kick off of a Premier League match between Wolves and Enugu Rangers last Sunday.
Before Tuesday morning's tragedy, Chiemeka explained that Orobosa was certified okay by doctors at the Oleh Central Hospital on arrival from Nnewi after the botched Premier League encounter with Enugu Rangers.
"The death of our goalkeeper, Adun Orobosa, is a big shock to all of us at the club because he is a very jovial person, who loves to crack jokes. I should just refresh your mind about the whole situation. Orobosa was one of the players that were attacked and injured before the game against Enugu Rangers on Sunday by hooligans. When we returned to Oleh, he was taken to the Oleh Central Hospital, where the doctors certified him okay. Before the team's training session this (Tuesday) morning, he was asked if he was okay and he answered in the affirmative. He didn't complain of any pain. The training in question was just a light workout to condition the players for our next match.
"Unfortunately during the training session, this (Tuesday) morning Orobosa slumped and all attempts by our team doctor and physiotherapist to revive him yielded no fruits. So he was rushed to the Central Hospital in Oleh, where he was confirmed dead later," he said.
As at the time of writing this report, Chiemeka also confirmed that doctors at the Central Hospital in Oleh, who certified Orobosa dead, were carrying out an autopsy on his remains to ascertain the cause of his death.
The Wolves' image-maker said attempts are underway to notify the family of the deceased goalkeeper.
"There is no way we can keep this from his family. As I speak to you, the management is making attempts to reach out to his family to inform them of his death, which is a great loss not only to them but to us and football in general in this country," he remarked.
However, the cause of the player's death may not be unconnected with internal injuries he may have sustained in the wake of the melee that broke out in Nnewi before the Premier League encounter with Enugu Rangers.
In spite of the player being certified fit by the Central Hospital in Oleh, the judgment of the Warri Wolves' management and officials may be called to question for allowing Orobosa to take part in Tuesday's ill-fated training session.
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Nollywood actor Segun Arinze on Monday sought leave of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, to dissolve his 13-year-old marriage to Annette Aina-Padonou.Your Advertisement Here !The marriage is blessed with a 12-year-old daughter.Arinze told Justice Sybil Nwaka that the marriage had broken down irreparably and irreconcilably, after the couple had stayed apart for 11 years, since May 29, 1998.He said he was seeking the leave of the court to legally separate them to allow him go on with his life, promising to be responsible for their daughter’s upkeep.Arinze said they both found out after about a year into the marriage that they could not live together as husband and wife.The marriage was contracted at the Ikorodu Local Government Registry on May 10, 1996.Under cross examination by his counsel, Mr Henry Efere, the actor said their marital differences culminated in his wife packing out of their Surulere residence, 11 years ago.Arinze said he was not opposed to Annette taking custody of their daughter, Morenike Padonou, and assured the court that he would continue to be responsible for her upkeep.Nwaka adjourned the case to June 24 for further hearing.
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Yenagoa —The Ijaw in Washington DC the United States capital are planning to stage a demonstration march to the White House in protest against what they described as the ongoing genocide being unleashed on Ijaw communities by the JTF.
The essence of the demonstration it was learnt is to draw global attention to the intractable and ever-intensifying crisis and genocide in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Several Ijaw communities in the Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have been destroyed by the nation’s security forces in search of militants.
President of the Ijaw Foundation Board of Director, Ebipamone N. Nanakumo who disclosed this to Vanguard in a telephone interview from his base in the United States said the protest march is slated for next Monday June 1, 2009.
His words, “This is to inform all of us that arrangements are being made for an Ijaw Demonstration March in Washington DC next Monday, June 1, 2009 from 12:30 PM to 4:30PM.”
The protest march he said would commence at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, along the sidewalk and terminate at the White House.
According to him, “the Ijaw Foundation’s application for the permit for the demonstration was sent by FEDEX on Friday May 22, 2009, to the National Park Service in Washington DC . We expect the application to be approved.”
JTF offensive on Gbaramatu, intentional—Ijaw communities
THE Olero Ijaw Federated Communities in Delta State says the current carnage on Ijaw communities of Gbaramtu kingdom by the Joint Task Force is designed by the Nigerian state.
In a statement, yesterday, signed by the national secretary, Mr. Adanse Felix, the communities said, “we wish to state categorically that the recent onslaught against the Ijaw communities by the JTF is pre-planned by the Nigerian state”.
On the support for military action in the Niger-Delta by the House of Representatives, they said, “we detest the statement credited to the Speaker of House Representatives supporting military option and backing of the JTF”, it said, adding “it is barbaric and uncalled-for for the entire House to support the current carnage in d Niger Delta”.
According to them: “We want to call on Mr .President to order cessation of the hostilities that have claimed over 1,000 innocent lives in the creeks”.
“We also want to call on the International Community and the United Nations to set up an independent enquiry to probe the remote cause of the recent attacks against civil Ijaw communities.
“The UN and the International Community should not shy away from telling the truth and sanction the Nigerian government for the destruction of innocent civilians in their communities.
“We want to call on well-meaning individuals to help the displaced persons who are still trapped in the creeks without foodstuff and shelters. We sincerely pray for the repose of the souls that died as a result of the carnage”, they asserted.
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From Lemmy Ughegbe, AbujaIT was a sad end for an Ibadan-based panel beater, Mr. Emmanuel Olabode yesterday as the Supreme Court affirmed his death sentence for burning an apprentice, Kehinde Omotanwa to death about eight years ago.The Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division had on March 26, 2007 upheld the decision of an Oyo State High Court, which sentenced Olabode to death by hanging.In his bid to escape the hangman's noose, Olabode approached the apex court, praying it to upturn his conviction and the consequent death penalty passed on him.But in a unanimous decision of the five-man panel, the court held that the appeal lacked merit and accordingly dismissed it.In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Pius Aderemi, he espoused the facts of the case thus: "On the 18th of March, 2001, at the deceased's workshop at New Garage Area, Orita Challenge, Ibadan, Oyo State, where he (deceased) was an apprentice mechanic under one Adeleke Balogun, who testified as prosecution witness 1, the accused, a panel beater, poured petrol on the deceased and set him ablaze."Consequently, the deceased sustained severe burns all over his body. On seeing that the deceased was burning, the accused hastily left the scene of the incident and went to hide himself somewhere unknown."The deceased was taken to Adeoyo State Hospital, Ibadan where he was admitted for medical treatment."At a point in time after the incident, the accused surfaced in the hospital to see the deceased on admission for treatment. There, he undertook, in writing, to be responsible for the medical bill of the deceased, the written undertaking was tendered in the course of the proceedings."However the deceased died after 14 days thereafter."Justice Aderemi recounted further that after the demise of Omotanwa, the accused was charged for murder contrary to and punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Volume 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 1978.He pleaded not guilty to the charge. But after taking evidence from eyewitnesses, the High Court convicted him and sentenced him to death by hanging. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan but lost.Olabode finally appealed to the Supreme Court, which he told that the charge was not well explained to him at the trial stage.On that issue, Justice Aderemi said: "I have had a careful reading of the whole record of proceedings. I also find nothing suggesting that the accused did not understand the charge when read and explained to him."In fact, there is on record that the accused was educated up to the school certificate level."In conclusion, for all I have said, this appeal in my judgment is unmeritorious. It must be dismissed and it is accordingly dismissed. The judgment of the court below affirming the conviction and the sentence passed on the appellant by the trial court is also affirmed here
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I always knew it would happen; that the bubble of delusion would burst. But I never imagined that it would happen in such dramatic fashion and right on our doorstep.But then, when you refuse to face reality, reality, like the mountain, will come face to face with you; when you prefer to engage in hallucinatory delusion, the chances are always that someone who is less inclined to massage your ego will shiver your timber. That is precisely what happed at the recent African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) ceremonies.Nigeria's galaxy of Nollywood stars trapezed and sashayed down the Yenagoa Red Carpet (complete with bodyguards, would you believe it?!) probably pinching themselves that this is Hollywood and the Oscars, and not Yenagoa and AMAA. Delusion often does that to people; fantasy becomes fact and wishes become horses. But unknown to the overdressed and over-confident Nigerian contingent, reality was lurking in the city's Cultural Centre.Delusion has characterized Nollywood over the 17 years of its existence. Like all self-indulgent acts of delusion, we convinced ourselves that we now have a film industry and not the amateur video enterprise that it really is. Sometimes we even believe that Nollywood can now be mentioned in the same breath as Hollywood and Bollywood. I recall Frank Nweke, then Information Minister, in 2005 threatening to take Cannes Film Festival by storm with Nollywood films the next time around!I pictured the movie moguls who heard him chuckling into their glasses of champagne, and wondering what dreamland this Rip Van Winkle came out from. So why did Nigerian “films” not sweep the board as expected, but instead were swept away by entries from countries who do not boast anything near the output of Nollywood? Some critics have quite rightly described the failure as the triumph of quality over quantity. True. But it goes beyond the home video industry and right to the core of our national values and aspirations as a people.First is that we tend to equate growth with development; quantity with quality. We have the “fastest growing” mobile telephony in the world, yet we need three handsets to make one successful call. But Somalia without a government in 17 years has a more efficient mobile service. So the primary lesson of AMAA 2009 is that the awards are about CREATIVITY, not commerce. Nollywood must take note of this or remain an amateur home video enterprise, catering to idle women in hair dressing salons, and populated by pretentious actors and directors who see themselves as the peers of the Hollywood elite.When home video made its debut in 1992 with “Living in Bondage”, its success promised so much. So why did the enterprise quickly relapse into classic Nigerian complacency, bereft of creative dynamism? Why has it remained a home video, instead of graduating to the celluloid culture that a film industry should thrive on? Some of the reasons for this are germane to Nollywood itself; others derive from the character and values of our nation.But first, let us recognize that Nollywood is a misnomer; a conjecture, an imitation. Hollywood is a physical entity. Bollywood derives from Bombay, home of the Indian films (now renamed Mumbai - perhaps we should call it Mollywood!). But where would one find Nollywood? The N is, of course, from Nigeria. Beyond that Nollywood is a notion, a delusion. Nigerian home videos came at a time of cultural famine, when there were no cinemas, no theatres and very little avenues for creative outlet and enjoyment; a welcome respite from boredom and an over-bearing military. But the first mistake by Nollywood was that it was lured into a premature sense of greatness by the initial acclaim from a people starved of popular entertainment and lacking in today's pleasures of satellite TV. But like most things Nigerian, proliferation and mass production overtook the infant industry. Every Tomesi, Dike and Haruna became an actor, a director and a producer. Along came the marketers who had the capital but not the creative or artistic talent that drive a real film industry. They began to call the shots. They usurped the functions of the producers and casting directors, and reduced the directors, the creative soul of films, to nothing more than directors of photography. The marketers decided who to cast and how many episodes a film should run. On one occasion, they blacklisted a host of actors and actresses and nearly brought the business to its knees.The rest of us were too busy basking in the euphoria of the “third largest movie industry in the world,” to pause and ask the necessary question: Are we making movies or simply producing amateurish home videos that catered only to an uncritical mass? Those crowing over the recent UNESCO report should note that the organization restricted itself to quantity of films produced around the world, not quality.Ideally, the initial success of Nollywood was a signal to take stock and begin to grow the industry, professionalizing it into a viable film industry. But we were busy riding on the crest of popular euphoria. Soon we were showering accolades on mediocre actors and directors. Best actor, best director – by what standard? We judged them by our Naija standards, and forgot that their “films” had little artistic and creative merit. We chose to be patriotic rather than artistic.We also ignored another very important handicap: Nigeria does not have a tradition of theatre, drama and repertory, in spite of the pioneer efforts of the Ogundes, Soyinkas, Osofisans, and the Sonny Otis. Our decrepit National Theatre in Lagos bears testimony to that. British and American films grew and excelled because they had the West End and Shakespearean tradition, and Broadway respectively. These were the proving grounds for actors, writers and technicians who later made the transition to the big and small screens. In addition, while in the US, UK and India, the industry provides essential practical training at film academies, acting and drama schools, in typical Nigerian fashion, anyone can consider him or herself eminently qualified to act, write or direct.Secondly, a close look shows that Nollywood represents nearly all that is wrong with Nigerian society, beginning with a premature sense of greatness. I recall when my first novel was published in 1981. A reporter said to me: “You must be feeling on top of the world?” I was aghast: on top of the world with just one novel?Twenty-eight years and five novels later, I still do not feel on top of the world. It would appear that in the case of Nollywood, the initial success of “Living in Bondage”, the first home video, created an exaggerated sense of greatness. Also Bondage dealt with a cultural theme which resonated with ordinary Nigerians and has remained a dominant feature till today, while the consumers remained the uncritical mass. The incentive to innovate and develop was sacrificed, and pioneer film-makers such as Eddie Ugboma and Ola Balogun found no room or role in the mass market of Nollywood.In 17 years, Nollywood movies have remained grossly predictable, characterized by shallow storylines, poor scriptwriting, one dimensional acting, atrocious dialogue, and abysmally inept directing. There are more Igwes and red cap chiefs in a Nollywood film than in the whole of Igbo land. You can watch someone for 15 minutes examining a flat tyre, and another 20 minutes changing it.When Nollywood ventured into action movies, we found that they were exactly at the stage Indian films were 50 years ago. In an age of pyrotechnics and high-tech, Nigerian movies still feature plastic pistols and fake machine guns that shoot before the trigger is pulled, and villains that die in a pool of tomato juice before we hear the sound of gunshot. Violence is gratuitous, language is vulgar and nearly every Nigerian film carries a Violence and Language (VL) warning.Another delusion is the belief that Nigerian movies have global appeal. The truth is that Nigerian movies are only popular with Nigerians in Diaspora whose nostalgia and home-sickness find solace in Nollywood videos. Other countries find the obsession with witchcraft and fetish rituals quite laughable. No one can tell you that he went to a cinema to watch a Nollywood film; not even here in Nigeria. Indeed but for DSTv, Nigerian movies would have had no relevance. For this reason, the producers are only too glad to have their films shown on satellite television for peanuts and they have no control over exploitation and other rights, or how soon after their release TV can transmit them.But the final responsibility for the state of Nollywood rests with us as a people. Nigeria and Nollywood will be great when we begin to give and demand nothing but the best; when we are no longer content with how-for-do ; when we stop extolling mediocrity and hyping up mediocre achievements, and when we stop comparing ourselves with only ourselves, instead of the best.• Dr. Iroh, OON, wrote from Abuja
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Launching the childrens social network at http://9jakids.ning.com !
Tell your kids Tell your nieces,nephews,cousins etc !
"I would Die for my child ! " Screamed a woman at the Bus Stop ! i listened, intially thinking she was mad but as my bus drove off i understood that statement and I agreed.It is one of those unconditional Statements.Not yet a mother but already I understand the selflessness my own mother showers upon me even at her old age and i know the privelege of being someone's child.
What would you do for your child ? Would you die for your child if you had to ?
May 27th Childrens Day . A fun Day for the kids, no school ! fun at the parade with a march past for some !
What today means to the ones blessed with rich parents or guardians is fun.For others, it means just another day of poverty,poor health and low class education.
what does today mean to you ? What kind of Future are we preparing for our kids ? We cant all leave and go abroad .think about it . we say our kids are the future but what future are we leaving behind for them.
Obasanjo once said 30years ago " the kids are the leaders of tomorrow".That tomorrow is here and OBJ and his gang are still leading our nation astray.
In this article the primary UN childkeeping force UNICEF has spoken a lot about the status of the Ni.ger.ian Child but they have not spoken about what is in store for them in the Future.A future filled with Education and Technological Advancement.A future where Engineering and Computers will play a massive role for our Nation .I wonder why Technological Education was omitted in their Press Release for today ?Their focus was the disparity between girls and boys within the educational system.
Think Well about May 27 2009 .It is Childrens day 1979 + 30years .
Noelene Joshua works for a london child care Charity fund.Thanks noel.
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N.i.g.er.i.a’s Children’s Day: UNICEF calls for accelerating progress on girls’ education
ABUJA, 27 May 2005. Today millions of children across the nation are celebrating N.i.g.er.i.a’s Children’s Day on the theme: “Educate the girl child, educate the nation”. UNICEF welcomes the choice of this theme and joins all N.i.g.er.i.an children in calling on policy makers, local authorities, religious and traditional leaders, school authorities, the media and all N.i.g.er.i.an parents to accelerate progress on educating girls.
“Providing quality education for all children is a must”, said Barbara Reynolds, UNICEF Deputy Representative. “However, because girls are participating in much fewer numbers and for shorter periods, particular attention to girls is essential, not only for the development of the country, but to fulfill the right of every child to education.” “We need to ensure that as many girls as boys attend school throughout the country, if we are to achieve universal primary education,” she added.
A recent UNICEF publication, “Progress for Children”, reporting on progress made on primary education, shows that the current rate of progress in N.i.g.er.i.a is too slow to achieve gender parity by end 2005 and universal primary education by 2015, the target dates for N.i.g.er.i.a’s achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. In N.i.g.er.i.a, about 7.3 million children do not go to school, of whom 62% are girls.
Last January, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child*, in its observations of the second report submitted by N.i.g.er.i.a, expressed concerns that universal education has not been realized in N.i.g.er.i.a, partially because it is neither free, nor compulsory, despite the Constitutional guarantee. They also underlined the high illiteracy among girls and women and the gender and regional disparities in school enrolment. Recommendation was made to prioritize equal accessibility to educational opportunities for girls and boys from urban and rural areas.
N.i.g.er.i.an girls are still disadvantaged in their access to education. As a result, all do not register for school and those who register do not attend regularly, and eventually drop out or learn very little. The gender gap favoring boys has remained consistently wide in N.i.g.er.i.a over the last ten years. In the Northern part of the country, the number of children out of school is particularly high and the proportion of girls to boys in school ranges from 1 girl to 2 boys and even 1 to 3 in some States.
To address this issue, UNICEF supported the “25 by 2005” global initiative for the acceleration of girls’ education in order to achieve gender parity in 25 countries by 2005. N.i.g.er.i.a is one of the 25 countries selected for this fast track action. In 2003, the Ministry of Education adopted the Strategy for Accelerating Girls Education in N.i.g.er.i.a. In 2004, the Ministry also launched the Girls’ Education Project, supported by UNICEF and DFID, in order to focus interventions on States with lowest enrolment rate for girls.
The collaborative efforts made by government, civil society and development partners have yielded results especially in the southern part of the country as well as in pilot projects in northern States. It has demonstrated also that boys benefit from programs that are developed to improve education for girls, as boys face many of the same problems.
The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Commission has been implementing projects that provide more schools, better qualified teachers and gender sensitive textbooks and curriculum. However, to create the policy environment at the State levels were the bulk of these interventions are most required, the UBE Act needs to be urgently domesticated by all States and translated in very concrete programmes.
Educating girls is a national priority. Each year a girl is in school is a progressive step toward eliminating poverty, advancing sustainable human development and controlling preventable illnesses. Providing education, especially to girls, is also an adequate strategy for stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS. All children must have the chance to attend school. As N.i.g.er.i.a celebrates children, let’s listen to their voice asking for an equitable access to education.
Launching the childrens social network at http://9jakids.ning.com !
Tell your kids Tell your nieces,nephews,cousins etc !
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The four-year-old daughter of boxing legend Mike Tyson died last night when she accidentally strangled herself with an electrical cord.
Little Exodus was found hanging from the flex which was attached to a treadmill in an exercise room at her mum's home.
Her distraught dad was at her bedside as she struggled for life on a hospital respirator. But she died hours later.
Exodus was discovered at the house in Phoenix, Arizona, by seven-year-old brother Miguel who alerted their mum Monica Turner.
Police Sergeant Andy Hill, who answered Monica's panicked emergency call, said: "It's so tragic. Exodus was playing by herself when she got tangled in the cord which was attached to an exercise treadmill.
"It acted like a noose and she was obviously unable to get herself out of it.
"We don't know how long she was hanging, but it could have been a couple of minutes."
Former heavyweight champion Tyson, 42, who had been filming a documentary in Las Vegas, immediately flew to Phoenix to be beside his daughter. Paediatrician Monica, who is his ex-wife, was also at the hospital.
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A spokesman for the boxer said: "The Tyson family would like to extend our deepest, most heartfelt thanks for all your prayers and support, and we ask that we be allowed our privacy at this difficult time."
James Toback, director of the new documentary Tyson, said the accident had devastated Exodus's "adoring" parents.
He said: "This is horrendous. There is no more careful a mother."
Neighbour Dinka Radic said that Tyson did not live at the house but regularly visited his children. She last saw him a month ago at Miguel's birthday party.
Dinka added: "I'd see Exodus and her brother playing together. She always asks me for chocolate. When I give it to her, she kisses me.
"She's such a cute girl. A real sweetie. I pray to God she pulls through."
Another neighbour, Ben Brodhurst, said: "She's a lively girl, you see her riding a bicycle from house to house." Tyson, who was jailed for rape and drug offences and banned from boxing for biting off part of rival Evander Holyfield's ear, recently said he had turned his life around because of his children.
He added: "I've been sober for two-anda-half years and I'm working hard to keep out of trouble.
"If there's a transformation it's because of my children. I want to be a proper father."
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The Federal Government said yesterday that the protracted conflict in the troubled Niger Delta region is the handiwork of some aggrieved repatriated Nigerians, in concert with militants.Speaking at a one-day national sensitisation workshop on issues relating to internal security, Minister of Interior, Maj. General Godwin Abbe (rtd), assured that the Nigerian state is however, developing new dimensions to security strategies to match its level of development.According to Abbe, the situation arose from the gory and unimaginable suffering, exploitation, punishment and death experienced by those deported from all parts of the globe, having been lured out of the country by human traffickers “I am concerned about these Nigerians brought in from various countries of the world; Europe, America, South East Asia and indeed other African countries.A number of them come with various habits and attitudes, they come in defeated, they come back aggrieved and armed with all sorts of ideas that are anti-social in nature," he said.Abbe said the rampant cases of kidnapping which has assumed a dangerous dimension in terms of its frequency and intensity was a grave national security challenge that government must tackle headlong.He said though government is putting into consideration those who are weak and helpless, “nobody should take the magnanimous approach of government for a ride or for incompetence or inability to do what must be done to bring law and order to every part of the country."He urged states to synergize, cross-fertilize ideas and come up with recommendations to assist the Federal Government to address this common national problem and find a common solution.
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When some moviemakers used her father's hotel in Ibadan as a location in 1998, little did many realise that Olaide Bakare was catching a glimpse of life vocation as she inquisitively followed actions of the actors and their directors. Mistakenly considered the daughter of veteran actor, Olumide Bakare, Olaide got hooked on the thrills of the make-believe world and decided to cut her teeth in the entertainment industry.That one chance encounter with film making by the mother of one completely changed her life, and engendered in her, the desire to be a screen siren. "It all started when I had a chance meeting with some moviemakers who came to shoot a film in my father's hotel in Ibadan. That day was coincidentally my father's birthday and house warming ceremony. And since that day, I desired and longed to be like them. "Meanwhile, I had already gained admission to study Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, which was really an anti-climax," she said.Having her first incursion 2001, Laide starred in a flick entitled Eru Ju Omi later 11:45. For the young lady, her desire to be recognised in her chosen field was responsible for her rapid rise to recognition. "I think my desire to be recognised in whatever I find myself doing is responsible for my achievements. I want to succeed in whatever I do. I never liked to fail even while I was a child, so I put all I had into it and I thank God for the result," Laide said.Laide's experience in Nollywood has become a success story, as she has been able to rise through the ranks, which to her, "is a thing of joy to see myself where I am today, because it is not everyone who started with me that is still relevant in the industry. Some fell by the wayside, while some are still trying to find their feet. So, I would say that it has been fun, as you tend to meet a lot of people everyday. "I can't really say this moment is the most challenging in my career! Perhaps it was while I was in school. It wasn't easy combining schooling with acting. You had to juggle being on location with several other things, but I am grateful to God that I was able to pull through."However, the sultry actress maintained that despite her love for the art, she has never been desperate over it. "Yes I love acting and the art, but for me, it wasn't a do-or-die affair. I could remember when I was in school; I rejected lot of roles that clashed with important school activities. So, when people say some actress use sex to get roles, I wonder why anybody would want to, and since it hasn't happened to me, I can't say much. "The fact that I am an actress does not mean that I have to play all the roles that are thrown at me and I have the right to say yes or no to any role."For an actress whose first fee was quite small, Laide believes making a name was of paramount importance, and as such, placed little or no relevance on the monetary gains, believing this might quickly stymie her future. "I think my level of understanding of what it takes to be an actress and a moviemaker is my unique selling point. You see, capacity building is very important in whatever we do in Nollywood, and I'm not ignorant of the happenings in the industry, so, that is why I make my productions stand out from the various movies that are being churned out on a monthly basis. "My personality is something I always believe I can improve upon. I'm not deceived that I am the best or one of the best, I believe I can always improve on whatever I have been able to achieve. "I am a very simple person, level headed, intelligent, and appreciative of my friends and easy going," Laide said on her uniqueness and personality in the make-believe world.With the regular challenges that many married actresses face whenever they remain on the spotlight, how has she been able to withstand the heat? "When you are always busy and do not have time for your loved ones, there are bound to be complaints from them. It's even very bad when the person concerned is not as understanding as you would have wanted or expected. "I am glad that I have someone that is very understanding and loves me for who I am, and he is coping because he knew what he was doing when he proposed to me. "He understands me so well and the kind of job I do is not a problem to him. I strongly believe he saw in me someone he wanted and not the regular actress or Laide the actress!" In describing herself, Laide said, "You might find this quite unbelievable, but outside the screen, I'm a very shy person; I don't talk too much and I am still hoping to be a better actress and moviemaker. This is because the future holds so much for those who dare dream and believe in themselves, and I believe I want to be part of that special people." Said to be very respectful and polite, Laide, whose hubby lives in far away United States of America, where he works with the U.S. Customs, maintains that she is involved in other things like selling cars and running a boutique, apart from acting.
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Imagine for one second what 9gerians and other Illegal immigrants go through because of the "fear of Immigration is the beginning of Wisdom mentality"
Worried Daulat Irani kept her mum’s body hidden in a freezer for 20 years because she was scared of an immigration inquiry.
Neighbour believe Mrs Irani, now 83, feared the authorities would discover her elderly mum had been living here illegally if she made her death public.
So instead of having a funeral, the body was wrapped up in a black bin bag and then put in a chest freezer in the garage.
Alex Bennett, 24, yesterday said he had been a neighbour of Mrs Irani’s ever since he was a baby – and had never seen her mother. Trainee chef Alex added: “She’s a lovely old lady and always sends a Christmas card to us.
“She used to look after a white-haired gentleman known as ‘the doctor’ when he became poorly. But I think he passed away a couple of years ago. I’ve lived here all my life and I never saw her mum.”
Another neighbour added: “She’s a very private person. I normally see her taking out her rubbish or going shopping by minicab.
“She’s very clean and tidy and keeps her garden in good condition. Obviously it was shocking when the police came and told me what had happened.
“They said they believed the body had been in the freezer for more than 20 years. I think it was an immigration thing because her mum was illegal and they didn’t want anyone to know.
“You just wouldn’t expect it on such a quiet suburban road.” Ray Dyson, 77, a retired warehouse worker who also lives near Mrs Irani in Sidcup, South East London, said: “She’s a nice old lady who goes about her own business quietly. We always
nod and say hello. This has all come as a bit of a shock.
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“The first we knew was when two police cars and an officer in a full forensic bodysuit turned up.
“They taped-off the garage and have now put a padlock on it. It was obviously more serious than a burglary so I asked if she was OK and the police said she was fine.”
It is believed that Mrs Irani confided her secret to a horrified friend, who then alerted police.
A neighbour said: “I think she just needed to tell someone and whoever she spoke to passed it on to the police.
“I saw her after the police visited and she told me they questioned her for hours. I told her it wasn’t surprising considering what they’d found. She
said the police were going to contact her again soon.”
Officers questioned Mrs Irani under caution but yesterday said they are not treating the death as suspicious.
A source said: “She said the body had been in the freezer for at least 20 years. We are awaiting the postmortem results for confirmation of this.”
Mrs Irani answered the door of her smart semi last night but refused to comment. Her green garage door was secured with a police padlock.
A Metropolitan police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm we went to a residential address in Sidcup.
“Officers found the body of a woman. We believe we know the identity but await formal identification. The death is being treated as unexplained. An 83-year-old woman has been interviewed under caution but there have been no arrests.”
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Detectives at the Lagos State Police Command are now trying to unravel how a secondary school student killed his colleague during a fight.The incident, which happened at Olodi-Apapa, Lagos, on Friday, was said to have caused a great commotion in the area.It was learnt that two male students (names withheld) of Reservation Senior Secondary School, Tolu complex, Olodi Apapa, had a brawl.The fight between both students occurred at about 2pm, shortly after the school closed and the students were on their way home.It could not be ascertained what led to the fight, but the students were said to be on Ojoku Street, where the fight broke out.During the fight, one of the students allegedly picked a big stone and threw it at his colleague.The stone, it was gathered, landed on the stomach of the victim, who was already on the ground.Our correspondent learnt that the unfortunate boy (also 14 years old) fainted immediately the stone hit him.Sympathisers at the scene were said to have rushed the boy to Ajeromi General Hospital for medical attention.It was, however, sad news for the boy‘s family when the doctors at the hospital confirmed him dead.The corpse was said to have been deposited to a mortuary pending the result of an autopsy to be carried out.Spokesman for the police in Lagos, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday.Mba said the police had arrested the culprit and he was still being kept in police custody until the outcome of an investigation into the case.Meanwhile, it was learnt that the school and parents of the students were collaborating with the police to settle the matter.
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Fears over safety bridge
THE woman, Mrs. Anu Jegede, had a baby strapped to her back while a toddler of about three or four clutched her right hand.
They were returning from Anthony Village and had to cross the Oshodi pedestrian bridge to get to their Afariogun Street home.
But, mother and kid had stood at the foot of the bridge the last 25 minutes or more waiting.
When The Guardian on Thursday enquired from her why she would not continue her journey across the footbridge, she answered:
"There are too many people on the bridge. There is hardly enough space for people to walk. People shuffle and step on each other's toes or feet and it takes longer than necessary to get to the other side.
" For one thing, the crowd is so thick I am afraid they can suffocate my children.
"Secondly, there are so many people on it at the same time, I am worried that the bridge may collapse. I do not know whether it can carry such weight."
Many other Lagosians who have observed the Oshodi pedestrian bridge go from underused to the present situation where it is always overcrowded, also share the woman's fears.
"When street traders were at the rail tracks, not many bothered to use the footbridge that linked the two sides of Oshodi," a transport union official, Kunle Adebayo, told The Guardian last Thursday.
"It was more convenient to cross the rail lines. But that is no longer convenient because the Environmental Task Force and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials always arrest those who do not use the footbridges. "People have also realised it is safer and better to use the footbridge, which has led to overcrowding and fears that it may not be able to carry the weight."
The scene that has led some Lagosians to still prefer a dash across the highway, as was obvious on Thursday.
The crowd was so thick people got stuck for several seconds, standing where they were.
Movement came to a standstill, leaving the pedestrians pushing to give themselves breathing space. Even as some people were pushing from behind, others were shoving backwards from the front. Some who could not withstand the pushing and shoving, fell down.
"It was a miracle nobody was trampled to death," Adebayo later said.
Such fears forced Mrs. Jegede and others to call on government to intervene before a tragedy occurs.
" Many people who witness the jam decide to wait until the traffic eases.
But usually, instead of easing, the number continues to swell as more people in their haste to get to their destinations rush in and worsen the chaos," Adebayo said.
Not even the presence of one or two traffic wardens at both ends of the pedestrian bridge was able to stem the rush.
Worst hit were those who carried heavy loads while children strapped to their mothers' backs were crying because of the heat and stuffy atmosphere?
Many regretted having ventured on to the bridge at all since they could neither move forward with ease or even retreat and get off the bridge, heightening their worries that the weight may be too much for the structure.
As if aware that pedestrian traffic on the bridge would increase tremendously, the Lagos State government soon after driving away traders from Oshodi, reinforced the bridge with several pillars.
But neither the pillars nor the presence of traffic wardens seem to have brought much confidence to many users who want a controlled movement across the bridge.
"It is possible to regulate the flow of people across the flyover, one of the traffic wardens told The Guardian.
"Everybody knows Lagosians are impatient, but that notwithstanding, the safety of lives is more important than reaching wherever one is going to a few minutes later."
One of the pedestrians on Thursday, Kelvin Ekedi, said even with the newly constructed pillars, he still did not consider the bridge strong enough to carry such an enormous crowd.
"The people are too many and how do we know the weight won't be too much?
Do you not see that they added some pillars?
That shows the pedestrian bridge may already be weak or too old. Let them find a permanent solution," he said.
What is happening at Oshodi and elsewhere may signify a growing acceptance among Lagosians to use the footbridges across the metropolis and thus, avoid the fines slapped on them by KAI officials.
Pedestrian bridges at Ojota, Cele Express, Onipanu and Palm Grove, Yaba, Orile and Five Star Bus Stop are now being put to use by Lagosians.
However, students of Lagos State Polytechnic at Iyana Isolo have called on the government to provide them the pedestrian bridge they had been clamouring for in the area.
Although there is a provision made on the fly over across the expressway for pedestrians, most people make a dash for it, which has caused several casualties.
According to one of them, Taiye Olorunwa, "It is true that there is walkway on the flyover but if government can drop a pedestrian walkway on both sides of the flyover at both end of the expressway, then most of us will use it rather than face the daily risk of crossing the expressway."
In a similar vein, Peter Ogachi, a trader in Oshodi has also called on the government to construct a pedestrian bridge at Oshodi Oke saying: "It is imperative that a pedestrian bridge be built at Oshodi Oke.
Several people had been killed while trying to cross the road"
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A policeman attached to Emene Police Station, Enugu, has provoked public outcry following his shooting of a commercial motorcycle operator, Okorie Aneke, last Friday.Okada men live a terrible life and sometimes not only police but strange people murder them in strange locations .See picture at bottom at your own risk ! Terrible slaying of Seirra leone okada driver.An investigation showed that Aneke was riding his motorcycle when he was stopped at a police checkpoint on the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway, Emene.One of the policemen had demanded N500 from him for not using a crash helmet, but the rider had replied that he had no money as he had just left his house to start the day's work. He, however, offered the policemen N90 which was rejected.An argument ensued between Aneke and the policemen and in the course of this, one of the security operatives, an inspector, shot at him.The bullet entered through his back and emerged from the chest leaving the victim gasping for breath as he was soaked with his own blood.To cover up, the killer policeman reportedly hung his rifle on the dying man's neck to give the impression that he was an armed robber.But his plot was frustrated by an eyewitness, Mr. Vincent Obetta, a legal practitioner, who was approaching the checkpoint in his car when the incident happened.The lawyer alighted from his car and insisted that the killer cop must remove the rifle, but he refused.Sensing that tempers were rising as people in the vicinity were gathering, the policemen called their colleagues at Emene Police Station, who, within a few minutes, came in a Hilux patrol van.The policemen were led by the Divisional Crime Officer at the station to the crime scene. The cop told the DCO that he was attacked by Aneke and two unknown assailants who had fled into the bush.He maintained that the assailants wanted to snatch his rifle and in the process, he managed to shoot one of them while the two others fled into the bush.Obetta, however, refuted his claims saying that the okada rider was alone and did not attack the cop. He explained that Aneke was shot while arguing with the other policemen.He said, "The DCO then asked me what I wanted them to do, but I said we should take the victim to the hospital since he was still breathing and he suggested that he should be taken to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, whether his life could still be saved."I also helped in carrying Aneke into the police Hilux van, but he was not taken to the hospital; they drove him to Emene Police Station."Obetta said he went with them to the station where he informed the Divisional Police Officer that Aneke was killed without any provocation.In the course of this, he said a crowd had gathered in front of the station and fearing a mob attack, the policemen fired teargas canisters to disperse the people.Obetta said he had to run away, abandoning his car at the police station. He boarded a commercial motorcycle to the state police headquarters where he demanded to see the Commissioner of Police but was told that he was not in the office.He later met with the officer in charge of the CP Police Monitoring Unit, Mr. Mike Abattam and narrated the story to him.Obetta also met with another team of seven senior officers who were having a meeting. He informed them about the incident and they asked him to give them 20 minutes to discuss the matter.When he was called in, the meeting presided over by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Oguguo, asked him to go back to Emene Police Station to pacify the protesting youths.At the station, he learnt that Aneke's remains had been deposited in a mortuary and his motorcycle recovered and taken to the police headquarters.The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ebere Amarizu, got many people boiling when he alleged in a radio interview that Aneke was a criminal who, along with two assailants, attempted to snatch a rifle from a policeman.The state police command has, however, doused public anger by promising to investigate the incident.The Assistant Commissioner in charge of the state CID, Mr. Damilola Adebuyi, told journalists on that the commissioner, Mohammed Zarewa, had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.okada man picture slaughtered in sierra leone by unknown persons .SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PICTURE AT YOUR OWN RISK !Read more…
Justice Africa
working for peace and rights in Africa
Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, the most irrepressible Pan Africanist of his generation,
died in Nairobi on 24 May 2009. His friends and colleagues are stunned at the loss of a
man who was so full of life and humour, such a determined Afro-optimist, and such a
devoted father to his children, Aisha and Aida. Africa is impoverished by his untimely
death.
Tajudeen was born in Funtua, Katsina State, Nigeria, in 1961. His commitment to his
home town and family remained undimmed throughout his life. He was educated at
Government Schools in Funtua from where he went to Bayero University, Kano, where
he graduated with a first class honours degree. He was winner of the Nigerian
Government’s Merit Award as the best student of Political Science between 1980-82 at
Bayero University.
After his National Youth Service, Tajudeen applied for a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford. He challenged the selection committee by dressing in traditional style for his interview and exam and demanding why they should want to associate someone like him with the name of the grand imperialist, Cecil Rhodes. To the credit of the Rhodes Scholarship, they selected him and Tajudeen spent three years at St. Peter's College, Oxford, writing his DPhil degree in politics. While there, he invigorated the Africa Society (serving as president) and injected his
unique mix of humour, anecdote, sharp political analysis and enthusiastic optimism into the university’s African debates. Tajudeen was engaged in an astonishing range of African and anti-imperial activities including the Pan African Movement, the All African Anti-Imperialist Youth Front, the Movement for Awareness and Advancement, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, the Save the Sharpeville Six Campaign and several magazines including the Africa Research and Information Bureau (ARIB).
Tajudeen was an energetic journalist and writer, commenting regularly on
contemporary Africa in newspapers, magazines, journals and radio. Those who knew him cannot forget his rapid one-fingered typing, bold and articulate and immediately dispatched into the public realm without a spell-check. He was fearless in denouncing hypocrisy or abuses wherever he encountered them, from whatever quarter. He was as resolute in condemning the violations of Africa’s dictators and warlords as he was in pointing the finger at the double standards of international agencies and the shortcomings of Africa’s would-be
liberators.
Tajudeen’s candid lack of guile and good humour enabled him to say things that for many others were unsayable, and to ask the most difficult questions without provoking defensiveness. At the time of the constitutional referendum in Zimbabwe, he demanded of the government, “what happens if you lose?” and of the opposition, “what happens if you win?”, discovering that neither had planned for this. He castigated his Pan Africanist allies in government without hesitation when they fell short. When told that Kofi Annan had won the Nobel Peace Prize he famously retorted, “For what?”
Tajudeen broadcast for the BBC's World Service Programmes on Africa both in Hausa and English and Voice of America (VOA). He was editor of the journal, Africa World Review and edited the book Pan Africanism in the 21st Century (Pluto Press, 1996) which included contributions from the OAU Secretary General, Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Professor Horace Campbell and other leading figures in the Pan African Movement. Tajudeen wrote many academic and specialist journals, including Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE), Journal of African Marxists (JAM), Southern Africa Political Economy Monthly (SAPEM), New Internationalist, and International Journal of Development.
He became widely known for his regular column Tajudeen's Thursday Postcard for Uganda's largest selling national newspaper, The New Vision, which was syndicated in a number of other African newspapers such as The Weekly Mirror (Harare), The Daily News (Harare) The Weekly (Dar es Salaam), The Weekly Trust (Kaduna) and occasionally in the Business Day
(Johannesburg). Tajudeen was also a columnist for the journal, Democracy and Development, published by the Centre for Democracy and Development, of which he chaired the International Governing Council.
Tajudeen lectured at a number of colleges including the School of Oriental and African
Studies (SOAS), London and Goldsmith College London and several universities in the USA. He was a visiting UNESCO professor at the Centre for Global Studies, University of Trier, Germany. Beneath his exuberant public persona and wit, he levelled incisive analysis and a sound elaboration of the political economy of African crisis. Tajudeen’s lectures were always unforgettable due to his refreshing honesty, command of language and superb sense of dramatic timing. Speaking to a human rights conference in the UN conference centre in Addis Ababa in 1996 on the then-unfolding war in Zaire, the electricity suddenly went off and he declaimed, “Even speaking of Mobutu makes the lights go out!” In the same hall a few years later he challenged Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, noting that European and American delegates to the conference could get an Ethiopian visa at the airport—but not Africans. “How can this happen in the capital of Africa?” he demanded. Prime Minister Meles said that no answer could match the passion of Tajudeen’s questioning. A couple of weeks later the Ethiopian government waived visa regulations for African delegates to international conferences.
In 1992 Tajudeen was appointed General-Secretary for the Secretariat organizing the Seventh Pan African Congress in Kampala, Uganda. Held in 1994 with delegates from 47 countries, this was the largest Pan African gathering for twenty years. The theme was 'Africa: Facing the Future in Unity, Social Progress and Democracy'.
But the Congress was overshadowed by the unfolding genocide in Rwanda. A delegation from the Pan African Movement travelled with the RPF to Rwanda, falling into an ambush near Kigali from which Tajudeen was lucky to escape unscathed. Thereafter, he was closely involved in the Pan African mobilization to respond to the crisis in the Great Lakes and Zaire—though he became critical of the record of the liberation movements in power and
at the time of his death was working on a historical account and political analysis of the liberators and where they had gone astray.
Tajudeen often bemoaned the fact that so many of the giants of African liberation had passed away without writing their memoirs, and that the treasures of Africa’s history, as forged by Africans and written by Africans, were passing without record. It is a sad irony that much of his own life will remain insufficiently recorded, though still vibrant in the memories of his innumerable friends.
Tajudeen was a Director of Justice Africa, Chairperson for the Pan African Development
Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP) and Chair of the International
Governing Council of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD). He joined the
United Nations as its coordinator for outreach on the Millennium Development Goals in
Africa, and was living and working from a base in Nairobi in recent years.
Tajudeen never allowed his critical sense degenerate into cynicism or disillusion. His
confidence in Africa and Africans to resolve their problems, whatever the setbacks, was
always undimmed. His untimely death leaves a vacuum of human energy and hope that will be difficult to fill.
Tajudeen was married to Mounira Chaieb and has two daughters, Aisha and Aida, to whom he was completely devoted. Our thoughts are with them in their inconsolable loss.
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Her name may not instantly ring a bell but her face is synonymous with Nollywood. This fair complexioned actress who holds a diploma in Public Relations from the Ogun State University and a degree in Sociology from the Lagos State University, is working hard towards becoming an A-list actress.
With over 20 movies to her credit, this Isoko indigene from Delta State is not resting on her oars to see that the movie industry returns to it’s old glory.To achieve this, she eats, drinks, sleeps and lives acting because it is her first love.Okurame told Saturday Sun that if she was not an actress, she would have found herself a field job but not in the corporate world.The busty actress, who is the last child of a family of seven, also hinted that she would soon walk down the aisle with her dream man. She also spoke about her passion for the industry, her career, boyfriend, the thrills and many more.ActingI got into acting because of my passion for it. Right from the onset, I always had the passion for acting. Maybe, I did not start early or maybe because I did not meet the right people but I was into modelling where I met a guy who was interested in acting too.He suggested we went to the National Theatre to register. We got there and registered through Obot Etuk who was one of the executives of AGN. That was in 2004. I had to go for some screening before I got the first job, Schemers, which was directed by Andy Chukwu and Mike Ojabo. It had other stars like Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey, Rita Dominc, Bimbo Akintola and others.Rewarding professionTo some extent, if you are determined and if it is your choice too. If you are humble and hard working, you will find it rewarding. Don’t look at the financial gains first.Most times, people think that they can get half a million naira for a job, especially for starters but it is not so. It is a gradual thing.Although I take less than N500,000, but people who earn N1m today have paid their dues. They were once paid N1000 in the years gone by. You will eventually enjoy it but you must be able to work hard and pay your dues, too.Inspired into actingNobody actually inspired me. It has always been a passion right from when I was in secondary school. I was also an athlete. I had no role model before I got into the industry. I was not influenced by anyone either. It is the passion. I started in the days when Morning Ride was produced on NTA. Maybe, if I had started earlier, I would have been an a-list actress earning big money now.Role modelI have three, Patience Ozokwor, Kate Henshaw and Liz Benson. I have worked with them and I used to see Liz Benson when she acted in Third Eye as Alero.When I got to the industry, they welcomed me with open arms and taught me how to deliver my lines. They taught me how to make corrections on set and how to keep my head very low. If I have any problem, I would go to them and ask for their advice and they would gladly oblige me. The person that I am not too close with now is Liz Benson because she is far from the industry. We don’t even communicate. It hurts me but what will I do? She is so busy with her career as an EvangelistFirst experience on setIt was terrible. I was so tensed up. It was my first job where I featured in Schemers as Blessing. There was this day that we were shooting and I mixed up my lines and it was a bit complicating that everybody was upset and the director wanted to throw me out but Dominic helped to calm him down.If it were some A-list actresses, they would have been pissed up because I just didn’t get it right but she took her time to help me with my lines. She even offered me drink to calm my nerves. Her encouragement helped me to work with other new comers. I also learnt to teach them as well.WorksI have featured in many movies, some of which included, Stolen Bible, Carcass, Super Warriors, Apostle of Hell, The Last Order, Family Passion, My love my Sorrow, Desperate Sister, Rush Hour, Pride of a Woman, Marriage Apart, Women in Power, Dangerous Gambling, Temple of Justice, Sisters Heart, Bye Bye to Poverty, Political Control, and The last from Germany.Most challenging roleI have three of them. The first one is The Last Order. I played the role of a police officer’s wife and I was always beating my husband. I was always fighting. I wouldn’t feed him well to the extent that my director, Dickson Iroegbu asked me if I actually beat my boyfriend at home. I did it so well that I lost my voice.Another one, My Love, My Sorrow was a wayward role. I played the role of a Warri girl where I was supposed to be married and still flirt around, fighting my husband’s friend, fighting my own boyfriend’s friends, scheming, running in the street with pistol and I lost my voice as well.The third one is Rush Hour. It was so challenging because there was fuel scarcity at that time and it was during the rainy season. It is a cult movie. I was a cultist and was trying to initiate my friends and most of my scenes are being shot late in the night. We went into the forest to shoot. We were badly bitten by mosquitoes. We were in the forest with knives and guns. We worked with people like Nonso Diobi, Uche Jombo, Oge Okoye, Mac Morris. We did it well and it came out beautiful. I have never done any job like that.Aside actingI would have been an athlete. A lot of people know me in my neighbourhood as anAthlete. I was in sprinting. I also do some business. I also manage a hair saloon.Couple of years from nowI want to see myself bigger than this. Playing more challenging role not only in Nigeria but outside the shores of this country, probably win an award and if possible, produce some jobs.I also want to ask the government to assist us to excel more in our production. Right now, there is a little hitch here and there. There is crisis between the Censors Board and marketers.Though, Censors Board is trying to make the marketers realize that they are doing us a favour. If the government comes in and invests in a production, we wouldn’t be having the crisis we are having now. It happens all over the world where the government supports the movie industry in their country but here, they leave it in the hands of marketers and they have even tried so much.It is not easy to invest, N10m, or N6m, in a production you don’t even know whether it will yield profit. You don’t even know if you are going to get your money back. So, most times, it is difficult when you find out that some marketers are at loggerheads with the Censor’s Board. I believe that they should come to an understanding so that we can work together. Right now, the industry is going down but I know it is for a while. It will bounce back soon.HookedI am not hooked neither am I married but I have a boyfriend who is into business.I cherish all parts of my body because I take time to take care of myself. My boyfriend tells me that he likes my boobs. He cherishes my understanding and being able to take care of him. We would soon get married.AdviceThey should be determined. If truly, they want to come into this industry, they should very low profile; learn and try to listen to people, and take corrections. A lot of them do not like to take corrections even the big actors also make mistakes. They should calm down, be respectful, take corrections, try and read their lines very well and interact with people. They should also be patient because one learns everyday.Coping with male admirersIt is not easy but I still manage to handle them. Most of them don’t even know what they want. They just chat unnecessarily. Some of them are rude. Some are respectful. Sometime, you cannot give all of them your attention. Some of them get obsessed with you and they are just your fans. You have to caution them and tell them off politely. Some of them would call you up at odd hours when you are with your loved ones giving the impression that something is actually going on.And that is the interesting thing I like about my boyfriend. He understands me and knows that the messages are from admirers and that I have nothing to do with them.When calls keep coming up like that, it gives room for suspicion. I meet a lot of them everyday and I thank them for appreciating me but most time, they don’t know how to go about it. There was this interview I granted last year, the producer mistakenly put my number on the phone and the whole Nigeria was calling me. My picture was in the paper. And some would be sending me some funny and stupid messages as if you are looking for a boyfriend. Even agberos call me. I had to dump that number.
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EXCLUSIVE INSIDE ASO ROCK
Written by Jide Ajani Sunday Vanguard and Adapted by Weboga and Akin Osunlaja pimpmynaija.com
Is Yaradua a Strange man ? is he one of those eccentric Teachers we all remmeber in school (yoruba were or kolo mine was my Art Teacher Mr Isuosuo we used to call him tolotolo because of his long neck .My apologies sir but that your cane no dey rest )
Lets come back to the the number one Teacher in naija and the First gentleman as rumors abound that Turai his beautiful wife wears the sokoto or trousers in Aso rock.They are rumours please, no one should conclude. .
Ok some People get the "Idea" that 9jabooks pimomynaija Editors& bloggers dont Like The HNIC (head Naija in charge ) But that is not true . We always try to give a fair judgement of the man.His health, his reputation and Above all his Suitability for office .Our friends at Sunday Vanguard have a very different view from this piece below.For a second one might think They were talking about Obama !
READ ON all comments with (PMP Pimp My President is from Us ) ! Enjoy !
This report presents insiders’ accounts of how President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has been running the affairs of state, depicting true life situations, inside Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. This report was pieced together using words of very close presidential aides and former ministers. This is by no means an endorsement of Yar’Adua’s presidential style as he is known to operate a close-knit administration it is, however, an attempt to open him up to Nigerians.( pmp:Thanks E be li ke say dem don settle you )
WAITING TO SEE MR. PRESIDENT
State Governors Come And See-O
Just last Tuesday, May 20, 2009, some state governors experienced what it meant to wait to see President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The day depicted a typical day in presidential affairs.
In the last two weeks, the earliest time the President has closed from office, according to sources inside Aso rock Presidential Villa is about 8.15pm.
In fact, many governors have had to sit all day waiting for him.
After last Tuesday’s National Economic Council, NEC, meeting, presided over by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, some of the state governors made a push to see President Yar’Adua.
Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Peter Obi, Anambra State Governor, and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, wanted to have an audience with him.
All three of them had to contend with the hectic schedule of the President.(PMP some schdule ! who is his secretary that governors have to wait for him have they not heard of appointments before ?)
ANOTHER MEETING IN THE VILLA
Yar’Adua’s Charge To Power Minister
Earlier, in late March, President Yar’Adua made an unusual confession to the effect that he “can hardly sleep again because of the power situation”. It was immediately after this that he gave a blank cheque to Lanre Babalola, the minister of Power.
At a meeting in Aso Rock Presidential Villa, between the Minister of Power, Lanre Babalola, Vice President and Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman, Eng Emeka Ezeh, Bureau of Public Procurement Director General; Michael Aoondoakaa, Attorney General of the Federation; Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser, as well as top officials from the Ministries of Petroleum, Power and NNPC, the President reportedly told the Power Minister:
“Anything you need to succeed, I will give you. If anybody stands in your way and you want him or her out, just tell me and I will clear such a person for you. But I want results. I can hardly sleep again because of the power situation. I made a pledge to Nigerians that by the end of this year, they will enjoy stable electricity and it is a pledge I intend to keep. My name and credibility is at stake on this issue.”
Even when Vice President Goodluck Jonathan chipped in that the credibility of everybody in the administration is at stake, including that of the Minister himself, it did not take President Yar’Adua long to charge back:
“No, it is my credibility that is at stake. How many Ministers of Power have we had and who remembers them? If things fail tomorrow, Lanre (the minister) is a young man. He will simply dust his CV again and begin to look for another job but Nigerians will remember the promise I made.”Since then, President Yar’Adua has been getting a daily update from the Ministry and directed that the Minister can see him anytime he wants. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that the Power Minister now has unfettered access to President yar’Adua. In fact, the minister is said be to provide a daily briefing to President Yar’Adua on every of his efforts.
.(PMP so the power minister now has quick access to him . I see .perhaps he should have quick access to NEPA CV ? Which president of naija needs a CV for another Job with the Fat Pension in Ghana must go bags they are awarded during office they dont need a CV )
PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA’S DAILY ROUTINE
As a devout Muslim who takes his prayers very seriously, President Yar’Adua rises from bed any time between 5am and 5:30 am. He says his prayers. That is apart from special prayers he offers in the middle of the night. President Yar’Adua starts receiving visitors from around 8am.
He resumes in office by 9.30am from whence official work commences.
But before that day starts, President Yar’Adua, just as was revealed by Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari in his auto-biography, meets with his personal staff, especially the State Chief of Protocol and Principal Secretary.
.(PMP thank God he prays no comment .insha allah they will be answered )
The first thing Yar’Adua does in the office is to go through the summary of newspaper stories and editorials for the day. This is the forte of Olusegun Adeniyi; the summary is usually prepared by the office of the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. After this, there is a briefing by State Chief of Protocol for the assignments of the day and the Principal Secretary for whatever directives President Yar’Adua wants to give.
All these are routine. What is not routine is the closing time.
There is no fixed time. President Yar’Adua normally returns from office to the house, within the same Presidential Villa between 6pm and 10pm
This has become the norm in recent times.
Before, he would leave office between 6PM and 7PM.
There is what a source described as ‘night-runs’, that is visits, which would begin around 9.30pm.
But since he started closing late, night visits have been cancelled.
But occasionally, there are some people Mr. President would still see at night..(PMP night runs ? wetin be that ? sounds very maradonaish with lots of magomago spiced with some jibiti .ok we hear it is meeting with the power minister. good work guys ! We wish you guys had a 20generators like we do in our apartment block or Block of Flats )
PRESIDENTIAL MANNERISMS
And whereas President Yar’Adua cracks jokes, he stays within the confines of decency, Sunday Vanguard was reliably informed.
“Mr. President is a human being .(PMP are we sure ? ) and, therefore, he cracks jokes, normal jokes but definitely not dirty jokes”, a minister told Sunday Vanguard.
During meetings, information available to 7 suggests that the President is a good listener and does not interrupt when someone is making his point.
However, he is blunt, while at the same time, he is said to put his points of view across politely.
President Yar’Adua does not suffer fools. .(PMP no comment )
Sunday Vanguard was made to understand by another former minister that “it is part of his nature to listen to you and correct you if he thinks you are wrong. He gives you the appropriate guidance that you need to do your work instead of allowing you to beat about the bush. He, however, allows one a lot of initiatives. He does not give you a job and then follow you around. What he expects is results”.
Sunday Vanguard learnt from one of the ministers who was dumped during the cabinet reshuffle that one minister almost lost her job because Mr. President was very angry about her attitude to work.
MR. PRESIDENT’S SHORT AND LONG MEETINGS
Yar’Adua’s type of meetings, Sunday Vanguard went about asking people: Does he like them sharp and short?
President Yar’Adua can be unpredictable at times..(PMP o yes like NEPA and the promises he made )
Ordinarily, Yar’Adua would rather have his meetings short and sharp.
However, this does not in any way mean that he would sacrifice expressiveness on the alter of time limit. He is said to allow each person at meetings to be as expressive possible as .And therein lies the irony. Allowing people to express themselves very well have sometimes led to long meetings, some of which have gone on to last for as long as six to seven hours.
Yar’Adua can be meticulous even to a fault and that is why some people think his administration is just too slow.
He places much premium on strategic planning. Therefore, his actions are well thought out and he does not react instinctively to issues.
SYCHOPHANTS, PLEASE SHIFT
When you visit a state governor and his commissioners want to address him, they all use the appellation, ‘His Excellency, The Governor of Kuturu State, Governor I-Done-Chop’. In most cases, the 11-word prefix ends up being repeated more often than the real sense to be made.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that Yar’Adua would rather prefer Mr. President, as against the practice some tried to introduce in the very early days of his presidency which was: His Excellency, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Now, when a minister prefixes every sentence with this 17-word (not minding the compound word C-in-C), won’t the sense be lost in whatever sense is to be made?
“
He prefers Mr. President”, Sunday Vanguard was told, “essentially because it saves time and does not tend towards sycophancy.
But he is too polite to stop those who enjoy making all those introductions.
HIS MOUTH, HIS FOOD
Some argue that President Yar’Adua is endowed with good stature.
Others insist that it is a function of his health.
Between these two extremes lay the fact that Yar’Adua is not a very heavy eater, not a glutton of sorts.
He is said not to eat much. .(PMP you see how the man lepa you dey talk say him no dey chop ? )
Sunday Vanguard confirmed that he eats biscuits and drinks tea a lot, especially in the office.
That way, he keeps his metabolism in check..(PMP Abeg make una give the man food ! nobody want talk say yardy no well ! Feed him please !)
ADMINISTERING NIGERIA
Whereas Yar’Adua may be a good listener who respects other people’s opinion, especially because he has walled himself with young intellectuals who are both enlightened and exposed, it is his background as a teacher that enhances his capacity to patiently guide his subordinates to do the right thing. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that President Yar’Adua rebukes, politely, officials of state in camera and praises good work in the open.
In fact, during the cabinet reshuffle, President Yar’Adua was said to have written and personally signed letters of appreciation to some ministers who were retained.
Even those who were shown the way out got their own letters from President Yar’Adua appreciating their contributions to nation building at a time like this.
AS A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
As part of the character of President Yar’Adua not to dwell on presumptuousness, but rely on hard facts, he is said to have a listening ear. He is said to listen patiently to his service chiefs. Not being a professional soldier, Yar’Adua is said to ascertain the correctness of decisions by encouraging everyone to participate in discussions. He is, however, firm but the need for the military to remain professional in the discharge of their duties remains very strong.
He doesn’t pretend to know everything..(PMP that is quite obvious he doest not ! )
YAR’ADUA’S HEALTH IS HIS WEALTH .(PMP are we talking about the same person here I know Obama is a chain smoker but What does wealth and health have to do with yaradua ? his wealth ok but cant this people just come out straight and say the man is ill ! we wish him good health but with a job like the one he has ! well..)
Some more discerning observers have come to the conclusion that there is nothing abnormal about Yar’Adua’s health. As Yar’Adua himself has said, he is not superhuman, therefore, he is like any other human being that falls sick and gets well.
When he visited Vanguard premises during the campaigns of 2007, the same question was posed. His response was that it is evil of any individual to wish death upon a fellow human being. The expression on his face betrayed his anger. But he continues to confound critics of his health.
During a briefing with State House Correspondents recently, on his position on the electoral reform, Ekiti rerun election and Halliburton bribery scam, the President was on his heels for more than an hour. Even the correspondent s were astounded.
During the campaigns at the Events Place in Victoria Island, Lagos, Yar’Adua addressed the business community for over two hours standing.
PRESIDENTIAL WEAKNESS
President Umar Musa Yar’Adua is said to be too patient and that constitutes a weakness. .(PMP tell that to MEND , tell that to the ijaw people TELL that to the marines ! patient ? e no waste time bomb Niger Delta !)
He is said to lead his staff to arrive at decisions more accurately by emphasizing the need to rely on facts rather than sentiments. He is quick to admit faults and accepts correction even from subordinates..(PMPmaybe he should accept some of the correction of his citizens )
But would some people not exploit this?
Well, as President and C-in-C, it is for him to be circumspect. But is he?
Yes, some politicians very close to him insist.
HIS WIFE, HIS CHARM
Turai Yar’Adua, Nigeria’s First Lady, is said to play her role as a wife and a mother at home. She is said not to be involved in state administration..(PMP ok ok ok ok ! Rumours ! My best friend says there is one about the president wearing the Apron )
This is a far cry from the impression that people outside have of President Yar’Adua’s family.
Nay Sayers insist that President Yar’Adua is dominated by Turai Yar’Adua. None has, however, come out with any proof. (Woman na Woman o ! We no need proof ! )
But if a man’s likeness for his children and his grandchildren, and the fact that he makes out quality time to spend with them means he sops to his wife, then President Yar’Adua is very guilty because he loves his grand children and really makes out time to be with them..(PMP maybe he should remember he is a Father to the nation and the kids living on the streets need his attention too )
Yar’Adua insists that Turai’s activities as First Lady must remain low key, and as much as possible should not involve state funds.
BETWEEN PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA AND VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN
The relationship between both men is said to be very cordial.
He understands that he needs the confidence and respect of his deputy. This he believes should be earned through mutual respect and understanding. Therefore, Yar’Adua carries his deputy along, ensuring that the Jonathan has enough work to do.
Vice President Jonathan, too, has the confidence of his boss because he (deputy) continues to carry himself with dignity.
Jonathan, Sunday Vanguard gathered, will hardly do anything without his boss’ consent since he has played that role elsewhere before – at least he was described as the docile deputy to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, only to outfox him and become governor. Most of the stories being peddled that Jonathan a mere handbag may not be particularly true, according to Aso Rock insiders who should know. Some even query Jonathan’s relevance on account of the onslaught in the Delta. But it does appear as if some people fail to recognise that the Vice President is the Vice President of Nigeria and not Vice President of Ijaw nation. Fortunately, the VP understands his roles and responsibilities.
.(PMP Mr badluck jonathan will bomb his mother's house to remain VP PERIOD ! )
PRESIDENTIAL STRENGTH
Yar’Adua’s strongest point is what some ministers describe as his sincerity of purpose and the commitment to lead Nigeria out of the woods and take her to the comity of great nations. One of his handlers told Sunday Vanguard that “he has a vision of a great Nigeria that is politically stable and economically prosperous”
In fact, President Yar’Adua is said to have told some of his aides that a four-year tenure is like a long-distance race rather than a 100 metre dash race and “you don’t run a 400 metre race like 100 metres if you truly want to succeed. If you watch the Olympics, successful athletes build momentum gradually and thereby end in a strong way.”
“That has always been his style”, Sunday Vanguard was told. Of course some people are very good at drawing applause in their first year in office by simply playing to the gallery but at the end of their tenure when you look back there is hardly any concrete achievement you can point to.
By December 2011, some predict, Yar’Adua “wants to be able to look back with satisfaction for the difference he has made in the lives of Nigerians in the area of critical infrastructure, including power, transportation, security, food security, human capital development and wealth creation. By the end of this year for instance, the dredging of River Niger, which has been mere talk since independence, would have been done.
All is set for it and “we’re just waiting for the water level to rise; it is already slated for between July and December and the contractor has been mobilised for the job. Also by year ending, railway, as mode of transportation would be back to Nigeria with the holistic plan for which Nigeria will sign an MOU with General Electric next week”, another ministerial appointee, added.
Yar’Adua: 24 months of uncertainty .(PMP YOU ALL GOT THAT RIGHT ! hope it is not another 24months )
.(PMP over and out ! The rest of this article is what Fela calls Demo ! maybe it is the whole article itself .)
Dapo Akinrefon & Charles Kumolu
IN what many described as a script of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, President Umar Yar’Adua sold his seven point agenda to party stalwarts and maybe other Nigerians, as a campaign slogan.
In most quarters, this was viewed as a part of the factors, needed to sell candidate Yar’Adua to Nigerian voters.
Sure, the agenda may not have failed in all areas as many think, but it does not neglect some areas where it seems promising.
Unfulfilled pledges:
Power sector.
The average Nigerian appears not to have felt any impact of the seven point agenda.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had promised fixing Nigeria’s troubled power sector, in 1999. Following this pledge a former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, was given the assignment of helping to resuscitate the sector.
Same was Yar’Adua, whose sole campaign slogan, was declaration of state of emergency on the power sector. Yet, power supply has plummeted from what it was in May 29, 2007.
The bottomline is that there is concern among Nigerians and foreign investors alike at the slow pace the President seems to handle the crisis.
The promises- Power and energy, Food and security, Wealth creation, Transport sector, Land reforms, Security, Education, Anti corruption war, Electoral reforms
Wealth creation and human capital development
Productivity growth, equity, poverty eradication and security, have remained it its pre-2007 state.
Though the 2009 budget provided adequate provisions to address the issue of wealth creation, human capital development and guarantee of security to life and property, yet, most Nigerians have remained wretched.
Niger Delta
The emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as Yar;Adua’s running mate, then, however, was expected to douse the tension in the creeks. But that was far from what the people yearn. Even the creation of a ministry for the region could not stop the anger of an impoverished people. These experiments, only heightened the crisis in the oil rich region. As at the time of filing in this report, booming guns are threatening the lives of the people in the creeks.
Pledges realised
Though far from the seven point agenda., what this administration appears to have realised, is uncertainly about its direction. Aside, the functionality of the rule of law, most aspects of Nigeria’s life have been at a low ebb.
Security
Internal security in this dispensation, has remained in it its pre 1999 state. The growing insecurity in the Niger Delta, explains much about the spate of insecurity in the last two years.
Today, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Maiduguri & Onitsha have remained the highest crime spots in the country.
Anti corruption
Promise: “We are determined to intensify the war against corruption, more so because corruption is itself central to the spread of poverty. Its corrosive effect is all too visible in all aspects of our national life. This is an area where we have made significant progress in recent years, and we will maintain the momentum.”
The war against corrupt on seems to be heading Nigeria to nowhere
Electoral reforms
Promise: We acknowledge that our elections had some shortcomings. Thankfully, we have well-established legal avenues of redress, and I urge anyone aggrieved to pursue them. I also believe that our experiences represent an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Accordingly, I will set up a panel to examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections, and thereby deepen our democracy.” Verdict: The Uwais report on the reforms, has remained at the mercy of some powerful forces.
Yar’Adua Govt In Figures
* 24.893 billion, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Yar’Adua’s first year in office (2008).
* N2.67 trillion the budget proposed by President Yar’Adua to the National Assembly for 2008. It was increased to N3.049 trillion by the NASS and Yar’Adua now says he can’t implement it.
* 6,000 megawatts the total electricity capacity targeted by the Federal Government by December up from current average of 2000 megawatts.
* N628.875 billion the intervention fund for the power sector in 2009 of which N288.223 billion is FG’s contribution.
* N50 billion - aggregate allocation to the Niger Delta in 2009.
* 3,293 kilometres of road earmarked for construction and rehabilitation.
* 12,000 hectares of arable land to be irrigated.
A KITCHEN CABINET
Those who see the President more than other people and those to whom the President relates with respectfully are as follows:
Engineer Emeka Ezeh, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise.
Chief Mike Aondoakaa, Minister of Justice and Attroney General of the Federation.
Dr Lanre Babalola, Minister of Power,
Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF
Alhaji Adamu Aliero, FCT Minister (by virtue of his position as landlord)
Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser
Abba Ruma, Agriculture Minister
Dr Muhtah Mansur, Finance Minister
Sarki Mukthar, National Security Adviser, NSA
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