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All 95 passengers on board an Arik Air aircraft headed en route Abuja from Calabar, yesterday, found themselves in a mad rush as they scrambled to get off the aircraft when a car crashed into the plane shortly before takeoff at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar.

A rickety salon car, painted blue and white, the official colour pattern of registered taxis in Calabar, ran into the aircraft just as the aircraft doors were being shut, a passenger said.

A man, who claimed that he is Jesus Christ, emerged from the car after the collision and declared that he had made the desperate move to save the aircraft from an impending crash.

The man, who carried a huge bible and a huge cross, said he was trying to save the aircraft, a Boeing 737 700, and the passengers departing Calabar for Abuja. The man was promptly arrested by airport officials.

Shakened passengers who scrambled out of the plane after an announcement by the captain, were asked to wait for another aircraft which would ferry them to their destination.

"We were strapping in, they were about to shut the door when we heard a loud bang. And then the captain said ‘everybody rush out', so we all rushed out," a lady who was on board the flight with her baby, said. The passengers, who were scheduled to depart by 2.30pm, finally left around 5.30 pm after the airline provided an alternative aircraft.

Arik blames FAAN

The spokesman of the airline, Ola Adebanji, speaking , confirmed the incident but said that the airline was not to blame for the accident.

"I can confirm to you that a taxi ran into our Boeing 737 700 aircraft, an Abuja-bound flight. Arik is not in charge of security at the airport. All the airports belong to FAAN and they are in charge of security at the airports," Mr. Adebanji said yesterday.

Mr. Adebanji asked all questions on the security of the Margeret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

"You can ask FAAN and airport authorities how the taxi beat airport authorities. We don't provide security at the airports," he said.

The frightened passengers re-boarded the new aircraft provided by the airline, but questioned the seriousness of the airport security officials.

"How the taxi managed to get to the aircraft is what baffles me," a frantic passenger, who gave her name as Candi, said in a telephone interview with NEXT.

FAAN's response

The General Manager for Public Affairs in FAAN, Akin Olukunle, confirmed the incident but denied that there were passengers on board the aircraft.

"Nobody was on board the flight. The passengers were yet to board because the aircraft was just arriving from Lagos," Mr. Olukunle claimed. His claim was debunked by the Arik Air spokesman.

"The passengers were on board. In fact, we were about to shut the doors," Mr. Adebanji of Arik said.

The FAAN spokesman further said that the airport authorities could not deter the taxi driver because he was on top speed and crashed through their barriers..

"The guy was running. He was driving an Audi car. He just slammed into the first and second barriers that were guarded by air force officials. He was on top speed," Mr. Olukunle said.

Mr. Olukunle said he would not blame anyone for the accident, but that the police was now investigating the matter.

"The Air Force men arrested the man and the police is now working with them to investigate the matter," he said.

Kick off: 7.45pm.

CORRECTION: FOUR SPURIOUS OMENS BECOME THREE! I've just realised (2) happened in 2006, and Henry only left Arsenal in 2007. My. How time flies when your brain is slowly dying.

After much dull speculation - sorry - Cesc Fabregas is passed fit! Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas, Song, Diaby, Nasri, Bendtner, Arshavin.
Subs: Fabianski, Rosicky, Eduardo, Walcott, Denilson, Eboue, Campbell.

No Andres Iniesta for Barca, and Henry's only on the bench. Valdes, Dani Alves, Pique, Puyol, Maxwell, Messi, Keita, Busquets, Xavi, Pedro, Ibrahimovic.
Subs: Pinto, Marquez, Bojan, Henry, Milito, Toure Yaya, Jeffren.

Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).

Missing the next match if they're booked: Fabregas and Gael Clichy are treading a fine line for Arsenal, while needing to watch out in Barcelona shirts are Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol. Hmm, Fabregas and Puyol aren't setting much in the way of captain's examples, are they? But if the top players really must get themselves idiotically suspended for the next leg, then let's see some proper old-school haymaker throwing, please, no half measures.

Ersatz sub-Ronaldo teamsheet drama: Fabregas may yet not start! He's got special dispensation to drop to the bench, and loll on it, if his warm-up doesn't go well. CHRIST ALMIGHTY. Either he's fit or he's not. Does everything have to be such a drama these days?

Poor man's pre 1998 World Cup final carry-on: After all that, Fabregas starts. BLASPHEME BLASPHEME BLASPHEME. Now, can we just get on with it, please?

Click, clack, click, clack, click, clack, click, clack, clickity, clackity, click, clack, clack. The teams walk out onto the pitch. It won't be long, it won't be long.

Tippy, tappy, passy, passy. So, any chance you're running an illicit book on (a) possession percentages or (b) how long before the ITV commentator sees football so beautiful he starts humping his monitor?" asks Niall Caldwell. "A fiver on 57% for Barça and 14 minutes respectively." I'd go for 87% Barcelona and 0.0000000043234 seconds, were I running such a book, which I'm not. You've also forgotten to ask how long it'll take before said ITV mouthpiece starts banging on about Brazil 70-style football despite only witnessing a few simple passes being strung together.

And we're off! Arshavin immediately attempts to make things happen down the left, but his cross is too deep. Barcelona romp upfield and win a corner, just because they can. From it, sent in from the right, Busquets is found free in the centre, eight yards out. His sidefoot towards the bottom-left corner looks like creeping in, but is fingertipped away brilliantly by Almunia. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a start.

3 min: Barcelona are on the front foot. A lot of ball enjoyed by Keita, Busquets and Alves. Eventually Arsenal try to pass their way out of bother - only for Arshavin to immediately give it away to Xavi. Luckily for Arsenal the pass forward towards Ibrahimovic is heavy and bounces out of play. "All of this talk about Fabregas would lead me to make the dangerous assumption that Arsenal are just a one-man team," writes Peter Anthony Corway. "So it's not just Manchester United who have that problem then."

5 min: This is rather embarrassing for Arsenal at the moment. They have hardly touched the ball. Messi picks the ball up while racing down the inside-right channel, drops a shoulder to drift inside, and forces Almunia into saving with his feet with a low, hard shot.

6 min: This is extremely embarrassing for Arsenal at the moment. Alves swans down the right in acres, zipping a low cross into the centre for Ibrahimovic, who is free, six yards out. The big galoot balloons the ball miles over the bar, then has the brass neck not to look sheepish simply because the offside flag was up and it wouldn't have counted anyway. Dear God. Is he ever going to score in a big Champions League game?

9 min: It feels like the Emirates is tipped up onto one side at the moment, so often does the ball come back at Arsenal. Ibrahimovic zips down the right, cuts inside, and wallops a low shot into the right-hand side netting. Messi was clear in the middle; an early low cross would have caused Arsenal some severe discomfort there.

12 min: Just nothing whatsover from Arsenal at the moment. "Is it just me who expects Little Cesc to swap shirts with Yaya Toure?" wonders Gary Naylor. "I don't mean at the end of the match - I mean in August." He's here all week, ladies and gentlemen. He's here all year. Hell, he'll be here all decade.

13 min: This is preposterous. Three saves from Almunia, and blocks from Song and Vermaelen have just denied Messi (twice), Xavi, Ibrahimovic and Alves - in the space of one minute. The ball's just flying at the goal from all angles.

16 min: Vermalelen upends Ibrahimovic down the right. From the free kick, Pedro takes the ball down, just to the left of goal, ten yards out. His effort is deflected high and wide by a desperate parry by Almunia. "Some people have suggested that Wenger can't really lose from this tie: if Arsenal lose then, 'well, it was against Barcelona'; if they win then, 'what justification for Arsene!'; but is that really true?" asks David Wall. "If Arsenal are really thumped over the two-legs then they'll look like the European equivalent of West Brom in the Premier League last year. Mowbray's reputation suffered pretty badly from that (even before he reinforced the impression with Celtic this year). Could Wenger's pride take the same kind of humiliation?" We could as him now. This is the most one-sided start to a game I've ever seen.

18 min: Almunia - the only Arsenal player to turn up so far, and thank God for them that he has, else it'd be 7-0 - holds onto a Pique header from a right-wing cross. There were three yellow Barca shirts queueing up to stick the nut on that.

20 min: Arshavin is booked for a studs-up challenge on Busquets. It may have been frustration at seeing Puyol clear a deep Fabregas right-wing cross with a spectacular - and totally needless - diving header.

23 min: "This has nil-nil written all over it," writes Anthony O Connell. "For the next five minutes." And so, right on cue, just to ruin the gag, Arsenal finally do something. Nasri cuts inside from the left and, on the edge of the area, unleashes a purler of a curler towards the bottom-right corner. The ball flies just wide of the post. A superb effort - and one that gets a previously stunned crowd going.

26 min: Arshavin is limping, having injured himself making that daft tackle on Busquets. After waiting for Barcelona to pass it around for what seems like three halves of football, the ball finally goes out of play so Eboue can replace him. Incidentally, the ball went out for a goal kick, Messi running it out of play on the right - but only after Clichy had clattered into him. I reckon that should have been a penalty. Arsenal got away with one there.

29 min: Ibrahimovic wins a towering header at the left-hand post from a deep Alves cross. Almunia is sharp and first to the ball, though Galoot was offside anyway. How this is still goalless I'll never know.

32 min: Barcelona are passing it around. A lot. But that's not exactly news. "It's like watching Ajax 1972 after they have bathed in amphetamine," writes Ben Dunn. Maybe they should have taken it in pill form rather than taking a dip in it, because it's more like watching Holland 1974; a lot of fancy passing and forgetting to put the ball in the net. Luckily for Barcelona, Nicklas Bendtner is no Gerd Muller.

33 min: Messi twists and twirls just to the left of goal, outside the area, laying the ball inside to Galoot, who turns and sends a low, hard shot well wide left of target.

35 min: Bendtner diddles down the right and loops the ball into the six-yard area. Diaby gets the very top of his head to the ball, but can only divert it miles wide left. That's better from Arsenal, in as much as it's something, anything. "Is it interesting to note Ibra has never scored nor beaten an 'English' club?" wonders Stephen Alexander. "Note, this fact may be only half way interesting if you actually consider Arsenal an English club."

37 min: This is one of the most ridiculous games I've ever seen. After all that Barcelona pressure, Arsenal nearly go one up. Nasri crosses deep from the left. Alves misjudges the flight, leaving Bendtner alone in the centre with the ball at his feet. His first effort is saved by Valdes, the second is Ibrahimoviched against the right-hand post from a mere six yards. The ball then pinballs around before being hacked clear by Pique. None of it matters, as Bendtner was offside. How on earth is this still goalless?

40 min: Song is booked for not retreating from a free kick. On the halfway line. There really was no need to pick up that. Adding injury to insult, Gallas is down on the floor rubbing his leg.

43 min: Gallas has departed on a stretcher. Arsenal may leave this one until half time, the option after all being Campbell v Messi. "Ibrahimovic can hardly be expected to have scored against an English club since before this season he played for perennial European losers Inter," writes Simon Frank, who presumably doesn't support Chelsea. "Plus, big game bottlers don't score the winning goal against Real Madrid in the superclásico... having said that, he's horribly out of form, eh?"

44 min: Fabregas will miss the next match, booked for a late lunge on Busquets. The former Nou Camp youth player looks utterly distraught, not least because he got a big old piece of the ball.

44 min and a bit: From distance, Ibrahimovic skies a shot which can't have stayed in the stadium. It simply can't have. Apologies to Simon Frank, but that is possibly the worst shot ever taken in the history of professional football, and we all remember Jaap Stam's penalty at Euro 2000. Denilson, and not Campbell, is on for the crocked Gallas.

45 min: For the second time in two minutes - the Fabregas booking got in the way earlier - Nasri scoots free(ish) down the left and nearly finds Bendtner in the centre, only for Puyol to slide the ball clear.

HALF TIME: There's no point me telling you the score, you simply wouldn't believe it. How on earth aren't Barcelona ahead? They could easily have been five up after a quarter of an hour. Oh for a goalscorer in the mould of, I dunno, Samuel Eto'o. For Arsenal, it's been pretty dismal viewing, although Almunia and Nasri have both been excellent. And for a team often accused of lacking bottle, you can't accuse them of not digging in and putting in a shift.

Ibrahimovic: Galoot. "I have to object to you referring to Ibrahimovic as Galoot," blasts Ted Storer. "He is Swedish and plays for Barcelona. Shouldn't there be an umlaut or other diacritic over a vowel?" Fair point, but I'm not sure I've got a fancy enough character set. Matty Nesbitt may be able to assist. "Is Ibrahimovic the new Serginho? The moustache on the Mona Lisa? The Catalan Nicklas Bendtner?" OK, Serginhovic it is. Until I forget all about this when he shins one over the bar from a yard out on 47 minutes.

And we're off again... and... ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC: FOOTBALL GENIUS!!! Arsenal 0-1 Barcelona. Forget anything I ever said, like you were ever going to remember it anyway. Chasing a long ball down the inside-right channel, Ibrahimovic outpaces Song and from the right-hand corner of the area, lifts the most delicious sidefooted effort over the advancing Almunia and into the empty net. That was outstanding. OK, why doesn't he do this all the time?

47 min: Ibrahimovic signally does not shin one over the bar from a yard out. He's too busy running around celebrating, accepting plaudits, etc. That really was a fantastic goal. It took a whole 23 seconds of the second half to score.

49 min: Pique and Fabregas run into each other just to the left of the Barcelona box. The stunned crowd begin to shout, shout a bit more upon the referee giving not even a foul, and then fall silent again. "I take Serginhovic back," mumbles Matty Nesbitt, who can take succour from the fact that he's not in my shoes.

51 min: Ibrahimovic, on the edge of the D, heads a long ball down for Pedro, who should get an effort on target but drags a shot wide right.

53 min: Ibrahimovic sets Barca going forward with a neat backheel in the centre circle. A couple of passes later, he's dragged down 20 yards from goal by Song. The resulting free kick is wasted, Busquets sending a soft shot straight down Almunia's throat.

54 min: Both teams nearly score with a header. First Bendtner hammers a really poorly directed close-range effort straight at Valdes, wasting Clichy's perfect cross from the left, then Xavi skims a dreadful one wide left from a right-wing Alves ball.

56 min: Bendtner chases after a Fabregas flick down the inside-right channel, but the ball skids off the turf and into the hands of Valdes. Speaking of wasted effort, Loz Kaye just spent the last few minutes typing "Gålööt, gålööt".

58 min: Maxwell tears down the right, nearly finding both Xavi and Pedro in the centre with a low cross. Song does brilliantly to clear.

59 min: GOAL!!! Arsenal 0-2 Ibrahimovic. Zlatan, the slayer of the English, zips clear of Vermaelen down the inside-right channel and into the area - and wastes no time in hammering the ball into the top-right corner. We always knew this was going to happen - but by two simple balls hoofed practically up the centre?

62 min: Eboue skates down the middle of the park. He's bundled over, winning a free kick, but instead of pumping the ball towards the area Barca-style - remember how those two goals were scored - attempt to triangle-pass it down the pitch. Soon enough the ball's lost. "Does the big man need renaming for this half GOAL-OOT?" asks Matt the Hat, salvaging a little something from the wreckage of this MBM.

65 min: Arsenal can't get the ball again. Nasri, who was their star player in the first half, is to be replaced by Walcott - but just before he runs off the field, he's told to stay on, Sagna departing instead. "Tippy tappy?" repeates Damien Neva, a callback from pre-Goaloot days. "No, just a ball to the big bloke is enough to undo Arsenal. Invariably it has worked for Chelsea."

68 min: Walcott doesn't take long to get involved, ripping down the right wing and sending in a low cross. Sadly for Arsenal, there's nobody there, allowing Valdes to dip down and collect the ball.

69 min: GOAL!!! Arsenal 1-2 Barcelona. Bendtner, in the centre of the Barca half, passes down the inside-right channel towards Walcott, who strides past Maxwell, opens his body, and sidefoots powerfully goalwards. It's a decent effort, albeit one Valdes should smother. The keeper doesn't, though, the ball going through his body and into the net. This tie felt all over - but not now.

72 min: Pique is booked for cynically dragging down Fabregas as he looks for a one-two, 25 yards out, just to the right of the D. He'll miss the second leg. Is this tie turning dramatically? It will if Fabregas can score from this free kick.

73 min: Fabregas can't keep his shot down, though. "Can we still say Ibrahimovic hasn't scored against English opposition?" wonders Etienne Michelet, reading aloud from a copy of 101 Classic Arsenal Putdowns.

75 min: Eboue is booked for an artless scythe on Puyol.

76 min: Messi skitters down the left and cuts into the box, but can't get his shot away. Goaloot - aka The John Fashanu of Barca, according to Ian Copestake - is replaced by Thierry Henry. Now then.

79 min: Diaby is booked for a hilariously blatant hack on Keita. "I was about to muse about the guaranteed ineffectuality of speed merchant Walcott," writes Francis Lee. "Luckily I was delayed by perusing Hadley Freeman's piece on Uma Thurman. I might now actually start watching the match for more than eight seconds at a time." You and me both, Francis. You and me both.

82 min: Walcott and Maxwell challenge for a ball down the right. The former bundles the latter over, for which the referee calls a foul. The Emirates explodes in fury at the decision - or is it frustration? "I think the fact that Arsenal have suffered injuries against a friendly passing team like Barca shows what a bunch of senistive flowers they really are," notes Silver Fox.m

84 min: PENALTY TO ARSENAL - AND A RED CARD FOR PUYOL! From a cleverly judged right-wing cross, Bendtner, standing on the spot, cushions a header down to Fabregas. Puyol and Fabregas come together, the latter going down fairly easily to win a penalty - though you can't blame him for that. A generous award, and adding insult to injury, the big defender is sent packing - and will miss the next leg. Fabregas will take the penalty.

85 min: WHAT A COMEBACK! Arsenal 2-2 Barcelona. Fabregas hammers it down the middle, the ball sailing slightly to the left before bulging the net. The only downside: he's kicked the ball so hard, he's injured himself and limps off. With no subs left, Arsenal will play the rest of the match with ten men.

87 min: Nope, Fabregas has limped back on. But he's not moving around much. Milito comes on for Messi; Barcelona will be more than happy with a draw now.

89 min: The Emirates, so quiet for most of the half, is bouncing now. "This is a farce," suggests Barrie Stevens, balancing out the noise. "Barca should be home and dry by at least four goals by now."

90 min: There will be three more minutes of this.

90 min +1: Xavi is this close to setting Henry free, alone in the Arsenal half. Song gets something in the way; that was such a crucial interception.

FULL TIME: There's no point me telling you the score, you simply wouldn't believe it. Well, how on earth have Arsenal got away with a draw there? They were thoroughly outplayed for approximately 88 of those minutes - and allowed Zlatigol to break his duck against English clubs - but showed immense grit to fight back for a draw. Chances are that Arsenal will need to win in the Nou Camp - but Barcelona will have something to worry about now, especially as Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique will both miss the second leg. The final word goes to Alex Richman: "Well, all Wolves have to do is follow Barcelona's long-ball blueprint at the weekend, eh?"

Thierry Henry

So Thierry Henry is back at Arsenal for the first time since leaving for Barcelona. It's not the first time he's popped back to Blighty, though, is it. Some positive omens for the Gunners, then...

1. He missed a penalty on his Barcelona debut at Dundee United. In the last minute.

2. He was the creative hub of a France team beaten in the Euro 2008 qualifiers at Hampden by a Scottish side featuring Garry O'Connor, Gary Teale and Christian Dailly, 83. "Wait until we get them back to Paris," he threatened after the match. Oh!

3. He couldn't score against Rangers at Ibrox in Europe. You don't need anyone to explain the inherent problem with this.

4. He missed a glorious chance to put Barcelona into the 2008 Champions League final at Old Trafford. A missed header, from six yards with 13 minutes to go, described as "feeble" by our very own Barry Glendenning.

It doesn't look too clever, does it? Hooray for Arsenal! Hooray for Britain, what a glorious nation! Though on the other hand... (1) He put away the rebound at Tannadice, (2) took France to Euro 2008, (3) reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, and (4) won it the year after. So he'll be unlikely to be worrying too much.

Also: (5) Arsenal have been thrashed in their two other big matches at the Emirates this season, a 3-0 pasting by Chelsea and a 3-1 walloping by Manchester United, (6) Barcelona are better than Chelsea, (7) Barcelona are better than Manchester United, and (8) Henry might not get a sniff of action this evening anyway, rendering those four spurious omens totally worthless. Oh!

Prelude by 9jabook Reporter

More like the Queen of Thieves.England for all we know has been in the forefront of every manner of colonialism and their continous portrayal of their monarchy in these present times as purely ceremonial does not deny the obvious fact of precursory role their monarchy played in the enslavement of many African Nations.

Nothwitstanding We as a people have very poor memory and highly forgiving genetic disposition and wish the Queen "God save the Queen ! " on another annual remembrance of pomp and pageantry

Article@ and culled from TheWillNigeria

Queen of England, Elizabeth II, clocks another year in the month of April. In this write-up in her honour, TUNJI AJIBADE, a Consultant Writer, highlights the life and times of one of the world’s longest reigning monarchs.

"I declare before you all, that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service…God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.".

That was Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, addressing the people of the Commonwealth from Cape Town, South Africa, on her 21st birthday anniversary in 1946. Her reference to life, whether it be ‘long or short’ has turned out to be the former. She is one person on whom long life sits well like an apparel. At 84, on April 21, 2010, the former princess, now Queen Elizabeth II, is one of the world’s longest links with the past. She had spent 58 out of those years on the throne, surpassed so far by the 63 year record of the ‘grandmother of Europe’ and late Queen of England - Victoria.

Fate cleared the path for Princess Elizabeth to ascend the throne. She was born at 2.40 a.m on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London - the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York. In that spot, she was third in the line of succession to the throne; meaning she had little chance of ever ascending it – not with Edward (the then Prince of Wales, and her father, the then Duke of York) ahead of her in the queue. Elizabeth spent her early years at 145 Piccadilly, and at White Lodge in Richmond Park. Then in 1936, series of event rolled on one another to lift her up the ladder. Her grandfather, King George V, died. Edward, his eldest son arrived the throne with the name King Edward VIII; he left the throne before the end of the year after he had a sharp disagreement with the royal establishment. He wanted his freedom to marry American Mrs. Wallis Simpson, the woman after his heart, he said. That brought Elizabeth’s father, Duke of York, to the throne in 1937 as King George VI.

The Second World War did not pass without Elizabeth’s involvement. At 14, in 1940, she played the part of big sister when she made a live broadcast on BBC to all children around the world, especially those being evacuated to keep them safe from effects of the war. And she was an army commander too; she inspected her regiment at 16 in her capacity as the Colonel-In-Chief of Grenadier of Guards. In April 1943, she carried out her first solo public engagement, spending a day with a Grenadier Guards tank battalion in Southern Command. There was an increase in her official duties from that point. She was a Subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service early in 1945, and by the end of the war, she had the rank of Junior Commander, having completed her course at No. 1 Mechanical Training Centre of the ATS, and passed out as a fully qualified driver. She married Prince Phillips in 1947.

The princess was in Sagana Lodge, about 100 miles north of Nairobi, a remote part of Kenya, when, on February 6, 1952, she received the news of her father’s death. Thus it happened that the next Queen of England got to hear of what fate destined her for in rural Africa. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Geoffrey Fisher, conducted the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. And the heavy rain of that day was a tell tale of what Queen Elizabeth II’s reign would be like for her people, and for the entire world. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other important citizens from Commonwealth nations, as well as representatives of other countries attended the coronation. The Queen’s request that the ceremony be broadcast to the world was granted: Radio and television beamed it live, for the first time ever.

The Queen is Head of State in the United Kingdom and as a constitutional monarch, she only fulfils important ceremonial and formal roles with respect to Government. She is also Fount of Justice, Head of the Armed Forces and has important relationships with the established Churches of England and Scotland. The relevance of the Queen’s role in British and world affairs might be better understood and appreciated mostly by peoples who have or had lived under monarchies. Traditional leaders still have important role they play in, especially, Africa. Though most of them are not assigned any role in the constitution, their stabilizing role in communities is such that ethnic groups that did not have royalties in the past have since evolved something close to it. Many of these traditional leaders remain rallying point for their people among whom they still command enormous respect. Much of the time, their contributions do not appear so tangible, but it is there, made with quiet dignity, beyond ears, an approach befitting fathers of people.

It is no wonder that in nations such as Nigeria, a Commonwealth country, government does all it can to protect the institution of kingship or traditional leadership. In any case, as football analysts often point out, the mere presence of a player (without getting to touch the ball) on the path of an opponent may serve the purpose his team wants to achieve. There is no doubt that over the years, the stability of the monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II still serves as a focal point both in time of peace or otherwise in Britain. And there is the enormous goodwill the British royalty enjoys both at home and among world leaders, in whose nation, the Queen’s visit amounts to a national assignment to which both the big and the small want to be part of. In Nigeria today, there are elders who fondly recount their past lives with the phrase, ‘the year the Queen came’. One University graduate known to this writer would proudly mention at every opportunity that his father, a retired police officer, chauffeured the Queen when she spent 20 days in Nigerian in 1956.

In many more ways than is recognized, Her Majesty’s presence, visits, and public addresses have proved useful, and to the benefit of Britain and the world in general. Politicians in Britain come, and they go, sometimes in a matter of months, but the Queen has remained a symbol of stability over the years. Behind camera lenses, she meets with the Prime Minister at least a couple of times a month and gives invaluable advice. In her capacity as the Head of state, she receives important foreign office telegrams and a daily summary of events in Parliament. She hosts both British and foreign leaders and receives other important visitors from overseas. She is the head of the navy, army, and air force of Great Britain, and she is president or financial supporter of several organizations, many of them charities. She is regarded as Britain's true mother. One of the Queen’s biographers has pointed out that after the Silver Jubilee in 1977, when Her Majesty the Queen saw the loyalty and respect her subjects demonstrated, she realized her possibilities as a monarch. She had since then become more confident, more open, and more ready to reveal her sense of humor, strong common sense, great energy, and personal character.

The Queen has also been the Head of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 53 independent countries that used to be British colonies, for 58 years. Her presence is symbolic but it has unifying effect, and her visits to member countries reinforce the Commonwealth links around the world. She has visited every country in the Commonwealth, and has paid over 250 visits to countries around the world (nineteen of such visits were to Africa, with the exception of Cameroon, which joined the Commonwealth in 1995 and Rwanda that joined recently) since she came to the throne. She also holds regular meetings with Heads of Government from Commonwealth countries, and though not often publicized, her opinions on issues have proved invaluable to many heads of government. Apart from the Queen, other members of the royal family such as the Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales also visit the Commonwealth countries. The Queen keeps in touch with Commonwealth activities through regular contact with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and his Secretariat. She remains the Head of State of 15 Commonwealth realms in addition to the UK.

Regarded as a woman who took her coronation oath seriously, it is not surprising that the messages she delivered yearly on Commonwealth Days, as well as on some other occasions have always resonated what she promised in her 21st birthday anniversary speech. “There is a moto that has been borne by many of my ancestors,” she had said, “a noble moto: ‘I serve’. Those words were inspiration to many by-gone heirs to the throne when they made their knightly dedication as they came to manhood. I cannot do quite as they did, but through the inventions of science, I can do what was not possible for any of them.” And it is in this - her comments, visits or public addresses which help focus the activities of relevant stakeholders on the need for world peace, stability and development – that the benefits of her presence come in bolder relief, even though this is often overlooked in the midst of the noise from politicians and other policy makers.

In her message (March, 2010) on Commonwealth Day which had the theme: Science, Technology and Society, the Queen followed up on the promise she made so long ago when she stated that "today’s societies are constantly seeking ways to improve their quality of life and science and technology play a vital part in that search." She went further: “the Commonwealth recognizes that the best forms of innovation are those that unite and help build resilient partnerships and better societies as a whole.” Out of her concern for people, she said since more than half of the Commonwealth citizens are under 25 years of age, "it is vital that their potential to build on the exceptional scientific expertise that exists in member states is also fully supported through education and social development.” She therefore urged the commonwealth organization to continue to aid and encourage young people “to participate in the exciting new opportunities that lie ahead in the knowledge that progress is something which must be sustained and shared by all."

On the world stage, many things have taken place in the last 58 years since the Queen ascended the throne: Television arrived, man walked on the moon for the first time, the Berlin Wall was erected and it was brought down. And the world marches on, making use of new innovations, as the Queen said so long ago, to improve the lot of mankind. Her personal life too has been one long journey. She married former Lieutenant Mountbatten, now His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and a great-great- grandson of Queen Victoria, on 20 November 1947. They have four children and eight grandchildren.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the love lives of their children were the subject of media attention. This wiped up some level of discontent with the monarchy, and it got to an all-time high on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. Since then however, public confidence as well as the Queen’s personal popularity has surged, and the monarchy is stronger than ever. As she marks her 84th birthday, the world wishes Queen Elizabeth II, longer life.

Ajibade wrote from Abuja.

Updates as they happen

1245 - Action Congress says the "mere presence" of the president is not enough for him to resume power. Publicity secretary, Lai Muhammed, says the president must now write a letter to nation assembly to announce that he is fit for office.

1239 - Senate begins third reading of Section 145 ammendement bill. On the same day that it passed the second reading.

1232 - Army official detailed to receive president at airport this morning claims that Mr. Yar'Adua "walked" into the waiting ambulance. This is unconfirmed.

1220- Secretary to the government of the federation, Yayale Ahmed, announces that the weekly federal executive council meeting has been postponed. The Acting president will still meet with his cabinet in his office at 2pm but this will be a private meeting. No reference made to President Yar'Adua's health or return. He is not expected however to attend the meeting between Goodluck Jonathan and his cabinet.

1153 - Senate goes ahead to conclude debate amending section 145 of the constitution without any mention of President Yar’Adua’s return.

1135 - Jonathan is waiting, trying to avoid embarrassment by staying away and waiting for the president who is taking eternity to come out

1134 - Senate makes no reference to the president's return and continues session on amendment of Section 145 of the Nigerian constitution. However various groups are seen fervently huddling together during recess.

1131 - A security detail is guarding the president’s chair to ensure Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan does not sit on the chair.

♦One hour after the weekly cabinet meeting of ministers was supposed to have commenced, there is no sign that it would hold, as all the ministers have stayed away.

Neither the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan nor his aides have also turned up. This is very unusual, as they (the Acting President and his aides) always keep to time in past meetings. Mr Jonathan had locked out some ministers from past meeting for lateness.

However, aides to the ailing President, Umaru Yar'Adua who returned to the country, early this morning were seen at the chambers. Mr Yar Adua's (Aide-de-Camp) ADC, Mustapha Onoedieva
and Chief security Officer Yusufu Tilde were seen at the council chambers for a while earlier today, but they also left.

No presidency official is willing to talk yet.

President Umaru Yar'Adua returned to Nigeria early this morning, and was carried from the airport in an ambulance. A terse report on Nigerian Television Authority this morning said he has been taken to a ‘clinic.'

Talented song-stress, Asa, who recently came into the country from her base in France, has debunked the rumour that she is a lesbian.

It has been in circulation for some time that she was having an affair with her manager, Janet Nwose.

“All what they were saying about me are far from the truth. Presently, I’m only married to my guitar,” Asa said.

Tosyn Bucknor: On Interviewing Asa

If you listen to her music, you might have already guessed what Asa would come across as in person. I cant say this was my first time of meeting her, but it was in a different way, and as she sat down, I thought to myself, “better not mess this one up”! It was easy interviewing her though! If you ask, she will answer. Straightforward, no punches pulled!

We began with the easy ones first! Her album is still making a massive impact now and even still getting her nominations! What did she think about that! She says at the time of making the album, all she wondered was if people would like it, but she thinks in the end, it comes down to the fact that when she made/makes music, her focus is the music itself, telling her stories and discovering herself, and not ulterior motives like fame or music. She also admitted that she is a very shy and quiet person who gets surprised when people recognise her. We do hope she is ready for a lot of surprises then because she is one of the most visually recognised artistes from Nigeria!

A quick music break had Top Radio’s in-house deejay (DJ GQ) playing, while Dj Jimmy, Asa, Janet (her manager) and myself had a lot of fun with off air gist! We mainly kept grilling Jimmy Jatt about love, and knowing ‘The One’ . Once we went back on air, it was time to tackle those rumours! The most recent story on asa was that she had been arrested at Heathrow for being in possession of cocaine. Her presence in Nigeria (and in Nigeria at the time of the news breaking) was proof enough that the story was false, but she categorically denied those rumours, saying she was at home, having a relaxed time with her family, when the calls started coming in. She said she was hurt and angry, and clarified while she was at it, that she was not a lesbian, and was just a quiet person who truly liked to keep her life private. She said when she did get married and have children, she would love to keep even that, private! I love the way she expresses herself, and the way she pronounces certain words with both an emphasis and a clipped tone! I love that she is all about the music, for even when we were off air, she would get lost in it, and I love that after all is said and done, it all boils down to an artiste who is truly truly, all about the art itself.