AN (28)

Dele Abiodun is an Impostor-Tee Mac

Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, a renowned flutist and recipient of Member of the order of Federal Republic (MFR) is angry at the on-going controversy in the headquarters of Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria, PMAN. He did not hide his disdain to an alleged ‘disclaimer’ on Admiral Dele Abiodun, the faction President of PMAN, as an impostor and fraudster.


In an exclusive interview recently, he said “There were series of complaints against Abiodun by stakeholders in the music industry. The petitions attached to this story were brought forward to the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, Ikoyi in Lagos for investigation, because after this impostor had collected all the money from multinational companies, he paid no salaries to the staff for over one year.” 



Iseli explained further, due to his craftiness, inconsistency and fraudulent activities, “Admiral was impeached by a National Executive Committee, (NEC) meeting 3 weeks ago. He shunned his legal impeachment and went to Oshogbo to elect himself PMAN President again in the most ‘kangaroo election’. I can assure you that those he gathered for the election were no registered members, because my Secretary General Dike has the authentic register of all registered members. I want Nigerians to know that Abiodun is not the legal PMAN President. He should immediately stop to parading himself and collecting money by deceit from members of the public. There is a case in the Appeal Court (PMAN versus Dele Abiodun) and until the Appeal court decides otherwise I am still the elected PMAN President. We shall call in proper elections and the united PMAN (without Abiodun) will elect a credible, acceptable leader.”.



Efforts to reach the embattled faction PMAN President failed at press time, as he refused to pick his mobile phone. Also, investigation by our correspondent showed that employees of the music union are ready to hold Abiodun to ransom any time he enters the national secretariat. In short, Abiodun allegedly operates the daily activities of the union from his sitting room in Ogba, Lagos. 



Paul Udenta is a veteran journalist, Executive Director, Harmony Media Communications, Abuja
Read more…

Suspected ritualists have killed an 84-year old hunchback, Olu Esho at his 9, Imalefalaafia residence, Oke Ado, Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.12166303287?profile=original

A-house-the-murdered-hunchb.jpg?width=495

•The house where Olu Esho was killed on Friday night. Photo:below Right Xray of hunchback ( kyphosis )

P.M.NEWS gathered that the deceased, who occupied the house for many years was living alone without a wife or children around him. He was believed to have inherited the one storey building from his late uncle.

Unknown to the Makun, Sagamu, Ogun State-born hunchback, he was trailed by ritualists who broke into his residence on Friday night. The assailants killed Pa Olu Esho and removed the hunch at his chest and back, his genitals and other organs in his body.

When P.M.NEWS visited the area this morning, all the tenants at the attached spare parts shop on the ground floor had disappeared. The building was also under lock.

It was learnt that all the residents around the house have fled to escape arrest by plain cloth policemen who were around the area to investigate the gruesome murder.

A few residents of the adjacent street who spoke with our correspondent described the late Pa Olu Esho as an easy going, jovial and humble person.

One of them simply called Kehinde, said the deceased was always at Lodge Street to relax adding: “He was a nice old man, very friendly with young and old people. He was a friend to my father who originally owned and run this pools house.”

He confirmed that the murdered septuagenarian was alone in the house.

Kehinde disclosed that the residents learnt Pa Olu Esho was once attacked in Sagamu but he managed to escape and had since relocated to Ibadan for many years before he was murdered on Friday.

An Ibadan-based legal practitioner, Mr. Ranti Ajilete, who said that he had known the deceased for over twenty years described him as a quiet and simple man who does foment trouble.

Ajilete described the murder of such an innocent man as unfortunate, stressing that the killing of the old man was an indication that the nation lacks security.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO of the Oyo State Police Command, SP Olatunji Ajimuda said the police have set in motion machinery to unmask Pa Esho’s killers.

He confirmed that some arrests had been made and the suspects so far arrested were being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Meanwhile, the corpse of the victim has been deposited at the Oyo State General Hospital mortuary, Adeoyo, Ibadan, for autopsy.

 

Kyphosis (Greek - kyphos, a hump), also called hunchback, is a common condition of a curvature of

the upper back. It can be either the result of degenerative diseases (such as arthritis), developmental problems (the most common example being Scheuermann's disease),osteoporosis with compression fractures of the vertebrae, and/or trauma.In the sense of a deformity, it is the pathological curving of the spine, where parts of the spinal column lose some or all of their lordoticprofile. This causes a bowing of the back, seen as a slouching back and breathing difficulties. Severe cases can cause great discomfort and even lead to death.

source:wikipedia

Read more…
12166302665?profile=original

 

 

1. The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.

 

2. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.

 

3. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

 

4. Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

 

5. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.

 

6. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."

 

7. So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.

 

8. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

 

9. Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."

 

10. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

 

11. Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!'

 

12. Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

 

13. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.

 

14. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it," says the Lord.' "
(Ezek.37:1-14 NKJV)

 

Addendum:

Jesus tells the story of a man who asked his two sons to go and work in his vineyard. One agreed but did not go. The other refused but later relented and went. Jesus then points out that it is he who actually obeys the Father that inherits his kingdom (Mt 21:28-32). This shows salvation is earned by works of righteousness and not just through vain confessions.

Moreover, we are saved at the end of our walk with God and not at the beginning (1 Pet 1:9). The seed of the word of God may be planted in us initially. However, it might ultimately be unfruitful if it falls by the wayside, on stony places or among thorns (Mt 13:3-9). Jesus says those who endure to the end will be saved (Mt 24:13).

 


Read more…
Until last week, the hope of the Ukahueleigbes was that their daughter, 17-year-old Ella Oyindamola, would soon graduate from the University of Lagos and make them proud by getting a good job. But this hope was dashed last week as she died in a mysterious circumstance.

12166298881?profile=original
Photo: Ella in Life Beautiful with a lovely smile

Ella, a second year student of Marine Sciences, was allegedly drugged by a family friend last week Tuesday. PUNCH METRO gathered that the drug, suspected to be a sleeping tablet, put the girl to sleep and she never woke up..

PUNCH METRO gathered that efforts made by her friend to revive her failed. She, however, died at the Lagos Univesity Teaching Hospital where she was rushed to.

The Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Olukayode Amund, told PUNCH METRO that he got a report that a girl living in the institution's Moremi Hall had died. However, he added that the circumstances of her death were yet to be known.

He said, "The girl was a student of Marine Sciences and the Head of Department confirmed it. She was allocated Moremi Hall and for now we have collected her contact address and her telephone number. Once we receive a coroner's report, the school will know what step to take."

He said that that the initial report brought to him was that Ella went out with her boyfriend and was later taken to LUTH by the boyfriend before she died in the hospital.

But an official in the Dean's office, who craved anonymity, said that Ella's parents had alleged that their daughter was poisoned. The official said the parents claimed that the man responsible was not her boyfriend but a neighbour, whom she had not seen for a long time. The parent added that both decided to take a drink and she later died after taking the drink.

But Almund said that since the university was not responsible for the girl's death, it would not pay any compensation to her family. "But she might be entitled to insurance claim if she registered for the school's insurance scheme, which students were advised to do," he said.

He advised students to stay under the protection of the university. "What we do is to counsel students, we don't nag them because we are dealing with adults. They can make a choice whether to stay under the protection of the university or to go outside the protection of the University of Lagos," he said.

Spokesman of the state police command, Mr.Frank Mba, said he was not sure that police had received a report of the death. But our correspondent gathered that Ella's parents and the university were waiting for an autopsy report before making a formal report.

Although our correspondent made strenous efforts to obtain the telephone numbers of Ella's parents from the UNILAG Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dare Adebisi, and the late undergraduate's friends, he was unsuccessful.

Repeated calls to Adebisi's number were not answered. A text message was also not replied.

Additional report: Lekan Ibrahim.
Read more…
Oct 26, 2010 – FEDDIE GIRL the international adventure/thriller detailing the experiences of an American teenager in a Nigerian (West Africa) boarding school has been presented two Best Books 2010 Finalist Awards sponsored by USA Book News.

USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE “BEST BOOKS 2010” AWARDS (BBA) on October 26, 2010. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 140 categories covering print and audio books. Awards were presented for titles published in 2010 and late 2009, and Feddie Girl by Nona David was honored emerged as Finalist in two categories. ..

Winners and finalists traversed the publishing landscape: Simon & Schuster, Penguin/Putnum, Rodale, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, Moody Publishers, American Cancer Society, Sourcebooks, Bernard Books Publishing & hundreds of independent houses.

FEDDIE GIRL - The recent double Award-Winning Finalist by author Nona David published in February of 2010 - Tells the tale of thirteen year old Carlotta Ikedi who didn't like attending her American schools, and gets into constant trouble leading to two expulsions as a result of her behavior. Seeking a solution to Carlotta's problems, her parents enroll her in a private girls school in Nigeria. Carlotta faces a culture shock unlike any that she has ever known, and faces the challenge of succeeding on her own in a strange environment. In this wonderful coming of age novel, author Nona David weaves a fine story of character, friendship, and triumph over adversity...

Nona David, the celebrated author of this Award-Winning novel, currently lives with her husband in Cincinnati Ohio. She has a passion for foreign cultures and zeal to visit new places, learn new languages, and experience new things. Her background, friends, and experiences in Nigeria, West Africa is the major influence for her debut novel, FEDDIE GIRL.

Read more…

Transfer Blackberry Contacts to an iPhone

Just traded in your Blackberry for a shiny new iPhone? Wise choice.

Here's how to transfer contacts from your old Blackberry to your new iPhone, and without buying anything extra along the way (completely free solution).

We'll do this in two main steps:

1. Transfer contacts from the Blackberry address book to Outlook on your computer (or Windows Mail).

2. Sync your iPhone with your computer using iTunes, which will transfer the contacts from Outlook to your iPhone.

Make sure that both the Blackberry Desktop Manager and iTunes are installed on your system, and that your Blackberry is connected to your computer with a usb data cable.

Run the Blackberry Desktop Manager program and click "Synchronize" from the main menu screen. Select "Synchronization" below the Configuration menu option to get to the Synchronization Configuration screen.

blackberry-sync-config.jpg

There you'll click the "Synchronization" button to configure the synchronization settings.

(that was a mouthfull of synch-related words wasn't it? Hang in there)

You'll be asked to choose the device applications to synchronize. Choose "Address Book", and then choose "Outlook".

If you don't have Outlook on your system, then you can choose "Windows Mail" instead.

blackberry-intellisync-applications.jpg

Next you'll configure how you want to sync your contacts, either bi-directionally or just from your blackberry to Outlook (which is the option I chose):

blackberry-intellisync-outlook2.jpg

Click "Next" and then "Finish" to complete the synchronization settings. This will take you back to the synchronization screen.

Make sure you check the option to "Synchronize organizer data". This is the setting that tells the program to sync your contacts.

blackberry-synchronize.jpg

Click the "Synchronize" button to copy the contacts from your Blackberry to your Outlook contacts. You can open Outlook after the sync has completed, and you should see your Blackberry addresses in your Outlook contacts folder.

http://www.rickysays.com/themes/garamond/img/circle.gif); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(94, 178, 234); margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 20px; background-position: 5px 0.32em; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">Transfer contacts from Outlook to an iPhone

You can import Outlook contacts to your iPhone by syncing your iPhone with iTunes.

Plug your iPhone into your computer and wait for iTunes to automatically launch (or run iTunes from the Start menu if necessary).

Select your iPhone in iTunes, select the Info tab, and then click the checkboxes to sync your contacts. Choose Outlook as the application to sync with. Click Apply, then click Sync.

iphone-outlook.jpg

This will copy the contacts from Outlook over to your iPhone.

Remember however, that you can only sync your iPhone with one computer at a time. If you later decide to sync with another computer, your contacts will be erased.

Our work here is finished, and your Blackberry contacts will now be copied over to your iPhone.

Read more…

If it were not for that trademark Nose !

The pictures of these two men, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Igwe Okwudili Onyejekwe bear a striking resemblance. Igwe Onyejekwe is the former Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Okwudili Onyejekwe a police officer, who lived in Abeokuta
around 1930s. He died in 1970.

Former presient Obasanjo has procurred a writer from Ghana to do a 50-page book on him and at the launching of the book bragged that he was "100%" from Owu-Egbaland in Ogun State. The question if not where Obasanjo think he comes
from but his real paternity..



Read more…
“Frenemy” (one who pretends to be a friend but is actually an enemy).

In the words of Ambassador Jetta, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is a man of uncommon loyalty, impeccable integrity, and possesses an immense commitment to Nigeria. But it appears these great attributes might become an impediment, as his

closest associate from the north, Hassan Tukur, who appears to have gained his absolute confidence, may be covertly working against his ambition to become President. Our checks reveals that Hassan Tukur, who has been a friend to the President for a very long time and currently works as his principal secretary, may be a “Frenemy” (one who pretends to be a friend but is actually an enemy).

Mr. Tukur is a diplomat and technocrat par excellence. His friendship with President Jonathan dates back to pre-Aso Villa days. He was President Yar’Adua’s special assistant on Petroleum Resources. Tukur is assumed to be the president’s closest associate from the North and is alleged to have single-handedly picked most of the regime’s political appointees that were employed from the north by Goodluck Jonathan. According to sources who have had contact with him, Tukur does not hesitate to inform you that “he can get the President to do anything”, and really in most cases he delivers; a source added.

However, Hassan Tukur, Huhuonline.com learnt is torn between his loyalty to his boss and his kinsmen from the north, who are vehemently opposed to the President`s 2011 presidential ambition. To this end, Tukur is alleged to have asked the President not to contest the 2011 election. But his advice has not been heeded.

It should be recalled that in his inaugural speech, President Jonathan promised that “the war against corruption will be prosecuted more robustly,” and his aides, particularly Hassan Tukur, pencilled in the name of his bosom friend, Nuhu Ribadu, the country’s former anticorruption czar, to lead the war. Mr Ribadu was considered robust and effective in his position until he was forced out by Yar’Adua’s government.

Mr. Tukur was very instrumental in the return of Nuhu Ribadu, whom he had convinced the president to appoint as his special adviser on anti-corruption and other related matters, but as soon Nuhu returned to Nigeria, the goal posts began to move. Hassan Tukur began to lobby the President to appoint Nuhu Ribadu as vice president, which in itself was not a bad idea as Nuhu Ribadu was viewed as a man of impeccable character, capable bringing credibility to any government. But this was not to be.

However, Nuhu Ribadu and Hassan Tukur, Huhuonline.com gathered were looking beyond the vice presidential position, their eyes were set on the plum job of president. Had President Jonathan given in to the plot, the duo would have covertly disclosed his flaws by releasing embarrassing details of the President to the media, which could portray him as inexperienced and incompetent for the office of President..

Consequently, they would have blackmailed him into resigning and returning to Bayelsa. Nuhu Ribadu is very familiar with this type of operation. Recall that Nuhu Ribadu blackmailed Obasanjo into dropping Peter Odili as running mate to Umaru Yar`adua in 2007.

Having failed in their plot, Nuhu Ribadu abandoned the PDP, and joined AC, where he is a presidential aspirant; While Hassan Tukur stayed put on his job as principal secretary to the president, and is currently amassing stupendous wealth for himself under the guise of raising funds for the Goodluck Jonathan 2011 Presidential campaign. However, it remains to be seen if Hassan Tukur’s loyalty lies with the President or the Northern Oligarchy.

Read more…

Rosh Hashanah DAY !

Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה‎, literally "head of the year," Israeli: Hebrew pronunciation: [ˈʁoʃ haʃaˈna], Ashkenazic: ˈɾoʃ haʃːɔˈnɔh, Yiddish:[ˈrɔʃəˈʃɔnə]) is a Jewish holiday commonly referred to as the "Jewish New Year." It is observed on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar.[1] It is ordained in the Torah as "Zicaron Terua" ("a memorial with the blowing of horns"), in Leviticus 23:24. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim ("Days of Awe"), or Asseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance) which are days specifically set aside to focus on repentance that conclude with the holiday of Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah is the start of the civil year in the Hebrew calendar (one of four "new year" observances that define various legal "years" for different purposes as explained in the Mishnah and Talmud). It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts. The Mishnah also sets this day aside as the new year for calculating calendar years and sabbatical (shmita) and jubilee (yovel) years. Jews believe Rosh Hashanah represents either analogically or literally the creation of the World, or Universe. However, according to one view in the Talmud, that of R. Eleazar, Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of man, which entails that five days earlier, the 25 of Elul, was the first day of creation of the Universe.[2]

The Mishnah, the core text of Judaism's oral Torah, contains the first known reference to Rosh Hashanah as the "day of judgment." In the Talmud tractate on Rosh Hashanah it states that three books of account are opened on Rosh Hashanah, wherein the fate of the wicked, the righteous, and those of an intermediate class are recorded. The names of the righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life, and they are sealed "to live." The middle class are allowed a respite of ten days, until Yom Kippur, to repent and become righteous; the wicked are "blotted out of the book of the living."[3]



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosh_Hashanah



For secular Jews


It would happen each fall around the Jewish new year. At the very time when renewal was in the autumn air, Arnold Barnett, an engineer from Moorestown, would go into a mild funk. His wife eventually figured it out: He was less than enamored with high holiday synagogue services.


"He simply wasn't engaged by what went on inside our Reform synagogue, or with the traditional approach to Judaism," said Ellen, 70. "I knew he was struggling. So sometimes, I would just go to services alone."


Then last year, the Barnetts saw a small notice in a local Jewish newspaper about a recently formed group in South Jersey. "We went to a meeting that was focused on Jewish history," Arnold, 71, recalls, "and that was something I could relate to. It was much more appealing."


And so the Barnetts will celebrate Rosh Hashanah, which begins Wednesday at sundown, by meeting Sunday with like-minded members of South Jersey Secular Jews - a group of people who may or may not believe in God, but do believe in caring about the world and one another, respecting and understanding Jewish history, and celebrating a culture that has meaning and emotional pull.


"The most important aspect of secularism is the survival and continuity of the Jewish people," said Paul Shane, a native New Yorker now living in Philadelphia and married to the daughter of Holocaust survivors.


Shane, 75, a member of the more established Philadelphia Secular Jewish Organization, believes humans are responsible for what happens on Earth. The here and now is central, and actions speak louder than words.


That philosophy resembles traditional Judaism. But secular Jews and traditional Jews part company when it comes to accepting religious dogma.


If you're secular, God is optional. (Traditional Judaism has "God at its heart. That's not an option," said Rabbi Ethan Franzel of Main Line Reform Temple Beth Elohim in Wynnewood.) Also, life-cycle events are handled individually - for instance, there are no set burial or wedding traditions in secular Judaism.


Of course secularism, in which one adheres to cultural norms rather than religious ones, is hardly new. During the Renaissance, from 1450 to 1600, and the Enlightenment in the 18th century, many Jews shed the God-oriented elements of their Jewishness, according to Shane, a professor of social policy at Rutgers University in Newark. That shedding also continued in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.


What's different today is that a growing number of secular Jews are finding one another, forming groups, and practicing the social responsibility Judaism requires - minus the synagogue.


Rifke Feinstein, executive director of the national Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations, says there are approximately 2,000 affiliated secular Jews in the United States. But because seculars typically are unaffiliated, and therefore uncounted, estimates for the entire American secular population range from 8,000 to 40,000.


In the Philadelphia area, there are six such organizations for secular Jews - including the five-year-old South Jersey Secular Jews - all under the local umbrella cooperative venture called Kehilla for Secular Jews.


For many people, discovering that such an organization exists has been a relief.


" 'I thought I was the only one!' is what people often express when they discover that they are not alone in their secular relationship to their Jewishness," said Larry Angert, 59, a member of 11-year-old Shir Shalom: A Havurah for Secular Jews. "The Jewish tent is big, and there's room for all of us in it."


Some local secular groups, like Philadelphia's Sholom Aleichem Club, which started in 1954, and Philadelphia Workmen's Circle, founded nationally in 1900 to aid Jewish immigrant workers and to promote Yiddish, have graying memberships. Bob Kleiner, 85, of Elkins Park, a retired sociology professor at Temple University, and his wife, Frances, a teacher of Yiddish, both long active in the secular movement, lament that younger people are not actively involved in these historic groups.


But the formation of new groups, such as South Jersey Secular Jews, is evidence the movement still has traction.


Credit Naomi Scher, 64, of Cherry Hill, whose children attended the Jewish Children's Folkshul, another Kehilla group, which is a parent-run cooperative held at Springside School in Philadelphia. About 100 children receive their Jewish education, not in a traditional Hebrew school but in classes that nourish social justice and individual responsibility. Bar and bat mitzvah aspirants undertake personally meaningful projects that they ultimately share with the entire Folkshul community.


Although Scher formed relationships with parents of her children's classmates, commuting to Philadelphia became burdensome once her children graduated, and in 2005, the retired social worker decided to start a secular group closer to home.


What began as a gathering of eight to 10 people now regularly attracts 30, meeting monthly with speakers who address social and political concerns, Scher said.


Deborah Chaiken, 74, of Palmyra is delighted to have a group close to home. "In the formal Jewish community, I felt that I didn't really have a voice. Here, I know that I do."


Dues are $25 a year, and participants are asked to bring food for potluck dinners. Meetings are held on the second Sunday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill..


South Jersey Secular Jews members Cary and Bilha Hillebrand of Cherry Hill call the group a welcome addition to the local landscape. For Bilha, 54, the philosophy of the group is more in keeping with that of her native Israel, where the majority of the population leads a more secular lifestyle.


"We are not in any way antireligious," says Cary, 60. "We hold the belief that we are responsible for what happens to ourselves and to the world. And to us, that's the essence of what religion is, and should be."






Read more…

SSS official, family murdered in Kano

Unknown assassins in the wee hours of Monday invaded the home of an official of the State Security Service killing him along with four members of his family.Photo:
The deceased, Garba Bello, was an operative of the State Security Service (SSS).
The official, identified as Garba Bello, was killed when the assassins forced their way into his home, situated in Kundila Gandu Estate, off Zoo Road, in Kano around 2am.

He was killed along with his wife, Habiba (40), while three of his children were strangulated. They were identified as Hafsat (16), Khalifa (14), and Murjatu (5).

Two of his sons, Bello (21), a student of Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil, and Farouk, escaped by jumping over the fence of the house.

Lucky survivors

Farouk, who sustained serious injuries, is being watched over by operatives of the SSS in a Kano hospital where he is receiving treatment.

Family sources told NEXT that Mr. Bello, who is an indigene of Jigawa State, was serving in the medical department of the SSS in Sokoto State. He was reported to have been ill for some time and was in Kano to take care of his health after he was granted a sick leave. He had planned to return to his Sokoto base this Saturday, before he met his untimely death.

Security sources said that earlier this year, while the deceased was away, persons suspected to be thieves broke into his house, which is a few metres away from a police outpost, and made away with all his valuables.

According to a neighbour, Aminu Sarki, he was with the deceased on Sunday by 5.30pm and he(the deceased) didn't complain of any threat to his life.

"I was shocked when I received a phone call this morning (Monday) while I was still on my bed that my good friend and members of his family have been murdered. I couldn't believe it because yesterday, I and my wife were with them and they didn't complain of anything," he said.

Another source said that the day before, the door to the deceased's home had to be forced open, after efforts to open it from inside failed. The deceased had to call on his neighbours to open it from outside.

He was later quoted to have said he suspected someone must have tampered with the door.

Kano State commissioner of police, Mohammed Gana, confirmed the incident, saying, "It is a clear case of an act of assassins. We were there this morning and preliminary investigation has indicated that it was not a robbery attack.

"Two of his children escaped from the hands of the assassins. We are going to interrogate them to find out whether they can give us any clue. Investigation is still on; and no arrest has been made yet," he said.
Read more…

IBB "bribes" Journalists

Five months ago, a friend of mine, who edits a national daily, sent me a text message agreeing substantially with my column, ‘The Punch and the rest of us’, except the generalised conclusion that “all (journalists) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the profession”. There are still some journalists, he submits, who toe the narrow path of integrity. Of course I knew where he was coming from, but I also knew the context in which I had made that statement.

I revisit that statement in light of the stories spewing out of the political beat, specifically on the race for the 2011 presidential elections and how it affects the integrity of news.

As part of the effort to sell his candidature for the presidency, former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) invited as many as 40 journalists to his Minna home on August 14 for an interview. I have heard questions asked about why he should invite journalists to his home instead of a public place if he didn’t have an ulterior motive, and why he should offer monetary gifts to the journalists in the name of paying for their transportation.

One news medium, which has championed this opposition in the open, is the online agency, Sahara Reporters. According to SR each of the journalists received N10 million for heeding Babangida’s call on his presidential ambition. That is N400 million just for one night’s interview from an aspirant yet to win his party’s nomination if it were true. But it was not. When some of the journalists complained about the fictional sum, SR changed the story on August 19, saying it was just “a paltry N250, 000 each”. Rather than admit its initial error SR simply said, “our accountants have told us that going by the number of 40 journalists in attendance, we are still around the same ballpark of N10 million”. So much for credible reporting!

Three days later, SR followed up with ‘IBB and his Rogue Journalists’, accusing the journalists of roguery and professional misconduct; roguery, because they collected money from two sources—their employers who presumably authorised and funded the trip and their news source, IBB; misconduct because it is unethical for them to demand/receive gratification from news sources for their services.

And on August 23 in ‘IBB Nocturnal Press Parley: Punch fires Editorial board Chairman’, SR stayed on top of the story by reporting that Adebolu Arowolo, editorial board chairman of the Punch, had lost his job for going on that trip without his management’s approval..

Read more…

The Falconets class of 2010 have made history by beating the USA and qualifying for a first ever semi-final in any FIFA organised women's competition.

The team trailed from a USA goal in the 9th minute but equalised spectacularly through Helen Ukaonu in the 79th minute to drag the match into extra time which did not produce any more goals.

In the ensuing penalty kicks, USA captain, Christine Nairn lost the USA's first kick and Sydney Leroux blazed their fourth kick over the bar to hand the Nigerian girls' victory 5-3. They will meet Colombia in the semi-finals on Thursday, July 29, 2010..

Read more…

Find more photos like this on 9jabook.com Re-braining 9geria



















...........................................................................









..........................................................................................















............................................................................................................................................










......................................................................................................................................




























































































.....................................................................................................................................................




















..............................................................................................................................................













.........................................................














.................................................




























..........................................................................................................................

















............................................
Read more…

Where there is a will there is a WAY !! With a great percentage of our womenfolk who have embraced Prostitiution and other Vices as a means of survival .The Phrase what a man can do a woman can do even .....Omoyeni is one of the Heroes of This country who face the odds head on and will take No for an Answer.Kudos from us all !

Omoyeni Agbokere is a 35-year-old widow who has taken up a task most women would frown at as a means of survival.

‘First lady’ is what she is fondly called by her colleagues at the motor park, a name which she inscribes on the back of her tricycle (Keke Marwa). Driving a tricycle is not what she ever dreamt of as a career, but her husband’s death forced her to look for a means of survival.

“My husband died two years ago,” she said. “ Before he died, I used to engage in some petty trading because he was the one taking care of most of the family’s needs. When he died, I had to look for a better business to sustain me and my family.”

The mother of two says she has not regretted her decision because she makes enough to take care of her family.

“I have two children, a boy of 12 and a girl of eight. This Keke Marwa business, I see it as something I can use to help my family because it is bringing a daily income. The money I make every day depends on how much I work for the day. I make between N2,000 and N3,000 everyday.”

‘I’m my own boss’

Apart from being lucrative enough to cater for her family’s needs, Mrs Agbokere says she enjoys the flexibility that her work provides. “When I’m tired or when I don’t feel like working again, I can just stop and go home. I have enough time to spend with my children and i can be there for them at any time of the day,” she said.

She plies the Mushin-Oye route several times a day, a task which brings her in contact with different people, some of whom are hesitant to have her drive them because of her gender. “Some passengers who see a woman driving a ‘keke’ for the first time are usually scared. They think that if I drive them, they may fall off the ‘keke’ or even have an accident so they won’t enter. The people who live around here see me driving everyday so they are used to me and don’t get scared.”

With only four months experience in the business, Mrs Agbokere says she is comfortable with it and hopes to continue. “I didn’t buy this ‘keke’ with my money because I can’t afford it. If I had enough money to buy it, I don’t think I would have been driving a ‘keke’. I would have used the money to start another business of my own. But I thank God for what I am doing now. This ‘keke’ is owned by a woman who lives in my area. She gave me to drive and I pay her weekly. By God’s grace, I will soon finish paying for it and the keke would become mine,” says the indigene of Oyo State..

‘The men respect me’

Being the only woman working among so many men, Mrs Agbokere says there are more advantages to it than she thought. “I don’t face as much challenges as I would have expected in this business. The ‘keke’ is quite easy to drive. Also, I am the only woman working among these men and they treat me very well. They respect me a lot. They even pamper me because I am the only woman. The police men I meet on the streets when I am driving my keke are usually very kind to me. Even the Agberos (touts) don’t disturb me when I am working.”

Her husband’s death, she says, has made her stronger and more determined to provide a better future for her children. To women who have had similar losses and setbacks in life, Mrs Agbokere says they should look past their loss and forge ahead. “I advise them not to sit down and fold their hands while waiting for someone to help them. Despite any unfortunate incident in their life, they should not think that is the end of their life.”

Like most business owners, Mrs Agbokere has a dream of expansion for ‘First Lady’. “If I can finish paying the money for this ‘keke’, I will buy another one to give out to someone who will be driving it and paying me daily just like I am doing now, preferably a woman.”

Read more…

Three British scientists shocked the world when they revealed on May 16th,1985 -25 years ago -that aerosol chemicals, among other factors, hadtorn a pointer; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_0"">hole in the ozone layerover the 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_1"">South Pole.The ozone layer,which protects scroll 0% 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_2"">lifeon Earth from damaging none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_3"">solar radiation, became anovernight sensation. And the hole in the ozone layer became theposter-child for mankind's impact on the planet.

Today, the ozonehole - actually a region of thinned ozone, not actually a pure hole -doesn't make headlines like it used to. The size of the hole hasstabilized, thanks to decades of aerosol-banning legislation. But,scientists warn, some danger still remains.

First, the good news: Since the 1989 dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_5"">Montreal Protocol banned the useof ozone-depleting chemicals worldwide, the ozone hole has stoppedgrowing. Additionally, the ozone layer is blocking more cancer-causingradiation than any time in a decade because its average thickness hasincreased, according to a 2006 United Nations report. Atmospheric levelsof ozone-depleting chemicals have reached their lowest levels sincepeaking in the 1990s, and the hole has begun to shrink.

Now the bad news: The ozone layer has also thinned over the http://www.livescience.com/environment/top10_polar_differences.html">NorthPole. This thinning is predicted to continue for the next 15yearsdue to weather-related phenomena that scientists still cannot fullyexplain, according to the same UN report . And, repairing the ozone holeover the South Pole will take longer than previously expected, andwon't finish until between 2060 and 2075. Scientists now understand thatthe size of the ozone hole varies dramatically from year to year, whichcomplicates attempts to accurately predict the hole's future size.

Interestingly, recent studies have shown that the size of the ozonehole affects the http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/if-global-warming-is-real-why-is-it-still-snowing-0480/">globaltemperature. Closing the ozone hole actually speeds up themeltingof the 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_8"">polar ice caps,according to a 2009 study from ScientificCommittee on Antarctic Research.

So even though environmentally friendly laws have successfullyreversed the trend of repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_9"">ozone depletion, the lingering effects ofaerosoluse, and the link between the ozone hole and pointer; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1273223566_10"">global warming,virtuallyensure that this problem will persist until the end of the century.

Read more…

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.

Read more…

Pet shop owner fined £1,000 and told to wear an electronic tag... for selling a GOLDFISH to a boy aged 14

Her offence was to unwittingly sell a goldfish to a 14-year-old boy taking part in a trading standards 'sting'.

Read more…
I slept with an average of 7 men in a day

pix201003133272250[1].jpg

When 33 strip dancers were arrested in Lagos recently and their half-nude pictures splashed on the pages of an evening newspaper, not a few people condemned the dancers and the operators of the night club in which they operated.


Agatha

advertisement

But many people seemed to have failed to reckon that the business could not have thriven without patronage from members of the public, or that many of the dancers were forced into the trade by circumstances.

For instance 17-year-old Agatha found herself in prostitution as a result of circumstances beyond her control and she is now full of regrets for the unseemly experience. ''My father had three wives and my mum had three daughters for him. I am the last of the three girls,'' said the Enugu State born girl. ''I lived with my maternal grandmother. Sometime in March last year, I was on my way to my father's house when I was accosted by a lady from my village. She asked me why I wasn't in school.''

The lady, called Mama Ify, lived a distance away from Agatha's father. Believing that Mama Ify was genuinely concerned about her welfare, Agatha explained that she had to stop going to school for lack of funds. ''I didn't go back to school after my JSS III exams because my father had no money. When I said so, she told me she had a sister in Ibadan who sold provisions, and the sister was in need of a sales girl.''

Agatha was overjoyed at the opportunity to escape her life of poverty. After all, there was nothing left for her back at the village except a life of penury and obscurity. ''I couldn't tell my father anything. I knew he would object to my leaving the village, more so when I had to go with someone he didn't know. I just made up my mind that I would leave without telling them.''

On the morning of March 25, 2009, left for Ibadan. ''My grandmother was at home on that day. She asked me where I was going with my clothes, and I told her I was leaving without any plan to come back. She pleaded with me to stay back but I refused.'' Agatha went to meet her new found benefactor at home, anxious to begin a new life. ''Mama Ify told me to go down to the expressway and wait for her there. She said she would join me after a few minutes.''

The motive, of course, was that Agatha's disappearance would never be traced to her. But if Agatha noticed the implication, she certainly wasn't cautious. Leaving the village was uppermost in her mind. ''We boarded a bus to Enugu Park. From there, we took another bus to Onitsha. It was at Onitsha that we took a luxury bus to Ijebu Ode.''

All through the journey, Agatha harboured no fear. For some reason, she implicitly trusted Mama Ify's intentions. ''I asked Mama Ify for her number just in case her sister misbehaved and I wanted to return to my village. She obliged me and confided that her daughter was ill and badly in need of a surgical operation. She said she was actually going to get some money from her sister and decided to get her a sales girl in return.

"When we got to Ijebu Ode, Mama Ify called her sister to tell her that we were around. They arranged to meet us. We took another bus and stopped under a bridge.''

It was at that location that Mama ify's sister came to meet them in company with a man in his forties. Agatha's new guardian was introduced as Madam Best. She was to learn later that her male companion was called Akin, Madam Best's boyfriend. Almost as soon as introductions were over, Mama Ify excused herself, claiming she had to travel back to the village immediately, because her sick daughter needed her. ''She assured me I was in safe hands and to call her if anything went wrong,'' Agatha said.

Agatha parted ways with Mama Ify unaware that the money supposedly borrowed from Madam Best was in fact payment for slave labour. ''I took a bike with my new boss while Mama Ify boarded a bus back to Enugu. At a point, we stopped, took a bus and alighted at one filling station in Ibadan. I couldn't really say exactly where we were because that was my first time of travelling to Ibadan," she said.

The trio walked a short distance to a hotel that was being renovated. The hotel was in a bushy area. It was quite isolated. ''Madam Best and her male companion asked me what I wanted for lunch. I told them I wasn't hungry. They later went away to get a room.''

Minutes later, Agatha was ushered into what would be her new home. ''They called me into a room and said I would live there. I was so surprised. I asked Madam Best if she herself lived in the hotel.''

It was at that point that Agatha learnt the ugly truth. ''She (Madam Best) asked me if Mama Ify didn't tell me what I would be doing in Ibadan. I told her she said I would work as a sales girl in Madam Best's provision store. It was then Madam Best told me I was in Ibadan to work as a prostitute.''

Terrified, Agatha broke down in tears and pleaded with her captors to call Mama Ify on the phone. Her request was declined and instead, she was told to repay the money that was used in transporting her from Enugu to Ibadan. ''When I kept crying, Akin threatened to kill me with a knife. I was locked up for three days. I was given neither food nor drink. Madam best said if I so much wanted to eat, I should sell my body and feed myself.'' On March 28, 2009, desperate for food, the terrified teenager gave in to her captors' demand. Even at that, she had to be beaten with a shoe into final submission. ''I had to sleep with about six or seven men every day. I was never paid anything. All the men paid the money to Madam Best. I was only fed thrice daily.'' With the increasing scourge of HIV sweeping across society, one wonders if Agatha had not contacted any STD. Fortunately, she was able to allay fears on that matter. "All the men that slept with me used protection." Agatha continued in her despised profession for about a month and a half. She couldn't leave her room, so she remained a prisoner there. None of her male patrons ever saw in her the reluctant and terrified child yearning for freedom. She was simply a thing of entertainment.

It wasn't until May 23, 2009 that respite finally came from the most unlikely person. ''There was a boy called Saidi who played music at the hotel every Sunday. One day, he came in with his friend Wale, who demanded for me. When we were alone in my room, I started crying.''

It was the 23-year-old man who eventually offered Agatha a ray of hope. ''He asked me what the problem was and I told him everything. He was really sympathetic and promised to help. He left and came back with a trouser and a top.'' The young man went further to speak with the hotel manager, Alashe. ''Wale told Alashe that he would be spending the night with me.''

Alashe threatened to harm Wale if Agatha should disappear overnight. Perhaps the unscrupulous businessman had smelt a rat. Recalling that eventful night, Agatha said, ''We both couldn't sleep that night. I was very scared, even Wale was scared too. Later, I dozed off. At about 3am, Wale woke me up. He said he had to start going.''

Luckily for both of them, no one stirred while they made good their escape. There was even no fence; just the eeriness of the surrounding bushes. ''We ran until we came to a music studio close to the road and waited there till 5 am. We flagged down the first bike that came our way. The bike took us to Ekiti bus stop. From there, we took a bus to lloro, Ekiti State. It was around 12 mid day when we got there.''

To avoid being tracked by Alashe, Wale took Agatha to his father's house instead of going straight to his brother's home where he normally lived. On their way, they stopped by a stream so Agatha could wash her clothes. ''I had just finished with my washing when Wale's sister- in -law came to inform us that Saidi was with a friend at Wale's brother's house. Both men had come from Ibadan.'' Understandably, Wale was scared to go back. And even when Agatha urged him to do so, he refused. While they were still debating the issue, Wale's brother sent another person to call them. ''I told Wale that I wasn't scared. Since I was no more in that hotel, I knew I could confront whoever it was that had come for me. I was finally able to convince Wale that we should go back.''

They discovered on their arrival that it was Akin that had been sent to bring back Agatha to Ibadan. ''They quarreled for a while in Yoruba. I didn't understand a word of what they were saying. When they had reached an agreement, Akin told everyone that had gathered that I was his sister and Madam Best my mother. He told them Wale had taken me without permission from my mother.''

Seeing her chance at freedom fleeing before her very eyes, Agatha wept profusely, denying Akin's claims. Unfortunately, instead of investigating the matter further, those gathered urged Agatha to go back home with Akin. ''They were all telling me to go back to Ibadan and settle with Akin, that I could come back to lloro after I had done that.'' All this while, Wale did not say a word. He had been sufficiently threatened by Akin.

At this point, Agatha made up her mind to frustrate Akin. ''I decided I wasn't going to make it easy for him to ruin me. When we got to the bus stop, Akin negotiated the price while Wale looked on. When I saw Akin was distracted, I ran. Akin ran after me and caught me. He warned me not to attempt an escape.'' No onlooker bothered to question Agatha on why she tried to run away from Akin. ''Akin got another bus and started haggling afresh. When his eyes were not on me, I ran again. This time, I ran across the street straight into a provision store.''

Agatha held on to the lady store keeper, begging her for help. ''The woman was alarmed and by the time Akin ran into the store, she was terrified." The lady fled her store with Agatha holding on to her for dear life. The struggle continued until the storekeeper's husband stopped them all. ''When he started questioning us all, I burst into tears. Akin quickly intervened and gave his already prepared story of me being his sister. He said all this in Yoruba.'' Fortunately for Agatha, the storekeeper's husband took more than a passing interest in the whole drama. ''He asked me what the problem was and I told him everything. Luckily for me, he was also from Enugu State.''

They were invited back into the store, presumably to settle the matter but unknown to them the police had been notified. ''Two men came in some minutes later and asked us all to explain ourselves. When I finished my tale, they mentioned trafficking and held on to Akin. It was at that point I realised they were policemen.''

They were all taken to Iloro police station. The police tried to mediate in the matter but the store keeper's husband was adamant that Akin and his accomplices be prosecuted. On June 1, 2009, they were moved to the state CID in Ekiti State. ''We spent 10 days there. After our first week there, the police raided the hotel where I used to live. All the girls were taken away. Madam Best usually stayed at Queen's Rema Hotel but I couldn't direct the police there. I only knew the name. It was an Okada operator that directed us there. The police had to check each hotel on that street one after the other because I couldn't identify the particular one.''

As it turned out, Madam Best was not around, so the hotel owner's wife was arrested. ''We couldn't get the owner of the hotel. He was called Alhaji. The police told his boys that if Alhaji wanted his wife out of police custody, he should aid them in tracking down Madam Best. '' Madam Best was caught on the day she tried to flee the town to Benin, Edo state.

Head of the Lagos Zonal office of NAPTIP Godwin Morka said the matter was in court and efforts were being made to reunite Agatha with her family through the NAPTIP zonal office in the East. ''It was the Ekiti state CID that brought Agatha to NAPTIP. She was very much traumatised when she was handed over to us. We had to put her through counselling and some medical treatments.

"Parents have to be more careful and watchful of their children. Young girls can be so easily deceived and recruited into prostitution, especially when they are not highly enlightened
Read more…

Yar’Adua lives in an ambulance



President Umaru Yar’Adua who was smuggled into the country in the early hours of Wednesday is spending his third day in a mobile ambulance pending the completion of an Intensive Care Unit inside the Aso Villa. The house is being fitted with sundry gadgets that will keep him alive and hopefully aid his recovery.

Sources in the presidency confirmed that the president will only be moved into his official residence when the frantic work going on to complete a state of the art Intensive Care Unit (ICU) within the State House, is concluded. As exclusively reported by NEXT, there has been increased activity in the State House since Sunday after several trucks were spotted going in and out of the place.

Read more…
Plot, intrigues against VP thicken - Power, water supplies regularly interrupted in Aguda House - His correspondences under close monitoring - VP keeps mute Plot, intrigues against VP thicken - Power, water supplies regularly interrupted in Aguda House - His correspondences under close monitoring - VP keeps mute Let the Web Work 4 ! You Affordable Online Marketing & A.d.v.e.r.t.i.s.i.n.g on http://www.9jabook.com call or email:info@systemini.net twitter:systemini linkedin:systemini tel +234-0806 495 0565,234-07083793511,234-07058888394 44-7894214683, VICE-President Goodluck Jonathan has been subjected to great discomfort in the last four weeks, as events are attesting to this, Nigerian Tribune investigations have revealed. Since the clamour by Nigerians that Vice-President Jonathan should act as president has been intensified following the continued absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who is thought to be currently recupperating in a Saudi Arabian hospital, the vice-president is reportedly prone to attacks in the Villa, according to Nigerian Tribune source. One of such attempts against the number two citizen was through food poisoning, which sources said the vice-president himself had taken note of and therefore refrained himself from taking food and drinks served in the State House. Nigerian Tribune also gathered that events in the last four weeks in the Villa suggest that there is more to the threat to the life of Vice-President Jonathan. The latest remote or near incident, according to sources, indicated that a top company which manages Aso Rock, is this time orchestrating the plan. For instance, sources said the entire Presidential Villa was thrown into darkness on Tuesday night, when the vice-president was billed to host members of the Diplomatic Corps in Aguda House. The incident was so dramatic that even the envoys were quite stunned. Sources said that as soon as the diplomats began to trickle in, the Villa was, without warning, plunged into darkness for close to one hour. The confused ambassadors, it was gathered, were seen huddling together, wondering if the Presidential Villa had no standby generator, or if there was something sinister about it. Nigerian Tribune learnt that, when power was finally restored, the central public address system failed to work, causing the vice-president’s aides to run helter-skelter for remedy. The Nigerian Tribune gathered that it was not the first time such an incident had happened. Sources said that in December 2009, during the Christmas Carol night hosted by the vice-president, the Villa was similarly thrown into darkness, causing a similar scare. “And when power was eventually restored, the air conditioners were deliberately shut down. Over 100 guests had to endure the suffocating heat of the banquet hall during the event, but dramatically, the air conditioners began to work again as soon as the event ended,” the source said. It was learnt that mobile phones are programmed not to work in the Presidential Villa, leaving the principals and staff with no choice but to use the telephone lines run by the company. Nigerian Tribune learnt that situation had become so bad that the company is being fingered in an effort to sabotage the vice-president’s activities in the Villa. During the week, Jonathan was said to have issued a query to the company over recent happenings. The role of the top company said to be managing the Villa was also said to be another “instrument” being used to sabotage the efforts of Vice-President Jonathan or cause him discomfort. The Nigerian Tribune learnt that given its vantage position, the company holds sway over virtually all activities in the Villa. It was gathered that its access to every part of the villa is unrestricted. Sources said: “The company has unfettered access to the vice-president’s offices and the innermost recesses of his living quarters. They control the telephones, so they can have access to the vice-president’s conversation, and they run the internet services, so they have access to private e-mails through the web portal.” It was gathered that this company is being used to monitor the vice president’s activities, while sources said that “they do this by shutting down facilities like electricity and water at such hours in sections of Aguda House and when they are inevitably invited to check what has gone wrong, they are able to pinpoint where the vice-president is and when.” Meanwhile, rather than abating the constitutional crisis, Wednesday’s verdict by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Daniel Abutu, has further deepened the logjam occasioned by the long absence of President Yar’Adua. Abutu, had on Wednesday, directed Vice-President Jonathan to perform the functions of the president in his absence. Curiously, the judge was emphatic that Jonathan was not an acting president as adherence to section 145 of the constitution, according to Abutu, was at the discretion of the president. This is coming on the heels of a warning by the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the umbrella body of Ijaw ethnic nationality, that the verdict was capable of causing further damage than ameliorating it. INC’s position was made known by its National President, Dr Atuboyedia Obiannime. Obiannime spoke as constitutional law expert, Professor Itsey Sagay, said that the verdict had said nothing new. Also, the coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Joseph Evah, canvassed that further steps should be taken to address the issue along the constitution instead of putting the nation’s judiciary to ridicule. ”The development is a very welcome one. I mean it means that the judiciary is also seen to be performing its duties as the third tier of government. But I doubt if the verdict has really leveraged anything near the resolution of the crisis because it is already a constitutional crisis. Rather, I see a situation where some persons have decided to impose their political inclinations as well as their personal views on the nation. By and large, what they are doing is simply replacing the nation’s supreme document, which is the constitution, with their views. “In my own view, this is very dangerous and it is capable of instigating doubts in the minds of the people, whether the prayers of Nigerians are, indeed, needed. Nevertheless, much as the INC will continue to pray for the quick recovery of the president, it abhors anything aimed at undermining the nation’s constitution to suit the personal whims and caprices of a few individuals. “We pray for the vice-president as he pilots the affairs of the nation, but he has to be wary of booby traps such as this verdict,” Obiannime said. Sagay said “this verdict has said nothing new in its enterity. I have not seen the full text of the verdict, but from what I have seen this morning in some newspapers, it is mere academic exercise for anyone to say the vice-president should continue to perform the duties of the president. “The verdict is nothing new from what the justice minister said that all other things requiring the attention of the president are being attended to by the vice-president. To me, the verdict has successfully affirmed that position. Beyond that, the verdict is a very trickey one that requires the carefulness of the vice-president because it is capable of pitching him against the constitution and, even, his boss. In his own reaction, Evah said ”the verdict delivered by the chief judge of the Federal High Court has confirmed that there is a cabal in this country that is trying to subvert the nation’s constitution by all means, but Nigerians will reject it with all legal means because the nation belongs to all of us. “What the judge said in the verdict was just to read out the provisions of Section 50 of the constitution; does Jonathan need a judge to answer his name as Jonathan or doesn’t he know that he is a vice-president? As far as we know, the verdict is another way of deceiving the vice-president to believe in the wrong thing but he will survive all these intrigues.”
Read more…

Blog Topics by Tags

  • in (506)
  • to (479)
  • of (339)
  • ! (213)
  • as (166)
  • is (157)
  • a (156)

Monthly Archives