The glamorous lovers’ day celebration on Monday turned bloody at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) when gunmen killed two students. Daily Sun gathered that the clash was between two rival cult groups, namely, Black Axe and the Buccaneers,’ over a female student allegedly snatched by the Capone of the Black Axe for Valentine celebration.

The action of the Capone , the source said did not go down well with the other group leading to the clash.
A student who witnessed the shooting said besides the two cult members who were shot dead, about four others sustained injuries and were ferried out of the campus by their leaders to shield their identity.

The sources said the cult members who carried out the attack were not UNILAG students but members from another campus, adding that the attack was carried out in a commando style with sporadic shooting.
An undergraduate student of English Department told Daily Sun that the Buccaneers’ group attacked the Black Axe members while another student returning from the Mosque said those who carried out the killing were not from UNILAG because they did not cover their faces.

It was learnt that as soon the shooting started, students scampered for safety while others took cover behind the wall and under cars packed around, while others ran into the halls to avoid being hit by stray bullets. 
A senior lecturer who confirmed the killings said the university management had met to curtail any reprisal attack while security personnel had taken over the investigation of the deadly cult clash.
When Daily Sun visited the troubled institution yesterday, there was uneasy calm, as most staff and students rebuffed efforts made by the reporters to get their comments.

However, one of the students who resides at Sodeinde Hall, said there was sporadic gunshots outside the premises which caused panic everywhere. 
It was gathered that the crisis, which erupted when the students were at the peak of lovers’ day celebration, created stampede on the campus as people ran for safety.

One of the victims of the attack reportedly ran into Sodeinde Hall for help, from where he was taken to the hospital.
Although the Hall Master of Sodeinde Hall declined comments on the issue, one of the officials, who wouldn’t want his name published, said the attack could not be linked to any cult group. He said there was increasing speculation that the perpetrators of the attack could be fighting for love. Efforts made by Daily Sun our reporter to ascertain the identities of the victims were unsuccessful.
The news bulletin of the university, Information Flash (ISSN 08195540) also captured the incident, while assuring the staff and students of the university of adequate security.

“The attention of the universities authorities has been drawn to the incident which occurred in one of the Halls of Residence in the late hours of Monday, February 14, 2011 where two persons were reportedly injured in fracas. The university management has commenced investigation into the unusual incident, in particular at a time when preparation for the first semester examinations due to commence on February 21, 2011 are in top gear. Security has been intensified to ensure safety of life and property on campus. Law enforcement agents have been involved to assist the university in this respect,” it said. 
Daily Sun learnt that students are leaving the campus because of the fear of reprisal attack while some parents called their wards on phone to return home until the situation is brought under control. 

The Deputy Registrar Information of UNILAG, Mr. Dare Adebisi refused to pick his calls or replied to text message sent to his phone.
When the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Samuel Jinadu (DSP) was called thrice, he promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area and did not call back as at the press time....

Nollywood’s rising star, Tonto Dike hails from Ikwere, Port Harcourt, in Rivers State. She was born on June 9, 1985 and after her primary and secondary education, she was admitted into Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, and currently studying Petro-Chemical Engineering.

Dike

Growing up

Growing up was wonderful because I had everything I wanted and wasn’t deprived of anything. My father was wealthy, so he did everything possible for me. I went to the best schools in my state, I graduated with good results from my primary and secondary schools and I hope to graduate with the best result after my degree programme. I have had parental love, care, family ties while growing up..

It’s been love all the way the only thing I didn’t appreciate while growing up was the fact that I could not mix with my peer group, which is why I can’t speak my dialect up till now. Another was growing up without my mother. She died when I was just three years old, so I practically didn’t know her, but it was a joy to know that I had someone who I could say replaced her.

My journey into Nollywood

I got into the industry after I left the reality T.V show The next movie star in 2005, I was first runner-up, when Kingsley Ogboso won, and

and from there, I started looking for contacts and fortunately for me, a lot of people saw my talent, I got involved in the reality show first because I saw it as a way of getting close to the industry, I had hoped that from it I would move into the industry and it happened as I wanted.

Challenges

Sincerely, I don’t think I have had to go through any challenge. This is because I don’t see them as challenges; I am a very prayerful person. I believe so much in God and it seems like everything just falls at my feet. Anything I want just falls at my feet. I can’t say I have had to go through challenges since I got into the industry.

Big break

Perhaps, I should say my first movie, but that was released last year so I will say my second movie, entitled, Holy Cross which I did with Nonso Diobi, Uncle Pete Edochie and Jim Iyke, after seeing the film, the producers and directors wanted to use me in their own films, Right from my second movie people started to look out for me.

Nollywood

I see the industry as a fruitful one, which can yield more fruits in the future. All we need is hard work, perseverance and prayer. The industry is like a newborn baby that has to be nurtured and well taken care of. I still think that we really need to work hard because we are way backward. Though we may be doing well, I still think we can do better.

Relationship

I am in one, which I am very proud of. He is okay for me. I took what God gave me, and remember, I said God gives me anything that I desire. As for how he feels when I am on set with all the kissing and hugging, I’ll tell you something: When I say that I took what God gave me, I meant that He gave me a package in a man, all I want in life He gave to me in one person.

May man gives me endurance, patience, love and he is someone who understands. He really understands, so I don’t have a problem with my handling of roles. He might not be okay with the roles all the while, but he still prays for me and hopes for a better future for me because he knows I love my job.

Playing music with Patience Ozorkwor

First of all, the music is owned by Amaco Investments; Charles, Patience and I were just called to mime it. I had fun being in the video and I didn’t know it was going to be this big as everybody is talking about it. I have no plans whatsoever to get into music.

First day on set

I was very scared. I was shy. I didn’t know what to think or expect until the lights came on, then I knew that this was serious business. But I had people like Uncle Pete Edochie, Nonso Diobi, Desmond Elliot, Nkiru Sylvanus, and Uncle Larry Coldsweat. They kept saying ‘you can do it’ and I did it.

What you can’t wear

I will not be caught in a long skirt because I hate it. I also can’t wear Iro and Buba, it’s fashion for the older women. I am still very young and I need to feel free in my body you can’t catch me being very religious in my dressing, I love to dress the way I love to dress.

Sexy part of me

I give that to my lips. I love them and people have told me that they love them too, talking about what people don’t know about me, a lot of people don’t know that I am very nice, a wonderful and serious minded person.

Coping with school and acting

I am in my final year now, and this year, I have decided that I must spend almost all of it in school doing school work. Though I will still be on set, I hope to be in school more. I will work it out, I don’t have a plan yet, but I will be able to be in school more often than I used to.

Philosophy of life

I have a lot of them but I will share one, if you have your eyes on something, on a particular level in life when you get to that level, always know that there are so many other levels left to climb. Try to be on top, even when you are on top, try to be on top of the top.

Artiste admired

Back home, I only admire two females - Aunty Joke Sylvia and Rita Dominic. Why Rita? It’s because when I want to recount how my interest in the movies started, her name will be mentioned as she inspired me a lot. And for Aunty Joke, she is a wonderful person, she is joy to me, I watch her and I feel alive and want to do more than she has done, Internationally I love Al Paccino and Julia Roberts, they are inspiration to me.

In five years

I really have faith and hope that I will be better than I am now. I am not striving to end in Nollywood, I intend to get into Hollywood, I don’t know how I will do that but I know that God will make a way for me.

A word to fans

I say thank to all, I really appreciate their love by buying my movies, watching them and appreciating me. I wake up each day knowing that without my fans in my life, there would be no full Tonto. I love them all.

“He who comes into equity must come with clean hands”. But it appears Nigeria`s former attorney general; Michael Kasse Aondoakaa assumed office with unclean hands and while in office, he entangled himself in unethical practices, thus prompting the world largest drug manufacturing company Pfizer, to blackmail him into settling lawsuits brought against Pfizer, stemming from medical tests with the oral antibiotic Trovan conducted on children living in Kano during a meningitis epidemic in 1996 or risk exposure.

According to Pfizer Country Manager Enrico Liggeri,

“Pfizer had hired investigators to uncover corruption links to Federal Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa to expose him and put pressure on him to drop the federal cases”. ...

‘Pfizer's investigators were passing this information to local media, XXXXXXXXXXXX”.

“A series of damaging articles detailing Aondoakaa's "alleged" corruption ties were published in February and March”.

“Pfizer had much more damaging information on Aondoakaa and that Aondoakaa's cronies were pressuring him to drop the suit for fear of further negative articles”

Entire Text:

Monday, 20 April 2009, 16:00
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000671
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS TO USTR-AGAMA
DEPT PASS USAID AFR/SD FOR CURTIS AND ATWOOD
BAGHDAD FOR DUNDAS MCCULLOUGH
TREASURY FOR PETERS, IERONIMO AND HALL
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS AND 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/CREED
EO 12958 DECL: 04/20/2034
TAGS ECON, EINV, EAID, ETRD, PGOV, NI

SUBJECT: NIGERIA: PFIZER REACHES PRELIMINARY AGREEMENT FOR
A $75 MILLION SETTLEMENT

Classified By: Economic Counselor Robert Tansey for reasons 1.4(B&D)

1.(C) Summary. In an April 2 meeting with the Ambassador, Pfizer lawyers Joe Petrosinelli and Atiba Adams reported that Pfizer and the Kano State government had reached a preliminary settlement on lawsuits arising from medical tests conducted with Trovan (oral antibiotic) on children living in Kano during a meningitis epidemic in 1996. Petrosinelli said Pfizer has agreed to the Kano State Attorney General's (AG) settlement offer of $75 million, including a $10 million payment for legal fees, $30 million to the Kano State government, and $35 million for the participants and families. According to Adams, several final details need to be worked out on the mechanism for payment. Pfizer strongly recommends setting up a $35 million trust fund for the participants to be administered by a neutral third party and for the $30 million for the Kano State government to be used for improving health care in the state. Pfizer underscored that the Nigerian representatives wanted lump sum checks and that Pfizer is concerned with potential transparency issues. The next step is a meeting between high-level Pfizer officials and Nigerian side at a neutral location to work out the final details. End

Summary.

2. (SBU) On April 2 Pfizer lawyers Joe Petrosinelli and Atiba Adams and Pfizer Nigeria Country Director Enrico Liggeri met with the Ambassador and EconDep to discuss the status of settlement negotiations. Four lawsuits were brought against Pfizer stemming from medical tests with the oral antibiotic Trovan conducted on children living in Kano during a meningitis epidemic in 1996. In Kano State Court there is one civil suit and one criminal case and in the Federal High Court there is one civil suit and one criminal case. Since 2006, Petrosinelli and Adams have been briefing the Mission on the status of the cases.

Settlement Reached

3. (C) Petrosinelli reported that Pfizer had tentatively reached "an agreement in principle" on the Kano AG's settlement offer of $75 million. Adams explained that the parties agreed that the $75 million would be broken down as follows - a $10 million payment for legal fees; $30 million to the Kano State government; and $35 million to participants and families. Petrosinelli noted, that Pfizer has worked closely with former Nigerian Head of State Yakubu Gowon and that he has played a positive mediation role with Kano State and the federal government. Petrosinelli said Gowon also spoke with Kano State Governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who directed the Kano AG to reduce the settlement demand from $150 million to $75 million. Adams reported that Gowon met with President Yar'Adua and convinced him to drop the two federal high court cases against Pfizer. (Comment: In 1966 Gowon became the head of state following a military coup that deposed Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi who had come to power via an earlier military coup. He was head of state from 1966 to 1975. He now plays an elder statesman role in Nigerian politics. End Comment.)

More Discussions Needed

4.(C) According to Adams, details need to be worked out on the mechanism for payments to the Kano State government and participants because Pfizer is unwilling to give a lump sum payment. Pfizer is concerned with transparency issues and is pushing for a $35 million trust fund for the participants to be administered by a neutral third party and the remaining $30 million to be used for improving health care in Kano state. Pfizer underscored that the Nigerian representatives were pushing for lump sum checks and Pfizer will not agree to that. Pfizer is considering rebuilding Kano's Infectious Disease Hospital where the trial was conducted and working with health care nongovernmental organizations. Adams suggested that the trust fund for participants be administered by a neutral third party because he expects "additional" participants to come forward after they hear about the settlement. The Ambassador suggested Pfizer work with NGOs already working in Kano State and for Pfizer to consider working with local NGO implementing partners that the USG has used because of their transparency record.ABUJA 00000671 002 OF 002EconDep provided Pfizer a copy of the U.S.-Nigeria Framework for Partnership document as a guide for existing projects and partners in Kano. Petrosinelli explained that the next step was a meeting at a neutral location between high-level Pfizer officials and the Nigerian side to work out final details and conclude the settlement.

Pfizer Exposes Attorney General

5.(C) In follow up to the April 2 meeting, EconDep met with Pfizer Country Manager Enrico Liggeri in Lagos on April 9. (Note: Liggeri has years of experience in Nigeria because his family operated a business in Lagos from the early 1960s to the late 1980s. He spent most of his childhood in Lagos. End Note.) Liggeri said Pfizer was not happy settling the case, but had come to the conclusion that the $75 million figure was reasonable because the suits had been ongoing for many years costing Pfizer more than $15 million a year in legal and investigative fees. According to Liggeri, Pfizer had hired investigators to uncover corruption links to Federal Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa to expose him and put pressure on him to drop the federal cases. He said Pfizer's investigators were passing this information to local media, XXXXXXXXXXXX. A series of damaging articles detailing Aondoakaa's "alleged" corruption ties were published in February and March. Liggeri contended that Pfizer had much more damaging information on Aondoakaa and that Aondoakaa's cronies were pressuring him to drop the suit for fear of further negative articles. 6.(C) Liggeri commented that the lawsuits were wholly political in nature because the NGO Doctors Without Borders administered Trovan to other children during the 1996 meningitis epidemic and the Nigerian government has taken no action. He underscored that the suit has had a "chilling effect" on international pharmaceutical companies because companies are no longer willing to conduct clinical testing in Nigeria. Liggeri opined that when another outbreak occurs no company will come to Nigeria's aid.

7.(C) Comment: Pfizer's image in Nigeria has been damaged due to this ongoing case. Pfizer's management considers Nigeria a major growth market for its products and having this case behind it will help in efforts to rebuild its image here. Final discussions on the $30 million and $35 million are likely to be tricky because the Nigerian side wants to control who gets the money, not Pfizer. The U.S. Mission will continue to advocate for transparency in settling the case and also note to GON authorities that Pfizer must abide by the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and cannot simple hand over large sums of money to state and local officials. Petrosinelli and Adams will get back to the Mission on what further assistance may be needed. End Comment. 8.(U)

This cable was coordinated with ConGen Lagos. SANDERS

FATAL VOYAGE! 18 cultists sailed into troubled waters

The suspects being paraded at Navy base, Apapa.

By Albert AKPOR
STRATEGICALLY located at the nation’s territorial water way, the Atlas Cove oil facility, a major distributive channel of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has for sometime now, elicited security alerts, following the July 12, 2009 attack, allegedly by a group operating under the aegis of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).

After the attack, which led to the death of about four persons, including a senior navy personnel, it became clear to the relevant authorities that there was dire need to provide maximum security in and around the oil installation.

Consequently, a combined team of armed soldiers and policemen were drafted to the area to beef up an already existing security arrangement; especially when the group which claimed responsibility for the attack threatened to launch a repeated one. It was on this premise that movement around the oil facility was restricted and a dusk to dawn patrol intensified.

Perhaps, these arrangements may not be known to 18 persons who were rounded up in a boat near the facility by naval personnel. They were said to be members of a militant group on a vision to vandalize oil installations. But the suspects flatly denied the allegation, insisting that they belong to a dreaded campus cult known as the Supreme Vikings, saying that they were innocently sailing when security agents swooped on them.

Reports say the suspects, who were spotted on a speed boat with red band tide around their heads, were surreptitiously moving towards the oil facility, chanting war songs when they were rounded up. They were promptly taken into custody.

Earlier, the porosity of the Atlas Cove and the need to beef up security has been raised by the manager of the depot, Engineer Anthony Onwuka. Engineer Onwuka had amongst other things raised security alarm on the urgent need to erect perimeter fencing and emergency take off and landing jetty when both the Chief of Defence and Naval Staff, Air Chief Marshal O. O. Petririn and Vice Admiral O. S. Ibrahim visited the oil facility on October 11, 2010.

He had said, “There is urgent need to construct additional observation post both within depot premises and along some strategically identified spots, along the sea side to check vandals’ activities through sea shore lines and creeks. As a matter of security, the Atlas Cove depot has no take-off and landing jetty. We presently operate at the absolute mercy and kindness of the army officers’ jetty opposite Onikan stadium..

But when the 18 suspected militants were paraded before pressmen by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Navy Command, Apapa Lagos, Rear Admiral E.O Ogbor, some of them who volunteered information claimed that they were neither members of MEND nor Niger Delta militants, stressing, however, that they belong to a dreaded university cult known as the ‘Supreme Vikings.’

They claimed that they were ‘sailing’ as is the custom after the initiation of new members into the confraternity. Said one them who gave his name as David and who also claimed that he was newly initiated into the confraternity, “I do not even know why we were in the sea because I was only initiated into the group just last week somewhere in Mushin area of Lagos. However, I paid N5,000 for this trip. Please do not reveal my identity because if they get to know, they will kill me and members of my family...

The only thing I was told was that we, the newly initiated members, were going on a trip on the sea to get acclimatized, learn signs and songs of the confraternity and become ‘hard men.’ It was in the process that we were arrested by the navy.”

The suspects being paraded

Just after the recent Renewal of The Dangote Otedola crises read here http://bit.ly/beAnsZ

another one has arisen from the ashes so to say ?

The police said in Abuja on Thursday that two persons suspected to be behind an alleged attempt to kill the Chairman of African Petroleum Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola, and six directors of the company had been arrested.



Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, who disclosed this at a press conference, said the suspects were being interrogated by the police.



Onovo said that Otedola and the six directors were trapped in the lift at the AP Plaza in Lagos on July 25, while on their way to an emergency meeting of the board of the company.



The IG explained that Otedola and his team entered an empty lift, but were trapped for more than two hours.



Onovo, who addressed journalists at the Force headquarters through the Deputy Inspector-General, Force Criminal Investigation, John Ahmadu, said that three elevator engineers that examined the lift to ascertain the possible cause of the incident concluded that it was tampered with.



“The chairman was ushered into an empty lift with six other members of his team. Soon after they entered the lift, all the seven occupants were trapped for over two hours,” he said.



He explained that the experts, who inspected the lift, discovered that its safety switch was pressed down, leading to the halting of the facility and trapping of the AP chairman and the others for about two hours.



The suspects, according to the IG, were in charge of the lifts supplied by Otis Lifts Limited, and he gave their names as Celestine Ononobi and Moses Oluremi.



Otedola and the directors were to attend an emergency meeting of the board of AP where crucial decisions affecting the company were to be taken on July 25, 2010 when they were trapped in the lift.



The incident was believed to be in connection with the infighting among the management team, which resulted in the sacking of the managing director and the suspension of an executive director as well as the company secretary.



The case was being handled by the Lagos State Police Command before Onovo directed that it should be taken over by Force CID for diligent investigation.



He stated that the lift was powered by a 625KVA generator at the time of the incident and should not have had any problem, since it was installed barely one year ago and was regularly serviced by technical staff of Otis Lifts Limited.



He IGP said, “The technical experts who examined the lifts after the incident found out that the lift was tampered with because the safety switch was pressed down.



“The moment they depressed the switch, the lift started working again perfectly, indicating that the incident was an act of sabotage and an attempt to murder its occupants.”

Femi Otedola Goes into Exile as "attempt" on his life escalates literally

The crisis rocking the oil marketing firm, Africa Petroleum (AP), has led to the self exile of its chairman, Femi Otedola, NEXT has learnt.

Mr. Otedola, whose company, Zenon Petroleum and Gas limited, is the major investor in AP, is currently in England to avoid another attempt on his life. This is according to a senior official of AP who spoke to NEXT on condition of anonymity.

The businessman, who was named by Forbes magazine as being among the world's richest billionaires last year, first alleged threat to his life when an elevator in his company's headquarters malfunctioned mid-way with him in it.

The management of AP reported the incident to the police alleging sabotage with fingers pointed towards another senior official of the company Clement Aviomoh, who is the executive director, finance and information technology.

Mr. Aviomoh, in a press statement, however denied any involvement in the incident explaining that the incident was caused by the actions of Mr. Otedola.

"On the 5th of July 2010, there was a scheduled board meeting of AP Plc; the chairman stormed the venue with 150 armed mobile police men. He entered the lift with too many security operatives thereby overloading the lift. Thereafter the lift got stuck and we got a report from CFAO and the maintenance engineer that clearly stated that there was no foul play," Mr. Aviomoh stated.

Our source, however, said the police have concluded a forensic examination of the lift and it is clear that it was tampered with. According to the source the police will soon make public their findings and also effect the arrest of those implicated in the plot.

Conflicting police statements

NEXT could, however, not get an independent verification of the claim. In fact, the police yesterday gave conflicting reports on their investigation of the incident.

Emmanuel Ojukwu, the police public relations officer at the force headquarters in Abuja stated that though he was aware of the case, the matter was being investigated in Lagos and so was under the Lagos State Police command.

"It (the case) can be moved from Lagos to force headquarters, Abuja, but I am not sure it has been moved," Mr. Ojukwu said.

The Lagos police spokesman, Frank Mba, however, claimed ignorance of any investigations saying, I don't know anything about it; I don't have any information about it.

NEXT learnt that Mr. Otedola had expressed his distrust of the Lagos State police command, which made the police transfer the investigation to the force headquarters in Abuja.

While the police are being economical with the truth over their investigations, two members of the board of AP: Osa Osunde, the Vice Chairman; and Nebolisa Arah, a director; on Wednesday secured an injunction from the federal high court in Lagos restraining the Inspector General of police, the commissioner of police, Lagos State, and the Special Investigation Unit from "incessant invitation to the police station, threatening to arrest or further arresting, impeding the liberty ... of the applicant pending the determination of the application." The injunction was granted by O. Abang, the presiding judge.

The AP crisis was first brought to the fore in July last year when Access Bank, one of the company's creditors asked a court to wind up AP following its inability to pay its debt.

"The company is insolvent and unable to pay its debts. In the circumstances, it is just and equitable that the company should be wound up," a statement by the bank said.

Following Access Bank's statement, other creditors, as reported by NEXT on Sunday in previous stories, started asking for their money fearing the worst for AP. The company however challenged some of the banks including Access Bank of refusing to pay their own debt to the company.

Things got worse when Mr. Aviomoh, the finance director, alleged among others that "in 2009, African Petroleum plc made a loss of about N15 Billion, this was due to the fact that the Chairman's companies (Zenon Petroleum and Gas Company Limited, Platinum Fleet Limited and Fineshade Energy limited) started selling products to African Petroleum Plc at Higher prices than normal, at times higher than the retail pump price at gas station."

Mr. Aviomoh, who has now been suspended by the AP management, accused Mr. Otedola of mismanaging AP to the benefit of his own companies.

Our source in AP however said there is no truth in the allegation and that it is a campaign orchestrated by those who bought AP shares and have been unable to pay. ''They are angry that our Chairman is insisting on payment and want to damage him by peddling lies," the source said.

For all his reputation as the nation's Top Talker, Barack Obama took his sweet time giving a maiden Oval Office address to the country. And waiting another nearly 60 days to speak nationally

about the oil spill that’s become the worst environmental disaster in

the nation’s history..

Obama, the first modern president to pass his first full year in office

without addressing the country from his historic desk, had the setting

right. Just back from a day-and-a-half on the gulf coast listening,

reassuring, talking tourism, eating seafood. He wore the proper suit,

had the requisite flags and family photos in the background.

For 18 minutes he delivered the words crisply and forthrightly, though too often distracting anxious viewers with his fidgeting hands like the lecturing professor he once was. Or wait! Was Mr. Cool nervous?

Obama had the firmness down OK: Make no mistake etc. We will hold BP accountable etc. He....

...had the God references. The talk of real live shrimpers devastated. An American way of life threatened. And though he likened the spill more to an epidemic, he also brought in the requisite battle

metaphors. And, in case anyone hasn't heard by now, Obama mentioned once

again the Nobel Prize winner in his cabinet, Stephen Chu,

who hasn't been able to stop the oil leak either.

But there was something wrong. The first two-thirds of the president's remarks read just fine (Full text over here on The Ticket as usual). By

golly, we’ll get the money, we’ll clean it up, no matter how long it

takes.

Barack walks to the Oval Office shortly before his national speech

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But watching the president and hearing him was a little creepy; that early portion of the address

was robotic, lacked real energy, enthusiasm. And worst of all specifics.

He was virtually detail-less.

After almost two months of waiting through continuously contradictory reports, an anxious American public wanted to know, HOW are you going to accomplish all this?

Even Obama's cheerleaders over at MSNBC were complaining. "Where was the How in this speech?" demanded Keith Olbermann. Seriously.

Everyone's assumed that fixing the leak was a given since Day Four, which was still five days before the Democrat got his big plane and presidential entourage down

there.

Local gulf coast officials are tearing out their hair trying to comprehend and comply with seventeen (as in seven more than 10) federal agencies falling all over

themselves to do The Boss’ bidding and help and impose and superimpose

their visions and regulations on what is a war zone with hundreds of

ships and some 30,000 people involved, many of them frightened. And all

of them inexperienced on a disaster of this scale.

Trust me, the president said, tomorrow I'm going to give those BP execs what-for. As CBS' Mark Knoller noted on his Twitter account, the president has allotted exactly 20 whole minutes this morning -- 1,200

fleeting seconds -- to his first-ever conversation with the corporation

responsible for the disaster.

Then, he's got an important lunch with Joe "I Witnessed the World Cup's First Tie" Biden.

Well, just-believe-in-my-change-to-believe-in may have been good enough to win Obama's party primaries and the general election in 2008 and drag along into office enormous congressional majorities of fellow

party travelers.

But after yelling "JOBS!" for a year and getting a protracted Democratic intra-party fight over Obama's beloved healthcare instead, Americans wanted some Oval Office specifics Tuesday evening on

stopping the uncontrolled undersea oil escape.

Instead, Obama was like a Harvard-trained nurse talking vacation to a new patient bleeding all over the ER floor. Hello, could we please stop the blood flow here before we discuss the long-term recovery?

Obama’s delivery did not really come alive until the end when the ex-community organizer got into his favorite Big Picture stuff. Memo to American Homeowners: Do not call

Obama over to fix your leaking roof – or

pipe. Have him design a new house, no, better yet an entire neighborhood

or city

from scratch.

Following the advice of his chief of staff, Rahm "I Got a Rent-Free Apartment from a BP Adviser" Emanuel, Obama is determined to leave no crisis unused. When he got into the decades-long

fossil fuel addiction rehab stuff, his eyes shone. His delivery punched

up.

Now, that is an issue that requires greatness. Another galactic reform out of Hyde Park. It sounds swell unless mega-trillion-dollar federal deficits are on your mind, which voter

polls now show ranks with terrorism as Americans' top fears.

Obama’s historic presidential campaign was not only big in terms of an

unprecedented three-quarters of a billion dollars to win. It was about

Big Promises. He was going to change America, radically reform the

entire education system, healthcare, comb the entire federal budget

line-by-line, oh, and change the 200-year-old partisan ways of the

capitol. About the only big change the White Sox fan didn't promise was

getting the Cubs a World Series ring.

It was all impractical, of course. But the country wanted to believe....

....in his change to believe in. And it did, handing complete control of the federal government over to Obama and his Democratic party. And today, after 17 months of lop-sided Democratic majorities now nervously

confronting midterm elections Nov. 2, about 60% of Americans would like

the new healthcare bill repealed. And they're hinting they'd probably

like some more Republicans in Congress too.

President Obama has said he doesn’t sense an appetite to address something as large as the

illegal immigrant issue this year. But suddenly – watch the left hand

over here because he wants you to not focus on how long it’s taken him

to take charge of the spill – he thinks there’s a compelling need to

spend a motorcade full of moola that the federal government doesn’t have

in order to change the country’s energy habits.

And we've gotta start that right now because of an underwater leaking pipe 40 miles off Louisiana that we haven't plugged and don't really understand how it broke in the first place. So let's do the electric car

thing and build more windmills now.

And if, by chance, the nation’s politicians end up fighting over an energy plan during the next five months until the voting, maybe the politically damaging healthcare regrets and hidden costs will drown in

all the words like so many thousands of seabirds in all the gulf’s

still-surging oil..

The Murtala Mohammed International Airport – Lagos, the nation’s premier gateway has been plunged into darkness after authorities cut off power supply as a result of malfunctioning equipment.

Hundreds of passengers that arrived on evening flights including British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, Arik Air, KLM and Delta Air are still stranded at the arrival area, as immigration officials are unable to stamp their passports. The baggage carousels also cannot function as a result of lack of power.

Passengers due to depart are also still waiting at the departure hall for check in formalities to commence after being dalayed for over three hours...

God help us all o…

The family of a Nigerian, who wanted to play James Bond and
perhaps, shock the world with his plan, is currently gnashing its teeth,
as the venture has ended in tragedy.
Saturday Sun reports that a young Nigerian, Mr. Emeka Okechukwu Okeke, recently wanted to do the
impossible by smuggling himself into the United States, but ended up
arriving not only in body bag but also as mangled body.

The racket at the airport
The question being asked by people is, how possible is it that somebody would gain access to the tarmac
undetected, considering the tight security in the airport? Our source
explained that such illegal movement is being coordinated by a syndicate
at the airport, which also works with airlines’ workers.
It was gathered that people who need such services pay as much as N800,000.
They tutored on how to survive in the aircraft compartment. For one, it
was learnt that they are given blankets and winter clothes with which
they would keep warn while the plane is in flight across the Atlantic.
In the country of destination, the illegal immigrants are received by
agents in the syndicate, who smuggle them into the country.

Our source blamed the level of corruption at the airport on poor working
condition, alleging that some of staff are paid N30, 000 monthly.

“In this present day, how can one survive with such an amount of money? We
have to survive; that is why there can never be a cure for the level of
corruption at the airport. There is nothing like absolute security; the
people at the helm of affairs smuggle things into the plane also,
despite their fat allowance,” an airport worker said.
When contacted, officials of Delta airlines refused to comment. However, a
policeman at the airport command confirmed the incident and said
investigation was going on.

It was just like any other weekend at Zango, a suburb in Ilorin Kwara State, where Mrs Iyabode Olorunnisola, a renowned broadcaster at the NTA, Ilorin, lives.

Iyabo, as fondly called by her colleagues, is seven months pregnant and was just seeing off a church member- a friend and a nurse who visited her to the main road when it happened.

As Iyabo told Saturday Vanguard, the incident was an admixture of a miracle and reality. It sounds like James Bond films-touchy, gripping, patently emotional. The NTA reporter wants the story told so that mothers all over the world can learn to care for their children by giving them closer attention, “Nothing is too much for them because the children are our tomorrow”, she enthused

“I was inside the living room on the faithful day around 5pm or thereabout, with my nurse friend who had earlier called me that she was paying me a visit. We were actually discussing about my state, church matters and other related issues when I overheard my house maid, Aminat,” shouting at my four years old daughter to stay away from the well.

“Some minutes later, my guest left and I had to see her off to the main road, just a stone throw to our residence to board a taxi. She actually asked me to

PHOTO:Mother & Daughter before Incident

go back home because of my condition because I wanted to wait till she

boarded a taxi. To my dismay, when I got home, Aminat was just pointing at the well, shaking, and crying that my daughter, Bola had fallen into the well. I couldn’t believe it. I peeped into the well and I found my daughter gasping for breath inside the well.”

“Bola, since we gave birth to her, has been a very active baby .There was a day she went to visit my mother. While playing running around, she fell into a hot coal pot, and came out with burns all over her body. The scars are still there till today. She was said to be doing this ’’Boju-Boju’’, child play whereby children will cover their face and be running around, hide and seek games. Since her elderly ones were not at home, my daughter covered her face with a bucket running around the compound. I just wonder. she didn’t know the time she got to the brink of the well, and somersaulted inside. My brother, I couldn’t control myself seeing my daughter dying inside the well as she was gasping for breadth. Watching the pains she was going through was too much for me. Honestly, I didn’t know the time I jumped inside the well.”

“You could have died, not only with the baby but also with Bola you wanted to rescue,” she was told.

“May you never be in such situation. No mother would watch her child dying and would be thinking the way you are thinking. At that time, the fear of death didn’t come to my mind. All I wanted was to rescue my daughter with all my life. Any good mother will tell you this. So, I jumped into the well and with my seven months old pregnancy, I landed on Bola’s head inside the well, and together we went down, down at the bottom of the well.You know she summersaulted with the plastic bucket she was playing with, into the well.

That bucket, by divine arrangement, saved her skull from hitting the brick while she fell into the well. You know, as a journalist, you are supposed to know basic things about everything. So, in the process of my covering various assignments, I have heard a lot about one or two therapies about swimming. My brother, those things, I didn’t know when they came to my mind. I didn’t also know where the strength came from. Down, under the

water, I used my two legs already swollen up even before I jumped into the well, to bring Bola up to the water level, using my back and the two elbows to climb up the well. The clothes I had on was torn to shreds in the process, and there were bruises all over my back and elbow as a result of the injuries I sustained while bringing her up to the water level.

“While both of us were at the water level, I balanced myself with her on my two knees. Bola was already gone. So I started beating her, all over her body, slapping her mouth, and blowing air into her mouth, nose and ear. I did that intermittently with all the strength I had and slapped her severally. Honestly, I didn’t know where all those therapies came from but I must have learnt them from somewhere, sometimes.

“About 15 minutes later, my daughter started making sounds. So, I intensified the therapies. Eventually, she shouted aloud and it was then I knew where I was.At that point, I was now left with the problem of how two of us will get out of the well. I know there is God; that He exists. But this experience further strengthened my belief that there is God. If not God, the three of us would have possibly died inside the well because I didn’t mind. The agony was too much for me to bear.

“By now, people had already gathered at the mouth of the well. My friend who was waiting for taxi was called by my house girl, who in turn called two young boys walking away to come and rescue us from the well. They looked for ladder but the ladder couldn’t enter the well because of the position of two of us. By now, I didn’t have any strength in me again. So, I couldn’t climb up, talk less of coming up with my daughter. So, it was a big task, as frantic efforts were being made to bring us out of the well. Eventually, the ladder was suspended halfway and my daughter who by now had been terribly weak, struggled to climb out through the encouragements of the sympathizers.

“It was two hefty men that came into the well to bring me out. I thank God Almighty for his mercies! Immediately, I asked them to take us to our hospital. By now, it was going to around 6.30-7pm. All this while, my husband didn’t know anything. He was at work in his office. When he got home, he saw traces of slippers flung around, and everywhere looked much unkempt. He was actually scolding my house girl to tidy up the compound before my arrival.PHOTO:THE ILL FATED WELL

Could you believe that my house girl didn’t tell my husband what happened until I phoned him around 8pm that he should come and meet us at the hospital. We were there for two weeks. To the glory of the Almighty God, my pregnancy was certified okay, same with my health and that of my daughter. We later went to church for a thanksgiving.

“It’s a lesson to all mothers. We should give closer attention to our children, and be prayerful too. No matter what, I always have time for closer attention for my children. For instance, I always find time to take my children to and from school everyday, and when I know it’s not possible, I make good arrangement for them to stay with somebody who will look after them till I return.