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PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, stated reasons every property he has, including all his accounts, are domiciled in the country, saying that it was borne out of his belief that where a man's treasures are there his heart also will be.
This came as he noted that he personally did not believe that one became a 'big man' by simply holding a public office.

Jonathan, in a comment on his Facebook page, entitled, "The core of who I am" said public office, to him, was not a means to adding value to the holder, adding that people with that type of mentality were only borrowing moral authority from the office they occupied.

He described the people who accused him of being humble to the point of servility as persons who did not understand that the whole purpose of public office was to serve.

According to the president, "public office, to me, is not a means to adding value to the holder of the office. Public office is the vehicle through which social harmony, happiness and inspirational communal existence is promoted and enhanced."

He said the late president, Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua, while he was alive, used to say they were servant leaders, adding that "we have not come to demand service from Nigeria but to give service...

"This is the principal reason why I opened this page to communicate with Nigerians. I am acutely aware that I do not hold this position of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the wishes of any power other than the freely given mandate of the Nigerian people and the grace of God.

"And that is why I communicate with you because next to the Almighty God, the Nigerian people are my power source and, just as an electrical appliance will not work when not connected to its power source, so also can I not work effectively if I am not connected with you, the good people of Nigeria.

"And while there are politicians who have substantial commitment to Nigeria and others who may have partial commitment to Nigeria, my commitment to Nigeria is total and there is evidence to back it up.

"It is believed that a man's greatest treasures are his children and immediate family and the proverb goes that where a man's treasures are there his heart also will be. All my children, every last one of them school in Nigeria and of course my wife and I are fully on the ground. Some might describe other treasures a man has as his real estate property. And again every property I have in life is in Nigeria. Some might consider money as another treasure and again all my accounts every last one of them is domiciled in Nigeria. In everything I do I make a conscious decision to put Nigeria first whether it is in my dressing or the food I eat, or even the music I listen to. I am totally sold out on Nigeria.

"What does this tell you? My commitment to Nigeria is not partial, neither is it substantial, but it is total. You can trust me to take good decisions on behalf of Nigeria because I am a stakeholder whose progress is tied to the progress of Nigeria.

"This is the core of who Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is. I have made myself an open book, completely transparent to Nigerians because I want to earn your trust. I do not want to demand trust, but I want to inspire it by the way I live my life and with your help and God's favour I shall continue to do this."

 

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By Emma Arubi
WARRI-A 19-year-old girl, simply identified as Nelly, who organised her kidnap with her boyfriend, Teddy, and demanded a N10m ransom from her parents, is currently chatting with the police authorities from the "A" Division in Warri, Delta State.

 
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The incident which occurred February 15-17, was said to have taken place at the state University town of Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.
Nelly was said to have gone to the University for admission purposes only to report back to her parents that it was very late in the night, following which her parent advised her to pass the night with her sister in Abraka.
Vanguard gathered that on getting to her sisters' place, her sister told her she could not be accommodated. Thereafter, she went away, only for some false abductors to put a call across to her father in Lagos, that his daughter was with them and demanded N10m ransom for her release.
An agitated father then put a call to some friends back in Delta State, intimating them of his predicament and requested their intervention and assistance, following which the Police was brought in, unknown to Nelly and her dubious gang and negotiation commenced using Nellys' GSM handset.
Though the abductors agreed to release her for just N150,000 down payment and another N3m thereafter, the mode of collecting the money became suspicious to them.
Police sources told Vanguard that "if not that the girls mother was too eager to have her daughter back at home safely, we would have successfully caught these said pretenders."
After the third day when no money was forth coming and the organizers are truly tired of police antics and worn out, Nelly strolled lazily into their home that morning from where she was brought to the station for face interrogation wherein she confessed that she has been with her boyfriend all this while.
While the police are insisting on the arrest of the boyfriend and the girl for prosecution, the parents are pleading that the case be kept out public knowledge, even as the Teddy has not been seen till date.
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IF EVER a ruling elite seemed to justify the Bush-era doctrine of “pre-emption”, it is the Kim dynasty in North Korea. No government anywhere subjects its own people to such a barbarous regime of fear, repression and hunger. And the Kims are complicit in international outrages ranging from murderous terrorism and nuclear proliferation to drug-smuggling and currency-counterfeiting. The present dictator, Kim Jong Il, is apparently not long for this world, and seems to be boosting his 27-year-old son and anointed successor as a victorious warrior. When the elder Kim was himself dauphin, in the 1980s, he earned his spurs through international terrorism.

This week the North waged war for the second time this year with South Korea when it shelled a South Korean island near the disputed maritime boundary, killing two soldiers and two civilians, injuring others and burning a score of houses. In March, when one of its torpedoes sank the Cheonan, a naval vessel, killing 46, North Korea could, albeit implausibly, deny culpability. This time, though the North describes its aggression as retaliation (for a harmless South Korean military exercise), there is no gainsaying its responsibility for one of the most serious incidents since the end of the Korean war in 1953. To add to this dismal catalogue, the latest onslaught came just three days after the revelation that, in defiance of international efforts to curb its nuclear programme, North Korea has developed a sophisticated facility for enriching uranium. That gives it a further potential source of material for bombmaking.



The starting-point for answering the North’s aggression has to be that, in the most basic sense, the Kims will almost certainly get away with only a symbolic return of fire. It is entirely wrong for North Korea to act as it does. But punitive military reprisals against the North risk a spiral of escalation and catastrophic war. Deterrence works badly against a dictator who blithely imposes famine and gulags on his people during peacetime. Even if there are doubts about the efficacy of its tiny nuclear arsenal, North Korea has enough men under arms, and enough conventional ammunition within range of Seoul—just 35 miles (60km) from the frontier—to make war seem very much a last resort.

If war and the threat of war are hardly even options, what can the world do? The best card in a bad hand is to heal the divisions among other countries about how to handle North Korea. That means, in particular, making China see that a tinderbox it has long regarded as a strategic asset has become an appalling liability. China also struggles to control North Korea. But a united front would change the environment that encourages the rogue state’s bad behaviour.

China cannot be blind to the Kims’ bungling and bellicosity, nor welcome their nuclear ambitions. But it has had two worse fears. One is of a rekindled war on the peninsula, which would damage China. The other is of North Korean collapse, with millions of desperate refugees pouring into China and South Korea or even American troops on China’s border. It is as a bulwark against this “instability” that China cossets the Kims. It refused to condemn them even for the sinking of the Cheonan, and this week issued blandly even-handed calls for restraint. It apparently believes that if their only ally abandons them, the Kims might do something really rash..

But they already have. Whatever it says publicly, China must surely see that this regime flirts with war as an instrument of diplomacy and that its desire to shock the world into negotiating with it requires ever greater outrages. Ultimately, this pattern of behaviour threatens the very stability China craves. China’s alliance with North Korea thus undermines not just its image as a global power but also its own interests.

So how to nudge China in the right direction? One possibility is the revival of the six-party forum, chaired by China and involving Japan and Russia. Talks stalled after North Korea forged ahead with its nuclear programme. The Kims would regard a revival as a victory. But talks will eventually have to resume if North Korea’s nuclear ambitions are to be negotiated down. If they also help persuade China to rein in North Korea, that would be a double benefit.
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Pastor hacked to death by own brother

TRAGEDY struck in Asaba, Delta State capital on Friday when a pastor was hacked to death by his own brother.


The sad incident, which occurred at Jarret Street by Cable Point area of the town, threw the area into confusion.

Our reporter gathered that the pastor had wanted to take his brother who was said to be mentally deranged to the church for spiritual deliverance but the brother put up stiff resistance.

Eyewitness said that “at a point, two of them (brothers) went into scuffle and attempts by neighbours to separate them yielded no result. The brother became violent, dashed into the room, took a cutlass and descended on the pastor, cutting him on the neck severally which led to his bleeding to death.”

Meanwhile, the killer brother has been arrested and taken to Police ‘B’ Division while the corpse of the pastor has been deposited at the mortuary.

Delta State police public relations officer, PPRO, Charles Muka, confirmed the story, saying, “we are handling the matter”..
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Man removes own Testes with broken bottle !

What is the worth of a mans scrotum? This is the question that Mr. Toyin Ibitoye has been battling with. After losing all his investments in a business transaction, he attempted suicide by piercing his own scrotum. While the police prepare to charge him to court, his medical doctor describes it is as a psychiatrist case. AKINWALE ABORISADE writes


Ibitoye on his sick bed. Inset: Stone battered head.


For Dauda Abimbola, a night guard at Oke-Offa area of Ibadan, Oyo State, every night comes with a peculiar horror.

But the horror that struck in the wee hours of Sunday, August 5, 2010 was such that kept him brooding all day long. This is because of the absurd manner in which it came.

It was night as usual in the area. At 12:30 a.m. the rustic city had gone to sleep. Baba Isale area of Oke-Offa was calm and still, with no humans on the street but for the guard on patrol. Only the intermittent chirping of birds and crickets intruded the tranquillity of the night-time. Suddenly, a long, painful groan rent the air. Abimbola cautiously walked down to the direction of the noise. A huge figure (a man) was lying helplessly on the floor, writhing in pain in the pool of his blood.

Could it have been a gunshot or a knife stab? The stranger was soaked from the buttocks down to his feet. Toyin Ibitoye was obviously not calling for help; rather, he was only groaning as a result of the excruciating pain.

Abimbola made a distress call to the police. Soon after, a patrol team came to convey the agonising young man to a hospital in the neighbourhood. There, the doctor confirmed that the young man was actually on a suicide mission. He had inflicted some injuries on himself, using every object that came his way.

Ibitoye said, "I attempted to take my own life by throwing up huge stones that landed on my head." As each stone landed on his clean shaven head, it left a deep sore on it. But not done with that, Ibitoye broke a bottle, stripped himself naked and pierced his scrotum with it. He forcefully removed the two testes in a manner that caused him much agony that made him to cry and quiver.

Police investigation however revealed that this is not the first time Ibitoye would be making an attempt to take his own life.

Weary and utterly disappointed as a result of a business deal turned sour while living in Lagos, the embattled man was said to have made several attempts on his own life. He had lost his life savings, with barely nothing left. He also lost his customers�� monies in the failed oil business.

To him, all hope was lost. And the only way out, he opined, was to end it all by committing suicide. He had, ever since, been trying to kill himself; but it had been unsuccessful. Worried by Ibitoye��s dangerous behaviour, his parents relocated him to their base in Ibadan so that he could be under their close watch. But, the huge burden in his heart outweighed what parental love could cure. He continued to look for a way out.

The last attempt he made in a desperate quest for death was in the early hours of Sunday when everybody was fast asleep and no one could interrupt him. Again, he did not succeed. Rather than lose his life, he only lost his testes. He presently nurses a festering sore between his legs on the hospital bed. He said, "After removing my testes, I threw them away somewhere at Ode-Aje (area of Ibadan)." When SUNDAY PUNCH visited Bembow Hospital, Ibadan, where he was receiving treatment, Ibitoye was writhing in pain, with swollen scrotum. He painfully recalled the desperate action he took in an attempt to kill himself in order to be ��free from life��s challenges,�� saying, "I pierced my scrotum with broken bottle and forcefully removed my testes."

Four hours after committing the dastardly act, Ibitoye was wheeled into the theatre at Bembow Hospital. He underwent a four-hour surgical operation, and though he came out alive, he was still in a depressed mood. His grief was not just as a result of the pain he went through, but especially because of his failed efforts to end his own life.

Now, he lies on the hospital bed almost half-minded. His words are incoherent: This minute, he will reflect on his ordeal; the next, he will bring up a topic that is totally unrelated to what he said earlier, especially when attempting to answer questions posed to him.

While responding to questions from our correspondent, he said he attempted suicide but he did not explain what led him to it. He said, "I jumped into the well, but they brought me out. I did many things but death would not come. It was painful but they treated me and the pain has reduced."

His father, a native of Ajase-Ipo, Kwara State, told the police that Ibitoye had a failed deal with some of his business partners in Lagos. According to the old man (name not given), his son��s capital (amount not mentioned) and his customers�� money were involved in the business.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, Ms. Olabisi Okuwobi, said the man��s action was criminal and the act was typical of a man who is incapable of facing the challenges of life.

The Divisional Crime Officer 1, Agugu Police Station, Ibadan, Mr. Ayoola Olawole, who noted that the man had the tendency to attempt to take his own life again after recuperating, said the suspect would be charged to court. He explained that there was no basis for anybody to make an attempt on his own life or that of others, irrespective of the circumstances; as such actions are against the law.

The Medical Director, Bembow Hospital, Dr. Abimbola Kuteyi, who explained the procedure carried out on Ibitoye said, "We did surgery on the two sides of the scrotum, though he pierced himself on just one (right) side. He caused harm to the sperm duct. In medical term, we carried out bilateral orchiectomy �� repair of sperm duct."

According to Kuteyi, Ibitoye can still have sex but can no longer make babies. If the session was not carried out on him, the doctor said, he might bleed to death. He explained that the patient suffered secondary inflammation of the scrotum because of the unsterilised broken bottle he used to pierce it.

The doctor, who said that not less than 20 per cent of the world population had one psychiatric problem or the other, said Ibitoye obviously had psychiatric problem. Kuteyi said, "In my diagnosis, I indicated that there was a stressor that gingered the psychiatric action in him. The patient still behaves irrationally and cannot easily identify people now.

"What happened in his case was as a result of depression. He suffered what we call loss of mood and self respect. He is fed up with the environment, so he wants to commit suicide. This is, however, treatable with anti-depressant."

Will it then be right to charge Ibitoye to court, being a mentally unbalanced and traumatised individual? The doctor said no; while the law enforcement agents have a different perception.
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Lucky he did not nail his Mother-Inlaw someone would have raised

eyebrows !


Three family members at a wedding in Turkey have been accidentally shot dead by the groom firing an AK-47 rifle in celebration.

The groom, Tevfik Altin, lost control of his rifle, spraying the guestswith bullets and killing his father and two aunts and injuring sixothers, according to CNN Turk.

It reported that Altin had been arrested after the incident in the villageof Akcagoze in southeastern Turkey. Guns are often fired into the airin celebration in some parts of Turkey.

One family member, who did not give his name, told CNN: "It happened very quickly. We all triedto take cover and there was blood all over. We are all very sad rightnow."

The injured guests included three children aged 10, 12 and 16, according to CNN Turk.

The Sehitkamil State hospital where some of the injured were brought confirmed it has one patient still in the hospital.

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He is humble, very humble. He is also behind many charitable causes. Van Vicker is his name and he is insatiable. He believes he cannot be fulfilled until death. For him there is still much to be done and can be done to improve life. Viker, apart from producing films is into advertising and promotions, a feat he achieved through dint of hard work and persistence. He loves his family, but craves to spend more time with them. Read all about him. Excerpts:Van VickerWe learnt that before you do any movie in Nigeria you insist that you get the distribution right in the US. Is this true?It is not true. I don’t insist on being in the movie before I distribute. If I’m doing any movie and I think it will be a hit movie I will discuss with the producer or the EP… my guy, I want to buy this movie after we are done and he either says yes and then we negotiate or no I already have my own distributor. I have been in several movies and I didn’t get the right to distribute them in the US.Again I have distributed some that I featured in and I distributed them in the US. But me insisting that before I’m in your movie, I must have the distribution right, that is so natural. I do not say give me the movie. I pay for them.... I pay cash, so if they are going to charge me whatever the figure is, I pay. So it is not free. I don’t act for free. I never insist that if I don’t get the right in that movie I won’t feature in it. I will just be stifling my own career if I do. So, that’s not the way it works, its negotiable. We talk.We learnt that you are not just an actor… you are beginning to venture into movie production and directing as well?I don’t know if branch will be the very right word. I think it’s more of an addition. I have always had the passion for being behind the cameras. Actually that’s where my career began. I worked with a TV station for so many years and I was trained as a production assistant and then I went as far as being the assistant head of entertainment. I very much know how TV works and how camera works.When I started acting, it didn’t take away that passion, it was just more of something I wanted to explore so I decided to direct and produce. I did my first in 2007, my second production in 2008 and I am doing my third and fourth this year. It’s more of a passion… like the way acting is to me and that way it gives me control of the product I’m putting out there, who I want to be in the movie, what message I want to send out there and not be at the beck and call of the producer all the time. I want to have my own say in what people see and how they are entertained.Does that mean we will see more of you as a producer this year?Yes. I will produce two for a start and probably the last quarter of this year I might just do another one. Let it not be that Van only produces and directs his movies. I will direct anybody’s movie too, if I’m given the opportunity. I have already had two requests and I know with time we will get it done.What is the big deal about RAJ The dancer?I think it’s an excellent movie. Some of the love stories we do are not just about them being love stories. They become a little bit monotonous, the same old crap; get married to this person, don’t get married to that person, mother says this, father says that. I think it’s over flogged. It’s easier for us to shoot love stories, because of lack of equipment and budget. If we are doing a love story, I think we should add some extra spice. I was in a movie titled Beyouncé, a name that I created myself but it is not my production and a lot of people started calling me Raj. After that, I decided to capitalize on the popularity of that name and I want to do sequel to it.When is it coming up, who are the stars in it, why is it different?It will be coming out in Africa by March and in the US and Europe in February . We have Kofi Ajolo from Ghana and the other person is Nana. She is a new actress. The movie is about wife battering but the spice again is the dancing part. So it’s not just the usual thing. I think this movie will be better than my first which was Friday night; the movie I did with Nana Amama. I want to believe that this will be a step-up and I know the future ones will also be something to cheer.Does that make you a dancer?I was trained. I did weeks of training to do that part. I don’t dance but I have got a professional, a choreographer and everything and in my basic schedule I got it done, so I tried.So we see a lot of dancing from Raj?I wouldn’t say a lot of dancing. The first dancing was in the gym where I was competing with someone. The second dancing was the steatites I did for the girl in the movie and the third dancing was the saucer dance that the girl and I performed. So we‘ve got three dances i.e one at the beginning, the next in the middle and the last one at the end.Who wrote the story?I wrote the story. I screen-played the story and I directed it alongside a Nigerian director, Kalou Aryan and I produced it. I was the executive producer. My production company Sky Orange Production was quite involved.People say you are becoming bigger in the Ghanaian movie industry because you are the biggest star… how true is this?I think if you know me, you will realize that I’m a really humble person. I don’t think it is wise for any human being to think that he or she is the ultimate. You know you might have been able to achieve so much people have not been able to attain. It doesn’t make you the ultimate. I think one of the best things in life is for you to have everything and still be very humble. Still be down to earth. For me it is the most important venture that I cherish. Them saying Van is acting like he’s big, that is a terrible perception. Some people try to be mischievous, some because of bad belle. Any how you want to put it … but I totally disagree with that. Whoever knows me will testify that Van is a very humble person.So what happened between you and Abudulsalam?I keep saying that nothing happened between me and Abudulshalam, the CEO of Venus. It’s just a little misunderstanding that has do with scheduling. As a matter of fact he called me up and said he wanted to do a production. He asked if I was in Ghana. I said no and asked him when he was coming down. He said “I’m not too sure yet I will let you know anyway what it is about. I want to shoot a film”. I said Salam don’t tell me you want to shoot next week. He said “yes I want to shoot next week”.Then I said it’s not possible because you need to get real, get used to the idea that people grow in life, they have more responsibilities, their schedule gets tighter. You need to understand that and stop this child’s play. You called me up today and you want to shoot a movie next week, 4, 5 years ago I could afford to do that because I was working for myself and I wasn’t shooting a lot of films, now I can’t do that because I have schedules. I have commitments. I can’t disappoint another man to satisfy you that won’t be fair. That’s bad for business. So he said “okay fine, so when is your schedule” and I said it has to be around the 3rd week or 4th week in March.Then he said “ Ah that is too far… well then you can go ahead and shoot when you are ready we can schedule something, you know I shoot every month”. I said fair enough. But are we going to shoot in March, is it confirmed with you that we will shoot in March because you will wait one week till you shoot and call me up. It still will not work even though you did tell me you will shoot in March because you are not confirming it now. By the time we are in March my bookings would have moved to May, so you need to tell me now.He couldn’t give me a confirmation date and you know two things come to play. I need to see the script to know if I want to do the job for whatever reason. After I’ve seen the script we need to negotiate, then we confirm a date then I know we are in business. Yes! Because he has disappointed me three times. It was all over the papers. Whatever they said ... he came to my office and then he said Van let’s talk this thing out and I said okay.Is it true that Van is the most expensive actor in Ghana ?I wish. Well I don’t know. I think I get what I am worth. I don’t know about the others but I get what I am worth. If I’m the most expensive I thank God for that. I think it is a blessing but I can’t agree because I don’t know what my colleagues earn. They can be earning far more than I do but I am contented with what I have because I know I am getting my worth.So you are saying you are not too big for your industry?Impossible. I am not too big for my industry and I think I love my industry and I know there are lots of people out there who love and support what I do. I am sure a lot of people know that Van is not big… he is just maybe busy, maybe producers are not meeting the protocol to get him to be in their films. Period.How close are you to other Ghanaian stars?I am close to all Ghanaian stars. There is something I have noticed; it has nothing really to do with Van. It seems a lot more guys are closer to the ladies and the ladies are closer to the guys. It is not common to see two, three, four artistes that are of the same sex close. So as it is, I’m closer to more ladies than to the guys and I think the reason is because we almost every time get paired up with the opposite sex so we tend to spend more time together than with the guys and the same thing goes for the ladies.You are close to Nadia?Yes I am close to NadiaJackie?Yes.What about Mama Brown?Yes. We did a movie; she did my first movie for me.What about Majid?You know something? I know Majid, I was going to do a series, before I was directing that series. I actually shot some scenes and Majid was in my movie but I have never released it and he was in that series. Yes Majid is my friend .Let’s talk about Nollywood. Is it true you put yourself in the same class with RMD and Ramsey Noah?That will be a very annoying thing to do. Hollywood’s Brad Pitt is a good actor, Clooney is a good actor but there’s no way Brad Pitt will put himself on the same level as Clooney because Clooney has been there for a while or Albert Ino because they’ve been there. You just have to acknowledge the fact that this person has been there… you need to give them credit, you need to acknowledge them, you need to give them due respect. So if anybody said Van said it, it’s even annoying to the ears… it is ridiculous.Honestly. It is not like we had a beef, I don’t have a beef for any of them.. Maybe if we had a beef, you might say probably he said it, I don’t have a beef with any of them. I met RMD for the first time at Solo Amaku’s birthday party in Asaba.... I think almost two years ago and I said cool dude. We sat, we talked, we laughed and I never met him again. As for Ramsey, before we met, I called him four, five times because I wanted him to do a movie as a brother with him in Liberia. So I spoke to him several times more and not only about the production; there was a time I was in the US and I called him on some other issues I have forgotten. But we have met twice in Abuja. The first meeting was at the location of Reloaded. The second movie we did was when Stephanie called me for Izu Ojukwu’s movie. We had two or three scenes together in the movie..What happened on that set?I got a call from Stephanie when I was on my way to Ghana from Lagos. Stephanie told me that a producer, Izu , would call me for a job and I said fine. So he called me a few minutes later and he wanted me to do a job and I said I am already on my way to Ghana. He told me later that Ramsey could have been on that set but there was a little issue they needed to trash out. I think it was a monetary stuff so I think Ramsey didn’t have the time and he had already been paid and they were already on set.They needed to move on. So that was how they fell back on me. Then I was like let’s do it. I dropped everything and I went to Abuja the next morning .Then I was told Ramsey was coming. So they said there was this other role they wanted me to play, but I said that was not why you called me, somebody must have misread the situation and said I didn’t want to act under Ramsey. But they don’t know the story, you get what I am saying? So I said but I have already been told that he wasn’t showing up that I should come. I’m actually your savior right now and now you want me to look bad.So I went back to him and said my guy I don’t want to play this particular role; but after so much talk I eventually played the role. I thought about this same thing as in if I no do am they go say I no wan play under Ramsey. We spoke on that set for over 40 minutes and it didn’t seem that we had any problem.. I think he is a cool dude, so there is no way that I would ever say that I’m better than even the worst actor.So what happened to Desmond?Concerning this story, I called him after I received your call. I said Desmond, what’s up? He said, fine. I told him how they alleged that I said I won’t play under him and he said no, that is a lie. And I told him that a Journalist was going to call him to clarify the issue, and he said, okay, make dem call. That was it. Honestly, until I read the story, I didn’t remember the incident but I do remember that I have done two movies with him.I don’t remember having such issue with him because for me, it wasn’t an issue. I was given a role like Ikechukwu rightly said and Desmond was also given the same role. Until I got on set I didn’t realize we were given the same role. I don’t know if he got the role then or earlier but I was given the role earlier. I told them that I was already prepared for that role, how are you going to go about it? If I can’t play this role, then you just carry your thing because I don’t want to strain myself and read something new.Let’s just forget it. So, whether they decided to compromise or whether it was a lie, I won’t freaky know; but until I read it, I didn’t remember that particular incident. The story made me look like I intentionally didn’t remember but Ikechukwu remembered. That is the way it was interpreted. The way Ikechukwu’s line was written, If Van no remember, person remember. That was the way it came out. If only you told me about the incident, I would have confirmed it, that yes, I remember something like that but this is what happened but like I said, I didn’t see it as an issue anyway.So, Van is not arrogant?At all, that is impossible. I think I am a very jovial person and as much as I am jovial, I am also quite blunt. I know it is bad sometimes to be blunt but it is also good in a way, so that you don’t look like you are deceiving somebody or being an hypocrite. It has got its negative side and sometimes, it has helped me as an individual to be blunt. So, I have been able to control how blunt I can be, but I don’t think I am arrogant. I don’t think I blow my trumpet, that to me is ridiculous.How have you been maintaining a silent family?It is amazing how strong my wife is because I know many African women might not be able to hold this down. Divorce is everywhere even in Hollywood but the African marriage is way different. I am so proud of her …every time I go home she’s there. I am sure she’s had sad moments and terrible days and nights especially when her friends call her and say, have you seen this movie? Did you this girl kissing Van? Not did you see them kissing?. I know she’s had terrible times over rumors in the papers...Van is doing this to a person, actresses wanting Van in their beds and all sorts of crap. I appreciate her so much. God knew what my destiny was so He gave me the right person to marry. Having said that, juggling family life and my traveling is crazy. On her birthday I wasn’t there. I called her up at midnight because I told her that if anybody calls you before I do, please don’t answer it. I wanted to be the first to say happy birthday. I called her around 10:00 PM . Last year, I wasn’t there, this year I am not there.I know she’s making a lot of sacrifices. So am I, but we must make sacrifices to get what we want in life sometimes and I know it will pay off. My kids, they miss dad, every time I call home, they ask “when are you coming home”, “I want you to come home now”. Those are some of their lines and it breaks my heart. But, I think I am doing it for their future and they will understand.How long have you been married?I have been married for six years. This year, precisely October 17th will be my seventh year of marriage but I have been dating my wife for sixteen years. We have been together since 1994.Do you get scared when you read about and see celebrities breaking-up?I don’t think it bothers me because for me, my wife is not just a wife. I think she’s more of a friend to me than a wife. So, I am not frightened by what I read in the papers . I am not bothered about all these break-ups and make-ups. I am comfortable knowing that everything is going to be well and I know she believes that I am her husband and I am going to be there for life in good times and bad times.So, you are doing all these things to make your marriage work?Yes. I do all I can, and that is why I seem not to be very social because I spend every little time I have with my family. I either go out with my family or go out with my wife and spend quality time with them because I am not always there. People call me and say, Van, I don’t see you at occasions, what’s up? The longest time I spent with my family the whole of last year was 14 days... I mean at a stretch. Before that, 2 days, a day, 3 days, hours.What’s her occupation?She is a Human Resource Manager at Camelot Ghana Limited where they print checks.How many actresses have you dated?None.What happened?Nothing happened. We might be good friends but that does not give room for any intimacy.What happened with you and Nadia?We never dated. As at 1999, we were close, now we are not so close and that is the truth. We were close because we started acting together way back in Ghana and we were paired up a lot of times. I think for the first five movies I did, she was there and so, we became close. I didn’t get close to Jackie like that because Jackie was always on the other side of the film.You know it was usually Nadia and I that were having the love thing going, but until she got involved with ACN, she started traveling a lot and doing other stuff. So that bond was lost because she is on a different level now. At a point in time, she wanted to stop acting, whether it’s true I don’t know.But for me, she just disappeared at a point in time. I didn’t know what was happening and now, we have never been able to get back so close because everybody is getting busier and busier.So, you never dated Nadia?No, we never dated. Several websites said that we went for the Fifth Continent Awards in US and that I was acting as a body guard to Nadia that I wasn’t wearing my ring or hiding my ring. Why would I be hiding my wedding ring when the whole world knows I’m married? Some people even said, Tonto and I were caught in bed. Actually they cut the picture off a movie and pasted it and they said we were dating. People just like to be mischievous and I don’t know why.Does this things get at your wife?If I were her, it will get to me.So, it doesn’t get to her?It does…. it definitely does but if it were me, I would have done worse than she does. She’s human, she’s feminine and that is why I said if I were in her shoes, I would have done worse.What does she do when she sees stuffs like that?I am not going into details of what she does but I am saying that she’s human and she flips sometimes.But does she believe you every time you say it’s not true?Well, my wife trusts me. It is not about believing, it is about how true people want to make it seem that becomes a question.Are you saying that Van is a faithful husband?Yes. I am a faithful husband.How did it all start?It started way back in 1997 when I went for an audition for the post of a presenter in a newly opened T.V. station, TV3 Network, still TV3 Network till date. She saw the advert in the newspaper and told me about it. I did the first audition, the second, the third and I was hired. That was the genesis. I did presentation and production work. Then I resigned and moved on to a radio station, Groove FM. . I was hired to do the drive time program.. That TV station was changed to a local station and because I don’t speak the local language, I had to move on. Then I went to another TV station, Metropolitan Television, MTV for short where I started producing and presenting programs. As a staff, I did uncountable programs, from live to recorded, what have you.I presented and produced a lot. That was where I rose to be the assistant head of entertainment. And while I was there, I went to another radio station, Vibe 91.9 Fm, and then I was presenting a night program, so I was doing the radio work and the TV as well. Then I had it on television series. I was a star in it. I started over in Sun City and then it moved on and that was when I thought about doing a movie. The first one I did was Divine Love; I did that with Majid and Jackie around 2004. I actually stopped radio before I started the film because the series was not giving me time. I later resigned from TV and started running my own advertising agency I named Sky Orange. I did it for a while. Then, the movie thing started getting bigger and bigger and I had to let my partner run Sky Orange while I did other stuff.How has your academic adventure been so far?One of the biggest regrets I have in life is the fact that I never went to the university. I am not going to go into details why I didn’t go but I didn’t go and it is something that if I could turn back the hand of time, I would do anytime. I attended one of the best boarding schools in Ghana, Mfantisipim School but having said that, despite the fact that I didn’t go to the university, I did several courses… I did one in marketing, I did another in accounting but I didn’t really like it, then I did stuff in production. So, I’m looking at upgrading myself. I went to the New York Film Academy because I wanted to upgrade myself.The things you learn in school many times is not the same thing you learn on the job. So, I thought that I have been practicing acting; I needed to learn the book side of it and truly, it has being really helpful. It has opened my eyes to see the things I have been overlooking or things I didn’t even know, or that I have gotten to know how to apply . It has been really helpful. I also intend to do courses in directing, producing and script writing probably this year or next year but I am happy to know that a few of my colleagues are also going to NYFA.Are you fulfilled?I don’t think I’ll be fulfilled till I go six fit deep because for me, there is so much to achieve in life.What are the things you still want to achieve?I still want to do movies. I don’t think I have gotten the kind of movies I want to do yet and even starring. I don’t think I have done a film that will wow me, it hasn’t hit me like that yet and until it does, I don’t think I have achieved anything yet.Some people say you are Liberian, others say you are Ghanaian, where are you from?I am a hybrid of three backgrounds. My dad is Dutch; my mom is part Ghanaian, part Liberian. So, that makes me quarter Ghanaian, quarter Liberian and half Dutch. I was telling my wife what if you weren’t a Ghanaian? Let’s say you are from Nigeria , our kids will be a fraction of one country and one fourth of another country. It is funny. For me, I see myself as a global citizen. Whenever I find myself in Liberia , I tell them I am from Liberia . When I am in Ghana and they ask me where I come from, I will tell them I am from Ghana and when I am in Holland , Amsterdam or wherever, I tell them I am a Dutch man because that is the truth. I can’t run away from it. I have their blood running through me. I might not have spent much time in these places but at the same time, there might be lapses here and there but I do have that blood and I am proud of that .So, how did you get to Ghana ?My dad met my mom in Liberia . He used to work with an electric corporation then. He passed away when I was six. Before then, we came to Ghana a few times but we actually moved here just before the war, because the war hadn’t really broken out like that but we knew it was going to be bad, so we just moved out and we had to basically start from scratch.How .....?We came to Ghana in 1991 and because of the war, it has never been ideal to go back even though some people have gone back. But for me, Ghana is home, Liberia is home, Holland is home. My mom is retired.How close are you to your dad’s family?Whenever I talk about my dad, tears flow from my eyes. I always say, the fact that I didn’t grow with my father made me very strong. It got me determined because I knew there wasn’t a father there to point you out. Mothers will point you out but because she is a single mother, she’s got a lot of responsibility in her hands and she might neglect certain areas . So, it made me very strong.I am not close to my father’s side because you can imagine it, in the 70’s the black and white thing wasn’t really a good topic especially from the Dutch. So, we did not have that raport . He was actually like an outcast because he got married to my mom. I don’t have a link with them because he became an outcast and we didn’t have that relationship as a family. Black and white wasn’t a favorable topic in the 70’s, so it just didn’t work.So, what was his name?Vicker.How come you bear Van Vicker?Van means the son of (Mr. Vicker). So, I can continue to call my boys Van Vicker, so it is the son of that Vicker.What is your full name?Joseph Fhiphi Van Vicker. Fhiphi means, born on Friday; it is a Ghanaian name.After three children, should we expect more?I am done having children. Two girls and a boy are wonderful. I thank God because it is a blessing.What do you expect in 2010?I expect to boost my Foundation some more because I think I have gotten to a stage where a lot of youths look up to me as a model and I will love to encourage them in the best way that I can. I am going to boost my Foundation some more and I am going to reach out to more youths and helping them attain what is possible. I started off by donating to New Life International Orphanage .That for me was to kick start the whole thing and I am in collaboration with Nations Children in the US and a few other companies to be able to have a lot of them donate to my Foundation and in turn donating it to the orphanages in Ghana and possibly Liberia and Nigeria as well. So, my Foundation is paramount to me in 2010. It is unfortunate what has happened to Haiti . It could have happened to any other country. So, it is important that we all show our sympathy.I could have been in Haiti in the middle of January because I did make a pronouncement last year during my premier of Raj The Dancer in the US that I was going to shoot a movie in Haiti with a Jamaican star, a Caribbean star and an Asian star plus Africans and it could have been January 2010. I thank God for my life because I could have been in Haiti at about the time of the earthquake. I thank God but my sympathy goes out to all those who have lost their loved ones, families and relations and I am doing the best I can to help raise funds for Asians because I know I have a lot of Asian fans. My Foundation will raise funds and I also know that Nollywood is trying to raise funds and I am going to be part of that.I also want to be part of the benefit cause in Miami to help raise funds for Asians. Still speaking of 2010, I will produce more movies this year than last year because I also want to also push my directing and production career. It doesn’t mean I will not direct any other person’s movie. I will if I am approached. In 2010. I want to see Van in box office movies, be it mine or any other person’s and I still have a passion for shows and for showbiz. I love it and I will continue to do the best I can.... Are you doing condom indeed?No, I am notIt is something I am also planning to do in 2010. I will be coming out with my own merchandise which is a 2010 calendar. This is my first merchandise , my brand. I intend to come out with a perfume line, as well as clothing… who knows what else it could be? But the calendar is coming up in February and I am sorry for the delay but it’s got to do with the print delay in the US. My calendar will be sold all over the world. The US , Canada , Europe and Africa . So, that is the first of my merchandise but there is more to come. I want the Van Vicker brand to attain the highest height ever.
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How protocol embarrassed Jonathan
Written by Okey Muogbo
Thursday, February 11, 2010
ACTING President Goodluck Jonathan could not get a triumphant entry into the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chambers meeting, on Wednesday, as the protocol officers did not usher him in, as was done to substantive presidents.

The acting president came into the meeting unannounced against the convention that the protocol officer should announce to the waiting cabinet members that the president had arrived, a call that instantly makes members to stand up to usher in the president.
In an apparent conflict of duty between the two protocol officers, the acting president was left to his own fate.
President Umaru Yar'Adua's protocol officer, Inuwa Baba, apparently relaxing that his own boss was not around, did not announce the arrival of Jonathan while the acting president's protocol officer, apparently not used to his new boss's position, also kept mum.
That was not the only embarrassment that heralded the first FEC meeting Jonathan would chair as acting president.
His protocol officer, instead of guiding him to the seat of the president, chose to usher him to the seat of the vice-president but he (Jonathan) promptly ignored him and went to the seat of the commander-in-chief.
As he made for the seat of the president, there was anger and surprise on the faces of some of the ministers, especially those who were known to have worked against Jonathan becoming acting president.
As expected, at 10.00 a.m. all the ministers were seated, as nobody wanted to test the might of the acting president. It was only Mr Aondoakaa who arrived at 10.19a.m. because he had gone to Jonathan's office for consultation. After Mr Aondoakaa had settled down, Chief Economic Adviser to Yar'Adua, Dr Tanimu Yakubu, went to meet him and the duo chatted. By 10.21 a.m. the acting president walked in.
From the pattern of interaction, before reporters left the chambers, it was obvious that Yar'Adua's men, especially Alhaji Sayydi Abba Ruma, Tanimu Yakubu and Mike Aondoakaa, had lost their influence as they were deserted by other ministers who in the past used to cluster around them to curry favour with them. Alhaji Ruma is the Minister of Agriculture.
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A divorced father of three stabbed his mother 21 times after becoming convinced that she was a witch and had put a curse on him, a court in Britain heard on Friday. Kayode Kuye reportedly tortured and killed Christina Kuye, 69, because he believed she had ruined his life with a black magic spell, the Old Bailey was told. Unemployed Kuye, 50, of Edmonton, north London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The judge, Christopher Moss, ordered him locked up indefinitely under mental health laws and described it as a “brutal” killing. Kuye reportedly attacked his mother after letting himself into her home in Finchley, north London, with a key in May last year, the court heard. After a lengthy argument, he stabbed her 21 times to the upper body, also slashing her arms and hands as she tried to defend herself. He was later arrested covered in blood at Finchley Central station, laughing as he said: “I have had an argument with my mother.” Policemen forced their way into her home where they found her body in her bedroom. Kuye later told psychiatrists that his purpose was “to torture his mother to try to prevent her from continuing what he perceived to be black magic upon him,” said Alan Kent, prosecuting officer. Mr. Kent said: “The motivation behind his attack was his paranoid and deluded belief that his mother had cursed him through witchcraft and had ruined his life.” Mrs. Kuye came to Britain from Nigeria in 1961 with her husband, who died in 1984. She had eight children, including the defendant, and 20 grandchildren. She herself believed in witchcraft and her son became increasingly interested in the subject during the four years before he killed her. His mother helped him get in touch with a witch doctor she knew in Nigeria and he would send him money “for advice and medicine,” the court heard. Two years before the killing, he began to blame her for all his problems, saying she had “sacrificed him as a child and had put a curse on him.” He believed that “he was a king and should be rich, but the curse prevented this from happening.” For about a year before his mother’s death, he had been saying he was going to kill her, as well as other family members. On the day of the stabbing, he had been “ranting and raving” at his former wife and told her that “he had to go and do what he had to do,” the court heard.
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The Search for our own Obama

There is no better time to liberate our country than the year 2011. By then, Nigeria would have been 51 years old as an independent nation. We would have wasted a total of 50 long years trying to build a solid foundation for democracy, good governance and accountability. We would have endured incompetent, kleptomaniac, insensitive, wasteful rulers, for those number of years. 50 years in the life of a people cannot be a joke. As Chief Moshood Abiola once noted at the launch of Dream-maker by May Ellen Ezekiel Mofe-Damijo, “If we spend 50 years dreaming dreams, when are we going to see vision?” That profound statement encapsulates the story of Nigeria. We have spent 50 years daydreaming. Our so-called leaders have continued to do the same things in different ways. They have not learnt any lesson from history. They have treated the ruled with incredible disdain. Just look at what they’ve just done again in Ekiti. The ruling party told us all to go to hell, when it announced that it had won the most improbable gubernatorial election, practically with the much disputed, and most likely-doctored votes from one local government. What chicanery is this? But they are wrong in thinking we can be treated like rams being led to slaughter. The shame is theirs to live with, when tomorrow comes. The world would laugh at us as usual. The infidels would ask, where is our God? The faint-hearted would easily give up. But we must not allow the shameless old fuddy-duddies to savour their pyrrhic victory. We must continue this match towards the redemption of our souls. We must prepare for the battle ahead, now that we know the PDP would continue to force its ill-assorted candidates on us. We must reject this slavery, by all legal means available. There is always a purpose for every situation we find ourselves in. Without the madness of the Bush years in America, there would have been no Obama today. Yar’Adua will be the catalyst for our own Obama. Mark my word. We are back at the barricade, and it is time to scream, Let my people go! We must pray every day for Yar’Adua. We must ask God to grant him long life, so that he can feel what Obasanjo is feeling today. We must pray for him to run for his own second term. This is what we should all push for, for our own Obama to emerge. We must demonstrate our anger against these reckless riggers by making up our minds to register to vote, and stand by our votes henceforth. We must encourage as many good candidates as possible to come out nationwide. The search for our own Obama has now become a task that must be accomplished. We must stay many steps ahead of our oppressors. Never again must we allow these insults to stick. Nigerians must speak up from every corner. In the mosques, and in the churches, we must continue to pray, for our walls of Jericho to collapse. We must encourage our congregations to stay strong and support good candidates. We must emphasize the ugliness of our rulers. We must put their incompetence on display for all to see. We must convince ourselves that we deserve better. We must accept the fact today that our redemption lies not in the hands of incurable desperados, who must cling to power at all cost. We must salute the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, for showing us good example, and for being a voice of reason. Our Obama must be bold. He/she must be selfless. Donald Duke is a good material any day. But he is in a wrong party. PDP will never field such an urbane candidate. The party is led by control freaks and warlords. They will always pick one weakling after the other from their database of political zombies. They care less that the world today is led by smart, young, energetic, trendy, and brilliant leaders. If Donald wants our votes, he must quit the party that has attracted so much shame and repulsion to Nigeria. He has to make his move very quickly. But will he? Analysts have said he is not likely to do that. Their reason is simple. The average Nigerian politician is never prepared to take the risk of quitting the party that controls all the plum appointments. He’ll rather continue to hope that something would drop in his laps. His is never a call to service. Any job would do. The world is waiting to see if Donald can call the bluff of PDP and join forces with more forward-looking Nigerians. Nasir El-Rufai is an erudite and tested leader. He demonstrated enough guts in dealing with environmental issues in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Of course, like all mortals, he made a few mistakes, and stepped on powerful toes. But he remains one of the brightest hopes of Nigeria. There are allegations of improprieties against him, and he’s being pursued with the agility of a horse. That is to be expected in a country where we love to chase shadows and the leadership has gone neurotic. He must make plans to return to Nigeria to defend himself. Every soul knows there are desperate attempts to smear him. Not that he’s a saint. But if we can keep some of the characters we see in the corridors-of-power permanently in government jobs, then Nasir smells like a beautiful rose. He should remain unruffled. Persecution sometimes helps its victim. A good example is that of Jacob Zuma of South Africa who got the overwhelming support from his people despite his “bad boy” image. Such is life. Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola is one of the greatest things to happen to Nigerian politics. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and current governor of Nigeria’s most important state, Lagos. Babatunde reinforces the theory that the future of Nigeria should be placed in the hands of members of the private sector. Our incorrigible politicians would never change their bad habits. Babatunde is strict, smart and business-like. He has given Lagos a good direction by promoting good governance above partisan politics. He was a virtual underdog at the time his former boss, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu practically forced him on the Action Congress. He was young and shy. But he has matured into a confident leader who clearly has his master-plan in view, and the willingness to execute it with clinical precision. He has shown exceptional courage in dealing with grave issues. And he’s being applauded by everyone for his stupendous efforts. The question on people’s lips is if Babatunde would risk his plush job to attempt a shot at the presidency. The answer is that he needs more time to tackle the many challenges of Lagos, and that he must wait till 2015. But Nigeria is in dire need of a new leader and cannot wait or waste much time getting such a man. So our search continues. Professor Pat Utomi should step forward. His rich knowledge of the Nigerian economy should naturally qualify him for this most important job. He also comes with the experience of running for the presidency in the last election. His major problem is how to persuade a largely illiterate community that a very academic man can take Nigeria to the next level of prosperity and accountability. As good as he is, he seems to have an uphill task unless he can get a broad coalition of Nigerian parties to adopt him. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is primus inter pare amongst the women who are qualified to lead Nigeria. Her intimidating job as the managing director of the World Bank makes her a veritable candidate for the presidency of Nigeria. She also comes with the wonderful experience of being our former minister of finance, and subsequently foreign affairs. She ably distinguished herself on both jobs. She was a powerful voice on the continent of Africa and beyond. It is yet to be seen if a largely male-dominated country like Nigeria is ready to jettison its traditional chauvinism to enthrone a proud daughter of Africa in power. Next on our list of potential Obamas is Dr Oby Ezekwesili, current vice president (Africa) at the World Bank. Reasonable Nigerians would forever remember her heroic deeds for institutionalizing due process in government activities. They will remember with fond memories her epic battles against the enemies of qualitative education for Nigerians. In a very normal society, technocrats like Oby should make a spectacular showing in governance. She’s one of the leading lights of Nigeria, and definitely a lady to watch in the near future. She would be needed to perform some of the badly needed surgeries on our cancerous nation. One of our best women, Professor Dora Akunyili, has been sucked into government full time. She gave a good account of herself as the Director-General of NAFDAC, where she executed a running battle against the producers and marketers of fake drugs. Her fame grew in leaps and bounds, and she almost won a Nobel Prize for her gallant efforts. There is no woman more popular in Nigeria today than Dora Akunyili but her recent appointment as Minister of Information and Communications has placed her in a very precarious situation. Many of her great fans are very worried about how this job of defending a poor government might affect her political future. She would have to learn how the other women on our list left government with their reputations intact, by not being overzealous about a thankless job. We welcome Fola Tajudeen Adeola, the whiz-kid of Nigerian banking and co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank, to this great company. The gentleman with very extensive contacts is respected in many circles. He endeared himself to most Nigerian youths when he voluntarily quit his powerful job as managing director of GTB, and headed straight to the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, near Jos. It was a move that was seen at the time as preparatory to joining the presidential race. He was briefly involved in political assignments under the Obasanjo government, an experience that must have taught him a few things about the intricacies of working under an insincere leadership. If he works very hard, he’s well positioned to attract massive support from both the Muslim north and the southern Muslims. No one can ignore Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa in the scheme of things in Nigeria. There were attempts to rubbish him when he showed interest in the presidential race under the government of Olusegun Obasanjo. He had to make a quick retreat after he was whipped into line by the powers that be. His sparkling military career and outstanding performance as the military governor of Lagos State are enough reasons for his fans to see him as a potential Obama. He’s one cosmopolitan figure within the military mafia in Nigeria, and his relevance endures by his appointment as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa and Lesotho. His albatross would be his membership of an irredeemable political party, and like Donald Duke he may find it difficult to pull out. Another school of thought believes that one of the biggest problems Nigeria faces is that of a negative perception by the global community. There have been suggestions that Nigeria should adopt the Italian style of putting a media mogul in power. Such a man would be able to put his journalistic experience into good use by re-orienting our people and building a credible image for a much-maligned nation. The name of THISDAY publisher, Nduka Obaigbena, looms large across the world as Nigeria’s most influential publisher. His foray into showbiz promotion and political and economic summits are said to be part of a calculated strategy to launch a mega political career, an assumption he readily dismisses. In all, there are many more potential Obamas. The idea was to tickle us into thinking that Nigeria desperately needs a change, and that we are not lacking of our own Obama. The logical follow-up to our search is how to successfully launch and install such a great character in a country where a Moshood Abiola was left to rot in prison until he died. What was worse, the beneficiaries of his death never acknowledged his amazing contributions for the eight years they spent in power. It was as if they even hated him more in his grave. But no man can kill a dream when its time has come. Our next challenge is no longer the search for the representative of the true aspirations of the people. It is how to ensure that our candidate is not mercilessly bruised or battered by the wolves on the rock.
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There is no better time to liberate our country than the year 2011. By then, Nigeria would have been 51 years old as an independent nation. We would have wasted a total of 50 long years trying to build a solid foundation for democracy, good governance and accountability. We would have endured incompetent, kleptomaniac, insensitive, wasteful rulers, for those number of years. 50 years in the life of a people cannot be a joke. As Chief Moshood Abiola once noted at the launch of Dream-maker by May Ellen Ezekiel Mofe-Damijo, “If we spend 50 years dreaming dreams, when are we going to see vision?” That profound statement encapsulates the story of Nigeria. We have spent 50 years daydreaming. Our so-called leaders have continued to do the same things in different ways. They have not learnt any lesson from history. They have treated the ruled with incredible disdain. Just look at what they’ve just done again in Ekiti. The ruling party told us all to go to hell, when it announced that it had won the most improbable gubernatorial election, practically with the much disputed, and most likely-doctored votes from one local government. What chicanery is this? But they are wrong in thinking we can be treated like rams being led to slaughter. The shame is theirs to live with, when tomorrow comes. The world would laugh at us as usual. The infidels would ask, where is our God? The faint-hearted would easily give up. But we must not allow the shameless old fuddy-duddies to savour their pyrrhic victory. We must continue this match towards the redemption of our souls. We must prepare for the battle ahead, now that we know the PDP would continue to force its ill-assorted candidates on us. We must reject this slavery, by all legal means available. There is always a purpose for every situation we find ourselves in. Without the madness of the Bush years in America, there would have been no Obama today. Yar’Adua will be the catalyst for our own Obama. Mark my word. We are back at the barricade, and it is time to scream, Let my people go! We must pray every day for Yar’Adua. We must ask God to grant him long life, so that he can feel what Obasanjo is feeling today. We must pray for him to run for his own second term. This is what we should all push for, for our own Obama to emerge. We must demonstrate our anger against these reckless riggers by making up our minds to register to vote, and stand by our votes henceforth. We must encourage as many good candidates as possible to come out nationwide. The search for our own Obama has now become a task that must be accomplished. We must stay many steps ahead of our oppressors. Never again must we allow these insults to stick. Nigerians must speak up from every corner. In the mosques, and in the churches, we must continue to pray, for our walls of Jericho to collapse. We must encourage our congregations to stay strong and support good candidates. We must emphasize the ugliness of our rulers. We must put their incompetence on display for all to see. We must convince ourselves that we deserve better. We must accept the fact today that our redemption lies not in the hands of incurable desperados, who must cling to power at all cost. We must salute the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, for showing us good example, and for being a voice of reason. Our Obama must be bold. He/she must be selfless. Donald Duke is a good material any day. But he is in a wrong party. PDP will never field such an urbane candidate. The party is led by control freaks and warlords. They will always pick one weakling after the other from their database of political zombies. They care less that the world today is led by smart, young, energetic, trendy, and brilliant leaders. If Donald wants our votes, he must quit the party that has attracted so much shame and repulsion to Nigeria. He has to make his move very quickly. But will he? Analysts have said he is not likely to do that. Their reason is simple. The average Nigerian politician is never prepared to take the risk of quitting the party that controls all the plum appointments. He’ll rather continue to hope that something would drop in his laps. His is never a call to service. Any job would do. The world is waiting to see if Donald can call the bluff of PDP and join forces with more forward-looking Nigerians. Nasir El-Rufai is an erudite and tested leader. He demonstrated enough guts in dealing with environmental issues in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Of course, like all mortals, he made a few mistakes, and stepped on powerful toes. But he remains one of the brightest hopes of Nigeria. There are allegations of improprieties against him, and he’s being pursued with the agility of a horse. That is to be expected in a country where we love to chase shadows and the leadership has gone neurotic. He must make plans to return to Nigeria to defend himself. Every soul knows there are desperate attempts to smear him. Not that he’s a saint. But if we can keep some of the characters we see in the corridors-of-power permanently in government jobs, then Nasir smells like a beautiful rose. He should remain unruffled. Persecution sometimes helps its victim. A good example is that of Jacob Zuma of South Africa who got the overwhelming support from his people despite his “bad boy” image. Such is life. Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola is one of the greatest things to happen to Nigerian politics. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and current governor of Nigeria’s most important state, Lagos. Babatunde reinforces the theory that the future of Nigeria should be placed in the hands of members of the private sector. Our incorrigible politicians would never change their bad habits. Babatunde is strict, smart and business-like. He has given Lagos a good direction by promoting good governance above partisan politics. He was a virtual underdog at the time his former boss, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu practically forced him on the Action Congress. He was young and shy. But he has matured into a confident leader who clearly has his master-plan in view, and the willingness to execute it with clinical precision. He has shown exceptional courage in dealing with grave issues. And he’s being applauded by everyone for his stupendous efforts. The question on people’s lips is if Babatunde would risk his plush job to attempt a shot at the presidency. The answer is that he needs more time to tackle the many challenges of Lagos, and that he must wait till 2015. But Nigeria is in dire need of a new leader and cannot wait or waste much time getting such a man. So our search continues. Professor Pat Utomi should step forward. His rich knowledge of the Nigerian economy should naturally qualify him for this most important job. He also comes with the experience of running for the presidency in the last election. His major problem is how to persuade a largely illiterate community that a very academic man can take Nigeria to the next level of prosperity and accountability. As good as he is, he seems to have an uphill task unless he can get a broad coalition of Nigerian parties to adopt him. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is primus inter pare amongst the women who are qualified to lead Nigeria. Her intimidating job as the managing director of the World Bank makes her a veritable candidate for the presidency of Nigeria. She also comes with the wonderful experience of being our former minister of finance, and subsequently foreign affairs. She ably distinguished herself on both jobs. She was a powerful voice on the continent of Africa and beyond. It is yet to be seen if a largely male-dominated country like Nigeria is ready to jettison its traditional chauvinism to enthrone a proud daughter of Africa in power. Next on our list of potential Obamas is Dr Oby Ezekwesili, current vice president (Africa) at the World Bank. Reasonable Nigerians would forever remember her heroic deeds for institutionalizing due process in government activities. They will remember with fond memories her epic battles against the enemies of qualitative education for Nigerians. In a very normal society, technocrats like Oby should make a spectacular showing in governance. She’s one of the leading lights of Nigeria, and definitely a lady to watch in the near future. She would be needed to perform some of the badly needed surgeries on our cancerous nation. One of our best women, Professor Dora Akunyili, has been sucked into government full time. She gave a good account of herself as the Director-General of NAFDAC, where she executed a running battle against the producers and marketers of fake drugs. Her fame grew in leaps and bounds, and she almost won a Nobel Prize for her gallant efforts. There is no woman more popular in Nigeria today than Dora Akunyili but her recent appointment as Minister of Information and Communications has placed her in a very precarious situation. Many of her great fans are very worried about how this job of defending a poor government might affect her political future. She would have to learn how the other women on our list left government with their reputations intact, by not being overzealous about a thankless job. We welcome Fola Tajudeen Adeola, the whiz-kid of Nigerian banking and co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank, to this great company. The gentleman with very extensive contacts is respected in many circles. He endeared himself to most Nigerian youths when he voluntarily quit his powerful job as managing director of GTB, and headed straight to the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, near Jos. It was a move that was seen at the time as preparatory to joining the presidential race. He was briefly involved in political assignments under the Obasanjo government, an experience that must have taught him a few things about the intricacies of working under an insincere leadership. If he works very hard, he’s well positioned to attract massive support from both the Muslim north and the southern Muslims. No one can ignore Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa in the scheme of things in Nigeria. There were attempts to rubbish him when he showed interest in the presidential race under the government of Olusegun Obasanjo. He had to make a quick retreat after he was whipped into line by the powers that be. His sparkling military career and outstanding performance as the military governor of Lagos State are enough reasons for his fans to see him as a potential Obama. He’s one cosmopolitan figure within the military mafia in Nigeria, and his relevance endures by his appointment as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa and Lesotho. His albatross would be his membership of an irredeemable political party, and like Donald Duke he may find it difficult to pull out. Another school of thought believes that one of the biggest problems Nigeria faces is that of a negative perception by the global community. There have been suggestions that Nigeria should adopt the Italian style of putting a media mogul in power. Such a man would be able to put his journalistic experience into good use by re-orienting our people and building a credible image for a much-maligned nation. The name of THISDAY publisher, Nduka Obaigbena, looms large across the world as Nigeria’s most influential publisher. His foray into showbiz promotion and political and economic summits are said to be part of a calculated strategy to launch a mega political career, an assumption he readily dismisses. In all, there are many more potential Obamas. The idea was to tickle us into thinking that Nigeria desperately needs a change, and that we are not lacking of our own Obama. The logical follow-up to our search is how to successfully launch and install such a great character in a country where a Moshood Abiola was left to rot in prison until he died. What was worse, the beneficiaries of his death never acknowledged his amazing contributions for the eight years they spent in power. It was as if they even hated him more in his grave. But no man can kill a dream when its time has come. Our next challenge is no longer the search for the representative of the true aspirations of the people. It is how to ensure that our candidate is not mercilessly bruised or battered by the wolves on the rock.
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