It has been revealed how Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins, extranvagantly squandered about N3.1 trillions while a player of Newcastle.MartinsadvertisementHis former management company, NVA Management Limited who has dragged the player to court over breach of contarct, told the jury how the player’s account almost went red because of his lifestyle.Obafemi Martins was paid £75,000, but allegedly squandered the earnings on an extravagant lifestyleA former Premiership footballer routinely blew his £75,000 a week wages in a matter of days and was constantly overdrawn, a court was told yesterday.Obafemi, ex-Newcastle striker 25, was paid the handsome salary after he joined the club for a £10million fee in August 2006.But despite his extraordinary earnings, his former management team yesterday claimed they repeatedly bailed him out after his bank account continually slipped into the red.The High Court heard that the Nigerian international player would withdraw £40,000 in cash from his bank account at the end of the week.But that would only last him two days, the court heard, as he topped up with a further £25,000 on the Monday morning.He was always overdrawn and repeatedly relied upon NVA Management Limited to ‘manage his life’, the High Court was told.Martins, who owned several fast cars including a top of the range Porsche 4X4, spent the money funding an extravagant lifestyle of luxurious penthouse homes and fine dining.He is now being sued by his former management company which claims that he still owes them 300,000 for sorting out his finances.He told the court that Martins would withdraw £40,000 for the weekend, followed by another £25,000 on the Monday.‘Despite earning these vast sums of money he was constantly overdrawn,’ added Mr Tennink.He said the firm, which looks after the affairs of several footballers, film and music stars, said that Martins had agreed to pay them for simply managing his life.It was under their stewardship that Martins agreed a £2million image rights deal ‘simply for being Mr Martins’.It’s claimed Martins was constantly overdrawn despite earning £75,000-a-weekHe also had lucrative sponsorship deals with various companies including Pepsi and Nike but had not been paid.When the company stepped in to run his affairs they sorted the unpaid contracts, bringing in thousands of pounds.They also organised visas when he travelled to Italy, where he once played for Inter Milan, and sorted out his passport, his mortgage and property valuations.They even arranged critical illness cover and were constantly running up and down the motorway from their London offices to Newcastle in a bid to do all that he required.‘But surely these were things a secretary could do?’ asked Judge Richard Seymour QC, referring to the size of fees charged.‘It was a Jeeves-type of role that they performed.’Mr Tennink protested that managing every aspect of his life was just part of what they did, and asked the judge to bear in mind the sort of figures these players earned.He said Martins had come to them in July 2007 and had agreed a fee of around £300,000 plus 20 per cent of any sponsorship monies they managed to acquire on his behalf.“He asked for these services to be carried out,” Mr Tennink told the court.Before they managed his affairs, Martins had not been paid a penny for his image rights for the use of his name on Newcastle shirts and mugs and had received nothing from his sponsorship deals.He could not even find the contracts he had originally signed, Mr Tennink added.Martins paid the company £67,500 in January last year and another £25,000 in April last year.But the question for the court to decide, said Mr Tennink, was whether there was a ‘binding obligation’ for him to pay the outstanding bill of over £300,000.After Newcastle were relegated from the Premiership last summer Martins was sold for £9million to German Bundesliga Champions Wolfsburg.Martins, who once owned a penthouse apartment overlooking Newcastle’s exclusive Quayside, is fighting the claim.The hearing is scheduled to last for three days.Read more…
Posted by 9jabook.com on November 15, 2009 at 8:18pm
By Ifeanyi Ibeh
The Golden Eaglets on Sunday failed in their quest to become the first team in the history of the FIFA U-17 World Cup to defend the trophy after losing by a lone goal to Switzerland at the National Stadium in Abuja.
The Eaglets also failed in their bid to become the first host nation in the history of the cadet tournament to win the trophy.
And it was all due to the team’s inability to convert the numerous chances that came their way in the encounter, watched by a capacity crowd at the 60,000-seater stadium.
The turning point of the encounter arrived in the 63rd minute when Haris Seferovic nodded the Swiss into the lead from a corner kick for his fifth goal of the tournament.
Five minutes earlier, the towering striker of local Swiss side, Grasshoppers, had found himself face-to-face with Golden Eaglets goalkeeper Dami Paul but he failed to bring a save out of the Nigerian keeper who unlike his opposite number in the Swiss goal, Benjamin Siegrist, was mostly on holidays.
Swiss hero
Siegrist was undoubtedly the hero of the Swiss team as he pulled off save after save to deny the Golden Eaglets a fourth world title, especially in the first half.
The opening 45 minutes was played at a frenetic pace and the Golden Eaglets could have shot into the lead as early as the 4th minute through Abdul Ajagun but his shot from the edge of the area was cleared off the goal line by a Swiss defender with Siegrist well beaten.
A minute later, Siegrist was on hand to make three saves in quick succession, the first two from the boots of Stanley Okoro, and the third from a speculative long range effort by Aigbe Oliha.
The Golden Eaglets continued to make incursions and appeared the more likely side to open scoring, especially through Sani Emmanuel, who was handed a rare start by John Obuh, and the hardworking Ajagun who continued to prove more than a handful for the Swiss defence who had the Aston Villa goalkeeper to thank for keeping the score line barren at the half way point of the game.
Emmanuel should actually have put the Eaglets in front a minute into the added time, but a minute after seeing his tame effort easily saved by Siegrist, the youngster failed to curl his shot past the goalkeeper after making his way into the Swiss vital area.
More heroics
The second half saw Siegrist continuing with his heroics, first, in the 58th minute from Stanley Okoro, and then in the 69th minute from Emmanuel, six minutes after his side had shot into the lead. In the 78th minute, the 17-year-old pulled off, perhaps, the most important save of the day when seconds after seeing his crossbar rattled by a Nigerian header, he used everything at his disposal, from his hands to his legs, to keep out the ball from going into the net in the midst of a sea of Nigerian legs.
And by the time the Uruguayan referee, Martin Vazquez, blew for the end of proceedings, Nigerian fans at the venue had started filing out of the stadium and weren’t around to witness the presentation ceremony that saw Golden Eaglets midfielder, Ramon Azeez, claim the Bronze Ball with his industrious team mate, Emmanuel, carting home the Golden Ball as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, alongside the Bronze Boot after finishing as the tourney’s third leading scorer with five goals.
But considering all the controversies that trailed the Nigerian side, particularly on the actual ages of the players all through the duration of the championship, does anyone feel that justice has been served?
Read more…
I love it when people have confidence in me. I love when my family has confidence in me. It gives me strength and empowers me. We may not always have confidence in ourselves, but somehow, when there are people around who believe in us, we can draw from their confidence. That’s why it’s so important that we surround ourselves with the right people. When you position yourself in quality places with quality people, it’s going to bring out the best in you.
Most people are familiar with world-famous boxer, Muhammad Ali and his renowned trainer, Angelo Dundee. But many people don’t know that just before every boxing match, Dundee would write a number on a small slip of paper and place it inside Ali’s glove. That may sound like a strange thing to give a boxer right before a fight, but Dundee had a reason for what he did. The number that Dundee would write on that slip of paper was the number of the round in which he predicted that Ali would knock out his opponent. Dundee was so confident in Ali’s ability that he didn’t consider “if,” he only considered “when”—and Ali knew it!
I love that story because it shows the confidence Ali’s trainer had in him, and it shows the positive effect it had on Muhammad Ali. I believe that confidence played a tremendous part in “the champ’s” amazing success as one of the greatest boxers that ever lived.
In the same way, do you know who is certain of your ability to succeed? God is. After all, He knows what’s inside you because He placed it there. Even when you’re not certain of the outcome, God has confidence in you. Let that sink down into your heart today—the God who holds the universe in the palm of His hand has faith in you! He’s not wondering if you’re going to overcome, He has confidence in you because He knows it’s just a matter of time before those things that would try to hold you back are broken off so that you can embrace the victory He has in store for you!
Read more…
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EXCLUSIVE INSIDE ASO ROCK
Written by Jide Ajani Sunday Vanguard and Adapted by Weboga and Akin Osunlaja pimpmynaija.com
Is Yaradua a Strange man ? is he one of those eccentric Teachers we all remmeber in school (yoruba were or kolo mine was my Art Teacher Mr Isuosuo we used to call him tolotolo because of his long neck .My apologies sir but that your cane no dey rest )
Lets come back to the the number one Teacher in naija and the First gentleman as rumors abound that Turai his beautiful wife wears the sokoto or trousers in Aso rock.They are rumours please, no one should conclude. .
Ok some People get the "Idea" that 9jabooks pimomynaija Editors& bloggers dont Like The HNIC (head Naija in charge ) But that is not true . We always try to give a fair judgement of the man.His health, his reputation and Above all his Suitability for office .Our friends at Sunday Vanguard have a very different view from this piece below.For a second one might think They were talking about Obama !
READ ON all comments with (PMP Pimp My President is from Us ) ! Enjoy !
This report presents insiders’ accounts of how President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has been running the affairs of state, depicting true life situations, inside Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. This report was pieced together using words of very close presidential aides and former ministers. This is by no means an endorsement of Yar’Adua’s presidential style as he is known to operate a close-knit administration it is, however, an attempt to open him up to Nigerians.( pmp:Thanks E be li ke say dem don settle you )
WAITING TO SEE MR. PRESIDENT
State Governors Come And See-O
Just last Tuesday, May 20, 2009, some state governors experienced what it meant to wait to see President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The day depicted a typical day in presidential affairs.
In the last two weeks, the earliest time the President has closed from office, according to sources inside Aso rock Presidential Villa is about 8.15pm.
In fact, many governors have had to sit all day waiting for him.
After last Tuesday’s National Economic Council, NEC, meeting, presided over by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, some of the state governors made a push to see President Yar’Adua.
Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Peter Obi, Anambra State Governor, and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, wanted to have an audience with him.
All three of them had to contend with the hectic schedule of the President.(PMP some schdule ! who is his secretary that governors have to wait for him have they not heard of appointments before ?)
ANOTHER MEETING IN THE VILLA
Yar’Adua’s Charge To Power Minister
Earlier, in late March, President Yar’Adua made an unusual confession to the effect that he “can hardly sleep again because of the power situation”. It was immediately after this that he gave a blank cheque to Lanre Babalola, the minister of Power.
At a meeting in Aso Rock Presidential Villa, between the Minister of Power, Lanre Babalola, Vice President and Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman, Eng Emeka Ezeh, Bureau of Public Procurement Director General; Michael Aoondoakaa, Attorney General of the Federation; Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser, as well as top officials from the Ministries of Petroleum, Power and NNPC, the President reportedly told the Power Minister:
“Anything you need to succeed, I will give you. If anybody stands in your way and you want him or her out, just tell me and I will clear such a person for you. But I want results. I can hardly sleep again because of the power situation. I made a pledge to Nigerians that by the end of this year, they will enjoy stable electricity and it is a pledge I intend to keep. My name and credibility is at stake on this issue.”
Even when Vice President Goodluck Jonathan chipped in that the credibility of everybody in the administration is at stake, including that of the Minister himself, it did not take President Yar’Adua long to charge back:
“No, it is my credibility that is at stake. How many Ministers of Power have we had and who remembers them? If things fail tomorrow, Lanre (the minister) is a young man. He will simply dust his CV again and begin to look for another job but Nigerians will remember the promise I made.”Since then, President Yar’Adua has been getting a daily update from the Ministry and directed that the Minister can see him anytime he wants. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that the Power Minister now has unfettered access to President yar’Adua. In fact, the minister is said be to provide a daily briefing to President Yar’Adua on every of his efforts.
.(PMP so the power minister now has quick access to him . I see .perhaps he should have quick access to NEPA CV ? Which president of naija needs a CV for another Job with the Fat Pension in Ghana must go bags they are awarded during office they dont need a CV )
PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA’S DAILY ROUTINE
As a devout Muslim who takes his prayers very seriously, President Yar’Adua rises from bed any time between 5am and 5:30 am. He says his prayers. That is apart from special prayers he offers in the middle of the night. President Yar’Adua starts receiving visitors from around 8am.
He resumes in office by 9.30am from whence official work commences.
But before that day starts, President Yar’Adua, just as was revealed by Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari in his auto-biography, meets with his personal staff, especially the State Chief of Protocol and Principal Secretary.
.(PMP thank God he prays no comment .insha allah they will be answered )
The first thing Yar’Adua does in the office is to go through the summary of newspaper stories and editorials for the day. This is the forte of Olusegun Adeniyi; the summary is usually prepared by the office of the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. After this, there is a briefing by State Chief of Protocol for the assignments of the day and the Principal Secretary for whatever directives President Yar’Adua wants to give.
All these are routine. What is not routine is the closing time.
There is no fixed time. President Yar’Adua normally returns from office to the house, within the same Presidential Villa between 6pm and 10pm
This has become the norm in recent times.
Before, he would leave office between 6PM and 7PM.
There is what a source described as ‘night-runs’, that is visits, which would begin around 9.30pm.
But since he started closing late, night visits have been cancelled.
But occasionally, there are some people Mr. President would still see at night..(PMP night runs ? wetin be that ? sounds very maradonaish with lots of magomago spiced with some jibiti .ok we hear it is meeting with the power minister. good work guys ! We wish you guys had a 20generators like we do in our apartment block or Block of Flats )
PRESIDENTIAL MANNERISMS
And whereas President Yar’Adua cracks jokes, he stays within the confines of decency, Sunday Vanguard was reliably informed.
“Mr. President is a human being .(PMP are we sure ? ) and, therefore, he cracks jokes, normal jokes but definitely not dirty jokes”, a minister told Sunday Vanguard.
During meetings, information available to 7 suggests that the President is a good listener and does not interrupt when someone is making his point.
However, he is blunt, while at the same time, he is said to put his points of view across politely.
President Yar’Adua does not suffer fools. .(PMP no comment )
Sunday Vanguard was made to understand by another former minister that “it is part of his nature to listen to you and correct you if he thinks you are wrong. He gives you the appropriate guidance that you need to do your work instead of allowing you to beat about the bush. He, however, allows one a lot of initiatives. He does not give you a job and then follow you around. What he expects is results”.
Sunday Vanguard learnt from one of the ministers who was dumped during the cabinet reshuffle that one minister almost lost her job because Mr. President was very angry about her attitude to work.
MR. PRESIDENT’S SHORT AND LONG MEETINGS
Yar’Adua’s type of meetings, Sunday Vanguard went about asking people: Does he like them sharp and short?
President Yar’Adua can be unpredictable at times..(PMP o yes like NEPA and the promises he made )
Ordinarily, Yar’Adua would rather have his meetings short and sharp.
However, this does not in any way mean that he would sacrifice expressiveness on the alter of time limit. He is said to allow each person at meetings to be as expressive possible as .And therein lies the irony. Allowing people to express themselves very well have sometimes led to long meetings, some of which have gone on to last for as long as six to seven hours.
Yar’Adua can be meticulous even to a fault and that is why some people think his administration is just too slow.
He places much premium on strategic planning. Therefore, his actions are well thought out and he does not react instinctively to issues.
SYCHOPHANTS, PLEASE SHIFT
When you visit a state governor and his commissioners want to address him, they all use the appellation, ‘His Excellency, The Governor of Kuturu State, Governor I-Done-Chop’. In most cases, the 11-word prefix ends up being repeated more often than the real sense to be made.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that Yar’Adua would rather prefer Mr. President, as against the practice some tried to introduce in the very early days of his presidency which was: His Excellency, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Now, when a minister prefixes every sentence with this 17-word (not minding the compound word C-in-C), won’t the sense be lost in whatever sense is to be made?
“
He prefers Mr. President”, Sunday Vanguard was told, “essentially because it saves time and does not tend towards sycophancy.
But he is too polite to stop those who enjoy making all those introductions.
HIS MOUTH, HIS FOOD
Some argue that President Yar’Adua is endowed with good stature.
Others insist that it is a function of his health.
Between these two extremes lay the fact that Yar’Adua is not a very heavy eater, not a glutton of sorts.
He is said not to eat much. .(PMP you see how the man lepa you dey talk say him no dey chop ? )
Sunday Vanguard confirmed that he eats biscuits and drinks tea a lot, especially in the office.
That way, he keeps his metabolism in check..(PMP Abeg make una give the man food ! nobody want talk say yardy no well ! Feed him please !)
ADMINISTERING NIGERIA
Whereas Yar’Adua may be a good listener who respects other people’s opinion, especially because he has walled himself with young intellectuals who are both enlightened and exposed, it is his background as a teacher that enhances his capacity to patiently guide his subordinates to do the right thing. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that President Yar’Adua rebukes, politely, officials of state in camera and praises good work in the open.
In fact, during the cabinet reshuffle, President Yar’Adua was said to have written and personally signed letters of appreciation to some ministers who were retained.
Even those who were shown the way out got their own letters from President Yar’Adua appreciating their contributions to nation building at a time like this.
AS A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
As part of the character of President Yar’Adua not to dwell on presumptuousness, but rely on hard facts, he is said to have a listening ear. He is said to listen patiently to his service chiefs. Not being a professional soldier, Yar’Adua is said to ascertain the correctness of decisions by encouraging everyone to participate in discussions. He is, however, firm but the need for the military to remain professional in the discharge of their duties remains very strong.
He doesn’t pretend to know everything..(PMP that is quite obvious he doest not ! )
YAR’ADUA’S HEALTH IS HIS WEALTH .(PMP are we talking about the same person here I know Obama is a chain smoker but What does wealth and health have to do with yaradua ? his wealth ok but cant this people just come out straight and say the man is ill ! we wish him good health but with a job like the one he has ! well..)
Some more discerning observers have come to the conclusion that there is nothing abnormal about Yar’Adua’s health. As Yar’Adua himself has said, he is not superhuman, therefore, he is like any other human being that falls sick and gets well.
When he visited Vanguard premises during the campaigns of 2007, the same question was posed. His response was that it is evil of any individual to wish death upon a fellow human being. The expression on his face betrayed his anger. But he continues to confound critics of his health.
During a briefing with State House Correspondents recently, on his position on the electoral reform, Ekiti rerun election and Halliburton bribery scam, the President was on his heels for more than an hour. Even the correspondent s were astounded.
During the campaigns at the Events Place in Victoria Island, Lagos, Yar’Adua addressed the business community for over two hours standing.
PRESIDENTIAL WEAKNESS
President Umar Musa Yar’Adua is said to be too patient and that constitutes a weakness. .(PMP tell that to MEND , tell that to the ijaw people TELL that to the marines ! patient ? e no waste time bomb Niger Delta !)
He is said to lead his staff to arrive at decisions more accurately by emphasizing the need to rely on facts rather than sentiments. He is quick to admit faults and accepts correction even from subordinates..(PMPmaybe he should accept some of the correction of his citizens )
But would some people not exploit this?
Well, as President and C-in-C, it is for him to be circumspect. But is he?
Yes, some politicians very close to him insist.
HIS WIFE, HIS CHARM
Turai Yar’Adua, Nigeria’s First Lady, is said to play her role as a wife and a mother at home. She is said not to be involved in state administration..(PMP ok ok ok ok ! Rumours ! My best friend says there is one about the president wearing the Apron )
This is a far cry from the impression that people outside have of President Yar’Adua’s family.
Nay Sayers insist that President Yar’Adua is dominated by Turai Yar’Adua. None has, however, come out with any proof. (Woman na Woman o ! We no need proof ! )
But if a man’s likeness for his children and his grandchildren, and the fact that he makes out quality time to spend with them means he sops to his wife, then President Yar’Adua is very guilty because he loves his grand children and really makes out time to be with them..(PMP maybe he should remember he is a Father to the nation and the kids living on the streets need his attention too )
Yar’Adua insists that Turai’s activities as First Lady must remain low key, and as much as possible should not involve state funds.
BETWEEN PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA AND VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN
The relationship between both men is said to be very cordial.
He understands that he needs the confidence and respect of his deputy. This he believes should be earned through mutual respect and understanding. Therefore, Yar’Adua carries his deputy along, ensuring that the Jonathan has enough work to do.
Vice President Jonathan, too, has the confidence of his boss because he (deputy) continues to carry himself with dignity.
Jonathan, Sunday Vanguard gathered, will hardly do anything without his boss’ consent since he has played that role elsewhere before – at least he was described as the docile deputy to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, only to outfox him and become governor. Most of the stories being peddled that Jonathan a mere handbag may not be particularly true, according to Aso Rock insiders who should know. Some even query Jonathan’s relevance on account of the onslaught in the Delta. But it does appear as if some people fail to recognise that the Vice President is the Vice President of Nigeria and not Vice President of Ijaw nation. Fortunately, the VP understands his roles and responsibilities.
.(PMP Mr badluck jonathan will bomb his mother's house to remain VP PERIOD ! )
PRESIDENTIAL STRENGTH
Yar’Adua’s strongest point is what some ministers describe as his sincerity of purpose and the commitment to lead Nigeria out of the woods and take her to the comity of great nations. One of his handlers told Sunday Vanguard that “he has a vision of a great Nigeria that is politically stable and economically prosperous”
In fact, President Yar’Adua is said to have told some of his aides that a four-year tenure is like a long-distance race rather than a 100 metre dash race and “you don’t run a 400 metre race like 100 metres if you truly want to succeed. If you watch the Olympics, successful athletes build momentum gradually and thereby end in a strong way.”
“That has always been his style”, Sunday Vanguard was told. Of course some people are very good at drawing applause in their first year in office by simply playing to the gallery but at the end of their tenure when you look back there is hardly any concrete achievement you can point to.
By December 2011, some predict, Yar’Adua “wants to be able to look back with satisfaction for the difference he has made in the lives of Nigerians in the area of critical infrastructure, including power, transportation, security, food security, human capital development and wealth creation. By the end of this year for instance, the dredging of River Niger, which has been mere talk since independence, would have been done.
All is set for it and “we’re just waiting for the water level to rise; it is already slated for between July and December and the contractor has been mobilised for the job. Also by year ending, railway, as mode of transportation would be back to Nigeria with the holistic plan for which Nigeria will sign an MOU with General Electric next week”, another ministerial appointee, added.
Yar’Adua: 24 months of uncertainty .(PMP YOU ALL GOT THAT RIGHT ! hope it is not another 24months )
.(PMP over and out ! The rest of this article is what Fela calls Demo ! maybe it is the whole article itself .)
Dapo Akinrefon & Charles Kumolu
IN what many described as a script of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, President Umar Yar’Adua sold his seven point agenda to party stalwarts and maybe other Nigerians, as a campaign slogan.
In most quarters, this was viewed as a part of the factors, needed to sell candidate Yar’Adua to Nigerian voters.
Sure, the agenda may not have failed in all areas as many think, but it does not neglect some areas where it seems promising.
Unfulfilled pledges:
Power sector.
The average Nigerian appears not to have felt any impact of the seven point agenda.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had promised fixing Nigeria’s troubled power sector, in 1999. Following this pledge a former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, was given the assignment of helping to resuscitate the sector.
Same was Yar’Adua, whose sole campaign slogan, was declaration of state of emergency on the power sector. Yet, power supply has plummeted from what it was in May 29, 2007.
The bottomline is that there is concern among Nigerians and foreign investors alike at the slow pace the President seems to handle the crisis.
The promises- Power and energy, Food and security, Wealth creation, Transport sector, Land reforms, Security, Education, Anti corruption war, Electoral reforms
Wealth creation and human capital development
Productivity growth, equity, poverty eradication and security, have remained it its pre-2007 state.
Though the 2009 budget provided adequate provisions to address the issue of wealth creation, human capital development and guarantee of security to life and property, yet, most Nigerians have remained wretched.
Niger Delta
The emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as Yar;Adua’s running mate, then, however, was expected to douse the tension in the creeks. But that was far from what the people yearn. Even the creation of a ministry for the region could not stop the anger of an impoverished people. These experiments, only heightened the crisis in the oil rich region. As at the time of filing in this report, booming guns are threatening the lives of the people in the creeks.
Pledges realised
Though far from the seven point agenda., what this administration appears to have realised, is uncertainly about its direction. Aside, the functionality of the rule of law, most aspects of Nigeria’s life have been at a low ebb.
Security
Internal security in this dispensation, has remained in it its pre 1999 state. The growing insecurity in the Niger Delta, explains much about the spate of insecurity in the last two years.
Today, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Maiduguri & Onitsha have remained the highest crime spots in the country.
Anti corruption
Promise: “We are determined to intensify the war against corruption, more so because corruption is itself central to the spread of poverty. Its corrosive effect is all too visible in all aspects of our national life. This is an area where we have made significant progress in recent years, and we will maintain the momentum.”
The war against corrupt on seems to be heading Nigeria to nowhere
Electoral reforms
Promise: We acknowledge that our elections had some shortcomings. Thankfully, we have well-established legal avenues of redress, and I urge anyone aggrieved to pursue them. I also believe that our experiences represent an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Accordingly, I will set up a panel to examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections, and thereby deepen our democracy.” Verdict: The Uwais report on the reforms, has remained at the mercy of some powerful forces.
Yar’Adua Govt In Figures
* 24.893 billion, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Yar’Adua’s first year in office (2008).
* N2.67 trillion the budget proposed by President Yar’Adua to the National Assembly for 2008. It was increased to N3.049 trillion by the NASS and Yar’Adua now says he can’t implement it.
* 6,000 megawatts the total electricity capacity targeted by the Federal Government by December up from current average of 2000 megawatts.
* N628.875 billion the intervention fund for the power sector in 2009 of which N288.223 billion is FG’s contribution.
* N50 billion - aggregate allocation to the Niger Delta in 2009.
* 3,293 kilometres of road earmarked for construction and rehabilitation.
* 12,000 hectares of arable land to be irrigated.
A KITCHEN CABINET
Those who see the President more than other people and those to whom the President relates with respectfully are as follows:
Engineer Emeka Ezeh, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise.
Chief Mike Aondoakaa, Minister of Justice and Attroney General of the Federation.
Dr Lanre Babalola, Minister of Power,
Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF
Alhaji Adamu Aliero, FCT Minister (by virtue of his position as landlord)
Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser
Abba Ruma, Agriculture Minister
Dr Muhtah Mansur, Finance Minister
Sarki Mukthar, National Security Adviser, NSA
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Producer Paul Julius is confident that the tens of thousands of dollars he has spent producing the soap opera “Tomorrow’s Tears” will be recouped, no matter the electricity shortages, lack of investors or grease-palmed government officials hampering his shooting schedule.Fighting to be heard over a steady stream of traffic and actors complaining about the lack of food, money and air conditioning, Mr. Julius explained the plot of his soap, which he hopes to sell to local TV stations. “I changed the subject from the normal stuff: blood, magic, stepmothers, etc.,” he said. “This is going to be about real-life issues.”Mr. Julius is an up-and-coming player in Nigeria’s film and television industry, known as Nollywood, which has grown from its infancy in the 1980s into the one of the world’s biggest movie industries, but is facing some real-life issues of its own.In 2006, nearly 900 movies, almost all straight-to-video, were shot in Nigeria, trailing only India and almost doubling Hollywood’s total for the same year, according to a Unesco report released this month. Currently around 40 movies are shot every month in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, not counting the dozens of television dramas that are also shot here. The industry generates an estimated $250 million a year, and is popular throughout Africa and immigrant enclaves in Europe and the U.S.But rampant piracy means substantial losses for producers and directors already operating on tight budgets. Understaffed and bribe-ready police means copyright enforcement is minimal. Inadequate roadways inhibit a small distribution network itching to grow. Constant electricity outages stall production schedules. These problems threaten to derail the industry.Nigeria’s messy and often corrupt oil industry drives much of what happens in this country. It is the biggest oil producer in Africa, and as much as 95% of the country’s export earnings come from oil. Nigeria has taken in roughly $400 billion in oil-generated revenue since 1970 but the standard of living for most Nigerians has actually decreased.Nonetheless, the country’s residents have an impressive appetite for movies. The most successful Nollywood movies are often melodramas like “Living in Bondage” and “Domitilla,” filled with adultery, bribery and elements of local mysticism.A comedy, however, may have given Nollywood its best chance at international exposure. “Usuofia in London,” about a Nigerian man who lands in the big city straight from his native village, may be the best-selling Nollywood movie to date, with an estimated 500,000 copies sold. Only a handful of Nigerian movies have made it to international film festivals, such as “The Rivals,” directed by Aquila Njamah, which was shown at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival in 2007.Most Nigerian movies are produced fast and cheap, shot in a few weeks for $15,000 to $25,000, then roughly edited and handed off to marketers and eventually street-side vendors, or video clubs, as they are known locally. Financiers, usually friends or family members of the producer or director, want to see their investments recouped and care little for artistic exploration or high-quality technical effects.Directors are under pressure to keep each movie on schedule and under budget. Profits, when made, are small. Producers estimate that as much as 70% of their yearly revenue is lost to piracy. “I would say the biggest challenge facing the industry at the moment is lack of structure, and a high level of informality,” said Emeka Mba, the chairman of the National Film and Video Censors Board, the Nigerian movie industry’s main regulatory body.There is no formal distribution network for Nollywood producers. A finished movie in Lagos is burned onto around 15,000 DVDs with no copy protection and released into the market. If it’s a hit, demand swells. Vendors need more copies. But the producers often can’t keep up. So the movie is copied by pirates and thrown back into the market. The producer can only hope he made back his investment in time.“We’ve been crying to the government. If these things are not checked now, Nollywood will go into extinction,” said Cosmas Ndulue, 42, a producer and owner of one of only two indigenous DVD manufacturing companies in Nigeria.Industry officials and government agencies have started paying closer attention to piracy, but so far there hasn’t been much of an effect. A recent police raid on a well-known DVD-copying operation resulted in a brief confrontation between police and piracy-ring leaders. The pirates stood their ground and burned a police truck, then went back to work making knock-off Nollywood copies. The only repercussion for the offenders? A bill for the damage to the police vehicle.As piracy takes a larger and larger chunk of the profits, finding enough money to shoot a movie is becoming even more of a challenge. Chico Ejiro, a producer and director, has been struggling to find financing for his movies. A few years ago, during the shooting of his movie “Sisters on the Run,” he sold his car to keep the production afloat. This year he convinced a local bank to sponsor “100 Days in the Jungle,” a film about abduction and village lore, but it was a flop and Mr. Ejiro says the bank quickly soured on Nollywood.Mr. Julius, despite his production headaches, is optimistic about the future of Nollywood, as are most industry players. While watching two of his actors struggle to finish a scene on a busy Lagos street, Mr. Julius was looking forward to a complicated shoot that would involve a substantial police convoy, hundreds of extras, and foreign actors.“I need someone to play the British prime minister in the big scene we’re shooting this weekend,” Mr. Julius said, eyeing a reporter up and down. “Am I looking at him?”
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