Posted by 9jabook.com on January 15, 2010 at 8:10pm
Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan scored another first yesterday. He became the first Vice President in the history of Nigeria to lay wreath for the fallen heroes, those who died in defence of the country.
The VP took the place of ailing President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as a result of Wednesday’s ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court that he can perform the President's duties, if such powers were delegated to him by the President.
He rode into the National Arcade at 10.a.m, with all the pomp and ceremony accorded previous Heads of Government with the horse riders and other paraphernalia of office at his disposal for the parade.
Decked in brown Niger Delta attire, with a black bowler hat and black shoes to match, he wasted no time in taking on the first duty of inspecting the guard of honour mounted by the combined detachments of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and the Nigerian Legion.
Like his predecessors, the VP had no words for either the fallen or surviving heroes.
After prayers were said for the fallen heroes, the leaders as well as the country, a minute silence was observed after which the VP stepped out, as if reluctantly, looking grim; he took the wreath, laid it, stepped back, said a little prayers and turned back.
The Senate President, David Mark followed suit. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, in his usual casual with short caftan (jumper), white cap and black shoes to match walked briskly to the "Unknown Soldier ".
The new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Katsina-Alu; the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Godwin Abbe; the Minister of FCT, Sen. Adamu Aliero; the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike and the other Service Chiefs as well as the Inspector General of Police took their turns to honour the fallen heroes.
81-year-old, Private Mohammed Boyi represented the Nigerian Legions.
A World War 11 veteran, who joined the Colonial Army in 1942, was helped to the podium by a colleague amidst cheers from the gathering.
Frail-looking Boyi retired from the Nigerian Army in 1977 and now lives in Katsina State with two of his four children and 26 grand children.
After the wreath laying ceremony,a 21-gun salute was fired and the VP led others to the pigeon cage. He released the white birds and they flew, even if not too far from the arcade.
Jonathan left the venue after signing the continuation of celebration register.
According to a fellow legionnaire, Boyi is the only surviving veteran that took part in the 2nd World War. Though his sight challenges began about five years, Boyi could still recall nostalgically how he served in various parts of the world like Burma, Cairo and Japan, among others.
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WHAT A COUNTRY ! this is the new record !
Earlier this week, police found the badly decomposed body of Isabella Purves, who would have been 90 this year.
Officers forced their way into the top-floor flat in the tenement building in the Canonmills area of Edinburgh after a neighbour reported water dripping through the ceiling.
They had to fight their way through piles of unopened mail behind her front door.
It is thought her pension was paid directly into a bank account and utility bills were paid by direct debit.
Police are trying to trace her relatives.
Neighbours in Rodney Street have spoken of their horror at the discovery.
Giovanni Cilia, who owns the Fioritalia florist below Ms Purves's traditional tenement flat, said he was shocked at how long it took to find her.
He said: "How did no one notice the smell, or wonder where she was? I heard there was a big pile of letters and bills behind the door. I used to see her walk past the shop maybe four times a week. She would often go across the street and pick up litter to clean the place up."
Mr Cilia, who has run the shop for 20 years, added: "It's shocked everyone here. When I saw her she looked quite fit and healthy for her age. She used to wear boots and would often carry a rucksack like she enjoyed going for walks."
Michael Singh Kille, who works in a newsagent's three doors along, said he saw a stretcher taken from the building.
He said: "The police came and knocked down the door, then a private ambulance came after that. They took a stretcher up and when it came down it didn't look as though it had anything on it, just a very slight shape."
David Crystal, an optometrist who has run his business near the flat for 22 years, said Ms Purves had been a client.
He said: "I haven't seen her for 12 years. I last saw her in 1997 and we've sent her five reminders. For someone who doesn't have any family in this automated society, you can understand how it can happen.
"Before, they would go to the post office to collect a pension. I just assumed she'd been moved into a care home. We wouldn't normally follow up a non-attending person to see why they hadn't come back."
The last reminder was sent out in 2004.
His wife, Dorothy, who co-owns the business, said the discovery was "an indictment" of society.
She said: "Nobody cares any more, that's pretty sad. It's down to basic neighbourly behaviour. I would hope people would be looking out for others."
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