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SEGUN OLUGBILE

Against all odds, a beggar who gained admission to the University of Lagos in 2006, Mr. Abdulsalam Idowu, was part of the 8,209 students that graduated from the university last Wednesday. SEGUN OLUGBILE, who covered the event, chronicles the academic sojourn of the beggar, who has also begun a law programme in the university.

BEGGARS

For two days last week, the University of Lagos was thrown into a festive mood with the conferment of various degrees and diploma certificates on 8, 209 students. Though 119 of the graduating students, including Segun Alawode, who emerged as the best graduating student, passed out with first class degrees, Idowu Abdulsalam, who graduated with a second class lower degree in Political Science, was the most celebrated.

Idowu, formerly a beggar, had secured admission to the university in 2006 with no hope of completing the programme. On the day he got the admission, he had just N39,000 in savings, the money he made from his begging business. But he exhausted this on the first semester registration. With no parent to turn to, Idowu had planned to continue his alms begging business to raise money to continue his education. But fortunes smiled on him after some compassionate Nigerians and organisations decided to sponsor him after reading his story in The PUNCH.

Born into a poor, polygamous family, Idowu lost his mother at the age of three years. An attack of malaria left him crippled shortly after. He could not complete his secondary school education because of his inability to pay his school fees. With nobody willing to employ him, he took to begging. He sat for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination O'Level as a beggar and passed after two attempts. He also gained admission to UNILAG as a beggar and so it was with glee that Idowu graduated on Wednesday. Idowu, who crawled to UNILAG in 2006, rode high on a tricycle amidst encomiums and cheers from colleagues and the university authorities during the convocation.

The 31 -year-old man, who has also started his law programme, in a chat with our correspondent after the convocation, said he was grateful to God, The Punch and many Nigerians who had helped to make his dream a reality.

"When I came to UNILAG, I had no mother, but God gave me compassionate mothers such as Justice Ajumogobia, Alhaja Osonaike, Alhaja Fowosere, Alhaja S.O Yusuf, Mrs. Comfort Obi and wife of the Kwara State Governor, Mrs. Toyin Bukola- Saraki.

"When I came to UNILAG, I had a very poor polygamous father, but God gave me very rich and responsible fathers such as Mr. Peace Emokaro, Pastor Adewuyi, Alhaji Olajobi, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, Prof. Tolu Odugbemi and the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tokunbo Sofoluwe.

"When I came to UNILAG, I was moving around with the aid of a local skateboard, but God used organisations such as Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society of Nigeria, UNILAG Muslim Community, the Christian Community, Young Men Christian Association and some churches to give me walking aids and money.

"When I came to UNILAG, I had no voice but The PUNCH gave me a voice and here I am today, the yesterday's beggar has become a university graduate. I thank all the people God has used to help me thus far," he said poetically.

Asked how he intended to pay his way through the four-year law programme he had just started, Idowu went spiritual, saying that God that saw him through the first degree would not abandon him.

He, however, added that he would search for employment to help himself.

"Yes, I have thought about the challenges. However, I believe that God who has seen me through many difficult challenges before now will make a way for me. But I will plead with Nigerians and government to please give me a job so that I can help myself," he said.

But did he have any regret while on campus for his first degree, Idowu said no...

"I didn't have personal regret, the only thing I don't enjoy is seeing touts, street boys and hustlers, who saw me while I was begging on the streets of Lagos and who still refused to have a rethink. I wonder why they still continue to live like that. Only two of the street boys have changed. They are now students of UNILAG and they have made me their mentor," he said.

One of his mentees, Lukman Lawal, who is now a 200 Level Economics student, said Idowu's story motivated him to abandon the street for education.

"He is wise and inspiring. I knew him when he was begging and I was shocked when I saw his picture and his story on the front page of PUNCH one day in 2006. I went to see him afterwards, and he advised me that if he could make GCE and university admission that I could make it, too. I took to his counsel and today I'm in 200 Level. He's a worthy mentor," he said.

Idowu, who came all alone to the convocation ground, said he had no regret that none of his relations accompanied him.

"Yes, I can see that a lot of my colleagues came with their parents. I'm not bothered by this. My mother is dead and my father is too poor to come to Lagos from Adamawa where he does menial job. I have long overcome this because I have been living a lonely life since I lost my mother at a very tender age," he said.

He advised the nation's youths to shun criminality and acts capable of destroying their future.

"I want to advise youths to desist from criminality. Criminality is not the way out of poverty; it's only a fast lane to self-destruction. They should know that 70 per cent of Nigerians are poor; therefore, if they continue to engage in crime, the victims of their criminality are largely going to be those battling with poverty too. So, they should stop embarking on vices and set developmental targets for themselves, be focused and determined to realise their ambitions," he said.

Some of his colleagues, including Audu Okaala Nathaniel, Willams Nuatin, Chinaza Akabuogu and Adenike Ogunleye described Idowu as determined, focused and a brilliant motivator.

Akabuogu, however, added that Idowu was not just brilliant, he was also a non-conformist. "When you discuss issues with him, he always flows against popular views. Maybe, he does that intentionally but Kabasa (that is Idowu's popular name among his course mates) is intelligent and logical in his presentation of issues. He argues with facts and lecturers used his story to challenge us in class. I love him for his never-say-die spirit. He's my man any day," he said.

Also, the VC of UNILAG, Prof. Sofoluwe, had while addressing the press on the activities lined up for the convocation, said that the institution was encouraged by the graduating students' performance particularly Idowu and other physically-challenged students for their determination and will to succeed.

He pledged the university's determination to do more to enhance the welfare of the physically-challenged on the campus. Sofoluwe also commended the students for their peaceful conduct, which he noted, was responsible for the harmony on the campus.

But the convocation was not about Idowu alone, other students who distinguished themselves were also celebrated during the ceremony.

The graduates included Adedapo Aladegbaye, who obtained a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.74 out of a possible 5.0 to get a rare first class degree in the Department of Mass Communication, and Austin Andem, who obtained a first class in the Department of English.

Aladegbaye, 24, was said to be the second graduate after popular columnist, Dr. Olatunji Dare, to have passed out with a first class degree from the MASSCOMM department since it was established in 1966.

The Akure, Ondo State born young man in a chat with our correspondent, said that he did not set out to make a first class.

He said, "We were told during our first year that first class degree was a rarity in the department. But I just set my mind at making a good grade. It was when we got to 300 Level that I woke up to the reality that I could make a first class because my CGPA was within the first class range."

Aladegbaye's dream was nearly truncated when his father died in the first semester of his 400 Level.

But rather than allowing this setback to affect his studies, he was further propelled to make a first class. At the end of his degree programme, he made it in style beating his closest rival who obtained a CGPA of 3.98 to the second position.

Aladegbaye had shown signs of his brilliance when he

graduated from Government College, Ibadan, Oyo State, with eight As and a B3 in the 2002 WASSCE.

He, however, called on the university authorities to invest more in the purchase of relevant books to libraries in the institution.

He also faulted the process whereby lecturers were made to develop curriculum for their courses. This, he said, should be done by a body of experts.

He applauded his colleagues and lecturers, including Dr. Remi Ologbenla, Dr. Okoye and Dr. Ben Nwabueze for helping him to make history.

Also, Andem, 46, who obtained a CGPA of 4.64 out of a possible 5.0, was also applauded for his academic performance.

Born in Uyo, in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Andem had graduated from the Government College, Victoria Island, Lagos in 1982. Andem later moved to Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism for his certificate and diploma programmes in journalism.

In a chat with our correspondent after the ceremony, Andem said his desire to understand English informed his decision to study the language at the university.

Before he went to the university, Andem said he got a scholarship to read cartography at the Federal School of Surveying Oyo, Oyo State, where he graduated with a distinction in 1989.

"My love for journalism led me to the Federal Polytechnic, Idah and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos. I had a stint with the Voice of Nigeria as a student on attachment. From there I got involved on a part time basis with DBN TV, MITV, Crime Fighters television programme and Superscreen Television where I present the Campos Square programme on weekends. I still edit the Business Update Newspaper till date," the father of one said.

He hopes to pursue a postgraduate programme if a scholarship he is pursuing at a foreign university sails through.

At the event, some distinguished lecturers and the Proprietor, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN) were honoured by the university.

While Ajibola was conferred with the honorary doctorate degree (Honorius causal) in Laws, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Prof. Giwa Osato-Osagie, was given the Distinguished Professor award for his contributions to the development of fertility in women.

NDLEA intercepts 8,400kg of heroin at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, a passenger, Nwobodo Ikechukwu, 32, nabbed

A passenger, Nwobodo Ikechukwu, 32, on Emirate flight from Bangladesh has been nabbed in connection with unlawful importation of 8,400 kilogrammes of substance that tested positive for heroin at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

His arrest came few days after officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) discovered 110 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos.

The drug that was concealed in a false bottom of his luggage was the largest seizure at the airport this year and had an estimated street value of N42 million in Lagos..

NDLEA Commander at the airport, Alhaji Hamza Umar said the suspect had given useful information to a team of investigating narcotic officers. Hamza expressed optimism that more arrests would be made in connection with the seizure he described as exciting. “The drug was discovered during routine check of passengers. I can tell you that the seizure is an exciting experience for us in the new year. The suspect is assisting investigators,” Hamza stated.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade stressed that the target of the agency was to incapacitate drug trafficking cartels. According to the NDLEA boss, “we have understudied the trend of drug trafficking and our target is to systematically incapacitate drug trafficking cartels.” Giade reiterated his operational promise that the agency’s undercover monitoring shall lead to the exposure of more drug barons within the year.

The suspect, Nwobodo Ikechukwu who was an amateur footballer lamented his arrest, saying he had disappointed his late father. “I have disappointed my late father. Before he died, he entrusted me with his responsibility of sustaining the family. I have been a dedicated and hardworking person all my life. My family look up to me for hope. My dream of becoming a professional footballer is being threatened,” he stated. He hails from Enugu.

Sunny Ade

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Juju music maestro was among 30 worshippers at the service who rushed to the altar to be prayed for by the general overseer. When Adeboye asked that the persons who answered the call should confess their sins, Sunny Ade was the first to kneel down.

During the thanksgiving, Sunny Ade expressed gratitude to God for his mercies and for making him see the day.

“I have nothing to say than to come and thank my God for what he has been doing for me and my family,’’ he said.

In his characteristic style, Sunny Ade rendered a song in Yoruba with members of his band: “If not for God, I would have been gone and buried. I thank you God for my life.”

Earlier in his message, Adeboye had told the congregation that anyone who had not given his life to Christ should not rejoice and praise God because such a person was hell-bound.

“Stop treating God as a beggar because all that you have, he gave to you. Serve God this year with all your heart. Give Him quality offerings.

“Offer yourself to God first before you offer to him any other thing. If you are here but have not given your life to Jesus Christ, do so now,’’ he said.

Adeboye recalled how as a boy he had done some naughty things but God had kept him to date to preach the gospel.

“When I looked at the days I strayed and the things I did when I was in the university, but how God saved me, you will understand why we should continue to thank Jesus,’’ he said.

He, therefore, urged the worshippers to be grateful to God for his mercies.

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY GOVERNORS OF THE SOUTH EAST AND SOUTH SOUTH AFTER A MEETING HELD AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ASABA, ON SUNDAY, 23RD JANUARY 2011. 

.... 

By JOSFYN UBA and KATE HALIM

Marriage is not very commonly seen in the priority list of many Nigeria’s beauty queens. Where marriage is possible at all, they end up playing second fiddle. Most often than not, becoming visible spare parts for highly placed men in the society is their regular beats..

Helen Prest-Ajayi

Former beauty queen, Helen, is the CEO of Media Business Company Ltd. Helen is also the founder of mylifestylesolutions.com, a lifestyle portal set up to help people find solutions to personal issues through the medium of social networking. She studied Law at the University of Ife, and then went on to Kings College, London for her Ll.M. “One never really stops practising law,” she replied, when asked whether she has abandoned the profession altogether.

She is married to to Tosin Ajayi and has three daughters, Tiffany,Tosan, and Tomisin. Helen doesn’t believe anything in life should be regimented because it is God who is in control. She confesses that parenting is not easy and with each generation comes a new set of unique issues with no manual on how to cope with the changing culture..

Being a working mother is tough and sometimes it’s difficult to juggle the work load as well as focus on the development of the children, she had said. She tailors her career to do the things she can within commitments because your children are only young once and you can’t rewind if you miss their childhood. She gets home when when she needs to be.

Having been married once, Helen is not one of the women who rushed into marriage without being armed with adequate information about their spouses, and with unrealistic expectations. But she believes that one can not really be fully prepared for marriage because we can only have basic guidelines, as people only really show you their true selves after marriage. To her, marriage is very beautiful and it should be a partnership with unity and purpose. At the end of the day, if both parties communicate and understand each other, then marriage will be much easier.

Oluchi Oweagba-Orlandi

After years of strutting the runway in her modelling career that has blossomed beyond her imagination, Nigerian-born international model, Oluchi Onweagba-Orlandi started a new career, motherhood, on 25 April, when she was delivered of a baby boy for her husband, popular Italian fashion designer, Luca Orlandi. The super model revealed after giving birth to her baby that she was taken unawares when she realised that she was pregnant. Initially, she was not so pleased about it. It came as a real shock, but in her heart, she knew she had to get used to the idea. Oluchi preferred a a female child to the boy she had but her husband felt otherwise and was overjoyed when he learnt she was going to have a boy even though, he was aware she wanted a daughter.

Born on 1 August 1980, in Ayilara Street, Ojuelegba, in Surulere, a suburb in Lagos to a civil servant father, and a mother who is a nurse, Oluchi’s journey to the world of modelling can be said to be the work of God, which is the meaning of her first name in Igbo dialect. While growing up, she was relatively less bothered about fashion and modelling. But with the support of her family and friends, she decided to compete in the inaugural edition of the Face of Africa in 1998. This was the first-ever continent-wide model competition, as opposed to a mere beauty pageant. The pageant was organised by the South African subscription television channel, M-Net, in collaboration with Elite Model Management. With her slim, tall (6 ft. 1 in.) figure, and her natural beauty, she captivated the judges, and easily won the competition. She was just 17 years old then.

In August 2005, she married her long time companion, popular Italian fashion designer, Luca Orlandi, to become one of the most famous Nigerians known internationally.

Nike Oshinowo-Soleye

Oshinowo was raised in Ibadan and England, where she attended boarding school. Although she had intended to become an air hostess, she studied Politics at the University of Essex. Shortly after obtaining her degree, Oshinowo, who was mentored by former Miss Nigeria Helen Prest-Davies, represented Rivers at the Most beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant and emerged winner.

After her reign, which saw her compete at Miss World, Oshinowo featured in a commercial for Venus cosmetics and hosted a fashion and beauty show on Nigerian television. Her business ventures included an African restaurant and Skin Deep, a health and beauty spa which ran for seven years before it was sold after she decided to create her own range of beauty products for the Nigerian market. On January 17, 2010, she released the workout video Nike Oshinowo: Fit, Forty and Fabulous -the first celebrity fitness DVD produced in the country -and is currently working on the beauty products which will include fragrance, skincare, and haircare.

Now in her 40s, Oshinowo, who is fluent in five languages including Japanese and French, is hailed as a style icon in her homeland. Although she had stated in previous interviews that she had no plans to become a wife, Oshinowo is now married to medical doctor, Tunde Soleye. In 2009, the couple was in the news following a lawsuit instituted by Soleye’s ex-wife Funmilayo, who claimed that he had been unfaithful with Oshinowo during their marriage.

Nike confesses to being deeply in love with her husband and she doesn’t have to compare him with someone else. Since her whole life had been about herself alone, marriage was not particularly on her agenda because she finds it very challenging and never thought she would get married. It took her husband seven years to convince her to marry him, a story he proudly relives to his friends. Nike didn’t give up her independence when she married Dr. Tunde Soleye, neither did she marry him for his money as people have speculated. She had said in a previous interview that she learns from her husband everyday, “he is remarkable and ridiculously patient with me. He adores me and I love him right back. He’s got a sort of grey hair I find incredibly attractive. He has a wicked sense of humour; he is very smart and clever and I love such people. He is not from my world at all; I couldn’t marry someone from my world because it will just be chaotic.”

Bianca Onoh- Ojukwu

When a now-rested soft-sell publication first broke their romance story in 1992, hell was almost let loose. Then the story sounded so unbelievable. Worse still, the dramatis personae vehemently denied the relationship. One of the parties even threatened to sue the publication ‘for carrying false rumour.’ But before anyone knew what was happening, the couple, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and former beauty Queen, Bianca Onoh tied the knots at a much celebrated society wedding, which remained the talk-of-the-town for many months.

When it happened, many were shell-shocked. And many questions came up. One, what could make an ex-beauty queen in her late 20’s, from a privileged background and with practically the world at her feet decide to marry an ex-warlord old enough to be her father? But it seemed no one understood better than Bianca herself. In- spite of threats from her father, the late Chief C.C. Onoh to disown her if she went ahead to marry Ojukwu, the beautiful woman stood her ground and called everybody’s bluff. It was obvious that she was (and still) in love with Ojukwu. In several interviews she granted, Bianca had described her husband ‘as the best man in the world who understands my feelings and knows how to take care of a woman. Widely described as one of Nigeria’s most admired couples, the story of Chief Emeka and Bianca Ojukwu’s marriage is a classic case study of Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (born Bianca Odinakachukwu Onoh) is a Nigerian businesswoman and former lawyer, best remembered for her controversial relationship with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Ikemba of Nnewi and former Biafran leader, who was over 30 years her senior. Their romance was a national talking point in the early nineties

As a wife and mother, Bianca now divides her time between her home, her cosmetics busines, Bianca Blend in Enugu, and her interior decorating outfit, Nourobella.

Although, she had stated in interviews her disdain for modelling in the past, the former beauty queen has fronted an advertising campaign for her products. She is in charge of the non-governmental organisation, Hope House Trust, centred towards rehabilitating juvenile offenders in Enugu. The couple have children together. Of her marriage, she admits that while she is happy to have found her older husband, she would not encourage her daughter to marry the same way.

Sylvia Edem- Emecheta

Former Miss Nigeria, Sylvia Ansa Edem, finally wedded her London-based heartthrob, Chris Emecheta, a Delta State-born international businessman whom she had met and simply exchanged telephone number with at the KLM business lounge in Amsterdam on her way back from Miss Universe beauty pageant

Weeks later, she got a call from him and they started talking. Although, nothing happened between them because she was still reigning, Sylvia and Emecheta would later meet again almost to the end of her reign when she travelled to the U.S.

She was still reigning then as most beautiful girl and nothing happened between them until after her tenure.

So, weeks later, I got a call from him and we started talking and that was it. And nothing else happened. He was based in the United States of America, we used to talk on the phone, anytime he is in town, we talk. I was also busy here with all the beauty competition I had to take part in. We met again almost to the end of my reign when I went to the U.S then, the chemistry of romance formally kicked off.

The couple have been together ever since and had been based in the US before they finally relocated to Nigeria last year. They got legally married in the US over a year ago and are blessed with a son, Drake.

Anita Uwagbele-Iseghohi

An only female child, Edo-born Uwagbale spent most of her early years in Lagos until she gained admission into Madonna University, Okija to study Accountancy. As an undergraduate, Uwagbale was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2004, enabling her to take part in Miss Universe and Miss World later in the year. Although she was a contender for the crown, Uwagbale failed to make the top ten; however, she was named African Continental Queen of Beauty. As MBGN, Uwagbale’s projects included activism against environmental pollution.

Uwagbale is married to businessman Tom Iseghohi. Following a registry ceremony in America, in 2008, the couple had a society wedding in Lagos, and are now the parents of two sons. In 2009, Isegholi was accused of embezzling from NITEL shareholders; the charges were later dropped. Uwagbale continues to study in America while working at her private businesses.

Adaeze Igwe

Adaeze Yobo was previously known as Adaeze Stephanie Chinenye Igwe. She is a former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria.

While she was an undergrad at the University of Abuja, Igwe pursued her childhood dream by representing Anambra in the pageant with 29 other girls.

During her reign, Igwe established her own charity, The Adaeze Igwe Foundation, an organisation which promotes AIDS and Breast Cancer awareness, and raises funds towards similar causes, including malaria and tuberclosis. Its mission is “to create and increase access and opportunities to Nigerian youths and communities towards addressing [their] needs and challenges in relation to health and sustainable development.” She has since left the University of Abuja, and started a Communications course at the New York Film Academy.

In 2010, the former beauty queen married FenerbahÁe S.K. player, Joseph Yobo in a midnight ceremony held in Jos. The couple who dated briefly in 2009 before formally walking down the isle, are now parents of their first child.

Business has returned to normal at Opebi Road, Ikeja, after a robbery attack at one of the shops in the area.

About four armed persons had, on Friday, stormed a Sharp Electronics shop at the area and made away with mobile phones, video cameras, and an undisclosed sum of money. According to eye witnesses, the incident, which occurred at about 10am, and lasted between 45 minutes to one hour, recorded no casualty. A police officer, said to be eating at a nearby restaurant, arrived about one hour later to engage the robbers in a gunfight before they escaped.

“They drove in with their vehicle just like every other customer that comes here,” said a security officer at the shop who did not want to be named. “Some of the customers who come here usually come with Echolac bags because they may be going to the airport and so when we saw them with those bags, we never suspected anything. They smashed all the LCD televisions and also went upstairs to destroy the CCTV there. They robbed a woman of her N50, 000 and her car keys and tried to use her car to escape before a police bullet deflated one of the tyres and they had to abandon it.”

A business centre operator nearby, who gave his name as Mark, said he heard sporadic gun shots and had to lock his shop. “They were shooting into the air and no one was challenging them,” he said. “I bolted my door and lay down on the floor to avoid any stray bullet.”..

Businesses in the area also closed to avoid being victims of the armed robber

Torn apart by HIV status

Nkarenyi Ukonu

DOTUN was a notorious Casanova in his heyday. He couldn't take his eyes off any pretty girl, either on or off campus. He wanted anything that caught his fancy and 90 per cent of the time, he succeeded. His success at getting any girl he wanted was hinged on the fact that he had looks that were pleasing to the eye, a good body structure, a good car to move around with on campus and a sugar-coated tongue that knew the right things to tell any girl, depending on the circumstances and who the girl was. He always got it right. Above all, he was, surprisingly, not a dullard. All these qualities made it easy for him to draw the girls to him like bees to honey.

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However, the downside of his notoriety with girls was that he was quick to dump them like hot potatoes and quickly move on without a second thought. His fame spread like wild fire so much so that his school mates had to go to him for lessons on how to woo girls; and succeed they did.

By the beginning of his fourth year in the university, during the period that has been aptly tagged October rush - the period when new entrants, otherwise called Jambites, are freshly matriculated into the universities - he had already perfected his plans and strategies to woo some of the girls who were obviously naive and unaware of his escapades. After making several attempts and getting lucky with not a few, he accidentally bumped into Olaide's car. Rather than concentrate, he had his attention divided; looking out for more 'prey.'

Olaide was a young pretty girl from the upper crust of the society who could afford to ride a brand new car on campus. She was a Jambite, but one who came in with a clear-cut purpose: to stay off men and channel all her energy into making good grades. That was the promise her parents extracted from her before she was given the keys to the car. As the only child, her parents doted on her and gave her whatever she wanted; and she wasn't about to disappoint them now.

Olaide was fresh meat to Dotun and he cursed himself for not having met her in good time. He, nonetheless, thanked God for making their paths cross. The damage to the car wasn't too serious and he promised to fix it and thus began a new wooing strategy for him - something he utilised very well. But Olaide wasn't interested.

Dotun did everything possible to make her come around, but his strategies boomeranged in his face. He was taken aback that a young girl like Olaide could make wooing difficult for him; after all, he had always got any girl he wanted on a platter of gold. But the more he chased her, the harder he fell in love with her. He ignored his other girlfriends who craved his attention and channeled his energy into making sure he succeeded in his latest 'venture.' His craze for Olaide came as a surprise to his friends who all wondered what was particularly special about her that Dotun couldn't resist.

It took him three months to finally get her to accept to have a relationship with him. And what an item they turned out to be. They became inseparable. Dotun let go of his philandering and turned his back on his numerous girlfriends. He showered Olaide with so much love that people around wondered what was going on. They couldn't understand the sudden transformation they were witnessing and they all eagerly awaited the outcome of the relationship.

Dotun soon graduated, leaving Olaide behind but only for short periods, as he made it a point of duty to always check up on her either in school or at home. They remained faithful to each other. After the mandatory national youth service, he got a good job and quickly rose up in his career. By the time Olaide graduated, he proposed to her and they began making marriage plans. In order not to take chances, they both went for HIV and blood group tests. The result was shocking. .

Olaide tested positive to HIV, while Dotun tested negative. Olaide couldn't understand how come, when she had never been the philandering type and had only been with a man - Dotun - all her life. Dotun at first was shocked, but it later developed into mixed feelings. He was happy that even though he had lived a very rough life in school, his HIV status was good. He was, however, sad that Olaide, whom he made a woman and who was faithful to him, was HIV positive. This was a mystery. But it wasn't, as subsequent tests in three different hospitals declared the same result.

Families on both sides were confused. Olaide's parents couldn't ask him to abandon their child, while they couldn't also force him to go on with the marriage plans. Dotun's parents were divided over the matter. His mom said the marriage could no longer hold, while the father opted to keep mum. The people at the centre of the whole saga were also confused.

What do you suggest?

Controversial whistle-blowing website, Wikileaks weekend released more classified United States Government cables on the state of health of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the power play by influential persons around him.

The cable from then US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Robin Sanders to the Pentagon states as follows:

NIGERIA: UPDATED HEALTH INFORMATION ON PRESIDENT YAR'ADUA (C-AL8-INTRODUCTION.

“Ref A requested updated information about the health of Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. We note that our GON and private contacts continue to state that President Yar'Adua is managing his known health issues -- chronic kidney problems -- and is not suffering from something more serious. The Villa also continues to keep a tight hold on any information concerning his health and has been cautious about any indications on travel outside of Nigeria, to avoid additional concerns. As a result, attempts to gain specific and/or verifiable information on his condition, prognoses, medication, treatment options are limited.

“The Ambassador's last personal dialogue with him (Ref. C), in which she observed him up close, noted that he was extremely frail, more soft spoken than usual, his skin was extremely drawn, teeth were extremely tarred and his involuntary cough had increased. He was, however alert and could carry on a sophisticated conversation. We have also reported, ref. B, recent extensive critical comments by a Villa staff member on the impact of the President's health on the country's governance. What is clear is that the President's health is a matter of growing concern, particularly on the minds of the northern Nigerian elite. We have noted a considerable up-tick in what appears to be behind-the-scenes machinations and backroom dealing, most notably the recent reconciliation meeting between former President Obasanjo and former VP Atiku and Atiku's pending official return in March to the ruling PDP, former President Babangida's sudden return to the political scene with a string of public pronouncements, and Kwara Governor Saraki's machinations to possibly be a PDP candidate in 2011. ..

“If Yar'Adua were closer to "death's door," we would expect more of a political power struggle publicly to break out drawing in these traditional "Godfathers" of Nigerian politics, as well as newer groupings including Kwara State Governor Saraki (and Governors' Forum chairman), some of the other Governors (e.g. Niger and Kaduna), and some members of the "Katsina clique" who have gathered around Yar'Adua. All these groups have a shared interest either in maneuvering VP Goodluck Jonathan out of assuming the presidency, or in assuring that his power as President was strictly circumscribed and that he appointed a strong Northerner as his VP. (We note there has been a speculation of a Yar'Adua demise in February 2009. Thus, this has not happened and he may either not be suffering from a terminal disease or could -- as other leaders have done in the past -- hang on longer than we anticipate.)

“Yar'Adua began a two-week vacation on January 26 (to date he still remains in Abuja and his vacation is scheduled to end on Monday, February 9). However, official statements from the Presidential Spokesman indicated that he would pass the two weeks in Lagos, Cross River State (at the Obudu Cattle Ranch) and at his home state of Katsina. There is widespread speculation, however, that the Villa may be using the guise of a "vacation" to hide medical treatment. On January 27, Kwara State Governor Saraki insisted to Ambassador that Yar'Adua will not/not leave Nigeria during his vacation; however, we believe that he is most likely receiving clandestine medical treatment in Nigeria during this period.

“Ambassador was told by two key contacts, Shell Abuja 00000203 002 of 006   VP for Africa on January 27 and Information Minister Akunyili on February 2, that experts from Germany have been brought in to oversee the President's treatment. END

INTRODUCTION.

“Information below on the health of President Yar'Adua is keyed to Ref. A questions: overall health DIAGNOSES: Despite continued statements by the Villa spokesperson that the President is not in poor health, several individuals xxxxxxxxxxxx and First Lady Turai Yar'Adua) have admitted privately to the Ambassador that he suffers from acute kidney disease (Refs. C, G, H and others). We continue to hear press and blog reports that Yar'Adua suffers from lung cancer, although this is generally from sources further removed from the Presidency. xxxxxxxxxxxx is the only credible source who confirmed that he heard reports of lung cancer. xxxxxxxxxxxx is not close to the President and has access to tertiary information at best.) On October 27, First Lady Turai Yar'Adua told Ambassador that Yar'Adua did not have lung cancer, but admitted that he suffered from long-term kidney disease and from asthma (Ref. G).

On January 27, Kwara State Governor Saraki, a medical doctor by training, told Ambassador that Yar'Adua is "not at death's door" and that he is learning to cope and manage his energy levels better, leading to an improvement in his energy and breathing since the September 2008 timeframe. xxxxxxxxxxxx a contact xxxxxxxxxxxx at the German Julius Berger company said that Yar'Adua is steadily weakening and going downhill, noting that although he is "not in danger of dying soon," his ailments were serious and chronic. Other media outlets, such as the online news site "Sahara Reporters" have reported several conditions: Churg Strauss Syndrome and/or lung cancer along with kidney disease.  In a follow-up meeting with Information Minister Akunyili on February 2, xxxxxxxxxxxx told the Ambassador that Yar'Adua remained extremely weak. xxxxxxxxxxxxx noted that when xxxxxxxxxxxx last met with him it was at the residence and not the office as he has substantially reduced his office hours to conserve his energy. xxxxxxxxxxxx said Yar'Adua told xxxxxxxxxxxx that he really wanted to go out of Nigeria for "a rest" but given the uproar over his September 2008 trip to Saudi, he was compelled to stay in Nigeria to avoid more speculation on his health. xxxxxxxxxxxx added that Yar'Adua's current strategy is to have meetings planned well in advance so he can rest up in order to be able to have enough energy to complete the session.  xxxxxxxxxxxx 

“PAIN: Most of Post's information concerns his lack of energy and fatigue; however, information exists in other channels regarding pain management.  A 3. (s/nf) health improved/worsened, changes in appearance: We believe that Yar'Adua still remains weak and as physically fragile as he was in November-December 2008. Ref. C contains Ambassador's observations during her meeting with Yar'Adua on the margins of the December 19, 2008 ECOWAS meetings. Ambassador noted: he coughed more extensively as he delivered his speech on becoming ECOWAS Chair, he appeared to weigh no more than 130-140 pounds, his skin was very taunt, his handshake was weak, voice was fainter than on previous Abuja 00000203 003 of 006  meetings, his eyes were deep set with dark circles underneath, and his teeth were also very badly tarred. Over the past several weeks, Yar'Adua has made few public appearances. Despite this, he was able to carry on a sophisticated conversation.

“His most recent appearance was at his daughter's marriage on January 25, 2008, to Bauchi State Governor Yuguda. Although we believe these appearances were meant to calm public anxiety, they actually tended to renew suspicions about his health. Based on pictures and TV coverage of these events he appears pale and weak. He continues to lose weight and he coughs and appears at times to have difficulty breathing when he talks. U.K. diplomats told us January 28 that they have seen reports that Yar'Adua wears make-up for public appearances and padding to hide his weight loss.

RESTRICTIONS TO ACTIVITY/SCHEDULE: Yar'Adua's schedule, since assuming office in May 2007, has never included long days or late night appointments (Ref. M); however, it has clearly been severely restricted since late Summer and appears to be more so since late December 2008. President Yar'Adua has made few international trips since assuming office, including missing the September 2008 UN General Assembly meetings. xxxxxxxxxxxx contact of the Mission shared his risk-analysis paper with us in late 2008 (Ref. B, q.v.), in which he complained that Yar'Adua's restricted office hours are "taking a heavy toll on governance." He also noted then that the President "works for limited hours, often can't keep scheduled appointments, and cannot undertake rigorous national tours." On xxxxxxxxxxxx told PolCouns that Yar'Adua's health has improved "a bit" since last fall; however, there has been no positive impact on his ability to meet the demands of the presidency. (This comment dove tails with Saraki's, who also indicated that Yar'Adua has had a slight improvement.) 

“Yar'adua aware of his diagnoses/prognoses: Although the spokesman for the Villa continues to maintain that Yar'Adua has no serious health problems that hinder his ability to carry out his executive functions, the President's wife admitted his serious kidney ailment to the Ambassador. We do believe that those around him may be jeopardizing his well-being for their own political gain. We note that, in conversations with other foreign diplomats, the First Lady has indicated she is looking forward to Yar'Adua running for a second term in 2011. 

“NAMES AND SPECIALTIES OF PHYSICIANS: Adamu Banye Barau serves as Chief Physician to the President. Barau applied for a U.S. visa in April 2008. xxxxxxxxxxxx Barau planned to travel to the U.S. to purchase medical equipment. In addition, we know Hussaini Yakasai Munir serves as a Villa medical officer. (NOTE: Munir applied for a visa in mid-January to attend medical training in North Carolina from February 2-14. Specifically, he will attend Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Cardiac Stress Testing, Overview of Cardiac Catheterization, Non-Invasive Management of Myocardial Infarction, and Advances of Echocardiography at Ladan Medical Center, North Carolina under Dr. Mohammad Lawal Garba.) We also know from several sources that German specialists do come in and out of Nigeria as they are, xxxxxxxxxxxx, transported by the German Julius Berger company.  A 7-8. (c) who provides yar'adua with reports on health and IS HE FOLLOWING DOCTOR'S ADVICE: We have no specific information, but we believe that his wife and other members of the "Katsina clique," such as Agriculture Minister Ruma, and possibly Kwara Governor Saraki (who is a medical doctor), are managing Yar'Adua's health strictly for political reasons, which seems to overshadow any advice he may be receiving from medical experts.

“Procedures and treatments  B 1. (C) MEDICATIONS AND CHANGES IN MEDICATION: Information  Abuja 00000203 004 of 006   exists in other channels that provides suggestions on what Yar'Adua may be taking.  B 2. (s/nf) medical procedures/surgeries in the past year: Yar'Adua had a range of medical tests in Saudi Arabia in late August 2008, about which there is reporting in other channels. According to Leadership newspaper, between August 20 and August 31, 2008 he was at the King Abdulaziz Hospital in Jeddah. We understand that, in 2001 or 2002, while he was Governor of Katsina State, Yar'Adua had a kidney transplant. The Ambassador was told on November 1, 2008 that Minister of Agriculture Ruma was the donor for Yar'Adua's transplant, but that the kidney now appeared to be failing. The individuals (lunch attendees at a Central Bank luncheon) maintained that Ruma's brother had traveled to Germany to determine if he was a potential match for a second transplant.

“ADVISED TO SEEK TREATMENT IN LAST MONTH: We understand that travel to Germany was being heavily considered by the Villa in December 2008, but given that it sparked renewed public concern about Yar'Adua's ability to govern, the President remained in Nigeria. This has been confirmed by xxxxxxxxxxxx .

“CANCELED OR POSTPONED ANY PLANNED TREATMENT:xxxxxxxxxxxx told Ambassador on December 22 that First Lady Turai Yar'Adua confided xxxxxxxxxxxx that Yar'Adua would travel to Germany for a second renal transplant between December 16 and January 1.

“Yar'Adua did not take this planned trip given public reaction to rumors about travel and concerns about his ability to govern. We have no information on whether this trip may be rescheduled.

“Medical equipment: EQUIPMENT ACCESSIBLE IN ABUJA: We understand that the Villa maintains a dialysis machine for the President's use in Abuja and from a credible source at Shell Oil Company that some additional medical equipment for the President arrived in December-January 2009. xxxxxxxxxxxx was more specific in a xxxxxxxxxxxx meeting with Ambassador, saying that Yar'Adua is on dialysis three times a week in the afternoons. 

“Access to equipment to treat lung cancer: U.S. medical personnel operating in Nigeria believe it may be possible to bring chemotherapy drugs into Nigeria to receive chemotherapy; however, the only hospital which may/may have radiation equipment is Lagos Teaching Hospital. In all, however, the American physician with whom we spoke on January 29 noted that both chemo and radiation therapy require a large cadre of trained specialists (from oncologists, to nurses and equipment technicians). However, Nigeria has little to no specialists in these areas. Due to the lack of local specialists, our medical source believed it would not be possible to receive reasonably adequate treatment in Nigeria.

“Access to equipment for surgery related to renal FAILURE OR LUNG CANCER: St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos recently began performing minimally invasive transplants (including both removal -- important as all donors in Nigeria are "living donors" -- and transplantation) using equipment from South Africa. 

NEW MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BROUGHT TO ABUJA: Press reports have circulated periodically that new equipment was being purchased (dialysis machines mainly) and online news site Sahara Reporters reported on January 22 that a contract had been awarded previously to one of Yar'Adua's brothers to build a 10 billion Naira ($64 million) "State House Clinic" at the Villa (advertised in the SUN newspaper on July 5, 2008). Sahara Reporters maintained that the clinic was never completed, but that dialysis equipment and equipment for a complete Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was purchased. As noted in A6 above, Chief Physician to the President Amadu Barau is Abuja 00000203 005 of 006   believed to have traveled to the U.S. in May 2008 to purchase medical equipment. The specific type of equipment is unknown.  Surgical equipment and specialists in Nigeria to PERFORM KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS: The St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos has a full transplant team. St. Nicholas has been performing renal transplants for approximately ten years, performing more than 80 of the 100 or so transplants that have been done in Nigeria. To date, there remains no capacity in Nigeria to do HLA (human leukocyte antigen) tissue matching, although samples can be taken in Nigeria and sent abroad for testing.

Mental health  D 1. (s/nf) does Yar'adua seem sad, detached, distracted, IRRITABLE OR CONFUSED: xxxxxxxxxxxx both reported to Ambassador in December that the President was exhausted, but still very intellectually competent, and that the political haggling and pressure of putting together a new cabinet drove him to push for a vacation outside of Nigeria. The political pressures of the cabinet reshuffle reportedly took a further toll on his physical wellness. At Ambassador's last meeting with him, he did not seem sad, detached, irritable or confused.  D 2. (s/nf) does yar'adua conduct meetings/ is he alert and FOCUSED: Yar'Adua has delivered remarks recently at the January 12 Armed Forces Remembrance Day and the January 16 presentation of the 2006 Census to the National Assembly, as well as attended the highly visible wedding of his daughter to Bauchi Governor Yuguda on January 24. In these public appearances, he appeared physically fragile. Ambassador noted in her December 19 discussions with Yar'Adua and observations of him at ECOWAS that he "remained focused and still showed intelligence, understanding and awareness in his dialogue." Others, from the Foreign, Petroleum and Information Ministers to the Central Bank Governor, have confirmed the same. 

“Does yar'adua use prepared notes/ do aides prompt HIM OR ANSWER FOR HIM: Yar'Adua spoke at the January 12 Remembrance Day events in Abuja without notes. In his December 19 interactions with Ambassador, he spoke without notes and without prompting from aides. We believe that he is still intellectually fit, even if we don't agree with his style of governance. However, his physical weakness adds to the inability of his administration to do more on top of his slow leadership style. We judge that even if his health were not an issue, his governance and leadership style would likely remain slow and largely ineffective as a result of his personality, his lack of a political network of his own, and the fact that he chooses not to dictate decisions to his Ministers, even when necessary and/or expected. Although he may not be up for days beforehand, he still chairs his weekly Cabinet meetings, which we still understand can run 3-4 hours.

“Spread of health information. Why are yar'adua/family/advisors reluctant to DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION: While we have heard the argument that Yar'Adua's quiet personality and his northern Nigerian culture are the reasons for his unwillingness to discuss health information, we believe that those close to him are motivated more by a desire to retain power. His wife and several special advisors, such as Economic Advisor Tanimu Yakubu, we would put high on this list as they only have influence so long as he is President.  E 2.xxxxxxxxxxxx  Abuja 00000203 006 of 006  stage is missed. (This is a point the Mission raises regularly with GON interlocutors.)  E 3. (c) reasons or motivations for those close to yar'adua TO LIE ABOUT HIS HEALTH: We would characterize the behavior of those close to Yar'Adua more as avoidance, secrecy and disregard for what is ultimately medically best for the Nigerian President. We would add that the closed-mouth nature of both Yar'Adua and his wife, plus the influence of their religion are also factors. In Yar'Adua's May 15, 2008 interview with the Financial Times, he admitted he is "a normal human being, who can fall sick," hinting at his medical condition. His wife admitted his kidney and asthma ailments to the Ambassador on October 27, 2008 without hesitation. So, his handlers do not directly lie, but just go to great lengths to avoid talking about it. 

(U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos. SANDERS.”

For refusing to sell razor blade to him, policeman attacked trader but got killed

MEIRAN, a serene but densely populated suburb of Lagos, has always been in the news, sometimes for positive reasons or the opposite. Residents said it had been quiet for a while, but penultimate weekend, the serene atmosphere of the community was once again shattered.

A frail looking trader was said to have stabbed to death a police constable attached to the Lagos State police command.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the incident occured in the early hours of Saturday, January 8, after the deceased, Constable Iradia Aomen, attached to the Meiran police division, was said to have signed off duty by 9:00p.m.

A police source at the station, who pleaded anonymity, relayed the incident that led to Aomen's untimely death. According to him, Aomen was on traffic duty the previous day after which he signed off and left the station. Unknown to his colleagues, the late police constable neither headed towards his house nor took time to remove his uniform. He was alleged to have gone to a nearby joint and kept himself busy with his favourite beer.

Saturday Tribune investigation further revealed that the late Aomen was a known customer at the joint and on that fateful day, he left the pub a few minutes after midnight and headed for the kiosk of a petty trader close to his station, identified as Suleiman Musa..

On his arrival at Musa's shop, the late Aomen was said to have asked the Mallam, as he was popularly called, to sell a razor blade to him.

Musa, at the time the constable got to his shop, was said to have locked up the shop, ready to go home. The police source told Saturday Tribune further that the trader, who was being assisted by his 12-year-old son, told the allegedly drunk policeman that he could not re-open his kiosk to sell the razor blade to him.

The policeman was said to have felt insulted that a 'bloody civilian' would refuse selling what he demanded to him. The late cop then insisted that Musa must sell the item to him. When it became clear that the late constable would not take a 'no' for an answer, Musa took his son, who stood watching the unfolding drama and headed towards the Gatankowa area, where their home is located.

The late constable was said to have pursued Musa and in no time caught up with him. A fight later ensued between the duo, while the policeman allegedly pushed Musa from behind, questioning the seller's effrontery to turn down his request.

Stretched to the limit of his patience, Musa allegedly stabbed the late policeman with a knife. Though residents of the area could have heard the bickering outside, no one came out to pacify the feuding parties.

"At first, the police patrol team that saw the two of them lying unconscious on the road thought they were armed robbers taking positions to attack them. But on a closer look, they realised that one of them was in police uniform and bleeding profusely. They then approached both of them and rushed them to a nearby private hospital. The hospital was said to have demanded N35, 000 for treatment," the police source stated further.

Further Investigations revealed that the doctor that attended to the duo expressed shock at the level of injuries they sustained. As fate would have it, Musa recovered after the doctor had treated his wound and administered some drugs on him. The policeman was not so lucky. Constable Aomen was pronounced dead around 2.00 p.m. The police source told Saturday Tribune that Musa was picked up after the policeman died and was detained at the Meiran Police Station before being transferred to the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti street, Yaba.

Shortly after Aomen's death was announced, his relatives who were contacted at Ikorodu, Lagos, demanded to know the real cause of their son's death.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune, a civil servant identified simply as Wendy, whose house is close to the spot where the fight took place, said: "My wife and I were awake when the fight started. Initially, we thought that they were robbers. So we decided to sidon-look. Not until we heard the siren of the police van that we decided to come out to see what was actually happening. We saw the police carry the two of them into their vehicles motionless. It is unfortunate that the policeman did not make it at last." The suspect has been charged to court.

Abati: The Jonathan Presidency (11)

THE ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) held its convention and presidential party primaries on Thursday January 13 at the Eagle Square, Abuja. The three candidates at the primaries were incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice president Abubakar Atiku, and Mrs Sarah Jibril. In the run up to this, there had been much mudslinging and exchange of bile between the two leading candidates, Jonathan and Atiku, with both candidates investing heavily in media advertisement.

In its campaigns on the eve of the primaries, the Jonathan group (One Nigeria Coalition)  stole the Atiku line as follows: "Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan's Experience says it all! - university teacher, skilled technocrat, deputy governor, acting Governor, Vice president, Acting President, President, ECOWAS Chairman." On television, the group ran a campaign wishing every Nigerian: Goodluck! In counter adverts, the Atikus asked: "Who is the better prepared?- Jonathan: Even  his alleged bribes rejected, Never contested election; Inexperienced, uninspiring, Cannot honour agreements; Atiku- The comeback kid, Fought third term, Demystifies incumbencies, Experienced, reliable, sincere."  In other advertorials, it was alleged that Jonathan and co had perfected plans to rig the PDP Presidential primaries and the 2011 elections. The rhetoric of political campaigns in Nigeria is usually self-serving and acrimonious.

Sarah Jibril, seeking the ticket for the third time, ran a low budget, self-effacing campaign and was the least combative candidate. The PDP presidential primaries was necessarily a contest of many forces seeking a showdown: North vs South South, Jonathan vs Atiku, Obasanjo vs Atiku, Northern Political Leaders Forum/Arewa Consultative Forum vs Ijaw National Congress.  Fears had been expressed that the bombs that exploded on October 1 and December 31, in Abuja and in Jos (December 24) may have been linked to Jonathan's rejection of the PDP zoning formula and the determination of his opponents to make the country ungovernable and thereby discredit him. Much earlier the Jonathan Presidency also accused his political opponents of seeking to commit "treason" with an unveiled threat that the administration would be ruthless in dealing with such persons.

The PDP Presidential primaries in effect, turned out to be more or less a military exercise, with massive security arrangements. It is yet another sign of the underdevelopment of the Nigerian state and its democracy that every major election has to be held under heavy security presence in order to hold back the constant threat of anarchy. In 2007, the April general elections were no better than a military operation as soldiers took over the entire nation to ensure peace. For its Presidential primaries, the PDP took advantage of its control of power at the centre, and practically shut down the Federal Civil Service for two days! Five security checkpoints were located in areas leading to the Eagle Square manned by the Police, Vehicle Inspection Officers, the military, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Civil Defence Corps; people were forced to trek for about two kilometers to get to the venue, and at each point, they were subjected to bomb scan, security scan and body search!

Nigerian public officials and political leaders consider it a proof of their importance to arrive late at public functions, and to start every programme behind schedule without being required to offer any apologies. Thus characteristically, the PDP convention which was scheduled to start at 10 am, did not start until 5.34 pm. Sarah Jibril arrived at the venue at 11.58 am, Atiku at 4.15 pm, Vice President Namadi Sambo, at 5. 13 pm, and Goodluck Jonathan at 5. 30 pm! The primaries, aired live on television, by Africa Independent Television (AIT), and the public-owned Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), appeared peaceful, and transparent, as the entire process was conducted in full public glare. It ended the following morning around 6 am, with the results read by Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chairman of the PDP Electoral Committee. Out of a total of 3,603 votes cast, 61 ballots were voided, Jonathan won 2, 736 votes, Atiku 805 and Sarah Jibril, one vote, making Jonathan the presidential flagbearer of the PDP in the 2011 general elections with Namadi Sambo, the Vice President as his running mate.

This was the first election that President Jonathan would run and win as the principal candidate. His emergence as the Presidential candidate of the ruling party was a major moment for the country's minorities who since the Willinks Commission (1958/59) had been agitating for equity within the Nigerian Federation. But more significantly, Jonathan's victory exposed the failure of the so-called northern consensus on the zoning of the presidency to the North. Jonathan polled majority votes in all the country's six Senatorial zones, as follows- North Central: Jonathan (380), Atiku (165), Jibril (1); North West: Jonathan (422), Atiku (365), Jibril (0), South West: Jonathan (482), Atiku (22), Jibril (0); North East: Jonathan (331), Atiku (154), Jibril (0), South East: Jonathan (423), Atiku (23), South South: Jonathan (625), Atiku (9), JIbril (0).  He won convincingly across the country except in three states in the North West - Sokoto (932-84), Kano (21 - 98), Zamfara (7 - 70) and Niger (16 -84) which he lost to Atiku. He however beat Atiku in his home state of Adamawa and even in Yobe, the home state of Mallam Adamu Ciroma, one of the loudest pro-zoning campaigners, and by a wide margin in Katsina (147 - 11), President Yar'Adua's state. His victory further advertised the power of incumbency and the increased influence of the 27 PDP Governors. Alhaji Atiku who had condemned the Jonathan administration in his campaign speech, rejected the results, his agents refused to sign the results sheet. There were threats of court action, but a few days later Atiku shut down his campaign office and announced that he would remain in the PDP.

The most courageous of the candidates however was Sarah Jibril: she had no power of incumbency to exploit, and no money to distribute among delegates but she displayed character and determination. In her speech, she had appealed to women delegates to support one of their own, and all men to support Mama Sarah Jibril. But this gender pitch earned her just one vote. This was a sad comment on the place of women in public life in Nigeria, the status of women and the chauvinism of Nigeria's democracy. Mama Sarah Jibril, seeking the Presidential ticket a third time,  has however earned a place in history: whenever a woman emerges as Vice president or president of Nigeria in the future, she will be remembered for her pioneering efforts in that direction. In his acceptance speech, Dr Goodluck Jonathan remarked that there was "no victor no vanquished", and began promptly to reach out to the Northern political establishment through a programme labeled CAR- "Consolidation, Appeasement and Reconciliation". Nonetheless, there were protests against his candidacy in parts of the north - notably Kaduna and Bauchi. The Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) also met to plan their next course of action. Meanwhile, a group of northern leaders, the G-20, led by Chief Solomon Lar and South East Governors congratulated Jonathan and Sambo. The resilience of a section of the North insisting on its right to power would remain a sub-text of the Jonathan ascendancy, with implications for post-election politics, and an early indication that the President's victory may well be pyrrhic.

By January 20, most of the party primaries had been concluded, with candidates of the various political parties already known, although the INEC election time table allowed the primaries to be held on or before January 31, 2011. The key Presidential candidates that had emerged included Goodluck Jonathan (PDP), Muhammadu Buhari (CPC), Nuhu Ribadu (ACN), Pat Utomi (Social Democratic Mega Party) Dele Momodu (National Conscience Party), Ibrahim Shekarau (ANPP), John Dara (National Transformation Party), Peter Nwangwu (African Democratic Congress) and Ambrose Ewuru (Hope Democratic Party). On Saturday, January 15, 2010, INEC launched a two-week voters' registration exercise; the excitement which Nigerians showed during the party primaries and with which they embraced the voters registration showed a deep passion for democracy and particular interest in the 2011 general elections. But as the processes leading to the elections began, was there any indication that the 2011 elections would be an improvement on previous elections, or confidence that it would be credible? The general feeling sadly, was that the elections were doomed to fail, and that Nigeria's transition towards democratic rule was yet to yield desirable outcomes eleven years after. 

The pre-election phase was characterised by the usual crisis of institutional failure and the country's poor state of preparedness. Across Africa, there has been a demonstration of the weakness of democratic structures and extant capacity deficits as has been seen in Kenya, Cote d'Ivoire, Malawi, and Guinea. In Nigeria, the change of guards at the electoral commission only further exposed the weakness of the institution as the new Chairman and his team revealed that the system needed to be built afresh, beginning with the procurement of equipment, the training of staff, the preparation of a voters' register. By July 2010, the INEC Chairman had complained about lack of funds and in Septmeber, about the need to change the election timetable. From this point onwards, the entire process had to be rushed, including Constitutional Amendments that had been left unattended to by the legislature, in order to meet the hand over deadline date of May 29, 2011.   It was only on January 10, 2011 that the amended 1999 Constitution was signed into law by President Jonathan, prompting legal action by Olapade Agoro, presidential aspirant, National Action Council, who requested that the INEC time-table and the primaries should be declared null and void.    

The voters' registration (Jan 15 -29) exercise, marred by irregularities, violence and outright failure in the first week, exposed just how unprepared both Nigeria and INEC were, further raising anxieties about the elections considering the importance of a voters' register and the integrity of processes to electoral outcomes. A budget of $75 billion was earmarked for the voters' registration exercise but by the end of the first week, the INEC Chairman was reportedly complaining about lack of funds, even if one of the three contractors had not supplied all the Direct Data Capturing Machines (laptop, fingerprint scanner, web camera, and battery) which malfunctioned in many places. In many states, angry youths who could not be registered attacked the youth corps members who had been recruited to serve as ad hoc officials. Three persons were shot in Ebonyi state, two persons were killed in Jos, scores were injured in Bayelsa, thugs went on rampage in Osun.

The politicians had obviously not learnt their lessons. The party primaries across board were marred by violence, the absence of internal democracy in all the parties, with powerful Godfathers in many states imposing their wives, daughters, sons-in-law, and cronies without creating a level playing field for open competition. In Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, Anambra and Edo states, ACN members protested alleged imposition of candidates; in Ogun, Zamfara, Abia, and Delta states, aggrieved PDP members held parallel primaries thus deepening intra-party confusion and division, in Akwa Ibom, the Governorship primaries had to be canceled and a rerun ordered by the party headquarters.

Dele Alake, ACN Senatorial aspirant in Ekiti, Central offered an apt description of the entire process when in withdrawing from the race he wrote: "I did not envisage that an intra-party primary would degenerate into malpractices, fraud, violence and brigandage... I have come to the painful conclusion that it will be an uphill task for decent people with a sense of propriety to be part of such process... I do not and will not be part of a scheme that will hoodwink the public because I want to serve them...." (The Nation, Jan. 13, 2011.) In an interesting development, the Chairman of the ACN, Chief Bisi Akande, retorted that "Nobody should accuse the ACN of imposition because that is our style. Anyone that is not comfortable with that should go and contest in another political party."

The security agencies were unable to check the spread of violence during the party primaries and after. The high level of desperation at the intra-party level could only suggest a further heightening of tension during inter-party competition and hence an urgent justification for more pro-active security responses. The monetisation of politics also remained a problem. There were allegations of votes buying, and in the absence of a machinery for tracking campaign finance, the stage was well set for the corrupt manipulation of electoral outcomes. As at January 2011, there was no real emphasis on ideas and programmes, other than the ambition of political office seekers. With the conclusion of the primaries, many politicians defected overnight to rival parties which could offer them the party tickets for the 2011 polls.

The mismanagement of the pre-election phase had obviously sown the seeds for future litigations and sundry crises with regard to the abuse of human rights and the rule of law, the ineffectiveness of government services, legitimacy of outcomes, and the failure of law enforcement agencies.  The role of the media was also suspect; for example Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, the Gubernatorial candidate of the Accord Party in Oyo State, protested that his campaign material was rejected by the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS). Also, the Jonathan campaign team used the NTA owned by the public, to promote the President's candidacy while media organs owned by politicians toed the party line shamelessly.  ..

The first phase of Nigeria's 2011 general elections was at best a selection process, the preparations were shoddy, the dominant PDP had no strong opposition to challenge it; there was a lot of excitement among the people but no optimism for the kind of real change sought by an increasingly vibrant civil society. Will Jonathan keep his promise to ensure free and fair polls and make the people's votes count?

Can you believe this! While the Japanese are moving ahead with technology that provides opportunity for mind-controlled robots, some clowns in Nigeria are still yapping about "zoning".

Wake up and smell the zobo jo!

• Seven babies and one mother allegedly died at hands of 69-year-old Real life Doctor Evil
  

These are the first pictures of the employees charged alongside abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell for their part in his ‘House of Horrors’ clinic murder investigation.

Gosnell, 69, has been charged with murdering seven newborn babies and a 41-year-old mother in botched operations that resulted in ‘barbaric’ killings at his Philadelphia practice.

He was assisted by nine under-trained - sometimes untrained - people at the Women’s Medical Society and they have also been charged with various crimes; four with murder.

The doctor: Kermit Gosnell

Charged: Pearl Gosnell

Employee: Elizabeth Hampton

Lynda Williams, 42, who allegedly performed operations and gave anesthesia without a license, faces with multiple murder charges.

Unlicensed Adrienne Moten, 33, is charged with the murder of a baby.

Sherry West, 54, is charged with third-degree murder.

Gosnell's 49-year-old wife Pearl is charged with illegal abortion and conspiracy.

Elizabeth Hampton, the doctor's sister-in-law, is charged perjury and obstruction of justice.

The other clinic employees facing charges are unlicensed medical school graduate Eileen O'Neil, 54, who is charged with theft by deception, conspiracy and perjury, while clinic manager Maddline Joe, 53, faces accusations of conspiracy.

Tina Baldwin, 45, is charged with racketeering, conspiracy and corruption of a minor, having allegedly allowed her 15-year-old daughter to administer anesthesia.

A ninth defendant, Steven Masoof, 48, is yet to be arraigned but is expected to face baby murder charges.

Arrested: Tina Baldwin

Assistant: Lynda Williams

Worker: Adrine Moton

Accomplice: Eileen O'Neil

Mugshot: Sherry West

Held: Maddline Joe

All were arraigned alongside Gosnell on Thursday.

Prosecutors claim Gosnell murdered the babies by snapping their spinal cords with a pair of scissors after they were born alive in illegal late-term abortions.

A 41-year-old mother, Karnamaya Mongar, died after being accidentally overdosed with anaesthetics.

Authorities suspect the physician and his team may have killed hundreds of babies during the course of Gosnell's 30-year practice. He made $1.8million in one year alone performing the procedures.

The clinic allegedly treated mainly poor and immigrant women who could not get the abortions anywhere else.

Officials said the 'disgusting, squalid, horrifying' house was more like a 'House of Horrors' than any bona fide medical facility.

‘There were bags and bottles holding aborted fetuses were scattered throughout the building,’ said Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams.

House of horror: A grand jury photograph shows what police say are plastic bags hiding body parts in a refrigerator inside the Philadelphia practice - right next to what appears to be a carton of Minute Maid juice

Sickening: Another grand jury image showing what police claim are bags of body parts at the Philadelphia practice

‘There were jars, lining shelves, with severed feet that he kept for no medical purpose,’ he added. ‘Some of this was kept in the refrigerator where the staff kept their lunches.

‘The clients would pay on a sliding scale depending on how big their baby was.'

He continued: ‘I am aware that abortion is a hot-button topic.

'But as district attorney, my job is to carry out the law. A doctor who knowingly and systematically mistreats female patients, to the point that one of them dies in his so-called care, commits murder under the law.

‘A doctor who cuts into the necks severing the spinal cords of living, breathing babies, who would survive with proper medical attention, is committing murder under the law,’ he added.

Victim: Karnamaya Mongar, 41, died at Dr Gosnell's clinic

'House of Horrors: The West Philadelphia Women's Medical Society, where Dr Gosnell held his practice

Mr Williams alleged Gosnell would induce labour in his patients and the babies would be born ‘squirming and crying’ before having their spines cut.

Some of the filthy operation rooms had litter boxes and animals present at the times of the operations, according to court documents.

Police only discovered the clinic’s gruesome secret after launching a probe into allegations that the doctor provided prescription drugs in an illegal ‘pill mill'.

All of the suspects are behind bars following police swoops last night.

Gosnell, a family practitioner who was not a qualified OB/GYN, has been named in at least 10 malpractice suits, but Mr Williams said state regulators ignored complaints about his clinic and that the office hadn't been inspected since 1993.

No action was taken even after patient Karnamaya Mongar died during what was supposed to be a routine operation in November, 2009.

During a search of the doctors home, investigators said they discovered $240,000 in cash.

Gosnell has been named in at least 10 malpractice suits, including one over the death of Miss Mongar.

The bed patients used and the chaotic stockroom in the 'House of Horrors' clinic in Philadelphia

A doctor whose abortion clinic was described as a filthy, foul-smelling “house of horrors” that was overlooked by regulators for years has been charged with murder, accused of delivering seven babies alive and then using scissors to kill them.

In a nearly 300-page grand jury report filled with ghastly, stomach-turning detail, prosecutors said Pennsylvania regulators ignored complaints of barbaric conditions at Dr Kermit Gosnell’s clinic, which catered to poor, immigrant and minority women in the city’s impoverished West Philadelphia section.

Prosecutors called the gruesome case a “complete regulatory collapse”.

“Pennsylvania is not a Third World country,” the district attorney’s office declared in the report. “There were several oversight agencies that stumbled upon and should have shut down Kermit Gosnell long ago.”

Gosnell, 69, was arrested and charged with eight counts of murder altogether in the alleged killings of seven babies and the death of a woman from an overdose of painkillers. Nine of Gosnell’s employees – including his wife, a cosmetologist – also were charged.

Prosecutors said Gosnell made millions of dollars over three decades performing thousands of dangerous abortions, many of them illegal late-term procedures. His clinic had no trained nurses or medical staff other than Gosnell, a family physician not certified in obstetrics or gynaecology, prosecutors said.

At least two women died from the procedures, while scores more suffered perforated bowels, cervixes and uteruses, authorities said.

Under Pennsylvania law, abortions are illegal after 24 weeks of pregnancy, or just under six months, and most doctors won’t perform them after 20 weeks because of the risks, prosecutors said.

In a typical late-term abortion, the foetus is dismembered in the uterus and then removed in pieces. That is more common than the procedure opponents call “partial-birth abortion”, in which the foetus is only partially extracted before being destroyed. Prosecutors said Gosnell instead delivered many of the babies alive.

He “induced labour, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh, eighth month of pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neck with scissors and severing their spinal cord”, District Attorney Seth Williams said.

Gosnell referred to the practice as “snipping”, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors estimated Gosnell ended hundreds of pregnancies by cutting the spinal cords, but they said they couldn’t prosecute more cases because he destroyed files.

“These killings became so routine that no one could put an exact number on them,” the grand jury report said. “They were considered ‘standard procedure’.”

Defence attorney William J Brennan, who represented Gosnell during the investigation, said: “Obviously, these allegations are very, very serious.”

Authorities raided Gosnell’s clinic early last year in search of drug violations and stumbled upon “a house of horrors”, Williams said.

Bags and bottles holding aborted foetuses “were scattered throughout the building”, the district attorney said. “There were jars, lining shelves, with severed feet that he kept for no medical purpose.”

Prosecutors said the place reeked of cat urine because of the animals that were allowed to roam freely, instruments were not properly sterilised, and disposable medical supplies were used over and over.

Gosnell didn’t advertise, but word got around. Women came from across the city, state and region for illegal late-term abortions, authorities said. They paid $325 for first-trimester abortions and $1, 600 to $3, 000 for abortions up to 30 weeks. The clinic took in $10, 000 to $15, 000 a day, authorities said.

“People knew near and far that if you needed a late-term abortion you could go see Dr Gosnell,” Williams said.

White women from the suburbs were ushered into a separate, slightly cleaner area because Gosnell believed they were more likely to file complaints, Williams said.

Few if any of the unconscious patients knew their babies had been born alive and then killed, prosecutors said. Many were first-time mothers who were told they were 24 weeks pregnant, even if they were much further along, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Gosnell falsified the ultrasound examinations that determine how far along a pregnancy is, teaching his staff to hold the probe in such a way that the foetus would look smaller.

Gosnell sometimes joked about the babies, saying one was so large he could “walk me to the bus stop”, according to the report.

State regulators ignored complaints about Gosnell and the 46 lawsuits filed against him, and made just five annual inspections, most satisfactory, since the clinic opened in 1979. The inspections stopped completely in 1993 because of what prosecutors said was the pro-abortion rights attitude that set in after Democratic Governor Robert Casey, an abortion foe, left office.

Four clinic employees were also charged with murder, and five more, including Gosnell’s wife, Pearl, with conspiracy, drug-related and other crimes. All were in custody. Gosnell’s wife performed extremely late-term abortions on Sundays, the report said.

One of the murder charges against Gosnell involves a woman seeking an abortion, Karnamaya Mongar, who authorities said died in 2009 because she was given too much of the painkiller Demerol and other drugs.

Gosnell wasn’t at the clinic at the time. His staff administered the drugs repeatedly as they waited for him to arrive at night, as was his custom, the grand jury found.

Mongar and her husband, Ash, had fled their native Bhutan and spent nearly 20 years in camps in Nepal. They had three children. A man who answered the phone on Wednesday at a listing for Ash Mongar in Virginia did not speak English, while their daughter did not immediately return a message.

The malpractice suits filed against Gosnell include one over the death of a 22-year-old Philadelphia woman, a mother of two, who died of a bloodstream infection and a perforated uterus in 2000. Gosnell sometimes sewed up such injuries without telling the women about the complications, prosecutors said.

Gosnell earned his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and is board-certified in family practice. He started, but did not finish, a residency in obstetrics-gynaecology, authorities said.

Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said: “He does not know how to do an abortion. Once he got them there, he saw dollar signs and did abortions that other people wouldn’t do.”

IT HAS been all change at the top of two of Silicon Valley’s most prominent tech giants this week. First Apple revealed that Steve Jobs, its boss, was
stepping away from day-to-day management responsibilities
... at the company to focus on an unspecified health problem. Then on January 20th Google said that Eric Schmidt, the firm’s chief executive, would hand over that role in April to Larry Page, one of the firm’s two co-founders. Mr Schmidt will become executive chairman, focusing on areas such as acquisitions and government relations, while remaining an advisor to Mr Page and Sergey Brin, Google’s other co-founder, who is going to concentrate on certain strategic projects. (Messrs Schmidt, Page and Brin, from left to right, are pictured above with one of their experimental self-driving cars).

The change makes sense, though arguably it should have happened sooner. As Google has grown from a start-up into a global powerhouse with 24,000 employees,
some of its original entrepreneurial spirit has been crushed
 by a burgeoning bureaucracy. Several prominent Xooglers, as former employees of the company are known, have complained that it has become difficult to get things done at the firm. And rivals such as Twitter and Facebook have exploited this growing sense of frustration by pinching talented executives from Google’s ranks.