Prelude by 9jabook Reporter

More like the Queen of Thieves.England for all we know has been in the forefront of every manner of colonialism and their continous portrayal of their monarchy in these present times as purely ceremonial does not deny the obvious fact of precursory role their monarchy played in the enslavement of many African Nations.

Nothwitstanding We as a people have very poor memory and highly forgiving genetic disposition and wish the Queen "God save the Queen ! " on another annual remembrance of pomp and pageantry

Article@ and culled from TheWillNigeria

Queen of England, Elizabeth II, clocks another year in the month of April. In this write-up in her honour, TUNJI AJIBADE, a Consultant Writer, highlights the life and times of one of the world’s longest reigning monarchs.

"I declare before you all, that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service…God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.".

That was Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, addressing the people of the Commonwealth from Cape Town, South Africa, on her 21st birthday anniversary in 1946. Her reference to life, whether it be ‘long or short’ has turned out to be the former. She is one person on whom long life sits well like an apparel. At 84, on April 21, 2010, the former princess, now Queen Elizabeth II, is one of the world’s longest links with the past. She had spent 58 out of those years on the throne, surpassed so far by the 63 year record of the ‘grandmother of Europe’ and late Queen of England - Victoria.

Fate cleared the path for Princess Elizabeth to ascend the throne. She was born at 2.40 a.m on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London - the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York. In that spot, she was third in the line of succession to the throne; meaning she had little chance of ever ascending it – not with Edward (the then Prince of Wales, and her father, the then Duke of York) ahead of her in the queue. Elizabeth spent her early years at 145 Piccadilly, and at White Lodge in Richmond Park. Then in 1936, series of event rolled on one another to lift her up the ladder. Her grandfather, King George V, died. Edward, his eldest son arrived the throne with the name King Edward VIII; he left the throne before the end of the year after he had a sharp disagreement with the royal establishment. He wanted his freedom to marry American Mrs. Wallis Simpson, the woman after his heart, he said. That brought Elizabeth’s father, Duke of York, to the throne in 1937 as King George VI.

The Second World War did not pass without Elizabeth’s involvement. At 14, in 1940, she played the part of big sister when she made a live broadcast on BBC to all children around the world, especially those being evacuated to keep them safe from effects of the war. And she was an army commander too; she inspected her regiment at 16 in her capacity as the Colonel-In-Chief of Grenadier of Guards. In April 1943, she carried out her first solo public engagement, spending a day with a Grenadier Guards tank battalion in Southern Command. There was an increase in her official duties from that point. She was a Subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service early in 1945, and by the end of the war, she had the rank of Junior Commander, having completed her course at No. 1 Mechanical Training Centre of the ATS, and passed out as a fully qualified driver. She married Prince Phillips in 1947.

The princess was in Sagana Lodge, about 100 miles north of Nairobi, a remote part of Kenya, when, on February 6, 1952, she received the news of her father’s death. Thus it happened that the next Queen of England got to hear of what fate destined her for in rural Africa. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Geoffrey Fisher, conducted the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. And the heavy rain of that day was a tell tale of what Queen Elizabeth II’s reign would be like for her people, and for the entire world. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and other important citizens from Commonwealth nations, as well as representatives of other countries attended the coronation. The Queen’s request that the ceremony be broadcast to the world was granted: Radio and television beamed it live, for the first time ever.

The Queen is Head of State in the United Kingdom and as a constitutional monarch, she only fulfils important ceremonial and formal roles with respect to Government. She is also Fount of Justice, Head of the Armed Forces and has important relationships with the established Churches of England and Scotland. The relevance of the Queen’s role in British and world affairs might be better understood and appreciated mostly by peoples who have or had lived under monarchies. Traditional leaders still have important role they play in, especially, Africa. Though most of them are not assigned any role in the constitution, their stabilizing role in communities is such that ethnic groups that did not have royalties in the past have since evolved something close to it. Many of these traditional leaders remain rallying point for their people among whom they still command enormous respect. Much of the time, their contributions do not appear so tangible, but it is there, made with quiet dignity, beyond ears, an approach befitting fathers of people.

It is no wonder that in nations such as Nigeria, a Commonwealth country, government does all it can to protect the institution of kingship or traditional leadership. In any case, as football analysts often point out, the mere presence of a player (without getting to touch the ball) on the path of an opponent may serve the purpose his team wants to achieve. There is no doubt that over the years, the stability of the monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II still serves as a focal point both in time of peace or otherwise in Britain. And there is the enormous goodwill the British royalty enjoys both at home and among world leaders, in whose nation, the Queen’s visit amounts to a national assignment to which both the big and the small want to be part of. In Nigeria today, there are elders who fondly recount their past lives with the phrase, ‘the year the Queen came’. One University graduate known to this writer would proudly mention at every opportunity that his father, a retired police officer, chauffeured the Queen when she spent 20 days in Nigerian in 1956.

In many more ways than is recognized, Her Majesty’s presence, visits, and public addresses have proved useful, and to the benefit of Britain and the world in general. Politicians in Britain come, and they go, sometimes in a matter of months, but the Queen has remained a symbol of stability over the years. Behind camera lenses, she meets with the Prime Minister at least a couple of times a month and gives invaluable advice. In her capacity as the Head of state, she receives important foreign office telegrams and a daily summary of events in Parliament. She hosts both British and foreign leaders and receives other important visitors from overseas. She is the head of the navy, army, and air force of Great Britain, and she is president or financial supporter of several organizations, many of them charities. She is regarded as Britain's true mother. One of the Queen’s biographers has pointed out that after the Silver Jubilee in 1977, when Her Majesty the Queen saw the loyalty and respect her subjects demonstrated, she realized her possibilities as a monarch. She had since then become more confident, more open, and more ready to reveal her sense of humor, strong common sense, great energy, and personal character.

The Queen has also been the Head of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 53 independent countries that used to be British colonies, for 58 years. Her presence is symbolic but it has unifying effect, and her visits to member countries reinforce the Commonwealth links around the world. She has visited every country in the Commonwealth, and has paid over 250 visits to countries around the world (nineteen of such visits were to Africa, with the exception of Cameroon, which joined the Commonwealth in 1995 and Rwanda that joined recently) since she came to the throne. She also holds regular meetings with Heads of Government from Commonwealth countries, and though not often publicized, her opinions on issues have proved invaluable to many heads of government. Apart from the Queen, other members of the royal family such as the Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales also visit the Commonwealth countries. The Queen keeps in touch with Commonwealth activities through regular contact with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and his Secretariat. She remains the Head of State of 15 Commonwealth realms in addition to the UK.

Regarded as a woman who took her coronation oath seriously, it is not surprising that the messages she delivered yearly on Commonwealth Days, as well as on some other occasions have always resonated what she promised in her 21st birthday anniversary speech. “There is a moto that has been borne by many of my ancestors,” she had said, “a noble moto: ‘I serve’. Those words were inspiration to many by-gone heirs to the throne when they made their knightly dedication as they came to manhood. I cannot do quite as they did, but through the inventions of science, I can do what was not possible for any of them.” And it is in this - her comments, visits or public addresses which help focus the activities of relevant stakeholders on the need for world peace, stability and development – that the benefits of her presence come in bolder relief, even though this is often overlooked in the midst of the noise from politicians and other policy makers.

In her message (March, 2010) on Commonwealth Day which had the theme: Science, Technology and Society, the Queen followed up on the promise she made so long ago when she stated that "today’s societies are constantly seeking ways to improve their quality of life and science and technology play a vital part in that search." She went further: “the Commonwealth recognizes that the best forms of innovation are those that unite and help build resilient partnerships and better societies as a whole.” Out of her concern for people, she said since more than half of the Commonwealth citizens are under 25 years of age, "it is vital that their potential to build on the exceptional scientific expertise that exists in member states is also fully supported through education and social development.” She therefore urged the commonwealth organization to continue to aid and encourage young people “to participate in the exciting new opportunities that lie ahead in the knowledge that progress is something which must be sustained and shared by all."

On the world stage, many things have taken place in the last 58 years since the Queen ascended the throne: Television arrived, man walked on the moon for the first time, the Berlin Wall was erected and it was brought down. And the world marches on, making use of new innovations, as the Queen said so long ago, to improve the lot of mankind. Her personal life too has been one long journey. She married former Lieutenant Mountbatten, now His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and a great-great- grandson of Queen Victoria, on 20 November 1947. They have four children and eight grandchildren.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the love lives of their children were the subject of media attention. This wiped up some level of discontent with the monarchy, and it got to an all-time high on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. Since then however, public confidence as well as the Queen’s personal popularity has surged, and the monarchy is stronger than ever. As she marks her 84th birthday, the world wishes Queen Elizabeth II, longer life.

Ajibade wrote from Abuja.

A pregnant woman and four other suspects have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for attempting to smuggle 6.3kg of narcotics out of the country.

The agency, on Wednesday, disclosed that the pregnant suspect, Osatohanwen Esohe, 29, who was nabbed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos for ingesting cocaine while trying to board an Alitalia flight to Rome, excreted 27 wraps of the drugs weighing 350g.

“Apart from Chukwuemeka Kingsley that ingested 1.4kg of heroin, Esohe and three others were smuggling 4.8kg of cocaine when they were caught,” said Mitchell Ofoyeju, spokesperson for the agency in a statement.

Hamza Umar, MMIA commander for the agency, disclosed that the pregnant suspect’s action shows no respect for human life, as he described the act as weird.

“They do not have respect for their own lives neither do they respect the dignity of their children,” he said. “This is the height of desperation by drug barons and their associates.”

Mr. Umar gave the names of the other four suspects that were recently apprehended as Arovo Moses, 42, who ingested 1.7kg of cocaine; Darlington Nwanwere, 48, ingested 1.3kg of cocaine; Okeke Anthony, 46, who ingested 1.46kg cocaine; and Chukwuemeka Kingsley, 34, who ingested 1.4kg heroin.

Explaining her reasons for involving in drug peddling, Ms. Esohe disclosed that she was rejected by the man who impregnated her, adding that she had to fend for herself in order to survive.

“I am three months pregnant, and the man that impregnated me refused to take responsibility,” she said. “That was how I got involved in drug trafficking. They promised to pay me 2,000 Euros and I needed the money to take care of myself and the unborn baby.”

According to the agency, Mr. Okeke, a trader and father of three who was to be paid 4,000 pounds, was nabbed on March 19, during screening of passengers on Virgin Atlantic flight to London, while Chukwuemeka Kingsley, the only suspect that ingested heroin, was arrested for swallowing 95 wraps of the substance while trying to board an Alitalia flight to Milan for the sum of 5,000 Euros.

The agency’s spokesperson, however, disclosed that the suspects are to be prosecuted according to the dictates of the law.

“All the suspects will soon be charged to court,” said Mr. Ofoyeju.

.Lagos Pastor and leader of the pro-democracy Save Nigeria Group, Tunde Bakare, has criticised the recent visits of Muslim and Christian clerics to President Umaru Yar’Adua as “the theatre of the absurd.”

Mr. Bakare, who spoke in Lagos on Tuesday, on the heels of Monday’s visit of Christian leaders to Mr. Yar’Adua, said: “It doesn’t matter the number of clerics and ‘babalawo’ taken there. The simple truth is there is something to hide. You know those who operate in the light cannot be afraid to come out.”

He said it is not a crime to be sick, but that Nigerians deserve to know the state of health of their president.

“My good wishes and prayers to the president, if he is truly recovering,” he said. “If they are playing a dangerous political game with his health situation, then nobody should give support to the foolishness that is going on.”

Citing the example of Fidel Castrol of Cuba, the clergyman said powerful world leaders had also found themselves in such situation before, but have been open about it. He said the cohorts taking care of the president should be asked: “what is wrong with allowing the acting president to see him at the Aso Villa?

“I think you journalists should do a serious investigative journalism on this. To be honest with you, I think everything is just becoming the theatre of the absurd; that is all that I could say.”

Last Thursday, some Islamic leaders have visited the ailing president. On Monday, it was the turn of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), whose leadership claimed they sighted and prayed with Mr. Yar’Adua..

Armed men invade labour ward

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has demanded audience with the ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua as a worshipper of Orisa, following recent visits to the presidency by leaders from the nation’s two main religions - Islam and Christianity.

Orisa is a generic name for traditional Yoruba religion.

Mr. Soyinka made this demand yesterday at the Civic Centre, where he delivered a lecture titled ‘Leadership and Followership as shared responsibility’ at an event organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

Proper examination

Reacting to the reported visit of religious leaders to Mr. Yar’Adua over the weekend, Mr. Soyinka said “the clerics that have visited him have been very modest in their report. One said he couldn’t speak while another said he heard him grumble, but both agreed he could not use his hand. It is time a committee of Nigerian doctors actually see Yar’Adua and examine that his hand was truly raised and as well examine if the hand can be used properly.”

Mr. Soyinka said there should be no limit to the group of people allowed to see the ailing president.

“There is a kind of insolence going on around the precincts of Aso Rock and, as privileged groups are now allowed to see him, I am going to send an application as a follower of Orisa demanding that Sango worshippers also want to see him now,” he said.

He then alleged that the president is a victim of spousal abuse and referred to him as President “Yar I do or die”..

Leadership with a sign

In his lecture, Mr. Soyinka, defined the leadership in Nigeria in two ways: governmental leadership and civil leadership and he decried both level of leaderships in Nigeria, saying “government leadership in Nigeria is generally with a sigh.”

He also criticised the previously active civil society in the country. He said that, due to lack of leadership, “civil society became unbelievably comatose, and it took a lot too much of slapping just because each of them was looking for leadership.”

He therefore said Nigerians need to boost civil leadership so as to balance the zones of leadership; stating that “it is the civil leadership that has authority, what government leadership has is just power... and only the civil society can hold the government accountable. We need to make that power ludicrous.”

He commended renewed effort, as seen with the campaigns of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and Enough is Enough coalitions.

“The SNG is an ecumenical, non-partisan and very-very focused group, which is why I joined them,” he said. “This momentum must not be lost or else we return back to the treachery. People must develop the spirit of inconvenience and boycotting. NEPA would not have reached this deplorable state if the civil society was active. This kind of situation is intolerable. Nigerians are amazing people to have taken this much.”

He urged Nigerians to rally around the new movements, which seem to have found the required leadership. Using a Yoruba adage that says “debating if it is the man or woman that killed the snake is irrelevant, what wants matters is that the snake must be killed,” Mr. Soyinka said “that snake of corrupt or manipulative leadership must be killed.”

Iwu must go

The literary icon again reiterated his call for the removal of the chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, calling the INEC boss “a human obstacle to reforming the system.”

Then, reacting to a member of the audience who wondered about the point of voting if one knows that “in an election, my vote will not count”, Mr. Soyinka condemned the level of indolence of the Nigerian citizen, whom he described as “people always blaming the system.”

He called on Nigerians to come out of their shells and fight for the redemption of the country.

“Even when you know that your vote will not count, protecting that vote is part of the shared responsibility otherwise we get into the negative cycle where the other half makes sure you won’t have what you ever want,” he said. “If you rob me, I think it is my responsibility to go after you. It is a simple logical attitude.”

Sam Ohuabunwa, the NESG’s chairperson, affirmed that, with the small population of corrupt leaders, “the massive size of the civil society will swamp the government.”

He identified the problem of civil society as a lack of civil leadership. According to Mr. Ohabunwa, “the challenge today is that the civil society needs to improve their leadership because the more vibrant the civil society, the more accountable the governmental leadership.”

ABUJA—SET to make a mark within the next one year, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan is to head the nation’s moribund power industry; even as he has concluded plans to unveil new initiatives aimed at improving power supply in the next few days, in the reconstituted Federal Executive Council, yesterday.

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) in a group photograph with members of the Federal Cabinet shortly after the re-constitution of the Executive Council of the Federation at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. The Acting President is to work closely with a world renowned electricity power consultant and Chairman of Independent Power Producers Association of Nigeria, Professor Barth Nnaji, who currently heads government’s sub-committee on power. A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, shortly after the inauguration of the 38-man cabinet, said the government’s decision not to appoint a substantive Minister for the Power Ministry was deliberate. He said: “Acting President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, is to take charge of the Power Ministry for now. A new power team is being put in place to work in conjunction with the Professor Barth Nnaji led Power Sub-Committee of the Presidential Advisory council. This new body is to take charge of a new power initiative to be unveiled in a matter of days.” Niboro added that “the Acting President shall chair this body, with the minister of state, power, as deputy chair. The body is to be made up of experts in the different areas of power, from generation to transmission, distribution and finance”. The statement further disclosed that the list of two more ministerial nominees from Taraba and Ebonyi States has been sent to the Senate for clearance, adding that they were likely to take charge of the Health and Water Resources ministries..

Ibori's investigator attacked by gunmen

In a mafia Style take down reminiscent of the hollywood movie The Untouchables,

Solomon Yorr, an official of Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is in a battle for life as medical personnel struggle to patch up his bullet ridden chest.

Mr. Yorr, in the past few weeks, has been intensely involved in the investigation of the former Delta State governor, James Ibori . He is the second-in-command of the team in charge of Mr. Ibori's investigation.

Mr. Yorr, who is attached to the Economic Governance Unit, an elite group in the commission which handles mainly cases of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), was attacked by gunmen on Sunday night in his home in Keffi, Nassarawa.

Femi Babafemi, the head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, in a press statement yesterday, said that the operative is now receiving medical attention and has been installed in an Intensive Care Unit(ICU) in Abuja.

EFCC operatives, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, expressed fears that the attempt on Mr. Yorr's life was not unconnected with the high profile investigations that he has been handling.

Increased tempo and increased attacks

Mr. Babafemi of the EFCC told NEXT in Abuja yesterday, that the recent attacks on operatives of the commission was a result of the increased pace of high profile investigations undertaken by the commission, while debunking the idea that the recent attacks was indicative of a revamp in the quality of investigations being carried out by the EFCC.

"The steam has always been there. We are also raising the tempo of our activities. Some of these attacks are rooted in the desperation of some corrupt politicians to succeed in the 2011 elections. We had already alerted the public on the threats that we have been receiving," he said.

Mr. Babafemi said that between December, 2009 and March, 2010, two active operatives and one former operative of the commission had been killed. But he restated the determination of the anti- corruption agency to go ahead with its duties.

"The EFCC chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, has since directed that security should be beefed up around the officer, while she prays for his recovery. She has equally stressed that the various attacks against the agency and its officials will not in any way distract or deter us," Mr. Babafemi said.

Taking care of its own

A Lagos-based human rights attorney, Jiti Ogunye, however, had harsh words for the leadership of the anti-graft agency, who he says is not doing enough to safe guard the lives of its operatives.

"My observation is that the leadership of the EFCC may not be doing enough to protect its operatives," he said, adding that he feared that the continued attacks on operatives could demoralise their colleagues.

"For a law enforcement agency, it is important that perpetually, the capacity of that agency is bolstered such that it stays ahead of criminals or would-be-criminals. Part of the capacity should be its ability to protect its operatives. It is very important that a law enforcement agency must be able to do that," Mr. Ogunye stressed..

Mr. Ogunye dismissed the idea that the EFCC may be working harder than in the past, and insisted that the leadership of the EFCC must look inwards to solve its current challenge.

"There might be a self-inflicted disability on the part of the leadership of the EFCC, because once the leadership is compromised, then the operatives will no longer be safe. The commission must look inwards to find out what they have not been doing right to protect their operatives," he said.

acting President Goodluck Jonathan has sworn in members of his new cabinet.

A senior executive at the investment bank Goldman Sachs, Olusegun Aganga, has been appointed finance minister.

Thirteen members of the new cabinet are from the dissolved government, Reuters reports.

Mr Jonathan has placed former Mines Minister Deziani Allison-Madueke in charge of the country's oil ministry, a key post in the oil-rich state.

Mr Jonathan has outlined his main priorities as electoral reforms, security in the oil-producing Niger Delta, providing a more reliable power supply and fighting corruption.

In March, Mr Jonathan dissolved the entire cabinet and made new nominations, most of which were accepted by Nigeria's senate last week.

The new cabinet is expected to remain in place until elections due next year.

These are due in April but could be held in January.

President Umaru Yar'Adua has not been seen in public since he fell ill in November 2009..

Other Reports:

Dora Akunyili retains her job as Minister of Information in the new cabinet and John Odey returns to the Environment ministry.

Odein Ajumogobia is named Nigeria's Foreign Affairs minister; Dieziani Allison-Madueke becomes Petroleum Minister while Fidelia Njeze is named Aviation Minister. Olusegun Aganga is the new Finance Minister, and Godsday Orubebe is the Niger Delta Minister.

Idi Hong is minister of state for Health, while Shamsudeen Usman remains Minister of National Planning. Humphrey Abba has been named as Interior Minister.

Bello Adoke is the new Attorney General of the Federation, Adetokunbo Kayode who was formerly the AGF is now the new helsman at the Defence ministry while Murtala Yar'Adua is the minister of state.

As the Police reverted from the gunshot wounds that was alleged to have slaughtered Rimi saying it was heart failure. The

Driver of the late Abubakar Rimi yesterday gave a blow-by-blow account of how the former Kano Stategovernor died, saying Rimi began gasping soon after he saw wounds in his brother’s head after a brush with armed robbers on Sunday night.

Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, who worked with the Rimi family since 1979 when the late politician was elected governor, said their vehicle was forced to stop by a gang of armed robbers along the road to Darki/Gadar Janna near Wudil, south-east of Kano.

“The robbers had completely taken over the road when we approached Darki/Gadar Janna,” he said. “It therefore became compulsory for us to stop, otherwise they would shoot at us.”

“As we stopped, they searched us and collected our money and our handsets. They also beat my boss’ younger brother who was seated right behind me. The security aide to my boss was sitting at the front.

“The robbers were armed, but they did not use their weapons. They asked for money and we gave them. They asked me to open the boot and when I opened it, they searched all our luggage, including that of my boss, but one of the bags was difficult to open.

“At that time, I tried to frighten them by telling them that the police could come and open fire on us all.” Abdullahi said one of the robbers responded by saying: “to hell with the police!”

He said after the robbers were done with them, they asked them to proceed on the journey. As they moved on, Rimi said to him: “You see what robbery is nowadays. These men have now cheated us.” The deceased then said he would never travel at night again, because this was not the first time they encountered robbers.

“They have robbed us once and robbed us twice, therefore we should not fall victims again,” the driver quoted the late Rimi as saying.

He said at that point, Rimi’s brother Alhaji Sule Sa’a told them he was injured in the head and arm by the robbers. Rimi asked to see the wounds and immediately he saw them, he started coughing and gasping. He said as they got to Wudil town, Rimi’s son Nura rang the guard, whose hidden cell phone was not taken by the robbers.

Abdullahi said Nura suggested to them to take the late Rimi straight to hospital instead of coming home, though they assured him that Rimi was not physically attacked by the robbers.

“At that moment my boss started sweating to the extent that Alhaji Sa’a advised me to put on the car air conditioner. As we approached Gano town, my boss said to me ‘take me to Classic Clinic as soon as we get to Kano.’” At the Classic Clinic, Abdullahi said, “after he was examined by a female doctor, we were asked to take him to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).” He said Rimi was already unconscious by the time they got to the teaching hospital.

“We—myself, Nura and the bodyguard—lifted him into the emergency ward. They later asked us to leave the room so that he could take fresh air. So I came out, but shortly Nura came out and started calling friends and family members to inform them that my boss was dead,” Abdullahi said.

Rimi, a former minister of communications and presidential aspirant, died Sunday night of complications from high blood pressure an hour after he had an encounter with armed robbers on his way back to Kano from Bauchi. (Daily Trust)

A new pan African styled reality show to be hosted by the first ever black Miss World and Face of L'Oreal Agbani Darego titled Stylogenic is set to debut on TV.

Shedding light on the concept of the programme at the launch in Lagos recently, Ms. Darego said "Firstly, I must say that the show is quite unique, in the sense that unlike other reality TV shows, it won't be focused on a particular individual, or one aspect of fashion. It's going to be focused on the whole aspects of fashion. In essence, it will be focused on a group of people involved in fashion such as the designer, the model, the make-up artist, the stylist, the hair stylist and the photographer. What this means is that at the end of every edition when there is an eviction, not one person will be evicted, but the whole team."

A sense of style

She also explained that Stylogenic "is trying to portray a sense of style that everyone has," she said. "For example, in Nigeria there are so many ethnic groups, and each one of them has its own different attire; that's stylish, that is being fashionable; that's style, and that's what we are trying to promote. Everyone has a sense of style that they are proud of, and we are not trying to change it."..

The model, who has been busy studying for a Psychology degree at the New York University, said she won't try to force her sense of style on any of the contestants because "The show is about people being aware of style. My own preferences or choice of style is quite different from that of everyone, because we are all different types of people."

Style teams

Speaking further, she added that the contestants will comprise of a team of six people, and there are going to be several teams while the show will be broadcast with a total of 13 episodes.

Quite unlike most shows which are based on the search for a top model or designer or stylist, Stylogenic will revolve around the concept of a style team. Begining immediately after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, entries for contestants will open to all Africans with casting calls held in Lagos, Johannesburg, Nairobi, London and New York.

Each team will be competing against one another for mouth-watering prizes, which include a showing at Fashion and Design Weeks in London and Cape Town, said Solomon Ikhioda, Head, Sponsorship, Insight Communications Ltd, one of the show's executive co-producers.

Tens of thousands of sympathisers yesterday trooped to the Emir of Kano's Palace to witness the funeral prayer for the late Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi.

The former governor of the old Kano State died on Sunday evening, following an encounter with armed robbers on his way to Kano from Bauchi State.

As the news continued to spread in the early hours of Monday in the city about the demise of the outspoken and firebrand former governor, people gathered around the city discussing and mourning. They all wore grim looks..

Tumultuous crowd

Immediately the death was confirmed, the Emir's Palace - which was the venue for the funeral - was besieged by sympathizers.

Thousands of persons, irrespective of party leanings, took part in the rowdy funeral. Crowd control was overwhelming for the authorities as they were unable to bring the corpse out of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital ambulance for the funeral prayer. The body was later brought to the palace at 12.45pm, where the deputy Imam of the Kano Central Mosque, Nazifi Dalhatu, led the prayers. The prayer was attended by the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, among several other dignitaries.

Other dignataries who witnessed the prayer include the governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido; the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; the former Labour and Productivity Minister, Musa Lawan Gwadabe; and the deputy governor of Kano, Abdullhahi Tijjani. The former governor has since been buried in the Tarauni Mosque in the city.

Among the dignitaries who paid tributes was Muhammed Abacha, the eldest son of the late Head of State, Sani Abacha. He said, "The loss is a monumental one, not only to the polity but to the entire human race. Rimi's single vocal voice has tremendously brought some purity in the elitism and political office holdership. Filling the vacuum he left behind is the greatest challenge that Nigerians as citizens would face in the next couple of years. The legacies he left behind in terms of social infrastructure, and otherwise is there for everybody to testify. The only justice Nigerians will do to Rimi is to strive hard to fill in his shoes, so that at least there will be some sanity in the conduct of life."

Former presidential adviser to President Shehu Shagari, Tanko Yakasai, said Mr. Rimi's death is a big loss not only to his family, but to the entire nation.

"Rimi was a dodged fighter, a fearless politician who dedicated his life to the unity of the nation and enthronement of everlasting democracy in the country. By his death, Nigeria has lost one of its pillars who stood firm in the struggle for the restoration of true democracy, not only in Nigeria but in the entire African continent. May Allah forgive his mistakes and grant his gentle soul rest in peace."

Tributes to a man of the people

Former Lagos State Police Commissioner, Abubakar Tsav, blamed police laxity for Mr. Rimi's death. "The death of Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi through armed robbery attack by a gang of blood thirsty armed robbers on the road brings to question the willingness and capability of the Nigeria Police to provide security for the people of this country. The federal, state, and local governments have on several occasions purchased and donated patrol vehicles to the police as well as provide money for fuelling to aid their operations. All these have not enhanced police efficiency in crime prevention and detection."

Rimi's younger brother, Sule Sa'a, said the Emir of Nasarawa, Hassan Ahmad, had advised the late Mr. Rimi to cancel the night journey. The younger brother, who sustained scalp injury during the encounter with the armed robbers, in tears narrated how "Rimi insisted on the journey to enable him meet some commitments in Kano."

Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, who is abroad, described Mr. Rimi's death as a big tragedy to the state and the entire nation. Mr. Shekarau, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Sule Yau Sule, said, " it is tragic, a big loss not only to Kano, but the nation in general. He was a political icon whose ideology is being emulated by many."

Former All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) governorship candidate, Kabiru Gwangwazo, described Mr. Rimi's achievement during his tenure as governor of the state as the best ever.

"From 1979, when he became the first elected governor of old Kano State, no governor in both Kano and Jigawa States, and probably in the whole north, can be compared with him in terms of service delivery and mass followership. Since his time as governor, all politicians and political parties recruit most of their leading elites from among Rimi's disciples. His shoes would be very difficult to fill."

‘Blood And Oil’: BBC Drama on the Niger Delta Crisis