Yenagoa —The Ijaw in Washington DC the United States capital are planning to stage a demonstration march to the White House in protest against what they described as the ongoing genocide being unleashed on Ijaw communities by the JTF.
The essence of the demonstration it was learnt is to draw global attention to the intractable and ever-intensifying crisis and genocide in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Several Ijaw communities in the Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have been destroyed by the nation’s security forces in search of militants.
President of the Ijaw Foundation Board of Director, Ebipamone N. Nanakumo who disclosed this to Vanguard in a telephone interview from his base in the United States said the protest march is slated for next Monday June 1, 2009.
His words, “This is to inform all of us that arrangements are being made for an Ijaw Demonstration March in Washington DC next Monday, June 1, 2009 from 12:30 PM to 4:30PM.”
The protest march he said would commence at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, along the sidewalk and terminate at the White House.
According to him, “the Ijaw Foundation’s application for the permit for the demonstration was sent by FEDEX on Friday May 22, 2009, to the National Park Service in Washington DC . We expect the application to be approved.”
JTF offensive on Gbaramatu, intentional—Ijaw communities
THE Olero Ijaw Federated Communities in Delta State says the current carnage on Ijaw communities of Gbaramtu kingdom by the Joint Task Force is designed by the Nigerian state.
In a statement, yesterday, signed by the national secretary, Mr. Adanse Felix, the communities said, “we wish to state categorically that the recent onslaught against the Ijaw communities by the JTF is pre-planned by the Nigerian state”.
On the support for military action in the Niger-Delta by the House of Representatives, they said, “we detest the statement credited to the Speaker of House Representatives supporting military option and backing of the JTF”, it said, adding “it is barbaric and uncalled-for for the entire House to support the current carnage in d Niger Delta”.
According to them: “We want to call on Mr .President to order cessation of the hostilities that have claimed over 1,000 innocent lives in the creeks”.
“We also want to call on the International Community and the United Nations to set up an independent enquiry to probe the remote cause of the recent attacks against civil Ijaw communities.
“The UN and the International Community should not shy away from telling the truth and sanction the Nigerian government for the destruction of innocent civilians in their communities.
“We want to call on well-meaning individuals to help the displaced persons who are still trapped in the creeks without foodstuff and shelters. We sincerely pray for the repose of the souls that died as a result of the carnage”, they asserted.
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I always knew it would happen; that the bubble of delusion would burst. But I never imagined that it would happen in such dramatic fashion and right on our doorstep.But then, when you refuse to face reality, reality, like the mountain, will come face to face with you; when you prefer to engage in hallucinatory delusion, the chances are always that someone who is less inclined to massage your ego will shiver your timber. That is precisely what happed at the recent African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) ceremonies.Nigeria's galaxy of Nollywood stars trapezed and sashayed down the Yenagoa Red Carpet (complete with bodyguards, would you believe it?!) probably pinching themselves that this is Hollywood and the Oscars, and not Yenagoa and AMAA. Delusion often does that to people; fantasy becomes fact and wishes become horses. But unknown to the overdressed and over-confident Nigerian contingent, reality was lurking in the city's Cultural Centre.Delusion has characterized Nollywood over the 17 years of its existence. Like all self-indulgent acts of delusion, we convinced ourselves that we now have a film industry and not the amateur video enterprise that it really is. Sometimes we even believe that Nollywood can now be mentioned in the same breath as Hollywood and Bollywood. I recall Frank Nweke, then Information Minister, in 2005 threatening to take Cannes Film Festival by storm with Nollywood films the next time around!I pictured the movie moguls who heard him chuckling into their glasses of champagne, and wondering what dreamland this Rip Van Winkle came out from. So why did Nigerian “films” not sweep the board as expected, but instead were swept away by entries from countries who do not boast anything near the output of Nollywood? Some critics have quite rightly described the failure as the triumph of quality over quantity. True. But it goes beyond the home video industry and right to the core of our national values and aspirations as a people.First is that we tend to equate growth with development; quantity with quality. We have the “fastest growing” mobile telephony in the world, yet we need three handsets to make one successful call. But Somalia without a government in 17 years has a more efficient mobile service. So the primary lesson of AMAA 2009 is that the awards are about CREATIVITY, not commerce. Nollywood must take note of this or remain an amateur home video enterprise, catering to idle women in hair dressing salons, and populated by pretentious actors and directors who see themselves as the peers of the Hollywood elite.When home video made its debut in 1992 with “Living in Bondage”, its success promised so much. So why did the enterprise quickly relapse into classic Nigerian complacency, bereft of creative dynamism? Why has it remained a home video, instead of graduating to the celluloid culture that a film industry should thrive on? Some of the reasons for this are germane to Nollywood itself; others derive from the character and values of our nation.But first, let us recognize that Nollywood is a misnomer; a conjecture, an imitation. Hollywood is a physical entity. Bollywood derives from Bombay, home of the Indian films (now renamed Mumbai - perhaps we should call it Mollywood!). But where would one find Nollywood? The N is, of course, from Nigeria. Beyond that Nollywood is a notion, a delusion. Nigerian home videos came at a time of cultural famine, when there were no cinemas, no theatres and very little avenues for creative outlet and enjoyment; a welcome respite from boredom and an over-bearing military. But the first mistake by Nollywood was that it was lured into a premature sense of greatness by the initial acclaim from a people starved of popular entertainment and lacking in today's pleasures of satellite TV. But like most things Nigerian, proliferation and mass production overtook the infant industry. Every Tomesi, Dike and Haruna became an actor, a director and a producer. Along came the marketers who had the capital but not the creative or artistic talent that drive a real film industry. They began to call the shots. They usurped the functions of the producers and casting directors, and reduced the directors, the creative soul of films, to nothing more than directors of photography. The marketers decided who to cast and how many episodes a film should run. On one occasion, they blacklisted a host of actors and actresses and nearly brought the business to its knees.The rest of us were too busy basking in the euphoria of the “third largest movie industry in the world,” to pause and ask the necessary question: Are we making movies or simply producing amateurish home videos that catered only to an uncritical mass? Those crowing over the recent UNESCO report should note that the organization restricted itself to quantity of films produced around the world, not quality.Ideally, the initial success of Nollywood was a signal to take stock and begin to grow the industry, professionalizing it into a viable film industry. But we were busy riding on the crest of popular euphoria. Soon we were showering accolades on mediocre actors and directors. Best actor, best director – by what standard? We judged them by our Naija standards, and forgot that their “films” had little artistic and creative merit. We chose to be patriotic rather than artistic.We also ignored another very important handicap: Nigeria does not have a tradition of theatre, drama and repertory, in spite of the pioneer efforts of the Ogundes, Soyinkas, Osofisans, and the Sonny Otis. Our decrepit National Theatre in Lagos bears testimony to that. British and American films grew and excelled because they had the West End and Shakespearean tradition, and Broadway respectively. These were the proving grounds for actors, writers and technicians who later made the transition to the big and small screens. In addition, while in the US, UK and India, the industry provides essential practical training at film academies, acting and drama schools, in typical Nigerian fashion, anyone can consider him or herself eminently qualified to act, write or direct.Secondly, a close look shows that Nollywood represents nearly all that is wrong with Nigerian society, beginning with a premature sense of greatness. I recall when my first novel was published in 1981. A reporter said to me: “You must be feeling on top of the world?” I was aghast: on top of the world with just one novel?Twenty-eight years and five novels later, I still do not feel on top of the world. It would appear that in the case of Nollywood, the initial success of “Living in Bondage”, the first home video, created an exaggerated sense of greatness. Also Bondage dealt with a cultural theme which resonated with ordinary Nigerians and has remained a dominant feature till today, while the consumers remained the uncritical mass. The incentive to innovate and develop was sacrificed, and pioneer film-makers such as Eddie Ugboma and Ola Balogun found no room or role in the mass market of Nollywood.In 17 years, Nollywood movies have remained grossly predictable, characterized by shallow storylines, poor scriptwriting, one dimensional acting, atrocious dialogue, and abysmally inept directing. There are more Igwes and red cap chiefs in a Nollywood film than in the whole of Igbo land. You can watch someone for 15 minutes examining a flat tyre, and another 20 minutes changing it.When Nollywood ventured into action movies, we found that they were exactly at the stage Indian films were 50 years ago. In an age of pyrotechnics and high-tech, Nigerian movies still feature plastic pistols and fake machine guns that shoot before the trigger is pulled, and villains that die in a pool of tomato juice before we hear the sound of gunshot. Violence is gratuitous, language is vulgar and nearly every Nigerian film carries a Violence and Language (VL) warning.Another delusion is the belief that Nigerian movies have global appeal. The truth is that Nigerian movies are only popular with Nigerians in Diaspora whose nostalgia and home-sickness find solace in Nollywood videos. Other countries find the obsession with witchcraft and fetish rituals quite laughable. No one can tell you that he went to a cinema to watch a Nollywood film; not even here in Nigeria. Indeed but for DSTv, Nigerian movies would have had no relevance. For this reason, the producers are only too glad to have their films shown on satellite television for peanuts and they have no control over exploitation and other rights, or how soon after their release TV can transmit them.But the final responsibility for the state of Nollywood rests with us as a people. Nigeria and Nollywood will be great when we begin to give and demand nothing but the best; when we are no longer content with how-for-do ; when we stop extolling mediocrity and hyping up mediocre achievements, and when we stop comparing ourselves with only ourselves, instead of the best.• Dr. Iroh, OON, wrote from Abuja
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Launching the childrens social network at http://9jakids.ning.com !
Tell your kids Tell your nieces,nephews,cousins etc !
"I would Die for my child ! " Screamed a woman at the Bus Stop ! i listened, intially thinking she was mad but as my bus drove off i understood that statement and I agreed.It is one of those unconditional Statements.Not yet a mother but already I understand the selflessness my own mother showers upon me even at her old age and i know the privelege of being someone's child.
What would you do for your child ? Would you die for your child if you had to ?
May 27th Childrens Day . A fun Day for the kids, no school ! fun at the parade with a march past for some !
What today means to the ones blessed with rich parents or guardians is fun.For others, it means just another day of poverty,poor health and low class education.
what does today mean to you ? What kind of Future are we preparing for our kids ? We cant all leave and go abroad .think about it . we say our kids are the future but what future are we leaving behind for them.
Obasanjo once said 30years ago " the kids are the leaders of tomorrow".That tomorrow is here and OBJ and his gang are still leading our nation astray.
In this article the primary UN childkeeping force UNICEF has spoken a lot about the status of the Ni.ger.ian Child but they have not spoken about what is in store for them in the Future.A future filled with Education and Technological Advancement.A future where Engineering and Computers will play a massive role for our Nation .I wonder why Technological Education was omitted in their Press Release for today ?Their focus was the disparity between girls and boys within the educational system.
Think Well about May 27 2009 .It is Childrens day 1979 + 30years .
Noelene Joshua works for a london child care Charity fund.Thanks noel.
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N.i.g.er.i.a’s Children’s Day: UNICEF calls for accelerating progress on girls’ education
ABUJA, 27 May 2005. Today millions of children across the nation are celebrating N.i.g.er.i.a’s Children’s Day on the theme: “Educate the girl child, educate the nation”. UNICEF welcomes the choice of this theme and joins all N.i.g.er.i.an children in calling on policy makers, local authorities, religious and traditional leaders, school authorities, the media and all N.i.g.er.i.an parents to accelerate progress on educating girls.
“Providing quality education for all children is a must”, said Barbara Reynolds, UNICEF Deputy Representative. “However, because girls are participating in much fewer numbers and for shorter periods, particular attention to girls is essential, not only for the development of the country, but to fulfill the right of every child to education.” “We need to ensure that as many girls as boys attend school throughout the country, if we are to achieve universal primary education,” she added.
A recent UNICEF publication, “Progress for Children”, reporting on progress made on primary education, shows that the current rate of progress in N.i.g.er.i.a is too slow to achieve gender parity by end 2005 and universal primary education by 2015, the target dates for N.i.g.er.i.a’s achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. In N.i.g.er.i.a, about 7.3 million children do not go to school, of whom 62% are girls.
Last January, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child*, in its observations of the second report submitted by N.i.g.er.i.a, expressed concerns that universal education has not been realized in N.i.g.er.i.a, partially because it is neither free, nor compulsory, despite the Constitutional guarantee. They also underlined the high illiteracy among girls and women and the gender and regional disparities in school enrolment. Recommendation was made to prioritize equal accessibility to educational opportunities for girls and boys from urban and rural areas.
N.i.g.er.i.an girls are still disadvantaged in their access to education. As a result, all do not register for school and those who register do not attend regularly, and eventually drop out or learn very little. The gender gap favoring boys has remained consistently wide in N.i.g.er.i.a over the last ten years. In the Northern part of the country, the number of children out of school is particularly high and the proportion of girls to boys in school ranges from 1 girl to 2 boys and even 1 to 3 in some States.
To address this issue, UNICEF supported the “25 by 2005” global initiative for the acceleration of girls’ education in order to achieve gender parity in 25 countries by 2005. N.i.g.er.i.a is one of the 25 countries selected for this fast track action. In 2003, the Ministry of Education adopted the Strategy for Accelerating Girls Education in N.i.g.er.i.a. In 2004, the Ministry also launched the Girls’ Education Project, supported by UNICEF and DFID, in order to focus interventions on States with lowest enrolment rate for girls.
The collaborative efforts made by government, civil society and development partners have yielded results especially in the southern part of the country as well as in pilot projects in northern States. It has demonstrated also that boys benefit from programs that are developed to improve education for girls, as boys face many of the same problems.
The Universal Basic Education (UBE) Commission has been implementing projects that provide more schools, better qualified teachers and gender sensitive textbooks and curriculum. However, to create the policy environment at the State levels were the bulk of these interventions are most required, the UBE Act needs to be urgently domesticated by all States and translated in very concrete programmes.
Educating girls is a national priority. Each year a girl is in school is a progressive step toward eliminating poverty, advancing sustainable human development and controlling preventable illnesses. Providing education, especially to girls, is also an adequate strategy for stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS. All children must have the chance to attend school. As N.i.g.er.i.a celebrates children, let’s listen to their voice asking for an equitable access to education.
Launching the childrens social network at http://9jakids.ning.com !
Tell your kids Tell your nieces,nephews,cousins etc !
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When some moviemakers used her father's hotel in Ibadan as a location in 1998, little did many realise that Olaide Bakare was catching a glimpse of life vocation as she inquisitively followed actions of the actors and their directors. Mistakenly considered the daughter of veteran actor, Olumide Bakare, Olaide got hooked on the thrills of the make-believe world and decided to cut her teeth in the entertainment industry.That one chance encounter with film making by the mother of one completely changed her life, and engendered in her, the desire to be a screen siren. "It all started when I had a chance meeting with some moviemakers who came to shoot a film in my father's hotel in Ibadan. That day was coincidentally my father's birthday and house warming ceremony. And since that day, I desired and longed to be like them. "Meanwhile, I had already gained admission to study Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan, which was really an anti-climax," she said.Having her first incursion 2001, Laide starred in a flick entitled Eru Ju Omi later 11:45. For the young lady, her desire to be recognised in her chosen field was responsible for her rapid rise to recognition. "I think my desire to be recognised in whatever I find myself doing is responsible for my achievements. I want to succeed in whatever I do. I never liked to fail even while I was a child, so I put all I had into it and I thank God for the result," Laide said.Laide's experience in Nollywood has become a success story, as she has been able to rise through the ranks, which to her, "is a thing of joy to see myself where I am today, because it is not everyone who started with me that is still relevant in the industry. Some fell by the wayside, while some are still trying to find their feet. So, I would say that it has been fun, as you tend to meet a lot of people everyday. "I can't really say this moment is the most challenging in my career! Perhaps it was while I was in school. It wasn't easy combining schooling with acting. You had to juggle being on location with several other things, but I am grateful to God that I was able to pull through."However, the sultry actress maintained that despite her love for the art, she has never been desperate over it. "Yes I love acting and the art, but for me, it wasn't a do-or-die affair. I could remember when I was in school; I rejected lot of roles that clashed with important school activities. So, when people say some actress use sex to get roles, I wonder why anybody would want to, and since it hasn't happened to me, I can't say much. "The fact that I am an actress does not mean that I have to play all the roles that are thrown at me and I have the right to say yes or no to any role."For an actress whose first fee was quite small, Laide believes making a name was of paramount importance, and as such, placed little or no relevance on the monetary gains, believing this might quickly stymie her future. "I think my level of understanding of what it takes to be an actress and a moviemaker is my unique selling point. You see, capacity building is very important in whatever we do in Nollywood, and I'm not ignorant of the happenings in the industry, so, that is why I make my productions stand out from the various movies that are being churned out on a monthly basis. "My personality is something I always believe I can improve upon. I'm not deceived that I am the best or one of the best, I believe I can always improve on whatever I have been able to achieve. "I am a very simple person, level headed, intelligent, and appreciative of my friends and easy going," Laide said on her uniqueness and personality in the make-believe world.With the regular challenges that many married actresses face whenever they remain on the spotlight, how has she been able to withstand the heat? "When you are always busy and do not have time for your loved ones, there are bound to be complaints from them. It's even very bad when the person concerned is not as understanding as you would have wanted or expected. "I am glad that I have someone that is very understanding and loves me for who I am, and he is coping because he knew what he was doing when he proposed to me. "He understands me so well and the kind of job I do is not a problem to him. I strongly believe he saw in me someone he wanted and not the regular actress or Laide the actress!" In describing herself, Laide said, "You might find this quite unbelievable, but outside the screen, I'm a very shy person; I don't talk too much and I am still hoping to be a better actress and moviemaker. This is because the future holds so much for those who dare dream and believe in themselves, and I believe I want to be part of that special people." Said to be very respectful and polite, Laide, whose hubby lives in far away United States of America, where he works with the U.S. Customs, maintains that she is involved in other things like selling cars and running a boutique, apart from acting.
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The Federal Government said yesterday that the protracted conflict in the troubled Niger Delta region is the handiwork of some aggrieved repatriated Nigerians, in concert with militants.Speaking at a one-day national sensitisation workshop on issues relating to internal security, Minister of Interior, Maj. General Godwin Abbe (rtd), assured that the Nigerian state is however, developing new dimensions to security strategies to match its level of development.According to Abbe, the situation arose from the gory and unimaginable suffering, exploitation, punishment and death experienced by those deported from all parts of the globe, having been lured out of the country by human traffickers “I am concerned about these Nigerians brought in from various countries of the world; Europe, America, South East Asia and indeed other African countries.A number of them come with various habits and attitudes, they come in defeated, they come back aggrieved and armed with all sorts of ideas that are anti-social in nature," he said.Abbe said the rampant cases of kidnapping which has assumed a dangerous dimension in terms of its frequency and intensity was a grave national security challenge that government must tackle headlong.He said though government is putting into consideration those who are weak and helpless, “nobody should take the magnanimous approach of government for a ride or for incompetence or inability to do what must be done to bring law and order to every part of the country."He urged states to synergize, cross-fertilize ideas and come up with recommendations to assist the Federal Government to address this common national problem and find a common solution.
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The four-year-old daughter of boxing legend Mike Tyson died last night when she accidentally strangled herself with an electrical cord.
Little Exodus was found hanging from the flex which was attached to a treadmill in an exercise room at her mum's home.
Her distraught dad was at her bedside as she struggled for life on a hospital respirator. But she died hours later.
Exodus was discovered at the house in Phoenix, Arizona, by seven-year-old brother Miguel who alerted their mum Monica Turner.
Police Sergeant Andy Hill, who answered Monica's panicked emergency call, said: "It's so tragic. Exodus was playing by herself when she got tangled in the cord which was attached to an exercise treadmill.
"It acted like a noose and she was obviously unable to get herself out of it.
"We don't know how long she was hanging, but it could have been a couple of minutes."
Former heavyweight champion Tyson, 42, who had been filming a documentary in Las Vegas, immediately flew to Phoenix to be beside his daughter. Paediatrician Monica, who is his ex-wife, was also at the hospital.
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A spokesman for the boxer said: "The Tyson family would like to extend our deepest, most heartfelt thanks for all your prayers and support, and we ask that we be allowed our privacy at this difficult time."
James Toback, director of the new documentary Tyson, said the accident had devastated Exodus's "adoring" parents.
He said: "This is horrendous. There is no more careful a mother."
Neighbour Dinka Radic said that Tyson did not live at the house but regularly visited his children. She last saw him a month ago at Miguel's birthday party.
Dinka added: "I'd see Exodus and her brother playing together. She always asks me for chocolate. When I give it to her, she kisses me.
"She's such a cute girl. A real sweetie. I pray to God she pulls through."
Another neighbour, Ben Brodhurst, said: "She's a lively girl, you see her riding a bicycle from house to house." Tyson, who was jailed for rape and drug offences and banned from boxing for biting off part of rival Evander Holyfield's ear, recently said he had turned his life around because of his children.
He added: "I've been sober for two-anda-half years and I'm working hard to keep out of trouble.
"If there's a transformation it's because of my children. I want to be a proper father."
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I love our staple food, and I am lucky enough to eat it on a daily basis. How healthy are they though?In Nigeria, our staple food consists of a variety of yam, cassava and brown rice. These can be prepared in any number of ways. They however, all have one thing in common. Since it makes sense to classify foods based on their highest nutritional content, the one thing they have in common is that Cassava, Yam and Brown rice are all carbohydrates.Carbohydrates however, are the main culprit where weight gain is concerned. This is because; the final break down of carbohydrate in the body is simple sugar. I want to point out that when the supply of ingested glucose (glucose is the only usable form of simple sugar) is too high, the blood sugar level gets too high and the excess glucose must be eliminated from the bloodstream. This increased level of blood sugar triggers the release of insulin (the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels) to transport or make the excess glucose available to the body tissues.Especially after exercise, when energy stores are low, the muscle tissue is the first point of call of the insulin-carried glucose. Glucose however can only be taken up by the muscle tissues at a gradual rate. If too much insulin-carried glucose is present at one time, the liver is the next stop.The liver like the muscle tissue, also takes up glucose at a gradual rate and when the liver stores are full and there is still an excess supply of insulin-carried glucose in the bloodstream, the next stop is the adipose tissue where it is stored as fat. Unlike the muscle and liver, the adipose tissues take up glucose quite rapidly.The rate at which glucose is released into the blood is an important issue as, if the ingested carbohydrates are already simple sugars or low in fibre, the digestion process will be shorter and they will be absorbed too quickly. This causes the pancreatic tissue to release an excess amount of insulin into the blood. Since the liver and muscle tissues only take up glucose gradually, the excess insulin-carried-glucose will by-pass the muscle and liver and be deposited in the adipose tissue where it is rapidly stored as fat.This is where the quality and quantity of carbohydrates we eat comes in. I believe that by now you can see the danger in eating too much simple sugars or food low in fibre. The flip side to the coin is to eat complex carbohydrates as this will result in an intermittent release of glucose into the bloodstream which means that the pancreas will not release excess insulin into the bloodstream; which also means that most of the glucose will be stored in the liver and muscle tissues as opposed to being deposited as fat in the adipose tissue.Our staple foods tend to be complex carbohydrates and that is great news but we definitely do not eat them on their own. Irrespective of how healthy they are, we cannot survive on carbohydrates alone. There are a number of ways in which we eat our staple food. For example, yam can be boiled and eaten with palm oil and pepper soup or yam when cooked, will be beaten to a paste to make pounded yam and eaten with ogbono soup (my favourite) or egusi soup, etc. Cassava can be used to make garri and eaten in a similar way. Brown rice can be eaten with stew, or made into jollof rice, or fried rice.I mentioned above that the glucose we get from complex carbohydrates is slowly released into our blood stream. This is because it takes longer for our body to fully digest them (up to an hour). Well, it takes even longer when these complex carbohydrates are mixed with proteins and fat. In fact, when you eat carbohydrates with proteins, it takes about 3 to 4 hours for digestion to be completed.The Nigerian staple food is clearly healthy to eat as they are complex carbohydrates. However, what we eat them with and how much we eat at any given time, also plays an important role in our weight management and overall well-being.Look out for my future article on THE RIGHT WAY TO EAT TO BURN FAT! Until then, here are a few tips to follow:• Eat moderately, not like there is no tomorrow. It does not matter how healthy the food is, if you eat too much, you will gain weight.• When using Palm oil, choose that with little or no cholesterol and use it sparingly. Avoid palm oil or any other oil that is solid at room temperature.• Eat at regular intervals – 3 to 4 hours and do not skip meals.• Engage in a regular sporting routine so that you can balance out your input versus your output (depending on what your goal is).Tejiri OrugboCertified Fitness NutritionistCertified Personal TrainerFounder - http://www.gymhawk.com
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Imagine for one second what 9gerians and other Illegal immigrants go through because of the "fear of Immigration is the beginning of Wisdom mentality"
Worried Daulat Irani kept her mum’s body hidden in a freezer for 20 years because she was scared of an immigration inquiry.
Neighbour believe Mrs Irani, now 83, feared the authorities would discover her elderly mum had been living here illegally if she made her death public.
So instead of having a funeral, the body was wrapped up in a black bin bag and then put in a chest freezer in the garage.
Alex Bennett, 24, yesterday said he had been a neighbour of Mrs Irani’s ever since he was a baby – and had never seen her mother. Trainee chef Alex added: “She’s a lovely old lady and always sends a Christmas card to us.
“She used to look after a white-haired gentleman known as ‘the doctor’ when he became poorly. But I think he passed away a couple of years ago. I’ve lived here all my life and I never saw her mum.”
Another neighbour added: “She’s a very private person. I normally see her taking out her rubbish or going shopping by minicab.
“She’s very clean and tidy and keeps her garden in good condition. Obviously it was shocking when the police came and told me what had happened.
“They said they believed the body had been in the freezer for more than 20 years. I think it was an immigration thing because her mum was illegal and they didn’t want anyone to know.
“You just wouldn’t expect it on such a quiet suburban road.” Ray Dyson, 77, a retired warehouse worker who also lives near Mrs Irani in Sidcup, South East London, said: “She’s a nice old lady who goes about her own business quietly. We always
nod and say hello. This has all come as a bit of a shock.
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“The first we knew was when two police cars and an officer in a full forensic bodysuit turned up.
“They taped-off the garage and have now put a padlock on it. It was obviously more serious than a burglary so I asked if she was OK and the police said she was fine.”
It is believed that Mrs Irani confided her secret to a horrified friend, who then alerted police.
A neighbour said: “I think she just needed to tell someone and whoever she spoke to passed it on to the police.
“I saw her after the police visited and she told me they questioned her for hours. I told her it wasn’t surprising considering what they’d found. She
said the police were going to contact her again soon.”
Officers questioned Mrs Irani under caution but yesterday said they are not treating the death as suspicious.
A source said: “She said the body had been in the freezer for at least 20 years. We are awaiting the postmortem results for confirmation of this.”
Mrs Irani answered the door of her smart semi last night but refused to comment. Her green garage door was secured with a police padlock.
A Metropolitan police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm we went to a residential address in Sidcup.
“Officers found the body of a woman. We believe we know the identity but await formal identification. The death is being treated as unexplained. An 83-year-old woman has been interviewed under caution but there have been no arrests.”
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Friday NightMay 24, 2009Friday NightOriginally uploaded by NollywoodForeverFriday Night – 2008Story – Adjoa Van Vicker & Diana MorrisScreenplay – Van VickerDirector – Van VickerStarring:Van Vicker – PapeNana Ama McBrown – MissyLivingston Kwane Lotsu – AndreOmar de 1st – RashidFred Magma Johnson – KobiGloria Osei-Sarfo – AbigailZiggy Nartteyson – GamboPatrick Sarfor – JakeMaame Gyamfua Asibey – BrendaJanet Osei-Sarfo – BerniceNii Offei Dodo – StickGloria Nyarko – AbenaSunita Tetteh – ChristabelEdmond Quarshie – Hotel ManagerBright Alogbaya – SunshineThemes:ProstitutionPimpingMarriageInfidelityMy Rating: 8%This the blurb from the back cover of the movie:Childhood friends Pape, Koby and Rashid, now married have made an outing every Friday Night, a tradition in their lives, even though their wives try to talk them out if it. What they do at these outings is “unimaginable”. Koby has a grudge that he must settle with Pape so he honours a deal with a notorios pimp Jake the Shadow to get one of his whores Missy in trouble to get back at Pape. Missy on the other hand wasnt to buy back her freedom, like her friend Debra in order to pursue a singing career, but Jake has a plan in motion.It was a perfect hook up but on the wrong night.Friday Nights can be freaky.*************SPOILERS*************The reason that I have copied the synopsis fromt the back movie cover is that I could not finish watching this movie, and to the point I had got up to I could not really tell what the general gist of the story was except there was a pimp, some hoes and a dude cheating on his wife.I was looking forward to watching this… Van Vicker’s attempt at writing and directing a movie… I wish I could say that it was a great effort but I can’t. It was torturous watching this absolute drivel. If you look at it the concept isn’t bad but the execution was horrible, a complete waste of a story. I started with an open mind but only 11 minutes in and I was ready to be finished.The begining alone should have contained some scene to draw viewers in and make us want to keep watching, instead we are stuck with a club scene with loud music and no dialogue. I got bored very quickly and my patience was wearing thin but I persevered.We see a scene with Andre in his bedroom in his marital home. One of the girl’s he met from the club the night before calls him on his cell. He starts shouting at her that she shouldn’t have called him. His wife then walks in and he hangs up on her changing the conversation as if he is talking to a business associate that needs to meet up with him urgently. his wife is suspicious and while he is pretending to talk on the phone calls it. Of course it rings and he is BUSTED!So what does he go and tell his wife as his excuse for lying,“It was this stupid girl from the club last night – You know how they are. She said she was lonely.”What kind of idioticness is this? What man is going to say that, a man that is supposedly trying to show that he is sorry. I would imagine they would at least pretend that they were trying to get rid of someone that had been after them for a while. I mean what is a married man doing giving his number to a chick in the club only LAST NIGHT anyway?The wife then does some exaggerated talk to the hand type of gesture. The whole scene is so dreadful, fake and terribly acted.There is another scene that was also kinda weird. The prostitute Missy has run away from her pimp and is in the gym. The camera focuses on her and Brenda. Brenda keeps looking over at Missy and smiling in a suggestive way. It looks to me like Brenda is a lesbian trying to prey on Missy. When the exercise class is over Brenda goes over to Missy and they start talking. The exchange is as if they are strangers, however within minutes they are talking about things that would suggest that contrary to being strangers they actually know each other very well. This is the height of bad execution.Maame Asibey who played Brenda acted like she needed to be in a pantomime. Everything she said was as if there were an exclamation mark after it and her eyebrows were constantly raising as if she were suprised. Nana Ama Mcbrown was decent, but what good is decent with everything else around you being so bad?Half an hour in a gave up and switched it off. Perhaps it gets better but I really didn’t care enough to plough through. I would not recommend this at all. On the plus side Livingston Lotsu (with the dreads) was a nice piece of eye candy.
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Story – Oby Somina OkaforScreenplay – Oby Somina Okafor & Amaechi UkejeDirector – Ugezu J UgezuStarring:Van Vicker – MickyOge Okoye – AliciaEmeka Enyiocha – JoeAndy Chukwu – Pastor FrankCassandra Odita – Mrs DaviesAda Ameh – MabelNnadi Ihuoma – AngelUche Elendu – HavillaTom Njemanze – Micky’s DadIfeanyi Nnaso – BuddyZubby Egwu – BrunoIjeoma Azuka – DPOOkwudili Oguegbu – Angel’s FriendSharon Umoh – Micky’s girlNdidi Diala – Chief WhiteOby Somina Okafor – SosoGloria Mba – EmemAzimma Juliet Eboh – JoanWalta Anga – CharlesSomina Anthony – LucyOluchi Egbuska – MimiMartins Phil Odili – DoctorSylvia Amaso – JaneFugene Odu – MarkThemes Explored:Campus LifeCultismMy Rating – 37%The movie is named after the female cult that feature in the film. They are called the Twilight Sisters, perhaps because most of their cult like ceremonies are performed at twilight, or perhaps not. It is more than likely the makers just thought that the title sounded good. I digress.The leader of the Twilight Sisters is Soso. Soso is in conflict with her boyfriend Joe’s sister, Angel. Angel is continuously battling with Soso to leave her brother alone. She believes that Soso is a bad influence.In a bid to make Angel’s life a misery Soso enlists the help of Charles, a known ladies man. His job is to seduce Angel, make her fall in love and then dump her. The plan backfires and Charles and Angel fall madly and deeply in love, much to the chagrin of Soso.After Charles and Angel fall for each other we see Charles’ ex girlfriend Alicia’s brother Micky goes and threatens Charles to get back with Alicia. He also goes to threaten Soso because he believes she is leading Alicia astray.*************SPOILERS*************We then see Alicia and Mickey who are brother and sister get thrown into jail for Angel’s death. When they come out their mother is dead. On the other hand Soso leaves university but not before her younger cousin Havilla is inducted into the sisterhood by force. It is not long before Havilla turns from a coy church girl into a fearsome campus cultist.Havilla has her eyes on Charles and mkes it her mission to seduce him. When he rebuffs her in anger she beats up Angel causing her death. She then starts seeing Joe and finds out deep into their courtship that Angel is his sister. She is racked with guilt and confesses. She then is thrown into jail and Alicia and Mickey released. It is only at the end of the movie that amends are made between herself and Joe’s family.This one is a campus cultism flick a la Black Bra and War Game. The only difference being that this movie is NOWHERE near as good as the previous two mentioned. This movie was very poorly executed. Too many storylines made it very confusing to watch, and much of it did not seem integral to one central plot. It was just a mish mash of mess.Overall I get the message that was trying to be sent out, which was basically “Whatever is done in darkness shall come to light” but the vehicle in which it was done was shoddy. The sound was bad varying hugely between scenes. The chemistry between members of the sisterhood was not natural and felt false. The dialogue didn’t flow and much of it felt disjointed. It did however get better and pick up slightly in part two as the story began to flow more, and intrigue added to the plot but still the flaws screamed at me like a new born baby seeing light for the first time.There was one scene in particular that I thought was nonsense. Havilla goes to see Soso for the first time and Soso on seeing her with bags in her hands asks her what the bags are for,“My mother bought some things for you.”Please note that Havilla does not give any indication of what is in the bags, and Soso replies,“She shouldn’t have. I don’t really need them.”She then tells her to leave the bags outside on the doorstep. The camera pans over the bags and they are closed, leaving no indication of what is in them so how does this make sense? It would have made more sense for Havilla to have indicated what was in the bags or for a bag to have ripped open accidentally.Van Vicker was cast as a bad boy cultist. How ridiculous! His attempts at playing the tough guy were pathetic. I don’t know if it was the cliché ridden lines he was given or simply his acting. Put simply he was very unconvincing and more comedic that anything else. The majority of the supporting cast were less than mediocre. Uche Elendu and Oby Somina Okafor were the standout performances for me in this movie. They were the only ones that had characters that felt believable and we not addled too much by the poor script and plot.In short I would not recommend this movie. It was a watchable, as in I got to the end of it without slitting my wrists, but it’s best you save your money if you love yourself.
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A policeman attached to Emene Police Station, Enugu, has provoked public outcry following his shooting of a commercial motorcycle operator, Okorie Aneke, last Friday.Okada men live a terrible life and sometimes not only police but strange people murder them in strange locations .See picture at bottom at your own risk ! Terrible slaying of Seirra leone okada driver.An investigation showed that Aneke was riding his motorcycle when he was stopped at a police checkpoint on the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway, Emene.One of the policemen had demanded N500 from him for not using a crash helmet, but the rider had replied that he had no money as he had just left his house to start the day's work. He, however, offered the policemen N90 which was rejected.An argument ensued between Aneke and the policemen and in the course of this, one of the security operatives, an inspector, shot at him.The bullet entered through his back and emerged from the chest leaving the victim gasping for breath as he was soaked with his own blood.To cover up, the killer policeman reportedly hung his rifle on the dying man's neck to give the impression that he was an armed robber.But his plot was frustrated by an eyewitness, Mr. Vincent Obetta, a legal practitioner, who was approaching the checkpoint in his car when the incident happened.The lawyer alighted from his car and insisted that the killer cop must remove the rifle, but he refused.Sensing that tempers were rising as people in the vicinity were gathering, the policemen called their colleagues at Emene Police Station, who, within a few minutes, came in a Hilux patrol van.The policemen were led by the Divisional Crime Officer at the station to the crime scene. The cop told the DCO that he was attacked by Aneke and two unknown assailants who had fled into the bush.He maintained that the assailants wanted to snatch his rifle and in the process, he managed to shoot one of them while the two others fled into the bush.Obetta, however, refuted his claims saying that the okada rider was alone and did not attack the cop. He explained that Aneke was shot while arguing with the other policemen.He said, "The DCO then asked me what I wanted them to do, but I said we should take the victim to the hospital since he was still breathing and he suggested that he should be taken to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, whether his life could still be saved."I also helped in carrying Aneke into the police Hilux van, but he was not taken to the hospital; they drove him to Emene Police Station."Obetta said he went with them to the station where he informed the Divisional Police Officer that Aneke was killed without any provocation.In the course of this, he said a crowd had gathered in front of the station and fearing a mob attack, the policemen fired teargas canisters to disperse the people.Obetta said he had to run away, abandoning his car at the police station. He boarded a commercial motorcycle to the state police headquarters where he demanded to see the Commissioner of Police but was told that he was not in the office.He later met with the officer in charge of the CP Police Monitoring Unit, Mr. Mike Abattam and narrated the story to him.Obetta also met with another team of seven senior officers who were having a meeting. He informed them about the incident and they asked him to give them 20 minutes to discuss the matter.When he was called in, the meeting presided over by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Oguguo, asked him to go back to Emene Police Station to pacify the protesting youths.At the station, he learnt that Aneke's remains had been deposited in a mortuary and his motorcycle recovered and taken to the police headquarters.The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ebere Amarizu, got many people boiling when he alleged in a radio interview that Aneke was a criminal who, along with two assailants, attempted to snatch a rifle from a policeman.The state police command has, however, doused public anger by promising to investigate the incident.The Assistant Commissioner in charge of the state CID, Mr. Damilola Adebuyi, told journalists on that the commissioner, Mohammed Zarewa, had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.okada man picture slaughtered in sierra leone by unknown persons .SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PICTURE AT YOUR OWN RISK !Read more…
Fears over safety bridge
THE woman, Mrs. Anu Jegede, had a baby strapped to her back while a toddler of about three or four clutched her right hand.
They were returning from Anthony Village and had to cross the Oshodi pedestrian bridge to get to their Afariogun Street home.
But, mother and kid had stood at the foot of the bridge the last 25 minutes or more waiting.
When The Guardian on Thursday enquired from her why she would not continue her journey across the footbridge, she answered:
"There are too many people on the bridge. There is hardly enough space for people to walk. People shuffle and step on each other's toes or feet and it takes longer than necessary to get to the other side.
" For one thing, the crowd is so thick I am afraid they can suffocate my children.
"Secondly, there are so many people on it at the same time, I am worried that the bridge may collapse. I do not know whether it can carry such weight."
Many other Lagosians who have observed the Oshodi pedestrian bridge go from underused to the present situation where it is always overcrowded, also share the woman's fears.
"When street traders were at the rail tracks, not many bothered to use the footbridge that linked the two sides of Oshodi," a transport union official, Kunle Adebayo, told The Guardian last Thursday.
"It was more convenient to cross the rail lines. But that is no longer convenient because the Environmental Task Force and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials always arrest those who do not use the footbridges. "People have also realised it is safer and better to use the footbridge, which has led to overcrowding and fears that it may not be able to carry the weight."
The scene that has led some Lagosians to still prefer a dash across the highway, as was obvious on Thursday.
The crowd was so thick people got stuck for several seconds, standing where they were.
Movement came to a standstill, leaving the pedestrians pushing to give themselves breathing space. Even as some people were pushing from behind, others were shoving backwards from the front. Some who could not withstand the pushing and shoving, fell down.
"It was a miracle nobody was trampled to death," Adebayo later said.
Such fears forced Mrs. Jegede and others to call on government to intervene before a tragedy occurs.
" Many people who witness the jam decide to wait until the traffic eases.
But usually, instead of easing, the number continues to swell as more people in their haste to get to their destinations rush in and worsen the chaos," Adebayo said.
Not even the presence of one or two traffic wardens at both ends of the pedestrian bridge was able to stem the rush.
Worst hit were those who carried heavy loads while children strapped to their mothers' backs were crying because of the heat and stuffy atmosphere?
Many regretted having ventured on to the bridge at all since they could neither move forward with ease or even retreat and get off the bridge, heightening their worries that the weight may be too much for the structure.
As if aware that pedestrian traffic on the bridge would increase tremendously, the Lagos State government soon after driving away traders from Oshodi, reinforced the bridge with several pillars.
But neither the pillars nor the presence of traffic wardens seem to have brought much confidence to many users who want a controlled movement across the bridge.
"It is possible to regulate the flow of people across the flyover, one of the traffic wardens told The Guardian.
"Everybody knows Lagosians are impatient, but that notwithstanding, the safety of lives is more important than reaching wherever one is going to a few minutes later."
One of the pedestrians on Thursday, Kelvin Ekedi, said even with the newly constructed pillars, he still did not consider the bridge strong enough to carry such an enormous crowd.
"The people are too many and how do we know the weight won't be too much?
Do you not see that they added some pillars?
That shows the pedestrian bridge may already be weak or too old. Let them find a permanent solution," he said.
What is happening at Oshodi and elsewhere may signify a growing acceptance among Lagosians to use the footbridges across the metropolis and thus, avoid the fines slapped on them by KAI officials.
Pedestrian bridges at Ojota, Cele Express, Onipanu and Palm Grove, Yaba, Orile and Five Star Bus Stop are now being put to use by Lagosians.
However, students of Lagos State Polytechnic at Iyana Isolo have called on the government to provide them the pedestrian bridge they had been clamouring for in the area.
Although there is a provision made on the fly over across the expressway for pedestrians, most people make a dash for it, which has caused several casualties.
According to one of them, Taiye Olorunwa, "It is true that there is walkway on the flyover but if government can drop a pedestrian walkway on both sides of the flyover at both end of the expressway, then most of us will use it rather than face the daily risk of crossing the expressway."
In a similar vein, Peter Ogachi, a trader in Oshodi has also called on the government to construct a pedestrian bridge at Oshodi Oke saying: "It is imperative that a pedestrian bridge be built at Oshodi Oke.
Several people had been killed while trying to cross the road"
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Stars From 'The Terminator': Then & Now May 22nd, 2009 Christian Bale in 'Terminator Salvation' Backstage meltdowns aside, we're excited to see "Terminator Salvation." The fourth film in the "Terminator" franchise (now released 25 years after the original) looks like it's going to live up to its predecessors in terms of post-apocalyptic plot and state-of-the-art visual effects. But it fills us with nostalgia for the cast of the first three films and makes us wonder, "Where are they now?"See "The Terminator" Stars Through the Years >>Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger: Then T-800 in "The Terminator," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"The bodybuilder-turned-actor had pretty much only appeared onscreen with an oiled chest or a loincloth before he was cast in the title role of "The Terminator." That one film launched an epic action star and gave us one of the greatest tag lines in movie history. Say it with us: "I'll be back." And he was -- for two "Terminator" sequels -- the only actor to appear in all of the first three films.Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger: Now The Terminator is now the Governator. The Republican took office in California following a recall election in 2003 and was re-elected in 2006. There are rumors of a Senate run in 2010, but Arnold's Austrian birth precludes him from a bid for the Oval Office, barring any significant (and once-rumored) changes to the Constitution. In the meantime the movie star hasn't given up acting altogether. While running the state and balancing budgets, Arnold found time to make an appearance in 2010's "The Expendables," written, directed by, and starring his pal Sylvester Stallone along with fellow action stars Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren.Corey Feldman Linda Hamilton: Then Sarah Connor in "The Terminator," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," and Terminator Salvation (voice only)After a string of TV appearances, including the soap "Secrets of Midland Heights" and a starring role in the cult classic "Children of the Corn," Linda Hamilton became a silver-screen success in "The Terminator." Between "T1" and "T2" she scored on the small screen as well with her Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated role of Catherine Chandler on "Beauty and the Beast." She left the series in 1989 and, we can only imagine, spent all her time pumping iron -- lots of it -- to get those incredibly cut arms she sported in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." All the hard work paid off: Linda took home two of pop-culture's highest honors, the 1992 MTV Movie Awards for Best Female Performance and Most Desirable Female.Linda Hamilton Linda Hamilton: NowLinda's worked consistently since her "Terminator" films but has yet to enjoy another major success (and before you start posting your comments, NO, we do not consider "Dante's Peak" a success). Her most intense dramatic role in the '90s, however, was the one she played in her divorce from director James Cameron. The two had met while filming "T1," worked together again on "T2," and were married in 1997. He even offered her a part in a little film he was working on called "Titanic." But she turned down the part of Molly Brown, and it went to Kathy Bates instead. Maybe if Linda had been on the set every day her marriage wouldn't have hit an iceberg in the form of Suzy Amis (who played Lizzy Calvert in the film). When Hamilton learned of her husband's affair, she filed for divorce. Her settlement was of titanic proportions: roughly $50 million.Michael Biehn Michael Biehn: Then Kyle Reese in The TerminatorMichael Biehn had been steadily climbing the Hollywood ladder for seven years, with appearances on "James at 15" and "Family" and film work in "The Fan" and "The Lords of Discipline." But he got his big break in '84 as the hero in the mega-action flick, "The Terminator." He would surely be the breakout star. After all, he was the handsome good guy, and the other dude, who played the villain, was some bodybuilder/cult-movie actor with an unpronounceable name and only 17 lines of dialogue. And yet 25 years later we had to struggle to remember Michael Biehn's name. And Arnold -- well, he doesn't even need that unpronounceable surname any more.Michael Biehn Michael Biehn: NowBiehn followed "Terminator" with roles in James Cameron's "Aliens" and "The Abyss" and a few more movies before turning to TV. There he seemed to land one short-lived series after another, including "The Magnificent Seven," "Adventure Inc.," and "Hawaii." All the while he never quite found that next big role. We're not sure if any of his upcoming films will help him break back into the mainstream, but with parts like Policeman in "Young Americans" and Detective Marling in "Psych 9," we have our doubts.Edward Furlong Edward Furlong: Then As John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment DayFurlong was not an aspiring child star when casting director Mali Finn noticed him at the Boys Club of Pasadena and asked if he'd like to audition for the new "Terminator" movie. Nonetheless, he won the role of John Connor and seemed to be on the path to big-budget movie superstardom.Edward Furlong Edward Furlong: Now After "T2," Furlong took parts in indie and edgy films like "Pecker" and "American History X," avoiding the big-budget blockbusters that had thrust him into the spotlight. Although he was considered to reprise John Connor in "T3," he turned it down. Eddie hasn't stopped working, but that hasn't kept him out of personal trouble. Known to have drug and alcohol problems, Furlong has had several run-ins with the law, including two separate DUI incidents in 2001 and an arrest in 2004 for drunkenly trying to remove lobsters from a Kentucky grocery store in the name of animal rights.Robert Patrick Robert Patrick: Then T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment DayUnless you were a big fan of "Warlords of Hell," "Killer Instinct," or "Future Hunters," you probably hadn't heard of Robert Patrick before "Terminator 2." But he'll go down in movie history as the first guy to really morph before our very eyes (OK, we know the first morphing was done in "Willow" and that Cameron used the effect in "The Abyss"; settle down, visual effects fans), back and forth between a lock-jawed cop and a shiny silver snake. He didn't say much. He didn't need to. His steely stare was chilling.Robert Patrick Robert Patrick: NowRobert's appeared in two or three movies a year since his "T2" breakthrough, including "Rosewood" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle." He was also a regular on the TV series "The X Files" and "The Unit." Busy guy. This year will be no different: he's got four movies slated for release, including "The Men Who Stare at Goats" and "Freedom for Joe."Nick Stahl Nick Stahl: Then John Connor in Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesThe 24-year-old Stahl was already a veteran actor when he was cast as John Connor in "Terminator 3." From his first gig in the TV movie "Stranger at My Door" at age 12 to his first acclaimed performance, alongside Mel Gibson, in "The Man Without a Face," to his Screen Actors Guild nomination (Best Ensemble Performance) for "In the Bedroom," Stahl was without a doubt a promising young actor. So it's not surprising that he beat out more high-profile young stars like Shane West for "T3."Nick Stahl Nick Stahl: NowStahl followed his "T3" turn as a series regular on HBO's cult-classic series "Carnivale." He went on to a string of movies, including "Sin City" and "My One and Only," and has six films due in 2009: "In NorthWood," "Kalamity," "Burning Palms," "The Speed of Thought," "Everything Will Happen Before You Die," and "The Chameleon."Claire Danes Claire Danes: Then Kate Brewster in Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesMaybe it was her role as introspective teen Angela Chase on "My So-Called Life" or her turn as Juliet to Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo in Baz Luhrmann's ultra-hip retelling of the ultimate Shakespearean romance, but we were shocked when Claire Danes was cast in one of the biggest action movies of all time. We know she'd played an undercover cop in the film adaptation of "The Mod Squad," but could she compare to the ultra-tough everywoman, Linda Hamilton? Big shoes to fill, but she did just fine.Claire Danes Claire Danes: NowAfter "T3," Danes returned to more subdued roles, such as Mirabelle in Steve Martin's quirky love story "Shopgirl" and Julie Morton in the Sarah Jessica Parker Christmas tale, "The Family Stone." Off-screen her life was far more interesting. First she dated Aussie indie darling Ben Lee for almost six years (before he went on to marry Ione Skye). Then she got wrapped up with her "Stage Beauty" co-star, Billy Crudup. That would have been OK, but Billy was living with his pregnant girlfriend, Mary-Louse Parker, at the time, and he left her just two months before their baby was born to be with Claire. But in a perfect turn of celebrity love karma, Danes dumped Billy for her "Evening" co-star, Hugh Dancy. This seems to be the end of Claire's love rollercoaster -- she and Hugh were engaged in February.Kristanna Loken Kristanna Loken: Then T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesLoken's stunning good looks landed her a slew of TV guest spots ("Law & Order," "Lois & Clark," and "Just Shoot Me!" to name a few) and roles on shows like "Unhappily Ever After, "Mortal Kombat: Conquest," and "D.C." But that one big film part had eluded her, until she was cast as the Terminatrix in "Terminator 3."Kristanna Loken Kristanna Loken: ThenAfter "T3," Loken returned to her TV roots as a regular on "Ring of the Nibelungs," "Painkiller Jane," and "The L Word." But she heads back to the big screen in two very different movies this year: the comedy "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus," co-starring Will Sasso and Ian Ziering, and the drama "Darfur," co-starring another "Terminator" alum, Eddie Furlong.James Cameron James Cameron: Then Director of "The Terminator," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," James Cameron had only written and directed one film prior to "The Terminator," a low low-budget (we're talking $20,000 low) short called "Xenogenesis" that was allegedly funded by a group of dentists. Hey, if four out of five dentists recommend this guy, who wouldn't give him a shot at a big action movie? But shockingly, "T1" wasn't that big of a financial risk. The film cost only $6.4 million to make and went on to earn almost $80 million worldwide. Now that would put a smile on any studio executive's face.James Cameron James Cameron: NowCameron has gone on to become one of the most innovative and financially successful directors of all time. He pushed the visual effects boundaries not only in the "Terminator" franchise but also in such films as "Aliens" and "The Abyss." And his 1997 epic, "Titanic," still holds the #1 all-time box office spot, with a $1.8 billion take despite the onslaught of "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" movies that have vied for the position. There are also high hopes for Cameron's next sci-fi blockbuster, "Avatar," currently in post-production and due out December 18.
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Justice Africa
working for peace and rights in Africa
Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, the most irrepressible Pan Africanist of his generation,
died in Nairobi on 24 May 2009. His friends and colleagues are stunned at the loss of a
man who was so full of life and humour, such a determined Afro-optimist, and such a
devoted father to his children, Aisha and Aida. Africa is impoverished by his untimely
death.
Tajudeen was born in Funtua, Katsina State, Nigeria, in 1961. His commitment to his
home town and family remained undimmed throughout his life. He was educated at
Government Schools in Funtua from where he went to Bayero University, Kano, where
he graduated with a first class honours degree. He was winner of the Nigerian
Government’s Merit Award as the best student of Political Science between 1980-82 at
Bayero University.
After his National Youth Service, Tajudeen applied for a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford. He challenged the selection committee by dressing in traditional style for his interview and exam and demanding why they should want to associate someone like him with the name of the grand imperialist, Cecil Rhodes. To the credit of the Rhodes Scholarship, they selected him and Tajudeen spent three years at St. Peter's College, Oxford, writing his DPhil degree in politics. While there, he invigorated the Africa Society (serving as president) and injected his
unique mix of humour, anecdote, sharp political analysis and enthusiastic optimism into the university’s African debates. Tajudeen was engaged in an astonishing range of African and anti-imperial activities including the Pan African Movement, the All African Anti-Imperialist Youth Front, the Movement for Awareness and Advancement, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, the Save the Sharpeville Six Campaign and several magazines including the Africa Research and Information Bureau (ARIB).
Tajudeen was an energetic journalist and writer, commenting regularly on
contemporary Africa in newspapers, magazines, journals and radio. Those who knew him cannot forget his rapid one-fingered typing, bold and articulate and immediately dispatched into the public realm without a spell-check. He was fearless in denouncing hypocrisy or abuses wherever he encountered them, from whatever quarter. He was as resolute in condemning the violations of Africa’s dictators and warlords as he was in pointing the finger at the double standards of international agencies and the shortcomings of Africa’s would-be
liberators.
Tajudeen’s candid lack of guile and good humour enabled him to say things that for many others were unsayable, and to ask the most difficult questions without provoking defensiveness. At the time of the constitutional referendum in Zimbabwe, he demanded of the government, “what happens if you lose?” and of the opposition, “what happens if you win?”, discovering that neither had planned for this. He castigated his Pan Africanist allies in government without hesitation when they fell short. When told that Kofi Annan had won the Nobel Peace Prize he famously retorted, “For what?”
Tajudeen broadcast for the BBC's World Service Programmes on Africa both in Hausa and English and Voice of America (VOA). He was editor of the journal, Africa World Review and edited the book Pan Africanism in the 21st Century (Pluto Press, 1996) which included contributions from the OAU Secretary General, Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Professor Horace Campbell and other leading figures in the Pan African Movement. Tajudeen wrote many academic and specialist journals, including Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE), Journal of African Marxists (JAM), Southern Africa Political Economy Monthly (SAPEM), New Internationalist, and International Journal of Development.
He became widely known for his regular column Tajudeen's Thursday Postcard for Uganda's largest selling national newspaper, The New Vision, which was syndicated in a number of other African newspapers such as The Weekly Mirror (Harare), The Daily News (Harare) The Weekly (Dar es Salaam), The Weekly Trust (Kaduna) and occasionally in the Business Day
(Johannesburg). Tajudeen was also a columnist for the journal, Democracy and Development, published by the Centre for Democracy and Development, of which he chaired the International Governing Council.
Tajudeen lectured at a number of colleges including the School of Oriental and African
Studies (SOAS), London and Goldsmith College London and several universities in the USA. He was a visiting UNESCO professor at the Centre for Global Studies, University of Trier, Germany. Beneath his exuberant public persona and wit, he levelled incisive analysis and a sound elaboration of the political economy of African crisis. Tajudeen’s lectures were always unforgettable due to his refreshing honesty, command of language and superb sense of dramatic timing. Speaking to a human rights conference in the UN conference centre in Addis Ababa in 1996 on the then-unfolding war in Zaire, the electricity suddenly went off and he declaimed, “Even speaking of Mobutu makes the lights go out!” In the same hall a few years later he challenged Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, noting that European and American delegates to the conference could get an Ethiopian visa at the airport—but not Africans. “How can this happen in the capital of Africa?” he demanded. Prime Minister Meles said that no answer could match the passion of Tajudeen’s questioning. A couple of weeks later the Ethiopian government waived visa regulations for African delegates to international conferences.
In 1992 Tajudeen was appointed General-Secretary for the Secretariat organizing the Seventh Pan African Congress in Kampala, Uganda. Held in 1994 with delegates from 47 countries, this was the largest Pan African gathering for twenty years. The theme was 'Africa: Facing the Future in Unity, Social Progress and Democracy'.
But the Congress was overshadowed by the unfolding genocide in Rwanda. A delegation from the Pan African Movement travelled with the RPF to Rwanda, falling into an ambush near Kigali from which Tajudeen was lucky to escape unscathed. Thereafter, he was closely involved in the Pan African mobilization to respond to the crisis in the Great Lakes and Zaire—though he became critical of the record of the liberation movements in power and
at the time of his death was working on a historical account and political analysis of the liberators and where they had gone astray.
Tajudeen often bemoaned the fact that so many of the giants of African liberation had passed away without writing their memoirs, and that the treasures of Africa’s history, as forged by Africans and written by Africans, were passing without record. It is a sad irony that much of his own life will remain insufficiently recorded, though still vibrant in the memories of his innumerable friends.
Tajudeen was a Director of Justice Africa, Chairperson for the Pan African Development
Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP) and Chair of the International
Governing Council of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD). He joined the
United Nations as its coordinator for outreach on the Millennium Development Goals in
Africa, and was living and working from a base in Nairobi in recent years.
Tajudeen never allowed his critical sense degenerate into cynicism or disillusion. His
confidence in Africa and Africans to resolve their problems, whatever the setbacks, was
always undimmed. His untimely death leaves a vacuum of human energy and hope that will be difficult to fill.
Tajudeen was married to Mounira Chaieb and has two daughters, Aisha and Aida, to whom he was completely devoted. Our thoughts are with them in their inconsolable loss.
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Detectives at the Lagos State Police Command are now trying to unravel how a secondary school student killed his colleague during a fight.The incident, which happened at Olodi-Apapa, Lagos, on Friday, was said to have caused a great commotion in the area.It was learnt that two male students (names withheld) of Reservation Senior Secondary School, Tolu complex, Olodi Apapa, had a brawl.The fight between both students occurred at about 2pm, shortly after the school closed and the students were on their way home.It could not be ascertained what led to the fight, but the students were said to be on Ojoku Street, where the fight broke out.During the fight, one of the students allegedly picked a big stone and threw it at his colleague.The stone, it was gathered, landed on the stomach of the victim, who was already on the ground.Our correspondent learnt that the unfortunate boy (also 14 years old) fainted immediately the stone hit him.Sympathisers at the scene were said to have rushed the boy to Ajeromi General Hospital for medical attention.It was, however, sad news for the boy‘s family when the doctors at the hospital confirmed him dead.The corpse was said to have been deposited to a mortuary pending the result of an autopsy to be carried out.Spokesman for the police in Lagos, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday.Mba said the police had arrested the culprit and he was still being kept in police custody until the outcome of an investigation into the case.Meanwhile, it was learnt that the school and parents of the students were collaborating with the police to settle the matter.
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Teachers in Ondo State have called off their proposed strike, following the agreement by the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to pay the 27.5 per cent enhanced Teachers Salary Structure with effect from July 1.Skip to next paragraphthenewsng.comOndo State Governor, Dr. Segun MimikoThe development was contained in a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi.The NUT in Ondo State had through its chairman Mr. Ojo Fanimokun, directed its members to begin an indefinite strike from Monday (today).But the planned strike was called off due to the success of the negotiation between Mimiko and the teachers.The statement reads in part, “In the circular signed with the state government on Saturday morning, it was agreed that the implementation of the TSS takes effect nominally from January 2009 while financial benefits commence on July 1, 2009.”The governor had blamed the steady dwindling of federal allocation to the state due to the global economic crisis to delay in the implementation of the increment.Mimiko also said that, “Actual income has gone down since January this year. As at January, we had N1.3bn, it went down to N1.034bn in February; by March, it plummeted to N925.18m; this further went down to N867m by April.“Indeed, in the month of February, N111m had to be taken from the capital savings to augment, this rose to N278m in March and had gone to N310m in April.“The situation was so bad that as at April this year, no local government council has enough money to pay teachers.”The state Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Mr. Olusola Adejutelegan, commended the governor for acceding to the demand of the teachers.He assured the governor that the teachers would also double their efforts in discharging their duties to restore the state’s lost glory in education.
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The police in Nsukka have arrested a Catholic priest, (name withheld) for allegedly kidnapping a woman and demanding N4m ransom.The suspect, who is the priest of a parish of the Catholic Church, Nsukka, was arrested on Friday by the Nsukka Divisional Police and transferred to the state Anti-robbery Squad, Enugu, for further investigations.Our correspondent gathered that the husband of the woman, Chief Reminus Okenyi, had reported the kidnap of his wife to the police on Wednesday when he saw her car in front of his house with just her bag and mobile telephone in the car.Not long after, he received a telephone call from number 07088619479 and he was asked if he had any problem with the priest who was his cousin. The caller thereafter asked him to make N4m available if he wanted his wife back.Reminus promised to pay the money, but instead reported to the police who went after the cleric. The investigators visited priest’s residence, but he was not found for two days.He was, however, arrested at the police station where he came to drop a petition for the Inspector-General of Police.A police source said the suspect had confessed to the crime and also gave useful information that aided the rescue of the kidnapped woman.The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Nsukka Urban Police Station, Mr. Ike Mba, confirmed the involvement and arrest of the Catholic Church priest to our correspondent on Sunday.He stated that the suspect had been transferred to the SARS for further investigations and prosecution.Meanwhile, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the SCID, Mr. Damilola Adegbuyi, has defended Mba over allegations that he was abetting criminals in the area.Adegbuyi explained that the recent protest against the DPO was politically motivated, describing Mba as a disciplined officer who had worked hard to reduce crime in Nsukka area of the state.
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From Lemmy Ughegbe, AbujaIT was a sad end for an Ibadan-based panel beater, Mr. Emmanuel Olabode yesterday as the Supreme Court affirmed his death sentence for burning an apprentice, Kehinde Omotanwa to death about eight years ago.The Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division had on March 26, 2007 upheld the decision of an Oyo State High Court, which sentenced Olabode to death by hanging.In his bid to escape the hangman's noose, Olabode approached the apex court, praying it to upturn his conviction and the consequent death penalty passed on him.But in a unanimous decision of the five-man panel, the court held that the appeal lacked merit and accordingly dismissed it.In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Pius Aderemi, he espoused the facts of the case thus: "On the 18th of March, 2001, at the deceased's workshop at New Garage Area, Orita Challenge, Ibadan, Oyo State, where he (deceased) was an apprentice mechanic under one Adeleke Balogun, who testified as prosecution witness 1, the accused, a panel beater, poured petrol on the deceased and set him ablaze."Consequently, the deceased sustained severe burns all over his body. On seeing that the deceased was burning, the accused hastily left the scene of the incident and went to hide himself somewhere unknown."The deceased was taken to Adeoyo State Hospital, Ibadan where he was admitted for medical treatment."At a point in time after the incident, the accused surfaced in the hospital to see the deceased on admission for treatment. There, he undertook, in writing, to be responsible for the medical bill of the deceased, the written undertaking was tendered in the course of the proceedings."However the deceased died after 14 days thereafter."Justice Aderemi recounted further that after the demise of Omotanwa, the accused was charged for murder contrary to and punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Volume 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 1978.He pleaded not guilty to the charge. But after taking evidence from eyewitnesses, the High Court convicted him and sentenced him to death by hanging. He appealed to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan but lost.Olabode finally appealed to the Supreme Court, which he told that the charge was not well explained to him at the trial stage.On that issue, Justice Aderemi said: "I have had a careful reading of the whole record of proceedings. I also find nothing suggesting that the accused did not understand the charge when read and explained to him."In fact, there is on record that the accused was educated up to the school certificate level."In conclusion, for all I have said, this appeal in my judgment is unmeritorious. It must be dismissed and it is accordingly dismissed. The judgment of the court below affirming the conviction and the sentence passed on the appellant by the trial court is also affirmed here
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EXCLUSIVE INSIDE ASO ROCK
Written by Jide Ajani Sunday Vanguard and Adapted by Weboga and Akin Osunlaja pimpmynaija.com
Is Yaradua a Strange man ? is he one of those eccentric Teachers we all remmeber in school (yoruba were or kolo mine was my Art Teacher Mr Isuosuo we used to call him tolotolo because of his long neck .My apologies sir but that your cane no dey rest )
Lets come back to the the number one Teacher in naija and the First gentleman as rumors abound that Turai his beautiful wife wears the sokoto or trousers in Aso rock.They are rumours please, no one should conclude. .
Ok some People get the "Idea" that 9jabooks pimomynaija Editors& bloggers dont Like The HNIC (head Naija in charge ) But that is not true . We always try to give a fair judgement of the man.His health, his reputation and Above all his Suitability for office .Our friends at Sunday Vanguard have a very different view from this piece below.For a second one might think They were talking about Obama !
READ ON all comments with (PMP Pimp My President is from Us ) ! Enjoy !
This report presents insiders’ accounts of how President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has been running the affairs of state, depicting true life situations, inside Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. This report was pieced together using words of very close presidential aides and former ministers. This is by no means an endorsement of Yar’Adua’s presidential style as he is known to operate a close-knit administration it is, however, an attempt to open him up to Nigerians.( pmp:Thanks E be li ke say dem don settle you )
WAITING TO SEE MR. PRESIDENT
State Governors Come And See-O
Just last Tuesday, May 20, 2009, some state governors experienced what it meant to wait to see President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The day depicted a typical day in presidential affairs.
In the last two weeks, the earliest time the President has closed from office, according to sources inside Aso rock Presidential Villa is about 8.15pm.
In fact, many governors have had to sit all day waiting for him.
After last Tuesday’s National Economic Council, NEC, meeting, presided over by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, some of the state governors made a push to see President Yar’Adua.
Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Peter Obi, Anambra State Governor, and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, wanted to have an audience with him.
All three of them had to contend with the hectic schedule of the President.(PMP some schdule ! who is his secretary that governors have to wait for him have they not heard of appointments before ?)
ANOTHER MEETING IN THE VILLA
Yar’Adua’s Charge To Power Minister
Earlier, in late March, President Yar’Adua made an unusual confession to the effect that he “can hardly sleep again because of the power situation”. It was immediately after this that he gave a blank cheque to Lanre Babalola, the minister of Power.
At a meeting in Aso Rock Presidential Villa, between the Minister of Power, Lanre Babalola, Vice President and Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman, Eng Emeka Ezeh, Bureau of Public Procurement Director General; Michael Aoondoakaa, Attorney General of the Federation; Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser, as well as top officials from the Ministries of Petroleum, Power and NNPC, the President reportedly told the Power Minister:
“Anything you need to succeed, I will give you. If anybody stands in your way and you want him or her out, just tell me and I will clear such a person for you. But I want results. I can hardly sleep again because of the power situation. I made a pledge to Nigerians that by the end of this year, they will enjoy stable electricity and it is a pledge I intend to keep. My name and credibility is at stake on this issue.”
Even when Vice President Goodluck Jonathan chipped in that the credibility of everybody in the administration is at stake, including that of the Minister himself, it did not take President Yar’Adua long to charge back:
“No, it is my credibility that is at stake. How many Ministers of Power have we had and who remembers them? If things fail tomorrow, Lanre (the minister) is a young man. He will simply dust his CV again and begin to look for another job but Nigerians will remember the promise I made.”Since then, President Yar’Adua has been getting a daily update from the Ministry and directed that the Minister can see him anytime he wants. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that the Power Minister now has unfettered access to President yar’Adua. In fact, the minister is said be to provide a daily briefing to President Yar’Adua on every of his efforts.
.(PMP so the power minister now has quick access to him . I see .perhaps he should have quick access to NEPA CV ? Which president of naija needs a CV for another Job with the Fat Pension in Ghana must go bags they are awarded during office they dont need a CV )
PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA’S DAILY ROUTINE
As a devout Muslim who takes his prayers very seriously, President Yar’Adua rises from bed any time between 5am and 5:30 am. He says his prayers. That is apart from special prayers he offers in the middle of the night. President Yar’Adua starts receiving visitors from around 8am.
He resumes in office by 9.30am from whence official work commences.
But before that day starts, President Yar’Adua, just as was revealed by Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari in his auto-biography, meets with his personal staff, especially the State Chief of Protocol and Principal Secretary.
.(PMP thank God he prays no comment .insha allah they will be answered )
The first thing Yar’Adua does in the office is to go through the summary of newspaper stories and editorials for the day. This is the forte of Olusegun Adeniyi; the summary is usually prepared by the office of the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity. After this, there is a briefing by State Chief of Protocol for the assignments of the day and the Principal Secretary for whatever directives President Yar’Adua wants to give.
All these are routine. What is not routine is the closing time.
There is no fixed time. President Yar’Adua normally returns from office to the house, within the same Presidential Villa between 6pm and 10pm
This has become the norm in recent times.
Before, he would leave office between 6PM and 7PM.
There is what a source described as ‘night-runs’, that is visits, which would begin around 9.30pm.
But since he started closing late, night visits have been cancelled.
But occasionally, there are some people Mr. President would still see at night..(PMP night runs ? wetin be that ? sounds very maradonaish with lots of magomago spiced with some jibiti .ok we hear it is meeting with the power minister. good work guys ! We wish you guys had a 20generators like we do in our apartment block or Block of Flats )
PRESIDENTIAL MANNERISMS
And whereas President Yar’Adua cracks jokes, he stays within the confines of decency, Sunday Vanguard was reliably informed.
“Mr. President is a human being .(PMP are we sure ? ) and, therefore, he cracks jokes, normal jokes but definitely not dirty jokes”, a minister told Sunday Vanguard.
During meetings, information available to 7 suggests that the President is a good listener and does not interrupt when someone is making his point.
However, he is blunt, while at the same time, he is said to put his points of view across politely.
President Yar’Adua does not suffer fools. .(PMP no comment )
Sunday Vanguard was made to understand by another former minister that “it is part of his nature to listen to you and correct you if he thinks you are wrong. He gives you the appropriate guidance that you need to do your work instead of allowing you to beat about the bush. He, however, allows one a lot of initiatives. He does not give you a job and then follow you around. What he expects is results”.
Sunday Vanguard learnt from one of the ministers who was dumped during the cabinet reshuffle that one minister almost lost her job because Mr. President was very angry about her attitude to work.
MR. PRESIDENT’S SHORT AND LONG MEETINGS
Yar’Adua’s type of meetings, Sunday Vanguard went about asking people: Does he like them sharp and short?
President Yar’Adua can be unpredictable at times..(PMP o yes like NEPA and the promises he made )
Ordinarily, Yar’Adua would rather have his meetings short and sharp.
However, this does not in any way mean that he would sacrifice expressiveness on the alter of time limit. He is said to allow each person at meetings to be as expressive possible as .And therein lies the irony. Allowing people to express themselves very well have sometimes led to long meetings, some of which have gone on to last for as long as six to seven hours.
Yar’Adua can be meticulous even to a fault and that is why some people think his administration is just too slow.
He places much premium on strategic planning. Therefore, his actions are well thought out and he does not react instinctively to issues.
SYCHOPHANTS, PLEASE SHIFT
When you visit a state governor and his commissioners want to address him, they all use the appellation, ‘His Excellency, The Governor of Kuturu State, Governor I-Done-Chop’. In most cases, the 11-word prefix ends up being repeated more often than the real sense to be made.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that Yar’Adua would rather prefer Mr. President, as against the practice some tried to introduce in the very early days of his presidency which was: His Excellency, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Now, when a minister prefixes every sentence with this 17-word (not minding the compound word C-in-C), won’t the sense be lost in whatever sense is to be made?
“
He prefers Mr. President”, Sunday Vanguard was told, “essentially because it saves time and does not tend towards sycophancy.
But he is too polite to stop those who enjoy making all those introductions.
HIS MOUTH, HIS FOOD
Some argue that President Yar’Adua is endowed with good stature.
Others insist that it is a function of his health.
Between these two extremes lay the fact that Yar’Adua is not a very heavy eater, not a glutton of sorts.
He is said not to eat much. .(PMP you see how the man lepa you dey talk say him no dey chop ? )
Sunday Vanguard confirmed that he eats biscuits and drinks tea a lot, especially in the office.
That way, he keeps his metabolism in check..(PMP Abeg make una give the man food ! nobody want talk say yardy no well ! Feed him please !)
ADMINISTERING NIGERIA
Whereas Yar’Adua may be a good listener who respects other people’s opinion, especially because he has walled himself with young intellectuals who are both enlightened and exposed, it is his background as a teacher that enhances his capacity to patiently guide his subordinates to do the right thing. Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that President Yar’Adua rebukes, politely, officials of state in camera and praises good work in the open.
In fact, during the cabinet reshuffle, President Yar’Adua was said to have written and personally signed letters of appreciation to some ministers who were retained.
Even those who were shown the way out got their own letters from President Yar’Adua appreciating their contributions to nation building at a time like this.
AS A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
As part of the character of President Yar’Adua not to dwell on presumptuousness, but rely on hard facts, he is said to have a listening ear. He is said to listen patiently to his service chiefs. Not being a professional soldier, Yar’Adua is said to ascertain the correctness of decisions by encouraging everyone to participate in discussions. He is, however, firm but the need for the military to remain professional in the discharge of their duties remains very strong.
He doesn’t pretend to know everything..(PMP that is quite obvious he doest not ! )
YAR’ADUA’S HEALTH IS HIS WEALTH .(PMP are we talking about the same person here I know Obama is a chain smoker but What does wealth and health have to do with yaradua ? his wealth ok but cant this people just come out straight and say the man is ill ! we wish him good health but with a job like the one he has ! well..)
Some more discerning observers have come to the conclusion that there is nothing abnormal about Yar’Adua’s health. As Yar’Adua himself has said, he is not superhuman, therefore, he is like any other human being that falls sick and gets well.
When he visited Vanguard premises during the campaigns of 2007, the same question was posed. His response was that it is evil of any individual to wish death upon a fellow human being. The expression on his face betrayed his anger. But he continues to confound critics of his health.
During a briefing with State House Correspondents recently, on his position on the electoral reform, Ekiti rerun election and Halliburton bribery scam, the President was on his heels for more than an hour. Even the correspondent s were astounded.
During the campaigns at the Events Place in Victoria Island, Lagos, Yar’Adua addressed the business community for over two hours standing.
PRESIDENTIAL WEAKNESS
President Umar Musa Yar’Adua is said to be too patient and that constitutes a weakness. .(PMP tell that to MEND , tell that to the ijaw people TELL that to the marines ! patient ? e no waste time bomb Niger Delta !)
He is said to lead his staff to arrive at decisions more accurately by emphasizing the need to rely on facts rather than sentiments. He is quick to admit faults and accepts correction even from subordinates..(PMPmaybe he should accept some of the correction of his citizens )
But would some people not exploit this?
Well, as President and C-in-C, it is for him to be circumspect. But is he?
Yes, some politicians very close to him insist.
HIS WIFE, HIS CHARM
Turai Yar’Adua, Nigeria’s First Lady, is said to play her role as a wife and a mother at home. She is said not to be involved in state administration..(PMP ok ok ok ok ! Rumours ! My best friend says there is one about the president wearing the Apron )
This is a far cry from the impression that people outside have of President Yar’Adua’s family.
Nay Sayers insist that President Yar’Adua is dominated by Turai Yar’Adua. None has, however, come out with any proof. (Woman na Woman o ! We no need proof ! )
But if a man’s likeness for his children and his grandchildren, and the fact that he makes out quality time to spend with them means he sops to his wife, then President Yar’Adua is very guilty because he loves his grand children and really makes out time to be with them..(PMP maybe he should remember he is a Father to the nation and the kids living on the streets need his attention too )
Yar’Adua insists that Turai’s activities as First Lady must remain low key, and as much as possible should not involve state funds.
BETWEEN PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA AND VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN
The relationship between both men is said to be very cordial.
He understands that he needs the confidence and respect of his deputy. This he believes should be earned through mutual respect and understanding. Therefore, Yar’Adua carries his deputy along, ensuring that the Jonathan has enough work to do.
Vice President Jonathan, too, has the confidence of his boss because he (deputy) continues to carry himself with dignity.
Jonathan, Sunday Vanguard gathered, will hardly do anything without his boss’ consent since he has played that role elsewhere before – at least he was described as the docile deputy to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State, only to outfox him and become governor. Most of the stories being peddled that Jonathan a mere handbag may not be particularly true, according to Aso Rock insiders who should know. Some even query Jonathan’s relevance on account of the onslaught in the Delta. But it does appear as if some people fail to recognise that the Vice President is the Vice President of Nigeria and not Vice President of Ijaw nation. Fortunately, the VP understands his roles and responsibilities.
.(PMP Mr badluck jonathan will bomb his mother's house to remain VP PERIOD ! )
PRESIDENTIAL STRENGTH
Yar’Adua’s strongest point is what some ministers describe as his sincerity of purpose and the commitment to lead Nigeria out of the woods and take her to the comity of great nations. One of his handlers told Sunday Vanguard that “he has a vision of a great Nigeria that is politically stable and economically prosperous”
In fact, President Yar’Adua is said to have told some of his aides that a four-year tenure is like a long-distance race rather than a 100 metre dash race and “you don’t run a 400 metre race like 100 metres if you truly want to succeed. If you watch the Olympics, successful athletes build momentum gradually and thereby end in a strong way.”
“That has always been his style”, Sunday Vanguard was told. Of course some people are very good at drawing applause in their first year in office by simply playing to the gallery but at the end of their tenure when you look back there is hardly any concrete achievement you can point to.
By December 2011, some predict, Yar’Adua “wants to be able to look back with satisfaction for the difference he has made in the lives of Nigerians in the area of critical infrastructure, including power, transportation, security, food security, human capital development and wealth creation. By the end of this year for instance, the dredging of River Niger, which has been mere talk since independence, would have been done.
All is set for it and “we’re just waiting for the water level to rise; it is already slated for between July and December and the contractor has been mobilised for the job. Also by year ending, railway, as mode of transportation would be back to Nigeria with the holistic plan for which Nigeria will sign an MOU with General Electric next week”, another ministerial appointee, added.
Yar’Adua: 24 months of uncertainty .(PMP YOU ALL GOT THAT RIGHT ! hope it is not another 24months )
.(PMP over and out ! The rest of this article is what Fela calls Demo ! maybe it is the whole article itself .)
Dapo Akinrefon & Charles Kumolu
IN what many described as a script of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, President Umar Yar’Adua sold his seven point agenda to party stalwarts and maybe other Nigerians, as a campaign slogan.
In most quarters, this was viewed as a part of the factors, needed to sell candidate Yar’Adua to Nigerian voters.
Sure, the agenda may not have failed in all areas as many think, but it does not neglect some areas where it seems promising.
Unfulfilled pledges:
Power sector.
The average Nigerian appears not to have felt any impact of the seven point agenda.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had promised fixing Nigeria’s troubled power sector, in 1999. Following this pledge a former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, was given the assignment of helping to resuscitate the sector.
Same was Yar’Adua, whose sole campaign slogan, was declaration of state of emergency on the power sector. Yet, power supply has plummeted from what it was in May 29, 2007.
The bottomline is that there is concern among Nigerians and foreign investors alike at the slow pace the President seems to handle the crisis.
The promises- Power and energy, Food and security, Wealth creation, Transport sector, Land reforms, Security, Education, Anti corruption war, Electoral reforms
Wealth creation and human capital development
Productivity growth, equity, poverty eradication and security, have remained it its pre-2007 state.
Though the 2009 budget provided adequate provisions to address the issue of wealth creation, human capital development and guarantee of security to life and property, yet, most Nigerians have remained wretched.
Niger Delta
The emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as Yar;Adua’s running mate, then, however, was expected to douse the tension in the creeks. But that was far from what the people yearn. Even the creation of a ministry for the region could not stop the anger of an impoverished people. These experiments, only heightened the crisis in the oil rich region. As at the time of filing in this report, booming guns are threatening the lives of the people in the creeks.
Pledges realised
Though far from the seven point agenda., what this administration appears to have realised, is uncertainly about its direction. Aside, the functionality of the rule of law, most aspects of Nigeria’s life have been at a low ebb.
Security
Internal security in this dispensation, has remained in it its pre 1999 state. The growing insecurity in the Niger Delta, explains much about the spate of insecurity in the last two years.
Today, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Maiduguri & Onitsha have remained the highest crime spots in the country.
Anti corruption
Promise: “We are determined to intensify the war against corruption, more so because corruption is itself central to the spread of poverty. Its corrosive effect is all too visible in all aspects of our national life. This is an area where we have made significant progress in recent years, and we will maintain the momentum.”
The war against corrupt on seems to be heading Nigeria to nowhere
Electoral reforms
Promise: We acknowledge that our elections had some shortcomings. Thankfully, we have well-established legal avenues of redress, and I urge anyone aggrieved to pursue them. I also believe that our experiences represent an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Accordingly, I will set up a panel to examine the entire electoral process with a view to ensuring that we raise the quality and standard of our general elections, and thereby deepen our democracy.” Verdict: The Uwais report on the reforms, has remained at the mercy of some powerful forces.
Yar’Adua Govt In Figures
* 24.893 billion, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Yar’Adua’s first year in office (2008).
* N2.67 trillion the budget proposed by President Yar’Adua to the National Assembly for 2008. It was increased to N3.049 trillion by the NASS and Yar’Adua now says he can’t implement it.
* 6,000 megawatts the total electricity capacity targeted by the Federal Government by December up from current average of 2000 megawatts.
* N628.875 billion the intervention fund for the power sector in 2009 of which N288.223 billion is FG’s contribution.
* N50 billion - aggregate allocation to the Niger Delta in 2009.
* 3,293 kilometres of road earmarked for construction and rehabilitation.
* 12,000 hectares of arable land to be irrigated.
A KITCHEN CABINET
Those who see the President more than other people and those to whom the President relates with respectfully are as follows:
Engineer Emeka Ezeh, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise.
Chief Mike Aondoakaa, Minister of Justice and Attroney General of the Federation.
Dr Lanre Babalola, Minister of Power,
Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF
Alhaji Adamu Aliero, FCT Minister (by virtue of his position as landlord)
Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser
Abba Ruma, Agriculture Minister
Dr Muhtah Mansur, Finance Minister
Sarki Mukthar, National Security Adviser, NSA
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Sensational Nigeria actress Rita Dominic has rounded off her visit to southern Africa's Malawi with a big party in the commercial city Blantyre. The popular actress was in Malawi on a five-day visit courtesy of DStv provider MultiChoice Malawi. She left on Saturday.Rita DominicDuring her visit, she toured Malawi’s former head of state - late Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s - mausoleum in Lilongwe as well as Chombo orphanage in Blantyre.Her sign-off party was spiced up by performances from the country’s top artists Lucius Banda and Zembani Band and the Black Missionaries.MultiChoice Malawi organized the trip as a reward to Malawians watching the Africa Magic channel which features a lot of Nigeria (Nollywood) films.
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