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Yesterday, the Ondo State Council of Obas announced the suspension of the Mr

Adepoju for allegedly involving himself in a street brawl with his wife. The council's chairman, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Folagbade

Olateru-Olagbegi, said this in a statement issued to reporters after the meeting of the chieftaincy committee of the council in Akure.

This is coming as police authorities in Ondo State also said a full scale investigation has begun into the recent public brawl between the Deji of Akure, Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina and his estranged wife, Bolanle.

The command's public relations officer, Adeniran Aremu, said the state commissioner of police has ordered that the matter be investigated as a purely criminal case and not as a domestic affair as is sometimes done.

He said the case had since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department and the outcome of the investigation would be made known to the public as soon as it is concluded.

"Aside from this, the state police commissioner, Magaji Nasarawa, has already received interim report on the incident," Mr Aremu said.

He also explained that the command had uncovered a plot by some people to foment trouble in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

He warned those planning to cause a breach of peace as a result of the incident to refrain from doing so, stressing that anyone caught taking laws into his hands would be ‘dealt with decisively.'

Oba suspended

Mr Olateru-Olagbegi who condemned the action of the Akure monarch in strong terms, said the decision to suspend Mr Adesina from the council was taken after the examination of all available evidence which includes, "reports from newspapers, petition written to the council, the press releases from the Deji and other independent investigations on the issue".

The council observed that the incident was unfortunate and against the norm for those who sit on sacred and exalted royal stools in the state. "The committee condemned in its entirety the attitude of the Deji and dissociate itself from the action. The Deji is suspended in the interim from the council pending a fuller investigation into the matter and a final position of the state government on it"

The assault

The Deji of Akure, on Sunday evening beat up one of his wives in a manner that shocked the people of the state and elicited condemnation from far and near.

Mrs Adesina had earlier been ordered out of the palace by the monarch,

following a slight disagreement. The traditional ruler then invaded the private residence of his estranged wife with stern looking people,

suspected to be thugs, who thrashed the woman and left her with lacerated arms.

A brother of Mrs Adesina and some passers-by descended on the Nissan Pathfinder brought to the scene by Oba Adesina. The vehicle, marked "Deji of Akure", was seriously damaged by the irate youth, who vowed to deal with him seriously. It took the quick intervention of the police from the state command to save him from being lynched by the irate mob.

Although the king has not made any public statement on the issue, the traumatised wife has urged the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, to instruct the state commissioner of police to order a full scale investigation into the attack on her person by her husband. Mrs. Adesina, in a petition via her counsel, Ibraheem Aganum and Co. appealed to Mr. Mimiko to use his office to ensure that justice is done. She said the petition became imperative in order to ensure that the case is not swept under the carpet
.

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Are Nigerians not allowed to have gmail any more ?

Addressing one of the ongoing concerns about cloud computing services, Google on Wednesday introduced a new security feature for its Gmail users that provides notification of unusual account activity.
Since July 2008, Gmail has included a "Last account activity" link below users' inboxes that provides information about when the account was last accessed and the IP address used. But the placement of the link makes it useful mainly to people seeking to confirm an existing suspicion.

"The idea behind the feature is that we already give users an idea about the activity on their account, but we wanted to provide more information," Cathcart said. "We look the login history for an account, specific to each user, and look for changes in that history based on a number of different algorithms."

As an example, Cathcart suggests, a Gmail user in the U.S. whose account was accessed from Nigeria would be shown a notification saying, "Warning: We believe your account was last accessed from Nigeria."

This wouldn't necessarily happen, however, if the user regularly traveled to Nigeria and logged into Gmail from there.

"When we think something bad is going on, we're going to make it very, very prominent," said Cathcart.

It will then be up to the user to visit the recent account activity details page to determine whether further action, like a password change, might be required.

In a blog post, Google engineering director Pavni Diwanji explains that Google does not have the capability to identify the specific location of login attempts. However, it may be possible to link the IP address of the suspicious activity with a specific location or individual.
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Amazing mosquito facts

Amazing mosquito facts

You're more likely to be a target for mosquitoes if you consume bananas. Biting activity increase by 500 times when there is a full moon. A mosquito's wings beat 500 times a second.

The animal responsible for the most human deaths world-wide is the mosquito.

Mosquitoes dislike citronella because it irritates their feet.

Mosquitoes prefer children to adults, and blondes to brunettes.

A mosquito can detect a moving target at 18 ft away

The average life span of a female mosquito is 3 to 100 days. the male lives 10 to 20 days.

Mosquitoes: lay up to 300 eggs at a time, fly across 150 miles in their lifetime, range from sea level to altitudes as high as 10,800 feet (3,600 meters), develop from egg to adulthood in 4 to 7 days

Q: How many species of mosquitoes are there?
A: About 2,700.

Q: What does a mosquito weigh?
A: About 2 to 2.5 milligrams (for an Aedes aegypti).

Q: How much blood does a female mosquito drink per, er, serving?
A: About 5-millionths of a liter (for an Aedes aegypti).

Q: How do mosquitoes find new hosts?
A: By sight (they observe movement); by detecting infra-red radiation emitted by warm bodies; and by chemical signals (mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid, among other chemicals).

Q: How fast can a mosquito fly?
A: An estimated 1 to 1.5 miles per hour.

Q: How far do certain mosquitoes fly
A: Salt marsh mosquitoes migrate 75 to 100 miles. .

Q: How far away can a mosquito smell you, or a cow or another host?
A: 20 to 35 meters.

Q: Why does a film of oil on water kill mosquito larvae?
A: Because the oil clogs up the snorkel that the larvae use to breathe.

Mosquitoes don't see very well, but they zoom in like a heat-seeking missile. In the spherical arrangement of their compound eyes, blind spots separate each eye from the next one. As a result, they can't see you until they are 30 feet (10 meters) away. Even then, they have trouble distinguishing you from any object of similar size and shape: tree stump, 55-gallon drum, etc. When they are 10 feet (3 meters) away they use extremely sensitive thermal receptors on the tip of their antennae to locate blood near the surface of the skin. The range of these receptors increases threefold when the humidity is high.

Why don't mosquitoes transmit HIV virus?

Studies with HIV clearly show that the virus responsible for the AIDS infection is regarded as food to the mosquito and is digested along with the blood meal.
Mosquitoes Do Not Ingest Enough HIV Particles to Transmit AIDS by Contamination
An AIDS-free individual would have to be bitten by 10 million mosquitoes that had begun feeding on an AIDS carrier to receive a single unit of HIV from contaminated mosquito mouthparts.Most people have heard that mosquitoes regurgitate saliva before they feed, but are unaware that the food canal and salivary canal are separate passageways in the mosquito. The mosquito's feeding apparatus is an extremely complicated structure that is totally unlike the crude single-bore syringe. Unlike a syringe, the mosquito delivers salivary fluid through one passage and draws blood up another. As a result, the food canal is not flushed out like a used needle, and blood flow is always unidirectional. The mechanics involved in mosquito feeding are totally unlike the mechanisms employed by the drug user's needles. In short, mosquitoes are not flying hypodermic needles and a mosquito that disgorges saliva into your body is not flushing out the remnants of its last blood meal.
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet # FS736

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And we thought the Stanky leg dance was bad ? Naija Parents watch your kids ok Bcos many Kids do what American kids do
Sack tapping
is a sport where two male participants each try to hit the other one's testicles first. Doctors are seeing more and more patients as a result, and sometimes amputation has to be performed as treatment. Many videos of these events have been posted on



Article:

A Minnesota teenager had to have his testicle amputated after
being punched in the groin by a classmate, KARE11.com reported
Friday.

David Gibbons, 14, was changing classes in his Crosby, Minn. high school when he was attacked by another student playing a game
called “sack tapping.”

David’s mother, Christy Gibbons, said it wasn’t until hours later that they realized something was wrong.

"One o'clock in the morning he woke me up and told me he was in excruciating pain," she said.

David was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Brainerd, Minn. where surgeons removed his right testicle.

And David is not the only student who has suffered the consequences of the “sack tapping” game.

"It's just gotten way out of control," said Dr. Scott Wheeler, a urologist in Brainerd, Minn. who says he performs three to four
surgeries a year on boys with ruptured testicles and other
complications as a result of “sack tapping.”

"All parents, you need to have this talk with your kids not to
do it. It's lost its humor. It's not a ga


Pain is the operative word in the unfortunate story of 14-year-old David Gibbons. It is a pain he has endured both physically and
emotionally after being punched in the groin by another student as he
changed classes at Crosby Ironton High School.

"One o'clock in the morning he woke me up and told me he was in excruciating pain," recalls Christy Gibbons, David's mom. Not long
after, David was in surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital in Brainerd having
his right testicle removed.

"This may be called a game, but it's not a game. It's dangerous and it needs to stop," said Christy.

It's a notion seconded by Dr. Scott Wheeler, a Brainerd urologist.

"It's just gotten way out of control," said Wheeler, who now performs "three to four surgeries a year" on boys with ruptured testicles and
other complications of being groin punched - with dozens more coming in
with less severe injuries. "It's high school, junior high, elementary
school," said Wheeler.

Dubbed "sack tapping" by some students, the practice is now featured in dozens of homemade videos on YouTube.

"We're gonna see who our first victim is," says a student in one video before punching an unsuspecting male student in the groin as he
walked down a school hallway.

It is painful to watch and Dr. Wheeler says increasingly common. "All parents, you need to have this talk with your kids not to do it. It's
lost its humor. It's not a game anymore. People get hurt."

"I don't know how to stop it," said David, who says he's been the recipient of similar attacks in the past. His parents pulled him out of
school and are now planning a move to a different school district.

Jamie Skjeveland, superintendent of Crosby Ironton schools, says the investigation of the incident involving David is complete, but he
declined to comment on any disciplinary action for privacy reasons.

On Wednesday morning the Gibbons are scheduled to meet with Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan to learn if criminal charges will be filed
against the other student.

"This kid doing that, he should definitely be held responsible for that," said Denny Gibbons, David's dad.

Doctors have told David that even though he lost a testicle in the attack, he should still be able to have children someday.

David's mom mostly wants other parents to be aware. "I seen the pain he was in. I seen what he went through every day, and it just breaks my
heart and I don't want any other child to have to go through this."

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emmmm maybe the Pandoran Oil "Avatars" might errrr " I SEE U" the Oil leak



PALOS VERDES, Calif (Reuters) – Film director and deep-sea explorer James Cameron said on Wednesday that BP Plc turned down his offer to help combat the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Over the last few weeks I've watched, as we all have, with growing horror and heartache, watching what's happening in the Gulf and thinking those morons don't know what they're doing," Cameron said at the All Things Digital technology conference.

Cameron, the director of "Avatar" and "Titanic," has worked extensively with robot submarines and is considered an expert in undersea filming. He did not say explicitly who he meant when he referred to "those morons."

His comments came a day after he participated in a meeting at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency headquarters in Washington to "brainstorm" solutions to the oil spill.

Cameron said he has offered to help the government and BP in dealing with the spill. He said he was "graciously" turned away by the British energy giant..

He said he has not spoken with the White House about his offer, and said that the outside experts who took part in the EPA meeting were now "writing it all up and putting in reports to the various agencies."

The film director has helped develop deep-sea submersible equipment and other underwater ocean technology for the making of documentaries exploring the wrecks of the ocean liner Titanic and the German battleship Bismarck some two miles below the surface.

'REALLY SMART PEOPLE'

Cameron suggested the U.S. government needed to take a more active role in monitoring the undersea gusher, which has become the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

"I know really, really, really smart people that work typically at depths much greater than what that well is at," Cameron said.

The BP oil spill off the U.S. Gulf Coast is located a mile below the surface.

While acknowledging that his contacts in the deep-sea industry do not drill for oil, Cameron said that they are accustomed to operating various underwater vehicles and electronic optical fiber systems.

"Most importantly," he added, "they know the engineering that it requires to get something done at that depth."

Among the key issues that Cameron said he is interested in helping the government with are methods of monitoring the oil leak and investigating it.

"The government really needs to have its own independent ability to go down there and image the site, survey the site and do its own investigation," he said.

"Because if you're not monitoring it independently, you're asking the perpetrator to give you the video of the crime scene," Cameron added.

Cameron made two documentaries about the wreck of the Titanic as well as the blockbuster 1997 movie "Titanic" using a small fleet of specially designed remotely operated underwater vehicles. He said his qualifications are not based on his background as a movie director but on his years of involvement in the deep-sea industry.

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thumbnail.php?file=PRESIDENT_GOODLUCK_AND_MUBARAK_714449394.jpg&size=article_mediumNigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday made a stop in Saudi Arabia to thank the King Abdullah led government for the first class medical attention it rendered the late Nigerian President Musa Yar’Adua while he was hospitalized at the Kind Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Islamic nation.

A report in Thisday, a Nigerian newspaper said the President and some members of his entourage including Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) left France on Tuesday morning at the conclusion of the 25th Africa-France Summit in Nice for Nigeria and made a stop in Riyadh before returning to Abuja on Tuesday night.

We could not reach presidential spokesman, Mr. Ima Niboro for further details on the stopover before going to press..

The President is expected to preside over the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday..

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Sex costs N100 in Bodija, the Ibadan foodstuffs market Located conspicuously at the heart of Ibadan, capital city of Oyo State, Bodija market is a sight to behold - crowded and noisy. It is the delight of every wife, cooks and others who need to shop to save some money. Here, foodstuffs come cheapest in the city, and in Nigeria as some argue. Hence foodstuffs buyers happily troop there to bring back bulk food items ranging from rice garri, elubo, fish, meat, tuwo, lafun, vegetable and many others.. In Bodija, while the food buyers have their good bargain, there are other attractions at the market. Services also abide in the domain of immorality. Bodija market wakes up as early as the cock crows, and never goes to sleep. This is not because trading lasts that long but a different transaction, heinous in nature, replaces buying and selling. Prostitution, pornographic film shows and petty robbery take over in Bodija when buyers and sellers of food items quit. Saturday Sun spent days observing what happens between 6pm and midnight and the discovery is simply incredible. From the Total Filling Station at the other side of the road into the market, following the railway line that runs down into the market, sex workers in different shapes, sizes and colours would call on male passers-by, asking and even begging for patronage. “Come it is sweet, come fine man, I will do you well, na just N100. E no cost, come , make we do am sharp sharp!”. Some of them would chorus, swinging their hips to entice buyers. Their ramshackle shelters stand facing the rail line. Some are built within the market. In most of the shelters, humble Hausa families also live as neigbhours to the sex workers. Amid the sex workers’ shelters is a mosque made of wood. As the sex worker or her patron ply the trade, they are harangued by the blaring of the public address system announcing prayers from this holy place. Another walk through the area offers you greater embarrassment. They hoot, call and even drag you: “Come now, na me call you first, you no no me again? Come, I go do you well, come and enjoy yourself.” If you are casually dressed, they call you student, otherwise, they call you oga or fine man.” To know more on how the sex workers carry out their business, Saturday Sun spoke to a few of them under the pretence of patronage. Cynthia, who hails from Delta State said for short time meaning a round of sex with her, she would accept as low as N100. “But if you want enjoy yourself well, well, touch br***t, smoosh body, you go make am N500.” We haggled and she brought it down to N300. Spending a night with Cynthia will take nothing less than N800. “That mean say, you go enjoy till day break”, she said patronizingly, blinking her amorous eyes. The other sex worker refused to give her name. She just revealed that she is from the North. She wanted business not friendship. “Na work I dey do, I no get time for friends now. I beg follow me talk business”, she snapped. The anonymous sex worker also accepted N100 for a quick one but advised that it would not be as interesting and enjoyable as a longer session that costs N500. “Na that one you go enjoy pass, I no say you fit pay am” said the unidentified sex worker. She got a bottle of beer as parting gift with a promise to see her later. Porn mart Take a long walk down to the side of the market near the butchers’ place. Here stands a wooden long hall. The interior smells heavily of alcohol, cigarette and marijuana. But for some bitter kola one chewed, the mixture of the strong stench would cause one to throw up. In front of this wooden hall are small pornographic posters mounted on flat wooden boards. The fee to watch a pornographic film that could last an hour is N30. Most of the people who patronize the cinema hall are traders, touts, and motorists in Bodija market and the neigbhourhood. Pornographic films are shown from 8pm till mid-night. Most of the porn watchers, from Saturday Sun checks, first go there to get excited and whet their appetite for a session with the sex worker near-by. “One hour for the cinema go wake you up so you go quick go do am with Ashawo,” Ibrahim, a mallam and regular patron of the cinema confessed. A man who said he is an Ibadan indigene explained that: “Most of us come here to unwind. Some of us who have two wives do come here to discharge when our wives are fighting and the home becomes too hot. Or if your girl friend refused to give you the thing and e de worry you, na here you release yourself.” Don’t the police attack them sometimes? Musa, another regular, speaking in pidgin English said “ The police dey come but the film man (cinema attendant) know them well, and him know how to settle them.” Taju, another trader in Bodija, has actually patronized the sex workers on several occasions. He spoke to Saturday Sun about his encounter: “I once had a session with a young girl who said she is from Edo. I like her so much I promised to marry her. After sometime she was no longer collecting money from me whenever I wanted to do it. The only thing was that she complained that the way I do it is painful. Meanwhile, I usually enjoy it that way because I take some dose of magani burantashi (traditional libido enhancer) which improves my performance. One night, Stella drove me out of her room shouting and cursing me for failing to marry her as promised. That was about three months into our relationship. Since then, I no longer go near her. I have shifted base. We still see each other but even when I try to avoid her she rained curses at me.”
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From Bus conductor to Lawyer

He was once a bus conductor andpalm wine tapper, now, he runs a flourishing law firm

Saturday, May 29, 2010 He heads a flourishing law firm in Lagos and travels around the world for business and pleasure. But that is not the beginning of the life story of Nkem Emmanuel Anaekie.

Before becoming a lawyer, he had at various times been a journalist, teacher, apprentice trader, bus conductor and palmwine tapper. Once he came perilously close to being ripped to bits by a baboon in the bush while going to tap palm wine in the wee hours.

In fact, there was a time things were so rough for him that he harboured dark thoughts of self-destruction, fear and confusion about his future.

Indeed, Anaekie’s story is a cocktail of hopes, palpable intrigue and actualized dreams. It is a classic grass to grace story, a demonstration of the never-say-die spirit of a typical Nigerian. And it is better heard from the horse’s mouth..

“I started on a very rough note before I got to where I am today. In 1967, when I was almost through with my elementary school, the civil war broke out and I was taken to Onitsha as trainee articles trader. While learning the trade, Onitsha fell and I trekked from Onitsha to my village, which is about 38 kilometres away. Even at that youthful age, it was not a pleasurable experience.

When I got to the village, I could not find anything to do. So, I became a palm wine tapper. I was 14 years old at that time. I continued to tap palm wine until the war ended in 1970. I also had some training with the Biafran Organisation of Freedom Fighters. (BOFF). We were taught how to use bare hands to overcome an opponent. However, I did not major there.

At the end of the war in 1970, I used the proceeds of my palm wine business to sponsor my education. I had gone to all my relations to train me but they all turned down my request. But I was determined to go to school, so nothing could deter me or derail my ambition.

I was in secondary school class one in 1970 at the age of 17. I sat for the examination but because I did not pay school fees, they did not allow me proceed to class two. And many times while reading in the classroom, the principal and the teachers would storm the class and flog the hell out of those of us who could not afford fees. Many of my colleagues who were in the same situation dropped out. Only four of us continued in spite of the humiliation. My parents were peasant farmers who could not afford to pay school fees but I just could not imagine myself dropping out. The small money I made from palm wine tapping was barely enough to buy my books and other things, not school fees of one pound then.

In my second year, the flogging and humiliation continued. Sometimes, they would lock me in the toilet for two days for refusing to dropout. At the end of class two in 1971, there was no result. Then I went to a relation of mine, late Mr. Peter Okolo, asking for assistance. He was a very rich man but he refused to help me. What my father did was to pledge a plot of land bequeathed to me to build my own house when the time comes. The land was pledged to him for two pounds. The money was used to offset my first and second year school fees.

When I got to class three, the man refused to pay my fees again. That was another problem. We went to another relation again to help me after I had written to the pope, bishop and government of East Central State begging for scholarship. None of them could help me. I still have the replies to those letters. But I did not give up.

We later met a man who accepted that he would only train me from class three to five on the condition that I would reciprocate when I pass out. The agreement was that when I complete my secondary education and start working, I would train his children. We signed an agreement to that effect.

The funny thing was that I had an agreement with the man who gave us two pounds stating that four months after my school certificate examinations I would refund the money or forfeit the land. The agreement was prepared by a Queens Counsel then (QC). Remember that the two pounds was for my first and second year school fees. The way I would pay my fees for the remaining three years was not talked about. Yet, I was required to pay back the two pounds four months after completing my secondary school or forfeit my land. I attended Holy Cross High School, Umuawulu. My principal was Mr. Belonwu.

A turning point came when I made Grade One in the school certificate examinations despite all the problems. I took an entrance examination to do Higher School Certificate (HSC) and I was posted to Federal Government College, Kano. Funny enough, the man going for HSC in Kano had no kobo on him. All I had was the transport fare I made from palm wine.

On arrival at the school, I went for registration. At a point, the accountant of the school, one man from the old Bendel State asked for my school fees. I asked him, which school fees? They did not indicate in my admission letter that I would pay school fees and I came with nothing. The man abused me and asked me to go away.

Incidentally, the administration block was in a lonely place, infested by stray dogs and I was abandoned there till 10.00pm. The principal, Mr. Bullock, a Briton, came around and saw me clutching my weather beaten bag. He asked what I was doing there and I told him I came to school. He asked what I was doing outside then and I told him I was asked to pay school fees, which I didn’t have. He asked again why I came to school when I did not have school fees. I told him that I came because I wanted to go to school. He left me and brought the vice principal, who happened to come from Igbo speaking area of Delta State. The vice principal was very angry with me, saying that people like me were disgracing our people. I begged them to forgive me if I had committed any offence, insisting however that it was not indicated in my letter that school fees were required.

They asked me if I had eaten. But the truth was that I did not eat any food for two days before I arrived there. So, they brought me food. At that time I had not eaten a good lump of meat in my life. So, when they brought a plate full of meat for me, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I asked them if the food was actually for me and they said yes. I was only used to bush rats and things like that. The man was watching me while I ate the food. He later took me to the school house and got me a bed to sleep on.

The next day at 5.30am, the man came again with the vice principal and asked me to tell them my story. I repeated the story. He told the vice principal to allow me to remain in school. That was how I got a scholarship. It was another turning point. I did well in my HSC examination, passing my four papers. But that was the beginning of another problem because there was no money to go to the university. All my mates secured admission into the university except me.

I got a pleasant surprise package at Kano. At the end of the term, I was given six pounds as transport fare. I didn’t know there was provision for that. A bus took me to Enugu. The transport fare from Enugu to my village was about one shilling. When I got home, I called my brother and some neighbours to join me to the lender’s home as witnesses when I refund the money we had borrowed. My father was wondering how I got the money. He asked me if I stole and I explained to him my journey in Kano. He pointedly told me never to steal, saying it was not in the character of the family to do so. I assured him that I did not and will never do anything to tarnish the image or name of the family.

So, we went to the man who lent us money. I brought the agreement, money, palm wine and kolanuts to thank him. But the man refused to collect the money, saying that I should go until whenever I finish with schooling. I asked him what about the agreement you had with me? Do you want to take my land? I left the things I brought including the loan with some interest on the table and tore the agreement into pieces. My witnesses are still alive up till today. So, I took back my land.

Since there was no money to go back to school, I went to seek for a teaching appointment. Between 1976 and 1977, I taught at the Abagana Girls Secondary School. While teaching, I saw a publication calling for people to apply for scholarship. I applied and forgot about it. Then Anambra State has been created.

One day, somebody brought a newspaper publication indicating that I had been offered scholarship by Anambra State government. In fact, my name was number one on the list. That was in April 1977. I was to receive N500 per annum. It was a lot of money. I used the N607 I had saved while teaching and a part of the scholarship money to build my first house in the village. I did that because we did not have any house in my compound.

Instead of reading law, which was my first choice, I read Mass Communication at the University of Lagos because my father said he did not want me to be a lawyer. You know, there was some kind of myth about law and lawyers. He rejected law because, according to him, when lawyers die they will be buried face down because they lie a lot. At the time, I believed him but my mind was still there.

When I finished my course in 1980, I was posted to do my National Youth Service in the old Gongola State. I was the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the NYSC. I became a big man of sort because I was given two cars, a Peugeot 504 salon and a Volkswagen beetle. It was another turning point. I made a lot of money there with which I built another house. The house is still standing till today. I made the money from allowances given to me because of my constant movements. At the time, there was only one bank in Yola, the state capital. That was First Bank. I was the one carrying money to pay corps members. Most of the time I was refunded money I spent on travelling. I saved the money and built a six-room bungalow with it.

After youth service, I joined the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as a reporter. Thereafter, I went back to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to read law.

There was something that happened when I was a palm wine tapper, which I will never forget. There was a time that we had a festival and as I was going to tap wine very early in the morning. As I was passing through the bushes, I was singing because I was afraid. The bush path was narrow and snaky. Suddenly, I came face to face with a very huge baboon. It was beckoning me to come and I did not have a gun. Even if I had a gun, three or four shots could not have killed it and it would have fought back before dying. I did not know what to do, so I threw the basket I was holding at and ran back.

In 1969, I worked as a bus conductor. I was accompanying a 911 lorry, which conveyed soldiers and goods from place to place. I did that just to make ends meet.

Looking back, life has taught me great lessons. It has taught me to be humble, focused and prayerful because I never knew I would get to this state in life. I believe that whatever accomplishment in life is by the grace of God not the effort of man.

In fact, when I was looking for job in 1976 and could not find any, I contemplated suicide. I had picked a rope to end it all. I could not afford university education and I could not secure a job, so I was frustrated to the point that life became meaningless.

What restored my courage and brought me back from the brink was something written on a vehicle I saw when I was returning from Enugu where I had gone in search of job. The English may not be perfect but the message was certainly profound. It read: ‘Destiny is unchangeable. Why worry?’ I read it and felt it was specifically meant for me. Instructively, the next day I got the letter for a teaching appointment.

Today, I cannot thank God enough. Now, I travel to everywhere I want because I can afford it. I can afford to buy any car that catches my fancy. I am happily married and blessed with four children. My first daughter is a medical doctor. She is married. My first son is a law student in his final year. My third child, who read accountancy, is doing his youth service. The last but not the least is reading computer science at University of Lagos. My wife is a teacher. Am I not an accomplished and blessed man so much loved by God?

Indeed, the answer to Anaekie’s question is, no doubt, you are. And in fact, he is a lesson to others in the dark alleys of life not knowing where next to go.

• Have you ever found yourself in the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ and bounced back to life, as happened in this story? Call: 08030563436.



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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and a member of the House, Independence Ogunewe would have exchange blows yesterday, but for the quick intervention of three other colleagues who held back the raging Speaker from hitting Mr Ogunewe.

The duo, who have been sworn enemies since 2008, insulted each other until the Speaker was pulled into the chambers.

Trouble began when Mr Bankole, who was returning from Room 231 of the House’s new wing where he had hosted some agitators from Aba State, was accosted by Mr Ogunewe who shouted at the Speaker, “why are you blackmailing me, what have I done?” The Speaker ignored the tirade and tried to exchange pleasantries with Mr Ogunewe, who showed no interest in Mr Bankole’s overture.

Bothered about the response, Mr Bankole explained to Mr Ogunewe that he had been to his (Ogunewe) house with a view to sorting out their differences, but only met his wife.

Mr Ogunewe shouted that the Speaker may have gone to see his wife and not himself. He was also heard saying, “what is this mad man saying? Is that all?”

The response angered Mr Bankole who turned back and charged at Mr Ogunewe but was restrained by the Minority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, the deputy minority leader Abdulrahman Kawu and Khadijat Abba Bukar Ibrahim. The Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha and another member, Benard Udoh also moved to stop the Speaker..

The duo, who were now raining abuses on each other, created a scene which attracted passersby before Mr Bankole was taken into the chamber where he took over from his deputy, Usman Nafada. He had stepped down for Mr Nafada midway in order to receive the delegates from Abia State who came to lobby the House for the creation of Aba state.

As soon as the Speaker took his seat, he dissolved the House into an executive session which lasted for more about 90 minutes. The session aborted the planned voting on the harmonized version of the report on the constitution review.

Speaking after the session, chairman of the Rules and Business Committee, Ita Enang denied that the issue was discussed.

“Absolutely nothing like that, nothing concerning the Speaker and Independence was discussed,” he said. Mr Enang merely said that some crucial issues such as the amendment budget bill, 2010 Supplementary budget, the Human Rights Commission amendment bill and the legislative staff salary were discussed since the House would proceed on two week recess today.

He said, “We have agreed to vote on the constitution as well as to begin the consideration of the first, second and third reading of the supplementary amendment bill and to consider the human rights Commission amendment bill because of the sanction that is likely to be placed on Nigeria on the 11th of January among others after which we will go on two weeks break.

“We have also agreed that tomorrow being the end of session we must definitely have a two weeks break. The issue of the minimum wage is a matter that is an Act. Even if the President agrees to pay and we make provisions for it, we will definitely come and amend the Act. We didn’t want to discuss some of this in plenary that is why we went in for an executive session.”

Calls for suspension

But our sources said the matter was discussed and some members demanded that Mr Ogunewe be suspended. Others, however, prevailed on the House not to suspend the lawmaker.

Mr Bankole had earlier in the day held a two-hour meeting with chairmen and deputy chairmen of the 84 standing committees of the House .

Sources at the meeting said the Speaker pleaded with them to allow peace reign in the lower legislative chamber. He also reportedly assured the committee leaderships that he would no longer dissolved the committees as earlier announced. The meeting, it was gathered, also discussed the issue of members quarterly allowances which they want increased to N42 million.

It was learnt that efforts were made at resolving the differences between Messrs Bankole and Ogunewe, who has never hidden his disdain for the Speaker’s leadership style.

Mr Ogunewe, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Imo State, fell out with the Speaker in 2008 when the latter removed him as chairman of the House Committee on Aviation. Bethel Amadi, Chief Whip of the House under Patricia Etteh, was appointed in his place and Mr Ogunewe was redeployed to the Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa.

Angered by the redeployment, Mr Ogunewe joined other members of a group called Transparency Group to demand for investigation into the N2.3 billion car scam allegedly involving the Speaker. The Speaker and members of the leadership were absolved from the allegation by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to which it was referred.

Following the agitation for probe, Mr Ogunewe was on February 26, 2009 suspended for two weeks. He returned in March 2009 and later joined another pressure group in the House, Nigeria First Forum (NFF), which was floated to canvass the installation of Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President. The group also initiated a move last month to impeach Mr Bankole.

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Bargains!: Police Shuts Down Baby Supermarket In LagosOfficials of the Lagos State Government have arrested an 84-year old woman at Lekki area of Lagos State, Nigeria for allegedly selling babies while her orphanage home that served as a baby factory was shut.

Mrs, Theresa Marques, the suspect, who recently suffered a stroke was arrested and brought to the Lagos State Government Secretariate, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday in the Lagos Ambulance service bus to keep her in healthy condition.

Officials of the Social Department, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development had first stormed the orphanage home at Block 380, Jakande Estate, Lekki on Tuesday and rescued two newly born babies, two boys and arrested some young women found at the orphanage.

She was said to have been granted license by the State Government some years ago to operate an orphanage under the name Ife-Oluwa Orphanage Home. But 84-year Marques now runs the orphanage along with an unapproved Maternity Centre where babies are being delivered. She also has a School there.

Following the development, the state government had revoked the license of the orphanage and shut it down after rescueing some children from the Home.

Officials of the state government claimed that they got a tip off from some members of the public that the woman allegedly collects money from people before handing over babies to them in the guise of adoption.

The act contradicts government's law which prohibits that money should be collected before giving out babies/children for adoption. Also, the exchange of the babies is without government's notice, an act that is criminal under the law. Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth and Social Development, Mrs Busola Ogunkoya, who led the team said government was informed that the old woman was making money through giving out babies to the intended adopters without government's notice.

Unconfirmed reports had it that the woman allegedly haboured young men and women who engaged in sex in order to produce children for her orphanage which are then given out. Marques, however denied that she collected money from intended adopters before handing the children over to them but confessed that she asked them for donations which were in most cases around N100,000, N200,000, among others, adding that this was always done after the process of adoption is completed.

One of the babies rescued from Mrs. Theresa.

she admitted that some young girls with pregnancy come to her

help since they had nowhere to go, saying that in such cases, she used to rent an apartment for them and pay for their ante-natal services and their delivery.

After they had delivered, she would then ask the mothers if they wanted the babies or not, while those who wanted their babies are allowed to go, and those who did not want them would hand them over to her after they had sworn to an afidavit that they did not want the babies.

According to her, it is such babies left in her care that she gives out to interested adopters without government's consent. Two of the babies discovered in the home were born last Sunday but their mothers were nowhere to be found. Marques said their mothers had gone to court to swear to an afidavit that they do not want the children and after two days, the women had not still come back from the court.

A medical doctor was also arrested at the maternity belonging to the octogenarian and had been detained at the taskforce office Alausa, Ikeja.

He was cought in a private room in the hospital with a young lady half naked, while himself was scantily. Children handed over to the old woman were allegedly sold to those in need of children without following government laid down procedures.

Special Adviser to the government on Youth, Sports and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru told P.M.NEWS that lots of illigality were being perpetrated by some people in the state under the guise that they were operating orphanage homes.

"They are giving us bad name. As people operating orphanages, they are seen as part of government. They make things difficult for people looking for children in order to make them cough out some money. We have been in their trail for long.''

"Two different babies with two different mothers were rescued. We will get to the root of this matter,"

he stated.

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HipHop World Awards 2010 winners

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Best album (solo or group) in year under review,that meets judges’ requirements of excellence (in every realms:songwriting, production, rendition and promotion) and acceptability(sales, popularity)
MUSHIN 2 MO’HITS
Artiste: WANDE COAL
Producer(s): Don Jazzy
Record Label: Mo’Hits Records

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR.
Mostcritically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under reviewOverall most successful artiste for the year under review
WANDE COAL
Real Name(s): OJOSHIPE WANDE JNR.
Album Title: Mushin 2 Mo’Hits
Record Label: Mo’Hits Records

SONG OF THE YEAR
Most popular song from an album in year under review. Decided by voting
“YORI YORI”
Artiste: BRACKET
Album: Least Expected
Producer: Dekumzy
Record Label Ape Planet

RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Bestsingle recording (on-air only or released) by artiste or group in yearunder review. Originality and production very essential
“HEAVEN PLEASE”
Album – TIMI (Unreleased)
Artiste – Timi Dakolo
Producer – Cobhams Asuquo
Record Label – (Unreleased

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Theindividual responsible for producing the most acclaimed songs/album inthe year under review. His CV for the year includes top notch tracksand production credits no one can fault.
DON JAZZY
Album/Song Title – “Banana”, “U Bad”
Artiste(s) – Wande Coal

BEST MUSIC VIDEO (AWARD GOES TO DIRECTOR)
Bestconceptualised, best edited, best picture, best directed and mostexciting video in year under review as voted by fans and decided by thejury.
CLARENCE PETERS
Music Video Title – “Finest”
Artiste – Knight House Ft. Sauce Kid & Teeto

BEST R ‘N’ B SINGLE
Best R&B single in year under review (by single individual or group)
“STRONG TING”
Artiste(s) – Banky W
Producer – Cobhams Asuquo

BEST POP SINGLE
Best pop single in year under review (by single individual
U BAD”
Artiste(s) – Wande Coal
Producer – Don Jazzy

BEST R ‘N’ B/ POP ALBUM
Best R&B or pop album in year under review (by single individual or group)
MUSHIN 2 MO’HITS
Artiste- Wande Coal
Producer(s) - Don Jazzy
Record Label- Mo Hits Records

BEST RAP SINGLE
Best single released on-air recording of a rap song
“SAMPLE Remix”
Artiste(s) – Terry Tha Rapman Ft. Stereo Man & Pherowshuz
Producer – Pherowshuz

BEST RAP ALBUM
Best album by a rap artiste or group in year under review
CEO
Artiste – Dagrin
Producer(s) – Sossick, T-Frizzle, Dokta Frabz, Sarz
Record Label - Missofunyin Entertainment

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
Rap Artiste with best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album
MODENINE
Song Title – Bad Man
Album Title – Da Vinci Mode (Not released in year under review)
Record Label – Red Eye Music

BEST COLLABO
Best R&B, Pop or hip hop collaborative track (including cameos) in year under review
“KOKOROKO”
Artistes – Kefee Ft. Timaya
Producer – K Solo

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
Single male artiste with most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album
DARE ART ALADE
Song Title - “NO STARS”
Producer- Cobhams

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
Single female act with most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album
LARA GEORGE
Song Title - “KEEPER OF MY DREAMS”
Producer – Wole Oni

BEST STREET HOP
The most popular street-hop single in year under review
“FREE MADNESS Pt. 2”
Artiste(s) – Terry G

NEXT RATED
Most promising upcoming officially unreleased act in the year under review
SKUKI
Song Title – “BANGER”

HIPHOP WORLD REVELATION OF THE YEAR
Best New artiste in the year under review
WANDE COAL
Real Name(s): OJOSHIPE WANDE JNR.
Album Title: Mushin 2 Mo’Hits
Record Label: Mo’Hits Record
***

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Pandemonium it was penultimate Sunday, when a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt enroute Malabo, hovered above Abuja airspace for hours not able to land due to inclement weather. Bemused passengers became alarmed, as anger due

to delay in landing, eventually turned to fear for their safety. While some cried openly, other prayed for an end to their predicament. Nevertheless, waiting in the air went from one to two, then three and four hours, yet no respite..

Meanwhile family members who had come to the Nnamdi Azikiwe airport to receive their loved ones were stunned when they learnt that the plane had to be rerouted to Malabo, after what seem like an endless wait. Should they return home and come back later? Or should they wait it out? They inquired, but the airline personnel could not provide answers.

In the words of one of the traumatized passengers, who spoke exclusively to huhuonline.com, “It was a nightmare”. “Our flight, aLufthansa aircraftLH562 from Frankfurt with departure time 11:50am to Abuja and speculated arrival time 16:45hrs, experienced severe turbulence while trying to land in Abuja on Sunday afternoon and had to spend more than an hour hovering above the clouds”.

“Despite the long stay in air and repeated dramatic turbulence, the pilot and cabin crew were able to calm the terrified passengers by updating passengers about the difficulties experienced with landing attempts.

“Passengers reported sporadic lightening in the clouds that had some impact on the landing attempts and all plans to land in Abuja was cancelled. The pilot later informed us about directive from Frankfurt to proceed to the next destination, Malabo”.

“Having spent some fuel above Abuja air, the plane could not fly with the remaining fuel to Malabo and had to do emergency refueling inLagos. No damage was recorded and all passengers were returned safely to Abuja by 23:40hrs”.

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"SEX ORGY IN LAGOS SCHOOL"

Teachers and parents of the Junior Secondary arm of the Oriwu College-Ikorodu, were shell-shocked to learn that students had turned a spot in the school into a centre for illicit sex and fun.

P.M.NEWS learnt that the school authorities recently discovered the dingy corner where male and female students usually had sex during school hours.

Some students of the Junior Secondary School arm of the school narrated how some of their colleagues were rounded up about two weeks ago by the school authorities at a dingy corner within the school premises where male and female students of the school normally had illicit sex and fun during school hours.

There were mattresses and toiletries at the joint which has now been dismantled.

It was also discovered tha a group of female students in the school had patronised witch doctors, who are known in local parlance as babalawo.

In the course of their confession during interrogation, the youngsters said that they patronised the witch doctors to curry the favour of fellow students and teachers and to ensure that they went scot-free each time they committed an offence.

The shocked school management invited the parents of the offending students. And most of them expressed surprise at the action of their children and wards, according to sources close to the meeting.

Two of the parents even burst into tears on learning that their children were involved in such immoral and fettish acts.

The witch doctor who allegedly cgarged each of the students about 2,000 naira for the portions he made for them, was said to have fled Ikorodu. All efforts to locate him have proved abortive.

The authorities of Oriwu College, which has produced prominent Nigerians, are said to have forwarded their recommendations on the offending students to the ministry of Education, in Alausa.

Meanwhile, teachers and workers in Oriwu College were said to have become extra vigilant to prevent a similar occurrence in the school.

---Eromosela Ebhomele & Paul Dada

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Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, are separating after 40 years of marriage that included a White House run when their sunny relationship offered a counterpoint to President Bill Clinton's philandering.

According to an e-mail circulated among the couple's associates on Tuesday, the Gores said it was "a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration."

Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider confirmed the statement came from the Gores, but declined to comment further.

The Gores were telling friends they "grew apart" after 40 years of marriage and there was no affair involved, according to two longtime close associates and family friends, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The associates said the Gores, over time, had carved out separate lives, with the former vice president on the road frequently. One of the associates said: "Their lives had gotten more and more separated."

Al Gore lost the 2000 presidential election to Republican George W. Bush. He has since campaigned worldwide to draw attention to climate change, which in 2007 led to a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth."..

The Gores, who were married on May 19, 1970, at the National Cathedral in Washington, crafted an image as a happily married couple during his eight-year stint as vice president in the 1990s and a presidential candidate in 2000. The couple famously exchanged a long kiss during the 2000 Democratic presidential convention.

The image of their warm relationship stood in sharp contrast to the Clinton marriage rocked by Bill Clinton's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, a scandal that hung over Gore's own presidential campaign.

Al Gore at the time said his wife was "someone I've loved with my whole heart since the night of my high school senior prom."

On Halloween, Al and Tipper Gore would dress up in costume and greet trick-or-treaters who made their way to the vice president's mansion. One year, she was dressed as a puppy and he was dressed as Underdog.

Tipper Gore was a co-founder in 1985 of the Parents Music Resource Center, which pushed for parental warning labels on music with violent or sexually explicit lyrics. The group drew the ire of musicians ranging from Dee Snider of Twisted Sister to Frank Zappa, who said warning labels were unnecessary and a danger to freedom.

Tipper Gore later became friends with the late Zappa's wife, Gail, and played drums and sang backup on daughter Diva Zappa's album in 1999.

The Gores have four adult children, Karenna, Kristin, Sarah and Albert III.

In a letter written to then-girlfriend Tipper as a 17-year-old college freshman, Al Gore wrote: "Mother's having a fit about me riding the motorcycle back to Harvard. Dad's mad at my long hair."

Gore later held his father's former seats in the U.S. House and Senate for 16 years. He first ran for president in 1988 at age 39, but drew little support outside the South.

A subsequent bid in 1992 was derailed after the Gores' 6-year-old son almost died after being hit by a car in 1989.

"It was a very spiritual time for both of us," Tipper Gore later wrote. "In Al's case, he decided to write a book and not to run for president in 1992."

The book was "Earth in the Balance," and Al Gore ended up in the thick of the 1992 campaign anyway — as Bill Clinton's running mate.

Tipper Gore, who has acknowledged treatment for depression after Albert III's accident, is a vocal advocate on mental health issues.

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Man shoots own testicles

Now that must have taken some Balls !

A man accidentally shot himself in the testicles at Lowe's Home Improvement store in Lynnwood Sunday afternoon, police said.

A man accidentally shot himself in the testicles at Lowe's Home Improvement store in Lynnwood Sunday afternoon, police said.


The man's handgun, which was in the waistband of his pants, went off at about 12:30 p.m. — an apparent "accidental discharge," according to Shannon Sessions, a Lynnwood police spokeswoman.


"It made a loud noise and scared a lot of people in the store," Sessions said. "I believe he shot himself in the testicles and he also had some injuries to his leg and foot. He was obviously in shock."


Nobody else was hurt and no one appeared to be with the man, she said.


Police and fire responded, and the man was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle before police had a chance to interview him extensively. Sessions had no further details about the man.


Lynnwood police are continuing to investigate but "at this point it does look like it's accidental," Sessions said. A manager at Lowe's said store personnel are not commenting on the
incident.

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"This can't be real" was my first thought. Then I checked the source: The Guatemalan government. This sinkhole appeared last sunday in a street intersection of Ciudad de Guatemala. Just looking at the photo gives me vertigo.


A sinkhole is a natural depression caused by the removal of underground soil by water. Usually, it happens when the substrate is formed by limestone, carbonate rock, salt beds or any other rock that is easily eroded by water streams. The process could be slow, but sometimes the land just cracks open without notice. In this case, it happened suddenly, swallowing an entire house. The cause: Massive underground water torrents created by tropical storm Agatha.




Sinkholes' size ranges from low terrain depressions to hundred of meters. Unlike the similar sinkhole that killed two teens in 2007, there seems to be no victims. At least one local newspaper is reporting one person dead, but the authorities have not confirmed it. Some neighbors claim that a whole three-story building and a house fell into the hole.

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As backstabbing & Front Stabbers are now legal in 9ja


Photo:EvilGeniusLaughing evil laugh "uhuuuahhaahhhhaaa Naija people are fools !" Abiola inset:

Ibrahim Babangida, Nigeria’s former military dictator, yesterday said that he was willing to have the late Moshood Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 general elections “immortalised.”

Mr. Babangida, while responding to questions from aviation correspondents at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), disclosed that Abiola fought for Nigeria’s democracy and his efforts should be recognised.

“I think it is good at long last that somebody is trying to acknowledge the efforts of Chief M. K. O. Abiola. We cannot deny him the fact that he fought for democracy, and I am glad that the government is accepting it.

“Also, I want to see a situation whereby he will be immortalised as a person who fought for democracy in this country,” Mr. Babangida said.

Babangida’s doublespeak

Ironically, Mr. Babangida annulled the June 12, 1993 election, which was adjudged as the country’s freest and fairest election. The annulment was the catalyst for a series of events which forced Mr. Babangida to “step aside” and hand over to an Interim National Government, headed by Ernest Shonekan, who hails from Abeokuta, like Abiola. Three months after, Mr. Shonekan was deposed by the late Sani Abacha, a General and Chief of Defence Staff, who later arrested Abiola until he died in detention.

The former Nigerian leader, who has expressed interest in running for the 2011 general elections, disclosed that he would prefer that an institution be named after the late Abiola, adding that it would be a lasting bequest to the 1993 general elections winner.

“Well, there are so many things, but I will leave that to government. I want to see maybe an institution named after him that talks only about democracy. That is the most enduring legacy we can give MKO,” he said.

Dropping presidential ambition

Asked about his response to calls by Nigerians and especially that of former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Maitama Sule, who said that Mr. Babangida and former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, should not contest the 2011 presidential elections, the former military helmsman said that everybody is entitled to his or her opinion.

“This is democracy,” he said. “You may have 150 million opinions. I have my own opinion and he has his own, you cannot deny him.”

He disclosed that when it is time, Nigerians will know. “The time has not come; when we get to the bridge we will cross it,” he said.

Regarding the number of political parties, the former president said that the lesser the number of political parties in the country, the better for the nation’s democracy.

“I am not a believer in 51 parties. The smaller, the better for democracy, and then everybody will have a place to be accommodated. But you see, there are so many little ones and everybody moves towards the winning party,” he said.

“I think it is better for this country to run a manageable party, than maybe three, four, or five.”

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Ogidigborigbo of Africa You Are NEXT !

A 12-member jury deliberating on the money laundering trial of associates of the former Delta State governor, James Ibori, has found his sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie, guilty of all charges of money laundering and mortgage fraud.

The jury, however, acquitted Mr Ibori's former assistant, Adebimpe Pogoson, of the charges against her.

The jury is yet to announce its verdict pertaining to the third accused aide, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, who is Mr Ibori's mistress.

The money laundering trial involving Mr Ibori's female aides began in September 2009 at the Southwark Crown Court, London, after Ms Pogoson, (a personal assistant on confidential matters during his tenure as the Delta State governor) and his sister Christie Ibori-Ibie, were charged in December 2007 on three counts of conspiring "together with Mr Ibori, Udoamaka Onuigbo and others, to defraud the Delta State government".

The aides allegedly helped the former governor move an estimated £70 million worth of looted funds through several London banks.

Mr Ibori is currently detained in the United Arab Emirates where he was recently arrested by INTERPOL after evading arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria.

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The Traditional Ruler of Akure, the Ondo State capital, Oba Oluwadare Adesina late Sunday night escaped being lynched by an irate mob when he engaged one of his wives, Olori Bolanle in a free for all at her family house located opposite the state Specialist Hospital, Akure.Photos:Olori bolanle showing off her burns. inset Below is Deji of Akure

The Oba, who late last year was saved by Governor Olusegun Mimiko from being dethroned was said to be having some disagreement with his spouse which had made her to vacate the palace for her parent’s home at 141, Hospital Road, Akure.
According to an eye witness, the Olori on sighting the Oba, who was in company with his youngest wife, Remi Abiola went into the house and told the people to inform the Oba that she was not around.
THISDAY gathered that the threat by the Oba to burn down the house should his estranged wife fail to come out forced her out to confront the unexpected visitors.
It was gathered that before a brawl ensued, a fowl which head was forcefully pulled of its body was used for a sacrifice of sort with its feathers spread in front of the house.

The monarch in the bid to engage his wife in fisticuffs was said to have stripped himself half naked and on sighting the Olori, he was said to have ordered that some hot ashes be brought to the venue in a Toyota Starlet car marked ONDO AL 936 AKR and poured on her, an incident, which made some parts of her hand to peel off.
While this was going on, the Oba’s wife who came along with the Oba was alleged to have picked a big wood on the ground and smashed it on the back of Bolanle following which the two fought themselves.
Disturbed by the action of the Oba on her sister, a younger brother mobilised some youths in the area against the perceived injustice, which led to a real street fight.

When it was obvious that the youths wanted to lynch the Oba and that he could not escape without being beaten or molested, the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) was contacted and he dispatched his men to the scene.
But the monarch’s vehicle, a Pathfinder Jeep, which brought him to the scene of the melee was seriously damaged and blocked with another Xterra jeep belonging to Olori Bolanle, making the monarch to escape in the police patrol vehicle marked PF 4598.
Although, there was no official reaction from the police as the Police Public Relations Officer for Ondo State Command, Aremu Adeniran did not pick calls made to his mobile phone, a top police source confirmed the incident. The Ondo State Police Commissioner, Maggaji Nassarawa also confirmed that the Oba went to his inlaws’ house to make trouble openly.

Also, the Olori, whose family house was invaded narrated her ordeal on phone from her hospital bed where she said she was being treated and added that some valuables including jewelleries were stolen in the process.
The Olori has also threatened to take the Oba to court over the incident.
However, all efforts to speak with the Oba proved abortive as journalists were not allowed into the palace and calls made to his phone and that of his lawyer, Olusola Oke were not answered.



Previous Cases of Gangsterism:

November 10, 2009, 05:17 PM »



UPDATE ON THE DEJI OF AKURE ISSUE:
According to the resolution of the Akure Council of Chiefs, including the 17 traditional kingmakers that approved Adesina’s installation, various allegations had been leveled against him.
The resolution signed by the traditional Prime Minister of the town, Chief Folorunso Davies, the Olisa of Akure, the Odopetu of Akure, Chief M.A. Falade, the Elemo of Akure, Chief Bolanle Adedipe and others found the erstwhile monarch guilty of the offences.

The council said that some of the allegations include: “Violation of Akure tradition and custom by personally going to the market to disturb market women from trading and engaging in wanton and indiscriminate destruction of essential food items in the markets.

“Flagrant breach of age long and hallowed custom of Akure that makes it mandatory for the Deji not to leave his official palace without the knowledge and concurrence of the chiefs.
“Oba Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina deliberately failed and refused to complete the traditional rites for the stool of the Deji of Akureland contrary to the tradition and custom of Akure. By so doing, he renders his selection and appointment incomplete haven failed to give Akure chiefs the traditional ‘Igbarunjo’.
“Incessant, rampant and re-occurring cases of highhandedness, brutal and repressive oppression of the people in and around the Akure community.

“Oba Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina has been personally leading a team of recruited and sponsored thugs, gangsters, hoodlums and armed terrorists to the people’s houses at the late hours of the night to inflict injuries on innocent citizens in the Akure community in his presence and at his instructions and directives.”

Apart from these, the council added that part of the allegation against the embattled Deji were descration of the palace and grooming of a notorious gang known as “60 by 120” that was involved in land disputes.
Having carefully investigated the allegations leveled against him, the council said, “the entire members of the Akure Council of Chiefs and the Akure Community have considered you as unfit, unworthy and improper to continue to occupy the cherished and exalted throne of Deji of Akure land having brought disgrace, dishonour and impudence to the office..

The chief said further: “You are consequently warned in the interest of peace to stop holding yourself out or parading yourself as the Deji of Akure kingdom henceforth.”
The Olisa of Akure said the kingmakers were misled in choosing Adesina as Deji of Akure in the first instance and were ready to correct the mistake made four years ago.

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The Lagos State House of Assembly has given the assurance that it will continue to carry out its deliberations on Thursdays in Yoruba.

The Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Kolawole Taiwo, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Ikeja, Lagos.

This is just as Governor Babatunde Fashola said on Sunday that he had granted a state pardon tyo six convicts currently serving life sentences.

Taiwo was reacting to speculations that the assembly was not serious with deliberating in Yoruba, and may dump the idea soon.

However, Taiwo told NAN that the House had put adequate measures in place to sustain deliberations in Yoruba every Thursday.

He said one of the measures was the planned training of the House members and legislative workers in the use of the language.

The majority leader did not disclose when the training would be done, but said the Clerk of the House, Mr Adewale Olatunji, would determine that.

He said that members House were still at a learning stage with the use of the language for deliberations.

“If we have issues that are germane to us, we revert to English. We do that to give lawmakers the opportunity to discuss freely, especially when the report was prepared in English.

“It is so difficult translating reports into Yoruba but we are working on it,” he said.

Taiwo noted that the House had passed a supplementary budget, using Yoruba.

Meanwhile, those pardoned were above the age of 50 and had served a minimum of 20 years out of their jail terms.

Fashola, who made the disclosure in Lagos during a dinner party in commemoration of the third year of his administration named the beneficiaries as Lateef Alabi, aged 60; Sunday Oladapo (58) and Sunkanmi Alao (55)..

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