Tomorow it is Roddick Vs the FedererFinals: Serena Williams (2) def Venus Williams (3) 7-6 6-2Semifinals: Andy Roddick (6) def Andy Murray (3) 6-4 4-6 7-6 7-6Semifinals: Roger Federer (2) def Tommy Haas (24) 7-6 7-5 6-3Serena Williams won her third Wimbledon title and first in six years by beating her older sister and defending champion Venus.Serena won 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, on Centre Court at the All England Club in London, preventing her sister from taking a third consecutive title. Only Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova have managed to win three in a row since professionals were admitted in the Open era of tennis in 1968.“It feels so amazing,” Serena said to the spectators. “I feel like I shouldn’t be holding the trophy. It’s named ‘The Venus,” and she always wins.”It was the fourth time the American sisters met in a Wimbledon final. Serena has now beaten Venus in three finals. Today’s win also tipped their all-time head-to-head record in her favor, 11-10. It is the longest rivalry between sisters on the WTA Tour since 1971, according to the women’s circuit. Manuela and Katerina Maleeva of Bulgaria played each other nine times, with Manuela taking the series 8-1.“I feel like going into this final I have nothing to lose,” Serena had told reporters after she beat Elena Dementieva in the semifinals. “I feel like obviously she’s playing the best tennis at this tournament.”Serena now holds three of the four majors -- Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the U.S. Open. Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova won the French Open.Sibling RecordsThe only sisters to have both reached the No. 1 ranking on the WTA Tour, the Williamses have now won a total of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, starting with Serena at the 1999 U.S. Open.In the last decade, they have taken over the grass courts at the All England Club, winning eight championships in singles. They played a riveting final a year ago, with Venus winning her fifth Wimbledon title 7-5, 6-4. Serena previously won in 2002 and 2003.Venus Williams, with the two large strips of medical tape supporting her left knee that she’s worn since her second match of the tournament, won the toss and elected to serve. The sisters traded games until it was 4-3, when Venus got two break points. She lost both, and Serena won the game with an ace down the center.At 5-5, Serena got Venus to deuce on her serve, but couldn’t convert. It went to tiebreakers, with Serena taking it after losing one set point. It was the first time Venus had dropped a set in the tournament, and broke her win streak of 34 consecutive sets.Disappearing ServeIn the second set, Venus couldn’t get her service working, getting less than 50 percent of the first serves in. Still, they traded games until it was 3-2, when Venus double-faulted to go down 4-2.Serena won the next game without giving up a point to go up 5-2. She converted her fourth championship point when Venus dumped a backhand into the net. The sisters hugged at the net.“They probably are the best of their era,” Bud Collins, a broadcaster and tennis historian for more than 40 years, said in an interview at Wimbledon today.“They compare very well,” with nine-time champion Navratilova and seven-time winner Graf, Collins said.“I picked Venus to win the tournament when it started,” Collins said. “She’s got that wing span, she can get up to the net and cover a lot of territory.”Venus and Serena “can both can run like deer. They both have great hearts,” he said.Having the sisters compete at Wimbledon, where they also play in women’s doubles finals today, is important for the tournament.“They are the box-office stars,” Chris Gorringe, who retired as chief executive officer of the All England Club in 2005, said in an interview.Since the retirement of top-ranked Justine Henin in May 2008, five women have held the No. 1 position, two of them -- current leader Dinara Safina of Russia and Jelena Jankovic of Serbia -- without winning a major. The sisters stand out from the rest of the women’s field because of their mental strength, tennis commentator and former player Mary Carillo said.Dominant Women“Look at the great women’s champions, from Martina Navratilova to Chris Evert and Steffi Graf, they were all very strong mentally,” Carillo, a former French Open mixed doubles champion, said in an interview. “Serena, Venus and also Maria Sharapova are the same. When they step on a tennis court, they are saying to themselves, ‘What will it take for me to win the match?’ You don’t see that so much with the other women.”Serena, 27 and seeded second at Wimbledon this year, showed her mental strength in her 2 hour, 49 minute semifinal against Elena Dementieva of Russia.Faced with match point on her serve at 5-4 down in the third set, Williams rushed to the net to finish off the point. Instead of hitting down the sideline or using a lob, the Russian aimed the ball back cross-court at Williams, who met it with a backhand volley that touched the net and landed on Dementieva’s side for a winner.Serena won the match 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 8-6, making her only the second player in the Open era at Wimbledon to come back from match point down on the way to the championship.Record After RecordThe only other player to do so since tennis turned professional in women’s singles was Venus Williams, who won the 2005 final against Lindsay Davenport after saving a match point in the third set.Serena’s fighting spirit always has been there, said Venus, who is two years older and was seeded third. She recalled a match her younger sister won over Davenport at White City in Sydney, Australia, in 1998, after trailing 1-6, 2-5.“That actually had a huge impression on my career, that one incident actually.” Venus told reporters after dropping just one game in her semifinal win over Safina. “We saved the article. It was called ‘White City’s Great Escape.’ Afterwards I would read it with an Australian accent. We’d read it over and over again, about how she overcame all the odds and won that match.”CriticismThe Williamses have been criticized by Navratilova, who watched today’s match from the royal box, and others for not playing a full schedule and spending too much time on other interests, such as interior design and acting. Serena spent almost an entire press conference last week talking about a script she was trying to write.Their longevity and success shows their strategy, and that of their coach and father, Richard, has been the right one.“Their formula is, trying to peak for the majors and play 15 to 18 tournaments a year,” Pam Shriver, a five-time Wimbledon doubles champion and now a tennis commentator who has known the Williamses for 15 years, said in an interview. “It’s not a bad idea. You can’t question it now they are both in their late 20s.”Playing each other in 2009 isn’t the same as when they did it for the first time at the 1998 Australian Open.“It’s different because we’re different players,” Venus said, when asked if it ever got any easier playing a sibling. “We both play such a similar game. We had the same teacher. But what I can tell you, the respect that we have for each other on and off the court is the same.”
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FEEL THIS PLS!I haven't laughed this much in a while but the guy didn’t go as far as he should have (not the 419ner). It’s really hilarious...Please read and laugh it out!!!You need to read this discussion between a 419 guy and his prospective prey.It's not uncommon these days to receive strange calls with foreign numbers. These callers invariably have one juicy business or the other to discuss from 'abroad'. If you fall for the sweet talk, there goes your money.I got a typical call very recently, here's the gist:Mr. 419: Hello, how are you?Ayo: Fine. Please, who am I speaking with?Mr. 419: Haba, don't you remember me? Who do you know in UK that could be calling?(Sensing a scam, I threw in a trap.)Ayo: Johnson! Is that you? (I don't know any Johnson in UK .)(Thinking it's a break, he swallows the bait)Mr. 419: Of course, this is Johnson! How come you didn't recognize my voice initially?(Certain it's scam, I decided to punish him verbally and financially. I had the time that morning so I was going to assist him waste his call credit.)Ayo: Jooooooohnson! Kai! Omo buruku gbaa ni o! (You are a special bad boy)Your father died, you didn't so much as show up or send a note. Omo a seiru e fun e! (Your children will repay you with such). Didn't you hear about his demise? He was so bitter and full of original curses for you.Mr. 419: (Obviously subdued) I didn't hear. I would have come.Ayo: Too bad. You heard your mama is leprous too? You didn't hear about that, abi?Mr. 419: (Now uncomfortable) No, I didn't hear.Ayo: (Enjoying myself thoroughly). Too bad. Is your wife that foolish too? Not even a word from her after you folks married without our blessings?If the husband is not wise, is the wife lame-witted too?Mr. 419: She's fine. I'm certain she'll get across to you.There's an issue.(Breaking in before he begins his story)Ayo: Johnson, O se mi o: you offended me. I sent you money to buy me a car and you just disappeared. When am I having my money back? You want me to curse you too like your father did? I don't have his kind of patienceI'm sure you know. I won't wait that long before I give you what you deserve.Mr. 419: (Grunted). This issue is important...Ayo: Shut up!!! When are you sending money home? Haba! We sent you to school, clothed you and sent you abroad... Are you now a 419? Stealing from me your friend too? Your father was right to curse you... And you can't escape it if you continue like this. It’s a curse.Mr. 419: I'll repay you.After about 50 minutes of moves and counter-moves. I owned up.Ayo: See Mr. 419, I don't know any Johnson in UK . I just needed to teach you a lesson. Go get a proper job.Mr. 419: Were! Oloriburuku! Lo ti n sepe fun mi lat'aaro! (Madman, and you've been cursing me since morning!)Ayo: Disconnected.
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Today, I have a few words to say, not about my self or my family, but about me!Yes about me just because, I can today stand the test of time and proclaim that I can actually do virtually all things through Christ that strengthens me. You want to know why?Let me let you into a bit of my life. …. ..I was born into a polygamous family oh! And so u said? Because you were too or probabably, you have watched FUJI HOUSE OF COMOTION severally or you have gotten personal experience about it? Any way, I just digressed, back to the track.I had polio my elitis when I was barely nine months old, I could not compete favourably well with others, then I thought life was cruel and that the Lord has played pranks with me.Things turn out best for those who make the best out of the way things turn out for them. I got determined to irrespective of my challenges become an achiever, though, it’s only achievable with God on ones side and I thank him because he is on my side .Today, I thank God for my life because; I am not only an achiever but also a great influence to the world. If you ask me what made me, I will simply tell u ‘MY DISABITY MADE ME THRU THE ONE I CALLED ‘THE ALMIGHTY GOD’What problems do you think you have that cant be surmounted? You too can, like I did, don’t limit yourself to your present situation; drag yourself out of your predicament and you will get there. Getting to the top could b difficult but remaining at the top is most and more difficult.Let this rhetorical question rap up my blog for today, has there been a river that our God cannot swim or any mountain he cannot climb, ho! Or should I ask if there is any?ANSWER THIS QUESTION AND MEET ME A THE TOP,.AM WAITING!!! AM WAITING!!! AM WAITING!!!Written byTokunbur Oyejobitokunbur@yahoo.com
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GRANDMA IN COURTLawyers should never ask a Mississippi grandma a question if theyaren't prepared for the answer. In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grand motherly, elderly woman to the stand. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?"She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I've known you since you were a young boy, and frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me.You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."The lawyer was stunned! Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?"She again replied, "Why, yes, I do. I've known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can't build a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him."The defense attorney almost died. The judge asked both counsellors to approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice, said, "If either of you idiots ask her if she knows me, I'll send you to the electric chair."Thank you and have a LOVELY WEEK END.
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MARK Twain once remarked "Everyone complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." Now it is becoming apparent to scientists that despite the fact that we can do little about the weather next month, we are doing things that will determine the global climate at the end of this century. Burning oil, gas and coal puts a burden of exhaust into the world's atmosphere.
These exhaust gases will eventually be absorbed into oceans and forests, but not before they cause a slow, dangerous heating of the global atmosphere. During the 20th century the carbon dioxide released in industrialised countries caused the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration to increase by 40 per cent. The concentration of this gas product from burning of wood, petrol, diesel and coal is increasing more rapidly in the 21st century.
The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the International Panel on Climate Change has brought to the world's attention the seriousness of the problem that will confront us toward the end of the 21st century if the present wastage of fossil fuels continues. Three Nigerian scientists were honoured along with several hundred other scientists who served as members of the IPCC.
As a U.S. citizen I have a special concern, since we Americans have a wasteful style of life. We waste a lot more energy per capita than any other nation. Fortunately, one of our retired politicians, Al Gore, has been mobilising world opinion for action to prevent catastrophic climate change. He has done this through his film Inconvenient Truth. This inconvenient truth is that our continued loading of earth's atmosphere with carbon dioxide will lead to disastrous climate change. This is as certain as any scientific projection about the future of the world can be.
It is inconvenient because it imposes a responsibility on users of energy everywhere to restrict their use of energy. We also have to use energy more efficiently. This is inconvenient to nearly everyone except the peasant farmers of the world. Nearly everyone else rides to work in some form of motorised transport. Industries and modern homes use energy, often inefficiently. To restrict our energy usage and wastage will not be convenient. Nevertheless it must be done if climate catastrophe is to be delayed or avoided. The importance of Al Gore's film was recognised by giving him a share in the Nobel Peace Prize along with the IPCC.
In his address in Oslo when he accepted the Nobel Prize Gore said, "The distinguished scientists with whom it is my greatest honor to share this prize have laid before us a choice between two different futures - a choice that to my ears echoes the words of an ancient prophet: 'Life or death, blessings or curses. Therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.' We, the human species, are confronting a planetary emergency, a threat to our civilisation." The Secretary General of the United Nations has added his voice to the Nobel laureates calling for change.
Ban Ki-Moon called climate change, "The defining challenge of our age." The U.S. administration last week reversed its refusal to negotiate specific targets for limiting greenhouse gases. Until the last day of the UN Conference on Climate Change on the island of Bali, the U.S. was obstructing efforts to negotiate a successor treaty to the Kyoto Accords that Nigeria signed in 2004. The Kyoto Accords are due to expire in 2012. The Bali agreement committed the subscribing nations to negotiate limits on the production of greenhouse gases.
The international oil companies have been trying to evade their responsibility in the matter of climate change. One way they do this is to fund studies by eco-skeptics, the people who claim that the IPCC is in error. They seem to be funding people like the British eco-skeptic Stuart Dimrock, who brought suit in a British High Court against the use of the film Inconvenient Truth in British schools. Dimrock would not disclose to the media who were his backers financing the suit against the government for using Gore's film in British schools.
Roger Harabin of the BBC commented on Mr. Justice Burton's verdict on Dimrock's suit, "(The belief) that many leading experts question if human activity is contributing to climate change is simply untrue." Mr. Justice Burton found nine "errors" in Al Gore's film. However, he did not block the use of the film in British schools because of these minor errors. It should be noted that the film deals with projections, scientifically accepted projections. A few unsound projections in Inconvenient Truth should not obscure the message of the film, because there are many independent lines of evidence from the study of ancient and modern climate changes.
Climate change will very probably have disastrous effects in coastal cities around the world, cities like New Orleans and Lagos, if action is not taken now. This is because ocean levels are bound to rise if and when the large, land-based glaciers of the Arctic and Antarctic begin to melt. Once this process begins, it will accelerate, since the bottom layers of the glaciers will melt first under pressure and the heavy top layers will begin to slide down the slope into the ocean faster and faster.
Climate change in the future will be largely caused by human activity - by the increasing use of fossil fuels due to industrial progress around the world. Carbon dioxide is the gas that is produced when fuel is used or wasted. The flaring of natural gas by the oil companies operating in Nigeria is one of the leading African sources of carbon dioxide. The 2003 Nigerian government report on the emissions of greenhouse gases estimated that gas flaring was contributing as much to global warming as all of the useful burning of fuels in Nigeria. Some years ago the companies producing oil and flaring the associated natural gas in Nigeria agreed with the Federal Government that they would put an end to flaring by 2008. These same oil multinational companies are now reported to be lobbying the Federal government to postpone the January 1, 2008 deadline by a year or more.
Instead of flaring natural gas it is possible to re-inject it into the ground for future use. This requires some investment, but it has been technically feasible for half a century. Gas that cannot be gathered for liquefaction or electric power generation should be re-injected into the ground. If the Nigerian government wants to eliminate the wasteful flaring, it should impose meaningful fines on the oil companies for continuing the practice. It seems to me that flaring will end only if the oil companies have to pay fines commensurate with the investment required for utilising or re-injecting gas.
In 2003 the energy wasted by flaring this national heritage was roughly equal to all the fuel energy used in Nigeria. The government can end this waste if it takes the interests of its citizens more seriously than its relations with the capitalists controlling the oil industry. History may not judge kindly those politicians who ignore the climate change issue. A headline in The Guardian last July 5 read, "Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers may be submerged in 50 years." This can be prevented or delayed if politicians and oil companies give responsible leadership in combating climate change.
From a poll carried out on 9jabook "If corruption was the Number One problem in Nigeria what is number Two ?"
As of today out of 441votes electricity took 217 votes roughly 49percent !
9jabook :"We are hoping such a move would be well represented on the Nigerian power scene and if Yaradua can swing this into an Oil/ Gas for Power Exchange solution then maybe we have seen the end of NEPA. Just what MTN did to Nitel and the revamping of Telecoms maybe this will be the saviour of our Power needs.Actually It is amazing that the powers that be notably diesel and petrol sellers for Generators and generator Maintenance and Sales Companies are still DISRUPTING Energy PROGRESS because of their Selfish needs"
IF CellPhone Technology could come after a long wait and turn Naija into the top Market in Africa WHY IS POWER TECHNOLOGY still taking such a long time to come.THERE IS A HUGE MARKET IN NIGERIA ! WHY ?
To power Lekki Peninsula alone you just need Wind Energy abundant on the Beach line !
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President Dmitry Medvedev currently stated Russian investments in Nigeria’s energy sector could attain “billions of dollars” as Moscow signed a raft of energy deals with the African oil giant. Medvedev, the primary Kremlin leader to visit the West African powerhouse, stated he desired the signing of a cooperation agreement amongst Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom and Nigeria’s state oil firm will result in joint projects.
“The basis for such work for years to come has been put in place today,” Medvedev announced to the reporters after talks with President Umaru Yar’adua.
“The prospects are very good,” he stated, adding that potential Russian investment in Nigerian energy sector could be worth “billions of dollars”.
Yar’adua stated that the ratifying the agreement “enables a great opportunity” for numerous energy projects, including the ambitious Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline targeted at sending Nigerian gas to Europe.
Gazprom wants a stake in Nigeria’s vast gas deposits and is prepared to invest in energy infrastructure to get that access, officials said.
Gazprom has complained it is lacking behind its foreign competitors, saying it is prepared to mount a challenge to companies like Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil in Nigeria.
The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on the oil sector which, according to the World Bank, accounts for over 95 percent of export earnings and about 85 percent of government revenues. The oil industry is primarily located in the Niger Delta where it has been a source of conflict. The industry has been blamed for pollution that has damaged air, soil and water leading to losses in arable land and decreasing fish stocks. Local groups seeking a share of the oil wealth often attack the oil infrastructure and staff, forcing companies to declare force majeure on oil shipments. At the same time, oil theft, commonly referred to as “bunkering” leads to pipeline damage that is often severe, causing loss of production, pollution, and forcing companies to shut-in production.
In addition to oil, Nigeria holds the largest natural gas reserves in Africa but has limited infrastructure in place to develop the sector. Natural gas that is associated with oil production is mostly flared but the development of regional pipelines, the expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and policies to ban gas flaring are expected to accelerate growth in the sector, both for export and domestic use in electricity generation.
The country’s energy consumption mix is dominated by oil (53 percent), followed by natural gas (39 percent) and hydroelectricity (7 percent). Coal, nuclear and other renewables are currently not part of Nigeria’s energy consumption mix, with the exception of biomass often used to meet rural heating and cooking needs.
Reviving the Fortunes of Edo StateA PAPER PRESENTED AT THE:EDO GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONANNUAL CONFERENCE 2009Turin, Italy 19TH TO 21ST JUNE 2009BYPhilip Orumwense (MCIPS)(Philip_orumwense@ hotmail.com)Abstract:Reviving the Fortun es of Edo State is as topical today as it was some 6 years ago when Professor Iro Eweka whilst presenting a paper at a conference on ‘THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF EDO STATE’ (October 4, 2003) said that “The questions we ask at a Conference of this kind however are rather remote from our memory of the Past. And one such question is why are we in Britain when the world is full of other places, including Benin ? The best Edo brains, the most highly trained and highly skilled Edo men and women are abroad. And many more are itching and desperately struggling to join the Exodus. WHY? How many of us, gathered here today, are truly and honestly prepared to exchange the life they live in Britain for a life in Edo State? WHY? ...” Whilst the premise of my conversation with you today is not primarily centred on this theme i.e. the mass exodus of Edo People to foreign lands, I do howe ver acknowledge that we too have a role to play in reviving the fortunes of our state.This paper begins with the exploration of the uniqueness of Edo State, its people, religion, geography, industries, agriculture, mineral resources and tourism as contextual background and to set the scene for the postulation of some developmental strategies with an attempt to develop some practical engagement and delivery strategies on how best to revive our fortunes. It will explore some of the major themes that continues to prevent us as a people from dynamic progression within the leagues of progressive states, draw on our very rich history in other to understand how best to cope with the present, what can be suitably learnt from the past in order to plan and build for a brighter future collectively. The paper will also seek to map out some socio-economic derivatives, provide some extrapolations on how best to restructure and transform the Edo State public policy agenda. It will conclude with an attempt at developing an engagement advocacy for the revival of the fortunes of Edo State .BackgroundEdo State is located in the South – South geo political zone of Nigeria. It is believed to cover a geographical area of some 17,450 sq km with an average population size of some 4 million people and an annual growth rate of some 2-8%. The state is largely made up of the Binis, Ishans, Estakos, Owans, Akoko Edos and several other minority ethnic groups. The Edos are a highly religious people where several religious faiths abound including – The African Traditional Religions, Christianity and the Islamic faiths.Edo State like many other Nigerian States is rich in natural resources and other minerals yet there is a huge dependency on the allocations from the federation account which in turn has a great dependency on the fluctuating and volatile oil exploration. It is useful therefore within this context to explore some other alternatives for revenue generation within Edo State as opposed to the significant dependency on revenue derivations from the federated accounts.VegetationEdo State has natural vegetation which consists of rain forest and savannah. Human interference has however, led to the presence of plantations for rubber and oil palms as well as forest reserves. Extensive exploitation of forest resources, cattle grazing and persistent bush fires have combined to reduce areas of forest vegetation to derived degraded savannah. The exploitation of these resources must be controlled through deliberate state interventions to ensure that our forestry reserves remains sustainable over time.Agro Based ResourcesEdo State has extensive agricultural resources which consist of food crops, tree crops, forestry products and livestock. The main food crops cultivated include yam, cassava, maize and rice. Additionally there is high yield of Agricultural food crops such as Cocoa, Rubber, Palm trees, Vegetables, Cotton, Pineapple, Mango, Cashew, Cassava, Bushmeat, Poultry Fowls, Snails, Goats, and Fish. There is also significant rice cultivation in the flood plains of the River Niger at Agenebode, Illushi and Ekpoma.Consequently, rice milling in Ekpoma, Illushi and Agenebode and cassava processing all over the state, are viable industrial activities for investment in the state. This should be encouraged and propagated through public and private sector investments on a large scale to increase the quality and productivity of the yield and consequently reduce the nation’s dependency on imported rice and other food crops.There is a high dependency in foreign countries on tropical fruit crops such as pineapples, oranges, tangerines, bananas, plantains, avocado pears, green leafy vegetables etc. These produce which lends themselves to mass cultivation in Edo State can be mass cultivated on a large scale and packaged for both domestic consumption and exportation to foreign countries where there are huge demands.The worldwide demand for produce from timber/wood based products, cocoa, oil palm and rubber which can be produced on large industrial scales from Edo State creates a readymade market for further exploitation of this domesticated vegetation which naturally lends itself to the establishment of some agro based industries. Exploiting these abundant natural resources would consequently lead to the regeneration of the local economies, create more employment opportunities, and lead to the industrialisation of an otherwise agro based industry e.g. chipboard manufacture, paper conversion and packaging, and prefabricated housing ventures.Parts of Edo State’s natural ecology can support large hoards of cows, goats, sheep and birds. Similarly =E 2 fish farms can also be cultivated on a large scale. All of these opportunities can be expanded and industrialised to ensure both self reliance on home produce but more importantly to boost the export potentials that can be readily created.Mineral Based ResourcesWithin Edo State several deposits of mineral based resources such as quartz for metal products; marble and clay for cement and for making domestic pots, porcelain etc; fertiliser/pesticid es; plaster; limestone for cement production; chalk for the production of firebricks and furnace; sand/gravel for construction of concrete; gypsum a significant raw materials used in cement factories; gold; lignite and coal used in agro allied industries are found in several parts of the state. Whilst some of these natural resources are being exploited on a small scale, mass exploitation and industrialisation is bound to reduce the dependency on allocations from the federated accounts whilst increasing the socio-economic status of both investors and other stakeholders including those of our people who will ultimately be employed in these ventures.IndustriesEdo State boasts a number of medium and small-scale industries in major centres like Benin City . Some of these industries includes Carving, Saw-milling, Rubber processing, Cement and Textile, Brewing and Flour milling etc. Some of the popular brand names includes Bendel Cement Factory Okpella, Bendel Brewery Benin City, Guinness Nigeria Benin-City, Nigeria Bottling Company (Coca-Cola) Benin City, Ewu Flour Mill Ewu and Bendel Pharmaceutical Benin-City, Okomu oil Plc, Presco Plc etc. Other Small-Scale industries are also on the increase with many Banks and Fast Food restaurants opening up their outlets in the capital and other emerging cities and towns across the state.TourismEdo state boasts several tourism assets including cultural tourism, eco- tourism, historical tourism, sports tourism to economic tourism with the capabilities of becoming an investors' haven in the tourism sub-sector. Edo people were recently described as “enlightened, warm and friendly -ever willing to help”.Edo State has an Airport in Benin where the private air line Okada Airline operates from. The River Niger at Agenebode and Illushi is used for water transportation. There are severa l Tourism, Recreation and Places of interest located in Benin City , Okada, Okomu, AkokoEdo and elsewhere in the state. The Benin Moat, Oba’s Palace, Emotan, Arousa, Ogba Zoo all remains places of interests in Benin City.Ughoton village close to Benin City is particularly significant and a historical landmark for early western expeditions into the shores of Africa , it was connected with Captain Philip's expedition of 1897. The village also served as a depot for the Trans Atlantic slave trade, as well as the departure point of the Portuguese bound emissaries from Benin during the 16th century.‘In Akoko Edo, the Somorika Hills and Ososo Tourist Centre present beautiful scenery; from the top of the hills, parts of Kogi State and the Rivers Niger and Benue confluence can be viewed. In Etsako, the Edegbake and Oghodagho Caves can accommodate over 200 people for purposes of relaxation. The stream that flows from Edegbake cave is beautiful scenery’.Edo Arts have become a global brand, ‘which represents the earliest civilisation among blacks, specifically Africans. The Benin Kingdom is also believed to be the fourth earliest k nown civilisation recorded by historians, archaeologists and anthropologists’.The state boasts of some newly discovered heritage sites, which include the 'giant foot-prints' printed on stones in Uhen, Ovia North East Local Government Area, when the world was still in a molten stage.There are countries, States, Cities and Towns that have built the core of their foreign export earnings on tourism, Edo State should encourage both inward and foreign investments in developing and promoting tourism within the state.Leadership in Edo StateLeaders must have followers; a lot of the leaders’ activity must get the backing of the people i.e. the followers, therefore any leader who wants to achieve anything must enrol others in their cause. Drawing from the work of James O’Toole, Leading Change: The argument for Values-Based leadership, He identified four characteristics of Values-Based Leaders as follows:Integrity: You never lose sight of your goals or compromise your principles. You are simultaneously principled=2 0and pragmatic.Trust: You reflect the values and aspirations of your followers. You accept leadership as a responsibility, not a privilege. You serve.Listening: You listen to the people you serve, but you are not a prisoner of public opinion. You encourage dissenting opinions among your advisors. You test ideas, explore all sides of issues, and air the full range of opinion.Respect for followers: You are a leader of leaders. You are pragmatic to your core but believe passionately in what you say or do.In the main, Leadership and the provision of public services in any society should be premised in egalitarian and altruistic principles - this way practitioners can give of their best in pursuit of the common good for all. It should be a selfless service geared towards making huge and significant improvements for those to whom public services and20leadership are being provided or directed. Edo State surely needs leaders that possess and are capable of displaying these attributes.Let's share what we know in the way that we know best and in the process let's learn to listen more by which means we can make much more improved contributions to social and political transformation. Teachers and professors who teaches one thing in academia and when made Commissioners, Special Advisers and Heads of other Government bodies, people who were schooled in the West and have seen democracy, egalitarianism, fairness and equality at play becomes custodians of nepotism, corruption and damn right and absolute disregard for the rule of law and then display absolute contempt in the way they represent the views of those people they seek to act on behalf – the Edo Indigene. We must therefore as a society commence a process for the deliberate development of a core group of flawless political and public office leadership corps, one that exhibits some of the finest virtues espoused above but more importantly – one that have the yearnings of Edo people at heart. Early socialisation and expositi on to these leadership qualities must be a critical contributory factor to achieving this key objective for the leaders in making but also for those to whom they seek to lead.This aspiration can be realised overtime through the appropriate socialisation and the political participation of our leaders and those to whom they seek to lead.Political ParticipationSocialization when defined as a process that enables the acquisition of social learning allows the individual to acquire the requisite knowledge, skills and dispositions that enables them to participate as more or less effective members of groups and ultimately the society within which their social being is defined.By implication therefore, political socialization becomes a process which is mediated through various agencies of society by which an individual learns politically relevant attitudinal dispositions, skills and behaviour patterns which enable them to participate as more or less effective members of groups and ultimately the political structure (society) within which their political identity is or becomes ably defined.Participation in such polity becomes activated through those voluntary or state enabled activities by which members of a society share in the selection of rulers and directly or indirectly in the formulation of public policy. This m akes the scope of political participation very wide ranging from mere talking about politics, having access to power in order to make enforceable decisions (the legislature, Judiciary, Executive arm of Government, Civil Service or membership of significant pressure groups) to protest behaviour - a process although largely ignored in budding democracies but none the less affords protest activists a dynamic instrument for bringing about a degree of political change in specific matters of interests.Political participation therefore becomes a civic duty, a sign of political health and the best method of ensuring that one's private interests political or otherwise are not neglected. To enable this process one must become politically influential and this is where I believe the mass of Edo State people are largely disenfranchised but before I address this disenfranchised group, let's have a look at who the political ‘influential’ really are.= They are those who are in a position to influence and can inform public policy decisions and decision making, they include those that attend a political meeting or rally, make a monetary contribution to the political party, contact a public or political official and much more contemporary and akin to our domestic partisan politics - membership and or leadership of religious groups - these are at best described as transitional activities. There is then the other group who may hold public and or political party office, is a candidate for office, solicit for party funds, attends a caucus or public policy strategy meeting - these groups are gladiatorial in the way they influence partisan politics. We must therefore seek to use these people to effect changes in Edo State .For those of us who are in the Diaspora and belongs to one or more Edo Groups or List Serves please forgive me for daring to speculate here, it is my belief that we in the main fall into the transitional political influential role but very often degenerates into a tal king shop with no real but a perceived impact on influencing political or public policy decisions. This thus makes us a politically alienated and disenfranchised group from participation in our home land public policy formulation. We must therefore become active lobbyists seeking to influence changes in Edo State Public Service provision through engagements with the media, political actors and public officials, through intellectual pronouncements by way of communiqués, through inward investments and the repatriation of foreign capital into Edo State and for those of us who are able to provide the human capital/resources – the use of our professional and entrepreneurial expertise for the benefit Edo State.On the largely disenfranchised group, there is a presumption that the mass of our people albeit largely illiterate (literacy being the act of westernised forms of learning - the abilities to read and write) has not been systematically targeted with an understanding of public and political affairs, neither have they been inculcated with the relevant access including of course the promotion of the desire to participate actively through direct involvement or devolved repr esentation. We must therefore actively encourage our kinsmen to become much more involved and engaged with those who are responsible for making those decisions that determines how they are governed – a simple of act of voting, contacting your local representatives or attending a political party caucus meeting would suffice just as much as being a candidate for elective political office, being a civil servant or by simply setting up a focus group or by becoming an active lobbyist.If we are to believe that political wisdom and the mastery of the techniques of government are acquired through the practice of politics itself, there must therefore be a process for the deliberate indoctrination, mass mobilisation, political education, social and political interaction amongst all and not just limited to the educated, militarised, ‘god-fathered’ and wealthy ruling classes. We must begin to influence the way in which our people becomes oriented towards their political values, beliefs, knowledge and opinions within the Edo State political culture.This will overtime create a rapid, spontaneous and continuous response to the political stimulus in such a way that the mass of our people can begin to appreciate all activities that are politically relevant to them and equally participates in these activities, are informed and aware of public policies - whether they affect them or not and tries as much as possible to influence such public policy development and formulation.To do nothing could potentially engender the current climate of political passivity - a situation where the mass of our people remains politically inactive, makes no effort to become informed, does not show any resistance to public or political policies whether or not such policies are in good or bad faith, they remain always acted upon and never acting and stays permanently insensitive to political stimulus.We can all individually or collectively play our part in ensuring the political socialization of those with whom we have interactions towards becoming political activists and by extrapolation influencing those decisions that affects us all, this way our societal (social) and political transformation may well become enabled towards the mass participation of our people in their/our political system which presently alienates the majority of us.Socio-Economic DerivativesThe investments both past, present and future in creating young scientists, medics, teachers, thinkers, scholars and many mor e by the Edo State wealth is by all means misplaced and oftentimes misdirected. Misplaced in the sense that the mass economic migration of this resource pool is becoming unstoppable and the only beneficiary is the host country where these migrants have taken refuge, it’s like a conundrum – one that will remain unsolvable until such time that our leaders are able to restore the much needed pride that our ancestors bequeathed to them. We must find a way to prevent past and current leaders of Edo State from mortgaging the future of our state for a few pennies but also to establish a process for the restoration of the pride that our forebears once enjoyed in future generations of leaders for the transformation Edo State .To embark on this transformation journey we must begin to articulate a clear roadmap and develop a blueprint that addresses some of the following issues:1) The Provision of Social Amenities including pipe borne water, electricity generation, waste disposal, network and telephony infrastructure including broadband connectivity etc. as basic infrastructural requirements primarily to ease the lives of our people but also to attract and retain potential foreign investors2) Access to relevant and appropriate Education and Training including the teaching of Edo History, Language and Culture in all primary and tertiary institutions in Edo State3) The development of a Housing Strategy that addresses both publicly and privately owne d and regulated affordable housing including the protection of our listed buildings and heritage sites4) A strategic focus on developing the State’s Health Care provisioning to include both preventative and palliative care including community health care provisions and health education5) The developments of an Employment policy including appropriate internships, job creation, mechanisation/ industrialisatio n and a shift away from public sector employment to the private sector with the development of state sponsored incentives to attract and retain foreign investments6) The provision, support and maintenance of Social Infrastructure especially access facilities for inward investments i.e. security, road, transportation, social networks, credit facilities etc7) A strategic focus on Socio-economic planning to enable the evaluation and implementation of planned development programmes within and beyond Edo State8) Taxation – a fair and equitable local/community taxation system for the provision of local amenities and services9) A localised Judicial System that is predicated on Edo customary practices, totems and taboos to help bind our people and their cultures together with the Court of the Oba of Benin and His Palace Chiefs and Enogies being the penultimate arbiter10) The restoration of the Edo Language amongst the families of Global Languages and preferably taught in all Edo schools and collegesEdo State Public Policy must be restructured and transformed to focus on the following:i) Public and Private sector participation in poverty alleviation programmes and initiatives, building on some of the opportunities for mass industrialisation that is available within the stateii) Capacity building for service providers of various categories to enhance and improve their service delivery skills and also provide increased capacity for investors and employment opportunities for Edo State peopleiii) Provision of appropriate equipments, infrastructural services, support services, tools and capabilities that may be required to sustain existing investments but more importantly to act as a catalyst for attracting new inward investmentsiv) Increased availability of proactive and preventative measures including public funds in sustaining public health, maintaining existing public infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, transportation, pipe borne water, electricity provision, telephony networks, schools. security solutions etcv) Improved capacity for Edo State people to advocate for citizen involvement in development activities, public policy formulation and the delivery of front line servicesvi) Mobilisation of resources and creation of access from the organised private sector development corporations – locally and internationally including organisations such as Shell, BP, NNPC, Chevron, NDDC, Niger Delta River Basin Development Authorities, Edo Development Board, Private Foundations, Regional and Local Development Banks etc.vii) Mobilisation of resources and creation of access from multinational, Government Agencies and NGOs such as WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, CIDA, IOM , FCO, The British Council, DFID and others.Conclusion and AdvocacyI recall with great admiration the times I spent in Edo State when we were greeted with structurally branded delivery strategies such as Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) an initiative that galvanised all and sundry into some form of farming and agricultural ventures.I recall also albeit with a great sense of nostalgia the times in Edo State when we were greeted with Sanitation Day – a day which was traditionally the first Saturday in the Month that was set aside for cleaning the home, the streets and its environs.=0 DWe did all of these with a great sense of pride, dedication and devotion, as a proud but disciplined people and very possibly the cradle of black civilisation, a civilisation that dates back centuries of years, a civilisation that is comparable to the Great Egyptian Empire, we must surely be able to undergo some of the transformational journeys touched on during this conversation.Advocacy1) A communiqué to be issued to the Edo State Governor and the Edo House of Assembly based on the output from a roundtable at the conclusion of the conference.2) A communiqué to be issued to the mass media through established media such as Radio, Television and the Printed Press based on the output from a roundtable at the conclusion of the conference.3) The institutionalisatio n of a commemorative award for contributions made by Edo State Indigenes and non-indigenes alike to the development of Edo State4) The setting up of an Advocacy Advisory Committee for reviving the fortunes of Edo State . The committee should be made up of all the Special Interest Groups that represents all the Edo Nationals both at home and in the Diaspora5) A delegation to visit the Oba of Benin, the Edo House of Assembly and the Governor of Edo State for endorsement and a formal invitation to support the delivery and implementation of all the stated intentions.6) The setting up of a political/economic lobby group to sponsor executive and legislative bills and to review judicial pronouncements with a view to ensuring that effective public policies are developed and implemented/ SPAN>Oba Ghator Okpere – Ise June 2009
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LONDON, England (CNN) — Nigeria’s huge film industry, Nollywood, may have overtaken Hollywood as the world’s second largest producer of films, but piracy is threatening to cut off the industry in its prime.Nollywood insiders estimate that up to 50 percent of the industry’s profits are currently being lost to Nigeria’s endemic piracy and corruption problems.“Piracy has dealt a big blow to the industry,” Emmanuel Isikaku, a Nollywood producer of 13 years and president of the Film & Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria told CNN.Isikaku, 42, claims he lost so much money on his 2007 movie “Plane Crash” through piracy that he failed to recover his costs, despite the film’s popularity with audiences.“I couldn’t make anything from it,” Isikaku told CNN. “Because of piracy I didn’t even break even.“A lot of people watched the film, but unfortunately they watched pirated copies,” he said.Nigeria’s huge, mostly unregulated film industry is based in Lagos, the sprawling, frenetic financial capital of west Africa’s largest country.your advert can be here for free !
Made with a spirit of grassroots entrepreneurship, Nollywood’s video-format B movies are vibrant and inventive, fusing traditional voodoo and magic with urban romance stories.They are films that speak about modern life from an African perspective, driven by a narrative that is strongly rooted in the African oral storytelling tradition. Nollywood films are wildly popular across the continent and with the African diaspora all over the world.Nollywood recently overtook Hollywood as the world’s second biggest producer of movies behind India’s Bollywood.In 2006 it produced 872 movies compared with 485 major feature films in the U.S. (although for a fraction of the cost), according to a global cinema survey conducted by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).Hollywood has started tapping into Nollywood’s global popularity: Earlier this year, “Close Enemies,” the first crossover film, was produced in LA by Prince Ade Bamiro using major Nollywood stars. It was made for $300,000 — about 10 times the average Nollywood budget — and was screened in the Nigerian Pavilion at Cannes.But improvements in piracy technology are making the problem more acute, draining Nollywood’s coffers and confidence and stopping the industry from making the improvements in quality it needs to cross over into the global mainstream.Nigeria’s independent producers self-fund hundreds of movies each year. The average budget is around N3.5 million ($25,000). They make their money back by selling DVDs of their movies, which they burn themselves, on stalls in markets or in shops.While Nigerians are wild about watching films, Nigeria has virtually no formal cinemas with 99 percent of screenings using DVDs held in informal settings, according to UNESCO.Producers have only one distribution route compared with, for example, Hollywood where studios recoup production costs through cinematic exhibition — an arena currently safe from piracy — and make a profit from DVD sales and TV rights.Most pirated movies are a victim of their own success: Pirates take the fastest-selling DVDs to China to be mass-produced and bring them back to Africa to sell.According to Isikaku, piracy was eating into his profits back in 2005, when he estimates he lost N10,000,000 ($68,000) because of illegally copied DVDs. But, he says, the problem became “alarming” in 2007 when pirates started to use video compression technology.Video compression digital technology allows from five to 20 films (both Nollywood and Hollywood) to be squeezed onto one disk and then sold for around N590 ($4).When a legitimate Nollywood DVD is sold for the equivalent of $7 to $10, it’s hard for producers to compete.“This new development in piracy has the potential to kill the industry off completely,” Dr. Sylvester Ogbechie, President of the LA-based Nollywood Foundation told CNN.Although no official figures exist, Ogbechie estimates from his conversations with some of the industry’s top producers that up to 50 percent of profits are currently being lost to piracy.Isikaku claims the problem is so endemic in Nigerian culture that some cable TV channels will air Nollywood movies without the permission of the producer, or that if they do pay, they pay “peanuts.”“And the moment people are watching on TV, they are discouraged from buying DVDs at the market,” he said.All this has had a knock-on effect on the confidence of the industry.“You think twice before you invest in film productions now,” says Isikaku. “Investors are being discouraged.”This feeling is endemic, and producers are trying to bring down production costs: “The quality of our productions is going down every day,” he explained.This is a blow to an industry known for low production values and whose practitioners are mostly self-taught.Criticisms of the industry’s films include poor sound quality, inadequate lighting, ill thought-out camera angles and the repetitive nature of many of its storylines.Insiders know that improving the quality of their films is crucial if their young industry is to make the leap into the global mainstream.They say Nigerian government must tighten up border controls and seize pirated DVDs as they re-enter the country from China.“Some of these movies come in through our airports, our ports,” says Isikaku. “Much depends on the government agencies.”Hope may come from the direction of Nigeria’s National Film & Video Censors Board led by Director-General Emeka Mba, who is making moves to restructure and formalize the industry.“There has to be some process of formalizing the industry — giving the industry depth and that’s where the government can come in through regulation, through incentives and create that process of empowerment for the industry,” Mba told CNN.“Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians are in this industry, especially young men and women.”Despite the setbacks, Isikaku also remains hopeful for the industry. “Pirates have stopped us working hard because we don’t get what we are due but all hope is not last because we are passionate.“Nollywood can come together to take action to help this industry to survive,” he said.your advert can be here for free !
SIX people, members of the same family, were yesterday confirmed dead in Nimgurumi town in the Baruten Local Council of Kwara State after taking cassava flour suspected to have been poisoned.
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Four others are receiving medical attention at a private hospital in the town as a result of the incident.
The development occurred as women and leaders of the Association of Yam Sellers in Ilorin, the state capital, warned yam sellers to ensure that only safe and treated yam flour is sold for consumption. There were fears among residents, perhaps triggered by the Nimgurumi incident, of the sale of unwholesome yam flour in the market.
Health Commissioner Hajia Ayinke Saka who confirmed the incident, told reporters preliminary reports linked the deaths to a squabble between two families in the area over a parcel of land.
She cautioned people against exposing their food items.
Reports indicated that one of the families had spread the cassava flour outside their house to dry before preparing it for consumption. The other party, however, allegedly poisoned the substance during the process. The unsuspecting family was reported to have prepared the local cassava meal (Amala) from the poisoned flour which members of the family shared, leading to the disaster.
The state's police spokesman, Mr. Dabo Ezekiel, told reporters in Ilorin that the command had begun investigation into the incident and would make its findings public.
The latest deaths bring the number of casualties from food poisoning in the state to 19, and the third between 2005 and this year.
Three persons, the District Head of Alapa in Asa Local Council, one of his wives and one of his traditional chiefs died on June 20, 2005 from eating a meal of Amala prepared by his third wife. The deceased, whose names were given as Alhaji Shuaib Ajape Oniso, the District Head, his wife, Alhaja Belawu and Alhaji Saidu Akanji, the Mogaji Alapa reportedly, died a few hours after eating the food.
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In the first week of June, Ghanaian star Van Vicker collapsed on the set of Award-winning director Afam Okereke while shooting the movie entitled “Get Rich”. In the last scene of the movie, the actor was totally unable to perform a stunt driving a car.The handsome actor, whose popularity has dramatically soared in the past months, is very much in demand and he has been involved in numerous projects. Exhaustion is reportedly the main cause for his health troubles.After the incident, Van was flown to Ghana for treatment and returned to the set 3 days later. The word within the industry is that the actor is notorious for delaying productions he’s involved in by always leaving the sets to pursue personal ventures and not returning on time to work. This attitude has been a major cause of annoyance among producers despite the soaring popularity of the Ghanaian actor.
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The News is not complete without a mention of the Federal Governments Amnesty to the Niger-Deltan Militants..Day in,Day out we are fed with juicy news from that Region..The Niger-Deltan Region has been in the spotlight of late with not too pleasnt news ..Bombing of Oil Pipelines,Kidnapping of Expatriates and Nigerians alike etc...The Recent one was the Invasion of some communities by the Army under a spcial unit called JTF(Joint Military Taskforce)They left behind their regular trademark..(sorrow,tears and Blood)apologies late Fela Kuti.. Now,then Government have extended the Olive branch to the Militants to lay down their Arms for the sake of Peace and to enable them develop a Region they abandoned for 50 years..Thats not the issue here,the main reason they are offering the militants amnesty,is to ensure that they continue siphoning the Oil wealth..because the Militants have promised to cripple the oil sector if their demands are not meant these include;The Unconditional release of Henry Okah,return To true Federalism and Resource Control..blah..blah..blah..I think this is a right move in the midst of the present situation of things in the Region..All said and done,i honestly believe that we the great people of the Country-Naija need amnesty..Yes i think we need to be liberated from the hands of selfish Leaders who get into power solely to enrich their pockets..We need amnesty from Epileptic Power Supply,Corruption,electoral malpratices (Infact we dont elect,they just appoint)I want to use this medium to call on the FG to extend her hand of amnesty to the entire citizens of this country.
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If JESUS ask u to call one person back to LIFE..who would u call.. MICHAEL JACKSON, PASTOR BIMBO ODUKOYA, BISHOP IDAHOSA, ELVIS PRESLEY, JOHN.F.KENNEDY GBOGBO AMERICA, NOTORIOUS B.I.G GBOGBO BROKNLY NY, TUPAC GBOGBO CALIFORNIA, ALIYAH, STELLA OBASANJO GBOGBO 16 MILLIONS DOLLARS, PRINCESS DIANA, MARTIN LURTHER KING, FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI, M.K.O ABIOLA or BOB MARLEY,ERUIKU ABACHA,........
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Having successfully checked Organized Bank Robberies and achieved appreciable level of success in reduction of criminal activities in Nigeria , Mike Okiro led police, is being confronted by a new wave of politically motivated kidnapping and hostage taking, with serious threat of making nonsense of 2011 general elections? This scenario generally demands that Okiro-led police must go to the drawing board, with their thinking cap on, to fashion out an all embracing intellectual approach to tackling the threatening monster between now and next year, to avoid Hobbnisian state in 2011. Gradually, the political class is waking up to the reality that kidnapping in Nigeria of today has become a political issue. Before now, Police was seen as weeping-child for their failure to tackle the menace of criminal kidnappings, the music has totally changed of police inefficiency at checking kidnappings and hostage-takings; different shades of stakeholders are putting heads together with a! view to finding solution to the monster created by Nigeria politicians.It will be recalled that not too long ago, the House of Representatives, passed a resolution asking the Inspector General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro and the Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to mobilize the Security votes available to them to check the raising cases of insecurity in Anambra State, occasioned by kidnappings and related crimes. Ordinary Nigerians before now believed that insecurity in Anambra State was a function of the activities of robbers in the state. The House of Representatives on the other hand, naively thought that the incessant kidnappings in the State were going on because the Police have failed in its responsibility to check the menace. With the spreed of kidnappings and related crimes from the South-south to South-west and other parts of Nigeria , the House of Representatives may have realized that their resolution on Anambra State amounted to sheer waste of time as reports on activities of kidnappers are becoming coordinated and sophisticat! ed. For instance, Sunday Independent of June 7, 2009, had this caption titled: South East Leaders Plan Summit On Kidnapping, lend credence to the politically motivated theory of kidnapping in the East. The main report reads in part: “Worried by the manner kidnapping and hostage-taking are rearing their ugly heads in the South Eastern states of Nigeria, leaders of various political, socio- cultural and economic groups in that area are set to hold a summit to proffer solutions to the menace”.-----. Further, the report quoted a promoter of the summit thus: “No zone can develop without investment by the indigenes and non-indigenes. But nobody wants to invest in an area where there is a high level of insecurity. The case of Niger-Delta is an eye-opener that nobody takes his money to an area his life and investments cannot be guaranteed. We don’t want that to happen in the South-East” The report in Daily Trust of Monday, June 15, 2009, page 7, also supported this theory! . The caption of the report reads: Politics behind Anambra Crime wave -Don. This is extract of the report: Dr. Okose Gabriel of the Anambra State university has described the crime wave in Anambra state as politically motivated…He said futher; ----these things were not coincidence, but a ploy by the opposition to destabilize the state and make the President declare a state of emergency in the State because of the general believe that nobody can win the incumbent governor, Peter Obi, on account of his achievements… A Juxtaposition of the base attack on the person of President Umar Musa Yar-Adua’s and his government, with the picture painted by Dr.Okose in Anambra state, it points to be fact that sponsors of the attackers of President Yar-Adua’s government may get desperate and perfect this sprouting politically motivated kidnappings and hostage-taking, since, subversion appears to be their ultimate intention.In analyzing the concern of southeast stakeholders about kidnappings and hostage taking, it will be clearly seen that the elites have come to realize that kidnappings and associated crimes in the region were politically motivated, not criminal as erroneously thought before now. Again, to stress the political motivation theory; why are the stake holders in the Southeast talking of summit, when they know that they can easily tell the Inspector General of Police to deploy more men to the region to provide the needed security? It is pertinent to note that recently, in Akwa-Ibom State , kidnapping took place and the suggestion was that politics was responsible for the act. In-fact, an interesting dimension was added to the kidnap saga. According to an article in pointblanknews.com, an internet information dissemination outlet, by one Engineer Etim George of plot 239 Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos, who said that the state government masterminded the whole kidnappi! ng episode. This appeared to have further suggested that anarchy could be around the corner come 2011, unless Okiro and Co move fast to provide special policing for politicians in Nigeria . In Ondo State , the story of political motivated kidnapping remains the same, on the 18th of June, 2009, many National Newspapers reported the crises between Labour party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where a commissioner wife was reportedly abducted for ransom. Later, report had it that the kidnappers demanded for ten [N10] million naira as ransom. The point being made here is that the kidnap in Ondo State was equally politically motivated, in a simple language.Sir Mike Okiro appears to have started what could be termed, practical offensive against kidnapping and hostage taking in Nigeria , through the sponsoring of a bill for the registration of SIM Cards for the purpose of tracking kidnappers and hostage takers. The bill which is said to have been sent to National Assembly for passage into law is expected to compel all the network service providers to recall existing GSM lines for proper documentation and registration. The overall purpose of the bill is to make it impossible for kidnappers and hostage takers to make calls without been traced and tracked. A situation where they could just stroll to any network vendor to buy SIMs Card for the purpose of their wicked act, only, to throw it to the thrash can once their agenda has been achieved, will be a thing of the past.The step being taken by Southeast stakeholders towards checking the menace of kidnappings and hostage-takings is commendable and emulate-able. What the stakeholders must also do as a follow-up is to ask their representatives at the National Assembly to ensure speedy passage of the bill to check kidnapping and hostage taking to be presented by the Inspector General of Police. Leaders in the remaining geo-political zones should as a matter of National emergency initiate zonal summit on the same kidnapping and hostage taking in their zones. As a matter of urgency too, they, the remaining zones in Nigeria should also tell their various representatives at the National Assembly, not only to ensure passage of the bill into law on time, but also that there is the need for a comprehensive public hearing on the bill so that Nigerians from all walks of life can contribute their opinion on how best to package the law for effective result.As 2011 general elections approaches, political kidnapping and hostage taking are on the verge of replacing age long election rigging accusation and counter accusations, and here comes the real threat to 2011 elections. The base politically motivated opposition, not from opposition political parties, but fro self styled civil society organizations, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and foreign internet information dissemination outlets, has surely raised the bar for the Inspector General of Police in ensuring total security before 2011 elections. The task before Mike Okiro led police is to fashion out an intellectual method of checking this potentially dangerous politically motivated crime called kidnapping and hostage-taking. Much as peace loving Nigerians know that Okiro-led Police has made encouraging effort towards stopping the menace of kidnapping in the country, more concerted effort is needed from all concerned.Sir Mike Okiro-led police must fight this politically motivated kidnapping and hostage taking the way and manner they successfully fought Organized Bank Robberies in Nigeria . Okiro may need to introduce a new brand of policing for politicians, to be called; “Policing the Politicians”. The Police could invite political leaders of the current fifty [50] registered political parties in Nigeria for discussion on the issue of politically motivated kidnapping and associated crimes and the way out. At the same time, strategies on the best way to check the menace would be discussed also. The information obtained from this Police/Politicians interaction will enable the police to see the extent of information flow between various political parties and criminal elements in the country, for the purpose of knowing the strategy to adopt in policing each and every political party.Pronouncement: President Umar Musa Yar-adua’s government must as a matter of National urgency summon a special executive council, as well as Security meeting to find tune the best strategy to be adopted on this dangerous issue of politically motivated kidnappings and hostage takings in Nigeria. Okiro led Nigeria Police must be told to produce results, at best, in the next six [6] months, otherwise, we may live to regret our collective inaction, in this particular instance.
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THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two more members of a drugs cartel that operates at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. This brings to five the number of such detainees.Three members of the gang were arrested on May 1, 2009 at the point of trying to smuggle two bags of cannabis (Indian hemp) at night through the conveyor belt. Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, disclosed this yesterday while laying the agency's strategies to the worrying influx of drugs into the country and the sabotaging of its fight against narcotics.Murtala Mahammed International AirportGiade reiterated his determination to deal decisively with the members of a notorious drug cartel whose members specialises in smuggling luggage into aircraft to avoid being detected by security operatives.Describing members of the cartel as national saboteurs, the NDLEA boss said that the agency would not rest until everyone involved in the criminal act was brought to book. He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue to support the agency. "Drug barons have no respect for authority and human life. We must, therefore, be vigilant and resist their antics. When they weirdly evaded serving their jail terms after conviction, the Agency uncovered it."They resorted to blackmail, they failed. Now, they have devised a new strategy of smuggling un-searched bags into aircraft. We are poised to stop their next stratagem," Giade vowed.He added that the anti-narcotic agency had a responsibility to protect the country from the hands of drug barons.He alleged that a gang made up of some workers of OTIS, a firm that maintains conveyor belt at the Lagos airport, smuggled bags containing drugs at night.Disclosing their modus operandi, Giade said: "They will then check-in dummy bags during screening and use the tags of the dummy for the ones containing drugs.Two additional suspects were arrested on May 15, 2009. They are Madu Sunday Emeka, 31, who claimed to be a trader and Okpo Richard, 28, a former staff of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company. In all, five members of the cartel have been apprehended."He stated that, "the obnoxious activities of the cartel was detected on May 1, 2009 when the anti-narcotic body observed that some conveyor belt technicians hid two bags containing dried weeds suspected to be cannabis (Indian hemp) weighing 48 kilogrammes in the conveyor belt at night."Their plan was to tag the bags with the tags of two dummy luggage containing yams, which were checked in by a member of their syndicate."Three members of the group - Hammed Oyesanya Olaniyi, 32, Dosunmu Abiodun Yusuf, 34, and Stephen Adebowale, 33 - were nabbed immediately by the NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport.They have made confessional statements on how they hid the bags the previous night and tagged them the following day.
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THE crisis in Ogun State involving G 15 members of the House of Assembly was triggered by a blood oath taken at a shrine in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government, last year, the Nigerian Compass learnt last night.The members took the oath to ensure a united front against Governor Gbenga Daniel.The oath was sponsored by some politicians including the father of a prominent politician in Abuja, a Senator, a former South-West governor, a former minister and another prominent politician in Ogun State.The oath, which was taken naked by the members and in daylight, was witnessed by the sponsors and the native doctors, the administrators of the oath. Items used for the oath included blood, cow heads, calabash and other fetish materials.Each participant swore to upholding opposition to Daniel at all times and submitted to the death of their first born, should they renege on the oath. Each of them was required to mention the name of their first child in the course of the oath, setting in motion serious consequences for the children should their fathers go back on the prescribed course of opposition.The Nigerian Compass learnt that the finality of this oath is why prominent traditional rulers such as the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Michael Sonariwo, and other prominent leaders such as Prince Bola Ajibola, General Tunji Olurin and Yeye Oodua H.I.D. Awolowo were unable to persuade them to change their stance.In exclusive photographs obtained by the Nigerian Compass, one of those who took the oath, Hon. Wale Alausa, representing Ijebu-Ode State Constituency and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is seen holding a white article of oath, standing in front of a calabash filled with blood at the shrine.The photographs were taken by the initiators of the oath to blackmail the G 15 members and prevent them from reneging. The Nigerian Compass obtained some of the photographs following a disagreement in the camp of the initiators.Behind him in the photograph on the right taken outside the shrine (with his hand showing) is one of the native doctors who administered the oath. The photograph on the left was taken inside the shrine.A source said last night: “It is because of the oath that the crisis in the state has been protracted. They have vowed that nobody or nothing will stop them from achieving their goal, which is to impeach the governor and make the state ungovernable.“This lawmaker called Alausa was jobless when his father, Alhaji Agboola Alausa, took him to the governor and the governor made him a special assistant in the office of the deputy governor. Even when he was working with Alhaja Salmot Badru, the deputy governor was not happy with him because of the various scandals he was involved in.“In 2007, the father also begged that he should be made a lawmaker and the state PDP respected his view by giving the Ijebu-Ode State Constituency to his son.“But since Wale Alausa and other members of the G 15 seized the Assembly in a coup last year, peace has eluded the state. That is why they are blocking the N50 billion bond and embarrassing members of the executive under the cover of oversight functions.” It would be recalled that the recalcitrant lawmakers began the festering crisis in the state by first impeaching the then Speaker, Mrs. Titi Shodunke-Oseni.They followed the impeachment with her suspension and that of another member of the House who was loyal to her, despite the fact that the court ruled otherwise.For several weeks, they also refused to sit, blaming lack of protection by security agents for their action.Besides, they recently passed Resolution 167 barring financial institutions from dealing with the state government, especially over its attempt to raise a N50 billion bond. By Soji Adefemi(Culled from Compass.)
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The prophetic reputation of Pastor TB Joshua attained new heights with the recent revelation that he foretold the sudden death of the iconic pop legend, Michael Jackson…
Shock and sympathy are still reverberating around the world since the news broke on Thursday 25th June that Michael Jackson, the undisputed ‘King Of Pop’ had died suddenly after collapsing in his L.A apartment. However, his death had been foretold months earlier by a popular Nigerian Prophet, TB Joshua.
In January this year, Joshua prophesied during one of his famous Sunday services, broadcast live on Emmanuel TV: “I’m seeing a great star whom the world is shouting, “Hey, hey, hey!” In his own area, he’s famous – he’s known everywhere. He is great – too great… I see something will begin to happen to that star and that may likely end in him packing his load and going on the journey of no return…”
A month later, he clarified that the person concerned was not from his local environ and was ‘too young to leave your midst’ – enjoining the congregants and viewers worldwide to pray earnestly for this 'great star', believing for the will of God to be done.
Although some may view his words as too generic to be accredited to the legendary entertainer, the revelation of Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli on Sunday 28th June 2009, the famous flautist, business associate of Marlon Jackson and close friend of the Jackson family, put asunder such doubts. Joshua knew clearly who he was referring to.
Marlon who recently started a "Remember Slavery Resort" in badagry Lagos and was embroiled in controversy by the british press over this was not available for comments.
In a sober atmosphere, Tee Mac spoke in front of a live television audience on Emmanuel TV, testifying that Prophet TB Joshua had told him to warn Michael Jackson of an impending health disaster, and invite him to visit Nigeria for healing.
“The man of God (TB Joshua) called me to his office and said to me, ‘Please, tell your friend Marlon to bring Michael here to Nigeria. Michael needs healing; he needs deliverance.’ I told the man of God that Michael Jackson just went for a medical check up because he is going to have about 50 concerts soon. But the man of God said to me, ‘Send Michael here – he needs healing.’ ”Tee MAC
When the tragic news broke, “what immediately came to my mind was that the man of God told me something’s going to happen,” Tee Mac reminisced. Clearly remorseful, he lamented that if he had taken the message more seriously and acted with more insistence, “maybe Michael Jackson would still be alive today…”
Utilising the occasion to reflect on life, TB Joshua asked the audience in a heartfelt message: “If today were your last day on earth, what would people remember you for? What would generations yet unborn read about you?’ He encouraged the people to live each day as if it were their least, and avoid the burden of unnecessary worry and anxiety. “Let us leave tomorrow’s trouble for the One who bore our troubles on the cross,” he remarked.MARLON JACKSON
As well as speaking on major world events, Joshua regularly prophesies to individuals that throng his flourishing church in Lagos, with uncanny accuracy. His recent prophecies include the death of the former South Korean president, the Feb 13 plane crash in New York and the release of Ingrid Betancourt from the Colombian jungle last year.
His ministry is attracting a growing fanatical following, particularly across Africa, and many African leaders such as John Evans Atta Mills of Ghana regularly frequent his church for spiritual support and guidance.
SOURCE: Africa News
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IN what could be described as an embarrassment to their personality, the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr. Abba Sayyadi Ruma, Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu and the Publisher of Champion Newspapers, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu were among guests who were refused entry on Friday night into the official residence (a.k.a Abuja House) of the Nigerian High Commissioner, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, in London for a dinner held in honour of the Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
Nollywood star, Bob Manuel and Greg Agwunobi, the Welfare Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), United Kingdom (UK) Chapter, were also
among the distinguished guests who were denied access during the two-hour event.
But unlike his Niger State counterpart, who quickly turned back when the embassy aides refused to let them into the West London residence of the envoy, Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako after about 10 minutes of delay was allowed to enter.
Although no member of staff of the Nigerian High Commission was available to explain why guests who arrived shortly after the 8 p.m. start time were locked out, sources later revealed that the embassy officials locked the gates as a matter of protocol, particularly because the Vice-President was delivering his speech.
But unlike what happened when President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was hosted to a similar event at the same venue last July, guests who were initially hopeful that they would be allowed in after Jonathan's speech became outraged as embassy staff turned deaf ears and eventually disappeared from the vicinity. Even when angry guests waved and showed their invitation cards, the embassy employees refused to open the gates and gave no excuse for their actions.
Ever before Ruma and Aliyu went away angrily around 8.50p.m., other guests had pleaded and made attempts to call some senior embassy staff, but like other angry guests, the duo couldn't reach anyone, and both went back to their chartered taxis without entering the premises.
Even Iwuanyanwu, who was limping and making use of a walking aid, left angrily after his pleading for about 30 minutes fell on deaf ears. At about 9.15p.m, when he turned to walk away, The Guardian approached him for comments, but he simply smiled and said, "I don't want to talk about it," before he entered his vehicle.
The President of the Bayelsa Peoples Union, Dr. Prince Efere was also left fuming, just like an unidentified white couple that stormed away, saying, "you don't invite guests and keep them waiting outside for 40 minutes."
Efere explained how he had been sent an invitation, only to be denied access. "I was in my office when they sent me the invitation, I didn't ask for it," he said.
As at 9.45p.m., when The Guardian left, none of those denied access had been allowed in. Although no official explanation could be given for the incident, some guests felt that the embassy officials lacked foresight and that they might have invited more guests than the venue could accommodate.
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The police in Enugu yesterday paraded 22 suspected criminals among whom was a boy who allegedly falsely declared himself to have been kidnapped in order to extort money from his parents.Hundreds of on-lookers rushed to the police officers mess Enugu where the suspects were paraded to catch a glimpse of the fake kidnap victim whose name was given as suspect Obinna Mmereole.He was said to have caused himself to disappear into hiding with the aide of two friends, he started calling his mother claiming that he had been kidnapped and that his captors were demanding N1.5m before he would be released. The names of his suspected accomplices were given as Ibe Chinonso and Igwe Ikechukwu.
Enugu State Police Commissioner Mohammed Zarewa who paraded the suspects said the plot backfired when police swooped on them as they were attempting to cash the ransom at a bank where they demanded that the money should be paid.Also picked up by the security operatives were 19 persons suspected to be armed robbers and kidnappers with Zarewa explaining that the suspected criminals were arrested at various locations in Enugu.He said that one of the suspected kidnappers was involved in the abduction of a prominent Anambra State businessman while some of the robbery suspects allegedly killed a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Awka and later attacked the convoy of Delta State Commissioner of Police.He said the suspected robbers had confessed to bank robberies and attack of bullion vans in the south east and South south states including a raid in Edo state during which a police DPO and Divisional crime officer were killed.Among the items recovered from the suspects were two AK 47 Rifles, on pistol, One Toyota Avensis Car and One Mazda 363 model. Others were 450 rounds of live ammunition and two handcuff keys and one handcuff.The Police boss warned that his command would not leave stone unturned in combating crime in the coal city state, adding that he was happy that crime has reduced in the state as compared to other states in the Southeast geo-political zone."Relatively, crime rate has reduced in Enugu State compared to Ebonyi, Anambra and other states in the Southeast zone. We will not relent in our efforts to combat crime in the state. What we need is cooperation from members of the public. We are battle ready to wipe out kidnapping, robbery and other anti-social vices in the state", he added.
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