Austin Jay Jay Okocha was enveloped by momentary madness the moment he saw Tunisia’s Derragi Oussma run into a wide space created for him by Taye Taiwo.OkochaHe had all the time to adjust and run deeper into Green Eagles goal area. It was two minutes to full time and Nigeria were leading 2-1 in a game they needed the victory to be in serious contention for a World Cup final slot.The Derragi move made Okocha crazy as he saw how close he was. The former Eagles captain was close to the touchline. He is a member of the Presidential Task Force saddled with the responsibility of ensuring Nigeria’s qualification.In his hotel room shortly after the match Okocha, so disappointed and down, told the story of his momentary madness while hissing and grumbling audibly.“I saw that move and I went crazy. Crazy things passed through my mind in seconds and I felt like rushing into the field to hold the Tunisian player. I don’t know what could have happened but I could have stopped the goal. I almost ran into the pitch. And they scored with that move, so I could have still dashed into the field to hold that guy.The penalty from FIFA could be banning me from watching live games for a period but Nigeria could have had the chance to go to the World Cup. Honestly, I went crazy and thought of running into the field. And see what eventually happened. I am just wondering why the players did not kill the game. We were leading 2-1 and it was few minutes to full time. You did not need anybody to tell you how to kill the game. In such a situation, If I were playing, I would just hold the ball and shield it at the line. I will shield it in a way that the opponent would make a forceful contact and I would simply fall.The referee must blow for a foul on me. I will simply pass the ball to a colleague and ask him to pass back to me and I will shield it again and time is going. I wonder why they didn’t show experience. The few experienced ones did not direct affairs. I am just disappointed. The baby they said we should go and welcome is dead. It will be tough, very tough for us to go to the World Cup but in football anything can happen. Let’s do our bit and leave everything to God.”Derragi scored on that move. Vincent Enyeama made it easier by remaining on his goalline instead of rushing out. Yobo and Adeleye saw the player running towards the goal. None of them rushed to disturb him. It is the normal thing to do when any of your full backs overlap especially when the right or left midfielder, as the case may be, has not also fallen back to defend. From Taiye Taiwo to all the defenders including goal keeper, the major blame of the equaliser should be heaved on them but the entire team should also share in it by not killing the game as Okocha suggested after their 2_1 lead.The way they played which lacked a sound tactical discipline is a big minus for the coaches. Their marking was poor, they allowed the opponenets space and the attack was poor. Osaze Odewenge fought hard and scored a goal but turned his usual self by always holding on to the ball when he needed to pass out. He does so every time and it is a surprise that the coaches have not corrected him. In a game that we needed to be very offensive, fielding two defensive midfielders in Mikel Obi and Seyi Olofinjana .
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Not along ago, I was talking to a young man who had been addicted to cocaine for many years. He had tried to stop many times. He had good intentions. He was praying and believing, and His heart was in the right place. But every time he would try to quit, he’d fall right back into that addiction. This time, he told how he had been drug free for six months, which is the longest he’s ever stayed clean. I asked him how he did it, and without missing a beat, he told me his plan consisted of three things. Number one, he changed his friends. Number two, he came to the recovery class we have at the church; and number three, he had a friend who would call him every day to encourage him and help him to stay accountable.
I found the third part of his plan to be so important because there are some things we can’t overcome on our own. When you’re making your plan, don’t be too proud to ask for help. Don’t be too embarrassed to call a friend and say, “You know what? I’m struggling in this area. Will you stand with me? Will you help me overcome? Will you hold me accountable?” The fact is we need each other. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble”(NLT).
If you’re struggling in an area today, know that God has somebody there for you who will help you and encourage you. You may not know who they are right now, but if you’ll stay open, God will direct your path and bring the right people into your life. We cannot fulfill everything that God’s put in our hearts all by ourselves. We need the wisdom or the advice from someone who has gone before us. We need a friend to encourage us when we’re down. We need a brother or a sister to stand with us and challenge us to be strong when we’re weak, to encourage us to keep going when we feel like giving up.
When you’re making your plans, stay open to including others. That’s what this young man did. He had failed all those other times, but when he got the right people involved and put the right plan behind his goals, that’s when he overcame. I believe that when you include others in your plans, you will overcome, too!
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Sounding like a blend between Naija soul singers Asa and Ibiyemi, Lami’s sound is soothing and provides a breath of fresh air for any contemporary music lover. Lami, real name Olamide Phillips Gbadamosi, is an upcoming Nigerian soul singer who says she has always known she wanted to do music: “I’ve realised who I was born to be and what my gift is,” she said. “God gave me this gift. I didn’t work to get it; but I’ve worked hard to make it relevant and unique.”Although her debut album, Intuition is in the works, anyone who listens to some of her singles like “Know” featuring M.I, “Nothing Do You” and “Ur Over Me” will almost immediately notice that her sound is eclectic, unique and blends well with the contemporary African flavour and classic soul music. She says of her debut album, “It will be a fusion of neo-soul, hip-hop and jazz.”Lami borrows from musical influences that range from sources as diverse as Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Kim Burell, Babyface, Kem, Tupac, Common and Jay-Z. She says music is a means of communicating the essence of life: “Music heals, music speaks; it teaches and guides. Music is more than words, more than notes and beats. It is life’s way of conversing with the human spirit.”Despite having a degree in Business Administration from the University of Kent at Canterbury, an MA in Strategic Management from the University of Nottingham, and an executive MBA from the Penn State University, Lami says that her passion for love and life and a need to express something that is larger than herself compelled her to take her musical journey to greater heights.X2 Whether Report: Her strength lies in the fact that most of her songs, although soft, can be grooved to. Her lyrics are also insightful, deep, relevant and meaningful; the type that anyone would love to listen to for relaxation purposes. Her experimentation with musical genres like Funk and Techno is a bit risky but all the same commendable.Forecast: Bright sunny days ahead with partly cloudy conditions.Read more…
Daring, eccentric and unapologetic, Goldie, real name Susan Harvey, is a product of the MTV generation. Her debut on the Naija music scene, the OJB produced “Komole” and “Spin Me” in 2007, made industry enthusiasts look up and pay attention.The same way Brandy was initially known for her signature braids and the late Lisa ‘Left eye’ Lopes for her condom patched left eye, our own self-acclaimed pop diva, Goldie, is known for her lashes.“Lashes normally denote sensuality and femininity, at the same time shielding your eyes - so people can’t see what you are thinking if you don’t want them to,” she says. “My extra long lashes aim to amplify all these three qualities.”From her unique lashes, which have been dubbed the ‘industry’s longest’, to her trademark gold (sometimes blonde) hair do, the University of Sunderland, Business Management graduate has carved a niche for herself in this regard.While some of mainstream pop’s royalty might be regarded for their singing talent or music writing skills, Goldie is carving out her own unique place in the pop stratosphere with her head-turning appearance. Not widely regarded for her singing ability, her videos make up for it with an abundance of colour and drama. Describing her style as unique, sexy, confident and fun, she addresses misconceptions about her: “The only thing that people would see in me is sex and that is not what I am all about,” she defends. “You don’t judge a book by its cover!”With Michael Jackson as a teen idol, the Ekiti State native says of her inspiration, “I derive my inspiration from the inside – vivid colours, bubble skirts, corsets and gloves and very vintage attire.”Whether this fashion trend is picking up amongst fans remains to be seen but what we do see is a woman comfortable in her own skin. Or whichever skin she chooses to put on.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on September 12, 2009 at 7:53am
Shaun Ellis is an English animal researcher who is notable for living among wolves, and for adopting a pack of abandoned North American timber wolf cubs. He is the founder of Wolf Pack Management and is involved in a number of research projects in Poland and at Yellowstone National Park in the United States.[1]
He has worked with wolves since 1990, and before that he studied the red fox in the UK, and then coyote in Canada.
The Wolfman
Ellis was the subject of a documentary, The Wolfman which first aired on Five in the UK as The Wolfman on 18 May 2007, and has also been shown on the National Geographic Channel in the United States, where it was titled A Man Among Wolves. The documentary shows how, by carefully mimicking wolf behaviour, Ellis was able to raise the three wolf cubs to maturity. It also shows how his expertise brought him to the attention of a Polish farmer, whose livestock had suffered wolf attacks. Since wolves are a protected species in Poland the farmer hoped that Ellis might be able to find some non-violent way to deter the marauding pack. Ellis travelled to Poland to study the local pack, bringing with him audio recordings of wolf howls.
Ellis believed that if the local wolves heard howls coming from the farm they would believe another pack had already claimed it as their territory, and keep clear to avoid a conflict. In order for this to work Ellis had to determine the size of the pack and play back recordings of a similar-sized pack. Initial results were encouraging and in the first few weeks after the farmer began playing the recordings the farm suffered no further attacks.
The documentary then shows Ellis returning to Devon, where he attempted to reintegrate himself with the three wolves. In his absence the wolves had established a new hierarchy, and though they recognised Ellis and welcomed him back he was now the pack's omega, relegated to a peace-keeping role between the new alpha and beta males.
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A good friend showed me the way to a home boutique last week. These are prized haunts in uptown Johannesburg because they suggest by their very size and inherent uniqueness that the goods they harbour will be imported, from a limited inventory and therefore exclusive, truly one in town.
Shoe shopping is a pastime that makes most women’s eyes light up. So I drove behind her in happy anticipation of irresistible bargains and pleasant female bonding. It was not to be and I knew that deep down. Soon to be fifty-six is a far cry from twenty five when the threshold for pain and discomfort in pursuit of beauty is as sky high as the heels that are now the current fashion.
I did try a pair, the lowest of the highs available with the latest thick, curving, heel and a vamp that thrust the arch of the foot forward and encased it in wide leather bands that allowed a glimpse of the toes, a traditional seductive hide and seek effect. Yeah, right.
But there was no way to walk in those structures without cringing at each step and how unsexy is that? Those shoes may have been to die for, but I was not prepared to.
Somehow when you are young and female, you do not think like that, and you are not expected to either. Joseph Wayas,
Second Republic Senate President knew a thing or two where that was concerned.
In a story he recounted himself, he announced he had a peeve about women,
especially fine young women, in cheap scruffy shoes. He never let them walk into his presence. He once sent a young lady who had came to see him out of his office with money to get herself a pair of befitting shoes before she came in to see him again.
We all know how that goes, the scrutinizing stare that starts at your feet first and ends up at your face. It puts a whole new meaning to Shakespeare’s description of the eyes as the window to the soul.
Only your shoes.
Women especially have honed this skill of instantaneous assessment, grading and filing to a fine art. Men are not bad at it either but their parameters tend to be far more humane and generous, as exemplified by the former Senate President.
For a young working girl, next to rent, and possibly a car, shoes are a major budget priority. Cheap or expensive, they cost a lot to maintain. First of all Nigerian streets are not kind to shoes and delicate heels do not have a chance. The tips come off and once that happens the lining on the shank peels and tears. So no matter how well groomed you look on top, your shoes tell the story of the struggle that is your life.
In the old days, right beside the famous Balogun market in downtown Lagos, the shoe emporium of choice, were a slew of repair shops, Lady Cobbler was one of them if I remember correctly. Today shoe repair kiosks dot our city landscapes.
If you ever wondered why shoes in the markets look squeezed out of shape, just imagine the conditions under which they were “imported” and say to yourself ditto for the Nigerian garment retail trade.
Long after rush hour in Lagos one would drive by a trail of shoes and slippers on a highway, a testimony to the scramble to get transport and in one glance you would get a window into the soul of life in Lagos, for a majority of its population.
For the other minority in the old GRA (government reserved area) bastions stilettos, kitten heels, Manholo Blahniks and Christian Laboutins can work. Its out of the air conditioned house, into the air conditioned car and up the air conditioned elevator in clean, freshly pressed clothes all things, especially diesel and generator, being equal. It is still high maintenance albeit at a different level.
On the streets though, the corner shoe kiosks with heaps of sturdy, wide heeled sandals, made of strong, synthetic material, fashioned for balance comfort and unimpeded movement, tell the story of how the other majority navigate the streets of their lives. More women in trousers is part of the tale,
it’s easier to get on to a motorbike. Smaller shacks and a reduced ‘inventory” relates to how much a trader can carry on an Okada More people walking on bridges and highways, describes the expanding urban centres and a buying capacity that is still shrinking.
Those shoe littered streets are less evident now in Lagos with an augmented public transport system and attention now paid to cleaning the streets. But the pressure is unceasing.
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Everton stalwart Joseph Yobo has told Goal.com that he plans to sue some Nigerian newspapers over a story that suggested he went nightclubbing to celebrate his birthday only hours after Nigeria failed to beat Tunisia in a crunch World Cup qualifying match in Abuja.
Yobo has dismissed the rumour, insisting it is "callous gossip from the pit of hell".
Reports in a section of the local media suggested that the Eagles' vice captain hosted a party, while millions of fans were left dejected after the country's dream of playing at next year's World Cup in South Africa was left hanging in the balance.
"It's annoying, because what's been written is an absolute lie and unbelievable," Yobo told Goal.com.
"It's a callous and vicious gossip because I was extremely down. [I was] shattered and reflected on the game with my family all through the night.
"If the gossip were true, it clearly showed I am not fit to wear the national team colours or worthy of it's captaincy."
An angry Yobo added, "I got texts congratulating me on my birthday. But I was not thinking about it, remaining focused on the big game at hand because there will be many birthdays in my life."
The Everton defender has now decided to take legal action against the newspapers that published the false report.
"This is a callous and vicious report to pull me down, but my lawyers are on it now," he disclosed.
"It's unfortunate what has been said and written about me since they published this when I have been in grief for the draw on Sunday, like every Nigerian football fan.
"We disappointed over 150 million people with our performance, yet some people would have the heart and guts to party? That is absolutely unbelievable!
"If they can prove that I went out that night, I will quit the national team for good. That we failed collectively is enough rather than make me look terribly bad."
It was only in June that Yobo, along with Portsmouth's John Utaka, chartered a private jet to fly to Tunis for the first World Cup clash, which ended in a goalless draw.
Yobo did not spare his team-mates after their lethargic performance on Sunday, revealing that they deserve the media and public backlash.
"We let our country, family and ourselves down and need to rescue what is left of our chances, hoping we can still qualify," he said.
"Hopefully, we can do that but right now people should know the truth about what happened and not feed on lies that will make things worse for the team."
Nigeria are second in Group 2, two points behind leaders Tunisia with two rounds of matches yet to be played. Only the group winner will be on the flight to South Africa next summer.
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Posted by prosper on September 11, 2009 at 11:28pm
Love comes to those who believe it.. we all know this... but the Question is : do you believe in Love? Love is Not always as Pleasing as it sounds.... For instance.. True Love.. to me is.. When you Love someone.. and wish that He/she finds happiness.. even in the arms of another... if this happens to you.. what would you think? but you must believe in your self... and follow your hearth... dont let any body choose your path for you... you must lets the Love in your hearth guide .. while making your choices... Follow your hearth.. and you"ll see that everything you need to succeed, is already in you.. do you think i am making sense?... let me know...Read more…
Gani rejected my advice to accept national honour from Yar'Adua -former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammed Uwais • He handled more than 5,000 cases free of charge - Aondoakaa
A former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammed Uwais, has disclosed that the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi rejected his advice on the national honour, which Gani was nominated for in 2008.
Justice Uwais, while speaking with newsmen, on Wednesday afternoon, at the Ikeja home of the late Fawehinmi, stated that he had advised Gani to take the national honour.
Uwais, who desctribed the late Fawehinmi as a “principled and dogged fighter for the downtrodden, stated that Gani had on receiving the nomination letter of the honour, called him to seek his advice.
Uwais said: “Sometime last year, he was to be awarded a national honour and it was conveyed to him. He called me from London and asked for my advice. He wanted to know if he should accept or reject the honour.”
The retired chief justice further stated that he had told the late Fawehinmi that the honour was coming from the people of Nigeria and that he should accept it, to which he claimed the late Fawhinmi said, ”all right.“
He stated that it was surprising to him the following day when he received the news that the late Fawehinmi had rejected the honour through a press release that was made available to many of the major national dailies in the country.
Uwais stated that his encounters with Fawehinmi were friendly and were of mutual respect. He said that the only valedictory service attended by Fawehinmi was the one in his (Uwais’s) honour.
He stated that he would miss Fawehinmi’s friendship and kindness while also stating that the late lawyer was a very principled person, who fought for good governance.
Meanwhile, more people have continued to pay their respect to Fawehinmi as the chairman of DAAR Communication, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Donald Duke Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and some other Nigerians were at his Ikeja, Lagos, home on Wednesday.
Dr. Dokpesi described Fawehinmi as a “great patriot, who led and defended the ordinary masses of Nigeria.” He also stated that Gani offered his legal services free of charge to both Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria and DAAR Communication “during their trying times.”
He prayed that the Almighty God should “grant Gani’s immediate family and indeed all Nigerians, the fortitude and courage to bear the irreparable loss.“
Dr. Braithwaite described Gani as a “colleague and brother” in their early days of their beloved profession. He said he particularly admired Gani’s “ultimate compliment” to him.
He stated that Gani had once told him that he (Braithwaite) inspired him (Gani) and that he appreciated his struggle for human rights. He said that history would judge the late Fawehinmi kindly. Rasheed Adegbenro, the Director of Corporate Affairs of MAN, who represented the president of the association to honour Fawehinmi, stated that the late legal icon “touched the conscience of the society and gave meaning to fairness and justice.
It was also disclosed that the late Chief Fawehinmi, SAN, handled more than 5,000 cases for many Nigerians at no cost.
The Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, disclosed this on Wednesday at a valedictory court session organised for him by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in conjunction with the Lagos State Judiciary at the premises of the Lagos High Court in Igbosere.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) described Chief Fawehinmi as a noble man, a source of hope to the masses and the pride of Nigeria.
The event which saw all the judges of the Lagos High Court and members of the bar, who were fully robed in attendance, was presided over by the newly sworn-in Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Inumidun Enitan Akande.
In her address on the occasion, Justice Akande described Chief Fawehinmi as a man of great passion who stood firmly and consistently on the part of justice.
She said although Chief Fawehinmi was no more, he left behind a worthy legacy, noting that he stood tall as an accomplished legal luminary.
Justice Akande, while expressing her condolences on behalf of her colleagues on the bench to Fawehinmi’s family, regretted that he died while a new chapter was being opened in the Lagos State judiciary.
The president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), in his speech entitled “Gani Fawehinmi: A Dogged Fighter Departs In A Blaze Of Glory,” lamented the loss occasioned by the death of the legal luminary and noted that the tribe of genuine activists and consistent advocates of the rights of the common man was dwindling in quality and quantity.
“That the gadfly chose this period when despondency hangs thickly in the Nigerian firmament to bid us farewell makes the impact of the departure debilitating,” he said.
Akeredolu stated further that amidst the torrents of encomiums from both Nigerians and members of the international community on the contributions of this icon in the field of law and, more importantly, on his relentless crusade for the emancipation of the downtrodden, the totality of all this was yet to define all the qualities of the late Fawehinmi.
“This selfless advocate of the masses, public litigator par excellence, philanthropist, who acted as if condemned to do good, the scourge of deluded potentates and megalomaniac pimps, pious, yet unobtrusive with hypocritical display of holiness, erected monuments in good deeds which promise to lock time in a fierce battle in the centuries ahead,” he stated further.
Akeredolu, while condoling with the family of the late lawyer, stated that those who appeal to the government to immortalise him should hold their breath, saying “the best form of reminding ourselves that this strange strand of the human specie passed through this place on the planet is to continue his good deeds.”
The chairmen of the three branches of the NBA in Ikeja, Lagos and Ikorodu also delivered speeches on the occasion.
Personalities at the event included the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais (rtd), Mr. J. B. Dawodu (SAN), a member of the body of benchers, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Mrs Priscilla Kuye and Mr. Femi Falana.
Neighbours, artisans and other sundry employees of the lawyer were full of praises for him on Wednesday as his remains were laid-in-state at the inner chambers of his sprawling law firm at Ajao Estate in Anthony Village area of Lagos State.
Pa Yemi Osobukola , one of the landlords and a close door neighbour to Fawehinmi said that the siting of the deceased’s law firm in the estate popularised the area.
Pa Osobukola expressed the hope that the late Chief Fawehinmi would make Aljana (heaven), saying that his law firm was a befitting legacy left behind for the residents of the estate who had great respect for him.
Another landlord in the estate, Ambassador Kunle Adeyemi, described the late fiery Lagos lawyer as a very good neighbour who performed his civic responsibilities creditably in the management of the estate.
Also, his security, guard for years, Mallam Abdulrhaman Sadidi, said he was encouraged to work for the deceased lawyer because he stood for the truth and he was always doing good all the time.
“I loved him because of what he did, both professionally and privately, for the less-privileged. And I was further encouraged because of what he did for people both legally and morally. Above all, he paid for my pilgrimage to Mecca in 2007,” said Abdulrhaman.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on September 11, 2009 at 3:09am
In this report, Efem Nkanga writes on the feat achieved by Globacom a few days ago, when its GLO-1 Submarine cable landed in Lagos and concludes that Nigerians are set to experience the benefits of available broadband capacity by the emergence of the cable.
The Nigerian telecoms industry, a few days ago recorded a milestone when, indigenous telecoms player and Second National Carrier, Globacom’ landed its Submarine Cable in Lagos.
The cable, which drained the company’s purse by a whopping $800 million dollars is the buzz in the sector today because it was done entirely alone by the Mike Adenuga led company. The company is known for its innovative style and has in the last six years of operations pioneered the introduction of several other innovative services in Nigeria including Per Second Billing, Mobile Internet, Blackberry, Vehicle Tracking, Voice SMS and In-flight Roaming.
The fact that the company, which came in six years ago after other players had had two years head start could achieve this has confounded friends and foes alike because it has gone down in history as the world's first submarine optic fibre cable to be built by a single individual company as opposed to the normal practice, where a consortium of players partner to build one. Sometimes nations even come together and partner to build one e.g., the popular SAT3 built by a consortium of 36 countries, including Nigeria.
Other such examples include the Eassy project, a project of a Consortium of regional incumbent telecom operators in East Africa at the cost $265 million with a target launch date of 2009. Another initiative is that of the profit association of the international satellite industry called Global VSAT Forum , a not-for-profit organisation that is working to double the number of earth station terminals operating in Africa by 2012. A worldwide Global body of firms are involved in the business of delivering advanced digital fixed satellite speed up development in Africa. The initiative plans to bring in more than 20 satellites which will be brought into service to connect Africa during the next five years. Aside from the satellites, complimentary capacity building will also be delivered to governments in Africa by the GVF and the “MaIN OnE” Fiber project of Main Street Technologies, which will interconnect countries on the Atlantic Coast from Morocco through to Angola with each other, and through Portugal to the rest of the world. All these projects which are expected to help Africa achieve maximum coverage are being done by a body of companies and countries partnering together. Globacom is the only one done by a single individual company.
The cable, 9,800km long stretching all the way from the United Kingdom across Mauritania, Morocco and 16 West African countries with dedicated extension to New York, was anchored at its Landing Station at Alpha Beach, Lekki, Lagos precisely on the morning of Saturday, the fifth of September 2009.
The Glo 1 cable will deliver transmission capacity that will radically change Nigeria and Africa's economic landscape by providing unprecedented high speed internet services and make telecom services much faster, more reliable and cheaper for consumers. The project was handled by Alcatel-Lucent, the world leader in submarine cable installation. The Intrepid, the ship which brought the Glo 1 cable has left for Accra, Ghana to complete the Phase One of the installation in other West African countries including Senegal and Cote D'Ivoire. The landing of Glo 1 in Ghana will also boost the preparation for the nationwide launch of Glo Mobile Ghana.
Glo also said that the phase 2 of the submarine cable project will connect South Africa through Angola.
The revolution of mobile technology especially in Nigeria has spawned successes driven largely by competition, but the irony of this huge success is that while the mobile arm is experiencing galloping growth, with accessible access across the length and breadth of the country including the urban and rural areas, the area of Broadband and Internet access has not kept pace with this growth and has been relegated to the background. Nigeria’s internet penetration is still a dismal 4 per cent compared to the 97 per cent access recorded in the country in the area of mobile technology. With Bandwidth demand rising across the African continent by 19 per cent in the 2001, 28 per cent in 2002 and 37 per cent in 2003, Africa and Nigeria needs to have more of such increases.
This is why the move of Globacom, to enable adequate broadband through its GLO-1 for West Africa project is a welcome development. Globacom which has shown its financial muscle, capacity and foresight through its recent foray into the Republic of Benin to provide mobile technology services in that country. The building of an undersea fibre optic cable from the United Kingdom to Nigeria is the dawn of an era that many hope will ensure the spread of broadband across the country.
The GLO-1 project which has landed in Lagos was said to have experienced some challenges due to lack of political co-operation for landing rights etc. But despite all the challenges, the cable has landed and Globacom is said to be planning to offer its services at a very affordable rate that will be below the current SAT3 rates, it’s a move many are looking forward to and a welcome development that will help Nigeria’s economy. Nigerians have not forgotten the last SAT 3 outage which crippled the nation for almost two weeks and Globacom’s foresight is commendable and stakeholders have expressed the hope that arrival of GLO -1 will help ensure that such is never experienced by the country again. The current scenario, where West African countries presently have a high dependability on satellite based operators for fulfilling their bandwidth requirements and the fact that bandwidth providers are retailing bandwidth they procure in bulk, which invariably is very expensive is expected to be solved by the the entrance of GLO-1. Apart from the fact that the Widening Digital divide between Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the World will be solved, price to value issues as well as issues of reliability and availability issues on the side of the only provider of Capacity between Nigeria and the rest of the World will become a thing of the past. Globacom's Group Executive Director, Mr. Paddy Adenuga said Glo-1's current and ultimate capacity is enough to cater to the required broadband capacity of Nigeria for at least the next 15 to 20 years. Glo 1 has a current capacity of 640Gigabit per second and an ultimate capacity of 2.5 Terabit per second. Adenuga said, ”Glo 1 will provide the needed opportunity for West African countries and indeed Africa to leap forward economically through an excellent communication network and a cost-effective voice, data, video and e-commerce services across Africa, Europe and the rest of the world". He added that “The facility will provide the most comprehensive international communication services on the continent to bridge the digital divide between Africa and the rest of the World,’ he added.
Adenuga said Glo 1 has 99.9 per cent up time reliability, world-class long distance voice, video and data communication services for African customers, adding that the cable will support the large bandwidth requirements of direct consumers and other service providers.
He said the cable will free up resources for other forms of investments which governments and business developments need through broad market coverage at high capacity and at a fraction of cost and time.
Glo 1 will also facilitate foreign investment and employment opportunities in the sub region, he stated.
He emphasized that a new dawn has arrived for Nigerians because ‘’Glo 1 will stimulate a new era of prosperity in the sub-continent,” said Adenuga who added that the successful delivery of the cable has shown that Globacom has an awesome capacity to deliver complex projects.
Dwelling on Glo 1's specific benefits to Nigerians in particular and Africans in general, Adenuga said the cable will facilitate teleconferencing, distance learning, disaster recovery and telemedicine among several other benefits for the people.
“The facility will aid on-line diagnosis and video conferencing during surgery and research, while distance learning will be made easy by enabling the participation of a class of students and lecturers from different parts of the world in real time,” he explained.
Globacom and Alcatel-Lucent officials also disclosed that the facility will be live in about six weeks when all the connections have been effected.
Commenting on the Submarine cable while it was still being awaited in Lagos, the Group Chief Operating Officer, Globacom, Jameel Mohammed explained the seeming delay in Glo-1’s arrival. He disclosed that implementing submarine cable projects, particularly one spanning about 10,000 km from London to Lagos is an initiative that usually takes between two to two and a half years to complete.
Furthermore, he said that because the cable passed through various territorial waters and jurisdictions of several African countries, Globacom had to contend with lengthy approval processes.“We needed so much permission from all those countries to pass the cable through their territorial waters. We needed approval from security agencies, approvals from oil companies and from various bodies”, he said.
Gleefully announcing the imminent change that will hit the sector, Mohammed stated that the Glo 1 would deliver transmission capacity that would radically change Nigeria and West Africa's economic landscape. Emphasizing that Glo-1 was another milestone in the history of Nigeria’s communications industry, he added that the cable would provide unprecedented high speed internet services and make telecom services much faster, more reliable and cheaper for consumers. This information from Mohammed is a good one because the problem of bandwidth is a problem that the nation had been grappling with for a long time.
Glo 1 is expected to provide the needed Opportunity for West African Countries and indeed Africa to leap forward economically through an excellent Communication network and a Cost effective voice, data, video and e-commerce services across Africa, Europe and rest of the world. It is also expected to enable the most comprehensive international communication services on the continent to bridge the digital divide between Nigeria/Africa and the Rest of the World. Paddy Adenuga pledged that it will offer 99.9 per cent up time reliability, World-class long distance voice, video and data communication services to the African customer. This is in addition to high speed and reliable data, voice and video connectivity to meet and support the large bandwidth requirements of direct consumers and other service providers. Amongst all other benefits of Glo-1 enumerated by Adenuga include free resources for other forms of investments, governments and business development needs through broad market coverage at high capacity and at a fraction of cost and time, as well as long term business Plans regarding communication strategies, and the facilitation of foreign investment and employment opportunities for Nigerians.
No doubt, Glo- will help assuage Nigerians hungry for Broadband Access. The benefits derived from mobile technology has whetted the appetite of the people for more. The benefits of Broadband everywhere in the country will accelerate development to unquantifiable levels. It will give a boost to productivity as people will be able to achieve more quickly and efficiently. In the area of medicine, the advantages of telemedicine newly introduced into the country will be consolidated for the benefits of rural folks. Economic benefits would accrue, allowing businesses to thrive as new frontiers are conquered. In the area of Education, elearning programmes would be easier to support. Socially, beneficial interactions will be enabled and a flexible working environment will make for a more productive and efficient workforce that will translate to a more vibrant economy.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on September 11, 2009 at 2:07am
Officers of the State Security Service (SSS) in Ondo State on Wednesday beat and detained a reporter with the Compass Newspapers, Babatope Okeowo. He was on his way to the governor's office around 3.30pm when he encountered the SSS who intercepted his car.
The State Director of SSS, Victor Duru, who ordered the release of the reporter after a five-hour ordeal said he did not order the arrest of the journalist.
"I didn't have any problem with Mr. Okeowo and I did not send anybody to beat him," he said during a telephone interview.
Narrating his ordeal after he was set free, Mr. Okeowo said he initially thought his abductors were kidnappers when they first approached him.
"At about 3.30pm, as I was driving from Alagbaka end of the road towards the governor's lodge, I saw an unmarked vehicle coming from the rear with siren blaring. I looked at the inner mirror and discovered it was just a vehicle, so I gave him the way so that it could overtake me.
"Instead of doing that, the driver of the vehicle slowed down and I decided to move on. On getting to the junction of the governor's lodge, I showed signal that I would be going to the left. The road to my left leads to my destination, which was the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
"As I made to negotiate the left, the driver in the vehicle overtook me from the driver's side, which was clearly a breach of the traffic rule. Instead of the vehicle moving on, it blocked the road and four men that I later realised to be men of the State Security Service disembarked and ordered me to enter their vehicle.
"At first, I thought the men were kidnappers from the way they overtook me at the governor's lodge junction. When they told me to enter their vehicle, I resisted and demanded to see their Identity Cards."
Threat of court action
According to him, instead of letting him go after showing them his Identification Card, one of the SSS officials slapped him on the order of a man he later realised was an Assistant Director of the service.
"The other men used the butts of their rifles to hit me on my knees," he said. "Another one threatened to shoot me if I refused to enter their vehicle. At this time, a crowd had gathered. The people around were asking the men to show their Identity Card and they did.
"It was at this point that they grew too angry and they forced me into their car and forcefully took me to their office. They left my car at the point where they forcefully took me away, with all the documents and materials in it.
"On getting to their office, they made me to sit on bare floor, molested me and made me to write a statement under caution."
Mr. Okeowo said that the Chairpersons of Nigeria Labour Congress, Mohamad Braimoh and Nigerian Union of Journalists, Dele Atunbi, pleaded for his release, as the SSS officials threatened to take him to court without stating his offence.
"It was one of the people that was around that reported the incident to Labour leaders," he said.
The reporter was released to the union officials on the order of the State Director of SSS, Mr. Duru.
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Posted by Jane Okinedo on September 11, 2009 at 2:04am
t is not news that Taraba State, located in the North-eastern part of the country, is not connected to the national grid. Neither is it news that power supply in the isolated state, particularly in the capital Jalingo, is nothing to write home about, due largely to the absence of a Transmission Station.The fact, however, remains that Taraba state which is sandwiched between Adamawa to the north and Benue state to the south, derives its power supply from Yola [Adamawa] and Yandev [Benue ].While Jalingo, the state capital, and other parts of the northern zone of the state are fed from the electric feeder in Yola, the Southern part derives power supply from Yandev in Gboko local government area of Benue state.Consequently residents of the state, particularly those in Jalingo, are consigned to darkness occasioned by epileptic power supply, for both domestic and commercial purposes.The Business Manager of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria [PHCN] in Taraba, Amadi Uche, attests to the poor power supply in the north-east state. “Power supply in Taraba state is not good”, Uche said, attributing the situation to the absence of a Transmission Station in the state.Now the cheering news. The ongoing Transmission Station located at Mile Six in Jalingo, would be commissioned before the end of December this year. This assurance was given by the Minister of State for Power, who inspected the project during a recent visit to Taraba.Ironically, not many residents of Taraba state consider this as cheering news. Of course the poor power supply situation in Taraba State has never been without its beneficiaries. Like its twin problem of perennial water scarcity which has given a boost to water vendors, the scarcity of electricity in Taraba has equally served as veritable source of income to Generator sellers.To this category of businessmen the commissioning of the ongoing Transmission Station in Jalingo before the end of December, as promised by the Honourable Minister would be counter productive, as it would certainly throw them out of business.There is no household in Jalingo or small scale business outfit, that does not have a standby generator, due to the poor power supply from PHCN, an acronym which now translates into the wisecrack: Problem Has Changed Name.Little wonder that apart from assuming a pride of place among residents of the state, generators have become one of the most sought after commodities in Taraba, especially in Jalingo. This explains why every household or business premises in the state capital, has created a space at a corner where standby generators, otherwise known as I pass my neighbour’, are kept.Emmanuel Mbakwe of Emmabec Electronics located along Palace way, Jalingo, is one of those who sell generators in Jalingo. For over ten years Mbakwe has been in the business, and he is not in a hurry to quit. “I have recorded high sales and profit margins from generators, for the past ten years of my being into the business in Jalingo”, he said.This, Mbakwe attributes to the abysmally low level of electricity supply to the state. “Even with the current economic meltdown, the sale of generators in Taraba has not dropped significantly”, says Mbakwe who also deals in electronics.Like Mbakwe not a few other generator sellers in Jalingo who spoke with this reporter, expressed their readiness to remain in the business due to its high patronage in the state. To them therefore the proposed commissioning of the Transmission Station in Jalingo before the end of the year, as promised by the Minister of State for Power, is bad news for their business.Interestingly, a new dimension has been introduced into marriage by the locals in Taraba state to the advantage of generator sellers. Standby generators are now included in local marriages as part of the dowry. What this means is that every family which can afford to buy a set of generator includes it among the items the bride takes to her husbands house.Why is it so? Mallam Gidado Abubakar, a resident of Jalingo, explained that it was one of the changes that traditional marriages have undergone in the state over the years. “It is a common practice in traditional marriages in this part of the country, that when one is giving out his daughter in marriage certain items are required as dowry. These include beddings, furniture, cupboard and electronics such as Television and Video sets.Abubakar, who recently gave out his daughter in marriage with a standby generator in conformity with this new custom, said the inclusion of a generator on the dowry list of local marriages in Taraba State was a consequence of the poor power situation in the state.He said: “I gave out my daughter with a standby generator in order for her to be comfortable in her husband’s house. As you are aware the power supply in the state is pathetic. Out of the 24 hours in a day, people hardly enjoy power supply from PHCN for two hours.”Alhaji Saidu Ajiya Karim, a senior civil servant in Jalingo, also gave out his daughter in marriage recently, with a standby generator as part of the dowry. According to Ajiya who is the permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture, generators have become an essential part of dowry in Taraba state.“In Nigeria, and Taraba state in particular, we have the enduring problem of power supply, hence the need for this new practice in Taraba State . For this reason as well as the sake of keeping abreast with the new world information order, the inclusion of generators as part of dowry, has become essential for local marriages in Taraba state”, he explained.The size of the generator presented as part of dowry and its capacity ,depends on the financial status of the family giving out their daughter in marriage. This ranges from the smallest size of Tiger-950 which goes for N12, 000 to the Sumec fireman brand which costs between N90, 000 to N95, 000.The new practice of presenting generators as part of dowry has also encouraged marriages among the youths of Taraba, especially those in Jalingo. Although not every family can afford to buy one for their daughter ,many youths are taking advantage of this practice to own a free standby generator from their prospective in-laws.Tukur Ado [not real names], a Jalingo based applicant who spoke with this reporter said: “I am planning to get married to a lady from a well to do family, so that my wife can bring such items as electronics, furniture, as well as a big standby generator.”But there is a caveat for those who are already beneficiaries of this free standby generator in Taraba: if the marriage hits the rocks, all the items provided are forfeited by the husband, including the standby generator.
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Nigeria should keep the players aside first and try to solve the problem of politics which has eaten us deep. d major problem lies wit our technical crew and the only good coach nigeria can ever produce for now is SIASIA bcos he is the only person who can handle those players well and put them in the right shape.
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Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota: 11 Nigerians face federal charges for credit card scam
By BOB VON STERNBERG
leven people have been charged in federal court in the Twin Cities with fraud for a counterfeit credit card scam that allegedly netted them more than $650,000.
The defendants were charged last week with using the bogus cards to withdraw the cash from more than 170 automatic teller machines in the metro area.
According to the criminal complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court, the defendants obtained personal information about customers of Capital One Bank from an online source based in the Ukraine.
With the stolen information in hand, the defendants allegedly manufactured the counterfeit cards with that information. They were then able to obtain new personal ID numbers from the bank which allowed them to withdraw $652,205 from the teller machines.
According to the complaint, some of the stolen money was converted into cashier checks and used to purchase vehicle parts or vehicles with salvage titles; the vehicles were then shipped to Nigeria, and sold at inflated prices.
Some of the defendants allegedly recruited Nigerian residents in Minneapolis to buy vehicles at auto auctions, giving them cash to make the purchases.
According to a U.S. Secret Service affidavit, one of the defendants bragged about how he could not "get caught conducting his illegal activity" because he was "very good at covering his tracks."
Charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of access device fraud are Adekunle Kayode Ayeni, 27, Yewande Mariam Sholebo, unknown age, Adewale Alba Alli, unknown age, Olayemi Lateef Banjoko, unknown age, Idowu Ayinla Sadiq, unknown age, Abiodun Banjoko, unknown age, and Oyetoyin Oseni Atobatele, unknown age, all of Fridley; along with Bashiru Adelumola Fowoshere, 36, and Titilayo Abidewi Fowoshere, unknown age, both of Ramsey; Oriyomi Enitan Olowosago, unknown age, Brooklyn Park; and Ajibola Alli Fowoshere, 34, address unknown.
Eight of the 11 were arrested last Friday, when they also made their initial court appearance. Three remain at large.
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A suspected robber has been arrested after he returned to his victim's home to ask her out on a date.
Stephfon Bennett, 20, was one of three men who robbed a couple at gunpoint in Columbus, Ohio.
Daniel Martinez Batista and Diana Martinez were held up outside their apartment block on Saturday night, according to police.
The three robbers fled when a neighbour threatened them. Batista's wallet was stolen, and Martinez's handbag was taken.
Less than two hours after the incident, Bennett returned to the property and asked the woman out.
Columbus police Sergeant Sean Laird said: ‘We are not exactly sure what he was thinking at the time.
‘She recognised him right away when he returned and was able to have her cousin call 911.’
Bennett was arrested in front of the house and now faces aggravated robbery charges.
He is being held in the Franklin County jail on $100,000 bail.
The other two men suspected of breaking into the house remain at large.
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it is not new that Ramsey Noah is a pretty actor that we all want to kiss, I mean ladies now. We bust him getting his kissing game on and we know who? In addition to that kiss, he decides (not sure if he really did) to wear a funny hair – one that helps him look like a geek. Enjoy the stills from The Figurine – Araromi movieHe shoot his last movie, Irapada three years ago and now Kunle Afolayan is gearing up to release another – The Figurine (Araromi) where he spent overN45 million. The Figurine – Araromi tells a story of two friends and a girl who picked up a figurine (called Araromi) from a shrine which bestowed that with seven years of fortune and another seven years of terrible misfortune.The movie was shot in Osun State where the cast stayed at MicCom Golf Hotel & Resort, The First sponsor to identify with the film and director, Kunle Afolayan – Ede, Erin Ijesha, Osogbo, Ada and Iragbiji and different other locations in Osun. Then in Lagos – Ilasa Bridge and other parts of themetropolis.The film has been invited for the London Film Festival and so it is premiering in London in from October 14. After which there are a plans for premiere in Ghana, Kenya,other African countries and the United States of America.The cast has Ramsey Nouah, Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, Omoni Oboli, Kunle Afolayan, Jide Kosoko, Yomi Fash Lanso, Wale Adebayo (Sango), Chief Muraino Oyelami, a chief in Osun State and an artiste; he is the Eesa of Iragbiji, who played a key role in the film.Read more…
Re-enter the Wu Tang Clan or could it be “Killer Bees” part three?Str8 Buttah – Str8 From Da ArtThe Most Indepent and Conservative Hiphop Album.Re-enter the Wu Tang Clan or could it be “Killer Bees” part three? When last did your hear a rap album where you can’t sayWhen last did your hear a rap album where you can’t say “Hey, that’s my favourite track”. Str8 Buttah blow doors off the hinges with their Album “Str8 from the Art”.Since rap’s East coast style is my favourite,I dare to say since it ain’t where you from it’s where you at then hip hop is definitely where Str8 Buttah is at. With an 18 track offering, XYZ, Teck, Deck, Mr. Rae, Enigma and R-Cube hit you with a sound similar to the abstract feel of the Wu Tang era fused with a lot of soul. It’s tough at this stage to not call it close to classic by Hip hop standards and at the same time, but if I were to be mistakenly quoted in the near future, I wouldn’t deny.The steady drums, kicks and soulful samples go a long to show their influences except of course you don’t understand the tenets of ‘94 type hip hop, you might not get with the program as you ought to. With lines like “I know who I rep man,Rakim in my left hand,Fela in my right hand, and in my past life, I was Shakespeare’s hype man” You get to understand the sincerity of their approach to hip hop /rap music.With skits and an album arrangement that would almost make producer RZA of the Wu Tang Clan blush heavily.For instance,listening to the hook and beat of “reunion’ gives you nostalgic feelings of the entire “W” era,unfortuanately more Nigerians recognise the Logo than ones who know what it rpresents.The Buttah crew run through an 18 track masterpiece that will put aspiring Nigeria Rap crews on their toes, it is hopefully geared towards a universal audience, a serious and seemingly ambitious step considering the rap scape in Nigeria. Coming fresh off their SMVA award winning video for Last Stand ,”this is how Hip Hop’s supposed to sound” Str8 Buttah show somewhat why rap is not necessarily American but universal so did I say before “it ain’t where you from, it’s where you art?” if rap/beats and lyricism is an art, then the Buttah crew studied well!!Downsides of the album would a relegation to the underground as a result of heavy samples apart from a lack of conscious attempts to reach the new mainstream Naija music consumer who is stuck in reggae-ton beats and “henessey”,”swagger” and ginger infested lyrics but that’s secondary,since “stra8 from the art” makes flawless listening to the Naija rap 1%(one percenters)…..“live ones” ,”showtime” featuring Kel and “Fly” feature MI-Fliss…adapt classic lines like “1 for the treble and 2 for the bass,” …..and if you didnt’ follow hip hop before 97,this album’s not for you, apologies due!
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While millions of Nigerians have been in grief mode since the Super Eagles' 2-2 draw with Tunisia put the nation's chances of qualifying for the South Africa 2010 World Cup in jeopardy, the players went partying all night on Monday, painting the city of Abuja red.Party like you don't careShortly after they were rescued from irate fans who threatened to deal with them at the National Stadium, Abuja, and then at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, where they stayed, the players shook off the experience and put on their dancing shoes.While some went to the nightclub at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, others went to Tukano, a members-only nightclub located in the Asokoro area of Abuja, where members pay about half a million naira annually. The players were allowed into the club on personal recognition.However, the team's captain, Nwankwo Kanu, and other players including Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo and Seyi Olofinjana stayed home.Mo' money, mo' problemsAlso, contrary to what the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) told the media, the players were not paid a $10,000 bonus after the 2-2 draw with Tunisia; instead, they got the money before the match. NFF officials say this was so because they wanted the players to be highly motivated.Some good that did us, as motivation was far from the pitch on Sunday. If anything, the Eagles played like nothing was at stake.The reason the NFF had to hire private buses to take players and officials from their hotels to the stadium has also been revealed.According to NFF sources, the players have been using ‘Ekene Dili Chukwu' luxurious buses all through their stay in Abuja because the two Marcopolo buses the NFF bought in the run up to this match packed up only days after purchase. Both buses were reportedly supplied by a friend to top officials of the federation.Efforts to confirm these stories yesterday were unsuccessful. The federation's secretary, Bolaji Ojo-Oba's phone rang severally, but he did not pick up, same as its image maker, Ademola Olajire. They also did not reply text messages.Together, foreverIn related news, the NFF's president, Sanni Lulu, has vowed to swim or sink with embattled Eagles' coach, Shaibu Amodu.Nigerians have called for the sack of Amodu; but, speaking at a seminar for referees in Abuja yesterday, Lulu said all hope of the Eagles qualifying for the 2010 World Cup is not lost, and that Amodu will not be sacked.Lulu also said he has no plan to seek re-election, as he is only concerned with the Eagles' qualification and the development of Nigerian football.Lulu and other officials of the NFF, and its supervising body, the National Sports Commission, will be at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja today to explain the Eagles' sloppy performance on Sunday and how the team can still qualify for the World Cup.Also, the technical committee of the NFF will meet today to review Amodu's match report.Tunisia currently tops the group with eight points; Nigeria has six. Both have games, home and away, against Kenya and Mozambique. While Nigeria will host Mozambique and play Kenya away, the Tunisians are away with Mozambique and will host Kenya.
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Posted by John Akukwe on September 8, 2009 at 9:00pm
MOST OF OUR WORRIES ARE UNNECESSARYMost of us worry unnecessarily about too many things. Do you know that much of what we worry about doesn't matter at all. Take a look at these statistics about worry:• 40% of all things that we worry about never come to pass.• 30% of all our worries involve past decisions that cannot be changed.• 12% focus on criticism from others who spoke because they felt inferior.• 10% are related to our health, which gets worse when we worry.• 8% of our worries could be described as "legitimate" causes for concern.• Worry and anxiety paralyses and hinders one from succeeding.• The devil’s sole aim of causing so much worry and confusion in our lives is to divert our attention from what the Lord has ordained for us.Beloved, do not allow worry, fear and anxiety to envelope your life.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on September 8, 2009 at 6:57am
A lot of criticism has trailed the “bitter truth” the United States Secretary of States, Sen. Hillary Clinton on the assessment of the Yar’Adua’s administration’s more than two year’s performance, some few days ago and to be sincere, some of the commentators
on the issue should better examine themselves before they come to Equity bearing in mind that “he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”
So many persons in government, politicians, activists and journalists as well has interpreted Mrs. Clinton’s message as either the bitter truth, outright rubbish or, as the case maybe, a ranting of a government that is somehow showcasing the theatrics of a ‘holier than thou’ attitude.
One of such comments on the issue which I find somewhat hypocritical as well as deceptive, if I should be critical in my analysis, is attributed by the Sunday Editor of the Sun Newspaper of August 16, 2009, Vol. 5 No 334 by Funke Egbemode.
In her column entitled, “And what exactly does Mrs. Clinton want?” the Editor begged to disagree with in more ways than one,” that the anti-graft Agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Committee (EFCC) has fallen offer over the past two years, as delivered by the New York democrat that contested quite keenly with the present President of the United States, President Barrack Obama.
I am exactly marvelled at the clean bill of health handed down by the editor, who if my memories serves me right, was at a time, an aide to the former first lady speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Patricia Etteh. For the benefit of those who might be suffering from the syndrome of forgetting events so soon, a disease that is one of the bane’s of this country, Etteh was sent parking from her hallowed office over discrepancies in her attempt to refurbish her official apartment with over N600m.
That is certainly no news again in Nigeria and the matter has since been swept under the carpet which holds various corrupt cases that needs immediate and radical actions should our dear country be great again.
Before I digress to other issues, I would certainly, in the most critical way, present what I call the anatomy of corruption and misrule of law that has become the second nature of both the present government of Nigeria and the supposed almighty United States of America which prides itself as being the epitome of good governance.
Egbemode in her piece, tried to unsuccessfully paint the former EFCC helmsman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as someone who acted first and read the law later and heralded the present EFCC boss, Madam Farida Waziri as a lawyer and seasoned cop of international repute. She did not stop there.
“As at today she has secured 65 convictions in 12 months which represent about a third of all convictions secured since the establishment of the commission in 2003. She has also made recoveries of over N50bn in the last 12 months,” she informed. This is stale news considering the statistics in a release by the EFCC to media houses.
I will not bother to authenticate these claims by taking a cursory look at the acclaimed convictions and ‘enormous fund’ recovered. I will like to deal on one or two persons referred to as being convicted by the anti-graft agency.
Egbemode mentioned, Boni Haruna, Rasheed Ladoja, Bode George, Prince Ibrahim Dumuje, Roland Iyayi, and so on as making up the list of the 65 convictions the EFCC has recorded. Interestingly, the columnist failed to inform her readers that most of the names she penciled are walking around and going about their business as free men; that is misinformation.
Even the former governors on the list, as we all know, are EFCC customers facing prosecutions. They are free men on bail ridiculing our judiciary system. A former Edo State Governor for instance, was given a soft landing despite his crimes, to pay N2m as fine for embezzling over N5b; that is the kind of convictions we have witnessed over the past 12 months under Egbemode’s famed Waziri.
However, Prince Ibrahim Dumuje though mentioned, was not a governor is connected with the infamous Police Equipment Fund (PEF) manned by Kenny Martins who outwitted all the law enforcement agents in the country with technical abracadabra that included taking refuge in a court.
Kenny Martins and his PEF robbed Nigerians and the international community of millions of dollars and these incriminating act was exposed by the human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo and the then EFCC led Nuhu Ribadu, alerting the world of the fraud. Kenny Martins and Dumuje have been entertaining Nigerians and exhibiting how our judicial system can be manipulated. EFCC declared Dumuje wanted for fraud and conspiracy in the third degree and he is still wanted by the Kirtland Police in the US where it was discovered that a Mr. Joe Hill had been wiring money fraudulently to Ibrahim Dumuje whose date of birth is 3rd March 1956 as indicated on Dumuje’s international passport number A1049251. Police investigations revealed that Dumuje got at least $398,195 wired to him in 235 installments. But the Farida Waziri’s EFCC is blind to this fact.
This charade smells of a government that is irresponsible and an incompetent judicial system that is handicapped. The government is not serious about tackling corruption and entrenching the “rule of law,” an anthem covering the nefarious acts of PEF actors. The question is, who is the unseen hand manipulating the system? Is it the hand of Farida Waziri, the famed cop, or Hilary Clinton, whose homeland security agencies have disregarded a court warrant hanging on Dumuje’s head. Where is the INTERPOL?
The results can be seen from the directives of a United Kingdom court that a Nigerian High Court judge should sign an agreement on the extradition process of one of Ibori’s accomplices in the massive looting of the Delta State treasury, a document signed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mike Aondoakaa who the UK court passed a vote of no confidence to his maverick alliances towards ex-governors who are on trial in the UK.
In retrospect, the PEF affair, for those afflicted with amnesia, should recall that the PEF was conceived with a sincerity of purpose and a vision to consolidate and empower the Nigeria Police Force. Three Nigerians conceived the idea, and before gestation, one of the visionaries was edged out under very bizarre circumstances which became the Achilles heel of Kenny Martins and Dumuje. Within a few months, N7.7 billion was deceptively withdrawn from all the 774 local governments’ councils in the country; millions of dollars were gotten from the international community financial institutions invested in the project.
Many heralded the dawn of a new and equipped Police Force. Nigerians felt that at last, trust police to serve them better but none of the objectives of the basic principles that established the fund was fulfilled. Instead, Kenny Martins, who hitherto was living like an ordinary citizen, was suddenly swimming in affluence.
He became a Father Christmas of sort and started doling out cash like has never been witnessed before. He sponsored a boxing bout, spent millions during his son’s wedding and was alleged to have acquired a vessel.
Suddenly, cars bought in the name of the Nigeria Police Force were distributed amongst his friends and other security agencies to indirectly secure an insurance against prosecution lest the files were opened.
In all these brazen display of ill gotten wealth and frantic mismanagement and misappropriation of state funds, Nigerians were alerted, the police were aware EFCC was petitioned and the presidency notified both the upper and lower houses were in the know of the corrupt practices being perpetrated by Kenny Martins and his lieutenants but nothing happened. The media investigated and reported the fraud and it took a while for the wool to be pulled off the eyes of the police. A helicopter was paraded at Louis Edet house as part of the so-called largess of the PEF to the police but after the show, it was never seen. Only then did the law enforcers act. The drama changed venue and act two of the unfolding theatrics continued in the courts.
The court and lawyers who appeared too involved them should be started the antics best known to them. Investigations of the cases which should have provided enough evidence for prosecution became wanting. The drama has since been on and Funke claims the EFCC Waziri has secured 67 convictions. Can these convictions please be published on the pages of Newspapers than being mentioned in secluded press releases? Kenny Martins has been blabbing about accusing the EFCC of inability to prosecute him and neither the police nor the EFCC under Waziri has proven him wrong.
At a time, the Cop of unblemished record, according to Funke, announced that beneficiaries of the car gift splash from Martins should return such gifts but it is more than a year since that order was given. Can Farida let Nigerians know how many of those Greek gifts have been returned to the EFCC? It has not bothered Farida to get the customs, another government agency that stinks of corruption, to show how the waiver gotten over the cars were utilized; information that would help her in prosecution.
The ALGON which were robbed of N10m each have not been contacted by the EFCC under Farida to explain under which circumstances a criminal withdrawal was made from their respective allocations yet, Funke is of the opinion that the EFCC has not fallen.
As if the PEF scam was not enough, at least, Kenny Martins who discovered he was somehow above the law, went on to take his notorious trade outside the shores of the country.
Recently, even while still facing charges of corruption, mismanagement of funds of the PEF, Kenny Martins, using the PEF which still bears the name ‘Police’ to defraud a company, Calvary Group of $400, 000. He was said to have illegally represented the Federal Government to defraud the American company the huge sum, an act punishable under section one (sub-section 3 and 10) of the Advance Free Fraud Act 2004.
He was also alleged to have entered into series of agreement under false pretence for the right of benefit from accessing a loan of $97.5 million from Exim Bank.
Martins was also alleged to have illegally presented himself as an official of Nigerian Government for the procurement of $97,800 from Exim Bank.
These crimes, according to the charge sheet, were allegedly perpetrated by Martins between 2007 and 2008. The Federal Government was forced to embarrassingly send their defense team to tell the court and the US Bank that the loan being sought was not from the FG. With all these crimes committed so brazenly by Martins without the supposed long hands of the law catching up with him, how does President Umaru Yar’Adua expect to be invited to G8 Meetings of countries?
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Investigations investigated the activities involving the PEF and found that the monies collected from ALGON were obtained fraudulently and made a number of recommendations which included that the PEF should stop using the name Police to publicly solicit for funds and the name should be withdrawn with immediate effect; that the FG should freeze the accounts of the Presidential committee on the PEF; that a copy of the findings should be sent to the EFCC for further actions but the Demeji Bankole and the House of Representatives have failed to adopt the findings till date making millions of Nigerians keep wondering if the Demeji Bankole led House is assisting in upholding the rule of law. Instead, what Nigerians have been witnessing is a slow motion justice system where the alleged criminals are granted bail to go and receive medical treatment abroad and while the Waziri-led EFCC is barking and not biting hard as was the case when Nuhu Ribadu was there.
The recent shake up in the banking sector has all of a sudden brought the EFCC to limelight again with the arraignment of the sacked bank chiefs. Waziri may have gotten a life line but then, the whole exercise smells of suspicion as nothing has been heard of some of the companies allegedly belonging to James Ibori that is owing billions of Naira to these banks. Another episode of comedy has been unleashed on Nigerians but what we ask is what is happening to the many cases involving the ex-governors, Kenny Martins and the PEF fraud of which Farida Waziri has swept under the carpet. The Law is supposed to be no respecter of persons but it seems we still have highly placed sacred cows walking about and boasting of their connections in high places.
In all these, corruption has a face; we see them everyday in our television, on the pages of newspapers and hear their voices on the radio Their houses are in the choice areas in Maitama or Ikoyi and they are still the same people that have crippled our financial institutions. What worries me is that in all these embezzlement, fraud and mismanagement of public funds, we have never seen one of the faces of corruption convicted like we saw when a former Inspector-General of police was jailed yet Waziri and the EFCC is blind to all that we see and hear. Maybe Funke can better explain.
Let them that are evil know this, the evil that men do will certainly live after them and their generations to come.
God Bless Nigeria.
Edward Egbabera
Coalition for a Corrupt-free Nigeria (CCN)
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