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In the last election, his party had 74,059 votes... That is according to them, according to INEC. His plans to ensure the next election is different They rubbished the entire democratic process. They stifled the voice of opposition and eradicated any form of democracy that is a threat to them, as the political party in power. This is a very peculiar country, but one thing is very clear: the hand of the Almighty God has always being on this country. The hand that brought Obasanjo, Yar'Adua and Jonathan, that same hand will position Reverend Okotie and once that is done, you will know that our nationhood has evolved.


Why God would allow the (electoral) crises to persist

Because there is a word in the scripture that is called long suffering and he delays justice because of the poor that will suffer. If we break into hostilities, it is these rich men that will first abscond. So many times, the Lord is merciful because of we, the people; not because he wants to perpetuate those people in power, but because he is careful. The prophecy concerning the PDP has gone forth and they are going to fight each other and destroy each other because that is how evil is terminated. We can't fight them. They are too strong for us. So they most fight each other..

His previous assertions that he would president in 2003 and 2007

That is what I'm saying, that my time will come. I already quoted Abraham Lincoln in the sense that I am so sure that it is a divine mandate. All I have to do is wait for the right time and not compromise my philosophy or compromise my faith and join a conglomerate of men and women who call themselves political parties, whereas they are just a conscription of men and women of anti-theatrical philosophies who have no ideological connectivity and their only common denominator is their desire to annex wealth. Because I believe in a Nigeria where truth reins; a fresh Nigeria which our party symbolises in F-Faith, R-Responsibility, E-Equality, S-Security and H-Hope. This is the philosophy upon which I have erected the citadel of my confidence because I believe only a fresh Nigerian can salvage this nation. All this cosmetic and superficial activity that are going on by the ruling party is a journey in futility. This will also drift us back to square one, which we have always been.

How soon the drift will happen

If we perpetuate a PDP government, which I think Nigeria cannot afford, we will be back to square one and that is a recipe for extinction. The party is incapacitated, ab initio. But the party has been ruling for 12 years I am aware and it was necessary for Nigerians to reach a point of self-examination and re-assessment of this slavery. Our leaders have betrayed us on a large scale and it takes a while to come to that realisation and global events, as seen in the angry youth protest in Abuja as Nigerians are recognising what they have to do without anybody galvanising them. It is an evolution. Mao Tse Tung once said if people no longer fear your power, it is because another power is on its way and that is what we are seeing here. I believe with all my heart that we are seeing the last vestiges of this oppressive leadership of the PDP. I believe our people are coming to a place where they are willing to make the necessary sacrifice to emancipate themselves and that the money politics that the PDP has played for so many years is gradually frittering out and there is going to be an implosion within the party that will totally fragment it to the extent that it will be totally powerless.

His silence when activists were protesting for rule of law

I do not know the kind of newspapers you read, but I made my opinion known and at some point in time, I called for an interim government to be installed so that the entire malady that surrounded the executive could be cleared and we will move on. The nation was inundated by the soap opera that transpired with incapacitation of late President Yar'Adua and even though we had urged the PDP to declare his whereabouts and be transparent, nobody paid attention and we did not want to sound insensitive with the fact that the president is incapacitated and be more interested in politics. So, the sentiment of it all was something that PDP capitalised on. But it was not because we were not quick to articulate our views on the impact.

How he intends to tackle problems such as corruption, unemployment and power

Let me put this in proper context; campaigns have not begun. What I just did was to articulate my desire to run for the office. We are not suppose to engage in any campaign until INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) says so. I can only give you observations that I have made concerning the things that I have seen in the country from a very constructive view-point. I believe the reason why corruption has been able to flourish is because there is an enabling environment. If you want to incapacitate those who participate in corruption, you will have to change the environment, not just engender punitive measures. It has to be juxtaposed with moral instruction for there to be meaningful change. For instance if you take a fish out of water, it cannot function; if you take an evil man into heaven, he cannot function, so there are certain mechanisms in government that make it possible for this charlatans to operate and until we dismantle this mechanism, corruption will (only) at best be tackled on the punitive level which is where you have the EFCC and all of those things. The 10 commandments didn't even save Israel, not to talk about EFCC saving Nigeria. We also need to understand that there is cooperation between these charlatans and those who are in the supervisory role; this is a major characteristic of the PDP as seen in the House of Representatives, where the speaker was indicted some months ago and we are right back at it. That is why I respect the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, because he was bold enough to address that. When I become president, we will change the environment. If you go back a few years when Yar'Adua was installed as head of state, because they had nothing to offer, they came with a nominal seven point agenda with nothing on ground to corroborate the position. The laws of dialectical materialism by Karl Marx, which involve having a concept called the thesis, you find a concept that works against the thesis called the anti-thesis, then both of them synthesize together to form what is called synthesis which can be translated into chaos and this what PDP does. They create chaos, then they get a group within the party to oppose the chaos and then they resolve the problems within the two groups and synthesize the third position, which is where we are headed in the first place. So they create a problem and get a group of people to fight it, like when they created the Yar'Adua problem. They create that chaos and buy time using the diversionary tactics that makes people then think; oh this is an emergencey situation whilst they have nothing to offer. Government is not transparent in this country and they have refused to give room to the fourth estate (journalism) to do what they are mentally meant to do.

God and the presidential system

The whole concept of the presidential system comes from the bible, because God is our law-giver; that is how you get the legislature; God is our judge, so you have the judiciary; God is our King, you have the executive. That is how it was patterned and it was devised as a concept of government. We need a fourth concept that will articulate the plans on the purpose of the government to the people. That is how the press came about. The new Nigeria of our dreams that will soon transpire must be a government of integrity. It must understand that Nigeria is no longer a pariah nation, that we live in a millennium where the quest for innovation knows no frontiers and that we are no longer isolated in some dark continent. So, a Chris Okotie government will re-establish government in its true definition, where the people are a part of it and know what is going on.

His ability to build a structure that could win elections

If you take the government of this nation in tandem, maybe from the civil war, you will discover that there has always being a divine intervention at some point and recent events corroborate my saying. Look at former president, Olusegun Obasanjo who was out of government, incarcerated for a phantom coup, from where he became the president of Nigeria. He was not involved in any politics at that time, in terms of democratic process, but he became the head of state. The late Yar'Adua, relatively unknown with little or no quality pedigree more or less or his vice, Goodluck Jonathan, probably known regionally, not at on the national platform but today he is our President, because there is a divine intervention in the affairs of this country. That is why it imperative for a Chris Okotie to pontificate on the affairs of this country that identifies him as a credible aspirant for that office; so that when the opportunity presents itself, it will be easy to say this is the man.

Possibilities of merger with other political parties

Talks have already commenced and, in due time, we will unveil our strategy. The talks have always been on since as far back as the last two elections that I contested, where some political parties approached me because of my credibility. But I will not compromise my sense of purpose to give Nigerians the right leadership by jumping at people who do not share the same values as FRESH. Adherence to principles invokes respect, as all kind of overtures have come from different political parties with most of them having leaders who do not have the kind of intellectual capacity that is necessary for the kind of government they are trying to put in place. But I have stayed with my principle. I believe, just like Abraham Lincoln said, "I will study and wait."

What happens to his church if he becomes president

It will be bigger. When God was sending Jesus to the world, he wanted to make him the political leader of the world, not the spiritual leader. But for him to be the political leader, he had to take the sins of the world through his death. He will return as the governor, as stated in the bible, that will rule with the rod, as a political leader. By this procedure, God patterned Jesus to be a secular leader like Melchizedek during the time of Abraham, so that Jesus can become both a spiritual leader and a political leader. So, somebody like me, I am already a spiritual leader and I will be a political leader because earth was given to man to rule. Only a righteous government can exalt a nation.

Ethnicity and zoning formula in Nigerian political parties

We have gone beyond that. Zoning is a PDP mechanism and anybody clamouring for these issues cannot adduce evidence to substantiate that position. The best election in this country was won by a Muslim-Muslim ticket, that everyone across the nation voted for. Such clamour is a narrow perspective of politicians who are unable by any sweat of their imagination to acquire political recognition and so they think the only way they can is to polarize the polity along religious and ethnic divide. The process of galvanising ethnicity in political parties is anachronistic, because the experience we have disproves that philosophy. What Nigerians are looking for today is a credible candidate, irrespective of where he/she is from, because both the northerners and southerners will tell you that their leaders have betrayed them. Zoning is the business of the PDP; a gargantuan monstrosity and PDP is not Nigeria. I will run for the office of the president, irrespective of the fact that Mr. Jonathan is also from the South. The experience of his divorce and second marriage Entering the covenant of marriage is the highest possible level of spiritual responsibility anybody can assume, because it authenticates the mystery of the God head. I have found myself in a better place of understanding which gives a conscious of responsibility for this life.

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THE DEFINITION OF PROVIDENCE

A. THE WORD...
1. The word "provide" (from Latin providere) means etymologically
"to foresee" - ISBE
2. The corresponding Greek word, pronoia, means "forethought"
- ibid.
3. The Greek word is actually found only twice in the Scriptures
a. Translated "foresight" (providence, KJV), and applied to
Felix - Ac 24:2
b. Translated "provision" in Ro 13:14
Photo:City of Providence USA.
B. THE CONCEPT...
1. Forethought and foresight imply a future end, a goal and a
definite purpose and plan for attaining that end - ISBE
2. The word "providence" has come to be used...to signify that
preparation, care, and supervision which are necessary to
secure a desired future result - ibid.
3. Literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote
God's preserving and governing all things by means of second
causes - Easton
4. While miraculous acts of God can be described as providential,
the concept of providence is generally used to describe His
care through natural means

Nomads or Pilgrims ?.


To be on a pilgrimage means that we are not just going anywhere in life. We are not just looking for the place where the grass is greener, but that

we realize there is a destination that is actually beyond life that God is calling us to and part of this pilgrimage means that God is our companion

along the way.

If you are a Nomad you just pick out wherever the next place seems right. Most Fulani Cattle Herdsmen do this they wander around the country in
search of Good grass and water .They also take care to avoid places where disease and predators abound.
. If you are a pilgrim you might have to go through some places that you don't want to go because the destination is beyond. And so we looked at

that and the fact that there is a big choice, a choice of repentance that has to come into our lives.
The primary difference between a nomad and pilgrim, is that you have decided not to listen to the lies around us the quareels,strifes and domestic

attritions we face at home and at work pale in comparison to the singular commandment of God.We should love our neighbour as ourselves, but

instead as we hear God's voice and respond to that by turning from the old ways and turning to His way.There is a saying "It is my way or the

highway" but The law of God says "it is God's way or the Highway to HELL ! "


Now this week we are looking at this issue of providence. This idea of providence is that God has created and controls the world so; therefore, God is

involved in the everyday life to provide and to protect. And so, that is what providence means, is that God is the one who protects in creation, God is

the one who provides for us in creation.

Now Psalm 121 is an amazing Psalm that talks about this issue of providence, of God being involved to watch over us and keep us. So I would like to

look at that verse together, but I would like us to read it together. So if you would pull it up on the screen, I would like us to stand and read the

scripture this morning together.

"I lift my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot

slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you- the

Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch

over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."


People might tell you that you are going nowhere because they hear about your dreams and aspirations and this is mostly out of thier ignorance as

they have no idea where you are coming from.


John 3:8 says clearly,The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is

with everyone born of the Spirit."

Let's pray: Lord we thank you for this your word and pray that you will open our eyes to whatever we need to know and hear, for we ask it in Jesus'

name. Amen
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A 27-year-old man has been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command for allegedly robbing a family and raping three sisters.
The suspect, identified simply as Segun, was said to have invaded his victims' residence in Orogun area of Ibadan, the state capital with a member of his robbery gang currently at large.

The two were said to have forcibly entered the house at about 5am on June 24, 2010, armed with cutlasses.

Having gained access into the apartment, the suspects were said to have robbed the family of valuables including money, telephone handsets and jewellery among other items.

Unknown to the suspects, however, while the operation was going on, some neighbours who were aware of the incident quickly alerted the command headquarters to the incident and a patrol team was dispatched to the scene.

Obviously unaware of the arrival of policemen, Segun, not satisfied with their loot, reportedly started raping the three daughters of the family one after the other.

He reportedly raped the ladies - a set of twins and their sister- in the full glare of their helpless parents.

By the time the policemen led by the Divisional Crime Officer, Mr. Busari Kabiru, arrived on the scene, they met the suspect pants down on one of the ladies while his accomplice quickly fled from the scene. He was arrested immediately..

Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adisa Bolanta, said that efforts were on to track down Segun's fleeing accomplice.

Bolanta assured residents of the state that his command would leave no stone unturned to ensure safety of lives and property.

He further urged members of the public to assist the police in fighting crime by reporting suspicious movements around their areas at the nearest police station.
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A British crown court has sentenced three Nigerians and a Dutch national to a combined jail term of more than six years for their roles in a sham marriage scam..

Trouble started for the four convicts when the United Kingdom Border Agency officers identified suspicious travel patterns of passengers flying in and out of Luton and Stansted Airports on tickets purchased by a 29-year-old Nigerian, Mr. Adeolu Eletu, according to a statement on the agency's website.

Consequently, officers from the agency's Immigration Crime Team (East) on February 10, 2010 arrested Ms. Daniloush Solano, a 21-year-old Dutch woman, at Luton Airport as she attempted to board a flight to Amsterdam.

Investigations later revealed that earlier that day Solano had married Eletu at a church in Wood Green, London after being paid 1,500 euros.

Eletu was subsequently arrested on February 27 at his home in Falcon Brae, Livingston. His Nigerian girlfriend, Helen Omoboye, 33, was also arrested. She had been due to participate her own sham marriage at the same Wood Green venue on February 11.

A 36-year-old Nigerian, Mr. Sylvernus Ogungbade was also arrested on February 10 after officers established that Solano had boarded a taxi to Luton Airport from his home in Goldbeater's Grove, Edgware. Immigration checks revealed that Ogungbade, who was living alone, had recently applied for a visa on the back of his marriage to a Dutch woman who was still wanted by the UK Border Agency.

Last week Thursday at Luton Crown Court, Eletu, Ogungbade and Omoboye pleaded guilty to conspiring to breach the UK's immigration laws. Eletu and Omoboye also pleaded guilty to perjury charges.

Eletu was sentenced to two years and eight months, Omoboye was sentenced to 18 months and Ogungbade was sentenced to a year and eight months. Solano had pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to breach the UK's immigration laws and perjury at an earlier hearing on June 10. She was sentenced to 12 months.

Sam Bullimore, UK Border Agency Assistant Director, said, "The sentences handed out show how seriously we, and the courts, take these kinds of attempts to undermine our immigration laws.

"We will not tolerate immigration abuse and, as these convictions demonstrate, our Immigration Crime Teams are creating a hostile environment for those who break the immigration laws. We know that sham marriage rackets are not just about getting a ticket to the UK, often the offenders are also involved in other forms of criminality. If we see marriages that are not genuine, we will challenge them and prosecute where appropriate.

"People should be under no illusion that marriage is enough to get permission to stay in the UK. Couples must also prove to the UK Border Agency that they have been in a genuine relationship for at least two years."

Any foreign criminal sentenced to more than 12 months in prison for any offence is automatically considered for deportation, the website said.
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jpeg&STREAMOID=0vhlk7nEKthz8thlsAlw3y6SYeqqxXXqBcOgKOfTXxSfvYaZska_i$dn3ib_5z_knW_PgxgftuECOcfJwS6Jtlp$r8Fy$6AAZ9zyPuHJ25T7a9GKDSxsGxtpmxP0VAUyHL6IDcZHtmM2t7xO$FHdJG95dFi6y2Uma3vSsvPpVyo-The refereeing system will change for the next World Cup with goalline technology and extra officials being considered, FIFA said on Thursday.

“I would say that it is the final World Cup with the current refereeing system,” Jerome Valcke, general secretary of world soccer’s governing body, told the BBC.

FIFA’s past resistance to change appears to be shifting after some wrong calls in the World Cup, most notably Frank Lampard’s disallowed effort for England against Germany that crossed the goalline, and Carlos Tevez’s offside goal for Argentina versus Mexico.

Tevez’s goal was replayed on stadium big screens, heightening fury among Mexican players and fans.

Valcke said the failure to award Lampard’s effort was a “bad day” for organisers.

“We are talking about a single goal not seen by the referee which is why we are talking about new technology,” he said in an interview with the British broadcaster...

“But again let’s see if this system will help or whether giving the referee an additional four eyes will give him the comfort and make duty easier to perform, then why not?” The use of two extra linesmen to check the goalline and penalty area was trialled in the Europa League last season and is to be used in the upcoming Champions League, from the final qualifying round, and Euro 2012 qualifiers.

Blatter’s Apology

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has apologised for the mistakes in South Africa and said it would be a “nonsense” not to look again at the merits of goalline technology such as the Hawk-Eye system used in tennis and cricket.

Valcke said the increased speed of modern soccer had hastened the need for reform.

“The game is different and the referees are older than all the players,” he said.

“The game is so fast, the ball is flying so quickly, we have to help them and we have to do something and that’s why I say it is the last World Cup under the current system.” The FIFA official said soccer’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), was unlikely to hold serious discussions on the matter at their next meeting later this month, but rather when they sit again in October.

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Germany's oracle octopus Paul picked Spain to beat the Netherlands in the World Cup final on Sunday in a live television broadcast watched across Europe.

The two-year-old celebrity octopus, who has accurately picked the outcome of all six of Germany's World Cup matches so far, quickly tipped Spain to beat the Netherlands. It took him only three minutes to make up his mind.

"That was fast -- it looks like a clear-cut victory for Spain," said Tanja Munzig, spokeswoman for Sea Life in Oberhausen. She was surprised by his speed in picking Spain. For some matches it took Paul 70 minutes to decide.

The octopus, considered by some to be the most intelligent of all invertebrates, got the choice of picking food from two different transparent containers lowered into his tank -- one with a Dutch flag on it and one with Spain's flag.

Reaction in Spain was swift, with the country's biggest selling sports daily website Marca.com running the headline: "The octopus Paul makes us champions".

The container Paul opens first is regarded as his pick. On Friday he wasted no time in diving for the container on the right side with the Spanish flag on it.

Two German television networks interrupted their programming for live coverage of the two-year-old celebrity octopus's picks. Networks in Spain, the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe also broadcast Paul's decision live.

Earlier on Friday, Germans heaved a sigh of relief when Paul tipped Germany to beat Uruguay in the World Cup match for third place. There were cheers in offices across Germany after crowds of viewers tuned in to watch Paul live.

Normally he only picks Germany matches. But for the final Sea Life made an exception.

The octopus in Oberhausen turned into a global celebrity for correctly picking the winners of all six of Germany's World Cup matches -- including their two defeats to Serbia and Spain.

On Friday Paul first settled on top of the Germany container but after a few minutes shifted to the Uruguay container. Then after about 15 minutes he went back to Germany container, quickly opened the lid and ate the morsel of food inside.

Not an ordinarily superstitious people, Germans have become believers in Paul's possible psychic powers. The country was shocked and distraught when he picked Spain to beat Germany after tipping German wins over Argentina, England, Ghana and Australia.

Paul's selections have become top news across Germany and around the world. Some commentators even wondered aloud whether his improbable winning streak might have begun to influence some of the more superstitious players.

But after Paul accurately picked Spain to beat Germany in the semi-final, some Germans called for a public roasting of the oracle octopus. Newspapers and websites were filled with suggestions on how to cook and eat him.

Officials at Sea Life in Oberhausen have installed extra security to protect their octopus.

"Paul is in safe hands with us," said Munzig.

Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was quoted in Spanish media reports saying -- in jest -- he was concerned about Paul's safety.

"I am concerned for the octopus...I am thinking of sending him a protective team," Zapatero said.

Spain's Environment and Fisheries Minister Elena Espinosa also said: "On Monday I shall be at the European Council of Ministers and I shall be asking for a (fishing) ban on Paul the octopus so Germans do not eat him."

REUTERS


Pauls Predictions so far :



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The Navy not all Mad dogs
.

A conscientious naval officer has become the saviour of the Nigerian Navy in this bloggers eyes after a

recent Okada Accident at bonny camp Lagos.
With the continuous negative press the defenders of our nations Coastal/Inland Waters from the recent

Uzoma Okere and Admiral Arogundade Saga to the wife of an Ex chief of Naval Staff's abduction of a

whole Family including kids ! The Naija Navy has not been looking good until now (read story here http://bit.ly/aZ6E4M )

Article:
As narrated by Mr Umaru a staff of Ecobank the victim of the Accident.He had taken an okada ride

from victoria island heading towards bonny camp. Midway within the journey he noticed the okada was
Photos of Mr Umaru and injuries he sustained
over speeding and summarily cautioned him in english but the okada man apparently was not versed in

that tongue and he haplessly replying in hausa and still speeding suddenly lost control and rammed

into the body framework and door of a Mercedes benz S Class completely destroying the panel work .

Moreover, Had the Car not prevented their momentum they would have found themselves swimming at

the mercy of the Atlantic Ocean waves .

Now the Story at this juncture has now invloved a third innocent party who incidentally belongs to

those group of unheeding physical passion expenders .A naval officer stationed at the Naval
Dockyard at Ahamadu Bello way. victoria island Lagos .

Surprisingly the officer simply giving his name as Mr Lanre stood transfixed as he watched the

gruesome scenario .His beautiful and prized Mercedes Benz car doors were wrecked completely and

without resorting to the "feeding frenzy" many Law Enforcement officers wantonly display on our roads

when not even offended . He sprung into action

Helping the young Mr Umaru dis entangle himself from the smoking exhaust of the okada which had

inflicted serious burns on his leg .He quickly applied first aid which he produced from his car which

onlookers watching in disbelief said was done in military style speedily . Surveying the scene once

more and noticing the okada driver was no worse for wear immediately put the injured Mr Umaru in his

now battered automobile and sped off to the nearest hospital .

On getting there he made financial arrangements for his treatment and ensured the young man he

would be back later in the day .True to his word he was back later in the day and also deposited

another sum of money to alleviate the suffering of the young man and further gave him some recharge

card credit and told him he would call at Mr Umaru's Ecobank office the Next day .


He did just that and a continously surprised but appreciative Mr umaru has not stopped singing his

praises .Hear him: "i have met some nice peopl in my life but what this naval officer has done for me

has made me understand what an officer and a gentleman means in this country."

Mr Umaru is presently on sick leave from work and recieving treatment at home .Mr Lanre modestly has not given us ear yet to make any comments.

This Tells us there are many many citizens in least expected places that can redeem the image of our

dear country.
You can reach Mr Umaru on 0803686305
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Nigeria's Lingua Franca

Is it me or something is truly wrong somewhere? Years have gone by and I’m yet to find someone to give me a good reasonable explanation for the belief in some quarters that Nigerian artistes’ delivery of songs in Pidgin English is a sign of illiteracy or better still to put it in their usual word “inability to speak good English”. Even with successes achieved by Nigerian music and musicians in recent years, some people just don’t get it! With due respect to the very many people who earn their living through their white collar jobs across different sectors of the Nigerian economy, I may be right to say only few of them can boast of higher educational qualification than many in the entertainment business and this observation also applies to their general command of the English language. What amazes me however is that when bankers, doctors, advertisers… speak Pidgin English, it is considered a matter of choice, simply code switching or code mixing as the case may be but for an average musician to do the same, he is labeled “razz” illiterate or whatever name you can think of. I don’t get it.

As much as I value speaking right, never wanting to compromise on it anywhere I find myself, I will not be deceived into believing that this is all that defines me, even if it helps to make the best first impression. Without any disrespect to the ladies, I will have to speak from the perspective of a young single and sexually conscious guy. I have met and chatted with many intelligent ladies who struggle with their spoken English, making few errors here and there, what Naija people will call bad English – depending on their “marking scheme” and I’m pretty sure many of us will have few jokes off such experiences too but ladies and gentlemen! Have you met a girl that speaks the entire phonetics in the world but can not maintain an intellectual dialogue for five minutes? The ones that speak bad English with American accent are even worse! Guys you don’t wanna go down there; it is simply injustice to a man!
Ladies please feel free to do the same check and see if you’re not better off with that intelligent guy that speaks that carefully put together English with his Ibo accent than the one with Queen’s or Yankee English but no quality mind or manners or ambition.

I still remember the over blown grammatical blunder of juju musician Sir Shina Peters’ “soonest recover” and the endless issue that was made of it, why then would it be hard for me to truly appreciate the modest eloquence of musicians like Pasuma, Salawa Abeni, K1 and Obesere who’s genre does not even necessarily require the language? As much as I will like to say that being a musician or entertainer is not an excuse for not having a good command of our lingua franca – a language taught in our schools and on which every other subject is taught, rather is the more reason why we need it as music require some elements of poetry, literature and figurative expressions; I am usually forced to come back to the question what really is Nigeria’s lingua franca?

Just the other day I was fixing my car at the mechanic’s somewhere in ibadan, then came along this young – very young boy with a hammer in his hand with which he constantly hit the small wooden box hanging on his shoulder and I beckoned on him to quickly shine my dusty shoes. As his tiny little fingers struggled with the weight of the shoes, I wondered if he had been at this all day or the time being around 4pm it was just another after school work done to support his parents as the child labor thing has always been a common sight in many poor and even average homes – that being a topic for another day. I couldn’t bear the sight any longer and decided to settle my curiosity.

In my usual self I asked “are you in school”?
I got neither a response nor a reaction after repeating the same question twice, then hoping this sounds common, I asked “what’s your name”?
Then he looked up at me, looked back at the shoes and smiled as he continued his task, apparently sorry for a young good looking man showing early symptoms of madness by talking all to himself – my dreadlocks off course did not help matters.

It was already getting embarrassing and not the type to smile about but more of “if ai ssslap you…” but then I still had an idea, I switched swiftly to the famous, wonder working Pidgin English. “wetin be your name”? Low and behold! His vocal cords came to life in a manner that reminds you of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s miracle crusades.
“Dawoudi” he replied in his concentrated northern accent.
“Wonderful! what a miracle” I said to myself, then pressed on “you dey go school”?
“Me I noo dey go” Now feeling a little vindicated, I asked him why
“My phapha I noo get…” and the discussion went on.

It is also common knowledge that an average person from the eastern part of the country even with absolutely no formal education will communicate with you in Pidgin English comfortably. Then I ask myself “does it make sense for a recording artiste hiding under the saying that music is a universal language to make all his songs in total English language and fail to communicate with the larger percentage of his society but please a few misguided minds? That is nothing but a myopic sentiment borne out of regrettable propagandas or perhaps deliberate bigotry on the history of the evolution of Nigeria’s pop music! When politicians want our votes; they go to villages to speak Pidgin English and it works! Now someone wants to tell me “pidgin na wowo language”? Even our Honorable Speaker Dimeji Bankole will not speak his Queen’s English to the people in his constituency! For what now?

This is my point; music is about telling a story, sending a message and if the language that reaches your primary market most widely is Pidgin English or your mother tongue, why avoid it? If Jamaicans had avoided their unique patois (patwa) would it have become so globally accepted that we even try to copy it? Whatever language you speak, make sense. That is music.

I learnt an international organization rated three songs by Nigerian musicians among the best 10 african songs of the past century;
- Water by Fela Anikulapo Kuti – sang mainly in pidgin and Yoruba language
- Sweet Mother by Prince Nico Nbaga – another legendary hit song recorded totally in Pidgin English.
- African Queen the monster hit by Tuface Idibia – the only song of Nigerian origin in this class recorded totally in English language.
Ironically Tuface happens to be one of the pop acts that have been worst hit by the Pidgin English criticism but then “nothing dey happen”.

Here the points are quite clear and obvious, pidgin English is not a barrier to international acceptability as long as we keep it simple and sensible; broken English or your mother tongue in music is not a proof of deficiency in speaking English as stated by a popular celebrity couple in an interview some years back, and let me state and be sure it is also not enough reason to say “Nigerian artistes do not go to school” considering how many of us has tried to go beyond the first degree. However, all said and done, make we too stop to dey misfire; the Nigerian artiste needs to draw the line between a formal and informal setting and learn to speak appropriately. Enough said… I think.

Follow Keni Akintoye on twitter @keniknows

Visit Keni's blog on www.keniakintoye.blogspot.com

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If China's satellites and spies were working properly, there would have been a flood of unsettling intelligence flowing into the Beijing headquarters of the Chinese navy last week. A new class of U.S. superweapon had suddenly surfaced nearby. It was an Ohio-class submarine, which for decades carried only nuclear missiles targeted against the Soviet Union, and then Russia. But this one was different: for nearly three years, the U.S. Navy has been dispatching modified "boomers" to who knows where (they do travel underwater, after all). Four of the 18 ballistic-missile subs no longer carry nuclear-tipped Trident missiles. Instead, they hold up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles each, capable of hitting anything within 1,000 miles with non-nuclear warheads.

Their capability makes watching these particular submarines especially interesting. The 14 Trident-carrying subs are useful in the unlikely event of a nuclear Armageddon, and Russia remains their prime target. But the Tomahawk-outfitted quartet carries a weapon that the U.S. military has used repeatedly against targets in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq and Sudan. (See pictures of the U.S. military in the Pacific.)

That's why alarm bells would have sounded in Beijing on June 28 when the Tomahawk-laden 560-ft. U.S.S. Ohio popped up in the Philippines' Subic Bay. More alarms were likely sounded when the U.S.S. Michigan arrived in Pusan, South Korea, on the same day. And the Klaxons would have maxed out as the U.S.S. Florida surfaced, also on the same day, at the joint U.S.-British naval base on Diego Garcia, a flyspeck of an island in the Indian Ocean. In all, the Chinese military awoke to find as many as 462 new Tomahawks deployed by the U.S. in its neighborhood. "There's been a decision to bolster our forces in the Pacific," says Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "There is no doubt that China will stand up and take notice."

U.S. officials deny that any message is being directed at Beijing, saying the Tomahawk triple play was a coincidence. But they did make sure that news of the deployments appeared in the Hong Kong–based South China Morning Post - on July 4, no less. The Chinese took notice quietly. "At present, common aspirations of countries in the Asian and Pacific regions are seeking for peace, stability and regional security," Wang Baodong, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said on Wednesday. "We hope the relevant U.S. military activities will serve for the regional peace, stability and security, and not the contrary." (See pictures of the most expensive military planes.)

Last month, the Navy announced that all four of the Tomahawk-carrying subs were operationally deployed away from their home ports for the first time. Each vessel packs "the firepower of multiple surface ships," says Captain Tracy Howard of Submarine Squadron 16 in Kings Bay, Ga., and can "respond to diverse threats on short notice."

The move forms part of a policy by the U.S. government to shift firepower from the Atlantic to the Pacific theater, which Washington sees as the military focus of the 21st century. Reduced tensions since the end of the Cold War have seen the U.S. scale back its deployment of nuclear weapons, allowing the Navy to reduce its Trident fleet from 18 to 14. (Why 14 subs, as well as bombers and land-based missiles carrying nuclear weapons, are still required to deal with the Russian threat is a topic for another day.) http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1924455,00.html" target="_blank">(See "Obama Shelves U.S. Missile Shield: The Winners and Losers.")

Sure, the Navy could have retired the four additional subs and saved the Pentagon some money, but that's not how bureaucracies operate. Instead, it spent about $4 billion replacing the Tridents with Tomahawks and making room for 60 special-ops troops to live aboard each sub and operate stealthily around the globe. "We're there for weeks, we have the situational awareness of being there, of being part of the environment," Navy Rear Admiral Mark Kenny explained after the first Tomahawk-carrying former Trident sub set sail in 2008. "We can detect, classify and locate targets and, if need be, hit them from the same platform."(Comment on this story.)

The submarines aren't the only new potential issue of concern for the Chinese. Two major military exercises involving the U.S. and its allies in the region are now under way. More than three dozen naval ships and subs began participating in the "Rim of the Pacific" war games off Hawaii on Wednesday. Some 20,000 personnel from 14 nations are involved in the biennial exercise, which includes missile drills and the sinking of three abandoned vessels playing the role of enemy ships. Nations joining the U.S. in what is billed as the world's largest-ever naval war game are Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Singapore and Thailand. Closer to China, CARAT 2010 - for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training - just got under way off Singapore. The operation involves 17,000 personnel and 73 ships from the U.S., Singapore, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1978640,00.html" target="_blank">(See "Hu's Visit: Finding a Way Forward on U.S.-China Relations.").

China is absent from both exercises, and that's no oversight. Many nations in the eastern Pacific, including Australia, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam, have been encouraging the U.S. to push back against what they see as China's increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea. And the U.S. military remains concerned over China's growing missile force - now more than 1,000 - near the Taiwan Strait. The Tomahawks' arrival "is part of a larger effort to bolster our capabilities in the region," Glaser says. "It sends a signal that nobody should rule out our determination to be the balancer in the region that many countries there want us to be." No doubt Beijing got the signal.

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Disses Home Team :Cavaliers

Disses good Friend:Jay Z part owner of Nets

Disses money:Chicago Bulls was reputed to have made him a Don Corleone offer he couldnt refuse but he did !


The former king and chosen one GOES FOR FAME & GLORY with Dwyane Wade (The flash) & Chris Bosh (CB4 )

Perhaps the most hysterically-hyped free agent in sports history, James announced Thursday night on national TV that he plans to leave Cleveland to join the Miami Heat for a chance to play with Olympic teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Photos: lebron,bosh & wade

It's a power trio that could rock the league for years to come.

"I can't say it was always in my plans, because I never thought it was possible," said James, who wrestled with his decision for weeks. "But the things that the Miami Heat franchise have done, to free up cap space and be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all three of us, it was hard to turn down.

"Those are two great players, two of the greatest players that we have in this game today."

Add in James, and Miami has a three-headed monster.

Ending weeks of round-the-clock speculation, the two-time MVP said he was uncertain until the eleventh hour before deciding that the only way he could fulfill his dreams of winning multiple championships was to leave his home state and a city that hasn't sprayed championship champagne in 46 years.

See ya, Cleveland.

Sorry, New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Los Angeles and all you other NBA cities who came calling.

Hello, South Beach.

"It's going to give me the best opportunity to win," James said. "We're going to be a real good team."

That's not what Cleveland wanted to hear.

Fans poured out of the same downtown bars and restaurants that have thrived with James around in frustration moments after the announcement. A few set fire to his No. 23 jersey while others threw rocks at the 10-story-tall billboard featuring James with his head tossed back and arms pointing skyward.

"We Are All Witnesses," the mural says.

This was something Cleveland never thought it would see.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert posted an open letter to fans on the team's website ripping James and told The Associated Press he believes James did not play up to his abilities in Cleveland's second-round loss to Boston.

"He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar. ... People have covered up for him for way too long."

Not Gilbert, not anymore.

"As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier," Gilbert wrote. "This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his 'decision' unlike anything ever 'witnessed' in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment. Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

"The self-declared former 'King' will be taking the 'curse' with him down south. And until he does 'right' by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

"Just watch."

Olympic teammates four years ago in Beijing, James, Bosh and Wade all helped deliver gold medals while playing for the U.S.

This time, the superstars will pursue another gold prize — an NBA trophy — the one Wade got in 2006, the one that James and Bosh have yet to touch.

"Winning is a huge thing for me," said James, who left more than $30 million on the table by not signing with Cleveland.

It's a huge victory for the Heat, which got Wade and Bosh, a five-time All-Star with the Toronto Raptors, to agree to take less money on Wednesday so James could join them. Heat president Pat Riley was able to corral the top three stars in an unprecedented free-agent class.

So while Miami is building a dynasty, Cleveland is devastated.

In a city scorned for generations by some of sports' biggest letdowns, James' long-awaited words that he is leaving represented a defeat perhaps unlike any other.

"The Decision," the name of the prime-time, hour-long special James and his team of advisers brokered with ESPN, now joins "The Drive," ''The Shot," ''The Fumble," and "The Move" in Cleveland's sports hall of shame.

Cleveland fans, so accustomed to disappointment, have been let down again — this time, by one of their owns sons.

Not long after James' decision was announced, one of his jerseys was shown being burned in the city's streets.

"I can't get involved in that," James said. "I wanted to do what was best for LeBron James ... At the end of the day, I feel awful. I feel even worse that I wasn't able to bring an NBA championship to that city. I never wanted to leave Cleveland. My heart will always be around that area. But I also felt like this is the greatest challenge for me, is to move on."

James' decision ends nearly two years of posturing and positioning by teams hoping to add the 6-foot-8, 260-pound physical force of nature to their roster. He famously announced at New York's Madison Square Garden in November of 2008 that "July 1, 2010, is going to be a big day."

He wasn't kidding. When the clock struck 12:01 a.m. last Thursday, a free-agent frenzy unlike any before it — in any professional sport — got under way with the enough speculation, rumor and second-by-second intrigue to last a lifetime.

March may be madness, but this was a year's drama crammed into eight days.

James, Wade and Bosh were wined and dined by suitors who spared no expense to make them feel special. It was billionaires chasing millionaires, and depending on your view, it was either a shining moment for the NBA or a travesty.

Commissioner David Stern probably didn't mind any of it. The league stayed front and center in newspapers, on the Internet and in the blogosphere, leaving the World Cup, Wimbledon, Major League Baseball and other goings on fighting for scraps.

Last week, the Heat, Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls converged on Cleveland to make their sales pitch to the league's most wanted man. The Cavs only had to drive across town to meet with in the business offices of the local superstar, who grew up in a single-parent home in the Akron projects and has known no other pro basketball home.

The Cavs appealed to James' loyalty, his Buckeye roots and the fact that this is where he is raising his two young sons, to keep him. They hired Byron Scott as their new coach last week.

None of it worked.

"We believe in this team, this organization, this community, and what we will do to compete at the highest level," Cavs general manager Chris Grant said in a statement that did not mention James. "We believe in the new coach and leader we have in Byron Scott, and the world class basketball organization and positive and strong culture we've established."

New York devoted two years to trying to snare James.

"We are disappointed that LeBron James did not pick the New York Knicks, but we respect his decision," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said.

New Jersey couldn't land him despite having rapper Jay-Z, a good friend of James, as a part owner.

"We have a vision of a championship team and need to invest wisely and for the long term," Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov said. "Fortunately, we have more than one plan to reach success, and, as I have found in all areas of my business, that is key to achieving it."

And Bulls general manager Gar Forman said he was convinced his organization "made the strongest of bids to acquire LeBron James during this free agency period."

Wade has shared the spotlight in the Heat locker room before, doing so when O'Neal was there for the 2006 title run. James said that if not for Wade being willing to make this megadeal happen, the trio wouldn't be together.

"D-Wade, he's the unselfish guy here," James said. "To be able to have Chris Bosh and LeBron James, to welcome us to his team, it's not about an individual here.

"It's about a team."

sorry lebron money & fame is not everything what about family ? Remember the fab 5

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Veteran Nigerian actress, dancer, and vocalist, Toun Oni is dead. The actress passed away Wednesday morningwhile being rushed to the hospital.

“She complained about not feeling too well last night and thenthis morning she felt very weak so we had to rush her to the St Paul’sHospital, Ebute-Metta, but she passed away before we arrived there,”said her son, Toyin Oni. “We were rushing her to the hospital from ourAjah home.” The body of the late actress has been deposited at St Paul’sHospital, while funeral arrangements are currently being finalised atthe family house at 66a Brick Field Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos.

Fondly called Mama T, Toun Oni was one of Nigeria’s most successful cross-over actresses. She was also arecipient of the prestigious Order of Niger (OON), conferred in 2006. Astaunch Jehovah Witness, she will be remembered for her many movieroles. Her most memorably roles were undoubtedly on television, withparts in one of Nigeria’s longest running soap opera, ‘Checkmate,’ andthe popular ‘Fuji House of Commotion,’ where she played Mama Moji.

Equally at home in movies and television, she tended to feature more in soap operas, and it is forthese that she will be remembered by most fans. Amaka Igwe, who produced‘Fuji House of Commotion,’ could not be reached for her reaction on thelate actress’ death as at press time. Toun Oni’s career dated back tothe 70s. She was aged 67..

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In medical laboratory science, the liver function test is a panel of tests that is used to assess the functioning capacity of the liver. Considering the liver’s central role in several body functions, regulations, synthesis and homeostasis, it becomes imperative for its function to be assessed every now and then to facilitate early detection of any aberration that might spell doom with poor prognosis if diagnosed later. While this is true in medical science, the principle also holds sway in governance. In colloquial Nigerian lexicons, ‘liver’ could be used to describe confidence, assurance, strength and boldness. Hence when someone says “you don’t have liver” he or she is subjecting your self confidence to question.

In politics and governance, it’s an open secret that good administrators and leaders, apart from being good listeners, are also individuals with big ego. Their confidence holds sway, and their dexterity gives followers the confidence to keep following. US President Barack Obama is a living example of such.

At every forum where his authority is subjected to extensive criticism, his confidence always bails him out. Even past leaders that possess a rare blend of eloquence and authority also enjoy such devoted followership, even when wrong decisions are made. However, in President Jonathan’s case, same could not be entirely said..

Like a pendulum in motion, swinging to and fro, Mr. President’s recent decision to rescind on his former position speaks more of confusion than respect for Nigerians’ opinions. The signs were everywhere that the ban was unnecessary and was seen in some quarters as an abuse of power. Yet he made the decision. And as the Commander-in-Chief, Nigerians trusted his instinct. But going back on his previous step makes me question his Excellency’s stance when tougher issues are tabled.

Obama went after George Bush’s jugular during the campaigns by promising to bring back all American soldiers in Iraq, and Afghanistan only to get to the Oval office and approve that more troupes should be deployed. That is like going back on his previous stance when campaigning. Though criticized at the outset, Americans later got used to the fact that lasting peace in the Middle East, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq, could ensure Americans’ safety. Obama’s health reform bill is another show of strength that he has a perfectly functioning liver.

Criticized severally by the Republicans and a handful Democrats, Obama’s health reform bill at the outset looked as if it won’t see the light of the day. It compelled the president to hit the streets- going from Texas to Houston, through New York campaigning not for votes, but for Americans to support the bill that several Congressmen were throwing punches at.

Political analysts saw Obama’s plight as a test of his authority and he proved that he was (and still is) in charge by not withdrawing his bill.

Hence I would like to ask Mr. President a simple question- why going back on your word, especially one that was issued with such confidence?

It’s supposedly becoming gradually evident that it’s either Mr. President is not getting the right information, or making decisions without extensive consultations and evaluations of the possible outcomes. Even our national thugs in the National Assembly know that banning Nigeria from international football would be a huge mistake. Why did it take Mr. President more than 48 hours to realize this? What if it was a war decision when a country could be leveled in 12 hours with nuclear weapons? Will he be swinging back and forth like this?

Governance is expected to be manned by men (and women) with great ability to make the right decisions with careful consideration because national security depends on their intellectual capacity. Although we are almost 50 years as a nation, the thinking processes of our various governments present us as toddlers in democracy. They need to realize that oscillation experiments are meant for physics laboratories and not government’s situation rooms.

President Jonathan’s recent action, although it’s a right one, brings the roles of the various advisers under sharp criticism. These are individuals who are expected to be giving the president accurate up-to-date details on the situation of things. They ought to be Nigeria’s thinking boxes that are worthy to be studied as geniuses in our various ivory towers. However, like most Nigerians, I’m suspecting that they are possibly more or less of political jobbers constituting nuisance in our corridors of power.
Some things might be acceptable on a personal ground, but are quite ludicrous and phenomenally absurd when they are associated with a nation. Let’s consider the national embarrassment we are now getting on the international scene.

Newspapers, websites and foreign correspondents are now running to press with Jonathan’s change of heart. Sepp Blatter and his crew at FIFA would crack jokes over our national confusion. And Ghana and other serious African countries would take the shine off Nigeria for presenting themselves as well organized countries with reliable individuals at the helm of affairs.

Furthermore, why did it take Jonathan this long to ransack and sack NFF corrupt chieftains when all and sundry knows about the cantankerous corruption in the Glass House? Why didn’t the Presidential Task Force saddled with revamping the national team give Mr. President sufficient report on the mismanagement of our 900 million Naira and what happened to inter-agency incorporation that enables every sphere of government to report to the presidency? Is it that the government is so disjointed, in disarray and not in touch with the voices on the streets? Or was Jonathan just taking decisions on his own?

To all Nigerians, there is need for us to reposition ourselves as the real barometer that analyzes the pressures around us since Aso Rock is very far from us both geographically and ideologically. Let the congratulations over the rescinded decision be short lived in order to contend with the reality that stares us which is Jonathan no get liver.

I hope the President’s advisers realize their mistakes. Nigerians need them to always help Mr. President make the right decisions every time. If they can’t, then we are in trouble.

adepojupaul@gmail.com

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Jonathan a stooge "slashes" 50year celebration budget ! http://bit.ly/bjGxUS

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If the Criminal Law Bill currently being deliberated by the Lagos State House of Assembly sails through, then many parents in the state would face various prison terms for beating up their kids.
The bill has prescribed prison terms for various offences including the beating or flogging of children by their parents..
The bill also sees the maltreatment of animals as a criminal offence while the culprits are liable to imprisonment.
It also seeks to legalise abortion but this is limited to incidents of rape and incest.
This was made known at a public hearing on the bill for a law to enact rules on criminal conduct, regulate public order and for other connected purposes with the title: “The Criminal Law of Lagos State 2010”.
The bill, if passed into law, would also promote an orderly society, foster collective obligation and duty towards the preservation and protection of life and property.
It would also discourage and deal with conducts that unjustifiably and inexcusably inflict or threaten substantial harm to individual or public interests.
The bill also seeks to look at persons whose conducts indicate that they are disposed to commit offences.
The bill which is divided into nine parts, 48 chapters and 414 sections, classifies offences into three types namely: felony, misdemeanours and simple offences.
Section eight of the bill defines felony as “any offence which is declared by law to be a felony, or is punishable, without proof of previous conviction with death or with imprisonment for three years or more.
“All offences, other than felonies and misdemeanours are simple offences.”
However, some Lagosians who attended the public hearing advocated for the abolishment of capital punishment, life imprisonment, and called for the legalisation of abortion in cases of incest, rape, HIV/AIDS and other unusual circumstances.
According to them, the maximum prison sentence for offenders should be put at 20 years since criminals could be reformed and make meaningful contribution to the society after serving their prison terms.
Professor Adedokun Adeyemi of the University of Lagos, while commenting on the issue said, “death penalty does not affect the rate of criminality and Lagos in the 21st century should not adopt it.”
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If the Action Congress and its new coalition partners stick to their plans, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, will fly the flag of the new Action Congress of Nigeria in the 2011 presidential election..

NEXT learnt yesterday that AC top brass as well as some chieftains of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Democratic Peoples Party, All Nigeria Peoples Party, and Congress for Progressive Change have in the past weeks engaged in a series of meetings and negotiations expected to culminate in the drafting of Mr. Ribadu into the presidential race. The National Conscience Party, led by Lagos lawyer Femi Falana, is expected to join the coalition.

Our sources said at several meetings held in Abuja and Lagos by the group, it was agreed that Mr. Ribadu was the strongest and the most credible candidate that could be fielded by the opposition to dethrone the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

No decision has been taken on who Mr. Ribadu’s running mate would be..

Leaders of the coalition, it was learnt, met with Mr. Ribadu during his visit to Nigeria from his Washington base in June. Another delegation from the group also reportedly met the former EFCC chairman in Washington to pressure him to shun offers of appointment from President Goodluck Jonathan and return home to participate in the political process.

The former police officer is expected back in Nigeria later this month, during which arrangements for his formal declaration for the presidential race would be finalised.

Mr. Ribadu’s candidature might alter Nigeria’s political equation. The country is dominated by the PDP, which has been in power since 1999 when the nation returned to constitutional democracy.

The ruling party is still bickering over whether it should retain a zoning formula, which allows the presidency to be rotated between the North and the South.

Before zeroing in on Mr. Ribadu, others considered by the group for the presidential ticket were a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai; a former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; and the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2007 election, Pat Utomi.

“But after extensive discussions, we decided that Ribadu is our best bet,” a member of the coalition said. “If he agrees to run, that will be great for our country. He is a credible and energetic young man who will do well. All we want to do is to enthrone credible and efficient leadership for our country.”

When contacted yesterday, Mr. Ribadu was evasive on whether he would contest the 2011 election or not.

“Whether I will run or not is a decision for another day,” he said. “But I will quickly add that what Nigeria needs is good leadership that the people believe in, that will bring the people together, provide stability, security, justice and peace.

“We need a leadership that will not allow wastage of our resources. I agree with the Greek proverb that says a society grows great when all men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. People should be willing to selflessly serve their country without wanting anything in return,” he said.

On whether he has been contacted by the Action Congress coalition, Mr. Ribadu laughed and said, “I don’t want to single out any one group. I have been in constant touch with a lot of Nigerians of all shades and opinions who mean well for our country.”

Selling the candidature

The National publicity secretary of the AC, Lai Mohammed, could not be reached yesterday, but he had told journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday that the new Action Congress of Nigeria would unveil its presidential candidate, who will not be older than 50, at the end of this month.

Mr. Ribadu will be 50 in November.

Mr. Mohammed and some party chiefs have reportedly been travelling round the South West region to sell Mr. Ribadu’s candidature and planned coalition to party members in the zone.

A visit to the five other geopolitical zones, NEXT learnt, will follow in the weeks ahead.

Before arriving at the candidature of the anti-corruption activist, our source said the group also considered former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari. But he was reportedly ruled out after some participants in the negotiations argued that Nigerians might be reluctant to vote for former military dictators believed to have brought Nigerians to its knees.

“There are those who also argued that Mr. Buhari is yet to, and may not embrace democratic tenets, being a former military ruler,” said a source who did not want to be named. “But the greatest factor against Buhari is that he is not sellable to Christians and to people in the South who still consider him a religious zealot.”

He said the team was already reaching out to the former head of state to drop his presidential ambition and support the candidature of Mr. Ribadu.

“Buhari is a good man. He has done his best for our country. But what we are saying is that it is time for him and his likes to allow fresh blood to take charge of our country. He should give others a chance.”

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Typical Case of Ori E O 4kasibe ! this is a very very sad story .
A student falsely claimed a cleaner raped her - so she could get an extension on her university coursework.

Temitope Adenugba, 24, was struggling to meet a deadline while studying at Oxford Brookes University last year.

She phoned police to tell them she had been abused as a child, before complaining she had also been subjected to a serious sexual assault as she slept in her college digs.

When officers went to see her at her halls of residence to take a statement, Adenugba pointed at cleaner Kunle Ogunmola and said: 'Can't talk here, that's the man who raped me.'

Mr Ogunmola was arrested, before a subsequent police investigation exposed Adenugba's catalogue of lies.

Last night, her victim said she had put him through a 'year of hell'. Mr Ogunmola said she had destroyed 'my reputation, my confidence and my life'...

Adenugba concoted the story in an attempt to get an extension on her end-of-term coursework, the court heard.

Sentencing her to 18 months in jail at Oxford Crown Court, Recorder Rabinder Singh QC attacked Adenugba's 'malicious allegations'. He added: ' It's extremely easy to make an allegation of rape when there's no foundation whatsoever. It's likely to have the perverse impact of guilty men walking free.'

The court heard that police attended Clive Booth Halls of residence, Oxford on May 21 last year after Adenugba reported historic abuse against her as a child.

Officers interviewed her but were stunned when she told them Mr Ogunmola had used a key to get into her room on April 13 and raped her.

A full police investigation was launched and the cleaner was quizzed and later arrested.

Detectives, however, found any keys taken by Mr Ogunmola had been returned by April 12 and he would not have had access to her room at any time.

Adenugba also claimed her victim had been harassing her with phone calls, but analysis of mobile phones showed this was a lie.

Mr Walsh added that Adenugba, who admitted perverting the course of justice, had made a fictitious rape complaint against a previous partner in October 2006.

Walter Scott, mitigating, said his client had made the claim against Mr Ogunmola after an earlier false allegation of harassment against the same man 'didn't have the desired effect of extending her time to do her coursework'.

He added: 'She was not seeking to directly attack the victim, he was chosen rather arbitrarily.' Photo:Adenugba was a student at Oxford Brookes University when she made the false allegations


Last night Mr Ogunmola, 47, said he had only met the student twice before she made her accusations.

He said on the first occasion she had pleaded with him to lend her some money as she desperately needed to get home to see her family in London. The devout Christian lent her £20 - all the money he had.

He said: 'I was absolutely devastated when I was told she had accused me of being a rapist. I decided to help her because she reminded me of my daughter, who is the same age and is also at university.

'But in return she destroyed my reputation, my confidence and my life. I'm still trying to convince my wife that I'm innocent and I don't know if I can ever repair the damage she has done.'

He added he had only met the student twice and did not even know her name before the police told him..

'I felt freedom for the first time when she was convicted. I hope it will teach her a lesson and stop other people like her doing what she did. She is a very devious girl, but I am a Christian and I forgive her for what she did.'




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"PANIC AS MILITANTS BLOCK ABUJA ROAD"

Niger Delta Militants Protesting against non-registration and non-payment of their allowance reportedly blocked the Abaji-Gwagwalada end of the road to Abuja, Leaving thousands of commuters stranded on the busy highway.

The Militants who were prevented from entering Abuja by policemen vented their frustration by taking over the road and causing serious traffic gridlock that lasted for hours.

Only last week, some Militants in Cross River State, rough handled Alaibe at the "Peace Training" camp in Obubra near Calabar, over the same issues.

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comments: Does this guy not have advisers?The country is not working young men and women have no Jobs.Workers not being paid poor infrastructure,No light,No good roads,No security and we want to spend 9.5Billion to celebrate!!Celebrate what I ask?Our failure?Every other country is finding ways to cut down on unnecessary spending Nigerian Government is looking for ways to spend Photo: GJ in oyo State .


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Following criticism of the federal government's plan to spend N16.4 billion on the celebrations of Nigeria's golden independent jubilee, President Goodluck Jonathan has slashed the anniversary budget to N9.5 billion.

The adjustments are included in the latest amended supplementary budget which the president presented to the national assembly for consideration and passage.

In a letter to the national assembly conveying his intentions, the president said listed the areas which the cuts affected and said it was a "slight amendment."
Contrary to widely circulated reports that the president, earlier, presented a budget of N10 billion for approval by the National Assembly for its Nigeria at 50 celebrations, the figures from the former supplementary budget shows that the actual figure that was budgeted for the event was N16.37 billion.

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comments: Does this guy not have advisers?The country is not working young men and women have no Jobs.Workers not being paid poor infrastructure,No light,No good roads,No security and we want to spend 9.5Billion to celebrate!!Celebrate what I ask?Our failure?Every other country is finding ways to cut down on unnecessary spending Nigerian Government is looking for ways to spend Photo: GJ in oyo State .


Catch GJ on Faceboko and Tell him what you think

http://bit.ly/GJFACEBOOK


Following criticism of the federal government's plan to spend N16.4 billion on the celebrations of Nigeria's golden independent jubilee, President Goodluck Jonathan has slashed the anniversary budget to N9.5 billion.

The adjustments are included in the latest amended supplementary budget which the president presented to the national assembly for consideration and passage.

In a letter to the national assembly conveying his intentions, the president said listed the areas which the cuts affected and said it was a "slight amendment."
Contrary to widely circulated reports that the president, earlier, presented a budget of N10 billion for approval by the National Assembly for its Nigeria at 50 celebrations, the figures from the former supplementary budget shows that the actual figure that was budgeted for the event was N16.37 billion.

Read more…

Nigeria asks for Akingbola's arrest, extradition

The Federal Government has sent a formal request to the government of the United Kingdom for the arrest and extradition to Nigeria of Erastus Akingbola, former managing director and chief executive officer of Intercontinental Bank. He is to face trial for fraud allegedly committed by him during his tenure as chief executive of the bank.

The letter, dated July 1, and signed by the Attorney General of the federation, Mohammed Adoke, was addressed to the British Home Secretary, the Home Office, and the United Kingdom Central Authority, London.

The request by the government was consequent upon a request from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for Mr. Akingbola to be extradited to face trial for 28 charges preferred against him for fraud-related offences at the bank.

List of offences

The charges cover allegations of financial misappropriation, money laundering, financial malpractices, corrupt practices, and other related offences pending against him at the Federal High Court (FHC), Lagos.

The Attorney General, who prayed the Home Secretary to grant the request in the interest of justice, said government's action was pursuant to the Extradition Act (Designation of Part 2 Territories) Order 2003 (SI2003 No.3334) of the United Kingdom, for the purpose of his being brought home to stand trial for the offences he is being charged.

The request was supported with an affidavit deposed to by Ibeakaku Nkechi Rita, a deputy superintendent of the EFCC, as well as a certification signed by Ahmed T. Almakura, senior state counsel of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

History

In the wake of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention in the nation's banking sector, which resulted in the sack of the chief executives of five banks last year, Mr. Akingbola, who was abroad when he was sacked along with others, decided to stay away from the country.

This led to his being declared wanted by the anti-graft agency. He was declared wanted in connection with alleged fraudulent abuse of credit process, insider trading, capital market manipulation, and money laundering running into billions of naira.

Though several requests were reportedly sent to various international security agencies around the world, including the INTERPOL to help facilitate Mr. Akingbola's arrest and extradition, these appear to have been to no avail.

Property sealed off

Early this year, the EFCC sealed off his Lagos home, located at 12, Ruxton Road in Ikoyi, in line with the order of the Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Justice Tijuana Abubakar, that his assets be seized and his bank accounts frozen to help recover depositors' fund, allegedly misappropriated under his stewardship in the bank.

The court also granted an order of Mareva Injunction restraining Mr. Akingbola, his wife, Anthonia Tolulope Akingbola, his children, relatives, solicitors, servants, associates, trustees, agents, privies and companies from removing, alienating, disposing of, or diminishing the value of assets whether held directly or indirectly, or for his benefit within the jurisdiction of the court up to the amount set out, pending his trial.

The arrest and extradition order, which was dispatched by DHL Courier Services for his service at his known abode at No. 26 Chester Terrace, London, England, NW 14 ND, also restrained him from giving directions for sale, transfer, alienation, disposal, dealing with stocks, or other forms of securities held or kept by the central securities clearing system in Nigeria, or any custodian, stock broker, registrar, held whether directly or indirectly by him.

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Parents and guardians of students of Kenneth Dike Memorial Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State, yesterday stormed the premises of the Anambra government house to protest what they termed government's silence over a recent shooting incident in the school that left 13 students injured..

On June 21 this year, gunmen suspected to have been hired by a land speculator involved in a land dispute with the school, opened fire at students of the school, moments after the students had pulled down the walls of the encroaching building. The attack sent 13 students to the hospital with varying degree of injuries.

The attack came barely six days after an attempt to abduct the school principal was foiled when the students pursued the kidnappers and drew the attention of the police. One of the kidnappers was arrested by the police.

Since the shooting, the school had been unceremoniously vacated by both students and teachers, even with examinations close at hand.

Worried by this development, parents of the students decided to take their case to the state government.

The chairman of the Parents-Teachers-Association, Innocent Anyaso, told NEXT that they were unhappy with government's silence, which he described as unusual.

He said the students had earlier trooped to government house to see the governor but were told he had travelled, a development that he said necessitated the visit of the parents.

Later, while channelling their grievances to Chuks Iloegbunam, representative of the government, the protesters requested the government to, among other things, fence the school; provide adequate security; help in offsetting the bill of the hospitalised students, and make the police to mount a checkpoint there..

Peaceful protest

Mr. Iloegbunam commended the parents on their peaceful disposition, as well as the role their children played in foiling the kidnap attempt on the principal. He restated government's commitment to the issue of security, and cited the recent resolution of south east governors to clamp down on kidnappers in the region.

He also noted that as part of the state government's commitment to the safety of the citizenry, each of the communities in the state had recently been given a N500, 000 security vote.

He recalled that the government had also mandated town union leaders to take care of security in their domains or risk being removed.

Mr. Iloegbunam promised to channel their case to the state governor, Peter Obi, once he returned from his trip.

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