LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Married U.S. recording artists Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles are No. 1 on Forbes's list of top-earning celebrity couples.The stars reportedly took in a combined $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009.Coming in at No. 2 with $69 million are Harrison Ford and his girlfriend, Calista Flockhart, followed by Brad Pitt and his longtime partner, Angelina Jolie, at No. 3 with $55 million; Will and Jada Pinkett Smith at No. 4 with $48 million, and David and Victoria Beckham with $46 million at No. 5, the magazine said on its Web site Tuesday.Rounding out the top tier are Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi at No. 6, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson at No. 7, Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy at No. 8, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes at No. 9, and Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow at No. 10.
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Majority Would Vote Against Obama NOw some of the comments are just right out racist but it is good to know Yar'adua even though he has been out of office for 50days can still say At least no be me people hate like this !
A year into his tenure, a majority of Americans would already vote against Pres. Obama if the '12 elections were held today, according to a new survey.
The Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll shows 50% say they would probably or definitely vote for someone else. Fully 37% say they would definitely cast a ballot against Obama. Meanwhile, just 39% would vote to re-elect the pres. to a 2nd term, and only 23% say they definitely would do so.
Obama's first year in office has been marked by an unemployment rate that surged to 10%, an increased commitment of troops to Afghanistan and a health care battle that has taken a serious political toll on the WH.
Obama's approval rating is down to 47%, the poll showed, a 14-point drop since the April survey. 45% disapprove, up 17 points from April. Only 41% say they trust Obama more than Congressional GOPers, while 33% pick the GOP over the WH. That 8-point gap is down from a 21-point edge Obama sported as recently as Sept.
Just 34% say the country is moving in the right direction, down 13 points since April, and 55% say it is off on the wrong track, up 13 points over the same period.
But as GOPers focus on taxes and spending, that message seems to be causing Obama the most harm. Among those who believe Obama's policies have moved the country in the wrong direction, 45% cite spending and government regulation as a top cause for their opposition.
Meanwhile, those who think Obama's policies are moving the country down the right track largely cite long-term benefits of his initiatives.
In the meantime, health care legislation is by no means popular, but a majority of Americans don't oppose the legislation yet. 44% said they support the legislation under consideration, down 5 points from the last poll in Sept., while 46% oppose it.
The poll, conducted by Financial Dynamics, surveyed 1,200 adults between Jan. 3-7 for a margin of error of +/- 2.8%.
For more on the Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll, see Ron Brownstein's take on a distrustful America and the withering green shoots after a year under the Obama admin.
172 Comments
Pass healthcare and cap and tax and it will be a landslide against Ocommybammie.
whitewashed | January 14, 2010 10:02 AM
Grrr.... I think humans will treat Master fairly at the next election. He's got a tough job and most humans know that. I think race is playing into this discussion too. Here's what I think:
http://www.goodboybo.com/2010/01/race.html
Bo
Bo | January 14, 2010 10:04 AM
It takes some folk longer to wise up than others.
geng;his kohn | January 14, 2010 10:04 AM
Never, never put an empty suit in the WH.
Paul1931 | January 14, 2010 10:04 AM
Obama is a clown.
Ronnie | January 14, 2010 10:04 AM
wake up people we can not let the goverment have this much power over us we are the producers not ant goverment!
timmy mclaughlin | January 14, 2010 10:04 AM
Many fools who voted for this bum now realize that he is a liar and a statist and a real danger to the Republic.
John | January 14, 2010 10:05 AM
LIAR, bait and switch
never again
show your birth cert you lying scum
us | January 14, 2010 10:07 AM
This is what happens when you let an inexperienced amateur take the job.
1. Remember if you have managed more than two people in your life you have more experience than Obama did when he became president
2. Want to know how Obama thinks? Just ask any left wing sophomore at your local university. He has about the same insight and experience as they have.
Elleno | January 14, 2010 10:07 AM
Chains we can believe in... perhaps it took this presidential debacle to wake people up. Just because someone "sounds" good and gets lifted up by the main stream media doesn't mean they're qualified for the job or good for our nation. We can now ony hope that he doesn't mess things up too badly while he remains if office.
Lynne | January 14, 2010 10:08 AM
This guy is a joke, spend spend and spend more, what wait we can tax you to pay back money that someone else lost. BS.
Marco | January 14, 2010 10:08 AM
THE greatest mistake the American people ever made. God help us get through this. Return to the Lord, people, get your discernment back, and begin rebuilding the foundations.
Paul B. | January 14, 2010 10:09 AM
he wants to hurt America
he wants to hurt America
he wants to hurt America
he wants to hurt America
Obama, Holder, Koh, Bauer, these are the ones we must fight against as you all have no idea that everyday they try to weaken us
seriously | January 14, 2010 10:10 AM
OBAMA WAS A BIG MISTAKE !!!!
HE IS A FRAUD CREATED BY THE MEDIA, WITH NO EXPERIENCE OR QUALIFICATIONS TO BE PRESIDENT.
jamie | January 14, 2010 10:10 AM
You fuckin' idiots! We tried to tell you!
Stan | January 14, 2010 10:11 AM
Palin 2012: Energize America
Dan | January 14, 2010 10:11 AM
Every day of Obama is one day closer to Sarah. you bet'cha!
Ed | January 14, 2010 10:12 AM
So much for obamatardomania.
Kiss off POSident Obolshevik.
Greg in Austin | January 14, 2010 10:12 AM
As a former Democrat in 2008 I am happy and proud to say I was not fooled by him one bit he is a liar liar liar he is ruining our great Country
anna | January 14, 2010 10:12 AM
He is in way over his head!
Greg | January 14, 2010 10:12 AM
I love how people who have no clue as to what he is doing say things like, "I still think race plays into this." Now if those people are looking for race based thoughts, turn to people like Harry Reid and Bill Clinton, but those people are either unaware of what was said or have rationalized it away.
astralweeks | January 14, 2010 10:13 AM
It is refreshing to see the American citizens 'finally' realize what a nightmare of a President and congressional leadership that is in place. These people are turning what was once an idea of a private sector nation and economy to one where everyone is on the government Dole, the govt. regulates every aspect of our lives, and they have sold out to internationalists.
The first step is to oust the congress in 2010, and put anyone or anything in the White House in 2012 that actually cares about the founding principles of this country.
Obama is clearly NOT that person!
read original article to see more hate filled comments
http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/01/majority_would.phpRead more…
Caution: Some Pictures in this Article might not be palatable
Article ExcerptsFact Haiti is one of the poorest nations on planet earth .Fact: They have just been devastated by a natural disaster.Fact:Just as nigeria is well known now for scams and terrorism They are also reputed to be masters of Voodoo and a popular American televangelist Pat Robertson was quoted as saying The wrath of God is being poured out on Port au prince, haiti's capital as various religious buildings were torn to the ground"
African Aid
As at press time no mention has been made in the news about Nigeria or any African Nation offering Relief of any kind to the Haitian nation .One of their sons has been a well known guest in Nigeria over the years .Wyclef Jean the popular Musician and Rapper has been on various Thisday Music Fests on huge salaries and payments by not only Nduka Obaigbena's entertainment Machine but Many Powerful organisations have endorsed his presence in Nigeria .The widows mite also applies in disasters even though We are experiencing a silent form of political and economic Earthquake here in naija .Our prayers are with them and we pray this is not the portion of naija now and in the future
God have mercy on the people of Haiti, amen .
* Haitian Red Cross: 45,000 - 50,000 people died in the earthquake
* Hillary Clinton: 'Biblical' damage is on par with the 2004 Asian tsunami
* Horrifying images show capital Port-au-Prince razed to the ground
* Charity workers describe gutters 'running with blood'
* New video of buildings collapsing during earthquake emerges
* Red Cross runs out of medical supplies
Sixteen Britons are among the tens of thousands missing after a catastrophic earthquake ripped Haiti apart.
They had all been living in the capital Port-au-Prince when the disaster - which measured 7.0 on the Richter scale - struck on Tuesday.
Today the Haitian Red Cross said it believes between 45,000 and 50,000 people died in the quake. Up to three million could be hurt or homeless.
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said there were 32 British nationals living in the city - half of whom had yet to make contact with the UK's ambassador.
The full scale of the horror which has overtaken Haiti is only just becoming apparent.
Stunned residents began stacking bodies on the streets of their devastated capital Port-au-Prince. yesterday as distraught, dust-caked survivors clawed feverishly in the debris of shattered buildings.
Laura Bickle, an American working at an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, told the BBC: 'All the parks are filled with people - they either have no home to go to or they are too scared to go home.
'They are pulling people out of the rubble, literally with blood running in the gutter like water.'
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the damage as 'Biblical', and likened the disaster to the 2004 Asian tsunami.
'This is going to (be) one of the highest in terms of loss of life in recent years,' she said.
One leading politician, Senator Youri Latortue, suggested the toll could rise as high as 500,000.
See video of buildings collapsing as the earthquake strikes here
The full horror of the disaster was only beginning to emerge today - with scenes of utter devastation in the densely-populated city.
Bodies pulled from collapsed homes were laid at the side of the road and covered with sheets, with passers-by lifting the covering to discover if loved ones were underneath.
A spokesman said major UK broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Al-Jazeera have agreed to broadcast the appeal.
A DEC spokesman said giving money was the best way to help so supplies could be purchased as close as possible to the disaster area and sent straight to those in need.
He said, where possible, emergency supplies would be bought in areas of Haiti which are not affected by the disaster.
If that was not possible, aid agencies would turn to the Dominican Republic and then the US.
Some aid agencies have already started trying to help those in affected areas but the spokesman said: 'The aid effort isn't on the scale that's required and we need people's help to scale it up urgently.'
Money raised from DEC's Haiti Earthquake Appeal will support the efforts of the DEC's members, which are the major UK aid agencies.
The 13 member agencies are Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.
Outside the remains of one shattered building in Port-au-Prince, the bodies of five children and three adults lay in a pile.
Traumatised Haitians spent last night sleeping in parks and streets, fearing aftershocks would claim more lives.
There was still no sign of organised operations to rescue those trapped in debris - or to remove bodies piled high on the streets.
Survivors feared returning to their precarious homes and slept in open areas were groups of women sang religious songs in the dark and prayed for the dead.
'They sing because they want God to do something. They want God to help them. We all do,' said Dermene Duma, who lost four relatives.
Residents tried to rescue people trapped under rubble, clawing at chunks of concrete with bare hands. Men with sledgehammers battered at slabs of debris in collapsed buildings searching for survivors.
One young man yelled at reporters in English: 'Too many people are dying. We need international help ... no emergency, no food, no phone, no water, no nothing.'
'It's the worst I've ever seen,' the Salvation Army's director of disaster services in Haiti, Bob Poff, told CNN. 'It's so much devastation in a concentrated area. It's going to take days, or weeks, to dig out.'
Bertin Meance, from HelpAge International, said: 'This is definitely the biggest disaster that Haiti has to face in more than 200 years.
'The situation is indescribable. A few images remain in my mind - thousands of people are homeless and will need temporary shelters.
'They are all gathered in public squares. Some are afraid to return to their homes. Some do not have homes to return to.
'There are reports of looting. Many people, including older people, are traumatised because this is
the first time that most living Haitians are experiencing an earthquake.
'The extent of losses of human lives is leaving many people traumatised.'
As well as tens of thousands of homes, hospitals and schools were also destroyed.
The UN have confirmed 14 of their workers have died and 100, including Hedi Annabi, the Secretary General's special envoy, are missing after their five-storey headquarters collapsed.
The devastation in the country is clear to see, as the American Red Cross revealed last night they have run out of medical supplies to help those injured in the natural disaster.
Spokesman Eric Porterfield said the small amount of medical equipment and medical supplies that were available in Haiti have already been distributed.
The organisation, which has already contributed an initial $1million from its International Response Fund, will be sending more supplies.
But Mr Porterfield said he had no idea when they would arrive.
The news comes as thousands of people worldwide have pledged to support the country in any way they can.
The World Bank said it planned to extend an $100million in emergency aid to Haiti to help recovery and reconstruction.
In a statement President Robert Zoellick, said: 'This is a shocking event and it is crucial that the international community supports the Haitian people at this critical time'
'The World Bank is mobilising significant financial assistance and sending a team to help assess damage and reconstruction needs. Our thoughts are with the people of Haiti, our staff, and our UN colleagues.'
Among the dead were the Roman Catholic Arcbishop of Port-au-Prince Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Zilda Arns Neumann.
Around 200 people are also feared dead after a hotel crumbled to dust, the National Palace is in ruins and a major hospital was also destroyed.The main Citigroup Inc. three-storey office in Haiti also collapsed in the quake, and the company are now desperately trying to track down the 44 employees who were inside at the time.
'Our top priority is to ensure that our colleagues are safe and accounted for,' an internal memo from the bank read.
Obama pledged swift, coordinated support to help save lives. The Pentagon was sending an aircraft carrier and three amphibious ships, including one that can carry up to 2,000 Marines.
The US, China and European states were sending reconnaissance and rescue teams, some with search dogs and heavy equipment, while other governments and aid groups offered tents, water purification units, food and telecoms teams
US airlines suspended commercial flights to Haiti. The quake knocked out the Port-au-Prince airport control tower. The US Air Force sent a team to restore air traffic control to allow flights to evacuate the injured and bring in supplies.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, UN special envoy to Haiti, said more rescue teams and heavy equipment were needed.
'We need more helicopters,' Clinton told CNN. 'The most important thing is to get people into the (collapsed) buildings and find as many alive as possible.'
The US Coast Guard evacuated four critically injured Americans helicopter to its naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The Coast Guard said Port-au-Prince port suffered massive damage and destruction, including its container crane.
Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders said its three hospitals in Haiti were too badly damaged to use and it was treating the injured at temporary shelters.
'What we are seeing is severe traumas, head wounds, crushed limbs, severe problems that cannot be dealt with with the level of medical care we currently have available,' said Paul McPhun, operations manager for the group's Canadian section.
BRITISH TEAM FLIES OUT AS GOVERNMENT PLEDGES $10m
British rescue teams landed in the Dominican Republic today, the neighbouring country to Haiti where tens of thousands of people were thought to have been killed in a devastating earthquake.
A four-man team from the UK Government and 71 rescue specialists with dogs and heavy equipment arrived shortly after 7am and will travel to Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, later today, the Department for International Development said.
The British government has already pledged $10million in aid.
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the UK experts were 'desperately needed'.
'This is a tragedy on a massive scale. Already Britain is playing its part in the huge international response.'
Mr Alexander will meet British aid agencies this morning to launch a Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for victims of the quake.
He said: '(Haiti) is a desperately difficult country. About half the population lives on less than a dollar a day, and the scenes we witnessed yesterday would challenge even the strongest of governments.
'My ambassador told me there was a very strange atmosphere in the city today. Many people are not willing to go back into buildings. So there are not just bodies in the streets but people are actually living on the streets at the moment.'
Mr Alexander said it is essential that the immediate rescue operation is followed up by a comparable recovery effort.
'The most basic needs - the need for shelter, the need for water, the need for medicine and the need for food - are going to emerge, we sense, on an immense scale in the hours, days and weeks ahead,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
The British rescue team was due to arrive in Port-au-Prince at around 11am GMT (6am local time), leader Mike Thomas said.
'We are hoping to hit the ground running and really make a difference, to try to rescue as many people as possible,' he told Sky News.
Mr Thomas, speaking from Santa Domingo airport in the Dominican Republic, said the rescue team was expecting 'widespread devastation' but added that many of those heading for Haiti had experience of similar disaster zones.
'It helps to know people in the UK are supporting us,' he said.
However as at press time no mention has been made in the news about Nigeria or any African Nation offering Relief of any kind to the Haitian nation .One of their sons has been a well known guest in Nigeria over the years .Wyclef Jean the popular Musician and Rapper has been on various Thisday Fests on huge salaries and payments by not only Nduka Obaigbena's entertainment Machine .Many Powerful organisations have endorsed his presence in Nigeria .The widows mite also applies in disasters even though We are experiencing a silent form of political and economic Earthquale here in naija .
God have mercy on the people of Haiti, amen .
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Posted by Jane Okinedo on January 14, 2010 at 3:30am
National Radio has just come out with a special announcement that the Justice Minister Michael kaase Aondoakaa has approved VP Goodluck Jonathan as Acting president .this comes after his comments on The VP quote "I CANT DIRECT JONATHAN TO TAKE OVER"so what has changed now that he can direct ? Jonathan to do so now ?A letter purportedly written by Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) asking Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to take over power triggered the controversy.But the tension was doused before it could grow out of hand, with Aondoakaa saying he had no power to ask Jonathan to take over. The Presidency also denied the existence of the purported letter.President Umaru Yar’Adua has been in King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, since November 23, receiving treatment for acute pericarditis (inflammation of the heart’s lining).His absence has elicited calls for his resignation to pave the way for Jonathan to assume power.Last week, activist lawyer Femi Falana went to court, seeking the constitutional interpretation of the President’s absence from home.A similar suit was filed at the Abuja Federal High Court yesterday by former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouk Aliyu. He was in the House between 2003 and 2007.Aondoakaa was reported on Wednesday to have asked Jonathan to take over in accordance with Section 5 of the Constitution, which he claims overrides Section 145 since the President did not write the National Assembly before travelling.Read more…
Nigerians what do u think about the economy these days is it getting better or worse. The situation of fuel, light, transportation has there been any improvement since. I would like some comments on this issue.
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By Albert Akpor
LAGOS — FOR six months now, a pregnant woman identified as Iyabo Ojo is being detained at the open cell of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Fed SARS, Adeniji Adele, Lagos for allegedly being an in-law to a suspected armed robber.
The woman who claimed to be 36 years was reportedly arrested by detectives attached to SARS since last August in Akure, Ondo State.
Police sources said one Ibrahim (other names not known) who is an in-law had visited the woman and her children at their Oluwatoyin quarters in Akure some times ago during which he gave her N10,000.00 to buy things for herself and children.
Sources hinted further that while Ibrahim was leaving, he equally collected Iyabo’s account number and GSM number with a promise to pay another N10, 000.00 to her account for her upkeep.
Few weeks after, it was gathered that detectives attached to the SARS had encounter with a gang of suspected robbers which the said Ibrahim was a member. He was said to have received gunshot before he was arrested.
Part of the items allegedly recovered from him was a GSM phone which contained Iyabo’s number. Acting on this, Vanguard was told that detectives promptly stormed Akure and put a call across to her, saying they had a message from Ibrahim for her.
The unsuspecting pregnant woman was said to have raced to the waiting hands of the detectives who wasted no time in placing her under arrest, handcuffed her and whisked her to Lagos. She was later to be told her offence.
Entreaties by the hapless woman that she did not know Ibrahim to be a criminal let alone being an accomplice fell on deaf ears as she was dumped in the cell.
However, sources revealed that detectives are convinced that the mother of two may not know anything about the robbery after all, but are allegedly asking for a bail of N400,000.00 before she is left off the hook.
Efforts to get the Commissioner of Police in-charge of the unit, Mr. Jubril Adeniji failed, but a source close to his office confirmed the detention and said the CP was aware of the matter and it was under investigation.
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HOW TO STAY YOUNG*1. *Throw out nonessential numbers. *This includes age, weight andheight. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them'2. *Keep only cheerful friends. *The grouches pull you down.3. *Keep learning.* Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,whatever.. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'And the* devil's *name is *Alzheimer's. *4. *Enjoy the simple things.*5.* Laugh *often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.6. *The tears happen.* Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, whois with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.7. *Surround yourself with what you love*, whether it's family, pets,keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. *Your home is your refuge.*8. *Cherish your health: *If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.9. *Don't take guilt trips.* Take a trip to the mall, even to the nextcounty; to a foreign country but NOT to where the *Guilt* is.. E.g.: in *Past!*10.* Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.*AND ALWAYS REMEMBER*:Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, *but* by themoments that take our breath away.*Worry about nothing, pray about everything*! !
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Teddy Pendergrass' soul has taken flight.The buttery smooth RnB singer died Wednesday at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Philadelphia. He was 59.Pendergrass, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident in 1982, underwent surgery for colon cancer eight months ago and had a "difficult recovery," according to his son, Teddy Jr.A Philly native, Pendergrass came to fame in the early 1970s as lead singer of the Blue Notes, responsible for hits such as "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and "Wake Up Everybody."Let the Web Work 4 ! You Affordable Online Marketing and A.d.v.e.r.t.i.s.i.n.g onhttp://www.9jabook.com call or email:info@systemini.nettwitter:systeminilinkedin:systeminitel +234-0806 495 0565,234-07083793511,234-0705888839444-7894214683,He released his self-titled debut in 1977 and enjoyed a successful solo career, siring velvety singles like "Close the Door" and "Turn Off the Light."Pendergrass spent six months in the hospital after his 1982 crash, but perservered in the studio, going on to duet with Whitney Houston on "Hold Me," from her 1985 debut effort, appearing at Live Aid that year, and releasing a slew of new albums into the '00s.He founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to aid in the education, employment and overall life-style enhancement of people with spinal cord injuries.News from Philladelphia his hometownPHILADELPHIA — Teddy Pendergrass, who became R&B's reigning sex symbol in the 1970s and '80s with his forceful, masculine voice and passionate love ballads and later became an inspirational figure after suffering a devastating car accident that left him paralyzed, died Wednesday at age 59.The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died at a hospital in suburban Philadelphia. The singer underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had "a difficult recovery," his son said."To all his fans who loved his music, thank you," his son said. "He will live on through his music."Pendergrass suffered a spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the waist down in the 1982 car accident. He spent six months in a hospital but returned to recording the next year with the album "Love Language."He returned to the stage at the Live Aid concert in 1985, performing from his wheelchair.Pendergrass later founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, an organization whose mission is to encourage and help people with spinal cord injuries achieve their maximum potential in education, employment, housing, productivity and independence, according to its Web site.Pendergrass, who was born in Philadelphia on March 26, 1950, gained popularity first as a member of Harold Melvin&the Blue Notes.In 1971, the group signed a record deal with the legendary writer/producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The group released it first single, "I Miss You," in 1972 and then released "If You Don't Know Me by Now," which was nominated for a Grammy Award.Pendergrass quit the group in 1975 and embarked on a solo career in 1976. It was his solo hits that brought him his greatest fame. With songs such as "Love T.K.O.," "Close the Door" and "I Don't Love You Anymore," he came to define a new era of black male singers with his powerful, aggressive vocals that spoke to virility, not vulnerability.His lyrics were never coarse, as those of later male R&B stars would be, but they had a sensual nature that bordered on erotic without being explicit."Turn Off the Lights" was a tune that perhaps best represented the many moods of Pendergrass - tender and coaxing yet strong as the song reached its climax.Pendergrass, the first black male singer to record five consecutive multi-platinum albums, made women swoon with each note, and his concerts were a testament to that adulation, with infamous stories of women throwing their underwear on stage for his affection.Following the car accident, it was 19 years before Pendergrass resumed performing concerts. He made his return on Memorial Day weekend in 2001, with two sold-out shows in Atlantic City, N.J.Pendergrass is survived by his son, two daughters, his wife, his mother and nine grandchildren.
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Let the Web Work 4 ! You Affordable Online Marketing & A.d.v.e.r.t.i.s.i.n.g on http://www.9jabook.com callemail:info@systemini.nettwitter:systeminilinkedin:systeminitel +234-0806 495 0565,234-07083793511,234-0705888839444-7894214683,Acting appealed to Stella Damasus because it helps her pretend to be someone else. The youngest in a close knit family of five daughters born to retired bankers, the 31-year-old actress, singer and compere embraced stardom at a young age. Today, she is an award-winning A-list actress and was on the first-ever African panel for the Drama category of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Emmy Awards.Break from moviesI had a problem with the kind of scripts coming my way. They made me a type-cast in the industry such that in any film I had to be either a victim and just cry. I got tired of it because it did not show my versatility as an actress so I looked out for people with good scripts that was different and that will make me work.Another reason was because I set up a production company - SDA Productions - about two years ago, I had to give it a lot of my time and attention. As I grew older, I realised that I had to do something for myself and plan for the future because after a while, you will age and a new crop of actors will come up and you will be cast for 'mama roles' alone.First movie roleI found myself in Nollywood by accident. A friend of mine asked that I accompany her to a movie audition. When we got there, I saw a lot of young girls lined up to be auditioned. We stayed there until very late and as we were about to leave, the director, Mathias Obahiagbon asked if I had auditioned because he did not remember seeing me in there and I said I had come there because of my friend. He said, "Don't you want to act?" I said I was not interested and he asked me to come in and read a script. I was laughing all through because I did not take it seriously. At that time I was doing part time jobs at Klink Studios, Surulere, as a background vocalist and on jingles.Three weeks later, they came to the studio and told me I had gotten the part and I was to be paid N10, 000. I was shocked because my salary then was about N700. The movie was titled 'Abused' and was shot in 1995. I got the sub lead role; the lead female role was played by Omotola Jalade Ekeinde. After that, I got more movie roles and I have not looked back ever since.The thrill of the artIt's all about passion for me because I have never been a commercial artist doing it for money or fame. I love the fact that it gives me the power to know that I can be anything I want to be: a mad woman this minute, a drug peddler next time, maybe schizophrenic another time. That feeling alone drives me and makes my passion stronger. The plausibility thrills me; that I could do something and people think it was real. And when they see me in real life, they say how touching my role was or that they sympathised with me in a particular role.Career highpointsEvery point for me has been high because I see myself as privileged to be where I am. It's not about the amount of awards that I have had but the fact that I have managed to remain relevant in the industry till date.Most challenging movie roleMy most challenging would be 'Queen of the Rain Forest,' the other, is not yet out. In 'Queen of the Rain Forest,' it was the first time I was doing a traditional movie and I was a queen. It taught me a lot of things. I had to learn the tradition of the Calabar people: how they fought, their marriage ceremonies and it really opened my eyes to how other cultures lived their lives. I had to learn to fight with a real sword and run under the sun. It made me see the difference between just an actor and someone who is trained. The second film 'Widow' was shot two months before my husband died contrary to people's belief that it was my story. When I read the script in 2006 after Agatha Amata had told me that we were supposed to use the film for Sithengi Film and Television Festival in South Africa, I was touched. I told her that we couldn't do the movie because people will hate the actors. Shooting the film made a strong impact on me because I felt what the widow felt.Caring for widowsI partnered with Jemilat Ofogbu Ogbo to form the young Widows Association of Nigeria. We cater for the needs and welfare of young widows around the country because we have been in that situation before it becomes easier to identify with their experiences. We assist with welfare, vocational training and finance where necessary.Protecting privacyIt is intentional. There are different kinds of entertainers; some are in it for fame, others for money while some are in it for the love of acting. When I began acting, my family members were afraid if I would be able to handle all the fame and public attention because they know I am a very private person. I don't grant interviews anyhow so most times when they write stuff about me, it's all lies. I am first a human being before a star and I have a life. My children are young now so I have to protect them.When they grow up and want to be in the limelight it is up to them. I want them to grow up normally, I want them to be able to go to Shoprite like every other kid without anyone pointing or saying "Those are Stella's kids." Most times when they write things about me, it is not that I am pained but I think about its effects on other members of my family. I try as much as possible to be as private as possible. If I don't have things to do, you will not see me at a bar or club, rather I will be at home spending time with family.
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Posted by Jane Okinedo on January 13, 2010 at 8:28pm
70-Year-old, 4 others nabbed with human skullA70-year-old man and four others are now in police net in Ilorin, Kwara state capital for allegedly being in possession of human skull.They are Hassan Ajala, Ibrahim Adamu, Afisat Raji , Umaru Kure and Samuel Kure .THISDAY checks revealed that the suspects were arrested by men of the state police detectives at Igbonna town in Oyun local government council area of the state last Sunday.It was learnt that, one of the suspects, one Ibrahim Adamu, was said to have brought the skull to the old man allegedly for money-making charms.Sources close to the police detectives in Ilorin told our correspondent that the skull was discovered at the shop of the old man where he sells local gin and other assorted drinks to the members of the public in the town.Sources added that, following a tip-off in the town, members of the police detectives led by ASP Alaku Asiagu went to the house of the old man where he was arrested with the skull.THISDAY further gathered that upon interrogation by men of the state Police Command, the old man’s confession led to the arrest of three other people, Ibrahim Adamu, Afisat Raji , Umaru Kure and Samuel Kure .In an interview with newsmen yesterday at the state police command, the principal suspect, Ibrahim Adamu, confessed that he got the skull from a dead body at a river in Gwagwalada area of Abuja.He said he brought the skull to the old man to make money charms.The 70 year-old-man, Mr. Hassan Ajala, who denied being an herbalist but a farmer, confessed that the skull was brought to his shop by Ibrahim Adamu so as to make charms money for him.Contacted yesterday, State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Ezekiel Daboh, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent said the five suspects would soon appear in court after the police authorities complete investigation into their alleged roles in the matter.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 13, 2010 at 8:12pm
ABUJA- FOR three hours and three minutes yesterday, thousands of aggrieved Nigerians led by the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, took to the streets in Abuja, the nation’s capital, to protest the French leave embarked upon by the ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua since November 23, last year.Affordable A.d.ve.r.ti.sing LET THE WEB WORK 4 U ! http://www.9jabook.com call or email:
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They demanded, in unison, that he must either show up and live up to expectations, if indeed he is still alive and fit to continue in office as he is making Nigerians to believe or transfer powers without further delay to his Vice, Jonathan Goodluck, to avert total collapse of the Nigerian nation.
They also registered their displeasure with members of the National Assembly over their reluctance to act even as they dismissed the cabinet members of President Yar’Adua as a bunch of liars, pseudo-colonialists and terrorists. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, who came out to address the angry protesters, yesterday, was not only booed but also disallowed from making any statement either in support or against the subject-matter of protest.
Unlike what used to be the case during the dark days of the military, there was no single firing of gun or canister to disperse protesting Nigerians. In fact, dozens of mobile policemen carried in their lorries were seen dancing to the popular music of Idris Abdulkarim of ‘Nigeria jaga jaga, everything scatter scatter,’ and hailing the protesters.
All through the period that the protest lasted, a combined team of men of the Nigeria Civil Defence and the Nigeria Mobile Police maintained security without allowing the hoodlums to hijack it. Although a dozen of hired pro-Yar’Adua government protesters carried placards bearing “we support Yar’Adua government,” their voices were drowned in the din of the noisy call for the resignation of President Yar’Adua.
The mass rally which kicked off from the Unity Fountain opposite the popular Millenium Park close to Transcorp Hilton Hotels at about 9:45 a.m, had mobile security men taking their positions in and around the National Assembly and the road to NICON as early as 6:00 a.m. But they did not harass anyone.
They seemed confused
At exactly 9:45 am, the protesters had gathered in their thousands at the rendezvous waiting for a marching order from the convener of the rally. They did not move until Prof Wole Soyinka who was conceded to be the most important person addressed the aggrieved Nigerians on why the mass rally was holding.
The septuagenarian, Prof Wole Soyinka, trekked alongside other leaders of the mass rally while radical Lagos lawyer Femi Falana was seen addressing and singing. Although they got to the open ground of the National Assembly where lawmakers and their visitors park cars at exactly 11:53am, the proper address did not start until 12:04pm when they recited the old national anthem. Leaders of the mass rally took turns to address the rally for just 44 minutes during which Speaker Bankole was booed and disallowed from addressing the aggrieved Nigerians.
At 12:16 pm, Soyinka took to the podium. But there was so much noise that he threatened to walk out of the rally ground if they did not behave themselves. He said he expected them to be orderly and organized. The way he spoke angered some of the protesters who asked him to go if he wanted to go. When he eventually picked the microphone and blew air into it, there was a thunderous applause followed by graveyard silence.
He said: “It seems to me that we have finally woken up from our long harmattan sleep and you are now getting into the spring of rebirth. I have a little information I have been asked to pass on to you as one of you. This is what they told me.
I do not guarantee the veracity of it as it is supposed to have come from the Senate. And you all know what Senate is. The information I was given is that the Senate has now taken this matter to court.
The matter of the President’s absence
“I am passing that information to you so that we, here, are not accused of holding back information from those following us. That is the only reason why I am passing it on. You can weigh it for what it is worth. But if these people are caught in yet another lie, then the next demonstration will be bigger. The nation has been taken to ransom. The nation has been despised and treated with contempt.
We have been treated as colonials, colonized all over again. This is what we call internal colonialism. We are all dignified beings. We deserve to know the truth, at all times about our method of governance.
“We are also qualified to say when we believe that those ‘elected leaders’ of this nation are deliberately dragging their feet over critical issues that concern us. Then the people must stop and then take to the street.
This is normal in any democracy. A lot of you have followed some recent lectures of mine: one in Lagos; one in Abeokuta, and the third one here in Abuja on the occasion of the National Merit Award.
Each time, I have observed the ritual ending. And that ending was enough of talking, let us march. Now today, you have shown me that you have been listening. And your leaders here obviously have been listening and they themselves have been using exactly the same language over a long period. So we are not talking here about certain individual efforts but certain issues must be addressed urgently.
And if by miracle and believe me, I do pray and wish this might happen, if by miracle the missing president were to appear amongst us, hale and hearty, he will be confronted with the same charges that we are leveling against the government.”
Hon Farouk Aliyu Adamu
In his contribution, Adamu, said: “We are all Nigerians. Nobody should hoodwink you with where you come from. We are not ruled rightly. We are ruled by liars. We demand leadership that will come out and tell us the truth. In the last 50 days, one minister after the other will come out and lie.
They said President Yar’Adua spoke on BBC. Do you know why we do not believe them? It is because PDP government said we shall get 6000 megawatts of electricity by December but we didn’t. Now, who will believe them? We will only believe them when we see President Yar’Adua here live. If you do not want Jonathan to lead, do not take the fuel and petroleum from the Ijaw people. If my brothers want to continue using the fuel, the diesel from the South South, then Jonathan should take over governance,” to which they shouted another deafening yes.
Uche Onyegocha
“Few years ago, when Obasanjo tried to impose himself on this country using his third term agenda, we fought him and we won. Today we have a criminal cabal that is holding this country to ransom. I want to remind you that it was the same criminal cabal that supported third term. As we defeated them that time, we will defeat them again. They are saying we are not a terrorist nation and I agreed with them.
They have been holding us to ransom but that must end today and we must take a decision on the issue of a missing president. I thank you very much.”
Buba Galadima
“Today is christened a new birth for a new nation, that Nigerians of all works of life, that Nigerians of all tribes, that Nigerians of all religions have come together to discuss our country, this is how it should be and when we leave here, no body should wink you on the basis of religion or the basis of where you come from, the minimum we demand of those who said we voted them into power is transparency, constitutionalism, institutionalism and accountability.”
Najatu Muhammed
“The issue at stake is not that Yar’Adua has spoken on the BBC, the issue is that he has abdicated without leave, without permission, so this calls for his impeachment, the people at the National Assembly have no moral justification to be where they are today. Yar’Adua is paid by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is accountable to you and I, so he has no business staying for over fifty days without permission.
Nigerians will also want to get the kind of medical treatment that Yar’Adua is getting, this is their money, so Nigerians, come out and say no to this rubbish enough is enough.”
Pastor Tunde Bakare
“Every one, east, north and south of our country should take these words home. The Presidency is not a birth right. The presidency is not a hereditary stool. The presidency is a constitutional office. President Yar’Adua is not fit to occupy that office.
Therefore, Umaru Yar’Adua go home. Time has come for you to park your load, leave Nigeria alone and go home. This solemn assembly is not for the sake of Jonathan Goodluck, it is for the sake of good governance. The constitution that is imposed upon you stipulates in section 145 that if any one in the office of the president is leaving even for his leave not for sickness, he must transmit authority of that office to the vice president.
It is that we have come to demand this afternoon, that the imposed constitution must be obeyed. Power vacuum is the latest affliction they have imposed on this nation and the entirety of the rest of us say no to power vacuum. Enough is enough! We would not allow them to handle the affairs of this country in a lopsided manner or as they like. We demand accurate governance, good governance, and what do I mean by that?
Femi Falana
“This is the beginning of our struggle. By next week we are going to inform you of the date when we are going to march all over Nigeria. On Friday, Nigerians in America, Nigerians in the United Kingdom are marching. We understand that the Senate met this morning and took a decision; as usual because this is a leadership built on lies.
The Senate claimed that because some of us exercised our fundamental human rights, to go to court, they didn’t go to court, they said because some of us are in court because of their inaction, they are now exploiting our cases in court to abdicate their responsibility. Since they claim to be representing us in our different constituencies we must go and begin a process of making them to be accountable, of making them to be responsible, of making them to be responsive to the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian people.”
It was at this point that Speaker Bankole came. The Speaker had emerged from an executive session of the Reps around 12:30 pm, made his way to the platform on the porch of the dome of the National Assembly amidst tight security.
But his presence was not acknowledged, as the protesters who arrived the venue at 12.05 kept booing him as soon as they sighted him until Professor Soyinka took the microphone from Mrs. Naja’atu Mohammed – a foremost female activist from Kano State – who was addressing them, and announced that, “fellow compatriots, I understand that we have some visitors here among us We want to give him some few minutes to address us, fellow compatriots.” But the protesters in one chorus, thundered “Nooooooo!!!!!!”
Again Soyinka asked that the Speaker be allowed to speak and he was visited with the same response. He now said, “We are democrats here. I am going to ask for the last time after which I will take a voice count”, he said. “Do we allow the Speaker to address us?” he asked and the answer was reverberating “Noooooooo!!!!!” “The ‘Nos’ (nays) have it” he said.
Yar’Adua supporters hold counter-rally in Abuja
Also yesterday, groups comprising mostly youths, converged at the Eagle Square, Abuja, with banners and posters of President Umaru Yar’Adua, chanting solidarity to his administration despite the mounting agitation from some quarters for his immediate resignation. Besides adorning the major roads along the federal secretariat with posters that read, “We support Yar’Adua” the group further strapped large banners in various strategic places, denouncing those that are calling for his removal and subsequent replacement as “anarchists.”
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Posted by Jane Okinedo on January 13, 2010 at 8:00pm
Rabbits are monogastric animals. They are medium-sized hopping mammals with long legs, long ears and short tails. A marked rise in rabbit projects in developing countries has been observed within the past 15 years.Let the Web Work 4 ! You Affordable Online Marketing & A.d.v.e.r.t.i.s.i.n.g on http://www.9jabook.com call oremail:info@systemini.nettwitter:systeminilinkedin:systeminitel +234-0806 495 0565,234-07083793511,234-0705888839444-7894214683,The expansion may be attributable to an increased awareness of the potential of small scale rabbit production for the majority of the world's subsistence rural and semi urban inhabitants. Rabbits were first introduced into many developing countries such as Tanzania, Nigeria, Egypt, China and Mexico by their colonial settlers and missionaries. The common breeds of rabbit are Angora, chinchilla, Flemish giant and white New Zealand.Benefits of rearing rabbitsThe main reason rabbits are now being preferred by some farmers for rearing purposes is because it is easy to house. They have a short gestation period of 30 to 31 days and they are very prolific animal, that is they can produce many litters. In this category, they are next to pigs. Other advantages are that they are efficient converters of a wide range of vegetables matters into meat, they have a rearing period of six to eight weeks and they have a high rate of disease resistance. Rabbits are reared for their meat and the meat is generally regarded as white meat. They make good quality meat, which is averagely more delicious and more nutritious than that of the chicken. They also readily adapt to any environment.Rabbit meat is a good source of protein. The meat quality is good and it is a white meat that is tender, palatable and not fatty. This type of meat is presently being recommended for patients with cardiac problems, diabetes and high blood pressure. Apart from the meat, the rabbit skin can be used for making jackets, head gear, carpets and rugs and other decorative household ornaments. High graded furs have a place in the international market. Already several importers in some countries in Africa, are known to patronise the Nigeria rabbit market, as it is of high demand in such countries.Protecting rabbitsLike other livestock specie, rabbits need protection from adverse environmental conditions, including protection against predators, while ample sunlight and ventilation are important, either conditions may limit production.Air quality is also of major concern in the control of respiratory diseases, such as pasteurellosis and pneumonia. Ambient temperature and humidity levels likewise are particularly relevant to tropical and arid environment. It is well established that high ambient temperature can cause infertility in breeding rabbits. Hence, breeders are expected to take basic measures to ensure greater comfort for their breed. Rabbit needs basic shelter to sustain modest production. It is fortuitous that the building materials required for construction of simple sheds, hutches, nest boxes, and watering equipment are generally in the tropical countries.The following measures must be adopted in the rabbitry, by cleaning the floor of the rabbitry daily, disinfect the rabbitry at regular intervals to keep it free from germs, clean the feed and water troughs to prevent contamination, isolate any sick animal for treatment, de-worm the rabbits at regular intervals, keep the rabbitry weed free, and provide a disinfectant bath or foot dip at the entrance to prevent the introduction of germs into the rabbitry. Precautions must be taken against predators, though some look friendly or harmless yet they can attack terribly. No matter where you live, predators are a potential problem to your rabbitry, so you must embark on preventive measures before the predators strike, rats, snakes, cats, dogs are examples of such predators.Next week we shall look at the economic significance of rabbit in Nigeria.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 12, 2010 at 11:41pm
A man claiming to be Yar' Adua speaks to the BBC
Exactly 50 days after Umaru Yar'Adua disappeared from public view on a trip to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, the BBC has reported that it spoke to a man purporting to be Nigeria's President.
The clip, which has been used in various programmes and can be accessed via the BBC website, has the voice of a man who presented himself as the President, saying:
"At the moment, I am undergoing treatment and I'm getting better from the treatment I'm getting.I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home." The voice thanked Nigerians for praying for his health and for the nation:
"I wish at this stage to thank all Nigerians for their prayers for my good health and their prayers for the nation." When asked when he is likely to return to Nigeria, the person, in a weak voice, responded.
Other News:
igeria's president, not seen in public since going into hospital in Saudi Arabia for heart treatment in November, has told the BBC he is recovering.
YAR'ADUA ILLNESS TIMELINE
23 November 2009: Goes to hospital in Saudi Arabia
26 November 2009: Presidential doctors say he has pericarditis - inflammation of the heart lining
23 December 2009: First court case filed called him to step down
30 December 2009: Chief justice sworn in. Lawyers say this is illegal in president's absence
5 January 2010: Two more court cases filed and a human rights group wants president declared "missing"
12 January 2010: President gives first interview since going to Saudi Arabia
advertisement
In his first interview since then, by telephone, Umaru Yar'Adua, 58, said he hoped to make "tremendous progress" and return home to resume his duties.
His long absence and speculation over his health have led to calls for him to hand over power to his vice-president.
A protest in the capital, Abuja, has urged an end to the political limbo.
The opposition has been demanding details of Mr Yar'Adua's health amid swirling rumours that he was critically ill - or even dead - and unable to return to power.
His adviser Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi told the BBC the president's enemies were behind the rumours.
Doctors said in December that President Yar'Adua was suffering from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart. He is also known to have kidney problems.
Constitutional worries
Speaking to the BBC in a three-minute telephone interview organised by the president's office, Mr Yar'Adua said he was making a good recovery.
"At the moment I am undergoing treatment, and I'm getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home," he told Mansur Liman from the BBC Hausa service, speaking in both Hausa and English.
BBC Hausa has a large audience in northern Nigeria, where Hausa is the main language.
He gave no indication of when he might return to Nigeria.
"I wish, at this stage, to thank all Nigerians for their prayers for my good health, and for their prayers for the nation."
He also wished the Nigerian national football team success in the Africa Cup of Nations currently under way in Angola.
The BBC's correspondent in Nigeria's capital said the president's voice had sounded weak.
President Yar'Adua's silence until now and the fact he did not appoint Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to serve in his absence have led to fears of a constitutional crisis.
There is a perceived danger of a power vacuum in a country that only saw the end of military rule just over 10 years ago, the BBC's Will Ross reports from the capital, Abuja.
There have also been complaints that important government business has been left hanging in the president's absence.
'Enough Is Enough'
The interview with President Yar'Adua was recorded late on Monday and first broadcast at 0530 GMT on Tuesday. It has been widely rebroadcast by Nigerian TV and radio stations.
Many Nigerians will be relieved to hear the president's voice, says our correspondent, but the calls to hand over power to the vice-president will continue.
There are three different court cases under way calling for power to be transferred to Mr Jonathan, including one from the National Bar Association.
Several hundred people have marched through the streets of Abuja to the national assembly to press for the demand.
The national assembly was due to discuss the president's health on Tuesday as it reconvenes after the Christmas and New Year break.
Dozens of police, including riot police, were deployed ahead of the rally.
Prominent opposition politicians and lawyers, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Biafran secessionist leader, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, were planning to be among the demonstrators.
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By Antony Sguazzin
Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Nigeria’s President Umaru Yar’Adua, who has been receiving treatment for a heart ailment in Saudi Arabia since November, said he is “getting better,” the British Broadcasting Corp. reported.
“I am undergoing treatment and I’m getting better,” Yar’Adua said in an interview with the BBC. “I hope very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home.”
Yar’Adua, 58, gave the interview as Nigerian opposition figures and rights activists planned a protest march in the capital, Abuja, today over the power vacuum they say has been created by the president’s absence from the country. Nigeria, which vies with Angola to be Africa’s top oil producer, has been under civilian rule since 1999, the longest period since it became independent of the U.K. in 1960.
Yar’Adua flew to a Saudi Arabian hospital on Nov. 23 for treatment of a heart condition. He hasn’t been seen in public since then, prompting media speculation on his medical condition and calls for a transfer of power to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
Save Nigeria, which includes opposition parties, pro- democracy groups and human-rights campaigners, is organizing the march, Bamidele Aturu, a supporter of the group, said on Jan. 8 by phone from his law office in Lagos, the commercial hub.
Critics of the government say Yar’Adua’s delayed return to Nigeria is affecting the implementation of the budget, efforts to entrench peace in the oil-producing Niger River delta and attempts to reform the electoral system before general elections next year.
A group of politicians, former military officers and rights activists signed a document calling for the president to resign because his ill health has made it difficult for him to lead the country, Lagos-based ThisDay reported on Dec. 2. The signatories include Ken Nnamani, a former president of the Senate, and Aminu Masari, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, it said.
Government officials have dismissed the demands, insisting that the administration is carrying on smoothly.
To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Okolo in Abuja pokolo@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: January 12, 2010 01:50 EST
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 11, 2010 at 7:30pm
"DEAD" MAN TALKING ,SIGNING BUDGETS etc ..
by now we really dont care ..
Nigeria's president, not seen since going into hospital in Saudi Arabia for heart treatment in November, has told the BBC he hopes to resume his duties.
In his first interview since then, Umaru Yar'Adua said he was recovering and hoped to make "tremendous progress" which would enable him to return home.
Nigerian opposition parties have been demanding evidence about the true state of Mr Yar'Adua's health.
A rally has been called for Tuesday, mainly to protest over his absence.
There are three different court cases under way calling for power to be transferred to the Vice-President, Goodluck Jonathan.
Mr Yar'Adua is also known to have kidney problems.
'Save Nigeria'
Speaking by telephone, Mr Yar'Adua said he was making a good recovery.
"At the moment I am undergoing treatment, and I'm getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home," he said.
"I wish, at this stage, to thank all Nigerians for their prayers for my good health, and for their prayers for the nation."
Rumours had been rife that he was critically ill and unable to return to the presidency.
Under the banner Enough Is Enough, an organisation called the Save Nigeria Group called people on to the streets of the capital, Abuja.
There is a perceived danger of a power vacuum in a country which only saw the back of military rule just over 10 years ago, the BBC's Will Ross reports from the city.
The opposition plan is to march to the national assembly where senators are expected to be discussing the president's health.
Prominent opposition politicians and lawyers, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Biafran secessionist leader, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, will be among the demonstrators.
It is not clear if the demonstration will be well attended, our correspondent says.
Nigerians may be worried about their absent president but whether they will take time off to demonstrate is another matter, he adds.
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There are 20 more al-Qaeda-trained bombers like me, Abdulmutallab confesses - Releases more information on accomplices to security agents - Judge postpones trial indefinitely
By Seyi Gesinde with Agency Reports
Saturday, January 9, 2010
After his arraignment on Friday, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian, charged with trying to blow up a United States (US) airliner, has confessed to security agents that 20 others were being trained to carry out similar attacks.
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According to CBS reports, British intelligence officials said while being interrogated, Abdulmutallab had “boasted that close to 20 other young Muslim men were being prepared in Yemen to use the same technique to blow up airliners.”
During his first public appearance at a US court sitting in Detroit on Friday, none of Abdulmutallab’s family members showed up, but “in the front rows sat a delegation from the Nigerian embassy in Washington,” BBC reported.
He pleaded not guilty to the six-count federal charges filed against him, arising from his botched Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Officials from the two US top security agencies, the CIA and FBI, leading the investigation, said Abdulmutallab has since offered useful information which will help in his trial.
In one of the charges, Abdulmutallab allegedly stitched two highly explosive substances into his clothes, and tried to detonate them as the plane carrying 290 people approached Detroit.
But the device failed, and instead, Abdulmutallab was arrested after being overpowered by passengers and crew. Five minutes before the case was due to start, BBC reported that Abdulmutallab had hobbled into the court, “perhaps because of the injuries sustained or the leg irons he was wearing.
“Considering the violence of the attempted crime, Room 100 of the US district court in Detroit was surprisingly calm, just an hour ahead of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s first appearance.
“Seating was limited to those who had queued outside on the frosty pavement for a pass several hours earlier.” Abdulmutallab reportedly wore leg shackles and walked slowly into the court room, after which he sat in a chair and for several moments, listened and nodded to his lawyers.
“He looked up slowly, his eyes staring with a slightly vacant look at the court. His shoulders were hunched,” BBC reported. The court appearance lasted less than three minutes, after which the presiding judge said there would be further proceedings at a later date, BBC reported.
The six-count federal charges:
*Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction
*Attempted murder within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the US
*Wilful attempt to destroy and wreck an aircraft
*Wilfully placing a destructive device in or near an aircraft which was likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft
*Two counts of possession of a firearm, that is, the bomb, in furtherance of violent crime.
During court session
Abdulmutallab declined to enter a plea during his first court appearance to all the charges filed against him after which the judge entered him for a “not guilty” plea.
“He confirmed his name and its spelling, as well as his age in a soft voice, prompting the judge to ask him to speak up.
“Asked if he had had time to read the indictment, he answered “yes.” He also confirmed he understood the charges.
“Asked if he had taken any drugs in the previous 24 hours, he said he had taken some pain killers,” BBC reported.
Abdulmutallab was treated for burns after his arrest at Detroit Airport.
Penalty
If found guilty, AbdulMutallab faces life imprisonment.
Little emotion
“Abdulmutallab stayed standing, neither aggressive, nor cowed.
“It was hard to read his thoughts, hard to tell what he has been thinking in the 14 days since the attempted bombing.
“His lawyer told the court he would not be applying for bail.
“The judge said there would be further proceedings at a later date, and after a little more procedure, that was it. Less than three minutes in all.
“As the court rose, and the judge left the chamber, Abdulmutallab turned to his left to walk out of the court.
“Then - in the first display of any real interest on his part - he craned his neck to take a look at the front row of the public gallery.
“It was hard to read any emotion on his face as he looked for anyone he knew, a family member perhaps.
“And then he walked slowly out.” BBC reported
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For years, frail – looking favour held the forte in the Eastern part of the country. She and her gang terrorized and successfully ran the crime scene in Enugu, Awka, Onitsha, Aba Owerri, Abakaliki and Port Harcourt.http://www.9jabook.com your a.d.v.e.r.t.i.s.e.m.e.nt here call or email:info@systemini.net
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Dimunitive, comely Mavis and her gang held sway at Benin city Asaba Warri and Sapele. As though on cue, the two dangerous dames came to a church, Synagogue in a Lagos suburb, Ikotun, and openly confessed. They publicly begged for forgiveness. Listen to Favour as she gushed like an unstoppable water tap: “My name is Favour (surname withheld). I’m from Enugu State. My father died when I was a small girl. I saw my mother suffering to raise us. So, being the first child, I decided to go out and hustle.
My boyfriend in secondary school helped me. I left my mother and four of my younger ones and ran away with him. I didn’t know the type of job, he was doing but there was money at home. He was always going out and bringing money.
Sometimes, he and his friends would come home and drink and smoke heavily. From the smell of the cigarratte, I knew it was Indian hemp. One night, I smoked it with them. I wasn’t myself for two days. Later I started smoking again and nothing happened to me. Each time I smoked it, I felt strong and powerful.
I started following the boys out at night. We used to rob buses, and houses with big, high walls. Any where there is a big fence, there’s money people are hiding there.
Shoot out
Atimes we ran into police road blocks. That was always not good, we always wanted to bypass such a place but the police used to get tipped off and come after us. When that happened, our boys died. We atimes got them too. One day, we even overpowered them. We collected their guns and moved.
Stolen money, cursed money
We make money but we don’t even use it well. I think stolen money is cursed. Yes, it’s blood money. Once we shared it, everyone went his way. We give it to friends, buy more drinks, Indian hemp, Chinese tablets, good clothes that’s all. Nobody cared about going to bank and saving some. We were even afraid of everyone.
Ballooned
I later became pregnant. When I noticed it, I stopped going out for operations. I stayed at home until I delivered a baby boy. He’s four years old now. I know something will go wrong one day. I was always afraid. After so many years away from home, I decided to go and look for my mother. I found her but I didn’t tell her what I was doing. I lied to her that I was working and schooling.
Tragic end
Two months after reconciling with my mother, my boyfriend died. I was told he died in a shootout with the police. I took my son home to my mother. I dropped him there and continued. I started leading the gang. We went to places. We got charms for protection. I avoided my mother. She sells food-stuff. When she goes to market, I go into the house to see my son. I’ll leave money for them and run.
U-Turn
I came here because I saw what he (Prophet T. B. Joshua) has done for other people like me on Emmanuel Television. Please I beg God and all of you to forgive me. I know I’ve lived a useless life. I want to start a new life and be good person. If not for God, I would have died like my boyfriend and others.
Double life
Born in Delta State, Mavis like a Favour was raised by a single parent – her mother. According to her, her parents divorced when she was still a toddler. She became a teenage mother. She claims her boyfriend also introduced her to prostitution, armed robbery and other vices. Hear her: I became pregnant and went to live with the boy responsible for it. After delivering a baby boy – he’s now six years old, life became tough - no money, no food, nothing at all. So, I began doing all types of things to survive.
At night, I’ll dress and pose at street corners. Because I’m yellow (fair in complexion), car owners would see me and stop. They would carry me and pay me N2,000 for short time. If it’s all night, I got up to N4,0000. If the man is rich I will go to the toilet and phone the boys. I’ll tell them the house number and every thing. When they come. They will tie us up and beat all of us. After the robbery, I’ll get my own cut. It depends on the amount, they always gave me a good portion because I arranged every thing.
Drugged
The man may not suspect, I atimes put sleeping pills in his drink and he would sleep. While the man was sleeping, I’d take his money, phones and valuables and go away. When I did that, nobody would see me around for weeks. I usually went away to another town.
Roaming large
Port Harcourt. Port Harcourt used to be good until cult and militant boys drove away oil workers and businessmen. The Oyibo boys were easy to rob. When they take you to night club, you’ll phone the boys and they will come and waylay (ambush) us.
Warri was also a good place. The oil workers used to give us money. I’ve also carried gun and went with the boys for operations. One company wanted to pay their workers. Someone inside told us and we attacked. We got the money that day. As we were going, and saw crowd, we threw bundles of money at them.
Now I’m tired of that type of life. I don’t want to go back to that life again. Please help me.
A pastor who wanted anonymisty told Sunday Sun the two women would undergo a rigorous prayer session before being rehabilitated. “We wont leave them alone. We’ll monitor and mentor them” the pastor said.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 10, 2010 at 8:54pm
Kudos must be given to Next Newspapers for thier Exclusive Explosion on the "vegetative" state of The President.This had been predicted by medical practitioners as far back as a week after his departure
Read Post by Medical Director posted on the internet in December a few days after the President jetted off to Saudi Never to be seen or heard from until now.With a comment by Prof Bolaji Aluko
It has turned out to be one of the biggest cover-ups in the history of Nigeria. And some of the most powerful persons in the country are responsible for it.
An uncoordinated combination of silence, half-truths, and outright lies peddled by these men and women have formed an inscrutable web around President Umaru Yar'Adua, who, forty nine days ago, left Nigeria for Saudi Arabia in search of medical attention, for what his spokesperson described, in a press statement, as "pericarditis", an inflammation of the lining of the heart.
Since then, the days have turned into weeks, and the bogus claims from the corridors of power have grown even more ambitious.
The loquacious
Leading the pack is the country's attorney general and minister for justice, Michael Aondoakaa. His outrageous comments have attracted wide condemnation from public commentators.
Defending the president's decision to travel abroad without handing over to his vice, he said: "There is no evidence that he is not exercising his powers as president. He has his vice-president and his ministers whom he delegates power and functions to. He does not have to be in the country before he can exercise his power. He can do that anywhere. The president can delegate his power to anyone and he can even give instruction anywhere in the world, even on his sick bed."
Speaking through a spokesperson days after the president travelled, he referred to the trip as a "medical check-up and short vacation."
The chief economic adviser to the president, touted to be a leading member of the president's kitchen cabinet, was also quoted by a Nigerian daily as saying that the president had placed calls to the vice president, Goodluck Jonathan; the senate president, David Mark; and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, on the night of Tuesday January 5, 2010.
"The president's health condition has substantially improved. In the last week, I have spoken to him on telephone countless number of times," Mr. Yakubu is reported to have said. "Our conversations every time lasted more than five minutes."
The accomplices
The vice president has appeared particularly eager to convince Nigerians of his relevance, against a backdrop of rumours that he has effectively been sidelined in the affairs of the country. This desperation has made him an accomplice in the perpetuation of falsehoods regarding communication with the president.
Days after the president's departure, Vice President Jonathan, while receiving Sallah visitors on behalf of his principal, said: "This morning, I personally conveyed Mr. President's personal greetings. We spoke yesterday and even this morning. After this, I will even speak with him again. He asked me to convey his personal greetings to all Nigerians."
On January 6, at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, the minister for information and communication, Dora Akunyili, told journalists that the vice president had confirmed to the council that he indeed spoke with the president, as disclosed by Mr. Yakubu.
Also deeply implicated in the charade is Bukola Saraki, the chairman of the Governor's Forum, which comprises all the 36 state governors. He has been one of the most vocal defenders of the president. In early December, newspapers widely reported that Mr. Saraki led a delegation to Saudi Arabia, ostensibly to visit Mr. Yar'Adua in hospital. It is highly unlikely that they even sighted him, as NEXT's investigations reveal that the president was already brain-dead at the time they were supposed to have met with him.
Castigating the "anti-democratic individuals" behind the reports of the president's dismal state of health, Mr. Saraki told reporters, at the end of a meeting of the Governor's Forum last Wednesday, that the president "has now spoken with some people. We are happy to say that he is improving very well."
On his own part, the senate president, David Mark, has stuck to a religious theme since the president's disappearance. On the 30th of November, 2009, he asked Nigerians to embark on a Novena prayer for the President. The Novena prayer is a nine hour or nine-day Catholic prayer. Two weeks later, speaking at a thanksgiving service at the St. Mulumba Catholic Chapel in Abuja, he repeated his calls for prayers. Under his watch, the senate has also been unambiguous about its unwillingness to do anything to resolve the constitutional crisis caused by the president's absence.
The speaker of the House of Representatives has also clearly been helpless in the face of the president's refusal to hand over to his deputy. On 15 December, 2009 he overruled an attempt by a member of the House to raise a debate regarding the impropriety of the president's refusal to hand over, and then announced a January 12 date for the resumption of the House.
Also, through his spokesperson, he, like the vice president, also affirmed that he received a call from the president on the night of January 5.
The silent
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who, in 2006, in the wake of a failed third term bid, chose President Yar'Adua as his successor, and, despite being aware of his health challenges, vigorously campaigned for him, falls into the class of those conspicuous by their silence. He has severally declined comments on his successor's health.
Ditto former military president Ibrahim Babangida, whose name has consistently come up in the series of permutations regarding the identity of the person who will succeed Vice President Jonathan, if or when Jonathan is sworn in as President.
A number of the leading contenders for the position are deeply linked to Mr. Babangida. Muhammed Gusau and Murtala Nyako, both former military officers, served in the Babangida administration as Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Naval Staff respectively. A third candidate, Jubril Aminu, served Mr. Babangida first as minister of education and later as minister of petroleum and mineral resources.
Messrs Obasanjo and Babangida, apart from being retired military men and former rulers of Nigeria, are both influential members of the ruling Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP). Mr. Obasanjo currently heads the PDP's Board of Trustees, which is the highest decision-making organ of the party.
‘Umaru, are you dead?'
The dubious resort to claims of telephone conversations with the president recalls the phone call placed publicly (and televised) by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, on March 7, 2007, to Mr. Yar'Adua, who was conspicuously absent from the PDP residential campaign rally in Abeokuta. At the time, Mr. Yar'Adua was receiving treatment in Germany.
With the line in speakerphone mode, President Obasanjo famously asked the then presidential aspirant, "Umaru, are you dead?", to which he replied "I am alive."
This time around, the country waits desperately to hear the president himself dispel the news (exclusively reported by NEXT, in its Sunday, January 10, 2010 edition) that he is in a vegetative state and thus permanently unable to function as the president.
Until then, the rulership of the country appears to lie in the hands of the un-elected Federal Executive Council, supervised by the vice president.
Later this week (Friday, January 14), an Abuja High Court will resume hearing in a suit filed by constitutional lawyer, Femi Falana, seeking a declaration by the court "that the meetings of the Federal Executive Council held since November 23 2009 till date and the decisions taken there at are illegal and unconstitutional as they violate Section 148(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999."
Additional reporting by Ifedayo Adebayo, Elor Nkereuwem and Nicholas Ibekwe
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 10, 2010 at 7:18pm
In Dale Carnegie's popular 1936 book How to Win Friends and Influence People, he gives some good advice for basic statecraft, such as giving an "honest and sincere appreciation" and "arouse in the other person an eager want."
Clearly the U.S. government is reading from a different script in its reaction to the Christmas bomber over Detroit. This week Washington enacted a new policy which will treat travelers arriving from Nigeria the same those from the state-sponsors of terrorism list. It's not only outrageous and ineffective, it's also the quickest way to lose Nigeria and alienate Africa's largest country.
Consider what we know about the 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. He is far from a typical Nigerian, and comes from an elite and prestigious family (his own father responsibly reported his concerns to the authorities). He studied engineering at the privileged and expensive University College of London, where many believe he was recruited, while he apparently obtained the relatively rare PETN explosive from Yemen.
In other words, Abdulmutallab couldn't be more different than most of his compatriots, yet the U.S. is punishing 150 million innocent Nigerians with this ill-considered policy. If the U.S. insists upon treating so many people like terrorists, perhaps in the future their wish might be granted. Besides, if anybody should be made to stand in a special line at customs, it should be those folks from the TSA, FBI, and CIA who failed to connect the dots with so much information to prevent this.
As someone who has worked in Nigeria on-and-off for more than 30 years and traveled there many times, I can tell you that the country may have problems, but it is not the world's next hotbed of extremism. Nigerian Muslims and Christians have forged a mostly harmonious co-existence that is rare and desirable, and culturally there exists the type of moderate Islam that is a beacon for the future. On a personal level, I have known many peaceful, honest, and hard working Nigerians, and it is disappointing to see them discriminated against because of this one errant individual.
We often hear critics bemoan the absence of moral voices in the responsible Muslim community denouncing terrorism, but in Nigeria, there is widespread outrage, abhorrence, and rejection of the Abdulmutallab attack and terrorism in general.
It's not hard to understand why President Barack Obama put Nigeria on the list. It's pure political expediency, as the assailed Democrats have to prove that they are "tough on terrorism" (although I would point out the previous government did not put Saudi Arabia on the list after 11 nationals brought down the Twin Towers). Additionally, there is also the problem that Washington has no trustworthy partner in Nigeria given the country's current constitutional crisis.
For those unfamiliar with Nigeria, it may seem strange that no media outlet has published a single comment or interview from President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. The fact is that nobody has heard one word from him since he disappeared almost two months ago to receive medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. With the president out of the country, his entourage has refused to give up power. There are even unconfirmed rumors and hearsay circulating that the president suffered irreversible brain damage during the flight, and that control of the government has fallen into the hands of opportunists in the palace circles.
Though unable to communicate, the president mysteriously signed a supplementary budget order from his sick bed, releasing $2.4 billion dollars to the government caretakers, which naturally caused these rumors of state capture to accelerate.
There are numerous legal challenges, petitions, and protests calling for his resignation. Next week the courts will hold the first hearings on a major lawsuit launched by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) against the president demanding that he comply with the constitution and hand over power to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan. Richard Joseph, a Nigeria expert associated with the Brookings Institution, has argued that "Nigeria is experiencing a crisis of performance in virtually every area of public policy," and that the president's disappearance has "heightened the dismay and anxiety."
The costs associated with this vacuum of leadership have been high. Deficiencies in security, electricity generation, transportation infrastructure, health, and education have all soared under President Yar'Adua. Oil, the life blood of the nation's economy, has also suffered, with production falling from 2.6 million barrels per day in 2006 to around 1.2 million today.
Meanwhile, the corruption of the judicial system has become more and more flagrant. James Ibori, the infamous Delta State governor who has had more than $35 million frozen in the United Kingdom on corruption charges, recently had 170 corruption charges against him dropped by Nigeria's federal high court. Allegedly one of the most fabulously corrupt men in the country walked away from court free as a bird, while the rumors that he substantially funded Yar'Adua's presidential campaign gained traction among the skeptics.
Instead of tackling the country's worst problem, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been transformed into a political weapon, mounting cases and show trials against many of Nigeria's leading reformers. Nasir El-Rufai, the highly respected former minister of Abuja and a client of mine, has been the victim of one of these campaigns of persecution, and Nuhu Ribadu, the former head of the EFCC, has also had false cases brought against him.
In summary, we have here the largest African state with the largest youth population and the most Muslim citizens, governed by a severely ill and president who hasn't been in office for months, where the corrupt walk free and the reformers are persecuted. I strongly maintain my conviction that Nigerians are peaceful people who do not deserve the insult of being included any watch list, but urgent changes are required from the government to insure against the emergence of extremism.
Terrorism is not the problem with Nigeria, it is corruption and poor governance which pose the greatest security threat - and that's where diplomatic efforts should focus, not these kinds of insulting lists which just further punish the victim. The 2011 elections represent a critical moment in Nigerian history, presenting the opportunity for the second consecutive civilian transfer of power. The international community should have a considerable interest in helping guarantee a safe, equal, and legitimate vote. Cooperation around the time of the elections could be considerably more difficult if this terrorism watchlist still exists.
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Posted by 9jabook.com on January 10, 2010 at 7:00pm
This post has been allegedly written by a US based Medical practitioner and originally posted online on various blogs around the 15th of December 2009 .Google the first line in bold to see. Quite an interesting read .
I just woke up to read this idiotic piece dished out to Nigerians.
First, let me say, that beyond all reasonable doubt that if the diagnosis
and the muddled up information dished out by the demons in PDP are true,
then Mr. Yar'dua is not coming back to Nigeria, at least NOT on his feet.
Please do not get me wrong, do not mistake my take as being cold hearted
or see me as a woman without African compassion in her. In fact I feel all
these because I was once in the shoes of Mrs Yar'dua. Not that my own man
had his kind of influence or money, but I loved him with all my heart all
the same.
OK, look at this, the man is not able to speak or he is inaudible if he
does. No mam/sir, the man cannot speak at all. The man is on a ventilator,
he is intubated to secure the airway because someone did not have the
presence of mind to intubate him, secure his airway, hyperventilate him en
route to Saudi Arabia, so he SUFFERED ANOXIC NEURO DAMAGE. It takes only
3mins and at best 5 mins for any one to suffer irreversible brain damage
without oxygen. So, his fool of a doctor putting him on oxygen via nasal
cannula will only give the man nose bleed without making much difference.
. Doctors flown in from Germany and America will not make a difference.
The man had a cascade of chemical activities when his heart failed or
should I say when he suffered vascular collapse in Abuja. These chemical
reactions will open the gates for toxic reactions hence his systemic
collapse. It takes only a couple of minutes, 8 mins precisely or may be a
little longer in some strange people for the chemical to bring down the
whole system. In that case, he will be in a vegetative state .
What is happening now is that they have put him on life support, he can
neither talk or blink, he is in what we call CATATONIC STATE, with only the
severely compromised brain ticking away. In that case , his algorithm will
be very erratic on the monitor.. They can give him all the epi. in the
world and it will not make a difference.
I am almost sure the man is on life support. I want to assume he also has a
trach. They will do that to access his lungs to see if miracle can happen as
soon as he arrived in the hospital because his airway would have been
compromised by the time he got to the hospital. Where we cannot get a line
into a patient, we go for O/S, and that is we go through the the trachea to
get the lungs filled with oxygen. Sometime, the man will be artificially
kept alive as long as his heart is still registering on the monitor, no
matter how poor his algorithm may be. In that case, he will be dead and
alive at the same time. However, we do keep them on to see if they will make
a miraculous come back. There are some things, indeed a lot of things
medicine cannot explain. One of which is the phenomenon of the COME BACK
KIDS. as we call them. We keep them on as long as per family request until
the register a PEA on the monitor and then they go away forever. Those
moments are so surreal. So, what is Madam President is doing now is hoping
that the man will make a miraculous come back. I am surprised Gov saraki is
part of this caper because he is before anything else a medical professional
who from all indications does not know what is on in our world anymore.
The man will speak to the nation? common guys, this guy ain't speaking to no
one but his creator. He cannot speak because he has tubes in his throat or
though his nasal septum. Actually he has more than that. let me tell you
guys what he has:
1. FOLEY CATH: That is a tube going through his penis to his bladder
to drain urine into a urine bag for measurement. The essence of it is to see
his urine osmolality and to measure the kidney function. We want to see at
least 30 ml of urine per hour. In his case, it is not likely because the
reports say his kidneys are gone. Poor guy. besides, we do not want him to
void on himself so that we do not have issues of skin break down from the
ammonia in the urine.
2. RECTAL TUBE: that is the one that will collect all the feces if at all.
That is to maintain hygiene. We also want to see the color, size, viscosity
of the feces. It tells a lot. That is besides the fact that he is in ICU or
IMU, nurses on those wards are not known to tolerate an incontinent
patient. Besides, you do not want to accidentally dislodge a tube because
all the alarms will go off at the same time. I once rotated to IMCU and the
noise from the monitors almost drove me to drink. I do not drink at all.
3. TRACHEOSTOMY: That is meant to be part of his breathing tubes which
will be connected to a ventilator. because the lungs are crappy now, am sure
his secretions will be suctioned for him so that he does not drown in his
own fluids.
4. G or J TUBe: That is to maintain nutrition for him and to see his if he
can make a miraculous come back.
5. OROPHARYNGEAL TUBES: connected to the ventilator. helps him to breathe.
6. NASO GASTRIC TUBE: Not likely because the oro is already in, but may be
they were not able to get in the oro tube and since he did not have a facial
or cranial wound, he may be a candidate for the naso tube. If his his oral
airway had been compromised before he got to Saudi Arabia. The dumb doctor
did not intubate him, his airway would have become occluded and so we go
through the nasal septum.
7. CENTRAL LINE: that is to medicate him, draw labs which will be done
round the clock at least B. I.D to see his chemistry. I hope they gave him
the triple lumen so that if he cannot tolerate a g-tube, he will be getting
parentral nutrition. His eyes may be wide open which is kind of creepy or it
may be shut. If it is my facility, we will close the eyes so that there is
no corneal damage. If the eyes are left open, his people will ignorantly
think he is looking at them and some times families think they see the man
blinking. yeah right..The rise and fall of the chest may look even tot he
uninitiated, they may think his respiration is even and unlabored, but it is
the ventilator working. The man may no longer be taking spontaneous
respiration. it is the machines breathing for him. The family may think
other wise.
Is there something am missing? please remind me in your reply. The point is
Mrs Yar'dua might be going through the stages of grief which is
understandable. Look, when mine was in the throes of death, I walked in the
icy rain of Washington, DC and I did not feel it. I went into denial.
I almost gambled away my license. I went to Dr Yamamoto, my daughter's
instructor when she rotated to Cardiology. He is the 5th cardiologist in
the USA. I asked him to do a miracle. I wept like a baby because I saw him
slipping into death.
Stages of grief are 4:
1. DENIAL : no it is not happening. He will come back. Lightening will
strike and all of you will be shamed. I feel her pain.
2. ANGER: You feel betrayed by the patient. You blame him for being sick.
You cuss at him and at every one who tells you anything contrary to what you
want to hear.
3. BARGAINING; you attempt to bargain with God and get all the prayer
warriors to pray to God to give you a second chance.
4. ACCEPTANCE: You accept the party is over and allow the man to go. I feel
her pain. She will get there. I went through it. I cussed at mine on some
occasions, I cried and rocked him like a baby in the next minute. I dropped
5. dress sizes. I went into deep sadness. I blamed every body, lashed at him
while he was sick. Tried all the hospitals all over the world. Got through
to a friend practicing in South Africa for a heart transplant and blew all
my savings including my childrens' money hoping for a miracle. he eventually
expired and I almost suffered a melt down. Now, guys, having said that, I
have zero respect to all those fools in Nigeria who have what we call the
FOOT MOUTH DISEASE. Seriously, there is a disease like that, but IT IS FOUND
IN COWS. Those folks in the national assembly are mentally below cows in the
realm of things.
May God help us, and am genuinely praying, but it is not likely the man will
come back. That is however, based on the premise that all what we have read
is true.
ANONYMOUS for good reason
___________________________________________________________________________
*Prof Bolaji Aluko Commentary*
The sentiments of the above compelling communication by a qualified medico
with a personal story to tell to boot can be indepedently verified as
hitting some of the medical marks with respect to this important health
matter of President Yar'Adua.
The President is apparently in no position to sign anything under such
physico-medical distress/duress that would be legally acceptable. It is
left to the National Assembly and/or FEC to act - or to wait on Fate.
One hopes that we are not in a Death Watch.....
Bolaji Aluko
Saddened
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