Friday, April 29, 2016
Be Happy, Have Pepper Soup
By Pita Okute
What’s with pepper really? How did it climb up the culinary ladder from a common garden plant with no special beauty or fragrance, to become a “must have” in every Nigerian recipe for soups and sauces? Perhaps, I exaggerate a little or too much, which is quite in sync with the aura of pepper-too little or too much, rarely just adequate in soups and sauces.
And many are the health benefits of the humble pepper. No, I take that back; must be sheer conceit that makes pepper impose itself on the palate in that hot fiery manner,
if one takes too much liberties. I’ve read that it helps prevent cancer, improve digestion and weight loss, check flatulence, can give clear skin, clear away dandruff as well as a stuffy nose. Pepper, they say, relieves cough, buoys up a healthy appetite and the assimilation of nutrients by the body. That’s the reason, I presume, why pepper soup is de rigueur in our corner of the global kitchen, for nursing mothers in the immediate post maternity months, or omugwo, as it is also known.
But here’s the bit that’s rather amazing: Pepper is a natural anti-depressant, the experts say. How, you wanna ask, can the frequent roasting of one’s tongue be the source of happiness, unless you accept the Shakespearean jive, that ‘fire drives out fire’?
Could that be why I ask, Nigerians are voted the happiest people on earth? Because, we eat so much pepper soup? Could that be why we lack the spunk to get angry at our leaders for their blatant fiddling while the masses are seeing pepper, so to speak?
Voila!
The wind does it, you know. One rascal of a warm breeze or a gentle puff of air, but there it is, knocking at the first doors of the senses. Yah… the smell of soup, warm pepper soup, borne with such delicacy as would please the most fastidious of perfume makers. Here now, gone again- it dissolves, reappears, sending those aroused nostrils on fanciful flights down the fields of gastronomy.
Chicken chops, cow tail or leg, goat parts and fish- the avid pepper man knows them all. For one, he may not wish to spare a cold sniff, yet would walk an extra mile for his favored bite.
Bokoto does sound like something straight out of juju slang. But it’s plain cow leg! And the invitation posed by a plateful of cow gut would take some courage to ignore. Unusual courage!
See? The “towel” has soaked up the soup. Its mushy sweetness complements the rubbery toughness of those rounded parts. Hmm…wash these down with a cold drink…watch your shoulders shed their load of daily worries.
Indeed, life may have its parallel in any bowl of indifferent pepper soup. The high points coincide with those bits and juicy pieces. The bones would mark its opposites: from the intractable extremes of a cow’s heavy hooves, to the flimsy but crunchy demands of chicken legs. Hmmm… my dog eats chocolates.
This ring of fire round my lips? Tells a tale of pains endured to cross many obstacles, the dangerous tips of life’s own fish bones to drink its heady soups of achievement. Sometimes, the tangy presence of basil and other spices complements the narrative of sweet, sweat and … sighs of satisfaction.
Do you see then that life is a ration of pepper soup? Whichever is your preference, try finding out if you have more bones on your plate. And how is the pepper, my friend?
Quite a pity, you know: but some people find that the pepper in pepper soup is somebody’s elegant mistake. How can one noun qualify another, their manner appears to suggest. You bet, these folks never heard of sandpaper. This, mind you, is how soups can taste, when coming from the stoves of untutored, inexperienced cooks.
Some would prefer too, that the pepper be less a qualification than the decorative index for a salubrious condiment! But then, pepper soup is pepper soup! And some fellows like it that way too! A few inns cater for those kinds of palates, like Madam T K down the road whose stuff is such an energizer.
The liquid flame beats a path of roaring alertness down the throat, through the chest and further down as beads of sweat pop out of the skin in its wake. Still, it is a guaranteed enlivener, such as during a party, when the guests are beginning to succumb to the booze.
But there are not many who know how to deal with pepper soup. A man of culture you always could tell by the way he does this.
Some would rush at it with the gusto and drive of a Tyson; no pause, no breaks, save perhaps for the essential seconds when they grind at the meat. Others there are, mostly females, who respond to the aroma of their plates with a measure of frigidity. Under their frustrating slowness the contents would go cold and assume the character of pitiable rejects.
But the true connoisseur handles the project with the seriousness it deserves, neither too fast nor very slow. He adopts a tactical approach, much like a warrior after some strategic objective. Long time ago, a police officer berated Nigerian military officers for spending all their time at pepper soup joints. But many know this trick who have never seen the insides of a military training school.
And this evening at Madam’s, this man is doing sweet justice to a plateful of steaming goat parts. The fellow has style- a directness bordering on ingrained behavior. First, he takes care of the little bits, then attacking the flanks by turns, he drinks from a beer mug by his plate; chews, swallows, sips in this same order as he pushes through the main axis of his heaped up bowl.
Another patron takes one sip of soup and goes into a coughing fit. “Ah”, he says, but before he complains further Madam cajoles him without mercy.
“One spoon of soup, na’im dey shack you?”
There you are! Be Happy, Drink…
Jermaine Jackson Visits Bola Tinubu In Lagos
Jermaine Jackson, the older brother of late King of Pop Michael Jackson, visited
Lagos and paid the All Progressives Congress (APC) National leader, Bola Tinubu a visit at his Ikoyi home in Lagos Thursday, April 28, 2016.
According to Report Naija, the former Jackson 5 member arrived Lagos yesterday.
The purpose of paying the politician a visit is however unknown.
Meanwhile, Jermaine Jackson's wife, Halima Rashid, 38, was recently arrested for domestic assault.
Rashid was reportedly picked up by the police after Jackson called 911 reporting that she bit his leg during a heated argument over Thanksgiving weekend.
According to Entertainment Tonight, the incident happened at the couple's Woodland Hills, California mansion on Saturday,November 28.
Actor, Yul Edochie Debunks Accident Claim
Contrary to claims Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie was involvev in an accident, he has
come out to say he is hail and hearthy.
The son of veteran actor, Pete Edochie, was reported to have skidded off the road in his car and landed in a ditch in Udi, Enugu on, April 25, 2016.
The actor however took to his Twitter page, April 26, 2016 to reveal he is fine and was never involved in any accident.
According to him, the fraudulent story was instigated by Facebook scammers using it to get money.
He wrote, "I wasnt involved in any accident. I'm fine. Facebook scammers are using it to make money."
Recently, the actor shared a photo showing the cuts he suffered during his escape when armed robbers attacked his hotel in Enugu after a movie shoot.
Nigeria's 'Rabble Rouser For Peace' Looks @ A Future After Boko Haram
When Bishop Matthew Kukah first arrived as the new head of the Sokoto diocese in northern Nigeria’s Muslim heartland, he received an oddly warm welcome for a Christian leader.
Comprising four states and a population of 20 million people, Bishop Kukah’s roughly 41 square-mile diocese is home to around 400,000 Catholics. According to Kukah, Christians aren’t normally warmly welcomed in many parts of the north – cultural and religious discrimination in practice can go all the way to the state-governor level and which grew in large part from British colonialism. But on the day of Kukah's installation in 2011, the local sultan paid some of his guests’ hotel bills.
Bishop Kukah’s high profile might have helped. A former senior Rhodes fellow at
Oxford University in Great Britain and Mason Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Mass., Kukah has served in a number of high-level inter-religious and governmental roles.
Once called a "rabble rouser for peace" by Nigeria's press, Kukah has been a key voice for national unity as the country strives to overcome the religious and ethnic divisions that have hindered its development. Last year, he convened the national peace committee before Nigeria’s presidential election. It brokered an agreement between former president Goodluck Jonathan and new President Muhammadu Buhari ensuring the former accepted the result and handed over the reins of government peacefully.
Nigeria’s population of more than 180 million people is roughly 50 percent Muslim, 40 percent Christian, and 10 percent other indigenous beliefs. The Muslim population is focused in the north and the Christian population in the south.
On a visit to the United States, Kukah spoke with the Monitor about the progress Nigeria has made in its fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram, some of the nation’s challenges, and what needs to be done to solve them. Some answers have been edited for brevity.
A majority of the news the West receives on Nigeria is about Boko Haram. How important is the insurgency in the broader context of what Nigeria is facing?
Answer: Everywhere you turn everybody’s talking about Boko Haram, which is important, but I think it's only important in relation to a long history of activities. The unfortunate thing is that people are not asking the question, where did Boko Haram come from? What really created the conditions for it? I think it's important to understand that in relation to the larger issues that have brought us to where we are today.
Boko Haram is often translated as ‘Western education is forbidden.’ What are some of the factors that have contributed to its rise?
A: You have the suspicion within the Muslim community that has always tried to equate Western education with Christianity, which is what Boko Haram has capitalized on. So you have some of that subtext. But if you look at Boko Haram, it is also based on the fact that the way the state has treated Christianity predisposed Boko Haram to exploit that narrative. If you are refusing to give Christians land to build churches; if you are refusing to give Christians land to build schools; if you are refusing to allow Christian religious education to be taught in schools; if you are denying Christians access to the media commensurate to what you are giving Muslims, what you’re really saying is that these people are second-class citizens and that their religion is merely being tolerated.
While Boko Haram is not yet defeated, the Nigerian military has taken back a lot of territory in the last year. Do you see this as progress and what comes next?
A: Their ability to control Nigerian territory has been severely constrained, but as you know the end of the war is the easy part. It is what happens the day after that becomes very difficult to deal with. The next thing now is the millions of people who have been displaced in the last four years or so. Now it requires more than just goodwill to take people back. These guys are spread across the length and breadth of northern Nigeria. They need to bring these people back to their homes, to bring them back to their farms, because 95 percent of these people are farmers. It’s most likely that Boko Haram has planted landmines and all kinds of things so getting people back to work and so on [is difficult].
You’ve emphasized education as an important means of preventing the kind of conditions that harbor extremism and for unifying the nation. Can you expand on that?
I’m explaining to the governors that we have about 10 to 15 million young kids who are out of school or on the streets across the 11 or 12 states in northern Nigeria. This is a time bomb. The government doesn’t have the quality of schools that guarantee these children become functional citizens.
The truth of the matter is that the Christians have a great advantage because you can say that 60 to 70 percent of the literate people in Nigeria are Christian. Now the percentage of Muslims in northern Nigeria who are educated: You are probably looking at 10 percent or less. In a country that is developing, such a huge number of uneducated and unskilled people will mean a combustible environment from where Boko Haram and all these agents of violence will continue to feed. So the real challenge for me is how the Muslim community will have to come to terms with the reality that there’s no substitute to education.
Sokoto diocese [includes the states of] Katzena, Kebi, Zamfara, and Sokoto. We have 22 nursery, primary and secondary schools ... Part of the problem is that they’re all on church premises because the government has almost blatantly refused to allocate land to Christians....
They’re Christian schools to the extent that they are built by Christians, but if you go to any of my schools ... that has 100 children, it’s likely that 60 percent of those are going to be Muslims.... Even if we have five Muslim children, in our school we try to provide to have someone teach them Islamic education.
The problem with the Koranic education in northern Nigeria is that is was never designed to manage pluralism … It is the responsibility of the state government to design a curriculum that takes cognizance of these realities and almost deliberately works out how do you manage those differences.
One year ago, the peaceful handover to the new Buhari government was considered a milestone, but Nigeria still faces challenges on many fronts. What does his government most need to focus on to move the country forward?
A: I think the greatest problem the government has is in its inability to effectively communicate with citizens … For me, it would be to say, “Look, first of all we are happy we’re in a democracy, we will make mistakes. We are not going to work miracles. This is how we hope to get to where we want to get to." My view is that … the next thing would have been to have a correct narrative to summon Nigerians to say look, “Now Boko Haram is behind us, ... can we now rebuild our country?” There were those who were very skeptical about [Buhari’s] ability to develop an integral program that would hold Christians and Muslims together. The problem with Nigeria is we desire that, but we have not thought through how that could happen.
The beauty of Nigeria is that in 1990 there was a coup attempt, and the only reason the coup did not succeed was because those who organized the coup said they were going to cut off the 12 states of the north and suspend them from Nigeria … The Nigerian people said “no, we don’t want to be separated.” This was 20 years after we had fought a civil war to keep our country one. So there is absolutely no doubt that everyone in Nigeria wants a united Nigeria.
You have to pull down certain laws and cultural practices.... Shouldn’t every Nigerian citizen be free to marry whom they want? Marriage is one of the fundamental institutions for welding nations together…. If it is against your religion, we have a constitution that is supreme and it is more important than any religious constitution.
Ojukwu's Son Seeks Support For Biafra Agitators
The eldest son of the late Biafran warlord, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Mr.
Debe Odumegwu Ojukwu, has called on Nigerians to support the pro-Biafra agitators to actualise the dream of the Biafra state, reports ThisDay.
Making the call yesterday during a colloquium organised by a Lagos lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, in honour of late iconic lawyer, human right activist and politician, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, the young Ojukwu said agitations in the country were predicated on some iniquities that had not been atoned.
"My take is that they should agitate for Biafra; they (the agitators) should be supported to have a Biafra, state. The worst thing in a marriage is when you say a marriage is indissoluble.
A woman is like a bird, give her chance to fly, she would fly away, after some time she would return to the cage and become yours forever, but when you cage her; tie her in, she might even destroy your roof.
"So the solution about Biafra is within Nigeria; make the Igbo people comfortable, make sure that everything is okay because the easiest thing to do is leadership but some people misuse it.
For instance, if you come in a year and you are talking about budget and someone says we have 3600km of road to tar - that is what can be accommodated in the budget and we have 36 state. If you say since we have 36 states every state should take 100km nobody will be interested in your post as the president but when you move and say because I am from Nnewi, I will take 300km, there will be problem
"So, it is because of the iniquities in the country that we have agitations, remove those iniquities and I bet you there will never be any issue," he said.
Dede who was among several other speakers at the event who pour encomium on the late Braithwaite also underscored the very cordial relationship between his late father and the late Braithwaite, said during the course of their relationship, Braithwaite kept his father's secrets.
"The relationship he had with my father was very cordial and he (Braithwaite) never betrayed his friend. Nobody heard the secret of Ojukwu.
"They were very close. As I mentioned, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, at a point was my father's personal lawyer and for you to have personal lawyer you know what it means. For every human being endeavours, you have intimate relationships with your lawyer, your accountant, your doctor and your priest. They were very close.
"If you look at it, my father had three very identifiable Yoruba friends, but if you look at them you will see that they looked physically identical. He had Engineer Fashola, who was his closest Yoruba friend, an uncle to the former governor of Lagos State. Then he had Wole Soyinka and he had Braithwaite. That was why during the ceremony marking my father's transition, they were all well represented. Dr. Braithwaite at the TBS ceremony looked Nigeria in the face and told Nigeria that Odumegwu Ojukwu did not fight against Nigeria; rather, he defended the Igbo.
"He didn't fear for any recrimination. He is a very truthful person, typical; he said he never fought Nigeria but rather, people have been misled to believe that Ojukwu fought Nigeria. He never fought Nigeria. He defended the Igbo. Then Prof. Soyinka in Enugu gave a memorable eulogy of his friend and that is what friendship is all about.
"The future of this country is bright if we eschew those things that divide us; we allowed a division, a kind of tribalism in trying to undercut one and other and that is the bane of the Nigerian society. When they grew up there was no Yoruba boy, there was no Igbo boy and there was no Hausa boy. That was why that was why when he sees Dr. Braithwaite, he would say 'Tunji', when he sees Prof. Soyinka, he would not call him Prof, and he would say 'Wole,' because they grew up together.
"Corruption came in when we started introducing this is my fellow Igbo, this is my fellow Yoruba. It was never like that," he added.
Other speakers, including the convener of the colloquium, Oluyede, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; The chairman of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Sam Omatseye, who represented former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu; General Overseer of Soul Winning Chapel, Rev. Moses Iloh; Comrade Debo Adeniran of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL); Director of Research, People Redemption Party (PRP) who represented Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Richard Umar; political activist and chieftain of the Nigerian Advance Party, Ike Ezechukwu; former chairman, Amuwo Idofin, Comrade Adewale, Nigerian professor of political economy and founder, Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), Prof. Pat Utomi, Abiodun Aremu and Dr. Odion Akain, all praised the high values of the late Braithwaithe and emphasised the need for the country to sustain his legacies.
Nigeria
World Bank and Nigerian President Discuss the Country's Economic Crisis
The World Bank held talks with the Nigerian president on Wednesday on how it could help Nigeria overcome an economic… Read more »
Buhari Foresees Tourism, Culture As Bedrock Of Nigeria's Economy
President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, disclosed that Tourism and Culture which had been neglected in the past would soon be the bedrock of Nigeria's economy.
To this end, according to Vanguard, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed challenged the rural dwellers, who were blessed with rich country's cultural heritages and tourist sites to live up to the responsibility of managing and protecting the sites for economic purposes.
Buhari, who declared the 2016 National Summit on Culture and Tourism open, in Abuja, described Tourism as rejected stone that would be rejuvenated to address the dwindling economy of the country.
Represented by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Dr Okechuwku Enelama, the President said though Culture and Tourism sector is driven by private sector all over the world, the government would provide conducive environment to encourage investment in the sector.
He said; "As a result of the combination of various factors such as the sharp drop in the price of oil, combined breakdown of protectionist policies and changes in social relations, countries are compelled to look for alternative sources of revenue and employment.
"Tourism therefore, is a resource of development and means of providing an additional opportunity for a non-industrialised country like ours, to diversify its economic base for the betterment of all.
"Consequently, the road for us as a nation to achieve our set objectives of diversifying our economic base will depend partly upon the quality of design and implementation of tourism policies; we must develop appropriate policies and the right attitudes towards achieving the desired goals.
"We are aware that the development of the tourism sector all over the world is largely Private-Sector-driven. However as evident in the 2016 Budget, this administration will continue to provide the required enabling environment for arts, culture and tourism to thrive and develop, through the massive upgrading of infrastructure and the provision of security.
"We will continue to encourage public and private sector participation and partnership in all the desired areas including Transportation, Beach and Resort development as well as Tour operations, Hotel and Hospitality development.
"As you are aware, culture generally represents the totality of the history and way of life of a people. Over the years, Nigeria is recognised to have a rich cultural heritage - not just in our arts and crafts but also in our ways of life. However, over time, as a result of so many experiences we seem to have lost the tenets of our cultural values; which are of integrity, honesty, sincerity and God-consciousness."
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, explained that the Summit was designed to explore all the various opportunities in tourism sector to improve the economy, calling on corporate bodies to join hands with the government.
According to him: "the crash in the price of oil, the mainstay of our economy, has triggered a disaster for the economy.
"But, this administration has decided to turn that distater to a blessing by diversifying the mono-product economy and widening our national revenue base. We want to turn adversity into sustanainbale fortune by tapping our National cultural heritage and tourism."
He maintained that the ministry had been working in the past six months quietly to see how best Nigeria reposition culture and tourism, adding that "the important of the tourism sector cannot be quantify because its the only sector that are pro-poor, pro-rural and pro-underpriviledge.
"The sectors are not just about creating jobs or earning revenues, they also help stem rural-urban migration, forster unity, ensure holistic and inclusive growth as well reduce crime."
However, the Minister identified rural dwelller as the only challenge militating against the the tourism development in Nigeria.
"The challenges is to get the rural folks as tourists guides, festival managers and protectors of the sites," he said.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Flavour Bags New Endorsement Deal
Nigerian singer and 'Golibe' crooner, Flavour N'abania has just landed a sweet new
deal
The father of two today, Wednesay, April 27, 2016 took toInstagram to reveal his new deal with Life Beer made byNigerian Breweries.
Flavour who recently threw a party for his aged father captioned the photo, "Life is good Golibe !!So happy to be a Brand ambassador for Life Beer."
Flavour recently gave his audience in Mali the performance of a lifetime with the crowd held spell-bound and longing for more from the highlife singer.
The singer headlined a Mali Unification concert, which took place at Modibo Keita Stadium on Saturday, April 9, 2016.
The fans of the singer took it up a notch in terms of the grand reception given to Flavour compared to his performance out in Ivory Coast.
Flavour had the majority of the audiences in tears, unable to control their emotions and excitement during his live performance.
Singer, Victoria Kimani On Challenges Breaking Into Nigerian Music Industry
Victorian Kimani of Chocolate City Music speaks on her music, challenges of
acceptance into the industry and more.
In a recent interview with NotjustOKTV, the Kenyan singer explains that she joined a Nigerian record label because they share the same vision of crossing their music beyond the African continent and at the time she initially signed to the label, they had a branch in Kenya – Chocolate City Kenya because they were all about expanding the brand and also she’s the type of artiste that would like her music to be held by as many people as possible, hence her reason for pitching her tent with a company that is motivated to see their music spread across the continent.
Kimani describes her music as a blend of Afro-pop and R&B, adding that she would soon drop her album which will give her fans a chance to understand what type of artiste she is.
She mentioned that she has a background in songwriting, and has written songs for foreign pop R&B artistes, but has had to localize her sound on moving to Nigeria, in order to penetrate the market.
According to her: “If I was going to make a song for the Nigerian market for example, I don’t see there being a problem in using pidgin, If I wanted to make a song for a Tanzanian or Kenyan, I could speak in Swahili, I think that is what shows diversity as an artiste.”
She adds that the album would contain mash up of different genres of music, including live instruments, and not just about what happens in the club as there are stories to be told.
On challenges as a Kenyan artiste trying to break into the Nigerian market, she said that was not necessarily the goal, pointing out that she sees herself as a pan-African artiste whose goal is to make music to appeal to the continent and not necessarily for Nigerian ears only. She added that it is smart for an artiste to jump on that wave if you can but overall she believes the fact that she is a foreign act which has been her greatest challenge.
She also relates the Nigerian music industry to the U.S music industry as being young and fresh, and has got a lot of movement going on but in terms of structure, with artistes and producers not getting due royalties as it is obtainable abroad, there is room for a lot of improvement regards that.
The Afro pop singer also talks about how she started music professionally and the most challenging single she has had to work on.
Igbo Women Oppose Cattle Ranches For Fulani Herdsmen In South-East
The Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, has opposed the establishment of grazing lands or ranches for Fulani herdsmen in the South East geopolitical zone, saying that doing so, was like giving a tacit approval to the herdsmen to kill Igbo men as well as rape their wives and daughters.
They said that the only one sensible route to the country's development was for Nigeria to be restructured now, adding that “intimidation will not work; neither will false accusations.”
The women spoke while reacting to the latest killing of farmers at Nimbo in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State Monday.
In a statement signed by the National President of IWA, Chief (Mrs) Marie Nwanyiwunwa Okwo, the women lamented over what they described as the audacity of the herdsmen in killing innocent Nigerians across the country since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office about 10 months ago, the extra –judicial killing of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, by security agents among others issues facing the zone.
Okwo's statement reads in part, “Not long ago, 76 people from Ugwuleshi in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, were arrested by the Nigerian Army and taken to Umuahia, which is another area of jurisdiction.
“Their offence was that they tried to defend their farm land from being destroyed by the Fulani herdsmen. It was through the intervention of the Governor of Enugu State that those poor farmers were later released on bail.
“The extra-judicial killing of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, members between November 2015 and February 2016, in Port Harcourt, Aba and Onitsha is condemned by IWA.
“This unresolved, cold-blooded murder of Eastern youths, coupled with the provocative brigandage of Fulani in recent times may have probably emboldened the Director of State Services, DSS, to publicly lay a charge of abduction and murder on the IPOB for effect.
“This accusation of killing and burying of five northerners (in a shallow grave), if true, is wrong and IWA condemns it, and would want the culprits brought to early justice.
“If, however, the accusation is false, then, it must be said as succinctly as possible that the DSS has taken a very dangerous route that will not only lay the foundation for eventual disintegration of Nigeria but ensures that a needless bloodbath accompanies the mayhem. The DSS intends to prop up mutual suspicion and spur ethnic hatred.
“Our message to the APC government is clear, short and precise. The quest to intimidate, oppress and silence Eastern Nigeria will not succeed. The dream of conquering our people through hatred and threat of genocide will not work. We cannot be islamised.
There is only one sensible route open to Nigeria, which is to restructure the country now. Intimidation will not work; neither will false accusations.
CREATION OF GRAZING RESERVES OR RANCHES
“This is a time bomb waiting to explode. IWA says NO to Grazing Reserves or Ranches and grazing routes in Igbo land.
Any attempt to acquire, seize and (or) occupy our ancestral lands for Fulani herdsmen to facilitate the killings of our people and raping of our women and daughters will be highly resisted.
Fulani attack on Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State
“On the night of April 24, 2016, while villagers were asleep, Fulani herdsmen struck, killing several people, and setting churches and cars ablaze. The DSS is yet to react to these heinous crimes.
“For how long must our people continue to suffer in the hands of herdsmen?
IWA calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies to treat the Fulani menace with the urgency it requires. We cannot continue to tolerate these unprovoked attacks on our people. It may lead to total, uncontrollable anarchy.”
Reps Recommend Dismissal For Official Who Assaulted Female Lawmaker
The House Committee on Interior has concluded its findings after the investigative public hearing on the alleged assault meted against a female lawmaker, Onyemachi Mrakpor, and recommended the dismissal of Sergeant Idaa Odeh with service No: 40258, with immediate effect.
Odeh, one of the aides to Peter Ekpendu, Comptroller-General of Prisons, allegedly assaulted the female lawmaker, on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at the entrance of the National Assembly complex.
The Committee, chaired by Adams Jagaba called for the urgent amendment of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
“As a matter of urgency to the effect that only the President, Vice President and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) or a visiting President can come into the premises of National Assembly with moderate convoy and penalties should be provided for offenders,” it said.
“All the security personnel serving currently at the National Assembly gates including Sergeant-at-Arms staff should be redeployed.
“The ACG budget and finance who came down from his vehicle and confronted the Honourable is culpable under the Legislative (Powers and Privileges) Act and should therefore be disciplined.
“For refusal to appear before the Committee DCG Usman Shehu Kangiwa service number 28446 is guilty of Section 11 of Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and for obstructing a member of Parliament within the precincts of the National Assembly, he is guilty of Section 16 of Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
“He (Kangiwa) should be arrested and tried in accordance with Section 11 and 16 of Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, by the AGF. He should be demoted from the rank lower than ACG.”
The Committee in its 11-page findings also recommended the arrest and trial of Odeh by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) in accordance with Section 16 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
Furthermore, the Committee recommended that Corporal Esther Hassan and ASP Sunday Okoh of the Nigeria Police and Adeboye I. O of the Department of State Services should all be disciplined, reprimanded and redeployed immediately.
The Committee further urged that the Committee on Legislative Compliance should ensure strict compliance with all the recommendations and report back to the House within two weeks.
Farmers, Herdsmen Clashes May Break Nigeria – Reps
House of Representatives speaker, Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday called for deliberate and proactive actions to end the incessant farmers and herdsmen clashes spreading across the country, which he noted could break Nigeria.
Dogara made the observation at the opening of a public hearing on the motion on the ‘urgent need to address the incessant clashes between herdsmen, farmers and their host communities in Nigeria,’ and introduction of micro irrigation (drip irrigation) for farmers in Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State and in other parts of Nigeria,’ held by House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services.
According to BusinessDay, the speaker, who was represented by Onyema Chukwuka, assured that the Committee and stakeholders would make appropriate recommendations that would “go a long way in guiding the House in the enactment of appropriate legislation that will guarantee peaceful co-existence among the rural communities, provide affordable credit to Nigerian farmers, enable the farmer to procure fertilizer and other farm inputs with minimum effort, provide enabling environment for all season farming, ensure increased agricultural production both as a means of guaranteeing internal food security and diversifying the economy from over dependence on oil, among many other prospects.”
In his presentation, Audu Ogbe, minister of agriculture and rural development, who expressed concern over criticism trailing proposed importation of grasses for cattle, especially on social media, warned that the challenge might boomerang if no concrete action was taken in checkmating the menace.
According to Ogbe, 12 states of the federation out of the 36 states contacted by Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have already confirmed readiness to partner on the grazing and irrigation initiatives, adding that nine states have agreed to provide 5,000 hectares of land each for the project.
The minister added that private sector investors had started making money from the grazing programme, as the Federal Government in partnership with 70,000 rice farmers in Kebbi State had concluded arrangement to produce 1.5 million livestock feed for cattle through rice stalk.
He also assured on plans to revitalise the existing 415 grazing locations across the country, majority of which are in Adamawa State, by providing requisite facilities, stressing that the Federal Government would embark on the implementation of the grazing project as soon as the 2016 budget was signed into law.
He disclosed that provision of grazing would also reduce the $1.3 billion spent on powered milk, which he argued was unhealthy for children growth, and diversification policy of the Nigerian economy and food security.
The minster lamented that Nigeria’s potential in cow production was dwindling with 15 million cow population with average milk production of 1 litre per cow daily, compared with 225 million in Brazil with average of 30 litre of milk per cow daily.
In his remarks, Mohammed Munguno, chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, observed that “the incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen in various host communities across the country is a very topical issue that requires the intervention and input of various stakeholders.”
This, he observed, will help to “nip in the bud the looming crisis in the board or totally eradicate the clashes because it has the potential of stalling diversification and good security as well as threaten the bedrock of the entity called Nigeria.”
While expressing disgust over the resultant effects of the insecurity challenges caused by Boko Haram facing the country, the lawmaker condemned the death of thousands of innocent citizens including women, children and youths as well as the displacement of millions of Nigerians who sojourn in neighbouring countries and other states across the country.
While commending the gallant efforts of the military in retiring peace to the North-East region, he observed that many of the communities and local governments have been liberated and people have started to rebuild their homes, pick up their lives and return to farms.
Hence, he urged the Federal Government to provide intervention funds and farm inputs, including fertilizers and other incentives for the returnee IDPs.
He also emphasised the need to initiate a legislative framework that would provide for stiff sanctions by increasing the punishment on those adulterating fertilizers, which impact negatively on farm outputs and threaten diversification policy of the Federal Government.
Buhari, National Assembly Leaders Resolve Budget Grey Areas
President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday night rose from a 10-minute meeting, saying all grey areas in the 2016 Budget had been resolved.
The meeting which was held inside the the First Lady’s Conference Room, according to The Punch, started at about 9.20pm and ended around 9.30pm.
Those who attended the meeting included Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; 
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Lasun; Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio; House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila; and other leaders of the National Assembly.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma; the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang; and the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Samaila Kawu, also attended.
At the end of the meeting, Saraki told State House correspondents that the lawmakers came to inform the President and his team of the solutions they had found to the budget impasse.
Tuesday night’s meeting followed an earlier meeting between Buhari and Dogara at the Presidential Villa.
Saraki explained that both sides agreed on the way forward and assured Nigerians that the process would be completed in a matter of days.
He said, “We just finished a meeting with the President and the Vice-President. We came to let them know some of the solutions that we found in moving the budget process forward and we are happy to say that we have agreed on the way forward.
“We believe that this process will be completed in matter of days rather than weeks.
“So it is good to Nigerians and all of us, we have found a way forward and in a matter of days, the budget will be ready for the President’s assent.”
When asked to be specific on the way forward that they arrived at, Saraki said, “We have committees that have been set up on our side and also on the Executive side.
“We will engage over the next few days to just tidy up a few loose ends and here and there and the outcome will be satisfactory to everybody.”
When also asked to be specific of the budget would be signed this week, he said, “You heard what I have said. I said it is a matter of days and not weeks. So, you can start counting the days which means that between now and Monday or Tuesday, I’m hopeful that the budget will be signed.”
Udoma also confirmed to reporters that the Executive had agreed with the Legislature to resolve all grey areas and the modalities of doing so in the next few days.
The minister said, “We have agreed to work together to resolve all issues in the next few days and we have also agreed on the modalities of or doing so.
“It was a very good meeting, very positive and within the next few days all issues will be resolved.
“We are working together, both the Executive and the Legislature, to sort those things out. Within the next days, all matters will be resolved.”
Charley Boy Relocates To Lagos, Abandons Family In Abuja
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
What Next For Rev. King?
What is the next road for Rev. King has since been condemned to die by hanging? It is no
secrete that the "Man of God" was condemned to face the hang man after he was found guilty of burning a female member of his church to death. After the case had lingered for 10 years with appeals, Rev. King was finally convicted of the crime.
Presently, Rev. King is on death row. But what is the next level for this self-styled Man of God whom his blind followers addressed as "Daddy Moo" (My Daddy)? Will he finally escape the hang man's noose? the answer is hanging in the balance.
Manace Of Fulani Herdsmen Dangerous
The way Fulani herdsmen are currently taking out entire communities everywhere in the southern and some central parts of Nigeria killing, maiming and destroying property is alarming. Worse still is the seeming kid's glove disposition of the Federal Government to the disturbing development. But tarry awhile; could it be a new ploy being deployed by Boko-Haram to finally overrun Nigeria? Relevant security agencies must quickly rise to this occasion.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Gets Honoured With National Order Award
Winifred “Winnie” Madikizela-Mandela is among several people to be honoured for their role in the struggle against apartheid at the 2016 National Orders Awards ceremony in Pretoria on Thursday.
The awards will be bestowed by President Jacob Zuma on “distinguished local citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have played a momentous role towards building a free democratic South Africa and who also have made a significant impact on improving the lives of South Africans in various ways”.
Madikizela-Mandela‚ the former wife of the late struggle icon Nelson Mandela‚ will be awarded the he Order of Luthuli in silver for her “excellent contribution to the fight for the liberation of the people of South Africa”.
“She bravely withstood constant harassment by the apartheid police and challenged their brutality at every turn. She became a symbol of the anti-apartheid struggle and of the bravery and determination of the oppressed to gain their freedom‚ against all odds‚” the award citation reads.
Receiving the same honour will be Sathyandranath Ragunanan “Mac” Maharaj‚ a former transport minister who recently retired as official spokesman for Zuma. ?
Other well-known personalities who will be honoured at the ceremony include Afrikaans singer Laurika Rauch‚ who will receive the Order of Ikhamanga in bronze‚ which recognises South African citizens who have excelled in the fields of arts‚ culture‚ literature‚ music‚ journalism and sport.
The award is being bestowed on her for her “outstanding contribution in the field of music and raising awareness on political injustices through music.”
“She bravely deployed her artistic talents to highlight the injustices and tyranny of the apartheid rule‚” the citation reads.
Professor Helen Rees‚ who was recently awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE)‚ will receive the Order of Boabab in silver for her contribution in the field of medical science and research which‚ the citation states‚ has given hope to communities affected by the scourge of HIV and AIDS.
Also among those to be honoured on Thursday is Chile’s president‚ Michelle Bachelet Jeria (Chile) who will have the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo bestowed on her. The award recognises eminent foreign nationals for friendship shown to South Africa.
According to the Presidency‚ the award is being bestowed on her for her “exceptional contribution to the fight for democracy at the global stage”.
“She was imbued with a deep sense of justice and the courage of her convictions‚ which drove her from Chile to exile.”
3 reasons Women Cheat, And Why You Can’t Catch Them Easily
Stella Damasus Unleashes The Alternative Album
Stella Damasus, has released her gospel album ''The Alternative.''
The album parading 18 tracks and produced by Da Bishop,
was released on April 25, 2016 with an album release event which was deemed a success.
"The album release was great and I'm glad freechapel made this a very, very special day for me. My friends, fans & every category in between, I love you all so much and I'll be praying for you", the singer said.
The album can be streamed on Youtube, purchased on iTunesand other music streaming and download platforms.
Phyno Set To Drop Sophomore Studio Album
Phyno is set to release his sophomore album titled "Playmaker".
The rapper has revealed that 2face Idibia aka 2baba, Timi Dakolo, Olamide and Cynthia Morgan amongst others are some of the star acts featured on the album.
The 'Man of the year' dropped his debut album "No Guts No Glory" in 2014 and fans have since then been anticipating the second album from him.
The Indigenous rapper's 'Ezege' single is still getting a lot of buzz on the streets and airplay on radio as well.
Nigeria Lack Gas To Generate 7,000MW Of Electricity, Says Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, lamented that the country didn’t have sufficient gas to fire the country’s power plants to generate up to 7,000 megawatts of electricity.
This was even as the President of Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, NAEE, Mr. Wumi Iledare, stated that in line with the current realities in the global 
petroleum industry and the foreign exchange rate, the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, in the country should be about N120 per litre.
According to Vanguard, Osinbajo, who spoke at the NAEE/International Association for Energy Economics Annual International Conference in Abuja, expressed disappointment in the fact that despite Nigeria’s enormous natural gas reserves of over 185 trillion cubic feet, the country was still faced with huge energy supply problems.
“In fact, it is an irony that we do not have sufficient gas to fire our power plants up to 7,000MW, yet in energy industry circles, Nigeria is described as more of a gas territory than an oil territory,” Osinbajo, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant (Power and Privatisation), Chiedu Ugbo, said.
He said currently, the country had over 12,500MW of installed electricity generating capacity, consisting of gas thermal, and hydropower plants, stating that capacity of about 7,000MW was available to be generated, if the required fuel was available.
He, however, disclosed that in spite of the available capacity, power plants in the country, over the last couple of weeks, distributed less than 4,000MW of electricity to consumers across the country.
Inadequate investment on gas facilities
Osinbajo blamed the development on inadequate investment on gas facilities,gas flaring, inadequate gas infrastructure and vandalism, among others.
He said: “We have limited gas molecules to supply to the power plants. This is a result of many years of under-investment in gas gathering and processing for domestic consumption and also many years of gas flaring. Nigeria alone flares about half of the 40 billion cubic meters of associated gas estimated to be flared in Africa annually.
To address the situation, Osinbajo disclosed that the Federal Government was aware that there is no alternative to electric energy for energizing and powering Nigeria’s economic growth and development; hence it is determined to resolve the challenges to achieving sustainable energy supply in the country.
“We are working tirelessly towards resolving the gas-to-power challenge, ensuring that the needed investment will be made in gas gathering and processing for domestic consumption, especially for power plants and, at the same time working to ensure sustainability of supply of existing gas volumes,” he noted.
PMS should sell at N120 per litre
Also speaking, Iledare stated that he did not see the low oil price as a disaster for Nigeria, stating that it offered the country the opportunity to adopt fiscal responsibility practices and reduce fiscal irresponsibility.
He further stated that the low oil price allowed the country to take advantage of the situation to allow prices in the sector to be determined at current international market price, while he recommended a PMS’ price of N120 per litre. He said the Federal Government had no business regulating the sector.
He said managing the petroleum sector had become elusive, adding that regulators should be autonomous and that any regulation put forward should have the backing of the law.
He warned that it was foolhardy for the country to perpetually develop oil and gas resources for cash, instead of satisfying the country’s energy needs.
Former VC Calls For Merger Of Universities •As Varsities, Polytechnics Go Broke
The former Vice Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Prof. Ibrahim A. Kolo, has called for the merger of unviable state tertiary institutions with the federal ones to enable state governments allocate adequate fund to primary and post-primary schools. He said this step would save state governments 
and their tertiary institutions from financial crisis, according to The Sun.
Prof Kolo stated this at the 14th pre-convocation lecture of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, held recently. Speaking as a guest lecturer on the topic, Funding Policy For Tertiary Education In a Depressed Economy, he explained that the education sector in most parts of developing countries, especially Nigeria, suffer from dependency on government financing through annual, medium or long term budgetary provisions. According to him, without the lifeline provided by TETFund interventions, most Nigerian tertiary institutions, especially state-owned ones, would not survive.
Kolo said policy suggestions that could resolve under-funding of tertiary education in a distressed Nigerian economy, must go beyond taking the anti-corruption agenda to tertiary institutions. Rather, hard choices and constitutional amendments needed to be made for the entire education sector, particularly the tertiary sub-sector, he urged.
“The funding situation points largely to the fact that states can do without the burden of owning and running tertiary institutions, particularly universities, polytechnics and colleges of education,” he explained. “If states are to own tertiary institutions, they should be regulated in terms of joint ownership by two or three states or even on regional constituent states arrangements. What is required to avoid role frictions or tendencies of reneging on agreed terms by states is to ensure the sanctity of the MoUs through the Federal Government and the extant regulatory bodies.”
The former VC said the pace of development and available facilities in most state tertiary institutions in the country today indicate that synergy building among them through joint proprietorships and consolidation of their programmes in multi-campus structured arrangements would do them a lot more good than the solo efforts which have not been helpful in attaining the heights of their respective visions.
He argued that the hitches recorded in the joint proprietorship of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) resulted from political ego between Oyo and Osun states rather than the non-workability of the arrangement.
Kolo urged the policy makers to save the sub-sector by reconsidering the mergers and consolidation reforms proposed by Obiageli Ezekwesili during her brief stint as Minister of Education in 2003. Existing state tertiary institutions and even unviable federal ones, he said, can be converted to campuses of their federal counterparts so that the states can face more of the business of basic, secondary, entrepreneurship and innovative education institutions.
“Funds from sources like TETFund can then be more adequately channeled to institutions subsumed into new Federal or joint states arrangements and their merged campuses. This suggestion apparently implies that the Federal Government assumes the responsibility of funding only tertiary education without dabbling into the lower levels of the education system, just as the case with funding tertiary level education in the US, UK, most of Europe and the East African countries”, he said.
Prof Kolo who was also the former President of Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON), also called for a paradigm shift from wholesome government funding of tertiary education, which has only encouraged dependence by public tertiary institutions on available public funds.
“The shift in funding policy should be to gradually but surely bring in non-governmental stakeholder ownerships (industry and the private sector in particular) into tertiary institutions funding. Government needs to begin to consider limiting its funding of tertiary education to loan and bond guarantees, as well appropriate scholarships and competitive or collaborative grants to collectives of credible stakeholders who can responsibly manage tertiary institutions”.
He argued that the nation’s tertiary education sub-sector needed the initiative of an ‘Education Bank’ now more than ever before.
“It is also possible to consider strengthening and expanding the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as a more credible and acceptable medium of tertiary education with a view to making the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) model of education free for all qualified candidates who would seek admission through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) entrance examinations as an option to the conventional tertiary institutions system. With NOUN programmes available and accessible to candidates in all parts of the country, the choice will be for candidates to opt for it or for the conventional public tertiary institutions that will now begin to charge appropriate fees. Governments’ full funding of NOUN programmes will become its major contribution to financing public tertiary education”, he stated.
He stressed that TETFund needed to be further repositioned and strengthened by making its interventions wholly or partly based on collaborative funding of capital projects and facilities in tertiary institutions, rather than the Board of Trustees (BOT) and High Impact Interventions which only make institutions more dependent on wholesome government funding.
“The case for this kind of policy shift was recently buttressed when the National Economic Council under the Chairmanship of the Vice President passed a resolution for the dormant federal funds for the Universal Basic Education (UBE) to be made accessible by states on the basis of 10% counterpart funding as against the stipulated provision in the Law for a 60:40 (Federal/states) ratio which most states have been unable to meet. Stakeholder groups like alumni associations, public interest groups and elite (many of whom are establishing private tertiary institutions on their own or their mentors’ names) can be initiated into collaborations for owning public tertiary institutions as stakeholders. I, however, do not subscribe to using public finances under any guise like TETFund for funding capital projects and facilities in solely private tertiary institutions”, he noted.
He also stressed the need to aggressively encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) funding of resource generating mega projects (like hostels, international conference centres, knowledge and ICT parks, university printing press, staff quarters, etc.) in tertiary institutions. According to him, under well-spelt out guidelines and policies, a PPP Act of the National Assembly can be put into effect to facilitate funding of facilities in tertiary institutions.
“With the demonstration of the need to end corruption and impunity in the public sector and our entire national life so far by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the window of opportunity of PPP in the tertiary education sector should now be cashed in upon by the Federal Ministry of Education and tertiary institutions to meet funding gaps which have ever become so apparent”, he added.
He emphasized the need to strengthen the culture of strategic planning, due process and due diligence, transparency and accountability in tertiary institutions. He charged the Federal Ministry of Education and Tertiary Education Regulatory Bodies (NUC, NBTE, and NCCE) to enforce strictly their respective frameworks for compliance by tertiary institutions in guiding their respective development and expansion initiatives.
He explained that issues of compliance to procurement ethics, due process and audit references for financial planning should be followed to enthrone the values of transparency and accountability in funding and funding policy.
“Without a strong system of transparency and accountability, funding the education sector becomes open to abuse and the vagaries of corruption which sets the sector backward. Circumvention of funding policies of transparency and accountability largely makes the education sector retroactive in terms of achieving the core mandate of human resource and human capital development for the nation”.
Kolo described funding and funding policy as the most critical aspect of the development of the education sector anywhere in the world. He said adequate funding remains instrumental to all other aspects of developing the sector such as: infrastructural development and maintenance; provision of teaching and learning facilities; prompt payment of staff salaries, emoluments as well as ensuring staff welfare and meeting their capacity development needs; and providing for learners personal and educational needs.
“It is an incontrovertible fact that the level of funding put into the education sector determines expected output of set targets – access, coverage, opportunities, completion rates and quality at all levels. Indeed, without adequacy of resource inputs, sustainable resource mobilization strategies, institutionalized financial control and management system as well as enthroned transparency and accountability system, funding the education sector is usually so much of a herculean task, as stagnation, misappropriations and corruption become dominant in the sector”, he added.
While analysing the nation’s tertiary education sub-sector, Kolo said the situation of funding has been made so dependent on government budgetary and extra budgetary provisions. He warned of obvious dysfunctions and threats of collapse of the system because of related factors of under estimation or very inadequate budgetary releases to tertiary institutions in the past two decades.
According to him, just as most state governments across the country have become over-dependent on monthly federations allocations to fund the education sector, so have tertiary institutions (both Federal and State owned) become so dependent and subservient to the dictates and intrigues of budgetary provisions for all their needs (capital and recurrent).
“The danger of such a funding policy trend is the erosion of the autonomy and stifling of initiatives required for creativity and knowledge innovation as expected of the mandate of tertiary institutions.
Basically, there is nothing so much wrong with government sole proprietorship for the funding of public tertiary education, especially in developing countries, as long as sustainability can be guaranteed. And therein is the challenge of funding for tertiary education. Sustainability would always be difficult with government being the main funding source for tertiary education largely because the economies of developing countries will continue to remain vulnerable to globalizing trends and dominant market competitiveness in which various nations have to play. We, therefore, have to explore additional options to funding tertiary education and must stop policy procrastination regarding the required shift in Funding Policy”, he maintained.
Akwa Ibom Lawyers Sue Buhari Over NDDC Appointment
Four Akwa Ibom-based legal practitioners have filed a legal action against President
Muhammadu Buhari at the Federal High Court, Uyo, over non appointment of an indigene of Akwa Ibom as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) reports The Guardia .
The four lawyers, who are chairmen of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Eket and Oron branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), are Aniekan Akpan, Essien Obong, Akpadiaha Ebitu and Emmanuel Ukor respectively.
Joined as respondents in the suit are the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and the acting managing director of NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari.
The immediate past managing director of NDDC, Dan Abia, an indigene of Akwa Ibom, was sacked midway into his four year tenure on December 21, 2015, and Semenitari, an indigene of Rivers State was appointed in acting capacity.
Citing relevant sections of the NDDC Act, the plaintiffs, in the suit marked as FHC/UY/CS/27/16, are seeking declaration of the court “that the premature termination of the appointment of Abia as managing director, NDDC by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria before the four year-tenure allocated to Akwa Ibom State ends is illegal, unlawful and a gross violation of the rights of people of Akwa Ibom”.
The NBA chairmen are also asking the court to declare that Semenetari’s appointment “is illegal, unlawful and a gross violation of the right of Akwa Ibom people particularly lawyers of Akwa Ibom origin and equally a violation of the principles of proportional sharing of bureaucratic office as enshrined in the Federal Character Commission Act Cap F7 Law Of the Federation Of Nigeria 2004.”
The bar leaders also want the court to declare that Akwa Ibom “is the legitimate state statutorily entitled to produce an “acting” or ‘substantive’ managing director of NDDC presently to continue and complete the four year-tenure of office allocated” to the state by the rotation arrangement as enshrined in Sections 3 and 12(1)(d) of the NDDC Act.
While asking for mandatory injunction from the court to compel the President to terminate Semenitari’s appointment, they sought an order of the court compelling the President to immediately appoint any Akwa Ibom State indigene as acting managing director or alternatively, to appoint any Akwa Ibom State indigene as managing director of NDDC and present him to the National Assembly for confirmation to continue and complete the four year-tenure of office allocated to Akwa Ibom”.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Papa Wemba's Final Moments In Moving Images
Lil Kesh Dumos Olamide's YBNL Record Label?
Fulani Herdsmen Invade Enugu Communities, Many Feared Killed
Scores of persons have been reportedly killed in the Fulani herdsmen invasion of Ukpabi, Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State in the early of hours of today.
Natives have fled to neighboring communities of Nkpologu and Uvuru, even as Nkpologu natives fled to Nsukka in fear of attacks.
Police Public Relations Officer,Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the incident to Vanguard on the telephone. He said a combined team of police and Army have moved to the area.
Two Brothers Batter Church Ushers Over Indecent Dressing Fight broke out between two brothers and church ushers who wanted to enforce the church rules on dressing during a Sunday service at a popular church in Isolo, Lagos state, southwest Nigeria. During the fracas, two ushers were brutally battered and they suffered injuries. P.M.NEWS gathered that the fight temporarily disorganized the service on that day before it was brought under control by the church security. The incident happened at Living Christ Mission church located at Disciple Street in Aswani at Isolo. The brothers, Chisom Alamduru and Victor Alamduru have been arrested and charged before Isolo Magistrate’s court for the allegedly assaulting their victims. The victims, Emmanuel Ndukwe and Okechukwu Olomeforo suffered their fate after they reportedly prevented the suspects from entering the church during the service. P.M.NEWS gathered that the suspects went to the church wearing clothes the ushers considered inappropriate for the service. While they were about to enter the church, they were prevented and it resulted in exchange of words and subsequently a fight. The brothers reportedly told the ushers that the church did not belong to them and that the ushers cannot determine what they can wear to the service. During the squabble, the suspects reportedly battered the victims before the church security men separated them. Due to the degree of the injuries sustained by the victims, the brothers were handed over to the police at Aswani division. They were charged to court with conspiracy and assault under the Criminal code. They pleaded not guilty. The presiding Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Adedayo granted them bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum. They were remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri pending when they will perfect their bail condition. The matter was adjourned till 11 May 2016.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Stop Labelling People Responsible By Their Dressing, Cynthia Morgan Advises
Nigerian singer, Cynthia Morgan has revealed she got a dress for her grandma and
decided to wear it. The revelation is contained in a post she shared Thursday, April 21, 2016.
She was soon commended by fans who felt this was seeing Cynthia in another light or as one fan would put it 'responsible'.
So an unlucky fan commented on her post saying, "You look so responsible in that dress".
She also told him to stop labelling people responsible by their dress code.
She wrote, "Stop labelling people responsible by their dress code... dressing up is a feeling and very in the moment. Being respoonsible is a thing of the heart and serves lifetime."
Meanwhile, news reports have revealed that Cynthia Morgan's stolen Range Rover, has been recovered by the Lagos state command operatives.
The vehicle had reportedly been recovered last week, April 11, 2016, from a mechanic workshop in the Ojodu area of Lagosstate.
The white Range Rover SUV had reportedly been stolen on March 12, 2016 under undisclosed circumstances.
P-Square, Davido Get Namibian Annual Music Awards Nomination
Fraudsters Clone Ambode’s Mobile Phone
Department of State Security (DSS) on Wednesday arraigned two artisans before an Isolo Magistrate Court presided over by Adeola Adedayo for allegedly cloning the mobile phone number of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State.
The suspects – Rilwanu Jamiu and Balogun Stanley Oyewole, who claimed to be a cocoa dealer, were said to have attempted to perfect a N50 million transfer with the said mobile line.
Peter Okerinmodun, DSS prosecuting counsel, told the court that the suspects were arrested after using the governor’s cloned mobile line to send a text message to the state accountant-general requesting for a transfer of N50 million. Okerinmodun said the suspects conspired with others now at large to commit the crime on February 10, 2016 at about 10:02hours.
Count one read to the suspects in court are – “That you Rilwanu Jamiu (M) of No10, Giwa Street, Oka Akoko Street, Lagos, and Balogun Stanley Oyewole (M) of No65, Unity Street, Ikotun, Lagos, and others at large on February 10, 2016 about 100:2hours at Lagos within Lagos Magisterial District, conspired to commit felony to wit: obtaining by false pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.”
Count two read: “That you Rilwanu Jamiu, Balogun Stanley Oyewole of the above addresses, and others at large, on above date, time and place fraudulently cloned the Glo line of His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, with intent to induce him by false pretence and used the Glo line to send a text message for the transfer of a sum of fifty million naira (N50m) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.”
Fuel Scarcity To Ends Next Week, Says FG
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