Nigeria’s Olubayo Adefemi killed in car crash in Greece

The defender was travelling to finalise his upcoming wedding in Greece when he was involved in a fatal accident.

Greek authorities confirmed the death of Nigeria international defender Olubayo Adefemi following a car accident on the Egnatia motorway.

The Skoda Xanthi player lost control of his car while on his way to finalise details of his wedding. The 25-year-old was driving from Xanthi to Salonika in the Kavala region of northern Greece.

"The Super League and the entire Greek football family would like to express its deepest condolences and sympathy for the family of Olubayo Adefemi who died tragically in a car accident," a statement from the league organisers read.

Adefemi made 24 appearances for Xanthi with two goals to his name, and was capped three times for Nigeria.

Source:http://www.goal.com

Bomb blasts: A lesson to Nigerian leaders - Pastor Bakare

 By Isaac Shobayo

Convener of the Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said that the bomb blasts that rocked Abuja on October 1 were an indictment on the Nigerian security agents and a lesson to Nigerian leaders.

This is even as the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was no longer a political party but a franchise.

Addressing newsmen, on Tuesday, shortly after the launching of Save Nigeria Group, Plateau State chapter, Pastor Bakare said it was rather unfortunate that Britain and America warned the country in advance and yet Nigeria ignored the warning.

“It is a pity that it took Britain and America to warn us about the bombs and yet they were not able to detect them until they went off.

“It is unfortunate that there was a bomb blast on that day (October 1) and it is a clear indication that things were not just right. With all the security on the ground, yet such things happened is an indictment on our leaders that there are still a lot of aggrieved people who are ready to be used for any evil intention,” he stated.

Source:http://tribune.com.ng

Two car bombs detonated in Nigeria on independence day (14 killed)

Two explosions rattled Nigeria’s independence day festivities on Friday — one of them at the venue of the President’s celebration — killing at least seven people in the capital.

The explosions came after Nigeria’s main militant group sent a warning that there is “nothing worth celebrating after 50 years” as the people of the Niger Delta have had their land and resources stolen.

One of the explosions occurred at the Eagle’s Square where President Jonathan Goodluck was present to witness the military formation.

Several foreign delegates are in the country to attend the celebrations, including Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who arrived here on Thursday.

Another explosion at the millennium park near the Eagle Square, killed at least seven people, an eyewitness told PTI.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the rebel group of the Niger Delta, had earlier issued a statement warning that it had planted bombs to stall the 50th anniversary celebrations.

However, the programme continued, with foreign heads of states and delegates in attendance and President Jonathan hosting the Golden Jubilee celebration of the country’s independence from Britain.

MEND had earlier asked for an immediate evacuation of the entire arena before 10:30 a.m. on Friday informing that bombs had been planted.

“Several explosive devices have been successfully planted in and around the venue by our operatives working inside the government security services. In evacuating the area, keep a safe distance from vehicles and trash bins,” MEND had said in a statement, also emailed, to PTI.

The group argued the people of the Niger Delta have been deprived of control over their region’s resources.

“The constitution before independence which offered resource control was mutilated by illegal military governments and this injustice is yet to be addressed,” the group said.

The group which claims to be fighting for resource control in the Niger Delta region claimed responsibility for detonating two car bombs in the Niger Delta city of Warrion on March 15 this year.

MEND, which is part of a group of rebels fighting for resource control in the Delta region, said “a third and most powerful” bomb did not explode but would be used for future attacks.

Militants in the delta have targeted pipelines and resorted to kidnappings, while fighting government troops since 2006.

Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had granted amnesty to the militants but MEND had rejected it, opting for a negotiation with the government through mediators.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com

15 Children Remain Held in Nigeria

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

LAGOS, Nigeria (Agence France-Presse) — Gunmen who hijacked a school bus and kidnapped 15 children in southern Nigeria were negotiating with the school’s owner on Wednesday, as nearby banks and shops remained closed out of fear of further attacks, the police said.

“We are intensifying our efforts to set free the 15 children,” said Geofrey Ogbonna, the Abia State police spokesman. He provided no details on the talks with the kidnappers or the police efforts to track them down.

The bus was carrying students of Abayi International School, a private nursery and primary school, when it was hijacked Monday in the city of Aba. Despite the school’s name, all of the children are believed to be Nigerian and from wealthy families.

The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of $128,900.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday called the incident “utterly callous and cruel” and pledged government action to free the victims.

Scores of kidnappings have taken place in recent years in Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta, often carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom payments but also by militants demanding a fairer distribution of oil revenue.

Source:http://www.nytimes.com

Shock over mystery death of couple

By Evelyn Usman

Locating number 5 Folorunsho Street in Oworonsoki area of Lagos did not come easy as those asked for direction around Iyana-Oworo feigned ignorance of the area by simply shrugging their shoulders, while others who deigned to render assistance merely misdirected this reporter.
The area came in the news following what has been described as the mysterious death of a couple on Saturday. The couple, Mr and Mrs Stephen Abiola, were last seen on Friday, hale and hearty, wearing same attire as they walked towards their apartment, while exchanging greetings with fellow residents. But little did the residents suspect that would be the last time they would see the couple alive. Regrettably, as you read this story, the remains of the couple are lying at the Isolo General Hospital Mortuary. They were reportedly found stone dead in their apartment the next morning, with a foamy substance oozing from their mouths.

The circumstances surrounding their death are still shrouded in uncertainty as the Police are yet to unravel the cause. Investigations by the Police, according to the Lagos State Police Command spokesman, Mr Frank Mba , revealed that there was no sign of struggle or mark of violence on them to suggest whether they could have been attacked. Mba who described the incident as mysterious, also said that there was no left-over food or drink when the entire apartment was searched.

Investigation by Vanguard Metro revealed that 45-year-old Stephen got married to his 35-year wife four years ago, a union which unfortunately did not produce any child. Kemi, an Oyo State indigene was said to have left her husband for another man she had a baby for but returned back to her matrimonial home last year.

Kemi, an auxiliary nurse, as gathered, hawked medicine around the area, a trade described as lucrative as she enjoyed a lot of patronage. But for this trade, nobody would have known them because they were said to have moved into the area in January this year. Stephen, on the other hand, was a painter.

A neighbour who pleaded anonymity described the late Stephen as a perfect gentle man. According to him: “He loved his wife so much that he did almost everything for her. He would wash the plates, cook and even wash her clothes. There was never a time they would be going to church without them being dressed in same clothing material. You would never find them fighting or even quarreling over the issue of their childless state. So this came to us a deadly blow”.

There is, however, a twist in the whole incident as the couple were suspected to have mistakenly poisoned themselves as a can of insecticide was said to have been found just by their bed side. Baale of Idi-Araba, Oworonsoki , Mr Razaq Jankalawi Ayodele who described the incident as strange, told Vanguard Metro that: “ Two of my chiefs informed me of the incident and my Otun and I immediately followed them to the place to find out what happened. When we got there the landlord had gone to call the police . When I entered, I saw the gory scene and was shocked. The husband was in front while his wife was behind him. Even the soup they prepared had finished. I opened the pot myself and nothing suspicious was found .

“What is mysterious to all of us is the fact that none of the three phones found in the apartment had a SIM card. The SIM cards could not be found even after a search was conducted round the apartment. I think they killed themselves. But the reason for this we cannot say”.

On his part, the landlord of the house, Mr Lanre Adekoya who was sighted at the Oworonsoki Police Station, Monday, when he was invited for questioning, refused at first to speak. He only said the late couple moved into his house in January 10, 2010.

But his statement with the Police showed that he had on that fateful day gone to call the late Stephen for a meeting. According to the statement, the deceased had initially informed of his inability to attend the meeting between his landlord and other tenants, saying his wife would represent him.

But at about 8am, some customers who had come to buy drugs from Kemi were said to have banged on the door several times without response. The landlord, as gathered, told the customers to leave and come back later, apparently thinking the couple could have gone to a vigil the previous night.

But apprehension reportedly set in at about 9am when neither Stephen nor his wife was present at that meeting. Out of curiosity, the landlord was said to have gone to call them only to be greeted with silence from within. It was not until the door was forced open that they beheld the unexpected.

Effort to get the reaction of a man who claimed to be a relative of the late Kemi failed as he said he was too heart-broken to speak. As at the time Vanguard Metro was leaving, no relative of the late Stephen was said to have visited.
Source:http://odili.net

Jealous lover stabbed boyfriend till death in Nigeria

Ifunanya Marcus, 25, claimed she loved her live-in-lover, Princewill Chukwu. But the love she had for him did not deter her from killing him over a suspicion that the slain lover was having an affair with his sales girl.

Marcus, who had since been arrested by the police in Lagos State was in tears and full of regrets on Monday at the police headquarters, in Ikeja, asking the police to take her life and bring back Chukwu‘s.

Incidentally, Marcus, whose first name, Ifunanya, means love, did not know that the knife wound she inflicted on her lover had killed him until she was told by the police on Monday and she promptly fainted.

PUNCH METRO gathered that an argument ensued between the two lovers, who had been cohabiting for seven years, on Tuesday, May 25 and later degenerated into fisticuffs on the suspicion that Chukwu was dating his sales girl, Chikodi Ekemezie.

Marcus, who claimed that she had been enduring Chukwu‘s battering for the past seven years, said the beating she received from her slain lover on the night of May 25 was so intense that she rushed into the kitchen, took a knife and stabbed Chukwu in the ribs.

Police sources said that the knife went deep into Chukwu and ruptured his kidney and intestine. Efforts by doctors at the Badagry General Hospital and later at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, did not yield the expected result as Chukwu died two days later.

Lone witness to the incident Ekemezie, who worked as a sales girl for the deceased at Badagry Market, said that the suspect actually tried to stab her lover twice. ”She first slapped him twice and went into the kitchen to get a knife. I collected the knife the first time and threw it away, but she rushed into the kitchen again and as I was holding my brother not to beat her, she came back with another knife and stabbed him in the ribs,” she said.

Although Ekemezie denied having any relationship with the slain man, Marcus insisted that she saw Chukwu and the sales girl caressing and could not withstand it.

Marcus said, ”We met in 2003 and since then we had been living together like husband and wife. He used to beat me, but I will always go back to him after he begged. Look at my body; all these scar were from him. In fact I moved out of his apartment last year September and came back in March this year after he pleaded. I love him.

“That day he did not know that I was inside the room that Chikodi (Ekemezie) was staying in our house, and I saw him romancing her. I confronted him and he started beating me. I just used the knife to threaten him so that he would not beat me again. I did not realise that I have stabbed him; I just saw him fall down. I have disgraced my family who always wanted me to leave him. I will gladly give my life for him. God knows I love him with my life.”

Ekemezie, the sales girl, said, “He (Chukwu) is my oga. And I don‘t use to stay at home. I go to shop everyday. So, where am I going to get time for romance?”

But the Lagos State police command spokesman, Frank Mba, said the police would soon conclude their investigation, adding that, “and then we will leave the court to decide.”
Source:http://www.naijapals.com

Humanists welcome UN focus on witch hunts in Nigeria

The disgraceful problem of child witch hunts in Nigeria was addressed for the first time this week by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). In a May 26 meeting with a large delegation of senior government representatives from Nigeria, the CRC raised a number of child rights issues, including birth registration, children in conflict with the law, adolescent health, adoption, child trafficking, street children, child marriage as well as witchcraft allegations against children.

Leo Igwe, IHEU’s representative in West Africa, whose work in Nigeria includes campaigning against witch hunts, welcomed the UN’s focus on this issue. “It is too easy for government to ignore these problems when they are hidden from view,” said Igwe. “We hope that by shining the international spotlight on these issues the UN will prompt serious government action in support of the work we are doing at the grassroots.”

The meeting at the UN was held to review the combined third and fourth periodic report of Nigeria on how that country is implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Nigerian delegation was headed by Mrs Iyom Josephine Anenih, Minister for Women’s Affairs and Social Development, and also included representatives from the Ministries of Health, Education, Justice and Foreign Affairs, as well as delegates from NAPTIP, the Prison Service and the Police, and the Nigeria Children’s Parliament.
Source:http://www.humanistlife.org.uk

Group gives 90 reasons for Jonathan to quit in 2011

By Ayo Okulaja
 A Kaduna-based civil society organisation, the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, has enumerated 90 reasons why it thinks President Goodluck Jonathan must not run in the 2011 generals elections.

The group, in a statement signed by its president, Shehu Sanni, asked Mr Jonathan to respect and maintain the zoning system of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) because his political career has benefited from zoning.

Shehu Sani says zonning is critical to governance.

“Jonathan emerged as acting president and president as a product of zoning,” stated the group. The organisation also stated that key political offices in the country, such as the senate president, speaker of the House of Representative, secretary to the government of the Federation and vice president are not occupied “by merit but by zoning.”

It also noted that professional bodies in the nation, such as the Nigerian Bar Association, Trade Union Congress, Nigerian Medical Association, Academic Staff Union of Universities, amongst many others, “share positions” and “observe zoning.”

Zoning for fair play

When asked if one of reasons on the list, which states that a “Northerner will not accept a Southern Nigerian cancelling zoning” is not inciting, Mr Sanni declared: “The biggest incitement is the cancellation of the zoning arrangement. If a northern president cancels the zoning system, will the people of the south agree?,” adding that his clamour for the respect of zoning, which is a party affair, does not make him partisan.

“Zoning is a party arrangement, but the president the party is producing is going to be the president of Nigeria, and nota president of PDP,” he said, “Those speaking out against zoning today lost their voices when Obasanjo muzzled out Odili in favour of Umaru.”

On the constitutionality of the zoning system, the activist questioned why the new occupant of the office of the vice-president was zoned, and not picked at random or merit.

“The constitution did not approve of zoning the vice-presidency, but why are we zoning the vice presidency and agree to unconstitutionally zone the office?,” he said. “There is nothing like merit in our electoral politics, because corrupt people can also contest and win elections. All the ex-governors and even serving senators undergoing trial in the courts for corruption have contested and won elections.”

The group had warned that without zoning, only the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo can produce a president because of their numerical strength. Also included in the list to the president are series of warnings on why the zoning structure might sustain the unity of the country.

“Zoning came as a result of the quest for ‘power shift,’ zoning is the answer to sectional domination, zoning ends ethnic hegemony, zoning enables all sections to produce a president, zoning ends the tyranny of the majority,” stated the group.

The group urged Mr Jonathan to conduct “a free, fair and credible election and hand over power to a Nigerian of northern extraction whose tenure will end by 2015. And become an international statesman.”
Source:http://234next.com

Lagerback drops Ike Uche, Anichebe

Ike Uche fails to make the 23-man list

Super Eagles Coach Lars Laregerback today made public his 23-man list for the World Cup and surprisingly out are the duo of Ike Uche and Victor Anichebe Others out of the South Africa World Cup are Peter Utaka, Brown Ideye, Onyekachi Apam and the two domestic players Bassey Akpan and Terna Suswan
The final full squad:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv/ISR), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei Yehuda/ISR), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva/ISR)

Defenders: Taye Taiwo (Olympique Marseille/FRA), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes/FRA), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Joseph Yobo (Everton/ENG), Daniel Shittu (Bolton Wanderers/ENG), Ayodele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam/NED), Rabiu Afolabi (SV Salzburg/AUS)

Midfielders: Kalu Uche (Almeria/SPA), Dickson Etuhu (Fulham/ENG), Mikel Obi (Chelsea/ENG), Sani Kaita (Alaniya/RUS), Haruna Lukman (AS Monaco/FRA), Yusuf Ayila (Dynamo Kiev/UKR)

Strikers: Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton/ENG), Chinedu Obasi (TSG Hoffenheim/GER), Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka (Portsmouth/ENG), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg/GER), Obinna Nsofor (Malaga/SPA), Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia)
Source:http://234next.com

Nigerian airlines to get bail-out

Nigeria's central bank is extending a 500bn naira ($3.3bn; £2.3bn) bail-out to its troubled airlines.

The fund, first announced in March, was originally meant to stimulate credit to the power and manufacturing sectors.

The country's aviation industry, already hit by higher fuel costs, has grown rapidly in recent years and many airlines are heavily indebted.

In August 2009, the Central Bank of Nigeria also injected 400bn naira to rescue five banks.

'Avert crisis'
"These airlines can now partake from the fund and those that are indebted to banks can refinance their loans and amortise them over a period of ten to 15 years," the bank's spokesman Mohammed Abdullahi said.

"This we believe will help put off a feared financial crisis in the aviation industry."

Virgin Atlantic has said it is looking to sell its 49% stake in Nigerian Eagle Airlines, formerly Virgin Nigeria.

Nigerian Eagle Airlines suspended its loss-making long-haul routes to the UK and South Africa last year to focus on domestic operations.
Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk

Why FG restored Ribadu’s AIG rank –Minister

By Olusola Fabiyi

The Federal Government has expressed its willingness to review the cases of 139 police officers who were demoted from their ranks in 2008 alongside the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.


FG‘s readiness to take a second look at the circumstances that led to their demotions and in some cases, retirement, followed Monday‘s restoration of Ribadu‘s rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police and the conversion of his dismissal to retirement.


There had been insinuations that the FG was rehabilitating Ribadu because the President Goodluck Jonathan administration was considering to offer him another public office.


But speaking with newsmen in his office on Thursday, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Waziri, said the government reviewed Ribadu‘s demotion and dismissal based on a petition he wrote to the Police Service Commission and copied the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, and his ministry.


Waziri said the PSC, the IGP and the police affairs ministry were ready to look into the case of the 139 other officers who were demoted with the former EFCC chairman.


He explained that Ribadu‘s case was singled out with his rank restored on Monday because he was the only one that appealed to the PSC, asking the commission to restore his rank.


The PSC had restored Ribadu‘s AIG rank on Monday and consequently retired him after he contested his demotion to the rank of a deputy commissioner


The former EFCC chairman had refused to report at Benin, Edo State where he was transferred to as the DCP in charge of the zone.


Apart from Ribadu, others who were demoted from the rank of commissioners to deputy commissioners were Solomon Arase, Amodu Ali, Columbus Okaro, Olayinka Balogun, Adebayo Ajileye and the late Force Public Relations Officer and then Commissioner in charge of Kaduna State Police Command, Mr. Haz Iwendi.


Iwendi‘s rank was later restored following public outcry that greeted the government‘s action, which was taken on April 5, 2008.


The police affairs minister said that there was no way government would have considered the remaining officers while restoring Ribadu‘s rank because they did not formally complain through the official channels.


He said it was also wrong to assume that the PSC took the action alone, adding that the office of the IGP and his (Waziri‘s) ministry were consulted.


Waziri said, ”In the case of the restoration of Ribadu‘s rank, it was not a sole decision of the PSC; the office of the IGP and this ministry were consulted.


”Concerning the cases of 139 others, well, government will not force them to make their own submissions.


”He (Ribadu) was the only one that appealed against his demotion. And let me tell you that government will look into the cases of others if they choose to contest it.


”There is no way you will review the cases of those who did not complain. Let them complain and government will consider it. But I cannot tell you what the outcome will be because the merit of each case will determine its outcome.”


On the alleged collection of money by the police before releasing suspects on bail, the minister said it was wrong and appealed to Nigerians not to accede to the demand of such officers.


He also said that bail could be delayed based on the case involved, but called on the citizens to always help the police.


He also called on Nigerians not to believe in the Amnesty International‘s report which alleged torture and extra-judicial killings by the police.


Waziri revealed that paucity of fund was affecting the implementation of the 2010 budget as it affects his ministry‘s activities.

Source: http://www.punchng.com

Rumble in the Presidency

The nomination and final selection of the former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, as the Vice President is causing rumbles in the Presidency.

Saturday Punch learnt authoritatively on Friday that some top officials of the presidency who did not support the appointment of Sambo had started thinking about disengaging from service.

Our correspondent was told that among the officials is a top security chief whose name was among those who were mentioned in the media as being in the forefront to clinch the nation‘s number two post before President Goodluck Jonathan surprisingly settled for Sambo. It was gathered on Friday that the top security chief might have resigned his position as the fallout of the intrigues that followed the jostle for the position of vice president.

Alhaji Namadi Sambo

The security chief was said to have resigned because of the refusal of the President to appoint him into the number two office. He was said to have recently accepted to return to the Presidency in the belief that it would boost his chances of realising his ambition to run for the office of the President in the 2011 general election when it became obvious that the late President Umaru Yar‘Adua would not make a second term in office.

It was revealed that the retired military officer had hoped to be appointed as vice president, which would have put him on a better pedestal to vie for the Presidency later.

But with Sambo‘s appointment, the top security officer felt that he had been schemed out of the power calculus for the race. 

However, efforts made on Friday to get official reaction to the speculation that the security chief had resigned or had expressed his dissatisfaction with the turn of events in the Presidency were unsuccessful.

A source said that the security chief was also not happy with the appointment of a deputy for him recently; a development that was said not to have gone down well with him. 

But the source could not state if President Jonathan had taken a position on the disaffection among some presidency officials who felt disappointed with the emergence of Sambo as the vice president. 

Repeated telephone calls made to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, on Thursday and Friday, to react to a report that a top security chief in the Presidency was planning to resign, were not answered.

Source: http://www.punchng.com

UNILAG mourns officials electrocuted on duty

By Ayodele Ale

Sadness fell on the University of Lagos community on Friday last week as two of their members were lowered into the grave after their untimely death from electrocution while they were on official duty. “It is a trying moment for us. The two of them were senior staff. We buried one in his house at Ikotun and took the other to Ibadan for burial. It is the first time a tragedy of this magnitude would befall us. We are praying that such a thing does not happen again in the university,” lamented Mr Olusegun Odusanwo, the chairman of the school’s branch of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities. 

Although the entire university community was devastated by the tragic incident, the Works Department of the school appeared to have been touched most. On the notice board of the department were posters announcing the sudden death of two of their colleagues after four of them suffered electrocution.

Tragedy had hit the university on May 10, 2010, when four of the workers in the maintenance unit of the institution, identified as Samuel Shonuga, Gbenga Kayejo, Amao and Eke, were electrocuted while they were working on the electrical installations at the service area of the school, which is a stone’s throw from the Faculty of Arts building. 

“The four of them were carrying out the regular maintenance. They were not neophytes, because that was the work they had been doing for years. But whatever is bound to happen cannot be prevented, no matter how hard you try,” said an employee of the university who craved anonymity.

Strident cries from passers by had attracted other members of staff when the electrical installations the victims were working on suddenly exploded. The authorities of the university were immediately informed about the tragedy that had befallen the four employees. The four men were immediately rushed to the university’s health centre, where nurses and doctors on duty battled to save their lives. 

Because of the heavy injuries they suffered, Shonuga and Kayejo were transferred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital for further medical aid, while Eke and Amao remained at the health centre. Amao has since been discharged, while Eke was still on admission at the health centre when our correspondent called. 

Shonuga and Kayejo were not as lucky. In spite of the medical attention they received at LUTH, they still succumbed to the cold hands of death. 

Sorrow was said to have enveloped the university when the news of their deaths filtered into the campus. 

Shonuga, who was 55 years old before his untimely death, had served in the university for 31 years, while Kayejo, a former employee of the University of Ibadan who transferred his service to the University of Lagos about five years ago had just been promoted by the institution when the incident occurred. 

“He was in the maintenance unit of UI for a long time before he transferred his services to UNILAG,” one of his colleagues in the works department told Saturday Punch. 

Eke, one of the two survivors, had only one week left to retire from service when the incident occurred. “But for the accident, he would have left by now. He has spent more than 30 years and has not worked in any other department,” one of his colleagues said. 

Investigations conducted by Saturday Punch revealed that some officials of the maintenance unit had been injured in the past but none of the incidents had resulted in death. “It is the first time we are witnessing an accident of such tragic proportion,” an employee in the department said.

The burial of Shonuga and Kayejo were scheduled for the same day–May 21, 2010– and their colleagues in the university community had a difficult time choosing which one to attend. For obvious reasons, however, the turnout at Shonuga’s burial in Lagos was better than that of Kayejo which took place in Ibadan. 

The Chairman of SSANU in the university told Saturday Punch that the association was impressed by the response of the university authorities to the incident. He said although the association had supported the affected families morally and financially during the burial, they would still mountt pressurise on the authorities of the university to do something to alleviate the suffering their families could experience on account of their deaths, particularly in the area of the children’s education. 

When our correspondent approached him for comment, the Public Affairs Officer of the University, Mr Dare Seth, said the Registrar of the university was in the best position to speak on the issue. However, the registrar was not available when our correspondent called at his office. 

Source:http://www.punchng.com

U.S. Says Jonathan Can Contest

America has also given its nod to President Goodluck Jonathan to be on the ballot next year, provided the poll is free and transparent and fair.

United States Under-Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, Maria Otero, made the point to journalists in Aso Rock on Thursday after conferring with Jonathan in camera.

Also at the Villa was former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Barnabas Gemade, who described as “divine zone” the development which threw Jonathan up as President – and said he should go the whole hog.

The man himself is yet to declare his hand.

However, it is now probably as good as given that he will go for it, with opinion and pressure coalescing North and South, topped up by Washington.

Three days ago, former Health Minister, A.B.C. Nwosu, and former House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Masari, both members of the PDP Reform Forum, joined calls for Jonathan to run.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo began the drum beat on April 29, which has since been echoed by a coalition of PDP members in the U.S., as well as  by Jonathan’s National Assembly (NASS) Assistant, Cairo Ojougboh.

But former All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) acting National Chairman, Nya Asuquo, warned in Calabar on May 16 that Jonathan should not contest, because doing so would mean manipulation of his planned electoral reform in his favour.

Asuquo argued that even if Jonathan wins the ballot in a free and fair manner it would be difficult for most Nigerians to believe that it was not rigged.

He said Jonathan running for President would make him lose focus on electoral and power sector reforms, the development of the Niger Delta, and the full implementation of the amnesty programme.

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) National Chairman, Balarabe Musa, also insisted on May 25 that it would be a distraction for Jonathan to run.

“Jonathan should not waste his time seeking for the Presidency in 2011 because he has a lot to do during this one year.

“He will not be able to do anything if he confuses himself with the ambition of contesting 2011. He is still young and can wait for 2015,” Musa counselled.

Nonetheless, Otero maintained on Thursday that Jonathan has shown that he is working to ensure free and credible polls next year, and Washington is ready to assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Asked if Jonathan’s intention to run will adversely affect Nigeria’s democracy, she said: “When elections are fair and transparent and when everyone can see that every vote counts, the question of them being contested decreases a great deal.

“Democracy in Nigeria has been operating for a long time, and like every democracy, it keeps moving forward and improving itself.

“We see in (Jonathan) a strong commitment and strong degree of activities in being able to improve democracy and ensure that the next election is fair, transparent, and credible.”

Otero, who was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders, added that, “We believe there is a great deal of commitment in moving forward and taking the necessary steps for fair, credible and transparent elections.

“We know there is work to be done and the U.S. is here to provide technical assistance and assistance, and we see that the INEC is proceeding in the proper direction in making sure that the steps that need to be taken are properly taken.”

Gemade visited the Villa with a large delegation of Benue politicians, led by Governor Gabriel Suswam, to condole with Jonathan on the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua.

He said the PDP zoning arrangement in 1999 and 2007 was a matter of necessity that can now be made flexible.

“At any given time, man is flexible, and he does things based on the exigencies of time, and the necessity of time. And it is not only human beings that can zone, God can also zone, and I believe that we are beginning to see a lot of divine zoning,” he stressed.

“Therefore, nobody should clubber anyone down based on his own interests of pursuing his fundamental human rights. I believe that no one should stop an incumbent President, or an incumbent office holder, in any respect from exercising their fundamental human rights to contest an election.

“Nigerians are very understanding when it comes to issues of politics and, therefore, there is no reason why Jonathan cannot get support from all parts of Nigeria if he decides to contest.”

Gemade explained that the PDP had zoned the Presidency particularly to the South West to compensate for the Presidential election won on June 12, 1993 but annulled by former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, a Northerner.

It was for it to “be seen that Nigeria will pay its dues where people feel aggrieved,” he said.

Source: http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com

Declare your interest now

By Vincent Ukpong Kalu and Chioma Igbokwe

The issue in the politics of today is the guess on whether President Goodluck Jonathan should contest the 2011 presidential election or not.
He is already there in power by special circumstances, and the next level is for him to either jump into the arena and slug it out or back out as the North still argues that the PDP zoning favours them to continue from where the late President Umar Yar’Adua left off.

•President Goodluck Jonathan
Photo: Sun News Publishing

But time shall tell whether Jonathan should risk it or stay away. It is an issue Nigerians could not agree on. As some urge him to run in 2011, others say he should not. But on when to declare his intention, most who say he should run, argue that he should rather keep watchers guessing and not make his plans known now as to betray any intentions and cause the scale to tilt against him in the hands of political jobbers. They feel he should instead concentrate on governance and let the issue of his declaration take care of itself as time goes on.

Tom Ikimi, statesman
President Goodluck Jonathan is a member of the PDP and the choice of who should be their presidential candidate rests with that party. I have heard them talk about some North-South zoning arrangement, which has no place in the nation’s constitution.

The PDP is a party of unusual compromises and can produce anything and at anytime. I am not a member of the PDP and would, therefore, refrain from advising them on this or any issue. I am nevertheless aware of tremendous pressures from the Niger Delta as well as the South South geo-political region on Jonathan to claim a full tenure of the presidency for the region. The argument of neglect from the highest level of power over the years is compelling. I believe this development and pressure must be of interest to the president. However, it is my view that it is not time to declare that it is as if he is interested. What is urgent now is for him to lay a solid foundation for electoral reforms, power, national security, then tackle corruption, unemployment, Niger Delta unrest and perhaps deliver good roads.

Dr. Mike Okoro, (Vote for Jesus) politician
As a true Nigerian that wants the good of this nation, I will not advise Jonathan to contest at all. The unity of this nation is paramount. Nigeria has been on power rotation in PDP. After Obasanjo, the party zoned the presidency to the North. The tenure of the North has not expired, it is only proper that next year the zone should produce another president that will continue the tenure in line with the constitution of the ruling party.
Those of us who witnessed the civil war will never subscribe to anything that will bring trouble. Jonathan has done very well for the unity and peace of this nation. So, nobody should convince us that the zoning arrangement doesn’t matter. There is a lot of sentiment in this nation. Tribalism, individual differences and other divisive antics grow everyday. It is most proper to allow the North to complete its tenure. If I were Jonathan, I would rather subscribe to run with any person from the North as running mate.

Dr. Bisi Abiola
He should declare his intention. The earlier the better, so that the issue can be laid to rest once and for all. There should be less distraction so that the country can move forward. It is even good for him to make his intention public, rather than the several speculations making the rounds. Then, again one can say it is his prerogative to choose the appropriate time to speak to the nation about his plan for 2011. Whichever way the people should be informed.

Pastor Daniel Moses
He should declare now because he will win, but he will not complete his tenure, as he will end in December 2012. If Jonathan wants to run for presidency, he will win the 2011 election but before 2012 December, his good luck will turn into bad luck. The choice is his. I have told Obasanjo last week and more than the ordinary man can hear and understand. Mark my word, no man will sit on that seat of power for more than two years again until 2013. Get ready for revolution that will make the rich including Jonathan to swap position with the poor. Before 2013, my vision for this nation will manifest. I am the tender plant from the side of the North of Kogi State to steer Nigeria to her prophetic destiny. I am coming soon. Nigeria should get ready for me because I am coming with the sword of justice. I don’t prophesy without it coming to pass.

Prof. Pat Utomi
Why must he say what he wants to do now? Whenever he evaluates issues and thinks that he should come out and tell Nigerians, then he will. There is no big deal about it. We behave like a group of jobless people, we should be busy with the business of nation building not that Jonathan should come and declare for presidency. Whenever he is ready, then he tells those he wants to inform.

Dr. Austin Epunam, businessman
Well, he belongs to a party and God that made him president. If the party says yes, what can we do? We should also remember his divine powers in modern politics without struggles. However, Nigerians need and expect more of his good luck because we have suffered so much to deserve a good leader. He should not come out yet because of the nature of Nigeria. There could be unrest in the country.

Prof. Chibuzo Nwoke, NIAA
Yes, he should but I am sure he is not politically suicidal. So, I can appreciate his hedgy disposition now, until the time is right. And don’t forget the fact that he is in PDP.

Gloria Egbuji, CRIVFON
What stops him from thinking first? As you know, hasty decisions for such important decision may not be strategic enough. Let him take his time and survey the murky waters of Nigerian politics before doing as he has a right to do so.

ACB Agbazure, lawyer
All Nigerians contesting election have not declared their intentions. He should not be stampeded into that now. He may even say that he does not want to contest but may be urged by Nigerians to do so if he performs well. I urge Nigerians not to distract him, let him focus on major issues.

Barrister Ekeonu, right activist
Let him come openly and declare his position now since the constitution permits it. I think those calling him not to contest, don’t have any reasons for that. The constitution permits him to run, and there is no way the PDP zoning arrangement should be above Nigeria’s constitution. Those talking about zoning should know that the space should be wide.

Ernie Onwumere, advert practitioner
It is his personal decision. It’s not a Nigerian issue whether he wants to contest or not. It is not right to take drugs for another person’s malaria. He is not disturbed, and that does not disturb anybody from doing his or her normal duty. And it is not part of the electoral act that if you are running, you should let the public know about it now. They should stop disturbing him, after all when Yar’Adua came out nobody knew his intentions. He just emerged overnight because PDP said they have a lot of contenders. PDP met 24 hours and Yar’Adua’s posters started flooding everywhere. He should not be bothered. Ambition is of the mind, but if it becomes an electoral issue, the president should let the public know, the decision is entirely his.

Azu Obiekwe, lawyer
The president should not be stampeded into declaring his intention. It is too early for the president to delve into such a project. It is entirely his decision to choose whether to announce it or not. He should concentrate on directing the affairs of the nation. Nigerians should leave him alone and besides, we know that the man is strategic. He will expose himself to other contenders who will jeopardise his ambition. If PDP gives him a go-ahead, nobody should stampede him to contest.

Emeka Enyinnaya, banker
I am sure he is weighing his options and consulting too. He has to put his structures on ground, test them and be sure they are running before he declares. Early announcers are the easiest to shoot down, and then your opponents will perfect their arsenal. I desire him to run and win. So, let him keep them guessing.

Source: http://www.sunnewsonline.com

Minister backs traditional oath-taking for public officers

Controversy surrounding the place of traditional oath-taking in the country’s polity  deepened yesterday as Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Muhammed, backed the practice describing its adoption as ‘an urgent need to correct’ societal and moral decadence in Nigeria’s public service.
Muhammed stated this on the occasion of the Inter-Schools Debate/Competition organised by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) to mark the International Children’s Day, at the Banquet/Conference hall of the National Theatre Complex.
The  debate which held under the theme  “Should traditional oath-taking be encouraged among public office holders,” was also graced by the Senate Committee chairman on Tourism and Culture, Senator Bako Gassol.
 Describing the choice of theme of the debate as relevant as it explores the importance of Nigeria’s culture, Muhammed, who was represented on the occasion by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Seidu Ozigiz, added that the focus on traditional oath-taking draws attention to aspects of the country’s culture that in turn provide answers to factors militating against Nigeria’s economic development and growth.
“Our culture promotes values such as honesty, diligence and hardwork, however, it is lamentable that these values which are part of our traditional lifestyles are now replaced with the culture of impunity, laziness. We attach little or no importance to our promises irrespective of our beliefs. We do this to our peril and at a great cost to the progress of our people and country. Consequently, I agree that there is an urgent need to correct the situation,” said Muhammed.  The Minister therefore stressed that the solution to the impact of corruption and other vices affecting the country’s socio-economic and political life lies in the promotion of the positive aspects of the country’s culture.

“The solution to the impact of corruption and other vices affecting our socio-political life lies in the promotion of and recourse to the positive aspects of our culture. When we draw useful lessons from our cultural practices, we can be sure that our situation would change for the better,” the recently appointed minister said.

Muhammed also remarked that by CBAAC involving children in the debate over traditional oath-taking, the government was also engaging them in its resolve to finding solutions to some of the society’s nagging problems.

“By involving children to explore this theme, we are engaging them, provoking their thoughts and educating them about practices that are dying in our society. In a way, we are encouraging their participation in discussing issues of national importance,” Muhammed noted.

On his part, Director-General of CBAAC, Prof. Tunde Babawale, said the issue of traditional oath-taking for public officers had resurfaced in the country’s polity in the face emerging culture of impunity and recklessness that had set in against the backdrop of the seeming ‘delayed retribution’ of the present choices of oath-taking by public officers.

“Today, many people no longer respect and keep commitments and allegiances, not only in leadership positions, but also in all aspects of life. There is nothing wrong with these present methods; the problem is the lack of respect for oaths and accountability by many in leadership positions.

“The choice of objects of modern faiths for oath-taking by most people is driven by their delayed retribution compared with those taken with objects of traditional religions whose consequences are believed to be immediately,” said Babawale.

The CBAAC director who explained that the choice of theme for the Children’s Day celebrations is aimed at recalling the decisive roles that traditional oath-taking played in customary law arbitration and resolution, stressed that it was also intended to educate children and general public and by implication encourage the practice of looking into the country’s rich cultural values and heritage for solutions to contemporary challenges.

“Our focus on oath-taking for this year’s Children’s Day is aimed at celebrating the children and educating the general public to look inward into our rich cultural values to fashion solutions to contemporary challenges instead of the usual practice of looking across our shores,” said Babawale.

The Children’s Day celebrations by CBAAC drew over 20 secondary and primary schools in Lagos and its environs to an event that featured drama presentations, cultural dances, traditional fashion parades and the competitive debate.

Notable dignitaries who graced the occasion included chairperson,Dr (Mrs) Doyin Abiola, wife of the late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, and Nigeria’s Olympic silver medalist Mrs. Falilat Ogunkoya.

Source: http://www.champion.com.ng

Nigeria supplies 20% of Spain's crude oil, gas

Nigeria supplies 20 per cent of Spain's crude oil and gas needs, according to the Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Angel Losada.

"Of course, in Spain 20 per cent of gas consumption comes from Nigeria," Mr. Losada said in Abuja at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum. "We buy from you, from three to four billion Euro every year, mainly gas and oil; the problem is that we only sell 200 million Euro and then there is no balance in trade."

The envoy said Spain was Nigeria's second most important trade partner, noting that the maiden visit of Prime Minister Jose Zapatero to Nigeria in June 2009 had boosted bilateral relations.

He said Spain was implementing part of an agreement contained in a Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed by the late President Umaru Yar'Adua and the Spanish prime minister. The memorandum spans culture, politics and the economy, including renewable energy, oil and gas.

Source: http://234next.com

Police arrests Donald Duke

By Modey Peters

The political crisis in Cross Rivers State reached new highs Friday, when police, acting on the instructions from "above" disrupted the ceremony for the inauguration of the Women and Children Hospital built in Calabar by wife of former governor of the state, Donald Duke, Onari, taking him away for interrogation midway into the ceremony.

Mr Duke was driven away in his car, sandwiched between some senior police officers, to the state police headquarters at Diamond Hill where he was interrogated and afterwards released. He returned to the venue of the ceremony just when it was over to the palpable relief of his wife and admirers. He did not witness the cutting of the tape at the reception of the hospital.

A detachment of anti-riot policemen, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police [operations], arrived at the venue and went straight to the master of ceremony and demanded to know who were the organizers and upon being referred to Mrs. Duke, engaged her in a discussion which attracted the husband's attention.

The former governor was told in clear terms that they have orders from above to stop the ceremony and would want him to follow them to the state headquarters of the force to answer some questions. The drama between him and the police took place beside the Murtala Mohammed Highway, where the hospital is located.

There were two version of Duke's arrest. One version has it that the police were acting on a court order stopping the ceremony from taking place while the other said the law enforcement agents swooped on the venue because it was an unauthorized political meeting summoned by Mr Duke.

The hospital complex is the state secretariat of the defunct National Republican Convention [NRC] of the botched Third Republic . It is a government facility which the Dukes used official fiat, while in power, to convert to a private use.

Rehabilitation work on it commenced during the second term of Mr Duke. At that time, Mrs. Duke told the press that the hospital was being constructed under public-private-partnership [PPP]. But today, the ownership of this specialist hospital for women and children resides with Mrs Duke.

This is the second time in a week that the now estranged political allies are having a brush. Penultimate Saturday, state governor, Liyel Imoke stopped the Cross River University of Technology [CRUTECH] from conferring an honorary doctorate degree on his predecessor who founded the university on the excuse that since the institution has not commenced post graduate studies, it cannot award such certificate.

Ever since Mr Duke dumped the PDP for another party to enable him realize his presidential ambition, relations between him and Mr Imoke have been in the freezer.

Recently, the state leadership of the PDP went on air to deride Mr Duke's resignation from the party and warned party members to stay clear of the former governor. Despite this, Mr Duke, who brooked no opposition during his eight years reign, has been holding nocturnal meetings with some of his former aides with a view to making them his foot soldiers in the state ahead of next year's general elections.

Mr Imoke and members of his cabinet shunned the hospital inauguration ceremony. Mrs. Obioma Imoke too was away at Biase Local Government Area for the launch of her pneumonia programme.

Chief consultant of the Women and Children Hospital and former commissioner of Health under Duke, Joseph Ana described as political the attempt to disrupt the ceremony. He said that as a private hospital, the institution does not require the presence of government officials to have it inaugurated.

The former commissioner described the hospital as a referral center that would help to attend to paediatric cases in the country ant the entire West Africa sub region given its state of the art facilities in modern health technology.

Source: http://234next.com

Nigeria's Notes celebrated

By Ben Ezeamalu

The global premiere of Notes to Notes, an animated video that tells the story of Nigeria’s rich history using the naira notes, and illustrates the core values of the country’s naira notes, will hold today at the Genesis Deluxe Cinema, The Palms, Lekki, Lagos.

According to Aneto Okonkwo, an associate of the Nigeria leadership Initiative (NLI), an international non-profit organization and the organizers of the event, the country’s younger generation lack a good knowledge of the history of their nation.

Knowledge of the country

“During the last Future Leaders Class of the NLI (all new NLI Associates must go through a three-day Leadership Training before induction), we were taken through a course on Nigeria’s history,” said Mr Okonkwo.

“Very quickly, it became obvious that quite a few of us (especially the Nigerians in the Diaspora) had a few gaps in our knowledge of our nation’s history. We were concerned that this would be even worse for the younger generation. So we set out to create an animated video that was short and fun, that would remind the youth about Nigeria’s history and values.

“The video was deliberately kept short in view of the short attention span of some youth. Also, we wanted something that was easily distributed on the web and mobile phones.”

The project team was drawn from NLI Associates in the October 2009 Class (Associates are inducted twice a year - in May and October).

A lineup of celebrities including MI, Kate Henshaw-Nuttall, BOUQUI, TY Bello, Sasha, Omawumi, Rooftop MCs, Chioma Omeruah and Aisha Augie-Kuta, will narrate the Aphobos Studios’ Femi Omoluabi-produced video.

Reliving the past

Tunde Olanrewaju, Co-Chair of the NLI Management Board, relived the experiences of the Nigerian youth in the early sixties.

“We had gained independence and Nigerian youth exhibited an insatiable thirst for education and innovation in different spheres of life. During this time, strong values and a sense of community were the fabric of Nigerian society and Nigerians upheld values in their everyday activities. Today, this is just not the case.”

The Notes to Notes video will also be broadcast on TV and radio stations on Children’s Day, May 27, 2010, at 8pm on Silverbird TV and Inspiration FM. It will also be available for free download at www.nli-global.org.

The Notes to Note project is under NLI’s CLEVER initiative, which includes other projects like the Wordslam competition where youth can write the lyrics to a potential award-winning song and international poetry book. There’s also a Clever Club, which gives students an opportunity to take responsibility for transforming the country by developing a sense of civic responsibility.

Source: http://234next.com

Avoid Obasanjo, NLC tells Jonathan

By Ifedayo Adebayo

The Nigeria Labour Congress has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to stop consulting former President Olusegun Obasanjo on issues of national importance, claiming that Mr. Obasanjo has done more harm to the current democratic process than good.

Speaking with journalists at a session held yesterday at the Labour house in Abuja to celebrate Maurice Iwu's removal as the Independent National Electoral Commission chairman, the labour union's chairman, Abdulwahed Omar, also said that the group will mobilise to resist the appointment of any partisan personality as the new chairman of the electoral body.

Abdulwahed Omar, NLC President. Photo: SUNDAY ADEDEJI

"We will not dictate to Mr President whom to relate with or whom to consult on matters of national interest, we wish to also categorically state, like many concerned patriots, that we are very uncomfortable with Mr. President's seeming romance with former President Obasanjo," he said.

"If President Jonathan desires the trust and confidence of Nigerians, he must stop hobnobbing with Obasanjo for he represents the most formidable danger to the future of our democracy."

According to the union, "recent media reports which tend to suggest that Mr President is considering the appointment of personalities that are clearly partisan and known card carrying members of political parties or who had served or are still serving the PDP government is disturbing.

"We will not, and Nigerian people will never accept such characters to head our electoral body. We will mobilise to resist any such appointment."

The group also asked Mr. Jonathan to respect Nigerians view on the kind of personality to bring into the office, stating that though his removal of "Professor Maurice Iwu despite the obvious diabolical backing by former President Obasanjo is commendable, we want to make it clear that Iwu's removal is merely the beginning of the journey to credible elections."

It further called for the implementation of the Uwais panel recommendations to ensure that electoral process in the country is credible, while stating the position of an acting chairman in person of Solomon Soyebi should quickly be addressed to assure a good preparation ahead of 2011 elections.

Source: http://234next.com