5 POLY STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR ARMS

Five students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta were arrested by the Police for illegal possession of guns and engaging in cult activities.

The arrested students are Olawale Olaniyi, Adeyemi Azeez, Olufalo Bidemi, Osilaja Hammed and Bashorun Sodiq.

The accused were charged before a Magistrate Court in Ogun State on a three-count charge, ranging from conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and belonging to a secret cult by the Director of Public Prosecution.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and the case was adjourned till February 19, 2015.

The defendants are already on bail.

Source: http://campusportal.com.ng/mapoly/5-students-moshood-abiola-polytechnic-arrested-possession-guns/25721/#ixzz3Mwd551HX

Read More

FUTA GRADUATES 4,324 WITH 52 FIRST CLASS GRADUANTS

The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) held the combined 25th and 26th Convocation Ceremonies for the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 session graudands on Friday December 19th, 2014 at the New Auditorium of the University.

A total of 4,324 students received their first degree certificates with 52 of them bagging first class.

Speaking at the event, the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Dr. Mohammed Shata, implored the graduands to use their new status and the skill acquired to bring about the transformation of Nigeria’s technological, political, social, economic and educational systems.

In his convocation address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola appreciated the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of education by releasing funds under the NEEDS assessment initiative. He pledged a prudent and judicious utilization of the funds.

Prof. Daramola charged the graduating students to remain worthy ambassadors of FUTA and always remember to contribute their quotas to the development of the University.

About 1,761 were conferred with the Postgraduate Diploma, Masters and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees during the event.

High point of the occasion was the conferment of the institution’s honorary doctorate degrees on Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) and Alhaji Bashari Aminu, Chairman Board of Directors of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for their contributions to national development.

Obinna Michael Okpara of the Department of Biochemistry emerged the overall best student and gave the valedictory speech on behalf of other graduands.

Source: http://campusportal.com.ng/futa/52-first-class-futa-graduates-4324-students/25727/#ixzz3MwbBjYKX

Read More

Buhari’s First Speech After The Military Coup Of 31st December 1983

In pursuance of the primary objective of saving our great nation from total collapse, I, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari of the Nigerian army have, after due consultation amongst the services of the armed forces, been formally invested with the authority of the Head of the Federal Military Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is with humility and a deep sense of responsibility that I accept this challenge and call to national duty.

As you must have heard in the previous announcement, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1979) has been suspended, except those sections of it which are exempted in the constitution. The change became necessary in order to put an end to the serious economic predicament and the crisis of confidence now afflicting our nation. Consequently, the Nigerian armed forces have constituted themselves into a Federal Military Government comprising of a Supreme Military Council, a National Council of States, a Federal Executive Council at the centre and State Executive Councils to be presided over by military governors in each of the states of the federation. Members of these councils will be announced soon. The last Federal Military Government drew up a programme with the aim of handing over political power to the civilians in 1979. This programme as you all know, was implemented to the letter. The 1979 constitution was promulgated.

However, little did the military realise that the political leadership of the second republic will circumvent most of the checks and balances in the constitution and bring the present state of general insecurity. The premium on political power became so exceedingly high that political contestants regarded victory at elections as a matter of life and death struggle and were determined to capture or retain power by all means. It is true that there is a worldwide economic recession.

However, in the case of Nigeria, its impact was aggravated by mismanagement. We believe the appropriate government agencies have good advice but the leadership disregarded their advice. The situation could have been avoided if the legislators were alive to their constitutional responsibilities; Instead, the legislators were preoccupied with determining their salary scales, fringe benefit and unnecessary foreign travels, et al, which took no account of the state of the economy and the welfare of the people they represented.

As a result of our inability to cultivate financial discipline and prudent management of the economy, we have come to depend largely on internal and external borrowing to execute government projects with attendant domestic pressure and soaring external debts, thus aggravating the propensity of the outgoing civilian administration to mismanaged our financial resources. Nigeria was already condemned perpetually with the twin problem of heavy budget deficits and weak balance of payments position, with the prospect of building a virile and viable economy.
The last general election was anything but free and fair. The only political parties that could complain of election rigging are those parties that lacked the resources to rig. There is ample evidence that rigging and thuggery were relative to the resources available to the parties. This conclusively proved to us that the parties have not developed confidence in the presidential system of government on which the nation invested so much material and human resources. While corruption and indiscipline have been associated with our state of under-development, these two evils in our body politics have attained unprecedented height in the past few years. The corrupt, inept and insensitive leadership in the last four years has been the source of immorality and impropriety in our society.

Since what happens in any society is largely a reflection of the leadership of that society, we deplore corruption in all its facets. This government will not tolerate kick-backs, inflation of contracts and over-invoicing of imports etc. Nor will it condone forgery, fraud, embezzlement, misuse and abuse of office and illegal dealings in foreign exchange and smuggling. Arson has been used to cover up fraudulent acts in public institutions. I am referring to the fire incidents that gutted the P&T buildings in Lagos, the Anambra State Broadcasting Corporation, the Republic Building at Marina, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Capital Development Authority Accounts at Abuja and the NET Building. Most of these fire incidents occurred at a time when Nigerians were being apprehensive of the frequency of fraud scandals and the government incapacity to deal with them. Corruption has become so pervasive and intractable that a whole ministry has been created to stem it.

Fellow Nigerians, this indeed is the moment of truth. My colleagues and I – the Supreme Military Council, must be frank enough to acknowledge the fact that at the moment, an accurate picture of the financial position is yet to be determined. We have no doubt that the situation is bad enough. In spite of all this, every effort will be made to ensure that the difficult and degrading conditions under which we are living are eliminated. Let no one however be deceived that workers who have not received their salaries in the past eight or so months will receive such salaries within today or tomorrow or that hospitals which have been without drugs for months will be provided with enough immediately. We are determined that with the help of God we shall do our best to settle genuine payments to which government is committed, including backlog of workers’ salaries after scrutiny.

We are confident and we assure you that even in the face of the global recession, and the seemingly gloomy financial future, given prudent management of Nigeria’s existing financial resources and our determination to substantially reduce and eventually nail down rises in budgetary deficits and weak balance of payments position. The Federal Military Government will reappraise policies with a view to paying greater attention to the following areas: The economy will be given a new impetus and better sense of direction. Corrupt officials and their agents will be brought to book.

In view of the drought that affected most parts of the country, the federal government will, with the available resources, import food stuffs to supplement the shortfalls suffered in the last harvest. Our foreign policy will both be dynamic and realistic. Africa will of course continue to be the centre piece of our foreign policy. The morale and combat readiness of the armed forces will be given high priority. Officers and men with high personal and professional integrity will have nothing to fear.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria and all other holders of judiciary appointments within the federation can continue in their appointments and the judiciary shall continue to function under existing laws subject to such exceptions as may be decreed from time to time by the Federal Military Government. All holders of appointments in the civil service, the police and the National Security Organisation shall continue to exercise their functions in the normal way subject to changes that may be introduced by the Federal Military Government.
All those chairmen and members of statutory corporations, parastatals and other executive departments are hereby relieved of their appointments with immediate effect.

The Federal Military Government will maintain and strengthen existing diplomatic relations with other states and with international organisations and institutions such as the Organisation of African Unity, the United Nations and its organs, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, ECOWAS and the Commonwealth etc. The Federal Military Government will honour and respect all treaties and obligations entered into by the previous government and we hope that such nations and bodies will reciprocate this gesture by respecting our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Fellow Nigerians, finally, we have dutifully intervened to save this nation from imminent collapse. We therefore expect all Nigerians, including those who participated directly or indirectly in bringing the nation to this present predicament, to cooperate with us. This generation of Nigerians, and indeed future generations, have no country other than Nigeria. We shall remain here and salvage it together.May God bless us all. Good morning.

source: Thehearaldng.com 

Read More

THE ‘PANTLESS WAIST’ OF THE CALABAR GIRL 1

Calabar Carnival street (dry-run) party scene, 2014

Well, for those who may not have been privileged to witness the Calabar Carnival, here is a tip of the ice for you.

The Calabar Carnival is an annual event which lasts for 31days-1^st December to 31^st December. But the street party, which accounts for my concern for writing this piece, comes up on 27^th day of December. It is usually a ‘bomb’ of an event. For those that find themselves in Calabar on that day it is usually ‘’all roads lead to Carnival’’. Do you mind to stay back at home? Silence, boredom, loneliness will threaten you because your neighbours, kids and kins would have leaped through the short-cuts to the streets where ‘it is happening’.

Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons; uncles and aunties; lovers and haters roam the streets whenever Calabar Carnival street party comes calling.

Sleeves go up. Zips go down. Kids, girls especially, make request for new outfits which will showcase the ‘natural things’ that the carnival people want to see. They say it is for 18-plus but...“mummy I want to go to Carnival”, cries the teething teen. That is Calabar Carnival for you.

There are different bands that participate in the street party. There is the Master Blaster Band, Freedom Band, Bayside Band and Seagul Band. At the end of the day, which ever band that wins the contest, goes home with some gifts; courtesy of the Cross River State Government.

Calabar Carnival was introduced by Gov. Donald Duke in the year 2004, as a way to liven-up the tourism potentials of the state. Good and fine, that was an objective philosophy and plan a Governor could have for his people.

But very few people are conscious of the moral challenge the street party portends. Very few people are conscious of the wanton nudity, carnality and sexuality which the street party conspicuously displays each day it comes.

I witnessed ‘dry run’ segment of the street party last Sunday. For those who do not know, ‘dry run’ is a rehearsal for the street party. It starts from last Sunday of November and holds every Sunday till the D-day, 27^th December. Any morally-tuned Nigerian would shudder at the sight of what I saw. You may ask, ‘what took you there? Well, I was doing an investigation...

They said participation at the street party was exclusively for 18 years and above. But at the dry-run, I saw girls whose chin, scapular and ankle bones look so sixteen.

Girls were more in number, with skimpy tights and bumb shorts, showcasing the physical ornaments that rocked romantically as everyone beheld them with admiration and dearness.

So much as it has become, the Carnival street party is sending negative signals to Calabar youths. It simply defines social outing as an event which challenges girls to go topless, pant-less and the boys to go in highness. It features a rapid quest for something that lurks for lust and sexuality. It ravages the moral consciences of the youths and makes to me start thinking that Calabar is one place not to train up a child.

At the Carnival, girls are adlib to tread the streets pant-less, topless and sleeveless. Take a look at the picture attached to this article. One girl can be spotted in that picture. The girl who I know may court your attraction was the red-eye of the day. All eyes were on her. To her and other proponents of carnality, she was the ‘hottest’ babe on the street. She was shamelessly rocking her waste and letting everyone know she had no pants. Yes, she had no pants indeed. She was pant-less, pant-less Calabar girl. She only drew the lower seems of the elastic top to cover her waist. Pretence. Was the waist really covered?  Your guess is as good as mine.

When she was gone, I wondered if she had a mother. Where was the mother? Does she have a boy friend or fiancée or both? Where were they? Did they see her dress like this? Does she have friends? Where were her friends when she was matching out with this outfit?

She was among the camp of the Freedom Band. Well, well, well, I can see freedom indeed. Freedom to seduce. Freedom of dressing. Freedom to be nude and go pant-less on the streets of Calabar.

Think of it this way. Carnival is expected to showcase the moral and social vitalities of a nation, a people and a society. It moulds the conception of outsiders and visitors about a society. With the way things are done, Calabar Carnival is showcasing nudity and amorality. It is creating a conception that Calabar is a place where men can easily go and hook-up with ready-to-go hips and rock all day and all night. It is creating a conception that Calabar is guideless in terms of moral sanity. Is that what Calbar really is? That is actually the conception Carnival street party is creating about Calabar.

The Cross River State Government has task to quickly perform before it is too late. The government should quickly introduce a dress code for carnival street party. If the management of University of Calabar can enforce a dress code for undergraduates, I think Carnival participants should be dress-coded too. It is just a matter of policy. But I think before that should happen, it takes a leader who has identified the trending oddities in today’s Calabar Carnival street party.

EMMANUEL SHEBBS

Read More

CELEBRATING THE WRONG DAY

To a Nigerian, the first day of October is a day everyone joys for what they don’t know. Everyone gets happier, probably because it is a holiday and a day they stay out of the troubles of Nigeria’s work force.

From juvenile, a Nigerian was told to revere 1st October much more than their birthdays because if was on that day, Nigeria got freedom from British colonialism. It was a day Nigerian bureaucrats were granted the ease to hoist Nigerian flag on the four poles of Nigeria without snubs from high powers.

EMMANUEL SHEBBS

All over the nation, voices are screaming loud more like the stormy wind. There is celebration all over with strong connection to the event of independence. Can we pull out our minds a little from the noisy Nigeria and think about the essence of the event in reality? We will then realize the shady deals which clouded the independence of Nigeria which shall make us discount the celebration as being done at the worst of all wrong times.

Celebrating independence on the first day of October is quite unfair to the cause of events. It contradicts the essence, reason and meaning of independence itself from a more literal perspective.

The literality of independence means a time of freedom. It is a time when one’s values, likes and aspirations which were been constricted are unequivocally restored to them. In our context, independence is symptomatic of decolonization of a once-colonized state. This time, the colonialists hand-off and back-off from the affairs of the colony.

First October 1960 formalistic independence of Nigeria was a mere act of derision, mockery and travesty to the Nigerian Nationalists who sniffed so much dust into the nostrils of the colonialists the time before. No wonder Nigeria was hurled into the blistering heat of Civil War just 7 years after.

At the time Nigeria was freed by the colonialists, it lacked everything there was to have to be a sovereign state. The London office of the British government had the last say over whatever issue Nigeria council sat to decide. The sovereignty of Nigeria in the period of 1^st October 1960 was tied to the whims and caprices of the Queen at London whose mind was defeatist and incontrovertibly fiendish against Nigeria.

As at 1960, the Supreme Court was not yet established, thus every matter of legal consequence (the truth is that every matter was) was taken to London for final decision. The Parliament of Tafawa Belewa was a mockery to democracy. It lacked legislative will over its decisions. Their operations and wills were tactically stifled by the London office.

Can a county without its own court be independent? Can a country with a toothless legislature be said to be independent? So was Nigeria in a period far back as 1^st October 1960 which purpose we are celebrating today.

In 1^st October 1960, Nigeria lacked the true content of an independent state. It only possessed a framework of a state structure which was indigenously peopled and that was it all. It only had the fiat and behest over issues of domestic relevance. Other issues which could be economic, political etc were machinated by British far away London.

We are celebrating the wrong day. A day which history has only given a robe of identity which served no cause for its christened name. We can summarily say that the struggle for independence received a green beam of light in 1^st October 1960 then we could be right. This is because the British formally pulled-off from Nigeria government and politics on that day.

The day to celebrate real independence is 3^rd October. It was on that day in 1963 that Nigeria was actually billed for a sovereign state that it is today. It was the day when Nigeria assumed full potential to express her rights and territorial identity. The perceived independence of Nigeria was worth nothing until 3^rd October 1963.

It was also on that day that Nigeria owned the highest legal institution-the Supreme Court-which was not in existence prior to that time.

Obviously, the mad throng of celebration witnessed this day will scarcely let us think deep on the essence of the day. Celebrating Independence on the 1^st day of October is the worst of all patriotic wrongs. If we deeply ponder on these realities we shall undoubtedly be up with thoughts that we are celebrating the wrong day.

Read More

CHEERS AS UNICAL'S V.C’S DAUGHTER WEDS

The University of Calabar community once again witnessed a huge feel of entertainment last week as the Family of Prof. James Epoke gave out their one and only daughter to the family of William Obasuyi in marriage. The wedding processes commenced with a traditional wedding which involves the payment of dowry and presentation of wine to the bride’s family. The traditional wedding held at Igboimabana in Abi Local Government in Cross River State and witnessed the attendance of dignitaries and special guests within and outside the state like Chief Alex Egbonna Chief of Staff Cross River State, Prof.  Mrs Comfort Ekpo Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo among others.

The Chairman of the Traditional Marriage event, Justice Ignatius Agube (Judge of the Court of Appeal) identified the day as the beginning of a life’s journey. He wished the new couple the best experience and advised other youths to remain faithful to God for a life partner.

The White Wedding was organized by Great St. Charles Church, Calabar. The coordinating minister and the Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr. Malachy Ephraim identified that marriage is a ministry that must be sustained by roles of both partners. He said it is on the part of the man to identify the woman as a help partner and it is on the part of the woman to show respect to the man for them to live together.

Very Rev. Fr. Ephraim regretted that many families have failed because they have not realised the essence of marriage; they witness a crack and there is no one to guide the partners to the right path so they break up and go different ways. He noted that marriage break-ups is not the Will of God for His people neither is it biblical for Christians to abandon their spouses for whatever reason and that is why it is necessary for Christians to pray before they take up the responsibility of marriage life.

The Parish Priest blessed the couples and administered the presentation of rings by the couples. He urged them to keep on with the unity and love which they are displaying in the midst of the mass witnesses of men and women who were at the scene.

The White Wedding Ceremony had in attendance the Executive Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, Former Vice Chancellor of Unical Prof. Ivara Esu, out-gone Vice Chancellor of Unical Prof. Bassey Asuquo, the Groom’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Williams Obasuyi, the Vice Chancellor of Unical Prof. and Mrs. James Epoke, also the Bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Williams Obasuyi.

Other dignitaries came from Iguomo in Edo State which is the home of the Groom and Abi in Cross River State which is the home of the Bride as well as a full entourage from the University of Calabar Community.

Mrs. Edith Obasuyi (formerly Epoke) is the former Beauty Queen of English and Literary Studies Unical and the only daughter of the Vice Chancellor. She is married to Mr. Micheal Iyayi Obasuyi from Edo state. In a chat with Campuslife, Mrs. Obasuyi expressed appreciation to God for making the day a success. She said the success of the event was what she could not explain. “I have heard people do weddings but I never believed mine will happen one day. I thank God for the success. I thank the sponsor, Prof. Utsalo. I thank the members of the uncial community for being fully around and available and dutiful. I thank the dignitaries who took out their time to honour our invite.

The wedding was sponsored by Prof. James Utsalo who was the Vice Chancellor Administration, Unical. 

Read More

NIGERIAN STUDENT CONSTRUCTS FIRST SOLAR-POWERED AUTO MOBILE

At first, he was kinda discouraged but after a long time persistence, Segun Oyeyiola came up with the first solar-powered car in Nigeria and makes boast and fame and name.

A report revealed that the car itself has got a scarce detail. According to the report, “given the size of the solar panel and (what is assumed to be) the lack of access to modern li-ion or li-air batteries, I’d have to assume that the range and speed of the solar-electric VW are pretty limited. Certainly not enough to take on the ubiquitous Honda CG110 motorcycles that dominate Nigerian roads. Still, it’s something. “It will ease our movement from our house to the office,” Segun is quoted as saying, “to market, and to church.”

Source: cleantechnica

Read More

ABIA STUDENTS SMILE OUT FOR N50,000 BURSARY

An Abia State student will soon be smiling home with a huge sum of N50,000 (fifty thousand) Naira in his pocket; courtesy of the Ochedo Global legacies in the education sector which has left no one without a touch.

The Ochedo’s bursary grants to Abia State students have struck a different tune in Nigeria education system as the only state that paid up to such sum of money to its students. Research has revealed that this is the highest grant ever given to students just for bursary by a state government in Nigeria.

Earlier, the student leaders were asked to send in the names of their legitimate students to ensure transparency and piousness.

The list comprises of students from various universities, both federal and state.  

Read More

ABIA POLY GETS A PERMANENT SITE

Abia State Polytechnic is the feather that colours the flying wings of education in Abia State. For those who may have ignored the relevance of polytechnics in Nigeria, it will however be shocking to them that Abia Polytechnic is shredding the pride of most universities by introducing a new wave of school administration in ASPOLY which has over the years attracted the winks of likes and jealousy by passers-by who perhaps expected a lower feat.

The newly procured permanent site has attracted huge applauses from lovers of education across the globe, boosting our ego and pride of place. However, the Rector of the Institution and the brain behind the project had, in an interview revealed that the eaves drop from the top of the state administration, stating the these strides would not have been practically possible if not for the assistance of the state Governor in the person of Chief Dr. Theordore Ahamefula Orji (Ochendo Global) who was recently crowned with the superfluity of honour as the Chairman of South East Governors forum, a crown which no head would have been best fit for.

Chief Sir Onukogu has reiterated that the efforts of the state Governor has been a huge source of encouragement as God-sent Ochendo Global has been giving the necessary support for the success of the school.

The Permanent site is expected to house Mass Communication and other exclusive disciplines which are scantly found in Nigerian polytechnics.

Read More

UNICAL LECTURER SHOT BY UNKNOWN ASSASAIN

A University of Calabar lecturer, Dr. Godwin Iwatt has been knocked by unknown assassin who shot him in his office.

It was about 1:30 PM, on a normal school day, a gunshot was heard around the administrative unit of the Department of Micro Biology. The gun shot scared the students and staff around the area and all scampered for safety.

An eyewitness told our correspondent: “when we heard the gun shot. Students started running. Nobody knew what was happening and nobody knew where to run to. I started running too.

Another student confirmed to journalists: “I saw one boy with a short gun in his hand. He was pointing the gun up, down and centre, so everybody was running away from him, clearing way for him. But all of a sudden he disappeared. Nobody knew where he ran to whether in an office or in a car.

Not so long after the incident, the Unical surveillance team arrived the department with full squad of security personnel with live ammunition.

As at press time, it was not revealed if any arrests had been made in connection with the incident.

“The victim, Dr. Iwatt was immediately rushed to the Unical Medical Centre from where he was referred to Unical Teaching Hospital” said Mr. Eyo bassey, Unical Information Officer who confirmed the incident.

He said: “it is an unfortunate incident but we are happy that we did not lose our staff. He survived the attack.

Shortly after the incident, threats messages were sent out to another lecturer in the Department by name, Dr. Maurice Ekpenyong. Mr. Bassey disclosed the number as 0810284399 and reiterated that security measures are invoke to ensure that the culprit is brought to book. “The immediate cause of the incident has not been realised. Dr. Iwatt has been reckoned with positive legacies in the department.

However, Mr. Bassey reassured the students of security and advised them to go about their normal academic activities without fear.

Read More

PASTOR, MEMBERS EAT KEYBOARD AS PASTOR CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY

It was another wonderful Sunday, after a church service in Calabar, when a student-pastor and his members cut and ate a keyboard which was presented by the Pastor to the church as a birthday gift.

“There is no difference between this keyboard here and the keyboard you use in this church”, says Afia Ndah, the Chief Executive Officer of Chi Chi Spiece who is the designer of the cake that looks like a keyboard.

The keyboard-cake has an octave made up red and white keys. Miss Chi Chi a student of University of Calabar (Unical) said “the white keys signify the word of God while the black red keys signify the blood of Christ.

Rankin Ndipmong is a marketing student in University of Calabar and the Pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Overflowing Parish. Ndipmong, former Financial Secretary of the Students Union Government, on his birthday, did a huge hosting for all May-Born students in his church, inviting students to come and cheer out with him.

The day was the first Sunday of the month of May and also a thanksgiving service. Ndipmong, organized a special service for students born in may to his church and invited special guests like the Joint Campus Committee Chairman of National Association of Nigeria Student, Comr. Patrick Andem and former President of the National Association of Cross River State Students, Comr. Eyo Bassey, who are all May-born students.

Other personalities include former Director of Welfare, SUG Unical Comr. Imeh Iyakene

Pst. Ndipmong cut the cake along with all ‘May-Born Babes’ as they were called out to the Alter and also prayed for.

In his remark, Ndipmong noted that there is no better place to celebrate his birthday than in the presence of God’s people.

While reiterating on the essence of Thankgiving, Pst. Ndipmmong advised the members of the church to always give thanks to God for what He has done and get ready to receive more from Him.

One of the participants, Eyo Bassey thanked the Pastor for organizing such an event to mark the birthday of May-born students. He said: “in most cases, we fail to recognize and thank God for keeping us alive. We may not know how many May-born who may not have been able to make it up till this point but God has kept us alive”.

The church also organized a prayer session for the north crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency. 

They prayed that God should bring peace in the land and protect those who do his will according to His promise.

The participants went home with packages and take-away refreshments.

Read More

WHEN DOKUBO COUGHS

Asari Dokubo has been off the shades of media for some time now.

The other time he came out, he challenged the statement made by one of the top politicians in Nigeria and former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Although the statement was ethnocentric, former Head of State was making a case for free and fair election come 2015. In reaction, Dokubo swore fire and brimstone if Jonathan fails election in 2015.

Behold, last week, Asari Dokubo roared again! He made a speech which so loudly pointed to 2015 and his unbridled, riotous megalomania. He spoke to challenge Abubakah Shakau and his Boko Haram gang. He was speaking at an event organized by the Niger Delta Development Commission. This time, Dokubo dared Shakau and his men to come out to the centre stage come 2015 for a 

bloodbath.

As much as I know, Asari Dokubo is not a staff of the Nigerian Army. He is not a Soldier, formal or informal. I am still trying to understand his integrity in commanding terrorist group like Boko Haram to a battle front.

Each time Dokubo coughs, he coughs out threats. He breathes out threats of terror and violence. He dares whoever to come out for a show of might and valour.

Nigeria does not belong to Niger Delta, not even this time that a Niger Delta indigene is on the helm of affairs. No ethnic group should think that it has the power to decide who stays in Aso Rock. Nigeria belongs to all of us.

I am from an oil producing state and I don’t believe in identity politics. If the people of Nigeria say that Jonathan should step down in 2015, good, let him step down. If the people say he should continue, let him continue.

Anyone who heard or read Dokubo’s speeches last week will see unparalleled support for Jonathan and his bid to defend Jonathan, even if it will take him to hell. He was drumming support for Jonathan and he meant doing anything, whether good or bad to have Jonathan as President come 2015. That was wrong; Very wrong.

Dokubo is ethnocentric. He is not patriotic. Or better still, his loyalty is not in the Interest of Nigeria but in the interest of politics of identity.

If I were Jonathan, I will advice Dokubo to be on the offing till after 2015 election because his constant roaring and ostentatious talks may result to an unprecedented ethnic rivalry.

Nigeria is not a wrestle ring for terrorists and militants. It is not an arena for the display of savagery and lawless barbarity.

The fight against Boko Haram is a unanimous fight. It does not demand the use of one ethnic group against the other, or the use of one terrorist group against the other.

You cannot use terrorism to curb terrorism. Whether you call it Niger Delta militant group or Boko Haram, they are all terrorist groups.

After all, was it not Asari Dokubo and his men that ware moping sleep off out eyes a couple of years back. Was is it Dokubo and his gang that were raining hell in the Niger Delta, blowing up pipelines, kidnapping foreign investors and engineers years back, which led to a rapid decline in the daily count of crude oil per barrel. Oh, does Dokubo think we have forgotten? He will be thinking wrong if so.

In fact the only difference between Dokubo and Shakau is Amnesty. Were it not the Amnesty program of President Umaru Musa Ya’Adua, Dokubo and his men would have been in the creeks today.

If Dokubo feels he can challenge Boko Haram as a one-man-squad, fine. Let him join the Army, hang-on with the AK 47, Machine Gun or whichever weapon he is good at and go into Sambisa Forest.

Instead of coughing threats and tension into our ears and making us feel 2015 is a going to be a black year for Nigeria, let him stand up and do something. Let his enlist for recruitment and go to Cameroon, Chad or where ever and bring back our 234 missing pubescent girls. That is a priority to us as Nigerians and Africans and even the world.

EMMANUEL SHEBBS studied Political Science in University of Calabar.

Read More

CIVIL WAR, BOKO HARAM AND THE LAW OF KARMA

The day was 6^th July 1967. In the early hours of the day, as usual, a civil servant on the streets of Onitsha and Aba would have his flat file strapped under his arms to board the next train to his office.

A school master would be on his White Horse bicycle, cycling his way to the school to wait on late-coming students to whip with the cane, inculcate the culture of true citizenship, discipline and teach the future leaders.

A collage kid in the Western Nigeria would be up to school with his pen and brain to have a fair share of the unparalleled and exclusive scholarship which the Western leader, Obafemi Awolowo hugely lavished.

In the wake of a new Nigeria, on that fateful day, while all was well and wobbling with the fresh evergreen of the Nigerian grass and water, a 33 year old young man, Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon as was then known and called, lifted up his military staff, declared to be mobilized, a legion of army for warfare against a peaceful land peopled by unarmed and unsuspecting civilians in the Eastern Nigeria.

Lt. Col. Gowon, a man born from the blood lines of the Plateau raped the peace of Nigeria at a time when young Nigeria was sucking the breast of new democracy; at a time when the states were weak, people’s minds were young about state governance, government and politics. Like a little baby born and thrown into the red oil, so was Nigeria born and thrown into the heat of Nigerian Civil War by the northerners who claimed to be leaders and lovers of Nigeria.

Lives were lost up to millions. Children, women, men, young and old were squashed to the grave beyond by the outrageous masculinity of a man who is currently old and stricken in age.

To digress a little, the first and the last time I met with Yakubu Gowon was 1^st December 2012, during the Worlds Aids Day celebration organized by Coca Cola Company which I had a free ticket to attend and watch Nigeria Superstars play a football match at Lagos. When I saw him, I could not believe. He was such an old. Never looked like the Lt. Col. Gowon that could lift a barrel. Never looked like the man I read in my government text book who marshalled a host of military forces during the Nigeria civil war.

Today, Boko Haram is hitting the butts of Nigerians, sorry, Northern Nigerians. It is playing out every day. The stories go into the local and international air waves. Tremor, terror and tribulation trickle down every now and then.

Anyone who thinks of Boko Haram thinks of a group of masked Negroes with amours and weaponry tightly clamed on the thighs, arms and shoulders. Or better still, everyone thinks of a well dressed fellow wired with an IED (Impoverished Explosive Device) or what we know as a bomb, ready to detonate in the midst of a huge crowd.

But for some time now, no one has thought about the other side of the mayhem. What I call ‘the other side’ is what I will explain using a universally accepted, naturally applicable and involuntary operational law which is called The Law of Karma.

The Law Of Karma

In summary the Law of Karma has 12 points but I will pick the first point which is more important and of course the summery of the whole.

“As you sow, so shall you reap”.

This is also known as the Law of Cause and Effects. The law has it that whatever you put in the universe is what comes back to you, whether good or evil. If you bend down to sown, you stand up to reap.

I started by giving an illustration of the Nigerian Civil War. The dreadful incident took place under the administration of a northerner. The Nigerian army, hugely manned by the northerners were massively employing strategies to maliciously deal with the peace of the Easterners who were mainly Igbos. They killed and maimed innocent citizens who knew nothing about the state politics. There was unbridled looting and theft everywhere.

Colonel Shuwa (a northerner) took the lead of the war by lunching a first attack on the North side of Biafra with the 1^st Infantry Division.

Murtala Mohammed (also a northerner) was working hand-with-hand with Gen. Gowon. During the war, Mohammed formed the 2^nd Infantry Division that swept off the Biafran forces from the mid west. This Infantry was led mostly by northern solders. The 3^rd Infantry was led by Benjamin Adekunle, who is the only Yoruba in the ally.

The Northerners calculated and executed the Nigerian Civil war, killing and maiming innocent Easterners. They were the cause and existence of Civil war. They participated in it much more than the Yorubas. Lagos was definitely afar from the view. The Yorubas were into education, feeding well, doing their trade without many disturbances. The northern Nigeria was very peaceful. No mines, no bombs, no shelling. The East was a hell of war.

Early in 1967, a peace negotiating meeting of the Supreme Military Council of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Eastern Region Military Governor, Lt. Col. Ojukwu was called under the auspices of Gen. Ankrah of Ghana in Aburi, Ghana.

All efforts to intervene by eminent Nigerians and well - wishers to Nigeria like Gen. Ankrah,  late Emperor Hallie Selassie of Ethiopia and the late Dr Martin Luther King proved abortive.

In May 1967, an act came by a decree from the Federal Government dividing the country into 12 states without consultation with the regional heads. Some believed it was a tactic to dissuade the rumoured secession of the Eastern Nigeria.

Soon, the war started.

The northerners’-led Federal government was hell bent on engaging a series of brutish and violent death row in Eastern Nigeria. They were never wanting for peace.

Down in the East, there was famine, hunger, starvation. Women and children were dying at random. The Nigerian Army was deliberately mapping out strategies to unleash mayhem on the East to if possible, crush the people, the land and the cities therein.

Before the war, in Sept. 1966, the Northerners were already revealing their violent and riotous school of thought. Lt. Col. Gowon, in a broadcast that year said: “I receive complaints daily that up till now Easterners living in  the North are being killed and molested and their property looted.  It appears that it is going beyond reason and is now at a point of recklessness and irresponsibility.

Far in the North, Easterners were passing through hell while the Northerners down in the East were living in heaven. No molestation. No harassment. No abuse of human right.

Today, the reverse is the case.

The fact remains that if Boko Haram exists, South-South, South-East and South-West Nigerians do not know. The economy is booming. Trade, commerce, market and industry is effectively booming and the cash exchange matrix is beaming green everyday in the eastern Nigeria.

Our kids are in collage, going to school without been kidnapped. No curfews, red alarms. No bloodbath, no famines, no threats or terrors.

Recall that about 50 years ago when Northerners were unleashing terror in the East and Southern Nigeria, it was clearly channelled in the religious trajectory. Anyone who was a Christian was looked at as an opponent to the Muslims. That was the spirit, culture, orientation and character which the Northerners have made everyone from 19^th century till date to have.

Well, I detest such a belief. I have a lot of Muslim friends. In fact, my Editor is a Muslim. He is such nice and gentle that I was shocked when he told us he is a Muslim.

Boko Haram is not about Muslim, it is about the Northerners whose life style, character and spirit is imbued with violence.

The Law of Karma is playing out in Northern Nigeria. For about a decade, Boko Haram has been on the news killing men and women in cold blood. I haven’t ever witnessed it; only in news, Facebook, etc.

The tribulation and terror is gradually chipping down in few pieces on the northern children. It is a consequence of the primordial and pure savagery which their fathers unleashed on the innocent Eastern Nigerians; no thanks to Boko Haram.

Why we unanimously mourn with the northern brothers and sister, this is time for them to call upon Allah and ask for forgiveness. Not only that, it is time for them to tear-off the flesh of violence, learn to admit that people from other tribes, religions, states in Nigeria are their brothers and sisters.

This is time for northerners to admit that Nigeria is one indivisible country which is bounded by Law dating far back 1960; that any individual whether from North, South, East or West is empowered by the Nigerian constitution to be the President of this country.

It is a time of reconsolidation. It is time when northern children, should be taught that their fathers have erred by planting seed of discord and bitterness between them and other people in Nigeria.

This should be a time for northern mothers to teach their children that leadership of Nigeria is not cultured into any tribe. It is a time for them to teach their children to know the language of peace, understanding, and unity to support whoever that is in power and make Nigeria a place where everyone can leave together.

Emmanuel Shebbs

Read More

ABDUCTED GIRLS: 80 MOVED TO CAMEROON; RAPED IN HIDEOUT; 50 FERRIED TO CHAD, SOLD OUT FOR SEX WORK AT THE SUM OF $12 (N2,000) IN CAMEROON AND CHAD

Under the cover of darkness, Nigeria’s dreaded Islamic

terrorist group, Boko Haram have allegedly conveyed over 80 under-age girls earlier kidnapped at Government Girls Secondary School in the Chibouk area of the north-eastern state of Borno to Cameroon, while another 50 had been hidden in Chad. Painfully, all these under-age girls between 12 to 17 years were transported in long buses outside Nigeria to Cameroon and Chad when the hit of Nigeria’s soldiers were becoming too heavy for them to counter. This is the content of a report released by Nigerianewspaper.com

According to the report, the girls were transported under the thick cover of darkness in line with strict instruction by Abubakar Shekau, most wanted Boko Haram’s African terrorist by United States Government.

The report further disclosed that its special crime correspondent in Yaoundé (a division in Camerooon) got exclusive information from one of the aides to Narcisse Pierre, a local herbalist and ‘witch doctor’ who provides spiritual fortification to these blood-thirsty terrorist Sect in Cameroon that “When those innocent under age Nigerian girls were brought here around 1am under the cover of darkness, we all heard them (the girls) crying, saying they want to go back home to their parents. But they were threatened by many of the Boko Haram members who freely smoke Indian hemp.

When probed further, this aide said he would not want to mention his name to avoid backlash. He only told the correspondent to take off after squealing that he overheard his master and few of the Boko Haram members saying “50 of these school girls have been moved to Chad, since they were already forcefully married to the Sect members.”

Investigations by the online media disclosed that these girls were randomly assaulted sexually by the Boko Haram Sect against their will, allegedly without ‘condom’, since the Sect do not believe in ‘Western Policy of Education’ of any kind. And these girls cry daily, continually. We learnt that this latest move by Boko Haram is to escape attack by Nigeria’s patriotic security operatives.

However, there is anxiety now amongst comity members of African Union (AU) as this rising terrorist act by Boko Haram have attracted a huge debate. And a common phobia in the AU is how to ensure these girls’ freedom and be sure they have not yet contracted HIV/AIDS yet.

Investigations by Naija Standard revealed that each of the girls were sold out into sexual slavery for as little as $12 or N2, 000 in Cameroon and Chad.

More details: www.nigerianewspaper.com

Read More

LETS GO BACK TO LOVE LETTERS

Letter writing is an act of communication. In most establishments, letter writing exercise, especially, ‘Application Letters’ are used by most CEOs to do entrance Tests for their applicants for employment.

This is because letter writing pulls the in-gene of personal expression in you. It causes you to do some more in writing, thinking, articulation and composition; it also tows out your initiative a great deal. For those that are writers, one common thing is that if you go through your work 100 times, you will do 100 corrections.

Letter writing used to be the sole communication link between us, those days when we were in school, and our parents who were at home; talking about the Pre-GSM era.

Those days, a day hardly passed without we, pupils (later students), boys or girls, scripting out some sheets for those boys and girls in the class. We wrote and sent out so called ‘love letters’ under the tables, desks; through the window blinks, frames and side pockets. In more comic ways, the ‘love letters’ will be dropped for the anticipated recipient in a place they use often maybe, in their school bags, lockers, stocking’s folds etc. These were fun and fantastic. 

If we must be truthful to ourselves, ‘love letter’ writing was a taboo, but then, it contributed so much in building the literal skills of many young boys and girls of our time. Our teachers, in Sunday school, assembly halls, CRK (as it was called then) class would always feed our ears with their well brewed sentiments against ‘love letter’ writing. During the POP of the Batch C NYSC members, the scheme gathered that more than 90% of Nigerian graduates have very poor skills of letter writing. Do we really say it is just in letter writing? No. They have poor writing skills, not just in letter writing but in written expression.

Who has the blame? The Government says it is ASUU for churning out such half-baked products for service in the labour force; ASUU throws it back to the government claiming poor funding is the cause. Does funding affect knowledge? Well, your guess is as good as mine.

But one thing is that University education does not give room for word-to-word skill and tutorial in letter writing. When I was in college, there was no course like “Introduction to Letter Writing”; we had “Use of English” which rather scans over letter writing and never did an in dept study on it. But, I can remember vividly that ‘letter writing’ was contained in my ‘Use of English’ Text book, yet none of the three lecturers assigned for that course did talk about it. Perhaps they believed I should have known how to write letters.

That is by the way.

‘Love Letter’ writing is fast retreating. Its place has been hugely taken over by technological inventions, chief of which is SMS. Also, ‘Love letter’ writing has been swept off by social hubs and networks.

If you want to have a chat with your lover, you have very little to do. Just pull you laptop or Ipad close, key in your username and password. Are they online? If no, don’t worry. Pick up your phone do them a flash. Did they call back? If no, now, send a ‘Call Me SMS’; I think your service provider will help you do an SMS. You don’t need to worry about what grammar to use; they will send the message to your lover. 

Didn’t they call back? Ok. Don’t worry. Pick up your phone, scroll to the SMS Icon; click on it then write: “Swt hrt pls login on FB”. Did you get the message? It simply means: “Sweet Heart, Please login on Face Book. 

This is one of the many million SMS scripts that fly the GSM waves each day. It is grooved with lots of uncensored, ungrammatical tenses. Those good old days, a word or phrase of such like attracts swollen buttocks from the Head Master or Mistress as were then called. Nevertheless, you couldn’t do a letter without letting your close friend reread it for you, check for corrections etc. You wouldn’t want to be turned to a laughing stock after making such bold steps to write a ‘love letter’, so you would want to use most correct tenses, artistic hand writings to get your lover tripping.

Social life these days are a deviation from what ‘social’ means in terms. This era is replete with short ways of making friends, dating, chyking, chatting and socializing. These short cuts fall as fancies to our youths who care less about the moral lessons attached with social life.

In this era, youths and youngsters are imbued with the clue of a ‘world without stress’. A world which its flavours are sipped from the antennae sling of a rose flower; you may not necessary make some hard cuts before taking a sip.

What a life! This is exactly the consequence of technological social platforms known as social media. Imagine a boy or a girl born into this time and age. Poetries have been dapped away by soft peddling toys that sing poems. Some play the tunes without lyrics while others sing the whole. Does the child know what it is that the small red toy is playing? No. He nods his head at each tune. He cries when the toy is snatched away. ‘’Mummy, mummy” he calls. His books are far beneath the cushions.

Where are the chalks, plates, pencils? Where are the Macmillan’s sensible folk tale novels? Where are the play books and novels featuring our so much admired characters like Eze, Okon, Ada, Ali and Simbi. Haven’t they all been retreated? We recited their quotes, told their stories in our silent moments, drew their images on our palms and at the back of our 20 leaves Exercise books.

Imagine a child born into the fast streaming features of these technological confusions? What else could he learn other than the short hand, abridged, doctored and pseudo writing language like, “pls, lol, IJN, k, HBD, Tnks, hw, ” etc?

That is the problem we are passing through. NYSC may have made a wise observation yet it is not even the fault of ASUU as some claimed neither is it that of the government. It is the responsibility of a world of men with knowledge about child training and development. Suffice it to borrow one of Solomon’s wise droppings: ‘train up a child the way he should go so that when he is old, he may not depart from it”. That is the fact.

Let us go back to the days of ‘Love Letters’. To the days when the young child had value for what he writes, reads and says. It has so much good fixes in the moral life of the child than we ever thought. let us take our children back to use of papers and pencils rather than memory card, video games and cool snaps. It is about time. We have to show the love by giving our children the best they need rather than letting them chew what they see in the society.

EMMANUEL SHEBBS

Read More