₦airaland Forum

The Nigerian Queen 2016 officially kicks off with the "White Attitude Party" going down 2nite. This marks the beginning of activities lined up for this year's edition of The Nigerian Queen formerly known as "Queen of Trust". The Grand Finale is set to hold June 25, 2016 at Aztec Arcum and also promises to be exciting with spectacular performances from Mr.2kay, Gordons, Arinze Baba, Bukwild Da Ikwerrian, 3Nity with Ghanaian Actress Juliet Ibrahim playing host. The White Attitude Party is an opportunity for ticket holders to party with the contestants who arrived camp today. This event is strictly by I.V. To get an I.V, purchase any ticket at any Genesis and Spar outlets.

Time: 8pm
Venue: Blinkx Lounge, G.R.A, Portharcourt
Date: June 18, 2016
Dress Code: White

Source: http://247tops..com.ng/2016/06/the-nigerian-queen-2016-officially.html

The Prophet Muhammad was born at Mecca on Monday, 12th Rabi’al-Awwal in the year A.D 570. He was of the tribe of the Quraish of the line of Ibrahim through his son Isma’il. He was born posthumously: His father Abdullahi bin Abd-al Muttalib died while returning home from Syria with a Meccan caravan. He lost his mother Amina, daughter of Walib, when he was only six years old. As a result, this orphan boy had to be brought up for a short while by his grandfather, Abdal Muttalib, and then by his uncle, Abu Talib, after his grandfather’s death. Abu Talib trained him in tending his sheep and in his small business.

Our main knowledge of his life comes from the work of Ibn IShaq, who narrated Muhammad’s career under four periods namely:

(i) His first forty years as a thoughtful mediator at Mecca before he received revelations.

(ii) The first three years of his career as a Prophet, preaching within his own circle.

(iii) Ten years of public mission at Mecca and

(iv) The rest of his life spent at Medina

During his boyhood and youth, he was so very well known for his politeness, honesty and good character that he was given the title Al-Amin, the trustworthy. Two main events are worthy of note during the first period of his life: his journey to Syria at the age of twelve and his marriage at the age of twenty five. According to Ibn Ishaq, there was an old man of Lihb who was 122 years of age and was a seer. Whenever, he came to Mecca, the Quraish used to bring their boys before him, so that he could look at them and tell their fortunes. Abu Talib brought Muhammad along with some other boys to the seer who looked at him and struck by his appearance and cried ‘Bring me that boy”. When Abu Talib saw his eagerness, he hid him and the seer began to say, “woe to you, bring me that boy I saw just now, for by Allah he has a great fortune”. But Abu Talib went away.

At the age of twelve, Muhammad went with his uncle Abu Talib on a caravan journey to Syria. When the caravan reached Basra in Syria, Muhammad met a monk named Bahira who wanted to know all about him. Many caravans had often passed by him in the past and he never spoke to them or took any notice of them. He made a great feast for the members of the caravans. Bahira said that he saw a cloud overshadowing Muhammad. After some enquiry from Abu Talib, the Monk said to him, “Go back home, with your nephew and keep an eye on him, if the Jews see him and get to know about him what I know, they will certainly do him harm for a great future lies before this nephew of yours, so take him home quickly”. It is therefore clear that from an early age, Muhammad had been marked as a future great personality. His good manners coupled with his physical charms made him dear to all those people who came in contact with him.

At the age of twenty five, Muhammad got married to a widow named Khadija, whom he had been serving as a trader, travelling with her merchandise from Mecca to Syria. Muhammad’s honesty and skill made him a successful businessman. The success achieved by him in this business and his worthy character so impressed Khadija that she offered to marry him and he accepted. Although Khadija was fifteen years older than Muhammad, yet the two of them live together happily till death separated them. As long as Khadija lived, Muhammad never married any other woman. The couple was respected in Mecca because of their happily family life. As a result of his marriage to Khadija, Muhammad’s financial position thereby became more stable. As Muhammad became older, his wisdom was recognized by people and he was consulted in the matters of conflicts in some families.

The second period of his life began with the revelations which were start off his prophetic career. From an early age, Muhammad had developed the habit of spending some periods of meditation on Mount Hira near Mecca. It was during one of such periods, at about the age of forty (A.D 610) that he received his first revelation whereby he was selected by God to be the prophet of Islam. He heard a voice telling him to: “Read in the name of the Lord, who createth. Createth man from a clot of blood. Read, and thy Lord is the most bounteous, Who teacheth by the pen, teacheth man what he knew not”. (Surah 96, VV.1-5)

It was an angel, Gabriel that appeared unto Muhammad in this vision. It was a strange experience by Muhammad. He became confused and frightened, he returned home shivering with fear and related his experience to his wife, Khadija. He then learnt that the strange visitor he had in cave Hira was the Messenger of Allah, the creator of the World, the only One God who had no partner. Those revelations were to form the main principles of the new religion –Islam, which Muhammad was about to preach.

Before Muhammad began his preaching, the people of Arabia were great idolators, they worshipped Al-Uzza, al-Lat and al-Manat whom they considered to be the three daughters of Allah and idols they had placed in the Ka’bah. Their women used to dance naked and some of them who were poets used to compose poems concerning every part of their body. They used to bury their daughters alive because their men would not like to be addressed as father-in-law and because of poverty. Blood feuds were quite common amongst them. When a father died, he used to instruct his son to take revenge which was due from another tribe.

Such was Arabia before Muhammad began his preaching. Arab historians call it the period of Jahilliyya (i.e. period of darkness or ignorance) it was to such people that Muhammad brought his message of the Oneness of Allah. Muhammad lived an ordinary life among his fellow Arabs. He was not known as a Prophet, Preacher, Orator or a statement. None had hear Muhammad imparting gems of wisdom as he did thereafter, he was never seen discussing the principle of metaphysics, ethics, law, politics, economics and sociology. He was not even known as an ordinary soldier not to think of being a great general. He had uttered no word about God, Angels, the revealed Books, the early Prophets, the by gone nations, the day of judgement, the life after death, e.t.c. But when the divine revelation came to him and was commissioned with the mission of reforming humanity by God, he was a changed man. With the new message from Allah, he was imbused with qualities that were unique.

His transformations was so great that when he began to preach the Message from Allah, the whole of Arabia stood in awe and wonder and what was bewitched by his wonderful eloquence and oratory. It was so impressive and captivating that his worst enemies were afraid of hearing it lest it should penetrate deep into the recesses of their hearts or the very marrows of their bones and carry them off their feet and make them bid good-bye to their old religion and culture.

Now he appeared before his people as a reformer, a revolutionary, an illustrious politician, a great leader, a judge of the highest eminence and an incomparable general. This was really a miracle of Divine Calling. He succeeded in uniting the unruly, uncultured, warlike, ignorant and tribalistic people under one banner, one law, one religion, one culture and one civilization and one form of government.

The doctrine of faith that he preached has been summed up in the follow ward “I testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. This simple confession of faith is so important in Islam that its mere utterance enough to make one a Muslim. It is so important because it contained not less than seven article of faith which are as follows:

(1) belief in Oneness of Allah

(2) the existence of Angels

(3) the Divine origin of books from God especially the Qur’an

(4) Messengers (Prophets) from God

(5) the Hereafter

(6) the premeasurement of good and evil and

(7) the Resurrection after death.

The second part of his teaching comprises the five obligatory duties of Muslims, otherwise known as the “five pillars of Islam”. The first of those five duties is the confession of faith in the Oneness of Allah and in the divine Messengership of Muhammad. The Qur’an tells us that Allah created everything-animals, sun, moon, star, stone, tree, e.t.c for our benefit and therefore none of those things should be worshipped. God has no partner, no adviser, no helper, no son, no daughter. He is the Only One and not one in three.

The second pillar of Islam is prayer. Every Muslim is required to pray five times a day and in so doing he must face in the direction of the Ka’aba in Mecca. He must also perform the ritual washing of the face, hands, feet and the head, clean his mouth, nostrils and ear before praying. Prayer are better said together congregationally in the mosque. The third pillar of Islam is Almsgiving. A Muslim should give away 21/2% of his annual saving either in cash or in kind. The alms collected would be used to support the poor and the needy. Fasting during the month of Ramadan form the fourth major duty of every Muslim. Muslims are expected to abstain from all food, drink and sexual union from dawn to sunset throughout the month.

The fifth and last of those obligatory duties is the Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca which every Muslim should aspire to undertake once in his/her lifetime provided he or she is capable of doing so. These were the main items of teachings of Muhammad. At the beginning of his preaching, Muhammad made it clear to his hearers that he was no more than an ordinary human being like any of them; that he was merely a Messenger of Allah. He succeeded in gaining the support of some of his relatives and friends to start with. Those include Khadija, his wife and Ali. For the first three years of his career, Muhammad engaged in preaching for winning some adherents in his own family among his private friends and some among the humble classes in the town.

By the fourth year of his prophecy, Muhammad had entered the third phase of his career. He could now declare his message publicly. And for the next ten years, Muhammad taught the Meccans the religion of Islam which was going to be their “way of life”. Since God is Righteous, he declared, He demands righteousness of His people. Muhammad’s preaching as it began to gain ground in Mecca, aroused the jealousy and hatred of the Meccans, who considered his teachings as an attack on the Ka’abah temple and their ancestral religion. The Meccans had been making much money from the proceeds they derived from pilgrims who came to Mecca annually to participate in the annual fairs. Naturally they would not want this source of their revenue to be destroyed or cut off.

Beside the doctrine of equality of all men as preached by Muhammad contradicted the Quraish belief in their right to rule their countrymen from North to South of Arabia Peninsula. They also resented the restrictions made upon their heavy drinking, adultery, gambling and exhibitions of the naked women in the annual fairs, e.t.c. Above all there was an age-old rivalry between the House of the Banu Umyya and the Hashimites. This explains why Abu Sufiyan, a member of the house of the Banu Umyya became an enemy of Muhammad who was a Hashimite. It was Abu Sufiyan who led the attack on Muhammad and his preaching. Whenever the new Muslims went to pray their enemies would disperse them. The Quraish would drown the voice of Muhammad by singing coarse songs and by making a tremendous noise whenever he tried to preach. One of them, Abu Jahl, his distant uncle, threw a camel’s placenta at the back of Muhammad’s neck when once he was absorbed in his prayers. Muhammad said nothing, he simply asked his daughter to clean him.

The Quraish spat on his face, threw stone at him and committed all sorts of evil deeds against him. They even called him a mad man. Rather than frighten him into silence, all those acts of hostility merely emboldened Muhammad to start preaching his message openly. To the annoyance of his enemies, he continued to gain more and more followers. The Quraish intensified their persecution so much that about eleven families had to migrate to Abyssinia (Ethiopia, Africa). Those were followed in 615 A.D by eighty-three families. In spite of all this, Muhammad continued to preach the Message from Allah fearlessly until at last, in the face of persistent opposition, he had to migrate from Mecca to Medina in the year A.D. 622. This migration is known as the Hijrah. The year A.D 622 has since marked the first year of the Muslim era and it is abbreviated as A.H (Meaning ‘After Hijrah”) and from it Islam counts its date. The rest of Muhammad’s life was spent at Yathrib now called Medina i.e the city of the Messenger, the city per excellence.

At Medina, Muhammad built his model state where all were treated equal in the eyes of the law without any clannish distinctions. Meanwhile the struggle between Muslims and the Quraish continued on more violent scale. This struggle eventually led to the Battle of Badr (A.D. 624). Abu Sufiyan, who was at that time a great enemy of Muhammad but later became a Muslim himself, led the Quraish from Mecca while the Prophet himself led the Muslims from Medina. In the battle that ensued, Muhammad’s 300 Muslims triumphed over 1,000 Meccans. This decisive victory of an inferior force from the poorer city over the Men of Mecca gave Islam great Prestige in South West Arabia. Other battle followed during the succeeding years and at last in the year A.D 630, Muhammad and his men marched on Mecca. Mecca fell without or with little fighting and the Prophet entered the city victoriously. It is remarkable that the people of Mecca, through non-Muslims were treated with a special magnanimity. Muhammad gave liberal gifts but he demanded the destruction of all the idols in the Ka’abah. Thus Arabia was totally won.

In the last year of his life (A.D 632), Muhammad again entered Mecca, this time to offer his “Farewell Pilgrimage” during which he gave a noble sermon. In it, Muhammad talked on fifteen points regarding man’s duty towards his fellow men. He encourages peaceful co-existence among Muslims and preached the principle of equality of all men in Islam. He condemned bloodshed and usury whilst he urged the people to safeguard the right of women and the right of slave as well, e.t.c. Three month after his return to Medina from the farewell pilgrimage, the Prophet suddenly took ill and died on the 13th day of the month of Rabi’ Awwal in the year 10. A.H (i.e. Monday June 8th 632 A.D). Thus ended the life of the last (or the seal) of Prophets of Allah. One characteristics that distinguishes his life from the lives of many of us today is that it was an open one. Everybody had something to hide from others. A father would normally keep mute over certain question coming from his son whilst a mother keep her daughter in dark regarding certain matters which are considered to be the mysteries of life. Even friends, however intimate they might be, sometimes would not let each other into certain secret in their live. In short humanity in general is to an extent individualistic.

Questions about one’s privacy usually receive the “mind your business” answer. We also try to explain some of our actions by attributing them to “reasons best known to ourselves”. In contrast, as far as Muhammad was concerned, he hardly had anything to hide from his people. He had many companions (or Sahaba) who wrote down his sayings and deeds. His wives reported about his prayers, fasting and as they saw in his private life. He was always prepared to answer questions put to him by any enquirer. In this way, there came into existence a body of information regarding his everyday life, his sayings and deeds which came to be known as the ‘Tradition of the Prophet or Hadith”.

Baba Ali Mustapha is with the Department of Planning and Research, Ministry of Environment, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.


Reference:

For further knowledge look for the Book ‘Introduction to the Hadith by A. RAHMAN.I. Doi, published by Islamic Publication Bureau, 136a, Isolo road, Mushin, Lagos ,Nigeria.

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"Giving Back to the Society" , which is one of the aims and objectives of The Nigerian Queen Organization was set in motion by the reigning The Nigerian Queen, Queen Tender. "SMILE OF A CHILD" which happens to be the name of the project accomplished by Queen Tender, was a project that was set up to bring back smiling faces to our children. "SMILE OF A CHILD" has impacted the lives of many children as Her Majesty ensures that every school she visits gets quality educational materials to enhance educational productivity. On one of her "SMILE OF A CHILD" journey she was quoted saying:
"When i visited Prisibe community school, i was astonished at the kind of environment where these young ones are expected to learn. The classes were just demarcated with wooden screens and the direct heat from the sun was unbearable. But that not withstanding, these kids are so impressively intelligent. The welcome speech by the senior prefect was so touching. I had a brief seminar with them and was impressed by the intelligent questions they were asking. At the end of the day gifts, stationeries and few scholarships were given , though not much, but as the saying goes" little by little, tiny drops can make an ocean". See photos from "SMILE OF A CHILD" at Prisibe Community School.

Chai See sweat!!!, i can only imagine and for those of saying "Na Small Tin" Na small tin like this way dey make people abandon their crown and then cry foul. No shots intended this is just a blogger's view.

After the completion of her project, Queen Tender had this epic closing remark:

"As the handover day fast approaches, i look back and recount all the efforts and sacrifices that have been put in towards a successful reign and i count it all joy. The lives we have touched, the smiles and happiness we have shared and the impact we have made will hopefully go a long way in setting up a chain reaction of charity and philanthropy for posterity. I pass on the mantle with mixed feelings first of all, pride and joy knowing that i have set a good example but also a little sad that the time has come to say goodbye. After all said and done, i promise to continue to do my fair share in making the world a better place in my own little way especially in the lives of our precious little children. Every child is your child, every child is my child. #SmileOfAChild #RoadToTheNigerianQueen2016"

Source: http://247tops..com.ng/2016/06/tnq-2015-queen-tender-completes-smile.html

Most Westerner’s are ignorant of the debt their civilization owes to Islam, even for modern industrial transformation, scientific advance and philosophical enterprise.

Islam came into the world in the heart of one of the most backward civilizations. In a very short time it had raised those tribe to pre-eminence in every field.

It’s greatest miracle was it’s appearance as a full grown adult of the spirit in so degraded and poverty-stricken environment.

It’s second miracle was the raising of that environment by sheer force of inspiration, without any extraneous aids, to an unmatched destiny.

It’s third was to create a cultural focus from which strong waves radiated, stimulating renaissance in other people of every background throughout the world.

The change it’s brought compose history’s greatest revolution so far, a revolution in sense and sensibility, in thought and intellect, in relations of individuals and communities and indeed in every department of human life.

One of the great contribution of Muslims to civilization was it’s innovations in the field of Medical Science. Dr. Meyerhof write in the legacy of Islam: “Muslim doctors laughed at the crusaders’ medical attendants for their clumsy and elementary efforts. The Europeans had not the advantage of the books of Avicenna, Jaber, Hassan bin Haythan, Rhazes, however they finally had them translated into Latin. Those translations exist still, without the translators names. In the 16th century, the book of Averroes (Ibn Rushd) and Avicenna (Ibn Sina) were put out in a Latin translation in Italy and used as the basis of instruction in the Italian and French Universities.”

In the same work, he wrote that after Rhazes death, the work of Avicenna (A.D 980-1037) were taken up. His influence on thought and philosophy and general science was profound and his medical works (based on the works of Galen which he had found in the Samarqand library in an Arabic translation) had a sensational outreach. Other scientists followed Abu’l Qais of Andalusia; Ibn Zahr of Abdalusia; Abbas the Irani, Ali Ibn-Rezvan of Egypt; Ibn Butlan of Baghdad; Abu Mansur Muwaffaq of Herat; Ibn Waffed of Spain; Masooya of Baghdad; Ali Ibn-Esan of Baghdad, Ammar of Mosul, Ibn Rushd (Averroes) of Andulusia; whose works translated into Latin were used in European Universities. Europe knew nothing of the Cholera Bacterium when Islam entered Spain and the people there regarded the disease as a punishment sent from heaven to exact the penalty of sins; but Muslim Physicians had already proved that even the bubonic plaque was a contagious disease and nothing else.

Dr. Meyerhof wrote of Avicenna’s book ‘The Cannon’ that it is a Master Piece of Medical Science which proved its worth by being printed in a series of 16 editions in the closing years of the 15th century A.D, 15 Latin and one Arabic. In the 16th century more than a score of further editions were published, because of its value as a scientific work. Its use contributed throughout the 17th and 18th century so that it became the most widely known of all medical treatises. It is still consulted in Medical Schools.

Will Durant wrote that Mohammed Ibn Zachariah Razi (Rhaze) was one of Islam’s most progressive physician’s author of 200 treatises and books well worth of studying today; in particular his smallpox and Measles (published in Latin and other European languages in 40 editions between 1497 and 1806) and the Great Encyclopedia 20 volumes (mostly are available today); five volumes were devoted to optics; translated into Latin in A.D 1279, printed in five editions in 1542 alone; known as the most authoritative work on the eye and its ailments and treatments for centuries; one of the nine basic works on which Paris University composed its Medical course in 1394 A.D.

Surgery made similar progress in the hands of Islamic practioners, who even used anesthetic, though these are mistakenly assumed to be of a Modern origin. They employed a henbane base.

Among Rhaze’s innovation was the use of cold water to treat persistent fever, of dry-cupping for apoplexy, of mercury ointment and animal gut for wound sutures and many others.

Further Muslim contributions were the diagnosis of tuberculosis from the fingernails, the cure of Jaundice, the use of cold water to prevent hemorrhage rushing of stones in the bladder and kidney to facilitate their removal, and surgery for hernia. The greatest of Islamic surgeons was Abu’l Qasem of Andalusia, (11th century A.D), the inventor of very many surgical instruments and the author of books to describe them and their uses.

Gustave Le Bon write; “Besides the use of cold water to treat typhoid cases-a treatment later abandoned, (though Europe is taking this Muslim invention up again in Modern time after a lapse of centuries). Muslims invented the art of mixing chemical medicaments in pills and solutions, many of which are used to this day, though some of them are claimed as wholly new invention of our present century by chemists unaware of their distinguished history. Islam had dispensaries which filled prescriptions for patients gratis, and in parts of countries where no hospitals were reachable, physicians paid regular visits with all their tools of their trade.”

George Zeidan writes “Modern European Pharmacologists who have studied the history of their profession find that Muslim doctors launched many of the modern beneficial specific centuries ago, made a science of pharmacology and compound cures, and set up the first pharmacies on the modern model. Thus, Baghdad alone had 60 chemist shop dispensing prescriptions regularly. Evidence of these facts can be seen in names given in Europe to quite a number of medicines and herbs which betray their Arabic, Indian or Persian origin.” Among these; alcohol, alkali, alkaner, apricot, arsenic, may be quoted.”

George Zeidan continued: “Within two centuries of the death of the Prophet (S.A.W), Mecca, Medina and the other great Muslim cities all had hospitals, while the Abbasid governors and their ministers competed each for his own region to have the best institution for the care of the sick. Baghdad alone had four important hospitals. By three centuries after the Hijra, Dawled Deylamyu had founded the Adhudi Hospital with 24 specialist, each Master of his own particular field, a hospital which soon earned the reputation of excelling all hospitals throughout Islam, though in the course of time it too was surpassed. “The order and arrangement of Islamic hospitals was such that no distinctions of race, religion or occupation were recognized, but the cure was administered with meticulous care to any patient. Separate wards were allocated for patients for specific diseases. These were teaching hospitals where the students learned theory and observed practice. In addition there were travelling hospitals which carried doctors and their gear by camel or mule to every district. Sultan Mohmoud the Seljuk travelled with a hospital which required 40 camels for its transport.”

Dr. Gustave Le Bon writes, “ Muslim Hospitals went in for preventive medicine and preservation of health as much as if not more than for the care of the already diseased. They were well-aired and had plenty of running water. Muhammad Bin Zachariah Razi (Rhazes) was ordered to seek out the healthiest place in the Baghdad neighborhood for the construction of a new hospital. He visited every section of the town and its environs, and hung up a piece of meat which he left while looking into infection diseases in the neighborhood and studies climate condition, particularly the state of the water. He balanced all these various experimental test and finally found them all to indicate that the place where the portion of meat was the last to purify and develop infectious bacteria was the spot on which to build. These hospitals had large common wards and also private wards for individuals. Pupils were trained in diagnosis and brought observation and experience to the perfection of their studies. There were also special medical hospitals and pharmacies which dispensed prescription gratis.”

Marc Kapp writes: “Cairo had a huge hospital with playing fountains and flower-decked gardens and 40 large courtyards. Every unfortunate patient was kindly received, and after his cure sent home with five gold chains. While Cordova, besides it 600 mosques and 900 public hammas (bath houses) had 50 hospitals.”

Baba Ali Mustapha is of Ngrannam Ward near 7up depot, Bolori II, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

Reference: Much of my research is based on the work of Sayid Mujtaba Musawi Lari , which appears in MAJUBAH magazine published in Islamic Republic of Iran.

The official date has been unveiled for biggest night of beauty where 37 Nigerian beauties will walk in Glamour and Glitz "The Nigerian Queen 2016". With Juliet Ibrahim as the host, talented singers Mr.2kay, 3nity and Bukwild Da Ikwerrian, Comedians Gordons and K.O Baba, 001 Dance and many are set to ensure guest get an unforgetable experience at Artech Arcum come June 25th.


Venue: Aztech Arcum, stadium road, Portharcourt.

Time: 4.00pm

Date: June 25th, 2016

Tickets:

Students: N2000

Standard: N5000

VIP: N10000

Table for 10: N250,000

Tickets are available at All Genesis Fastfood in Portharcourt and Spar Portharcourt Mall. Hurry to avoid the rush.


#Ifyoulovebeautygirls_YoumustloveTNQ2016

#RoadtotheNigerianQueen2016

http://247tops..com.ng/2016/05/juliet-ibrahim-mr2kay-gordons-arinze.html

Tickets are now on sale for the biggest pageant "The Nigerian Queen 2016". Set to storm the garden city of Portharcourt next month at Aztec Arcum with Superstar Actress Juliet Ibrahim, Comedians Gordons, Count It All Joy Crooner Mr.2kay and many others.



Hurry and get your tickets at the Spar and all Genesis Fastfood outlets in Portharcourt for the following prices:



Students - 2k

Standard - 5k

VIP - 10k

Table for 10 - 250k


This event is powered by 001 Entertainment and 247tops as Media Partner.

http://247tops..com.ng/2016/05/where-are-students-hurry-and-get.html

shots

Fulltime: El Kanemi Warriors 2 (Mustapha (Pen 28), Hussaini (51): Kano Pillars 0

halftime: El Kanemi 1 - Kano Pillars 0

Unknown player scores from the penalty spot as El-Kanemi takes the lead in the 30th minute.

breaking: Kano Pillars leave the pitch after El-Kanemi warriors are awarded a penalty.

15mins on the clock, it's still El Kanemi 0 Kano 0

Pix

the game has just begun:
El Kanemi Warriors 0 vs Kano Pillars 0

pix coming soon cc semid4lyfe honeric01

teams are warming up..the game is billed for 4pm...

it's going down rite now in the city of Maiduguri as the Elkanemi Warriors battle it Kano Pillars.

Since 1997, the Zionist regime has earmarked or remarkable budget of billions shakels for running the Islamic identity of Bait-ul-Moqaddas. This money is to be spent on the construction of several huge buildings to be used for transferring of Zionist regime’s ministries and police stations to the east site of Bait-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem). Expansion of the Zionist regime’s bus line and public transportation stations in this city. Expansion of Zionist townships in the suburbs of Bait-ul-Moqaddas and demolishing Palestinian Muslim’s homes.

The Zionist regime’s effort for zionisting Bait-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem) is not a new phenomenon, the occupiers of Qod have been trying to abolish all the Islamic and even Christian monuments and landmarks of this ancient city, Holy city since 1967 when they took over Bait-ul-Moqaddas during the past four decades, thought, have been their various conspiracies for demolishing of Al-Aqsa Mosque. The mosques in Bait-Ul-Moqaddas, the holy mosque of Al-Aqsa in particular, have always been a pain in the neck of the occupying Zionists as they have served as undefeatable strongholds of Muslims who have never yielded to the expansionism and hooliganism of the occupiers.

The Zionists are well aware that the world does not recognize their sole hegemony over all of Bait-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem). It now seems the Zionist are making all side investment in this city in order to shift the levers of their political, social and cultural activities to a city which has, along the course of history, been the centre of Muslim resistance and uprising against occupiers.

Bait-ul-Moqaddas and the holy Qods have served as the toughest strongholds of the Palestinian Islamic movement during the past decades and God willing will always remain an invincible fortress.

Shame on regimes that obediently prostrate toward the fake Zionist Ka’aba who are using all their efforts to abolish the Islamic and Christian identity of Bait-ul-Moqaddas(Jerusalem) and attempting to zionise it.

These regimes are investing their own pride and identity only to please American and Zionist Masters.

All Islamic and every Muslim country should always be on full alert and react against the conspiracies of the Zionist and traitorous politicians in the Arab Middle East who pave the way for such Zionist move with their indifference and passive obedience from the wounded body of the Islamic world.

ZIONIST EXPASIONIST POLICY IN BAIT-UL-MOQADDAS
Since the annexation of East Bait-ul-Moqaddas in 1967, the Israeli government has adopted a policy of systematic and deliberate discrimination against the Palestinian population in Bait-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem) in all matters relating to land expropriation, planning and building.

An examination of municipal documents and statement made by city policy makers indicate that Bait-ul-Moqaddas’ urban development is based first and foremost on National Political considerations and only one central goal has dictated Municipal planning policy to create a demographic and geographic reality that will preempt any future effort to challenge Zionist sovereignty in East Bait-Ul-Moqaddas.

The Zionist authorities promote extensive building for Jewish neighborhoods at an enormous investment in the annexed areas. The Israeli authorities choke development and building for Palestinian population, who are perceived as “demographic threat” to Israeli control of the city.

JEWISH SETTLEMENT AFTER 1967
Arab Palestinians before 1917 when Palestine was under the colonization of Great Britain, possessed more than 90 percent of lands in Bait-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem) while the Jewish land ownership didn’t surpass the lowest of Margins.

According to Paragraph B of Article Five of a Cease-Fire agreement signed between Jordan and the Zionist regime in March 3, 1949, the border points were determined exactly as stipulated by the two sides on November 20, 1948. Following this demarcation, Qods divided into two parts:

1.East Arabic Qods which had an area of 2,220 hectares.

2. West Qods occupied by Israel, with an area about 16,261. Another enclave area of 850 hectare was stipulated between the two sections supervised by the United Nations.

After the Arab-Israeli war in 1967, the Zionist regime occupied Bait-ul-Moqaddas and the surrounding area as this city expanded to 108,000 hectare. Then with further expansion and with the annexation of regions from the West Bank, the land area of this city reached 123,000 hectares in 1994.

The Zionist regime, after the occupation of the West Bank, in 1965 initiated the building of Jewish settlement programs in Qods and immediately began to demolish the Andolodo Gate. The land expropriation policy in East Bait-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem) has over the years been pursued exclusively for the benefit of Jewish population. Meanwhile, the housing shortage and the basic urban needs of the city’s Palestinian populations have been ignored. The expropriations have significantly reduced the amount of land held by Palestinians in the city has increased. On the expropriated lands in East Bait-ul-Moqaddas more than 50,000 housing units have been built for the Jews, but not one housing unit was for the Muslims Palestinians.

On June 29, 1967, the Zionist regime dissolved the Municipality council of Bait-ul-Moqaddas and expelled the head of the council along with all the members and the courts of this city were compelled to join the courts of Israel.

All Arab countries protested the Israeli measures and brought the issue to the United Nations. Following this position taken by the Arabs, on July 4, 1967, Resolution 2253 was issued by the U.N. In this resolution the Israeli regime was prohibited from exerting expansionist policy which may alter the setup of Qods. As the Zionist regime did not pay any attention to this resolution, again ten days later, Resolution 2254 called for observing the some measures by Israel, but to no avail.

On September 13, 1967 Arab community suggested to the UN to issue Resolution 2355 on Qods identity not to be converted. But the Zionist regime pressed ahead with it’s expansionist policy and razed the properties of four Palestinian districts with more 595 residential apartments, 437 trade centers, three mosques, two schools as well as 720 housing units belonging to native Palestinians.

The regime occupying Qods following it’s expansionist policies, resumed building Jewish settlement beyond the old walls of the city and from 1968 the area of Jarah, Al Samar, Al-Just valley and by constructing Jewish townships encircled Qods.

Despite several United Nations resolution, UNESCO denunciation, human right, group objection, Arab World’s strong protest and International Organisations condemnation, the regime occupying Qods still pushed forward with it’s expansionist policy. On July 30, 1980 knest ratified an article declaring Qods as indisputable capital of Israel. On July 8, 1981, the Menachem Begin government annexed Qods and subsequently the offices of some ministries were transferred to this city.

EXPULSION AND CONFISCATION
The Zionist regime from the outset of the occupation of Qods, has made endless efforts to convert the setup of this city which is regarded as the third holy site of Islam. Some of the Zionist expansionist policies include:

1. Annihilation of Muslim Palestinian housing units.

2. Political embargo of Qods

3. Reducing the area for building residential areas for Palestinian in East-Bait-ul-Moqaddas

4. Imposing excessive taxes which is no proportion with the service presented

5. Not to grant permission for buildings of more than two stories for Palestinians

6. Granting permission to Jews to have properties in East Bait-ul-Moqaddas, while the Palestinians are totally forbidden from this advantage in West Qods.

7. Confiscation of Palestinian lands through different means including:
(a) Occupation and confiscation of land under the pretext of using them for public welfare which the Zionist regime, by employing this deception has expropriated 35 percent of Bait-ul-Moqaddas area. (b) Indirect Confiscation: The Zionist regime uses initial maps provided for the development of cities and villages for future expropriation of Palestinian land applies systematic methods for achieving it’s vicious objectives. According to these maps, Palestinians have no right to build housing unit in area specified in green color.

From January 1967 up to February 1995, the Israeli regime has built 65,540 housing units for Zionists of which some 38,500 dwellings have been situated in East Bait-ul-Moqaddas. At the sametime, despite the fact that the Palestinian population has doubled, during this period only 8,000 housing construction permissions were granted for Palestinians.

Israeli authorities create restrictions for Palestinians population residing in Bait-ul-Moqaddas which include:

(1) Banning Palestinian from constructing housing units in Jewish settlement areas.

(2) Reducing infrastructure facilities for Palestinian residential area. To cite an example, the housing units in East Bait-ul-Moqaddas are deprived of drinking water, electricity and roads.

(3) Destructing housings built without permission.

Another example is the so-called 200B Plan which was presented in 1983 by the Palestinians for the construction of 18,000 housing units in East Bait-ul-Moqaddas.

This plan which was the only plan introduced by the Arabs faced the opposition of Israeli Ministry of Urban Housing and was reduced to 7,500 housing unit. Now, after many years of up and downs in Zionist bureauctic commissions, the Mayor of Bait-ul-Moqaddas say the area has been situated in the regions marked green, by applying this policy, the Zionist regime could capture up to 40 percent of Bait-ul-Moqaddas area.

By resorting to different ploys such as construction of roads and streets another 6 percent of Qod’s lands have been taken by the Zionists. In 1997, 79 percent of Qods is under the occupation of Zionist and the remaining 21 percent belongs to the Palestinians.

If the Palestinians do not move ahead to build up houses, wall, stadium or anything else, those lands will face the same destiny as the rest as Zionists have covetous eye on their land.

In 1997, about 115,000 Palestinians are living in 10 percent of housing unit in Bait-ul-Moqaddas(Jerusalem), while 166 Israelis reside in 79 percent of the city’s residential quarters.

Baba Ali Mustapha is with the Department of Planning and Research, Ministry of Environment, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

Popular Ghanaian and Multiple Award Winning Actress took to instagram page(https://www.instagram.com/p/BFOBQrtBTVY/ ) to confirm she would be hosting the "The Nigerian Queen" 2016 pageant scheduled to take place in Portharcourt on June 25,2016 at Aztec Arcum.
Just in case you missed, 9ja's finest Comedian Gordons is also going to be there, why not hurry and avoid the rush as Tickets are now on sale. More details on tickets outlets coming soon.

Source: http://247tops..com.ng/2016/05/actress-juliet-ibrahim-clears-doubt.html

Star Boy WorldWide Records is about to take over the music world. The label owned by Nigerian artiste Wizkid has signed three Ghanaian artistes: Efya, R2Bees and Mr. Eazi to his stable. He made the announcement during his performance at the 2016 Ghana Music Awards. It is another career feat for the act who was featured on Drake’s ‘One Dance’ off his current album VIEWS.
They also worked on a remix of the former’s street anthem ‘Ojuelegba’. He has also worked with Chris Brown and Wale. R2Bees and Efya have collaborated with Wizkid on a number of records. For the Ghanaian artistes, it is a big step towards their desire to work with American artistes and hopefully invade the American music market. See his tweets below:

247tops..nl/2016/05/wizkid-signs-efya-r2bees-mr-eazi-to.html?m=1

During the last months, the crime committed by Zionist against the innocent people of the Western Bank of the Jordan River and Gaza strip have been dealt with a deadly silence from the International Islamic and Arabic Societies. Those institutions, instead of taking proper action, have preferred to remain silent giving the Zionist free reign in their aggressions on Muslim Palestinians.

International and Human Right Organisation who raised a tumult for the death of a Zionist, now observe Zionist attack against Palestinians and take no measure to halt these aggressions.

When a bomb exploded recently in European Countries (France and Belgium), International Organizations immediately condemned the action and label it “International Terrorism” but they are silent when it comes to the attack on the innocent people of Palestine.

The Zionist crimes are always justified by the U.S and the West and their brutal attack are never condemned. It is interesting that the attack by the Muslim people of Palestine on the Zionist, automobile which led to one death and several injuries was confronted with outrage, and condemnation by the West but the Zionist attack on an Arab-Populated region which also led to many death and several injuries did not provoke any humanitarian sentiments from those government. Zionist attacks against the Palestinian Muslim have, so far, not been properly responded to by Arabs and Muslims. Any expectation of International Organisations to take suitable measures is vain for they are the puppet of the U.S and the West.

Britain, U.S, France and Germany are allies of the Zionist regime and they have fortified this regime in it’s opposition to Muslims, hence, they will always support it.

Recently anti-Zionist demonstrations in occupied Palestine reached their peak and schools were closed. Zionist brutally fought against the Palestinians, and the Arabs remained silent, not a critical word was said about the Zionist.

The Muslim people of Palestine who since 1948 have struggled against the Zionist will continue their ways and pay no heed to the positive or negative reaction of the Arabs and the International Organisations. They continued their struggle against the Zionists and so far have been quite successful in their cause. The reaction of Zionist leaders concerning the uprising of the Palestinian Muslims, represent the effectiveness of Palestinians struggle against the Zionist. The recent threat of Israel of brutal suppression of the innocent people of Palestine’s indicated the weakness of the Zionist.

Regrettably, the barbarous attacks of the Zionist again the Palestinians combatant in the occupied land were confronted with the silence of the Arabs and Muslims. It seen that Arabs are faced with more important problems today, like negotiating with the Zionist leaders holding the international conference on the Middle East crisis, seeking help from US and Russia intervene in Libya, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, purchasing arms from the US and Russia and West to be military prepared against possible threat. These are the problems which the Arabs are faced with. The main Issue for the reactionary rulers of Arab countries is not to fight against their common enemy; the Zionist, rather it is to struggle against the Islamic Republic of Iran because in the view of Islamic revolution is the major threat against them, not Israel.

Therefore, as long as this idea exist among the Arab leaders they will not be able to stand against the Zionist.

This question will be answered when the compromising leaders are overthrown, the Muslims, Arab and non Arabs people become united under the banner Islam and nationalistic sentiments rise up against the Zionist in other to destroy this regime. Otherwise this situation will continue and the Zionist will continue their crimes.

Baba Ali Mustapha is with the department of planning and Research, Ministry of Environment, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Source: http://247tops..com.ng/2016/04/deadly-silence-regarding-zionist-crimes.html

Koffi is set to drop yet another album after the success of his last album, 'Metamorpho', which scored hit songs like 'Jabele', 'Pen Ati Paper', and 'Jam 4 Me', among others.The soon-to-be-released album, '#IJiNLE: The 12th Command­ment', is set to be his 12th album in as many years and is billed for release on June 12. The first single, 'ILU Le!' and its video have already been released to whet the appetite of fans.

According to him, the album is more or less a retro album, featuring music done back in the day by Legend, Victor Olaiya;"This album is a reprise from an old highlife song done by the great Victor Olaiya, I am brining in some freshness into it while using the song to paint a perfect picture of the hard­ship and tough times people are facing right now across the nation," the veteran comedian began.“#IJiNLE is a thorough expression of my ability to deliver melodious songs in my native Yoruba language with a modern twinge and powerful lyrics. A 12 tracker with classic ballads like Eniyan Lasan, Nothing Dey Dere, Ruwe, Ariya, Mohuru, Me And You and Talent, this album is a compilation of some of my greatest works,” he said.

http://247tops..com.ng/2016/04/popular-nigerian-comedy-set-to-drop.html

As part fo the ongoing 40th Anniversary/Combined Convocation celebrations currently happening in University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, the First Lady Aisha Buhari earlier today commissioned a 572 Capacity University of Maiduguri female hostel named after her. It might interest you to know that the Allafin of Oyo, CBN Governor, Emir of Kano, Sanusi and many dignitaries are currently in the state to witness this memorable event.See Photos below:

Source: http://247tops..com.ng/2016/04/photo-aisha-buhari-commissions.html

Below is the schedule of event for University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) 22-25th/40th Anniversary Combined celebration slated for Monday 11 to Sunday 17 April, 2016


Day 1 (Monday 11th April, 2016)

Event: Preparation of Venues for Events, Vice-Chancellor and Principal Officers inspect venues Venue: Various places, University of Maiduguri (4pm)


Day 2 (Tuesday 12th April, 2016)

Event: Arrival of the Chancellor to be received by the Pro-Chancellor, Council Members (12pm) Venue: Maiduguri International Airport


Day 3 (Wednesday 13th April, 2016)


Event: Press Conference by the Vice-Chancellor (10am)

Venue: Senate/Council Chambers


Event: Guided Tour of the University (12pm)

Venue: University of Maiduguri


Event: Chancellor Pays Courtesy Call on HRH, Shehu of Borno (3pm)

Venue: Shehu’s Palace


Event: Chancellor Pays Courtesy Call on Governor of Borno State (4pm)

Venue: Government House, Maiduguri


Day 4: (Thursday 14th April, 2016)

Event: Commissioning of Projects (11am)

Venue: Various places, University of Maiduguri.


Event: 40th Anniversary Lecture (4pm)

Venue: One Thousand Seater Theatre


Event: Alumni Dinner/Award Night (7pm)

Venue; El Kanemi Hall, University of Maiduguri



Day 5: (Friday 15th April, 2016)

Event: Installation of the Chancellor and Conferment of Honorary Degree on the Chancellor (9am) Venue: University of Maiduguri



Event: Cultural Dances/ Exhibition (10am)

Venue: University of Maiduguri



Event:Jummat Prayers (1pm)

Venue: Central Mosque, University of Maiduguri



Event: Convocation Lecture (4pm)

Venue: El Kanemi Hall, University of Maiduguri



Event: Chancellor’s Nite (7pm)

Venue: The Village



Day 6: (Saturday 16th April, 2016)

Event: Convocation Ceremony for the Award of Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates Prizes and Awards and Conferment of Higher and Honorary Degrees (9am)

Venue: Convocation Square



Day 7: (Sunday 17th April, 2016)

Event: Departure (1pm)

Venue: Maiduguri International Airport

Source: www.unimaid.edu.ng

Environmental Issues in the Lake Chad Basin by Baba Ali Mustapha.


For much of my research work that follows I was deeply indebted to Professor Haruna .K. Ayuba, and Dr. A. Dami both of University of Maiduguri Department of Geography.

Background:-

The Lake Chad is located approximately between latitude, 120N and 140, 300N and longitudes 130E and 150, 300E. The Lake Chad basin originated as a result of peripheral uplift outside the basins which led to the formation of a closed inland drawage basin, with a large lake almost at the centre (Burke, 1979). Other Scholars (Sike, 1972: Carmouze and Lamoalle, 1983: Servant and Servant 1983: Grove 1958; Thambyapilly 1983:Kolawale, 1983, 1993: Dami 2008) have contributed greatly to our present knowledge of the lake.

The history of the lake is replete with periods of complete drying up followed by periods of surging back of the lake waters, Carmouze and Lamoalle, 1983 as well as Servant and Servant (1983) examined the lake sediments to throw light on the historical evolution of the lake. According to them analysis of diatomaceous materials in the sediments enable scientists to reconstruct the hydrological history of the lake. The first change in the basin, which occurred between 12, 000 and 22, 000 years ago led to the complete drying up of the lake and subsequent formation of sand dune ridges as a result of wind erosion and deposition. Climate change later led to wet conditions around 6000 years ago and resulted in the lake surging back. The lake which extended to Bama beach ridge (BBR) is referred to as Mega Chad. The Mega Chad level stood at 320 meters above sea level (asl) and the lake covered an area of 1.5 million Km2. Later, there were complex fluctuations accompanied by alternating wet and dry phase. Each phase affected the level and area covered by the lake.

The reduction of the lake to around 284 meters asl was achieved about 2500 years ago and had fluctuated around this level.

Actual measurement of the lake was started in 1911 by the French colonial masters. They recognized three levels of the lake fluctuation in recent times namely: Greater Chad, Normal or standard Chad and Lesser Chad (Sike, 1972). Greater Chad condition is when the lake level is at 283m as/or more and the area of the lake is around 25, 000km2. Normal Chad condition is when lake level is around 282m as land area of the lake is about 20,000 km2. Lesser Chad condition is when the lake level is below 280m asl, this was experienced in 1905-8, 1910 – 1916, 1972 -5 and 1983 to date.

Read complete article here: http://247tops..com.ng/2016/04/environmental-issues-in-lake-chad-basin.html

On March 22, Peter and Paul of PSquare with their brother who used to be their manager, Jude Okoye issued joint apology post to fans on their social media to confirm that peace has been restored in PSquare’s camp after few weeks of “family saga.” Peter and Paul PSquare who are billed to perform at the Pal Mundo festival tomorrow, Saturday, March 26 have arrived Amsterdam, Netherlands where the Latin & Caribbean indoor Festival will take place. Peter shared photos of himself, his brother Paul and other PSquare crew members on their way to Amsterdam and when they arrived. This will be the first public photos of the music duo since they settled their rift. However, Pal Mundo festival will be their first performance as PSquare after their settled controversy.

https://www.instagram.com/peterpsquare/?hl=en

For much of my research I was deeply indebted to Dr Haruna .K. Ayuba, a Professor and Dr .A. Dami both of university of Maiduguri Department of Geography.


Introduction


Environmental problem in the Northern Nigeria generally comes under two conflicting classes namely: i. Those associated with the geographical location of the region such as drought, desertification, deforestation, erosion, amongst others, and ii. Problems caused by activities aimed at economic development such as urban waste, mining activities, irrigation projects, construction projects, e.t.c. The combined effect of population growth, urbanization, industrialization and poverty has been that the environmental problem in this region are growing and becoming more difficult resolve.


Northern Nigeria is one of the most threatened land areas of the country. The region was largely within the semi-arid zone, which is recognized as dynamic ecosystem as a result of highly variable and unpredictable rainfall, overgrazing, seasonal fire and other anthropogenic influences. In addition, poverty, increase population growth and the poor resource endowments makes it difficult to find solution to those problems without comprehensive policy changes and public enlightenment programmes.


Some of those environmental problems are highly interactive and interlinked with health, water supply, nutrition, poverty, unemployment, and poor agricultural productivity that adhoc and sectoral solution may not work. Successive governments in the region have tried to solve environmental problems in the past by compartmentalizating them into segment thereby breaking the interconnecting links. More so, the interdependence of natural cycles and natural processes have often been discounted in the urges to improve the economic standard and therefore long-term issues are neglected at the cost short-term gains. This chapter highlights some of the major environmental problems in Northern Nigeria and examines issue of concern to the region in particular and to the country at large.


MAJOR ENVIROMENTAL PROBLEMS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA


1. DESERTIFICATION :

The United Nation Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED,1992) define desertification as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Desertification is now recognized in the arid and semi-arid zones of the world as a major threat to ecologically productive systems. The area affected include the arid land (200-250mm annual rainfall) and semi-arid lands (250-800mm) representing more than 30 million square kilometers (20%) of the earth’s surface (Grainger, 1982). It is estimated that Nigeria is losing about 351,000sq,km to desert representing 38% of its total landmass, which corresponded to the landmass of the desert threatened frontline state of the country (Borno, Bauchi, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto,and Kebbi States). It is estimated that more than 30 million people in Nigeria live under the hardship of desertification (UNSO, 1989). Following Dregnes (1983) classification, the level of desertification in the Northern Nigeria range from moderate to severe as one move northwards. The major causes of desertification are group into two: physical or natural factors and anthropogenic factors. The physical factors comprises of rainfall, variability, drought and aridity. Those factors either individually or in conjunction with one another lead to the destruction of the biological potential of land. The anthropogenic factor on the other hand, include socio-economic activities that directly or indirectly induce desertification. Those are deforestation, excessive cultivation and grazing, bush burning, mining, e.t.c. The increasing human and livestock population in the region accelerate this problem there by placing more demand on the already fragile ecosystem.


The system of the desertification in the region include decline in the land productivity, progressive lost vegetation cover, general lack of fuel wood, decrease in surface and ground water resources, excessive evaporation malnutrition and southward and migration of man and animals. Other geomorphological indicators are shifting sand dunes into agriculture fields, roads and homesteads. All local government areas in Northern Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Yobe, and Sokoto States have discernible symptoms of desertification.


2. Drought :

One of the most significant climatic variations has been the persistent decline in rainfall in Northern Nigeria since the late 1960s (Mortimore, 1989). The persistent drying trent has caused concern among development planners regarding how to cope with losses of food production, episodes of food insecurity, displacement of populations, declining water resources and constraints on hydro-electricity. Drought connotes a condition of insufficient precipitation and soil moisture within a given ecosystem. Four types maybe identified: meteorological ,hydrological, ecological and agricultural droughts. Metrological drought is the delay in rainfall expectation or concentration of rainfall within a few month as against the long –term normal rainfall regions . Hydrological drought is the decline in underground water level. Ecological drought is the abnormal decrease in rainfall amount that causes inbalance in a given ecosystem. Agricultural drought refers to inadequate or too little moisture at specific stages of plant growth. All types of drought have been experienced in North Nigeria (Mortimore, 1918.). The manifestation included withering of vegetation and crops, dehydration or death of animals, low river discharge and retreating levels of the lake Chad and other water bodies.


During the 1983 and 1986 drought ,the lake Chad’s water level had fallen below 239m. River Yobe completely dried up thus leaving the irrigation scheme base on it unproductive (Ibrahim, 2003). There were losses in crop production and livestock population. For example during the 1983 drought , about 1447512 tonnes of crops and 9.8m livestock were lost in the former Borno state (Now Borno and Yobe states). This can affect the regional or national capacity to supply food for the country. Also many villages around Kaska, Yusufari, Yunusari, geidam and damasak had to migrate owing to crop failure, famine, diseases , and general talk of water consequent upon the drought.


3. Deforestation÷

Deforestation is the indiscriminate felling of trees with little or no effort at replacement. Olofin (1993) observed that drought , desertification, and deforestation have more in common than the letter ‘d’……….they are the three dare- devils that constitute an ending nightmare to an environment conservationist. They merge to produce another dreaded ‘d’- degradation. Deforestation is a serious environment problem in Northern Nigeria even though afforestation continues to be a priority of successive governments . It is estimated that about 90-95% of the rural household and 85-90% of the urban household in the region using firewood ( Odo et al, 2002; odili,2003). The estimated rate of deforestation in Borno and Yobe state for example, ranges from 4.6 X 103 tonnes/ yr to 19.6 X 103 tonnes/yr (Odili 2002). Most of the area gazette as forest reserve have become de facto open access areas. The study by Ayuba et al (2002) for the borno state revealed that out of nine many major forest reserves, six have witnessed 60-90% degradation due to encroachment by farmers.


The major causes of deforestation include demand for fuelwood, overgrazing, construction project, poor effort to forest regeneration in term of inputs and investments, increase in human population and urbanization. Deforestation is a complex problem that is also intricately linked to poverty, illiteracy and underdevelopment. The consequences can manifest in several form such as erosion, fuelwood scarcity, sedimentation, drought and changes in microclimate.


Baba Ali Mustapha is with the Department for Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Environment, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

Read Full article here: http://247tops..com.ng/2016/03/enviromental-problems-and-issue-of.html

The management of Nordan Ortty Music regrets to announce the postponement of Morell's "MUSA IS COMING TO KANO" Concert. The event which was scheduled for March 11, 2016 has been rescheduled to accommodate more sponsors and partners who have shown interest in making the event a memorable one. This information was confirmed by the Artiste via his I.G page @imorell.

http://247tops..com.ng/2016/03/morell-reschedules-musa-is-coming-to.html