₦airaland Forum

Khalessi:
Nigerians celebrating mediocrity since the beginning of time, I can see the plastic bottle that's been used to hold the fuel.

How bout this? >> http://www.nutabolts.org/index.php

Rookie Sandal is a No No for me though.

Up Anambra! Ala nnaa emego ya

Good for him. I rooted for him, maybe because he's from the state.. dunno

A role model


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3G0EE5U3Rw


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0saG8NNljjk


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqiCsI9V2e8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkLLGEEjI7U


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHboQnuUqxM

In a recent interview, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Vic­tor Umeh allegedly called the former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi as an empty bag. Some journalists tracked down Obi’s aide, Mr Valentine Obieny­em for an interview with his boss, Obi. Obi­enyem insisted that his boss only responds to issues that would contribute to national development and does not have the time to exchange words with men he described as ‘political irritants’. After much prodding, Obienyem ended up speaking to the press himself, with the warning that the views he expressed are strictly his. Excerpts:

Welcome back to Anambra State

Thanks. I always visited with my boss, only that it’s been more of sneaking in and out.

Why do you have to sneak in and out?

When I say sneaking in and out, I only mean coming in quietly and leaving quietly.

How has life been outside govern­ment?

Well, I think it has been busier. I was lucky to serve a man who is adjudged to have per­formed excellently as governor of Anambra State. We are all proud of him, because he served so well to the point that institutions that worked with him are all trying to celebrate him. We are now busier, traveling from one part of the state to another and from one part of the world to another.

In the last three months for example, we have been to the USA and the UK three times. We attended the 69th United Nations General Assembly session during which he spoke at one of the side events on the post- MDGs agenda, because he was the best governor on mainstreaming the MDGs in Nigeria. We also attended the World Bank Spring meeting. Obi also spoke in one of the sessions because they recognize his expertise in financial manage­ment. One can go on and on.

Locally, institutions beg him to come and speak to them basically by way of sharing ex­periences on what made him succeed as the governor of Anambra State. What is interest­ing is that most of these institutions offer to pay for his trips, accommodation and hono­rarium. He often agreed that his transporta­tion and accommodation should be taken care of, but not honorarium, on the basis that sharing experiences is a way of contributing to the progress of the country without de­manding anything in return.

Of course he has other activities that occu­py his time. He often solicits assistance from institutions with which he assists churches to set up faith-based revolving micro credit schemes and for the rehabilitation of schools, especially those in the remote parts of the state.

What can you say about his re­cent defection to the Peoples Dem­ocratic Party(PDP)?

As far as I am concerned,that is a non-issue. When has exercising one’s right to association become a subject of inquisition?

Some think it’s normal, others see it as betrayal. What can you say about this?

We shall soon know who betrayed who. I have watched with amusement the wry hu­mour some people have made out of it. Some are showing videos, others visit Ojukwu’s grave to dance, others speak in tongues and I ask is it because one man decided to ex­ercise his right of association? In fact, I celebrated the reactions, because to me, no defection elicited such reactions in Nigeria perhaps since the evolution of parties with the exception of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumeg­wu-Ojukwu’s membership of NPN. It shows how important Obi is in Nigeria. To have elic­ited such reactions means that the man is an institution, a colossus.

I sympathize with APGA people for cry­ing and rolling on the ground on the loss of a man regarded as the face of APGA in Ni­geria. The implication is that since this man has left, APGA is as good as dead, but it is not like that. Being his own person, he left alone and that means APGA can still reinvent itself. Moreover, they should understand that he left APGA because he was not wanted, and be­cause the party had since lost track of its ad­vancement because of the greed of one man.

The chairman of APGA, Sir Victor Umeh was quoted as saying that Obi should not be called the face of APGA, because APGA made him and not the other way round. Do you agree?

If Chief Victor Umeh wants, let him declare that the sun rises from the west and people will merely laugh at him because he cannot change existential truth by mere mortal pronounce­ment. Why worry yourself about what Victor says when the other 99% believes that Obi was the face of APGA in the world?

As for Obi making APGA or APGA mak­ing him, Obi has not thought along that line. It’s Nigerians, based on what Obi did for APGA as a political party that submitted that he made APGA, so Victor’s point is laughable as it is baseless.

Umeh even claims that he also contributed in making Obi. He shares the faults of garru­lous people everywhere. When you encounter people that talk a lot, you will see that they do so without circumspection.

Before Obi went into politics, he was chair­man of many quoted companies, including two banks. Obi succeeded in APGA not be­cause of wolves like Umeh who are perpetu­ally after their selfish gains, but because of his inherent character which his pedigree before he became governor would substantiate. Obi is good, Obi has character , he is humble and trustworthy. He did not learn these virtues , be­cause he was an APGA member and will cer­tainly not depart from them because he joined the PDP.

Each time Victor talks, his purpose is not to pass information, not to instruct, not to cor­rect inexactitudes, but to diminish Obi. How can he say that APGA made Obi? Between him and Obi, who would we say that APGA made? The other day, I was in London with Obi, and he was trying to pack into one of his buildings in London from another one. He acquired both before he became the gover­nor. As we were going through documents, he showed me one document that contained the amount he used to secure Victor’s first inter­national passport for him, and the one cover­ing his first overseas trip. I know that his first car, a Mercedes Benz V-boot, was bought for him by Obi’s younger brother. I knew the two-room apartment where he lived before he built mansions all over the place and now living like a king. Gentlemen, you can judge who benefited from who.

He said it himself that without Obi’s faith­fulness, APGA could not have reached where it is now. I remember the day he presented the Most Trustworthy Party Man Award to Obi, and said if not for his consistency in going to court and fighting his impeachment, APGA could not have succeeded. Juxtapose it with what he says today and your only conclusion will be that the man is only guided by the dic­tates of the time and not by truth.

In his last interview, I even read where he chronicled what he did for Obi to return to power after his impeachment. I was at the centre of it all and, I can tell you that the only man that believed in Obi was Dim Chukwue­meka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. If not because of Obi’s tenacity or if he depended on people like Umeh, he would not have come back. I re­member during his impeachment, some peo­ple went to meet Umeh and he told them that their brother was gone for good. It was when the first judgment restoring him was delivered that Umeh started to lean towards him again. I remember the day the Court of Appeal deliv­ered judgment, I came back from Singapore that morning with Obi and had to board a 7 am Sosoliso flight from Lagos to Enugu to be in court. The moment the judgment was de­livered, Umeh asked us to wait at Enugu that he would come there with Dim Ojukwu who was paying a condolence visit to the Akpamg­bos in Enugu-Ukwu. On a second thought, Obi decided to call Ojukwu himself, who asked to know the wordings of the judgment. Obi told him the judge said he should take over immediately, and Ojukwu said if it was so, he should move to the Government House. That was how he left, contrary to Umeh’s own position, from Enugwu-Ukwu to the Govern­ment House, and that was how Obi eventually was reinstated. So, in all his travails, the only man that followed him and not motivated by lucre, was Ojukwu. In fact that was why Obi was touched over the lamentations of Ojuk­wu’s wife, Ambassador Bianca and decided to explain to her what happened, and assured her that a change of platform is not change of principles. That is also why Obi said he would not reply to any other person on his reasons for leaving APGA, because others are not sincere at all.

What would you say is APGA’s problem?

I think APGA’s problem is 90% caused by Chief Victor Umeh. He is not a good par­ty man. APGA started dying the day he was made the chairman. We wished that Chief Chekwas Okorie continued. As Mrs Ojukwu said, the dismissal of Chekwas Okorie and the appointment of Umeh is like chasing away a cat to bring in the tiger. Dim Chukwumemka



Odumegwu Ojukwu saw this coming, because he actually advised against the empowerment of Umeh and warned that the party should monitor the “little tiger being fed with milk closely to know when it grows teeth.” Look at the party and its history and you will discover that his idea of leadership of a political party is to expel anybody that dared question him in any way. Look at the national chairman of the PDP, he has been able to win those that left the party back and even more people for the party because he understands what party leader­ship is. The man is like a chief priest, appeasing different gods with what they need. On the contrary, Umeh sees himself as a god residing on the Olympian that should be appeased by many chief priests. This is why he always celebrates people leaving APGA.

When Obi was forced to leave the party, what Umeh said was that 7,000 others entered the same day. What is amazing and wicked about Nigerians is that while all attention is directed at Obi, nobody remem­bers those 7,000 that he boasted he received into APGA.

Umeh is the problem of the party because he has not allowed inter­nal democracy to work. He is the chairman, the publicity secretary and everything of APGA. When the party went to the national conference, he was the delegate. As chairman, he is also the senatorial candidate. I mean, how can a party that tolerates such a circuits show survive? I am sure that deep inside him, he does not believe in APGA and whatever it represents. He is a nihilist who only sees APGA as a means of liveli­hood and amassing wealth.

Since he is not contented, APGA would continue to lay on the ground under him.

Are you aware that the same Victor Umeh aspires to be a senator?

That one is not my business. If the people of Anambra Central, hav­ing known his character, feel that he is fit to represent them, so be it.

Could you comment on your boss’ successor, Chief Willie Obiano?

No word on him. He does not need to be distracted.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=87912

wakacome:
a crime is a crime whether from a disabled person or not...

I agree

PRETORIA, South Africa - Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday for the Valentine’s Day killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa said the sentence, which followed the athlete's conviction for culpable homicide, was "fair and just both to society and to the accused." A noncustodial sentence "would send the wrong message to the community,” but a long sentence "would also not be appropriate," she added.

The so-called "Blade Runner" wiped a tear from his eye after Masipa's ruling, then was led down to a holding cell for the first time after having spent the duration of his trial on bail. Pistorius also was handed a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms offence.

The maximum prison sentence for culpable homicide in South Africa is 15 years. However, Masipa could have given him a suspended sentence to be served at home under state supervision, a sort of house arrest.

State lawyer Gerrie Nel had called for Pistorius to spend at least a decade behind bars. Defense lawyer Barry Roux argued that a community-based sentence was more appropriate because of the remorse Pistorius had shown.

In her ruling, Masipa recounted the impact of the shooting on Reeva's family and on the athlete, who has since sold all his property and has no money left.

She also rejected evidence from defense witnesses about Pistorius' weakness. “There was a feeling of unease on my part as I listened to one witness after another placing what I thought was an overemphasis on the accused’s vulnerability," Masipa said.

"Yes, the accused is vulnerable. But he also has excellent coping skills. Thanks to his mother, he rarely saw himself as disabled and excelled as a top athlete.” Still, she noted that Pistorius had inspired people with disabilities worldwide. "This cannot be ignored," she said.

Masipa also dismissed defense suggestions that South Africa’s prisons would be unable to cope with Pistorius because of his disability. “I have no doubt that, if prisons were below the required standards, the human rights bodies in this and this court would not hesitate to take the necessary steps to remedy the situation,” the judge said. “It would not be the first time that the correctional service was confronted with an inmate with disability.”

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/pistorius-trial/oscar-pistorius-sentenced-five-years-prison-n230296

Even though Nigeria has been declared Ebola-free, another case is highly likely at some point, according to health experts.

Treatment can begin at home as soon as one suspects there is an Ebola case in the household.

The BBC's Will Ross in Lagos, Nigeria, spoke to Dr Simon Mardel, a global health adviser and expert on Ebola who was in Guinea earlier in the outbreak.

Dr Mardel said people who suspect they might have Ebola need to rehydrate at home even before they have received any medical attention.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29689829

Nigeria has been declared officially free of Ebola after six weeks with no new cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
https://www.nairaland.com/1957889/w.h.o-officially-declared-nigeria-ebola

Nice job Schematics!

Schematics:
The 8th Edition of Anambra State Sports Festival commenced today

More pics: http://willieisworking..com/2014/10/photos-8th-anambra-state-sports.html




What kinda match past is this pls?

Well arranged streets of Amafor west, Nkpor needs tarring so that people can start driving their dream cars
Notice the trend- in the early 90's, it used to be 3-storey buildings; late 90's it went to 4-storey; presently you can hardly see a new building that is less than 5-storey

tabletman1:
Please try and make some inquiry about one kind power plant 459mw to be precise with the name century.

Find out if they are through with the project, and also the town/city the plant is going to serve.


Wish u safe journey in advance.

Century Power Generation Limited (CPG) is currently developing a 1500MW gas-fired power plant in Okija, Anambra State. The project is being developed in 3 phases; the first phase is a 495MW open cycle plant, which will be commissioned in 2015. The entire 1500MW capacity is scheduled to be completed by 2018.

Read about it here: http://century-power.com/about-cpg.html

tabletman1:
9inches pls I need more pictures from Nkpor.


Good pictures so far, Nkpor is not doing bad, at least your pix can relate with my previous comments on total neglect of onitsha and environs.

@bolded, Yes by past administrations until Peter Obi came to the rescue. He at least remembered Nkpor. Obiano should continue from where he stopped though

Who could translate what he is saying in the Nigeria video?

I was told Gov. Obiano has promised to attend to these areas.. but when? Anyways, this might just serve as a reminder. Nkpor and environs need serious help. Willie is working though

Amafor west area of Nkpor. Peter Obi did Agulu Avenue road and that of Mercedes Avenue as well. Obiano should not forget these areas as they help decongest the main Onitsha.

Who hasn't seen this Chris Rock's documentary on Indian hair?

Watch clip of "Good Hair":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6rWFJ1WH3o

Thanks for the replies.

highmood:
but then, the interest of his people- the igbos and Nigeria at large supercedes the interest of a party. Obi needs a platform where he would have the better opportunity to take his leadership prowess to a greater level. Obi is fit to be a president of Nigeria from the Igbo extraction and APGA cannot offer him that opportunity. PDP is fast enough to come to him else the opposition could come with anything possible to lure him to be theirs. So people from the southeast who expected Obi to have remained in APGA should not feel bad, the man means well for us and we ought not to complain but rather support him. Lets leave the complains to APGA Members who directly enjoys the gains, I mean money.

You nailed it!

This 'predict n win' thing makes no Chidi-sense at all

jnrbayano:
*Green: Akwukwo ndu Akwukwo ndu
* Pink: mmee mmee na ocha a gwokoro onu
* Purple: nwanne oji nwanne oji
* Brown: aja upa aja upa
* Blue:?
* Red: ughie or Mmee mmee
* Grey: ntu ntu
* Orange: Oloma Oloma
* Violet: same as purple
* Indigo: ?

You go fear Igbo...

Blue: anunuu
Yellow: edo edo

OdenigboAroli:
Obi doesnt have to join PDP in order to effect change in Nigeria/southeast.
He was an Apga member when he served in GEJ economic team,by recommendations from Okonjo. So,what changed?
I dont like this piece of news!

But you know that his serving capacity will be limited by him being from an opposition party. If the pdp as a party has'nt been as corrupt as it is, we would not be detesting them. Imagine a him going in there and bringing positive change in the party's dealings, who knows.. He fought bad eggs and sanitized Anambra state, God being by his side, he can achieve same feat with PDP. Truth be told, if he is to gun for president tomorrow, APGA as it is cannot deliver him.

Everyone has his/her own reasons, but I pitched tent with apga because of Obi, and not vice versa. So I will still be a fan of his as long as I am convinced his motives and actions are bringing the dividends we seek, no matter the party he's with.
Nwanne, onwerokwanu ife ozo ana-acho n'ike oku.

Vessi:
If Peter Obi publicly declares his defection to PDP, then it is only a matter of time before Anambra state goes to PDP.
APGA just can not survive without Obi. Forget about Umeh.

True, except he will be going back to apga, maybe after delivering whatever assignment he is given in pdp. He must have discussed that with apga as I heard he went into a closed-door meeting with Umeh and Obiano just a few days back.

Obi's political decisions have always been for the good of ndi Anambra, nay ndigbo. He is equally a good patriot and not known to be selfish in his dealings.. so whatever his decision becomes, I am always convinced it is a good one that will benefit us all.

Meanwhile, my mind tells me pdp wants to front him either as a flag-bearer for a 'very high office' or as a master strategist for the party to retain the presidential seat come next year; and it only makes sense he joins the only party that is large enough to guarantee that.

Lastly, he is not our typical politician bereft of integrity. He has a mind of his own and is strong willed.

I say Goodluck to PDP, have Patience APGA!

#2015

This number of people coming on behalf of the pdp to woo him simply shows his worth, no doubt. Okwute ndi Igbo 1!

Sunnybobo3:
Mrs Kema Chikwe, speaking on behalf of  woman said Obi was like the  woman having an affair, and begot children, and that the event of today was akin to his mistress coming with his children to ask for the legalization of the marriage.

Meanwhile, Peter it's time to change those shoes.. Obi big shoe!

roxell120:
he can only be part of it as a cooperative no academic qualification is required

A group of ten individuals, right? So he can form his own cooperative with about nine of his people?

Following the soar-away success the gov­ernment of Anambra State has so far re­corded in attracting signifi­cant investments into the ag­ricultural sector of the state, plans are under-way for a high-level town hall meeting on agriculture to be hosted by the government in col­laboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

The planned meeting is one of the highlights of a closed-door meeting that recently took place in Abuja between the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and a special delegation from Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture led by the gover­nor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano.

The meeting came on the heels of a string of Memoran­da of Understanding (MoUs) the government of Anambra State recently signed with big-time investors who are cur­rently setting up shops in the food belt of the state to com­mence large-scale mechanised farming.

Giving assurances of the ministry’s readiness for the proposed meeting, Dr. Adesi­na said: “We are going to have a special agricultural engagement in Anambra State. I will come with a strong team and we shall have high-level delib­erations on agriculture.”

According to him, the Fed­eral Government had just ap­proved an agricultural mecha­nisation scheme estimated at N50billion, which would finally weed out the depen­dence on hoes and cutlasses by Nigerian farmers. The mechanisation support grant would enable the farmers to hire tractors and engage in modern farm practices.

The minister also declared that the Federal Government would fast-track the full reali­sation of the proposed Staple Crops Processing Zone that had been designated for Omor in Ayamelum Local Govern­ment Area of the state, de­scribing the mill as very im­portant to his ministry.

Dr. Adesina also lauded Governor Obiano’s achieve­ments in the past six months, saying the strides, had fully restored the confidence of the investment community, lead­ing to the recent acquisition of the moribund Omor Rice Mill by Joseph Agro Limited and the planned investment of $150million to revamp the mill.

Said he: “My ministry is one of the first few places you vis­ited when you were sworn in as governor of Anambra State. You are one governor that got it right. You came here to share your plans for the agri­cultural sector and I could see that you were very passionate to make an impact there. Your administration is moving at an incredible speed. I think it comes from your private sec­tor background. I followed your efforts to provide secu­rity in Anambra State and I am happy that the benefits have started pouring in now.”

The minister also assured of the readiness of his ministry to partner with Anambra State in aqua-culture, promising to lend critical support to Obiano’s plans to make the state a leader in the production of fingerlings in the country.

Earlier, in his opening re­marks, Obiano had appealed for the assistance of the min­ister to ensure that Anambra State was adopted by the ministry as one of the leading ag­ricultural states in the country.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=84760

http://allafrica.com/stories/201410060756.html

roxell120:
we are collaborating wit national agricultural cooperative organisation and all farmers assocciation of nigeria(AFAN) as well as min. Of agric invarious states

I have a cousin who is a farmer in a farm settlement in Delta state (they call the place Agu-utulu). How can I get him to come back home to Anambra to get involved cos I have to highlight what he has to gain if he comes back home. I personally can see the great future of agric in Anambra. He is an SSCE holder but well experienced in farming as it has been his immediate family's business. Please reply

Thanks.

Keneking:
O Falcao would make headlines this evening and tomorrow abi
Congrats we on the top four today.

Congrats all Man Utd fans on Nairaland, AON, Dstv S3, my generator at home, Di Maria, De Gea and Falcao.

+ Chevrolet

FKO81: I have a lot of beautiful pictures I took yesterday, but it hard to upload I need someone to assist me on how to upload. Thanks

If it is more than 200kb each, you should try using this link www.postimage.com and resize them.