₦airaland Forum

RoadStar:
With the type of people we have in government and the types here on NL,
I must say, Nigeria has no hope.

no, nigeria still has hope if we put development first and leave tribalism in politics

namfav:
i can tell you more than 50 innocent people have been killed, that is more than 5 times the number of corpers killed, why does the government think they can fight wrong by doing wrong against anyone, most of them innocent that is the same that happened in maiduguri in '09 where anyone could by shot if working in the streets, b4stards, this is why people are starting to lose hope in the system

the story itself makes me so angry at jonathan

i could have swown that he would not do this to his mend militants that kill nigerians in south working for oil companies

well his power will soon go, very soon

how many roiters are in the street and how many did they kill ,.,. rubbish

then calabar

is it tinubu's hotel in lagos

[quote author=ekt_bear link=topic=665398.msg8303143#msg8303143 date=1305173966]The problem is that they aren't competitive. Thai/Brazilian/Uruguayan farmer can produce rice more cheaply than Nigerian farmer can.

Which means Nigerian farmer needs to increase his yields and productivity if he wants to be competitive.[/quote]yes but how when the FG has invested in those forgign companies and leaves the local companies to rot

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=665385.msg8303125#msg8303125 date=1305173573]Why was the Fulani man killed?

Although, no murder should be justified, you have to understand that general crime is different from what happened in the North. Hundreds came together with the intent of killing Innocent corpers and Southerners because they lost in an election. Its like ethnic cleansing.

Do you know how disrespectful those hausa herders are? They come with their cows trampling years worth of hardwork in one day. Did we Yorubas get together to kill them?[/quote]if u think it is any cleansing then u are mistaking my sister

the media has made people like you to view it as such, how can there be ethnic cleansing in nigeria without OBJ and the authrity of southern origin know about it

if 1 southerner dies in the north, the media will cover that story even to NL, but when a northern muslim dies in the south, it all normal just like bread and tea

this is not fair, i believe this needs to be investigated and the FG needs, i mean seriously needs to do something about the security system and border system and the media houses in Nigeria.

the sooner the better

THE AMAKA:
sad, Nigeria just imports imports imports imports.
if Nigeria gets its act together, i don't think we should even be important 50% of the things we currently do.
we need to wise up.
i[b]magine a country that produces oil importing it[/b]  

very sad indeed

we have rice field in abakaliki, why can't those farmers be encouraged and be invested in; so as to improve their production

very sad country


i mean we import pencil at this age as well

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=665385.msg8303091#msg8303091 date=1305172751]Why not nau?

Who wants to die early?

If NYSC cant be scrapped (and it shouldnt), they ought to modify the postings.[/quote]as u can see the media has made the north look like hell for nigerians just because some people die in the post election protest

do u know the amount of hausa/fulani and kanuris that die each day in the south yet we complain but no one hears us

a fulani man was killed in ibadan the other day, arewa did not come out to condemn such act

yet the north has not demonized the south, so why should the south do the same

Beaf:
Supported.
The entire Middle Belt and South should take this stance.

why ? well na ur buisness be that

infact don't let ur igbo brothers see this ooo

^^^^^

not sure

but the article is pointing at something we need in nigeria certainly

By SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN – AS the battle for the Speakership of the Edo State House of Assembly hots up, the leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Edo Central senatorial district, has warned against ceding the position to Edo South which produced the Deputy Governor of the state.

This comes as the State House of Assembly yesterday, passed a motion approving the amendment of the House Rule 9 Sub (1) and (2) which influences the constitution of membership into the Parliamentary Officers Council (POC) at the State Assembly.

In a statement yesterday by Esan Vanguard for Justice, signed by its President and General Secretary James Ibhade and Ailurio Okoh, the group argued that the political situation in the state was already to the disadvantage of the Central district, with the governor having sacked most of the political office holders from the area.

Vanguard gathered that the leadership of the party may have ceded the Speakership to Edo South due to the overwhelming support the Bini gave to the party in the just concluded general elections.

However, the Esan leaders argued that Governor Adams Oshiomhole is from Edo North, his deputy, Pius Odubu, Edo South.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/05/we-insist-on-the-speakership-edo-central-acn-leaders/

Three people were killed on Wednesday morning in an explosion that greeted multiple vehicles accident at Ibafo, on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

Three articulated tankers laden with petroleum products and another truck were also completely burnt in the accident that created serious panic for early users of the ever-busy expressway.

The raging inferno started around 6 30 a.m., on Wednesday morning and defied concerted effort of fire servicemen as thick smoke from the fire enveloped the entire Ibafo community.

The Nigerian Tribune reliably gathered that the whole incident started on Tuesday evening,when two tanker trucks, one laden with kerosene and the other with petrol crashed around the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Camp gate in Ibafo.

The two trucks were reportedly heading towards Ibadan from Lagos, when they crashed into each other and blocked the expressway.

The truck drivers were said to have engaged each other in hot argument on who was responsible for the accident and reportedly did not bother to completely remove their vehicles from the road.

The Wednesday fire incident occurred, when another articulated tanker, laden with diesel crashed into the two tankers, resulting in inferno that instantly engulfed the three tankers and another truck, parked by the road side .

An eyewitness informed the Nigerian Tribune that the driver of the diesel truck and two yet- to-be identified drivers, were burnt to death in the fire incident.

The eyewitness stated that the driver of the diesel truck was on high speed and apparently did not see the two trucks involved in the accident, parked by the side of the road, resulting in the crash.

The fire incident created serious cause for worry for motorists, who were driving on the other side of the road, as one side of the road was blocked, creating serious traffic gridlock.

Hundreds of tanker drivers stormed the scene of the accident to identify the drivers of the burnt vehicles, while residents of Ibafo and other neighbouring communities watched as fire fighters battled with the raging fire.

All the vehicles were burnt beyond recognition despite the frantic effort by men of the Fire Service, the Nigeria Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), to curtail the inferno.

Thousands of motorists were stranded for more than six hours, as the rescue team worked to clear the wreckage.

Their effort were partly hampered by the impatience of mostly commercial vehicle operators coming from Lagos who resorted to driving against the traffic, blocking oncoming vehicles from Ibadan.

The gridlock covered both sides of the expressway, with many workers heading for Lagos to resume duty left at the mercy of commercial motorcyclists, who charged N1000 for a ride to the nearest community, Mowe.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/21819-3-killed-in-multiple-accidents-on-lagosibadan-expressway

[quote author=EzeUche_ link=topic=665337.msg8302721#msg8302721 date=1305165758]There is no "partly' in it. It is either you identify with the Igbo SOLELY or you are not Igbo.[/quote]then GEJ is igbo then

ohaneze told us in nigeria that he is igbo and they even gave him ikenga position in Aligbo as a show of ture blood

^^^^

watin sef, you own too much jor

which is is this na abeg comot jor

yarodin:
Honestly I am still trying to understand how the SW retaining the Speaker position affects the price of garri?

gbammm on a serious note forget interent, you are right

[quote author=EzeUche_ link=topic=665337.msg8302685#msg8302685 date=1305165202]That is not what we wanted. And they can take it back. . . [/quote]well tell ohaneze that why are u being an ingrate

Rights groups have accused Nigerian troops and police of abuses, including extra-judicial killings, as they sought to quell deadly riots in northern Nigeria after the April 16 presidential poll. Police and military officials could not be reached for comment, but a spokesman for the governor in the hard-hit state of Kaduna denied the allegations.

New York-based Human Rights Watch and Civil Rights Congress, a local rights group based in the city of Kaduna, have separately accused soldiers and police of extra-judicial killings and other abuses. The abuses are alleged to have occurred in Kaduna and another northern city, Zaria, both of which were severely affected by the riots that Civil Rights Congress says killed more than 500 people. "In response to the post-election violence, troops and the police have been implicated in extra-judicial killings of unarmed residents," Eric Guttschuss, a researcher for Human Rights Watch who monitored the elections said. "Human Rights Watch has established documented extra-judicial killings in Kaduna and Zaria."

He added that police and soldiers carried out raids and rounded up suspects following the violence, and "there have been credible reports that the police and military have severely beaten arrested persons in their custody." Shehu Sani, the director of Civil Rights Congress, also alleged extra-judicial killings and other abuses. Sani said soldiers and police flogged residents of Kaduna and forced them to frog-jump and roll on the ground for defying a curfew imposed by the state government amid the violence. "These acts are gross violations of the residents? rights and dignity," Sani said. "We have documented such abuses in addition to extra-judicial killings of innocent residents by soldiers and the police."




The rights activists called for probes into the allegations. A spokesman for the Kaduna state governor dismissed the accusations as baseless and "a deliberate attempt to smear the image of the security personnel who have done an excellent job of restoring and maintaining peace in the state."

"The government has not received any complaints of abuse or extra-judicial killings from any residents, and if such alleged abuses have taken place there was no way they could have escaped the knowledge of the government," Reuben Buhari said. Violent protests erupted across Nigeria's mainly Muslim north over the election won by incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian. His main rival was ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from the north.
http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/nigeria-police-troops-abused-rioters-north

The British have a saying: “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” However, when it comes to Nigeria, what is normal and natural for the UK citizens and government to do in UK cannot be allowed—by the UK—for the peoples suffering and dying in Nigeria to do in Nigeria.

The UK’s insistence on one-Nigeria and its fanatical support for that unworkable and lethal-to-Nigerians structure is a case in point. UK’s is an irrational stance that is empowering and prolonging the foisted so-called leaders and government of Nigeria to foreclose on any debate by the peoples residing in Nigeria on real effective solutions and to criminalize movements for such solutions. Meanwhile, UK citizens are free to, and do freely and openly debate and rework their own union and relationships as they see fit.


So, as one can see, the Scots of UK can seek for and debate their Independence from UK, and the UK can accommodate that—and the results of such. No UK government agents and institutions are arresting and killing Scottish leaders for suggesting such, or for planning it, or for carrying it out. There is no cry of “Treason, treason!” directed against the Scots and their leaders and no threat of prosecution—or persecution, for that matter; there are no emotional outbursts or sham pseudo-nationalist conniving vows of “one indivisible UK, ” Even the BBC, ever the willing UK government mouthpiece, propagandist and co-actor when it comes to Nigeria’s issues, reports accurately and objectively and analyzes dispassionately the goings-on regarding this Scotland versus UK matter and like-subjects.

For the benefit of those unaware of it, the Scots, belonging to one of the nations that make up Britain / UK, already have a large measure of national autonomy in UK, having their own parliament and government, following earlier referendums. The UK government never contested this. Earlier this year (2011), the Welsh, constituting another British / UK nation, much smaller than Scotland in size and population, successfully voted in a referendum in favor of some measure of Welsh national autonomy. The Welsh are currently in the process of disengaging from the central UK government to the extent of the letter and spirit of their successful referendum. The UK government has not sent in its army to sack and raze Wales nor threatened to do so: such in fact could never cross its mind. The prediction is that the next step for Wales will be seeking Independence from UK eventually.

In each case, these socio-political emancipatory steps among the peoples of UK might have failed at first pose, first presentation and first effort; but conditions prompting them in the first place must have persisted, compelling the peoples to return to the issues again and again, revisit them and continue the debate, and change their mind accordingly, in the face of evident realities, until ultimate consummation. The UK peoples and their governments allowed this process to play out among them and accepted the outcomes. The debates might have been loud and sometimes even rancorous, maybe with name-calling, but the process proceeded with civility, definitiveness and conclusiveness. One would think that the UK, rather than meddlesomely suppress and oppose the same type of debate and process in Nigeria, would have the decency to accord the same respect to the peoples living in Nigeria as it does to her own citizens with whom Self Determination is encouraged, supported and allowed to come to fruition.

One would think that the peoples suffering, pining and dying under the smothering burden of one- Nigeria would have the good sense to oppose the hypocritical UK Foreign Policy and meddlings in its support of one-Nigeria. One would think that the bruised peoples residing in Nigeria and battered by the perniciousness of one-Nigeria would have some human dignity left, enough to challenge the double standard being practiced by the UK wherein UK citizens may exercise and enjoy Self-deterministic rights and privileges in UK but the peoples living in the Nigeria geospace may not. Are Africans living in Nigeria really lesser humans in the eyes and the practices of UK, unqualified to be accorded the very basic natural human courtesies, human privileges and human rights, individual or group? Are Africans unworthy of the exercise of Self Determination? UK’s posture in Nigeria begs these questions.

Of course, one should not blame UK alone in this matter. Many persons in Nigeria possessing Western education and accompanying degrees, awards and accolades still come up with the stupidest of reasons why the peoples barely eking out an existence in Nigeria should continue to cling to the malevolent one-Nigeria arrangement. These persons have lost all sensitivity to the plight of the masses grating themselves to unnecessary harm and premature death in Nigeria; else, they lack common reasoning sense—or both.

Those who use the “global village” argument state that the world is becoming a place of fading borders, replaced by overarching unions and super-unions, reducing the world to one large village; therefore, splitting up (which is what will be required to solve the Nigeria problem definitively) is a negative and counter-trend. Yet, ask them to point out where any sovereign country in this world has ever given up its sovereignty, Independence and or nationhood in order to join such a union, or while being a member of such a union: they won’t be able to come up with a single example. Since these persons often cite European Union (EU) as one of such unions (of which UK is a strong member), does that then not defeat their argument completely, seeing now that Scotland in UK is wanting to split from UK of EU, that Wales in UK of EU may soon follow suit, and that at the very least, each is strengthening her own nationhood and sovereignty and not dissolving or dismantling them? And, what about the case of the total breakup of the super Soviet Union, yielding multiple individual Independent and sovereign nations, in this the era of “global village preferred citizenship”? It is rather too obvious to cite this case in order to counter this uninformed argument. Indeed, the continued use of that argument smacks of intellectual dishonesty and or just plain ignorance.

Then, there are those who will argue that Nigeria has too many tribes—over three hundred, they would quote—and therefore to split Nigeria is impossible. First, where is the evidence of such teeming numbers, especially given that in Nigeria, anything involving numbers is routinely and proudly fudged for advantage? Second, there are already a few real “tribal nations” in Nigeria where a particular tribe is large, unique and comfortable enough to be a nation of its own and naturally functions as such: for example, the Igbo, the Yoruba, the Hausa separately, and the Fulani separately, and others. Most of the time, though, many “smaller” tribes already willingly and consensually get together to make up a functional nation. For example, the Hausa-Fulani is a nation where the Hausa and Fulani tribes have joined to form one nation. Many other tribes have joined up to make a religion-based nation of Islam in Northern Nigeria, to the extent that the vast region and their tribes in the North have functionally been reduced to just two nations—a Muslim nation and a Christian nation.




Therefore, three hundred tribes or five hundred tribes, even when Nigeria can with honesty count that high, does not equate to three hundred or five hundred nations. Before the advent of colonialism, the same tribes existed in the Nigeria geospace; they did not function as three to five hundred-odd nations. (By the way, the Roman conquerors of Britain recorded 27 major tribes on the British Isle proper, according to historical sources; today, these tribes have not become 27 different nations, but have coalesced into only the 3 nations of Scotland, England and Wales on the Isle; the fourth—Northern Ireland—is on a nearby island. For context, England alone is as large as or larger in size than all the other three combined, looking at the maps.)

A few may pretend that one major and valid reason to oppose the split-up of Nigeria is that the Oil boom in the Niger Delta area is a motivating factor, where the few nations subtending that natural resource greedily want to keep the proceeds all to themselves. UK uses this argument, too. No reason can be more idiotic or mischievous. Dividing social, religious, ethnic and political uniqueness among the peoples living in Nigeria have always been there from the start; the different peoples managed to manage such well, until colonialism forced them all together making the irreconcilable incompatibilities obvious, rendering the “plantation-country” so formed unworkable and ungovernable. As such, this has / had nothing to do with Oil, a much later find which did not become such a hot commodity until after WWII. The UK ought to know that! Yet, for that matter, no other reason for opposing the split-up of Nigeria can be more hypocritical on the part of UK:  did you read in the cited article above one of the reasons the Scots want their Independence from UK? Quote:
“"Even if we gained all these things, that would give the Scottish Parliament control over approximately 20% of the revenue base of Scotland.
“"Independence would give the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish people, control over almost 100% of the revenue base of Scotland."” –Mr Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister. Unquote.

There, “Howzat!” The goose and the gander again!

Finally, the reason that goes something like “Nigeria is the ‘giant’ of Africa” and ought to be preserved and supported as such, is often tendered by a few Nigerians, the UK and other ill-informed and or patronizing foreigners come romantic dreamers who have no clue as to what really passes as Nigeria. They are all too happy to ignore and deny the reality of the unfathomably negative and disastrous, life-sucking Nigerian experience. Their preferred romanticized notion of Nigeria has never been the experience and or reality for anyone and will never be. Africa, if it ever really needs a giant, does not need Nigeria because Nigeria is not a giant—not even a paper-giant—and has no way to become one, in any case. If not that Nigeria’s woes mirror Africa’s own woes (because of a shared root-cause), and in spite of that, Africa does not deserve this kind of a “country” called Nigeria. Africa only needs Nigeria like Africa needs a bullet in the head; sadly, Africa in fact functions just like that, anyway, because that’s exactly what Africa has got, unfortunately—Nigeria!

The peoples suffocating in Nigeria need to understand that what makes any country successful and or great in this world is the ability of its people to confront its problems with honesty, and with a determination to solve the problems effectively; the sole driving goal being the preservation of the people and their cherished way of life, the vision being a thriving and dignified human population in charge of its own destiny. If the pursuit of this goal means that the people have to change their relationship(s) within their own country or state, or between their country and others, so be it; a successful country and people will proceed to do so without apology or hesitation. If it means joining other(s) in a union, they will do it, wherein in fact, being true to their original goal dictates that they have to preserve and maintain their own sovereignty even while belonging to a new union. That’s what UK is doing with EU, and that’s what the Scots and the Welsh are doing with UK. Ironically, that’s exactly what UK says the peoples living in Nigeria should not and cannot do with Nigeria.

The conditions created by one-Nigeria, by contrast, do not allow for the preservation of the people—they rather incite and promote the destruction of the peoples. One-sided, insistent and incessant killing of peoples from other ethnic or religious groups by one particular one has now almost degenerated into predictable kill-with-reprisal-kill cycles after initial unilateral goodwill dried up. This wicked relationship called Nigeria has never been sustainable, despite force and pressure (and the UK can take a lot of the blame here); now it is just plain unbearable, anti-people, anti-human. Nigeria is not a place where the peoples are pursuing their cherished ways of life, never mind enjoying life. What in fact there is in Nigeria is a complete clash of different ways of life and incompatible life-views, with one particular one aggressive to impose theirs on others. In Nigeria, one people’s vision is to subjugate, prey on, dispossess and annihilate the others: how could there be “thriving and dignified humanity” therein? For sure, the reality of peoples killing one another forced together in Nigeria does not reflect or support a vision of being in control of each their own destiny. Nigeria therefore lacks every single ingredient necessary to build and maintain a successful country or a successful nation, talk less of a true union.

This is all the result of the peoples in Nigeria being forced into a “union” by UK whose own peoples are free to choose to rearrange and or opt out of their own non-forced union. Coupled with that, the peoples in Nigeria are passive enough in their suffering and are in such psychological denial that all they want to do is make excuses for why they are unable to exercise their own Self Determination rights, even if in order that they may at last and at least, live; rights taken for granted in the UK by the UK for the UK even as the UK suppresses such rights in Nigeria.

By Oguchi Nkwocha, MD
Nwa Biafra
A Biafran Citizen
https://www.saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/page_images/articles/image001.png?1305129206

Announcer: …and now your Tonight Show host, Dr. Njakiri Damages.

(Applause)

Dr. Damages: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Travelling on Lagos-Benin expressway the other day, a female driver cruising at 100 km/hr on a 55 km/hr road looked in the rearview mirror and spotted two cops on a pick-up truck pulling into the road from their hideout. She noticed that the cops were speeding up to her. She stepped on the accelerator, cruising at 120 km/hr. The cops followed in hot pursuit. Along the road, she saw a petrol station. She pulled in, slammed the brakes, jumped out of her car and ran into the ladies room. When she came out, the cops were standing round her car, waiting. With a smile on her face she said to the cops, “I sure say una no think say I go make am, no be so?”

(Laughter)

Talking about women who know how to charm cops, our guest tonight knows a thing or two about that topic and many others. She was the former director of NAFDAC and former Minister for Information. She just came off a brutal senatorial race against the former governor of her state. Please give a warm welcome to Professor (Mrs.) Dora Nkem Akunyili.

(Applause)

(Dora Akunyili walks onto the stage, shakes Dr. Damages’ hand and takes her seat.)

Dr. Damages: Welcome to the show. This is one of those rare occasions when a newsmaker seeks us out. Why did you want to appear on our show?

Dora Akunyili: I admire the work you do. I want to say something very important and what better place to say it than on your show. Nigerians know you’re a serious interviewer who is not afraid to ask any question. So I want to subject myself to your line of questioning and prove to Nigerians that I am still the Dora they fell in love with. I have not changed in spite of my involvement in elective politics.

Dr. Damages: Yes. That’s a good place to start. Your fans feel that your adventure into elective politics has damaged the Dora brand.

Dora Akunyili: Tufiakwa! Not at all. The Dora brand is still the gold standard. It is as solid as coke. No shaking. My enemies can concoct stories about me but none of their evil stories will stick on me. God forbid! (She signs herself and mutters the Hail Mary).

Dr. Damages: Do you have any regrets running for office?

Dora Akunyili: Not at all.

Dr. Damages: Not even one?

Dora Akunyili: Well, my only regret was going to Anambra State to partner with Gov. Peter Obi. You see, when you’re away from home and you depend on the newspapers for your stories, you’re setting yourself up to be fooled. I thought Gov. Obi was a good Catholic because I heard that the Pope endorsed him in last year’s gubernatorial election – and that God then ratified. In fact, I believed he was almost a holy man. Then I got to Anambra State and saw that he was a hypocrite. He carries around the rosary but he is just another crooked politician. The man is a creation of the media. He has a group of media men cleaning his image. The one that really shocked me was my discovery that he is not even popular in Anambra state. I could not believe it. If I had known, I would have remained in PDP and run for the senate seat under PDP. I would have won the election hands down. I was fooled by Peter Obi. He is surrounded by sycophants who won’t tell him a single truth. They deceive him by calling him “Okwute,” Rock of Ages. Meanwhile, he is just a mound of dust. Uche Ekwunife did the right thing – she did not allow Obi anywhere near her campaign. She kept her distance. She knew Obi was toxic. I did not know that. The man lives a fictional life. He is just a fraud sold to the public as a man with a great narrative.

Dr. Damages: How could you say that about a man who brought out bags of rice and bales of textiles to support your senate run?

Dora Akunyili: Who told you that Gov. Obi brought the money used to buy them? They were all bought by my brother, Anayo. Gov. Obi knows only his pocket. He won’t even give anything to Catholic priests who received and transmitted the message that he was the pope’s candidate last year. The man is just a miser.

Dr. Damages: Isn’t judicious use of government resources what we want?

Dora Akunyili: Yes. But being a miser does not mean he is using government funds well. He is not a miser when it comes to stuffing the funds in his pocket. The first time you meet Gov. Obi he swears to you in that innocent voice of his: “If I steal a kobo of government fund, may God punish me and my children.” Like most people, I believed him. Then, right there in your face, he goes on to stuff his pocket. He is such a fake.

Dr. Damages: A little while ago, you mentioned Anayo. I believe he’s your brother who that was kidnapped in 2008?

Dora Akunyili: Yes. That’s my very dear brother in whom I’m very pleased. He was suffering as a teacher at a community college in Virginia when I advised him to come back home. I told him that the miserable life of a teacher was not his divine portion. He listened to me and came back home. He started Solid Base Contractors LTD. When you have a big sister like me, your problem will never be cash but how to spend your money. I hooked him up and the rest is history.

Dr. Damages: How is he doing?

Dora Akunyili: (Smiles). I just told you. He is managing.

Dr. Damages: Just managing?

Dora Akunyili: We all are managing. Or what do you want me to say?

Dr. Damages: When someone who owns the grand Fidelma Hotel, you don’t say he is managing.

Dora Akunyili: That’s if he really owns it. He may be holding it in trust.

Dr. Damages: In trust? For who? (Dr. Damages detects a glint in her eyes, then a sly smile). Don’t tell me the rumor is true.

Dora Akunyili: Rumor again? What rumor?

Dr. Damages: Some people – I won’t be surprised if they’re Satan-induced enemies of your progress – say you’re the owner of Fidelma Hotel. They allege that you own it, but use your brother as a front. And they say the hotel’s name combines “Fidel” from Fidelia, the name of your late younger sister, and “ma,” from Ijeoma, your first daughter’s name.

Dora Akunyili: (For a brief moment, she looks anxious and worried. Perspiration forms on her forehead. But she recovers quickly and composes her face). My brother, leave that thing alone!

Dr. Damages: Is that your final answer?

Dora Akunyili: (With exasperation). I said leave that thing alone. Envy will kill all my enemies!

Dr. Damages: Okay, let’s return to the subject of trust. Your family set up and runs Paul and Grace Foundation to assist the poor. Why are the trustees of that Foundation all members of your family – mainly you, your brother and his wife?

Dora Akunyili: We set up the Foundation in memory of our parents. For something like that, you just have to pick people you trust. You don’t want the wrong people to come in and mess things up.

Dr. Damages: I hear you! Still on trust, how were you picked to be the Zonal Secretary of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF)?

Dora Akunyili: Gen. Sani Abacha heard all these great stories about the good work I was doing at UNN and in Anambra State and he picked me. That’s the honest truth, before God and man. It was purely on merit. Don’t listen to what my enemies are saying.

Dr. Damages: I didn’t hear anything. I just wanted to know. I know the Devil has raised so many enemies against you.

Dora Akunyili: Yes oh, my brother. But the Devil is a liar.

Dr. Damages: From the very beginning of time.

Dora Akunyili: I wish to place it on record that the PTF job was purely on merit.

Dr. Damages: You worked with Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at PTF. What kind of leader was he?

Dora Akunyili: I didn’t report directly to him. But my encounters with him were decent. He seemed like a decent man.

Dr. Damages: What do you mean by decent? Is decent a code word for something else?

Dora Akunyili: Unlike other generals in his position, he did not make a pass at me. With him, beautiful women like me were safe. And that matters a lot.

Dr. Damages: Really? Are you saying sexual advances are rampant in the corridors of power?

Dora Akunyili: Oh, yes. Where in Nigeria have you been? If you like, ask Kema Chikwe and Pauline Tallen what we were subjected to as ministers under Obasanjo. It is terrible. It’s a plague.

Dr. Damages: Subjected to what?

Dora Akunyili: Subjected to everything.

Dr. Damages: Under Obasanjo?

Dora Akunyili: (She flashes a smile).

Dr. Damages: But who subjected accomplished women like you, Kema and Pauline to anything?

Dora Akunyili: You can never get me to mention his name.

Dr. Damages: (Bends towards her). You can whisper the person’s name to me.

Dora Akunyili: Never!

Dr. Damages: How do you expect such a scourge to end if powerful women like you cannot come out and expose such illicit actions?

Dora Akunyili: I pick my fights and pleasures.

Dr. Damages: What do you want young, powerless girls who are raped in Nigeria to do?

Dora Akunyili: (Faintly) I was raped, too.

Dr. Damages: What? You were what?

Dora Akunyili: (Leaning in towards Dr. Damages, she looks panicked). I mean… You know what? Can you edit that part out? Please. I beg you.

Dr. Damages: Wait a minute! Who raped you? How could anyone in this world rape a minister?

Dora Akunyili: Stop saying that. Don’t say it loud.

Dr. Damages: (Lowers his tone) It’s impossible. I hope you’re not using me to cast yourself as a character that deserves our sympathy. I’ll be furious if I find out that you came here to use me.

Dora Akunyili: All it took was for him to simply close the door. He didn’t even have to lock it. Nobody dared open the door when it was closed – even if you were screaming your spleen out.

Dr. Damages: What door? I don’t get it.

Dora Akunyili: You know how it is with the thing. You play with someone today. And tomorrow, when you don’t want to play, he may want to. If he does not stop when you say no, then, it is what it is.

Dr. Damages: And you’re ok with doing nothing about it?

Dora Akunyili: My brother, please. The man is a dog. Let us let the sleeping dog rest. Please. I beg you. I don’t want to be finished in this country. Please, edit that whole part out. In fact, let us start from the very beginning.

Dr. Damages: Why don’t you want to put up a fight on behalf of the young girls of Nigeria?

Dora Akunyili: My brother, there’s no palm wine tapper who will reveal everything he sees from the top of the palm tree.

Dr. Damages: Not even for the sake of poor and the helpless girls?

Dora Akunyili: No. That Baba is too much oh!

Dr. Damages: Are you talking about…?

Dora Akunyili: I didn’t mention any name. I didn’t say anything! Please, let us start afresh.

Dr. Damages: If you insist, Honorable Minister.

Dora Akunyili: No, senator-elect.

Dr. Damages: But you were not…

Dora Akunyili: I was! The good people of Anambra elected me. That man stole it. In fact, why don’t we begin with my senatorial contest against Chris Ngige?

Dr. Damages: I want us to end with that.

Dora Akunyili: Ok.

Dr. Damages: Why don’t we start with Ifeoma Ethel Okpala?

Dora Akunyili: Who?

Dr. Damages: Ifeoma Ethel Okpala.

Dora Akunyili: Who’s that?

Dr. Damages: Your niece.

Dora Akunyili: Oh. You pronounced the name one kind way.

Dr. Damages: How is she?

Dora Akunyili: She should be fine, I guess.

Dr. Damages: Where is she?

Dora Akunyili: I don’t know.

Dr. Damages: You don’t?

Dora Akunyili: I swear to God, I don’t know. I can kiss my rosary if you don’t believe me. (She brings out her rosary from her handbag)

Dr. Damages: No need for that. I believe you.

Dora Akunyili: I for say.

Dr. Damages: But you know that she was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for trying to board a flight to London with cocaine hidden on her body. She had 20 wraps ingested and another 54 wraps packed and worn as a diaper.

Dora Akunyili: I heard about that.

Dr. Damages: But you have not followed up on it.

Dora Akunyili: Not really. Am I the police? And you know the campaign just consumed all my time.

Dr. Damages: I understand she isn’t just your niece. She also worked for you at NAFDAC.

Dora Akunyili: She did? It has been a while. A lot of my people worked at NAFDAC. How could I know each and everyone of them?

Dr. Damages: Well, but this woman is your niece. Anyway, there’s a news flash… she is back in London.

Dora Akunyili: Really? When? How? Why? You don’t mean it.

Dr. Damages: Do you know how she made it out of Nigeria?

Dora Akunyili: No.

Dr. Damages: How did she go from NDLEA detention back to London without a trial? Forgive the expression, but some mongerers of rumor say you used your connections in government to get her freed while other suspects, from less influential families, are still languishing in detention?

Dora Akunyili: I have no idea how she got out. I have no hand in any of that. I think you should ask the NDLEA.

Dr. Damages: As a former image maker for Nigeria, the woman who championed rebranding of Nigeria, what kind of image does that give Nigeria – as a country serious about fighting narcotics?

Dora Akunyili: Like I said, I am no longer a Minister.

Dr. Damages: So?

Dora Akunyili: In fact, I came here to remake my own image. I’m not here to talk about people who are willing tools in the hands of the devil.

Dr. Damages: You mean that your niece was a tool of the devil?

Dora Akunyili: I did not say that. In fact, I want to go back to the Green room and come back to the stage. This whole interview started on a very wrong footing. Let us start from the very beginning.

Dr. Damages: (Looking into the camera). We’ll be right back.

T9ksy:
And? Wtf is the monkey-looking, bed-ridden ikemba gonna do about it? Start another war?
The man can't even get a ha.rd on for his beautiful wife. Rather he left that job to his blood relative okonkwo who is, as we speak prolly shinning Bianca's congo on Ojukwu's bed whilst dressed in ojukwu's bathrobe.

Yeye dey boom!

how does this relate to the thread

[quote author=EzeUche_ link=topic=665346.msg8302640#msg8302640 date=1305164285]Your eyes are open. Spread the word to many of our brothers and sisters. The SE PDP needs to go. They are weak and do not serve our interest.[/quote]ur signature annoys me at the very least

odumchi:
This is a combination of socio-political-economic-and religous tensions. Let us all be honest to ourselves, the North boasts the lowest literacy rates in Nigeria And has a large minority if well educated Southern-Igbo and multinational Christians living in cities like Kano, Kaduna taking up the high paying jobs.

Northeners see the Southerners as intruders and view them as an altogether different entity due to economic and religious differences. So what do they do? In expression of their anger they go about burning the homes of Succesful Southerners and churches throughout the North in retribution. The average Hausa man has no education passed primary 6, and therefore is ineligible for high-tech and modern jobs which call for an educated Southerm labour force.

i am not hausa but that is a very silly statement u just made

what do u mean an average hausa is not educated

yes i am half educated but i bet on any thing i know more science, geography and politics and economics than 70% of southerners and you

just because he did not finish school does not make him less smarter than u, u this mumu

[quote author=dem_people link=topic=665346.msg8302623#msg8302623 date=1305163815]Okpara, would you save me? Ojike, where are you? Mbadiwe, Ibiam, Nze o g . . . .?

My tongue has locked as I see the enemy horsemen, magnificent in their ride towards me, to finish me once and for all. Save me o my heroes before they reach me from afar![/quote]them people all hope is not lost yet there is still 1 more ace card to be played

not now but in 2015

zstranger:
Up Yoruba Intelligentsia

I love you I no go lie

Up the greatest of the greatest Yoruba Intelligentsia!

We run shyyt, shyyt dont run us.

All Ndigbo against OBJ, OBJ killed them all

OBJ, you too much man.

why fstranger why

Eko Ile:
I wonder why THE WILL did that,

as u can see it is the se governors themselves that did it not North or SW

[quote author=EzeUche_ link=topic=665337.msg8302463#msg8302463 date=1305159837]I see the goat enjoys seeing this.

It is not like his life will be improved

No education and he is still a goat.
[/quote]are you talking to president jonathan like that becareful

[quote author=EzeUche_ link=topic=665224.msg8302442#msg8302442 date=1305159493]Shut up fool!

B[b]uhari is a bigger bigot. [/b]

Jonathan was the lesser of two evils.[/quote]how ??

did he not pick and igbo vice before

i don't understand

ACTING NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, PDP, DR HALIRU MOHAMMED BELLO.

ABUJA, May 11, (THEWILL) – The political office sharing arrangement popularly referred to as zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will basically remain the same, the Expanded National Caucus of the PDP has ruled.

Recall THEWILL had exclusively reported the details of the office sharing deal as reached last week by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and very top leaders of the PDP at the Obudu Resort in Cross River State.

The Expanded Caucus of the party at a meeting it summoned inside the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday night adopted the draft resolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, which had earlier recommended that the North East zone be awarded the National Chairmanship of the party and the Deputy Speakership of the House of Representatives; North Central zone – Senate Presidency; South West – Speaker of the House of Representatives; the South East – Deputy Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); the South South -- the House Leader, while the South East would also produce the Chief Whip of the House as presently maintained.

The current SGF, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed is from the North East, he is expected to vacate the position.

THEWILL gathered from a single source privy to discussions at the meeting, which had President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Haliru Mohammed Bello, PDP BOT Chairman Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Anthony Anenih, Senator David Mark, members of the Board of Trustees of the party, PDP governors amongst others, that the party decided to stick to a previous agreement it had reached before the elections.

With the office sharing deal reached, Senator David Mark, who received the backing of many PDP governors including those from the South East (they failed to push for the South East) and the PDP executive would return as Senate President. The South East zone which had maintained that it wanted the Senate Presidency or Speaker of the House would nominate Mark’s deputy.

The Yoruba speaking states (South West) will present the Speaker of the House, where only three ranking PDP members won their re-election. Hon. Muraina Ajibola (Oyo State), an Obasanjo protégé is expected to become Speaker as exclusively reported by THEWILL earlier.

The source told THEWILL that the Expanded Caucus agreed that the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Haliru Mohammed Bello will remain in office till 2012, when the party conducts its National Convention.

The various geo-political zones of the party would have to meet amongst themselves to decide which state presents the persons that would occupy offices zoned to them.

http://thewillnigeria.com/politics/8481-Now-Official-PDP-Retains-Old-Zoning-Formula.html

[img]http://thewillnigeria.com/thumbnail.php?file=Haliru_mohammed_bello__353839931.png&size=article_medium[/img]

[quote author=High_Chief link=topic=665296.msg8302388#msg8302388 date=1305158597]This alhmajiri will never stop[/quote]

how does it relate to the thread