₦airaland Forum

Nwosu, president of Enenia Biometrics Inc and chief technology officer of Smartcard Solutions, New Jersey, United States, in reaction to BusinessDay’s story, said: “How can documentation software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years? What has changed in four years in the fundamental process of documenting people that will make the software obsolete?”

Nwosu, who has also been an adjunct professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Rutgers State University, New Jersey and a former visiting professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, New Jersey, said software applications do not become obsolete “rather application features may become outdated.”

The chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, had while in an interactive session with selected media executives in Lagos, last week, stated that the budget of N74 billion the commission is seeking for the compilation of voters’ registration would be spent on new software upgrade and acquisition of new ones as well as on manpower training.

Nwosu asked: “Can the cost of upgrading simple documentation be that exorbitant to explain a N74 billion budget?” The software engineer said when certain features become outdated the existing software is upgraded, which is usually part of the supply agreement from the vendor (the supplier of the software). He said it does not make sense for INEC to buy the software because, according to him, it is a simple application that INEC could develop internally at virtually no cost.

It would seem that every jack is is looking to jump out of obscurity by making crazy statements about the money budgetted for the elections.
This Nwosu guy obviously feels very comfortable making sweeping statements without any backing, an all too common Nigerian disease.

I find it incredible that a software engineer can wonder how "software procured in 2006 become outdated within four years". There are so many holes in his reasoning that it beggars belief. The same man 'said software applications do not become obsolete “rather application features may become outdated.”' If hardware is evolving at breakneck speed, what would even a novice conclude about the software that has to run on it? The everyday home user can get an understanding of what I am saying from the fact that there were several programmes people used very comfortable with Windows XP that blatantly refused to run on Windows Vista; you virtually had to find a replacement. . . And thats software!

Aside from the hardware a piece of software was built to target going obsolete, there are also certain security and speed constraints that plague older systems, especially were computationaly intensive work like processing biometric data is concerned. Talking about this area alone can run to several pages of fruitful discussion.

The software requirements needed for the last elections are totally different from what is being asked for 2011. INEC is talking about gathering fingerprint and eye data, which is light years away from the crudity that produced Mike Tyson, Bill Clinton etc in our voters register.
When software requirements are different, you need new software. No two ways.

Prof Nwosu. . . Fail!

akelliah:
if obj die unko ?
him death go even teach all this politrickers proper leson
ye ye
i beg comot make i pas

Abeg, sidon jare!
If dem gi you gun make you take kpai egbon, serious cold no go catch you? You go fit?

kingmakerz:
@bubapapa
if ignorant was the only word you used i dont think we would be having this discussion. i can understand your frustration at what you perceive to be ignorance. But would the right approach not be to try and educate as paddy lo did as opposed to calling people ignorant, backward, illiterates, uneducated blah blah blah!

Ol boy, you get time o!
Can common sense ever come out of a bloody Lastma operative?
You fit baf goat so te, e turn to horse?

This obj guy sef! I wonder is he isn't the most powerful guy in the country outside of govt?

OMO IBO:
Thank you babapupa for your input.
The above is utter tosh. . . .and that is putting it lightly.

With or without this GPS system bus driver's and conductors will continue to ply the same route to arrive at their destination.
For example, a bus driver/conductor will not abandon a mushin to oshodi route via ladipo market cos of traffic to ply mushin to oshodi via isolo or ajao estate.

i hope you see where this arguement is going.

As it appears, this system may benefit every other person BUT bus driver's/conductor's.

The reason i (and m aybe others) threw in bus driver's and market women was not to belittle them. . . . . far from it. My mum used to be a market woman/trader.
But if the aim of the GPS system is please explain to me how this system AT THIS PRESENT TIME will be benefit a market trader and a bus driver.

If babapupa doesn't even know the purpose for which the system was installed, how do you expect him to answer the points he himself raised about the system benefitting traders, truck drivers and all the other stuff he talked about? You wan kill am?
babapupa is just here to function like one of those wind up yoys in horror movies. His masters simply prepare a programme, wind up babapupa and unleash him on NL!

This is what the GPS station is about, babapupa doesn't know;

The government of Lagos in Nigeria has announced it will launch its Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS) shortly, to improve the state's traffic flow.

The two systems are part of the government's plans to launch a fully digital mapping and enterprise geographic information system (GIS).

GPS is a satellite-based radio navigation system and CORS is used for tracking down GPS and Global Navigation Satellites, receiving and storing data, removing errors and transmitting the enhanced satellite data to users in real time.

The systems have been developed by Nigerian firm GeoQinetiq, which will also install and commission the GIS as well as train the Geomatic professionals.

The CORS system, which operates from a permanent and stable location, is based on Swiss firm Leica Geosystems' GRX1200GG GNSS reference station receivers and spider GPS network control software.

http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/news/news70613.html

Tings a gwan in 9ja!

[size=14pt]Obasanjo dispels assassination rumours [/size]
August 9, 2010 03:25PM

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday refuted rumours that he had been shot dead by assassins.
"I dey kampe," he said in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, "this morning I went to do community work at Pakoto near Ifo.

I have since returned to Abeokuta and have attended a meeting on the (Presidential) library."

He thanked all those who had expressed concern over his safety, adding that in the belief of his Yoruba people, it meant that he still has many more years to live.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5604704-146/obasanjo_dispels_assassination_rumours.csp

becomrich3:
it is hard to stop prostitution. Look 90% of women want something from you nowadays even before they can go out with you. Is either Iphone or something. Are they not prostitution too. ?

Single women 90% of the time would end up in prostitution. even for a couple life is hard, now imagine been alone. abroad even women are ready to take your husband if they dont have one. To be honest with you oprah winfrey hate been alone in the middle of the night, after television camera. She too need someone. She may not say it, but that is the honest truth. Been lonely too also draw women into prostitution. [size=14pt]If God have allowed me to marry all the single women[/size]. I would that been honest. They need love too.

The reason why women go into prostitution should be what govt should be looking at? most women are force into prostitution by situation. Some women because of pride and arrogant end up into prostitution when they divorce thier husband. Come abroad.
single mother find it hard, so they end up in prostitution. They are fooled to believe that been single mother they can do what ever they like but that is not true.

Abeg sharap for your own good jare! Even a strong soja like Abacha died with only two on top of him.

becomrich3:
. . .
https://www.blogcdn.com/www.asylum.com/media/2010/01/drakes-equation-584.jpg

So are you now searching for extraterrestrial to replace Uncle Joe?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation#The_equation

The Lagos GPS station is meant to help with real time traffic flow; that is the reason Lagos got it, thats for the two ejeets, babapupa and paddy_lo who have called other NLer's illiterate without providing any answers to even the most basic questions and taken on the grand delusion of enlightenment. But thats the way of some Nigerian's; post in the biggest font size, haul abuse, be as thuggish and foul mouthed as sanity allows. . . all, so that noone questions them.

Fail.

@topic
The Lagos govt has gone the right way with attempting to tackle the truely atrocious traffic one can encounter only in Nigeria. Hopefully, there will be an accompanying radio service and website that can warn users of hotspots to avoid.
What concerns me tho, is that a single station might not be enough to cover the whole state (it's radio signals might be blocked or too weak in some areas). For example, a country as tiny as the UK has 900 GPS stations, if that is a guide, the GPS station might only serve areas around Alausa.

What interests me most is the claim of 1cm accuracy!
Damn! Even American's no get dat kain system! Up Nigeria!

OMO IBO:
Jakumo, i'll strongly suggest you stop responding to this thread.

it is obvious that your knowledge of GPS and satelites as it concerns Nigeria is deficient.
my suggestion would be that you focus on America - you seem to be an expert in things pertaining to America. But even that is questionable.

You made the comment below.

Well, you might want to see this:
Cheers as Nigeria launches communications satellite into orbit
TRUE to prediction, the much awaited launch of the Nigerian communication satellite, the first of its kind in Africa, took place and went on the 20 to 30 - minute trip into orbit where it is expected to provide robust and reliable satellite services to citizens in Africa and Europe
http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=9919

you may also want to see the following:
Nigeria to re-launch its communications satellite
Lagos (Nigeria) Nigeria is to re-launch its communication satellite de-orbited on November 10, 2008 when it developed a technical problem, an official said here Monday
http://www.afriqueavenir.org/en/2010/06/29/nigeria-to-re-launch-its-communications-satellite/

Jakumo is correct, Nigeria has never launched a single satellite, even fireworks or bisco.
Every single Nigerian "launch" was done in China. Why do we like fooling ourselves and living in cockoo land?

Nice question, even if a bit audacious.

[size=14pt]How Ribadu escaped death[/size]
Written by Hassan Ibrahim, Kaduna
Sunday, 08 August 2010

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ahmed Ribadu, has said that in the desperation to get him, a clique in late Yar’Adua government attempted to kill him because he constituted an obstacle in their effort to institutionalize corruption in Nigeria.

He, however, declined to comment on his speculated political ambition in 2011.

Ribadu spoke in Kaduna during a meeting organized by the Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN). He said the same people almost killed him on his way to Jos, NIPPS, but could not succeed because God did not allow it.

“When they couldn’t get anything, they said I did not declare my assets. not that I have assets. It is impossible for you to work with EFCC without declaring your assets because it is a condition,” he said.

He added that the first week he left Kuru, Jos , he declared.

“You don’t have problem with somebody who is taking your billions,it is me, an individual who tried to address these things, that they said should be finished. ”

“I have six children, a wife that I did not see for about two years. It is the same people who took me to court and said I did not declare my assets.

“One person gave me 15 million dollars bribe, I took it to the Central Bank of Nigeria and used it as evidence to prosecute the person, the same person, today, someone is saying that I have not declared my assets,”he said.

He said the tragedy of corruption is that whenever it takes over, it almost becomes the engine of the society. He is hopeful that it could be confronted through a honest leadership.

He asserted that if he remained in the EFCC for a while, they had a strategy that would address corruption.

“After two years of trying to destroy the work we did, EFCC is stil a household name. EFCC was created in 2003/2004, there are institutions that are 50 years in this country that nobody is talking about them’’. He informed the youths at the meeting not to give up on Nigeria as some of them are still doing this work today.

‘’They are the ones who will change this country.”

Earlier in his lecture, Ribadu told the youths that the challenge of the new generation today was to restore good governance, accountability, and transparency in government as a basis of sanitising our democracy.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/index.php/news/1793-how-ribadu-escaped-death-

[size=14pt]Who will succeed Jonathan in 2019? [/size]
Monday, 09 August 2010

FROM all indications, despite his silence, President Jonathan is willing to contest for the presidential election of 2011, and as the incumbent, it is impossible for him not to win.

The incumbent chairman of INEC on his own part, as a former Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) President, a member of which I learnt our president was, would surprise us if under him, Dr. Jonathan’s good luck fails to hold then.

Luckily for the president, his political party, the PDP, has decided to do away with its zoning formula. I hope zoning issue would not suddenly resurrect in the future, when a certain individual comes out to contest for the presidency and he/she happens to be one whose face the party hates or likes based on his/her ethnic affiliation, religious inclination, personality disposition to national issues and so on.

I also do hope that come next year, no individual would want to lay claim to the post of the Senate Presidency, Speaker of the House of Representatives, or any other political office of the party, courtesy of the seat being zoned to his/her ethnic group.

Now, let me ask the party’s national chairman, Sir, since according to you, the zoning formula had been jettisoned even before your party’s primaries in 2007, why is it that you accepted to contest for this position on the strength of it being zoned to the South-East geopolitical zone?

In Nigeria, the level of formal education has nothing to do with political sit-tightness. For this, it still baffles me that Dr. Vincent Ogbulafor (of PDP of all political parties) resigned his position as the national chairman of that party, forfeiting the huge amounts, the respect and pride of office involved, rather than going to the law court to fight for his right, prolonging his tenure in office.

This act is un-Nigerian politics, where for doing nothing to better the lots of the masses for eight solid years, someone is now seeking for a third term in office.

With regards to this issue of ‘sit-tight-syndrome’ of our politicians, it is most impossible for Jonathan to rule for just one term and step down in 2015. Surely, his party would clear him for a second term of office. In actual sense, it could be said that he only completed the late President Yar’Adua’s tenure of office. And in a situation the constitution fails to give such a claim, a clean bill of health and amendment would become inevitable by any means. This is indirectly telling other politicians to stop wasting their money. Now ask, who would succeed Jonathan in 2011?

However, I am not against Dr. Jonathan’s dream. He is doing very well like the literate man that he is. Before he became the President, whoever was told that there would be at least, a little improvement in the power sector, would simply laugh off the joke!

Corruption, which grew to its highest level between 1999 and 2007, period during which Nigeria fell from the 27th position it was in ‘corrupt days of Abacha’, to the 2nd most corrupt country of the world. Also, petroleum products are now available everywhere in this same country! If OBJ had done these, we might have bought his ambition of becoming our life president!

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/letters/9368-who-will-succeed-jonathan-in-2019

[size=14pt]2011 presidency: How the North will vote [/size]
Written by Sola Adebayo and Idowu Samuel, Abuja
Sunday, 08 August 2010

THE likely voting pattern for the presidential election across northern states is gradually emerging and, according to Sunday Tribune findings, the result is not favourable to either Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or General Ibrahim Babangida.

A detailed survey in the North in the past one week on the thinking in the North, as it affects the controversial zoning formula adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), indicated a subtle departure from the belief that majority of the Northerners are rooting for zoning.

One of the leaders, while speaking with Sunday Tribune in one of the states in the ultra-conservative North over the weekend, conceded that IBB and Atiku are ready to vie for the presidential seat and either may win going by their political clout. He stated that their victory may however, rob the younger generation of Northerners the chance to lead the country.

The leader, a state governor, who pleaded for anonymity for strategic reasons, explained to Sunday Tribune that, “ majority of those in the North will vote for Jonathan because our generation will be prepared to lead this country in the next four years. We are better groomed, better placed and are ready to look at Nigeria from the purview of a nationalist and will address issues that affect the nation from that perspective.

“These people who have re-emerged on the national scene and are vying for the highest seat in the land are those who have been there since and that is why they are angling for the zoning formula but while I will vote for zoning, I want the presidency to go to the South South now so that it will quickly come back to the North where our generation will then have a chance to play at the highest level. IBB was there in 1985 and he wants to come back, Atiku was there for eight years. Even Buhari was there in 1983. Will we ever have the chance to improve our own lives, the lives of our people?

‘’Ünder OBJ, many young Northerners were exposed to governance at the highest level and were taken to international fora where they were allowed to shine. Are those trainings, those preparations going to waste? They will if IBB or Atiku emerges as president in 2011 and are allowed to govern for eight years,” the governor noted.

Another leader, who, because of his being an ally of Yar’Adua’s political family also pleaded for anonymity, stated that some governors of northern extraction who are doing very well for their people and should replicate such for the country will be denied that chance if the North produces the president in 2011.

He mentioned two governors from the North East and another from the North Central, as those who can successfully fly the flag for the North after a Jonathan presidency.

“I see the Jonathan presidency and the coming elections as an opportunity to clear off the present leaders of the North, as this is their last chance. After this period they dare not show interest in the office again,”he explained to Sunday Tribune.

North pushes for pact with Jonathan
The liberal wing of the conservative North, peopled by former government officials and the youth, are eager to have the North enter into a pact with President Jonathan which will ultimately enable him to rule for a period of time beginning from 2011, after which he would transfer power to the region by a special arrangement.

The group, which was yet to assume a definite move, has been engaging in talks with top northern leaders, traditional rulers and presidential aspirants from the zone and also former Nigerian leaders; including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, General Yakubu Gowon and Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who for now appear to have no keen political interest.

All things being equal, the North, in the thinking of the group, will enter into a negotiation for power with Jonathan, who is yet to formally declare interest in the presidential election.

The negotiation is to ensure that in case he would enter into the presidential contest with core support from the North, and with an agreement that he would automatically drop the baton of power for the North at the expiration of his tenure.

A former minister who is one of the leading members of the northern group, Honourable Bala Kaoje, told Sunday Tribune that most northern leaders that he and his colleagues had talked with showed deep understanding of the need for the North to enter into a pact with Jonathan on power sharing, ahead of the 2011 general election.

Kaoje, a one time Presidential Adviser on National Assembly, disclosed further that the reason members of his group thought out the idea of committing the North to talk with the president, stemmed out of the need to prevent national unity and democracy from drifting, against the backdrop of hostilities which the issue of zoning had started generating among the political classes in the country.

Wants OBJ, Gowon, Shagari as witnesses
Kaoje explained the reason why members of his group felt the need to involve former leaders like Obasanjo, Gowon, Shagari and others in the planned negotiation with Jonathan, stressing that they were to serve as a source of inspiration and strong witnesses to any accord the North might strike with the president on power rotation in the country.

According to the former Minister of Sports, some leaders in the North were beginning to have a re-think on the issue of zoning, mindful of the circumstances which produced Jonathan as president, and which to them was divine, since neither Jonathan nor anyone ever envisaged a sudden twist in national politics which eventually produced a new horizon in the nation’s polity.

The North, said Kaoje, was beginning to realise that it had an entrenched relationship with the South-South politically, and could not discountenance such relationship at the present moment when providence has placed power directly on the laps of the South-South through Jonathan, a reason he said many in the North now believed that Jonathan should not be pushed away, just immediately.

He said as the incumbent president, Jonathan should enjoy the right to contest in the next presidential election, noting that anyone in his shoes would not just dump power and walk away without being pursued.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/index.php/front-page-articles/1804-2011-presidency-how-the-north-will-vote

This is a very interesting comment from a Middle Belter on the Vanguard website;

Tonyfrankly says:
August 8, 2010 at 8:48 am

Sen Ebute is completely right ih his submissions especially on why Jonathan should run and the issue of Middle Belt alliance
With the South. The M-Belt’s past support for the North since independence is the major reason for the underdevelopment of the area politically and infrastructure wise. We are counted as part of North only to exploit us in time of elections only to dump us after and label us minorities. Coming from Kogi State, I have not seen anything that can justify our identification as northerners. The only political option left to us now is to go into very strong alliance with our southern neighbours to help free us from the stranglehold of the Northern cabal that has impeded our progress and development. Let the Middle Belt exist on their own as a strong political zone and be in a right position to bargain for power, it is only that way we can make progress and by playing Boy Boy to the Northern power-brokers. A summit of Middle Beltans has become innevitable to take a stand on this. Senator, thanks for being frank/truthful enough.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/08/jonathans-purported-aspiration-why-the-middle-belt-is-now-for-south-south-by-ameh-ebute/

Where in Gods name is Edoyad? That dude used to be NL's most outspoken Middle Belter.

9jaganja:
I won't be voting Jonathan if I'm in Nigeria during the election!! He lacks a lot of leadership features. He seem like a person that will succumb to anyone threatening his position!! This is a demo of what Jonathan will do when he gets there. Senators and reps are still getting 85% more than they deserve!!!, I don't think Jonathan is the man for Nigeria.

Referendum should be the first thing any good leader will think of first!!. Every tribe except Beaf's tribe should be allowed to have their own province and grow. Control their own people by their own people.

The word "tribe" is derogatory. We need to learn to use positive words like "ethnicity" or "nationality" and similar. Tribe was first used to refer to groups of monkeys and extended to non-whites by supremacists and racists, that is why white people do not have tribes. Thank you.

. . . End of educational rant.

@topic
The new alliance between Middle Belt, North East and South is a totally fresh and welcome re-allignment in Nigerian politics. I believe we are witnessing the early birth pangs of a new Nigeria. What a coincidence that it is coming in the year of our Golden Jubilee!

Back to this your Movement for Equality and Change?
Let me tell you, our movement is mainly an ideological movement. We would like to appeal to all Nigerians that after having existed for 50 years, it is time for us to do things with our neighbours in mind. We should have gone beyond the time that people should arrogate whatever, be it political power, be it economic development or award of contracts to themselves alone. It is time for us to work on the basis of equality that all human beings are born equal and that equality and change should be the basis of activities in this country.
If we are able to spread that gospel, then you will see that the pattern of votes will change in this country. We should be able to identify people who have arrogated political power to themselves and have developed their own areas at the expense of other areas. This is the sole purpose. You will realize people who have never held the presidency of this country throughout the period of 50 years, who will now want to aspire and at the appropriate time, when you have people from this areas wanting to aspire for the presidency, Nigerians will say yes, let us support them because they have never had any turn before. Let us not go to the zone that has had it several times and nothing has changed in this country.
If members of our own society, including Jonathan is elected as President of this country, the fortunes of this country will be realized. The campaign we are going to do in the country is to appeal to the morals of our brothers and Nigerians in general that things should be done equally. We should all take ourselves as brothers and sisters. We are not saying that anybody should not aspire to the office of the President but we are saying give chance to those that have never been President before.
Part of the problem of those people insisting on zoning is that Obasanjo, who, because of zoning barred other people from contesting in 2007, is the one now saying there is nothing like zoning. That is one. The other issue is that there is the fear in some quarters that Obasanjo might serve as a polluting agent, he might pollute Jonathan and make him do things his own way?
Obasanjo is more of a problem than a solution to Jonathan.
What was that? What did you just say?
Yes! Obasanjo is more of a problem to Jonathan because people don’t want to see Obasanjo around Jonathan. But history is very important. Obasanjo helped in the first place to make Jonathan the Vice President of Yar’Adua.
Now, for somebody who has helped you previously, it is not morally right for Jonathan to tell Obasanjo to go away from him. So, he will continue to take his advice. If I’m in Jonathan’s shoe, I will not have the moral fortitude to drive Obasanjo away from me. Anybody has the right to go close to the President of his own country.
So, what should Jonathan do in this instance?
He should find a way to manage Obasanjo.
You know, in those turbulent days of June 12 and the drama which happened after the annulment, especially your ascendancy as Senate President, taking the office of your fellow Benue brother, Iyorchia Ayu, was misconstrued in some quarters as an endorsement of the annulment or that you were going to shift ground?
When June 12 election was annulled, there were divisions – those people who were against the annulment of June 12 elections and those people mainly in the military who made the annulment possible. Politicians proper were not happy with the annulment of the June 12 election. I was elected Senate President for a few weeks and the military came again, and when the process of putting Abiola in office failed, some of us disagreed, insisting that the government of Abacha should have put Abiola who won the election that was deemed to be free and fair into office.
When he failed to put him in office, I reconvened the Senate and appealed to Abacha to hand over to Abiola as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but what did we get? We were put in detention and we were there with Bola Tinubu, Senator Okorafor, Senator Abu Ibrahim and many others. We were put in prison for some time until Abacha died and this democracy that we are now in was put in place. Not all politicians agreed with the annulment of the June 12 election won by Abiola.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/08/jonathans-purported-aspiration-why-the-middle-belt-is-now-for-south-south-by-ameh-ebute/

Which PDP? PDP which, when they shout the slogan, ‘PDP’, people respond by saying ‘Share The Money’. In fact, some believe that PDP is the problem of Nigeria?
I wouldn’t agree that PDP is the problem of this country. It’s a mere allegation.
It is not. The party has been in power since 1999 at the federal level and even in the states the party controlled and still controls more than75% of the governors in the country and, of course, the legislature?
The perceptions arose because of the performance of the individual that was the President.
Individual! Mention his name now – Olusegun Obasanjo?
He was the person who was elected as President, he failed as a human being and not the PDP as a party. The PDP is not a human being. PDP is an association of persons on whose platform a person always contests election. If that person fails to perform to the expectation of the generality of Nigerians, that doesn’t mean that the PDP has failed. It is the person who was in office on the platform of the party that has failed. That is my own theory.
It still sounds funny. You say it is an individual or the individuals who have failed and not the PDP. But the PDP is the aggregation of these individuals you have talked about. And to think that Nigerians invested so much h ope and expectations in President Obasanjo and many of those elected public office holders at that time?
Between 1999 and today, I would say a lot of improvements have been made. Every year, you make improvements. But the fact is that the level of improvements made may not be as expected. But if the developments made are not according to the wishes of the people, then they will tell you that nothing has happened at all.
That is part of the paradox of the Nigerian nation. Your party still finds a way to get back to power?
The aspirations were not met and people still voted for the PDP because of the level of poverty in the country.
I didn’t say people voted, I said PDP still found a way to get back to power?
We get back to power because the PDP is in power and they are in control of State funds. The candidates most of whom come from the PDP have money to mobilise the voters and this is why PDP continues to win. But unfortunately, the level of poverty in the country, especially in the rural areas, is such that you may not have an election that is not manipulated as a result of who has more money than the other.
In fact that is the point to be made now. The new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is saying that time is of essence in the quest for an election that would not be manipulated. But then, some are arguing that the timing, both constitutionally and the time left for litigation as enshrined in the amended constitution should be such that it would…?
(Cuts in) I want to argue on the point of view of the fact that the time fixed for newly elected public office holders to be sworn in is a constitutional matter and the Constitution should not be easily amended to extend the time for which political actors should come to office. I believe that between now and April of next year is sufficient for the new Chairman of INEC to put everything in place and conduct election with a view to enabling the new administration come in on May 29. So, the issue of extending the period in office does not arise.
That would be breaching the Constitution and for them to amend the Constitution to extend the period of stay. To me that is suicidal because you cannot make laws that favour you alone without favouring other members of the society. I don’t think the National Assembly will agree to amend the Constitution to extend the time that elections will be conducted. It’s not proper and that is a breach of the Constitution.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/08/jonathans-purported-aspiration-why-the-middle-belt-is-now-for-south-south-by-ameh-ebute/
Continued

Why haven’t these governors pressed the Federal Government or pushed for more development from the leaders of their parties at various times? Are you saying your governors fail you or can not pull their weight within those parties?
Apart from being in the ruling party, we have consistently made the President from the majority areas. If you look at the vote counts in this country from 1998, 2003 to 2007, the votes of the minority areas from the Middle Belt have consistently placed or installed the President. But after installing them, the Middle Belt is completely neglected in terms of physical and human development.
When I was in the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation, we appropriated money for the construction of a road from Iyahe in Cross River State, passing through Oturkpo to Abuja and beyond. But the contract was never awarded, in spite of the fact that there was a line vote for the construction of this road, the governors cannot go to the Federal Ministry of Works and tell any Minister to award the contract for that particular road. What happens is that when votes are made in the budget, the President will give instructions to the Minister to award a specific contract and that is where the problem comes.
So, I do not blame the Governors. I blame any Governor who has not taken steps to develop his State within the limited resources that he has. Our government for now is trying its best, but the State government cannot go far without the assistance of the Federal Government.
As I’m speaking to you now, there is no Federal Government industry, no federal government project that I can point at. The Jos Rolling Mill, I don’t know whether it still exists or dead now. Benue State Company has been sold off. That is where we are.
Back to the issue of zoning, if the party was going to change its mind after that expanded caucus meeting of December 22, 2002, wouldn’t it have been better to admit in the first instance to say that ‘we agreed on it as at that time, but present realities now make it imperative that we have to change’, instead of living in denial?
When leaders of a particular political party strategize for the purpose of winning an election, you cannot describe that as an agreement or zoning. I’m not aware of where there was a gentleman’s agreement in 2002 that the presidency should be zoned to the North. When Obasanjo was elected President in 1999, there was no agreement that the presidency should be zoned to the Southwest.
Obasanjo just came from the prison to be made President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and when he was going, nobody mentioned anything about zoning. Peter Odili was contesting the presidency, just as every other person was contesting the presidency from all over the country. But all of a sudden, Obasanjo decided to give the presidency to Yar’adua because of the elder brother, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who died in prison in Abakaliki and Obasanjo said he wanted to compensate the family.
Nobody talked about zoning when all the people that came out to contest the Presidency were asked to withdraw on the order of President Obasanjo and Umar Yar’Adua became the only candidate. Why didn’t they talk of zoning that time? Assuming that there was an agreement – although I dispute that there was an agreement – that the presidency should be zoned to the North, and unfortunately, the President from the place it was zoned to died, does it mean that the presidency should remain in that particular zone to the exclusion of all other zones? Is it not the individual that occupied office that should remain in that office for eight years?
Does it mean that in spite of all other things, the presidency should remain in that place? It means that if another person comes, that person will now come up with the argument that he will remain in office for another eight years because Obasanjo was in office for eight years. That will be making nonsense of the zoning in the country. Of course, do not forget that when the “North” talks of zoning, what they have in mind is a particular area alone and not the Middle Belt. They do not have us in mind that the zoning will ever come to us.
So, that is why we are charting the course that we are charting because we know that we are not put into the estimation of the zoning they are talking about. When the chips are down and the presidency is zoned to the so-called North, they’ve already earmarked the person that they want the zoning to favour.
The argument came up after the demise of Yar’Adua. When Yar’Adua was alive, nobody argued that the zoning should go to another zone because he should have been in office for eight years. But immediately after his demise, the question came up as to whether the Northwest should retain the zone or North. This is why the argument is coming up now and not earlier.
But there are those who are from the Middle Belt, also who make very strong arguments in favour of zoning just as you are making the same argument against zoning in this context?
The old leaders said we are necessary followers and that we are not entitled to anything in Nigeria; we are automatically taken as followers of the far Northern Nigeria. We were not taken into consideration in anything and that is why we – I don’t know of those people you are talking about – are trying to redefine the word North.
But why do you politicians always distrust one another. Even President Jonathan that you’re supporting, what is the guarantee that he would not disappoint like those before him?
Well, that is the beauty of democracy. Even if Jonathan is elected and for the four years, he fails to perform, definitely, the people will have to talk and the presidency will go to another zone. That is why democracy is better than any other form of government.
You shouldn’t forget that four years are just there by the corner and at the end of the four years, definitely, people will voice out the fact that he has not performed (that is if he does not perform but I believe that he would perform) and we will look at another candidate from another zone. That is why PDP says power belongs to the people. At the end of the four years, we will now evaluate what he has done and if he has failed completely, definitely nobody will support him any more.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/08/jonathans-purported-aspiration-why-the-middle-belt-is-now-for-south-south-by-ameh-ebute/
Continued

There seems to be a problem with the argument for Jonathan. The argument is mundane because apart from hearing people say he is from the South South, nobody seems to be selling the man. If you were to sell him, what are those qualities you would want Nigerians to relate with?
Zoning apart, if I were to sell Jonathan as a candidate I would argue, by first letting the people know that comparatively, in tems of contemporary leadership in Nigeria, age is very much on the side of Jonathan. But that is the least of the points. If you take a look at his person since he took over and this goes beyond the shores of Nigeria, Jonathan has been widely applauded for presenting the mien of a deeply thoughtful leader, especially from the way he conducts himself. We’ve had leaders in this country who behaves as if other people are not wise or smart. President Goodluck Jonathan listens and that is one of the qualities you expect to see in a leader.
Again, look at his swift response to the issue of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, when the alarm was raised regarding his inadvertent appointment of PDP members as INEC national commissioners, he quickly changed them.
If you again look at his programme of action for the country, you will find out that he has the interests of the generality of Nigerians at heart. He has paid attention to the problem of the bad roads in the country, he has also paid particular attention to the issue of power supply in the country and if given time, I’m sure he would perform maximally. Unlike some leaders that we’ve had in this country in the past who failed to listen to people’s complaints.

Coming from Benue, when you look at the forces that have produced presidents in this country, apart from the votes of the minorities of the North, the South South have almost always aligned with the North. Does it not appear strange that the same North is the one antagonizing President Jonathan’s aspiration?
The problem with that alliance is that the word North has been interpreted to mean many things to so many people at the same time.
The word North is meant to include the Middle Belt, the North Central zone but we in that zone have discovered over the years that it does not necessarily include us and, therefore, we have to chart our own course and this means aligning with other people of like minds from other zones who believe that in the last 50 years, we have been taken for a ride and cheated in so many respect: We’ve been cheated in terms of political leadership, we’ve been cheated in terms of physical and economic development.
Immediately you leave the South Eastern states and you step into Benue State, you step into a completely different country until you get to Abuja here. But Abuja has developed because it is the Federal Capital Territory. But immediately you step outside of the South East and you step into Benue and straight up to the North, including Taraba State, to the North East to part of Kaduna State, it’s a completely different country. If you go to the South West, it is another country all together.
If you go to Kano, Sokoto, you are in a different country so we live in the same country but we have four to five different countries in terms of development and mentality and that is as a result of the economic neglect, especially of the Middle Belt.
We in the Middle Belt have now come to the conclusion that our interest must be redefined.
But the way your group has been talking, it is as if at the end of the day, the Middle Belt will relocate and become part of the South! You will still remain in the Middle Belt?
Yes, we are geographically a part of the North but in terms of political interests we have always been excluded from the scheme of things and we want to re-examine that relationship now.
Even right now, not everybody agrees with this theory that North is one whole. Not everybody has also agreed that some areas of the North, particularly the Middle Belt has been neglected and quite a number of the indigenes of the Middle Belt are with the far northern political leaders and you can see the names of people who believe in that philosophy, but some of us do not believe in that philosophy that North is one. North is one only when it comes to voting. But after voting, the dividends of voting do not come to the Middle Belt at all.
If you look at the North Central States like Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa, the Governors of those states are almost always in the ruling political party. What developments have they engendered?
The developments are defined. You have federal projects and you have state projects. In terms of federal projects, the whole of the Middle Belt is neglected. The states within the Middle Belt do not have enough resources to develop their area. Even the states in the far North do not have enough resources to develop their areas. But the federal presence in those States in the far North are more than the presence of Federal Government in these Middle Belt states and without the assistance of the Federal Government, it would be difficult for the Governors of the various States within the Middle Belt to develop and catch up with the other areas that are developed.
The absence of those basic facilities like industries has permanently held the Middle Belt down because they have to go out to look for employment and there is no Federal Government industry. Everybody, after finishing school, you have to go to either Lagos, Kano or Kaduna to go and look for job and that makes us permanently blacklisted in terms of development.
Apart from economic development, you have the development of the people and the development of the politicians themselves. We have discovered over the years that when you assist certain personalities to come to office, at the end of the day, people from the Middle Belt don’t get profitable contracts as other people from other side. That is holding us down indirectly.
Apart from the issue of contract, you come to positions in the Federal Ministries where we are relegated to the background. So, with all these things put together, we think that we should have a second look at our political relationship and the way we support politicians so that we can support politicians that will take care of our interest and the little problems that we have in the Middle Belt. This is what is going to inform our support for any politician now. But of course some of us believe that we have not been maltreated in anyway and they still want to go far with their far Northern brothers.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/08/jonathans-purported-aspiration-why-the-middle-belt-is-now-for-south-south-by-ameh-ebute/
Continued

[size=14pt]Jonathan’s Purported Aspiration : Why the Middle Belt is now for South-South, by Ameh Ebute[/size]
Interview Aug 8, 2010

[color=#ff0000]*Gives reasons why Jonathan must contest
*Insists Middle Belt was deliberately underdeveloped[/color]

[b]Senator Ameh Ebute may not command the feisty, bullish mannerism of a radical but his thoughts are! Leading a new coalition - National Movement for Equality and Change – Ebute, who replaced Iyorchia Ayu as Senate President at the height of the annulment of the June 12 Presidential elections won by MKO Abiola, insists that what his group is doing now is not about opportunism. “What informed this movement is the fact that Nigeria has existed for 50years and we also discovered going through history, that a particular area of the country had dominated governance and the political leadership of the country. We also realized that suddenly, something happened and somebody from somewhere, in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan, after the demise of our beloved President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua that he should not contest and people wanted to use zoning as one of the reasons for stopping him from contesting. In conceiving the idea of zoning, it was meant to stop injustice and bring equity to everybody in the country and if that is the interpretation of zoning and since Yar’Adua is no more, then what it means is that that office should go to another zone. Assuming that President Yar’Adua was alive, nobody would have been arguing that the office of president should go to another zone.
“Yar’Adua would have spent his eight years just like Obasanjo did. But he is no more”.
Ebute is working with minorities of the Middle Belt and other parts of the country to bring to fruition the aspiration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the polls next year. But will they succeed? Ebute says yes because the votes of the minorities have always been instrumental in installing past presidents. Slow speaking but logical, you would enjoy Ebute’s views:[/b] Excerpts:
By Jide Ajani, Deputy Editor
You’ve been quiet for a while in the polity and suddenly, there is this fire in you now. Where is it coming from after all these years? Some say it’s opportunism?
You’ve fired me with two loaded questions. First you said I’ve been quiet and now you say there’s fire but it looks like opportunism.
Well, the truth is that professionally I’m a legal practitioner and I was called to the bar in 1975. My legal practice has been intermittent until 2003 when I took a sabbatical to once again settle down and since then I’ve settled down and decided to ignore whatever was happening around me until this issue of zoning surfaced and I was aggrieved by the comments of many people and decided to make my own views known.
But for those who see Nigeria as a work-in-progress – and that is where the issue of opportunism I mentioned comes in, why would a personality like you decide to ignore everything around you, in a country that is still far from being right and suddenly you jump on the bandwagon of zoning?

Yes, the country needs me but I should be able to feed myself first and as you are aware, no provision has been made for past principal officers of the National Assembly and I had to work to feed myself and family. And the legal practice is what I know how to do best and that is what I use in feeding my family.
There has been a serious paradigm shift. Look at those we have today as legislators, the first thing they legislate is all manner of allowances and remunerations Was it that it didn’t occur to your generation of legislators to secure your future by legislating for benefits and pensions?
You know that the presidential system took off in Nigeria in 1979. So, when I participated as a senator, the system was new in the country and that was why it did not occur to us to make laws to take care of the principal officers of the National Assembly and thereafter we discovered that other arms of government – the executive and the judiciary are adequately remunerated even after service.
Other legislators came after us and eventually a law was made but Olusegun Obasanjo refused to sign it until he left office. So that is why we are still where we are as far as our remuneration. The law has not been made. Up till now the law has not been made, they are still in the process of making the law.
So, there is hope?
We have been hoping upon hope.
Back to the issue of opportunism: What informed this new movement?
What informed this movement is the fact that Nigeria has existed for 50years and we also discovered going through history, we also discovered that a particular area of the country had dominated governance and the political leadership of the country. We also realized that suddenly, something happened and somebody from somewhere, in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan, after the demise of our beloved President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, that he should not contest and people wanted to use zoning as one of the reasons for stopping him from contesting. If you go into the dictionary to check what zoning means. In conceiving the idea of zoning, it was meant to stop injustice and bring equity to everybody in the country and if that is the interpretation of zoning and since Yar’Adua is no more, then what it means is that that office should go to another zone. Assuming that President Yar’Adua was alive, nobody would have been arguing that the office of president should go to another zone. Yar’Adua would have spent his eight years just like Obasanjo did. But he is no more.
Naturally, I think considering everything and the prevailing circumstances, I think the office should go to another zone. It shouldn’t go to another person in that zone who may come up with the argument that he is constitutionally guaranteed to run for that office for two terms. The argument would then be that the new person from that zone is constitutionally covered to run for two terms.
Zoning does not belong to an individual and people should not just come out and push the argument some people are pushing that the zoning should remain in the North West for another four years.
If Yar’Adua had been alive, nobody would have been making the case as we are doing now for a shift. He would have done his eight years. And since zoning is a product of equity, fairness and justice, there is nothing wrong in zoning remaining years to the South South where the incumbent who has a constitutional right to contest is from.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/08/jonathans-purported-aspiration-why-the-middle-belt-is-now-for-south-south-by-ameh-ebute/
Continued

Katsumoto:
You have made a lot of assumptions because from the information provided by independent historians. There is no point going over that again.

The mere fact that you believe Iraq was founded by the British just because they named it Iraq is enough proof that you will believe Benin founded Lagos regardless of what was on ground before the arrival of Benin. Mesopotamia predates Britain by several thousand years, yet you would have us believe Britain founded Mesopotamia just because Mesopotamia was weak at the time the British arrived, never mind that Mesopotamia had passed through several hands.

I guess we have to agree to disagree here.

[size=14pt]Mesopotamia is NOT the same thing as Iraq[/size] and yes, I guess we must agree to disagree.

[quote author=X-2-X link=topic=489708.msg6529408#msg6529408 date=1281171446]Which Programming Language? It is like asking which religion you should adopt? If you ask different people, you will get different answers.

@Beaf, quick question: Can you explain what you mean by "superior decimal type" please? How is the decimal type superior to the corresponding primitives in Java? Thanks.[/quote]There are no primitive data types for handling currency or decimal types (in both C# and Java). The closest primitives in Java are the float and double types, which are grossly innadequate for financial calculations, therefore there are no "corresponding primitives".
I would rather not get into any C# vs Java argument that will last till the Sun burns up, so I'd suggest instead that you start comparisons from a very informative article with several impeccable references, it has all the answers here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Java_and_C_Sharp#Data_types

Katsumoto:
You said the Egun were in Lagos before the Awori. We know that is not true. I know the difference between Lagos states and Lagos Island.

Also, if aliens from Mars come and take over Lagos destroy the current palace and build a new palace at race course. Lets say they also appoint a new king, leave a some soldiers and build a defence system. Will it be right to say that the aliens founded Lagos?

Let me ask you a question? Who founded Mesopotamia (Iraq)? Even though it is referred to as the cradle of civilisation it was conquered by several empires during the iron age some of which were Assyrian and Parthian. During the medieval period, it became part of the Abbasid caliphate. It then fell into Mongol ownership briefly before the Ottomans held it from the 16th century until after the 1st World War, after which, the British took control of it. We are all familiar with the American invasion in 2003, the overthrow of Saddam and the start of a new democracy. So I ask again, who founded Iraq?

None of what you've said applies in any way. These are the things I have said and butressed with impeccable Lagosian sources; from renowned Lagos families to Lagos royalty (the most quoted sources I have referred to);
[list]
[li]There wasn't a single settlement, not a single building on Lagos Island before the Bini's came, except for Aromire's single fishing camp. Fishing camps are temporary shelters that can hardly be considered buildings[/li]
[li]The Awori's arrived Lagos just before the Bini, hence their history there records just one Olofin before Oba Ado[/li]
[li]There was NO palace on Lagos Island, talkless of one to be destroyed and rebuilt at Race Course, the Bini built the very first palaces and structures and made the Island the hub of politics and administration[/li]
[/list]

Your Iraq question is a digression that bears no comparison to the issues on the table, however to answer your question; Iraq was founded by the British between 1921 and 1926.

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=492793.msg6528767#msg6528767 date=1281152977]Can we see the pix of  Terry?

If this is how they arrest in Naija, then I wanna be a cop Only arrest the sexy ones.  Mrs. Officer

OASN, Nigerian men/cops are just closet freaks.[/quote]You, you wanna be a cop abi? I will set a trap for you to arrest me; after dat, you go born like six very strong and healthy pikins in one week!

This is the dude sha.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Terry-Tha-Rapman-1.jpg

The story is rubbish. it was possibly caused by someone hallucinating due to hunger.

Katsumoto:
You are yet to provide evidence that Benin built Lagos; you keep conjecturing without providing any proof. What we know is that Oba of benin left some soldiers in Lagos and supplanted the Olofin who was the ruler in Eko.

Secondly, it is apparent that you think that Lagos state is the same as Lagos Island. The Egun people never inhabited Lagos mainland or Lagos Island. The Egun people settled at Badagry sometime after the Oyo empire had used Badagry to transport slaves. This was in the late 16th century. The Aworis settled at Lagos Island, the Ijebus settled at Ikorodu and Epe. If you get the geography wrong, then you get everything else wrong. If you disagree with the above, then the onus is on you to provide the evidence that the Egun settled on the mainland or island.

Nope, it is you guy's I trapped with the references to the Egun, because you kept referring to Lagos, rather than Eko. My geography of the area is perfect. As for "conjecture", there was only one fishing camp in the whole of Eko, it was the Bini that built palaces and made Eko the hub of politics and administration, please read the quotes below, all from the most authoritative Lagosian sources, none from Benin.

This is from the Lagos Mega City Project;

Benin established a firm base across the lagoon on Lagos Island with little resistance. At the time, Lagos Island had one known settlement, founded by the legendary Aromire, "lover of water", as a fishing camp.

http://lagosmegacityproject.com/history_of_lagos

This is from the Erelu kuti Royal family of Lagos;

Generally regarded as the fourth oba of the Benin dynasty, Akinsemoyin - the brother of Erelu Kuti - laid the economic and political foundation of modern Lagos. It was largely through his effort that the process of making Lagos the centre of commercial and hence political activities in colonial and contemporary Nigeria began.

http://www.eraffoundation.org/erelukuti.php

This is from the Oshodi family of Lagos;

The similarity between the two words must have facilitated this transition in the minds of the people. Also a new nucleus of chiefs, royal courtiers and warlords was established, not based on possession of land like the Idejo, but on service to the Oba. They all lived, each in his own Iga, a lesser version of the Oba’s palace. The area of Isale-Eko, thus delimited, was the hub of Lagos politics. Its focus was the Iga Idungaran. Here dwelt both the Awori and bini aristocracies. Despite the conflicting myth both aristocracies made adjustment between Yoruba and Benin political structures and traditions. The local Yoruba aristocracy reserved the right to opt out of the political struggles in which the political struggles in which Benin counterpart might engage. This right was always threatened by increased intermarriage and the growing power of the Oba. There was the considerable Ijebu population and there was the hard core settlers from Idoluwo Ile, who came with the Obanikoro, head of the Ogalade Class of Chiefs who gave their name Idoluwo to their present abode.

http://www.oshodi.org/history/lagosians.html

More from the Oshodi family of Lagos;

It should not be thought that effects of Bini hegemony were limited to the aristocracy. The ordinary citizens must have felt the impact of the changes that came in its wake. Even right from its formative stage, there was systematic consultation between the Oba and his Chiefs, for example the institution of ‘Osa Iga’, when important chiefs were expected at the palace and at which important affairs of the state were discussed. The absence of chiefs from this particular meeting was interpreted a san act of rebellion against the king. There was the ‘Ilupeju’- literally a meeting of the whole town – which enable proposals from the Oba to be published and commented upon by eminent personalities in the community. The strong tradition of the ancestors worship in the religion, the different order or class of chiefs surrounding the court of the oba, are Bini elements, and important strands in the web of traditional culture of Lagos.

http://www.oshodi.org/history/lagosians.html

Adonike:
The funny thing is that this constant issue of breaking out is only known and seen on Nairaland which is not an issue of concern to us when it comes to reality. Nigeria is one Indivisible ENTITY!

Na you get your maut; if you like, leave am for Ikorodu road. . . molue go jam am!
I am tired of hearing rubbish like, "Nigeria is one Indivisible entity", it sounds like some religious crap from a thieving pastor. Its all good for the thieving pastor, as long as everybody fears hell and there is loot in the Sunday offering. Crap!

If Nigeria must not divide, then everybody must respect the next person and their ethnicity, everyone must pitch in to make it work and most paramount, true federal system must be put in place. Otherwise, everybody fck off to their fathers land without regret.

Just when you would have thought things couldn't get more ridiculous with our police!
The country is better off without a police force and we need to pull down every single structure and rebuild from new.

That said, the story damn funny!
What a gay way for a policeman to arrest a rock hard male like himself.

[size=14pt]My 2hr ordeal in Police cell, Terry Tha Rapman[/size]
Music Aug 7, 2010 Share | By Lolade Sowoolu

Rap musician, Terry Tha Rapman shares with Showtime Celebrity, the story of his arrest by men of the Nigerian Police for ‘loitering’ and his two hour ordeal  in a Police cell.
Excerpts.

Did you have any premonition about your late night experience last Thursday?


Rap musician, Terry Tha Rapman
It was just the usual hectic day. I had a couple of runs with my manager. We held a couple of meetings in the Allen axis (Lagos). I was supposed to hook up with a friend who runs an events company to discuss some shows. It was an informal meeting so he said I should buy him a drink.

Were you with your manager?

My manger had left by then because he was tired and it was almost 10pm. Besides, it was an informal meeting and he was a friend. We were there for about 45minutes before I decided to leave just a few minutes before 11pm.  I strolled out hoping to get a cab. That was on Toyin street, Ikeja.

And then what happened?

A vehicle just pulled up, not too far from me, and policemen jumped out and grabbed a couple of people. I don’t know if they were miscreants. I wasn’t bothered because I didn’t have anything incriminating on me. Next thing, I heard someone shouting, ‘hey you there’.

Hold on. Are you familiar with that neighbourhood?

Yes, I stay in that area.

So what do you think was suspicious about you that night? Could it have been your appearance?
Apart from wearing a black hat and a tee-shirt on jeans, there was nothing more.

Were you high on alcohol?

No, I was not tipsy. One (of the policemen on raid) just called me and said they had called me earlier and that I did not respond. I said, I didn’t know and before I knew it, a couple more jumped out of the vehicle and cocked their guns.

How many were they?

Four. I tried explaining that I hadn’t done anything wrong but they kept shouting me down. I felt they should at least have searched me but the next thing I knew, they were grabbing me by the shirt to get into the vehicle.

Was it a pick-up van?

No , it was a commercial bus painted yellow. [size=14pt]They put me inside and then one of them sat on my laps so I wouldn’t jump out.[/size] I kept asking the sergeant who I thought to be the leader, what I had done wrong, but he told  me to shut up that when I got to the police station, I would find out. They had guns so I had to behave myself.

How many other people were in the bus?

There were like six or seven. I’m not so sure. It was jam packed together with the policemen.
When we got to the police station, I tried explaining but they simply pushed me into custody. At that point, I realised how serious things had become. I tried using my phones, but my BlackBerry battery was low so I couldn’t make any radio calls. I resorted to using the BlackBerry message.

They pushed me into a room, just like a cell. There were other people there. Then came this woman, she wasn’t wearing a uniform. She asked for my name but I refused to give her because I didn’t want my name in any criminal records. Soon they began stripping people of their belongings. Before they got to me, I sent out BlackBerry messages to some friends about where I was.

About 45minutes later, one of the officers came and interrogated me about who I was and why I was loitering. [size=14pt]By then one of my friends had called the Lagos State Police Commissioner who called the Area Commander  and all of that. Eventually, the Sergeant who led the patrol team was detained.[/size]

Were you harassed physically?

They didn’t hit or beat me. They just grabbed me by the shirt.

Can you talk about the cell experience?

While I was in the cell, a guy next to me asked me what I was doing time for. I said I didn’t do any thing. [size=14pt]He narrated to me how he was dating the same girl with one of the policemen and that was the reason he was being victimised. He said he was even yet to contact his folks as  at then. I felt I sorry for him.[/size]

The release

The Area Commander asked who was Terry and said he had got a call from Abuja saying I was arrested against my will. He apologised and took me to his office. The others (policemen) were surprised and were asking, [size=14pt]‘U be Governor pikin?’[/size] I said ‘no’ that I’m an artiste.

They wondered how the IG would call ordering my release and that the leader of the patrol that picked me up, detained, if I was just an artiste. I told him that I didn’t know what he was talking about because as at then I didn’t even know who was helping me.

Have you been arrested before?

Yes, and funny enough, for this same reason. It was sometimes in 2003. It was me, Six foot plus and three other guys. We were coming from a show in a car and an anti-crime patrol van blocked us, pulled us out of the car and all. I get stopped more times on the streets when I’m in the company of guys. We don’t look crooked, yet…

Did this happen here in Lagos too?

No, in Abuja. This is the first time I’m getting arrested in Lagos. I’ve been stopped and searched severally but never been taken to the station. By the time I came out of the cell, [size=14pt]the AC asked me if the Sergeant rough handled me and I said, ‘no’. By now, his (the Sergeant’s) whole demeanour had changed and it was funny. He was about to be detained and it looked like he was at my mercy.[/size]

So did you take back your pound of flesh?

I simply said, he did not harass me and that I only felt he should have asked questions rather than bundle me up at 11pm. But I’m grateful that  my phone wasn’t taken from me before help came my way. My SOS BBM (BlackBerry messages) to my friends saved me. They (the policemen) apologised afterwards and took me in a patrol van to my residence.

I remember one of them collected my number that he was going to call me the next day if anything came up.

Do you remember his name?

(Reaches for his phone and scrolls through contacts) Yes, they kept calling him Oga Solo.

Have you both spoken since then?

Yes he called me the next morning to find out if I was okay and then he apologised again.

About how long was the entire police incidence?

About two hours.

So are we expecting a song from this experience?

You know its so funny because two of the songs on my coming album actually addresses issues like this. Maybe because of past experiences, both personal and those of friends. These things can happen to anybody. I’m a celebrity, yet I got picked up for walking around in my neighbourhood at night.

When will the ‘Boiz don Hammer’ album drop?

August, unfailingly. Everything is looking good. We’re waiting for Clarence Peters to come back from America this week so we can shoot the video for the song.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/07/my-2hr-ordeal-in-police-cell-terry-tha-rapman/