₦airaland Forum

This is extremely saddening.

http://igbodefender.com/2011/09/08/ikpelle/

The answer is Equianoism.

God bless love, if that is possible.

@ Chyz: Igbos should join Igbodefender.com in droves. Why? Once you register (within minutes), you are made an author. What this means is that you can publish and manage your own posts. It's like starting a thread, except that you are also the Mod of each thread you start.

http://igbodefender.com/2011/07/20/the-6th-igbo-state-must-be-anioma-state/

"Igboland doesn’t end at the mouth of the River Niger. It extends to encompass the Anioma (Igbo) part of Delta State.
Across the polity, there is now a wide acceptance of the need for a sixth Igbo state. As a consequence, several political groups from the South East have been angling for their localities to be carved out as this new state. These moves are not advisable. What Ndigbo need now is an Anioma State, west of the Niger.

At least, the Igbos from the South East have internal autonomy, and the chance to develop themselves to an extent. The Anioma people don’t. For instance, they have never produced a governor in Delta State, despite the rich array of administrative talents they posses. They must be given their own chance. They cannot be left to wallow in neglect forever.

The Rivers State Igbos are doing well, so we don’t need to worry about them. But we must save the Anioma people. They are one of us.

I am talking of the land of Olaudah Ekwuano and Chukwuma Nzeogu.They are one of us."

Here is an editorial by Igbodefender.com on the issue:

The 6th Igbo State Must Be Anioma State Posted on 20/07/2011 by Prince Charles Oforkaja

Igboland doesn’t end at the mouth of the River Niger. It extends to encompass the Anioma (Igbo) part of Delta State.
Across the polity, there is now a wide acceptance of the need for a sixth Igbo state. As a consequence, several political groups from the South East have been angling for their localities to be carved out as this new state. These moves are not advisable. What Ndigbo need now is an Anioma State, west of the Niger.

At least the Igbos from the South East have internal autonomy, and the chance to develop themselves to an extent. The Anioma people don’t. For instance, they have never produced a governor in Delta State, despite the rich array of administrative talents they posses. They must be given their own chance. They cannot be left to wallow in neglect forever.

The Rivers State Igbos are doing well, so we don’t need to worry about them. But we must save the Anioma people. They are one of us.

I am talking of the land of Olaudah Ekwuano and Chukwuma Nzeogu. They are one of us.

http://igbodefender.com/2011/07/20/the-6th-igbo-state-must-be-anioma-state/

On Anioma we stand!

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/27/yellowpepper-strikes-gold-in-haiti/

An American mobile banking company operating in Haiti, YellowPepper, has grown expeditiously in the past few months, and now plans to expand to other countries in the Western Hemisphere. The company, whose mobile banking service is called Tcho Tcho, is a joint venture between Digicel, Scotia Bank and YellowPepper.

According to Ayitinou.com, “After launching in April (2011), TchoTcho grew to 20,000 users by June. By July, that number had more than doubled to 50,000 users, and in the last few weeks, the service rocketed to 110,000 mobile wallet carriers. Even more remarkable is the usage of TchoTcho. In June, there were just 54,000 recorded transactions. In the first 17 days of August? More than 925,000 transactions.”

EDITORIAL
Igbodefender notes that the minimum amount needed to use Tcho Tcho ($600) cuts of many Haitians who would have loved to use the service. We therefore ask that, as a CSR or commercial measure, the amount be reviewed downwards.
© Igbodefender.com 2011

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/27/yellowpepper-strikes-gold-in-haiti/

Posted on 27/08/2011 by Prince Charles Oforkaja Share

An American mobile banking company operating in Haiti, YellowPepper, has grown expeditiously in the past few months, and now plans to expand to other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

The company, whose mobile banking service is called Tcho Tcho, is a joint venture between Digicel, Scotia Bank and YellowPepper.

According to Ayitinou.com, “After launching in April (2011), TchoTcho grew to 20,000 users by June. By July, that number had more than doubled to 50,000 users, and in the last few weeks, the service rocketed to 110,000 mobile wallet carriers. Even more remarkable is the usage of TchoTcho. In June, there were just 54,000 recorded transactions. In the first 17 days of August? More than 925,000 transactions.”

EDITORIALIgbodefender notes that the minimum amount needed to use Tcho Tcho ($600) cuts of many Haitians who would have loved to use the service. We therefore ask that, as a CSR or commercial measure, the amount be reviewed downwards.
© Igbodefender.com 2011

In terms of mineral resources Ebonyi is about the richest state in Nigeria. Its high time they became known.

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/24/the-next-gold-rush-may-take-place-in-ebonyi-state-nigeria/

Ebonyi, an Igbo State in Igboland, has 25 different kinds of mineral deposits in commercial quantity, including gold and a neglected oil find in Edda, said to be the oldest in Nigeria.

Also abundant in the state are gypsum and limestone deposits, which are lying untapped, following the fall of Nigercem. Nigercem was, for 40 years, Nigeria's largest cement company, and it's products were manufactured using the gypsum and limestone, that now lie fallow in Ebonyi.

To resuscitate the comatose cement and minerals sector in Ebonyi State, Governor Martins Elechi as appointed a technochrat, Prince Sunny Ugwocha, as Commissioner of Cement Production and Mineral Development. The portfolio is the first of its kind in Ebonyi State, and signals the importance Governor Elechi has attached to mineral resources development in the state.

In an interview with the Sun, a Nigerian newspaper, Prince Ugwuocha recalled the influence that limestone and gypsum from Ebonyi, trough Nigercem, has had on the development of Igboland and beyond.

"Any structure you can remember in the eastern part of Nigeria was built with cement from Nkalagu (Nigercem) The Niger Bridge at Onitsha, the city of Enugu, Onitsha, Abakaliki, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Calabar and beyond with the structures that make them were built with cement from Nigercem."

Prince Ugwuocha also spoke on how any investor could start a minning business in Ebonyi State. He assured that the state government would go out of it's way to help such an investor become a minning magnate.

"Just get in touch with the local community, indicate what you want and consult our office, we are there to make sure the processes of getting the licence in Abuja to mine is made easy for such investor. My office would do everything possible to facilitate easy and short procedure so that the investor can move into the site immediately. My promise from the mandate I have from the chief executives is that there would be no bottlenecks. I will oversee most of the processes to make sure it works, and fast too, " he said.

If the Ebonyi State Government follows through on this, Igbodefender sees:

•Lots of new jobs.
•New sources of government revenue.
•Large returns on investment for interested investors.

To read Daily Sun’s interview, click this link: http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/aug/24/national-24-08-2011-0016.htm

Copyright © Igbodefender.com 2011

If Igbos can build (not assemble) cars, why can't they make their region first world?

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/21/how-igboland-can-achieve-first-world-status/

Posted on 21/08/2011 by Prince Charles Oforkaja Share
Through their energetic enterprise, Igbos can make Igboland Africa's first developed region, and a catalyst for the development of other parts of Africa. The development agenda for Igboland should take a multi-speed approach, comprising of:

1. A Central Development Movement (CDM), driven by all Igbo governments, institutions and individuals.

2. Independent Development Movements (IDMs), driven by the visions and efforts of dedicated entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

THE CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT

The CDM should have the following characteristics:

A. It should be geared towards the emergence of Igboland as an integrated economic power-house.

B. It should be driven by a 'consortium' comprising of four estates, namely:

I. The state governments
II. The market
III. The body politic (individuals who feel they have an input to make)
IV. Committed Igbo organisations

C. The consortium should create/enhance hubs according to the critical mass each hub posseses in a particular sector of the economy, with a view to creating a powerhouse that is based on division of labour and comparative advantage.

PRELIMINARY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CENTRAL PLAN

Onitsha should be the market town; Nnewi and Aba should be the industrial estates; Enugu should be the political centre, as well as the power generating centre (coal); Owerri should be the tourist zone. Asaba should be the airport that services Onitsha; Adani should be the rice farm; Port Harcourt and Bonny should be the seaports; Oguta should be the marina; many parts of the rural areas should be palm tree plantations. This list is not yet complete. Therefore,Igbodefender.com calls for more input to beef it up.

THE INDEPENDENT MOVEMENTS

These are economic or social investments made by entrepreneurs and philanthropists, with the simple aim of spurring the emergence of several independent economic champions within Igboland. It is based on what we call the "Athan Achonu Model", where someone makes an investment with social returns as the primary expectation, rather than profit. Athan Achonu is an international property investor, who decided to build a five star hotel in Owerri, in other to boost tourism and employment there. Someone could set up a university, another a factory, another a Harrods style shopping mall; someone could tar a road, another could set up a WiFi zone. What matters here is that the person is developing the infrastructure or the local economy of Igboland with a relatively altruistic mindset.

For the success of this movement a concerted effort should be made by Igbo governments, institutions and philanthropists to encourage Igbos to invest more at home. Charity should also touch home.

Government should also provide an enabling environment, by giving out more incentives and enhancing security.

Igbodefender is not saying Ndigbo should not invest outside Igboland. We are simply saying Igbos should make Igboland a FIRST WORLD REGION, even as they invest outside. It is within their power to become a first world region. We offer ourselves as a think tank and consultancy that can guide the process.

If you can move Igboland forward, either through the central plan or through an independent plan, feel free to contact us for advice. Our phone number (sms only) can be gotten in our contact page.

© Igbodefender.com 2011

@ dayokanu,
Akunyili performed great service for the country when many men couldn't.
No dayokanu. She isn't stained. She is great.

Both women are great, thanks to the Igbo values that were inculcated in them, thanks to the wizened Igbo elders, who raised them.

Posted on 18/08/2011 by Prince Charles Oforkaja

They both grew up with their grandparents. No doubt, their grandparents instilled Igbo values in them.

No doubt, this helped make them become:

I.Academic giants.

2.Courageous amazons, and

3.Women whose courage saved the nation in critical times.

The lesson to parents is this: No matter how ‘old fashioned’ your parents may be, it may be wise to send your children to visit them regularly.

Copyright © igbodefender.com 2011

In this arrangement Ngige would sweep the South East. Tinubu would sweep the South West. South South would lean towards ACN. Saraki would not have a problem wooing the Middlebelt. In the later stages, the Fulani would support their brother.

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/12/how-igbo-can-be-next-president-the-saraki-tinubu-ngige-connection/

Posted on 12/08/2011 by Prince Charles Oforkaja Share
This report is publised solely in our capacity as an Igbo think tank.

THE SCENARIO

Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ACN adopts Chris Ngige as it’s presidential candidate, and Bukola Saraki, a Fulani from the Middle Belt, as it's vice presidential candidate.

WHY IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE

1. Ngige, A highly respected Igbo politician captures the South East/ Igbo parts of the South South.

2. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Yoruba, and the principal leader of ACN ensures massive South West turnout for the Ngige/Saraki ticket.

3. Saraki, uses his Fulani- Middle Belt origins to sway both the Mid- Belt and the Core North to support the ticket.

4. Since President Jonathan would not be running, the ACN, and Ngige-Saraki could then lobby him for the rest of the votes of the South South. This would give him the opportunity to repay some political I.O.U’s.

Note: For this to work, Senator Saraki wouldn't even need to leave the PDP. The ACN and PDP forces would just need to come together, as the ANPP and AD did for the 1999 presidential elections.

LAST WORD

For this scenario to become reality, there needs to be a high level of trust among the three principal actors: Ngige, Tinubu and Saraki. They would also need to win the crucial support of President Jonathan.

Copyright © igbodefender.com 2011

This is a shame. We blacks are also human, for goodness sakes!

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/11/un-caugt-dumping-truckloads-of-feces-near-haitian-river-call-number-to-protest/
Posted by Prince Charles Oforkaja

Stop UN from dumping its feces in Haiti’s river banks. Please call @State Dept (212)-415-4062  (212)-963-1234 to protest.

The Igbo people of Haiti faced a new threat yesterday, when UN trucks were caught offloading truckloads of feces by the Bank of one of the important Guayamouc River in Haiti. The UN has a military mission in Haiti that is has powerful US backing, but which many Haitians feel has over-stayed.

The Guayamouc River is a large source of cooking and drinking water for the population in Haiti’s Plateu region. Residents are currently living in fear, due to the suspicious action by a world body, which claims to be for all humanity.

The question is, “why would the UN force dump fecal matter near a river, despite knowing the possible health implications to millions of Haitians? Why coul’nt they just have buried the waste?

An analyst recalls that many Aboriginal populations in the New World were wiped out after receiving ‘gifts’ of blankets infected by small pox, which then infected whole populations. They fear that if urgent steps are not taken as a result of the unhealthy deposits there may be an imminent cholera epidemic.

There have been calls for an independent investigation into the disgraceful incident.

The Haitians have faced many conspiracies since they ‘dared’ to gain independence about 200 years ago. They are largely of Igbo stock.

Nb:Please make sure you call the telephone number written above to protest.

© igbodefender.com 2011

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/10/the-tight-igbo-connections-with-bonny/

Bonny is a town in the Nigerian Niger Delta. It is known for it’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal. But what many don’t know is that most of the indigenes of that town are descendants of Igbos who would have been sold into slavery, had it not been for Olaudah Equiano’s campaign against the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The Igbos who settled in Bonny developed a new dialect called Bonny Igbo. In fact, the first bible ever published in Igbo was printed in the Bonny Igbo dialect.

Bonny is also famous for being the place where Jaja of Opobo, an Igbo slave from Amaigbo, in today’s Imo State, first rose to prominence. He later led is followers to form the neihbouring kingdom of Opobo.

One of the most famous Bonny families today is the Jumbo family, which is descended from Oko Jumbo, another enterprising Igboman who was Jaja’s strongest rival in Bonny.

© igbodefender.com 2011

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/10/the-tight-igbo-connections-with-bonny/

Bonny is a town in the Nigerian Niger Delta. It is known for it’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal. But what many don’t know is that the most indigenes of that town are descendants of Igbos who would have been sold into slavery, had it not been for Olaudah Equiano’s campaign against the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The Igbos who settled in Bonny developed a new dialect called Bonny Igbo. In fact, the first bible ever published in Igbo was printed in the Bonny Igbo dialect.

Bonny is also famous for being the place where Jaja of Opobo, an Igbo slave from Amaigbo, in today’s Imo State, first rose to prominence. He later led is followers to form the neihbouring kingdom of Opobo.

One of the most famous Bonny families today is the Jumbo family, which is descended from Oko Jumbo, another enterprising Igboman who was Jaja’s strongest rival in Bonny.

© igbodefender.com 2011

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/08/5-reasons-why-owerri-is-an-excellent-place-to-build-your-new-hotel/

Owerri is the capital of Imo State, in Igboland, Nigeria. It straddles Port Harcourt and Aba, and hosts a self-built airport- which is a source of civic pride, as well as a vibrant youth population, thanks to the four higher institutions it hosts.

Here’s why investing in Owerri could make you an Ogharanye.

1. There are “almost as many hotels in Owerri as there are houses”. This is because, expatriates and other tourists like to leave Port Harcourt and Aba to come enjoy in Owerri at the weekend.

2. It is “impossible” to get hotel accommodation in Aba in the weekends.

3. There is ‘no chance’ that floods will destroy your guest’s fun, as the city has excellent drainage network.

4. Government tried at one point to ban the building of new hotels, but hey! It bowed to Igbo capitalism! You see, Owerri sells like hotcakes!

5. You join an elite club of shrewd hotel investors, that includes Olympic football Gold hero, Nwankwo Kanu. Common! He ‘can’t be wrong’.

Just buy your plot, draw the plans, and you may have made a new fortune. No kidding.

© igbodefender.com 2011

Is Mazi Okorocha making his people happy right now? The answer is yes.

Is he delivering the dividends of democracy he promised? Yes.
As long as he continues, he gets a thumbs up.

I don't know my brother. But the one thing I know is that his policies are making life a lot easier for many Imolites.

He is like their big father. I hope he continues to lighten their burdens.

This man Okorocha is outclassing a lot of his mates with style. Let's see if they can come up with a good response.

In an event held at the Grasshopper Stadium, Owerri, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha flagged off his kerosene distribution programme by delivering 110,000 litres of the commodity to many households in the state.

Speaking on the programme, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr. Chiadi Sunny disclosed that the five tanker loads of kerosene distributed was the first free batch. He pointed out that the next batches will be distributed amongst the 27 local government areas of the state.

In the same vein, Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas, Sir. Ifeanyi Uba, who is a partner in the project, explained that the programme was sustainable because of strong arrangements with several oil companies in the country, that are producers of kerosene.

http://igbodefender.com/2011/08/07/okorocha-begins-deliering-kerosene-promises-distributes-110000-litres/
© igbodefender.com 2011