₦airaland Forum

Who Will Intervene?
Germ War: the US Record
by JEFFREY ST. CLAIR

The United States, which has deployed its CBW arsenal against the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Cuba, Haitian boat people and Canada, plus exposure of hundreds of thousands of unwitting US citizens to an astonishing array of germ agents and toxic chemicals, killing dozens of people.

The US experimentation with bio-weapons goes back to the distribution of cholera-infect blankets to American Indian tribes in the 1860s. In 1900, US Army doctors in the Philippines infected five prisoners with a variety of plague and 29 prisoners with Beriberi. At least four of the subjects died. In 1915, a doctor working with government grants exposed 12 prisoners in Mississippi to pellagra, an incapacitating disease that attacks the central nervous system.

After World War I, the United States went on a chemical weapons binge, producing millions of barrels of mustard gas and Lewisite. Thousands of US troops were exposed to these chemical agents in order to “test the efficacy of gas masks and protective clothing”. The Veterans Administration refused to honor disability claims from victims of such experiments. The Army also deployed mustard gas against anti-US protesters in Puerto Rico and the Philippines in the 1920s and 1930s.

In 1931, Dr. Cornelius Rhoads, then under contract with the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Investigations, initiated his horrific Puerto Rico Cancer Experiments, infecting dozens of unwitting subjects with cancer cells.At least thirteen of his victims died as a result. Rhoads went on to headof the US Army Biological Weapons division and to serve on the Atomic Energy Commission, where he oversaw radiation experiments on thousands of US citizens. In memos to the Department of Defense, Rhoads expressed his opinion that Puerto Rican dissidents could be “eradicated” with the judicious use of germ bombs.

In 1942, US Army and Navy doctors infected 400 prisoners in Chicago withmalaria in experiments designed to get “a profile of the disease and develop a treatment for it.” Most of the inmates were black and none was informed of the risks of the experiment. Nazi doctors on trial at Nuremberg cited the Chicago malaria experiments as part of their defense.

At the close of World War II, the US Army put on its payroll, Dr. Shiro Ishii, the head of the Imperial Army of Japan’s bio-warfare unit. Dr. Ishii had deployed a wide range of biological and chemical agents against Chinese and Allied troops. He also operated a large research center in Manchuria,where he conducted bio-weapons experiments on Chinese, Russian and American prisoners of war. Ishii infected prisoners with tetanus; gave them typhoid-laced tomatoes; developed plague-infected fleas; infected women with syphilis; performed dissections on live prisoners; and exploded germ bombs over dozens of men tied to stakes. In a deal hatched by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Ishii turned over more than 10,000 pages of his “research findings”to the US Army, avoided prosecution for war crimes and was invited to lecture at Ft. Detrick, the US Army bio-weapons center in Frederick, Maryland.

In 1950 the US Navy sprayed large quantities of serratia marcescens, a bacteriological agent, over San Francisco, promoting an outbreak of pneumonia-like illnesses and causing the death of at least one man, Ed Nevins.

A year later, Chinese Premier Chou En-lai charged that the US military and the CIA had used bio-agents against North Korea and China. Chou produced statements from 25 US prisoners of war backing him his claims that the US had dropped anthrax contaminated feathers, mosquitoes and fleas carrying Yellow Fever and propaganda leaflets spiked with cholera over Manchuria and North Korea.

From 1950 through 1953, the US Army released chemical clouds over six US and Canadian cities. The tests were designed to test dispersal patterns of chemical weapons. Army records noted that the compounds used over Winnipeg, Canada, where there were numerous reports of respiratory illnesses, involved cadmium, a highly toxic chemical.

In 1951 the US Army secretly contaminated the Norfolk Naval Supply Centerin Virginia with infectious bacteria. One type was chosen because blackswere believed to be more susceptible than whites. A similar experiment was undertaken later that year at Washington, DC’s National Airport. The bacteria was later linked to food and blood poisoning and respiratory problems.

Savannah, Georgia and Avon Park, Florida were the targets of repeatedArmy bio-weapons experiments in 1956 and 1957. Army CBW researchers released millions of mosquitoes on the two towns in order to test the ability of insects to carry and deliver yellow fever and dengue fever. Hundreds of residents fell ill, suffering from fevers, respiratory distress, stillbirths, encephalitis and typhoid. Army researchers disguised themselves as public health workers in order photograph and test the victims. Several deaths were reported.

In 1965 the US Army and the Dow Chemical Company injected dioxin into 70 prisoners (most of them black) at the Holmesburg State Prison in Pennsylvania. The prisoners developed severe lesions which went untreated for seven months. A year later, the US Army set about the most ambitious chemical warfare operation in history.

From 1966 to 1972, the United States dumped more than 12 million gallonsof Agent Orange (a dioxin-powered herbicide) over about 4.5 million acresof South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The government of Vietnam estimate the civilian casualties from Agent Orange at more than 500,000. The legacy continues with high levels of birth defects in areas that were saturated with the chemical. Tens of thousands of US soldiers were also the victims of Agent Orange.

In a still classified experiment, the US Army sprayed an unknown bacterial agent in the New York Subway system in 1966. It is not known if the test caused any illnesses.

A year later, the CIA placed a chemical substance in the drinking water supply of the Food and Drug Administration headquarters in Washington, DC. The test was designed to see if it was possible to poison drinking water with LSD or other incapacitating agents.

In 1969, Dr. D.M. McArtor, the deputy director for Research and Technologyfor the Department of Defense, asked Congress to appropriate $10 millionfor the development of a synthetic biological agent that would be resistant” to the immunological and therapeutic processes upon which we depend to maintain our relative freedom from infectious disease”.

In 1971 the first documented cases of swine fever in the western hemisphere showed up in Cuba. A CIA agent later admitted that he had been instructed to deliver the virus to Cuban exiles in Panama, who carried the virus into Cuba in March of 1991. This astounding admission received scant attention in the US press.

In 1980, hundreds of Haitian men, who had been locked up in detention camps in Miami and Puerto Rico, developed gynecomasia after receiving “hormone” shots from US doctors. Gynecomasia is a condition causing males to developfull-sized female breasts.

In 1981, Fidel Castro blamed an outbreak of dengue fever in Cuba on the CIA. The fever killed 188 people, including 88 children. In 1988, a Cuban exile leader named Eduardo Arocena admitted “bringing some germs” into Cuba in 1980.

Four years later an epidemic of dengue fever struck Managua, Nicaragua.Nearly 50,000 people came down with the fever and dozens died. This was the first outbreak of the disease in Nicaragua. It occurred at the height of the CIA’s war against the Sandinista government and followed a series of low-level “reconnaissance” flights over the capital city.

In 1996, the Cuba government again accused the US of engaging in “biological aggression”. This time it involved an outbreak of thrips palmi, an insect that kills potato crops, palm trees and other vegetation. Thrips first showed up in Cuba on December 12, 1996, following low-level flights over the island by US government spray planes. The US was able to quash a United Nations investigation of the incident.

At the close of the Gulf War, the US Army exploded an Iraqi chemical weapons depot at Kamashiya. In 1996, the Department of Defense finally admitted that more than 20,000 US troops were exposed to VX and sarin nerve agentsas a result of the US operation at Kamashiya. This may be one cause of Gulf War Illness, another cause is certainly the experimental vaccines unwittingly given to more than 100,000 US troops.

JEFFREY ST. CLAIR is the editor of CounterPunch and the author of Been Brown So Long It Looked Like Green to Me: the Politics of Nature, Grand Theft Pentagon and Born Under a Bad Sky. His latest book is Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion. He can be reached at: sitka@comcast.net.

This essay is excerpted from Jeffrey St. Clair’s book Grand Theft Pentagon
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/09/03/germ-war-the-us-record-2/

They ARE still vandalising pipes, kidnapping foreigners and now bunkering at record rates. Abi you no dey read the news?

lacicrips: Would you rather have them vandalizing pipes and kidnapping foreigners?

This is good, people.

I understand there is good money to be made in breeding maggots, leeches and worms too - the first for medicine and fishing, the second for medicine and the last for fishing. Except now there is a worm breeding sub sector that breeds medicinal worms. They help with irritable bowel syndrome.

Lots of CLEAN money to make if only folks would apply no 6. No be my kidnapping and bunkering alone

But isn't that the way certain tribes are denigrated by another certain tribe in naija? As Yorubas say: Ise ile ni won gbe de ita - the bad habits acquired at home have followed them into the public domain.

N_girl: And some people are laughing about this
These few Nigerians are giving us a very bad name.
There are good Nigerians in other countries but obviously the bad ones will always stand out as such is life.
How dare he call their way of life useless!!! Just the way he generalized them as being uneducated and lazy(which I'm sure isn't true because most Africans in general are very hard working) is the same way everyone will generalize us as "always feeling superior" when in fact most of us aren't like that. I'm so pissed!

You mean the CBN Act drafted by Soludo? I hope he adds that to his campaign literature; that he created the 4th arm of government at the CBN

lanetrips: For the cbn gov to be removed,2/3 of the house must concur.at least obj made sure dat while in office

Owo igbe ki run! Sh*t money no dey smell! No wonder the Chinese are taking over the world. Respect, man!

One million cockroaches flee China farm: report

At least one million cockroaches have escaped a farm in China where they were being bred for use in traditional medicine, a report said.

The cockroaches fled the facility in Dafeng, in the eastern province of Jiangsu, for surrounding cornfields earlier this month after an "unknown perpetrator" destroyed the plastic greenhouse where they were raised, the Modern Express newspaper said.

Disease control authorities have sent five investigators to the area to come up with a plan to stamp out the insects.

Farm owner Wang Pengsheng invested more than 100,000 yuan ($16,000) in 102 kilograms of Periplaneta americana eggs after spending six months developing a business plan, the report Friday said.

The cockroach is generally considered a pest, but believers in traditional Chinese medicine -- which uses both plants and animals, including endangered species -- say extracts from it can treat diseases including cancer, reduce inflammation and improve immunity.

By the time the greenhouse was damaged, more than 1.5 million cockroaches had hatched and were being fed food including "fruits and biscuits" every day, Wang was quoted as saying.

He had expected to make around 1,000 yuan profit for every kilogram of cockroaches sold, according to the report, but was now facing losses of hundreds of thousands of yuan.

http://news.yahoo.com/one-million-cockroaches-flee-china-farm-report-071618130.html

If GEJ will have the liver. Both of them have definitely gotten too big for their britches.[/b]

[b]Sanusi, CBN gov, NPC boss may lose their jobs •For mismanaging agencies under their control

There are strong indications that the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Mr Festus Odimegwu, may lose their jobs, following a series of allegations levelled against them.

The jobs of the two public officers, acccording to a Presidency source, became threatened following investigations carried out on them over some allegations.

According to the source, both Mallam Sanusi and Mr Odimegwu were accused of mismanaging the agencies under their control, an allegation which President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have frown on.

“I can reveal to you that the matter of the two public officers has come under review and their jobs may be in the line,” disclosed the source.

According to him, “they were both accused of grossly mismanaging the agencies under their control, an accusation that has been duly investigated.”

Besides the issue of mismanagement of the agencies, the source also mentioned that the two officers were accused of misrepresenting the government through their “unguarded statements, which were often seen as representing the views and decisions of government.

“For instance, look at the CBN governor; he is usually embroilled in matters outside his official duties. How many times do you see the chairman of the US Federal Reserves Bank engaging in issues outside his official engagement? You can only see him speaking on vital economic issue when it is necessary to do so, which is rarely,” explained the source, adding that the NPC chairman was also guilty of the same offence.

“As for the NPC chairman, his conduct in recent times has been worrisome. You cannot be rubishing everything your predecessor did. If there is a problem, it is your job to solve it and not create any problem for your agency and government,” the source stated.

Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, while addressing State House journalists on Friday, had called for the sack of Odimegwu, saying his appointment was a mistake. The governor was quoted as saying that many of them (governors) were not with the appointment of the NPC chairman.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/19973-sanusi,-cbn-gov,-npc-boss-may-lose-their-jobs-%E2%80%A2for-mismanaging-agencies-under-their-control.html

I begin to understand Dr Osuji now.

DerideGull: The native wisdom seems to fail you on this matter. For example, the name of the lady, Iye Bola, mentioned in the idiotic episode is likely Yoruba and Béninoise. Also, it is very unlikely that her 14-year-old daughter went to Lagos State or Ogun State to serve as house cleaner in Igbo household.

I guess you realized few Nigerians knew that the majority of Béninoise in and around Cotonou are Yoruba. If it quacks like duck, it is definitely a duck.

Is it not great when you think you are winning? Do people ever learn? My people say you cover your yam when it is sprouting vigorously but maybe that bit of native wisdom is peculiar to my people.

Here we go again. Why can't our people manage success and show understanding for their hosts? Some of us read about osmosis in school and we know stuff moves into more dilute areas. Naija is a pressure cooker relative to our neighbouring countries so we find life easier in those countries and do better than the indigenes who were born into those more relaxed environments. It doesn't make us better or superior in any way but is just a natural outcome of where we are coming from. Ditto for individuals that move from more resource poor / high pressure regions within Nigeria to more resource rich / lower pressure regions. They naturally outperform the indigenes on certain indices but unfortunately think it indicates personal and tribal superiority. The thoughtless bandying of such sentiments winds up increasing resentment in the host communities which ultimately leads to expulsions of the guests.

We must learn to understand why we perform the way we do in various environments and to manage our successes in those environments to avoid alienating the hosts and destroying opportunities for ourselves and others. Even in the US desperate immigrants from Asia, Africa and elsewhere outperform the 'indigenes' but that only holds through initially. After a few generations of settling in the US the edge is dulled and they soon revert to the mean performance wise. Surely our initial stellar performance in the US doesn't cause us to think we are better than the oyinbos?

Why we dislike Nigerians with a passion – Republic of Benin people

AUGUST 24, 2013 BY ADEMOLA OLONILUA 5 COMMENTS



An illustration
One would have thought that there would be mutual love and respect between Nigerians living in Benin Republic and indigenes of the neighbouring country, especially as they interact on a daily basis in their business and social lives.

This is not so, however, going by Saturday PUNCH’s investigation which revealed that there is a discreet hostility from the Béninoise to Nigerians living in their country.

Although Nigerians abound in the country -both as students or workers – there is usually an aggressive attitude once a Benin indigene realises that one is a Nigerian. The only people that seem to love Nigerians in the country are their females.

A Nigerian businessman, Promise Nwadigos of Digos Worldwide Limited, told Saturday PUNCH that he visits Benin Republic regularly because of the nature of his business. According to the civil engineer, the men of Benin do not like Nigerians because their women easily fall in love with Nigerians. He also added that an average Benin man was lazy and expected his wife to be the breadwinner of the family.

He said, “I come here every two weeks because of my car business and also, I import white cement from India and marbles too. It is cheaper to ‘clear’ the goods here than in Nigeria. Most young men that come here would want to live at ease.

“I’ll prefer to date a girl from Benin Republic than a Nigerian girl because they do not ask for money. In a scenario where you would give a Nigerian girl N5,000 her, a Benin girl would rather you feed her, accommodate here and give her N1,000. Benin people are not rich. Most of them are low-income earners; so whatever happens here is mostly done by Nigerians.”

Nwadigos added that Béninoise girls like Nigerian men because they (Nigerian men) work very hard and take care of the women.

He said, “They like Nigerian guys because we are hard working and decision makers. The women work the most here. Their men are the type of people that tie wrapper and wait for their women to bring food for them. An average Nigerian guy will work and want to impress his lady with his success. I know that some of the men here in Benin do not like Nigerians. For instance, if you take a cab and they find out you are a Nigerian, they are always aggressive, even with their bikes.

“Their girls like us, they don’t just like us because we are Nigerians, they like us because we are hard working, we know what we are doing and we are rich. They love us for our hard work. Most of their men here are taxi drivers and they do not go to school. Some are palm wine tappers, some sell bread. They live a useless life.”

However, an estate agent in the country, Cena Rodrick, told Saturday PUNCH that Nwadigos claims were not true. He stated that Béninoise men were hard working. He acknowledged that there was hostility towards Nigerians but said it was because some Béninoise have been swindled occasionally by Nigerians; especially the Igbos.

Rodrick said, “My clients are strictly Nigerians because I socialise mostly with Nigerians. I have worked with them well. The kind of house an indigene of Benin would be interested in would not pay me as much as a Nigerian’s apartment. The reason why Benin Republic people are hostile towards Nigerians is because although there are different tribes like Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, Benin people see all Nigerians as Igbo. Some Igbo people have come here to dupe Benin people. They work here and do a lot of bad things. So that is why we are wary of Nigerians and the cause of the hostility. Personally, I do not have any problems with Nigerians. It is not true that Benin men are lazy. We take care of our women, not the other way round.”

A nationalised Béninoise, Daniel Laleye, said that he had heard about the hostility but had no personal experience and was indifferent about it.

A young man who refused to disclose his identity told Saturday PUNCH that the Beninoise also disliked Nigerians for economic reasons.

According to him, some complain that the influx of Nigerians into their country has made the price of basic goods go up.

He further stated that while seeking for jobs in the country, a firm would rather choose a Nigerian over a citizen of the country, even if the Béninoise had better qualifications. This, he said, was the reason they did not like Nigerians.

“They have this hatred for Nigerians. To start with, things are expensive here because of Nigerians. We are making things expensive for them. It might not be expensive to us because the exchange rate favours us but it pains them. Some Nigerians do not negotiate the price of goods and services here; they just pay. The reasoning of these Benin people is that all Nigerians have money to waste. So they have this natural hatred for Nigerians,” he said.

For Ibro, an Okada rider in Cotonou, there are several reasons why Nigerians are despised in the country.

Ibro said, “I am a native of Cotonou. I was born here, but I shuffle between here and Lagos. I came here to make money. I have lived in both communities. I even arrange girls for some Nigerians when they are around. I collect my cut when I do that. They pay good money for my services. However, it is true that there is hostility from Benin people. For example, some of the girls I have introduced to Nigerians on several occasions have complained to me that some of these Nigerians did not stick to their part of the deal.”

He complained about the way Nigerians treat his fellow citizens. He told Saturday PUNCH that the police too were not particularly fond of Nigerians because some Nigerians sometimes behaved like rascals, a behavior not permitted in the country.

Ibro said, “The truth is there are several tribes in Cotonou. Most of the people in Cotonou are Egun people. These Egun people are the ones that mostly travel to Nigeria and they are not happy the way Nigerians treat them. They are the ones that get menial jobs (like house helps) in Nigeria and they are not treated well. Also, the police might not be particularly fond of Nigerians because when they come here, they forget that they are not in their country where anything goes. Here, we believe in order; so, if you misbehave, the police here will whisk you away. It is always advisable not to resist arrest because the police here are very fit physically; they are also very good runners.”

A woman who identified herself as Iya Bola corroborated Ibro’s claims. She stated that because things were tough for her at a point, she allowed her daughter to go to Nigeria to get a job. When her daughter came back during Christmas season, she cried. Her14-year-old daughter came back with numerous scars and injuries.

Iya Bola said that when her daughter told her what she went through, she regretted her decision.

She said, “I for one cannot like a Nigerian because of what they have done to me. A friend of mine came to me and said she could get my daughter a job in Nigeria. Because of the way things were for me, I agreed. My child went for a year without me hearing a word from her. Occasionally, I go to meet my friend to ask about my daughter and she always assured me my daughter was fine. In December, when I finally saw my child, I could not help but cry because of the injuries on her body. She explained to me that it was the worst one year of her life as she used to be flogged everyday by her Madam. Is it people like that I will like?”

She said that no matter what her daughter must have done, she did not deserve to be treated like an animal. She said that such injury should be inflicted on thieves, not her innocent child and till date, she never allowed any of her children to come to Nigeria again

When the North in the 1st republic instituted an indigenisation policy it was condemned as tribalism. If LASG decides to reserve new markets for indigenous 'area boys' post rehabilitation it will be be seen by all as tribalism but when the FGN reserves jobs and skills in the oil sector for indigenous ex militants we see it as solution to an otherwise intractable problem. When will Nigeria be run on consistent principles? Even in the Niger Delta we are getting reports that a certain anointed tribe has edged all other ND tribes out of these 'juicy' slots.

Samsung to Boost FG’s Amnesty Programme

24 Aug 2013
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An inspection team from the Samsung Heavy Industries in Asia visited Nigeria Thursday, to tour Bradama Skill Works Limited, a professional welding and metal fabrication plant, Ondo State.


SHI through its Nigerian subsidiary recently secured a $3bn order from a Nigerian firm to build a floating production, storage and offloading facility (FPSO) in the country. SHI was awarded the Igini Gas plant project and it will need to train and employ over 1000 technical staff members. Bradama Skill Works center currently has over three hundred trainees (ex-militants) and had graduated several hundreds. SHI said its principal objective was to support the federal government with the amnesty program designed to empower and re-integrate the ex-militants into the public by engaging both current trainees and graduated ones when the construction works commence.


The team will observe another round of inspection next month before the construction kicks off and an estimated 1000 ex-militants would be recruited as part of the workforce to deliver the contract.


In a chat with Chief Bibopere Ajube, the MD, C.E.O, Bradama Skill Works Limited, he noted that; " I realised these brothers of mine need to have livelihoods. So, I built this hostel and the acquisition center to make them have what to do with the rest of their lives. You can't take a man to the sea and leave him to drown there, if he makes it out alive, trouble looms. We must engage our people after training them, that is the way they can fend for themselves and become patriotic".

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/samsung-to-boost-fg-s-amnesty-programme/157111/

What does SLS know? What power does he have over the cabal that allows him to act with such impunity? N10b to one school over and above all the other scandalous amounts he has dashed out almost whimsically? Can even the Petroleum Minister hand out such sums? I strongly suspect he has the ultimate files on how the billions have moved in the past several years and has insulated himself against all the powers of the Presidency. Nothing else explains his blatant impunity.

[b]CBN Donates N10bn Intervention Fund to Usman Danfodio Varsity
[/b]The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),Monday donated the sum of N10 billion as intervention fund to the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto to build infrastructure, capacity and manpower development.
The CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, disclosed this yesterday during a meeting with the management of the institution at the main campus of the university in Sokoto.
He described the N10 billion intervention fund as part of CBN's corporate social responsibility for 2013 aimed at building capacity and manpower as well as infrastructure in the university, with a view to making the Nigerian economy at par with top economies in the world.
According to him, the Nigerian economy could only move to an appreciable level, if it has trained a highly skilled manpower.
"As you are aware, the federal government has a vision to put the Nigerian economy among the top 20 economies in the world by the year 2020 so that our financial sector will be at par with that of developed economies.
"So, you can only have the best economy if you have highly trained manpower and this intervention fund is aimed at developing highly skilled manpower in the university to help drive the nation's economy to a desired level," he said.
Sanusi, who spoke through the Deputy Director, Projects, Planning and Implementation Division, Procurement and Support Services Department of the CBN, Mr. Kabiru Nuhu Koko, stated that the intervention fund would be chanelled towards improving facilities in the university.
He emphasised that the funds would mainly be targeted towards certain projects that had to do with the immediate needs of the university.
[b]He disclosed that the CBN selected six secondary schools, six tertiary institutions and six public sector institutions across the six geopolitical zones of the country for its intervention this year.
[/b]In his remark, the Vice-Chancellor, Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, Prof. Riskuwa Arabu Shehu, described the intervention fund as historic and unprecedented, saying it would go a long way in improving facilities and enhancing research in the institution.
He stated that with the intervention fund, the university would be repositioned to enable it compete with other universities across the globe.
He notedthat Usman Danfodio University was the only university that was not given take-off grant at the time of its inception unlike its counterparts in the country, which hampered the development of infrastructure at the institution.
"Since its inception, Usman Danfodio University has been trying to meet up with its mandate in spite of the limited resources at its disposal and this is due to the fact that it was the only university that was not given take off grant at the time of inception," Shehu said.
"So, today is historic in the sense that this is the first time we are getting an intervention of this magnitude. And we strongly believe that the N10 billion intervention fund will augment our little efforts to see that the university is repositioned by addressing its needs because no country can develop without quality education," Shehu stressed.
He said to this end, the intervention fund would enable the university meet its needs in areas where it has deficiencies, adding that the funds would be utilised judiciously to improve on infrastructure and the enhancement of advanced research in the institution.
The vice-chancellor therefore, commended the CBN management for its commitment and drive towards building a stronger nation.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/cbn-donates-n10bn-intervention-fund-to-usman-danfodio-varsity/156748/

What is the point of GEJ's science PhD and the other 'eggheads' in his cabinet if they keep embarrassing us with their yokel reactions to every minor innovation (not invention, mind). Surely they have heard about piezoelectricity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectricity and have seen those rubber balls that light up when struck sold in Lagos traffic? They must also have heard about the rechargeable radios and lamps which hit the market over a decade ago which are energized by manual winding?

Sometimes one wonders why we are so blessed by so many Baba Salas in this government. With so much time wasted on every kind of silliness is it any wonder power hasn't been fixed much less transport, health, security or any other pressing need of this nation? Is this how Obama and other leaders waste their time with high school science projects? It was yokels like these who sold Africa for mirrors and firewater when the Oyinbos dazed us with their toys.

HenryQuest: Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir El-Rufai has alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan knows Nigeria’s crude oil thieves. He added that the President  was aware that they were using the money to prepare for war against Nigeria.

El-Rufai  had said  one of the misfortunes of the Jonathan Presidency was the infusion of religion and ethnicity into Nigerian politics, thereby encouraging division in the country.

He condemned Jonathan’s call for US government’s intervention to stop crude oil theft, adding that  “Jonathan knows those who are stealing  crude oil, he knows what they are doing with the money, they are preparing for war and Nigeria will defeat them.”

According to him, “This country has gone through one civil war and I don’t know if any country has survived two civil wars. Those who  are stealing crude oil and buying arms and stockpiling them should know that it’s not the number of arms that determines who wins a war. So they should think deeply and learn from history. One who doesn’t learn from history will be a victim of history.”

Speaking as the guest of the week on Liberty FM Radio, yesterday, Malam El-Rufai who is also the Deputy National Secretary of All Progressive Congress, (APC) faulted the “Jonathan administration’s slant, adding “it is unfortunate for someone coming from a minority ethnic group. His best bet is to deemphasize that, and try to make the whole of Nigeria his constituency”.

“Unfortunately, Jonathan’s political handlers thought that if they introduce religion they will be able to divide the north, and get the Christian part of the North to vote for Jonathan. And if they introduce ethnicity, does it  mean they will get the whole of the South?. That’s their winning strategy, and now they are surprised, that after dividing the country they are finding it difficult to get the cooperation of everyone.”

“Politics is not about religion, neither is it about ethnicity. Politics is about delivering services to the people and when you are good everyone will benefit. Our religion is private to us, our ethnicity is an accident of birth.”. http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/jonathan-knows-oil-thieves-el-rufai/

If the ruse is so transparent to all why do those strategising for GEJ think the other side is not well prepared? I hope he remembers that the North can call on fellow tribesmen from as far as Sene-Gambia and co religionists from as far as Afghanistan while all he can count on is the 'strategic alliance' with the Igbo. If Ojukwu did not stick around to end what he started and Ironside couldn't save himself even as C-in-C I don't know why anyone wants to count on Ihejirika. With all the arms flowing out of Libya and Qatar, Saudi etc happy to supply even more the North doesn't have to worry about buying any arms. Pls note that I speak as an Anago who respects the strengths of all other tribes.

Anagos should pls remember Moremi's tale.

Pls remember Moremi's tale.

Osun APC, govt caution Anambra on evacuation of destitute
Posted by: Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo in News 8 hours ago
The Osun State Government and the state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have cautioned the Anambra State Government not to politicise the Lagos State Government policy on the evacuation of destitute from the state.
Addressing a joint news conference yesterday in Osogbo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Special Needs, Biyi Odunlade and the APC acting Chairman, Mr. Adebiyi Adelowo, said Osun was among the states affected by the Lagos State evacuation order.
They said Anambra State Government should not turn an issue meant to protect the indigenes of Lagos State and make governments of states to be alive to their responsibilities, to a political matter because of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
According to Odunlade, about 135 indigenes of the state, who are destitute, have been moved from Lagos to the state between April 27, 2010 and now.
He said: “Similarly, government received two persons each, who are indigenes of the state, from Ogun and Ondo states on April 16, last year. Four persons were also sent from Oyo State to the state in June.”
Mr. Adelowo said: “There is no bitterness or any sensation about this. It is routine administrative process that when you have a destitute on your hand, without home or family, and after doing your best for them, you send them to their people.
“In Osun, we have a similar programme of clearing the streets of beggars and the destitute. Those that can be empowered are assisted to be on their own. We are also going to resettle them one way or the other.”
He described the condemnation of the Lagos State Government policy on the relocation of the destitute by the Anambra State Government as unfortunate, saying a simple administrative process was being subjected to undue politicisation in a way that was capable of putting the Igbo against Lagos State and their Yoruba hosts.

Concern about Hawaii's fly homeless home program


HONOLULU (AP) -- A program that would help fly homeless people in Hawaii back to the mainland is being greeted with skepticism by the state's human services officials and groups that help the homeless.

A provision allowing the state Department of Human Services to coordinate a voluntary "return-to-home" program is included in a new state law. The department said it doesn't have any plans to implement the program at this time, but publicity surrounding it has officials worried nonetheless.

"It's encouraging people on the mainland to take a chance in coming to Hawaii knowing they can be returned," said Marc Alexander, director of community relations and development for the Institute for Human Services, the largest homeless service provider in the state. His organization already helps some people return each year to the mainland.

People are attracted to Hawaii for its pleasant weather and aloha spirit, Alexander said. But they arrive and face the reality that living in paradise is very expensive. He said that he has seen people run through their vacation money and wind up "using nonprofit service providers almost like hostels."

The Department of Human Services echoed Alexander's concerns.

"At the end of the day ... we remain concerned this program is an invitation to purchase a one-way ticket to Hawaii with a guaranteed return flight home," the agency said in a statement.

Only a small percentage of Hawaii's homeless people are from the mainland, said state Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland, D-Kalihi-Liliha, who authored the bill that proposed the program. But they are "very visible," she said, in places frequented by tourists, such as Honolulu's Chinatown and Waikiki.

The most recent count of homeless people in the state is about 6,300, Alexander said.

During the 2012 fiscal year, nearly 14,000 people in Hawaii received services through a shelter or outreach program, according to a report by the University of Hawaii's Center on the Family and the Department of Human Services' Homeless Programs Office. Eleven percent of adults who received services were living in Hawaii for a year or less, and 18 percent were in Hawaii more than a year but less than 10 years. Forty-two percent were considered lifetime Hawaii residents.

The program is part of a larger bill comprising several homelessness initiatives, such as one that provides subsidies for homeless people who are working and are ready to rent permanent housing.

State Rep. Rida Cabanilla, D-Waipahu-Ewa, said she pushed for the program to be included to help those who have no other means to return home. She said it would be cheaper to help them leave Hawaii than for the state to continue supporting them.

"A lot of them want to go back to the mainland, but they're feeling trapped in the islands," she said. "They can get reunited with their families, and it takes away the burden of Hawaii having to support them."

The proposal included a $100,000 appropriation, which Oakland estimated would buy plane tickets for 100 to 200 people.

Cabanilla said the program wasn't intended to combat homelessness but rather address "a small percentage of the homeless population."

If this is real then I am amazed that the Finance ministry waited for NEITI’s report to ask for the whereabouts of NLNG’s dividend for several years. And she wants to discuss the matter ‘privately’

Investors prefer Southwest, says LCCI
Posted by: Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst.Editor in Industry 3 hours ago 0
Which part of the country is most suitable for doing business? It is the Southwest, says the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), quoting investors’ and entrepreneurs’ preference.
In a statement, tagged: ‘The Nigerian Business Confidence Index (BCI),” LCCI said: “The confidence level of businesses located in the Southwest inched to a new high of 44 per cent from 38per cent and 30 per cent in Q2 and Q1.
“This is followed by companies operating in the Southeast and Southsouth, with BCI score of 31 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.”
The report said the confidence level of businesses in the Northcentral, which dropped to zero in Q2 improved dramatically with BCI score of 11 per cent. “Northeast and Northwest continue to trail between the negative and neutral confidence trajectories. We look to see how far the on-going security operation in some Northern states will impact business confidence in our Q4-2013 BCI survey,” it stated.
LCCI said the third quarter 2013 aggregate BCI sustained a positive improvement of 24 per cent from the 16.5 per cent and 10.5per cent it achieved in Q2 and Q1. This represents 13.5 per cent point movement of the index along a positive trajectory since the beginning of this year.
The steady and significant improvement of the BCI, according to the repor, suggests that business leaders are gearing towards expanding their investments and plant size in the months to come.
He said apart from the recurrent factors such as poor access to credit, security situation and the dwindling public power supply, the index posted impressive confidence across most business and economic indicators.
He also said that budget implementation and Federal Government’s security intervention in some parts of the North, impressive corporate results and the modest trends of exchange and inflation rate tend to have supported the record rise of business confidence in that section of country. The Director General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Muda Yusuf said for the first time, the financial sector recorded the highest confidence of 35 per cent closely followed by Hotel & Restaurant and Telecoms & Postal sectors 29per cent and 27 per cent confidence levels respectively.
He also said for the first time the agricultural sector was impressive at 18 per cent but the manufacturing sector remains disappointing at 5 per cent business confidence level. According to him, this implies that expansion and new investment in the Nigerian manufacturing sector remains largely held down by the lingering challenges confronting business environment in the country.
In their conclusion they said the 3rd quarter 2013 aggregate Business Confidence Index (BCI) sustained a significant positive improvement supported by the take-off of budget implementation across the country. He listed other positive improvements to include on-going security intervention in some parts of the North, impressive corporate results in most sectors and stable macroeconomic prices – exchange and inflation rate.
He said the improvement suggests that business leaders are likely going to expand their investments in the months. He however, noted that some investors are still wary about the state of the economy in the medium term because the lingering limiting factors are yet to be addressed.
BCI is a leading economic indicator designed to measure the degree of optimism on the state of the economy that business leaders are expressing through their activities of investing and spending. Decreasing business confidence is often a pointer to slowing economic activities because business owners are likely to decrease their investment. The more confident entrepreneurs and managers feel about the business environment, the more likely they are to make new investments, create job and impact the economy.
The 3rd quarter 2013 BCI survey covered 15 sectors and 582 (top business executives) respondents over the period, 15th May to June 18th 2013.

UHN

Yet Adams is quick to sign death warrants in such an environment. If any country should abrogate the death penalty it is Nigeria for we all know that the whole justice system can be bought for a dime. Adams should find a different arena to showcase his 'courage'.

Tell us again the story of how you missed travelling abroad with your siblings because your school grades didn’t meet your father’s expectation.
At that time, around 1976/77, my father decided apparently that part of the education of his children was to travel abroad. For us, it was fun; for him, it was education. We didn’t know that and we used to think he was a rich man. It was much later that we realised that he borrowed money to send us on those trips but the qualification always was that you must be in the top five in your class. I was always the one who didn’t make it. So, they dropped me twice. For me, school was too much of a problem. There was football to be played and I didn’t learn how to study until I was in A’ Levels class. Sometimes, I didn’t go to class and just two days before exams, I would come in and ask; what did you people do? And I would look at somebody’s note and read to just get the minimum pass.
At what point did you change this attitude of hating school?
When I failed School Certificate (general laughter). I wrote school certificate when I was 14 and half. So, I just didn’t understand what the big deal about this WAEC exam was. Why is everybody reading when we should be playing? I found out that all my playmates had left me behind and I didn’t even know what to read. So, I just went into the exams, wrote what I knew, passed biology and the rest were P7, P8 and of course mathematics stood out, F9. When the result came; my dad and I went to the school and the teachers were congratulating my dad. They said, this boy didn’t come to school. My dad said he was no longer paying for exams again. He told me that he had booked an apprenticeship for me with his mechanic, so I broke down in tears. He said I should go and think about it, discuss with my mum and come back to him to decide what I was going to do. One week after, I went to see him and said well, I still want to go to school. And he said the mechanic was waiting. I think it was that shock treatment that changed my attitude. I went on to write the exam again and I passed. Then, I got into A’ Levels class and it was very good in the first year and everybody. My dad said that it must have been because I hadn’t discovered the football field there. In a sense, it was true; by the end of first year, I got into the football team in Igbobi College and the grades just started dropping.
I tell everybody who cares to listen; I am a product of many chances and that’s why I give a second, third and fourth chances to everybody who is serious; those are the messages for me. I also acknowledge observably that my parents own the credit for what I have become; they just didn’t give up. I don’t think that any parent should give up on any child. By the time I entered the university, all of the freedom I wanted was an anticlimax. There was nobody to tell me to go and study. By the first week in the university, I was the one waking others up to go and study. I don’t know how that consolation came and I was able, through the university, to still combine football and tennis with my academic work. What I simply did was that by 6am, I was up to do my exercise. I used to jog in the morning. By 8am, I would be in class till 4pm and by 4pm, I was in the sports complex till 7pm. By 7pm, I was cleaning up; 8pm, I ate dinner and between 8pm and 9pm, I studied. I studied one hour every day till I left the university and it worked. So, I was always ready for exams long before it came. It was the same thing I did in the law school. I played tennis throughout law school exams everyday and it didn’t affect my grade. Well, maybe it could have been better but I left the school with a 2:2 and I left the law school with a 2.2. I think that is enough effort really. My dad wanted me to do masters but those were his plans. My own plans had become different and I was not going to argue with him. He collected the form, I filled it and I submitted it late. Yes, I was tired of school; I had become a lawyer. I didn’t need masters; I wanted to practice. I didn’t want to be a company secretary where I would need a higher degree to get promotion. I knew what kind of law I wanted, to be in the courtroom. I didn’t need a masters degree to do that.
At what point did you really develop interest in public service?
Public service is just perhaps another stepping stone in my life’s journey. There was no desire for that. I didn’t like public service, make no mistake about it. I was posted to the Ministry of Justice in the University of Benin as a corps member. I was posted to the Office of the Solicitor-General. She was away appearing in some other sittings outside Benin and for three days, nobody could attend to me and I told myself, this is not the place you want to work. By the time the Solicitor-General came on the third day, I just went to her and said: Ma, I have been waiting for you, I don’t want to work here. Please just transfer me. And she said: How can I transfer you without even trying you? And I told her that I would not work there. She was a very nice woman, Mrs Omorude. She later became a judge of the High Court in Edo State. She asked me if I didn’t have a wig and gown and I did. Yes, She asked: Why don’t you want to work here? I said: Well, I was here for three days; you were not around and nobody seemed willing to take responsibilities. The impression I get is that I wouldn’t do anything unless you approve of it. So, if you are not around, we won’t work and I don’t want to be in an environment where I can’t think on my own and take decisions. She said: No, it’s not like that. I said: Well the evidence I have is like that. And I remember her words; she said: Young man, your mind seems to be made up and I’m not going to stand in your way. Where do you want to go to? Do you have another place? I told her yes but I didn’t. I just wanted to get out of the place, so she let me go and I started pounding the streets of Benin, looking for my seniors in the university who were already lawyers and looking for a place where somebody could accommodate me. By night fall, I had gotten a place and that was where I did my youth service. That was my impression of government. Coming back home, I saw that if you wanted to get anything done in any department of government, it could go on for weeks and weeks and I said no, this is not for me. I used to be very critical of government in my own small corner. But one day, Governor Tinubu sent for me and said: Tunde, Lai is going to Ilorin; he wants to be governor, I need help. You were part of the people who supported my campaign, you can’t leave me to do the work alone; so come and join me. That was on a Wednesday. Well, he scheduled the meeting for 4pm on Wednesday but I didn’t get to see him until 1:00am on Thursday morning. We were all there in his office. I got home around 2am or so and went to my office in Igbosere. Later in the day, I think the GSM had come then, I got a call from the Head of Service asking for my address and before the end of the day, I got a letter asking me to resume in Alausa the following day, which was Friday August 16, 2002. I called my partner and said: I won’t see you tomorrow; I am gone. That’s all because the way we ran the chambers, everybody knew what the other person was doing. I was head of the chambers, I was managing it. All the cases we tried, we prepared them in a conference type environment. So, it was easy for them. I told them I would be one phone call away if they needed any help. After that, they found their feet. So, I didn’t plan to be in government. I went into government also with some air of arrogance which was quickly deflated. I must say this; I thought that those of us outside knew more than those inside and I was proved wrong. There are a lot of talents in government; not just in Lagos State and the power of government is so awesome that we do ourselves a great disservice. I joined at 39 and I thought it was too late and we must encourage many more people to join very early. And there is no use for us to just continuously criticize the government; that’s the easiest thing to do. But getting things done; getting people to agree, it’s like having a party for 10 people. It is easy to serve them but when the party becomes a thousand people, some people will come and not eat. For some people, the food would have become cold. So, when the people you now have to serve multiply to 21 million people, you see how difficult it is to please everybody.
What would you say prepared you for public office as governor of Lagos state?
Well, my knowledge of Lagos and things that I picked up from my childhood days. I played football across virtually the whole state. Where I didn’t play football, I went to swim and I lived in many parts of Surulere.
I lived at Sam Shonibare,Aina Street off Lawanson, behind Idi-Araba and I lived at Ijeshatedo. I also lived at Aguda as a bachelor. But as a child, I remember we used to go from Aina Street through the canal to go and cut bamboo to make cages to trap birds. So, I knew the flood, the canal in Idi-Araba. It helped me ultimately to address the flooding problem that solved the River LUTH. And I knew Oshodi as I told you, apart from going with my grandmother. When we started living in Ijesha, I used to take a bus to Oshodi bus-stop and from Oshodi, we would trek to Airport Hotel because we were going to swim. And we would save the money for transportation on our way back because we would be hungry after swimming. I used to go and rent bicycle at Bank Olemoh.; We used to go and play soccer at SOS children’s village in Isolo, play soccer at Akerele junction at Alhaji Masha because it used to be a big open field. We played table tennis at Sholeye Crescent, Rowe Park and the only place you could get good bats was in a store (I have forgotten its name) in Apapa. We would come to Marina, take the ferry or a canoe across to go and work behind flour mill to be able to get the bat. Then in my home, there was freedom, love and fear of God. Stealing was unforgiveable; you couldn’t forget your classmate’s biro in your bag because you would receive the anger of my parents. And you will never forget it. We couldn’t go to a neighbour’s house to eat even if were hungry; my mother would be staring at you. She would ask: are you hungry? And you would quickly say no. You may say that they were very strict but many of my generation went through it. It curtailed greed, built discipline and it reinforced self- denial. So, no matter how sweet that food was and you remember the one at home, if they ask you outside whether you were hungry, you would say, no, I have eaten. I remember once my younger brother and I were walking through a footpath and we found an old three pence in the sand and we cleaned it up. Of course, we couldn’t take it home. We saw these Nupe/Kanuri women selling roasted peanuts. We just gave her the three pence to give us peanuts and it literally bought everything she was carrying. We sat down on the corner of the bush and ate as much as we could, knowing that we couldn’t take it home. But as stupid as we were, we wanted to keep what was left. We dug the sand and buried it there so that we would go back for it later. Of course, when we went back, we could not find it but it was better to lose the peanuts than for my mother to find it with us. Then, the value of human lives; we didn’t see dead bodies on the street; there wasn’t that much violence; there was respect for the dead; there was a sense of sobriety, we were not this loud. And I think that is the critical missing chord. When we talk about students not passing WAEC, they didn’t pass in my time too. If all the students were passing at that time, why did we have FSS because there were remedial colleges? All the students in the UK too don’t pass but constantly, something was being done about it and new opportunities were being created. So, those were the things that still help me in decision making. There were extra classes and that’s why we decided, let’s do Saturday classes in our public schools. And we are seeing the results gradually but it is not enough to continue with the headline, ‘80 percent failed’.
Would you say that you an accidental governor?
I don’t think that I am quite accidental. An accident is something that you don’t have any control of in its entirety and that’s not quite my case. I didn’t plan to run for office but I still had a choice to say yes or to run away and from the day I made a decision to accept the offer. I knew that it came with consequences and the first thing was to begin to prepare myself to deal with those consequences as best as possible. So, in that sense, yes. I think there is nothing esoteric about government. I think if you find the right people, the right attitude, a clear understanding of why you are there, you can make it work. I don’t by that suggest that there is any expertise here but we have tried to do very simple things. We have tried to involve people. Let’s take something as simple as maintaining roads; I want to discuss government not in terms of only the people in public service. No they are a very small part of the population. I want us to discuss government especially in a democracy as something that all of us own and how much ownership we have shown. I didn’t understand. I don’t know then as much as I know now. There are barometers, at least, in this part, for measuring how well a government is doing. For me, in the very beginning, the idea that a governor must visit a road before it is fixed was extremely outlandish. How many roads could I possibly visit? So, the way forward was, let us get a data of the roads, which we now have. We know all our roads now but we can’t visit all the roads – over 10,000 roads. So, we set up a public works organisation that is increasingly better equipped to deal with those problems. It has a help line that we have made public but are people using it? That’s not even to say that if you call today, they will come this night but they will have a log of the bad roads. When they are making their plan in a budget, then they can fix it in. Recently, I drove through Malu road, going to the Kirikiri Fire Service and I noticed that at the railway junction, we had to slow down significantly because the road had failed at the edge of the tracks and the first thing that came to my mind was, if at the off-peak period, we had to slow down this much, what will happen at rush hour? How much pains will our people go through? And the next thing I did was to call the public works and say, ‘this road must be fixed before this week is over. Give me a report that you have done it and I am going to check. How many of such roads can I visit? But luckily, by the time I was coming from the June 12 meeting, I saw a text on my phone that the road had been repaired. It gives me a very good feeling that at least the discomfort of citizens in that area has been attended to but will there be a life without problems? No. There are so many other things I didn’t see yesterday. But, even if we now have solutions to all the problems, we don’t also have all the resources to fix them but I think that in the sense that people feel that if they ask, government will respond, then we are on the way. The most prosperous nations still have disgruntled and un-served citizens and that’s why I feel more comfortable with the concept of an action government than an action governor because government is institutional. You don’t need to know me, you don’t need to see me. Even if we can’t serve you, somebody can say to you, ‘we have received your complaints, we will come to it.’ And there is a feel-good factor there that somebody has spoken to me very politely and those are the things we try to continuously promote. But again, on our help lines, what do we get? Sometimes, they are used for purposes for which they are not designed. So, again there is need for all of us to restrain ourselves; to moderate our expectations .
When Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu invited you into his administration, did it ever occur to you that you will stay this long in government and public service?
No. In fact, I remember as I joined in 2002, the campaigns for the re-election were rife and after re-election, he was reconstituting his cabinet. Myself as Chief of Staff, the SSG and Head of Service were the only few people that remained after the end of the first term and there was a lot of horse trading about who and who was going to be in the new cabinet. I recall one night I was at the club and one of my friends just rushed in and said “You are just sitting down here; they are already constituting the new cabinet and your name is not on it.” And I said “So, what’s your problem?” He said “ but you just spent nine months.” I said that was a momentous privilege and that if the governor felt that he wanted to change his chief of staff, I would go and thank him for giving me the opportunity to serve for a few months and get on with my life. So, that was my attitude because being his chief of staff wasn’t fun. Before I was chief of staff, if it rained, I slept more but once I got into government, the rain meant a different thing to me.

[b]Gov Fasola - I hated school, failed WAEC and almost became a mechanic
[/b]Fashola reminisces @ 50
It was not like any of the interviews he had granted in the past. For two hours he held a select group of editors spellbound and reeling in laughter as he spoke about his hatred for school, love for soccer and the cinema until his father whipped him into line with a threat to make him a mechanic’s apprentice. Let’s go down memory lane with Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola as he clocks 50 years in another 18 days.
We will start by saying congratulations” because in a number of days, you will be 50. So,what are your reflections at 50?
Nobody knows what day he was born; so I am going to take the question on reflection from perhaps the time some consciousness began to form in my mind about the future. In that sense, the kind of country I had so much faith in really has not materialized. So, it’s an anniversary of mixed blessings for me. If you like, it’s positive in the sense that there is life.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/politics/i-hated-school-failed-waec-and-almost-became-a-mechanic/
Also, in many respects, some of the things I wanted personally for myself, maybe in terms of career, have largely materialized, although like in my profession, I still believe that there is an unfinished business there. But, when I look back, I’ll say there were some decisions I took as a young person, the opportunity to study abroad that I rejected because I felt that I could never be all I could be in a land where I was not a citizen. That was one reason.
I look at the decisions that presented themselves when I left the university and close to half of my colleagues that we graduated, left Nigeria out of frustration. I was one of the few who said, “No, I think that the problems of this nation will be solved and this is where my best opportunities lie.” In that sense again, that opportunity has not materialized. I see so much that we can do but are still undone. So, it’s a season of mixed blessings for me. Personally, I can’t say that is the kind of fulfillment that I desired.
You warned everybody off a loud birthday celebration, what explains that decision?
Well, my birthday has always been a private thing. But in the last few months, there has been, for want of a better expression, building excitement; people planning all sorts of things, committees being set up and I said, “No, you don’t do this to me, not this time.” For me, I think my best birthday was at 10. I remember it was the last birthday that my mum organized. I celebrated every birthday, cut a cake and I still think I can find some old pictures. I remember I wore a French suit.
From there, I think she focused more on my younger ones because I was already in secondary school. So, the transition was complete. No more children’s birthdays for me from then on.
So, in that sense, the next birthday that I remember was when I was 18 and I did that myself. I saved money for about six months and I went partying with my friends and I really enjoyed myself. The next one I remember was 21 and I was in the university then. It was my friends and I on campus and as difficult as it was then, because there was no telephone, my mum made it a sense of duty to ensure that I got a birthday card. I still keep it till today. It was a very touching birthday card and after that, there were really no birthdays in that sense.
When I got married, on my birthdays I get home early. If it’s a working day, we don’t cook, we order food, people come in – my parents, siblings come – each one at his own time and really by 7 or 8 pm, I leave them in the house with my wife and I am gone; maybe to go and play snooker or tennis at the club. So, there was no ceremony around it. I am not a ceremony person. I don’t like those formalities and I remember that when I was Chief of Staff, I turned 40 and my friends said, “No it’s a lie; we are going to have a party” and I said, “No, if you do it I am going to run away.” Someone suggested Sunny Ade because they know I like him. They said they were going to bring him and I said, that’s the one that would make me run away; but in the event, I remember that we actually printed an invitation card. How they got me to do it, I can’t quite say. What I remember was that I had to wake up very early and I said, “this shouldn’t be; this is my birthday, I should be sleeping.”
But as early as 7am, we’d started prayers and from there, it was breakfast though I must confess that it was a day that I enjoyed. I had so many people around me; the governor, the Chief Judge and the Speaker came; everybody was there. But the party went on beyond my birthday because at 3am the following day, we were still there. So, I was living in another person’s day and I said, “No, this is not how it is supposed to be.” I remember that in the course of shaking everybody’s hands, you know, going from table to table, I think somebody had conjunctivitis and I picked it. When I woke up in the morning, I couldn’t open my eyes. But, I think the fun I had the day before, more than compensated for the discomfort. I had to send for my optometrist because it was very painful. This time, with all the plans going on, I said, ‘no’, that if this is my day, then those who really love me should allow me to do it my way. It didn’t cost me that much also to receive my visitors. I funded my 40th birthday by myself. I am not quite sure I can’t do the same now.
How do you mean?
As governor? No. I am not even sure that I want to spend that kind of money on a party. If we can’t eat small rice and chicken in the house and I don’t even know if I want to dress up in a formal sense. I just want to feel free, see the people I want to see and if there is something going on, on television, I want to watch, instead of, ‘Oh, come and say hello to this person or that person.’ I am sure I am not mentally prepared for that and I don’t want to offend people. The idea that probably, I will have a birthday at taxpayers’ expense is something that doesn’t sit quite well with me and it’s only for 24 hours anyway.
So, what exactly is your plan for this birthday?
A very quiet and simple day.
It will be nice to have my friends around and they know themselves. So, if they get here, they know how to get me but I don’t think that I want to cling to things that are not real. I try as much as possible to keep my feet firmly on the ground because there are two people here – there is Tunde Fashola, and there is the Governor of Lagos State. There are many people who want to celebrate the birthday of the Governor of Lagos, and next year and in 2015, I will be left to carry on with my birthday. So, let me get used to that now. That’s what I have tried to do since I took office. The other argument may sound strange but really, we are as it were, inheritors of the joy we did not experience and on the day a child is born, he doesn’t know what is going on. The only people who celebrate that day are the parents. Then, they invest in the anniversary of the day and it becomes a cross for life.
The way you are talking, you don’t seem to like to celebrate anything.
No, you see, the idea is, I celebrate every day I am alive. Every morning when I wake up, I pray. I sing to God every morning but even sometimes, people who live in the house really don’t know that I sing. I sing inside me, in happiness. For me, every day that you live is a celebration; so, it can’t be one day.
Let’s hear what you want to sing
Ah! (general laughter), I said that I commune with my maker. I will tell you about that later. You want to break into that? That’s the sanctum santorium , the inner inner.
We can’t talk about the present without talking about the past. Let’s go down memory lane. What was childhood like for Babatunde Fashola?
Sure, a lot of fun. I grew up in Surulere. I lived in Surulere all my life. The first time I am living on the island was when I moved in here. So, it was fun; I did everything that young people do. My grandmother used to trade at Oyingbo market. I remember that every Tuesday was the market day; so, I would wake up with her at 5am, help her tie the pots and pans with my tiny hands. She used to sell Tower Aluminum pots and pans. She believed that my six digits were signs of prosperity; so, she would tell me to put my hands on them. At the end of the market day when she came back, I would be the one to count her money. She was not very literate but she could count her money in pound. When we migrated to naira, it became a problem; so I had to do the multiplication of the number of pounds to get the naira for her, but I always got a reward. I got bags of chocolate and Nicco biscuits. Of course, it meant that on Wednesday morning, I would be a hero in class, sharing my biscuits.
Those were great memories. We flew kites; on Sundays, we went to church, St Jude’s Church in Ebutte-Metta, and after church, we looked forward to Uncle Ben’s rice and chicken. Of course, those of you who lived in that era will remember the perpetual fight over Fanta; who was going to get the bottle. We had to share a bottle; maybe, two or three of you and there was a feeling that the person who had the bottle had more content. So, that was it – I did all the regular things, played street soccer.
I played truant in school a lot and I didn’t like school because there were too many interesting things to do –play football and go to the cinema. My mum used to take us to cinema; that was when cinema was popular. The one at Onipanu, on Ikorodu Road, Metro Cinema was where I first saw James Bond’s Gold Finger. She took us to the cinema on the last Sunday of every month. That was the kind of childhood I had and we lived in regular middle class home. My mum is a nurse and my dad a journalist. I also remember that my affinity for Juju music came from my grand-parents because my grandfather used to buy Sunny Ade’s records. We had a Grundig player and that was where I learnt all Sunny Ade’s music. It was always blaring and I learnt how to change the records. I still draw a lot of inspiration from the deep philosophy in those songs. There is a lot of rich philosophy if you bother to listen to the lyrics rather than the music. You will see their stories of tribulations and success and if you look at them now and listen to their songs, you will see that every success story is founded on adversity. They faced their own adversities. Obey was once accused of carrying drugs. They had their bitter rivalries. He was accused of supporting criminals when he sang for a notorious armed robber and he quickly had to do ‘E maf’oju buruku wo onileesi….’ and all of those things. Of course, there were supposed feuds, that helped to bring more converts and those were the building blocks of my childhood.
I didn’t see the civil war in but my memories of the war have summed up in a word, ‘Moto gagara.’ I will tell you the story of Moto gagara. I must have been around four years old when the war broke out and our brothers from the east were moving back home and in big trucks. For a four-year-old, the sound of those trucks was frightening. So, any time I saw them, I always wanted to go out and play and my grandmother would say, “Stay indoors.” So, the only thing that kept me in was the sound of those trucks; I would rush back into the house. So, any time I wanted to go out, she would say, ‘don’t go out, Moto gagara …,’ and I would scamper. Post war was the reconstruction of Lagos and many parts of Nigeria; so riding through the streets of Surulere, seeing the stadium being built, National Theatre – the sand filling that took place from Iponri; we rode bicycles through all those places; through Badagry Expressway.
I remember Yinka Folawiyo was the main supplier of cement to the site then and all of these, l did riding bicycle. I remember going with my grandmother to her house in Oshodi to collect her rent. She had a lawyer who managed her property in Oshodi and I recall that after every visit, she always complained that the lawyer had cheated her and the final word always was my promise to her that I would be a lawyer so that I would manage the property for her for free. And unfortunately, that happened only after she died. Of course, I took over the property; then my younger brother who is also a lawyer took it over from me and we still manage it. We are trying to renovate it now but that gave me a very strong knowledge of Oshodi because we used to walk through all those places and I knew how it was as a child then. It gave me a good knowledge. My aunt lived in Bariga, so I would take a bus from Oshodi to Bariga and then from Bariga to Akoka.
Your mother was a nurse, your dad a journalist, how did you end being a lawyer, instead of in the sciences or in journalism?
Well, I think that our parents are the mirror through which we see life. So, maybe somewhere down the line, my grandmother’s exhortation struck a chord but more importantly was the fact that I was very horrible with mathematics. Or perhaps not horrible; let me explain it. The primary school I went to used to do arithmetic; then in 1972 or 1973, Nigeria turned decimal. So, some schools started doing mathematics. We remained with arithmetic because we were then getting ready for common entrance and I think the school thought that it would be difficult to change us. So, I think they got the National Common Entrance body then to set two sets of questions. In the front was mathematics and then there was a footnote that if you did arithmetic in school, turn to the next page. But even at that, I just managed to score about 50 or 60 to pass arithmetic. So, by the time I got to form one, it was straight mathematics. I remember it was an American who taught us mathematics and I just couldn’t hear what he said in class. First, because of the accent, secondly all the signs on the board were new. So, I just stopped going to mathematics class. I didn’t stop initially, I just sat down there; I just found something else to distract myself until he left the class. But my Physics, Biology and Chemistry were quite good. I was taught by two Indians, Mr & Mrs Matthews. Mr Matthews taught Physics and Chemistry; Mrs Matthews taught us Biology and I desired at that time to be a doctor. I wanted to be a surgeon and I was very good in Biology. I am still conversant with it. I am just enamoured by nature but in form three, going into form four, we were going to choose subjects and they called my parents and said, look, this man’s Biology is good, in chemistry, he doesn’t solve any equation, he just answers the theory questions and leaves the rest blank and that he has to withdraw from the science class and move to the arts class. I said well, I was ready to do that; there was no point arguing but that they would allow me to keep my Biology and they agreed. Then, I focused more on history, bible knowledge, literature, geography and by the time, it was all done, the only professional course I could do without mathematics was law. So, that’s it but it’s not something I didn’t want to do. In a sense, there was a little bit of a mix. I enjoyed every day I spent in the law class. And I think that I am better for it because in the course of my practice, it has enabled me to know a lot more about other disciplines because you are a client to doctors, to patients who sue doctors, to engineers and to people claiming compensation for building damage. So, you have to know quantity survey, engineering. There are areas of life that you never read about but you have to learn by force once a client comes in, otherwise, you give up the brief and the money.

More oil discoveries in Lagos soon - Experts
Written by Tunde Dodondawa - Lagos Friday, 28 June 2013 04:02 font size Print Email
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FOLLOWING the announcements of oil discoveries in Lagos offshore, experts are of the opinion that more oil discoveries may be made in the state in near future.

An oil and gas expert, who also doubles as the Director, ANDORA Technologies Ltd, Mr Bayo Akinpelu, told the Nigerian Tribune on Thursday that it was possible for more oil to be discovered in commercial quantities in Lagos.

A source within the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), who pleaded anonymity, assured the Nigerian Tribune that it was a matter of time before another oil exploration firm announced new oil discoveries in Lagos.

“I can reliably inform you that another leading indigenous company may soon announce oil discoveries from Aje oil assets located on Oil Mining License (OML) 113. It is difficult to predict the time, but it may surely come to past soon,” he said.

OML 113 is located adjacent to the OPL310 area, in which oil discoveries were announced on Wednesday. OML113 hosts the Aje oil and gas field, which is estimated to have contingent resources of nearly 200 millon barrels of oil equivalent.

However, Nigerian Tribune independently gathered that the OML113 licence interest holders include Lekoil, Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum (Operator), Vitol Exploration Nigeria, Chevron and P.R Oil and Gas.

Optimum, along with drilling partners, Afren and Lekoil, struck a significant light oil accumulation at the Ogo-1 well on the Ogo prospect in OPL 310 off Nigeria on Wednesday.

The well was drilled to 3,205 metres and threw up a gross hydrocarbons column of 160 metres with 66 metres of net stacked pay.

Optimum was targeting 78 million barrels of oil, equivalent of potential resource in its initial target.

However, Afren wrote in a statement on Wednesday: “Based on evidence to date, targeted resources are likely to be significantly in excess of previous estimates.

“The Ogo-1 discovery, testing a four-way dip-closed structure in the Turonian, Cenomanian, and Albian sandstone reservoirs, confirms the extension of the same Cretaceous sandstones that have yielded other significant discoveries along the West African transform margin.”

The Ogo-1 probe spudded on April 23.

A sidetrack will also be drilled, aiming for a separate structure with a resource potential of about 124 million barrels of oil equivalents.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/en/news/item/15409-more-oil-discoveries-in-lagos-soon-experts.html

http://www.energy-pedia.com/news/nigeria/new-155199

Nigeria: Lekoil announces significant oil discovery offshore Nigeria

26 Jun 2013

Lekoil has announced that the high impact Ogo-1 well located on the OPL 310 licence offshore Nigeria has discovered a significant light oil accumulation, based on the results of drilling and wireline logs.

The Ogo-1 well is being drilled by Afren, as technical partner, under a farmout to Lekoil of OPL310, offshore Nigeria, as announced on 14 May 2013. The well has been drilled to a total measured depth of 10,518ft (10,402ft true vertical depth subsea (TVDSS)), and has encountered a gross hydrocarbon section of 524ft, with 216ft of apparent stacked, net pay.

Further wireline log evaluation is currently underway prior to extending the well to target deeper prospectivity above basement, to a total measured depth of 11,800ft (11,684ft TVDSS). The expected timetable for completion of this further drilling together with additional testing is four to six weeks (inclusive of drilling a planned Ogo-1 side-track well).


Ogo-1 well (Source: Lekoil)
The Ogo-1 discovery, testing a four-way dip-closed structure in the Turonian, Cenomanian, and Albian sandstone reservoirs, confirms the extension of the same Cretaceous play that has yielded other significant discoveries along the West African Transform Margin. The results also indicate a working hydrocarbon system that is weighted more towards liquids than gas. This has been confirmed by MDT samples; light oil samples in the Turonian and Cenomanian sands and condensate samples in the Albian sands.


Location of OPL 310 (Source: Afren)http://images.energy365dino.co.uk/standard/141532_6261f48980e043a39bb0.jpg

Following the completion of drilling and testing operations at Ogo-1, the Partners in OPL310 plan to drill a side-track well, Ogo-1 ST, which will test a stratigraphic pinch-out trap on the flanks of the basement high - a new potential play in the area.

Following completion of the farm out to Lekoil, as announced on 14 May 2013, the Partners' participating and economic interests on the block will be as follows:


Lekan Akinyanmi, CEO, said: 'The discovery of oil in the Ogo-1 well opens up a new oil basin in an under-explored region and represents a possible extension of the Cretaceous play along the West African Transform Margin. The discovery is a clear validation of Lekoil's technical analysis and of our extensive studies on the Dahomey Basin.

'Results to date indicate that the discovered resources could be significantly in excess of P50 estimates prior to drilling. While Lekoil notes these results are preliminary, we believe there exists substantial scope for upward revisions to the data announced today as drilling and interpretation continues. We look forward to working with our Partners to realise the full potential of Ogo and the additional prospects on the license.'

This is in addition to the Aje field which is offshore Badagry too and the 30b tonnes of bitumen that extends from Edo to Ogun. Bottom line is that every part of Nigeria brings something to this union and we are much better big and strong than when we turn the nation to a half dozen micro states each of each is irrelevant on the global stage. The map is available at the link below.

New oil site found in Nigeria offshore

on June 26, 2013 / in Energy 6:34 pm / Comments

Optimum Petroleum Development Limited and its partner Afren Nigeria have announced that the high impact Ogo-1 well located on the OPL 310 licence offshore Nigeria has discovered a significant light oil accumulation, based on the results of drilling and wireline logs.

Lagos – Optimum Petroleum Development Limited and its partner Afren Nigeria have announced that the high impact Ogo-1 well located on the OPL 310 licence offshore Nigeria has discovered a significant light oil accumulation, based on the results of drilling and wireline logs.

The Ogo-1 well was drilled by Optimum Petroleum Development Ltd and its partners Afren and Lekoil Limited to a total measured depth of 10,518 ft (10,402 ft true vertical depth subsea), and has encountered a significant gross hydrocarbon column. Further evaluation using wireline log analysis is currently underway prior to extending the well to a total measured depth of 11,800 ft (11,684 ft true vertical depth subsea) to target further high potential zones. .

Egbert Imomoh, Chairman of Afren, said “The discovery of oil in the Ogo-1 well opens up a new oil basin in an under-explored region and represents a possible extension of the West African Transform Margin. Based on evidence to date, targeted resources are likely to be significantly in excess of previous estimates, with some high-potential zones still to be drilled. We look forward to working with our Partners to realise the full potential of Ogo and our additional prospects on the license.

The Ogo-1 exploration success follows a series of recent discoveries, Okoro Field Extension, Ebok North Fault Block and Okwok in Nigeria and Simrit-2 and Simrit-3 on the Ain Sifni Block in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.”

http://www.energy-pedia.com/news/nigeria/new-155199
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/new-oil-site-found-in-nigeria-offshore/#sthash.iZHALS9R.dpuf

States may not be able to pay workers if… – Oshiomhole
on JUNE 24, 2013 · in NEWS
12:30 am
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By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has raised the alarm that soon state governments might not be able to pay the salaries of workers and meet other obligations if the Federal Government refuses to release state allocations as at when due.

Already, investigations revealed that most state governments were finding it difficult to pay their contractors, who are now threatening to abandon ongoing projects and lay off workers.


Oshiomhole
“Very soon states may not be able to pay salaries as at when due, if the delay in releasing state allocations continues,” Governor Oshiomhole said at the just concluded 9th Triennial Delegates Conference of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, in Abuja.

He said: “You now know that for this year our budget has not been performing.

“Despite all the debates about benchmark for the budget, in the end the National Assembly resolved it and there were speculations by all kind of analysts.

“You know our analysts often put their reputations on the line depending on the next consultancy that they want.

“They tell us that the world economy is going to come down and that the Americans have discovered new fuel, that there are things happening in China and the economy is stagnating and therefore, the oil price would drop.

“I have always said that when they talk like that, they talk as if the world is static. It is not. Those nations said to be creating these problems are not sitting on the problems; they are working to change those conditions.

“In any event, it is now no more theory. Six months into the New Year, oil price has performed over and above the oil benchmark. So, what happened to all the forecasts? Oil is performing more than between 20 and 25 percent more than the budget.

“Yet, we are not able to receive our share of the Federation Account as at when due.

“They say we cannot fund the budget. Why? Is it because we are selling less? No, we are not because we can see it on CNN.

“It is not a classified state matter or a classified security matter. Oil is selling over and above the budget. So why is the budget not performing?

[b]“Now we are told it is because of the level of crude theft. I read in one paper that as much as 600,000 barrels of crude is stolen per day.

“And because of the amount that is stolen, what is left is now below the budget export volume.

“So, are we now going to make national budget to factor in stealing? Is that the option? So, if it is not about the price, it is about the volume of theft. You can ask a question.

“Can your wife tell you that the two legs of the elephant are missing from the pot of soup? You can be searching for the liver in a pot of soup because it is small.

“However, when your cook tells you that the two legs of the fowl cannot be found in the pot, then that cook has a story to tell.”

“I want labour to stand up on this issue. Who is stealing this oil?

“Very soon states may not be able to pay able to pay salaries as at when due if the delay in releasing state allocations continues.

“It is a major national issue because you (workers) are not going to get your wages as at when due if crude oil is being stolen at the volume as it is.[/b]

“I am worried, very, very worried when the elephant leg is missing in the pot of soup. If you cannot find the elephant leg, who is going to search for the liver?”

To think they gave him 99% of their votes. When are my people going to learn that throwing yourself at politicians only gets you tagged as cheap. GEJ is trying to bribe the SW with a free 10 lane Lagos - Ibadan road and meeting the SS non negotiable demand with the East - West road costing hundreds of billions but he so takes SE votes for granted that he decides to concession the SNB that has been four decades in the cooler.

ilugunboy: Easterners don enter one chance with GEJ

Does anyone know why East-West road is being built with oyel money while SNB is to be built with with JB money to be recovered via tolls? Even Lagos - Ibadan is being built with oyel money. Lagos State (Ibile Holdings) still owns 5.5% while Benue owns 5.2% of JB so a lot of that toll will to the SW and MB. So what is the value of the partnership between the SE and SS?

[b]Fed Govt awards 2nd Niger Bridge contract to Julius Berger on PPP
[/b]Posted by: Yomi Odunuga and Taofik Salako in News 14 hours ago 0

The Federal Government has issued a letter of intent on the construction of the second Niger Bridge to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc under a proposed public private partnership (PPP).
Managing Director, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Mr. Wolfgang Goetsch, stated this yesterday at a post-Annual General Meeting (AGM) media briefing.
He said private public partnership involves the federal government as the sponsor, Julius Berger Nigeria as the major partner and some other international investors.
According to him, Julius Berger submitted the bid for the bridge in December 2012 and was chosen the preferred bidder in January and the latest issuance of letter of intent was a further consolidation of the project agreement.
He said the Federal Government is still in continuous discussion with his company, which is expected to play a major role in the financing of the bridge.
“We hopefully wish to start at the end of the year. We have been issued the letter of intent. We are already on sight and we will play a major role in the financial close,” Goetsch said.
He noted that Julius Berger would leverage on the potential benefit of PPP to diversify its business portfolio in spite of the challenges inherent in such arrangement.
Chairman, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, AVM Nurudeen Imam, outlined that the company would step up its business development efforts by exploring opportunities in alternative financing models including options such as public private partnership (PPP) and build-operate-transfer (BOT).
Any option of the PPP involving financial contribution from Julius Berger Nigeria and other investors implies that the private sector partners would be given agreed period to recoup their investments through tolling on the bridge.
Goetsch said the company has started the mobilisation for the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway assuring that as one of the busiest roads in Nigeria and even beyond, the company would put all its expertise together to design a construction plan that would ease the pain of motorists on the road as it works on the road.
He attributed the delay in some of the company’s major projects including the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and Abuja airport road to inadequate funding, pointing out that the company places emphasis on delivery within schedules.