₦airaland Forum

First Lady, Patience Jonathan, on Sunday opened up on her controversial medical trip last year, admitting for the first time she ailed terribly and was close to dying.
Mrs. Jonathan, who spoke at a special thanksgiving service at the Aso Rock Chapel where the first family worships, said she underwent multiple surgical operations and at some point her doctors lost hope after she “passed out for more than a week.”
“It was not an easy experience for me,” Mrs. Jonathan told the congregation which included senior government officials. “I actually died. I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.”
“I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his. My doctors said all hope was lost. It was God himself in His infinite mercy that said I will return to Nigeria. God woke me up after seven days,” she narrated.
Mrs. Jonathan’s remarks at the church service, was the first time the presidency would admit the First Lady was seriously sick as widely speculated in 2012.
Mrs. Jonathan was on admission at the Horst Schmidt Klinik in Germany for an undisclosed ailment although multiple reports suggested she was treated for lungs and abdominal problems.
While the news circulated, the presidency ensured an anxious public remained in the dark about her condition, repeatedly insisting Mrs. Jonathan traveled for a “deserved rest”.
The thanksgiving service was delayed for two months, after the initial schedule was moved due to the helicopter crash deaths of former governor of Kaduna state, Patrick Yakowa, and the former National Security Adviser, Owoeye Azazi.
President Goodluck Jonathan, ministers and top government functionaries attended the event on Sunday.
During a stirring session, the First Lady narrated how she went through “hell” while in hospital and said she has dedicated her life to serving the needy.
“It is the Lord’s doing that I returned alive,” she said. “When God says yes, nobody can say no. People are always afraid of operation (surgery). But in my own case, while my travail lasted, I was begging for it after the third operation because I was going to the theatre every day. It was God who saw me through. I did eight or nine operations within one month.”
While she lay dying in Germany, friends and associates who hoped she will not be making it back to Nigeria with life, scrambled for her properties, selling those they could,” Mrs. Jonathan said.
She accused some of those she trusted of leaking information to the public that she had passed on.
“I know that some people somehow leaked the information that I was dead. They are people that I trust and rely on. To them, I was dead and I would never return to the country alive,” she said. “Some of them even sold my things off. “I won’t say everything here.”
She said she believed she had not completed her assignment on earth, which was why God spared her.
“It was not an easy one. The day I came back, I said God I have nothing to say, I offer myself to you. I will be doing things that will touch the lives of the less privilege. God gave me a second chance because I reached there. He knew I had not completed the assignments He gave me that was why I was sent back,” the First Lady said.

Phatcock shuould be ban for life from NL. He is very studpid for posting a porn pic on this forum. Thks moderator.

My take here is that,the attacks will eventually make our soldiers stronger and better, If they are learning from their mistakes.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, described Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as a "failure."

Obasanjo said this just as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, likened the current crisis rocking the ruling party as a "surgery" which must bring some pain to members.

Obasanjo who was responding to guests who spoke during the grand finale of a civic reception organised in his honour by the South West Zone of the PDP said there was no way he could associate with Okorocha who had jokingly referred to the former President as his "colleague."

Okorocha, a governor on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance had defected from the PDP to the All Nigeria Peoples Party where he contested for the presidential ticket of the party in 2003 but failed to secure it.

The Imo governor had earlier in his speech talked about his days as Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs to Obasanjo, saying he gave the ex-President advice that resulted in the good decisions that Obasanjo took while in office.

The Imo governor said, "Obasanjo is indeed PDP. But in the actual sense, he's a national leader. He does not belong to the PDP alone but a national leader of Nigeria. If I have another opportunity to advise him, I will tell him to be the national leader of the country and not the national leader of the party.

"We are here to give honour to whom honour is due. Obasanjo will remain immovable and unshakable. He is a man that is very difficult to describe. He represents different things to different people. But for me, he represents a former colleague. We both ran for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And later when he appointed me as his adviser, I gave him all the good advice.

"All the good things he did for those eight years, I advised him but all the bad ones he did, I travelled out of the country. I want to join Nigerians to celebrate this icon - this great and steadfast Nigerian, who is not afraid of fighting any battle. But when he starts fighting he doesn't stop until he finishes fighting. He's a general's general and a soldier's soldier."

But the Governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio, in his message immediately came to Obasanjo's defence and told Okorocha that, "I was not as lucky as Governor Okorocha to work with him Obasanjo. So I did not give him advice. I'm very sure that even the few things that he did were actually taken out of the bad advice of APGA where Rochas Okorocha must have represented. Baba, I say the good ones are from you, not from him (Okorocha)."

In his reaction, the former president said he could not be a colleague to Okorocha.

He said, "I met Okorocha a long ago by virtue of the fact that he was brought up in Jos - one of the few cities that I found in the fifties and seventies as a genuine melting pot in Nigeria. He is a true Nigerian and when he wants to pull me down, he will say we are colleagues. How can I be a colleague of a failure? You are a failure in contesting the presidency of Nigeria!"
SOURCES:http://m.naij.com/news/20421.html

Nice research.kudos!

Some assailants have attacked about 190 Nigerian soldiers who were on their way to Mali for peace keeping operations at Okene in Kogi state .

The attack which took place around 6.05am Nigerian time was launched by insurgents on the Mali-bound Nigerian soldiers who were travelling in three luxurious buses via Kaduna to Bamako, Mali. IEDs were planted on the highway and fire was opened on the troop.

The spokes man of the Nigerian army, Brigadier General Bola Koleosho said two soldiers were killed in the attack while four others were injured. The wounded soldiers are said to be receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center in Okene.

Only last week, the Chief of Army Staff Azubuike Ihejirika said that Mali trained Boko Haram sect militants have arrived Nigeria in large numbers to carry out attacks on various targets in the country
Source:http:///QMotT1Zn

14th oct.2012 my account was emptied by internet scammers. So gloomy that day was. Thank God I have moved on.

I gave away my bank details and I was swindled of my entire savings. I know I will bounce back this year.

I will be loving towards all whom I meet.
I will forgive all who attempt to harm me.
I become what I think; therefore, I will think only thoughts of greatness.
I will look for ways to strengthen those who have less than I.
I will always seek knowledge and truth.
I will always be honest.
I will never waste what I am given.
I will be grateful for all that I have.
I will develop a spirit of optimism.
I will have faith in something greater than myself.
Read this some where.

A Nigerian immigrant's dream came true when President Barack Obama signed into law a rare private bill granting him permanent residency in the Unites States.



Victor Chukwueke, who lives in Michigan on an expired visa, came to the United States 11 years ago to undergo treatment for massive face tumors. He graduated from a university in the state, and plans to attend an Ohio medical school that requires him to have permanent residency, also known as a green card.

{read_more}

In a rare act, the United States Congress passed a private bill this month granting him permanent residency. Obama signed the bill Friday. Private bills -- which only apply to one person and mostly focus on immigration -- are rarely approved. His is the only one to pass in Congress in two years.

"I was overwhelmed with joy; it was nothing less than a miracle," the 26-year-old says. "Only in this country can so many miraculous and wonderful things happen to someone like me."

Before coming to the United States at age 15, Chukwueke lived in the southeastern Nigeria town of Ovim. He suffers from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes massive life-threatening tumors on his face. Treated as an outcast because of his deformed face, he was depressed and humiliated, he says. His family abandoned him at an orphanage after taking him to the nation's best facilities for treatment.

"I went to a large teaching hospital in Nigeria and the doctor touched my face and said there was nothing they could do," he says. " I cried and begged him to do something. I was so tired of the humiliation."

Nuns from the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy rescued him from the orphanage in 2001 and arranged for a Michigan doctor to perform surgery on him. He considers himself lucky to have developed the tumors.

"Without them, I would not have met the nun, left Nigeria, arrived in the U.S. and had the miracle to attend medical school," he says.

He lives with the nuns in Oak Park, Michigan. They have cared for him since he came to the U.S., where he has undergone seven surgeries, including one that left him blind in the right eye.

Despite the obstacles, he remains committed to getting an education. He finished his GED -- the equivalent of a high school education -- while undergoing treatment and enrolled at a community college. A benefactor helped him attend Wayne State University, where he graduated last year with a bachelor's in biochemistry and chemical biology. He had a 3.82 GPA and gave the university's commencement speech.

"Should I call myself a victim, or should I press forward to my dreams?" he asked during the speech amid thunderous applause.

Soon after his graduation, the University of Toledo in Ohio admitted him to medical school. The only hurdle: The program requires him to have permanent residency status. With Obama's signature, his wish has come true.

"My own personal struggles to receive treatment have motivated and encouraged me to pursue a medical career ... to alleviate the pain and suffering of others," he says. "A medical career will allow me many gratifying years of making a difference in the health and lives of others."

Chukwueke's journey to get legalized has seen many strangers rally to his help.

Following the signature, the State Department will reduce by one the number of immigrant visas available to Nigerians.

Sex is now added to the list of things affected by the Lagos State ban on commercial motorcycles. Who knew ‘okada’ riders had that much impact on the city’s sexual life?

Recently some journalists went on to investigate how much an influence the ban was on commercial sex workers in Lagos. According to their report, they seemed the worst hit by the situation as no ‘okada’ riders spelt no customers.

“Okada riders are our biggest customers but since most of them are now out of work, they don’t patronise us anymore,” one said.

A report revealed a visit to three brothels within the Alausa community of Ikeja. The atmosphere in each was sombre; absent was their verve hallmark.
Esther, a prostitute in one brothel on Kadiri Street, within Alausa, told our correspondent that most of her colleagues had gone to other areas of the state like Allen Avenue, Toyin Street and Obafemi Awolowo Way, all within Ikeja, where they thought they could get more patrons.

“The brothel owners do not understand that our customers have reduced seriously,” she said in pidgin English.

“Since they banned okada, we do not see men like before again,” she added.

According to her, before the ban, an average prostitute in the brothel made at least N3,000 per night an average of N21,000 weekly.

“With this money, we effectively paid our rent weekly, sent money home to our aged parents and children for those of us who have, and took care of ourselves.

“But it is no longer so. We have to go out now and compete with those on the streets for customers,” she lamented.

She however said she did not go out that night because she was in her menstrual cycle which usually lasted three days.

Eki, one of the prostitutes in a brothel at the ever-busy Ipodo end of Ikeja, said she did not go out that night because she wanted to take out time to ponder her next line of action.

The 27-year-old school drop-out from Edo State said she was becoming frustrated living in the brothel as the patronage had dropped in recent times.

“I am currently thinking of relocating. Many of my former colleagues now operate in parts of Ogun State and they say there is business there.
“I have made attempts to go to some streets at night to get patronage but the fear is that anything could happen to you.

“You could be arrested in a raid by government people. You can also be kidnapped by people who come as customers or even taken for ritual purposes.

“But in a brothel, the worst is to bribe the police when they come or even allow them sleep with you for free and you are allowed to continue your business,” she said.

She said since the ban on okada, she made between N1, 000 and N2, 000 against the N4,000 and N6,000 she made before the government action.

She hinted that some of the prostitutes in the state had started relocating to neighbouring areas like Mowe, Ibafo and Sango-Ota in Ogun State.

At another brothel at Ipodo, the prostitutes there confirmed that business had reduced as they no longer make as much as they did before the ban on okada.

One of the prostitutes who later gave her name as Daniella, told NE after two bottles of beer that the okada ban had affected them as many of their customers are commercial motorcyclists.

“This is where they came to ease their stress and we made good money.

“You know many of the okada riders do not have houses, so with this place, many of them spend the night happy sleeping in our rooms for a token and making us perform ‘extra-services’ for them at the agreed amount.

“Though we are still patronised, it is not like what it used to be,” the 29-year-old lady from Benue complained.

Asked if she was not thinking of marriage, she retorted: “Tell me you want to marry me now, now and I will quit. Na money I dey find and once you say you go fit take care of me, I go follow you go house right now.”

A commercial sex worker, Juliana, said she had come to stand by the road in that area since she recently discovered that customers to the brothel she operates located close to the Akiyode Bus Stop on Ojodu Road had reduced drastically.

“Before now, we always stayed in our brothel and got customers, but since they have reduced, me and my friends have decided to go all out in search for them. Man must eat now!” she said.

She said that she would accept N1,000 for short-time and that if it is throughout the night, she would collect N4,000 on the condition that she and the customer would make use of her brothel room.

“If it is short-time, you can do it around any dark area here. It doesn’t take long now; 15 minutes and you are done.

“But if it throughout the night, I won’t follow you home sha! We will go to my room and have it,” she said, adding that she was scared of a stranger to his home.

On Allen Avenue, the price varies between N1, 000 and N3, 000 for short-time depending on how the prostitute views the customers

However, it gets ridiculously cheap in the wee hours of the morning, when the number of men on the streets drops. Some of the girls can go for as low as N200 for short-time.

One of the sex hawkers, known as just Theresa and said she was a student of a polytechnic, she explained that for short-time, she and her colleagues just take their customers to dark corners or behind buildings “to have it done”.

“If the customer has a car, then better. We just enter his car, he parks and I service him.

“That’s why we wear skimpy skirts, most times with G-strings or nothing under, for easy access in the case of short-time.

“We do follow some customers home but most of us are now scared, especially at this period when we believe there are more ritualists in town.”

Competition for customers has increased for these girls and they blame most of it on the ban.

Many of them say they are now forced to move to the streets and be at risk at night in desperate search for patrons instead of staying within the brothels for the customers.

Source:http://gistpage.com.ng/?p=2679

An explicit emotional story,like step mother punishing her son discrimnating etc even in movies can make shed tears.

All I know is dat 2013 will no pass me bye. I need to settle down fast.boy don turn manchelor oo

Some thing is definately wrong here guess there is a motivation somewhere

What unique manipulation can you achieve with your blackbery and how do you do it? These is to benefit new users of BB in nigeria.

God is indeed merciful.Pple are indeed heartless and without fear of God, for how can some people NL have no regard for God,morality and even societal ethics.If a person have no discipline to stop evil practice,then such persons should at least discourage others from such practices.premarital sex is not good and we should all condem it, and if u are addicted to sex pray for deliverance and not coming here to preach and encourage it. Just passing though.

Tax payer's money of up to 2.5bn just went down drain with nothing to show for it. Smh

Honestly, without religious, or political sentiment, power has greatly improve in my area,even though i live at a suburb area of my town. Thumb up to those incharge of electricity in my country (nigeria.

Thank you all for your suggestions. am grateful. am still looking for a better online lucrative job. please if you don't want to paste for every body then please contact me here buildelicool@yahoo.com

Pls an expirenced online employee shuld help me out, i want to work online. Thanks

Ivynwa: I just saw the part you wrote "that we help save you from taking your life".
YOU MUST NOT TAKE YOUR LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO HUSBAND. I hope you heard me well, you musn't think about taking your life. If you kill yourself they will push you underneath the soil and cover your body for it to rot and other people will be getting married and finding the partners you did not find. Please please let me not hear you mention that again, wetin?

pls dear dnt think of dat. Park away from your parent, and stand ur ground. There are single parent, just find alternative not ur lyf my friend!

I think we need 2 go back back to militry rule, perhaps dat may help. Am tired of criminalty and blood shed

Nairalanders i need an advice from the elderly and the experienced on which of the following choice should be first. Iam a salary earner and in my early 30s.I have managed to save up to a million naira. Am now confuse on which of the following projects to execute first, Is it a car, marriage or better apartment, which should come first.

Cygni: Went u see urself urinating in ur dreams cos u won't like what u see went u wake up

Its true! U ar already doin it lyf!!

I will definately not vote yes to this change. GEJ should have look at other institutions, streets, infrastructures etc.

I restored to ealier date n my kaspersky antivirus was uninstalled i try install d antivirus again but i was told to check kaspersky closeist svc office. So wat do i do

Pls can som1 inform a computer scientist 4me i ned help urgently

Pls Nl i need ur help. I used hp laptop with window 7. I opend my kaspersky internet 2o12 with autocad thinking am goin 2 scan. Now my entire desktop has changed to autocad icon. I dnt want back date becos that will uninstal my antivirus. pls wat should do to restore my destop icons 2 its normal statd.

Sincerely, i wouldn't blame NOI for welcoming Walmart to Nigeria,my reasons are:
-If you compare price of goods in US and other countries as seen on eBay and other market sites you will agree that Nigerians traders are exploiting us.
-Made China products are still better than made in Nigeria goods.
-Bringing Walmart i think will enhance creativity and healthy competition.