₦airaland Forum

solomon111: Take this trash out of here.
Who cares about the pictures of the american president?

Hating is like cancer

You need joy bro,

its the antidote.

because we are not used to such life in this part of the world doesn't make it staged.

This is a hurrifying interview by a national newspaper, lets not politicize it. The family of Obj reserve the right to sue them if this publication is malicious. On the other hand, the quest for truth must not be jettison or buried on the altar of politics or tribal sentiments.

Questions for the HMF/CME on the State of the Economy

1. What should you consider as the major economic achievements of this government in the 2013 fiscal year and why? In your explanation, we will need facts and figures in demonstrating such achievements.



2. You have been credited with many announcements regarding Nigeria's economy as one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. If the economy is one of the fast growing economies, what is exactly growing the economy? What role does government play in the said economic growth, especially given that as high as 80 percent of the country's total annual budget spending still goes into recurrent expenditure?



3. Since your arrival as minister of finance in 2011, you have publicly announced the need to reduce the recurrent expenditure so that more money would be made available to capital spending which is critical to growing and diversifying the country's economy. How far has government succeeded in making these necessary cuts; and where exactly have these cuts been made in this effort to reduce recurrent expenditure? In other words, based on real amount spent on capital expenditure, how much reduction was made in 2011 against 2010, in 2012 against 2011 and in 2013 against 2012?



4. You are known to be celebrating a single-digit GDP growth. But speaking recently at a breakfast dialogue with some members of the organized private sector in Lagos, organized by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), you were quoted as saying: “We are growing, but not creating enough jobs. That is a very big challenge…We need to grow faster. I think it needs to grow at least 9 to 10 percent to drive job growth the way we want.” Don't you agree that a good finance minister managing an economy like ours should be celebrating a GDP growth as high as 20 percent annually? Why is it that our economy cannot grow beyond a single digit? How many jobs are being created as a result of these said growths? In which sectors of the economy are these jobs created? If in private sector, what contributions is government making to further assist these private sector firms?



5. In the presence of Nigeria’s huge infrastructure deficit, why is it that the country's debt-to-GDP at about 19 percent in 2012 remains one of the lowest in the world when compared to nations already with world-class infrastructure and industrial economies such as America’s 105 percent, Brazil’s 65.49 percent, India’s 67.60 percent, and South Africa’s 40.9 percent?



6. Since facts don't lie, have you any disagreements with the September 4, 2013 Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum for 2013-2014, which ranked Nigeria 120th out of 148 countries ranked in the Global Competitiveness Index, including being ranked far behind some African countries such as Mauritius 45th, South Africa 53rd, and Kenya 96th?



7. ''For the first time in Nigeria’s 53rd year history, we have successfully privatized the electric power industry,’’ so said the President at a recent meeting in London with some foreign investors. As minister of finance should you agree that the recent privatization of the country's power infrastructure is worth celebrating as a major economic achievement in 2013, when in reality there is little or nothing to show as an improvement in the country power supply? Also why our rush to wholesale privatization of the power sector when countries like South Africa, generating as high as 42,000MW still have their power sector mostly in public hands?



8. What was your reaction to the November 12, 2013 statement credited to the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, who said that over 100 million Nigerians are today living in absolute destitution, representing an unheard-of 8.33 percent of the world’s total number of people living in destitution?



9. Nigerians are increasingly perplexed that these days nothing happens without government borrowing. And for most Nigerians, it is frightening how those managing the economy are just dragging us into excessively unproductive debts. More worrisome is the fact that every effort is being made to hide the details of the country's debt stock from Nigerians. Where are the facts that the country's current high rate of borrowing is productive, let alone have the ability to be repaid without having to resort to more borrowings?



10. Is prudence in our borrowing simply reduction in borrowing or simply constructive borrowing with government putting necessary measures in place to ensure that domestic debt profile is properly supervised and utilized by curbing corruption?



11. From Debt Management Office (DMO) 2012 Annual Report, the total public debt outstanding between 2008 and 2012 for external stock rose from $3.72bn to $6.53bn, while domestic stock rose from $17.68bn to $41.97bn. The total debt service the same period saw the percentage of external debt service drastically reduced from 11.46 per cent to 5.96 per cent while the percentage of domestic debt servicing grew from 88.54 per cent in 2008 to 94.04 per cent in 2012, drastically increasing the cost of the total debt service since the cost of domestic borrowing is atrociously higher than the cost of external borrowing. How could your debt sustainability analysis rationalize this without seeing some narrow interests being the overriding reason? Could this be the explanation why commercial banks in the country are declaring unheard-of three digit profits and the high Foreign Portfolio Investment and low Foreign Direct Investment?



12. It's an established fact that the willingness and ability to borrow do not automatically translate into economic growth. If you agree with this fact, how productive are the country's recent borrowings?



13. Why should our internal debts continue to represent more than two-thirds of Nigeria's external debt profile, when the cost of servicing domestic debts is ridiculously far more expensive than servicing external debts? Why should government continue to borrow internally when in so doing results in insufficient funds, skyrockets the cost of borrowing and above all, crowds out the real sector from the money market? Shouldn't the high cost of domestic borrowing override whatever are the assumed benefits? Since both London Interbank Offer Rates (LIBOR) and the US Treasury Bonds rates offer far better interest rates for sovereign borrowings, why have we continued not to take advantage of cheaper interest rates?



14. Your references to the country's economic growth profile have always been based on Fitch, Standard and Poor's, and Moody’s ratings. Are you aware that these same rating agencies are being sued in New York (with case # 652410/2013) by two Bear Stearns hedge funds for fraudulently assigning inflated ratings to securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis? If you do, why do you insist on accepting the rating as reliable.



15. How much exactly has been the amount of money lost in government revenue as a result of import duty waivers in 2011, 2012 and 2013? Provide the names and beneficiaries and justification for same. In your opinion as the minister of finance who oversees the economy, what are the implications to the country's economy? What efforts have you have made to stop this waiver policy, which is distorting the economy? Our non oil income has dropped in 2013. A case where increased tariffs on various items effectively reduced importation to zero in some sectors. However, those items now find their way into Nigeria through our borders. Does it make any sense to increase these tariffs when we have such porous borders? As an example, officially, Togo imported more rice this year than Nigeria.



16. It was reported that the FIRS is to engage foreign consultants for tax collection in 2014. Could the Minister clarify this position and what Nigeria stands to gain? Have the FIRS not been working effectively?



17. Do you really believe that Nigeria needs a 'Sovereign Wealth Fund' at this critical juncture of budgetary deficits, and having to be borrowing extensively in an effort to address government revenue gaps? Shouldn't the presence of Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) simply mean spreading government's scarce resources thinly? Why will you insist that no matter what we still need to operate a sovereign wealth fund? Sincerely speaking, how sustainable are the objectives of Nigeria's Sovereign Wealth Fund, particularly in the long-term?



18. You should agree that a lot of Nigerians are interested in the link between NSIA and the government. Since there is no doubt that Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority is an agent of government — or is it not? The question is: How should we think about the management structure in so far as major decisions are concerned? Where is the line between NSIA, as a commercially minded entity, and the government, especially given government's policy of having no business doing business? If, for example, government does not get involved in specific investments, then, who appoints the external managers involved in managing some parts of the NSIA funds?



19. Who determines the investment objective and who establishes the risk parameter for the NSIA's portfolio? In providing answer to this question, it is also important to understand and explain why NSIA recently hired a Swiss national as its chief portfolio investor? Answering this question is important since it should help us to know who determines the maximum draw-down that the government would be comfortable with in extremely negative market environments.



20. What should be your explanations for awarding MasterCard a multimillion dollar National Identity Smart Cards, when there are indigenous ICT companies that not only have what it takes but would have done it cheaper and create local jobs at the same time?



21. Have you taken into considerations how foreign company could use such information available to it to invade the privacy of Nigerians?



22. What are reasons for SURE-P to give preference to Chevrolet cars for SURE-P taxis, when it is known that not only are such cars very expensive to maintain compared with Asian and European cars, but also are also not fuel efficient and not durable on our roads?



23. Honorable Minister of Finance, you will agree that SURE-P is very important to the people of this country, taking into cognizance that it is the only thing they stand to gain from the increase on petroleum product pump prices almost 2 years ago. Who is in charge of the management of SURE-P and who takes responsibility for its successes and failures?



24. You will agree that inasmuch as the interest rate regime is critical to the real sector borrowing decisions, most principal factor in making borrowing decisions is the business's expected rate of return on investing borrowed money? The question, without efforts to protect local businesses from their foreign counterparts, the high cost of doing business in Nigeria, puts them at such a disadvantaged position that it makes no economic sense borrowing to invest in their local businesses, why should we expect private sector firms to be investing in the economy?



25. You are quoted as saying, '' Very soon, the US would become a net exporter of oil…So, it would be disingenuous for anyone to say that just because the price of oil has hovered at around $100 per barrel, it cannot crash…Lest we forget, as recently as 2008, oil prices crashed from a peak of $147 per barrel to $35 per barrel ina space of months triggered by the global financial crisis. Is the minority leader saying he has forgotten that?” This forces one to wonder from which source should the US become that net exporter of oil, given that the US daily oil consumption was 18.7 million barrels with (10.6 million of which was imported daily) in 2012? Or, should it be from the shale oil which the International Energy Agency (IEA) demonstrates to be at two million barrels daily? In other words, given the IEA global oil price trajectory, can’t we agree that “There are many constraints on supply keeping pace with demand’’ which means that within this decade, oil prices should always hover around $125 per barrel? Answering this question will help us understand why you insist on benchmarking the oil price for the 2014 appropriation at below $79 per barrel? In answering this question, would you also agree that as the global economy shifts from West to Asia, so will the appetite for global oil consumption shift from the West to Asia?

As crude oil continues to sell at $100-$110, how low will production have to fall for us to record a net loss or at what production level can we break even at a 2013 benchmark of $79.





26. Do you agree that the Excess Crude Account as being operated by government is illegal and unconstitutional, especially given how it has been managed?



27. Can you explain with clarity how the ECA is being operated? Also provide a statement of account of the ECA from 2011 to 2013? Also how much have we made in excess of the benchmark price from January 2013 till date.



28. If there is nothing like Excess Crude Account, would you have been demanding lower oil price benchmark for the budget, especially when the executive arm of government around world is known for demanding more money from lawmakers in order to be able to meet government spending obligations, particularly capital spending. Why is the reverse the case in Nigeria only, notably since 2011?



29. With respect to the Excess crude account and our Sovereign wealth fund again, there have been allegations and counter allegations on its legality. Assuming, for the sake of the committee’s enlightenment, the FGN alone saved its own excess in its ECA/SWF (which is about 52% of the Federation account) and the states and LGs get their funds in full compliance with the constitution, what would be the effect on the economy?







30. Do you believe in the fight against corruption? If you do why has EFCC not been proper funded? Without properly funding the commission, how should it be expected to carry out its duties effectively?



31. Can you confirm with figures if we have met our cumulative revenue projections for 2011, 2012, 2013, and if we have, how and if we have not, why? Also provide backup performance information under the various revenue generating agencies—NNPC (Oil and Gas), DPR, FIRS, Customs, Independent Revenue and other anticipated and unanticipated revenues e.g. privatization and sales of government properties etc.



32. As Minister of Finance, are you familiar and comfortable with all the present business arrangements of the NNPC? Why were these business arrangements excluded from the MTEF which used to be the practice? Provide all the present business arrangements, the parties involved, the share of each party, and justifications for such.



33. Provide details of government stake in NLNG. All categories of revenue under the NLNG and total amount generated so far and evidence of remittances.



34. Why do you always prefer a lower benchmark which leaves government with wider deficits and your attitude of no qualms with domestic borrowings at excessively high interest rates to balance deficit as against our position of increasing benchmark to reduce deficit which consequently reduces domestic borrowing, that frees up funds for the real sector of the economy, thereby bringing down the interest rate, increased private sector investments and creating jobs.



35. What is the total amount expended by certain statutory agencies of government without appropriation for 2011, 2012, and 2013? Also provide aggregate appropriated expenditure for the same period. As the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, do you feel comfortable with allegations that almost equal amount of our yearly aggregate expenditure is being spent without appropriation, yet we are crying that the country is running short of revenue?




http://saharareporters.com/news-page/house-reps-demands-%E2%80%98comprehensive-presentation%E2%80%99-economy-okonjo-iweala

Members of the House of Representatives on Thursday engaged their guest, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in hot exchange over the state of the economy.

At the end of the day, the lawmakers sent the minister away with 50-question homework.

Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the coordinating minister for the economy for the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, had appeared before the House Committee on Finance to address members on the state of the nation’s economy.

But, the session, which was chaired by Mr. Abdulmumini Jibrin, turned stormy shortly after the minister complained that she was indisposed to speak.

About three hours earlier, Okonko-Iweala had laid the estimates of the 2014 budget before the whole House where she looked excited, smiling and waving at lawmakers in acknowledgement of their cheers.

In response to the minister’s complaint of not feeling well to speak, the committee offered to grant her two weeks of rest and to reappear to speak to members at the end of the rest period.

The minister however shouted, “No, no, no,” and accused the committee members of being rude and hasty in dismissing her.

She said the tone of the committee chairman was disrespectful to a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

She observed that she had noticed a trend in Jibrin’s conduct, which she said was to harass her and members of her team. The minister consequently changed her mind and said she was ready to entertain questions from the members.

But Jibrin objected, saying, “We will not take you in present state that you say you are not feeling fine. That is why it is the view of the committee that we give you time to come back.

“We are concerned about your health.”

He argued that it was better to hear from the minister when she was fully fit than allow her to address issues relating to the economy “half-heartedly.”

This further infuriated Okonjo-Iweala, who replied that she was not a “slacker.”

The committee insisted on the earlier ruling and dismissed her.

But, in doing so, Jibrin handed her a document containing 50 questions, which he said the minister must answer at her next appointment with the committee.

One of the questions sought to know how an economy that spent 80 per cent of its annual budget on recurrent spending could claim to be “one of the fastest growing economies?”

Another question required her to list the “major economic achievements of this government in 2013.”

She was also asked why Nigeria’s economy could not grow beyond “single digit GDP.”

On debts, the committee asked, “Why should our internal debts continue to represent more than two-thirds of Nigeria’s external debt profile, when the cost of servicing domestic debts is ridiculously far more expensive that servicing external debts?”

House Committee on Finance

Help me inform this minor that they've called off strike...thats if he passed Jamb.

Odua has the backing of her boss. It really doesnt matter what the house recommends. This is the bitter truth they will have to chew.
when the world is against you, what matters is who is behind you. Remember Oteh and this same house.

Obj is very egoistic and will never go to submit to Tinubu and Buhari. However, he may if not already working against the president. He is a drowning man politicaly looking for relevance with whichever means necessary. Although noyhing is impossible in politics.

hmmmmmmm

Zuriel Oduwole, 1o, who lives in California in the United States last week made history as the youngest person to be interviewed by Forbes. Miss Oduwole, who was an invited guest to the African Union 50th anniversary, has interviewed leading African personalities, including eight African Presidents, Africa’s richest person Aliko Dangote and tennis super stars – Venus and Serena Williams. In this online interview with Lekan Otufodunrin, Zuriel gives an insight on her incredible feat and her Rebrand Africa project to make a case for the girl-child in the continent.

What is the origin of your interest in media and communication, especially personality interviews?

The origin of me creating documentaries started with a school project. When I was nine, I entered a school competition called, “National History Day.” And I was the youngest student to enter the competition. In that competition, I had to create a presentation, an exhibit, a performance, or a documentary.

So I chose to do a documentary, because I thought using media would be a better way to show something positive about Africa. If I did a performance or a presentation or an exhibit, no one, besides the judges, were allowed to come into the room while I was presenting it.

But with a documentary, whoever wanted to come in and watch it could. So if I did a documentary, more people would be able to see Africa in the way I see it.

And that documentary could lead on to positive and greater things for Africa. I like to show the rest of the world the positive things about Africa, through my documentaries. One of my documentaries won an award in the largest county in the United States. My documentary has also chronicled the impact of the OAU on Africa. Do you know I write my own scripts, I produce my own documentaries, I shoot my own scenes, I do my own voice over, I edit my own documentaries, and I co –direct my documentaries. I am an African Child – a Nigerian Girl Child.

How much of your Nigerian and African heritage has impacted on your life?

Oh I would say a lot. Since I want to show the world the positive side of Africa, my African heritage has helped me a lot. I know where my roots are from on the African continent because my dad’s family and my mum’s family are from two different parts of Africa, and I lived in Africa in both regions for periods of time.

I have not always lived in California. So, when I watch the news, I always see bad things being said about Africa, like the wars and famine going on. And I don’t like seeing those things being said about my home country, even though it happens. It is how they say it that is unfair.

If I was American, I would still want to help Africa. But because I am African, I feel the need more to help Africa than I if I was just American. It is like helping your own people.

There are some problems, like the power going off. But do you know that there are times the power goes off in the United States as well. The only difference is they fix it very quickly, or bring it back very quickly. So, we all need to help.

I read in the papers that General Electric is now in Nigeria doing the power. That is very good, because the children need to study at night for school.

Why are you passionate about your Dream up, Speak up and Stand up for African renaissance campaign?

I think my programme, Dream up, Speak up, and Stand up will help the new African era, by helping the girl- child. It is the best way I can help. Other people do things as well like have foundations, or do charities and raise money, but for me, my best way is to work very hard, and be an example. So that means when I say Dream up, they can see I am living the dream and so can they, when I say Speak up, they can see me speaking to World leaders, and when I say Stand up, they can see me standing up for the African Girl child. Also, I am hoping that the parents of girls in Africa will see me as an example, and see that their girls have a lot of potential in life, and can achieve great things in life. Even though they might have very little as some of them do, they can still push harder to get their girls to school, or find more ways to get them educated.

When I launched the project in Nigeria in March this year, it was very good to have the support of the Lagos Business Schools communication’s department, the US Consulate in Lagos, Protea Ikeja Hotel and Federal Palace Hotel too. They supported the project. So now, I am going to other regions of Africa to launch the project next.

What is your impression of the African leaders and others you have interviewed and what advice do you have for them?

First I have to say the whole experience was really cool. They were all very kind and very warm and friendly to me. I think some of them were surprised by my questions, because only one of the Presidents I have met asked me to send the questions before I arrived for the interviews.

The other seven did not. For example, President Ellen Johnson of Liberia by the time when I asked her the third question said to me you are a tough interviewer, and everyone laughed.

Also, when I asked President Jonathan how much Goodluck his name has brought to Nigeria, he laughed as well, and then answered. President Fonseca of Cape Verde said he was one a University Professor and has seen many questions, but none like mine, and he invited me to come to his country to inspire the girls.

President Joyce Banda of Malawi was also surprised by my question. She said when she was my age, she never dreamt of doing things like I was doing, but that she is inspired that I have the boldness to go and interview heads of states.

Some Presidents hugged me after the interviews, some called me their daughter, some kissed me on the head; they were all very kind. And when I saw some again at the AU last May, they were excited to see me again, like President Kikwete of Tanzania. He spent some time talking to me and kept his entourage waiting. I saw people asking who that girl is. It was a special time for me.

President Kufuor was also happy to see me again at the AU because I had interviewed him last year in Kumasi, and he remembered me very well. He then introduced me to his friend, President Obasanjo, and then we took pictures together. I don’t have any advice for them because they are older, but I like everyone to know that educating and fighting for the education of the Africa Girl Child, is an investment in Africa. I hope you think so too.

What is your reaction to being touted as the next Larry King?

I am just doing my best. Larry King has accomplished many great things in his life. He, like me, has also interviewed many people like sports persons, leaders of countries, leaders in business and we all do it for many reasons. He has done many great things at his age, and that is Larry King.

I have also tried to accomplish some things but because I want to show what the Girl Child can do, if they are educated, and encouraged. Just imagine all 5, or 8, or 10 or 12 year olds especially in Africa being given an opportunity to go to school and have real dreams.

It means Africa would be a more developed and have more qualified leaders 10 years from now or 15 years from now. Because it means we would be 20 years old or 25 years old or 30 years old then.

How supportive are your parents in your campaign?

My mum and dad have been very, very supportive from the beginning. They are always supportive of me and my young siblings. It doesn’t matter if its Basketball, Music class, Soccer, or Cheerleading, they are always supportive and drive us to all our classes and events.

Sometimes, I think it is a lot especially when me and one of my parents have to travel overseas for my interviews with Presidents because they have to make sacrifices like ask us to chose between something we wanted to do or me and my parent for the travel.

I had to learn the meaning of opportunity cost when I was eight years old. Dad said it means choosing between two things and which one has the more value than the other, or which one would have the more potential in the future.

[/b][b]

Go kid, there is nothing impossible under heaven. if I was your father i will push all funds for your build up towards that dream. Guide you on the choice of course of study, books and associations to join. Above all you need God. He alone guarantees life and good health to see that dream come through.

Tony Elumelu was asked to introduce himself in a bank in 1983, He said i am Tony Elumelu, a future Bank CEO in the making.

He rose to be it and surpassed it.

go kid.

spicy v: Was he a nominee or award recepient?

He has recieved the award long ago....they were to be honoured by the president.

I will not be surprised if OBJ replies this letter publicly


It was a big mistake for OBJ to pick up his pen and write Mr president on issues of corruption that he instituted.

Those who read OBJ letter and praised him are enemies of Nigeria and suffering from Amnesia.

A man given 8 years to correct the many years Nigeria has suffered but served his personal purpose.

How can he now turn arround and accuse the person he put there and expect me to take him serious.

OBJ's political moves in Nigeria is a case of a politically drowning man. Down west Tinubu is dealing with him. At the center he is loosing relevance. Hence, that self serving cheap letter that some gullible Nigerians bought into.

I will not be surprised if OBJ replies this letter publicly


It was a big mistake for OBJ to pick up his pen and write Mr president on issues of corruption that he instituted.

Those who read OBJ letter and praised him are enemies of Nigeria and suffering from Amnesia.

A man given 8 years to correct the many years Nigeria has suffered but served his personal purpose.

How can he now turn arround and accuse the person he put there and expect me to take him serious.

OBJ political moves in Nigeria is a case of a politically drowning man. Down west Tinubu is dealing with him. At the center he is loosing relevance. Hence, that self serving cheap letter that some gullible Nigerians bought into.

Waka, shege...the n you stretch your 5 fingers towards that person while saying it.

Till date i've not understood the correlation between stretching the 5 fingers while saying warka or shege. cos yab na yab

It got so bad that sometimes hwne some says your papa!!, they still stretch fingers towards you.

can someone please explain.

[quote author=JustifiedChild]He was at the farm checking farm produce...#christmas things
@ op, did you receive an award too?[/

No i did not recieve an award. 3 of my friends did, went to support them.

Abu Mikey:


OP, are You serious

I am very serious. Seun did not show up to be honoured by young people.

At the best 100 honourary award organised by future award in Aso rock Villa abuja the MD/CEO of nairaland was missing.

He is seen as one of the best young entrepreneurs of our time in naija.

Did Seun go to farm or he was changing diapers. Wetin pain me be say, he was one of the very few that merited the honourary award but the ogun boy was no where near aso rock today. Uncle Namadi Sambo that represented uncle jona, Ngozi, about 7 federal ministers, Tony Elumelu, Ben Bruce, Jimoh and many others including my very self were waiting for seun to come up stage but he never did.

Has anybody seen Seun lately?

I love Yoruba people. Have many of them as friends. I have never gone with them for any traditional marriage cos i have not been able to imagine myself lieing on the floor that i came for marriage.

Must this culture continue? It should be going obsolete na.

someone should educate me

The drama is unfolding, in days and weeks to come we should expect the release of many letters written to our former heads of state.

it is the season. Naija is a theatre

this guys third has been active for years.

why are you surprised? its not a new thing under heaven for you to help people and they turn arround and pay you with evil. Not Just civil servants contributed. they came to my primary school back then under Shagari that we should contribute. I remember giving the 50 kobo i hard on me that day. Even when i never knew what the struggle was all about.

South Africa in recent times has seen Nigeria as a rival in everything. i am not surprised at all.

Conspiracy theory at work. P.HD pull him down mentality. Why dont he offer possible solutions if he has than write such letter that will denigrate the person of mr President.

This is the same OBJ that you dare not say evil things against him. For him death was the consequence of speaking against him.

Bola Ige, harry Marshal, etc.

God is watching all of you on HD

why on earth should this make front page?

Superstar forward Didier Drogba vowed on social media Monday afternoon that he and friend Emmanuel Eboue would not hesitate to wear T-shirts praising the late global icon Nelson Mandela again despite facing punishment from the Turkish Football Federartion (TFF).

The Ivorian legend posted on his Instagram page a collage of him wearing his T-shit underneath his jersey after the 2-0 Galatasaray home win over over Elazspor Friday evening and a photo with him standing besides the South African international figure. The picture came with a caption that displayed Drogba showing some penitence for his candid love for Mandela, but also a clear sign of no regret.

1. “I’m sorry if I had to I would do it again and again,” he wrote. “Not because of political beliefs but because this man inspired me, a county, a continent, the world!!! Thanks again Madiba.”

Drogba even encouraged followers of his Instagram page to weigh in on his comments.Both Drogba and Eboue’s cases have been sent to the TFF’s Professional Football Discipline Committee, where the two are likely to receive a similar fine that Fethiyespor players received last week for wearing shirts honoring Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.TFF says the Ivorian stars will be punished because they failed to receive permission from them to wear the shirts.

http://therainbow.com.ng/drogba-on-mandela-shirts-i-would-do-it-again/

JACOB ZUMA'S TRIBUTE

'My fellow South Africans, our beloved Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the founding president of our democratic nation has departed.
'He passed on peacefully in the company of his family around 20.50 on December 5 2013.

'He is now resting. He is now at peace.

'Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father.

'Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss.

'His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world.

'His humility, his compassion, and his humanity earned him their love. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family. To them we owe a debt of gratitude.

'They have sacrificed much and endured much so that our people could be free.

'Our thoughts are with his wife Mrs Graca Machel, his former wife Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, with his children, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren and the entire family.

'Our thoughts are with his friends, comrades and colleagues who fought alongside Madiba over the course of a lifetime of struggle.

'Our thoughts are with the South African people who today mourn the loss of the one person who, more than any other, came to embody their sense of a common nationhood.

'Our thoughts are with the millions of people across the world who embraced Madiba as their own, and who saw his cause as their cause.

'This is the moment of our deepest sorrow.

'Our nation has lost its greatest son.

'Yet, what made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.

'And in him we saw so much of ourselves.

'Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together, and it is together that we will bid him farewell.

'Our beloved Madiba will be accorded a state funeral.

'I have ordered that all flags of the Republic of South Africa be lowered to half-mast from tomorrow, December 6, and to remain at half-mast until after the funeral.

'As we gather to pay our last respects, let us conduct ourselves with the dignity and respect that Madiba personified.

'Let us be mindful of his wishes and the wishes of his family.

'As we gather, wherever we are in the country and wherever we are in the world, let us recall the values for which Madiba fought.

'Let us reaffirm his vision of a society in which none is exploited, oppressed or dispossessed by another.

'Let us commit ourselves to strive together - sparing neither strength nor courage - to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.

'Let us express, each in our own way, the deep gratitude we feel for a life spent in service of the people of this country and in the cause of humanity.

'This is indeed the moment of our deepest sorrow.

'Yet it must also be the moment of our greatest determination.

'A determination to live as Madiba has lived, to strive as Madiba has strived and to not rest until we have realised his vision of a truly united South Africa, a peaceful and prosperous Africa, and a better world.

'We will always love you, Madiba!

'May your soul rest in peace.

'God Bless Africa.

'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.'


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At his trial in 1964, Nelson Mandela closed his statement from the dock saying: “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

And Nelson Mandela lived for that ideal, and he made it real. He achieved more than could be expected of any man. Today, he has gone home. And we have lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth. He no longer belongs to us – he belongs to the ages.

Through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madiba transformed South Africa – and moved all of us. His journey from a prisoner to a president embodied the promise that human beings – and countries – can change for the better.

His commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to, whether in the lives of nations or our own personal lives. And the fact that he did it all with grace and good humour, and an ability to acknowledge his own imperfections, only makes the man that much more remarkable. As he once said, “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”

I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s life. My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid. I studied his words and his writings. The day that he was released from prison gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they’re guided by their hopes and not by their fears. And like so many around the globe, I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set, and so long as I live I will do what I can to learn from him.

To Graca Machel and his family, Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing this extraordinary man with us. His life’s work meant long days away from those who loved him the most. And I only hope that the time spent with him these last few weeks brought peace and comfort to his family.

To the people of South Africa, we draw strength from the example of renewal, and reconciliation, and resilience that you made real. A free South Africa at peace with itself – that’s an example to the world, and that’s Madiba’s legacy to the nation he loved.

We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love; to never discount the difference that one person can make; to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.

For now, let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived – a man who took history in his hands, and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice. May God bless his memory and keep him in peace


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You were a leading light and example for all to follow. An atsute leader and elderstatesman. You are not just the hero of our time but the hero of all time. An epitome of peace and reconcilliation. You showed the world what it means to be tolerant and forgiving. Every good quality required of a leader you possessed.

It is with a heavy heart but with joy for a mission well accomplished that i say good bye to YOU

Rest in peace Madiba!!!

eluquenson: That's evidence of Nigeria Aviation Transformation

Hey bro, this has got nothing to do with any transformation. It could have happened anywhere.

I have sat in Russia for 4 hours for similar run way crisis.

had similar case of waiting in Tokyo early this year.

Lets not politicise everything please. Ask regular flyers

thank you

As frantic efforts are on to clear the runway of Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja which was blocked on Wednesday line by a cargo plane belonging to Saudi Airline.

The blockage of the runway by cargo plane which was involved in an accident while landing yesterday has disrupted flights into the airport, and left thousands of passengers stranded across the country.

Though local flights are taking off from the Airport,authorities have barred international flights and flights from other local airports from flying into Abuja, in what Yakubu Dati, spokesperson for Federal Airport Authority, FAAN said is a precautionary measure by authorities to ensure safety of the flying public.

P.M. NEWS learnt that following the incident, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency issued a Notice To Airmen on Thursday morning indicating that the airport had been closed to both incoming and outbound planes.

P.M. NEWS gathered that London bound passengers on British Airways, which were to leave early this morning are still waiting at the airport as at the time of filing in this report.

Only domestic flights out of Abuja are allowed to fly out of Nnamdi Azikwe Airport.

However,thousands of passengers coming to Abuja are stranded at different airports in the country as flights to Abuja are not being allowed to take off.

P.M. NEWS gathered that the situation has led to rowdy scenes among stranded passengers in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Kano among others.
It was also gathered that international flights coming into the Airport are being diverted to Lagos.

A British Airways flight scheduled to land in the Airport early this morning was diverted to Lagos.

“What we are trying to do now to ensure safety which is paramount in all we do is that we have suspended all flights coming to Abuja until we evacuate the aircraft,” Dati said while confirming the incident.

“Even as at yesterday, flights are still coming to Abuja, but we just have to be extra careful before we allow flights to continue,” he added
Dati also said officials of Accident Investigation Bureau are already investing the incident, while officials of FAAN and NAMA are coordinating the evacuation of the aircraft.

He added that the aircraft will be evacuated within few hours so that flight into Abuja can continue.

PM NEWS learnt that the incident involving the cargo plane happened around 10 pm on Wednesday night.

PM NEWS learnt that the Saudi Arabian cargo plane overrun the runway in Abuja and ran into a maintenance area of the airport as it was landing.
The Boeing 747 cargo aircraft was also reported to have burst into flames but fire was promptly put out at the airport.

“A Saudi Arabian B747 cargo aircraft landed safely in Abuja this night but finished the maneuvering area of the runway and ran into a maintenance area of the runway and stopped. There are no casualties. Plans are on to move the air craft after the AIB’s visit soon,” Joe Obi, the spokesperson of Nigeria’s ministry of aviation said while confirming the incident.

He however added that the plane landed safely.

I strongly feel that ASUU strike is behind this madness.

Men and brethren what shall we do?