₦airaland Forum

God of men: Why Pastor Biodun and NOT Ese Walter is to be blamed for this scandal! by Kehinde Olabintan

By Opinion Editor on August 24, 2013
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Even a five year old kid in Azerbaijan knows the details of this scandal, and the aim of this piece is not to bore the readers so we will skip the history class.

In saner climates, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo would have released a statement by now, he pastors a flock that consists of thousands of Nigerians who look to him for spiritual leadership and guidance and yet he has refused to say anything since the story broke. Maybe he is thinking of what to say? Why should he, if he is innocent? In any event, we hope he will pastor his church tomorrow and they (his flock of sheep) will come and tell us what he said to them.

Truth is he may not have the moral standing to pastor a church, this is because if the allegations are true he has failed on so many levels it would be another write up needed to explain. Religion is the opium of the masses and in Nigeria most people are high, especially on Friday’s and Sunday’s. Apparently the truth of this statement extends to our religious leaders who fly out of the country on church funds (your tithes), book into penthouse suites, and enjoy Hennessy and coke, with their favourite parishioner or other girlfriend nestled comfortably on their laps. This sounds like I’m talking about Iyanya or Davido and not the Pastor of a church with thousands of followers.

What makes me angry here is that people are blaming Ese Walter and calling her a seductress, serpentine spirit etc. My question to that school of thought is, “where was the man of God’s anointing when she was seducing him?”

Instead, this man made CALCULATED efforts to bed this parishioner, based on lust. He acted deliberately, he planned it over several months and had his fill of her for a week, and yet some people say she is to blame. Please riddle me this, if Pastors have perfected their craft so much to a science that FULLY GROWN men are routinely made (not manipulated) to give sacrificial offerings of cars and houses and billions of Naira (occasionally stolen funds) to the man of God (or God of men), then what chance did Miss. Ese Walter stand against the manipulation that made her give her body?

This is a young woman with a history of emotional abuse which is often also related to sexual and psychological abuse. She wanted to find Jesus! Instead she found a ‘pastor’ who led her down a path of what can only be termed ‘spiritual abuse’.

Pastors have a fiduciary relationship to their flock. A fiduciary is a legal or ethical relationship of trust between two or more parties. It usually involves money, but here we are talking about salvation. Salvation being as we all know (I hope), more important than money. Pastor had a duty to cultivate her soul, instead he chose the flesh route and her encounter according to her narration is filled with even using things of the spirit to further manipulate. When she finally chose to break free, the manipulation became more carnal, threat of thugs etc. It is a shame.

The nature of Pentecostal Christianity is that Pastors usually act as the gatekeeper to the trinity of God the Father, Jesus the Son and Holy Spirit. Yet Jesus died so people could have a personal relationship with God through HIM, not through Pastors. Yet this is what popular religion in Nigeria has evolved to. I think it has some correlation to the way our ancestors worshiped when they worshiped, there exists in us a subconscious need for gatekeepers, mainly because we as individuals do not feel able or worthy to contact the Lord directly, and in my opinion that is what gives Pentecostal pastors such IMMENSE power. A power Jesus claimed for himself.

With immense power should come immense responsibility, but some men like all men are yet just flesh and blood. Look around you. We cannot expect men to be saints, just because they were anointed pastor and in that regard my heart bleeds for this Pastor. He did not mean to fall, it is in his nature, yet he has to be held accountable in whatever manner the religious bodies or his church feels he should be held accountable. No slap on the wrist please or I’m sure we all know that ministry is finished. We as Africans have to start learning to hold our leaders accountable instead of letting them hide behind charisma and wealth.

Ese was not raped, we know! She probably even enjoyed the sex, heck she went back five times for more. However she never claimed to be an anointed Pastor, only a sinner with a history of abuse who went to seek a meaningful walk with God at COZA. I think we all know what happened next, and we should better prioritize who is held liable.

By OKONKWO EZE, ONITSHA
Deep crisis is tearing apart the family of Chinwuba from Umubele village, Awka in Anambra State, following a misunderstanding which arose after some members of the family exhumed the corpse of one of their sons, Dr. Sunday Chinwuba who died in far away United States of America (USA).
The late Dr. Sunday Chinwuba had died in his Maryland residence few months ago and the US authorities flew his corpse back to Nigeria and handed it over to his immediate elder brother, Mr. Goddy Chinwuba together with all necessary documents relating to the transfer of his corpse.
Sources said on receiving the corpse and the documents with which it was transferred from Maryland to Nigeria, the bereaved elder brother, Goddy immediately arranged the burial of the remains without consultations and mutual agreement with other members of the family.

*Hired youths exhuming the corpse
Exhumation
It was gathered that after all the arrangements, Goddy removed the corpse from Regina Caeli Hospital Mortuary, Awka, where it was initially deposited and buried it in the family compound there in Awka.   But few days after the burial, the head of the family, Dr. Aneze Chinwuba and other members of the family who claimed that they were not consulted before the burial, rallied round, exhumed the corpse and re-deposited it at an unknown place, pending when another formal burial would be carried out, after proper arrangement.
The source further hinted that when Goddy Chinwuba, who
conducted the first burial discovered that the corpse had been exhumed, he called in the Police from the state command who invited Aneze Chinwuba and five other members of the family for interrogation over their role in exhumation of the corpse.
Claims and counter-claims
Confirming the incident, Mr Goddy Chinwuba told Crime Guard that the deceased only son, Master Chinwuba had authorized him in writing to bury the corpse without consulting the family head, Dr. Aneze Chinwuba and other elder brothers due to a lingering dispute in the family.   But in his reaction, the eldest son of the Chinwuba family, Dr. Aneze Chinwuba claimed that he exhumed the corpse of the deceased because Goddy Chinwuba, his younger brother, had no right to effect a burial of their brother, without his consent or knowledge.
According to him, “Goddy, my younger brother has no authority to bury our younger brother without my knowledge, consent and the participation of other members of the family. I am the head of this family and the custom and tradition of Awka do not permit any other family member to single- highhandedly bury the corpse without reference to other members of the family and myself in particular as the head of the family,”
Dr. Chinwuba further stated that the deceased, Sunday Chinwuba had no son, adding that his eldest daughter, Nneka Chidoka authorized the Chairman of the village meeting, Arch Ifejika to take possession of their late father’s corpse on arrival in Awka pending full burial arrangement.
Reacting to the development, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Emeka Chukwuemeka (DSP), told Crime Guard that although he was not yet aware of the incident, he would make  necessary inquiries from some police formations to find out the actual position on the matter.http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/crisis-rocks-family-over-burial-exhumation-of-deceased-member/#sthash.fVi3k6fu.dpuf

An alleged fake army officer, Ochochi Inalegun, on Friday appeared before a Karu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, charged with defrauding nine military job seekers of N998,000.


Mr. Inalegun, 33, who pleaded not guilty, was arraigned on a five-count charge of impersonation and unlawful possession of fake documents.
He was accused of cheating his victims in March 2012 while posing as an army officer able to get hem jobs in the Nigerian Army and Civil Defence Corps.
The public prosecutor, Bulus Samuel, told the court that the accused had paraded himself in full army camouflage and swindled the “desperate job seekers” before his arrest.
Mr. Samuel alleged that after the victims had waited for months without getting their appointment letters as agreed, they reported the case at the police station. He said that the accused was arrested and 77 copies of certificates belonging to other victims were found in his house following a search. 50 passport photographs belonging to his victims and N60, 000 were also recovered from the accused person.
Mr. Samuel said that during interrogation, Mr. Inalegun confessed to the alleged crime.


“The accused confessed that he was doing the business with a naval commander, whom he identified, as Osita Young. He told police interrogators that he gave Osita and one Jonah, a lieutenant, the sums of N280,000 and N180,000, respectively to start the job process before he was caught,” the prosecutor said.
The offences contravened Sections 97, 312, 322 and 132 of the Penal Code and if convicted the accused person would serve 13 years in prison with an option of fine or both.
The Chief Magistrate, Hadiza Dodo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million and a reliable surety who must be a federal civil servant not below grade level 12. Ms. Dodo ruled that the surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and his addresses verified by the prosecutor. She adjourned the case to September 18 for hearing.
(NAN)http://www.informationng.com/2013/08/alleged-fake-army-officer-docked-for-swindling-job-seekers-of-n1m.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

CAIRO  (AFP) – An Egyptian court Wednesday ordered ex-president Hosni Mubarak freed while he stands trial for corruption and killing protesters, as authorities pressed their roundup of supporters of his ousted Islamist successor.
There was no indication of whether a release was imminent. In the past, prosecutors have filed new charges to keep Mubarak in jail after courts have ordered his conditional release.

Egyptian ousted president Hosni Mubarak lies on a stretcher as he is wheeled into a courtroom in Cairo. Mubarak’s trial resumed off camera with witnesses giving testimony to try to determine who gave the orders for killing of hundreds of protesters in the revolt that ousted Egypt’s veteran president. AFP PHOTO
The decision added a volatile new element to the political turmoil that has gripped Egypt since Mohamed Morsi was ousted in a July 3 coup, with 1,000 people killed in violence in the past week.
That unrest has prompted international criticism, and EU foreign ministers agreed in an emergency meeting Wednesday to suspend the sale of arms and security equipment to Egypt.
Last year, Mubarak was convicted of complicity in the deaths of some of the 850 people killed in the 2011 uprising that overthrew him, as well as on charges of corruption.
He was sentenced to life in prison, but an appeals court ordered a retrial on technicalities
Should he be freed, he still faces those charges and his next hearing is scheduled for Sunday.
Meanwhile, authorities continued to round up members of the Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement.
Overnight, they detained Islamist firebrand Safwat Hegazy and Mourad Ali, a spokesman for the group’s Freedom and Justice Party.
Hegazy was arrested near the border with Libya and Ali at Cairo airport as he tried to leave for Rome, they said.
Since the army ousted Morsi after massive demonstrations against him, authorities have issued hundreds of detention orders and arrest warrants for Brotherhood members.
Dozens of the group’s leaders have been rounded up, including its supreme guide Mohamed Badie, who was detained on Tuesday.
It was the first time a Brotherhood supreme guide has been arrested since 1981.
The Brotherhood swiftly named deputy Mahmoud Ezzat, described by experts as a “hawk” and conservative, to serve as interim guide.
Badie and two other senior Brotherhood leaders are expected to appear Sunday before a court on allegations they incited the murder of protesters in front of their headquarters on June 30.
Egypt has experienced a week of unprecedented political bloodletting, which began on August 14 when security forces stormed two Cairo pro-Morsi protest camps.
The crackdown and resulting violence across the country killed nearly 600 people in a single day, the bloodiest in Egypt’s recent history.
Islamists have torched and attacked dozens of Christian churches, schools, businesses and homes — mostly in the rural south — accusing Egypt’s sizable Coptic minority of backing Morsi’s ouster.
The deadly dispersals of the protest camps were followed by days of violence that have seen the country’s toll rise to nearly 1,000 dead, including 37 Islamist prisoners who died in custody on Sunday night.
That excludes the toll in the Sinai peninsula, where militants have launched near daily attacks against police and army facilities.
On Monday, 25 policemen were killed in a single incident, when gunmen dragged them from two buses and shot them dead execution style near the border with the Gaza Strip.
The incident prompted national condemnation and mourning and brought the week’s toll in Sinai alone to 45, according to an AFP count.
The international community has responded with shock to the violence.
The European Union decided Wednesday to restrict exports of security equipment and arms to Egypt in response to the mounting violence but opted to maintain economic assistance.
After a meeting in Brussels, EU foreign minister issued a statement that dubbed recent operations by Egyptian security forces as “disproportionate” while also condemning “acts of terrorism” in the Sinai and attacks on churches blamed on the Muslim Brotherhood.
“It is a very clear and determined signal towards Egypt for an end of the violence and a return to a political process that includes all the different political forces,” said German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
But expressing concern over the economic situation, the ministers said “assistance in the socio-economic sector and to civil society will continue.”
But they warned that “the EU will monitor the situation in Egypt closely and readjust its cooperation accordingly.”
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said “we must keep faith with the majority of the people of Egypt who want a stable, democratic and prosperous country for themselves and that means we mustn’t do anything that hurts them or that cuts off support to them.”
For its part, the White House has denied reports it was halting its $1.3 billion annual aid package to Egypt.
On Tuesday, in an interview with ABC News, Egyptian interim prime minister Hazem el-Beblawi said it would be a “bad sign” for the US to cut off aid.
But, while he said such a move would “badly affect the military for some time,” he insisted that “Egypt would survive” and could turn to other donors.
Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which backs the army-installed interim government, has said it would step in with other Arab nations to fill any funding gap if Washington halts http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/egypt-court-frees-mubarak/

Middle Belt will support Jonathan for his second term – Lawrence Onoja

By Wale Odunsi on August 21, 2013

A former Military Governor of Plateau State and current Chairman, Strategic Mobilization Committee of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Major General Lawrence Onoja (retd) has explained why the Middle-Belt is standing with Jonathan in his bid for a second term.

The 2011 Benue Zone C Senatorial candidate on the platform of the ACN, during a media chat in Abuja at the weekend stated that, “Middle-Belt of today is different from the Middle-Belt of the sixties when we were categorized as part of the core North.”

Onoja, who is also a member of a political pressure group, Congress for Equality and Change, said President Goodluck Jonathan was constitutionally qualified to run for a second term in office if he so wishes.

According to him, the Middle-Belt region would back him for a second term in office because he is qualified for it.

His words, “There could be anger in certain parts of the North. But there is no anger against Jonathan in my own Middle-Belt part of the North. We support Jonathan for his second term. Every group has the fundamental right to agitate for power. The groups that are talking, the Northern Elders, Arewa, are not political parties. They are socio-political cum cultural associations. So, they probably cannot install a President. At best, they are talking of supporting a candidate from the North. You don’t blame me for saying that my own people support Jonathan”, he declared.



Speaking further, Onoja, an Idoma elder statesman said his people were not regarded as core northerners even by the so-called North.

He voiced his conviction thus, “Assuming the power comes to the North today, would you tell them to concede power to the Idoma people where I come from? This is because I am a minority in the North and Jonathan is a minority from the South-South”

“Why don’t you allow him finish his second term; then after that, any other group can now begin to agitate for power?,” Just as he admitted that “every group has a right to ask for power” he believes however that “power is not given that way.”

The retired General added, “I want to let you know categorically here that it is not yet time for power to shift to the North. Mr. President has not done his second term. All the other Presidents were given opportunity to do their second terms and Mr. President, by virtue of the fact that he is a minority like me, it would be unfair and an injustice to stop him from doing his second term. If he finishes his second term in 2019, then other areas or blocks can now begin to agitate for power shift.

I think it is only fair to allow Mr. President do his second term.”http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/08/21/middle-belt-will-support-jonathan-for-his-second-term-lawrence-onoja/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=middle-belt-will-support-jonathan-for-his-second-term-lawrence-onoja

Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan stunned the Rivers State government on Sunday as she shunned officials of the state who had gone to receive her on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
According to reports, officials of the state government led by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru, who had gone to receive Mrs. Jonathan at the airport, were not allowed access to the first lady.
The presidency was said to have previously communicated the state government on the planned three-day visit of the first lady to the state, adding that it was in response to this that the government made the necessary arrangements to receive her.
“Since the governor was out of town, the deputy governor had to lead a team of government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and commissioners, to receive her. But on getting to the airport, the team was not even allowed to get near the first lady.


“It was a military man, a lieutenant colonel, who approached them and told the team that they had directives from the presidency that they should not be allowed near the first lady. It was the wife of the Bayelsa State governor who was allowed to receive her,” a source revealed.
Sources also said security had been beefed up around her private residence at Bauchi Road, Old GRA, Port Harcourt, with security operatives setting up barricades around the vicinity.
The new development shows the feud between the Presidency and the Rivers State Government may not be over yet.
http://www.informationng.com/2013/08/patience-jonathan-shuns-rivers-deputy-gov-state-officials-on-port-harcourt-arrival.html

Northern governors ignored Boko Haram for 2015 tussle; Rivers crisis is like watching African Magic – Okupe

By Wale Odunsi on August 18, 2013

Doyin Okupe

Senior Special Assistant to President Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has insisted that some developments in the country’s polity were geared towards destablising the purported re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to him, events such as the political crisis in Rivers state and the tour of the country by some northern governors, were part of the plot to cause confusion in the build-up to the 2015 general election.

Speaking on a Liberty Radio programme, Guest of the Week in Kaduna, Okupe described the claim that the five governors’ mission was motivated by the crisis in Rivers as a “national joke”, wondering why they failed to do same when the Boko Haram insurgents were bombing innocent Nigerians.

The same programme featured the former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, last Saturday.

El-rufai had accused Jonathan of playing ethnic and religious politics, as well as shielding oil thieves who are ready to fund his re-election campaign.

But the aide said that President Jonathan had not told him that he intends to contest the 2015 elections, and that if he eventually decides to contest, such decision should not be allowed to overheat the system.

“If Jonathan wants to contest and you are not happy about it, go to the poll and defeat him. Nigerians must wake up. What is four years in the life of a country that is worth burning a country? Is it worth destroying our democracy? he asked

“You heard about five governors who said they were motivated to go round the whole country because of Rivers crisis. Is that not a national joke? It is like watching African Magic.

Okupe further quipped that “What is the crisis in Rivers? Who is Amaechi and what is the issue that the whole country is being disturbed because of something that happened at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF)?



“What is Nigerian Governors Forum to the destiny of this country? What has it got to do with us? The Rivers crisis is something that people just latch unto to fane the embers of this anti-Jonathan emotion and to continue to promote hatred against Goodluck Jonathan.

“And of course, Amaechi is a willing tool, very rich and is very useful to the opposition. What you are seeing is an over dramatisation of the preparations for 2015 period.

Continuing “These governors that were so motivated, so passionately concern about the ultimate destiny of Nigeria, were not motivated when the Boko Haram crises were raging in the north to go round the north and plead on how to solve the problem.

“They were not concern enough for the thousands of people that were being bombed, killed in their mosques and churches in their domains under their eyes. I feel like crying, people are opening their doors to hypocrites.

“Let them leave the Rivers state police Commissioner alone. I don’t know how people got my number. I have text messages from ordinary people who are not politicians, people whose families have suffered grave injustice in the hands of Amaechi in Rivers state. I am telling you this. God Almighty is my witness. I will show you these text messages so that you can confirm it.

“Amaechi used police and power to harass, intimidate and punish people unjustly. Mbu has refused to be a tool in the hands of Amaechi and has refused to bend to his unjustified high handedness. However, because he is supported by the opposition, he now presents Mbu as a villain. It is not true. He is a professional man, he is a man of dignity who has remained steadfast.

“People must find the truth. The Holy book said you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Nigerians are becoming too gullible, they swallow anything; hook line and sinker. I am glad that Chief Obasanjo as an elder statesman is trying to mediate. He has mediated in many international conflicts and has recorded successes, but in his own country, people cannot listen because the stakes are higher than Obasanjo’s intervention. People are looking for power in 2015.

“So I’m not surprised that there is no result. How will these five governors be at a meeting and they will not rally round Obasanjo and solve the problem? The elites in this country are only after their own interest”, he said.http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/08/18/northern-governors-ignored-boko-haram-for-2015-tussle-rivers-crisis-is-like-watching-african-magic-okupe/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=northern-governors-ignored-boko-haram-for-2015-tussle-rivers-crisis-is-like-watching-african-magic-okupe

Kwankwaso ignores Jonathan, Sambo at Abuja event

By Tobi Adeyeye on August 17, 2013

Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso played a game of hide-and-seek with President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo on Friday in Abuja, during an award/gala night organised by the National Council of Women Societies in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady.

Kwankwaso, who was one of the five northern governors that had met with political leaders on the crisis in the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party, refused to join other governors, who were on the same table with him when they all moved to the President’s table to exchange pleasantries with him; his wife, Patience; Sambo and his wife, Amina.

The PDP National Chairman, Alhaji BamangaTukur and the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Godswill Akpabio, were on the table beside that of the President.

The governors, who went to pay homage included  Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Peter Obi (Anambra); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Theodore Orji (Abia); Jonah Jang (Plateau); and Idris Wada (Kogi).

Others were the acting governor of Taraba, Garba Umar, and the deputy governor of Bayelsa, John Jonah.

However,  Kwankwaso and his deputy, Abdullahi Ganduje, remained on their seats.

The governor also refused to recognise the presence of the President during the presentation of awards to the governors.

All the governors who received awards, on stepping down from the podium, moved to the President for a handshake before returning to their seats.

But immediately Kwankwaso collected his award, he looked the other way, stepped down from the podium and returned to his seat.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan has expressed the fear that he might not be able to achieve the goals of his much-talked about transformation agenda without the full participation of women.

At the event, the President was honoured with a “Lifetime Icon Award” for appointing many women into his government.

While Vice-President Namadi Sambo was honoured for supporting Jonathan’s administration to empower women during the award night, the governors of Ondo, Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Abia, Kano and Akwa Ibom received awards for the significance presence of women in their governments.

“I strongly believe that we cannot accomplish the goals of our transformation agenda if women comprising about 50 per cent of our population are not fully integrated into our development efforts and programmes,” the President said.

He argued that the Nigerian woman is not only an important part of the nation’s history, but also a part of the country’s future development as a nation.

He recalled that Nigerian women had championed significant national social transformation programmes that have had an enduring impact on the well-being of the country.

Jonathan said women had been playing important and visible roles in the current dispensation in ensuring a thriving democracy and adding value to the lives of the people.

He promised that his administration would continue to take every measure necessary to bring on board the huge resources and acumen that women have to offer.

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, renewed her call on the National Assembly to give legislative backing to the 35 per cent affirmative action on women representation in appointive and elective positions.

She said it was only by doing so that the gains of women in the present administration could be sustained.

She observed that the present situation where women only represent 6.4 per cent of the Senate and 6.7 per cent of the House of Representatives left much to be desired.

Quoting from data made available by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, she said Rwanda boasts of the highest number of women parliamentarians in the world with 56.3 per cent in the lower house and 38.5 per cent in the Senate.

She said women parliamentarians in Senegal represented 42.7 per cent; Tanzania, 45 per cent; Burundi, 56 per cent and Mozambique 39.2 per cent.

She added, “We want our men to appreciate that the women we are appealing for are their mothers, aunts, wives, daughters and sisters.
http://www.theheraldng.com/kwankwaso-ignores-jonathan-sambo-at-abuja-event/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Ezekwesili, Fani-Kayode clash over anti-Igbo articles.
A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has called on the government to arrest her ex-colleague, Femi Fani-Kayode, over opinion articles targeted at the Igbo ethnic group published by the later.
“If we had a functioning nation state with credible institutions they should by today take him in to restrain events,” Mrs Ezekwesili said.
She added, “The relevant agency of the FG must take in Femi Fani-Kayode and restrain him from making further hateful speeches against the Igbos.”
Mr. Fani-Kayode had written a controversial opinion piece entitled “The Bitter Truth About The Igbo” in what appears a reaction to the heated debate that followed Lagos’ repatriation of some destitute people believed to be of Anambra origin to Onitsha, a popular market town in the state.
In the “thoroughly candid and brutally frank” piece, Mr. Fani-Kayode touched on Nigeria’s turbulent history and what he considered the place of the Igbo in it all.
The article generated mixed reactions across the country, with some Igbo intellectuals publishing several counter articles lampooning the former minister.
The former minister followed up Tuesday with another piece which now appears to have triggered another round of controversy.
Mrs. Ezekwesili, also a former vice president at the World Bank, has now called on authorities to move against Mr. Fani-Kayode over the articles which she considers hateful and divisive.
Both Mr. Fani-kayode and Mrs. Ezekwesili served under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration as ministers.
A vicious tweet-fight

Femi Fani-Kayode
The verbal altercation between the two prominent citizens began after Mrs. Ezekwesili tweeted Tuesday demanding that “appropriate agency of state must call in Fani-Kayode now and demand he stops forthwith any more hateful speeches that expressly target Igbos.”
Mrs. Ezekwesili, a respected opinion leader, and an Igbo herself, said Mr. Fani-Kayode’s opinion piece, published on PREMIUM TIMES was “hateful” and potentially destabilising.
“The current slippery slope of our country cannot be allowed to worsen with the kind of hateful speeches Fani-Kayode has been releasing,” she said.
“FG must stop this stoking of hate-flame for an ethnic group that had once been tragically massacred in an avoidable civil war. Do it NOW!”
Mr. Fani-Kayode quickly hit back via his twitter handle, saying he has freedom of speech to comment on national issues.
In a series of tweets, he argued that his article should be used to correct “the wrong things done by our past leaders” instead of criticising him.
“Oby Ezekwesili should learn that we have the right to freedom of expression in Nigeria,” he said. “She should provide evidence of my “hate’ speech.”
But Mrs. Ezekwesili quickly countered. “Freedom of speech is not to be confused for Freedom to stoke hatred for people of different ethnic, religious or ideological persuasion,” she replied.
Mr. Fani-Kayode then declared that he was ready for a fight.
“When supposedly educated people run away from facing the truth they should be called to order. If Oby Ezekwezile wants a fight I am ready,” he said.
The former World Bank executive shot back. “I have no intentions of engaging Fani Kayode,” she said. “His hateful language is far gone from normal. In decent societies Governments respond to such.”http://premiumtimesng.com/news/142683-obyezeks-wants-realffk-arrested-realffk-draws-battle-line.html

Then before sermon, General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Adeboye made a special announcement. The church is to build a new auditorium, stretching 3km in length and width, and four times the size of the present auditorium, to accommodate many more parishioners, before next year’s convention. Everyone was naturally excited, particularly those who get to camp ground late and cannot be seated in the present auditorium. Then Pastor Adeboye shocked me with the following pronouncement:

“We need N1 Billion from ten (10) people, If you are one of them, please see my personal Secretary after we finish today. We also need N100million from those who can afford it, if you are in that category, please see my personal Secretary as well. Nonetheless, we need everyone’s involvement. If you can afford N50million, N20million, N5million, N1million to as low as N100, kindly make sure you participate. How many of you will build for the Lord?” All hands naturally went up in delirium.

I could not believe my eyes. I should not bother myself with how a church raises money to finance projects but a dangerous trend is being set and we are made to believe if we cannot ‘donate’ a certain amount of money, we cannot see Daddy G.O.’s personal Secretary. Such ‘privilege’ is for those that can donate handsomely for the work of God. Assuming a rich man in the Convention donates N1Billion effortlessly and a widow, whose next source of meal is unsure, donates her last N100; who among the two should see Pastor Adeboye’s personal Secretary? Well the answer lies in Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 12:41-44, where Jesus Christ acknowledged the poor widow who donated two copper coins (mite) over the rich donors and said “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on”.

How do we begin to justify asking members of a congregation to donate such a huge amount of money when poverty is smiling at most of the country’s citizens? The last time they were told to donate generously for the Lord towards a University project, as ordained by God, they all gladly did. The sad thing is atN510,000 per session for College of Humanities (100L & 200L), N520 for Management Science students and N550 for Natural Sciences students; Redeemer’s University is not for a Redeemer whose minimum wage is around N18,000. So they have contributed to a project, believing they are sowing for God, yet cannot send their wards/kids to such schools. Interestingly, many of the Pastors (and church leaders) running private Universities today, all enjoyed free education (absolutely free, including free lunch of Rice and Chicken – every Sunday) under Awolowo’s magnanimity. Education is now for rich members only but poor members are not exempt from donations. Hmmmm!

If the project was for research on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, I would not bat an eyelid. If it was for national fight against Polio eradication in Nigeria like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation in Africa, we would see the immediate benefits. If it was some sort of entrepreneurial aid to jobless youths, we would feel the impact as a nation. In spite of Bill and Melinda Gates contributions to Polio eradication, Nigeria remains the only African country (not Rwanda, not Mali, not Somalia or Sudan) where Polio is endemic and she shares this feat with Pakistan and Afghanistan. Interestingly, Pakistan reduced the number of polio cases from 198 in 2011 to 56 in 2012; Afghanistan saw a decrease from 80 to 35 during the same period, however, Nigeria increased from 62 in 2011 to 119 in 2012.

In 2013, The Gates foundation committed a fresh $1.8 Billion to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) out of the $5.5 Billion required. Britain contributed $457 million, Canada donated $250 million while $240 million came from Norway. Even the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan donated $120 million. Remarkably, these donations from foreign countries are geared towards solving the Polio scourge in 3 countries, Nigeria included. Foreigners help us to fight major health challenges while our idea of development is in gigantic buildings to be used once or twice a month for religious purposes. Our own priority in Nigeria isowning jets, breaking heads with mace, fighting for 2015 elections and building bigger auditoriums. Is it not clear why we are not developing as a country?

The message I got from the pulpit was clear, concise and profound. It does not matter where the N1 Billion comes from, provided it is donated for God’s work. Ever wonder why it is difficult for Pastors and General Overseers to condemn those who have looted our treasury? Recall when Cecelia Ibru and Erastus Akingbola had front row seats at major religious conventions in Nigeria? Did any Pastor speak against their deeds, like Nathan confronted and condemned King David in 2 Samuel 12? The subtle message is clear: “we need your money for the work of God and it does not matter how you get it”. Those who have sincerely worked hard for their wealth will only donate to worthy causes such as Aliko Dangote did when he announced a relief fund contribution of N2.5 Billion to the relief effort of flood victims in 2012."https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=658152460862248&id=100000024999611&refid=8&_ft_=qid.5911584831070047053%3Amf_story_key.-4075839890008540583&_rdr#s_878437630e9e448f9504d46c35ddb39e

Nigeria’s premier entertainment and music publication Bubbles Magazine announces the release of its 30th issue. The cover is graced by none other than multi-award winning rapper, Ice Prince Zamani.

This edition is made more special as it comes only weeks after Ice’s win at the 2013 BET Awards. He shares with us his story and his motivation as he swiftly ascends the pinnacle of international hip-hop made in Nigeria.

Also in this edition is the CEO of YBNL, the current rave of the moment, Olamide. We spend three hours getting to know about the man, his music and what drives him. Furthermore, there are in depth analyses of the music scene and spotlight on artistes with potential to become huge stars in the near future.

Jesse Jagz, Boj and DJ Jam Jam aka Oyinbo Swagga also make the cut of our special issue.http://www.ynaija.com/like-a-boss-rapper-ice-prince-rocks-the-cover-of-bubbles-magazine/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Dad fled from his village in shock with his two-year-old son after a mine exploded killing his wife and two other sons.
A father and son have been discovered in the Vietnam jungle 40 years after they vanished during the war with the United States.
Ho Van Thanh fled from Tra Kem village in shock with two-year-old Ho Van Lang after a mine exploded killing his wife and two other sons.
Thanh made a den in the trees and survived by foraging for fruit and vegetables and growing corn.
He and his son have not had contact with anyone since.


Villagers chopping firewood raised the alarm after spotting two “jungle men” behaving oddly.
Thanh, 82, and 41-year-old Lang, who wore loincloths made out of tree bark, were found after a five-hour search.
They are now having full medical check-ups.
Officials in Quang Ngai province said Thanh speaks a small amount of the minority Cor language but his son knows only odd words.
Attempts will now be made to slowly reintegrate them.http://www.informationng.com/2013/08/vietnam-dad-and-son-discovered-hiding-in-jungle-from-war-for-last-40-years.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Landlord shoots tenant for dating his wife

By Emmanuel Uzodinma on August 10, 2013

A middle aged man, Waleed Oyatunde, native of Abeokuta, Ogun State, is presently recuperating from a gun shot wound after he was shot by his landlord over alleged love affair between him and the landlord’s wife.

The victim is said to be one of the many tenants of the landlord at Ketu Adie Owe area of Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

He was reported to have moved into Mr. Latunji’s house about three years ago after he completed his youth service and got employment with an Agbara, Ogun State-based multinational company.

Sources disclosed that since Ireti, Latunde’s wife runs a canteen in Agbara, where Oyatunde works, the bachelor, always gave the landlord’s wife a ride in his car every morning.

Although he was doing this with the blessing and approval of the landlord, Latunji never knew that his wife and the tenant were already involved in amorous relationship.

Ireti is said to have been married to the landlord for six years but is yet to be blessed with the fruit of the womb.

However, trouble started in the Latunji family sometime in April, 2013 when it was reported that Oyatunde and Mrs. Latunji were dating. When news of the amorous relationship with his wife got to Mr. Latunji, he confronted his tenant with the rumour. According to neighbours, when Mr. Latunji confronted Oyatunde with the allegation that he was dating his wife, the matter almost degenerated into an exchange of fisticuffs between the landlord and his tenant until some elders in the area intervened.

From that day, it was gathered that the free ride stopped, even though the wife kept denying the allegations, to the extent of reporting the mater to her in-laws, who prevailed on her husband to put the allegations behind him.

The rumour never sieved, as the bachelor was always reportedly seen with his landlord’s wife at some hotels in parts of Lagos State, especially on weekends, but they were not so lucky on Saturday, July 20, 2013.

According to sources, Mrs. Latunji had informed her husband that she would be traveling with her friend to Ekiti State for a burial ceremony, adding that a day before that fateful Saturday, Mr. Latunji had reportedly called his wife’s friend to confirm their purported movement to Ekiti, which the woman confirmed. But it later turned out that the Ekiti trip was a hoax after all.

“The landlord’s wife left home early on Saturday morning for the purported weekend trip. Her suspicious husband hired three hoodlums to trail her movement. The three hoodlums rode on two motorcycles behind the bus the woman boarded from Lusada junction to Agbara.



“The woman also boarded another bus from Agbara to Mile 2 area of Lagos State and the ‘spies’ still rode behind the bus the woman boarded.

“Eventually, Mrs. Latunji found her way to a hotel in Surulere area in the heart of Lagos State. Mr. Oyetunde’s car was also found in the parking lot of the hotel. The hired ‘spies’ promptly informed their client on telephone of the development”, the sources added.

Burning with rage, Latunji left home and headed for the hotel in Lagos, and on getting to the hotel, he told the receptionist he was on appointment with owner of the Hyundai car parked at the lot.

A worker at the hotel told Saturday Mirror that, “When the man came that Saturday morning, he approached the boys at the reception that he wanted to see the owner of the car whose plate number he wrote for them.

“When asked to call him on his mobile phone, the man claimed that the visitor’s mobile phone was switched off. So, the boys felt that he was a genuine visitor and one of them chose to take him to the room where the visitor lodged.
“When the boy knocked on the door, the visitor came to open the door. And when he did, he was shocked to see his landlord standing right in front of the door.

“The landlord’s wife was on the bed sleeping. That was when trouble started. Mr. Latunji forced his way into the room and aimed a stool at his wife.
”But Oyatunde and the hotel attendant prevented Mr. Latunji from hitting his wife with the stool. The noise from the room soon attracted other workers of the hotel to the scene. After much persuasion, Mr. Latunji was whisked out of the hotel and he left for his house. Both Oyatunde and Ireti hurriedly left the hotel”.

It was further gathered that the woman has not shown her face back home since then.

Oyatunde met his bad day on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 when he had gone to his apartment apparently to move his belongings out of the house.

“That was the opportunity Latunji had been waiting for. Once Oyatunde opened the door to his apartment and started packing his property, Latunji burst into the apartment and engaged Oyatunde in a fight.
”The brawling men were soon separated by neighbours, only for Latunji to rush into his apartment and emerge moments later with a loaded gun. He aimed at Oyatunde’s thigh and pulled the trigger”, the source further stated.

“The landlord could have killed the man. But we thank God that did not happen,” the neighbour”, said, adding that Oyatunde was rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

The landlord has since fled his house with a 10-year-old son he had from another relationship.http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/08/10/landlord-shoots-tenant-for-dating-his-wife/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=landlord-shoots-tenant-for-dating-his-wife

Under pressure to end their relationship, Davon Smallwood, 25, and Ariana O’Neal (pictured above), 21, both of Queens, New York, committed joint suicide by leaping in front of a train going 80 miles per hour, reports the Daily Mail.com.
A Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officer discovered a suicide note, next to a black garbage bag filled with clothes, vodka and a can of Coca-Cola, which read:
“Two great people are going to paradise… everything will be good.” 
The couple, who left behind a 2-year-old daughter, were allegedly distraught the O’Neal’s mother forbade Smallwood to enter their home after he became involved in illegal activities.
According to the New York Post, O’Neal’s mother did not like Smallwood at all.
“Her mom didn’t want the boyfriend living with all of them,” said her landlord, Kinsley Senio. “She didn’t like him.”
Read more from the New York Post:
The two were arrested earlier this month for allegedly stealing jewelry from a Jamaica, Queens store. A neighbor said they both dyed their hair red recently.
Terri Simmons, who lives directly across from the station, said she had never seen Smallwood before, but often saw O’Neal moping around the area.
She would spend hours sitting on a urine-soaked stairway leading to the railroad platform.
Simmons, 50, said she approached the young woman several times to ask if she was all right, but she never even raised her head.


At around 10:15 p.m. Monday, Simmons heard a “boom” from the bodies’ impact with the Manhattan-bound express train, and ran to the station.
…
The engineer spotted the couple moments before they leaped in front of his train, but was unable to stop in time, he told investigators.
The impact cracked the windshield.
About 125 passengers were on board the train, which was held at the station for nearly two hours as the couple’s mangled bodies were removed
According to a Long Island Railroad spokesperson, the train originated in Huntington station, and was passing through Hollis station enroute to Penn station going the “maximum allowable speed” when the couple jumped.
The engineer was treated for minor injuries at a nearby hospital and released.
Alleged family members and friends of the couple have been commenting in message boards, passionately defending their relatives. Wrote one poster on Newsday:
“…these two where in love an [afraid]. In the fall of 2012, [Ariana's] dad left the state with [their] child [and they] haven t seen her since. They lost everything. had no where to go because people disapproved of their relationship. Not everyone is strong; some people are very weak, so don’t judge because most of [y'all] out there have issues. Don’t throw stones if [you] live in a glass house. I knew them both and [their] hearts were heavy. May they rip — praying for both families hers and mine.”
In response to criticism of Smallwood, one family wrote:
“While you guys are judging my cousin, he comes from a family of love. He was and still is loved please refrain from your nasty a$& comments.”http://www.informationng.com/2013/08/new-york-couple-commits-suicide-by-jumping-in-front-of-speeding-train.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Yes we agree there is infrastructure deficiency and decay in our Unis but that is just part of d problem our lecturers on the other hand r the major problem because they are very lazy n corrupt many instances of bribe taken 2 upgrade marks abound and lectures notes used by my grandfathers is what we used( my children might end up using same). If lecturers commit themselves 2 their duties they won't have 2 fight for themselves we d populize ll do it 4 dem

[/color][color=#770077][quote author=ITbomb]To all those who still thinks that ASUU is on strike because of increase pay and they should call it off , YOU ARE THE MAIN REASON ASUU IS ON STRIKE, because that thinking shows that you have not been educated.
I always say this , for a Nigerian students to fail to see the rot in the Universities and call on ASUU to call off the strike to return to that rot. means that the mind has not been educated.
If they fail to see the problem and look for lasting solution in their immediate environment ie the school system how will they see the problems in the larger society and give solutions when they graduate.
The undergraduate is suppose to be a trained solution provider but u see even in term papers , they can't do independent research instead looking for ready made papers to copy and paste.
This 'just get the certificate within the shortest time ' is transferred into the larger society with 'just get the money within the shortest time'
We should be training problem solvers not salary earners.
Support ASUU to get the quality education we deserved and end strike forever. Yes we agree there is infrastructure deficiency in our Unis but that is just part of d problem our lecturers on the other hand r the major problem because they are very lazy n corrupt many instances of bribe taken 2 upgrade marks abound and lectures notes used by my grandfathers is what we used( my children might end up using same). If lecturers commit themselves 2 their duties they won't have 2 fight for themselves we d populize ll do it 4 dem

Nigerian Telegraph reported some weeks ago about the controversy surrounding a football competition organised by Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike. Tagged ‘Emeka Ike Desert Competition, the actor had promised cash prizes of N500,000, N100,000 and N75,000 to the first, second and third positions respectively.
It was gathered that the actor paid the 2nd- and 3rd-place winners but has allegedly refused to pay the N500,000 to the team (Golden Star) that came first place after the cheque he gave them bounced.


Cheque issued to the overall winner, Golden Stars, has consistently bounced.

After several attempts by the team to settle the case between both parties, they decided to go public and also involved a lawyer.

With the intervention of the team’s lawyer, Emeka Ike promised to pay the money by the first week in July even after he refused to pay as promised on previous appointments fixed for May 2, May 14, May 26 and June 11.

July 1 went by with Ike still not paying the half-a-million naira cash prize he owes Golden Star. The actor, however, claims that the team is being used against him by Nollywood colleagues to ensure his removal as sports ambassador for ‘Rhythm ‘N’ Play,’ a youth-oriented grassroots sports programme initiated by the Federal Gov


Emeka Ike and the local football team

ernment.

Golden Star’s lawyer served Ike with a letter on June 17, giving him a 14-day ultimatum to pay up or face the wrath of the law. The actor, however, did not fulfil his own side of the bargain but rather sued the team for defamation on July 31, 2013.

When the Golden Star’s head coach, Mr Afolabi Thomas appeared in court in the company of his lawyer and a representative of the John-Okeke-owned blog, Entparrort.com, which published the story, thugs suspected to have been hired by Emeka Ike showed up claiming that the actor would not appear before the court until reporters vacated the premises.

After waiting outside the courtroom for some time, the coach was called back in but Ike’s counsel still insisted that his client would not appear before the panel.

Following the court’s insistence, however, the actor eventually showed up and was advised him to pay the money owed Golden Star, especially as he could not establish a case of defamation against the football team as claimed by his lawyers.

Ike, however, remained adamant in his refusal to pay, saying that Golden Star’s coach and the team’s lawyer should retract their earlier statement from social media or face a N20 million suit for defamation.

The team itself refused to budge on its claims that Ike simply used the tournament he hosted in a bid to be made sports ambassador for the federal government youth sports initiative. They promised to involve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the actor for issuing a dud cheque.

The case is adjourned till September 18 for further hearing.http://telegraphng.com/2013/08/emeka-ike-charged-with-fraud/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

The pix gives me hope that when u work hard u ll get up there

It is not easy 2 make FP twice in 2 days sOmeone help me shout hallelujah

No b small tin ooo

REVEALED: Why Tonto Dikeh Is Hating On Mercy Johnson
Jul 23, 2013 Posted By @SirJP_ In Entertainment Tagged Mercy Johnson, Nollywood, Tonto Dikeh Comments 0


The battle going on between these two controversial actresses, Mercy Johnson and Tonto Dikeh is not new to you, but many do not really know the cause of this brouhaha.

We gathered that Tonto was enjoying the best of her time when Mercy got married and later got pregnant, reason being that, she became a hot cake that producers request for in and out of Lagos.

Mercy’s short absence created enormous wealth for her and she was really feeding hard on that.

Now, Mercy is fit and active to return to her groove, Tonto, people in the know, got threatened by that and she became so agitated,went on social media to ridicule the mother of one, Mercy.

“Tonto has never liked Mercy. Starting from when Nollywood started shifting ground to Asaba, Mercy was always in hot demand, which obviously made Tonto to start seeing her as a competitor. This, among other things combined to make them impenitent enemies,” the source,who is a stakeholder in the industry disclosed.

Only GOD knows what will result to this fight. Meanwhile, Mercy Johnson’s return is causing a lot of stir in Nollywood as all the actresses are seeing it as a threat just like Tonto Dikeh.http://naijatunez.com/revealed-why-tonto-dikeh-is-hating-on-mercy-johnson-a/?utm_source=naijatunez+&utm_medium=naijatunez.com+

Stella Damascus’s 3rd Husband Threatens To Sue Her For Marrying Without First Divorcing Him.
Jul 30, 2013 Posted By @GeorgeTunez In General, Gossips, Trending Tagged GeorgeTunez, Stella Damascus Comments 1


It’s alleged that actress Stella Damasus’s estranged husband, Emeka Nzeribe, is contemplating suing Stella and her new alleged husband, Daniel Ademinokan because
according to him, the actress has no right to remarry since they are yet to be legally divorced.

Hmmm, people like wahala oh, where him dey since?
Abeg they should allow her rest jare http://naijatunez.com/stella-damascuss-3rd-husband-threatens-to-sue-her-for-marrying-without-first-divorcing-him/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Valdeci Sobrino Picanto, a Brazilian Evangelical Pastor, has been arrested after deceiving the faithful using the name of the “Holy Spirit”, by using these foolish lies.
This criminal pastor claimed that the Holy Spirit would secrete from his penis in the form of “sacred milk”.

This pastor said that his penis was blessed and that “the Lord had consecrated him with divine milk of the Holy Spirit” and, of course, he had to release it in order to “evangelize”.



According to one of his victims…

“He has convinced us that only God could come into our lives through our mouth and that’s why he would do what he did”. Often, after worship, pastor Valdeci would take us to the where the funds were kept at the back of the Church and asked us to have MouthAction with him until the Holy Spirit would come through ejaculation.”
Oh well!

Less than a year after the gruesome mob killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, which was caught on video, shook the nation to the marrows, a similar incident happened on Sunday in the Badagry area of Lagos State, involving yet another university undergraduate and also caught on video camera.

Ifechukwude Nwainokpor, a 25-year old final-year student of Geology and Mining of the Delta State University, Abraka and his friend simply identified as Kazeem were lynched by an irate mob in Ajara area of Badagry, a community not far from the Nwainokpor’s family home.

In the eight-minute video clip which was seen by this correspondent, the two victims were handcuffed together and covered in their own blood after being beaten to death with sticks. Tyres were also put round their necks.

An irate mob could be seen in the video, shouting, “die, die, burn them, burn them.”

At some points in the video, a policeman was seen interviewing the boys. He asked who sent them (victims) to rob the area, an accusation they denied. One of the hoodlums, holding a sharp object attempted to cut off the private part of one of the victims.

Nwainokpor could be seen pleading with the hoodlums and policemen to spare his life, saying he could identify himself if given a chance. His plea, however, fell on deaf ears.

Our correspondent, who visited the family of Nwainokpor  on Tuesday, learnt that the lynching took place around 3pm on July 21, 2013 in Ajara area of Badagry, a community not far from Nwainokpor’s family home.

His father, Samuel, told this correspondent that his son was arrested while passing through a street in the area  but a misunderstanding later ensued and the hoodlums pounced on  him  and Kazeem.

He said, “On that particular day, I was in Ghana when I received a telephone call that I should come immediately. My wife was in Delta State taking care of her   mother.

“When I arrived two days later, my relatives and the caretaker of my house told me that my son was killed in the Ajara area along with his friend. I was devastated.

“I got my son a temporary job with a Customs licensed agent since their lecturers were on strike.  He worked every day except on Sundays when he visited his friends. On that day, he went to see Kazeem and they were strolling around Ajara.”

Samuel said because there had been a robbery in Ajara four days earlier, some of the residents was on the lookout for strange faces.

He added that when the youth saw two unknown young men, they  accosted them and an argument ensued.

He said the youth called the head of the vigilante group   in the area, one Asiribo.

He said, “Asiribo came to the scene with a locally-made pistol and handcuffs. He handcuffed my son and his friend  before asking them questions.

“Later, it was decided that the boys be taken to the Baale, Agano Oniyon of Agamade Ajara. But as they were going, Asiribo, while trying to return his gun into its  pouch, mistakenly shot himself in the stomach and died.”

Samuel said Asiribo’s death infuriated the youth, who  blamed the boys for  his  death.

“The mob picked up sticks  and beat them to death. Policemen were there,”   he  said.

The retired immigration officer who was on the verge of tears added that the police treated the matter as a robbery case, while he declared that there was no way his son would have been involved in armed robbery.

He said, “I have been living in Badagry since 1982. I have only two children and Ifechukwude  is the  first. Ironically, he was born in that same area where he was killed.

“I have lived in this area without any trouble and the residents  can tell you that my sons are good  boys.”

Nwainokpor’s boss, Aloysius Onyenibedi, described him as an honest and hardworking person.

“I trusted him to the extent that I used to keep a lot of money with him. He was good to my children and was honest,” he said.

The Nwainokpor family berated the Divisional Police Officer, Badagry Police Station,  Dankoli Mohammed, for the manner he treated the case.

Samuel said when he approached the DPO, he was told that his son was killed at midnight for armed robbery.

He said, “When the policemen came to take the corpses, guns were planted on them. Policemen at the station told the DPO that they were robbers. Their corpses were taken along with that Asiribo to Badagry General Hospital’s mortuary.

“The following morning, the DPO released Asiribo’s corpse for burial without investigation. My relatives went to the station and after showing the DPO the video, the matter was transferred to the Area K Command.

“At present, Asiribo’s son has fled, while the DPO has been unable to identify the policemen who were present at the scene when my son  and his friend were killed.”

It was however learnt that through the video, some people had arrested one of the perpetrators. The suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department,  Panti, Yaba.

Also, the policemen attached to the Badagry Police Division, Lagos State have also been arrested.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said, “The incident is quite pathetic. Even if they were armed robbers, no one has the right to take the life of another. Why then do we have the police and the judiciary? The Nigerian police as well as the law condemn mob action and jungle justice. The commissioner of police has set up a high- powered investigation body to investigate the matter.”

 http://www.theheraldng.com/aluu-4-all-over-again-irate-mob-kill-undergraduate-friend-in-badagry/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

How does reckless driving testify to the lordship of Jesus Christ?

Jimmy Peters was on his way back to Lagos from a wedding in Benin City.  Suddenly, the road ahead was blocked.  Before he could say “Jack Robinson,” some armed men sprang out of the bushes.  Instinctively, Jimmy’s wife hid their baby on the floor of the backseat of the car; quickly throwing a cloth over him.

The armed robbers were professional and clinical.  They rapidly stripped them of their money and valuables.  They hit the jackpot when they found thirty-five thousand naira in the boot of the car.  But just as they were about to leave, the thing Jimmy’s wife feared happened.  The baby cried out; not surprising, since he was practically smothered by the cloth thrown over him.  One of the armed robbers stopped in his tracks. “There’s a baby, there’s a baby,” he exclaimed.  He removed the cloth for confirmation. There indeed was the baby, cooing away, totally oblivious to the tension in the air.

The armed robber was very angry.  He turned to the mother; scowling.  “You people are very strange,” he said. “Do you think I would hurt a baby?”  Then he went further: “I want you to know that I am a Christian, so I would never hurt a little baby like this.”  To demonstrate this beyond reasonable doubt, he decided to give the baby twenty naira out of the thirty-five thousand he had stolen from the parents.

Sunday-Sunday Christians

This story is not fiction.  It actually happened; and it serves to underscore the widespread confusion that now exists among those of us who call ourselves Christians. Christians are now a motley group of very strange bedfellows. It would appear that virtually anybody can claim to be a Christian without fear of contradiction.  But who exactly is a Christian?

Today, Christians are often identified by church affiliation.  We are people who go to church on Sundays. We are people who “read their bible and pray every day.”  We are people who pay tithes. We have a tendency to quote the scriptures. We like to pepper our speech with “hallelujahs” and “praise the Lord.”

But we are also people who fail to show compassion when it is required.  We are people who despise Moslems and people of other faiths. We are people with deep hatred for homosexuals. We are people who insist on retributive justice, even to the point of going to war. We are those who go to church on Sundays but also beat our wives on Mondays.  We are those who pray down the rain but also use our tongue to lie, deceive, insult, abuse and curse.  Of such is not the kingdom of God.

Some church workers came to a high-rise building to ask for “Sister Mary.”  But nobody seemed to know her.  “What does she look like?” the residents asked.  The visitors gave an elaborate description of her, from her favourite hairstyle to her preferred manner of dressing.  “That sounds like Mary Ikejiani,” somebody replied.  “Is it Mary Ikejiani you are looking for?”  “Yes,” replied the visitors.  “We have it on good authority she lives in this building.”  “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?” the residents chorused.  “Instead, you asked for ‘Sister Mary.’  Do you mean to tell us Mary is a Christian?”

Mary was a Sunday-Sunday Christian.  At church, she was the epitome of holiness and virtue.  But at home, she could not continue the lie.  Had the people asked after “Quarrelsome Mary,” instead of “Sister Mary,” there would have been no difficulty in identifying her.



Christian hypocrisy

Jesus asked his disciples: “Who do men say that I am?”  Let us turn the question around.  Who do men say Christians are?  Are we known by virtues or by vices?  Does the designation, “Christian,” denote someone of sound character who is honest, godly and peace-loving?  The truth is it does not.

When Jesus sees Nathanael coming down the road, he says about him: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit.”  Jesus refers to Nathanael as a real Israelite, thereby differentiating him from Jacob; the man to whom God first gave the name Israel.  Jacob, of course, was a liar and a cheat.  But Jesus identifies in Nathanael that the real Israelite (or Christian) is a man of proven integrity.

If Nathanael is a real Israelite then there are fake Israelites.  If Nathanael is a true Christian then there are fake Christians. Indeed, many professing Christians are much more dishonest and deceitful than the average unbeliever.  We seem to forget that people are supposed to be drawn to Christ because of what they see of him in us.

A lady asked me to pray for her.  When I asked what her petition was, she said she was the Chairperson of the Armed Forces Officers’ Wives at a particular military cantonment.  Her colleagues kept a certain amount of money with her for safe-keeping, but it now appeared she had misplaced the money.

“What happened to the money?” I asked her.  “I tampered with it,” she said.  “What does that mean?”  She said: “I spent the money.  I didn’t know they would want it back so soon.”  “So what do you want me to do now?”  “I want you to pray that God should have mercy on me,” she replied.  But what about the money with which she was entrusted?
Disciples of Christ are called to follow his example.  Why then do Christians steal, cheat, fight, lie, fornicate and commit adultery?  Surely we know that the kingdom of God is only for those who stand in the righteousness of Christ.

Foolish faith

Have you ever had the experience where a man literally drives you off the road and, as he speeds away, you see the inscription on his windscreen declaring: “Jesus is Lord?”  How does reckless driving testify to the lordship of Jesus Christ?

Some cars were waiting at a railway intersection because a red light indicated a train was approaching.  But one driver felt all the others were daft.  He was convinced he could quickly cross over before the train arrived.  So rather than wait on the queue with others, he decided to drive across quickly at top speed.

Onlookers shouted at him to stop, warning him of the danger in his line of action.  But he ignored them, accelerating all the more.  At the last minute, he suddenly saw the train.  It was much closer than he had anticipated, but it was now too late to slam on the brakes.  If he did, he would be crushed for sure.  So he had no choice but to continue on his suicidal path.

Somehow he managed to get across unscathed.  But just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the train hit his back bumper and sent him on a tailspin.  His car went through several somersaults but finally ended right side up.  Dazed but uninjured, the man opened the door and came out of the car.  “Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, Jesus,” he cried.

But was it Jesus who told him to take such an idiotic risk?  Was it Jesus who led him to presume all other drivers were daft but he alone was smart?dailypost.com.ng/2013/07/28/femi-aribisala-christians-a-motley-group-of-very-strange-bedfellows/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=femi-aribisala-christians-a-motley-group-of-very-strange-bedfellows

The grounds on which General Buhari is being promoted as the alternative choice are … not only shaky, but pitifully naive. History matters. Records are not kept simply to assist the weakness of memory, but to operate as guides to the future. Of course, we know that human beings change. What the claims of personality change or transformation impose on us is a rigorous inspection of the evidence, not wishful speculation or behind-the- scenes assurances. Public offence, crimes against a polity, must be answered in the public space, not in caucuses of bargaining. In Buhari, we have been offered no evidence of the sheerest prospect of change. On the contrary, all evident suggests that this is one individual who remains convinced that this is one ex-ruler that the nation cannot call to order.

Buhari ? need one remind anyone – was one of the generals who treated a Commission of Enquiry, the Oputa Panel, with unconcealed disdain. Like Babangida and Abdusalami, he refused to put in appearance even though complaints that were tabled against him involved a career of gross abuses of power and blatant assault on the fundamental human rights of the Nigerian citizenry.

Prominent against these charges was an act that amounted to nothing less than judicial murder, the execution of a citizen under a retroactive decree.

Does Decree 20 ring a bell? If not, then, perhaps the names of three youths – Lawal Ojuolape (30), Bernard Ogedengbe (29) and Bartholomew Owoh (26) do. To put it quite plainly, one of those three Ogedengbe – was executed for a crime that did not carry a capital forfeit at the time it was committed.

This was an unconscionable crime, carried out in defiance of the pleas and protests of nearly every sector of the Nigerian and international community religious, civil rights, political, trade unions etc.

Buhari and his sidekick and his partner-in-crime, Tunde Idiagbon persisted in this inhuman act for one reason and one reason only: to place Nigerians on notice that they were now under an iron, inflexible rule, under governance by fear.

The execution of that youthful innocent for so he was, since the punishment did not exist at the time of commission – was nothing short of premeditated murder, for which the perpetrators should normally stand trial upon their loss of immunity.

Are we truly expected to forget this violation of our entitlement to security as provided under existing laws? And even if our sensibilities have become blunted by succeeding seasons of cruelty and brutality, if power itself had so coarsened the sensibilities also of rulers and corrupted their judgment, what should one rightly expect after they have been rescued from the snare of power. At the very least, a revaluation, leading hopefully to remorse, and its expression to a wronged society. At the very least, such a revaluation should engender reticence, silence. In the case of Buhari, it was the opposite. Since leaving office he has declared in the most categorical terms that he had no regrets over this murder and would do so again.

Human life is inviolate. The right to life is the uniquely fundamental right on which all other rights are based. The crime that General Buhari committed against the entire nation went further however, inconceivable as it might first appear.

That crime is one of the most profound negations of civic being. Not content with hammering down the freedom of expression in general terms, Buhari specifically forbade all public discussion of a return to civilian, democratic rule. Let us constantly applaud our media those battle scarred professionals did not completely knuckle down.

They resorted to cartoons and oblique, elliptical references to sustain the people’s campaign for a time-table to democratic rule. Overt agitation for a democratic time table however remained rigorously suppressed military dictatorship, and a specifically incorporated in Buhari and Idiagbon was here to stay. To deprive a people of volition in  their own political direction is to turn a nation into a colony of slaves. Buhari enslaved the nation. He gloated and gloried in a master-slave relation to the millions of its inhabitants. It is astonishing to find that the same former slaves, now free of their chains, should clamour to be ruled by one who not only turned their nation into a slave plantation, but forbade them any discussion of their condition.

So Tai Solarin is already forgotten? Tai who stood at street corners, fearlessly distributing leaflets that took up the gauntlet where the media had dropped it. Tai who was incarcerated by that regime and denied even the medication for his asthmatic condition? Tai did not ask to be sent for treatment overseas; all he asked was his traditional medicine that had proved so effective after years of struggle with asthma!
Nor must we omit the manner of Buhari coming to power and the pattern of his corrective rule.

Shagari’s NPN had already run out of steam and was near universally detested except of course by the handful that still benefited from that regime of profligacy and rabid fascism.

Responsibility for the national condition lay squarely at the door of the ruling party, obviously, but against whom was Buharis coup staged? Judging by the conduct of that regime, it was not against Shagaris government but against the opposition.

The head of government, on whom primary responsibility lay, was Shehu Shagari. Yet that individual was kept in cozy house detention in Ikoyi while his powerless deputy, Alex Ekwueme, was locked up in Kiri-kiri prisons. Such was the Buhari notion of
equitable apportionment of guilt and/or responsibility.

And then the cascade of escapes of the wanted, and culpable politicians. Manhunts across the length and breadth of the nation, roadblocks everywhere and borders tight as steel zip locks. Lo and behold, the chairman of the party, Chief Akinloye, strolled out coolly across the border. Richard Akinjide, Legal Protector of the ruling party, slipped out with equal ease. The Rice Minister, Umaru Dikko, who declared that Nigerians were yet to eat f’rom dustbins – escaped through the same airtight dragnet. The clumsy attempt to crate him home was punishment for his ingratitude, since he went berserk when, after waiting in vain, he concluded that the coup had not been staged, after all, for the immediate consolidation of the party of extreme right-wing vultures, but for the military hyenas.

The case of the overbearing Secretary-General of the party, Uba Ahmed, was even more noxious. Uba Ahmed was out of the country at the time. Despite the closure of the Nigerian airspace, he compelled the pilot of his plane to demand special landing permission, since his passenger load included the almighty Uba Ahmed. Of course, he had not known of the change in his status since he was airborne.
The delighted airport commandant, realizing that he had a much valued fish swimming willingly into a waiting net, approved the request. Uba Ahmed disembarked into the arms of a military guard and was promptly clamped in detention.
Incredibly, he vanished a few days after and reappeared in safety overseas. Those whose memories have become calcified should explore the media coverage of that saga. Buhari was asked to explain the vanished act of this much prized quarry and his response was one of the most arrogant levity. Coming from one who had shot his way into power on the slogan of discipline, it was nothing short of impudent.

Shall we revisit the tragicomic series of trials that landed several politicians several lifetimes in prison? Recall, if you please, the judicial processes undergone by the septuagenarian Chief Adekunle Ajasin. He was arraigned and tried before Buhari’s punitive tribunal but acquitted. Dissatisfied, Buhari ordered his re-trial. Again, the Tribunal could not find this man guilty of a single crime, so once again he was returned for trial, only to be acquitted of all charges of corruption or abuse of office.

Was Chief Ajasin thereby released? No! He was ordered detained indefinitely, simply for the crime of winning an election and refusing to knuckle under Shagari’s reign of terror.

The conduct of the Buhari regime after his coup was not merely one of double, triple, multiple standards but a cynical travesty of justice. Audu Ogbeh, currently chairman of the Action Congress was one of the few figures of rectitude within the NPN. Just as he has done in recent times with the PDP, he played the role of an internal critic and reformer, warning, dissenting, and setting an example of probity within his ministry.

For that crime he spent months in unjust incarceration.

Guilty by association? Well, if that was the motivating yardstick of the administration of the Buhari justice, then it was most selectively applied.
The utmost severity of the Buhari-Idiagbon justice was especially reserved either for the opposition in general, or for those within the ruling party who had showed the sheerest sense of responsibility and patriotism.

Shall I remind this nation of Buhari’s deliberate humiliating treatment of the Emir of Kano and the Oni of Ife over their visit to the state of Israel? I hold no brief for traditional rulers and their relationship with governments, but insist on regarding them as entitled to all the rights, privileges and responsibilities of any Nigerian citizen. This royal duo went to Israel on their private steam and private business.

Simply because the Buhari regime was pursuing some antagonistic foreign policy towards Israel, a policy of which these traditional rulers were not a part, they were subjected on their return to a treatment that could only be described as a head masterly chastisement of errant pupils. Since when, may one ask, did a free citizen of the Nigerian nation require the permission of a head of state to visit a foreign nation that was willing to offer that tourist a visa.?

One is only too aware that some Nigerians love to point to Buhari’s agenda of discipline as the shining jewel in his scrap-iron crown. To inculcate discipline however, one must lead by example, obeying laws set down as guides to public probity.

Example speaks louder than declarations, and rulers cannot exempt themselves from the disciplinary structures imposed on the overall polity, especially on any issue that seeks to establish a policy for public well-being. The story of the thirty something suitcases it would appear that they were even closer to fifty – found unavoidable mention in my recent memoirs, YOU MUST SET FORTH AT DOWN, written long before Buhari became spoken of as a credible candidate. For the exercise of a changeover of the national currency, the Nigerian borders air, sea and land had been shut tight.

Nothing was supposed to move in or out, not even cattle egrets.

Yet a prominent camel was allowed through that needles eye. Not only did Buhari dispatch his aide-de-camp, Jokolo later to become an emir- to facilitate the entry of those cases, he ordered the redeployment as I later discovered – of the Customs Officer who stood firmly against the entry of the contravening baggage. That officer, the incumbent Vice-president is now a rival candidate to Buhari, but has somehow, in the meantime, earned a reputation that totally contradicts his conduct at the time. Wherever the truth lies, it does not redound to the credibility of the dictator of that time, General Buhari whose word was law, but whose allegiances were clearly negotiable.

On the theme of double, triple, multiple standards in the enforcement of the law, and indeed of the decrees passed by the Buhari regime at the time, let us recall the notorious case of Triple Alhaji Alhaji Alhaji, then Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. Who was caught, literally, with his pants down in distant Austria. That was not the crime however, and private conduct should always remain restricted to the domain of private censure.

There was no decree against civil servants proving just as hormone driven as anyone else, especially outside the nation’s borders. However, there was a clear decree against the keeping of foreign accounts, and this was what emerged from the Austrian escapade. Alhaji Alhaji kept, not one, but several undeclared foreign accounts, and he had no business being in possession of the large amount of foreign currency of which he was robbed by his overnight companion. The media screamed for an even application of the law, but Buhari had turned suddenly deaf.

By contrast, Fela Anikulapo languished in goal for years, sentenced under that very draconian decree. His crime was being in possession of foreign exchange that he had legitimately received for the immediate upkeep of his band as they set off for an international engagement. A vicious sentence was slapped down on Fela by a judge who later became so remorse stricken at least after Buhari’s overthrow that he went to the King of Afro-beat and apologized.

Lesser known was the traumatic experience of the director of an international communication agency, an affiliate of UNESCO. Akin Fatoyinbo arrived at the airport in complete ignorance of the new currency decree. He was thrown in gaol in especially brutal condition, an experience from which he never fully recovered. It took several months of high-level intervention before that innocent man was eventually freed.

These were not exceptional but mere sample cases from among hundreds of others, victims of a decree that was selectively applied, a decree that routinely penalized innocents and ruined the careers and businesses of many.

What else? What does one choose to include or leave out? What precisely was Ebenezer Babatope’s crime that he should have spent the entire tenure of General Buhari in detention?

Nothing beyond the fact that he once warned in the media that Buhari was an ambitious soldier who would bear watching through the lenses of a coup-detat. Babatope’s father died while he was in Buhari’s custody, the dictator remained deaf to every plea that he be at least released to attend his father’s funeral, even under guard. I wrote an article at the time, denouncing this pointless insensitivity. So little to demand by a man who was never accused of, nor tried for any crime,much less found guilty. Such a load of vindictiveness that smothered all traces of basic human compassion deserves no further comment in a nation that values its traditions.

But then, speaking the truth was not what Buhari, as a self-imposed leader, was especially enamoured of enquire of Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor both of whom, faithful to their journalistic calling, published nothing but the truth, yet ended up sentenced under Buhari’s decree. Mind you, no one can say that Buhari was not true to his word. Shall tamper with the freedom of the press swore the dictator immediately on grabbing office, and this was exactly what he did. And so on, and on, and onhttp://www.theheraldng.com/wole-soyinka-the-crimes-of-buhari/

The 729 nude swimmers went for a swimsuit-free dip in the Mediterranean Sea in a bid to break the skinny dipping world record.
The previous world record set by 506 festivalgoers in New Zealand last year, local news sources report.

According to the Europa Press, about 600 people were expected at the event. Vera Mayor José Carmelo Jorge was pleased with the turnout, calling the mass nude swim a “tremendous success.”

Organized by the town of Vera and the Spanish Naturism Federation, the swimmers showed up to Playa El Playazo beach in throngs Sunday morning before disrobing and taking a collective dip in the Mediterranean around noon.

Though funds raised during the event will be donated to charity, the record-breaking attempt was meant to bolster tourism in the small resort town of Vera, which is home to several naturist beaches and residential zones.

See the NSFW photos of the nude swimmers attempting to break the skinny dipping world record in the gallery below.naijatunez.com/world-record-729-nude-swimmers-in-vera-spain-18/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[quote author=ToyinDipo]I have never been a fan of Nigerian lyrics, but comparing these two songs is wrong. Bruno Mars' song is love song while Davido's song is a mere sensual song. Maybe you should compare Davido's song with Scream by Usher, and Bruno's song with Whizkid's love my baby. Actually the only nigerian song I have on my system which is also a love song is Take me higher by Asa and one guy Jeremiah Gyang u mean a great song indeed