₦airaland Forum

[size=16pt]Ohanaeze, others seek 50% derivation for Niger Delta[/size]
From Lawrence Njoku (Enugu), Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt And Mohammed Abubakar

NIGERIA leaders and groups yesterday continued the search for lasting solutions to the Niger Delta crisis.





At separate fora, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and eminent leaders from the region called for a return to the 50 per cent derivation principle, withdrawal of the military from the region, dialogue and amnesty for the militants.

The chairman of the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, Senator David Brigidi and a former super permanent secretary as well as former Presidential Economic Adviser, Chief Philip Asiodu, opposed the military action in the region and demanded for meaningful dialogue with the armed groups.

Also yesterday, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) yesterday claimed that it had been offered N2.32 billion ($20 million) ransom by the Federal Government to drop its ultimatum to Julius Berger (Nig) Plc to quit the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

MEND claimed that the government made the offer through its chief negotiator, the secretary to the Federal Government.

Although the body did not mention the name of the top government official, even then the office named by MEND does not exist, as there is only the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which is occupied by Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe.

When contacted, a senior government official told The Guardian yesterday that it was not true that such money had been offered to MEND.

Also at the weekend, the Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, reviewed the Niger Delta crisis and concluded that the plight of the people would be ameliorated by a return to 50 per cent derivation principle.

Ohanaeze observed that such concession would not be too much a sacrifice for an area that produces the major resources for the country's development.

The body said that the area had suffered immeasurably from the failure of true federalism in the nation and from inequitable revenue allocation formula.

Rising from its meeting in Enugu, Ohanaeze expressed solidarity with the Niger Delta over the recently concluded constitution review retreat, stressing that, the success of the event could re-write the history.

It reaffirmed support for the on-going consultations for the review of the 1999 Constitution, saying it would be an opportunity for the nation to return to the vision of its founding fathers.

That vision, according to the Igbo leaders was based on the principle of true federalism in which each region was in control of its resources and its internal affairs. They said that the new constitution must create opportunity for the people to determine the rules, which regulate their union.

Chairman, Ohanaeze Research and Publications Directorate, Prof. Ben Obumselu, in a statement he signed after the meeting, also deplored the state of the economy, saying that the hopes that were raised at the beginning of the present administration were fast turning to anxiety.

The group said the nation "has everything it takes to move forward", if its leaders were devoted to the common purpose.

The body also drew attention of the Federal Government to the continued neglect of the South-East zone in federal appointments, allocation of resources as well as provision of common services.

It asserted that no action had been taken to implement the resolution of the 2005 National Reform Conference to create another state in the zone.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, Senator David Brigidi and Chief Philip C. Asiodu have called for the demilitarisation of the region to pave way for the resolution of the conflict in the area.

But the Action Congress (AC) in Rivers State has lauded Governor Chibuike Amaechi for concluding arrangement to engage the services of additional 1,000 soldiers to beef up security in the state.

Brigidi at the weekend in Port Harcourt urged the National and State Assemblies to pass a resolution calling on all militants to lay down their arms and for the demilitarisation of the region.

Asiodu said rather than demonise all militants and their leaders in the Niger Delta, the Federal Government should engage them in dialogue in good faith to stem the unrest region.

The Action Congress (AC) Publicity Secretary, Mr. Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, described Amaechi's decision as a commendable step considering the precarious security situation in the state.


http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/11/37.html

The story of Obasanjo, PDP, Lagos, by Iwu
From Mohammed Abubakar (Abuja)

FROM the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu, has come a revelation about the roles of key participants in the 2007 general elections.




In far away Ghana, Iwu was quoted to have confessed that former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wanted to win Lagos State at all costs.

The INEC boss warned that democracy in Nigeria and most African countries is still young and fragile, must therefore be handled with care.

A statement by Iwu's Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Andy Ezeani in Abuja, said the INEC boss spoke at a reception held for him at the Nigerian High Commission in Accra, where Nigerian High Commissioner to that country, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro was present. Coincidentally, Obanikoro was the governorship candidate of the PDP in the election.

According to Iwu, it is uncharitable of critics who doubt the independence of INEC and alleged that Obasanjo and the ruling party meddled with the affairs of the electoral commission but conveniently leave out the fact that the ruling party did not win the major states of Lagos and Kano and that it also lost key elections in 2007.

Iwu spoke as a guest speaker in the third Daily Graphic Governance Dialogue held at the International Conference Centre in Accra. The INEC Chairman commended Ghana for having made "remarkable strides in democratic governance". He noted that Nigeria was doing quite well too, "but the fact that democracy is still fragile in the region should never be lost sight of."

Iwu called the attention of African countries to what he called the "pervasive mindset of the Western world," which he said only judges the credibility of elections "largely on the basis of the outcome, in which an election can only be adjudged to be free and fair when an opposition party wins, even when there is clearly one dominant political party as the case in Nigeria and South Africa"

According to the INEC chairman whose presentation was titled: Reflections and Lessons from the 2007 Nigerian Elections, one of the questions that managing external influences in local elections in Africa poses presently was highlighted in Nigeria's 2007 polls.

The issue, he said, "is what the role of election observers in Africa should be. "How much power and influence should they be allowed to ascribe to themselves in determining what is in the best interest of a society that is not theirs?

"If the concept of foreign election observers is noble, why is it that some of the most established and prominent democracies in the world do not encourage them for their elections? "The whole concept and practice of foreign election observation needs to be properly re-examined and situated if emerging democracies are to avoid a veritable landmine during elections".

For Iwu, therefore, "Reflections on the 2007 General Elections in Nigeria are, to a substantial extent, reflections on the state and nature of politics and elections in most part of Africa".

He noted that one of the major developments in the Obasanjo era in Nigeria was the reduction of the effect of ethnicity and regionalism in Nigerian politics.

"In the campaigns and preparations for the 2007 elections, however, there was an unfortunate re-emergence of some of such ugly tendencies, he said. Iwu called on African countries to watch it and step away from such parochial tendencies that not only stunt the development of politics, but undermine the growth of the nations.

The INEC chairman assured Nigerians in Ghana that the country is making progress. He asked them to work hard to help change the present mindset of Nigerians about elections, which indicates that anytime anyone loses, the electoral commission must be castigated as having something against the person, but if someone wins he shouts to the roof top that the people have spoken.

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/11/24.html

Monday, August 11, 2008 Printer Friendly Version

[size=14pt]Adeboye denies link with money-for-prophesy [/size]

By Ademola Oni, Abeokuta


The General Overseer, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has denied any link with a leaflet, which flooded the 56th annual convention of the church, urging people to pay money so that some prophecies can work in their lives.


https://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/11/punch/images/1.jpg
www.openheavens.rccg.org
The General Overseer of the Re




Adeboye, who stated this at the Holy Communion/Anointing Night of the convention on Saturday at the Redemption Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, also said 76 babies were delivered during the week long annual programme, which started on Monday.

The cleric said the promoters of the ‘demonic‘ publication, titled The Fourth Redeemed Golden Prophecies, had asked unsuspecting members of the public to pay some amount of money to a named account in Oceanic Bank to ensure that the prophecies worked in their lives.

The RCCG General Overseer said, ”My advice to you is that if you have received this demonic publication, burn it immediately. I don‘t know anything about this material and I cannot ask anybody to collect money from anybody on my behalf.

“If anybody comes to you with this type of publication, hand him over to the police. God has not sent me to charge anybody any money. If anybody tells you that I sent him to charge (money) you for anything, hand the person over to the police. If you receive any phone call, asking you to pay, hand the person over to the police. The God who sent me, sent me to give freely because I have received freely.”

The pastor directed officials of the bank, who might be in the congregation to see the leadership of the church for further briefing.

Adeboye, who prayed that God would expose the brain behind the publication, said the new infants delivered during the convention were 45 females and 31 males.

He said the figure could rise before the end of the programme, which ended on Sunday with a thanksgiving service.



http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/11/419.html

Osoba is saying the truth but I think he should also include himself

Roflmao.

I better not catch the woman. You're not protecting no interest, you're just being a pain in the ass.

Women's intuition. I keep hearing this. if this is so true, why do they keep choosing the wrong partners? If they are highly intuitive, they should choose right the first time around and not have to snoop.

who are you referring to as "they"?. It's not every woman that chooses the right partner, busta besides there are other factors that are beyond their control.

this caught my eyes,but d answers lies in my questions

why marry when u know it wont last and will bring u pains and shame to your status?

is it appointed unto man to fall inlove once?

is it d first person u fell inlove wt you're married to?

What if you were dating him and preparing the marriage in 3 months when the illness was diagnosed, will you call the marriage plans quits because there is no contract binding both of you legally?

Who still goes ahead doing that now? When there are counter measures on-site and styles to doing things with your sexual partner other than a man climbing a woman. Grin Tongue

I knew all along that there must be something wierd about you. So, you are into freaky stuff?

Submit your TV proposal to a Naija bank soon, and hit me up with the requirement applications.

The preparations are underway. Coming soon, Episode 1(Trapped in the closet) featuring :
pataki
Eldee
Hannibal and see how Sly bit off his ear for climbing his wife.

Whats all this! a TV show to catch cheating men.who told you the wives and girlfriends of these men don't know the brother's been gettin' some on the side.
please ladies don't be misled we are all getting' some aside yours.
it is a mans nature to cheat, its animalistic i know but what can one do.
We have to "hunt to eat" its not our making.[size=14pt] if there is a guy out there who is not cheating please speak up.[/size]

It's a pity that some of our men still reason like this in this era of HIV.

I've seen some greenish ones and they are usually watery and not that appealing. Do you know some real hausa delicacies that are very appealing? Do they use palm oil at all to cook?

Why do we have ibo and yoruba restraunts everywhere in Nigeria even in sokoto but you cannot see any hausa restraunt(beside aboki me tea and suya spots) anywhere outside the hausaland. Lets not even talk about abroad because i've never seen any hausa food served anywhere around here.

Go and ask Ogun State civil servants what they think of Osoba. The man should keep quiet jare.
His wife was the tyrant, though unelected, in Ogun State. na wa for the woman yet her children na real spoilt ajebota them. Osoba should Meshionu

Do you know her personally?

@Bold,

Who requests for pounded yam from God when there are numerous things to request? Is he/she from Ekiti?

Ask my ewedu brothersoooo. As a matter of fact, that will be a better wish than what Kobo and Nuzo wished because God will flood Nigeria with fufu and tuwo thereby solving the problem of hunger in Nigeria.

Is it the Gambari the Yoruba's dashed you? I said name 2 from each group and all you can come up is Gambari and Dangote that built half of his empire from national contracts. Remember that the likes of Okonjo Ngosi Iweala and Emeka Aynoku from South were not in that list and i guess they are on the same league with Gambari that is only a TECHNICAL northerner.

Get over it boy, you can develop atomic bomb for all I care but you surely have a long way to go. If there is anybody that can afford to do that, that person must come from the south. Name one internationally acclaimed scientist that is a northerner(Dont mention kwaraians).?

I guess guys can learn to be wee bit more patient.

Not when puzzy is involved.

This subtle unbiblical stuff is not supported by the bible. 1 Corinthians 14 clearly describes the place of speaking in tongues among the body of Christ. It is meant as a sign to unbelievers, to speak mysteries unto God, to (with interpretation) and[b] to edify the brethren.[/b]

Verses 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

Edify? Is heavenly edification biblical?

Dont u know the Jesus u are talking about would also answer questions on judgement day?

Not the Jesus i know, may be you are talking about Isa.

did you get educated to this kind of argument regarding amulet. what amulet do you have? in carrrying to protect you forever?

Sunday Oliseh ke?

Let him acquire his UEFA and Pro license badges first, then we can take a look at his CV!

The article is only suggesting he comes home to coach a clubside like Julius Berger, Enyimba etc like Amodu them before rising to the national team hopefully. Are you saying that all the clubside coaches in Nigeria has UEFA licences? Even those that coach Naija big clubs like Enyimba?

So that the devil cannot understand? I laugh!!!!!!!!!

If he understands, what can he do? You xtians give the devil some powers he doesnt have. He can't do nada even if he understands!!!!!!!! We are talking God here not man

You do not have an idea of how many of your prayers the devil can hinder. My brother, it wouldn't cost you a thing to believe in Jesus Christ. Why do you wanna risk not believing and end up in hell fire?

I don hear but tell him to leave the yorubas alone too.

Ninety percent of the world's Muslims do not speak Arabic as their native language. Yet in daily prayers, when reading the Qur'an, or even in simple conversations with each other, Arabic rolls off any Muslim's tongue readily. It may be broken or heavily accented, but most Muslims make the attempt to speak and understand at least some Arabic.

Why is Arabic so important to understanding the faith of Islam?

Regardless of their linguistic, cultural, and racial differences, Muslims form one community of believers. This community is based on their shared faith in One Almighty God, and the guidance He has sent down to mankind. His final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was sent over 1400 years ago in the Arabic language.

The original Arabic text of the Qur'an has been preserved from the time of its revelation. Translations have been done into various languages, but they all refer back to the original Arabic. In order to fully understand the magnificent words of their Lord, Muslims make every attempt to understand the rich and poetic classical Arabic language. Since understanding Arabic is so important, most Muslims try to learn at least the basics. Many pursue further study to understand the full text of the Qur'an in its original. So how does one go about learning Arabic?

Arabic is written from right to left in its own unique script, and may seem complicated. However, Arabic has a simple alphabet that, once learned, is very accurate in conveying the correct pronunciation of each word. It is possible to learn it. The resources you find here can help you get started. Visit the links to the right to find online courses, books, and software!

Speaking Arabic is not the same as speaking in tongues. It's like roman catholics singing in latin but the gift of tongues is a total different thing and is a heavenly language that is not spoken or understood anywhere in the physical realm. Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Not all Christians speak in tongues, are you insinuating that when Christians pray the devil is listening in on the conversation?

Yep; That's the main essence of speaking in tongues so that the devil cannot[b] hack[/b] into your prayers and hinder it. Tongues makes him real mad because he stands dazed and understands nada.

By the way gibberish is not speaking in tongues, shamamamamamananananamamama, jubbiiititieirieiei, is not tongues. Anyone can speak gibberish and try to pass it of as tongues.

Why should someone be wasting his time speaking gibberish? It's not as if they'll pay you some money for doing it. Common, you talked about logic, why should someone be saying gibberish to him/herself in the name of tongues when God cannot be fooled? I understand if you don't believe in tongues but that's okay because it's usually hard to believe till the holy ghost descends on you one day and you'll see it happen to you.

This pastor get eagle-certified eyes sha! Anyway does anyone knows why his ex-wife left - or he left his ex? Only then,

Nope; may be because of barrenness. His new wife looks like she has an Indian blood abi?

Words alone can not express the kind of anger and rage I felt within me reading this post.I barely know Okotie but if truly he was married and now he his remarrying I wonder the kind of message he is sending to people.The Scriptures clearly states that a man can only remarry under two conditions(1) if his wife became late or (2 ) if the wife has been accused of adultery.See Matt.5 :31-32

Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery" (Matthew 19:9; see also Matthew 5:31, 32).

But after thinking about the whole issue, I take consolation in the Bible again.The Scriptures says by their fruit, thou shall know them.

I still want to give Rev. Okotie the benefit of doubt.Maybe this is a mis-information,

Get your facts right.

I wonder why he still calls himself a Pastor, he should be preaching against divorce.Abi?

Kris Okotie's wife left him and not the other way round. Get your facts right before judging him please. Divorce is allowed in the bible on the grounds of adultery and desertion.

Men can learn that crying doesn't make them look weak but shows us a softer side of them that we love to relate to.So when you feel like it,CRY, we only love you more

ok.

Please, how do you determine "most" fluent in any language from a pool of over 300 people?

What kind of nonsense is this?

Please go and learn about their religion and don't ask silly questions. Thanks.

what is silly about the question? It's either you answer him/her or you decline to do so? Why call him silly because he asked a good question? people for nairaland sha.

@Mustay, if you guys dont speak in tongues, how do you communicate with God without satan listening?

@KarmaMod:
Where are you in NY (New York)? I will like to direct you to a masjid (Mosque) near you, so that you can see many who do not use it. I for one, don't use it.

You are always looking for whom to direct to your mosque.

If the DIEING mate REALLY loves his/her partner . . .Marriage wouldn't come up.

So, NO i wont

uhummmmmnmmmm

Gadogado, show me another hausa man/northerner in the list below apart from Tafewa Balewa who ranked 70 among 100 influential africans?


https://emeagwali.com/africa/100-greatest-africans/new-african-magazine-cover-august-september-2004.jpg


Nigerians in bold.


1. Nelson Mandela
2. Kwame Nkrumah
.
3. Robert Mugabe President of Zimbabwe.
4. Julius Nyerere Former president of Tanzania.

5. Marcus Garvey
6. Patrice Lumumba
7. Martin Luther King
8. Thabo Mbeki

9. Malcolm X
10. Kofi Annan

11. Muhammad Ali
Steve Biko
Muammar Gaddafi

12. Winnie Mandela
13. Shaka Zulu

14. Chinua Achebe

15. W. E. B. Du Bois
16. Haile Selassie
Thomas Sankara

17. Pele

18. Bob Marley
19[b]. Olusegun Obasanjo[/b]

20. George Weah
.
21. Kenneth Kaunda
22. Cheikh Anta Diop
Roger Milla


23. Gamal Abdel Nasser
24. Sir Seretse Khama
25. Maheru Imhotep

26. Ahmed Sekou Toure
Leopold Senghor


27. Wole Soyinka

28. Maria Mutola

29. Sam Nujoma

30. Yaa Asantewaa
31. Amilcar Cabral

32. Dedan Kimathi
33. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
34. Ken Saro Wiwa
35. Phillip Emeagwali

36. Yoweri Museveni
37. Rosa Parks
38. Samora Machel

39. Jesse Owens

40. Jomo Kenyatta

41. Michael Jackson
42. Abdoulaye Wade



43. Miriam Makeba
44. Queen Nzinga
45. Toussaint L’Ouverture
46. Milton Obote
Jay Jay Okocha

47. Nnamdi Azikiwe [/b]Statesman, Intellectual and Titan of African politics. First president of independent Nigeria.
Popularly called ‘Zik of Africa’ for his pan-africanist zeal.

48. Walter Rodney
49. Franz Fanon

50. F.W. de Klerk
Ali Mazrui

51. Joaquim Chissano
52. Joshua Nkomo

53. Felix Konotey-Ahulu
54. Oliver Tambo

55. Louis Farrakhan
Victor Anomah Ngu

56. Abedi Pele
Marc Vivian Foe

57. Walter Sisulu
.
58. Youssou N’Dour
59. Akhenaten

60. George Padmore
61. Abdelaziz Boutefl ika
Alpha Oumar Konare

62. Anwar Sadat
63. John Hendrik Clarke
64. Maya Angelou
65. Hannibal
66. Bill Cosby
67. Chief Hosea Kutako
[b]68. Obafemi Awolowo

69. Oliver Mthukuzi
70. Tafewa Balewa

71. Ahmed Baba

72. Tom Mboya
73. Williams Sisters


74. Hendrik Witbooi
75. Hamilton Naki
76. Khoisan and Pygmies
77. Hugh Masekela

78. Luambo Makiadi


79. Zumbi (of Palmares)
80. Manu Dibango
81. Queen Nefertiti
82. Zinedine Zidane
83. Peter Abrahams
84. Salif Keita
85. The African Child Resilient in the face of adversity and yet exude bright smiles that warms our
hearts and lightens our society. Great survivor.
86. William Tubman
87. Queen of Sheba

88. Moshood Abiola
89. Eddy Murphy
90. Houphouet Boigny
91. Brenda Fassie
92. Archbishop Luwum
93. John Chilembwe
94. Cardinal Arinze

95. Mansa Musa
96. Thierry Henri Black
97. Neville Livingstone
(aka Bunny Wailer)

98. Eduardo Mondlane
99. Desmond Tutu
100. Helen Suzman


http://emeagwali.com/media/africa/100-greatest-africans-of-all-times.html

@deepzone
you should be more respectful!!! lets keep it like that because you say hausas will lead you and also be your servant/shoe shiner or what have you, [b]there are also many yorubas that do menial jobs and manual labour all over the north, hope you are aware, and i went to school in the north so i [/b]don't know what you're saying, don't be too perceptive and judgemental,

How many of them compared to the northerners that shine our shoes? Majority of the yorubas are educated, how can they be shining your shoes?
Even if they do, they pay house rents and do not live like your maiguard brothers that stay in kiosks for the rest of their lives. How can you even try comparing the illiterate hausas with the educated yorubas? The difference is like night and day.

[quote]we have solid schools in the north, el-amin school is owned by maryam babangida
(former first lady) and is in the top 5 best secondary schools in the nation and its located in minna, niger state

[/quote].
Is Maryam Babangida the ibo woman? So an ibo woman built the best school for you guys?

Did you know as you're here talking, there are people (northerners) making deals for alternative energy, in america, some cars use ethanol which is processed corn, they turn corn into energy and use it to run their vehicles (modified ones) its a combination of corn(ethanol) alcohol and 15% petrol. In the north, we have plenty of sugar cane growers, infact abundant!! they grow sugar cane in abundance, and they're planning to turn that into energy same as the ethanol conversions in america. This is called alternative energy, the conventional energy is oil!!!but the north is moving to alternative, deals are currently being made, oil will soon become obsolete, a thing of the past and when that happens, we will see who you'll be doing yanga for.

Northerners? please!!!! Don't tell me hausas are involved in the hydrogen fuel project? i've challenged Musa here before to give me just two names each of hausas/northerners that have an international recognition in the field of science, arts, sports(besides Tijani babangida and my sweetheart, Celestine Babayaro ) and entertainment, can you do it for me please?

to the extent that you're calling people parasites (what an insult) well our governors are taking this alternative energy seriously just as they're doing in America due to the high cost of gasoline!!!

When you fill the offices in Abuja without appropriate qualification and share oil money from the south, what will that be? I can't believe Obasanjo didn't succeed in expunging you guys from those parastatals.

thank you for your compliment that i speak decent english but unlike you, i don't pride myself in speaking another mans language,

That I commended you as the only hausa youngster I've seen speaking good english does not mean am not proud of the yoruba language.

Sunday Oliseh - Wasting in Belgium!

I read in one newspaper this past week that Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh, former captain of the Super Eagles, and one of the best defensive midfielders to have ever worn the Green and White of Nigeria's national team, is coaching a semi-professional football club, RCS Verviers (never heard of the club), in Belgium.





I ask, why Belgium? Why at such a low level? Why not a Nigerian clubside?

I read he remains in Belgium in order to be close to his family that lives there now. That's understandable, but how far can he go in a semi-professional club when he can become one of Nigeria's bright coaching team of the near future?

I've always had the gift of identifying a potentially good coach from the pool of international footballers during their playing days. I said it long before it happened that Stephen Keshi and Samson Siasia would make great coaches.

I always felt that Jay Jay Okocha would not take to coaching but that if he did he would make a damn good coach. Of the 1994 team, however, I always thought that Sunday Oliseh, with his solid intellectual background, his eloquence, and football experience, would become one of the great African coaches of the present era.

His one challenge would be how to play the politics of football administration and endear himself to those who ultimately control Nigerian football.

As a player he was taken as one of the 'rebels', too straight, too outspoken and too frank. And that's not an 'attractive' combination of credentials!

Sunday Oliseh, of course, is a University graduate, one of those that graduated before taking full time to the game.

That showed in how well he played in his time and his running battle with the establishment that has since refused to appreciate his other talent and give him a chance of getting either into coaching or administration in Nigeria, two areas where he would do very well indeed.

Nigeria and Sunday Oliseh need one another. He should not be shut him out and made to waste in some backyard club in Belgium.

The Williams Sisters Are Coming To Nigeria

My friend, Godwin Kienka, Director of The International Tennis Academy, called and gave me the good news last week - the Williams Sisters, Venus and Serena, are coming to Nigeria for some exhibition matches and clinics before the end of the year!

Wow! Since going into sports administration and business it has always been my great dream to be part of bringing sports celebrities to Nigeria.

Two years ago, as consultant to the Nigerian Heart Foundation, I tried to bring golfers Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Ernie Els to Nigeria. I only got as far as Tiger's website! Ernie responded but would not be able to visit at short notice due to his other booked engagements for years ahead. Nick, although retired, was also fully committed to other programmes and could not come, but sent an autographed photo to be auctioned to raise funds in support of the Nigeria Heart centre!

Aside from Tiger Woods, my other great dream was for the William Sisters to visit and become the catalyst of change for Nigerian female tennis.

My dream that one of Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United would come play in Nigeria has come to pass thanks to the silent work of Shehu and David and a few other Nigerians that refused to be deterred by the frustrating procrastination of corporate Nigeria when it comes to funding such events.

Manchester United have visited in the past few weeks. So, when Kienka told me about the Williams Sisters, I was over the moon. It is true! The formalities are being worked out. Funding is being sourced for. The Williams Sisters can inspire Nigeria's highly physically gifted girls to take to tennis. When that happens they would quickly burst into the world scene with their athleticism and power.

Tennis is a game genetically suited to Nigerians, like sprinting and the jumps! Although also highly technical, having such physical attributes provides a great advantage. The greatest incentive is the money available in the game for those that excel in it.

When the first African woman makes it, the world will witness a major shift in the dominance of the sport by Africans. I can't wait to see and possibly meet the Williams sisters on Nigerian soil!

From My Mailbag

By the time you are reading this the Beijing Olympics would have started in earnest. Nigeria's female football team have already lost their opening match against North Korea!

Even the BBC report of the match described the result as 'a big shock'. There is a general air of apprehension about the prospects of Nigerian teams.

Many are of the opinion that Nigeria did not do enough in terms of preparation (it takes a minimum of four years to prepare for every Games) to be hopeful of any kind of medals from the

Games.

Except, of course, 'Dream Team IV' coached by Samson Siasia that is brimming with confidence and great expectations. One of the mails I received this past week says it all and I publish! Please keep them short and coming.

Re- I want to take the federal government to court, by George, gtennispro@aol.com

It is very interesting to read what you guys went through playing for our dear country Nigeria. Unfortunately, your write up can be re-written by virtually every dept of our country.

You have said so much and I want you to know that something must be done about this. When I graduated from Ife in 1990, my thesis was on Student footballers.

There were just a few of you then that I used as case study, Owoblow, Eyo Martins, Adokie, and, of course, yourself. I remember how sad it was for Christian Madu, who gave his all to Rangers and was made a store keeper with the sports council.

Why am I telling you this; because it hurts and NOBODY seems to be talking about it. It made me not give my all to football.

Today, I am living well by God's grace because I depended more on my academics - which is what I fell back on. Now I am a pro Tennis coach in the US. I am coming home to start something. Odizor's been very excited and supportive.

What happened to your academy? That is the kind of place where players can be taught to make good choices. I hope you are still going on with it as you are a well of knowledge. You must empty yourself upon the blessed ones who will have the opportunity to work and learn under you.

May God continue to keep you. Anyhow I say the mathematician has done very very well for himself. See why you are awesome - you are still looking out for others.

George.


http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/9/12.html