₦airaland Forum

Very rich culture indeed.

Nigeria still have great cultural heritage which can really enhance tourism, creating uncountable employment opportunities, aside from crude oil.

Deadly Suicide Bombings Hit Mosques In Yemen's Sanaa

ADEN, Yemen (AP) -- Quadruple suicide bombers on Friday hit a pair of mosques controlled by Shiite rebels in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on Friday, unleashing blasts through crowds of worshippers that killed at least 137 people and wounded around 350 others in the deadliest violence to hit the fragile war-torn nation in decades.

A group claiming to be a Yemeni branch of the Islamic State group said it carried out the attack and warned of an "upcoming flood" of attacks against the rebels, known as Houthis, who have taken over the capital and much of Yemen. The claim, posted online, could now immediately be independently confirmed and offered no proof of an Islamic State role.

If true, Friday's bombing would be the first major attack by IS supporters in Yemen and an ominous sign that the influence of the group that holds much of Iraq and Syria has spread to this chaotic nation, where a powerful wing of the rival militant group al-Qaida already operates. The claim was posted on the same website in which the Islamic State affiliate in Libya claimed responsibility for Wednesday's deadly attack on a museum in Tunisia.

The rebels, known as Houthis, have controlled the capital since September and have been locked in battle with Sunni al-Qaida fighters in various parts of the country. An official with al-Qaida in Yemen said his group was not behind Friday's attack.

The four bombers attacked the Badr and al-Hashoosh mosques, located across town from each other, during midday Friday prayers, traditionally the most crowded time of the week, according to the state news agency. Both mosques are controlled by the Shiite Houthis, but they also are frequented by Sunni worshippers.

The rebel-owned Al-Masirah TV channel said the casualty figures had reached 137 dead and 345 injured and reported that hospitals were urging citizens to donate blood. It also reported that a fifth suicide bomb attack on another mosque was foiled in the northern city of Saada -- a Houthi stronghold.

Scenes from the two mosque showed devastation, with a number of children visible among the dead. Footage from the al-Hashoosh mosque, showed screaming volunteers using bloodied blankets to carry away victims, with a small child among the dead lined up on the mosque floor. A prominent Shiite cleric, al-Murtada al-Mansouri, and two senior Houthi leaders were among the dead, the TV channel reported.

Two suicide bombers attacked the Badr mosque. The first bomber was caught by militia guards searching worshippers at the mosque entrance and detonated his device at the outside gates. Amid the ensuing panic, a second bomber was able to enter the mosque and blow himself up amid the crowds, according to the official news agency SABA.

Survivors compared the explosions to an earthquake, and said some of those who survived the original blasts were then injured by shattered glass falling from the mosque's large hanging chandeliers.

Another pair of suicide bombers attacked the al-Hashoosh mosque. One witness said he was thrown two meters away by one of the blasts.

"The heads, legs and arms of the dead people were scattered on the floor of the mosque," Mohammed al-Ansi told The Associated Press, adding, "blood was running like a river."

Al-Ansi recalled running for the door along with other survivors and hearing one man screaming, "come back, save the injured!"

Another survivor from the Badr mosque, Ahmed al-Gabri, said: "I fell on the ground and when I regained conscious I found myself sleeping on a lake of blood."

Two worshippers who were standing next to him were killed by the blast and a third man died when the chandelier fell on him, al-Gabri said.

A third survivor from the Badr mosque attack, Sadek al-Harithi, described the scene as, "an earthquake where I felt the ground split and swallow everyone."

In an online statement signed by the so-called "Sanaa Province Media office," a group claiming to be the Islamic State branch in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that the four Sanaa suicide bombers blew themselves up among crowds of Houthis.

"This operation is just a glimpse of an upcoming flood, God willing," the group said in the statement. "We swear to avenge the bloodshed of Muslims and the toppling of houses of God."

It directly addressed the Houthis by saying, "The soldiers of the Islamic State ... will not rest until we have uprooted them, repelled their aggression, and cut off the arm of the Iranian project in Yemen," a reference to claims that Shiite powerhouse Iran is backing the rebels.

An al-Qaida official told The Associated Press that al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemeni branch of the terror network, did not carry out the attack. He pointed to earlier statements by the group that prohibited striking mosques. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the press.

The Shiite rebels' power grab has fanned fears of a full-blown civil war in Yemen with sectarian overtones. Shiites, mainly from the Zaidi branch, make up about a third of Yemen's population. Allied with ousted former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Houthis now control at least nine of Yemen's 21 provinces, and the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has been driven to the southern city of Aden.

Friday's attacks come a day after violent clashes in Aden between rival troops loyal to Saleh and Hadi that left 13 dead and forced closure of the city's international airport.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/20/suicide-bombings-sanaa_n_6908792.html

How does this old man sleep at night?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-azGvjFHCec



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRu8-_GEFdY



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWkvxWJW2HU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-azGvjFHCec




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRu8-_GEFdY




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWkvxWJW2HU



I saw these videos about Ethiopia's capital - Addis Ababa's new completed Light Rail Service.

The project started in 2012 and was completed in 2015 costly about USD400 million, compared to Nigeria where our past governments have wasted over USD12 billion.

Nigerians, let us put sentiment aside, how can a country without as much resources as us, complete such a project in 3 years, yet, successive governments in Nigeria have been wasting our resources on 2nd hand trains and less effective rail lines - (said by Doyin Okupe recently that Nigeria cannot afford brand new trains, only 2nd hand trains).

In the videos, the Light rail operates on electricity - how can this be - as still in 2015, Nigeria cannot have constant power for 24 hours.

We have really been shortchanged by our leaders and we need a change of government, will it PDP or APC or even KOWA....the answer lies with us...

http://blackgirllonghair.com/2015/03/meet-miyamoto-eriana-the-first-afro-asian-crowned-miss-japan/

Miyamoto Eriana is the first Afro Asian to be crowned Miss Japan. The reigning queen will go forth as the first Afro Asian representative of the country in the Miss Universe pageant. Eriana was born to a black American father and a Japanese mother in Nagasaki. Nervous about how this would be received, she even voiced her apprehensiveness on acceptance as a contestant in the pageant:

“I thought ‘I wonder if a hafu like me would be okay’ and had insecurities,”

In case any of you are wondering, “hafu” is the Japanese term for biracial. Although, Eriana made history with her win, there were some very outspoken folks on twitter in Japan who felt she should not represent the country because of her cultural background:

“Because this is Miss Universe Japan, don’t you think hafu are a no-no?”

“It makes me uncomfortable to say she’s representing Japan.”

Some even went so far to proclaim that they desired a “pure blooded Japanese” to represent them.


The Facts: Eriana is a Japanese citizen, born and raised. She briefly studied abroad in the U.S. and has a 5th degree of mastery in Japanese calligraphy. She’s also a licensed motorcyclist. Bonus: She loves Mariah Carey. Who better to represent any country that this talented beauty?

We’re wishing you the best in the Miss Universe pageant, Miyamoto!

Yes, like Nigeria, election will take place in the United Kingdom on May 7.

As part of their democratic culture, the party in power will present a budget for the next parliament if they should win the elections. The budget is prepared with utmost seriousness as this could either give the ruling party a victory or even worse a resounding defeat.

Well once the budget has been presented by the Chancellor of Exchequer (Minister of Finance - Nigeria), every other political parties, media and the general population will have enough time to study, understand, scrutinise, criticise and in the extreme case attack the budget.

Now, let us come back to home, hope you're with me, why as citizens of this Republic we have been short-changed by successive governments by them not paying serious attention to the National Budget.

Also we have now have two major parties, namely PDP and APC, as anyone seen their proposed budget for 2015 and beyond if either one is voted into power. All we read and see are baseless propangada, verbal attacks on individuals, we are now divided on ethnic or religious line. Nobody is talking about 'real issues' affecting the population at large. If you ask any of the parties representatives what are the political ideologies of either PDP or APC, all they could say is President Jonathan have done well and should be given a 2nd term (PDP), or General Buhari will fight corruption (APC). We still have a long way to go.

We should all task any political party that is contesting on their plans for the nation and not just on some selected few. By this our democracy will develop more fully, thus having a significant impact on peoples lives.

PDP, APC and other parties should make extra efforts in highlighting their for all of us.

I have provided some of the key points in the UK Budget for 2015, let the discussion begin.....

Key points of Budget 2015: At-a-glance
George Osborne has delivered his sixth Budget as chancellor, and the last of the current Parliament. Here is a summary of the key announcements in his statement.

The state of the economy - UK grew 2.6% in 2014, faster than any other advanced economy but lower than 3% predicted in December
2.5% growth forecast in 2015, up from 2.4% predicted in December, followed by 2.3%, 2.3%, 2.3% and 2.4% in the next four years
Record employment in the UK, with jobless rate to fall to 5.3% this year
Trade deficit figures "the best for 15 years"
Living standards "higher" than in May 2010, according to OBR data, with households better off by an average of £900 in last five years
Inflation projected to fall to 0.2% in 2015

Public borrowing/deficit/spending - Deficit halved since 2010 as a share of national income
Borrowing set to fall from £97.5bn in 2013-14 to £90.2bn in 2014-15, £75.3bn in 2015-6, £39.4bn in 2016-7, £12.8bn in 2017-8 before reaching a £5.2bn surplus in 2018-9
Debt as a share of GDP to fall from 80.4% in 2014 to 80.2% in 2015-16 before falling in every year, reaching 71.6% in 2019-20
Additional £30bn savings needed in next Parliament
Public spending squeeze to end a year earlier than planned in 2019-2020, with spending from then to grow in line with total economic growth
Welfare bills set to be an average of £3bn lower each year than predicted in December, and interest charges on government gilts £35bn lower
Sale of £13bn Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley mortgage assets

Pensions - The lifetime allowance for pension savings that can be accumulated free of tax will be cut from £1.25m to £1m from April 2016, saving £600m annually
Pensioners will be able to trade in their annuities for cash pots, with the 55% tax charge abolished and tax applied at the marginal rate
Widows of police officers and firefighters who choose to marry again will have their existing pensions protected

Alcohol, tobacco and gambling and fue[/b]l - Beer duty cut by 1p a pint and cider by 2p. 2% cut in excise duty on scotch whisky and other spirits while wine duty frozen
No changes to tobacco and gambling taxes, with tobacco duties set to rise by 2% above inflation, equivalent to 16p on a packet of 20 cigarettes.
New "horse racing betting right" to replace the 50-year old horserace betting levy on British bookmakers
Petrol duty frozen - September's planned increase cancelled

[b]Personal taxation - The tax-free personal allowance to rise from £10,600 in 2015-6 to £10,800 in 2016-7 and £11,000 in 2017-8
The threshold at which people start paying 40p income tax to rise by above inflation from £42,385 in 2014-5 to £43,300 in 2017-8
Annual paper tax returns to be abolished, replaced by digital accounts.
Transferable tax allowance for married couples to rise to £1,100
Class two national insurance contributions for self-employed to be abolished in next Parliament
Review of inheritance tax avoidance through "deeds of variation"

Savings - New personal savings allowance - first £1,000 interest on savings income to be tax-free for basic rate taxpayers and £500 allowance for 40p tax ratepayers.
Annual savings limit for ISAs increased to £15,240
"Fully flexible" ISA will allow savers to withdraw money and put it back later in the year without losing any of their tax-free allowance
New "Help to Buy" ISA for first-time buyers will allow government to top up by £50 every £200 saved for a deposit

Armed forces - A further £75m from Libor fines to go to charities for regiments which fought in Afghanistan and government to contribute towards permanent memorial to those who died in Afghanistan and Iraq and help renovate Battle of Britain memorials
£25m to support army veterans, including nuclear test veterans

Business - Tax on "diverted profits" to come into effect next month, aimed at multinational firms moving profits "artificially offshore"
Annual bank levy to rise to 0.21%, raising an extra £900m. Banks to be barred from deducting compensation for mis-selling from corporation tax
Supplementary charge on North Sea oil producers to be cut from 30% to 20% while petroleum revenue tax to fall from 50% to 35%. New tax allowance to encourage investment in North Sea
Review of business rates
Automatic gift aid limit for charities to be extended to £8,000
Farmers allowed to average incomes for tax purposes over five years
New tax credit for orchestras and consultation on tax relief for local newspapers

Health and education - Consultation on proposal to offer loans of up to £25,000 for UK students studying for PhDs and research-based master's degrees.
Mental health services to get £1.25bn in extra funding

Housing/infrastructure/transport/regions - £15m church repair roof fund to be trebled
Up to £600m to clear new spectrum bands for auction to improve mobile networks: commitment to deliver ultra-fast broadband to all homes
New powers for Mayor of London over skills and planning
Greater Manchester councils to be allowed to keep 100% of growth in business rates
New inter-city rail franchise for south west of England
Toll for Severn river crossings to be reduced from 2018
Consultation on £1bn "tidal lagoon" in Swansea Bay to generate green energy

Change2015:
Let the people of Bayelsa be honest. As deputy governor, acting governor, governor, Jonathan left no mark to record his passage. The country has had enough!

#change
#GMB
#APC

Exactly my thoughts for the past few years, why can't we look at President Jonathan's records while he governed one of the smallest states in Nigeria with one of the highest monthly federal allocations.

I guess a few of us should take a journey to Bayelsa to witness how poorly developed the state is.

Big...big numbers every time there's a change in the Ministry of Aviation.

I thought our National carrier should have been in operation by now, as stated by ex-minister of aviatio, Mrs Stella Oduah by last year.

The question we should be asking ourselves is, what will President Jonathan do better if he is re-elected on March 28, that is if any election will take place.

The last few years saw an usual high cost of crude oil netting the country massive gains, now that the National Assembly have further pegged the price of crude to $53 as against $65 per barrel highlighted by our Econs Minister, how will President Jonathan run his government for the next four years based on a budget-deficit scenario.

Judging by the fact that in most cases, hardly does the incumbent do anything worthwhile in their 2nd term - most times it ends in disgrace or such leader becomes a lame-duck. E.g. President Obama of US, Governor Fashola of Lagos etc.

Empiree:
That will be your homework. lol

Empiree, why should this be my homework, you took valuable time to lecture us with the information you posted, I think you should be able to answer the question in a simple way for us to learn. I don't want a situation where myself or anyone else would misinterpret you.

As I don't understand Arabic, could you be kind enough to recommend authentic translation books, which helps to translate the Quran to English without any ambiguity?

Empiree:
What they gain?. This is a million dollar question. God already told muslims that people of the book will not be pleased with muslims.

"And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion. Say, "Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [only] guidance." If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against Allah no protector or helper." 2:120

I have been hearing crazy maltreatment of non-Muslims who revert(convert) to Islam. In this video, you will get a bit of the stories of how those people are treated, yet media say Muslims force people to convert or kill those to apostate from Islam. They are liars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfC-CKmTRT0

Empiree: why are the Jews and the Christians the only group of people named in the Quran...what about Hindus, Sikhs Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Rastafarians and many other religions not mentioned in the Quran?

Looking forward to read some intelligent contribution to the questions asked

When will President Jonathan give a speech similar to the above...instead of letting his media goons running the show in a shameless manner of political propaganda?

I greet you all with gladness and delight to be amongst you in this engagement; there is no doubt in our hearts that this gathering is a good one to help us re-establish the goodness in being in each others’ company. It is also not a secret, especially due to the forthcoming elections, that some groups are being tagged as religiously intolerant of the other; I hope that this gathering will help quell such unfair sentiments.

As our nation approaches, perhaps, the most crucial election in our history, all true patriots are called to deeper reflection of the basic ingredients that bind the nation together — these being our common freedom, peace and unity. This reflection is even more relevant in the face of the illegal postponement of the general elections — a feat achieved through various sinister ploys and with the sole aim of avoiding the will and verdict of the people. In all these, I feel the urge to communicate my personal vision and thoughts to the people of our great nation, especially on the question of religion, a sensitive matter for many citizens that has become the most frequently used tool by the ruling party.
I must add that no one is exempted from overzealousness where faith is concerned – just as the Christians believe so much in their cause, so also do the Muslims, as well as other religions in our country. However, those who deliberately disseminate divisive disinformation and attempt to stoke primordial sentiments using religion or ethnicity and create fear in the minds of people fail the standard of patriotism that this nation demands of them and deserves from them.

There are talks today about the fear of Islamisation or Christianisation of the Nigerian state by my running mate and I, or by our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is absolutely impossible considering that the Nigerian Constitution is clearly against elevating any religion to a state religion. That said, our religion or faith is expected to guide us, such that the good that we do transcend into good living conditions and to make life more abundant in our communities, states and the country at large. It seems though, that the exact tenets of our beliefs have been abandoned, but often revisited only for self-gratification.

I would like to solemnly declare that in spite of what our detractors say, I am not a religious fanatic of any sort and I have never been. In all my life I have never supported extremism of any kind, and nowhere in my record of service to our nation can this false toga, which political traducers have tried so hard to put on me, be substantiated. Indeed, it is very unfortunate and I feel extremely sad that I have to give this type of assurance at this time in our national life.

Let me reiterate that I, Muhammadu Buhari, have come as an individual to serve and not to dictate, and that as a President – if given the opportunity – I nurture no ambition to Islamise the country, neither is my running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo nursing any ulterior agenda to Christianise the country. Please be clear that no member of our team puts one religion above the other or one interest above another.
My background is in the army, and there is no doubt that the military is one of the most integrated pan-Nigerian institutions. And even today, the military is one of the few national institutions that represent the pride of our nation’s possibilities in unity. Soldiers from every nook and cranny of this country come together, work and live together, entrust their lives to each other and integrate their families. It is a military where many of my dearest friends, from all faiths and parts of the country, lost their lives defending the unity of our nation. That was the military I served in, and in the Nigeria military that I know and can speak of, it was impossible to be a bigot.
Just as it will be considered favouritism when someone is favoured based on his affiliations even when he is less worthy of the favour, so also is the graveness of favouritism when religious sentiments is brought into a democracy or into a highly sensitive issue as choosing the leader of an entire country.

In our Qur’an and Bible, we were never told that leaders were chosen because they were Jewish or Israelites, but because they have what it takes to liberate the people of God; because they have what it takes to make the people realise the intended goods and potentials for the growth and benefit of the society.

In most sincerity of heart, I urge you all to have a discerning mind; double check any individual who speaks about another person in ways derogatory to the dignity of a human being — surely, our faiths preach against back-biters and gossips.
I enjoin all of us to exhibit the virtue of tolerance; tolerance because where your strength gives way is where the strength of the other person begins — that strength is what you both need to forge ahead and it is the collective strength that we need as a people to build our nation.
Tolerance because the supporters of Shari’a are protecting their customs as the Shari’a law is synonymous with customary laws, covering customs of marriage, divorce and inheritance which cannot be forced on people who do not subscribe to it, but expecting understanding from them in appreciation of their customs.

This tolerance should guide us because even in the south of Nigeria where there are no laws like the Shari’a, we still experience some level of lawlessness and jungle justice and in-human treatments. So it is not about the law; it is simply that we have lost the sense of dignity that should be accrued to the human person; we now only see religion, tribe, place of origin and so on when we look at our neighbours.
If we know the sacredness of the positions of leadership, we would wish only those after our hearts to assume such positions; those who have won hearts because of the genuineness of their intentions and deeds; those who will be quick to rise to your defence rather than deny the attack or ask for proof of attack.

I expect leaders to treat this position like a religion; knowing that they have been put there in trust that they will manage affairs well and make sure that no member of any community is neglected. Truth be told, any leader who continues to show signs of increased wealth while the people cry of hunger, has not been true to his faith.

Nations around the world are envious of our diversity. They covet the strength in our diversity, we should focus on having a leader who stands as a rallying point around whom people can gather; one who will mend fences and build bridges, so that when called to give account of stewardship, he can boldly say, “not one of the people you have given me have I lost in the course of our journey.”
Leadership is not a one-man show, so we have to work together; we must come together, putting religious sentiments aside and rising above the vicious lies of the propagandists; seeing those negative comments as nothing but wicked minds trying to incite same wickedness in the generality of people.

I daresay that the prospects of elections are heated in themselves all over the world, so we do a great injustice to ourselves if we begin to insult the things that we hold dear and believe in.
I believe I am speaking the minds of most if I say that Nigeria and Nigerians are tired of the hopeless state and the hopelessness our country has been plunged into. We want to have faith in our leaders; as we do in our religion, a faith that will help us recognise the strength in our diversity and in the long run, unite us as a nation.

God bless Nigeria as we struggle again to build a united Nigeria in faith, service and good works. Thank you.

General Muhammadu Buahri, GCFR, delivered this address at an inter-faith engagement at Hamdala Hotel, Kaduna on Wednesday 10th March, 2015

http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=166984

Classic punishment

A jury in the United States has ruled that the writers of Blurred Lines - one of the best-selling singles of all time - copied a Marvin Gaye track.

Jurors in Los Angeles decided that the 2013 single by Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke breached the copyright of Gaye's 1977 hit Got To Give It Up.

The family of the late soul singer has been awarded $7.3m (£4.8m) in damages.

Thicke and Williams denied copying the hit, and their lawyer said the ruling set a "horrible precedent".

Meanwhile, the Gaye family's lawyer told Rolling Stone he wanted to stop the sales of Blurred Lines.

"We'll be asking the court to enter an injunction prohibiting the further sale and distribution of Blurred Lines unless and until we can reach an agreement with those guys on the other side about how future monies that are received will be shared," attorney Richard Busch said.

Gaye died in April 1984, leaving his children the copyright to his music.

His children - Nona, Frankie and Marvin Gaye III - sued Thicke and Williams in 2013. Nona wept as the verdict was read in court.

"Right now, I feel free," she told reporters after the ruling. "Free from... Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke's chains and what they tried to keep on us and the lies that were told."

In court, Williams had told jurors that Gaye's music was part of the soundtrack of his youth but he insisted it was not on his mind when he wrote the song.

But the musician recognised a likeness between the songs and agreed he was "channelling... that late-70s feeling" when he co-wrote the song.

Thicke testified that he had contributed little to the writing of the song.

"While we respect the judicial process, we are extremely disappointed in the ruling made today, which sets a horrible precedent for music and creativity going forward," the pair's lawyer Howard E King said.

"We are reviewing the decision, considering our options and you will hear more from us soon about this matter."

The hit, which earned a Grammy nomination, generated more than $16m (£10. in profits and made more than $5m (£3m) for both stars.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31825059

President Goodluck Jonathan has removed Martin Luther Agwai, a retired general and former chief of army staff, as chairman of the federal government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

Reuben Abati, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, who made the announcement, did not explain the reasons for the sack.

He only said Agwai would be replaced by Ishaya Dare Akau “with immediate effect”.

“In furtherance of his efforts to continuously re-energise and reposition agencies of the federal government for optimal service delivery, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has appointed Mr. Ishaya Dare Akau as the new chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P),” he wrote in a statement.

“Mr. Akau, whose appointment takes immediate effect, replaces Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.) who served as Chairman of the SURE-P until today.”

The new SURE-P chairman hails from Jema’a local government area of Kaduna state and holds Bachelors’ Degrees in the Arts and Law.

“Akau comes to the job with years of experience as a high-level administrator in the nation’s public service. His record of service includes tenures as chairman of the Kaduna state universal education board and chairman of the national assembly service commission,” Abati said.

“President Jonathan thanks the outgoing chairman of SURE-P, Gen Agwai for his service to the nation and wishes him well in his future endeavours.”

Agwai’s sack comes six days after he delivered a lecture at the 78th birthday ceremony of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, titled ‘Imperatives of National Security: Framework for Development and Progress of Nigeria’.

At the lecture, which was not attended by officials of the federal government and the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), Agwai had said change in leadership had become inevitable in the country.

He observed that the military had found itself in a “strange terrain”, saying the military should avoid getting enmeshed in politics, else the country would suffer for it.

He also described Obasanjo as an inspiration to some generation of military officers, particularly those from minority ethnic groups.

“I, for one, from somewhere (small) ethnic group in Nigeria, from a small village, was chief of staff. I will always remain appreciative of this, happy birthday sir!”‎ he said.

The high-profile personalities who attended the lecture were governors and leaders of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

http://www.thecable.ng/breaking-jonathan-sacks-agwai-sure-p-chair

Arik Air, punctuality is not in their company's statement.

Even now local travel agents are discouraging people from booking tickets with Arik on international flights, because of the same bad customer service they too are experiencing from them.

Very old pictures

Mr Adeyeye should be shameful if it's true he made these statements.

Only in Nigeria and corrupt countries will individuals be awarded sensitive defence contracts.

What is the function of the Ministry of Defence or the Nigerian Air Force in providing the necessary equipments needed?

This kind of contract is only given after proper 'due diligence' have been carried out, unfortunately, we don't do such processes in Nigeria.

Little wonder, some individuals are hell-bent on President Jonathan being elected, because they are only there for their own sakes.

It would be appropriate if some individuals here can cross checked the websites of Triax Company Nig Ltd owned by Arthur Eze and asked themselves questions if they can do business with such an organisation.

Now we know why the Boko Haram insurgency have not been curtailed.

A female Lebanese TV host has won wide-spread support after standing her ground against an Islamist scholar following his sexist comments live on air.

Rima Karaki was conducting an interview with London-based Islamist Hani Al-Seba'i for Lebanon's Al Jadeed on the weekend of International Women’s Day, discussing reports of Christians joining Islamic groups such as ISIS in the Middle East when the scholar went off on a historical tangent.
In the footage, Karaki urges Sheik Al-Seba'i to get back to the issues being faced in the present day, and asks him another question, a request which sparks a heated argument. 'It was at its peak during the 1970s, with the leftist revolutionary movement,' he says. 'Back then, we saw leftist organisation like the Red Brigades in Italy, the Red Army in Germany, the Baader Meinhof Group ...'

Karaki tries to get Al-Seba'i back on topic, asking him to 'focus on the present'.
She asks: 'At present, what slogans are used to attract (Christians) to these groups?'
But Dr Al Seba’i becomes angry and abruptly replies: 'Listen, don't cut me off. I will answer as I please.' He then raises his voice, adding: 'I will not answer the way you like, because I’m here to serve the idea in which I believe.'

Karaki politely explains that they have limited time on the show, but Al-Seba'i refuses to listen, telling the TV host he would not be interrupted and that he will answer as he pleases.
The host then lets the scholar know exactly who's in charge. 'In this studio, I run the show,' Karaki says. It provokes an angry reaction from Al-Seba'i. 'Are you done?' he says. 'Shut up so I can talk.
'It's beneath me to be interviewed by you. You are a woman who...' you are going to elaborate so much, we won’t have time for other questions.
'Now, it’s up to you. If we have time, you will answer all the questions,' she says.
Dr Al Seba'i replies: “You can decide as much as you like, but I will do whatever I want.'
With her palm facing the Sheikh, Karaki then delivers the ultimate end to the conversation.
'How can a respected Sheik like yourself tell a TV host to shut up?' she asks.
'Either there is mutual respect or the conversation is over.'

The studio cameras then switch back to the studio leaving the Sheik in the dark.
Karaki later posted a video of the conversation on her Twitter feed, which has gone viral and received widespread support. It has had 2.3million views on YouTube.

Ania Sowinski tweeted: 'The awesome and beautiful Rima Karaki. A great role model for young women #respect.'

Raji Abi Rached added: 'Good job on putting disrespectful people in their place #WomensDay.'
The row comes as global views on women’s rights face more scrutiny than ever before.
Last month, a manifesto - reportedly written by an all-women Islamic State militia - advised that nine is a good age to consider marriage for girls, who should have husbands by 16. It also said women must stay behind closed doors, be veiled and only leave the house in exceptional circumstances.

While in India, a documentary caused outrage last week in which convicted rapist Mukesh Singh blamed his victim Jyoti Singh for the attack.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2986066/Lebanese-TV-host-Rima-Karaki-stands-sexist-Islamist-scholar.html

God and Mormon - does not mix together - can any of the present day so-called Men of God - live an austere and selfless lifestyle like the apostles and true disciples of Jesus Christ.

The brand of gospel - now known as 'Prosperity Gospel' was never laid down by Jesus Christ - but a brand of man-made gospel - which have left the mind of most christian directionless in the christian faith.

Jesus Christ simply gave an instruction in Matthew 28:16-20, about making discipleship of all nations.

As said by Doyin Okupe, "Nigeria cannot afford brand new trains, hence the reason why there are 2nd hand trains all over the place"... not surprise about the train name.

stevikenna:
INSTEAD OF SHOWING US WHAT HE HAS DONE SINCE BECOMING PRESIDENT,THE PRESIDENT CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION HAS RESORTED TO PROPAGANDA USING A SUPPOSEDLY INDEPENDENT TV STATION TO RUN A SMEAR CAMPAIGN
IF INDEED PRESIDENT JONATHAN IS WORKING THESE SUPPOSEDLY CORRUPT INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN TRIED AND JAILED BECAUSE THE SCALE AT WHICH THEY HAVE SUPPOSEDLY STOLEN SO I WOULD INSTEAD VOTE FOR A PRESIDENT WHISE MERE NAME STRIKES FEAR IN THE HEARTS OF THE CORRUPT AND IS ALSO A MAN OF HIS WORDS
#IHAVEDECIDED

Well said...exactly my thoughts...PDP and their goons are just using negative propanda.

Why can't they beam their searchlight on the controversial Ekiti-gate election tape?

A family watching lions from the supposed safety of their car at a safari park in South Africa learned you should always lock your door.

In a 2014 video that's now gaining attention, a curious female lion opens a passenger door with her mouth, eliciting screams and quick action.

The occupants manage to re-shut the door and lock it. Then one person can be heard saying, "Oh my gosh I didn't know they could do that."

You and me both, sister.

But this kind of thing has happened before in South Africa. In 2009, a lion at a safari park in Johannesburg reportedly opened a door and chased after the car after it sped off. A warden had to throw stones at the animal to move it back.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeaztQK9If0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/04/lion-opens-car-door_n_6800436.html

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, Monday, led political leaders in the state on a sensitization tour of wards and units in the Yenagoa council area due to slow pace of collection of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs in the state.

Dickson, accompanied by the first civilian governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, visited the palaces of the Obenibe of Epie Kingdom, HRM Malla Sasime, the paramount ruler of Ekeki community, Chief B. Z Odoki, said though the number of registered voters in the state is the smallest in the federation, the slow rate of collection is worrisome to the state and the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The slow pace of collection he said informed his administration declaration of today (Monday) a public holiday as part of deliberate effort to ensure quick collection of the PVCs.

“As at the last data from the INEC, we have attained 66 per cent, though a pass, we need to attained 95 per cent collection. Anytime they count us, they don’t count those in the fishing settlements, this is why we are the least in terms of voting population. With this small population, God gave us a mighty position of producing a President,” he said.

Some of the royal fathers visited, including the Obenibe of Epie Kingdom, HRM Malla Sasime made royal pronouncement urging their subjects to come out en masse and collect the PVC.

The various collection centres visited, witnessed huge turn out of prospective voters for the collection of Permanent Voters Cards.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Barido Gbagi, in his assesment of the sensitisation tour conducted by the state governor, commended the state leadership for the initiative and also the registered voters for coming out in large turn to pick up their PVCs.

He noted that over 40,000 Permanent Voters Cards are still being expected in some units of the state adding that the huge turn out will ensure increase collection in the state.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/jonathan-worried-by-slow-rate-of-pvc-collection-in-bayelsa-dickson/