By Our Correspondents
— Dec 10, 2014 | Leave a comment
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday stated that Niger Delta amnesty programme influenced insurgency in the north east, describing the programme is a failure.

Obasanjo also stated that Jonathan’s administration’s approach to curbing the activities of the militants “had taken the form of throwing money at the problem, particularly stuffing the pockets and bank of the militants’ leadership with obscene cash in reckless and unsustainable manner.”

The former president expressed these views in his latest book, My Watch, a three-volume memoir which was launched in Lagos yesterday despite a restraining court order obtained by the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, against the publication or launch of the book.

Assuring the gathering that the meeting was legal, the former president asserted that he “will not be party to anything that is illegal.”

He explained that the way and manner in which the militants were enriched by the federal government fuelled the Boko Haram insurgents.

“The idea is that ‘what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ After that (Niger Delta amnesty programme) is accomplished, I suppose the Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in the south east will make their own demand, which of necessity must heeded. And finally, Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the south west will not be left out”, he stated.

Obasanjo also lashed out at the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration on security under their watch, stressing that it was one of the things that “got me worried.”

Commenting on Jonathan’s response to the abduction of female students in Chibok, Borno State, the former president said “the one incident that overtly and graphically exposed the ineptitude, ineffectiveness, inefficiency, carelessness, cluelessness, callousness, insensitivity and selfishness of Goodluck Jonathan was the abduction of about 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State by Boko Haram.

“The reaction and attitude of our president and his household was that of non-belief, to the extent that 18 days passed before he grudgingly conceded to accept the reality of the abduction. If serious action had been taken within 48 hours, the story could have been different. Seventy-two hours was, for me, too late. After all, there would have been logistics required for moving almost 390 girls through the bush and small settlements by the Boko Haram.”

In the third volume of the book entitled ‘Now and Then’, Obasanjo described President Jonathan as a failure to the country.

He said: “After watching, reaching out to, studying, talking to and listening to the president himself and the people around him, I came, sadly, to a number of conclusions that mark Jonathan out as a man of adequate intelligence to run the affairs of Nigeria but lacking in broad vision, knowledge, confidence, understanding, concentration, capacity, sense of security, courage, moral and ethical principles, character and passion to move the nation forward on a fast trajectory.”

The former president also condemned what he described as the selfish interest of Jonathan, saying the president places his personal interest far above both national and party interests.

Referring to the 2011 general elections, Obasanjo claimed that heavy financial prices were paid to Lagos and Ondo states’ opposition to secure votes for the president against the interest of the PDP at the state levels.

“I had watched Jonathan and stood close to him in picking the national chairman of the party and chairman of board of trustees that succeeded me. What I saw and heard from him disgusted me to no end. Where Jonathan’s interests are concerned, there can be no decorum. Everything can be ‘rofo rofo’ and no party or national interests matter.”

He, however, stated his “unrepentant optimism” that Nigeria will once again remain united and regain its glory.

“When I became president in 1999, some people told me that I will be the last president of Nigeria, but there have been many presidents after me up until now and there will be many more presidents for Nigeria in many years to come. Nigeria has many challenges, but if we are determined we will make right everything that had gone wrong.”

On her own part, former minister of education, and convener of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Group, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, stressed the need for leaders to serve with a sense of duty, stating that “leadership is not by mistake or by chance.”

Speaking on My Watch, Ezekwesili said that it points out many mistakes that had been made in the country, adding that “we should learn from our mistakes because we cannot afford to continue to make mistakes.”

Reviewing the book, principal partner at Nextier Advisory, Patrick Okigbo, stated that the book gives “one side of the story and that side is vicious enough that it should prompt a response from many quarters.”

According to him, Obasanjo did not fail to name and shame those he considered to have worked against the progress of Nigeria.

“Some personalities who have presented themselves as leaders and reformists will have to present counter evidence to defend their reputation,” he said.

 

Presidency keeps mum

But all efforts to get the presidency to react to Obasanjo’s damning verdict against the president did not yield any fruit by press time.

A text message sent to the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, was not replied, even as another presidential aide, Dr Doyin Okupe, was not forthcoming with any response.

Media aide to the senior special assistant to the president, Mr. Bamidele Salam, simply told LEADERSHIP on telephone that Okupe was very busy with preparations for the PDP primaries to react to Obasanjo claims for now.

 source: LEADERSHIP

hello BizBloke,
I have seen it ,thanks for keeping to your word.
Please don't hesitate to inform me when there is a better deal to use the other part.
Cheers

For fixing, maintenance, and repairs of ; Tipping Pump, Tipping Barrel, air steering, hydraulic power, and truck tipping system in general. Within South-South and Southeast Nigeria.
Please contact Friday at 09021254018 or 09097146748 for a touch from the experts

For fixing, maintenance, and repairs of ; Tipping Pump, Tipping Barrel, truck tipping system in general.
Please contact Friday at 09021254018 or 09097146748 for a touch from the experts

Hello BizBloke,
Please, were you able to still make the transfer?
Thanks

Hello BizBloke,
I got your mail but don't understand what you mean by the terms used. Can you please explain those terms in a lay man language to me?
Thanks

BizBloke:


Hi Giftbz,

I've been informed. Acknowledged. I won't take back my word; you'll get it but I'll have to give you a new date that's best and won't go unfulfilled.

Thanks, yes, I'm much better.

Three cheers.

Alright, cheers

Hello BizBloke,
I have resend my details, please make me know when you acknowledge it.
Meanwhile, sorry to know you had accident, hope your treatment is going fine?

BizBloke:


[b]Hi Giftbz,

Thanks for writing back as I've contacted you more than 6 times for your refund; you delayed your refund not BizBloke.

When making reference to a transaction that took place as far back as March, best make reference to the fact that you didn't come to pick up your products when they arrived Nigeria even after contacting you severally on Nairaland for pick up; it took a month or more and then, there was a break and entry. Everyone whose products were stolen: Tiifany, etc were refunded/products were replaced within two weeks. Where were you? And several months later (almost 6 months later), you came back to explain you had an accident. Perfectly understood!

Now, you write about tying down your business money? You delayed picking up your products and no one tied down your money.

Excuse me but you've no right to type that the 'delay' is annoying or to write about your money being trapped because if I was to go by the rule book, the storage fee on your products wiped off your money entirely. Could you recall or make a number count of how many times I've personally contacted you for your products and then, your money?

Courtesy demands you come plain when writing, even if you want to rule it in your favour.

Kindly mail the Accounts Team.

Cheers.[/b]

Maybe you are not aware that your account department contacted me a month back and I sent them my account details, they wrote me back and promised to make the refund within two weeks, and this is a month, so what are you talking about?
I made this order March, it was delayed to May ending before they arrived. I had accident by 2days after they arrived and from what you told me , your store was broken in by the same May.
I am not aware of your storage charge, but I repeat its not a reason my case should be treated nonchalantly by your account department, do you expect me to re-send my account details again and wait for another two weeks or probably a month?

Hello BizBloke
You requested for my account details to make refund to me, and I sent it to you. You promised to make the refund within 14days. Its almost a month you made that promise, why are you delaying the refund.
Your delay is really annoying, pls effect the refund immediately, as this transaction took place since March and you cannot trap a business money for this long.

BizBloke: Giftbz,

A refund of N11,500 for your lost products will be processed within this month.

Three cheers.

. Can I reorder with it?

BizBloke:

Thanks, Giftbz.

I've been able to pull up your transaction records with Specuit Cargo. You made a payment of N11,500 on the 24th of March, 2014. Once I discuss with the Accounts Team within today and tomorrow, I'll get back to you on the next step.

Three cheers and kindly stay with me.

How do you feel today?

Gud.morning,
Ur record is correct. I am doing better.
Thanks

BizBloke: Giftbz,

May I have your email address? I need to look up the total cost of your products for replacement. They were among the products that were stolen when there was a break-in in our office premises about three months ago.

Three cheers.

Cosb_20@yahoo.co.uk

Gud. Morning BizBloke,
Thanks for your concern, I am still in the process of recovering; undergoing physiotherapy and hope to be fully fit again. I hope to hearing the next step soon.
Thanks

Hello BizBloke,
I placed order for sets of necklace and wrist watch through you from eBay early this year, and the orders finally arrived Lagos early May this year. I wrote to you immediately u informed me, so as to find out my bal. and how much it was going to cost me to ship the package to Uyo, but while waiting your reply, I had accident the next day and was bedridden for 4Months; that had been the reason u didn't hear from me since May but now, so please can you tell me my bal. and how much it will cost to send the package to Uyo.
Thanks

November 28, 2013 - 05:12 — siteadmin

caption:
Asari Dokubo
By SaharaReporters, New York
The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who was   arrested  yesterday in Cotonou, Benin Republic has been released.
Mr.  Dokubo was released after President Goodluck Jonathan personally intervened on his behalf with the Beninoise President Yayi Boni.
Festus Keyamo, a civil rights activist and personal attorney to Mr. Dokubo confirmed his release to Saharareporters.
Dokubo, who once bragged openly that his arrest will lead to the demise of Nigeria spent 36 hours with the Beninoise gendarmes before his release around 1 AM Nigerian time today.
 
President Jonathan reportedly deployed a jet to ferry Mr. Asari to Abuja a few hours after his release.

Coenvict: You are a big foooool

. Why did you glorified that mumu by answering him?

yousee: I don't know why I tend to believe baba's tale...

The other guy makes me laugh! Asking NNPC to allow the over loading of trucks so they could buy off the excess! Imagine the temerity?

As for the one looking for the "fruit of the womb" after sampling lots of women outside, well,...my mouth shut-up!

. U mean baba don't know water(holy)?

Wait, make I laugh finish first. Naija I dey hail oh!

By EVELYN USMAN
Operatives of the Inspector General of Police,IGP, Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit, have arrested six suspected vandals amongst whom is a 65- year-old man, Salami Amodu who sarcastically maintained that he thought it was holy water.
Also arrested were, Bruce Ekonen, Joseph Ofoeyeno, Francis Ode, Bruce Ekonen and Kola Ifatoye with about 100 gallons of PMS alleged to have been vandalized from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,NNPC, pipeline at Idimagboro, in Sagamu area of Ogun state.
In a bid to convince the police of his innocence Baba stated: “I was on my way home when a man popularly known as Alfa stopped me. He promised to pay me N5000 per trip if I can help him to carry 10 gallons of liquid. I thought it was water so, I did not bother to ask, since it’s a good business. It is possible that the water could be anointed since he was ready to pay as much as N5000.

*File Photo: Activity at a vandalised oil pipe
“It was while we were on our way that I started to perceive the odour of fuel. I asked him and he told me that it was fuel. I was so annoyed and I shouted at him for not telling me in the first place what was in the gallons. Initially, I wanted to stop the car and ask him to off load the vehicle but when I realized that we were almost close to his destination, I decided to continue. I am aware that vandals normally pass through that route that was why I was very angry with him.”
When asked how long he has helped people to carry water from the bush to their destination, Baba said, “In that area, people go for prayers. Clerics come to that area to buy holy water to perform miracle. Most of the times when I am done with the day’s job especially if I did not make much money, I will go down to the bush area to see if there is anyone who needs lift. I also ensure that I do not carry vandals because those days when I used to help them, it landed me into trouble with security men. Although, there is money to make in that business but the risk is much. This was why I stopped a long time ago till Alfa deceived me into carrying fuel for him.”
Baba pleaded that he should be forgiven, “ I am very sorry. It is of no use denying that I was not involved because I was caught with the product. Life has been unfair to me if not, at this age, why should I be hustling for money to feed and take care of my family. I am very sorry.”
Another suspect, Joseph claimed that his duty was just to transport the stolen products from the bush to the buyers. “Initially I was buying directly from NNPC staff close to the depot. Normally, NNPC staff will overload their trucks and sell the excess to us before preceding to off- load the rest for the buyer. The place was however shot down when there was a fire outbreak. I had no choice than to patronize these vandals. I am sorry and I wish NNPC will be allowing those their truck drivers to carry excess.”
Yet another suspect, Bruce taking a cue from Baba’s confession said that he actually went to the bush to see a cleric for the gift of the fruit of the womb. “I have been married for the past 8 years and my wife has not been able to conceive. I have tried my hands on different women outside but none has ever returned with the good news that she is pregnant.
“I was actually on my way when I saw Francis and asked him for a lift. We were on our way to town when the police arrested us. I was looking for the fruit of the womb not stolen fuel. I was even advising Francis to stay away from illegal business of selling stolen product when the police arrested us.”
Confirming the arrest, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Friday Ibadin, who is in charge of the Task Force said that “Detectives led by Sector Commander, Lagos, DSP Onaghise Osayande, laid ambush and nabbed these suspected vandals. It is worthy to remind Nigerians that ignorance is not an excuse. Both the seller and buyer of stolen products are liable. Meanwhile, the suspects would soon be arraigned in court at the end of investigation.”

I will advice Pastor Lazarus to forget the gospel business as it's no longer favourable, he should try comedy with Chiaka as they both have what it take to displace Osufia and Baba Suwe

I had business men, bankers, civil servants, robbers, fraudsters, politicians and even pastors as clients.
 By WOLE BALOGUN and VERA WISDOM BASSEY

‘Love of money’ the Holy Bibles says, “is the root of all evil.” This injunction aptly captures the experience of 39-year old Chiaka Chibueze of Mgbahiri village in Owerri-West Local Government Area of Imo State. Here was a man who sought partnership with the devil after serving God for 15 years. Chiaka admitted to Daily Sun that what drove him into spir itism was lust for money and good things of life. He said he just couldn’t wait for God’s own time and had to opt for an easy way to wealth.

In an engaging encounter, Chiaka said he delved into voodoo and spiritism so that he could work miracles and see beyond the physical. But at the same time, he carried on with his church members maintaining that he was serving God. For 15 years, he continued to work as a pastor and occult grand master, exploring the spirit world and exploiting a myriad of clients who flocked to him in droves for spiritual assistance. That went on until he recently met a ‘higher power’ that summarily beat him back to the tracks.

In this must read encounter with Daily Sun, Chiaka tells the compelling story of how he turned his back to the eternal master he first served, his sojourn into spiritisim and the force that drew him back to the master he earlier despised.

“Sometime ago, I was serving the Lord with a lot of zeal and charisma. I even had to found a church with fairly large membership and became its leader. But along the line, I wanted to do more things as a pastor. I wanted to be performing miracles. I wanted to be seeing into the future and having insight into deep spiritual things. I believed that doing those things would fetch me more wealth and fame. That was why I sought other means different from the way of God. I began by reading books and consulting people. In the course of doing that, I discovered that becoming a spiritualist would enable me to see beyond the physical; I could actually find out secrets and hidden truths about people, organisations and situations. And this could simply be done by gathering some fetish items and invoking certain spirits and demons as the case may be, and the results would come instantly.

So, without a second thought, I delved into spiritism. Now, doing spiritism is higher than being an occult grand master. We do not kill or sacrifice human beings. We have a choice to make regarding what we want to do with the powers and there are strict rules the devil mandates us to observe. Breaking such rules usually attracts serious punishment. In fact, you dare not disobey the devil!

“In my own case, I chose the power of a seer. I could see deep things in the spiritual realm. If you came to me to find something about a person who ran away after committing a crime or who was kidnapped, I could show you in a mirror in my temple, where the person was hiding. If you came to me to find out how you could make wealth, I could give you certain rituals to make to become wealthy. I was invoking many spirits and demons that gave wealth, but they gave them with certain conditions that ultimately made one a slave to them. But I did not reveal these insights to my clients. I only convinced them that I could give them whatever they wanted.

“I had clients from different fields: business men, bankers, civil servants, robbers, fraudsters, politicians and even pastors of churches. The pastors consulted me for powers to see visions, predict the future and perform miracles that don’t last.

As for the politicians, I did fetish things which made them the preferred candidates or found out the secrets of their opponents’ powers as well as got money for their campaigns among others.

“My greatest power as a spiritualist was the power to know secret things about people, organisations and situations. This I could do because I didn’t kill. I didn’t have my hands soiled with blood of humans, but I kill animals as rituals for the spirits I worked with.

“As spiritualists, we travelled without our bodies to almost anywhere to either hold meetings or carry out an assignment. We did such things by locking ourselves in a dark room, burning a specific incense, reading and making some incantations that enables our spirit to depart from the body for the ethereal world or other parts of the world. As spiritualists, we could travel to the second heaven as there are three heavens. But there was a limit to which we can travel. Grand occult masters don’t go as far as we did. As a matter of fact, there are about 36 levels a spiritualist has to attain in the spirit world.

“As spiritualists, we connected in the spirit world and also met in the physical. I had several colleagues from other parts of the world. We first established contact in the dream and arranged for physical meeting once we had become intimate in the dream.

“There was a time I met a white man in my dream. We related severally and he showed interest in meeting me physically because he wanted to introduce me to a higher level in spiritism. We scheduled a day for our physical meeting in the dream; he also gave me instructions on what to do so that we could identify each other.

On the day of our appointment, I drove from Owerri to Onitsha. When I got to River Niger bridge, I dropped some coins into the water as he instructed me. Soon after that, I noticed a black jeep behind signalling me to stop. The moment I stopped, I noticed a hand beckoning me from the jeep to come over. Instantly, I hopped out from my car and went over to the jeep and behold, seated at the back seat was the exact person I had been interacting with in my dreams! From then, we started relating. But our interface was short lived as I met a higher power in the Lord. That power made me to surrender fully to Jesus Christ.”

Chiaka recalled that when he met Jesus again, it was an opportunity for him to return to life as a cleric. According to him, it was an unusual encounter he had while attempting to find out the power which a church leader, Pastor Lazarus Muoka of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Renewal Ministries, was using to perform miracles. He said before then, it was widely reported in some soft-sell magazines that the cleric was using demonic powers to perform miracles. Hear him: “With the powers given me by the spirits, I could easily find out the secret of pastors, occultic people, imams and native doctors. If such people were not of God, I only needed to carry out some rituals by appeasing the spirits. This included incense burning, slaughtering of some animals and making some incantations to invoke the spirit of the person in question and the secrets would be revealed in the mirror in my temple. Some of the pastors with powers appeared in the temple with their backs but I had a way of forcing them to reveal their identity by performing more rituals,” he said.

Chiaka revealed that the encounter he had with the Lords Chosen General Overseer was remarkable. “Sometime in April, 2013, some rich men and pastors came to me to inquire about the pastor of the Lord’s Chosen. I told them, I didn’t have any issues with him, but they insisted that I should name my bill – that they really wanted to know what power Pastor Muoka was using to perform miracles in his church. They also brought a video in which a woman called Linda Ezonye spoke many things about the pastor, alleging that he uses other powers not from God. I told the men to give me N250,000 for the job but they pleaded with me to accept N180,000. That I accepted but told them I was going to carry out all the rituals meticulously. When I began, I commanded the pastor’s spirit to appear and reveal what power he was using. At first, a shining white sword appeared and began to form a circle; this was immediately followed by thunder strikes and everyone scampered for safety. I was surprised at the strange development. But I understood what it meant. In the spirit world, we understood a shining sword moving in circle as a warning signal from God that where one was attempting to go into is a no-go-area. The sword was both a warning and a sign that Pastor Muoka really served the true God. The mirrors in my temple broke during the thunder strike and I had to declare to the men that the man whose case they brought before me serves the true God and gets his powers for miracle from Him. But they told me I should keep the discovery to myself. The thunder that struck that day had caused a great havoc in the spirit kingdom. Shortly after it happened, I began to receive calls from fellow spiritualists telling me stories of the calamity I caused in their temple and how the spirits had been rattled and vow to punish me. They instructed me to keep all that I saw in the mirror and its meaning to myself. I wanted to obey them but I couldn’t find peace in my mind. After a while, I told some people who approached me to explain the meaning of the strange discovery that what that meant was that Pastor Muoka is serving the true God and not using any satanic powers.

“The spirits became so angry with me and threatened to deal with me. I soon became sick – very sick and was hospitalised many times. But my condition didn’t improve. I was praying to God for cure. Even members of my church were also praying for me but they didn’t know what had brought the sickness upon me. After a while, I had a revelation in my dream; two angels with Pastor Muoka appeared to me and instructed me to come out boldly and confess what I had done, denounce spiritism and declare Jesus Christ as my Lord. Although, it took me time and courage, I eventually went to the Lord’s Chosen Church to denounce the evil practice.”Chiaka went on to prove that he wasn’t acting a drama during his confessions.

Against this backdrop, he took our correspondent and some deliverance ministers of the Lords Chosen Church to his office atAvu town in Owerri-West LGA and his temple in his home town at Mgbahiri at the outskirts of Owerri in Imo State. While there, he sought for prayers of deliverance from the ministers and showed the team the secret temple he had at his residence in his hometown and in his apartment at Avu.Inside his Avu apartment – a three bedroom flat, Chiaka used one of the room as his temple. Our correspondent observed so many fetish items in the temple. But ironically, in the same temple, there were also items that showed that he was a pastor.

The items which depicted Chiaka as a pastor included pictures of Jesus Christ and religious calendars hanging on the walls, a crucifix, small sculptured image of the Hol Mary, rosary beads, candles of different colours and shapes and some incense which he said were for invoking spirits. The items that showed that he was a spiritualist were kept separate from all the other items. They included black talisman, oil, drinks, cowries, sculptured images, wrappers, calabashes, coins, boxes of different colours, buckets and bowls containing weird liquid and water which he claimed could bring wealth and power to anyone who consulted him for them and who was ready to do the bidding of the spirits in order to get their hearts’ desires. Chiaka also claimed that some of the items, one of which looked like a gong could speak when invoked.

He said those items represented spirits that he used to invoke anytime he was in need.“I used to invoke the spirits behind each of these items and got them speaking to me. Many of the items here represent demons and spirits being worshiped in several parts of Igbo land and other parts of the world. I used to appease them with blood of animals or birds and other items as they demanded. But now, I would no longer do that because I’m denouncing then in Jesus name,” he said.The next point of call was Mgbahiri village at the outskirts of Owerri.

There our correspondents in company of the Lords Chosen ministers, visited the temple of Chiaka right in his home town. The house is tucked away in the heart of the sleepy community.After driving through a pothole- ridden, untarred road leading to Mgbahiri, the team located an obscure building with a gigantic black gate. When Chiaka opened the big black gate, everyone was shocked to see many shrines erected in honour of what the spiritualists called spirits and demons. Speaking in guttural tone, he mentioned the names of the demons which had each shrine. He went to explain how he used each of them for each time he made invocation. “This one here could be used to separate two lovers,” he explained, pointing to a particular shrine.

“That is usually done on the day the couple would sleep together. This one here is used to get people married to their spirit husbands or wives. This one here brings wealth to the clients seeking for quick money. And we use this to give fame and money to politicians seeking such….”On a closer observation, there were naira notes gummed to one the shrines and our correspondent sought to know why they were there and what might happen if anyone took the money. His response: “The money were brought for the spirits by my clients. If anyone ever took it they would be ready for the consequences because the spirits would fight back.  Having denounced the devil and his agents, Chiaka was prayed for by the ministers from the church; the items found in his temple were collated and burnt at the state headquarters of the Lords’ Chosen, Owerri.

While expressing his appreciation for pulling out from the pit of darkness, he advised everyone still in spiritism saying: “Using such spiritual powers to solve peoples’ problems connects one to the high and the mighty and bring materials things. But I have to say that salvation is the best for everyone. If one who is a spiritualist makes a little mistake in this things, the spirits will join forces to frustrate them. If God does not save the person, they will die so cheaply like a chicken and go to hell.“I believe that I was saved because I related and prayed with the Pastor Lazarus Muoka on television, after which I vomited some objects. I also saw him in the dream with some angels after which they requested that I come out openly to say what I saw and how I went into spiritism,” he said.

Can it go for 40k?

she is a good product and she knows her worth, if they cannot cope with her worth, they can try other actresses, between raw talents abound in this great county.

November 10, 2013 • By Our Reporter
Controversy continues to trail reports of a ban slammed on Mercy Johnson by Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, FVPMAN, which takes effect from January 1, 2014.

According to reports, English movie marketers in the country reached a decision to ban Johnson due to what they described as her outrageous fees for appearing in movies and her lack of respect on sets. Sources say Mercy, who charged a million naira per flick before she gave birth now charges N2 million and FVPMAN says the development is unacceptable hence the decision to ban her.

However, Mercy aggravated the anger of marketers when she took to twitter and practically told marketers to go hell after declaring that if they couldn’t afford her, they should go for other actresses.

Meanwhile, reports that Mercy would know her fate when FVPMAN, Onithsa Zone,

Anambra State, met on Thursday, November 7, to decide on the matter has not materialized and speculation is rife that the marketers could have backed down as FVPMAN continues to receive flack from Mercy’s fans on social media.

Commenting, AGN president, Ibinabo Fiberesima, assured that AGN had waded into the crisis even as FVPMAN insisted that Mercy may suffer severe consequences if she refuses to back down.

Mercy, whose fee was in the neighbourhood of half a million naira per flick got a major career boost due to the controversy that trailed her marriage after another woman came out to accuse the actress of allegedly snatching her husband! Overnight she became the darling of the media as she graced newspaper and magazine covers. This translated into higher fees for the actress as the controversy catapulted her career and this reflected in her fees, which shot over night from the neighbourhood of N.5million to N1million.

Omotola Jolade Ekeinde, Genevieve Nnaji, Richard Mofe Damijo and Nkem Owoh among a host others were also banned in 2005 for similar reasons.

What the airport spokesman means is that, any madman or agbero that supports GEJ will become automatically refined gentleman while any doctor, engineer, etc that supports GEJ's enemy will automatically become a thug; what an irony! Nigeria is failing fast.

This is the summary of the irresponsibility of our the political elites in the southeast, though I don't totally agree with him on Peter Obi, I score Obi pass while others get F9 flat.

Ebere Wabara, ewabara@yahoo.com ,08055001948

 

There is unmitigated charlatanism among the political elite from the South East axis. They conduct themselves in a spineless and inarticulate manner that you wonder if they know anything about political philosophy, ideology and strategy. For them, anything goes especially when there is lolly. My people in politics do not stand for anything—wherever the wind blows them they go sheepishly. This explains why other ethnic nationalities play games with them, endlessly!

The charlatanism and opportunism cascade from the National Assembly to political appointments, state governorship, aspiration for political offices, local government administration, and contributions to national political discourses and re-engineering. Apart from 2015 gubernatorial aspirant, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, whose only function in the Senate is to justify their jumbo pay and allowances, the highest in the world, you hardly hear or read any critical intervention from the Igbo caucus as individuals or as a collective. The same horrendously disappointing scenario plays out in the lower chamber even with some of them as former editors that should have been very vocal in the parliament. Their counterparts from other parts of the country make vibrant contributions in the hallowed chambers. Membership of committees which someone tried futilely to impress on me is so rudimentary as to constitute a key performance threshold. As far as I am concerned, there is so much parliamentary docility informed by naivety on the part of South East representatives at the National Assembly. It should not even be a surprise if consideration is given to the pedigree of most of these lawmakers: suspected drug barons, notorious scammers, nondescript businessmen of questionable antecedents, nebulous academic profiles of some of the legislators and other unwholesome characterisations! Parliamentarians from the other parts of the country obviously are doing far better than their Ndigbo colleagues in terms of legislative activism! No longer do we have the calibre of the Oyi of Oyi, the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, a respected, highly cerebral, colourful and pleasantly intimidating senator.

You take ministers and other appointees from this zone. Most times, the best are not considered for such offices because the power brokers, particularly governors, nominate their acolytes and lackeys for such national assignments. So, at the end of the day, performance is below expectation and at the slightest opportunity, they are dropped ignominiously, usually. This is despite the fact that we have a superfluity of professionals with profound competencies and robust experiences.

The state governors of today are worse than their immediate predecessors in office in the history of the South East. The Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has spent all his time fighting his former eight-year boss and predecessor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu who, single-handed, enthroned him! Dr. Kalu, in his own time, tried to civilize the obdurate and vindictive Otta bully, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and consequently denied the state federal developmental initiatives it needed greatly. If traitorous Theodore Orji is not busy abusing Dr. Kalu, he is clownishly clamouring for President Goodluck Jonathan’s encore on account of Dame Patience Jonathan’s college relationship with the governor’s wife—not because of Jonathan’s credentials! Meanwhile, nothing is happening in Abia State except “Ochendu Vanguard” whose only official duty is all-day propaganda using a surfeit of buses like gangsters!

If this is not taking place, the governor’s son and alternate-governor will be busy terrorising Abians with police vehicular entourage longer than those of three governors put together! Of course, journalists in the state have been brainwashed, while the state media operatives perpetually indulge in round-the-clock hero-worshipping! Professionalism is crap to them! The roads in Abia State remind one of post-Samuel Doe worn-torn Liberia. As you read this, Theodore Orji is preparing to be a senator after his disastrous tenure as Abia State governor! This further confirms the despicable quality of parliamentary representation from the South East. A man mocks around tragically for two terms as governor and proceeds to the senate thereafter in anticipatory retirement from active politics!

And for the maverick Imo State Governor and defection exemplar, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, if he is not defecting from one party to another, he will be in Lagos or Abuja attending social events in conjunction with a superfluity of aides. When he returns to base, he engages his Abia State colleague in a childish combat over right of way! Rochas has so trivialized governance that you wonder whether politics is a charade. For him, any slight vehicular mishap results in medical tourism!

The Ebonyi and Enugu state governors, Martin Elechi and Sullivan Chime, respectively, are so drab and tepid that most times you forget who they are! Just like their boisterous and garrulous colleagues, there is nothing to distinguish them apart from taciturnity. Scarcely do you feel them by any measure except, perhaps, when issues pertaining to their health come to the fore or disagreement with Abuja-based politicians from their states.

Of all the South East governors, it is only suave Peter Obi of Anambra State whose sterling and incontrovertible performance reminds one of the glorious days of the late Chief Sam Onunaka Mbakwe as governor of the old Imo State. Ever since De Sam’s exit, the South East has not known superlative leadership at the state level anymore apart from Obi’s manifest efforts at recreating such developmental paradigms. Obi’s fading clan of critics will tell you that my assessment of him is jaundiced because they, naturally, have issues with him. Give it to such people, too. But on a comparative note, Obi is not on the same pedestal with his South East colleagues in terms of physical accomplishments and unprecedented epochal cordiality with President Goodluck Jonathan for fruitful zonal transformation: he clearly towers above them. If you doubt me on Obi and, indeed, the foregoing subjects, let us embark on independent/self-sponsored facility tours of the five states as an evaluative team and equally hold interactive sessions with the indigenes on ground. Lest I am misconstrued, Obi is not perfect—as no human being is, anyway—but he immeasurably betters South East colleagues of his.

It is only in South East that 37 aspirants—mostly nincompoops and frauds—will jostle for a governorship position in a particular state. At the presidential level, too, zone the office to the region and risk multitudinous aspirations. Everyone wants to be the president even when there is ample evidence of emptiness of almost all the contestants, who cannot even qualify for councillorship polls! What is the matter with Ndigbo? Why can’t we get our act together?  The misperception by other ethnic groups that we are slavish to money which affects our disposition and attitudinal inclination must change.