₦airaland Forum

lassa fever is so deadly and spreads so far and so fast if unchecked. Lord help us.

Na today? we siddon dey look.

Very funny.

Now that is what I am talking about.

BlackPikiN:
In the mean time abeg watch this Rochas


[flash=400,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlwEZTBA1gM[/flash]

Nice video. Owelle's passion for education is remarkable. I like his by-line. If their must be a legacy, it must be education.

where have u been brother?

Throw out the case already.

Smash the box already and let pandora out. Do not open it gently.

No sitting president will support it. So it is no News. It is the citizens that will push for it. Funny for the article to use the word 'foreclose'. Nigerian journalists and their choice of words. You ain't seen nothing yet. By the time it starts, even the president will be begging Nigerians for dialogue. Nigerians take your destiny in your hands. Occupy Senate, HOR, Aso Rock,etc, now.

So Imo State can actually rise from being the land of hope to the Heartland State? Shame on ex- Imo Governors.

Praise the Lord. Halleluyah.

Im thoroughly enraged.

PHIPEX:
If the CBN made the donation cos of the damage of the Kano incidence why are they now extending it to the church blast victims, or is it for cover up. The Madalla blast happened about 2 months ago why must CBN wait for the Kano incidence before they can give their donations (funny enough making the donations on same day)? Something is not adding up here.

Just ask Sam Olofin this question. For such a man like Sam, A man I respect so much to be doing image laundry and damage control for Sanusi speaks volumes of what happens to distinguished men in positions like that. You wait for Kano to be bombed then decide to start the charity work in the name of CSR. Please get a smarter explanation.

The civil Society, here is where you come in. Occupy the Senate and HOR now.

Gbawe:
Indeed. One can discern the sheer amount of work to be done to change the mentality of Nigerians when ostensibly educated Nigerians can malign the ethnic group of Abaribe because he annouced an expected decision made by the majority out of 109 Senators in Nigeria.

This should not even be about Abaribe or his ethnic group at all if we Nairalanders are even minimally politically sophisticated. It should be about rallying others, through constituency signature collation, to challenge this call Senators have made callously and dismissively.

If Senators are truly the representative of the people, we should test , statistically, the number of Nigerians they indeed recieved input from to conclude authoritatively that we do not need an SNC. They should be our servants and representatives instead ordinary Nigerians acts as if it is the other way round.

I am fed up of Nigeria and now totally convinced many of us are wasting our time because the battle will always be lost if the people themselves have no awareness of 'people power' and prefer viewing everything through sentimental, feudalistic, clannish and ethnic lenses.

+1000. Let us subject the popularity of their decision to a Referendum.

So sad

Where is the insult please?

[quote author=Sam_Ikenna link=topic=871081.msg10197745#msg10197745 date=1329260129]I guess we're the bad guys now huh? One section of the country consistently butchers and another section consistently leaves and the author wants us to believe that the one that gets up and leaves is the one thats acting irresponsibly, I don't blame him. The same section that got butchered in thousands in 1966 while FG did nothing to intervene and not only failing to intervene, it actually launched a 3 yr bitter war on the butchered section that ended up costing the same section 2-3 million lives.

I think this people think we're fools. You want us to wait yet again for security from FG when the Fg cant even protect itself. Hey mr Author, please save your advise/reprimand we don't need it. Go solve BoKo Haram before telling us to solve our bad leadership, at least as bad as our leadership is, even with its "bad" advise, it still doesn't bomb us and that, my friend, is better than your own leadership that has begotten Boko Haram.[/quote]Yes we are now the bad guys. Unless we continually offer our necks to the North to be slaughtered we are not being particularly helpful to the Nigerian project. May the blood of all the innocent Igbos shed in the North cry against you Umar since you are not sympathethic to them but wish more to be shed by asking them to continue remaining there to be slaughtered.

No need for that. Expand and have heavy campuses in all senatorial zones instead of that.

Fools. They die as the man dies that does nothing in the facec of tyranny. Senators, know that he who makes peaceful change impossible, makes violent change inevitable.

The issue here is that Uwazuruike was responding to IBB. IBB was the first to shout the war cry to intimidate those who have a genuine reason for sel determination and self protection. His intimidation tactics has backfired since the stormy petrel , Uwazuruike for the first time, showed that he can bite not only bark. When a man who has always espoused the doctrine of non-violence is pushed to the wall to bare his fangs, it shows that the tactic of using war to intimidate the East has lost its relevance. IBB and the North should no longer think they can use his stupid doctrine of settled issues to intimidate anybody any longer. It is time for the North especially to be ready for dialogue via the SNC as some of us have been espousing. This will ensure peaceful resolution of issues and we can all live together or apart but happily ever after.

Having made his point of responding to IBB forcefully as required, he should cease from speaking and now strategize. I know many of his words were out of emotion especially after burying the Anambra 13 only to start hearing about the stupid IBB threat and doctrine of settled issues that betrayed the normal Northern bragadaccio, intimidation, sadism, wickedness and insensitivity without making one shred of effort to assuage or address the Igbo outrage at their killings of BH.

As a leader, he should henceforth speak less and act more. His plans should not be for the tabloids but should be discussed with his Igbo leaders forum and/or Ohaneze and agreed upon before they choose what and what not to make public. He should realise that now he is no more representing Uwazuruike or MASSOB only but majority of Ndigbo so that his personal opinions are not seen as Igbo opinion.
Some of the plans he raised are flawed and so needs always to consult other Igbo intelligentia to refine and enrich them. Igbo strenght lies in their collegiate leadership and he should not jettison such a rich style of leadership that the whole world is gravitating to via democracy and resort to a one -man riot sqaud.
But his response to IBB was timely and conveyed with enough forcefulness and rebuttals to make IBB and all those who hold similiar stupid ideas both in the North and South know that this is 2012 not 1972.

Rubbish.

Or this from Adeniyi :http://newnigerianpolitics.com/2012/01/29/let%E2%80%99s-return-to-aburi-accord-%E2%80%93-adeniyi/

Femi Fani-Kayode: The mistake we made in 1967 by not standing on Aburi will not be repeated. http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2012/01/30/general-ibrahim-babangida-and-the-doctrine-of-settled-issues-femi-fani-kayode/

Wole Soyinka : Nigerian civil war as a clear case of quest for justice and equity on the part of Biafrans, pointing out that although he is not strictly pro-Biafra, he was against the injustice meted on Biafrans since it is morally right to want to secede. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/nigeria-is-already-disintegrating-soyinka-2/

UN:  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

OP  You need to be born again out of muzzling others opinions.

@OP
Ponder over this piece written by a Yoruba son:
Boko Haram Justifies Biafra And Vindicates Odumegwu Ojukwu


By Abiodun Ladepo
The Boko Haram (BH) claims it is avenging the “extra-judicial” killing of its leader, Muhammed Yusuf, who died at the hands of the Nigerian Police in 1999, during the presidency of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua – a Northern Muslim. BH waited for Jonathan, a Christian, to become president before taking terror to a new level.

It added to its manifesto the annihilation of all Christians in the North; the removal of all churches and all businesses associated with Christians from the North; the introduction of Sharia law throughout the rest of Nigeria (13 Northern states now have Sharia law); the removal of all symbols of Western-styled democracy; and the abolition of Western education altogether. This manifesto could be dismissed as the wishful thinking of a deranged group, except that members of BH are dead serious (no pun intended) about achieving these goals. They have essentially made Borno and Yobe States ungovernable. They have the presidency on its heels, sweating and fretting; they have the security agencies hobbled and in shambles; they have all Nigerians restive and pensive; and they have the international community paying rapt attention.

To the rest of the civilized world, BH’s activities exemplify the very definition of “Ethnic Cleansing”, genocide or Jihad. It happened in the old Yugoslavia and now there is no more Yugoslavia. It happened in Sudan, and now we have the countries of Sudan and South Sudan. It happened in Germany…the infamous Holocaust…and now we have the new Israel.

It has happened in Nigeria before…this wanton killing, maiming and destruction of properties. Ah, you forgot? You forgot the Northern pogrom of 1966 which was the precursor to our first civil war? I say “first” because I think we are headed for the second one. During the pogrom, hordes of Hausa/Fulani people, like flies, invaded the homes of Igbo people in the North, slitting their throats and clubbing them to death…without provocation, and with utter impunity! I didn’t read this in a history book. I witnessed it with my own eyes as a kid in Zaria. I lost my innocence then. My family was spared because my father had one of those tribal marks native to Ibadan, and he was a devout Muslim.

So, today, suppose a group springs up in Enugu under the aegis of Christianity, with a name like say…Eastern Sons of Christ (ESOC), and begins the killing and maiming of all non-Christians, especially people of Hausa/Fulani extraction, along with some of their Yoruba collaborators. Imagine the ESOC laying explosives in and around businesses, mosques and homes owned by people other than members of the ESOC tribe. Imagine a similar group, under the name of say…Western Sons of Christ (WESOC), stands up its operations in Ibadan, targeting all Hausa/Fulani Muslims, along with their Yoruba collaborators (there are many Muslims in the Yoruba kingdom). Imagine yet another group springs up in Port Harcourt, under the name of say…Southern Sons of Christ (SOSOC), killing people of Hausa/Fulani extraction - Muslims, along with their Yoruba collaborators.

If the ESOC became a terror group like the Boko Haram (BH) has become, it would be justified. It could claim vengeance for the thousands of Igbo people that were, without provocation, ruthlessly massacred by the Hausa/Fulani during the pogrom. It could further justify its actions by claiming more maltreatment during the ensuing civil war (1967 – 1970), and yet more maltreatment following the so-called “No Victor No Vanquished” truce evident in the continued marginalization of the Igbo in most spheres of influence in Nigeria.

If the WESOC became a terror group like the BH, it could claim that it was tired of being caught between the Hausa/Fulani Vs Igbo (Muslim/Christian) fights. WESOC could say that it frequently suffered with ESOC each time the Northern Muslims embarked on one of their barbaric extermination missions and that ESOC never gave it enough credit. Instead, ESOC blamed WESOC for not joining in the Biafra cause. (WESOC can’t even claim any monolithic Christian stronghold in its geographical area, and can’t state with any degree of certainty which of the two major religions enjoys a numerical superiority in its communities.) WESOC can further claim that when one of its illustrious sons, a strong Muslim for that matter - MKO Abiola, won the election for President, the Hausa/Fulani Muslims, before morphing into BH, killed him rather than allow him to rule.

And if the SOSOC was to become a terror group exactly like the BH, it could claim that its previous acts of blowing up oil pipelines and kidnapping for ransom did not fully achieve SOSOC’s goal of 50% oil revenue allocation. It could argue that “our oil” was being used to build skyscrapers, mansions and “six-star” hotels in Abuja, Sokoto, Maiduguri and Yola, while “our people” in the Niger-Delta couldn’t fish or farm without fear of pollution. It could argue vengeance for the brazen, state-sponsored killing of one of its illustrious sons - Ken Saro-Wiwa, during the presidency of a Hausa/Fulani man and the desecration of his body by pouring acid on it.


In essence, we could have anarchy all across Nigeria, not just in the Northeastern States and Abuja, and no one would have peace. These groups could all find nebulous excuses to justify unleashing mayhem on the rest of the country like the BH is now doing and we would have our second civil war.

We had the Maitatsine riots of 1980, largely in the same Northeastern area. We have had other similar incidents in the intervening years, all aimed at building a homogenous, Islamic caliphate in Northern Nigeria. The military governments of the day easily put down those riots and attacks. But that was before the advent of the use explosives as weapons of terror. In 1980, Maitatsine rioters, progenitors of the BH sect, used knives…long knives…to attack Christians. Now they use guns…machine guns…and explosives to mow down innocent, unharmed people. Then they brazenly take onto the internet to claim responsibility for their dastardly acts. And like Al Qaida, they have amorphous, nameless and faceless leadership.

It is clear that since Nigeria’s amalgamation, the Hausa/Fulani Muslims of the North thought of themselves as superior beings, compared to the Christians of the South, and particularly the largely-Christian Igbo people. In fact, if you have the trust and confidence of a Northerner, you will frequently hear him derisively refer to Igbo people as “impure” and “lower-than-dogs”. This may sound like I am fanning the embers of ethnic crisis here. But I am stating the facts. I know that Igbo people in power today are aware of this, and so are their Yoruba and, of course, their Hausa counterparts. They are just too timid to say it in the open. I am not in power and I am not timid. I grew up in Zaria as a practicing Muslim. I attended Arabic/Islamic evening classes, lived in Kano and Maiduguri and finished my elementary school in Bukuru, near Jos. I also speak Hausa better than I speak English. So, before anybody castigates me as a basher of the North or of Muslims, they better take cognizance of the fact that I had firsthand experience. Notice how no Hausa/Fulani of significant profile, like say…the Sardauna of Sokoto, the Emir of Zaria, the Emir of Gwandu, the Emir of Maiduguri, Ibrahim Babangida, Mohammadu Buhari, Abubakar Atiku, Abubakar Umar, etc…has come out to openly denounce the BH sect. Their quiet acquiescence should not be interpreted as cowardly or coincidental. It is calculated.

The hatred of Igbo people and Christians by the Hausa/Fulani people remains palpable. Northern Muslims just manage to tolerate them. If they thought they could harm a Christian or an Easterner and get away with it, they would do it in a jiffy, without compunction and without remorse. And they would do it in the name of Allah. I have read the Qur’an, to include the Hadiths, and I have not found any portion of it where the Prophet Mohammed (PBOH) enjoined, sanctioned, urged or ordered adherents of Islam to destroy believers of other faiths. Of course, we have ultra-right-wingers in all religions, including Christianity, but none is waging such destructive and bloody war against “non-believers” like our Northern brothers. I think it is even tantamount to heresy referring to them as “brothers” those who have taken self-righteous indignation beyond any scintilla of reason. They are reprobates.

So, if the West, the East and the South conclude that the North has gone beyond redemption, why not grant the North its request? Why not draw a real, physical border with the North and allow it to rule its people like it wishes? By now, we all should know that no attempt at placating the Hausa/Fulani people would prevent them from sliding into their banal recidivism. I have absolutely no problem having to apply for a visa to visit my Alma Mata in Zaria or Bukuru. By their acts, the BH sect has vindicated Odumegwu Ojukwu and proved the venerable Obafemi Awolowo wrong about Biafra. Awolowo fought to “keep Nigeria one” but it is now clear that the task had always been only one-sided. The North obviously did not get that memorandum and so did not share the same objective. We need to quickly adorn the Ikemba of Nnewi with rose-bedecked garlands for being brave and visionary enough, as far back as 1966, to attempt Biafra. Ojukwu, who was humiliated, harangued, vilified and exiled for knowing (that far back) that the North was always going to be implacable, should be celebrated as a hero and rewarded as such before he passes on to the great beyond. And I am not being facetious or sarcastic.

The North now wants its own country – one ruled by Sharia and devoid of any semblance of Western civilization. We should let them have it peacefully. Those who have called for a Sovereign National Conference should redouble their efforts. Nigerians need to talk amongst themselves now so that they can peacefully decide how to coexist. Otherwise, the inevitable combustion will swallow everybody. If you have not been directly (or even remotely) touched by the BH attacks, you may not appreciate the urgency of deciding peacefully the future of Nigeria. If you have never seen a full blown war firsthand, I hope that you and your family continue to be protected from finding out how it feels. It is not a pretty sight.

Abiodun Ladepo
Los Angeles, California, USA,
Oluyole2@yahoo.com

http://saharareporters.com/article/boko-haram-justifies-biafra-and-vindicates-odumegwu-ojukwu

Ecowas Expresses Concern Over Spate Of Killings In Nigeria
« on: Today at 07:35:26 AM »

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Speaking at a five-day workshop on ECOWAS budgetary procedures in Enugu, the fourth Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and a member of the Ghanaian legislature, Hon. Michael Teye Nyaunu, noted that if Nigeria could face such serious problem leading to killings of innocent people and destruction of properties, other smaller Africa countries would have to be very vigilant.

Nyaunu, who represented the speaker of the parliament and Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, disclosed that the ECOWAS parliament had already discussed the issue of Boko Haram in one of its plenary, noting that other nations within the sub-region were already finding ways of assisting Nigeria but would not make their positions public because of the dicey and delicate nature of the situation.

He said: “We are concerned because the essence of ECOWAS is to integrate people of the sub-region and in this case whatever affects the eye affects the nose. We discussed the Boko Haram issue in one of our plenary sessions, we don’t really know the genesis of the problem but we are really concerned.

“Like you know, Nigeria is the big brother of most of these African countries, if Nigeria is going through such security challenges, then smaller states like us would have to be very careful.

“Some people have come up with different reasons why Boko Haram is ravaging Nigeria . Some say it is because of power tussle; that the North wants power back at all cost, while others are saying it has serious religious connotation. Whichever way one looks at it, Boko Haram activities are not in the best interest of Africa and we are concerned

“We believe that the authorities concerned are handling it becausde if nothing serious is done at this stage, it will eventually spread because we are the same people, so something must have to be done now to contain it.”

Nyaunu, who also spoke on the issue of common currency for the sub-region, said efforts are still in top gear towards getting a common currency by 2015, but expressed dismay that they are facing some challenges at the moment because there are some conditions that must have to be fulfilled before one talks about getting a common currency for a sub-region.

He said that such critical factors militating against the introduction of the common currency include the single-digit inflation bill and low budget deficiency among others, adding however that the issue was still on the front burner because there are lots of benefits inherent in such project as it would go a long way in integrating the people.

Also speaking, Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, who was represented at the occasion by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Egbo, commended the parliament for choosing Enugu as venue for the workshop, assuring them of a peaceful atmosphere for their deliberations.

He used the opportunity to commend the parliament for introducing the ECOWAS Passport which he said had the best modern and scientific features, urging them to also look at other ways of introducing policies and programmes that would further unite the people of the sub-region.

The ECOWAS Parliament chairman of the Committee on Administration, Finance and Budget, Hon. Farouk Lawan represented by Hon. Amadou Ali Djibo said the essence of the workshop with the theme “ECOWAS Budgetary Procedures” was aimed at building the capacity of members of the committee.

I see you developing grey hair soon because there is no killing of an idea whose time has come.

The new IGP is actually on a roll: Qaqa arrested, Sokoto re-arrested, etc. Hope he keeps it up and not a flash in the pan.

Thanks Maclatunji for this piece. A word is enough for the wise>

Thanks so much Physics. I am also sorry for rankling you.

Okay let us keep hoping it wont cross Arewa

PhysicsQED:
So you actually think al-qaida inspired terrorism would somehow be averted by leaving Arewa as a separate country? I don't see the relevance of an enemy country (Biafra) to this issue.

By the way, the fact that they think that it will be exported, doesn't mean that it actually will be.

.

Thanks for your insight.