₦airaland Forum

debrief08: My Dad My world my rock.
My Dad has been more than a Father to me, my brother, my best friend, my rock, my support system.
He took my first husband as a son, realising he didn't have a good male influence my dad tried to be one when he realised we were serious.
Growing up there was no doubt I was Daddys Baby.
When I was stuck in a bad marriage my Dad a church elder could have chosen to save his social standing but he said no way, my baby its enough.
My Dad didn't want me stuck in anyones house and face side comments when I left, he looked for money and gave me to rent and furnish a house.
My Dad would call me everynight then and we would talk for hours, he shielded me from my mum, bore malice from my mum, bore side comments, was blamed for "interfering" but he kept telling me to make my own choices no matter what, even if it was me and him alone he will support me.
When I met my husband and I gisted daddy he said this one is a serious one oh, he was right, when I had my boy, my Dad paid extra to fly back and come immediately.
When my Ex was sick, my dad took the case on his head, went with them to the hospital, made sure he had the best treatment, paid for half of it.
My Daddy is amazing, kind, wonderful and just the kindest man ever.
He would take time out when we were younger pick us from school and make us lunch.
I love him so so much, I light up whenever he is around.
A fathers love is the best gift ever. Thank you Daddy, God has done me well, no matter what happens I am blessed to be your baby

Great tribute! Thanks for taking time out to honor your dad

The Super Eagles of Nigeria trained at the Adidas headquarters in Germany as they prepare for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup that begins on Saturday, June 15th in Brazil.

Professional football freestyler, Daniel Cutting caught up with the team as they trained.

Nigeria's first match is again Tahiti on Monday, June 17th at 5 pm Nigerian time.

[flash=200,200]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCk6BzmBfhI[/flash]

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/watch-nigerian-super-eagles-train-at.html

Nigeria may soon restart the export of the contractual 132 million standard cubic of feet (SCF) of gas per day to Benin, Togo and Ghana as the West African Gas Pipeline Company, WAGPCo has fully completed the maintenance of its pipeline which was destroyed since August last year.

Investigation showed that the WAGPCo was presently carrying out the recommissioning of the facility, involving internal cleaning and drying of the pipeline to ensure that all impurities are completely removed from the pipeline. A company source who confirmed the stage of the work stated in a telephone interview that: “We have completed the maintenance of the pipeline. We are currently doing the recommissioning to remove impurities and dry the pipeline to a level that can take quality gas to our buyers."

He said that: “We look forward to starting gas export in the next few weeks so as to meet the yearnings of customers who have been waiting patiently for us to fix the pipeline.”

A top government official in Accra, Ghana said in a telephone interview that the expected export would be a big relief to the nation, and indeed other consuming countries that suffered untold pains in the process of finding alternatives for the product which is used mainly for power generation.

He said that: “In Ghana, we had to shift to light crude which is relatively expensive than gas, meaning higher cost of operations to us because we decided not to increase electricity tariff.”

He said the nation also embarked on massive development of gas projects worth billions of dollars to produce commercial feedstock for its electricity supply in order to reduce huge dependence on Nigeria.

The development, targeted at conserving foreign exchange, achieving security of supplies and improved stability of the sector is expected to reduce Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings from gas export in the nearest future.

The Chief Executive of Volta River Authority, Mr. Kwesi Awotwi, who confirmed the ongoing gas projects recently said they would be completed between the next five or seven years.

Awotwi stated that the initiative further aimed at meeting the demand of its bulk customer, the Electricity Company of Ghana, ECG that sells electricity to domestic, industrial and commercial concerns and some mining companies, including AngloGold Ashanti, Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd., Goldfields Ghana Limited, Golden Star Resources Group, Aluworks, Akosombo Textile Limited and Diamond Cement Ghana Ltd as well as neighboring countries such as Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/nigeria-to-resume-gas-exports-to-benin.html

Andyblaze: guy how do u post youtube links to show as video here, weneva i do it what comes out is just d link but no video to watch live here

[flash=200,200]your youtube link[/flash]

Just make sure there are no spaces between your link and the tags....Hope this helps

The 26-page document in Arabic, recovered by The Associated Press in a building that had been occupied by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Timbuktu, strongly suggests the group now possesses the SA-7 surface-to-air missile, known to the Pentagon as the Grail, according to terrorism specialists.

It confirms that the al-Qaeda cell is actively training its fighters to use these weapons, also called man-portable air-defense systems, or MANPADS, which likely came from the arms depots of late Libya dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

"The existence of what apparently constitutes a 'Dummies Guide to MANPADS' is strong circumstantial evidence of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb having the missiles," said Atlantic Council analyst Peter Pham, a former adviser to the United States' military command in Africa and an instructor to US Special Forces.

"Why else bother to write the guide if you don't have the weapons? ... If AQIM not only has the MANPADS, but also fighters who know how to use them effectively," he added, "then the impact is significant, not only on the current conflict, but on security throughout North and West Africa, and possibly beyond."

This is not the first al-Qaeda-linked group thought to have MANPADS - they were circulating in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a terror cell in Somalia recently claimed to have the SA-7 in a video.

But the US desperately wanted to keep the weapons out of the hands of al-Qaeda's largest affiliate on the continent, based in Mali. In the spring of 2011, before the fighting in Tripoli had even stopped, a US team flew to Libya to secure Gaddafi's stockpile of thousands of heat-seeking, shoulder-fired missiles.

By the time they got there, many had already been looted.

"The MANPADS were specifically being sought out," said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director for Human Rights Watch, who catalogued missing weapons at dozens of munitions depots and often found nothing in the boxes labeled with the code for surface-to-air missiles.

The manual is believed to be an excerpt from a terrorist encyclopedia edited by Osama bin Laden. It adds to evidence for the weapon found by French forces during their land assault in Mali earlier this year, including the discovery of the SA-7's battery pack and launch tube, according to military statements and an aviation official.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/al-qaedas-user-guide-for-surface-to-air.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/10115887/Al-Qaedas-how-to-guide-for-using-surface-to-air-missiles-found-in-Mali.html

The oldest known person in the world has died in Japan, aged 116.

Jiroemon Kimura, born on 19 April 1897, had been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person and the oldest man ever.

Officials in Kyotango, Japan, said he died in a local hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment for pneumonia.

He became the oldest man ever on 28 December last year, when, at the age of 115 years and 253 days, he beat the record set by Christian Mortensen, a Danish immigrant to the United States, who lived from 1882 to 1998.

Another Japanese national, 115-year-old Misao Okawa, now becomes the world's oldest living person.

Okawa, of Osaka, was born on 5 March 1898.

Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, said: "Jiroemon Kimura was an exceptional person. As the only man to have ever lived for 116 years — and the oldest man whose age has been fully authenticated — he has a truly special place in world history."

Kyotango officials said that Kimura's funeral would be held on Friday.

It seem like the fountain of youth is in Japan.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/jiroemon-kimura-recorded-world-oldest.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/oldest-man-in-recorded-history-jiroemon-kimura-dies-in-japan-aged-116-8654973.html

jidegirl12: My world .... Love you daddy

That just sums it up! Very well said.

@babyosisi...wow, that's some heartfelt tribute. I'm sure your dad is proud of you too. Good job!

Father's day is Sunday, June 16. Gift store sale signs are everywhere promoting gifts like ties, electronics, and other gadgets for Dads.

As the day approaches, consider honoring the most influential men in your life by sharing their stories.

This year, InfoNubia invites you to gift your dad, stepfather, husband, brother, uncle, or any man that has been influential in your life with a unique tribute.

Share your tributes...

Happy Father's Day!

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/what-does-your-dad-mean-to-you.html

With only the Talibans in Afghanistan ahead, Boko Haram is now the second widely known perpetrator of terrorism in the world, according to a report by the United States (U.S.) government.

Just last week, the U.S. State Department announced a $7 million bounty for information that will lead to the capture of the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau.

And in Nigeria, there is outrage at the opposition of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to the Federal Government’s ban on the group. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday accused the ACN of trying to use the press as a subterfuge to hide its support for insurgents and to whittle the efforts by the Federal Government to end acts of terrorism in the country.
The ruling party, which threw its weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan, said contrary to the claims by the ACN, no part of the presidential order proscribing terrorist groups, directly or indirectly violated any provision of the constitution or impinged on the freedom of the press in the country.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Monday described the allegation by the ACN that the order was aimed at gagging the press, as despicable and a clear indication of how far the opposition party could go to distort facts to support violence and cause disaffection among Nigerians.

The PDP in Ondo State and the Niger Delta Professionals also faulted the position of the ACN.

An annex to the U.S. government report on terrorism last year, just made available to The Guardian, shows that besides the Taliban in Afghanistan, Boko Haram in Nigeria had the highest number of terror attacks last year and killed also the second highest number of people.

The statistical report called ‘START’ conducted by the University of Maryland for the American government on global terrorism in 2012 has revealed that while the Talibans killed 1,842 people in 525 attacks last year, and came tops on the infamous ranking, Boko Haram came second killing 1,132 in 364 attacks.

Both the Talibans and Boko Haram killed more than Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Maoists in India, Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula among other global terrorist groups.

Commenting, the Christian Association of Nigerian Americans (CANAN) noted that based on these statistics of the U.S. government, the refusal of the State Department to designate Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) continued to be unsettling.

A statement from the group on Monday in New York said: “The statistics that were computed at the instruction of the U.S. government by a reputable university deemed a center of excellence by the U.S. government show proof why Boko Haram should be designated.”

CANAN added: “This is a further evidence that our demand to the State Department to designate Boko Haram an FTO is a position backed up by facts and reality. Our hope and expectation is that soon, the State Department will do what is right.”

The statistical report also revealed that of the top 10 countries with the most terrorist attacks last year, Nigeria came fifth because of the activities of Boko Haram.

Besides, Nigeria ranked fourth in number of deaths from terrorist attacks. According to the statistical information attached to the recent “U.S. Terrorism 2012 reports”, last year alone, there were a total number of 546 terror attacks in Nigeria with 1,386 killed.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/nigeria-boko-haram-ranks-second-on.html

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124229:boko-haram-ranks-second-on-global-terror-list-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

Sanboy25: Thanks for this uplifting message.

Sanboy25, thanks for reading it. I'm glad the post had a positive effect on you.

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward" - Martin Luther King Jr.

This is a note I wrote to myself but I'd love to share it with readers. Perhaps, there are others who could benefit from it.

It is easy to keep moving when everything seem great - readers are actively engaged by commenting on your blog posts, friends and families are happy, you are in a healthy relationship, the sun is shining, and life is great. But what do you do when the fun stops - the comments stop coming in, you lose your job, a loved one, or anything of significance?

It's easy to throw in the towel and say "I quit." But if you do, you lose out on everything. What happens when you quit prematurely? There is a sense of defeat that suddenly takes over; it leaves you wondering about what could have been if you had continued.

Imagine someone who desperately wants to lose weight but quits going to the gym after two weeks of rigorous exercise. Such a person will continue to WISH without attaining the desired level of fitness. Inherent in every worthwhile achievement is some level of painstaking commitment - no gain without pain.

Dwelling so much on past missteps incapacitates you. It hinders you from thinking clearing and forging a path forward because you can't see beyond those mistakes.

Now is the time to let go of any past mistakes, come off the self-pity, chart a new path for your life, and move forward. The past is gone and there's really nothing that can be done to change it. Today is the opportunity to determine what tomorrow will be by your actions or inaction.

Not too long ago, I saw the movie Lincoln. As I watched, I asked myself "what would have been his legacy if he had thrown in the towel after losing the first, second, or third election?" This man lost eight elections, failed twice in business, and suffered a nervous breakdown. He had every reason to give up on hope. He could have quit many times - but he didn't. He became one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States because of his persistence.

All scientific discoveries are results of somebody not giving up on an idea, despite the difficulties in making those ideas become reality.

Don't wait any longer, don't plan another planning meeting. Now is the time to keep advancing in the right direction, keep pursuing your dreams and make them a reality.

You may feel like you don't have the strength to move. The truth is, the longer you wait and chose to focus on the "coulda, shoulda, woulda," the worse the condition gets.

Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu said "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Take that first step and keep moving forward. As you keep moving, hope will begin to rise. You will start sensing strength and passion rise up within you and things will begin to align. Before you know it, you'll have a renewed burst of energy that you need to overcome those seemingly insurmountable challenges.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/keep-moving-forward.html

Fellow Nigerians, I address you today with a deep sense of world history and particularly of the history of our great country. In the aftermath of the recently annulled presidential election, I feel, as I believe you yourself feel, a profound sense of disappointment at the outcome of our last efforts at laying the foundation of a viable democratic system of government in Nigeria .

I therefore wish, on behalf of myself and members of the National Defence and Security Council and indeed of my entire administration, to feel with my fellow countrymen and women for the cancellation of the election. It was a rather disappointing experience in the course of carrying through the last election of the transition to civil rule programme.

Nigeria has come a long way since this administration assumed power and leadership about eight years ago. In the attempt to grapple with the critical and monumental problems and challenges of national existence and social progress, this administration inaugurated and pursued sound and justifiable policies and programmes of reform.

These policies and programmes have touched virtually all aspects of our national life – the economy, political process, social structures, external relations, bureaucracy and even the family system. I believe strongly that in understanding, conception, formulation and articulation, these policies and programmes are not only sound but also comparatively unassailable. I believe too that history, with the passage of time, would certainly score the administration high in its governance of our country.

Let me also express my deep conviction that the core strategy and structures of our reform policies and programmes, as enunciated in 1986/87, would, for a very long time, remain relevant and durable in the course of changing our country positively. I believe that at the exit of the administration from power, we would leave behind for prosperity a country with an economy, the structures of which have been turned around for good. The average Nigerian person has come to reconcile himself with the fact that his or her social progress remains essentially in his or her hands in collaboration with other fellow Nigerians and not merely relying on what government alone could provide for him or her. The days are gone for good, when men and women trooped to government establishments for employment and for benevolence. This administration has built the foundation that would take Nigerians away from their previous colonially-induced motivations and the encumbrances of colonialism. We have laid the foundation for self-reliant economic development and social justice. We have established a new basis in our country in which economic liberalization would continue to flourish alongside democratic forces and deregulated power structure. In all these, the average Nigerian person has more than ever before this administration imbibed and assimilated the values of hard work, resilience and self-confidence.

It is true that in the course of implementing our reform policies and programmes and especially because of the visionary zeal with which we approached the assignment and responded to incidental pressures of governance, we engendered a number of social forces in the country.

This is so because we sought to challenge and transform extant social forces which had in the past impeded growth and development of our country. We also sought to deal with the new forces to which our programmes of action gave rise. Thus in dealing with the dynamics of both the old and new social forces, we ran into certain difficulties.

In particular, during the course of handling the interlocking relationships between the old and new political forces and institutions, some problems had arisen leading us into a number of difficulties and thereby necessitating our having to tamper with the rules and regulations laid down in the political programme. As a result, the administration unwittingly attracted enormous public suspicions of its intentions and objectives. Accordingly, we have experienced certain shortfalls and conflicting responses to the pulls and pushes of governance in the course of policy implementation.

I believe that areas of difficulties with the transition programme, especially from the last quarter of 1992 to the recent cancelled presidential election, derived primarily from the shortfalls in implementing the programmes of actions which, though objectively taken, may have caused a deviation from the original framework and structure of the programme.

Fellow Nigerians, it is true that by the cancelled presidential election, we all found the nation at a peculiar bar of history which was neither bargained for, nor was it envisaged in the reform programmes of transition as enunciated in 1986/87. In the circumstance, the administration had no option than to respond appropriately to the unfortunate experience of terminating the presidential election. Our actions are in full conformity with the original objectives of the transition to civil programme. It was also in conformity with the avowed commitment of the administration to advance the cause of national unity, stability, and democracy. In annulling the presidential election, this administration was keenly aware of its promise in November 1992 that it would disengage and institute a return to democracy on August 27, 1993. We are determined to keep the promise. Since this transition, and indeed any transition, must have an end, I believe that our transition programme should and must come to an end, honestly and honourably.

History will bear witness that as an administration we have always striven, in all our policy decisions, to build the foundation of lasting democracy. Lasting democracy is not a temporary show of excitement and manipulation by an over-articulate section of the elite and its captive audience; lasting democracy is a permanent diet to nurture the soul of the whole nation and the political process.

Therefore, it is logical, as we have always insisted upon, that lasting democracy must be equated with political stability.
Informed by our sad experience of history, we require nothing short of a foundation for lasting democracy. As an administration, we cannot afford to leave Nigerian into a Third Republic with epileptic convulsions in its democratic health. Nigeria must therefore confront her own reality; she must solve her problems notwithstanding other existing models of democracy in other parts of the world.

In my address to the nation in October 1992, when the first presidential primaries were cancelled, I had cause to remind our country men and women that there is nowhere in the world in which the practice of democracy is the same, even if the principles are similar and even for countries sharing the same intellectual tradition and cultural foundation. The history of our country is not the history of any other country in the world which is either practising advanced democracy or struggling to lay the foundation for democracy. Yet, in spite of the uniqueness and peculiarities of Nigeria, there are certain prerequisites which constitute an irreducible minimum for democracy. Such essential factors include: A. Free and fair elections; B. Uncoerced expression of voters preference in election; C. Respect for electorate as unfettered final arbiter on elections; D. Decorum and fairness on the part of the electoral umpires; E. Absolute respect for the rule of law. Fellow Nigerians, you would recall that it was precisely because the presidential primaries of last year did not meet the basic requirements of free and fair election that the Armed Forces Ruling Council had good reason to cancel those primaries. The recently annulled presidential election was similarly afflicted by these problems.

Even before the presidential election, and indeed at the party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and regulations of democratic elections. But because we were determined to keep faith with the deadline of 27th August, 1993 for the return to civil rule, we overlooked the reported breaches. Unfortunately, these breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12, 1993, on an even greater proportion. There were allegations of irregularities and other acts of bad conduct leveled against the presidential candidates but NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as well as documented evidence of widespread use of money during the party primaries as well as the presidential election. These were the same bad conduct for which the party presidential primaries of 1992 were cancelled.

Evidence available to gov ernment put the total amount of money spent by the presidential candidates at over two billion , one hundred million naira (N2.1 billion). The use of money was again the major source of undermining the electoral process.

Both these allegations and evidence were known to the National Defence and Security Council before the holding of the June 12, 1993 election, the National Defence and Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its determination to fulfill the promise to hand over to an elected president on due date.

Apart from the tremendous negative use of money during the party primaries and presidential election, there were moral issues which were also overlooked by the Defence and National Security Council. There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of interest between the government and both presidential candidates which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become president. We believe that politics and government are not ends in themselves. Rather, service and effective amelioration of the condition of our people must remain the true purpose of politics.

It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful. However, there was in fact a huge array of electoral malpractices virtually in all the states of the federation before the actual voting began. There were authenticated reports of the electoral malpractices against party agents, officials of the National Electoral Commission and also some members of the electorate.

If all of these were clear violations of the electoral law, there were proofs of manipulations through offer and acceptance of money and other forms of inducement against officials of the National Electoral Commission and members of the electorate. There were also evidence of conflict in the process of authentication and clearance of credentials of the presidential candidates. Indeed, up to the last few hours of the election, we continued, in our earnest steadfastness with our transition deadline, to overlook vital facts.

For example, following the Council’s deliberation which followed the court injunction suspending the election, majority of members of the National Defence and Security Council supported postponement of the election by one week. This was to allow NEC enough time to reach all the voters, especially in the rural areas, about the postponement. But persuaded by NEC that it was capable of relaying the information to the entire electorate within the few hours left before the election, the Council, unfortunately, dropped the idea of shifting the voting day. Now, we know better. The conduct of the election, the behaviour of the candidates and post-election responses continued to elicit signals which the nation can only ignore at its peril. It is against the foregoing background that the administration became highly concerned when these political conflicts and breaches were carried to the court. It must be acknowledged that the performance of the judiciary on this occasion was less than satisfactory. The judiciary has been the bastion of the hopes and liberties of our citizens.

Therefore, when it became clear that the courts had become intimidated and subjected to the manipulation of the political process, and vested interests, then the entire political system was in clear dangers. This administration could not continue to watch the various high courts carry on their long drawn out processes and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into chaos.

It was under this circumstance that the National Defence and Security Council decided that it is in the supreme interest of law and order, political stability and peace that the presidential election be annulled. As an administration, we have had special interest and concern not only for the immediate needs of our society, but also in laying the foundation for generations to come.

To continue action on the basis of the June 12, 1993 election, and to proclaim and swear in a president who encouraged a campaign of divide and rule among our ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival of the Third Republic. Our need is for peace, stability and continuity of politics in the interest of all our people.

Fellow countrymen and women, although the National Electoral Commission and the Centre for Democratic Studies officially invited foreign observers for the presidential election, the administration also considered it, as important as a democratic society, that our activities and electoral conduct must be open not only to the citizenry of our country but also to the rest of the world. In spite of this commitment, the administration did not and cannot accept that foreign countries should interfere in our internal affairs and undermine our sovereignty.

The presidential election was not an exercise imposed on Nigerians by the United Nations or by the wishes of some global policemen of democracy. It was a decision embarked upon independently by the government of our country and for the interest of our country. This is because we believe, just like other countries, that democracy and democratization are primary values which Nigerians should cultivate, sustain and consolidate so as to enhance freedom, liberties and social development of the citizenry.

The actions of these foreign countries are most unfortunate and highly regrettable. There is nowhere in the history of our country or indeed of the third world where these countries can be said to love Nigeria or Nigerians any more than the love we have for ourselves and for our country. Neither can they claim to love Nigeria any more than this administration loves our country.

Accordingly, I wish to state that this administration will take necessary action against any interest groups that seek to interfere in our internal affairs. In this vein, I wish to place on record the appreciation of this administration for the patience and understanding of Nigerians, the French, the Germans, the Russians and Irish governments in the current situation. I appeal to our fellow countrymen and women and indeed our foreign detractors that they should cultivate proper understanding and appreciation of the peculiar historic circumstances in the development of our country and the determination not only of this administration but indeed of all Nigerians to resolve the current crises.

Fellow Nigerians, the National Security and Defence Council has met several times since the June 12, 1993 election. The council has fully deliberated not only on our avowed commitment but also to bequeathing to posterity a sound economic and political base in our country and we shall do so with honour. In our deliberations, we have also taken note of several extensive consultations with other members of this administration, with officers and men of the Armed Forces and with well-meaning Nigerian leaders of thought. We are committed to handing over power on 27th August, 1993. Accordingly, the National Defence and Security Council has decided that, by the end of July 1993, the two political parties, under the supervision of a recomposed National Electoral Commission, will put in place the necessary process for the emergence of two presidential candidates.

This shall be conducted according to the rules and regulations governing the election of the president of the country. In this connection, government will, in consultation with the two political parties and National Electoral Commission, agree as to the best and quickest process of conducting the election.

In the light of our recent experience and, given the mood of the nation, the National Defence and Security Council has imposed additional conditions as a way of widening and deepening the base of electing the president and sanitizing the electoral process. Accordingly, the candidates for the coming election must: (1) Not be less than 50 years old; (2) Have not been convicted of any crime;
(3) Believe, by act of faith and practice, in the corporate existence of Nigeria; (4) Possess records of personal, corporate and business interests which do not conflict with national interests; (5) Have been registered members of either of the two political parties for at least one year to this election. All those previously banned from participating in the transition process, other than those with criminal records, are hereby unbanned. They can all henceforth participate in the electoral process. This is with a view to enriching the quality of candidature for the election and at the same time tap the leadership resources of our country to the fullest. The decree to this effect will be promulgated.

Fellow Nigerians, I wish to finally acknowledge the tremendous value of your patience and understanding, especially in the face of national provocation.

I urge you to keep faith with the commitment of this administration. I enjoin you to keep faith with the unity, peace and stability of our country for this is the only country that you and I can call our own. Nowhere in the world, no matter the prompting and inducements of foreign countries, can Nigerians ever be regarded as first class citizens. Nigeria is the only country that we have. We must therefore renew our hope in Nigeria, and faith and confidence in ourselves for continued growth, development and progress.

Thank you all, and God bless you.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/why-we-annuled-june-12-presidential-election-general-ibrahim-babangida/

Another shooting spree was reported in the US on Friday. This time, a gunman wearing a bullet vest killed at least six people in Santa Monica, California, on Friday before he was shot dead by police at a library of a community college.

Santa Monica police chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said the rampage began just before noon on Friday when emergency calls reported shots fired and a house on fire.

Officers arriving at the scene found a home engulfed in flames. The bodies of at least two men - said to be related to the gunman - were discovered inside.

There are unconfirmed reports the pair were the man's father and brother.

Students at the campus library described a scene of pandemonium as the sounds of gunfire rang out, sending students scurrying for cover.

One student inside the library, Cyrus Jabari, 19, said he could see through a window a man dressed in black with a buzz-style haircut carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle.

The man shot at a police car and at officers before being chased into the school's library, where the suspect was killed after a shoot-out.

Chief Seabrooks said the unidentified gunman, described as a white male between the ages of 25 and 35, was armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.

This incident will sure rekindle the assault weapon ban debate the heated up after the mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut late last year.

It's rather unfortunate that it takes incidents such as this to get the gun laws conversations started. Enough of the fire brigade approach to this issue, the lawmakers need to take a stand - either ban assault weapons or tighten the existing laws to reduce the chances of the folks obtaining them illegally.

Expect another round of excessive media coverage on gun laws. Only time will tell if our lawmakers have the willpower to address this issue head on.

One thing is for sure, this isn't going to be the last shooting spree. I hope we don't merry-go-round and play politics as usual.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/shooting-spree-kills-six-in-santa.html

Another rape case has been reported in India. This time, an American woman was gang-raped by a group in a hill resort in northern India after she accepted a ride, police said on Tuesday. This report comes on the heels of several other allegations of tourists being ra ped in India.

The 31-year-old woman was on her way back to Manali, one of the region's most popular tourist destinations, when she got into the truck with the men around 1 a.m. They allegedly took her to an isolated area and ra ped her, police said.

The director general of police in the state of Himachal Pradesh ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and directed state police to scour the area for the alleged perpetrators.

Statistics shows that sex crimes are common in India. The National Crime Records Bureau says more than 24,200 ra pes were reported across the country in 2011 – about one every 20 minutes.

This is really getting out of hand. Female tourists are advised to observe stringent security precautions and avoid public transportation after dark without the company of known trustworthy companions.

Despite the nationwide protest spurred by the attack on a 23-year-old woman who was gang-ra ped on a bus in New Delhi and later died in December 2012, there seem to be little to none progress made in curbing these barbaric acts against women.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/

Jesoul, it's really pathetic that officers will act in this manner. I guess the woman must have given them a hard time before they arrived at the station. It seem like the first officer was already pissed with the woman before he ended her call.

However, they are officers of the law who are supposed to be trained professionals. There is no excuse for such acts.

It is very disturbing that this happens even in the most civilized nations.

The video (no audio) captures two Jasper, Texas police officers slamming a black woman’s head into a counter top and wrestling her to the ground. The incident was captured by security cameras at the Jasper, Texas, police headquarters.

The woman was brought to jail over unpaid fee and she was on the phone when an officer abruptly cut off the call.

Jasper's interim city manager confirmed that the two officers have been fired.

There are speculations that this act could be racially motivated as the town is historically know for its racial unrest.

There is no justification for this kind of treatment. Where is the respect for human rights? One cannot help but wonder how often incidents like this happen where it isn't reported or caught on camera.

Watch the video and share your thoughts.

[flash=200,200]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-xEQdmkUzE[/flash]

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/texas-police-officers-caught-beating.html

Unmarried single mothers beware! A central Chinese city plans to fine mothers who have children out of wedlock.

On Friday, the government of Wuhan city in central Hubei published online a draft updated family planning policy which it says is aimed at keeping the city's birth rate at a low level.

The plan has sparked criticism that the policy is discriminatory and could lead to increase in abandoned infants in the country.

"Cases of children born out of wedlock are often complex and cannot be judged by a one-size-fits-all measure," said an editorial in the state-run Global Times newspaper. "It only penalizes mothers while ignoring the responsibilities of the fathers. It only seriously affects the poor while having almost no impact on the rich. It undermines social fairness."

The policy says that "the parties" should pay the fee in cases of births that are out of wedlock or when one side knowingly has a child with someone who has a spouse. It has been interpreted in state media as mainly targeting unmarried mothers and women who have affairs with married men. The public has a week to comment on it.

Wuhan city responded to the criticism by claiming that it will be soliciting "advice" on the draft, and that the article is subject to change.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/single-moms-in-china-could-face-huge.html

MATCHES

MEN (View bracket)
Djokovic (1) d. Kohlschreiber (16) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Nadal (3) d. Nishikori (13) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3
Gasquet (7) v. Wawrinka (9) ---
Haas (12) d. Youzhny (29) 6-1, 6-1, 6-3

WOMEN (View bracket)
Sharapova (2) v. Stephens (17) ---
Azarenka (3) d. Schiavone 6-3, 6-0
Kirilenko (12) d. Mattek-Sands 7-5, 6-4
Jankovic (18) v. Hampton ---

SEEDS ELIMINATED TODAY

MEN
Kei Nishikori (13)
Philipp Kohlschreiber (16)
Mikhail Youzhny (29)

TOMORROW'S MATCHES (Tuesday, June 5th)

MEN WOMEN
Federer (2) v. Tsonga (6) S Williams (1) v. Kuznetsova
Ferrer (4) v. Robredo (32) A Radwanska (4) v. Errani (5)

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/result-and-fixtures-2013-french-open.html

Bigcake: Maybe d condoms whr meant for d 72 VIRGINS

Just few days after EA Sports offered a quick glimpse at FIFA 14, Konami released a teaser trailer for Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 featuring entirely in-game footage using the modified Fox Engine, the engine used in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

The video shows little in comparison to FIFA’s first look, which showcased Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta in a Barcelona-Atletico Madrid match-up.

It was revealed in March that future Pro Evolution Soccer games will use a modified version of Kojima Productions' Fox Engine. The engine will introduce new features to PES and will enhance the development process on next-gen consoles, tablets and mobile devices.

Konami will reveal more about PES 2014 at its pre-E3 2013 show on June 6, 2013.

Here's the video:
[flash=200,200]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN1AxwGwG_M[/flash]

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/konami-rleases-teaser-trailer-for-pro.html

[quote author=Zona.com]Science is wonderful[/quote]It's really amazing!

Watch Brad Carter, an actor and musician, play the guitar while undergoing a brain surgery to treat involuntary hand tremors.

The surgery took place at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) medical center.

This is one guitar solo that will blow your mind.

[flash=200,200]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vr64nDSYkk[/flash]

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/man-plays-guitar-while-doctors-perform.html

Roland-Garros 2013 - Day 7 (Saturday, June 1st)

MATCHES

MEN (View bracket)

Djokovic (1) v. Dimitrov (26) ---
Nadal (3) d. Fognini (27) 7-6, 6-4, 6-4
Gasquet (7) d. Davydenko 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
Youzhny (29) d. Tipsarevic ( 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
Wawrinka (9) d. Janowicz (21) 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
Haas (12) d. Isner (19) 7-5, 7-6, 4-6, 6-7, 10-8
Nishikori (13) d. Paire (23) 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-1
Kohlschreiber (16) v. Hanescu ---

WOMEN (View bracket)

Sharapova (2) d. Zheng 6-1, 7-5
Azarenka (3) d. Cornet (31) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
Hampton d. Kvitova (7) 6-1, 7-6
Jankovic (18) d. Stosur (9) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Kirilenko (12) d. Voegele 7-6, 7-5
Schiavone d. Bartoli (13) 6-2, 6-1
Stephens (17) d. Erakovic 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
Mattek-Sands d. Ormaechea 4-6, 6-1, 6-3

SEEDS ELIMINATED TODAY

MEN WOMEN
Janko Tipsarevic ( Petra Kvitova (7)
John Isner (19) Samantha Stosur (9)
Jerzy Janowicz (21) Marion Bartoli (13)
Benoit Paire (23) Alize Cornet (31)
Fabio Fognini (27)

TOMORROW'S MATCHES (Sunday, June 2nd)

MEN WOMEN
Federer (2) v. Simon (15) S Williams (1) v. Vinci (15)
Ferrer (4) v. Anderson (23) A Radwanska (4) v. Ivanovic (14)
Tsonga (6) v. Troicki Errani (5) v. Suarez Navarro (20)
Almagro (11) v. Robredo (32) Kerber ( v. Kuznetsova

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/06/tennis-2013-french-open-day-7-saturday.html

Remember Baby No 59? For those who haven't, read about the miraculous rescue on this Nairaland trend:
https://www.nairaland.com/1305482/baby-rescued-alive-toilet-pipe

Former Chelsea and Juventus striker Adrian Mutu was so moved by the story of a newborn baby being found trapped in a sewage pipe that he wants to adopt the child.

Like most of the Western world, Romania star Mutu, who now plays for French side Ajaccio, was captivated by the news that 'Baby 59' was successfully freed from a 10cm-wide sewage pipe after being flushed down the toilet just after his birth.


The 34-year-old told Romanian TV channel ProTV that he would do everything in his power to adopt the child.

"I couldn't figure out how to carry on living, how to eat my breakfast when I saw this story on TV," said Mutu, who has also played for Parma, Fiorentina and Cesena.

"He's a special child. When I saw the baby I said 'I must adopt him, he has been sent to me by God."

In related news, the baby has been returned to his mother’s family after police decided he had fallen down the toilet by accident.

The mother is lucky she is not in some other country. The baby would have been taken from her and she might also spend some time in jail.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/05/soccer-star-wants-to-adopt-chinese-baby.html

The Nigerian Joint Task Force (JTF) uncovered a Lebanon-based Hezbollah armory and terror cell in Bompai, an area in northern Nigeria of Kano.

The force, which said it found large cache of arms and ammunition, also confirmed the arrest of three persons in connection with the armory and the cell.

A Lebanese national currently out of the country reportedly owns the premises where the armory and the cell were found in the ancient city.

A statement by the JTF spokesman, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said the JTF operatives uncovered an underground bunker in the premises where large quantities of assorted weapons were hidden.

Iweha, who said the construction of the bunker was special, listed anti-tank weapons, rocket propelled guns and anti-tank/personnel mines as some of the dangerous weapons found in the premises. He added that the weapons and ammunition were concealed in coolers, drums and bags.

The latest recovery followed an ongoing robust counter-terrorism investigation by the SSS.


Confirming the existence of a Hezbollah cell in the country, Iweha noted that the SSS had arrested one Mustapha Fawaz, co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and the Wonderland Amusement Park, in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city.

The arrest of Fawaz, led to the arrest of another Lebanese terror suspect, Abdullah Tahini, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with over $60,000 while another Lebanese with a Nigerian Passport, was arrested.

“All those arrested have confessed to have undergone Hezbollah Terrorist Training and further implicated one Fauzi Fawad, also a co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park," said the Iweha.

The Director of Defense Information, Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade, described the discovery of the arms and the arrest of the Lebanese importers as “a major breakthrough.” The action of the JTF operatives, he said demonstrated the commitment of security agencies to riding the country of illegal arms.

Meanwhile, the State Security Service (SSS) said the weapons were intended for use against “Israeli and Western interests”.

“This is the handwork of Hezbollah,” Bassey Ettang, director of the SSS said in Kano.

“You can also be sure that if a group like this is existing, then it may even lend support to some of the local terrorists we have on the ground.”

Hezbollah is a Shia military and political movement based in Lebanon considered by the United States to be a terrorist organisation.

The sect was conceived by Muslim clerics and funded by Iran following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and was primarily formed to offer resistance to the Israeli occupation.

Its leaders were inspired by former Iranian leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, and its forces were trained and organised by a contingent of Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

Hezbollah’s 1985 manifesto listed its four main goals as “Israel’s final departure from Lebanon as a prelude to its final obliteration.”

Kudos to the Nigerian military for their intense effort at ensuring that the country is free of all forms of terrorism that has plagued the country in recent times.

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/05/nigeria-lebanon-based-hezbollah-armory.html

http://www.punchng.com/news/jtf-uncovers-lebanese-terror-cell-in-kano/

MATCHES

MEN (View bracket)

Federer (2) d. Benneteau (30) 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 Haas (12) d. Sock 7-6, 6-2, 7-5
Nadal (3) d. Klizan 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 Raonic (14) v. Anderson (23) ---
Ferrer (4) d. F Lopez 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 Simon (15) v. Querrey (18) ---
Tsonga (6) v. Chardy (25) --- Isner (19) d. R Harrison 5-7, 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 8-6
Gasquet (7) d. Przysiezny 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 Janowicz (21) d. Haase 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Tipsarevic ( d. Verdasco 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 5-7, 8-6 Youzhny (29) d. Delbonis 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4
Wawrinka (9) d. Zeballos 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 Robredo (32) v. Monfils ---
Cilic (10) v. Troicki --- Davydenko d. Istomin 6-4, 7-5, 6-2
Almagro (11) v. Seppi (20) ---

WOMEN (View bracket)

S Williams (1) d. Cirstea (26) 6-0, 6-2 Ivanovic (14) v. Razzano ---
Sharapova (2) d. Bouchard 6-2, 6-4 Vinci (15) v. Cetkovska ---
A Radwanska (4) v. Pfizenmaier --- Suarez Navarro (20) v. Puig ---
Errani (5) v. Lisicki (32) --- Flipkens (21) v. Schiavone ---
Kerber ( v. Lepchenko (29) --- Kuznetsova v. Jovanovski ---
Kirilenko (12) d. Barty 6-3, 6-1 Kanepi v. Vogele ---
Bartoli (13) d. Duque 7-6, 7-5

SEEDS ELIMINATED TODAY

MEN WOMEN
Julien Benneteau (30) Sorana Cirstea (26)

TOMORROW'S MATCHES (Saturday, June 1st)

MEN WOMEN

Djokovic (1) v. Dimitrov (26) Sharapova (2) v. Zheng
Nadal (3) v. Fognini (27) Azarenka (3) v. Cornet (31)
Gasquet (7) v. Davydenko Kvitova (7) v. Hampton
Tipsarevic ( v. Youzhny (29) Stosur (9) v. Jankovic (18)
Wawrinka (9) v. Janowicz (21) Kirilenko (12) v. Voegele or Kanepi
Haas (12) v. Isner (19) Bartoli (13) v. Flipkens (21) or Schiavone
Nishikori (13) v. Paire (23) Stephens (17) v. Erakovic
Kohlschreiber (16) v. Hanescu Mattek-Sands v. Ormaechea

http://www.infonubia.com/2013/05/tennis-2013-french-open-day-6-friday.html

Two rain delays today, at this point there has been about under 2 hours of play so far. There's probably not enough time to finish all the matches, so some postponements seem likely.

MATCHES

MEN (View bracket)

Djokovic (1) v. Pella
---
Isner (19) v. R Harrison
---
Nadal (3) v. Klizan
---
Janowicz (21) v. Haase
---
Gasquet (7) v. Przysiezny
---
Paire (24) v. Kubot
---
Tipsarevic ( v. Verdasco
---
Fognini (27) v. Rosol
---
Wawrinka (9) v. Zeballos
---
Dimitrov (28) d. Pouille
6-1, 7-6, 6-1
Haas (12) v. Sock
---
Youzhny (29) v. Delbonis
---
Nishikori (13) v. Zemlja
---
Istomin v. Davydenko
---
Kohlschreiber (16) d. Lu
Walk-over
Hanescu d. Tursunov
6-4, 6-6 ret.

WOMEN (View bracket)

Sharapova (2) v. Bouchard
---
Stephens (17) d. King
6-1, 6-3
Azarenka (3) v. Beck
---
Jankovic (18) d. Muguruza
6-3, 6-0
Li (6) v. Mattek-Sands
---
Flipkens (21) v. Schiavone
---
Kvitova (7) v. Peng
---
Ormaechea d. Shvedova (27)
6-4, 7-6
Stosur (9) d. Mladenovic
6-4, 6-3
Cornet (31) v. Soler Espinosa
---
Kirilenko (12) v. Barty
---
Kanepi v. Vogele
---
Bartoli (13) v. Duque
---
Zheng d. Oudin
6-3, 6-1
Cibulkova (16) v. Erakovic
---
Hampton v. Schmiedlova
---

SEEDS ELIMINATED TODAY
MEN
WOMEN
None
Yaroslava Shvedova (27)

TOMORROW'S MATCHES (Friday, May 31st)

MEN
WOMEN
Federer (2) v. Benneteau (30)
S Williams (1) v. Cirstea (26)
Ferrer (4) v. F Lopez
A Radwanska (4) v. Pfizenmaier
Tsonga (6) v. Chardy (25)
Errani (5) v. Lisicki (32)
Cilic (10) v. Troicki
Kerber ( v. Lepchenko (29)
Almagro (11) v. Seppi (20)
Ivanovic (14) v. Razzano
Raonic (14) v. Anderson (23)
Vinci (15) v. Cetkovska
Simon (15) v. Querrey (18)
Suarez Navarro (20) v. Puig
Robredo (32) v. Monfils
Kuznetsova v. Jovanovski

okeyxyz: Oh?? They are "gullible" for believing their own version of Jesus and you are not for believing your version(That he's gonna come flying in the clouds and all eyes shall see him...).

Yes, I think they are. Since AJ teaches from the same bible.

Very well stated Afam. I am also of the opinion that Nigeria can only be better if we invest in the younger generation. However, I'm afraid that my generation has been stung by the same corruption bug that has plagued the older generation of rulers.

Besides the entertainment industry, there has also been significant improvement in technology as well. We are not there yet but we are on the right path.

Good post. I enjoyed reading it.