₦airaland Forum

Commending the security forces for their work in
repelling the attack, Governor Geidam called on them
to remain at their highest alert level and to carry the
good work to its logical conclusion. He also directed
hospital authorities to provide adequate support to
innocent victims of the attack who come to them for
medical attention. G
overnor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State says that Damaturu, the capital, is firmly
under government control, thanks to security
forces who beat back Monday’s attacks by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
Abdullahi Bego, the governor’s Special Adviser on
Press Affairs and Information, said in a press
statement that his principal was away to Abuja, but
has been briefed on the situation by the heads of law enforcement agencies on the ground in Damaturu.
“The governor has condemned the attack as heinous and barbaric,” he said. “He has
also expressed appreciation to the security
forces who worked very hard on the ground and
from the air to repel the attack and force many of the attackers to flee. As a result of their effort, Damaturu remains firmly under government control.”
He said the governor has been told that the security
effort is ongoing, and that security agents will
continue to track and pursue any remnants of the
attackers who might still be hiding in the town.
Commending the security forces for their work in
repelling the attack, Governor Geidam called on them to remain at their highest alert level and to carry the good work to its logical conclusion.
He also directed hospital authorities to provide
adequate support to innocent victims of the attack
who come to them for medical attention.
Nigerian Defense Headquarters also issued a release regarding the recapture of Damaturu. The statement says that the work of ground troops, assisted by the Nigerian airforce, is to thank for the successful bombardment of militants.
The release also quotes a "top security source" who
revealed that "the battle is not yet over, as there are
suspicions that some of the terrorists might have
melted into the community to hide or for other
ulterior motives."

Nigerian Troops Repel Terrorists in Damaturu
The Nigerian troops have further demonstrated their gallantry when they resisted and repelled rampaging militants who attempted to invade Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State early today.
The ground troops were supported by the Nigerian
Airforce jet that provided aerial supports with heavy
bombardments at the terrorist targets.
PRNIgeria gathered that the troops were mindful of
the rule of engagement as well as non-passage of
State of Emergency, they nevertheless adopted
strategic approach to secure the civilian population
while repelling and apprehending the terrorists.
A top security source disclosed that "the battle is not yet over, as there are suspicions that some of the terrorists might have melted into the community to hide or for other ulterior motives."
The security personnel therefore urged the residents to assist the force by identifying and exposing the terrorists that may be hiding within the community. Meanwhile early in the morning the Defence Headquarters had assured Nigerians that the military was engaging the terrorists in Damaturu.
In the tweet, it states that "Troops backed by the
Airforce are carefully engaging terrorists who
attacked the town in the early hours of today. The
approach is to secure the civilian population while
repelling or apprehending the terrorists."
saharareporters.com/2014/12/01/attack-damaturu-now-repelled-says-yobe-state-governor-gaidam

Louis van Gaal had some positive news in
Friday's pre-match press conference, with Luke
Shaw only ruled out for a few weeks by the
ankle injury he sustained at Arsenal - and the
possibility that Radamel Falcao and Marcos
Rojo could feature in Saturday’s Barclays
Premier League encounter with Hull City.
Falcao returned to full training on Sunday after
missing the last four first-team fixtures with a
troublesome calf injury, while Rojo has not
featured since dislocating his shoulder during
United’s 1-0 defeat to local rivals Manchester City
on 2 November.
"We have to wait and see until the last training
session of course," van Gaal explained at the Aon
Training Complex. "It’s always difficult to say but we
have good news, yes. You have to read between the
lines.
"I have to train the last session and I live day by day
at this moment. So maybe Falcao can come back in
the 18 [matchday squad], maybe Rojo can come
back in the 18. That’s it I think."
Asked about Shaw’s ankle injury sustained during
the first half during last Saturday’s match at the
Emirates Stadium, van Gaal provided a positive
update on the 19-year-old England international.
"Luke sustained an ankle ligament injury but with
no serious complications and he will only be out
for the next few weeks because of this."

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on
Wednesday blasted the President Goodluck
Jonathan-led administration and the National
Assembly for promoting corruption and poor
governance.
The ex-President spoke in Abuja at the presentation
of books by a former Chairman of the Independent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission, retired Justice Mustapha Akanbi.
“For quite some time, the covered and hushed-up
corruption has had its toll on the economy,”
Obasanjo said.
According to him, the increasing rate of corruption
under Jonathan had damaged the economy,
warning that “in the future, we will have a budget
that cannot be funded.”
He said, “We may have to borrow to pay salaries
and allowances. Revenue allocation to states and
local governments has already drastically reduced.
Capital projects at all levels may have to be
drastically cut or stopped.
“Nigeria cannot continue to indulge in disdain of
truth, elevation of corruption and incompetence,
reinforcement of failure, condonation of heinous
crimes and celebration of mediocrity, tribal bigotry,
fomenting violence and anti-democratic practices
in states and National Assembly.
“Corruption in the National Assembly also includes
what they call constituency projects, which they
give to their agents to execute, but invariably, full
payment is made with little or no job done.
“In all these, if
the executive
is absolutely
above board,
the offending
members of
the National
Assembly
resort to
subtle or open
threat,
intimidation
and blackmail
of the
executive.”
On Boko Haram, Obasanjo blamed the escalation
of the insurgency on the delay in Jonathan’s
understanding of the sect and the threat they posed
to the nation.
“Boko Haram is not simply a menace based on
religion or one directed to frustrate anybody’s
political ambition. It is essentially a socio-economic
problem that is tainted with religion. It is a
gargantuan danger to the nation and to all
Nigerians.
“Initially, President Jonathan’s understanding of
Boko Haram phenomenon suffered from wrong
reading and wrong imputation. That is what led us
to where we are today.
“It took even the President more than three years
to appreciate and understand that it is a terrible
mix of poor education or lack of education;
misinterpretation of what Islam and the Quran
teach and stand for, poverty, unemployment,
injustice, drug, gun trafficking, human trafficking,
fallout from Libya, revenge, frustration, struggle
against inequality, imitation of international
terrorism leading to training and part of the
absorption by international terrorist groups and
general poor governance, including corruption. I
have always maintained that the solution to Boko
Haram or any organisation like it lies in the
application of carrot and stick approach.”
www.today.ng/news/obasanjo-blasts-jonathan-again-says-hes-promoting-corruption-bad-governance/

A private jet owned by President of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor that conveyed $9.3 million cash from Nigeria to South Africa for an arms deal between the two countries, had Nigerian crew members, and passengers from Israel and Austria, new documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in Johannesburg have shown.
There were three Nigerians aboard the plane, the
documents show.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained the manifest of the jet that transported the huge sum, and has confirmed the identities of the passengers and crew who delivered the controversial package.
South Africa seized the money early September,
accusing the Nigerian government of violating its
laws regulating the transfer of cash.
Another payment by the Nigerian government for
arms to combat the extremist Boko Haram sect, was also confiscated. The second transfer, totalling $5.7 million, was wired through the banks.
The South African ambassador to Nigeria was later
quoted as saying the money had been returned to
Nigeria, a claim that has yet to be verified.
Details of the first transaction, revealed by a South
African newspaper, City Press, said an Israeli and two Nigerians were aboard the airplane that transported the sum to Lanseria airport in South Africa.
The first tranche of the money was conveyed to South Africa on September 5 in two plastic bag suitcases and two hand luggage aboard an airplane belonging to Ayo Oritsejafor, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.
While the Nigerian government confirmed the
transactions, it denied violating any foreign law. The
government also refused to provide the names of
those aboard the airplane.
In its report, widely quoted in the Nigerian media,
City Press said the Israeli passenger, Eyal Mesika,
had the key to the combination lock of the suitcases.
The paper also said two Nigerian passengers were
aboard the plane. It quoted South African law
enforcement officials.
The report however did not reveal the identities of
the Nigerians, and South African officials also
declined to provide those details to PREMIUM TIMES
when contacted from Nigeria by telephone.
In an investigation that involved visiting South Africa, PREMIUM TIMES has obtained documents showing details of the transaction, including the flight manifest of the airplane.
The listing shows that beside Mr. Mesika, the only
Nigerians on board the aircraft were crew members. The other two passengers who conveyed the cash were Austrians, the manifest shows.
The two Austrians are named, R. Wolfgang and M.
Michael.
The flight crew members of the Project Eagle Air jet
with flight number: N808HE were Ojongbede R.T
(captain), Fejoku U, (flight officer) and George E.E
(flight attendant).
The listing contradicts reports that the other
passengers were Nigerians, a claim that set off an
intense controversy after the All Progressives
Congress, APC, accused a former militant leader,
Dokubo Asari, of being one of those aboard the
plane.
The APC relied on unverified reports by some news
websites [not PREMIUM TIMES] in making the false
claim.
Mr. Asari denied the allegation and threatened legal
action against Lai Mohammed, the spokesperson of
the APC.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES at the time, Mr. Asari threatened to physically assault Mr.
Mohammed if he failed to get justice in the courts.
“After all the South Africa People have given the
names of people on the plane and if by next week we go to court and the court is being manipulated not to give me justice, I will resort to self-help,” he said.
“I have the capacity to resort to self-help. I will not
give anybody any apology because if a man has
mouth to malign me then I can use what I have to
fight for myself.”
saharareporters.com/2014/11/23/revealed-nigerians-aboard-pastor-oritsejafors-jet-smuggled-93-million-south-africa
SOURCE: NICHOLAS IBEKWE

Abuja – The House of Representatives Committee on
Police Affairs on Friday insisted that Mr Suleiman
Abba, the Inspector General of Police, must appear in
person before the committee to explain Thursday’s
police action.
The committee had summoned Abba over the
takeover of the National Assembly by armed
policemen which led to Thursday’s confusion.
The
committee declined audience to Mr Sotonye
Wakama, a Deputy Inspector General of Police in
charge of Operations.
Abba had in a letter with reference CB:3380/IGP.SEC/
ABJ/VOL8/806 and addressed to the Chairman of the
committee, Rep. Usman Kumo (Gombe –PDP)
explained his absence.
The letter reads: “Due to exigency of duty, the
Inspector General of Police will not be able to appear
before the house.
“Meanwhile, he has directed the deputy inspector
general of police, operations to represent him.”
The letter was signed by Mr Austin Iwar, a Principal
Staff Officer and Commissioner of Police.
In his reaction, Kumo insisted that Abba should
appear in person before the committee on Nov. 26.
He said that Abba’s presence would be required to
give explanations to the chaotic situation recorded in
the National Assembly on Thursday.
“The constitution empowers the house, through its
committees, to summon anybody to appear before it.
“It is in view of this that the committee is fixing this
hearing for Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. for the I-G to appear for
this interactive, question and answer session,’’ Kumo
said. (NAN)
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/assembly-crisis-reps-insist-g-appearing-person-2/

Authorities of
St. Paul’s
College in
Lawrenceville,
Virginia, in the
United States
have cleared
the air on the
alleged
certificate forgery scandal of Minister of Aviation,
Stella Oduah.
Online news portal, Sahara Reporters had earlier
reported that her acclaimed Masters from the said
institution was fake.
The school authorities had on Thursday confirmed
that the embattled Minister only bagged a first
degree in Business Administration at the
institution in 1982, with a major in Accounting.
Confirming the development, St Paul’s registrar,
Ms. Helen Jackson, said Ms. Oduah was alumnus of
the school.
She reiterated however, that the school has never
had a postgraduate program as earlier claimed by
the Minister.
It would be recalled that
SaharaReporters on Monday
night broke the news of
Oduah’s fake certificate
scandal. The news sparked
controversy on the blogsphere.
The Minister who is yet to
respond to the allegation as at
Tuesday, expunged any
mention of St. Paul’s College,
the institutions where she
initially claimed in citations, on
Wikipedia and several personal
websites that she earned a
Masters Degree from.
The Minister has also claimed to
have obtained an “honorary
Ph.D” from Christian Pacific
University in Glendale,
California. That claim has
equally been found to be false.
The Minister’s claim to an MBA
in 1983 also conflicts with the
year in which she supposedly
served in the National Youth
Service Corps.
It was observed that the
Ministry of Aviation had since
disabled her profile page which
claimed she had “Bachelors and
Masters Degree (in Accounting
and Business Administration
respectively) in the United
States.
dailypost.com.ng/2014/01/10/alleged-certificate-forgery-st-paul-says-oduah-bagged-first-degree-school-masters/

Manchester
United players
face the
possibility of a
pay cut in the
region of 25%, if
they fail to
make it into
next year’s
Champions
League, according to a report in The Sun.
The policy, which has received
the backing of former manager,
Sir Alex Ferguson and chief
executive David Gill, was
implemented three years and
ago. However, it does not apply
to all senior players, but new
signings and players renewing
contracts have had to accept it.
And the newspaper quotes a
source as saying: “United aren’t
the only Premier League club
with this policy. They felt it was
fair players should be rewarded
for reaching the top four but
also share the financial pain if
they miss out.”
If true, the report, throws
Wayner Rooney’s future at Old
Trafford into doubt. The striker
has 18 months left and talks are
due to start soon over a new
deal.
United are currently 7th in the
League, 11 points off the table
toppers, Arsenal.
dailypost.com.ng/2014/01/10/manchester-united-players-face-25-pay-cut-miss-top-four/

Governor Rabi’u
Kwankwaso of Kano
state says Nigeria is
drifting towards
calamity because the
serving President
lacks the competence
and guts to manage
the affairs of the
country
appropriately.
The governor, who
stated this during a
meeting with the
leadership of
Northern Elders Forum at the Government House in
Kano, on Tuesday night, said despite advice and
observations from respected leaders and leaders
from within and outside the country on how to put
Nigeria on the right track, the presidency has
insensitive.
“When we met with the president, as Northern
Governors, he told us that the former US Secretary
of State, Lady Clinton, told him that as President he
has to look at the issue of the North very critically.
She noted that there was an imbalance in terms of
patronage, appointments and sharing of resources.
“He assured that he was looking at those
comments and that was why he was delaying
appointments into boards and so on. Since that
meeting, we have not seen anything or changes so
it is my conclusion that the President lacks the
capacity and courage to do the right thing”, the
governor stated.
He lamented that the federal budget is heavily
tilted in favour of one section of the country,
pointing out that a situation where one section of
the country is suffering from illiteracy,
underdevelopment and misery while the other
section has more than enough is not good for
national unity.
The governor maintained that a situation whereby
a section of the country is given priority over other
areas is not in the best interest of all, pointing out
that it is high time for the Federal Government to
be sensitive to what is being felt by the
international community.
“We have had enough crises in this country and it
is not right to plant seeds for crisis in the future.
Look at the North East that was allocated N2 billion
in the current budget. N2 billion is what Mr.
President allocated to non-APC states for
supporting him, while N111 billion was allocated to
the South East and South-South. This is not close to
fairness”, the governor argued.
Stressing that his position on current national
issues is not premised on religion, ethnicity or
sectionalism but stems from the desire to see that
every Nigerian, irrespective where he comes from
is treated without discrimination, Kwankwaso
asserted that it is time for members of the National
Assembly to come out and oppose injustice that is
perpetrated by the government.
The governor noted that what is happening in the
country in terms of poverty, insecurity and
joblessness in the North today should not be
happening in civilized societies, appealing to the
Federal Government to listen to the voices of
reason so as to move the country in the right
direction.
Turning to the Northern Elders, Forum, Governor
Kwankwaso said he and its members are like minds
that are not sleeping comfortably because things
are not moving well in the country. He pledged to
continue to work with all people of good conscience
to bring about good governance in Nigeria.
Earlier, in their separate remarks, the chairman of
the forum, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, Danmasanin
Kano and his deputy, Wanteregh Paul Unongo
explained that they are not satisfied with current
political developments in the country, especially as
they affect the North.
They said the visit to Kwankwaso was to identify
with his achievements and sterling leadership
qualities as well as to look at several issues that
will bring about responsible governance, unity and
even development of the country
dailypost.com.ng/2014/01/08/president-jonathan-lacks-capacity-deliver-kwankwaso/

The Federal Government is to spend N20.6 billion to
ensure steady supply of power across the country in
2014.
The amount contained in the 2014 Federal
Government’s 2014 budget proposal is 7.87 per cent
less than the N22.36 billion budgeted for the same
purpose in the 2013 budget.
Major projects to be undertaken with the fund as
proposed in the budget include the construction of a
215 mega watts Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO)/Gas power
plant valued at N3.7 billion and a 10 mega watts
wind farm worth N1 billion.
The Federal Government is also proposing an
expenditure of N2.3 billion for the construction of
small and medium hydro power plants; while N461
million is proposed for renewable energy for
electricity generation.
The government also planned to spend N700 million
and N1.8 billion to connect Gurara and Bayelsa,
respectively to the national grid in 2014.
The FG budgeted N1.4 billion for the Electrifying
Nigeria (Light Up Nigeria) project; N150 million for
advocacy and awareness for successor companies
and N1.7 billion to conduct feasibility studies for
coal-fired plants at Enugu, Gombe, Benue and Kogi.
Other capital projects to be undertaken in 2014 are:
consultancy service for detailed engineering design
and project management/supervision valued at N300
million; N250 million was projected as take-off grant
for the Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas
Development Commission, HYPADEC, Act, while
N300 million was set aside for Environment Impact
Assessment and resettlement study for the 700
mega watt Zungeru Hydro-Electric Power project.
The National Load Demand study is to gulp N250
million; sustenance of power sector administrative
support structure — N150 million, while N1.75 billion
was set aside for the purchase of administrative
buildings for the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory
Commission, NERC.
Despite the ongoing reforms in the energy sector,
which has led to the sale of the Power Holding
Company of Nigeria’s successor companies among
other far reaching initiatives, the Federal
Government is to spend N136.99 billion on the
energy sector — Power, Petroleum Resources and
Mines and Steel Development — in 2014.
The amount represents 2.95 per cent of the total
projected expenditure in the 2014 budget and is
7.79 per cent less than the N148.56 billion allocated
to the sector in the 2013 budget.
This is irrespective of the fact that the Federal
Government is anticipating a N7.16 trillion Gross
Federally Collectible Oil and Gas Revenue in the
budget, which represents 20.92 per cent of the
projected Gross Federally Collectible Revenue of
N10.88 trillion.
Specifically, the Federal Government is proposing an
expenditure of N61.928 billion in Petroleum
Resources sector in the 2014 budget; N62.45 billion
for power and N12.607 billion for mines and steel
development.
The allocation was broken down further into N3.4
billion recurrent and N59.05 billion capital
expenditure for power; N55.71 billion recurrent and
N6.22 billion capital expenditure for petroleum
resources and N10.58 billion recurrent and N2.03
billion capital expenditure for mines and steel
development.
In the Petroleum sector, the Federal Government is
planning to spend N800 million on the Hydrocarbon
Pollution Restoration Project; N162.678 million for
surveillance and monitoring of environmental
restoration programme and N150 million for the
cleanup of oil and gas sediments.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/fg-spend-n21bn-stable-electricity-2014/

Open letter to President Jonathan, by citizen Balogun
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/open-letter-president-goodluck-jonathan-citizen-balogun/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Reports from Kano just now have it that Governor
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso's father; Alhaji Musa
Kwankwaso who holds the traditional title of Maji
Dadin Kano and District Head of Madubi was
attacked by unknown gunmen in the outskirts of
Kano city.
Although the details are still sketchy with
sources saying the attack occurred at a mosque
while another version has it that the elderly
Kwankwaso was attacked at his residence.
Another version has it that the gunmen killed
several persons after shooting sporadically on
their way to Mr. Kwankwaso’s residence while the
old man narrowly escaped being killed.
mobile.saharareporters.com/news-page/gunmen-attack-gov-kwankwasos-father

As strike enters seventh month
BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU
ABUJA—Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP,
has alleged abandonment by the Federal
Government as the strike declared by lecturers in the
sub-sector enters its seventh month.
ASUP had gone on strike April 17, 2013, to press
home demands for government’s proper funding of
polytechnic education as well as address the
disparity between the polytechnics and university
graduates in the country.
ASUP president laments
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard,
National President of ASUP, Mr. Chibuzor Asomugha,
lamented that the government was killing
polytechnic education in Nigeria as several meetings
held with government to ensure re-opening of
polytechnics yielded no fruits.
Asomugha argued that the lack of interest by
government to implement its promises for
polytechnics to be re-opened was a deliberate ploy to
deny students of Polytechnics access to education.
Expressing concern that efforts to draw the attention
of the Nigerian public might be given political
colouration and union leaders branded as working for
opposition political parties against the government,
Asomugha appealed to all relevant stakeholders to
intervene on behalf of the poor students who might
not have somebody in government to speak for
them.
Lack of interest from FG
On why government has not shown interest in the
lingering strike, the ASUP boss appealed to relevant
stakeholders to prevail on the government, Minister
of Education, Permanent Secretary and Minister of
Labour to do the needful.
He said: “I am not going to be talking for
government, we have been in this, they have given
us promises, they have not been fulfilling them.
“The promises were simple things, we even had the
understanding where they promised to implement
within one week and it is more than four months
now, everybody should reach government and let
them tell Nigerians what are the problems. I cannot
be speaking for government, what I know is that
government is not doing any thing.
“We met them yesterday (Monday), the same
promises and I don’t know why they find it difficult to
fulfil the promises. Okay tell me yourself, what is the
problem in releasing the White Paper that is ready? It
is the government that should tells us that. The SGF
should tell us why he is withholding the White
Paper.”
Way out of logjam
On the way out of the long strike, he said: “The way
out is that we are still on strike until the members
tell us whatever they decide with the strike.
“Government has been giving assurances in the past
six months, the assurance of government does not
amount to anything, that is why ASUU insisted on
things concrete and people didn’t understand it.
“We agreed with government that they were going to
take up four things out of the 13 that we had listed.
Government has been able to meet one and half of
those issues that we had listed. Even the NEEDS
Assessment government constituted Committee is
not working at the pace it should work, we are
supposed to submit the report in February, up till
now, we have not done much.
Waiting on government’s White Paper
“Government said it was going to release the White
Paper on the visitation to Federal Polytechnics, they
were going to complete the lower cader of CONTISS
16 which was the thing that happened in 2009 and
up till now, it hadn’t been implemented and then,
that they were going to complete the appointment of
six Governing Councils of six Federal Polytechnics
which they have done.
“To constitute the NEEDS Assessment Committee to
do the NEEDS assessments of the Polytechnics,
which they have constituted and the Committee is
more or less not working the way it should work.
These are the four issues that we extracted out of the
13.
“There is a director in the Ministry of Education who
is the Chairman of the Committee but the problem is
that the Committee complains all the time of lack of
funding from TETFund which is supposed to fund it.”
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/strike-asup-accuses-fg-abandoning-polytechnic-education/

1. Nigeria, with a 2013 estimated population of
174,507,539 is the most populous Black nation and
the 7th most populated nation in the entire world,
trailing after—from least to most—Pakistan, Brazil,
Indonesia, USA, India and China (1.3bn).
2. Nigerians are 1/5th the total population of Black
Africa.
3. Nigeria, with 521 languages has the fourth most in
the world. This includes 510 living languages, two
second languages without native speakers and 9
extinct languages.
4. The Portuguese reached Nigeria in 1472. In 1880
the British began conquering Nigeria’s south. The
north was conquered by 1903.
5. Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian Nobel laureate. He
wrote ‘Telephone Conversation!’
6. With a net worth of $16.1bn, Nigeria’s Aliko
Dangote is the richest Black person in the world.
7. Yoruba and their bloodlines worldwide have the
highest rate of twinning (having twins) in the world.
8. The 2006 Census found Nigerians to be the
highest educated ethnic or racial group in America.
9. The Northern knot, Arewa insignia has Christian
origins, investigation by Ibraheem A. Waziri revealed.
It is adapted from the Church Celtic knot.
10. Pre-tribalism: Malam Umaru Altine, a northern
Fulani man was the first elected Mayor of Enugu, in
the east, and was even re-elected for a second term.
11. Pre-tribalism: John Umoru, from Etsako in today’s
Edo State (Western region) was elected for the House
of Assembly to represent Port Harcourt in the Eastern
Nigerian House of Assembly.
12. The Colonial Cantonments Proclamation of 1914
established ‘foreign quarters,’ ‘Sabon Gari,’
institutionalizing the Sabon Garuruwa system of
‘foreigner’ residential segregation in Nigeria.
13. Crispin Curtis Adeniyi-Jones (1876-1957) who the
street in Ikeja, ‘Adeniyi-Jones’ was named after, was
a medical director from Sierra Leone (a Saro). As a co-
founder of NNDP, he won one of the Lagos 3
legislative council seats in 1923 and represented
Nigerians for 15 yrs.
14. Saros was the name given to 19th and 20th
century ‘Creole’ African literati migrants from Sierra
Leone.
15. Amaros was the name for repatriated Brazilian
and Cuban slaves; the ‘Aguda’ people of Lagos today.
This Brazilian community includes deportees of the
brave “Malê Revolt” in Portugal.
16. British colonization was not all voluntary ‘happy
slave trade,’ but involved brutal terror against non-
cooperation and stiff opposition. Captain Lord Esme
Gordon Lenox, ‘With The West African Frontier Force,’
describes: “…we stormed down to Amassana, which
was a town supposed to be friendly and fined them
25 goats and 20 chickens for non-assistance, then
returned to Agbeni and burned half…October 1st was
spent in continuance of yesterdays incendiraism by
burning every town or farm we could see. I shudder
to think of how many houses we have destroyed in
these two days. On our way back to Egbbeddi in the
afternoon we passed by Sabagreia and told our old
friend Chief Ijor that most likely we should burn
down Sabagreia the next day…”
17. Nigeria’s population was just 16 million in 1911.
It is projected to hit 444 million by 2050, surpassing
the US and becoming the 4th largest in the world.
18. The population of Lagos today is about more than
the total population of all Eastern states combined.
19. Lagos’ population in 1872 was 60,000. By 2015 it
will be the third largest city in the entire world.
20. Nigeria’s north (719,000 sq. km), occupies 80%
of Nigeria’s land mass. In size it is four times the
South.
21. 1st republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike
Amaechi hid former South African President, Nelson
Mandela, for six months in Nigeria to evade his arrest
by the apartheid regime.
22. Gangsta: In 1984 under the disciplinary Buhari/
Idiagbon government, there was a sophisticated
attempt to kidnap and repatriate ex-civilian regime
minister of transport, Umaru Dikko from the UK,
anesthetized in a freight crate, for the embezzlement
of $1bn under the Shagari regime.
23. Valor: Part of the ‘Forgotten Army,’ Nigerians
volunteered to fight with the allied forces among the
81st and 82nd West African Divisions, in the Second
World War.
24. The Adubi war in 1918 was a major uprising by
30,000 Abeokuta Ebga warriors against the colonial
government for colonization, taxation and slave
labor. One British was killed and rail and telegraph
lines destroyed. The British rewarded their soldiers
with medals for quelling the uprising. Awape
Adediran a Molashin/ Kingmaker was imprisoned for
his active involvement.
25. Activist Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti travelled
widely, including to the Eastern bloc (Hungary, USSR
and China where she met Mao Zedong). These
interactions angered Nigeria, Britain and America.
America called her a communist and refused her a
U.S. Visa.
26. Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti, legendary Fela’s
mother, was one of the delegates that negotiated
Nigeria’s independence in Britain.
27. Once upon a time, the north was the more
literate part of Nigeria. According to Lord Luggard,
there were 25,000 Qur’anic Arabic schools with about
250,000 pupils in the north.
28. Sardauna of Sokoto said he preferred foreign
workers to Igbo’s because he felt Igbo’s are
domineering. This was while Nigeria existed as
regions with regional administrations.
29. Kaduna Nzeogwu killed Sardauna in Nigeria’s first
military coup.
30. In 1966, a mischievous Igbo owned bakery
allegedly made a loaf of bread with a label that
depicted Nzeogwu as the Saint in the ‘Saint George
and the Dragon’ medieval tale, killing Sardauna, the
‘dragon,’ this labeled bread provoked deadly anti-
Igbo riots.
31. Idrîs Aloma (1571-1603) King of Kanem-Bornu
went on pilgrimage and came across firearms. He
brought some guns back, along with Turks to train
his army on how to use them.
32. Travel Visa was not required to travel to the
United Kingdom till 1984.
33. A brand new car sold for N2000 in 1975. A ticket
to London was less than N100 in 1975.
34. In 1976, 75 kobo exchanged for one British Pound
and 60 kobo for one US dollar.
35. A dollar was 90 kobo at the beginning of
Babangida’s tenure in 1985.
36. Nigeria took its first loan from the World Bank in
1977.
37. Obasanjo’s first term and Babangida’s regime
oversaw the weakening of the naira.
38. General Buhari and Idiagbon rejected IMF
demands that Nigeria devalue its currency.
39. Babangida’s coup in 1985 was invaluable to the
colonialists suspected to have been in support as it
led to Nigeria accepting SAP restrictions, loans and
crippling foreign monetary conditions.
40. Nigeria has 5 of the 10 richest pastors in the
entire world, with net worth’s according to Forbes,
from $10-150 million. They are Pastors, David
Oyedepo, E. A. Adeboye, Chris Oyakhilome, Mathew
Ashimolowo and Temitope Joshua.
41. Nigeria has the 4th highest number of poor,
living under a dollar a day in the entire world. 100
million are ‘destitute’ according to figures from the
NBS (National Bureau of Statistics).
42. Nigeria, the biggest economy in Africa is 160th
out of 177 countries in HDI (Human Development
Index).
43. Nigeria has the highest paid legislators in the
entire world.
44. Based on amount squandered, of an income of
$81 billion per year, Nigeria is the most corrupt
nation in the world.
45. The nation with the most defrauded people, aka
‘mugus,’ in history, is Nigeria. Successive
administrations continue to loot a greater percentage
of the nation’s wealth, running in hundreds of billions
of dollars.
46. Nigeria in 2013 was rated the worst country to be
born based on welfare and prosperity projection.
47. Aliko Dangote funded Presidents Obasanjo,
Yar’Adua and Jonathan’s 4th republic campaigns.
Buhari rejected funding from Dangote.
48. Usman dan Fodio (1754–1817) was trained in
classical Islamic science, philosophy and theology
and wrote over 100 books on society, culture,
religion, governance and politics. He could only
declare Jihad when he was made leader in Gudu {In
Islam you can only declare Jihad if you are an official
Muslim leader}.
49. The Borno Empire rejected Dan Fodio’s
colonization jihad. Al-Hajj Muhammad al-Amîn ibn
Muhammad al-Kânemî not only militarily defended
his Empire, but also did so by religious, theological,
legal and political debates, challenging why a Muslim
Empire should colonize another.
50. Kano history has it that a great warrior princess
Magajiya Maimuna led her cavalry from Zaria to
conquer Kumbwada.
51. Kumbwada in Kano today is ruled by Queen
Hajiya Haidzatu Ahmed, who presides over up to half
a million subjects. A throne curse which makes men
sick and die, keeps males off the throne. {Sadly, the
woman ruled Kumbwada is the least funded
chiefdom in Nigeria}.
52. The Igbo ethnic group are the ‘Jews’ of Nigeria.
Eager for a home state and highly entrepreneurial;
during the Biafra secession attempt in the 60’s, this
industrious people were already constructing
indigenous tanks and other weaponry.
53. There are several Nigerian officials in the
government of English speaking The Gambia.
54. There is a Nigerian origin, Yoruba chief in Accra.
Chief Brimah is the only foreign Chief with a seat in
the Ghanaian traditional council.
55. Cross River State: The Ejagham (Ekoi) people in
the Southeast are believed to have originated the
Nsibidi (Nsibiri) writing system which later spread to
the Efik, Igbo, Ibibio, Efut, Banyang and Annag
peoples.
56. Discovered in 1928, Nigeria’s North and North
Central region hosts West Africa’s oldest civilization;
the Nok civilization which flourished between 1000
BC and 300 BC. {Nok sculptures recently went on
display disappointingly in Germany (not Africa).}
57. Finished in 1460 the Benin Iya or moat is a
historic world defense wonder. Spanning 1,200
kilometers with walls as high as 18 metres, it is the
world’s largest archeological structure.
58. Sungbo’s Eredo in Ogun state (6°49′N, 3°56′E) is
a 100 mile system of up to 70 ft trenches and walls
around Ijebu-Ode. It’s Queen, Bilkisu Sungbo has
been attributed to the Biblical Queen Sheeba (Queen
Bilkis in Quran).
59. Lord Luggard estimated in 1904 that there were
170 walled towns still in existence in the whole of
just the Kano province of northern Nigeria. He
described Kano: ‘Commercial emporium of the
western Sudan.’ Of its wall, he said, ‘I have never
seen, nor even imagined, anything like it in Africa.’
60. Osun: Queen Luwo, the twenty-first Ooni (ruler)
of Ile-Ife paved the streets with quartz pebbles—and
broken pottery, in 1000AD. The architecture had
decorations that originated from Ancient America.
61. Borno: The capital city of Kanem-Borno,
Ngazargamu, was one of the largest cities in 1658
AD; the metropolis housed “about quarter of a
million people” and had 660 well planned, wide and
unbending streets.
62. In 1246 AD the Kanemi of Borno created a
sensation in Tunisia when he sent a gift of a giraffe to
Al-Mustapha, king of Tunis.
63. Sokoto: Two-story buildings with constructions
glazed with tsoluwa, (laterite gravel), 10 mile
circumference city walls, some as high as 20 feet, is
how 16th century Surame, a Sokoto metropolis
created by empire ruler, Muhammadu Kanta Sarkin
Kebbi, was. UNESCO describes Surame as “one of the
wonders of human history, creativity and ingenuity.”
64. Kano: In 1851, this city, one of the largest in
Africa, made 10 million sandal pairs and 5 million
hides for export every year.
65. Kebbi: Nigeria’s Sorko Sea lords of Kebbi state,
made ships (Kanta) which were used for far away
expeditions, including the 1311 AD, 2000 ship,
famous voyage of Songhai Empire’s Mansa Abubakari
II to the America’s, decades before Columbus.
66. Yobe: The oldest discovered boat in Africa, and
3rd oldest on the world, the 8500 yr old Dufuna
canoe was discovered by a Fulani herdsman in 1987
in Dufuna village, Fune LGA.
67. Ondo: Confusing evolution scientists, the 13,000
yr old Iwo-Eleru cave skull, the oldest human fossil
remains found in West Africa, has ‘ancient’ (140,000
yr old Laetoli) features, yet lived in more modern
times.
68. Benin Kingdom: The high quality and highly
sophisticated bronze work of the Benin Kingdom
dating as far back as the 13th century is a world
wonder. Great works in iron, wood, ivory, and terra
cotta products also highlight the empire’s history.
69. Benin Kingdom: Lourenco Pinto, captain of a ship
that carried missionaries to Warri in 1619, described
Benin kingdom, ‘Great Benin where the king resides
is larger than Lisbon, all the streets run straight and
as far as the eyes can see….’
70. Rivers/Akwa Ibom: King Jaja of Opobo, (1821–
1891) Jubo Jubogha, an Igbo from Imo state founded
Opobo city-state in 1867 and shipped palm oil to
Britain independently of British middle men.
71. Ancient Greeks appear to have Nigerian roots as
supported by the Benin Haplogroup or Haplogroup
19. According to Jide Uwechia, ‘The Benin Haplotype
(which originates from Nigeria, West Africa) accounts
for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily Northern
Greece.’
72. Ilorin’s ‘Oba’ Afonja utilized Fulani warriors to
help rebel against the Oyo Empire. The warriors after
defeating Oyo took over Ilorin and Sheikh Alimi, their
leader became the first Emir.
73. Much of north Nigeria was part of the Songhai
Empire. Muhammad Kanta annexed Kebbi and other
states between 1512 and 1517.
74. The Obasanjo military regime converted Nigeria
from a Parliamentary system to a Presidential system
of government.
75. Much of traditional pre-colonial Nigeria operated
a parliamentary form of government. The council of
elders could make or impeach the King.
76. General Johnson Thomas Umurakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi
on 24 May 1966, with Decree No. 34, dissolved
Nigeria’s regions, creating provinces. He unified
Regional Public Services under a single Commission.
Riots were provoked in Kano and mutiny in
Abeokuta; eventually there was a coup.
77. In 1967 Gowon split the four regions into 12
states.
78. Gowon’s Decree No. 8 of 1967 after the Aburi
conference restored Nigeria as a confederacy.
79. Late President Murtala Muhammed’s dad, Pam
Azatus Iyok was from Dogon-Gaba, near Vom in
Plateau state, Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Pam became a
Muslim and married Ramat from Kano. Murtala
Muhammed’s wife, Hafsat Ajoke was a Yoruba lady.
80. Ex- President Yakubu Gowon from Jos state
(Middle Belt) is a Christian. General Obasanjo was his
Army chief who helped him defeat the Biafra
attempted secession from 1967-1970.
81. Nigeria has been ruled for 30 years by Christians
(25 years if Azikiwe is excluded).
82. Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the leader of the southern
Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND) and the most vocal enemy of the north, is a
Muslim.
83. Nigeria is not roughly divided between a Muslim
north and a Christian South. The far north, east and
far south do have concentrations, but the rest of the
nation defies such demarcations.
84. In the Southwest, Osun, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo
have a higher population of Muslims than Christians
according to counts. Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau in
the north have Christian majorities.
85. According to the Senate joint committee,
Nigeria’s chief terrorist leader, Abubakar Shekau is
not a Nigerian; he hails from Niger republic. {Shekau
is believed by security services to be deceased.}
86. According to current demographics, after Hausa-
Fulani (29%), Yoruba (21%), Igbo (18%) and Ijaw
(10%) comes Kanuri (4%) and then Ibibio (3.5%) and
Tiv (2.5%).
87. Not really a northern caucus, but it was late M. K.
O. Abiola that orchestrated and sponsored the
Buhari /Idiagbon coup and then again the Babangida
coup overthrow of Buhari. –Shagari memoir,
“Beckoned to Serve;” Babangida, “Karl Maier –
Midnight in Nigeria.” (Max Siollun)
88. The leading caucus is basically a childhood
friendship: President Obasanjo was childhood friends
with President Babangida, President Abacha and
Commander Danjuma.
89. President Babangida was childhood friends with
President Abdulsalam.
90. President Obasanjo graduated Abdulsalam who
later became President and went on to hand over
power to democratically arranged President
Obasanjo.
91. Under the Presidential system, Nigerians have
had 7 years total Northern rule and 11+ years
Southern rule.
92. Total civilian rule, Parliamentary and Presidential,
Nigeria has had 12 years Northern and 11+ years
Southern rule.
93. 6 coups is the highest number of any nation in
Africa. Nigeria along with Sierra Leone, Ethiopia,
Uganda and Mauritania are the nations with 6 coups.
94. The Biafra war included a ‘Mid West invasion.’
The Midwest was either a battle field or in Biafra’s
sights—Dr. Nowamagbe A. Omoigui relays.
95. The Biafra 12th battalion headed by Lt Col Victor
Adebukunola Banjo captured Benin and set out to
capture Ibadan and Lagos.
96. The Biafra 13th battalion, led by Ivenso entered
Kwara, now Kogi and captured Okene, Atanai and
Iloshi.
97. Cameroon was an administrative part of Nigeria
in 1945, hence the NCNC party (National Council of
Nigeria and the Cameroons). Towards independence
the UN mandated British held former German
territory, south Cameroon opted to join French
Cameroon and not Nigeria.
98. J.C. Vaughn, Ernest Ikoli, H.O. Davies, Obafemi
Awolowo and Samuel Akinsanya founded the
Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) in 1934 to promote
national unity particularly between Yoruba and Igbo.
99. Azikiwe left Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM)
because he claimed the organization had been seized
by Yoruba’s and it discriminated against Igbo’s
including himself.
100. Oyo defeats Ashanti: In 1764 the Ashanti army
marched on Dahomey, Togo. At Atakpamé, the
Ashanti army was ambushed and sacked by
Dahomean infantry and female elite soldiers allied
with forces from the Oyo Empire. Ashanti King Kusi
Obodum was destooled after the defeat.
Nigeria’s century compilation was created as a
historical snapshot of peculiar events, for our benefit
and that of Nigeria’s younger generations. It was
compiled to the best of our ability and influenced by
our learning, recollection and prejudices. We invite
Nigerians to collect and share with us more
important and unique events that define 100 years of
Nigeria. Resources utilized here can be found on
ENDS.ng.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah is on drbrimah@ends.ng and
@EveryNigerian on Twitter.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/centenary-100-interesting-facts-nigeria-perry-brimah/

Igbo leaders, under the aegis of ‘Concerned Igbo
Leaders of Thought’ led by renowned constitutional
lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, have declared that a
new constitution must emerge from the proposed
national dialogue.
The leaders, after a meeting in Enugu, also want
the new constitution to come into law through a
referendum, adding that it should not be subjected
to National Assembly approval.
Secretary of the group and former Director General
of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Prof.
Elochukwu Amucheazi, who briefed journalists on
the outcome of the meeting disclosed that Ndigbo
was in support of conference of ethnic nationalities
where members would be nominated from their
groups.
He said: “The PAC (Presidential Advisory
Committee) seems to be thinking of the
amendment of the constitution and we met to see
how to inform the president that this is not in order
because we are thinking of an entirely new
constitution.
“What we are saying is that we must have a way of
informing the president and Nigerians that the
recommendation is not in order and in trying to do
this, the meeting of “Concerned Igbo Leaders of
Thought” and Ohanaeze Ndigbo are resolute that
this will not help the country. We want this country
to survive and we are doing all in our power to
make it survive”.
Amucheazi stated that
nomination into the conference
should not be based on existing
geo political zones or senatorial
zones but on different ethnic
nationalities that make up the
country, stressing that it would
be a denial on certain ethnic
groups if representation was
made on the basis of senatorial
zones.
“If this is a conference of all
nationalities, in order words all
ethnic nationalities should be
represented. What we are
saying is that if we are using
the geo political zones, we must
make sure that all ethnic units
are represented.
“Again, it is not delegates
through adult suffrage by
individuals on their own merit
but that the ethnic nationalities
will have a way of nominating
people to it. So we are dealing
with nationalities and this is an
issue that seem to be
misunderstood”, he added.
He said that the position of Ndigbo on the dialogue
would be made known by the end of January,
adding that: “We are working out content of the
constitution and when we are through with it, we
are going to invite all Igbo groups to have a say at
it.
Also at the meeting yesterday, were Archbishop
Maxwell Anikwenwa, President General of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Gary Enwo Igariwey, Mrs. Maria
Okwor, Senator Offia Nwali, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, POC
Umeh and Chief Ben Ndi Obi.
There were Senator Anyim Ude, Dr. Chu S. P.
Okongwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Igwe Aja
Nwachukwu, Prof. Mark Odu, Chief Enechi Onyia
and Prof. Nat Aniekwu among others.
dailypost.com.ng/2014/01/07/national-conference-igbo-leaders-vow-push-new-constitution/

@aakoninda

@aakoninda .....I wil FB ASAP
Api NewYear

Weldone.... Jst dat dey're old pix of abu.

May God help 9ja

folly65: I follow u come dis world? I will die alone

Asuu_at_work

Wat am I seein,University class-room ?
Wat a mess !

Menh...trust G.R.A boiz.once u knw wia dey do keep da car key,move it n hit off da road.bt whn u bash da car #yawa dey ......U're on ur own bro !

Jst dey look....God pass dem !

Glory b 2 God !

odua boy: Are you seriously comparing Do me with kukere,it's an insult on psquare's personality,you should be comparing Do me with hits songs from Dbanj and 2face.these are the two artiste in psquare level
Abeg iyanya know him size for the 9ja music industry,kukere was a nigerian hit single.
Do me was an african hit single.
It is a baseles and empty comparison.

Wat's dis 1 sayin ?
Is Dbanj o 2baba Psquare's mate ?
Y re u compar'n 2 heads wit a single soul ?
Btw paul o peter whch 1 do u tink is beta dan Iyanya ?
Pls if am 2 play *Do me* or *Kukere* whch 1 wil u dnce to ? B sincere n fear God broda....

odua boy: Are you seriously comparing Do me with kukere,it's an insult on psquare's personality,you should be comparing Do me with hits songs from Dbanj and 2face.these are the two artiste in psquare level
Abeg iyanya know him size for the 9ja music industry,kukere was a nigerian hit single.
Do me was an african hit single.
It is a baseles and empty comparison.

Wat's dis 1 sayin ?
Is Dbanj o 2baba Psquare's mate ?
Y re u compar'n 2 heads wit a single soul ?
Btw paul o peter whch 1 do u tink is beta dan Iyanya ?
Pls if am 2 play *Do me* or *Kukere* whch 1 wil u dnce to ? B sincere n fear God broda....

odua boy: Are you seriously comparing Do me with kukere,it's an insult on psquare's personality,you should be comparing Do me with hits songs from Dbanj and 2face.these are the two artiste in psquare level
Abeg iyanya know him size for the 9ja music industry,kukere was a nigerian hit single.
Do me was an african hit single.
It is a baseles and empty comparison.

Wat's dis 1 sayin ?
Is Dbanj o 2baba Psquare's mate ?
Y re u compar'n 2 heads wit a single soul ?
Btw paul o peter whch 1 do u tink is beta dan Iyanya ?
Pls if am 2 play *Do me* or *Kukere* whch 1 wil u dnce to ? B sincere n fear God broda....

Pipsland78: Me Just dey pass by...
----oooO---
----(----)----!
-----\--(--
------\_)
-----------Oooo
-----------(--- -)---
------------)-- /----
------------(_/ -
Wetin consain me....Abeg
who get pin mouth charger?

Oboi lght show ur syd ?

Any Abusite HERE !.....I rep A.B.U zaria

Noblechyk: Don't mind d fool.

Some people in dis life wil Nver b sincere even at Gun point !

gerrardomendes: end time things. The serpent is trying to send spies to heaven but he can never succeed *The Devil is an aboki*

Don't say wat u don't knw pls. *The Devil is an aboki* or whn dd da devil bcom ur friend ? Agbero !

[quote author=Mynd_44]I just dey ooo my guy. You hear wetin that mad man talk for class?[/quote]Mad man,u 4get say ASUU dey on strike o na 4 ur dreams.....keep da faith.

Yungwizzzy: Dear Mrs idibia if I may ask u this serious question

between God & man can u swear on ur children's future that if 2face wasn't this rich and famous would you have been this loving and patient with him??

swear!!

Thesme U wil label her smetin else if she dnt hve marry him....bros focus on ur busines n wsh odas all pls....NO beef