Whoa! Such an iconic moment captured in time and space on video. 1986 was a memorable year that got burned into my memory forever. In 1986, Professor Wole Soyinka became the FIRST ever person of African descent to receive the iconic Nobel Prize for Literature.
Second, Helen Folasade Adu, CBE ('Sade Adu) [whose Economics Professor father was from Ikere-Ekiti and mother was a White English nurse] became the FIRST ever person born on Nigerian soil, of Nigerian descent to win a Grammy Award in 1986. She has since won a total of four Grammy Awards.
Third, the iconic Edo State-born investigative journalist and Newswatch Magazine co-founder, Dele Giwa was assassinated in that same 1986 via a parcel bomb delivered to his residence off Allen Avenue in Ikeja, Lagos State. Dele Giwa was investigating several cases then including that of Gloria Okon who had been arrested for hard drugs trafficking and she passed on in detention. The parcel bombing was the FIRST of it's kind in Nigeria and it had the insidious trappings of the infamous Military Intelligence operating under the then military dictatorship. He kept on screaming in the Yoruba language while in intense pains from his bloodied mangled body before he passed on, "won ti pa mi o."
This looks like the "Kongi's Harvest," the 1969 movie that was shot and produced in Nigeria and screened for public viewing at the cinemas in Lagos State.
President Tinubu renames National Theatre as Wole Soyinka Centre for Arts and Culture, reveals honour in birthday tribute.
Read In full
PROFESSOR WOLE SOYINKA AT 90: TRIBUTE TO A NATIONAL TREASURE AND GLOBAL ICON
I am pleased to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria's iconic son and the world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, famously known as Wole Soyinka.
Tomorrow the 13th July will be the climax of the series of local and international activities held in his honour. To underscore the global relevance of the literary giant, a symposium, along with poetry reading was held in Rabat Morocco on 9 July. The event was organized by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).
Professor Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserves all the accolades as he marks the milestone of 90 years on earth. Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work.
It is also fitting we celebrate this national treasure while he is still with us.
I am, accordingly, delighted to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.
We do not only celebrate Soyinka’s remarkable literary achievements but also his unwavering dedication to the values of human dignity and justice.
When he turned 80, I struggled to find words to encapsulate his achievements because they were simply too vast. Since then, he has added to his corpus with his series of Interventions, which have been published in many volumes.
Professor Soyinka is a colossus, a true Renaissance person blessed with innumerable talents. He is a playwright, actor, poet, human rights and political activist, composer, and singer.
He is a giant, bestriding not just the literary world but our nation, Africa, and the world.
He remains the shining light of our nation, the gadfly that pokes our national soul, decrying tyranny and oppression, urging us to become better as a nation.
He is one Nigerian whose influence transcends the Nigerian space and who inspires people around the world. Since his youth, he has been a vocal critic of oppression and injustice wherever it exists, from apartheid in South Africa to racism in the United States. Soyinka always speaks truth to power.
Beginning in his 20s, he took personal risks for the sake of our nation. His courage was evident when he attempted to broker peace at the start of the civil war in 1967. Detained for two years for his bravery, he narrated his experience in his prison memoir, "The Man Died."
Despite deprivation and solitary confinement, his resolve to speak truth to power and fight for the marginalized was further strengthened. His early writing, such as 'The Lion and the Jewel,’ ’Death and the King's Horseman', not only testified to his mastery of language, his innovative storytelling, but also his unflinching commitment to enthroning a fair and just society.
Our paths crossed during our just struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria following the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election. When faced with a trial in absentia and death sentence by the military regime at home, he galvanized opposition in exile through NALICON and NADECO. His global stature made him the face of our struggle to validate June 12 and restore democracy in Nigeria.
Today, I join the world to celebrate his profound influence on generations of writers, scholars, and activists who have been inspired by his work. I celebrate him for giving us the spark to fight and confront military dictators in our country. I celebrate him for his enduring spirit and for teaching us that literature and drama can be used as a powerful tool to challenge the status quo.
I wish Professor Soyinka an incredibly happy 90th birthday.
May he continue in good health to find creative fulfilment in the next decade leading up to his centennial.
May he continue to inspire us all to build a nation where people are free from oppression and our teeming youths can live up to their dreams without being a wasted generation.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria July 12, 2024
The iconic Godfather... Professor Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka turns 90. 90 cannon shots for the irrepressible Godfather and internationalist!
Mecka: The Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) under the Office of the National Security Adviser has warned Nigerians who use Android devices about a malware called Anatsa banking trojan.
The malware is specifically designed to target banking apps and steal financial information from users.
The malware threats were disclosed in a released advisory by the organisation and have come in response to increasing reports of cyber threats to bank customers.
How the Anatsa banking trojan works
According to ngCERT, the Anatsa trojan exploits Android’s accessibility services to gain complete control over infected devices.
Once installed, ngCERT warns that the trojan can launch phishing attacks with fake login screens to capture banking credentials, record keystrokes, and intercept payment information.
The trojan malware can also remotely interact with the device, performing clicks, scrolls, and swipes, and it can prevent users from accessing certain apps, including security applications. ngCERT said:
Once installed, ngCERT warns that the trojan can launch phishing attacks with fake login screens to capture banking credentials, record keystrokes, and intercept payment information.
"The malware can also remotely interact with the device, performing actions such as clicks, scrolls, and swipes, and can prevent users from accessing certain apps, including security applications
"The trojan is delivered through malicious apps that appear to be legitimate PDF and QR code readers or cleaner apps. These apps initially behave normally until they secretly download, decrypt, and execute the trojan’s payload, bypassing the restricted settings for accessibility services, mostly in Android 13.
"This payload then establishes a connection with a command and control (C2) server, awaiting instructions from the attacker."
It added that the trojan has been distributed through various apps on the Google Play Store and has infected over 70,000 devices.
How do you protect your phone against malware? ngCERT said: "The Anatsa banking trojan represents a significant threat to the financial security of Android users.
"We urge everyone to exercise caution and follow the recommended guidelines to safeguard their personal and financial information."
NgCERT has asked Nigerians using Android devices to do the following to protect their devices.
Avoid Installing Untrusted Apps: Only download apps from trusted sources, and carefully review the app ratings and user feedback on the Google Play Store.
Be Wary of Unnecessary Permissions: Exercise caution with apps requesting excessive permissions, particularly those related to accessibility services or the installation of unknown apps.
Uninstall Suspicious Apps: If you suspect an app contains the Anatsa trojan, uninstall it immediately and thoroughly scan your device with a reputable antivirus application.
Monitor Banking Activity: Regularly change banking passwords and closely monitor account activity. Report any suspicious transactions to your financial institution promptly.
ednut1: Many of the women getting married on Saturdays have done this at one point or the other. You guys are focused on too many things you cant control biko
True that.
A lot of females act like prudes (due to social conditioning) when deep down, they are NOT. It's important for men to set high standards for themselves tho. The best thing is to go with the flow with the female that nearly ticks all you want in a woman. If she's a daddy's girl, self-motivated, emotionally-aware, and has at least a high school education (in addition to other professional qualifications) coupled with a recession-proof career path, then that's the one for you to be with in a long-term relationship. No need to overanalyze this situation... It is what it is.
There are four episodes in the series. Try and watch all. Bloggers, especially enthusiasts with no knowledge of history are causing damage to our existence.
@MightySparrow,
This is the video you posted on page 1 of this thread that made me to originally mention your moniker in my post that you quoted earlier today. I have a limited time to spend online, but I'm already responding to that post of yours in full. As a veteran of Nigerian and global history for over 4 decades since the year 1980, who has learned from the works of great historians such Prof. Osuntokun and Prof. Banji Akintoye, Prof. Toyin Falola, etc., I ONLY deal with FACTS not "confirmation bias." The presence of Ifa divination and Babalawos (otherwise called Ifa priests) in the Yoruba religion which based on studies of worldwide experts historically have their liturgical roots from Yorubaland even before the rise of the Oduduwa Dynasty in Ufe (Ife) leading to the arrival of Oduduwa from Oke Ora just 8 miles from Ufe.The presence of IFA and Yoruba deities such as Ogun, Osun, Esu, Elegba, etc, in other nearby linguistic groups of Igala, Bini-Edo, Ebiras, Nupes, Fons, Ewes, etc, is as a RESULT of the many centuries of the fanning out of Yoruba migratory settlements and trade influences of the Eastern Yoruba subgroups close to the River Niger and Southern Yoruba subgroups, the Ife Kingdom and the Oyo Empire on the Igalas, Bini-Edos (via the Yoruba town of USEN in Ovia South West of Edo State which was founded by Oranmiyan's older brother and they speak the Yoruba dialect of Ife and also the Bini language because they are bilingual being very close to Benin), the Nupes, Fons, Ewes, also have the knowledge of Ifa divination as well.The Nri also got Ifa divination from the contacts with IGALAS through ERI (who is called NRI by the Nri-Awka people) who was an Igala Prince from Idah and we know that Igalas are a Yoruboid people and the Nri of Anambra call or corrupted IFA to "Afa." In Haiti, the Vodun NOT the FAKE or fictional Hollywood movie creation called Voodoo used to demonize Haitians over the centuries since the successful Haitian Revolution that chased the French away from Haiti (spelled as Voudou in French), is ALSO CLEARLY a fusion of the Yoruba Ifa religion, Ewe and Fon religious elements.
Second, I've watched all the 4 video parts associated with this video interview and the young male guest called Mazi (who is NOT more than 35 years of age) in the Part 1 to 4 of the video was CLEARLY engaging in verbal sophistry most of the time. He was factual in some situations BUT LARGELY, he had embarrassingly LIED with huge knowledge gaps in most of his submissions. Those of us who have had decades of exposures to the archival materials and historical experts CAN easily spot these knowledge gaps in this video interview. Only impressionable, fresh and mid-level learners would be taken in by the young man's unintelligent sophistry with regards to historical, linguistic and archaeological events. One moment, he admitted that the people called Ibos of today did NOT collectively call themselves Ibos (Igbos) but were known by their individual clan names such as Nri Oka (Awka), Mbaise, Ngwa, etc, and in another breath, he acknowledges the relationship of the IGALAS with the Jukuns of Taraba State (OR Kworarafas) BUT leaves out the strong link of how IGALAS came into existence from the MERGER of other ethnicities with the strong Yoruba lineage and linguistic influences on what is now the Igalas (which emerged within the last 700 years). The last Attah of Igalaland, HRM Michael Ameh Oboni CLEARLY stated these FACTS in a 2017 Sunday Punch newspaper interview about the fusion of JUKUN migrants from Wukari with a significant number of YORUBAS and EDOS at the River Niger confluence near Idah to create the IGALA people and language of today. The interview can still be gleaned online. To be CLEAR, the Igala influences on what is now the Northern Ibo areas of Anambra and Enugu States in the Igala-associated communities is just 500 years old. Read the Weblink right BELOW to read the Attah of Igala's insightful 2017 interview.
African Journals Online (PDF) =>https://www.ajol.info/index.php/og/article/view/109609/99374 116 THE IGALA TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS BELIEF SYSTEM (& IFA Divination) Igala is a language of the Yoruboid branch of the Defoid. The defoid languages constitute a branch of the Benue Congo language family. It comprises the Igala and the Itsekiri group.
On the other hand, the interviewer and owner of that YouTube channel called Nna * (who I have been following for some years now) is also someone who selectively goes to Ibo-speaking or Iboid-speaking communities to find out if they identify as Ibos or NOT. He tends to select a few folks who would fit into his narrative but fails to realize that some communities such as Asaba, Aboh, Onitsha, Agbor or Ika, Aniocha in Delta North area of Delta State all have multiple clans and multiple ethnic origins of immigration from Igala, Yoruba, Bini, Esan, Nri, etc. If some of them say they are NOT Ibos, he starts to get a bit pushy or prodding in attempts to make them accept they are Ibo. There are some folks in the Akoko Edo area of Edo State and some Ebiras who speak Yoruba and even bear Yoruba names due to intermarriages and from acculturation due to living along the border areas, but do NOT identify as Yorubas and I DON'T see Yoruba folks harassing them all over the Internet and social media platforms like some of these younger generation of Ibos are doing in an overbearing and irritating ways, laced with a lot of hate speeches and outright falsifications of historical events on Ibo secessionist and propaganda Websites that have existed online since the late 1990s.
"Reasons Why Onitsha People Do NOT Call Themselves Ibos"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGWysgSFCMA ~~~~~~~~ In Part 3 of the video, this so-called Mazi Dibia FALSELY claims that Esans are "Ibos" but even before that interview, many Esan-Edo folks here on Nairaland and on the Internet had condemned the lies being peddled by secessionists and propaganda Websites that they are Ibo. Indeed, the Esan-Edo dialect is up to 90 percent SIMILAR to the Bini-Edo language in words and pronunciations. The highly DISHONEST young person called Mazi also peddles FALSE information in this video that "Obatala" who is from Ufe (Ile Ife) is from his side of Iboland, East of River Niger and also FALSELY claims in the video that "70 Ibos kings" have rule Ife. This is how some of these young Ibos (especially from Anambra) go about creating propaganda and secessionist blogs and videos FALSIFYING and claiming other ethnic groups' histories. Mazi like his fellow younger Ibos who engage in sophistry suffer from deep VICTIM mentality and low self-esteem hence they tell LIES about the origin of Ijebu Igbo (which unknown to these semi-literates was founded by Yorubas from Ijebu Ode. Ijebu Ode being the main INNER town while Ijebu Igbo emphasizes OUTER Ijebu). There is NO ancestral link whatsoever with the Ibo groups in the Ibo South East of the River Niger. Period.
In Part 4 from the very beginning, this young man called Mazi continues with his irresponsible and asinine attempts at intellectual sophistry gleaned from propaganda blogs by FALSELY claiming that Yoruba is a "derogatory" name (sic) which is CLEARLY false! The Hausas NEVER used a derogatory name on Yorubas and even today in the media they use the official term "Yarbawa" to refer to Yoruba folks. People from Kano are called "Kanawa," and those from Katsina are called "Katsinawa"... the suffix "WA" always ends the naming of ethnicities in the Hausa language. The Yoruba etymology is from "Oyo Oba" which is a name that emphasizes the preeminence of the Oyo Empire among other Yoruba subgroups whose boundaries stretched from Nigeria to Benin Republic and Togo. Oyo Empire included Oyos and various Yoruba subgroups [minus Ufe (Ife), Ijesas, Ekitis, and the Ondo State subgroups], parts of the Nupes, parts of the Baribas, the Fon (a fusion of Yoruba and Aja people gave birth to the Fons of Benin Republic), Ewes, Ogus (a further fusion of Yorubas and Fon) etc. These are the folks who made up the Oyo Empire at it's peak in the 1700s! This is how the Yoruba religion (Ifa) spread to areas that folks of Yoruba ancestry had colonial and trade contacts with along the West Coast of Africa from the River Niger confluence areas right up to Ghana. IFA became corrupted to Afa in pronunciation in some areas such as the Nri (who also had contact with Eri an Igala Prince, and we know that the Igalas being a Yoruboid group with Yoruba ancestry also practice IFA divination especially when a new Attah of Igala is about to be CROWNED as stated in the 2017 interview link above by the then Attah of Igalaland, HRM Michael Ameh Oboni.
P.S. Sophistry is tricking someone by making a seemingly clever argument, like a philosopher who argues that up is down and somehow convinces you. If you accuse someone of sophistry, you mean they'll lie to make a point.
Donbisco2010: You are right in some total about the Haitian and the Dominican differences. Once you are dark and not fluent in Spanish assume you are Haitian and there by giving cold treatment. Deportation still exist today till this moment.
For real Sosua and mostly places i mentioned earlier are hot spot for tourist and most tourist visit for pleasure and relaxation. I mean sexcation if such word exist for some folks. No doubt Dominican girls are beautiful and endowed.
And for the means of transportation, every nooks and crannies has Okada even the tourist areas. I mean every highbrow area has slum in the DR and they make use of Okay almost everywhere even in Santo Domingo(the capital ).
You seems to know a lot about DR, but you never admit you visited lol.
@Donbisco2010,
Yes, I found the video link for you from Czech in Effect showing the motor bikes. Here it is BELOW:
Donbisco2010: I really appreciate your right up and this can as well past for publishable article in a reputable magazine. I left Nigeria May 2021, to search for greener pasture, though with a well planned business waiting for me in the DR. Now, Dominican Republic is a pure Spanish speaking country though with little variant but no much difference just the street slang.
Barely you find Dominicans with English knowledge but most of them try learning due to the influx of tourist in the country and the boost of hospitality industry. So most of them go to learn English to be able to get a befitting job in the hotels or call center job. If you as a foreigner you are good with teaching English you will be sought after by schools and private tutoring. For me, I had students back then I tutor but couldn't get a job in any established schools due to absence of work permit. I had no document to help me push for mouth watering job out there.
Santo Domingo is the capital but not a tourist area. Places like punta cana, Puerto plata, Sosua, La Romania, Boca Chica are hot spot for tourism so you can easily stumble on some natives who can just exchange pleasantries in English.
Dominicans are friendly but have an undertone of racism in their garment. Bro, there are more to say on this..lol but if I start typing...
Concerning Obama's Daughter, I'm proud of her and it's possible for her to speak because I can categorically tell you Spanish is the second language here in the US. A lot of Mexicans lives out here and Latinos and Spanish is thought in schools here. I bet they will be able to hire the best tutor to teach their daughters at home. Spanish is romantic and interesting..
I speak French and Spanish as at today. Learnt French in Nigeria before I left, then top it up with Spanish in Dominican Republic.
You know a lot about the DR, I hope you visit someday for vacation and see wonders lol
My name is Don. Nice to meet you.
That's awesome Don! You did maximum justice to this. That Sosua is very popular with African-American male travelers looking for some fun and the girls there speak halting English.
I'll definitely visit DR soon. It's a lovely place but you are spot on about the racism there especially towards Haitians. Even before the year that you arrived in the DR, Haitians who had been living in DR from childhood had their citizenships reversed and were told to reapply for residency while many were deported to Haiti without being allowed to take most of their home and work place items.
There's another favorite male African-American travel YouTuber that I've followed for some years now called "Czech in Effect" who had been to DR in January of 2022 and his video on YouTube was titled: "The Part of Dominican Republic You Don't See" and you can Google the YouTube title to watch the video, and the video showed other areas of DR outside the posh areas that had motorcycles for public transportation (Okada) like they do in Nigeria or Benin Republic. That 'hood felt very much like somewhere in Nigeria. The handsome "Czech in Effect" speaks good Spanish and Portuguese which I heard him speak on his visit to Brazil since Spanish and Portuguese are a bit similar.
It's good to know you're multilingual too in addition to your spoken Nigerian language. You'll do very well in an international business career, a sailor, an academic, or a diplomatic career path as a French and Spanish speaker. I enjoyed having this convo with you and I'll keep in touch.
Democrat Rhode Island state senator, 28, DEFENDS video of her twerking upside down and claims haters 'don't care about policy' and want to 'attack a young, energetic person filled with joy'
I've also noticed a tendency among these types to NEVER remain silent. They need to 'explain' themselves ALWAYS defaulting to illogicality, passive aggression and outright f'tardation. This is why the world laughs at us.
Jakumo: The availability of semi-auto handguns is a major factor that makes American street gangs more deadly than their Nigerian counterparts. Nigerian gangs tend to fight over the proceeds of crime, which is a similar motivation to the triggers of gang warfare in America's ghettos, BUT the American gangs have a much greater propensity to open fire over matters of petty pride, gang affiliation, love triangles, and jealousy, which thankfully are not as prevalent in Nigeria thus far.
That said, an Izon man from Bayelsa State did tell me a while back that semi-auto handguns are readily available on the streets of Warri, where they are known by the code-names of "ice water" or "cane", among the numerous roving firearm vendors there. It may therefore be only a matter of time before Nigerian gang culture becomes a carbon copy of the American ghetto scene, complete with impressive body-count racked up weekly.
Meth is readily available to these youngsters in Nigerian highers institutions with many methamphetamine laboratories (run by Ibo criminal gangs claiming to be millionaire traders at Alaba International) in residential estates in Victoria Garden City, Satellite Town, Ire Akari Estate, Ibeju-Lekki, Iba Housing, Asaba, Nnewi, Ozubulu, Obosi, being busted by the NDLEA.
If nothing is done to introduce dead penalty by electric chairs or lethal injections for hard drugs trafficking and distribution like Singapore is doing, Nigerian cities especially in the South are gonna go the way of South Side of Chicago or even degenerate to the point where gang wars and brutal rapes and kidnappings are occuring daily in Haiti!
Jakumo: The term "wasted generation" has been used to describe Nigeria's youth now and then, but after viewing this short video clip, most readers will concede that regardless of how far from sanity Nigeria's youths have strayed, they are positively angelic in comparison to inner-city Chicago's truly lost generation of pistol-toting, drug-crazed, ghetto-dwelling angry young men.
Despite all my years as a USA resident in good standing, I found it virtually impossible to even understand a single word uttered by these glassy-eyed ghetto desperados all dressed up to display their buttocks in prison-love-inspred gang attire. These mannerisms and this idiotic dress code are clearly being aped by Nigeria's Yahoo boys, but Nigerians can at least count their lucky stars that handguns are not as easy to procure in Nigeria's south, as they are in Chicago's south side.
Check out these cretins boasting about their illegal guns for the world to see, and drop your comment.
The South Side of Chicago can be very brutal. A Nairalander was shot dead near his house in 2010 while coming back from lectures at the Uni where he was rounding off his Masters program in Engineering. South Side of Atlanta and other South Sides are dangerous hoods. Drugs and single parenthood and the historic redlining of neighborhoods by the U.S. go ernments did a lot to damage the entire social and economic fabrics of African-Americans.
Here right BELOW are actual scenes of a 'hood gang in St. Louis, Missouri, the most dangerous city in America in terms of annual homicides.
"Inside the Most Dangerous Neighborhood in America"
This proxy war has to stop. These creeps are heating up the global economy with hyperinflation induced by the various wars going on in the Middle East and Ukrainian.
Jakumo: The term "wasted generation" has been used to describe Nigeria's youth now and then, but after viewing this short video clip, most readers will concede that regardless of how far from sanity Nigeria's youths have strayed, they are positively angelic in comparison to inner-city Chicago's truly lost generation of pistol-toting, drug-crazed, ghetto-dwelling angry young men.
Despite all my years as a USA resident in good standing, I found it virtually impossible to even understand a single word uttered by these glassy-eyed ghetto desperados all dressed up to display their buttocks in prison-love-inspred gang attire. These mannerisms and this idiotic dress code are clearly being aped by Nigeria's Yahoo boys, but Nigerians can at least count their lucky stars that handguns are not as easy to procure in Nigeria's south, as they are in Chicago's south side.
Check out these cretins boasting about their illegal guns for the world to see, and drop your comment.
raskymonojendor: Nnamdi Kanu's radio biafria really did a lot of damage, but then again, the seed of lies was already planted by the parents. Nnamdi Kanu just watered it till germination.
The secessionist propaganda and fabrications of PURE lies against Nigeria and other Nigerian ethnicities actually started in the early 2000s when Massob under the leadership of Ralph Uwazurike (That guy read law and was active in promoting his secession movement and hoisting the illegal secessionist flag starting first from Lagos State where he was based before he finally moved to the South East to continue the secessionist group after complaints from especially Yorubas who geographically and ancestrally own Lagos State) before Nnamdi broke away to form Ipob and his pirate online radio in the early 2010s. I used to visit the Websites of Massob and other secessionist sites (which were being used to indoctrinate young Ibos) to know what they saying. They published a lot of hate speeches, fake news, and falsifications on the political and social histories of many Nigerian ethnicities such as the Ikweres, Edos, Ijaws, Yorubas, Hausa, Tivs, Fulahs, Kanuris, etc, simply because of the alleged pain their loss or defeat caused during the exactly 2 years and 6 months Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970.
Thank you for your feedback. I am not sure the Lagos Police Command is using ethnic profiling to rid Lagos State of crime. The nine kidnappers recently killed after killing many Lagosians were neutralised by the police after residents of Ladipo tipped the police. The police did not even initiate it. And there was a spontaneous celebration after the police neutralised these marauders. You can see it in the now viral video.
However, you may have access to more accurate information than I do and I urge you to publish any evidence to that effect.
As to seaports, I know for a fact that both Port Harcourt and Onne Port are working and are open to importers and exporters without any restrictions. There is no federal government embargo on any port.
In fact, a week ago, the Nigerian Customs Service seized a cache of illegal arms at that port. Onne Port has the capacity to receive very large ships. These are both in Rivers State. However, if you have any proof that the ports in Port Harcourt are closed, please make it public.
But even beyond that, states can build ports. Why have the states you are referring to not built their own ports? The Lekki Port and the Lekki Free Trade Zone is an initiative of Lagos State. If you do not like Lagos, then build your own ports. Nobody is stopping you!
Finally, on the issue of referendum, it is not in our Constitution. And the reason is simple.
The idea for a secession clause was mooted by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1954, during the Lagos Constitutional Conference, but Nnamdi Azikiwe rejected it and galvanised a majority of the conference attendees to kill the idea.
After this was rejected, Chief Awolowo again wrote to the then Governor General of Nigeria, who rejected the clause on the grounds that the majority, led by Nnamdi Azikiwe, were not in support of it.
It was because of Nnamdi Azikiwe that section 86 was inserted into our constitution with the proviso that if any region should secede, it will be an act of treason.
Nnamdi Azikiwe himself wrote about this in an essay, which was published by the New Nigerian Newspapers in 1975, and has since been republished by other papers and by Mr Azikiwe himself.
Were it not for Azikiwe, Biafra would have had the legal right to secede.
Thanks again, and may God bless you.
#TableShaker
Reno's submissions here are VERY accurate. The person Reno responded to with CLEAR FACTS is one of those illiterates or semi-literates online who go about spitting out the typical fabricated, cut-and-paste propaganda of some South Eastern Ibos. How can the boy say that the River Ports (NOT Seaports) at Warri, Onne, and Port Harcourt River Port are closed down by the FG of Nigeria. This is an act of lies and pure propaganda.
Jakumo: I was completely misled by the caption added to that video clip which specifically indicted the Chinese for introducing organ trafficking to Nigeria, and identified them as the assailants in this clip. Nonetheless, I will leave up this topic since it is relevant in as much as it depicts a fate that often befalls kidnap victims in today's Nigeria.
You might recall a video posted on YouTube a couple of years ago in which a released female kidnap victim in Port Harcourt narrated details of the clandestine jungle abattoir where she witnessed human organ extractions in progress before her family raised her ransom money to free her.
Is this lady for real? I watched the vid and the young lady doesn't look like someone who went through a harrowing time in the hands of kidnappers and human parts sellers in Echie LGA in Rivers State. Her skin looks fresh with only purple colored stuff on some points on the surface of her skin.
Anyways, serial surveillance of those forests is needed to curtail crimes in Rivers State and other states.
Jakumo: I agree that a few rounds of 7.62x39mm AK rifle ammunition applied to the bony craniums of all kidnappers the instant they are apprehended would be far more cost-effective than court proceedings which generally take way too long, and thereby give wealthy convicts ample opportunity to bribe jailers and thus have them facilitate an escape from jail before the hangman comes calling.
For kidnappers in today's Nigeria, the standard operating procedure should be (1) apprehend (2) Shoot dead instantly, and (3) Repeat for all others caught as needed.
Indeed, Jakumo. Those AK-47s' dimensions were down to the details. "Repeat and rinse" crime control strategy... Like the recent one below:
nlfpmod: NEW YORK (AP) — Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud on hundreds of thousands of customers that unraveled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world’s most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan delivered a blistering analysis of Bankman-Fried and his crimes before announcing a sentence that was half of what prosecutors sought and less than a quarter of the 105 years recommended by the court’s Probation officers.
“There is absolutely no doubt that Mr. Bankman-Fried’s name right now is pretty much mud around the world,” Kaplan said of the 32-year-old man who once seemed atop the cryptocurrency world before his businesses collapsed in November 2022, leaving customers, investors and lenders short over $11 billion, which the judge ordered him to forfeit.
He was convicted in November of fraud and conspiracy — a dramatic fall from a crest of success that included a Super Bowl advertisement and celebrity endorsements from stars like quarterback Tom Brady, basketball star Stephen Curry and comedian Larry David.
Kaplan imposed the sentence in the same Manhattan courtroom where, four months previously, Bankman-Fried testified that he had intended to revolutionize the emerging cryptocurrency market with his innovative and altruistic ideas, not steal. The judge said Bankman-Fried repeatedly committed perjury when he told lies from the witness stand.
Kaplan said the sentence reflected “that there is a risk that this man will be in position to do something very bad in the future. And it’s not a trivial risk at all.” He added that it was “for the purpose of disabling him to the extent that can appropriately be done for a significant period of time.”
Kaplan said he would advise the Federal Bureau of Prisons to send Bankman-Fried to a medium-security prison near San Francisco because his notoriety, his association with vast wealth, his autism and social awkwardness are likely to make him especially vulnerable at a high-security facility.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos had recommended a prison sentence of 40 to 50 years, saying it was the only way to ensure “the defendant doesn’t do it again.”
“The defendant victimized tens of thousands of people and companies, across several continents, over a period of multiple years. He stole money from customers who entrusted it to him; he lied to investors; he sent fabricated documents to lenders; he pumped millions of dollars in illegal donations into our political system; and he bribed foreign officials. Each of these crimes is worthy of a lengthy sentence,” prosecutors had said in a court filing.
Prosecutors said Bankman-Fried misappropriated billions of dollars to fuel his quest for influence and dominance in the new industry, and had illegally used money from FTX depositors to cover his expenses, which included purchasing luxury properties in the Caribbean, bribes to Chinese officials and private planes.
Kaplan agreed with prosecutors Thursday that Bankman-Fried should not get leniency just because some investors and customers might get some of their losses back. He noted that customers lost about $8 billion, investors lost $1.7 billion and lenders were shorted by $1.3 billion.
Given a chance to speak, Bankman-Fried stood and apologized in a rambling statement, saying: “A lot of people feel really let down. And they were very let down. And I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry about what happened at every stage.”
He added, “My useful life is probably over. It’s been over for a while now, from before my arrest.”
Bankman-Fried, wearing his khaki-colored prison uniform and chained at the ankles, seemed to briefly get emotional as he spoke for about 20 minutes, expressing regret about “a lot of mistakes” but casting some of the blame onto others. His trademark messy and bushy hair had returned from the trimmer look he displayed at trial.
The judge later criticized those remarks, saying he expressed “never a word of remorse for the commission of terrible crimes.”
Defense lawyer Marc Mukasey said his client was misunderstood.
“Sam was not a ruthless financial serial killer who set out every morning to hurt people,” Mukasey said. “Sam Bankman-Fried doesn’t make decisions with malice in his heart. He makes decisions with math in his head.”
Given a chance to speak, Bankman-Fried stood and apologized in a rambling statement, saying: “A lot of people feel really let down. And they were very let down. And I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry about what happened at every stage.”
He added, “My useful life is probably over. It’s been over for a while now, from before my arrest.” Bump.
The BOLDED cracked me up...
Indeed, FTX as constituted by the mofos like Sam and Caroline Ellison (his crack-taking ex-girlfriend who he employed to run FTX's sister hedge fund Alameda Research), was a pure hype with flashy ads from multimillion dollar celebrity endorsements and some of us knew it wasn't gonna end well.
Donbisco2010: Sincerely, I don't understand your first question. Secondly, I went as a solo traveler on tourist visa. Lastly, it was difficult for me at first learning Spanish, couldn't do without Google translator at the earlier stage. And besides as a linguist it helps alot in the learning process on the street. Was always on the street selling merchandise in my store. So I have a lot of customers to relate with. I spent 3 years before relocating to the States. I'll say my Spanish is good on communication level. Thanks.
@Donbisco2010,
Thanks for the insightful feedback. It shows that you are a self-motivated person which is a major key for anybody who is gonna be truly successful in life! To put it succinctly, I wanted to know in the first question "the YEAR" you first made that solo travel journey to the Dominican Republic.
Indeed, aside from Santo Domingo, the main capital of the Dominican Republic where you can still find folks who speak some English, other areas would require a knowledge of spoken Spanish. The use of portable language translation devices, (or Google Translate like you earlier stated) are very important if one is to make a major headway with folks on the "street level" in those French, Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries. I particularly find it a bit distasteful that someone would go to another country as a solo traveler (or part of a group) and start speaking only English to people who CANNOT speak English... At least getting familiar with Google Translate would have helped to avoid being dismissed or waived off like I saw in a couple of travel videos. Former President Barack Obama's first daughter right from high school speaks very fluent Spanish and this came in very handy during some of her Latin-American trips with her family and the folks there naturally gravitated towards her. Those of us who are multilinguists are able to break down a lot of barriers.
Last but not least, there's a Dominican female travel entrepreneur and YouTuber that I've been following for some years now by the name of "Norberis R." She moved back to DR two years ago from Florida with her African-American spouse after living in the United States for 14 years. You can type out "Norberis R" in the YouTube search box and watch some or all of her videos on the Dominican Republic to gain some more insights on life there since you left.
Your story is truly inspiring for anyone who knows the power of being intentional. Thanks for the feedback.
Bintdawood: Thank you so much An hour or 2, it depends on how fast you are and the quantity you know.
@ Bintdawood, I hope you're doing great in Kano?
Okay, that's insightful. I appreciate your feedback here. It fits right into my "guestimate" of between an hour or 2 like you stated here. The well-made chicken pie look triggered my taste buds and made me to ask you these questions.
By the way, I want you to share (list) your chicken recipe with me (i.e., if it isn't a trade secret which you use for business purposes)... Or just simply suggest a "distinct recipe" that I can use for the fillings of the pie. I've NEVER made meat pies or chicken pies before (even though my mum who worked as a medical professional regularly made these colourful and tasty pastries with the kitchen oven for home consumption back in the day (1980s), I never joined her... ONLY to eat). She had colourful cook books got from England or the department stores that I used to flip through but I regret not joining her occasionally then. So, during the coming weekend(s), I want to motivate myself and see how my creative skills will pan out doing this baking.
Also, can an air fryer be used for this chicken pie? Do you use it too instead of the oven?
nlfpmod: Kemi Badenoch has twice as much support among Conservative members to be the next party leader as the next candidate, new polling suggest.
A survey from the Party Members Project run out of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and Sussex University, carried out by YouGov, asked 725 members for their views.
Once the "none" and "don't know" responses were removed, Ms Badenoch had the support of 31% of those questioned.
She was followed by Suella Braverman on 16% and Tom Tugendhat on 15%.
Reports have suggested support for Ms Braverman among Tory MPs is waning, while Ms Badenoch is said to have dressed down Rishi Sunak and his general election strategy in the first Conservative shadow cabinet meeting.
The full list of results is as follows:
• Kemi Badenoch: 31%; • Suella Braverman: 16%; • Tom Tugendat: 15%; • Jeremy Hunt: 12%; • James Cleverly: 10%; • Robert Jenrick: 7%; • Priti Patel: 6%; • Victoria Atkins: 2%.
It is worth noting Jeremy Hunt has already ruled himself out of the race.
The exact rules for how the next party leader will be chosen are yet to be established - and it is not clear what role the membership will have.
However, with Bob Blackman becoming chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, the wheels are now in motion for the process to begin in earnest.
Kemi is British-Nigerian of Yoruba descent. She's married to a Jewish man who is also British hence her surname Badenoch. Both of Kemi's well-educated parents are Yorubas who gave birth to her in England.
Jakumo: This news story is currently trending on WhatsApp so anyone with Nigerian contacts who uses WhatsApp is certain to have seen the news report of this historic battle royale that ended with a summary execution of all surrendering kidnapper gunmen. Interestingly, the Nigerian Police avoided mentioning the other law enforcement agencies that took part in the rescue operation, though such an omission is NOT likely to be a mistake.
I wish that notorious armed robbery and kidnapper called Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (nicknamed Evans) was eliminated like that at the time he was caught instead of the long wait to have him executed after the court might have sentenced him.
The Nnewi-born criminal called Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike and his gang had killed people all over specific states in Nigeria such as Anambra, Edo, and perhaps Lagos in addition to the vicious kidnappings and beatings given to kidnapped victims, only for him to enjoy his stolen millions with expensive houses all over Lagos including a posh estate where the Lagos State former government elite live. After many years, he's still walking alive, though in prison. This cycle of asinine judicial behavior has to STOP.
The electric chair and lethal injections have to be introduced for the purpose of executions of condemned criminals if these Governors are scared to spill blood instead of using a firing squad. Even death by hanging doesn't spill blood so what is their problem?
This is the reason WHY I love Singapore. Singapore has the death penalty for a vast number of crimes such as drug trafficking despite being a very economically and militarily advanced city-state.
Jakumo: To all including myself who would have loved to see the bullet-riddled bodies of the Fulani terrorists who were killed by a combined task force 24 hours ago, I now understand better why such images may NEVER be published. Turns out the kidnappers fought against the approaching and encircling security agents until the criminals' rifle ammunition was exhausted.
When the security agents noted that the kidnappers' guns had fallen silent after initially seeing them unleash barrages of return fire to counter the law enforcement assault platoon, the possibility that the terrorists had used up all their ammunition was discussed among the soldiers who then devised a plan to cut the encounter short. The security agents shouted assurances to the kidnappers using the Fulfulde Fulani language, promising that all who surrendered their guns would be treated as prisoners of war who would only face trial but not death in the bush.
With that, all twelve kidnappers dropped their weapons and emerged from their shooting positions with their hands up in surrender. When all the kidnappers present had been secured with zip ties and placed on the ground together under guard, those earlier issued promises offering a court trial were set aside, at which point the entire gang of kidnappers was lit up with sustained barrages of soldiers' rifle fire until the bodies of the dead attained the consistency and coloration of red-stained jellyfish. The stacks of ransom cash discovered at the scene were processed as usual and to the satisfaction of all present after the captives had been released and debriefed.
To avoid the usual noise making from human rights organizations at home and abroad, the task force commander decided to keep private the snapped pictures documenting that summary execution as a prelude to drafting a press release that only described the killing of TWO kidnappers rather than the TWELVE kidnappers that were ballistically liquefied in place yesterday morning. Pictures or no pictures, this armchair observer has nothing but praise for our brave and valorous law enforcement and military officials who sent those kidnappers to collect their 72-virgin allocation in their imaginary paradise. Once again, God breast Nigeria!
Jakumo: The only motorist who escaped the expressway kidnapping attack was treated at a nearby hospital where he is still on admission for a bullet wound to the kneecap. The wounded motorist confirmed that he heard the kidnappers speaking the Fulani Fulfulde dialect, meaning the kidnappers were ALL Fulani men, AS USUAL. Since the kidnappers were all felled by police and army gunfire, any follow-up investigation will rely to a large extent on data extracted from the phones of the dead terrorists.
As a drone-flying aficionado of many years, I was delighted to learn that surveillance drones were used by the police to GPS locate the bandits and film them in high-resolution video from such a great distance that the presence of the drone was not even noticed by the gang members who were busy guarding their victims in a farmland hideout they ASSUMED was safe from detection. The data gathered by that drone enabled the joint task force to fine-tune their plan of attack to minimize collateral damage to the kidnap victims, who ALL miraculously survived the assault rifle firestorm when it ensued under heavy rainfall at daybreak this morning of July 3rd, 2024.
This is very impressive. The ultimate icing on the cake would be the ability of the police and the military to deploy attack drones that are equipped with night-vision surveillance capabilities to wipe out criminals wherever they exist in the thick forests, creeks, or deserts once they have the exact location coordinates.
The Nigerian judiciary has been slow in passing judgement on criminals and even when sentenced to death, the State Governors (including the Muslims among them who I thought would readily sign them) refuse to sign the death warrants. It's NOT surprising that crime has spiked relentlessly making Nigerian folks in the Diaspora to keep off visiting specific locations in the motherland.
Jakumo: Yes sir indeed. You heard it here first. A massive deployment of federal troops, special forces, police, and traditional hunters have tracked, engaged, and then comprehensively annihilated the bloodthirsty gang comprising over a dozen kidnappers who two months ago killed a Babocock University lecturer as he tried to escape an earlier mass kidnap of several people, only for the gang to blockade the highway AGAIN a week ago this time abducting over twenty motorists from the same exact spot on the same highway.
The kidnap gang had the nerve to establish a PERMANENT concentration camp to imprison their captives in overgrown farmland less than half a mile by dirt road from a major strategic Nigerian highway connecting the Shagamu/Ibadan expressway interchange to Benin City due east.
That hideout was stormed under relentless rainfall as dawn broke today July 3rd, 2024 by a combined team of heavily armed military and law enforcement jungle warfare practitioners, who sent more than a dozen kidnappers to their graves, while miraculously preventing harm from befalling any of the nearby kidnap victims who at that moment escaped the jaws of death and tasted the sweetness of freedom after a week under the gun in the bush. A large volume of raw ransom cash was found in the aftermath of the firefight, and several warm Kalashnikov rifles were gathered from the dead terrorists.
Islie: U.S. govt transfers Mr Woodberry, Hushpuppi, Bidemi Rufai to same prison facility ahead of Valentine’s Day release
The triad of notorious Nigerian Internet fraudsters has been languishing in U.S. prisons for a couple of years.
Three infamous Nigerian Internet fraudsters with strong social media and political influence are currently serving out their sentences at the same prison facility in the United States, with Bidemi Rufai set to be released on Valentine’s Day in 2025, Peoples Gazette can report.
Ray ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, 41, Jacob Olalekan Ponle, or Mr Woodberry, 33, and Mr Rufai, 46, are all being held at Fort Dix low-security prison near Joint Base McGuire Burlington County, New Jersey, where they will presumably serve out the rest of their jail terms.
Mr Rufai, a close ally of Governor Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), was arrested in May 2021 at the John F. Kennedy airport, where he had booked a Royal Dutch ticket to flee the U.S. to Nigeria.
FBI special agent Heidi Hawkins coordinated the arrest after uncovering a scheme showing how Mr Rufai stole the identities of thousands of U.S. citizens to claim their COVID-19 benefits running into half a million dollars. He lavished the stolen funds on luxury cars and watches to shore up his extravagant lifestyle.
He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. The U.S. government ordered him to pay $604,000 as restitution to victims of the scam, majorly government institutions like the Washington Employment Security Department ($350,763), Arkansas Division of Workforce Services ($10,166), Maine Department of Labour ($8,205), Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency ($44,216), among others.
Mr Rufai, with prison number 83912-053, was moved from a facility outside Seattle, Washington, to Fort Dix in Burlington County ahead of his release on Valentines’ Day in 2025.
His compatriot and comrade-in-crime, Mr Woodberry, had also been moved from the notorious Danbury correctional centre in Connecticut to Fort Dix. Mr Woodberry, 33, with prison registration number 54314-424, is set to be released on October 17, 2027, and would, after that, be deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Judge Robert Gettleman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago convicted and sentenced Mr Woodberry to eight years and three months in jail over one count of fraud in July 2023. He was handed a lighter sentence that shaved off seven other counts in a plea bargain.
Mr Woodberry, a socialite with over a million followers on his now-deactivated Instagram page, was arrested on June 10 2020, alongside fellow fraudster Hushpuppi, at a Dubai apartment. The court ordered him to return $8 million to seven victims, and prosecutors recommend he forfeit his diamond-studded necklace and rings and all gold jewellery.
The last crook of the triad, the sensational Hushpuppi and serial Internet fraudster who once enjoyed uploading pictures and videos of his designer wearing posh rides and luxury parties on Instagram, has also been shipped to Fort Dix detention facility.
Hushpuppi, 41, with prison number 54313-424, was moved from a facility outside Los Angeles to Fort Dix, where he is expected to serve the rest of his sentence until August 6, 2029.
Arrested in June 2020 in Dubai and extradited to the U.S. to defend himself against Internet scam charges, Hushpuppi was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022 by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II.
It was not immediately clear whether the U.S. prison officials were aware that the Nigerian trio they transferred to the same facility were allies from Nigeria and Dubai.
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons did not return requests for comments.
oldguyman: A Nigerian woman, Dr. Olusimbo Ige has been appointed as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), thus becoming first black female to occupy the position. Mayor Brandon Johnson officially announced the appointment.
Dr. Ige received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and her Master of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Ibadan. She also received her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.
Mayor Johnson said: “Dr. Ige is a tremendous addition to not just our administration, but to the City of Chicago. She is someone who understands the balance between hard data and community interaction when assessing public health problems and solutions”
Dr. Ige is a Managing Director of Programs at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and had served as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Reacting, Dr. Ige said: “It is a distinct honor to serve the city of Chicago in this role. Through collaboration with the Johnson Administration and with community members in Chicago, I am confident that we can improve the health outcomes for all Chicagoans.
“I have spent my entire career in the public health field, and I look forward to bringing all that I have learned to CDPH.”
Congratulating Dr. Ige on Sunday, a statement signed by Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa described her milestone as “extraordinary”.
Dabiri-Erewa said Ige’s appointment has once again confirmed that Nigerians in the Diaspora are excelling and impacting positively wherever they find themselves.
The NIDCOM boss urged Ige to live up to expectations while motivating other young Nigerian professionals to also be good ambassadors of Nigeria in their chosen career.
From 2020-2023, Dr. Ige served as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
In her role as Assistant Commissioner, Dr. Ige advised New York City’s health and human services executive leadership team including the Commissioner of Health, Vice-President of Health and Hospitals, and the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.
During her time at the NYC Department of Health, Dr. Ige developed a community health worker program focused on outreach and engagement with Black communities and she spearheaded efforts for vaccine equity across the city.
Dr. Ige worked closely with community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, academic institutions, and other partners to advance equitable health outcomes for all New Yorkers.
Prior to her time in New York, Dr. Ige served as the Executive Director of Global Health for the General Board of Global Ministries, where she successfully led health initiatives across the United States and 30 other countries.
Politics › Re: President Tinubu Renames National Theatre As Wole Soyinka Centre For Arts by Konquest: 10:33pm On Jul 12, 2024
She had colourful cook books got from England or the department stores that I used to flip through but I regret not joining her occasionally then. So, during the coming weekend(s), I want to motivate myself and see how my creative skills will pan out doing this baking.
