₦airaland Forum

Ondo Gubernatorial Elections: IGP Orders Restriction Of Movement In And Around State

Posted: October 18, 2012 - 17:04

Posted by siteadmin

Towards ensuring adequate security for Saturday’s gubernatorial elections in Ondo State, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed D. Abubakar, has ordered restriction on movements in and around the State.
A statement by Deputy Police Public Relations Office Frank E. Mba said the order would take two tracks. The first would impose restrictions on movement in and out of Akure only, beginning at 6p.m. local time today until 6am tomorrow (Friday).

On the second track, the restriction would be in place “in and out of the entire State, except for those on essential duties and or such degree of movement necessary for citizens to exercise their franchise on the election day,” and would take effect at 6pm on Friday and expire at 8pm on Saturday.
Under the arrangement, travelers and citizens who intend to use roads in and out of Ondo State are advised to use alternative routes.

“While expressing his regrets over the inconveniences that road users and the general public may suffer as a result of this restriction, the IGP appeals for the understanding and cooperation of the entire citizenry, as the restriction is essentially to ensure the effective security of citizens, election officials and materials,” the statement said. “It is a strategy to curtail the influx and movement of undesirable and criminal elements in and out of the State before and during the election.”

The police boss assured the public that adequate security logistics and manpower have been strategically deployed to achieve a most conducive electioneering atmosphere, pointing out that policemen for election duty have been properly trained, briefed and sensitized on their roles as stipulated in the Electoral Act.
“They are expected to be professional, non partisan, civil but firm in their approach and relation to the public; and to strictly observe Force Order 237 on the use of firearms to ensure that inalienable rights of the citizens are not trampled upon,” the statement said.

The IGP also advised politicians to play by the rules. He urged politicians, political office holders and all Very Important Personalities who are not directly involved in the conduct of the election to peacefully cast their votes and return to their homes.

“On no account must they be involved in monitoring of election, as the Police will enforce to the letter, all laws relating to the elections and law breakers appropriately dealt with in accordance with the law of the land,” he warned.

He urged the citizens of Ondo State to come out enmasse to exercise their civic right, reassuring them that the police, assisted by other security agencies, have mapped out plans to ensure that voters out to vote can do so without molestation from any quarter.

He further advised them to shun violence and all forms of thuggery, and urged parents to keep close watch on their children and wards in order not to allow them to be used by unscrupulous politicians for criminal purposes, as the full weight of the law will take its course on anyone apprehended.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/ondo-gubernatorial-elections-igp-orders-restriction-movement-and-around-state

THISDAY VERSION ---

Soyinka Backs Achebe on Civil War Memoir
17 Oct 2012
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Prof. Wole Spyinka


Ike Abonyi with agency report


Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has backed his literary colleague, Prof. Chinua Achebe, in the raging controversy over the roles of some prominent Nigerians during the Nigerian civil war.


Soyinka, in an interview published in The Telegraph of London, but obtained by THISDAY yesterday, said the Igbo were victims of genocide during the three-year civil war, which was fought to break up Nigeria.

Achebe had stirred the hornet’s nest in his civil war memoir, “There Was A Country”, when among others, he accused wartime Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and the then Finance Minister, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of carrying out a genocide against the Igbo.
The claim has generated considerable controversy, with many commentators accusing Achebe of re-writing history.


Soyinka, however, justified the secession bid and described Biafrans as “people who’d been abused, who’d undergone genocide, and who felt completely rejected by the rest of the community, and therefore decided to break away and form a nation of its own.”

He also condemned religious militancy, saying now is the time to tackle Boko Haram, the insurgent group that has visited terror on the North, killing over 1,500 since 2009.
According to him, what Boko Haram is doing is not religion, but criminality.


He said: “All religions accept that there is something called criminality. And criminality cannot be excused by religious fervour. Let me repeat something I first said at the meeting organised by UNESCO a few weeks ago, which was prompted by the recent film insulting the religion of Islam and depicting the Prophet Mohammed in a very crass way.
“The first thing to say is that we do not welcome any attempt to ravage religious sensibilities. That can be taken for granted. But you cannot hold the world to ransom simply because some idiots chose to insult a religion in some far-off place which most of the world has never even heard of. This for me is a kind of fundamentalist tyranny that should be totally unacceptable.

“So a group calls itself the Boko Haram, literally: ‘Book is taboo’, the book is anathema, the book is a product of Western civilisation, therefore it must be rejected.


“You go from the rejection of books to the rejection of institutions which utilise the book, and that means virtually all institutions. You attack universities, you kill professors, then you butcher students, you close down primary schools, you try and create a religious Maginot Line through which nothing should penetrate.

“That’s not religion; that’s lunacy. My Christian family lived just next door to Muslims. We celebrated Ramadan with Muslims; they celebrated Christmas with Christians. This is how I grew up.


“And now this virus is spreading all around the world, leading to the massacre of 50 students. This is not taking arms against the state, this is taking up arms against humanity.”
He said the unrest in Nigeria following the Boko Haram insurgency had attained a critical mass and criticised the way the Federal Government was handling the terror war.

“The president of Nigeria is making a mistake in not telling the nation that it should place itself on a war footing. There’s too much pussyfooting, there’s too much false intellectualisation of what is going on, such as this is the result of corruption, this is the result of poverty, this is the result of marginalisation.


“Yes, of course, all these negativities have to do with what is happening right now. But when the people themselves come out and say we will not even talk to the president unless he converts to Islam, they are already stating their terms of conflict,” he added.
Soyinka said if religion were to be taken away from the world, he would be one of the happiest people in the world.

Wole Soyinka: 'If religion was taken away I'd be happy'

The Nobel prize-winner Wole Soyinka spoke this week at the Hay Festival in Mexico. In an extract from his talk, he tells Peter Godwin that now’s the time to tackle militants in Nigeria.

Wole Soyinka: We must stop pussyfooting around Islamic militants Photo: Daniel MordzinskiBy Peter Godwin
7:00AM BST 12 Oct 2012

Peter Godwin Professor Soyinka, you’re not an ivory-tower kind of writer. You are not a stranger to danger, and in fact you’ve been imprisoned on at least two occasions, once in solitary confinement. Can you tell me what that was like?

Wole Soyinka Writing in certain environments carries with it an occupational risk. When I was imprisoned, without trial, it was as a result of a position I took as a citizen. Of course I used my weapon, which was writing, to express my disapproval of the [Biafran] civil war into which we were about to enter. These were people who’d been abused, who’d undergone genocide, and who felt completely rejected by the rest of the community, and therefore decided to break away and form a nation of its own. Unfortunately, the nature of my imprisonment meant that I couldn’t practise my trade because I was in solitary confinement for 22 months out of the 27, and I was deprived of writing material. So I had to somehow break through the barriers, smuggle in toilet paper, cigarette paper, scribble a few poems, pass messages outside. I was able to undertake exercises to make sure that I emerged from prison intact mentally.

PG There have been high hopes for some African leaders after they were elected – Meles in Ethiopia, or Museveni in Uganda, or Kagame in Rwanda – but who then went to to show a more authoritarian bent. Are you an Afro-optimist or an Afro-pessimist?

WS I’m an Afro-realist. I take what comes, and I do my best to affect what is unacceptable in society. I’ve remarked how similar in many ways Mexico is to Nigeria, and to a number of places: we have the same condition of unstructured, unpredictable violence, both from the state and from what I call the quasi-state. Whether the quasi-state is formed, as its basis, of theocratic tendencies, or secular ideological rigidity, you always have forces, even outside the state, competing for the domination of people. That’s what’s happening on the African continent today. That’s what’s been happening in the Arab states and what led eventually to the Arab Spring. Gradually people come to the recognition after decades of supine submission that they are not whole as human beings.

PG Your parents were Christians, Anglicans, I understand. How has your own religious belief evolved?

WS I consider myself very fortunate. I was raised in a Christian environment in Abeokuta, but another side of me was very much enmeshed in African values. I gravitated towards what I saw was a cohesive system of a certain relationship of human beings to environment, a respect for humanity in general. I came through a traditional system, where children not only had rights, but had responsibility. In the European world today, especially in America, it seems to be forbidden for children to have responsibilities…

I gravitated towards a deeper knowledge of the orisha, which represents the Yoruba pantheon, very similar in many ways to the Greek pantheon. You have reprobate deities, beneficent deities. I found that more honest than a kind of unicellular deity of either Christianity or Islam.

I don’t know if you’ve been following the news, but just a few days ago some of these Islamic fundamentalists butchered close to 50 students of a technical college. I cannot imagine the religion I was brought up in having such complete contempt for human lives. And yet these are supposed to be the world religions. So that’s why I consider myself rather fortunate that I’ve been able to see what other religions had to offer.

PG How should Nigeria deal with the Boko Haram, the Islamic militants in the north of the country?

WS All religions accept that there is something called criminality. And criminality cannot be excused by religious fervour. Let me repeat something I first said at the meeting organised by Unesco a few weeks ago, which was prompted by the recent film insulting the religion of Islam and depicting the Prophet Mohammed in a very crass way.

The first thing to say is that we do not welcome any attempt to ravage religious sensibilities. That can be taken for granted. But you cannot hold the world to ransom simply because some idiot chose to insult a religion in some far off place which most of the world has never even heard of. This for me is a kind of fundamentalist tyranny that should be totally unacceptable. So a group calls itself the Boko Haram, literally: “Book is taboo”, the book is anathema, the book is a product of Western civilisation, therefore it must be rejected.

You go from the rejection of books to the rejection of institutions which utilise the book, and that means virtually all institutions. You attack universities, you kill professors, then you butcher students, you close down primary schools, you try and create a religious Maginot Line through which nothing should penetrate. That’s not religion; that’s lunacy. My Christian family lived just next door to Muslims. We celebrated Ramadan with Muslims; they celebrated Christmas with Christians. This is how I grew up. And now this virus is spreading all around the world, leading to the massacre of 50 students. This is not taking arms against the state, this is taking up arms against humanity.

PG Is freedom of expression something you see as a universal right rather than as some Western construct?

WS There are many cultures on the African continent where days are set aside, days of irreverence where you can say anything you want about an all-powerful monarch or chief. It’s a safety valve. It’s a recognition of freedom of expression, which perhaps has not been exercised, and bottled up grievances; this is the day when you express your grievances in society. So there is no society, really, which does not boast some form or measure of freedom of expression. Now, it’s true that freedom of expression carries with it an immense responsibility. Well that is why laws of libel exist – that when you carry things too far, you can be hauled up before the community, and judged to see whether you are right to call somebody a thief, or a hypocrite, and damage his reputation. But unless you establish that principle of freedom of expression, we might all just go around with a padlock on our lips.

Audience member I read somewhere my freedom ends where your freedom begins. In Europe there have been cartoonists who have mocked the Prophet. Should they limit their freedom of speech?

WS Religion is also freedom of expression. People want to express themselves spiritually. And they also exercise the right to try and persuade others into their own system of belief. Those nations that say it’s a crime to preach your religion are making a terrible mistake. All they’re doing is driving underground other forms of spiritual intuitions and practices.

If religion was to be taken away from the world completely, including the one I grew up with, I’d be one of the happiest people in the world. My only fear is that maybe something more terrible would be invented to replace it, so we’d better just get along with what there is right now and keep it under control.

The unrest which is taking place as a result of Boko Haram, in my view, has attained critical mass. When a movement reaches that state of total contempt even for universal norms, it is sending a message to the rest of the world, and to the rest of that nation, that this is a war to the end. The president of Nigeria is making a mistake in not telling the nation that it should place itself on a war footing. There’s too much pussyfooting, there’s too much false intellectualisation of what is going on, such as this is the result of corruption, this is the result of poverty, this is the result of marginalisation. Yes, of course, all these negativities have to do with what is happening right now. But when the people themselves come out and say we will not even talk to the president unless he converts to Islam, they are already stating their terms of conflict.

*This is an edited transcript of Wole Soyinka’s event at Hay Xalapa.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay-festival/9600954/Wole-Soyinka-If-religion-was-taken-away-Id-be-happy.html

Starving Biafra has big contract with publicist -

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%20Disk3/Watertown%20Times/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale.pdf/Watertown%20NY%20Daily%20Times%201968%20July%20Grayscale%20-%200559.pdf

Here is the original Telegraph interview with Soyinka. I see no mention of Achebe's memoir or Soyinka giving any backing as the heading of the topic falsely states. The Thisday reporter Ike Abonyi is trying to be clever by half.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay-festival/9600954/Wole-Soyinka-If-religion-was-taken-away-Id-be-happy.html


Wole Soyinka: 'If religion was taken away I'd be happy'

The Nobel prize-winner Wole Soyinka spoke this week at the Hay Festival in Mexico. In an extract from his talk, he tells Peter Godwin that now’s the time to tackle militants in Nigeria.

Wole Soyinka: We must stop pussyfooting around Islamic militants Photo: Daniel MordzinskiBy Peter Godwin
7:00AM BST 12 Oct 2012
1 Comment
Peter Godwin Professor Soyinka, you’re not an ivory-tower kind of writer. You are not a stranger to danger, and in fact you’ve been imprisoned on at least two occasions, once in solitary confinement. Can you tell me what that was like?

Wole Soyinka Writing in certain environments carries with it an occupational risk. When I was imprisoned, without trial, it was as a result of a position I took as a citizen. Of course I used my weapon, which was writing, to express my disapproval of the [Biafran] civil war into which we were about to enter. These were people who’d been abused, who’d undergone genocide, and who felt completely rejected by the rest of the community, and therefore decided to break away and form a nation of its own. Unfortunately, the nature of my imprisonment meant that I couldn’t practise my trade because I was in solitary confinement for 22 months out of the 27, and I was deprived of writing material. So I had to somehow break through the barriers, smuggle in toilet paper, cigarette paper, scribble a few poems, pass messages outside. I was able to undertake exercises to make sure that I emerged from prison intact mentally.

PG There have been high hopes for some African leaders after they were elected – Meles in Ethiopia, or Museveni in Uganda, or Kagame in Rwanda – but who then went to to show a more authoritarian bent. Are you an Afro-optimist or an Afro-pessimist?

WS I’m an Afro-realist. I take what comes, and I do my best to affect what is unacceptable in society. I’ve remarked how similar in many ways Mexico is to Nigeria, and to a number of places: we have the same condition of unstructured, unpredictable violence, both from the state and from what I call the quasi-state. Whether the quasi-state is formed, as its basis, of theocratic tendencies, or secular ideological rigidity, you always have forces, even outside the state, competing for the domination of people. That’s what’s happening on the African continent today. That’s what’s been happening in the Arab states and what led eventually to the Arab Spring. Gradually people come to the recognition after decades of supine submission that they are not whole as human beings.

PG Your parents were Christians, Anglicans, I understand. How has your own religious belief evolved?

WS I consider myself very fortunate. I was raised in a Christian environment in Abeokuta, but another side of me was very much enmeshed in African values. I gravitated towards what I saw was a cohesive system of a certain relationship of human beings to environment, a respect for humanity in general. I came through a traditional system, where children not only had rights, but had responsibility. In the European world today, especially in America, it seems to be forbidden for children to have responsibilities…

I gravitated towards a deeper knowledge of the orisha, which represents the Yoruba pantheon, very similar in many ways to the Greek pantheon. You have reprobate deities, beneficent deities. I found that more honest than a kind of unicellular deity of either Christianity or Islam.

I don’t know if you’ve been following the news, but just a few days ago some of these Islamic fundamentalists butchered close to 50 students of a technical college. I cannot imagine the religion I was brought up in having such complete contempt for human lives. And yet these are supposed to be the world religions. So that’s why I consider myself rather fortunate that I’ve been able to see what other religions had to offer.

PG How should Nigeria deal with the Boko Haram, the Islamic militants in the north of the country?

WS All religions accept that there is something called criminality. And criminality cannot be excused by religious fervour. Let me repeat something I first said at the meeting organised by Unesco a few weeks ago, which was prompted by the recent film insulting the religion of Islam and depicting the Prophet Mohammed in a very crass way.

The first thing to say is that we do not welcome any attempt to ravage religious sensibilities. That can be taken for granted. But you cannot hold the world to ransom simply because some idiot chose to insult a religion in some far off place which most of the world has never even heard of. This for me is a kind of fundamentalist tyranny that should be totally unacceptable. So a group calls itself the Boko Haram, literally: “Book is taboo”, the book is anathema, the book is a product of Western civilisation, therefore it must be rejected.

You go from the rejection of books to the rejection of institutions which utilise the book, and that means virtually all institutions. You attack universities, you kill professors, then you butcher students, you close down primary schools, you try and create a religious Maginot Line through which nothing should penetrate. That’s not religion; that’s lunacy. My Christian family lived just next door to Muslims. We celebrated Ramadan with Muslims; they celebrated Christmas with Christians. This is how I grew up. And now this virus is spreading all around the world, leading to the massacre of 50 students. This is not taking arms against the state, this is taking up arms against humanity.

PG Is freedom of expression something you see as a universal right rather than as some Western construct?

WS There are many cultures on the African continent where days are set aside, days of irreverence where you can say anything you want about an all-powerful monarch or chief. It’s a safety valve. It’s a recognition of freedom of expression, which perhaps has not been exercised, and bottled up grievances; this is the day when you express your grievances in society. So there is no society, really, which does not boast some form or measure of freedom of expression. Now, it’s true that freedom of expression carries with it an immense responsibility. Well that is why laws of libel exist – that when you carry things too far, you can be hauled up before the community, and judged to see whether you are right to call somebody a thief, or a hypocrite, and damage his reputation. But unless you establish that principle of freedom of expression, we might all just go around with a padlock on our lips.

Audience member I read somewhere my freedom ends where your freedom begins. In Europe there have been cartoonists who have mocked the Prophet. Should they limit their freedom of speech?

WS Religion is also freedom of expression. People want to express themselves spiritually. And they also exercise the right to try and persuade others into their own system of belief. Those nations that say it’s a crime to preach your religion are making a terrible mistake. All they’re doing is driving underground other forms of spiritual intuitions and practices.

If religion was to be taken away from the world completely, including the one I grew up with, I’d be one of the happiest people in the world. My only fear is that maybe something more terrible would be invented to replace it, so we’d better just get along with what there is right now and keep it under control.

The unrest which is taking place as a result of Boko Haram, in my view, has attained critical mass. When a movement reaches that state of total contempt even for universal norms, it is sending a message to the rest of the world, and to the rest of that nation, that this is a war to the end. The president of Nigeria is making a mistake in not telling the nation that it should place itself on a war footing. There’s too much pussyfooting, there’s too much false intellectualisation of what is going on, such as this is the result of corruption, this is the result of poverty, this is the result of marginalisation. Yes, of course, all these negativities have to do with what is happening right now. But when the people themselves come out and say we will not even talk to the president unless he converts to Islam, they are already stating their terms of conflict.

*This is an edited transcript of Wole Soyinka’s event at Hay Xalapa.

‘Achebe’s book is replete with inaccurate facts, claims’

Posted by: Eric Ikhilae Posted date: October 17, 2012

The new book by renowned author and literary icon Prof Chinua Achebe – There was a country – has continued to generate heat in the country. Former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing Femi Okunnu (SAN), who was in government between 1967 and 1974, queries the allegations and claims made by the author. He spoke with Staff Correspondent Eric Ikhilae.

what is your assessment of the new book by Prof Chinua Achebe?

I have read only newspaper reports and excerpts from the book, (that was published in The Nation on October 5) written by that erudite Nigerian scholar, Professor Chinua Achebe. I am amazed at the extent of the intellectual dishonesty displayed by Prof. Achebe in alleging that the Federal Government under General Yakubu Gowon, in which I had the honour of serving, had a policy of denying our fellow Nigerians, who were trapped in Biafra, relief materials. There is no such policy by the government, in which I was a member.

Was it true that the then Federal Finance Commissioner Chief Obafemi Awolowo suggested to the government to adopt starvation as a war weapon?

Right from the declaration of war on May 27, 1967 until the cessation of hostilities in January 1970, to the best of my knowledge, whatever Chief Obafemi Awolowo might have said or said to have said, as reported by Prof Achebe, was not the Federal Government’s position. It was not the government’s policy at all. I say this as the leader or one of the leaders on the Federal Government side during the peace talks. Chief Anthony Enahoro (of blessed memory) led the federal delegation to the preliminary talks initiated by the then Commonwealth Secretary in London early in 1968. The talks shifted to Kampala, Uganda, with the then President of Uganda, Dr. Milton Obote, as the Chairman, who presided over the bilateral talks between the two sides. Chief Enahoro led the federal delegation to the talks in Kampala. I was not a member of either delegation, but I played a key role in the important peace talks, starting from Niamey unto Addis Ababa and Monrovia. In Niamey, Gen Gowon and Chief Awolowo were members of the federal delegation. Colonel Emeka Ojukwu also attended as leader of his own delegation. When the two leaders returned from Niamey, I led the federal delegation to the remainder of the talks, mostly to prepare the agenda for the substantive talks in Addis Ababa.

What was the focus of the various talks held between both sides?

The federal delegation left Lagos on August 3, 1968 for Addis-Ababa and the leader of the delegation was Chief Enahoro. I was the deputy leader. Col. Ojukwu attended the first day’s talks. The talks started on August 5 and was presided over by the Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie. After a day or two, Col. Ojukwu left and turned over the leadership of his delegation to Professor Eni Njoku, who was Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos before the outbreak of hostilities. Chief Enahoro left after a week, leaving me as the leader of the federal delegation for the rest of the period.

The talks ended about the third week of September. And the main topic for our discussion was how to create corridors for the passage of relief materials from Nigeria, but mostly from outside the country, to our brothers, who were trapped within the Biafran enclave. The first week was taken up by political issues – cessation of hostilities and return of Biafra to the Nigerian Federation. When the talks on that issue was suspended, for the next four or five weeks, we were in Addis Ababa, with me as the leader of the federal delegation and Prof Njoku as the leader of the Biafran delegation, discussing various corridors which we proposed for passage of relief materials to Biafra.

We discussed air corridor, we discussed land corridor; we discussed sea and river corridors, no holds barred. But unfortunately, the various proposals, which we brought forward were turned down by the other side. We couldn’t reach any good conclusion. So, to say that there was deliberate policy of the Federal Government, initiated by Chief Awolowo, is at best intellectual dishonesty. That is not the true position of the Federal Government at the time. And certainly, that was not our position during the peace talks.

Are there facts to support this position?

My autobiography contains the full discussions of all the talks. From London to Kampala, Niamey, Addis Ababa, and the last peace talks, which took place, I think in April or May in Monrovia. Let me also say this, Emperor Haile Selassie presided over all the joint meetings we had between the federal delegation, led by me and the Biafran delegation led by Prof Njoku, for all the five weeks. The meetings all centred on how to get relief materials to the Biafran side. There is also this issue which I must emphasise. There were reports and there were incidents of some of the aircraft carrying relief materials to the other side, also carrying arms. There were such incidents. We must be very frank and truthful to ourselves.

So, my autobiography devotes about 120 pages to nothing, but largely how relief materials would get to Biafra before the cessation of hostilities. Again, the main discussion between us was on the passage of relief materials to the other side. So, I deny completely that there was any Federal Government policy to starve our brothers in the rebel held area during the civil war. In fact, it was Ojukwu, who used hunger as a weapon of war because he denied any agreement on relief corridors. We proposed so many corridors – Lagos to Benin and Asba, across the Niger. That was rejected. Port-Harcourt, by river, to Oguta. It was also rejected. Fom Lagos, directly to the rebel. It was also rejected. Fernandopo to Port-Harcourt; rejected. We discussed different corridors. Air, water and land, they were all rejected. Ojukwu was more interested in Biafra. Having got the support of France in getting its surrogates – Ivory Coast ( now Cote D’Ivoire) and Gabon – to recognise Biafra, and with Kenneth Kaunda of Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania recognising Biafra, Ojukwu was more interested in the permanent sovereignty of Biafra. So he used relief materials at a weapon of war.

How true is Prof Achebe’s description of Chief Awolowo as a selfish and ambitious politician, who saw the war as an opportunity to advance his agenda of capturing political power for the Yorubas

Well, as an ambitious politician, he was. As a man who wanted power, of course he did seek power and he acquired power in the Western Region. He was a powerful politician. For me, I was on the other side of the divide politically.

This is because like most young persons and students in London in the early 1960s, we were for a fairly meaningful federal system of government because the regions were too strong. And Chief Awolowo was an advocate of strong regional governments.

We were for the central government being stronger than the regional governments at that time at least, to be able to hold the regions together. Then, the Premiers were more important than the Prime Minister of Nigeria. Having said that, I agree that he (Chief Awolowo) was ambitious and he sought power. We all know that he built his political power, using the Western Region of Nigeria, largely Yoruba speaking, as his power base. We as young persons, and that is where I differ from him, looked at Nigeria as a single unit. We wanted people who will look at Nigeria and speak to people; seek power from all the people of Nigeria and not just one part of it. We wanted a Nigerian leader, not a regional leader. So, that is the much I can say about Chief Awolowo.

That he was seeking power for his Yoruba people, well leave that. I think that is rather cheap. That is because, at the end of the day, Chief Awolowo sought support from the minority groups in the North, notably in the Middle Belt and also in Borno area. He also sought and got support from the so called minority areas in the then Eastern Region, notably, what we now call the oil producing states.

Chief Awolowo built his power not only from the West, but also in the Rivers and Calabar part of Nigeria, and the Middle Belt and Borno. So, to say he wanted power for his own people alone is neither here nor there. Towards the end, he sought power to be the President of Nigeria and he failed. And as Ojukwu himself said, he was the best president Nigeria never had.

How will react to the author’s argument that the change of currency was meant to weaken the Igbos economically?

Again, that is very cheap propaganda. When the currency was changed, there were some reasons for it. Before the civil war and during the war, but largely during the war, Central Banks were looted and Nigerian currencies were looted. That itself call for a change of currency by any sensible government. Secondly, I was Gowon’s emissary to negotiate with President Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo, when a plane load of Nigerian currencies landed in Togo. Gowon sent me to negotiate the return of the currencies and the plane. The story is told in my autobiography. So, with Nigerian currencies flying around, any sensible government will change the currency.

The change of currency affected everybody. Everybody was given a certain period of time to exchange the old notes for the new notes. I think the aim of the government at that time was to try and stabilise the currency of the country because of the looting of the Central Banks. Remember the bank at Enugu was under the full control of Ojukwu. One or two other Central Banks outside the rebel held areas were also looted.

How credible is the claim that the banning of the importation of stock fish and used clothes was an anti-Igbo economic policy?

Are they the only one eating stock fish? Are the Igbos the only people that sell and wear second hand clothes? That is very irrelevant, although, in the context in which he wrote his book, it was all part of the attempt to liquidate the Ibo speaking Nigerians. So, outsiders, who do not know who eat stock fish or not , will have the impression that it is only the Ibo speaking who eat stock fish or wear used clothes.

How true is the allegation that in prosecuting the war, the state’s acted in a manner that could pass as genocide?

On the issue of genocide, I must confess that there was massacre of Nigerians who came from outside the Northern region after the Unification Decree of the late Aguiyi Ironsi on May 24, 1966, when he abolished the federal system and introduced the unitary system of government by Decree. There was riot all over the place and most unfortunately, many Ibo speaking and other non-Ibo speaking Nigerians were killed in the Northern part of the country. We must admit that fact. I condemn what happened in the North in May 1966. There was reprisal in some parts of the East. I condemn all the killings by both sides. But genocide during the war? No. I remember the incident during which a soldier, I think it was in the Third Div, under Col, later Brigadier General Benjamin Adekunle, killed innocent civilians, the soldier was shot dead on the order of the Federal Government. There was no genocide from my point of view and from my knowledge as a member of government at that time.

What about the children that were reportedly taken outside the rebel area?

This was clear propaganda of war. It was a weapon of war by Col Ojukwu to prolong the war and also to make Biafra a reality, a sovereign state. The title of Achebe’s book: “There was a country”, is wrong. There was no country. There was rebellion. As I said at the time, if Lagos declared secession out of Nigeria, I Femi Okunnu, will be on the federal side. There was no genocide. War involves killing on both sides. And both sides killed. I must emphasise that Gen Gowon had a booklet of instructions given to his field commanders to follow Geneva Convention.

How can the people grow in the face of these contradictions and mutual suspicion among the various ethnic groups?

We should all learn to be Nigerians. You don’t find a Chinese either inside or outside their country saying he comes from a section of the country. A Chinese is a Chinese anywhere. China has 1.5 billion people, Nigeria has only 150million. And that is why China is almost number two in the world in terms of economic development. Same goes for India. Nigerians should be proud to Nigerians. I do not have problem with the development of culture. These are part of the riches of the country. So, until Nigerians begin to think of Nigeria as a single political and economic unit, and act in that manner, Nigeria will never make it. We only much noise about being the biggest country in Africa, many countries which were behind Nigeria in Southeast Asia – South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia. In the 60s and 70s these countries were far behind Nigeria in economics terms, but now they well ahead of us. We rely only on oil. Palm oil and palm kernel industries are almost gone. Cocoa and groundnut are dead. So, we should make up our mind to return to where we were in term of production of cocoa, palm oil or palm kernel. Nigeria was number one and number three in the production of palm oil and palm kernel in the world. Malaysia, which borrowed palm oil seedling for experimenting in their country, is now exporting palm oil to Nigeria. It is Malaysian oil that we now consume in Nigeria. Back to the point I am making, ethnicity should be dead. We can develop our individual cultures and tradition, but they must not be brought into political arena. We should not allow ethnicity determine our political choice and decisions.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/politics/achebes-book-is-replete-with-inaccurate-facts-claims/

How we rescued Osun Speaker’s wife, by Ogun CP

Posted by: Nwokolo Ernest, Ogun Posted date: October 16, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 26

Ogun State Commissioner of Police Ikemefuna Okoye yesterday narrated how Mrs. Muibat Salaam, wife of Osun State House of Assembly Speaker Najeem Salaam, was rescued from her abductors.

Mrs. Salaam was abducted last Tuesday in Ejigbo, Osun State, by gunmen.

She was rescued on Saturday in Ogunmakin, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Speaking with reporters while parading the suspected kidnappers in Eleweran, the Command Headquarters, Okoye said members of the Vigilance Services of Ogun (VSO) noticed the suspicious movement of the kidnappers and their victim and alerted the police.

He said the Fidiwo Police Division deployed men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and plain-clothed policemen in the area, where the suspects were hiding in the bush.

Okoye said: “My men moved into the bush and engaged the suspects in a gun duel, killing one of them. Four were apprehended and the others ran away with bullet wounds.

“It was after we rescued the victim that she told us who she was. Let the record be set straight that the police carried out the rescue operation.”

The suspects are Chukwuma Usifo (28), Chukwudi Okereke (25), Ogbole Elijah and Okonkwo Lucky (27).

Items recovered from the suspects include two AK 47 rifles and four magazines with 87 rounds of ammunition.

Okoye praised members of the VSO for providing information that led to the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of Mrs. Salaam, who has been reunited with her family.

He urged the public to be security-conscious and always alert security agencies when they notice suspicious movements.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/how-we-rescued-osun-speakers-wife-by-ogun-cp/

Achebe: The disrobing of a god

October 14, 2012 by Tunde Fagbenle 442 Comments

Tunde Fagbenle

I have given Chinua Achebe’s latest and highly inflammatory book, There Was A Country (A Personal History of Biafra), the first reading, so to say, poring through its 333 pages all night long to achieve what must be a record for this legendary slow reader.

I had to. The portion of the book that has been the subject of serious acrimony, particularly in the global social media, unsettled me. Hadn’t I just in my last column or two gone ballistic in my praise of him, declaring myself (albeit a new convert — having just acquired and read most of his books) a worshipper at the shrine of Achebeism?

Let us quote that portion again:

“It is my impression that Awolowo was driven by an overriding ambition for power, for himself and for his Yoruba people. There is, on the surface at least, nothing wrong with those aspirations. However, Awolowo saw the dominant Igbos at the time as the obstacles to that goal, and when the opportunity arose — the Nigeria-Biafra war — his ambition drove him into a frenzy to go to every length to achieve his dreams. In the Biafran case, it meant hatching up a diabolical policy to reduce the numbers of his enemies significantly through starvation — eliminating over two million people, mainly members of future generations.”

The language is severe and of the bitterest kind; and from an 82-year old man, a sage, meaner still.

Unfortunately, Nigeria has become a country ridden by ethnicity or tribalism, and as Achebe himself said in the book “…part of the way to respond to confusion in Nigeria is to blame those from the other ethnic group…” And so, whatever one says would, sadly, be looked at from one’s “ethnic” point of view.

It was my PUNCH-columnist colleague, that hard-hitting young writer, Adunni Adelakun (on Thursdays), whose posting on her Facebook page first drew my attention to it with her terse comment:

“Personally, I disagree with Achebe on this. So, Awolowo wanted to reduce the number of Igbos so as to suppress their dominance? Too simple revisionism!”

But, again, Adunni is Yoruba, isn’t she? She can’t count. And that is why it is important that Igbos – intellectuals and politicians of weight – must speak out in this lest it be assumed Achebe has spoken for the “impression” of all!

My immediate response was:

“I am not in the business of defending Awolowo or anyone, and getting into this fray is also quite not in my character. Just that the kind of personality disorder it would take to fit into the mould of how Achebe has characterised Awolowo here as someone capable of making policies deliberately aimed at exterminating a whole race, if need be, and of seeing the Igbos as enemies fit for such, is beyond the pale.

“The weight and consequences of Achebe’s “impression,” given his status, will endure forever! If it is true, then the victim of his arrow deserves it. If it is not true, then, I’m back to my sob.”

And my sobbing is not for Awolowo, nothing can take from him, but for Achebe himself.

What emerges from it all, and from reading the book, is that Prof. Chinua Achebe is a very bitter man. And at 82, going to his grave, that is not a good thing to harbour.

Definitely, the ruins the Nigeria of his dream (with his place in it) came to and the Biafra War hurt him, hurt him to irrationality.

Achebe wrote in the book that, “Every generation must recognise and embrace the task it is peculiarly designed by history and by providence to perform.” Now, having read virtually all of his major works and particularly this latest one, it is clear that Achebe imagines the role providence thrusts on him as that of the Messiah of his Igbo people and he embraces it with fervour.

As he would say, there is, on the surface, at least, nothing wrong with those imaginations. However, they must be tempered with truth and objectivity, especially where you have a following, impressionable following that may be prone to taking your position as gospel truth.

It is also clear that my hero Achebe hates Awolowo the Great with a passion and he is fore-sworn to exact his pound of flesh from Awo with the tool at Achebe’s command — his pen — even if that is the last thing he does before he joins Awo yonder!

Achebe holds many views, strongly, especially about the dominance and God-given ‘supremacy’ of his Igbo people that leaves no one in doubt of his Igbo irredentism. But, as he repeatedly prefaces in the book, they are his “opinion” or his “impression.” So, what can anyone say!

But he also wrote, albeit in thinly veiled conceit of its own: “I will be the first to concede that the Igbo as a group is not without its flaws. Its success can and did carry deadly penalties: the dangers of hubris, overweening pride, and thoughtlessness, which invite envy and hatred or, even worse, than can obsess the mind with material success and dispose it to all kinds of crude showiness. There is no doubt at all that there is a strand in contemporary Igbo behaviour that can offend by its noisy exhibitionism and disregard for humility and quietness.”

How much openness, affection and respect Achebe has for other Nigerians not Igbo is hard to surmise.

But he owns up to witnessing “great intimations of affection” flow towards him “at critical moments” of his life from non-Igbos that his good “impression” would otherwise have considered “enemies” or “mortal rivals” or “envious” of Igbos.

Of this he had written: “More recently, after a motor accident in 2001 (that should be 1991) that left me with serious injuries, I have witnessed an outflow of affection from Nigerians at every level. I am still dumbfounded by it. The hard words Nigeria and I have said to each other begin to look like words of anxious love, not hate…”

I bear witness to that. Back in 1991 upon news of the accident and he being flown to an undisclosed hospital somewhere outside London, MKO Abiola of blessed memory had called me (at my HomeNews office in London) to help go look for wherever “this great son of Africa” had been taken to and hand him an envelope containing considerable cash towards the hospital bill. Abiola said he had never met Achebe in person.

I was born and I grew up in the north. I lived amongst Igbos and some of my best friends are Igbos. Maybe this makes my outlook different from that of someone from Achebe’s Ogidi. In times past (when life was kinder), Igbos I never knew before were amongst those I had sponsored in college. And so, I know nothing of the “enmity” and “envy” that my Achebe talks about, nor the sense of ‘supremacy’ he vaunts.

Yet, Chinua Achebe has told his own story. And, as the Yoruba joke goes, “Ma ja mi n’ro, ti e ni’o pa” (Don’t challenge my lies; tell yours!).

http://www.punchng.com/columnists/tunde-fagbenle-saying-it-the-way-it-is/achebe-the-disrobing-of-a-god/

How we rescued Osun Speaker’s wife, by Ogun CP

Posted by: Nwokolo Ernest, Ogun Posted date: October 16, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 26

Ogun State Commissioner of Police Ikemefuna Okoye yesterday narrated how Mrs. Muibat Salaam, wife of Osun State House of Assembly Speaker Najeem Salaam, was rescued from her abductors.

Mrs. Salaam was abducted last Tuesday in Ejigbo, Osun State, by gunmen.

She was rescued on Saturday in Ogunmakin, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Speaking with reporters while parading the suspected kidnappers in Eleweran, the Command Headquarters, Okoye said members of the Vigilance Services of Ogun (VSO) noticed the suspicious movement of the kidnappers and their victim and alerted the police.

He said the Fidiwo Police Division deployed men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and plain-clothed policemen in the area, where the suspects were hiding in the bush.

Okoye said: “My men moved into the bush and engaged the suspects in a gun duel, killing one of them. Four were apprehended and the others ran away with bullet wounds.

“It was after we rescued the victim that she told us who she was. Let the record be set straight that the police carried out the rescue operation.”

The suspects are Chukwuma Usifo (28), Chukwudi Okereke (25), Ogbole Elijah and Okonkwo Lucky (27).

Items recovered from the suspects include two AK 47 rifles and four magazines with 87 rounds of ammunition.

Okoye praised members of the VSO for providing information that led to the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of Mrs. Salaam, who has been reunited with her family.

He urged the public to be security-conscious and always alert security agencies when they notice suspicious movements.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/how-we-rescued-osun-speakers-wife-by-ogun-cp/

How we rescued Osun Speaker’s wife, by Ogun CP

The suspects are Chukwuma Usifo (28), Chukwudi Okereke (25), Ogbole Elijah and Okonkwo Lucky (27).

Items recovered from the suspects include two AK 47 rifles and four magazines with 87 rounds of ammunition.

Okoye praised members of the VSO for providing information that led to the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of Mrs. Salaam, who has been reunited with her family.

He urged the public to be security-conscious and always alert security agencies when they notice suspicious movements.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/how-we-rescued-osun-speakers-wife-by-ogun-cp/

Some N’Assembly members can barely write their names– Ekweremadu
October 16, 2012 by Emmanuel Obe 15 Comments
Senator Ike Ekweremadu


Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, has lamented the low quality of leaders in the country.

He frowned on the educational quality of some National Assembly members, saying they can barely write their names.

Ekweremadu stated this in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Monday while delivering the 2012 Zik Lecture Series organised by the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. The lecture was entitled, ‘True Federalism and the Political Ideology of the Great Zik’.

He said it was still a surprise to him that as educationally advanced as the South-East “we still send to the National Assembly some people who can barely write their names”.

Ekweremadu, who described the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as a knowledgeable leader, said without knowledgeable leadership, the country was heading nowhere.

According to the lawmaker, the country needs leaders that are patriotic, selfless, knowledgeable, incorruptible, who have a lot of integrity and who will always put country first.

He said, “For Nigeria’s, particularly, low development or rather lack of it has been variously traced to successive national leadership.”

Ekweremadu said though a proper federal structure and an error-free constitution were desirable, without purposeful and transformational leadership, they would not help the situation in the country .

He said, “Even the best constitution or federal structure in the world cannot yield the best of democracy dividends or drive the lofty dreams of a nation unless there is a general commitment by the leadership and citizens alike to live by the principles and letters of that constitution and the norms that promote development.”

Ekweremadu added that Nigerian leaders had often mistaken stubbornness and arrogance as principles in politics, saying “this hasrobbed Nigerians of great opportunities of linking up with modernity and technology”.

He added, “Leaders who cannot think beyond their immediate environment have nothing new to offer their people.”

Ekweremadu urged Nigerian leaders to adopt sound principles like Azikiwe did in his days so that they could lead the country into the elite corps of nations.

First son of Azikiwe and Owelle of Onitsha, Chief Chukwuma Azikiwe, said for any leadership to have meaning it must identify with the downtrodden.

He said, “If our farmers and the have-nots are empowered, then they will impact our economy and themselves.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/some-nassembly-members-can-barely-write-their-names-ekweremadu/

Widow battles Nollywood actor, Osuofia, over land

October 15, 2012 by Ozioma Ubabukoh, Enugu 239 Comments

Owoh (L), Ayogu and her children in front of the demolished building

A secondary school teacher, Mrs. Gloria Ayogu, on Sunday said she would consider legal actions against Nollywood actor, Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia, if he failed to pay damages for allegedly demolishing her house in Enugu State.

Ayogu, a widow and an employee of Federal Government College, Enugu, has since 2008 been at war with Owoh over a piece of land at 9, Ikpeama Street, Emeheluaku Layout, Trans-Ekulu in Enugu metropolis.

The widow said she had long reported the case to the police and vowed to see the matter to the end.

She said her late husband bought and registered the landed property before he died in 2004.

She claimed, “Osuofia and his thugs appeared in 2008 and threatened me for four years against building on the land.”

According to her, shortly after she completed the bungalow, which she said she built with a loan, and was on the verge of moving in, “Osuofia finally made good his threats and pulled down the house on September 30, 2012.”

Narrating her story further, Ayogu said, “The property was bought same year my husband died and was registered in his name. We started developing it until my husband took ill and later died, about three months after we relocated from where we were living.

“Some years later I discovered that the documents to the property were missing. I searched everywhere but could not find them. I went to the man who sold the land to us and he advised that I report to the state Ministry of Lands. I went there and they asked me to put up a newspaper publication on the missing document, which I did in about three different newspapers.

“I first went to the police and obtained police extract before the loss of document was published. I also put a caveat on the property so that no buyer would come in case people attempted to use it for fraud.

“We were living at Egwuaga Street then, so we relocated to 9, Ikpeama Street in Trans-Ekulu, Enugu. The land registrar gave me new documents covering the property and he advised me to be vigilant and look after my land.

“In 2006, Nkem Owoh, popularly known as Osuofia and some people came to ask me who I was and if I was the owner of the property.”

Ayogu stated that Osuofia also asked her if she was legally married to her late husband, and if she was ready to go to court should the need arise.

She said, “I didn’t see them for some time until one day he resurfaced and said I have to stop work on the site because at that time I had started building. Not long afterwards, he demolished the house.”

Ayogu added that she would not be intimidated and was not ready to lose the only property her late husband left for her and her children.

However, when contacted by our correspondent, the actor denied the allegations.

Osuofia said, “This woman is going to put herself in trouble. I bought a land and the land is causing trouble between the woman and her husband’s first wife. They are struggling over the same piece of land, so why would the woman say it was me that demolished her house?”

“Why is she trying to scandalise my name when she knows there is a family dispute over the land? I don’t know anything about the demolition. I bought the property but they are having problems there, I mean the two wives. Why wouldn’t this woman go to court and sort these things out once and for all?”

While Owoh insisted Ayogu and her co-wife were struggling over the land, the widow maintained that she was the only wife of her husband and that there was no tussle over the land.

When Osuofia was asked to give the contacts of whoever sold the land to him, he said it was long he bought it and had lost touch with the people.

http://www.punchng.com/news/widow-battles-nollywood-actor-osuofia-over-land/

Northern Muslims and the Nigerian Civil War: Between Achebe and other Igbo intellectuals .

Friday, 12 October 2012 00:00 By Ibraheem A. Waziri Features - Policy & Politics

It’s just that ignorance reign in Nigeria or our public intellectuals do not have passion for details and deep philosophical enquiry into the nature and realities of our socio-cultural formation and its history for the best of their opinions. These can be the only open and not so stretched explanations to Chinua Achebe’s blatant, below status and insincere depiction of the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 70 in the light of a so called jihadist expansionist goal of Muslims of northern Nigeria. The opinion summary of his latest book, There Was a Country, as he published in The Guardian of London Tuesday, 2nd 2012, make bold this meaningless assertion:

“But if the diabolical disregard for human life seen during the war was not due to the northern military elite’s jihadist or genocidal obsession, then why were there more small arms used on Biafran soil than during the entire second world war? Why were there 100,000 casualties on the much larger Nigerian side compared with more than 2 million–mainly children–Biafrans killed?”

Needless to mention that Achebe is not alone in this kind of portrayal that is typical of recent Igbo ‘intellectuals’ when it comes to discussing the civil war. The task of re-educating them and the crop of their students is therefore necessary if the dream of a greater Nigeria in fair neighbourliness is to be realised.

Yes, northern Nigerians are mainly and majorly proud and faithful Muslims with unique culture and a record of close interactions with other world civilisations since time. They have for long known and understood that not everybody must look like them or believe in what they believed in, before peace, social cohesion and fair neighborliness are justifiably established. In fact it can be authoritatively said that northern Nigeria of the 1960s, formed one the most cosmopolitan and accommodating social spaces in the whole world.

When the former Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah wanted to initiate and draft then Nigeria’s Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the Premier of the Northern Region Ahmadu Bello into his Pan-Africanism, they clearly told him that they were not racists and believed in the universal nature of truth, justice, fairness and equality of humankind regardless of race or ethnicity and that reflected the way they managed northern Nigeria and the country in general.

It was this world-view with its values and norms guiding intra and inter-pinning of human relations that saw a northern Nigeria of the 1960s as a home to many Igbo. In modern history the top one percent of the most literate and influential Igbo personalities once lived in northern Nigeria or spoke Hausa, the dominant language in the North. It was here that Major Chukuma Kaduna Nzeogwu’s parents settled and gave birth to him in 1937. He grew up with all opportunities unhindered and got the award of love, justice and trust of the then Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello until he finally, easily and safely got access to him, in the night, in his house, in the privacy of his bedroom and killed him in front of his wife with no struggle, no any suspecting guard to check him or even ask him hard questions. It is finished. Brutus killed his Caesar in cold blood of treachery, hatred and breach of trust. Describing a similar situation in the same operation kill, where Major Ifeajuna, an Igbo soldier and Major Nzeagwu’s co-kill planner and partner, shot Brigadier Maimalari, Bernard Odogwu, an Igbo Nigerian diplomat at the times of the events, in his book, No Place to Hide - Crises and Conflicts inside Biafra, clearly put it, “I am particularly shocked at the news that Major Ifeajuna personally shot and killed his mentor, Brigadier Maimalari. My God! That must have been Caesar and Brutus come alive...”

What then could have been the fate of other Igbo in many parts of the North who enjoyed the same love, trust and protection of the other northerners who began to see a new streak of arrogance, condescension in the behavior of the Igbo, who were illusioned in the new leadership of General Ironsi to the extent that, as told by our parents, they used to mock the northerners, imitating the cries and squeaks of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa before he died in the hands of Major Ifeajuna. Still Igbo intellectuals engage in this mockery as the Nigerian military historian Max Siollun, recently re-told the story of Nzeogwu’s kill, which clearly portrayed Ahmadu Bello as a coward and a simpleton, who hide behind his wife when he saw that Nzeagwu was certain to get him. These provocations and the details of stories such as captured by David Muffett, a British colonial officer who wrote the account of the 1966 coup in a book titled, Let Truth Be Told, outlining the Igbo elite’s detailed plan to take control of not only the political structures but even the social structures of the North by killing all the then northern emirs in the final.

Some including Achebe are still contesting that the kill was not an Igbo carefully planned affair but rather a coup plotted against all Nigerian leaders of then. Yet all Igbo in prominent positions were missed in the fire and it was said Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe was missed because he was out of the country for a medical checkup. The question is could they have missed Sir Ahmadu Bello or Abubakar Tafawa Balewa if any was on a medical trip or they would have postponed the operations for more appropriate date that would guarantee and ensure an all inclusive kill?

Yet, the pogroms that followed the events and the civil war were unfortunate (more objective details of which were written by Elechi Amadi in Sunset at Biafra). But the characterisation of northerners as Muslim jihadists who were already prepared and ready to stage a ‘holy jihad’ against Igbo, as a reason for the war is very untrue and intellectually insincere. Just because Igbo intellectuals have to find reasons then it doesn’t mean every reason must be dashed out. Just because they need someone to blame doesn’t mean the 21st century image of fundamentalist Islam must be projected backward into the story of Nigeria to justify a perspective.

Besides what religion did the major actors of the war on the federal side professed? General Yakubu Gowon, General Theopilus Danjuma and General Joseph Garba, were Christians. Chief Awolowo, the intellectual architect of the war was a Christian. General Olusegun Obasanjo and General Adekunle were all not northerners. The prominent name in the commands that is a core Muslim northerner was only General Murtala Muhammed. Even if all the others were Muslims, what sense could it have made for the Muslims to have fought the Igbo only to establish the leadership of General Yakubu Gowon who was a Christian, the same and only reason they supposedly could have fought the Igbo? Gowon enjoyed the support of all Muslim northerners as my good friend Alhaji Yakubu Musa, currently a media assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from a devout Muslim family, once mentioned how he was named Yakubu in celebration of Gowon’s visit to Kano on a day that coincided with his birthday.

No. The truth of the matter is Igbo betrayed the trust given to them in the then northern Nigeria by the singular act of betrayal of Nzeagwu on Ahmadu Bello and the subsequent poor management of their relationship with their hosts that bred suspicion of complicity in the plans of the kill and a thought of greater conspiracy.

The way forward is not to employ a wider and more efficient propaganda machinery to score cheap sympathy and sponsor the production of a sensationalist movie in the Holly Wood, Tears of the Sun, starring Bruce Willis and displaying that northern Nigerian Muslim Hausa will attempt to do the same in the present Nigeria and in the recent future and can be stopped only by the Americans.

The way forward is to always tell the truth, accept faults, take responsibilities for errors and constantly preach the gospel of keeping trust, commitments and fair neighbourliness. Let’s make the younger generation and the entire world know that we are one in Nigeria and the top one per cent of Igbo most informed political and public intellectuals lived in the North or even spoke Hausa.

This ranging from Chinua Achebe himself, Cyprian Ekwensi, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeagwu, General Emeka Ojukwu or Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe. Cyprian Ekwensi even copied and translated the literary work of my uncle; John Tafida Umaru titled, Jiki Magayi, from Hausa to English, titled it, African Night Entertainment, and dubbed it his own without acknowledgement, adding to his literary stock, achievement and fame. The world must know the good contribution their living in the North and speaking its language brought into their skills and perspectives, that, which won them the accolades they so celebrate and rejoice in, today. A fact, which they and their friends always want to hide!

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101334:northern-muslims-and-the-nigerian-civil-war-between-achebe-and-other-igbo-intellectuals-&catid=73:policy-a-politics&Itemid=607

Presidency votes N5.8bn for Mark, Tambuwal, other lawmakers’ new quarters, offices
Posted by: Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor) Posted date: October 13, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 28

New residential quarters and an office complex are to be made available to principal officers of the National Assembly with a princely sum of N5.8 billion this year, according to the budget estimates now before the legislature.

The said sum will cover the design and construction of the buildings.

The Federal Capital Territory is saddled with the responsibility of executing the projects for which N2.3 billion of is earmarked for design and construction of the presiding officers’ (Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker) residences and guest houses.

The ministry is also expected to spend N3.5 billion to construct the National Assembly Complex Phase lll, Part ll and Part lll in Abuja. The National Assembly appropriated N500 million for the construction of the complex in this year’s budget.

Other projects to be executed by the FCT ministry include the Abuja cultural Centre and millennium tower at the cost of N2 billion, and the design and construction of the Vice President’s residence also at the cost of N2 billion.

The sum of N2.5 billion was appropriated for the cultural centre and millennium tower this year.

Similarly, the ministry plans to spend N5.6 billion on the provision of water for residents of the FCT. The project entails the construction of the 20,000M3/HR Lower Usuman Dam water treatment plants for N529 million; tanks 1 and 6 and associated trunk mains at a cost of N2.25 billion and the design and construction of dam treatment plants, tanks and other bulk water supply infrastructure to Karshi satellite town for N2,832,700,000.

The sum of N1 billion is to be spent on renting office space for displaced personnel of the United Nations office, Abuja following its bombing last year by Boko Haram.

A separate N700 million is earmarked for the settlement of outstanding rent for international organisations in the FCT as against the N370,189,600 that it spent in 2012.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/presidency-votes-n5-8bn-for-mark-tambuwal-other-lawmakers-new-quarters-offices/

Civil War: We’ve no cause to regret what we did – Gowon
On October 12, 2012 · In News 6:55 pm 1

…Says Awolowo and I are innocent

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

Nigerian Head of State, who prosecuted the civil war, General Yakubu Gowon, has absolved his regime and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo of accusations by Professor Chinua Achebe, in his new book, “There was a country,” that they pursued sub-human policies that killed Biafrans especially children during the war, which has been described as pogrom and genocide against the Igbo.

Speaking from his London home in a telephone chat with Vanguard, Gowon said he prayerfully took the decisions he took during the war and had no cause to regret his actions because “If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria.” Excerpts:

What is your comment on Professor Achebe’s latest book?
Let me read it first. I’m not in the country now.

In the book, he said you and Chief Obafemi Awolowo implemented some policies aimed at killing the Igbos such as starvation and preventing food from getting to Biafran children during the war. What is your take on that?

Let him check himself and of course on our part, we know that, that was not what we were. That was how we were portrayed but, on our part, we know that was not what we were in our actions and all that.

But would you please go and ask historians about the beginning of the war rather than for you to ask me to comment about whether Awolowo and I actually had hands in what he is talking about? Go and find out from historians?

One would think that, as the then Head of states, you have direct and undiluted truth about the issue?
The historians will tell you the correct story. I am not in Nigeria presently and honestly this is a question that I have had to answer several times. You would have asked them if there was a controversy or whoever did what. Let them do their own interpretation of what happened.

But you are a key factor in getting to the root of the newly generated controversy…
(Cuts in) If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war. Awolowo was not the cause of the secession. Why then are they bringing him into this controversy?

If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria. That is the answer that I would give to you about this.

What is your take on the opinion that your ‘no victor no vanquished’ resolution and failure to try the secessionists for treason account for some of the brewing controversies?

You can be rest assured that as far as we are concerned, we did everything that was possible. And we have no cause to regret what we did.

So, I think whoever is saying what I am now hearing that they are saying, the question is; why are they saying what they are saying now? For what reason are they saying it at this time?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/civil-war-weve-no-cause-to-regret-what-we-did-gowon/

Wasteful celebration
Posted by: Editorial Posted date: October 12, 2012 In: Editorial

Why is it that many governors in Nigeria often lose a sense of limit and prudence? The lavish 50th birthday celebration of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State last weekend has brought this question to the fore once again. According to reports, the celebration of Governor Okorocha’s day climaxed last Monday with a grand ceremony which had in attendance, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe and former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd). Also present to felicitate with Okorocha were five fellow governors: Peter Obi of Anambra State, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi and Shehu Shema of Katsina, among other dignitaries from across the country.

Nothing wrong with these invitations. What was reprehensible was that Governor Okorocha seemed to need the attention of the entire state riveted to his show, so he had the state shut down. Thus, government offices, schools and markets in the state were closed last Monday and teachers, students and the civil servants were directed to report at the Heroes Square, venue of the grand finale of activities marking the governor’s birthday.

We wonder what point the governor, an elected state official wanted to prove by celebrating his 50th birthday, which is a private affair, in such elaborate and wasteful manner. Getting a prime minister and all the dignitaries to attend must have cost a lot of money. Who is paying for all this? Then the hidden costs of closing down the business of the entire state for a whole day may never be accurately quantified, but the losses are surely enormous in terms of man hours and lost opportunities.

In fact, in celebrating his birthday, the governor failed to attend an official duty in Enugu last Sunday where governors and leaders of the Southeast met to take a crucial decision. As reported, Governor Okorocha was absent because “he was celebrating his birthday.” When did personal matters take precedence over official affairs of state for an elected officer?

It is disturbing that as this elaborate ceremony was going on, workers in the state had not received their salary for September, one week into another month. Imo is a very impoverished state with hardly any industry or large viable enterprise. Indeed, there is nothing that can be described as a viable economy beyond government business. The major source of sustenance is the monthly federal allocation. Basic infrastructure is weak if not non-existent; schools are dilapidated, no potable water and healthcare facilities are inadequate. Imo State is also one of the states ravaged by flood, with thousands of the citizens displaced and are now at the mercy of the weather.

We dare say that a state like this requires a sober and serious leadership that can harness the available resources, re-orientate the people and build systems and institutions that can engender a viable economy. On the contrary, we have observed over time that the governor who was voted to office on a groundswell of the people’s goodwill and high expectations is given to arbitrariness, flamboyance and wastefulness. We had cause to caution on this page a few months ago when he released a list of multitudinous appointees with many bearing frivolous and laughable titles.

Again, we advise that with about one and half years of his tenure gone, he does not have the luxury of time. He must brace up to the serious business of governance in a highly deprived environment. Quality leadership is driven by good personal examples. A lavish and disruptive birthday party doesn’t speak well.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/editorial/wasteful-celebration-2/

Achebe has pathological hatred for Yoruba, says Adebanjo .

Wednesday, 10 October 2012 00:00 By Kamal Tayo Oropo


FOR his comments on the late Premier of the Western Region , Chief Obafemi Awolowo, over his role during the 1967-70 Civil War, Prof. Chinua Achebe has drawn the ire of a leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

He described Achebe as someone suffering from incurable Yorubaphobia.

Achebe had, in his recent book, There was a country: A Personal History of Biafra, among other claims, said that Chief Awolowo hated the Igbo and promoted policies that were meant to exterminate the Igbo – when he served in Gen. Gowon’s government during the war.

Adebanjo, one of Awolowo’s close lieutenants told The Guardian that he and his colleagues in Afenifere were not surprised at the way Achebe tried to portray the late Awolowo.

“We know Achebe as somebody who has some hatred for Yoruba, and the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in particular. Many of us who were around during the war are already familiar with (Achebe’s) styles and actions. He has a pathological hatred for Awolowo and the Yoruba race. He’s suffering from Yorubaphobia; and he needs help.”

Adebanjo said if indeed Awolowo, who was Federal Commissioner (Minister) of Finance during the conflict, played an ignoble role, the leader of the then Eastern Nigeria and of the secessionists, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumekwu-Ojukwu, would not have described him (Awolowo), upon his death, as the best president Nigeria never had.

“If Ojukwu had the same opinion on Awolowo like Achebe has, would he have made that remark? Ojukwu could have said good riddance to bad nothing or merely stayed away from Awolowo’s burial. He said Awolowo was the best president Nigeria never had; even after Achebe had expressed similar cynicism about 30 years ago that Awolowo did not like them, that he hated them.”

In his account of the events leading to the Civil War, Adebanjo dismissed Achebe’s accusation of Awolowo of being part of Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s cabinet that supposedly initiated genocide against the Igbo.

He said Achebe could not claim ignorance of the fact that specific recorded instances of pogrom were a consequence of the second military coup of July 1966 in which the northern soldiers and northerners committed a series of atrocities against the Igbo in the North.

Adebanjo said: “At this time, Awolowo was still in Calabar prison serving his jail term of treasonable felony. It was after his release from prison that Gen. Gowon invited him to join his cabinet as Vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Minister of Finance. The war was already brewing at such time.

“At the risk of his life, and against the advice of his cabinet colleagues, Awolowo made contact with Ojukwu and met him in Enugu to dissuade him from going to war. In his one-on-one meeting with Ojukwu, Awolowo tried to persuade Ojukwu to come to a roundtable conference with the Federal Government to iron out his differences with the government. But despite the assurances Ojukwu gave to Awolowo that he had accepted to dialogue, Ojukwu reneged and a few weeks later attacked the Midwest and thus declared war against the Federal Government. Which is how the civil war became inevitable.”

Adebanjo, who explained that Afenifere as a group had not responded to the Achebe’s book because members were still studying the situation, however, did not rule out a possible meeting of members of the group to discuss the development.

Lamenting the impact on younger generations the alleged hatred “being unwittingly promoted by an elder in the mould of Achebe” could promote, Adebanjo said he was at a loss over what the author sought to achieve by “deliberate misrepresentation of events.”

“Our fear is exactly the impact of this kind of thing on younger generations. I can’t understand, particularly when the two ethnic groups have been collaborating ever since. Achebe is just a cantankerous person, who loves to be controversial and who probably does not like being an elder statesman.

“You would recall that in 1986 when Prof. Wole Soyinka was awarded Nobel prize, Achebe said he, Soyinka, stole his mandate.

“While one does not want to start going into all that now because Soyinka is still very much alive and is ever capable, but oro ni o nko mo pe mo ro wa (one thing leads to another). The truth is that Achebe has always been cynical about anything Yoruba, however remote. It’s a sickness. If not, what does he intend to achieve after over 40 years when people have moved on with their lives, mistakes had been made, people had learnt lessons and fresh alliances and collaborations are ongoing daily? Achebe must really be living in a stagnant time zone. I really don’t know what he wants.”

Adebanjo debunked the insinuations that “Awolowo wanted to rule Nigeria at all cost and that he saw the Igbo as his major obstacle and so wanted to exterminate them.”

“What manner of garbage is that? The same Awolowo offered to serve under Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as Prime Minister and he, Awolowo, as Finance Minister. But that was turned down by Azikiwe.” He said the account was re-enforced by Sir Michael Okpara in 1977, when he said “Azikiwe would regret till his death that he did not go into that accord with Awolowo.”

Adebanjo contended that other attempts by Awolowo, looking for progressives all over the country to work with suffered varying degree of successes. “The Awolowo Achebe accused of having this animosity against his race could not be making these attempts,” he said.

“Like others before, the Achebe’s hate preaching will die off. When Awolowo was preaching federalism, he was accused of wanting to destroy the country and that he was a tribalist, but the nation later had to come to terms with that reality. Everything Awolowo advocated is what everybody eventually comes to. Look at the resource control issue we have been advocating since in the 50s”, he added.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101159:achebe-has-pathological-hatred-for-yoruba-says-adebanjo&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

Achebe needs cure from Awophobia – Adebanjo
On October 9, 2012 · In Interview 7:17 pm

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

FIRST generation Awoist and elder statesmen, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, yesterday picked holes in Professor Chinua Achebe’s accusation that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was part of General Yakubu Gowon’s cabinet that initiated pogrom and genocide as a policy against the Igbo during the civil war.



In a 16-paragraph, 2109-word rejoinder to Professor Achebe’s book, “There was a country,” yesterday, Adebanjo said instead of vilification, the late sage should be commended for his efforts in minimizing the damage that could have arisen from the war.

He said the civil war could have been avoided if Biafran Leader, Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu had not reneged on his promise to Awolowo to negotiate with the Federal Government and kick-started the war by attacking the Mid-West.

Claiming that Awolowo did not hate the Igbo and made efforts to rehabilitate the Igbo after the war, he said Professor Achebe had displayed his deep-rooted hatred for Awolowo and the Yoruba race with his comments.

He said: “If it is true that Chief Awolowo was such an architect of pogrom and genocide against the Igbos, how would Professor Achebe explain the fact that there were no incidents of pogrom or genocide against the Igbos in any part of the then Western Region composed mainly of the Yorubas, and Chief Awolowo’s primary sphere of influence.

Rather, the Igbos who fled the West on the clarion call of Ojukwu for them to return to the East had their properties kept safe for them, with the rents collected on the properties duly accounted for at the end of the civil war and paid to such Igbo owners.

It should be noted that no incidents of “abandoned property” occurred in the Western region – Chief Awolowo’s zone, rather the controversy around such property were restricted to areas such as Port Harcourt and the Northern region.”

Wondering what Achebe wanted to achieve by exhuming the dark years of the nation’s history at a time a host of Yoruba and Igbo leaders were collaborating to find a lasting solution to Nigeria’s problems, Adebanjo said he was distressed that Achebe be could be credited with the comments.

The rejoinder read: “I am sad and distressed that a literary giant and an elder statesman such as Professor Chinua Achebe should be credited with the statement attributed to him in his latest book on the Nigerian Civil War at this time in Nigeria’s political history, over 40 years after the end of the Nigeria Civil War.

“His statements however, are not unfamiliar to those of us who were around during the civil war, and who knew what falsehood and half-truths were bandied around then especially from “Biafra Radio” and supporters of the Biafra cause, notable amongst whom was Professor Chinua Achebe.

Some thought they were effusions from supporters of Biafra in order to enlist international support for Ojukwu but many on the other hand attributed Professor Achebe’s position to his pathological hatred for Chief Awolowo and the Yoruba race.

“Professor Achebe has accused Chief Awolowo of being part of General Gowon’s cabinet that initiated pogrom and genocide as a policy against the Igbos. Yet, Professor Achebe cannot claim ignorance of the fact that specific recorded instances of pogrom and genocide were a consequence of the 2nd military coup of July 1966 in which the Northern Soldiers and Northerners committed series of atrocities against the Igbos in the North.

At this time Chief Awolowo was still in Calabar prison serving his jail term of treasonable felony, it was after his release from prison that Gen. Gowon invited him to join his cabinet as vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Minister of Finance.

The war was already brewing at such time. At the risk of his life, and against the advice of his cabinet colleagues Chief Awolowo made contact with Ojukwu and met him in Enugu to dissuade him from going to war. In his one-on-one meeting with Ojukwu, Chief Awolowo tried to persuade Ojukwu to come to a round table conference with the Federal Government to iron out his differences with the government.

But despite the assurances then Colonel Ojukwu gave to Chief Awolowo that he had accepted to dialogue, Ojukwu reneged and a few weeks later attacked the Midwest and thus declared war against the Federal government, which is how the civil war became inevitable.

“The above facts are verifiable. Fair minded persons cannot accuse Chief Awolowo of being part of the intellectual arm of a cabinet that intentionally initiated the pogrom of the Igbos, when in fact the record shows he took positive steps to persuade Ojukwu to avoid the conflict.

Whilst the war was raging after the liberation of part of the then South East which then included Port Harcourt and Calabar, Chief Awolowo visited Enugu and Port Harcourt where he saw Kwashiorkor (malnourished) victims for the first time.

He wondered how this could happen in view of the quantity of food items sent through international agencies to the civilians in these areas. He was then informed that the food never got to the civilians, the food items were cornered by the soldiers who were feeding to the detriment of the civilians. One can imagine such a report being provided to a cabinet filled with military officers conducting a war.

It should not be surprising that to avoid feeding enemy soldiers, the Federal Government at the time put a stop to the delivery of food meant for the civilians population that was being hijacked by Biafran soldiers.

This is what Achebe mischievously called the deliberate starvation of the Igbos. “I would like Professor Achebe, if he can; to make reference to any publication where Awolowo made the statement that starvation was a legitimate tool of war. Furthermore, if such starvation ended with the end of the war, Professor Achebe should explain why if the specific objective of the policy was to reduce Chief Awolowo’s enemies, why did he not influence the continuation or doubling up on such policy when Nigerian troops had control of Biafran territory at the end of the war.

One would have thought the charge of genocide should have been better directed at the leaders of Biafra who had first hand knowledge of the starvation in the area they controlled, and yet did not as they could, bring an end to the war sooner before two million people, mainly members of future generations had died of starvation as professor Achebe claimed.

“Also, during the war it became known that the Nigerian currency, which Biafran soldiers had looted from Central Bank locations in Biafra occupied areas were being exchanged to buy arms for the Biafran army.

To put a stop to this Chief Awolowo, as the federal commissioner for finance, suddenly changed the Nigerian currency without the prior knowledge of members of the cabinet. Even General Gowon, who was the head of state, was informed only a day before the announcement.

These two major policies of stopping food meant for civilians which was being ambushed by the Biafrans soldiers and the sudden change of Nigerian currency were two factors that quickly brought the misery of the civil war to an end.

“It should be noted that Chief Awolowo’s prudent management of the Nigerian economy made it possible for the Federal Government to prosecute the civil war without borrowing a kobo from the outside world. This achievement was acclaimed globally. It is this policy that quickly put an end to the insurgence that Professor Achebe has interpreted as punitive measure against the Igbos.

“At the end of the civil war, a problem did arise with respect as to how to verify the amounts creditable to Biafrans who made claims to money held in Nigerian banks before the declaration of war. Unfortunately there were no records to confirm the amount in savings or current accounts held by a good number of such Biafran claimants. As a result, a committee was set up by the Central Bank, the members of which were unknown to Chief Awolowo. Such committee recommended an across the board payment of 20 pounds to every claimant.

It is therefore most uncharitable for Professor Achebe to put the blame of the payment of this amount on Chief Awolowo. Furthermore, to extrapolate from this policy a deliberate policy to stunt or obliterate the economy of the Igbos does not stand up to critical review and is rather far fetched. Firstly, what is an administrator to do in the face of such unverifiable claims? Pay every all and sundry claim? As Chief Awolowo has stated, doing so would have bankrupted Nigeria at the time.

Secondly, common sense would suggest that claims that such sums as were left behind were very substantial needed to be substantiated. It should be noted that the percentage of all Nigerians in general with substantial amounts in banks during that period was limited. In addition, with the advent of impending war, the natural reaction is a run on banks to withdraw all such sums or as much as possible, particularly for Igbos then deemed to be fleeing to a new country Biafra.

Under such context, the payment of 20 pounds (a substantial sum at the time) to all claimants without proof of specific amounts due to them was not altogether an unreasonable policy. More to the point, this was not a policy recommendation that can be specifically attributable to Chief Awolowo, but rather the recommendation of a committee of the Central Bank set up at the time,

“It is noteworthy that after the division of the country to 12 states by General Gowon in 1968, the East central state composed mainly of Igbos emerged. Chief Awolowo then diligently saved the monthly allocation due to Igbos during the war and released same to them at the end of the war.

The African Continental Bank (ACB) and the Cooperative Bank for Eastern Nigeria the two main Financial Institutions of the Igbos at the time and which had become moribund during the civil war were rejuvenated by Chief Awolowo by his releasing substantial funds to them for active operation. Professor Achebe would have to explain how these actions beneficial to the Igbo emanate from somebody whom he claims has hatred for the Igbos or harboured intent to deliberately and systematically exterminate the Igbos or deny their right of existence as a group.

Furthermore, after the civil war, Professor Achebe can not claim ignorance of the fact that Chief Awolowo personally wrote to prominent Igbos (including Professor Achebe himself) who had fled the country during the war to come back home.

One of those who responded to the call and whose home coming was facilitated personally by Chief Awolowo was the late Chief M.C.K Ajuluchukwu the former editor of Dr. Azikiwe’s Newspaper “The West African Pilot” and his wife a medical doctor who were then based in Germany. Chief Awolowo facilitated the employment of the wife at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and also latter employed Chief Ajuluchukwu himself as the director of research and publicity of his party – The Unity Party of Nigeria.

“If it is true that Chief Awolowo was such an architect of pogrom and genocide against the Igbos, how would Professor Achebe explain the fact that there were no incidents of pogrom or genocide against the Igbos in any part of the then Western Region composed mainly of the Yorubas, and Chief Awolowo’s primary sphere of influence. Rather, the Igbos who fled the West on the clarion call of Ojukwu for them to return to the East had their properties kept safe for them, with the rents collected on the properties duly accounted for at the end of the civil war and paid to such Igbo owners.

It should be noted that no incidents of “abandoned property” occurred in the western region – Chief Awolowo’s zone, rather the controversy around such property were restricted to areas such as Port Harcourt and the Northern region.

“Whilst it is true to say Chief Awolowo had the ambition to rule the country, it is unkind to say he wanted to achieve this by wiping out the Igbos whom he considered an impediment. On the contrary, Chief Awolowo’s position has always been to rule the country with other progressive elements from all parts of the country including the Igbos.

This he demonstrated in 1959 after the pre independence general election when he offered to serve under the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as prime minister, with him as minister of finance. The NCNC (the party lead by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe) turned the offer down and preferred an alliance with the NPC under the late Saudana of Sokoto Sir Ahmadu Bello. This incident was referred to by the late Dr. M.I Okpara (former premier of the former Eastern Region in an interview in the New Nation Magazine published in 1977 by the veteran journalist Chief Gbolabo Ogunsanwo.

In the interview Dr. Okpara said he will regret to the last day of his life that he did not support the alliance between the Action Group and the NCNC which could have made Dr. Azikiwe the prime minister and Chief Awolowo the minister of finance. Even before the general election of 1983 there were attempts to form an alliance between the UPN led by Chief Awolowo and NPP led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe all in an attempt to have progressive forces form an alliance against the conservative NPC. Again this attempt did not materialise due to the opposition by the Yoruba leaders in the NPP at the time. It is also interesting to recollect that at the demise of Chief Awolowo Chief Ojukwu himself remarked that “Awolowo was the best president Nigeria never had”. None of the foregoing suggests a man with hatred for the Igbos.

“Yoruba leaders led by the late senator Abraham Adesanya have been working in close political collaboration with prominent Igbo leaders like Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu a former Governor of Lagos State and Admiral Ebitu Ukiwe a former Chief of general Staff and Professor Ben Nwabueze in an honest attempt to find equitable solutions to the problems of the Country.

The leaders of both ethnic groups have been putting their heads together for the emergence of a progressive Nigeria in peace and unity. It is sad that instead of Professor Achebe joining in this progressive movement he has chosen to bring into the front burner the dark period of Nigeria’s history.

What he stands to gain by repeating such falsehood, I cannot honestly comprehend. I believe how ever it is clear from the historical record that Awo had no Igbophobia, it is Professor Achebe that has to be cured of his Awophobia.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/achebe-needs-cure-from-awophobia-adebanjo/

We didn’t sell Ribadu’s presidency bid for N16bn –ACN
October 7, 2012 by ALLWELL OKPI


The Action Congress of Nigeria has denied selling the bid of its 2011 presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu, to the Peoples Democratic Party.

The embattled chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the ACN, Mohammed Soba, had on Friday accused the national leader of the party of selling the candidature of its presidential flag bearer in the 2011 election to President Goodluck Jonathan, who was PDP’s candidate, for $100m (N16bn).

In his reaction to the allegation, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Lai Mohammed, described it as “absolute nonsense,” and challenged Soba to approach the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, if he had proof to substantiate his claim.

He said, “The allegation is absolute nonsense. It’s just a reaction of a person who wants to sit-tight on a position from which he has been duly removed. He has not only been removed from being the chairman of ACN in Kaduna State, he has also been suspended from the party.

“Why doesn’t he just approach the EFCC, if he thinks he is sure of what he is saying? Why he came out with this is because I issued a statement that we were going to court to stop the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission from conducting local government elections in the state because they are dealing with a faction of the party that has been rejected.”

Efforts to get Presidency’s reaction on Saturday were not successful as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, did not pick calls made to his mobile number.

It would be recalled that Jonathan surprisingly won with wide margin in the South-West states controlled by the ACN, except Osun State, where Ribadu managed a narrow lead.

Jonathan got as much as 1, 281, 688 votes as against Ribadu’s 427, 203 votes in Lagos State, which is considered the ACN’s stronghold, fueling rumours of an alleged last-minute accord between the ACN and PDP, especially after the merger between the ACN and the Congress for Progressive Change, led by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) failed.

According to an online news portal, Sahara Reporters, Soba claimed he was being witch-hunted for asking them to explain why they sold the bid for the presidency.

He added, “We challenge Lai Mohammed and the national secretary of the party, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, to tell the whole world why state chapters like Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Nassarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Kaduna states are all facing national leadership induced crises.”

Soba also described as empty, the threats by the ACN national leadership to sue the KSIEC for recognising him, insisting that he remains the chairman of the state chapter of the party.

http://www.punchng.com/news/we-didnt-sell-ribadus-presidency-bid-for-n16bn-acn/

Mubi Student Massacre: SaharaReporters Obtains Names Of Slain Students
Posted: October 7, 2012 - 03:02
Posted by siteadmin

By SaharaReporters, New York
SaharaReporters has obtained the exclusive list of students murdered by unidentified gunmen at the Federal Polytechnic in Mubi on Oct. 1st 2012.

So far security agencies have refused to provide the real identities of the slain students but in obtaining the list we also discovered that certain names were generic in nature, for example the person named "Chimobi Ibo" is actually Mbaegbu Chimaobi Vanitius. The following are the names and the methods adopted by the gunmen to attack students after calling out their names.

1. Sabastine Bulus - Shot to death
2. Ishaku Joshu'a - Shot to death
3. James Joshu'a - Burnt to death
4. Lucky Emmanuel - Shot to death
5. Irimiya Yohanna - Shot to death
6. Adamu Dakkawa - Shot to death
7. Ben Jalingo - Shot, survived
8. Yunana Idirisu - Shot to death
9. Amsel Idirisu - Shot, survived
10. Dominic Yakubu - Shot, survived
11. Elkana Sardauna - Shot and cut, survived
12. Mohammed - Shot and cut to death
13. Bitrus Illah - Shot to death
14. Emmanuel Imo - Shot to death
15. Ahmed Maigiraya - Shot to death
16. Manasah - Shot, survived
17. Nimfas - Shot to death
18. Chimobi Ibo - Shot to death
19. Alassan Zamba Ghaji - Shot to death
20. Zamdayu Shuwa - Shot to death
21. Gajare Matakam - Shot to death
22. Christopher Gesme - Shot to death
23. Ahmadu Furfina - Shot to death
24. Eze Tigani - Shot to death
25. Yusufu Suleiman - Shot to death
26. Mohammdu Suleman - Shot to death
27. Aliyu - Shot to death
28. Ishaku Ibrahim Zambuk - Shot to death
29. Adamu Markus - Shot, survived
30. Umaru Suleman - Shot to death
31. Ezekiel Atchindal - Shot to death
32. Ayo - Shot to death
33. Umaru Shalilu - Shot to death

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/mubi-student-massacre-saharareporters-obtains-names-slain-students

Another Mimiko’s aide resigns
Posted by: Damisi Ojo, Akure Posted date: October 06, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 21

THE Special Assistant on Project Monitoring to Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Owo Local Government Area, Mr. Femi Idris, yesterday resigned his political appointment from the ruling Labour Party (LP) government. In his letter of resignation, a copy of which was made available to The Nation said he decided to leave the ruling government in other to save his name from dishonor and shame. The former Special Assistant described Mimiko’s administration as a government of inhumanity, failure and frustration, adding that he preferred to concentrate on his educational programme rather than associate with the present LP’s government. He noted that it was reasonable for him to quit Mimiko’s government so that his age-long political career will not be rubbished by the various atrocities that have pervaded the government of the state. The letter, addressed to the Secretary to the State Government reads: “I thank Governor Mimiko for allowing me to serve in his administration. I am compelled at this juncture to resign my appointment with immediate effect. This is to enable me concentrate fully on my educational programme.” It will be recalled that last week Monday, three aides of Governor Mimiko also resigned their appointment from the ruling LP’s administration.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/another-mimikos-aide-resigns/

Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula

Ngozi Ekeoma

pic1, pic2 - Aro Samuel Bamidele
pic3 - Ngozi Okeoma

pic1 - GEORGE OGBONNA
pic2 - Aro Samuel Bamidele
pic3 - IFEAYI ANOSIKE

PHOTONEWS: Fuel Subsidy Scam, EFCC Arraigns Additional Suspects
Posted: October 5, 2012 - 22:36
Posted by siteadmin

http://saharareporters.com/gallery/photonews-fuel-subsidy-scam-efcc-arraigns-additional-suspects

The suspects comprising eight individuals and five companies were arraigned before Justices Habeeb Abiru and Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja.

The individuals involved are Aro Samuel Bamidele, Abiodun Kayode Bankole, Ifeanyi Anosike, Emeka Chukwu, Ngozi Ekeoma Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah. The five companies involved are A.S.B. Investment Company Limited, Anosyke Group of Companies Limited, Dell Energy Limited, Downstream Energy Sources Limited and Rocky Energy Limited.


pic1 - Abiodun Kayode Bankole
pic2 - Emeka Chukwu
pic3, pic4 - Emmanuel Morah

ACN promises social security for Ondo elders, widows

Posted by: Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Political Editor Posted date: October 04, 2012 In: Election, Featured, News | comment : 37

ElDERS and widows in Ondo State got a message of hope yesterday from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

A social security system under which they will be paid monthly stipends is on the way – if the ACN is voted into power on October 20.

The party’s flag bearer, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), made the pledge in Ondo town — home of Governor Segun Mimiko — where a massive crowd attended the party’s campaign rally. National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday warned against the rigging of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State, saying that the consequences could be grave.

He also frowned at violence, which he said could spark violence, stressing that “one man, one vote” is in the interest of all.

The former Lagos State governor urged prospective voters in the Sunshine State to foil what he called the rigging plan of the ruling Labour Party (LP) with determination, adding that a power shift will halt the backwardness in the state.

Tinubu and other top ACN leaders, including National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba, Lagos State Deputy Governor Joke Orelope-Adefulire and her Osun and Oyo counterparts- Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori and Pa Moses Adeyemi- addressed a mammoth crowd of party supporters in Ondo Kingdom, the birthplace of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The national leader marvelled at the huge turnout of party faithful. To him, it is evidence of their determination for change.

Waving the broom at them, Akande urged them to sustain the tempo of political steadfastness throughout the electioneering period.

Tinubu said Mimiko has failed the infrastructure battle, enjoining the masses to vote him out on October 20.

He said: “We know he is buying voters’ card. We will prevent any form of rigging. Don’t sell your voters’ card for a little sum. It is your licence to freedom. It is your instrument for progress. It is the value of your character.”

The ACN governorship candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), stormed the venue in a grand style, with his running mate, Dr. Paul Akintelure, and other members of the campaign team, including Chief Tayo Alasoadura, Ife Abegunde and Prof. Bayo Ademodi.

Presenting the flag to Akeredolu, Akande said: “Who is that Yoruba man without kith and kin? Where is the kith and kin of Labour Party in the West, North, East and South? If you ask Aregbesola to point to his kith and kin, he will mention Fashola of Lagos, Amosun in Ogun, Ajimobi in Oyo and Fayemi in Ekiti. I pray Labour Party will not ruin Ondo State. What I saw yesterday and today shows that ACN will win. After victory, I will return to thank you for listening to good men.”

Akeredolu, who spoke in his Owo dialect, Yoruba and English, promised a new lease of life for the people. He promised to set up a social security scheme for the elderly.

He said: “We will chase them into the bush and canal. Mimiko cannot complete the Akure-Ondo road projects. I will complete them. They abandoned the projects of their predecessors. I will not abandon any project.

“Is it right for our university graduates to be riding okada after school? I will give them jobs. Mimiko is a traitor. People of Ondo State, think. We must join the progressive fold. In the first 100 days, we will provide 30,000 jobs. They ask how much we will pay them? I answer that we will pay them more than what Osun is paying them because Ondo is richer than Osun. I will not give you half bread; I will give you a full loaf. All our local governments will have a general hospitals each. You women, go and form cooperative societies. We will give you loan without asking for interest.”

Prominent Akure politician Abegunde, said: “Mimiko will lose in Akure because the people will vote for Akeredolu.”

Alasoadura, who was asked to speak by Akande, said: “Mimiko depends on Akure to win. My brother, Ife Abegunde, has said it will not be possible. Mimiko will be terribly disappointed.”

Prof. Ademodi, who also described the governor as a traitor, said: “You should vote him out. He has described himself as a Machiavelli and Maradona. He will be surprised on election day.”

Otunba Akintelure, who spoke in Ikale dialect, said: “May our eyes not see horror. Ondo-Akure road is an eyesore. What has Mimiko done for Ondo kingdom? Ondo State remembers Ajasin. What will he be remembered for? It is time for change, revenge and reward. Your reward is in ACN.”

The chairman of the Independent Campaign Committee, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, lectured the crowd briefly on how to vote. He said: “I have assurance that ACN will rule Ondo State and LP will vanish into thin air. All Yoruba people have cognomen. And someone who does not have cognomen should not rule Ondo State. When you receive the ballot paper, look at the top and you will see ACN. Thumbprint appropriately and don’t let ink spoil the paper.”

The venue of the redemption rally, the expansive A.K. Field on Brig. Adegboyega Ademulegun Road, was filled to the brim as from 8 am. A road show by party faithful preceded the rally, which kicked off around 12.40pm with an opening prayer by the Lagos State ACN Vice Chairman, Cardinal James Odunmbaku.

Members of the Road Transport Workers of Nigeria, drivers’ union, farmers, artisans, peasants, women and youth groups thronged the venue, singing, dancing and cheering the candidate and visiting top party leaders from the neighbouring states. Itinerant drummers from Ondo kingdom hit the drums as cultural troupes from the area entertained the crowd.

On the band stand were ace musician Saheed Osupa, Ewi exponent Olayiwola Arowolo and popular actor Ojo Arowosafe (aka Fadeyi Oloro).

They thrilled the crowd with music and wisecracks.

Students of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo thronged the campaign grounds in customised t-shirts, waving brooms. Representatives of Igbo, Ijaw, Hausa and Ebira communities addressed the huge crowd, reiterating their support for power shift.

Speeches by Lagos politicians of Ondo State origin, including Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and Mr. Bola Ilori, former chairman of Alimoso Local Government electrified the crowd of supporters.

Lagos State deputy Governor Joke Orelope-Adefulire, whose husband hails from Ondo State, urged women and youths to embrace change in the interest of their future.

She said: “I am the Lagos woman who married from Ondo State. If you want what is happening in Lagos, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states to happen in Ondo State, vote for ACN. Ondo must be part of the regional integration so that within 30 minutes, you can move from here to Lagos in light train. There will be jobs for youths. Say bye to a bad party on voting day and resist rigging at the polling stations.”

Her Osun State counterpart, Mrs. Laoye-Tomori, who has her roots in Owo, enjoined the people to liberate themselves this month, adding that the approaching election is a big opportunity.

The deputy governor of Oyo State, Pa Moses Adeyemi, said: “Only Ondo State is alone in Yorubaland. I beg you in the name of God, vote ACN for change so that Ondo will not be backward. Troop out as you have done today on the election day to vote for Akeredolu and God will uplift you.”

Ilori, who is a member of the State Executive Council in Osun State, said: “Jagaban Borgu and ACN family did a lot for Mimiko. Ondo people are not traitors; only Mimiko is an ingrate. Let Akeredolu come and repair Ondo State as Aregbesola is doing in Osun State.

Adeyeye, who described Tinubu as a detribalised leader and lover of all Yoruba, spoke in Ondo dialect, saying: “All Yoruba states are for ACN. Why should Ondo be different? It cannot be different for Ondo. Who says Tinubu is not the Yoruba leader? He supported an ondo person to become chief judge in Lagos State. I am from Ondo, he supported me to go to the House of Assembly in Lagos and I became the Majority Leader. Akeredolu will be the governor of Ondo State. He is a man of honour and character. He is a credible candidate. He has the experience. He is a former Attorney-General in the state. He led NBA successfully. He will not disappoint us.”

At the rally were former Oyo Deputy Governor Iyiola Oyedokun, Senator James kolawole, Senator Titus Olupitan, ACN Director of Administration and Finance Olawale Oshun, Alhaji Ganiyu Badmus, Mrs. Folake Sokunbi Kalokalo, former Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Prince Rotimi Agunsoye, former federal legislator Dr. Jayeola Ajatta, Mr. Tunde Imolehin, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, Akinsehinwa Apata, Pa Akin Oke, former Ondo State Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Commissioner Diran Iyantan, Dr. Theo Adebowale, Tolu Babaleye, a lawyer, Lanre Balogun from Ilesa East council, Rotimi Obadofin, Banji Ajiloge, Ipoola Omisore, Lateef Ibirogba, Ifedayo Abegunde, Benjamin Akinbolade and Tunji Osati.

Also there were Road Transport Union leader Oluomo, Gboyega Adefarati, Ade Adetimehin, Tope Adejumo from Odo-Otin council, Dele Ogunsakin, Mrs. Olukemi Iyantan, Mr. sola Lawal, Osun ACN Chairman Lowo Adebiyi, former Labour Party Vive Chairman Chief Ajila, Akin Adetimehin, Osun State Deputy Chief of Staff Gbenga Akano, Southwest ACN Publicity Secretary Ayo Afolabi and Mr. Uche Onyeogucha, Ondo ACN Women Leader Erelu Modupe Johnson, Mr. Kunle Oniya, Jaja Tayo Abidakun, Jibayo Adeyeye, Olayato Aribo, Mrs. Bola Orija, Ademola Adesua, Biriki Ebikirima and Ondo ACN secretary Gboyega Adesida were there.

Others at the campaign were Comrade Sola Iji, Idowu Otetubi, Toyin Ajinde, Olakunle Eko, Ounba Timehin Adelegbe, Enas Mohammed, Dr. Segun Akinwale, Chief Wale Oyewole, Femi Adekanmbi, Chief Lucky Ayedatiwa, Adebambo Odoro, Rev. Awe Joseph, Rahman Rotimi, Kunle Eko-Davies, Rotimi Agbede, Ayodele Adedipe, Ajibola Adebayo, and Sunmonu Famoritiye.

Tinubu thanked the crowd for their resilience, assuring them that they would reap the dividends of democracy under Akeredolu.

He said the dedication and resolve of the people had shown that they are ready to make more sacrifices for change.

He added: “This poll is about development and progress of Ondo State. All ACN governors are performing. Fayemi is receiving what a local government in Ondo State is receiving, but he is performing. Oshiomhole has converted Edo into a gigantic construction site. Why should Ondo be different? Akeredolu will turn things around.”

Tinubu said Akeredolu, who has made his mark in law, would not disappoint the people. He urged them to give him the chance.

His words: “Akeredolu has made his mark in Nigeria. The Lawyers House in Abuja is named in his honour. In the old Western Region, Awo and Ajasin were like twins. They brought free education, which we all enjoyed. Adefarati also tried his best. May their souls rest in perfect peace. We have come to immortalise them. Mimiko was Commissioner for Health under Adefarati. Among the disciples of Jesus Christ, there was a Judas Iscariot. He was the exponent of ‘one senatorial district, one governor and one term’. Now, he is singing a new tune.

‘Why can’t he emulate Comrade Oshiomhole. Mimiko ran to me when he had problem. He knew that I am not a friend of the Poverty Development Party, PDP. We assisted him with resources. He promised to join the progressive camp. We all attended his inauguration. His mother and the Osemowe of Ondo kingdom were praying for us. Some people were skeptical. They said he had betrayed a lot of people, Adefarati and Agagu. I said they should forgive him. I said that he would change. It was a lie. Within 30 days, he changed. He sworne with the Bible. Later, he sworne with the Koran. I remembered that he is Rahman. He said he was a Muslim. Later, he said he is a Christian. I don’t know what he is now. But I know he is a traitor. He is similar to Ladoke Akintola and Omoboriowo.

“Ondo must not be isolated. Mimiko cannot be relied upon. You must vote him out. Ondo people will not betray their leaders. Thisnis a question of character.”

Tinubu said Mimiko is moving at a snail’s speed in his reluctant effort to develop of the state, pointing out that his beautification project is a make-belief.

He said the Akure road project had dragged on for too long, unlike in Lagos where roads are built within six months because the ACN government is determined.

Tinubu assured the people that they would enjoy the services of medical centres in their wards, instead of travelling from any part of the state for medical attention in the lone Mother and Child Hospital at Akure.

Tinubu noted that members of the state executive council are not happy because the governor is allegedly intimidating them. Desert him during the election, he urged them.

Tinubu added: “On October 20, wake up by 5 am. If you cannot make pounded yam, eat soft yam. It is one man one vote. Vote and wait behind to police your votes. If he wants to perpetrate volence, he should beware. Violence begat violence. Someone said he was Akala. we said, even if you are a mango, we will get you. There is another person in Osun who says he is a General. He kissed the dust”.

Aremo Osoba chided those branding themselves as Awoists who came to Akure to campaign for Mimiko, saying that they are out of tune with reality.

He said: “The coming election demands courage and determination. Vote and police your votes. We policed our votes in Edo, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Lagos and we won. We will win in Ondo.

“Some people came here to say that they are Awolowo people. Don’t listen to them. Yoruba have decided to vote ACN in Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo and Ogun. In the old Western Region, including Edo, progressives were in control. By the grace of God, Akeredolu will be the next governor.”

Aregbesola, who sang five songs to arouse the crowd, said the coast was clear, adding that Mimiko should pack and go. He wondered why the Ondo governor chose to distance himself from the wind of change in Yorubaland.

The Osun State governor said: “Yoruba is thinking about the future. Nigeria is becoming fragile, but we are praying that God will sustain it. This is not a time for anybody to divide Yorubaland, with a population of over 33 million people and united by one language and identical tradition. If you want to isolate yourself, sit is not wise. You are only up to a mischief.

“We helped him to gain control in Ondo. Now, they are saying that we want to demand for money from them. It is a lie. I am a governor. I still collect money from Asiwaju. He has never asked for money from me before. Whenever I want to go abroad, I still enjoy free plane at his instance. until recently, I used the car Asiwaju gave to me. Our leader does not need anything from anybody.

“October 20’s poll is crucial to the progress of Yoruba. Anybody who wants progress for Yoruba should vote ACN. Use your votes to disgrace the enemy of our people.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/acn-promises-social-security-for-ondo-elders-widows/

Motel Used as Brothel Bombed in Zaria
Posted: October 3, 2012 - 22:43
Posted by siteadmin

By SaharaReporters, New York
A lone bomber has hit a brothel-Cosmopolitan Hotel-on Uche Road, Sabo Garin area in Zaria, police sources told Saharareporters. The bomber escaped after attacking the motel.

Sources said that Nigerian troops have been deployed to the scene in search of the suspect.

It was unclear if anyone was killed or injured in the attack
.

UPDATE: 7 persons injured in the attack.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/motel-used-brothel-bombed-zaria