₦airaland Forum

By Olawale Olaleye

For the first time since he left office in 2007, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has cleared the air on his alleged controversial third term bid and said the idea generated from the National Assembly and not him.

The former president who said this in an interview that will be fully aired on Channels Television today at 2.30pm but from which a two minutes clip was played as an appetizer said he would have succeeded with the idea if he wanted a third term as was suggested towards the end of his presidency in 2007.

He said there was nothing he ever wanted that God did not do for him, as such, if he truly wanted the third term, he knew how he would have gone about it and would have secured it because God has never failed him.

He said his Liaison officer to National Assembly affairs, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa is a living witness to all that transpired during the period and can testify to the fact that the idea of third term did not generate from him.

“If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is nothing I wanted that God has not given me. So, if I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it and I would have gotten it,” Obasanjo said with emphasis.

He said those who spoke about his alleged move to secure a third term, including his then deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have never mentioned that he discussed the issue with anyone or the name of anyone but have only said they knew there was a plan for tenure elongation.

Rather, he said this has been based on hearsay.
Obasanjo said the third term clause in the proposed amendment of the Constitution then was just one of the over 100 items for amendment.

He said the bill was initiated by the National Assembly, adding that the then Chairman of the joint committee of the National Assembly on the review of the constitution, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, never said he initiated or mandated the committee to include the clause in the proposed amendment.
He added: “There is no one that is close to me that can say I even mentioned to him that I was interested in a third term.”

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/again-obasanjo-denies-requesting-for-3rd-term/113109/

I just read on Thisday that a group of ex-staff of World Bank wrote a letter supporting her candidacy, me think that, that woman would have had a real chance but for the presidential election. Obama cant risk it.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has resigned as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party.

In a statement he personally signed and made exclusively available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, Obasanjo said he had sent the letter of resignation to the chairman of the party.

``I have formally sent in my letter of resignation as the Chairman of BOT of PDP to the National Chairman of the party as prescribed in the party’s constitution,’’ he said.

The former president added: ``‘I have formally requested the President to allow my bowing out and to issue a short statement to that effect.

‘‘By relieving myself of the responsibility for chairmanship of BOT of PDP, I will have a bit more time to devote to the international demand on me.’’

He further said that the step would give him time ‘‘to give some attention to mentoring across the board nationally and internationally in those areas that I have acquired some experience, expertise and in which I have something to share’’.

Obasanjo said his exit would afford him more time to develop ‘my Presidential Library and to mobilising and encouraging investment in Nigeria and Africa.’

He noted that before the last general elections, he believed that if PDP produced the President, it would be time for him to reduce his partisan political activities.

Obasanjo recalled that he was actively involved in bringing forth ‘my successor president from PDP in 2007.

`‘In 2011, I was in the vanguard of working for PDP to produce a president for Nigeria. God answered our prayer.

In any event, be it wedding, birthday, burial, anniversary etc many people focus on the food and the clothing thereby forgetting the most lasting impression that will outlive every other thing that took place at that event. people can eat and drink at your events and go, however few pay attention to the main thing that will be shown as evidence of that event to the posterity. THE VIDEO AND PICTURES. In that your events you are planning, please pay more attention to quality videos and pictures.YES WE CAN DO IT BETTER THAN U THINK AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE.


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Stuff Nigerian People Like


Answering Rhetorical Questions

Nigerians, over the years, have demonstrated an inability to identify when a question is rhetorical. Sometimes they identify one but in the true Nigerian nature of wanting to have a say in any and every matter, they answer the question. I am sure if there was a Nigerian dictionary Rhetorical will be listed as follows;

Rhetorical question : No content available, please feel free to answer any and every question, shebi the person axed (read as asked) you?

Let us take the case of Victor, a character most of us can identify with, who comes home with a bad result.

1st case scenario

Mama: Victor, Victor, what is this result ehn? What is this ruport kad (report card)? Are you stupid? Are you stupid?

Victor: (no answer)

Mama: hei, hei, you cannot answer abi? You cannot answer she? 1 year, 6 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 10 hours and 17 seconds ago, when you were suspended from school for insulting your teacher, you could talk o! Now you are deaf and dumb. I have forgiven and ‘forgotten’ about that incident o because that is the type of person I am but now this is too much. My son is now a dullard! You will see stars today when I am done with you. Kisses teeth.

2nd case scenario

Mama: Are you stupid? Are you stupid? Ehn ehn?

Victor: No mama
Mama: Hei, hei, you have the guts to talk back at me? Do I look like ya mate? I said do I look like ya mate? You are a very stupid boy Victor, very stupid. You are saying you are not stupid ehn! If you are okoro smart then why did you bring this type of a result? Answer me before I slap you now (if you answer you will expressly be accused of talking back at her). “I am not stupid,nye nye nye nye nye” (mimicking you in the most annoying voice ever). Idiot boy.

3rd case scenario

Mama: Are you stupid?

Victor: (Confused and wanting no wahala) Yes mama

Mama: Heewo, Victor has killed me o! (Spins around dramatically). Nobody in our family is dull! All of us forst forst forst (first) in the class. Where did they bring this boy from o! Olodo that admits that he is an Olodo. I am finished! At least you know you are dull, you must have gotten it from your father’s mother’s side of the family , I hope you did not carry her madness too.

Note: After this don’t blink, shake or move a muscle, if not she will take this as an acknowledgment and as soon as your father comes home, she will surely say that YOU said that you got your dullness from his side of the family and that his mother is mad. Also note that all responses come with a koboko so what exactly is the right answer? (By the way, that was a rhetorical question, I’m sure you already answered it…)

How many times have we been asked ‘are you deaf?’(how will you hear the question if you are?) ‘are you blind? can you not see the soup is burning?’ ( If you were how will you see?!) ‘can you not read? did you not read the price is N500?’ (well if you could read,wouldn’t you have done so?), All with the asker expecting a response?

The Nigerian rhetoric is a thing of great annoyance yet very funny and beautiful in a way only a Nigerian can acknowledge. It may be a culture shock though to the Oyibo who is used to stares being averted when they ask ‘why are you staring?’. The Nigerian will continue staring and will even resort to pointing at your eyes saying ‘Me? I am not staring o!, you ,which eye did you use to see me?’ Abegi, leave us biko,our I.D is a green passport or you cannot see again?

written by Onaedo Achebe
http://www.stuffnigerianpeoplelike.com/

jammer777: Mekky, kindly educate us if graduate courses are inclusive.

Yeah, graduate courses are inclusive, here are some graduate courses available in English language

Master programs in English Medium

Faculty of Engineering
Innovation management
Oil and Gus management
Information systems in Civil Engineering

Faculty of Sciences
Theoretical and Mathematical Physics
Chemistry of the Environments
Functional methods in differential equations and interdisciplinary researches

Faculty of Agriculture
Real estate economics in the Agroindustrial complex
Agronomy (Integrated Plant Protection)

Faculty of Economics
Management (International trade)

Faculty of Law
Law (International protection of human rights)

Faculty of Philology
Journalism
Theoretical and applied linguistics

Humanities and Social Sci.
Comparative philosophy
International Relations (Political problems of international relations and global development)

Faculty of Ecology
Economics of natural resources management
Environmental Biotechnology

Institute of Foreign Languages
Foreign Regional science
Communication Theory and International Public Relations (PR)

Institute of World Economy
Management (International Marketing)
Contemporary Research on Latin America (Spanish Medium)

The cost is between 3500 - 5500 USD however with a good first degree there is a good chance for scholarship

Admission into Russian Universities on contract and Scholarship

We represent a lot of Russian Universities and can help you secure admission in any reputable university of your choice. So many universities now offer programmes in English, prospectus will be sent on request.[/b][b]
Scholarship Opportunities are open from now till mid July 2012

There are opportunities which have been underutilized by Africans for many years, CREDIBLE and HIGHLY QUALIFIED students stand a good chance of gaining scholarship into Russian institutions.

The scholarship covers the following:[/b]
1. Tuition
2. Hostel
3. Stipend (900 -1200 rubles monthly) approximately $40 monthly.
[b]
ATTENTION[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]

A. The government provided stipend is far less than what is required for monthly upkeep. Therefore intending candidates should have in mind that they need at least $300 a month for personal upkeep which will be coming from their guardians.

B. The scholarship does not cover compulsory Annual Medical Insurance which is about $300 per annum.

C. Students should be made to understand that there is a very SLIM possibility of self sponsorship owing to the fact that by law students are legally prohibited to work except during holidays and even at that no one can give a job guarantee.

D. What the above stated entails is that the candidates unfortunately have to come from a relatively comfortable family who can maintain their children here in Russia thereby making it more attractive to those candidates that naturally would have traveled as private students with the guardians taking care of all financial responsibilities including tuition and accommodation.

rusedu@mail.ru
+7925-08-30-211

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Every now and then something crystallises how rapidly the world is changing. Last week’s nomination by President Barack Obama of Jim Yong Kim as the next president of the World Bank presents one such moment. The story ought to proceed by tradition – a US president chooses an American for the top job and the other big shareholders fall into line. The chances are that the gentleman’s agreement will be upheld: the Europeans have even more to lose than the US by ending their duopoly over Bretton Woods (France – oops, Europe – gets to appoint the head of the IMF). It would take an unlikely rupture to embolden the Europeans to vote against Dr Kim’s candidacy next month.

What could possibly go wrong? Very little, which is precisely the problem. Were the process genuinely meritocratic – if the World Bank board was required to find the best-qualified candidate for the job – Dr Kim would be unlikely to find himself on a shortlist of three. In contrast, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the only African in the running, would be among anyone’s top picks. But the process doesn’t work like that. In spite of Mr Obama’s internationalist aspirations, fear of a domestic backlash clearly weighed even heavier on his mind. Here are three reasons why he should open up the process and release Europe from its pledge.

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e9452230-780a-11e1-b237-00144feab49a.html#ixzz1qOMDKYnd

First, it is in America’s national interest to do so. Not only should the US support meritocracy, as its national creed demands, it should be conspicuously seen to support that principle where it matters. Washington needs to reboot the World Bank’s legitimacy and relevance in the eyes of the poorest countries, which are increasingly turning to China and the private markets for investment and capital. If it continues to appear to be a preserve of the old rich club, the emerging world will continue to look elsewhere. By upholding tradition, the US will only cede more influence.

Second, by America’s own criteria, it should cast its vote for Ms Okonjo-Iweala. According to the guidelines, which were updated by the US and its partners last year, the ideal candidate should have run a big organisation and possess extensive diplomatic and multilateral experience. As Nigeria’s finance minister for the second time, having once been its foreign minister, Ms Okonjo-Iweala’s résumé is strong. She has also been a World Bank managing director – in effect a deputy to Bob Zoellick, the outgoing president – and knows the institution inside out. Dr Kim is an admirable individual. In addition to running Dartmouth College, he set up a highly reputed healthcare non-governmental organisation, and also headed the World Health Organisation’s Aids programme. But he has never run a big organisation, let alone taken on corruption in a developing country such as Nigeria, as Ms Okonjo-Iweala has. He would also sorely lack her global Rolodex, which would be vital in helping persuade the bank’s stakeholders around the world to reshape its mission.

Third, the World Bank needs a leader who can stop it from slipping into irrelevance. Dr Kim’s nomination was heavily influenced by Hillary Clinton, who rightly admires his grassroots work on Aids and other diseases. Of course it is critically important to fight them. But disease does not spread in a vacuum. Development is a complicated business. Yet healthcare is the prism through which Washington increasingly approaches it. Consider this: the US pledged $4.1bn for the latest replenishment of the International Development Association, the World Bank’s soft-loan arm for the poorest countries. It pledged almost exactly the same amount – $4bn – to the Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Putting a healthcare specialist in charge of the World Bank would reinforce America’s focus on what some in the developing world dismiss as “the fashionable diseases”. It is the unfashionable illnesses, such as diarrhoea, that claim the most lives.

Much has changed since Mr Zoellick was appointed to the job in 2007. While the west has talked about a world recession, China’s per capita income has risen by 43 per cent, according to The Globalist. In those four years African incomes have grown by almost double digits, while Nigeria’s annual growth rate has hit an average of almost 7 per cent. The relative weight of the global economy is shifting. But its economic institutions remain frozen in time. In many ways Mr Obama represents a new page in America’s story. Yet he is also a paradox. History may record him as the last US president able to preserve the way things used to be done. There is still time in this – and future – moments for Mr Obama to take a more expansive view of what would best serve America’s interests.

[quote author=Sisi_Kill]Finally. . . SANITY!!!!!

I was getting scared there for minute wondering where all the SANE people were.

On a different note, it is so easy to see why Nigerian Christians are easily led by their noses. I tell ya, from now on, I will stop blaming the pastors. . .I mean let's be honest here, one would be hard pressed not to take advantage of people who have obviously decided to check their brains at the church entrance.

I don't know what is in the poll because it won't open for me (Seuuuuuuuuuun!!) but I hope there is an option for...What the hell kinda question is this??!![/quote]My dear, probably one gullible pastor said it during service, and it started giving someone sleepless night, am amazed at how naive we can be sha (( Is using KJV or Good News bible a sin? Believe me, some people will come here to ask that if their pastor said it is.

[b][/b]

A powerful car bomb ripped through St. Finbars church in the Rayfield area of Jos. Authorities are conducting rescue efforts to determine the number of casualties.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/massive-car-bomb-rips-through-church-jos

How North cornered Nigeria's oil blocs • Revealed: 80% of ownership of the nation's oil reserves is in the hands of some influential northerners • North, South-South in battle royale over oil

Written by Donald Ojogo, Regional Editor, South-South/South-East
Friday, March 9, 2012

Tension over the allocation of Nigeria's oil wealth among the states of the federation is assuming an interesting dimension with key figures in the South-South taking on the North over its recent call for a fiscal redress. The North, through the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) appears set its goal of changing the revenue allocation formular in its favour while the South-South described such calls as idle and insulting.One of the Niger Delta leaders even said the North is ungrateful to the South.



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ACF's spokesman, Anthony Sani spoke with The Friday Edition declaring that the South cannot describe the north lasy because there is no diligence involved in having crude oil under ones soil.

Beneath the cross fire between the North and the South is the issue of who has juicy oil blocs in his kitty. The Friday Edition serves available details of owners of the multi billion naira oil blocs which insiders described as just a tip of the iceberg.

Unknown to many, more than eighty percent of ownership of the nation's oil reserves is in the hands of some influential northerners who acquired marginal fields, Oil Mining Licenses (OML) and Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPL).

Curiously, such acquisitions were under the different military regimes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), the late Sani Abacha as well as Nigeria's last military leader, Abdusalami Abubakar.

This discovery is coming on the heels of the brickbat between the South-South and the North over the propriety or otherwise of the review of the revenue sharing formula which the later alleged was unduly advantageous to the former.

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state, had, penultimate week, called for equality in the sharing of oil revenue accruing to the oil-producing states, saying it posed a big disadvantage to those without oil.

The position of the Chairman of the Northern Governors' Forum had barely settled when Governors Rotimi Amaechi(Rivers), Emmanuel Uduaghan(Delta), Olusegun Mimiko(Ondo), Theodore Orji(Abia) and federal lawmakers from oil-producing states expressed their dismay at the outburst.

The debate had continued to take a new dimension in the last one week.

But Nigerian Tribune's investigations showed that most of the oil and gas prospects had long been conceded to a particular section of the country.

According to documents exclusively obtained by the Nigerian Tribune, most of those to whom the nation's juicy oil reserves have been conceded are individually richer than some African oil-producers such as Ghana and Sudan.

For instance, Cavendish Petroleum, the operators of OML 110 - with good yielding OBE field was awarded to Alhaji Mai Deribe - the Borno patriarch, by General Sani Abacha on the 8th of July, 1996.

OML 110 has a proven oil reserve in excess of 500 million barrels (more than the entire 300milliom barrels reserve of Sudan) with capacity to produce about 120,000 barrels of crude oil daily from its OBE 4 and OBE 5 wells.

At current production levels, the Mai Deribes net an average of N4billion monthly in crude oil sales (using oil price estimates of $100 p/b). Deribe, even in death is the richest man in the history of Borno state today.

Another major partaker in the oil and gas sector is Mallam (Prince) Sanusi Lamido, a cousin of the Central Bank Governor, who is a key shareholder and director in Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the Asuokpu/Umutu Marginal Field with a capacity of 300,000 barrels monthly and 30mmfcsd gas plant capable of feeding 100MT of LPG.

But the oldest of all northern-backed oil and gas concerns is South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO). South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO) is a Nigerian Oil Exploration and Production Company that was established in 1995 by General T. Y. Danjuma, who is also the Chairman of ENI Nigeria Limited. General Sani Abacha awarded the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 246 to SAPETRO in February 1998.

The block covers a total area of 2,590km2 (1,000 sq. miles). SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Ltd to start prospecting on OPL246.

Akpo, a condensate field was discovered in April 2000 with the drilling of the first exploration well (Akpo 1) on the block. Other discoveries made on OPL 246 include the Egina Main, Egina South, Preowei and Kuro (Kuro was suspended as a dry gas/minor oil discovery).

But in June 2006, SAPETRO divested part of its contractor rights and obligations to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for $1 billion (N160bn). Akpo exports about 230,000 barrels of condensate daily.

Condensate export is not regulated by OPEC, so SAPETRO/TOTAL exports as much as possible each day. Egina exports about 75,000 barrels of oil daily.

Akpo and Egina therefore, export over 300,000 barrels of oil/condensate daily (three times what Ghana currently exports).

Out of this volume, SAPETRO gets 25 per cent which, however, excludes the gas component that is about 2.5 trillion cubic feet.

Operators of OML 112 and OML 117, AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company, is owned by Alhaji (Colonel) Sani Bello from Kontagora, Niger State. In the production-sharing contract, AMNI gets 60 per cent for owning the oil block and Total gets 40 per cent for providing technical advice.

Although OML 112 was awarded on 12 February, 1998 and OML 117 on 4 August, 1999, all by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar whose eldest daughter is married to Bello's son, Abu, operations did not start on both blocks until 26 February, 2006.

Both licenses are due to expire on 11 February, 2018 and 5 August, 2019 respectively. AMNI produces twice as much as Cavendish Petroleum.

Nonetheless, a Former Petroleum minister, (names withheld), another Fulani multi-millionaire with fronted controlling holdings in Afren, manages AMNI oil blocks and with very key interest in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal.

Vitol is a London based oil trading company. Vitol, which lifts 350,000 barrels of crude oil daily from Nigeria is owned by the former minister.

The Okoro and Setu fields in OML 112 with about 50 million barrels in reserve, operated by Afren Energy, currently rake in below 20,000 barrels per day in exports.

Similarly, there is Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a company owned by Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, a close friend of General Ibrahim Babangida. Both, apart from being from Niger state, are in-laws (IBB's first son, Mohammed is married to Yakolo, Indimi's daughter). Yakolo is a director in Oriental.

Oriental Energy Resources Limited runs three oil blocks: OML 115, the Okwok field and the Ebok field. OML 115 and Okwo are OML PSC, while Ebok is an OML JV. All of them are crown offshore oil blocks.

OML 115 on its own is 228 sq Km with Oriental Energy Resources Limited controlling 60 per cent while Equity Energy Resources, has 40 per cent.

On Okwok, Addax has 40% and on the Ebok field, Oriental Energy Resources has 100%.

Alhaji Aminu Dantata's Express Petroleum and Gas Limited floated for the purpose of winning oil block(s) on November 1, 1995, got General Abacha's approval to operate OML 108. CAMAC Houston, a company owned by Kase Lawal bought 2.5% of Express Petroleum's 60% holdings. The other 40% on OML 108 is owned by Sheba E&P Limited.

As the operator of OML 108, Shebah Exploration And Production Limited (SEPCOL) has an office in Lagos but the headquarters is in Minna. SEPCOL operates the Ukpokiti offshore field in Shallow water Nigeria, which was acquired from ConocoPhillips in May 2004.

The Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Jambo-owned NorthEast Petroleum Limited, registered as NorEast Petroleum, is the holder of OPL215 license, covering an area of 2,564 square kilometres in water depths between 200 to 1600 metres.

NorEast, which is the parent company of Rayflosh Petroleum, was awarded the blocks OPLs 276 & 283 closing thereupon, a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas.

The license was awarded to him by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in 1991 and then renewed in 2004 by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It was learnt that, so far $50Million has been spent on the very promising Okpoi-1 and Egere -1 exploratory well.

Intels, owned by the three families of Yar'Adua , Ado Bayero and Alhaji Abubakar Atiku is another major northern concern in the oil and gas sector. The Oil and Gas Free Zone and Oil Services Centres, as well as Support Bases operated from government-owned facilities, are leased to Intels under long-term agreements.

Intels thus, runs a 'private port', as a counter venture to the Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt ports. At the Port Harcourt's facility of the company for instance, there are over one hundred major companies.

http://odili.net/news/source/2012/mar/9/601.html

Never mind I once referred to him as a ‘rebel leader’. That was the appropriate language for the official perception of his role at that time. But he was His Excellency, Col Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military, Governor of Eastern Nigeria. However, I can testify that he, then Col Emeka Ojukwu,now Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu who passed on 26th November last year (2011)was not only a remarkable and interesting man, he was also a brave and courageous soldier-statesman. I say this because I knew him as a colleague and he was my friend.

However, owing to the fact that we were on opposing sides of the Civil War, many had thought that Emeka and I were arch-enemies. We were not. I never refer to him or the Igbo privately, personally, and officially as enemies. However, as leader of the government of Eastern Nigeria that sought to break away from Nigeria (a factor that led to the civil war) ,Military Governor Ojukwu was seen as my adversary because at the time I was the head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria.

But I did not see Emeka Ojukwu as a hostile adversary or enemy, and the worst endeared way I could describe him was a ‘rebel’. We were friends and colleagues before the events leading to the civil war and I would like to point out that we were contemporaries after he enlisted as a graduate cadet officer and later commissioned into the Nigerian Army and joined us in 1958.

I believe that Ojukwu and I had one thing in common. We were both principled men, and it might even be said that the Civil War resulted largely because we both stuck to our principles. We swore an oath of Loyalty to our country to defend and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, Nigeria. This was the ideal we both held, before the crisis that engulfed the country in 1966-1967. I conclude in all honesty that Emeka Ojukwu could be justified in taking a stand for the defence of his people in the circumstance of the country at that time.

I was trying to do the same at the national level at that time. I understood and respected his position, but not the extreme position he took, which I felt was misguided. I wish we had toiled more to avoid secession. I strongly believe that if Ojukwu was in my shoes, he would have done the same as I did during those crucial days. What was done was a not out of personal or group hatred. Emeka was never my enemy, nor are the Igbos. We never disliked each other; we only disliked the stands and actions taken by each other.

The cumulative effects of events of 1966-67 unfortunately brought about the schism between us personally and officially that ultimately led to the unfortunate Civil War of 1967-70, which regrettably brought out the best and the worst of our human nature.

Thankfully, efforts from both sides brought about the resolution of our crisis, with Ojukwu in the interest of his people to have peace, left to sue for peace, and for his successors to end the armed conflict, and for the Federal side to offer a ‘No Victor No Vanquished’ policy and a rubost programme of the 3Rs- Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme, which heralded the historic reconciliation, to the credit Nigerians from both sides of the divide.

I feel happy that ultimately Nigeria was preserved and reconciled and enabled Ojukwu to return to Nigeria to continue to contribute his quota to the growth and development of a new and better Nigeria. It is also interesting that he was able to contest elections into the highest office in the land. He will always remain relevant to our history, history of Nigeria by the legacy he had left behind.

After the war, when we were both exiles and outside the country, Emeka on a visit to the UK made a telephone call to my house in London while I was at the University of Warrick, spoke to my wife Victoria and left his telephone number and contact address with her. On my return home at the weekend, I reciprocated, by calling and visiting him in his hotel Mont Calm Hotel, Marble Arch ,in London where I could say our personal and initial reconciliation began and sealed the national reconciliation that had earlier taken place in Nigeria.

Thereafter, we had met many times in various parts of the country, endorsing our personal and national reconciliation. I was also able to visit him in Enugu after our Nigeria Prays Programme in that city in April 2010. I paid a condolence visit to him and Bianca on the death of his former wife Njide and his father-in-law former Governor C.C. Onoh with whom I was very close. I was very warmly received by the family and my leave taking on that occasion was so moving as the staff around showed much appreciation and love.

His eldest son, Chief Debe Odumegwu-Ojukwu, I have known from birth wrote a touching, endearing letter to inform me of his father’s demise which says it all ‘ …you may have fought a war against each other…a façade to the outside world, but to us the family, especially myself, you ingeniously remained friends till the very end. Let his death sooth and garner lasting peace for our country, Nigeria, .’I say Amen! Let all say Amen!
When we learnt of his admission to hospital in London and I rang to speak to him, and or his darling wife Bianca, my call was answered by his young daughter, Ebele, who was the only one available at that time, holding the fort and keeping watch over her sick father.

She told me that Daddy was sleeping. We had a pleasant chat and I gave her a message, to tell Daddy that he had no right to be sick at this jostling time and that he should hurry and get well and out of the hospital and return home, so that we can continue and finish our fight. Ebele burst into an ecstatic laughter of understanding and promised to relay my message faithfully. Subsequently, I learnt from Ojukwu’s chief of staff that she faithfully relayed the message to the famiy,the mother and all that were there. I am sure the old soldier got the message and would have smiled- a smile of approval.

On learning of his death, I called to commiserate with the family His Chief of Staff, Bob who answered the call promised to relay the condolence message. I salute the memory of a brave soldier and a worthy friend. The only regret I have is that I did not make an effort to draft Emeka into our Nigeria Prays ministry to join me and many others in praying for Nigeria.

Who knows whether with his experience of the horrors of the civil war, and the powers of prayer, we would not have been saved the scourge of violence, bombing, kidnappings and mayhem being lately experienced in the nation. My prayer is that the Lord will have mercy on his soul and uphold the lovely family he left behind and grant Nigeria peace and love of one another.

I join all my Ndigbo brothers and sisters, living and dead, all Nigerians in mourning and celebrating their and Nigeria’s illustrious son, brother, friend and old colleague-Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
Adieu dear brother and friend, Rest in Peace, till we meet again at your Lord’s presence.

Gen. Gowon (rtd), was former Head of State of Nigeria.

Gerrard59:
The world will be safe in the next 6years. I laugh in safety.
Syrians are crying for help. ordinarz resolution to condmne the crack-down,ur putin blocked it. The west said they r nt entering any syria,bt the man should minimìze or stop the crackdown. russia said no. juz wished the syrians see the real devil now. After all qatar wants to even on its own send their troops into in syria,britain said no. so hu s the devil nw?
If he is that strong,where waz he when nato asked for a no-fly zone in lybia? people hu's productivity,population is going down. wat do they manufacture if not weapons? how many russians product r in ur homes nt homs? They knw they r backward. It pains to see yur rival nd foe alaways take 1st position in everytin. Am sure facebook,boeing,airbus,yahoo,goggle,twitter,apple e.t.c r al russian inventions. copy-copy people.

justwise:
[/b]

Please tell them, some people here are jokers.

justwise:
Some posters here are just kids, tell me this: In his previous presidential terms what did he stop the 'west' from doing? Iraq war? Afghanistan? Even when he was at the background calling the shot as prime-minister did he stop Libyan intervention? What exactly do some of think Putin will do?

Medvedev not Putin, probably listened to people like you who felt Libyans were crying for help, that could explain why they abstained,
after "helping" Libya, its time to "help" Syria, next time when you ask for help remember what Huntington said "It's immoral for America to send their troops to other countries to stop them from killing themselves except in pursuit of its national interest"  if he cannot stop them everywhere, he can stop them from balkanizing his country, I mean he can stop them from helping him and his  country,

As for copy copy, dont forget that the only chance of getting to International space Station rests on SOYUZ

naijanedu:
Watch Putin Crying victory

[flash=600,300]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTLCqIJagZY?version=3&hl=en_US[/flash]

Мы победим ! Мы победили! Its very unusual to see Putin display such emotion, he was really touched at the % with which he won, prior to the election Western media using the protests in Moscow made it look as if he can only win by rigging the election, he installed camera in all polling boots with live transmission online, the nearest his opponents got to him was distant 17% while he moves ahead comfortably with more than 64%

ПОЗДРАВЛЯЮ С ПОБЕДОЙ ВЛАДИМИРА ВЛАДИМИРОВИЧА ПУТИНА!!!!!!

Sam Milla:
Great news. The world will survive for another six years atleast. The US and France with Britain will not go bombing wherever they want.

Well said!

Gambrosia:
Abeg make una hellep me killy dem wellu wellu o!
Very nauseating creatures. . . those disgusting Christians!
Start from the 'East'!
Allah bless ya!

Are you naturally stupid or you are making a special effort on NL

islamrules:
What happened when he was there for 2 terms?

Nothing will change as usual.

A lot happened during his term, Russia rose from Yeltsin's destructive western backed politics to an independent assertive position,,,, I visited Moscow 1st in 2001 and when i look at Moscow of 2012 its amazing how a country can positively utilize their resources! Nigeria needs a Putin if things must change, anyway u wont see this on CNN of course.

newslive:
wetin come concern us?!

If the only thing you aspire to know is just your Nigerian politics then am sorry for you, Putin's Russia gave me uninterrupted education, something that you Nigerian strike ridden system wouldn't have done, as u can see i concern me more than u can imagine.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has been confirmed as the strongest political leader in Russia, he is back to take charge of Kremlin, the West would have wanted it otherwise, but he is back and stronger,  Is it good for Russia? yes. Is it good for the world at large? u decide!

As Russians expected, Vladimir Putin was the projected winner with a whopping first round victory in Sunday's presidential elections, apparently moving the usually impassive strongman to tears.

With half of ballots counted, Putin had an unassailable lead with 64 per cent of the vote according to election officials, confirming the exit polls and putting him far ahead of four other candidates for the presidency, including Communist Gennady Zyuganov, who had less than 20 per cent of the vote. Vote counting was taking place at a furious pace compared to previous presidential elections and may mostly be completed within hours.

Putin appeared outside the red brick walls of the Kremlin late Sunday with tears in his eyes to thank thousands of supporters.

"We have won. We have gained a clean victory," he said in an obvious reference to opposition claims of vote fraud that had been made earlier Sunday and in the days before the ballot. "We won. Glory to Russia."

Standing above an underground shopping centre and not far from where many Soviet cosmonauts are buried, Putin described the elections as a test of Russia's maturity that voters had passed.

But Sunday's balloting appeared to confirm deep political fissures in the country that could spell grave trouble for the former president, current prime minister and future president.

Hundreds of thousands of well-educated middle class Muscovites as well as many residents of St. Petersburg strongly repudiated Putin on Sunday. However, an even larger majority of Russians, those living in the Urals, Siberia and the Caucasus, have handed the former KGB agent another six years in power.

Putin has led Russia as either president or prime minister since 200

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Rural+votes+propel+Putin+back+presidency/6250405/story.html#ixzz1oE7mZVWx

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Rural+votes+propel+Putin+back+presidency/6250405/story.html

what the funeral LIVE http://suncastv.co.uk/watch-now/nta-international-free.html

what Ikemba funeral live on NTA here FREE

http://suncastv.co.uk/watch-now/nta-international-free.html

yeah! lets spread the news beyond nairaland! Tell some to tell some!

You can easily marry an ohu (thats th term we use in Enugu) from another state but marrying one from your village is a hell of trouble that not many ll stand, there is basically no discrimination in my town among the ohu except where marriage is concerned

After my brothers first visit to her fiance family, we were shocked to learn that in less than a week her mother secretly visited our villa for investigation,

everybody should hold their peace plz, let us first bury Ikemba!

sorry, did i read IMPORTATION [/b]of [b]waste bins?? I hope they are NOT leaving out the brooms (:


When you get to these schools that will be "renovated", you ll be forced to consult your dictionary to cross check the meaning of renovation, the idiot they gave money to renovate the primary school in my villa, simply poured an ugly looking green paint in a collapsing building and pocket the money,

[/quote][quote author=bondgee link=topic=456400.msg6144250#msg6144250 date=1275570093]please my fellow nairaland user do not pay him a dime for this scholarship offer
if you really want a scholarship please just go to
   scholarshipnetworks.info   for various list of scholarships that you apply for without paying a dime,

Bondgee, please everyone should follow Bondgee advice and the posted site, however if you are qualified and still what to give it a trial, you are highly welcomed. thanks Bondgee, if the site helps one African its a plus.

The

phemmyj:
how do i apply am a NIGERIAN,

The First step is to scan your result to the stated e-mail, if certified you will have to send a notary certified copy by Express post with other documents that will be requested.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY IN RUSSIA

There is a unique scholarship opportunities for Africans to study in Russia, for all courses except Medicine and International Relations.

The available slots are for citizens of the following countries

1. Algeria 4 persons

2. Angola 4 persons

3. Gabon 2 persons

4. Ghana 4 persons

5. Guinea 2 persons

6. Malawi 4 persons

7. Cameroon 4 persons

8. Mali 4 persons

9. Nigeria 4 persons

10. Rwanda 2 persons

11. Seychelle Island 4 persons

12. Senegal 2 persons

13. Sudan 2 persons

14. Tanzania 6 persons

15. Chad 4 persons

16. Ethiopia 4 persons

17. South Africa 4 persons


CONDITIONS:

1. The Result of the intended candidates MUST be above average
2. Must not be above 25years of age except if the candidate is pursing a Master degree and not above 34 if PhD
3. The Ministry of education has the prerogative of allocating an institution best fitted for your chosen course, although in the form there is a place you will indicate which university you feel like attending, however you may or may not be fixed in that particular institution.
4.The scholarship covers TUITION, ACCOMMODATION and monthly stipend of about 1200 rubles ($40)

IMPORTANT

Noting that Russian Law does not permit students to legally work and surviving on 40 dollars is impossible, the intended candidate must have willing source of support - at least $300 per month. The candidate will equally take care of yearly Medical Insurance $250

These chances are on till middle of, spread the new so that the available chance will be utilized.

Thanks.

For more info:
The chair BOT Ass. of African Students
E-mail: mekism@yandex.ru
Tel: +7926-597-45-75

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-456403.0.html#msg6143376

There is a unique scholarship opportunities for Africans to study in Russia, for all courses except Medicine and International Relations.

The available slots are for citizens of the following countries

1. Algeria 4 persons

2. Angola 4 persons

3. Gabon 2 persons

4. Ghana 4 persons

5. Guinea 2 persons

6. Malawi 4 persons

7. Cameroon 4 persons

8. Mali 4 persons

9. Nigeria 4 persons

10. Rwanda 2 persons

11. Seychelle Island 4 persons

12. Senegal 2 persons

13. Sudan 2 persons

14. Tanzania 6 persons

15. Chad 4 persons

16. Ethiopia 4 persons

17. South Africa 4 persons


CONDITIONS:

1. The Result of the intended candidates MUST be above average
2. Must not be above 25years of age except if the candidate is pursing a Master degree and not above 34 if PhD
3. The Ministry of education has the prerogative of allocating an institution best fitted for your chosen course, although in the form there is a place you will indicate which university you feel like attending, however you may or may not be fixed in that particular institution.
4.The scholarship covers TUITION, ACCOMMODATION and monthly stipend of about 1200 rubles ($40)

IMPORTANT

Noting that Russian Law does not permit students to legally work and surviving on 40 dollars is impossible, the intended candidate must have willing source of support - at least $300 per month. The candidate will equally take care of yearly Medical Insurance $250

These chances are on till middle of, spread the new so that the available chance will be utilized.

Thanks.

For more info:
The chair BOT Ass. of African Students
E-mail: mekism@yandex.ru
Tel: +7926-597-45-75