FreeStuffsNG: O pari. The poor man's funeral has been enmeshed in the same toxic politics his son profited from. Smh. The family better request that the public respect their privacy. Check my signature for free stuffs!
" I have never and will never monetarily induce any journalist to speak or write in my favour."
The one doing audio refugee in Ghana nko? Smh. Is it that Mr Obi don't read these lies before making them public ni?
sarkinbauchi: SaharaReporters had on March 14 reported that one Favour Eze (Female) was allegedly brutalised by policemen in Ethiopia, and died from the injuries inflicted on her by the police personnel attached to Kaliti prison, a maximum security prison in Addis Abba.
It had also been reported that her corpse was left inside the cell for over 36 hours by the prison management who allegedly prevented other inmates from informing the Nigerian embassy about the incident.
Meanwhile, in a fresh assault, one of the inmates narrated, “It was very brutal on 30/3/2023 as Ethiopian police picked out some Nigerians inmates and started beating them without any reason.
“Following the report we have been giving to our embassy and many other institutions in Nigeria, it seems that all our efforts have proved abortive.
“They killed our sister, Favor Chizoba Eze, few days ago by beating her to death, now they are trying to kill other persons. Please we are soliciting the Nigerian embassy in Ethiopia in particular and the government of Nigeria in general to come to our rescue before they kill us all.”
The incident comes two weeks after the death of Eze, in the Ethiopian prison.
Chizoba’s death comes nearly four years after another Nigerian Odemu Efe, died of an undisclosed ailment and poor medical attention at the same prison facility.
It would also be recalled that in January, some Nigerian inmates locked up in the maximum security Kaliti Prison had called on the Nigerian government to facilitate their transfer of sentence to Nigerian prisons, alleging grave human rights abuses in the Ethiopian prison.
In a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian embassy in Ethiopia, they complained of starvation, lack of access to medical care, corporal and capital punishment, and overcrowding.
“The Nigerian inmates in Kaliti maximum prison Ethiopia are soliciting help from the Nigerian government; we ask that the government come to our aid urgently.
“We lack access to water, food and medical care. We are asking the government to intervene so we can serve the rest of our jail terms in Nigeria. Many of us have fallen ill due to malnourishment, the health infrastructure is weak, and inmates are suffering from precarious health issues,” part of the letter read.
Ondo monarch leads mass protest against forceful ejection of farmers
…victims will turn to criminals – Monarch
…quit notice is fake – Ondo govt
Aged farmers in llua village, Ondo west council area of Ondo state, weekend stage mass protest against the alleged sale of their cocoa plantations and other farmlands by the state government to foreign companies.
The protesters were led by the traditional ruler of Ilua, Oba Olalani Ibidapo.
Displaying placards with various inscriptions, they raised the alarm that the state government had issued them quit notice in all the 20 villages in the area and equally threatened to evacuate them forcefully if they failed to relocate before the end of the year.
Chanting “All we are saying, leave us alone,” the inscriptions on their placards reads, “This is another Slavery,” “We say no to the destruction of our cocoa farms,” “No Farmers, No Nation’, “We don’t want to steal, farming is our job,” “Aketi should not sell our lands to Chinese,” “They should leave us here to farm, we have no where to go,” “Cocoa farm is our livelihood, don’t chase us out,” “Cocoa farm is what we live on, don’t sell the lands to China.”
Speaking with newsmen, the monarch, Oba Ibidapo, said: “There were some people who came to our villages and started erecting signposts that the state government has sold our farmlands and villages to Chinese and Indian companies.
“They said government has issued notice that we should quit our farms and villages because the companies wanted to move in and take over our farms and villages.
“We have been here for over 100 years and we are here farming, no other things. I have more than 19 villages under me here, Ilua, Laoso, Adejori, Logunofe, Keseomi, Obadore, Obakele, Ilua 2, Kangidi, Oloruntedo, Abayemisi and Magbaralewon just to mention a few.
“We heard suddenly that we should move out unexpectedly. Where are we going to go. Look at our people, no work. We have graduates among us here, but since there’s no job, they ventured into farming.
“We are protesting against this policy and we also appeal to our Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu to please consider our situation here.
“We are large communities and that’s why state government itself provided health centres, schools and polling units for us here.
“We voted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections. We are more than 50,000 in terms of population.
“But I want government to take note that If they insist on ejecting us, there would be problem. Many of the victims would turn to criminals.
“Look at youths working on the farm, government should be happy about this development. Look at the crowd.”
The Chairman of Youths of Laje community, Laoso District, Ondo West, Akinbami Philip said: “We are begging our governor to rescind this policy and order.
“We have graduates who have farms here, we want the government to leave us so that we would continue working on our farms. This is where we feed our families.
“Government asked us to pay money and we are faithful to it. Every year, government did give us payment advice, sometimes N3 million and we did pay.
“But now, they no longer give us payment advice. The last time we paid to the government coffers was in 2021 because they don’t give us payment advice again.
“What we think is that the government wants to sell these lands totally. This would make us suffer. We have started seeing white men coming to the land, we are against this policy.”
Another community leader, Prince Francis Adewole, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help them prevail on Governor Akeredolu to allow them continue working on their cocoa and plantain farms.
“We are begging President Tinubu also to help us appeal to Governor Akeredolu to give us a chance to enjoy what we have laboured for.
“We have been here for over 100 years, we have lots of cocoa plantations, plantain farms, kolanuts farms and other crops. We are many here and our only occupation is farming.
One of the farmers, a graduate of Physics, Ademola Ajibola, told newsmen that he decided to venture into farming when he couldn’t get a job in the city.
Ajibola said: “We are highly surprised by the state government’s action against us. We have been here for many years, I am a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, but no job.
“Yet I decided to venture into cocoa farming. We do pay to the government our dues till 2021 when we saw some people erecting signpost on our farms.
” They said they were given the order to come and destroy our cocoa and other plantations. Where do we go from here?
“We have villages all around here, no hideout for bandits or criminals. We are protesting because the government would not let us breathe.
“Food security is our watchword here, we sell foods to the people in town. If we are being evacuated from here, I don’t know what might be the result.
“But if this policy of leaving here is being carried out, there would be social implications, there would be disaster.”
A community leader, Mrs. Faith Akinduro, lamented that instead of being encouraged by the state government for going into farming, the government allegedly wanted to eject them from their farmlands.
Akinduro said: “Sometimes last year, we were given notice that some people were being arrested here, so we should leave this place. They are ready to destroy all our properties.
“We are not criminals here, we are farmers, we should be encouraged instead of this. We do pay our dues. When it is election period, they do come here and we do vote for them. Why are they claiming that people are not here?
“It is a pity, I don’t have anywhere to go, we depend on farm work here, no other work for me. Where do you want over 50,000 people to go? We are doing fine here, they should look into the situation, because if not, we women would carry guns and turn to criminals.”
Contacted to comment on the alleged ejection of the farmers, the Senior Special Assistant (Agric & Agribusiness) to the governor, Pastor Akin Olotu, denied the allegations.
Olotu, said that state government didn’t issue such quit notice and sale of the farmers farms to anyone or foreign firm.
‘How did you attend varsity without primary, secondary education?’ Atiku tackles Tinubu
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has tacked President Bola Tinubu over the latter’s academic records at Chicago State University (CSU), United States.
The former Vice President had recently approached a U.S. court for an order compelling CSU to release the academic records of Tinubu.
Tinubu’s credentials show that he graduated from CSU in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting and management.
Taking to his Twitter account on Sunday, Atiku wondered how President Tinubu attended Chicago State University without primary and secondary education.
Atiku wrote, “I woke up this morning wondering how we got to this cul de sac. In 1999, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu claimed he attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, before proceeding to Children Home School in Ibadan.
“According to him, his next port of call in his educational journey was Government College Ibadan and, Richard Daley College and Chicago State University in the United States.
“Curiously, in 2023, Tinubu settled with attending only Chicago State University. I am scratching my head. How is that possible? Methinks that all well-meaning Nigerians should be as confused as I am with Tinubu’s declaration that he had no primary and secondary education, yet he has a university degree. You may wish to #AskTinubu how he attained this feat so that we can learn from his ingenuity.”
mutantninja: She married the midget cos of money , Ronaldo is the greatest footballer on earth.
Headache and hate towards a multi Billionaire in your local currency....hate towards someone in this life and the next, he will never ever know you existed. Hate towards someone whose life is blessed beyond human imagination. Hate towards someone who is loved by millions all over planet earth. This shows you are insane in the membrane.
Niger: ECOWAS Won’t Allow Anyone To Insincerely Buy Time, Tinubu Tells US Envoy This comes a week after the Niger coupists announced a three-year transition plan.
President Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, stated that the consensus of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is that no one would be allowed to “insincerely” buy time.
This comes a week after the Niger coupists announced a three-year transition plan.
But Tinubu assured the U.S. Presidential Envoy and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Molly Phee, that war was not beneficial to his economic reforms, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
“We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools. I continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms.
“War is not ideal for my economic reforms, nor for the region, but the defense of democracy is sacrosanct. The ECOWAS consensus is that we will not allow anyone to insincerely buy time,” the ECOWAS Chairman affirmed.
See the full statement below:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT TINUBU TASKS U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY ON DEEPENING COOPERATION AND DEFENCE OF DEMCRACY IN WEST AFRICA AS U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN EXTENDS AN INVITATION FOR DISCUSSION AT UNGA
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday advised U.S. Presidential Envoy & Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Molly Phee, to ensure that U.S. policy is intentionally collaborative with independent African democracies at a time when they are under assault by anti-democratic forces within and outside of the continent.
The President noted that American-backed development finance and multilateral institutions, which were designed to support war-torn Europe after World War II, require swift and comprehensive reform to meet the developmental requirements of younger democracies in Africa, which operate in authoritarian-crowded environments, such that the legitimate yearnings of Africans would no longer be manipulated to serve the narrow aims of self-seeking demagogues through unconstitutional takeovers of power.
“Yes, the private sector will lead the way within an enabling environment we create for them, but the U.S. Government must be innovative in its thinking and systematically create incentives for U.S. industrial investment in Nigeria. Under my leadership, Nigeria stands ready to address their specific regulatory, tax and environmental concerns. I am determined to create prosperity for all Nigerian families,” the President declared.
The Nigerian leader affirmed that the crisis in Niger Republic would not deter him from concluding his economic reform programme successfully for the benefit of Nigerians and that he takes a queue from no nation, but will only advance the interest of the Nigerian state in his approach toward ECOWAS’ handling of the regional standoff.
“We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools. I continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms. War is not ideal for my economic reforms, nor for the region, but the defense of democracy is sacrosanct. The ECOWAS consensus is that we will not allow anyone to insincerely buy time,” the ECOWAS Chairman affirmed.
Pledging its support for the position of ECOWAS, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy expressed the high regard the U.S. Administration has for the leadership of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu, and extended an exclusive invitation from U.S. President Joe Biden to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City to advance discussions further in late September.
“We know there is more we can do to incentivize large-scale American investment in Nigeria and we are committed to working closely with you to achieve that, as part of efforts to strengthen the Nigerian economy and the regional economy. We appreciate your willingness to create an enabling environment for that. President Joe Biden is asking to meet with you on the sidelines of UNGA and you are the only African leader he has requested to meet. It is a mark of his high regard for your leadership,” the U.S. Special Envoy said.
The President concluded that he accepts the invitation to meet the U.S. President on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and that the work of perfecting democracy is never done, even in developed democracies, as seen recently in America, as well as other emerging democracies in the world.
I disguised as beggar to teach Christians kindness – Catholic priest
A Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of Jesus and Mary Adoration Ministry, Nnewi, Anambra State, Rev Fr Thadeaus Ilechukwu, who is also noted for disguising as a beggar to test his congregation, tells IKENNA OBIANERI about his mission
A video resurfaced on social media recently showing you disguised as a beggar at the gate of a church. What informed it?
I am the Parish Priest of St Monica’s Catholic Church, Nnewi. I am popularly known as ‘Father Egwu Mmonso’ which means ‘terror to demons’. People call me this name because of a particular kind of deliverance we carried out in 2015 when the ministry was still in Amichi.
The video first went viral precisely on July 7, 2018, but it was shot on July 5, 2018, at Jesus and Mary Adoration Ground when I was at St James’ Catholic Church, Amichi, before I was transferred to St Monica’s Catholic Church in Nnewi. The person that captured the video posted it online on July 7, 2018, and then within 24 hours, it made over one million views. It started trending again in 2022 during the Lenten period and it has started trending now. Many people have been calling me to tell me that this video is trending again. It keeps trending as if it is new because of the teaching and the message it carries.
What motivated you to do that?
I got that inspiration when I went for an assignment in Lome, Togo. It was impromptu. I did not see it in a movie. The thought just came and I decided to try it in Nigeria. In June 2018, I preached about charity and giving. Every month, we have a monthly declaration and assignment and I told the congregation that in July, every adoration member must be charitable and do works of charity by giving to the poor and the needy. I told them that everyone must have something to give and that they must not be very rich before they give because there are people poorer than them. So, on the first Thursday of the month (July 5, 2018), I wanted to have a unique way of disseminating this gospel of charity. What came to my mind was to disguise as a beggar and sit among the adoration members and beg or to disguise as an ordinary person and sit among the members and beg. I knew that if I disguised myself as an ordinary person, people would easily recognise me.
How did you get the costumes?
As the thoughts of the method to adopt were running through my mind, I came across a lady who is a makeup artist in Lagos. I saw her on Facebook, so I contacted her and eventually, she agreed to come down to Anambra State and do the makeup for me. So, that day, she applied makeup on me, wore me a wig, attached beards that made me look like Abraham, and gave me tattered clothes.
Were you surprised at what you looked like after wearing the costume?
Frankly speaking, when I looked at myself in the mirror, I was shocked at what I saw; I definitely changed. I looked like a beggar, a mentally ill man, and a homeless man. Even when I was leaving the Parish house, our cook saw me and shouted, “Jesus! There is a madman in my father’s house.” She then ran away. But, I quietly entered my car and drove to the adoration ground. I was not able to raise dust because my car was tinted, but then, I had to park a few kilometres and trek to the adoration ground still in the attire so that nobody would know. It was on a Thursday and before that day, I had told the cameraman that captured everything to focus on any mentally unstable man he saw around the adoration ground because God was about to do something.
Was he aware that you were the one disguised as a madman?
The cameraman was not aware. He later told me that he thought that the reason I told him to focus on any madman he saw was because the madman was going to receive a miracle that day. So, when I came to the adoration ground, I sat at the entrance. Incidentally, it was a rainy day, so I was wet and shivering while begging the people entering the adoration ground. While people were passing and entering, I was at the gate begging. People from different denominations came to the adoration ground for prayers, but even my regular members ignored me and passed by. There was a pregnant lady that came down from a motorcycle and paid the motorcyclist who gave her some balance. As she walked in, I asked her, “Aunty, please can you find me something so that I can eat?” I was shivering because of the rain and the muddy ground made me dirtier. So, the lady replied, “Please, I don’t have money.” When I reminded her that I saw her receiving some change from the motorcyclist, she said the money was not for me and then she moved on. She came for prayers that day.
Did anyone give you alms that day?
Some people gave me some money in N10 and N20 denominations. Out of the many people that passed by, only five people gave me money. The money I gathered from begging was N70 but I can’t remember what happened to the money.
What can you recall during the encounter that struck you or came to you as a surprise?
In front of the adoration ground was a space that I gave to people free of charge to use to sell items, but when I went to beg them for alms, they chased me away. One of them even pursued me with a stick threatening to break my head. Only one pregnant woman selling cooked groundnuts in a wheelbarrow called me and gave me one cup of groundnuts. When I collected the groundnut, I said to her, “Madam, God bless you. You will deliver your baby safely.”
Were some of your colleagues aware of your plan?
I told a priest, Father Henry Ejimba, who assisted me. He is now in Rome, Italy. I told him that day that I would be coming late and that he should prepare the ground and expose the Blessed Sacrament and wait for me. He was not also aware that I was disguising myself. So, when I managed to enter the adoration ground while eating the moi moi someone gave to me, I called the priest and said, “Father, come and eat.” He thanked me. He made the sign of the cross and I gave him the moi moi, which he collected and fed me, not knowing that I was his colleague.
How were you able to now enter the adoration ground and get hold of the microphone since the congregation didn’t want you to gain access?
I managed to move into the adoration ground and moved to the altar. When you watch the video, you will see when I was moving to the altar, the members were afraid that I might attack the Blessed Sacrament, so they tried to prevent me. As they were doing that, I called my assistant and told him to get me the microphone so that I could preach the gospel of charity to my people.
But he told me to return to the gate and wait for Fr Egwu Mmonso’. However, when I called his name, he was shocked but he still threatened to throw me outside. It was at that point that I reminded him that I would arrive late. So, I was able to convince him beyond doubt that the “beggar” he was looking at was a reverend father. So, he got a microphone and handed it over to me. I went to the altar and sang this song, “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.” As I was singing, I removed the wig, beard, and other things and then the adoration members recognised me immediately and started shouting. There was an uproar. Many people who passed me by and did not offer help cried. They regretted their actions.
What did you want your congregation to take home from that event?
So, it was a message that when we encounter Jesus Christ, we might know he is the one. A lot of people have encountered Jesus Christ in such a manner, but they ignored him because they did not know. I also used the event to preach the gospel of charity. These days, a lot of people are afraid to undertake charity because they believe that people use it for ulterior motives. It is not true; we receive something faster from God when we give.
I was not the one that posted the video on social media. If I wanted it to be a social media stunt, I would have posted it on my handle and there would have been traffic. I only wanted to use it to pass a message of charity among my members and I am very happy that the message resonated among the people to the extent that other preachers started using it in their teachings to date.
How did you feel when you got feedback from people who saw the video?
When I watched the video, I shed tears because I am equally guilty. Most times, when I drive, I see beggars and I sometimes shun them. Sometimes, when I pass a particular location and see a beggar I have given alms in the past and I feel reluctant to give more, but it is not like that. After that video went viral, I told myself that I would always give alms even if I passed the same place five times a day. God is not interested in the things we give, He is interested in the heart with which we give. So, that was the message and I thank God that people are picking the message and it is helping in spreading the gospel and I pray that many people will be touched and start giving. When we give to humanity, God gives to us.
Some people wonder whether not giving to charity is a sin. What do you think?
Actually, it is not a crime. So, I was not disappointed by the reactions of the people from the video or what I saw that day of people coming and passing without giving the beggar anything. You know charity covers a multitude of sins and Jesus Christ emphasised prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We get a lot of things from God when we give and this is the secret many Christians don’t know about. Every religion emphasises giving, especially the ones you know you might give to people that might not appreciate you, the ones that you give to people who don’t praise you. The one that you give and don’t expect anything in return. Those are the ones God cherishes most. God loves a cheerful giver.
Have you tested the faith of your members since that event occurred?
I have not. There are many ways of preaching. I didn’t do it to test them; it was to preach and teach. If I have to disguise myself again, it will mean repeating myself and they will know. Maybe, another inspiration will come and it will be in another form, who knows, until the Holy Spirit brings such a venture again.
How do you balance your job as a parish priest with running the adoration ministry?
The prayer ministry is part of the priestly functions and the work. I became a priest before the prayer ministry and it is part of the parish programme. I am managing both. I am the parish priest in the church and I am the spiritual director of the adoration ministry. Only God gives me strength. As a matter of fact, I am still studying for my master’s and will also study for a doctorate.
What is your view that despite the many religious centres in Nigeria, moral decadence is on the increase? Who is to blame?
It is because many people have jettisoned the practical aspect of the teachings and are now pursuing material things. Religious centres can only impart knowledge; it is now left for the individuals to follow the teachings or allow the teachings to make them better people. The church is not to blame.
What is your opinion about the perception that some priests who run adoration ministries do so in conflict with the instructions of their superiors?
All I can say is that grace is built on nature. That someone is ordained as a priest does not remove the fact that the person is a human being. If I am hot-tempered or easily angered, the fact that I am now a priest does not remove it completely. So, they (priests) are human beings. No one is perfect. So, when you hear that a priest disagrees with their superior over one thing or the other, they are human beings. They are prone to human frailties. We will pray for them also; they are not superhumans. That is why we ask the people of God to pray for us.
Nigerians are lamenting the current economic hardship in the country. Are you worried about the situation?
You know there has been a change of government recently, and the current government is just a few months old. Before this government came, people experienced the worst. But from the look of things and in my assessment, I am not speaking for the church, we have yet to see any tangible thing being done to alleviate the sufferings and poverty among the masses. The President said that he would “let the poor breathe”, but we have yet to breathe; we are suffocating. So, when the poor begin to breathe, then I would say the government is working.
I would not want to delve more into politics, but my advice to government officials is to note that this life is too short, whenever they come into office, they should strive to do their best for the people because they are there to serve the people and for the good of the people. So, when they serve themselves and not the people, even God, nature and the people will be against them. But there are still good ones among them who do their work with the fear of God.
Na Local man that used Baby Actress to polish his dusty political Career. You get money no mean say you get class. Ned used Regina to gain popularity.....he always wants to trend with any international news....last time was Titan2 now this..Nigerian Senator.
Globalisation responsible for coups, financial crimes, others- DSS DG
The Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, has attributed financial crimes, cybersecurity, and disruption of the democratic processes in Africa to globalisation.
According to him, there is a need for a comprehensive and multidimensional approach to addressing the scourge.
Bichi who was represented by the Director of Training, Bolaji Toke, spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at the National Institute for Security Studies’ seminar for Executive Intelligence Management Course 16.
The seminar was themed, “Globalisation and regional economic integration: Implications for sustainable development in Africa. ”
He said, “As we delve into the complexities posed by globalisation, ranging from cyber security, cyberthreats to financial crimes and organised criminal networks, and more recently, the interruption of the democratic process.
“We must acknowledge the need for a comprehensive and multidimensional approach. It is through platforms like the Executive Intelligent Management course that we enhance our collective capacity to address these challenges and forge a more secure and prosperous future. With a unique focus on Africa, we gather here this morning to explore the implications of globalisation. ”
He added that globalisation and regional economic integration play a significant role in today’s security challenges.
Bichi said, “In today’s world, you will agree with me that the landscape of security challenges is rapidly evolving and the dynamics of globalisation and regional economic integration play a pivotal role.
“The interconnectedness of a globalised world demands heightened collaboration and the sharing of information and expertise across borders.
“Transnational threats recognize no national boundaries and our ability to counter them effectively and to rely on our ability to work together seamlessly. “
Politics › Re: Igunbor Sarah: Avoid Benin Men When Looking For A Romantic & Caring Partner by Morbeta11(m): 9:13pm On Aug 28, 2023
