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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:33pm On Oct 04, 2012

The Grave

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:31pm On Oct 04, 2012

21 Gun Salute

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:25pm On Oct 04, 2012

The Funeral

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:16pm On Oct 04, 2012

The corpse is being loaded aboard a C-130

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:14pm On Oct 04, 2012

Aso Rock staff

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:12pm On Oct 04, 2012

Turai Yar'Adua & Patience Jonathan mourn

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:10pm On Oct 04, 2012

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:05pm On Oct 04, 2012

yuzedo: BEST THREAD ON NAIRALAND!

Naptu, i owe you for this thread yo, believe that!

More power to thine elbows!

Thanks very much.

Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 8:03pm On Oct 04, 2012

esere826: @naptu2 and Ishilove

No body send me this message sha... but

You probably could write on a fictional character or family wrapped around the corridor of power going through these experience. Like the soldier chap that was in the radio station during the coup broadcasts.

To give the book an international push, one of you could do a literal inclined postgraduate study in a well reckoned uni in the US or UK and make the book a collaboration project. The uni if the right one will definitely be interested in it

Kinda like the way that guy in Thisday paper who late became and S.A wrote on yaradua's life and death while in Harvard

Wow!

Culture › Re: Random Acts Of Kindness (Africa) by naptu2(op): 10:32am On Oct 04, 2012

[size=14pt]Leave No Child Behind By Hannatu Musawa[/size]

"-Akin is a 5 year old orphan from Oyo state born on the 1st of January. He never knew his mother; she died from loss of blood bearing him on the dirty floor of their one-room apartment. After her death his father moved the family to Lagos. When Akin was 2, his father died in an accident leaving him and his 9 year old brother. Ladja, Akins’ brother, managed to support them by patrolling parking spaces and demanding fees from motorists. When Ladja became involved with a group of area boys and was killed while participating in an armed robbery operation... Akin was adopted as one of the area boys’ own to raise!”

“-Shamsiya is a 5 year old girl from Katsina state born on the 1st of January. Her father is a maiguard with 4 wives, 2 concubines and 29 children. From his wages, Shamsiyas’ father can only afford to feed a third of his family. Shamsiya and her sisters don’t go to school, instead they hawk groundnut. Mallam Ado, a shoe shiner 48 years older than Shamsiya, is her biggest customer and has recently taken a pervasive interest in eating groundnut… but only if Shamsiya is selling it!”

“-Gladys is a 5 year old half cast girl from Edo state born on the 1st of January. She no longer sees her mother and never knew her father. Her mother only met him once; he lives somewhere in an Italian suburb oblivious of his offspring, forgetful of that one night he ventured to solicit the tall black lady with the red high heel boots. The little girl lives with her elderly grandmother, a woman too frail to notice the goodness of her grandchild. Unfortunately Diezel, the local, sick-minded mechanic noticed and was always determined to show Gladys just how much. From the age of 3, Gladys has been sexually molested by Diezel and he has commenced arrangements for a passport for her so that she could travel with him and 6 other young and abused slave girls in a shipping container... on a one way trip to Italy!”

“-Chukwudi is a 5 year old boy from Anambra born on the 1st of January. Being 14 years older than him, his brother was lucky enough to gain an education and admission into a university. Unfortunately for Chukwudi times were hard and the family couldn’t afford to educate another child, so he and his twin sisters assisted their parents in their kiosk. Away in university, his brother became involved with a deadly cult. The cult leaders gave him a house to move his family into and without waste of time they did. In their joy Chukwudi’s family failed to notice... it was situated near a shrine!”

The implication of these accounts may seem severe, but in reality millions of children all over this country are abused, molested, sold like goods, violated, forced to lead immoral lives, kidnapped and killed. If we look in every corner of every state in Nigeria, one common theme we will witness is malnourished, uneducated and impoverished children living in a very poor state of health and filth. And regardless of where they are from these children are all victims of the existing decline of our country. Every one of us must understand that no child can be left behind and we have to take responsibility for the safety of the children of this country. Arguably we are all guilty for exhibiting a poor attitude toward their welfare. We are guilty of inaction because we witness daily the employment of very young children as domestic servants, the growing rage of the system of almajiranci, area boys and marriage of very young girls without challenging the institutions and people that encourage these trends. Unless we create an initiative to stop the exploitation of children then we face a grim future. If we don’t take a stand then children like Akin, Shamsiya, Chukwudi and Gladys become part of that vicious circle and 20 years down the line we have a “scenario A” situation where…

“-Akin grew up learning the ropes from his area boy idols and on many occasions would assist them. Alas, in order for Akin to reach an ultimate high, he began to take drugs. It started with the occasional marijuana but latter turned into a need for something much harder. He was eventually thrown out the gang for sluggishness due to the drugs and started living under a Lagos bridge. His drug use became so desperate that on one night when he couldn’t get the drugs, he cut off his little finger in order to quantify his intense craving and need for the drugs. Akin lived this way for many years until his lonely death on the 31st December... a day before his 25th birthday!”

“-Shamsiya was married off to Mallam Ado by the age of 12 as his 4th wife. By the time she was 14, she gave birth to the first of her 6 children. Mallam Ado, her first husband, died 4 years into their marriage after which she begged on the streets with her children in order to survive. Shamsiya married 2 other men in her lifetime, the last one lasting only 4 months before her husband divorced her to marry a younger woman. Towards the end of her life, Shamsiya begged on the streets with some of her children, the others were sent to a Mallam in Maiduguri and are living as almajirai. During a religious clash, her 11 year old almajiri son Inusa plunged a knife in her gut, ending her tortured life for reprimanding him for using the opportunity to loot shops and kill people. She died on the 31st December... a day before her 25th birthday!”

“-Gladys didn’t get her passport and didn’t get to travel abroad till she was 24 because Diezel thought she would be more useful to him in the big Nigerian cities. For many years she was raped, beaten and abused. By the time she was 24, Gladys managed to travel to America. With a sigh of relief a damaged Gladys, determined to start a new life, went to the doctor for necessary tests. A few days latter Gladys stared with horror at the piece of paper in her hand which sealed her fate, the piece of paper that said “results of blood test”, the piece of paper that said “HIV: positive”. For Gladys it was not to be the start of her new life but the end of her journey because on New Years Eve a gun lay in her right hand and her life less body just lay victim to her own suicide.... It happened a day before her 25th birthday!”

“-Chukwudi and his family were barely making ends meet when his brother defied his cultist leaders. Had it been a minor crime, 1 sacrifice would have been adequate for the leaders of the cult, but this was an insulting offence that required nothing less than 6 sacrifices. On the night of 31st December screams were heard from the direction of Chukwudis’ house. In the morning 6 burned bodies were discovered including that of the mutilated torso of a small boy with his arms, legs, and head hacked off. Chukwudi was not 25... he died a day before his 8th birthday!”

Be it life till 25 or 8, the need of all children is one and the same and their fate interconnected. For Akin, Shamsiya, Chukwudi and Gladys, 4 children who were never destined to meet but had more in common than they would ever know, their destiny could be changed if our attitude and laws were too. In order to protect them from the exploitation and degrading treatment in “scenario A”, our government must enforce more laws that protect children; put a stop to child begging, hard labour, trafficking, establish organised rehabilitation centres, orphanages, provide primary healthcare, basic education, safe water, sanitation and enforce stringent sanctions to those who encourage these harmful practises. Those of us who have the means should take it upon ourselves to sponsor the protection, empowerment and education of strangers, albeit one. The populace must show care and humanity to the already displaced children living on the streets. Granted, it may be an unreasonable expectation for all the above reforms to be simultaneously put in place but if only we could start with a couple, then we have a real likelihood of succeeding so that children like Akin, Shamsiya, Chukwudi and Gladys have a chance of the life in “scenario B” some 20 years down the line where…

“-Akin went to an orphanage and excelled in school. Upon seeing his brilliance, a childless couple adopted him and groomed him to grow up into a fine, proud young man. He became a lawyer and dedicated his practise to speak for all unprivileged drug addicts living under bridges. His brother Ladja went into rehab and emerged a confident, rehabilitated business man!”

“-Shamsiya benefited from the state sponsored education in her town. She went on to get a scholarship and was able to eventually qualify as a teacher. Happily married with 6 children she speaks out against almajiranchi, early marriage, hawking and writes against these practises in her native language. Her son Inusa wants to work in a bank!”

“-Gladys was protected by the authorities and went ahead to study economics. Latter in life she won a beauty contest and used the platform to speak on the dangers of child abuse. Now she travels the world and provides counselling and aid to AIDS patients!”

“-Chukwudi and his family were provided a secure shelter and eventually relocated. Chukwudi became a doctor and senator. He introduced a bill in the Senate that tightened the law on cultism in Universities. His brother works with him!”

Our children are important and valued members of our society. We must at this point ask ourselves which of the above scenarios we prefer for our children; A or B? For our children of destiny; Akin, Shamsiya, Gladys and Chukwudi and every other Nigerian child, the answer must be B and one thing must be clear; we must leave no child behind!

Politics › Lagos Seeks Concessionaires For Fourth Mainland Bridge by naptu2(op): 8:22am On Oct 04, 2012

[size=14pt]Lagos shops for new concessionaires for planned fourth Mainland Bridge[/size]

Thursday, 04 October 2012 00:00 By Ade Ogidan, Business Editor

LAGOS State Government may soon announce a new concessionaire for the planned 3.8-kilometre fourth Mainland Bridge that will link Olokanla Ajah, almost opposite Pan African University, in Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area, with Ijede, on the outskirts of Ikorodu.

In the alternative, the government has mapped out a plan to solely finance the scheme, if suitable private sector partners could not be found.

Already, the search for the concessionaire has assumed a global dimension, after the Singaporean consortium, earlier slated for the project, was found to lack the capacity to execute it.

By the design of the bridge which will span Lagos Lagoon, an access road will be constructed off Lekki-Epe Expressway at Olokanla Ajah to the bridge head, while the waterfront communities of Baiyeku, Igbogbo will also be linked with Ijede, at Ikorodu end, with a network of roads, to connect the proposed facility.

The bridge, according to a top government official, was conceived as a strategic exit and inlet for the vast growing population in the Ajah-Lekki axis.

Specifically, it would be a utility infrastructure for the Free Trade Zone and the proposed airport, being planned by the state government in the area.

Sources could not put a timeline for the construction of the much-awaited bridge, but it was learnt that the state government was already working on a plan to construct the access roads to the two bridgeheads.

The administration, however, has the challenge of clearing the routes for the access roads, as a source at the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure disclosed that the Ajah end of the bridge has been fully built-up.

“The state government would require up to N10 billion as compensation to house owners at Olokanla Ajah, whose properties are situated on the way to the bridge head. This is due to the fact that the identified suitable route has been fully built-up”, the source said.

It was also learnt that the Ijede, Ikorodu end too would take over N5 billion as compensation to property owners.

Even though, the road network would be more extensive at the Ijede, Ikorodu end, the property value were assessed to be much lower than at the Ajah axis .

The plan for the fourth Mainland Bridge started at the commencement of the current administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, to ease vehicular traffic on the existing three bridges.

Indeed, the governor and his officials specifically made some trips to Singapore, as that single city nation was adopted as model for a new Lagos megacity development project.

The project was however stalled, as the consortium that was initially recommended for the job could not mobilise enough resources for it.

Consequently, the search for a new concessionaire began, with the administration considering proposals from several consortia around the globe, including about three local outfits that were said to have enlisted interest in the project.

But sources at the Governor’s Office disclosed that the administration might solely execute the project, if the prospective private sector investors fail to meet the expectations of the state government.

“The state government will not mind to go it alone as the project has become a serious political issue, which may undermine the credibility of the state government, if the scheme fails to take-off during the tenure of the current administration.

“I can confirm to you that the state government, under its ‘plan B’ initiative, has started approaching offshore sources for funding, since the project itself has been found financially viable”, the source added.

The project, under its initial public-private partnership arrangement, was scripted to attract tolls for users of the bridge, to, at least, recover costs for its execution.

Curiously, top officials of the state administration declined to make committal statements on the project, even as they, on condition of anonymity, affirmed government’s plan to ensure take-off of the scheme, soonest.

The proposed bridge will complement the three existing bridges—Carter, Eko and Third Mainland.

The Carter Bridge, built in 1901, is the oldest of the three bridges, connecting Lagos to the mainland. The bridge starts from Iddo on the mainland and ends at the Idumota area of Lagos Island.

The British colonial government, prior to Nigerian independence in 1960, originally constructed the Carter Bridge. After independence, the bridge was dismantled, redesigned and rebuilt during the late 1970s. The Alaka-Ijora flyover, on the Iddo end of the span was completed in 1973.

The parking of vehicles on the bridge has resulted in both severe road congestion in addition to contributing to its rapid deterioration.

In 2003, the Nigerian Institute of Structural Engineers noted that the parking of vehicles along the span might result in collapse if left unaddressed. To address this issue, the Lagos State government instituted a N50,000 fine for persons parking their vehicles along the span.

Additionally, in April 2006, the Lagos State Transport Commissioner announced that all commercial vehicles would be banned from entering Lagos Island by way of the Carter Bridge to keep buses and other vehicles from parking on the bridge.

The Eko Bridge, built by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, connects the mainland to Apongbon area of Lagos Island.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100580:lagos-shops-for-new-concessionaires-for-planned-fourth-mainland-bridge&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

4 Likes

Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:35am On Oct 04, 2012

Yar'Adua's corpse is wheeled past a guard of honour

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:33am On Oct 04, 2012

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:30am On Oct 04, 2012

Motorcade conveying President Yar'Adua from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport to Aso Rock, after his return from Saudi Arabia

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:29am On Oct 04, 2012

Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:27am On Oct 04, 2012

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:25am On Oct 04, 2012

Yar'Adua's return:The ambulance pulls up beside Nigeria 001

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:24am On Oct 04, 2012

Turai & Umaru Yar'Adua

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 6:04am On Oct 04, 2012

President Yar'Adua signs the amnesty proclamation. With him are The Inspector General of Police, The Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of Defence.

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:27am On Oct 04, 2012

Boko Haram leader, Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:26am On Oct 04, 2012

Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (Attorney General & Minister for Justice)

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:24am On Oct 04, 2012

Remembrance Day

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:20am On Oct 04, 2012

Turai & Umaru Yar'Adua disembark from Nigeria 001

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:18am On Oct 04, 2012

Vice President Goodluck Jonathan (behind him are Presidents Umaru Yar'Adua & Olusegun Obasanjo)

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:16am On Oct 04, 2012

President Yar'Adua

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:08am On Oct 04, 2012

Umaru Musa Yar'Adua being sworn in as President & Commander in Chief

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:06am On Oct 04, 2012

Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua & Atiku Abubakar

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:04am On Oct 04, 2012

President Olusegun Obasanjo

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 4:02am On Oct 04, 2012

Vice President Atiku Abubakar

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 9:55pm On Oct 03, 2012

Professor Dora Akunyili (Director General, National Agency for Food/Drug Administration and Control)

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Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 9:51pm On Oct 03, 2012

Ishilove: Good idea!

What say you,naptu?

1 Like

Politics › Re: Nigeria: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful, The Ugly. by naptu2(op): 9:32pm On Oct 03, 2012

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (Chairman, Economic & Financial Crimes Commission)

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