₦airaland Forum

M-Belt gives condition for supporting Northen presidency
National News Jun 19, 2010 By Luka Biniyat
A political group, Middle Belt Dialogue, has said that if the region should support the core North for 2011 presidency, then the president must be a Christian.
The group’s member and former Special Assistant to  ex President Obasanjo on National Assembly Matters on behalf of the group,  Jonathan Asake, said  “The  Middle Belt Dialogue is made up of all the ethnic nationalities of Northern Nigerian  that do not share the culture and believes of the Hausa/Fulani. We are not part of their drive for the kind of power transfer  they are looking for.

Yes! We  believe in power rotation. While the North believes in power shift at the National level, they hate to see power shift within the North. They have dominated all the political positions of the North  and never reflect the fact that there are huge percentage of ethnic  groups, mainly Christians in their states. They are free to canvass for power shift  in 2010, but we are not part of their struggle.

If, indeed they want the Middle Belt Dialogue to join, it would be on the ground that a Christian from a minority tribe of the North should be president.

“We are saying this, because 24 years of  Northern rule, in the hands of Hausa/Fulnai directly or indirectly,  have ruined this country and only improved the lives of these “leaders” who met in Abuja.

“If after 24 years of Northern rule, Nigerian remains one of the most backwards country in the world, then I don’t see how any intelligent person would ask for more.

“ All we want, is leader that would improve our wellbeing. If he comes from the South or North through credible elections, we will support the person. But power shift to the North as an arrangement, the Middle Belt is against it.”

mikeansy:
any negotiation not written in the Nigerian constitution with stringent conditions for amendment is not acceptable.

Talking about the bolded, did you read my first post?

seanet02:
If the northern part is not okay with the jonathan for 2011. Then they should secede if they can.

Not all the North (people) are against jonathan just like not all the south are for him. So following from your post, why not the south secede if they do not want to respect PDP agreement?

mikeansy:
why is this speculation necessary?

Jonathan does not have the guts not to respect RP of PDP. Now the North wants 47 years of RP, why not the south, seizing the momentum, negotiate for life RP.

He will be seen as a coward by the south south and some of his supporters in the SE Aand SW
He will be seen as a trustworthy and agreement-keeping person by the North and rotational presidency goons in the SE and SW
Ijaw (I doubt if other SS groups will join them) may go back to the creeks for a new round of fight
The new president will deploy the military to crush any new insurgent.
Instead of the south to be clamouring for Jonathan (as though he is a messiah), they should use this opportunity to entrench rotational presidency(RP) in our constitution. The North is talking about 47 years of RP. The south should seize the momentum and make it RP for life. I am sure the North will be willing to concede that, seeing how desperate they are for 2011.

If the North decamps from PDP (because Jonathan is contesting) and wins the election in 2011 in another party, then the entire south should forget the presidency for Life. Remember that the new INEC chair is a northerner, and a northerner is a northerner for life, unlike us who shift base depending on the situation.
I read that Gusau was among those northerners who met to counter Jonathan's interest in 2011, yet Gusau is his NSA. What sort of a person is Jonathan, anyways?

Olas2

You claim the SE are running after money. Please tell us what is the SW running after?

olas2u:
What nonsense are you talking about?The guy was making sense .Cant you see that its impossible to take power from PDP ,the system is faulty.I am so sure from your comment that you are one of those rent seekers with no job or enterprise except Nigeria.What is equity and th justice about in PDP?You call the other parties ragtag,even though you know that the level playing field is not equal.

Yes the system is faulty and will be even more faulty if Jonathan contests in an election he is interested in. In other countries people demonstrate and get killled trying to correct a faulty system. Get of your butt and hit the street in protest. If you get killed in the process may God (or the devil) receive your soul

Do we want a free fair elections in 2011 or we are just interested in Jonathan ruling? Can Jonathan conduct a free and fair election when he is also a contestant? Is Jonathan the messiah we are waiting for? Please answer these questions yourself.

I have no deal in anybody ruling, Jonathan or a Northerner, except that I am interesting in any deal that will allow all 6 geo-political zones to be able to acess power on an equal basis at specific times. If we agree that Jonathan will be taking the slot of the south south zone in 2011 through to 2019, in a clearly documented rotational presidency plan, then I am game with him.

Olas2

Please stop living in ignorance or simply living a lying life. There are many Yorubas supporting the North, even IBB. As someone said, there is no concerted tribal group support for any potential president, at least for now. It is mostly individual support depending on where your bread might be buttered. See examples of Yoruba support for the North here

June 12 MKO'S Brother visits IBB.
http://www.independentngonline.com/D, aspx?id=15204

2011: IBB gets coordinator in Ekiti
http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=32617

desgiezd

No one is equating PDP to Nigeria and it is not by force to belong to the PDP. If you do not like PDP's zoning arrangement, go form a party and take power and dispense it as you wish. I am 1000s of miles from the PDP but I respect their arrangement which actually highlights respect and equality for everyone. So form a party and give the presidency to whomsoever you wish if you dislike equity and justice. As far as I know, the other parties are a bunch of ragtag disjointed entities that still have a long way to go putting their houses in order.

People should look beyond 2011. If the North is serious that all zones must taste and chop power at a specific time, then they have my vote. They must endeavour to put it into the country's constitution as soon as possible, working with people from other zones. There must be equality of zones to access to leadership.

Presidency: Northern Leaders Want Zoning Till 2047
•Jonathan has constitutional right to contest, insists Clark
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 06.19.2010

More facts have emerged from the meeting of a group of northern leaders who met Thursday night in Abuja to canvass for the continued retention of zoning in the power sharing arrangement between the north and south in the country.


A source conversant with positions taken at the meeting said their discussion on zoning looked beyond 2015 and that they intend to ensure that all the geo-political zones in the country contest and hold the presidency for the maximum eight years “and by implication, zoning shall remain in place till 2047.”


But in a swift reaction, Ijaw leader Edwin Clark currently in London said it is an unfair position and that he still maintains his earlier position that President Goodluck Jonathan has every right to contest the 2011 presidential election.
According to the source, the group reviewed the circumstances that led to zoning between the north and south “and we agreed that the idea of zoning was originally brokered by the south and that it was identified as one of the factors that would stabilize our polity.


“We equally agreed that zoning must continue till all the geo-political zones hold and produce the president of the country, thereafter it would be thrown up.


“To this end, it was agreed that we must continue to champion zoning to the extent that all the zones are accommodated alongside the north and south as the guiding principle.” It was because of this, the source explained, that three committees of thirty members each were set up to champion the position.


Already, the source said Mallam Adamu Ciroma would head the Contact and Mobilization Com-mittee, former Senate President, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu will head the Planning and Strategy Committee, while Mogaji Dambatta will head the Publicity Committee.
He said that the Ciroma-led committee would recruit more people into the campaign which would ensure that zoning of the presidential ticket of the PDP and other political parties is achieved, while Ayu’s committee will reach out to other zones.


The source observed that the meeting agreed that there is a need to adequately inform all Nigerians on the desirability of zoning, “as all democracies in the world have things that are peculiar to them; no two democracies are the same the world over.”


The meeting frowned at some groups in support of a Jonathan candidacy, stating that they believe the president being a man of honour “would ensure that the gentleman’s agreement reached at a meeting to stabilize democracy in Nigeria is respected.”
On why the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar stayed away from the meeting, the source said Abubakar was outside the state, but former President Shehu Shagari sent representatives, while General Mohammadu Buhari did not attend because of his previous experience with alliances.


Specifically, the meeting agreed that the issue of zoning of the presidency was at the insistence of the south, supported by former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, who argued along the lines of a sense of belonging by all the geo-political zones.


The meeting was attended by General Ibrahim Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Ciroma, Audu Ogbeh, General David Jemibewon General Salihu Ibrahim, Saleh Hassan, General Mohammed Magoro, Bello Kurfi and Iyorchia Ayu, among others.


One of Clark’s legal aides, Barrister Kayode Ajulo who said the Ijaw leader spoke to him on the meeting by the northern politicians said: “Chief Clark still stands by his earlier position when he met with the Middle Belt leaders that President Jonathan has every constitutional right to contest.
“He also said that President Jonathan contesting the presidential election does not in any way preclude any other person from contesting.”

ilugunboy:
@Nchara, leave those fine details. The problem is that some of your people have 1. Refuse to agree that the issue  is getting out hand in the East, 2. Have refused to accept the complicity of members of the communities but would rather blame non-abians for the problem thus in denial. 3. That its an Igbo problem, so others are not in a position to profffer way forward.

My point is, let see how things play out instead of waving off the President with a wave of hand.

You cannot leave out the details of a problem and expect to find a solution. Could you?
I have not read where anyone blames others solely for this problem and it is idiotic if anyone did so. Please point out one of such to me. We all know that family members have in some cases been involved in the mess. No it is no an Igbo problem, as kidnapping takes place in non-Igbo places too. And, who in this world waved Jonathan off with a wave of the hand in this matter?

Over 10,000 kidnappers were targeted in the Niger Delta amnesty program which at that time excluded Imo and Abia. So that number had an impact in reducing the kidnapping incidence in the area.

It is not exactly correct that Amechi changed anything in PH. Rather the Fed's amnesty program helped to decimate the number of kidnappers and even that was not automatic. Actually it is not yet Uhuru in PH, as pockets of kidnappings still go on there as in other parts of the core Niger Delta. The amnesty program has only just been extended to Abia, so needs time to play out. All kidnappers do not deserve amnesty. They should be done away with.

~Bluetooth:
story.he's the president of nigeria and it is his duty to ensure the security of the nation.so what's the fuss about ?

I wonder. Ilugun, making mich ado about nothing.

Did I not see Aliyu Gusau's (NSA to the same jonathan) name on that list of those seeking to stop Jonathan? Now what is Jonathan doing with a traitor? Is Jonathan actually serious about 2011?

"Aba is a very important city because I am from that part of the country and I know how relevant Aba is. At a time, all the banks in Aba couldn’t even operate. The whole of Aba is like a big market. The whole of the economy is almost wiped out because of kidnapping.

Sure, presido, only people with a native-like knowledge of a place can solve a place's problem, so long as they have the power and authority to do so. So go Jonathan go. Aba is indeed too important (only second to Lagos, PH and Onitsha in the entire nation) to allow the dogs reign supreme.

Aloy+Emeka:
This is the biggest forgery case in the history of Nigeria.It means that over 50% of the state's labor force have forged degrees. So much for the fountain of _forgery education.

Is not that the same Ekiti where every adult is touted to be a ''professor''? They should look deeper.

Bluetooth,

The day you say something good about the Igbo, heaven will literally fall on such a day. When Yoruba complain of June 12 it is good, but when Igbo complain of what is important to them, NOISOME irritants like you poke their noses where they do not belong.

Looking forward to Nigeria government offering scholarships to Togo students. But who dash monkey (Nigeria) banana (scholarship to foreign students) when him (Nigeria) never see kernel (scholarship to Nigerian citizens) chop? 

Venezuala offers Taraba students scholarship
15 June, 2010 05:24:00 EMMANUEL AWARI-Jalingo
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Venezualan government has offered scholarship to some of students of Nigeria and Taraba State students. In a ceremony held at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, the Venezuelan ambassador to Nigeria Enrique Fernando Arrundell said the scholarship initiative was launched as a solidarity and partnership between the two nations. He said President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela believe that the main problem of the people lies education sector.

He said that uneducated people are the blind instrument of destruction arguing that popular education must be first care of parents and government.

Arrundell pointed out that the students who came from low income class were selected after multiple tests conducted by the Venezuelan officials.

He said this was the first time Venezuela was receiving a group of Nigerians with vision of helping them.

In her remarks at the occasion wife of Taraba state governor Mrs. Hauwa Sutai thanked the Venezuelan government for its wisdom in providing scholarship to students of her state and Nigeria at large which she said would go a long way in enhancing the socio-economic development the people. She said that Taraba state is in drive need of development propellers, pointing out that the initiative by Venezuelan government was coming at the right time.

She urged the students to justify the confidence reposed in them by paying attentiuon to their students while in Venezuela .

In her remarks, the minister of education professor Rukaiyya Rufai advised the students to be good ambassadors of Nigeria while in foreign land and to come back home with knowlege which will encourage the sponsors to expand the scope of the scholarship scheme.

The Venezuelan ambassador to Nigeria, Enrique Fernando Arrundell during an official visit to Taraba state express the Venezuelan government concern in the uplifment of children education in the state.

Through interpreter Giovanna Perez, the Ambassador said he has come basically with two requests which are to obtain land on behalf of his government to build a primary school for 600 peoples and to offer scholarships for Taraba indigenes to travel to his home country to study medicine and agriculture in Venezuelan universities.

He explain that education is the key to progress and every transformation and a catalyst to human development, saying those who received education would occupy places of authority in future to drive the society to positive directions.

During his visit in the state, the ambassador was taken round some government establishments which include Taraba state university, Jalingo Airport and Taraba State Specialist Hospital. Mr. Arrundell expressed enthusiasm by listening attentively to efforts and problems by various chief executive of the establishments.

At the specialist hospital, he said through careful plaining, the Venezuelan government would ensure that enough doctors is trained such that a doctor is attached to 200 people and the doctors go round to visit them to afford medical attention.

In his remarks, Governor Danbaba Suntai expressed his joy to the Venezuelan government, describing the assistance package as inexplicable friendship" and prayed for continued cooperation and collaboration between Venezuela and Nigeria.

The governor thanked Mr. Damian Dodo(SAN) for being the instrument for the ties between Taraba and Venezuala.

Governor Suntai stated that what president Hugo Charez has decided to do for Taraba state and Nigeria at large was a challenge to humanity and with the attention to the less privileged, it would be easy to make the world a better place.

Taraba state government in its complement to the effort of Venezuelan government has donated land measuring 4.435 hectares, for the building of Venezuelan school in jalingo.

olas2u:
we are tired of incompetent people with know ideas,ribadu and el rufai will never get votes from the north,because the most corrupt Nigerians ,who have never worked in their life expect government come from that zone.We need the best,the most competent to lead Nigeria.We want goodluck

Please note that the topic is based on assumption. But how is Goodluck even the best? What is the evidence for that claim?

I saw this in another Nigerian website and it got my attention. Would like to share it with you.

The North is an indispensible political power block in Nigeria. You ignore them at your own peril. I do not know why this is so, but some reasons can be adduced
1. Huge population that can be gingered into voting
2. Unity that is more potent than is found in the south
3. Ability to fall in line under one or few leaders
4. Huge swathe of illiterate (ignorant), and hence politically manipulatable population
5. Religious sentiments
Therefore, the North cannot be ignored in the scheme of things come 2011. I am aware that Jonathan can and will most likely run, but am also aware that the PDP zoned its presidency position to the North. In view of the different scenarios, if we are saddled with a northern presidency in 2011, for whom will you vote?

Atiku
IBB
Buhari
El'Rufai
Sambo, current Nigerian VP
Ribadu
Olusola Saraki
Danjuma
Gusau, current NSA to Jonathan
Shekarau, present Kano Gov
Sule Lamido (Jigawa gov)
Suswam, present Benue gov
Aliyu, present Niger gov
Na'abba, former House Speaker
Masari, former House Speaker
Others (please specify)

Note: This list is random and in no order of importance. It was a difficult assignment (I no say nobody send me) coming up with names of potential presidential materials from the North. I am, however, certain that it will be as difficult getting a sizable number of potential presidential materials from other parts of Nigeria. In general, it looks like we lack credible and/or pragmatic leaders, but then, a Nigerian, and not a foreigner, must lead us.

Bankole in torchlight contract scam
13 June, 2010 06:36:00 Abiodun Adelaja, Abuja

A N30 million contract for the procurement of torchlight for members of the House of Representatives is one of the things haunting embattled Speaker, Hon Dimeji Bankole, Saturday Champion can authoritatively reveal.

Investigations revealed that the controversial contract was one of the several Bankole unilaterally allegedly awarded to friends and cronies against advice of some federal lawmakers that the items were unnecessary and would, in no way, enhance performance. According to sources, the contract constitutes one of the charges members of the Progressives, a group of federal lawmakers who on Wednesday gave him a seven-day ultimatum to resign his appointment as Speaker or face impeachment levelled against him.

"It is unfortunate that the Speaker has engaged in award of all manner of contracts, sometimes not transparent and against the overall interest of members. How does one justify the procurement of torchlight for members at a ridiculous price of N80, 000 per one," our source queried.

It was also gathered that sundry items, including foot mats, window blinds were procured for members even when they collect fat salaries and relevant allowances.

According to sources, members are paid enough salaries and allowances to take care of their household and personal needs, a development which has provoked strong enquiries on why the Speaker decided to embark on the award of spurious contracts.

It was gathered that some other controversial contracts awarded by Bankole to alleged mistresses include the procurement of suit stands, standing fans among others.

A group of lawmakers had on Wednesday issued a seven-day ultimatum to Bankole to resign from office or face impeachment.

Spokesman of the group, Hon Dino Melaye, said they were in possession of damning evidence and documents to indict Bankole of corruption and abuse of office.

When contacted however, both the special adviser to the Speaker on communication, Chief Kayode S. Odunaro as well as the chief press secretary, Idowu Bakare, declined comment on the matter, saying they are not in the position to do so since they are not members of the House.

"Contract or no contract, I am not the right person to talk on such matter since I’m not a member of the House, other than to deny that the Speaker cannot spend such amount of money on torchlight," Odunaro noted in his reaction.

Efforts by our Correspondent to reach the House committee chairman, Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, proved unsuccessful as his phone was switched off, which is very unusual.

Hon. Ita Enang, chairman, House Committee on Business and Rules, when contacted, said he was not aware of the issue, and could not say anything further since, according to him, he was at the time in his constituency in Akwa Ibom state campaigning for his Senatorial project for the 2011 elections.

When also contacted, immediate past chairman, House Services Committee, which is in charge of procurement, Ahmed Almakura, switched off his phone as soon as he heard ‘enquiries about procurement of torchlight.’

A statement earlier by Hon Eyiboh in response to various allegations by the Progressive group in the House had however, described the allegations against Bankole as false.

"We want to state that the various allegations being parroted are false with some of them based on forgery of government documents," the statement read.

It would be recalled that anchorman of the group, Dino Melaye, flanked by 10 others, including Bankole’s arch opponent, Independence Ogunewe, had during the week, said they were in possession of evidence of Bankole’s alleged involvement in oil deals.

Interestingly, Ndudi Elumelu, erstwhile chairman, House Committee on Power, who is currently facing trial over a N5.2billion rural power contract, is among those calling for Bankole’s resignation.

They had threatened to release the documents to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC); State Security Services (SSS), National Security Adviser (NSA) and other agencies to facilitate Bankole’s investigation and trial.

The group expressed concern over the alarming rate of corrupt tendencies in the House since Bankole assumed office as Speaker.

"That the House of Representatives you read about in 1999, the House of Representatives that West Idahosa was a member in 2000; the House of Representatives, with its sterling qualities exhibited during Na’abba; the House of Representatives that was laboriously built by Masari, is not the same today," they alleged.

According to members of the aggrieved group, "The public perception of the House has ingloriously declined. We used to be the pacesetters of legislative practice in this country, but it is obvious that we have been overtaken because of the ineptitude of leadership. Because of all these negative manifestations the House under Bankole, has nose-dived and has lost its earned positive reputation."

Other allegations against Bankole, include his lacklustre leadership qualities, which the group said, is responsible for the rift between the House and the Senate; disrespect of members of the House, frequent breach of rules of the House and unsubstantiated comments capable of causing disaffection among the various arms of government.
http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=32836

Bank bought one torchlight for 80000. If that is not bare-faced stealing I wonder what it is

What I saw in Imo
11 June, 2010 12:50:00 OBI OKEREKE
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For Nigerians in Diaspora like me, the cyberspace has undoubtedly become a veritable source of home news. In the past, you depended largely on reports gleaned from newspapers brought by those returning from home. Of course, that would have been stale news.

Today, internet has solved the information problem in the sense that you not only access news at it breaks, but can also engage in online chat. In-between the hustle for daily-bread in a foreign land, there remains this serious hunger by the immigrants for hints on what is happening back home. This has, in turn, led to a proliferation of blogs. The trail was blazed years ago by ElenduReports, followed by SaharaReporters.

In fact, blogging has been taken to another level in that we also now have what is called ‘I-report’ in the spirit of ‘citizen journalism’. It is a form of ‘democratisation’ of the journalism profession. Much as it has liberalised information dissemination, the flipside is that rumour-mongering is also being glamorised in many cases. This is the big danger I think that lies in the bourgeoning online culture today. For, it is quite possible for anyone now to write on any subject, especially on political issues, and present same as though they are facts. Worst still, given the invincibility of the medium, many therefore take liberty to libel anyone without any qualms.

To my fellow compatriots in Diaspora, let me therefore state that if your only source of information is the blog, then, I am afraid, you may not be getting the true picture of reality back home. I say this from a personal experience. Before I travelled home in April for the Easter celebration, I had read a lot about exchange of brickbats online by political actors in my own home state (Imo). To the extent that, at some point, one had begun to wonder what time is left to address the core issue of development. I must confess that, before my last visit, I had not been home for about five years from my adopted home in Redding , Britain .

So, when I boarded a connecting Arik flight from the Lagos local airport, I had braced myself for the worst after the about one hour trip. But driving into Owerri after the Sam Mbakwe airport, I must confess that the spectacle I saw was a far from what I had expected. From the negative profiling you get exposed to online about kidnapping and massive ‘looting’ by public officials, I had looked forward to one big jungle.

But I was pleasantly struck by the gale of fresh breath while driving into Owerri from the airport road. From the dual carriage way complete with well-maintained flower beds and pedestrian sidewalks, to the generally clean environment. The nuisance of Okada riders is now a thing of the past. In its place, what you see now on the city highways are the much safer tricycles. Waoh!, this certainly isn’t the Owerri I left behind about five years ago in pursuit of the proverbial golden fleece in Oyinbo country. Also noticeable here and there is the motorised patrol of the state-backed security outfit named ‘Operation Festival’.

So, if they say Imo is now the hospitality/tourism capital of the South-east and the South-South, this will be in perfect order. I also observed that, in my five year absence, a new generation of hotels and relaxation spots have sprung up in Owerri. From my finding, the occupancy ratio in the hotels there is now very high. In fact, on weekends, you hardly find any space at all in most of the big hotels. This is a sign of a new buoyancy in the local economy. Perhaps, this development can also be attributed to the fact that many are relocating from the volatility of Port Harcourt to a relatively more stable Owerri.

When you invest massively in physical amenities like road, you invariably boost the value of the real estate sector. The result today is that property value has skyrocketed in Owerri. I am speaking from experience. After spending five years abroad, I had thought one should begin to think of securing a parcel of land at home with a view to starting development as soon as possible. But prices I was given by prospective land-seller far exceeded my budget.

In all, I spent two and a half weeks in my last visit to Nigeria , with one week spent with my folks shuttling between Mbaise, Owerri and Oguta. One cannot but also notice the vast improvement in the condition of roads generally. From what I gathered, this remarkable feat was made possible through the revolutionary Imo Rural Roads Maintenance Agency (IRROMA). Through it, the state has been able to achieve the construction of the ambitious 150-kilometre Imo inter-connectivity freeway. On this note, Ohakim has surely made a great impact, in fact more his predecessors. The good thing is that the development is spread across the three zones: Orlu, Owerri and Okigwe.

Overall, the challenge before developing nations today is to strive to meet the MDGs. In this regards, we are talking about improving access to safe water, medicare and education. Indeed, these are the practical indices to measure poverty-reduction. I was quite pleased to hear that my own state has been ranked No. 1 by Federal Government agency among the few states which are really doing something serious to achieve MDGs. Generally, from what I saw and heard, I would say the Ohakim has not done too badly. Anyone who is born and bred in Imo like me would attest that the last time such bold attempt was made to address the critical needs of the people was the Sam Mbakwe era in the early 80s.

Having said that, let me also add that I saw a few bill-boards proclaiming the ‘Clean & Green Initiatives’ or where the incumbent governor is shown making biblical invocations like ‘Imo is in God’s hands’. To a foreigner, that may look unusual. Back in UK , for instance, such official supplication for spiritual direction in the public space would have been a rarity. But then, this is a different environment with a peculiar culture, where actors perceive politics as a zero-sum game. On a second thought, I could not but agree with Ohakim that Imo of today truly needs continued divine protection against the forces of darkness that had held it down for too long.

However, what I found most confounding was the report of the litany of court cases the governor has had to contend with in the last three years against his mandate: 17 in all! I understand one is still pending. Very funny indeed. I think it is a sad commentary on the country’s judicial process that cases would still be pending three years after the election was held. Lawyers must really be feeding fat indeed. If nothing all, the urgent message this underscores is that we need to reform the law to ensure the expeditious disposal of cases before elected office-holders are sworn in. By the way, with all these legal distractions and ceaseless attacks from political opponents, isn’t it surprising that Ohakim was still able to muster the presence of mind to focus and record these solid feats in the last three years.

Indeed, with what I saw during my last visit home, I am one of those now convinced that despite the seeming gloom on our political horizon as a nation, there are still a few oases of excellence here and there, providing exemplary leadership for our people.

Therefore, I can only wish the likes of Ohakim to keep at it. One day, our fatherland shall reach the Promised Land.

*Architect Obi Okereke sent this piece from Redding, United Kingdom .
http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=32784

Yarodin and Chinenye

It becomes increasingly difficult to continue thinking that this is not an ngwa thing what with all the guns freely available from Abala and the reports available online. Ok, let us see how this plays out with the increased military presence in ngwaland. If kidnapping stops or reduces dramatically, then for sure it is like 90% or more ngwa thing. My imagination has been running riot since learning that ngwas have tribal marks which supports the notion that the kidnapper leader in the story I quoted on the other thread, who was speaking ngwa even though he looked like a northerner, could indeed be an ngwa.

Like Etteh like bankole. What was good for Etteh should be good for Bankole.

The beating of a woman by a king and the forced relocation to the forest to ''chew grass'' is the first of its kind in the world as a combo event. The only other monarch who got a banishment to the forest to ''chew grass'' was Nebuchadnezar of Babylon, but not because he beat his wife. This one from Akure surely deserves inclusion in the GBR.