₦airaland Forum

This is just like we were told in History 101 that Oduduwa fell from the skies and became the Yoruba ultimate forefather. Strange people, strange country, strange stories/news

As soon as this scenario becomes obvious, I urge all southerners to sell off their shares in the affected banks and reinvest in other things. If the sacked Bank managers stole billions, the incoming hausas will steal trillions, in addition to their poor management skills

North moves to take control of banks
By Jide BabalolaPublished TodayNewsRating: Unrated
ACF sets up mobilisation committee

Haruna The North has launched fresh moves to seize the current fallout of the reforms in the banking sector to significantly increase its shareholding in the sector. The move by the North was part of the resolution at its recent meeting held in Kaduna which communiqué was not released to the public.

However reliable sources at the meeting told The Nation that the meeting decided on a comprehensive mobilisation of its elites towards taking control of a chunk in the banks' shares. To achieve the dream, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF's National Working Committee, NWC has set up a committee to implement the plan.

The Nation reliably gathered that the issue was part of the main agenda during the ACF National Working Committee's last two meetings in Kaduna .

An aspect of the resolution obtained by our correspondent stated: “On issues concerning the banking sector, the (ACF) chairman stated that a committee was set up by the National Working Committee in order to address the issue. It stated that 'the North must take advantage of any opportunity of acquiring equities in the banking sector.” The decisions were contained in a resolution reached at the end of its July 1 meeting and signed by ACF's chairman, General I.B.M. Haruna (rtd) and its Secretary-General, Colonel Musa Shehu (rtd). Another meeting held on September 30 also reaffirmed this position. The Nation learnt that more rigorous discussion of the issue took place at the September meeting.

The meeting presided over by General I.B.M. Haruna (rtd) exhaustively discussed issues surrounding mobilization of northerners for decisive investment towards acquiring worthwhile equity holdings in the banking industry.
According to insiders, the ACF NWC whose members have met the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi were impressed with current efforts to sanitize the banking system.

There have been accusations that the recent shakeup in the banking industry was aimed at strengthening the North economically, but the ACF Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani has continued to deny any Southern agenda. He has expressed anger over speculations in the media seeking to imply that influential citizens of northern origin helped scuttle several banks so that northern interests can acquire them.

Sani said: "What we have been saying is that since the last banking industry consolidation exercise, it has become glaring that the North does not have a bank it can call its own. The only two ways of redressing this are either by raising your own N25 billion bank to start a bank or buying shares in any existing bank.

"The issue of concern in the North is all about mobilization of capital to start and develop businesses. Because of peculiar collective needs, we have to begin processes that will bring about investment in businesses," Sani told The Nation on telephone last Friday.

The Nation

gathered that some former state governors, including Alhaji Saidu Barda, Col. Hamid Ali (rtd), Col. J.I.P. Ubah (rtd) and others such as Brigadier-General M.A. Umar, Justice Yoonus Abdullahi, Alhaji Mohammed Kumo, Lt-Genenaral Jeremiah Useni (rtd), Alhaji Dauda Birma, Brigadier –General Abba Kyari (rtd), Lt-Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi, Maj. General Muhammadu Shuwa were among those at the meeting.

Sani explained that the body’s NWC deliberately decided not to issue any communiqué or disseminate discussions which took place at its September 30 meeting. He asserted that the meeting was more of a review and continuation of previous discussions on economic development issues.

According to Sani, ACF has no need to exploit access to any influential government officials to facilitate its agenda for increased participation of northerners in their country’s banking industry.

Our correspondent gathered that the ACF also did an analysis of the nature, effect and prospects of the dying textile industry in the northern states, especially in view of the N70 billion Textile Development Fund which the ACF leadership sees as a mirage that is not likely to become actualized by the Federal Government.

Another major issue discussed was the anxiety being generated by evolving patterns of kidnapping which the North had never experienced before.

The sources further disclosed that a special paper presented at the September 30 meeting by one Hajia Fati Ibrahim gave ACF NWC members a comprehensive analysis of how inadequate financing options, outdated equipment, erratic power supply, lax regulations and other problems have ensured worsening unemployment and economic impoverishment across northern states.

"Some members expressed the view that the Presidency can do more towards discouraging smuggling." A source stated.

Following discussions on how utilization of the N200 billion Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme can boost development in various states, ACF’s NWC resolved to present a position paper on the issue to the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Sayyadi Abba Ruma.

They further discussed other issues including the need for northern states’ governors to encourage micro finance banks along with the incessant violent conflicts and security threat caused by migration and desert encroachment in the largely arid North.

sley4life:
What about other state. Abeg make una talk about other state and put them for front page

Ok. Let's start with Taraba State

Presidency shops for new envoy to US, retains slot for South-West
By Yusuf AlliPublished TodayNewsRating: Unrated
More than seven months after the recall of Nigeria ’s Ambassador to the United States , Brig. General Oluwole Rotimi, the Presidency is shopping for a new candidate to replace him.

Rotimi was recalled in February following alleged "gross insubordination" to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe.

Although a former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, was nominated and cleared by the Senate in April to replace Rotimi, his posting ran into a hitch following allegations of bigamy and involvement of one of his children in a crime in the US.

The controversy forced Adeniran to announce his voluntary withdrawal from the ambassadorial posting.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that President Umaru Yar’Adua has directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maduekwe, to look for a suitable and non-controversial candidate for the post.

It was also learnt that Yar’Adua insisted that the candidate must come from the South-West where the appointment is zoned to.

The source said: "The Presidency is shopping for a new envoy to the US . It has been difficult getting candidates from the South-West because some are not willing to take up the appointment.

"Apart from that, the government is interested in less controversial candidate who will easily go through appropriate screening by the US Government.

"We need a candidates whose world view could manage the relationship between Nigeria and the US without any hitch.

KShow1
How many political assasinations have you recorded in the East? We are not talking of the south west and its killing mentality. Igbos fightand bicker like any normal person would, but we do not kill ourselves for politic like the wetie people of SW. Ok?

Igboland is sitting on oil

Can anyone help with uploading the video

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OgidiBoy:
I'm sorry, your heading is misleading, Transglobim won the bid to build the rail system in Iraq not Mr Igwemezie.

Who is the founder of Transglobim?

Igbo girl born in Warri; true Niger Delta babe

Nigerian musician Nneka Egbuna has told the BBC of her surprise and excitement at winning the Best African Act at the Music Of Black Origin Awards.

"I hadn't even heard of the Mobos until two weeks ago," said the 27-year-old, who described herself as a daughter of Nigeria's troubled Niger Delta region.

"It will help more people hear about my music. But it's not about me it's the continent and its music," she said.

Her haunting voice and political lyrics have won her fans worldwide.

"It is Nigeria that has made me to who I am today," she said in her acceptance speech at the awards ceremony in Glasgow.


Warri is very rough place - there's a lot turmoil, a lot of tribalism, a lot of war - that has kind of strengthened me
Nneka

The singer says her influences include Nigeria's iconic Afro-beat performer Fela Kuti as well more contemporary acts like a US rapper Mos Def.

She also cites Nigeria writer and human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa as an inspiration.

Mr Saro-Wiwa was executed by the Sani Abacha government in 1995 for his efforts to campaign against corruption in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

"Stand up against; corruption, against injustice, against bribery and hypocrisy, RAISE UR VOICES," she says on her MySpace page.

'Inferiority complex'

Nneka, whose mother is German, grew up in the oil town of Warri and only went to Germany and met her mother at the age of 19.

Nneka album cover
Nneka's music paid for her university education

In her song Half Caste, Nneka addresses the difficulties of those who grow up as mixed-race children.

"They don't see themselves as black and they don't see themselves as white and they don't know how to handle the situation," she told the BBC's Network Africa.

She says her most recent song Heartbeat - which has become an internet hit - is "very political".

"It's about how the Western world has abused Africa and we have maintained a colonial mentality - we have this inferiority complex," she says.

Nneka herself has shown a steely determination to get where she is.

She initially played music to pay for her university education - she has a degree in anthropology and archaeology.

"It was never my goal to go into music, I just did music to keep me going - like a therapy," she says.

"I stepped out of Nigeria for the first time ever in 2000 without knowing the German language or anything about my German background.

"It was a culture shock - music became like God to me.

"I did music to finance my studies and I got a record deal two years later and that kind of brought change entirely and I was able to finish my studies very fast."

Although she does not see herself as an activist she says it is important to have a message in her work, which is perhaps a product of her upbringing.

"Warri is a very rough place - there's a lot turmoil, a lot of tribalism, a lot of war - that has kind of strengthened me.

"I always wanted to speak my mind and now I'm given the opportunity to do so on stages and by being able to produce the music."

Please visit onlinenigeria.com for free movies, even fairly recent ones. That website is owned and managed by a Yoruba. What does that tell? Free movies on the net, is that piracy or not?

Dede1:
It is very unfortunate that you have foolishly and arduously impugned the character of late Nnamdi Azikwe based on innuendoes and fallacies induced by ethnicity. Please get some education.

Nwanna,

what are you on about? Did Zik remove or not remove Eyo Ettah from his post? Given the state Nigeria is today, Awo's tribalism, was it also Zik's cup of coffee, would have led to different countries emanating from Nigeria. Isn't that what we are now all fighting for?

The Niger Deltans are living with the despoilation from oil exploration. If they can do so, those affected by the dredging (which I think is much ado about nothing) should be able to get on with life. The advantage of dredging the R. Niger far outweights the disadvantages (if any). All these politicial noise making from the likes of Sapeleguy will not stand any unbiased scrutiny.

Those naijas representing in US and UK in fraud are from where?
Ogun shrine where the Gov went to swear his people in is where?

~Bluetooth:
I hate when any wrong things in dis country is usually tribalize, d igbos have gained tremendously from piracy, they are either into kidnapping lile their south-south brothers or robbing, If their staying in lagos is going to be a problem to the yorubas,i will advise they r repatriated to okija shrine, Pirated cds,fake drugs,fake spare parts,human body parts etc, na only igbo(weed) dey dis country,stop embarassin us,

Yoruba started kidnapping (gbomogbomo) when Igbos were still sleeping in diapers. SS and Igbos only learned from them.

Igbo kidnappers have not kidnapped non Igbo but Yoruba have kidnapped more than 20 Igbos living in Yorubaland and this was in 2008 before kidnapping became an issue in Igboland. Those news were posted here last week. Go read them.

Afam, true talk. Imagine flying all the way from xxxxxxxxx then having to ride the bumpy stretch to my home. Nonsense.

Is the dredging of R. Niger ongoing? I heard Ijaw people want to stop it.

Owl and Debosky,

You darn ignorant or plain michievious folks. There is already a rail (moribund) link between PH, Aba, Umuahia and Enugu. How is the rail system in Nigeria? Is it working?

Imo people (then Imo and Abia) built the first ever state Airport in Nigeria. The money came not from oil, but from taxes paid by our parents.

Now every state including Gombe is building an Airport, using oil money from the ND (which includes two Igbo states)

At the end of the day, Zik did the Igbo no good. Sorry to say, but Nigeria needs tribalism; that is the way it is programmed

This accusation can go both ways. I have personally witnessed where Igbo and Yoruba traders were fighting at a place called Ojoo along Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ibadan. Reason: the Yoruba traders were selling Igbo-produced English movies at 100 naira per movie just next door to Igbo traders who were selling the originals at the right price of 250-300 naira (as at then). As expected, every buyer was rushing for the cheap movies. How were the Yoruba movie sellers able to do this? They were of course selling pirated movies. When confronted, they told the Igbo traders to move to Igboland if they feel bad about it.

So if the useless alhaji is whining, he should ask who started it first. In any case, most evil things in Nigeria are usually started in Yorubaland and then moved to other parts. They should live with it or recognize that it is not a tribal thing; piracy is global.

He got a Cum Laude (70%) in Mexico, a developing country (with relatively lower quality), and it became hot news. I got a Magna Cum Laude (85%) in Europe (this is true) and I consider myself not so hot, since I did not make a Summa cum laude (the highest grade). When will Nigerians stop being mediocres and celebrating second rate?

Enjoyment1:
Thanks man, but the facts remains unchanged.

Pray tell, how did Obasanjo (a Yoruba) lead Nigeria for 8 years?
Was he better than Yaradua?
Why did he appoint Yaradua to the position?
Were the universities better during Obj's time than now?
Were (was) there ASUU strike(s) then?

sjeezy8:


Who is more tribalistic, a person who sided for the independence for his OWN people(Zik) or one who kept Nigeria together(Awo)?

just wondering- cause imnot sure why some folks would call him such

Ignoramus. Zik never supported biafra. in fact he was living outside of biafra during that time. I really wished that Zik was much more of a tribalist than a nationalist. Igbo would have been better off now

My friend, this post is deceptive. Zik also acted somewhat selfishly by removing (and assuming the post) Eyo Eta from the premiership of the East when he (Zik) lost to Awo in the West.

Infact, in retrospect, Awo's tribal selfishness, had it been adopted by Zik wholesale, would have prevented Nigeria from being be run by the imbeciles up north.

Onlytruth:
He is the AC candidate in Anambra. AC governors are good, at least they are not busy stealing money- Fashola(Lagos), Oshiomhole (Edo) and Amechi (Rivers).
Vote for Ngige though. I don't trust parties in Nigeria. I trust individuals. Ngige worked as a PDP governor in his time. So, I would follow him to his new party.

Amechi is not AC; he is PDP

Igbo and Edo men=drugs
Yoruba men+ women= drugs

All these my fake brothers claiming islam. They just want to grab their own national cake from hausa/fulani. Very soon dem go answer their papa names

Ebonyi Moslems denounce jihad text message
From Leo Sobechi, Abakaliki

THE Ebonyi State Council of Islamic Affairs yesterday asked Moslem faithful in the state to ignore a text message urging Jihad or holy war in the state over the state government's complaint about the use of loudspeakers to call worshippers for prayers.


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Speaking at a media briefing yesterday in Abakaliki, the state capital, Chairman of the council, Alhaji Suleiman P.I. Ogah, said the author of the text had misinterpreted government's position on the matter, hence should be ignored by the faithful.

Ogah alleged that the text message originated from one Sheik, Haroun Ajah, whom he described as a self-acclaimed representative of Ja'amatu Nasiril Islam group.

At the briefing were other Moslem leaders in the state, including Alhaji Balla Musa Abdullahi, Hausa elder and former Chairman of Ebonyi State Moslem Pilgrims Welfare Board; Alhaji Ishaq Adamu, Chief Imam of Hossana (Motor Park) Mosque, Abakaliki; Alhaji Muhammadu Obiahu Ajah, Eze Ndi-Moslem of Ebonyi State and Kilani Shittu, Oba of Yoruba, Abakaliki.

Ogah, who is also the Chairman of Ebonyi State Moslem Pilgrims Welfare Board, dismissed the text message as the machination of an individual "bent on causing chaos for very selfish reasons," stressing that Governor Martin Elechi has not banned the use of loudspeakers to call Moslem faithful to prayers.

He described the alleged author of the text message as "a known rabble-rouser, who often parades himself as leader of many Moslem sects even when his impact is not being positively felt by anybody as far as Islam is concerned."

Recalling a September 18, 2009 courtesy visit to the governor by Moslem leaders, Ogah said Elechi only disclosed that government was in receipt of some complaints over noises from places of worship and merely asked in a friendly manner whether reducing the noise would affect the devotees' prayers.

His words: "After due consideration, we explained to him that the increase in our activities was in connection with the Ramadan as we Moslems maximise our worship towards the last days of the Ramadan.

"We however told him that we would reduce the volume of the loudspeakers. We told His Excellency that other religious organisations also contribute to the noise with their loudspeakers.

"He expressed shock because at the inception of his administration he advised all religious groups to reduce the noises from places of worship as it was posing health hazard to the citizenry. Right there he directed that Christian leaders should be invited for the same discussion.

"The message came to us as a shock because His Excellency advised us to reduce the volume of loudspeakers in our places of worship, which he said also applies to Christian places of worship in the state.

"I personally made sure that Sheik Haroun Ajah was in that meeting with His Excellency due to his (Sheik) vast religious knowledge. So if there would be anything from His Excellency against Islam, I expect Haroun Ajah to advise the Governor. Haroun Ajah did not say anything in that meeting. Of course nothing called for that."

Sack Maduekwe Now, Group Tells Yar'Adua

By Daniel Kanu, Snr. Correspondent, Lagos

Northern Patriotic Front (NPF) has called for the resignation of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Maduekwe.

In the alternative the group has urged President Umaru Yar'Adua to sack the minister if he failed to resign.

Maduekwe in a recent newspaper report had said during a visit to the United States of America that the election that brought Yar'Adua to office was flawed and that the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, should not be re-appointed for second term because of the flawed 2007 elections.

Speaking during an audience he granted a delegation led by the U.S. Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, in New York, Maduekwe had declared that "Mr. President himself in his acceptance speech during his inauguration ceremony publicly accepted that the process that brought him to power was flawed, so, Nigerians would be shocked if the same President goes ahead to re-appoint the same man to conduct the 2011 general elections".

Reacting to the comment in a statement signed by the group's National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Abacha, NPF noted that the remark by Maduekwe was uncomplimentary to the image of the country.

"His unguarded statement in America seems designed to embarrass President Yar'Adua and the nation. Chief Maduekwe should therefore resign his appointment without delay," NPF declared.

According to the statement, "The comment by Chief Maduekwe is embarrassing and unbecoming of Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister. By going to New York to play to the gallery, Maduekwe has lived up to his character of talking before he thinks.

"The country is still suffering from the international image problem this same man caused by quarrelling openly in USA with Nigeria's ambassador to that country," the release stated.

It stated further: ""He cannot be serving in a government that was brought into office as he said through a flawed election. Why did he accept to be part of the government? It is also mean for Chief Maduekwe to want to present to the world the impression that it was the Independent National Electoral Commission and its chairman that caused the problems of the 2007 elections. Chief Maduekwe was not telling his audience the truth in USA," NPF added.