₦airaland Forum

my Signature says Better for me to die on my feet than to die on another man's lap if a man resolve in his heart to tread the part of justice, let him be, am not in support of Hostage/ransom in ND, but our Govt calls for that, Let the so-called Oil Coy develop their host community.

And Yaradua shud rescind his decisions of making heads of NNPC a Northerner,

Only military can conduct free, fair polls in Nigeria—Iwu
Headlines, National News Aug 14, 2009

By Tordue Salem
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu, has said only the military can conduct free and fair elections in the country.

The INEC boss spoke Thursday at a public hearing on a bill to establish a Commission to register political parties in Nigeria .
iwu

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu

“If we had dictatorship, we would have a free and fair elections; the elections that Nigerians have endorsed and craved for, were organised under the military. The fact that it was organised by the military makes it undemocratic.

“Democratic elections are never flawless. They have problems. And we have to be able to know that the whole process of democratisation includes the noise. Includes all that we are here for, and we should bear that in mind”, he said.

The Chairman of the National Conscience Party, NCP and the President of West Africa Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana, said unless the Constitution and the INEC is “completely” independent of political manipulations, there would never be free and fair elections in the country.

He regretted that Nigeria has continued to be a byword for fraudulent elections in Africa and the world.

“Elections in Nigeria have become a perennial source of colossal embarrassment for the country. Nigeria has become a reference point in the world, when it comes to bad elections. I, therefore, appeal to you, to put sentiments apart, and save the country, so that democracy can be strengthened, because if what happened in 2007 is repeated in 2011, we pray that we do not go into war.

“If the electoral body so structured cannot conduct election in 1/3 of a state like Ekiti, you can imagine what will happen in 2011. Ten thousand soldiers were deployed, not to talk of percentage of soldiers deployed. Imagine doing that in 36 states at the same time, we are asking that this amendment we are proposing be accepted,”he added.

Falana, who used Ghana as an example of credibility in the electoral process, recalled that the country’s ex-President, Mr. John Kuffor, could not manipulate the process to sponsor his candidate even when he was leading by 47.3 per cent (just a little short of the 50 per cent requirement) as against his opponent’s 43 per cent, the president didn’t summon INEC “to help” with the results.

@ Poster , LET THEM SAY,

Na dem sabi, You Just Thank God for it is Doe already

1 Thessalonians 5:22-23

"Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

pls do with the new job, thats the work for u,

but flee from the former , do not go back

Now I know that the word abstain might be foreign to modern language, so here are some other words that are more modern and better understood:

Avoid all the appearance of evil. Like avoiding someone you really don't like being around, and we all have experience in that.

Flee from all appearance of evil. This means that if you see it, you should go in an opposite direction quickly. To flee is to run quickly to get away from something or someone who has the potential to cause you pain or death.

Retreat from all appearance of evil. This doesn't mean to cowardly run away, but to back away with caution.

Recoil from all appearance of evil. This is my favorite word. It means that the appearance of evil should make you jump back away from it. When a firearm recoils, it is physically pushed away from a forward force. If a person is walking with Jesus in a correct manner then they should be able to jump back and take notice of evil and find it reprehensible.

Depart from all appearance of evil. To depart from something you had to be a part of it to begin with. The action of repentance is denoted here. It means to turn around and walk in the opposite direction.

fayahsoul:
The thread is already about your self-hate. . .u insecure weakling. I bet you're an ugly ducklin too, mr. jomoHOMO.

Lets face reality, Nigeria is in the hand of butchers who are already cutting us into sizes they wants, let the britico comes back better in their hand than these immature rulers

So what implies is that Govt control what the church does, hummm

EFCC seals off Nnamani’s companies - Over alleged N5.3bn fraud

Kolawole Daniel, Abuja - 11.08.2009

OPERATIVES of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, sealed off the premises of Cosmo FM radio station, Rainbownet Nigeria Ltd and other companies believed to be owned by former governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani.

The action followed a directive by the chairman of the anti-graft agency, Mrs. Farida Waziri, who was acting on reports that some agents of the former governor had broken into the companies’ premises to take physical possession of the seized assets.

The properties were seized by the EFCC through a Lagos Federal High Court order in May 2007, following the indictment of Nnamani over alleged corruption and embezzlement of state funds to the tune of N5.3 billion.

A statement by the commission on Monday denied media reports that it had returned the seized companies to the former governor. “Indeed, the companies were seized on the orders of a federal high court, Lagos in May 2007 and a reversal order obtained by the management of the companies in Appeal Court, Enugu recently. Although the same court held that the commission can exercise its powers over the companies, the EFCC has, however, filed for a stay of execution and an appeal against the unfavourable aspect of the judgment,” the statement said.

“While the issues were still being sorted out in court, reports had it that some agents of the owners of the companies broke in to take possession of the premises. The criminal aspect of that had since been reported to the police to investigate while after proper briefing, the EFCC chairman, last week, directed operatives to seal off the premises, an order that was effectively carried out on Monday after all necessary security arrangements had been put in place,” the statement added.

who tell u say ASUU don call off their Strike? see bellow

FG, ASUU talks deadlock
National News Aug 11, 2009

*FG to apply ‘no work no pay’ rule

By Funmi Kimolafe

Abuja – The renewed negotiation of the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) broke down yesterday. Consequently, government has decided to apply the “No work, no pay” for the striking lecturers if they fail to suspend the strike and create a conducive condition for negotiation.

Labour minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode told newsmen that “The Government team endeavoured to facilitate the conclusion of the negotiation at the strict employer-employee level. Unfortunately, that effort has been stalled by the current strike action. We, therefore, cannot get to the point where the Councils can receive the documents and speedily conclude the negotiations for implementation.

Consequently, the government team is not in a position to continue further negotiations with the union until it suspends its strike action to provide an enabling environment for them”. The minister said ASUU has been frustrating Federal Government efforts to resolve the crisis.

Government’s negotiation team chaired by Deacon Gamaliel Onasode said it could not negotiate under duress as ASUU refused to suspend the strike and create enabling environment for discussion.

The Industrial Arbitration Panel to which the Federal Government referred the trade dispute had directed ASUU to suspend the strike to give room for arbitration but the leadership of ASUU claimed ignorance of any trade dispute declared by the government.

The Federal Government on Thursday expressed a serious concern over what it described as too rigid posture of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) on the crisis in the university system and the negotiation with the union, saying that ASUU was causing a lot of problems within the system.

Labour minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, said it was time for laws to take its full effect, saying that “as it is now, they (ASUU members) are trying to force the government to implement the no work no pay rule.” He emphasised, “Government has warned Nigerians workers over time that if they don’t work they wont have pay.”

He said, “I have pleaded with them, the Senate President had pleaded with them, the Speaker has pleaded with them, all well meaning Nigerians have pleaded with them, including the Chairman of House and Senate Committees. On top of it, Mr. President has granted us a concession of 40 per cent.

“The Vice President has also talked to them. There was agreement that they should go back to the round table to begin discussion, to work out the way out of this situation. They said the issue is not money but all about the agreement and we have been busy working on it one way or the other with the understanding that they will call off the strike while discussion continues.

FG, ASUU talks deadlock
National News Aug 11, 2009

*FG to apply ‘no work no pay’ rule

By Funmi Kimolafe

Abuja – The renewed negotiation of the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) broke down yesterday. Consequently, government has decided to apply the “No work, no pay” for the striking lecturers if they fail to suspend the strike and create a conducive condition for negotiation.

Labour minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode told newsmen that “The Government team endeavoured to facilitate the conclusion of the negotiation at the strict employer-employee level. Unfortunately, that effort has been stalled by the current strike action. We, therefore, cannot get to the point where the Councils can receive the documents and speedily conclude the negotiations for implementation.

Consequently, the government team is not in a position to continue further negotiations with the union until it suspends its strike action to provide an enabling environment for them”. The minister said ASUU has been frustrating Federal Government efforts to resolve the crisis.

Government’s negotiation team chaired by Deacon Gamaliel Onasode said it could not negotiate under duress as ASUU refused to suspend the strike and create enabling environment for discussion.

The Industrial Arbitration Panel to which the Federal Government referred the trade dispute had directed ASUU to suspend the strike to give room for arbitration but the leadership of ASUU claimed ignorance of any trade dispute declared by the government.

The Federal Government on Thursday expressed a serious concern over what it described as too rigid posture of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) on the crisis in the university system and the negotiation with the union, saying that ASUU was causing a lot of problems within the system.

Labour minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, said it was time for laws to take its full effect, saying that “as it is now, they (ASUU members) are trying to force the government to implement the no work no pay rule.” He emphasised, “Government has warned Nigerians workers over time that if they don’t work they wont have pay.”

He said, “I have pleaded with them, the Senate President had pleaded with them, the Speaker has pleaded with them, all well meaning Nigerians have pleaded with them, including the Chairman of House and Senate Committees. On top of it, Mr. President has granted us a concession of 40 per cent.

“The Vice President has also talked to them. There was agreement that they should go back to the round table to begin discussion, to work out the way out of this situation. They said the issue is not money but all about the agreement and we have been busy working on it one way or the other with the understanding that they will call off the strike while discussion continues.

Military set to retire over 1000 officers …DHQ says no comment
By Philip Nwosu

Monday, August 10, 2009

Fears have gripped some military officers over the decision of the Armed Forces authorities to ease them out of service prematurely. The officers Daily Sun learnt are over 1,000 and mostly in the rank of captains and majors and their equivalents in the Navy and Air Force.


The bone of contention, Daily Sun learnt was a decision taken by the military to retire some the officers, particularly those who enlisted as Short Service Combatants at the age of 40.

By the decision, the officers who are mainly captains in the Nigerian Army and their equivalents in the Navy and the Air Force, especially those who enlisted as Short Service Combatants were mandated to retire from the military on the attainment of 40 years under the Armed Forces conditions of service.

They claim that if no action is taken to settle the matter, a good number of officers who enlisted in the military before and between 2002 and 2008 could be thrown out of service earlier than they had planned.

The decision by the top hierarchy of the military have generated disaffection within the ranks of the military with some of the officers seeking protection at the civil court.

Worried by the disaffection the issue had generated and several pending court cases, Daily Sun learnt that the immediate past Minister of Defence, Dr Shettima Mustapha had directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike to raise an administrative panel to iron out grey areas in the terms and condition of service in order to assuage the dissatisfied officers.

However, it was learnt that the panel which was headed by a top officer in the Defence Headquarters instead of improving the conditions of service, insisted that the age ceiling for captains and majors should be at the present age.

As a result, middle level officers under the aegis of Concerned Officers, in a four page Save our Soul message sent to the Chief of Defence Staff, said the recommendation by the panel was capable of deepening the disaffection among the cadre of officers instead of giving them the expected succour.

The SOS letter signed by one Major I A Badisa noted that Short Service Combatants joined the military at the ages of between 25 and 30.

“After graduating from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) after nine months such an officer is commissioned second Lieutenant and is expected to wear the rank for 3-4 years before becoming full fledged Lieutenant. He wears the rank for another 3-4 years to become a captain when probably the officer would have attained the age of either 37 or 38. Because such an officer spends 4-5 years on the rank it means he will be about 41 years as a Major.”

Badisa said the implication of the policy is “that the officers retire at 40, a situation which had propelled disengaged officers to head to the court for redress.’’

‘’We feel this development is not good for the system. The situation will create a dearth of skilled manpower in the Armed Forces’’, Badisa noted. He pointed out that instead of the panel to increase the age ceiling by at least one year, the committee in its report as contained in the harmonized Terms and Condition of Service for Nigerian Armed Forces Officers (2007) Revised, in paragraph 15.04 retained the 40years ceiling for Captains.

Badisa said that although Lieutenant-Colonels had one year added to their age ceiling to make it 50 years, ’’this will not significantly change the present condition. Three years would have been added to the age ceiling for the Lt-Cols, to enable the system benefit maximally from the experience of the officers who after graduating from the Senior Staff Course (PSC) are hardly allowed to remain on the system for long for the nation to benefit from the investment on them.

Most of them retire after one year on the rank of a Lt-Col, this practice is not encouraging.’’

When contact on the issue, the Spokesman for the Military who was identified as Colonel Mohammed Yerima told Daily Sun on phone that he was not going to speak on the matter.

When asked to react on the issues raised by the said Major Badisa, the Military spokesman was enraged and angrily poured abuses on the reporter who tried to explain to him that all he wanted was his reaction.

He however identified the said Major Badisa, explaining that, “but this officer you are talking about works with the Army Headquarters.”

Fashola shud, why? because he ruled well there in lagos

Though he is not a saint, but still the best amidst the looters, Tinubu has set many records in the history nigeria politics, am from ND but still recon with his leadership style,

Better pass PDP l

I think IF the fear of MEND is the disapproval of Warri, then Boko Haram did not pose a security treat to the FIFA

As an advocate of equity and Justies, I think the said demand should have been for total development of the creeks and the region, No to buying of Arms

@ All, this shud not be tribal war, but a call to good governance,

babapupa:
Legacy

Chief Awolowo is remembered for building the first stadium, Liberty Statium, Ibadan in West Africa, first television station WNTV in Africa, running the best civil service in Africa at the time (in the Western Region)

He would also be credited with coining the name "Naira" for Nigeria's currency (formerly known as the Nigerian Pound) as the Federal Commissioner of Finance under the Military Government of General Yakubu Gowon. Today, he is remembered by many Nigerians and non-Nigerians as the best nigerian president that never ruled.


Chief Awolowo was respected by Kwame Nkrumah, and some politicians in the West continue to invoke his name, his policies, and the popular slogan of his Action Group party—"Life More Abundant"—during campaigns. He was also the author of several publications on the political structure and future prospects of Nigeria. These works include Path to Nigerian Freedom, Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution, and Strategies and Tactics of the People Republic of Nigeria.

http://www.answers.com/topic/obafemi-awolowo,

lest u 4 get Yorubas, that ur Brother AWO, despite the fact that he contributed so well to his region South West but ripped off the values of EDO-DELTA and replaces it with ethnic war between Itsekiri-Ijaw, Itsekiri-Urhoubo.

he brought these on us by changing the stastus of Olu of Itsekiri to Olu of Warri

the dividend derived from Cocoa and Rubbers were used to build the so called 1st stadium, 1st television station.

so lets stop tribal ranting but face the fact that yaradua has nothing good for this nation

The killing of the Yussuf might be to avoid the confession and block the revelation of the chief financial of the Sect.

How true is this story?

Because what has Bola to gain from the said ranting and boasting? I cannot believe the story

MEND draws oil war outside Niger Delta, 5 die
Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:09:57 GMT
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Oil pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation at the Altas Cove in Lagos were destroyed in a MEND attack.
Five people have been killed after MEND rebels launched an "unprecedented attack" on the Atlas Cove Jetty in Nigeria.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility on Monday for the destruction of the oil pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation at the Atlas Cove Jetty.

The attack on the country's economic heart, which came only hours before the release of a top MEND leader Henry Okah as part of an amnesty deal, marked a major escalation in the group's activities. It is the group's first attack outside Delta states.

While some government officials have confirmed the attack, there have been reports suggesting that the fire had not been caused by militants.

The Atlas Cove Jetty in Lagos is the main entry point for oil tankers and for ships entering Nigerian waters from the West.

Seeking a greater share of the country's oil wealth, MEND rebels launched their "oil war" in the swamps and creeks of southern Nigeria in 2006.

The group has managed to reduce Nigeria's oil production by one-fifth in the last three years.

Why North is on fire
The inside story
From ISMAIL OMIPIDAN
Sunday, August 2, 2009
•Dead bodies of some of the fundamentalists
Photo: The Sun Publishing
More Stories on This Section

He had just returned from Jigawa State, where he went to drop his family members who paid him a visit in Bama, a Council in Borno State. But when his family bid him farewell that Monday, little did they know that was the last they would see of him.

“Eagle Eye,” as he was fondly called at the Abuja Force Headquarters, because of his intelligence prowess, returned to Bama, his station, hale and hearty that Monday evening.

However, in the wee hours of Tuesday, his sleep was punctured by sporadic shootings. As the Area Commander-in-Charge of Bama, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Ismail Sirajo, dutifully left his house in his Peugeot car to the station to ascertain what was responsible for the rather unusual sporadic shootings.

Unknown to him however, the police station had been surrounded by the self-styled “Nigerian Talibans.” And because the authorities in charge of electricity supply chose that period to go to bed, the eagle eye in Sirajo failed him.
Sirajo, who was at the CIB, Force Headquarters, Abuja before his re-deployment to Bama, drove into the station and asked “what is happening here?” .Those were his last words before the Talibans sent the Kano State-born “Eagle Eye,” into six feet under the ground.

This was exactly how it happened on Tuesday, September 21, 2004. But that was not the first time the Talibans were striking in the North-East region. They had struck in Yobe State in December 2003, precisely December 22, a day after, according to the then governor, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, they had promised to leave the State. The group equally struck again on December 31 2003, in Yobe State, and was on their way to Borno on a New Year day, when they engaged in a gun duel with military personnel drafted to the borders between Borno and Yobe States, a situation that left two of their members dead.

Sunday Sun recalls that their initial abode was Burkarti, in Bursari Council of Yobe State before leaving for Kanamma, a border town between Nigeria and Niger. Kanamma is the headquarters of Yunusari Council, also in Yobe State. It is also not far from Gaidam Council, where the leader of the group, Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf hails from. The incumbent governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam hails from the area.
Since after the invasion of Borno and Yobe States about six years ago, the group decided to settle in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, from where its members from all over country, especially the north, converge from time-to-time.

What therefore did the Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who is also the Chief Security Officer of the State do between January 2005, when Ustaz Yusuf re-settled in Bayan Quarters, Maiduguri and Sunday June 14, 2009 when the leader of the group threatened a reprisal attack following the attack on his members on June 11, 2009?

What did the SSS headquarters in the State, responsible for gathering intelligence report do within the same period? Is it possible that there was a report, but someone ignored it, especially in the light of the fact that those who attacked Bauchi were mobilized from Borno? What did the Muslim clerics who know very well that some of the teachings of the group are at variance with Islam do before the attack?
These are some of the burning questions Nigerians, especially those who are just recovering from the trauma of the attacks across the four States in the north, which has also claim over 300 lives, including non-members of the group, are asking.

Sunday Sun gathered exclusively that the group which initially drew membership from the South-West was first invited to Yobe State during the build-up to the 2003 elections, in the wake of Sharia implementation in some States in the north. But that because the election in the State did not assume the dimension their host thought it would take, the group was abandoned to its fate, before the State government ordered them to vacate its vicinity.

In one of the encounters with Ustaz Yusuf in 2005, shortly after one of his arrests, he confessed to this reporter that the northern governors advocating for the implementation of Sharia in Nigeria were hypocrites, as they do not really believe in Islam. But he was quick to add in that interview which was published in Daily Sun in 2005 that he had since severed his relationship with the Taliban group because of their “extremist” tendencies.

He was however quick to admit that, his group would not relent until an “independent and a just State, devoid of anything haram (unGodly) was established.”
Since that 2005 till their recent attacks in Kano, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno, he has always been a guest of the security operatives in Abuja. Sunday Sun has it on good authority that as at the last count he was arrested, his release was facilitated by a frontline Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain and a former Presidential aspirant from far away Niger State, in North Central, Nigeria.

WHY THEY STRUCK AGAIN
Sources in Kaduna, Maiduguri and Bauchi states revealed to Sunday Sun that the threat from Ustaz Yusuf to launch a reprisal attack, after the attack on his group in June this year in Maiduguri was just used as a smokescreen, as the group had for long been planning to embark on insurrection following what they described as a “failure of the Nigerian State,” to cater for the needy and the down-trodden in the society. One of them told Sunday Sun on condition of anonymity that the actions of the present leadership of the country, led by a Muslim including most of the northern governors did not in anyway reflect the teachings of Islam.

“They (governors) were the ones who first told us about Sharia. And we have come to realize that the western knowledge they have is what is aiding the atrocities they commit every now and then, so that is why we are asking the youth to withdraw from school and join our crusade.
“In a just Islamic society, somebody will not just wake up over night and say because he’s been elected a councilor, erect one big mansion. And you want me to sit down and watch such a person? If we allow it, such a person will further corrupt the society,” he said.
To confirm that the plan was well thought out, sources in Maiduguri told Sunday Sun that the group had sent words to all its members to sell and their properties, while the women should sell gold and jewelries to buy arms in preparation for Jihad.
But he neither denied nor confirmed the allegation of move to carry out insurrection against the Nigerian government by the group.

Sunday Sun gathered authoritatively that sometime in June, the group met somewhere in Badarawa, Kaduna, shortly after attempting to seize the Central Mosque in SMC (Sardauna Memorial College) and toyed with the plan of reviving the Kaduna Muslim Youth group, a group that also toyed with the idea of seizing the rein of power in Nigeria, through insurrection, in 2004. But that the idea fell on the deaf ears of most of those who were part of the meeting, as they were said to have cautioned the group to tread with caution, as it did not posses the wherewithal and the fire power to confront the Nigerian State. One interesting thing about the said meeting was that it was attended by one of the new coverts in Kaduna (name withheld).

The convert, Sunday Sun can reveal, was until recently a legal officer with one of the big banks operating in Kaduna, only for him to suddenly resign his appointment with the bank, following his sudden realization that the interest banks charge in Nigeria was unIslamic. As at the time of filing this report, Sunday Sun gathered that the ex-banker was among those who left for Maiduguri in the wake of the crisis but Sunday Sun could not readily ascertain whether or not he was still alive.

Sunday Sun further learnt that after the attempt to seize the mosque, other Muslims in the community, including some government officials intervened, and requested the leader of the group in Kaduna, simply called AbdulMalik to relocate to Rigasa, another hitherto volatile area in Kaduna. But the said Mosque has since been closed down by security operatives following the crisis in Maiduguri.

WHO IS USTAZ MOHAMMED YUSUF?
There are conflicting claims concerning his educational qualification. But Sunday Sun can authoritatively reveal that Yusuf is unlettered in the real sense of it, as it is doubtful if he ever went beyond primary school. He can also hardly speak passable English language, as in all the encounters with him by this reporter in the past, Hausa language has always been the mode of communication.
However, one thing no one can deny him is his oratory prowess. He can convince the dead to rise up and follow his beliefs and principles about Islam. His group was never known as “Boko Haram (Western education is a sin),” but it is known to be against Western education and forbids one working in any government establishment. The name Boko Haram may have been given to it by members of the public. The group started off as “Allulsunnah Yama’a.”

Available records show that he is from Gaidam, in Yobe State. But he grew up in Maiduguri. In the early stage of the group, he was able to attract membership from the families of the high and mighty in Borno and Yobe States. In fact, at a point, one of the sons of a former SSG in one of the States in the North-East region was a member of his group.

He has links with Bello Damagun, the man allegedly accused of ferrying young Muslim lads to Mauritania for the purpose of receiving combat training in terrorism. Like Yusuf, Bello also hails from Yobe State. And by omission or commission, Yobe, his State of origin and Yusuf’s became the first State in Nigeria where Nigerian Muslim youths publicly acknowledged that they were ‘Talibans,’ even though they are Nigerians.
Part of the allegations against Damagun then was that he allegedly gave out various sums of money and a 10-seater bus with registration Number, KADUNA AN 379 ANC and 30 loud speakers to Muhammed Yusuf, leader of the Islamic sect terrorizing the north. His support to Yusuf, his accusers claim then was to facilitate the spread of “Islamic extremism” and various acts and techniques on terrorism.
Yusuf believes in farming to keep body and soul together. But he is not known to be a mechanized farmer, yet Sunday Sun gathers that he doles out at least N1million every week to some of his followers to engage in what he termed “legitimate business.”
Although Sunday Sun gathered that he has an army of sponsors in Nigeria, but their identities could not be readily ascertained as at press time.

WHY JNI, NORTHERN TRADITIONAL RULERS, COUNCIL OF ULAMAS HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT IN ACTING
Sunday Sun gathered authoritatively that one of the reasons the umbrella body of all Muslims in the north, JNI, Council of Ulamas and even traditional rulers have been reluctant in acting was that most of its members feel that the present government, both at the State and federal level have not treated them fairly, as they feel relegated.

According to sources, even though as a group, they could not have come out to sanction what the Yusuf-led group is doing, there are few of them who share the group’s belief.
And to buttress the government, the source said “if you notice, since the activities of the group began, the only time JNI came close to opposing the group’s view was the communiqué it issued in Kaduna, sometimes in June after one of its meetings in Kaduna, where it condemned the campaign by some Muslims it described as “misguided people” who are telling Muslims not to seek western education and denounce conventional government services. Apart from that time, have heard anything again? The source asked rhetorically.
The source further said that “you see, our leaders in the north have not helped matters. They profess what they cannot do. You remember late Sheik Jafa’ar? He was with Shekarau (Kano governor) at the beginning. But they fell apart because he claimed that the way Mallam (Shekarau) was going about his Sharia, was not in accordance with laid down rules and procedures. The late Islamic scholar believed strongly that Mallam was not sincere with Sharia, period!” the source added.

LAST LINE
All said and done, it would certainly be difficult to attempt to wipe out all the followers of Yusuf from the surface of the earth. Nor matter how hard the security operatives try; there would still some remnants that would be left behind.  But all hands must be on deck to monitor activities of people like Yusuf and his followers in the society, for his gospel has gone far beyond the Nigerian government thinks, and he keeps getting new converts every now and then, especially those already in primary and secondary schools.

I wonder what dey are up to, i mean the OPC. MEND is not at WAR with any tribe or race but vent its AnGeR on FG, for the way they handle the whole ND stuffs, tell me is Atlas Cove now owned by YCE/OPC, may be they have stake in It. hear o yea OPC, face the most important, fight the good fight against the FG or keep quite, Nigerdelta contains different ethnic nationality and have lent his lesson of UNITY, unite to fight PDP and lets return to the start

is the part of the amnesty?,
relocation of skools, i wonder wetin dis guy wan turn ND to be, Dem Papa,

Afta ATlas Cove,
Next is Muritala Airport,

FG reverses Warri PTI upgrade
By Daniel Idonor
Thursday, July 23, 2009

ABUJA – THE Federal Government yesterday reversed the upgrade of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Warri to a University status, as approved by the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

Also, the government rose in staunch defence of the N14 billion budget for the construction of the Kaduna Petroleum College, saying that those who do not want the project sited in the north should have a re-think as there is absolutely nothing they can do to change government’s decision.

The Government had on June 3, this year, at its FEC meeting approved the sum of N14.5 billion for the upgrade of the 15-year-old National College of Petroleum Studies (NCPS), Kaduna, to the status of an institution of higher learning, to enable it meet up with the current human capital challenges in the petroleum industry.

At its weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday, the Government approved the sum of N10.4 billion for the construction of a permanent headquarters for the controversial Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, within 18 months.

With the approval, the Kaduna College is now to be responsible for the training of management manpower needed in the industry while the older PTI, Effurun, Warri would be responsible for training the junior cadre manpower required in the oil industry.

This development undoubtedly has continued to generate widespread condemnation from a cross section of people of the Niger-Delta region.

Fielding questions on these issues from State House Correspondents after yesterday’s meeting, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, declared that that the government of President Yar’Adua has since reversed the Obasanjo decision which upgraded the PTI to a University status because it was unnecessary.

He said “look, look, don’t give us that. That is the mistake which we have made, we have gone ahead and converted the polytechnic and the institution we need for the training of the manpower which we need in our oil industry and not only in the oil industry but also to universities. But everybody wants to obtain a university grade, it does not happen that way”.

According to him, “the people who run the economy of a country are not necessarily people with degrees from universities. This is why we give emphasis to the PTI to train people that we need. Our oil industries are suffering because we don’t have the right manpower.

And here you are talking about converting an institute which has been set up precisely to train people that we need into a university that will train people that we don’t need. How? Come on”.

Reacting to why the government decided to spend such sum on a fledging college in Kaduna at the expense of the ailing PTI in Warri, the Minister said “O, come on. Come on; the place I went to study at the Federal College of Science and Technology in London.

It is the biggest training ground for mining and petroleum engineers, and there is not a drop of oil in London. So the question of the location of the institution to train people is not necessarily a coincidence with where oil resources are.

“Having said that”, he continued, “the Petroleum Training Institute in Warri was set up in the middle of the people, where the bulk of the people who are going to be operating in the oil field come from.

The majority of the people are there, we have also in our local content provision ensure that people from the area where the oil is found are going to be predominate, as a matter of policy, in an employment opportunity.”

He explained that “of course, we cannot say that everybody employed in the oil and gas industry must come from the Niger-Delta region but the majority and the bulk of the people are going to, of course, come to the area. The Petroleum College in Kaduna is not going train everybody in the sector.

It is going to train managers, and without prejudice, it will have a high enough standard and people will from all over Africa will come and be trained. And the PTI Warri is training people from Angola, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe, but the bulk of this intake must be Nigerians. But we will make it possible for other nationals working with us in the industry to bring in students”.

On the government’s wisdom approving N14 billion for the building of a new office for PTDF a week after it approved N3.9 billion for the furnishing of the new office of Foreign affairs ministry, the minister said: “talking about the N14 billion cost for the construction of the PTDF office, if you want to build a three-bedroom flat you know what the price is.

Here you want more people to be trained in the oil gas industry and you don’t want the PTDF to have a befitting office, an agency that trains not only people in the oil and gas industry but for petroleum technology that we need in the oil and gas.

You don’t want them to have suitable office. What do you want to do? You want them to operate from a flat”? He queried.

TEN YEARS OF DEMONSTRATION OF CRAZE
On the 29th of May, Nigeria marked 10 years of transition to civil rule, within these period of 10 years there has been display of straight or what I will say insanity by the power brokers.

Nigerians has witnessed the barbaric style of leadership by those politicians that come into power in the bid to enrich themselves, living behind the promise they made in the days of campaign.

The pains and venom drove through my bone marrow as an unemployed graduate each time I see politicians, I mean people that got the grace to put things right after decades of backward movement initiated by the military. But all they do is flexing of powers and strength rather than flexing of developments. Within these 10 years of political insanity in Nigeria, these are some invents that proved and confirmed the eccentric nature of our democracy.

The coming of Obasanjo looks like a light at the end of a tunnel, but did not take time to know that it was just the same old game plan. He came with some developmental master plan and a map of navigation which was greatly accepted by all and sundry, not knowing that they were the same political gimmick to drive away our mind from his original intents.

What do we have to celebrate for, is it the celebrated Oputal panel that could not achieve the said aims and objectives rather it was used to open up old wounds and celebrate Babangida super, mega and unlimited power, the two watch dogs (EFCC or ICPC) that were mainly used to oppress oppositions, and used to fight those that were not subjective to General Obasanjos opinions and plans, the several killings of individual, which Chief Bola Ige Fell victim of or ethnic cleansing in the Niger delta, I mean the Odi village barbaric killing by the so-called men that are meant to protect the people now turned to be their killer, and the killing of the Tiv people during the clash of the Jukun and Tiv people in Zakibiam in the year 2001, all these attacks were all in the bid  to inflicts injuries on the opposition.

These absolute flexing of strength paved way to continues suffering the masses receives from the people they voted for. The electoral system is well designed in such a way that with or without our vote, they get an easy ride to the top. Elections in Nigeria is generally characterises by violence and most time don’t reflects the views and conscience of the populace, the unpopular candidate will now have his/her way. A popular joke goes does “there was this discussion with an American, a Chinese and a Nigeria, the Chinese man in show his country rule of law said If there is an election in China you get the result the second day, the American burst in to laughter and affirm the fact that if election takes place in the US you have the result before the close of the day but the Nigeria man shout them down and said in Nigeria you get the result of the election before the actual voting“. The 2007 election tribunal nullification of some result is a manifest of the style of selection I will say we do in Nigeria.   The rescheduled election in ten local governments in Ekiti state greatly open up can of worm in our electoral system. While countries like Ghana and South African held violence and malpractices free election, what a shame.

Our Education system is nothing to write home about, I remember when I was in the secondary school our English master was a Ghanaian, can you imagine a foreigner not an English man but a co west African coming down to Nigeria to take up teaching responsibilities what a shame. Education in Nigeria is not giving its own due when it comes to funding, and the little money injected are used by political faithful. Why because their children are schooling abroad and those within the coast of Nigeria are in the private institutions. So the state of our education is not their headache.

We now generate a lot of applicants; a lot of countries showcase their talents, while we try to number the millions among us that are jobless. I went for an aptitude test not too long ago, I almost bust into tears, because of the numbers of the applicant, that took my mind to different vices and troubles caused by youth of this generation, a lot took up arms and ammunitions to make ends meets, as am writing this article, I form part of those that prefer to continue in the search and apply for ones that will not attracts a lot of applicants and try to avoid the ones that will need a letter from a big politicians from the ruling party. Even jobs in the Military and Paramilitary are given to children of the privilege. What is our joy if for ten years we could not bring back the lost glory.

The Basic needs of the masses could not be meet up to 5%, which is most disgraceful to us as a nation, and at the end we are clamouring for a permanent sit in the United Nation, a nation that could not feed herself nor protect the interest of her citizenry is now seeking for a responsibility to overseas her continental region. What a shame. Our Power system had a been in a rotating situation, its just a pipeline used by our politicians to pipe away tax payer's money, I don’t want to dwell on these because it’s another big issue on it’s own, which manifested through the arrest of some house members.

Food and security is another thing we are short of. The recent invasion of the creeks by hungry zombie, killing the old, young women and helpless children. Let me just keep mum, because if I should make a statement, it will look as if am against a certain section of the nation. Truly it was a ploy to cleanse the Niger delta region so as to have full access to the oil. But only the creator has power to cleanse not man.
An extract from Baba Fela’s Music “Demo crazy Crazy demo, Demonstration of craze, crazy demonstration, if e no be craze, why for Africa”   it’s truly an eccentric display of talents, which the National Assembly was the major visual screen of the shame.

My fellow Nigerians what do we have to show for the ten years of civil rule? What do have on our score card? What do we have to boast of? Where are the manifests of good governance? What do we have to show for ten years? Has Nigerian felt the real dividends of democracy? Why the celebration? Is it not another means for siphoning the nation?  Please if you’ve not been to Lagos state, go there and see they are really enjoying democracy.

We are at the back seat amidst committee of nations, TEN YEARS OF WASTE, let’s sit back and make the right decision. When next you want to vote, vote the true democrats.


Ojangbe Peter Omojaifoh Aikhenomian
Taiwo Road Ilorin
omojaifoh@yahoo.com

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