₦airaland Forum

How kidnapping fast became some sort of a culture in Nigeria is something beyond me. Who knows, sooner or later, it would soon be an accepted/maligned norm in the society, akin to corruption. Hmmm, scary!

@ell77, why would you look upto Oprah for assistance?

Jakumo, you have sucessfully reduced the validity of the Yoruba saying into nothing.

Akan, you could have provided a substantial rebuttal to Chichi's discourse, without resorting to insulting her family. That was uncalled for!

Do you think that birth control contravenes the Word of God that we should be fruitful and multiply the earth? Critics contend that the world is overpopulated, the earth is strained of its resources, and having many kids is a sure route to poverty. Defenders of the Biblical injunction blame mankind (who practise birth control) for not having faith in God for providing for His children. A lady appeared on a talk show program some days ago, and when she was questioned, she told Oprah that she does not practise birth control. But what amazed me was that (I think), she told Oprah that the last time she was pregnant was about 3 years ago.

I have always thought that as long a a woman was fertile and sexually active, then pregnancy would occur, but I learnt yesterday, that there are certain months that are quite unfavorable for the development of the embryo. That's not the point I am trying to raise though, but my question is if birth control (and I dont mean abortion, or any contraceptives that endangers the livelihood of the zygote), like the rhythm method, family planning, etc, goes against the Word of God? Part of Africa's poverty is linked to the number of children that parents have, but - - -

Thanks for your correction@Genial, God resurrected Jesus Christ.

And for the answer to your question, Moses never entered the promised land.

Not good! If this is indeed true, the governor's priorities are completely misplaced.

Why cant our own artistes be recognized on their own, instead of being linked with their fellow counterparts in the Western World? Richard Mofe-Damijo is known as African Denzel, Achebe is the African Shakespeare, and perhaps more than a few others? Cant we be known for our individuality, instead of terming the appendage linking them with an American/Western celebrity?

Babyosis, that's quite funny. When I was going home for a family emergency, honestly, the hassle was too much for one to bear. My aunt told me that the some of the workers at the embassy are so full of themselves, regarding themselves as ambassadors. Anyway, when I applied for mine, the guy on the phone was like laughing, wondering why I did not have a Nigerian passport. Prior to my application, I had assumed that holding a dual passport was illegal, so like that like that, I was on the receiving end of these jokes. Finally got my visa, but now, I am foregoing that route and would try and get my Nigerian passport. I can't be applying for a Nigerian visa when I am a Nigerian citizen.

Is the EFCC the American version of the Better Business Bureau?

Desperate action requires desperate emergencies. Lodge a complaint with the cops! Have you informed your parents about this harrasment?

Pilgrim, it is indeed True, the Trinity was involved in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. All along, I had erroneously believed that it was only the Father. So, few days ago I read the Biblical passage that you just quoted about the rightful claim made by Jesus Christ that He has the Power to take down His Life and Come back to Life again. Also, thanks for pointing out the Biblical verse that affirms the involvement of the Holy Spirit in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Praise God in the Name of Jesus Christ!, Amen.


@Pilgrim, from reading some of your discourses on this board, you appear quite knowledgeable on Biblical verses. May God direct you in His Paths in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Yeah, he can invest 25 Naira in one of those get rich quick schemes in Nigeria and reap thousands of dollars. Have you not been reading this board about these schemes? (I am just being sarcastic)

Cant say for sure, its either the day when I was informed that my mom had passed away or another day, when I learnt that my younger brother had died.

Why all these hostility, and how can you just assume that the writer is just bragging? 5 million Naira may be a lot of money, but it could be that the writer cashed in on her equity on her real estate, has a good paying job or is a businesswoman. Leave her alone. That's her decision, to stay in Nigeria for one year, and for Seun, it is wrong to discourage her from visiting Nigeria. That's her home, and if that is her dream, then let her go for it. Una think say person no dey get homesickness because dem dey live for America? Not so!

@the poster. I have never been to Abuja, but I'd like to think that 5 million Naira is more than enough for one person to survive.

Besides, what would be the point in bragging about one's worth in an online community when majority of the responders do not even know each other.

Affluence should never be the yardstick to classify someone as "high-browed. It is totally wrong and rude to regard someone as a low-life.

Who Resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead?

God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit

And why would you label someone a 'low life'?

Ugonna, Cain was married. Read "Genesis 4:16-17"

So, what if I declare that Nairobi looks nicer and posher than Lagos and Abuja, does that officially make me a hater of Nigeria, based on the fact that that someone earlier asserted that some Nigerians are too critical of their country. Nairobi relies on tourism and has suceeded in transforming their country into a stable and prosperous country. Nigeria, with our oil, has failed woefully in that regard.

The conflict that arose between Moses and his siblings over his marriage to the Ethiopian woman should serve as a lesson to some racists who view interracial relationships as deviating from the Word of God.

As for Orikinla claiming that Moses was polygamous, I did check, and it is probably likely that Zipporah died, prior to his marriage to the Ethiopian wife.

Inability to pay high bride price led me to robbery–24-year-old robbery suspect
By Dayo Thomas
Published: Sunday, 5 Aug 2007
The story of Sunday Egwuonowu, a 24-year-old robbery suspect, is shrouded in poignant irony. He was obsessed with marriage and addicted to his 19-year-old fiancée, Carol; now, marriage has become a nightmare to him, and Carol, his nemesis, as the two have combined to make his life a misery. What a life! He sacrificed all to ensure he never missed his darling, but the same girl has deserted him now that he needs her most. Even the setting at the Adatan Police Division, Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he is currently having his honeymoon, is a sharp contrast to the world of fantasies he promised his friends. He had concluded the first stage of his wedding plans, and the whole celebration might be over but the hangover is yet to go away.

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Sunday Egwuonowu

His story sounds more like a fairy tale; touching and mind-blowing. And save for its proven veracity, it could possibly have passed for one of the new releases from the Nigerian movie industry.

With passion and emotional agony, Egwuonowu speaks quietly and deliberately, bringing out words that could only be found in a truly meditative mind as he graphically paints how he became a victim of culture. He confesses to have gone into robbery to enable him raise over N300,000 to pay for his wife’s dowry, which has now put him in big trouble.

The transformation is amazing. Even his house, situated at Transformer Street by Okokomaiko Bus Stop in Lagos, which played host to an unusually large crowd a few weeks ago during his pre-wedding party, is just a shadow of itself now. A few weeks ago, the air was filled with the bubbling spirit of commemoration; now the only music he hears is supplied by mosquitoes in his Adatan cell in Abeokuta.

His neighbours are not aware of his location, while some believe he has travelled to a foreign country. And the very woman for whom the crime was committed has run away. He is now vulnerable, alone and very lonely.

Sandwiched between Emeka Chidi (alias Aboki) and Kelechi Uche (alias KC), his partners in crime on Tuesday at the Adatan Police Division in Abeokuta, he was a pitiable sight as he struggled to unlock the riddles of his life.

He had established himself as a shoe agent, selling shoes to his numerous clients. Despite his limited education, it was not difficult for him to convince and win customers to his side. But like a man facing the wrath of angry gods, he turned his own life’s glory to ashes; he tasted the forbidden fruit and he is now facing the consequences.

Societal obligations compelled him to relate with men of the underworld, who initiated him into a business deal that has changed the course of his life.

“I was selling shoes near Mandillas on Lagos Island and though the thing was bringing in little money, I was managing my life little-by-little and I was planning to marry my woman. But the problem is that the money I was getting from my business was not enough to pay for my wife’s dowry and I did not want to lose her. Nobody was ready to give me money. I tried all my best, but it did not work and I discussed it with my friend Emeka, who introduced me to Kelechi,” he narrates.

Egwuonowu was in need of about N300,000 to offset part of the marital obligations and he was at a dilemma until he met Chidi at a beer joint in Iyana Ira, a Lagos suburb. Chidi, a fellow shoe seller, later introduced him to Uche, who specialises in handset repairs. His journey of no return began, as that very day, Uche further introduced Egwuonowu to Israel Nwakpa, alias Aowa, a notorious bank robber.

Nwakpa, who had been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force for robbery, was before then serving with Mopol 20 in Lagos. He was said to have been involved in stealing in 2004 and had since been on the wanted list of the police until he was arrested by the men of the Ogun State Command on this fateful day.

Aside from his notoriety as a smuggler, Nwakpa was said to have been involved in many bank and hotel robberies, where many people had lost their lives in Lagos and Ogun states.

A very fearsome and mean robber, his dangerous attributes were attested to by Uche and Egwuonowu, who referred to him as their leader. This same Nwakpa it was, who promised to help Egwuonowu out of his acute financial crisis. “He promised he was going to help me but I did not know he was a robber,” Egwuonowu alleges.

Egwuonowu had his baptism of fire on the same day they carried out a bloody robbery operation at a particular hotel in Lagos. Though he claimed he did not carry a gun like his colleagues, the success of the outing seemed to have inspired him to go for more operations. He later became fully inducted into the world of robbery. His first operation fetched him N5,000 and five expensive handsets. He sold the handsets and was able to deposit some money for the dowry. “The whole dowry was not paid at once,” he said.

“I was not happy during my first outing with them. Though I followed them to the first operation, it was Nwakpa who was carrying a gun, I was not carrying gun. I only helped to collect handsets, and at the end of the operation they gave me N5,000 and five handsets. I later sold them to deposit for my woman’s bride price.”

The trio of Egwuonowu, Uche and Chidi point to Nwakpa as the leader of the team, who was deadly and dangerous and was able to use his proficiency in weapon handling as a former police officer to his advantage.

“It was Nwakpa that was directing us. He is the leader of the team and has mastered how to fire. He was the one who was carrying a gun. Kelechi, Emeka and I followed him to two different operations in some hotels, and it was Nwakpa who was our leader,” Egwuonowu says.

But Nwakpa dismissed those allegations as false. He alleged that they were equally involved in all operations, but the operations, he claimed, were led by a more fearsome man, whom he called Sgt. Tamuno. The faceless Tamuno, who was not even known by the trio of Uche, Chidi and Egwuonowu, he claimed, served with Mopol 2 in Obalende.

At the point of arrest, Nwakpa was found with rifles and a mobile police uniform, which he said belonged to Tamuno,

“The real person that has been leading the operations was one Sergeant Tamuno, who served at Mopol 2 Obalende. He led the operation where we stormed a bureau de change and collected money in foreign currencies. He gave me part of the money,” he said.

But the Ogun State Police Commissioner, Joseph Apapa, has described Nwakpa as a pathological liar. According to Apapa, the suspect has been linked to many robberies in the state. But Nwakpa was overpowered by men of the command, who combated the team to a stand still. Nwakpa found the security trap of the Ogun command impenetrable and was arrested with his team. The reasons given by Egwuonowu and Co. for their involvement in robbery have been described by the Ogun Police Commissioner as stories that were meant to deceive the unwary. He believes the boys were driven by motives, that are self serving and largely pecuniary in nature.

He also dismisses the allegation that the robbery operations were led by one Tamuno. According to him, preliminary investigations have shown that there was no Tamuno anywhere.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s surname, Egwuonowu, means “fear of death,” and like the biblical Job, what he fears most may soon come upon him.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20070805612525

Any society that is not open to criticism faces an uphill future of attaining progress. In America, healthcare/insurance woes has led to criticisms which has forced some governors to make some amendments in procuring insurance to the underclass. In Nigeria, probably, those critics would be having their day in Kirikiri prison.