Nigeria's government is “playing to the media and not the problem” in its
approach to the al Qaeda-linked insurgent group Boko Haram, says one of
the oil-rich country’s wealthiest men. Orji Uzor Kalu, a newspaper executive
and former governor, is calling for direct talks with Boko Haram militants,
who have killed thousands of Nigerians since 2009, and he has offered to be
an intermediary. His call for negotiations comes as the U.S. government on
Monday announced a $23 million reward for the capture of the militants’
leader. “There is a smarter, more effective way to keep the Boko Haram from
growing into a force that will tear Nigeria apart, but so far the government
is playing to the media and not the problem,” Mr. Kalu said this week.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, with more than 174 million
people, and the continent’s largest oil producer. Despite implementing
economic reforms, the government is still hampered by corruption and
widespread poverty as it battles an Islamic insurgency. Chairman of
Nigeria’s Daily Sun newspaper, Mr. Kalu, 53, is advocating a government
campaign to win the hearts and minds of people in the poorer, northern
areas of the country where Boko Haram operates, which he believes is
essential in stopping the bloodshed that has claimed more than 8,000 lives.
Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan grudgingly adopted a suggestion by
Mr. Kalu — offering amnesty to Boko Haram militants who agree to lay down
their arms. But the government so far has rejected Mr. Kalu’s latest call,
opting instead to launch high-profile military attacks against the insurgents.
Still, Nigerians and political observers are beginning to talk about the
prospect of Mr. Kalu, former governor of Abia State, vying to succeed Mr.
Jonathan as president in 2015. “Kalu is an experienced player in Nigerian
politics, with fresh ideas. He understands adversity; however, he is able to
view it through the lens of developmental opportunity,” said Zsolt Nyiri,
director of the Netherlands-based Institute for Strategy and Complexity
Management, which fosters entrepreneurship and philanthropy in Africa.
As a leading voice of the Igbo, one of Nigeria’s three major tribes, Mr. Kalu
believes he is the right person to open talks with Boko Haram. Mostly
merchants and farmers, the Igbo people have a strong sense of ethnic
identity, but they have been discriminated against and ostracized by non-
Igbo governments. During Nigeria’s 1967-1970 civil war, which devastated
their lands, U.S. National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger told President
Nixon that the Igbo were “the Jews of West Africa.” Mr. Kalu believes the
Igbo’s outsider status is an asset in not only persuading insurgents to lay
down their arms but also addressing challenges to Nigeria’s governance,
with corruption key among them.
Nigeria ranks near the bottom of Transparency International 2012
Corruption Perception Index, placing 139 among the 176 countries assessed
and marking a nine-point decline during Mr. Jonathan’s tenure. “We need
more consistency in our legal framework if multinational companies are
going to be comfortable doing business here,” said Mr. Kalu, who is also
chairman of an oil shipping and services company. “I look forward to the day
when foreign investors will come to see Nigeria as a safe and reasonable
and accountable place to do business.” He said now is time for change,
noting that no one from the Igbo tribe — which accounts for at least 20
million people — has held the presidency since the end of the civil war.
“Forty years is a long time, and Nigeria is ready to complete the circle of our
national identity,” Mr. Kalu said in discussing the prospect of an Igbo
presidency. “I’m not necessarily saying that person has to be me, but I do
believe it is essential to achieve the kind of balance my country needs to
move forward. Asked if he is running for president, Mr. Kalu smiled and
said: “I think our-yet-to-be-written history suggests our next president will
be an Igbo.”

source: http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/5/nigerian-tycoon-offers-to-
initiate-talks-with-boko/?page=all#pagebreak

At last, President Goodluck Jonathan took the bull by the horns and confronted the monster of insecurity that had threatened to devour the soul of the nation. He did this in a firm, fashionable, surprising and tactical way– beyond the estimation of the ever-burrowing, news-hungry Nigerian media.Apart from mentioning the matter in a few elite circles, the plan to declare a state of emergency in three states of north east – Borno, Yobe and Adamawa – was well wrapped. I sensed that something unusual was about to happen immediately President Jonathan cut short his state visit to Namibia and raced home. For the first time, this president betrayed emotion publicly. He was reported to have openly berated his security chiefs for their inability to contain the rage of the militant groups that have held the nation by the jugular in recent times.#The last straw that broke the camel’s back, probably, was the bloodbath in Eggon Local Government of Nasarawa in which some 112 State Security Service operatives and policemen were felled in a failed operation intended to flush out the dreaded Ombatse Cult. The spilling of the innocent blood of the security personnel, coupled with the menacing and embarrassing operations of Boko Haram, forced the hand of the president to reach for a very stern, extreme measure – declaring a state of emergency in the three states. The state of emergency has since gone into full acceleration with the military high command taking control of operations, which are already
yielding fruitful results. According to the Defence Headquarters’ spokesman, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, the enforcement of the emergency rule is progressing tactically as planned, with heart-warming results. The most reassuring news so far since the operation began came four days ago when it was reported that the hitherto foolhardy members of the sect were running helter-skelter, seeking safe havens outside the territories of Nigeria.#
In all of what has happened so far, there are salient issues that should occupy the minds of the President and those directly involved in the implementation of the emergency rule. I have read diverse opinions on the matter – some in favour, some against – but only a few commentators have really touched on the key issues that should form the kernel of moves to resolve the impasse. My worry lies in the fact that our people have not been sufficiently sensitized about the rationality of the state of emergency.
The most scathing criticism of the President’s action has come from fiery northern critics, who view it as uncalled for and intended to create further confusion in the North. Some other critics refer to the President’s action as
politically motivated, and not really intended to crush the rebellion by the sect. As much as every Nigerian enjoys the freedom to speak his mind, I think this should be done with some decorum and altruism. Why should any right-thinking Nigerian describe the declaration of emergency rule in the three states as politically inspired? That’s unfair to the President and families of thousands of Nigerians that died from attacks by the dreaded sect. What the President did was timely, rational, fair and just. How could the president have sat down and watch the people placed under the care of his administration slaughtered in droves? Imagine what would have happened if the President had waited a few more days. Probably, the sect would have succeeded in throwing the entire nation into anarchy, which was
the ultimate target of the intensification of its attacks.#
I was deeply disturbed by the revelation by President Jonathan that the sect had already conquered some areas and placed them under its sovereign control, even to the extent of hoisting its flags. So, what could anybody have
expected the president to do in this circumstance? Sit and watch his government toppled by the sect, or take far-flung, firm action to restore normalcy and stop the unnecessary killings? You make the choice! Some have also criticized the retention of democratic institutions, while the emergency rule is being enforced. What is wrong with that? Ordinarily, former President Olusegun Obasanjo should not have dismantled the democratic institutions as he did when he declared a state of emergency in Plateau and Ekiti states, respectively. He took the extreme measures in order
to achieve other mundane ends. There is nowhere in the constitution where it is expressly stated that existing democratic institutions should be suspended while emergency rule is being enforced. What many people might not have known is that President Jonathan is a totally different person from Obasanjo. While one is brash, extroverted, loud and outlandish, the other is introverted, calm, calculated and collected. This does not mean that the latter is a saint, because there are no living saints. The comparison is only intended to paint a distinct picture of each man in terms of carriage and mien.#
In any case, by retaining the democratic institutions, the president has played a fast one on those waiting at the fringes to attack him for meddling with such institutions for political gains. Though the three states are controlled by two different political parties – All Nigerian Peoples Party(already swallowed up by the yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress) and Peoples Democratic Party – the action of the president will not change their coloration anyway. All it will do to the parties is to strengthen them,because they will operate in a more serene, safe and secure environment. I am sure there has not been real politicking going on in the three states under the current volatile security situation. It is outrageous that some high-ranking persons had described the timing of the emergency rule as late. Definitely, these are people not properly schooled in the art of warfare.
Introducing emergency rule is a very delicate matter that requires diligent planning and execution, wide consultation and enlightenment. This was what the president was doing all these months. He struck when the time was auspicious. And the results are tumbling in.#
Surely, it would have amounted to the same tactical mistake made by the sacked Police Commissioner of Nasarawa State, who dispatched security men to Eggon to confront the dreaded Ombatse Cult at night ill-prepared and without sufficient intelligence. The result was the slaughter we all witnessed. It is only a fool that will go to war without adequate planning. He would be crushed by the superior firepower of his enemy. Those who criticize the timing should not lose sight of the fact that Boko Haram is more than a sect, because of the massive subterranean, covert support it is
receiving from outside the country. Would anybody be surprised if it is later revealed that some of the sponsors of the sect were countries that see Nigeria as a threat to their global ambitions? Do not forget: Nigeria is a
global power in Africa, nay the world, irrespective of the challenges it is facing. No country worth its salt will ever underrate Nigeria under any consideration.#
Let me make it very clear: The security challenges facing the country today were not caused by Jonathan. That is the truth. I agree it is his duty to secure the life and property of every Nigerian, but that is to a reasonable extent and as much as current realities could go. I am sure Boko Haram had been in existence ever before President Jonathan was born. So, why should anybody blame him for the inglorious activities of the sect? The seeming triumph of Boko Haram (before the state of emergency was declared) was born out of the subtle acquiescence of some aggrieved persons who hid under the sect to promote sectarianism, clannishness and bigotry. The result was the obvious docility of persons who should ordinarily be speaking out in condemnation of the activities of the sect. And that seemingly emboldened the sect to become more daring and try other stunts on the government.
Has anybody considered the peculiar nature of Borno, Yobe and the environs? We are talking about a very vast, complex and difficult terrain, bordered by countries with high incidence of trans-border crimes and
infiltrations. Securing such a massive area poses a huge challenge in terms of material and manpower resources. Even when the resources are available, nothing much could be achieved without the cooperation of the people.
From close observation, it would seem the sect was getting support from local people – maybe out of fear or sympathy or both. It is simple logic: There was no way the sect could have held on this long with all the
showmanship without something or somebody behind it. There is an Igbo adage, which says that when a bird is dancing in the middle of the road in a forest, the drummer is not far away. Take or leave it: Boko Haram has powerful backers within and outside the country. And it is these people that had given it the courage to face the government with such audacity and foolhardiness.#
As much as I support every effort to restore normalcy to the affected areas, we should not do away completely with the idea of dialogue. I have always believed that no matter what happens, the warring parties will still end up at the roundtable. This was why I offered to mediate a truce between the sect and the government. I made the offer not unaware of the grave danger inherent, but I was overpowered by patriotism and the eagerness to see
normalcy return. I have read where people advised the president to crush the sect, using all the powers and resources available to him. Not a bad idea. But have the proponents asked who the members of the sect are. They
are full-blooded Nigerians fighting for a cause they deemed fit and proper.
By implication, they should not have constituted themselves into a threat to national peace and security. And anybody that engages in such a treasonable and felonious act is inviting the full weight of the law. It would
have been a different thing if the sect were populated by people from other countries. I know there are recruits from other countries. Nevertheless, this does not make the sect foreign. So, all we will have achieved at the end of
the day, if we succeeded in wiping out the entire sect, is depopulating Nigeria. What then should be done? The President should direct the commanders of the military operations to pay more attention to capturing
the deviants alive rather than ‘flushing’ them out. Bringing the full might of the military to bear on the operation will amount to killing a fly with a sledgehammer. There is no doubt that there may be some people critical of
this suggestion; nonetheless they should realize that two wrongs do not make a right. We can still tame and reform the sect by capturing them alive. Killing them as some people suggest is tantamount to hardening those that will be left over at the end of the whole onslaught. Pakistan and Iraq got to where they are because of the application of extreme force to flush out insurgents. In the process they got entrenched and won more support from unusual quarters.#
Again, the operation should be carried out with adequate caution and care to shield the civilian population from harm. The nation cannot afford to lose more civilians. Since the Boko Haram insurgency began, the nation has lost over 3000 innocent lives. This is where the traditional and religious leaders come in. They should embark on massive enlightenment of their people to bring them attune with what they need to do to stay safe. Government should make adequate preparations for refugees and other victims that will be produced by the ongoing ‘war’. Those taken as Prisoners of War (POWs) should be humanely treated and, in the end, tried in the court of law for crimes against humanity, and jailed if found guilty. Nobody should take laws into his hand by subjecting those captured to inhuman treatment. Above all, the presidential committee on Amnesty should intensify efforts to ensure that the members of the sect surrender before they are harmed or captured. I think it makes sense for them to surrender now it is clear they
are losing the war on terror. What will it profit them to continue to fight blindly and get killed when they have a window of opportunity to surrender and be saved? Traditional rulers and village heads should be involved in the
current moves to make peace with the sect, even though the government now has the upper hand. There is also the need to tackle the root cause of the insurgence by Boko Haram. The first thing to do is to arrest and deal
with those involved in the extra-judicial killing of the leader of the sect, Yusuf Mohammed. After that, government should see what it can do to rehabilitate members of the sect that would submit themselves to
rehabilitation. This is why I am totally in support of amnesty for the sect. It will give them an opportunity to learn new trades and deploy their talents and skills productively.#
Government should use the chance offered by the emergency rule to attend to restiveness in other parts of the country – particularly the Southeast and the South-south. It should avoid the temptation of resorting to the use of
brute force in dealing with those angling for greater autonomy, since what they are fighting for maybe a legitimate aspiration applied through the wrong channels and means. Let me urge those criticizing the president’s
action to sheathe their swords and cooperate with him to move Nigeria forward. The current state of emergency is intended not to harm or obstruct any political party’s plans for 2015 – it is a bold step toward restoring normalcy to areas prune to escalation of insecurity and destruction of innocent lives and properties. For this reason, we should back the president.


Source: http://www.facebook.com/igberetv

A former governor of Abia state has personally and transparently clarified his donations to the Education Fund launch in Maiduguri in 1988, which was later acknowledged by the State committee under the administration of Col. Abdulmumini Aminu noting that Mr. Chidi Stephen Okeke who short-changed him (Kalu) with his donation has served his 5 year jail term after a court process. Kalu, in his interview on Liberty Radio on Saturday, May 18th
2013, had earlier stated that he donated 100million Naira to Obasanjo, (when the former President had only 10,000 Naira when he left prison) for his Presidential campaign. Kalu said ‘…I expect President Obasanjo to
acknowledge my financial support and contribution to his emergence as the
president of Nigeria in 1999. Obasanjo should remember that petty attempts to blackmail never work in a modern day system’.
Kalu stated that while his integrity and credibility are fully intact, it is rather Obasanjo who has been time and again deceitful to Nigerians, propagating his so-called anti-corruption legislation without leading by example. ‘For example, what can you expect from a man that could not fix
the road from Abeokuta to Otta, his very community, the Ilorin – Ibadan – Lagos express way? Unemployment was at its peak during his tenure. And lastly and importantly, whatever happened to the $16 billion USD allocation allegedly given to the power sector? Obasanjo’s third term agenda was
unequivocally a self-serving move to cage Nigerians and their aspirations for the democratic process; fortunately, voices locally and internationally were collectively able to stop this wildly unpopular move. I would suggest that is the bone of contention between my good self and President Obasanjo.
However, Obasanjo should leave the past behind and face the future in the interest of the nation. Yes, I gave, but if more people give to worthy causes, our country will be stronger.

source: http://facebook.com/igberetv

Unarguably, life is the biggest and most complex teacher humanity has ever had. Its style of imparting its lessons differs significantly from the mundane and esoteric knowledge that man exemplifies. Which wisdom is, therefore, greater than that that comes from above? That is why it is usually said that man’s wisdom is foolishness in
the sight of God. Even the Psalmist agrees with that position when he said that “what a foolish man lacks is knowledge and a stupid man understanding.”
The reason for the crisis that has engulfed
humanity stems from the simple fact that they lack knowledge. It is knowledge that guides your mind to accomplish unusual tasks. Without knowledge, you are like a rudderless ship – at the mercy of turbulent winds. And so, for me, life has taught me many lessons: some bitter, some sweet. It is
the combination and application of these
numerous lessons that has made me the total
man I am today. Unbelievably, many people have failed to draw wisdom from the lessons that life has taught them, and instead found themselves in messier situations. In the 53 years of my earthly existence, life in itself has been my most dependable teacher – the moral compass that guides every action I take.
The irony of my life constitutes in the fact that I grew up under very difficult environment and learnt early to be a ‘man’. This is why my mind works at its fittest every minute of the day. Again, I learnt early in life that it is God that can never promise you anything and fail to fulfill it. I have been betrayed in several business and political
relationships, not as a result of a fault of mine, but because of the unreliability of man. In business, where I have made modest progress, I have relied totally on my instinct, which has never failed me. Before I embark on any venture, my mind will first reveal to me whether it will be successful or not. And if I follow my mind (or instinct) it will always turn out successful.
On some occasions, I have had to bite my fingers for the unavoidable mistakes I had made. Last Sunday, my 53rd birthday, I tried to spend quiet time ruminating over my life – how far I had come and what is left to accomplish – and I marvelled at what lay ahead. Before then, I was thinking I
had completed at least 70 per cent of my tasks in life, not knowing that what I thought I had done was just a drop in the ocean, compared to what is yet undone. For instance, I realised that the most daunting task is the emancipation of my people
(Igbo of Eastern Nigeria) who have been
oppressively treated since the end of the civil war.
Though I have championed this cause since my days as governor, the urge to get done with it became increasingly pressing during that quiet time I had last Sunday. Indeed, it was the thought of how to redeem my people that gave me the fillip to go out to address the British Parliament on Thursday last week on the marginalization of Igbo in Nigeria.
I knew the burden of taking up this rare task, but I was encouraged by one of the lessons life taught me that cowards die many times before their death. Those who think about their lives will lose it, but those who sacrifice it for the sake of the kingdom of God will regain it. I know that my people are somewhat skillful politically. Some of
them are even self-centred when it comes to the general good. But I did not mind all that in the pursuit of what is right for them. The lives of great statesmen such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Aminu Kano and, of recent, Sam Mbakwe and Ken Saro Wiwa, have inspired faith in me.
These were men that led their lives for the good of others. Zik returned home from the comfort provided him by the United States to join theindeterminable struggle for Nigeria’s
independence. His contributions to the emergence of today’s Nigeria are legendary. The same goes for Awolowo. Awo was generally believed to be an ethnocentric person, but those who saw him in that light were crassly ignorant. What Awolowo saw several years before his death in 1987 was
never seen by any of his peers. He saw that
Nigeria, despite the much-touted unity-in-diversity, was an endemically, ethnically polarized nation held together by only a thin vulnerable thread.
And so, he began early to imbue in his people a sense of autonomy and belligerency.
This is why the presence of Yoruba has always
been felt in the nation’s socio-political life. He
also gave his people reliable leadership, and
unconsciously designed a succession plan for
them. This is why after his death there has never been any serious crisis over succession. Chief Abraham Adesanya (the late leader of Afenifere – the Yoruba socio-cultural movement) did not hesitate to step into Awo’s shoes at his death. He led Yoruba through the crisis-ridden period of the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election –
believed to have been won by Chief Moshood
Abiola. His leadership inspired the emergence of a new crop of leaders in Yoruba land. One of them was Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu. Tinubu became governor of Lagos for strategic reason – to galvanize support for the strengthening of the political muscles of Yoruba and hoist their flag permanently on the national map.
So, on the death of Chief Adesanya, he naturally stepped into his shoes with nobody raising the lid. And since his emergence as unofficial leader of Yoruba, he has displayed sound judgement on how his people should survive in a complex political family called Nigeria. He was the brain behind the formation of Action Congress of Nigeria, which won back four of the sates they
allegedly lost to PDP in the 2007 governorship
elections. Even though the PDP governors had
settled into office, Tinubu wrested their seats
from them through the legal process. The rest is history. Aminu Kano’s simplicity of life has taught me a huge lesson in humility. He led a life entirely devoted to the poor (talakwa). It is his life that has moulded mine to be simple and charitable.
Though we didn’t share the same business
ideology, I think he was simply a man who came ahead of his time. The major difference between my life and Aminu Kano’s is in what he did and what I do. All the wealth he made was devoted to serving the poor and needy. I do the same, but in multifarious and diverse ways. Ahmadu Bello, though a northerner, was a pan-Nigerian. He held puritanical views about Nigeria, which was why he offered his own life so that Nigeria might remain one. He gave the North leadership built on trust and strength of character. He did not quiver in
the face of the huge challenges that faced him. It is believed that the monolithic political hegemony in the North was inspired by his selfless leadership style. Then enter Ken Saro Wiwa. He was a literary giant and an accomplished administrator. He championed the cause of his Ogoni people.
He pursued the struggle with unequalled courage and determination. For his audacity, he was brutally cut down by the military by hanging. He paid the supreme price, alongside eight others of his kinship. He was succeeded by Ledu Mitee who has sustained the struggle, though at a reduced pace. So, you can see from where I drew the inspiration to fight for my people. If these men could stand up and be counted when it mattered most why not me? I have never shied away from any struggle in which I am engaged. From business to politics, culture to religion, it is the same disposition. Life has also taught me that mankind is made up of the good, the bad and the ugly. For this reason, you should be wary with how you deal with people. I used to trust so much
until I was stabbed in the back. Those I lifted
politically have suddenly turned their back against me, for no justifiable reason. I trusted them even with my life. See how they have jumped the ship, because of greed and avarice.
As I have always said, I have nothing personal
against them. I pray God to forgive and make
them turn a new leaf so that they would not
perish in their sins. The modicum of trust I still have in people is inspired by the faithfulness and loyalty of a few of my aides who have stood by me, no matter the circumstances. I must confess that God has blessed me with a number of others I can
trust. And these reliable and trustworthy aides have stood as a pillar of support behind me. My parents and siblings have been quite supportive.
It was my mother, for instance, who gave me the N5000 with which I traded in palm oil when I was living in Maiduguri. It was this seed money that has metamorphosed into a huge tree as we have it today.
Therefore, I owe her a debt of gratitude. Some of those who attacked me when I was governor for being very close to my mother (as if it is a crime for a mother to love her son so dearly and vice versa) now have their mothers, sons and daughters dictating to them how their governments should be run. Let me make bold to say that my mother never lived with me in Government House while I was governor. Each time she visited Umuahia, she was always housed at the Old Presidential Lodge. And I can count on my fingers how many times she did so in the 8
years I held sway there.
No matter the machinations of the evil ones, I will continue to love my mother and be close to her.
Her counsels and support are invaluable. Do I
need to recount all the good things God has done in my life? This will take the whole newspaper. Let me, however, highlight a few of them. The most memorable achievement of my life was the winning of the elusive African Champions Cup back-to-back by Enyimba Football Club of Aba in 2002. I personally revived Enyimba when I came
into office as governor and saved it from
relegation in 1999. After that fearful near-drop into Division 2, I embarked on a systematic revamping and repositioning of the team. We recruited new players and hired a super coaching crew.
I served as the unofficial technical adviser of the team. Our collective effort culminated in the victory recorded in Egypt and the subsequent lifting of the trophy Nigeria had longed for fruitlessly for 38 years. We repeated the feat in 2004. Enyimba seem to be wobbling since we ceased managing the team. For me, I would not like the team to die. Rather I wish it would continue to soar to greater heights. However, if the government wants the team to perform efficiently, it should insulate it from politics and ensure that the right attitude is adopted by both
the coaching crew and the players in the
prosecution of the challenges before them. As
much as I have many things to be thankful to God for, so also there are numerous things that bother me.
The most visible of them is the future of Nigeria. I read scary stories daily about the cannibalization of Nigeria. Will it ever be possible to balkanize a huge and heterogeneous nation such as Nigeria?
Those who harbour this agenda are simply wicked. What will it profit anybody to destroy Nigeria, which our forbears spent their time and energy to build? They say Nigeria has a lifespan of 100 years and should cease existing by 2014. Who told them that? Nigeria is not 100 years old. Nigeria is as old as the ground on which it stands today. All the stories about 100 years and the rest are mere
administrative conjectures to keep life going.
We will be celebrating 100 years of amalgamation of North and South of Nigeria, and not the 100 years of Nigeria’s existence. Before the amalgamation, which nation did the British administer? Was it not the same Nigeria that was so amalgamated? Let us discountenance this simplistic political configuration that has set us on edge as a people. I am sure that the issue of ethnicity would not have been as rife as they are today if the amalgamation had not taken place.
Anyway, this is a matter for another day. Let me use the occasion of my birthday to appeal to our politicians to adopt a different attitude to the way we administer Nigeria. As things stand now, Nigerians are not getting the full dividends of democracy.
Instead of serving the Nigerian people with
dedication, we spend precious time amassing
wealth we do not need. The primary reason for joining politics is to serve, not for self-enrichment.
It is sad that while the masses whom we were
elected to serve are getting more and more
impoverished, we their servants are getting richer and richer. Is it fair? Now that 2015 is
approaching fast and politicians have started their usual horse-trading and electioneering, how will all these pan out in terms of dividends for the people? I have asked this question because I see politicians playing the same old tune as usual.
The masses must be vigilant and shun such
politicians whose central objective is to make
money from politics. INEC must rise up to the
occasion and do what is right to deliver untainted elections in 2015. History will not judge them right if they fail to salvage this nation from its continued slide into anarchy. Above all, life has taught me to place all my hope and trust in God.
It is only He that promises and does not fail. Man can fail you but God can never fail you. I am alive and doing well today, because of the awesome grace of God, His hands have continually guided me on the path of peace and righteousness.
I will continue to thank Him for the life He has
given me, for the wonderful family and friends He has given me. They have remained a pillar of support in my life. I pray for our country, Nigeria.
I bring Nigeria, specially, before the throne of
mercy for blessing and liberation. There is no
doubt that evil forces are at work to destroy
Nigeria. They will never succeed. Instead, Nigeria will continue to grow in leaps and bounds.
Source: http://www.facebook.com/igberetv

Former Abia state governor Dr.Orji Uzor Kalu who clocked 53 Sunday ,turned spiritual preaching peace,love and reconciliation among politicians and looking forward to the day President Goodluck Jonathan and opposition leaders would embrace themselves.

Kalu talked of that great moment when the President would engage Buhari in a squash competition in Aso Villa, and the day Dame Patience Jonathan's dinner hostess could be Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

He said,"there is so much tension in the land. We should play politics without bitterness,afterall, government is about service to the people. I want to see Gen. Buhari sweat it out in a friendly squash game with Dr. Jonathan.How sweet it would sound to find The First Lady in the Ikoyi home of Senator Tinubu serving herself dinner. That is the kind of atmosphere that i wish my country".

The ex-governor recalled that in the Second Republic Chief Obafemi Awolowo accepted National honour from President Shehu Shagari even as an opposition figure. "Papa Awo received Shagari's compliments,party politics was set aside. Even
Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe did not reject the Mercedes birthday gift the then President sent to the Owelle. They respected Shagari as much as he regarded them,"Kalu added.

He urged politicians to be dynamic in their pursuit as they are supposed to serve the people in whatever capacity possible since no two persons can occupy one position at the same time.

"We could serve in any capacity as long as we have the interest of Nigerians. We are copying the Americans. I wish to remind us that their sixth President,John Quincy Adams became a member of the House of Representatives after his Presidency. Walter Mondale who was Vice President Under Jimmy Carter[1977-1981] served as Ambassador to Japan in 1983. Back home,Shagari was Local government chairman after his tenure as minister. Adeniran Ogunsanya, Maitama Sule were state commissioners after service as Federal ministers. Even Buhari served in the Abacha government, and first Nigerian Inspector-General of Police Loius Edet was a state Commissioner afterwards. That is service. I wish this country peace," Kalu said.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/igberetv

The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Uriel Palti has pledged the assistance of the Israeli government towards
bringing to an end, the insecurity bedeviling the nation.
The envoy made the pledge when the former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu paid him a courtesy call in Abuja.
In his remark, Kalu, while welcoming the envoy to Nigeria, urged the Israeli ambassador to see what Israel can do to assist Nigeria, especially in confronting its security and other challenges “With your coming, I believe Israel will support the Nigerian people in the area of our internal security since we appear to be at a crossroad, and your country is widely acknowledged as experts in security matters, ” Kalu said.
Kalu also urged the ambassador to assist in promoting trade relations between his country and Nigeria as there was a lot the
two brother-countries could benefit from each other.
Responding, Palti said it was a privilege for him to welcome the former governor in the embassy. He said Israel would do everything possible to assist Nigeria in the area of security. “It is a privilege to welcome you all to the embassy and we are delighted. “Today makes it a month that I began work here. I
must tell you that I am enjoying every minute of my stay in Nigeria. Nigeria is a very great country. A commander in the army told me you have no problems, that they are only challenges. I heard you loud and clearly. You can be rest assured that whatever we can do together to stop the insecurity in Nigeria, Israel will be happy to be with Nigeria,” the envoy said.
Palti who resumed at the embassy on March 11, 2013, replaced Ambassador Ram Moshe.

Source: http://newsdiaryonline.com/israeli-ambassador-pledges-assistance-to-nigeria-as-kalu-pays-courtesy-visit/
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