₦airaland Forum

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Address By His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Gcfr, At The 2013 May Day Celebration, On Wednesday 1st May, 2013.

Insuleto! Inafrica!!

1. I am pleased to join you on this important day of solidarity with workers around the world. I salute you, all our hardworking men and women, who toil daily and relentlessly from sunrise to sunset for the progress of our great nation.

2. Over the years, through your valuable contribution and sacrifice, we have achieved significant reforms in various sectors of our national life, and made remarkable progress as a nation.

3. The struggles of workers around the world have indeed come a long way, since the 1st day of May was designated International Workers Day in 1904. Here at home, the historical development of Nigeria as a nation is closely linked to the history of the Trade Union Movement. The recognition of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, by the British Colonial Government as the first Trade union in the nation in 1912, set the pace for workers’ rights awareness and the bravery and principled agitations that manifested in the "Aba Women's Riot" of 1929, the Coal Miners' Strike of 1949, and several other workers legitimate demands for economic justice.

4. By pioneering organized rallying points for mass interest, these movements strengthened the nationalist struggle for independence, and provided the bedrock for a National labour platform, as today represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

5. Who can forget the dedication of the Teachers Unions?, the perseverance of Association of Civil Servants? the picket lines of the Road Transport Workers? or the resilience of the Textile Workers Union? and indeed the solidarity and sacrifice of so many others, which has enabled the hope we have today as a nation? I salute you all, your service and courage will never be in vain.

6. This year's Labour Day can rightly be described as the Centenary Labour Day as it coincides with the hundred years of the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria. This year's commemoration, appropriately affords special reflection and accords special recognition to the historical and contemporary importance of the Labour movement in the national project.

7. I have been informed that a good number of activities involving workers shall be reviewing "100 years of the Nigerian Worker", with the theme - A Centenary Journey of Service and Struggles. This will include a landmark Symposium, and workers' Lottery, to be administered by the Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC). I thank the Nigerian Labour Movement for its support and involvement in organizing the Centenary Celebrations. I assure you of my support during the workers' events.

8. The Nigerian worker is not only an important part of our history, but a pivot of our past, present and future. That is why we are leaving no stone unturned towards the practical enhancement of the welfare of all workers in both the private and public sectors, and in facilitating better relations with employers and government. Since the advent of this administration, our actions and policies have been geared towards placing the country on the path of sustainable progress, where everyone can better achieve his or her dreams. That is the thrust of our Transformation Agenda.

9. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the Transformation Agenda is about taking and implementing measures today, in order to give our people a brighter future. It is about creating jobs, creating wealth, and ensuring a better deal for Nigerians. This is an onerous task that requires the support of all our citizens.

10. Central to this Transformation is the creation of a politically stable environment in which economic development activities will flourish. To this end, we are strengthening our democratic institutions, and confronting the challenges facing our country with great determination and firmness.

11. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Labour has been in the forefront of the demand for good governance and increased action against corruption, and these issues are being vigorously tackled on various fronts. Prosecutions are being pursued in matters arising from Fuel subsidy fraud, Embezzlement of Pension funds and other serious longstanding malpractices demystified by this administration. I assure you of accelerated and expanded action against all forms of corruption. Given that some of these perpetrators are senior and junior members of labour unions, greater attention to peer review action on the part of labour, will be much appreciated.

12. As a result of our economic policies, there have been significant improvements in our economic fundamentals. Our economy grew by about 6.6% during 2012 and is set to grow at a similar pace in 2013 according to independent forecasts. This is quiet significant by global standards.

13. We have further reduced our fiscal deficit in the 2013 budget to 1.81% of GDP, and cut domestic borrowing. We have rebalanced our spending in favour of capital expenditure. The rate of inflation also dropped to single-digit territory at the beginning of this year.

14. At a time, many advanced and emerging markets are being downgraded, our sovereign credit ratings have been upgraded. We are however, not unmindful of the fact that the ultimate benefit of these encouraging results, must reflect on the lives of the most needy Nigerians. This remains our goal.

15. We are also focused on economic inclusion, with articulated strategy targeting the disadvantaged and unemployed in our society with economic opportunities in agriculture, entrepreneurial support, graduate employment and unskilled job programmes. We are also building robust social safety net programmes, targeting pregnant mothers and children in the health sector.

16. Through the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWiN!) programme we are supporting talented young entrepreneurs to set up or expand their businesses, and employ others.

17. Our port reforms are aimed at ensuring efficiency in the handling of ports and related businesses and achieving 48 hours clearance time for cargo. In the Power sector, the inevitable and painstaking task of correction, construction and consolidation, is on course, with the privatization of our electricity generation and distribution companies boosted with significant foreign investors' participation and confidence. Our railroads, major airports and federal roads nationwide are also being comprehensively rehabilitated.

18. Diversifying the economy away from the oil sector into agriculture, housing, manufacturing, creative industries, and other sectors that generate jobs and grow the economy has long being a national goal and today, our Government is actualizing this as another fundamental goal of our reform agenda.

19. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the Labour Movement for its support of the Transformation Agenda. I assure you that our efforts are sincere and informed by the need to entrench good governance for the well-being of Nigerians.

20. Trade disputes are inevitable in all social environments, but with commitment to patriotic reason and dialogue, such disputes are easier resolved. In the interest of national development, I urge all the social partners - labour, employers etc. to embrace the rule of law in pursuit of their rights in the workplace. Due process would minimize the negative consequences caused by incessant industrial crisis in our nation.

21. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Labour movement in our country has historically been a partner in national progress. I enjoin you to responsibly continue your hard work, resilience and commitment to national development. We stand together in this transformation undertaking and together in partnership, we will succeed in building a new nation.

22. Insuleto! Inafrica!!

23. I Thank you

That is jungle justice. Our leaders must be held accountable anyhow

The discovery of a baby-making factory in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, early this month, draws attention to the nagging problem of the chilling child trafficking rings in the country.

The existence of illegal baby markets, where infants are auctioned off to the highest bidder, is an evil that must be stopped. It is estimated that about 27 million people are trafficked worldwide annually, generating $32 billion in illegal profits, which makes it the fastest-growing black market in the world. According to a 2011 UNESCO report, human trafficking is ranked the third most common crime in Nigeria – after financial fraud and drug trafficking. The United Nations says at least 10 children are illegally sold every day across the country and the traffickers are seldom caught.

The loss of societal values and the quest for materialism, which breed such depravity, should be a matter of concern to all men and women of good conscience. According to media reports, an orphanage located at Umuozuo, Osisioma Local Government Area, has metamorphosed into a camp where young girls are assembled and impregnated. It now houses 32 pregnant ladies, whose babies are sold upon delivery. The widely published photograph of the scene also showed two male accomplices.

A female teenage worker at the cruel fortress gave a crispy narrative of the baby trafficking ring thus: “Our madam is detained in Umuahia by men of the civil defence. She is innocent as she is only assisting childless couples from Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt by selling male and female babies at an agreed fee. Thus, she settles the mother of the baby and takes the balance of the money. Here, a male child is sold for N450, 000, while a female attracts N400, 000. A teenage mother is paid N100, 000 if she is delivered of a baby boy, while N80, 000 is the reward for a mother whose child is a female.” This is a clear indictment of our security agencies and other organs of state with powers of oversight on such institutions.

The proprietress of the camp, one Nnenna, is said to have a policeman as husband. If this is so, could it be him that had been providing her with security? According to the young lady familiar with the centre’s operations, visitors are not allowed in except clients who come for business or teenage girls who desire to sell their babies. But can such an illegal commune exist at Osisioma, a stronghold of the police, without their knowledge? The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Osisioma owes the state some explanations.

There is a possibility that not all the babies procured from the centre are adopted by childless couples; some may have ended up as victims of ritual murder. Otherwise, why would purported childless couples prefer an orphanage that sells babies to patronising many others brimming with children waiting for legitimate adoption? A media report indicated that one Onyekachi Ekelum, a father aged 26, sold his six-month-old boy for N350, 000 just to get the cash to procure a visa to Greece. Fortunately, he was not lucky as his wife aborted the beastly act by reporting the matter to the police and the innocent baby was rescued.

It seems the Aba-Umuahia area houses an established cartel for selling babies, which even involves medical doctors and nurses. In the same Aba, the police once raided an alleged “baby farm” where teenage mothers were forced to give up their newborns for sale to human traffickers in 2011. At least 32 pregnant girls were rescued and security agents arrested the proprietor. The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Usman Abubakar, has confirmed the boom in the illicit trade within the zone. He named a doctor at Amoji in Isiala Ngwa North and a nurse at Isiala Ngwa South as kingpins of the trade. Not a few times, medical personnel have entangled themselves in this dehumanising deal, which is clearly an abuse of trust by those whose duty it is to save life.
What the baby-making factory in Aba suggests is the inadequacy of existing legislative and policy frameworks to deal with the scourge. Section 4 of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons Act 2003, empowers it, “To coordinate all laws on trafficking in persons and related offences.” Part of NAPTIP’s modest success was the rescue of 4,810 females trafficked between 2004 and 2012 and another 1,750 males. Much needs to be done as about 45,000 Nigerian girls are still trafficked to Europe annually as sex workers.

One of the ways to stop the supply and hold traffickers accountable is to educate law enforcement agents and the public on how to identify trafficking victims and their captors. Another is to reduce the demand by making it difficult for people to adopt from the black market. The full weight of the law should come down hard on the baby-selling syndicates. Tougher laws targeting those who buy our children are necessary. The National Assembly must act now by strengthening the law to provide severe punishment for any culprit, as envisaged in a draft bill sent by the Federal Government to the parliament.

http://news.naij.com/redirect.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.punchng.com

Workers of the successor companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) are seeking mass transfer from the northern part of the country as a result of the state of insecurity created by the Boko Haram religious sect.


Besides, the officials of electricity generation and distribution companies in the affected states are complaining about the dip in revenue generation as customers of the utility companies are unwilling to pay their electricity bills despite persuasion by the companies.

It was also gathered that the chief executive officers (CEOs) of generation and distribution companies from the north complained about the situation when the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, had a meeting with them, heads of parastatals of the power industry and the leadership of the ministry in Abuja.

An official of the Power ministry, who spoke in confidence, said: "The officials in charge of power facilities in the northern parts of the country complained about the peculiar problems created by the security situation in the region.

"They told the minister that the security situation in the region is adversely affecting their operations and income generation as most corporate consumers have closed shops. There is serious apathy for payment of electricity bills by the customers. There is mass request for transfer by the workers as well as irregular work attendance for fear of attack."

According to the source, the CEOs noted that service delivery and revenue generation had been hampered by the high incidence of illegal re-connection and evasion of payment by some consumers in different parts of the country.

The source added that the development may affect the power sector privatisation programme of the Federal Government as investors in the power assets in the north may decide to withdraw.

On the strength of the complaints of the CEOs, the minister was said to have set up an action committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali, to look at the issues and report to him for presentation to the Presidency.

The follow-up action committee, it was gathered, was inaugurated with seven terms of reference, which include the setting up of timelines for the attainment of the various key performance indicators; drawing up an executive summary for work and possible submission to Mr President and the Federal Executive Council (FEC), among others.

The minister, it was gathered, re-assured the CEOs that measures were being taken to ensure adequate funding, especially their imprest, urging them to work harder at their revenue-generation efforts.

Other issues that were discussed at the meeting include how to move the privatisation programme forward, settle outstanding labour issues, fast-track work on ongoing power projects, strengthen the transmission profile by ensuring the inauguration of the Supervisory Board of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and finalising management issues for the company.

Nebo reiterated the government's resolve to generate 40,000MW by 2020, and praised the efforts the Niger Delta Power Holding Company to delivering on the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP).

He acknowledged the indispensable roles of the CEOs and other heads of the ministry's agencies in the task of accomplishing the Federal Government's aspirations in the power sector.

source: the nation

slimghost: EL Rufai, may you die a miserable death! How come you never condemned the madala, Kano park bombings and the killing of coppers up north? May Amadioha strike you with leprosy, you hate filled tribalist!

i can see some sense in what you said sha

in this kind of war there must be civilian casualties which may be unfortunate but the evil target must be destroyed

basket mouth don open mouth again ooooooo

The Joint Task Force Operation’s (JTF) in Borno State today warned the public about the existence of a special kidnapping squad set up by the Boko Haram sect to engage in kidnapping.

In a statement by its spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, JTF said that its security measures have made it difficult or impossible for the terrorists and other criminals to conduct successful bank robbery operations in the State, and pushed Boko Haram into turning to kidnapping.

Prospective targets, the statement warned, include wealthy relatives, politicians, businessmen and women, traditional rulers, senior civil servants, and foreigners.

“The Task Force wishes to alert members of the public of this trend, urge all to be wary and continue to be security conscious at all times,” it further said.

“The public are advised to avoid or be very sensitive to strangers and friends that have not been in contact for long. Additionally, members of the public are also warned to avoid isolated areas and shun meetings or friendship organized through telephones or social media.”

It emphasized the importance of cooperation and understanding between members of the public and security agencies, and that security is a collective responsibility.

source: http://news.naij.com/redirect.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsaharareporters.com%2F

dat guy must be crazy how could he do dat?

why are africans so religious? see all of them kneeling down probably praying to same God for what?

Well, wait - you might want to know a little more about the venture first.

A Dutch company called Mars One began looking Monday for volunteer astronauts to fly to Mars.

Departure for the Red Planet is scheduled for 2022, landing seven months later in 2023. The space travelers will return ... never.

They will finish out their lives on Mars, representatives from the nonprofit said. "It's likely that there will be a crematorium," said CEO Bas Lansdorp.

"It's up to the people on Mars to decide what to do with their dead." Still, the company said it has received more than 10,000 e-mails from interested would-be spacefarers.

The one-way ticket makes the mission possible because it greatly reduces costs, and the technology for a return flight doesn't exist, according to Mars One's website.

At a news conference, Lansdorp maintained that "no new inventions are needed to land humans on Mars."

The biggest obstacles, he said, are financial. The company has revealed some of its sponsors and hopes to gain more via media coverage. It's not clear whether enough money will be collected in time.

There are also practical issues: Can the kinks in having a sustainable system for people to survive in such a harsh environment be worked out by 2023?

"Questions of reliability and robustness have to be answered before we leave Earth," said Grant Anderson of Paragon Space Development Corporation, which builds life-support systems and is joining the Mars One effort.

Anyone may apply, for a fee

The company announced a casting call for candidates at a news conference in New York City. Anyone 18 or older may apply via video but there is an application fee - $38 for U.S. applicants.

The money will fund the mission. Mars One wants to build a colony that will be able to grow with an ever-expanding crew.

The group has a plan for testing the technology that would transport people and things. The group wants to launch a supply mission that will land on Mars as soon as October 2016.

A "settlement rover" will land in 2018. The landing systems will be tested a total of eight times before they're used to transport humans, which Lansdorp says would make this "much safer than moon missions."

The colony's budget comes in at "about $6 billion," Lansdorp said. "The $6 billion is for the first crew that goes there." By comparison, NASA's rover Curiosity, the most advanced and biggest robot to ever traverse Mars, is a $2.5 billion mission.

Where exactly the $6 billion will go remains a mystery. Lansdorp said he didn't want to release an itemized budget because of competition. Mars One intends for a second crew to join the first one in 2025, and more will follow regularly.

Each flight will carry two men and two women, so reproduction on Mars would be feasible but not intended. "We will certainly not send couples," Lansdorp said. At the news conference, Lansdorp said he'd like to go to Mars himself, but he isn't because his girlfriend won't come along.

"I have a really nice girlfriend, and she doesn't want to come with me, so I'm staying right here."

Are they for real?

The idea of starting a colony on Mars in 10 years seems so out of this world that journalists contacted one of the mission's potential suppliers to check on Mars One's credibility.

"I don't think they deserve to be dismissed," said a spokesman for an aerospace company that contracted for NASA's current Mars mission.

The spokesman did not want his company named because he didn't want to damage the company's relationship with Mars One, but he felt he should talk to CNN to help put the Dutch start-up into perspective for a news audience, he said.

With space opening up to the private sector, many companies large and small are trying to get in on the game, he said. Mars One's idea is one of the most audacious ones.

Strange, dangerous mission

THERE appears a ray of hope for the Federal Government’s planned amnesty programme for Boko Haram sect members as a leader of the sect, Mohammed Marwan, has hinted that the sect is now ready for dialogue with the Federal Government.

According to the sect leader, the reason the sect ordered the release of the French nationals its members took hostage was to demonstrate its readiness for dialogue with the Federal Government on the way forward in the offer of amnesty.

Marwan, who was speaking in an interview with the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA) monitored in Kaduna on Saturday, explained that he ordered the release of the French nationals who had been in the sect’s custody for about two months after a meeting with 11 other top members during which the decision was taken.

He, however, warned that the agreement would be breached should the government continue its offensive against the sect members or attack any member of the Muslim community unjustly.

According to him, ”those that were in our custody for some time, I gave the directive that they be released yesterday around 2.00 p.m. I gave the directive for their release as a result of some discussions we had amongst us. The discussions revolved around what the government came up with after their meeting with the Northern elders.

“That is why I ordered that they should be released and allowed to go without being handed over to anybody. I said a vehicle should be brought so that they go back to where they came from inbetween Cameroon and Adamawa. It was as result of the many calls and the preparations ahead. That was why I gave that order after our joint meeting; 12 of us had met.”

Commenting on the amnesty committee set up by the government, Marwan said it was high time the government stopped what it was doing to the sect members and the sect too ceased fire.

“We thank Allah; we should all sit. They should stop what they are doing and we too should stop what we are doing. I also directed that no security official will be touched unless he touches us or the Muslim community; those who committed no crime, as we will revenge if they do that. But I have given that directive so that we would see how they will go about it. (So will it be) unless another confusion comes up again,” he said.

source: http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/10014-we-re-now-ready-for-dialogue-b-haram-leader-tells-fg-voa-declares-ceasefire

A NORWEGIAN TV show has been slammed for tricking teenagers into agreeing to convert to Islam to win Justin Bieber tickets.


Five teenage girls agreed to convert on the promise they would receive tickets to see the pop star – totally unaware they were being duped for a spoof show.
The Anne-Kat Hærland comedy show saw the girls remove their makeup, wear hijabs and recite Islamic creed in Arabic.


Bishop Halvor Nordhaug, from the Norwegian Lutheran Church, told Norwegian paper Dagen he thought the stunt was “tragic”.

He said: “This is an example of an idea where irony and lack of respect turns into something tragic.

“I believe the contest is a foolish statement and it shows a lack of respect for what faith means.”

The girls were also told to repeat what translated to: “Justin Bieber is impure and probably gay.”

The show’s presenter said: “We wanted to find out how far Norwegian ‘Beliebers’ are willing to go for tickets to one of Bieber’s concerts.”

Justin Bieber recently cancelled a concert in Oman after Muslim leaders in the country criticised the singer and deemed his moves "too sexy".

Bieber was in Norway earlier this month as part of his world tour.

source: http://news.naij.com/31858.html?sub=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=foreign

As you read this, President Goodluck Jonathan may be on the verge of granting amnesty to the Boko Haram insurgent group at the behest of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), who met with him during the week to discuss this sensitive issue.


Advocates of amnesty for Boko Haram are pointing to the Niger Delta precedent to justify this call which is clearly symptomatic of the frustration of the governing elite in the face of a stalemated war that has no borders, or a specific target or a discernible, civilised objective.

Other than the abolition of western education and the imposition of Sharia in the North, the group isn’t saying anything worthwhile; even these demands are as idiotic as they are unreasonable. How do we begin to turn back the clock of civilisation because of a few misguided armed marabouts?

Amnesty, meanwhile, seems an easy way out of a crisis that appears to be turning gradually into a quagmire like is the case of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq where living with terror has become a way of life. It was once a virtual impossibility to imagine that Nigerians would be living with terror, but that, for us, is now a terrifying reality. And the ruling elite have themselves to blame for this embarrassing war.

There’s no shred of evidence that the Jonathan administration, despite its lackadaisical approach, is not doing its best in the fight against terrorism and other violent crimes. The escalation of violence of all shades- armed robberies, kidnappings, ritual killings, domestic violence, face book-related attacks and terrorism, is a clear indication that its best efforts are not enough. It is time to change gear.

How this insidious evil became a murderous terror machine, that it is today under our eyes, is a question the nation’s ruling elite is unable to answer; the option of a general amnesty may be a vivid testimony of the growing exasperation of the elite with an evil it birthed but could no longer control.

Since the Boko Haram insurgent group declared war against the country under the Yar’Adua administration, government has responded, using conventional methods to contain an unusual enemy which operates by the unconventional methods of urban guerrilla warfare.

In trying to nip it in the bud at the initial stage of the crisis, he police allegedly killed the acknowledged leader of the group, Yusuf Foi, an ex-commissioner in Borno State. That’s one of the main grudges of Boko Haram and it is believed that the summary execution of Foi actually removed the lid from the tinder box.

Since the elimination of the leader, the group has splintered into different dangerous factions under faceless leaders with varying and conflicting agendas, but all united under the banner of political Sharia. Today, having developed into a well – funded international terror organisation, we have no idea who controls which of its various tentacles, but one thing is certain: Boko Haram has managed to hook up with Al- Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, with dire implications for the security of the sub-Sahara, apart from Nigeria.

With Boko Haram so fragmented and dangerously polarised along ideological, theological and political divides, including some criminal elements here and there, it has become a loose cannon that threatens everybody but themselves.

Running an unprecedented violent campaign first, against internal rivals, then the police for an alleged injustice and now against everyone in sight, Boko Haram is the biggest agent of destabilization in the country apart from corruption in high places.

Now, the argument for Boko Haram’s amnesty cannot stand on the logic of the one granted to the Niger Delta militants because both armed groups may have levied war against their country, Nigeria, their individual motives and corporate objectives are as different as their tactics and targets.

Boko Haram turned their guns against innocent worshippers mostly in churches, and a few mosques, bombed police and military targets and caused massive blood bathe through their reckless attacks on public buildings, residential districts, public and major business outlets, and industrial installations.

Generally, Boko Haram is a vampire on the loose whose objective is not just to Islamise Nigeria, but to rid it totally of western influence. The group is now present in every part of Nigeria, getting set for a bloody campaign down South. Talk about a bull in a China shop!

In contrast, the Niger Delta militants are environmental activists and armed campaigners for economic justice for the alienated people of the Delta region, whose lands have been destroyed by decades of oil exploration without any visible positive impact on the people’s welfare.

The wild boys of Niger Delta never threatened those outside the realm of their agitation. They didn’t bring religious or tribal sentiments into their campaign or align with foreign terror groups to levy war against their own people to attain some mindless, esoteric objectives.

The Niger Delta amnesty cannot possibly be a template any more than the pardon of Abacha’s coupist justifies Alameyesiegha’s clemency. Boko Haram and the Niger Delta militants are two of a kind but unique in their different colourations. We knew and still know who the Delta militants are; but we don’t know the faces behind Boko Haram. That is why the government is unable to negotiate with them.

Nobody can justify an amnesty for a group that is not committed to dialogue. If Boko Haram’s body language speaks of peace, the Federal Government, tired of battle with the recalcitrant Islamic militants, would have no choice than to bring amnesty as a bait on the table.

Amnesty is justifiable under an atmosphere of jaw-jaw or during a carrot and stick situation, not when one side to the conflict is invisible, implacable and unwilling to accept anything but its own terms, which in the case of Boko Haram, cannot stand on any civilised logic.

Nevertheless if the northern leaders strongly believe amnesty is a way out at this stage, it is worth giving a try. However, beyond clamouring for amnesty for the terror group, the NEF must give some form of assurance that it would actively participate in enforcing the peace we all expect.

Chris Okotie is a pastor and politician.

The Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr Godswill Akpabio has claimed that he was misunderstood for his recent confession that he struck out the name of a Senatorial candidate for Senator Etuk during the 2011 general election.

Mr Akpabio during an exclusive interview with Channels TV breakfast progamme; Sunrise Daily, stated that “I was misunderstood.”

“What happened was, we had a political meeting before the primaries where the list of people were given to me-possible candidates for the Senate in my senatorial district. And I struck off the name of the person that was recommended to me and I said no that, I will prefer another person because the senatorial seat should be zoned to the minority local government.”

The governor emphasised that the name substitution was “before the primaries, long before the general election.”

A 48 seconds video which was uploaded on the internet, went viral as the Governor was seen during a reception for the Good Governance tour in Uyo, admitting that he struck out the name of a candidate in favour of Senator Aloysius Etuk, the current chairman of Senate committee on Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team; so that his Senatorial district can produce the Senate.

Further explaining the situation around the cancelling of name, Mr Akpabio described it as a “political meeting.”

“It was a political conglomeration where we converge and discuss the affair of who should contest the Senate within the rank and file of an in-house arrangement before the primaries,” he said.

He emphasised that the ‘political conglomeration’ was “before the PDP primaries” and we were trying to decide who we should vote for and what area we should vote.”

“And somebody needs to know, this was not a general elction, not even a primary. It was not even an election we were talking about.”

When asked if the meeting was an internal arrangement, the Governor replied with an emphatic no. “It was before the voting where we were trying to decide who we will vote for at the primaries.”

“I am not INEC, even INEC cannot strike out somebody’s name and put another person’s name after an election result has been announced.”

A bemused Akpabio further stated that “Nigerians do not like to hear the truth” as he claimed he made

“Tell the admirers of the uncommon transformation (his administration’s motto), tell the admirers of Governor Akpabio that the governor is a democrat. I will never engage in that type of thing.”

The Governor also claimed that in 2007 he struggled to get the mandate for his election therefore, he was in no way capable of sticking out names.

source: http://news.naij.com/30835.html?sub=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=local

As the government of President Goodluck Jonathan works on a controversial amnesty for the Boko Haram Islamic sect, gunmen believed to be its members continued their merciless mayhem on Monday evening, shooting to death four church leaders, mostly of Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) in Gwoza village in Borno state.

Gwoza is the same village where Boko Haram militants recently sacked a police station and killed several policemen.

The four men were murdered while resting near the church premises. Their attackers simply rode in on motorbikes and gunned them down.

A church source gave the names of those killed as Iliya Tada, Ayuba Yusuf, Idris Dogo. A fourth victim was a member of Ekliziyar Yan’uwa a Nigeriya (EYN -“Church of Brethern”).

Reverend Haskanda Jesu told SaharaReporters that the victims were buried today, amid rumours that the gunmen have regrouped in a nearby village in preparation for another attack.

He said the police in the area have limited capability to prevent attacks, and are also fearful of Boko Haram.

source: http://news.naij.com/30608.html?sub=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=local

Residents of Makoko/Iwaya Waterfront in Yaba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, will soon begin to enjoy the luxury of a floating school jointly built by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and NLE Works, Nigeria.

The three storey floating building is part of the regeneration plan for the coastal community.

According to the builders the construction of the school is aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, Goal II, which is to boost universal primary education.

This came barely eight months after the Lagos State government demolished hundreds of ‘illegal structures in the area.

The residents of the community anticipate that many of their children will now have access to sound education.

The new primary school named ‘Makoko floating School’, was built on a foundation of 256 plastic drums and powered by solar panels suspended on the roof. Investigation further revealed that, many residents are praying that the design will be approved by governor Babatunde Fashola.

Mr. John Adugbo, a resident of Makoko, said; “We have been waiting for the project that will aid more children to attend school. Presently, many children don’t have access to good educational facilities.”

Adugbo added; “All we have is a school that was constructed to serve as a palliative measure because of our peculiar challenge of being surrounded by water.”

The founder of NLE, and promoter of the floating school, Mr. Kunle Adeyemi, said; “The desire to construct the school was burn out of curiosity after I visited the community and interest in the coastal community, where despite the little income made daily by the breadwinners, they have never stopped developing the infrastructure.”

Explaining the building’s features, Adeyemi said “The ground floor of the school would serve as an open recreational space for the pupils during the day and at night and weekends, their fathers can converge and hold meetings.”

He added that the first floor and the upper floor have classrooms that would serve their primary purpose.

According to him, “the structure will accommodate over 100 students and their teachers and it is an extension of the only existing school in the coastal community.”

The community which has over 100, 000 residents has only one primary school, called ‘Whayinna Nursery and Primary school’ and no secondary.

Adeyemi continued “the floating school is an extension of the existing primary school which could only provide sound education service to less than 200 children in the community. The state government can also adopt the structure for all the coastal communities in the state,” he added.

source: http://news.naij.com/30342.html?sub=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=education

Ahead of the inauguration of the committee on amnesty for Boko Haram members by President Goodluck Jonathan, an Islamic group, Muslims Against Terror, has warned that granting such amnesty would plunge the country into more security crises.

It further said it was disturbed that the president could fall for the perpetrators of insecurity in the country by deciding to grant amnesty to Boko Haram despite warnings from the group and other well-meaning Nigerians.

The group, in a statement signed by Brother Isa Ibrahim, recalled that it had early this year sent a message to President Jonathan warning that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, must be made to face the Shariah judgement for his role in the killing of innocent Nigerians.
It said encouraging amnesty at every given opportunity could turn the country to another Rwanda which had been ravaged by war.

“The so-called Northern Elders impressed it upon you to offer a so-called amnesty to this cult and you fell for it, Wallahi, you all are misled and can only be doing this for personal gain, to win elections and not for the peace and progress of Nigeria.

“You cannot do another wrong to attempt to repair the series of wrongs of Nigerian governance. A so-called amnesty for Boko Haram cult, JAMBS (Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis-Sudan) or any other terror group or affiliate is another dangerous wrong to compound a history of terrible wrongs and failures by your government and the governments before you that got us here in the first place,” the group warned President Jonathan, describing the mentality of throwing money at every problem to as solution to the problem as hopeless.

Reminding the president that he would be judged by his level of squandermania in the guise of fighting crime, the Muslims Against Terror noted that terrorism across the country was caused by the failure of governance.

The group warned further: “if you and the so-called northern elders continue such grave failure simply to win elections, by the grace of the Almighty, you will be surprised and shocked that, insha Allah, the people will rise against you this time, and no amount of money you pay for votes will allow any of you to remain in leadership, both as elected officials and as traditional leaders, because the blood of innocent Nigerians and your violation of the tenets of God as written in the Torah, the Bible and Quran, to mete out justice on the murderers of us masses, will bring your woe.”

Quoting various verses from the Bible and Quran to back their claim that whoever killed should himself be killed, the group said God’s message on justice for the oppressed was clear as this would help to discourage future perpetration of barbarism among men.

The group declared that the president could not just abandon the victims of the Boko Haram attacks simply because he wanted to gain political favour from the elites hoping also that such elites could help him win the next election.

“We have hunted Boko Haram. We put a reward on the head of Abubakar Shekau. Our brothers have died in the hunt for these cultists and our soldiers have died, innocent people have died.

“It is our right that justice must be meted upon these deviants according to Shariah.

“Boko Haram (members) themselves do not ask for amnesty, because they know that this is haram. So who is asking?” the group wondered, adding that it was sure those asking had a lot to hide just like the president trying to force the amnesty down the throats of the members who have rejected it.

“Who and what holy book gave them the right to shoot at and toss bombs at people playing cards? Is this the law of Shariah that people playing cards or drinking alcohol should be killed?

“Can they show us in Quran where it states that people giving immunization should be killed?” the group asked, warning that giving the terrorists any amnesty would constitute a disastrous precedence, where people believe they simply need to kill innocent people to get cash from the government.

It said that instead of amnesty, the government should consider a social welfare scheme for the people of the north because the entire area would hardly recover from the terrorist experience.

“Establish a social welfare, youth empowerment and employment system starting with the poorest northern extremes of Nigeria and spread this to the entire nation as is with social security in the United States, which cuts crime in these nations,” it said, warning that it would not forgive the president if the amnesty is granted. Amnesty To Boko Haram Is Double Haram.

source: http://news.naij.com/30458.html?sub=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=local

Some gunmen suspected to be members of the deadly Boko Haram sect on Sunday attacked the Ekliziyar Yan’uwa a Nigeriya (Church of Brethern), also known as EYN in Bulumkutu ward of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital injuring one policeman.

Vanguard gathered that the gunmen came in a Keke Napep (tricycle) at about 11:02am when the whole congregation were receiving sermon from the Man of God and thereafter opened fire on the JTF troops deployed to the church to protect lives of and property, but unfortunately, the troops repelled the attack which led to the injuring of one policeman in his leg.

According to eye witness who spoke on condition of anonymity said, the gunmen numbering about five came on a tricycle and started shooting which he believed was targeted at the JTF security personnel attached to the church, but with the quick response from the JTF operatives, the gunmen had no option than to run away without being arrested.

He said even though he couldn’t get the details of the attack as to whether one or two of the gunmen sustained gunshot injuries, he is optimistic that one of the security personnel was shot in his leg, as he saw the time when he was being rushed to the hospital for treatment.

When contacted on phone for confirmation, the JTF Spokesman, Leuitenant Colonel Sagir Musa confirmed the incident.

He said at about 11am, some Boko Haram suspected attempted to attack the JTF location at the EYN church in Bulumkutu ward of Maiduguri Metropolis, but were repelled, pointing out that one policeman sustained gunshot injury in his leg, was treated and immediately discharged from the hospital.

Unknown to many, the building donated to All Saints’ Anglican Church in Aninnri Local Government Area of Enugu State by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is in fulfilment of a vow he made to God many years ago.

Ekweremadu, who was speaking during the dedication of the church building yesterday, said even as he saw homelessness while growing up, he made a covenant with God to build a church for him if successful in life.

Recalling a serious health challenge he passed through and that only God saved him, the Deputy Senate President said: “I said, God, because of these challenges surrounding me, if you make me successful in life, I will build a church for you.

“And from that day, it has been one progress or the other. Today is a very important day in the life of my family. It is the most important day in my life because God has given us the opportunity to redeem our pledge and covenant.”

The Primate of the Anglican Communion, the Most Rev Nicholas Okoh dedicated the church building while the cutting of the tape and handing over was done by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Saw this somewhere:

I feel very sorry for people like Douglas Anele who maintain God does not exist.

At university, I was a student of Philosophy. You had to be, if you studied Political Science. I therefore find it highly amusing that, in a discussion about the existence of God, Douglas Anele tries to dazzle me by dropping the names of philosophers like David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Bertrand Russell. But I need no such shenanigans in order to confound Douglas’ atheism. I will only present here a token of my relationship with the God Douglas foolishly says is non-existent.

“Non-existent” meeting

I was standing in the parking lot of the building where I lived in Lagos, talking to Bimbo Dada, now Director of Library, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, when a man walked through the gate and came to talk to me. He said he worked for an oil-company but had recently been posted out of town.

There was a lunch-hour fellowship meeting every week in his house and he was at a loss what to do about it now he was leaving. So he had been asking the God Douglas says does not exist for guidance.

On that particular day, the “non-existent” God told him to stop praying. He told him to go out of the house and walk down the road. When he got to our gate, the “non-existent” God told him to go in. Then he said to him: “You are to hand over the lunch-hour fellowship to that man talking to the lady over there.” So the man said to me: “The Lord says I should hand over the lunch-hour fellowship meeting in my house to you.”

After getting the confirmation I required from the God “who does not exist,” I agreed to take over the fellowship. That was how I inherited a 20-man lunch-hour fellowship in 1994.

Soon, I rented a flat in Victoria Island for the fellowship from Chief Olisah Metuh, now PDP National Publicity Secretary. Two years later, the God “who does not exist” told me he has given me an entire building. I jumped to the conclusion he had given me Olisah Metuh’s building. As a Christian then schooled naively in the sacrificial system, I concluded God would sacrifice the landlord’s interests for my sake.

I got a prayer group to surround the building and quickly claimed it in the name of Jesus, according to the principles of Joshua: wherever the soles of my feet tread, I take possession. (Joshua 1:3). I don’t know if someone quickly alerted Olisah Metuh he was in danger of losing his building to a determined prayer-warrior.

Or perhaps he received a warning about me in a vision or a dream. But shortly after I embarked on these ungodly prayer-sessions, the landlord gave me summary quit notice and I had to move out.

Hand of God

When I started looking for alternative accommodation, my estate agents, Diya Fatimilehin, first took me to a big dilapidated building in the same Victoria Island. I did not like it and rejected it out of hand. But later that evening, the “non-existent” God told me the building I despised was the one he had given me.

Therefore, I went back the next day to take a second look. I discovered my “Promised Land” was formerly occupied by the Palestinian Embassy and, significantly, it has quite a number of fruit trees.

I moved into the building in 1997 and spent a small fortune renovating it, confident it belonged to me. In 1999, at the expiration of my lease, the landlady, Eniola Vanderpuye, offered to sell the building to me through her lawyers, Abiola Morgan & Associates; even though I never asked to buy it.

I later discovered she had never even seen it before. It had been willed to her by her late father. But she lives in Chicago with her American husband and has no desire to return to Nigeria.

The realtor she hired to value the building turned out to be Pastor Seinde Adegbonmire of RCCG, a good friend of mine. He asked me how much I could afford. We finally agreed on a price convenient to both the landlady and me. Moreover, I was allowed to pay unconventionally; in installments over four years. Nevertheless, after four years, I was still unable to complete the payment for the building.

God’s bailout

One day, Mrs. Nike Shonibare, a woman I had never met before came to see me. She was then Head of Commercial and Community Banking at MBC International Bank. She told me her bank would like to encourage me to buy a new car. I would deposit one-third of the cost in their bank and they would finance the rest. She told me to go to Coscharis Nigeria Limited to choose any car I liked.

I went there and chose a Land Rover Freelander. But while the deal was still being negotiated by my lawyer, Pastor Tokun Pedro of RCCG, the “non-existent” God told me he did not send Mrs. Shonibare so I could buy a car. He told me he sent her so I could secure a loan to pay off my outstanding debt to Eniola Vanderpuye.

Accordingly, I borrowed N10 million from MBCI (now First Bank) to pay off my former landlady. I serviced the debt and brought it down to N5 million. But then I fell on hard times and it grew back to N10 million. Then the “non-existent” God appeared to me in a dream and promised to send me money “from Canada.”

Within eight days, I received miraculously a number of unsolicited gifts totalling N11 million. One friend I had not seen for years, walked into my office and said: “The Lord says I should give this to you.” He placed a cheque on my table face-down. When I turned it over, it was for N6,300,000.

I asked for a meeting with MBCI and insisted they should knock N2.5 million off my debt since I was prepared to clear it outright. They agreed to knock off N2.1 million. Thus, I completed the payment for the building, while still leaving me with a generous balance of nearly N3 million.

Foolish atheists

In effect, the “non-existent” God gave me a lunch-hour fellowship. He then gave me a big building at 12 Babatunde Jose Street, Victoria Island, a prime location in Lagos, in which to have the fellowship. He then arranged a loan for me to finance the payment for the building. Then, he arranged for gifts to enable me clear my debts.

Today, barely nine years later, the value of the building given to me by the God who is “non-existent” is now over fifteen times the purchase price.

You can now see why I feel very sorry for people like Douglas Anele. They use Philosophy to negate the existence of God. People like Douglas are victims of their own conceit. Since they don’t know God, they conclude he does not exist instead of humbling themselves in prayer and asking God to reveal himself to them.

Jesus says: “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight.” (Matthew 11:25-26).

Femi Aribisala is the fellowship coordinator of Healing Wings. Healing Wings is a pentecostal Christian fellowship which meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Northern States Elders Christian Forum (NOSCEF), led by Evangelist Matthew Owojaiye, has forecast a bloody Islamic revolution in Northern Nigeria.

It advised, however, that it is not late to contain it if the North would focus on the greatest need of its people and swiftly attend to it.

In a statement in Abuja today, the forum declared that The [Northern Muslim] Elders can see the revolution coming and are talking about it, but that for a long time, they were content to turn the attention of the youth against Christians, using religion.

It suggested that the key issue is economic, not religious, pointing out that the Northern states have so far produced nine Heads of State, only one of whom, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, was a Christian.

"What did these 8 Head of States except Sir Ahmadu Bello do for the people? How come the people are poor when their own people have been in power most of the time?

“Most of the Governors in the North are Muslims. How come their people are so poor? How come they are the ones selling water in jerry cans? How come they are the ones doing shoe shining? How come they are the ones breaking fire woods into pieces? How come they are the ones doing maiguard, night guard work? These Northern leaders have cheated the Northern masses too much.”

It also pointed out that most of the Federal Ministers from the North are Muslims. “What did their people benefit from it? Almost nothing. The Northern States have far more Local Governments. None earns less than N100 million a month from the Federal Government. What did they do with it? The Federal Government pumped billion of Naira into nomadic education. Where is the result?”

Continued the statement, “Most of those who are Ambassadors from the North are Muslims. The Governor of Central Bank is a Muslim from the North. The Minister of Education is a Muslim from the North. The Inspector General of Police is a Muslim from the North. The National Security Adviser is a Muslim from the North. The Chief Justice of the Federation is a Muslim from the North.”

It further pointed out that there are more Northern Muslims Senators; more Muslim Northern House of Representative Members; and more Northern Muslim Commissioners of Police.

“Most of those who own Petrol Stations in the North are Muslims. Most of those who have been Executive Directors from the North are Muslims. Most of the Vice Chancellors of Universities and Rectors of Polytechnics in the North are Muslims. Most of the owners of trailers in the North are Muslims. All who have ever been Vice Presidents of Nigeria from the North are all Muslims.”

With all of this in mind, the statement asked, “What have the Christians done in the North to cause poverty in the North that warrants total annihilation?” adding, “They are attacking the wrong people.”

NOSCEF stated that it is still not too late to contain the revolution if the right attitude was adopted by the North and the right action, taken.

“Find the greatest need of your people,” it advised. “Vocational jobs, training and mass scholarships. Agricultural loans made available to the poor. Build dams and boreholes everywhere. Provide medical clinics that are functioning. Find projects that can touch their lives. Do launching and fund raising.

Let all of the Big Men mentioned earlier come and give away half i.e. 50% of their wealth to help their people. They cannot finish spending the remaining 50% until they die peacefully. If they refuse to do this, the revolution will come and consume them.

It will take away all their wealth. Time is running out. No need to play to the gallery. No need to do escapism. The Boko Haram has almost finished dealing with Christians yet their problems are not solved.

They will descend on their Elders and consume them.

Why turn Muslim areas of the North into Ghost towns? Why destroy the whole place? Why present our youth for slaughter? What percentage of children of the rich is in terrorism?”

source: http://news.naij.com/28850.html?sub=1&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=local

mod please frontpage!

when the divorce happened, it was all over the frontpage, so i wonder why this is not
this shows that what people want to hear about MOGs are bad news and nothing good.

anyway, what happened to benny hinn is a huge lesson and shows God's infinite mercies towards us.
congrats sir and ma, wish you the best of days ahead.

are some people still preparing to flow with this thing called val? can't some people just learn and see that valentine is of no use to the christian outside soul winning.

pls be wise and try to see how God sees. any christian that says valentine should be celebrated is lost and needs to re-trace his/her steps.
valentine day is useless, devilish and immoral.

@ plappville

you talk with no understanding of what you say.

do you think God is a fool? if God has not called you to be a Pastor; a leader of His kids, but you decided to call yourself, then you are in hot soup.

As a man called by God, your life has been totally bought over by God and you no longer have authority over what you do, where you go or even what you say. seem a lot of talkers on this forum are so naive at the meaning of being called by God.

so if an MOG decides to acquire a jet without being told by God to do so, that dude has shot himself in the foot. so before you start castigating and mouth-murdering MOGs, please take some time to think about this.
if God told him to buy it, so be it and there is nothing any mortal like you can do about it

if more jets are coming as instructed by the Master, then His will be done

@ OP

ok, thank you for wasting this space

@ Goshen360

you sound to know so much about or should i say you, know better than the MOG and am wondering why you have not taken to doing what this man is doing now and am sure you will do better.

you are just like fans in a football match that shout at the players doing it on the field but yet could not make it into the feeder team of the club. you stay on the sideline and shouts, correct, criticize and even condemn players on the field.

if you know so much and can say so much, please be bold enough to hop onto the field and show us how to play the game.

nobody appointed you as MOGs critic, so stop talking start action.

@ muskeeto

Which one be after life, keep beleiving.in fables, even devil go enter heaven,

ok i hear you cos na you go stand for gate after life abi

@ Op

seem you are really hurt but lame in this matter, you are angry yet cannot do anything about it, sorry o

if you are sore about the move made by the pastorate, then buzz off, walk out instead of making noise about what you cannot change.

this topic is already over-flogged on this forum where you are seeking for advice....pbtuuuu

Happy birthday Sir, you are an icon in this generation and we are humbled at same time inspired by your genuine passion and love for God and His work.

We salute one of God's rare general as you add another thrilling, fulfilling and industrious year today.

Happy birthday Sir, we love and cherish you dearly.

Mr sirjohn, you could have be on this thing from thine kingdom come, it does not make it right.

Seem you are the one that has failed to understand English and not me. How can you confirm the phrase "everything falls apart", thats quite unfortunate for you maybe you meant to say those you have met so far (and I wonder how many they are).

Mr man, I just told you about my daughter and you are there telling me that you can prove me wrong? What are you going to scrutinize when I was the one that spent the money at the hospital and now my daughter is well yet you are saying you want to take me on? Take me on what? If you think you are sent to confuse people with your unfounded theories, I think you need to think again.

Once my daughter was hospitalized, now she is sound and well, QED

We have heard claims like yours before and when properly scrutinized everything falls apart; if you doubt, we can take up your claim here.Do you mind?

did you read my post at all? seem you are engulfed in your outrage against the MOG rather than be objective in this matter.

if i may ask you, who are you? what is your mission?