₦airaland Forum

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8453321.stm

I think it is him. I know his voice enough.

naijaway:
Onlytruth,      Let us agree to disagree here because I don't believe in making one's believe above others. I can also call you naive based on what I think can be done right. 
   The igbos don't need to act as others do in terms of integration. Nigeria will not break up and even if she did, there will still be others there. Ofo is not God, and if ofo is that powerful, why do we need police?    Lagos as long as Nigeria is concerned cannot be denied to the igbos. If u set a fair and working standard, others will follow. If those ofos worked good, then how did we loose to the oyibos during slave trade? many other questions can be asked.  And I ask this because you say ofo can be modified, which makes me wonder why it hasn't been versatile.  I am a christian but not a born again if you may so is not like am hating but am going to call a bluff a bluff. Its just belief, during an escalation of any scale, it can be burned down or taken ( I mean Ofo or ogun or whatever). 
   I don't mind it as a deterent but other people it is arguable in the sense that other ofos and technologies might be better than it.

Like I said earlier, you are being selfish for allowing your personal fears obstruct your sense of logic. Who said anything about Nigeria breaking up here 
So, it is your type that would rather sell off your culture because you were born in Lagos (precisely why I am not a fast advocate of inter tribal marriages).

Who swore the Oyibos by the ofo in the slavery days? Are you for real?
Don't worry about Anambra state or Igboland, just worry about Lagos. No one will make your Governor Fashola swear by the ofo. So, calm down. This is purely for Anambra state and those who willing partake in the ofo covenant.

I said earlier that the police and ofo play different roles in society. I never called for one to replace the other. I advocated for the ofo to form part of our electing and swearing in of leaders in IGBOLAND, not elsewhere.

Who told you that real ofos can be burned? Do you even know anything about Igboland?

Anyway, I've had enough of this. Just know that this doesn't really concern you. I am not an Ogboni member and would never dream of being a governor in Oyo, Ogun , Osun states or even Lagos state. Just don't discredit or mess with a selection process chosen by people who are far more educated and knowledgeable than you in far away Igboland.

Two things I know about the ofo are:

(1) It never kills or harm an innocent man, in fact if you invoke the ofo on an innocent man you may even die for it!

(2) More innocent Nigerians die from Police and other security personnel human flaws and faults than from the ofo or other similar traditional institutions.

I'm not advocating to replace these human police institutions with the ofo -they each serve a different purpose.
So, let us modernize the ofo and pass our leaders through them before they take office. Whenever the human police fail to do their jobs as they are wont to do, the ofo will more than deliver.Simple.

naijaway:
Instead of ofo, why not use secret police, secret wire tapings, etc all with accountability by the head. Make people scared to talk bribe and killings because u don't know if am an agent. That to me would work better if applied for the next three elections. And also this can be used as a nation wide approach.
   Times are changing and we need to change for the better with or against it, and ofo might work but for national sake, lets use other ways [/b]and traditional rulers should sieze to exist as that. Everyone is. Statesmen/women are what we need like soyinka, ojukwu, etc and anyother good person in the intrest of their community and nation and don't have to be paid by the government. 
  [b]You cannot condemn sharia and support ofo for any office holder next thing you know it is used everywhere and state law for something that we don't know works like that. If it works, let's save it for war times against aggressors.

@naijaway

I think you are taking the whole thing too personal. Like I said before, it doesn't matter whether you were born outside igboland or not, once you participate in this covenant, it is binding. It might seem extreme to you but we are in extreme and desperate times!
You are right that the world is changing but you are wrong that is it fundamentally different from what it has always been. The more things change the more they remain the same, which is why we still have wars and prostitution (practices are early as man!). Your cosmopolitan perspective on this topic is a little naive (I'm sorry). I know for instance that most of the south west politicians belong to Ogboni fraternity (even bishops!). So for you to tell me that in the interest of Nigerian unity we must jettison our culture and tradition to accommodate other people is pure day dreaming.
Igboland is desolate today because we abandoned some of the most beautiful cultural practices to embrace things we don't even understand fully.
To compare this to Sharia is disingenuous because Sharia imposes on everybody willy nilly(using the Hisba).

There are no police or human enforcers of the ofo, it enforces itself!
Truly educated Igbos will resist any integration that destroys our culture and imposes alien ones with disastrous consequences.
The most unfortunate thing is that people like you don't even care to look closely at the culture you were born into -Lagos/Yoruba- to draw valuable lessons. You sit there in Lagos and dream of a day when there would no longer be tribes in Nigeria. I laugh in Igbo.

You advocate only a human policed system but you forget that humans are weak,wicked and intrinsically corrupt. Who told you that wiretaps have only been used for good?

This oath has nothing to do with traditional rulers. It is being administered by traditional priests.
It has been known to work in the past (which is why some people fear it). I only alluded that it should be made to prove itself against skeptics like you. I never said I doubted its potency.

I know for example that Dr Dozie Ikedife is the most honest Ohanaeze President we've ever had. The man simply cannot lie, even till today (one year after leaving office). His integrity is beyond those of his peers and contemporaries. The traditional ikenga which he practices leaves no room for lies and takes no prisoners . If he wants to live a short live, all he needs do is tell lies. There are few people like that in Igboland today because majority of them acquire knighthood from the church only to turn the state into a serfdom.

I am a practicing Christian and I know that these things (Ikenga et al) are part of God's government and they are the enforcers of justice and retribution. That topic is huge and is for another section and day.
Bottomline is that if I have a choice between a dubious knight of the catholic church, and a Dr Dozie Ikedife a practicing traditionalist, I would choose Ikedife 10 times!

Anyway back to the topic
@naijaway

You talk as if these traditional institutions cannot be modernized and still retain their potency. I don't know your level of education, but all I can say is that I have noticed that the most educated Igbo today understand and appreciate some of our cultural institutions. Dr Dozie Ikedife the former Ohanaeze President and many others like him from my town are practicing traditionalists. These people were educated in the years when education was of high standards in Nigeria and some of them even studied overseas.

Let me tell you, if some of these known powerful traditional institutions were owned by white people, they would have built huge edifices for them and institutionalized them in leadership and development. How do you think they choose their leaders? Most of their leaders belong to societies. What do you think that means?
People should please get themselves thoroughly educated first before commenting on topics like this.

Whites retain any culture that works and toss those that don't, and there is no way of knowing what works except through tests. Let us find out if these things work first. If they don't, then we should know. I say let us even swear in any office taker by these ofos. If they work, no thief will near our purse again. If not, we toss them.  I know they have worked in the past (which is why certain people are staying away from this one).
Even if you were born in foreign land, all you need to escape its wrath is to abide by the covenant, shikena!
If not, you and your family will pay. It is better that we have honest men who are poor managers, than competent men who are thieves!
I repeat, ofo never kills anyone with clean hands.

metal-gong:
I don't know you neither do I know your ethnic group,but one thing one can easily deduce from your incoherent ranting is your abysmal ignorance of Igbo tradition and culture.
If you are an Igbo man, you must be among those referred to as 'Ndi ala bu otu.'

lmao!

^^^
Until Nigerians start being resilient and relentless about the pursuit of justice, these types of things would never stop.
Of course I agree that the materials in the military and paramilitary should be massively overhauled (retire or fire everyone without adequate education, there are millions of jobless graduates in Nigeria), but if ordinary people don't stand up to say enough, these things can never stop.

I still insist on a law allowing a private company to arrest and prosecute criminals in Nigeria. There are too many unemployed Nigerians and this is one avenue for employing them. The worst that can happen is that crime and unemployment rates will decrease. I want to start such a business in Nigeria. Even kidnapping will stop because private companies can employ more sophisticated ways of tracking down such criminals.
The only thing the government needs to do is build more jails/prisons and provide more protection to judges,  then stand back and watch the magic.
The government should pay for each criminal successfully convicted. In the case of rich criminals, their assets should be "garnished" or confiscated to be used to pay for their conviction and other punitive damages (where applicable).

We can cry all we want, but if we don't change our thinking, we will remain hostages to these goons.

joshO:
The only thing that baffles me in all of this is how tolerant we are, how much rubbish we are willing to take as a people. Where is the outrage? Is it beyond us too pay assassins to eliminate public officials and goons like these?. I know it's not that difficult as most of them are not as protected / secure as they think they are.  It's only drastic action like this that'll convince our rulers and abusers of power that we have lost faith in the system and that enough is enough.

Lagosboy:
I think its high time the adresses of this military guys are traced and their house and famliy mobbed. 2 soldier guards cannot handle a mob of hundred people. If one or two generals are taught the lessons of their life they would all think twice before doing such things again. This generals deserve jungle justice as they are men from the jungle, their cars burnt , houses razed it is only then they would fear "people Power"

This is precisely why we need laws allowing private citizens to arrest and prosecute a potential criminal or a fugitive of the law. The "general" would be lucky if his victim in this case is only going the legal route. People have been killed in Nigeria for a paltry N20,000.
It is dangerous to leave people to their fates in things like these. The law must be elastic and resilient to the point where criminals know there is no escape for them. Until we start dealing with people like these, ordinary powerless Nigerians are doomed. This victim should pursue this criminal "general" relentlessly until he is brought down.
This "general" together will all his type belongs in jail.

Gov Obi is not my candidate in this election. Dr Ngige is!
Well, maybe these guys know something I don't know.

Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi has been endorsed for second term in office by traditional priests of Nnewi, Oraifite and Ichi towns from the state.

The traditionalists endorsed Obi for second term at this year's Annual Odinana-Anaedo ceremony, which holds once in a year.
They individually called on the land and gods to endorse the governor, starting with the Isi-Ani Nnewi, Chief Okoli Okafor aged about 96 years.

In his opening remarks, the President of Odinana Anaedo Nnewi, Dr. Igwilo said that their decision to endorse Obi was because he has continued to work for Anambra people without discrimination.
According to him, another reason was the fact that the leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who is the grand Patron of the association and leader of Ndi Igbo has directed all Igbos  to vote for APGA, a call "that must be obeyed".

Igwilo also noted that it took a long time for members to consult their deities and to arrive at the decision. He also explained that neither the governor nor Ojukwu nor their party was aware of the ceremony because they were not invited but expressed surprise that many political parties sent emissaries to them during their consulting period but stated that ODINANA can never be influenced by “Men or Money".
Over 100,000 youths and elders participated in the ceremony featuring 115 masquerades from Nnewi and other neighboring towns.



Traditional priests in attendance, who endorsed Obi include: [b]Isi Ani Nnewi Okoli Okafor; Isi Edo Nnewi Ezeifikaibe; Chief Dr. Olisa Kp Ofomata Isi -edo; Ezeomenife president Odinana Nnewi; Isi Udo Nnewichi Ohabueze of ok au go; Isi Ogwugwu Umuanu ka Nwaokafor; Chief Ezeobiaka Orifite Eriobunar; Mazi Olisa Udenmuo; Isi Akpu Umudim Ezichukwu Udebuani; Isi Ulasi Urn Ikenna Akunwanne; Isi Udo Ulasi Uru Adiekwue Ik; Isi Agwu Ezemena Ubusi Nwachukwu; Chief Mbabiri Okonkwo; Isi Edo Nongana Obinna Chukwu; Isi Ogwugwu agu chukwu ma ka onye mmbanagu; Isi Akpu Ulasi Anazor Eledinno; and Isi  Ulasi  Akpu  Edp  A.
Others are Chukwukaodinaka  Azukaeme; Isi  Ulasi  Akon Edo;  Dr. Igwilo - President Odinana Anaedo Anaedo; Ezomenife President Odinana Nnewiehi; Chief Obinakueze - See Odinana Anaedo; Isi Ana Nnewiehi – Chief Ezenwanolue; Chief Obidiegwu Obi Abubo; Chief Obi Onyekaba Obi Nnewiehi; Chief Obidike enyi Obi Dim Ohachue Nnewiehi; Isi Idemili Agwu Ebubue; Obi Umuanuka- Chief Eehezonam; Isi Udo Obuofia Nnewichi – Eleodimuo; Isi Edo Mkpume Nnewichi - Omeife jidego; Chief Nwafor Okonkwo Umuanuka; Isi Agwu – Umuanuka; Chief  Dona Nwakobebe; Chief  B. Nwosu – Umuanuka; Mazi lnno Nwosu; Isi Ogwugwunkwu; Ogo diegwu; Chief Onwelu Isi Udo; Obi Ofia Chukwuemeka Orajiobi; Chief Chukwunwendu; Chief Ezeani nwosu Chineduala and  Isi Ulasi Ezi Ogwugwu.
[/b]
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=163889







I am a little surprised at this endorsement by traditional priests of Ana-edo (Nnewi). Nearly all of these priests are old and reputable. I wouldn't know more than that though. I only know that these priests die or don't last long if ever they involve themselves in anything crooked. Interesting.

chidichris:
@ONLYTRUTH?
the candidates fraudulently got their tickets and we all know that eg, soludo. now does this oath cover their primary elections activities? on the other hand, u and i know the impossibilities of having a free and fair election in nigeria especially with the level of interest pdp has shown in anambra state.
what will happen if at the end of the day, the rigging continues and no deaths recorded on the issues?
like i said, if this oath works, anambra or even nigeria will be turned into a burial ground as i have at least 10 names of big criminals whose past, present and future depend on rigging hence they will die.

@chidichris

If I understand what has happened properly, the Anambra traditional leaders came together and decided that they must have a peaceful, free and fair election in Anambra state. They then invited the oldest known traditional institutions with the ofo to administer a covenant on the contestants to the effect that any of them who participates in the covenant must not rig elections. It does not cover their actions prior or after the elections. This is specific and targeted. So, let us not try to derail and discredit the thing just because we may not agree with it.

If at the end of the day, participants violate the terms they swore to, they will incur the consequences, simple. This is not the first time entire families have been wiped out in Igboland by covenants like these. I remember vividly when a neighboring town did something like this. A whole lot of people died, but at the end, calm and peace returned to the town.

Time has come for us to instill fear in the minds of those who steal our votes and pillage our collective patrimony. So, I say let the chips fall where they may! Some known thieves are already staying away from the covenant. At least people would know before casting their votes.

Now that the thieves stayed away from the covenant, some id.io'ts won't come here to tell me that Igbos voted the same thieves and that all Nigerians are the same. If any of the non-participants win this election, my people are not responsible. They were simply imposed. If they start stealing tomorrow, we won't be shocked! A man with clean hands have nothing to hide. The ofo never kills a man with clean hands!

ChinenyeN:
Metal-Gong, I've already read "Igbo history", and I have more questions than answers. Also, my people live no where near Anambra, so my traditional rulers aren't familiar with Nri culture, except for whatever they have read, and whatever else would have been told to them.

Dear ChinenyeN

I understand your questions but the answers is enough for a whole new thread! The most important point to make is that there are still old and uncorrupted traditional institutions in Igboland, be they at Nri, Aguleri, Umuleri and other parts of Igbo land.
The point of this thread is that politicians should be made to swear by these old ofo institutions to be of good conduct. Let's stay on the topic and not derail.

Meanwhile enjoy this movie below. It is only a movie but it captures some of the beliefs of our people. These are old beliefs and they have worked for hundreds of years.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZ_cYEUCGY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84LWz5sgNqg



To understand this movie more you need to watch the first series first:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZ_cYEUCGY


Enjoy!

Ijele-igbo:
@onlytruth, nwanne let me correct you. who told you that ofor of nri is the oldest? E makwa ife na emere na obodo gi bu ANAMBRA? haven't u heard about a community called AGULERI in Anambra east L.G.A Before any person is coronated as EZe in nri, he must come to AGULERI to coll ect the ofor. the present ruler EZE ONYESOH came to aguleri in 1988 and received the ofor from HRM EZE A.E CHUKWUEMEKA-ERI (AKA JI OFOR IGBO) ENUGWU AGULERI. You better be informed!

Thanks for the information but it really doesn't matter, it is the same old ofo of Igboland. Most of those types of ofo are incorruptible. Mind you they are not deities. They are just our moral and retributive institutions. They extract guarantee from the willing participants that they would abide by the terms of the agreement.
It doesn't affect those who never participated in the covenant, which is why some candidates (PDP, Andy Uba et al) stayed away. They know the implication of partaking. Mind you this is only for the elections. It doesn't cover after elections events. It only guarantees that the participants don't rig elections. Period. If they do, they bring down curses upon their families and lineages.

Mekusxyz:
That is why this man is standing up. That is why citizen Uzoma beaten up by Navy man Arogundade stood up.

Very sad indeed, but, at least, the mad shooter got himself a life jail (in a naija prison oh!) and dismissal from the navy. I think he is a big loser too. The victim in the current episode will most likely get some justice because he is not a poor Nigerian (+American) and the current IGP is his relation, plus the hell that could be raised, him being an Ame citizen too. Ame does not joke with their citizens. If anything, the mad general may not get an Ame visa in his lifetime.

Furthermore, as we read, the offending army general is retired and if the victim does not relent in pursuing the case, the military will soon abandon the retired man to his fate. Then he will be left alone to carry his troubles. Does anyone know what became of Uzoma’s case? Navy army Arogundade is still having his day in court, but I bet he will be dismissed, at least.

Thanks Mekus!
I pity some of my people because of their thinking style. Bottomline is that if this guy stays focused and relentless in his pursuit of justice, he will get it, even in the jungle of Nigeria! I don't care who this "general" is. It all begins and ends in the victims determination to obtain justice. This brute is vulnerable on several fronts! Bring down some heat on him and watch while even his bodyguards abandon him. lmao!

xterra2:
Other people that think private people can arrest/prosecute nigerians dont know what they are saying?There is no law to that effect and if that even happen(the arrest)it will illegal and the person can sue and win damages or better still,be regarded as Kidnapping and if it happen in some states there will be death sentence.Think again?

Thanks for the information. Maybe someone should pick up on the idio.c'y of that fact to create a law making it possible for civilian bounty hunters to bring these types of i'di'ots to justice.
Mind you that nature abhors vacuums. If these types of things continue to go unaddressed, people will definitely form private armies to start seeking vengeance. The government should act fast.

Okay how about i say go ask James Ibori??huh
And to the victim i say WELCOME TO NAIJA -i dont blame him he stays in US and thinking that by reporting it will be solved yes of course it will be but in US not Naija he needs to know he is not in US but in 9JA where anything can happen.Nothin will come out of this case i bet you people. Again i WELCOME the man to NAIJA.he should take heart and not waste his vacation days prosecuting a non-prosecutable case. 
NAIJA 4 LYFE

So Nigeria is a jungle for life  populated by cavemen who suck in and enjoy brutality and subjugation.
It baffles me that it is diaspora Nigerians that even bother to address these types of issues. Nigeria is really cursed and I pity my family in Nigeria. Much of what I advocate here is because of concerns for them.
My mum once told me that she would never be happy in heaven if one of her children ended up in hell. I guess the same feelings propel me here.

Sad sad sad

Aloy`Emeka:
Don't we have honest generals again in Nigeria?. Ebitu Ukiwe was kicked out as IBB's deputy and replaced with Augustus Aikhomu because he refused to partake in looting and embezzlement. What happened ti him?. They forcibly retired him from the navy.

This "general" doesn't seem like the honorable one you mentioned. His impunity betrays him as one of those involved in oil bunkering and other shady deals. Something is pumping his ego.
His ego needs to be brought under the law.

Aloy`Emeka:
Which estate? A retired Nigerian civil servant?

Hull his a's's in jail and you will be shocked by how much he had stolen and stacked away for his wives and concubines!
Get him first and watch him promise to pay millions of dollars.
Retired civil servant my a*s*s'.

All these would really depend on the determination of the victim to get justice. Nigerians should start asserting themselves. These people are not as impregnable as we think!

Aloy`Emeka:
He will be released on a N10k/$60 bail the next day. He is only a suspect for assault and battery and not murder or ra *pe. No be Naija?

It doesn't matter much until he is convicted (our courts are getting bolder these days, if you doubt that go ask Bode George). When he serves between 5 to 10 years for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, believe me others like him would learn. After his conviction, his estate will be confiscated to pay for all these plus damages.

Aloy`Emeka:
The general in question is not a fugitive. He is happily eating amala and ewedu in his home while his guards are eagled eyed  waiting to brutalize any ordinary citizen like you with a placard. Compare this story with the guy murdered by the mopol some days ago at Awka and tell me the difference.

Well, look at it this way. The victim approaches a private company (bounty hunters) and contracts them to take up his case. He pays them their fees and they swing into action. They first approach a court and files for a warrant of arrest (private attorney general arrest warrant) with substantial evidence. The court grants it. They swing into action.

Armed with the warrant, the bounty hunters trail the general to a less secure position, pounce on him and if his bodyguards try any nonsense, they give them the beating of their lives and drag their boss to jail. Next business day, they drag him before the court and take it from there. All these will happen without much police involvement.
The general won't be eating ewedu in peace for some time then.
And guess what, if convicted, he pays for all these plus punitive damages to his victim.
We have some ways to go in Nigeria

bk_baybe99:
What,u gone try to arrest the general on some citizen's arrest ish? A general that had the nerves to whoop a U.S citizen into coma status? Well, goodluck on that one

I didn't mean ordinary people arresting the general but professional bounty hunters armed to do the job.
It is a lucrative business. Too many Nigerians are jobless. This can be one field to employ people.

Back to the topic, does anyone know of any laws in Nigeria that allow ordinary citizens to arrest and bring before a competent court of law(act as the attorney general temporarily on the case), a fugitive of the law? Do we have such law in Nigeria? Anyone with the knowledge please volunteer.
If we don't have such law, then incidents like these will continue because of too much corruption in the police and attorney general's office.

That is part of why I love America. People like these are arrested by ordinary citizens using "private attorney general" provisions of the law. That is what bounty hunting is about. It is a very lucrative business. Nigeria has some ways to go but it is possible to bring these types of people to justice through civilian action. You will be shocked how many people would pay for your service.
The "general" would be made to pay for even his own arrest!

Did anyone notice that the victim was completely HELPLESS in the situation. This is classical Nigeria. Classical jungle. The "general" like this has no regard for any rules or laws of Nigeria. Nigeria is a joke. I will soon launch a lucrative business in Nigeria: bringing all these types of people to justice, by hook or crook.

I know for instance that when I was a kid, Christmas period was a real festive season in my town. People returned from far and near. We as kids played kiddish masquerades on Christmas day and went from house to house dancing and being "dashed" money.
We went on Christmas carols from 7 in the evening to about 5 am going from house to house. During the new yam festival, you went to church on Sunday, returned and put on your masquerade "mkpala" and "udo" chasing around girls and pretending to scare people
There was no kidnapping, no rapes, no money rituals, and you never feared that your neighbor could poison your kids!
Today,we have churches at every short distance, and yet, all the fun in our land is gone! Kidnappers and thieves and all types of evil pervading the land. Meanwhile people go to church and acquire titles like sirs.
Part of our soul searching must start with understanding that we should not throw away the baby with the bath water. Igbo culture is evolutionary. That is why we stopped sacrificing twins and throwing away folks with certain ailments. However, we must recall all the good things we had before colonization in order to even stand a real chance for success. I say swear them by the most powerful groups of ofos in Igboland!

Aloy`Emeka:
Can we place curses on all Nigerian politicians who steal our money without their consent?

We need to swear them in by these types of covenants. If they refuse to be sworn in that way, they must never be allowed to take office, simple. These covenants carry African curses and have been known to wipe out lineages and generations of fraudulent participants. Africans are careless and are ignominious of their own culture. I bet you that if you do a thorough anthropological and sociological research, you will likely find that some families have been wiped out by these types of oaths taken in the days before we threw our culture overboard for foreign things we hardly understand.

beejaei:
@Kobojunkie

I am tired of your phocking arrogant backside talking bullshit. Seriously, are you phocked up? You need to visit Aro? I am not willing to adjust to your cocky terse statements. If you are tired of life, go jump over the 3rd Mainland. Who the phock do you think you are to be telling me all this bullshit? Abi u wan die quick quick? E ma ri oloshi yi sha? When I get over your cockiness and obvious lack of etiquette, I will come back to address the issues. You are definitely one arrogant modaphocker who thinks he knows it all and cannot have a conversation without passing acerbic remarks. What for? If you know it all, then take your rotten backside off NL. My guy, I swear u dey vex me gaaan U dey craze ni. Wan shepe fun ni e?

Believe me that Kobojunkie character suffers from acute self obsessive compulsive disorder. I understand your feelings!
lmao

naijaway:
Traditional rulers should run for election if they are intrested. They are all crooks and obstructionist.

They are playing the role our tradition and culture assigned to them. Eze nri [/b]is a priestly title and is the custodian of Igbo staff of justice and retribution -[b]the ofo.

We don't need them in elective positions. Unless if you are among those advocating chaos amidst an "all-is-guilty"
chicanery. All cannot be guilty. Someone steals votes and money, others don't.  We must isolate them by throwing down the gauntlet. Anyone who avoids this real covenant with the people of Anambra state is a thief! An Ekperima!

SapeleGuy:
Federal Character, monopolisation of power, misappropriation of  mineral and financial resources have lead to resentment, which has become bigotry and ethnic intolerance.

The traits you highlighted (ethnic and religious bigotry) are mere symptoms and reactions to something more insidious. Religion and ethnicity is what the politicians use to control the people and make them do their bidding.

Who we think we are, dictates how we function as a society. I think our society is far too complex / diverse for 'catcha all' phrases like the average nigerian to be effective.

What or who is an average nigerian? What does it mean to be a nigerian? What is the nigerian dream or value system?
So many people have died and continue to die defending our votes. Your bag of rice and oil scenario is a tad simplistic.

Thank you Sapele, you just made my contribution. I have nothing more to add!

In a classical case of divide and rule, OBJ took 40 oil wells from Abia state and gave them to Rivers state. After a court action, the 40 oil wells were given back to Abia state. Since then the Yar adua government refused to pay Abia the arrears from the wells.

Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has passionately appealed to the Federal Government to pay all the money it owed the state to enable him execute developmental projects for the benefit of the people.
Orji  made the call yesterday when he received a team of Africa Security Watch at the Government House in Umuahia, saying with the paucity of funds being experienced by his administration, there was need for the Federal Govern-ment to release all monies owed the state.

Although Orji did not disclose the exact amount the Federal Government was owing Abia or the source of the indebtedness, it is believed that the federal authorities had been sitting on the arrears of money accruing from the over 40 recovered oil wells belonging to Abia but hitherto ceded to Rivers state.

He said Abia, on its own,  was indebted to the Federal Government to the tune of $25 million (about N3. 8 million), which according to him, was being deducted at source.

The governor therefore lamented that it was improper for the Federal Government to be deducting Abia’s money at source for the purpose of servicing its debt while at the same time sitting on the money due the state.
He also lamented that efforts by his administration to raise money at the capital market were being frustrated by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which according to him, has consistently been throwing spanners in the works.
“If you don’t have money you can do nothing,” he said, adding those criticising his administration should base their assessment on the amount of money available to the state government.

Earlier the president/chief executive officer Africa Security Watch told the governor that they were at the Government House to formally inform him that he had been nominated for the African Golden Prize for Leadership in Governance along with Ghanaian president, John Attah Mills.

Orji is expected to deliver a lecture entitled Roadmap to Peace and Security in a Developing Country at the award ceremony slated for Accra, Ghana in March.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=163689

These are the strategies (divide and rule) that must be resisted by all in the south for us to forge a new federation.

Of course this is not all we need to do to guarantee free and fair elections on February 6, there are other things we must do, however, this is certainly a very important step to demonstrate our seriousness about having a free and fair poll.