₦airaland Forum

Another tragedy has befallen the family of the late Nigerian coach, Amodu Shaibu as one of his children has reportedly died last Sunday.

According to Segun Oguns, a former national assistant goalkeeper, said the boy, Suleman Shaibu, 12, was a JSS 2 Student of Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta.

He reportedly came to Lagos last Thursday on holidays and the mother noticed that he was not looking too good. He was taken to a hospital in Surulere the next day before he passed on Sunday and buried the same day.

Amodu, his father, a former national coach died last year June, barely three days after that of another former Nigerian skipper and coach, Stephen Keshi.

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/late-super-eagles-coach-ahmadu-shuaibus-12-year-old-son-dies/

Here is a a classified file about what you may never have read about the Nigerian-Biafran war and the roles plated by General Gowon and Ojukwu.

Early in the morning of 1 July 1967, Nigeria’s young head of state, Colonel Yakubu Gowon, was feeling uneasy in his office at the Supreme Headquarters, Dodan Barracks in Lagos. The unease was a result of his being ceaselessly pressured to authorize a military invasion of the breakaway Republic of Biafra.

Thirty officers had been recalled from courses abroad. Trains and truck convoys, bearing fuel, supplies and men, were still leaving Kano and Kaduna for the south of River Benue.

Colonel Mohammed Shuwa of the First Area Command had moved his command headquarters southwards and set it up in Makurdi. The 2nd Battalion was already headquartered in Adikpo. Schools and private homes had been commandeered for the use of Major Sule Apollo and his 4th Battalion in Oturkpo. They were itching for action. The same day, Major B.M. Usman “a member of the intimate northern group around Gowon” told the American defense attaché: “I do not know what in hell he is waiting for; the boys are all ready to go. They are only waiting on his word.”

Members of the Supreme Military Council, who had been meeting twice daily, were waiting for his word. The whole nation was waiting. Biafra, which was on high alert, was also waiting.

On 27 June 1967, Cyprian Ekwensi, famous writer and Biafra’s Director of Information Service, through the Voice of Biafra (formerly Enugu Radio), urged Biafrans to be prepared for an invasion on June 29 since “Northerners have often struck on 29th day of the month.” He was alluding to the day northern officers, led by Major T.Y. Danjuma, seized Gowon’s predecessor, Major- General Aguiyi-Ironsi, and killed him in a forest outside Ibadan.

Gowon, then 31, had been running the affairs of 57million Nigerians for 10 months. It had not been easy. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, his 58-year old trusted deputy and adviser, was with Okoi Arikpo and Philip Asiodu, permanent secretaries of the ministries of External Affairs and Trade and Industries respectively.

They were preparing to put the noose on the neck of the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell-BP, which had frozen royalty payments due to the Federation Account on 1 June 1967 and had offered to pay the Biafran government £250,000.

Lieutenant Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu, Biafran leader, had ordered all oil companies to start paying all royalties to Enugu because they were operating in a new country or risk heavy penalties.

Ojukwu: Sworn in as Head of State of Biafra

Specifically, he demanded a minimum of £2million from Shell-BP. The Federal Government had imposed an economic blockade on Biafra. It entailed barring all merchant vessels and sea tankers from sailing to and from Koko, Warri, Sapele, Escravos, Bonny, Port Harcourt, Calabar ports, which Ojukwu had declared part and parcel of Biafra.

Biafra controlled the land on which the oil installations sat; the Nigerian government controlled the coastal entrance and exit to those lands. Shell-BP was confused as to whose order should be obeyed. Sir David Hunt, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, told his American counterpart after the meeting with the Nigerian delegation: “Awolowo is very firmly in control of Ministry of Finance and he is giving Stanley Gray, Shell’s General Manager and other experts from London a very difficult time for the past three days.” They persuaded Awolowo to accept a deal that would favour the Nigerian government and, at the same time, would predispose oil workers and the £150million investment to danger in the hands of Biafran military forces. Awolowo refused, arguing that anything short of the status quo was recognition of Biafra and concession to the rebels. As for security of investments and personnel, he argued that once royalties were paid, the Nigerian government would have the capacity to fund whatever action it would take on the rebels and Shell-BP’s investments would be safe.

Gowon paced to the large outdated map of the country by the door to his office. When he asked Awolowo to come and join his government, Awolowo said he would accept only if Gowon did something about the dominance of North over the rest of the nation. A month before, Gowon had broken up the North into six states, but the map by the door still showed the old Nigeria, with an imposing North at the top. He ran his finger around the boundaries of Biafra and asked himself: “How can I authorize an invasion of my own people?” He knew what it meant to be resented. He was not the most senior officer in the army. He was not a Muslim Hausa or Fulani from Kano, Kaduna or Sokoto. He was a Christian from one of the small minorities that dot the North and yet, events had promoted him to the position of the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief–to the chagrin of many northern officers, politicians, and emirs.

He knew the Igbo were resented in the North for succeeding where indigenes had failed. His Igbo lover, Edith Ike, told him her life was threatened twice in Lagos since she returned from the North in March.

According to the secret US document of 1 July 1967, Edith’s parents, having lived in the North for 30 years, where she too was born, had fled back to the East in October 1966 because of that year’s massacre of the Igbo. Not 30,000 but around 7,000 were killed, according to the American documents. Donald Patterson of the Political Section and Tom Smith of the Economic Section travelled from the US Embassy in Lagos to the North after the pogrom. “The Sabon-Garis were ghost towns, deserted, with the detritus of people, who had fled rapidly, left behind. Most Northerners we talked to had no apologies for what had happened to the Ibos, for the pogrom that had killed so many. There were exceptions, but in general, there was no remorse and the feeling was one of good riddance.

“One day, our Hausa gardener attacked and tried to beat up our Ibo cook. We fired the gardener, but not long afterwards, the cook left for the East,” said Patterson.

Earlier that week, Gowon called the West German Ambassador in Lagos. The Germans were eager to be in the good graces of the Gowon administration. A war loomed. And in wars, buildings, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure are destroyed. These would need rebuilding. The contract for the 2nd Mainland Bridge (later called Eko Bridge) was signed two years earlier by the Ambassador, CEO of Julius Berger Tiefbau AG and Shehu Shagari, Federal Commissioner for Works and Survey. That was Julius Berger’s first contract in Nigeria. It was due for completion in less than two years and they wanted more bilateral cooperation. The ambassador assured Gowon over the phone that he had taken care of all the details and guaranteed the safety of Edith, the nation’s “First Girlfriend”.

On the evening of 30 June, just before her departure on a commercial airline, Edith told the American Defense Attaché Standish Brooks, and his wife, Gail, that she actually wanted to go to the UK or USA, but Jack, as she affectionately called Gowon, insisted that she could be exposed to danger in either of the two countries. Germany, he reasoned, would be safer.

To Major B.M. Usman and other northern officers around Gowon, who had attributed his slow response to the secession to the fact that his girlfriend was Igbo and that her parents were resettled in the East, it was such a huge relief that at the Supreme Military Council meeting of 3 July 1967, Gowon authorized the long awaited military campaign.

Edith had safely landed in West Germany. Gowon told the gathering: “Gentlemen, we are going to crush the rebellion, but note that we are going after the rebels, not the Ibos.” The military action, which was to become the Nigerian Civil War or the Biafran War or Operation Unicord, as it was coded in military circles, officially started on 6 July 1967 at 5 a.m.

The North was minded to use the war as a tool to reassert its dominance of national affairs. Mallam Kagu, Damboa, Regional Editor of the Morning Post, told the American consul in Kaduna: “No one should kid himself that this is a fight between the East and the rest of Nigeria. It is a fight between the North and the Ibo.” He added that the rebels would be flushed out of Enugu within six weeks. Lt. Colonel Hassan Katsina went further to say with the level of enthusiasm among the soldiers; it would be a matter of “only hours before Ojukwu and his men were rounded up”.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE >> http://ovoko.com.ng/u-s-classified-files-reveal-untold-story-biafra/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

barnaby04:
Thanks bro, you seemed to understand my plight. The themes have been trying out with are the free themes in the Wordpress store. Don't know if buying a premium theme would give me a better deal?

Nice blog you got. What i have in mind is something similar to yours but with a different radical concentration of reportage on a certain aspect of news coverage as my area of niche

A premium blog should do it for you. Do you have an example of a blog you want yours to look like?

Are the themes you have tried premium themes because if they're free themes, you may not get what exactly you want and if you're looking out for your blog to look like the likes of Linda Ikeji and lailasblog, you may have to build your theme from scratch especially because you're using wordpress.

I had the same problem as you and 4 days ago i decided to put my programming skill to use and built a customer theme. You can check it out at www.ovoko.com.ng though i'm still working on it to be perfect.

His Eminence, Pope Francis has appointed an African priest to the role of apostolic nuncio to Ireland, for the first time. The position of Apostolic Nuncio is the Vatican's diplomatic representative in Ireland.

Pope Francis appointed 60-year-old Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo from Kano in Nigeria. Archbishop Okolo is due to take up the role during the summer. Archbishop Okolo entered the priesthood in 1983. He speaks English, French, Italian, Igbo, Spanish and German.

Check Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/pope-appoints-nigerian-first-african-hold-diplomatic-role-ireland/

Ghanian Actress, Yvonne Nelson has recreated a photo she took with her mum when she was a child to celebrate mother's day.

Check Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/yvonne-nelson-recreates-old-photo-mother-celebrate-mothers-day/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUEnH1Rl3XS/?taken-by=yvonnenelsongh

Nollywood Actress, Omoni Oboli who is recovering from the passing of her father took to her instagram page to celebrate mothers day by posting a picture of herself and her sons.

Check Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/omoni-oboli-shared-picture-3-sons-t-celebrate-mothers-day-picture/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUEgNJUDKoj/?taken-by=omonioboli

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

A 29 year old Mass Communication lecturer at Bowen University, Osun State, dies, 2 days after giving birth to her first child.

Check Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/29-year-old-lecturer-bowen-university-dies-2-days-giving-birth-first-child-pictures/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

One of the Fake housemate of the Big Brother Naija show that ended a few weeks ago shared a picture of her dress to church and her fans couldn't but notice that her dress strikes a resemblance to dresses worn by members of Deeper Life Bible church. Is she a member of Deeper Life?

Check Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/see-ex-bbnaija-housemate-ese-eriata-wore-church-fans-aske-shes-depper-lifer-photo/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUEWoATgqvn/?taken-by=eriata_ese

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

hree children Kano were locked in a room in their apartment by their step mother, hoping that they would die of starvation. The woman who is married to the children's father, allegedly locked them away immediately their father traveled out of the state.

Neighbours however got wind of what she had done and rescued the children who were already emaciated. The case has been reported at the state police command.

Check Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/photos-3-children-rescued-kano-stepmother-locked-room-starve-death/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

A South African woman named Nonhle Mamthembu Nweke has spoken out against her Nigerian husband who she says beats her.

i didn't want to publicize this but this is beyond my control. i cant even go to the shop without fearing that a man i once called my husband could come and kill me and leave me by the street to be eaten by dogs.........he cheated multiple times i forgave that......all throughout the years he beat me up even while pregnant with his own children .....GUESS WHAT I FORGAVE HIM FOR THAT TOO. he stole from me, from my family LOL HE EVEN stole the ring he bought me and pawned it IN FACT HE PAWNED EVERYTHING WE OWNED EVEN A CAR FOR R5000 ......i still forgave him.even when his girlfriend sent me naked pics of them in bed and harassed me i still forgave that.AM I NOT HUMAN??DON'T I HAVE A BREAKING POINT STAY FOR THE KIDS SAKE THEY SAY!!!!!! UNTIL I'M DEAD? i moved out and stayed alone with my kids i cant even go to the shop without fearing that the will come and attack me. APPARENTLY in their culture there's nothing like divorce, well in my culture there's nothing like domestic violence......... YEAH IM SNAPPING COZ I'VE HAD ENOUGH....this morning i locked the flat went down and come out of the gate no knowing he now knows where i stay GUESS wgat he attacked me again and i'm bleeding once again..AS USUAL. HE took my bag took my phones and slapped me....his last words I WILL DISTURB YOU TILL U DIE NO ONE LEAVES ME AND GETS TO MOVE ON IN PEACE.........well even while still married to him i never did find peace,but he wouldn't know coz he spent most of his nights out with friends, even christmas days were for him and his s***S .......IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME ,AT LEAST YOU ALL KNOW NOW.......my kids will grow up without a mother,,,,,and yeah i did try the police and got zero help from there i guess it true what people say the police only act when there's a dead body. I guess SOON MY FAMILY WILL BE UPLOADING FUNERAL#NONHLE'SFUNERAL.

Check Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/south-african-lady-speaks-nigerian-husband-beats/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Thin Tall Tony shared a throwback picture of himself when he was in Ajegunle.

This is my #tbt ...life in Aj city #ajegunle and Ktown #kirikiritown... My childhood was pretty much amazing. Thank you to everyone who has made me the man I am today. #thintalltony #madlove #madeinnigeria #changebeginswithme #proudlynigerian #whatscrackerlacking

https://www.instagram.com/p/BT80_UnAr99/?hl=en

sirOrubebe:
Nah. Isibor is Esan, in Edo State.

Do you know more than the people that reported the news. Check the article, they said she's from Ika in Delta state and Ika people are Igboid with Edo influence.

sirOrubebe:
After y'all will be whipping Edo state girls as prostitutes. Now when this one don do good everyone wants to say she repping Naija well.

Congrats hare, my "sister"

Eseose9:
How?
She is not Igbo nor Yoruba.
She is Esan,Edo state

She actually from the Igbo speaking part of Delta state. Some of them bear Edo surnames.

Ofemmanu1:
Igbos wont like this news

Do you know she's from the Igbo speaking part of Delta state??

A Nigerian narrates how he was harassed by SARS officials who accused him of being a yahoo boy.

"This happened when I got arrests by Sarz official who said I was a yahoo boy
All they did was to harass me,saying I am yahoo boy cause I had dreads on me,and I use an iPhone that who is my father for me to be using an iPhone,that even them don't use it,threatened to shoot me,the cut my necklace,handcuffed me,then tore my short when they were struggling to take my money from my front pocket not knowing my wallet was in my back pocket,they made me defer my exams,cause they took my fees,They Stopped me at Okota,then dropped me at 3rd Mainland Brigde
They did not allow me to bring out my clothing ID card or call anyone."

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/see-sars-man-accused-yahoo-boy-pictured/

Delta State Police Command has paraded the alleged leader of a 5-man kidnapping syndicate, one Mr. Tola Saliu, a 40-year-old former army lance corporal who was said to have specialised in the abduction of women riding flashy cars in Asaba and environs.

While speaking with newsmen, he said: “My victims have always been females. I have never gone for my kind. I kidnap valuable girls, ladies and women and this has never failed us. I resigned as a soldier to concentrate on kidnapping.”

The state Commissioner of Police, Zanna Ibrahim, supported by his Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Andrew Aniamaka, and the team of detectives, said the suspect had been a notorious kidnapper because of his military experience.

The commissioner said he was on the verge of beating the intelligence of his men on the day he was arrested “but his tactical withdrawal failed him and here we are today”.

Ibrahim said the suspect and his gang members, now at large, usually trail their victims to places of interest, including eateries, supermarkets, relaxation centres and schools, pounced on them and ferry them away in their waiting car.

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/resigned-soldier-concentrate-kidnapping-valuable-ladies-suspect/

A Nigerian man was was planning to have just one more child, gets blessed with identical triplets.


Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/nigerian-man-planning-one-child-gets-blessed-identical-triplets-photo/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

Today is the Birthday of popular OAP, Daddy Freeze and he got cakes from different sources but he took to instagram to showcase the cake gifted to him by his employers, Cool FM.

Happy Birthday to Him!!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTzMgPel81G/?taken-by=daddyfreeze

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/daddy-freeze-showcases-birthday-cake-photo/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Nwa bueze paid a courtesy visit to former governor of Abia state, Orji uzor Kalu at his Abuja home.

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/chris-ngige-visits-former-abia-governor-orji-uzor-kalu-abuja-home-pictures/

A visibly angry man goes to church with a cutlass to defend himself against rampaging Fulani herdsmen.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFphZPiBd44


Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/fulani-herdsmen-man-goes-church-cutlass-video/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

The Nigeria Professional Football League top scorer, Stephen Odey is at the center on an alleged age falsification scandal which reports claim have already put paid to his ambition of joining Danish football team, FC Midtjylland.

An exclusive report on AOIFootball.com stated that Odey’s planned move to FC Midtjylland has collapsed due to age falsification. It was discovered that the age Odey presented in his passport was totally different from what was on his certificate. .

"The Danish club have asked Odey to leave their Sports Complex immediately due to the development." AOIFootball.com Odey is said to be on his way back to Nigeria from Denmark via KLM airline at about 10:05am. .
.
He will arrive Amsterdam precisely 11:15am while he departs Amsterdam through the same ‘KLM airline’ 13: 45 and lands in Muritala Mohammed international airport in Lagos, Nigeria 7.25 pm.

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/nigerian-mfm-fc-striker-stephen-odey-kicked-danish-club-age-falsification/

A special NYSC member who just finished his service in Platea state used the opportunity to thank God ad show off his new car. He also hinted at going home with a wife.

"What more can I say than Thanks to Almighty God...... Congrats to me and it's my turn to start posting. Thanks G @larrybosma0055 #ExCorper @naijacorpers
" he said.

http://ovoko.com.ng/special-nysc-member-finishes-nysc-style-gets-new-car-wife-pictures/

Isn't this just cute

http://ovoko.com.ng/cute-photo-two-kids-wearing-asoebi/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

A 300 level student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Jerry Ashiru, dies in a car crash, 4 days after ignoring a death threat not to retweet a tweet.

http://ovoko.com.ng/student-dies-ignoring-warning-not-retweet-tweet-pictured/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

Rossikk:
Come on shut up your trap, you nasty piece of shiit. Don't come in here telling us Zimbabwe is heaven on earth, while countries are sending them food aid. Idiot. If you were an ordinary Zimbabwean looking for food to feed his kids, would you care about 'constant light ' and 'smooth roads'? Donkey.

He never said Zimbabwe was heaven on earth. He simply highlighted areas where they'r better than Nigerian which adds credence to Mugabe's statement. Why not counter his arguments with superior arguments instead of towing the part of tomfoolery that you're reputed for.

The leader of the Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, arrives Enugu State and is pictured praying at a cenotaph erected to pray for fallen IPOB heroes and restoration of Biafra.

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/nnamdi-kanu-arrives-enugu-prays-fallen-ipob-heroes-pictured/

Mynd44 and lalasticlala , our masquerades have gone international.

The FG, through the Minister Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday appealed the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua (TB Joshua) to reconsider his decision to relocate from Nigeria.

He said the such move will not be in the best of the country. TB Joshua on Sunday announced that he would relocate from Nigeria to Israel due to “hostile environment”.

He said, “This is the most persecuted ministry in the world. Who are the people persecuting the ministry? My people, Africa. That is why I choose to live a lonely life. If you want to see me, come to this church. I don’t go out. It has not been easy – because I don’t know who is a friend or who is an enemy.

What happened to me from the beginning of my ministry is enough to chase me out of this country. But I am still in your midst. Upon the persecution and hatred, I decided to follow the path of love. You show hatred; I show love.

When I go for a revival, you will see the stadium full but I am not carried away by that. I leave where I’m celebrated to live where I’m persecuted.”

But Mohammed, in a chat with journalists during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) in Lagos, described Joshua’s decision as unfortunate.

Mohammed called for dialogue between the pastor and the authorities over whatever challenges he was facing. His words: “That will be very unfortunate in the sense that if he does move out, it will affect our tourism in Nigeria.

Pastor Joshua is an important person, he must bear with us. This is his country; if he moves out and go to South Africa, for example, the revenue will go to South Africa.

It is better that Pastor Joshua sits down with the relevant authority and resolve whatever problem he has. If I have access to him, this is exactly what I am going to tell him.”

Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/lai-mohammed-t-b-joshua-stay-nigeria/

http://ovoko.com.ng/federal-government-begs-prophet-tb-joshua-not-relocate-isreal/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

He should reach out to this woman who has also bought her own ring looking for a husband

https://www.nairaland.com/3776720/woman-buys-herself-ring-look

A South African Lady, Ntandokazi KaRobert has shared a picture of a ring that she bought for herself. She says she it is now left for her find a husband.

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/south-african-lady-buys-ring-looking-husband-later-pictured/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala

A corps member serving in Zamfara State, Fidelis Chalokwu, has been declared wanted by the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, over N30m varsity school fees fraud involving 940 students.

940 students of the institution risked being restrained from sitting for the second semester examination. The affected students were considered ineligible by the bursary department of the university to sit for the examination because they had reportedly not yet paid their school fees.

According to the Students Union Government of the institution on Tuesday, preliminary investigations into the N30m school fees fraud linked Chalokwo, a former student of the university, now performing his NYSC programme in Zamfara, of executing 70% of the fraud.

“More than 70% of the students swindled of their school fees said they paid to Fidelis Chalokwo, who is now performing his NYSC programme in Zamfara,” said Abubakar Lawan, the SUG Vice-President.

He added that Chalokwu who was wanted to account for his crime, claimed he had left the country. The SUG VP said the varsity believed the suspect was still in the country and in Zamfara.

The Dean, Student Affairs, MAUTECH, Yola, Dr. Haruna Lawan, said over N30m was involved, adding that most of the students, instead of using their ATM cards to make the payments, gave cash to the online vendors who turned out to be fraudsters.

He said the least of the school fees involved was N30,700, while other victims of the scams paid as much as N37,800 in school fees which never hit the school account.

Source: http://ovoko.com.ng/corp-member-zamfara-declared-wanted-scamming-students-tune-30-million-pictured/

Cc: mynd44, lalasticlala