₦airaland Forum

A friend with these guys has never been more excited. He was usually a complainant but suddenly now appears very optimistic. There must be something the Kano Alhaji is doing well.

Where person fit buy dem form?�

� The IGP should have been sacked long ago.
Definitely, he still will get the sack

hakimi1974:
paracetamol still plenty for market.

No... ibuprofen �

Mishaya:
Lest we forget, ever before Eleka became an option, Fayose attempted to manipulate the constitution so he could run for a third term. It was when that ambition failed woefully that he considered indirect rule through a puppet a valid choice.

And people are quick to forget this serious fact. Fayose was going for a third term!

FarahAideed:
That doesn't change the fact the results were altered

But when PDP won in 16 of 16 LGAs, the results were alright?

In the video, Magu had visited Maina's house for some gratification.

The ensuing conversation and especially PMB's interjection is hilarious! Watch Magu's kid daughter say "Daddy you can lie o..."�


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjvK6GgSLGs

ashjay001:



U're living a lie


U cant even use ur real moniker to post this

Moniker � abi Monica? St. Ashjay001

ashjay001:
I guess u were paid for ds cleaning exercise? Good barely triumphs over evil, in today's world, n only a thief can track a thief!

U were all hoping for someone u could intimidate ba?

Ita Ekenyong n Oke oversaw corruption n deserve to be probed, wether by d devil or by an angel, who cares!

Who cares?
You care because you're obviously not Nigerian.
If you do not see anything wrong in Magu's dangerous and ultimately futile media grandstanding, they you're indeed a non-Nigerian or possibly, under Magu's payroll - he has a lot of you guys now.

ashjay001:
Pls, stop trying to dress d dss in clean garments!


As for Magu; try arrest them, be damned, dont arrest them, n still be damned.


If they had nothing to hide, why not honour efcc's invitation!

Dress them in dirty garment if you like, Magu is a misfit. A vindictive, petty person that has now become a liability to the agency he leads.

The usually sleepy Asokoro neighbourhood in Abuja was jolted Tuesday morning on November 21, after a team of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and their Nigeria Police counterparts attempted to arrest a former Director General of the State Security Services (SSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong.
The EFCC team also tried to arrest the embattled former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ayo Oke, who incidentally resides within the same street as the DGSS and has been accused by the EFCC of failing to honour its previous invitations.

Ordinarily, operations of an anti-corruption agency like the EFCC should not be subject to scrutiny and criticisms but these have become inevitable under Ibrahim Magu’s leadership of the beleaguered and evidently compromised agency.

For an agency that has recently been enmeshed in internal bickering over revelations by its staff that Magu has nearly ran the commission aground due to his many indiscretions and lack of competence as well as allegations of diversion of 750 million naira approved by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo for the anti-corruption war, one wonders what satisfaction Magu derives by further plunging the agency into more crisis and unnecessary rivalry with relevant security agencies.

In his latest media grandstanding, Magu dubiously roped-in the arrest of the former DGSS with the indicted former DG NIA, in an futile brinkmanship which betrays his vendetta for a agency that in a rather commendable course of due diligence warned in a letter preceding his screening by the Senate, that “Magu has failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration.”

The obvious intention of the failed Asokoro double swoop was that having released a statement claiming the former DG NIA had failed to honour its invitation, the EFCC would then succeed in portraying Mr. Ekpeyong as also turning down invitations to its office. And so, while Magu goes to press to tout his anti-corruption war, in this instance, the target was clearly to get back at an agency which he despises for doing its own duty.

Magu’s EFCC had earlier in October, gone to media with baseless allegations that the DSS was shielding some of its officers from investigation. An allegation that received serious backlash among Nigerians who wondered if the EFCC had a case at all.

Beyond Magu’s misplaced vendetta however, is his dangerous tendency for selective and compromised prosecution of the anti-corruption war. The agency sold the allegation that Mr. Ekpeyong is wanted for his part in the disbursement of arms funds during the last administration, which raises the curiosity over why none of the Chiefs of Army Staff who served about the same time with Mr. Ekpeyong are being investigated let alone arrested.

For the records, the bulk of arms purchases approved by the last administration for which Magu is now witch-hunting perceived enemies, were done by the Army which was rightly the lead-agency in the war against insurgency and terrorism. During this time, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika was Chief of Army Staff between September 2010 to January 2014 and was succeeded by Major Gen. Kenneth Minimah, who served till July 2015. Till date, none of these men have been arrested.

Heads of security agencies usually press for inter-agency synergy for its obvious advantages. But with an agency head obsessed with media showmanship, such professionally edifying principles as synergy and liaison are alien and contrary to his vindictive convictions. Unsurprisingly, as with his many media trials and very few court convictions of accused corrupt persons, the EFCC and by extension, the anti-corruption campaign takes a huge hit from his incompetence.

Even the DSS would by now be shocked by the actuality of its own forewarning that Magu “will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration.”


Copied from: https://www.vigil360.com.ng/politics/21-top-news/4526-botched-arrest-of-former-dgss-magu%E2%80%99s-excesses-and-penchant-for-undue-inter-agency-rivalry-2.html

simpleseyi:
Has Magu been EFCC Chairman for 5 to 6 years? If no, then your petition is dead on arrival.

You go quick fail exam.
You no reason sey dem done overdue and should have been prioritised in promotions done under Magu.
2 years since his Chairmanship, has he promoted them?
What is the maximim number of years one can spend on a level before being promoted in the civil service? 3years? 4 years? So why are people spending 5 to 6 years in EFCC?

My people say dem no dey give pussycat fish to safekeep. Magu can only fight corruption to the extent that he is not yet compromised.
As it is, he is far from incorruptible. One month one scandal. Yet, the fisherman keeps handing him fish to safekeep. Cat like Magu? How?

KardinalZik:
Is Fayose not an ADULT? Is there any law in Nigeria restricting him from watching porn? WETIN CONCERN UNA?

Nigerians no dey mind their business walai.

Porn star�

Hofbrauhaus:
See how you are hammering on an obvious typo. You that took your English class seriously, how is the zoo treating you?

Zoo? If you're talking about Nigeria, oh, really fine!

PointZerom:
Trash

Go and dance with the python then!

PointZerom:
It doesn't matter whether he has British or American citizenship, what matters is his determination to see that his people are been liberated. Lord Lugard and his wife that gave you a country and name her after a river hope they have your village citizenship?.

How would you feel, if the pastor preaching to you about the ills of infidelity actually sleeps with your wife or sister?

Hofbrauhaus:
Liars in the loose...attacking the sumpreme leader..am I surprised?

Nnamdi Kanu is Godsent

"...on the loose..." you meant? And it's "supreme" not "suMpreme."

I am sure if you had taken your English classes more seriously, you would have known that Nnamdi Kanu is a supreme scammer.

Receive sense!

[quote author=devindevin2000 post=60584500][/quote]Your mumu never do?

His a British citizen.

He practices Judaism.

And he wants to lead Nigerian Igbos who are largely Christians.

This guy na scam. He is a criminal franchise. He will fail. Infact, he has failed.

May the python dancing in his domain, constrict and swallow him. Ewu congo. You want to lead us to war and run away.

How many people from the Kanu lineage have been killed so far? Yet innocent loyalists have died.

Kanu, throw away your British passport and then put your life on the line if indeed you believe in this monumental scam.

I am in my village in Nguru Ngor, comman beat me�

[color=#990000][/color]

danduke85:
Some people are currently beating the drum of war in parts of Abia and Rivers States. Many young men are putting their lives on the line not realising that they are mere pawns on the hands of chess masters safely tucked away behind high fenced buildings in Lagos, Abuja and other foreign lands.

Many of them have their children studying at the various expensive private schools in the country or living abroad, while they encourage the children of the poor masses to take up arms to challenge the military. They have also insured that in the event of war, their children will be safely ferried away to foreign lands where they hold dual citizenship.

This reminds me of one of my favourite movies of the 90s, the war drama, ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ starring Tom Hanks and Matt Damon. In the movie, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have all been killed in action, living him as the last surviving son of his parents.

The movie which was set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II, explored the impact of war on the family especially the men who are at the war front. I can relate with that situation as my father (may God rest his soul) was the only surviving male child of his parents as a result of the Biafran war. In his case, he was saved by his small stature as he was considered too small to carry a gun.

My father lost three of his brothers to the war and my grandmother never truly recovered from the shock. As a result, he was encouraged to marry at a very young age to propagate the family lineage being the only surviving son of his parents.

And although the birth of my brother and I, in quick succession brought immeasurable joy to my grandparents, the distant look in grandma’s gaze often betrayed her sadness.

However, she wasn’t the only one traumatised by the Biafran war, several other women in my village often recalled their experiences especially on rainy days when the rumbling sound of thunder brought back memories of explosion and gun fire. And until her death few years ago, we could never watch war movies in her presence, as it brought back memories of the war. Anybody who grew up in the villages can relate to this.

As a young man growing up in the post civil war era in the East, we heard different versions of what transpired during the war. One of such version is that the Biafran army was at the verge of victory when Ikemba Odimegwu Ojukwu went into exile. This they claimed demoralised the soldiers and made them to surrender.

This particular version created a love-hate feeling in me towards Ikemba: Love for his bravery to stand up and defend his people; and hate for him ‘running away.’ In my naivety, I had believed that if Ikemba had stayed behind, perhaps the Biafran war would have had a different outcome, and my uncles would not have died in vain.

Over the years, I have watched as different personalities tried to resurrect the dream of a Biafran State. In my view, the Biafra agitation has become to the East, what Sharia and resource control is to the North and the South-South; a tool for manipulating the poor masses and a rallying point for individuals who want to exploit our primordial sentiments for overnight fame and self enrichment.

Just few weeks ago, I was amazed to watch a video on the social media of young Igbo men, tearing their Nigerian passport as a sign of their rejection of the country and embracing the new version of Biafra being promoted by IPOB.

This brings me to Nnamdi Kanu, the present actor in the Biafran saga. Kanu is a dual citizen of Nigeria and Britain, and currently carries the passports of both countries. Few weeks ago it was reported that Kanu had bought a bigger house in London close to his former apartment.

That news gave me the impression of someone who’s either preparing to flee or expand his household.

During his detention by the Nigerian government, Kanu had reached out to the British government to push for his release. In a letter dated March 24, 2017, and addressed to the UK High Commissioner in Abuja, he reminded the British government that he is a full British citizen, and is therefore entitled to all Rights, Privileges and Protection, guaranteed under the British Laws and conventions.

This is rather ironic for a man who claims to be more Igbo than Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ikemba Odimegwu Ojukwu and every other Igbo man who dared to challenge him.

A popular Port Harcourt based preacher has a by-line for his TV programme to the effect that “if a man has too many alternative, he may never succeed.” According to him, if you want to achieve a goal, you must be focused on one course of action.

The fact that Kanu holds a British citizenship and has demonstrated his readiness to exploit it when he is in trouble, makes me question his commitment to the course for which he is urging others to die for. If he can’t endure being locked up for the same course, what moral justification does he have to ask you die for it?

I want a Nigeria in which I am treated equal and not discriminated against simply because I am an Igbo man. I believe we the Igbos have not gotten a fair deal in the present arrangement. But if the Yorubas and other regions are calling for restructuring of the country, it also means they are not satisfied too. We must therefore align with the other regions in finding a political solution that works.

However, if Kanu wants me to take him seriously, he must start by renouncing his British citizenship. That way, I know that we are in this together.
Engr. Ikenna Amadi wrote in from Owerri, Imo State

Source: https://www.vigil360.com.ng/exclusive-report/2845-why-nnamdi-kanu-should-renounce-his-british-citizenship-engr-ikenna-amadi.html

lalasticlala

#OurMumuDonDo
Nnamdi Kanu has failed!

Demtoks:
FTC, lol, Mynd44 , Lalasticlala, this should make front page...

I knew this guy was a scam all along...

#OurMumuDonDo

Nnamdi Kanu has failed!

That Kemi is still Nigeria's Finance Minister is the biggest shock of the century.

https://vigil360.com.ng/exclusive-report/1092-sanusi,-dangote,-magu-and-100-million-naira-bribe-scandal.html

...More to the N100million naira bribe than meets the eye.

The bribe scandal rocking the Kano State House of Assembly has taken a new twist as emerging facts suggest the involvement of other parties in the melee; of note is ongoing desperate measures by the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, to finally “kill” the matter.
The news of the resignation of the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, last Monday, came to many as a surprise. The Speaker resigned amid allegations that he received N100 million from Aliko Dangote to subdue investigation into allegations of financial impropriety against the Emir.

Although Dangote has since debunked reports linking him to the bribe scandal, information reaching Vigil360 indicates that it was Emir Muhammad Sanusi II who actually released the huge sums of money used to bribe the Speaker instead. The embattled Emir, in a bid to scuttle the investigation, had enlisted the support of the Speaker, who he gave the sum of N100 million to share amongst members of the House.

The Speaker being a funny fellow quietly pocketed the money upon the insider knowledge that President Muhammadu Buhari had already intervened in the matter by prevailing on Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to give the Emir a respite. This saved the Emir and his throne from an embarrassment of eternal proportion.

According to one legislator who spoke to Vigil360 on condition of anonymity, the Speaker got into troubled waters when he thought the matter was over, and that the House members will never know the truth.

However, sources within the Kano Emirate Council believe that the Emir is not yet done in putting a final stop to the investigation. He has reportedly reached out to the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC to tie loose-ends from the outcome of the anti-graft agency’s investigation into the matter.

Our sources revealed that Magu has offered to cooperate with the Emir, and is willing to expunge facts of the investigation from EFCC records to ensure that Emir Sanusi, the “almighty crusader” is left permanently off the hook.

Meanwhile, the Kano Emirate is jittery as this drama continues to unfold. Already some interest groups within Kano and beyond have resolved to ensure that the EFCC does not cover this up again.

https://www.vigil360.com.ng/politics/21-top-news/473-secession-north-hands-igbo-ultimatum-to-leave-region.html

In a direct rebuttal to the sustained threat of secession by pro-Biafra groups in the South-East, a platform of frontline Northern youth organisations have demanded that all Igbos resident in the North must relocate from the region.

The ultimatum was the outcome of a joint meeting of the groups tagged “Kaduna Declaration,” which held Tuesday at the Arewa House in Kaduna.

According to a statement read by Mallam Abdulazeez Suleiman, Igbos in the North had up till October 1 this year, to leave the region.

“The persistence for the actualisation of Biafra by the unruly Igbo of South-Eastern Nigeria has lately assumed another alarming twist which involved the forceful lockdown of activities and denial of other people’s right to free movement in the South-East by the rebel Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its overt and covert sponsors,” the statement read in part.

The groups were also peeved that “the Igbo people of the South-East, without remorse for the carnage they wrought on the nation in the 1960s, are today boldly reliving those sinister intentions connoted by the Biafran agitation that led to the very first bloody insurrection in Nigeria’s history.

“Emboldened by the apparent indifference of the Nigerian authorities, the Igbo secessionist tendency is widening in scope and action at every stage, with adverse effects on the law-abiding people of other regions residing in or passing through the East, while the Igbo leaders and elders by their utterances and direct action or inaction appear to support and encourage it,” the group recalled.

The statement advised that “With the effective date of this declaration, which is today, Tuesday, June 06, 2017, all Igbos currently residing in any part of Northern Nigeria are hereby served notice to relocate within three months and all northerners residing in the East are advised likewise.”

The youth groups also gave notice of their intention to follow through the declaration, stating that “we are hereby placing the Nigerian authorities and the entire nation on notice that as from the 1st October 2017, we shall commence the implementation of visible actions to prove to the whole world that we are no longer part of any federal union that should do with the Igbos.

“From that date, effective, peaceful and safe mop-up of all the remnants of the stubborn Igbos that neglect to heed this quit notice shall commence to finally eject them from every part of the North.

“And finally, all authorities, individuals or groups are hereby advised against attempting to undermine this declaration by insisting on this union with the Igbos who have thus far proved to be an unnecessary baggage carried too far and for too long,” the group warned.

The various groups identified at the “declaration” were Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Arewa Youth Development Foundation, Arewa Students Forum and Northern Emancipation Network on The Igbo Persistence for Secession.

https://www.vigil360.com.ng/politics/20-latest-news/405-magu-one-drama-too-many.html For the pedestrian onlooker, the last few months have been eventful, even entertaining in the now obviously scandalous manner the EFCC has carried about its duties.
But for the discerning citizen, there is more to the drama than meets the eyes, writes Greene Eboa.

The attendant media trials and reckless propaganda orchestrated by EFCC frittering away millions of public fund in the process betrays the much-vaunted mischief that the whistleblowing policy is yielding results.

For the pedestrian onlooker, the last few months have been eventful, even entertaining in the now obviously scandalous manner the EFCC has carried about its duties. But for the discerning citizen, there is more to the drama than meets the eyes. While the former may be drawn to believe the carefully scripted impression that there is now an all-out war against corruption, the latter is worried over the sudden upscale in discoveries of humongous amounts of money especially since the latest rejection of the nomination of Ibrahim Magu for confirmation as substantive Chairman of EFCC by the Senate.

While organisations, whether private or public, routinely engage in propaganda for myriad of reasons, going overboard with it can be counterproductive. The EFCC under Magu, especially since his rejection, has sustained a kind of propaganda that is now tearing apart Government agencies that should ordinarily be on the same page in the fight against corruption.

In a style never before seen and quite fitting for Hollywood productions, the Commission now embarks on raids with a full retinue of video production and media crew. In a tragic contradiction of its underlying investigative principles, EFCC operatives under clear but misleading directives from Magu, now embark on operations with a conviction that the mere identification of a suspect of economic crime is itself enough indictment of crime and corruption.

The latest national embarrassment stemming from its hasty disclosure of raids at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos may yet be a trailer to a horror movie on how the Commission eventually bungles its mandate and destroying in its wake, the central policy thrust of Government as well as jeopardising strategic national security interests.

In its most recent drama instalment, the EFCC recovered $43.4m, £27,000 and N23m cash and not long after, its proxies across the media had rolled out names of purported owners of the cache of cash. It turned out none of the names owned the cash after NIA was forced to come clean on the matter. It also emerged that the now embattled DG-NIA had made failed attempts to reach Magu prior to the raid. He was obviously denied audience because it was off-script – the Commission was in a haste to premiere the latest episode of its movie.

A phenomenon has since emerged over the recent discoveries by EFCC. Since March, 2017, all the recovered caches of cash at various locations from Kaduna to Lagos are yet to be claimed by anyone. It should naturally raise concerns that the genre of whistle-blowers Magu has breed across Nigeria are inexplicably only able to signpost locations of "abandoned" cash and not the owner(s). From the N49m at Kaduna Airport on March 14 to the April 7 recovery of N449m worth of cash in various currencies at an abandoned Bureau De Change at NAF Complex, Victoria Island and a similar recovery of N250m at Balogun Market in Lagos on April 10, not one individual has been linked to these sums. Throw in the Osborne recovery and a charade has never been more ignominious.

That Magu quickly runs to the courts to secure an order of interim, and eventually, perpetual forfeiture of the recovered funds, does little to mitigate this shame of a drama. If anything, it proves a tragic irony of EFCC fraudulently conscripting an unsuspecting Judiciary into a pattern of corruption unseen since corruption became a national albatross in this part of the world.

The prevailing situation is worsened by the contemplation that Magu may simply be recycling already recovered funds (for which he admitted ignorance of the total sum) in custody of the Commission. This very possible but troubling scenario explains more than any other reason, the several "orphan" monies. Never in the 14 years history of EFCC has its head exhibited such desperation for relevance as Magu has suddenly become.

What quickly comes to mind is that the DSS has warned that Magu "will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration." If he remains at the helms of affairs at the EFCC, asides the anti-corruption policy, the overall interest of the nation may be jeopardised by the antics of one man driven by personal vendetta, ego-tripping and unpardonable inefficiency disguised in a facade of anti-corruption campaign.

Amidst the plethora of human assets available to the Government, Nigerians should be worried that a “liability” continues to lead the fight against some of the worst monsters of the nation. These and many other ills call for a rethink of Magu who have been outrightly rejected by the representatives of the Nigerian people in no other than the Senate. The time for Magu to exit the anti-corruption scene is no more imminent than now.

Greene Eboa writes from Kaduna.

https://www.vigil360.com.ng/entertainment/46-trending-now/298-children-s-day-diamond-bank-in-fantastic-show-of-love.html


Staff of Diamond Bank across the country today, turned out in secondary school-styled pinafores, shorts and shirts in commemoration of this year’s Children’s Day.
The child-friendly concept, an offshoot of the bank’s “Beyond Banking” marketing initiative, had the social media in frenzy all through Friday, with colourful pictures and videos of the highly excited high school-dressed staff going viral across various platforms.

Vigil360 correspondents at Asaba, Owerri and Lagos, report that staff at the various branches mimicked activities reminiscent of college days, including mock morning assemblies, choruses as well as short march pasts and “corporal punishments.”

Customers at the branches also relieved being treated very nicely as though they were pampered kids.

The bank which has recently been criticized by customers for alleged arbitrary stamp duty charge deductions, seem to have won a lot of its critics back with its extraordinary show of solidarity with children.

https://www.vigil360.com.ng/entertainment/46-trending-now/298-children-s-day-diamond-bank-in-fantastic-show-of-love.html

Staff of Diamond Bank across the country today, turned out in secondary school-styled pinafores, shorts and shirts in commemoration of this year’s Children’s Day.
The child-friendly concept, an offshoot of the bank’s “Beyond Banking” marketing initiative, had the social media in frenzy all through Friday, with colourful pictures and videos of the highly excited high school-dressed staff going viral across various platforms.

Vigil360 correspondents at Asaba, Owerri and Lagos, report that staff at the various branches mimicked activities reminiscent of college days, including mock morning assemblies, choruses as well as short march pasts and “corporal punishments.”

Customers at the branches also relieved being treated very nicely as though they were pampered kids.

The bank which has recently been criticized by customers for alleged arbitrary stamp duty charge deductions, seem to have won a lot of its critics back with its extraordinary show of solidarity with children.

https://www.vigil360.com.ng/health/26-top-news/288-ebola-scare-fg-moves-to-sanction-kenya-airways-over-dead-body-from-drc.html

The Federal Government have begun moves to sanction Kenya Airways for conveying a dead body from the Ebola-stricken Democratic republic of Congo to the country without due diligence.
Speaking at a joint news conference Thursday in Ikeja, Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Jide Idris said “the airline brought the remains of this Nigerian without all necessary documentations that are required to process its clearance by the Department of Port Health Services, Federal Ministry of Health.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria and relevant agencies condemn this deliberate breach,” he said.

The Commissioner also revealed that “in line with industry practice, a report has been made to the Nigerian Civil Aviation, the regulatory agency of the Nigerian aviation industry on the occurrence” and that “necessary steps are being taken by the regulatory authority to sanction the airline in a bid to prevent future occurrence.”

Thisday had reported that a Kenyan Airways, Monday, flight flew into the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, a corpse from the DRC which is battling a fresh outbreak of the dread Ebola virus.

However, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Wednesday confirmed that the corpse tested negative for the virus but refused to divulge the cause of the deceased’s death, citing medical confidentiality.

Nigeria successfully curtailed the spread of the deadly virus in 2014 after it was first “imported” into the country in July of that year, under similar circumstances, following the arrival of a sick Liberian from the then Ebola-stricken West Africa neighbours. The Liberian, Patrick Sawyer had arrived the MMIA aboard Asky Airline flight.

Eight Nigerians died from the virus within a three-month epidemic.

Acting President, Yemi Osibanjo, Thursday, at the Shehu Musa Yar”Adua Center, Abuja, gave a rousing speech on national unity at a conference held to mark 50 years of the Nigerian civil war.
Osibanjo in his speech, recalled an interview years ago, when the late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, explaining why he didn’t think a second Biafran War should happen, said: “We should have learnt from that first one, otherwise the deaths would have been to no avail; it would all have been in vain.”

The Acting President therefore cautioned that “we should also be careful that we do not focus exclusively on the narratives of division, at the expense of the uplifting and inspiring ones.”

He further noted that “many, if not most nations of the world are made up of different peoples and cultures and beliefs and religions, who find themselves thrown together by circumstance. Nations are indeed made up of many nations. The most successful of the nations of the world are those who do not fall into the lure of secession. But who through thick and thin forge unity in diversity.

“Nigeria is no different; we are, not three, but more like three hundred or so ethnic groups within the same geographical space, presented with a great opportunity to combine all our strengths into a nation that is truly, to borrow an expression, more than the sum of its parts,” he said.

Osibanjo painfully relived “how in 1967, passing in front of my home on Ikorodu road almost every hour were trucks carrying passengers and furniture in an endless stream heading east. Many Ibos who left various parts of Nigeria, left friends, families and businesses, schools and jobs, like my friend and aunty some never returned! But many died.

“The reasons for this tragic separation of brothers and sisters were deep and profound. So much has been said and written already about the “why’s and wherefores’’ and that analyses will probably never end,” regretted the Acting President.

He was however optimistic that “our strength is in our diversity, that we are greater together than apart. Imagine for a moment that an enterprising young man from Aba had to apply for a visa to travel to Kano to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams, or that a young woman from Abeokuta had to fill immigration forms and await a verdict in order to attend her best friend’s wedding in Umuahia. Nigeria would be a much less colourful, much less interesting space, were that the case.

“Our frustrations with some who speak a different dialect or belong to a different religion must not drive us to forget many of the same tribe and faith of our adversaries who have shown true affection for us.”

Several notable speakers and guests attended the event including former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, for Education Minister and co-founder of Transparency International, Prof. Oby Ezekwesili, founder, Lagos Business School, Prof. Pat Utomi and President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo.

https://vigil360.com.ng/politics/22-trending-now/287-biafra-after-50-years-we-are-greater-together-than-apart-ag-president-osibanjo.html