₦airaland Forum

1. Nigeria, with a 2013 estimated population of 174,507,539 is the most populous Black nation and the 7th most populated nation in the entire world, trailing after—from least to most—Pakistan, Brazil, Indonesia, USA, India and China (1.3bn).

2. Nigerians are 1/5th the total population of Black Africa.

3. Nigeria, with 521 languages has the fourth most in the world. This includes 510 living languages, two second languages without native speakers and 9 extinct languages.

4. The Portuguese reached Nigeria in 1472. In 1880 the British began conquering Nigeria’s south. The north was conquered by 1903.
5. Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian Nobel laureate. He wrote 'Telephone Conversation!'

6. With a net worth of $16.1bn, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote is the richest Black person in the world.

7. Yoruba and their bloodlines worldwide have the highest rate of twinning (having twins) in the world.

8. The 2006 Census found Nigerians to be the highest educated ethnic or racial group in America.

9. The Northern knot, Arewa insignia has Christian origins, investigation by Ibraheem A. Waziri revealed. It is adapted from the Church Celtic knot.

10. Pre-tribalism: Malam Umaru Altine, a northern Fulani man was the first elected Mayor of Enugu, in the east, and was even re-elected for a second term.

11. Pre-tribalism: John Umoru, from Etsako in today’s Edo State (Western region) was elected for the House of Assembly to represent Port Harcourt in the Eastern Nigerian House of Assembly.

12. The Colonial Cantonments Proclamation of 1914 established ‘foreign quarters,’ ‘Sabon Gari,’ institutionalizing the Sabon Garuruwa system of ‘foreigner’ residential segregation in Nigeria.

13. Crispin Curtis Adeniyi-Jones (1876-1957) who the street in Ikeja, ‘Adeniyi-Jones’ was named after, was a medical director from Sierra Leone (a Saro). As a co-founder of NNDP, he won one of the Lagos 3 legislative council seats in 1923 and represented Nigerians for 15 yrs.

14. Saros was the name given to 19th and 20th century ‘Creole’ African literati migrants from Sierra Leone.

15. Amaros was the name for repatriated Brazilian and Cuban slaves; the ‘Aguda’ people of Lagos today. This Brazilian community includes deportees of the brave “Malê Revolt” in Portugal.

16. British colonization was not all ‘happy trade,’ but involved brutal terror against non-cooperation and stiff opposition. Captain Lord Esme Gordon Lenox, 'With The West African Frontier Force,' describes: “…we stormed down to Amassana, which was a town supposed to be friendly and fined them 25 goats and 20 chickens for non-assistance, then returned to Agbeni and burned half...October 1st was spent in continuance of yesterdays incendiraism by burning every town or farm we could see. I shudder to think of how many houses we have destroyed in these two days. On our way back to Egbbeddi in the afternoon we passed by Sabagreia and told our old friend Chief Ijor that most likely we should burn down Sabagreia the next day…”

17. Nigeria’s population was just 16 million in 1911. It is projected to hit 444 million by 2050, surpassing the US and becoming the 4th largest in the world.

18. The population of Lagos today is more than the total population of all Eastern states combined.

19. Lagos’ population in 1872 was 60,000. By 2015 it will be the third largest city in the entire world.

20. Nigeria’s north (719,000 sq. km), occupies 80% of Nigeria’s land mass. In size it is four times the South.

21. 1st republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi hid former South African President, Nelson Mandela, for six months in Nigeria to evade his arrest by the apartheid regime.

22. Gangsta: In 1984 under the disciplinary Buhari/Idiagbon government, there was a sophisticated attempt to kidnap and repatriate ex-civilian regime minister of transport, Umaru Dikko from the UK, anesthetized in a freight crate, for the embezzlement of $1bn under the Shagari regime.

23. Valor: Part of the ‘Forgotten Army,’ Nigerians volunteered to fight with the allied forces among the 81st and 82nd West African Divisions, in the Second World War.

24. The Adubi war in 1918 was a major uprising by 30,000 Abeokuta Ebga warriors against the colonial government for colonization, taxation and slave labor. One British was killed and rail and telegraph lines destroyed. The British rewarded their soldiers with medals for quelling the uprising. Awape Adediran a Molashin/ Kingmaker was imprisoned for his active involvement.

25. Activist Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti travelled widely, including to the Eastern bloc (Hungary, USSR and China where she met Mao Zedong). These interactions angered Nigeria, Britain and America. America called her a communist and refused her a U.S. Visa.

26. Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti, legendary Fela’s mother, was one of the delegates that negotiated Nigeria’s independence in Britain.

27. According to Lord Luggard, there were 25,000 Qur’anic schools with about 250,000 pupils in the north.

28. Sardauna of Sokoto said he preferred foreign workers to Igbo’s because he felt Igbo’s are domineering. This was while Nigeria existed as regions with regional administrations.

29. Kaduna Nzeogwu killed Sardauna in Nigeria’s first military coup.

30. In 1966, a mischievous Igbo owned bakery allegedly made a loaf of bread with a label that depicted Nzeogwu as the Saint in the ‘Saint George and the Dragon’ medieval tale, killing Sardauna, the ‘dragon,’ this labeled bread provoked deadly anti-Igbo riots.

31. Idrîs Aloma (1571-1603) King of Kanem-Bornu went on pilgrimage and came across firearms. He brought some guns back, along with Turks to train his army on how to use them.

32. Travel Visa was not required to travel to the United Kingdom in 1975.

33. A brand new car sold for N2000 in 1975. A ticket to London was less than N100 in 1975.

34. In 1976, 75 kobo exchanged for one British Pound and 60 kobo for one US dollar.

35. During the Shagari administration in 1985, N7 was exchanging for one dollar.

36. Nigeria took its first loan from the World Bank in 1977.

37. Obasanjo’s first term and Babangida’s regime oversaw the weakening of the naira.

38. General Buhari and Idiagbon rejected IMF demands that Nigeria devalue its currency.

39. Babangida’s coup in 1985 was invaluable to the colonialists suspected to have been in support as it led to Nigeria accepting SAP restrictions, loans and crippling foreign monetary conditions.

40. Nigeria has 5 of the 10 richest pastors in the entire world, with net worth’s according to Forbes, from $10-150 million. They are Pastors, David Oyedepo, E. A. Adeboye, Chris Oyakhilome, Mathew Ashimolowo and Temitope Joshua.

41. Nigeria has the 4th highest number of poor, living under a dollar a day in the entire world. 100 million are ‘destitute’ according to figures from the NBS (National Bureau of Statistics).

42. Nigeria, the 3rd biggest economy in Africa is 160th out of 177 countries in HDI (Human Development Index).

43. Nigeria has the highest paid legislators in the entire world.

44. Based on amount squandered, of an income of $81 billion per year, Nigeria is the most corrupt nation in the world.

45. The nation with the most defrauded people, aka ‘mugus,’ in history, is Nigeria. Successive administrations continue to loot a greater percentage of the nation’s wealth, running in hundreds of billions of dollars.

46. Nigeria in 2013 was rated the worst country to be born based on welfare and prosperity projection.

47. Aliko Dangote funded Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan’s 4th republic campaigns. Buhari rejected funding from Dangote.

48. Usman dan Fodio (1754–1817) was trained in classical Islamic science, philosophy and theology and wrote over 100 books on society, culture, religion, governance and politics. He could only declare Jihad when he was made leader in Gudu {In Islam you can only declare Jihad if you are an official Muslim leader}.

49. The Borno Empire rejected Dan Fodio’s colonization jihad. Al-Hajj Muhammad al-Amîn ibn Muhammad al-Kânemî not only militarily defended his Empire, but also did so by religious, theological, legal and political debates, challenging why a Muslim Empire should colonize another.

50. Kano history has it that a great warrior princess Magajiya Maimuna led her cavalry from Zaria to conquer Kumbwada.

51. Kumbwada in Kano today is ruled by Queen Hajiya Haidzatu Ahmed, who presides over up to half a million subjects. A throne curse which makes men sick and die, keeps males off the throne. {Sadly, the woman ruled Kumbwada is the least funded chiefdom in Nigeria}.

52. Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) is Nigeria's leading trade partner in Africa.

53. There are several Nigerian officials in the government of English speaking The Gambia.

54. There is a Nigerian origin, Yoruba chief in Accra. Chief Brimah is the only foreign Chief with a seat in the Ghanaian traditional council.

55. Cross River State: The Ejagham (Ekoi) people in the Southeast are believed to have originated the Nsibidi (Nsibiri) writing system which later spread to the Efik, Igbo, Ibibio, Efut, Banyang and Annag peoples.

56. Discovered in 1928, Nigeria’s western region hosts West Africa’s oldest civilization; the Nok civilization which flourished between 1000 BC and 300 BC. {Nok sculptures recently went on display disappointingly in Germany (not Africa).}

57. Finished in 1460 the Benin Iya or moat is a historic world defense wonder. Spanning 1,200 kilometers with walls as high as 18 metres, it is the world’s largest archeological structure.

58. Sungbo's Eredo in Ogun state (6°49′N, 3°56′E) is a 100 mile system of up to 70 ft trenches and walls around Ijebu-Ode. It’s Queen, Bilkisu Sungbo has been attributed to the Biblical Queen Sheeba (Queen Bilkis in Quran).

59. Lord Lugard estimated in 1904 that there were 170 walled towns still in existence in the whole of just the Kano province of northern Nigeria. He described Kano: ‘Commercial emporium of the western Sudan.’ Of its wall, he said, ‘I have never seen, nor even imagined, anything like it in Africa.’

60. Osun: Queen Luwo, the twenty-first Ooni (ruler) of Ile-Ife paved the streets with quartz pebbles—and broken pottery, in 1000AD. The architecture had decorations that originated from Ancient America.

61. Borno: The capital city of Kanem-Borno, Ngazargamu, was one of the largest cities in 1658 AD; the metropolis housed “about quarter of a million people” and had 660 well planned, wide and unbending streets.

62. In 1246 AD the Kanemi of Borno created a sensation in Tunisia when he sent a gift of a giraffe to Al-Mustapha, king of Tunis.

63. Sokoto: Two-story buildings with constructions glazed with tsoluwa, (laterite gravel), 10 mile circumference city walls, some as high as 20 feet, is how 16th century Surame, a Sokoto metropolis created by empire ruler, Muhammadu Kanta Sarkin Kebbi, was. UNESCO describes Surame as “one of the wonders of human history, creativity and ingenuity.”

64. Kano: In 1851, this city, one of the largest in Africa, made 10 million sandal pairs and 5 million hides for export.

65. Kebbi: Nigeria's Sorko Sea lords of Kebbi state, made ships (Kanta) which were used for far away expeditions, including the 1311 AD, 2000 ship, famous voyage of Songhai Empire’s Mansa Abubakari II to the America’s, decades before Columbus.

66. Yobe: The oldest discovered boat in Africa, and 3rd oldest on the world, the 8500 yr old Dufuna canoe was discovered by a Fulani herdsman in 1987 in Dufuna village, Fune LGA.

67. Ondo: Confusing evolution scientists, the 13,000 yr old Iwo-Eleru cave skull, the oldest human fossil remains found in West Africa, has ‘ancient’ (140,000 yr old Laetoli) features, yet lived in more modern times.

68. Benin Kingdom: The high quality and highly sophisticated bronze work of the Benin Kingdom dating as far back as the 13th century is a world wonder. Great works in iron, wood, ivory, and terra cotta products also highlight the empire’s history.

69. Benin Kingdom: Lourenco Pinto, captain of a ship that carried missionaries to Warri in 1619, described Benin kingdom, ‘Great Benin where the king resides is larger than Lisbon, all the streets run straight and as far as the eyes can see….’

70. Akwa Ibom: King Jaja of Opobo (1821–1891) founded Opobo city-state in 1867 and shipped palm oil to Britain independently of British middle men.

71. Ancient Greeks appear to have Nigerian roots as supported by the Benin Haplogroup or Haplogroup 19. According to Jide Uwechia, ‘The Benin Haplotype (which originates from Nigeria, West Africa) accounts for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily Northern Greece.’

72. Ilorin’s Oba Afonja utilized Fulani warriors to help rebel against the Oyo Empire. The warriors after defeating Oyo took over Ilorin and Sheikh Alimi, their leader became the first Emir.

73. Much of north Nigeria was part of the Songhai Empire. Muhammad Kanta annexed Kebbi and other states between 1512 and 1517.

74. The Obasanjo military regime converted Nigeria from a Parliamentary system to a Presidential system of government.

75. Much of traditional pre-colonial Nigeria operated a parliamentary form of government. The council of elders could make or impeach the King.

76. General Johnson Thomas Umurakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi on 24 May 1966, with Decree No. 34, dissolved Nigeria’s regions, creating provinces. He unified Regional Public Services under a single Commission. Riots were provoked in Kano and mutiny in Abeokuta; eventually there was a coup.

77. In 1967 Gowon split the four regions into 12 states.

78. Gowon’s Decree No. 8 of 1967 after the Aburi conference restored Nigeria as a confederacy.

79. Late President Murtala Muhammed’s dad, Pam Azatus Iyok was from Dogon-Gaba, near Vom in Plateau state, Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Pam became a Muslim and married Ramat from Kano. Murtala Muhammed’s wife, Hafsat Ajoke was a Yoruba lady.

80. Ex- President Yakubu Gowon from Jos state (Middle Belt) is a Christian. General Obasanjo was his Army chief who helped him defeat the Biafra attempted secession from 1967-1970.

81. Nigeria has been ruled for 30 years by Christians (25 years if Azikiwe is excluded).

82. Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the leader of the southern Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the most vocal enemy of the north, is a Muslim.

83. Nigeria is not roughly divided between a Muslim north and a Christian South. The far north, east and far south do have concentrations, but the rest of the nation defies such demarcations.

84. In the Southwest, Osun, Lagos, Ondo and Oyo have a higher population of Muslims than Christians according to counts. Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau in the north have Christian majorities.

85. According to the Senate joint committee, Nigeria’s chief terrorist leader, Abubakar Shekau is not a Nigerian; he hails from Niger republic. {Shekau is believed by security services to be deceased.}

86. According to current demographics, after Hausa-Fulani (29%), Yoruba (21%), Igbo (18%) and Ijaw (10%) comes Kanuri (4%) and then Ibibio (3.5%) and Tiv (2.5%).

87. Not really a northern caucus, but it was late M. K. O. Abiola that orchestrated and sponsored the Buhari /Idiagbon coup and then again the Babangida coup overthrow of Buhari. –Shagari memoir, “Beckoned to Serve;” Babangida, “Karl Maier – Midnight in Nigeria.” (Max Siollun)

88. The leading caucus is basically a childhood friendship: President Obasanjo was childhood friends with President Babangida, President Abacha and Commander Danjuma.

89. President Babangida was childhood friends with President Abdulsalam.

90. President Obasanjo graduated Abdulsalam who later became President and went on to hand over power to democratically arranged President Obasanjo.

91. Under the Presidential system, Nigerians have had 7 years total Northern rule and 11+ years Southern rule.

92. Total civilian rule, Parliamentary and Presidential, Nigeria has had 12 years Northern and 11+ years Southern rule.

93. 6 coups is the highest number of any nation in Africa. Nigeria along with Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Uganda and Mauritania are the nations with 6 coups.

94. The Biafra war included a ‘Mid West invasion.’ The Midwest was either a battle field or in Biafra’s sights—Dr. Nowamagbe A. Omoigui relays.

95. The Biafra 12th battalion headed by Lt Col Victor Adebukunola Banjo captured Benin and set out to capture Ibadan and Lagos.

96. The Biafra 13th battalion, led by Ivenso entered Kwara, now Kogi and captured Okene, Atanai and Iloshi.

97. Cameroon was an administrative part of Nigeria in 1945, hence the NCNC party (National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons). Towards independence the UN mandated British held former German territory, south Cameroon opted to join French Cameroon and not Nigeria.

98. J.C. Vaughn, Ernest Ikoli, H.O. Davies, Obafemi Awolowo and Sam Tsuiuel Akinsanya founded the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) in 1934 to promote national unity particularly between Yoruba and Igbo.

99. Azikiwe left Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) because he claimed the organization had been seized by Yoruba’s and it discriminated against Igbo’s including himself.

100. Oyo defeats Ashanti: In 1764 the Ashanti army marched on Dahomey, Togo. At Atakpamé, the Ashanti army was ambushed and sacked by Dahomean infantry and female elite soldiers allied with forces from the Oyo Empire. Ashanti King Kusi Obodum was destooled after the defeat.

Nigeria’s century compilation was created as a historical snapshot of peculiar events, for our benefit and that of Nigeria’s younger generations. It was compiled to the best of our ability and influenced by our learning, recollection and prejudices. We invite Nigerians to collect and share with us more important and unique events that define 100 years of Nigeria. Resources utilized here can be found on ENDS.ng.

Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng/ [Every Nigerian Do Something]
Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian

From: http://saharareporters.com/article/100-years-and-100-interesting-facts-about-nigeria-dr-peregrino-brimah

Published on 20 Dec 2013

Although she had earlier said that she was feeling a little sick and the committee had excused her to return at another date. The confrontation however ensued when the minister insisted that she was ready to speak.
The committee chairman insisted that they stand by their ruling that the minister return on another date.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ho3yK91jJIE

Even with all my dislike for OBJ, I feel this letter is so damaging that I "hope" Iyabo will come out tomorrow to deny it. But my sixth sense tells me the lady knows exactly what she has just done. It is a blow delivered with one single purpose in mind, and packaged to have maximum effect. It was designed simply TO DESTROY OBJ forever.

Even by Naija standards, where evil leaders are accepted as the norm, the letter is a shocker! Most Nigerians will not ignore this. Even if Iyabo denies it tomorrow, I'm afraid the damage is done already.

OBJs response will be interesting. I expect a response (if its by a noisy silence), either directly or indirectlly from his unrepentant loyalists like FFK. Politically, he will not survive this.
This is a political obituary (even though everyone but he himself would have thought he has acheived it all anyway). I hope it is not the beginning of a real obituary as well, given that this has the capacity to affect life and health.

All of the retired soldier's efforts and (dis)service to Nigeria has just been washed down the drain. He has won many wars and battles (either by divine or other means), but it seems he has just lost the simplest of battles to none other than his own flesh and blood.

We keep watching, as this is not the end...

more pics

Already named 'Orimiri Jordan' [River Jordan], it has become a pilgrimage centre of sorts, playing host to people from all parts of the country.

The river which just “popped up” from no where is said to be nick-named “Pool of Bethsaida” and appears every 20 years, as confirmed by the indegenes, this year the pool was discovered by Fulani herdsmen who were on their way to feed their cattle.

According to them, they passed the spot where the water usually came from and there wasn’t any water, but on their way back they discovered the whole place has been covered with water.

The river which do appear once in 30yrs is said to possess “healing powers” and people do flock there once it appears.

According to the oldest man in the community, the water appears every 20 or 30 years, they first saw it in 1971.

He also confirmed that various diseases and ailments have been cured at the pool. Most people who visited the area gave testimonies on how they received healing from the water.

Story available from http://www.nigerianeye.com/2013/12/in-pictures-miracle-healing-river-in.html

Pics available from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202461254910711&set=pcb.10202461259350822&type=1&theater

T8ksy: Diya didn't lead the yorubas in an armed rebellion that caused the lives of millions of his own people. Ojukwu did and then fled to save his own neck.

The cowardly act would have been for Ojukwu to saty and be butchered to death. An adage says that only a tree (and some idiotic humans) heared it will be cut down, yet it stayed on.
The smart and reasonable thing for him to do was exactly what he did. Any other action from him would have been stupid, cowardly and unforgivable. Even Mandela ran to Nigeria for some months when things got very bad for him. Do you know that?

And why do you think the Igbo's still appreciate him till today. If really he abandoned them, why does he continue to command so much respect, even in death.

I suggest you get used to the fact that he is one of the greatest Nigerians ever to live. That was why his dead body got a significant national attention, and his widow was given an ambassodorial position afterwards.

Could this be a piece from a disgruntled European trying to diminish the great Mandiba?
Or is there more to it?
I know every man has a great side, but this will not, and should not trivialize the acheivements of Mandela. My take...

From http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/the-dark-side-of-nelson-mandela/story-fni0ffxg-1226778174719


MUCH of the sanctimonious grieving for Nelson Mandela is not just a sin against history - but a danger.

It is true Mandela rose to greatness. Freed after 27 years in a South African jail, the anti-apartheid fighter emerged not bent on vengeance but healing.

He negotiated a peaceful end to apartheid, and as the first president of democratic South Africa, preached - and practised - reconciliation. In this he was great. A healer. An inspiration.

For many whites abroad, he seems even Christ-like - someone who'd suffered for the sins of white guilt, and absolved those who believed in him of the sin of racism.

But Mandela was no Christ nor even Gandhi nor Martin Luther King. He was for decades a man of violence. In 1961, he broke with African National Congress colleagues who preached non-violence, creating a terrorist wing.

He later pleaded guilty in court to acts of public violence, and behind bars sanctioned more, including the 1983 Church St car bomb that killed 19 people.


Mandela even suggested cutting off the noses of blacks deemed collaborators. His then wife Winnie advocated "necklacing" instead - a burning tyre around the neck.

Mandela argued the apartheid regime left him no option but to fight violence with violence, but it is too easy to claim events proved him right. His legacy is not yet played out.

Current president Jacob Zuma until recently still publicly sang the anti-apartheid song, Shoot the Boer, in a still-divided country where many white farmers have been shot.

Mandela's support for other leaders of violence is even less forgivable. He maintained close ties to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and backed Palestinian terrorist leader Yasser Arafat. As president in 1997, he gave his country's highest award for a foreigner to Libya's dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who'd donated $10 million to the ANC. He gave the same award to the corrupt Indonesian president Suharto, who he said had donated $60 million.

He supported Nigerian coup leader Sani Abacha, refusing to say a word publicly to stop the 1995 hanging of activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

I repeat, Mandela did great things. But many of his more radical supporters in the West now use that greatness to wash clean his record of political violence - and his support for dictators who'd used it.

That is dangerous.

From http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/the-dark-side-of-nelson-mandela/story-fni0ffxg-1226778174719

EXCITING PIECE:
Let us read this article and see if theie is any similarity between Mandela and Ojukwu:

TITLE: The dark side of Nelson Mandela , By Andrew Bolt • Herald Sun • December 09, 2013 12:00AM


From http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/the-dark-side-of-nelson-mandela/story-fni0ffxg-1226778174719


MUCH of the sanctimonious grieving for Nelson Mandela is not just a sin against history - but a danger.

It is true Mandela rose to greatness. Freed after 27 years in a South African jail, the anti-apartheid fighter emerged not bent on vengeance but healing.

He negotiated a peaceful end to apartheid, and as the first president of democratic South Africa, preached - and practised - reconciliation. In this he was great. A healer. An inspiration.

For many whites abroad, he seems even Christ-like - someone who'd suffered for the sins of white guilt, and absolved those who believed in him of the sin of racism.

But Mandela was no Christ nor even Gandhi nor Martin Luther King. He was for decades a man of violence. In 1961, he broke with African National Congress colleagues who preached non-violence, creating a terrorist wing.

He later pleaded guilty in court to acts of public violence, and behind bars sanctioned more, including the 1983 Church St car bomb that killed 19 people.


Mandela even suggested cutting off the noses of blacks deemed collaborators. His then wife Winnie advocated "necklacing" instead - a burning tyre around the neck.

Mandela argued the apartheid regime left him no option but to fight violence with violence, but it is too easy to claim events proved him right. His legacy is not yet played out.

Current president Jacob Zuma until recently still publicly sang the anti-apartheid song, Shoot the Boer, in a still-divided country where many white farmers have been shot.

Mandela's support for other leaders of violence is even less forgivable. He maintained close ties to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and backed Palestinian terrorist leader Yasser Arafat. As president in 1997, he gave his country's highest award for a foreigner to Libya's dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who'd donated $10 million to the ANC. He gave the same award to the corrupt Indonesian president Suharto, who he said had donated $60 million.

He supported Nigerian coup leader Sani Abacha, refusing to say a word publicly to stop the 1995 hanging of activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

I repeat, Mandela did great things. But many of his more radical supporters in the West now use that greatness to wash clean his record of political violence - and his support for dictators who'd used it.

That is dangerous.

Ile-Ife:
WTF? are you guys serious? How can a sane human, try to put ojukwu on the same stage with Mandela or compare the anti-apartheid struggle with biafran war. WTH?

Do you say this because you hail from a region that opposed Ojukwu and fought Biafra? Remember Britain supported Apartheid and fought Mandela, and opposed all attempts to free him. Today, they join the rest of the world to celebrate him.

The rest of Nigeria should admit that Ojukwu did the right thing. Of course, they should be happy they defeated him, but that does not make Ojukwu's fight evil. Remember, history has it that Ojukwu fought a very JUST war, the JUSTEST WAR, as they put it.

eazzzy1: Had ojuku stayed to face the consequences of his actions, history would have been kinder to him..

No, not at all. Had he stayed, he would have been executed, and history would barely remember him...and we would not be having this discussion now had that happened. Ojukwu would simply have been irrelevant.

kingoflag: End of story!

No matter how history states it you can never refer to Mussolini, Hitler, Ghaddafi or Hussein as cowards.

As a leader that leads others to battle, you either die on that battlefield or commit suicide: thats your only option. Thats what brave soldiers do. Cowards flee. Unkind words, maybe---because I admire that Ojukwu stood up for Igbos--- but thats the description he left for his legacy. And thats the plain truth.

The men u mentioned are all blood-thirsty villains, who brought war to the world. Ojukwu is a hero, who defended his people against genocide. Your comparison is faulty my dear, as these men need not run from wars they started. Ojukwu was forced into a war, and any intelligent man in his position would have done exactly the same.
Had he stayed, he would been excuted like a chicken, and would have been nowhere near being a hero, not even in Igboland.

And I repeat this simple saying: "He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another".

dont8: I understood you perfectly and we're on the same page, he's an hero in Eastern part of the country, but a villain nationally.

No my dear, No! We are not on the same page at all. Ojukwu is not a villain nationally.
If he is/was, why was the Federal Govt involved in his burial?
He is disliked by the section of the country that fought him, but nationally, he is a well respected man...and that's why his widow was appointed to, and still holds a national position today.
Got it?

kingoflag: Why do you keep writing this rubbish?

When you say "won" or "lost" what do you mean? Let me break it down for you: theres a big difference between a Lion Heart and a Coward and thats what defines men when battles, war and causes are involved. If Mandela had led his people into battle and fled to Nigeria (which he couldve easily done) what do you think the whole world would think of him today?

Go check the meaning of rubbish, and tell me what else will qualify your response above. Ojukwu was forced to defend his people, just like Mandela did.
Yes, he ran away, but thatr was only because he would have been executed had he stayed. That is not a cowardly act, otherwise, the saying of "he who fights and runs away, will live to fight another day" would hold no meaning.

Mandela knew the wisdom in that saying, that was he allowed himself to get arrested, tried and sent to jail. Why did he not fight or resist all these? Because he is more useful to the course alive than dead.

Mandela was involved in "terrorist" acts according to the Apartheid regime a the time. He could not have gone to war because he controlled no army like Ojukwu. But you should no that a man who championed such "terror" acts, could easily had gone to war were he to have the resources.

Each of these men used the resources available to them to fight the Courses they beleived in...and that was to liberate their people. Unfortunatley, one succeeded (with lots of international help and outcry), but the other failed (with lots of international conspiracy and hypocrisy against him).

mzlewis: now listen to me u mannerless hegoat if u dnt kno helw to adress pple u had better keep that pit hole u call a mouth shut....did mandela cause a civil war eh.....can u compare both....by d way ur manners stink

Hey, Ojukwu "did not cause a civil war". Ojukwu was "forced into a civil war". Remember Mandela was accused and jailed for terrorist acts, but he is a hero today because he was "forced" to use that as a weapon to liberate his people. Like I said in my earlier posts, had OIjukwu won his own battle, history would have been much kinder to him.

dont8: Well said, Ojukwu was an hero in his own kingdom.

I actually mean that Ojukwu, in the least, is a HERO to the Southeasterners. Nationally, I beleive he is respected, and can as well pass for a hero because he fought for a just course. But because the war was lost, his fame is not as large ae Mandela's, just as his (Mandela's) course would not have been global had he lost his own course.

Hey Pals, don't forget that at the time Mandela was jailed, he was considered a Traitor and a Terrorist by the then Government of South Africa. His passion for the liberty of his people led him to fight and protest, and he DID ALL IN HIS POWER at the time to liberate his people.
Ojukwu did the same, but the outcomes were just different for them, and that is why history view them differently.

Had Biafra succeeded, I'm sure Ojukwu's place is history would be more globally positive. Had Mandela failed, I'm sure his place in history would have been largely negative, particularly given the "terrorism" tag on him when he went to jail. Remember he did not go to jail alone, but where are the others. Just a handful like Oliver Tambo are remembered today.

Remember history sees Ojukwu as fighting the world's JUSTEST war. He just did not win...but he did his best, just lik Mandela.

And to our Southeastern brothers in Nigeria, Ojukwu remains their Mandela.

A crazy party indeed.
One hopes they don't ruin the somewhat promising political career of their candidate, Nwoye.
I wonder why they can't talk these things over and take a unified stand, at least publicly.

The crisis within the Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party over the inconclusive governorship election in the state has led to the suspension of the Director General of the Tony Nwoye Campaign Organisation, Mr. Osita Ezenwa, and another member of the organisation, Mr. Kenneth Arinze, from the party.

The news of the suspension of the two bigwigs was broken to reporters in Awka on Wednesday by the State Chairman of the party, Mr. Ken Emeakayi, who said they were suspended for anti-party activities and a breach of the constitution of the party.

He said the state executive committee of the party, which met on Wednesday, had ratified the suspensions and that their cases would be referred to a disciplinary committee of the party.

But Ezenwa said he would not waste his time responding to his purported suspension.

He said, “He (Emeakayi) had long been expelled from public life, not just from partisan politics. With that kind of character, let us put my character to public test with his and let the people decide who they will go for.”

Tony Nwoye is the candidate for the PDP in the governorship election and has insisted that the election be cancelled for a fresh one.

This is against the position of the PDP, which commended the conduct of the election and had called on its members to participate in the supplementary election taking place on Saturday.

Emeakayi specifically accused Ezenwa and Arinze of insulting the leader of the party in the state, Chief Olisa Metuh, who is the National Publicity Secretary of the party.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/news/pdp-suspends-nwoyes-campaign-director/

pokur: There's no cure for your stewpid,I can see.A High Court adjudicating on a case already decided by the Supreme Court and that's the straw you want to cling to?.Smh
Some mothers do have them.Ndo o.

Now I have to do the inevitable...give up on you!

So now you agree that a high court is still adjudicating on the matter. So its not a closed case after all.

And hey, did Ngige get to the Supreme Court You've been noisily silent on that one.

You won't have a response from me anymore until you upgrade your deficient IQ with the newest software.

Ewu Gambia!!!

pokur: Lord have mercy,you must really major in eediocy from The School of Bad Losers and Fucktadry.
From your link,we have this:

Okorocha in his Supreme Court appeal argued
that Ohakim’s party, the PDP, had earlier
challenged the subject matter of the suit at the
election petitions tribunal and lost arguing
further that the PDP also challenged the
decision of the election tribunal at the
Supreme Court and lost.
According to him, allowing Ohakim to
challenge the high court’s judgment on appeal
was to afford him the opportunity to pursue
two remedies against the same infraction in
two courts at the same time.
http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/10/31/supreme-court-adjourns-okorochas-suit-to-jan-2014/

Said paragraphs were even highlighted[b][/b] in colored fonts by Channels tv.Tis either you are blind or have serious comprehension problem.

At least u admit the case, for one reason or another, is not totally rested. It is still in the court!!! At least one party is still appealing. Now, that's not a very hard one to understand, is it? Can't beleive people can be so dumb with all the facts so plainly facing them.

Wanna go back to school? I can help!!!

pokur: Such an eediot.Okorocha's case has long been decided by the Supreme Court,Google is your friend since it seems you are averse to being educated by such trivial things as news reports and current affairs.
Like I wrote before,keep living in Cuckooland while Obiano get sworn in as the legitimate and duly elected Governor of Anambra state.

You are even more daft than I thought. The supreme court will rule on okorocha's case in January 2014. Take a look: http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/10/31/supreme-court-adjourns-okorochas-suit-to-jan-2014/

And I notice u were silent on the Ngige case. Was there a ruling by the supreme court or not? Since Google is ur friend, please check before reappearing here oo!

pokur: So you don't know Ngige,Okorocha and Fayemi won their positions via Supplementary elections and such elections were upheld,even up to the Supreme Court?.Keep dreaming of a fresh election while Obiano get sworn into office.Agafu

Ewu!!!
Ngige never got to the supreme court. The challenge to his senatorial victory by Akunyilli was thrown out because it exceeded 180 days. As for Rochas, the case is still ongoing. Like I said, I know nothing about Fayemi. Next time, get your facts together before u resort to name-calling.

And do not celebrate yet about Obiano. Since you are so mentally deficient as not to put togetther an intelligent, fact-based argument together, and resort to insults to cover up, be aware that if ever Obiano becomes the governor at the end of the day, it would not be because he won a free and fair contest. It would be because goons like you who run our affairs would have succeeded in imposing another of their ilk.

But be prepared for a tortous challenge to your so-called supplementary election.

chukwudi44: Was it not the courts who know the law far better than you who kept Rochas,Ngige and Fayemi in power

Guy, I only brought this issue up because, if true, it seems like a genuine ground for challenging INEC. I know little about the naija constitution, so I'm hoping someone who knows will throw more light.

Now, given your obsession on Ngige and Rochas (I know little about Fayemi), I am aware that these duo won keenly contested elections, which were challenged in the courts. I will not bother going into the reasons they are still there, but you cannot fault the elections that brought them to power.

And just so you know, I am from Anambra and I have nothing to do with APC. I supported Nwoye, and still support him. I'm hoping the above grounds are true because I beleive the election was flawed, and I beleive Nwoye has a chance in a new election because he will have the time to campaign.

My interest is neither for APC nor APGA. Now I hope your next line will take these points from me on board.

chukwudi44: Y don't you ask Ngige,Okorocha and Fayemi

Wouldn't it be better if you just keep mum? The concerns raised are straightforward. Please do not introduce any bias. Thanks.

omiobo: In as much as I don't support supplementary election,my answer to your question is that not everything will be written in the constitution,in the case of Anambra election,INEC has the right to use its discretion

Good. But can such discretion survive a legal challenge/scrutiny in a court of law?

Folks, I just read this article, which is quoted in part thus:

"...there is no provision for a SUPPLEMENTARY ELECTION in Either our Electoral Act or the 1999 Constitution. INEC knew that in Nigeria Electoral Act, we only have GENERAL ELECTION, BYE-ELECTION, FRESH OR RERUN ELECTION AND A RUN-OFF ELECTION

A general election is the regular election conducted under the Electoral Act and the constitution. It includes presidential, governorship or legislative elections or election into the local government or area councils.

A bye-election is conducted to fill a legislative seat made vacant by the death, resignation, incapacity or recall of an incumbent.

A rerun election or a fresh election is conducted following an order by an election tribunal, court, or election appeal tribunal nullifying the result of a particular election, and directing that a fresh election be conducted in place of the nullified or voided election.

A run-off election is conducted between two leading candidates vying for a particular office following the failure of the initial election among the candidates in an election to produce a clear winner in accordance with the law.

In all these, there is no place Supplementary election was mentioned in our constitution or the Electoral Act. Any other instruments outside these two are NULL and VOID"


From: http://universalreporters247..com.au/2013/11/supplementary-election-is.html?spref=fb

Legal minds in the house, Please advice.

Very unfair for PDP to betray their candidate like this. They should have at least gotten him involved in any secret deal they have with APGA.

Nwoye camp slams Metuh over comments

Posted by: Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja in Featured, News 2 hours ago

The November 16 Anambra governorship election fiasco has taken a new twist with the Tony Nwoye Campaign Organisation (TNCO) taking issues with the ruling party over its comments on the election.

In a statement yesterday, the TNCO described statements by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh as arrant nonsense and an act of betrayal.

The statement was jointly signed by Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu, Mazi Okwu Okwu, Hon Ikechukwu Onyia and Mazi Orjika Chidi.

Metuh had, on Monday commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for what he described as peaceful conduct of the poll. Metuh had also described the election as free and fair.

But Nwoye’s camp has raised questions over Metuh’s sense of judgment and his loyalty to the cause of the party’s governorship candidate.

The camp accused Metuh of working for the interest of Governor Peter Obi and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) against the interest of the PDP candidate.

Nwoye said: “In a show of shame and in a disgraceful crescendo of delusional act and to please his contractors (APGA and Mr Peter Obi), Olisa Metuh made his statement giving credibility to an election in which his candidate and all his family members, including some of his cousins were disenfranchised and prevented from voting.

“An election in which two leaders of the party, Chief Arthur Eze and Chief Mrs Josephine

“Mr Olisa Metuh, we put it to you that you sabotaged PDP on the 16th of November, 2013 during the election, directing your family members to vote for APGA.

“That explains why PDP could not win in your ward at Otolo Nnewi


“It is a shame that while other political parties like the APC, the Labour Party, the CNPP and others were calling for a total cancellation of the election, you were busy singing a different song. Who are you really working for? Which party do you actually belong to,PDP or APGA?.

From: http://thenationonlineng.net/new/nwoye-camp-slams-metuh-comments/

Prowizy2: Slaps his face!! Wake up

let's see who eventually wakes up

This update from a very, very reliable source:
Anambra Election. PDP leads in 11 Local Governments so far while APGA and APC trails behind. Tony Nwoye will eventually win. More details later...

Congrats Comrade Tony Nwoye!!!