₦airaland Forum

I am surprised that I have not read in any media, local or international, about efforts by the Nigerian government to help two Nigerian students who have been on deportation list in Canada for a 'crime' that makes mockery of the very ideals that western societies proud themselves on - hard work. Victoria Ordu and Ihuoma Amadi, 20 and 21 respectively, having been holed up in the basement of a church in Canada - not for document forgery. No, not for 419, internet scam or fake marriage, but for attempting to work and earn decent stipends to augment what they get from home.

The news media in Canada has been awash with the reports since June 2012 when the two University of Regina students took refuge in a church hoping that the Canadian authorities will forgive them for working in Walmart for two weeks. The issue here is that the student visa they carry permits them to work on campus but not outside. The students have in their various interviews stated that they stopped the Walmart jobs immediately they became aware of the restriction. But the Canada authorities have simply refused to budge.

Maybe the situation has lingered the way it is because of the green color of the passport they carry. I doubt that the Canadian authorities would have held their grounds the way they've done for almost a year now if these two students were Americans, Indians, Chinese or even South Africans. As one born of Nigerian parents, I have the privilege of knowing how it feels traveling with the Nigerian passport and its not really a good perception index from others

it is instructive that while Walmart that employed the students have gone without any rebuke from the government, these two young ladies have remained imprisoned in a church basement for more than nine months now without knowing what day light looks like. While immigration authorities accepted that Walmart had made an honest mistake in their hiring practices, the same leniency wasn’t granted to the students.

“Walmart was given the benefit of the doubt, while the students weren’t,” said Michelle Stewart, one of the Canadians campaigning for the release of the two Nigerians. “The most common response to this type of infraction is a fine of $320,” said Stewart. "This is Canada, but it feels like hell for us," Ihuoma said in an interview with CBS Canada. "We feel forgotten here, nothing is happening at all."

Friends and well-wishers of these two students have in the last nine months mounted pressure on the Canadian government, but not much has been achieved. I have been involved in the social media campaign to drum support for these innocent young Nigerians, but much as the protests on and off line continues to grow, the Canadian authorities have remained hard-heartened.

Canada holds strong trade relations with Nigeria and is hoping to grow its economic presence in the country as a springboard to reach the rest of Africa. Being Canada's largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa should serve as an incentive in extracting the right government action on diplomatic matters like this. This is the time for Nigeria to flex some diplomatic and economic muscles.

I remember when the reclusive North Korean government arrested two US journalists and sentenced them to 12 years imprisonment with hard labour for illegally entering the country. President Obama sent former president Clinton to the country and in 24 hours those two lady journalists were released to join their families. Nigeria, by virtue of its economic and strategic might, can achieve similar result when efforts are made from the top.

I expect President Jonathan's government to act now. Please save Victoria and Ihuoma from what their lawyer has described as 'honest mistake'.

Adex097: cool down bro...we are one family here.

yet another irrelevant post

things are getting too personal in here,why don't we just ask questions, answer and make corrections ,that's gonna make here a better helping ground...am a new here tho buh had to go through loads of personal talks before I could see the corrections to some questions ..tiring if I would say

azpekuliar: Oversabi! The OP knows he's grammer. It's actually spelt elegy and not elergy.
An elegy is a mournful poem sang during a funeral, while an eulogy is a speech read out during a funeral. Now you know what the birds are doing.

@OP is the news official?

Thnk u vry much sir may 209 gods of ife bless ur memory. .yes it official

The birds are singing the elergy of the deputy gpvernor of ekiti state, she passed on some hours ago, may her gentle sould rest in bossom peace

cogitoErgo: He (Mark) did not reject the bill, majority of the senators rejected the bill!
They (The senators) did not give the gift, senator Mark did gave the gift.

I dnt think ur cogitoergo, if you are you would knw bera dan,

Tolexander: Two party can't be the solution!
If possible, they can introduce a nonpartisan election in which any freeman can contest base on his will.

Even USA that we are modelling our democracy after don't practise 2-party system though two parties dominate.

Coz usa doesnt dnt hold water

aze: Maybe u r ryt

maybe

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, also known as IBB, must be a deeply-troubled man; a retired general haunted by his past. There is no other way to explain his constant attempt to intrude into our national psyche after ruling the country for eight inglorious years. The former military president never misses an opportunity to show how relevant he is even though history can’t support that delusion. The recent merger of major opposition political parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) provided a good opportunity for him.

“IBB okays merger of political parties, insists on two party system”, was the headline in one newspaper a few weeks ago. The report seemed to have gone unnoticed by the horde of news junkies and commentators on Nigeria. It was expected. I don’t know anyone out there who hasn’t grown weary of IBB and what he has to say about the political and social trajectory of the country. For IBB, the merger talk is a vindication of his two party philosophy which he believes “is the best political option for Nigeria”.

“When I introduced two party system, you people said I am a soldier, now you have seen why I went for two party system. I am happy for the emergence of APC. It is a welcome political development’’, IBB noted. The self-styled evil genius has since gone ahead to expand on his two party theory. Though a founding member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), IBB said he had not made up his mind on the political party to vote for in 2015, and that he was leaning toward voting for the APC. "I have enough time to think and I am thinking and they will be anxious to come and see me”, he boasted.

"I am a firm believer of two party system and I also studied the emergence of political parties in this country immediately after independence and it shows that this country will be heading for a two party system”, IBB said in his familiar fit of self adulation. “When we were doing it in 1989, some of you wrote us in the media that, no it is going to be one Christian party, one Muslim party, then you say it is going to be one northern and one southern party and it did not work and everybody blended. The chairman of NRC was Chief Tom Ikimi, the chairman of SDP was Kingibe and everybody was in one or the other; you just have to have an accommodation". If you have problems comprehending this balderdash, you are in good company. Finally, IBB reminded us that as a Nigerian he had “a right to vote any candidate of his choice,” never mind the fact that he denied millions of Nigerians who voted on June 12, 1993, the benefit of their vote.

Asked why he orchestrated the return of Obasanjo to rule Nigeria again in 1999, IBB said “The need to save Nigeria from looming crisis gave rise to bringing back Obasanjo”. According to him: "We have to simplify a lot of things without going back to what happened before; the emergence of Obasanjo came about as a result of what happened in the country; the country was in a very serious crisis and we had to find the solution to these problems and therefore we needed a leader known in the country, we did not believe in foisting somebody who is not known; so, we looked for a man who has been involved in the affairs of this country, who held positions either in the military or in the cabinet and who has certain beliefs about Nigeria. Now, all of us that were trained as armed forces, there is one belief that you cannot take away from us; we believe in this country because this is part of our training. We fought for this country, so when you have a situation like that, you need a leader that has all these attributes and quite frankly, he quickly came to mind”.

What IBB failed to mention was his role in the crisis that led to foisting Obasanjo on Nigerians. It is important we deconstruct IBB because we, as citizens, are central in understanding his newfound penchant for democracy and the rule of law. For those too young to remember and those who have conveniently forgotten, IBB was military president of Nigeria from August 27, 1985, to August 27, 1993. IBB claimed he overthrew the Buhari regime for its highhandedness even though, as Chief of Army Staff, he was very much a part of the regime.

IBB immediately embarked on a charm offensive by abrogating Decree 4, the anti-press law of the Buhari regime. He freed the two journalists that had been imprisoned under the decree. He also released from prison Second Republic politicians who had been jailed by his predecessor. He insisted on being called president. His desire was granted. IBB launched a transition programme to return the country to civil rule. By the time he was through with the media and Nigerians in general eight years later, one editor, Dele Giwa had been letter-bombed to smithereens, scores of military officers executed, hundreds of anti-SAP and pro-democracy activists murdered, a presidential election annulled and the country left prostrate and polarized as never before.

IBB achieved notoriety for his transition, one of the longest, the most expensive (gulping over N40bn at the time) and certainly the most convoluted political transition the world has witnessed. As a prelude, he set up a Political Bureau made up of some of the finest minds the country has produced. The bureau came up with a document which IBB tossed into the waste bin. He then set out to do things his own way, based on his fanciful study and knowledge of the two party system.

He set up two political parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC), the former “a little to the Left” and the latter, “a little o the Right”; built two national secretariats for the parties, two secretariats in each state and two secretariats in each local government. After banning those he termed “old breed politicians”, he then proceeded to assign politicians to each party based on his whims. It was a grand vision, except that it was not meant to be. Today, those edifices, where they have not been taken over by “smart” Nigerians, are home to rodents and “area boys”.

I have gone this far to show what IBB did when he had the golden opportunity to set the country on the right path. The high point of IBB’s transition was the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by Moshood Abiola who was later murdered while in detention. On June 23, 1993, IBB, through his goons, announced the annulment of the election. On August 27, 1993, exactly eight years after he seized power, IBB “stepped aside”, leaving his evil alter ego, Sani Abacha, in charge. The rest, as they say, is history. June 12 this year marks the 20th anniversary of Babangida’s failed diabolical two party experiment. The country has come full circle. The remnants of that perfidious era, including David Mark, who now holds court as the Senate President of the Federal Republic, call the shots in our so-called democratic order.

IBB’s recent outburst is a sad reminder of the true character of the Nigerian state; a state built on a feeling of entitlement. Two decades after he and his cohort annulled the sovereign will of Nigerians, IBB unabashedly tells us that they did it to save us from ourselves. This feeling of entitlement that makes IBB and his ilk think they have a divine right to rule or determine who should rule us is our greatest undoing as a nation. IBB, in his wisdom, handpicked Obasanjo without caring what majority of Nigerians thought or felt. After eight ruinous years, Obasanjo selected Umaru Yar’Adua to succeed him. Today, we are stuck with an oddity we never bargained for.

IBB’s sins are numerous. It may be uncharitable to hold one person responsible for the problems of a nation; but more than anyone else, IBB ought to take the biggest blame for the current crisis facing the country. Someone should please tell him that the formation of the APC is not about Nigeria operating a two party system. It is about a much greater need which IBB does not and would probably never understand.

BY CHIDO ONUMAH
SAHARA REPORTERS

Senate President David Mark REJECTED D Bill For Unemployed Graduates To Be Paid N20k Monthly. Yet Yesterday, He Gave 2face A Ferrari Worth 47M."

All I see amongst this people is incompetence , what is the between Mr number 3 and the public money drunk spender of Akwa ibom? but one thing I know for sure they got in common is incompetence

YOU JUST SHOT YOURSELF AT THE FOOT

Four men were gathered around the table, each of them reeking of power, affluence and influence.

“Gentlemen, I thank you for coming to my meeting,” President Goodluck Jonathan said. “I know the notice was short, but Patience insisted that I should call you. And Oronto agreed with her.”

Olusegun Obasanjo shuffled impatiently in his seat, tossing the bulbous left arm of his agbada over his shoulder. “This is what I don’t understand,” he said in his accustomed drawl. “Do you have to conduct the affairs of State according to the wishes of a woman?”

The other two men looked away as Jonathan’s gaze of embarrassment came around. “No, Baba, she is more than a woman. She is always right. She is more of a man. I mean, she is so intelligent she is now a Permanent Secretary.”

As Obasanjo moved to say something, Bamanga Tukur cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, the important thing is we are here, to work in the best interest of the party, to make sure we don’t lose any ground to those people who call themselves All Progressives Congress. I have promised to dribble them like Messi, hahaha…” he laughed.

Obasanjo caught him off. “I was wondering why you said that. I know you were never a soldier. But if your best weapon is a rifle, do you broadcast that to the opponent before the start of a battle?”

“But the fear of Messi…”

“Messi, my foot! Why can’t you wait until Messi has scored two or three times? Or for eight or nine years? Why did your Messi not dribble in Edo State, where we lost disastrously and a common Labour leader made our party look like Boy Scouts?”

That was when Tony Anenih began to rise to his feet. “I knew you were going to start attacking me. I know you…”

Jonathan put his hand on that of Anenih, who was sitting to his right, restraining him. Anenih sat down, but he continued to speak across the table at Obasanjo. “I knew you could not resist the temptation to…”

Obasanjo burst into laughter. “I was not even thinking about you,” he said to Anenih, gesturing towards Tukur. “I was talking to Messi here. He wants to dribble somebody, but he can barely walk without help. Come to think of you, where were you two dribblers, Maradona and Messi, when we were being disgraced in Falklands…I mean, Edo? And now you want a third term!” He had turned to Jonathan.

The three other men looked at each other; then they glared at Obasanjo. “Third term?” they said in unison.

Then, Jonathan, by himself, repeated: “Third term? You were the one who wanted third term in 1999!”

“That is not true,” Obasanjo retorted, banging on the table. “In 1999, I contested for my first term. I know people doubt whether you really have a Ph.D, but sometimes I even doubt whether you wrote your WAEC by yourself: you speak a funny English and reason like a market woman.”

“Sorry Baba, I meant in 2006,” Jonathan said, appearing to be deep in thought.

“I said, ‘Not true!’ In 2006 I merely expressed interest in the extension of my ongoing term to enable me finish some work. That was no third term. I was not going to run for another term.”

Jonathan’s brow appeared tortured by thought. He was grinding his teeth. “Okay,” he said, finally. “But what were you going to finish, Baba? I thought you had done everything. You gave contracts for roads and agriculture and defence. You set up EFCC. You helped Anenih with his N300 billion problem. I think you helped most Nigerians.”

Anenih’s eyes were blazing with anger as he looked at Jonathan, and once again he began to rise from his seat. But Obasanjo would not let him speak. “Yes,” the former President said. “I did help a lot of people in 2006, especially you. I helped you after the Joint Task Force recommended you for prosecution by the CCB for false declaration of assets. But I pre-empted that and made you Vice-President!”

“But…!!!”

“But nothing!” Obasanjo shouted. “You even recently said you are struggling to build your house in your village. All these make you look bad, and make me look terrible because when you were indicted, the evidence included choice property in Yenagoa and Abuja, as well as a lavish seven-bedroom duplex in Otuoke as far back as 2001 that we never took back from you. How can you in 2013 as President say you are struggling to build a house in the same village? Does the house include a staircase to heaven?”

“Baba, it is just a…”

“You must understand why I am angry. Last year, you said in an interview, ‘When I hear people saying corruption, corruption, I shake my head…’ Do you think I did not know you were talking about me?”

Tukur, alarmed as the meeting ran out of control, raised his hand, like a kindergarten kid about to ask a question in a noisy class. But Obasanjo ignored him.

“Look at the people you have surrounded yourself with!” he screamed, pointing at Tukur and Anenih. “People like Doyin Okupe,” he said. “You dig out relics and make them kings. Can Mr. Fix-It, who lost the election in his own hometown, Uromi, to fix a hole in his own pocket, talk less of Abuja? The man has expired, but first you make him chairman of the Port Authority, and then of the BoT. Why don’t you just make him chairman of the presidency?”

“I am the chairman of two powerful offices because the entire country trusts me and is depending on me!” Anenih said, scratching his head.

“They trust you? Name one person who trusts you…and do not mention Josephine, because I will call her right now!”

Anenih was struggling with his temper. “You cannot telephone my wife,” he grumbled, his voice dropping.

“Try me!” he challenged. “I can even call Patience from here, except that I do not understand her English. You have to admit, all of you, that in all those years it was I who made the party and the government workable and feared. But now, nobody respects us. And APC is coming for us.”

The three other men exchanged glances and spoke across the table. “We respect you, Baba,” they intoned. Of course we respect you.”

And then Anenih found fresh courage. “But you must respect us too. We are not children.”

“Yes, nobody is a child,” Jonathan said.

“Sometimes you are all worse than children,” Obasanjo said. “Chaos in the national chairman’s home State. In Bayelsa, even the president’s kinsmen are criticizing him for granting pardon to a man convicted for corruption. And then you outdo yourself by challenging the Americans and the British to a wrestling match!”

“But your own people in Ogun criticized you too,” Jonathan said. “Your daughter jumped a fence running from EFCC. You lost elections.”

“Yes. But I never scored an own goal. And my team never lost when I was on the pitch. You don’t even have an economic plan.”

“I don’t need one. I have Ngozi.”

“True, she is more than a plan, she is a miracle,” Obasanjo sneered. “Don’t forget you have Diezani too. Do you think it was by coincidence I was my own Minister for Petroleum Resources for eight years?”

Tukur took off his hat and laid it on the table. It was suddenly very hot. “Gentlemen, please let us return to the agenda for this meeting. Our great party is under serious threat.”

Anenih nodded. “And we can start to rebuild the party from this very table,” he said. “The foundation of this problem is the threat to the structure of PDP.”

Tukur nodded. “We must support the national executive,” he said. “We must allow the executive to function as the party’s most powerful body.”

“No, no, no,” Anenih said. “That is a gross misunderstanding. The national executive does as it is told by the BoT. We cannot go forward by going back. The tail does not wag the dog. The NEC and the Presidency are guided and led by the BoT.”

“Yes, that is true!” cried Mr. Jonathan, as if snapping out of a stupor, and then, “No, that is not!! As President, I am in charge.”

Obasanjo rose to his feet, gathering his papers. “What you have all said, and the mess you have made of the party, is proof of my point. Without me you are lost. I want you all to go back and re-examine whether you want to succeed or fail. And remember that failure means that some people here may well go to jail. F-A-I-L, J-A-I-L, everyone should memorize that. But I have to be in control. You have to sort out who is responsible to whom. The one at the top will answer to me in my new role as BoT Chairman Emeritus!”
BY SONALA OLUMHENSE
SAHARA REPORTERS

Beware of this xbox! !

A word is over adequate for the wise

I need a samsung split unit 1hp how much for it

50calibre: If samsung doesn't kill it's customers, they won't rest. Just few months ago S3 came out, now they are ready to unveil S4.

Ma oga i tire o

hey am in need of some sun shades,specs, glasses pls drop contacts if your into these

Still need one

please am in need of these spectacles, dnt mind any designer so as it fits ma face. .thnks in adv

How much n location also size

ikare: how can I get it in lag?

Call me bruh, call me

What a tragic hero

World war IV

emeka50: Pls dude....can't u open ur own post...

Still available..neat condition...

Am sorry bruh

[quote author=nani.666]I'll contact you on whatsapp....[/quote]Would be xpectn sir

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NT: THE DEVICE COMES IN JELLY BEAN 4.1.2

You Get a16gb internal memory Get a usb cable, hd 3d games,paid Apps .this an urgent sale and ama let it fly for 40k,if interested please do make contact with caliph on 07036817849, also on whats app also

NT: THE DEVICE COMES IN JELLY BEAN 4.1.2

Ozegbe: thats ma best offer. If u gree 35k i ll bu it in d morning.

No deal