₦airaland Forum

Today 19. October 2015 marks 29 years that he was assassinated. The question in the minds of many Nigerians is Who Killed Dele Giwa?

Sumonu Oladele "Baines" Giwa was born on 16 March 1947 to a poor family working in the palace of Oba Adesoji Aderemi, the Ooni of Ife.

He attended local Authority Modern School in Lagere, Ile-lfe. When his father moved to Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife as a laundry man, he gained admission to that school.

Dele Giwa travelled to the USA for his higher education, earning a BA in English from Brooklyn College in 1977 and enrolled for a Graduate program at Fordham University. He worked with the New York Times as a news assistant for four years after which he relocated to Nigeria to work with Daily Times.

Giwa married an American nurse in 1974 while in the US. His second marriage, to Florence Ita Giwa; a former Senator from Cross Rivers State between 1999 and 2003, lasted 10 months.

He later married Olufunmilayo Olaniyan on 10 July 1984, and they were married until his death in 1986.

Dele Giwa and fellow journalists Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Mohammed founded Newswatch in 1984, and the first edition was distributed on 28 January 1985.

A 1989 description of the magazine said it "changed the format of print journalism in Nigeria and introduced bold, investigative formats to news reporting in Nigeria". The newspaper was widely accepted by Nigerian readers for its objectivity, thoroughness and innovative dimension

However, in the first few months of the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who took power in August 1985, the paper took a hostile view of the Babangida regime which obviously the then government was uncomfortable with.

On 19th October 1986, a package was delivered to Giwa's guard (the accounts of which vehicle was used to deliver the package vary). When Giwa received the package, Giwa was supposed to have attempted opening the package. Alas! The package exploded on Dele. Giwa was rushed to the hospital where he eventually died from his wounds.

The special investigation set up by the then Military government headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav under the supervision of Admiral Augustus Aikhomu was unable to unveil those behind the killing.

29 years on, Nigerians are asking: who killed Dele Giwa?

19. October 2015, MPX @metropolexpress


http://metropolexpress.com/columns/item/5341-29-years-later-who-killed-dele-giwa

A South African mother appeared in court Friday charged with trying to sell her 19-month-old baby on the Internet for 5,000 rand ($380), officials said, after a police sting operation halted her plan.

Police were tipped off that the woman, aged 20, had offered her son for sale on the popular advertising website Gumtree.

“We met her and there was an exchange of money with an undercover police officer,” Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for the Hawks special crimes investigation unit.

“She gave us the money and we arrested her directly.”

The woman appeared in court in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal province, on human trafficking charges, and her case was adjourned until October 26.

“Gumtree South Africa’s customer service team was alerted that a young woman had placed an ad on the site advertising a child for sale,” company spokeswoman Claire Cobbledick said in a statement.

“The team immediately removed the ad and blocked the user’s account. (We) escalated the issue to the corporate office that engages law enforcement on suspected criminal cases.”

The child was in good health and has been taken into care by social workers.

http://metropolexpress.com/component/k2/item/5308-south-african-woman-arraigned-for-selling-child-on-internet

A high-ranking Polish priest from the Vatican revealed he was gay on Saturday, saying he wanted to challenge the Church’s “paranoia” on the eve of a key synod on the family.
In two separate interviews to Italy’s Corriere Sera and to the Polish version of Newsweek, Father Krysztof Olaf Charamsa, who works for a Vatican office for protecting Catholic dogma said he was a practising homosexual with a partner.
The explosive revelations by the 43-year-old priest who works for the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith were published a day before a bishop’s synod at which the Church’s approach to homosexuality, among other topics, will come under review.
“I know that I will have to give up my ministry which is my whole life,” he told the Italian daily.
“I know that the Church will see me as someone who did not know how to fulfil his duty (to remain chaste), who is lost and who is not even with a woman but with a man!”
Charamsa said his decision to come out was motivated by concern for the Church’s attitude to homosexuals, which he described as “backwards”.
“It is time that the Church opened its eyes to gay believers and understood that the solution it is proposing — total abstinence and a life without love — is not humane,” he said.
The Church’s attitude to homosexuality are “backwards when compared to the level of awareness that humankind has reached,” he told the paper.
“The clergy is largely homosexual and unfortunately, it is also homophobic to the point of paranoia but paralysed by the lack of acceptance for its own sexual orientation,” he told the Polish version of Newsweek.
“Wake up, Church, stop persecuting the innocents,” he said, insisting his aim was to help the Catholic church.
The Vatican sacked the priest following his outing.
http://metropolexpress.com/entertainment/lifestyle/item/5187-i-am-gay-senior-vatican-priest-revealed
http://metropolexpress.com/news/item/5188-vatican-fires-homosexual-priest

Ojude Oba which means, “the king’s fore-court or frontage,” could also be translated as “majestic outing.” The Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Ode is known to the Ijebus as a major festival that brings them together. The native age groups (regberegbe), indigenes, their friends, and associates from far and near throng the palace of the Awujale of Ijebuland for the carnival-like celebration.

The glitz and colours associated with the festival ranks am on the most celebrated culture in Nigeria. It's no news that the Ijebus are well known for their social celebrations, to add colour to this year's event, MPX met and spoke to some Ijebu indigenes in diaspora who flew in from abroad to be a part of the celebration.

Amongst the visitors are Segun Okuleye owner of Devine Limousine Service in Zurich Switzerland, Jamie Sanusi from Maryland US, Prince Adewale Adebola from Zurich Switzerland, Jide Oyefesobi; an Automobile Engineer in London UK, Abo Teriba from the popular Teriba family who also returned from the UK, others are hip-hop Music star; Lexxy Smile from Dublin Ireland who also flew in to put finishing touches to his upcoming album and Larry Bayern from Germany; a car dealer and real estate developer in Lekki area of Lagos.

In their words to MPX, quite everyone are happy and pleased with the event, the organizational aspects and the crowd control mechanism in place now that not only the Ijebu indigenes takes part in the festival, but other tribes and foreign nationals.

Corporate bodies such as GLO Telecommunications, Ogun State Tourism Board and several other firms now identifies with the event.
The festival is celebrated on the third day after Id-El-Kabir. Ojude Oba is one of the most glamorous cultural and spiritual festivals in Ijebuland and in Ogun State in general.
It is a celebration that has traditional, cultural, religious and social significance. It has been celebrated for more than 100 years.

http://metropolexpress.com/component/k2/item/5147-ijebu-big-boys-in-diaspora-returned-for-ojude-oba-festival

Do you know or have what you need to be a person?

What most people need to be happy are already around, they only need to look within critically, to seek to improve on our lives are one of the major characteristics of human evolution, in doing this we should not shortchange others; steal the Commonwealth that belongs to a whole community; state or a nation.

Do we then feel fulfilled after accumulating all these wealth? Don't forget there is a Billionaire that spent first half of his life to accumulate wealth, today the said Billionaire is traveling round the world spending the Billions back on the poor and the needy, only by this courageous path does he feel fulfilled.

MPX editorial brings you the narrative of a German foremost Writer and Literature Nobel Narrate, Heinrich Boell which he delivered on Germany's Radio and TV Station Norddeutscher Rundfunk NDR on workers day, 1. May of 1963 in which he encouraged German workers on the need to define what was important to them as individuals.

Narrative below:-

A boat was docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.

A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

"Not very long" they answered in unison.

"Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?"

The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to meet their needs and those of their families.

"But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children, and take siestas with our wives. In the evenings, we go into the village to see our amigos, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. We have a full life."

The tourist interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?"

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.

Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City!!! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?"

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years." replied the tourist.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting," answered the tourist, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" asked the fishermen.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

"With all due respect sir, but that's exactly what we are doing now. So what's the point wasting twenty-five years?" asked the Mexicans.

And the moral of this story is:

Know where you're going in life, you may already be there!

Many times in life, money is not everything, argued Late Heinrich Boell.

“Live your life before life becomes lifeless”

Heinrich Boell was born on December 21. 1917 in the German city of Cologne, as a result his numerous works of Art and contributions to literature, he won the Nobel Prize in 1972. Boell died on 16. July 1985 at the age of 67.

Segun Adebiyi

Publisher, metrpoexpress

29, September. 2015
http://metropolexpress.com/columns/item/5146-do-you-know-what-you-need-to-be-happy-and-fulfilled

Mod, move to appropriate section.

How is Sallah going in your end? Show Us pictures of ram and the celebration as it unfolds.


FTC

The county clerk from Kentucky who went to jail rather than issue marriage licenses to gay couples said the licenses being granted by her staff are invalid, according to an interview that aired on Tuesday.

"I can't put my name on a license that doesn't represent what God ordained what marriage to be," Davis said in a television interview with ABC News, taped on Monday.
"They're not valid in God's eyes, for one," she said of licenses her staff has begun issuing. "I have given no authority to write a marriage license. They did not have my permission, they did not have my authorization."

Davis, 50, has said her Christian beliefs prevent her from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. She was released on the condition that she not interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses.

Davis added that she was prepared to return to jail over the controversy, according to ABC. She returned to work on Sept. 14 after a five-day stint in jail for refusing to issue any marriage licenses following a Supreme Court ruling in June that made gay marriage legal across the United States.

On Monday, lawyers for couples suing Davis said that she made material changes to the forms since returning to work and is not in compliance with a federal court order.

Issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Kentucky and other U.S. states has become the latest flash point in the nation's long-running debate over gay marriage.
In the wide-ranging interview from Morehead, Kentucky, Davis said she should keep her post, saying: "I'm good at my job."

"My constituents elected me, but the main authority that rules my life is the Lord," Davis told ABC, speaking alongside one of her lawyers.

She defended her actions and rejected criticism that she is a hypocrite and a homophobe for her actions and for citing her religious beliefs to deny marriages even as she has been married four times and had some children out of wedlock.

"I'm forgiven. Washed clean," she said.

Mat Staver, an attorney for Davis, has said she has made a good faith effort to comply with U.S. District Judge David Bunning's order.

http://metropolexpress.com/entertainment/lifestyle/item/5070-kentucky-clerk-kim-davis-rejects-gay-marriage-licenses-as-invalid

The Koko Master, D’banj is learning the hard way that celebrities can’t hop around town like normal people. Trouble began for the singer last Satur­day, at Tin Can Port, Lagos, when he showed up for a video shoot in a Toyota RAV 4 with registration number KJA6158BE.

According to eyewitness accounts, as soon as the area boys laid eyes on him, they laid siege and demanded he settle them by parting with cash but before he could say Jackie Robinson, they deflated his tyres to his chagrin!

Obviously aware that there was no point argu­ing with the area boys who numbered over 50, D’banj had disembarked and they had escorted him to an ATM where he withdrew an undis­closed sum to settle them.

However, the area boys refused to disperse and stripped him of his wristwatch and other jewellery including his shoes. They only shifted ground after police men came to his rescue.

According to an eyewitness who spoke to MPX “I’m so excited, D’banj came to Tin Can Island to shoot a video and guys saw him. They burst his tires and held him hostage. He had to embrace every one of them and later he took them to an ATM where he withdrew some cash for them and shared among them.

I love D’banj; it’s good to be a star.”

http://metropolexpress.com/entertainment/item/5035-area-boys-obtained-dban-j-without-mercy

The top is not a crowded place because not so many people have the temerity to follow through. It is not a place you get to by cutting corners. It is not a place for the mixed multitudes. You have to take your stand with integrity. if you must stand out. Don't compromise your stand because others are doing the same. Stand firm.

An emperor was growing old and knew it was time to choose His successor. He called the young people in the kingdom together and said, "It is time for me to step down and to choose the next emperor. I am giving each one of you a seed today. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge what you bring, and choose who will be the next emperor!" Ling received a seed like the others.

He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and carefully watered it. Every day he watered it and watched to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing grew. Three , four, five weeks went by, but nothing sprouted. By now, others were talking about their plants. Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by; still nothing grew in Ling's pot. He believed he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. He just kept hoping for his seed to grow. After a year all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for his inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot, but his Mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his Mother was right.

When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the others laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and said, "Hey, nice try." When the emperor arrived, he greeted the young people and then surveyed the room. Ling tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot.

He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!" When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. The emperor looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow.

All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees, plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

That everyone is doing it does not make it right and that you are the only one doing it does not make it wrong. Integrity pays on the long run. Don’t compromise your stand for a price. The seed you sow today will definitely affect your life tomorrow. God sees it all and you can never hide it from Him.

Success in your life endeavor is good but taking the short-cut to get there more often than not have the tendencies to cut short your destiny. Our present world is in dare need of integrity ambassadors; men who will not sell their conscience for a morsel of bread. Know this that the choices you make have consequences and one day we all will pay for the choices we have made in our lives.

The King of Glory will ask everyone of us what we have done with the seed(s) He gave us. I wonder what your answer will be. Think about it.

http://metropolexpress.com/more/opinion/item/5031-why-cut-corners-gbenga-owotoki-florida-usa!

President Muhammadu Buhari shocked his interviewer in Paris today that he sometimes misses his way in Aso Presidential Villa, an expansive palace serving a dual purpose as office and residence for an incumbent Nigerian leader.

It was built in the late 80s and a former military president, Ibrahim Babangida first occupied it in 1991, after he moved the central government from Lagos to Abuja, months after an aborted coup.

President Buhari was also a former Nigerian leader that ruled from Dodan Barracks in Obalende Lagos, from January 1984 to August 1985, when he was toppled by Babangida.

Asked today by an interviewer on France 24, whether Aso Rock was like the Government House he left in 1985.

Buhari answered: It was not the same place. The last time I was there, I was in the barracks. This time I am in a palace. At times, I can’t find my way around. It is so big so much that it must be expensive to maintain. But it is there, it cannot be removed.”

Asked whether he is now a different man, he answered: “I don’t think basically, I am a different man. I came back to power under a different system.”

Buhari moved into the Villa on 21 June, more than three weeks after he was sworn-in. His predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, had approved some renovation work on the Villa, which stretched far beyond his tenure.

President Muhammadu Buhari shocked his interviewer in Paris today that he sometimes misses his way in Aso Presidential Villa, an expansive palace serving a dual purpose as office and residence for an incumbent Nigerian leader.

http://metropolexpress.com/news/item/5014-aso-villa-is-so-big-that-i-sometimes-miss-my-way-says-buhari

A 12-year-old girl who resides in Jahi district with her parents has tested HIV positive after she confessed that her 25-year-old half brother, Abdullahi Mohammed and his friends have been repeatedly raping her for the past four years


She told MPX that her mother was divorced when she was just born and she has been living with her father in a two-bedroom public apartment (face-me-I-face-you) in Jahi district. She said her half brother started raping her when she was 8 years old, and each time he raped her, he would threaten to kill her if she told their father.
“My father married my step mother who has a son.

“We were living peacefully until one night when I was lying on the floor and Brother Abdullahi came and started handling my breasts. When he didn’t see breasts, he said he would suck them until they came out. When I objected, he raped me. He used a handkerchief to wipe off the blood that was coming out from my private part. He threatened to slash my throat if I told anybody.
“I didn’t tell anybody and it continued. He raped me every night; and sometimes he brought his friends, especially Ahmed along with him to rape me,” she recounted. She said she couldn’t tell anyone because she was afraid that he may carry out his threats.

She was also afraid that she could be maltreated by her step mother. Our reporter gathered that during holidays, the girl continuously fell sick; hence her father was advised by neighbours to take her to the hospital. When he did, she was diagnosed with HIV. It was when her father, who was very angry, sought to know how she contracted the deadly disease that she revealed that her Abdullahi and his friends, had raped her for four years. Subsequently, her father reported the case to the police at Mabushi, following which the two men were arrested. They confessed to the crime.

A police source told our reporter that the case took another twist when the two suspects were taken to the hospital and their medical reports came out HIV negative.
Speculations therefore emerged that her mother was HIV positive when she had her, the reason why she was sent away by her husband. “She was not tested when she was an infant, and maybe she was HIV positive from birth. Her half brother confessed that he was the first man to have had sex with the victim and how she got that HIV still remains a mystery,” the police source said. When contacted, the Mabushi divisional police officer, Chief Superintendent Ayobami Surajudeen confirmed the story and said that having gotten medical reports, the case would now be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

He advised parents to be watchful when they bring adult males to share bed with their little daughters.

http://metropolexpress.com/metro/item/4896-under-age-rape-victim-tests-hiv-positive

The European Court of Human Rights has upheld a ban by France on wearing the Muslim full-face veil - the niqab.
A case was brought by a 24-year-old French woman, who argued that the ban on wearing the veil in public violated her freedom of religion and expression. French law says nobody can wear in a public space clothing intended to conceal the face. The penalty for doing so can be a 150-euro fine (£120; $205).
The 2010 law came in under former conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy.

http://metropolexpress.com/news/item/4736-european-court-of-human-rights-upholds-full-ban-on-niqab-by-france

The European Court of Human Rights has upheld a ban by France on wearing the Muslim full-face veil - the niqab.
A case was brought by a 24-year-old French woman, who argued that the ban on wearing the veil in public violated her freedom of religion and expression. French law says nobody can wear in a public space clothing intended to conceal the face. The penalty for doing so can be a 150-euro fine (£120; $205).
The 2010 law came in under former conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy.

http://metropolexpress.com/news/item/4736-european-court-of-human-rights-upholds-full-ban-on-niqab-by-france

The European Court of Human Rights has upheld a ban by France on wearing the Muslim full-face veil - the niqab.
A case was brought by a 24-year-old French woman, who argued that the ban on wearing the veil in public violated her freedom of religion and expression. French law says nobody can wear in a public space clothing intended to conceal the face. The penalty for doing so can be a 150-euro fine (£120; $205).
The 2010 law came in under former conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy.

http://metropolexpress.com/news/item/4736-european-court-of-human-rights-upholds-full-ban-on-niqab-by-france

Impressed by the forgiven heart of this little boy.

http://metropolexpress.com/news/item/4722-i-forgive-my-attackers-boko-haram-victim

Those feeding fat on public funds should watch their. back. PMB is watching!
Yes, Africa needs this Change.

Dakar - The Supreme Court of Senegal rejected an appeal filed by the lawyer representing Karim Wade, son of former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade.

The verdict means he will serve out his six-year prison sentence on corruption charges also dashing the opposition’s hopes that Wade could be able to run in the presidential election in 2017.

Wade in March was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 138 million CFA francs (24 million dollars).

The 46-year-old was taken into custody two years ago under suspicion of having siphoned off about 200 million dollars in state funds while he served as super minister in his father’s government.

Among his duties were overseeing several financially healthy portfolios, including the ministries for development cooperation, air transport, infrastructure and energy.

While he has consistently denied allegations of corruption, members of his Senegalese Democratic Party have referred to the case as politically motivated.

“We are not surprised that the Supreme Court rejected the appeal, this is a political affair and we will set up a political response to all our detractors,” Farba Senghor, member of the party, said.

Senghor further said that President Macky Sall was behind it all to restrict public freedoms.

Source: http://metropolexpress.com/news/item/4719-corruption-former-president-s-son-to-serve-prison-term

The families of the Late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II and the former National Emergency Management Authority, NEMA boss, Mrs Remi Olowu, will, today, join their son and daughter in holy matrimony in Lagos despite the death of the paramount ruler.

MPX metropolexpress got to know that the two families resolved to proceed with the wedding programme after due consultations with family members.

http://metropolexpress.com/index.php/news/item/4522-ooni-s-son-weds-today

The signer at Nelson Mandela’s memorial – accused of making up gestures – has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, local media report. Thamsanqa Jantjie “might have had a breakdown”, his wife Siziwe is quoted as saying. Sign language experts accused him of referring to “prawns” and “rocking horses” while translating eulogies at Mandela’s memorial last week. Mr Jantjie said he suffered a sudden attack of schizophrenia. He insisted he was a qualified interpreter.

South Africa’s Deputy Disability Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu has said the company which had employed him had “vanished”. Mr Jantjie’s wife took him to a psychiatric hospital near Johannesburg for a check-up on Tuesday, and it was suggested that he be admitted immediately, Johannesburg’s The Star newspaper reports. “The past few days have been hard. We have been supportive because he might have had a breakdown,” Mrs Jantjie is quoted as saying. Last week, Mr Jantjie said he was supposed to have gone for a check-up on the day of the memorial, but he postponed it.

During the memorial at Johannesburg’s FNB stadium, which was broadcast live around the world, Mr Jantjie stood on the stage next to key speakers including US President Barack Obama, South African President Jacob Zuma and Mr Mandela’s grandchildren, translating their eulogies.

Mr Jantjie blamed his flawed interpretation on a schizophrenic episode, saying he had seen angels coming into the stadium. The White House has downplayed fears that he was a security risk to Mr Obama. Sign language experts said he had made “funny gestures” and little more than “flapping his arms around”.

The governing African National Congress said it had used Mr Jantjie as an interpreter several times before, and “had not been aware of any of complaints regarding the quality of services, qualifications or reported illnesses” of the interpreter.

Source: www.metroploexpress.com

A bicycle parts dealer, Uchenna Nweke, has been arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for ingesting heroine.

Nweke, 40, was discovered to have ingested 1.700kg of heroin during a search of passengers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

NDLEA Lagos Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar confirmed the arrest.

He said, "Nweke under observation, excreted 100 wraps of substances that tested positive for heroin weighing 1.700kg. He is currently cooperating with the investigation team and has provided useful information."

A father of one, Nweke claimed he was forced into drug trafficking because of a debt of N9m.

He said, "I was a successful dealer of bicycle parts until when I lost N9m to fraudsters in 2009. That was the beginning of my problems. I am so heavily indebted right now that I am scared to switch on my cell phones.

"Apart from my immediate family that I have to care for, I have a brother who has been bedridden for three years. They all look up to me for assistance.

"I unhappy with what I have done; circumstances forced me to collect N450,000 to smuggle drugs from Pakistan."
Source: http://metropolexpress.com/index.php/metro

For the first time, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), may eventually collapse, if all the warring factions in the recent imbroglio that engulfed the party do not sheathe their sword. Obasanjo spoke to newsmen immediately after the meeting of the Elders of the party with all the aggrieved members in Abuja.

The elders met the two factions within the Governors’ Forum as well as the Bamanga Tukur and Abubakar Baraje factions of the party. Each of the groups reportedly took turns to present its grievances.

Each of the groups had earlier held their separate caucus meetings before the presentation before the elders. It was learnt that the Tukur group had a marathon meeting at the State House, while the Baraje group were said to have also met first at Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s residence and later in an undisclosed Governors’ Lodge in Asokoro.

The elders were said to have retreated to their own meeting after taking the submission of all the factions.

A source close to the meeting, however, hinted that no decision was taken as to their recommendations, which will be submitted to the president and an enlarged caucus of the party.



It was learnt that the Rotimi Amaechi faction (of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum) insisted that its election be recognized and that Governor Jonah Jang should accept defeat. Jang’s faction was said to have insisted that it was the duly elected leadership of the forum.

Other party elders that attended the peace meeting which took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, with Obasanjo are former President Ibrahim Babangida; Chairman, Board of Trustees of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih; Senator Banabas Gemade, and Dr Ahmadu Alli, former National Chairman of the party. Chief Solomon Lar, the pioneer National Chairman of the party, and former Vice-President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, who were billed to attend the peace parley, could not make it as they were said to be out of the country.

Fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the meetings, Obasanjo said that the elders decided to intervene in the crisis in order to save the party from total collapse.

He said, "I thank you for exercising patience. You have seen five of us. As select elders of the party, we have taken it upon ourselves to prevent the worst from happening to our party.

"Two of us, Lar and Ekwueme, are abroad and could not join us but we are carrying them along. But suffice to say that there is family dispute within the PDP which we want to stem the tide of and prevent our party from going to the brink. And I want to say that we have met with the two sides of the family. We have listened to them and, of course, we are going to put our heads together and go on from there."

Meanwhile, the national secretariat of the New PDP is almost ready and might be inaugurated next week. The office, which is located at Plot 4, Oyi River Crescent, Maitama, is undergoing renovation.

Already, the gate and the kerbs in the building have been painted in the traditional colour of the party, which is red, white and green. The road leading to the secretariat was also undergoing renovation as interlocking tiles were being laid when our correspondent visited it on Friday.
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