₦airaland Forum

They more than likely dont even know what year it is. What a shame.

Big Brother Kim watching.

North Korean authorities are punishing mourners who failed to exhibit sincere sadness and despair after the death of Kim Jong Il on Dec. 17, the Daily NK reported Wednesday.

The online North Korean newspaper, which is published by opponents of the governing regime, said a source in North Hamkyung Province revealed the information. The source told the paper “authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to anybody who didn’t participate in the organized gatherings during the mourning period, or who did participate but didn’t cry and didn’t seem genuine,” according to the Daily NK.

There are an estimated 200,000 offenders and families held in North Korean prison camps, according to a May 2011 report from Amnesty International. The report details two types of camps known as “zones.” One zone, known as a Total Control Zone, is for people who have committed “serious crimes.” People in these camps are never released.

The second type of zone, called a Revolutionary Zone, are camps for people who have committed what North Korean authorities perceive as less serious crimes. These crimes may include making critical comments toward government policy or trying to cross the border. Sentences in Revolutionary Zone camps can range from a few months to 10 years.

The report estimates that 40 percent of inmates in the camps will die from malnutrition, and every former inmate interviewed for the report had witnessed at least one public execution while being held.

The late Hwang Jang Yop, a North Korean defector and former official, described similar punishments after the death of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il’s father and the founder of North Korea, in 1994.

“The party conducted surveys to see who displayed the most grief, and made this an important criterion in assessing party members’ loyalty,” Yop wrote. “Patients who remained in hospitals and people who drank and made merry even after hearing news of their leader’s death were all singled out for punishment.”

The Daily NK said its source also reported that North Koreans who were accused of being critical of the country’s dynastic system were being sent to re-education camps or banished with their families to remote areas.

North Korea today said that Kim Jong Il’s body will be embalmed and enshrined in the palace that houses his father’s remains. The country also said it plans to build a new Kim Jong Il statue and construct “towers to his immortality.”


http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-reportedly-punishing-insincere-mourners.html

Lol

Brazil has overtaken the UK as the world's sixth largest economy, the Centre for Economics and Business Research says.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) said its latest World Economic League Table showed Asian countries moving up and European countries falling back.

The CEBR also predicted that the UK economy would overtake France by 2016.

It also said the eurozone economy would shrink 0.6% in 2012 "if the euro problem is solved", or 2% if it is not.

CEBR chief executive Douglas McWilliams told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Brazil overtaking the UK was part of a growing trend.

"I think it's part of the big economic change, where not only are we seeing a shift from the west to the east, but we're also seeing that countries that produce vital commodities - food and energy and things like that - are doing very well and they're gradually climbing up the economic league table," he said.

Continue reading the main story
Brazilian economy

[color=Black]GDP: $2.52tn (£1.6tn); CEBR estimate for 2011
Main exports: manufactured goods, iron ore, coffee, oranges and other agricultural produce
Exports in 2010 totalled $201.9bn*
Imports in 2010 of $181.6bn*
Its main export partners are China, the US and Argentina*
Government forecasts growth of 3.5% in 2011, compared with 7.5% in 2010
*Source: Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Export[/color]

A report based on International Monetary Fund data published earlier this year also said the Brazilian economy would overtake the UK in 2011.

Brazil has a population of about 200 million, more than three times the population of the UK.

Brazil's economy grew by 7.5% last year, but the government has cut its growth forecast for 2011 to 3.5% after the economy ground to a halt in the third quarter, with analysts blaming the country's high interest rates and the worsening situation in the eurozone.

And although Brazil currently sells more to China than it imports, Brazilian manufacturers have complained that their industries are being affected by cheap mass-produced goods from the Asian giant.

The CEBR also said that Russia moved up one spot in its league table to ninth in 2011, and predicted that it would rise to fourth spot by 2020.

It predicted that India, the world's 10th biggest economy in 2011, would become the fifth largest by 2020.

And it said European countries would drop down the table, with Germany falling from fourth in 2011 to seventh in 2020, the UK from seventh to eighth, and France from fifth to ninth.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16332115

At least 20 people injured in bomb blast at church near Nigerian capital, Abuja, reports say , BBCNEWS

More Details soon

Q).Which of these is Nigerians Greatest Dissapointment?,

a).Goodluck Jonathan

b).Super Eagles &co.

c).PHCN{nepa}

d).NEtworks{mtn,GLo&co}

e).Nigerian Police force

Please state your reason(s)

SMH at the level of criminals we have in Nigeria posing as politicians.

I nominate Mr Mouth Action oops!! I mean to say Mr brown jay.

A gang of suspected armed robbers, on Wednesday night, besieged one of the homes of the late General Sani Abacha in the metropolitan area of Kano, shooting the last son of the departed ruler, Alhaji Al-Mustapha Abacha somewhere near his stomach. A police source told Daily Sun that apart from Al-Mustapha, other persons sustained injuries, adding that those injured have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital.



Daily Sun was told that the shootout was sequel to the prompt response by Abacha’s bodyguards complimented by the resourcefulness of the police officers from the Nassarawa Police Division, whose office block is a stone -throw from the scene of the gun battle.

The incident happened at about 6.30pm at one of the Abacha’s properties, located on Bank Road in Nassarawa area. Members of the Abacha family, especially Mohammed had, from time to time, quartered themselves in the brick-painted building as an alternative to the family house situated on Gidado Road.

The five-member gang, it was gathered, came in a grey coloured End-of-Discussion Honda car and quietly made their way into the compound where they accosted Hajia Zainab Abacha, one of the daughters of the late General and demanded for money.

It was learnt that Zainab had no immediate cash to dispense with and was in a fix trying to negotiate a way out when things suddenly went out of hand.

The source told the Daily Sun that when the robbers took over the big house, they first arrested everybody within sight and seized all their handsets to ensure that none of them could contact the outside world. According to the source, unfortunately for the robbers just when they were certain that everybody was under check, the unexpected happened. They did not realize that not everybody in the building at that moment had been arrested.

The source said that Al-Mustapha was actually in the kitchen, eating a light meal when the tragic scene began to unfold in the house. Hiding in the kitchen he secretly put a distress call across to his elder brother, Mohammed, but was caught in the act, a reason he was instantly shot.

The source went further to state that Mohammed, on getting the message, quickly alerted their bodyguards as well as called in the police for help, leading to both teams storming the building within minutes. One of the robbers was arrested after he was shot twice in the leg as he made his escape from the troubled spot. The first shot came from the officers from Nassarawa Division while the second shot came from the bodyguards who gallantly defended their principal’s interest. Equally, some guns, were recovered from the robbers as they dropped everything on them and fled for their lives. The End-of- Discussion Honda Car used for the operation had been taken to the Bompai Headquarters of the Police Command.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim K Idris has visited the scene of the crime to make a personal assessment even as it was gathered that the arrested suspect has been cooperating in the investigation. State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Magaji Majiya confirmed the robbery attack on the Abachas and said that, the police responded quickly and positively, adding that the robbers did not take any property out of the house.

He also said that investigation is in progress, even as he assured the people of the Kano State of the readiness of the Police command to secure life and property.


http://odili.net/news/source/2011/dec/9/511.html

He probably won't get down on his knees, but that fellow sitting near you during the Sunday church service just may be an atheist. And a scientist.
A new study out of Rice University has found that 17 percent -- about one out of five scientists who describe themselves as either atheists or agnostics -- actually go to church, although not too often, and not because they feel a spiritual yearning to join the faithful.
More likely, it's because of the kids.

What? Why would somebody who doesn't believe there's a god want his own offspring wasting their time in an enterprise he believes has no foundation in fact? Especially a scientist.

The study, by sociologists Elaine Howard Ecklund of Rice and Kristen Schultz Lee of the University at Buffalo, found that many atheists want their children exposed to religion so that they can make up their own minds on what to believe. In addition, church may provide a better understanding of morality and ethics, and occasionally attending services may ease the conflict between spouses who disagree over the value of religion to their children, the study contends.

The research, published in the December issue of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, was based on in-depth interviews with 275 scientists at 21 "elite" research universities in the United States. Sixty-one percent of the participants described themselves as either atheists or agnostics, and 17 percent of the non-believers had attended church more than once in the past year.

In general, their church affiliation followed a similar pattern -- most were raised in a family that was not deeply involved in religion, and they did not attend church during early adulthood but established a relationship with a church when they had children of their own. After the children had grown, they attended church less and less, if at all.

But why would someone who believes there is no god want his children exposed to doctrines that he clearly believes to be false?
"Some actually see it as part of their scientific identity," Ecklund said in a telephone interview. "They want to teach their children to be free thinkers, to give them religious choices, and so they take their children to religious organizations just to give them exposure to religion."
Let the kids make up their own minds, many of the participants told Ecklund.

Still, it may seem a bit odd for some atheists to perceive church as a desired "community" at a time when many leading atheists are calling on their colleagues to come out of the closet and take a public stand against religion. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, physicist Victor Stenger and others see religion as a source of evil in the world.

They contend that science has moved beyond a belief in the supernatural, partly because science has answered some questions that were previously left up to clerics. Evolution, for example, provides a naturalist explanation for how we got here.

True believers, by contrast, regard atheists as "among the least trusted people" on the planet, according to researchers at the University of British Columbia.

These scientists emphasized last month that the right word is "distrust," not "dislike."

But however you put it, atheists do have a bit of an image problem. If they feel uncomfortable attending church, that's nothing compared to entering some aspects of public service. They usually find themselves on the outside looking in.

[color=Black]Atheists Who Go to Church[/color]

Columnist Michael Kinsley confessed to being a "nonbeliever" in the Los Angeles Times last month. In an op-ed piece he conceded, "That puts me in the only religious grouping in America whose members are effectively barred from any hope of becoming president, due to widespread public prejudice against them. There will be a Mormon president, a Jewish president, an openly gay president before there will be a president who says publicly that he doesn't believe in God."

He contrasted that with the current run for the White House in which "four of this year's Republican candidates were personally recruited by God to run for president." That number has since dropped to three.

Ecklund, who has conducted several studies of science and religion, said in the interview that it's possible for an atheist to become a member of a religious community without feeling like a phony.

"I don't think they see it as a conflict," she said. That's partly because they've been out of the mainstream for nearly their entire lives.
"There's a good deal of difference between the science community and the general public," she said. "Scientists are less likely to have been raised in religious homes." When they were, she added, "they were generally raised in homes where religion was not practiced strongly. It was not part of the fabric of life."

So perhaps a scientist who happens to be an agnostic or an atheist sees no problem with turning to religion, if only for awhile, because it could open new avenues of thought for the children. After all, isn't that the heart of science?

"The children can decide for themselves what to believe," Ecklund said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/atheists-children-church-religion-lives-rice-university-study/story?id=15100001#.TuBE6WPhcqo

This is a great warning to everyone both foreign tourists and business visitors to Lagos, please under no circumstance should you change money from those who hang around the front of Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.


It was just like a dream to one of my friends who we met peradventure at the Lagos Airport Hotel on Saturday, 3 December, 2011.


For long time friends to meet after 20 years deserves celebration, so we made an appointment for 7.30 pm.


At 7:30 p.m we met at the reception of the hotel and we decided to cross the road to feel the pulse of Lagos just away from the comfort of our hotel rooms.


As we strolled outside the gate of the Airport hotel, Kunle realised that the few naira notes on him might not be enough for the evening fun.


As he muted the idea of changing a few foreign currency on him, I told him to let us go back into the hotel for the transaction because I remember that the management always warn guests not to transact business with those who hang on the road in front of the hotel.


But Kunle's response was that since he was changing a few pounds, he needs no fear of a little change that would go into the hands of these scoundrels.


I concurred with him.


As I was telling him the management's warning, a middle aged man appeared from a triangular round- about on the left of the hotel asking whether we wanted to change money.


We nodded in affirmation.


He then asked us to come close to the side of the Total Petrol Station.


We asked him how much is a pound to naira, he said N255, which I said should be N260.


He did not agree, but rather called one Alhaji who agreed to N260.


At this point, four of these scoundrels had surrounded us. One took a calculator and came to the conclusion that the 50 pounds would be N13,000.00. He brought out a bale of N500 naira notes, counted 25 notes and handed it over to Kunle who counted the money only to find out that it was less by one.


Angrily, I said, "You people have been dubbed fraudsters. That is why everyone has been warned not to transact business with you." We never knew we were in for a big surprise.


With apology, he got the money back, counted it and he found out that it was less by a note.


He offered apology again and added the less note, while one of them remarked that the man who counted the money is not good at mathematics.


We crossed the road to a supermarket opposite the hotel where Kunle wanted to pick some toiletries.


As he was about paying, he realised that the N13,000.00 was short of N5,000.00.


"We have been duped," Kunle exclaimed.


"What?" I asked. Then, the Hotel management's warning which I had earlier told Kunle popped up in my mind. But it was not the best of time to rehearse it."


We explained to the supermarket attendant what had happened to us and he reeled out examples of many incidences of such bizarre practices by the fraudsters who always hang around the entry of Lagos Airport Hotel as money changers.


He told us of a case of another victim who was duped the same way to the tune of sum N250,000.00. The guy, a military officer, came back and killed one of them.


We were cleverly duped. And many have been fleeced probably with diabolic means by these fraudsters hanging outside the entering gate of Lagos Airport Hotel.


Many are on their way to be duped by these scoundrels and you should not be among them.


However, will these people go on with this evil act with impunity?


Where is our law enforcement agencies? The police must rise to the occasion.


Once again, please, and please, never change money outside the vicinity of Lagos Airport Hotel.


A word is enough for the wise.

http://odili.net/news/source/2011/dec/7/600.html

A famous speaker said: "Best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife" Audience was in shock & silence. He added: She was my Mother. . . . . ,Applause! A man tried to crack the joke at home, he said loudly to his wife in kitchen, Best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife. Standing for a moment to recall the second half, By the time he regained his sense, he was on a hospital bad, recovering from burns of boiling water.

My vote goes to Onlytruth!

I nominate [color=Black]Onlytruth[/color]

Bawomolo, Still seems like yestarday, the pain of your death still stings.  God knows how much we all miss you, especially on the Religious section, but you will always be in our hearts forever until we meet again.  

I 'm Rich!

Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Ethics and Values, Mrs Sarah Jubril, has become a recurring decimal in national politics.


In this interview with REMI ADEFULU, the presidential aide laments the insecurity in the country, especially the activities of the Boko Haram sect which is peopled by northern youths.

She opined that most worrisome about the development is the deafening silence of northern elders, Generals and professionals, who have somewhat kept mute on the development, despite coming from a zone that ruled the country for over 30 years.

Jubril also speaks on her political experience, fighting spirit, contesting against ex-President Obasanjo, women politicians and sexual harassment, and more. Excerpts:

[color=Black]Political experience[/color]

I remain dissatisfied with the quality and content of politics in Nigeria, that is why I remain persistent in the pursuit of the best standards as approved not only by us, by heaven for humanity and for creation. I have not had a fair hearing, in view of what Nigeria signed for at the UN, Commonwealth, AU, ECOWAS and Nigeria about women in politics, but if we honour our signatures, we would consider the women, not only me alone. Maintaining this quality to other people whom I may call the saboteurs or the killers of the democratic honour of Nigeria, who seem to see us as threats. Rather, I thought those women who are from Nigeria would have seen some of us, who dare to go into politics and even to contest, as asset and instruments to be used to put Nigeria right, and make her honour her signatures. Since 1975 when Nigeria was in Mexico World Women Conference, in Arusha 1985, Beijing 1995 and 2005, it shows that indeed we can raise women who can go into politics. The moment a woman wants to go into politics, she becomes an enemy to women around her and other people who don’t seem to know where Nigeria is heading.

[color=Black]Fighting spirit[/color]

That’s exactly what I have just told you. Its not because I schooled abroad or because I travel around, because I got married to my dear late husband, late Gen. Jubril, its the combination of a lot of references, my parents, the kind of schools I went to, my teachers, the books, objective admirers etc. These are the ideals that people have held on to and have proved worthy for the good of humanity. No matter how much the ill-informed people struggle to subdue and submerge the truth, even happen, and there is a trying that when good people keep quiet. That’s when you leave field for the evil ones, so let the good ones sort of emerge, multiply to subdue the evil that seems to be threatening our development. It’s just the logical thing to do.

[color=Black]Tackling OBJ[/color]

Why should vying against Baba Obasanjo be my toughest? As far as I am concerned, my life was created by God, kept protected by God and whatever I am doing in politics, is directed and will be manifested with help of my Creator who knows the details of why he created me. My future does not depend on any individual, even my parents, though they are the source of bringing me to the world, but they don’t know why God brought me. They too are discovering and waiting to see what God brought me for. So, why would I have to create any opposition to anybody. If anybody wants to be in opposition to me, they do that at their own peril, against the purpose of God in my life.

Why would Chief Obasanjo want to oppose me? What have I done wrong to him? Would he not want to support women with high integrity to represent the eminence which he represented as a former Head of State? So why would I be controversial and a threat to any citizen? Well, he has his own agenda, I have my own agenda. My own agenda is on the altar of Almighty God, and as far as I am concerned, I am playing my role as a mother who loves enough, cares enough and is going to fight on the side of God enough for this country, As an elder statesman, at least at the age of almost over 65, what else am I supposed to do? As a Christian, I am doing my job, and God is happy with me. I am so sorry if anybody feels offended by me, they have their own case to sort out. Any opposition mounted against me as far as I am concerned will not work in my life. No opposition fashioned against me will prosper.

[color=Black]Excruciating government policies[/color]

All these are challenges we must admit. People sound cynical, they sound discouraged, because they’ve been trusting and trusting the government, but one thing I want them to know, in the midst of all these cynicism, skepticism, the courage of Mr President to appoint me to be in charge of ethics and values, shows that there is possibility of someone that can weather the situation.

My appointment by the president is for me to raise more people that believe in Nigeria. Since my appointment, a lot of people have brought proposals from in and outside the country on how they want to work with us. That is my assignment. It is not this president that created the chronic problems about the fuel situation in Nigeria, right. The good things that happened in the past, it is possible to revisit it. It is only ethical and logical for Mr President to utilise the idea and God will help him to put people that would implement the funds that will be coming. I believe that political will with ethical will will also inform that Economic Committee will also put a structure on the ground so that people are now going to see.

My programme of community transformation centres is to bring governemnt to the people. Therefore, even the excess funds can be ploughed into the community development programme we are coming up with. It is only ethical for the president to use the strategies he has put in place through my advisory capacity and we are running that as an NGO. So, its already done. On the proposed toll gates, people should not worry themselves. If the funds are been accumulated there are lots of honest fund managers in this country. It must not necessarily be public servants or civil servants who will believe in bureaucracy.

There are people who run corporate organisations and they are working. Let there be toll gates, so that the funds will be judiciously used to refurbish or build new roads. I was just hearing that throughout the south-west, almost every village, almost every town was networked by roads, but the past 50 years they were complaining that those roads were not dualised. So, its just that of continuing with the foundation t hat were laid 50 years ago with the funds you have. N50, N100 is not too much to maintain our roads. If we have toll gates money, and you decide that that will be your goldmine, of course, I am already working with the EFCC, the ICPC, the security agents, with other people. That is my responsibility. We will encourage our anti-corruption agencies to do their jobs.

[color=Black]Jonathan and challenges[/color]

Yes, I believe it is achievable. Somebody was saying before you can put up a house, you need to know the depth of the foundation, even sometimes the height. Before the end of this year, with all the fire, I believe he has the wisdom to understand the challenges more. I believe by n ext year, everybody would have realised that it cannot be music as usual. Is it an issue of governance or the issue of the well being of our citizens? To me, iI think some have problem with this egos, problem with their fear of God, problem with the honesty of their goodwill, from a country which they have taken the best.

The best of protocols was accorded to all our big people all over the country, including the northerners. How come we cannot jealously arise for the well being, for the honour of Nigeria. What happened to all our industries in the north? How many industries are flourishing? How come cotton and groundnut are not flourishing in the north? What happened between the 38 years that we had rulership? These are questions we are going to ask ourselves. When we are talking Abuja, from which money was Abuja built? From which money? Why should you be agents of destruction and not agents of building and development? Is this what leadership is all about? My people say in my language, where elders are, things don’t go bad!

The retired Generals, public servants, civil servants, let them show the right way. If they don’t want to do that, let the youths take the responsibility for their own future and my advice for the youths is that they should take the responsibility to be the security agents for their own future. The more they do this bombing that they are doing, is to repel investors. The less investors we have, the less industries, the lesser the industries, the more unemployment, the more the unemployment, the more the frustration and the more people run away. So, they must also help. Another area is our IGR (Internally Generated Revenue).

How much is been raised in the northern states? How many community secondary schools do we have? How many communities do we have to network ordinary roads, not even tarred. Besides the big express roads, look at the north central area, how many of our roads are working? How many roads were dualised? Don’t we have elders who have enjoyed the best of protocols and everything in this country? We are in love with our yesterday and now don’t we have responsibility to be in love and care for the future?

If we love our children, our grandchildren, we would teach them to be disciplined, and I believe they are capable. Listen, I am talking to you, as a bona fide, full bloodied Nigerian born woman and mother, quote me, and I stand on t he oath of the child birth blood that gave birth to every citizen of this country and by the oath of the mother’s breast milk that have nurtured, suckled everyone in this country.

I agree that Pit Bull Terriers are good dogs, but thier explosive nature is a concern to me when the owners do not take care of these dogs properly. I know that constant abuse & neglect over a period of time takes a toll on these dogs behavior. My fear is you don’t know what will set them off to attack. I have a really great friend that his wife had come home from work in the country and the next door neighbours 3 pit bulls had dug under his fence and got out roaming around when she arrived home and got out of her car all 3 pit bulls attacked her and draged her over the hill and severly malled her. Her husband got home to find her car door open and heard her screaming over the hill where they had dragged her and left her in terrible condition for many months. I know this doesn’t happen often but you really need some type of self defense protection just in case.

@190, you chop sh* it ? Where the foto dey? You don dey colo small-small. Colo mentality!

What kind of job application would Adolph Hitler have to fill out and have a chance of being hired?

When you screw up an innocent childs life because of your own priorities, you better be ready for trouble.

[color=Black][b]KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — A former write-in candidate for Arizona governor who ended up homeless in Ukraine says he is flying back to Phoenix next week after being entangled in an online dating scam.

Cary Dolego, 53, ended up on the streets of a western Ukrainian city after a dating scam. He came in search of a Ukrainian bride but ran out of money. He said Thursday he will return to Phoenix thanks to a loan from the U.S. Embassy.

Social workers in Chernivtsi last week found Dolego among the homeless — hungry, unkempt and suffering from pneumonia.

Dolego, who ran for governor last year, sold his house and belongings in Queen Creek, Arizona to fund his trip to Ukraine. He says he had been planning to meet and settle with a Chernivtsi woman he had met online, but she never showed up.

The woman, Yulia, eventually showed up, but claimed someone had hacked into her account and had been exchanging e-mails with Dolego on her behalf. She refused to give her last name, citing privacy concerns.

"We've heard lots of stories of Americans using Ukrainian dating services and hoping to find their future wives," said U.S. Embassy spokesman Jim Wolf.

It was unclear why Dolego did not immediately seek help from the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, which offers loans and other support to destitute Americans abroad to help them return home.

Anastasia Beridze, a social worker whose charity spotted Dolego, suggested he was seeking unusual experiences.
"It was a fun adventure for him," Beridze said. "He likes this lifestyle, but now it's over and he is returning to America."

Dolego said he plans to live with one of his three adult children back in Arizona and find a job, but eventually would like to return to Ukraine, a country he fell in love with.

"The people in the Ukraine are the most hospitable you'd ever want to meet," Dolego said, speaking from the Chernivtsi hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia. "I need a special lady, a Ukrainian lady so that we can start a life together."

http://news.yahoo.com/american-turned-ukrainian-homeless-return-home-134146394.html[/b][/color]

People may use the bomb when they feel their backs are against the wall and they have lost all hope for themselves or empathy for others. Old beliefs and ways of life are challenged by hard realities and cold science. It was comfortable living with unchallenged ideologies and religious dogmas. But, we are a push button society now, much more so than we were in the 1960's. Killing is too easy. It's not a computer game but we make people into objects to be demonized or worshipped. Us against them. Everyone wants a messiah to come and fix things up but on their terms. It feels like many will do anything to hasten and enable their religious prophecies to happen, make them self fulfilling. I'm afraid of what appears to be a trend in that direction going on among so many people everywhere in the world right now under the economic stresses and changes it has to face.

Israel has nuclear subs, that would be a big mistake on Russia's part.

^^^

Thread moved to where?

Nigeria continues to grabble unimpressively with the threat of Boko Haram. The recent killing of more than 67 people in the north marks a worrying escalation of this smouldering conflict between the forces of ignorance and knowledge that demands appropriate response by the government and people of Nigeria. This attack certainly marks a worsening escalation of the crisis which no well-meaning Nigeria can ignore. What Boko Haram wants to achieve is to desensitize Nigerians with violence and blunt their revulsion with fear. It is intriguing that the terrorist activities by Boko Haram coincided with the election of Goodluck Jonathan (an infidel) as the president of Nigeria. Even though Boko Haram indiscriminate attacks affects Muslims, the condemnation of the Islamic leadership in Nigeria has been at best Muted. Rather they have been in the forefront to protect them from law by negotiating amnesty for the members of the grough arrested by the security forces.


Typically Nigerians, have resulted to fasting and praying instead of articulating an appropriate response to what is my all means a declaration of war against her. I write because the great majority of Nigerians cannot continue to inhibit a country with people whose aim is to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of the country by force. All it would take for Nigeria to fall apart is for the different ethnic groups to establish their own militias to respond with terror on Islamic targets. As many people have said, the sponsors of this Islamic militant group should understand that no religion or group of people has monopoly of violence.


Violence is a primitive response to problems, there is a better way. This problem is probably the greatest problem Nigeria has had to face since the Biafra civil war, and the government appears to be prevaricating without any clear strategy to address the threat it poses to the existence of the country. Government apparent inaction has emboldened the Islamists with devastating consequence for the people. At the moment it has caused capital flights from Nigeria as many companies have relocated from Nigeria to neighbouring African countries and many countries are thinking of moving their Embassies back to Lagos or outside Nigeria. If the government does not quickly regain the initiative and confidence of the people in its ability to protect and defend them, it will become increasingly difficult to persuade the other parts of Nigeria to continue to be part a country where some people are determined to prevail by violence.

Nigerians, especially Christians, do not seem to full understand that Boko Haram justifies its terror with the Quran which is why those who present themselves as moderate Muslims often find it difficult to condemn them. Muslims claim that Islam is a religion of peace and they believe that they have the truth while all others are in the wrong. However, time and time again, the evidence does not seem to support this. Non-Muslims do not seem to realise that at the centre of Islam are a set of fixed impervious beliefs that offer justification for what Boko Haram are doing in Nigeria and give them impetus for their evils This very violent and sinister face of Islam is intolerant of descent and rejects plurality of views. Until all religious people accept that there is no justification whatever for a human beings to resort to terror, intimidation, violence and killings; and that all justifications of war in the name of God or Allah are work of some unenlightened primitive and ancient minds who contributed to the scriptures: religion will continue to be a laughing stalk toenlightened men who see clearly its contradictions, ignorance and delusions.


The fact is that Islam is waging a jihad in Nigeria and it is convenient and strategic for it to claim that Boko Haram is a radical fundamentalist group. The aim of this Jihad is to impose a Taliban type government (Islamic State) in Nigeria, or make Nigeria ungovernable if they are unable to gain power. I am at lost as to why Nigerians appears unable to see that Islam is just continuing what it started in Zamfara state. They feel that it is only by violence that they can prevail in the rest of Nigeria. They believe that Nigeria is a pagan nation which Allah wants them to Islamise. These conclusions are based on the following teachings in the Holy Qur'an. In Sura 9:123, and 66:9, Muslims are enjoined to "Make war on the infidels who dwell around you." In Sura 48:29, Muslims are required to "Be ruthless to the infidels," while another injunction in Sura 4:101 declares that "Infidels are your sworn enemies". The Islamic definition of infidel appears to simply mean non-Muslims. Muslims believe that Christians are “infidels" because they do not pray like Muslims and eat pork unaware that there are Christian groups who share the same core beliefs with them is this area. History tells us that Islam only tolerates other religions until it can conqure or eliminate them by violence and this happens once they get political power. The evidence is before us in what is happening to Christian and members of other religions in all Islamic states (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia etc.). Perhaps it is this apparent inability of Christians to read the world and articulate appropriate response which made Jesus to lament that the children of this world are in their generation, wiser than the children of light.


Islam can only tolerate with disdain what it does not approve of, and is incapable of accepting differences. This is what makes it an intolerant religion. In spite of this, Muslims claim that Islam is a religion of peace. No religion can claim to be a peaceful religion, if it urges its adherents to kill unbelievers and justifies violence and terror. This is a clear incontrovertible evidence that Islam is an intolerant, violent religion whose aim is world domination, and why all over the world (In Philippines, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Nigeria etc.)Fundamentalist Islamic groups are fighting to take over governments. They are actively using religion as a political vehicle to acquire power. Islam is about power, money and domination. They seek political power so that they can enforce their religious beliefs on people against their will because they believe that theirs is the true religion. The religion appears to have no place for freedom of choice and conscience which Christianity holds very dear. This is why it is difficult for Islamic countries to guarantee Christians freedom of worship and beliefs while Muslims enjoy and often abuse such freedoms in western democracies funded on Christian principles and beliefs. It is a religion that persecutes its opponents. it would appear that they took literally Machiavelli’s assertion that ‘a prophet who does not bear arms come to ruin’.


Contrast the above quotes from Qur’an with the following quotes from the Bible, Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God (Matt. 5:9); you are the light of the world… (Matthew5:14). But I say unto you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek offer the other also ;…( Luke: 6:27-36), ‘Do not judge others so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by the standard of measure, it will be measured for you’…(Matthew7:1-2), ‘ You have heard that it is said, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR and hate your enemy’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your father who is in heaven’ Matthew 5:43-45); and the religion of peace will become clear. This is why there are no fundamentalist Christian groups fighting to take over governments. Christianity is not about power, domination of others and prevailing by force, but about, serving and loving others and ones enemies. There is no place in Christianity for any teaching that justifies violence. The eternal principle of God is to overcome evil with good because God knows that nothing is stronger than love and that love overcomes all things. Having said these, some of my best friends are Muslims which gives credence to my view of religion that religion has great capacity for evil in certain minds.


Nigerian should wake up to the magnitude of the challenge this intolerant and extreme attitude to life continues poses to its existence. Members of Boko Haram believes that they are carrying out the will of Allah when they bomb buildings and kill innocent children, women, pregnant women, elderly people and disabled people. This is their own understanding and making them to understand the evils of their beliefs is a herculean task because they can justify their evil and monstrous beliefs, attitude and actions from the Quran. You can begin to see how religion can destroy logical reasoning. Muslims like it when Boko Haram is described as fundamentalist sect of Islam. They are not. They are simply the military wing of Islam. Until the world realises that Islam is at war with it, it will not articulate appropriate response to the threat the religion poses to freedom of choice and conscience and equality of all before the law. Boko Haram is waging a Jihad in Nigeria and those who think that it will respond to reconciliatory dialogue are misguided if not naïve.


Nigerians must hold on to the freedom we have gained from the forces of oppression and continue to fight more. The battle has just begun. Freedom elsewhere is a threat to tyranny everywhere. It gives the oppressed hope of what is possible and indicts the tyrant that he is evil and wrong. Nigerians cannot fail to address the role of religious intolerance, ignorance, delusions and misconceptions at the root of its current conflict and woes. It is time for her to accept that only light can banish darkness, knowledge, ignorance and misconception; and treatment delusions. Religious fanatics must first understand before they can think about their beliefs and assumptions. Beliefs no matter how firmly held, can be shaken by truth and knowledge. This is the battle of the mind which must be fought alongside any other effort to rid Nigeria of intolerance, religious delusions and primitive attitudes that threatens its peace. I hope Nigerians understand the magnitude of the problems we have to confront and that our corrupt leaders are equal to the task. God bless Nigeria

By E O Eke.

They'd all be beef jerkey in 20 minutes.