By Uzonna Ononye - (This has been published on www.homelandnewsng.com)

I grew up hearing stories of how the bearded one who knows English language more than the original owners confronted the evil of his time. When it was more like a suicide mission to speak against the orchestrated bloodletting of his people. What began as a military operation created an avenue for those who felt inferior to the intellectual capacity of the wise men from the east to revenge and attempt to overthrow the order of superiority.

Yes, if it was because the soldiers who carried out the first military coup in the country were predominantly Igbos and some of them clearly sabotaged the motive and gave it an ethnic coloration, then the harshest punishment known to the military should be meted to them. No one will complain. Subsequently, a number of other coups have taken place where the perpetrators could not pull through and paid for their lust for power. None ever attracted as much as a protest of placard carrying youths chanting "we no go gree ooo, we no go gree." But when it became an open invitation to wipe out a people from the face of the earth... Afterall, it is only a tree that will hear of a plot to take away its life and still remain rooted at one spot.

The consequence is 30 months of genocide because a people felt that since they cannot be accommodated and protected within the contraption called Nigeria, they will rather go and find their own land.

Biafra was a child of circumstance. It was a response to situations that cannot be likened to any other. The selective killing was unimaginable. I heard and read that in some cases, the murderers will go from house to house in search of Igbos who they had condemned to death for no other reason than who they were and where they come from. I was told and available written records validate the story that when Igbos began to flee from the North, those whose conscience were beclouded by greed and inferiority complex, will waylay them and will slaughter a truck load of human beings, women and children inclusive. Their offence is that they call Mmili and not Ruwa.

There is no agreeable statistics of those who were killed, maimed or rendered homeless in the genocide called war but there seem to be a consensus that millions of souls perished through guns, grenade and other weapons deployed against the unprepared people of the Eastern part of Nigeria. Many also died of hunger and starvation.

Today, 45 years after the pogrom, Biafra has become the Ideology of the "never say die."

I heard and also read from very reliable sources that every Igbo man, no matter how much you had in the bank before the crisis broke, was given 20 pounds. Let us reason this way; the capital for any business owned by any Igbo man coming from the war era was not more than 20 pounds. It is therefore beyond human comprehension to fathom how the people deprived and robbed of their wealth could stage a come-back in the manner Igbo sons and daughters did in this less than half a decade.

Biafra of my dream may no longer be a geographical expression but has become the spirit of "onye aghana nwanne ya" which translates to, be your brothers' keeper.

Pursuing the Biafra of my dream will push me to keep asking for explanation over the dead bodies that floated on the Ezu River in January 2013. Anambra state government at the time and our representatives at the National Assembly allowed the matter to be swept under the carpet after few weeks of grandstanding and the people moved on as if nothing happened but the souls of those young men is still asking for justice.
The Biafra blood in me is thirty and yearning for a time when political cleavages will be covered and eroded in pursuit of common good of the people. When the elite will quit selfishness and personal aggrandizement in order to secure the comfort of the majority.

Seeking the Biafra of my dream will involve demanding compensation for all those economic policies that were targeted at impoverishing my people. Nigerian government over time created environment that encourage monopoly and kill healthy competition in business all because Igbos should not be allowed to gain upper hand again or so it seems.

The Biafra of my dream is where equality is the bedrock of justice, peace and progress. If other geopolitical zones in Nigeria has not less than six state, why should the South East have less? Is it because the region is too poor that more states will not be viable or because creating an extra state will give them opportunity to demand for equal rights in the distribution of national wealth?

I am looking for a Biafra where my counselor at the local government and the Chairman of the council have my well being as their first responsibility. I eagerly await for the time when the member representing Idemili North in the Anambra State House of Assembly cares about me and the governor does not care about my Local Government of origin or my creed while paying attention to my request and distributes our resources equitably, in a manner that gives all of us sense of belonging. My representative at the House of Representatives and the Senate should not see themselves as lord unto themselves. That is what I am hoping to see, after all, there is no foreigner among them, we are all Igbos.

I am waiting for a time when an Ebonyi man will find home and peace in Anambra and the man from Enugu will not be scared to travel to Ngwa. I am longing for the time when an Nnewi man will fall in love with a lady and not look back when he discovers she is from Mbaise. I am looking forward to when the rich man from Akpugo Eze will see the young businessman from Obazu Mbierri as his brother and mentor him instead of stifling him and pushing him out of business. That is the Biafra of my dream.

Biafra will be a reality when those who seized the property that did not belong to them come begging to pay restitution. They will not just return the property they forcefully took away from their "brothers" but will also offer to refund revenue derived from the building for the past 45 years. There was no building that was abandoned. No, let us stop deceiving ourselves. The owner may have fled for his life but returned after the war. How did it amount to abandonment? When the oppressors pay back "their debt," then I will know that Biafra is nearer than we thought.

For now, the campaign for Biafra as a geographical expression is a denial that the millions of soul that perished in the quest for recognition and acceptance in Nigeria paid the price for us. It is an acceptance of perpetual defeat. Asking that we quit now to me, is admission of weakness and not show of strength. Because if we have sacrificed so much to keep Nigeria together, I am persuaded that we must insist on getting our rightful place and demanding our fair share of the common wealth is the way to go.

How soon we will succeed will be determined by how well we strategise and how soon we realise that quitting is not an option.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has rejected any effort that may lead to repatriating the former minister of petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke back to Nigeria for trial. He reasoned that such will not only be counterproductive but a major distraction to a government that is yet to organized the judicial system to meet up with the demands of its anti-corruption campaign.

Mr. Falana was speaking on a telephone interview with a Television Station during their 10pm news on Friday and was monitored in Lagos.

Follow the link below for the full story...

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/2001-diezani-alison-madueke-should-be-prosecuted-london-femi-falana

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has denied banning Nigeria’s fastest female sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, from participating in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The news broke on Tuesday Night that the athlete will not be part of Team Nigeria for the global competition due to her lack of patriotism and insincerity by lying to the authorities with an injury claim.

Gloria Okagbare had earlier notified the federation that she will not be participating in the ongoing All African Games in Congo Brazzaville. But after her ban was reported on Wednesday, HOMELAND NEWS gathered that Okagbare set out to join the team in Congo.

Follow the link for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/sports/1897-afn-makes-u-turn-okagbare-denies-banning-her

Fastest Nigerian female sprinter and Commonwealth super woman, Blessing Okagbare-Ogbotoguonor, may not feature for Nigeria at the forthcoming Rio 2016 Olympics as the National Sports Commission and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria placed a ban on the sprint queen.

The sports managers according to reports are not pleased with the manner Blessing appeared at the Zurich Diamond League last Thursday, few days after she refused to participate for Nigeria in the 200m event at the just concluded IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China.

Blessing was Nigeria’s medal hope but had a woeful performance at the 100m final where she took last out of 9 runners. 4 days later, the sprinter pulled out of the 200m claiming injury.

Follow link for full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/sports/1889-blessing-okagbare-trouble-nsc-afn-ban-her-rio-2016-olympics

Out of the many sins of the former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, also known as BRF, his worst and perhaps unforgivable is daring to have his own mind and desire to have a say in who becomes the next governor of the state after him. The then governor was reported to prefer first, his commissioner for works, Dr. Femi Hamzat, then later, former attorney general of the state, Supo Shasore. But the man who as a matter of fact picked him, in similar manner, to be governor after him, Bola Tinubu, had a different plan which was public knowledge at the time.

It is not much of a surprise for keen watchers that Akinwunmi Ambode, since becoming governor on May 29, has been bringing down anything that points to the BRF era in positive light.

Follow the link below for the full story...

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/1679-why-tinubu-will-not-allow-fashola-be-made-minister-pres-buhari

Since Monday when commercial banks began to publish names of persons and companies with massive nonperforming loans in the name and shame exercise, there have been indications that the process cannot be fully trusted.

Central Bank of Nigeria directed banks to make public those owing them and has failed or refused to pay in order to compel the debtors to make do their commitments with the banks.

But as soon as the process began, equal measure of doubt was thrown at the credibility of the lists.

follow link below for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/economy/1656-just-2-cases-why-debtors-lists-published-banks-should-be-taken-pinch-salt

The recent press statement signed by Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari on behalf of a group referred to as the Borno Elders Forum, which was released on Monday, 4th of July, has brought a reminder to the game called conspiracy of silence that led to the total breakdown of peace in the North East region.

The statement is relying on the remarks made by the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh admitting that he led a military that was poorly equipped, to say that former President Goodluck Jonathan deliberately exposed the people of Borno to avoidable killings. The question is BY WHO?

follow the link for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/1657-borno-elders-forum-reminds-me-conspiracy-silence-fattened-boko-haram

As a National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki should be taken seriously any time he speaks. He was not an interloper in the previous government. He was a clear choice considered fit by former President Goodluck Jonathan to replace Gen. Andrew Azazi after his demise in a helicopter crash which cause is still unknown two and a half years after.

Having stated the above, the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election made history in more ways than one. Chief of the points is that for the first time in Nigeria’s political history, an incumbent President failed to secure re-election. His political party which was clearly dominant took a quantum backward leap to a struggling minority. What is more interesting is that President Goodluck Jonathan read the hand writing on the wall, perhaps too late though, and threw in the towel before the result was fully announced.

Click the link below for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/1561-former-nsa-sambo-dasuki-reveals-how-goodluck-jonathan-created-his-own-failuref

Without any fear of contradiction, one can say that Nnamdi Kanu’s Radio Biafra has become a thorn-in-the-flesh for the Nigerian government in the past few weeks. Not only has government expressed deep worries over the activities of the “illegal” media house, it has failed to stop its signals reaching the fanatical audience particularly in the South Eastern part of Nigeria.

Even if the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission eventually succeeds in completely jamming the signal and thereby extinguishing for the time being as it may appear, the popularity of the operators that is spreading like wild fire among the people of the South East, Nnamdi Kanu and his cohorts have every reason to be proud.

Click the link below for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/1555-simple-reason-why-nnamdi-kanu-hates-igbos-more-those-he-accuses

Lagos Lawyer and human rights activist, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa has filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Lagos seeking an order of the court declaring Amina Zakari's position as acting chairman of INEC illegal and unconstitutional and for her to vacate the office.

Mr. Adegboruwa is also seeking an order the court that she should be restrained from presiding over any election in Nigeria including the governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states.

Click the link below for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/1550-breaking-lagos-lawyer-asks-court-sack-amina-zakari-inec-chairman-over-tenure

Activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the past 3 weeks or thereabout have been impressive by the standards of many Nigerians. Again the anti-graft agency has risen up to its duty of not just engaging in trial in the media and propaganda but haunting down those perceived to have looted the commonwealth of the country and left the most of us in penury.

Many people giggled when it was reported the former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido and his two sons have been remanded in prison custody until sometime in September before their bail application can be decided. As harsh as it sounded, it was supportive of the saying “the rich also cry”.

There were those who found the bail granted to the former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim for N270m, the same amount he was alleged to have stolen while in power as an abuse of judicial process but majority seem not to border about the amount but satisfied that some effort is being made in getting some of the country’s funds that slipped though some leaking fingers.

Click the link below for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/fear-unknown-and-efccs-new-found-energy

There are conflicting reports on the situation around the Boko Haram prisoners who were transferred to a prison facility in Ekwulobia, Anambra state last week.

Governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi told newsmen on Thursday that the prisoners have been returned to Abuja but residents and traders in Anambra state insist there is nothing like that.


Follow the link below for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/gov-umahi-saboteur-claiming-boko-haram-prisoners-are-out-anambra-state-residents

This is not the first time the name Sunday Oliseh is mentioned when the Super Eagles Chief Coach post is vacant. One of such times was in 2011, the Aminu Maigari led NFF had talks with the former captain of the National Team before settling for Stephen Keshi.
Now, the engagement seems more like a done deal but what Oliseh will need badly is the experience of coaching a top flight team.

Despite possessing a UEFA pro License, Sunday Oliseh had only managed a Belgian side, Vervietois, between 2008 and 2009. Shuaibu Amodu who is the caretaker of the National team at the moment does not possess such qualification but has a good record in coaching the Super Eagles.


Follow the link bellow for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/sports/if-nff-names-sunday-oliseh-coach-super-eagles

Tension has continued to raise in the past week in Anambra State and other states in the South East over the relocation of Boko Haram suspects to a Prison in the state despite assurances from the State Governor, Willie Obiano that he is on top of the matter.

While some had argued that prisons in Nigeria are run and maintained by the Federal Government, therefore should not be restricted in utilizing any facility in any part of the country, there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with the transfer of the inmates.


Click the link below for the full story

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/security/tension-still-high-south-east-over-transfer-bh-prisoners-ekwulobia-despite-obianos

Popular comedian, Julius Agwu is now recuperating after a delicate surgery that could have spelt doom.

The Crack Ya Ribs founder revealed to Yes International magazine that he had to undergo a brain surgery in the United States of America. He told the magazine that he did not know when and how it started but could remember that he was losing weight which became a source of concern for is family and friends.

It was until sometime in May when he had a seizure that it became clear that something serious has gone wrong and he sought medical attention in the US.

Click the link below for the full story and what Julius is planning next

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/entertainment/julius-agwu-beats-death-recuperating-lagos

The downfall of a man is not the end of his life is a popular saying in expressing that even at the low moments, there is still hope. And this may be well suited for the former governor of Enugu state, Chimaroke Nnamani.

With the judgment of a Federal High Court, the former governor is now at the lowest level of his life since he became governor in 1999.

He has lost all the companies and assets he acquired because the court believes they came through proceeds of fraud.

Click the link below for the full story including the options available to the former governor


http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/can-chimaroke-nnamani-recover-judgment

Delay in the appointment of ministers and other functionaries may seem important to many people but the real concern is that President Mohammadu Buhari has made lots of mistakes within the less than two months he has been in power that those who care about his performance and believed he will bring Nigeria out of the woods should be worried now.

First of all, his stand of non-interference in the National Assembly politics would have been fantastic if he was President of another country that is not Nigeria. Applied wisdom suggests that no principle enjoys unchecked application everywhere. What one does must be situated. In Nigeria, that was a wrong move and not many people will disagree with me on that...

follow the link below for the full story


http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/too-many-avoidable-mistakes-president-buhari

The social media was quite busy over the weekend with the story of Kenny Badmus, the Nigerian young man that lives in the US. He fled from the threatening arms of the law as he had publicly declared to be gay.

Kenny took on Nigerians in a post on his face book wall where he implored the gods of the land he now abhours to open the eyes of Nigerians to accept that man marrying a man or woman marrying a woman is alright.

“May the god of iron, ogunlakaaye, the god of chickenpox, sonponna , and the god of thunder, sango, open your eyes to know that marriage as defined by an average Nigerian today is a foreign idea.” He wrote.

Kenny had admitted to have begun his sexual escapades with women at 12 years of age. From then it was a smooth ride from one woman to another until he got married to a lady he spoke so much about at some point. He claimed that the lady literally imposed herself on him.

“One of those pre-marriage days, while we were with our marriage counseling team, I brought up the issue again – that I had always had a preference for men. I wanted the Ministers to dissuade her from the marriage. I just couldn’t put a ring on a fat big lie. My father taught me one principle: DIE FOR YOUR OWN TRUTH, EVEN IF IT'S UNPOPULAR, BUT DON'T HARM OTHERS WITH IT. She was so happy to tell the ministers, as quickly as she could, that my feelings for men would all be gone, because she believed it was a childhood disorder. I guess she meant she was going to Bleep my brains into heterosexuality.” He wrote.

But before the marriage talks and perhaps, before he discovered his HIV status, his perceived attraction for men wasn’t much of a problem that could alter Kenny’s life. Will it be right to assume that the need to secure better medical attention void of stigmatization in the US could have fuelled the open declaration of his “gayness”?

The second aspect that only Kenny could clear is why he did not disclose his HIV status to the lady before discussing marriage with her. Kenny had at some points painted the lady in bad light, suggesting she wanted to destroy him. But what the young man refused to do was admit any responsibility for how his life turned out. If a woman finds out that the man she had lived with in the name of love for six years was HIV positive without her knowledge, the beast in that angel will scream for revenge.

I am aware that Kenny’s ex-wife in now dead but I am not sure of the cause.
Was it as a result of complications from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus? Or a Collapse of her being triggered by the trauma inflicted on her by the man she once loved?

No one will really bother Kenny Badmus and his “new found love” for sex with men if he will appreciate that Nigerians are a people with affiliation to cultural beliefs. On his face book wall, he referred to those who liken the US to Sodom and Gomorrah as “bunch of hypocrites who cannot call on God to take our nation out of pitch darkness since 1960”.

Many Nigerians will not hesitate to inform Kenny that there are varieties of darkness. When ones vision is blurred to the point of no sight at all, that is darkness. When another’s mind is thickened beyond reason and comprehension, this is darkness too. It is now a question of realm.

Nigeria may still be far from where it could be based on the enormous resources at its disposal but still closer to nature where a woman is molded and curved to stimulate the senses of a man. Our minds are not yet invaded by darkness to the extent that absurdity will become attractive celebrated.

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/nigerian-gay-kenny-badmus-and-hide-and-seek-game

When the President attends a public function, one set of people that sometimes constitute themselves to some sort of social nuisance are those men and women who are compelled to wear suit even in the hottest of weather. Dark sunshade is also part of their regular costume. Once you see them, yea, you know they are the President’s official security details.

With the recent “routine adjustments” in the security framework around the President, it is left to be seen what will become of those would-have-been most sensitive undercover security operatives.

In the last dispensation, more than ever before, the State Security Service, this became known as Department of State Services was quite visible; granting press interview and organising media parleys and all. At a time, Marilyn Ogar, the agency’s spokesperson appeared on TV and occupied front pages of major newspapers on a weekly basis. Not many understood why the DSS went out of its way to would plunge into the muddy waters of politics and by extension becoming partisan.

What quickly comes to mind is the invasion of a political party’s data center in the guise of discovering illegal cloning of the Permanent Voter Cards and an attempt to hack into the Independent National Electoral Commission’s data base. Though INEC came out with a statement that its data base cannot be hacked as it is not online, it was not enough to stop the DSS from chasing shadow.

This was a time when Boko Haram was striking even within the nation’s capital. That was about the time of the Nyanya bombing that took the lives of over 70 people.

As an intelligence organisation, DSS should know where the plots for the numerous terror attacks that take place in Nigeria are hatched. DSS should have understood the terrorists line of authority and pin down, with perfect precision, who leads the ring of the messengers of death. Abubakar Shekau was reported in the media as the face of the terror group. But who is Abubakar Shekau? Is he a person or a franchise? He was killed once by the Nigerian troops, or so it was said. The second time, he was killed again, but this time, there was a confusion between the Nigerian military and Cameroun over who should take credit for the killing. Where is the intelligence authority in all of these?

Now, the DSS will have less of body guard work to do around the President, the organization will certainly have more time to concentrate in providing intelligence support for other security agencies in the country. DSS will have more men to deploy as undercover agents in those traditional hotspots around the country. DSS is expected to burst robbery plans before they are carried out. Cultists, not innocent people that will be paraded in order to score cheap points, will begin to patronize the DSS detention centers before they appease their covens with another innocent blood

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/dss-needs-more-professional-exposure-political

Former minister for Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has called for public participation in keeping the memory of the kidnapped school girls from Chibok, Borno State alive. Over 200 girls were abducted from the Government Secondary School in Chibok on the 14th of April 2014. Since then, despite expressions of commitment to secure their freedom by government and the military, the whereabouts of the girls have remained unknown.

In a message on her twitter page @obyezeks on Tuesday, the woman known as ‘madam due process’ while she was in government said it is a daily renewal of concern.

“If anyone of you truly CARES to STAND for the cause of OUR 219 #ChibokGirls, join us @BBOG_Nigeria DAILY @ the Unity Fountain. JOIN US TODAY”

Before this call was made, Dr. Ezekwesili reminded her followers on twitter that the girls are still missing.

“How persistent in wickedness can those who continue to FORGET the HUMAN BEINGS in the tragedy of 219 Girls be? OUR GIRLS ARE STILL MISSING!”

These messages from the former minister may be reassuring those who looked up to her leadership in the quest to get government to pay attention to securing the release of the kidnapped girls. Those who believed that the Dr. Ezekwesili’s involvement in the bring back our girls campaign was politically motivated may also be having a rethink or digging up fresh grounds to insist that madam due process has lost it and dancing to cheap music of politics.

The Chibok story was one of the hardest nuts for former President Goodluck Jonathan. Failure of government under his watch to be decisive in responding to the incident became a huge burden he carried for over one year before he left office.

Attention is now glued to the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve some issues and expectations: Were those girls really kidnapped? How was it carried out? Where are the girls kept all these while? And How many of them will ever return home?

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/chibok-girls-oby-ezekwesili-renews-call-action

Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari has enrolled, perhaps without knowing it, and will in the next four years run a programme in contest for the title of the most influential First Lady in Nigeria’s history. Though her husband has expressed reservation about the office of the first lady, the call on her to carry out some functions in her capacity as the wife of the President, may be loud and difficult to ignore.

Aisha Buhari does not seem like someone who will shy away from limelight. Not just because she is married to the number one citizen of the country, not because she is educated, not because she is elegant and really beautiful and not because she has the ability to coordinate her thought and present such in a manner that will be appealing and less controversial.

But because she is currently occupying a position that has become very influential in Nigeria's recent history. Not just that, she by training and profession as a beautician, puts people (I guess fellow women) in a mode that the cheapest thing they can do is to show off who they are.

From 1985, late Mariam Babangida, another beautiful and elegant woman glamourised the office of the first lady in Nigeria and built a grassroots support base for her husband, General Ibrahim Babangida, through her pet project, BETTER LIFE PROGRAMME FOR RURAL WOMEN.

Mariam Abacha, wife of another military dictator who came to power in 1993 was reasonably visible but remained under the shadow of her name-sake, Mariam Babangida.

The return of democracy in 1999 saw the emergence of another stylish lady, Stella Obasanjo as the first lady. She was quite active through her CHILD CARE TRUST but kept a low influence in governance or so it seemed. The huge personality of her husband, Olusegun Obasanjo stood like the Iroko tree.

Wife of the next President, Umar Musa Yar'adua, Turai, was not heard so many times but was said to be very influential while her husband was in power. Certain actions of the President, including appointments, were credited to her. The dying days of her husband was another moment that showed up her strength and control of affairs.

In a gathering of seven people on Saturday, May 30, five were firm in their argument that Patience Jonathan was talked about more than her husband Dr. Goodluck Jonathan while they occupied the status of the country's first family. They held that as a person isolated from her position, many Nigerians talked about her boldness, perceived crudeness, concealed health status, impressively colourful fashion tradition and her verbal acrobatic displays which may remain in the country's street lexicon for a long time to come, after all, "there is God ooo".

"Mama Pee" occupied front pages of hard core newspapers and could not be ignored by the soft-sell. While she enjoyed all these, she received the long end of public stick for her "overbearing" disposition. The former first lady was blamed for some of her husband's actions and inactions. Those came together to define the woman who most Nigerians will always remember.

It is likely to be a keen contest between Patience Jonathan and Aisha Buhari for one basic reason. Majority of social media users and those who form opinion of people may not have a personal experience of other first ladies except those that occupied the office or played the role in the last 16 years. If that be the case, Patience Jonathan will give the current first lady a run for her money.

Their style, inter personal skills, leadership qualities and value added to the Nigerian society will be of immense consideration.

See you with your conclusion by May 2019.

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/who-will-win-best-first-lady-title-2019

President Muhammadu Buhari made a mistake by announcing his intention to move the Command and Control Center in the war against insurgents from Abuja to Maiduguri.

The President in his inaugural speech on Friday at the Eagle Square, Abuja, said his government will bring the Operational Headquarters closer to the frontline of the counter insurgence effort by relocating the deciding base to Maiduguri.

A retired Army Colonel, Hassan Nabo said all the President needed to do was to send a Memo to the Defence Headquarters by Monday morning and by Friday, the base would have moved without any complain. That would have eliminated all the unguarded comments by people who do not undertand military terms or tactics.

He explained that the real import is that the Generals who are controlling and directing the operations cannot effectively be in Abuja whereas the war is going on in the North East.

"There should be reasonable interval between the front line and the operational head quarters. Moving the Headquarters closer to Maiduguri implies that the front line will push further making it difficult for the insurgents to have space to still operate" Col. Nabo Said.

The soldier said that the importance of relocating the Command and Control Center is that if not for anything else, the Center will for their own safety, ensure the insurgents are pushed further out of the territory.

Col. Nabo pointed out that Command and Control Center is not the same as the Military High Command or the Office of the Chief of Army Staff as some people had erroneously posited. He added that the Center is set up strictly to coordinate the operations of the anti insurgency efforts.

All the military units in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa state report to the Command and Control Center.

He submitted that the controversy being generated by the President's statement is expected in a country like Nigeria.

"You know here, we are all coaches. Watch when the Super Eagles are playing, everybody assumes to know more than the man who is handling the team"

"If we all understand that the issue in question is purely professional, people should desist from making uninformed comments" Col. Nabo concluded.


http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/retired-colonel-faults-president-buharis-inaugural-speech

In the democratic history and in fact, the independent journey of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari is the first person to have made clear his ambition to be president and pursued such for over a decade before registering success.

Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who was Nigeria's first indigenous head of government was drafted into office by the erudite leader of the Northern Peoples' Congress, then Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello.

When the Military was tired of holding on to power in 1979, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who was preparing to go to the Senate was drafted by those controlling power in the North to become President.

In 1993, MKO Abiola had a mind of his own to rule Nigeria through the ballot. He contested and won overwhelmingly in most of the state, even in those dominated by the other political party. In the minds of Nigerians, he won the election but was never declared winner.

Then came another Military gift in 1999. In the build up to the elections, former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo who was serving a prison term over an alleged coup was released and granted pardon. He was considered the most suited individual to protect the interest of the military as a democratic President. Despite his poor performance at the polls in his polling unit, state and entire South West, he still became president.

In 2007, Umar Musa Yar'adua was serving out his term as governor of Katsina State. He was clearly contented with public service and desired to settle into private life but President Obasanjo felt differently. He went to the extent of betraying his close allies and insisted that Yar'adua must be president. Chief Obasanjo made the statement louder by looking away from those who had been in contention, to pick Goodluck Jonathan whose posters were already on the streets of Yenagoa, campaigning to be elected governor of Bayelsa, as Vice President.

The Constitution imposed the presidency on Dr. Goodluck Jonathan at the death of Umar Yar'adua. Though he stood election in 2011, his personal preparedness for the task is an open book which the last chapter has not yet been written.

Muhammadu Buhari exhibited a compelling force that propelled and sustained his desire to become president. Human scientists say a personal sustainable determination to carry out a task is first step to possible success. The retired Army General contested four elections where he flew the flag of three different political parties.

Within this period, he has come face to face with the harsh reality that most Nigerians hear of dividends of democracy on radio and read from the pages of newspaper but lack an iota of personal experience. He has seen how friends became foes and foes migrate towards mutual respect. He saw loyalty defined and determined by "stomach infrastructure". The General have seen how some unguarded comments could set the people against one another. He saw the destruction of a part of the country and the people therein while conspiracy of silence reigned. He should have realised that not every Nigerian trust him, particularly from a section, and should have equally understood why he needs to build bridges; after all power of incumbency have been demystified.

Buhari saw Nigeria receive accolades as an economy unrivaled with GDP at an all time best yet, the people live in penury as never before. He saw so much money spent in the power sector to ensure that most Nigerians live in days darker than night. He watched the national treasure broken into by the very men whose duty it was to guard it but were really common thieves. He saw the country dragged in chains along the streets of Durban and stretched to Johannesburg while its citizens pay in the gallows of Indonesia and Thailand with no one to ask questions.

This fact keeps Muhammadu Buhari apart from all other previous leaders Nigeria ever had. This is what he has that no other share; but will he remain distinct in terms of performance? Will he be a departure from all the unfulfilled promises, day light deceit, deprivation and insensitivity in leadership of past years? Will Buhari be able to heal Nigerian of the wound of broken dreams?


- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/only-reason-why-buhari-must-succeed-president

Capital Oil and Gas will resume loading of Petrol at it Jetty immediately despite the decision by marketers to suspend operations in pursuit of the payment of some outstanding debts by the Federal Government.

Managing Director of the Company, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah said the company cannot continue to hold back its services to the country in the face of untold hardship citizens are being put through.

Mr. Ubah was speaking to news men on Sunday where he said

"Capital Oil and Gas has watched with so much pain, the suffering and hardship our citizens have been subjected to as a result of scarcity of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and house hold kerosene. We are deeply pained to hear that hospitals cannot perform surgeries, laboratories are unable to carry out much needed tests especially for emergency patients leaving such patients at risk of dying, radio stations are shutting down, communication is being affected as MTN and other telecommunications company have announced an impending shut down while homes, offices and key facilities nationwide are experiencing blackouts. In some parts of the country, petrol is already selling at an all-time high of N1,000 per litre. Our citizens have left their homes and are now sleeping in fuel stations, facing the risk of robbery attacks and other attendant risk"

He went ahead to break the news;

"We are constrained at this point and have decided that two wrongs cannot make a right. We will not be part of this sabotage against our fatherland. Therefore from this minute, we shall take the risk of opening our facilities and commence swift loading and distribution of products Nationwide"

Major Cities in Nigeria are already grounded as petrol is not available even at the black markets.

This piece of news may just be what Nigerians have been waiting for. But there are fears expressed in some quarters of a possible resistance by those who will consider the move by Capital Oil and Gas a betrayal of their collective stand.

On the scary traffic in Lagos caused by tankers parked on major highways and bridges, Ifeanyi Uba said his company has a final solution to the problem. He assured that his company will engage the Federal and Lagos state governments on how to utilise the company's tanker park which can accommodate over a thousand vehicles at a time.

- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/economy/fuel-sarcity-end-soon-capital-oil-resumes-loading-its-jetty

If signals from the APC retreat for senators on the platform of the party which held over the weekend in Abuja is anything to go by, the PDP may be fancying its chances of producing the President of the 8th senate.

Out of the 109 senators, APC has a slight majority of 59.

At the retreat on Saturday, two factions emerged from the APC. One which identified itself as Senate Unity Forum, led by Barnabas Gemade (Benue) endorsed Ahmad Lawan (Yobe) for the office of President of the Senate and George Akume (Benue) as deputy. The membership strength of this faction was not disclosed.

The other, "The like minds", is supporting the candidacy of Bukola Saraki (Kwara) as President of the senate. This group claims to have 35 senators elect as members. The group whose position was read out by Dino Melaye (Kogi) said the deputy will be coming from the North East.

Coming days before June 3 will be crucial for the APC to harmonise its position before the formal inauguration of the senate.

If the current division remains, the slim likelihood that the minority PDP may produce the President of the Senate will be a huge upset.

The APC, being aware of this possibility, organised the retreat to conduct an internal primaries for the senators-elect in order to have a common front ahead of the inauguration. But the outcome may have created a fresh responsibility for the party.

Though APC has formally announced that it will not adopt the zoning formula in choosing the leadership of the National Assembly, the party should do more that talking in ensuring that the options are narrowed to one candidate except it is comfortable with having a Senate led by the opposition.

- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/politics/apc-may-dash-senate-president-pdp

Wednesday's resignation of the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, hours after the National Working Committee accepted the notice of resignation from the party's National Chairman, Adamu Mu'azu, has introduced another season of permutations.

Though the positions have been occupied by the closest officers in acting capacity, attention is now being shifted to the conduct of proper congresses to fill the positions.

One area of interest is Who takes over the chair of the BOT?

The constitution of the party before it was amended allows only former Presidents who were elected on the platform of the party to be elected as the chairman of the BOT. That provision would have meant that only Dr. Goodluck Jonathan would be qualified for that office.

But now, the amendment permits any member of the party who is considered suitable for the office to be so elected.

Meanwhile, Will President Jonathan agree to step into the shoe of leading the Board of Trustees? While that seems right considering that he is currently the highest officer of the party, it may be counterproductive in the long run.

President Jonathan has not proven to be politically rugged for the task of providing the balance at the top echelon of the party's leadership.

Under his watch, five sitting governors and other ranking members left the party to join the opposition APC. This in no small way contributed in the disaster PDP faced during the general elections.

Under his watch, PDP disintegrated badly leading to lack of unity of purpose. Ethnic and religious sentiments tore the party apart while he watched.

So much have been said about the new role waiting for President Jonathan once he leaves office. Though there is hardly any official confirmation of what the President will be doing next, many Nigerians expect him to be involved in continental if not global diplomacy and mediation. If this happens, he may not be available for a hands-on responsibility in piecing together the tatters of the PDP.

As it stands, it seems that a Southern National Chairman and a Northern Chairman of the BOT will be the best to fast-track PDP's recovery.

While members of PDP and political observers continue to argue on whether the recent spate of resignations is actually what PDP needs to reposition itself, the need for more commitment on the part of those left in the party cannot be over emphasised. And one sure way of the PDP to find its foot again is to have the right men with the right spirit lead the party.


- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/pdps-national-chairs-grabs

It is clear that the sale of HopStop by Chinedu Echeruo should no longer be news having taken place in 2013. But the revelation of how much Apple had to path with to take ownership of the transport aid app seems to be mind blowing to many people.

Chinedu, an alumni of the Kings College, Lagos, Syracuse University and the Harvard Business School founded HopStop in 2005; an application

Industry observers say Apply paid the whooping $1bn to acquire Chinedu Echeruo's company in response to Google's purchase of HopStop's Israeli competitor, Waze, for $1.1bn.

There is hardly any information about Mr. Echeruo's parental background but his name is enough for most Nigerians to trace his origin to the Igbo dominated South Eastern part of the country.

This is a country battling with several negative stories following a highly "combative" electioneering period, failure of government to decisively deal with the Boko Haram menace, embezzlement of public funds and other not too fanciful reports.

Most Nigerians see this as a boost to the achievement by compatriots in the recent elections in Britain. Not less than four Nigerians won seats in the parliament. However, if not that Nigerians receive the story as that of one of their own, the HopStop deal has no direct connection to Nigerians.

This is demonstrated on social media platform, twitter.

As at this moment, 1,659 tweets was made in the past 7 days. Out of this 436 representing not less that 25% began with "Nigerian born..."

Perhaps, more of such stories will be vital in cleaning-up the image of the country dealt several deadly blow through negative reportage in the past



- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/chinedu-echeruo-nigerian-period

A suspected drug trafficker has alleged that he was tricked into the act in Brazil by the person who sponsored the trip.

Celestine Ikechukwu Okonkwo, 39, who was a trader at the Balogun Market in Lagos said he was given a mouth-watering job offer before he embarked on the trip to Brazil.

Commander of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Hamisu Lawan, said the suspect tested positive for cocaine ingestion when he was arrested.

“the suspect tested positive to drug ingestion while returning from Sao Paulo, Brazil. He later excreted 70 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.326kg”.

Celestine said that he was a happy man until the drug barons approached him with a promise of better job abroad.

“I was in my shop at Idumota market where I sell used clothes. I will never forget the day a young man came to my shop to buy shirt. He told me he is from Anambra and that he lives in Brazil. He also promised to help me with a good job opportunity over there. Honestly, I was excited and felt it was answer to my age long prayer. He collected my phone number and left. This was how it all started” Celestine stated.

After three months, the man called him that he was back to Nigeria. In his words,

“he prepared my international passport and also secured a visa for me. Then he told me to get set to travel any time. Few weeks later, he brought my ticket and I travelled to Brazil in January 2015. He gave me the name of the hotel where I will stay pending when he will get me a job. I was eventually abandoned to suffer. When I exhausted my money, I began to sleep in a church. I also began to work for a Nigerian woman who owns a restaurant in order not to starve to death”.

The suspect also stated that drug trafficking was not originally discussed with him before he left Nigeria.

“Nobody discussed drug trafficking with me while in Nigeria. It was after I had lived in the church for some months that my sponsor located me in Sau Paulo. I was told that there is no free lunch in Brazil and that I have suffered and experienced difficult life in Brazil. This was the point they introduced drug trafficking as the only way out. They said that was what people do to make money. It took me about seven hours to swallow 70 wraps of cocaine. I was inexperienced because it was my first time. They promised to pay me 400,000 naira when I get to Nigeria” he stated.

Celestine left Anambra to Lagos in 2010. He abandoned his education in 1999 when he was in year two in junior secondary school. His wife and daughter are living with his parents in the village. Speaking on his advice to young people, the drug suspect said that there is no place like home. “God bless Nigeria. There is no poverty here except the person chooses to be poor” he stated.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said that the story of Celestine should serve as a warning to others who are seeking to travel out of the country. In his words, “there is nothing wrong in seeking greener pastures but people must be properly guided. Travelling out of the country without money to pay for your accommodation and feeding is ill-advised. Those who promise job opportunities abroad are after their selfish interest”.

Giade also added that the Agency is determined to investigate and expose the sponsors of Celestine.

- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/i-was-tricked-baron-drug-trafficking-suspect

Residents of Lagos who have suffered untold hardship from the traffic gridlock caused by petrol tankers queuing for their turn to load petrol from the Apapa depot, may have some respite soon.

The State Commissioner for Transport, Kayode Opeifa, has announced a 48 hour ultimatum for the drivers who are not within 300 meters from the depot, to leave the area or face penalty for traffic offence.

The decision was taken on Wednesday, at a stakeholders' meeting held in the commissioner's office in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

The meeting had in attendance representatives from the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, NUPENG, LATSMA, Police, Petroleum Tanker Drivers and others.

Contrary to presentations made by some of the stakeholders, particularly NUPENG, for a gradual negotiation that may stretch for weeks, the commissioner said the state government can no longer wait as the residents have been put through untold difficulty due to the parking of the petrol tankers on high ways including very sensitive bridges.

HOMELAND NEWS gathered that the tanker drivers' expectation of loading soon may be an illusion as there is huge shortage of the product at the depot.

NNPC last week announced that it has 1.2 billion liters of petrol stocked, enough supply to last for 31 days, but not much is happening in terms of having the product available at the filling stations for consumers to buy.

A fallout of the situation is that most of the tankers have been on the queue for up to one week without making any movement. Because the drivers and their assistants sleep and eat on the same spot, the effect on the environment have been poor as they defecate and litter the once clean roads and bridges with wastes.

If the deadline by the state government is enforced, Lagos residents may bear with the suffocating effect of the gridlock till Friday.

- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/economy/lagos-state-government-gives-tanker-drivers-48-hours-clear-roads

From Ejike Chinedu, Lagos

As I write this, there is a dispute between importers of petrol and the federal government. While government says the marketers are being owed N131bn, the marketers are insisting that government has an outstanding N200bn to pay to them. This was after the marketer were paid N154bn the week before last.

Current realities therefore bring to the fore the need, more than ever before, to deregulate the downstream sector of the oil sector. But if President Jonathan attempts to do it or the incoming President Buhari refuses to continue the payment of subsidy, these categories of people will surely mount a resistance for different reasons.

1. Petrol importers: These are the people that had benefitted from the decay in the country's oil sector. Within the period Nigeria depended largely on importing refined petrol for local consumption, a larger percentage of those big players in the sector emerged. In about 7 years, this group handled about N4.9tr in the name of importing refined petrol whereas the country produced and expored the crude. Their business have been hinged on importing petrol and being paid an agreed "extra cost" by government. Some of them still divert the product to the country's neighbours where profit margin multiplies. Many of them will crumble as soon as government withdraws that subsidy.

2. Government contractors fronting as importers: After the 2012 subsidy protest, one big revelation was the fraud carried out by some of the acclaimed importers who never bring in a liter of petrol nor own a tank farm anywhere. All they have is a relationship with a top member of the ruling political party, PDP, and a brief case containing operational certificate issued by the NNPC and invoices from non-existing foreign partners. Ending the subsidy regime is tantamount to serious "bad market".

3. The third group are the ignorant Labour Union leaders in search of public acceptance which derives its breath from greed and personal interest. There is no doubt that ending subsidy will trigger off a season of hardship. There is equally no doubt that such suffering will be very temporary. Because most Nigerians hate sacrifice, always preferring the easy way, there is likely to be public resentment once the removal of subsidy becomes a serious issue for consideration.

In reality, with the current situation where petrol stations are regularly dry while the black market is thriving, Nigerians are already making those sacrifices without seeing it as such. These Labour Union leaders and their allies in the civil society will put in everything in them to convince the people that government is insensitive. Their motivation is their stomach. It is believed to be the practice that those who "champion" resistance in such manner are usually the ones who negotiate "settlement" hence the usual attraction to "speak for the people".

4. The forth group is the opposition: Those who are determined to give no consideration whatsoever to the real worth of government decision; it must be pulled down. With the outcome of the March 28 Presidential election, this group is now populated majorly by those who lack the basic skill to carry out the task. What they have in abundance however, is so much energy to make a statement. Perhaps, they have their first task cut out against the future of the country.

5. Failed politicians are not necessarily the opposition. They are those who will be saying, "If we could not succeed in doing it in our own time, we won't allow you to succeed now". This group can be desperate sometimes but the question is; for how long can they sustain the agitation?

http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/5-groups-will-lead-resistance-removal-petrol-subsidy

From Uzonna Ononye, Lagos

The major difference between Adamu Mu'azu and Ed Miliband is that they are both from different climes. One is from a society that demands one taking responsibility fully for ones actions or inactions, whereas the other comes from an environment where blame-game and excuses nourish political, social and even economic process.

That is where a wrong decision and conduct by any public office holder is paid for instantly with disgraceful resignation. But this is where the opposition is accused and held responsible for anything that goes wrong in government.

In Nigeria, the leader of a political party like the PDP or APC is chosen by the highest elected office holder. At the federal level, the President and the Governors at the state level. But in the United Kingdom, the leader of the party will naturally become the leader of the government if it wins the election.

In Nigeria, politics is the most lucrative business as against the UK where it is all about public service. Parliamentarians are on part time. In Nigeria, it is full time and handsomely rewarded so the attraction to stay on is unimaginably higher.

In the UK, it is the party and the party alone. The party drives campaigns and determines who does what. In Nigeria, it is an individual and his cronies using the party to achieve their "selfish" interests. The political party is more or less a vehicle that convey individuals from one point to another. One can decided to change vehicle or even choose to "trek".

The resignation of three major political leaders in UK, within an hour, could be said to be traditional or in sync with political development in Britain.

Prior to the polls in the UK, those interested in British politics, particularly those residing outside Britain had expected the return of the Labour Party. Their failure meant a lot to the leader, Ed Miliband, so he had to throw in the towel.

Nic Cleg of the Liberal Democrats enjoyed the coalition with the Conservatives in the last dispensation. Leading his party to a woeful outing was a bitter pill to swallow hence he had to take a bow.

Nigel Farage lost his parliament seat even as the leader the UK Independent Party. The party may be struggling to remain relevant as it is cut out on a mission that it cannot realise in the face of current realities.

If Adamu Mu'azu decides to quit, that will be honourable, but if he does not, he would have failed to do anything significant.

One question that may be vital in the context of the discussion is, Who is the leader of the PDP?


- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/opinion/miliband-muazu-different-strokes-different-folks

From Ejike Chinedu, Lagos

23 years after he died in an accident while on a campaign process to become governor of Anambra State in 1992, his son, Chuka is emerging as the leading voice of the Labour Party in United Kingdom. British media had reported that Ben was assassinated because he refused to pay bribes in Nigeria.
Ben Osi Umunna, was a London based businessman whose love for sports was quite pronounced. He rose to become a director at Crystal Palace Football Club after investing about 50,000 British pounds in the club. He was also the Chairman of the Enugu Rangers International Football Club in the 80s.
Ben was one of the young Nigerians who travelled to the UK in search of greener pastures in the mid 60s. He arrived Liverpool by ship before moving to London through a stranger assistance. He made a fortune through his import and export business between Europe and West Africa.
He got married to Patricia, an Anglo Irish solicitor in 1976.
In 2010, Ben Osi Umunna's son, Chuka was elected into the British Parliament. He has just won a second term election in a poll the Labour Party did not perform as expected. Chuka Umunna is not just returning to the parliament but is being considered as the likely leader of the opposition party.
We will run a full profile of the 37 year old Nigerian British parliamentarian and monitor his development as a global politician and community leader.

- See more at: http://www.homelandnewsng.com/other-news/chuka-son-ben-osi-umunna-may-emerge-uk-labour-party-leader