₦airaland Forum

LEADERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have joined the search for a credible party member from the zone to succeed former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Board of Trustees (BoT's) chairman.


Two PDP leaders gain from the area: former party' National Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and the sixth Senate President, Ken Nnamani, have allegedly been tipped for the office.

But party sources said at the weekend that the odds favour Nwodo as Nnamani faces opposition from some PDP chiefs over his alleged radical views.

The Guardian learnt that though the BoT secretary, Senator Walid Jubrin, indicated that the next chairman of the board would emerge through consensus, the input of President Goodluck Jonathan was central to who will eventually occupy the influential seat.

A source within the Legacy House Headquarters of PDP told The Guardian that despite the big names being speculated as potential occupants of the post, Nwodo might be picked to firm up the planned reforms in the party.

He said Nwodo was preferred because of his "his deep knowledge of the challenges of the party, as well as practical suggestions to situate PDP as a formidable national movement for socio-economic transformation of Nigeria.

"But more importantly, the Presidency has seen through the intrigues that led to Nwodo's unceremonious exit from office and was prepared to not only pacify him, but also to leverage on his re-branding strategies he enunciated for the party while in office. It is the thinking of the leaders of the party that Nwodo and the incumbent National Chairman, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, can work together to cement the new vision of the party", the source said.

He said while all eyes are on the South-East for the potential BoT chairman, Nnamani was penciled down for the position but "his perceived extreme radical views on the party, especially his leadership of the reform group, reduced the chances of his selection".

http://odili.net/news/source/2012/apr/9/1.html

• We were not better than corpses –Olusegun


• They chained our legs and hands behind our back –Ahmed


When Martins Olusegun set out for the Oriental country of China, his aim was to boost his economic fortunes and that of his immediate family. But his high hopes crashed when he stood surety for some Nigerians, who eventually eloped when they had an issue with their boss. The Ogun State-born Martins then found himself in the gulag where he had a raw deal for almost five years because he could not produce them.

Another Nigerian, who asked to be identified simply as Ahmed, had a similar experience, which corroborated a report in the Sunday Sun of December 25, 2011 on how over 1000 Nigerians rot in various prisons in China. The duo, who recently returned to Nigeria from Beijing Prisons Number Two, recounted the cruel treatment meted out specifically to prisoners of Nigerian origin by the Beijing authorities. They described their prison experience as deadly.

Martins…

How did you find yourself in the Beijing prison in China?

I had been living in China since 2003 until I was arrested on July 31, 2007. The people that were living with me had a problem with their boss at their place of work and they ran away. Their boss came with the police to arrest them in my house and couldn’t find them. So I was arrested to produce them because I was their surety. It took me four years and seven months before I regained my freedom. They said I was supposed to serve 16 years but on sympathy grounds I was released.

Are you saying you were convicted because you couldn’t find your friends?

It is not like I was convicted. I used to go to court once every year. They don’t take you to detention; they take you straight to the prisons. And that was how I spent close to five years without conviction.

What was the decision of the court before you were released?

The court would just tell you after some months or years that your case had been struck out, so you could go. They would not tell you whether you were guilty or not. They would just tell you that you were supposed to serve so and so number of years according to the Chinese law and tradition.

Were you a legal resident before the arrest?

Yes, I was using a yearly extension permit. I still had about three months before it would expire when I was arrested. So my stay was legal when I was arrested. I was taken to Beijing Prison Number Two and I stayed there from July 31, 2007 to February 29, 2012 before I was set free.

How was your experience in prison?

It was terrible; it involved a lot of mental torture. The food they served us was nothing to write home about. They would get some quantity of white rice, lace it with cabbage and pour water into it and serve us. The food didn’t contain salt, oil or any other spice. That was what we ate morning, afternoon and night. No fish, no beef, no milk; nothing. We fed ourselves with our own money.

We called our family back home in Nigeria to send money to us. We shopped once in a month in the shopping mall within the prison yard. We bought whatever we ate during the monthly shopping grace and prices of goods were much higher in the shopping mall than outside. Some items were sold at a cost that was almost four times the actual cost outside the prison. For instance, soya beans powder was sold for four Yuan outside but in the prison it was sold for 18 Yuan.

Is it true that Nigerians in China prisons are being killed secretly?

Well, such things didn’t happen in Beijing but they treated Nigerians like animals in Beijing. We were allowed to call our people once in a month and that must be done through the Nigerian embassy in China. When you call the embassy and the embassy said it could not connect you, then you would not speak with your people. And if you didn’t speak with your people, you wouldn’t have money. Which means you would have to eat the rubbish they served as food.

If you were booked for 2pm, it was expected to expire by 2:30, which means only 30 minutes was given to us to discuss with our people if we were lucky to get through to them on phone. If your wife didn’t get you till five minutes before the 2:30, you could only speak with her for the remaining five minutes.

The police didn’t treat us like human beings but rather like animals. For instance, if you had any argument with anybody who is not black; maybe the person is Asian, American, European or even Indian, you would be severely punished. If a white man wanted to make a call, he would be allowed to do that without any prior booking at any time. For Nigerians, if your call didn’t come through till 4pm in the evening, you would not be allowed to make that call again. But the white man was allowed to make calls anytime any day. Their own call was not restricted to once in a month.

We were not sentenced to death but we didn’t have any right. You would not be convicted but would be kept in prison for as long as the authority wanted.

What is the Nigerian embassy doing about this?

The Nigerian embassy is trying its best. For instance, our Consular, Mr Junaid, visit us in the prison regularly. He was always in court when we had our case. He would even try to speak to the judge on our behalf but they would not listen to him. They would tell him, this is China and that they are dealing with us according to the Chinese laws and tradition.

Did you have access to legal counsel?

No, we didn’t except the one the authorities provided for us. You have no right to get your own personal counsel. If you try to have any counsel, they will just collect your money without doing anything for you. They give you their own lawyer, who will never argue for your innocence. The lawyer will always ask the judge to give you a lighter punishment. The lawyer will tell the court that the accused is a first offender and all those trash and plead that the judge should give you a lighter sentence. He can never argue that you are not guilty. If the lawyer attempts to defend you more than he is asked to do, he would be liable to 15 days in prison and his license will be withdrawn.

So, you didn’t hear that Nigerians in Guangzhou are being killed?

You cannot hear anything. There are three blocks in Beijing Prisons but you cannot even talk with your friend in a different block. Unless you are together in the same cell, you cannot talk with friends. We were there as dead human beings. When day breaks, you see the light and in the evening, you sleep.

Are you saying the court strikes out one’s case whenever it pleases?

They just tell you that in the next three months, your paper would go to the Bureau and if you are lucky you would be going home. They won’t even tell you this until your last court appearance. Then you will be told that your sentence is supposed to be for life, 10 years or seven years but due to your good behavior with the police and the prison authorities, you have acquired 60 points and the Chinese government had decided to be lenient with you.

What do you mean by 60 points?

They control us by point system. That includes your behavior, your relationship with the prison authorities. Once you get up to 60 points, they would take you to the prosecutor’s office, from where 11 months would be added as bonus to the number of years you have spent so far. It will take you a minimum of two years before you can acquire the 60 points. And when they are not satisfied with the aggregate number of years you have spent, you will start afresh to acquire new points.

How many years did it take you to achieve the 60-point target?

In my own case, it took a year and nine months to acquire the 60 points because I wrote an article titled: “How to live harmoniously in prisons.” When they read the article, they were impressed but it took them 11 months to deliberate on that before I got the 60 points. We are assessed every month until one gets up to 60 points. Once you get up to 60 points, you would write an application for your sentence to be reduced. Once you are taken to court, you cannot be innocent.

You would also not be sentenced to a particular number of years rather they would keep taking you to court for as long as they wanted, sometimes up to three years before you would be released. They won’t tell you that you are guilty or innocent; they will just tell you that based on sympathy you have been released. We were more than 70 in that Beijing Number Two Prison alone. Nigerians are scattered in many other prisons there but, like I earlier said, you will not know what is happening in other places

Ahmed was in the same prison with Martins. The China returnee, who also hails from Ogun State, said he went to China in 2006 for business but later decided to acquire more education. However, the education dream could not be achieved because he got into trouble, which made him spend four years in prison.

He said he was dealing in all kinds of goods ranging from laptop computers to clothes and suits. He got into problems when he was trying to help his friend and at the same time boost his own business.

Ahmed…

How it happened

My friend had a problem with his girlfriend who was a Chinese. I used to supply him goods but it was the girl that was financing the business. My friend could not give proper account of how much profit was made in one of their business deals and he wanted the girl to bring more money for other businesses. The girl insisted that he should render a proper account from their last business before she would give him more money but my friend could not do that.

This led to a disagreement and my friend invited me to persuade the girl to release more money for another business. It was when I went to persuade her that she got me and my friend arrested. I actually agreed to persuade her to bring more money because they have not paid for the last goods I supplied them. I thought I could get my money if she released more money, but instead she arrested us. I was arrested in November 2007 and released on November 29, 2011.

Experience

There are different stages. The first one is called detention centre and the room is very small. The weather condition was deadly both during the winter and summer. The room was so tight that you could hardly move your hands. You just had to tighten yourself with one blanket provided. You wrap yourself and sleep on the small space on the floor. Sometimes, about 16 persons would be squeezed into a very narrow room. To describe how narrow the room was for 16 persons, you would be brushing the other person as you struggle to carve a space to fix yourself.

The torture aspect of the whole thing is also very inhuman. For a minor offence such as exchange of words, you could be handcuffed as well as leg-cuffed. They would chain your legs and your hands behind your back. They would also put a heavy and stiff object on your head so that you would neither turn your neck nor breathe freely. You could be left for one or two weeks in chains but the one on your head could be removed after one or two days. It is terrible and the worst is that all the years you spent are just as awaiting trial. You were not convicted of any offence.

Princess Basma Bint Saud Bin Abdulaziz tells the BBC there are many changes she would like to see in Saudi Arabia - but that now is not the time for women to be allowed to drive.

I speak as the daughter of King Saud, the former ruler of Saudi Arabia. My father established the first women's university in the kingdom, abolished slavery and tried to establish a constitutional monarchy that separates the position of king from that of prime minister. But I am saddened to say that my beloved country today has not fulfilled that early promise.

Our ancient culture, of which I am very proud, is renowned for its nobility and generosity, but we lack, and urgently need, fundamental civil laws with which to govern our society.

As a daughter, sister, (former) wife, mother, businesswoman and a working journalist, these are the things that I would like to see changed in Saudi Arabia.

1. Constitution


Princess Basma is divorced and lives with her children in London
I would like to see a proper constitution that treats all men and women on an equal footing before the law but that also serves as a guide to our civil laws and political culture.

For example, today in Saudi courts, all decisions are made according to the individual judge's interpretation of the holy Koran. This is entirely dependent on his own personal beliefs and upbringing rather than universally agreed principles or a written constitution as a guide.

I am not calling for a western system but an adaptation of that system to suit our needs and culture. Thus our constitution should be inspired by the philosophy of the Koran with principles that are set in stone and not open to the whims of individual judges as is the case now.

In particular, the constitution should protect every citizen's basic human rights regardless of their sex, status or sect. Everyone should be equal before the law.

2. Divorce laws

I strongly believe that current divorce laws are abusive.

Today in Saudi, a woman can ask for a divorce only if she files for what is called "Khali and Dhali". This means either she pays a big sum of money running into tens of thousands of dollars or she has to get someone to witness the reason why she is filing for a divorce - an impossible condition to fulfil given that such reasons usually are the kind that remain within the four walls of a marriage.

Another way to keep a woman in the marital home against her will is the automatic granting of custody of any children over the age of six to the father in any divorce settlements.

This state of affairs is in complete contradiction to the Koran, upon which our laws are supposed to be based. In it a woman is given full rights to divorce simply in the case of "irreconcilable differences".

3. Overhaul of the education system


The way women today are treated in Saudi Arabia is a direct result of the education our children, boys and girls, receive at school.

The content of the syllabus is extremely dangerous. For one, our young are taught that a woman's position in society is inferior. Her role is strictly limited to serving her family and raising children. They are actually taught that if a woman has to worship anyone other than God it should be her husband; "that the angels will curse her if she is not submissive to her husband's needs". Girls are also strictly forbidden from taking part in any physical education. This is a result of a complete misinterpretation of the Koran. I consider these ideologies to be inherently abusive.

Aside from that, the focus in most of our educational system is on religious subjects such as hadith (sayings attributed to the prophet), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), tafssir (interpretation of the Koran) and of course the Koran. The attitude is that "learning itself, anything other than religion won't get you into heaven so don't waste your time". I would like to see religious teaching limited to the Koran and the Sunna (the way the prophet lived), where the true ethics of Islam lie. The rest is blind rote learning of the most dangerous kind. It has left our youth vulnerable to fundamentalist ideologies that have led to terrorism and abuse of the true meaning of the Koran.

Instead of wasting our youths' intellect on memorising quotations whose origins is uncertain (such as those found in hadith, Fiqh and tafssir) we need to encourage them to think freely, innovate and use their initiative for the betterment of our society.

Early Islam was a time of great creativity. Scholars excelled in sciences and literature.

Our religion should not be a shield behind which we hide from the world but a driving force that inspires us to innovate and contribute to our surroundings. This is the true spirit of Islam.

4. A complete reform of social services

The ministry of social affairs is tolerating cruelty towards women rather than protecting them. The only refuge homes that abused women can turn to are state ones. In these, women are continuously told that by seeking refuge they have brought shame on their families.



If they come from powerful families then they will be sent straight back to their homes in fear of the wrath of a powerful patriarch. As a result we have seen many cases of suicide by educated women, doctors and scientists who were sent back to their abusers.

We need independent women's refuges where the rights of women are upheld and backed up by powerful laws that can override family traditions and protect women.

The ministry of social affairs not only abuses women's rights but is also one of the reasons poverty is rife in the kingdom. A corrupt system that lacks transparency has meant that more than 50% of our population is poor and needy even though we are one of the wealthiest countries on earth.


5. The role of the Mahram (chaperone)

Women in Saudi cannot get around or travel without a mahram (a kind of chaperone - usually a male relative).

At the time of the prophet, women used to have a man to accompany them but in those days Arabia was a desert literally full of pirates.

Today the only purpose of such a law is to curtail women's freedom of movement. This not only infantilises women but turns them unnecessarily into a burden on their men and on society.

6. Driving

Today women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive.


This one seems to concern western observers the most but I hope you will agree having read the previous five that there are more essential rights we need to obtain first.

I am definitely for women driving but I don't think this is the right time for a reversal of this law. In the current climate if a woman drives, she could be stopped, harassed beaten or worse to teach her a lesson.

This is why I am against women driving until we are educated enough and until we have the necessary laws to protect us from such madness. Otherwise we might as well hand out a licence to the extremists to abuse us further. If as drivers we get harassed, they will say to the Islamic world "see what happens when women drive, they get harassed they get beaten" and they will call for even more stringent laws to control women. This is something we can't afford. Fundamental changes in the law and its attitude to women are needed before we take this step.

On the whole it is the rights and freedoms of all citizens that are crucial in Saudi Arabia and from those the rights of women will emanate.

Princess Basma Bint Saud Bin Abdulaziz spoke to Outlook on the BBC World Service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17446831

By Gary Lineker11:00PM BST

Barcelona are as near to perfection as you can get, a side that has redefined how to play the game and influenced a new generation of clubs and international countries for the greater good.

Chelsea must overcome a philosophy of football in the semi-final. The only way I can see it happening is by reverting to tactics that are the polar opposite to everything Barcelona represent.

They can be beaten. Their La Liga record, where they’ve suffered numerous setbacks away from home and lie behind Real Madrid, underlines that they have some weakness in defence.

Javier Mascherano is not a centre-half. We saw against AC Milan in midweek how he can get caught out of position. If Barcelona can be put under sustained pressure, Chelsea could score one or two goals.
The problem with trying to attack what is considered a weak defensive unit is you very rarely get enough possession to even think about it.


They must also hope Barcelona have a rare bad night in Europe and that just about everything that can go Chelsea’s way does so.
Even with all these factors, you are still struggling to see how Barcelona can be beaten over two legs.

The Chelsea versus Benfica game was somewhat ominous. Although Chelsea won, they surrendered possession far too easily, particularly in the second leg.
If Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta get that much use of the ball, they will find the gaps Benfica could not.

When the sides last met in the competition three years ago, we saw how Chelsea caused problems and came agonisingly close to knocking Barcelona out.
Barcelona are much stronger now and Chelsea are not the force they once were.

Even the draw has not been kind for Chelsea, with playing at Stamford Bridge first a disadvantage. If they have not got a lead to take to the Nou Camp, they can forget it. If that lead is not at least two goals I would not be too confident either.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9191942/Chelsea-must-exploit-Didier-Drogbas-aerial-power-in-Champions-League-semi-final-against-Barcelona.html

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini: "[Is it over?] No. In football, it is never finished until it is over. For this reason I always believe that we can do it. We have had a fantastic season and we need to finish well.

"From the bench I didn't see the first tackle but now I have seen it and Mario deserved a red card after 10 minutes. But it took until the last few minutes for him to get sent off. I am very sorry for him. I don't have any words for his behaviour. I love him, he is a fantastic player, I love him as a guy but he needs to change or he can lose everything. I am disappointed in him. He is young and he continues to make mistakes.

"Today we have 15 points more than last year, clearly it is difficult to win the title but we can hope that they lose some points before the derby. After that we will see. In the last month we have had problems with injuries but we need to improve more. For 28 or 29 games we did well but there are 18 points to play for. Never say never."

Some really interesting chat from Mancini. Obviosuly, he is not going to concede the title until it is mathematically gone, but what do you make of his views on Balotelli? He is clearly talking from the heart about the player, but is their a sense of resignation that he simply cannot control him?

The big question is, will both of them be at the club next season?

Sorry House, this post i'm about to write below is not really related to the topic, but some how we can learn from it.

The Words From My Heart.

If you are poor then someone else is heavily in debt. If you don't have a car then someone else doesn't have two legs. If you are ill, then someone else has been bedridden for years. If you have lost a parent then someone else has lost both parents in a single accident.

Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak, Think of someone who have to use a sign language to tell his family he love them. Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat. When you're frustrated because you can not decide what food you should cook, remember that there is a mother in Somalia who can not decide which of her children she should give the little food she has while the other left to die.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion. Today before you complain about life - Think about someone who died too early on this earth, someone, somewhere really wish to be in your position (Your present condition is someone else prayer point, think!) Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.

Before you argue about your dity house, someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wished they had your job.

Before you think of pointing that finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us is without sin. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: You're alive and still around.

Our God Is Alive, Forever.

^^^

Seconded!

Armed robbers take over Lagos-Ibadan, Sagamu-Benin roads

by Waheed Bakare, Akinwale Aboluwade, Eniola Akinkuotu, Kunle Falayi and Temitayo Famutimi

Nigerians are still in shock following the ordeal of 42 pupils of Holy Rosary College, Enugu, Enugu State. The pupils were attacked by armed robbers and some of them were allegedly raped after the luxury bus conveying them to Lagos broke down at Ogbere area of Ogun State about 11.30pm on Saturday.

The incident further confirmed the fear of those plying the Sagamu-Benin

Expressway that the road had become a den of armed robbers. Equally dangerous is the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. To many motorists and commuters, plying the roads is like "walking through the valley of the shadow of death."

Although there are no available records on the numbers of robberies and cases of missing persons recorded on the roads, many of the residents of the area told PUNCH Metro that such cases are common.


Armed robbers in police uniforms

Mr. Bola Adeko, 70, has lived most of his life with his family in the United Kingdom. At his age, he thought it wise to return home. But barely four weeks after arriving Nigeria, Adeko, who was with two other occupants in a metallic brown 4matic Mercedes 430, with number plate JM 251 EKY, was flagged dow by a group of policemen at the Ososa Junction, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

As a law abiding citizen, he instructed his driver to slow down. But unfortunately, the men in police uniforms were armed robbers.

Adeko said, "The incident happened on February 6, 2012¸at Ososa Junction. We were coming from Ijebu Ode. There were three of us in the vehicle: Myself, my younger brother and the driver. We thought they were policemen because whenever I am in Nigeria, I passed that route quite often and I had seen policemen at that junction.

"We were shocked. They took all our phones, money and some documents. They ordered us out of the vehicle and asked us to lie down on the ground. We were thoroughly beaten. That experience was shocking. They threatened to kill us and went away with the vehicle.

"We reported the matter at the Odogbolu Police Division and in our presence, they radioed some police divisions but up till now, the vehicle has not been found."

Asked if he would still go ahead to finally relocate to Nigeria, Adeko, who spoke with one of our correspondents on the telephone, said although he had no other option than to relocate, the incident was discouraging.

A regular commuter on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ireti Akinsanya, said, "Members of my church in Ogere along the expressway have continued to fall victim to armed robbers. In January, armed robbers in police uniforms went on the rampage.

"Our vehicles almost ran into them. Immediately our driver got the information, everyone on board abandoned the bus and ran into the bush. Some of my church members were, however, unlucky as they ran into the robbers and were dispossessed of their belongings."

Continue reading story here http://odili.net/news/source/2012/apr/6/827.html

^^^ it is not an April fool...the Mofo actually uttered those Balderdash. The story was culled from the vangurd of yestarday.

.

BY JACOB AJOM

Former


Nigeria captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha has said that the collapse of Fabrice Muamba.a player with Bolton, his former club was an unambiguous signal to clubs to always equip their medical units.



Okocha who led a delegation of the Delta State Football Association to Zenith Bank's corporate headquarters to receive a sponsorship cheque on behalf of the association was critical of the domestic scene where players' welfare is poor and they are made to play under very poor conditions.


Okocha who spoke to Sports Vanguard in Lagos said, "Muamba is lucky, he is not playing in the Nigerian league. Here, he would have been a dead man. He would have become history."

The former Nigeria captain said clubs must emphasise on players' fitness and this can only be possible with a medical unit that has up-to-date equipment at its disposal.

"If they know the risks footballers take, I think everybody would have sat up," he said.

He also spoke on the national team and gave kudos to Coach Stephen Keshi's rebuilding process. "He is in the right direction. His decision to give more playing time to the home-based players is good because it gives them more confidence, and that is good for them because even the foreign-based pros started from here. We should encourage and support them."

http://odili.net/news/source/2012/mar/26/340.html

By VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka

WHAT the people of Anambra State had been clamouring for over the years is about to happen and that is that the state will soon be included among the oil producing states in the country with its attendant benefits. Though the Anambra River basin was known to be rich in crude oil and gas deposits, it was placed on what was described in the industry, as strategic reserve.



However, following the efforts of notable persons from the state who are stakeholders in the Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, the company prospecting for oil in the area and with the support of the present administration led by Governor Peter Obi, a major breakthrough in making Anambra an oil producing state has been achieved.

The company has plans to establish housing estates to serve the workers. There is also a plan to have an airstrip in the area for which a committee made up of experts in the aviation industry is already working on. Other activities being embarked upon by the company include gas processing and transmission, as well as power generation and transmission, oil and gas exploration and production and petroleum refining.

When it comes on full stream, Orient Petroleum Refinery, which has its operational office at Otuocha in Anambra East local government area, would process crude oil from its facility at Aguleri Otu in Anambra West local government of the state. Other byproducts of the refinery are petrol, diesel, kerosene, road grade asphalt, and cooking gas and would offer about 2000 jobs.

OPR has an integrated business model that spans the upstream and downstream of the petroleum industry. After the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) granted the company the license to establish, and the approval to construct its 55,000 bpd refinery in 2002 and 2004, respectively, the company had gone ahead to obtain from the FGN in 2005 the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate for its refinery, which made Orient Petroleum the first refinery in Nigeria to obtain such an EIA certificate.

The company decided early in 2011 to fast-track a staged development of its two oil blocks, OPL 915 and OPL 916 by initial completion and production testing of one of the already drilled oil wells and 3D seismic data acquisition.

The two blocks are very close to the location of the company's refining facility at Aguleri Otu. This staged oil field development is expected to generate cash flow to support the financing and early completion of the refinery, which officials of the company observed, is a capital intensive project.

Chairman of the Orient Petroleum Resources Ltd and former secretary general of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku confirmed that the company would start crude oil exploration, production and sales this year and since receiving the two oil blocks, the company has been conducting the necessary exploration and production work to ensure timely provision of crude feedstock to the refinery.

It is envisaged that completion of the refinery installation would be by end 2012, including overseas procurement and shipment of long lead items and on-site fabrication of storage tanks.

After many years of waiting therefore, the joy of the host communities in Anambra State knew no bounds when it became clear to them that all is set for Anambra State to join the league of oil producing states in Nigeria ..

When the chairman, board of directors, Chief Anyaoku announced that production would soon begin, the people beat their drums and danced to the admiration of the visitors. Anyaoku, in company of Governor Peter Obi, former vice president, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Managing Director of Orient Petroleum Plc,Engr. Emeka Nwawka, Igwe Peter Anukwu of Mbaukwu and other stakeholders, inspected the oil facilities at Aguleri Otu and were shown round the oil well by top officials of the company.

When Orient Petroleum eventually starts production, it would mark the first time crude would be produced in inland basin in the country. Already, the company's service contractor had made significant progress in the acquisition of high resolution 3D seismic data over 640 square kilometers of Orient's oil blocks OPL 915 & 916 to delineate the full extent of the hydrocarbon discoveries and prospects.

During the visit, the team also inspected the 20- kilometre access road to the oil wells and the 10 -kilometre flow line for evacuating crude to a spot at Anambra River basin from where evacuation of crude would be undertaken by barges to Brass in Bayelsa State . It had also completed acquisition of seven hectares of land from Kogi State for establishment of a depot for distribution of petroleum products from the refinery to the north and other parts of the country.

Managing Director of Orient Petroleum, Mr. Emeka Nwawka who was elated at the level of progress made by the company, assured that Anambra will soon join the club of oil producing States and commended Governor Obi for his interest in the project and appealed to him to continue to support it. He said the drilling environment conformed to international standards.

Obi, on his part, commended the board of Orient Petroleum for its resilience and determination to bring the project on stream, noting that when functional, the company would among other things, create employment, fast-track overall development of the host community, as well as contribute in strengthening the state and national economy. He also assured of continued government support for the project.

The main problem starring the oil company in the face is the deplorable condition of road leading to the oil facilities.

For instance, for one to get to the well site at Aguleri Otu, he has to pass through Ezeagu local government in Enugu State and then ferry over the Anambra River by pontoon to the Anambra State end where the oil deposits were struck and where the refinery is located.

Governor Obi, who was not happy with such strenuous journey which he observed, entails so much waste of quality man hour, is already thinking of a way out of the problem. It was gathered that the governor has already directed officials of the state ministry of works to study the possibility of constructing a road and a bridge from Anaku area directly to Aguleri Otu for easy access to the site of the oil facilities.

Obi had also severally announced that the the area where the oil facility is located, would form part of the proposed mega city that would extend to the commercial city of Onitsha .

http://odili.net/news/source/2012/mar/25/306.html

PointB: Rather than encouraging anyone, to embrace Nigeria, I rather we bring the roof down! The house (Nigeria) was built on quicksand, we want out, and we will never embrace this rubbish of a country!

Seconded!

I have a hope for my future, I have read a promise for my happiness and security despite the pathetic example of a human I am. I choose to believe the promise. In a collection of books compiled into Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE). I have found advice with regards to makeing good choices so I can live life free of harsh consequences. I have believed many things ,convinced I WAS ABSOLUTLY RIGHT only to find out I WAS DEAD WRONG. In the 2 cultures that live on Earth ,The culture of Life and the culture of Death I choose LIFE. I have understanding thru FREE advice,I have a Promise, I know I'm not in control of my life, I'm expecting a MIRICALE!!! Whats really strange I found in these instructions is the proclamation that there is a MAN sitting on the throne of GOD, I'm happy to know that I have a friend in the HIGHEST PLACE. Thankyou LORD
are you lonely, scared, broken hearted, insecure, angry, how long can this descriptive list go, YOU have a friend that wants to meet you and become close again. Go ahead ,the smallest grain of faith goes a long way!!

Atheists and non-believers around the country gathered in Washington, D.C. on Saturday for “Reason Rally,” reportedly the nation’s largest gathering of the secular humanist movement. The event drew many Christian counter-protesters, who clashed with event attendees.

Source -By Michelle Fields -- The Daily Caller

March 22, 2012 — LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Glittering sapphire necklaces, designer suits against perfumed skin, the taste of freshly popped Champagne and the roar of a speeding Porsche: the five senses in Nigeria, brought to you by luxury brands now trying to tap directly into the country's market.

The wealthy elite in Nigeria — upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians — have a healthy appetite for top-shelf brands, but have previously had to shop for them in Dubai, London and Paris. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm.


"I feel that with some real infrastructure development and opportunity to create luxury environments for luxury brands to come in, this market has enormous potential to become a key luxury capital of Africa," said Ozwald Boateng, a top British fashion designer born to Ghanaian parents who recently showed a collection at Arise Magazine Fashion Week in Lagos.

"I have some very good clients here but I want to have more," said Boateng, who has a flagship store on London's prestigious Savile Row, where bespoke suits start at around $6,500. Since independence in 1960, wealth flowed into Nigeria as crude oil pumped out. The OPEC nation's easily refined crude remains a top energy source for the U.S. However, politicians and military rulers squandered billions of dollars through the corruption choking the nation's potential.

Then democracy took hold in 1999, and other industries have since developed in the country of 160 million, including banking and telecommunications. Billionaire Aliko Dangote, whose net worth is $11.2 billion according to Forbes magazine, built his empire on commodities like flour, sugar and cement. Another billionaire, Mike Adenuga, runs an oil company and Globacom Ltd., one of Nigeria's largest mobile phone service providers.

Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos, along with four other of Africa's largest cities, will each have consumer spending of $25 billion or more by 2020, according to a McKinsey & Co. report. That's comparable to spending in India's business hub of Mumbai.

That purchasing power is starting to draw new brands into Nigeria. Those include LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, one of the world's largest luxury brand groups; Amrapali Jewels Pvt. Ltd., which makes jewels for Hollywood and Bollywood stars; and Porsche AG. Those businesses often work with partners already established in Nigeria's difficult businesses environment, where there are no dedicated luxury shopping areas. Luxury companies can run small operations, get little competition and have markups that make the profits high.

LVMH, the French luxury conglomerate, has doubled its marketing efforts in Nigeria to sell its top-shelf wines and liquors. The company also came out with a commemorative Hennessy cognac bottle in honor of Nigeria's 50th independence in 2010 — a sign of the country's value to the company.

"Nigeria is the largest market in Africa and the Middle East for Moet Hennessy," said the company's Nigeria marketing manager, Tokini Peterside. "For Hennessy cognac, Nigeria ranks among the Top 10 consuming countries in the world."

It's not just cognac that Nigerian top buyers want. Indian jewelers Amrapali sold a $37,000 necklace in Nigeria that set a diamond in 22-karat gold with blue, yellow and red sapphires and hope to sell others at the store they stock in Nigeria.

"We've noticed that people are not afraid to wear bold things," said Sameer Lilani, a London-based representative for Amrapali. "It suits people here and it suits the climate. The delicate things didn't get such a good reaction."

Sports car maker Porsche also recently opened a showroom on Lagos' Victoria Island, home to many company headquarters and homes for the nation's wealthiest citizens. The open-air showroom, visible from traffic on one of the island's busiest roads, prominently displays the new Porsche 911 Carrera S, starting from about $150,000.

"In any project that we do, we look far beyond today," said George Wills, Porsche's managing director for the Middle East and Africa. "Whilst today the numbers may not be significant, what will happen with Porsche in the future as we produce new models, new derivatives, is that these will create bigger opportunities."

Spending that much money on a Porsche that goes from zero to 60 miles per hour in four seconds may not make sense in the reality of Nigeria, where poorly maintained roads have axle-eating potholes. Such spending also draws criticism from social commentators, especially as a recent government report showed more than 100 million people in Nigeria live in poverty, subsisting on less than $2 a day.

Yet the spending continues in a nation where the rich take out full-page newspaper advertisements to celebrate birthdays and bells ring and waiters light up sparklers when a table buys a bottle of Champagne.

Many of those waiting the tables and hustling chewing gum in traffic hold out the belief, based on churches preaching financial prosperity, that they too will some day look out at the world from behind tinted glass.

"There is a sense of opportunity here. People believe 'my turn will come,'" said Folarin Gbadebo-Smith, the director of the Centre for Public Policy Alternatives in Lagos. "Whereas in many other places there's that sense that where you find yourself in society could be permanent, here everybody is rich in waiting."

http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/1149982-luxury-brands-target-nigerias-wealthy-elite.html#.1272-stage-MostReadArticles1-undef

REALITY101: 401K benefit of screwing Seun and Jay-bee

Why are Nigerian Men Obsessed With Nigerian Girls?

What a Question! So much on wanting to start a thread. SMH

The events of the last few months in Nigeria appear to suggest that there is a strategic plan by the political elites in the north to retain power by all means. This conclusion is bolstered by their behaviour during the last days of the President Umaru Ya'Ardua. Early in 2011, in an article http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2011/feb/181.html published in the Nigeriaworld website I highlighting the utterance of one Senator Jubril and the potential of such views to lay the foundation for conflict. Unfortunately, after the election, some of the anxieties I expressed in the article began to unfold as innocent youth coppers paid the price with their lives.


Since then in series of articles I have chronicled Nigeria descent to anarchy but it would seem to to me that Many Nigeria do not yet realise the seriousness of the problem the country has to confront. I suppose, if Noah could not convince the people of his time that the time to build a boat for an impending flood was before the flood, I do not think I would convince Nigerians to take what is coming very serious. Nigeria is facing a very bleak future because of its corrupt and dishonest leadership and some people who are determined to impose their religion and world view on the rest of Nigeria; and would not be satisfied unless they impose their religious world view on the whole of Nigeria and control the oil. It would seem that this clandestine plan is entering its last stage. It looks as if the people behind this unholy plan wishes to use With Boko Haram to instil fear into Nigerian so that they would give in to its demand for a new revenue sharing formula. In the past they would just have carried out a coup, but they recognise that we are now living in a new world and the world powers will not react favourably to it.

They have sent their attack dogs to justify politics if intimidation and Sanusi set the ball rolling. He has passed it to the 19 northern governors who will pass it to speaker of the house of Assembly, who will then bribe legislators from east, west and south and a new revenue sharing formula will be agreed and Boko Haram will end its terrorist activities. The north is holding a gun to the head of rest of Nigeria and not a significant number of politicians from the east, west or south can demonstrate that they can read the political situation. Any serious politician, who has the interest and future of the people of Nigeria he represents at heart, would have read the intentions of the people behind this sectarian plan right from their attitude to Jonathan assuming power on the death of Umaru Ya ar dua.

It is a pity that majority of those in position of power in Nigeria, especially from the East, West and south appear ignorant of how sophisticated the north is, in protecting its parochial interests at the expense of the interest of the rest of Nigeria. For the most of the time the north held power, it concentrated mainly on the interest of the north. It has done this by bribing leaders form the south, east and west, making them very rich and leaving them too compromised to stand up for the interest of their regions. This is still going on. The ruling class in the north appears to believe only in a one Nigeria where it controls the oil and free to pursue its Islamisation agenda. The oil may be in the south, but at the moment, it is controlled by the north. Most of the so called oil allocations are held by the northerners. More northerners have benefited from Nigeria oil wealth than the rest of Nigeria put together. The sudden claim that the revenue sharing formula is unjust is a calculated attempt to distract from the evil fruits of Islamic terrorism which they planted in Nigeria. Revenue sharing formula does not rank very high on the immediate problems of Nigeria. To bring it up at a time Nigeria is grabbling with Islamic terrorism and the cancer of political corruption, raises very serious questions about the relationship between those who are offering revenue sharing formala as the reason for terrorism and Boko Hram. The serious problems Nigeria has to find solutions to are; endemic and institutionalised corruption, Islamic terrorism, religious intolerance, ethnic prejudices and the North’s Islamic agenda for Nigeria. Northerners should be asking their leaders what they did with all the oil money they have appropriated to themselves and the region in the time they have ruled Nigeria, instead of attempted to muddle the water by crying injustice when accountability should be demanded. This is ingratitude mixed with greed and arrogance, and can only lead to hardening of attitudes on both sides. The north appears to have failed to recognise that Nigeria is a marriage of convenience whose survival rests on the cooperation of the partners and respect for the partner that pays the bills. The real questions which Nigerians need to answer are;

Why should most of the oil blocks go to northerners?
How is the decision to award an individual oil block made
Is there a better and fairer ways of exploring oil fields apart from people in power allocating oil blocks to their cronies, based on ethnic, religious or political affiliations?
How should the Nigeria oil industry be managed in a way that would stop few people benefiting from it and allow all to enjoy its dividends
What social responsibilities should those who benefits unfairly from Nigeria oil have to the rest of the country and what percentage of their profit should they pay as social development tax to help fund poverty alleviation programs in Nigeria?
These are the type of questions Nigerians should be seeking answers for, if indeed we want to build a viable country. We should be looking at ways to address the injustices, discriminations and inequalities in our society by addressing the various ways current government policies and practices, worsen natural disadvantages, and continue to give undue advabtages to those born with natural advantages. This attempt at fairer wealth distribution must take place if Nigeria will join the community of developed nations. It is simply unacceptable for few individuals to make millions of dollars from oil, while all around them are millions of people living in poverty whose lives would have been better, if the leaders had been honest, caring, took interest in the plight of the people and invested in their future. A millionaire in one of Russia’s caucuses is just doing that. Why can’t the Babangidas, Obasanjos, Sarakis, Danjumas Mai Deribes, Dangotes Tunubus and the many who benefit from oil blocks, invest in social programmes to help address Nigeria’s social inequality and poverty? If the north is poor, it should hold its leaders responsible as they boost of more oil millionaires than the rest of Nigeria put together.

In April of last year in an article Ethnic nationality the elephant in Nigeria http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2011/apr/142.html I discussed the danger ethnic nationalism of the type the north is now engaging in, poses to the future of Nigeria. The evidence would suggest that the north believes only in Islamic economy which is simply autocracy plus oil money. This may explain why it is desperate to regain power and further dominate the oil economy which it currently controls. It is obvious that the elements in the north behind this tragedy are suffering withdrawal syndrome because of loss of power. Nigerians should not be fooled; the Hausa-Fulani Oligarchy would be prepared to attempt anything to regain power. With Sanusi Lamido firmly in control of the Central Bank, and taking the Islamic agenda to the third gear by establishing the Islamic Bank; all he has to do is set up a direct debit for the Islamic Bank from the national account and Nigerians would not know how much of the oil revenue ends go straight into North’s account at the Islamic bank. Of course, no one would notice because no one really knows how much Nigeria makes from oil, or how many barrels of oil Nigeria produces daily. It is important to note that Nigerian sovereign fund has been decreasing even though the price of oil has remained high. We really need to find all the holes in the Nigeria’s federation account. If the evidence is anything to go by, it would seem that the north is not prepared to play by civil rules and it is determined to play politics by the old way, and the rest of Nigeria has to find appropriate response to this. It is perhaps the worst thing that could happen to any country to have people who want to impose an Islamic state and believe that the only way of achieving it is by violence in the name of Jihad.

From Russia Caucuses through Afghanistan to Somalia, people who want Islamic state, bomb innocent people and assassinate anybody who holds a contrary opinion. The developed world and all civilised people know that Islamic fundamentalism or any religious extremism is a cancer in any society which has to be radically addressed. It is impossible to have peace when there are active attempt by groups of people to impose Islam or any other religion in the country. The government must begin to vigorously address the theological basis of this evil ideology that sanctions terror as legitimate route to power. All over the world, wherever there is the type of Islam imported from Saudi Arabia, there is no peace. A religion that venerates people who use violence and kill innocent people cannot be of God. Nigerians need to wake up to the danger, extreme Islam poses to its survival and development as country.

At the moment, the 19 northern governors have taken the ball from where Sanusi left it and are demanding a renegotiation of revenue sharing formula on its own terms. Finally it is obvious that what has been happening in north Nigeria is an orchestrated plan by the ruling elite in the north to regain power. They were prepared to allow Boko Haram to kill innocent southerners particularly Igbos so that they can frighten the rest of Nigerian into giving them what they want. The rest of Nigeria should call their bluff and refuse to negotiate with the north while it is pointing a gun to their heads. The fact that Boko Haram appears to attack targets where the casualty would include northerners and Muslims should not distract from their aim. After all, the Zionist bombed King David Hotel in Jerusalem in 1948, knowing that a number of Jews would be killed. When a people employ violence as legitimate instrument of their struggle, they do not discriminate on casualty as long as they achieve their aims.

It is clear that the North’s idea of a perfect country is Saudi Arabia where many of its leaders go on hajj. This is perhaps why it wants to turn Nigeria’s economy into and Islamic economy and take control of the oil. This would seem to be the grand plan and Boko Haram a means to an end. If the north is unable to get what it wants by using Boko Haram, it may destabilise the Nigeria army and precipitate a civil war which it may believes it would win because of those backing her. The fact is that fundamentalist Islam like any other extrem and intolerant religion which has no place for reason, or dissent, is always prepared to use violence to achieve its objectives. I say this, not because I hate Islam, but because what it is doing is a feature of any religion which seeks power to impose its values on others. It shows features of religions which have no place for tolerance and plurality of views.

What we have now in Nigeria is a situation where northern elites are trying to use Boko Haram as a bargaining chip for change of the revenue sharing formula and the way Nigeria natural resources are administered. This is unfortunate and ill thought out. What it does is remove any iota of doubt that they are indeed behind Boko Haram when in reality they may not. It is bad, dangerous, audacious and opportunistic politics; which would back fire very disastrously. whatever happens, north Nigeria would become a very unlikely place for the world to want to do business. The north really needs to employ a political strategist who has some understanding of human psychology. Their current move is beneath contempt and should be condemned. The north is trying to benefit from terror. It is despicable. If they wanted to renegotiate the revenue sharing formula, why did they not advise their representatives in the National assembly to raise it for debate? After all, the speaker is a northerner. Why would the north prefer to unleash terror on Igbos and many other Nigerians in the north to achieve its political objective?

It is obvious that the interest of the north in Nigeria is restricted what it can get and how much power it can exercise over the resources. It would seem that it has no honest interest in building a united Nigeria where liberty and human rights are sacrosanct. Its aim appears to be to foist an Islamic and ethnic agenda on Nigerians rather than investing in Nigeria’s shared future, and making it a viable place for the world to invest and visit. Perhaps the north is only interested in two things, oil and Islam. Maybe, that is why Sanusi Lamido is hell bent in turning Nigerian economy into an Islamic economy. Perhaps the next move will be for the north to help one of its Boko Haram generals to take over the Nigerian army and we will be all doomed.

Until Nigerians realise that we have a country where a section of it is completely loyal to radical Islam and is determined to take over power by fair or foul means, we will not begin to address this serious problem which threaten our freedom and security. Our leaders, who should be spending sleepless nights finding ways to diffuse this time bomb, are gallivanting round the world in private jets enjoying their loot. Nigerians need to wake up. We are sleeping on top of a time bomb. Good men from east, west. South and north of Nigeria have to come together to build a new non ethnic and non-religious nation or decide the best way to dismember the country for Nigerians to part ways peacefully.

We cannot afford to have another Darfur, Somalia or Afghanistan in Nigeria, with Boko Haram burning villages in different parts of Nigeria and displacing the people while all we can do is pray and ask for more prayers. This is usually the next stage in this type of war. Islam is well aware that prophets who do not bear arms come to ruin. Their religion justifies the use of violence to achieve power, if the aims include enforcing Islamic laws. Nigerians wake up! hell has come home.

By E O Eke
eoeke@aol.com

^^^The Nation is already in the Abyss. How low can our nation get my bro?

RESIDENTS of Olotun Street, Eyean Quarters, Benin City were thrown into confusion, in the early hours of Friday, when the body of a popular herbalist, Osayamwen aka Dr 2+2, was found after he allegedly committed suicide.

The body of the deceased was found hanging on the rope he tied to the ceiling in his bedroom. The herbalist, who also operated a hotel before his death, was said to have related well with friends and family who were with him Thursday night.


When Sunday Vanguard visited the scene, residents were shocked as they gathered in groups discussing what could have led to the suspected suicide.

The residence of the deceased was under lock and key as his action was seen as a sacrilege. Some residents claimed that until traditional chiefs in the area were consulted, it would be risky to touch his body.

It was learnt that the case was reported at the Oregbeni police station and at the palace of the traditional ruler in the area.

A son of the deceased, Emmanuel Osayamwan, who was visibly shocked by the incident, said he was yet to ascertain the reason for his dad's action as " he was in high spirit when we saw yesterday (Thursday)".

I'm sorry...sooner than later...Casper is going to realize that Jenny from the Block has been around that block one too many times. Not every young guy is Ashton Kutcher (and even he could not handle dealing with a woman that was way too old for him!) It might be that sight of her in the morning with no makeup and her hair looking like a rat's nest...he'll bail. The only way it'll last is if money, and a lot of it, come into the picture. And don't get me started on the not one but TWO rugrats!

After her highly publicized split from husband Marc Anthony last summer after seven years of marriage, superstar Jennifer Lopez could have taken her love life in a few different directions. She could have played the field, could have sworn off men for a few years, and could have even reconciled with Anthony, the father of her twin 4-year-olds (though he was a partner many thought was a mismatch from the start). Instead the 42-year-old pop singer, movie actress, and reality show judge jumped right back into a monogamous relationship, and has had the public enthralled ever since thanks to the fact the guy, a backup dancer named Casper Smart, is just 24 years old. (Would a man in his 40s have caused this kind of frenzy if he dated a woman 18 years his junior? Of course not. It's a double standard for sure, but we can debate sexism another time.) Since getting together with the very tattooed Smart a few months ago, the couple has been spotted everywhere together — from the "American Idol" set to Carnival in Brazil to a fashion shoot in Miami — but Lopez has stayed mostly mum on the subject of her new love. In the April issue of Vogue, however, she gives us a little insight into why she's so smitten.

"He's adorable. But you already see that," she tells the reporter. When he mentions that Smart seems very loving and sweet, she agrees. "He is. He really is. He's a good egg. I don't want to talk about it too much. It's my private thing."



According to the writer, who got a peek at the two of them together recently, Lopez seems quite happy around her new main squeeze and the couple can't keep their hands off each other. The mom of two, it seems, has no problem relating to a younger man: "I don't feel older, and I don't feel like I look it, either, so I am just acting the same way I have always acted," she admits.

Her long-time manager Benny Medina, however, isn't afraid to share more: "She's not oblivious to her own reality right now, as in, 'Damn, I'm 42 with a 24-year-old. Why?'" Medina says in the article. "We talked about it yesterday. She was just like, 'It's not even the age, Benny. It's actually that I just came out of a relationship where I felt like I was kind of not getting what I needed. And I'm open! So somebody who steps in right now and is actually touching me in a way — it's very fertile ground!'"

The loyal Medina also had other concerns about Lopez's string of monogamous partners: "The thing that I always sort of wished is that she would give herself time to just naturally meet someone," he says, "instead of having nearly obsessive guys pursue her. The ease with which that obsession becomes a relationship I think sometimes works against her ability to have a real meaningful relationship."


It was long reported that Lopez's ex Anthony — with whom she still has an amicable relationship — was a controlling spouse who often attempted to run her career and get her to dress more conservatively, a far cry from her signature style. And despite navigating her way to an amazingly successful career and calling herself "Jenny from the Block," Lopez insists she's a softie at heart, describing herself as a "mushy romantic." "By nature I am not tough, believe it or not," she reveals in the interview. "No. I am a lover. And with my kids I am even softer."

Lopez, who has now been married and divorced three times and has had other public breakups with stars including Sean Combs and Ben Affleck, may have finally realized the key to making it work: "If you don't love yourself, you can't love anybody else. And I think as women we really forget that. All we want is to be happy, to feel secure, to feel understood," she explains. "But you can't look for somebody else to do that for you. You think about it. . . . Oh, yeah, of course I care about myself. Of course I have good self-esteem. But when you really take a good look, you are not treating yourself like someone who does. And when you let people treat you in a way that you don't want to be treated, it's not their fault. It's yours."

debrief08: What is funny about a desperate mans attempt to end his life? He has been owed for years, case was in court that day the court ruled against him on the issue of jurisdiction and he said he had no where to go from there hence the attempted suicide. We are really insnsitive to the plight of others. If you have never had dealings with the so called "big men" in Nigeria you wont understand how wicked and greedy they can be, sometimes the aides will hijack your money. Our Big men like owing and free stuff, If Govt is not paying for it then be sure to sweat blood before you can get your money back.
I am so sad that we do not have a shred of humanity left, times are very hard and peopla re desperate, is it till they turn suicide bombers that we will stop laughing and start listening to the desperate cries of others?

Well Said.