₦airaland Forum

Andy Ubah is a household name in not just Anambra politics, but in Nigeria at large. A name that, in the contemporary history, has resounded more than every other note in the symphony of Anambra politics and, the sound of which, sends crippling shivers to the spines of his foes in the state.

The age-long unrepentant subject of Olusegun Obasanjo, really learnt the trade of Nigerian politics early and when necessary from his Master. Though a Dr of Bio-Sciences, working in the USA, Ubah was present in Nigeria both in spirit and in soul with firm dedication to ensuring that the political ambition of his god-father, Obasanjo was a reality. And eventually, fate dealt well. Obasanjo won in 1999.

Good history students and minders would well agree that the political relevance and valuation of Andy Ubah started off from the Obasanjo victory in 1999, who, as the then President, compensated Ubah’s efforts and loyalty with the position of Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties and Domestic Affairs; a post that benefited only Andy himself, his family and possibly, his friends. Of course, the appointment was shortlived after he was caught amidst smuggling US$170, 000 into the USA via Obasanjo's presidential jet and was subsequently sacked from his position and rendered him jobless.

It is however, not surprising that the easy coast to political power of Andy Ubah birthed the blatant abuse of and arrogance with power that dominated his career growth in Politics; and that, his career has been replete with allegations and revelations of corruption and every other claim that underpins impunity.

The Call of the Chairman, 1999 House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs on the EFCC to arrest Andy Ubah (who was addressed then with the moniker, “gatekeeper “ of Obasanjo ); the money laundering indictment of the “gatekeeper” by Saminu Turaki, the then Governor of Jigawa State, in July, 2007, in which Saminu strongly claimed that Andy coordinated the transfer of N50million to each of the then Senators from the N2billion Saminu allegedly provided to fund Obasanjo’s third term bid; these were the earliest sounds of the impeding furors.

With Dr Mbadinuju used and dumped in the 1999-2003, presumably for breach of contract on sharing loots from the state treasury, Ngige was installed as the right pipe for the Ubah brothers to suck-up the remains in the state treasury, of course, with the help of Obasanjo (an arrangement Obasanjo himself attested to, according to Insider Weekly, Issue No 52, December 29, 2013".

Ngige, an incumbent Governor was kidnapped in a broad day light and was forced to a shrine to swear to the oath/covenant of siphoning every kobo that entered the treasury of the state. The unyielding Ngige was forced out to make way for Peter Obi who proved even more impossible to the “political bully”, Andy Ubah and yes, his younger brother.

With the plans of indirectly governing Anambra foiled
Continue reading here:http://igbobia.com/?q=andy-ubah-a-politician-with-no-leadership-value-facts-and-truths-1.html

jahsharon:
This is nonsense, why would Awolowo give food to Biafrans? Do you feed your enemies to fight you? Did Biafrans expect Yorubas, Fulanis and Hausas to go farm and get food for the Biafrans while the Biafrans were shooting at the Yoruba/Hausa/Fulani? Starvation is a war strategy, if you start any yeye war again without getting food and weapons, then the 1967 to 1970 Christmas party will be repeated. Obasanjo, Buhari, T.Y. Danjuma and other war veterans are still alive and when they eventually die, their children and children's children will still be alive to continue from where their fathers stopped. Remember that Obasanjo's son is currently a Major General in the Nigerian Army, likewise, others too have children in the Nigerian Army.

Lol...Bro...quite funny...

As sent in be a facebook user, there is a Massive Demolition Of Buildings Going On along Faulks Road in Aba Abia State.

See other pictures: http://igbobia.com/?q=massive-demolition-of-building-ongoing-in-aba-see-pictures.html

SonOfEl:
These afonjas should keep deluding themselves....AWOLOWO is a disgrace to humanity.

My dear...that could be harsh you know

Nigerian Leaders are as it were, guilty of stiffling the underlinng truths strongly fundamental to the worst historical experience of the country. More baffling is the deliberate obliteration of this bitter reality from the education circle in other to prevent the agitated mind from being abreast of the fact and realities of The Nigeria-Biafra war.

Amongst historians, there is concensus that one idea was the major winning strategy Nigeria employed in the war, of course, with the assistance of the British Government, which is the economic policy of mindless starvation,(economic blockade) which many humanitarians termed ECONOMIC GENOCIDE. The person at the helm of affairs in the Financial Commission was Obafemi Awolowo who was also adjuged next, only after the Head of State, Yakubu Gowon.

He had sole decision power and his signature ensured action. Nothing could have been done without him as all the Monetary/Financial policies were attributed to him as the sole mastermind. It therefore, seeks no further explanation, the huge role Awolowo played in the war viz, the initiation of monetary policies that starved to death over three million Biafrans as asserted by British Jeremy Thorpe.

Nevertheless, as expected, in 1983, prior the Presidential election, Awolowo debunked facts indicting him on this WAR CRIME.

The unsatisfactory response of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, with all due respect, to these barraging facts has resurged this critique.

Below is an excerpt of his Answer at a Town Hall Interview at Abeokuta, 1983, which was Moderated by Oparadike, followed by the critique.

TWENTY POUNDS POLICY.

That’s what I did, and the case of the money they said was not given back to them, you know during the war all the pounds were looted, they printed Biafran currency notes, which they circulated, at the close of the war some people wanted their Biafran notes to be exchanged for them. Of course I couldn’t do that, if I did that the whole country would be bankrupt. We didn’t know about Biafran notes and we didn’t know on what basis they have printed them, so we refused the Biafran note, but I laid down the principle that all those who had savings in the banks on the eve of the declaration of the Biafran war or Biafra, will get their money back if they could satisfy us that they had the savings there, or the money there. Unfortunately, all the banks’s books had been burnt, and many of the people who had savings there didn’t have their saving books or their last statement of account, so a panel had to be set up.

I didn’t take part in setting up the panel, it was done by the Central bank and the pertinent officials of the ministry of finance, to look into the matter, and they went carefully into the matter, they took some months to do so, and then make some recommendation which I approved. Go to the archives, all I did was approve, I didn’t write anything more than that, I don’t even remember the name of any of them who took part. So I did everything in this world to assist our Ibo brothers and sisters during and after the war.

And anyone who goes back to look at my broadcast in August 1967, which dealt with post-war reconstruction, would see what I said there.

STARVATION POLICY

Then, but above all, the ending of the war itself that I’m accused of, accused of starving the Ibos, I did nothing of the sort. You know, shortly after the liberation of these places, Calabar, Enugu and Port Harcort, I decided to pay a visit. There are certain things which I knew which you don’t know, which I don’t want to say here now, when I write my reminisces in the future I will do so. Some of the soldiers were not truthful with us, they didn’t tell us correct stories and so on.

I wanted to be there and see things for myself, bear in mind that Gowon himself did not go there at that time, it was after the war was over that he dorn himself up in various military dresses- Air force dress, Army dress and so on, and went to the war torn areas. But I went and some people tried to frighten me out of my goal by saying that Adekunle was my enemy and he was going to see to it that I never return from the place, so I went.

But when I went what did I see? I saw the kwashiorkor victims. If you see a kwashiorkor victim you’ll never like war to be waged. Terrible sight, in Enugu, in Port Harcourt, not many in Calabar, but mainly in Enugu and Port Harcourt. Then I enquired what happened to the food we are sending to the civilians. We were sending food through the Red cross, and CARITAS to them, but what happen was that the vehicles carrying the food were always ambushed by the soldiers. That’s what I discovered, and the food would then be taken to the soldiers to feed them, and so they were able to continue to fight. And I said that was a very dangerous policy, we didn’t intend the food for soldiers. But who will go behind the line to stop the soldiers from ambushing the vehicles that were carrying the food? And as long as soldiers were fed, the war will continue, and who’ll continue to suffer? and those who didn’t go to the place to see things as I did, you remember that all the big guns, all the soldiers in the Biafran army looked all well fed after the war, its only the mass of the people that suffered kwashiorkor.

You wont hear of a single lawyer, a single doctor, a single architect, who suffered from kwashiorkor? None of their children either, so they waylaid the foods, they ambush the vehicles and took the foods to their friends and to their collaborators and to their children and the masses were suffering. So I decided to stop sending the food there. In the process the civilians would suffer, but the soldiers will suffer most.

CRITIQUE/QUESTIONS BEGGING FOR ANSWER

If all the pounds were looted and Awolowo did Biafra favour by giving the people who were as at the time, before the war, wealthiest race in Africa, 20pounds, how come the South West and North retained the amounts they had prior to the war?

Awolowo said “I didn’t take part in setting up the panel, it was done by the Central bank and the pertinent officials of the ministry of finance, to look into the matter, and they went carefully into the matter, they took some months to do so, and then make some recommendation which I approved

Yet, he boasted of how he solely, though confiding in Akpan and Attah, took the decision of changing the currency of Nigeria to economically destabilise Biafrans. And how his guarded secret was only revealed to Gowon a day before its implementation, just to show the unrestrained freedom he had as the Minister of Finance and Vice President of the Executive Council which saw him second only to Gowon. He was in-charge, making all the decisions.

How does it appeal to common sense that the Nigerian Government was sending food to the same people it tagged as enemies and rebels and engaged in horrifying blood-letting; the same civilians Nigerian Army massacred in their thousands in the open fields of Asaba, Umuahia, Nsukka etc...?

How does it appeal to reason that the Nigerian Government had as part of its starvation strategy, food blockage and border closure immediately it started gaining control of Biafra land, again, thanks to international assistance, and still sent food to Biafra.?

How does it seem that the international humanitarian organisations that worked during the war could not attest to the claims of food supply to Biafrans by the Nigerian Government. On the contrary, hue and cries from International Organisations over the deliberate and pathetically so, move by the Nigerian government to wipe out Ndi Igbo from the face of the earth was compelling enough. BBC.UK, on its This Day segment reported: “1969: (30 June) Nigeria bans Red Cross aid to Biafra Millions of people face starvation because Nigeria has banned night flights of food aid to Biafra, a breakaway state at war with federal Nigeria.”

Again, Jeremy Thorpe, British politician and the Liberal Party leader cried out “There are three million people who are going to starve to death in the next few weeks unless something is done”.

http://igbobia.com/?q=obafemi-awolowos-answer-on-his-starvation-policy-against-biafrans-the-hidden-truth.html

Intrepid01:
Bros I am not also fighting you.....Ibos looked up to Ojukwu at the time cos he was outspoken about their course. He assumed the role of a leader . Nobody made him the leader of the Ibos but himself. Come to think of it, how can he even be chosen as the leader of the Ibos when people like Nnamdi Azikiwe was still living?

But the dude was power drunk, he wanted power by all means and couldn't stomach the fact that Gowon is now the Head of State.

He took an opportunity at the expense of his own people, just like many Ibo leaders did with him.

Often times inhave asked these questions; howany of Ojukwus, Achebes, Effiongs, Azikiwes children died either through the celebrated starvation or gun during the war?

Despite the propagated animosity during the war, how come Achebe was still able to father 2 children during the war?

How come Ojukwu was able to make provision for his family when he was fleeing but couldn't make provisions for the people of Biafra? Rather, he left them to suffer the bad fate he brought on them.

Adolf Hitler could have ran away after it became clear that he had lost, Mohammad Ghadaffi was offered assylum by Russia and Saudi Arabia, they all refused cos they were men of Honour; who were genuine in their course, stood and died for what they believed in.

But our Coward friend (Ojukwu) after beating his chest that he'll bring Nigeria to her kneels , after subjecting the Ibos to unwanted war , he fled in the middle of the night.

Maybe he would have died a hero if he lost his life during the war , rather than live a villain after the war. No wonder Ibos never voted for him in all the elections he contested. Even Nnewi Senatorial election he lost.

What a shame.

1. On the Paragraph, I think it safe to say, with all due respect, that you seem not to be abreast with the nature of leadership. Circumstances make Leaders. Leadership isn't basically a position or a role. It is the function of a personality in a circumstances. Leaders are born out of the circumstance of either solving a problem or creating one.
2. I would perhaps, give you the benefit of the doubt by putting out the question of Azikiwe and Ojukwu who is a better leader to Ndi Igbo and graciously, I would share the responses with you and so, I believe, you take back that line comparing Ojukwu /Azikiwe when the Biafra war is given a mention.

3.From all accounts by international writers, safe Pro-Nigerian-history-distorting-writers, there is consensus underpinned in strong facts that Ojukwu left the shores of Biafra Land under unwavering persuasion from the Leaders and right thinking persons of Biafra because if he had been captured, it would have meant that one, Nigeria won the war, two, that there would never be the mention of Biafra, there could have been conviction and possible imprisonment or execution of the Biafra armies that fought the alongside Ojukwu which Nigerian Government was ever matching forward to.
4. Biafra, in the account of the war, from the side of truth, out-tpowered Nigeria, having captured her territory as far a past Ore and over the banks of kogi and Benue. Nigeria could only rely on external assistance and the of course, the Historic sabotage from a Yoruba man, Banjo and his Igbo counterpart, Ifeajunna.
5. The facts are out there that Ojukwu made all moves possible to prevent the war but the cabal that dictated for Gown never wanted that to happen because the world, influenced by the British government was yet behind Nigeria.
Please, Bro, make your research before setting out your hypothesis.

Intrepid01:
Can you see that your sense of reasoning n comprehension needs urgent improvement?

Who made him the leader of the Eastern Nigeria?

Does bn the Governor of Eastern Nigeria,via appointment of the FG at the time translates to "leader" in your own word?

You decided to be smart by half and left all.the damming points and ask an irrelevant question, maybe you should ask yourself what caused the pogrom as well.

Bro, I am not fighting with you. Can't just start now.
However, on the question of whether Ojukwu was a Leader of the Eastern Nigeria...come on...that shouldn't even resurface. Every Easterner looked up to Ojukwu as at then. For your benefit, I would recommend you read the account of N.U. Akpan, the then Chief of (Civil Service) Staff in which he highlighted how Ndi Igbo "looked up to him as their saviour from the Massacre". They pleaded with him to recall Igbo people in Kaduna, Kano and other crisis torn areas then.
Ojukwu was just more than an idol then and it would be expensively ridiculous to say the least.

Intrepid01:
Lol...kikikikikiki....it is so unfortunate that this lies will continue to spread till eternity.....look at he children of hate blaming Awolowo for self inflicted pain and death.
I read the article carefully and I could see through the wall scripted self exhonorating lies of Mr. Azikiwe. Who in many instances absolved himself of any blame whatsoever. He was so smart that he apportion blame to both sides (Awolowo , FG and Ojukwu) but none to himself. That is typical of an Ibo man, they are never wrong. Ofcourse how can they be wrong?

Imagine a stupid argument and statement from Ojukwu and his errand peace maker, you want to make peace with Nigeria. You didn't seek solution in Nigeria but rather declared a sovereignty within a sovereignty a d you're expecting the other party to come sit with you in a round table. Discussing what exactly?

Imagine some one takes a portion of your land and his seeking for peace afterward. Why not return the land and address the issue that made you do that in the first place....

Many people have not asked the right question, beyond the exaggerated pogrom of 1966 which was causedby the killing of Northern leaders by Ibo soldiers,could there be other reasons for Ojukwus hurryfor seccession?

What was really Ojukwus problem about accepting Gowon as the Head of state?

Why declare a war when you know you dont have want it takes to fight it?

If the pogrom of 1966 by Northern soldiers was bad, then Ojukwus declaration of seccession was worse. Cos that singular action resulted in more death than the pogrom.

Lastly, why will a Soldier who declared war for the love of his people ( assume), in the thick of it abandon the same people and run with his own family to anoda country?

You agreed there was a pogrom/a senseless blood-letting and massacre (which I will soon dig out) and then you agreed Ojukwu was a soldier, even more, a leader of the Eastern Nigeria. What was a soldier supposed to do when the people he had sworn to protect were continually Massacred, so much so, without justifiable Basis?

The fierce, acute violence and bloodshed the Nigerian politics is bathed with today is quite a mild reminiscence of the past years, especially the epoch of the most horrifying experience; The Nigeria-Biafra War.

Fourty years after, Nigeria is incapacitated at, or much so, the leaders are negligent of, curbing the lead causes of the civil war which are now more resurgent in country's political life.

The issue of self-determination which for ill-informed reasons was termed secession, is now, more than before, the giant ant that has perched on the scrotun.

To re-assure us with the true stance of this issue, I shall henceforth brief us with facts.

Here is an excerpt of the interview Mohammed Haruna, New Nigerian's Political Correspondent had with Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onitsha, in 1979.

"But if I can take you on again, perhaps one can say here too that there was disparity between principles and practice because quite a lot of people say you played a prominent role in Biafra.

ZIK: Yes. I played a prominent role in Biafra for the unity of the country in order to restore peace and bring about unity of the country. That’s the role I played. I advised Ojukwu. I said well look, you have declared secession. What we should do is to get the elder statesmen and women of the nation to reconcile you and Gowon. I said by declaring secession, you get so many people who do not believe you to remain there. You see all of us were interned. As we were interned then, we couldn’t express our own views as we see it because, he made Decree Number 5 which vested absolute powers in himself and if you were against his views, it then constituted an act of subversion and the penalty was death by shooting. Well, it was a war-time measure and that is understandable. So, I advised him. I said go to the conference table and iron out your differences. Allow elder statesmen and elder stateswomen to bring the two of you to the conference table and settle this matter so that there will no more be civil war and the country may be united. He agreed. But Gowon was advised by the Ministry of External Affairs to insist on pre-conditions. That is that before he could negotiate with the secessionists, that they must accept certain terms; accept the 12-state structure and all. So, it was quite obvious that the Federal Government wanted Biafra to come to the conference table with their hands tied and their feet tied. But they won’t be free agents. That was the diplomatic mistake on the part of the Federal Government. So, when they did that, then Lt- Col. Ojukwu told me, “How can I go to the conference table based on these ultimatums?”

Still I advised Ojukwu to go to the OAU and ask them to use their good offices to settle the dispute and that we should avoid loss of lives. He accepted my advice in good faith. Then he said, ‘Now, you have some heads of state in Africa who are your friends, would you mind going to appeal to them to use their good offices so that the Nigerian civil war could be an item on the agenda for OAU summit in Kinshasa?’ I said I would gladly go. So he sent me to Monrovia as a peace envoy. I went there and met my friend, President Tubman. Tubman expressed his willingness to use his good offices. He told me he would see another mutual friend, the late Haile Sellassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, and both of them would see that the civil war was placed as first item on the agenda of the OAU Summit in Kinshasa.

I returned and broke the news to Ojukwu. He was very pleased. Then, when the OAU summit opened, Chief Awolowo, as Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Commissioner for Finance, led a strong Nigerian delegation to Kinshasa and raised a very strong objective on the Nigerian civil war being placed as an item on the agenda on the grounds that according to the OAU Charter, this was a domestic affairs and member states were precluded from interfering in the domestic affairs of each other, which was really sound according to international law. But we wanted to solve it in the African way, to use mediation and conciliation to bring two warring brothers together.

The OAU accepted the submission of Chief Awolowo and so it was not put into the agenda. Well, history will show now between Chief Awolowo and myself, who actually accentuated the war. I was trying to get the OAU to settle the dispute so they could go to the conference table and he was thinking of legalism, that it would amount to interference in the domestic affairs of a member-state. But meanwhile here you have two brothers killing each other.

Well, Ojukwu told me, I have done my best. You see, Nigeria was relying on law and we are relying on humanity. What’s next? I said why not try other heads of states and see what could be done to bring about peace? He then said he left the initiative with me. I suggested going to some heads of state and see what can be done. But his advisers led by Dr. Nwakama Okoro suggested recognition. That if we can get other states to recognize Biafra, maybe the hands of Nigeria may be forced to go to the conference table.

Well, I thought that was a sound idea and I placed my services at their disposal so as to meet my friends. We had in mind President Senghor of Senegal, President Houphouet Boigny of Ivory Coast, President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, President Milton Obote of Uganda, President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and of course Francois Bongo, he is now Omar. He now has become a Muslim. He was then a Christian. The long and short of it all was that I and these great African statesmen agreed that if Gowon persisted with pre-conditions, then they would accord recognition to force the hands of Gowon to go to the conference table and bring about peace. That was one.

Two, Gowon had already predicted that the war would end on March 31 and as far as these African statesmen were concerned, these killings and atrocities did not do any credit to the image of Africa and as such what should be done was to stop it as soon as possible. Therefore if the war didn’t end by March 31, then the propaganda of ‘Biafra’ that it was an act of genocide would be justified. And they didn’t want to accept that.

I went on this mission and succeeded in persuading these heads of state to agree to give recognition just to force the hands of Nigeria, diplomatically speaking, to the conference table.

President Senghor said he couldn’t because the majority of his supporters were Muslims and rightly or wrongly they felt it was a religious war. And he said well, if he granted recognition, then his government would fall. But he supported the idea of forcing the hands of Nigeria to the conference table. Houphouet Boigny was prepared, provided his people backed him. Ditto for the others except Milton Obote who told us that Prince Mutesa and the Bagandans wanted to secede and he couldn’t support secession when his own state was confronted with similar problems. It left four of them. That is, President Nyerere, Houphouet Boigny, Kaunda and Bongo. They agreed on the understanding that the war did not end by March 31, 1968 and pre-conditions would be removed to make it easy for both Ojukwu and Gowon to go to conference table.

So they granted recognition and it worked like magic because immediately after this, Dr. Okoi Arikpo, who must be presumed to be responsible for this diplomatic blunder (he was the Commissioner for External Affairs]---a good man no doubt, but he is a very poor diplomat in my own humble opinion - announced to the outside world that Nigeria would no longer insist on pre-conditions and that he was prepared for conference table but the war did not end on March 31 and so, they left the impression, you see, that Nigeria wanted to annihilate the Ibos. You noticed the Soviets gave Nigeria more arms and Nigeria used those arms to destroy the secessionists. Here, I came in again and I advised Ojukwu. I said look since Gowon has withdrawn the pre-conditions, go to the conference table and argue the points so as to pave way for a peace conference. It was agreed that they should meet in Niamey. I advised Ojukwu to go. Again Gowon was ill-advised so he couldn’t come.

At Niamey here was Ojukwu. I was on his side. Gowon wasn’t there but Haile Sellassie, Hamani Diori, Tubman and General Akran were there representing OAU. So, I told Ojukwu, I said now you have an upper hand. These respected leaders of the OAU were there. I had briefed Ojukwu. I said ‘look your line of approach is to express appreciation for what the OAU was doing in order to maintain peace in Africa but you were prepared to co-operate and you are leaving the whole matter in the hands of the OAU to see what could be done to bring an earlier cessation of hostilities. I said just say that and thank them and sit down.

Now Gowon didn’t attend. He sent a junior man, I think Alhaji Femi Okunnu or so, to represent him. And they didn’t even attend this conference at which the four heads of state presided. It was only the Biafran side. So Ojukwu won a diplomatic victory and you know Ojukwu is a very good speaker if you give him all the facts. He was a good public relations expert and he won. He said, ‘well if Gowon was sincere why did he spite such great men and didn’t attend?’ That worked.

They agreed that Nigeria could be contacted so that we have a peace conference in Addis Ababa. It was a diplomatic victory for Biafra and so we returned to Biafra highly elated. And Ojukwu insisted that I should accompany him to Addis Ababa. Then something happened. Some of his advisers felt that I was becoming a victim of compromise and that I was a bad influence. That all I was trying to do was to make Biafra impotent. They told Ojukwu that Biafra was holding its own militarily. And why should we want a peace conference? That he should be very, very careful with me, especially as an Onitsha man because they thought that I was using him as a means to give publicity for myself internationally and that time will come when people will look more to me than to himself.

Well, as a young man, human, he fell for such flattery. I don’t want to mention all the names, but particularly influential in swinging his opinion at that material time was Mr. C. C. Mojekwu, who was based in Lisbon. Then Mr. Matthew Mbu was our Commissioner for External Affairs and he himself did as much as possible, but then he realized that he was having someone who has power of life and death over everybody. So, we went to Addis Ababa and on the night before the conference, Matthew came to my bedroom at about 10 in the night. He said, “Do you know that all we have done, this man is going to undo them tomorrow?’ I said ‘No’. Then he brought out a printed version of a long speech. The world press said it lasted for 90 minutes.
Continue reading: http://igbobia.com/?q=igbo-fact-fileread-the-1979-interview-dr-nnamdi-azikiwe-had-with-mohammed-haruna-on-biafra.html-0

What's breaking about the news?

Identifying high-risk suicide cases

Social Media Giant, Fcebook, has created an Airtificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm that monitors people that may be contemplating to commit suicide.

This initiative is coming at the backdrop of allegations that Social networks have been providing a forum for those planning to commit suicide, with a number of people livestreaming their suicide attempts

The AI looks out for typical patterns in social media posts that mark out a potential suicide.

In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Facebook Product Manager, Vanessa Callison-Burch said that “the AI is actually more accurate than the reports that we get from people that are flagged as suicide and self-injury.”

When the algorithm spots worrying patterns, it flags them to community managers. The community managers can then further investigate and reach out proactively to users it believes to be at high risk. In cases it considers less urgent, it will prompt friends to contact the person concerned with a pre-written message to make it easier to start a conversation.

Online counselling

To tackle the live video streaming of suicide attempts, Facebook has also launched a new tool for friends to report videos that concern them. Once notified, Facebook will make prevention resources available on screen so the Facebook Live broadcaster can live-chat to a counselling line, for example. The company has partnered with a number of counselling and self-help organisations to provide support. In addition, resources will also be offered to the person who reported the video so they can intervene as well.

Facebook has faced criticism that it has opted to let Live videos continue to run, which the company has said it does in order to give friends or family a chance to intervene.

AI offers the potential to detect and support those in trouble before it is too late.

http://igbobia.com/?q=facebook-invents-an-algorithm-to-prevent-suicide.html
CC:
Lalasticlala

This is a throwback picture of Igbo Biafran protesters crossing Westminster Bridge in London in August 1967, protesting against British Government and oil company involvement in and support for the Nigerian Federal Government against the secession of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War. Photo: Rolls Press/Popperfoto.

http://igbobia.com/?q=lolthrow-back-picture-of-biafra-protesters-dressed-in-local-attire-in-1967.html
CC:
Mynd44
Lalasticlala

Our vociferous brother and, nwa Imo, who of course, loves the business of keeping up with the online media and paparazzi, is on his satirical lynch again. This time the swipe hovers in the religious circle.

In this article, less subtle and formal, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa (Charly Boy) employs his usual derisive sense on the matter that most definitely affects majority of us; RELIGION.

Read on to the article, you will sure find some succor to your helpless religious dispositions and beliefs. And please, he used some words that may inconvenience your faith.

"I am not a religious kinda person; though I almost ended up a priest because of too much religion at that time. I think religion has nothing to do with survival. kinda believe in God, but I don't believe in religion. I don't need religion to know God. I think religion is mankind's way of mumurizing mumu's.

Talk about our churches, come and see fakeness dressed in three piece suit and a Jerry curled hair.

Too much fakeness swimming in Nigeria today. From fake marriages, fake friendships, fake lovers, to fake leaders, fake pastors, fake parents, fake judges, fake breasts, fake pussies, fake dicks, fake politicians,leaders, fake products everywhere, oh my world! It's like most of the things in Nigeria today are just fake. Kai… Chineke.

Most Naija Christians are a bunch of sorry ass fakers. We pray as though we were the most prayerful set of people on the face of the earth yet our hearts belongs to Babylon.

Na so dem go sidon dey look God face to do for them that which ability would have accomplished. For sermons, our fake pastors preach about miracles and breakthroughs. Our fake youths now believe that through miracles and breakthroughs, a person can get something out of nothing.

Haba, Haba, Haba… Mumu thinking, You wan reap where you no sow?

Christianity has become magic and fake youths are eating it up.

See how the fake Mumu congregations celebrate symbols of instant success like the riffraffs in leadership who looted us into poverty; the scammers; the 419s; the thieves in the Banking sector and MMM devotees.

What a goddamn shame that this is the type of success messages you hear from the Pulpit of different churches.

On my fucking Pulpit, I call it like I see it!

You don't need any fucking pastor’s blessing to make it in life. The shout of “I receive it!” alone is not enough to bless you for that week. The shout of “Amen!” no matter how loud, doesn’t make God to fulfill any of your selfish wishes. No anointing oil, speaking in tongues, dry fasting, casting and binding can produce miracles where you haven't worked for it.

“Nigeria is a prayer loving, God-fearing nation”… Bleep that shit!

We are a country with a lot of fake-punk-assholes prancing around like Christians.

It's me Charly and I am tripping on the Pulpit.

http://igbobia.com/?q=fake-nigerian-christians-charly-boy-blasts-nigerian-christians-in-new-article.html

The Igbo Girl identified only as Iheoma was knocked down by a hit & run driver in Abj.

Her family needs to be traced.

If anyone recognizes her, please, reach out @abangdove

cummando:
I'm no bigot....but I just have to say this
The Igbo's are good people....but once they are convinced,they become stubborn,hard headed and irrational humans.
If one person can answer these questions for me I will forever fight for themthem
1. What are you guys fighting for?
2. Reasons for independence!!!
3. Why the Biafra war stopped!

Truth be said....asking for independence from a country that was formed with you as a major player is treason. If this is how every people ask for independence then we won't have countries and presidents anymore... Only streets and baales.
My talk doesn't matter but I bid you all to change. Its stupid to come challenge a landlord in his house. If its a zoo then leave.to me PMB is lenient. I would have given him the abiola treatment a long time ago. Who you be to come challenge me in my house
My prayer...y'all should repent. Our disunity na I'm dey make common South Africans dey kill us. Let's unite for once and see us become a world power. If independence finally comes to y'all Una go still fight.
Stubbornness won't help. Succumb to a one Nigeria. Left to me if independence happens which I doubt...I'll be the first person that would seek to break it! I'll collapse it.
.....BTW. I'm one of yall somehow

Meen...are you for real?..."who you be to come challenge me in my own house" what is dumber than that? If Nigeria is your own house and you alone own it....why not leave the tenant who owes u no rent to find accommodation elsewhere? Is it because your house will for sure collapse and your Children will be ravaged in hunger if he parks out that you vehemently held him? And for 1, 2, 3, questions, your line has answered them...Igbos are tired of living in a house they contributed more to build as tenants while some others who did almost nothing to build it are the Landlords just because the British made it so...they want to park into their own land and build...isn't it only an animal that can say no to a people with such ambition?

A fatal and so horrible accident occured in Obollo Afor, Nsukka, Enugu, yesteerday, February 28th.

As reported by a Facebook User, the accident left the bus gutted with heavy fire in which majority of the passsengers were burnt to death while few that escaped, sustained severe burns.

The driver was said to have mysteriously disappeared at the time of the incident and his whereabout is yet unknown.
See more: http://igbobia.com/?q=horrible-accident-occurred-in-enugu-with-many-burnt-to-deathsee-pictures.html
Cc: Mynd44

Nsogbu di...

To add to the injuries inflicted already on APGA and especially, Anmabra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, Chief Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Former Vice Chairman, Nigeria Communicatios Commission who is one of the Leaders and a Member of the Board of Trustees of APGA has sent in his Membership Resignation Letter.

Recall that Ernest Ndukwe, from Oraifite, Anmabra State South had contested for Senate alongside Andy Ubah in 2015 under the auspices of APGA, but lost to the Ubah senior.

Known to be subtly silent over matters of great concern to the APGA Party, Ndukwe sure appeared distinterested, perhaps, after the loss of the Senatorial elections to Andy Ubah.

His resignation is came up in the wake of many troubles Governor Willie Obiano is battling with. Of course, this is a major blow to the second term bid of the Governor as Ndukwe is one of the giant men from Anambra South that can help the governor in the forthcoming election.

Ndukwe, in the letter extended his best wishes to the party.

See the letter attached here: http://igbobia.com/?q=more-troubles-for-governor-willie-obiano-and-apga-as-more-top-party-leaders-dump-the-party-see-their

plappville:
False rumour. How come no French media diffused it? I watch news every Evening. We have not seen this yet. And it cant Happen in France.

Or try research by visiting: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/28/petition-barack-obama-become-french-president-garners-40000/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/28/oui-on-peut-petition-barack-obama-french-president

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-presidential-election-latest-barack-obama-17-campaign-40000-signatures-petition-le-pen-macron-a7603166.html

Atleast, you can believe these popular news sites

plappville:
False rumour. How come no French media diffused it? I watch news every Evening. We have not seen this yet. And it cant Happen in France.

False Rumour? Did you follow the link?

The Federal High Court ,Abuja today, 1st March, has dismissed six count charges levelled against  Maazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), 

The dismissed count charges include Count 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, bordering on belonging to unlawful society, illegal importation of radio transmitters and researching on the internet on how to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs) among others.

Justice Binta Nyako, the sitting judge noted that the prosecutor failed to place anything before the count to prove the allegations. 

Note that Kanu will still be re-arraigned on five count charges bordering on treasonable felony.

Chukwu dube gi nwanne..
http://igbobia.com/?q=federal-high-court-abuja-dismisses-six-count-charge-levelled-nnamdi.html

This OP Sef...the award was called off because there were no African Leaders to be nominated...Do you organise an award for one man?...can you tell me who else in Africa merits nomination for the award in the year under review?...maybe when Mugabe and Bubu leave office, they can be nominated alongside Yayah Jammeh...

bizme:
When a SE was on seat in Aso Rock, we no dey hear "Biafra" song.
And when SE lost the sear in a fair election, they start campaigning for Biafra.

You guys are a joke. You don't just select what favours you and say you quit when it favours someone else.

The reality the Igbos should contront themselves with is the hyper-strong possibility that there will the presidency is not coming to them anytime soon (after all, a SE man just left the office, na only you dey there ni?). You should also swallow the fact that there will be no Biafra. Biafra can only exist following a referendum and right now no one is that jobless and unserious to spend time, money and effort on some referendum that is designed to cater to some dudes selfishness: The Biafra cry is from a few Igbos who find it difficult to adapt in a rapidly changing Nigerian econonmic environment. So they want to have a corner all to themselves where there will be no competitions. The very successful Igbo men and women gain too much from one Nigeria than to support some childish rant about Biafra.
The second way to realize Biafra is to go to war. And I believe a lot of lessons were learnt from the last attempt. There is simply no winning such war, since the would-be Biafra is already deeply divided. No one wants war, except the few whoremongers that profit deeply from such foolish endeavours.
So, we will keep the status quo and learn to live together as one. Buhari will get better and return to the country to support the work that Osinbajo is doing. And Kanu will reign on as the Onikuje of Kuje, Obi Kwanu I of Kuje kingdom.

Your grammar eh...kai...roadside mechanic dragging space with me in the comment box...I hope this ur writeup was cracked up by ur apprentice

J

Zdoh:
They are already spoil paro for themselve for introducing and insisting on Biafra.

You can speak grammar well well..

Over 40,000 French citizens have appended their signatures in support to the petition filed to have Obama contest for the French Presidency .

This came in the wake of the various scandalous cases tabled against Candidates Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron, François Fillon, Benoît Hamon, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who have signified interests to run for the French Presidency.

The citizens who are in dilemma of having scandal-hit Presidential Candidates and a Foreigner rather opted for Barack Obama, immediate Past President of the United States of America.

Organizers of the unofficial Obama17 campaign who spread posters across Paris with the slogan "Oui on peut" meaning "Yes we can ", have revealed that they working to get a million signatures to have Obama as their Presidential Candidate by May 15th.

Faced with the impossibility to have a foreign national contest for the seat of the president, the campaigners are insistent that the current election campaign in France is a failure and that the current situation of their country called for such radical choices; that Obama possesses the best global competence and quality to deliver.

“The French are ready to make radical choices - that is good because we have a radical idea to propose to them,” a statement partly read.

''To launch this 6th Republic, we wish to strike a blow by electing a foreign President as the leader of our beautiful country.

“Barack Obama has completed his second term as President of the United States on 21 January, why not hire him as the President for France?"

Obama is yet to give any response to the call...

Ndi ocha n'omume ha
http://igbobia.com/?q=obama-chosen-to-contest-as-the-president-of-france-in-their-2017-elections.html

See this Conductor...

Just as Anambra Gubernatorial Election lies in 9 months to come, high-powered political plays and strategies have been gainfully or otherwise, employed by politicians to ensure they capture the minds of keenly observant people of Anambra State.

Here is the campaign strategy of Willie Obiano. Very laughable, you may say. But who knows...it might just be the right channel to get his audience/followers

Look closely at the keg pictured here.

Ndi Anambra kwenu!!
http://igbobia.com/?q=lolsee-campaign-strategy-of-anambra-state-governor-willie-obiano.html
Cc:
Mynd44
Lalasticlal

An anomination!! you will definitely shout.

A 35year old Ghanaian has reportedly raped a 5year old girl almost to death in the premises of Breman Brakwa Presbyterian Junior School, Ghana; a school under renovation at the moment.

The ruthless suspect as reported by Ghanaian Rainbow 87.5fm was said tp have lured the minor to lead him to the school under the pretence that he did not know the location.

The little girl has been admitted into the Breman Brakwa hospital for the severe body damage and bruises she sustained while the suspect is on the run.

Ndi mmadu n'obi ojuo ha.
http://igbobia.com/?q=a-5year-old-minor-raped-by-a-35year-old-man-in-ghana.html

I can't just stop laughing over this.

It's quite reminiscence of the adventures of Ndi Igbo abroad in which they suffer direly to earn money and send to either siblings, relatives or friends to help them do some projects at home and these ndi efulefu (good-for-nothing) will squander the money.

Ihe ngbu k'obu (it's such a painful thing).

Watch the video here and laugh out your pains.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bITCCf6Iks

Ogbu ọja ndị Igbo. Ndịbeanyị gee nu ntị. Igbo amaka

This is one of the many outstanding marks of the uniqueness and quality of igbo culture.

A rendition of the Ogbu ọja (flutist) will set you into trance to the land of the ancestors where igbo culture was what it was; unadulterated, unaltered and original. It was a time we saw the heartbeat of the young men of Ndi Igbo setting up and rythmically directing their hands as they masterly throw out sounds from the wooden drums and other traditional instruments they would cuddle.

And as girls engaged their adorable bodies and legs to the blazing rythm and sounds from the young men, you would surely find the whole audience captivated in the traditional symphony.
Watch the video http://igbobia.com/?q=watch-the-beautiful-rendition-of-ogbu-oja-igbo-igbo-fluitistyou-will-be-thrilled.html

EH!! FFK!!

Never seen-before-performance of the legendary song of the Father of highlife, Chief Dennis Osita Osadebe by a band of whitemen (Oyibo) will let out the choreographic genius in you and shape your mood in the beat.

The play was a masterly performance by these expatriates that would get you agree definitely, to the assertion that music knows no boundary.

Igbo sound and its scintillating, symphonic allure.

Long Live the King of highlife...Igbo amaka

Watch the video here....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOP4S7GV1B4

Chinedu Okoli, Flavour, thrilled celebrants and guests at the wedding ceremony of Chris Ubah's daughter, Nkem Ubah.

Read the post and see more pictures from the event as shared by a close source.

http://igbobia.com/?q=flavour-thrills-guests-and-chris-ubahs-daughters-wedding.html