See Who Rocked #Ankarainspired Shoe.

So lovely.

#BringBackOurGirls: Pictures From London Protest Over Nigerian Kidnappings.

A protest is held in London to demand the Nigerian government do more to rescue more than 200 school girls abducted by militants.
Demonstrators waved banners saying "bring back our girls" and chanted "free our sisters", outside the Nigerian embassy in London on Saturday to raise awareness about the plight of the missing girls.

The protesters held a two minutes silence to criticize the Nigerian government's handling of the rescue effort and urge the British government to lend their support.

The 273 girls, who range in age from 16 to 18, were abducted from their boarding school in northeastern Nigerian town of Chibok and taken away in trucks by a Nigerian militant group in the middle of the night on 14 April.

Currently, around 220 girls are still missing, and an estimated 52 have reportedly escaped.
'Mass kidnap'

So far, the military has had no success locating the girls and nothing has been heard from them since. The region is said to a hotbed for Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, whose name translates to "western education is forbidden."

American playwright Bonnie Greer - who was at the protest - told Channel 4 News: "It's a sad thing to say but we know its true, a black girl's life isn't worth as much as a white girls life. It's mass kidnap, mass rape, we need to find those children and give them back to their mothers and fathers".

British Nigerian protestor Edith Adejobi told Channel 4 News that she felt the issue was being dismissed by politicians and the British media.

She said: "Black school girls have been kidnapped into sexual slavery, girls who look like me, girls who come from where I come from.

Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, who was also at the demonstration, on Saturday pledged to take up the issue with Foreign Secretary William Hague.

She told Channel 4 News: "The only thing that all of us can do is stand up and speak for a more equal and fairer world and say those girls have a right to education we must do what we can to protect it."

Reported by Fatima Manji

 

Kerry And Nnamdi Named Their Baby "Amarachi".

Kerry Washington and her Nigerian husband Nnamdi named their daughter "Amarachi" meaning ‘God’s grace’ in  Igbol language He and Kerry are very secretive about their personal lives and are rarely seen together in public.We heard Kerry had her baby 2 weeks ago but it was kept under top secret.

The Scandal star and her husband, former NFL quarterback Nnamdi Asomugha welcomed baby
Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha on April 21. According to TMZ, the baby was born at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a favourite choice for celebrities due to the private and relatively luxurious birth suites.

APC Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Acquires Second Private Jet Worth Over $50million Dollars .

There are repports that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ex Lagos state governor has purchased for himself another private Jet. He reportedly got it so that he would not be refueling when he goes on long haul journeys.
The jet is a Bombadier Global Express XRS, the same type owned by Aliko Dangote, Folorunsho Alakija and Mike Adenuga Jnr which comes at the plus $50m bracket, according to an aviation expert.

Details of the purchase is sketchy but it is on good authority that it was ordered from the US but facilitated in Europe .

Dame Patience Jonathan Offers To Lead Protest To Chibok.

Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of the president, has promised to stage a protest match to Chibok, Borno, if the abducted schoolgirls are not released.She said this in Abuja after a meeting with
governors’ and ministers’ wiv
es, female senators, commissioners and more than 200 women from various groups at the State House in Abuja.‎The aim of the meeting was to seek the actual whereabout of the kidnapped girls.According to her, a committee will be inaugurated to include wives of all relevant stakeholders at a meeting scheduled for May 4.She said that refusal of any of such relevant stakeholders to be contacted for the meeting would also lead to a mass protest.“I cannot perpetuate hearsay and rumour; I must have facts to tell the international community. We will set up a committee to seek the truth as women.“If any of those we call refuse to come, we will take the protest to Chibok.“I do not mind being shot as long as they return our girls to us safely, we are tired of the kidnapping,” she said.Jonathan said that the first ladies of Cameroun, Chad, Niger and various other countries had called to ask questions and offer assistance on the matter.“They told me of their readiness to help, they also asked me questions that I could not answer ‎and as women we are the last hope of this nation. We cannot fail our fellow women and the nation.“‎If need be, we will call on the northern elders to help us so that our children and husbands will not die,” Jonathan said.‎‎ ‎‎Head of WAEC, National Office, Charles Eguridu, at the meeting gave a clarification over the number of students enrolled for the examination in the school.Eguridu said that those registered in the Government Girls School, Chibok include a total of 530 made up of 395 girls and 135 boys.“The school had been reverted to a mixed school but the name remained Government Girls School.“We were able to relocate 189 of the total number to write their exams at another village called Uba‎,” he said.‎Others who spoke at the meeting included Mrs Yemisi Suswam, Sen. Nenadi Usman and Prof. Sarah Jibril.

Give This Picture A Caption.

Rivers Governor and Benue Firstlady were spotted at a function in Jos .help me caption the mood in this picture.

Gulak Resigns As Jonathan’s National Campaign Coordinator.

Erstwhile political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, has resigned his position as the national coordinator of Goodluck Support Group (GSG).

The group coordinated all campaign efforts that saw to the emergence of Jonathan as president in 2011 and is already on standby, awaiting the official declaration by the president to seek re-election in 2015.

Gulak, who was sacked on Tuesday with immediate effect as Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, tendered his resignation letter as national coordinator of the group on Friday.

A copy of his resignation letter dated May 2, 2014 and which he addressed to the deputy national coordinator of the group, Eddy Olafeso, was entitled, “Resignation/Disengagement from Goodluck Support Group”.

Although the former presidential aide did not give any reason for throwing in the towel, he urged his deputy to remain steadfast and focused in the mobilisation of all for the need to keep supporting the president in what he described as his sincere and committed effort to take the country to an enviable level of development.

Another Presidential Media Chat Set To Hold Tomorrow May 4th At 7pm.

Another edition of the Presidential Media Chat will be broadcast live on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Ni
geria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON) at 7pm tomorrow, Sunday, May 4, 2014.

During the programme, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will respond to questions from a panel of journalists and media executives on current national issues and developments.

Members of the public who have particular issues they will like President Jonathan to address are also invited to send their questions via twitter to @mediachatng1.

President Jonathan will respond to the most significant questions received before or during the programme.

Other radio and television stations in the country are urged to hook up to NTA and FRCN to relay the programme to their listeners and viewers.

Reuben Abati

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

May 3, 2014

Dangote Donates Relief Materials Worth N40million To Internally Displaced People Of Benue.

The pan-African conglomerate, Dangote Group, has donated 12 trailer-load of relief material worth N40 million to the Benue State Government.

The relief materials, according to the group, was meant to support the ongoing effort of the state government to bring succor to the victims of the recent crisis that affected some parts of the state.

Speaking at the occasion of formal handover of the items to the displaced persons in Makurdi, President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said: “We have very cordial relationship with our host communities in Benue and it is only natural we identify with them at a time like this. What has happened is unfortunate and we empathise with all the affected people.”

Dangote, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Joseph Makoju, said it was unfortunate that the crisis happened and that the insurgency was diversionary to government effort at bringing the dividend of democracy to the people of the state.

He said, “Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration has done a lot to improve the wellbeing of the good people of Benue State through massive upgrade of infrastructure, empowerment of rural farmers and funding of the educational sector. The infrastructural development in Benue State has been significant and his love for his people is unparallelled.”

He said the relief material donated was part of his company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme in the state that covers health, education, women and youth empowerment and disaster relief.

He said in Gboko, the Dangote Group has over the years built blocks of classrooms, constructed water boreholes and provided electricity in communities around the Dangote Cement plant. He added that the company gives an annual scholarship grants running into millions of naira to the people of Gboko communities.

While thanking the Dangote Group, the state Governor, Gabriel Suswam, who inspected the relief items said he was overwhelmed by the donation of the Dangote Group. He expressed the state’s appreciation and prayed that God will continue to bless Dangote Group.

He lauded the CSR activities of the group and urged other corporate bodies to emulate the deeds of the organisation by giving back to the society.

“Dangote Group’s donation today has been overwhelming. We remain grateful. The people of Benue State are happy with the oganisation’s activities and I am using this opportunity to urge other corporate bodies to also give back and make people their priorities.”

He also applauded job creation activities of the Dangote Group, describing him as a man that is doing all within him to make his people satisfied and happy. He, however, assured the management of Dangote Group of the state’s support at all time.

Speaking also at the occasion, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Adikpa Agbatse, said the way Dangote packaged the donation makes it easy for distribution.

He said Dangote Group has demonstrated that it is a Nigerian company that is always interested in the welfare of the people irrespective of tribe and religion.

He expressed his appreciation and assured the Dangote team that the items will be distributed to  internally displaced persons.

Women Threaten To March Naked Into Sambisa Forest In Search Of Abducted Girls •

AS efforts by Nigerian troops to rescue the school girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State, by suspected insurgents continue, communities and motorists, including farmers and herdsmen in the border towns and villages with Cameroun have abandoned three major roads leading to Maiduguri and Damaturu, the state ca
pitals of Borno and Yobe states, from the notorious Sambisa Forest. This is coming just as some concerned women have threatened to converge in Lagos and other parts of the country and later proceed to Borno State, from where they would walk naked into the forest in search of the students.The women accused the government of insensitivity to the plight of the abducted girls over its failure to rescue them from their abductors.The abandoned roads include the 141-kilometre Maiduguri-Damboa-Chibok, the 135-kilometre Maiduguri-Bama-Gwoza; andthe 60-kilometre Gwoza-Damboa road which served several farming, fishing communities and herdsmen in six councils of the state.The blowing up of two bridges on two affected roads by suspected Boko Haram insurgents early this year has also prevented communities and residents from accessing the roads to reach Maiduguri and Damaturu for their businesses and other economic activities.The Guardian also learnt that the communities on the fringes of the forest cut off as a result include over half a dozen villages and six major towns of Gwoza, Bama, Damboa, Chibok, Askira and Madagali in Borno and Adamawa states which share a border at Limankara village.According to former Gwoza Council Vice Chairman, Mr. Francis Mbala Nduka, the desertion of the roads was occasioned by the incessant “attacks and killings” by suspected insurgents in 2013 and early this year.He said because of insecurity on the affected roads in Gwoza, Damboa, Bama, Konduga, Chibok and Damboa councils, farmerscan not go to their farmlands. He also disclosed that residents and villagers are forced to live in their houses and communities.On how residents travel in and out of their communities, Nduka said: “We have no option than to travel through a total distance of 655 kilometres of roads in Adamawa, Gombe and Yobe states to avoid being attacked or killed by these gunmen. “Instead of travelling on the 135-kilometre Gwoza-Bama-Maiduguri road at a cost of N500, our people have to board taxis and buses at N5, 750 and N4, 750 to get to Maiduguri and Damaturu through the Gwoza-Maraba, Mubi-Gombe-Potiskum-Damaturu-Maiduguri roads.”He said although the nine or 10- hour journey on these roads are usually very expensive, tiring and time wasting, there have been little or no attacks and killings in the last six months.Mallam Isa Yakubu, a passenger at the Maiduguri Kano Motor Park on Tuesday said: “I had to pay N9, 500 to convey my child from Gwoza to a teaching hospital in Maiduguri for a surgery. “The journey was tortuous and frustrating because of the bumpy nature of roads from our town to Gombi in Adamawa State. It has compounded the state of health of my child that had been ill since February.“I don’t know where to get the next transport fares to return home after my child is treated, maybe next month or June. “If not because of this insecurity on our road to Gwoza through Bama, I would have paid only N2, 000 for our return fares, instead of N9, 500.”The Police and the military had last week advised motorists and travelers to avoid the affected roads.A top military officer, who craved anonymity, said: “We are very much concerned about the safety of local residents and traders on these roads. “Operations in the forests are an ongoing and in frustration, the insurgents could strike on any of these roads we are patrolling since the abduction of school girls in Chibok on April 14. This is a travel advice to the people for their safety.”On Thursday, motorists and passengers on the Maiduguri-Damaturu road in Borno State were attacked by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members. Ten people were shot dead and seven vehicles snatched.According to an eyewitness, Ibrahim Isa, the gunmen were suspected to have come from the forest en-route a new destination to attack the motorists and passengers on their way to northern part of the state.“On sighting vehicles plying the road, the insurgents decided to attack motorists and passengers, after flagging the drivers to stop.“But for fear of being killed, some of the drivers decided not to heedthe orders and attempted to proceed. The gunmen then opened fire on some of the vehicles and slit the throats of about 10 people on the spot,” Isa said in a telephone conversation in Maiduguri yesterday.He stated that as the attack continued, on-coming motorists had to make frantic U-turns to either Damaturu or Maiduguri for safety, before troops rushed to the affected road to save the situation.Isa added that the security operatives responded swiftly bymobilizing to the scene, killing some of the terrorists in an exchange of gunfire, while others fled into the bush and adjoining farmlands.Yakubu Aliyu, one of the drivers who escaped the attack, said: “I was with my passengers on my way to Damaturu when I sighted some strange people with AK47 rifles by the side of the road a few metres away.“Initially, I thought they weresecurity personnel in plain clothes, but when I discovered that theplace was not a routine security checkpoint, I quickly made a U-turn with the passengers back to Maiduguri.”When contacted on phone, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gideon Jubrin, said he was not aware of the incident.But a top security officer confirmed the incident, adding“about 10 were killed, while some vehicles were seized by suspected terrorists on Thursdayevening.”A woman who gave her name as simply Ajoke, said the concerned women would soon trek naked to Sambisa Forest on a search and rescue mission for the abducted girls since government security agents are unable to do so.Speaking on the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna, Ajoke said the government tended to be much more concerned about other issues than mobilising troops to rescue and return the girls safely to their families.An aggrieved mother from Chibok accused the government of complicity in the abduction of the students, saying they have given an ultimatum for their daughters to be rescued or else, they would have no option than to storm the forest and take the bull by the horns.“We are not comfortable with the government. How can our daughters be locked in the school, then all of a sudden, some people would appear with their vehicles and pack them like goats and run away with them without anyone raising alarm?,” she queried.On her part, Hayija Asmau Joda, said the government is not living up to expectations and as concerned mothers, they are very disturbed about what is happening to the Chibok girls.“Two weeks have gone with no trace of the missing girls and the government is not saying anything about it. “We have not seen the government making any effort, because no single girl has been returned to her family, except those that were lucky to escape from the abductors. We know it was not the government of Nigeria that saved those girls.”“It is unusual to see women staging a protest, but since men are unable and women have come out to protest from many parts of the country, it is our hope that the government will now take the issue much more seriously,” she said.

Former British District Officer In Benue Chief Martin Dent Is Dead.

We received with great sadness news by Mzough U Tiv United Kingdom. ( MUT UK ) the passing away of The Asor Tar U Tiv, Chief Martin Dent. Chief Martin Dent died peacefully at 17 50 hrs. of the 02/05/2014, at Hayfields Nursing Home, Stoke-On-Trent. North Staff. United Kingdom, surrounded by staff and friends who looked after him with such love and kindness during h8is later years.

He was born Martin Dent on 11th July 1925.Chief Dent's family meets on Wednesday, 7th May 2014 where internment arrangements will be made and once we get these information we will endeavour to pass it onto you promptly.Although we shall miss him, we will be comforted by the memory of his long, full and inspiring life and so proud of his devotion to helping others as he sought to change the world and in particular Tiv Land for the better. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and HRH The Tor Tiv. Alfred Akawe Torkula. May His Soul Rest in Perfect Peace .

Barr Fred Agbaje Is Asking INEC To Return The Vote He Gave To President Jonathan In 2011. Lol.

Lagos Lawyer, Fred Agbaje has  described the insecurity in the country as a failure of governance. He called on the public to use the next election to vote out the government in power and vote in a new government of their choice, saying he would score the Federal Government 15 per cent in security and 10 per cent in welfare.

Agbaje, said he had voted for Jonathan in the last presidential, also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to return the vote he cast. “I am one of those that voted for Goodluck Jonathan. If I had my way, I would retrieve my vote back. I want them (INEC) to give me my vote back. INEC should return the vote I cast for Goodluck Jonathan,” he added.

Lawyers And Human Rights Activists Differ On Call For President Jonathan To Resign.

Nigerians have continued to react to the state of insecurity in the country which was heightened by the recent spate of bombings in the country.There were bomb blasts at Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in a space of three weeks- one on April 14 and the other on May 1, 2014.After claiming responsibility for the first bomb blast, the Islamic sect, Boko Haram was suspected to have also perpetrated the fresh attack, prompting wide condemnations by members of the public.Some members of the public have since called for the resignation of President Goodluck Jonathan, but the reactions of lawyers and human rights activists have varied in this regard.In a phone conversation, a humans rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, told our correspondent that there was no chance that Jonathan would heed the public call for his resignation, considering the antecedents of politicians in the country.He said, “No doubt, I would have supported the call for the president’s resignation but he will not heed to the call. So what is the point, why should you talk to people who will not listen to you. The truth of the matter is that there is no point making a call that will not be heeded. Our political leaders don’t heed to calls and the security operatives don’t heed to calls, otherwise all of them should have resigned by now.Look at what happened in South Korea, where the prime minister tendered his resignation following a ferry accident. Ordinarily people should have accepted responsibilities for incompetence and negligence in Nigeria. There were bomb blasts in the same area within a few days. The president is unperturbed and the military are just there. I don’t talk to people who are deaf so I will rather suggest that we take some actions. It will show the government that we are not satisfied with their handling of the situation.” Aturu rather suggested that Nigerians across the country should protest the handling of insurgency by the government and the security operatives on May 29, which is the country’s Democracy Day.He also called for an end to corruption in the country, which he identified as major cause to the security challenge confronting the nation.He said, “That is the way to show that we are not part of this madness and that will also show Boko Haram members that majority of Nigerians are not with them. We must fight corruption until we make sure we have done everything to ensure equitable distribution of wealth in Nigeria because the youths are disoriented and disgruntled.“We must ensure we provide jobs for the youths to keep them busy and ensure that we equip our military personnel. We must give them good training on how to deal with the situation because for now it seems everybody is mesmerised, including the military. Boko Haram seems to be gaining the upper hand, unfortunately.”In the same vein, another lawyer, Fred Agbaje, described the insecurity in the country as a failure of governance. He called on the public to use the next election to vote out the government in power and vote in a new government of their choice, saying he would score the Federal Government 15 per cent in security and 10 per cent in welfare.Agbaje called for the Jonathan’s resignation, assuring that it would solve Nigeria’s problem of insecurity.He said, “He should resign. The calamity that has befallen this country in the last one month is enough for the president to resign. The person that is coming in knows what led to the resignation of his principal, he must be aware of the banana peel so that it does not fall him as well.The leader Nigeria needs today is not one that is intellectually disempowered, or one that suffered from poverty, but one that can address two major constitutional issues; insecurity and welfare. We don’t need a government that would take pleasure in telling us lies.“If the interest of Nigeria has any meaning to the government of Nigeria, in other words, if the welfare of Nigerians means anything to the government, or the present ruler, they should have thrown in the towel. There is failure of governance in Nigeria today and this is attributable to the poverty in leadership.“The constitution expects government at all levels to ensure security of lives and properties of the people and the welfare of the people but the Federal Government has breached that and the citizens have given up on those rights too. Therefore, the only solution left in the hands of Nigerians is to shine their eyes in the next election and have a fundamental change in governance.” Agbaje, who said he had voted for Jonathan in the last presidential, also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to return the vote he cast. “I am one of those that voted for Goodluck Jonathan. If I had my way, I would retrieve my vote back. I want them (INEC) to give me my vote back. INEC should return the vote I cast for Goodluck Jonathan,” he added.However, a human rights lawyer, Wahab Shittu, disagreed with those calling for the president’s resignation and called for united front in the fight against insurgency in the country. According to Shittu, Jonathan should not solely be blamed for the problem of insecurity in the country. Shittu said, “I don’t think the resignation of Jonathan is the option because you cannot lay the blame of the crisis on the doorstep of Jonathan alone. He’s the president but the issue must be addressed by all stakeholders in the Nigeria project. The authorities too must stop the blame game, stop blaming the opposition or particular individuals for what happened. Everybody must come on board to say we are faced with a crisis of survival and it’s only when we survive that we can think of development.”In addition, Shittu suggested a multi-dimensional approach to the fight against insurgency, saying that the threat posed by Boko Haram had gone
“beyond a local problem”.“The recent spate of bombings underscores the frightening and dangerous dimension terrorism had taken in our country. We are not dealing with domestic terrorism, we are dealing with terrorism of international character and the solution must go beyond local options,” he said.

Kwankwaso And Amaechi Presidential Posters Flood Kano.

Colourfuland intimidating  presidential campaign posters of Kano state Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his Rivers state, counterpart Rotimi Amaechi under All Progressives Congress (APC) platform flooded Kano streets yesterday.
The  posters pasted along strategic highways in the commercial hub of northern Nigeria adorned the stretch of Zaria road, Ibrahim Taiwo road,  Gyadi Gyadi overhead bridge, Maiduguri road and Gidan Murtala by Kano Technical College Highway, overhead Bridge.

It was not clear those behind the Kwankwaso /Amaechi project in the state as there was no claim of sponsorship in the money spinning posters that were posted Thursday night.

A city dweller, Malam Sani Adamu while responding to the development noted that “this is a welcome development in a democracy, at least it create options to the citizens.” Adamu stated, “I assured the duos of my support because they have done better in their respective states, like here in Kano, everybody can attest to the fact that Kwankwaso is the architect of modern Kano”.

Reacting to the development, Special Assistant to the Governor, Malam Hashimu Suleiman Dungurawa said government has no hand in it but was quick to add “This is democracy, people are free to identify with their role models”.

Dungurawa said, “As at today, old Kwankwaso is the best material for presidency come 2015. He is the man Dungurawa explained that the Governor and his River state counterpart would be the best ticket in 2015 presidential election, while appealing to the party stakeholders and delegates to vote for duo during the forthHe disclosed that Kano people are solidly supporting Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso aspirations  to contest the Presidential ticket in 2015, stressing that “we would go round the country to campaign for them”.

  the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa could not be reached for comments  as his GSM line was unreachable.

Fellow Journalists, Today Is World Press Freedom Day.

"Journalism provides a platform for informed discussion across a wide range of development issues – from environmental challenges and scientific progress to gender equality, youth engagement and peacebuilding. Only when journalists are at liberty to monitor, investigate and criticize policies and actions can good governance exist."

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
    and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova

2014 Theme: Media Freedom for a Better Future:
Shaping the post-2015 Development Agenda

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. It is an opportunity to:

    celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom;
    assess the state of press freedom throughout the world;
    defend the media from attacks on their independence;
    pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

What is the role of Nigerian journalists in acheiving all these?

Militants Vs Boko Haram! Asari Dokubo Invites Shekau To The Battlefield.

EX militant Field Marshall and founder Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Asari Dokubo has warned that no amount of threat would stop President Goodluck Jonathan from running for a second term.

Asari who spoke at a programm organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC in Port Harcourt said Boko Haram’s killings were part of sponsored scheme to stop President Jonathan from going for a second term.

Continuing, the ex militant Field Mashall said the N7ger Delta Development Commission, NDDC had cone to stay, adding that no governnent can scrap it.

.“They have started oo! The leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau said in a video that we should not play with them. He said, Goodluck, I am coming for you. Niger Delta, we are coming for you.

Are we going to allow them to shoot the guns and throw the bombs? That is when we will dance?” . .   “2015 is more than do or die. It is our very survival that is being challenged, and we must tell them.

You are a man and I am a man, we are going to meet at the battlefield. Be prepared, be watchful. The enemies should not be allowed”.

“In this region, there will be only one vote. The people from the North have said that they should scrap the NDDC, that they should reduce the 13 per cent derivation to five per cent, and that nobody owns oil”.  “We have to gather again and tell them (North) that they cannot dare it.

The North cannot scrap the NDDC. The North cannot reduce the 13 per cent derivation to five per cent. If they try it now, they will see. It is because our brother is the president that is why  we are hanging on peacefully”. He further charged political office holders in the region to create empowerment programmes for youths in the area, stressing that they should take steps to reduce poverty in the region.

“If we beg to pay our rents and our children’s school fees, then what is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of life if I stand at the gate of NDDC and beg anybody that comes in and goes out with money? Why would we allow our people to become beggars in the midst of plenty?” “Whether you do the right thing or not, we will fight until victory comes. You (the managing director of NDDC) never sent us. Nobody sent us. When we decided to fight, we did not know you. You never sponsored us. We fought because we believe that suffering will end. But if you, the beneficiaries of our blood, sweat and pains, will treat us as small children, then, what have we gained in this struggle?”

“Let us make it very clear that if we did not fight, Goodluck Jonathan would not have been president of this country. It is because we fought that he became president. It is insulting to give us water hyacinth contract. I have the capacity to construct the road to Bonny. Today, vehicles have started going to Nembe, and that is a miracle”.  Speaking at the event , Managing director of the NDDC, Bassey Dan-Abia, said the new management of the NDDC was working to tackle challenges of poverty in the region.

President Jonathan Sets Up Committee To Assist The Government In Managing Information On The Abducted Girls.

The Federal Government on Friday expressed frustration over the inconsistencies in the information available to it on the girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, who were abducted on April 15.To this end, President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a fact-finding committee headed by Brig General Ibrahim Sabo. Other members of the committee are Mr. Femi Falana [SAN], Hajia Hawa Ibrahim and Fatima Kwaku.The committee which will be inaugurated at the State House, Abuja, next Tuesday, is saddled with the responsibility of providing the government with reliable information on the incident.The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a meeting summoned by the President to review security situation in the country, particularly the latest bombing at Nyanya and the girls’ abduction.Maku was joined at the briefing by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe; Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba; spokesperson for the State Security Service, Marilyn Ogar and the Director, Defence Information, Chris Olukolade.The minister said some of the inconsistencies that the government was not pleased with were the number of affected schoolgirls as well as their current location, among others.He, however, added that the inconsistencies had so far not hampered rescue operations.He said members of the committee included security agencies, civil society organisations, international organisations and other stakeholders.Maku said during the meeting attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo, Minister of Defence, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (retd.) service chiefs and heads of security agencies, the President received updates on the second Nyanya bombing, the ongoing search for the Chibok girls, and efforts made so far to deal with related incidents of insecurity and terrorism in the country.On the latest bomb explosion in Nyanya, the minister said the President directed security chiefs to increase surveillance and expedite investigation into the explosion to ensure that those behind the act are arrested and brought to justice.According to him, Jonathan also gave instructions for additional proactive measures by security agencies to enhance public safety.This, he said, included increased public awareness for citizens to step up their cooperation with security agencies by reporting suspected activities and persons likely to cause a breach of public peace, safety and security.On the kidnapped girls, the minister said security chiefs briefed the meeting on efforts so far made to locate and rescue them and bring the perpetrators to justice.He said, “Extensive and intensive aerial surveillance by the Air Force has been carried out in all the routes leading into and out of Chibok up to the Chad and Cameroun borders. Other parts of Borno and Adamawa states are also under the searchlight.“Every information relayed to security agencies has so far been investigated, including the search of all places suspected as a possible hide-away of the kidnapped girls.“The police, backed up by the military and DSS, have combed and are still combing all reported places that the girls might have been taken to.“In view of the inconsistent and contradictory information available to government on the Chibok abduction, the President has set up a fact-finding committee comprising security agencies, civil society, international organisations and other stakeholders.“The President commiserates with the families of the deceased in the latest bombing at Nyanya, and empathises with all those who were injured in the incident.  He has also directed full medical treatment for the victims at government expense.“The President also shares in the pain and anguish of the parents and guardians of the Chibok girls abducted by the terrorists. The President’s heart goes out to these our unfortunate daughters who have had to endure the trauma of abduction and separation from their loved ones.  The government and people of Nigeria stand solidly by them.”Maku also quoted Jonathan as appealing to the parents, guardians, relations of the girls and members of the public to furnish security agencies with all the information that will assist in their rescue.
Source Punch

Man Kills His Daughter Over Plate Of Rice.

A 29- year-old man, Kingsley Ekeret, is currently cooling his heels at the Homicide section of the Rivers State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, for allegedly beating his seven- year-old daughter to death, for eating his plate of rice.The suspect, a commercial bus driver who hails from Nto Osung community in Ikot
Ekpene LGA of Akwa -Ibom state was saddled with the responsibility of catering for his three children alone, after his wife reportedly abandoned them.He returned home at about 7pm on April 12, 2014, hungry and went for the pot of rice he had prepared before leaving for work only to meet an empty pot. Report said he angrily charged at Favour and unleashed his beastly tendencies on the innocent girl on discovering she was the one that ate the food.Neighbours said that explanations by the ailing child that she shared the food with her siblings when they were hungry fell on deaf ears. Her health, as gathered, aggravated and unfortunately she died hours later.Corpse kept in same room with siblingsPreliminary investigation, according to the command, revealed that on noticing the motionless state of his daughter, Kingsley placed her body at a corner of his one room apartment in Obeama, Oyigbo Local Government Area where his two other children of ages two and three respectively were sleeping.   He, thereafter, wrapped the corpse in one of his clothes at the wee hours of the next day and armed with a shovel, he reportedly dug a shallow grave behind his apartment where he buried the remains of Favour and went about his normal business.But the bubble burst after the caretaker of the building, one Ugwu, who noticed the unusual disappearance of Favour, demanded for her whereabouts   from her father.   Ekarete was said to have told the care-taker that his daughter took ill and was rushed to a hospital in Umuebulu community where she died.   Curious Ugwu reportedly insisted on seeing the corpse, promising to assist in providing money to bury her, a request the suspect refused to oblige.A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity told Saturday Vanguard that “ the caretaker informed a neighbour, one Pastor Emeka Onuoha, of Jesus Reigneth Ministry of the situation. While the accusations ensued, policemen attached to Afam Police division who were on patrol were flagged down by the Pastor, consequent upon which Kingsley was arrested and later transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department.”Suspect claims deceased was poisonedIn his statement to operatives of the Homicide section, Kingsley exonerated himself from the crime, giving rather different accounts as to how his daughter died. At first, he said: “ She died as a result of neglect by her mother. She left me to carter for my three children alone. I usually go out everyday to toil for what they will eat. She apparently died out of neglect.”At other time, he said , “Maybe she was poisoned. You see, being poor, I deposited my telephone with a Hausa man that sells rice, with a promise to collect it back when I pay.   It was the rice I prepared for them that morning ,without knowing it was poisoned.”It was gathered that at a point, he became incoherent with his words. Efforts to get him take the operatives to where the remains of the child was buried failed at first as he reportedly claimed he buried her along the road, on his way back from the hospital. He further stated that he had deposited the body in a mortuary at a neighboring village. Urged to take them to the places, he turned around and claimed he has forgotten the exact place.Truth unfoldsThe truth about his alleged involvement was later unfolded when his parents visited him at the SCID. His father was said to have told operatives that Kingsley called him on the phone, informing him that he had mistakenly killed his daughter.They`narrated his strange behaviour even towards the mother of his children who ran away from home to avoid his excesses. Kingsley’s father also narrated how his son had called him immediately after the murder.Body recoveredWhen it became apparent that his game was up, he reluctantly took operatives and members of his family to the shallow grave he dug behind his apartment where part of Favour’s body was reportedly seen wrapped in a blue cloth. Efforts to reach mother of the children have reportedly seemed futile.The Rivers State Commissioner of Police , Mr Tunde Ogunsaki, who described the act as a violation of the child’s right to survival and development as well as lack of parental care and protection said the suspect would need to go through psychiatric test apparently to ascertain his mental state before he would be charged to court. His assertion followed claims that Kingsley might be mentally derailed.

US Warns Of Possible Boko Haram Attack In Lagos

US diplomats in Nigeria on Friday claimed that “groups associated with terrorism” could be planning to attack a hotel in the financial capital, Lagos, in a tr
avel note to citizens warning of security risks.“As of late April, groups associated with terrorism allegedly planned to mount an unspecified attack against the Sheraton Hotel in Nigeria, near the city of Lagos,” the US Consulate General in Lagos said in an emailed advisory.Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State acknowledges cheers, during the 53rd Independence day anniversary, at Police College Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau.“There was no further information regarding which of the two Sheraton Hotels in Lagos was the possible target, or if both of the Sheraton Hotels are possible targets.“There is no further information regarding the timing or method of attack. US citizens are cautioned to avoid these hotels at this time.”The warning comes a day after a car bomb exploded in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, killing 19 people and wounding scores more, just yards (metres) from a bus station where a previous bombing on April 14 killed at least 75.Boko Haram claimed the April 14 attack and both bombings have raised fears about a possible change in tactics and targets by the Islamist militants, whose increasingly deadly, five-year insurgency has largely been confined to the north.Concern has mounted that the violence could spread to other parts of the country given the military’s apparent inability to stem the bloodshed.A hotel attack by Islamist extremists would not be unprecedented.In November 2008, heavily armed gunmen attacked three luxury hotels, a railway station, Jewish centre and popular tourist cafe in the Indian city of Mumbai, killing 166 and wounding more than 300.Sheraton has two hotels in Lagos: the Sheraton Hotel Lagos in the Ikeja area of the city near the international airport and the Four Points by Sheraton.The latter is situated on Victoria Island off the expressway to Lekki, both of which are home to many wealthier Nigerians and expatriates.The US travel advisory said the security situation in Nigeria remained “fluid and unpredictable”, warning its citizens to stay away from all travel to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states which ha
ve borne the brunt of the violence.All three are in northeast Nigeria and have been under a state of emergency since May last year.

Kerry Washington Gives Birth to Baby Girl With Husband Nnamdi Asomugha.

Kerry Washington secretly welcomed a baby girl on April 21 in L.A., TMZ reports. A source also tells US Weekly"Kerry recently had her baby." It's the first child for the Scandal actress and husband Nnamdi Asomugha. Washington's rep does not comment on her client's personal life, but the Emmy nominee's due date was a few weeks ago.

Young Nigerian Crying Because Chelsea Lost.

I think this football side maddness is getting out of hand.imagine this boy fa,he did not cry because he is jobbless.he didnt cry because his mates died in the Immigration exam exercise,he didnt cry because of poor infrastructural development,he didnt cry for kidnapped Chibok girls,he is not concerned about super Eagles but he cried the night Chelsea FC lost to Atletico Madrid.fool u can cry out your eyes i dont care.

Atiku Abubakar Says His Political Migrations Are Underpinned By Principles And Founded On Democratic Ethos.

Atiku Abubakar, erstwhile vice-president of the country has been one of the most visible political players since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

With one of the most formidable
political organizations in the country, Abubakar has been one of the most persistent presidential contenders in the country’s modern history, having first made his mark in the match-up with the late Bashorn Moshood Abiola for the ticket of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP in the 1993 presidential contest.

Abubakar’s preparation for the presidency after the inauguration of the Fourth Republic was helped by the now rested National Democratic Project, NDP, a quiet NGO founded and financed by him to research into virtually every segment of the socio-economic fabric of the Nigerian state. Abubakar’s power of persuasion, extensive patronage across the political class and his famed deep pockets may have been his staying power as a political prodigy.

However, over the years, his surefootedness on the political terrain has turned into an issue. One of the founders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abubakar upon an orchestrated campaign against him in that party slipped out to join others in founding the defunct Action Congress, AC in 2006. In 2008 he returned to the PDP and last year again walked out on the party.

Abubakar, however, remains unfazed asserting that his political migrations are underpinned by principles and founded on democratic ethos.  Atiku Abubakar recently fielded questions from Vanguard on his mission, message and manner of politics among other issues affecting the nation. Excerpts:

You left the PDP where you were a founding member to join APC. Was that decision influenced by your speculated interest in the 2015 presidential election?

If I had a choice, I wouldn’t have abandoned a house of which I was a key family member. The PDP was founded according to certain democratic principles of internal democracy. If you cannot practice democratic principles within, how do you preach democracy to the rest of the country? Internal democracy was systematically destroyed so badly that the party (PDP) is owned by the president rather than the people.

Internal democracy

The President decides who he wants to be party chairman and imposes his choice on everybody. We thought this was wrong and the party as then led didn’t like our opposition to the idea of killing internal democracy.

Those of us seeking reforms were perceived as obstacles and in 2005, they started the policy of de-registration to get rid of me and my supporters. The party was restructured in such a way that nobody should dare indicate interest to contest against the President at the primaries. I was so badly treated and consequently had to leave PDP and join AC in 2007. And the lack of internal democracy is still there.

The primary reason for my leaving the PDP in 2007, and now was largely influenced by a principle, and not actually my desire to contest presidential elections. And if, indeed, I have such ambition, I believe such aspiration is legitimate.

IYABO WRITES BOKO HARAM, SAYS INSURGENTS MORE COMPETENT THAN JONATHAN’S MEN.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has accused those in President Goodluck Jonathan’s inner circle of being a hindrance to the resolution of the crisis posed by the Boko Haram insurgency.

In an open letter to the Islamist sect, whose leadership she credited with “more sense,” Senator Obasanjo, however, faulted the insurgents for betraying the true essence of revolutionaries in directing their venom against the lower class.

Dr. Obasanjo in the 860-word letter particularly cringed at the abduction of hundreds of school girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, saying their crave for sexual gratification is no excuse for the abduction.

While noting her surprise that more armed groups have not risen against the state given the social and living conditions of the majority of the population, she wrote:

“I am moved to write about the current state of affairs in Nigeria. My first inclination was to write to the President but since all letters to him seem to elicit only open derision and even more stupidity from his inner circle, I have decided to address my letter to a group also currently causing Nigerians a lot of pain and agony that may actually have more sense than the country’s leadership.

Dear Boko Haram

“The fact that you have taken arms against the Nigerian state is no surprise. The question should be why haven’t more young people organised themselves against the state?

“Even the fact that your motto, ‘Against Western Education’ is in a way reasonable given the fact that your leader, martyred by the Nigerian state had university education and found no reasonable employment but had to resort to thuggery for politicians to survive, as the story goes.

“He, like millions of Nigerian young people and college graduates, seeing a blighted future are doing anything to survive.

“They have become opportunistic desperados, almost sub‑human as the stepping on and trampling on each other to death at the Immigration employment debacle indicates.

JONATHAN VOWS TO RECUE ADBUCTED GIRLS.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, at the National May Day rally, in Abuja, said Nigeria is not poor, but suffering from the distribution of wealth, as the main challenge facing the country.

This came as organised labour berated Nigerian politicians and political leaders for playing politics with the state of insecurity in the country, with Governors Babatunde Fashola, Adams Oshiomhole and Ibikunle Amosun of Lagos, Edo and Ogun states calling for concerted efforts to tackle the insecurity scourge irrespective of political or religious affiliations.

Jonathan was reacting to the recent World Bank’s report that ranked Nigeria the fifth poorest country in the world at Eagle Square, venue of 2014 workers’ May Day festivities.

President Jonathan said he was amazed when he visited Kenya on an official trip, only to discover that most of the private jets which flew into that country were from Nigeria.

He said: “They say Nigeria is poor, but I was surprised when the World Bank listed us among the poorest nations in the world. Nigeria is not poor, it only has the problem of unequal distribution of wealth.”

President Goodluck Jonathan used the May Day celebration to reiterate his administration’s determination to bring the Boko-Haram insurgency to an end, vowing that the abducted secondary school girls in Chibok, Borno State  must be found and rescued.

He also restated his earlier submission that the perpetrators of the Nyanya Bus Terminal bombing in the Federal Capital would be fished out and punished in accordance with the law.

He assured that government was continuously fine-tuning its security strategies to curb insurgency which, he said, perpetrators must never be allowed to succeed in their evil intention.

He, therefore, called for the cooperation of citizens to beat back the threat posed by the Islamic sect to security and peace.

Second Republic Deputy Senate President ,Senator John Wash Pam Dies At 73.

Former Deputy Senate President in the Second Republic, John Wash Pam is dead.
He died Thursday at the National Hospital, Abuja at about 1.25pm as a result of complications from prostrate cancer.

His death was confirmed by his first son, Mr. Ganan Wash Pam and his Special Assistant, Mr. Williams Chieshe (Jnr).

His Special Assistant said, “Baba has died, he has been battling with prostrate cancer for a while now.

The late Wash Pam was Deputy Senate President to senator Joseph Wayas from 1979 to 1983.

Senator Pam, who died at the age of 73 was a prominent Berom elder from Foron in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State and is survived by two wives and 18 children.

Another Deadly Bomb Blast Hits Abuja.

Another deadly bomb blast has been reported in Abuja according to reports reaching us,it is a suicide bomb blast around Nyanya few metres away from the last Blast.details soon.but we will no longer be posting pictures of wounded victims.

“Women Uniting for Peace in Nigeria,” Stage Rally In Abuja Today Calling On Govt To Speed Up Action To Rescue The Abducted Girls.(Pictures).

Public outrage continued in Abuja today as a coalition of women activists and other organizations staged protests over the continued disappearance of more than 200 girls abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State. Armed men suspected to be members of an extremist Islamist organization, Boko Haram, abducted the schoolgirls on April 14.       

The protesters, organized by “Women Uniting for Peace in Nigeria,” today staged a peaceful rally in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. They demanded that Nigerian authorities speed up action in rescuing the abducted girls who have been kept by their abductors for more than two weeks. Borno State, with Maiduguri as its capital, has been one of the hotbeds of Boko Haram insurgency.       

The protesters, who were dressed in black T-shirts, converged at the old Parade Ground in Abuja to express their displeasure at the government’s foot-dragging. They condemned the government for remaining largely mute over the grave matter of school children’s abduction.

The coordinator of the group, Priscilla Achakpa, criticized President Goodluck Jonathan’s lukewarm attitude towards the plight of the victims and the agony of the innocent girls’ parents. She called for steps to be taken to ensure the return of peace and tranquility in Nigeria.

Ms. Achakpa also strongly condemned violence against women and children in different parts of the country.                  

“The Nigeria government should keep people posted on the abduction,” she said. “We have the right to know what is happening to our children. [The government] should update us because this trauma is too much for us to bear.”

The aggrieved protesters carried placards with gory photos of victims of various bloody attacks in the country as they marched to Radio House, Abuja. The protesters threatened to take their protests to Eagle Square, the venue of the May Day celebration. However, security operatives barricaded all roads to the venue because President Jonathan was there.

Some participants in today’s rally also frowned at a campaign rally organized by a group to support Mr. Jonathan’s re-election in 2015, describing the politicking as wicked, insensitive, and an expression of lack of respect for human dignity.

“When the whole country is in mourning and grief those useless people are singing and dancing for re-election of the President,” one organizer of today’s protest said. The group asked the president to shelve all campaign rallies for now and focus on finding the missing girls.

Awwh !! International Celebs Have Joined The Campaign to #BringBackOurGirls Too.See Their Tweets.

Over 200 Borno school girls from Chibok have been forcefully abducted by the terrorist sect Boko Haram for over two weeks now. Our government has been awfully silent about the matter leading to public outrage in both Nigeria and beyond.

Thankfully, lots of personalities and celebrities are lending their voice by joining the millions Nigerians to
campaign and raise awareness about the plight of the Borno Girls.

Source Gistvile

All we are saying is #BringBackOurGirls! Lend a voice and spread the word!

Benue Workers Embarass Governor Suswam During May Day Celebrations At IBB Square.

Civil servants in Benue State shocked the Governor today as they staged a work out on him at IBB square during activities marking this year's May Day celebration.
We gathered from different sources that when Governor Suswam was addressing the civil servants on the issue of Teachers salary,as soon as he stated that workers salaries will be deducted to pay teachers,the civil servants began to protest with shouts of No No No! We no go gree! Etc all efforts by the NLC chairman Comrade Anchaver to get aggrived civil servants to listen to the Governor proved abortive as the workers chanted songs and abandoned the Governor and his officials at the square.

It will be recalled that Primary school teachers have been on strike in the state for the past 9 months.

Happy Workers Day.Solidarity Forever.

May Day, which usually occurs on May 1 in many countries, stems from ancient customs associated with the celebration of spring. It is also a national holiday for workers in many countries around the world.

PLOT TO DIVIDE THE NORTH AND DISMEMBER NIGERIAWritten by Paul Unongo.

30 April 2014 05:00 Northern Nigeria has never had it so bad. The security situation in the region has deteriorated, especially in the last three years.On a daily basis, the blood of innocent citizens is shed in the name of Boko Haram insurgency. Properties worth billions of naira are destroyed while young schoolgirls are abducted with little or no resistance from Nigerian troops who operate in the region. We should also not forget that those states in the North-East are effectively under emergency rule!This is the territory that Professor Abdullahi Ashafa has argued was created by “mere arbitrary line of parallels of latitude, not a true division between the North and the South.” This region, the North, had a landmass of 255,700 square miles. The Western Region called the West, and the Eastern Region called the East, collectively, were called the South which had a land mass of 76,700 square miles. This is the greatest thorn in the flesh of the political gladiators, who work tirelessly to change the perceived unfair “advantage” of the “uneducated” North, since the amalgamation of 1914. The central assignment is how to divide and destroy the advantage of the North.It can be realistically inferred that one of the remote (and direct) causes of the military coup of January 15th, 1966 and the subsequent very destructive 3-year Nigerian Civil War is traceable to preoccupation with attempts to alter this perceived “unfair advantage” conferred on the North by the 1914 amalgamation.Constant outbursts of denials of the existence of the “so-called North” as epitomized by Prof. Ben Nwabueze’s treaties, the sudden convocation of the “National Conference/Dialogue” – burning billions of naira in a space of just 3 months – and talk of restructuring, resource control, and fiscal federalism are all aspects of the sustained programme and efforts to effect a change in this “historical mistake”—the “gerrymandering of Lugard”, to use Nwabueze’s lexicon! Consistent with this contention, somebody must have knowingly made sure that the National Conference members from the entire North are far less than those from the South.The persistent attempts by “renowned” academics such as Nwabueze to question the existence of a Northern Nigeria, and conclude that the “divide” has constituted “an obstacle to the creation of a nation and a national front” and, therefore, any references to a “Northern Nigeria” must be discarded, for new, smaller arrangements, confirm the seriousness of this issue, which the North, meaning the leadership of the North, must treat as serious and attend to proactively and creatively, as the late Sardauna of Sokoto did! The North, indeed, existed harmoniously as a Regional Government, with the Sardauna as the Premier, despite our numerous tribes and the different religious persuasions, inclusive of class struggles by the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) in tandem with state-creation agitations by the United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) and the Bornu Youth Movement (BYM)!Returning to Nwabueze’s lead paper presented to the president, and which has influenced significantly the president’s transformation to supporting a National Conference, you will see that the kernel of his arguments rests on the denotative meaning of the term “divide”, which he said is used as meaning not just a twofold division, a bifurcation or dualism; it connotes more than that, viz, a separation, by division, into two or more or less exclusive segments, that is to say, a dichotomy. In other words, the effect of the 1914 Amalgamation, indeed its purpose, is to dichotomize the country from its inception; to keep its northern and southern segments apart by an imaginary, artificially created boundary line, and consequently to disunite them in interest, attitude, outlook and vision. That defines the magnitude, the enormity, of the problem bequeathed to us by Lugard and his 1914 Amalgamation.Prof. Nwabueze and others like him claim that areas such as the “Middle Belt Region” cannot claim to be part of the “true” North. Therefore, the so-called Northern Nigeria is comprised of heterogeneous entities and cannot be subsumed under the rubric of “Northern Nigeria.”Can he apply this criterion to the Eastern Region or Eastern Nigeria, with the Ibo, the Bekwarra, the Ishibori of Ogoja, the Annang, the Kalabari, the Ekoi, the Bugumas, the Ijaw, the Ibibio, etc., which he is comfortable with as people of the Eastern Region or Eastern Nigeria? What about the federating region of Western Nigeria or Western Region domiciled by the Yoruba, the Bini, the Ijaw, the Itshekiri, the Urhobo, etc.? Are these homogenous in tribal or ethnic colouration? Do they profess one common religion?Despite these glaring contradictions and the standing of logic on its head, Nwabueze proceeds to offer six reasons for not recognizing the existence of a “Northern Nigeria”:“(1) the North consists, not of one tribe, but of various tribes marked apart from each other by fundamental differences in culture, customs and traditions, way of life, traditional occupation, etc, just like the tribes in the South;(2) the Hausa language, though widely used, is not indigenous to many of the tribes; (3) each of the tribes inhabits and lives in its own traditional territory under its own traditional system of rule, separate from the others;(4) though the tribes in the “True North” (whatever that means), are adherents of the Moslem religion, with a small admixture of Christians, the Moslem religion is not the common traditional religion of the entire North, since many of the tribes in the North Central Region adhere to animism as their traditional religion, with some now converting to the Christian faith; (5) there is no common traditional heritage, cultural or otherwise, binding together the various ethnic communities inhabiting the different territorial areas comprised in the North, such as to set them apart from those in the South; and(6) Northern Nigeria is not one solid, unbroken landmass sharing physical or geographical features.”It is arguments such as Nwabueze’s, couched in decadent pseudo-intellectualism that seem to represent the thinking of “enlightened” Nigerians outside Northern Nigeria, and even those pseudo-intellectuals living within the same geopolitical area called Northern Nigeria.These arguments are patently hollow, incontinent, inappropriate, deceitful, and without merit, because the same conditions prescribed by Nwabueze do not hold in the other two regions—Eastern Nigeria and Western Nigeria—and yet, he, after advocating for the dismantling of Northern Nigerian unity, aggressively turns around to call for Southern Nigerian unity!This has exposed the true intentions of the tremendous efforts being made to disunite the peoples of the North. Can a discerning true leadership from the North arise and see the true reasons why the current dispensation is encouraging all forces working tirelessly to weaken the concept of a unified Northern Nigeria? Is it not the fear of the tremendous clout a united Northern Nigeria will wield in the life of this terribly mismanaged Nigeria that is motivating interested parties to fan the embers of disunity and sponsoring violence across the whole territory of Northern Nigeria?The Tiv and Fulani of Northern Nigeria, having lived together for over 200 years as brothers, friends, and playmates, are now sold a dummy, that they are “enemies” and must slaughter each other to defend against forceful conversion to the religion of the foreign enemy, the Fulani, we have existed under one administration for over 100 years! Do we have a leadership that can rise to this existential threat to us Northern Nigerians, as the late Sardauna would have arisen as he did in 1953, 1954, 1956, and 1957/1958?So, should we stray from Sir Ahmadu Bello’s guiding vision of a united Northern Nigeria as succinctly put by my friend Prof. Nwabueze, quoting Sheikh Gumi “. . . the Sardauna had “pledged and dedicated himself to work untiringly for the progress and happiness of the North”, thereby creating in the different peoples of the North and inculcating in them the binding sense of solidarity and unity of the North as one entity with one destiny”? The answer ought to be ABSOLUTELY NOT! We must continuously work to fulfil this vision of balanced development of our people, which has been completely neglected for over 15 years!With the debacle of Boko Haram now comes the “trumped-up” conflict between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen. As if to lend credence to Nwabueze’s theory of a separation between the entities that comprise Northern Nigeria, the Fulani are said to be invading and occupying Tiv territory in a quest to Islamize the rest of Nigeria. Consequently, the Tiv farmers and the Fulani herdsmen have experienced devastating losses in both life and property. The campaign of calumny has continued unabated, with pundits claiming that the Fulani are on a mission to “cleanse” the Tiv of their ancestral home. We beg to differ from these opinions. In addition, several war fronts have been created between Fulani and other Northern minorities (in Southern Kaduna, Taraba, Nasarawa) and even between the Hausa Muslims and the Fulani, as in the case of Zamfara and Katsina, where all are realistically Muslim! Or are Katsina and Zamfara states not well Islamized already?Secondly, if the essence of the Fulani ‘invasion’ is to Islamize Tiv land, Berom land, and “minority” lands in Southern Zaria, and elsewhere in Nigeria, as we are made to believe, is there any Tiv settlement captured by the Fulani where Sharia Islamic law is administered, as it is done by the Taliban in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Syria? It must be re-stressed that the Tiv and Fulani, for example, have co-existed for over 200 years without any skirmishes of the type we are now forced by our rulers to witness.The Fulani herdsmen have had unfettered access to Tivland, and indeed Benue State, without the devastating incidents we are now experiencing in the state. The herdsmen have lost hundreds of cows and lives, while the Tiv have been dispossessed of their farmlands, their villages razed, and hundreds killed. An added dimension to the wanton destruction of property in Tivland has been the presence of militias that intermingle with the herdsmen to sack Tiv communities, and help plunder Fulani herds. Guns are being freely distributed to fuel this mayhem by people who pose as agents of government, a government which swore to protect the lives and properties of all Nigerian citizens!We know that these activities are designed to paint Prof. Nwabueze’s “true North” as the aggressors against the Tiv who are “resisting” the so-called Islamization agenda of the “true North.” Nothing could be farther from the truth! Yet churches are urged to spread this monstrosity and the situation is reaching proportions where Nigerians are pulled out of travelling vehicles and murdered on the basis of tribe and/or religion! THIS MUST STOP!It is violence-prone, and therefore, no election should be conducted throughout the territory of Northern Nigeria in 2015! This is complete falsehood. The leadership of the North must rise to its obligations and reject this. We, with one mind and voice, MUST resist and reject these assertions because evidence on the ground does not support this monstrous touted lie.  A unified, reconciled, progressive, transparent, and prosperous North cannot happen by chance.The North must work hard and produce within the dictates of democracy and the law, a genuinely national leadership, come the elections of 2015.•The North must put in place mechanisms/logistics to extol the virtues of a united Northern Nigeria of equal brothers and sisters, as a solution to our endemic crises in the region – strangulating poverty, unemployment, underdevelopment in all aspects of our infrastructure, lack of access to quality educational facilities, lack of meaningful access to economic opportunities, etc.•The North must work assiduously to correct the current imbalance in our federal civil service sector. •The North must plan deliberately to create more high value entrepreneurs of international repute, across the whole spectrum of Northern diversity and religious plurality.•The North must work to ensure that every part of Northern Nigeria is represented equitably in all of our development efforts—planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The “core North” is often accused of using and dumping the Middle belt areas, an accusation used by our detractors to divide the North. Let us embrace the Sardauna Model, where all Northerners are at the baking of the cake, at the sharing, and at the actual eating irrespective of tribe, tongue, and religion. The Sardauna did it and it worked and produced tremendous results which some of us remain tilltoday, grateful beneficiaries.Wantaregh Unongo, OFR, a former Minister of Steel, is Deputy Leader of Northern Elders’ Forum

Women Weep At National Assembly Beg Fed Govt To Assist In The Release Of Abducted Girls.(Photos).

Senate President, David Mark, Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and Deputy Speaker House of Representatives,
Emeka Ihedioha, in company with other federal lawmakers, defied a downpour to address parents of abducted schoolgirls who protested at
the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The obviously traumatised parents were joined by other women to protest the continued abduction of more than 243 students of Federal
Government Girls College in Chibok, Borno State, by the Boko Haram
insurgents, over two weeks ago.

David Mark and Tambuwal receives mothers.

The women in tears, besieged the National Assembly complex
and urged the legislators to do something urgently as they could no
longer bear the agony and pains of imagining the trauma that their
daughters would be passing through in the hands of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Mark assured them that the hearts of all well meaning Nigerians were
with them in their critical moment of agony.
He said, “The Senators and members of the House of Representatives
wept over this abduction when we were discussing it at our separate
chambers on Tuesday.
“We have reached an unbearable stage. We can no longer tolerate this.
“We are drenched. Totally soaked in the rain. It is better to be beaten
by the rain and get our children freed from their captors.
“If it means standing in the rain until the girls are freed we are prepared
to do so.
“We are lost for words. We can only apologise that it is taking this long
to get these girls freed.
“We are not going to rest until the last of the girls is freed. All the
security apparatus, all of us must get involved in this battle.
“There is no mistaken the fact that we are in a state of war. With God
on our side, we shall triumph over evil”.
One of the Speakers and former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, said
“the situation has become intolerable”.