Wednesday, 8 July 2015
I Never Said,Nigerians deserve Boko Haram For Rejecting Jonathan-- Fani Kayode
I Never Said,Nigerians deserve Boko Haram For Rejecting Jonathan-- Fani Kayode
Fani Kayode has reacted to reports he said Nigerians deserve Boko Haram for voting out Jonathan..
Read press statement It has been brought to our attention that Premium Times, a popular Nigerian online magazine, has alleged that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode wrote the following words on his Facebook page- ''For rejecting Jonathan, Nigerians deserve Boko Haram''. This is false and, needless to say, Chief Fani-Kayode has never and would never say such a thing or harbor such a horrendous and heartless view.
For the last few years Chief Fani-Kayode has been one of the loudest and most strident voices against Boko Haram in Nigeria and he has continously and courageously condemned them. He has also continously expressed his grave concerns about the barbarity and sheer evil that they have unleashed on the Nigerian people and he has constantly expressed his condolences to and support for the families whose loved ones have been murdered by them over the years.For Premium Times or anyone else to allege that Chief Fani-Kayode wrote that the Nigerian people ''deserve Boko Haram'' under any circumstances is not just mischievous but it is also irresponsible and malicious. It is a wicked lie which is designed to endanger the life and reputation of Chief Fani-Kayode and to subject him to public odium, ridicule, outrage and opprobium. We challenge anyone that doubts the veracity of our contention to go and read Chief Fani-Kayode's write-up on his Facebook wall because it is still there.
They should point out where President Jonathan's name was mentioned and they should also point out where he wrote that ''Nigerians deserve Boko Haram''. We urge our friends in the media to please check their sources properly before going to press and to quote people accurately.
They should also treat such matters in a thoroughly honest and professional manner and with the greatest sensitivity. Since yesterday night we have been inundated with calls from concerned Nigerians about this fake headline and we have had to go to great lengths to set the record straight. We appreciate the fact that the overwhelming majority of Nigerian media practitioners always adhere to the highest standards of ethics and practice but when things go wrong, for the sake of posterity, it is important to set the record straight.
Thank you''- Jude Ndukwe (Special Assistant to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode)
My original text on Boko Haram published on my facebook page
Anyone that honestly believed that a man who secretly shares the same vision and core principles of Boko Haram and who spent many years defending them can do anything but give them a free hand when he comes to power is living in cuckoo land.
I am not surprised by all the recent bombings and killings. I am not surprised by the resurgence of BH and their new found barbarity, courage and zeal. Military checkpoints have been removed from our roads so what do you expect?
Boko Haram suspects are now being kept in prisons in the eastern part of the country in order to ''spread the word'' and no less than 182 Boko Haram suspects were released on the Presidents orders just a few days ago. Is all this just a coincidence or is something that is dark and sinister now afoot in our country?There is a much wider picture unfolding here which the Nigerian people have yet to see and which they find difficult to accept, understand or comprehend. There is a hideous and frightful hidden agenda which is slowly manifesting before our very eyes. Though we warned them, the Nigerian people wanted "change" so they must live with the consequences of their choice.
Whatever each of us may or may not believe, one thing is clear- that Boko Haram now have powerful friends and secret allies right at the epicenter of power and those friends and allies are running the affairs of the country.
One of those consequences is the new-found audacity, courage, growing power and rising strength of Boko Haram. Another is the resurgence of a clearly ethnic agenda which is designed to leave no-one in doubt about who really owns Nigeria and who the slaves are.
Another is the destruction and demystification of Bola Tinubu and his yoruba loyalists by his erstwhile northern allies in the APC. Only a fool did not see that one coming and I am rather surprised that Tinubu's followers are now crying foul and alleging that there is a northern conspiracy. Didnt they know that before? Were they not warned over and over again?There are many other grave consequences which the Nigerian people will witness, in a most harrowing and frightful manner, in the next few months and years. May God deliver our people and our nation and may we learn to make the right choices.
Comedian 'Basketmouth' Honoured By Houston Community (See Photo)
Comedian 'Basketmouth' Honoured By Houston Community (See Photo)
Nigerian-born Comedian, Bright Okpocha popularly known as
BasketMouth, the undisputed king of comedy in Nigeria has been honoured
in the most amazing way possible by the Mayor of the City of Houston
‘Annice D. Parker.
The Mayor has declared the 17th of July as Basketmouth Day in
Houston, Texas in recognition of his contribution in Uniting the
Nigerian American Community through his art for the past 6 years in
Houston.
The congressional recognition ceremony will hold on July 18th, same
day as his One Man Stand Comedy Concert ‘Basketmouth Uncensored’ in
Houston at Ayva Center.
This is a great achievement for Basketmouth as he becomes the 1st Nigerian entertainer to have this honor conferred upon.
Congratz to him
Gay Men Now Walk Around Dancing Naked in South Africa (Photo)
Gay Men Now Walk Around Dancing Naked in South Africa (Photo)
A daring male sex show has hit the township streets of South Africa –
where gay men take up raunchy positions, dancing naked and simulating
different sex positions in broad daylight.
They were all men and didn’t care they were in a busy street in Soshanguve township, north of Pretoria.
They were all men and didn’t care they were in a busy street in Soshanguve township, north of Pretoria.
This is a new sex dance craze known by its practitioners as “Cava”.
It all started with a dance-off, but quickly turned into a stripping and humping fest.
The infamous and provocative display bystanders capture on their phone cameras shows naked men groping each other in sexual positions. The spectacle has set tongues wagging in the township.
The latest show took place last Friday afternoon in Block G, according to locals.
Photos and video footage show half-naked men dancing and groping each other while their private parts are exposed.
They can be seen simulating sex positions, including the most notorious one showing three men simulating a threesome. Witnesses told Sowetan that Cava was a common spectacle in GaRankuwa. They said some of the Cava sessions included girls who spiced up the sex performances with their own styles.
“These things happen at night over the weekends. I was surprised this one was happening during the day,” said resident Sipho Mngomezulu.
“Those guys were drunk,” he said. He said the craze was started by gay men in the area, who were later joined by other men who were not gay. Siyanda Zulu said night-time Cava sessions included actual sexual acts.
“These people drink and express their immorality,” said Zulu.
“There are usually cars and taxis parked around and playing music when this is happening.
“Some of the people end up having sex in the cars or going to nearby bushes and dark alleys.”
An unoccupied building in Block G is said to be the venue for these weekly gatherings of booze and sex.
Naledi Selesho, who runs a business stall near one of the venues for Cava gatherings, said she often found used condoms, beer bottles and cigarette butts thrown around the area.
Lydia Moholo, whose family home is not far from the area, said their attempts to end the gatherings had proved unsuccessful.
“There is no direct offence towards us. But we don’t want these immoral things happening close to our houses and children,” said Moholo. She did not say how they had tried to stop the sex shows.
Despite the outcry of the residents over the sex parties, the police spokesman in neighbouring Soshanguve said police did not anything about Cava.
Warrant Officer Lolo Mangena said he was not aware of any one complaint by resident about the public sexual acts.
It all started with a dance-off, but quickly turned into a stripping and humping fest.
The infamous and provocative display bystanders capture on their phone cameras shows naked men groping each other in sexual positions. The spectacle has set tongues wagging in the township.
The latest show took place last Friday afternoon in Block G, according to locals.
Photos and video footage show half-naked men dancing and groping each other while their private parts are exposed.
They can be seen simulating sex positions, including the most notorious one showing three men simulating a threesome. Witnesses told Sowetan that Cava was a common spectacle in GaRankuwa. They said some of the Cava sessions included girls who spiced up the sex performances with their own styles.
“These things happen at night over the weekends. I was surprised this one was happening during the day,” said resident Sipho Mngomezulu.
“Those guys were drunk,” he said. He said the craze was started by gay men in the area, who were later joined by other men who were not gay. Siyanda Zulu said night-time Cava sessions included actual sexual acts.
“These people drink and express their immorality,” said Zulu.
“There are usually cars and taxis parked around and playing music when this is happening.
“Some of the people end up having sex in the cars or going to nearby bushes and dark alleys.”
An unoccupied building in Block G is said to be the venue for these weekly gatherings of booze and sex.
Naledi Selesho, who runs a business stall near one of the venues for Cava gatherings, said she often found used condoms, beer bottles and cigarette butts thrown around the area.
Lydia Moholo, whose family home is not far from the area, said their attempts to end the gatherings had proved unsuccessful.
“There is no direct offence towards us. But we don’t want these immoral things happening close to our houses and children,” said Moholo. She did not say how they had tried to stop the sex shows.
Despite the outcry of the residents over the sex parties, the police spokesman in neighbouring Soshanguve said police did not anything about Cava.
Warrant Officer Lolo Mangena said he was not aware of any one complaint by resident about the public sexual acts.
MUST READ: Why Nigerian Army Can’t Defeat Boko Haram Insurgents – UK High Commissioner
MUST READ: Why Nigerian Army Can’t Defeat Boko Haram Insurgents – UK High Commissioner
Andrew Pocock, Outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria speaking at
a farewell interactive session with members of Kaduna chapter of the
Nigeria Union of Journalists Correspondent Chapel in Kaduna on Monday
Said the problem of Boko Haram insurgency in North-east Nigeria is not something that can be resolved with the use of the army, the police or the security agencies only.
“There has to be three different things; the first is a properly articulated security efforts. The second is that, there has to be a different kind of politics in the Northeast, where state and Federal Government work together instead of against each other and where there is a much more common and agreed agenda about what needs to be done to correct many years of mis-governance and of poor policy in the North-east.
He however stated that with the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari, people are looking to a chance to get out of the security situation in the North-east, adding that, in the overall, there is greater possibility of stability and economic success, economic recovery perhaps than they might have been before the election.“The third dimension has to be a developmental and economic uplift agenda. Too many, particularly young people are not only without employment in the North-east but because of the insurgency are without any economic prospect whatsoever. No one can live without hope and indeed if the economic and the developmental aspect of these are not addressed, the opportunities for radicalization are much greater. So, those three things have to work in tandem, the security instrument, politics and development/economic approach.”
The High Commissioner said although the army had some successes in 2013, those efforts were not followed up and Boko Haram came surging back in 2014 and effectively controlled most of the North-eastern country in Borno State as well as Adamawa and Yobe.
“20, 000 people killed in a conflict is a very serious matter,” he said.
He said in the overall, there is greater possibility of stability and economic success, economic recovery perhaps than they might have been before the election.
“The British government has long been involved in training Nigerian soldiers to fight the very difficult anti-insurgency combat that they are faced with in the North-east,” he said. “We have done this with some success. There is a lot more that we can do. What we need is high level access to the new people that President Buhari is likely to appoint.”
President Buhari Should Be Allowed To Gather Momentum
President Buhari Should Be Allowed To Gather Momentum
It is no news that Nigeria needs to be
fixed; riddled with corruption in all spheres of the economy, it is obvious
that it needs a fix. We have all heard of various corrupt practices at various
levels in the country from spending monies not appropriated in the budget to
oil theft, Boko Haram, kidnapping, robbery, employment scandals, dubious
contracts, and so on.
For our nation to move forward the
President needs to be given some time to lay foundations because without
foundations all strategies will not yield desired result. There is a need for
coordinated and calculated approach in the policies and programs of this new
administration. Strategies not properly executed will end up being a failed
project no matter how wonderful the idea is and that is why we will be needing
the people to give the President sometime to put his house together like he is
gradually doing now. He obviously should know that the country expects a lot
from him and he is working at it gradually. To now jump to a conclusion that he
is not working or he is slow is too early for our collective interest as a nation.
Comments like that incite people to heat up the polity.
Having said all this,I believe that the
main agenda of this administration should focus on two basic elements and
should be solved both tactically and strategically not in bits nor shatter here
and there. It should be done in a coordinated approach. The two basic focus
should be VALUE FOR LIFE & LIVING, and INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
Like I have said before any plan or agenda
should be properly coordinated before execution. The value for life and living
is not only limited to eradicating the Boko Haram or kidnapping menace but also
to Health care, Insurance capabilities, safe driving, quality education,
blocking all lope holes to corruption, police (or uniform men) brutality,
Police reforms, Military reforms, acts of impunity, creating employment
opportunities, and so on.
As for Infrastructural development we need
our roads across the country to be in good condition and this can be done
within two years with a will and coordinated approach; the rail can be
channeled for better productivity; electricity should be a major focus as
without this there can be no major development (I have this opinion that if
Nigeria generates 50,000mega watts of electricity within the next four years
given our current population estimates, we will leap to being top 15 economies
in the world in less than 2years after that) and so on.
By Gross Domestic Product various
organisations such has IMF, World Bank, UN, and the CIA have ranked us to be
between 21 and 27 top economies in the world but how has that translated to
having a decent place to sleep for the common man or having good water to drink
or even having steady and good electricity? This means if we are between 21 and
27 in the world by GDP currently and a lot of people are still living below
poverty line,if we can coordinate ourselves properly and have a focused vision
we will be among the top 15 in the world, no doubt. Therefore, for us to get to
this point we will be needing to allow the current government focus and not be
distracted.
However, according to heritage.org we are
ranked to be 120 in economy freedom index in the world. It is of no news that
the Nigerian economy can be easily affected negatively by happenings in the
foreign policy of other countries or negative happenings in such countries
because we rely mainly on imports. Take a look at our forex market today what
is going on there would have been avoided if we were not so dependent on buying
from other countries. Therefore, infrastructure such as our refineries should
be considered so as to serve Nigerians properly. Hence the need to coordinate
us towards a desired goal for development; this takes some time.
The current government should be allowed to
have a focus and should be helped with constructive criticism not antagonistic
comments. There is a need for us all to come together as one to ensure we make
Nigeria greater than our founding fathers imagined. This is a collective
responsibility for us all as a nation. Having said this he should be allowed
the time to gather his team since he is not a dictator but as a democrat,he
must carry the people along in line with the constitution. We should give him
time to show that he is a man of vision and strong will. If after a good period of time he is not
coming forth with a good coordinated plan then we can point to him where he has
gone wrong and if he refuses to listen, then we can do what the people do best
during elections.
We need to give him time to coordinate
those who will help him achieve his electoral promises. We must also note that
this is beyond his ministerial appointees there are also other silent
appointees that will be required for this task to take place. After he has
appointed them he will still be needing time to sell his vision to them for
proper coordination. Let’s all give him all the support
to move Nigeria forward.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
God bless all Nigerian citizens.
God bless our President.
By Ayodele Komolafe
Court orders Former Enugu Gov, Nnamani to forfeit assets to Fed Govt
Court orders Former Enugu Gov, Nnamani to forfeit assets to Fed Govt
A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered the forfeiture of
multi-billion naira assets allegedly belonging to a former Enugu State
Governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, to the Federal Government.
Among the forfeited assets are undeveloped properties and transmission equipment of Rainbownet Limited; property of Hill Gate Investment Limited/Cuena Phones Limited; assets of Cosmo 105.5FM, and 22 duplexes at Ebeano Estate (now Fidelity Estate).
Others are Rainbownet’s shares in Zenith Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, with a combined account balance of N4.6 million; as well as money in its bank accounts worth about N34.8 million.
Among the forfeited assets are undeveloped properties and transmission equipment of Rainbownet Limited; property of Hill Gate Investment Limited/Cuena Phones Limited; assets of Cosmo 105.5FM, and 22 duplexes at Ebeano Estate (now Fidelity Estate).
Others are Rainbownet’s shares in Zenith Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, with a combined account balance of N4.6 million; as well as money in its bank accounts worth about N34.8 million.
The balances are in different accounts with GTBank (N313,700); Sterling Bank (N986,958); Ecobank (N24.5 million); First City Monument Bank (N3.8 million) and Zenith Bank (N761,156).
EFCC said it was awaiting details of balances in Rainbownet’s 10 accounts with Access Bank.
Rainbownet’s undeveloped property forfeited include seven plots at Independence Layout; 567.96 Square metres (Sqm) at Abakpa; 574.96 Sqm at Emene and 2,951.98 Sqm at Achara Layout.
Others to be forfeited include thousands of square metres of properties at Abia State, namely Ogbor Hill (914.633), Abayi (one and half plots), Port Harcourt Road (1,856.449), Ariaria (640.32), Umuagari (573.263) and Assannetu (954.396), as well as Abakiliki, Ebonyi State (one plot).
Also, in Onitsha, Anambra State, are Barracks (one plot), Nkpor (1088.644), Awada (465.14), Fegge (one plot); as well as 2,200.06 square miles of land at Okpumo, Awka.
The company is also to lose 693.636 square metres of undeveloped property located opposite the War Museum, Umuahia.
Assets of Rainbownet Communications Limited, including Central Switch Room, Microwave Radio, Rectifier, Microwave Backhaul Transmission, among others at various locations in Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo states are to be forfeited.
The former senator was charged along with his former aide, Sunday Anyaogu, and six firms – Rainbownet, Hillgate Nigeria, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nig Ltd, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa later split Nnamani’s trial from his co-accused as he was abroad receiving treatment.
EFCC re-arraigned them on 105 counts of money laundering and economic crimes involving about N4.5 billion.
Part of the alleged laundered money was from the Excess Crude Oil Funds meant for some local government areas, including Aninri, Enugu South, Agwu, Igbo Etiti and Isi Uzor, which was allegedly transferred to Nnamani’s bank account in the United States (U.S.).
The crime was allegedly committed while Nnamani was governor between 1999 and 2007. The defendants pleaded not guilty.
However, after the trial was split, four of the companies on May 19 pleaded guilty to a 10-count amended charge through their counsel.
The companies are Rainbownet, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile and Renaissance University Teaching Hospital.
They were alleged to have failed to comply with lawful enquiries by the commission.
On June 11, Justice Yunusa adjourned to July 7 for review of facts and sentences after EFCC’s lawyer Kelvin Uzozie told the court that he was still trying to get a list of all the companies’ assets.
Yesterday, he prayed the court to convict the companies in view of their plea after tendering some documents, including the assets’ schedule.
He urged the court to make an order of the assets’ forfeiture, and for the commission to be involved in their management.
The companies’ lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ezeome, during the alucutus (plea for mercy), urged the court to temper justice with mercy since they were first offenders.
Justice Yunusa, who said a company can be treated as a natural person in law, ordered that “the property listed in the schedule be forfeited to the Federal Government.”
He adjourned till November 12 for the trial of the remaining accused persons.
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