Gov Lalong constitute panel to investigate Chlorine gas disaster

The Plateau State Governor Barr. Simon Lalong has constituted an administrative panel to look in to the circumstances the lead to the Chlorine Gas leakage that explored on the 25 July, 2015 in the state capital.

The Chlorine Gas accident at the state owned Water Treatment Plant on Saturday 25 July,2015 claimed the lives of 8 and 101 persons were hospitalized in various hospitals in the state capital.

The administrative panel made up of eleven members has a Former Director of Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Engr. Jimmy Cheto as Chairman.

According to the Secretary to the State Government, Rufus Bature, who inaugurated the panel on behalf of Governor Lalong said, “the constitution of this Committee is to investigate the real cause of the gas explosion and proffer solutions to guide against future re-occurrence and ensure industrial safety at the treatment plant.”

The SSG said, “The work of the panel is technical in nature which is why members are drawn from various professionals fields”

The committee were given four weeks to submit their report to government.

Chairman of the Panel Engr. Jimmy Cheto promised to deliver assignment within the time frame given them and in accordance with the terms of reference.

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My DSS ordeal, by brutalised Anambra APC chieftain

APRIL 27, 2015 is a day Chief Ifeanyichukwu Nwokoye would not forget in a hurry. It was the day men of the Department of State Service (DSS) brutalised him in front of his wife for refusing to dance to their tune. The chairman of President Mohammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign team in Anambra State during the 2007 electioneering campaigns is a high chief of Ide Anambra, Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State.

The humiliation of the Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC ) in Anambra State by officials of the DSS had angered the then state director of DSS, Mr Alex Okeiyi, who apparently was not in the know of his men’s mission on that day. The fully armed errant DSS officials, made up of two men and woman, had stormed May Roses Hotel in Anambra to demand the list of some expatriate medical doctors Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, had invited into the country.

The red eyed officials of DSS allegedly accused Nwokoye, the owner of the hotel, of not according recognition their office situated in Amawbia by paying the necessary royalties. But for divine intervention and the decision to flow the APC leader abroad for thorough medical attention, Nwokoye would most probably have been dead or at least become a blind man as a result of the battering he received from the DSS officials. Although he has returned from his medical trip abroad, his right shoulder is still in need of additional operation while his eyes require further surgery.

How he was brutalised

Recalling the ugly experience in a chat with The Nation, Nwokoye said: “I was in the hotel on that fateful day when a Toyota Camry car occupied by three people drove in and walked straight to the reception to make inquiries.

“As their voices became loud in altercation with the secretary, I opened the door to my office to ask what was going on. My secretary said she told the female one among the visitors not to sit on the chair handle and they became furious.

“I supported my secretary and told the lady to sit properly, but she said the leather seat was dirty. I then ushered them into my office.

“But rather than come in, they started taking positions. One of them blocked the entrance, another took a seat while the female one stood close to me. I asked who they were and they said they were DSS officials.

“Suspecting that the names they gave me were fake, I demanded for their identity cards. One of them flashed it and immediately returned it into his pocket. I protested that I did not see it and insisted on seeing their identity cards.

“Since they refused to show me their ID cards, I told them to leave my office if they were not ready to do so or I would leave for them because of the spate of kidnappings and armed robbery cases in the land.

“When I saw that they were not willing to cooperate, I stood up to leave for them, but the huge one among them stood up and ordered me to sit down or they would kill me immediately.

“The shouting in my office became unbearable and my wife, Jessie, came in to ask what was going on. But they shouted at her and unbuttoned their suits for us to see their guns.

“At that point, I jumped out of the room and called the Divisional Police officer (DPO), telling him about the situation.

“When they saw me making a call, one of them came out and also put a call across to somebody. I did not know that they were calling their office for reinforcement.

“Within 10 minutes, a white Toyota Hilux filled with fully armed people arrived at the hotel in a commando style. They dragged me out with my wife and started hitting us in the presence of our employees.

“They bundled us into the Toyota Hilux vehicle and drove us to the DSS office at Amawbia, dragging us out like common criminals.

“They removed my trouser, shirt and undies and left me stark naked, with their officials, male and female, watching me and my wife.

“They pushed us into their cell with nothing to cover my body while they kept hitting my wife with gun butt and kicking me.

“We were in the cell when one of them came and dragged me out, hitting me in the eyes and below the belt until I fainted.

“Before I fainted, one of the officers would hit and kick me and told me to say, ‘Thank you sir,’ which I continued to say. It was a real humiliation of my person.

“When I came out stark naked, I saw one fair-complexioned young man and I was told he was the Director, Mr Alex Okeiyi, who ordered them to give me my trousers and shirt to cover my body.

“That was exactly what happened. I heard the man saying that they should take me to their clinic before I die. From there on, I stopped remembering any other thing.

“When I regained consciousness, I saw one Uche Onyiliofor who contested the House of Representatives election under APGA, and he brought me home in his vehicle.”

Sympathy time

Since the incident, top politicians in the state have been calling and visiting the APC man. They include Senator Andy Uba, Senator Chris Ngige, Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Chief Simon Okeke, among others.

Although he has returned to Nigeria from medical trip abroad, Nwokoye, told The Nation that within the next few weeks, he would travel out again for further operations on his eyes and shoulders.

Members of the APC both in Anambra and at the national level have called on President Mohammadu Buhari to set up a committee to investigate the incident and find out why Nwokoye was battered and humiliated by the DSS men with a view to punishing the culprits.

According to the victim, “I have never witnessed something like this all my life. I was treated like a common criminal by the DSS. What pained me the most was that they were hitting me and were telling me to say ‘thank you sir’ each time they hit me.

“Already, I am working on taking them to court so that they can tell the world what I did to to warrant such beating and humiliation.”

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Aregbesola"s battles with opposition in Osun

WAHEED Lawal, a comrade and known activist in Osun has over two decades of pro-democracy activism in the South-West state. He could go on and on to reel out the nitty-gritty of the various pro-democracy and human rights struggles in the recent history of Nigeria, especially as they were organised in the state.

“We know when to organise our people to defend their rights and protect democracy and demand for good governance,” says Lawal in a chat with our correspondent during a recent visit to his office on Station Road, Osogbo, Osun State.

“But in spite of your claim to being a frontline member of the pro-democracy groups in the state, the CSCEO (Coalition of Civil Society for the Emancipation of Osun) appears to have taken the shine off you,” the reporter queried.

The reporter’s observation seemingly drew Lawal’s anger. Looking straight into the reporter’s eyes, he queried: “Who are the people behind the group you just mentioned? They are nothing but a hired group of misguided youths sponsored to blackmail the government of the day.

“You media people in Lagos, Ibadan or Abuja or those reading the newspapers may take the noise they make seriously, but the few people that call themselves the coalition have no relevance here because they have never been known to lead any good cause for our people here.

“Their sudden emergence is attributable to the determination of the opposition elements against the government of the day to ensure the government achieves nothing.”

The conversation between Lawal and our correspondent took place against the background of incessant allegations against the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. At the begining of July this year, the CSCEO began to send press releases to media houses detailing various allegations against the governor.

Apart from accusing the governor of embarking on too many projects which, in its own conclusion, have led the state into many months of unpaid salaries, the coalition has accused the governor and his party of intolerance, alleging that some of the opponents of the governor have come under attacks in recent times.

“But that is part of the blackmail. Call a dog a bad name in order to hang it,” said Semiu Okanlawon, spokesman of the Aregbesola government.

“They make outlandish and outrageous claims and allegations. Why not just ask for one proof of these allegations? For instance, how do you accuse a governor whose works already delivered far outweighs the resources available to him within the same period? How do you see a governor whose initiatives in the areas of employment, security, education infrastructure, poverty reduction and others keep earning him local and international recognitions? Those are the achievements those few bellyaching individuals seek to divert attention away from. But they cannot succeed in that.”

The group had claimed responsibility for the July 6 protests in Osogbo, the state capital, purportedly in support of a judge in the state, Justice Folahanmi Oloyede, who wrote a petition against the governor and also in solidarity with the unpaid workers of Osun. But the government says the wage crisis in the state, like in many other sates of the federation, has only been turned into an opportunity by the opposition to pillory the Aregbesola government, having failed in all the legally acceptable means to get the mandate of the people of the state.

The government described the coalition as “a gang of misguided and disgruntled individuals who are just being sponsored by many of those who lost in the August 9, 2014 election in the state.

“They are no more than errand boys of Iyiola Omisore of PDP, Niyi Owolade of Accord Party and Segun Akinwusi of Social Democratic Party. It is an emergency group put together to give voice to the opposition’s joint battle against this government.

“All they do is to send out false information in press releases everyday to confuse people and misinform the general public. The last of its release was that there was danger to the life of the petitioner judge, Folahanmi Oloyede,” Okanlawon said.

In a release signed by its media coordinator, Seun Adeoye, on July 4, the CSCEO, which though was less than one week old, had claimed responsibility for the protests in Osogbo.

A part of the release had stated: “For your information, CSCEO is just a week old today. We have no allegiance to any political party in opposition to Osun State Government or financiers as being wrongly insinuated by the ruling APC regime. Rather, we are together as men and women previously slumbering but have all been woken up by the realization of the doldrums in which we now find ourselves as a result of the recklessness, cluelessness and wanton disregard for time-tested principles of public management and international best practices of those who we have trusted with our collective destiny in the last four years.”

But Amitilu Shittu, Executive Director of the Committee for the Defence and Rights of the People, a popular human rights and pro-democracy organisation in Osun, says the group has chosen very wrong reasons to sell itself to the people.

Shittu said: “If you say you are in opposition here, the people will ask you what you are really out to oppose. This is because opposition must have its logical reason. Do you oppose a government that has provided the kind of infrastructure that Aregbesola has provided in the first four years?

“Do you oppose a government that has provided infrastructure far higher than the resources of the state can afford? Do you just oppose a government when it keeps getting local and international recognitions for its initiatives?”

CSCEO’s allegations against the government are legion. Its Chairman, Sulaiman Adeniyi Alimi, said in one of the many press releases sent out by Adeoye that “all the characteristics of a failed state have been manifesting in this state: hunger; poverty; closed hospitals, schools, government offices and courts; internal displacement of persons and failed and abandoned projects from roads to buildings. Jungle justice in the absence of the judiciary, collapse of public utility, insecurity as burglary and petty stealing pervades the land arising from excruciating hunger and lack.

“This is not about unpaid salaries alone; it is about paucity of managerial skills and high level corruption as exhibited by Aregbesola’s government.”

Comrade Wale Adebisi of the Ola Oni Centre for Good Governance, directly links the activities of the group to the political opponents of Aregbesola.

Adebisi said: “It must interest you that this so-called group emerged after Iyiola Omisore, PDP’s defeated governorship candidate, reached his final bus stop over his election petition at the Supreme Court.

“Before then, there was no group like that. But immediately after the ruling of the Supreme Court which put a final nail on the Coffin of his governorship ambition, they resorted to these illegal means to continue to keep their few followers together as well as attempt to discredit the government.

“It is a project in the hands of the PDP and other allies to bring down the government, and that forms the basis of all these daily accusations against the governor.”

Adebisi says the CSCEO has been sending out wrong information about the state to give it a wrong image. “But they can only do that for a while before the whole world sees through their lies,” he said.

Ademola Yaya, a former Student Union leader and now researcher, who lives in Osogbo, the state capital, in his analysis of the group’s activities, explained that it is merely catching in on the opportunities that media platforms offer to gain attention.

“Before now, real activism involved deep understanding of the issues at stake. Activism involved commitment and not cash and carry pursuits. More importantly, it is the activities you engage in as a group of people fighting the cause of the people that bring you attention from authorities and the people. Now, an unknown group of people can just hide under one name and send out falsehood and the media give them audience,” Yaya said.

Asking the media to wake up to its responsibilities, Yaya said it is not enough for media houses to just take press releases from everyone who has access to the internet without adequate verification of the claims they make and the activities they claim to engage in.

His assertion appeared to corroborate an earlier charge by Comrade Waheed Lawal that most of the claims the so-called coalition sends out should be verified by media houses. “For instance, often times you read about that group claiming to have held press conferences in Osogbo whereas no press conference was held. That is unprofessional and fraudulent,” he said.

Adeoye, the regular issuer of the press statements containing the allegations against Aregbesola says he is not connected in any way to politicians in the state, yet there are those who insist that he is one journalist who has had more than casual relationship with politicians and still enjoys same with some of the leading opposition figures in the state. As a former correspondent in the state, he was was alleged to have taken a stand against the government of former Governor Bisi Akande; a situation that was said to have endeared him to Akande’s political opponents, including Omisore, the then deputy governor.

Adeoye later became two-term chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ Correspondents’ Chapel in Osun and subsequently won election to become the State Chairman of the NUJ. In all these periods, he was said to have openly identified with Omisore and his political allies.

“Call him a politician and you will not be far from the truth,” says Ibrahim Lawal, a lawyer based in Osogbo, who said he had watched the activities of the group and the involvement of Adeoye.

“I think he uses his pen to arrange imagined atrocities of the Aregbesola administration with a devious view to raising anxiety and causing confusion. That is what they send out every day in the name of press releases. But the people in this state know the truth. There is no coalition anywhere. It is just a camouflage by Adeniyi Sulaiman and Seun Adeoye.”

A quick ride through the state capital gives the impression of a peaceful city. While the effect of unpaid workers’ wages appears to have slowed down business, commercial activities in the state capital do not reflect the topsy-turvy pictures that are being painted.

Bose Ande, an event management consultant in Osogbo says the state remains at peace with itself.

“If you go by the impressions being created in the minds of news readers, you would think the state is upside down. But that only exists in the imagination of those who are doing that for their own reasons.” She said.

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Buhari under pressure to move against oil thieves

Pressure is mounting  on President Muhammadu Buhari  to  kick start his clampdown on oil thieves following  his recent admission that he now has in his possession a list of such thieves.

Buhari, addressing Nigerians during his just concluded trip to the United States, had announced that Washington gave him the list.

He said  that some members of the Jonathan Federal Executive Council stole as much as  250000 barrels of crude daily.

Several  Western countries including  the United Kingdom and France are said to have reached out to him to waste no further time in bringing the suspects to book.

Nigerians are also  itching  to know the identities of the oil thieves .

A cross section of prominent Nigerians say President Buhri should make the names public forthwith and prosecute them.

Frontline lawyer,Professor  Itse Sagay (SAN)  told The Nation yesterday that he  shocked by  the magnitude of the stealing.

“Before this fresh revelation, one was very disturbed when Okonjo Iweala, raised the alarm that about 400, 000 barrels were being stolen every day. To hear that the quantity is as much as  one  million barrel per day is something else,” he said.

“It shows the country went into a total rot under the last regime of President Goodluck Jonathan.  They would have looted the country to bankruptcy within a year if they were not removed from office. We should be grateful that a disciplined and upright man has taken over to clean the mess and save the country.

“The punishments are not farfetched. They are already enshrined in our law books.

“We may ultimately have to resort to special court with specific time frame to decide the cases. The situation is very grave and we need to deal with it in an exceptional way.”

 Also shocked by the revelation is Chief Ladi Williams (SAN) who said:  “the President should make public everything about it because the oil they stole belongs to the good people of Nigeria. The people have the right to know what is happening.

 “Some schools of thought have suggested  that the Chinese option should be applied in dealing with the suspects. It is a common knowledge that corrupt public officers in  China always end up being executed.  But here in Nigeria, we have the criminal and penal code. The suspects should be tried.

“The National Assembly has the power to  establish a tribunal to try the suspects because the courts have too many cases already.  From the tribunal, the next step should be Supreme Court because many of us are not happy with the way the Appeal Court has discharged itself. The Supreme Court has discharged itself creditably well.

“The suspects should be made to produce the money they realised from the sales of the stolen products. Any of them that parts with a substantial part of the money should be leniently dealt with.”

Elder statesman  Tanko Yakassai said:“The president should not only tell us about the crime, he should go a step further to list the names of those involved in the criminal act and the amount involved.  He should get them arrested and prosecuted. The truth is that these atrocities didn’t start today. They started way back when Obasanjo was the head of state.

“Key figures during that regime became instant multi-millionaires. There is not going to be any solution to the atrocities except the perpetrators are brought to book.  I want to appeal to President Muhhamadu Buhari not to limit the probe to the Jonathan administration. If he really wants to get to the root of the problem, he should go back to the days of Obasanjo as military head of state.”

Another  Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Second Republic politician, Enechi Onyia, said  the suspects should be made to face the wrath of the law.

“The government should not stop at that. They should also do everything possible to retrieve the full value of the money that the country ought to realize from the product from the suspects. The government should not be swayed by sentiments that people are likely to express about its position or action plan because in everything that happens in life, people would always express sentiments,” he said.

Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamio   called for  prosecution of everyone  found culpable in the crime, saying: “The effort of the President in fighting corruption in the country is highly commendable. This is what Nigerians looked forward to when they voted for him and I am glad that he is living up to his electioneering promises. I want to do everything possible to make sure that the perpetrators do not escape justice.”

Former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abubakar Tsav, expressed surprise at the revelation.

He said:“ “If the president’s statement is true, then, it is a serious matter. How can one person steal such quantity of crude oil? What are they using the money for when many people are hungry, homeless and sleeping under the bridge?

“ The crime is capable of collapsing an economy of a developing country. The perpetrators don’t mean well for the country and should be severely dealt with.

“I don’t support death penalty, but the offence is worth it. I will suggest that they should be sent to 25 years or life imprisonment. If the suspects are not fished out and dealt with, there would be a big challenge if Buhari is not re-elected after four years. If Buhari is not elected and another government that is worse than Jonathan’s come tom power, the country would be worse for it.

“If I were Jonathan, I would be ashamed of myself and refrain from making any comment. I think he should also be probed  because  it was before his very eyes that all this rots was  taking place and he did nothing to stop it.”

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State chapter, Joe Igbokwe, said more sad revelations of the activities of government officials in the Jonathan’s administration are coming.

According to him, “What Nigerians are hearing and seeing now will be a child’s play when the full story of how Nigeria was pillaged and plundered under Jonathan is told.

“In the fullness of time Nigerians will get to find out that former President Jonathan’s tenure was a systematic regime of heists. I am believing God that President Buhari will have the energy, strength and power to go the whole hog in repositioning Nigeria in the comity of civilized nations. Nigeria is getting better and this, l believe because a good man is in charge.”

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Imminent coup in show business: Wealthy Nigerians" children plot TAKEOVER of music industry

THEY are children of wealthy businessmen and political bigwigs. Many years ago, it would be preposterous for them to contemplate a career in music. The jobs reserved for them were blue chip, and they would easily be tagged as rebels if they ignored a career in the corporate world for a vocation believed to be reserved for school dropouts and never-do-wells.

But this is the jet age; the age in which emphasis is placed on the independence of the child’s mind. The society and its value system have experienced a paradigm shift from the age of restriction where parents decided the future of their children to the age of freedom where the kids decide what path they want to toe.

That is the case with Folarin Falana, son of frontline lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), whose alias is a.k.a. Falz the Bad Guy. Folarin literally rebelled against his father, dumping the wig for a career in music.

Falz the Bad Guy is not alone in this trend of the nouveau-rich treading a path previously believed to be reserved for the children of the poor. The list includes other music stars like Naeto C, son of former Minister of Aviation, Kema Chikwe; David Adeleke a.k.a. Davido is a member of the prominent Adeleke family in Ede, Osun State; Florenece Ifeoluwa Otedola a.k.a. DJ Cuppy is the daughter of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola while Chuka Edozien, popularly called Lynxx, is son of a former deputy governor of old Bendel State.

Folarin Falana (Falz the bad guy)

The name Folarin Falana may not evoke any emotion among young and upward mobile Nigerians, but the mention of Falz the Bad Guy is sure to elicit loud cheers, especially in entertainment circles.

The son of fiery legal luminary, Femi Falana, Folarin, though trained as a lawyer, is making a name for himself in the entertainment industry. He attended St. Leo’s Catholic Primary School, Ikeja, after which he proceeded to Olashore International School in Osun State. He bagged his law degree at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and later proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Abuja.

His career in music began in 2009 when he released a mix tape titled Shakara. It was a compilation of some songs he had recorded, which was uploaded for the public to know more about his music. He later came out with other singles like Cool Party, What’s up Guy and High Class, his most successful single to date.

Given his father’s reputation, many had expected to take the courtroom by storm when he graduated from Law School. But rather than head for the courtroom, the allure of music was too tempting for young Folarin to resist.

He said: “A lot of people have asked me why I opted for music instead of Law. My response has always been that when you are very passionate about something, you must follow your heart. Music is my passion.

Initially, I had hoped to follow in my father’s footsteps. Looking at his life, how much he has achieved and the kind of name he has made for himself, I sincerely wanted to follow in his footsteps. I admired his achievements and lifestyle. The main reason I studied Law was to emulate his achievements. But music simply stole my heart.

For those who thought that his decision to drop the wig for the microphone would lead to family dispute, Folarin said he had the backing of the family the moment he made his plans known.

He said: “My decision to take up music did not cause any problem in the family. Although my father was surprised when he got to know about my decision, because he found it strange that I would take up music as a profession, it was handled maturely by my father and other members of the family. Later on, my dad and my mum started to accept it and have even gone as far as encouraging me.”

On his stage name, Folarin said: “First, Falz is a nickname my friends gave me while I was in school. It is just a short form of my last name, Falana. As for ‘Bad Guy’, it is not Bad Guy but BAHDguy, which is an acronym for Brilliant And Highly Distinct guy (BAHDguy). The BAHDguy stands for something positive.”

David Adedeji Adeleke (Davido)

Better known by his stage name, Davido, young Adeleke is an American-born Nigerian recording artist, performer and record producer. Davido stormed the music industry in 2011 with his chart-bursting single, Dami Duro, which was well-received throughout Nigeria.

Along with his elder brother, Adewale Adeleke, Davido is the co-owner of HKN Music. He has produced for numerous artistes, including Naeto C, Skales, Tiwa Savage and Sauce Kid.

With the huge success of Dami Duro, Davido, who relocated to Lagos at a young age, came out with his debut album, Omo Baba Olowo in 2012. The album features singles like Back When, which featured Naeto C; Dami Duro, All of You, Overseas, which featured Sina Rambo; Ekuro, Gbon Gbon and Feel Alright, which featured Ice Prince.

Davido was born on November 21, 1992, to Chief Deji and Vero Adeleke in Atlanta, Georgia. His father is a Nigerian business magnate while his late mother was a university lecturer. He attended The British International School in Lagos before proceeding to study Business Administration at Oakwood University, prior to relocating to Nigeria. He graduated from Babcock University in Ogun State.

Speaking on his musical career, Davido said: “I have been doing music for some time now, but I took it seriously in March 2011. I started with a group called KB international in America. It wasn’t working out, so I thought I should just do this on my own.

“I was around people who were musically inclined and I love music. So, I simply said to myself, ‘Why not do something you love and be happy while at the same time making money?’”.

Chukie Edozien (Lynxx)

Chukie Edozien, better known by his stage name Lynxxx, is a hip-hop recording artist and entrepreneur. The only son of Chief John D. Edozien, a former deputy governor of old Bendel State, Lynxx burst onto the scene in 2010 with his debut single and went on to become the first Nigerian artiste to be endorsed by the global brand, Pepsi.

He is the originator of Jollof Musik, a genre he describes as “an artful blend of music to create great music.”

Chukie attended Corona Primary School Ikoyi, Lagos for his primary education, and went on to Kings College, Lagos for his secondary education. He attended the University of Hull in the United Kingdom, where he obtained a degree in Business, Economics and Marketing.

After almost a decade of behind-the-scenes work, Lynxxx came out with his debut as a recording artiste in December 2009, when he released his first official single, Change Your Parade. The single became popular in nightclubs and radio stations across the country, leading to tremendous rise in his fan base.

He followed up the success of the single with the release of his debut album, This Is Lynxxx, in December 2010. The album featured a combination of musical genres, including urban hip hop, contemporary R&B, and infusions of funky house. He would later tag the style as JollofMusik.

Naetochukwu Chikwe (Naeto C)

Naetochukwu Chikwe a.k.a. Naeto C is the son of former Minister of Aviation and Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland, Mrs. Kema Chikwe and Chief Herbert Chikwe. He spent his early years in Owerri, Imo State, in a household highly influenced by music. His fondness for music grew fast and soon found his way in other creative art forms, most specifically poetry, which took him to various competitions and earned him accolade as a young poet.

After finishing his secondary education in Lagos, he moved to the United States for higher education. Naeto C later hooked up with other budding talents, Uzikwendu and Ikechukwu. The trio went on to form a group, the World Famous Akademy.

Naeto C graduated in 2004 from the George Washington University with a B Sc. in Biology, but with plans to go further and become a medical doctor. After some deep soul-searching, he changed his mind and decided to pursue his dream and develop his talent as a musician.

In the summer of 2013, Naeto C disappeared from the entertainment scene and returned to school to pursue a higher degree at the University of Dundee, London.

His notable production achievement is I Believe, a song Naeto wrote and co-produced with VC Perez. Naeto C has garnered more experience to establish himself as a household name in the nation’s music industry.

Florenece Ifeoluwa Otedola (DJ Cuppy)

Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, also known as DJ Cuppy, is a Nigerian music producer and the daughter of Nigerian billionaire businessman Femi Otedola. She graduated from King’s College London in July 2014 with a 2.1 honors degree in Business and Economics, and is currently enrolled at New York University to pursue a Master’s Degree in Music Business.

Her father, Mr Femi Otedola, is the second Nigerian to ever make the Forbes annual list of the world’s richest people with an estimated net worth of over US$1.2 billion. He is the CEO of Forte Oil Plc and the Nigerian President and Chief Executive Officer of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited.

His marriage to wife, Nana, is blessed with three daughters and one son, among whom is Florence Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy, who was recently named tourism ambassador for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

DJ Cuppy began her career as a DJ at 16 in London, buying second-hand equipment and playing in clubs. In 2014, she was the resident DJ at the MTV Africa Music Awards in Durban. She would go on to play at the Tatler and Christie’s Art Ball in London and the Financial Times Luxury Summit in Mexico City.

In July 2014, she released House of Cuppy, her first compilation mix in both London and Lagos. She then had a launch for House of Cuppy in New York City on September 2, 2014. She also launched her music management and content production business, Red Velvet Music Group.

Speaking about her love for music, DJ Cuppy said: “I have always loved music, even as a child and I was very passionate about young people. I am greatly honoured when young people approach me to say they like what I am doing. I am also establishing my own company, which is into publishing and management. I have a 10-year plan to change the face of entertainment in Nigeria.”

She says she has the blessing of her parents, both of whom she said have been very supportive.

She said: “My mother has been my everything. She has been very supportive of my career. She is such a strong woman, and I only wish I can be half of what she is. All I know is that it is always good to do what you love. I also love to do business and that is why I am combining music and business. From the onset, I have always had this entrepreneurial spirit to run my own business one day. That, I will say, I got from my dad.

“My dad is not only my mentor; he is very involved in my adventures. Whenever I have shows, he will help me go through the list. He is very passionate about music. He loves music a lot. I remember listening to Fela’s music with him in the car when I was younger.”

While not dismissing the importance of her background in her rise to the top, DJ Cuppy believes her talent and hard work have been the major factors in her ascendancy to the top.

“I will say that I am very lucky, because I have very supportive parents. Of course, I also have the most supportive team in the world. My parents encouraged me to be the best in whatever I do. I think it is all about being myself and not trying to be someone else.

“I am very lucky to have the kind of parents that are pushing and challenging me to be the best I can. A lot of times, people get distracted by the background information. I am where I am, following my dreams and doing a very exciting project. With time, people will come to see that it is passion and talent that has worked for me.”

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Buhari under pressure to move against oil thieves

Pressure is mounting  on President Muhammadu Buhari  to  kick start his clampdown on oil thieves following  his recent admission that he now has in his possession a list of such thieves.

Buhari, addressing Nigerians during his just concluded trip to the United States, had announced that Washington gave him the list.

He said  that some members of the Jonathan Federal Executive Council stole as much as  250000 barrels of crude daily.

Several  Western countries including  the United Kingdom and France are said to have reached out to him to waste no further time in bringing the suspects to book.

Nigerians are also  itching  to know the identities of the oil thieves .

A cross section of prominent Nigerians say President Buhri should make the names public forthwith and prosecute them.

Frontline lawyer,Professor  Itse Sagay (SAN)  told The Nation yesterday that he  shocked by  the magnitude of the stealing.

“Before this fresh revelation, one was very disturbed when Okonjo Iweala, raised the alarm that about 400, 000 barrels were being stolen every day. To hear that the quantity is as much as  one  million barrel per day is something else,” he said.

“It shows the country went into a total rot under the last regime of President Goodluck Jonathan.  They would have looted the country to bankruptcy within a year if they were not removed from office. We should be grateful that a disciplined and upright man has taken over to clean the mess and save the country.

“The punishments are not farfetched. They are already enshrined in our law books.

“We may ultimately have to resort to special court with specific time frame to decide the cases. The situation is very grave and we need to deal with it in an exceptional way.”

 Also shocked by the revelation is Chief Ladi Williams (SAN) who said:  “the President should make public everything about it because the oil they stole belongs to the good people of Nigeria. The people have the right to know what is happening.

 “Some schools of thought have suggested  that the Chinese option should be applied in dealing with the suspects. It is a common knowledge that corrupt public officers in  China always end up being executed.  But here in Nigeria, we have the criminal and penal code. The suspects should be tried.

“The National Assembly has the power to  establish a tribunal to try the suspects because the courts have too many cases already.  From the tribunal, the next step should be Supreme Court because many of us are not happy with the way the Appeal Court has discharged itself. The Supreme Court has discharged itself creditably well.

“The suspects should be made to produce the money they realised from the sales of the stolen products. Any of them that parts with a substantial part of the money should be leniently dealt with.”

Elder statesman  Tanko Yakassai said:“The president should not only tell us about the crime, he should go a step further to list the names of those involved in the criminal act and the amount involved.  He should get them arrested and prosecuted. The truth is that these atrocities didn’t start today. They started way back when Obasanjo was the head of state.

“Key figures during that regime became instant multi-millionaires. There is not going to be any solution to the atrocities except the perpetrators are brought to book.  I want to appeal to President Muhhamadu Buhari not to limit the probe to the Jonathan administration. If he really wants to get to the root of the problem, he should go back to the days of Obasanjo as military head of state.”

Another  Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Second Republic politician, Enechi Onyia, said  the suspects should be made to face the wrath of the law.

“The government should not stop at that. They should also do everything possible to retrieve the full value of the money that the country ought to realize from the product from the suspects. The government should not be swayed by sentiments that people are likely to express about its position or action plan because in everything that happens in life, people would always express sentiments,” he said.

Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamio   called for  prosecution of everyone  found culpable in the crime, saying: “The effort of the President in fighting corruption in the country is highly commendable. This is what Nigerians looked forward to when they voted for him and I am glad that he is living up to his electioneering promises. I want to do everything possible to make sure that the perpetrators do not escape justice.”

Former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abubakar Tsav, expressed surprise at the revelation.

He said:“ “If the president’s statement is true, then, it is a serious matter. How can one person steal such quantity of crude oil? What are they using the money for when many people are hungry, homeless and sleeping under the bridge?

“ The crime is capable of collapsing an economy of a developing country. The perpetrators don’t mean well for the country and should be severely dealt with.

“I don’t support death penalty, but the offence is worth it. I will suggest that they should be sent to 25 years or life imprisonment. If the suspects are not fished out and dealt with, there would be a big challenge if Buhari is not re-elected after four years. If Buhari is not elected and another government that is worse than Jonathan’s come tom power, the country would be worse for it.

“If I were Jonathan, I would be ashamed of myself and refrain from making any comment. I think he should also be probed  because  it was before his very eyes that all this rots was  taking place and he did nothing to stop it.”

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State chapter, Joe Igbokwe, said more sad revelations of the activities of government officials in the Jonathan’s administration are coming.

According to him, “What Nigerians are hearing and seeing now will be a child’s play when the full story of how Nigeria was pillaged and plundered under Jonathan is told.

“In the fullness of time Nigerians will get to find out that former President Jonathan’s tenure was a systematic regime of heists. I am believing God that President Buhari will have the energy, strength and power to go the whole hog in repositioning Nigeria in the comity of civilized nations. Nigeria is getting better and this, l believe because a good man is in charge.”

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Cameroon deports 2,000 Nigerians in fight against Boko Haram

Yaoundé  – Cameroon has deported more than 2,000 Nigerians who were living in the country illegally as part of new security measures intended to prevent suicide attacks by Boko Haram jihadists, according to reports last night.

Regional newspaper L’Oeil du Sahel reported that about 2,500 Nigerians had been “rounded up” in Kousseri, in the far north of Cameroon, and sent back to their country on Thursday.

The weekly posted a photo on its Facebook page showing several departing trucks crammed with hundreds of passengers.

A source close to regional authorities confirmed that “more than 2,000 ‘irregular’ Nigerians have been expelled from Kousseri”.

Mey Aly, an official from a local NGO, said that most of the Nigerians “had fled the atrocities of Boko Haram” to take refuge in Cameroon.

Thursday’s deportations came just a day after President Muhammadu Buhari visited Cameroon for talks on how to combat the escalating regional threat from Boko Haram.

Buhari and Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya pledged to strengthen cooperation between their two countries in the fight against the insurgents.

The Cameroonian border post at Kousseri — which has been hit by two suicide attacks since June — occupies a strategic position, with just a bridge separating it from Chad’s capital N’Djamena.

Authorities in Cameroon’s far north have taken significant steps to boost security, including banning women from wearing the full face-veil amid fears that suicide bombers could use the garment to conceal explosives.

“With these attacks, the tone of the authorities has changed,” said a security source in Maroua. “They have asked that foreigners (notably Nigerians) and displaced people in the border areas go home.”

Some 300 Cameroonian children were removed from their Koranic schools in Maroua and taken back to their villages on Friday, according to a source close to local authorities, as the schools’ managers feared that insurgents could try to use them for suicide attacks.

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Health is wealth…nope…wealth is health

‘Health is wealth’, goes the popular maxim, nope, not in Nigeria, ‘Wealth is Health’.  I do not know of other countries, don’t want to know, don’t care to know, not my problem, but by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended standards of doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:600, we have an abysmal ratio of 1:3500 due to the abject shortage of medical personnel.  I mean, without the support of the health-related Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), basically the rich countries taking pity on us for having ‘no government organised’, where would we be?

Within this dearth of medical personnel, where ideally every health sector professional – doctors, pharmacists, dental surgeons, nurses, medical laboratory scientists, etc., should be like hot cake, we have them leaving the country in droves. So in this shortage of medical personnel, we have a surplus! After expending huge resources in training them, we can hardly pay them their true worth.  Where do they justifiably go? The private sector or drawn by the international money vector – 50,000 Nigerian Doctors are in the US alone according to one of the US officials interviewed during the recent trip by the President to the United States…Oh! Hello dollars, here we come!  Back home, when they are in the private sector, can we afford them? Majorly, no – so no wealth, no health. What about when abroad, are they of any use to the Nigerian health sector? Nope. Well…until they come back and they discover the knowledge, skills and experience gained are well and truly way above and beyond what medical infrastructure is available for them on ground here assuming they are not equally frustrated by those back home. What then happens? Go back abroad or be in the private sector.  Of use to whom? Wealthy healthy ones invariably.

On the path to developing our economy, in the midst of scarce resources, the necessity to move our industrial and agricultural sector forward by all means, how much value for money does/can one get from the health sector?  Granted we need people to be healthy, if they can afford it. Ok, now we are healthy, what next? Would this mystically revolutionise our thinking, make us visionaries, improve our work ethic, engender creativity, inventiveness and generate innovative ideas in us, implement our policies and plans better? Maybe? Or more likely we are healthy morons – physically healthy, economically and productively moronic. Granted it is the duty of medical professionals to keep patients alive but they can’t make them live.

Take the Boko Haram, MEND guys, kidnappers, criminals, etc., for example, all engaged in a multitude of nefarious activities.  While their psychological state of mind is patriotically and productively questionable, what is not in question is their physical well-being.  Try picturing the amount of energy it requires to be carrying guns, running with it, riding bikes, power boats, canoes outsmarting patrol boats… You really would have to be in pretty good shape physically to engage in such arduous activities.  And it does not end there.  Let’s apply the same physically challenging activities to the street hawkers, daily chasing cars, wheel barrowing all kinds of goods for miles on end, balancing 25-50kg loads on their heads, you’d have to be unbelievably healthy to engage in such menial but physically draining activities.  Put the nomadic cow herdsmen in the frame and you wonder if one can possess any ounce of laziness to take on the daily long strenuous and perilous walks over all kinds of terrain in order to make a living? While medical people may think they are not holistically healthy according to the WHO definition of health, physically, most of these guys would outrun most of us, come rain or sunshine, while carrying heavy loads.

Medical personnel or no medical personnel, these people would still be there, toiling away endlessly and of minimal productive value to the Nigerian economy at large, individually valuable may be, but certainly not nationally.  To take these millions of teeming masses of underemployed or misemployed energy, channel and launch it on an agricultural or industrial setting, the economic growth would simply be exponentially mind blowing. In the need to prioritise industrial growth and reduce massive unemployment, do we expend more immediate resources on the health sector or divert a lot of it to the agro-industrial sector, assuming there is a plan in place for effective implementation?

For now, the recommendation of WHO for 15% of the national budget on health is not economically feasible.  Is the return on investment the most healthy of the Nigerian populace up to 15% and able to justify that huge chunk of the budget on health considering our current economic challenges? To borrow from the maxim of an economically-minded health professional, a consultant lecturer no less, “the value of a medical professional is based on the productive value of the life saved.”

What is the worth of a life? As a rich man with an ailment or disease, it is guaranteed that I am prepared to pay any amount to any medical personnel available to save my life. As one of the hawkers trawling our streets with misemployed energy but engaged in an accident – at the point of death, I would be begging not to pay.  Hippocratically, for most of the time, I would be saved, but unable to pay. While life is precious to the medical personnel, the national economy demands its productive value. Hippocrates may have saved the life, but economically, national non-productivity has won the day.  So, who now pays the medical personnel?  When push comes to shove and the health sector goes on strike, it would be hypocritical economic necessity that would dictate the turn of events and not the Hippocratic oath.  The conundrum, economically, is, when not on strike, what is the productive value of the lives toiling away to the nation?  This minimal difference, if any, between the economic value of our citizens when the health sector is fully functional and when it is on strike is why such strikes can be allowed to go on for weeks with what can sometimes be deemed a callous response by the authorities.  Unfortunately, at the end of the day, economy rules not health.

The day the economy appears so good enough to be able to conveniently afford the international compensation rates of our health professionals, attractive enough for them to stay and not jump the nation’s ship, then we can spend all we like on the health sector able to focus more on preventive than curative health. Until that El-Dorado time comes when health will truly be wealth, wealth is health for now…just hope on the wings of a dove that you can afford it…or be on the death queue of the public health sector.  Ask those unfortunate enough to be acutely sick or for any reason are in the accident and emergency ward during any health sector strike…you really do not want to be there, trust me.

No country on this planet does not value its health sector, the problem is, are we productive enough to pay their value’s worth?

• Dele Owolowo, Author ‘Nigeria’s Odyssey…’, is an Educationist, Trainer and Rural Entrepreneur with widely travelled background. [email protected]

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Bobbi Kristina; gone too soon

It is with a heavy heart of melancholy, penning down this article. The world awoke to the news of the death of Bobbi Kristina Brown, who tragically died on the 26th of this month, roughly three years after her late mother, the great songstress, Whitney Houston passed away. Upon hearing news that Bobbi Kristina had lost the fight I prayed so hard for her to win, sleep eluded me, words failed me, emotions flooded me and sadness overcame me.

The death of Whitney and Bobby Brown’s daughter, who died at the young age of 22, made headlines when it was reported that she sadly passed away in a hospice care facility in the U.S. where she has been since June 24 … when her family decided to take her off all medications. Bobbi Kristina was found submerged in her bathtub on January 31, and police believe she was underwater for anywhere between 2 and 5 minutes. Paramedics were able to resuscitate her, but she was in a medically induced coma and placed on life support. The family says Bobbi Kristina was surrounded by family and, “She is finally at peace in the arms of God.”

Throughout her teenage and adult years, Bobbi Kristina Brown had been the focus of reports about her purported drug usage. It was even speculated that she was under the influence of drugs the morning she was found unresponsive in her bathtub. Multiple sources who knew her have confirmed that she regularly used heroin, cocaine and Xanax, especially in recent months. In addition, she was also said to be a heavy drinker. In a particular report, it was said that she often appeared to be high in some instances, slurring her words and seeming incoherent. Her death was déjà vu all over again when her mother also died in a bathtub in 2012, from what was later ruled an accidental drowning with cocaine use listed as contributing factors. Indeed, what happened to Bobbi Kristina is a textbook exemplification of the impact a parent’s death, linked to drug addiction can have on their children. Growing up in a household or an environment where illicit or hard drugs are frequently used exposes a child in picking up the insidious habit. One can only imagine the demons she must have grappled with in an attempt to avoid using drugs like her parents. Arguably, she stood little chance once surrounded by drugs and it was inevitable that she was also going to pick-up the habit from her parents.

Coming closer home, over the last decade, the consumption of hard drugs has drastically increased in Nigeria. The sorry case of popular reggae singer and guitarist, Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek, who is currently a wreck as a result of drug addiction speaks volumes. Due to his addiction, Majek Fashek, was seen roaming the streets of Lagos aimlessly and had resorted to begging to satisfy his urges. This is indeed a very sad story for such an accomplished musician and icon in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. It’s disheartening to know such a talented person is seen on the streets of Lagos looking for petty change to buy food, drinks and drugs. Recent sightings and pictures of him show a sickly, frail and haggard looking Majek. How can a national hero be left on the street like that? We must do something to save and take care of him. I wish to use this avenue to implore on well-meaning Nigerians and also the government to help one of our illustrious musical icons to get into a reputable rehabilitation centre in an effort to help him kick the habit.

Substances such as alcohol, cannabis, heroin, cocaine among others are now being taken frequently and in large quantities by youths in our society. Sadly, among these youths, teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 30 constitute the high risk groups. Other drugs taken by our youths which also constitute drug abuse are legal substances such as prescription drugs like valium, chloroquin, cough syrup, etc, when used in excess or without medical prescription. Given the enormous damage narcotics do to humanity, no effort should be spared in curbing this menace. A drug can be said to be any substance used in medicine. It can also be said to be any substance taken by some people to get certain effect, such as happiness and excitement. Driving from these definitions above, drugs can be classified into two categories; 1] the soft Drug e.g. antibiotics and analgesics. And 2] the hard drugs e.g. cocaine, marijuana heroin e.t.c. Consequently, a drug addict is said to be someone whose life has become dependent on drugs, hence drug abuse.

There are two primary causes of drug abuse among youths. These are peer pressure and Depression. Through the former, youths associates with different types of people otherwise known as friends. Through the pressure from these friends, they can be lured into having a taste of these drugs. And once this is done, they continue to take it and become addicted to it at the long run. The latter can lead to drug abuse when certain things happen to someone that is considered very sad and disheartening; the person starts thinking of the best way to become happy once more hence the use of hard drugs will come in. This later on turns to a habit, hence drug abuse. Other major causes of drug abuse are as a result to the high rate of unemployment among youths, economic depression, social deprivation, anxiety, frustration and parental/family influence. The effects of drug abuse amongst youths can be viewed from firstly, the social aspect. The hard drugs make the taker hyperactive at the point of taking this drug. This make the taker to behave abnormally, contribute to immoralities such as armed robbery, rape, sexually transmitted diseases and many other societal vices. Second is the financial effect. An addict tends to spend more money on the purchase of these drugs. This can make the addict to become bankrupt or start searching for money by all means. Third is the health effect. The addict becomes unstable and starts behaving abnormally.

Addiction to drugs/substances can be emotional, psychological, biochemical dependent or a combination of the three. Users who are psychologically dependent feel that they need drugs in order to feel good about themselves, whereas those who are emotionally dependent need increasingly larger doses of drugs in order to achieve the initial effects and will suffer from withdrawal symptoms when they stop. Cannabis and Indian hemp are the most frequently abused and used drugs in Nigeria, followed by amphetamines and to a lesser extent heroin and cocaine. Organic solvents are also becoming increasingly popular especially among street people.

With the high percentage of youths in Nigeria addicted to drugs, drug abuse can totally be overcome and eradicated in Nigeria through government intervention projects and incorporating a nationwide program to help addicts. Also, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), saddled with the fight against illicit and hard drugs in our county can still raise the cadence of its effectiveness by investing heavily on technological devices that can enhance its ability to detect drug traffickers or consumers to effectively thwart their efforts. The agency and relevant stakeholders should also embark on sustained public enlightenment campaigns against consumption of illicit drugs using bill boards, radio/TV jingles, fliers, banners, pamphlets etc. The suggested plan to introduce the campaign against the use of hard drugs into primary and secondary school curriculum should also be encouraged and fast-tracked. Government via the NDLEA should also embark on an aggressive extinction of all the sources of these hard drugs including the farms where they are planted. Parents should monitor the kind of friends their children keep and guide against bad company. Lastly, stiff penalties should be meted against anybody found dealing on hard drugs.

Drugs or substance addiction can affect any family or person, regardless of creed, age, status, gender, education, or ethnicity. Once a person becomes an addict, they never have full control of their actions; the drugs take over. They are hooked for life; hence, love, care, understanding, and kindness must be adopted in dealing addicts.

I am completely devastated at the passing of Bobbi Kristina. I gave birth to my daughter not long after Whitney Houston gave birth to Bobbi Kristina, so I have always viewed her through the eyes of a mother. I have loved her from so far as any mother would. When I saw the turmoil and the dark cloud that surrounded her throughout her life, I prayed for her to find a way to overcome it. When I witnessed the grim seduction of drugs overcome her, I hoped she would somehow come through it. But it was evident from the very start of her life, that Bobbi Kristina stood a very little chance at life. The slim element of life and happiness that beautiful child had, seemed to evaporate the minute her mother, Whitney Houston died. After her mother died, I wrote an emotional tribute to Whitney Houston and sent it to her. Bobbi Kristina responded to me directly.

Since I learnt that she had fallen into a coma, I sent her several messages and prayers every couple of days, willing her to pull through. I prayed so hard that she would somehow make it, wake up, maybe see some of my prayers and respond to them in the way she did after her mother died. But it wasn’t to be.

‘The death of Bobbi Kristina has rendered me numb; the tragedy that claimed her, she could not overcome; now almost like Whitney she did succumb.’

 Her death devastates me because although she was Whitney Houston’s daughter, she could have easily been mine.

 I send my heartfelt condolence to the Brown and Houston families and to all those who loved Bobbi Kristina, even though she struggled in a drug-fest. Now that we know that she did die, this is our time to say Goodbye.

Bobbi Kristina has gone too soon…

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Security, diplomacy and emerging perspectives

Nigeria’s  President Muhammadu  Ribadu, under pressure  to choose his cabinet in time,  was reported  to have retorted  that there was scarcity  of good honest  human  capacity.  According to reports he said so many knowledgeable  Nigerians have been compromised  by those who want  to use them to subvert our security  and loot  our  economy.  So  it is not as if the Nigerian president is wasting time or buying it.  He  is busy  working to live up to his mandate and his billing, especially on security and the anti  corruption crusade. But he  knows as well that what is what  doing at all is worth  doing well and  I  cannot  agree more.

 That really  is the name of the game today as  we  look  at  how what seemed to have hamstrung the Nigerian president  in living quickly up to the expectations  of those who elected him recently seem  akin   to  the same thing that has changed  the course of world diplomacy  in recent times. This  is because  on  the global   diplomatic  scene  solutions are not forthcoming fast enough and   where they  have surfaced they have been baffling and complicated, throwing up confusion in terms of expected appreciation  or  understanding. The result is an emerging trend  of world perspectives,  relations and alliances pitching strange bedfellows  together  in  bizarre     and   assorted relationships  both  in  the  volatile  hot spots as  well  as the   peaceful   regions of the world.

Starting with  Turkey   in  the  EU,  NATO  had  to hold a special  meeting last week  to consider how to  defend  Turkey  against  the increased  onslaught  of  ISIS which  has killed several people in that  nation recently.  Yet  Turkey  has been  struggling for over 50 years to become a full  member of the EU  in  which  some powerful  member nations  are  suspicious  of  Turkey’s  Islamic credentials  and  background.  But now NATO  is  to  defend an Islamist  nation  against ISIS in the name  of humanity and for  its  own security.

Similarly,  US  Secretary  of  State  John  Kerry  was busy  this week  explaining  to US  legislators why they  should not  throw out the Nuclear  Deal  the Obama  government  had struck with  Iran. This is in spite of the fact that even the  US  president  has sworn to veto  any turn down  of the deal  by Congress and  the  Ayatollah  Khameini, the real power in Iran  has questioned US good intentions on the deal.  So  on whose side  is the  US Secretary  of State? Definitely  the US legislators are  not going to take him  seriously as  most  of them  have sympathy  for Israel  and  its security and Israel  has said through   its vocal  Premier Benjamin  Netanyahu  that the Obama government  has been fooled on the deal because an  Iran spokesman still  recently said that Iran  will  never recognize  Israel.  So  the new  perspective is a US government pleading for understanding of a nuclear  deal with,  of  all  nations-  Iran,  whose Ayatollah  Ruhollah  Khomeini called  America   the ‘Great  Satan‘ during the  Iran  Hostage  Crisis  during the Jimmy  Carter  Presidency.

More  bizarrely Iran  and  Saudi  Arabia  are  jointly  fighting ISIS  on  all fronts except  Iraq  where  sectarian violence between  Sunni  and  Shiite  Muslims  have made Iraq ungovernable  and a doomed  failed  state  in spite  of US airstrikes  to shore up  the country and preserve  the  territorial rumps  of its sovereignty.  Yet   it has  not  occurred  to  the ruling House  of Saud  which is the monarchy  in  Saudi  Arabia or  the Islamic  Autocracy in Iran  that  they  could bury the hatchet on their sectarian  differences  to fight a common ruinous foe that ISIS  has  become to them in their nations  and regions of influence.  Instead  the Iranian Nuclear  Deal  made  the Saudi  Monarchy  suspicious  of US intentions although they knew that the volume of trade  with  the  US  assured  that he who  paid the piper  should  dictate  the tune.  Even  then  however given  the enormity  of the challenge of ISIS  the  two  champions  of  Shiite and Sunni  Islam  should  have shown each  other some armistice  or respite  to get ISIS  out  of the way  as quickly as possible in the  interest  of their  religion and the  welfare  and security  of   the millions of adherents following their dictates and direction.

In  the same vein  the  visit  of the US  President  Barak  Obama  to  Ethiopia a Marxist  nation almost  laid waste  recently   by IMF  conditionalities  which    it  rejected  when  it needed  economic  assistance is  instructive.  This time the US is asking for Ethiopian  military  cooperation  in fighting Al  Shabaab in the region  on the  Horn  of  Africa.  When  Ethiopia asked for  World  Bank  loans in the past  the American  funding officials  and bankers asked for such repayment arrangements   and  terms that would have crippled the Ethiopian  nation  and ruined  its social  fabric  and cohesion.  The  present  Ethiopian government rejected  such  anti  social  and anti  people  conditions  and did things their own way and Ethiopia survived  to  date   to be the new bride of the US  in the war against Islamic  terrorism  now threatening   the global  dominance and  security  of the US.

Actually  the visit  of the new  Nigerian president to  Cameroun  should  be seen in terms of new  perspectives  and diplomatic  vistas. After  the  past,  bad  vibes  of Bakassi  and the trauma  of the World  Court verdict favoring our neighbour   our  president has done well  to let bygones be bygones  and allow  the two  nations to chart a new course  of  détente. Of  course the Boko  Haram  menace  was a stimulant  for the new  cordiality  and its security  input  are certainly undisputable.  But  then Francophone nations in  Africa especially   West  Africa  have always begrudged  Nigeria’s  size  and  leadership not through their own volition  or disposition  but because  they have been culturally  tied  to the apron string of  France  their  colonial  master  that  never  wanted them  to be truly independent  individuals capable  of being on their  own.

President  Paul  Biya is over  80  and is much  older than our president but  the issue of security cooperation  transcends age as it  has to do with the present dangers  and the protection of populations  and posterity. Boko  Haram  has penetrated both  Cameroun and Nigeria with impunity  in recent times and especially during the life of the last  administration. We  even read  stories  of Nigerian soldiers  shedding their uniform  and surrendering across the border to be returned later in humiliating fashion. The  appointment  of new service chiefs especially for the Army  and the appointment  of a new Army  Chief  should show unserious military personnel  that it  cannot  be business as  usual  in the fight against  Boko  Haram.

The  fact  that the  new  Army  Chief  was photographed as he set  his walking stick aside to do  press  ups  in front of troops in the war zone of the North  East  showed  that the  era  of pot bellied leadership of the Army is over and that indeed the days  of  Boko  Haram  are numbered under the new military leadership.  That  surely  is another  welcome perspective that  should  delight Nigerians in terms  of the expected turn  around of our security and economic  fortunes under  the present dispensation. Again, long live the Federal  Republic of  Nigeria.

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Boko Haram: Buhari orders total war

Massive attacks  by the armed forces on Boko Haram  camps are in progress  in Borno,Yobe and Adamawa States  on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari  in the latest effort to end  the terrorism in the Northeast.

A no retreat, no surrender operation modality has been adopted by the military  for the operation even as  the Chadian Army  announced yesterday that its men had  killed about 117 terrorists on Lake Chad  islands.

President Buhari  who returned  to Abuja from Cameroun on Thursday at the end of another round of the anti-Boko Haram campaign is due in Benin Republic today to rally the support of the government  and people of  that country in the war against terrorism.

He  also told the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa , Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, who visited yesterday  that the army is now more ready than ever  before to defeat Boko Haram.

He was confident  that the full activation and deployment of  the Multi National Joint Task Force which has been established under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission will hasten the  defeat and elimination of Boko Haram.

He said that the morale of troops in the front-line states has improved significantly following the  establishment of  the Command and Control Centre of the  military in Maiduguri.

“You can tell the Secretary-General that we are doing our best and our best will be good enough for the nation and the sub-region,’’ President Buhari told Dr. Ibn Chambas.

Buhari’s visit to benin Republic today  ,according to Presidency sources,is aimed at consolidating the   “military alliance” between the country and Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

But a suicide bomber struck at the Gamboru market, Maiduguri yesterday killing  16 people while Boko Haram extremists  went on a revenge mission to Kikuwa-Gari village ,Yobe State, leaving 10 villagers dead.

A top military source said yesterday that troops   ” have launched massive attacks on the over 200 camps and many Forest bases of Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East. The counter-insurgency attacks could be likened to a full-scale war.

“The President has mandated the military to adopt a no retreat, no surrender. The new Service Chiefs are leading this new initiative.

“With the understanding of Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroon, there will be no hiding place for the insurgents.

“Some of the bombings being recorded in markets and motor-parks in the North-East are consequences of the pursuit of the insurgents from their hideouts.”

On   President  Buhari’s visit to Cotonou today,a source said “Buhari’s trip is part of the steps to co-opt Benin Republic into the new military alliance by Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.

“Troops are closing in on the insurgents in all fronts, we do not want them to use Benin Republic as a new base, especially for their supplies.

“The President believes that all our neighbours must be involved in the anti-terror war. This is why he is not taking anything for granted.”

Confirming the Lake Chad operation against Boko Haram,spokesman for Chad’s army, Col. Azem Bermendoa Agouna, said  : “For two weeks, Boko Haram terrorists have been trying to infiltrate our islands on Lake Chad to carry out attacks on peaceful citizens.

“Our armed forces and security forces have launched a vast offensive to dig out and neutralise these terrorists on these islands.

“Several boats have been destroyed and several weapons of different calibres have been recovered.

“117 terrorists have been killed, two Chadian soldiers died and two others were wounded” in the operation against the Nigeria-based movement, which began two weeks ago.

“The sweep continues and the definitive toll will be released later.”

Suicide bomber kills 16, injures 11 in Maiduguri

 A suicide bomber struck a crowded Gamboru market in Maiduguri yesterday, killing 16 people, in an attack that bore the hallmarks of the terror Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, but the city has been repeatedly targeted by the extremists.

The National  Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 11  people were wounded in the attack, which came just as  10 other   people were killed when Boko Haram insurgents  raided Kikuwa-Gari village ,Yobe State , in a revenge attack against local vigilantes.

Reports  said about  32 gunmen on motorcycles raided the village at around 10:30 pm  on Wednesday, killing 10 people including two women.

 Witnesses said the driver of a tricycle  detonated a device at the entrance to the crowded market around 7.30 a.m. yesterday.

“The wreckage of the tricycle used by the bomber was there. I saw the charred body of the bomber,” said Usman Ali, adding that he saw rescue workers removing bodies from the scene.

But a police officer who works in the Explosives Ordnance Department said he counted eight bodies at the scene of the blast near Gamboru market in Maiduguri.

He said the bomber, a male, arrived at the scene carrying a female passenger on  a tricycle laden with explosives.

“From the way his body was destroyed it showed that he was actually the suicide bomber and not the woman,” the police officer, who did not want to be named, told journalists.

A source the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital confirmed to journalists they received five bodies and seven injured persons.

Boko Haram 10 in  revenge raid

A resident of Kukuwa-Gari,Baba Nuhu  said  the terrorists who attacked the village also destroyed much  of the village.

“They burnt more than half of the village, including food silos and livestock on which the people depend for their livelihood,” Nuhu said.

“The attack came two ‎days after two Boko Haram members who came into the village were identified by residents and mobbed to death,” Nuhu said, adding that “the attack was obviously in reprisal” over their killing.

News of the attack was slow to emerge because the insurgents have destroyed telecom masts since the insurgency began in 2009.

The Gujba area of Yobe state, where Kukuwa-Gari village is located, has been hard hit by Boko Haram violence in the past but has seen relative calm since troops reclaimed it in March.

Buhari orders  release of N5 billion to  Victims  Support Fund

President Muhammadu Buhari  yesterday  directed the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, to facilitate the immediate release of the N5 Billion pledged by government  last August  to the Victims Support Fund (VSF).

Receiving   a briefing from the VSF Presidential Committee headed by Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd.) in Abuja,also  urged the Committee to ensure proper coordination with other government agencies providing support and assistance to victims of terrorism.

General Danjuma had told the President that   of the N55.92 Billion pledged at the fund-raising dinner for the project  last year, N33.54 Billion  was still outstanding, including N5 Billion from the Federal Government.

He said that the VSF currently has N23.33 Billion in four bank accounts and that the Committee received approval from the immediate past administration to incorporate the money into a Trust Fund, to “insulate it from political interference”.

General Danjuma asked the President to use his office to persuade all organizations and individuals to honour their pledges to the Committee.

President Buhari, according to a statement by his  Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, assured General Danjuma and members of the VSF Committee that his administration was taking proactive steps to defeat terrorism in the country.

He said that despite the challenge of acquiring much needed strategic equipment and weapons to confront the terrorists, the Nigerian military has recently gained much ground in its effort to defeat and degrade Boko Haram.

He added that the full deployment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), under the auspices of member-states of Lake Chad Basin Commission, will further boost ongoing military operations against the insurgents.

Speaking to reporters at the end of his meeting with the President,General Danjuma said the committee ” will continue to ask people who pledged to honour their pledges.”

He  described  the N20 billion as a drop in the ocean compared with the needs  of the victims .

“If really the war stops tomorrow, already those displaced are really looking for support to go back to their homes and this N20 billion is nothing,” he added

Also yesterday ,President Buhari  declared that  with the formation of a stronger regional coalition, Nigeria and neighbouring countries now have an increased capacity to deal effectively with Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.

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Governor Ortom explains increase in wage bills

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State yesterday, in Makurdi, explained that the resumption of payment of full salaries and overheads in the state are responsible for the increase.

In a press release signed by his Special Adviser Media and ICT, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, the Governor stated that the payment of full salaries to the State civil servants and overheads are responsible for the increase in Benue wage bill.

The statement reads: “A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), in Benue State, Mr. Godwin Ayihe, requested through newsmen, to know why the state wage bill has risen above N2.7 billion which he claimed the last administration used to pay. The answer is that there has been resumption of payment of full salaries and overheads in the state.

“Hitherto, the past administration had effected deductions from salaries of civil servants for several months. Overheads were also not paid to ministries, departments and agencies for months. Governor Samuel Ortom commenced the payment of full payment of salaries and overheads in May. With these development it became impossible for the figure to remain at N2.7 billion.

“Yet it will be recalled that the Governor had expressed discomfort with the current wage bill and directed a staff audit which is currently going on. We wish to assure the people of the state that their finances were in safe hands and would be deployed to judicious use” Mr. Agerzua stated.

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250 KLM passengers stranded at Lagos airport

Over 250 passengers of KLM Airlines heading to Europe and other destinations across the world were stranded for almost 48 hours, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA) Lagos, following a technical fault developed by the airline’s aircraft on Thursday night.

Some of the passengers who spoke with The Nation were apprehensive that they might not meet up with their appointments, as they alleged that the management of the airline was not communicating with them after they were checked into a hotel at Amuwo-Odofin area of the state.

One of the affected passengers who simply identified himself as Chris, told our correspondent that they had already boarded before the airline’s crew informed them that they would not be departing Lagos as arranged due to technical fault developed by the aircraft, adding that they were disembarked at 11pm and later taken to the hotel.

Though, he agreed that their inability to travel as scheduled because of the technical fault was in line with international best practices, he lamented that none of the officials of the airline had since Thursday, told them when they would depart the country to their various destinations.

He said: “Apart from checking us into the hotel, none of us was given ordinary refreshments as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, (ICAO). Such maltreatment would not have happened in Europe and other countries.”

Chris, who claimed that he was on his way to New York for a conference scheduled to hold between today and Monday expressed doubts about meeting up with the event which he said was crucial to his professional advancement.

Threatening  to press for the refund of his money, he said: “It is sad that these people are treating us this way in our own country. We were supposed to have travelled since Thursday and up till now, there is no information about our departure. There ought to be a helpdesk for passengers through which we could communicate with the airline’s officials  but they did not provide that.

“To make matters worse, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that is even supposed to protect us is not doing anything about our plights. We are just like displaced people here. People are angry and hungry here because there is no provision for dinner for us as I am talking to you now. They can’t do this in Europe or elsewhere because  they would pay heavy compensation. It is unfortunate that they come here and get away with so many atrocities without any protection for the flying public the relevant government bodies. They appear not to understand that it is not all of us that are going to Amsterdam. A number of us are going to the United States of America and   other destinations in Europe.”

When our correspondent contacted the spokesman for NCAA, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, he promised to contact the Customer Protection Directorate of the agency for more information, but as at the time of filing this report, he was yet to do so.

The spokesman of KLM could not however be reached as at the time of filing this report for comments.

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Ife declares 7-day oro festival

A seven-day sacred traditional oro festival known has been declared in Ile-ife, Osun State.

According to traditionalists, during the period of the festival‎, residents of the ancient town, especially women must not stay outaside beyond 7.00 p.m.

Meanwhile, major markets in the ancient town remain opened, as commercial and economic activities continued.

Also, the Ooni palace at Enuwa was devoid of the usual human and vehicular traffic, except for the presence of the private guards and about four police men manning the gates of the palace.

Though the reason for the declaration of the oro festival was not known, but informed sources believed it might be in connection with the alleged death of the traditional ruler of the town, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, which his chiefs have continued to dismiss and described as mere rumour.

Preferring anonymity, the sources said that whoever violates the traditional order of the oro festival might have himself to blame for a dire consequence.

According to the sources, traditionalists would use the period of the festival to appease the gods and perform necessary rituals that would make the town to enjoy peace and also avert looming danger in Ife and its environs.

The sources, however, disclosed that the festival had nothing to do with the alleged death of the Ooni.

They also claimed that this year edition of the festival only coincided with the “rumoured death” of the town’s monarch.

To prove that Oba Sijuwade is alive, they said: “There is a door that remained closed during the life time of a sitting monarch, and since the door remained closed, it means that the monarch is presumed to be alive.

“The closure of markets to business and ringing of a special bell to announce the death of the monarch are two major significant signs to show that a monarch has joined his ancestors and these are yet to be done.”

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Taraba: Alhassan, APC, fault INEC"s request for tribunal"s relocation

The Taraba State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election, Hajia Aisa Alhassan and her party have faulted a request by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the relocation of the election tribunal to the state.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bilkachuwa, empowered under the Constitution to constitute election tribunals in respect of disputed elections, set up the Taraba governorship tribunal in Abuja owing to security challenge in the state.

INEC, in a motion, challenged the sitting of the tribunal in Abuja. It argued that the tribunal ought to sit in the state where the election was held.

It also noted that the state’s legislative election tribunal was currently sitting in Jalingo, the state capital. INEC urged the tribunal to relocate to the state.

In a counter-argument yesterday, lawyer to Alhassan and APC, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), faulted INEC’s request, wondering why the electoral umpire was more concerned about the location of the tribunal than the other respondents.

“INEC is crying more than the bereaved. The main respondents to this petition (Governor Darius Ishaku and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party) have not challenged this tribunal’s decision to sit in Abuja,” Magaji said.

He wonderd why INEC, with its headquarters in Abuja, was uncomfortable with the tribunal’s sitting in Abuja.

Magaji argued that since INEC was, by its motion, challenging the Court of Appeal President’s exercise of her constitutional power, it should go before the Federal High Court.

While urging the tribunal to note the decisions of the Akwa-Ibom and Rivers states governorship tribunals in similar motions, Magaji urged the tribunal to dismiss the motion by INEC.

He also prayed the tribunal to grant his application for extension of time, which INEC objected to.

The Akwa-Ibom and Rivers states tribunals had, in separate rulings, held that their relocation to Abuja, on grounds of security, was constitutional. They consequently assumed jurisdiction over petitions on governorship elections in both states.

Lawyers to Ishaku and the PDP (whose victory are being challenged by the petitioners) Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Solo Aguma were indifferent to the tribunal’s sitting venue. They left decision on the issue to the tribunal’s discretion.

The petitioners are challenging the outcome of the last governorship election in Taraba State, won by Ishaku of the PDP.

Alhassan and her party are of the view that the election was marred with irregularities.

Tribunal Chairman, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar has fixed ruling for today.

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Illegal arms factory uncovered in Kaduna

Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu, yesterday paraded Bulus Kinze and James Kinze, both from Kogun village of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State for allegedly using their residence for illegal manufacturing of arms and ammunitions and equally serving as main supplier of arms to armed bandits within the area.

According to the police commissioner, when the suspects were arrested and their residence, two locally made AK-47 rifles, one locally made SMG rifle and its magazine, two locally made pistols, two police coloured AK-47 magazines, one locally made AK-47 magazine, twenty live 0.36 special revolver ammunition, three live 7.62mm long ammunitions, eleven live 7.62mm short, AK-47 ammunition and three live cartridges.

Others are one live 5.5mm, T.6 ammunition, 14 empty shells of 7.62mm short, AK-47 ammunition, seventeen empty shells of 0.36 special revolver pistols ammunition, one expanded cartridges, some parts of locally made AK-47 rifle and parts of other rifles, one drilling machine use in production of rifles, one hand driller, some instrument for fabrication of rifles and some assorted charms.

Meanwhile, when one of the suspected manufacturers of the illegal arms, James Kinze was interviewed at the police command headquarters where he was paraded alongside other armed robbery suspects, he owned up to manufacturing of locally made arms but said it was meant to protect themselves against bandits that have continued to terrorise their areas unabated.

“Armed bandits have continued to terrorise our area and killing our people, so since we could not get adequate protection from the security agencies, we decided to produce locally made arms to protect ourselves and our people from the recurring attacks by such arm bandits,” he said.

Also paraded were 20 suspected persons who were arrested for various offences ranging from, armed robbery, criminal conspiracy, and various acts of terrorism.

Meanwhile, CP Umar has reassured members of the public of the readiness of the command to rid the state of all criminal elements in the society.

He urged residents of Kaduna State to continue assisting the command with useful information to track down the criminals from every nook and crannies of the state.

The Commissioner informed that as soon as investigation into the various offences is concluded, the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.

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