SOUTH-EAST TO GET NEW STATE —Confab Committee

Posted by Unknown On Friday, April 25, 2014 0 comments
Agitation by the people of the South-East for creation of an additional state in the area to put them at par with other zones of the federation received huge support yesterday when the demand received the unanimous backing from members of the National Conference Committee on Political Reforms and Forms of Government.

Members of the committee who took turns to make submissions on the contentious matter unanimously agreed that there was need for creation of one more state in the region in the interest of justice and fair-play and to give the people of the South-East a sense of belonging.

The Political Reforms and Forms of Government Committee, however, submitted that every other region demanding the creation of more states would only get it on the basis of merit.

The 30-member committee further submitted that without prejudice to states constituting the federating unit, those that wish to merge may do so in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria subject to three conditions, namely:

•That a majority of the two-thirds of all members in each of the Houses of Assembly of each of the states, in which such merger is proposed, support by resolution, the merger;
•That a referendum is conducted in each of the states proposing to merge with 75 per cent of the eligible voters in each of those states approving of the merger; and
•That each House of the National Assembly, by resolution passed by a simple majority of membership of each of the Houses, approve of the merger.
Addressing journalists after the committee adjourned its sitting yesterday, the chairman, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (rtd.), said by supporting the creation of an additional state in the South-East, delegates have shown that everyone can have a win-win situation.

He said: “I must thank my committee members for their maturity and ability to discern the needs of Nigerians to have more states based on merit, particularly the South-East, thereby bringing the zone at par with others.
“I want to indeed say to my colleagues that they have shown great understanding and they believe in a win-win option. That is the spirit we should maintain in this Conference.

“At the end of the day, we will be recommending that there should be equality of states in the various zones of the country, and then allowing the zones that have agitations across the country to decide which state should be created.
“Those who make the request for the creation of more states do so because they feel marginalised where they are.”

Before arriving at the resolution ahead of the commencement of debates, the committee had proceeded on a five-minute coffee break following a motion by Dr. Abubakar Saddique Mohammed ostensibly to allow the delegates and members of the committee to confer with each other.

At the resumption of session, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey while making a case for the South-East, pointed out that the zone which had only five states among the 36 in the country stood at a disadvantage which, according to him, was a great challenge to the people of the area.

“We don’t want to be more than other zones; we just want to be like others. I appeal to this committee to strongly take into consideration the need to bring the South-East at par with other zones in this country,” he said.
Senator Femi Okurounmu, in his argument, said there should be creation of more states to meet growing demands.

He said there should be the same number of states in every zone in the spirit of fairness. He, however, warned delegates to be mindful in order to avoid the abuse of the process.

Binta Masi Garba advocated for the creation of Amana State in the North. She also supported the creation of an additional state in the South-East in the spirit of fairness.

Chief Benjamin Elue from Delta State, while supporting the call for the creation of an additional state in the South-East, begged delegates to consider the long agitation of the Igbo-speaking people in his state who want their own state. He said Anioma State should be carved out of the present Delta State in the interest of justice.
Senator Ahmed Aruwa argued that it was outside the purview of the committee to create a state.

He said the panel could only make recommendations and create an enabling environment for those agitating for more states to have their way. He said the South-East zone deserves an additional state based on merit.
Yinka Odumakin said states have become tenants to the Federal Government. He said states must have the capacity to look inward and create its own revenue base instead of becoming slaves to the Federal Government. He said the practice where governors come to Abuja at the end of every month to collect salaries must be discouraged.

Lawrence Agubuzu, a South-East delegate, said every region should get an additional state. He, however, argued that in the new arrangement, his region should be given two states. He said the creation of additional states in the six geo-political zones will create a better balance.
Also fielding questions at the end of session, co-Chairman of the committee, Mohammed Ukara Kumalia, said in the interest of justice and fair-play, the South-East should be given an additional state.

He said every other region agitating for more states must be given based on merit. He said this is needed in order to avoid abuse of the process.
He said that genuine demands for the creation of states from all the other zones will be looked into and disclosed that decisions will be taken based on the merit of such demands looking at their viability, contiguity and a host of other factors that usually determine the creation of states.

Kumalia further disclosed that the committee will revisit the issue of local council creation next week, and specifically address other elements such as the mode of funding, among others.

Meanwhile, members of the Conference Committee on Political Matters have agreed to expunge the contentious immunity clause for the president, his vice, governors and their assistants from the constitution.
They, however, gave an exception to the rule, adding that in case of civil offences, the president, vice, governor and his deputy are protected by the law.    
The delegates argued that detractors might take advantage of the removal of the immunity clause to institute unnecessary civil cases against executives.
In a related development, members of Conference Committee on Judiciary want the government to separate the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation from that of the Minister of Justice.

If this recommendation is adopted by the general house during the adoption of committees’ reports, years of agitation by lawyers and other activists who have persistently called for the separation would have succeeded.

The judiciary committee also recommended that the government should create constitutional courts across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, similar to Wednesday’s recommendations that Supreme Courts should be created in all the 36 states of the federation.

•Pieced together from separate reports in The Guardian. Photo showsChairman of National Conference Committee on Political Reforms and Forms of Government, Ike Nwachukwu.
Source News Express
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Half of a Yellow Sun film delayed by Nigeria censors

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Director of Half of a Yellow Sun Biyi Bandele (l) and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie attend the film's premiere in Lagos on 12 AprilNigeria's film board has delayed the release of Half of a Yellow Sun, a film about the Biafran war.
The film, by Nigerian-born British director Biyi Bandele, was set to open in Nigerian cinemas on Friday.
A film board spokesman told AFP there were "regulatory issues" with the film but that it wasn't "officially banned".
The film is based on a novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about the 1967-70 civil war, in which more than a million people died
Aliyu Tanko, from the BBC Hausa service, says that more than 40 years after the end of the war, the subject remains extremely sensitive in Nigeria.
Some fear the film, which is seen as sympathetic to the Biafran separatist cause, could stoke up ethnic tensions, he says.
The book was released in Nigeria but with the country's high rates of illiteracy, a film is likely to get more attention.
Mr Bandele told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that he wasn't sure why the censorship board had delayed certification.
The Nigeria film board saw the film seven months ago, Mr Bandele said.
"What's frustrating is we have not received a formal letter from the board telling us we've been banned, or that we've not been banned," he added.
He denied the film was biased and stressed that he did not see how it could incite violence.
The director also said the film raised issues which Nigeria badly needed to discuss.
"One of the reasons Nigeria is more divided today - 40 years after the end of the war - than it was before the war started, is because we have refused to talk about the elephant in the room."
The film features Twelve Years a Slave actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and Crash star Thandie Newton.
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Enugu: Who is afraid of Ifeoma Nwobodo?

Posted by Unknown On Thursday, April 24, 2014 0 comments

nwobodo ifeoma  mrs
For those not conversant with the story of Medusa in the Greek mythology, there is a need for a refresh.  Medusa, the Gorgon, was once a very beautiful, lily-haired priestess that worshipped Athena, the Greek supreme goddess.  When she overstepped her bounds by failing in her celibate vows, Athena turned her into a terribly ugly woman, transforming her once-alluring hair strands into tiny snakes.  So odious was Medusa that anybody, who cast eyes on her was instantly turned into a boulder of stone.


There is this beautiful, hard-working young woman in Enugu State, who the fretting and unprincipled politicians, through their sponsored articles in the media, have tended to paint, as the modern-day Medusa. Nothing adequate­ly prepares for the sense of disappoint­ment, which one experiences at encoun­tering this woman about whom so much venom has been spilled by a voracious, but small section of the political class of Enugu State. Yes, disappointment, be­cause after reading all the evils that Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, the Chief of Staff to the governor of Enugu State, is said to have visited on whatever she touches, one would believe that anybody who as much as sights her even from a distance, would be struck with a plague.  Yet, the image of this young mother and the wife of Justice Afam Nwobodo, as painted by her traducers in Enugu State, is such that one could easily go past her on the street without imagining that this is a simple, humble, if ordinary hard work­ing young Igbo woman.
In fact, the first day that I saw Mrs. Nwobodo at a function, she cut the image of Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, another very efficient woman some love to hate, not for any evil they have done, but rather because they are sticklers for efficiency and hard work.  Before then, I had heard and read a lot of things about how wicked, ambitious, intractable and power-drunk Ifeoma Nwobodo, a former accountant at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu, was, to the extent that she was accused lamely of being the real power behind the throne in Enugu State.
But from my findings on the Chief of Staff at the Enugu Lion Building (the other name for Enugu State Government House), she knew zilch in politics before the inception of the Chime administra­tion but as the saying goes, a chick that would become a cock is known from the very day the egg hatches.  As an ordi­nary woman, who went about her duties in the best ways she knew how, what she saw as her normal roles of keeping the books and instilling tight financial and administrative discipline helped to transform the fortunes of the ailing Nike Lake Resort to the extent that the keen eyes of people, including the man that was to become the governor noticed.She was also reputed for her resolute­ness and sense of duty.  So, no sooner did Chime become the governor than he was to have invited Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo to serve as his Chief of Staff, as inexperienced in politics as she was then. From what I also reliably learnt, Ifeoma did not as much as understand what a chief of staff does, not to talk about seeing herself as being qualified for the most difficult crucial position around the state’s chief executive.  But as a family that takes spiritual guidance very seriously, she and her husband were said to have consulted God for guidance and got firm affirmation.
Not only did she learn very fast, aided by the fact that her boss is said to be a man who places a lot of premium on delegating duties to the competent, she soon got such a firm handle on her job that the laxities that characterise public service, especially in the previous dis­pensation in the state, were thrown out through the window, as she inculcated the sense of urgency honed through the application of her private sector experi­ence, which had inculcated in her the culture of striving to achieve set goals.  This culture automatically affects the people and environment around which she operates.Her boss has turned out to be one of the greatest achievers in Nigeria today, hav­ing positively transformed the fortunes of his state beyond expectation, without making much noise.  Today, the rest is history, as the sense of urgency, which Ifeoma Nwobodo has inculcated in the seat of power in her state, has become a whirlwind that has swept away those too lethargic to change while invigorating the state of affairs in the state.  She has become a veritable partner in progress to Governor Chime, to the extent that she is widely regarded as the power behind the throne, while, indeed, she sees her­self and carries on as a humble servant of a goal-getting boss.
Her competency and principles have unfortunately become her bane.  She has made many enemies of unprincipled people, especially sit-tight politicians from the state.  The PDP stakeholders in the state, led by Governor Chime, had agreed on a formula that would consolidate the sense of justice, political peace and amity that had characterised Chime’s era in the state. The crux of that doctrine is that the tenure of every elected political figure under the PDP banner would be limited to two terms, after which (s)he would make way for other citizens.  The formula, which was enthusiastically accepted by the preponderance of the citizens, who saw it as a way of ensuring that everybody would have a sense of belonging, also prescribed that the governorship should move to the Enugu North zone that had not experienced it.  The deliberate deci­sion of the party to make Nsukka zone get the next governor was, therefore, unanimously hailed.
However, this formula was rebuffed by the camp of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who, after serving for three terms as a senator, seemed not yet satisfied and believes that he deserves another term, failing which he should be ‘rewarded’ with the governorship position, even when he does not come from the Nsukka zone.  Most of the other National Assembly members, like Senator Gil Nnaji, who has served in both chambers of the Na­tional Assembly, do not also seem to be comfortable with the new PDP doctrine.  All these should never have concerned Mrs. Nwobodo, yet it has become con­venient for some to malign and serially accuse her of being the person, who is behind ensuring that the party’s doctrine on power sharing is executed to a logical conclusion.
She is being accused of habouring the interest to contest for the senatorial posi­tion for Enugu East, the seat currently occupied by Senator Nnaji, who, apart from a generally acknowledged lacklus­tre representation, should have become satisfied after serving for two terms in the House of Representatives and currently in the Senate.  To compound matters for Nnaji, he is said to lack the support and favour of the local govern­ment bosses in the zone.
While Ifeoma Nwobodo is yet to make any such aspiration public, there seems to be a unanimity of opinion in the state that after an obvious insipid representa­tion at the upper national chambers, the zone that houses the capital of Igboland deserves a senator of proven intellect, dedication to duty and the type of com­mitment that she has shown and which has acquitted her creditably to many and made her an enemy to those who want business as usual.  The way it looks in Enugu today, the more the political des­peradoes accuse her of all manners of things, the ordinary people of the state hail all that as an endorsement, know­ing that the bad-mouthing translates into saying:  “you are serving the state too well…” The logic, therefore, is that “this woman is the right ‘man’ for the job.”
Ordinarily, the aspiration to the Sen­ate, the ‘crime’ that Ifeoma is being ac­cused of, and judging from her sterling performance in her present role, is even being regarded as inadequate enough, as many have suggested that had she come from the Nsukka zone, she should have been encouraged to vie for the governorship to ensure the perpetuation of the good job of her boss.  As at the time Governor Chime was inviting her to become his chief of staff, two former chiefs of staff had become governors of their states – Babatunde Fashola and Theodore Orji, who served Governors Tinubu of Lagos and Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia, respectively.  It is clear that none of those had put in as much, nor earned as much acclaim, as Mrs. Nwobodo in their days.
So, why all the fuss that this Amazon, who has stricken so much terror in the incompetent and the inordinately-am­bitious as well as great love and respect in people of principles, should aspire only to ‘mere’ senatorial position?  The people of Enugu State should feel proud that Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo should as­pire to become a senator and give them the type of robust voice they demand – and deserve
.• Nwokolo contributed this piece from Enugu
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Enugu PDP lifts ban on suspended SSG, commissioners

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State has announced the recall of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Amechi Okolo and two commissioners who were suspended from the party in January.
The recalled commissioners are Chijioke Agu, Commissioner for Sports and Dr. Jude Akubuilo, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry.
Others are two Special Advisers to the governor, Sunny Agu and O.A.U Onyeama.
Chairman of the PDP in Udi Local Government Area, Uche Ogbodo, who addressed a press conference in Enugu yesterday said it was in compliance with the decisions and directives of the National Working Committee (NWC)of the party. Ogbodo also announced the withdrawal of a law suit between Uche Ogbodo and the PDP, instituted in the wake of the crisis in the party in Udi Local Government Area.
He thanked the National Working Committee for resolving the issues in the Udi L.G.A PDP stating that he now has more confidence and is re-invigorated to lead the party to greater success in the next elections.
The suspension of the key government personalities by Ogbodo in January led to a lot of controversies as the governor’s men announced his removal as party local government chairman.
But in a letter from the National Working Committee of PDP dated April 14th and signed by National Secretary Prof. Wale Oladipo the NWC called for all suspensions to be lifted and for the chairman to withdraw his court suit within 14 days.
The letter which was addressed to National Vice Chairman PDP South East and copied to Udi and Enugu PDP chairmen the NWC noted that it will hold a meeting Ekweremadu and Chime to resolve all issues.
 Culled: SUN
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Enugu Community Dares Gov, Chime, Gives Chieftaincy Title To Ekweremadu

Posted by Unknown On Monday, April 21, 2014 0 comments
Despite the Enugu State government’s warning to traditional rulers in the state not to give chieftaincy titles to anyone until December 31 this year, Oduma community in Aninri local government area of the state over the weekend conferred a chieftaincy title on the deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
Speaking shortly after receiving the title during a reception that took place at Oduma Primary School, Ekweremadu thanked God that the occasion went on smoothly in spite of the fact that some people tried to scuttle it.
He assured Oduma people that the N12billion Oduma/Nenwe/Uburu road which he attracted to the community would be completed soon, and expressed happiness that work on the road has reached advanced stage.
He disclosed that the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has constructed over 200 kilometres of roads in his constituency, stating that the president deserves the support and encouragement of Nigerians.
Ekweremadu thanked the community for honouring him, and promised to bring more development projects to them.
The state government through the Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters announced the suspension of conferment of chieftaincy titles by traditional rulers in the state with effect from April 7, 2014.
The letter dated April 7, 2014 with reference number MCM/CM/98/T/203 was addressed to all recognised traditional rulers in the state.
The letter, signed by Ibe Nnamani on behalf of the commissioner, directed traditional rulers in the state not to confer chieftaincy title on any individual between April 7 and December 31, this year.
Leadership.
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Ban on chieftaincy: Community dares Enugu govt

Posted by Unknown On Friday, April 18, 2014 0 comments
ekweremaduThe Oduma Community in Aninri local government area of Enugu State is set to dare the state government as it insists on conferring chieftaincy title on Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and others.
The State government recently placed an embargo on the conferment of chieftaincy titles on individuals in the state.
The people of Oduma in Enugu West Senatorial District had planned to honour their representative in the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu for facilitating the construction of the N12 billion Nenwe-Oduma-Uburu road before the order was announced.
The road project, which was flagged off in November 2013 has reached an advanced stage and the people of the area who had been experiencing nightmares passing through the road now heaving a sigh of relief.
The contract for the 26 kilometers road running from Nenwe through Oduma in Enugu State to Uburu in Ebonyi State was approved and awarded to SETRACO by the Federal Executive Council on November 14, 2012.
Impressed by the role played by the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu in making the long desired road project a reality, the community unanimously resolved to appreciate him with a chieftaincy title.
Also selected for conferment of chieftaincy titles at the reception slated for Saturday, April. 19, 2014 at Oduma are the Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen, Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Senator Ayogu Eze and Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi.
But while the community was making arrangement for the event, the state government through the Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters announced the suspension of conferment of chieftaincy titles by traditional rulers in the state with effect from April 7, 2014.
The letter dated April 7, 2014 with reference number MCM/CM/98/T/203 addressed to all recognized traditional rulers in the state and signed by Ibe Nnamani on behalf of the Commissioner, directed traditional rulers in the state not to confer chieftaincy title on any individual between April 7 and December 31, this year.
But a member of the organizing committee for the event, Chief Johnson Orji told reporters in Enugu yesterday that the community would go ahead with its plan to honour the selected personalities, who had since been notified and have mobilized their friends and well-wishers for the ceremony.
“The entire Oduma community made up of several villages has been planning this reception for Senator Ekweremadu since last year for making it possible in our lifetime what we never imagined could be possible.
Many administrations in the state from military to the present democratic regime had come with promises during campaign, but always reneged on the promises after election. This is due majorly to the very difficult topography of the Nenwe and Oduma once described by Governor Sullivan Chime as an impossible terrain, but this has been made possible by our son, Chief Ekweremadu,” Chief Orji said.
There are speculations that the event was earlier approved by the State Government when traditional rulers from Oduma sought government’s approval, but the government latter decided to suspend the conferment when the identity of the recipients were made public.
Sources said that the action of the government might not be unconnected with the current face-off between Governor Chime and members of the National Assembly from the state over their re-election bid in 2015.
Culled: The SUN
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UNN COMMENCES DISTANCE LEARNING SERVICES!

Posted by Unknown On Tuesday, April 15, 2014 0 comments




University of Nigeria Distance Learning Programme (UNN-DLP) hereby announces the commencement of distance learning services. 
DLP is currently running a pilot phase with MSc courses in the Faculty of Business Administration – Departments of Accountancy,Banking and Finance, Management and Marketing.

UNN DLP provides distance learning services through online amenities and operations covering:
•    Delivery of lectures and tutorials by lecturers;
•    Chats between lecturers and students;
•    Exchange of information between lecturers and students
•    Assessment and scoring of students by lecturers. 

To prepare lecturers and students for online teaching/learning, UNN Distance Learning Programme, in collaboration with Information and Communications (ICT) Unit, provides training and orientation, using the University’s online education platform.

Therefore, lecturers and departments who wish to bring some of their MSc courses into the pilot phase should contact: 


The Programme Officer
08039333134, dlp.unn@unn.edu.ng
Distance Learning Programme
University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus

Signed 
Prof. Eric Eboh
Director, Distance Learning Programme
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
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Fulani herdsmen on rampage in Enugu

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Rampaging Fulani herdsmen have continued to terrorise Enugu State with reports of robbery attacks which led to the death of a victim while another who  was attacked in the state capital escaped with machete wounds.
The police in Enugu confirmed the death of one Theophilus Eneje, a businessman who was allegedly attacked by the herdsmen along the lonely Ibeagwa/Ezimo Road in Udenu Local Government Area of the state.  Eneje, who was carrying empty bottles with which he intended to buy drinks at Obollo-Afor reportedly ran into ambush laid by the herdsmen.
He was allegedly dealt a machete cut on the head when he resisted attempt to rob him of the cash he was carrying. He was said to have been robbed and left to bleed to death.
Another victim of the herdsmen alleged invasion is a night-guard who works at Aninwede Street in Obiagu area of Ogui New-Layout.
The guard, whose identity could not be confirmed as at the time of this report was said to have closed from work at about 6am and was trekking home when he was accosted by the cattle rearers along the Ebeano tunnel.
The victim, according to our source, who also put up some resistance received deep machete cuts before escaping from his captors.


He has been receiving treatment at the Park Lame Hospital in Enugu.The Enugu state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), told our reporter that the command has commenced investigations into  the incidence of armed robbery attack  by men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. He said that manhunt has been intensified to arrest the suspected Fulani robbers especially those that killed Mr. Eneje along Ibeagwa/Ezimo in Udenu Local Government Area of the state.
From PETRUS OBI, Enugu
Source: THE SUN
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Women declare war on Ogogoro

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BY SUNDAY ANI

nichsunny@yahoo.com
On March 28, women under the aegis of Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), St. Anthony Parish, Nguru, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, staged a protest against the sale and consumption of local gin, popularly known as Ogogoro or kaikai in their community. They alleged that the substance had rendered their men useless to the extent of abdicating their responsibility as breadwinners of their families.
The women complained that if the consumption of the substance was left unchecked, the biblical injunction: “Go and procreate and fill the earth,” would soon come under serious threat because the substance had rendered many of their men impotent. Those who had not completely become impotent, the women alleged, were knocking on the door of impotency, as many of them hardly meet up with  their conjugal duties.
According to the women, their husbands no longer warm their beds at night. “After drinking kaikai, they would come home and lie down like logs of wood. They would snore till the next day. They can no longer have sex with their wives because their organs are almost dead. How do we procreate under that situation? That is why we are crying out to the world,” the women said, through their spokesperson, as they carried fresh green leaves around the community.
The women, who were dressed in Catholic Christian Mothers’ uniform, moved from hamlet to hamlet, chanting a dirge for kaikai and its sellers. When they got to any shop suspected to be selling the substance, they would drop fresh green leaves and chant before proceeding to the next shop.
They sang such songs as, “kaikai has made men to build houses and sleep in the bush; kaikai has made men to marry and not bear children. Kaikai has made men to be lazy; kaikai has made men to see women and not have appetite for them.”
They carried flags bearing such inscriptions as: “Kaikai affects the reproductive system of a man”, “CWO says no to illicit gins – top squad, KP, kaikai etc.” “We don’t want illicit gin in Nguru community, It causes more harm than good”; “Top squad, kaikai has made our youth to be weak and sick”; “It leads to premature death”; “Kaikai has made our youth to be lazy” and “Kaikai kills, say no to it,” among others.”
Most shop owners, who sell the substance, closed their shops and disappeared for fear of what the women could do. When our correspondent approached the leader of the women group, Mrs. Theodora Eze, she captured their ordeal thus: “We are protesting because kaikai has finished us in this community. In Nguru community, kaikai has snatched our men and youths from us. Early in the morning every day, the young boys, instead of looking for what to do, will sit comfortably and drink themselves to stupor at kaikai joints, which are scattered everywhere in this community. After drinking, the person will become useless throughout the day. Those who are married among them cannot even feed themselves, not to talk of their wives and children. Our women have suddenly become the breadwinners simply because of kaikai. Our suffering is overweighing us; the burden of solely catering for our families’ needs is becoming too much on us. That is why we are crying to high heavens against this scourge.”
To show that they meant business, they have also promulgated a law, which took effect from April 1. According to the law, anybody found to be selling or drinking the substance within Nguru community would be liable to a fine of N20, 000. The women were said to enjoy the support of the Nsukka Police Area Commander, the Nsukka Divisional Police Officer (DPO), the Umuada organisation, the youth association, the entire women of the community as well as the Parish Priest of St Anthony Catholic Church, Nguru
“We have proclaimed a law that anybody found selling or consuming ogogoro from April 1, will have the women to contend with. The Nsukka Police Area Commander is aware of what we are doing. The DPO is aware, the Umuada in our community, who act as lawmakers, are aware; the titled men in the community also have our support, the Nguru Youth Association is in support, the Catholic Women Organisation of St. Thomas, Nguru, as well as the parish priest, are all in support of this protest. We are strongly crying against this evil,” Mrs. Eze said.
Tracing the genesis of kaikai consumption in Nguru, Eze said: “It is laziness and joblessness. There is no job created by the government and they don’t even want to help themselves. That is what we have found as responsible. Both the educated and uneducated are involved in this mess.”
Throwing more light on the negative effect of the illicit gin on their men and why they have decided to take up the gauntlet, she said: “The height of this madness is that our men can no longer impregnate their wives. Apart from not being able to satisfy their wives sexually, they have degenerated to a level where they cannot impregnate their wives again. It has rendered many of them impotent. It will lead to serious population decrease and possible extinction of the community if a serious measure, such as the one we are embarking on, is not taken against the scourge. This protest is against the sellers and buyers as well and the punishment for its breach is N20, 000, so we can use it to develop Nguru community.”
When the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Livinus Nnaji, was approached for his comment, he described what the women were doing as historic. He corroborated what the women said about the negative effects of ogogoro.
“I think the CWO, St. Anthony Parish, Nguru is making history today. I say so because that is the first time it is happening here in Nguru. Women generally, are the correctors of evil; they come in when things are going wrong. Kaikai is actually out to destroy the entire community. Both boys and girls, young and old are involved in this mess. The women, seen as the light of the nation have seen this evil and decided to take up arms against it, crying and asking the sellers and consumers to desist from the evil. They are calling on sellers particularly, because once they stop selling; people will stop consuming because you can only consume what is available. The women are doing a nice job,” he argued.
Speaking on the possibility of legislating against the substance beyond Nguru, Fr Nnaji said: “If our government can take interest in it, it can be stopped from the source. They can also ban people from selling it and that will automatically bring to an end the consumption of the substance.” O
On whether the Catholic Church would be interested in pursuing the legislation of such law, the cleric also said: “Yes, the church is already doing that and that is why the CWO of St. Anthony, Nguru is leading the demonstration against the scourge. And it has happened in so many places. The people of Ohum Orba, in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, did it two years ago and since then, order has returned to that community. The youth of that community are beginning to regain their senses and do something meaningful with their lives. Anybody taking kaikai is like somebody attempting to commit suicide.”
Ferdinand Ezema is believed to be a big supplier of the substance. When our correspondent approached him, he said: “Yes, I sell it because people demand for it. I sell other drinks, like beer but because kaikai is people’s demand, I sell it. Now that the women are protesting against its sale and consumption in this town, I will stop selling it. In fact, I have stopped it already. It is no longer in my stock.”
But, is it true that many men have become impotent and infertile because of kaikai?  He spoke for himself, claiming that his wife never complained. He said: “I wouldn’t know of those who cannot satisfy their wives sexually or impregnate them because I have not been contracted to do the job for them. But, I satisfy my own wife and also impregnate her whenever we want, even though I drink. I drink because there is no way I can be selling it without drinking it, but I do that in moderation. Maybe, because I don’t drink in excess, that’s why I cannot notice the women’s complaint. Everything we eat must be in moderation. Henceforth, I will stop selling and drinking because the community has decreed against it and I believe that the voice of many is the voice of God.”
Chief Boniface Aruma, alias Ozo Eze, is an Ogogoro drinker. He said he had been drinking it for over 50 years but still has his manhood intact and functional. He started drinking the substance as far back as 1957 to be precise, he stated. His wife, who was among the Catholic women, used to sell it until her organisation, (CWO) raised the alarm over its negative effects on their men.
According to him, “my wife used to sell it, but with this law, she has stopped. I drink it, but I am happy for what the women are doing. I only pity the poor ones who cannot afford to buy beer. It has no effect on me. I have 32 living children and I have been drinking kaikai since 1957. So, it has never prevented me from impregnating my wives or satisfying them sexually at any time. It doesn’t remove anything from me. But with this development, I have stopped it.”
On why the men start drinking early in the morning, the old man replied: “It is those who don’t do anything. For instance, I am an old man and I don’t do anything again. I only rely on my children to supply my needs. So, they send money to me and I buy whatever I need. I can afford to go there early in the morning because I don’t do anything again due to old age. I see it as food.”
He also identified poverty as one of the reasons why men resort to Kaikai. “It is poverty that forces people to consume the substance. For instance, when you buy a shot worth N30, it will be enough to make your day, but when you talk of beer, how many persons can afford N150 or more for just one bottle that won’t even get you anywhere? It won’t lay any foundation. You need to drink like four of five bottles before you are intoxicated, as much as somebody who takes a shot of kaikai, which is just N30. Four or five bottles of beer translate to N600 or N750; how many of them can afford it?” he asked.
Ukamaka Ezema is another seller, who  stopped the business long before the protest. According to her, her conscience was pricking her. She also said people’s pressure and demand forced her to sell it, but she had to stop it when her late husband became a heavy drinker.
She stopped selling it as a way of curtailing her husband who also formed the habit of taking the substance from her store whenever she was away from home.
She narrated her story: “I was not selling it initially, but people kept demanding and putting pressure on me to start selling it. That was when I started selling it. There is one man who had stopped the consumption of kaikai because I was always fighting him when he was drinking. He would come and demand it but I would only give him one shot and after that, I would turn down his demand for more. He even saw me as a wicked person then, but since he stopped it, he has not stopped thanking me for contributing to his redemption. He now regards me as a person who loves him and who wanted him to live. There is another auto-mechanic, who is already useless.
“So, when I saw these women protesting, I was just saying that maybe it will help the boy to come back to life because already he is a living dead. I will be very happy if it can be stopped completely. I stopped it because it was against my conscience. I have stopped it long before this protest.”
She revealed that stopping the sale of the substance did not affect her business in any way and advised those who feel it would affect them to consider its bad effect.
She said: “I know some people will regret the ban, but they should first consider its side-effects. It destroys people in many ways. Some people have been rendered infertile. Some can’t even produce children any longer. Some men beat their wives after taking it. When my husband was alive, we always fought over it. In fact, I stopped selling it when I discovered that whenever I was not around, he would drink it. So, I decided to stop it in order to prevent him from its consumption. It was also my thinking that even if he would consume it, let it not be from me; let him go elsewhere and drink it. That was how I stopped selling it.”
Udoka Onah does not drink Ogogoro but he is concerned about those who do because of what it has turned them to. He is worried because many of his relations are affected by the scourge. He is very happy with the Catholic women for attempting to liberate the community from the shackles of kaikai.
Hear him: “As a non-drinker, you know you will be healthy. Kaikai kills the heart; it is just hot like fire. If you light the concentrated one, which has not been adulterated, it will ignite. It also wastes money. There is no gain in it. All the people that consume it are useless. They don’t progress in whatever they do. I have not been happy with the development. I love what the women are doing today. If they had told us, the youth, we would have gladly joined them in the protest. Some of my brothers consume it; the consumers in this community are plenty.”
He also mentioned some of the known selling joints in the community to include, Ejuona Nguru, which could be regarded as the headquarters of kaikai in the town because there are clusters of shops selling it there. Other joints are Port Harcourt and Ukwu Okpeye, among other places.
He also thinks that its cheapness could possibly be responsible for its high consumption rate and patronage, but warned: “Actually, it is cheaper, but I know that cheap things don’t have any benefit.”
However, Onyekachukwu Ugwu, from Ukwu Okepeye Umuezedike, in Nguru, another seller, is not very happy with the women for daring to rise against the sale and consumption of ogogoro in the community. Although, he pretends to be happy with what the women are doing, his questions gave him away as somebody who is not at ease with the development.  For instance, he wants to know what the women are doing about water and electricity, which the community lacks. He is of the opinion that the women should agitate for the provision of electricity and water in the community instead of trying to deny people their means of livelihood.
“What the women are doing is good. I am not against them. It is not that kaikai is bad but the consumers don’t take it with moderation. They always drink it in excess. That’s why the women are protesting. In this community, some people no longer eat food because of it. I have stopped selling it because even before this protest, we have been hinted about the ban. So, I have already stopped selling it. But let me tell you that what the women are doing is not the right thing. There is no water and electricity in Nguru and they are not talking about that; instead, they are moving against people who are doing their business and making their daily living from the sale of kaikai.”
When reminded that the women’s grouse  against the substance is that men hav ceased  to be men, in terms of their sexual prowess, and that with the development, the community stands the risk of going into extinction, he got angry and accused many of the women of infidelity. He said: “How can the community go into extinction, when a good number of the women protesting out there sleep around with other men who are not their husbands? They could get pregnant by other able bodied men if their husbands are not capable because they are already into the practice; so it is not a new thing to them and it is also not a sin to them.”
But when told that it is not good for married women to sleep with other men and that was why they were demonstrating against the consumption of kaikai so that their husbands could do their jobs in order to prevent them from sleeping around, he fired again: “I don’t believe that it is kaikai that is responsible for their non-performance. If they can ban it, it is good, but it is only those who consume it in excess that are affected.”
Efforts to speak with the traditional ruler proved abortive, as he was said to be out of town. A police source, however, said that they were in support of the action of the women because the nuisance value of some of the men is usually high after soaking themselves in local gin.
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This Disease Is Even Treatable

Posted by Unknown On Monday, April 14, 2014 0 comments
What a welcome relief to these kids. If not for Michelle McGowan, these kids would have remained this way for eternity. This is mind-boggling especially given the fact that this is a treatable disease.  Click To Watch Video



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Facts You Need To Know About Ebola Virus

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Have you heard? A viral disease called EBOLA has been rampaging some part of Africa. 
 According reports, the viral disease presently has no cure or preventive measure. 
Its fast spreading all over African and in Guinea Republic it has killed over 50 people of late, while in LIBERIA 2 persons have died of the disease. 

Its fats approaching the west Africa according to experts. 

Possible means of contracting the disease are through contaminated corpses of affected persons, sexual contact with an affected person, direct contact with blood of an affected person, heat, or faeces. 
Just be on the watch out for symptoms that resembles that of the man whose pix appears here.That's how an affected person may look after few weeks of carrying the virus. 
      
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Unknown to most people in religiously divided Nigeria, the best Islamic secondary school in the country is not located in the Muslim-dominated North but in the largely Christian South-East, specifically in Afikpo, Ebonyi State.
Now there are plans to turn the school, known as Islamic Centre, Afikpo, into an Islamic University. This was disclosed by Sheikh Daud Nwagui, the Headmaster of the primary section of the school, who told the Daily Trustnewspaper: “We hope to turn the school into a university, that is a university of Islamic studies. There is no school like this in the whole of the South-East.”
The hilly Afikpo town boasts the highest number of Igbo Muslims in the South-East, followed by the university town of Nsukka in neighbouring Enugu State. The Islamic Centre, Afikpo, was founded by Sheikh Ibrahim Okpani Nwagui, the father of the present headmaster, who brought Islam to Afikpo in 1958.
According to Sheikh Daud Nwagui, his late father embraced Islam in Senegal and promptly introduced the religion to his people when he returned to Nigeria in 1958.
“From that time a lot of people in the vicinity were turning to Islam. He was a very sincere person, and he was like this till his very last days. He was the founder of the Islamic Centre, Afikpo,” he said, adding: “This centre was set up in 1965 to propagate Islam generally. This is the best Islamic secondary school in the nation, and students come from all over the country, including Abuja.”
The Islamic Centre, Afikpo, has a primary and a secondary section. There are 450 pupils in the primary section, while the secondary section has some 500 pupils. Students write the NECO and SSCE examinations, just like other students in Nigerian secondary schools. The school has three boarding houses. A computer laboratory is under construction at the school.
Sheikh Daud Nwagui told Daily Trust that there is a special focus on Arabic as a language, on Islamic studies, physics, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, English Literature, Mathematics and Igbo. This, he explained, assists in producing a crop of rounded pupils.
The headmaster disclosed that graduates of the school have risen to prominent positions in the society. Many, he said, have done well in the areas of medicine, some are in the armed forces, also in engineering, and many have risen to become Chief Imams in many states of the federation.
Some graduates, Sheikh Daud Nwagui disclosed, are outside the country and doing very well in places such as Pakistan and India.
On challenges which the school has faced over the years, Sheikh Nwagui said that some form of challenge has come from those he described as ‘religious fanatics in the neighbourhood’ but quickly added: “But from the government of the state we are covered. The government gives us a lot of support.”
Photo shows Sheikh Daud Nwagui, brainchild behind the proposed Islamic University to be sited in Afikpo, Ebonyi State.

Source News Express

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Enugu mystery ‘Pool of Bethesda’ dries up (Photo)

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The only permanent thing in the world is change.  Less than four months after its inundation, the Enugu mystery pool has dried up triggering major soil excavation by new visitors who had come for healing in the pool. The town itself which became a tourist destination a few months back, has had a fair share of the change as it has become a ghostly abandoned place.
No people and vehicular movement were  present; the motorcyclists have relocated to major towns while the plastic container’ sellers at the junction leading to the forest have abandoned the business.
When Saturday Vanguard visited the pool recently, it was found to be completely drained with trenches here and there dug by desperate visitors with a view to getting water from the soil for healing.
Saturday Vanguard had earlier visited the pool which many claimed had healing powers. Thousands of people from far and near visited the pool, dipped their bodies in the water, drank from the water, cut trees around the basin of the pool and took away sand within the precincts of the stream with the belief that it had supernatural healing powers.
Source: Vanguard
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SURVIVAL Dramatic Rescue of Lioness With Gaping Wound: Video

Posted by Unknown On Thursday, April 10, 2014 0 comments

A seriously injured lioness was just saved in a dramatic rescue that took place on April 4 at Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, according to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT).
The horn of a buffalo bull had gored the 11-year-old lioness, named Siena, who recently gave birth to three cubs.
Staff from the DSWT contacted Kenyan Wildlife Service veterinarian Dr. Njoroge from Nairobi. He and his team arrived via a small plane. An account posted on the DSWT website explains what happened next:
Treatment started at 3.50pm after the lioness was successfully darted. Moments after she was tranquilized, a sub-adult lioness promptly sauntered up to Siena, who was still standing, and effectively removed the dart as if she was trained to do so. Thankfully the drugs had already taken effect and Siena safely lay asleep for her treatment whilst the rest of the pride was kept at bay. The wound was extensive and involved the soft tissues and the skin. The vet cleaned the wound using normal saline and then sutured it closed.
The account goes on to say that an antibiotic spray and ointment were next applied. Green clay was also placed over the wound “to accelerate healing.” Long lasting antibiotics were administered via injection to prevent against infection.
The treatment lasted about 1.5 hours and, according to the account, “was a great success.” Siena soon joined the rest of her pride.
The entire episode was captured on video:Click To Watch Video
Two days later, Siena was seen marching around and tending to her cubs, as usual. She had to urinate and squatted down, which would have involved movement of the wounded area, but she showed no signs of pain.
The lifespan of adult lions in the wild is about 14 years, but Siena already seems to have nine lives.
(Image: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust)
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