News Desk Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Offering Puppies is the newest twist in Nigeria Scams

The Council of Better Business Bureaus and American Kennel Club were to issue a warning today about fraudulent Web sites, MySpace postings and print ads asking people to help save puppies that are in desperate straits. more>>

Oil recovers in London on continued worries over Nigeria tensions, US gasoline

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Oil prices recovered in London from losses posted yesterday as traders focused on continued tensions in key crude producer Nigeria and remained concerned about US gasoline supplies. At 10.22 am in London, benchmark Brent crude contracts for July delivery were up 21 cents at 69.93 usd per barrel. more>>

EFCC's Reprieve for Orji

Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday declared that Abia State governor-elect, Chief Theodore Orji has secured reprieve from prosecution till the next four years.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Daily Champion, Ribadu, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) said, Chief Orji who is expected to be sworn-in today as governor would not be arrested by his agency by the virtue of the bail he secured in a Federal High Court Lagos last week. more>>

We may sack Akala, Uba from office after swearing-in -- Supreme Court

ABUJA—The Supreme Court yesterday refused an invitation by Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State and Mr Peter Obi of Anambra State to stop today’s inauguration of their successors. more>>

PDP chooses David Mark as Senate President, Etteh for House Speaker

ABUJA—RETIRED Brigadier-General David Bonaventure Mark (Benue South) is the choice of the leadership of the ruling PDP as the nation’s next Senate President, and Mrs. Patricia Etteh (Aiyedade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency in Osun State is its choice as the next Speaker of the Hosue of Representative. Senator Mark was nominated as the PDP upon the strong backing of President Olusegun Obasanjo who leaves office today. more>>

BPE hands over PH, Kaduna refineries to Dangote, Otedola, Others

LAGOS—The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), yesterday handed over Port-Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to Bluestar Oils Services Consortium, floated by business mogul, Alh. Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola of Zenon Oil, Rivers State Government and other Nigerian investors. more>>

Tight Security at Eagle Square as Yar'Adua takes over

At every corner of the square and under the pavilions are gun-wielding soldiers and plain-cloth security men under a strict instruction to prevent movements into the expansive arena. Please by one of our correspondents to some of the operatives for permission to get into the area for a closer appraisal of the state of readiness, were turned down. more>>

8 Spooky Years of Olusegun Obasanjo's Fourth Republic (1)

BY AMBROSE EHIRIM

Curious viewers and readers who have been concerned on what I have been up to lately since I stopped my political commentary particularly on Igbo matters, wondering what may have happened to the ardent Igboist should hold their breath. Of course, I was almost nailed for cricizing a politically suicidal Ichie Chibuzor Onwchekwa for taking Igbos to hell. Some assumed I may have thrown in the towel on a series of grounds that the heat was becoming unbearable and it's time to quit. The point is, there is nothing else to write about on a subject matter that no longer makes sense especially on Igbo issues now that it's patently clear Igbos are a conquered people. Even the lame duck Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, who should be handing over any moment now admits Igbos are a finished people. Udenwa in his own words:

"Today the Igbos have no place in the leadership of this country. The Igbos have never been as low as we are today in the society called Nigeria. We are so incapacitated; we have no say. We blame others but at the same time we have not done anything to help ourselves; instead we have aided such situation where we are completely relegated to the background."

I'm kind of shocked reading Udenwa made the above statement, when he, Udenwa, for eight doggone years as governor has little or nothing to show for his stewardship to the people of Imo State. Udenwa should be blaming himself and the Igbo-related governors and commissioners for such failures not the unemployed graduates who have nothing to do with it.

Was it not the same Udenwa who at a time held teachers and civil servants salaries for months while he and his cronies including the coattails who trooped on the death traps, the so-called roads while unemployed youths roamed around like hobos? Was it not Udenwa who had been tight-lipped while bad things happened all around Igbo land, for instance, the invasion of Okigwe to "smoke" out Ralph Uwazuruike? Was it not Udenwa whose political loyalty and salesmanship denied Nd'Igbo infrastructures required to propel industries in Igboland to the forefront? No question, we've seen eight years go away just like that and Nd'Igbo have been reduced to nothing; and Udenwa has the guts to blame a crop of new Igbo leaders. Imagine!

Enter Olusegun Obasanjo, a man whose regime as military junta discharged armored tanks on students who complained of school fees hike. A man whose regime levelled Fela's Shrine and locked up every inhabitant during that fateful raid. A man who banned Chris Okolie's New Breed Magazine from circulation on the basis the magazine's journalists interviewed Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in Ivory Coast. A man whose regime destroyed all aspect of civil liberties. A man who snatched cameras from journalists and smashed it. And, a man who by a stroke of luck survived Sani Abacha's reign of terror. Ironically, this same man would take over the affairs of state in a purported democratic fabric only to make things worse.

Now, after eight years of President Obasanjo initially thought by every observer (precisely the international community) hopefully to be the most viable and intact representative government since independence, where does our democracy stand today? No one would deny the fact that the quest for sound democracy was long overdue after years of misrule by the military juntas. A miltary junta will always be a military junta. Obasanjo flogged a peace officer in public and got away with it even when the peace officer could have punched his big belly in retaliation. He said Igbos can go to hell when questioned about his hatred of Nd'Igbo. He promised to fish out Ibrahim Babangida's hidden assets if made known that the wizard dribbling evil genius stashed away money in foreign accounts swearing "no be my papa born me" if there is evidence. He made the world know that "I dey kampe" upon all the civil disturbances and mayhem during the satanic Sharia riots from around which Igbos were the victims losing lives and properties.

On May 29, 1999, a little bit after a year Obasanjo came close to death under Abacha's iron rule, a new beginning in the nation's political dispensation began. In his vow of "no sacred cows" upon being sworn-in, Obasanjo convinced the world he was a changed man, that he had found God and a born again christian. That Nigeria would change within a short period of time, and that he would fight corruption to the last man. And that he would uphold democracy and respect the rule of law. We have seen the worst and let's take a look at some of the spooky events all these years of maladministration:

On September 01, 1999, Obasanjo and the 36 states governors scrapped the monthly envoronmental exercise as unconstitutional negating the constitutional rights of the local government councils that was not part of the said decision.

On October 6, 1999, Gbenga Olarinoye of the Vanguard Newspapers Group reported thousands of residents of Pateji and Edu Local Government areas of Kwara State were drowned, and about 300,000 displaced by River Niger, following the release of excess water from the Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba Dams by National Electric Power Authority (NEPA).

On November 1999, Obasanjo and his Defense Minister, Theophilus Danjuma summoned one Colonel Agbabiaka to invade Odi for the shooting death of some police officers in the oil rich region. Odi was totally demolished and plundered and will never be the same again.

On December 14, 2000, a petition signed and copied to the President of the Senate, Senator Pius Anyim; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Na'Abba; Governors of the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; major Nigerian Newspapers and media houses by then radicals at Nigeriaworld including my humble self in a complaint titled "The Invasion of Okigwe Township by a Combined team of the Military and Police Forces" extracted from This Day December 04, 2000 news and UNIRIN report in an operation carried out to arrests Ralph Uwazuruike for his non violent approach agitating for Biafra nationhood. Regardless, Uwazuruike was remanded in custody for a while.

On June 2001, Jilian Okenwa of This Day and Nnamdi Onyenua, editor of Glamour Trends Magazine were arrested and tortured on a publication about obasanjo over an alleged defamation of the president.

August 21, 2001: Vanguard reports a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Monday Ndor was fatally shot by suspected assassins at his No. 4 Elelenwo Street, Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt.

December 23, 2001: Federal Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige was shot dead in his bedroom at his Bodija, Ibadan residence in an apparent assassination. A single bullet to the heart killed the Cicero of Esa Oke.

January 28, 2002: BBC reports "at least 100 people are now known to have drowned in a canal in the Nigerian city of Lagos while fleeing a series of huge explosions at an army mutinous dump" A number of others died when the fire ripped through the dump, setting off many bombs at the barracks. Many people, mostly children, were missing and thousands were homeless as a result of the inferno, which started the previous day.

August 03, 2002: Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun deploys about 500 policemen who stormed the premises of Enugu State House of Assembly to shoot at sight and to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

September 17, 2002: Victor Akiuwa of Vanguard reports about "120 factory workers feared dead after a massive fire swept through a rubber slippers/aluminium spoon/bottled water factory in the early hours of yesterday, at Odogunyan, in Ikorodu, Lagos State."

October 10, 2002: BBC reports "The international Court of Justice has awarded the disputed oil-rich Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, rejecting Nigeria's claims." The court based its decision on a 1917 document between colonial powers Britain and Germany. The colonies have clashed several times over the peninsula and Cameroon referred the dispute to the Hague in 1994.

October 16, 2002: No fewer than seven people were gunned down in separate clashes in Ikorodu and Mile 2 areas of Lagos between the police and on one hand commercial bus drivers, and on the other motor park touts. A police post was burnt down in one of the incidents.

In Mile 2, five people lost their lives in fresh outbreak of crisis between the police and members of two rival transport unions - NURTW and RTEAN.

October 17, 2002: Daily Champion -- "Litigations Stall Oputa Report." "Government yesterday deferred consideration and implementation of the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa-led Human Rights Violation Investigation Commission (HRVIC). This was due to series of legal actions instituted against adoption of the report by former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and other interested parties"

November 5, 2002: Vanguard Anayo Okoli reports "the police have taken over the Onitsha provisional headquarters of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) located on the busy Onitsha-Owerri Road. The police action followed a raid on the camp weekend by the police. At least one person claimed to be a member of the group was killed. The police said it was part of a clampdown on militia groups in the country."

November 13, 2002: En environmental rights group, Environmental Rights Action Friends of the Earth (ERA) has alleged that the military invasion of Odi in Bayelsa State claimed 2,483 casualties comprising of 1,023 females and 1,460 males. In extract from report entitled "Blamket of Silence, Images of the Odi Genocide."

Part 2 next as the saga continues.

News Desk Monday, May 28, 2007

...10,000 Policemen to Provide Inauguration Security

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command will deploy about 10,000 policemen to provide security during the May 29 presidential inauguration ceremony at the Eagle square, Abuja, FCT police commissioner, Mr Lawrence Alobi, said in a radio programme in Abuja yesterday. more>>

Crude cools as Nigeria's unions simmer down

Singapore - Oil prices edged lower in Asian trade on Monday as Nigeria's oil unions suspended a two-day-old strike on Saturday, relieving concerns of possible disruptions to shipments, said dealers.The market remains focused on tight petrol supplies as the peak-demand US summer driving season got underway Saturday, they added. more>>

...FG hikes fuel price to N75

LAGOS — BARELY 48 hours to the end of its tenure, the Obasanjo administration, yesterday, effected its sixth increase in the price of petrol in eight years. Petrol now costs N75 per litre from N65— a 15.4 per cent margin, with indications that the in-coming government may move it up to N85 per litre in an effort to keep the level of subsidy within manageable limits. more>>

Igbo leaders have failed

After a critical appraisal of eight years of democracy and the political dividends that have accrued to the various ethnic nationalities in Nigeria during the period, outgoing governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa has cause to lament that the Igbos have been destroyed politically, just as he blamed the present generation of Igbo leaders for this unfortunate development. more>>

Group backs Orji's swearing-in as Abia gov

Warri — HUMAN Rights Defenders Organization of Nigeria (HURDON), a Warri-based human rights group has thrown its weight behind the swearing-in, weekend, of Mr. Theodore Orji as the governor of Abia state by the erstwhile governor, Dr. Orji Kalu, saying that “it is quite in order in the spirit and intendment of Section 180 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. more>>

PDP se to announce choice for senate president

ABUJA — THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has extracted a commitment of firm loyalty from the four principal contenders for the office of Senate President ahead of a decisive meeting today with all Senators-elect on the party’s platform. more>>

N'Assembly leaders may emerge today

The leadership of the National Assembly may emerge on Monday (today) as the Peoples Democratic Party has summoned all the senators and House of Representatives member-elects to a meeting. The meeting, which holds at the State House, is to be attended by all the principal officers of the party, including President Olusegun Obasanjo. more>>

EFCC declares Enugu deputy gov-elect wanted

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday declared the deputy governor-elect of Enugu State, Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, wanted in connection with alleged "charges of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering". more>>

Buhari asks court to commit Iwu to prison

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday declared the deputy governor-elect of Enugu State, Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, wanted in connection with alleged "charges of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering". more>>

Count Me Out of May 29 Inauguration - Atiku

VICE President Atiku Abubakar yesterday said that he would not attend the swearing-in of Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua as President tomorrow to avoid conferring credibility on the April general elections. In a statement, the outgoing vice president maintained that the election that threw-up Yar'Adua "has been condemned worldwide as falling short of the basic minimum of electoral standards". more>>

Biography: Ali Farka Toure

Ali Farka Touré was born in 1939 in the village of Kanau on the banks of the River Niger in the north west of Mali. He was his mothers’ tenth son but the first to survive infancy. When Ali was still an infant his father died while serving in the French army, and the family moved south along the river to Niafunké, the village Ali called home for the rest of his life. People make their living by farming, cattle herding and fishing. There is no tradition of music in his family, but he had a calling early on in life, becoming drawn to music by its power. He was a child of the river. View Details>>>

News Desk Sunday, May 27, 2007

48 hours to Yar'Adua's swearing in: We'll march against Ehindero's tanks -- Labour, Opposition groups

The stage appears set weekend for a showdown between the police and a coalition of Labour and Civil Society groups who have scheduled mass action and rallies for Tuesday. The action, to protest alleged fraud in the April elections, coincides with the inauguration of the president-elect, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the governors-elect in the 36 states more>>

Why military chiefs won't go with Obasanjo, Battle for IG splits police

Indications have emerged that the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Owoye Andrew Azazi, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Paul Dike and the Chief of the Army Staff, Major-General L.N. Yusuf, may not go with the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo as they are likely to be retained by the incoming administration of Alhaji Umar Yar’adua for a minimum of six months in the first instance with a view to helping the new government to stabilise. more>>

New 'Abia gov' illegal - FG Tongue lashes Kalu

THE Federal Government, yesterday, dismissed as illegal and unconstitutional the purported swearing-in of Mr. Theodore Orji as the new governor of Abia State. Specifically, the government said his swearing-in was in flagrant conflict with provisions of sections 180 (2) and 191(1) of the 1999 constitution. more>>

Heightened Security as Abuja waits for Yar'Adua

IN the next 48 hours, the Presidency will receive one big tenant, this time round, not from the Owu Kingdom, but from the ancient city of Katsina. The person is the incoming number one citizen and winner of the April 21 presidential election, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua more>>

El-Rufai's bulldozers sack Utako Traders

Utako Market traders who had earlier considered the expiring tenure of office of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Ahmad Nasir el-Rufai, a harbinger of an end of the demolition exercise in the Abuja metropolis have had to bite their fingers as they were made to contend with the minister's bulldozers yeaterday. more>>

US Government Sends Delegation To Yar'Adua's Inauguration

OUTGOING President Olusegun Obasanjo's request to visit the White House on a farewell visit has met with a diplomatic stonewall from the Americans.

The US government has, however, decided to send a delegation from Washington, DC led by the US Assistant Secretary of State, Dr Jendayi Frazer, to attend Tuesday's inauguration of President-elect Umaru Yar'Adua.

Authoritative sources explained that when a request was forwarded from the Nigerian government to its US counterpart for a farewell visit, the response from the US was that President George W. Bush was busy and otherwise engaged. more>>

PDP Expels Osakwe, Udeh, 32 Others

Despite his emergence as a Senator-elect on the platform of the Accord Party (AP) to which he defected after losing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial ticket for Delta North, Senator Patrick Osakwe has been expelled from PDP.
Osakwe, defected to Accord Party from where he defeated Dr. (Mrs.) Mariam Ali, the wife of the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali. more>>

Saturday News Desk May 26, 2007

New Chief of Defence Staff, Army Chief Appointed

Barely four days to the end of his eight year reign as Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday made changes at the command structure of the nation’s highest military command appointing new chiefs of Defence and Army staff. more>>

Theodore Orji...Sworn-in as Abia Govenor

Embattled Governor-elect of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji yesterday made history when he was sworn-in as Abia State Governor with 3 days to the May 29 hand over.
The swearing-in of Orji as the Abia Governor followed reprieve by the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos which granted him bail. more>>

Ige's Killers Planned with Mariam Abacha's Driver - Ehindero

ABUJA—Alhaji Moshood Enefeni, the prime suspect paraded in the killing of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, yesterday publicly denied ever having a hand in it, saying he is being framed up by the government agent posing as witness in the murder case. more>>

Inauguration: Police Roll Out Tanks, as Soldiers are put on Red Alert

ABUJA, the Federal Capital Territory, now wears a new look, courtesy of the swearing in of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua as the next President of Nigeria precisely three days away, just as the Nigeria Police Force is to deploy no less than 50,000 of its personnel within the capital city alone. more>>

Fear Grips Obasanjo...As Yar'Adua Courts IBB

There is palpable fear in the inner camp of President Olusegun Obasanjo as president-elect, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, increasingly asserts himself over certain issues and key appointments, including his believed refusal to accept Gen. David Mark as the next Senate President. more>>

Andy Uba Wants to kiil me - Ngige

FORMER governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday alleged threats to his life by the state's governor-elect, Dr. Andy Uba, declaring that there would be a clan war if he is attacked by any person or group of persons.

But washing his hands of the allegation, Dr. Uba urged relevant security agencies to investigate Dr. Ngige's claim, which he described as “wild and wicked.”Dr. Ngige, who spoke with journalists in Lagos, alleged that his life was being threatened, following the petition he recently filed before the Anambra State Elections Petitions Tribunal seeking a quash of the April 14 gubernatorial poll in the state. more>>

Tension in Awka, 500 Policemen Deployed

BARELY four days to the expected hand over to a new government, palpable tension has gripped Anambra State following deployment of 500 heavily – armed policemen to Awka, the state capital.

The policemen who have taken over government establishments in the city, yesterday, prevented some legislators and civil servants from carrying out their responsibilities. more>>

PDP Zoning Formula Out...South-West Gets Speakership

A source at the meeting of the National Caucus of the party which was held at the Presidential Villa on the night of Thursday, told our correspondent on the condition that his identity be protected that the position of the Senate president has been zoned to the North Central while the Speaker of the House of Representatives will come from the South-West. more>>

Igbo In America Protest Poll Result

The Council of Igbo States in America (CISA), will on Saturday (today) hold a
peaceful demonstration to join voices with Nigerians in rejecting the results of
the just concluded elections in Nigeria.

The Igbo group has invited all Nigerians living in America to participate in the
protest rally. more>>

Court Stops Soludo From Possessing Abuja Land

An Abuja High Court has stopped Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, from disturbing the quiet possession of plot number 704 Ahmadu Bello Way, Garki II in the Federal Capital Territory belonging to an indigenous company, Dubu Nig. Ltd. more>>

Eko Traffic, How Man Miss Molue

Before all the gas guzzling trucks and exotic cars began flooding Lagos' death trap roads--but not before nnabe crota (Volkswagen Beetle) and 404 (Peugeot), and not now that Okada riders had taken over-- there had been the kia-kia bus (Volkswagen van)and molue (Los Angeles Unified School District school bus look alike). From Ebute Ero to Orile, Iganmu; from Mile 2 to Oshodi; from CMS to Lawanson; from Ijora Causeway to Boundary, Ajegunle; and from Wilma Peoples to Kirikiri, bus conductors and happy passengers had a joy ride coupled with salesmen who sold ampicillin, tetracycllin, amoxycillin, pennicillin and rimactane in the bus without prescription. No wonder Naijas are said to be the happiest people on Planet Earth. How about the bus conductors' gestures of "Oshodi straight, Ilasa Maja ma wole O?" "Lagos bin dey good o!"

As I thought about the terrible Lagos traffic, the above picture popped up and I was like, wow, is this my Lagos. "Overtake Don Overtake Overtake," as Baba would say in one of his lyrics. Baba is the Chief Priest who preached on how to alleviate social ills like the congested Lagos traffic. Baba sef, na real agbalagba. The man see road sha! I'm not sure if that's Oshodi Bus Stop or is it Mile 2? I really dunno! But Lagos is always Lagos, sha!

Nothing much has changed as Okada has become the best transit system. From molue to Okada. Ain't that something?

Breaking News

Abia State Gov-Elect Granted Bail

Abia State governor-elect, Theodore Orji who has been in custody for numerous offences was granted bail by the Court of Appeal. more>>

Ehindero Parades Suspected Ige Killers

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero this afternoon paraded four suspects whom he alleged murdered the former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Chief Bola Ige, at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State on 23 December, 2001 more>>

Dateline Ehirim Files Friday, May 25, 2007

Gunmen Shoot at Crowded Nigeria bus stop

Port Harcourt - Unidentified gunmen shot and killed two people when they opened fire on a crowd at a bus station in Nigeria's southern city of Port Harcourt, witnesses said.

READ MORE...

EU Parliament Wants Aid To Nigeria Stopped Until Fresh Polls

ADVOCATES of fresh elections in Nigeria have secured a strong ally in the European Parliament.

The parliament, in a resolution yesterday, urged the European Union (EU) to withhold all financial aid to the country until fresh elections are held.

READ MORE...

Senate: Obasanjo Can't Dissolve N/Assembly

The Senate yesterday sent words to President Olusegun Obasanjo that the National Assembly cannot be dissolved before June 3, which is the day the four-year tenure of the lawmakers would lapse and that he has no power to take any such action before or as he leaves office on May 29.

READ MORE...

Nnamani Pledges Loyalty to PDP

Senate President Ken Nnamani said yesterday in Abuja that he would continue be a loyal member of the PDP.
Nnamani was summoned by the party's NEC to appear before its National Working Committee (NWC) over newspapers reports of his views on the April general elections. Speaking shortly to newsmen after his closed-door meeting with the NWC, Nnamani said: ``I am a loyal party man.

READ MORE...

Egwuonwu, Agballah Petition Enugu Tribunal

Enugu—TWO more petitions have been filed before the Enugu State Governorship Election Tribunal against the election of Mr. Sullivan Chime, the PDP governor-elect

READ MORE...

Uba Files Protest Appearance at Election Tribunal

Awka—Anambra State Governor-elect, Dr. Andy Uba has filed a Conditional Memorandum of Appearance at the Anambra State Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka

READ MORE...

United States Lauds Nigeria's Intellectual Property Regulation

The United States of America (USA), in recognition of Nigeria’s spirited efforts at checking the incidence of copyright violations, has removed the country from the Special 301 lists of countries blacklisted for condoning the rising incidence of intellectual property thefts referred to as piracy and counterfeiting.

READ MORE...

Little Has Changed in Nigeria

The three Nigerian elections held under military rule between 1979 and 1999 were riddled with controversy where in some cases, the military would "resolve" the controversies summarily. The 1992/1993 elections for instance, were frequently delayed, cancelled or postponed and eventually adjusted to produce predetermined results

READ MORE...

How PPA Confirmed Imo - Obasanjo

The President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday explained how the candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, emerged as the governor-elect of Imo State.

Obasanjo recalled that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party had some problems in the state which could not be resolved satisfactorily in spite of his intervention in the matter during the last election

READ MORE...

Senate Considers Warrant to Arrest Iwu

The Senate is considering issuing a warrant of arrest on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Maurice Iwu, for refusing to obey the summons by the ad hoc committee investigating the appropriated funds for the 2007 general election.

READ MORE...

Ehindero Parades Suspected Ige Killers Today

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, will on Friday (today) parade the four suspected killers of the former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Chief Bola Ige (SAN).

They were accused of killing him on the instruction of a drug baron.

READ MORE...

Naija's version of the Grammys Showcases the Unknown in any Music Category

I have followed the last three months relating to the much talked about in the Nigerian tabloid press regarding the Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) held at the International Conference Center in Abuja on May 19, 2007 to promote the nation's music industry universally. Reading the so-called tabloids and how the event unfolded, I couldn't but laugh at how the organizers talked about having a great show. Only in Abuja, without a doubt, that NMA is big story parading artists never heard of in any jam session. Let me be blunt here, I am a music freak and I do know about music dating back to the swing and be-bop era which initiated the big bands, but it's quite disturbing when a nation that produced legends like Fela would stage a musical award and nobody around the globe heard about it. Poor promotions?

Sadly, it is a Nigerian show featuring local champions who have made mockery of the music industry in Naija and had limited capabilities for exposure worldwide like aspiring new artists and legendary musicians who have left a mark in the entertainment industry. Where in the universe has Tuface Idibia been given air time, or where in broadcast news have we heard of Sunny Neji who took home Song of the Decade and Artiste of the Decade Awards, respectively?

If the late South African legendary star Brenda Fassie should perform today in Diaspora, she would be playing at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles, UCLA's Royce Hall, Coach House, San Juan capistrano and other major events all around the United States. The irony, though, is, we find ourselves caught up with our local musicians playing at naming ceremonies, recreation parks and events of that nature when they should be supposedly playing at big events; for eaample, dates at the Hollywood Bowl, House of Blues, Jazz Bakery, Mixed Nuts and places in that category where live audiences recognizes masterpiece performances and are given the exposure required to blow up. And who among us here in Diaspora ever heard of the Nigerian Music Awards' Tony "Juliana Play Me Wayo" Okoroji is iconic to the music industry's projects that has no history and which is all news to my ears? We make too much noise, yet, we can't feature in local pubs here in the Yanks. Not even a roadside coffee house.

But it's ok, though, when we play gigs at related naming ceremonies and "community launchings for worthy causes" to portray ourselves as societal nouveau riche and spraying money in your face kind of stuff with all that "Ogbuefi,", "Omemgbeoji," "Ebubedike," "Ori ewu na azi," "Iyi," Osimiri," "Dikeanatuegwu" and stuff like that just to make ourselves relevant to a conquered people who lost every sense of belonging and had hoped deliverance would come from Diaspora in terms of building a profound community. The Diaspora community is a lost cause and nobody really cares. They are a finished people. They have failed to build community like their other Diaspora counterparts. It is a sad reality.

I still remember, back in the day, Kris Okotie's second album launched at National Theatre, Iganmu, promoted by Silverbird Production in a quest to introduce World Music, reflecting on 70's era pure funk which brought about the "funkitified" music of the time. Brothers Johnson, Kool and the Gang, Shalamar, Dynasty, Delegation, and many other foreign ensembles of the time in the Disco and razzmatazz funked-up era which had Quincy Jones as we read Right On Magazine believe in a situation music was not all about the be-bop era, but a change in the scheme of things. Showbiz(ness) will never be the same, henceforth. Quincy Jones sprang up from that era, the swing and be-bop, including the Big Bands. And Quincy brought about the modern era that would change music spending hours as a "studio rat" in jam sessions making beats and producing quality music 24/7 trying to figure out why a pot-smoking-generation Woodstock shouldn't be changed for the better.

Be-bop is fine with me. When it comes to music, I don't discrininate and have no reason to as long as the targeted audience gets the message. And, that's the problem, especially when our local musicians have no clue what it means to get the message through in terms of a universal language in the culture of music. No Los Angeles club or the airwaves has heard of Tuface Idibia and the much talked about "African Queen", Crooner, Yinka Davies, JJC and Diya Ojo as popular artists who have made the breakthrough in popular music. I "wanna" see these guys play the Greek Theatre and the Wiltern; not isi-ewu joints and all that bragging about a good show. But, hey, alas, enter a Naija crowd in Diaspora to check out who is who in pop and reggae; and you will be hearing names like Yinka Davies and JJC. Names not even heard of anywhere on Planet Earth as far as music and showbiz is concerned.

But I have no qualms, as long these dudes are getting paid from playing gigs at our local facilities, especially in Los Angeles. That's not the case. It is a case of opportunists who deliberately took advantage of these aspiring artists requiring airtime and promotions only to be dumped and abandoned by a greedy group of "promoters" who've not attended big shows in their entire lives as in Playboy Jazz Festival, Newport Beach Jazz Festival, Reggae Sunsplash, concerts in any category at auditoriums and jam sessions seen at high profile night clubs.

Even though the legendary Fela received a posthumous award coupled with lifetime achievement awards presented to King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey and co., last weekend's Nigerian Music Awards is big deal only in Naija, and they should stuff it where it belongs. No fuss about that and no big deal.

News Desk Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Police Arrest Ige's Killers

ABUJA—THE police confirmed yesterday they had in their custody, the drug baron suspected of masterminding the December 23, 2001 assassination of the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Chief Bola Ige.

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Yar'Adua's Presidential Inauguration To Gulp N820m

ABUJA — THE May 29 inauguration of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua as Nigeria’s next president will cost N820,306,727.10k, according to Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr).

Mr. Nweke at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, on the events lined up for the change of baton at the federal level listed the inaugural lecture as top of the events.

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Obi Loses Tenure Elongation Bid

Enugu—THE Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday dismissed the application filed by the outgoing Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi seeking the elongation of his tenure by three years for lack of merit.

In a unanimous verdict on the suit filed by Mr. Obi the five-man panel of judges held that the determination of tenure of the governor was an exclusive jurisdiction of the Election Petitions Tribunal and not that of the courts saying the Federal High Court which had earlier dismissed the matter for lack of jurisdiction was right in its decision.

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6 vDays To Go, Obasanjo Vacates Official Residence

With six days left before handing over power on May 29, President Olusegun Obasanjo has moved out of his official residence in Aso Rock to another house within the Villa to allow for renovation of the official residence for his successor, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
According to presidency sources, the out-going president vacated the residence Sunday night soon after he held series of meetings with some of his friends and associates for a house that is called “Glass House”, a small house adjacent to the main residence.

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48 Nobel Laureates Calls For Election Re-run

As preparations for the handover of power gets into its final stages, a group of 48 Nobel prize winners has joined the call for a re-run of Nigeria's recent elections, warning that not doing so could lead to violence.
The laureates, in a statement issued through Elie Wiesel Foundation (EWF) for Humanity yesterday, recommended the convocation of a Conference of National Unity that will oversee the conduct of fresh polls within 18 months.

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PDP Moves to Censure Nnamani, Obasanjo Insists on Party Loyalty

FOR publicly criticising the conduct of the April 2007 elections, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday asked its National Working Committee (NWC) to summon the Senate President, Ken Nnamani, for explanations within 48 hours, failing which he will face dire consequences.

The NEC took this decision at a meeting at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja during which President Olusegun Obasanjo apologised to the National Chairman of the party, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd), over the demolition of the PDP chief's house in Abuja by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

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Nigerian Diplomat Caught With N300m In India

A senior Nigerian diplomat was reportedly caught by Indian authorities on Monday as he was trying to board a flight from New Delhi to Lagos with $2.27 million (about N300 million) in cash in his possession.


The diplomat, Defence Adviser to the Nigerian High Commissioner in India, Captain G.A. Ojedokun, was reportedly caught when Indian Airlines staff members handling baggage on the early morning shift at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were alerted by the X-ray images of the contents of his bag.


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How Bribe Money Entered N/Assembly

VICE-President Atiku Abubakar yesterday gave insight into how bribe money entered the National Assembly. He alleged that President Olusegun Obasanjo used bribes to scuttle the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) choice of first Senate president, thereby destroying the unity and solidarity in the rank and file of the National Assembly.

In a release made available to Daily Champion, Atiku said: "On May 29th, 1999, the day the new civilian administration was sworn-in, the PDP called a meeting of its senators-elect at Agura Hotel in Abuja . At the meeting, which minutes were taken, the party said that it wanted to involve the senators in the choice of their presiding officer and other principal officers. When the choice of the Senate President was put to vote, the overwhelming majority cast their votes for Dr Chuba Okadigbo. In fact, only four senators declined to support Okadigbo, namely: Nwobodo who wanted to be Senate President and therefore, voted for himself; as well as Nzeribe and Enwerem who also harboured a similar aspiration. Chief Joseph Waku, the fourth of the dissenters voted for Nwobodo.

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