Ralph Uwazuruike's Release and Injustice in Nigeria.

On Friday, October 26, 2007, Justice Binta Nyako at a Federal High Court in Abuja, granted Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) leader Ralph Uwazuruike a conditional release to enable him take care of his mother's burial which to me had long being overdue since Uwazuruike was never a security risk and posed no threat.

According to the report filed by Danladi Ndayebo of All Africa Global Media, "the judge held that MASSOB boss should return for his trial on January 28, 2008. She directed that the accused person provides two serving senators a nd two traditional rulers of Igbo extraction. In addition, he must be reporting to the Imo State police command twice in a week during and after his mother's burial."

What kind of injustice is this? What kind of country is this? When Frederick Fasheun was released on health grounds, was he asked to be reporting to his local police command until he gets well probably? When militant Gani Adams was released unconditionally, was he also asked to be reporting to his local police station to make sure he is going by the rules and not annihilating people anymore? If Uwazuruike, Adams, Fasheun were charged with treasonably felonies, why would Uwazuruike be remanded in custody while Adams and Fasheun were granted unconditional release?

But I like Uwazuruike's courage. Upon his release, he told curious journalist that the struggle for the actualization of Biafra will continue irrespective of what a bias court decides. Props must also be given to his sureties who were handy to make sure the MASSOB leader was released as prescibed by the judge. Senators Uche Chukwumereije, Ikechukwu Obiora and traditional rulers Eze Nd'Igbo of Abuja, Nwosu Ibe and Eze Nd'Igbo of Lagos, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu were the sureties.

The struggle continues and time will tell!

Images of Southern California Fires

The above picture was captured by Associated Press photographer, Marcio Jose Sanchez of a Southern California Edison employee Francisco Flores on the job trying to restore power to a fire-ravaged community in Running Springs.


The one above here was captured by Spencer Platt of Getty Images as smoke clouds billow into the sky from Poomacha fire which destroyed most homes in the area. The good news as the raging fire enters its second week is that two more fires in the San Diego area is said to be fully contained.


This one here captured by Allen J. Schabin of Los Angeles Times showing a desperate deer in search of food on a smoky Modjeska Canyon Road.

However, I did receive many calls from well-wishers who called to find out if I was affected by the Southern California blazes that destroyed properties worth millions of dollars. And good to know, I am safe, folks. It's time to rebuild.

News Desk Sunday, October 28, 2007

AS OMEHIA BOWS OUT AS RIVERS GOVERNOR..What we want from Amaechi— By Dokubo Asari, Ateke Tom, others

Ijaw leader, Alabo Graham Douglas, has advocated the probe of former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State and his successor, Sir Celestine Omehia, by Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Speaking yesterday, against the backdrop of the deposition of Omehia by the Supreme Court and the assumption of office of Amaechi, Douglas said in an interview with Sunday Vanguard: “The issue of enquiry is what we must carry out in this state, we must. I mean, a state structure, a state finances, owner and personality and environmental cleanliness had all been fractured in eight years. We had appropriated over one trillion Naira and nothing to show for it, where did all the money go” MORE>>>

Family-of-eight escapes death in Police gun attack

OWERRI—A family of eight narrowly escaped death when a team of gun totting policemen stormed their private home and opened fire on them in their living room. Narrating their sordid ordeal to Vanguard, Mrs. Ann Ukaegbu, said that “the policemen led by an Inspector opened a seemingly endless fire on the iron door and destroyed it in the process”. MORE>>>

Presidency set to sack Iwu

THERE are strong indications that the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu, is on his way out of the commission, with a former top security chief from the South West zone tipped to succeed him. MORE>>>

Anxiety in Sokoto as Election Tribunal delivers judgment tomorrow - Police tighten security

The serenity of the ancient city of Sokoto has given way to anxiety as the Election Petition Tribunal delivers judgment on the state’s gubernatorial election tomorrow. The declaration of Alhaji Magatakanda Wammakko of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been challenged by Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari and his party, the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP). MORE>>>

JAZZ: Weather Report's "This Is This"

If you are a jazz fan and have followed the rock-jazz-fusion beats when many jazzists crossed over from the classic tunes and big band sessions, you should know the likes of the late Austrian keyboardist Joe Zawinul and legendary saxaphonist Wayne Shorter who has been scheduled to perform at the tribute to Herbie Hancock on Sunday, October 28, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

Somehow, for that reason I have been playing the last recorded album of Weather Report when Zawinul and Shorter mutually agreed to discontinue with Report's projects. Following up traditional jazz of the 50's and 60's before the crossovers, I wasn't familiar with Shorter and Zawinul. I got a grip of it while getting deep into jazz-fusion when the mind-blowing ethnic tunes became the norm in the 70's through the 80's until recently that traditional jazz began to stage a comeback as the all-star cast would prove it at the Kodak Theatre on Sunday.

In this last album of jazz-fusion's talented musicians, Shorter and Zawinul "sincerely" thanked all that gave their "enthusiasm and talent" during the course of the band's fifteen years existence. Among them: Alphonse Mouzon, Peter Erskine, drummer Omar Hakim, bassist Alphonso Johnson, Alex Acuna, Airto Moreira, Chester Thompson, Alirio Lima, Ndugu Chancelor, Don Um Romao, Mino Cinelu, Victor Bailey, Greg Enrico, Eric Gravatt, Miroslav Vitous, Marva Barnes, Colleen Coil, Darryl Brown, Seidah Garrett, Darryl Phinnessee and several others that came along the bands path.

The CD beginning with the titled track "This Is This" has everything in it, from the roots of African drum beats and rhythms to the lyrical expressions of a masquerade dance with a flavor of old-school wind instrumens on display. The album is just amazing with Zawinul showcasing his talent, the magnificent performer that he would be until his death last month. I kept replaying the track "Jungle Stuff" as the vibes and voiceovers reminds me of the legendary Chief Priest Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

The album is just great and probably the best that Shorter and Zawinul put together.

Fire In The Mountain, Run, Run, Run

The above picture was captured by Los Angeles Times Irfan Khan showing the air tanker dropping fire retardant in the San Bernardino Mountains as threat to homes drops and giving the San Diego area residents a sigh of relief in the fifth day of "Witch Fire" in the Southland. Meanwhile, authorities in Orange County are asking for help and leads that may lead to the arrest of the alleged arsonist who "ignited the 25,000-acre Santiago fire" in Orange County with an offer of $150,000 reward.

News Desk Friday, October 26, 2007

Amaechi takes over as Rivers gov: Supreme Court sacks Omehia - Amaechi returns from London today - Yar’Adua orders his immediate swearing-in - Yobe gov knows fate Nov 20

THE Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Rivers State governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, to quit office with immediate effect. A seven-man panel of the apex court unanimously ordered the immediate swearing-in of the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, as the new governor. MORE>>>

FG gets tough with airlines - Over drug trafficking by staff

The Federal Government said in Abuja on Thursday that it would close down any airline whose staff members or aircraft is used to carry hard drugs in and out of Nigeria. This came after several drug traffickers that were caught recently turned out to be airline staff members or were aided by them. MORE>>>

Soludo - FG Owes States $1.7bn

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, yesterday stated that the Federal Government was owing states almost $1.7 billion from excess crude oil account. Soludo disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after a marathon meeting of the National Economic Council, where almost all the states were represented. MORE>>>

Six kidnapped from Italian oil facility off Nigeria

LAGOS (Reuters) - Gunmen kidnapped six workers from an Italian oil production facility off the coast of Nigeria on Friday, forcing Italy's ENI to halt production of 50,000 barrels per day, authorities said. It was the second kidnapping from an offshore oilfield in Nigeria in one week, undermining a five-month ceasefire by armed groups which had raised hopes for peace talks with the government. MORE>>>

Le Roy Tips Eagles, Lions for Glory

Black Stars coach Claude Le Roy has picked Nigeria as one of the favourites to lift the Nations Cup, which holds in Ghana early next year. MORE>>>

Petitions to Lift the Ban on Filipino OFWs Bound for Nigeria

Late last year, the Philippine government declared a total ban of workers going to Nigeria on the account of the successive kidnapping incidents in Nigeria’s oil areas which involve OFWs. The action may have been justifiable at that point. The ban affected not only New Hires but vacationing OFWs as well, even those OFWs who are working in Lagos and non-oil areas. MORE>>>

The Southern California Fires

The above picture was captured by Los Angeles Times Wally Skalij in what has been a nightmare to San Diego area residents, forcing more than half a million residents out of their homes with damage in the billion dollar range.

News Desk Thursday, October 25, 2007

Etteh bows, to Step Aside Tuesday

ABUJA — embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, appears set to step aside when the House resumes Tuesday for the consideration of the Idoko Panel report as her supporters hinted yesterday in Abuja that she had agreed in principle to vacate her seat to pave theway for the election of a Speaker pro tempore. MORE>>>

Ige: Court frees suspects

FOUR suspects who have been standing trial at an Ibadan Magistrate Court in connection with the murder of the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, were yesterday discharged and acquitted. The suspects — Moshood Enifeni, Oluwatoyin Onafeko, Suraju Fatuga and Saidi Akande — had been charged with the December 23, 2001 murder of Chief Ige. MORE>>>

Naira sells for 5-year high N118 to dollar

The Naira appreciated to N118.50 to the dollar on the interbank market on Wednesday, its strongest level in five years and compared with N119.45 per dollar on Tuesday, traders said. The last time the Nigerian currency traded this strongly was in July, 2002 when the dollar exchanged for N117.00, dealers said. MORE>>>

US, European police arrest 20 Nigerians - For smuggling underage girls for prostitution

Police across Europe and in New York, United States, arrested 20 people suspected of smuggling young girls out of Nigeria and forcing them to work as prostitutes after intimidating them in voodoo rituals, Dutch prosecutors said on Wednesday. Thirteen of the suspects were arrested in a series of coordinated raids in cities across the Netherlands, the country’s prosecutor's office said in a statement. MORE>>>

Nyame looted Taraba money from Abuja -EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told an Abuja High Court that it has taken steps to make the ex-governor of Taraba State, Revered Jolly Nyame, to cough out the public funds he allegedly stole from the coffers of the state while in office. MORE>>>

Nigeria Wants Bigger Slice
Of Revenue From Its Oil

Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, is looking to renegotiate several contracts with foreign oil companies, a senior Nigerian official said, in a move to increase the government's share of oil revenue. MORE>>>

Vogts' Tax - NFA Refutes Receiving Letter From German Govt

The Nigeria Football Association yesterday denied receiving any letter from any government agency in the Federal Republic of Germany concerning the contract of Super Eagles' chief coach, Berti Vogts. MORE>>>

BOOKSHELF: The Bond

Last week at Esowon Books in the heart of Leimert Park's "Black Township," Drs. George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt and Sampson Davis signed copies of their new book The Bond: Three Young Men Learn to Forgive and Reconnect with Their Fathers which is a follow-up to the bestselling book The Pact sharing their relationship from growing up without a father figure in their respective lives.

In this brilliant book, The Three Doctors as they are now known tells the story of how life could have been different had they been nurtured by a father while growing up. When interviewed by Amy Cox Williams of The African-American Connection, Dr George Jenkins had this to say:

"one thing I'd add to what both guys said is that our friendship was essential to our overcoming the conditions and disadvantages. We taught each other lots of things that allowed us to grow and fill the voids left by our fathers. We made each other better students and better men through our frienship."

On the other hand, Dr Sampson Davis who spoke eloquently at the book signing ceremony on the parking lot across the street from Esowon Books and in his interview with Cox Williams said:

"Fatherlessness is the nucleus for many social ills in our society. When looking at the studies and statistics, a case has been made that crime, high school drop out rates, drug use, and involvement in gangs can be often directly attributed to a young person growing up fatherless. Very often, mothers do a great job raising today's youth, but based on our own experiences, we know how important a father's contribution is for children."

Dr. Rameck Hunt who was more emotional for not having that bond with his father while growing up noted the following in that interview with Cox Williams:

"The interesting thing about all this is just that--none of us are fathers. Before any of us decide to make that decision we want to make sure we are ready. We refuse to repeat that cycle of fatherlessness... A big part of the message in The Bond is to break that cycle."

To sum it all up, The Bond is just one powerful book and straightforward.

News Desk Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Etteh: Reps on 1-wk forced adjournment

THE crisis rocking the House of Representatives over the consideration of the Idoko Panel report took another dangerous turn yesterday as the Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, extended the adjournment of the House till next Tuesday even as the opposition protested and threatened to sit and consider the report.
A peace meeting brockered by the People's Democratic Party (PDP) on the matter ended in a deadlock yesterday even as the party at the meeting insisted that a judge could not preside over his own case. MORE>>>

6 more ex-govs for trial - Ribadu

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has concluded plans to arraign no fewer than six former governors in court for allegedly corruptly enriching themselves while in office. MORE>>>

Court gives Asuni tough bail condition

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the United States of America embassy in Nigeria not to give suspected American woman spy, Judith Asuni, traveling documents, just as it admitted her to bail with stringent conditions. MORE>>>

Grand knights
• The Sun man, 80 others initiated into the Order of Knights of St. Mulumba

The Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Catholic Archdiocesan Secretariat, Onitsha, Anambra State was on September 29 filled with divine powers and goodness of God as the Deputy Group Business Editor of The Sun newspapers, Sir Christian Ochiama (KSM) and 80 others were initiated into the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM). MORE>>>

Alamieyeseigha, Dariye Loot: Britain to Return £16m

The British Government is to return to Nigeria £16,598,000 remaining part of the looted funds of the former governors of Bayelesa and Plateau states, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Joshua Dariye, when the funds are freed by the Britsh court. MORE>>>

Nigeria kidnappers target children

Two children aged five and six have become the latest kidnap victims of oil company ransom gangs in Nigeria. French oil giant Total said on Tuesday that the children of one of its Nigerian employees were abducted on Monday on their way to school in Port Harcourt. MORE>>>

Nigeria line up Australia friendly

The Super Eagles will play the Socceroos on 17 November at Craven Cottage, home of Premier League side Fulham. Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley said the game would be Australia's final warm-up before its World Cup qualifiers begin in February. MORE>>>

News Desk Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I won’t intervene in House of Reps crisis – Yar’Adua
•NBA asks Etteh to quit


The President’s position on the internal bickering in the lower legislative chamber, the aftermath of a N628 million contract scam, is coming at a time the opposition in the House is demanding the Speaker, Mrs Patricia Olubunmi Etteh’s outright resignation. Its leader, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP’s) Mohammed Ali Ndume, says the issue has gone beyond Etteh’s stepping aside to allow objective and unfettered deliberation on the report of the David Idoko panel which probed the allegations against her and a coterie of House officers implicated in the contract scam. MORE>>>

Socceroos to play Nigeria in London friendly

FFA chief executive Ben Buckley says the November 17 match at Craven Cottage, home of premiership side Fulham, will be Australia's final warm-up before its World Cup qualifiers begin in February. MORE>>>

NBA Challenges Govt on Corruption

President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has challenged President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to make very bold statement in the fight against corruption, saying there is nothing on ground to show that the fight will succeed. Agbakoba also challenged Yar’Adua to publicly declare if he received money for his presidential election campaign from some of the governors that are currently being prosecuted or investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He said Nigerians can see that the President has the capacity to fight corruption, but he is being hampered by blackmail. MORE>>>

Mozambique's ex-President, Chissano, wins African leadership prize

FOR boosting the economy of his country bringing peace to a war-ravaged nation, serving his people truthfully and turning down the chance for a third term in office, even when it was legal for him to seek it, among others, former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, has emerged the first winner of the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. He also won an individual award prize seen as the largest in the world. MORE>>>

3 Nigerians listed in Nobel prize-winning work

Three Nigerian professors have been identified as contributors to the work of the United Nations Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize alongside former US Vice President Al Gore, Empowered Newswire has reported. MORE>>>

Court joins NEIMETH in FG’s suit against Pfizer

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday joined Neimeth Pharmaceutical Company as one of the parties that have cases to answer in the $700 billion suit instituted against Pfizer International Incorporation over the 1996 controversial Trovan test in Kano. MORE>>>

NLC Storms House Tomorrow

Leaders of the central labour unions Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] and the Trades Union Congress [TUC] are expected to march to the House of Representatives in Abuja tomorrow to demand the resignation of the Speaker Mrs Patricia Olubunmi Etteh over the N628 million contract scandal that has been rocking the house, Daily Trust learnt in Abuja yesterday. MORE>>>

Okonjo-Iweala laments undue interference with EFCC

MANAGING Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has decried what she calls undue interference with and disruption of the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by government at different levels, and therefore wants it to be left alone to perform its duties of ridding the country of corruption. MORE>>>

Iberia Airlines dragged to U.S court over death of Nigerian on-board

LAGOS—Spanish Carrier, Iberia Airlines has been dragged before the U.S District Court in Michigan , for its role in the cold murder of the 23 year-old Nigerian, Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi who died aboard its aircraft on June 9, 2007. In a statement signed by the family’s attorneys, Mr. Femi Falana and U.S based international human rights lawyer, Mr. Kayode Oladele, they said: “we have filed a torture and wrongful death complaint against the Iberia Airlines of Spain on behalf of the parents of Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi who was murdered aboard the Iberia Airlines Plane on June 9, 2007. MORE>>>