Jonathan May Be Ngeria's Last President

A Vanguard Newspaper Interview

Reverend Oladimeji (Ladi)P. Thompson, founder and Senior Pastor of Lagos-based Living Waters Unlimited Church has, for over 20 years, followed the activities of terror groups in the North. He is also the international co-ordinator of Macedonian Initiative, a non-government, non-denominational organization established to provide succour to Christians persecuted because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Immediately after the UN House bombing, our SAM EYOBOKA and UDUMA KALU approached him for his comment and the answer is that Boko Haram may break up Nigeria. Excerpts:

You said since 2000 you have a clear vision…

First of all, my warning was to the church leadership . I moved on to the secular world and I found out that it's going to be difficult, so I did not go there any more. But the truth is that Goodluck Jonathan may be the last president of Nigeria. When I was saying this, they sounded very far fetched to believe.

What is helping Nigeria right now is that the people who sponsor what is supposed to happen in Nigeria have been kept busy themselves for now. People like Muammar Gaddafi who used to come to Kano unannounced and unofficially regularly; there are different axis all over the world who are involved in what is happening in Nigeria. For example, the UN House in Abuja was not the handiwork of Boko Haram.

You may say what do I mean? One, there is nothing like Boko Haram. The word Boko Haram is a word created by the Western Media to explain Yusufua Maiduguri. Yusufua is just one out of 26 radical groups that are operating within Nigeria.

The western press, to make it readable to the western world, created the word, Boko Haram. Haram means forbidden and Boko is corruption of book. They have not burnt any university. They have not killed any professor, nor harassed any institution of higher learning.

What they are out for is very simple. Number one, not to Islamise but an Islamic Nigeria, a Nigeria where there is no plurality of religions, but one religion; a Nigeria in which women will be oppressed always, a Nigeria in which they will eradicate democracy. They have scored success in many nations of the world before our own. You only need to go and do research and you will find out.

Uthman dan Fodio and Shehu of Borno

Nigeria's problem started since 1955 or 1956. It is an ancient problem. The problem with Nigeria's own is that before the global resurgence of terror, Nigeria had an ancient streak that started in 1774 when Uthman dan Fodio entered Maiduguri. He was lecturing in Islam doing very nice and quiet and the Hausa people embraced him and were happy with him because he was teaching their children.

They didn't know that he was radicalizing their children at the same time. While he was radicalizing the people at that time, nobody knew. He even instructed one guy called Yoeofa, the son of the king in Islamic way. When Yoeofa was being taught by Uthman dan Fodio, he said dan Fodio was a good and nice teacher, but dan Fodio noticed that the taxes were high; that they were not purists.

The predominant Islamic force in Nigeria then was the remnant of Kanem Borno Empire. You will find out that the Shehu of Borno, who was actually supposed to be the spiritual leader of Islam in Nigeria, was displaced by dan Fodio because dan Fodio in 1804 declared a Jihad.

It was tough then and they were coming towards South. There were three things that stopped dan Fodio. Number one, El Kanemi, a Borno man who said, `I am a Muslim but I don't understand this religion that involves killing of Muslims as well.' And have you noticed that they have also started throwing bombs in mosques in Nigeria? El Kanemi rose and he was able to put a stop to the advance of Uthman dan Fodio.

Secondly, the arrival of the British and they had what they called Maxim gun, and in 1903 or 1904 Sokoto and Kano fell. There was armed resistance and in 1906 there was an uprising in Mali which arose just like bin Ladin's but it didn't last long. The British decimated it. They were able to kill a few British nationals. All the emirs had waited then, saying if he (the Malian) succeeds we will join him, but when they saw the British crushing him, they went underground.

Thirdly, Ilorin was taken but the Jihadists couldn't advance further because of the forest belt. They have an advantage of cavalry; when they were coming to South, they had an advantage of horses but when they hit the forest belt, their horses couldn't proceed. That is why you find that Ogbomoso, Osogbo, that buffer zone is where the rivers spread and the violence was not heavy.

Jihad under colonial rule

The truth is that during the colonial years, the British made one mistake in which they used indirect rule. Lugard personally promised them that he would not allow the Mauguzawas to be introduced to Christianity. Majority of people in northern Nigeria, when the British came, were not Muslims. They were animists and the Mauguzawas, who automatically, because of indirect rule were recognised as Muslims. It is an ancient creed, a very smart creed—very difficult to detect. War can go on even in peace time.

They shifted to consolidate under the British rule; smiling at the British while consolidating their code for the whole of Northern Nigeria. The moment the British wanted to leave, because they appeared nice to , the British made a miscalculation which is what is destroying them till today. What the British did was to devise a formula and hand over power to Northern Nigeria and create a political formula by which Northern Nigeria ordinarily should forget about one Nigeria.

Jonathan, Yar'Adua and Northern power blocs

This last time, whether by the name of Goodluck and by the pattern of his life that was disrupted, for the first time in Nigeria, we had about four or five presidential candidates from the northern part of Nigeria and they couldn't agree on one.

Had they agreed on one, all these things would not have happened. Olusegun Obasanjo came because of the pacification of the South West and after him, the North could have held on to power for ever, but immediately, it shifted back to the North. You know what happened to Yar'Adua. The late Yar'Adua was the Mutewani Katsina (holder of the Emirate's treasury).

The Emirate and an Ancient Dream

What Nigerians don't know is that there is an existence underneath the Federal Government structure in which an ancient dream is kept alive by a core of radicals who teach their children why they should not see Nigeria as one. And because it is not a formalized education, it's not written down anywhere.

It's difficult to detect but they tell their children that southerners should always come to pay obeisance. `We are their rulers and there is only one religion'. You find that when Yar'Adua was in Katsina state, he was a devout Muslim to the core. There is a radical call from Katsina because it is the centre of learning; they're purists.

When he was to become president, I was alarmed because I knew what his sentiments were, but somehow he did not last long and Goodluck stepped in. Goodluck should not have become president this time around but for the fact that northerners could not agree on a consensus candidate. If they had agreed on the formula left for them by the British colonial heritage, there would have been no argument.

Sheik Gumi, Islamic Banking and Jonathan

In 1955 `or 1956, in the Hajj Camp in Saudi Arabia, the Nigerian flag was burnt because the flag had a Star of David on it. One of the contributors of what you are seeing today was late Sheik Gumi, a clever man who never denied where he was going. If you remember, he was the one who declared that over his dead body would there be a Christian ruler in Nigeria.

That was just a tip of the iceberg. One of his boys who converted from Islam in those days, they put fatwa on him. He had to escape to Kano and the Federal Government used all state apparatuses to hunt for him. They beat him till they felt he was dead, but the Christians later found out that he still had life and he later escaped to Ghana. All these sentiments have been there but we are the ones who close our eyes and pretend as if they were not there. There is a radical cult at the centre.

Islamic banking we are talking about today, Gumi was part of it. So, all the noise that people are making at the last moment is pattern of what they have been doing because there is a pattern in which it will work.

Christians in Northern Nigeria

Ask people like Archbishop Peter Jasper Akinola, His Eminence Sunday Mbang and those who had headed CAN, they will tell you how many young girls were kidnapped annually in the North. Your children can't go to schools; it is either you fake their names to a Muslim name or there is no promotion.

Progression of the Ancient Dream

All these things have been there and we pretend as if we don't see them. But they are there, well established in all those states. The movement behind it is a very intelligent; they are slow in their tactics and facts. The progression in Nigeria was that by the time they have swept through the Northern states and consolidated the North…the normal thing is that you push non-Muslims away from the city centres. So most northern cities today that have any sizeable Christian number are divided into two. Why? Because there is a time to come when they will launch an attack unless the Christians agree to live under a status where they become a third class citizen. This issue is not only in Nigeria; it is a global thing.

Islamization of Nigeria

Nigeria has done about 65 per cent, it only has about 35 per cent to go. People are only shouting Plateau State but I pity Plateau State young men because they are falling into a trap till now.

Foreigners on Plateau

Plateau State people think they are doing something but they are wasting their energy by responding with vigilante groups. I have seen a lot of foreigners who are coming into Nigeria with their own silly theory when they don't understand what is going on here. Last week, I was in a place where one of these British consultants was talking on how Plateau indigenes were just killing Muslims. They are only managing information in which the international press is looking at Plateau as blood-thirsty people. And Nigerians know that they are the most peaceful people in Nigeria, ordinarily.

Camps in South South, South East

This same thing has entered Makurdi in Benue State and it is coming down South. Whether you like it or not, there are camps and places where people are being trained in the South South and we now have more Igbo Muslims in Nigeria than we have ever had in this country. Why? They have quietly entered through sponsorships, spending money. There is one school in Afikpo where people are offered scholarships and given free food. As soon as you adopt the Islamic religion, you will be sent out of the country to radicalise you more. In the South South, there are militants milling around in the name of petty traders.

The truth is that they have taken advantage of everything and that is a weakness for us. While we were sleeping, when we didn't know a lot about these people …

Islam in Bauchi

Look at the Bauchi nurses in 2001 who were sacked because they refused to wear hijab. What I am saying is that a medical doctor, S.Y Sabo, who was in charge of Federal Medical Centre, Azare, knew that he was not just a medical doctor but also there to establish something. You can duplicate this in all the places.

Do you remember what happened to Gideon Akaluka on the streets of Kano? Is it normal to parade the head of a fellow human being on the stick and dance round town jubilating? And since all these things happened, has anybody been convicted in Nigeria? You want to know why? It is because Nigerian institutions are riddled with spies and wolves who believe in that future; and the truth is that Nigerian leadership doesn't have the moral courage to face up to the fact that from the police force to intelligence services, to education, to sports, the institutions are filled with people who are fighting the war quietly.

Including the Judiciary?

If you are talking about the judiciary, let me ask? Which rule of law is the uppermost in Nigeria? Nigeria has the British law that we inherited. Then we have the Common Law, the Customary Law and the Sharia Law. Which one is uppermost in Nigeria? If the Nigeria Constitution is uppermost, a former governor in Nigeria married a 13-year- old girl. He paid $100,000 for her, smuggled her into Nigeria from Egypt. According to the laws of Nigeria, is that a crime or not? Will you agree to live in a country where a full grown serving senator can marry a 13-year old girl? We all sat down to watch what would happen when some people came up to say that it was an Islamic affair, a religious affair and not a democratic issue. What happened to the case eventually? So what has been proven now?

Nigeria's mistakes

Now, what are the mistakes we are making? This thing is creeping in and because of the ancient one that started earlier and the emergence of the international one ,they are now woven together. About six or seven years ago, in 2001, a bomb exploded in a church in Lalanto in Jos. Bomb making literature had been coming to Nigeria for more than 10 years. It's just that initially ,it was blowing off their own hands and legs and it was being explained away. But gradually, they have mastered it now. Before, the problem was how they would co-ordinate the activities of 26 Islamic sects with each one having its own leader and different ideas but western countries have solved the problem for them, by creating the name Boko Haram. Unlike before when an individual sect had its own ideology, now Boko Haram has created an umbrella through which they all work. By being stupid and playing into the hands of the western media, they made our case worse. So they are now making more progress and even bolder than they could get before.

The reason why Uthman dan Fodio was able to overthrow Hausa kings was because there was a lot of corruption in the Hausa Kingdoms. There was a lot of oppression and poverty. There was no home for majority of them. There was no hope for the future then.

There is little hope for the future now. A house full of intellectuals, deceive themselves that there is a future. And that is why the average intellectual does not have the reality on what Nigerian life really is. Many Nigerians youths are crossing deserts on foot to escape Nigerian life. That is a pointer for you on what life looks like in the country.

Is the invitation to foreigners to assist us a true way out of the problem?

We have to be very careful. Immediately the UN House was bombed, Nigeria ceded its authority and it was not right for Nigeria to cede its authority. A lot of countries have similar problems and many of them are looking up to Nigeria to see how she would solve the problem to help their own countries. Now, in Nigeria a lot of intelligent strategies have just been just bullshit, they are unwise. At every step, we bring in our soldiers to level (destroy) towns.

Ordinary Boko Haram with 1.6 million members held Nigeria Army and Police Force for almost three weeks. Nigerian youths are impoverished, education is gone, and we are the second highest in the world's infant mortality, maternal maternity, second highest in the world. It is a curse for you to be pregnant in Nigeria, that is what it means. It is better for you to go to Ghana or Cotonou, next door and have your children than to have them in Nigeria.

In all induces by which you measure a state, Nigeria cannot score pass mark in any area. Human life value is very low. A woman was butchered by soldiers in Gombe, till today no compensation. The governor, Danjuma Goje made it impossible for the case to be tried in the state. It was all by collusion. If you like, let's keep deceiving ourselves here that things are well. The infiltration is already noticeable in Calabar, in South East and in these areas we have the problem of tribal divide. No consensus. The youths, almost 75 or 80 per cent of the country, are impoverished, they are disenfranchised, and they have no inheritance. The people who stole their inheritance, their great grand fathers are still alive—all the generals who are arguing against each other. The monies their grandchildren should spend they stole.

Outside Assistance, CAN Chairman

This one has an agenda and a motive. They are schooled somewhere, well funded locally and internationally. Unfortunately for us, the international funders right now are busy but once things are settled in the Middle East, more funding will come back to Nigeria. When the president of CAN called for the arrest of that general, uninformed ignorant people whose children may be slaughtered in future decried the position of the CAN president. As a special adviser to the CAN president, I can tell you that he has more information in his hands than he is allowed to speak to the public.

But whether you like it or not across all the northern states, the number of people killed in order to bring Jonathan Goodluck to power is maximum casualty figure we have never seen in Nigeria before. He rode him on a lot of bloodshed. The pattern of the killing even before the result was announced, the killing had started in the genera's name. When the CAN president called for his arrest, he was not joking. It is just that the government lacked the moral courage to do what is right. They incited people. It was pre-planned, pre-medicated obviously and if you look at the target of the killing, as usual, you cannot say it was political. Even if you bring them out for political reason they will still do what they want to do. Isioma Daniel (who was your colleague) when she made a comment on Miss World, which buildings were burnt? Most of them were churches. What has a journalist's comment on Miss World to do with maiming and killing of people. We are pretending as if this thing is not there but it is mopping up.

UN building bombing and Boko Haram

It was assumed that it is al Qaeda that bombed the UN building. It is more in consonance with al Qaeda. What Nigeria should have done is to first of all examine the explosives used and the methodology of the explosion—because every device has its own signature—and check it maybe it is in consonance with the more primitive ones that they mixed with internet instructions. The truth is that it is not the handiwork of Boko Haram. If we continue to call them Boko Haram, we are uniting 25 to 26 Islamic sects. We are encouraging their unity and helping the foreigners who are funding them to make their work fast. We should break away from calling them Boko Haram and the Nigerian Press must stand up to wage a war against their western counterparts, accusing them of neo-colonialism. If they can create an Islamic battlefront in Nigeria, they will come in from all around the world and Nigeria will fracture and the world will go on, just like Sudan for many years. Their vision is global. There are lots of radical preachers all over the county, they will teach freely for years and nobody ever disturbs them. They are protected by their governors and commissioners of police.

Do you think that it is in the interest of the west to create chaos in Nigeria?

If you are having problem in your country and the people causing problem in your country can move away from your country to another side, would it be in the interest of your own county to encourage the people of that country to learn their mistakes and turn their own land to a fertile ground. They will sell ammunition to both sides. Look at Libya, what is happening is a very interesting scenario. But my fear is the compromise of Nigerian interest. My own insistence is that whatever is going to happen to us, whatever co-operation we are going to have international with anybody; we don't want Nigeria to be represented by bananas who will just throw away the national interest without even knowing what they are doing.

What do you mean?

Look at the UN Building bombing. The place has now been sequestered. Our inadequate facilities, our security systems, obviously, are highly unprepared for this kind of thing and they have yielded it to foreign government. Before you call in foreign assistance, you must think properly and think well. Because of the absence of enough intelligence to handle the problem we are now surrendering, but we should surrender with caution, because one or two moves like this, Nigeria will become the worst of. What makes you think that the nation's security apparatus is not infiltrated? I will like you to go and supply me the list of Nigerian national security advisers from independence. If you can give me that list, let us sit down and scrutinise the lives of every one of them, their utterances in private, not in public; their business interests, their links all over the world. Someone put Nigeria in OIC single handedly. Are there not radicals in Nigeria who have been walking free simply because the orders come from above that nobody should arrest them? Who are the people supporting this no-arrest order? You better let people know what we are up against.

You think President Jonathan is incapable of handling this?

A farmer does not depend on good clock to bring about good harvest and food for us to eat. If a tailor depends on good luck to sew your cloth, when you are looking for a shirt you will end up with a dress. If a farmer does not look for good luck to give us to feed the nation, and a tailor does not depend on good luck to sew cloth, when it comes to certain matters good luck has its limitation. Instead, wise planning and intelligent thinking is what is needed. It's not true that IGP is incompetent as people have been saying. We have a situation where the IG himself is more or less a junior to some of the commissioners of Police serving under him. Remember that some people stayed behind with the intent of helping him, are all of them loyal to him? Do we know where the loyalty of some of them lies? Is it possible for him to have as free hand with the kind of command he's asked to handle? Is he given a free hand? The moment you politicize anything that had to do with security, you have fractured the chain of command. So, whereas, he may be a very competent officer but the structure he was asked to perform with may not help him.

Is that not enough reason to resign as people are calling on him to do?

You will have to interview him on that. Is it easy to resign? If he is your uncle will you ask him to resign?

What is the way forward out of the current logjam?

The leadership must first of all find the moral courage to understand the reason why we are prone to these things more other countries; to face the problem, diagnose it and call it by its real name so it can treat it. If leadership does not do that we are going to slide to the morass faster. That is one. Number two; this new problem, in other countries nobody is relying on old methodologies. In some countries, they call a new kind of war, because there is no text book answer. As I speak right now, all over the world, intelligence experts are just writing the text books to match this menace of terrorism, because it is a resurgence that has not be seen in many centuries. So, coming up with military intelligence to come and answer this problem is a waste of everybody's time; coming up with DIGs to come and answer this, is a waste of everybody's time. What we need is leadership with innovative thinking; people who can think out of the box; who understand the cultural, religious, political and the radical aspects of what we are talking about here; people who know how to recognize the different phases and to handle all the phases with equanimity. I give you an example; one of the things that making this thing spread faster is the lack of a consensus in Nigeria. The Chinese Constitution is about 2,000 words; the American is about 4,400 words but the Nigeria Constitution is in excesses of 74,000 words. Nigeria has never had a real constitution. What we call a constitution is not representative of the Nigerian people. There is no common agreement. The best country that Nigeria to align with right and it is going to be done with utmost wisdom, is USA—the only country that has had the same kind of history and experience and was successful to a point. They were also colonized by the British. Every offer that was given to Nigeria as we transited to independence was also offered the Americans but they rejected all. All the problems in the Nigerian foundation can find solution in the American history. There is something called the American declaration of independence, Nigeria does not have the equivalent of it. What is written there is very simple but very powerful, and you can build the country on it: "…All men are created equal before God and everybody is entitled to the pursuit of happiness…."

That is why you see that nobody jokes with liberty in the US. If you have 10 heads, everybody is equal. Three revolutions were fought by the Americans, all based on the original agreement. In Nigeria, is there any such document that says we are all equal and that everybody is entitled to the basics of life? We do not know the power of such words. America was able to overcome its colonial experience and build their nation properly. Nigeria is yet to that. We must work with America with caution, but there is a lot we can learn from them.

The E-Interview: The Search For Keni Saint George and Ozo

THE AMBROSE EHIRIM FILES INTERVIEWS

Afro Rock: Ozo, Osibisa, Assagai, Hugh Masekela, Matata, and a cast of Afro sensation that invaded London in the 70s. Does this make sense to you? Well, if you can't figure it out, just don't worry about it. It all means you weren't around during the hippie years. In this exclusive interview with Ozo band leader, Keni Saint George, he talks about a whole lot of stuff - life in London, the way of the world, Barack Obama's presidency and many more. Excerpts:

EHIRIM: Before we proceed, how about some history, humble beginnings and things like that?

KENI: Humble beginning? Hardly. It was indeed a very boisterous, purpose driven, well-to-do Royal family. I come from a lineage of Royals and a well groomed family unit. My Father, Chief George Ozuloke, was a Court Judge for all of 18 years. He was both a Christian and Animist. He had 7 wives of which my mother was the first. I went to St. Martins Primary School and later to a wonderful School – Abbot Secondary Grammar School in Ihiala, my town. I even did a stint in Ihiala Seminary trying to be a Catholic Priest. I did not find the route to Heaven as most of our teachers (Priests) were corpse (meat) eaters. I was disgusted even at that age, what humanity does to the Animal Kingdom.

My childhood was absolutely fantastic and because of Daddy’s job as a Court Judge, we had a good education. Surprisingly, in a sea of conservatives, he was a complete departure from the norm – A committed socialist. Of course compared to an average person in my town, at the time, he was quite well off.

EHIRIM: What inspired your trip to England and how did it all began?

KENI: Oh! Gosh, my father had decided to give all the children a free reign in deciding our future careers. He reasoned that, that way he would not be responsible for any failure. Most of the boys took to Ukrainian Universities (USSR) as mainly Doctors and Engineers. I took to my first love – Big Ocean Merchant Ship Captain-ship. I became an apprentice or officer trainee in some of Nigeria’s Ships: MV ORANYAN, MV NNAMDI AZIKIWE, MV AHMADU BELLO and MV KING JAJA.

I was always so brilliant at it, that every British Captain I served under, recommended me for the Nigerian Navy – Submarine Warfare. We usually ended up doing theory or what was termed MAR COURSE – (MID APPRENTICESHIP RELEASE COURSE) at PLYMOUTH SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY (DEPARTMENT OF MARINE NAVIGATION) UK. We are talking of the NIGERIA BIAFRAN WAR period – 1967 – 1970.

Because of Nigerian Government’s Pogrom on my Igbo, Jewish tribe, aided by Britain, Russia, Egypt, I opted out of even returning to serve the Nigerian Government since 1970. I have been living in the UK ever since – political asylum.

EHIRIM: Tell me about your early London years.

KENI: Now, Ambrose, you are taking me down a fantastic memory Lane, decorated with novel Idioms, Perspectives, new mental and spiritual dimensions that did irreversible changes. The era of the magical Lennon – McCartney -George Harrison - Ringo Starr – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, U2, Joe Cocker, T. Rex, The Troggs, Small Faces, Led Zepellin, Black Sabbath, The Who, my Mentor, Tony Benn (Lord) MP, Paul Rogers’ Free, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Quintessence, Tom Jones, Elton John, John Cleese, Prince Charles, Pink Floyd, Eric Burden and The Animals, Madelin Belle, Shirley Bassey, Eric Clapton, Engelbert Humperdink, Val Doonican, Jeff Beck, Ginger Baker, Manfred Mann, Spencer Davis Group, Muff and Stevie Winwood, Richard ‘Virgin’ Branston, Donovan, Chris Blackwell of Island Records, George Best (Man United), Bill Shankley of Liverpool, John Peel, Vietnam, Biafra, Mandela, Jimi Hendrix, Gurus From India, Buddhism, Hare Krishna etc. Man, it was the most beautiful part of my present life on planet Earth.

There were pockets of racism, of course, and the difficult part was accommodation because of racism. I would apply for a flat, phone and rush to the address, only for the flat to have been taken, within thirty minutes of my inquiry. It happened so often. I should have seen the notices pasted on the walls – “No Blacks, Dogs or Irish”. Oh! poor Irish. I love them. How could I hate the country that gave us U2 /BONO of planet Earth?

I did menial jobs, usually washing plates in restaurants and hotels to sustain myself. I was awfully lonely in England. I started going to East Sheen Buddhist Temple, Surrey, part of the Thai Embassy –learning Tantric and Transcendental Meditation. Usually met those wonderful, beautiful duo, John Lennon of Biafra and Yoko Ono and George Harrison in the Buddhist Lectures. I also hung around Apple records (The Beatles).

In the midst of that spiritual/cultural acrobatics, I ended up a Postman along Euston/Kings Cross/West End axis. Used to deliver tons of Cassettes and Vinyl’s to an address – The King of DJ’s in The United Kingdom – John Peel of BBC Radio 1. I did ask how I could become a Pop Musician and he advised that I put an advert in the Melody Maker – that was how I got Chubby (Guyana) Percussion, Hugh Ashton (English) Bass, Derek Mandl (English) Guitars, Lin Val MacDonald (Jamaica), drums, Denny (English) Fire Eating White Vodoo Man, Helen Denniston (English), Vocals, Beth Kustra (Hungary) Vocals, Martin Abrahams (Jew) Guitars, Franz Koch (German) Sax - Danta Band around 1974. A most unbelievable Live Act in the UK in the 70’s. Osibisa and Assagai could never touch us on stage. Chubby and I used to do some incredible Energy Dance. Ambrose, I’m getting wet around my eyes, reminiscing, reliving my Hippie Years. We were actually ‘hippies’ in the real sense. The magical odyssey I went through with Chubby and the Legendary Danta and later, OZO, was really magical

EHIRIM: What would you do differently now if you should go back to the London years?

KENI: The one thing I would do differently would be avoiding concerts by Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath – you were likely to be offered LSD tablets free and you go off your brain for about four days. That is all. I loved London and my crowd – Osibisa, Assagai, Hugh Masekela, Aswad, Thin Lizzy, Errol Brown’s Hot Chocolate, the Legendary Micky Most, Dusty Springfield, Status Quo (we were under same management – Chris Morrison). Loved my Sputnik Hair Style and weird flowery robes. It prompted an old English woman to Exclaim! (After looking at me) …. “Is This England”?

England, you made me a beautiful ‘Madman’. Can you imagine a very young, crazy, talented Biafran Rock star playing for Princess Margaret (The Queen’s Sister) – Wolverhampton University. Her Royal Highness was quite enthralled by the rhythmic weirdos and wild animals making her sinews jump as she danced with gay abandon. She shook hands with us.

EHIRIM: How do you compare the music industry in Nigeria today to Seventies and Eighties era? What actually changed?

KENI: Ambrose, you could not possibly re-event the spiritual propensity, the musical experiments, the sheer energy and gift of crafting some wonderful, inspiring, ditties and being able to communicate them in a concert setting. It was like Rembrandt, the Classical Painter or Salvador Dali. Those musical crossroads of the glorious 70’s and 80’s era, must remain reference points. We were the Mad Masters of Afro Rock and proud of it. A few of us Dinosaurs of Afro Rock will hang our leads high and proud of the space we created in England in the Arts. Music in Nigeria, today? What music? These guys are really copy cats, impostors. plagiarists – they down load USA R & B tracks, put their own gibberish Lyrics, wear fake gold chains, half naked and generally speak with New York drawl to impress. Clowns all. Well, nearly all.

In a way I extol them because they have created employment for themselves in a sea of complete hopelessness. There are a few genuine, talented ones – 2Face, P. Square, Faze (I like him a lot) and a few others. Sadly there are no more real record companies – so there is a collapse of talents, Recording studios and allied infrastructure. You cannot sell them abroad – Dead. In a way, we, the monsters of Afro Rock, the masters, must put out more classical stuff in order to return to status quo. Next year my Record Company, Crimson Court Records, will embark on a talent hunt.

EHIRIM: Let’s talk about the Ozo years. How were you connected with Vernon Cummings and the rest in forming the group Ozo?

KENI: As I explained earlier, it was that Legend, John Peel, (BBC Radio1 DJ, who sent me forth into the world of music – Danta Band, which my pal Chubby was a member. John Peel always recorded which ever band I came up with on BBC Radio 1 sessions. He made me popular with his fans. One of my bands … The Dalai Lama did a heavy Afro Rock Track… ‘Spirits of the living dead’ and I became awfully quite popular in England.

BBC Radio 1 was a cult Radio Station in a Conservative Establishment setting. John Peel turned it into an Anti Establishment Bastion. How can BBC of the Queen’s Realm, play songs by those Anarchists Band… Johnny Rotten and Co., who sang songs about blowing up the Queen of England. John Peel, the legend. Who else will broadcast to the planet that his wife’s name was ‘PIG’. He invited me severally to his East Anglican home. I never had the time to take him up. We were very close, though. We were Kings of the concert circuit in Britain – supporting John Cleese (Comedian) in Skunthorpe, Elton John in Round House, Chalk Farm (London). And we did so many gigs with Status Quo. The most memorable being a concert in Cardiff University, where we blew away Quo, an established Rock outfit. After that wild show, about twenty female students stormed our dressing room, as was the case in many shows we did, and we had to sign autographs on their breasts (forgive me, Ambrose, just being naughty here). The noise from, the Ovation accorded to Ozo is still pulsating in my ear drums now. As East enders use to say.. “We was magic”. In deed we were. Danta, as my brother Chubby narrated, was on Epic Label. We released two Singles – “Queen of Sheba”, my ditty, and “Free way” by Eddie Grant of the Equals, who produced. Band broke up – bad management. I went off to sea again. This time it was Ghana’s Flagship, MV Upper Volta as Chief Officer, plying Japan, China and Far East.

Returned and put together, remnants of the defunct Danta and new members to form Ozo. The first Hit was ‘Listen to the Buddha’ in the USA and had we a more focused management, “Anambra River” could have made it as well. It was a ditty by Chubby. I put in the Buddhist Mantra of “OM MANI PADMI HOM”. It was like a mystical, spiritual River, so I gave it the name of a River that runs through my town – River Anambra. Ozo could not hold together and I formed a purely Avant-garde underground Jazz ensemble – Dalai Lama. Some really Hot South African Musicians – Themba Matebesi – Jo’burg, on Guitars, Andre Abrahamse – Cape Town, Bass, the greatest alto Saxophonist the veteran, George Lee of Liberia. Costas Georgiou, Greek Cypriot, Lead Guitar, Jim – Darwin, Australia, Drums, a beautiful, black, female singer, Donny, from the Bronx, New York. Those guys could hammer Jazz. I learnt a lot, man, from those Cats. Highest point was when that American Legend, Prince, joined us on stage for a Jam at the Speakeasy Club, London. Dalai Lama moved to record Album tracks for Island Records. The title was to be… ‘Nimzo Witch’ .

EHIRIM: Cummings acknowledged Ozo made a remarkable success touring Europe after the release of “Listen to the Buddha”. What followed “Listen to the Buddha”?

KENI: Well, let me think what really followed after that utterly, spiritual, legendary “Listen to the Buddha” Album. On analysis, musically, I quickly came to a sober reflection and conclusion, that all we needed was a hit record, a massive one. It did not come, so we put out “Museum of Mankind” Album (DJM Records). It came to top Ten in many countries in South America, particularly, Nicaragua, where it was a huge hit on “Guerilla/Revolutionary” Radio Stations (like Radio Vinceremos) according to Billboard Reviews. It was quirky, Spacey, and unbelievably Jazzy, a kind of precursor to Early New Orleans Jazz construction.

Don’t mind me being technical. Now I know that the early Jazz came from my Noble Tribe of Igbo – Biafrans. I did not have any Jazz training. Igbo Music Structure is Simply Jazz.

From then on, I put in lots of time with Krishna Monks by Oxford Street and later to Rainham, Essex, which I was frequenting and perfecting Song Writing Skills and Record Production with Hare Krishna Monks. Ambrose, my dear brother, I have taken production to a new personal height – Cosmic Level. As an adept at Meditation – the totally awesome medium, which is the ultimate vehicle for Astral Travel, I transported on to the Dark side of the Moon during the Mix of the new Album, “The Letter ‘O’ for Obama (The Chain is Broken)”. I had to create a Space Ambiance into every Track – put the Ambiance of the Universe into the Songs. I may be Nominated for an Award or two for “The Letter ‘O’ for Obama (The Chain is Broken)”. An American music critic reviewed this Album, thus… “A mystical, ethereal, surreal and sonorous sound scape with a beautiful, synchretic coloration”. It is about right.

EHIRIM: What’s going on now? You said “The Search for Keni Saint George has ended”. Should we count on your word?

KENI: I reached “the Peak of Mount Everest”, metaphorically or Spiritual Enlightenment, in the Spring of 1994, soon after my Animal Rights Protest, in Trafalgar Square, London. A lot of new philosophies, new vistas, perspectives, revelations and notions, suddenly crystallized like… “Meat is Murder, Spiritually”. “The Universe (or Environment) is God and God is the Universe”. “That Heaven is a state of Spiritual Enlightenment, not a place, therefore it does not exist”. And finally, “That life is a Grand Illusion, Love being an instrument to be cherished – it is the only currency you need into Astral”.

Now, with all these before you, you have got to initiate bold strategies to confront them head on – Activism, yet again because the world is a failed state.

THE STRATEGIES:
1. MEAT IS MURDER, SPIRITUALLY. EMAIL: RIGHTS AVENUE OF MAN AND ANIMALS @GMAIL.COM
Will now register an Animal Rights NGO- “Rights Avenue of Man and Animals”. It is going to be managed by a personality I have been privileged to meet, my adopted daughter – MS Se-ember Tughgba, a Building Engineer, Dynamic, Natural African Woman, Intelligent, Caring, responsible and my very Effective Deputy of TRANSFORMATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL NORMS, TEN, NGO. An environmentalist must not be a meat (corpse) eater.

2.UNIVERSE IS GOD
TEN NGO is Embarking on a very Serious Anti Climate Change Activity to repair Nasarawa State of Nigeria, partnering His Excellency, Governor Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura. We are going to plant 5 million seedlings of Jatropha – the Diesel producing magic plant to create employment, engage the farmers who will plant them. Then the production of Bio – Diesel for clean Energy – fighting climate change by moving away from crude oil – which is one of the causes of Global Warming and Climate Change through its production of Green House Gases (GHG’s)...POISONS

Alternatives to Firewood provision and massive sensitization with Nasarawa women. The best way to Worship and give Praises to God is to be “An Environmentalist and a Spiritual Vegetarian."

I truly mean it that the search for Keni Saint – George has ended. Of course. Through the very brilliant Music CD … “The Letter ‘O’ for Obama (The Chain is Broken)”. I will be more than visible. My books … (a) “Death of a Planet, How the Universe Began” and (b) “Religion in Harmony for National Unity- The Rihanu Concept – all being published this year and next year. Plus the fact that I have made peace with the political vultures – have not joined them, though.

EHIRIM: I was deeply touched in your note to me when you wrote: “Just tell my darling family and particularly my Princess Hannah Zainab Saint George, that Daddy ‘Okro Soup’ is alive but under security harassment because of my activism and Tuareg garb. “ How do you expect Hannah to react to this after missing you all these years?”

KENI: Ambrose, I am very happy my children are not here with me. It would have been an unmitigated disaster. You see, Nigerian Security Agents suspected me of being, first, a CIA agent, then they said I was the Jewish MOSSAD Agent. Then they came up that I was Gaddafi’s cousin, since I look like him and tie the same Tuareg head scarf. Then they changed me to a Sudanese Fundamentalist. Then yet again, I was promoted to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Waziristan and all other hellish STANS. And finally, and here it really got very dangerous… my promotion to being a member of Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda.

Ambrose, it was like that 70’s movie… “NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.” I was arrested seven times and after a thorough investigation by the SSS, I was finally exonerated and apology rendered to me. This is reminiscent of the ordeal suffered by that famous musician… CAT STEPHENS OF ENGLAND, WHEN HE BECAME A MUSLIM. But the family must know that I love them. They must realize that it was the constant thoughts about them that helped me weather the storm. My Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka (Activist), in an interview narrated the dangers of opposing the maximum Dictators that have been ruling and oppressing the people. Those dangers included – Acid Throwing to Disfigure, tracking your family to overseas addresses and doing harm to them. I am, of course, very happy indeed that they are relatively safe in England while I was holed up in the War front. And with the latest bomb blasts in the United Nations Buildings and all over the country before that, I feel alright that they are safe. There is yet another Perspective in the Horror – Kidnapping. I don’t think that I can survive the trauma of any of my daughters or me being kidnapped, with a ransom. These criminals do rape female victims, as well. No, I will be with them soon, now that I have made a truce with the vultures. I will say no more.

EHIRIM: What was the reason behind your isolation?

KENI: “The greatest enemy to a tyrant is surely an Activist”. There are many other hot potatoes as well, apart from the narrative I have just given. This area will be left unexplored for my safety. But suffice it to say that my writings of protestations and Activities have not gone down well with these guys at all. In 1982 (London), I was in touch with two Arab Governments, Libya and Saudi Arabia, to solicit for funds for a charity concert I was organizing – “Children of Palestine Relief Fund”

Naively, I sent Telegrams to that wonderful Revolutionary, Col. Muamma Gaddafi of Libya (my personal friend), and King Fahad of Saudi Arabia. Not knowing the implications – that the switch boards of the oversea Telegrams were manned by M15 personnel (Secret Service of UK) and a contingent of Mossad (Israeli Secret Service). Sure, they sent my Telegrams, but they also noted my phone number and Essex Address. Within a space of 3 days, two Embassy outriders delivered messages from the Libyan Embassy, to go and see Mr. Naji Abuziriba (First Secretary) and the other, an official of the Saudi Arabian, Embassy. Yes, Col. Gaddafi and King Fahad pledged the £500,000 to cover the Royal Albert concert. But that was when my Odyssey began.

I was trailed by Mossad (Israeli Agents) from my house in Essex to London, every day. They disorientated my house girl into letting them in to ‘repair’ my water tank in the Artic – as men from the Water Board I never reported any water problem. They planted microphones all over my house. Then, the midnight phone calls began – always threatening that “that concert must not hold”. Prior to all these, I had already written to my Mentor, Inspirer, the Rt. Hon. Tony Wedgwood Benn of my escapades for Palestine. I also wrote to the Prime Minister – Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, Sir, Keith Joseph, Jew and Minister of Education then, I wrote to Sir, Sieff of Marks and Spencer fame. Finally I wrote to the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, who was the President of Save the Children Fund (UNICEF, UK). I lodged a letter at No. 13 Green Street, London, W1 - office of the Palestine Liberation Organization. From that office I was also trailed to my house by a female Mossad agent.

I wrote to my mentor, Lord Tony Benn about my predicament. My wife was distraught by it all. Lord Benn reassured me to go on. In the end Security Sweepers removed all of 12 spy microphones from my house and the concert was called off. That was a brief interlude in the life of a Nigerian immigrant Activist in London – Keni Saint – George of Ozo. I was not alone in fighting for Palestine. My Mentor, Lord Benn MP, took it up. MS Vanessa Redgrave (Actress) and Rodger Waters, the brilliant Guitarist with Pink Floyd, did and by his interview with Aljazeera television, he is still at it.

Oh! Yes I am a Jew and will always defend my people. But here, Israel is out of order. Their treatment of the helpless Palestinians is wrong. It was, in deed, one of the reasons Osama Bin Laden bombed the New York Towers – 9/11. Obama having zapped Osama, must lean hard on the Israelis to agree to a Palestinian nationhood. It is their inalienable Right in the eyes of God. I well know that God does not play a role in the Middle East politics. United Nations must do more here through a very serious diplomacy instead of bombing Gaddafi for Libya’s oil. I beg my friends and brothers, Hamas, to cease bombing Israel and recognize the Right of Israel to exist in any peace table, so that we all come to Palestine to celebrate your hard earned Independence. Obama’s second Term ought to see to that.

Over here, I campaigned for the release of Maj-Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the Late Military Dictator- Gen. Sani Abacha. He has been in detention for 12 years now. Here, there was a consortium of willing Assassins hired by some ex-military Rulers and politicians. I escaped to the Desert North. This one was more dangerous in that a gun was fired in a case of mistaken identity. They even went to press about the death of Ozo Music Star, shot dead in Lagos. There I was reading in several newspapers about my own death.

Ambrose, Nwa Nnem, you can now deduce my problems here. I don’t want to go to Environmental wars I have wedged with these guys. I’ll stop here. A cat with Nine Lives, with the Shining Armor of Gautama Buddha.

EHIRIM: What was your relationship with British MP Tony Benn like?

KENI: “Of all my experiences, tribulations and elation in life, all my high points and low points from childhood to this hour, three distinct personalities have so molded me, Spiritually, Socially and Politically – Lord Gautama Tathagata Buddha of the Universe. Tony Benn (Lord) of the British Realm, a quite, uniquely, humble Aristocrat of the first order, a Noble, quintessential, highly sophisticated and brilliant, intelligent, philosopher and a humanitarian of Christ like principles. He is dynamic, a repository of world history, overtly spiritual, inspiring, humane, visionary, lover of Racial Equality and the divine gift and ability to identify and support the under-dog, the under privileged, pious, godly and politically correct in the eyes of the living God – the Universe. “Can you imagine an Aristocrat, a Lord of the British Realm coming from the House of Parliament to give Saint George a moral boost and support in Trafalgar Square, where I displayed freshly murdered cows in coffins opposite live cattle- “MEAT IS MURDER” Animal Rights protest 1994. I then repeated that in BBC 2 television and in front of BBC complex at White City. 1992 I kicked off with MacDonald Burger is Murder, in the same Trafalgar Square. A Meditation Vigil in front of Saint Martin’s Church by Saint Martins – in – the – Field. A letter of permission secured for me by Lord Tony Benn. Now, you know why I love this my SPIRITUAL TWIN AND MY ALTER EGO. An astounding liberal Aristocrat. Is this extra ordinary human being not in the same mold as Aristotle, Socrates, Leo Tolstoy and Kierkegaard?” Through Lord Benn, I picked up a life long Maxim: “SALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX ESTO” (Let the welfare of the people be the final law)… Roman Cicero.

He is a rare genius, overwhelmingly intelligent, conspicuously eloquent with the Audacity and Sagacity of oratorical propensity, I love this Spirit and would gladly die for him and so would many Blacks in racist Britain.

I say no more. I miss Mama Caroline Benn. The third influence in my life, of course, was my Socialist Father, Chief George Ozuloke, of Oluoha Royal House hold, Ihiala, Biafra, Nigeria.

EHIRIM: Josh Benn said he had met you through his father. How did you get connected to the British Labor Party?

KENI: It was my first Labour Party Convention, I think it was in Brighton. Before then I was apolitical. There were thousands of ordinary members and his hard core Activists. When he rose to deliver a most inspiring speech, as a truly Chief ideologue of the humane Labour party, you could hear a pin drop. In between his absolutely wonderful speech, there was a thunderous Applause you could hear for kilometers. He was truly the Darling of both the Left and Right Leaning British People. I was awe struck and in an emotional trauma, I wept. The next day I joined the Labour party in my local ward in Grays, Shire of Essex.

And during his epic battle to win the Labour party’s coveted leadership battle I did my bit for him, as an Activist. But as he was getting close to defeating that amiable Dennis Healy, MP, tragedy struck. His beverage pack in his locker in the House of Parliament was tampered with and his Tea Poisoned, to the pleasure of Rupert Murdock’s Newspapers – Sun and the Racist “News of the World”. I tell you this: If Tony had died of that Poison Scare, England would have burnt. All the under dogs, the much maligned Minorities – Blacks, Irish, Gays, Activists, et al, would have burnt Britain. I know I would have led my hard core Trotskyites into war in defense of our source of Oxygen of human Rights and human Freedom. This was at a time Enoch Powell, MP, a Far Right Racist MP of Mrs. Thatcher’s Kind, was planning and advocating for mass Repatriation of all blacks and immigrants and invoking his “Rivers of Blood” speech if we were not thrown out of Britain. In came Lord Benn, in our defense. In came the ‘NAZARENE’ TO MAKE PEACE

Then I met his handsome youngest son Josh, a brilliant musician, keyboardist who joined Ozo. We did some recordings together. We recorded a beautiful ditty of his – “China Sea!” We did a video of two OZO songs – “Anambra River” and “Skintight” as narrated by our Guitarist, Olaseinde. He did not stay too long as Fleet Street Paparazzi Hound Dogs trailed him from all angles because of the Lord Tony Benn badge.

EHIRIM: How about the late J.J. Belle of the “Petshop Boys” fame? Were you close?

KENI: I was very close to Jay. As Olaseinde opined, he was simply too much, too clever with the guitar. A diminutive bundle of talent. We all (OZO) took off from Heathrow Airport to Inverness Highland Studios by the Mouth of the famous Lochness Waters, where the mythical Serpent, the Lochness monster was reputed to have been sighted in the 70’s. I have always loved Scotland. Then I discovered that I was born in Scotland in 1807… REINCARNATION.

He did a brilliant work on one of my unique songs … “Trinafour (Highland Town)” which is about my Reincarnation in the Trinafour Glenn in 1807. My name then was Ginger McBain, a sheep farmer in the Household of that famous family – my family of MacInlay Whisky Empire of Edinbrough. I had to pay pilgrimage to Trinafour, where I met the Laird of Trinafour – the patriarch. I was promised a piece of Land in the Glenn. In my will, I am to be cremated and my own URN flown to one of the peaks of the unbelievably, beautiful Trinafour Hills by a helicopter, my Ashes scattered in the howling winds while a lone piper blows a mystical serenade to escort me through the Invisible Tunnel to the other shore. Jay Jay Belle was always fascinated by it all. Bye my Jay – the Star of Ozo, the Legend. Of course his spirit returned to the Physical Realm within 49 Earth days to continue the Cosmic Journey of Redemption.

EHIRIM: On Barack Obama’s administration which you admire and gearing up for his 2012 campaign. The gist now’s Congressional Black Caucus members, once hesitant to directly challenge the leadership of the first black president, are being goaded by an angry black crowd to go after Obama’s failed leadership on jobs. What’s your take on that?

KENI: It all smacks of a Fire Brigade Mentality. They should remain staunch and loyal, as Mrs. Thatcher of England used to say – show spine. On Barack Obama, the Son of a Kenyan Student, Son of Africa, there was never any doubt and contest whether or not to campaign for him. I was literally pumped up by that lanky, beautiful man with a melodic, baritone, voice that sounds like Moses of the Old Testament, like the Sound of Tony Benn in full flow and, of course, like the graceful awesome voice of Dr. Martin Luther King and John Kennedy. He was all four rolled into one. It was an instant intellectual Love Affair just like my Love for Lord Tony Benn of Great Britain. I penned an intellectual dynamite – “Obama, Bush’s Nemesis and our Africa” in the Leadership Newspaper – July 25th, 2008. I predicted his victory. A big Northern University gave me a citation for an Honorary Degree – Doctor at Literature – D. Lit. Howzat for an Afro Rock head? (use Google and type in Abdullahi Keni Saint-George – and download a master piece.)

It all started when our last first Lady, Hajiya Turai, Yar’Adua, called for the assemblage of Nigeria’s Non Governmental Organizations in the Presidential Villa. At first, I was reluctant for fear of my constructive diatribe on the President with a Caption: “PRESIDENT, YAR’ADUA CARES NOT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE in my thesis, “Death of a Planet, How the Universe Began” …. A four Part Article in that Intellectual Leadership Newspaper. Out of over 70 NGO’s that attended only 10 NGO’S with my TEN (Transformational Environmental Norms for sustainable ECO - System) were selected for the Federal Ministry of the Environment to evaluate and quantify the amount needed for each NGO’S ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME.

I was not unduly alarmed when the Ministry’s Panel handed me a bill for $50 m US Dollars, for my NGO’s Programme – “The Role of the African Women in the Sensitization, Popularization and Implementation of clean coal/special stoves, Bio – Ethanol, Bio – Diesel (Jatropha), Gas, Wind and Electricity as Alternatives to Firewood”… FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE.

I quickly ran to the US Embassy for Visa to travel to the USA, to appear on “Oprah Winfrey Show” to solicit for funds. They cautioned against any trip till after the elections. 2008 I was advised to choose a candidate from the three – Mrs. Clinton, McCain or Obama and to send a letter to the candidate’s Email, alert on my intention to campaign from West Africa. I did to Obama and formed Oasis – Obama Appreciation Society in Sub-Sahara. Email oasis 1946 @yahoo. Com. We campaigned throughout West Africa at my Expense and donation from His Excellency, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, today the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State. In my vision I predicted Obama’s historic win and congratulated him 24 hours before the election. Even Her Excellency, the then USA Ambassador, MS Sanders, alluded to the intellectual Brilliance of Nigerians after reading my article on Barack Obama. I am proud of my contribution. Gonna do it again

OBAMA 2012
NO FEAR. HE WILL WIN. There has been a memorable bleeding of America’s Economy to execute an ideologically flawed and stupid war in the Mid-East. War without end by George Bush junior. Billions of Dollars monthly for 8 years and for what? You create ideological minefields, and a totally unintelligent foreign policy that alienated the once powerful USA. The economy collapsed and like a deck of cards, dragged down the Global Economy. Do you blame this young man, Obama? You will be stupid to. There is no magic wand on Black or job creation for now. Don’t they watch the Economic Holocaust Sweeping the planet, compounded by Climate Change Dangers. Don’t the Black Caucus members see the fires, the fires burning in Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Tunisia, my Gaddafi’s Libya, Egypt, Syria, even in the Jewish State, nay the World. American goods are far too expensive, the cars are not economical and so Japan has overpowered America and China is in hot pursuit. Hey, my Black Caucus members grow up and bear it for the world is dying, being killed by the quest for money – Capitalism and exacerbated by materialistic and soulless, Racist conservatives/Tea party of the cold blooded type. Vote for our son who has a difficult task ahead. He will turn things around. America lived in fear of her self created Frankenstein Monster – Osama. Now the blue skies have replaced the Dark Clouds of fear. Who did it? Obama Zapped Osama. Second term is deserved for this son of Africa, America, and the world. It was the Republicans who murdered the American economy, in the first place. Don’t the spineless black caucuses ever forget it.

EHIRIM: Of all the activism and worthy causes out there, what inspired you to focus on animals rights?
KENI: In my final days in East Sheen Buddhist Temple, in a Wonderful Meditation session, I came face to face with the Light Aggregate or Spirit of a Cat. For the first time, it dawned on me that all Animals have souls – Spirit. Upon reaching Enlightenment in 1994, This Maxim was revealed to me, thus … “In a senseless act of killing and flesh eating or more appropriately, corpse eating (vulture mentality), which by all account, is a spiritual derangement or madness, man suppresses in himself, unnecessarily, that positively and spiritually refined and loving instinct of “live and let live”, love, compassion and pity, which elevates and unburdens the trapped Spirit in him. So, trapped in his Odium and ignorance (believing that there is a God, in of all places, Heaven, who approves of his cow meat, ram meat, goat meat, chicken, fish, intestines, tongs, stomachs, satanic and repulsive corpse eating culture), Ugliness, wickedness, delusion and iniquity, man has created hell for himself, spiritually, psychologically and environmentally. Adverse spiritual environment is proportionally equal to adverse physical environment.

And being dangerously and religiously drugged in his psyche, man’s actions can no longer be differentiated from those of same Animals he brutally cudgels, murders and consumes. ‘He cannot make heaven, even if it exists and it exists not … Lord Buddha’. The world must save the Blue Whales now going into extinction. I implore the Animal Rights Global fraternity, which Lord Tony Benn championed, to down load a track in my ‘Obama’ Album—“Blue Whales (let them live)” to support my “RAMA” –RIGHTS AVENUE OF MAN AND ANIMALS – NGO.

EHIRIM: Anything we should know about what you’re up to, these days?
KENI: I am partnering a very progressive Governor Al-Makura of Nasarawa State to plant 5 million seedlings of the Bio – Diesel producing Jatrophic plant to start curing climate change. I pray Obama wins and helps us.

ON NIGERIA’S TROUBLES
Also, Religion, man’s hopeless invention and a killer and an albatross, is now poised to break up my cherished Nigerian Nation, the most populated Black Nation in our milky way Galaxy – just like the war ravaged Sudan, now Muslim Northern Sudan and Southern Christian Sudan. The many bombs going off now and originating from Muslim North, points to that Scenario. I have set up an NGO – Rihanu… “RELIGION IN HARMONY FOR NATIONAL UNITY”. It is a Spiritual Concept to evacuate the main negative ingredients of social ANGST … Egocentrism, Ethnocentrism and Religious Centrism, with a heavy dose of skills acquisition, as compound poverty is Abroad. Email: Rihanu 2011@yahoo.com.

BIAFRAN WAR REPARATION
(The Genocide of the Igbos, Nigeria - Biafran War, 1967-1970)
Finally, I am going to touch the untouchable –campaigning vociferously, for Biafran War Reparation – BWR, globally, with a most respected Biafran and author of the Biafran Tragidy – the Rt. Honourable Ambrose Ehirim. Email: biafranwarreparation@Gmail.Com. Would this not create for me, yet again, another Danger? We shall see. Hiding and ducking again from Security Agents? “Unless the souls of the Jews, Biafran dead (two million) are assuaged, pacified, placated, the Nigerian State will continue to blunder from pillar to post until she succumbs”…

RELIGION IN HARMONY FOR NATIONAL UNITY (RIHANU)

By Abdullahi Keni Saint-George

THE RIHANU CONCEPT (LIVE AND LET LIVE)

Don’t ever underestimate the power of the brain. And don’t ever underestimate the ingenious mix of the brain and mind, the resultant potion that gives birth to thought and intuitive cognizance, that paved the way to inventions. For example, the primordial invention of stone tools was coeval with the appearance of farming settlements. It was definitely from these crude settlements that communities evolved, fashioning their own languages, dialects, identities and idiosyncrasies.

From that modest stirring of the brain, we have ended up in a planet of ethnic nationalities, civilizations, languages and mind blowing inventions technologically, mind blowing religious inventions, about God, about Satan, Hell, Angels, Paradise, Heaven etc. But as stated earlier, all of the above are creations of the brain and the mind and are of no consequence, except the inventions, technologically speaking, that have at once ‘enhanced’ the living standard of life on planet Hell. And even those technological inventions, of course, paradoxically, gave us the killer, CLIMATE CHANGE, a trade off with INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND VAIN MODERNISM.

One of those inventions – RELIGIONISM, has now also become an albatross, a killer. As that eminent Nigerian Sage, Dan Masanin Kano, Alhaji Maitama Sule says … “RELIGION WITHOUT LOVE FOR THE OTHER, IS NOTHING”. Religion ultimately reminds me of the highest peak on Earth, Mount Everest, all of three miles up. With the supreme tenacity of man, he has scaled its peak, severally, from different sides or routes, by different nationalities and at different times. Quite a daunting feat, if you ask me. Metaphorically, that is, it means that if the very peak of Mount Everest were to be God, then ‘He’ could be accessed via different routes or Religions. Therefore, it makes non - sense of the silly notion that you can only attain ‘Heaven /God’ via only one religion or Prophet or that one particular route or Religion is superior to the others. Not so. And can never be so, unless viewed from the skewed PRISM of RELIGIOUS - CENTRISM – A MALADY, WARPED IN ITS CAVEMAN’S MENTALITY AND UNDERSTANDING. PURE SPIRITUAL ILLITERACY.

THE RIHANU CONCEPT: TRANSFORMATIONAL CONVERSATIONAL PEACE MODULE
Although written, I am really conversing with you, the reader. I am trying to dialogue with you. Please do make an input so that the conversation does not descend into the ‘SOUND OF ONE HAND CLAPPING’. Let us converse about peace in Nigeria and the world. Let us talk about life, about human nature at its highest and lowest points. The conversation may be up to a point, about SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE and all that. And in the light of the recent murderous, religiously and politically directed and orchestrated hurricane that engulfed our defenseless, failing nation, SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE, as proposed by our Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, Agbakoba (SAN), the late Sage, Gani Fawehinmi, Falana (SAN) and my humble self and others, is now a SINE QUA NON. How many heads will have to be decapitated before we wake up from this sorrowful, nightmarish, slumber and illusion of one NIGERIA nation? And if every four years we line out and smash up like the lemmings, in the name of democratic elections, then something has gone awry with that ingenious brain of man –black man. In between elections the blood still flows. Then, I am forced to assert that, short of the Sudan option, autonomous regions will have to be visited and soon.

Rihanu Concept: DEMOGRAPHIC PEACE MODULE

Now let me clarify my position. Nigeria breaking up is not really an option, in terms of Muslim North and Christian South. But do you mean that a son of Anambra like me, will have to look for a visa to travel to Kano to see my father, Dan Masanin Kano? Never. But as the blood letting cannot go on forever, Autonomous Philosophy will have to be evolved and quickly. It will, of course, be based on the Ethos of the six geopolitical zones. Having done a research for my yet to be registered party… ACE … AFRICAN COALITION OF ENVIRONMENTALISTS, I took an opinion poll sample and arrived at these assumptions:

1. North East indigenes love the name: EL KANEMI OR GAZARGAMU Autonomous Region.

2. North West indigenes would prefer the names: DAN FODIO OR ZAMFARAWA Autonomous Region.

3.North Central would prefer the name: PLATEAU OR NIGER CONFLUENCE Autonomous Region.

4. Southwest indigenes would prefer the name: ODUDUWA Autonomous Region.

5. Southeast indigenes would prefer the name: BIAFRA Autonomous Region.

6. South South indigenes would prefer ATLANTIC Autonomous Region.
My own address, would be, Abdullahi Keni Saint – George, Okohia, Ihiala, Biafra Autonomous Region, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Of course, this will mean a fantastic, peaceful, Revolution and as you cannot sell new wine in an old keg, it presupposes that that foreign, white man’s name: NIGERIA OR “NIGER – AREA” must be jettisoned. It has become leprous. Amazingly, 80% of respondents from across the zones would prefer “THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF MAMBILA … because it is African. She would have a Prime Minister and Six Deputies. Each AR will have its own House of Parliament, just like the United Kingdom. The Federal Government (in Truth) would midwife Foreign Policy and the Defence of the Realm.

For my country it is “EITHER/OR”. And it will take Mr. President the zeal of a Revolutionary. I bet you President Jonathan’s name will be written in gold and may even overtake those of our Founding Fathers. But there is just one snag: where in hell do you find the philosophers, the Aristotle’s, the Kierkegaard’s or Roman, Supremely, intelligent Senators during the Era of Socrates, TO PASS THE ABOVE INTO LAW? And if we don’t, we are doomed.

Democracy is a lie. Let us try another route – PANTISOCRACY: ‘A COMMUNITY FOUNDED WITH EQUAL RIGHTS’.

The Rihanu concept, therefore, is largely predicated on the elimination of the psychological inhibitors to harmonious, communal, LIVE–AND LET–LIVE, coexistence, that is necessary if our Nation is to prosper in peace. It is only an important factor in a holistic strategy.

These INHIBITORS are identified as the three negative centrisms, viz., EGOCENTRISM, ETHNOCENTRISM and RELIGIOUS –CENTRISM

EGOCENTRISM:
In Buddhism, the Ego has been identified as the main obstacle to Enlightenment. The Ego is literally the proud SELF. The portrayal of the SELF as superior in a communal setting, can only lead to tension and conflict as it recognizes others as inferior and inconsequential. To dissolve or neutralize the EGO is supreme Enlightenment – hence the Buddhist Maxim: “SELF CONQUEST IS VALOUR SUPREME”. Tools like applied intuitive intelligence, Yoga, meditation and psychology will be needed.

ETHNOCENTRISM (TRIBALISTIC /RACIST)
Ethnocentrism has been elevated globally and indeed has become an internationally, accepted phenomenon. In fact, you can say that the idea of nationalism has something to do with Ethnocentrism. Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich, portrayed it in Germany before and during the 2nd world war, leading to the gassing of 6 million Jews and Gypsies (European Fulanis) and Socialists. It was premised on the ethos, that the ARYAN Race (white race) is superior to all others particularly Blacks. We witnessed it in Apartheid (Nazism) of South Africa which was supported hook, line and sinker, by the very Western Countries that demolished Col. Muarma Gaddafi of Libya.

We also witnessed it in America, with the Ku Klux Klan or the white supremacists who will never recognize their Black President, Barack Obama. The vicious, violent, criticisms of our Son, President Obama, Enroute to 2012 election, is pure rabid Racism. The Global Economy is collapsed. Republicans murdered the leading Economy in the world. There is a threat to “Materialism” and “Capitalism” and therefore for him to create jobs, the Global Economy will have to brighten.

There is fire from Middle East, Europe, Nay, the world. The world is a failed state. The very symbolism of national flags, currency symbolic designs, sporting colours, be it football, rugby, cricket, etc, are real evidence of Ethnocentrism. The very ethos of United Nations can easily be tagged as United Ethnic Nationalities. Therefore in the RIHANU CONCEPT, our trained DRS (DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPECIALISTS) must themselves go through a non ethnocentric discipline in order to fashion out a neutral, coherent module to deal with Nigerian’s, diverse, volatile, ethnic nationalities. Of course, a well thought-out fundamental education, in a curriculum setting, from kindergarten will have to be put in place to help neutralize ethnicity.

RELIGIOUS CENTRISM
Now, of all the Three Centrism’s, the most controversial, debilitating and most dangerous to date, in human history, has been Religious – Centrism. It has caused wars; split some nation’s asunder, sighting SUDAN as a case study. If you did not know it, that country, after 20 years of ethnic, political and religious war, that has caused 20 million deaths, has now Divorced into two separate countries, on precisely egocentric, ethnocentric and Religious – centric demographic line. Ominously, the demographic map of Nigeria’s Presidential election shows the same dreaded Disease – THE SUDAN SYNDROME. MUSLIM NORTH, CHRISTIAN SOUTH. Muslim Bangladesh and Pakistan were hived off out of parent India (HINDU). These, attest comparatively to this thesis.

It must however be understood that the elimination of the above mentioned INHIBITORS, does not mean forsaking your personal, ethnic or religious identity. On the contrary, it prepares one as a peace inducing instrument that will be ready to contribute positively to the peace of the community in a rather harmonious, thematic, emphasis of LIVE AND LET LIVE – the desired final destination.

RIHANU CONCEPT: EDUCATION PEACE MODULE
The RIHANU CONCEPT FOR EDUCATION should be such that the united history of the black race should start from Primary School to higher institutions. It is also patently important to teach world religions in order to equip the child with an over view of world religions, again to foster the spirit of LIVE AND LET LIVE, which my book is trying to induce.

Bible colleges and seminaries will be well advised to modify their unbalanced educational approach. My former seminary I attended in the 60’s and the ones I have dialogued with recently, teach Islam for the purpose of indoctrinating and assuring the student that Christianity is superior to Islam. This is surely wrong. It is an entirely cognitive approach which is alarmingly susceptible to arrogance, thereby portraying RELIGIOUS-CENTRISM – a malady.

The Religious Mission educational approach to Islam must surely involve the development of mutual respect for why Muslims believe in Islam. The Islamic world –view gives Muslims an explanation for every aspect of their life. A genuine appreciation (LIVE AND LET LIVE) of this belief system will enable a Christian to create a common understanding about the varied aspects of the spiritual world. From this common empathy, a relationship can develop until differences can be discussed in the context of loving understanding and appreciation of one another’s faith.

Of course, a mention must be made about Islamic teachers (Imams) who bombard the MADRASAS with the ethos of MUSLIM SUPERIORITY and other warped teachings, like, WESTERN EDUCATION IS HARAM or an abomination, which has given rise to today’s terrorism that emanates from the North – BOKO HARAM. You only have to immerse yourself into the revelations in the Holy Quran…

(ISLAM ON EDUCATION)
My ill informed BOKO HARAM and their IMAMS will be well advised to read His Excellency, PROPHET MUHAMMAD, AL AMIN (PBUH)’S ADMONITION ON EDUCATION … Islam Encourages Learning which encompasses Science, Wisdom and Religion. There are many instances, hadiths and Noble verses of the Quran, that encourage people to seek knowledge, both Western and Islamic. Why is it that in black Africa (Nigeria), this great Religion is driven and propelled by ancient prehistoric monsters – cavemen, while in Dubai, Indonesia, they are forward looking and less bloody… Answer? Education.

Allah most high says: “say oh my Lord, advance me in “knowledge” (Ta-Ha, 20:114). Allah will raise up the ranks of those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge (Education, Western and Islamic). I suspect the funnel of wrathful fire directed at the rulers and non-Muslims in the North, by BOKO HARAM, may be as a result of lack of employment, sheer frustration, hopelessness, poverty, hunger, diseases, sheer Government embezzlement by the thieving ruling class, a whiff of jealousy directed at the ever so resourceful Christian Igbos or Igbo traders, Christian Churches and Hotel owners in Maiduguri. And finally, through an illiterate misreading and misinterpretation and a lack of understanding of the thoroughly profound Holy Quoran.

And don’t discount the brutal murder of their leader, Yusuf, by the Nigerian Police, as being the reason for their rage. How could that happen in Yar’Adua’s democratic setting? Was there an inquiry? Was it published? Was anyone found wanting and punished? The Nigerian state must obey international Human Rights Laws. Now, of course, some hate filled old men and politicians are capitalizing on this explosion to ferment evil.

Don’t discount the unseen, bloody hands of hate driven politicians and foreign Terrorists, (Al Qaeda) from Algeria, Yemen and Somalia and a thoroughly, porous and unguarded, unpoliced Northern Borders.
This educational admonition led to the Islamic foray into the Sciences … Ibn I Sina (980-1037), with his important scientific discoveries in 29 different subjects, was an important Islamic scholar that paved the way for European Scientists. Singularly, Muslims made diverse discoveries in Geology, Mineralogy, Botany, Zoology, Mathematics, Algebra, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Pharmacy and the Cosmos.

Boko Haram, this writer thoroughly shares your social frustrations but the killings and murders are thoroughly Anti-Prophet Muhammad Mustafa Al Amin (PBUH)’S Noble and wonderful Revelations … “and mankind is Naught but a single cell”… Holy Quran. Translated, it simply means that through the indiscriminate bombings, and shootings you are really murdering your brothers and sisters in Allah. Do your Imams understand this? And have these Imams come across this … “If it has been your Lord (Allah)’s will and design, they would all have believed, all who are on Earth? Will you then compel (force) mankind against their will?” As revealed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)… Yunus (Jonah) 10:99.

THIS WONDERFUL LIFE; THIS WONDERFUL WORLD
The RIHANU CONCEPT goes beyond pigeon holes and recognizes the diversity of life, the sacredness of life, the species and all the manifestations, propensities and dynamics. It also identifies, in essence, the linkages, the common denominators, the fault lines that lead to hate and conflicts or wars; the positive Dynamics of COMPASSION, LOVE AND PEACE, KINDNESS, PITY and the spirit of LIVE AND LET LIVE which should also be extended to the ‘LOWER’ ANIMALS, part of the passengers in this ship – Earth.

WHY CAN WE NOT LIVE IN HARMONY AND PEACE? Man, a machine? Yes, but are we not more than mindless and heartless machines? We have compassion, creativity, curiosity, imagination and ingenuity … qualities that move us to devise and design machines that enable us to do virtually anything we set our minds to. We can now fly, even beyond the speed of sound; we can fly to the Moon and send machines to Mars and bring back knowledge; we can navigate above and below vast oceans; gaze some 14 billion light years into the origins of Galaxies and the Universe; peer into the living cell; design corrective medicines to treat diseases; peer into atoms to come up with mind blowing technologies. Yes, this is literally a wonderful life and a wonderful world. Yes, we are no ordinary unfeeling, robotic machines. And yet, and yet our ordinariness is to be found in our deficiencies, the psychological three centrism’s … EGOCENTRISM, ETHNOCENTRISM AND RELIGIOUS – CENTRISM, the INHIBITORS – THE INHIBITING TRIPOP MILITATING AGAINST WORLD PEACE. Please I am not trying to raise a political capital, but in President Jonathan and Governor Tanko Al-Makura, I do see spiritually non ethnocentric and humble Unifiers.

The RIHANU CONCEPT AIMS AT TACKLING THE INHIBITORS. PLEASE, WITHOUT PREJUDICE, JOIN IN THIS CONVERSATION. Email and phone me please. Send emails to this paper as well.

Abdullahi Keni Saint – George is an International, Environmental, Human and Animal Rights Activist. Author of “The Rihanu Concept
Email: rihanu2011@yahoo.com. Tel: 07035259333

Nigeria: Can Law Makers Adjust To Pay Cut?

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Leadership Nigeria


Running the bicameral legislature in Nigeria is very expensive. Since 1999, the running cost of the National Assembly and the states houses of assemblies have been rising to intolerable level with Nigerians crying blue murder. After succumbing to pressures by Nigerians to cut their jumbo package, Chibuzo Ukaibe, in this piece looks at whether lawmakers of the national assembly can adjust to the new development.

When the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi declared that legislators gulped a huge chunk of the national budget- an amazing 25 percent- it sparked off a tirade from virtually all sectors of the country.

From the academic community to the civil society, the legislators came under intense criticisms. The criticisms were anchored on the larger than life lifestyle they live which was a sharp contrast to the pervasive squalor of those they represent.

It was unhealthy for the country and its economy which is stifled under the weight of a crippled power sector, lethargic infrastructure and massive unemployment.

The outcry was further intensified by renowned scholar of Law, Professor Itse Sagay who said Nigerian federal legislators are the highest paid legislators in the globe, and that their salaries and allowances represent a cruel anomaly in the country’s democratic governance.

Putting it in perspective, he noted that the Nigerian Senate President earned N88.33 million per month while his deputy earned N50 million, comparing their pay with what US President Barrack Obama who “earns $400,000 per annum while British Prime Minister David Cameron goes home with 190,000 pounds.”

According to Sagay, the anomaly is a breach of public trust. “A senator earns N240 million ($1.7 million) in salaries and allowances while his House of Representatives counterpart earns about N204 million ($1.45 million) per annum,” Sagay said.
The erudite Professor said an American senator “earns $174, 000 while a UK parliamentarian earns about $64, 000 per annum, which is very low compared to that of Nigerian lawmakers when compared with what their colleagues earn in the United States and United Kingdom.”

“In spite of the dismal standard of living, poverty of the country and low income per capita of the country, Nigerian legislators in Abuja have awarded themselves the highest salaries and allowances in the world. In 2009, the federal legislators received a total of N102.8 billion comprising N11.8 billion as salaries and N90.96 billion as non taxable allowances,”

He described it as a tragic situation that is clearly unsustainable, saying the anomaly “is seriously endangering our democracy.”

It is alleged that these hardly include expenses incurred on duty tours and estacode, as well as the allocations that come from ‘oversight functions’ and ‘lobbying.

But the legislature has explained that there is actually a difference between what people describe as jumbo pay and the actual earnings of the members which are fixed by Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

According to the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, at a press conference in July: “My pay has not been cut. My salary has not been cut because salaries are fixed by Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

“What has been cut is our overheads, our running cost, what you people refer to as jumbo pay. I want to be categorical that the salaries of National Assembly members have not been cut. We earn about the same salaries as ministers and Supreme Court Judges and I am not aware that their salaries have been cut.
“So if we are earning jumbo pay then it means that ministers and Supreme Court Judges are also earning jumbo pay. What has been cut is the over head cost of the National Assembly. It was a decision of the National Assembly.

“We committed ourselves to reducing the cost of governance. If you recall when Mr President came to present the 2011 budget, the president of the Senate made a commitment that this National Assembly was going to do everything in its power to reduce the cost of governance.

“And that we are going to show the example, so we have taken the lead by reducing the cost of running the National Assembly and we are hoping that the other arms of government will follow.

“Our responsibility is to the Federal Government. But at every level of governance in this country, let me put it this way; that every level of government is implicated in the high cost of governance, from the council right up to the Federal Government. So we believe that the states also play a role in ensuring that the cost of governance comes down.”

Chairman of the House ad-hoc committee on media, Mr. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele corroborated Ndoma –Egba. Chairman of RMAFC, Engineer Elias Mbam said apart fom salaries his commission also stipulates how much is to be paid for estacodes and overnight allowances. He however warned that it is illegal for lawmakers or any government officials to earn estacodes or allowances outside what the commission has approved. RMAFC is constitutionally empowered to determine the remuneration of all public office holders, including the president and his vice, governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers and legislators, amongst others as listed in Sections 84 and 124 of the 1999 constitution. “Any other salaries and allowances being enjoyed by any political office holder outside those provided by the law or determined by the commission from time to time, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution are not known to the commission. Mbam stressed.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the Senate president is to earn N2.4 million as annual basic salary and a total annual emolument of N8.6 million. The speaker of the House of Representatives is to earn N2.4 million, annual basic salary and a total emolument of N4.95 million which amounts to N0.4million monthly. A senator is supposed to earn N12. 76 million per annum and members of the House of Representatives are to earn N9.52 million per annum.
With the commencement of the 40 percent slash, LEADERSHIP learnt that while some of the senators still grapple with the cut in the running costs, others have taken it in stride, “reworked their budgets to reflect current realities”.

It was also learnt that many times when senators visit their constituencies they often spend hugely as they attend to personal needs of their constituents as their house/constituency offices are thronged by those they represent on the slightest whiff of their usually short visit. Their offices in Abuja are not spared as well.
Analysts opine that the posh cars and huge spending are not going to fizzle away soon even as demands on them from their constituencies can only increase (which is usually driven by the members need to ensure their political survival).

Also it was gathered that majority of legislators have their children and wards in expensive schools, locally and internationally.

LEADERSHIP can reveal that the members are not taking the cuts easy as they had to adopt other means of making ends meet.

To make up for the cut in their running cost and meet the demands (before the slash), the ministries and Departments and Agencies have started receiving sterner attention by the legislators to ostensibly make up for what they have lost through the pay cut, a source in the National Assembly said.

The National Assembly has the constitutional right, while performing its oversight function, to summon any ministry, department or agency to provide update on their activities.

But a source in the second estate of the realm believes there has never been any attempt to drain the executive arm of government. ‘‘Most lawmakers are accomplished businessmen, captains of industries and professionals from all works of life. So most of them are quite wealthy before they came to the legislature,’’ the source assured.

A lawmaker who craved for anonymity believes it is not right to generalize that everybody there is out to squander money or be bandied as trying to make money from arm twisting the MDAs while engaging in their oversight functions. Such a perception he said would not be in the overall interest of the country.

Nigeria: The January 1966 Crisis

"(Lagos, Nigeria) St. Petersburg Times, January 18, 1966. The leader of the bloody uprising that propelled Nigeria to the brink of civil war has surrendered, the provincial military government announced yesterday. The surrender of rebel Chukwuma Nzeogwu apparently placed the entire military squarely behind Major-General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, the 41-year old Army ...Commander-in-Chief who took over the government Sunday. Radio reports quoted Ironsi as saying Nzeogwu had surrendered his command and offered to serve the new government. Ironsi said he had accepted Nzeogwu's pledge of loyalty to the new government. It was uncertain whether disciplinary was planned against the rebels. Ironsi attributed the Satuday revolt to general disorder in the Army.' He said every effort was being made to locate Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Finance Minister Festus Okotie Eboh who were kidnapped in the early hours (January 15, 1966).

Ironsi who some observers saw as a potential military strongman, said he had no desire to become permanent leader of the vast West African Republic and its 56-million inhabitants. He said, however, a 'Supreme Military Council' would rule Nigeria until a new constitution can be brought into being according to the wishes of the people. Meanwhile, Ghana accorded swift recognition to the new regime but Britain - former colonial ruler of the African State - held back, apparently to wait out developments there. The British government said it received confirmation last night that rebel resistance in the northern province of Nigeria had collapse...'"

----St. Petersburg Times, January 18, 1966

Patraeus: al-Quaida Affiliates Pose Increasing Threat

(Fox News) - CIA Director David Petraeus, in his first public appearance since taking the helm of the agency, said Tuesday that al-Qaida's leadership has been driven underground but that its affiliates and sympathizers pose an increasingly dangerous threat to the US.

Petraeus said successful takedowns of key al-Qaida leaders, including Osama bin Laden earlier this year, have made the terror network "much weaker and less capable" than when it attacked America ten years ago on Sept. 11, 2001.

He said bin Laden's replacement, Ayman al Zawahiri, is seen by the al-Qaida base as "less compelling," and the organization is "struggling to find qualified replacements" for other operatives and leaders. The attention of leaders in Pakistan's tribal areas has shifted from terror plotting to "security and survival," Petraeus said, noting that the decimation of al-Qaida leadership presents a "window of vulnerability" for the US to exploit.

But, in a hearing before the House intelligence committee, Petraeus said al-Qaida's offshoots around the world are filling the void. He pointed to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, based in Yemen, as "the most dangerous regional node in the global jihad."

The group was behind the failed plot to bomb a Detroit-bound jet on Christmas Day 2009 and the plot to send bombs hidden in printers on cargo jets last year. Petraeus also expressed concern about affiliates and sympathizers in Somalia, Nigeria, Algeria and Iraq.

Petraeus commanded US military forces in Iraq, and later in Afghanistan, before taking the CIA directorship. He said al Qaeda in Iraq has suffered "significant losses" since the 2007 troop surge but is still capable of carrying out sensational attacks.

While al-Qaida's mission of terror is "shifting" to affiliates, Petraeus said, the core remains "committed" to attacking US citizens. He said the US will need to keep pressure on the network for the "long haul."

The Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, echoed Petraeus' comments. He said the "relentless pressure" on al-Qaida has weakened the organization, but "the stark fact is that we remain threatened."

"It would be an error to conclude that we have reason to gloat, reason to soften our focus," he said. "The terrorists still wish to do us harm, destroy our institutions, and to kill Americans without conscience."

Interview: Watertown-Based Nurse Helps Patients In Onitsha Nigeria

By Julie Fay, Milton Patch

Vinieta Lawrence is the Director of Nursing at Emerson Village, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in Watertown. She recently volunteered on a medical mission with Onitsha America, Inc., bringing medical care and supplies to Onitsha, Nigeria. The Milton resident spoke with Milton Patch columnist Julie Fay about the vast differences and surprising similarities between health care in Nigeria and in the United States.

How did you come to participate in a medical mission to Nigeria?

One of my nurses knew of this group in Texas that was using telemedicine to treat patients in Nigeria. These physicians (originally from the coastal area of Nigeria) were using the Internet to log in, consult with doctors there and treat the patients. There’s a brain drain (in that) doctors from Nigeria settle in England or Canada or the U.S., but with twelve million people (in Onitsha), the need is great. So this group of physicians has been bringing free medicine and doing free health screenings there. I’ve been in contact with the group for the past four years, and earlier this year they asked me if I would like to be their guest and come.

What was your reaction when they asked you?

I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve always wanted to do missionary work, but as a single mother, I couldn’t commit to the extended time requirements, such as fifteen months for the Peace Corps, or even three months through church. But this was going to be ten days; to turn it down would have been unacceptable to me. I’d supported the missions in the past, but the physical going was much more of a commitment.

What kinds of situations did you encounter there?

I saw the same problems as in the U.S. People had no access to medical care, or the medical care they had was of poor quality, including the medicines. Also, people there, just like some people here, have to make a conscious decision about whether to buy medicine or buy food to put on their tables. It’s ridiculous, and just more ‘in your face’ there than here.

And the health conditions were similar, as well?

There’s a lot of hypertension and diabetes. One patient was so sick, with her blood pressure at 230/110 (normal is 120/80), I picked up my cell phone to dial 911 for an ambulance, but there’s no ambulance to call! I was waiting for her to stroke out on me, but we were able to give her medicines to bring her blood pressure down.

There was this twenty-something kid who was complaining about his eyes. He worked for the Red Cross, helping out his community with an immunization program for children through five years old. We saw him, and he had advanced glaucoma. Here’s this intelligent young man, doing something positive with his life, and he’s going blind. (Blindness is preventable with proper treatment of glaucoma.)

What was the most satisfying thing about the mission?

It was using my opportunities and expertise in a much bigger way than I can do locally. We saw 300 people in those few days, and they were so appreciative. They sang a song for me, and blessed me! Here, you don’t get a thank you when you do your job; people are ready to sue in a hot little minute. There, it was immediate gratification. I saw the results of a dramatic intervention for people who were really sick. It was overwhelming in a good way. It grounded me.

What was your favorite memory you brought back?

One of the doctors gave me a new name: Ada Di Ora Mma. It means “daughter to be appreciated that does good for the community,” or “daughter of the area.” I told (people) I’d see them next year, and I meant it.

NIGERIA: Boko Haram Threatens To Bomb UI, UNIBEN, 18 Others

Screening of vehicles at University of Ibadan following a bomb scare in the institution, Photo; Kehinde Gbadamosi
By Ola Ajayi & Gabriel Enogholase, Vanguard

IBADAN – DISSATISFIED with its unchallenged bombing activities in the North, Boko Haram has threatened to extend the reign of terror to southern parts of the country.

Leaders of the sect said yesterday that their radar was now on University of Ibadan (UI), University of Benin (UNIBEN) and 18 other universities, which they said they would bomb between yesterday (September 12) and September 17.

Boko Haram sent an e-mail last Thursday to the mail box of UNIBEN Registrar, notifying the institution of its resolve to bomb the university as part of its agenda to stop western education in the country. Last week, there was a bomb scare at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa.A deadly bomb explosions detonated by the dreaded Islamic Sect, Boko Haram, in many Northern cities including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

For about a year now, counting from the October 1, 2010 Independence Day twin bomb explosions in Abuja, Boko Haram had stepped up its campaign to stop western education in Nigeria with a series of bomb blasts including a recent car-bombing of the Police Headquarters, Abuja and the bombing of the United Nations office in Abuja, which claimed scores of lives and with property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

Ngeria: 7 Feared Dead As Militants Bomb Bank, Police Station In Bauchi

The Misau Police Station, Bauchi. Source: Sahara Reporters
By Susan Edeh, Vanguard

BAUCHI – NO fewer than six policemen and one civilian have been reportedly killed by suspected Islamic militants, Monday afternoon in Misau, Bauchi State following simultaneous attacks on a commercial bank and a police station in the area.

Vanguard gathered that the gunmen hurled a bomb at the station leading to explosion and deaths of the five policemen on duty before successfully breaking into the bank and carting away large sum of money.

It could be recalled that Misau local Government which has been attacked for the second time by gunmen in less than two months, is located 160 kilometres north of Bauchi, the state capital.

According to an official of Misau Local Government Council, the gunmen stormed Afribank and the police station in the town at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon and started shooting sporadically, resulting in the deaths of the policemen and the civilian and many injured.

The Misau attack would be the sixth attacks on police stations and banks in the state, prompting the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr Hafiz Ringim to order the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Abuja to carry out full and thorough investigation into the series of attacks.

The witness who pleaded anonymity said that the five policemen were killed at the station while the sixth policeman and the civilian were killed at the bank premises during the attack.

“We started hearing gunshots all of a sudden and then the bomb explosion at the police station. They later set the station ablaze and freed all the detainees. Everybody was confused and running helter-skelter as shooting continues. The gunmen later entered the bank and stole money”, he said

The Misau council official, who witnessed the incident, said many people sustained injuries as a result of the attacks which caused panic in the town.

Reacting, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ayo Ikechuwkwu Aduba, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with newsmen, stated that the command was still trying to get the full details of the attacks and the number of casualties involved.

Nd'Igbo Do Not Need Leaders; They Need Opportunities

By Chris Aniedobe, Business Day

Many have billed the lack of a transcendent Igbo political leader as the Igbo albatross. Those who say that do not understand the Igbos. The Igbos are economically efficient, individualistic, non-ideological, rational, resourceful, and always have been and always will be politically risk averse. The average Igbo man feels that he has the skill, dexterity, perseverance, and luck to dare his own failure or his own success, sometimes in spite of the incipient odds of failure. That is why the Igbos are dispersed throughout Nigeria and the world with each person daring his own failure or success. But that which makes us successful as individuals fails us as a group because group dynamics is not always the sum of the parts that make it up.

Ndigbo are yet to evolve a group leadership model that will work for us. Until we attain such a model, we will not be successful in party politics because politics is a game of platforms. We see political parties as platforms for individual opportunities and not platforms for collective tribal political actions. This attitude has so far characterized our attitude towards politics particularly since 1999.

Although Ndigbo may come together during times of crisis, it probably is best at this point to acknowledge that Igbos do not need leaders, and do not believe in leaders in so far as those leaders do not create economic opportunities for them. That transcendent Igbo political leader may still come about but only in the context of a firm belief that tangible economic opportunities may come from his leadership.

Unfortunately, in the minds of a people that tend not to anchor their fate on their leaders, the failure of our political leaders have tended to reaffirm the belief in the Igbo mindset that so called leaders are really of no tangible consequence in their lives. Many of our so called leaders have shamefacedly exploited their offices for opportunities. Until then, a distributed leadership model, where the average Igbo man is in fact given a material leadership role in a highly coordinated system of known risks and guaranteed rewards may be the best leadership model for Ndigbo at this point in time.

While our political theorists deal with the issue of appropriate leadership models for Ndigbo, it stands as a purely elementary proposition that we do better as wealth creators than as politicians and rather than pursuing illusory political goals, we should expend our efforts at utilizing our superior economic skills for rapid regional economic resurgence of our Region.

But Let Us Just Stop Being Naïve about Nigerian Politics, Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand. It Never Did and it Never Will

The talk of Igbo Presidency 2015 is a distraction by people who have not taken a close qualitative look at Igbo assets. Those who believe that Ndigbo should be President in 2015 on moral grounds alone are offering up cheap political blackmail that rings hollow. To paraphrase Frederick Douglass, if NdiIgbo are not prepared to vigorously struggle for it, there is no point talking about it. Those who profess to favor Nigerian presidency of Igbo extraction and yet depreciate the need for deep agitation on a common political platform are people who want crops without plowing up the ground. They must commit to the struggle all the way with the zeal of the Zikist boys who were prepared for either freedom or death.

Until the will is there to stamp our foot on the ground and be willing to lay down our lives for it, talking about Nigerian Presidency of Igbo extraction in the face of the considerable structural limitations that constrain us is a distraction. The political diffidence of Ndigbo is self-evident. Others have found out what Ndigbo will quietly submit to and know the exact measure of political injustice which can be imposed on Ndigbo and it will continue until they are resisted with carefully orchestrated struggle. Right now the will is not there. Ndigbo are happily foraging for opportunities in a platform independent manner and are engaged in anything but platform oriented struggle. There is nothing wrong with that. There is however, everything wrong with thinking that the Presidency will be conceded to us purely on moral grounds.

Not that Ndigbo do not need political power; it is that we cannot attain political power without a road map and that road map must take into account the structural defects of the Nigerian entity in so far as it has constrained Ndigbo, its largest ethnic group, to less than one sixth of the Federation. That road map must be drawn on the fabrics of true federation and true federalism. The execution of the road map will involve both words and blows; words in the sense that we must be willing to mount consistent and sustained assault on the anomalies in the practice of the Nigerian Constitution that preclude Ndigbo from attaining full rights and benefits of citizenship in their States of domicile; blows in the sense that Ndigbo must be prepared to assert their legal rights of Nigerian citizenship in any manner legal or necessarily legal to ensure that their fundamental rights remain inviolate. In fact, in any well conducted election, Ndigbo have the numbers to vote in an outcome determinative power in States outside Igbo land. This is a bargaining chip that other ethnic groups do not have but it is also a chip that must be well-guarded.