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November 11 in 2011 - Islamic militants associated with Boko Haram attacked police stations, churches, and banks in Damaturu, 150 dead

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Tomorrow marks 22 years anniversary [November 10, 1995] that Saro-Wiwa and 9 Ogoni indigenes were murdered by hanging by the Abacha regime.

Press Release: 2019: Sule Lamido writes PDP members, seeks party ticket

Attention Editors, 

For immediate release

2019: Sule Lamido writes PDP members, seeks party ticket

Former Governor of Jigawa State, Dr Sule Lamido has written to members of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, informing them of his decision to fly the party's flag in the next presidential election. 

Lamido in a letter to all PDP members across the country said all the party needs to reposition the country is to take over power in 2019 and bring it back to its path of recovery.

Lamido lamented that the nation has departed from the dreams of its founding fathers.

"Today, 57 years after the independence of our dear country, can we in all sincerity claim to have achieved the dream of our founding fathers? Where did we fail and from where did we begin to fail? Nigeria with its natural endowment and human capacity cannot be forgiven for being otherwise. We cannot even demonstrate our ability and capacity to meet domestic, regional and global challenges which currently seems to overwhelm us."

"The PDP will and  must lead the nation back into a bright, progressive, and innovative future," Lamido's letter reads.

He said the PDP must rekindle in Nigeria a new hope, a nation of united people with a common and assured destiny.

"To the world, Nigeria must demonstrate our confidence, tenacity in our ability and capability to address our domestic regional and global challenges that confront us.

It is against this background that I offer myself to vie for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019 if my party finds me worthy to fly its flag." The letter reads.

Lamido noted that the PDP have enough talents to salvage the nations from its current woes.

"I am no means claiming to be the only capable material, any PDP member given the trust and support can fly our flag, and I expect many more aspirants will express the desire to run. My hope and prayer is that at the end of all the process which I hope will be open, fair transparent and credible is to give Nigeria in 2019 candidate who will lead the party and Nigeria. This is because there is no alternative to PDP in 2019, it will be a defining moment in the Nigerian political evolution," Lamido said in the letter.   

He said why the clamour for restructuring rages, the most important aspects of addressing the Nigerian economy by creating prosperity will make the debate less emotional and sentimental.

"Our imperfect union as a federation should not be an excuse for our legendary failure which appears to have found vent in the call for restructuring, a union of multi-ethnic multi-lingual and multi-religious can certainly task the best of human capacities, but that is precisely the challenge and how to work on it and build a nation of people of a common destiny, and this is where the PDP must raise to the challenge. The starting point is where the PDP began in 1998 and critical to it is creating an open environment in which every Nigerian must not only been seen to be, but must be an equal stakeholder and therefore restoring trust and faith in our shared union and this PDP was able to achieve in its first four years," Lamido said.

     END

For Umar Kyari

Ex UNIMAD student leader in jail for criticizing Gov Masari

Ayodele Samuel Lagos

A former student union leader from university of Maiduguri Ibrahim Bature  Dutsenma  has been remanded in jail for criticizing Kastina state Governor Aminu Bello Masari.

Ibrahim Bature was on 29th August arrested and charged before a Kastina Magistrate Court on for spreading falsehood against the state government and has since been remanded in prison.

Ibrahim Bature had posted a video on his social media platforms criticizing Governor Masari's plans to obtain a loan despite all the allocation received from the Federation account including the bailout of the paris club refund paid to the state in two trenches.

The Arewa youth Council (AYC) in a statement has given the Katsina state government 48hours to either free Ibrahim Bature  or ask the judge to commence  hearing of the suite. 

The statement signed by it President -General Comrade Bello Roba said it's will shut down the state if the ultimatum is not comply with.

"Failure to do so, will risk the collapse of all activities in the State as we're ready to mobilize our armless battalion to katsina state within the time frame. We see the court oder to remind Bature in prison yard as nothing but callousness, abuse of fundamental human right and upturning of rule of law. It's a move to kill democracy in Nigeria which all lovers of justice and freedom must condemn, it therefore requires our collective Solidarity to speak the truth to the power that be," Roba said.

Also Comrade Mohammed Auwal Jibrin, a former NANS leader in a separate statement said effort to bring the matter again after the adjoining the case to another date for sitting was not successful as the magistrate keep adjoining for unknown reason.

 Ibrahim Bature a former student union leader from university of Maiduguri  presently hold masters of science with specialisation in animal physiology from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

He had launched his 2019 gubernatorial ambition under the Green Party of Nigeria GPN, after the not too young to run bill was passed.

Fidelity Bank Grows Deposits to N795.6bn In Nine Months

Fidelity Bank Plc, one of Nigeria's highly diversified financial institutions has announced its Unaudited Results, for the 9 months ended 30 September 2016, disclosing that the Bank's deposit base grew to N795.6 billion in spite of the current economic turmoil. This represents a 3.4 percent increase from N769.6 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2015 Financial Year (FY). According to the lender, the devaluation of the Naira accounted for N53.6 billion of its deposit growth.  This result was contained in a statement issued by the Bank. The Bank's gross earnings also rose to N110.3 billion from N107 billion, representing a growth of 3.0 percent in the period under review.

Commenting on the financial results, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo pointed out that the Bank's performance was indeed reflective of the recessionary environment characterized by lower government revenues, rising inflation, lower consumer disposable income, significantly tougher operating environment in all sectors and the impact of these headwinds on asset quality and foreign trade transactions. According to the Fidelity boss, "We continued with the disciplined execution of our medium term strategy and recorded decent growth on some key operational metrics while moderating the impact of the headwinds above on other financial indices."

The unaudited financial statement also stated that Profit before Tax (PBT) decreased by 28.7 percent to N9.8 billion from N13.8 billion in the period under review. Giving cogent explanations for the relatively poor performance in this regard, the Fidelity helmsman noted that PBT declined largely due to "a 102.0 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) growth in impairment charge (N4.0bn) driven significantly by increased provisions made in the second quarter (Q2) and third quarter (Q3) of 2016 (N4.1 billion and N3.2 billion respectively) due to the impact of the devaluation of the local currency (naira) on our trade finance portfolio and some critical sectors affected by the weaker macroeconomic indices."

He further added that a 95.7 percent YoY (N1.3bn) decline in dividend income on equity investments as well as a 8.9 percent YoY growth in operating expense were also responsible for the decline in profit. According to him, growth in operating expenses was driven essentially by increased technology and advert costs. On a Quarter-on-Quarter (QoQ) basis, he stated that gross earnings grew by 10.7 percent to N39.9bn driven by a 22.6 percent growth in Interest Income. "The Interest Income growth was largely driven by 25.6 percent (N5.4bn) growth in Interest Income on Loans while Interest Income on Liquid Assets increased by 13.5 percent (N0.9 billion) for the quarter", Okonkwo said. 

On a QoQ basis, the report stated that NIM increased to 7.0 percent from 6.5 percent in H1 2016 as the increase in the Bank's average yield on earning assets (0.8 percent) outpaced the growth of its funding cost (0.4 percent). "The increased yields on earning assets was driven by the re-pricing of the loan book and higher yields on liquid assets. Deposits grew by 3.4 percent (N26.0bn) from Dec 2015…" he explained. Low cost deposits, according to Okonkwo currently accounts for 78.4 percent of total deposits, adding that savings deposits grew by 20.4 percent from December 2015 as the Bank continued to implement its retail banking strategy which is being driven by its electronic products and channels.

"We have crossed the half a million customer base on subscribers to our flagship Instant Banking product:*770# (Mobile Phone USSD Technology) and we will be launching payment services to merchants using our Instant Banking product (*770#) in Q4, 2016", Okonkwo disclosed. Risk assets grew by 26.1 percent (N150.8bn) from Dec 2015 with the devaluation of the naira accounting for 20.4 percent (N118.2bn) of our loan growth. Foreign currency loans now constitute 45.3 percent of total loans up from 40.4 percent in Dec 2015 due to the currency devaluation. The organic loan growth of 5.6 percent was principally driven by on-lending facilities to the public sector. Cost of risk increased to 1.5 percent in 9M 2016 due to the N7.2bn impairment charge taken in Q2 and Q3 2016.

"We have continued to take a very prudent view of the impact of the currency devaluation, tougher operating environment and declining consumer disposable income on selected sectors of our loan portfolio. "NPL ratio increased to 4.5 percent largely due the macro-economic weakness which has negatively impacted on our asset quality metrics. "We are still focused on keeping our NPL ratio below 5.0 percent in this very challenging operating environment. Our other regulatory ratios (Liquidity Ratio / CAR) remained above the set thresholds, though Capital Adequacy Ratio improved from 16.4 percent in Q2 2016 to 16.8 percent in Q3, 2016, we expect CAR to revert to 18 percent+ once we adjust for the excess non-distributable reserves (N23bn) in our 2016FY audited accounts."

The Bank's key objectives for the 2016 Financial Year (FY) remains: redesigning its systems and processes to enhance service delivery, cost optimization initiatives to moderate expenses in a rising inflation environment, proactive risk management, increased customer adoption/migration to our digital platforms and increasing our retail banking market share".

NYP DAY: Youth can save Nigeria from economy woes

A member of the Nigerian Youth Parliament representing Taraba Central Youth Senatorial district, Jinadu Garvey Yawe has urged the Federal Government to tap into versatility of Nigerian youths to find a way out of the current economy recession.

Addressing a press conference to commemorate the 8th Nigerian Youth Parliament Day in Jalingo, Yawe said Nigerian youths has the potentials to boast the nation's economy and saved it from collapsing, saying Nigeria is blessed with a fantastic young population.

He said despite the economy recession many Nigerian youths are striving with various creative ideas in agriculture, entertainment, ICT, real estate among others.

"Nigerian youths have the potentials to boast the nation's economy and saved it from collapsing, with various creative business and entrepreneurial ideas among young adults, no doubt our economy will raise again.

"Young people should be give special consideration in every economic policy because we are the worse victims of bad economy policy," Yawe added.

According to Yawe, Nigerian youths deserve to be encouraged by all arms of government, while calling on all tiers of government to support the activities of Nigerian Youth Parliament as a best practice by many developed Democracies.

He however called on Nigerian Youths to be patriotic and law abiding by shunning all forms of anti-social voices and engaging in meaning venture that will help build a strong, united and prosperous Nigeria.

Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua had on 25th-August, 2008 inaugurated the First session of Nigerian Youth Parliament, a Youth Legislative body which serves as a training ground that teach, train and motivates Young People and creates a platform for Legislative and leadership skill acquisition.

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EROSION THREATENS FELELE COMMUNITY IN LOKOJA

Following the imminent ecological disaster threatening Felele community in Lokoja local government area of Kogi State, the President General of the town, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi has raised alarm over the erosion problem, calling on quick intervention by the government.

Rising from an emergency town hall meeting, the community noted that any further delay could see the community cut off by erosion.

Felele community, linking Okene/Abuja road has been washed away by erosion leaving ditches which cut off the major road in the community.

Also the community further pleaded with both the state and federal governments to come to their rescue by embarking on recovery of the road through asphalt and drainage construction.

Abdullahi, however commended the Lokoja local government, Kogi State and the federal governments on their interests in the community but pleaded with them to see the erosion menace as an embarrassment to the state.

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10 BEHIND THE SCENE DEVELOPMENTS AT FAILED PDP CONVENTION IN PH

1. BOT reconciliation committee recommendations for an all inclusive convention rejected by some 'Powerful' PDP Governors.

2. A shift in Convention Venue from Portharcourt to Abuja, Harmonisation of convention committee among the two factions, Adoption of the last congress executives as delegates and Co - convention chairmanship with Makarfi declaring convention open while Sheriff do the handing over to the newly elected PDP chairman. Both chairmen to address convention. All these were rejected by the said Governors.

3. Chief Bode George, Prof. Adeniran and High Chief Dokpesi resolved to jointly walk out of convention ground and hold a press conference over mutilation of delegates list in favour of an anointed aspirant.

4. Only Ondo and Ekiti state in south west will have their full delegates participating at the convention. Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos only has statutory delegates for the convention. Those state are having parallel executives while Oyo is yet to conduct congress.

5. Governor Fayose was blocked from leaving the Rivers state presidential lodge. He missed the re - arranged convention/ NEC meeting at the Rivers state PDP secretariat.

6. PDP Governors splits over Bode George and Jimi Agbaje. Governor Mimiko leading some governors for BG while Governor Wike/Fayose was leading others for Jimi Agbaje.

7. Some National PDP leaders including President Goodluck Jonathan, Fmr Senate President, David Mark, Fmr Speaker HOR Dimeji Bankole, Fmr Governors etc remain neutral in the PDP crisis therefore did not participate in the convention.

8. The botched PDP convention is a blessing in disguise since the outcome would have further polarised the Makarfi/Wike/Fayose/Mimiko faction.

9. A notable PDP leader/ Senator from Ogun State was alleged to be playing double game therefore leading to an open confrontation with another Ogun State National Assembly member.

10. The PDP crisis is more about positioning for 2019 elections and goes beyond the present gladiators. Crisis rumoured to be influenced by some APC bigwigs preparing grounds to launch their presidential ambition in PDP and some Governors promoting same to get the VP slot.

11. The court pronouncements in Abuja was aimed to create a vacuum in PDP leadership since the tenure of the Makarfi led CTC would have ended this weekend and the Governors countered this with the PHC FHC ruling. The party would have be left without a leadership or be forced to accept Sen. Ali Modu Sherriff had the convention fails to hold.

12. Arising from the irreconcilable differences in PDP leadership, it's becoming glaring that a new political platform is in the offing.
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OPEN LETTER TO AHMED ASIWAJU BOLA TINUBU

BY GENERAL ADEYINKA ADEBAYO

IYIN EKITI.

My dear Asiwaju,
I am compelled to write this open letter to you because of the state of affairs of the Yoruba nation. Firstly, I wish to acknowledge that fate has put you in a prime position to determine to a large extent the direction that the Yoruba people will go. The indisputable truth is that one may quarrel with your politics but your sagacity is never in doubt. Even those who don't see eye to eye with you agree that you are imbued with unusual native intelligence, uncommon people skills and unrivaled foresight. You, more than any other person, has been the game changer since the advent of democracy in 1999. It is for these reasons that I have chosen to direct this letter to you.

My singular purpose is to tug at the strings of your heart. I am not writing to appeal to partisan considerations but to see, if per chance, I can pour out my heart to you in a manner of speaking. God has blessed you even beyond your wildest imagination. You have installed Senators and Governors. You have removed Governors and even a President. You have also installed a President. There is nothing you have wished for or desired that you didn't get. Fortune has smiled on you. Goodwill follows you everywhere you go. You have done very well- more than most men ever will. However, there is one area that is begging for your urgent attention. This area may well define you and all you have ever achieved. This matter, in my opinion, is the only difference between you and the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Let me restate for the purpose of emphasis that this is the area in which the late sage and Leader of the Yorubas stand head and shoulders above you. It is the reason his name has been a constant denominator in our regional and national politics. It is the reason politicians, friends and foes invoke his name for political advantage and personal glory. It is also the reason why we can't stop talking about him almost thirty years after his death. What will anyone say about you thirty years after you have transited?

Asiwaju Sir, you may be wondering what I'm talking about? It is the issue of legacy. According to Peter Strople, 'Legacy is not leaving something for people, it is leaving something in people'. Legacy is building something that outlives you. Legacy is greater than currency. In the words of Leonard Sweet, ' What you do is your history. What you set in motion is your legacy'. You can't live forever, Sir. No one can. But you can create something that will. Enough of speaking in parables- I shall now speak plainly.
When destiny brought you on the scene, we were enamoured because you championed the case for true federalism. It was your belief then that the Yoruba nation will fare better under a restructured arrangement than under the type of unitary government we run while pretending by calling it a federal government. Everyone knows that there is nothing federal about our government at all. If truth must be told, the Yoruba nation has fared very badly since the advent of our new democracy. And this is not about holding power at the centre.

Let me bring this home: someone passed a comment recently that he would want Biafra to become a reality because he knows the Igbo nation will survive. That comment led me to deeper introspection as I wondered if the Yorubas can truly survive. Let me cite my first example. From Oyo to Osun, Ogun to Ondo, Ekiti to Kwara and Lagos, hardly will one see any serious industry or manufacturing concern owned by a Yoruba person. I am not talking about portfolio businesses or one-man business concerns. Most industries in Oyo State are owned by the Lebanese. The native business and industry gurus who dominated the landscape- Nathaniel Idowu, Amos Adegoke, Lekan Salami, Alao Arisekola, Adeola Odutola, Jimoh Odutola, Chief Theophilus Adediran Oni and others- are all gone with no credible replacements. I'm sure you remember the tyre factory of the Odutolas and how Jimoh Odutola was even asked by the Governments of Kenya and Ghana to set up a similar factory in their countries. Chief Theophilus Adediran Oni, popularly called T.A Oni & Sons started the first indigenous construction company in Nigeria. He willed his residence- Goodwill House, to the Oyo/Western state government, to be used as a Paediatric Hospital, which is now known as T.A Oni Memorial Children Hospital at Ring Road in Ibadan. This sprawling family Estate and residence was cited on a 15acre piece of land, 65 rooms, with modern conveniences, Olympic Swimming Pool and stable for Horses, etc.
People like Chief Bode Akindele started companies like Standard Breweries and Dr Pepper Soft drink factory at Alomaja in Ibadan. Broking House built by the late Femi Johnson, an insurance magnate, still stands glittering in the mid-day sun as an epitome to a rich history that Ibadan has. The most serious and only notable Yoruba entrepreneur we have now is Michael Adenuga. I say this quite consciously because most of the other names are oil and gas barons. Most of what stood as testaments of industry in Oyo State are gone- Exide Batteries, Leyland Autos and many others. In its place are shopping malls and road side markets but no nation develops through buying and selling alone- especially when you're not actually producing what you're selling. Hypermarkets and supermarkets have taken over because of the need to feed our insatiable consumer-appetite and foreign tastes. In one instance, an ancient landmark in the form of a hotel was demolished to pave way for a mall. That is how low we have sunk. If our past is better than our present- if we always look back with nostalgia frequently, then there is a problem.

The case of other states is not different. Osun's case is pathetic. Ditto for Ondo and Ekiti. Ogun State can boast of some factories at Sango-Otta and Agbara axis but most of them are not owned by the Yorubas. There is no significant pharmaceutical company owned by any Yoruba except for Bond Chemicals in Awe, Oyo State- and its wallet share is very insignificant. For Lagos State, more than 70% of the manufacturing concerns and major industries in the State are owned by the Igbos. If the Igbos were to stop paying tax in Lagos State, the IGR of Lagos State will reduce by over 60%. In contrast, Sir, go to the South East and look at the manufacturing concerns in Onitsha, Aba and Nnewi. Please don't forget those were areas ravaged by civil war a mere forty something years ago. The Igbos have certainly made tremendous progress but the Yoruba nation has regressed. I wish to state that this letter is not meant to whip up primordial considerations or ethnic sentiments but just to put things in proper perspective.

Asiwaju, I will like to also talk about the state of education in the Yoruba nation. Our education has gone to the dogs. We have a bunch of mis-educated and ill-educated young men and women roaming the streets. Ibadan, for instance, had the first University in Nigeria and the first set of research centres in Nigeria ( The Forestry Research Institute, the Cocoa Research Institute (CRIN), The Nigerian Cereal Research Institute Moor Plantation (NCRI), the NIHORT (Nigerian Institute of Horticultural Research), the NISER (Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research), IAR&T (Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training), amongst several others). Ibadan was the bastion of scholarship with people like Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, D.O Fagunwa and Amos Tutuola as residents. In the May/June 2015 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, Abia came tops. Anambra came 2nd while Edo was 3rd. Lagos placed 6th while Osun and Oyo was 29th and 26th. Ekiti was 11th, Ondo State was 13th and Ogun State was 19th. In 2013 WASSCE, only Lagos and Ogun States were the Yoruba States above the national average. If we do an analysis of how Lagos placed 6th in 2015, you will discover that it was substantially because of other nationalities resident in Lagos. For proof, please look no further than the winners of the Spelling Bee competition which has produced One-Day Governors in Lagos State. Since inception in 2001, other nationalities have won the competition six times (Ebuka Anisiobi in 2001, Ovuwhore Etiti in 2002, Abundance Ikechukwu in 2006, Daniel Osunbor in 2008, Akpakpan Iniodu Jones in 2011 and Lilian Ogbuefi in 2012). Sir, there is something seriously wrong about our state of education. From the vintage times of Obafemi Awolowo who initiated 'free education', we have regressed into a most parlous state.

Let me talk about roads, housing and infrastructure . The first dualized road in Nigeria, the Queen Elizabeth road from Mokola to Agodi in Ibadan was formally commissioned by Queen Elizabeth in 1956. The first Housing Estate in Nigeria is Bodija Housing Estate (also in Ibadan) which was built in 1958. The state of roads in the Yoruba nation has become pathetic. Our hinterland are still largely rural. Even some state capitals like Osogbo and Ado-Ekiti are big villages when you compare them to towns in the South East. How many new estates have been built over the last decade? Even Ajoda New Town lies in ruins.

We have abandoned the farm settlement strategy of the Western Region and only pay lip service to agriculture. Instead of feeding others like we once did, others now feed us. We plant no tomatoes, no pepper and the basic food that we require. The Indians have bought the large expanse of water body that we have in Onigambari village. The water body in Oke Ogun of Oyo State can provide enough fish to feed the whole of the South West. From being a major cocoa exporter many years ago, one can point to just a few vestiges of factories that still deal with Cocoa in the Yoruba nation. 80% of Cocoa processing industries in the South West have been shut down. The Chinese have taken over the cashew belt at Ogbomoso in Oyo State. They have even edged out the indigenes as brokers. They now come to the cashew belt to buy from the local farmers, sell on the spot to other Chinese exporters who now process the cashew nuts and import them back into Nigeria at a premium. Sir, there are only 7 major cashew processing plants in Nigeria and you can check out the ownership. The glory has departed from the Yoruba nation.

Apart from Asejire, Ede, Ikere Gorge and Oyan dams built ages ago, where are the new dams to cater for increased population and water capacity for the Yoruba nation? How have we improved on what our heroes past left us? Maybe apart from certain areas in Lagos State, others can't even supply their citizens with pipe-borne water.

Our youth which we used to take pride in are largely a mass of unemployed and unemployable people. Have you noticed the abundance of street urchins, area boys, touts and 'agberos' that we now have all across the Yoruba nation? Have you noticed the swell in the ranks of NURTW (I mean no disrespect to an otherwise noble union)? Have you noticed the increase in the number of Yoruba beggars? There was a time that it was taboo for a Yoruba man to beg- but no more. The spirit of apprenticeship is dead. There was a time that people who learn vocational skills celebrate what we referred to as 'freedom'. While that is largely moribund now in the Yoruba nation, the Igbos still practice it with great success.

The only thing we can boldly say the Yoruba nation controls is the information machinery- the press. We own largely the newspapers- the Nation, Punch, Nigerian Tribune, TV Continental and a few others. It is because of our control of this information machinery that we have rewritten the narrative in the country with the misguided self-belief that things are normal and we are making progress. A look beyond the surface will prove that this is so untrue.
We are largely divided. For the first time in the history of the Yoruba nation, religion is about to divide us further- and it is starting from Osun State. You are married to a Christian. My own father-in-law is an Alhaji. That is how we have peacefully do-existed but the fabrics are about to be torn to shreds because of poor management of issues. Afenifere has been reduced to a shadow of itself. OPC that once defended Yoruba interests has gone into oblivion. Yoruba elders have been vilified in the name of politics and partisanship. It is no longer news to see teenagers throwing stones at their elders because of their political indoctrination. Even under the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Yorubas never belonged to just a single party- yet our unity was without blemish. Now, our values have gone down the drain.

Asiwaju, I believe I have said enough. The task is Herculean but I believe Providence has brought you here for such a time like this. It is time for the Yoruba nation to clean up its acts. What do we really want? How can we quickly right the wrongs? The Yoruba nation is in a state of arrested development. The Yoruba nation is gasping for breath and crying for help. Will you rise up to the occasion? I am aware you understand that all politics is local and charity begins at home. Our fathers gave us a proverb: 'Bi o'ode o dun, bi igbe ni'gboro ri'. I know there are no quick fixes but I also know that if there is anyone who has the capacity to do something about our current situation, that person is you. This should be the legacy you should think of. Your legacy is our future.

Yours Very Sincerely,
Adebayo Adeyinka
Iyin-Ekiti
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Planned protest: CSOs withdraw ultimatum against Kachikwu

The Coalition of Civil Society groups have withdrawn an Ultimatum earlier issued to the Minister of State for Petroleum and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu to organise a protest if the lingering fuel scarcity fails to abate.

National President of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Positive Change, Venatius Torkuma who spoke on behalf of the groups in Abuja on Wednesday cited the interest of Nigerians and national stability for calling off the planned protests.

Torkuma noted that the protests would be counter-productive if they end up creating instability that could further worsen the fuel crisis.

He said "We also have concerns that a mass action can be easily hi-jacked at a critical time like this since those behind the long fuel queues are desperate and would go to any length to have their way, which in this case is to ensure that they remove Dr Kachikwu as the Group Managing Director of NNPC and Minister of State for Petroleum for their own selfish reasons that have nothing to do with our desire to end the suffering of Nigerians.

"Our intention in planning the mass action is noble and we will not unwittingly play into the hands of those destroying the oil industry by helping them create a vacancy at the NNPC and Petroleum Ministry to install their puppet. If we allow this to happen then the tendency is for these heartless people to renew their hold on the oil industry in a way that will make Nigerians suffer more." Torkuma explained.

The group however appealed to Dr Kachikwu and President Muhammadu Buhari to speed up the reforms in the oil sector to ensure that Nigerians will never again have cause to spend days and nights on fuel queues once the current shortage has been addressed.

It urged that the Federal Government strongly think of measures to immediately cushion the hardship that citizens suffer particularly in the face of poor electricity supply that is concurrent with the petrol shortage.

The leaders of other organisations that were present as Torkuma spoke were Ahmedu Usman of Middle Youth Leaders Congress (MYLC); Labake Boboye, Executive Director-Stand Up for Nigeria (SUN); Ikpa Isaac of Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency; and Khadijat Babangida from the Advocates of Social Justice for All (ASJA)

Oshodi demolition: Igbo traders demands 20bn compensation

..... denies Biafra affiliation
Ayodele Samuel,Lagos

Igbo Traders in the demolished Owonifari Market, Oshodi yesterday are demanding for 20 billion naira from the Lagos State government for properties and goods lost to the demolitions.

The traders under the Igbo Traders Congress while protesting the demolition at the market denied allegations that Biafra agitators were holding meetings inside the market.

Speaking on behalf of the traders, Chibuzor Onugha said the demolition was targeted at Igbo traders in the state.

"We are being punished because PDP won in this area, they alleged that the we are holding Biafra meeting its all false, they just want to punish the Igbo's for political reasons," Onugha said.

The traders said the state government breached the Court Injunction against demolition, saying its heading to court to seek compensation against the 20 billion goods lost to the demolition.

He said the markets accommodated about 5000 traders while the government only provided slots for 600 traders at the new Isopakodowo Market.  
However the Lagos State Government defended the relocation of traders plying their trade in Owonifari Market to the newly built ultra-modern Isopakodowo Market in Bolade-Oshodi, saying the action was taken in the overall interest of public good, safety and security.

Speaking during a joint press briefing addressed by the State’s Ministries of Information and Strategy, The Environment, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Office of Civic Engagement, the Government said it constructed an alternative market stall for the traders which can conveniently accommodate over 600 shops and hundreds of kee Clamps, and agreed to subsidize payment by giving shops at the new market at a monthly give away price of N5, 000.



Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde said the traders were adequately notified before the exercise took place as required by law, and that government engaged with the leadership of the market severally before carrying out the demolition exercise on Owonifari Market.

While clarifying issues on the demolition which took place on January 5, 2016, Ayorinde said it was important for people to note that the issue of the market had been on for nothing less than ten years, adding that government had been engaging the leadership of the market to make them realize that it could no longer continue in the manner in which the market was being used.

He said unfortunately, the leadership of the market, in the last three years, refused to move despite the fact that the new market has over 600 shops apart from the kee clamps which takes the number of people that the market could conveniently accommodate to over a thousand all together.

Ayorinde said having been satisfied that government had provided a befitting alternative, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode through the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, invited the leadership of the market to the Executive Chambers and met with them on December 16, 2015, where he reiterated his plans for Oshodi and the need to move the traders to Isopakodowo which as at that time had been ready for a couple of years.

Giving a further background, the Commissioner said: “A few of them expressed certain misgivings but largely they felt that if their interest would be accommodated within the Isopakodowo Market, that they were willing and ready to move and on our part, we said that the discussion should be ongoing particularly regarding how much they would pay for each store within that market.

“After that, on Monday December 21, 2015, Governor Ambode went on a tour of that market area particularly at Isopakodowo in company with a few members of the Exco. Again, we met with the leadership of the market where it was eventually agreed based on the proposition by the leadership that what they were willing to pay for each shop at Isopakodowo was N5, 000.

“There is nowhere in Lagos where you will agree to be paying N5, 000 per shop not to talk of the central Oshodi, but the Governor agreed with them and we said we were ready to concede after which we now formally served them with a quit notice through the office of the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development,” he said.

Speaking further, Ayorinde denied allegation that many goods of the traders were destroyed in the demolition exercise, adding that such was far from the truth.

He said: “The intention of government certainly was not to destroy any goods and we did not destroy any goods because we believe that a good number of the traders, if not all, had moved because they were aware that they needed to move.

“Government, I should say, will not be blackmailed because we had done everything humanly possible and you know that the hallmark of this government has been compassion. It is a compassionate government.

“The intention was not to destroy the market or destroy properties or to make life inconvenient for them. We believe very strongly that Isopakodowo market is quite ideal; its a lot bigger store-per-store than where they had been removed now and the aim of government, as we stated earlier, is to ensure that that area of the market conforms with the type of image that we want Lagos to be, which is to return sanity to the place, to beautify the market, to construct a world class bus terminus around that place and to ensure that people who use that place on a daily basis – the commuters, traders, everybody enjoy what it means to go to a market in a mega city.

“We also believe that the exercise will largely reduce the gridlock that is associated with that area and then the criminalities that were rampant in that Oshodi. What we have done is in the interest of the generality of Lagosians,” Ayorinde said.

He added: “You will see from the reports that quite a good chunk of the traders acknowledged that they had been properly served and that they were ready to move which was why a good number of them, if not all, parked their things just before the end of last year.

“Along the line, we got intelligence report that during the holidays there were a number of criminal activities going on in the market and that the place was harbouring criminals and a number of untoward activities which of course necessitated the need to move immediately to safeguard lives, to safeguard properties and to ensure that there was no breach of peace which was what led to the demolition.”

http://www.peoplesdailyng.com/oshodi-demolition-igbo-traders-demand-n20bn-compensation/

1000 traders displaced, as Lagos demolish Oshodi Market

Ayodele Samuel,Lagos

Yesterday, the Lagos State government commenced the demolition of about 40 year old Owonifari Electronic market in Oshodi, which displaced over 1000 traders.

Traders in the market said the demolition has  rendered over 10 thousand people jobless.

Officials  of the Lagos State Government lead by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had stormed the popular market located at the loop in Oshodi early hours of  Wednesday to commence the demolition exercise.

Ambode was accompanied by the Commissioner for Environment, Babatunde Adejare, officials of Kick Against Indiscipline, the police and other top government functionaries to supervise the exercise.

Traders however laments  that they were deprived the opportunity to remove their goods before demolition; even after they rushed down to the market with the aim to remove their goods, "we were prevented from entering our shops by heavily armed officers," Ebuka Austin told our reporter.

Peoples Daily Correspondent who witness the demolition gathered  that most of the traders whose property were destroyed had travelled home for the Yuletide and New Year celebration and are yet to return.
Few traders however were seen salvaging few properties from the rumbles of the demolition, lamenting that goods worth millions of naira have been lost to the demolition.

The Owonifari Market is famous for the sales of used and new electronics.

Despite tough talks, Nigeria Custom officers still aides smuggling, takes bribes at border

Peoples Daily (www.peoplesdailyng.com) Correspondent, Ayodele Samuel, who visited Idiroko border recently, reports that smuggling activities still flourish with new tactics employed. Officials of the Nigerian Customs Service do not seem to be marching action with the words of the service's new Comptroller General, Col Hammed Ali, (rtd). Ali, who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August this year, continues to talk tough against corrupt activities within the service, threatening fire and brimstone, but his men on Ota-Idiroko Highway do not seem to be on the same page with him. Ali, while addressing his officers in Sokoto, warned that any Customs Officer caught involved in corrupt practice, would serve the maximum 10 years jail term prescribed by law. "The minimum jail term for corrupt officers is five years, but I will make sure that any officer found to be corrupt gets the maximum jail term of 10 years. "This is to serve as a deterrent to any officer who finds himself in the Customs to make money and not to earn money. "I am not saying that there are no good, incorruptible officers in the service, but there are few bad eggs who are giving the service a bad name," Ali said. Our interactions with some smugglers, however, showed that smuggling activities are not really trimming down despite those stern warnings from the new customs boss. Officers manning several road blocks along Ota- Idiroko Highway leading to Nigeria's border with Benin Republic, were observed to engage in bribe taking, extortion and harassment of commuters. From Atan to Idiroko, Custom Public Relations Department at Idiroko Border confirms that there are over 26 checkpoints manned by 'heavily' armed officers to curb smuggling activities. "20 of the checkpoints are manned by officers from the Idiroko Command, Four are manned by operatives from the Federal Operating Unit in Ikeja, while the other two are manned by Special Anti-smuggling Task Force commonly called Abuja by Smugglers," Rashidat Jimoh of the Custom Idiroko Command Public Relations Office said. Our Correspondent gathered that at each checkpoint Custom officers hire touts, mainly highway traders to collect bribes on their behalf from smugglers. At a Custom checkpoint close to Atan junction, our correspondent witnessed touts collecting money from commercial vehicle drivers conveying smugglers and their goods to allow passage. "It depends on what you carry but we pay nothing less than N200 at each point," a middle-aged self-acclaimed female smuggler said. Customs officials wine and dine with smugglers, we know them and they can identify us," the middle aged woman told our correspondent. "Yes, it is now very difficult but we still 'settle' to have our goods into the country," she said. "I am a smuggler, it's my business for over eight years and I know my way on the route," she boasted to our correspondent in Yoruba. Custom officers takes 'sex bribe' Some Customs officers also allegedly take sex in lieu of cash as bribe. "It's either you settle with cash or they ask for sex, most female smugglers use their gender power in difficult times, if you put goods worth millions on the road you will stop at nothing to secure them," she added. Funmilayo Ademide said many female smugglers give in to sexual advances of some Customs Officers to protect their goods and businesses. Ademide described herself as an international clothier dealing in used clothes, saying, "I don't pay duty for my bales of used clothes but I'm a smuggler." Idiroko Highway is busier at night, smugglers hide under the cover of darkness to move contraband goods in large quantities, carrying arms to resist arrests and seizures. Customs officers also in turn, set up more road blocks but 80 percent of the smuggled goods still find their way into the Nigerian markets. "At night we have more checkpoints because that's when the business thrives, more smugglers are on the road, this highway is always busy then because heavy goods will be on the road and the Customs will make more money," an anonymous resident told our reporter. According to him, some top Customs officials also control batches of smuggling rings who bring into the country all manners of contraband and cars without paying duties. But Controller Federal Operations Unit, zone 'A' Ikeja, Comptroller Madugu Sani Jubrin, said he is deeply committed to eradicating smuggling along the nooks and crannies of areas under his watch. The Unit recorded seizures of assorted prohibited goods valued at over fifty million naira (N50,000,000.00) recently. Vowing not to rest on his oars, Madugu said, "the unit recorded four thousand, seven hundred and thirty three (4,733) different remarkable seizures, valued at forty five million, five hundred and eighty six thousand, nine hundred naira (N45,586,900.00) between November 6th – 14th November, 2015." Although Customs authorities reel out seizures of goods, for every goods confiscated, thousands have been allowed passage after bribe collection, our correspondent gathered. ‎"Goods seized by customs officials are because the owners could not meet their conditions of 'settlement'. When my goods were seized last month, I was asked to bring N100,000 which I could not raise before my goods were confiscated," Ademide said, adding that most of the goods end up in the custom officers' private warehouses or their wives' stores. "When they want to invite you journalists they are always tough on us that week, or if a new officer just arrives or promoted they clampdown on us," she noted. According to her, inside sources warn ahead of such clampdowns, "we have groups and known each other, those who are closer to them will be informed about their operation, so they signal that the road is not clear for business and we keep off," Ademide, a graduate of Public Administration from a University in Ogun State explained. Risky but too attractive The major trade in Idiroko Area of Ipokia Local Government of Ogun State is smuggling, but more than 50 youths have been lost to the illicit trade in the last two years. Community dwellers within the border points see smuggling as an enterprising business and are finding it difficult to refrain from the illegal trade despite constituting serious economic sabotage to the country. A youth leader in Idiroko community, Segun Biola, said hundreds of smugglers also lost their lives to various road accidents along Idiroko Highway but it's not wading off new entrant into the illicit business. Aside from deaths, smugglers also lost huge amounts of money and goods to confiscation, "that is the business risk," says Toyo Benta, who claim to have lost over 30bags of rice to Customs officials. "In May 2015, over 30 bags were seized from me, I lost a lot of money because I tried bribing to get it out but I failed; I learnt it was taken to Ikeja," Benta said. She added that smugglers also use black powers (Juju) in smuggling their goods, "I have a friend whose goods had never been seized, I am sure it's juju that is working for her." An agent at the border, Ayeni Taofek, said hundreds of youths are daring the risks associated with smuggling due to increasing unemployment in the country. He said sometimes, there are clashes between smugglers and Custom officers that claim lives. "Those that smuggle through the bush are the dangerous ones because they carry guns and when they clash with customs they record casualties but for us here at the border we 'clear our way' with money," he hinted. Taofek said he's making fortunes, noting that, "this is where I take my national cake, those in government are not ready to help us that is why we are here." Semiu Olumide who also specializes in smuggling of cars blames his involvement on bad governance in the country. Olumide said he dropped out of school after his parents could not afford his examination fees. For him, aside making brisk profit from smuggling activities, it's the only means of being engaged. He said the increment in car tariff has also encourage smuggling activities. "Now that we pay high tariff on importing Tokunbo cars, dealers prefer to smuggle them in through the bush to make profit, although it's a 50-50 chance because you lose the vehicles once you are caught and some might just be killed in the process," he said. Ayodele Samuel is a Lagos based Investigative journalist with special interest in human right activities, he can be contact via gtms06@yahoo.com and @ayodelesamuel9 http://news.peoplesdailyng.com/index.php/2015/12/05/idiroko-where-checkpoints-abet-smuggling/

Meet Bashir Suleiman, Abuja cleanest Barrow Pusher

Chiemezie Claire Asunugwo-Anyanwu shares her experience with Bashir Suleiman, the cleanest Mai Barrow in Abuja

You can find dignity in your job.

His name is Bashir Suleiman, he's a Mai-barrow and a proud one at that. I was privileged to have him gather my groceries and produce for me as I shopped in the market today.

First of all he was very well dressed with his clothes well ironed as if he was going to a proper office work and I was told by the fruit seller who saw my initial surprise when Bashir approached me that it was his custom to dress well daily to his Mai-barrow job. It got even more interesting when I caught a whiff of his "perfume" and noticed his socked feet in a pair of well polished sandals😀. Other barrow pushers approached me but with my curiosity already piqued and biased towards Bashir, I felt it an honor to have him gather my stuff for today.

Next, he had very good communication skills, his grammar may not have been ivy-league standard, but we communicated very easily while he helped bridge the gap between my Hausa language spattering and my needful communication in same language with my customers who spoke little or no English.

Bashir was very much involved in every bit of my shopping making sure I wasn't cheated and my change was properly counted out and given to me.

Bashir also showed me the best places I didn't even know existed in the market to buy the freshest produce at competitive prices.

Bashir was attentive, involved, sharp, smart, fast and market savvy too.

Whilst we were shopping, Bashir got as many as 3 different phone calls from customers like me who were en route the market and wanted him on standby for them. One told him where to wait for her while the other told him she was prepared to wait till he was free to serve her since he was currently engaged.

Bashir did his job with a great attitude and a smile, he was polite and courteous yet humble and ready to serve.

At the end, I had to give Bashir much more than I have ever given a Mai-barrow( and believe me I always tip them generously) because Bashir beat all stereotypes and made my life much easier today.

Of course I left with Bashir's phone number decisively saved in my phone book. People like Bashir have further strengthened my belief that the future generation of our country can and will excel and be better than the past generations. Tomorrow we may just see a registered company--Bashir Uber-Mai-barrow Ltd, with clean, well dressed and courteous service boys...making shoppers' lives easier, earning good money, even paying taxes to the government and contributing their quota to the system versus the modern day entrenchment of criminality by the teeming unemployable youth that are not ready to work yet maraud the society today.

Now this is what I call, progress, long sightedness, wisdom and imminent vital prosperity. Let's all join hands and make the skies of these young men a stepping stone by encouraging them in whatever ways possible.
Credit: Chiemezie Claire Asunugwo-Anyanwu 2015
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KOGI: HOW APC GOVERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN FLAG-OFF SHOCK PDP

KOGI: HOW APC GOVERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN FLAG-OFF SHOCK PDP

By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab

If the mammoth crowd that attended the governatorial campaign flag-off of Prince Abubakar Audu in Lokoja is a yardstick to determine who wins an election, the former Governor and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is on course towards capturing the Conflence State on November 21.

The 25,000 capacity Lokoja Confluence Stadium was filled to capacity as early as 7.30am. Thousands of APC supporters who arrived the venue late squatted outside the stadium complex and the major road leading to the Kogi State House of Assembly.This development led to a serious traffic gridlock as motorists battled for hours before they could wriggle out of the hold up.

The campaign committee and the leadership of the party in the state appeared to have done their homework very well preparatory to the rally as the party was able to mobilise youths, men and women across the state to attend the rally.

Prior to the October 31date of the rally, the state APC took adverts in almost all the electronic media in the state announcing the date for the rally and the need for the people of the state to attend the rally. The jingle ran for almost one week. The print media also had a fair share of the deal as adverts were placed in select national dailies and some local tabloid to announce the rally and also welcome the August visitors and supporters of the APC.

It was an electrifying moment as shouts of "Audu oyoyo! Audu oyoyo!, APC... Change" rend the air. The atmosphere was fully charged as the APC National Chairman, Cheif John Oyegun and other dignitaries that attended the rally took turns to make their speeches.

Oyegun and all the speakers at the event spoke on the need to effect a change in Kogi State.

Audu, who was the first to fire the salvo, said he would transform the state's ailing economy when elected and would provide jobs for the masses of Kogi.

He said, the fundamental issues facing this state is infrastructural decay and the problem of economy which was being made worse by the present administration. "I assure you that we are going to finally assemble a competent team of Kogites to efficiently manage the state. I am appealing to you; the damage done to this state is great. The level of unemployment, level of non payment of workers salaries is intolerable. The journey has begun. It will take time, it will take patience, it will take support from you to make sure that we succeed."

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who thrilled the audience with his rave song "Wada comot for road, Audu na buldozer" said change was necessary in Kogi State. He said change in Kogi would come through the APC governatorial candidate and called on APC supporters to vote for Audu.

Also speaking, Isah Jibrin Echocho, explained why he defected to the APC.

He said progress for Kogi State would come faster with the APC than with the ruling PDP, stressing that the Wada-led administration was not serious about government business.

Echocho said, "I am impressed by what I am seeing here today. This is a clear testimony that indeed the good people of Kogi State will come out en masse and overwhelmingly vote Prince Abubakar Audu.

The highly elated APC national chairman, Chief John Oyegun applauded the choice of Audu as the APC governoship candidate, saying that Audu was deliberately chosen to move the state forward.

He said, "The train of change is setting out from Kogi State. Great people of Kogi State, are you happy? Who is your governor? Audu, "the crowd answered." Let me present to you the Governor-in-waiting of Kogi State. Do you want good roads, do you want better schools, do you want to wipe out corruption? Then, take a good look at Prince Audu. He is as straight in character as his figure is in figurative terms.

Dignitaries at the flag-off include governors of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, Nasarawa state, Tanko Almakura, Benue state, Samuel Ortom, Senator George Akume, Jide Kosoko, other national leaders, party faithfuls and supporters.
Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab lives in Kogi
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Are you looking for a child? This testimony will convince you that you can still have a baby despite all negative reports

Ogunbotu Comfort Abosede shared her testimony on how God blessed her with a baby despite negative medical reports, plus steps she took... Enjoy

I got married in 2012 and had been trusting God for the fruit of the womb. Then my menstrual periods became irregular. Sometimes, it will show up once in 6 months. I was advised to run fertility tests by my gynecologist and to my amazement, the results were terrible. I was diagnosed of blocked fallopian tube, PCOS(ovarian cysts) and annovulation( meaning I was not ovulating). I was so depressed and I wondered how on earth I would conceive without menstruating not to talk of ovulating. So we commenced treatment and I had to use many drugs, we spent so much yet there were no changes, infact the monthly periods stopped totally. We moved from hospital to hospital and from pillar to post.One fateful day in church(Daystar Christian Centre), I came across an invite to baby showers by Joyful mothers and fathers forum.My attendance at the program marked a turning point in my life. I discovered that the forum was for couples that were trusting God for the fruit of the womb and couples that were already pregnant who were trusting God for safe carriage and delivery. That day was awesome. I heard so many testimonies and I realized I wasn't alone. I learnt meetings were held every saturday so I made up my mind to start attending.
The very 1st saturday I attended, I was presented a book titled God's waiting room written by Yewande Zaccheus. Then a spirit filled teacher revealed so many scriptures to us concerning what God had said about conception and I was extremely blessed that day. That book took my breath away, I devoured it in a day as soon as I read the first page. The teachings at the meetings every week and that book multiplied my faith. I went to the bookshop and realized the book even had other parts so I bought more copies and sowed them into the lives of other waiting couples.
My husband and I kept on attending JMJF forum in church and usually got inspired through the uncountable testimonies that were shared and the teachings and our faith was strengthened by them all. At the end of that year,we still had not conceived and my younger sister had her baby. Pressure started mounting from all sides but I won't stop thanking God for the encouragements he brought our way and for not letting us fall into depression. Our thinking had changed and our faith had been renewed. So many scriptures kept me going when I felt low especially Gen 1:28 and Ps 128:3. I and my hubby used to feel bad before whenever we heard someone had conceived or had a baby and we would avoid the naming ceremonies so that I would not start crying as usual. I can't begin to say all the trauma, insults and embarrassments I experienced from various people just because I wasn't yet pregnant. In 2014,We kept on attending JMJF, observed the fasts, and in faith, we obeyed the instructions to buy our baby things, we put our baby's bed permanently on our bed and I remember friends used to giggle at the sight of our empty baby's bed when they had the chance to enter our room. They wondered what had come over us.We prepared a list of our baby's name and put it on the bed,someone once gave us money for our kids so we put the money in the bed too.
We had a prayer meeting at the forum and an instruction was given to us all that we should not doubt God by trying to help God and that we should put our total trust in him. So we keyed in and started declaring that we want all the glory to be to God when our prayers get answered. We didn't want any doctor or drug to share God's glory. Why would we have to pay for what God gives free of charge?
2014 was our year of enlargement and we had many testimonies of people conceiving and having their children at the forum. We intensified our faith and joined service units in church because we knew that if we worked for God, he would reward us. We read our pregnancy confessions every morning before leaving the house and we wore customized shirts with our baby's names. In my service unit, we use code names rather than real names and I chose fruity as my name so that I will be called by what God called me. God had called me fruitful and not barren. So people called me fruity though they didn't know why and I used to say amen on the inside.
On bbm, I changed my name to a long list of my baby names and people wondered why.Our mindset had changed. We attended many baby namings and rejoiced with all we heard had babies and gave them gifts. As it is written in God's word that we should give thanks in all things, we started thanking God over our situation and stopped complaining and we rejoiced with those rejoicing. We refused to focus on what we didn't have but on all what God had given us. We started attending service at the church annex where couples with babies sat even though we did not have any physical baby. I used to take communion twice there, one for me and for my baby in faith.
Over time, people said all sorts, some advised us to go to prayer warrior churches because they felt our church prayers were not spiritual enough. Some gave us addresses of some so-called excellent hospitals, some people even suggested spiritualists and traditional midwives. Others advised different types of herbs but we stood on God's word that promised us conception and the fact that we would not help God.
When it was Dec 31st, I was a bit discouraged that my prayer did not look like it had been answered because I had made a pledge to God which I promised to redeem if I could conceive in 2014. But then, I still glorified God and danced like never before at the watchnight service because I still had my life. Meanwhile, the last time I went for a pregnancy test was in April 2014 and it came out negative. When we got home that day, I took my biro, cancelled the negative result and wrote positive. I remember my husband smiled and said Amen o and he prayed that the next test I would do would be positive so he stapled that result to the wall in our room. I made up my mind not to go to the hospital again till it will be time for antenatal in faith so I substituted hospital visitations with JMJF meetings and substituted drugs with holy communion. Pastor Kenny declared in church one day that the money we were supposed to spend in the hospital will be used to buy clothes and to enjoy ourselves and I keyed in. I drained my account and went to shop for more baby things, then I went to family first bookshop in church and bought many pregnancy books based on healing by faith.I kept on sowing, I gave out more copies of God's waiting room book and September baby shower JMJF DVDs.
In 2015, our year of promotion, on the 24th of January, on our way to JMJF meeting, I had to attend to some issues so my husband got there before me. On my way back, I called him to find out which class he was in and he said he was in expectant class( for those yet to get pregnant) and I replied him that we were pregnant already in faith and pleaded with him to move to pregnancy class. The meeting had ended by the time I got there so I just knelt in the pregnancy class and prayed to God to put me there in this year 2015.
On the 26th of January which was a Monday, I felt so sick and my hubby suggested anti malaria drugs but I just insisted on paracetamol . When there were no changes he dragged me to the hospital and everything happened in a flash, I was confirmed pregnant in the same hospital that had told me it would not be possible if I did not undergo treatment. Me that I had no menses,i did a scan and did another test to confirm and all came back positive. Joy overflowed in our hearts and tears of joy filled my eyes. At last! God had answered our prayers. My husband then took that result and placed it beside the one that had been on the wall in 2014 and we realized that it was exactly the same 26th, 9 months ago that I cancelled that negative result with my pen.
Truly, God is awesome because the scan revealed that I conceived in 2014 so God answered my prayers afterall in our year of enlargement and I went to redeem my pledge. My pregnancy journey was wonderful and God blessed me with extra ordinary strength. I didn't experience most of the negative predictions by experienced mothers, infact I was glowing. God was faithful till the end and he blessed us with a bouncing baby boy in September 2015. God truly makes everything beautiful in his time because in this same 2015, he bIessed us all round and opened greater doors to us miraculously.
I thank God for giving me a very wonderful and supportive husband who never made life miserable for me because I couldn't conceive on time. I thank Pastor Sam and Nike Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre for helping me to know that I could communicate with God directly without having to consult any medium. I thank the teachers in Joyful Mothers and Fathers forum at Daystar for opening my eyes to the power of faith.I also thank those who prayed with us and called us fruitful in our service unit(Starguard) in church. God bless my home fellowship members for their endless prayers. I thank Pastor Moses Oyerinde of EFCC church, Ago-Iwoye for his encouragement, support and prayers from school days till now. He even honored me by presiding over the naming of our son. I thank my beautiful mother and my sisters for their unending support. God bless my friends, my colleagues at Grand Oak Ltd and all those I can't mention who stood by me. God bless Mrs Yewande Zaccheus for writing that book.
My brothers and sisters, with God, nothing shall be impossible! Don't compare yourself with others, we all have our individual races to run. At the end, only God will do what only he can do. He is the one that can do all things. He makes a way where there seems to be no way and he honors our faith.
Part of the pledge I made to God if he answered my prayer was to proclaim his goodness far and wide and to testify to his faithfulness which is what I am doing. Please don't hesitate to help me spread this message to encourage a soul. There is a beautiful future for all those who put their total trust in God. Don't let that negative report depress you. It is what God says that is final not what that negative situation says. God still answers prayers so don't give up. Just believe!
I and my husband did a lot of fasting and praying and God did not let all be in vain. We even prayed for our son all the time when we had not yet conceived. What would we have done if nothing happened after everything? Many people have been trusting God for one thing or the other for decades and they are still waiting. God will have compassion on who he will have compassion on. It has not been by our power or might. Please praise the Lord on our behalf for his faithfulness. I pray that whatever it is you are trusting God for will be given unto you. God will honor your faith and you will not wait in vain. You will have a reason to testify in Jesus name.
Please join me in praising the Lord of Hosts! The God that changed my name, the Father that took away my reproach, the one that disgraced my negative medical report by giving me a wonderful son without any man's intervention, Awimayehun, Alagbada ina, Asoromatase, the King of kings, Lion of Judah, Rose of Sharon, Balm in Gilead. Oba awon Oba, Oyigiyigi Glory! Halleluyah. God that turn impossibility to possibility, may ur name be praise!
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WHERE DID WE GO WRONG? WAKE UP NIGERIAN YOUTHS

Awolowo was (37), Akintola (36), Ahmadu Bello (36) Balewa (34)
and Okotie-Eboh (27), Enahoro (27) led the struggle for
independence after the death of Macaulay. Only Zik was 42 at the
time.
In 1966, the first coup was led by: Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu
(29) and countered by Murtala Mohammed (28), Theophilus
Danjuma (28), Babangida (25), Nanven Garba (23), Sani Abacha
(23), Shehu Musa Yaradua (23), and brought into power Gowon
(32), Ojukwu (33), Obasanjo (29), Buhari (24).
Most of the military administrators who governed the states under
the successive military regimes, most of whom are governors now,
were under 30 years.
The brief democratic dispensation which interjected the military
interregnums also saw the House of Representativesin particular
populated by majority of members under 30 years as well as some
senators.
Under 30s were also not in short supply with appointments, we
have examples of MT Mbu who became foreign affairs minister at
23 and Pat Utomi who became a presidential adviser at 27 and so
on and so forth.
NOW:
Why is it that this age bracket is today still sleeping in 3 seater
chairs in their parents' homes?
Why is it that this age bracket is today still collecting pocket money
from their parents?
Why is it that this age bracket is today still writing JAMB?
Why is it that this age bracket is today still sagging their trousers?
Why is it that this age bracket is today still searching for jobs, not
yet married?
Why is it that this age bracket is today no longer qualified to even
be leaders of youth wings of political parties?
Why is it that this age bracket is today so docile?
Why is it that this age bracket is today still incapable of feeding
itself?
Why is it that this age bracket is today barred by law from even
aspiring to certain political offices?
Why is it that this age bracket is today incapacitated, unwilling,
unable and incapable of asking questions?
GOD BLESS NIGERIA!
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What did Azikiwe do for the East?

The first thing Azikiwe did on becoming premier in Enugu was to design the Eastern Nigerian Economic Reconstruction plan (1954-1964) as the blueprint for Eastern Nigerian development.

It is now on record that published accounts placed the Eastern Nigerian economy as the fastest growing economy in the world by 1964. It was based on the Zik plan that the Industrial Estates at Enugu, Trans-Amadi (PH) and Aba were built.

The Agricultural and industrial policies later implemented by Okpara was at the core of that program. There was not a single city in the East that did not become an industrial hub - from the Modern Breweries, Ceramics, and so on in Umuahia, to the first integrated Gas plant, the Niger Gas, or even the Niger Steel plant, which was billed to be integrated with the proposed Onitsha integrated Steel corporation that was later moved to Ajaokuta, as the first of such in the continent, and which was, with the Tri-city industrial Gas pipeline already laid between Port-Harcourt and Aba, with the Owerri end at foot, to be the hub of Eastern Nigerian Industrial and Technological development. All these were destroyed by the Civil war.

The Eastern Nigerian Pharmaceutical Laboratories and Corporation, which later partnered and became Pfizer (WA) was established in Aba by Zik. It became Pfizer's West African Operational Headquarters until it was moved to Lagos in 1970 at the end of the war.

As at 1967, Aba stood on same footing with Lagos as an industrializing city: whatever industry was established in Lagos was also established in Aba - the Nigerian Breweries, Nestle's first production HQ, Lever Brothers, Proctor & gamble etc; all had Aba operations to serve Central West Africa, all because of the great Zik.

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3,000 displaced persons faced starvation in Kuka Reta

3,000 displaced persons faced starvation in Kuka Reta

About 3,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) whose camp is in Kuka Reta town are currently in serious danger. Kuka Reta Town is about fifteen (15) kilometers from Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State. Reliable sources confirm that the camp has run out of food supply, drinkable water and drugs.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is constrained to raise the alarm on the frightening situation in Kuka Reta IDP camp in view of the dangers inherent in the exposure of IDPs to such inhuman conditions. Apart from hunger, starvation, malnutrition and the likelihood of deaths, diseases such as cholera and diarrhea are likely to spread within the camp.

MURIC is confounded by the enormity of the danger and hardship to which IDPs in Kuka Reta camp are exposed. We condemn this culpable negligence on the part of the authorities. We therefore call on the Yobe State Government, the state's arm of the National Emergency Agency (NEMA) and all aids groups in the state to address the issue with military dispatch.

In addition, we appeal to international donors and the world community at large to come to the aid of the traumatized people of North East Nigeria as it now appears the Nigerian government alone cannot bring succour to the more than 1.5 million people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

In conclusion, we reiterate the need for the Federal Government of Nigeria to establish the North East Development Commission (NEDEC) to cushion the effects of economic degradation of the region after four years of brutal attacks, deliberate destruction of infrastructure and the attendant cessation of socio-economic life.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
08182119714
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Former Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi can become a Minister without undergoing Senate Screening.

According to the Nigerian Constitution, if the Senate
does not confirm or reject Amaechi within twenty-one
working days of the receipt of nomination he
automatically becomes a Minister of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
See excerpt from Nigerian constitution below:
147. (1) There shall be such offices of Ministers of
the Government of the Federation as may be
established by the President.
(2) Any appointment to the office of Minister of the
Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination
of any person to such office is confirmed by the
Senate, be made by the President.
(3) Any appointment under subsection (2) of this
section by the President shall be in conformity with
the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:-
provided that in giving effect to the provisions
aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one
Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene
of such State.
(4) Where a member of the National Assembly or of
a House of Assembly is appointed as Minister of the
Government of the Federation, he shall be deemed to
have resigned his membership of the National
Assembly or of the House of Assembly on his taking
the oath of office as Minister.
(5) No person shall be appointed as a Minister of the
Government of the Federation unless he is qualified
for election as a member of the House of
Representatives.
(6) An appointment to any of the offices aforesaid
shall be deemed to have been made where no return
has been received from the Senate within twenty-one
working days of the receipt of nomination by the
Senate.

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