Nigeria @52: Nigeria Have Got Great News for You

Nigeria, so many things have been said about you, you are arguably the most controversial country on earth, only few people have said something good and great about you. Your case is just like the case of the biblical Nazareth- can any good thing come out of Nazareth said the people, but indeed something better and awesome came out of Nazareth. You have been shattered and your name has been dragged in mud. Countries that are supposed to look up on you apparently now look down on you, even your inhabitants don`t believe in you any longer. But, listen! Have got great news for you:

ONDO STATE: MAINTAIN YOUR DIGNITY * THE ANSWER IS CHANGE!

I am not a fan of any political party neither am I a supporter of any gubernatorial candidate but I’m a student of history and as such, in full support of the maintenance of the dignity of my dear state - Ondo state.

A brief history and review of the state as a whole will be of great importance and could effectively serve as a point of departure of this logical piece of write up.

SUDDENLY GOD WAS NAKED!

Almost a year ago in New Jersey, I was confronted with the irresistible responsibility of telling the story of how Nigerians stripped Nigeria naked and how we veered in the direction of heaven to strip God naked. What took me to New York was the story of Tolerance Academy, I didn’t have an inkling that I would be invited to New Jersey to tell the other story of Nigeria. But because I hate to tell the other story of my country whenever I am out of the shores, I prayed hard that the cup should pass over me.

The Fulani Will Not Leave

The stage is set for committing a major war crime in Nigeria. The Special Task Force (STF) in Jos under the command of Maj-General Henry Ayoola yesterday issued an order of evacuation within 48 hrs to a number of Fulani dominated towns in Barikin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas for a military operation that will commence there, otherwise, their lives cannot be guaranteed. The STF statement read:

NIGERIA AND THE BATTLE WITH UNHOLY TRINITY

In the religious sense of the word “trinity”, it is meant to be holy and sacred but so many situations happening in my dear country – Nigeria, has made me to understand that sometimes trinity is not a word which is to be solely associated with features of sacredness and holiness in totality. With reference to the realities of current aberrations that has bedeviled the country, we would be talking about the profane trinity. Nigeria today suffers from the shackles of profane trinity of– Corruption, Bad governance and Terrorism which has put our country into shambles and disorderliness.

NIGERIA: KLEPTOCRACY OR DEMOCRACY?

When most Nigerians heard about the sudden demise of the former military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha who died on the 9^th of June, 1998, they thought the end has come completely to their sufferings, pains, government infliction, bad governance and the likes and believed that soon, things will be on the right track because his death would give room for the long awaited democratically elected government, which is widely believed to be the best form of governance with numerous benefits. The whole saga brought about democracy in Nigeria and on May 29^th 1999, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as the first democratically elected president of

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN

Dear Mr. President,

Sir, it is with great sense of disappointment that I write you this letter. Like many others I hoped that your election would bring a salutary change of direction to the country and that you will deliver the true dividend of democracy to the people going by the gospel of transformation you preached during your campaign coupled with your innocent look. Everyone had thought that the messiah has come to Nigeria and majority could not just wait to give you their mandate which they all did. However I have keenly observed that you have in turned paid evil for good to Nigerians who gave you their

NIGERIA’S DEVELOPMENT: A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILTY

The world knows that our system is decaying at an alarming rate, everybody knows that what we practise in the country is less of democracy but more of kleptocracy - a form of political and government corruption where the government exists to increase the personal wealth and political power of its officials and the ruling class at the expense of the wider population, often without pretence of honest service which is often achieved by the embezzlement of

NIGERIA: INDISCIPLINE BECOMING OUR CULTURE

The integrated pattern of human behaviour that includes thought, speech, action, artefacts and depends upon the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations  also, the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group is what is referred to as  culture. In a nut shell,

IBORI’S LEGAL TEAM TO APPEAL SENTENCE

WARRI—THE legal team of the former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori is to appeal the 13 years sentence handed him by a London court last week.

A reliable member of the team and a Warri- based legal practitioner, who does not want his name in print, told Vanguard exclusively, that the judgment of the court sentencing Chief Ibori to a prison term of four years and nine months was against the spirit and letter of the plea bargain reached with

NIGERIA CONVICTED ALONGSIDE IBORI

Supporters of former Delta State governor James Ibori were on Monday barred from the London’s Southwark Crown Court room where he was to be sentenced after pleading guilty to money laundering.

Many of the supporters also claimed to be journalists representing various Nigerian media just to find their way into

FORMER NIGERIA STATE GOVERNOR JAMES IBORI RECEIVES 13-YEAR SENTENCE

Former governor of Nigeria's oil-rich Delta state is sentenced by London court after pleading guilty to fraud and money laundering

James Ibori, a petty thief who eventually became one of Nigeria's richest men, has received a 13-year jail sentence after admitting fraud of nearly £50m, described by the judge as probably "ludicrously low".

The former governor of Delta state in Nigeria pleaded guilty in February to

IBORI: PROSECUTION CLOSES CASE TODAY

Contrary to earlier reports that former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, will be sentenced by a London court today, Vanguard gathered that from 9:00am this morning the prosecution will make a case against Ibori at Southwark court.

The prosecution, however, is expected to close its case while the defence is to make allocutus tomorrow before the judge will pass

RE: WEALTHY PASTORS IMPOVERISHED MEMBERS

“I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not, yet you are cheating me. How? You ask. In the manner of tithes and offerings. A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. Bring the full amount of your tithes to the temple so that there will be plenty of food there’’ Malachi 3 vs. 8 - 10b.”

It takes extra courage to write on something like this, because it is more of the spiritual than of the physical. This piece of write up is not intended to

OUR FATHERS ARE WICKED

Have you ever heard your teacher or lecturer says that when he/she was in school, education was not like this, it was much more organized and accorded with more respect for it was highly valued - it was interesting and worth its standard or “during my time things were far better than this”. Have you ever asked why it was so then and like this now? What happened to the system? What went wrong? Have you ever

EASTER DAY BOMBING: AT LEAST 20 DEAD IN BOMB ATTACK NEAR KADUNA CHURCH

KADUNA (AFP) - A car bomb attack outside a church in Kaduna on Easter Sunday left at least 20 dead and scores wounded, a rescue source said.

The explosion, a stark reminder of Christmas Day attacks that left dozens dead in the country, occurred where motorcycle taxi drivers and passersby caught much

....SO THAT THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF FOOD THERE....

“I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not, you are cheating me. How? You ask. In the manner of tithes and offerings. A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. Bring the full amount of your tithes to the temple so that there will be plenty of food there’’ Malachi 3 vs. 8 - 10b.”

It takes extra courage to write on something like this, because it is more of

NIGERIA: THE DIAGNOSIS AND THE PROGNOSIS

Just like every normal human being in the world, nations also fall sick. Every nation in the world, at one time or the other has fallen sick in one area or another either economically, socially, politically and what have you. But while some countries quickly seek for diagnosis of their illnesses and after which give room for treatments, some do not move for diagnosis of their illness and such are not ready for treatments while the last group get diagnosed but are not ready for

WISE SAYING FOR THE WEEK

........Keep evil advisers away from the king and his government will be known for its justice.........

ONDO STATE: MAINTAIN YOUR DIGNITY * THE ANSWER IS CHANGE

I am not a fan of any political party neither am I a supporter of any gubernatorial candidate but I’m a student of history and as such, in full support of the maintenance of the dignity of my dear state - Ondo state.

A brief history and review of the state as a whole will be of great importance and could effectively serve as a point of departure of this logical piece of

PASTOR ADEBOYE ASSURES OF PEACE

GENERAL Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who turned 70 years, on Friday, has assured the president and the people of Nigeria that there would peace in every part of the country, stressing that forces militating against peace in Nigeria would soon be consumed by the fire of

GOV LAMIDO SANUSI AND HIS MANY CONTROVERSIES

Lamido Sanusi is not a man to quiver in the face of verbal attacks resulting from his views. His upbringing as a prince must have imbued him with the courage to defend his convictions no matter what his adversaries say. But the last one month has not been the best of times for the economist and grandson of Muhammadu Sanusi, the 11th Emir of Kano. Since his interview with the Financial Times of London, where

RIBADU AND THE FATE OF 'BAIDU

The question has always arisen whether “good people”, to put it in that simple way, should serve under “bad governments”.

The latest of such occasions in Nigeria is the appointment of Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the founding Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and a Presidential candidate under the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, as the

THE SIX COUNT CHARGE AGAINST SYLVA

By Emma Amaize & IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday dragged the immediate past governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timpre Sylva to the Abuja High Court over alleged fraudulent stealing of N6.5 billion, property of the state government

MIMIKO: ONE PARTY SYSTEM NOT FEASIBLE IN SOUTH-WEST

By Olawale Olaleye

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko at the weekend gave a radical perspective into the proposed regional economic integration by the Action Congress of Nigeria in the South-west zone and dismissed the possibility of a one-party system. Mimiko, who

NYSC: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE NEED FOR A REVIEW

Following the menace of secession by the extinct Biafra which brought about the infamous and highly criticized Nigeria-Biafra civil war (July 1967- Jan 1970) and its disastrous effect, given the bitterness of the civil war, the restoration of peace and the reintegration of the Igbo into Nigerian life were pertinent. Hence the government

SERIAKE DICKSON DECLARED BAYELSA STATE GOVERNOR

 By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Returning Officer, Prof Joseph Ajienka, Sunday, declared the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Seriake Dickson as winner of the state governorship election.

Announcing the result, Prof Ajienka,Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt

NIGERIAN SECURITY FORCES RECAPTURE SOKOTO

Sokoto re-arrested

 "Finally, It is indeed impossible to believe, without wronging them and accusing them of being the enemy of our peace, sustainable development and stability, they have shown to us how incompetent they are. And until Kabiru Umar (a.k.a. Kabiru Sokoto) is re-arrested the ultimate search goes on." 

That was my last sentence in one of my articles titled “It is impossible to believe”, an article written when