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