NIGERIAN LADIES feared over SCARCITY OF MEN

The recent alarm raised by the Catholic Women Organisation that husbands would become scarce in Nigeria in 2023 may just be right, according to a report this afternoon in the Lagos daily, P.M.NEWS. The paper said it “can confirm that many Nigerian spinsters are currently witnessing the no-husband syndrome,” adding:

“Within the last few weeks, some of the ladies who spoke with our correspondent reported serious apprehension, pressure and a total lack of peace as the consequence of their inability to get married.”

P.M.NEWS quoted one of the ladies, who preferred to be simply called Titi, as saying that she had taken the issue of marriage as a do-or-die affair due to “internal pressure” but that as much as she had tried, frustration had often been the result.

A 37-year-old businesswoman who sells clothes in Ikeja, the Lagos State capital in western Nigeria, told P.M.NEWS that she is not finding life easy.

“What is happiness without a man in a woman’s life?”she asked during a chat on Badoo, a relationship site on the internet.

She had dated several men with some promising marriage, but without fulfilling the promise. Hear her:

“You can’t imagine that in the last three years, I have dated about eight men, but the relationship was often short-lived simply because I ask for their commitment.

“I am not getting any younger and I cry every time I see my mates with their husbands and children.

“If at 37 I don’t have a child or a permanent man, when would I have them? Is it when my skin has wrinkled?”

P.M.NEWS also cited Chioma (surname withheld), 35, whom it said has found herself patronising many of the social interaction sites on the internet.

The banker told the paper that she is on Eskimi, 2go, Badoo, Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter as well as 4clique, a site that was launched in Nigeria days ago.

“We can’t tell the particular broom in the bunch that kills a fly,” she told P.M.NEWS on why she patronises such number of social interaction sites.

“I always change my name in the different sites but the ultimate goal is to get a husband,” she added.

Chioma told P.M.NEWS that she is really worried about the situation, adding that she lives comfortably (in a mini-flat and has a car), “but who do I have to enjoy this comfort with me?

“I have tried a hook up programme on a Lagos-based radio station, but my age is now a major factor hindering my dream of being married,” she lamented pleading with the reporter, a married man, whom she considered a bachelor, to “help dry my tears.”

A married woman, who gave her name as Mrs. Blessing Aguebor and resident in Oshodi, confirmed that the issue of lack of serious men for marriage is giving many ladies sleepless nights.

She narrated the touching story of her friend who was disappointed by her boyfriend of five years when it was time to “settle down”.

According to the woman, “My friend was 29 when he met this man in Benin and they dated for five years. The man was always giving the lady hope without her knowing the man had other plans. The year he fixed for their marriage was the year he travelled abroad without even informing my friend.

“It was later he called her and asked her to find another man because he still had many more years to hustle. My friend almost went mad.

“She is 36 now without a man. I had to convince her to relocate to Lagos so that possibly out of the population here, she would find someone. It is pathetic.”

A 38-year old business woman in Ketu, Mrs. Rita Adewunmi, narrated how she lost her first husband to a friend, Idayat, who was desperate for a husband.

According to Mrs. Adewunmi who remarried last year, Idayat was 36 and needed a husband but her search was endless. Her words:

“I was always encouraging her and made her a part of my family. She would always help me take care of the kids when I go to the market.

“With time, she took over my husband without my knowledge until the day I caught them red-handed and that was the end of my marriage. Ladies are like hunters these days.”

Asked why she was not married at 34, Blessing Osuoha, a nurse with a private hospital in Abuja, retorted: “That is why I’m on this social site. Why are you asking? Is it a bad idea if you propose to me?”

She explained that life was becoming unbearable without a husband.

“My friends and family members are aways asking when they would come and ‘chop’ rice, and I keep hoping,” she added.

A marriage counsellor in Lagos, Mrs. Victoria Aliu, told P.M.NEWS that scarcity of ‘real men’ is becoming a terrible condition for women ready for marriage.

She blamed the problem partly on the Nigerian economy, confusion among the bachelors on their choices of the women they want as wives and the attitudes of the spinsters.

“Many women, whether consciously or not, behave irritably sometimes, forgetting that the man just beside them at every point in time may just have been nursing how to start a conversation that could lead to marriage.

“Some other ladies are very choosy and unserious at their early stages of adulthood. They only open their eyes to discover that their friends are all married and that they are the only ones left at the bus stop. Then it becomes a terrible case for them,” she explained.

Super Eagles arrived in Kaduna without Chelsea’s Mikel Obi and Victor Moses of Liverpool.

Victor Moses and Mikel Obi

Super Eagles arrived in Kaduna at sunset on Sunday, for Tuesday’s friendly match against Burkina Faso. The players led by Stephen Keshi hit the city without Chelsea’s Mikel Obi and Victor Moses of Liverpool.

They are the only players of the squad that played against Malawi on Saturday in a World Cup qualifying match who will not face the Burkinabes. No names were announced immediately as replacements for the two and it was not stated if the Eagles would go on without such replacements for the game billed for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.

The Eagles Media Officer Ben Alaiya confirmed that both players were cleared to return to base by Keshi. Mikel, we learnt got a slight calf knock in the weekend game that requires attention while Moses who left for England immediately after the Saturday match in Calabar was excused to enable him tie up things at Liverpool. The attacker crossed from Chelsea to Liverpool just last week on a year-long loan.

Burkina Faso who were incidentally the team Nigeria defeated to win the African cup last February also qualified for the final stage of the World Cup qualifiers. Despite being docked points for fielding an ineligible player earlier in the campaign, the Etalons, as they are called, picked up efficiently, winning in Niger and Congo-Brazzaville before beating Gabon 1-0 in Ouagadougou on Saturday to finish top of their group.

The General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation Musa Amadu, said on Sunday, “The Nigeria Football Federation has arranged the match against Burkina Faso to prepare the Super Eagles for the final elimination round, which comes up in October and November. We expect to play our first leg away and then play the return at home.

“We are truly delighted to be in the final round, and we believe the Eagles will do the nation proud by picking one of the five tickets to represent Africa at next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil.”

If there are no changes at the top of the African table in the FIFA rankings to be released on Thursday, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria and Cape Verde (who shocked Tunisia in Rades) will be in the Pot A (seeded teams) for the 10-team final elimination round draw. The event will hold in Cairo on Monday next week. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Senegal and Ethiopia will be in Pot B.

The Cameroonians grabbed the last of the 10 slots on Sunday.

Group unveils 150 virgins to boost good morals

Virgins

A non-governmental organisation, VirginsBride Network, unveiled about 150 maidens on Friday in Lagos to encourage the virtue of sexual purity among females in the country.

The girls, who were dressed in white gowns as evidence of their chastity, also took a pledge to remain undefiled till marriage.

Parents were encouraged to safeguard their daughters from corrupting influences.

Convener of the event, Mrs. Nkechi Odebiyi, told the gathering that the girls were selected based on their status as virgins. She said the project, which was in its fifth year, had influenced more young females to see virginity as a virtue.

She said, “There is no religion that supports sex before marriage. I wish I had that privilege; it was a virtue I lost early in life. I want every maiden to carry herself with pride. When you are a virgin, you are not afraid of disease, unwanted pregnancy, or abortion and your husband will respect you.”

She explained that the network, with the motto, ‘No ring, no sex,’ focused on restoring the pride of womanhood and building strong family ties through teaching and counseling.

One of the participants, Demehin Funmilayo, said she had been keeping her virginity through sheer determination and the help of God.

The 20-year-old said she was almost a victim of rape when she did not succumb to pressure from her friends to have a boyfriend.

She said, “I was almost raped in SS 2 when my best friend asked for my picture. She later took me to see a guy who said I was beautiful. I quickly ran away when I saw the suspicious moves he was making. I fought with my friend and told her I had chosen to be a virgin till I get married, which shocked her.”

SOURCE

She said her parents had been helping her to overcome challenges she had faced in her bid to remain chaste.

A parent, Mrs. Morenike Durotoye, who commended the initiative, said she also married as a virgin.

She said it was the duty of parents to protect their children from the bad elements of society.

She said, “It is important for parents to always show care and concern for their girls. You need to listen to them, get closer to them no matter your schedule. Love them, protect them and let them trust you.

“It is a parent that places value on virginity that will encourage it. It was my husband who deflowered me on my wedding night and when he saw I was a virgin, he was happy, and up till today, he respects me for that. That is the reason I encourage my daughter who is also here.”

A family life counsellor, Mrs. Florence Udu told our correspondent that many young girls fell for sexual pressure because they sought to be loved and cared for.

She advised young girls, who had lost their virginity, to practice secondary virginity by making up their minds to start staying off sex.

She said, “The guys will always come and make advances. Our girls fall because they are made to feel they are old-fashioned. But that is not true. The best thing a lady can keep is her virginity.”

Pastor Moji Awokoya, who represented Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of the Fountain of Life Church, urged the participants to avoid giving in to distraction so they can be useful members of society.

Baby factory: Enugu police nab hair dresser, lover

Enugu State Police Command has arrested a hair dresser, her lover and two other persons over their alleged involvement in a baby factory business.

The hair dresser, who gave her name as Ifeoma Obike, a native of Oguta in Imo State, was accused of using her hair salon on Chime Avenue, Enugu, as a cover up for baby factory business.

Our correspondent learnt on Sunday that when the police stormed her residence on Saturday on Mbanefo Street in New Haven, where she is residing with her live-in-lover, they found a pregnant lady.

The victim, whose identity was given as Ujunwa Egbe, from Ituku in Awgu Local Government Area of the state, was reported to have been taken into custody by the lovers, with a promise that she would be paid N100, 000 upon delivery of the baby.

The state’s police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the arrest, stated that “Obike combines the lucrative business of baby factory with the hair salon business.”

He said, “She was nabbed alongside someone she identified as her would-be husband, a patent medicine dealer, a self acclaimed doctor and a pregnant girl on the verge of delivery.

“Obike was not a relative of Ujunwa Egbe, the pregnant girl, who has been in her custody waiting to be delivered of a baby and to be paid off with the sum of N100, 000.”

It was learnt that Egbe had told the police that she was impregnated by someone unknowingly and had wanted to abort the pregnancy.

She was quoted as saying that when she met one Obinna Arum of Obofia Amechi Awkunanaw, for abortion, he advised her to keep the baby.

The advice, according to her, came after several attempts to get rid of the baby failed.

Amaraizu said, “Arum linked Egbe with Obike to take care of her and the pregnancy. She was to be paid N100, 000 after delivery for her  to forfeit the baby.”

Also arrested was one Chidi Meniru of Ezeagu, who claimed to be a medical doctor with a clinic on Amechi Street in New Haven, Enugu.

Meniru denied being a member of the syndicate, but said he had in the past delivered a certain girl of her baby under an agreement with the other suspects.

Ifeoma’s lover, Obike, who said he hailed from Isiukwuato in Abia State, told the police that they had four kids, though yet to be married formally.

The police, however, said full investigations had commenced on the incident.

Palace chiefs ask Olu of Warri to rescind statement

A cross section of chiefs barricading the entrance to Olu of Warri’s palace.

*Uduaghan intervenes to save monarch

*37 members of royal family disown Atuwatse II
*Pastor Okoni urges Itsekiri to support Olu …
WARRI—PALACE chiefs rose from a meeting in Warri, Delta State, Sunday, asking the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, to withdraw his controversial statement, last week, denouncing his “Ogiame” traditional title because it is purportedly associated to a river goddess.

The chiefs handed over the order to the monarch just as the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, weekend, intervened in the feud between the monarch and his subjects.

In the past two days, some Itsekiri youths have laid siege to the palace of the monarch for allegedly renouncing his traditional title of Ogiame on grounds that it is associated with a sea goddess and also dissociating himself from some of the kingdom’s age-long traditional practices, which he described as paganism.

As tension builds up in Warri kingdom over the affair, security agencies have been forced to beef up security, both at the palace and the monarch’s residence, while the governor cut short state matters in Asaba to personally mediate in the matter in Warri.

The governor is not alone in the peace moves. 37 members of the royal family had earlier waded into the matter. Vanguard learnt that when they met with the monarch in his palace, he stuck to his gun. They had to dissociate themselves from his action.

Itsekiri woman leader, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, had also met with Olu of Warri on the matter, but after their deliberation, she said there was no headway yet.

Uduaghan relocates to Warri
On his part, Governor Uduaghan, abandoned other state matters to meet with some of the contending parties, yesterday.

The youths who occupied the palace grounds said they do not want to listen to any emissary and asked the governor to come and address them himself.

A source said it was obvious to the governor when his emissaries returned with the message of the protesters that the crisis of confidence between the monarch and his subjects could go out of hand if not properly managed.

He, therefore, came and addressed the youths, urging them to maintain peace, as government would wade into the matter and ensure the matter was resolved amicably.

The governor implored them to allow the chiefs and elders to look into the matter, saying that dialogue was the only way out.

So far, his intervention has calmed down frayed nerves, as some leaders urged him to meet with all the parties and talk to the Olu to be more diplomatic, while some hardliners insisted he should tell the monarch to resign.

The source said: “As I speak with you now (time was about 3.00 pm on Sunday), the governor is to meet with Itsekiri chiefs at the residence of the Iyatsere of Warri kingdom, Chief Gabriel Mabiaku over the matter.

“After the meeting with the chiefs, he will meet with the youths. But the meeting is yet to start.”

An aide of the governor, who did not know that his boss left Asaba for Warri told Vanguard at about 5.00pm, “I do not know the position now, and it is only the governor that can speak to you on the matter. What I know is that we are expecting him in Warri tomorrow (today), but if you say he had arrived quietly and is already meeting with them, I do not know.

“What I can tell you, however, is that the governor is particular about his peace and security agenda and he will do anything possible to ensure that the boat is not rocked.”

Govt confirms Uduaghan’s intervention
Delta State Government, yesterday, in a press statement also confirmed that the governor has waded into the internal crisis between the monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse II and his people.

“The Governor appealed to the men, women and youths to remain calm and peaceful as efforts were on to ensure that reasons prevailed over the matter.” the statement said.

“Dr. Uduaghan who addressed them at the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atunwase II’s palace ground, assured the people that everything will come back to normal soon as all efforts were been made to address their grievances.

“He informed them that he has already discussed with Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, chiefs and youths and all parties were willing to give peace a chance.

Governor thanks the youths
“The Governor thanked the youths for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and urged them to remain peaceful.

“The leader of the youths, Mr. Omolubi Newuwumi , had appealed to the youths to listen to the governor as he has come to ensure that peace was maintained in the kingdom.”

Pastor urges Itsekiri to support Olu
However, Pastor K. Okoni, of Power Grace Ministries, Effurun, near Warri, urged the Itsekiri sons and daughters who have risen against their monarch because of his decision to renounce idolatry and other fetish practices to simmer down, as he was on the right track.

His words: “The Olu of Warri has taken the right decision by giving his life to Jesus Christ and renouncing everything that has to do with idol worship.

“All Christians in Itsekiriland should stand by him and support him in prayers. His fight is for the Lord’s people in Itsekiriland, it is not for himself alone, they should pray. This is the time to pray, they should pray ceaselessly for the Lord to take control and speak to those who do not understand what the battle is all about.”

Olu should resign —Newuwumi
A royal blood of Iwere (Warri) kingdom, Prince Omolubi Newuwumi, who led the protesters on the siege to the palace, told Vanguard, yesterday, “There is no going back on our position, it is either the Olu vacates the position, resign or we will force him to leave office. He cannot sit on the throne and abuse our tradition.”

He said leaders from over 112 Itsekiri communities would form a congress to dethrone the monarch if he did not retrace his steps.

His words: “Yes, I am the leader of the protesters, Ogiame Atuwatse should withdraw his statement , he is not in the position to make a law on our traditional beliefs and let nobody deceive him, there are protocols that must be followed before certain things can be done.

“You must read what he said about the title of Ogiame being synonymous with the goddess of the sea. Let me tell you, there is nothing he can do about it, 75-80 per cent of Itsekiri people live within the sea environment. They are things that are natural to the sea, which he cannot change.

“Sometimes, you could see some violent moves in the sea, it suggests something, maybe a corpse refused to float or something happened, the gods have something to say in such cases. When we do Umolokun, it is respect we give to the goddess of the sea, it is our tradition, he cannot change it.

“Nobody is stopping him from being a Christian, he should vacate the stool and go and practice his Christianity but not to tell us that we should no longer sing the Itsekiri national anthem because he is a Christian – is he the first Christian in Warri?

“If he says the tradition of Itsekiri people is making him ungodly or unholy, he should leave it for us and go with his holiness elsewhere. Does he know that a two-year Itsekiri boy can recite our national anthem and that there is a bond that ties us together when we sing it.

Pic. Itsekiri masquerades join the protest. Px Akpokona Omafuaire

“As far as I am concerned, some of us now see him as a past Olu of Warri until he retraces his step. More than 50 per cent of the chiefs of Warri kingdom are with us in this battle that Olu must go if he does not come back to his senses.”

Vanguard gathered that the Olu of Warri had sent emissaries to the protesting youths to meet with him, but Newuwumi said, “we are not ready to listen to him as long as he is not ready to listen to us.

“We have taken over the palace, it is our palace, he cannot dictate to us on our traditions. If he is not ready to abide by them, he should go.”

How crisis started
Trouble started, last Wednesday, when the monarch allegedly read out to a small crowd of Itsekiri people at his palace a message that he had renounced the title of “Ogiame”, as it is associated with a water deity and other gods.

He also said he was renouncing all pagan religious practices of his ancestors till date and submitted Warri Kingdom and its people to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, as a born again Christian.

As soon as the news spread to Iteskiri towns and villages, anger was stirred against the monarch, who made it clear that he was changing the Ogiame title to a yet to be announced title.

Those against him said Warri kingdom has been synonymous with the Ogiame title since 1480 and it was wrong for the monarch to wake one day and upturn history.

Protests
In a swift reaction, Itsekiri youths from across Delta State mobilized to the palace at Ajamimogha to protest what they termed sacrilegious and unacceptable action of their monarch.

They set up bonfires everywhere, chorusing the Itsekiri national anthem, which the monarch prohibited by his new order.

Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, a prince of Warri Kingdom, confirmed that he was leading the “mutiny” against the monarch.

Vanguard learnt that night masquerades overtook the palace’s surrounding throughout Friday night such that the DPO in-charge of the “A” Division had to come and inspect the place midnight to verify an allegation that some parts of the palace fence had been broken by the protesting Itsekiri youths, which turned out to be a false alarm.

Omolubi, however, said the youths were not out to destroy or cause any havoc but only to ensure that the culture was not bastardized further and the name, Ogiame, retained as of old.

Royal family rejects Olu’s stand
In the face of the tense atmosphere, members of the ruling house of Warri Kingdom, the Emikos, went into the palace to discuss with the monarch, last Friday.

The meeting was deadlocked as 37 members of the royal family came out with a statement, dissociating themselves from the declaration made by HM Atuwatse 11, the Olu of Warri.

The statement read in part: “That historically when Prince Ginuwa left Benin to become the first monarch at about 1480, it was with the authority and blessing of his father (Olua, then Oba of Benin) to reign over the rivers, hence the title, OGIAME, meaning King of the rivers.

“That the whole gamut of history behind the Itsekiri throne is captured or encapsulated in the title, Ogiame.

“That the property in the title ‘Ogiame’ belongs to the Itsekiri people who have so addressed the monarch right from inception over 500 years ago.

“We consider the history/pedigree of the Ogiame title as sure that the Itsekiri people hold it dear and sacrosanct to the extent that it should not be cancelled for whatever reasons.”

Lori-Ogbebor, other chiefs meet Olu
Itsekiri chief and amazon, Mrs. Rita Lori-Ogbebor, led other chiefs to consult with the monarch for about three hours only to come back with no positive result. She promised that they would return for further consultation with the hope of gaining some compromise from the king

Tension in Borno as govt moves to demolish churches, schools: the beginning of Islamization

*Gov Kashim Shettima

…CAN kicks, says it is the beginning of Islamization…
ABUJA—There is tension in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as the state government has intensified efforts to demolish about 25 churches and schools, Vanguard has learnt.

The proposed demolition, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, told Vanguard might heighten insecurity challenges created by the Boko Haram.

The development has, therefore, continued to fuel speculations to Islamize the country, beginning from Northern Nigeria.

Vanguard reliably gathered that “the state government will embark on the demolition any moment from now.”

Although there are conflicting figures of the number of churches and schools to be affected, sources confirmed that it would be close to 25.

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and owners of farmlands in the area had been served quit notices by the state government, intimating them of the plan to acquire the structures to construct 1,000 housing units.

A leaflet from the office of Borno State Ministry of Lands and Survey, dated August 20, and signed by one Musa Ummate (O/C Land Administration) on behalf of the commissioner, was obtained by newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja.

The leaflet is entitled, “Notice of acquisition and assessment/valuation of structures on proposed site for 1,000 housing units along Gubio road.”

It read: “I am directed to refer to you farmers and holders of structures on the proposed site for caption matter above and regret to inform you that the executive governor has on the power conferred on him by Section (2)b of the Land Use Act 1978 has directed through high powered committee on Construction Ref. no: HPCC/2500/HE/S/TEC/1 to notify you of his intention to acquire your farmlands and assessment/valuation of the structures on the proposed site situated along Gubio road, Maiduguri.

“The acquisition is necessary, in view of requirements of the land by the state government for overriding public interest to construct housing estate. The affected farmers and holders of structures are to take note and appear on site for the above exercise, please.”

However, investigation revealed that the state government had no plan to develop any housing estate, but to destroy the churches and over 20 private schools built by the churches.

A source told Vanguard: “Over 20 churches and many schools will be affected. The lands on which the churches were built were bought from farmers and have the authority and certificate of the District Head in Maiduguri, popularly called Bulama. The land was not under the ministry when it was bought.

“The Christians went for the meeting called by the governor and for several hours, the governor didn’t come out to see them. It is always difficult for Christians to get a land in Maiduguri. Even after getting the land, the government won’t give you Certificate of Occupancy. They compensated Borno Muslims who are victims of Boko Haram. But how many Christians were compensated?”

It’s a ploy to persecute Christians — CAN
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, said the demolition was another plot under the guise of public interest to persecute Christians in the state, saying it would not take it lightly.

The General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake, who confirmed the development when contacted, called on Borno State government to have a rethink.

Dr. Asake said: “We have seen the eviction notice from Borno State government. We are Nigerians and there are other places where the state government can develop. The areas being earmarked for demolition are already developed with churches and schools.

“We condemn the action and I think government should be sensitive to what the Christians in that state are going through not to come and add another problem, through demolition.

“Christians have suffered enough in Borno State. If the state government wants to destroy churches and build any housing estate, no Christian will see it as a sign of progress.”

Although, Asake disclosed that they had not been able to authenticate the source of the letter, he added “we are going to reach out to the state government to make sure that Christians don’t lose their churches and lands.

“But we have no reason to doubt the source of the letter. We have suffered enough in Borno State and enough of all these things which are coming in another disguise.

“Borno State government should reconsider the decision to demolish churches and property because in Borno State, there are many vast lands. They should do that instead of going to these areas where Christians have settled. We are asking the Borno State government not to try it.”

North should forget presidency come 2015: – Suleiman

COORDINATOR of North- ern Emancipation Network, Mal. Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, yesterday, advised the North to forget presidency in 2015.

Suleiman who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, said that the Northern political elite had deceived ordinary Northerners for too long for their selfish benefits and that the game has changed.

He noted that the North has held the office of the President longer than any other region since independence, but that ironically it remained the most backward because the Northerners who held the nation’s highest office, worked only for their allies and their children, leaving the bulk of the Northern populace in abject poverty and under-development.

His words: “What we have today is a conscious North versus the Northern political elite. Before now, wherever the elite decided to go, the crowd followed them. But now, it is no longer the same.

People have started thinking that they should not allow the elite to pull them wherever they go. So, you can see even the political game is being played by the elite.

“By virtue of my position one as a journalist and coordinator of the Northern Emancipation Network, I really have the opportunity of meeting some of these players to discuss so many things and we agreed and disagreed. So, I am talking to you from the point of view of an insider.

An insider who they know is not in their squad (the elite). Those of us in the Northern Emancipation Network and our affiliates do not see the necessity of the north insisting on the presidency in 2015 or any time in the near future.

Holding of central power

“Our reasons are that if holding central power is the only key in the success of a people then the North ought to have been the most successful region in Nigeria by now! If that yardstick is true the Igbo nation ought to have been the most backward. Because historically the Igbo nation has not in practical terms had power at the centre. It only had Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who was a ceremonial president and policies were executed by the prime minister then.

And the brief stint by Ironsi in a tumultuous situation, he did not have the time to do anything either for himself nor his people. The Igbo nation would have been the most backward now the reverse is the case. The North held power for the most part of Nigeria’s existence as an independent nation yet we are the most backward.”

Suleiman said that the five northern governors: Murtala Nyako, Adamawa; Sule Lamido, Jigawa; Babangida Aliyu, Niger; Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto, and Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, are former President Olusegun Obasanjo “boys” who are acting a script by their godfather.

“Their journey in the “New PDP” will not last.  They will have to leave Atiku because they have nothing in common. Don’t forget that Obasanjo will not support an Atiku candidacy for the position of president.

Ordinary Northerners angry with Al-Mustapha Mal Suleiman said that the chasm between the Northern oligarchy and the political elites on the one and the ordinary people has continued to grow and has now deteriorated to the extent that emirs are now being stoned by the people who once idolized.

According to him, even Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to former Head of State, General Sani Abacha who was recently released from prison has lost the sympathy of ordinary Northerners for visiting governors and Emirs.

His words, “when this guy came out from prison, he landed from Lagos, the first person he visited was Kwankwaso  and then he began visiting Emirs. Some of the people I spoke with are very angry with Al-Mustapha because he had lost touch with realities. The ordinary people are not prepared to take that.

“They are even more angry with him for not visiting Buhari.  Up till now, he has not visited Buhari and Buhari is their man.  Now Al-Mustapha will never receive the kind of cheers he received when he returned from Lagos”

Bring It On: Femi Fani-Kayode Taunts Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu Over Legal Threats

Controversial former Nigerian minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kanyode, has threatened to reveal details of his past private relationship with Nigeria's ambassador to Spain, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu after the ambassador rejected his apologies in several newspaper withdrawing earlier claims they had a romantic past.

 Mrs. Ojukwu through her lawyers had ordered the minister to withdraw claims made in article that he had intimate relations with her several years ago. Shortly after receiving the lagal threats, Fani-Kayode went on to issue an apology, asking to remove the word "intimate" from the claims made relating to Bianca and two other ladies.

However, Mrs. Ojukwu rejected the apologies claiming they were not sufficient, she thereafter threatened to institute a lawsuit to seek redress.

The latest legal threat might have prompted Fani-Kayode to issue a statement today daring Mrs. Ojukwu to put the matter before the courts.

 In the statement , signed by his personal assistant, reproduced below, Mr. Fani-Kayode threatened to expose the ambassador and put the details of their past relationship in the public domain.

See full text of Mr. Fani-Kayode's press release.
''We read the comments of the P.A. to Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu in the Sun Newspaper of 9th September and in a number of other newspapers where she expressed the view that the withdrawal of the comments made about her by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode were ''not enough''. We really do wonder what Mrs. Ojukwu really wants from Chief Fani-Kayode and what her agenda really is? Throughout this matter Chief Fani-Kayode has chosen the path of peace and has attempted to avoid an ugly and public quarrel with Bianca Ojukwu out of respect to the memory of her late father Chief C.C. Onoh and the memory of her late husband, Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu .

Consequently he has publicly apologised to her and the two other igbo ladies that he mentioned in the said article (namely Miss Chioma Ansoh and Miss Adaobi Ucgegbu) on two separate occassions, in three separate national newspapers and online. He has has also publicly withdrawn the words that they found offensive, he has edited the said article, he has ensured that no newspaper in Nigeria that published it mentioned their names in the revised version, he has admitted that the word ''intimate'' that was used in the online version of the article was ''indiscreet'' and he has bent over backwards to tread the path of peace and to appease all those concerned. Despite all these efforts Bianca Ojukwu has refused to be appeased or to let go and she has continued to peddle the shameless lie that she has never met Chief Fani-Kayode.

This is sad and unfortunate and it is beyond the imagination of anyone that a serving Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would so readily and so easily be given to telling such lies. Chief Fani-Kayode is not comfortable with publicly joining issues with ladies when it comes to matters of a private nature such as this because he was well brought up and he is a gentleman but it is clear that Bianca Ojukwu is desperate to go to war over this issue and to cover up the truth about their past. It is also clear that she has constituted herself into the arrowhead of a group of people that are determined to use her and this whole unsavoury episode to attempt to distract attention from the wider and more important issues raised in the essay and to discredit him. Since that is the case we welcome whatever action Ojukwu wishes to take in court and we shall gladly meet her there. We will also be instigating our own legal proceedings against her in due course for her barefaced and malicious lies and her consistent claim that she has never met Chief Fani-Kayode all in an attempt to libel, defame, diminish and discredit him before the entire world. We wish to state clearly and categorically that not only did Chief Fani-Kayode know her but he also knew her far better than she cares to publiclly admit. The precise nature of that relationship will be explored and exposed in open court. It is not in the nature of Chief Fani-Kayode to fight unnecessary and distractive battles over flippant matters such as this but on this occassion he has been compelled to do so simply because he will do whatever it takes to protect his integrity and establish the fact that he has told no lie.

Since she has continued her shameless perfidy and wishes to tread the path of deceit and confrontation then so be it. Finally let it be clearly understood that at no point did Chief Fani-Kayode lie about the nature of his relationship with Ojukwu. However he did not feel that it was appropiate or necessary to share the details of that relationship with the public because he felt that such matters were strictly private.

The fact that she mistook his mature exercise of restraint and discretion, even when provoked and insulted, his desire for peace and his gentlemanly nature for weakness is not only unfortunate but also a grave miscalculation on her part. Once again we reiterate the fact that we counsel Ojukwu to take whatever course of action she pleases and we welcome this opportunity to expose her for what she is. The matter has been referred to our lawyers for final preparation. They will prepare a vigorous defence to Ojukwu's absurd allegations and they will also determine our next line of action against her''- Mr. Tosin Emmanuel, p.a. to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. By SaharaReporters, New york

Serena Williams wins her 5th US Open

World No.1 Serena Williams today Sunday September 8th claimed her fifth US Open crown and 17th career grand slam singles title after beating world No. 2 Victoria Azarenka with a 7-5 6-7(6) 6-1.

This victory makes Serena the oldest US Open women's winner since tennis turned professional 45 years ago, eclipsing Australian Margaret Court, who was 31 years when she won the title in 1973. Big congrats to Serena.

(New Photos) Actress Ngozi Ezeonu Flaunts Her Stunning Slim Figure

Recently Actress Ngozi Ezeonu’s recent pictures went viral with insinuations about her being ill and not looking nice.The Nollywood actress insists she’s not sick. In her own words:

“I will really appreciate it if some people will stop insinuating that I’ m sick just because I worked on my weight. Please o, I’m not sick. Wish us well instead of sickness or death. Thank you.”

See  pictures below:

Foreign students in a dilemma in Malaysia..

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is fast becoming an education hub attracting students from Asia, Africa and the Middle East but recently many of them are finding it difficult to obtain visas or renew existing ones.

Foreign students from private universities in Petaling Jaya said the visa renewal process took a long time, sometimes as long as five months.

A student from Oman, who is here on a scholarship, said foreigners were forced to stay on campus until their visas were renewed because they feared getting arrested if they went out of the college compound.

“Five months is a long time to wait for visa renewal and we are cooped up in the campus.

“We can’t even go out if we have bank matters to settle.

“My friends have been arrested just because they did not have passports with them. The temporary letters from the universities are not good enough,” he said.

Another student from Yemen, said the police only released him after the embassy had come to his aid the following day.

“The police refused to speak to me any further even after I showed the letter from my university which stated that my visa is being renewed. I was taken straight to the police station.

“They only let me out after embassy officials came to my rescue. I even have friends who have been beaten up at the police station,” he claimed.

He added that the police did not understand English and spoke in Bahasa Malaysia and this resulted in a communication breakdown.

There has also been a lot of dissatisfaction among foreign students who now have pay an exorbitant fee to obtain student visas.

An accounting student from Iran said she was surprised by the huge jump the visa fee.

“What was previously RM100 for a visa is now almost RM1,800.

“It is a big burden and the whole process has become more tedious. I have to go back to my country and wait for the visa to be approved first,” she said.

24-hour welfare hotline

A business management major from Kazakhstan said some of his friends did not have the money to pay for the visas.

“I have a lot of explaining to do to my father, but will continue and finish my degree.

“I cannot say the same for some of my friends though. They are finding it hard to pay for their visas.

Effective Feb 1, the Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) is the sole agency issuing student visas.

A student will only be allowed to come into Malaysia once the visa application is approved.

Sunway University international office manager Lum Pey Wah said the visa fee used to be between RM75 and RM125, depending on the student’s country of origin.

“Now the fee has jumped many folds because they have delegated it to one company now.

Lum said they had not received complaints of international students being detained due to the lack of travel documents.

“But we have a 24-hour welfare hotline just for international students and they can contact us in case of emergencies at any time,” she added.

Taylor’s University corporate communications manager Azura Abdullah also denied that international students often got into trouble with the authorities.

“We have not received any official complaint from international students but will help them if they came forward,” he said. Watch Video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=K1shLBocUM4#t=13

P-Square gets freaky with the ladies on stage at their show in Canada

Peter Okoye pictured above giving the ladies at the P-Square concert in Calgary a performance they won't forget in a hurry. See them screaming...#ashewogehs. Lol. Paul also let the ladies touch. See his pic below..

 

Peter Okoye shared the photos on his instagram page...