Nigeria National Assembly, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives has jointly outlawed begging in Nigeria, especially by those who use disabled people in public and has prescribed either a six – month imprisonment, a fine of N100,000, or both.
This was among other provisions contained in the harmonized bill, jointly passed by the Senate and House of Representatives last week, which is currently being fine-tuned for presentation to President Goodluck Jonathan. The bill specifically seeks to ensure full integration of persons with disabilities into the society and to establish a National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to be headed by a physically challenged person as chairman. A copy of the harmonized version of the bill showed that anyone or group of people who employ or involve a disabled person in alms begging risked the punishment as prescribed. The bill, also forbids anyone from segregating or isolating people with disabilities except strictly on health grounds or in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria. Part 9, Clause 21 of the bill states that, “Except on medical grounds, or in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a person with disability shall not be isolated or segregated from the community or compelled to live in a particular area.” The bill also made it mandatory for all public schools, whether primary, secondary or tertiary to have trained personnel and special facilities for the effective education of persons with disabilities in order to make education accessible to them. It added that “Braille, sign language and other skills for communicating with persons with disabilities shall form part of the curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.” The bill, apart from prescribing free education at all levels for the disabled, also provides for government to ensure that all persons with disabilities enjoy free health care services, employment, accommodation and equal access to all social amenities. [myad]
The year 2014 has been a blessing to the movie industry in Nigeria called Nollywood. Despite few unpleasant stories that have happened in the year, which ends in less than 60 days, there have been reasons to thank God.
In the area of families, there have been few additions and as you read this, more are expected to be added hopefully before the end of the year.
Mercy Johnson, Damilola Adegbite, Laide Bakare, Sola Kosoko, Dakore Egbuson, Caroline Danjuma and Uche Ogbodo were some of the movie stars who welcomed babies in 2014.
Already, there are few other expectant mothers and there are possibilities that they might put to bed before the end of this year or before the end of first quarter of 2015.
Here are few of the mothers-to-be.
Uche Jombo: She got married to her Puerto Rican husband, Kenney Rodriguez, who is based in the United States of America (USA) in 2012. This talented actress is presently heavily pregnant and will be expecting to give birth to her first child.
Ikpe Nse: This actress is reportedly pregnant for her husband, Clifford Sule and like Uche Jombo, she is also expecting her first child since she got married in 2013. The pretty actress married her long time lover, who she reportedly reconnected with after some years away from each other.
Nuella Njubigbo got married to handsome actor-cum-director, Tchidi Chikere in 2014. The couple’s marriage generated controversies after Nuella was accused of snatching Tchidi from his former wife, Sophia, also an actress. Despite the allegations of husband snatching, just like Mercy Johnson, Nuella went ahead with the marriage. She was even present at the baby shower of Mercy Johnson in the US, where she was delivered of a baby boy in October.
Fans of the above movie stars are wishing them safe deliveries as they join motherhood and have also prayed for those expecting to join the club soon. [myad]
Leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, in respect of the ongoing war with members of Boko Haram, is full of lies.
Tinubu, who spoke yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, where Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed announced his plan to run for a second term in office said: “I saw the sea of displaced persons caused by the Boko Haram insurgents and the lies coming from Jonathan’s administration. They have exhibited failure, lack of capacity, vision, creativity; the lie of yesterday is what they repeat today and it is what they will repeat tomorrow. They are lying to you.
“They are lying about the security; toying about the security of this country. I don’t have time to explain the logic of their lies. But if you control the armed forces and you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, why should any part of this country be under occupation? And you give us excuses every day. In any civilized country, Jonathan should resign. But if he will not resign, he should wait for our broom, we will sweep them.
“I will come back. This is just the endorsement of Governor Ahmed; that he will be re-elected by the grace of God, with the support of you people here and those outside there. The unemployment situation will be conquered by this administration of APC. We have the vision for the security of the lives of our children.”
Tinubu regretted that the government of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not been able to provide jobs for Nigerians, adding: “they cannot create jobs and they are starving states of funds to pay workers’ salaries. The best thing to do is to sweep them away through broom revolution. APC is a party of the masses.”
The former Lagos governor said that for him and former Kwara state governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki to mount the same podium and campaign for the same party means that a new beginning has come to Nigeria.
“This is a time of good things and tidings from us. We have brought good luck and commonsense revolution.
“Now it is time to apply commonsense revolution and it is about your lives. It is about your education, your jobs and about the security of this country. We stay together since independence and we will remain together. Anything affecting any section of this country affects all of us.
“I want to thank all of you. Let me forget the protocol, because you are the voters. You are the people who must vote. We bring the greetings and respect of Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and the entire APC states in Nigeria.
“What I want to beg of you is to be ready to defend for change. The race has started again. We have endorsed Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for second term in office as he has performed creditably, just like his predecessor, Senator Bukola Saraki.” [myad]
President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Founder of Warri-based Word of Life Bible Church, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has made it clear that the Boko Haram insurgence which has affected mainly North eastern part of Nigeria is a religious war directed at Christians.
Oritsejafor, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the association’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja yesterday insisted that in the war being waged by Boko Haram, Christians have been the main victims.
“We are not saying that other people are not affected. But Christians are the ones affected more. All the places where Boko Haram has foisted their flags are dominated by Christians.
“They have taken over Mubi in Adamawa state which is dominated by Christians. Somebody will now tell me this is not religion. Who is fooling who? Nigerians should accept that we have a problem.”
The leader of Christian community in Nigeria emphasized that territories that have so far fallen under the control of Boko Haram are predominantly populated by Christians who he said, were no longer safe in those parts of the troubled country.
He said that with such situation, it is clear to everyone that Boko Haram is waging a religious war against Christians, adding the carnage in the North-East is unacceptable.
“What is happening in the North-east is unacceptable,” Oritsejafor affirmed. “What is happening there is unacceptable to us. Christians are the main victims.
“All well meaning Nigerians must pray and continue to pray. We must pray. I will not join those condemning our security agencies. They are Nigerians. Women are losing their husbands and children are losing their fathers. I want to challenge the military. They can do better. They must continue to fish out those sabotaging their efforts. Those people should be expelled. They are in all the security agencies.
“No matter the intention you have, if you have people working against you, you will not succeed. There are too many people in the system working against the system. Why should these kind of things be happening? Innocent people are being killed. It’s too much. Enough is enough.” [myad]
Senate President, David Mark has vowed to do the needful to protect and defend the office of the speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and the legislature at all costs even as he adjourned sittings of the Senate till next week amidst protests from their All Progressives Congress colleagues.
Senator Mark who said that he adjourned the sitting in solidarity with their colleagues in the House of Representatives, over the withdrawal of the security details of the office of the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, said: “we are not to interfere in the internal affairs of each house. However, as Chairman of the National Assembly, I cannot fold my arms or pretend that all is well about the current crisis.
“I am, therefore, going to do all I can to resolve the current impasse. Furthermore, the matter is already in a court of law; we cannot therefore discuss the issues here. I want to assure all of you that I will do the needful to protect and defend the legislature at all cost.”
Meanwhile, the PDP caucus in the Senate protested today of the alleged maltreatment by President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the party, over the last ward congresses.
They ensured that no issue was tabled for discussion before the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, moved motion for adjournment at the today sitting.
The senators, led by Mark, immediately went into a closed door meeting in one of the committee rooms within the complex to further perfect their strategies. [myad]
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) and former Vice President and presidential aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar when they met at the Minna Airport during a visit to former military President General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) on his return from medical treatment, in Minna, Niger State on Tuesday.
Former Nigerian military President, Ibrahim Babangida, welcoming former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to his residence in Minna, Niger State on Tuesday.
The fight back by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) over the USD9.3Million cash-for-arm scandal appears to be succeeding given the failure of his targets, the Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau (rtd) and more particularly, the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to raise a defence.
There are times when silence is golden, but this is not one of such times.
In a world of carefully calibrated messages, the press statement by Rev. Musa Asake, the Secretary of the CAN and the syndicated interview by Mrs. Oritsejafor in the last few days appear designed to project the embattled CAN President as having been a victim of a set up by the Muslim leaders of the security department of government. This, as these two alleged was to discredit not only the man of God, Oritsejafor, but also the Christian religious faith in Nigeria. Both Asake and Helen are politically exposed persons, PEP, given their proximity to power and their ability to broker access.
In her published interviews Pastor Helen Oritsejafor asked a question as to why, of all the aircraft available for charter in the country, it was her husband’s jet that was chosen for this nefarious act.
Saturday Sun (Nov. 1, 2014) quoted her as saying: “The whole episode appeared as if somebody was out for some sinister joke. It’s quite obvious. Take for instance, why was it that it was Papa’s plane that would be hired? How would it be that it would be his plane of all planes in Nigeria that they needed for that mission? It’s still very baffling. Number two, it became obvious that it was orchestrated and the whole essence of it is to see how they can give him a name God has not given him, and all because he has been a very outspoken person, and he doesn’t know how to hide his feelings…
He is now paying the price for being an outspoken man, defending his people, defending Christianity in Nigeria…”
A day after this outing, the CAN Secretary released a statement calling for the resignation of the Defence Minister and the NSA. Rev. Asake. In that release, said: “The President appointed a Muslim, Col. Sambo Dasuki to replace Gen. Azazi (former NSA, now late) who was a Christian and later appointed another Muslim, Gen. Aliyu Gusau as Defence Minister with a pledge to deal ruthlessly with the Boko Haram Islamic terrorists.
“The major task handed down to Col. Dasuki and Gen. Gusau is to tackle Boko Haram insurgency, which was already threatening to spread into other regions of the country. But the question on the lips of every Nigerian Christian today is: what changes have these two military tacticians brought to bear since they were appointed? What is the wisdom of entrusting the nation’s security in the hands of two relations from the North-West?” He concluded by saying that Nigerian Christians are not longer comfortable with the continued inclusion of these two individuals in the cabinet.
First of all, I have no defence to offer for the performance or the lack of it by Col. Sambo and General Gusau, neither is it my business to go into doing that. It is common belief that when you must dine with the devil, you need a long spoon. Gusau and Sambo know this government and still made the personal decision to join it. They must live with that decision and whatever follows it.
This notwithstanding, the attack on them by CAN is at best partisan and selective considering that the armed services relevant in this war- the army, the Airforce and the Secret Services are all under non-Muslims.
Sack both Gusau and Sambo Dasuki if the President is convinced that that is the best thing to do in the interest of the country, but the least the government can do is to equally fire the heads of the army; an army that refuses to fight; the Airforce and above all, the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS who bragged to an audience that he would end the insurgency in six months. Instead of this happening, Boko Haram have been taking swathes of territory in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa States. Part of this tragedy is that this defence chief has lost his home and local community to the terrorists, raising further questions on his capability to handle so many of these complex issues; timing and responsiveness to the insurgency.
The Boko Haram issue, despicable as it its, has served the Jonathan government well as a plank to deflect attention from the issue of its failure of performance, demonizing persons unknown all the time. At several points, the President had made threats to name, shame and punish the sponsors of Boko Haram but the threats had, as usual, been empty.
Following the confusion over the agreement on ceasefire with Boko Haram, a ceasefire that has demonstrably failed even before it took effect, the Defence Minister and the NSA have faced questions about their deafening silence on their role in the failed truce. How did it happen that an administrative staff of the President’s office led a discussion on an important subject as this, apparently blind-siding the Defence Minister and the NSA? What role, if any did they play? Why do both gentlemen continue to maintain silence over these issues? They must be open to scrutiny and they must accept that they cannot be above question.
On the particular issue of General Gusau, the shared opinion among many is that he caused this humiliation upon himself. What more did he need to prove after serving Nigeria and the International Community continually and so well as to earn the sobriquet of the shiniest star in the defence and security firmament on the continent?
To compound matters for him, it is clear to all that he never started on the note of the President’s favour and recent reports suggest that he is largely left without any serious work to do. More reason therefore, for the respected General to leave the government while there is still something left of his reputation to save.
Although the trading of barbs inside government, as we are witnessing between Oritsejafor, CAN on the one hand and the managers of our security on the other is not something we have not seen before, there is an absolute need on the part of Gusau and Dasuki to speak to avoid further damage on their own names and reputation. [myad]
The Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole has said that despite the grudges the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to which he belonged over the withdrawal of security details of the Federal House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, he participated in confirming the appointment of the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba because of his impressive credentials. The Inspector General, who was appointed on acting position by President Goodluck Jonathan on July 31st was confirmed as a substantive police boss today by the Police Council. The Council, headed by President Jonathan, has governors of the 36 states of the federation and other top security operatives. Governor Oshkosh, who was the only one from APC in attendance of the Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja told journalists after the meeting that Suleiman possessed all the requisit qualification and experience to be confirmed as IGP. “That does not mean that the case which APC is pressing against him in respect of his withdrawal of security details from Aminu Tambuwal is affected. The case is now in court.” Oshimhole, who spoke to Journalists along with his Akwa Ibo state counterpart, Godswill Akpabio and Kogi state governor, Idris Wada made it clear that being the Inspector General of police would not make Suleiman Abba to be above criticisms from Nigerians whenever he does things that question his fairness. [myad]
The Turaki Vanguard has said that Nigeria has so far lost a total of 16 local government areas to Boko Haram with 9 in Borno state, 2 in Yobe state and 5 in Adamawa state. According to the group, the total landmass members of the sect are now occupying is the equivalent of three states of the federation. In a statement reacting to what it called “insults” on Atiku Abubakar by the senior special assistant to the President on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Turaki Vanguard cautioned that the situation prevailing in the country does not call for politicking.
The group said that Dr. maligned Atiku’s intentions for addressing a world press conference on Monday, 2nd November, during which he expressed concerns over the dire security situation in the northeast states of Nigeria and called on the international community’s support.
The statement signed by the group’s President, Oladimeji Fabiyi said that at this critical stage in Nigeria’s history, trading insults is a waste as it advised that Nigerians should deploy efforts on how to recover the lost territories.
The group said that President Jonathan cannot possibly want to go down in history as the only Nigerian Commander-in-Chief to have ever lost territory to terrorists.
“He still has a chance to redeem his legacy.The territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is at stake and must be restored.
“At a time like this, when Nigeria is not engaged in any international war, thousands of our people are internally displaced while thousands more are refugees in neighbouring countries. Even many top Federal government officials can no longer return to their homes.
“Madagali, hometown of Governors Ngilari and Fintiri of Adamawa have fallen to terrorists. Gulak, the hometown of President Jonathan’s onetime political adviser has also been taken. As well as Michika, which is home to the largest number of military generals in Adamawa after Numan. Two former Governors of Adamawa also come from this area – Boni Haruna and Saleh Michika. And particularly of interest is Mubi, which is the hometown of Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh. His palatial mansion in Vimtim village was crushed and reduced to rubble.
“Being concerned about these issues should be the focus of the Nigerian government, rather than disparaging concerned citizens.
The group supported Atiku in his call on the international community for support for the people of Northeast Nigeria, adding: “we cannot depend on the support of a government which is occupied with personal attacks while a section of the country is burning
“We also believe that the action of the Presidency in instigating the withdrawal of the security attached to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal is a manifestation of gangster politics. Such action from the PDP-led federal government at this point of national emergency amounts to a set-back to the country’s democratization process.
“It is not in doubt that our democracy has grown past the age of arbitrary politics when a sitting president sees the whole country as his fiefdom. There is subsisting judicial pronouncement on the matter of defection, but if the Presidency and the security agencies were in doubt, they should have sought judicial interpretation from the court.” [myad]
When a faceless, jaundiced writer who parades fake name such as Fejiro Oliver clashed with Niger state government a couple of months ago, many Journalists, especially, the upright publishers of the emerging vibrant online media did not jump into conclusion on myopic line that ‘Fejiro is their own’ and therefore they must join him in blind fight against his traducer. They treaded cautiously when a dark cloud loomed, bordering on a charge of blackmail and attempt to swindle of a whopping N50 Million in order to shield his blackmail sword. Like a leopard that can never change its colour, before the dust settled on the Niger state-Fjiro saga, the busy finger of this overzealous Journalist whose real name isTega Oghenedoro and his real place of work is the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Asaba Delta state, went again into what he knows how to do best: blackmail, telling obvious lies, mudslinging, combative Journalism, and showing of sadism and, above all, displaying arrant and shameless ignorance, all of which portrayed him as a street urchin that is not qualified to be called journalist. As is usual with him, he took up his pen and blackmailed responsible publishers, all of who have been editors in various national media establishments before they began to try their hands on the new emerging brand of Journalism. Fejiro disparaged this group of budding publishers in another online called ELOMBAH on Monday, November 3, by saying that the Delta state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has bought over all the online media, some soft sell magazines and journalists working in Delta state. He gave the details of what he understood to constitute “buy over.” He however found it difficult to hide the FACT that publishers of the online media were just beneficiaries of advertisement placement by the governor which has been on their sites running except if Fejiro does not see it.
This is another form of Fejiro playing out his arrant ignorance on the fact that the online and even media establishments all over the world are run on both social and business platforms and that the two platforms complement each other for the survival of the media and flourishing of modern journalism. Of course, no one can deny the fact that governor Uduaghan gave some media outfits ADVERT which has been running in them and that the efforts of the governor in the development of the state are being positively reflected in most of the online media. But, the fact that cannot be denied and which the Fejiro of this world wickedly skipped or missed, out of myopia is that the same media outfits have been giving the same coverage, positively, to many other state governors who did not place any such advert and who of course, might not even be aware of the positive publicity. In other words, modern media practice, for those who updated their knowledge from the medieval period, teaches that you create conducive atmosphere under which the government and the people understand the development that has been going on, not precluding in some instances where constructive criticisms are needed to keep the government on its toe. As a matter of fact, it is on record that the publishers of nearly 80 percent of the online in Nigeria have made it both in the journalism profession and, to some extent, in terms of resources and have decided to engage in what has now been termed “developmental journalism” and not the archaic system of pull-them-down syndrome or to destroy whoever you imagine in your narrow perception to have under-rated or are under-rating you. This form of combative, shoot-down journalism which has long been overtaken by events, presupposes a dangerous inferiority complex. It makes the person, like Fejiro, who is still clinging to it to look like a fish-out-of-water, archaic, stupid and irrelevant. If Fejiro is so lazy that he could not convince governor Uduaghan to advertise in ELOMBA, he should not rub it on those who are in the publishing and stand up to source for means of sustaining the platforms and to remain in business. In any case, so far the only source through which the online media are making money to remain in business is advert. So, what Fejiro is saying is that if he is selling akara in Ojuelegba market and someone comes over to buy some balls, he is being bribed? What manner of a man is Fejiro anyway? With his attack on the publishers who are doing an honest job and earning legitimate, approved form of income to survive, and who are working to bring a new vista into the journalism profession, Niger state government doesn’t need to talk too much for people who reason beyond ordinary to understand and confirm that Fejiro is a nuisance who happens to have the opportunity of creating “mushroom online platform to blackmail innocent Nigerians,” like the innocent online publishers that are, like any other business people, doing business. [myad]
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