Stephen Keshi Names Nigeria World Cup Squad: Odemwingie in, Uche out

May 7, 2014

Nigeria’S head coach, Stephen Keshi has finally came up with the names of players in his provisional squad for the 2014 World Cup scheduled to begin June 12 in Brazil.

Nigeria, which is the reigning African champion will be making its fifth appearance at football’s showpiece and have been drawn in the same group with Argentina, Iran and Bosnia.

Keshi kept faith with 18 of his squad that lifted the African Cup of Nations in 2013, while there is a surprise inclusion of Joel Obi and Uche Nwofor.

Odemwingie ended his feud with Keshi in April after the pair fell out after the striker’s omission from the Cup of Nations squad, but he has scored six goals in 14 Premier League appearances for Stoke City to put him back in the frame.

Also handed a recall is captain Joseph Yobo (33) who has not played for Nigeria since they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year. Uche, the leading Nigerian scorer this season has scored 12 goals in the Spanish league and he is regarded as one of the Super Eagles most reliable strikers.

But in rejecting him, Keshi said he was not tactically disciplined. Uche has not played for Nigeria since featuring at the 2013 Africa Cup Nations which the country won in South Africa.

John Mikel Obi of Chelsea and Liverpool’s Victor Moses lead a cast of 19 returning players from the Nations Cup squad despite both struggling for first-team football, but Hull’s Sone Aluko is left out.

The three-time African champions will face Scotland in a friendly on 28 May at Craven Cottage, before they depart for their training camp in Houston, Texas.

They will also play friendly internationals against Greece and the United States in June as part of their warm-up for this year’s World Cup.

The West Africans will play Greece in Philadelphia on 3 June then face USA in Jacksonville, Florida on 7 June.

The deadline to name the final 23-man squad is 2 June.

Nigeria will face Argentina, Iran and Bosnia in Group F of this summer’s tournament in Brazil.

Here is the full Squad

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim, Daniel Akpeyi.

Defenders: Elderson Echiejile, Juwon Oshaniwa, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kenneth Omeruo, Joseph Yobo, Kunle Odunlami.

Midfielders: Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, Ramon Azeez, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Mba, Reuben Gabriel, Nosa Igiebor, Joel Obi.

Strikers: Ahmed Musa, Shola Ameobi, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Obinna Nsofor, Osaze Odemwingie, Babatunde Michael, Michael Uchebo, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Nwofor Uche

Nigeria Police Offer N50 Million To Anyone With Information On Abducted Female Students

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2014

The Nigeria Police Force has promised to offer a N50million reward for anyone who could provide it with credible information on the whereabouts of the over 250 students of Chibok Girls Secondary School in Borno state a fortnight ago. The girls were kidnapped from their dormitory by members of Boko Haram.

The police statement, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police, Frank Mba reads as follows:

The Nigeria Police hereby announce a cash reward of Fifty Million Naira (N50, 000, 000.00) to anyone who volunteers credible information that will lead to the location and rescue of the female students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

The Force urges all patriotic citizens with such useful information to contact the following numbers:

09-2914649
08081777309
08055547536
08032125050
08034617591
08035969731

While calling on the general public to be part of the solution to the present security challenge, the Police High Command also reassures all citizens that any information given would be treated anonymously and with utmost confidentiality.

CSP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.

Canada Commits $5 Billion To 3,000 Megawatts Solar-Based Electricity In Nigeria

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2014

Canada has undertaken to commit five billion United States dollars in Nigeria to produce 3,000 megawatts of electricity in Nigeria even as Delta State stands to benefit about 1,000 Megawatts out of the project.
Nigeria’s minister of Industry, Trade and Foreign Investments, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, signed the Foreign Investments Protection Agreement (FIPA) with Canada to remove existing bottlenecks to smoothen the take-off of Canadian investments in Nigeria.
The Delta state government keyed into the green economy programme of the global community, leading to the state government signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a Canadian investor, Skypower Energy to build and generate solar-powered electricity in the state.
Speaking at the signing ceremony yesterday, Aganga said that the Canadian investor, Skypower Energy would be producing 3,000 megawatts of solar-based electricity for the national grid with the facility being deployed first in Delta State, having taken the initiative for the renewable energy plant.
“Skypower will deploy first in Delta State which has taken the lead because of the enormous work the State has put in to ensure the realization of the renewable energy programme”, the Nigerian minister said.
He said that the federal government will facilitate the provision of license to generate the solar-based electricity for the national grid with about 1,000 megawatts being generated from plants located in Delta State.
The Canadian minister of International Investments, Mr. Christian Paradis said that with the FIPA between Nigeria and Canada, more investors would be encouraged to invest in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan expressed delight at the FIPA and the keen interest shown by the Federal Government. He added that it is an endorsement of the initiative taken by his government, saying: “this is very historic and emotional for me. For us in Delta State, we have keyed into the green economy programme of the global community.
“The green economy is not just in enhancing the environment but also meant to empower the people.”

Bring Back Our Girls- And Boys (?) By Bolaji Aluko

Greenbarge Reporters

May 7, 2014

As father of three daughters, two of who were in school together in one secondary school for a number of years, the vision of 200-plus school girls being carted away by wicked kidnappers – girls with hygienic, dietary, sanitary and other needs, and traumatized by the prospects of all kinds of evil designs – is quite haunting. This event should represent a tipping point for all people of good conscience.
The political, revolutionary or religious credentials or antecedents of the Boko Haram are now irrelevant: this is a criminal enterprise without reprieve, as the most vulnerable in any society – women and children – have now been combined together in one fell massive swoop.
Unfortunately, echoing (and taking some poetic licence on) activist Shehu Sani on his Facebook: Nigerians want Federal Security Chief President Jonathan to rescue the Chibok girls, Jonathan (G and P) want State Security Chief Borno Governor Shettima to find the Chibok girls, Shettima wants Security Rank-and-File to get back the Chibok girls, Security wants frightened and hapless Nigerians to ‘help in finding the Chibok girls.’
Lord have mercy, this is quite messy. Nigerians and the world just want our girls back….don’t care how or by who…But for goodness sake, how many are they – 0, 80, 180, 200,
230 or 276? How can it be that after 20 days, we are still at a total loss about this exact number?
Are we even sure that there are no boys among the abductees, because we now understand that the “Girls School” had become mixed for some time now, but just-inscrutably-never changed its name to reflect that coed-dedness?
To get at this number, let us, like First Mother Dame Jonathan opined, start again with the parents: do they know where their children are who went to Chibok to sit for exams? Whether they do or they don’t, they should please come forward and tell…otherwise, are we looking for ghost girls or what?
Let us call this number A+ and A- of parents who step forward one way or the other.
Let us move on to WAEC (e.g national official Charles Eguridu): what are the names of the students who registered to do exams at Chibok? Let us call this number B; it appears to be 530.
All the students should be invited to Abuja to do their aborted exams-with assurance of safe passage, transportation and lodging-and count those who show up: let us call this number C. Those who do not show up (D=B-B) might be reasonably assumed to be either ghost exam takers, or abductees.
Next we move to the Principal of the Chibok school (i.e. Mrs. Asabe Kwabura). How many the heck were the students who reported to your schools to take the exams-let us call this number E-and how many of those who reported have been accounted for since the abduction-let us call this number F?
Somewhere between the arithmetic of the numbers A through F is the “passing grade” that shows the actual number of abducted students, so that we can actually begin to know the real immensity of our search mission-if we are not to leave any girl behind. It matters not whether they are all Christians or all Muslims, all Northerners or Southerners…or even whether they are all Nigerians or of mixed parentage or religion.
Final points: the major cause of escalation of the criminal corruption, bombings and kidnappings etc in our country is impunity, wherein the first actors are allowed to get away completely, or if punished at all, get away with light sentences due to outright bribery or some ethnic, religious, political or other elite considerations. On quite a number of occasions, alleged infractors are eliminated extra-judicially without society being assuredly comforted about due process-this happens most often with armed robbery. All of this is coupled with inadequate security intelligence, personnel, equipment and speedy dispatch to prevent crime before it occurs; or to stem it and collect credible court-tenders data while it is occurring/just occurred; or successfully prosecute and punish the crime after it occurs.
Consequently, we must work hard and pile pressure on officialdom to eliminate impunity in our society, which a relentless press and dedicated civil society are paramount for. We must punish criminals swiftly and publicly, with terms commensurate with the crime. We must also improve our security and judicial value-chain, starting with community and state policing as a sine qua non.
Meanwhile, we must continue to watch, work and pray to BringOurGirlsandBoys Back….and remember to build secure fences and provide security personnel around educational institutions and public places, and have an accurate record always of the students within.
And there you have it

Let’s Introduce Pre-Marriage Training By Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u

Muhammad Jameel Yushau

May 7, 2014

Between 2007 and 2008, I had the privilege of managing an Islamic center in Sheffield. It was an experience I would always cherish because it brought me closer to the community. The Muslim community in Sheffield is one of the best I have ever interacted with.
That experience taught me what it means to work for a community, and understand that for a society to succeed, people have to come together, identify their problems and work towards finding a lasting solution to them. Sheffield is a friendly city. Some people call it the village city, and the Muslim community comprises of different nationalities: Pakistanis, Yemenis, Somalis, Caribbean’s as well as the English.
One of the key problems we found at the time was the high rate of divorce among the community. Though the issue of divorce is common even among the host community, but certainly everyone should be concerned about the rate of divorce in any society because of its implication on the wider environment. Delinquency, prostitution, depression, poverty are some of the common results of family breakdown. A child requires the two parents to taste the delicacy of parenthood.
So what was the way out?
Of course, the cases that come on daily basis require urgent solutions; from reconciliation to marriage counselling etc. The Center decided that the best way to confront this social problem was by arresting it from the root. That is ensuring that young people have enough training on issues related to marriage before tying the knot.
So a date was set for the training during a bank holiday (the name of public holidays in the UK), when most kids were at home. Gladly, the parents cooperated by bringing their children and even those who are married and registered for the training.
The workshop included a talk by a Muslim scholar who discussed the concept of marriage in Islam, the roles and responsibilities of the husband and the wife, and how Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) managed his household.
Other working sessions during the workshop included personality traits by asking the participants to identify the best traits for a potential wife or husband; how to communicate those traits to the potential spouse etc. Other issues included managing disputes, family upkeep, especially for those with little resources, and strategies to ensure that couples remain happy after the honey moon period is over. In fact, there was a session by a good friend who has been married for 20 years sharing his experience with the participants on how the journey lasted without a major marital crack.
Even in Nigeria, some communities are making efforts like this. Though it may not solve the problem of divorce completely, but at least, it will contribute in making the youth understand such important responsibility, and perhaps work hard to ensure that marriages survive.
I was motivated to write this piece after listening to a message that has gone viral on the social networking application, WhatsApp. Of course, the content was meant to entertain as with many messages like that on WhatsApp, but it also reveals the psyche among our youths.
The message was from a school teacher who just finished her lesson, and asked the pupils to listen to her prayers and respond with Amin. The teacher wanted a good husband, religious, handsome, rich, whose mother is dead, who will sponsor her for Hajj and Umra regularly, support her to travel abroad, love her excessively, someone who is patient like a donkey, reserved, and one she will control with ease.
Bachelors, I hope you are listening!
The teacher did not stop there. She is seeking refuge from marrying a poor person (talaka) who would make her travel by foot, or live in a mud-house, and whose relatives would not bother her etc.
The prayer was full of dreams that can only be found in a dream. Yes it was entertaining, but beyond the surface of the entertainment is a coded message on the mentality of our youth.
Both boys and girls are only thinking of the greener side of life as I explained in previous series on Kayan daki and Marital Stability in Hausaland.
No wonder marriages crash because neither of the parties can manage the expectation of the other party. It is time for Islamic organizations, especially in Northern Nigeria to take this issue seriously by preparing the youth for this important responsibility before it is too late.
No matter how little, such premarital training could contribute in reducing the number of
zaurawa (divorcees) in our society.

Read More Articles From This Author: Muhammad Jameel Yusha-u

Efforts To Free abducted Female Students: Jonathan Embraces US Offer

Greenbarge Reporters

May 6, 2014

President Jonathan and US president, Barack Obama

President Goodluck Jonathan has accepted a definite offer of help from the United States of America in the ongoing effort to locate and rescue the girls abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state about three weeks ago.
The offer from President Barack Obama, which was conveyed to President Jonathan by the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry in a telephone conversation includes the deployment of U.S. security personnel and assets to work with their Nigerian counterparts in the search and rescue operation. The telephone conversation began from 15.30 Hours today.

US Troops

Mr. Kerry assured President Jonathan that the United States is wholly committed to giving Nigeria all required support and assistance to save the abducted girls and bring the reign of terror unleashed on parts of the country by Boko Haram to an end.
President Jonathan thanked Mr. Kerry for the call and offer of further assistance, saying that Nigeria’s security agencies who were already working at full capacity to find and rescue the abducted girls would appreciate the deployment of American counter-insurgency know-how and expertise in support of their efforts.
After speaking with the United States Secretary of State, President Jonathan today met with the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and heads of national security agencies in continuation of the national efforts to find and rescue the abducted girls.
The President received updates on the ongoing search and rescue effort, and gave approval for recommended further actions.

Panic At Nyanya School, As Gunmen Snatch School Bus Shortly After Pupils Disembarked

Greenbarge Reporters

May 6, 2014

Parents of the Pupils of Vine International Academy school at Nyanya, the area that had witnessed two Boko Haram’s bomb blasts on April 14 and last week, beseiged the school to retrieve their children today as news filtered in that unknown gunmen attempted to abduct the pupils.
Information reaching us said that the gunmen trailed the school coasta bus that was conveying the pupils to the school and eventually took the bus from the driver.
It was gathered that the invaders drove the vehicle away from the school’s premises minutes after the pupils disembarked from it.
It was gathered however that none of the pupils or members of staff was hurt, but the gunmen went away with the school bus.
An official of the school who would not want his name mentioned said that it was not immediately known if the gunmen were members of Boko Haram or if they are robbers.
“The sad thing is that parents do not want to know if it is Boko Haram or not. Many of them are coming to take away their children out of panic.”
Residents of Nyanya are now living in fear of further attacks.
Meanwhile, eight other girls were said to have been abducted by unknown gunmen in a place near Gwoza in Borno state yesterday.
The girls, said to be between the ages of 12 to 15 were abducted in Warabe village of Gwoza Local government area of Borno state.
The gunmen were said to have also carted away foodstuff and livestocks belonging to the villagers before fleeing into the bush.
Gwoza is about 160 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital.
A resident of Warabe village, Mallam Bello Umar said that he was a resident of the village before he ran and settled in Gwoza following the increasing cases of Boko Haram attacks in Warabe and other neighbouring villages in Gwoza council area.
” A group of terrorists invaded Warabe village on Sunday night, abducted 8 of our teenage girls before carting away our foodstuffs and livestock.
“As I am talking to you now, I have ran to Gwoza council headquarters, and even in Gwoza, we are restricted around the council secretariat due to the fear of the terrorists. The situation is so pathetic as almost all Gwoza people, including villagers who came for safety are only restricted in a safer zone close to the council secretariat where there is enough presence of security personnel.”

What Exactly Is Going On In Chibok, Borno? By Josephine Babatunde

Greenbarge Reporters

May 5, 2014

In the last few weeks, the issue of the abduction of nearly 200 students of a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State has been largely politicized.
Rarely are the real mothers of the girls seen these days on television as some really concerned women and opportunists have taken the centre stage and relishing the attendant publicity pushing the parents to the background.
But at least, some measures of good are coming from the situation as a stakeholders’ meeting by First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has come up with a startling revelation that the recalcitrance of Governors Murtala Nyako of Borno State, Kashim Shettima of Borno and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe may have inadvertently left the nation with this nauseating situation.
Head of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Nigerian Office, Charles Eguridu, told the
stakeholders gathered with Mrs. Jonathan the fertile ground that led to the abduction of the girls was laid, after its request to the state governments for the relocation of the examination centre was ignored.
His story: “When we made that representation (letter) to the three affected states, none of them responded to
the honourable minister’s request.
“We followed it up and I directed my zonal coordinator in Borno state in particular, to liaise with the Ministry of Education in Borno State, and the response we got was so disheartening. We were told that they had security in place for the candidates and that we should come and conduct the examination in the schools and that they were not ready to relocate their students from Chibok and other areas to Maiduguri or nearby locations where security agencies could provide security.
“They said if we failed to conduct the examinations, the world would blame us. And so at great risk, my officers went to Chibok and conducted the examinations.
“After the unfortunate incident in which the students were said to have been abducted, our staff now got a response from the state that they were then ready to relocate the remaining students to another place called Ubah. And, as I speak, 189 candidates are continuing with the examination in Ubah.”
While the most important move now is to get our daughters back home to us, away from the wicked and ravenous wolves that keep them, it is about time someone told the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors of these three states that while they may choose to play politics over other matters, they should not do it at the risk of the lives of our children. In addition, political gymnastics with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled federal government may be acceptable in some circumstances, but playing politics with a sub-regional agency is the basest of political behaviour. See where it has led the state government.
And who is to say the Borno State government is not to blame? While this is not the best of times for blame-sharing, it has become increasingly clear that the federal government should cease wanting to do what is politically correct and impose full and comprehensive emergency rule in the three states of the north-east, more so when the governors are intemperate.
Away from irresponsible leaders, the federal government should bring to bear, its mighty weight upon the French-colonised countries of Niger, Cameroon, and Chad.
A few oil deals the way of France may work the wonders that is required to bend France over backwards, while a strong message is delivered to these countries like General Muhammadu Buhari did in the early 80s when a similar group toyed with our territorial integrity.
That bloody nose still remains fresh in the mind of our neighbours and a reiteration of our capacity to do it on a larger scale is needed at this time so that enemies without and within will know better not to mess with the federal government.
Still on the matter of the kidnapped girls, it is a wonder that those who claim to be our international friends with all the technologies in space were oblivious of the movement of the fanatics who moved around and captured 200 girls and redistributed them across countries as it has been claimed in some quarters.
Friends, indeed! Also, while contributing to debates on the floor of the National Assembly, lawmakers regaled the nation with the activities of the so-called Boko Haram operatives, including how they were marrying the abducted girls. It makes you wonder how they know so much so soon.
Moreover, how come our daughters are escaping from the insurgents when it appears the army is helpless. So, what exactly is going on in Chibok, Borno State?

Josephine contributed this piece from Festac Town, Lagos.

Jonathan Consoles Oputa’s Family, Says He Lived Fulfilled Life

Greenbarge Reporters

May 5, 2014

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has consoled the family of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa who died yesterday, asking them to take heart as the late judge lived a long and fulfilled life.

In a tribute, signed by his special adviser on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said that the retired Justice of the Supreme Court will always be remembered, amongst other career highlights, for his celebrated chairmanship of Nigeria’s Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission 14 years ago, President Jonathan.

He advised the family to be comforted by the knowledge that Justice Oputa “lived a long, very fulfilled and achievement-laden life.

The President believes that Justice Oputa will always be honoured now and in posterity for having served the nation as a most distinguished and courageous jurist who made very significant and indelible contributions to the advancement of Nigerian jurisprudence.

President Jonathan expressed confidence that although Justice Oputa has now left the world of the living, he will be long remembered for his spirited legal activism and will continue to serve as a splendid role model for present and future generations of Nigerian judges.

He prayed to God tol receive Justice Oputa’s soul and grant him a well-deserved rest from his diligent and exemplary labours on earth.

Michael Otedola Dies At 87

Greenbarge Reporters

May 5, 2014

A former Governor of Lagos State, Sir Michael Agbolade Otedola is dead. He died today at the age of 87. His widow, Lady Doja Otedola announced his death today in a statement in Lago.

Michael Otedola is father of billionaire oil magnate, owner of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Femi Otedola.

Lady Doja, in the statement said: “Sir Michael Agbolade Otedola passed away this morning at 87. Funeral arrangements to be announced later by the family.”

It was learnt that the former governor died of a stroke related ailment that has kept him from public glare for the past five years.

Born on July 16, 1926 at Odoragunsin in the Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, the late Otedola won a scholarship to study Journalism at the Regent Street Polytechnic, London and graduated in 1958.

He returned to Nigeria in 1959 to become an information officer in the Western Nigeria Government and was later appointed the Editor of the Western Nigeria Illustrated.

In 1961, he moved to the Western Nigeria Television/Western Broadcasting Service and in 1964, he joined Mobil Oil Group of Companies.

Otedola continued as a consultant to Mobil after leaving the company in 1977 before joining politics that later saw him elected governor of Lagos State from 1992 to 1993 on the platform of the National Republican Convention.

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