The Oba of Benin, Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I, has sent a blessing to President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office as President of Nigeria from 2015.

The Oba’s special mission to President Jonathan who is the Benin Kingdom’s Crown prince, Ambassador Eheneden Erediauwa arrived at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, accompanied by chairman, Ocean Marine Tankers Limited, Captain Hosa Okunbo with the message from Oba.
Ambassador Eheneden told newsmen shortly after conferring with the President that Oba Erediauwa, his father had been praying the President in the Benin Kingdom.

“He is praying fervently for him to be able to withstand the pressure. He sent me to let Mr President know that the spirits of the ancestors of the kingdom are with him and they will see him through. And also to pray that the opportunity will come for him to continue the good work he is doing in Benin and other parts of South South for at least another term.

“That is the commitment we have in this kind of special prayer coming from the Oba of Benin, my father. He is sending me as his eldest son to bring such a message. So, you can imagine the importance that my father attaches to such a message.”
He said that his father sent him to convey the message to the President “that we have been following the things that have been happening in the country. All these disturbances; the distractions that the President has been having. My father considers the President as his own son and he has sent me to present this special message to him.”
Ambassador Eheneden said that his father has also invited the President to kindly find time to have an audience with him in Benin, adding that the Oba does not travel so much now because of age.

“Basically, we are looking forward to receiving Mr. President for Baba to give him some fatherly advice and hopefully, it will be the beginning of continuous and continual pieces of fatherly advice my father will be given to Mr. President to guide him in facing future challenges and to urge him to continue his good work for the country.”

Nigerian political, religious and security leaders have come up with a verdict that Boko Haram, a deadly group that has been engaged in terrorism in mainly North Eastern part of the country has nothing to do with Islamic religion.
The expanded security meeting which held today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, security cheifs, religious leaders, including the Sultan of Sokoto and President of Chritian Association of Nigeria (CAN) concluded that Boko Haram has been killing both Muslims and Christians in its deadly attacks.
Briefing state House shortly after the meeting which held from 12.10 noon to 6.40pm today, the leaders, led at the briefing by minister of defence, Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau said that they were unanimous in condemning the increasing spate of deadly activities of not only Boko Haram but kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals across the country.
Others who briefed the newsmen were the Niger state governor, Babangida Aliyu, Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi, Abia state governor, Theodor Orji and Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima.
The meeting, they said, agreed that “Boko Haram is not a religious war because they attack and kill both Muslims and Christians.”
They said that the meeting took a look at a memo written by Adamawa state governor, Murtala Nyako to his Northern colleagues and unanimously condemned it.
Governor Nyako, they said, was given the chance to read the content of his letter at the meeting at the end of which the leaders condemend it.
The meeting autioned leaders to be careful about what they say in public so as not to encourage terrorists, adding that they thrive in an environment where there is conflicts amongst the leaders that should have united to fight them.
In the same vien. The meeting asked media practitioners to be compassionate about the unity of the country in matters concerning terrorists and the nation.
The meeting also resolved to establish preaching board in each state of the federation to regulate both Islamic and Chritian religious preachings as a way of stemming instigative ones.
The leaders set up a committee to work out details of move to domesticate Fulani pasturalists to stem frequent clashes between them and farmers in their areas of residence, even as they resolve to abbrogate the issue of state indigenship that has made some people settlers in states they have spent almost all their live times.
Names of the committee members were not disclosed at the briefing, even as questions were not entertained from the newsmen.
“We stress the need for wholistic measures to stem terrorism, including anti poverty strategy, soft approach in addition to hard approach that has been in operation through deployment of Joint security Task Force.”

President Goodluck Jonathan has reassured the global community of the safety of all participants in the next month’s World Economic Forum on Africa scheduled to hold in Abuja, the nation’s federal capital territory.

Speaking at an audience with China’s new Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gu Xiaojie who presented his letters of credence to him at the Presidential Villa today, President Jonathan said that the security challenges being experienced in parts of the country will have no adverse effect on the safety of participants in the forum.

The President welcomed the confirmation by China that its delegation to the Forum, which will bring together regional and global leaders to discuss innovative structural reforms and investments that can sustain the continent’s current growth trajectory and create jobs, will be led by Premier Li Keqiang.

“I am quite pleased that the Premier of the People’s Republic of China has confirmed that he is coming. We will be addressing the World Economic Forum on Africa together. We will also sit down together to discuss shared national interests.

“We will give all participants a good reception in Abuja. We have faced challenges in the area of security, but we will overcome the situation so that our economy can move forward faster. Participants will not have a problem with security during the summit.”

The Ambassador assured the President of China’s confidence in Nigeria’s security measures and the country’s ability to host the World Economic Forum on Africa successfully.

“From our assessment, we are confident that all is under control and we have relayed that to our people,” Mr. Gu Xiaojie said.

He applauded Nigeria’s re-basing of its GDP and the country’s emergence as the number one economy in Africa, noting that it will certainly stimulate the inflow of more foreign investors.

Also today, at the Presidential Villa, President Jonathan received the letters of credence of the new Malaysian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Lim Juay and the new Ambassador of Thailand, Mr. Chailert Limsoboom.

The President urged all three new Ambassadors to do their best to further expand areas of bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and their respective countries.

Prince Eze Madumere, the Deputy Governor of Imo State has emerged again as the best Deputy Governor in the South East of Nigeria, with the title award scheduled to be conferred on him on Saturday, April 26 at Rockview Hotels in Owerri.

A statement signed by his Special Adviser on media, Uche Onwuchekwa today said that Prince Madumere emerged as a result of his exemplary life in service to humanity.

“It is on record that in demonstration of his charity, he devoted a substantial amount of his income to cater for orphans and other less-privileged in the society. He has also exhibited a rare passion and commitment towards achieving peace through his crisis resolution strategies.

“His ability to resolve Orsu-Obodo- ADDAX Oil crises, Irete-Nigeria Bottling Company age long crises have put him ahead of many. Prince Madumere, has also shown what to takes as a Deputy Governor to have a peaceful and cordial working relationship with his boss, the Governor through his humility and loyalty.”
the statement said that Prince Madumere has a good history of negotiation and crises management as well as resolution, dating back to over twenty years ago.

He was said to have resolved a matter in his immediate community of Ezi in Mbieri, which could have caused bloody clash, adding that such effort gave birth to Prince Ee Madumere Unity Cup, that even united theYouths of the community and rallied them round as well as galvanizing them to all stand for peaceful resolution.
It will be recalled that Archbishop of Anglican Church, Rev. Dr. Beneth Okoro had described Prince Eze Madumere, MFR, as the Best Deputy Governor Imo State has ever had. Prince Eze Madumere as well emerged the most recognized Deputy Governor in the South East on the Igbo online platform through a survey.
His exploit at demystifying power and political offices is well known. As the former Chief of Staff to Governor Okorocha, he was the most accessible Chief of Staff and has remained the most effective from the the survey so far conducted among the political appointees.
In retrospect, Prince Madumere was also honored with National Honours Award of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for his care for the down trodden, less privileged and contribution in enriching Nigeria’s democracy for for standing to be counted even in the face of intimidation from a cruel government. He was also incarcerated on spurious claims under Ikedi Ohakim’s administration. Today, he is known as the Mandela of Imo State.
For the love his people have for him, he was recognized as the Ogbuhuruzo of Mbaitoli. However, in all Prince Madumere has maintained that in all these he owes to God and Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo State.

President Goodluck Jonathan is currently presiding over an all-inclusive security meeting with Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, governors from all the leading political parties, security chiefs and religious leaders in attendance.

The meeting which started at about 12.10pm today, is still in session at the Presidential Villa, Abuja as at the time of publishing this report, at 5.30pm.

The National President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, who are in attendance, offered the opening prayers before the meeting commenced in a closed door.

State governors in attendance include, Willie Obiano (Anambra), Theodore Orji (Abia), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Martins Elechi (Ebonyi), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna ), Garba Umar (Taraba), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Seidu Dakingari (Kebbi), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Lyel Imoke (Cross River), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe) and Isa Yuguda (Bauchi).

Governors of Jigawa, Imo, Oyo, Rivers, Kano, Ogun, Edo, Plateau and Yobe states were represented by their deputies.

The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), led the Minister of Defence and heads of the Army, Navy, Airforce, Police, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps as well as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to the meeting.

Ministers in attendance included those of Interior, Defence, Police Affairs, Foreign, Agriculture, FCT and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Detail later.

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has hit back at the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, describing him as “a tragedy for Nigeria.”
Reacting to Maku who, yesterday, described his memo to his colleagues Northern governors as “irresponsible and divisive” through his spokesman, Ahmad Sajoh, Nyako said that people like Labaran Maku represent the tragedy that has befallen Nigeria as a Nation.
Nyako had, in his memo, accused the Federal Government of carrying out genocide in the North East and asked his colleagues to investigate it.
The information minister, who fielded questions from newsmen shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday, asked people like Governor Nyako to shut their mouths up instead of fanning the embers of disunity.
Governor Nyako swiftly reacted by saying that his views on governance and manifest actions “clearly prove the gutter level public policy has descended to in today’s Nigeria.”
He said that for anyone given the responsibility of managing information to advise that people should keep their mouths shut means that under such leadership, sycophants and sundry charlatans are the only citizens required.
“An information Minister calling on people to keep quiete in the face of wanton lies, serial deceptions and series of unanswered questions is undoubtedly a tragedy.
“We pity the likes of Labaran Maku who choose to feather their nests on the graves of their compatriots while calling on others to keep quite even when innocent blood is shed.”
Governor Nyako insisted that the opposition would not keep quiet until those who danced while we were mourning answer for their insensitivity.
“Labaran Maku and all the pretenders in the corridors of power will one day account for their deeds, good or bad and that they should be reminded of both the inevitability of an end to their positions and the vanity of power. These facts will catch up with them sooner than later.”
On the abducted girls, he reminded Maku, “that anyone in this Government with a sense of shame should hide his face and not make useless and vain statements that mean far worthless and valueless as made by him.
“The lies they told on the matter and the deceptions they wove around it will one day haunt them to their graves. Hiring attack dogs to pour insults on people will not save them from the judgment of history and ultimately that of God Almighty.
“Let him be assured that our vigilante groups and hunters will surely rescue our daughters, God willing.
“We shall not be silent like the Labaran Maku’s did when innocent citizens were gruesomely murdered in Kiyana Nasarawa State or scores of security personnel were gruesomely butchered by his kinsmen.
“We shall not keep quiete when a convoy of marauding murderers pass through military checkpoints and operate for many hours unchallenged at night during curfew hours in states that are supposed to be under emergency rule.
“We shall not keep quiete because of threats of removal, arrest or prosecution.  “We shall not keep quiete because of blackmail and insults from court jesters and sycophants.
“We shall not keep quiete even in the face of open threats to our lives. We shall only keep quiete if those who danced while we mourned provide answers to the question.”