Vacancies for Revolutionaries in Nigeria

Nigeria is in dire need of fundamental changes in all her systems (political, economic, social, etc). Therefore vacant positions have arisen in all parts of Nigeria and in all sections/sectors of our lives for positions of revolutionaries. These positions exist in our families, villages, communities, ward levels, all local government areas, all ministries (state and federal), and all government agencies and in all private sector concerns etc. The entire Nigerian system needs a complete overhauling. Therefore, the Nigerian would be revolutionaries should start with him or herself. Firstly he or she needs to change, then change the families and change his/her immediate environment. Charity begins at home. (Picture shows map of Nigeria)

Revolutions need not be bloody, but bloody revolutions are preferable. However since the demise of communism, and the collapse of Soviet Union , the prevalence or the rate of occurrence of bloody revolutions have been on the decline. Most revolutions were inspired by Marxist ideologies. Previously former Soviet Union was seen as beacon of hope for people with revolutionary’s ideas. Many revolutionaries at some point or the other had some kind of backing, contacts, training or indoctrinations from the former Soviet Union . Examples are as follows; Late Chairman Mao of China , Fidel Castrol of Cuba , Raul Castro (present Cuban leader following the ill health of his elder brother Fidel Castrol) late Che Guevara, late Salvador Allende (former socialist president of Chile ) etc.

Other countries like Libya , Cuba etc have sponsored revolutions at different stages, in different countries of the world. These revolutionary supports took place mainly during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Libya supported Charles Taylor of Liberia and was deeply involved with shipping arms to the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The Irish Americans also supported the Irish Republican Army in Ireland . Cuba had their forces in Angola to support the MPLA.

Other forms of revolution have taken places around the world. Here I will comment briefly about the Islamic revolution in Iran and the Orange revolution in Ukraine . In 1979 Ayatollah Khomeni led an Islamic revolution to topple the Iranian monarchy. Through the revolution led by Khomeni , Iran became an Islamic Republic and introduced theocratic constitution. The Orange revolution took place in Ukraine from November 2004 to early 2005 when the people of Ukraine resisted the attempt by Russia to install a puppet as the leader of Ukraine . The people of Ukraine overwhelmingly voted a pro western government.

Previously colonization, neocolonialism, the struggle for independence, cold war, Apartheid in South Africa , and capitalism (greed and exploitation) were among the motivating factors for revolution in most countries. Ironically these factors do no longer exist, except capitalism and neocolonialism. In Africa , greed, corruption and bad governance exists in greater proportion. However some revolutionaries have emerged in Africa to clean up their societies. People like Jerry Rawlings of Ghana who was nick named Junior Jesus because of his initials J.J. (Jerry John) Rawlings. He cleansed the Ghana politics and retrieved all stolen government monies from corrupt Ghanaian politicians. He laid down the foundation of the present democratic system of government in Ghana . He preached to Ghanaians to demand accountability from their leaders. The Libyan leader (Col. Gadaffi) once said that it was the Rawlings revolution that saved Ghana .

In Nigeria we have had people like late General Murtala Mohammed, General Buhari (both military ex heads of state) and General Tunde Idiagbon. They tried to clean up the Nigerian system but their administrations were short lived. Many Nigerians are revolutionaries in their own rights, and revolution can take place in any sector or start from any segment of our society. Here I will mention Chief Gani Fawehinmi (Senior Advocate of the masses), Gani’s efforts have changed the Nigerian landscape. Many other Nigerians too, have brought outstanding changes in various spheres of Nigerian society. Internationally we have people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King etc. I consider these people revolutionaries in their own rights.

Many of us, who are praying for change to happen in our motherland, are advised to start the change process wherever they are. Let’s change for good. I will agree with late Michael Jackson when he sang in one of his songs (Man in the mirror) that if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change. In the same way, Nigerians should first take a look at themselves and start the change. We have role models to copy or follow their ideas. If a small percentage of us start this change process wherever they are and be consistent, then there could be hope to revive Nigeria . We have to remember that we have a choice to either save Nigeria or sink Nigeria . To save Nigeria we have a duty to start the change process immediately. Every little positive effort will matter a lot. Failure to save Nigeria will be disastrous.

But I must caution people that, there will be no quick fix to Nigeria ’s problem. Changing the entire Nigerian system will be a difficult project; therefore we should be prepared for a tough project. Many of us will resist changes. Change itself is difficult. Many of Nigerians who are below 40 years have known no other system except the present day Nigerian system. Therefore changing more than half of the population will be tough and challenging. This is the more reason why any person that desires change should start changing his/her environment in any small way that is possible.

The grassroots will be a good starting point for changes. Change comes not from the top down but from the ground up. Management of people at the grassroots is very essential for any successful change. Revolutionaries all over the world have high sense of patriotism and have introduced positive changes to the lives of their people. Same should apply to Nigerians seeking to start quiet revolution or change. Henceforth it will be ideal for Nigerians to be thinking of individual/private sector led change of the Nigerian system. There are a lot of changes that the civil society can spearhead. Also changing Nigeria is burden for all of us, therefore the earlier we start changing our nation the better for all of us. May God bless Nigeria .

Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

The Looting of Rangers

Paul Chibuzor, Executive Secretary of Rangers International Football Club, Enugu is embroiled in financial scandals.

Ozor Paul Chibuzor, Executive Secretary of Rangers International Football Club of Enugu, is currently in the eye of the storm. (Picture shows Chibuzor)

Apart from misappropriation of the finances of Rangers, Chibuzor grapples with allegations of stashing away funds realized from sale of some Rangers players to foreign club sides.

Part of the stashed funds is said to include over $350,000 (approximately N80 million). Four of the transferred players are listed as Uchebo Okechukwu (striker), Alex Nkuma (defender), John Chibuike (striker) and Abayi Chijioke (mid fielder). While Okechukwu and Nkuma were reportedly jointly sold for $165,000, Chijioke and Chibuike were transferred for $80,000 and 80,000 Euros respectively. In the Nigerian currency, the foregoing figures is put at over N70 million.

Interestingly, Chibuzor’s accusers are former players of Rangers, some of who, also, belong to the club’s Board of Management. Operating under the platform of Ex-Rangers International Footballers Association, the group, in a Press Release, dated August 27, 2009, asserted: “The transfer and sale of Rangers are couched in secrecy. A number of players have been sold to foreign clubs for $350,000 without any accountability to Rangers Board”.
The statement, signed by Luke Okpala and Boniface Uzoh, Chairman and Secretary respectively, accused the Executive Secretary (Chibuzor) of falling short of accountability and probity in his administration of Rangers.

This allegation was, partly, informed by Chibuzor’s alleged unauthorized advancement of a personal loan of N4 million to the club. Chibuzor, equally, reportedly secured another N1 million loan from a Clerical Officer on Grade Level 6 in the club named as Sunday Eze. The contention here is that the Executive Secretary, Chibuzor, had gone about securing these alleged fraudulent loans without the consent of the club’s Management Board.

“Has the Executive Secretary followed due process and is this not a well-thought out plan to defraud the club? How did a Grade Level 06 officer (Sunday Eze) in Rangers raise a loan of N1 million if they are not practicing financial laundering?” the association quizzed.

Aside funds from sale of players and the questionable loans, the Executive Secretary stands accused of misappropriating a life-line of N150 million extended to the Flying Antelopes by the government of Barrister Sullivan Chime.

The N150 million, released to the club in the first week of August, was meant to clear the players’ sign-on fees, pay entitlements to the club’s officials, as well as recruit new players. Our correspondent was told that while Chibuzor has paid some of the players their sign-on fees, he was, at press time, yet to settle the officials, a situation that has been generating ripples.
That is not all! The Executive Secretary allegedly transferred N14 million (from the N150 million) to his fixed personal account in one of the new generation banks in Enugu. Although Chibuzor reportedly claimed that his travel to the United States, early August, was to see his family members, his traducers insist that he went to siphon out the funds of Rangers (he had stolen) in foreign banks.

Also, part of the grouse of ex-Rangers is that Chibuzor, because he lacks corporate experience and qualification to run the club, has been recruiting and registering poor quality and ‘clubless’ players. And despite the fact that those players could not make the team, Chibuzor reportedly pays them higher percentage of sign-on fees to the detriment of the regular players.

The Executive Secretary is, equally, on the dot for approving the representation of Rangers Football Club in both the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and Nigeria Premier League (NPL) by the ill-qualified duo of Sunday Eze (the Clerical Officer) and Forster Chime (an editorial staff of Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) who doubles as Rangers Public Relations Officer (PRO)

The ex-Rangers players are, in the main, angry that Chibuzor, who they described as ‘a former taxi driver in USA’, has been running Rangers like his personal estate, in the process of which he has, even, grown bigger than the Management Board, which is the highest decision making organ of the club.

For instance, Chibuzor successfully snubbed a suspension order slammed on him by the Management Board, headed by the transport mogul, Samuel Maduka Onyishi, on March 31 this year. Chibuzor’s suspension, ostensibly, followed his alleged innumerable misdemeanors, but he brags that it is only Governor Chime who has the powers to sanction him, not the Onyishi Board. Other members of the Rangers Board, who signed the resolution containing Chibuzor’s suspension, include Kenneth Boardman, Ossy Rockefeller Ogboso, D.N.D Onyeachor, Davidson Owumi, Dominic Nwobodo and Achunike Mgbatogu.

And apart from the fact that he sat tight in office, refusing to, as directed by the Board, hand over to the club’s team manager, Walter Udoji, Chibuzor reportedly played a leading role in the recent controversial ouster of Coach Christian Chukwu from the club. Intriguingly, Chibuzor, also, sat back to sack some other staff of Rangers, and, subsequently, placed advertorials in the newspapers calling for applications into their respective offices.

However, Chibuzor is said to derive his ‘maximum powers’ in Rangers from Jide Chime, younger brother to Governor Chime. Jide it was who allegedly used his influence to halt his suspension by the Board. Jide, a senior lecturer at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) and, in fact, the defacto Chairman of Governor Chime’s Total Mandate political outfit, is, also, fingered as having ensured that the Board’s letter conveying Chibuzor’s suspension never got to the governor for accent. It is popularly held that the letter was hidden away to render the suspension null and void.

Chibuzor, however, denied the allegations against him, saying they were targeted at smearing his image. Calling the bluff of his accusers, the embattled Executive Secretary maintained that he is not, in the least, bothered so long as he satisfies Governor Chime. Boasting that he regularly briefs the governor of his activities, Chibuzor vowed not to allow the detractors to derail his good intentions for the club.

Chibuzor denied ever selling off Rangers players as alleged. He, nonetheless, admitted, in a chat with THEWEEK, that his management sold only one of the players, John Chibuike, to a foreign club. He, also, denied advancing a personal loan of N4 million to Rangers, as well as having procured another N1 million from Eze.

“I am not bothered by these baseless allegations. The governor knows everything I do in this club. I am accountable to him, and will not allow detractors to derail our good intentions for Rangers”, the embattled Executive Secretary blurted.

As it were, the fortunes of Rangers, one time foremost football club side in Nigeria, have continued to dwindle over the years. The club, at the moment, occupies the 6th position on the league table. Although Rangers has been lucky enough to, often, narrowly escape relegation, it is tear-evoking to learn that Rangers International Football Club has never won any trophy since 1983. Quite incredible!

And unless the Chime administration jettisons nepotism and sub-ethnic considerations, and ensure the running of Rangers like a club side, as opposed to the current ‘parapo’ style of handling the team, Rangers will, for sure, continue to toddle along in an effort to catch up with its contemporaries in the round leather game.

Will Governor Chime save Rangers? The time is now!

Culled from THEWEEK, a Nigerian weekly news magazine

Soldiers Rape Ebonyi Women

Ezza-Ezillo people of Ebonyi state, at war with her sister Ezillo community, cry out against forceful eviction from their ancestral homes, as well as intimidation and rape of their women by soldiers deployed to the area for peace keeping.
By: Uba Aham

At the last count, five women have allegedly been sexually molested by soldiers deployed to restore peace between the two warring neighboring communities of Ezillo and Ezza-Ezillo in Ebonyi state.

The soldiers were said to have, for the past six months now, barricaded all the roads leading to Ezza-Ezillo section of the community, sexually molesting women of the area, and destroying the people’s livestock and economic crops.

Mrs. Mary Ugoama, one of the rape victims, in an interview, lamented that the soldiers used to lay ambush for the women inside their farmlands, forcing them to uproot their farm crops and, subsequently, destroying the crops.

“Recently, the soldiers who are supposed to make peace between us and our Ezillo neighbors resorted to sexually abusing us. They don’t allow us get back to our farmlands; they kill and feast on our livestock. They prevent our children and wards from going to school. Some of the soldiers raped and compelled us inside our farmlands to remove the crops we had planted”, Mrs. Ugoama cried out.

Part of the allegation against the peace-keeping soldiers is that Ezza-Ezillo indigenes are not allowed access to their homes and farmlands whereas their Ezillo counterparts enjoy free movement.

It would be recalled that the twin communities of Ezza-Ezillo and Ezillo have been at war since last year, May 9, following a minor disagreement that ensued between an Ezillo youth and his Ezza-Ezillo counterpart concerning the citing of a business centre in the Ezaa-Ezillo territory. The following day, the disagreement which could have passed for a slight misunderstanding between the kinsmen degenerated into a wave of unprecedented attacks by the Ezillos against their Ezza–Ezillo brethren.

The attendant mayhem witnessed wanton killings, burning down of houses, as well as destruction of farm lands. Ostensibly in self defense, the people of Ezza–Ezillo retaliated, and the consequence, which continues to haunt the area till date, was a bloody communal conflict between the brother communities.

This rift over a business location by the Ezillo youth contrary to the directive of the leadership of Ezza-Ezillo Market (Eke Umuezekoha) was, of course, the immediate cause of the bloody encounters. The remote cause is, rather, founded on the tradition of origin of the Ezza-Ezillos who, it was learnt, came into their present area of occupation, called Umuezeoka-Ezza and Umuezokoha-Ezza, over 70 years ago on the invitation of Ezillo people.

In that era of inter-tribal wars and quest for territorial expansion, the Ezillos, it was learnt, invited the Ezzas to help them in warding off their powerful Ngbo and Okpoto neighbors who were on the verge of annihilating them, with a view to taking over their lands and bringing them under total control.

It was on the discovery that the magnitude of the war was such that would not require participation of the entire Ezza stock, located in Onueke, present Ezza South council area of the state, that the people unanimously sent their Umuezeoka and Umuezekoha-Ezzas to assist the Ezillos in routing their Ngbo and Okpoto assailants.

It has to be noted that the eventual involvement of the Ezzas followed an agreement to the effect that after the war, the Ezza warriors would not return back to Onueke, but would unobtrusively settle in their present areas of abode, that is, the Ebonyi River side of Abakiliki. And true to the agreement, the Ezza mercenaries, after the war, settled in the agreed area and, subsequently, acted as a shield to the Ezzillos over their Ngbo and Okpoto assailants.

And the duo had, since then, cohabited until the outbreak of the hostilities that tore them apart.

Incidentally, the intervention of Chief Martin Elechi government in the blood-chilling conflicts, particularly, altered this communal existence of Ezza-Ezillo. Elechi government had, in a public broadcast on October 2 of last year, directed the people to vacate their ancestral homes and farmlands, and move into a completely barren location called ‘Egu Echara’. According to the Ezzas, numbering over 12,000, this ‘Egu Echara’ piece of land is not only small, but presently occupied by the Ezillo and Ngbo people.

“In Egu Echara, there are no houses for re-settlement, no schools for our children, no hospital or clinic for our health needs, no play grounds for our children, no market for us to buy and sell our wares, no churches to worship our God, no portable water, no access roads and so on”, the Ezzas lamented.

As a matter of fact, Governor Elechi’s pronouncement followed a report of a peace committee, headed by Eze Chibueze Agbo, traditional ruler Ezzamgbo community. The membership of Eze Agbo committee, set up to inquire into the crisis, included Ambassador Icha Ituma, Dr. Offia Nwali, Chief Chris Nwankwo, Rev. Fr. John Odey, Eze John Oge, Chief James Alobu, Eze Martin Nweke, Chief Okoro Alochi, Chief Nwafor Echie and Chief Francis Eze Igwe among others.

Incessantly harassed by both the soldiers and Elechi government to vacate their abodes and farmlands for the forest, Ezza-Ezillos, in April this year, sought redress in the law court. The suit, filed before an Abakiliki High Court on their behalf by their counsel, Uche Wisdom Durueke of DURUEKE’S LAW FIRM, 12 Mbaise Road, Owerri-Imo State, has Governor Elechi, the state’s Commissioner for Works and Transport, Surveyor-General and Eze as defendants. The plaintiffs, suing on behalf of themselves and Umuezoka-Ezza and Umuezokoha-Ezza of Ezza-Ezillo in Ishielu Local Government Area, included Chief Paul Ogbule, James Nwali, Augustine Egbe and Jonathan Omena.

The suit, numbered HAB21/2009, among other things, seeks an order of perpetual injunction restraining Governor Elechi by himself, his commissioners, assistants, officers, servants, workmen, agents, representatives or successor from relocating the Ezzas or moving the Ezzas out of their present abodes and farmlands to ‘Egu Echara’ or anywhere else as contained the infamous broadcast of October 2 last year.
The suit, equally, seeks the court’s declaration that the governor’s directive to the effect that the Ezza-Ezillos should relocate from their ancestral homes and farmlands is wrong, unfair, inhuman, unjust, unlawful, illegal and, therefore, null and void. Part of the prayers of the Ezza-Ezillos include a declaration that the report of Eze Agbo’s Peace Committee in respect of the crisis is not binding in law, and that the recommendations were made without giving them equal opportunity to present their case before the committee like their Ezillo neighbors.

Another relief being sought by the community is an order of perpetual injunction restraining Elechi government from asking or insisting on implementing their planned eviction.

Understandably, the constitution of Eze Agbo’s Peace Committee did not go down well with the Ezza-Ezillo people, who contended that the outcome of the committee’s assignment would, naturally, tilt against them. The contention of the people was that Eze Agbo, being an Ngbo man, would not be objective enough as to dispense justice in the matter. Similarly, Ambassador Icha Ituma, himself an Ngbo element, and, indeed, many other members of the Peace Committee allegedly had sympathies for the Ezillos against the Ezza-Ezillos. The Ngbos are, understandably, sworn enemies of Ezza-Ezillos because of the latter’s acceptance to help the Ezillos in defeating them in warfare.

Giving credence to their fears, the Ezza-Ezillos queried the rationale behind the Peace Committee’s hurried submission of its interim report to Governor Elechi even when presentations before it had not been concluded.

For instance, the Ezza-Ezillos nominated a six-man delegation to represent them before the Peace Committee, but the delegates, it was alleged, were intimidated and harassed by Ezillo youths, such that four of them discontinued their attendance at the committee’s peace and reconciliation sittings. The two other delegates who struggled to make presentations reportedly did so at the risk of losing their lives, and, as such, they could not effectively represent their people in the meetings.
It was as a result of the intimidation of her delegates that Ezza-Ezillo community petitioned the Peace Committee and Elechi government to shift the venue from Ishielu council headquarters to Abakiliki, the state’s Capital Territory, at least, considered as a neutral place. But the Ezzas told the magazine that both Governor Elechi and Eze Agbo’s Peace Committee snubbed their request, and went ahead with the Ishielu venue.

To add insult to the injury of the Ezzas, one of them, Sylvanus Nwonu, was arrested and detained in the presence of Governor Elechi and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Barrister Augustine Nwankwoegu, on the day and place of the inauguration of Eze Agbo’s Peace Committee.

Even at that, the Ezzas, in the suit, contend that the majority of the five sub-committees of Eze Agbo’s Peace Committee never recommended their re-location, adding that neither Elechi government nor the committee itself made any attempt to include women or hear their voices in the so-called peace process. The suit argues that this non-involvement of women was a big flaw, as women are known for their neutrality in issues of conflict of this nature.

Aside the petition to President Yar’Adua on the alleged intimidation and sexual harassment of Ezza-Ezillo women, the community has, also, sent Save Our Soul (SOS) messages to several quarters on the communal crisis.

One of such petitions, signed by their counsel, Uche Wisdom Durueke, dated March 23, 2009, was copied to the President of the Senate, Federal House of Representatives Speaker, and Human Rights Commission. THEWEEK learnt that the Senate is currently looking into the petition, with a view to making necessary recommendations on the conflict.

Meanwhile, the Ezillos have joined issues in court with their Ezza-Ezillo brethren, but hearing is yet to be fixed in the matter by the state judiciary.
Though several efforts by THEWEEK to speak to Army authorities in the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu proved abortive, a highly-placed source at the Division revealed that authorities of the Force are yet to be briefed on the allegations of sexual harassment of Ezza-Ezillo women by soldiers.

“This notwithstanding, the Division will try to investigate the claims, with a view to finding out their veracity or otherwise”, the source which pleaded anonymity offered.

How will the Ezillo, Ezza-Ezillo war end? Did Governor Elechi stir the hornet’s nest by hastily ordering the eviction of the Ezzas from the ancestral homes and farmlands? Will peace ever return to the hitherto sister communities?
The answers to these posers, certainly, lie in the womb of time.

FROM THEWEEK MAGAZINE, PUBLISHED IN NIGERIA.

This Government is a Fraud!

At the moment, Josef Umunnakwe Onoh, former member of Enugu State House of Assembly and second son of late Chief C.C Onoh, former governor of old Anambra state, is in hiding.

The Onoh junior, recently, granted an explosive interview to a Nigerian daily, viciously attacking the government of Barrister Sullivan Chime in Enugu state. (Picture shows Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state; Right is Hon. Josef Umunnakwe Onoh)

The late Chief C.C Onoh’s family has been on collision course with Chime government over allegations bordering on corruption and looting of the resources of Enugu people.

The Onohs nurse a deep seated animosity against the government of Chime for allegedly abandoning their father in death. And at the fore-front of the on-slaughts against the government is Josef who, in the talked-about interview, hauled multi-pronged allegations of corruption against the government.

“At the beginning, yes, I agreed that he (Chime) had great potentialities of a governor in the making but in the course of running his administration, the government was a fraud and I have decided to expose that same government because everything that is going on in that government is a fraud and the greatest kind of fraud is the one done under the act of deception”, Hon. Onoh thundered.
Part of the charges is that Chime government had concluded plans to collect N50 billion bonds from a commercial bank in Enugu, claiming that the government uses the bank to divert some money.

Onoh junior maintains that the government hides under road reconstruction in Enugu metropolis to loot the resources of the people, saying: ‘This is the first government I have seen that the public are cheering, while their hard earned money is being looted and they are still clapping for them to do more. It is robbery with applause from the masses.”

He, further, claims that the fraud, which is enormous, starts from fraudulent appointments involving allocation of vehicles at outrageous costs to the appointees. He accuses Governor Chime of carefree attitude in the running of the state, alleging that, two years after, Chime is yet to inspect projects being executed by his government.

The former legislator, particularly, takes the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, to the cleaners, accusing her of having hijacked the government, thereby reducing Governor Chime to a puppet.

Onoh alleges that Mrs. Nwobodo scrutinizes every contract to be awarded in the state, with a view to enriching herself and members of her family. Part of his claim is that incumbent local government chairmen in the state have been chasing the Chief of Staff with money so as to facilitate their second term bids. Enugu state’s local government election would hold on December 5 this year.
The Chief of Staff, Hon. Onoh also alleges, is too overbearing in government, and goes about with about six mobile policemen in contrast to the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Martin Ilo, who has only two.

“On the purchase of environmental trucks, nobody has given any account, yet everybody was clapping and at the end of the day, she (Mrs. Nwobodo) purchased these poorly built waste bins that cannot even carry a weight of two complexes and up till today no account has been rendered to members of the public that pay taxes”, Onoh charged.

The erstwhile state legislator threatens that he would, using incriminating documents in his possession, send Governor Chime to prison- “I can assure you that I will send Sullivan to jail…I have incriminating documents, which will shake the foundation of this government. I am, also, writing a book where all the frauds will be documented and these are documents I will submit to EFCC”.

Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the outbursts of Josef against Chime government. Mrs. Nwobodo has, in particular, slammed a one billion naira suit on Hon. Onoh for libel and defamation. Mrs. Nwobodo, to this effect, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Josef to retract all the allegations he levied against her. The N1 billion she is claiming is for damages.

Writing through her lawyer, P.M.B Onyia Esq, Mrs. Nwobodo alleges that the comments made by Onoh had severely injured her reputation and exposed her to ‘grave embarrassment, odium, contempt and ridicule’ in the eyes of the public. She thus demanded a full paged apology from Onoh retracting the false and disparaging statements against her.

The young Onoh is believed to have slipped into hiding in order to evade a possible disastrous consequence of the controversial interview, such as the impending service of the libel suit on him. While his mobile telephones were not going as at press time, his whereabouts remain unknown.

But how long would the Onoh junior remain in hiding?

Lost, But Yet To Be Found

Samuel Nwuzor, a Lance Corporal in the Nigerian Army, curiously, disappeared without trace from his Block 22, Flat 30, Dodan Barracks, Obalende Lagos official residence two years ago, precisely on August 4, 2007. Samuel, Force Number 91NA/32/4180, was recruited into the Nigerian Army in the year 1991. (Picture left shows missing Lance Corporal Nwuzor)

The Lance Corporal’s puzzle-laden disappearance occurred just seven days to his church wedding. And more intriguing, perhaps, is the allegation by the Nwuzor family of Ndi–Uruku community in Abakaliki council area of Ebonyi state that, two years after her son’s disappearance, authorities of the Nigerian Army, particularly, the Obalende Cantonment of the 9 Brigade, Ikeja, where Samuel was, at the time, serving, is yet to come up with an official statement concerning the incident.

Part of the rules and regulations guiding the Nigeria Army prescribes that a soldier should be declared ‘away’ when no evidence exists that he/she is sick or permitted to go off camp, but the army has refused to observe this rule with regards to Samuel’s case.

Dr. Christopher nwuzor, elder brother to the ill-fated Lance Corporal Samuel, laments that his continued disappearance has continued to cause psychological trauma to the family members, especially, his septuagenarian aged parents.

As a last resort, the Nwuzor family engaged the services of a lawyer, Barrister Luke Nkwegbu, to assist in searching out her soldier son. Nkwegbu who has, since, swung into action in the matter, found out that Lance Corporal Samuel left his residence to meet with a fellow soldier named Sergeant John Aggrey.

KlinReports learnt that Sergeant Aggrey had initially admitted knowledge of the whereabouts of Samuel before the Nwuzor family and the Army Public Relations Officer in charge of 9 Brigade Cantonment, Captain Adeniyi. Indeed, Sergeant Aggrey reportedly stated that Samuel was at a village in Cross River state, but demanded a ‘tip’ to take the family delegation to the place. But Aggrey, shortly after, recapitulated and changed his statement, entirely denying knowledge of the Lance Corporal’s whereabouts.

In a petition, dated September 13, 2008, addressed to the Police Inspector-General, and signed by Nkwegbu, the Nwuzor family demanded that Sergeant Aggrey be considered the principal suspect in the sudden disappearance of Samuel.

The petition claimed that telephone conversations revealed that Aggrey remained in contact with Nwuzor before he finally disappeared on the fateful day. The family, also, did a reminder of this petition, dated July 14th, 2009, and copied appropriate authorities, including Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defense Staff, Director-General, State Security Services (SSS), Minister of Defense, National Security Adviser, as well as Chairman, Senate Committee on Army among others.

Most unfortunately, nothing has yet been heard from these quarters on the curious disappearance of this Nigerian soldier. But the Nwuzor family seems resolved to get to the root of the matter.

The question remains: ‘Where is Lance Corporal Samuel Nwuzor?’ Is he dead or alive?

Despots Have Murdered Africa

“It is alarmingly disturbing that when the Europe and the North Americans are busy, finding their way to the moon, Africans are busy heading back to the forest (cave)”.

Since the immortal statement above, was made by the late Julius Nyerere of the Republic of Tanzania in 1994, the greater number of South American and Southeast Asian States had joined the North American and the European States in the league of credible and stable democracies or the comity of civilized nations. A greater number of African States, in the contrary, have chosen to remain in the comity of dynastic or hegemonic democracies. The two-thirds of the Africa’s 53 States are still ruled by tyrants, despots or autocrats. (Pictures left show COLONEL Muammar Gaddaffi of Libya, Gen. Sani Abacha Of Nigeria, and right, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania respectively)

It is on the basis of the foregoing that we wish to condemn, unreservedly, the recent emergence of Mr. Ali Ben Bongo in the last Sunday’s (30/08/09) presidential “election” in the oil-rich Republic of Gabon. Mr. Ben Bongo is the groomed successor-son of the late President Omar Bongo, who died in office in June 2009, after spending 42 years in power. Mr. Ali Ben Bongo, a former foreign and defense minister, under his father’s reign, was controversially declared “winner” by the Gabonese electoral commission on Thursday, 03/09/09, after winning 42 percent of the total votes cast, not even up to fifty-percent.

He was reported to have declared himself the winner before the announcement of final results by his country’s electoral commission. His father, Omar Bongo came to power, via a junta coup in 1967. He survived many coup attempts. And before his death in office, he had manipulated the Gabonese constitution so as to be allowed limitless stay in power.

On 1st day of September 2009, Colonel Murmmar al-Ghaddafi of Libya marked his 40th year in power. He came to power with his Islamic-Arabic Socialism and Nationalism in 1969. He had been linked to several horrendous killings around the world; including the 1989 Lockerbie Aircraft bombing that killed 259 passengers. Today, Colonel al-Ghaddafi is the chairman of the African Union and one of his sons, mutassim al- Ghaddafi had been groomed to succeed him, in the evident of his demise.

Similar sad situations are found in Egypt, where President Hussein Mubarak had been in power since 1981 (28 years), after the death of President Anwal Saddat. President Mubarak had groomed his son, Gamal Mubarak as his successor. He had ruled Egypt with emergency powers since 1997. The leaders of Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea and Congo Republic (Azadine Ben Ali, Obiang Mbasago and Denis Sesseou Nguessou) have ruled their countries for up to, or nearly 30 years, having come to power between 1977 and 1979, President Jose Edwardo Dos Santos of Angola had been in power since 1978 (31 years).

Those who came to power in the 80s are: President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe,1980(29 years), President Paul Biya of Cameroon, 1982 (27 years), President Yuweri Museveni of Uganda, 1986 (23 years) and President Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan, 1989 (20 years). President Blaise Campore of Burkina Faso also came to power in 1987 (21 years). The 1990s Presidents are: Idris Derby, Chad (1990 or 19 years), Paul Kagame, Rwanda (1994 or 15 years), Isaias Afoweki, Eritrea (1993 or 16 years), Mr. Menes Zenewi of Ethiopia (1992 or 17 years) and Yahaya Jammeh, Gambia (1994 or 15 years). From-father-to-son dynastic rulership had been instituted in the Republics of Togo and Democratic Republic of Congo, while from-military (khaki) - to- civilian (agbada) rulership is in vogue in the Republics of Central African Republic and Mauritania.

In Niger Republic, President Mamadou Tanja, whose final term of office is expected to end by December 2009, had assumed emergency powers, and dissolved the constitutional court and the parliament, all in his bid to manipulate the Nigerien Constitution so as to stay in power in perpetuity.

Nigeria’s case is not far from being the worst. Apart from the raw fact that the present regime of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua is criminality tolerant, electoral brigandage, political and economic banditry have been scientifically entrenched in Nigeria’s body polity. The WADATA House has become the Center for Research and Implementation of Armed Robbery, Bullion Van Robbery, Bank Robbery, Unsound/ Non-collateral Bank Loans and Science of Election Rigging.

In all, seventeen (17) African ruling despots have stayed in power for 431 years. Where some of them had died (i.e. Gabon in June 2009), their sons, groomed to succeed them, have taken over through the artificial ballot legitimacy. A case in point is Mr. Ali Ben Bongo of Republic of Gabon. For lack of credible criteria or parameters, African Union has become worse than the proscribed Organization of African Unity, which died in 2001/2002. It is now, “when the EU, the OAS, the ASEAN, and even the CIS, are busy entrenching credible electoral, economic and political democracy in their body polity, African States, with few exceptions, are busy surrendering themselves to the shackles and manacles of rabid dictatorship, dynastic despotism and unprecedented white collar criminality”.


Signed:


Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi
Chairman
Board of Trustees
Phone: +234 (0)8033601078
Email: botchairman@intersociety-ng.org
Website: www.intersociety-ng.org

Chief Gani Fawehinmi Lives On!

“For those who know him, no word is necessary; for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient” W.T. Horngren. (An American Author)

For people who know Chief Gani Fawehinmi, no word is necessary, for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient enough to describe him. Ever since the poor health of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, I was praying and asking God to spare us this man of justice. When his illness became serious, a noticeable vacuum existed because none can perform his role. I consider my generation a lucky generation having lived to see his excellent works. Without doubt, you (Chief Gani Fawehinmi) inspired millions of Nigerians including my humble self. You showed Nigerians that we can pursue justice despite the odds. Nigeria and Nigerians have indeed lost a giant. You were like a jewel of inestimable value.

You were like a rock to Nigerians, no wonder why the Nigerian people whom you represented very well, gave you the title of Senior Advocate of the Masses. The International Bar Association did not forget you. The also honoured you. You cannot die because your legacies and ideas will live forever. According to late John F. Kennedy (former American President) “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on”. Your legacies are carved in stone and you will forever remain in the minds of Nigerians. The greatness of a man is measured by what he lived and died for. You lived your life for the oppressed Nigerians. You stood for them and fought their battles for them. We cannot forget you.

As a young man, I was amazed and inspired by the way you pursued the case of Dele Giwa’s death. I remembered how you presented the case of Dele Giwa’s death at the Oputa Panel. Am glad about the fact that many of us have decided to follow the path which you have shown us. That is the path of justice, equality, activism, and fair play. As a human right crusader, your achievements are outstanding. Your contribution to the Nigerian Bar speaks for itself. I am not a lawyer but I know that you wrote a lot of law books. These books are highly rated and sort after.

I will not forget to mention when on a television interview (Charley Boy Show), a former military head of state (General Ibrahim Babangida) said that, you Chief Gani Fawehinmi was the only Nigerian he respected. I watched the kind of respect you were given at the Oputa panel by Oputa himself. I was moved when on May 29th 2009 at the state of the Nigerian nation symposium held in London Metropolitan University, where Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (former Executive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) said that, he considers you (Gani Fawehinmi) as his brother much more than Atiku Abubakar (Former Vice President of Nigeria), who comes from his own village.

Gani Fawehinmi showed us the path of honour when he turned down the offer of a national award (Officer of the Federal Republic ) which president Yar Adua wanted to confer on him in 2008. Among his reasons were that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led government has betrayed the Nigerian people.

I will not forget your numerous charity projects all over the country. You are an exemplary philanthropist. I remember encouraging one of my cousins to apply for your scholarship scheme. Many Nigerians irrespective of tribes or religion benefited immensely from your scholarship scheme. I will not forget to mention the cases you handled free of charge (pro bono) for many Nigerians, of particular mention here was the cases of some expelled students whom you made sure they were reinstated. You were a source of hope to so many students’ union leaders through out the country. I am sure that without your efforts Nigeria would have been worst than it is today.

You fought all the military governments in Nigeria using the instrumentality of the law. You understood the law and the law understood you. Am sure all the military leaders sent you to jail. You were detained and jailed for more than 30 times. On a particular instance Gashua prison became the choice of the military junta in an attempt to break your spirit (apologies if I spelled Gashua wrongly). You proved them wrong. You came out stronger. You became a torn in the flesh of all military leaders. Infact the fear of Chief Gani Fawehinmi became the beginning of wisdom for those ex military leaders. You became a rallying point for resistance against military and civilian dictatorships. You were fearless and forever bold. You were the people’s hero



You were also a symbol of democracy having won the case against Independent National Electoral Commission’s decision not to register more parties. You freed the Nigerian political terrain by this singular landmark judgment. Your National Conscience Party epitomized the aspirations of Nigerian people. I thank my God for being a member of this party (NCP). When you contested the 2003 election as the presidential candidate of National Conscience Party, Nigerians wanted you, but the establishments were not comfortable that you were a candidate for that election. You remain the best leader that never occupied the seat at Aso Rock Villa. Had you won the election to become the president of Nigeria, may be our oppressors would either be in exile or behind bars.

Your death on Saturday 5th September 2009 has left a vacuum too big to be filled. None can ever fit into your shoes. Be that as it may, what died was the body. However the spirit, ideas, and legacies will continue to live. That is why I said you have not died, when I title this attribute to you. I will take solace in the fact that you have shown us the light and we will find the way. The struggle to better Nigeria, which you were the champion, will still continue by virtue of the ideas you left behind.

I owe my activism to Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Am also sure that millions of Nigerians owe theirs to this wonderful Nigerian who has inspired many of us. We will celebrate your wonderful life and achievements. May your soul rest in peace and may God help us to produce many Gani Fawehinmi’s in our country. May God bless Nigeria.



Scripted by: Chinedu Vincent Akuta An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK akutachinedu@yahoo.com http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

14 Political Parties Endorse Obi for 2nd Term

Horse trading in the 2010 gubernatorial elections in Anambra intensifies as the poll, scheduled for February next year, draws nearer. Thus 14 National Political Parties, on Thursday September 3, under the platform of Political Alliance of Nigeria converged to endorse incumbent Governor Peter Obi as their consensus candidate for the election. (Picture shows Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state)

The parties made the resolution during a visit to the state, after inspecting numerous projects of Obi’s administration. In his speech on behalf of the 14 political parties, Chief Maxi Okwu, National Chairman of Citizens’ Popular Party (CNPP), said they were under intense pressure from Obi for a second term.

Okwu tipped Governor Peter Obi as one of the best governors in the country in terms of delivering democracy dividends, integrity and compliance with democratic norms based on what they saw during their project tour in the state.

While the Chairman of Action Alliance, Senator Suleiman Salawu, said that he was impressed with the spread of the projects, Dr. M. Adegbola Dominic of Action Party of Nigeria said that as a medical doctor, he was most impressed with the equipment, including CT scan he saw at the State’s Central Hospital Equipment Store.

All the speakers were of the opinion that Governor Obi has performed superlatively in the area of road construction, maintaining that Anambra state has the best road networks in the country, not just concentrated in urban areas, but spread in all the nook and crannies of the state.

Assuring Obi on his re-election, the political parties, however, called on the people of the state to unite against any attempt to rig the election.

In his own reaction, Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman of the All People’s Progressive Alliance (APGA), thanked the coalition for their confidence in APGA Government, and assured them that the party would continue to leave up to expectations. Boasting that the party would continue to grow from strength to strength, Umeh stated that Governor Obi would contest under APGA despite those who think they could push him around without realizing that he is not an easy push around.

In his reaction, Governor Obi said it was a demonstration that the people were pleased with what he was doing, and pledged not to relent in his efforts to develop the state by using the money of the people to work for them.

Among the coalition of the parties which endorsed Governor Obi for a second term in office were Mazi Okwu of the CPP; Senator Suleiman Salawu of Action Alliance (AA); Dr. Adegbola Dominic of Action Party of Nigeria; Chief Ambrose Oluru of Hope Democratic Party; Prince Ngozi Emioma of Nigeria Peoples Congress; Chief A. Osula of Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ); Barrister Idreeez Alabi of Masses Movement of Nigeria; Chief Augustine Mazie of Accord Party; Chief Udemba Chukwudolue of National Solidarity Democratic Party; Engineer Damian Ogbonna of Peoples Progressive Party, Chief Winston Odumu-Ojobi of United Nigeria People Party and Chief Sam Eke, the Admin Secretary of Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria among others.

Waiting to Die!

'Some of our members are dead while some are languishing in accident pains as they took to Okada ridding to sustain their families’.

These were former local government councilors of Enugu state lamenting over their unpaid salaries and allowances.

The 340 elected ex-council legislators, who served the state between 2004 and 2006 during the tenure of Senator Chimaroke Nnamani as governor, are being owed N5.6million (N5, 541,220.2) each. This brings the total indebtedness to the former legislators to N1.7 billion. This debt comprises claims on severance, accommodation, furniture, constituency and wardrobe allowances among others.

Vowing not to engage the state government in any legal tussle over the matter, the councilors, in a peaceful protest in August last year, marched to Governor Sullivan Chime’s office. Chime’s government, consequently, set up a committee, headed by Professor Frank Asogwa, Commissioner in Charge of Local Government Matters, to look into the law makers’ agitation. Other members of the committee included Casmir Ugwoke, Special Personal Assistant to the Governor on Conflict Resolution and Inter-party Affairs and Jerry Eneh, a prominent legal practitioner in the state.

Unfortunately, nothing fruitful seems to have come out of the law makers’ quest since then, as they continue to wallow in abject suffering and hopelessness. This is even so when the councilors had accepted the position of Chime government that it would, in the meantime, not pay them all the claims.

The legislators’ ordeals are made worse by the fact the state government is yet to respond to any of their several reminders on the issue. And like the patient dog, the ill-fated councilors say they are waiting on Governor Chime as their last hope in getting the entitlements paid to them.

It is worthy to note that these claims are not peculiar to Enugu state, as governments of the neighboring states and even beyond have all paid their past councilors their own entitlements.

Just to cite but a few instances: Ikedi Ohakim’s government in Imo state, late last year, paid past councilors in the state their own severance allowance of N5.9 billion. Ohakim’s government was, particularly, touched by the sufferings of the law makers. However, the N5.9 billion Imo debt had accrued from 1999 to 2002 and 2004 to 2007.

And the story was the same for past councilors of the rest of the southeast states of Abia, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra. Not only that the entitlements of these council elder statesmen were paid to them, their governments have, occasionally, extended some assistance to them in recognition of their contributions, no matter how minimal, to the development of their various states.

Similarly, ex-councilors in Benue state who were, in 2004, forced out of office, had been paid their own N800 million entitlements.

Still keeping hope alive, the embattled Enugu past councilors, urged Governor Chime to come to their aid so as to save them from hunger, starvation and early death.

The councilors, in a letter to Chime, signed by Honourables Richard Mgbechi (Enugu North Zone); Geoffrey Ogbu (Enugu East Zone) and Philip Chiaha, Leader/Coordinator (Enugu West) respectively, maintained that payment of the entitlements would have a positive ripple effect on their children, families and electoral wards.

“We have no capacity to drag issue with the government. Rather, we do hope that at the end, we should be able to smile home with adequate figure capable of compensating and cushioning the effect of our sufferings and patience”, the letter adds.

Hon. Chiaha, leader of the councilors, pledges the support of his colleagues to Chime government, expressing the hope that, sooner or later, the Governor would alleviate their sufferings by ordering the payment of their entitlements.

Will Governor Chime listen to the cries of agony by these ex-councilors of his Coal-City state of Enugu?