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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Nun gives birth in Italy, says she didn't know she was pregnant |
on: 18-01-2014 01:37 PM
| She didn't know she was pregnant? Is she supposed to be pregnant? Find the report below... A Salvadorean nun who said she had no idea she was pregnant gave birth in Italy this week after she felt stomach cramps in her convent and was rushed to hospital, Italian media reported on Friday. The 31-year-old mother and her baby boy, who weighs 3.5 kilograms (9 pounds), are doing well and other new mothers in Rieti hospital have begun collecting clothes and donations for her, the reports said. "I did not know I was pregnant. I only felt a stomach pain," the nun was quoted as saying at the hospital, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. SOURCE: www.endyedesonnews.blogspot.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH: …Womb transplant successfully done in Sweden… |
on: 18-01-2014 01:32 PM
| Doctors at the University of Gothenburg Sweden have successfully carried out womb transplant for 9 women who were born without a womb and are waiting for them to get pregnant. This amazing new kind of surgery is geared towards helping women who are born without wombs, a medical condition called MKRH or had there uterus removed due to severe medical conditions such as cervical cancer. The wombs received were from mothers or female relatives of the recipients. All nine women are currently ovulating which is a good sign that the wombs are doing fine inside the women. Source: www.nigeriamusicplanet.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / List Of Top Nigerian Musicians That Will Release Album In 2014 |
on: 11-01-2014 07:28 PM
| | 2014 promises to be an exciting year for the music industry.
It is 2014 already and the Nigerian entertainment industry, particularly the music sector, is gearing up for a busy year. With some artistes failing to release their anticipated album in the previous year -2013, we expect loads of albums in 2014. PREMIUM TIMES takes a look at singers whose albums will most probably be released this year.
WizKid
Star Boy and EME artiste, Ayo ‘Wizkid’ Balogun, whose second studio album was postponed thrice in 2013, is expected to release the anticipated musical work this year. Expected to be loaded with international and local collaborations, and top notch productions from top producers, Wizkid’s yet-to-be titled second album might go the way of the first album; an all hit musical work.
Wande Coal
Remember he trended worldwide on social network, Twitter, when he released three singles back in 2011. Wande who ended the year 2013 with a Glo endorsement deal after a split with his former label boss, Don Jazzy, is expected to release his second long awaited album under his Black Diamond imprint.
D’Banj
Popular singer, D’banj, who earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that he would be celebrating his 10th year anniversary of active service with an album, is not expected to disappoint his fans. After an average outing with his label compilation album, DKM, we hope his 4th long awaited album will take him back to the top.
Davido
Davido, who provided us with the controversial dance, Skelewu, in 2013 is expected to ride on the buzz his last two singles gave him and release his second album. Davido’s second album, which might not be released until the last quarter of the year, is as anticipated as those that will be released before his.
Tuface
Regarded as the king of African pop, TuFace Idibia, who was in the news all through 2013 despite not releasing a single will hopefully give his fans something to listen to this year having last released his fourth album in 2011.
M.I
The vice president at Chocolate City released a mix tape, Illegal Music 2, in 201. His third studio album, which was expected last year, should be released this year. M.I is also expected to push His imprint, Luppy Records, further and might release a label compilation album as well.
Psquare
Twin sensational pop singers, Psquare, who had a busy 2013 as they toured America, Canada, Africa and engaged their long time partners are expected to hit their fans with their fifth studio album. With their impressive 2013 single, personally, the dancing duo should present their fans with a new album in 2014.
Sean Tizzle
After winning Headies ‘Next Rated’ awards, the Difference Entertainment artiste who broke into the mainstream music industry in 2013 with his hit single, Sho Le, and subsequent singles Mama e and Komole, will seek to test his feet more in the music waters with a full studio album which is expected to be backed with production from D’tunes.
Praiz
X3M music alternate artiste and MTN ambassador, Praiz, who had a decent 2013 with his multiple awards winning ‘Rich and Famous’ single is expected to release his debut album this year if tweets by his label boss, Steve Babaeko is any to go by.
Phyno
‘No album but am getting millie…’ That’s a line from Phyno’s ‘man of the year’ song, and 2013 was his year as he rightly said. With chart topping and award winning singles, Phyno’s debut album remains one of 2014′s most anticipated albums. And before you forget, he narrowly missed out of Headies ‘Next Rated’ award category.
Do You Know Others, Add Yours
SOURCE: wwwnigeriamusicplanet.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Kano State Declares Free Education from Primary to University Level |
on: 30-12-2013 12:19 PM
| The Kano state Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has declared free and compulsory education in the state commencing from the 2014 academic year.  He made the declaration during the presentation of 2014 appropriation bill to the House of Assembly. According to Vanguard, Kwankwaso stated that “in our collective resolve to drive a knowledge base economy, government has already concluded arrangement to adopt a free education for all indigene at all levels: primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state.” The Governor added that “this is in addition to sponsoring of Kano indigenes to pursue their various degree programmes locally and internationally”, pointing out that the commencement of the free education for all Kano state indigenes from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions starting from the new academic session in 2014.” In order to ensure effective implementation of the new programme, the Education sector got the largest share of the sectoral allocation with over N20billion with Ministry of Education N15.22billion; while its ministry for Higher Education counterpart got N5.61billion. This is a laudable move. The education sector needs to be well funded not just in Kano state but in all states of the country. We hope this policy would be sustainable and result in a better future for the children resident in the state. SOURCE: www.nigeriamusicplanet.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Man Arrested & Detained For Insulting Bayelsa State Governor On Facebook |
on: 30-12-2013 12:18 PM
| Tonye Okio was arrested October 26. A businessman, Tonye Okio, spent his Christmas and will start the New Year at a Bayelsa prison for allegedly criticizing the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake dickson, on his Facebook account.  Mr. Okio, who was also a former Abuja Liaison officer for Bayelsa State, was arrested on October 26 at his Abuja residence. He was subsequently blindfolded and driven to Bayelsa by the Special Investigation Bureau, SIB. The police also stripped Mr. Okio of his mobile gadgets and all postings on his Facebook account, ‘Tonye Okio’, about Mr. dickson were deleted. Two days after his arrest, the Bayelsa police released a statement that Mr. Okio was arrested for seditious publications against the Bayelsa governor. “This is to inform the general public and the good people of Bayelsa State in particular that the Bayelsa police command has succeeded in apprehending one Tonye Okio ‘M’ of Otiokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State for the offence of seditious publications. “The suspects whose syndicate members are now at large will be appropriately arraigned in court when investigation is complete,” the police said. The police then detained Mr. Okio for 10 days without trial. Mr. Okio’s lawyer subsequently filed a case at a Bayelsa High Court demanding his fundamental rights be obeyed and that he be charged to court if he has indeed done anything wrong. A day before his fundamental rights case was to be heard, the police on November 5, charged the victim before a Magistrate Court for defamatory publication against the Bayelsa governor. After taking his plea, the Magistrate Court adjourned the case to November 21 for trial. When the case came up on November 21, the magistrate court granted Mr. Okio, an aide to ex-Bayelsa governor, Timipriye Sylva, bail in what a civil society activist described as ‘ridiculous conditions.’ The bail conditions included N5 million with one surety in like sum who must be a permanent secretary in the state and resident within the court’s jurisdiction. Following the ruling, the victim’s lawyer, Doueyi Fiderikumo, prayed the court that it would be impossible to satisfy the condition because the complainant was the state governor who he suspected must have threatened most permanent secretaries in the state. Sources close to the Bayelsa State government also told PREMIUM TIMES that no permanent secretary under the state’s employ dare stand surety for Mr. Okio out of fear of the governor. Although an application was filed at the Nembe Division of the Bayelsa High Court in the state to demand a variation in the bail conditions, the court reportedly fixed three consecutive days for hearing and was unable sit on any of those days. A ruling on the review of bail application was slated for December but was again adjourned by the judge, J. Buofini. On the said date, the judge, through the court’s registrar, notified counsel that the ruling on the bail review application was not ready; and therefore the case was adjourned till January 20. Civil society groups react Two civic groups, the Movement for Accountability and Good Governance, MAGG, and Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CISNAC, have reacted to the continued detention of Mr. Okio and demanded his immediate release. The program officer of CISNAC, Toyin Koleade, in a statement said the organisation was deeply concerned about the conspiracy between the Bayelsa governor and the state’s judiciary over the illegal imprisonment of Mr. Okio. “The Civil Society Network Against Corruption is deeply concerned with the tyrannical conspiracy of the Governor Seriake dickson of Bayelsa State and the State Judiciary, over the illegal imprisonment of Mr. Tonye Okio, a social media activist who was arrested from his Abuja home on the 26th of October 2013, based on the orders of Mr. dickson,” Mr. Koleade said He said it was unfortunate that public office holders, voted into power by the people, turn around to witch hunt people who they ought to be accountable to. Also, the National President of MAGG, Jasper Azuatalam, said the police alleged that they saw on Mr. Okio’s Facebook page a posting indicating that a particular South-South governor was apprehended in the United States for laundering about $5 million and that another governor from the same region had had the same kind of case in the past. He said the police also claimed that Mr. Okio denied the said Facebook account belong to him. Mr. Azuatalam condemned the treatment of Mr. Okio and demanded his immediate release. SOURCE: www.nigeriamusicplanet.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / University To Make Igbo Language Compulsory Course For All Students |
on: 30-12-2013 12:16 PM
| Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike, Director, Igbo Renaissance at the Gregory University, Uturu (GUU), Abia, said on Saturday that the university would soon introduce the Igbo language as a compulsory course in the second year. Mr. Madubuike announced this at Uturu during the 6th edition of the Igbo (Uturu) Cultural Carnival, which held at the university. "By the next two years, the university plans to introduce the Igbo language as a compulsory subject for all students in the second year. "Whether you are Yoruba, Hausa or Efik, you must take Igbo as a compulsory subject, in spite of your area of specialisation," he said. Mr. Madubuike described the Igbo language as the "soul of the culture of Ndigbo," adding that the disappearance of the language would mean the ultimate death of the culture. Earlier, the traditional ruler of Oko in Anambra state, Laz Ekwueme, called for concerted efforts by people of the South-East to save the Igbo language from going extinct. Mr. Ekwueme, who was the chairman of the carnival, expressed regret that the Igbo language was under serious threat, due to the decline in its usage as a means of communication in various families. He noted that many families of Igbo origin preferred to communicate in foreign languages, especially the English language, with their children. "More often, nowadays, you find many parents communicating with their children and relations in the English language, rather than the Igbo language," he said. Mr. Ekwueme regretted that the development was capable of endangering the Igbo language, if not promptly checked. The monarch, who was a former Minister of Education, commended the Chancellor of the University, Dr. Greg Ibe, for initiating the carnival. "Anything that is done to encourage the sustenance of the Igbo language and culture would be encouraged," he said. Mr. Ekwueme noted that the event would add value to similar efforts designed to re-establish and reinforce the Igbo culture. SOURCE: www.nigeriamusicplanet.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / Official Top 10 Nigerian Hit Songs for the Year 2013 |
on: 24-12-2013 12:28 PM
| …Do You Agree With Our TOP 10 Songs ? Hi music lovers, thanks for joining me in counting down the top most played songs in Nigeria for the year 2013. The MUSIC Chart is powered by NIGERIA MUSIC PLANET ( www.nigerianmusicplanet.com). Below is the List of the Top 10 Nigeria Hit Songs for the year 2013. 1. Davido - Skelewo 2. KCEE - Limpopo 3. Wizkid - Caro 4. Tiwa Savage - Eminado 5. P-Square - Personally 6. SeanTizzle - Sho lle 7. Olamide - Durosoke 8. Sound Sultan - Natural Something 9. Ice Prince - VIP 10. Iyanya - Le Kwa Ukwu The above listed songs are the top hit songs in Nigeria for the year 2013 according to ‘NigeriaMusicPlanet’. We all have listen and enjoy the songs . QUESTIONS: 1. Do you think DAVIDO’s ‘Skelewo’ deserves to be on the number one position? 2. Which popular song in 2013 you know that is not listed and is supposed to be among the Top 10? 3. Which song in the Chart deserves the number one position? 4. Which song don’t deserve to be in the Chart? SOURCE: www.nigeriamusciplanet.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / *Unbelievable* NELSON MANDELA Is In Hell Fire |
on: 9-12-2013 07:59 PM
| This article was written by two western evangelists. you will know their names after reading. Well I still don't believe they are Christians. No true Christian writes this way. I am sure you will agree with me after reading it. Greetings True Christians! Today Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, ended his worldly life and entered the depths of Hell. Mandela was an unsaved heathen, and died without knowing the Lord. Not only did Mandela influence American Democrat Barack Hussein Obama, but he also practiced a heathen African tribal religion. Unfortunately, while Mandela did some great things for the nation of South Africa by ending apartheid, Heaven is like an exclusive club, unsaved unwelcome. Mandela died unsaved, and is therefore not welcome in Heaven. Nelson Mandela was also influenced by Darwinism and Communism! Mandela was an avid reader of Marx in the 1950s, and everybody knows that God hates Communists! Mandela allied himself with Communists and heathen Indian Gandhi, who is also in Hell. Instead of seeking a Christian approach to freedom from apartheid, Mandela instead turned entirely to heathens. In fact, Mandela and Gandhi even are rumored to have engaged in rampant homosegxwal acts with each other while planning protests! Mandela was also friendly toward Muslims, God’s hated people! Mandela was linked to the American Civil Rights movement, and many members of this movement were Muslims. Know what the Muslims did after they got African Americans equal rights? They crashed airplanes into buildings and started sectarian wars in the Middle East. Nelson Mandela was allied with these heathen scum, and is now being punished for his earthly mistakes. Tonight I watched many news stations. On every channel, they showed Africans lining the streets of South Africa, doing happy dappy heathen dances, perhaps in hopes that the voodoo rain god might look with favor upon the soul of Mandela. Unfortunately, these savages are of the same cloth as Mandela. Nelson Mandela may have been a great AFRICAN nature, but by world standards, he was rather lacking. But alas, this is the best that Africa can do. Africa is a heathen continent filled with heathens, and it is no wonder that God allowed the people of Africa to be enslaved. I implore those Africans still living to reject the sinful ways of Nelson Mandela and embrace Christianity so that they might not follow Mandela into Hell. Let us pray for the Africans, out of love. Dear Lord Jesus Christ, please lead the Africans away from heathen religions and to You. Please lead the Africans to Christianity so that they may stop being punished with AIDS, poverty, and dirty water, and so that they may avoid the fate of Nelson Mandela and avoid being cast into hell. This we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. A heartfelt Christian messages from your friends, Jim Solouki and Martin Baker SOURCE: www.nigeriamusicplanet.com | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Cossy Orjiakwor: "I Will Cover My Bosom s When I'm Old" |
on: 16-11-2013 01:52 PM
| EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: My Bosom , My Boobs, My BIG Bosom s “ I Will Cover My Bosom s When I am OLD” “ I Will Get Married Next Year, I Did Not Insure My Bosom s” Like her or hate her, three things are bound to endear you to Cossy Orjiakor. They are; her friendliness, intelligence and boldness to discuss issues affecting her personality as well as her acting career. These attributes played out last week when Showtime Celebrity ran into her, and later engaged her in an interview. Cossy bares it all, dropping the bombshell that men are at her beck and call. She also dropped the hint that she will be getting married next year and many more… We learnt that you have insured your boobs for N256 million. Is it true? It’s not true. Sometimes, some of these bloggers just cook up stuffs that are not true. But it sounds so interesting, that’s why I didn’t want to confirm whether it’s true or not. Let the story just be. Why don’t you want to talk about it? It’s because the story is a fiction. Somebody just cooked it up. I don’t know anything about it. I didn’t tell anybody I’m insuring my boobs. It’s something that somebody just cooked up somewhere. The story didn’t generate from me neither did it generate from my Twitter handle or Instagram. But do you have the intention to insure your boobs ? I might do it, or not. But I don’t want to talk about my boobs here. Your face have been missing on the silver screen, have you dumped acting for music? I’d act when I am invited, and when the pay is considerable. I wouldn’t be put under pressure. At least, I have done two movies this year. I can’t go to people’s offices to beg for roles. When I was hungry, I used to go to producers to beg for roles. But now, I am no longer hungry. Although, I am planning to come out with a TV reality show. The show will hit the screen before the end of February, next year. I have somebody who is helping me to develop the concept. It is about the living conditions of most Nigerians. I don’t want to talk much about it until it hits the screen. Don’t you think, you are being misunderstood by your critics? That’s not my business what people think about me. But it’s my business what I think about myself. I feel good, I’m happy, I am myself and I’m not a fake person. Yet I have a lot of fans who love me. People tend to pretend a lot. When you are simple and down-to- earth, they will not want to identify with you. I don’t fake myself. Life is all about having fun, and what is the best time for me to catch my fun than now that I’m still young, and not when I’m old and gone. Are you still doing your music? Yes, I’m still doing my music. Once in a while, I go for private shows where I am well paid. But I have not graced a big stage. I’m doing music for the love of it. When you love something, it does not matter what it take you to do it. I’m not in a hurry, one step at a time. When I am in a mood to do music, I do it. I am not doing music to make millions of naira or to compete with anybody. I am doing music because of the passion I have for it. Are you working on any album at the moment? I have some songs already and my video has been released online. I featured Durella in my single. Do you feel hurt each time, people address you as queen of boobs? That word was first used by BBC focus on Africa when they described me as Queen of Boobs. I am okay with whatever you choose to call me. How often do you get angry? I stock my house with food stuff. So, each time I’m angry, I keep on eating and eating until I get satisfied. Is Cossy in love? Now or before? Both now and before? At the moment, I have a lot of people that love me. I’d fall in love. But when I dating someone, I hate to make it a public affair. I can’t even take a picture with my man in public. But I can take pictures with my fans. Anybody you see me pose for a shot is my fan. I wouldn’t even agree to share the same table with my man at a function. This, for me, is a way of avoiding people raising eyebrows. Are you saying that you are not in love at the moment? I don’t know! Anyway, I will be getting married come next year. You mean, you are getting married for real? A woman get married when she is ready to get married. I will get married next year or I will make a baby next year. Who is the lucky man? I don’t know. What stands out among other celebrities? I don’t know, everybody is made in the image of God. What do you do when you are not on set, or performing? Anything that makes me happy. Whatever I want I get it. If I want a man, I can always get him. In fact, men are the cheapest thing to get in life. I have a lot of admirers. I can always get one if I so wish. When a man say hi! And you reply him, you can always woo him to yourself if you like. Are women not cheap too? A woman will run after you because of what she will gain from you. How many passes do you get per each passing day from men basis? If I’m in a mood to chat with a man, I do it wholeheartedly. But you will hardly see me in the company of a man. I don’t want to give away myself or make public exhibition of my relationship. I prefer to pay hide and seek game. Will the man in your life agree to your terms? I don’t know what you mean by the man in my life. But the one I know will not like to make it public. Do you always feel noticed or shy each time you attend a social gathering? Each time, I attend a function, I don’t even feel that people are looking at me. I will just catch my fun, but whereby I’m not catching any fan, I will quickly leave the place. What’s you kind of man? It depends on what I want at a particular time. But I like well built young men with flat tummies. I can take pictures with them. Have you been embarrassed before in connection with your boobs? I don’t even give room for such things. Nobody can walk up to me to do any nonsense. You dare not try it. My boobs are real, full and fresh. When you see good things, you appreciate them. But don’t dare to touch them. You know what is good. When I’m old and my boobs are not firm any more, I will cover them. Is your boobs your greatest gift from God? I don’t know, life is the greatest gift. What’s the difference between now and when you first joined Nollywood? I’m older now and more wiser than when I first ventured into acting. Then I used to dance for Obisere’s band, and there was this beautiful album I was doing with them, before tongue started wagging that I shouldn’t be dancing for Obisere because of my academic qualification. That was how I abandoned the band. But right now, I am older, I will return fire-for-fire to anybody that will make me feel bad at any point in time. I don’t keep people with negative thoughts around me. I mingle with people with positive minds. Would you say life has been fair to you? I’m living a life I have always imagined for myself. I live well. God has been kind to me. I live in a beautiful home. I have a dog and more over, I eat whatever I want to eat. I get massaged whenever I need it. Each time, I need to be massaged, I always call up a friend who helps me out. You love dogs a lot? I have three dogs as pets. I call them different names. One is called Caesar while the other is called Gabriel and so on. It was rumoured sometime ago that you made love to a dog? Have you watched the movie. If you have not watched it then you have no right to ask me anything about the movie. I watched it mid-way! Was I naked or not? When you make love to your wife, do you go naked or you put on your clothes? So, if I wasn’t naked that’s means I wasn’t making love to the dog. For me to make love to the dog, I should be naked. If you have the chance to come back to life, would you still want to be Cossy? I love myself, my boobs and my voice. My friensd told me that my voice sounds very sexy. I also have this smile of a baby. God has been so kind to me. At least, I live in my own house in Lekki. I eat anything I want to eat, and I don’t seek for attention, I drive a posh car. What else can I ask for? A husband or a baby? SOURCE: www.endyedesonnews.blogspot.com Follow Edeson News on Twitter: www.twitter.com/endyedesonnews | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / The World's First Bionic Man With Heart And Circulatory System |
on: 23-10-2013 08:14 PM
| -The World's First Bionic Man With Heart And Circulatory System - …Has Been Created, His Name is FRANK…. Meet Frank, a robot made of prosthetic limbs and body parts. He has a beating heart and complete circulatory system. He's the world's first full Bionic Man to be introduced at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum at Washington, D.C. It's not fake. He's real...and he's the first! Frank, the 'bionic man' is 6 feet and weighs 170 lbs. His face is made of synthetic parts and modeled after Bertolt Meyer, a social psychologists from the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Meyer thought it was awkward when he first saw his replica. Meyer will also be hosting the documentary created to show the making of Frank and shed insight on the bionic man. Frank's voice is similar to Siri on an Apple iPhone, and his personality is programmed to mimic a 13-year-old Ukrainian boy. This robot cost a whopping $1 million. Not bad at all, in comparison to many expensive projects that scientists attempt which eats up taxpayers' money. Frank has over 2/3rd of the human body. He has an artificial heart, a programmed, legs, pancreas, head, see-through chest, and some body parts you probably didn't know existed. These artificial organs were actually donated from laboratories around the world. So, it's a joint effort of several global scientists. Frank, however, does not have a liver, stomach, and intestines because they are too complicated to generate in a lab. Frank's assembly took 3 months and was directed by roboticists Rich Walker and Matthew Godden of Shadow Robot Co. in England. This is a ground-breaking scientific development. Scientist and roboticists never cease to amaze me. I don't know if Frank is worth the cost of a flight to Washington. Nevertheless, I'm willing to check out the documentary premiering on October 20. I'm interested in knowing how these scientists replicated Frank's prosthetic body parts. The creation of this bionic man raises some ethical questions: "Does creating something so life-like threaten notions of what it means to be human? What amount of body enhancement should be allowed or acceptable? And is it wrong that only some people have access to these life-extending technologies? SOURCE: blog www.endyedesonnews.blogspot.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/endyedesonnews | | | | |
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Forum / Naijapals Base (Metro life) / President Goodluck Jonathan Under Pressure to Sack Aviation Minister |
on: 20-10-2013 07:43 PM
| Bullet Proof- CAR Scandal: …President Goodluck Jonathan Under Pressure to Sack Aviation Minister… President Goodluck has come under intense pressure to sack the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, over the bulletproof car scandal rocking the ministry. The call for the minister’s removal followed the ministry’s confirmation on Wednesday that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority bought two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m) for the minister. SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Friday that the president’s associates have told him to remove Oduah to save the reputation of his administration. “She has to go. We have told the President that. This disgrace is too much,” one of the president’s close associates told one of our correspondents. An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had reported on Tuesday that the armoured vehicles were delivered to the minister in August. It reported that documents in its possession showed that the transaction for the purchase of the two BMW cars started in June, but the request for the delivery and payment for them was fast-tracked between August 13 and 15, 2013. The NCAA on Friday said the cars were in its possession and are used to “convey the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries.” This contradicted the statement of the minister’s aide, Mr. Joel Obi. who had earlier admitted that the cars were purchased because Oduah’s life was in danger. Following the development, civil society groups, on Friday, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sack and order the prosecution of Oduah. Leaders of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders and Campaign for Democracy, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH in separate interviews, said the minister’s acceptance of the cars, amounted to receiving a bribe to neglect her duty, leading to the loss of lives in plane crashes that had occurred during her tenure. The Executive Director of CLO, Mr. Ibuchukwu Ezike, described the minister’s action as evidence of the level to which impunity had grown among public officers because of the Federal Government’s inability to fight corruption. Ezike demanded that Oduah be sacked and prosecuted. He said, “If this happened in climes where laws are obeyed; where the credibility of processes is respected, such public officer is sacked and prosecuted. We believe that what has happened is enough reason for the minister, not only to be removed, but to be prosecuted. “But these things happen and nothing is done. That is why we have been saying that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not interested in fighting corruption.” Similarly, the Executive Director of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said Oduah and her accomplices should be sacked and prosecuted for corruption and negligence of duty. He said, “Not only should Oduah be sacked, she and her accomplices should be promptly arrested, investigated, prosecuted and actually punished for such heinous crime. What she did is like taking a bribe from NCAA, which means she will no longer be able to maintain standard in aviation sector. And when standards are not maintained, all you get is that ordinary Nigerians are killed in plane crashes. “The woman (Oduah) should be prosecuted, not only for corruption, but also for gross negligence, which led to the NCAA not taking adequate precautionary measures on the flights that have crashed during her tenure, killing about 300 people.” Also, the President of CD, Joe Okei-Odumakin, demanded that the bulletproof car scandal be thoroughly investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Okei-Odumakin said in order to stem impunity in the system, the minister should be sacked, prosecuted and punished. She said, “We have been following the developments in the aviation sector, but with this colossal waste of public funds and the arrogance with which the explanation was given, we ask that Oduah should step aside. “We want to use this opportunity to call on the EFCC to thoroughly investigate the scam and ensure that all those who are involved in purchasing the vehicles and the minister herself are prosecuted.” In their reaction to the scam, members of the House of Representatives, also demanded that the minister and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority be probed. Senators, however, opted for a more cautious approach to the issue; as most of them declined comments when contacted. The representatives, who were favourably disposed to a probe, however, differed on the approach to the investigation. The Chairman, House Committee on Financial Crimes, Drugs/Narcotics, Mr. Adams Jagaba, said President Goodluck Jonathan “must urgently ask the minister to step aside” to allow for free investigation into the scandal, while the Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, suggested that the investigation should be done with caution “by ensuring that Oduah’s constitutional right to fair hearing is not denied her.” Jagaba, who expressed shock over the development, described it as the “highest level of corruption in a government that is fighting corruption.” Urging Jonathan to suspend Oduah immediately, the lawmaker said the minister should answer certain questions immediately. He asked her to tell Nigerians why she needed “this protection by spending heavily to buy bulletproof cars.” Jagaba also asked the minister to explain why she needed more protection than Jonathan or the presiding officers of the National Assembly. He added that Jonathan must prove to Nigerians that there were no “super-human ministers” in his cabinet by directing Oduah to step aside. He spoke further, “This is corruption at its highest level. “Who is Oduah afraid of that she needs that level of protection? Is she saying that she needs more protection than Mr. President, Vice-President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives? “We have the Ministry of Petroleum Resources that is generating our revenue. We have the Ministry of Finance; are the ministers in these ministries demanding Oduah’s level of protection? “That ministry (aviation) is due for probe. There has to be a thorough investigation into how she spent all the billions allocated to the sector under her. On his part, Gbajabiamila observed that much as the “allegation is a national embarrassment,” he would want the minister to be accorded her constitutional right to fair hearing. “It’s a national embarrassment. Unfortunately, the EFCC cannot look into it as demanded by most Nigerians because now we hear the EFCC is broke. Cry, my beloved country.” Similarly, the House spokesman, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said, “The House is interested in knowing the relevance of the cars because tax payers’ money is involved. Is she Mr. President to drive in N255m bulletproof cars? Anything that is of interest to our constituents, we are also interested.” In the Senate, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, Eyinnaya Abaribe, told SUNDAY PUNCH that it would be too hasty to offer an opinion on the scandal because the matter was before the Upper Legislative chamber. Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Victor Lar, did not pick calls made to his mobile phone neither did he respond to a text message sent to him. Similarly, Senators Babafemi Ojudu, Ganiyu Solomon, and Ayo Akinyelure declined to comment on the issue when one of our correspondents contacted them on the telephone. In spite of public call for probe, the nation’s anti-graft agencies have kept sealed lips on possible investigation into the scam. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, only said, “EFCC does not give advance notice to conduct any investigation”. When also contacted, the spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Mr. Folu Olamiti, declined comment. “No comment for now,” he stated in a text message to one of our correspondents. SOURCE: www.endyedesonnews.blogspot.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/endyedesonnews | | | | |
