Nigerian President Yar’Adua passes away after long illness at the Presidential Villa

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Read Time:2 Minute, 18 Second

Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, has died after a long illness, according to his office in Abuja.

Segun Adeniyi, chief press secretary to Yar’Adua, confirmed that the President died about 9 p.m. (2000 GMT) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr. Yar’Adua, 58, had been suffering from a heart ailment since November, which necessitated his seeking treatment in Saudi Arabia and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan assuming office as acting president.

A former governor of the northern state of Katsina, Mr. Yar’Adua was elected president in 2007 following controversial general elections.

His term was dominated by speculations over his health, as he has suffered a chronic kidney condition for at least 10 years.

In the last three years, Mr. Yar’Adua has twice been flown to Germany for emergency treatment and visited hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

In February, Mr. Jonathan became acting president following Mr. Yar’Adua’s three-month absence as a result of pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart.

Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua (second left), shakes hands with
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, after the ceremonial welcome in Abuja.
Gursharan Kaur, wife of the premier and Hajia, wife of the President are also seen.
File photo: PTI.

Mr. Jonathan, 52, was elevated from vice-president on February 9 by the Nigerian National Assembly in Yar’Adua’s absence.

Yar’Adua, 58, had not been seen in public since November, when he went to a Saudi hospital for treatment of the heart. He departed without invoking constitutional measures to temporarily hand over power, leaving Nigeria with a political and legal vacuum.

After both chambers of the legislature voted to install Mr. Jonathan as acting president, Mr. Yar’Adua returned to Nigeria and reoccupied the presidential palace but remained out of sight.

Mr. Yar’Adua was a Muslim from northern Nigeria, while Mr. Jonathan is a Christian from southern Nigeria.

In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama expressed condolences for the death of Mr. Yar’Adua, in a White House statement.

“We remember and honour President Yar’Adua’s profound personal decency and integrity, his deep commitment to public service, and his passionate belief in the vast potential and bright future of Nigeria’s 150 million people,” Mr. Obama said.

He praised Mr. Yar’Adua’s work “to promote peace and stability in Africa through his support of Nigerian peacekeeping efforts as well as his strong criticism of undemocratic actions in the region. He was committed to creating lasting peace and prosperity within Nigeria’s own borders, and continuing that work will be an important part of honouring his legacy.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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No case against Nuhu Ribadu says Mohammed Adoke Bello,

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Read Time:2 Minute, 35 Second

A month after the federal government first indicated that it might discontinue the trial of Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke Bello, yesterday formally withdrew the case against him. Mr Ribadu has been facing charges for not declaring his assets while he was the chairman of the anti-corruption agency.

Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the EFCC

Mr. Adoke, citing the powers of his office under the Constitution to withdraw any criminal matter against anyone at his discretion, withdrew the case being heard by a three-man tribunal led by Muritala Sani, its acting chairman. The Tribunal, therefore, discharged Mr. Ribadu and struck out the case against him.

Mr. Ribadu, who was represented by his counsel, Femi Falana, was not in court during the proceedings. He remains in the United States, where he recently completed his fellowship at the Centre for Global Development. But his friends and family members, including former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai – who himself was granted administrative bail by the EFCC less than 24 hours earlier – were in court to watch the proceedings and they all showed their joy at the news.

An exclusive NEXT report had indicated that Mr. Ribadu has accepted to serve as a special adviser to the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, on anti-corruption and good governance.

Trumped up charges

Following Mr. Ribadu’s controversial removal from office, and subsequent dramatic dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force, the former attorney general, Michael Aondoakaa, filed charges against Mr. Ribadu, accusing him of failing to declare his assets while he was the EFCC chairman. Mr. Ribadu, who has always denied the allegations, told journalists that his asset declaration forms were, “submitted on assumption of office in March 2003, and my exit from office in December 2008.

“I assert that there is no substance to this case; that my assets were declared. How could I have been confirmed for my position in 2003 if I did not submit an asset declaration form to the Senate, as all officers needing Senate confirmation are obligated to do?” he asked. He said the charges were trumped up basically to smear his name and persecute him because he had crossed some influential people while in office.

The Code of Conduct

Tribunal, which was hearing the case, declared Mr. Ribadu wanted on Friday November 20, following his refusal to appear before it. Mr. Falana, had asked the tribunal to guarantee the security of his client if it wants him to return to Nigeria and appear before it, saying there had been two attempts on his client’s life before he left Nigeria.

Mr. Falana declined to say when his client would return to Nigeria, though Mr. Ribadu is expected to come back in the next one month to resume his post as Mr. Jonathan’s adviser. Ironically, as part of his job, he will be expected to oversee anti-corruption agencies – including the EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigerian ex minister Nasir el-Rufai to face corruption charges Thursday

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Read Time:1 Minute, 15 Second

ABUJA – A former Nigerian government minister accused of misappropriating millions of euros will face corruption charges in court Thursday, days after returning from self-imposed exile, his lawyer said.

Nasir el-Rufai, the 2003-2007 minister in charge of Nigeria’s federal capital of Abuja, wanted to clear his name of the allegations, his lawyer Abdulakeem Mustapha said Tuesday.

“The former minister, Nasir el-Rufai, will appear before the court of law on Thursday on a nine-count charge,” he said.

Rufai, a close ally of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, returned last Saturday after two years in exile.

Mustapha said he accompanied the former minister to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission offices Tuesday where he was quizzed for nine hours.

“The two parties appeared to be satisfied. He said he was coming to Nigeria to clear his name. He has submitted himself willingly,” Mustapha said.

Rufai is suspected of misappropriating 32 billion naira (213 million dollars or 162 million euros) of public funds when he was in office.

He is also alleged to have reclaimed land allocated to the electricity supply agency and given it to relatives.

Commission spokesman Femi Babafemi told reporters Rufai was granted bail and Thursday’s hearing would focus on corruption and abuse of office.

The ex-minister has said in the media that the charges against him are politically motivated.

His return to Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and a leading oil producer, comes as political tensions increase ahead of next year’s presidential election.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigerian politicans irresponsible and unrepentant sadists

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Read Time:6 Minute, 2 Second

 Dear Nigeria,

I have been struggling with this letter. The reason is not because I hate to write to you, rather it’s because my heart is heavy and troubled. My feeling towards you is becoming leaden. I do not want to fake my laugh to your silly jokes anymore. I cannot stand your big boisterous voice and your inability to do something right. Hence, I have been riddled with so many aches in my heart towards you. I search my soul to find a soft spot for you, but obviously I am losing it. I just find it extremely difficult to break into a happy smile when the thought of you creeps into my mind, because you have not been true to me lately. You have made me to cling onto false hope all these years.

Whenever I remember you, I remember failures; I remember lies, the selfishness of your politicians, your weakness, and your shame among other nations. I am truly sad about how you have detoriated and decayed. You have harbored kidnappers, murderers, thieves and all sorts of criminals in the form of politicians. You have lost your good precepts and also have failed to chastise them that disobey them. It seems that you have abandoned it all for the worst.

I recall the words of my parents, how they were happy at the mention of your name and how they were proud of you. Sorry! Their beautiful memory of you does not coincide with mine. I have known you these years as one that has lost direction, as a mother that does not care nor take pride in her kids, as a vampire sucking on the blood of her children, and as a sick, mean and unpredictable man . I cannot contend the sickening feeling I get when I look at other nations politicians thinking and acting in every way to ensure, establish and promote the happiness, comfort and beauty of their fellow citizens; while your politicians are more interested in degrading the standard of life of  their fellow citizens from level poorest to most poorest.

Time after time your politicians have proved that they are incapable of making positive changes. All their changes are targeted to finding a way to punish and steal from your poor citizens for reasons that I do not know nor can I fathom. I wonder if you are destined to be so, ineffective, corrupt, nonchalant, irresponsible, fugitive, weakling, destitute, poor, needy, ill, failure and disgrace in the world. I keep wondering if they ever sit and give thought to the negative steps they have made you (Nigeria) to take ever since you gained independence. I wonder if they ever consider it wrong that your reputation, wealth, strength and intelligence has plunged disgracefully low among many nations in the world. I wonder if it ever occurs to them that they have made you worst than you were 50 years ago. I wonder a lot about you, my dear country!!!!

Obviously, your politicians take pride in bragging about their corruption. They take awful lot of pride in bragging about how they care less about your citizens. They feel that it is just and right for your citizens to be hungry, destitute, poor, and fleeing to foreign countries. They enjoy having their association of irresponsible shameless idiots in the helm of your affairs. Irresponsible, untrustworthy and corrupt politicians that care only for their selfish gain, how to steal and embezzle the public money and stuck them away in foreign banks, that care only about how to drastically and fatally murder innocent citizens and people that points out their sins to their faces or try to blockade their hideous selfish quests and device schemes that will prolong the hardship of your citizens. It is a big shame!!!!

They have made life unbearable for your citizens, hence chased your citizens out. Their reckless actions and neglect for the life and well being of your citizens have encouraged the young, old, healthy, sick, educated, illiterate, rich, poor, and all alike to run to foreign countries; where they are treated like 125th class of human beings, regarded as less privileged to life and less valuable than pets; and are subjected to scorn, disgrace, humiliations, harassment, intimidation, verbal and moral assault, and all unimaginable kinds of hideous aversion. Your dire situation caused by your politicians spurs your citizens to take suicidal routes to foreign countries in order to flee from the encroaching wickedness and desolation. Some of your babies end up in the sea bed, some in jail, and others in the streets homeless. Your politicians have no regard for their existence. To your politicians, they are valueless or fool seeking for a better life in foreign land. Perhaps they even consider your citizens as burden.

I recall the first few lines of your national anthem, which says “arise o compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey, to serve our father land, with love and strength and faith”.  It has become arise and kill yourselves oh fellow Nigerians. That’s why the perpetual act of Muslims constantly and repeatedly killing of Christians in the north goes unpunished every time. “ To serve our fathers land with love strength and faith” has become steal and embezzle our fathers land wealth with greed, strength, no doubt, no moral thoughts, no remorse and above all unashamed.

Is it not ridiculous that in this 21st century that you still cannot boast of steady power supply per day? Is it not shameful that your roads are death traps, a route where armed robbers lurk in wait to prey, steal and kill road users; and unfortunately also your police force (the guardian of security over people and property) sets check points in order to extort money illegally and forcefully from road users, and even condescend to shooting and killing those that refuse to bow to their demand. People are still living in slums, epidermis diseases killing people constantly, lack of good hospitals and medicines, schools going on strike for more than half of each academic year, kidnapping and all sort of crime on the rise daily, poverty enduring and waxing strong, and the list continues.

With all these atrocities happening, your politicians turn blind eyes and fly high. It is very disheartening and infuriating. It is downrightly sad and hurtful. And  I hear year after year the large sum of money that have been pumped into power and energy sector, works and housing sector, roads construction and rehabilitation, health and other sectors; but still yet, all to no avail. No positive change ever made!

Is looting and embezzling of the public fund a symbolic act of good governance? Is ever metamorphosing cruel crimes an essence of development?  Oh how can I forget that they have no clue to the meaning of human right, social amenities, good hospitals and school, and rule of law? I assume that they lack the desire to be good, that’s why they strive to be worse than ever with each new administration.

Are you bewitched, my country Nigeria? Are you bewitched by irresponsible and  unrepentant politicians sadists in the form of politicians? Is this your destiny?

 

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Washington wakes up to oil-spill crisis

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Read Time:5 Minute, 10 Second

WASHINGTON – For days, as an oil spill spread in the Gulf of Mexico, BP assured the US Government that the plume was manageable, not catastrophic.

Federal authorities were content to let the company handle the mess while keeping an eye on the operation.

United Stares President Barack Obama

But then government scientists realised the leak was five times larger than they had been led to believe, people were saying it threatened to eclipse the Exxon Valdez disaster, and days of lulling statistics and reassuring words gave way yesterday to an all-hands-on-deck emergency response.

Now questions are sure to be raised about a self-policing system that trusted a commercial operator to take care of its own mishap even as it grew into a menace imperilling Gulf Coast nature and livelihoods from Florida to Texas.

The pivotal point had come on Thursday, at a news conference at an oil research centre in the tiny community of Robert, Louisiana. That’s when Americans learned the earlier estimates were way off, and an additional leak had been found.

Yesterday, President Barack Obama set in motion a larger federal mobilisation, pledging to deploy “every single available resource” to the area and ordering his disaster and environmental leaders to get down there in person.

Only a few days after the Coastguard assured the country there was “ample time” to protect the coast if oil came ashore, warnings from the Government were newly alarming.

“I am frightened for the country, for the environment,” David Kennedy, assistant chief of the National Ocean Service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said.

“This is a very, very big thing, and the efforts that are going to be required to do anything about it, especially if it continues on, are just mind-boggling.”

The political subtext of the crisis was clear and increasingly on people’s minds, whether from a federal office deploying oil-containment booms or from a Louisiana parish awaiting yet another sucker punch from the sea.

Will this be Obama’s Katrina? Should the federal and state governments have done more, and earlier? Did they learn the lessons of the devastating hurricane?

Political calculations vied with the increasingly scary Gulf reality – hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil and its progression to landfall overnight.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who is also in a hot campaign for the Senate, flew over the slick and commended the federal actions to date but wondered if anyone, really, could be doing enough in this situation.

“It appeared to me that this is probably much bigger than we can fathom,” he said.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency yesterday so officials could begin preparing for the oil’s impact.

He said at least 10 wildlife management areas and refuges in his state and neighbouring Mississippi were in the oil plume’s path.

The declaration also noted that billions of dollars had been invested in coastal restoration projects that may be at risk. He also asked the federal Government if he could call up 6000 National Guard troops to help.

The crisis began with a massive explosion aboard the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon on April 20, more than 60km off the Louisiana coast. The search for 11 missing workers overshadowed environmental concerns until they were given up for lost.

Rear Admiral Mary Landry, chief of the Coastguard in the region, said at the outset that most of the oil was burning off, leaving only a moderate rainbow sheen on the water and no sign of a major spill.

“Both the industry and the Coastguard have technical experts actively at work,” she said. “So there’s a whole technical team on both sides of the aisle here to ensure we keep the conditions stable.”

Two days later, the Deepwater Horizon sank and crews spotted a massive sheen with a dark centre that appeared to be a crude oil mix. Obama got his first briefing on the accident.

Landry said the following day that no oil appeared to be leaking from a well head at the ocean floor, nor was any leaking noted at the surface.

At the White House, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said sometimes accidents happen, and the loss of the Deepwater Horizon was no reason to back off on the President’s recent decision to support expanded offshore drilling.

Throughout the Government was deferring to BP on what was being done at the site and on assessments of progress.

The Coastguard was not doing its own independent, first-hand assessment of the seabed rupture. Landry repeatedly asserted that BP was the responsible party and would shoulder the costs and organisational duties associated with the cleanup effort while the Coastguard monitored things and approved the numbers of vessels working the scene and the methods of control.

On Tuesday, Landry offered assurances that the Gulf Coast should be safe.

“This is ample time to protect sensitive areas and prepare for cleanup should the oil impact this area,” she said.

And at sea, BP officials were “doing their best”.

On Thursday night, she reported the findings of federal experts that up to 5000 barrels (757,000 litres) a day were leaking from the well. BP had estimated only 1000. What’s more, the company told the Coastguard a new leak had been found. Obama was briefed on these developments on Air Force One while returning at night from the Midwest.

At that rate, the spill could eclipse the worst oil spill in US history – the 275,000 barrels that leaked from the grounded tanker Exxon Valdez in Alaska’s Prince William Sound in 1989 – in the three months it could take to drill a relief well and plug the gushing well 1500m underwater on the sea floor.

The spill could grow much larger than the Valdez because Gulf of Mexico wells typically hold many times more oil than a single tanker.

By yesterday afternoon, the White House had assembled a team of top advisers to showcase the Administration’s determination to head off the damage posed by the oil slick. And Gibbs acknowledged details of the President’s drilling proposal might be revisited, depending on the investigation into the rig explosion and spill.

The equation had changed, like a hurricane setting a new course.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria: Removed INEC chairman Mr. iwu may not have second chance

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Read Time:2 Minute, 20 Second

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, last Wednesday, bowed to pressure both locally and internationally as he directed Maurice Iwu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to proceed on a pre-disengagement leave

Jonathan’s directive was given in a terse statement signed by Ima Niboro, his senior special assistant on media and communication. He directed Iwu to “hand over to the most senior national commissioner, who shall oversee the activities of the commission pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.”

The removal of Iwu as INEC chairman did not come to many Nigerians as a surprise. This is because in the past few months, there has been persistent campaign against his reappointment for second term. Some civil society groups, including the Save Nigeria Group, had also organised rallies to press for his removal .They blamed him for the flawed 2007 general elections which produced the incumbent administration.

The United States government had also advised the acting president to sack Iwu as a recipe for free and fair elections in 2011. Johnnie Carson, US assistant secretary of state for Africa, had categorically called on the acting president to sack the Imo State-born electoral umpire.  During his recent visit to the US, Jonathan indicated that Iwu’s removal was imminent when he promised that major changes would be implemented in the management of the electoral body. Many Nigerians have applauded his removal.  Balarabe Musa, former governor of Kaduna State, described Iwu’s sack as good riddance to bad rubbish. “Those who demonstrated recently that Iwu should be re-appointed for a second term are those who benefited from his rubbish. It is certainly a positive development. It means that despite the unfavourable condition the acting president is facing, he would try to make the 2011 general elections at least tolerable,” Musa said.

Bamidele Aturu, Lagos-based lawyer, said the acting president’s decision  to send Iwu on pre-disengagement leave,was an unnecessary euphemism for a long overdue sack. he said. Aturu asked the acting president to go further and disband INEC and appoint Nigerians with impeccable record of integrity to make the commission truly an independent umpire.

Lai Mohammed, national publicity secretary of Action Congress, AC, said the removal of Iwu was in line with the opinion of democrats. He, however, explained that the total disengagement of Iwu would only serve its purpose if someone of integrity replaces him.

Iwu was an INEC commissioner until 2005 when he was appointed the chairman of the commission by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, after the expiration of the tenure of Abel Guobadia, his predecessor.

Although he has been directed to proceed on pre-disengagement leave, his  five-year   tenure expires on June 13, this year.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria: PDP Party fears severe division over Jonathan Ambition

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Read Time:3 Minute, 8 Second

Even after its no-victor-no-vanquished national executive committee,  NEC , meeting of last Tuesday, the leadership of the ruling PDP remains divided down the line over the widely speculated presidential ambition of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.

Already the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has sent word to the Acting President to ensure that “the virtues of peace, fairness, equity and justice are the guiding principles of his administration”.

The ACF, Sunday Vanguard can also reveal, is insisting that the zoning arrangement of the PDP is a sure panacea for the evolution of equity in the country.

A source in the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, told Sunday Vanguard that “what we are hearing is that the Acting President wants to contest the presidential election of next year and it is dividing the party.

“Although I have not heard it from him, that is the general story.

Acting President Jonathan

“The only problem is that when the National Assembly made its proclamation making him Acting President, we had thought that he would just focus on solving the immediate problems in the country which is power supply and security.

“But we are still waiting to see what happens because things are not very clear now; may be in a couple of weeks we would be sure of what is happening and at that time we can speak better.

“The other problem is that the north has made its position clear about the matter and they are not lying low.  They say they still want the issue of zoning which, to be fair, is their right”

Asked about the role of Obasanjo in the plot about Jonathan’s ambition, the source said, “we are watching events and if we discover that the Acting President will refuse to be his own man, then  we will have to leave him to his fate”.

North Kicks

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the ACF in making its position on the issue of zoning known to the Acting President, last week, was very clear: it must remain.

Already, three northerners, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd); National Security Adviser, NSA, General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are in the race for the presidency next year – although Gusau and Atiku have not made their ambition public.

The numerical superiority of Northern PDP in any election is what the ACF is said to be banking on in its insistence that any attempt to disorganize the zoning arrangement would not be taken lightly.

Jonathan’s Base
Meanwhile, there are indications that the acting president may not have an easy ride in his reported presidential ambition in his South-South base.

Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States are not known to swing in the way of Jonathan in the emerging political re-configuration for next year’s presidential election.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is a member of the Action Congress, AC, and, may therefore, remain indifferent; a large segment of the political leadership in Delta State does not share the Gestapo-style approach of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in its pursuit of the case against former governor James Onanefe Ibori of the state; and there is the challenge from his home Bayelsa State where the state governor, Timpreye Silva is at loggerheads with the Acting President.

Added to this is the concern in some quarters that Jonathan had never really mounted the rostrum to campaign in an election for himself and, therefore, may not have the political wherewithal to mobilize for himself.

For Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom State, it would only be a matter of time for their hands to be played out.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria: Senator Ahmad Sani Yerima allegedly marries girl, age 13

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Read Time:3 Minute, 32 Second

LAGOS, Nigeria — The marriage took place at one of the Nigerian capital’s most recognizable landmarks, under the golden dome of the National Mosque in front of an audience of the elite.

But the recent wedding of one of the Muslim leaders who brought Shariah law to Africa’s most populous nation is under scrutiny as human rights groups say he married a 13-year-old Egyptian girl.

As authorities investigate Senator Ahmad Sani Yerima, the marriage is drawing fresh questions about the role of religion in a country of 150 million people split between Christians and Muslims.

Yerima, 49, arranged the marriage with the girl after paying her family a $100,000 dowry, according to a complaint filed by the Nigerian Human Rights Commission in April. Initially, Yerima couldn’t arrange a visa for the girl to travel from Egypt to Nigeria, so he instead brought the girl through neighboring Niger, said Chidi Odinkalu, a lawyer for works for the Open Society Justice Initiative.

That leaves Yerima open to human trafficking charges, as well as possible child-sex and endangerment charges, the lawyer said.

“You don’t need the Quran or the Bible to get this,” Odinkalu said. “I think most people, irrespective of the cleavage between the two faiths, wouldn’t marry off their 13 year old.”

Yet 30 members of the girl’s family attended the ceremony at the National Mosque, the human rights commission said. It’s unclear who else attended the wedding. Ustaz Musa Mohammed, the chief imam of the National Mosque, could not be reached for comment.

Under child protection laws enforceable in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, a woman must be 18 before being able to consent to marriage. However, those laws aren’t enacted in all of Nigeria’s 36 states and activists say child brides have been married off in Muslim communities after their first period.

It also isn’t the first time Yerima has apparently married a child bride. The right commission alleged that he married a 15-year-old girl, only to divorce her at 17 as she nurses his child.

“The senator is in the habit of marrying minors and has gained notoriety in enticing girls to marry him,” the commission said.

Yerima himself appears unrepentant in recent interviews, though he has declined to say how old his new wife is.

“As a Muslim, as I always say, I consider God’s law and that of his prophet above any other law,” Yerima told the BBC’s Hausa language radio service. “I will not respect any law that contradicts that and whoever wants to sanction me for that is free to do that.”

Religion has played an integral part in Yerima’s political career. As Nigeria came out of a string of military dictatorships and into democracy in 1999, Yerima was elected as governor of Zamfara state in northern Nigeria. There, Islam has been the dominate religion since Muslim warriors on horseback claimed the territory in the early 1800s.

When he became governor, Yerima was one of the first politicians to champion the idea of putting a Shariah court system in place, which rules based on Islamic civil law. Now, more than a dozen northern states allow Shariah law, something that Nigeria’s Christian south warily accepted — if at all. Rioting and violence over the introduction of Shariah law left thousands dead.

Yerima himself blames the attention on his marriage to that, though it sealed his political fortunes.

“I consider all those complaining about this issue as detractors, because since 1999 … many people have been waging different kind of wars against me,” he said.

But those who have brought the allegations against Yerima are struggling not to make it a religious debate in a nation where killings over faith still happen. The Senate is investigating Yerima over allegedly breaking the law, while other agencies are examining whether he illegally brought the child bride into the country.

“He’s breached the law. It’s not about faith,” said Iheoma Obibi, executive director of Alliances for Africa, a human rights group. “In the campaign with the sisters from the north, we’ve been very careful not to address this in the religious situation.”

The whereabouts of the Egyptian girl remain unknown.

“She should be in school,” Obibi said. “She shouldn’t be rolling off your bed.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Slavery of Africans and Slavery in Africa

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Read Time:3 Minute, 12 Second

Although slavery has been practiced for almost the whole of recorded history, the vast numbers involved in the African slave trade has left a legacy which can not be ignored.
Slavery in Africa

Whether slavery existed within sub-Saharan African societies before the arrival of Europeans is a hotly contested point between Afrocentric and Eurocentric academics. What is certain is that Africans were subjected to several forms of slavery over the centuries, including chattel slavery under both the Muslims with the trans-Saharan slave trade, and Europeans through the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Even after the abolition of the slave trade in Africa, Colonial powers used forced labor – such as in King Leopold’s Congo Free State (which was operated as a massive labor camp) or as libertos on the Portuguese plantations of Cape Verde or São Tomé.

• Slavery in Africa
Islam and African Slavery

The Qur’an prescribes a humanitarian approach to slavery — free men could not be enslaved, and those faithful to foreign religions could live as protected persons. However, the spread of the Islamic Empire through Africa resulted in a much harsher interpretation of the law, and people from outside the borders of the Islamic Empire were considered an acceptable source of slaves.

• The Role of Islam in African Slavery
The Start of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

When the Portuguese first sailed down the Atlantic African coast in the 1430s, they were interested in one thing. Surprisingly, given modern perspectives, it was not slaves but gold. However, by 1500 they had traded already 81,000 Africans to Europe, nearby Atlantic islands, and to Muslim merchants in Africa.

• Origins of the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

São Tomé is considered to be a principle port in the export of slaves across the Atlantic, this is, however, only part of the story.

• São Tomé and the Slave Trade
The ‘Triangular Trade’ in Slaves

For two hundred years, 1440-1640, Portugal had a monopoly on the export of slaves from Africa. It is notable that they were also the last European country to abolish the institution – although, like France, it still continued to work former slaves as contract laborers, which they called libertos or engagés à temps. It is estimated that during the 4 1/2 centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Portugal was responsible for transporting over 4.5 million Africans (roughly 40% of the total). During the eighteenth century however, when the slave trade accounted for the transport of a staggering 6 million Africans, Britain was the worst transgressor – responsible for almost 2.5 million. (A fact often forgotten by those who regularly cite Britain’s prime role in the abolition of the slave trade.)

• The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

Information on how many slaves were shipped from Africa across the Atlantic to the Americas during the sixteenth century can only be estimated as very few records exist for this period. But from the seventeenth century onwards, increasingly accurate records, such as ship manifests, are available.

• How Many Slaves Were Taken from Africa?

Slaves for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade were initially sourced in Senegambia and the Windward Coast. Around 1650 the trade moved to west-central Africa (the Kingdom of the Kongo and neighboring Angola).

• Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: Origins of Slaves
Slavery in South Africa

It is a popular misconception that slavery in South Africa was mild compared to America and the European colonies in the Far East. This is not so, and punishments meted out could be very harsh. From 1680 to 1795 an average of one slave was executed in Cape Town each month and the decaying corpses would be re-hung around town to act as a deterrent to other slaves. Find out more about the laws and punishments imposed on slaves in the Cape Colony during the 18th century.

• Slave Laws in South Africa

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Political Abortion: Obama’s Stand on Nigeria

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Read Time:6 Minute, 37 Second

I pretend to understand how much hatred President Obama and his administration have towards Nigeria. During his several visits to Africa before and after his inauguration, President Obama has willingly and steadfastly boycotted a visit or stopover at Nigeria, Africa’s number 1 trading partner to USA. I understand that President Obama does not owe Nigeria a visit, if he chooses not to. He is entitled to his choices of places to visit as a person, president or both. Fair enough! However, giving consideration to Nigeria’s bilateral and friendly relationship with USA, of which past USA presidents has in numerous ways acknowledged, respected and nurtured, one would expect such good relationship to continue in an amicable and smooth manner. So far, it has been the opposite since the inauguration of the 44th President of USA.

However, what I will definitely like to understand is what President Obama’s aim at by adding Nigeria into the infamous list of “countries of interests”? Secondly, I do like to understand what are the criteria that set the standard for such list? Thirdly, the so called list of “countries of interest”, isn’t it a new brand name for “list of terrorist countries”? From my understanding it seems to me that the two names can be traded to mean the same thing. The annoying part is that Nigeria made the list of the so called “countries of interests” few years after she transited from military rule to democracy. In addition, she made the list at the time when her democracy is still fragile and wobbling and also when the country is having difficulties in attracting FDI as well as also experiencing a financial difficult time due to the global financial breakdown chain reaction that was created by the corrupt and greedy practices of well respected Americas` financial institutions. What else could be the best and most efficient way to motivate Nigeria or commend her struggles in her most critical times? Yeah, put her name in the damn list, that’s it, right?

Now, I sense that the relationship between Nigeria and USA is based on “blackmail” and “intimidation”. Will you not agree with me? It is even worse than the sort of relationship that exists between a slave and a taskmaster. To me the relationship seems like that of a jealous divorced husband blackmailing his ex, in order to get her back, or perhaps to make her pay, or even perhaps to punish her for divorcing him.

The question here is did Nigeria divorce USA in that she merited this sort of blackmail or punishment? Or did USA see Chinese growing influence in Nigeria threatening?  Halloo!! It is very interesting to observe the hand writing on the wall like the biblical Daniel.

It appears to me that the influential rise of China in Africa is a potential threat to USA’s and Europe’s clampdown, grip and stronghold in Africa’s economy. Obviously, in recent time many African countries have opened their economy to be explored, ploughed and developed by China. Many African nations have witnessed foreign direct investment (FDI) coming from China. Some of these African nations have testified publicly that Chinese presence has brought tremendous positive change, more than their western counterparts since the time of liberation or independence from colonialism. Would you blame these African nations for change in mind or direction, since their long time romance with the western nations and their corresponding companies has been like romancing with the fire? They got burnt, didn’t they? Of course, they did.  I guess that the sad depressing experience and the evident scars are there to show it. The long nights of political oppressive anguish pain, the never ending hours of economical and welfare torture and the perpetual deceit and treacherous acts, have all constituted to desire for a new direction and survival tactics by these African nations. Hence, another question is does this have a part in branding Nigeria into the list of “countries of interest”? You do not doubt that it has a part, do you? Look deeper my friend, you will find the clue.

The Nigerian born Abdulmutallab followed his own will and should face the consequences of his actions individually. Based on the known available facts surrounding the sad scenario and also based on good sense of judgment, it is out rightly wrong and unacceptable to judge the whole country with the action of Abdulmutallab. Should one say because America today occupies the number 1 position in the world statistics of the countries where citizens and individuals can easily snap and go ballistic and rampage with gun spree that eventually end up killing and massacring innocent people either in schools, or hospitals, or shopping malls, or streets, or in barracks, or the sub-way, or anywhere at anytime; that based on this account that America or Americans are potential psycho trigger happy people to be watched out for or included in the list of“ nations of interests”? I suppose not. If such answer is true and believable, then on what ground and reason should the whole entire country of Nigeria and her citizens be branded  a threat to America’s and world’s peace and safety, just because of the irresponsible and nonchalant behavior of one Abdulmutallab on 25/12/2009?

Abdulmutallab

President Obama should also remember that Al Qaeda is a common enemy Nigeria and America fight against.

Hey, hold on a second, should I be the one that have to remind President Obama the pedigree and courageous actions Nigeria has undertaken against terrorism in order to maintain peace within the African continent and the world? Perhaps I should and I gladly do it. Brief account, Nigeria fought against apartheid in South-Africa, singlehandedly fought for peace and power brokered the Liberian civil war, and has been highly involved in peace keeping mission in many nations in Africa such as DRC and Somalia (to mention but few). Nigeria is a new found home for most white Zimbabweans that are running away from the regime of Mugabe. The list of Nigeria good deeds is very long and outweighs her failures and mistakes in every ramification.

I believe that common sense if it is really common, can tell any one that Nigeria as a people and country is more mindful of doing good and great things that are beneficial to mankind,  rather than supporting cheap shot terror activities. Nigeria has never aimed at nor support terrorism nor secretly or publicly condoned terrorism. Therefore, apparently and undoubtedly, the action undertaken by President Obama’s administration by including Nigeria in the list of “countries of interest” is an epitome of “political abortion” to Nigeria’s embryonic democracy as well as her entire life and survival.  It is a deliberate misleading judgment.

Alas! Thank you indeed President Obama for creating such a political devilish tantrum over Nigeria and her population of over 140 million. Nigeria has now negatively advanced in her political, economic, and developmental jeopardy after the horrific announcement of the horrific inclusion into the list of the unpopular prestigious “countries of interests”. Think about it deeply, read the signs and analyze the current Nigeria’s situation. I have no doubt that you will un-reluctantly and gravely agree with me.

My take to this hyprocritcal fiasco will be for united states of America to think twice and withdraw Nigeria’s name from the list and ask for apology, knowing fully well that Nigeria as a country does not support or condone any act of terrorism

The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of codewit.info or codewit.com.” To have your articles publish, please submit them to editor@codewit.com

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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