The State Deputy Governor Dr. Ada Okwuonu has challenged the Nigeria Youth Parliament to initiate programmes and policies that would address the involvement of Youths in Cultism and other anti-social activities in the Country.
Dr. Okwuonu gave the challenge while receiving on behalf of the Governor, the Speaker and the Zonal leaders of the Nigerian Youth Parliament who came on interactive session at the Government House Owerri.
She regretted that the involvement of youths in cultism and other anti-social activities are giving parents sleepless nights, charged them to be concerned with how the nation would be in future if these problems were not addressed.
The Deputy Governor stressed that the State Government has mapped out a number of Youth programmes while 25% of the salaries of political office holders is being reserved for the revamping of the Educational sector in addition to the Ten thousand job opportunities to be created by the State Governor aimed at preparing the Nigerian Youth for the future.
She commended the parliamentarians for their efforts to come together with focused programmes for the Youth in the State promising that the State Government would continue to play her role for the youths.
Speaking, the State Commissioner for women affairs and social development Dame Anagam Ononuju said that the move toward addressing the problems of the youth is a welcome development.
The commissioner for Youth and Sports, Chief Tony Uzoukwu said that the Ministry had a lot of Youth programmes including scholarships from Donor Agencies that would take care of the education of some youths in the state, had been initiated.
Earlier the speaker of the Youth parliament, Luke Unofiok representing Akwa-Ibom South-South zone explained that they were in the state as part of their legislative function of addressing Youth problems in the homes.
The Speaker explained that the Youth parliament inaugurated in 2008 is a platform where people are framed for leadership responsibilities and commended the Governor for his efforts at addressing the problems of Youths in the State as well as other records of achievements.
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.
THE President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, will lead the Federal Government delegation to cheer the Super Eagles to victory in the 2010 FIFA World Cup fiesta holding in South Africa.
The team according to a circular by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Yayale, departed Nigeria on Wednesday ahead of the opening ceremony on Friday, in Johannesburg.
Members of the delegation include Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.
Others are, Ministers of Youth Development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, Josephine Anenih of Women Affairs, Professor Dora Akunyili of Information and Communications and Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed of Culture and Tourism, while former Secretary of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Alhaji Sani Toro serves as Secretary.
Senator Mark has therefore urged the Nigerian lads to display good technique and team spirit saying; “With their experiences and commitment in the field of play, our representatives in the championship can make the nation proud again. All they need to do is to be more focused, dogged and aim for greater height in the tournament.â€
The President of the Senate tasked the Super Eagles to fly high above their counterparts and bring glory to Nigeria.
He called on Nigerians to support the players in their prayers while imploring the coaching crew led by coach Lar Lagerback to remain focused and steadfast.
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.
The moment when Muammer Gaddafi, Libya’s leader, aspires for the creation of a single African nation has become a perennial irritant at African summits, eating into deliberations on more pressing crises of the day. Many of Colonel Gaddafi’s peers are still struggling to create viable nation states within territories carved out by Europeans in the 19th century. In that context, talk of a United States of Africa – a potentially unwieldy federation of 1bn plus people – seems distinctly premature.
In some ways, however, the Libyan leader is ahead of a game recognised since the onset of independence half a century ago as central to the continent’s development prospects, but on which little progress has yet been made. If African countries spoke with one voice, traded more among each other, and strengthened regional co-operation in keeping peace, they would go a long way towards overcoming the political frailties and economic fragmentation associated with their inherited borders.
To varying degrees over the past decade, regional economic trading blocs in south, west and east Africa have forged ahead with customs unions, eased working restrictions (in east Africa), and started planning common monetary policies and even single currencies.
Equally, in recent years the African Union has sought to enforce better governance, ostracising coup-makers, and this year ushering in new rules that allow unconstitutional behaviour by civilian rulers to be sanctioned too (although there has been only limited success in reining in the likes of Robert Mugabe).
Progress though is still hampered by lack of follow-through on the ground and fears among less developed countries, that they will be dominated by the big regional economic powers: Nigeria in the west, Kenya in the east and South Africa in the south. Moreover in a significant number of African countries the momentum towards further break-up is still greater than the other way round.
Idriss Deby, the President of Chad, warned recently that if South Sudan votes to secede at a referendum on independence due next January, it will be “catastrophicâ€. Transgressing the doctrine of the inviolability of borders would embolden separatist movements from Nigeria to the Democratic Republic of Congo and spark chaos, he warned.
Other Africans argue that until oppressed minorities first achieve a level of self-determination, free of oppression from centralised states, talk of greater regional integration will remain just that.
On average, only about 10 to 12 per cent of African trade takes place among other African nations according to a joint study published last month by the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, and the African Union. “This is not an encouraging trend, especially when compared with other world regions,†the report says.
The continent’s infrastructure too is still geared towards exports. Railways and roads often lead to marine ports rather than linking countries over land. Even where there have been advances in harmonising tariffs and easing restrictions on the flow of people and goods, such as in the East African Community, reality on the ground often trails.
A recent study carried out by Rwanda’s private sector business association found the cost of trucking a container from Mombasa on the Indian Ocean coast to Kigali, the capital, 1,500kms and three border crossings away, can be three times the price of shipping the same container from the US. Bribery at weighbridges and roadblocks add more than $1,000 to costs. The same story is repeated across Africa.
The momentum though, is beginning to change. Institutions like the African Development Bank now prioritise infrastructure projects that foster regional integration.
The big African banks are spreading from state to state. Telecoms companies too, are harmonising their operations to gain economies of scale. And, when oil and gas investments are stripped out, South Africa is now the largest investor in the rest of the continent, not China, or the US.
Trade statistics do not capture a perhaps even bigger force, the informal sector. Until they were battered by competition from China, cobblers in the Nigerian town of Aba were exporting some 60m pairs of shoes around Africa. Their wares could be found everywhere from Kisangani in central Congo, to Dakar on the west coast.
For all Mr Deby’s fears, South Sudan is another place where regional imbalances are being addressed in spite of the status quo. It is not a member of the East African Community or even a country yet. But educated Kenyans and Ugandans, who lack jobs back home, have flocked there, making up for a desperate shortage of qualified local people.
The integration that is happening has been driven less by bureaucrats, and the likes of Col Gadaffi and more by business people – from suited-up executives to scrappy wheeler-dealers – who have spotted opportunities across borders and gone out to grab them.
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.
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.
“Allah misleads whomsoever he chooses to misleadâ€- The Qur’an
Dear Alhaji Sani Yerima,
It is perhaps right to state that the last has not been heard about your unceremonious marriage to a minor and the consequent barrage of public criticism it generated. June 15, 2010 is your next date with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic Persons (NANTIP) following a bail you were granted on self recognition. Needless to say that in these trying times in the country, when most eyes are focussed on the necessity for essential reforms in our body polity, your action remains an unwarranted distraction which the nation can ill afford. However, your unrepentant and rather militant posture on this issue continues to fan the embers of what is now amounting to warfare and ably dividing the fragile unity of the country along religious lines.
The NANTIP Declaration
Of particular importance is your non-denial of a statement credited to you whilst outside the premises of the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Abuja on the 18th of May following your invitation for questioning by that body. In the infamous NANTIP Declaration, you were quoted as saying: “I am not bound by the laws of Nigeria but by Sharia laws which I have not breachedâ€. In fact, it was further reported that you shamelessly tendered a marriage certificate issued by a Sharia court to NAPTIP. That arrogant statement raises a lot of concerns, considering that you are a Senator of the Federal Republic.
Your stance has been based on the infallibility of your religion and your firm belief in same, especially your adherence to the Qur’an and the Hadith (traditions of Muhammad and his followers). Your statement negated the supremacy of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of which you are a Senator. Inadvertently, you raised a battle of supremacy between Nigeria’s constitution and the Qur’an. This need not be as the two had co-existed for ages in the same country with minimal rancour, not even when in your uncontrolled exuberance, you decided to resort to the Sharia penal code in your day as the governor of Zamfara state.
Whilst your only defence has been the freedom to exercise irresponsible behaviour as guaranteed by your faith, especially the antecedents set by your holy prophet Muhammad, the Supreme Council for Sharia (not unexpectedly) has gone a step further. This ludicrous body turned to a Federal High Court to protect what it deemed as the intrusion of your privacy by the numerous non-governmental organisations and livid citizens outraged by your extremely shameful behaviour. This Supreme Council for Sharia wanted the court to exempt Muslims from the articles of the Child protection laws in the country as it violates their freedom to be paedophiles and what have you.
The position of the various irate individuals and bodies over your sordid act includes, amongst others:
That you are a serial paedophile who is in the habit of substituting teenagers as wives in order to comply with the injunction of your religion. It was reported that just before you married your Egyptian bride, you divorced another teenager (Hauwa’u) whom you married at the age of 15 years and who bore you a child. That girl is now said to be 17 years of age and her life has been brutally disrupted by your inordinate lust.
That you exploit and abuse those whom you employed to work for you as a pattern of marrying the teenage daughters of your drivers have emerged. The employment you offer has thus proved to be a dangerous vocation as the teenage daughters of your drivers are the prey of your licentious eyes.
That indiscipline and indiscretion against the laws of the state should not be condoned no matter how highly placed the offender might be. This brings us again to your infamous NANTIP Declaration. The issue then centres on your continued existence in the Senate of the Federal republic of Nigeria in the light of your disregard for our laws. To all and sundry, the Senate, as far as you are concerned, remains a reflection of your status in the power equation and a ready assured source of free income and not a serious business. Sad as it may seem, the latter view represents the position of most of those currently in the senate today hence the lukewarm reaction on their part to your intransigency.
It is generally agreed that you violated sections of the Child Right Act which forbids anyone from marrying a child (whether boy or girl) under 18 years and also prohibits betrothal of any child under 18 years. This offence carries a penalty of N500,000 or five years imprisonment or both.
Your “use and discard†system which has so far ensured that you divorce one wife to marry another infringes on the fundamental human rights of your child wives. It has been stated that Section 33 of our constitution (which unfortunately you hold nothing but disdain for) guarantees the right to life and decent existence of these kids you have married. However, your detestable taste in sleeping with young minors expose their immature organs to stress they could ill afford to bear. I know that you care less about scientific evidences pointing to the catastrophic effects of such early liaisons leading to an extremely high rate of vesico-vaginal fistula and other genitor-urinary and reproductive abnormalities especially in your part of Nigeria (the Northern region).
It is the notion of the various human rights organisations that Western countries have a duty of obligation to the human race to ensure that paedophiles of your type are not accorded free passage in civilised countries. Hence the passionate plea to these countries to refuse to grant travel visa to you. Same applies to the plea to Interpol to ensure that what Nigeria has so far failed to do is accomplished outside our shores – that is, arrest you for prosecution and ensure that you sign the sex offenders register for life.
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Unwittingly, Nigerians have been privileged, once again, to have a glimpse of the character of those who purport to lead them. The issues raised by your prolific habit of marrying minors are very fundamental and reflect seriously on the quality of leadership in our dear country. The image that has been effectively created by your paedophilic habit is that of a small-minded village Jihadist who was thrust by a very deficient political arrangement to leadership positions. Your act indeed raises a lot of questions on the political permutation and alignment in Nigeria. Needless to say, that NANTIP Declaration was an insult to the collective integrity of Nigerians. Senator Yerima, you represent the decay inherent in our polity, a decay characterised by political ineptitude, immorality, political ambivalence and crass irresponsibility.
Your era as the governor of poor Zamfara state was characterised mostly by your activism as regards the introduction and implementation of the Sharia penal code and little by meaningful economic, educational or social development. You were more concerned with the further subjugation of your impoverished and ignorant people (especially the women folk)and the amputation of limbs as encouraged by what could be rightly viewed as an outdated set of laws that was implemented in its crudest form. In retrospect, your introduction of the Sharia set of laws had no altruistic motive; rather it was an excuse to justify your amorous profligacy, one that is outside the realms of modern convention. You made the people of Zamfara scapegoats for your personal immoderation. This is rather sad and extremely wicked.
Those whom the gods want to kill, they first make mad
A reflection of the impact of your indiscipline on the country is that not too long ago, a deranged association purporting to represent an Islamic group in Northern Nigeria came out smoking from all ends. This group wanted all Muslims to marry girls of any age as that was in line with what the Holy Prophet Muhammad did. Naturally, this obnoxious group gave you a clean bill and exonerated you. You must have felt very happy with this much needed morale booster; if at all the group was not sponsored. Whilst it has been historically proven that Prophet Muhammad indeed married Aishat at the age of 6 years, it is imperative to look at this issue in the light of the practices and norms of those times. Thus, the issue of religious practices appear intertwined with culture, norm and time. However, a culture that refuses to move with time is doomed whilst also, a religion that chose to ignore the momentum of time appears non-beneficial. It is perhaps right to assume that what Muhammad did was acceptable at the time he did it, as no documentation exists of protests against his act. Or perhaps, the people were so subjugated that they lack the means to protest.
Again, Islam as a religion, was of Middle Eastern origin, specifically of Arabic extraction. The religion is so interwoven into the culture and way of life of the Arabs that it is so difficult to be a good Muslim without imbibing elements of Arabic culture. Thus, it becomes a mirage to note that what an Arabic country considered an abomination was allowed to happen in Nigeria even with fanfare. If Egypt could have disallowed child abuse on the pretext of Islamic marriage, then what business is it of Nigeria to have condoned such a criminal act? We cannot be more Arabic than the Arabs.
It also sounds superfluous in this present age and time for Islamic miscreants like yourself to use the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad to excuse your antisocial behaviour. Religion is based on faith, but you seriously need to ask yourself if faith is based in the conscience or in the mind. If you cling so much to what may perhaps not be the most desirable qualities of the Prophet (pardon me if you feel offended), could you then search your conscience and seek to know if it is possible to find truth in God without the habit of the messenger. Alhaji Yerima, you are by now an adult who should be able to discern what is wrong from what is right.
Suras of the Qur’an states that “Allah prospers whoever he wants without measureâ€. The same Qur’an poses a riddle by clearly stating that Allah misleads (leads astray) whomsoever he chooses to mislead. This is a riddle which has an obvious answer in your case. With your psychotic resort to the deed of Muhammad in defending your criminal and base behaviour, there is no doubt that you have been effectively misled by Allah. Those who are headstrong in their defence of your unacceptable behaviour are equally misled by Allah. This reminds me of the age-old saying in my part of the country – those whom the gods want to kill, they first make mad. Dear Alhaji, you may probably be undergoing a phase of insanity without insight.
The key point is simply that your behaviour is simply not acceptable in this age and time. I mean, this is the 21st century and I remained utterly convinced that if Muhammad were to be alive, he would have chastised you in the strongest terms. In any case, no record exist to state that Prophet Muhammad was in the habit of using his drivers as a leeway to provide underage girls to satisfy an unbridled and rather perverted sexual desires. Prophet Muhammad was not recorded to have divorced one underage girl to marry another. Alhaji Sani Yerima, it is high time you lived up to the reality of your sick acts and seek professional help which you honestly need. Using religion as a cover-up would not just hold.
While the efforts of NAPTIP remain commendable, no Nigerian is under the illusion that justice can really be obtained within the present Nigerian climate. Unless, of course, if something drastic had happened to the administration of justice under Goodluck Jonathan’s dispensation. However, beyond the efforts of NANTIP and other concerned organisations and individuals, the major issue is the moral proprietary of this sort of behaviour on the part of a political leader. Of concern again is the type of leadership Nigerians are paying heavily for with your NANTIP declaration and the camaraderie of your Senator colleagues. While concerted efforts are being made to stem the growth of ignorance in Nigeria especially as it relates to child marriages and child abuse, a political figure like you goes all militant in the stupid defence of an abominable act. Nigeria is definitely being short-changed with your type in positions of authority.
While we continue to watch with interest, the unfolding scenario in this case, you might perhaps learn a lesson from it all. The Nigeria of today is far different from those of yester-years. We are more enlightened and massively desire to see things turn around for the better in our fatherland. Again, as regards your serial paedophilic habit, there is obviously no conclusion than the obvious fact that the Almighty Allah has misled you – if at all he has any hand in your undisciplined behaviour!
Dear Alhaji, I shall keep in touch again, if need be.
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.
I am your fan and a lover of your show because of your in-depth research on so many issues. Since few weeks ago I noticed that you have been talking about the environmental catastrophe caused by BP in America.
May I also draw your attention to Nigeria oil spill by Shell , an American company that has completely killed lives and continue to kill lives in Niger delta and no body dare to speak about it. I can feel your passion when you talk about BP oil spill in your country. You can imagine how frustrating it has been for us over five decades of oil spill by your very own SHELL that has really killed, maimed and has completely damaged everything we have in that region. Rachel – Please tell Americans not to worry too much about this BP mistake because we have been there so many times with SHELL and yet we are still there now, and nothing has been done about it. Our brothers in the Niger Delta have also been feeling the same way your citizens are feeling now for decades and your country with our corrupt government does not want to help us fight for justice. Instead the only assitance United states did was to connive with United kingdom and together joined forces with our corrupt politicians to condemn and supress the activities of our activists in that region; who are resisting the government and SHELL from further damage of our land and natural endownments. You may remember the infamous speech of Gordon Brown who was speaking at the reception of our late president Umaru Yaradua last two years to No 10. At that news conference, Gordon Brown onlycontribution on the plight of our people was to offer military assistance to Nigeria to help keep the activists away.
Just to make it clearer to you, there are so many instances of oil spill activities in Niger delta, take for instance the one that happened in June 25, 2001, when an oil spill and explosion occurred in the aged and rusty pipeline in Ogbodo, Nigeria.
The incidence destroyed the only source of drinking water for 150,000 people. The spill also destroyed community fishing equipment and farmlands, and resulted in fumes and pollutants that have sickened people and forced many to evacuate their homes. What did Shell or our government did about that…. Nothing …..No body ever cared to help alleviate the plight of the victims, the Ikwere ethnic nationality of the River State of the Niger Delta.
I am blogger and activist. too.. we have been following the predicaments of our people and have written a lot about it. you can visit our website and see for yourself what SHELL has done in Niger-delta for approximately 50 years. I think you should not complain bitterly anymore because it is happening in America now …what do you say when it is happening elsewhere. what do you do when other lives and resources have been ruined by your country. I think it will be advisable too to speak as well on this issue as it affect other people too. no life is more precious than the other Nigerian or American alike.
I would be glad if you can speak out also on the criminal activities and horrific doing that are not spoken out but are taking place in other country by your very own oil companies. If not ,it may likely be a law of karma that is visiting your politicians to make them feel what our people have felt for 50 years over.
You know better than me about your country’s greedy desire for our oil and our politician’s inordinate desire for money. see what is happening in our country too
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.
Lagos, Nigeria – President Goodluck Jonathan’s nomination of Namadi Sambo as his Vice President-designate, the trial of the Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, for corruption and the arrest of ex-governor James Ibori in far away United Arab Emirates dominated front pages in the Nigerian media this week.
At the end of the seven-day mourning period for the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, new President Jonathan on Wednesday named the Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, as his Vice President-designate and submitted same to the Federal House of Representatives for confirmation.
Also during the week, the PDP Chairman was arraigned in court over the 104 million naira (US$ 1 = 150 naira) corruption charges brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) while former Delta State governor Ibori, wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at home, was arrested in Dubai.
Ogbulafor’s resignation came in the wake of mounting pressure from the Presidency and the PDP governors.
“NASS receives Sambo’s nomination, set for screening on Tuesday”, was the PUNCH headline on Saturday. The paper reported that barring last-minute changes, the two chambers of the National Assembly will separately screen the vice-presidential nominee on Tuesday for Nigeria‘s second most important political office.
The GUARDIAN on Saturday wrote “Reps To Screen Sambo On Tuesday”, reporting that the House of Representatives will on Tuesday consider the nomination of the Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, for the position of the country’s Vice President.
The TRIBUNE on Friday headlined its story “Jubilation in Kaduna, as Sambo becomes VP-designate”, reporting that it was jubilation galore in Kaduna on Thursday as supporters of Governor Sambo rejoiced over his appointment by President Jonathan as the vice president-designate.
The PUNCH, reporting under the headline “Corruption: PDP chairman, Ogbulafor resigns”, said after about one month of trying to swim against the tide, the PDP National Chairman, Ogbulafor, on Thursday resigned his position.
According to the ICPC charges, the offence that Ogbulafor and three others committed happened in 2001 when he was minister for special duties under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
THISDAY, THE SUN, GUARDIAN and THE INDEPENDENT also ran stories on Ogbulafor’s trial. Accelerated hearing in the case has been scheduled to start 21 June.
On the arrest of Ibori in Dubai, THE GUARDIAN headlined its story “EFCC seeks Ibori’s extradition to Nigeria”, with the rider “Arraigned, gets bail in Dubaiâ€.
The paper said following news of the arrest of former Delta State Governor, Chief Onanefe James Ibori in Dubai on Wednesday, the EFCC was putting together a team of officials to begin negotiations for his extradition to Nigeria.
Ibori is wanted in London to answer to some money laundering charges.
“Ibori Gets Bail In Dubai, Reassures Supporters”, was the headline of THE INDEPENDENT whose story said former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, walked out of a Dubai court on Thursday on bail, after he was arrested the previous day.
“Ibori arraigned in Dubai, granted bail”, THE PUNCH also wrote on Thursday.
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.
Kaduna, Nigeria – Nigerian leader, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday pledged to institute a set of reforms aimed at creating an economically prosperous, politically stable, socially just and truly democratic Nigeria where security of lives and property is guaranteed.
President
Dr. Jonathan made the pledge in a message he sent to the first ever Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Expo in north central Kaduna.
Specifically, the President said, part of the reforms was aimed at delivering the nation from over-dependence on oil and gas with a view to leveraging Nigeria’s ‘barely tapped agricultural, mineral and human resources’.
President Jonathan also said the reforms would also create a conducive atmosphere where the investments of multi-nationals were safe and foreign nationals as well as indigenes free to go about their businesses.
The president was represented at the show by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike.
Speaking at the show, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, traced the ongoing efforts towards in-country reactivation, modernisation and maintenance of NAF aircraft.
They include the partnership between NAF’s AETSL and Italian firm, Alenia Aeronautica in reactivating the G-222 medium lift aircraft on completion of the purpose-built hangar in Ilorin; service and maintenance facility at the Ikeja Air Force hangar by AugustaWestland for all Augusta helicopters in the West African sub-region; maintenance facility to be manned by NAF and BSVT of Belarus in Port Harcourt for the Belarus supplied Mi-35P series of military helicopters, NAF personnel carrying out Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) on Dornier 228 and the ABT-18 and the periodic maintenance of the Alpha jets, less engines and other ancillary equipment in Kainji, Niger State.
He reiterated that the aim of the Air Show was to ‘assemble enough industry players to make West Africa’s aviation industry more vibrant as it rises to the challenge of the 21st century.’
Highlight of the four-day event, also attended by Chiefs of Air Staff and representatives of over 11 countries, would be the commissioning of the newly-acquired Chinese built F-7NI fighter jets, the ATR 42 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and the Augusta 109 light utility/attack helicopters, their static and aerial displays at the grounds of the Training Command, NAF Kaduna.
Holding at the grounds of the Training Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Kaduna , the Air Expo 2010 is a sub-regional forum which includes aerial display, exhibition by local and foreign industries, seminars and ceremonial parades.
The air show has as its theme: “Enhancing Nigerian Air Force Capability through Private Sector Partnership.”
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.
The Baptist Church in Nigeria may investigate former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the derogatory remarks allegedly made by the former president that Christian clerics in the country needed deliverance.
Some Christian leaders had criticised Obasanjo for saying that even Jesus Christ could hardly conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria, and concluded that he needed deliverance, but the former president fired back, saying it was the religious leaders who needed deliverance.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo
Reacting to the former president’s outburst yesterday, General Secretary of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, NBC, Rev. Ademola Ishola, said the church had, since Obasanjo made the remark, been under serious pressures to sanction him, being its member, for his utterances.
He, however, said the church would not be stampeded into taking action against the former president without first sitting with him to know the context under which he made the statement.
“I will sit with him to know the context under which he made the statement. I have not sat with him, but after sitting with him, we would know whether to investigate him or not,†said Rev. Ishola.
Rev. Ishola, who expressed the shock of the Baptist Church over the death of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, described the late president as a man who was an epitome of peace, and extended the church’s condolence.
He said: “President Yar’Adua was a very gentleman and a man of peace. There was no single religious riot when he was governor of Katsina State for eight years, despite the fact that the state is dominated by die-hard Muslims. We of the Nigerian Baptist Convention want to appreciate him for his dedication to duty for this nation.â€
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.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, has said that the Nigerian film industry has contributed to the nation’s poor international image.
Akunyili blamed the key operators of Nollywood for focusing on voodoo, crime and advance fee fraud (419) in their plots, to the exclusion of positive attributes of Nigerians in a bid to market their films.
Akunyili spoke at a training and community building workshop on film production organised by the Nigerian National Volunteer Service and Del York International in Abuja on Tuesday.
Interestingly, a versatile actor and prominent member of the Nollywood, Chief Pete Edochie, is the Rebranding Ambassador of the committee set up by Akunyili.
The minister noted that while the Federal Government was not against Nollywood’s choice of featuring existing vices in films, it was necessary for them to highlight these alongside the good attributes of Nigerians.
She commended the Managing Director of Del-York International, Mr. Linus Idahosa, for embracing human capital development in the film industry by planning to bring a foremost film training institute in the United States, the New York Film Academy, to Nigeria to train actors in February 2010.
Akunyili said that the time had come for Nollywood to positively project the image of the country.
She said, “We want extra commitment from Nollywood to stop projecting Nigeria negatively. We plead with you to project Nigeria, to tell the world the bad things we do. We cannot hide them.
“But let us also portray the good things we do so that we do not allow a few individuals to incriminate our innocence.”
She argued that if Nollywood had featured the financial contributions made by Nigerian civil servants to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa in the 70s and 80s in film production, the present generation of South Africans would not display hatred towards Nigerians.
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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The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
