The National Judicial Council on Monday recommended the compulsory retirement of Justice Shadrach Nwanosike, the acting Chief Judge of Abia State, from office. This was contained in a statement signed by the acting Director, Information of the Supreme Court, Soji Oye. The statement said that the recommendation was sequel to the findings of the NJC that Nwanosike falsified his date of birth, which invariably affected his retirement age. It stated that the NJC also considered and deliberated on the report of its Committee on Performance Evaluation of Judicial officers of the Superior Courts of Record in the country. The NJC also recommended the appointment of judicial officers as Chief Judges of the FCT, Rivers State, Jigawa State and Katsina State. It stated that the name of a Chief Judge for the FCT High Court had been recommended to President Goodluck Jonathan for appointment. The NJC is under the chairmanship of the Chief the Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar
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.
Hottest Ghana actress, Yvonne Nelson, is indeed in a happy mood as you are reading this. At least, we can now start breathing a sigh of relief as there seems to be some good news brewing from the camp of sexy actress. Simply, she is in love again!
Over the past few months, there were tales by the moonlight involving Yvonne Nelson and Iyanya, then a certain Ice Prince sneaked in, then another Dammy Krane popped up to mention but a few.
In between all these melodrama, a Ghana news portal reveals, there were beefs, give and take, counter bashing from all angles between Iyanya and Yvonne, but all those seems to die down, as the award winning actress cum producer has found love again.
Contrary to what Inyaya revealed in an interview recently that he would never leave Yvonne, the story seems to be taking another angle as the beautiful actress took to her Twitter page recently to announce that she’s no longer single.
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.
Last Wednesday, some 70 Nigerians – or more – were hauled to Onitsha, Anambra State, in four commuter buses, escorted by patrol vans filled with armed mobile policemen. They were dumped off like some heaps of garbage, just after the bridge, in the wee hours of the morning. According to eye witness reports, after dumping their human cargo, the buses and the police patrol vans that accompanied them, made a U-turn and headed across the bridge from where they had come.
When the utterly distressed and dishevelled people were interviewed, they revealed that they had been bundled and ‘deported’ from Lagos State, after months of illegal detention and starvation. As the day broke and found the disoriented ‘deportees’ at their new, strange milieu, many of them were behaving like deranged people.
Eye witnesses, among the early risers and other Onitsha residents, who saw and interacted with the confused band, spoke of a group of pitiable and starving lot that were still too incoherent to state their mission. In fact, if other people, including some night watchmen, drivers and security operatives, had not said they had seen the vehicles, discharging their human cargo at some minutes after 3am, it would have been hard to believe the sorry story of the ‘deportees’. But there they were, starving, thirsting and confused. The first responsibility of the hospitable Good Samaritans, who were confronted with the inhuman condition of those Nigerians, was to attend to their distress from hunger and thirst, the act that enabled the people to garner the energy and state of mind to tell their gory stories.
The first thing that was noticed, especially by security agents, some government officials and the Red Cross that responded to their plight, was that the environment was strange to most of them. When they were interviewed, it was found out from the dialect of those of them that spoke the Igbo language that most of them were not of Anambra State origin. In fact, they were said to be from all the other states in the South-east, as well as from the South-south. In fact, there was one Sunday Irabor, who claimed Edo as his state of origin.
The Red Cross boss in the South-east, Dr. Peter Katchy, while denouncing what he saw as an unmitigated inhumanity, was the first to officially reveal that the deportees were not all from Anambra State and wondered why fellow Nigerians would be treated with such indignity in Nigeria. It was the Red Cross that reportedly camped them at the Zik’s Avenue Primary School, Fegge, Onitsha, before transferring them to the Onitsha General Hospital last Friday.
Interviews with welfare workers and journalists revealed that among the ‘deportees’ were petty traders and barrow pushers, who were plying their trades in Lagos to eke out a living. Messrs Osondu Mbuto and Osondu Agwu said they hailed from Ebonyi State and that they were arrested since December 18, last year, on their way to their petty trading business. Their only crime was that they were ordinary Nigerians. Osondu Agwu alleged that he was accosted by some uniformed agents of Lagos State Government on his way to his wheel barrow kiosk, forced into their vehicle and taken to their Ikorodu illegal detention centre where he and the others had been held until last Tuesday when the ill-fated journey to Onitsha began.
As soon as the news of that incident broke, I got in touch with the Government House at Awka and the sad event was confirmed and I was informed that the largely embarrassed state government was ensuring the welfare of the citizens while working with the security agencies in the state to get full reports of the sad incident before knowing what next to do. The Secretary to the State Government, as I learnt, was liaising with all the relevant agencies of the different levels of government to ascertain the details and the full ramifications of what had happened.
As the flurry of activities are taking place to rehabilitate and see to the welfare of the unfortunate Nigerians, the Lagos State Government has been busy, denying that nothing of the sort ever happened. While denying the involvement of Lagos State in the incident, the prevaricating Commissioner of Information, Lateef Ibirogba, nevertheless noted that “but we have been emphasising that people must live within the law”. What law those people broke he was unable to say, neither could he explain how grabbing fellow Nigerians, detaining them and dumping them at unfamiliar dumping sites, without trial, could be explained, even if the people were criminals. Neither did he explain how and when, the Niger Bridgehead at Onitsha or elsewhere in Anambra State had become a new punitive labour camp where, like the Nazis, Lagos State dumps the ‘scum of the state’.
The situation must have provided a delicate situation to the government and people of Anambra State – and indeed to the entire South-east – who are always very conscious of how they manage the relationships with other Nigerians. Due to the fact that people from those areas reside and do their business in great numbers in all parts of the country, they have often become ready victims to most acts of misgovernance, of misplaced rage and sectarian misdemeanour. They have become the largest victims of the murderous campaigns of the Boko Haram hoodlums and have had their homes and businesses demolished and destroyed almost at every drop of the hat. They have become the national punching bags and scapegoats.
Therefore, because more of their people live outside than within their ‘home’, they are almost always condemned to bending backwards to please their ‘hosts’, in a country whose Constitution and laws guarantee free and unfettered rein and access to them. However, as the constant provocation by the Lagos State Government, especially under its present Fashola administration has proven, that guarantee does not always exist for them. Because the memory of most Nigerians is usually short, not many would recall that the dumping, last week, of human cargo at Onitsha by the agents of Lagos State Government was not the first of such provocation. In September last year, Lagos had ferried and dumped a larger contingent of South Easterners at Onitsha. At that time, the ‘deportees’ had reportedly come in nine buses.
On September 17 of last year, Governor Peter Obi, had, via a nationwide broadcast, alerted the world of the inexplicable presence of some unknown persons in Onitsha, Anambra State. The strangers were said to have been brought in nine buses and dropped at a location at Onitsha under very irresponsible circumstances, from Lagos. As is happening now, the governor had resorted to the use of scarce state resources to take care and manage the situation following from what he had described as “the illegal relocation of some unidentified persons” to the state. Then, like now, what seems to be foremost in the minds of people is how to manage the anger and rage of the South Easterners who have continued to feel a very deep hurt over the way they are being treated at Lagos, of all the places, which they had helped to build up with their sweat and resources. The regular agony to which they are subjected at the different markets does not help matters and is seen as a part of this continuum of this wicked and unwarranted marginalization.
It is obviously not hard for such feelings to spark off reprisals of rage both in the South East and even in Lagos itself, where there is a feeling of a rising crescendo of injustices and high-handedness being routinely meted out to traders at the markets where the South Easterners dominate. The growing impression now is that Governor Fashola sees Nidgbo as irritants and does not care a hoot about their individual and collective feelings. Such a feeling is capable of building up like a latent volcano and bursting into a ferocious explosion that would splash hot lava all across our fragile social fault-lines. Already, there have been rumours all over Anambra State last week that there were plans by the state government to expel non Igbo traders from the different markets in the state as a reprisal. Some versions of the unfounded rumour also suggested that it was the plot of South-eastern governors all across the land.
The rumour must have been strong enough for Governor Obi to travel to Onitsha late in the week to dispel it. He asked all non-indigenes to discountenance the rumours that they would be evicted from the markets, as therewas no iota of truth in them, urging all and sundry to feel at home in the state as usual, go about their normal and legitimate businesses without let or hindrance, but to perform their civic responsibilities. Fortunately, most of those indigenes were convinced, considering the level of acceptance and accommodation, which they had enjoyed all over Igboland. In fact, the leader of the Muslim community in Onitsha, Alhaji Iliyasu Ashu, was to confirm that Governor Obi had been carrying everybody along, irrespective of tribe and religion.
While my emphasis seems to be on the ‘deportations’ that have taken place in the East, on the account of the fact that it is the incidents that I am conversant with, there have been reports that Lagos State had, last year, equally ‘deported’ and dumped other Nigerians at other parts of the country, including Oyo State. The behaviour of the governor of Lagos State, who is a senior advocate of Nigeria and who should understand the illegality and non-constitutionality of such heinous trampling on the human dignity of fellow Nigerians as well as robbing them of their constitutionally guaranteed rights, is befuddling.
Yet, this is a state that is showing itself off as the model of a state that is run by a ‘progressive’ party, indulging in acts that would make the most classical fascist states to cringe in horror. In the views of Governor Fashola and his government, the constitution, which guarantees every Nigerian the freedom to reside at any location of their choice, is not worth more than the paper on which it is written.
Apart from its capacity to give rise to unwanted and non-palatable repercussions if Fashola and his brigands are not deterred and stopped, such actions are capable of giving very deep dents on what is left of the image of his party, ACN, as well as the proposed APC of which the ACN is the senior partner. One does not need to be a keen political analyst to understand that it would be a mission impossible for the so-called progressive party to enjoy further inroads into the South-east, following this very deep disrespect for a people, whose relatives could be gathered and dumped like dry leaves just because they are considered as dirt in ACN’s Lagos.
I can already imagine the fate of that party and its candidates in the forthcoming October local council as well as the November 16 gubernatorial elections in Anambra State. It would be only a magician that would be able to campaign comfortably and safely, henceforth, under the banner of ACN or APC in the South-east. Trust politicians, Fashola has handed them a very fertile harvest on a platter of gold.
As the sombre faces and angry voices become the commonest features of the polity across the Niger now, there are those who are trying to justify the Fashola humiliation by citing the fact that Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State had also ignited nationwide outrage when he sacked all non-Abia indigenes on the employ of the state government, arguing that if Governor Orji could do that to his kinsfolk, why should anyone expect a ‘foreign’ governor to treat them – the foot-mats of the nation – any better. While the act of TA Orji remains permanently condemnable and lacks neither rhyme nor reason, the fact remains that laying someone off his job might rob him of his means of livelihood but it does not injure his or her human dignity or self-worth as much as forcibly uprooting and deporting him in his or her own country does.
Again, those mostly affected by the Orji’s sack were spouses of people, who reside in Abia State. While the sack translated into huge and unjustified deprivations, one can rationalise that the laid-off workers were, at least, left to reside there and search for alternatives. If one were to be permitted to say this, all should know about a local proverb, which says that the bite by a brother never gets to the bones. The act of the Lagos State Government is a bite to the marrow of an average Igbo person, who feels that the Fashola government or any other for that matter, should have no reason to victimise any Nigerian on account of his or her origin.
It is further a great show of insensitivity on the part of Lagos State leaders to indulge in acts of commission and omission that could suggest to the ex-Biafrans and their descendants to start casting nostalgic and wistful looks back to 1966 when they had made a dash to save their lives as they saw that they were no longer wanted in a country they had given their all.
Governor Fashola and his party should not go down in history as those who catalysed the process that would threaten the fragile joints of Nigeria’s statehood. There is nothing special about Lagos that should make it a city of billionaires and no longer that of all Nigerians, rich and poor. He, too, was not born a governor.
An apology to all Nigerians would not be doing too much.GE
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.
ABUJA (AFP) – Nigeria on Tuesday blasted as “discriminatory” a British plan to force visitors from the west African country and some other selected Commonwealth nations to provide a cash bond before they can enter Britain.
Foreign minister Olugbenga Ashiru expressed Nigeria’s displeasure at the plan when he met in his office the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, a foreign ministry statement said.
The minister described the policy “as not only discriminatory but also capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family,” it said.
The Sunday Times newspaper had reported that from November, a pilot scheme would target visitors from Nigeria, India and Pakistan plus Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.
Visitors aged 18 and over would be forced to hand over £3,000 ($4,600, 3,500 euros) from November for a six-month visit visa.
They will forfeit the money if they overstay in Britain after their visa has expired.
Ashiru told the British diplomat that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, “has a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians who may be affected by the proposed policy, if finally introduced,” the statement said.
The British High Commission in Nigeria after the meeting issued a statement quoting Pocock as saying that his government planned to undertake “a very small scale trial of the use of financial bonds as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system (which occurs when some people overstay their visa terms).”
He said that the details of the pilot scheme were still being worked out and if it goes ahead in Nigeria, it would affect only a very small number of the highest risk visitors.
“The vast majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa.”
More than 180,000 Nigerians apply to visit Britain each year and about 70 percent or around 125,000 of these applicants are successful, he said.
A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with “the most significant risk of abuse”.
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.
No doubt, Mercy Johnson-Okojie is a darling of many movie and entertainment buffs in Nigeria. She is one actress in Nigeria that has stolen the hearts of many through her scintillating character delivery in her films, which many admire.
Though her marriage is just over two years, from all indications, she is really enjoying it. Her husband, as we heard, is fully behind her and making her enjoy their union.
The couple had their first fruit of marriage in December 2012 and also from all indications, their daughter, Purity is getting all the attention and care a child will pray to have from good parents. Proud of her family of three, the delectable screen diva flaunted her family online.
It seems Mercy is not bothered about what people say about her. Do you blame her? Remember, 'if nobody talks about you, then you are nobody.' Chikena.
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.
Few days after the impeachment of the National Public Relations Officer of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Frank Dallas, the guild, as resolved by its National Executive Council (NEC) has also announced the suspension of six of its erring members over alleged anti guild activities.
During a recent press parley held at the guild’s secretariat in Surulere, Lagos, the president, Ibinabo Fiberesima, surrounded by members of her executives pronounced names of the affected members to include: Don Pedro Aganbi, Stella Marris, Doris Ambros, Fred Ekata, Saint Mathew and Tunde Talabi.
In her words: “The NEC will no longer tolerate any act of indiscipline from members. How can someone lose an election and instead of accepting defeat decided to declare himself winner, thereby parading himself as Chairman of Lagos chapter of the guild. If you are not pleased with the election result, the right thing to do is to petition the NEC to look into it. Till today, the NEC has not received any petition from Don Pedro. And for such act, the guild has resolved to suspend him with effect from today, June 15,” Ibinabo stated, further noting that the other members suspended did not even contest an election but apportioned different offices to themselves.
She also disclosed that the former National Secretary of the Guild, Emeka Rollas, is currently being investigated for series of fraudulent acts allegedly committed during his tenure, while the immediate past Lagos chapter chairman, Emeka Rising is also being probed.
Immediately after her speech, which was highly applauded, Ibinabo surprised all present by handing over a cheque of five hundred thousand Naira (N500, 000) to the Lagos state chapter of the body, to enable them carry on with their developmental plans for members and stakeholders.
According to her, the money was generated through registrations and revalidations of members, prior to the chapter’s recent election.
In another development, the newly elected chairman of the Screen Actors Guild, Foluke Daramola announced the readiness of the body to hold the maiden edition of the Screen Actors Award in October, at a yet to be disclosed venue.
Pretty and hard working Ibinabo reiterated her commitment to reviving and sanitizing the guild. “I inherited a guild bedeviled with numerous challenges. It was all about controversies when I took over. But today, the difference is clear. We’ve achieved a lot, but the truth is that we are just starting. I’m poised to achieve more. Whatever the challenges, I’m not deterred; it’s forward ever,” she assured.
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.
Is Mercy Aigbe Gentry’s marriage shaking or what? It’s obvious the Yoruba actress is talking about marriage break or talking about challenges faced in marriages.
In the recent times, there have been series of marriage breaks and stuff like that in the entertainment industry most especially Nollywood. This might have led the mother of two to have felt like advising her colleagues to face the reality about their marriages. Has she spoken well or is she directing her tweet to a particular person? Only Mercy can provide an answer to this riddle!
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.
Several Nigerian celebrities have used various means to protest against child marriage. Some released statements through blogs, some through short videos on Youtube, others mostly via the social networks. Nollywood actress, Stephanie Okereke-Linus has collaborated with a lot of acts in the Nigerian film industry to shoot a movie themed against the underage marriage act.
She released an interesting trailer of her upcoming movie, ‘Dry’ starring veteran actress, Liz Benson among others.
Stephanie wrote on her blog: “At this critical juncture, I am now compelled to release the unofficial (raw footage) videos of my upcoming movie, ‘DRY’ to galvanize support from Nigerians and the International community for the revocation of the Senate resolution.
“Nigerians! It’s time to lend your voices and share your thoughts. We need to protect the girl child from incessant abuse.”
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.
Can somebody shout Halleluiah? It’s indeed glorious to know that Ndidi Obi, the Nneka the Pretty Serpent actress has been called to the altar officially. The lady is now a worker in the vineyard just like her colleague, Eucharia Annunobi.
The rate at which Nollywood actors are now turning to God speak volume and it’s indeed a welcoming idea. From the inventions or device of Nollywood, Liz Benson, Obot Etuk, Orisabunmi etc. are the first starters. Then, Mr. Koldsweath, Mr. Okonkwo etc. followed up.
Recently, Eucharia, the daring actress, whose foray into the vineyard it’s no longer a story, joined the list as she has since repackaged herself for Christ.
As you are reading this, Ndidi Obi, the beautiful actress got ordained penultimate Sunday in her church as a church official. Now as a new creature, she will be more committed to God’s work than mans.
Meanwhile, the actress has said that her new position in church will not stop her from acting; she still wants to keep her fan base and give her lovers in the movie world what they have always loved to see about her. May God help you o!
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.
Is it what you think? That talented movie star and reality TV show anchorman, Chidi Mokeme was truly arrested by the police? Yes, he was nabbed by the police, but not by the Nigerian Police but by Nigeriafilms.com's police.
His offence? For the kind of outfit he wore to an event held recently in Lagos. Or how can one explain a well exposed and connected guy like Chidi attending an event that had the likes of Stan Leo of Zinox Computers in attendance and he would commit such a fashion offence?
Chidi wore a blue jacket and pant to the event, which was held at the popular Niteshift Colesium. The cloth was looking good on him, but the actor spoilt it with orange stockings. The stockings so made the outfit horrible that some people felt disappointed that someone like Chidi could dress like that.
But, what was he thinking? Even if his wife was not around to access him and pass him fit to step outside like that, didn't he check to see if he was looking good before stepping out for the event?
One advice, Chidi, next time you do such a thing your case would be transferred to the police force, who would take you to the court for prosecution. Even Senator Florence Ita-Giwa would be disappointed in Chidi by the time she is reading this. Bros, u no try at all. Gbam.
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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