Pope Francis gave a candid midair press briefing to reporters traveling from back from the Middle East to Rome during which he talked about sex, money, and satanic Mass—and retirement.
After a grueling but ultimately successful three day visit to one of the most complicated regions on the planet, the idea of retirement probably sounded pretty good to Francis. So it is no surprise that when reporters traveling with him on the papal plane asked if he would consider resigning like his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, he said he wouldn’t rule it out.
“I will do what the Lord tells me to do. Pray and try to follow God’s will. Benedict XVI no longer had the strength and honestly, as a man of faith, humble as he is, he took this decision,” Francis said, according to a transcript of his press conference published in La Stampa’s Vatican Insider. “Seventy years ago, popes emeritus didn’t exist. What will happen with popes emeritus? We need to look at Benedict XVI as an institution, he opened a door, that of the popes emeritus. The door is open, whether there will be others, only God knows. I believe that if a bishop of Rome feels he is losing his strength, he must ask himself the same questions Pope Benedict XVI did.”
According to reporters on the plane, Francis answered 11 questions the Vatican press corps on board agreed on and posed in advance over the course of a briefing that lasted 45 minutes.
He said nothing as startling as his last midair press conference last July when he said “Who am I to judge?” when it came to gays in the priesthood. Francis did announce that, at least going forward, the Vatican now had a “zero tolerance” approach to the priest sex-abuse scandal. He also told reporters that three bishops are currently under investigation for their roles in the ongoing scandal but stopped short of revealing whether they were under investigation for the cover-up or actual sexual abuse. “In Argentina we call those who receive preferential treatment ‘daddy’s boys,’ he said. “There will be no ‘daddy’s boys’ in this case. It is a very serious problem.”
Francis added that in the coming months he would hold a Mass and meet with half a dozen victims, reportedly, according to the Boston Globe, from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ireland.
The pope went on to explain that when a priest sexually abuses a child, he not only betrays that child, but he also betrays the Church as a whole. “A priest must guide children towards sainthood. And the child trusts him. But instead, he abuses him or her. This is very serious,” he said. “It’s like celebrating a black Mass. Instead of steering him or her towards the sainthood you create a problem that will stay with him or her for all of his or her life.”
By the time the pope and the press landed, however, survivor groups had already discounted the pope’s promise as one more public relations move. “Again, we should all be crystal clear: none of this changes anything,” said Joelle Casteis, the western regional director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests known as SNAP. “It’s not intended to. It’s intended to promote complacency, and complacency is the enemy of reform. It’s intended to mollify the faithful, not safeguard the vulnerable.”
Casteis says that Francis will be the third pope after Benedict and John Paul II, to meet with victims. “Ask yourself: can you cite a single positive outcome of any of these meetings? We can’t.”
The pope also talked about the ongoing issue of financial reform of the Vatican’s once-corrupt financial entities. In what was perhaps the most surprising revelation of his remarks, he confirmed rumors swirling around Rome that the Holy See’s former secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is indeed being investigated for a discrepancy of around $20 million (€15 million) that somehow made it from the Vatican Bank (known as the Institute for the Works of Religion) to a private television company called Lux Vide under his watch as Benedict’s number two.
“The Lord Jesus once told his disciples: scandals are inevitable, we are humans and all of us are sinners… Economic administration requires honesty and transparency,” the pope said, according to reporters on the plane. “I would like to say one thing: the question regarding the €15 million is still being looked into; it is not yet clear what happened.”
The pope also took a question about priest celibacy after 26 women dating priests wrote him a letter essentially asking him for permission to sleep with their priest boyfriends.
“The Catholic Church has married priests in the Eastern rites,” he conceded. “Celibacy is not a dogma of faith, it is a rule of life that I appreciate a great deal and I believe it is a gift for the Church. The door is always open given that it is not a dogma of faith.”
Less than 12 hours after he landed, the pope was already on the move again, making a surprise visit to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome on Tuesday morning to pray to the Virgin Mary after his trip. And he won’t get much rest before his next big event. On June 1, he will preside over a massive open-air Catholic Charismatic Renewal celebration at Rome’s Olympic Stadium in front of a crowd expected to top 50,000. In August he will travel to South Korea. With such a busy schedule, no one can blame the 77-year-old leader of the world’s 1 billion Catholics for at least thinking about retirement from time to time.
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.
Poet, author and activist Maya Angelou has died at the age of 86.
One of America's leading literary voices, she made her name with the 1969 memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
It was the first of seven volumes of autobiography that traced her life from a childhood of abuse and oppression in the Deep South in the 1930s.
Her family said: "She lived a life as a teacher, activist, artist and human being. She was a warrior for equality, tolerance and peace."
In a statement on Facebook, they said she passed away quietly at home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at 08:00 EST (12:00 GMT).
"Her family is extremely grateful that her ascension was not belaboured by a loss of acuity or comprehension," they said.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings dealt with the racism and family trauma of Angelou's upbringing
"The family is extremely appreciative of the time we had with her and we know that she is looking down upon us with love."
A statement from Wake Forest University, where Angelou had been professor of American studies since 1982, said: "Dr Angelou was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions around the world."
Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted one of Angelou's quotes in tribute: "'If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.' Maya Angelou – who was utterly amazing."
Civil rights campaigner Reverend Jesse Jackson wrote: "The renaissance woman has made a peaceful transition. She acted, sang, danced & taught She used poetry as a road for peace."
Raised by her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, Angelou wrote about being raped by her mother's boyfriend at the age of seven. After she told her family what had happened, the boyfriend was killed.
"I thought my voice had killed him, so it was better not to speak – so I simply stopped speaking," she said. She remained mute for five years, but read voraciously.
Angelou later became a singer, a dancer, cocktail waitress, prostitute and an actress before beginning her writing career.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which dealt with the racism and family trauma of her upbringing, spent two years on the US best-seller list.
Her career had many outlets, straddling television, theatre, film, children's books and music.
Through her writing and interviews, her strength and eloquence as a role model for those seeking to overcome inequality and injustice won her many admirers.
Angelou was also a prominent civil rights activist and a friend of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.
In 2000, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton
Barack Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011
Angelou's poetry collections included Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie (1971), And Still I Rise (1978), Now Sheba Sings the Song (1987) and I Shall Not Be Moved (1990).
Her poem On the Pulse of the Morning, written for US President Bill Clinton's first inauguration, struck a nerve with the nation and sold more than a million copies in the US.
She was also commissioned to write poems to mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in 1995 and remembered Nelson Mandela in a poem for the US State Department last year.
The National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian award, were among her honours.
Angelou received a lifetime achievement award from Glamour magazine in 2009
Continuing to act as well as write, she appeared in the groundbreaking 1977 TV drama Roots and earned a Tony Award nomination in 1973 for her performance in the play Look Away.
She wrote the 1968 TV series Black, Blues, Black and became the first African-American woman to have a feature film adapted from one of her stories when her screenplay Georgia, Georgia was made in 1972.
Angelou directed the film Down in the Delta, won three Grammys for her spoken-word albums and received an honorary National Book Award in 2013.
In her final Facebook post on Monday, she said an "unexpected medical emergency" had forced her to cancel an engagement.
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.
In previous articles, I pointed out that His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s tie with the destiny of Rivers State is mysterious and different from that of any other political leader from the State. He is the only political leader so far who has played a key role in shaping the political future of the State who shares the same birthday with the State. Whilst he was born on May 27, 1965, Rivers State was created two years after on May 27, 1967. This, somehow, underscores why his commitment towards the emancipation and development of the State is total and unique.
Another unique aspect of this great leader from Rivers State is that he shares the same date with the day on which Nigeria celebrates the Children’s Day. Inspired by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Federal Government of Nigeria decided in 1964 – a year to the birthday of Amaechi – to set aside the May 27 every year as Nigeria’s Children’s Day. On this special day the whole Nation celebrates the Nigerian Child and the Federal Government declares a public holiday for schools across the country. The day is usually marked with fanfare, featuring dances, singing by children in colourful dresses and youth parades considered by many as the highlights of the day.
WHY AMAECHI IS AMAECHI
The family of Amaechi in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, was on May 27, 1965 blessed with the birth of a son who unbeknownst to all would become a force to reckon with in Nigeria’s political firmament even before his 49th birthday. He was named Chibuike, which means ‘God is all Powerful’ and Rotimi, an abridged version of Oluwadurotimi, meaning ‘the Lord stands by me’, while Amaechi means ‘who knows tomorrow?’ Remember the popular phrase, what is in a name? One does not need to be a sage to know that all the meanings embedded in his name are playing out in the acts and arts of politics in Amaechi’s life.
Amaechi, as he himself has unequivocally said on several occasions, was not born into opulence. As a child his family experienced real hardship and he admits going through several challenges that have helped to shape his perception of life. His determination to ensure equal access to education for every Rivers child and bridge the gap between the privileged and underprivileged children in the state is unprecedented. Whenever the occasion demands, he (Amaechi) would not hesitate to point out that though he came from an underprivileged background, his was a modest family that inculcated in him the virtues of honesty, humility and sheer doggedness to succeed.
To give an insight into some of the experiences he had to go through in order to be educated and which perhaps may very well be the reason behind his passion to provide free education for all children in the state, rich and poor, Governor Amaechi said in a recent interview: “I don’t know how many people in my cabinet that could have experienced poverty like I did. I grew up at No.18, Chibu Street. I moved from there to Nnamdi Azikwe. Later, I lived with one of my friends in one of the creek villages near Port Harcourt. And I knew that my parents suffered a lot. With tears, they were looking for money to pay for my school fees, buy me uniforms, bags and all that. When I was in the university, I used to tell the girls that ‘none of you looked at my face because I was wearing one shirt, one pair of trousers almost every day with a sandal’. On Fridays, we would wash it and we wouldn’t move out at all on Saturday to enable it dry; Sam Okah and myself. Then it would dry on Saturday, but on Sunday, we were back to life; wearing the same shirt and the same trousers. How many of those in the cabinet passed through that?” This is the pathetic story of the man that is driven by unquenchable passion for a better Rivers State.
Amaechi became Governor of Rivers State in October 2007, after his previous position as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007. He successfully sought re-election as River State Governor on April 26, 2011.
An alumnus of the University of Port Harcourt, Amaechi is resolutely committed to ensuring that education is received without much burden in terms of finance to parents and guardians, as exemplified in the free education policy of his administration, including the provision of free uniforms, free sandals, free books, free hand bags and free tuition in the primary schools, while in the secondary schools, the government offers free uniform, free bags, free books, free boarding and free sandals. This may well be his own special way of living up to his birthday which coincides with the Children’s Day!
By all intents and purposes, Amaechi’s massive investment in education that includes free education and overseas training for scholarship students clearly shows his love for a better tomorrow for children, as there is no gainsaying the fact that education is the bedrock of development of any society. Today, his investment in education in the State stands out in the country. The awards the State has earned in this regard bears this out.
Apart from education, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has also made massive infrastructural investments around the state, road projects, schools, health centres, rural electrification, ongoing monorail project, rural development, land reclamation, implementation of the Greater Port Harcourt Master Plan and, most importantly, the sustenance of relative peace and security evident in the continued attraction and influx of foreign investors to the State. Amaechi stands as the only African Leader to have constructed 60 health centres, donated the same to 60 communities, a feat many within and outside the state acknowledge as the first of its kind. His astute leadership in striving for financial transparency, accountability and inclusive governance has earned the State a lot of accolades, numerous awards and recognition by international bodies and corporations, including the ability to attract a B+/AA Fitch investment rating to the state, boost economic and structural development as well as enhance content development in all sectors of Rivers State.
As Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Amaechi was Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria (1999 – 2000). He is currently Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), a position he re-contested last year and won. He has received the prestigious national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
Amaechi bagged the Sun Newspaper Man of the Year Award in 2007 and the Compass Newspaper Award for Security in 2008. The Governor of the Year 2009 Award was presented to Governor Amaechi at the Leadership Award for Excellence – 2009 and he was the Vanguard Personality of the Year for 2012.
AMAECHI AND HIS FEATS
In describing or outlining the feats of Governor Amaechi in office, let me quote from the press statement titled ‘Amaechi, Creator of Modern Rivers State —APC •Celebrates Governor at 49’, issued on May 26, 2014 by the Rivers State Chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC). Rivers APC in the statement declared Amaechi the creator of modern Rivers State only comparable to the creator of the old Rivers State, HRH Alfred Diete-Spiff. According to the party, “This is the inescapable conclusion when one takes time to study Amaechi’s feats in the infrastructure change and revolution taking place in Rivers State today that includes creating the new Port Harcourt Mega City that has one of the best modern stadiums and other edifices only obtainable in modern cities of Europe.”
APC in the statement issued in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, described Amaechi as an icon of democracy, a role model and an embodiment of development.
The party said: “For the records, Amaechi has succeeded in rescuing Rivers State from the hands of militants, whose activities made Port Harcourt to be described as the third most dangerous city in the world as at 2007 when Amaechi took over as Governor. He has since made the city an investors’ haven and has placed Port Harcourt prominently on the international map as the first African city to become the World Book Capital.
“We are happy that Amaechi survived all the intricate plots to remove him from office by enemies of democracy parading themselves as Abuja politicians and has, by so doing, become a pillar of Nigerian democracy.
“Governor Amaechi redefined the art of politics and governance in Nigeria when he introduced free education and free healthcare programmes in Rivers State and within a space of five years created over 50,000 jobs to reduce the menace of unemployment, poverty and insurgency in Nigeria. His administration started creating employment opportunities when he assumed office in 2007 by building over 140 Primary Health Centres, 23 model Secondary Schools that can compete with any modern university in Nigeria and over 300 Model Primary Schools which created job opportunities in the State. Each of these projects attracts about 100 workers. His government has created the Banana Farms that have created jobs for over 2,000 persons, revived Risonpalm, which was dead when he came in, and it has employed over 5,000 workers. The Songhai Farm has employed over 2,000 workers, while five Fish Farms in strategic locations have been completed.
“His administration is perfecting measures to ensure 24 hours regular power supply in the state. In this regard, the Amaechi Administration was able to build 88 sub-stations which are yet to be commissioned. Through the efforts of the Administration, the State is generating 545 megawatts of electricity, and also building facilities for another 180 megawatts. Before the end of this year, there will be 715 megawatts to ensure that Rivers State and her people have 24 hours uninterrupted power supply.”
REACTION BY REV DR. REUBEN EMEKA OKALA ON THE APC PRESS STATEMENT ON AMAECHI
Challenges are the yardsticks with which achievements are measured, they are the tests from which pass marks are decided and awarded and they are the temptations through which victories are determined. Without challenges, the world would hardly spot a champion. Even the Bible recognises the place and role of challenges (tests and temptations) in the lives of humans, hence it created safeguards for our victories through them. Yes, no one can stand before God and expect to be declared "more than a conqueror" without fighting and winning battles and/or wars.
Yes, God uses tests to determine the maturity of His saints while the devil uses temptations to make them fall in order to disposes them of the awaiting victory. But woe betide he who allows himself to be used of the enemy in his wickedness for the conqueror to emerge.
"However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages of our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." 1 Corinthians 2: 6-8 NKJV
When the powers that be in Abuja, in their wickedness, chose to chasetise Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi left, right, front and back to make him look unpopular before his constituency in order to prepare the ground for his ultimate removal from office, I saw whose interest they were serving and warned that they would help Amaechi to become not only stronger but triumphantly victorious at the end of the day. One of my brothers and a discussant here in the forum dismissed my prediction and wise-saying with a wave of the hand. I think he is still reading. He doesn't need to be a son of Issachar to be able to read and understand the direction of the swinging of the pendulum of this political weather.
Yes, APC, because of Amaechi, is going to win Rivers State hands down in the upcoming general election of 2015 — a victory given to them on a platter of gold by PDP's haughtiness and indeed stupidity in Rivers State.
By every yardstick, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is the BEST amongst all the governors that have ruled Rivers State since its creation in 1967. His achievements are towering and have surpassed those of Commander (Rtd) Alfred Papapriye Diette-Spiff by a very conspicuous margin. Amaechi has so transformed Rivers State multifariously that his shoes have become too large for his potential successor to fit in. His resounding victories at the battles of the Nigerian Governor's Forum (NGF), Rivers State House of Assembly (RVSHA) where one Evans Bipi ignorantly declared himself the speaker with a vote of 5 against 22 members, the activities of the erstwhile State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mbu Joseph Mbu, the mischievous ceding of Rivers State oil wells to Bayelsa, Imo and Akwa Ibom states, his refusal to be cowered and humiliated by his former party PDP that inordinately expelled him and all government functionaries from the party at one fell swoop, his
refusal to bow to the whims and caprices of the NJC in the appointment of a replacement Chief Judge of the State and his innumerable legal victories in all the legal battles that aimed to remove him from office are some of the landmarks that rightly showcase him as a pivotal to democracy and the rule of Law in the Nigeria's fledging democracy.
If with all these battles and their accompanying resounding victories, Governor Amaechi is not seen as a conqueror, nay more than a conqueror, who else is?
May I seize this opportunity to wish my Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi a very Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns!”
CONCLUSION
At this juncture, I will like to quote the great Charles Spurgeon, who said: “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.” To Amaechi, I hope you still remember the great Henry Alfred Kissinger, the 56th Secretary of State of the United States from 1973 to 1977, particularly his quote which you have without knowing lived all your life? Listen to what he said about you: “A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone.”
Let me also quote incumbent American President Barrack Obama, who said: “I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we have struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We have made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have to live up to our best intentions.”
With great minds like Governor Amaechi, Nigeria is on the threshold of history and greatness by the grace of God. I thank God for giving us a Governor like Amaechi, who has proved that he is a truly patriotic and committed leader who desires the emancipation and development of his people. As Rivers APC rightly said in the press statement which I earlier quoted from, “He stands as the best product politically from Rivers State and can be crowned as the icon of democracy and embodiment of development as he has a lot to offer in building the type of Nigeria envisaged by the founding fathers of our nation. We wish Governor Amaechi many happy returns on this occasion of his 49th birthday and pray for God’s continued blessings on him as he expends himself in the service of Rivers State and Nigeria.”
Amaechi, my brother, I wish you the best possible birthday as we wait for the celebration of your golden years on earth.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a resolute revolutionary, exceptional visionary and democrat at 49!
•Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt.
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.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has met with people believed to be close to Boko Haram in an attempt to broker the release of more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls by Boko Haram, even as it emerged last night that one of the abducted girls had escaped from her captors.
Confirming this to THISDAY yesterday, the former president said the talks were only exploratory, adding: “As an African father, a Nigerian father or grandfather, any of the girls could have been my daughter or grand daughter… So I am only trying to reach out to see what can be done to secure their release.”
But despite the global effort to secure the release of the girls, the sect continued its onslaught on communities in the North-east where it killed 34 people, including armed forces personnel and policemen, on Monday.
The meeting took place last weekend at Obasanjo's farm in Ogun State, reported the AFP yesterday.
Present at the meeting were relatives of some senior Boko Haram fighters as well as intermediaries and the former president, the source said.
“The meeting was focused on how to free the girls through negotiations,” said the source who requested anonymity.
Obasanjo had previously sought to negotiate with the insurgents in September 2011 after Boko Haram bombed the United Nations headquarters in Abuja.
He later flew to the Islamists’ base in the Borno State capital, Maiduguri, to meet relatives of former Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed in police custody in 2009.
The 2011 talks did not help stem the violence and some at the time doubted if Obasanjo was dealing with people who were legitimately capable of negotiating a ceasefire.
Spokesmen to the former president could not be reached to comment on the latest talks. But the source told AFP that Obasanjo had voiced concern about Nigeria’s acceptance of foreign military personnel to help rescue the girls.
“He said he is worried that Nigeria's prestige in Africa as a major continental power had been diminished” by President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to bring in Western military help, including from the United States.
Mustapha Zanna, the lawyer who helped organise Obasanjo's 2011 talks with Boko Haram, said he was at the former president's home on Saturday.
But he declined to discuss whether the Chibok abductions were on the agenda. “I was there,” he told AFP, adding that Obasanjo was interested in helping the orphans and vulnerable children in the North-east and that possible charitable work was on the agenda.
Zanna had represented Yusuf's family in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against the government following his death in police custody. It was not clear if Obasanjo’s weekend meeting had been sanctioned by the government.
According to the source, Obasanjo supported a prisoner-for-hostage swap that would see some of the girls released in exchange for a group of Boko Haram fighters held in custody.
Sect Kills 34 in Borno, Yobe
But notwithstanding the efforts from different angles to rescue the girls and curb the reign of terror foisted by Boko Haram, 34 people were killed in a series of attacks by members of the sect in Borno and Yobe villages on Monday.
In Buni-Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, 14 soldiers and 11 policemen, including a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and a Divisional Crime Office (DCO), were said to have been killed Monday evening by suspected Boko Haram members who laid siege to the town for over two hours.
According to sources, the insurgents started the onslaught on the town from 5 pm and set all security and military formations in the town ablaze.
Residents of the town told reporters on the phone yesterday that the insurgents also set on fire the area court and district head’s residence and office as well as a few residential quarters.
The palace of the Emir of Buni-Yadi, Alhaji Muktar Ali Gangaran, was also vandalised by the insurgents.
Some security personnel, who did not want their names in print, said 14 corpses of soldiers and 11 corpses of policemen were conveyed to the Damaturu Specialist Hospital mortuary.
A resident of the area, one Malam Modibbo Kawu, said the insurgents drove into the town in several Hilux vans on which they hoisted the sect’s flag, they moved straight to the military formation in the town from where they launched the attack. They also deployed an armoured personnel carrier (APC) to prosecute the attack.
He said they told residents of the town not to get scared. According to him, “They said they were not here to attack us but had come for a reprisal attack against the security forces. They claimed they had been attacked by the military at Alagarno last week.”
Kawu added that the insurgents set the district head’s house on fire, burnt the local government secretariat and divisional police station as well as the military base in the area.
However other sources in the town disclosed that over 20 corpses of the military and similar number of policemen were seen being conveyed to Damaturu, the state capital.
Other eyewitnesses said well-armed insurgents stormed the town and attacked the police divisional office of the area as well as the military base killing scores of security personnel who were on duty at the time of the attack.
“I can confirm to you that several policemen, soldiers and mobile policemen were killed. We the civilians were not allowed to come close to the casualty area, but over 20 bodies were seen,” one of the eyewitnesses said.
The state Commissioner of Police Mr. Markus K. Danladi, who confirmed the incident, said he had just visited the scenes of the attacks but could not give the casualty figure, adding that he was still getting the details.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Nansak Chegwam, admitted he was in Buni-Yadi but gave no details of the attack.
Some security personnel, who spoke to reporters, expressed regrets over the attack which claimed the lives of several of their colleagues.
The attack on Buni-Yadi, 50 kilometres south of Damaturu, was the third in the area by Boko Haram insurgents this year.
Calls to the spokesman of the security forces in Yobe State, Lt. Eli Lazarus, for confirmation were not answered at the time of filing this report.
In another incident, suspected terrorists attacked Chinene village in the Chikide-Joghode-Kaghum Ward, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, killing nine persons and setting ablaze six churches and residential houses.
There were claims that the insurgents also hoisted their flags on some structures in Ashigashiya ward of the local government, signifying their conquest and take over of the communities.
It was also gathered that several other persons were left with serious gunshot wounds, while many were forced to take refuge in the bushes and surrounding hills.
A local government official, Nglamuda Ibrahim, said many of his extended family members and friends displaced in the latest attack had been calling for assistance since Monday night.
He said people now live in perpetual fear, as some of them who had taken refuge in the hills believe there would be another attack because some of the insurgents were seen lurking around.
Ibrahim said: “As we speak, I am still receiving distress calls from them, they are all crying and calling for help; no soldier or police official has gone there yet.”
He said: “The gunmen mounted their flags in Ashigashiya which depicts that it is now under their rule.”
He added that six churches were burnt, but could not determine the number of houses that were burnt in Chinene village.
“They also attacked Amuda village where one person was killed and several others were injured,” he said.
He said from the SOS call from his people, they now live in fear that they might be picked out by the insurgents in their hiding place.
Ibrahim said: "Some of them told me that the insurgents were perfecting strategies to kill them, adding: “Currently, the insurgents have mobilised at Izhaghathagwa Mountain, planning how to finish our people; that is why they have been calling for help before the gunmen find them.”
He listed the names of some of those killed in Chinene village as Bulama Dajiba, Bulama John, Haruna Wadda, Bitrus Kurma, Haruna Kwatha, Haruna Waruda, and Shaibu Galva.
Ibrahim called on the military authorities in the state to quickly salvage the situation and help to rescue the villagers, their wives and children before the terrorists catch up with them in the mountains.
“We have a detachment of soldiers that is deployed to Gwoza but none of them cares to go behind the mountains even though everyone hears the sound of the shootings there,” Ibrahim said.
A top security officer, who confirmed the multiple attacks on Gwoza communities said: “We all have received the report from Chinene village. It was really another sad episode there and we learnt that the insurgents hoisted their flag in Ashigashiya.”
However, the police spokesman, DSP Gideon Jubrin, could not be reached as all his phone numbers were switched off.
But a top police source confirmed the deadly attacks in Chinene, stating that nine persons lost their lives in the attack.
Abducted Girl Escapes
However, as the sect continued with its rampage, it emerged last night that one of the girls kidnapped last month by Boko Haram had escaped.
According to an online news website, The Cable, the National Chairman of Kibaku Area Development Association, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, confirmed that the girl had escaped, but refused to reveals identity, saying it could endanger her life.
“The girl is currently at a location I cannot disclose,” he said. “But I can assure you that she is safe.”
Bitrus further revealed that four other girls escaped last week, but they were shielded from the media in the interest of their safety. Similarly, another source in Chibok confirmed the news, saying: “It is true. I have just confirmed that one girl escaped.”
Cameroun Boosts Border Forces
In a related development, Cameroun has deployed about 1,000 troops to its border with Nigeria to fight the growing threat of the Islamist group.
A defence ministry spokesman said the troops would carry out reconnaissance missions and return fire if necessary.
Retired US General Carter Ham, who was formerly one of the commanders of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), which liaises with African countries on military matters, told the BBC that the Nigerian government must now be considering its options.
“There are difficult options at best. Certainly a military or security force hostage rescue operation brings with it great, great risk, and I think there have been a public debate about Nigeria's capability to perform that, but… if they have an opportunity and see that is the right thing to do, they probably could.”
Documents Contradict WAEC, Police Claims
Meanwhile, contrary to the impression created by officials of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) that the body had warned the Borno State Government against conducting the examination at the Government Secondary School, Chibok, fresh facts have emerged to indicate that no such warning was given by WAEC.
According to Borno State Government sources, both the state government and WAEC did not anticipate the degree of the security challenges that resulted in the abduction of the over 200 schoolgirls from the school on April 14. Both parties had therefore made preparations to conduct the examination.
After the kidnapping of the schoolgirls, the wife of the president, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on May 2, had summoned the school’s principal, Mrs. Asabe Kwambura and officials of WAEC to enquire about the abduction.
At the meeting, the Head, National Office of WAEC in Nigeria, Mr. Charles Eguridu was reported in the media to have said that WAEC had categorically declared Chibok unsafe for the May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) but that Governor Kashim Shettima overruled the warning and insisted that the examinations be held.
However, correspondence made available to THISDAY yesterday showed that a letter written by WAEC, with reference number MD/ZO/OA/10/203, dated March 19, 2014 and signed by F.M Gaiya, zonal coordinator of the exam body, suggested that WAEC did not single out Chibok as unsafe and the body actually made preparations alongside the state government to conduct examinations in all centres in the state.
The Borno State Government, nevertheless, admitted that WAEC had raised the general issue of insecurity in the state and asked for adequate arrangements, but stressed that no specific mention was made of Chibok as implied by WAEC and some politicians.
The documents also showed that the WAEC authorities had also requested special security arrangements to facilitate the movement of WAEC materials and personnel during the examination period.
In a letter written to the deputy governor of the state, Mr. Zannah Umar Mustapha, WAEC had specifically asked for the “provision of three (3) pick up vehicles to convey security (sensitive exam) materials on three routes from Maiduguri-Biu (daily); Maiduguri-Auno (daily) and Maiduguri to Askira-Lassa-Chibok (twice weekly), as well as armed escorts for each route and adequate security for the examination centres in Maiduguri, Biu, Askira, Lassa and Chibok.”
The correspondence revealed that Chibok was among the towns where WAEC had planned to conduct the examination.
In one of WAEC’s letters, the body said: “In addition, I am pleading for the provision of two houses for the Deputy Registrar/Zonal Coordinator and his assistant who have been hobbling from hotel to hotel as a result of the prevailing security situation in the state.”
Borno State Government sources also contended that contrary to the statement of the Borno State Police Commissioner that the police were required to provide security only at Chibok in the day time, the correspondence exchanged between the state government and the police command do not suggest that the request for security was only for day time.
Similarly, in countering the narrative by the supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, that he had also written the Borno State Government to collapse all schools in the state to Maiduguri for the purpose of writing the examination, state government sources said the directive by Wike could have applied only to unity schools in the state, and not state schools.
“The Minister neither has controlling or advisory powers over schools owned by Borno State Government and as such he couldn’t have directed the Borno Government not to conduct exams in Chibok,” a government source explained.
He pointed out that the fact that WAEC in a letter, with reference no MD/ZO/OA/10/204, had requested logistic support from the state government to the tune of N1,668,000, out of which the government released N1.5 million, which the zonal coordinator received, showed that both the state government and the WAEC authorities had prepared for the examination in the entire state, without envisaging the degree of insecurity that resulted in the kidnapping of the girls.
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.
In a fresh move likely to raise eyebrows and widen the gulf between the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and the House of Representatives, the lower legislative chamber has launched an investigation into the role of the minister and Anglo/Dutch multinational, Shell, in the sale of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29.
The oil asset is one of the four oil blocks being sold by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Total and Eni as part of Shell’s plan to dispose of global assets valued at $15 billion by 2015.
An ad hoc committee set up by the House yesterday for the purpose of investigating and establishing the validity of the transaction by Shell, has two weeks to submit its report.
Shell, however, was not the only oil company identified for investigation, as other oil majors were also alleged to have hidden under the cover of waivers allegedly granted by the petroleum minister to embark on the sale of OML 29 and other oil leases.
Shell is divesting its 30 per cent stake, while Total and Eni are set to sell 10 per cent and five per cent respectively in OMLs 18, 24, 25 and 29.
OML 29, the most prolific of the oil blocks, and the Nembe Creek Trunkline were won by Aiteo/Taleveras in conjunction with four other companies that make up the consortium, having submitted a $2.5 billion bid for the assets.
The action of the House was prompted by a motion sponsored by Hon. Irona Alphonsus Gerald on the floor of the chamber yesterday.
According to the lawmakers, OML 29 has been in the custody of Shell for more than 52 years and one-half of the area of lease has not been relinquished to the federal government as stipulated by the Petroleum Act.
They contended that Item 12(1) of the First Schedule in the Petroleum Act stipulates that 10 years after the grant of an oil mining lease, one-half of the lease shall be relinquished to the federal government.
In his lead debate, Gerald therefore noted that the outright sale of OML 29 and other oil leases was in direct contravention of the (Petroleum) Act and undermined the national interest.
He stressed that OML 29 has been in the custody of SPDC for more than 52 years and one-half of the area of the lease had not been relinquished to the federal government as stipulated by the Act.
“Against the stipulation of the Act, the Shell Petroleum Development Company, in direct contravention of the Petroleum Act, is selling OML 29 and other oil leases, thereby undermining the national interest,” he said.
He expressed concern that SPDC and other oil majors might have hidden under the cover of waivers usually granted by the Minister of Petroleum Resources to embark on the sale of the blocks.
Shell had stated that it would consult with its international and Nigerian partners over the future of the 28 leases that produce some 750,000 barrels of oil per day.
The oil giant has divested its interest in eight oil assets – OMLs 4, 38, 41, 26, 30, 34, 40 and 42 for a total of $1.8 billion, since 2010.
Last June, the oil major announced plans to sell four more onshore oil blocks in Nigeria.
Apart from the Aiteo/Taleveras group that clinched OML 29 in the current divestment programme, Midwestern Oil & Gas Plc/Mart Resources/Suntrust Oil, under the Erotron Consortium, also won the bid for OML 18.
Pan Ocean Oil Corporation Nigeria Limited, operator of the NNPC/Pan Ocean Joint Venture, clinched OML 24.
The winner of OML 25 is not yet clear but Lekoil, Crestar, GreenAcres/CCC/Signet Petroleum, NDPR/SAPETRO and Essar submitted bids for the asset.
Even though the bidders have been informed of their status as preferred bidders, they are yet to pay for the oil blocks, as discussions are still ongoing with Shell on the payment terms.
The oil lease would be transferred to the new owners only after they have met the payment terms and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the minister give their consent as required under the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) and Petroleum Act, respectively.
Alison-Madueke stated recently that by the end of this year, the cumulative value of deals that would have been done in the sector within the past 48 months would be around $11.5 billion.
Commenting on the new probe by the House, an industry analyst said it was not clear what the lawmakers had set out to achieve with the probe, as it was apparent during their deliberation yesterday that they were not conversant with the oil asset sales.
He also wondered why only one oil lease – OML 29 – was singled out when there are three other leases currently being sold by Shell and its partners.
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.
With the rise in the spate of suicide bombings, especially in the northern part of the country, the police yesterday released tips on how to identify a suicide bomber and the safety measures to take.
In the same vein, the federal government has been urged to carry out a thorough audit on security personnel in all security agencies, with a view to fishing out infiltrators and saboteurs militating against the war against terrorism.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said one of the easiest ways of identifying a suicide bomber is the suspicious manner in which the bombers carry themselves, by ensuring they avoid eye contact with people around.
Although he admitted there was no specific profile for suicide bombers, as they can come from nearly every cultural background, religion, race, creed or gender, they however share some common characteristics that define a potential suicide bomber.
He said: “You can identify them through their behaviour. They behave in a way similar to someone with no future. Also, their mental state could present clues like the way their eyes are secretive.
“They make obvious attempts to avoid eye contact with the people they perceive as their enemies and are always looking at every possible exit. Also, they are always mumbling prayers, as if they are whispering to someone else.
“They show no response to any authoritative voice, command or instruction and their appearances can also be used to identify them because they wear clothes that are unsuitable for the present-day weather.
“For instance, wearing a sweater or raincoat during hot weather, as well as slack or baggy clothes. This makes their body frames to appear excessively larger than their head or feet and as a result they sweat a lot, resulting from tension and stress of wearing unsuitable clothes.”
Mba called on citizens to watch out for such suspicious persons whose hands are often placed in their pockets, which he said is on the detonator, ready to set off the bomb at the slightest opportunity.
He said such persons carry big bags or backpacks tightly with wires piercing out of the bag and often walk awkwardly, which is usually due to the unsuitable attire they are wearing and the weight of the explosive devices tied around their body.
On how they scour out their targets, he said they often try to blend in by visiting the place with the clear intention of carrying out surveillance and identify vulnerable areas before attacks.
He also pointed out that suicide bombers have an unusual herbal body odour, which he said is as a result of the incense used in the final rituals performed on them as they take off for the suicide mission.
Meanwhile, the call for a personnel audit was made by the Society for Security Practitioners of Nigeria (SSPN) yesterday in Lagos.
The President of SSPN, Mr. Davidson Akhimien, who made this call, said it was pertinent because of the worrisome dimension the insurgency had assumed in the country recently.
He said the audit could be done through funds/finance tracking, mails/communication interception and personal and electronic surveillance.
Although he said the security operatives had been dogged in contending with the situation, there was need for the audit to fish out saboteurs in the system.
Akhimien also called for an immediate review and update of the inventory of the military arsenal in tandem with the requirements of modern warfare and modern armies to curb the menace.
He said: “The federal government should consider the option of border closure for the time being, in order to have an effective border patrol along the North-east axis.
“They should also equip the Nigerian Immigration Service with more helicopters for aerial surveillance and patrol along the axis, as well as address the need to adopt technology in its national security considerations.”
He also recommended that government should establish channels and reliable communication links at all levels and in all local government areas for the upward dissemination of information and intelligence gathered by citizens at community/neighborhood levels.
“In the face of the current security challenges and against the backdrop of the requirement for community policing, government is advised to consider the inclusion of reservists and ex-security servicemen in its national security architecture,” he said.
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 Northern Alternative Forum (NAF) has berated Governor Kassim Shettima of Borno State over his repeated comments blaming the federal government for the deteriorating security situation in the North-east, particularly the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by the terrorist group, Boko-Haram.
The National Chairman of the group, Alhaji Gidado Ibrahim, at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja noted that the governor had consistently made the ongoing military operation in the North-east a subject of self-exoneration of responsibility, adding that the failure of some past northern politicians led to the emergence of insurgency.
He stated that the federal government had no hand in the emergence of Boko-Haram and should not be held responsible for the social condition which had fuelled insurgency in the region.
“The attention of Northern Alternative Forum has been drawn to an interview granted by Governor Kashim Shettima on CNN, where the governor in continuation of his campaign of blackmail and distraction against security operatives in the North-east, blamed the federal government for the abduction of the schoolgirls in Chibok. We in the North know that the federal government has no hand whatsoever in the emergence of Boko-Haram,” Gidado said.
He added that the illiteracy and poverty level in the region which resulted to the emergence of Boko Haram was an indication of the kind of leadership provided by northern politicians over the years.
“Every sincere northerner knows that the failures, actions and inactions of the governor and government of Borno State led to the rise of terrorism and BokoHaram insurgency. Not only did the government of Borno State fritter away their huge resources on self-aggrandisement and investment in violent politics but also produced the monster that is now confronting the whole northern region,” he said.
According to Gidado, contrary to Shettima’s position that the federal government didn’t not listen to the advice of the state government three years ago, some governors and politicians in the zone had turned down several decisions of the federal government to begin security operations against Boko Haram.
He noted that the same set of politicians gathered in Abuja to demand the withdrawal of security operatives in the Borno and Yobe States.
Gidado also commended the federal government for the extension of the state of emergency in the North-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, saying it had succeeded in restoring social economic activities in some of the affected states.
“While the federal government and the international community are engaged in the search for our unfortunate sisters and daughters, we can confirm to the world that without the state of emergency, perhaps by now, the states would have been ghost towns,” he stated.
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 First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, yesterday told Nigerians to be more committed to the development of the country as against making unprintable remarks at her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan.
She disclosed this when she hosted children at the banquet hall of Presidential Villa in Abuja to mark this year's Children's Day celebration.
According to her, respect for constituted authority was necessary if the country must witness meaningful development.
"It is bad to abuse our country and the president because God has made him the head. The almighty God commands us to pray for our leaders. We therefore need to pray for the development of our country and the president.
"Remember that a child that abuses his father and mother is disobeying God's commandment because the bible says in Exodus 20:12 that you should honour your father and mother so that you will live long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
"The holy Bible is not referring to only biological parents. Any one that is older than you even for a day must be respected. Let us therefore join hands and rebuild our country Nigeria," Jonathan's wife said.
On the security situation in the country, she urged Nigerians especially those carrying out protest on the abduction of the over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State to focus on terrorists other than government for the release of the students.
According to her, Children Day's celebration at the villa provided a platform for understanding and reflection on the situation of the abduction.
"This event provides a platform for mutual understanding and reflection on the situation of our children who have been kidnapped.
"It is the right of every child to go to school. It is only through education that you can be able to achieve your dreams and contribute meaningfully to your community and the nation. We desire peace in our community, in our nation.
"I want you all to be ambassadors of peace in your schools and practice good manners. We have no other country than Nigeria. We therefore need to be patriotic and committed to our dear country. We should strengthen our covenant with our country as outlined in the National Pledge.
"Let us therefore be united in fighting terrorism. We should encourage our soldiers who are in the frontline to rescue our beloved daughters."
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.
Convicted Boko Haram member, Kabiru Umar (aka Kabiru Sokoto), has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan for pardon, promising to assist the government in its efforts to end the activities of the now outlawed sect.
Umar was convicted of a two-count charge on terrorism by a Federal High Court in Abuja on December 20 last year and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The court found him guilty of facilitating the commission of terrorism acts and concealing information from security agencies on the December 25, 2011 bombing of St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madala, Niger State.
In a letter to the president, written on his behalf by his lawyer, Sheriff Okoh, Umar said he was innocent of the offences for which he was convicted.
He also faulted the process leading to his conviction and has also appealed the high court judgment before the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
The letter to the president reads: “Your Excellency Sir, an innocent man was convicted by the court on the date aforementioned.
“It is for this singular reason that we are applying to you for presidential pardon in the circumstances, pursuant to your exclusive legitimate constitutional powers as enshrined in your golden conscience and under Section 175(a) and (b) of the Constitution.
“Your Excellency Sir, we are applying for respite and pardon for the convicted felon Kabiru Umar (alias Kabiru Sokoto) because we have absolute faith in your compassion and highest sense of fairness, equity and justice first as a God-fearing man and next, as the leader of the most compassionate nation on earth.
“Had Kabiru Sokoto been sentenced in an open court for the corporate acts of Boko Haram as a terrorist organsiation, we would not have spared a thought to make this application, but he was sentenced alone for acts committed by other members of Boko Haram (an organisation that was only proscribed after his arrest, detention and the making of his no-case submission before the Federal High Court, Abuja division.)
“Your Excellency, we vow to reach out beyond the imagination and work with you in resolving the Boko Haram imbroglio, with the firm belief that no quarrel of brotherhood is eternal. We shall undertake this national task for the pleasure of God almighty, believing in His divine will for our peaceful, united, symbiotic and mutual coexistence as brothers and sisters under a fair and just leader.
“We most honestly and sincerely urge you to exercise your prerogative of mercy and grant pardon or respite in this matter in the interest of justice. The law permits you to right each and every wrong in Nigeria, including those of the courts and this is one good situation where such powers under Section 175 of our grund norm serve the collective interest of our beloved nation towards peace and harmony.”
In his appeal, he claimed that he was wrongly convicted and urged the appellate court to set his conviction aside.
Sokoto had raised five grounds of appeal, including arguing that the trial judge erred in law when he resolved all the doubts, with respect to improper investigation of the case, in favour of the prosecution, a decision he said occasioned a miscarriage of justice.
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 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has disclosed that the Nigeria’s first indigenous drone, which was unveiled last year by President Goodluck Jonathan, was a prototype and still undergoing production.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, stated this yesterday while debunking a report in one of the national dailies alleging that the drone was a wasted project.
“The attention of the Nigerian Air Force has been drawn to a news story in a national newspaper titled: ‘How FG blew opportunity to locate girls with drones’ on on May 21.
“In the story, the newspaper stated that last December, Nigeria unveiled a locally made drone at an air force base in Kaduna, although, it has not flown since,” Anas said.
According to him, the story alluded to the fact that the NAF’s drone, which could have been used by the government to locate the girls had not flown.
“There is a need therefore to put the records straight as it concerned the NAF unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV),” he noted.
According to Anas, the locally made UAV, which was designed and constructed by NAF in collaboration with other local institutions is yet to be deployed for operation.
He also revealed that NAF personnel are currently being trained on how to use UAVs for both research, intelligence and combat operations.
The director said: “The NAF, after several years of research and development efforts, was able to produce the first indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle nicknamed ‘GULMA’.
“This achievement was unveiled to the public by President Jonathan on December 17, 2013, at the NAF Base, Kaduna. It is imperative to state that what was unveiled by the President was just a prototype. Full scale production is still ongoing.
“However, the NAF unmanned aerial vehicle ‘Gulma’ is yet to be deployed for operational uses. Meanwhile, training of the NAF UAV operators is currently ongoing.”
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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