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Et factum est in tricesimo anno in quarto mense in quinta mensis cum essem in medio captivorum iuxta fluvium Chobar aperti sunt caeli et vidi visiones Dei in quinta mensis ipse est annus quintus transmigrationis regis Ioachin factum est verbum Domini ad Hiezecihel filium Buzi sacerdotem in terra Chaldeorum secus flumen Chobar et facta est super eum ibi manus Domini et vidi et ecce ventus turbinis veniebat ab aquilone et nubes magna et ignis involvens et splendor in circuitu eius et de medio eius quasi species electri id est de medio ignis et ex medio eorum pinnis eorum in quattuor partibus et facies et facies autem bovis a sinistris ipsorum quattuor et facies aquilae ipsorum quattuor et facies eorum et pinnae eorum extentae desuper duae pinnae singulorum iungebantur et duae tegebant corpora eorum et unumquodque coram facie sua ambulabat ubi erat impetus spiritus illuc gradiebantur nec revertebantur cum ambularent et similitudo animalium aspectus eorum quasi carbonum ignis ardentium et quasi aspectus lampadarum haec erat visio discurrens in medio animalium splendor ignis et de igne fulgor egrediens et animalia ibant et revertebantur in similitudinem fulguris coruscantis cumque aspicerem animalia apparuit rota.

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INDIGENOUS IGBO PEOPLE CARVED INTO KOGI: EXPOSING THE HIDDEN HISTORY

 

Let me usher this discourse by first clearing the air that the Igbo presently in Kogi are not migrants. The places they are settled had been their ancestral lands and never Ịgala land as erroneously portrayed over the years. The Ịgala are the ones who migrated from Wukari in Taraba State and settled at a place called Amagede before they moved to the Idah area. There are still the Ịgala tribe in Taraba State today.

 When they migrated, they met population of Yoruba, Benins and Igbo who already lived in the various places. These Wukari people emerged with them and through their influence produced the language known as Ịgala language.

 To cement this historical narrative, let us hear from the Attah of Ịgala himself, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni on his interview with the Punch published on 26 August 2017. Regarding the history of the Ịgala people he said and I quote him verbatim:

 “Talking about the origin of the Ịgala people, a sizable group migrated from Wukari in Taraba State from where they came to Benue along the River Benue and continued very close to the confluence at a place called Amagede by River Benue and slightly down from Amagede downwards to Idah and they settled there. And there, they met a sizeable population of the Yorubas and the Benins and to some extent, some Igbo. So the migrant population from Wukari merged with them and produced a language called Ịgala as a people”.

 Before the migration of these Wukari people, they were some Igbo indigenous people in Ịda. That’s why we have Ụmụịda in Enugwu Ezike, Igbo Eze North Local Government Area, Enugwu State. I traced the history to Ụmụịda and realised that there is a community called Ụmụshiene. They left Idah and settled in this place in Enugwu Ezike. Some fraction of the community left, leaving their land there.

 They didn’t just leave the land, some of them still remained there. When I interviewed a man called Ayọgụ who is 80 and Itodo who is 85, they said that annually, their brothers from Idah which is now in Kogi State bring to them resources from the land they left many years ago and settled in Enugwu-Ezike. Their brothers there take care of the land. Their wives prepare palm oil and other things.

 During Iri Ji Festival, they bring jars of palm oil to them as produce of the Ụmụshiene land in Ịda. There is Ụmụshiene in Ịda Kogi State and Ụmụshiene in Ụmụịda, Enugwu-Ezike in Enugwu State. They are the same blood. The Ụmụshiene in Enugwu-Ezike are the senior brothers. Any male child from there will first take kola nut before anyone from the Ida side of Kogi.

 The question is: who migrated from where to where? What was their original language and culture?

 Ụmụshiene in Ụmụịda Enugwu-Ezike migrated from Ịda now in Kogi State. Ịda was their ancestral land. Some left while some remained. Those who remained still bring goodies for their brothers in Enugwu Ezike.Their language spoken from time immemorial had been Igbo and not Ịgala. There are few other communities in Ịda which languages of communication is Igbo. Their pure culture is Igbo. You can also locate some in Ankpa Area but they are in the minority due to the high population of the Ịgala.

 Back to the Ịgala influence. When those people who migrated from Wukari touched the place known as Ịgala land today, they made Ịdah their center. That is why till now, Attah Ịgala lives in Ịdah. The Ịgala people scattered all over the state and beyond. Remember, during this period, there was nothing like state, local government etc. We know people by their community name which is basically clan. People can migrate and settle wherever they find themselves.

 Ịgala people extended their influence to the northern Igbo, especially the Nsụka area. They intermarried with the Igbo. Just to prove to you that Ịgala language is the combination of different tongues base on different people found in that settlement according to their Attah, there are many things in common linguistically, between the Ịgala language and the Igbo language. Our market days are almost the same. Some lexicons are the same.

 Researchers and historians like Professor Afigbo and co had researched on the influence of the Ịgala people on the northern Igbo. There is acculturation amongst them. Intermarriage. Language. Names. Even the Igbo descendants found in those places could understand Ịgala and also Igbo. Some Ịgala people can also understand Igbo.

 An Ịgala man in his 70s by name Ọjọbọ told me: “Some of our mothers are Igbo from Nsụka. I speak both Igbo and Ịgala”.

 There are names the Igbo and Ịgala share in common. Such names as Ọnọja, Itodo, Atama, Ozioko, etc.

 But from my finding and from the introductory remarks of the Attah of Ịgala cited in this article, you can believe me that some people the Wukari migrants met at Ịda area were Igbo before they emerged. This means, some we refer to as Ịgala in those axis are actually Igbo. You heard it from the mouth of Attah. Ha bịara abịa wee zute ndị nọ there. This is why it’s so easy to intermarry with the northern Igbo.

 Some left those axis and migrated to other parts. While others joined them. This is like the case of Ovoko who migrated before the war to Ikponkwụ in Okpuje area because their land was fertile. After the war, Ovoko migrated back.

 The question is, where is Ikponkwụ today? This question will lead us to the following subtopic:

 State Creation as Divide-and-Rule System of Dispersing Brothers

 State creation is a major tool causing identity crisis. When a people are being carved away from their brothers to join others who subject them as the minorities. But then, every sincere human devoid of political selfishness and spirit of self denial knows exactly his or her root no matter how long the truth behind the history has been distorted.

 In Kogi State, apart from the Igbo communities mixed with the Ịgala, there are aboriginals and indigenous Igbo communities without mixture. They are fully Igbo. Take for instance, Avurugo.

 1. Avurugo:

 This community is fully an Igbo community. This place had been their ancestral land before some individuals from other parts of Nsụka joined them. How do one locate Avurugo? If you are going through Nsụka, you will pass through Ịbagwa Anị and connect to Okpuje. You can also access there through Okutu. While interviewing a 75 years old man here, he said:

“All of us here are Igbo but we are now in Kogi State”.

They have a market square called Eke Avurugo. This market makes some people misconstrue the name of the community as Eke Avurugo. No. Eke Avurugo is the market located in a community called Avurugo. The market is open only in Eke market days. The language of transaction is purely Igbo. There is no mixture of Ịgala and Igbo in the market. There is no speaking of English in the market. I understand whatever they speak. Their dialect is Nsụka dialect and some parts also have relationship with a few villages in Ụzọ Ụwanị and Okpuje area.

 Sitting amongst three elderly people I heard them interact:

“Ụnụ abọọ?

Ị bọọ?

Ị dị agaa?

Deeje

Ala nụ”

 In Nsụkka dialect of Igbo which I am highly conversant with, “ụnụ abọọ?” is a morning greeting just as saying “ụnụ abọọla chi?” if loosely translated into the English language it means— have you waken up? “Ụnụ” is the plural form of “you”.

 When one says: “Ị bọọ?”, it’s a singular form, meaning: “have you waken up?”

 “Ị dị agaa” means how are you? Other Igbo dialects could have it as: “i mere aṅaa, ị dị aṅaa, ọlịa, kedụ, olee otú, kee ka i mere”, etc.

 Deeje is the Nsụka’s greeting inform of daalụ, Ndeewo. Salutation. While in Nsụka dialect, “ala nụ” means welcome just as “nnọọ” in standard Igbo.

 People of Avurugo speak this way. Undiluted Igbo dialect. Their location as well have no much outside influence. They are neighboring town with Okpuje and Okutu.

 There is another market called Ahọ Ekwurugbo. Remember that in Nsụka dialect, Ahọ is Afọ. This market is open only on the Afọ days of the Igbo week. I saw some people going to the market and I decided to follow them. The market is far from Eke Avurugo. When I got to the market, my jaw dropped. Language of communication is purely Igbo without any other linguistic interjection. I went to price yam, cocoyam, pepper in Igbo.

 “Ego ole ka ị ga-akwụ?” (How much will you pay) They’d ask. Interesting!

 These are farmers. They produce everything they eat. They look healthy because they eat natural food. In this afọ Ekwurugbo, you will see that food items they sell are coming straight from the farm. Their fresh pepper and tomatoes are not coming from the north. They grow them in abundance themselves and sell to each other. Such perishable goods look very neat and healthy. Sparkling red colour. Everything is original. They do not import food instead they produce food and consume within.

 Their ọkpa tastes like that of original Nsụka ọkpa. They cook ọkpa-cup and nylon ọkpa. I must confirm whether it’s the same. I bought some and devoured. I confirmed my curiosity. Remember, everyone in the market communicate in Igbo. I use general Igbo, they still understand me. Yes, every Igbo who can converse in any dialect of Igbo understands the general Igbo known as Igbo izugbe.

 The people of Avurugo are happy people. They are peaceful and welcoming. Another interesting Igbo trait characterised in the prism of ile ọbịa. The Igbo welcome strangers and treat them well. Passing through this compound, an old man approaching 80 years smiled and waved at me. I had to stop. I greeted him. He offered me a seat. Conversation had began. He told me a lot. He said they are all Igbo carved to Kogi and put under Ịgala’s leadership. They have their kin in Igbo-Nsụka.

 Another interesting finding about the Avurugo is the names of their villages. All are Igbo. The following are the villages in Avurugo:

 * Ụmụọchịna

* Ekwurugbo

* Ụkpabiogbo

* Ụkpabioko

* Obinagụ

* Amaọhụrụ

* Nwa-Olieze

* Ere-Ane

* Ọzara

* Iheobune

* Nnọkwa

* Ekproko

* Alọme

* Agbataebiri

* Abụtaogbe

* Ọla

* Ịgabada

* Ọdọlụ

* Amaokwe

 Please kindly read through these villages again. Check their names. Igbo or not? Before you conclude, let me also tell you that I visited all and confirmed my curiosity and shock that they are all Igbo people pushed into Kogi State. Their worldview, daily communication is purely Igbo. Just as every other Igbo villages, they do their thing. They have large expanse of land as well. Their vegetation is greenish. Their forests are neat. Fresh air and beautiful shed left and right.

 2. Ikponkwụ

 Ikponkwụ was once a community within Okpuje area in Nsụka but now a community in Kogi State. Because of their beautiful land for agricultural activities, Ovoko moved there and would finally return after the war. Ovoko is located in Igbo-Eze South L.G.A of Enugwu State. Some who could not return stayed back, some even extend to Avurugo and settled amongst them.

 3. Akpanya

 This community is fully an Igbo community. If you want to access Akpanya you can easily do so through Enugwu-Ezike. Assuming you are coming from Obolo-Afọ, you will pass Ụda, Amụfie before getting to Ogrute. From Ogrute, take the roundabout as if you are going to Ịbagwa-Aka, then take the first right turn leading to Ụmụịda. These places are located under Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugwu State. Immediately you pass through these places, you will get to Ụnadụ in Igbo-Eze South L.G.A which has the same topography with Akpanya which is now under Kogi State.

 The first village by the boundary is called Agbedo Akpanya. I remembered the name of my professor in Nsụka, Professor C.U Agbedo immediately I got to this village and found out its name. He is from Enugwu-Ezike. The proximity between Enugwu-Ezike and Agbedo Akpanya as well as sharing the same dialectal similarities got me thinking. But then, that’s not the bone of contention here.

 I targeted the market day. It’s called Orie Akpanya. The market is always full in Orie market day of Igbo week. People from different parts of Nsụka do visit the market. The language of communication in the market is Igbo. Not just the market, the entire village. They converse in Igbo. They think in Igbo.

 When I interviewed some group of young men, about 6 of them, they told me plainly that all their parents are Igbo. Some for political reasons told me they are Kogi. As we continued discussion and it was getting interesting, one of them said:

 “Forget that we are in the north central, our mothers are from Nsụka. All of them. Some married to Ịgala men that is why some speak both Igbo and Ịgala”.

 One going by the name Amos Ọnụ said: “my ancestor was from Ngwuru Nsụka. He lived here”.

 From the valuables and the elders I interviewed, I found out that while some Igbo were aboriginals, some Igbo also visited from other parts, migrate and joined them. As discussed from the outset, there was nothing like state or local government in the past but clans. The people of Akpanya are Igbo. If going deeper, entering into the heart of Kogi, you will see pure Ịgala communities and some having mixtures of Ịgala and Igbo.

 The reason for such mixture is as a result of proximity and intermarriage. Most people in those places are bilinguals. They speak both Ịgala and Igbo accurately and respectively.

 The pure Igbo villages within Akpanya include:

 * Agbedo

* Oji Akpanya

* Ogboligbo

* Ịjagudu

* Ajịobi

* Ojiela Akpanya

* Akpabirikpo (Igbo/Ịgala)

* Ajịkele

* Oju Ogboligbo

* Ajekele Ogboligbo

* Agbọkete

* Apata

*Igudu

* Ọdụmọgwụ, etc.

 These are Igbo speaking villages that can be found under Akpanya. Akpanya share boundary with Ụnadụ, Agụ Ịbagwa, Ichi under old Nsụka region. They have the same traits.

 A man in his 40s whom I interviewed said:

 “My grandfather’s mother was from Ịbagwa Aka; my direct father is from Ngwuru Nsụka. All the women in this place are married from Igbo land. All our fathers are born from Igbo women from Igbo land. But as you can see, we are in Kogi. North Central”.

 Oji Akpanya was the first place the missionaries visited in the olden days while Ogboligbo is in the center. Agbedo is the getaway of the community.

 If you leave Akpanya and go further, you will get to another community called: Amaka.

 4. Amaka

 Just as the name implies, you already know the language it belongs to. Amaka is an indigenous Igbo people whose language and culture is Igbo. But as a result of state creation, they have been carved into Kogi State. Church services are conducted in Igbo language just as every other communities I have previously mentioned. Their land had been their ancestral land and never Ịgala land as erroneously portrayed. They are just victims of state creation due to their location. They are pushed into Kogi State.

 4. Ọnịcha Igo

 This is another Igbo speaking community which can be found in Ofu L.G.A of Kogi State. There are different villages here. They mix with Ịgala too and intermarry. Some individuals here are bilingual speakers—Igbo and Ịgala.

 5. Ịbaji

 There are concentrated Igbo communities in Ịbaji. They don’t deny their Igboness especially those who never allowed state creation to demarcate them from their bloodline. The headquarters of Ịbaji is located at Odeke. Odeke has an ancestral connection with Agụleri now in Anambra State. They live close and share common boundary.

 How do we confirm this?

 During festivals, just as some would shout: “Igbo kwenụ!”, the Odeke people will say:

 “Odeke-Agụlụ Kwenụ! Odeke-Agụlụ Kwenụ!”

 But these people are now in Kogi State because state creation say: “Okeke you are Anambra, Okafọ you are now in Kogi”. But they still say till date: “Odeke-Agụlụ Kwenụ!”

 Other Igbo settlements in Ịbaji include:

 * Uchuchu Anaọcha

* Uchuchu Anapịtị

* Echọwa which they now corrupted as Echeño

* Ọbale,

* Omabo, etc.

 These places are said to be originally farmlands of the Odeke people.

 The Ịbaji live and connected to the Ogurugu and Ụzọ Ụwanị in Enugwu State and even share common boundaries with them.

 There are three major clans of the Echọwa now called Echeño. These clans are:

 * Ịkana

* Olugo and

*Nyagba.

 The village called Ụmụọnụra in Echeño Ịbaji originated from Ezeawụrụ. Some clan migrated from Ifite Ọka (Awka) and settled there in Echọwa which was one of the farm settlements of the Odeke people who have root and bloodline with the Agụleri. Their oral tradition and citation during festivals say it all.

 These Igbo communities in Ịbaji also connect to the Anam people of Anambra, then extend to Ịga, Ugbela, Ahịa of Ụzọ Ụwanị Enugwu State and Ojo Ogurugu in Enugwu State as well.

 These communities lived together because there was nothing like state or territory. They interacted. They are bloodlines until statism happened and they are carved to the north central.

 Till date, their culture is Igbo. They still have four Igbo market days, but then, the mixture with the Ịgala changed afọ to ede especially in the Echeño side but others as Eke, Orie, Nkwọ are in tact.

 Their masquerades are Igbo masquerades: They have Ijele. They have Akpaakụ. Ofe nsala is their native soup and they still maintain the name—ofe nsala. They speak Igbo.

 But then, there is Ịbaji dialect. It is a creolized language as a result of mixture of Igbo and the Ịgala. Not everyone in Ịbaji is Igbo. Some are Ịgala. They mixed with Igbo and created Ịbaji language. That’s why Echọwa changed to Echeño.

 Some other unaffected Igbo villages in Ịbaji which are strictly Igbo and now regard as Kogi people include:

 * Ụmụọbụ

* Ụmụoye

* Anapịtị

* Nwajala

* Eweli,

* Ubulie-Ụmụeze, etc.

 Echeño people of Ịbaji bear Igbo name as Ujumma, Egwuatụ, Ifemere etc. Many I interviewed did not deny their origin.

 6. Akolo

 The full name of the community is Akolo Ukwueze— indigenous Igbo people community in Kogi State. You can easily access here through Okutu, Nsụka Local Government Area of Enugwu State. They are predominantly Igbo. No migration. Their location had been their ancestral land before they were said to be Kogi. These people are farmers.

 Note: I have mentioned Amaka before. The full name of the community is Amaka Okpodu. They are pure Igbo.

 Other Igbo communities in Kogi State include:

 * Ugwuebonyi

* Ebokwe

* Ọzara

* Amaokwu

* Amadịefiọha

* Amaụfụlụ

* Amaụwanị

* Amankpo etc.

 In conclusion, we have seen the effect of state creation as well as the migration of the Wukari people from Taraba state who came down to the lower Benue through Amagede and mixed with others then became what we know today as the Ịgala. They met some Igbo in the land especially those in Ịdah area. The blend and intermarriage has affected both languages to have similarities. State creation has moved some Igbo land to join Kogi. We have pointed out those people who still maintain their language and culture.

 But the question is, why is it that the indigenous Igbo carved to Kogi are not even recognised as an ethnic group just as others? There is a ploy to hide this identity and push some narratives. Tales of lies have been told for some to believe that those Igbo living in Kogi are the Ịgala who learnt Igbo language because of their interactions, intermarriage and proximity with the Igbo people. BIG LIE. They know their identity. They have kinsmen in different part of Nsụka. They breathe Igbo. They live Igbo. They eat Igbo. They dream Igbo. They had been in their ancestral land before they were told to be Kogi immediately Kogi State was created.

 Even Kogi government knows that these Igbo communities are purely Igbo; could it be the reason for absence of government intervention and development? The Igbo spirit in them help them to create their own world without being totally dependent on government. Nigerian factor has made them to neither feel the presence of Enugwu and Anambra government nor Kogi State government. These territories are like displaced people. But they have decided to make life out of everything. They created their own world and happily living in it. Only Ịbaji area where oil was discovered that government of Kogi State began to drag the territory with Anambra; Enugwu also joined hand. This shows that treasure is priority for recognition of people’s identity. That settlement is Igbo speaking part and Igbo land.

 Finally, these are indigenous Igbo people who have been in their ancestral land before Kogi was created and they were pushed into it under the Ịgala leadership. They are not Ịgala people who speak Igbo because they are on the boundary side but Igbo people who through Nigerian definition of things carved out of their land to join others for the purpose of divide-and-rule system hidden under state creation.

 This history should be preserved for posterity.

—©️Copyright 2022 News Band

https://news.band/special-report-indigenous-igbo-people-carved-into-kogi-exposing-the-hidden-history/

CHRIST BEFORE PILATE

*PONTIUS PILATE'S LETTER TO TIBERIUS CAESAR RELATING HIS ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS.*

This Shocking piece makes for thoughtful contemplation during Holy Week on Pilate's terrible dilemma.

(Christ Beforrle Pilate)

*Historical document: Pontius Pilate's Letter to Tiberius Caesar verifying his sympathy for Jesus Christ and exposing the treachery of the Jews.*

*(From The Archko Volume, or The Archeological Writings of the Sanhedrin and Talmuds of the Jews, entered into the Congressional Record in the year 1887. Republished in 1975 by Keats Publishing Inc., 27 Pine Street, New Canaan Conn. 06840, USA.)*

*To Noble Tiberius Caesar, Emperor of Rome.*

Noble Sovereign, Greeting: The events of the last few days in my province have been of such a character that I will give the details in full as they occurred, as I should not be surprised if, in the course of time, they may change the destiny of our nation, for it seems of late that all the gods have ceased to be propitious. I am almost ready to say, Cursed be the day that I succeeded Vallerius Flaceus in the government of Judea; for since then my life has been one of continual uneasiness and distress.

On my arrival at Jerusalem I took possession of the praetorium, and ordered a splendid feast to be prepared, to which I invited the tetrarch of Galilee, with the high priest and his officers. At the appointed hour no guests appeared. This I considered an insult offered to my dignity, and to the whole government which I represent.

A few days after, the high priest deigned to pay me a visit. His deportment was grave and deceitful. He pretended that his religion forbade him and his attendants to sit at the table with the Romans, and eat and offer libations with them, but this was only a sanctimonious seeming, for his very countenance betrayed his hypocrisy.

Although I thought it expedient to accept his excuse, from that moment I was convinced that the conquered had declared themselves the enemy of the conquerors; and I would warn the Romans to beware of the high priests of this country. They would betray their own mother to gain office and a luxurious living.

It seems to me that, of conquered cities, Jerusalem is the most difficult to govern. So turbulent are the people that I live in momentary dread of an insurrection. I have not soldiers sufficient to suppress it. I had only one centurion and a hundred men at my command.

I requested a reinforcement from the prefect of Syria, who informed me that he had scarcely enough troops sufficient to defend his own province. An insatiate thirst for conquest to extend our empire beyond the means of defending it, I fear, will be the cause of the final overthrow of our whole government.

I lived secluded from the masses, for I did not know what those priests might influence the rabble to do; yet I endeavored to ascertain, as far as I could, the mind and standing of the people.

Among the various rumors that came to my ears, there was one in particular that attracted my attention. A young man, it was said, had appeared in Galilee, preaching with a noble unction a new law in the name of the God that had sent him. At first I was apprehensive that his design was to stir up the people against the Romans, but my fears were soon dispelled. Jesus of Nazareth spoke rather as friend of the Romans than of the Jews.

One day in passing by the place of Siloe, where there was a great concourse of people, I observed in the midst of the group a young man who was leaning against a tree, calmly addressing the multitude. I was told it was Jesus. This I could easily have suspected, so great was the difference between him and those listening to him. His golden-colored hair and beard gave to his appearance a celestial aspect.

*He appeared to be about thirty years of age. Never have I seen a sweeter or more serene countenance.* What a contrast between him and his hearers, with their black beards and tawny complexions!

Unwilling to interrupt him by my presence, I continued my walk, but signified to my secretary to join the group and listen. My secretary's name is Manlius. He is the grandson of the chief of the conspirators who encamped in Etruria waiting for Cataline. Manlius had been for a long time an inhabitant of Judea, and is well acquainted with the Hebrew language.

He was devoted to me, and worthy of my confidence. On entering the praetorium I found Manlius, who related to me the words Jesus had pronounced at Siloe. Never have I read in the works of the philosophers anything that can compare to the maxims of Jesus. One of the rebellious Jews, so numerous in Jerusalem, having asked Jesus if it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar, he replied, "Render unto Caesar the things that belong to Caesar, and unto God the things that are God's."

It was on account of the wisdom of his sayings that I granted so much liberty to the Nazarene; for it was in my power to have had him arrested, and exiled to Pontus; but that would have been contrary to the justice which has always characterized the Roman government in all its dealings with men; this man was neither seditious nor rebellious; I extended to him my protection, unknown perhaps to himself.

He was at liberty to act, to speak, to assemble and address the people, and to choose disciples, unrestrained by any praetorian mandate. Should it ever happen (may the gods avert the omen!), should it ever happen, I say, that the religion of our forefathers will be supplanted by the religion of Jesus, it will be to this noble toleration that Rome shall owe her premature death, while I, miserable wretch, will have been the instrument of what the Jews call Providence, and we call destiny.

This unlimited freedom granted to Jesus provoked the Jews--not the poor, but the rich and powerful. It is true, Jesus was severe on the latter, and this was a political reason, in my opinion, for not restraining the liberty of the Nazarene. "Scribes and Pharisees," he would say to them, "you are a race of vipers; you resemble painted sepulchres; you appear well unto men, but you have death within you." At other times he would sneer at the alms of the rich and proud, telling them that the mite of the poor was more precious in the sight of God. Complaints were daily made at the praetorium against the insolence of Jesus.

I was informed that some misfortune would befall him; that it would not be the first time that Jerusalem had stoned those who called themselves prophets; an appeal would be made to Caesar. However, my conduct was approved by the Senate, and I was promised a reinforcement after the termination of the Parthian war.

Being too weak to suppress an insurrection, I resolved upon adopting a measure that promised to restore the tranquility of the city without subjecting the praetorium to humiliating concession. I wrote to Jesus, requesting an interview with him at the praetorium. He came. You know that in my veins flows the Spanish mixed with Roman blood--as incapable of fear as it is of weak emotion. When the Nazarene made his appearance, I was walking in my basilic, and my feet seemed fastened with an iron hand to the marble pavement, and I trembled in every limb as does a guilty culprit, though the Nazarene was as calm as innocence itself.

When he came up to me, he stopped, and by a signal sign he seemed to say to me, "I am here," though he spoke not a word. For some time I contemplated with admiration and awe this extraordinary type of man--a type of man unknown to our numerous painters, who have given form and figure to all the gods and the heroes. There was nothing about him that was repelling in its character, yet I felt too awed and tremulous to approach him.

"Jesus," said I unto him at last--and my tongue faltered--"Jesus of Nazareth, for the last three years I have granted you ample freedom of speech; nor do I regret it. Your words are those of a sage. I know not whether you have read Socrates or Plato, but this I know, there is in your discourses a majestic simplicity that elevates you far above those philosophers. The Emperor is informed of it, and I, his humble representative in this country, am glad of having allowed you that liberty of which you are so worthy. However, I must not conceal from you that your discourses have raised up against you powerful and inveterate enemies.

"Nor is this surprising. Socrates had his enemies, and he fell a victim to their hatred. Yours are doubly incensed--against you on account of your discourses being so severe upon their conduct; against me on account of the liberty I have afforded you. They even accuse me of being indirectly leagued with you for the purpose of depriving the Hebrews of the little civil power, which Rome has left them. My request--I do not say my order--is, that you be more circumspect and moderate in your discourses in the future, and more considerate of them, lest you arouse the pride of your enemies, and they raise against you the stupid populace, and compel me to employ the instruments of law."

The Nazarene calmly replied, "Prince of the earth, your words proceed not from true wisdom. Say to the torrent to stop in the midst of the mountain-gorge; it will uproot the trees of the valley. The torrent will answer you that it obeys the laws of nature and the creator. God alone knows whither flow the waters of the torrent. Verily I say unto you, before the rose of Sharon blossoms, the blood of the Just shall be spilt."

"Your blood shall not be spilt," said I with deep emotion; "you are more precious in my estimation on account of your wisdom than all the turbulent and proud Pharisees who abuse the freedom granted them by the Romans. They conspire against Caesar, and convert his bounty into fear, impressing the unlearned that Caesar is a tyrant and seeks their ruin. Insolent wretches! They are not aware that the wolf of the Tiber sometimes clothes himself with the skin of the sheep to accomplish his wicked designs. I will protect you against them. My praetorium shall be an asylum, sacred both day and night."

Jesus carelessly shook his head, and said with a grave and divine smile: "When the day shall have come, there will be no asylums for the son of man, neither in the earth nor under the earth. The asylum of the just is there," pointing to the heavens. "That which is written in the books of the prophets must be accomplished."

"Young man," I answered mildly, "you will oblige me to convert my request into an order. The safety of the province, which has been confided to my care, requires it. You must observe more moderation in your discourses. Do not infringe my order. You know the consequences. May happiness attend you; farewell."

"Prince of the earth," replied Jesus, "I come not to bring war into the world, but peace, love, and charity. I was born the same day on which Augustus gave peace to the Roman world. Persecutions proceed not from me. I expect it from others, and will meet it in obedience to the will of my Father, who has shown me the way. Restrain, therefore, your worldly prudence. It is not in your power to arrest the victim at the foot of the tabernacle of expiation."

So saying, he disappeared like a bright shadow behind the curtain of the basilic--to my great relief, for I felt a heavy burden on me, of which I could not relieve myself while in his presence.

To Herod, who then reigned in Galilee, the enemies of Jesus addressed themselves, to wreak their vengeance on the Nazarene. Had Herod consulted his own inclinations, he would have ordered Jesus immediately to be put to death; but, though proud of his royal dignity, yet he hesitated to commit an act that might lessen his influence with the Senate, or, like me, was afraid of Jesus. But it would never do for a Roman officer to be scared by a Jew. Previously to this, Herod called on me at the praetorium, and, on rising to take leave, after some trifling conversation, asked me what was my opinion concerning the Nazarene. I replied that Jesus appeared to me to be one of those great philosophers that great nations sometimes produced; that his doctrines were by no means sacrilegious, and that the intentions of Rome were to leave him to that freedom of speech which was justified by his actions. Herod smiled maliciously, and, saluting me with ironical respect, departed.

The great feast of the Jews was approaching, and the intention was to avail themselves of the popular exultation which always manifests itself at the solemnities of a Passover. The city was overflowing with a tumultuous populace, clamoring for the death of the Nazarene. My emissaries informed me that the treasure of the temple had been employed in bribing the people. The danger was pressing. A Roman centurion had been insulted. I wrote to the Prefect of Syria for a hundred foot-soldiers and as many cavalry. He declined.

I saw myself alone with a handful of veterans in the midst of a rebellious city, too weak to suppress an uprising, and having no choice left but to tolerate it. They had seized upon Jesus, and the seditious rabble, although they had nothing to fear from the praetorium, believing, as their leaders had told them, that I winked at their sedition--continued vociferating: "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

Three powerful parties had combined together at the time against Jesus: First, the Herodians and the Sadducees, whose seditious conduct seemed to have proceeded from double motives: they hated the Nazarene and were impatient of the Roman yoke. They never forgave me for having entered the holy city with banners that bore the image of the Roman emperor; and although in this instance I had committed a fatal error, yet the sacrilege did not appear less heinous in their eyes. Another grievance also rankled in their bosoms. I had proposed to employ a part of the treasure of the temple in erecting edifices for public use. My proposal was scorned.

The Pharisees were the avowed enemies of Jesus. They cared not for the government. They bore with bitterness the severe reprimands which the Nazarene for three years had been continually giving them wherever he went. Timid and too weak to act by themselves, they had embraced the quarrels of the Herodians and the Sadducees. Besides these three parties, I had to contend against the reckless and profligate populace, always ready to join a sedition, and to profit by the disorder and confusion that resulted therefrom.

Jesus was dragged before the High Priest and condemned to death. It was then that the High Priest, Caiaphas, performed a divisory act of submission. He sent his prisoner to me to confirm his condemnation and secure his execution. I answered him that, as Jesus was a Galilean, the affair came under Herod's jurisdiction, and ordered him to be sent thither. The wily tetrarch professed humility, and, protesting his deference to the lieutenant of Caesar, he committed the fate of the man to my hands. Soon my palace assumed the aspect of a besieged citadel. Every moment increased the number of the malcontents. Jerusalem was inundated with crowds from the mountains of Nazareth. All Judea appeared to be pouring into the city.

I had taken a wife from among the Gauls, who pretended to see into futurity. Weeping and throwing herself at my feet, she said to me: "Beware, beware, and touch not that man; for he is holy. Last night I saw him in a vision.

He was walking on the waters; he was flying on the wings of the wind. He spoke to the tempest and to the fishes of the lake; all were obedient to him. Behold, the torrent in Mount Kedron flows with blood, the statues of Caesar are filled with gemonide; the columns of the interium have given way; and the sun is veiled in mourning like a vestal in the tomb. Ah! Pilate, evil awaits thee. If thou wilt not listen to the vows of thy wife, dread the curse of a Roman Senate; dread the frowns of Caesar."

By this time the marble stair groaned under the weight of the multitude. The Nazarene was brought back to me. I proceeded to the halls of justice, followed by my guard, and asked the people in a severe tone what they demanded.

"The death of the Nazarene," was the reply.

"For what crime?"

"He has blasphemed; he has prophesied the ruin of the temple; he calls himself the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of the Jews."

"Roman justice," said I, "punishes not such offences with death."

"Crucify him! Crucify him!" cried the relentless rabble. The vociferations of the infuriated mob shook the palace to its foundations.

There was but one who appeared to be calm in the midst of the vast multitude; it was the Nazarene. After many fruitless attempts to protect him from the fury of his merciless persecutors, I adopted a measure which at the moment appeared to me to be the only one that could save his life. I proposed, as it was their custom to deliver a prisoner on such occasions, to release Jesus and let him go free, that he might be the scapegoat, as they called it; but they said Jesus must be crucified.

I then spoke to them of the inconsistency of their course as being incompatible with their laws, showing that no criminal judge could pass sentence on a criminal unless he had fasted one whole day; and that the sentence must have the consent of the Sanhedrin, and the signature of the president of that court; that no criminal could be executed on the same day his sentence was fixed, and the next day, on the day of his execution, the Sanhedrin was required to review the whole proceeding; also, according to their law, a man was stationed a short way off on horseback to cry the name of the criminal and his crime, and the names of his witnesses, and to know if any one could testify in his favor; and the prisoner on his way to execution had the right to turn back three times and to plead any new thing in his favor. I urged all these pleas, hoping they might awe them into subjection; but they still cried, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

I then ordered Jesus to be scourged, hoping this might satisfy them; but it only increased their fury. I then called for a basin, and washed my hands in the presence of the clamorous multitude, thus testifying that in my judgment Jesus of Nazareth had done nothing deserving of death; but in vain. It was his life these wretches thirsted for.

Often in our civil commotions have I witnessed the furious anger of the multitude, but nothing could be compared to what I witnessed on this occasion. It might have been truly said that all the phantoms of the infernal regions had assembled at Jerusalem. The crowd appeared not to walk, but to be borne off and whirled as a vortex, rolling along in living waves from the portals of the praetorium even unto Mount Zion, with howling screams, shrieks, and vociferations such as were never heard in the seditions of the Pannonia, or in the tumults of the forum.

By degrees the day darkened like a winter's twilight, such as had been at the death of the great Julius Caesar. It was likewise the Ides of March. I, the continued governor of a rebellious province, was leaning against a column of my basilic, contemplating athwart the dreary gloom these fiends of Tartarus dragging to execution the innocent Nazarene. All around me was deserted. Jerusalem had vomited forth her indwellers through the funeral gate that leads to Gemonica.

An air of desolation and sadness enveloped me. My guards had joined the cavalry, and the centurion, with a display of power, was endeavoring to keep order. I was left alone, and my breaking heart admonished me that what was passing at that moment appertained rather to the history of the gods than that of men. A loud clamor was heard proceeding from Golgotha, which, borne on the winds, seemed to announce an agony such as was never heard by mortal ears. Dark clouds lowered over the pinnacle of the temple, and setting over the city covered it as with a veil. So dreadful were the signs that men saw both in the heavens and on the earth that Dionysius the Aeropagite is reported to have exclaimed, 'Either the author of nature is suffering or the universe is falling apart.'

Whilst these appalling scenes of nature were transpiring, there was a dreadful earthquake in lower Egypt, which filled everybody with fear, and scared the superstitious Jews almost to death. It is said Balthasar, an aged and learned Jew of Antioch, was found dead after the excitement was over. Whether he died from alarm or grief is not known. He was a strong friend of the Nazarene.

Near the first hour of the night, I threw my mantle around me and went down into the city toward the gates of Golgotha. The sacrifice was consummated. The crowd was returning home, still agitated, it is true, but gloomy, taciturn, and desperate. What they had witnessed had stricken them with terror and remorse. I also saw my little Roman cohort pass by mournfully, the standard-bearer having veiled his eagle in token of grief; and I overheard some of the Jewish soldiers murmuring strange words, which I did not understand. Others were recounting miracles very like those which have so often smitten the Romans by the will of the gods. Sometimes, groups of men and women would halt, then, looking back toward Mount Calvary, would remain motionless in expectation of witnessing some new prodigy.

I returned to the praetorium, sad and pensive. On ascending the stairs, the steps of which were still stained with the blood of the Nazarene, I perceived an old man in a suppliant posture, and behind him several Romans in tears. He threw himself at my feet and wept most bitterly. It is painful to see an old man weep, and my heart being already overcharged with grief, we, though strangers, wept together. And in truth it seemed that the tears lay very shallow that day with many whom I perceived in the vast concourse of people. I never witnessed such an extreme revulsion of feeling. Those who betrayed and sold him, those who testified against him, those who cried, "Crucify him, we have his blood," all slunk off like cowardly curs, and washed their teeth with vinegar. As I am told that Jesus taught a resurrection after death, if such should be the fact, I am sure it commenced in this vast crowd.

"Father," said I to him, after gaining control of my feelings, "who are you, and what is your request?"

"I am Joseph of Arimathea," replied he, "and am come to beg of you upon my knees the permission to bury Jesus of Nazareth."

"Your prayer is granted," said I to him; and at the same time I ordered Manlius to take some soldiers with him to superintend the interment, lest it should be profaned.

A few days after, the sepulchre was found empty. His disciples proclaimed all over the country that Jesus had risen from the dead, as he had foretold. This created more excitement even than the crucifixion. As to its truth, I cannot say for certain, but I have made some investigation of the matter; so you can examine for yourself, and see if I am in fault, as Herod represents.

Joseph buried Jesus in his own tomb. Whether he contemplated his resurrection or calculated to cut him another, I cannot tell. The day after he was buried [i.e., Saturday] one of the priests came to the praetorium and said they were apprehensive that his disciples intended to steal the body of Jesus and hide it, and then make it appear that he had risen from the dead, as he had foretold, and of which they were perfectly convinced. I sent him to the captain of the royal guard (Malcus) to tell him to take the Jewish soldiers, place as many around the sepulchre as were needed; then if anything should happen, they could blame themselves, and not the Romans.

When the great excitement arose about the sepulchre being found empty, I felt a deeper solicitude than ever. I sent for Malcus, who told he had placed his lieutenant, Ben Isham, with one hundred soldiers, around the sepulchre. He told me that Isham and the soldiers were very much alarmed at what had occurred there that morning. I sent for this man, Isham, who related to me, as near as I can recollect the following circumstances: He said that at about the beginning of the fourth watch they saw a soft and beautiful light over the sepulchre. He at first thought that the women had come to embalm the body of Jesus, as was their custom, but he could not see how they had gotten through the guards. While these thoughts were passing through his mind, behold, the whole place was lighted up, and there seemed to be crowds of the dead in their grave-clothes. All seemed to be shouting and filled with ecstasy, while all around and above was the most beautiful music he had ever heard; and the whole air seemed to be full of voices praising God. At this time there seemed to be a reeling and swimming of the earth, so that he turned so sick and faint that he could not stand on his feet. He said the earth seemed to swim from under him, and his senses left him, so that he knew not what did occur. I asked him in what condition he was when he came to himself. He said he was lying on the ground with his face down. I asked him if he could not have been mistaken as to the light. Was it not day that was coming in the East? He said at first he thought of that, but at a stone's cast it was exceedingly dark; and then he remembered it was too early for day.

I asked him if his dizziness might not have come from being wakened up and getting up too suddenly, as it sometimes had that effect. He said he was not, and had not been asleep all night, as the penalty was death for him to sleep on duty. He said he had let some of the soldiers sleep at a time. Some were asleep then. I asked him how long the scene lasted. He said he did not know, but he thought nearly an hour. He said it was hid by the light of day. I asked him if he went to the sepulchre after he had come to himself. He said no, because he was afraid; that just as soon as relief came, they all went to their quarters.

I asked him if he had been questioned by the priests. He said they had. They wanted him to say it was an earthquake, and that they were asleep, and offered him money to say that the disciples came and stole Jesus; but he saw no disciples; he did not know that the body was gone until he was told. I asked him what was the private opinion of those priests he had conversed with. He said that some of them thought that Jesus was no man; that he was not a human being; that he was not the son of Mary; that he was not the same that was said to be born of the virgin in Bethlehem; that the same persons had been on the earth before with Abraham and Lot, and at many times and places.

It seems to me that, if the Jewish theory be true, these conclusions are correct, for they are in accord with this man's life, as is known and testified by both friends and foes, for the elements were no more in his hands than the clay in the hands of the potter. He could convert water into wine; he could change death into life, disease into health; he could calm the seas, still the storms, call up fish with a silver coin in its mouth. Now, I say, if he could do all these things, which he did, and many more, as the Jews all testify, and it was doing these things that created this enmity against him--he was not charged with criminal offenses, nor was he charged with violating any law, nor of wronging any individual in person, and all these facts are known to thousands, as well by his foes as by his enemies--I am almost ready to say, as did Manilus at the cross, "Truly, this was the Son of God."

Now, noble Sovereign, this is as near the facts in the case as I can arrive at, and I have taken pains to make the statement very full, so that you may judge of my conduct upon the whole, as I hear that Antipater has said many hard things of me in this matter. With the promise of faithfulness and good wishes to my noble Sovereign,

I am your most obedient servant,

Pontius Pilate

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IYIOJA

*Iyioja: An early Religious scam on our people*

From what I was told, Iyioja is a fake deity brought on our people by Arochukwu people. When thy brought the prototype of the oracle, they assembled our people in market places and sold the usual religious/powerful dummy that this deity (later termed Nnenne by our people) that it has the power of protecting and enriching our people. The prototype was supposed to create some magic. Several communities subscribed to this scam, each struggling to have it installed for them before others.

On the day they brought the big box with Iyioja inside, the people were asked to gather in market squares with all sorts of goodies, food stuffs, money (the more you bring , the more Nnenne will prosper you) but ensure they do not lock your house (Nnenne will protect your house). This likely happened between 1940 and 1950.

The Aro people were thieves, so while everyone were there, their boys went around taking whatever thing they could from people's houses. In fact, they were informed that Nnenne will visit their houses and can only enter if thy leave their houses open.

They kept the people long enough enough with all sorts of games and *enwa-nwa-shi* for as long as it took their boys to rampage the village.

Now how did our pople know that Iyioja was fake?
(1) Their things were stolen
(2) They later found out that sound from the the box was from rats that were inside it

I am not a good historian but people born within that time are likely the *Iyioja Age Grades*. In fact, since people had no way of writing dates then, people when trying to find out who is senior would often ask *have you been born during Iyioja?*, or *do you know Iyioja?*

I received the above oral tradition from my father and his friends someday we were in the farm and they mentioned it and I asked questions.

ProfESObe, Dean of Engineering, UNN

HAPPY XMAS

I wish you all merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year 

INEC REGISTRATION 

INEC has now started registering qualified voter's at all the 21 local government headquarters in Anambra State. This exercise may end soon. It is now free of charge at INEC offices. The time is between 9am and 3pm. You are advised to be at the venue before 8am to be able to pick single digit numbers.

While visiting the INEC offices to monitor the exercise today, I ran into one Hausa middle aged woman that came in with a truckload of Hausa women . The woman who hails from Kano told me openly that she was in a contract of registering all Hausa women in Anambra State prior to 2023 general election. The deputy electoral officer in the local government who was there with me added that the woman comes there everyday with Hausa women and youths in large number, and said that the woman also has some agents that represent her in other local government areas.

Igbos are backward in Nigerian politics simply because we are not doing what we suppose to do. Do our mothers register their own children talk less of registering other people? Our pastors, clergies, traditional rulers and PG's not to talk of our selfish politicians are not directing our people well. They are only interested in the money they make from politicians. That was why Goodluck lost 2019 because everybody was looking for money .

You say you don't need Buhari and APC but you can't get your voter's card to remove them. Does God help he who doesn't help himself? On the day of election you stay at home praying to God to remove Buhari. Faith without work is death. This is total blindness. By 2023, if APC wins in Anambra, you will say they rigged the election. My dear, I just discovered that they may not need your vote to win elections in your state by what I saw today. If your vote does not count, why are they registering their people here while you are in the main market chasing naira that has no value. You are not interested in politics but you collect money from politicians. Every time you claim you are too busy. Jisi ike!

I interviewed some women among them who understand English language. And they told me they don't collect money to vote their people. But here every Igbo man or woman wants to sell their votes. Even when your brother is contesting, you will be attacking him on social media as if he is the worst human being on earth. You will use all your energy to pull your brother down so that he will not win election. No wonder why the White call the Black, monkey.

80% of Anambra youths don't have voter's card in a country where you don't have future, no job, no sound education, yet you don't want to fix it. This is very shameful. We are the cause of our predicaments.

Pastors should start driving out those people that don't have voter's card from entering churches. They are the people that are hindering our prayers to God concerning our country. God wants to help us but we don't want to help ourselves. Such people should be treated like Jonah.

Leave your school or your office or your shop for at least one day. Go and get your voter's card. It won't stop you from achieving what you have to achieve in life. Stop deceiving yourselves. If you are living outside Anambra, try to come home with your people and register here. Southeast has the lowest number of voters. It is not a good record because it makes us to lose a lot in politics.

Students, leave your school for just one day. Go and get your voter's cards. Those that have graduated 10 years ago have not gotten jobs. Let's get the system working first so that once you come out of school, you get job immediately.

Things are hard today because of bad government. All hands must be on deck now, so that we can make things start working normal.

Stop discouraging younger people who are coming up to save the situation. If know you are better, why not come out? I have the passion to change this bad government. I need your support, please!

I have said it before, and I want to say it again, if you don't have Anambra voter's card before this November 6 election, you will be among the last people that will benefit from my government. Don't say I didn't warn you on time. The voter's card is now free at INEC. But you can as well get it from business centers around you if the queues at INEC offices are long.

Thank you and God bless you.

HAPPY NEW MONTH

Happy New Months pals.  Expect the best as never before from us soonest.  Cheers.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy belated New Year. Best compliments of the season. 

ENUGU AIRPORT

ENUGU AIRPORT: The Story, The Future

By Chris Aligbe
In 1989, I came in close contact with the Enugu Airport when I joined Nigeria Airways as Head of Corporate Information.
I had time to study traffic and throughput at various airports with a focus on growth trajectory. For many years, the AkanuIbiam
International Airport oscillated between 4th and 6th in passenger throughput, at some period went down to 7th.
As Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, situated at a suburb called Emene, is being re-opened after extensive upgrade of the runway and airside, it will be quite timely to pensively reflect on what promises to be one of the outstanding landmarks of the Buhari administration in the South East zone.
However, before this, I want to commend the Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, whose commitment to the Airport project is a sterling example to all political leaders, not just in the South East, but in Nigeria at large, of how to serve the interest of their people.
Ugwuanyi with his body and soul, selflessly took possession of the project as if it were a personal one. He has been outstanding.
Next to him is Hon. Nnoli Nnaji, the current Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation.
The Akpugo-born Pharmacist turned Lawmaker, has been outstanding in his interventions towards the realisation of the Enugu Airport project. Senator HadiSirika, the Aviation Minister could not hide his admiration of the efforts and support of the duo as he openly applauded them.
It is sad that one Enugu landowner thought, in all his senses, that the best thing to do was to destroy the cast wall for the perimeter fencing of the airport which is a conditionality for NCAA’s approval for operation into the airport.
Nothing can be closer to insanity. And it is perplexing that the Nigeria Police, the statutory law enforcement agency of the Federal Government deployed as many as forty officers to offer the landowner a protective cover to enable him destroy the property of their employer. Indeed, the “gods must be crazy”.
As the joy of the re-opening of the AkanuIbiam International Airport eclipses the setback of the “Enugu landowner insanity”, it is necessary to pause and take a peep into the annals of the history of Enugu Airport.
Between 1999 and 2007, most Nigerian airports and Aviation infrastructure; from Terminals to Runways, from Airspace Management facilities to manpower and airlines, all had taken a steep downward slide. Like other subsectors, the airport subsector suffered more devastating fate. Virtually, all airports deteriorated in every material particular.
Port Harcourt was shut down for deteriorated runway and by 2010 was rated the worst International airport in the world. Between 2000 and 2011, most operational airports had been abandoned, as it were, or left without attention. Kano and Enugu were left to rot while Abuja runway became a death trap, waiting for an accident to happen.
When Port Harcourt was shut down and Owerri became the closest destination for South East passengers, no attempt was made to improve its capacity.
Enugu airport was a functional airport that could relieve Owerri as well as provide an opening for international cargo and passenger operations, even if limitedly, to cater for South East passengers and great many who engage in international trade.
This was the motivation of two Directors of FAAN from the South East. Engr. Obi Anadu (Engineering) and John Ezenwankwo (Airport Operations) when they approached the then Director-General of NCAA, Dr Segun Demuren to allow international operations into Enugu Airport.
Dr.Demuren, in his non-political and pragmatic high professional standing, found the proposal excellent but told Anadu and Ezenwankwo that the final approval rested on the Minister, then Prof. Borishade.
So, the two went to see the Minister. Prof. Borishade was reported to have promptly turned it down as he told them that it had been decided that no international flights shall be operated from the South East.
Undaunted, when Borishade was replaced by Fani Kayode as Minister, Anadu and Ezenwankwo took their proposal to him and he re-affirmed Borishade’s position.
Next was Omotoba who replaced Felix Hyatt as Aviation Minister. Omotoba had conceived airport concessioning programme and in his choice, he preferred Calabar Airport to Enugu airport.
This was at a time when Enugu was number 3 behind Lagos and Abuja airports, accounting for 19.5% of the total passenger traffic as against Calabar with 3.8% traffic.
Also, Calabar airport had started declining with the exit of Governor Donald Duke, who was trying to create a synergy between tourism (Obudu and TINAPA) and aviation, an effort that collapsed after he left in 2007.
In addition to this, the Calabar airport runway is impaired by the fact that there is no land to extend the short runway for aircraft larger than B737.
Relentless, Ezenwankwo carried his agitation to Senator Ike Ekweremadu, then the Deputy Senate President. Ezenwankwo having been retired by Omotoba, flew to Enugu to meet Ekweremadu to complain about the unwritten relegatory policy on Enugu airport.
Having taken a brief from Ezenwankwo, Ekweremadu, on return to Abuja, put a team together and approached the then President, Dr Umaru Yar’dua.
Yar’dua approved Enugu and Maiduguri as International Airports; thus, ensuring an International Airport in each of the six geo-political zones. Unfortunately, this status was not gazetted.
During Vision 2020 deliberations, at the Transportation Working Group which I was a member of, having been called up after two meetings by the then Secretary of the National Planning Commission, Prof. Sylvester Monye (presently the SSA to Delta State Governor on Asaba Airport) to join the Group to fill the gap on aviation which he observed the international status for Enugu Airport was canvassed.
In the first two meetings I attended, I took up the issue of Enugu Airport’s International status along with the National Carrier question.
In the two meetings that followed, minutes excluded my intervention on Enugu Airport. I was shocked at this development and the Chairman, Engr. Sani Baba asked me to put up a position paper on Enugu Airport which I did, having co-operated with IkechiUko, the Abia State-born Tourism activist, who was heading the Tourism Group of the Vision, to ramp up and reinforce the arguments.
I had great trust in Sani Baba but to ensure no last-minute mischief by unkown hand after he must have passed the
Recommendations, I intimated a South-East Director in the Commission, Mr UchennaOffia from Umulumgbe, Enugu-West Senatorial District, represented by Ekweremadu to watch out.
Fortunately, Sani Baba kept his word. Enugu Airport submission was part of the Working Group Recommendations and the highlight of the argument is encapsulated in four power points on Chapter 5 page 1 of the Explanatory Notes.
As we commission the AkanuIbiam International Airport (AIIA) for re-opening, we can beat our chest that the airport is one of the few projects realised under Yar’dua’s Vision 2020.
It is true that since this current Republic, from 1999 to date, the South East has had more than a fair share of political offices in Aviation: These include the two most influential Ministers in two decades, Dr.Kema Chikwe and Stella Adaeze Oduah. Others are Fidelia Njezeand OsitaChidoka.
At the National Assembly, you have His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodima, then Hon. KGB Oguakwa, Hon. NkiruOnyejeocha, all rank Legislators.
Apart from Oduah who has to her credit the Terminal upgrade, I don’t have my hands on what others did.
But today, we must along with Sirika applaud Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Hon. Nnoli Nnaji, House Aviation Committee Chairman and all present Governors of South-East and the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo for their unity of purpose in securing from President Buhari, the N10billion for the repair of the AkanuIbiam International Airport, Enugu.
It is an evidence of what burying personal hatchet for common interest can achieve. It should serve as a prolegomenon for future common interest political action.
Also, Ekweremadu, John Ezenwankwo and Obi Anadu must have a place in history.
Finally, commendation must go to the KATSINA TRIO: Presidents Umaru Yar’dua of blessed memory who approved international status for Enugu Airport, Muhammad Buhari who provided the N10billion for the Runway reconstruction and the Aviation Minister, Senator HadiSirika for ensuring the best runway in the country for the airport.
This commissioning may not have been possible without them. A fitting memorial for the Trio and others who worked on this project would be most appropriate.
The future; the only future of the airport is in Concessioning. The AkanuIbiam International Airport is not part of the four International Airports under Concession.
The South-East must immediately engage the Minister for a programme to concession the Airport as the government is not likely to expend any more money on it.
In doing this, South-East must ensure a transparent and global standard Concessioning that will deliver an airport of 10-15million passenger capacity at the end of the Concession.
They must recuse themselves and avoid the “ana enweobodoenwe” syndrome. Let it be done in the interest of the South-East not of individuals.
Not in my interest, after all, I am not from Igbo but an Aniomaindigene from Delta State. Ndi Igbo shine your eyes and remember, “Echi di ime, unu amaro ifeechigaamu” (tomorrow is pregnant and you know not what it will birth).
•Chris Aligbe
Aviation Consultant
kandimuwa@gmail.com
Culled from Vanguard Newspapers

M.I. OKPARA CANNOT REST IN HIS GRAVE

When Zik, the spirit man, left Onitsha province, Awka District, to Umuahia and appointed Dr. M. I. as the premier and late Dr. Akanu Ibiam as the Governor of Eastern Region of Nigeria, people did not have much qualms about Ibiam. After all, they said, the post of a Governor was a ceremonial one.

In the case of Okpara, some people were skeptical about his eligibility for the position of premier which was an executive position. In the first place, people did not know much about him like Dr. J. O. J. Okezie and others associated with known Zikists and die hard supporters of the great Zik of Africa.

Secondly, people said he was too fat, which they assumed had something to do with dullness, timidity and lack of leadership charisma, believing that the politics of those days called for a very agile, brave and vibrant person who had the gut to play the hot tribal Nigerian politics of the time and look at other politicians from other regions in the eye without blinking or shying away whenever the situation called for it, which qualities they thought Okpara did not possess, judging by his physical appearance.

All this while, M. I. Okpara kept his calm and this calmness seemed to give credence to what people were thinking. Could this man carry the cross left behind by the great Zik?

However, in a short while, the same people began to see the true M. I. Okpara in action as a man of courage, charisma, leadership acumen, patriotism and a leader with full Igbo blood running in his veins.

Once when late Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo came to the East for political campaign, the Aba boys threw stones at him and his entourage. The story was everywhere. The Western press was furious in condemning the action. Even the Federal Government of Alhaji Tafewa Balewa condemned it vehemently.

Before then, an event had been fixed at Ibadan where M. I. Okpara was billed to present a paper and the event was in a month’s time. The then premier of Western region, Sir Akintola, in reaction to the Aba incident, publicly warned Okpara not to set his foot in Ibadan. But M. I. Okpara would not yield to that threat.

At a stage, the NCNC leaders led a delegation to M. I. Okpara to persuade him not to go to Ibadan. But the Premier insisted. The western Press which dominated the media space shouted with sensational headlines like, “The end of Nigeria is in sight!”, “Blood will flow in Ibadan” and such screaming headlines. Even the Prime Minister, late Alhaji Tafewa Balewa at a stage pleaded with Zik to go and talk to his boy.

Zik heeded the Prime Minister’s advice and met Okpara in a one hour closed-door meeting. After the meeting, Zik went back and assured the Prime Minister that M. I. Okpara had agreed to shelve his proposed trip to Ibadan. Everybody was happy and the Yoruba Press showered praises on Okpara for suspending the tour to Ibadan.

To everyone’s shock and surprise, four days later, M. I. Okpara addressed a press conference at the Enugu Lion building where he insisted on going to Ibadan. There was confusion and apprehension. Awolowo was blowing hot. Akintola was blaring hot. A foreign newspaper published a news report headline, “It’s all over for Nigeria".

At that time, the police was under the control of the regions. It was within this period that M. I. Okpara created the mobile police and gave them iron caps. Other regions were to follow his initiative later.

The D-day arrived. M. I. Okpara and his entourage entered Ibadan exactly at the time he had announced. He went straight to the Government House but the premier was not around to receive him. He dropped a message in the visitors’ book.

The funny thing was that immediately on hearing the noise of Okpara’s entourage, the police men guarding the road all ran into the bush.

At the end of the visit and M. I. Okpara returned to Enugu, the same western Press began to eulogize him for his courage and referred to him as M. I. Power. That was how Okpara got that nickname, M.I. Power.

Very forceful and outspoken, Dr. Okpara was uncompromising on vital national issues which in 1963 led to a severe strain in relations between his party and the ruling Northern Peoples' with which the NCNC formed the country's first post-independence government. Okpara as the Nigeria’s youngest Premier, protested against the 1962-63 census, challenging the accuracy of the figures which he insisted was manipulated in favour of the North.

Today, how many of our Igbo governors can boast of this type of courage and audacity to call the bluff of their counterparts in the North and West and even the Federal government when they cross beyond reasonable bounds or when the rights of Igbos are at stake. None, sadly.

During this time, all the local roads in the Eastern region, even pathways, were well maintained by the local council ‘lebra’ (labourers) introduced by the white men. They were paid daily at the rate one penny per day while the head lebra received two pence daily. Their duty was to ensure all season maintenance of all the local roads that linked various communities.

Along the line, Green Mbadiwe and his brother F. O. Mbadiwe got a contract engagement at the Nigerian Railways Corporation for the rail road project from the East to the Kaduna and pH. In the course of the job, they made a public advert for causal labourers.

In those days, the railway corporation was one the highly coveted places to get employment because of the high pay, just like the Central bank. This had a ripple effect on the PWD casual work force which experienced a mass exodus of its casual workers to the railways.

As a counter strategy to stem the exodus, M. I. Okpara administration approved a wage increase for PWD casual workers, from the previous one penny to three pence daily pay for each labourer and nine pence for head labourers. The new wage increase was widely publicized both in the media using the popular slogan that went viral:

“Lebra toro toro a day
Onye isi nayi nayi a day”,

The wage increase achieved its purpose with instant effect as all the casual labourers that left PWD for railways rushed back to enjoy the new wage bonanza. Talk of administrative ingenuity.

Meanwhile, at the Railways, Mr F. O. Mbadiwe, the owner of the popular Dayspring Hotels Enugu and father of a former National Assembly member Hon Edie Mbadiwe was known for his stickler for standard and efficiency and labourers who proved unable to work strictly according to Federal government job standard were relieved of their duties after several corrections failed.

As a core and comic politician, M. I. Okpara saw opportunity in the railways staff layoffs to taunt his political opponents by politically reading the routine out of context in yet another slogan:
“Olu Mbadiwe
Olu akwu ugwo”,

meaning, Mbadiwe’s job, job without pay. Till today, the phrase, “Olu Mbadiwe” has become a popular usage in Igbo land to refer to people working without pay. That was M. I. Okpara for you.

Although M. I. Okpara proved himself to be a no nonsense politician that was ready to do battle with his political opponents at any battlefield of their choice, he was also the best you could find in politics without bitterness policy as could be seen in his political campaigns which were marked by lots of comic and jocose innuendos.

A story is told of how M. I. Okpara went on a campaign to Orlu and Okigwe areas from where many prominent members of the opposition party hailed from, including K. O. Mbadiwe. He decided to adopt this comic approach to charge his opponents of neglecting their people in the area of development.

There was this popular music that was reigning at the time. M. I. Okpara changed the vocals of the music to send his campaign message across.

“Obodo nine emepesigo
Ofodu Okigwe na Orlu
Ndi nachi Okigwe amaghi akwukwo
Obasi doo…”

This went viral and has remained familiar to this day. Talking of charisma. What an ingenious way to effectively pass on a political campaign message without name calling or castigation of political opponents. A good lesson to Igbo politicians of nowadays.

Above all, during his tenure, M. I. Okpara demonstrated full scale patriotism in Igbo affairs as captured in his unrelenting support for the Igbo Union at all levels, from the parent union to regional and town levels.

His administration not only made constant huge financial donation to the apex Igbo Union under the national leadership of late Chief Z. C. Obi, he was also at the neck of his Ministers all the time, encouraging them to attend Igbo Union meetings and urging their financial support for Igbo Union at both national level and in their respective home divisions.

M. I. Okpara’s staunch support for Igbo Union contributed immensely to making the union the most formidable tribal union in Nigeria at the time and the mouth piece of Igbos at home and the Diaspora whose word was final and incontrovertible by any other Igbo group anywhere in the world. Not today were most of the Igbo governors are attacking Ohaneze as if Ohaneze is the cause of their non performance.

For M. I. Okpara, everything about Ndigbo matters. There was this story of a power contest between the legendary Killwe Nwachukwu and Old Mohammed, a northerner at a night event organized in Zaria in which Old Mohammed was declared winner in a verdict Igbos in Zaria challenged as manipulated by the organizers, using tribal influence.

Not satisfied, the Chairman of Igbo Union in Zaria, Leonard Ihesie took the challenge to Okpara about the unfair humiliation of an Igbo brother, Killwe, and their proposal for Killwe to challenge Old Mohammed in a second leg of the contest, this time outside Zaria, in Kaduna to be precise.

Without waiting for them to finish their story, M. I. immediately provided the needed fund for the repeat contest. He also gave them money to mobilize and convey as many Igbos as possible from Zaria and environ to Kaduna to cheer Killwe to victory.

This time, the contest was held in broad day light at the Square in Central Karu ,Kaduna. Killwe not only won the contest without giving one chance to Old Mohammed but also beat two other northern challengers. Talk of patriotism.

Today, we have a different and contrary scenario where it takes a century of writing letters for an ordinary citizen to see any of the Igbo governors and where Igbo governors, with the exception of Enugu and Anambra States, look the other way when it comes to financial support to Ohaneze, including the chairman of South East governors’ forum, who, on the contrary, has consistently shown public disdain and aggressiveness towards Ohaneze and its leadership by his frequent outburst in the media against the Igbo union.

Among M. I. Okpara’s sterling leadership qualities was a combination of economic vision, industry and sense of public welfare as epitomized in his legendary agrarian and industrialization programme, unprecedented and replicated in the annals of Igbo governance.

Notwithstanding the economic attraction posed by the then thriving Coal Corporation with national headquarters in Enugu, M. I. Okpara pursued a home grown economic blueprint via agriculture and industry.

Dr. Okpara did not only talk of agriculture, he put flesh and blood into it with relentless interest and aggressive policies which culminated into a rapid social, economic and industrial transformation.

These efforts still and will remain a monumental tribute to him and many generations to come, as despite callous neglect and abandonment by successive regimes evidence of his achievements still abound.

One last line about M. I. Okpara as Igbo leader. He never owned a house of his own while he was in government. When the Nigerian Civil War ended, he went into exile in Ireland. Before his return from exile in 1979, his close associates and beneficiaries took up a collection to build him a house in his village, Umuegwu.

It is most unfortunate that successive Igbo governors of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, and Enugu States have yet to build upon the selfless leadership and accomplishments of Dr. Okpara. Notwithsanding that his predecessors have abandoned his legaGod bless his soul and give him the peace of the grave..

Written by Mazi Omife I. Omife
Mbuze Mbaukwu

THE RISE AND FALL OF ORIENTAL BROTHERS 

He ushered his august visitor into his living room, looking casual and awry. Perhaps, he was not expecting any visitor at that time of the day, when the sun was in its meridian splendor, and the stars in an ever unclouded firmament. Kabaka Hanging strategically inside the village-setting living room, were some of his memorable photographs and awards he received back in time, confirming to one that he’s in the right place. Nonetheless, his countenance suddenly changed when the visitor told him the purpose of his visit. And after much persuasion, he was ready to go down memory lane, and it was not disappointing. After several years of going underground, our reporter went in search of one of the Igbo highlife legends, Godwin Opara, popularly called, Kabaka, the erstwhile leader of the defunct first highlife group in Nigeria, The Oriental Brothers International Band. In his country home, Imerienwe town, located about eighteen kilometers’ south east of Owerri, the capital of Imo State, Kabaka is less celebrated as a genius. He  lives like every other villager, struggling to make ends meet. In fact, nothing differentiated this man of golden guitar and priceless awards from his kinsmen. “My people here mock me whenever we are joking, but they don’t know that I am not in their class,” he began. “I am now a farmer’, he continued. “If I don’t have any show, I retire to my farm to make ends meet.” For Kabaka, things are not working out as expected in the village. He lamented the emergence of the bongo musicians in the south east, blaming them for the low patronage of standard highlife music in the region. According to the highlife legend, while they are charging about N150,000 to perform at any social gathering such as wedding ceremonies, funeral rites, naming ceremonies and birthday parties among others, the bongo musicians would accept as low as N50,000 to perform at such functions. More so, lack of sponsorship is also affecting the visibility of the veteran highlife musicians in the south east. But unlike their contemporaries in the south west, Kabaka said surviving in an environment, where the government doesn’t appreciate their heroes, is as difficult as living. Miyetti Allah calls for establishment of Fulani vigilantes in S-East(Opens in a new browser tab) The highlife legend said in as much as he’s not ready to switch over to bongo music, there is imperative need for the governors of the south east states  to do well to accord respect and recognition to those musicians that, through their music, helped to restore hope to the Igbos after the devastating civil war that ruined millions of lives in the region. Going down memory lane, Kabaka refuted Ferdinand Dansatch Emeka Opara’s claims that he was the brain behind the setting up of the famous Oriental Brothers International Band in the early 70s. IPOB replies Miyetti Allah(Opens in a new browser tab) Dansatch, who later became the leader of the band after Kabaka’s exit had claimed in one of his interviews that he was the founder of the Oriental Brothers which first performed at Biaduo’s Hotel called Ambima in Enugu between 1971 and 1972. According to him, while the group suffered major setbacks in Enugu, with some of its band members dropping at some point, Kabaka came on board to replace one of their guitarists, Awoma, alongside Sir Warrior. But refuting this claim, Kabaka said the group, which started as an in-house band at Easy Going Hotels in Owerri, owned by Chief James “Ewele” Azubuike, was his brain child. He maintained that he was the one that invited Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna popularly known as (Sir) Warrior, the group’s vocal powerhouse, after he founded the band. Later, they were joined by Ferdinand Dansatch Emeka Opara, Livinus Akwilla Alaribe and Fred Ahumaraez a.k.a Ichita. The group, he further recounted, moved to Kano at some point, in search of sponsorship. They later relocated to Lagos, where they met and struck recording deals with Afrodisa and The Decca Record company, while playing at a few hangouts. “I founded the Oriental Brothers International Band, and brought in Sir Warrior. Then, we were playing at Easy Going Hotels in Owerri, before we moved to Kano and later, Lagos, in search of sponsorship. While in Lagos, we were playing at a few hangouts before we got recording deals with Afrodisia and The Decca Record company. The record companies bought instruments for us. And it was during that period we released our first album,” Kabaka recounted. Kabaka, however, recalled why he walked out of the group in 1977, to set up his own band, Kabaka International Guitar Band, saying it was as a result of unresolved differences among the band members. “We recorded about 15 albums before we fell apart. My walking out of the group really affected its performance. The reason I left the group was because there were unresolved disagreements among us. In order to allow peace to reign, I decided to leave the group to establish my own band, Kabaka International band,” the highlife legend added. However, contrary to reports that the highlife legend walked out of the group not only because of leadership struggle with Dan Satch, but also, their artistic differences too. Kabaka who’s in his 70s insisted that the reason was beyond the leadership tussle. There were claims that the multi-talented instrumentalist was bent on moving the band toward the faster-paced Ikwokilikwo style then being made popular by the Ikenga Super Stars of Africa and Oliver de Coque, which Dan Satch and Warrior resisted, thus prompting his exit from the group. But how far has he been able to record a major breakthrough several years after leaving the group? On this, Kabaka boasted that he released some albums that were commercially successful. His first album under Kabaka International Band, “Mangala Special” was a tribute to Nathaniel Ejiogu, a founding member of the Oriental Brothers who died shortly after the founding of the group (‘Mangala,’ his nickname, literally means a type of dry fish!) was a commercial success. Also, drawing a comparison between their time and today’s highlife musicians, Kabaka regretted that today’s highlife music lacks depth and rich in content. During their time, he said they were passionate about playing standard highlife music, blending Eastern Africa region’s Congolese guitar rhythm with traditional Igbo percussion rhythms, which is a total departure from the kind of highlife music that’s being played by today’s musicians. Kabaka recalls that his guitar then invoked both alien styles, which is why his generation stood out when it comes to playing the highlife music genre. Though, he revealed that they were paid as little as 25 kobo per an album by their recording label, it, however, did not in any way affect the quality of their sounds. Speaking further, Kabaka said while he wants to be remembered for his music and creative ingenuity, he has a desire to set up a music school, in Owerri, where he  hopes to be grooming aspiring highlife musicians. He also wants to relaunch his musical career,but in dire need of sponsors to accomplish his dream. However, calling on the governors of the south east states to learn to celebrate their veteran musicians, Kabaka denied ever insinuating what has become a reference point in Igboland, where he was alleged to have made an insidious statement in his song, saying “ If you see a snake and an Mbaise person, that you should kill the Mbaise person and let go the snake.” Refuting the allegation several years after the statement had locked him in a bitter feud with the Mbaise people, Kabaka said “I have never said anything like that. My God will bear me witness because that really created a big enmity between myself and the Mbaise people. They don’t call me for engagement, I have kept quiet all these years but I think it’s time for me to tell the world that I’m innocent of the allegation. I will release an album to put the record straight,” he disclosed. Kabaka was a founding member and the first leader of the Oriental International Band that mainly comprised of  Ferdinand Dansatch Emeka Opara, Livinus Akwilla Alaribe, Fred “Ichita” Ahumaraeze and Christogonus Ezebuiro “Warrior” Obinna. The group first split in 1977, after Kabaka left to start his own band following a disagreement that ensued among the band members. He was replaced by Aloysius Anyanwu, a former guitarist with Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe’s Nigerian Sound Makers Band and a founding member of the Ikenga Super Stars band after they left Osadebe’s band. Later, Ichita and Livinus Akwila Alaribe equally left the band to form another group called the Great Oriental Band. In 1978, a mistrust and copyright issue ensued between Dansatch/Warrior on one side and Aloysius Anyanwu on the other. This reportedly ended in a libel action. The disagreement too forced Aloysius Anyanwu to walk out of the group as he embarked on  solo career as Aloy Anyanwu and His State Brothers Band,  leaving only Dansatch and Warrior as the only remaining founding members of the group. The duo, however, recruited freelance musicians around Owerri and some migrant musicians from Ghana to relaunch the band. They had hit after hit, yet again dispute ensued between Dansatch and Warrior over the future shape of the band. The dispute bordered on artistic style. Sadly, after their 1980 hit album “Obi Nwanne” both men parted ways. Warrior retained the core of the band’s musicians and named himself “Dr Sir Warrior and His Oriental Brothers International Band. While Dansatch continued as Oriental Brothers International Band led by Ferdinand Emeka Opara. Specifically, while each of the groups had their distinct sounds, they tried as much as possible to retain the name, Oriental Brothers, as their signature. Unfortunately, Sir Warrior died on June 2, 1999, after a protracted illness. While they were together, the group released some evergreen songs that have continued to be relevant till date. Some of their early songs included, “Akwa Uwa (1975)’ ‘Ana M Ele Chi’, ‘Chi Abu Ofu’, “Nwa Ada Di Mma”, “Nwaanyi Di Ya Bu Eze”, “Onye Oma”, “Onye Si Naani Ya Biri”, “Onwetereni Nye Ibe Efe”, “Taxi Driver’ and “Uwa M Ezi Special”, all released in 1975. 

(c) Benjamin Njoku on Vanguard Newspapers of 23rd  June, 2019

Anini the Law

 

Exactly 34 years ago today, the notorious bandit who terrorised Benin City and old Bendel State the 80s , Lawrence Nomanyagbon Anini A.K.A. "Ovbigbo" or "the Law" and some members of his gang were executed by firing squad after being convicted by the defunct Bendel Armed Robbery and Firearms Tribunal presided over by Justice James Omo-Agege

Anini was born in a village about 20 miles from Benin City in present-day Edo State. He migrated to Benin at an early age, learned to drive and became a skilled taxi driver. Anini became known in Benin motor parks as a man who could control the varied competing interests among motor park touts and operators. He later dived into the criminal business in the city and soon became a driver and transporter for gangs, criminal godfathers and thieves. Later on, he decided to create his own gang which included, Monday Osunbor, Friday Ofege, Smallie ,Henry Ekponwan, Eweka and Alhaji Zed Zed or Zegezege who was never captured. They started out as car hijackers, bus robbers and bank thieves. Gradually, he extended his criminal acts to other towns and cities far north and east of Benin.

The complicity of the police is believed to have triggered Anini’s reign of terror in 1986. In early 1986, two members of his gang were tried and prosecuted against an earlier under-the-table ‘agreement’ with the police to destroy evidence against the gang members. The incident, and Anini’s view of police betrayal, is believed to have spurred retaliatory actions by Anini. In August, 1986, a fatal bank robbery linked to Anini was reported in which a police officer (Nathaniel Egharevba)and others were killed. That same month, two officers on duty were shot at a barricade while trying to stop Anini’s car. During a span of three months, he was known to have killed nine police officers.

In an operation in August 1986, the Anini team struck at First Bank, Sabongida-Ora, where they carted away N2,000. But although the amount stolen was seen as chicken feed, many persons were killed. On September 6, same year, the Anini gang snatched a Peugeot 504 car from Albert Otoe, the driver of the famous super cop Assistant Inspector General of Police, Christopher Omeben. In snatching the car, they killed the driver and went to hide his corpse somewhere. It was not until three months later that the skeleton of the driver was spotted 16 kilometers away from Benin City, along the Benin-Agbor highway. A day after this attack, Anini, operating in a Passat car believed to have been stolen, also effected the snatching of another Peugeot 504 car near the former FEDECO office, in Benin.

Two days later, the Anini men killed two policemen in Orhiowon Local Government of the state. Still in that month, three different robbery attacks, all pointing to Anini’s involvement, took place. They include the murder of Frank Unoarumi, a former employee of the Nigerian Observer newspapers; the killing of Mrs. Remi Sobanjo, a chartered accountant, and the stealing of the Mercedes Benz car in Benin, of the Ughelli monarch, the Ovie. Before September 1986 drew to a close, Anini struck at a gas station along Wire Road, Benin, where he stole a substantial part of the day’s sales. He shot the station’s attendant and gleefully started spraying his booty along the road for people to pick. The height of Anini’s exploits, however, took place on October 1, 1986, the Independence Day when the state’s Commissioner of Police, Casmir Akagbosu was ambushed by the gang in Benin riddled his convoy in a hail of bullets. The police boss survived the attacks with serious injuries. Earlier that day also, the Anini men had gunned down a police man within the city

"The Law", as he was nicknamed, during an operation that went bad reportedly had to escape from the police by driving in reverse for a greater part of the distance from Agbor (Delta State) to Benin City (Edo State).
Also, on October 21 of same year, the Anini robbery gang terminated the life of a Benin-based medical doctor, A.O Emojeve when they gunned him down along Textile Mill Road, in Benin. Not done, Anini and gang went and robbed the Agbor branch of African Continental Bank and carted away about N46, 000. A day after the operation, Anini, The Law, turned to a ‘Father Christmas’ as he strew wads of naira notes on the ground for free pick by market men and women at a village near Benin. Anini’s image thus loomed larger than life, dwarfing those of Ishola Oyenusi, the king of robbers in the 1970s and Youpelle Dakuro, the army deserter who masterminded the most vicious daylight robbery,at Boulous Enterprises in Lagos in 1978, in which two policemen were killed. Anini thus spearheaded a four-month reign of terror between August and December 1986. Anini also reportedly wrote numerous letters to media houses using political tones of Robin Hood-like words, to describe his criminal acts.

Worried by the seeming elusiveness of Anini and his gang members, the military President, General Ibrahim Babangida then ordered a massive manhunt for the kingpin and his fellow robbers. The police thus went after them, combing every part of Bendel State where they were reportedly operating and living. The whole nation was gripped with fear of the robbers and their daredevil exploits.

However, Police manhunt failed to stop their activities; the more they were hunted, the more intensified their activities became. Some of the locals in the area even began to tell stories of their invincibility and for a while, it felt like they were never going to be caught. However, at the conclusion of a meeting of the Armed Forces Ruling Council , the Nation's then highest ruling body in October 1986, General Babangida turned to the Inspector- General of Police, Etim Inyang, and asked, ‘My friend, where is Anini?’ Apperently embarrassed, IGP Iyang could to only tell his Commander in Chief that "We are still looking for him sir". IGP Iyang was soon tender his notice of retirement from the force.

At about this time, Nigerian newspapers and journals were also publishing various reports and editorials on the ‘Anini Challenge’, the ‘Anini Saga’, the ‘Anini Factor’, ‘Lawrence Anini – the Man, the Myth’, ‘Anini, and ‘Lawrence Anini: A Robin Hood in Bendel’. The Guardian New papers asked, emphatically, in one of its reports: ‘Will they ever find Anini, “The Law”?’.

An African Proverb says "everyday for the thief ,one day for the owner, Anini's reign of terror was eventually brought to an end with his arreste by a police officer , Superintendent of Police, Kayode Uanreroro on December 3, 1986, at No 26, Oyemwosa Street, opposite Iguodala Primary School, Benin City, in company with six women. Acting on a tip-off from the locals, the policeman went straight to the house where Anini was hiding and apprehended him with very little resistance. Uanreroro led a crack 10-man team to the house, knocked on the door of the room, and Anini himself, clad in underpants, opened the door. “Where is Anini,” the police officer quickly enquired. It was believed that his girl friend had a hand in his arrest. Many are of the opinion that the girlfriend collaborated with the police and took Anini's charms away before the police arrived. Dazed as he was caught off guard and having no escape route, Anini all the same tried to be smart. “Oh, Anini is under the bed in the inner room”. As he said it, he made some moves to walk past Uanreroro and his team. In the process, he shoved and head-butted the police officer but it was an exercise in futility. Uanreroro promptly reached for his gun, stepped hard on Anini’s right toes and shot at his left ankle. Anini surged forward but the policemen took hold of him and put him in a sitting position. They then pumped more bullets into his shot leg and almost severed the ankle from his entire leg. Already, anguished by the excruciating pains, the policemen asked him, “Are you Anini?” And he replied, “My brother, I won’t deceive you; I won’t tell you lie, I’m Anini.”

He was from there taken to the police command headquarters where the state’s Police Commissioner, Parry Osayande, was waiting. While in the police net, Anini who had poor command of English and could only communicate in pidgin, made a whole lot of revelations. He disclosed, for instance that Osunbor, who had been arrested earlier, was his deputy, saying that Osunbor actually shot and wounded the former police boss of the state, Akagbosu

Anini was shot in the leg, transferred to a military hospital, and had one of his legs amputated. That was after Monday Osunbor was also captured. When Anini’s hideout was searched, police recovered assorted charms, including the one he usually wore around his waist during “operations”. It was instructive that after Anini was captured and dispossessed of his charms, the man who terrorised a whole state and who was supposed to be fearless suddenly became so lilly livered and started singing like a sparrow, making confessions. This was against public expectation of a daredevil hoodlum who would remain defiant to the very end.

Shortly after the arrest of Anini and co, the dare-devil robbers began to squeal, revealing the roles played by key police officers and men, in the aiding and abetting of criminals in Bendel State and the entire
country. Due to the amputation of his leg, Anini was confined to a wheelchair throughout his trial.
Anini particularly revealed that Chief Supretendent of Police Iyamu, who was the most senior police officer shielding the robbers, would reveal police secrets to them and then, give them logistic supports such as arms, to carry out robbery operations.

He further revealed that Iyamu, after each operation, would join them in sharing the loot. It was further exposed how Iyamu planned to kill Christopher Omeben, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Intelligence and Investigation. But Iyamu was later to be disappointed as the assailants dispatched to eliminate Omeben were only able to kill his driver, Otue, a sergeant. Iyamu, whom the robbers fondly referred to as ‘Baba’, reportedly had choice buildings in Benin City; being how he invested the loots he obtained from men of the underworld. Iyamu, on his part, denied ever knowing and collaborating with Anini. But Anini stood his ground .Of the 10 police officers Anini implicated, five were convicted. The robbery suspects, including Iyamu, were sentenced to death.


But in passing his judgement, Justice Omo-Agege remarked, “Anini will forever be remembered in the history of crime in this country, but it would be of unblessed memory. Few people if ever, would give the name to their children.” The execution of Anini and the remaining members of his gang took place on the last Saturday of March ,1987. Osunbor and CSP Iyamu had been executed few weeks earlier.

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The Holy Sepulchre or the Garden Tomb 

Visiting Jerusalem as a Christian pilgrim and searching for the site where Jesus was buried and arose can be a conundrum.  Why?  Because tour guides take you to two sites, not one!

First is The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the second is known simply as ‘The Garden Tomb’.  Both are beautiful and moving in their own way yet Christians for centuries have tried to determine which is the authentic Jesus burial and resurrection site.
To solve the mystery, it’s helpful to get grounded in the Gospel story and the facts it relays:

That Golgotha, Hebrew for ‘the place of the skull’ (Luke 23:33) was the site of the crucifixion and near the city (John 19:20). This means it was not IN the city walls.

Three of the gospels agree that Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb was the site of Jesus’ burial and that the tomb was carved from rock. See Matt. 27:57, Luke 23:50-51; and John 19:38.

John’s gospel explains the tomb was new and describes its location in relation to the crucifixion: “The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before” (John 19:41).

All four gospels concur that a large round stone was rolled to block the entrance to the tomb and seal it. See Matt. 27:60, Mark 15:46, Luke 24:2, and John 20:1.

A verse in the book of Hebrews reiterates that Golgotha was outside the city walls:  Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood ( 13:12, NRSV, emphasis added).
During Constantine’s reign (306-337), the Emperor’s mother, Helena, traveled to ancient Palestine to locate sacred sites of Christendom.  After all, her son was the newly proclaimed Holy Roman Emperor.  The 4th century tradition claims that she located the site of Jesus’ tomb with the help of locals whose families had always lived in that area.  The result?  The first building of today’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The problem scholars began to identify in the 19th century, however, was that the Biblical accounts told the story in such a way that both Golgotha and Jesus’ tomb had to be located outside the walls of 1st century Jerusalem. The problem was that The Church of the Holy Sepulchre had been found to be inside city walls archaeologists found in the 19th century.  Was one of the most holy sites of all of Christendom a topographical and historical error?
The May/June 2016 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review has shed new light on the controversy, and very convincing light to many.  Two scholars* report that the wall discovered in 1893, believed to be the ancient city wall of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time, was is in fact too small for a city wall and also not built until the 4th century A.D.  This meant that The Church of the Holy Sepulchre could indeed have been located outside the city walls, since both Roman and Jewish custom conducted crucifixion and burial outside such walls.
In addition, archaeological work in the 1970’s revealed that underneath The Holy Sepulchre Church was a rock quarry that had been in use since before the 1st century BC.   This fit the Biblical description of Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb carved from rock.  Such a quarry would have been located outside the city walls.
Also discovered were traces of gardens dating to the first century A.D., supporting Mark 15:21, Luke23:26 and John 19:41 that indicate the place of Jesus’ crucifixion was surrounded by gardens and fields.
There are other hints, but suffice it to say that all this work has done much to convince rigorous investigators that today’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher appears to be the location of Golgotha and the Master’s tomb.
Why tourists appreciate seeing both The Church of the Holy Sepulchre and The Garden Tomb is their vast difference.  For all the ritual, tradition and ceremony of The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, The Garden Tomb is quiet, modest and seems unchanged in two thousand years.  One can go inside to see the rock-ribbed walls surrounding a single slab of stone where a body would have been laid.  It feels sacred and holy yet as their website explains, ‘where Jesus died is of little importance compared with why”.
As archaeology continues to find reason to believe The Church of the Holy Sepulchre might indeed be the authentic site of Jesus burial and resurrection and therefore the crucifixion and resurrection, organizations like The National Geographic are taking notice.
The National Geographic Society has recently opened an exhibit on the tomb that you can explore for a virtual tour.  Fascinating!
Written by Madelon Maupin 

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HAJIA  BINTA FARUK'S CONVERSION

The Genesis of my conversion started in the University of Nsukka, I had a room mate called Chinwe, this lady loved praises, she will sing like this; *come and join me sing Halleluyah* I was always looking for a way to deal with her, one day while coming from the House fellowship, she kept her Bible on my bed and I asked who kept the Bible on my Bed, she said sorry, Binta, I carried the Bible and I tore the Bible, then I beat her. She took a piece of the Bible and cried to the heavens and called my name three times, Binta Jalingo, Binta Jalingo, Binta Jalingo, this Bible you tore, you will use it to preach the Gospel. Then I slapped her again, I said, it is your mother and your father that will preach the Gospel, she said, may the Lord have mercy on you, Binta. After seven years of the spoken words, I got converted on the 25th of September 1999. I was in the bedroom in Shehu's palace, because I got married to the younger brother of the Shehu of Bornu. I was born into the Muri kingdom, which is mostly Fulani. My mother, Hajia Aminat Jalingo, is of the Kutep tribe. Contrary to the Islamic tradition of multiple wives, my father married and maintained only my mother. I am the fifth of nine children. My father lived in many parts of Nigeria, serving in the Army till 1996. My mother also worked with the Nigerian Medical Corps until her retirement in 1992.

I attended the Army Children School, Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos, completed my secondary education at Government Girls’ College Enugu. I studied Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). After my studies, in 1996, I worked as Programme Producer/Director with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Yola. I got married on April 27, 1997 and God blessed us with a set of twin boys – Hassan and Hussain.

I never believed that I needed salvation for whatever reason, because every Moslem is convinced that Muhammad was the last Prophet in the long line of those that Allah had sent before. The Islamic Hadith (Mishkat) speaks of about 124,000 people who lived at various times in history. Twenty-eight of them are mentioned by name and most are found in the Bible. Since each of them was sent with a word from Allah to warn the respective people not to practice idolatry, to live righteously and to consider the coming Day of Judgement, it is perceived by Moslems that Isa (Jesus), the one to whom is given the greatest prominence in the Qur’an, was like Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and most others sent to the Jews. Therefore, when I heard Christians call Him, Lord, I became mad at them.

As a young girl, in the Secondary School and even as an undergraduate, I would delightfully pack copies of the Holy Bible and take them to Kaduna for destruction, I thought the Bible was demonic. Many are still doing it today, I became the Vice President of the youth wing of the Jamaatu Nasril Islam. Very often, I saw Christians happy in every situation; yet, my success at school, which gave me the job at NTA, and brightened my chances of a good husband, could not bring me such peace and happiness. Several people had talked to me about Christianity, but to me then, Muhammad was the final seal of the prophets. This was my pride as a Fulani girl who saw herself in the greatest religion of all time.

Qu’ran does not teach salvation in Jesus Christ, but it gives Him the greatest prominence. The wonderful statements in the Qu’ran are enough to compel one to search more about Him. The name Jesus (Isa) occurs about 25 times in the Qu’ran, and the title Messiah is used 93 times.

I hated anything that had to do with Christianity. I was always happy seeing a Christian unhappy and enjoyed hearing that Christians were suffering, but on the 25th of September 1999, I was caught in a web. The day before, we attended the Friday prayers and all went well. At about 1:30am suddenly, an unusually bright light appeared in the bedroom with a mighty wind blowing and throwing all the pictures and other valuables to the ground. My husband and I became afraid. He got up from bed, brought out charms, known in Hausa as “Hayaki”. He placed it on the ground, got hot charcoal and placed the charm on it, but the mighty wind threw it all down.

Before we could make out anything, a voice thundered, saying: “You have been baptized by the Holy Spirit. Go and be “Tabitha” unto my people”. I asked my husband if he could understand what the voice was saying, but he said that he did not hear any voice. He later concluded that I belonged to a secret cult, which accounted for my hearing voice that he could not hear. He thought that I wanted to sacrifice him or our set of twins. He got angry, took our twins to the guestroom and abandoned me in the bedroom. I was very worried and couldn’t sleep. In the morning, again, I heard the voice saying: “Tell your husband that you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour”. I said “No, I can’t. What has a Fulani got to do with Jesus Christ”, I thought that demons were after me. The thing happened again on 28th and 29th, and each time, there was an invitation to “come and serve”. So I told my husband that I would go to Church the following Sunday. “Not in this house”, he retorted, He might have received my word with shock, yet joy and peace flooded my heart at that time. I knew what I was passing through and it would be disastrous for me not to do what God would want me to do for Him.

On Saturday, after speaking to him about it, I went ahead and bought for myself the first Bible I ever bought or read in my life, and hid it under my box. The next day, Sunday, I picked up my Bible, got into my car and drove to the nearby Baptist Church.

After the service, I came back and met my husband at home. I greeted him but he asked me where I was coming from; I wanted to lie, but heard a voice saying ‘what were you taught in the church today?’ It was “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” So, I told him that I was coming from the Church. He got up in anger, gave me a beating, snatched the Bible from me and wanted to tear it but I told him of the danger of tearing the Bible, so he stopped. He was shocked because he knew that it was my role in the past. So he dropped the Bible in anger and left till the evening. I brought out food for him as usual, but he kicked the food away and warned his sister that no one should eat the food I cooked in the house again for he had declared me an infidel and as a result, I would have nothing to do with the family, even with my own kids. The next day, he went to fetch my father from Makurdi. As I welcomed my father, he too, started beating me with his military belt and boots, until I was unconscious and was taken to the hospital where I stayed for three days. Wonderfully, on the third day, at about 2 am, the Lord appeared to me. I noticed a touch on my feet and I woke up trying to see who it was that touched me, but the face was shinning like the sun in such a way that I could not see his face. I only looked at Him from His feet to the chest. I was afraid and screamed for help. One of the nurses came, prayed with me and asked me not to be afraid again. As I said amen to her prayers, I began to speak in tongues for about three hours. I was saying things they could not understand. Some of them thought I was mad but a psychiatric doctor who was called in, confirmed that I was normal.

The figure appeared again. This time He said unto me, “Be bold, for this is temporary: you will overcome the temptation”. The fourth day, I was discharged from the hospital. On getting home, my husband gave me a divorce letter, which I collected with joy and told him. ‘I am married to Jesus.’

After that, I packed my things, including my two cars, kept them in someone’s house and travelled to Lagos. My husband took my twins to Saudi Arabia. Not done yet, my father had the man that I had kept my belongings in his house arrested on the grounds that he had abducted me from my husband’s house. On hearing that, I returned to Jalingo and arranged his release. Then, my father collected my cars and other belongings claiming that he bought them for me as wedding presents.

In trying to make me renounce my faith in Christ, the Management of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Yola, had my appointment terminated, under pressure from my husband. My father and some Islamic fanatics took me to one Alhaji’s house in Jalingo and there chained my feet and my hands. After seven days, I was released, with a threat of death, if I went to Church again.

My mother arranged for my uncle, her elder brother to reconcile my father and me. As we went talking, my father got angry, picked up his gun and shot at me. As God would have it, the little movement I made at the sight of a gun overturned the seat where I was sitting and I was pushed to the ground. The gun sounded but the bullets did not enter me but passed through the chair and to the wall. Everybody was alarmed, my mother started weeping that he had killed her only daughter. Later, my mother advised me to go and stay with her elder brother. Being a moslem, he too was unhappy with me and made life difficult. Once, he threatened to kill me with a cutlass so I left his house for Lagos and later, Maiduguri.

I was denied my rights in the family; my father had me thrown into prison on false allegation. He had initially gone to a Sharia court but I protested against that since I am now a Christian. So, he took me to a Magistrate court at Hadeja. The Magistrate ordered that I be remanded in prison for calling my father, my neighbour. I was in detention for six months without trial and bail until some Christians on prison visitation, learnt that I was there for becoming a Christian. The matter was reported to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman who wrote a petition that led to my proper trial. The Magistrate sentenced me to two years imprisonment plus a fine of five thousand Naira. One Christian Women Fellowship in the area paid the fine while I was taken to prison. That was September 5, 2000. Some inmates asked me to appeal but I told them, confidently, that the Lord Jesus would do a great Appeal for me. At midnight, I prayed: ‘Lord, I want you to deliver me from this prison before December. If you don’t, the people will ask me, where is your God?’ I reminded him of how He answered Hezekiah. On October 2, 2000, less than a month after my imprisonment, a letter came from Abuja ordering my release and I was set free. My prison experiences brought me closer to God that I developed more faith in God’s ability to see me through.

After two months, I decided to go and share the Lord Jesus with my grandparents. The moslem youths were looking for me everywhere, to kill me. They hid me until I couldn’t be hidden. I fled to the bush for four days. On the fourth night, I woke up with a snake beside me. That day, I told God that I wanted to go back to Islam. I couldn’t continue like that in the bush but He quickly reprimanded me. He asked “Upon all the sufferings you’ve been through, you still want to go back? If I didn’t shut the mouth of the snake, wouldn’t it bite you while you slept? I repented and told him that I was sorry; I will never go back to Egypt”.

I found out that God actually took me to prison to teach me some things. One was to read the Bible and two, because of a female Christian warder who left and married a Moslem and God shut her womb. In the prison, God told me in a dream that she was going to have a baby. When I told her, she became angry, tortured me, called me names, but I kept praying for her, that the name of the Lord be glorified since I had said the Lord told me. Later, she actually had the baby, and that converted her and her husband. Eight moslems in the prison gave their lives to Christ. They were baptized in the Holy Ghost before I left. Seeing what the Lord used me to do in the prison, I knew that I would do better outside. One day, some moslem youths came and kidnapped me. They laid me on the ground, raised their cutlasses to kill me but their hands remained hanging in the air. That happened to three of them and the others fled. They were later taken to the police who wanted them killed but I told them it was the Lord’s battle not theirs. I told them that I had forgiven them. As I was leaving, they asked for their hands to be restored. I said “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, let your hands come down” and their cutlasses dropped. Today, they are Christians and live with me. On another occasion, another group of moslem youths kidnapped me. They were taking me to Sokoto. On the way, scorpions emerged and started to sting them. They dropped me, begged me and even gave me money to take me back home. Yet on another occasion, they kidnapped me and wanted to inject me with poisonous material but they couldn’t find those materials and had to let me go.

The Bible says we must start from our Jerusalem. Moslems and Fulanis are my Jerusalem. Many of them live in ignorance, not having heard of Jesus till today. And if I am one of the fortunate ones that God brought out, I need to go out and say something to them. That is why I say I would fight the cause with my blood. I am not limiting myself to Nigeria; I intend to go to the Middle East, planting a church in Saudi Arabia where my children are. I tell God that my children in Saudi Arabia are Ambassadors of Christ and they must become Pastors in Saudi Arabia.

So, any time I hear a moslem is converted somewhere and is persecuted, I take them in. I have forty-nine under my roof right now. They call me “mama”. The oldest is eighty-nine years. She became a Christian and her children threw her from upstairs to die, but God preserved her. A Pastor found her and brought her to the centre. Some come with their ears cut off, others are stripped naked etc. I pray for people to join me in this crusade. Thank God. He is raising men among the coverts in the centre and in my family.

My immediate elder brother who is a soldier has become a Christian. My mother became a Christian since 2002. My elder brothers who wanted me dead or back to Islam are now Christians. One of them, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Maiduguri had to relocate to Imo State because of persecution.

I testify that Jesus is Lord. Some people came to attack us. The first time they came, they saw a pool of blood: the house became a pool of blood. The second time they came, the house became plain land. The third time, they saw ocean. The last time, the house became a pillar of fire. Sometime later, something happened that led to their arrest and the Commissioner of Police sent for me. On getting there, the police brought the criminals who said that I didn’t know them but they knew me. They were all Moslems, some of them from Republic of Niger. They then narrated how they had to attack me, but I was delivered by the Lord. That day, the Commissioner of Police lined up his men in the office and asked me to pray for them.

Instead of leaving me alone, my former husband began to persecute me. While leading some assassins to my place to kill me, the vehicle in which they were travelling was involved in an accident. He, alone died in the hospital after confessing that he wanted me dead for I was bringing shame to his name. It pains me because both of us were in the same room the day I heard the voice. After that I prevented him from destroying a copy of the Bible, something I used to enjoy doing. He knew how violent I was, destroying Christendom. He should have learnt a lesson from my conversion and repented. That is how many others die without repentance even though they are exposed to the gospel. The good Lord who is always my Shield and Protector will always save and hide me in His shadow. My life is in God’s hand.”

Binta Faruk Jalingo was a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Yola. She runs Tabitha Evangelistic Ministry, a home for the persecuted (Converted Muslims) in Miango, Jos Plateau State, Nigeria. I don't know how your feeling will be but as for me, the name Jesus is the most powerful, if you believe the same, then share this with others.

The Law man - Lawrence Anini

Lawrence Nomanyag­bon Anini, Nigeria’s most notorious armed robber, was born some­time in 1960. He terrorised the old Bendel State, especially its capital, Benin City in the 1980s. By 1986, his robbery exploits had reached such a terrible level that it became a national issue. He operated along with his lieutenant, Monday Osunbor, and others. However, one striking feature in the Anini reign of terror was police complicity. It was soon dis­covered that the Anini gang had insiders within the Police hierarchy. George Iyamu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was their arrowhead.

Anini, dreadfully called ‘The Law’ or ‘Ovbigbo’, was born in a village about 20 miles from Be­nin City. He migrated to Benin at an early age, learned to drive and became a skilled taxi driver within a few years. He became known in Benin motor parks as a man who could control the varied competing interests among motor park touts and operators. He later took to criminal acts in the city and soon became a driver and transporter for gangs, criminal godfathers and thieves. Soon after, he decided to create his own gang. They started out as car hijackers, bus robbers and bank thieves. Gradually, he extended his criminal acts to other towns and cities far north and east of Benin.

The complicity of the police is believed to have enhanced Anini’s reign of terror in 1986. Early that year, two members of his gang were prosecuted over an earlier under-the-table ‘agreement’ with the Police to destroy evidence against the gang members. The incident, and Anini’s view of Police betrayal, is believed to have spurred retaliatory actions by Anini. In August, 1986, a bank robbery linked to Anini was reported in which a police officer and others were killed. That same month, two officers on duty were shot at a barricade while trying to stop Anini’s car. During a span of three months, he was known to have killed nine police officers.

In an operation in August of 1986, the Anini team struck at First Bank, Sabongida-Ora, where they carted away N2, 000. But although the amount sto­len was seen as chicken feed, they left the scene with a trail of blood. Many persons were killed.
On September 6, same year, the Anini gang snatched a Peugeot 504 car from Albert Otoe, the driver of an Assistant Inspector General of Police, Christopher Omeben. In snatching the car, they killed the driver and went to hide his corpse somewhere. It was not until three months later that the skeleton of the driver was spotted 16 kilometers away from Benin, along the Benin-Ag­bor highway. A day after this attack, Anini, operating in a Passat car believed to have been stolen, also effected the snatching of another Peugeot 504 car near the former FEDECO office, in Benin.

Two days after, Anini’s men killed two policemen in Orhio­won Local Government of the state. Still in that month, three different robbery attacks, all pointing to Anini’s involvement, took place. They include the murder of Frank Unoarumi, a former employee of the Nigerian Observer newspapers; the killing of Mrs. Remi Sobanjo, a chartered accountant, and the stealing of the Mercedes Benz car in Benin, of the Ughelli monarch, the Ovie.

Before September 1986 drew to a close, Anini, now an elusive dread, struck at a gas station along Wire Road, Benin, where he stole a substantial part of the day’s sales. He shot the Station’s attendant and gleefully started spraying his booty along the road for people to pick.

The height of Anini’s exploits, however, took place on October 1, 1986, the Independence Day when the state’s Commissioner of Police, Casmir Igbokwe was ambushed by the gang in Benin, followed by a hail of bullets. The police boss survived the attack with serious injuries. Earlier that day also, the Anini men had gunned down a police man within the city
Also, on October 21 of same year, the Anini gang terminated the life of a Benin-based medical doctor, A.O Emojeve. They gunned him down along Textile Mill Road, in Benin. Not done, Anini and his gang went and robbed the Agbor branch of the African Continental Bank and carted away about N46, 000. A day after the operation, Anini, The Law, turned to a ‘Father Christmas’ as he threw wads of naira on the ground for market men and women to pick at a vil­lage near Benin.

Anini’s image thus loomed larger than life, dwarfing those of Ishola Oyenusi, the king of robbers in the 1970s and Youpelle Dakuro, the army deserter who masterminded the most vicious daylight robbery in Lagos in 1978, in which two policemen were killed. Anini spear-headed a four-month reign of terror between August and December 1986. He also reportedly wrote numerous letters to media houses using political tones of Robin Hood to describe his criminal acts.

Worried by the seeming elusiveness of Anini and his gang members, the military President, General Ibrahim Baban­gida then ordered a massive manhunt for the kingpin and his fellow robbers. The police thus went after them; combed every part of Bendel State where they were reportedly operating and living. The whole nation was gripped with fear of the robbers and their daredevil exploits.

However, Police manhunt failed to stop their activities; the more they were hunted, the more intensified their activities became. Some of the locals in the area even began to tell stories of their invincibility and for a while, it felt like they were never going to be caught.

However, at the conclusion of a meeting of the Armed Forces Ruling Council in October 1986, General Babangida turned to the Inspector- General of Police, Etim Inyang, and asked, ‘My friend, where is Anini?’. At about this time, Nigerian newspapers and journals were also publishing various reports and editorials on the ‘Anini Challenge’, the ‘Anini Saga’, the ‘Anini Factor’, ‘Lawrence Anini – the Man, the Myth’, ‘Anini, Jack the Ripper’, and ‘Lawrence Anini: A Robin Hood in Bendel’. The Guardian asked, emphatically, in one of its reports: ‘Will they ever find Ani­ni, “The Law”?’

His arrest

Finally, it took the courage of Superintendent of Police, Kayode Uanreroro to bring the Anini reign of terror to an end. On December 3, 1986, Uanreroro caught Anini at No 26, Oyem­wosa Street, opposite Iguodala Primary School, Benin City, in company with six women. Acting on a tip-off from the locals, the policeman went straight to the house where Anini was hiding and apprehended him with very little resistance. Uanreroro led a crack 10-man team to the house, knocked on the door of the room, and Anini himself, clad in underpants, opened the door. “Where is Anini,” the police officer quickly enquired. Dazed as he was caught off guard and having no escape route, Anini all the same tried to be smart. “Oh, Anini is under the bed in the inner room”. As he said it, he made some moves to walk past Uanreroro and his team. In the process, he shoved and head-butted the police officer but it was an exercise in futility.

Uanreroro promptly reached for his gun, stepped hard on An­ini’s right toes and shot at his left ankle. Anini surged forward but the policemen took hold of him and put him in a sitting position. They then pumped more bullets into his shot leg and almost sev­ered the ankle from his entire leg. Already, anguished by the ex­cruciating pains, the policemen asked him, “Are you Anini?” And he replied, “My brother, I won’t deceive you; I won’t tell you lie, I’m Anini.” He was from there taken to the police command headquarters where the state’s Police Commissioner, Parry Osayande, was waiting. While in the police net, Anini who had poor command of English and could only communicate in pid­gin, made a whole lot of revela­tions. He disclosed, for instance that Osunbor, who had been ar­rested earlier, was his deputy, saying that Osunbor actually shot and wounded the former po­lice boss of the state, Akagbosu

Anini was shot in the leg, transferred to a military hospi­tal, and had one of his legs am­putated. When Anini’s hideout was searched, police recovered assorted charms, including the one he usually wore around his waist during “operations”. It was instructive that after Anini was captured and dispossessed of his charms, the man who terror­ized a whole state and who was supposed to be fearless suddenly became remorseful, making con­fessions. This was against public expectation of a daredevil hood­lum who would remain defiant to the very end.

Shortly after the arrest of Anini and co, the dare-devil rob­bers began to revealthe roles played by key police officers and men, in the aiding and abetting of criminals in Bendel State and the entire country. Anini particu­larly revealed that Iyamu, who was the most senior police offi­cer shielding the robbers, would reveal police secrets to them and then, give them logistical sup­ports such as arms, to carry out robbery operations. He further revealed that Iyamu, after each operation, would join them in sharing the loot. It was further exposed how Iyamu planned to kill Christopher Omeben, an As­sistant Inspector-General of Po­lice in charge of Intelligence and Investigation. But Iyamu was later to be disappointed as the assailants dispatched to elimi­nate Omeben were only able to kill his driver, Otue, a sergeant. Iyamu, whom the robbers fondly referred to as ‘Baba’, reportedly had choice buildings in Benin City; proof of how he invested the loot he obtained from men of the underworld.
Due to the amputation of his leg, Anini was confined to a wheelchair throughout his trial. Iyamu, on his part, denied ever knowing and collaborating with Anini, but Anini The Law furi­ously retorted, “You are a shame­less liar!” Anini had accused him before Justice James Omo-Agege in the High Court of Justice in Benin City. Of the 10 police offi­cers Anini implicated, five were convicted. The robbery suspects, including Iyamu, were sentenced to death. But in passing his judgement, Justice Omo-Agege remarked, “Anini will forever be remembered in the history of crime in this country, but it would be of unblessed memory. Few people if ever, would give the name to their children.” Their execution took place on March 29, 1987. #Youneedtoknow

A Prophet has spoken

Transcript of message for the nation by Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith World Outreach aka Winners Chapel.

Prophets have a duty to warn people, nation against impending danger.

I am sent as a prophet to the nation and God grants me access to divine confidentialities of nations.

I have this wake up call for a nation in a state of slumber.

Insurgency is spreading across the country under the guise of Fulani herdsmen. Danger is looming.

For example, how many of these killers have been brought to book since their campaign of carnage, death and destruction began, one may ask?

A nationwide crisis is in the offing than may be worse than anyone around knows.

Tell me the morality behind some strangers who are doing their business as cattle rearers overrunning  your farm with your labour and graze  their cattle on your crop and when you challenge them, they kill you.

Where are the leaders of thoughts in Nigeria? Where is the government and that continues unabated. We are sitting on a keg of gun powder. There is volatile reaction coming and God revealed this to me as far back as 1992, clearly written in my diary.

Nigeria shall not be destroyed. God shall trouble all that trouble the peace and progress of this nation.

The destiny of our nation has never been under the threat of survival as it is today. People may soon be forced to take the law into their hands. The security apparatus of the country has obviously failed to defend the property and lives of these poor farmers.

While we are claiming to be curtailing Boko Haram, we are on the other hand aiding and abetting herdsmen and their murderous acts.

Nigeria is a nation at war with ourselves.  No external aggression from aggressors, no ethnic crisis, no natural disaster, yet we are doing mass burial. What a nation in a state of slumber.

Hear the voice of God through this prophet, the soul of Nigeria is near the point of death.

Citizens of these nation are fast becoming endangered species, God have mercy.

Let me ask these pertinent questions that borders on the conscience of a nation and its leaders.

Is cattle business government business?

Should farmers be killed for Fulani herdsmen to live?

Should all the farmers leave their farms today for fear of Fulani herdsmen?

As the last time I knew, Nigeria still produces less than 20 percent of what it consumes and ask me what it the contribution of herdsmen to the GDP of this country. What is come to this country?

There is more to this low response of government to addressing this issue which is definitely a time bomb

Does Nigerian land belong to Fulani herdsmen?

There has never been this kind of assault on the intelligence of the people like we are having now.

Should you allocate my father’s land to Fulani herdsmen? No.

Are they now the customary land owners of every state, town, cities, villages and hamlets in Nigeria?

There is danger in the offing; every community may soon set up their own security system to defend themselves against the insurgency of the Fulani herdsmen.

Can the citizens still trust the security agencies of this nation to protect them? You will be vulnerable for life.

When citizens cannot trust the security a state of anarchy is in view. Insurrection may also be on the way. These largely unchecked activities of the Fulani herdsmen may eventually choke the soul of Nigeria to death, God forbid.

Is Nigeria project still working?

Without justice there cannot be peace. You don’t step on my toes and say let’s have peace. We can’t have peace but exchange of blows.

Caution, let politicians be warned, don’t sell off the destinies of men for your ambitions.

True leaders mind the coming generations. Nigeria is rescued.  Let no religious bigot say to me what is your concern?. By the grace of God, one out every 150 Nigerian is under my apostolic coverage. You are not a leader by elective office; you are a leader by the number of people you have responsibility for.

I am answerable to God on what happens to them. You can’t kill their fathers and mothers in the name of being in power. It is enough. When prophets speak God confirms it. These wicked forces will be visited by vengeance.

Is our sense of value for human lives still alive? I don’t know.  What I know is that it is not alive.

Today human lives are now being slain for cattles without any drastic interventions from relevant security agents.

Should men and women continue to lay their lives down for cattles ?

There is no nation on the earth where the defense of cattle is more than the defense of human lives.

How are these killers making away with their murderous acts? They must have the backings of some powers that be. Any right thinking Nigerian will speculate same.

Is Boko haram not spreading strategically across the nation?

How many cows will a Fulani man sell to buy a AK47? which now cost about N3m a piece.

A cow, the fattest is N180-200,000. To buy five riffles, equals N15m.

You don’t hire security guard in a room and parlour. Some fellows supply these guns and you cannot tell how much stockpiles of arms they have.

Nigeria is becoming an endangered nation where any group of persons may attempt to overrun the nation. Caution, Caution, Caution Caution  to everyone responsible for the affairs of this nation.

God has sent me to warn this nation, a flood of evil is at the door.

FFAREWELL TO 2017

I sincerely thank you all for your patience and support. 2018 will surely be better. Thanks once more.

Director commits suicide in Kogi State

Story foĺlows shortly

President Buhari's address to the Nation

My dear citizens,


I am very grateful to God and to all Nigerians for their prayers. I am pleased to be back on home soil among my brothers and sisters.

2.     In the course of my stay in the United Kingdom, I have been kept in daily touch with events at home. Nigerians are robust and lively in discussing their affairs, but I was distressed to notice that some of the comments, especially in the social media have crossed our national red lines by daring to question our collective existence as a nation. This is a step too far.

 3.     In 2003 after I joined partisan politics, the late Chief Emeka Ojukwu came and stayed as my guest in my hometown Daura. Over two days we discussed in great depth till late into the night and analyzed the problems of Nigeria. We both came to the conclusion that the country must remain one and united.

4.     Nigeria's unity is settled and not negotiable. We shall not allow irresponsible elements to start trouble and when things get bad they run away and saddle others with the responsibility of bringing back order, if necessary with their blood.

5.     Every Nigerian has the right to live and pursue his business anywhere in Nigeria without let or hindrance.

  6.    I believe the very vast majority of Nigerians share this view.

  7.     This is not to deny that there are legitimate concerns. Every group has a grievance. But the beauty and attraction of a federation is that it allows different groups to air their grievances and work out a mode of co-existence.

8.     The National Assembly and the National Council of State are the legitimate and appropriate bodies for national discourse.

9.     The national consensus is that, it is better to live together than to live apart.


10.   Furthermore, I am charging the Security Agencies not to let the successes achieved in the last 18 months be a sign to relax.

11.     Terrorists and criminals must be fought and destroyed relentlessly so that the majority of us can live in peace and safety.

 12.     Therefore we are going to reinforce and reinvigorate the fight not only against;

·       elements of Boko Haram which are attempting a new series of attacks on soft targets

·       kidnappings, farmers versus herdsmen clashes,

·       in addition to ethnic violence fueled by political mischief makers. We shall tackle them all.

13.   Finally, dear Nigerians, our collective interest now is to eschew petty differences and come together to face common challenges of;

·       economic security,

·       political evolution and integration

·       as well as lasting peace among all Nigerians.

14.     I remain resolutely committed to ensuring that these goals are achieved and maintained. I am so glad to be home.

15.    Thank you and may God bless our dear Nation

My sugar mummy has 10 sex sessions with me daily, stocks my sperm for sale – Teenager reveals

A 19-year-old Zimbabwean boy, Trymore Chibwe, has exposed a 40-year-old married woman, Memory Tete, who allegedly forces him to 10 sex sessions daily.

Chibwe said he noticed that his ‘sex mate’ was sexually involved with five other men after she left him for another man.

Zim News is reporting that their affair was exposed after the teenager spoke out and the duo was summoned before the Masango village court headed by the village headman, Caleb Masango.

Speaking before the village headman on Wednesday, Chibwe said, “It started well in my life as memory took me to her home when I was in grade six. I was going to school at the same time herding cattle.

“We started having sexual intercourse in 2012 and would do 10 rounds per day. She would stock the sperms and then go to South Africa to sell them.

“My father caught us red handed having sex in 2014. He was passing by and he heard the explicit sounds and forced his way into the house where he caught us pants down.

“He lodged a complaint with the police but they never took it seriously because she is so influential in the society.

“After I finished my grade seven, I got $30 from the woman for the services I rendered, so I left to my uncle’s place to stay but the woman still followed me, pleading for me to come back since I had witnessed her dumping a foetus at her homestead.

“But problem started when the woman dated Mafana Gideon who threatened and chased me away.

“I kept on demanding my money but Gideon continued to threaten me and now I am failing to sexually satisfy my wife whom I married,” the teenager added.

Narrating her own side of the story, Tete confirmed cheating with several men including the teenager.

She also confirmed dumping a foetus secretly at her homestead in the presence of Chibwe and one Madzimai Netsai.

She said she was sex starved since her husband Chamunorwa Hofisi was based in South Africa.

Tete said, “On allegations that I have been harvesting sperms, Chibwe is only after finding ways to tarnish my image after he learnt that I was dating another man.

“He is still pestering me for sex and I am denying he visit me anytime even during the day until one day that he clashed with one of my lovers,” the 40-year-old added.

Speaking further, she denied involvement in sperm harvesting.

She said, “My visit to South Africa was not to sell sperms as alleged by Chibwe.

“I was visiting my husband, who later learned about my affair with Chibwe from the villagers but he forgave me since he understands the fact that I was sex starved.

The village headman, who presided over the hearing of Tete’s illicit affair with the teenager said, “Following revelations of abortion during the trial, the case will be referred to the police.

“We are still carrying out investigations and findings will be made public soon.”

Culled from the Daily Post

2017 budget presentation: Full text of President Buhari’s speech

 President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presented the 2017 Appropriation Bill before a joint session of the National Assembly.

Buhari, during the presentation said his administration will pay more attention to infrastructures with roads and rail projects taking centre in the incoming year.

See full text below:

Protocols

1. It is my pleasure to present the 2017 Budget Proposals to this distinguished Joint Assembly: the Budget of Recovery and Growth.

2. We propose that the implementation of the Budget will be based on our Economic Recovery and Growth Strategy. The Plan, which builds on our 2016 Budget, provides a clear road map of policy actions and steps designed to bring the economy out of recession and to a path of steady growth and prosperity.

3. We continue to face the most challenging economic situation in the history of our Nation. Nearly every home and nearly every business in Nigeria is affected one way or the other.

4. Yet I remain convinced that this is also a time of great opportunity.We have reached a stage when the creativity, talents and resilience of the Nigerian people is being rewarded. Those courageous and patriotic men and women who believed in Nigeria are now seeing the benefits gradually come to fruition. I am talking about the farmers who today are experiencing bumper harvests, the manufacturers who substituted imported goods for local materials and the car assembly companies who today are expanding to meet higher demand.

5. Distinguished members of National Assembly, for the record:For many years we depended on oil for foreign exchange revenues. In the days of high oil prices,we did not save.We squandered.

6. We wasted our large foreign exchange reserves to import nearly everything we consume. Our food, Our clothing, Our manufacturing inputs, Our fuel and much more.In the past 18 months when we experienced low oil prices, we saw our foreign exchange earnings cut by about 60%, our reserves eroded and our consumption declined as we could not import to meet our needs.

7. By importing nearly everything, we provide jobs for young men and women in the countries that produce what we import, while our own young people wander around jobless. By preferring imported goods, we ensure steady jobs for the nationals of other countries, while our own farmers, manufacturers, engineers, and marketers, remain jobless.

8. I will stand my ground and maintain my position that under my watch, that old Nigeria is slowly but surely disappearing and a new era is rising in which we grow what we eat and consume what we make.
We will CHANGE our habits and we will CHANGE Nigeria.

9. By this simple principle, we will increasingly grow and process our own food, we will manufacture what we can and refine our own petroleum products. We will buy ‘Made in Nigeria’ goods. We will encourage garment manufacturing and Nigerian designers, tailors and fashion retailers. We will patronize local entrepreneurs. We will promote the manufacturing powerhouses in Aba, Calabar, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Nnewi, Onitsha, and Ota. From light manufacturing to cement production and petrochemicals, our objective is to make Nigeria a new manufacturing hub.

10. Today, the demand of the urban consumer has presented an opportunity for the rural producer. Across the country, our farmers, traders and transporters are seeing a shift in their fortunes. Nigerians who preferred imported products are now consuming made in Nigeria products. From Argungu in Kebbi to Abakalaki in Ebonyi, rice farmers and millers are seeing their products move. We must replicate such success in other staples like wheat, sugar, soya, tomato and dairy products. Already, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Organised Private Sector and a handful of Nigerian commercial banks, have embarked on an ambitious private sector-led N600 billion program to push us towards self-sufficiency in three years for these products. I hereby make a special appeal to all State Governors to make available land to potential farmers for the purpose of this program.

11. To achieve self-sufficiency in food and other products, a lot of work needs to be done across the various value chains. For agriculture, inputs must be available and affordable. In the past, basic inputs, like the NPK fertilizer,were imported although key ingredients like urea and limestone are readily available locally. Our local blending plants have been abandoned. Jobs lost and families destroyed. I am pleased to announce today that on 2nd December 2016, Morocco and Nigeria signed an ambitious collaboration agreement to revive the abandoned Nigerian fertilizer blending plants. The agreement focuses on optimizing local materials while only importing items that are not available locally. This program has already commenced and we expect that in the first quarter of 2017, it will create thousands of jobs and save Nigeria US$200 million of foreign exchange and over N60 billion in subsidy.

12. We must take advantage of current opportunities to export processed agricultural products and manufactured goods. Let it not be lost on anyone that the true drivers of our economic future will be the farmers, small and medium sized manufacturers, agro-allied businesses, dressmakers, entertainers and technology start-ups. They are the engine of our imminent economic recovery. And their needs underpin the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

13. Let me, Mr. Senate President, Right Hon. Speaker, here acknowledge the concerns expressed by the National Assembly and, in particular, acknowledge your very helpful Resolutions on the State of the Economy, which were sent to me for my consideration. The Resolutions contained many useful suggestions, many of which are in line with my thinking and have already been reflected in our Plan. Let me emphasise that close cooperation between the Executive and the Legislature is vital to the success of our recovery and growth plans.

14. Permit me to briefly outline a few important features of the Plan. The underlying philosophy of our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is optimizing the use of local content and empowering local businesses. The role of Government must be to facilitate, enable and support the economic activities of the Nigerian businesses as I earlier mentioned. Fiscal, monetary and trade policies will be fully aligned and underpinned by the use of policy instruments to promote import substitution. Government will however at all times ensure the protection of public interest.

15. First we clearly understand the paradox that to diversify from oil we need oil revenues. You may recall that oil itself was exploited by investment from agricultural surpluses. We will now use oil revenues to revive our agriculture and industries. Though we cannot control the price of crude oil, we are determined to get our production back to at least 2.2 million barrels per day. Consistent with the views which have also been expressed by the National Assembly, we will continue our engagement with the communities in the Niger Delta to ensure that there is minimum disruption to oil production. The National Assembly, State and Local Governments, Traditional Rulers, Civil Society Organisations and Oil Companies must also do their part in this engagement. We must all come together to ensure peace reigns in the Niger Delta.

16. In addition, we will continue our ongoing reforms to enhance the efficiency of the management of our oil and gas resources. To this effect, from January 2017, the Federal Government will no longer make provision for Joint Venture cash-calls. Going forward, all Joint Venture operations shall be subjected to a new funding mechanism, which will allow for Cost Recovery. This new funding arrangement is expected to boost exploration and production activities, with resultant net positive impact on government revenues which can be allocated to infrastructure, agriculture, solid minerals and manufacturing sectors.

17. I earlier mentioned our ambitions for policy harmonisation. But we all know that one of the peculiar problems of our environment is execution. This phenomenon affects both government carrying out its own functions and the innumerable bureaucratic hurdles in doing business. To this end, I will be issuing some Executive Orders to ensure the facilitation and speeding up of government procurements and approvals. Facilitation of business and commerce must be the major objective of government agencies. Government must not be the bottle neck. Additionally, these Executive Orders will widen the scope of compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act by Federal Government owned entities and promote support for local content in Ministries, Department and Agencies.

18. The Executive will soon place before the National Assembly proposals for legislation to reduce statutorily mandated minimum times for administrative processes in order to speed up business transactions. In addition, I have established the Presidential Enabling Business Council, chaired by the Vice President with a mandate to make doing business in Nigeria easier and more attractive. Getting approvals for business and procurements will be simplified and made faster.

19. In 2017, we will focus on the rapid development of infrastructure, especially rail, roads and power. Efforts to fast-track the modernization of our railway system is a priority in the 2017 Budget. In 2016, we made a lot of progress getting the necessary studies updated and financing arrangements completed. We also addressed some of the legacy contractor liabilities inherited to enable us to move forward on a clean slate. Many of these tasks are not visible but are very necessary for sustainability of projects. Nigerians will soon begin to see the tangible benefits in 2017.

20. We also have an ambitious programme for growing our digital platforms in order to modernise the Nigerian economy, support innovation and improve productivity and competitiveness. We will do this through increased spending on critical information technology infrastructure and also by promoting policies that facilitate investments in this vital sector.

21. During 2016, we conducted a critical assessment of the power sector value chain, which is experiencing major funding issues. Although Government, through the CBN and other Development Finance Institutions has intervened, it is clear that more capital is needed. We must also resolve the problems of liquidity in the sector. On its part, Government has made provisions in its 2017 Budget to clear its outstanding electricity bills. This we hope, will provide the much needed liquidity injection to support the investors.

22. In the delivery of critical infrastructure, we have developed specific models to partner with private capital, which recognize the constraints of limited public finances and incorporate learnings from the past. These tailor-made public private partnerships are being customized, in collaboration with some global players, to suit various sectors, and we trust that, the benefits of this new approach will come to fruition in 2017.

23. Fellow Nigerians, although a lot of problems experienced by this Administration were not created by us, we are determined to deal with them. One of such issues that the Federal Government is committed to dealing with frontally, is the issue of its indebtedness to contractors and other third parties. We are at an advanced stage of collating and verifying these obligations, some of which go back ten years, which we estimate at about N2 trillion. We will continue to negotiate a realistic and viable payment plan to ensure legitimate claims are settled.
2016 Budget Performance

24. In 2016, the budget was prepared on the principles of zero based budgeting to ensure our resources were prudently managed and utilized solely for the public good. This method was a clear departure from the previous incremental budgeting method. We have adopted the same principles in the 2017 Budget.

25. Distinguished members of the National Assembly may recall that the 2016 Budget was predicated on a benchmark oil price of US$38 per barrel, oil production of 2.2 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N197 to the US dollar.

26. On the basis of these assumptions, aggregate revenue was projected at N3.86 trillion while the expenditure outlay was estimated at N6.06 trillion. The deficit of N2.2 trillion, which was about 2.14% of GDP was expected to be mainly financed through borrowing.

27. The implementation of the 2016 Budget was hampered by the combination of relatively low oil prices in the first quarter of 2016, and disruptions in crude oil production which led to significant shortfalls in projected revenue. This contributed to the economic slow-down that negatively affected revenue collections by the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigerian Customs Service.

28. As at 30 September 2016, aggregate revenue inflow was N2.17 trillion or 25% less than prorated projections. Similarly, N3.58 trillion had been spent by the same date on both recurrent and capital expenditure. This is equivalent to 79% of the pro rated full year expenditure estimate of N4.54 trillion as at the end of September 2016.

29. In spite of these challenges, we met both our debt service obligations and personnel costs. Similarly, overhead costs have been largely covered.

30. Although capital expenditure suffered as a result of project formulation delays and revenue shortfalls, in the five months since the 2016 Budget was passed, the amount of N753.6 billion has been released for capital expenditure as at the end of October 2016. It is important to note that this is one of the highest capital releases recorded in the nation’s recent history. In fact, it exceeds the aggregate capital expenditure budget for 2015.

31. Consequently, work has resumed on a number of stalled infrastructure projects such as the construction of new terminals at the country’s four major airports; numerous major road projects; key power transmission projects; and the completion of the Kaduna – Abuja railway to mention a few.

32. We remain resolute in our commitment to the security of life and property nationwide. The courageous efforts and sacrifices of our heroes in the armed forces and para military units are clear for all to see. The gradual return to normality in the North East is a good example of the results. Our resolve to support them is unwavering. Our spending in the 2016 fiscal year focused on ensuring these gallant men and women are properly equipped and supported. We will continue to prioritise defence spending till all our enemies, within and outside, are subdued.

33. Stabilisation of sub-national government finances remains a key objective in our plans to stimulate the economy. In June 2016,a conditional Budget Support Programme was introduced, which offered State Governments N566 billion to address their funding shortfalls. To participate, State Governments were required to subscribe to certain fiscal reforms centered around transparency, accountability and efficiency. For example, States as part of this program were required to publish audited accounts and introduce biometric payroll systems with the goal of eliminating ghost workers.

34. Our efforts on cost containment have continued throughout the year. We have restricted travel costs,reduced board members’ sitting allowances, converted forfeited properties to Government offices to save on rent and eliminated thousands of Ghost workers. These, and many other cost reduction measures will lead to savings of close to N180 billion per annum to be applied to critical areas including health, security and education.
2017 Budget Priorities

35. Let me now turn to 2017 Budget.Government’s priorities in 2017 will be a continuation of our 2016 plans but adjusted to reflect new additions made in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. In order to restore growth, a key objective of the Federal Government will be to bring about stability and greater coherence between monetary, fiscal and trade policies while guaranteeing security for all.

36. The effort to diversify the economy and create jobs will continue with emphasis on agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals and services. Mid- and Down-stream oil and gas sectors,are also key priority areas. We will prioritise investments in human capital development especially in education and health, as well as wider social inclusion through job creation, public works and social investments.

37. Our plans also recognise that success in building a dynamic, competitive economy depends on construction of high quality national infrastructure and an improved business environment leveraging locally available resources. To achieve this, we will continue our goal of improving governance by enhancing public service deliveryas well as securing life and property.
The 2017 Budget: Assumptions, Revenue Projections and Fiscal Deficit

38. Distinguished members of the National Assembly, the 2017 Budget is based on a benchmark crude oil price of US$42.5 per barrel; an oil production estimate of 2.2 million barrels per day; and an average exchange rate of N305 to the US dollar.

39. Based on these assumptions, aggregate revenue available to fund the federal budget is N4.94 trillion. This is 28% higher than 2016 full year projections. Oil is projected to contribute N1.985 trillion of this amount.

40. Non-oil revenues, largely comprising Companies Income Tax, Value Added Tax, Customs and Excise duties, and Federation Account levies are estimated to contribute N1.373 trillion. We have set a more realistic projection of N807.57 billion for Independent Revenues, while we have projected receipts of N565.1 billion from various Recoveries. Other revenue sources, including mining, amount to N210.9billion.

41. With regard to expenditure, we have proposed a budget size of N7.298trillion which is a nominal 20.4% increase over 2016 estimates. 30.7% of this expenditure will be capital in line with our determination to reflate and pull the economy out of recession as quickly as possible.

42. This fiscal plan will result in a deficit of N2.36 trillion for 2017 which is about 2.18% of GDP. The deficit will be financed mainly by borrowing which is projected to be about N2.32 trillion. Our intention is to source N1.067 trillion or about 46% of this borrowing from external sources while, N1.254 trillion will be borrowed from the domestic market.
Expenditure Estimates

43. The proposed aggregate expenditure of N7.298 trillion will comprise:
i. Statutory transfers of N419.02 billion;
ii. Debt service of N1.66 trillion;
iii. Sinking fund of N177.46 billion to retire certain maturing bonds;
iv. Non-debt recurrent expenditure of N2.98trillion; and
v. Capital expenditure of N2.24 trillion (including capital in Statutory Transfers).
Statutory Transfers

44. We have increased the budgetary allocation to the Judiciary from N70 billion to N100 billion. This increase in funding is further meant to enhance the independence of the judiciary and enable them to perform their functions effectively.
Recurrent Expenditure

45. A significant portion of recurrent expenditure has been provisioned for the payment of salaries and overheads in institutions that provide critical public services. The budgeted amounts for these items are:
· N482.37 billion for the Ministry of Interior;
· N398.01 billion for Ministry of Education;
· N325.87 billion for Ministry of Defence; and
· N252.87 billion for Ministry of Health.

46. We have maintained personnel costs at about N1.8 trillion.It is important that we complete the work that we have started of ensuring the elimination of all ghost workers from the payroll. Accordingly, adequate provision has been made in the 2017 Budget to ensure all personnel that are not enrolled on the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System platform are captured.

47. We have tasked the Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance to cut certain overhead costs by 20%. We must eliminate all non-essential costs so as to free resources to fund our capital expenditure.
Capital Expenditure

48. The size of the 2017 capital budget of N2.24 trillion (inclusive of capital in Statutory Transfers), or 30.7% of the total budget, reflects our determination to spur economic growth. These capital provisions are targeted at priority sectors and projects.

49. Specifically, we have maintained substantially higher allocations for infrastructural projects which will have a multiplier effect on productivity, employment and also promote private sector investments into the country.

50. Key capital spending provisions in the Budget include the following:
• Power, Works and Housing: N529billion;
• Transportation: N262 billion;
• Special Intervention Programmes: N150 billion.
• Defence: N140 billion;
• Water Resources: N85 billion;
• Industry, Trade and Investment: N81 billion;
• Interior: N63 billion;
• Education N50 billion
• Universal Basic Education Commission: N92 billion
• Health: N51 billion
• Federal Capital Territory: N37 billion;
• Niger Delta Ministry: N33 billion; and
• Niger Delta Development Commission: N61 billion;

51. N100 billion has been provided in the Special Intervention programme as seed money into the N1 trillion Family Homes Fund that will underpin a new social housing programme. This substantial expenditure is expected to stimulate construction activity throughout the country.

52. Efforts to fast-track the modernization of our railway system will receive further boost through the allocation of N213.14 billion as counterpart funding for the Lagos-Kano, Calabar-Lagos,Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Warri railway, and Kaduna-Abuja railway projects. As I mentioned earlier, in 2016, we invested a lot of time ensuring the paper work is done properly while negotiating the best deal for Nigeria. I must admit this took longer than expected but I am optimistic that these projects will commence in 2017 for all to see.

53. Given the emphasis placed on industrialization and supporting SMEs, a sum of N50 billion has been set aside as Federal Government’s contribution for the expansion of existing, as well as the development of new, Export Processing and Special Economic Zones. These will be developed in partnership with the private sector as we continue our efforts to promote and protect Nigerian businesses. Furthermore, as the benefits of agriculture and mining are starting to become visible, I have instructed that the Export Expansion Grant be revived in the form of tax credits to companies. This will further enhance the development of some agriculture and mining sector thereby bringing in more investments and creating more jobs. The sum of N20 billion has been voted for the revival of this program.

54. Our small- and medium-scale businesses continue to face difficulties in accessing longer term and more affordable credit. To address this situation, a sum of N15 billion has been provided for the recapitalization of the Bank of Industry and the Bank of Agriculture. In addition, the Development Bank of Nigeria will soon start operations with US$1.3 billion focused exclusively on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

55. Agriculture remains at the heart of our efforts to diversify the economy and the proposed allocation to the sector this year is at a historic high of N92billion. This sum will complement the existing efforts by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and CBN to boost agricultural productivity through increased intervention funding at single digit interest rate under the Anchor Borrowers Programme, commercial agricultural credit scheme and The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending.Accordingly, our agricultural policy will focus on the integrated development of the agricultural sector by facilitating access to inputs, improving market access, providing equipment and storage as well as supporting the development of commodity exchanges.

56. Government realizes that achieving its goals with regard to job creation, also requires improving the skills of our labour force, especially young people. We have accordingly made provision, including working with the private sector and State Governments, to establish and operate model technical and vocational education institutes.

57. We propose with regard to healthcare to expand coverage through support to primary healthcare centres and expanding the National Health Insurance Scheme.

58. The 2017 Budget estimates retains the allocation of N500 billion to the Special Intervention programme consisting of the Home-grown School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment programme, N-Power Job Creation Programme to provide loans for traders and artisans, Conditional Cash Transfers to the poorest families and the new Family Homes Fund (social housing scheme). The N-Power Programme has recently taken off with the employment of 200,000 graduates across the country, while the School Feeding Programme has commenced in a few States, where the verification of caterers has been completed

59. As we pursue economic recovery, we must remain mindful of issues of sustainable and inclusive growth and development. The significant vote for the Federal Ministry of Water Resources reflects the importance attached to integrated water resource management. In this regard, many river-basin projects have been prioritized for completion in 2017. Similarly, the increased vote of N9.52 billion for the Federal Ministry of Environment (an increase of 92% over the 2016 allocation) underscores the greater attention to matters of the environment, including climate change and leveraging private sector funding for the clean-up of the Niger Delta.

60. Provision has also been made in these estimates for activities that will foster a safe and conducive atmosphere for the pursuit of economic and social activities. In this regard, the allocation for the Presidential Amnesty Programme has been increased to N65 billion in the 2017 Budget. Furthermore, N45 billion in funding has been provisioned for the rehabilitation of the North East to complement the funds domiciled at the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative as well as commitments received from the multinational donors.
Conclusion

61. Mr. Senate President, Mr. Speaker, distinguished and honourable members of the National Assembly, I cannot end without commending the National Assembly for its support insteering our economy on a path of sustained and inclusive growth. This generation has an opportunity to move our country from an unsustainable growth model – one that is largely dependent on oil earnings and imports, to an economy that focuses on using local labour and local raw materials. We cannot afford to let this opportunity slip by. We must all put our differences aside and work together to make this country succeed. The people that voted us into these esteemed positions are looking to us to make a difference. To change the course of this nation. I have no doubt in my mind that by working together, we will put Nigeria back on the path that its founding fathers envisaged.
62. This Budget, therefore, represents a major step in delivering on our desired goals through a strong partnership across the arms of government and between the public and private sectors to create inclusive growth. Implementation will move to centre-stage as we proceed with the process of re-balancing our economy, exiting recession and insulating it from future external and domestic shocks.
63. I thank you all for your patience and patriotism.

 

Full text of President Buhari’s speech at Thursday’s Economic Retreat

I am delighted to be here with you at this Ministerial Retreat on the Economy and the Budget. The theme of the Retreat which is “Building Inter-ministerial Synergy for Effective Planning and Budgeting in Nigeria” is very apt and timely, especially as we are in the process of developing the 2017 Budget.
Over the years, there has been a mismatch between planned targets and budgetary outcomes at the National and sectorial levels. The Federal MDAs have not also benefited significantly from working together and building consensus around common national objectives. This has impeded growth and development of the country.
It is in this context that this Retreat has been designed to discuss issues around the State of the Economy and build consensus amongst Cabinet Members and top Government officials. The Retreat will also serve as an opportunity to have a general overview of the economy and discuss the framework for the 2017 Budget, its key priorities and deliverables.

This Retreat is coming at a critical time in our economic history, when the Nigerian economy is in a recession, with significant downturn in performance in various sectors. It is with regard to the importance of this Retreat that I decided to sit through the first part of the session to listen to the views from experienced economists and development experts on how best to implement our plans to rid the country of its oil dependence and to diversify the economy and bring the country out of the current economic recession.

This is in line with our Administration’s determination to lay a solid foundation for growth and development as outlined in the Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) of our Change Agenda.

Given that this Retreat is a lead-up to the 2017 Budget, my expectation is that we will come out of the these sessions with a determination and common position on how to have improved synergy amongst the various Ministries and Departments for the effective formulation and implementation of the 2017 Budget.

I also trust that the breakout sessions will enable you to discuss extensively amongst yourselves, the details of the four sub-themes and come up with practical solutions on the way forward in order to come out with a set of prioritized projects and programmes that will fit into the 2017 Budget.

In this regard, let me inform you that because of the need to focus on our key priorities, some Ministries may get significantly less capital allocation than they received in 2016, while others may get significantly more.

You may notice that some key non-spending agencies, such as the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the National Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), are participants at this Retreat.

This deliberate inclusion underscores the commitment of this Administration to leverage on private sector resources, through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and other arrangements, in order to augment the scarce budgetary resources at our disposal and to accelerate investments in building critical infrastructure.

Indeed, the challenges we face in the current recession require ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, to deploy strategies that involve engaging meaningfully with the private sector, to raise the level of private sector investment in the economy as a whole.

We are confident that the level of private investment will grow as we are determined to make it easier to do business in Nigeria by the reforms we are introducing under the auspices of the Presidential Committee on Ease of Doing Business.

Let me reiterate that this Government will continue to strategize on how we can turn the current challenges into opportunities for our nation and especially for our vibrant youth on whose shoulders lies the future of this nation.

This is why we have embarked on measures and actions that will open up the opportunities we have seen in the Power, Housing, Agriculture, Mining, Trade and Investment, Information Communication Technology (ICT) Sectors, Tourism, Transport and other sectors.

I wish to reassure its teeming youth that this Government would remain steadfast in its effort to ensure greater progress and prosperity for you.

While Government is taking the lead in the task of repositioning our economy for Change, we cannot achieve this completely by ourselves. We will need, and we ask for the support and cooperation of the private sector’s domestic and foreign investors, the States and Local Governments, the National Assembly and the Judiciary as well as all well-meaning Nigerians in this important task. We are confident that working together, we shall succeed.

Finally, I trust that the cabinet members will learn from the experiences of the Resource persons and facilitators to prioritise their sector programmes and projects to bring the country out of the current economic recession and place it on the path of growth and development.

I therefore urge the Honourable Ministers and other senior government officials here present, to actively participate in the Second Technical Session, which I believe will provide you with deeper insight into the complex issues that will open opportunities for you to identify critical priority projects and programmes for the 2017 Budget.

At this juncture, may I formally recognize and acknowledge the presence of the array of experts invited to serve as resource persons and facilitators at this Retreat. I am confident that Ministers and Senior Government officials will benefit immensely from your expertise and wealth of experience.
I wish you all fruitful deliberations and look forward to receiving the report of the Retreat.

Thank you.

 

3-day Working Week Policy: Okorocha scraps annual leave

Imo State Government has scrapped annual leave for its workers, following the introduction of its controversial three-day working week policy.

 Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Public Utilities, Chief Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday in Owerri, also affirmed that the current directive was part of the decisions of the last State Executive Council, SEC, meeting. “Having given approval for the immediate implementation of the new work policy, the beneficiaries will no longer be entitled to annual leave, casual leave, sick leave and unnecessary absence from work, for all manner of reasons,” Ajumbe said. After rolling out the categories of workers that would benefit from the new work policy, the Commissioner however said that “nurses, doctors, teachers, journalists, broadcasters and other essential services workers would maintain the old work schedule.” The Commissioner also assuaged concerns among workers that the new policy was another way of forcing in a salary cut through the back door. “I must make it very clear that the new policy will not in any way; affect the take home pay of workers. Government is giving it’s word on this, “ Ajumbe said. Continuing, the Commissioner said the state government had recovered the Shell Camp Staff Quarters from the management of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, AIFCE, Owerri, noting that the government would now give out each plot to any individual that pays N50 million into its kitty. “Shell Camp Staff Quarters has been taken over by Imo State Government and each plot will be given out to any individual that can pay N50 million into government kitty,“ Ajumbe said. When asked to quantify the losses suffered by the citizenry since the administration started the current massive demolitions in Owerri and its environs, the Commissioner said: “Anybody that built his house close to the road should not expect any form of compensation from government. While saying that, “destruction leads to development,“ Ajumbe, according to Vanguard Newspapers added that “if you don’t destroy, you won’t develop.“


“My Wife Was Not Beheaded, Let The World Know That”

The Deeper Life Church pastor and husband of a 74-year-old woman allegedly killed for “insulting” Prophet Mohammed has clarified that his wife was not beheaded. He was present when a mob allegedly made to believe Bridget, his wife, blasphemed the holy prophet, lynched her.

 The pastor said the mob beat his wife to death after apparently snatching her from the hands of the Nigeria Police. He said an Alhaji in the area had tried to save her to no avail. Prior to the clarification, it had been widely reported that Bridget was beheaded and her head paraded, but the pictures were fake.

The Kano State Police Command has succeeded in arresting two key suspects: Dauda Ahmed and Subeiru Abubakar. Ahmed was the man who instigated the attack after Bridget allegedly stopped him from performing ablution (washing of feet before Islamic prayer) in front of her shop.

 

UPDATE TECNO CAMON C8 TO MARSHMALLOW (ANDOROID 6.0)

For lovers of Tecno Phones, I want to announce here that I successfully updated my Camon C8 from Anroid 5.0 to Marshmallow (Android 6.0).  Tecno has indeed come to stay in the race for supremacy. The link to the update software is: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=7CC63BD864F41BAF!107&authkey=!AEtUnsWhyDgEFc4&ithint=file%2czip