Monday, 19 May 2014

UNDERSTANDING

Understanding implies abilities and disposition with respect to an object of knowledge. It is the power and the driving force of knowing; the getting to know. To understand something is to have conceptualized it to a given measure. Understanding is the product of diligent search, the uncompromised knowhow pertaining things and people around us.

The world we are in today, classifies people on the basis of their knowledge about things of necessities. Things of necessities in that, people most often have knowledge, idea and understanding on things which are irrelevant and immaterial to things and people around them. Their environment benefits nothing from their contributions but rather their own understanding poses threat to the environment.

Right from inception of the world (heaven and earth), understanding had been a key factor in creation and making. The understanding between God the father, son and Holy Spirit. When man was created, it was also through this understanding. And God said in Genesis 1:26 let us (i.e. Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make man in our image, after our likeness, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. According to that bible verse, there existed a mutual understanding between God in three persons. One cannot create, make or produce something with whom he lacks understanding about or with whom a mutual relationship of understanding exists not.

Also, through the lack of this same understanding, tribulations, sin and all sort of negativities poisoned the world. It was the absence of this understanding that created a bridge between God and one of His then angel Lucifer. This can be extracted from Revelations 12: 7-12. The betrayer of understanding between God and His then pompous angel Lucifer led a utopia earth to absurdities and sin in it. All this started right from the very moment Lucifer was cast down to the earth. He became a trouble and threat to every existence.

For everything in existence, there is an equal pulling force holding them together. And that force is understanding. Take for instance, the trees and grasses in the forest, there exist a mutual understanding between the tree and the soil. This is why the soil is supplying the tree with the needed nutrients to grow and produce fruits. The day this understanding is shattered, the tree dies because the soil will tend to hold back its nutrient. So is applicable to life. When a man wallows in principles outside God’s principle he ceases to be a tree planted by the river side and as such that understanding being broken, the person suffers the consequences of eternal condemnation.
Now, I am beginning to understand why Socrate in his wisdom said KNOW THYSELF. The only true wisdom after knowing God is in knowing who you are. Having indebt knowledge of yourself. You are who you are today because of your knowledge and understanding of self. Greatest of men are those who had a better understanding of themselves. I believe no one can make you inferior because you know yourself better than anyone else.

Life is in stages. The stage of life begins with a foundation of which without, life becomes miserable and meaningless. This foundation is understanding of self. It is the level of understanding you have about yourself that determines how solid your foundation tends to be. There is nothing on this planet earth worth getting that does not have the foundation, understanding. The success we often desire and the goals we aim at begins with understanding of self; where you are coming from, where you are at present and where your destination is. There is no ignorance as deadly as not knowing yourself.

It is more poisonous than a scorpion’s bite and more deadly than a cancerous cell.
To find yourself, think for yourself said Socrate. Knowing your bearing in life as to the better you, begins with a simple giant step of thought. This thought and thinking process creates a forum for you to understand yourself. Understanding of oneself is a product of thinking for oneself. You cannot be better than the understanding you have about yourself. Many of life challenges and tribulations arise most often due to our daily routine in not knowing ourselves.

Lack of understanding is the ulcer of a relationship. Amos 3:3 says: can two work together except they agree. A relationship cannot blossom where there is no understanding between the parties involved. Its then becomes synonymous with the case of beating a dead horse. For it takes you nowhere. It also builds a relationship; it brings out the beauty of love and despises hatred. Romeo and Juliet did just not die for love but were strucked by the death of best understanding; being well informed that living without each other is as good as death. Sequel to that, it is obvious that love begins with discernible self; self as an intimation aid for a better relationship. Hence, in marriages were there is no clear cut understanding between the couples, most often ends up a fiasco. Show me a perfect relationship and I will show you a relationship where perfect understanding exists. It is as important as oxygen is to man. It is axiomatic that from the deepest understanding comes the deepest of love.

Understanding is germane in all walks of life. It cannot be done without except such a person wants to embark on voyage of disharmony or higgledy piggledy. Take for instance, a psychiatrist understands another person’s anxieties if he knows that person’s anxieties, their causes, and can give useful advice on how to cope with the anxiety. For such a psychiatrist to give an advice to someone on how to manage any mood, he must first understand the person. Lack of this understanding might lead him/her to proffer a false advice to the person which may be detrimental to the person in question. One understands reasoning, an argument or a language if he can consciously reproduce the information content conveyed in the message. You don’t expect a French man to speak with a Nigerian without a middle person, the translator. The translator must be a person who understands both languages and should be able to bridge the communication gap between the different country men.

Getting to know brings peace but its absence brings war, crisis and conflict. Argument can be likened to lack of mutual dealings resulting from different belief. Right from the days of the bible, disagreement had been due to berated savvy. It was it that prompted the fight between the philistine mighty giant, Goliath and the great David. Also in the case of Saul and David, the Egyptians and the Jews, to mention but a few. Misunderstanding if not tamed at the early stage might lead to settlement by swords and machete. War is not the opposite of peace, but rather the absence of understanding. Where there is understanding, there you find peace, love, joy and happiness. In all things we desire, in unity and earnestly work towards it in apprehension, we can achieve.

This uncompromised ability cannot be exterminated where success exist or seems to exist. Its establishing power of success comes from the knowledge of the principles of success. Napoleon Hill once said, “No man has a chance to enjoy permanent success until he begins to look in a mirror for the real cause of his mistakes”. In the words of Hill, to enjoy long lasting and fulfilling success you must understand and have a lucid view into what is the real cause of your mistake. Just as success is a process, so is understanding. It is a process mapped with action and optimism. You too can hit the success line if only you would understand why that route didn’t lead to your destination. Will Rogers elaborated it when he said that “if you want to be successful, it’s just simple: know what you are doing, love what you are doing and believe in what you are doing” Rogers simply talks about understanding as the foundation and rudiments of success. Champions, professionals, experts, genius and intellects are nobody but men who have found nothing more interesting than understanding.

Lastly, whosoever you want to become in life, whatever height you want to attain, the kind of life you want to live are all embedded in your understanding of life. Tune your perception in knowing yourself, environment and laws of nature. I tell you only death can stop your star on this planet earth because it’s already certain that the star must shine beyond this earth which is our home; the saint utopia, heaven.
THANKS. ACHA HARRISON CHINEDU.

PREPARATION THE KEY TO GREATNESS


Preparation is the process of making something ready or becoming ready for something. It also connotes prior action and anticipation to an expected stimulus. Preparation defines future action with the present plans and act of expectancy; the gestation period or lead time. It is the binocular of the future, the ticket to the desired future. Also, it is the covet work done in respect to our desired success. Based on researches and findings, preparation has being a sacrosanct key factor in generating the best out of anything you can imagine. It cannot be derailed when it comes to getting what one so desires. This adequate readiness, plan or act of what is hoped for, defers from human to human. Of course, this is why everybody cannot equally be successful. It is the level of preparation that defines where your success loci or bearing falls.

Preparation fuses one with the equivalent strength to fulfill an expected task. It rekindles the fire of enthusiasm and passion for something. For everything done with requisite preparation often yields great result. But they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength; they mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not to faint (Isaiah 40:31). The above wisdom of prophet Isaiah to the sons of God, explains the importance of waiting upon the lord; which is preparation for the coming of the lord.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend my first four hours sharpening my axe” said Abraham Lincoln. That’s getting set Lincoln talks about. Preparation is the paucity of hard work with outstanding result. It makes less work to be done on something in the real sense; the strength and power to get a given task done lies in your preparedness.

Preparation awakens inspiration. It is in the process that inspiration befalls man; inspiration that amazes and challenges you. Preparation and inspiration works hand in hand, it encourages you from within; that encouragement that no man can offer you. The turning point of your future and dreams lies on your inspiration through preparation. This is why Samuel Coleridge rightly opined that “He who is best prepared can best serve his moment of inspiration”. There comes in a man’s life when preparation diversifies into two. This two aspects of preparation is what I tagged

Preparing for the best.

Preparing for the worst.

These two different aspects of preparation are products of the mind’s activity; the activity of thinking (AOT). There is always this part of the mind that challenges one to prepare for the worst. It acts as a plan B to preparing for the best. Just as Will Hancock would put it, “you don’t have to develop plan B because it distracts plan A”. If sufficient preparation is done for a given task, getting ready for the worst isn’t an option. When you sincerely and doggedly float in the realm of adequate readiness for your goals, attaining it becomes easier. The strength and energy powered in the making of plan B can be channeled in making the plan A better.

Readiness is everything. Winning is as a result of prior action both in spirit and in body. Zig Ziglar once said “you were born to win but being a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win”. Aligning all of your attention to what matter, matters in preparation. It is the seed to reality, the best and uncompromising route to success and the shining light of the darkest moment. Your tomorrow to a large extent depends on the preparation you make today. The best of your tomorrow cannot be better than the good of your today. It can only be better than the best of your today. Tomorrow belongs to those who make adequate plans today.

There is a generally accepted notion that; time is one great factor that cannot be regained when lost. This axiom failed to notice time on investment. Time invested on preparation today can be regained on tomorrow’s fulfilling achievements and goals. It produces outstanding fulfillment. A man like Mark Twain cannot be caught unaware. I was strucked with passion for preparation when I came across one of his statements when he said and I quote, “it usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech”. One of the elements of preparation is, no matter how strong the storm of challenges tends to be, your preparation balances your ship of dream and success from shipwreck and you will arrive your destination safely.

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail says Benjamin Franklin. This is one of the commonest quotes to many. It explains the stake of preparation in success and failure. Most men fail, not because they lack the will to succeed but the lack of will to prepare. If you busily rush into a given task without adequate readiness, you will be richly blessed with the barrenness of such task.

Also, on preparation and failure, there is this mnemonics I so much love, the 5Ps. This connotes:

Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. To avoid fiasco in your field of endeavor always be a good follower of preparation. Is not possible to get something for nothing, you must give something for such a thing worth getting; and that’s preparation.

Decisions of great transformation are made by those who understand the wisdom of preparation. Adequate preparation is what gives the big wigs edge over the rank and file.

Take for instance, students in the examination hall taking their final year exam; everyone seated for the examination has idea about the course to be written. You will get to know that some among them have facts. Those with fact performed better than those with idea; which is a result of proper preparation. The time table of the desired future is making every seconds, minute, hour and day a preparatory moment. To avoid being caught unaware, you must follow the time table obediently.

The key is not the wish for greatness but the will for preparation which is the key to greatness. The key is only for those who realizes and understands the benefits of getting ready. A prepared man does not accept everything he is told until its validity has been ascertained; he is a man of extraordinary abilities. This can be seen in the lives of the Berean Jews in the bible (Acts 17:10-13). An American singer and a song-writer, Taylor Alison Swift once said, “I try to prepare for everything beyond the extent of preparation”. Prior action minimizes error and mistake in whatever one is doing, it empowers one to operate beyond the shores of mistake and error.

As believers would say, heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Success is not by luck but the outcome of adequate preparation. It is not a lottery or something that you can gamble to attain. You don’t learn how to shot gun at the battle field. You learn how to shot gun before the battle begins says Bishop David Oyedepo in one of his exhortations titled ‘preparing for marriage’.

When one is done the job of putting necessary parameters in order, one’s goal is easily achieved. Take for example, in an organization, a man was asked to give a lecture on a business topic. This man started his preparation two days to the day of presentation, he went to a nearby library and obtained five different world class text books on the topic and he consumed them voraciously. The day came and he was able to reproduce what he has gotten from those texts word for word. He plagiarized those books so to say. A round of applause was offered to him when he was done for he did well. But when the session for question and answer came, he inept ability was divulged as he was unable to provide appreciable answer to most of the applicable questions asked. Getting ready for something at the eleventh hour isn’t a good idea. It only convinces you that you are able to do it without preparation and mask your inabilities for the task. It is deceptive in all aspect. Readiness at the last hour will only bring embarrassment upon one. It is a stage by stage process and not what is approached with a fire brigade mentality. Now I understand why Friedrich Nietzsche in his wisdom said “better know nothing than half know things”.

Just the nemo dat rule puts it, “Nemo dat quod non habat” literally meaning “no one gives what he doesn’t have”. It is what you have that you can give and you can’t have what you do not make plans for to having. What you have today is the product of your yesterday’s plans and what you lack today are as a result of the plan you failed to carry-out yesterday.

Before a child is born, he spends nine months of his first phase of life in the womb. During this period the child develop and is equipped with the necessary organs and ability to adapt to the new environment he is about to find himself. After this period of acquisition has elapsed, the womb comfort zone becomes uncomfortable for him and he comes out with all the acquired qualities to adapt.

This period is for the child to prepare and the mother to get ready to becoming a parent. Everything in existence has been given such a time to adequately make provisions for whatever he wants. Most people lavish this time on inapt things of life. People nowadays choose to do the things right rather than doing the right thing. It takes preparation for an iroko tree to be cut down with a razor blade.

Unfortunately, there seems to be far more opportunity out there than ability. This is why only a few with understanding of preparation can harness it. “We shall remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets preparation” said Thomas A. Edison.

Preparation brings about freedom, freedom brings opportunity and opportunity makes your future. Opportunity world can only be accessed by esoteric indefatigable ready men. The blessings of opportunity showers only on those who have all it takes and are ready to get ready. A Roman statesman and a philosopher, Seneca once said that there exist nothing like “luck”. Luck is simply the outcome of preparation mating with opportunity.

Fortune favors the alert mind. The journey into the future begins with a simple giant step; a foresight called preparation. It builds confidence, self esteem and obliterate fear. I have come to apprehend that majority with low self esteem are those with dearth foresight of the future .Confidence is the outcome of who you are viz a` viz understanding of self via readiness. The pill to low self esteem and inferiority complex is adequate preparation.

Power is one of those attributes many kill to have; power to dominate those around them. People tend to give up what they want when they want power. People desire it to become god in their various field of endeavor in life. Power is not about having a thick bicep muscles or broad chest, HELL NO. Powerful people are those who can influence their world and people around them with their actions and inactions. This power comes from the might of readiness. Yearly, the list of world’s most powerful country is being released based on their National Power Index. This national index of these countries to a large extent depends on their build up. That is why Herschel Walker in his knowledge opined, “if you train hard, you `II not only be hard, you will be hard to beat. It all boils down to what you do with your lead time; this classifies you in life based on you level preparation.

Matthew 25:1-13 talks about the kingdom of God being likened to the case of ten virgins. Five were considered wise because they took extra oil for their lamp and the other five as foolish due to non-readiness. The journey of the foolish virgins was futile due to their lack of wisdom of getting set. He who knows the importance of preparation in life is considered wise and hardly does such a person miss the track.

Rome was not built in a day. The foundation can be traced to adequate preparation. It requires unity of body, soul and mind to get ready for something. The starting point of it is the mind before the body is charge with the responsibility of action. The enemy of man is the lack of proper provisions.

The map and the route to ones destination are all concealed in one’s readiness for the journey. Your ability to understand this map and extracting the useful content of it lies in your preparedness. Men who can stay longer in problem, who doggedly believe they can render a solution to a particular problem are them who are set for it. Just as Albert Einstein would say “not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. Preparation ignites the fire of determination and they work hand in hand. A thoroughly prepared man is a determined man. Thomas Edison made this point clearer when he said “I haven’t failed; I just discovered 10000ways that won’t work. He who is not determined; determination via preparation is not qualified to be great. Preparation is a necessary prerequisite for greatness.

The history of the world is nothing but biography of well prepared men. Putting things in order to achieve a given task isn’t necessary for everybody but compulsory for a few who desires the best. Most often, people tend to shy away from it due to ignorance and lack of will. Laziness is one of those elements that rip off this ability of preparedness. A lazy man cannot carve out time to foresee the future; he believes so much in luck. Procrastination is another bad influence on preparation. It harbors beliefs like; I have more time to do it later, let me rest now and do it later. There is no better time to prepare than now. Do it now and you will be amazed with the quality of your result. I believe that is only a dead man that is bound not to prepare. As long as you still have that breathe of consciousness in you, preparation remains the key to harnessing your potentials and greatness pathway. Leave that comfort zone, retreat from all unprepared venture and make necessary amendments in preparation. Your comfort zone has nothing to offer you as his candidate; because it’s too rich in nothing. You are a step closer to your destiny the day you leave your comfort zone.

Do not always wait for the right time to pick up action, pick up action before the right time comes. As we all know, the time is always right to do right. The best time the right state of mind is gotten and strategies developed are during this incubation period called preparation.

Lack of adequate preparation keeps people small and below their potentials. The best time to begin better with preparation is now.






THANKS.



ACHA HARRISON C.













Tuesday, 13 May 2014

My father is judge, prosecutor at home – Charlie Boy

Charles Oputa, first son of the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, said that his father was not just a legal icon but also a judge and prosecutor at home. Oputa, popularly called, `Charlie Boy in Nigeria’s social circle’, made this known in an interview with the press in his house in Gwarimpa, Abuja at the weekend. According to him, Oputa is an uncompromising upright man, strict disciplinarian and an overbearing father who never compromised on whatever standards that he set for his children.
He said that when he was growing up he felt that his father’s influence was an albatross on his neck. Oputa said that he had to rebel against the ‘status quo’ by taking to the entertainment career which was not in line with his father’s wish for him. “My late father was not just a renowned legal icon but he was also a responsible family man, a judge and prosecutor at home because nobody could win any argument against him on all issues at home. “While growing up I thought my dad was unnecessarily overbearing and an albatross on my neck, so I decided to rebel against him and be far away from his shadow. “So, when I returned from the USA, I decided to relocate from my father’s Lagos base to the village and later set up Charlie Boy Music and Brand through personal hard work and tenacity of purpose,’’ he said. He said that when he made a success of his brand, his father had no choice than to have total respect for him and sought his opinion on ‘everything under the sun’. Oputa said that 10 years before his death, his father became his best friend and would never take any major decision without seeking approval first from him. Charlie Boy said he would miss his father’s friendship and intimate conversations with him, which he said, bordered on `everything under the sun, ranging from law, politics, sex and religion’. “To underscore this cordial father-son relationship, I literally died for the two days that he was ill that led to his death,’’ he said. Oputa, however, expressed dismay over the fact that the report of the Obasanjo administration’s Human Rights Violation Panel which was chaired by his father had yet to be implemented. NAN recalls that the late Oputa, popularly called the Socrates of Nigeria’s Supreme Court, died on May 4 in Abuja at the age of 96. (NAN)

Chibok Girls: Obasanjo condemns abduction, says FG could have acted quickly

Former Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, condemned the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State. Obasanjo spoke in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the state government on the adoption of a junior secondary school and a primary school in Kudai, Dutse. Obasanjo, however, faulted Federal Government for its lackadaisical attitude towards saving the lives of the abducted students. Speaking shortly after the signing of MoU between Jigawa State government and Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, at Government House, Dutse, Chief Obasanjo said the delay by the government over the matter led to their being moved away from the school, adding that if urgent rescue action was taken, the girls could have been saved from their current hardship. “The Federal Government could have acted quickly when the news broke so as to save the innocent girls, but nothing was done,” he lamented. Obasanjo described the abduction of the girls as unfortunate and pathetic, considering the future of their lives. “Their future is significant as such everything possible must be done to rescue them,” he said. He, howeverm said that, “whatever might have been the grievances of the group of people behind the adoption of these girls, whatever might have been their anger or objectives, it was uncalled for, considering the importance of these girls.” He said his foundation has established itself in four countries in Africa among which Nigeria, Liberia and Ghana are beneficiaries. Governor Sule Lamido thanked the former president for his wisdom in establishing of his foundation.

Chibok abduction: “It is political manipulation that got out of control” – Southern Borno Group

The Southern Borno Development Association, SBDA, says the psychological trauma of the school girls abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents will leave permanent imprint on their minds long after their release. The association was speaking on Monday, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. While addressing the media, Chairman of the Association, Mallam Yahaya Gaya said, “To imagine what the victims are undergoing in the hands of bandits who are masquerading under the banner of Islam can only send cold down our spines. “Their antecedents have shown that they are capable of the most horrendous acts. The razing of entire villages with their inhabitants, the brutal murder of defenseless and innocent people including women, babies, the old and feeble, extortion, kidnapping and lack of respect for the places of worship is their trademark. “To spend only an hour in the company of such people is blood chilling, let alone some weeks. In short, their action has shown that they are worse than barbarians. While there is no local government or community in Borno that has not lost a son or daughter to the insurgency either directly or indirectly, the abduction of the students has proved to be the most painful considering the implications”, he said. The group also said, “while we lament the predicament which we have found ourselves, we should sincerely ask ourselves how a small group of people is holding an entire state, albeit a region hostage. “How did it start? Is it a failure of intelligence or is it political manipulation that got out of control that the falcon cannot hear the falconer and things fall apart?”

Monday, 12 May 2014

FG rejects Boko Haram prisoner swap for hostage schoolgirls

ABUJA- The federal government on Monday rejected conditions set out by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau for the release of more than 200 schoolgirls held hostage by the Islamists. Asked if the government would reject the suggestion by Shekau in a new video that the girls may be released once Nigeria frees all militant prisoners, Interior Minister Abba Moro told AFP: “Of course.” “The issue in question is not about Boko Haram… giving conditions,” he said. Shekau made the claim in a video obtained by AFP on Monday claiming to show about 130 of the 276 girls abducted from their school in the remote northeastern town of Chibok, in Borno state, on April 14. “We will never release them (the girls) until after you release our brethren,” he said. The militant leader, who has made prisoner exchange demands before, said that some of the teenagers had converted from Christianity to Islam. The International Crisis Group said in a report published last month that Boko Haram had written an open letter in 2011 to the governor of northern Kano state, demanding the release of detainees. Shekau repeated the demand in a video released last week claiming responsibility for the mass kidnapping that has sparked global condemnation and calls for action. Nigeria’s military has been accused of rounding up thousands of Boko Haram suspects, including women and children, and holding them in atrocious conditions that have been criticised by rights groups. On March 14, Boko Haram fighters stormed the notorious Giwa military barracks in the state capital of Borno, Maiduguri, freeing hundreds of militants. Amnesty International, however, said on March 31 that there was “credible evidence” that more than 600 people, most of them unarmed recaptured detainees, were summarily killed in the military response.

See photos of abducted Chibok girls from new Boko Haram video

Video of dozens of abducted school girls has been released by Boko Haram. The girls, numbering about 130, said to be held at Sambisa forest, a border between Cameroon and Nigeria, are seen praying in Arabic. In the video, Boko Haram leader said he's ready to do a deal to free some or all the girls. He said; "We will never release them unless our brethren are released. It's been 6 years you held our brethren and torturing them. We will not release the girls until you free our brothers" He also mentioned that the girls have been converted to Muslims. The girls are believed to be held in six different locations. Continue to see more pics...

Nigerian spends $1bn annually on medical tourism

Abuja — The Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Uche Orji has said that about 30,000 Nigerians spent $1 billion annually on medical tourism. Orji disclosed this while speaking at a side session of the just concluded World Economic Forum on Africa, organised by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, PWC. He said opportunities abound in the Nigerian healthcare sector for private sector participation, if the affluent class had the will and determination to end the capital flight and invest the money back in the local economy. According to him, 60 per cent of the said amount is spent in four major areas of healthcare, namely: cardiology, orthopaedic, renal dialysis issues and cancer, saying those entrepreneurial opportunities abound in the field only for those who could seize the opportunity by redirecting the cash flow into the comatose local health sector.

Kaduna State Govt. imposes 24-hour curfew in Kachia LGA

Kaduna State Government yesterday imposed a 24- hour curfew on Kachia Local Government Area and its environment. The Director-General on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, announced this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna. Maiyaki said the curfew became imperative following crisis in the area which led to the burning of various structures on Sunday. Meanwhile, Gov. Mukhtar Yero had earlier in a statement issued by Maiyaki, called on the people to shun attempt to create misunderstanding and cause confusion in the state. The governor said that the state government had brought the situation under control. He said that government was already working with all security agencies to ensure the protection of life and property of the people. “Government will not fold its arms and allow `enemies of peace’ to cause mayhem in our state. “I call on all law-abiding citizens to go about their businesses without fear of intimidation as security forces have been directed to deal decisively with trouble makers. “No matter their status in the society, we will no longer tolerate these acts of unwarranted violence against innocent citizens, enough is enough,” he said. The governor further urged the people in the state to continue to coexist peacefully, irrespective of diversities. Yero said that differences in tribe or religion should not affect the common aspirations of the people to live in peace and tranquility. “The state government will continue to pursue its peace building agenda and will not rest on its oars until Kaduna is returned to its pre-crises era when all the people lived harmoniously.” Yero also urged them to support the ongoing peace building process in the state and contribute their quota toward the goal. (NAN)

T.B. JOSHUA SPONSORS BOTSWANA STUDENT TO HARVARD

Nigerian Prophet T.B. Joshua has made the dreams of a prodigious young student from Botswana come true after sponsoring her to study a Masters Degree in the prestigious Harvard Law School, USA to the tune of over $82,000 (N13,000,000).
Mary Jean Nleya, 22, shared her testimony during the church service at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos on Sunday 11th May 2014. According to Mary-Jean, she met T.B. Joshua several years ago as a visitor to The SCOAN and explained her educational plights to him. “I told him that I had no father that was taking care of my educational fees,” she said. “He informed me that I needed only Jesus Christ to be my Father and that He would take care of all my needs. From then on, I became a SCOAN scholarship recipient.” The gifted student narrated how the controversial cleric had been like a father to her both morally and materially ever since. “If there is any word to describe the role Prophet T.B. Joshua has played in my life, it is like that of a father,” she emphatically told the congregation. Motivated by the pastor’s financial backing and practical sermons, Nleya received a distinction in law in the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Thereafter, the Motswana had a successful internship at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. “When I was there, he told me that I should go for my masters in the best university in the world, which is Harvard University,” Mary-Jean narrated, adding that she was daunted by the prospect as it is a well known fact that “admission into Harvard University is incredibly difficult.” Remarkably, the talented law-student received admission to the revered university. “I am thrilled and excited to tell you all today that I gained admission into Harvard University,” she declared to the joyful congregation. However, upon learning of the huge fees involved, she was doubtful as to whether the scholarship would be continued. “I ended up telling him (T.B. Joshua) and he committed to paying $82,123! I will be going to commence my studies any moment from now,” she gratefully remarked. Mary-Jean advised youth to look for a ‘mentor’ who would inspire them in life. “I didn’t believe in myself enough and my potential to apply to the world’s best university,” she openly admitted. “But because I had a mentor, a father to inspire and encourage me to apply, I drew a greater plan. I was inspired to stop living within a four foot ceiling and to reach for the top and make the sky my limit.” In his comments, Joshua stated that Mary-Jean was just one of the many students worldwide who were receiving scholarships. “What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you,” he advised the congregation. Despite being better known for his controversial prophecies and miracles, T.B. Joshua is also recognised for his extensive humanitarian endeavours, Forbes Magazine reporting that the Nigerian cleric spent an estimated $20,000,000 in charitable projects in the last three years.

Border residents threaten to dump Nigeria

Residents of Gamborou, a commercially thriving border community in Borno State have threatened to migrate to the neighbouring communities in Cameroon should the Federal Government fails to stop incessant attacks on their town and mindless killings by Boko Haram. Gamboru located about 200 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital, witnessed violence last week as Islamist sect members invaded the busy town in broad day-light, killing over 200 people. Angered by the incessant attacks on the town especially with the killing of their kits and kin as well as the massive destruction of houses and other properties last week, residents told journalists during the visit of Gov Kashim Shettima to the town weekend that they were determined to migrate to areas where their security can be guaranteed. The residents said their lives are under serious threat. Last Sunday’s attack was the third since insurgency heightened in Borno State. One of the residents, Malam Modu Bulama, who spoke to newsmen, expressed worry on why the community had been left unprotected. He said that Boko Haram had the effrontery to destroy offices belonging to Nigeria Immigration and Customs with alleged little resistance from the men and officers of these services. “Government must do something urgently because Boko Haram can’t be as strong as that, “We have been patient for a long time, even as our people have continued to suffer serious losses of both lives and properties in the past without the Federal Government and security operatives not doing enough to protect us. Now that the level of killings and destructions inflicted on us have reached the peak, the alternative before us is to take away our families and seek refuge in Cameroon, our neighbours, because our lives will be more secured there,” he stated. Another resident, Zannah Yerima, said he lost three brothers in last Sunday’s attack even as he berated the government “for not doing enough” to protect them. Gov Shettima, who was accompanied by his deputy, Zannah Umar Mustapha, appealed for patience, saying it was time for all Nigerians to fight the common enemy (Boko Haram) rather than apportioning blames. He called on them to consider the incident as an act of God, assuring that government will rebuild the burnt market and assist the traders to cushion the impact of the financial losses. Boko Harm had on April 14 this year stormed the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State and abducted over 200 schoolgirls. The kidnapping attracted global outrage, condemnations and protests. World powers including the United States, Britain and China have intervened with the U.S. and UK sending their military experts to assist Nigerian Armed Forces in the search and rescue operations. Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu promised at the weekend to send in counter-terrorism experts.

#BringBackOurGirls: Netanyahu calls Jonathan, ready to help

JERUSALEM (AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday offered to help Nigeria search for hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped by extremist Islamist group Boko Haram, his office said. A statement said that Netanyahu, currently on an official visit to Japan, made the proposal in a telephone call to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. “Israel expresses its deep shock at the crime against the girls,” it quoted the premier as saying. “We are prepared to help in locating the girls and to fight the cruel terror which has struck you.” Boko Haram, whose name is loosely translated as “Western education is forbidden” kidnapped the girls from their dormitory on April 14, and has threatened to sell them. The abduction caused worldwide outrage and offers of help, including from US President Barack Obama.

2015: ‘Bombings Will Increase, If Jonathan Fails To Win’, Francis Fadahunsi Declears

As a result of persistent bombings across states in Northern Nigeria, a retired Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Chief Francis Fadahunsi, has warned against forcing President Goodluck Jonathan out of office through insurgency, contending that if the president fails to return in 2015, bombings will increase.
The PDP stalwart, who spoke to reporters noted that those behind the incessant bombings intend to stop Jonathan from re-contesting in 2015; the strategy which he said will spell doom for the economy of the country. Speaking on the recent Nyanya bombing Fadahunsi, who once headed customs operations for Federal Capital Territory, FCT, posited that South South remained the major source of resources for the country and that “sending Jonathan back to the creeks to meet those militants will shut down the nation’s economy”. The chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said from the disposition of Mr. President, it could be inferred that he does not see his second term as do or die affairs, but feared that people of South South may destroy the nation’s source of income by 2015, “if northern elements behind the heightened insecurity failed to adopt better strategy towards achieving their ambition”. “I have always told my northern friends that are close to the presidency of the need to avoid forcing Jonathan out of office. Whether he had performed or not, no sane Nigerian should create crisis for him, when there are pressing matters that affect the generality of Nigerians. “The irony of it is that those behind this Boko Haram are close to the seat of power. The man that was governor when these miscreants started their problem is in the Senate now and a lot of them are hobnobbing with the president and yet they want presidency to go to the North by creating tension, which I believe will work against the north. “The South South presently is not the same South South that was not conscious of its importance to the rest of the country few years ago. Now they have money and they can match any individual or group that wants to indulge in act of violence. My fear is that, should Jonathan fail, all oil installations in their domain will just be blown off and Nigeria will cease to exist”, Fadahunsi noted.

Ejide injured!

One of the players in Stephen Keshi’s 30-man list for Brazil, goalkeeper Austin Ejide, suffered an injury in Hapoel Beer Sheva’s match in Israeli league yesterday. Ejide recently missed one game for Hapoel due to minor problems, but he has played four matches until suffering another injury yesterday. In the 52nd minute of the clash against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Ejide apparently injured his hip while trying to collect the ball and had to be substituted by Shlomi Ben Hamo. Vincent Enyeama’s understudy in Super Eagles’ team was almost certain to go to Brazil, being widely regarded as Nigeria’s second choice between the posts, but now there’s a question mark over Ejide’s place in the 23-man World Cup squad as the extent of his injury is not known yet. Ejide was replaced when his team were 1-0 up in Tel Aviv and Hapoel Beer Sheva eventually won the game 2-1, clinching runners-up spot in Israeli league with 2 games to go. It’s the club’s best season since winning the domestic title in 1976 – a feat Ejide should be largely credited for, having conceded just 27 goals in 33 games.

Open secret: See WHY Nigerian police placed N50m reward on abducted girls

Security experts have described the N50m reward for information offered by the Nigeria Police as medicine after death. The President of Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, stated that reward for information could be a good idea but that it came late. “Sometimes, it does help. There could be a mole within the group but the fear of being arrested may prevent such individual from giving information. A third-party who has relevant information can easily do that,” Dr. Ekhomu explained. He, however, added that the request for information did not come at the right time. “The Nigeria Police’s response to the abduction of the schoolgirls is absolutely inept and irresponsible. It is medicine after death. The security outfit waited till there was a rise in global concern prompted by media action weeks after the abduction. It is an effort too little, too late,” he said. Similarly, a security consultant at Frontier Guards Services, Mr. Simon Udie, while commending the police for coming to the public for information that can lead to the rescuing of the abducted schoolgirls in Bornu State, told Sunday Punch that the force lacked credibility. “It may suggest that the Nigerian police have exhausted all within their capacity. But what have they done? Nothing. They hide information when they ought to share with the public. They should know how to make certain aspects of their investigations known to the public. They should have made available nationwide investigation desks where citizens can volunteer information unhindered. “It shouldn’t be the regular police story where someone who volunteers to give information soon becomes the accused. There’s no confidence in the Nigerian police; confidence should be restored. ,” Udie said. Similarly, certified protection officer and security analyst at HJ Supranumedia, Mr. Segun Elijah, described the effort of the police in requesting for information as half-hearted. “I think the Nigeria police is just trying to show they are working –belatedly, though. A prompt response based on sound risk management should have been activated immediately after the Chibok abduction.” Speaking further, he said, “Instead of throwing bounties around now, they should find a way of broaching a negotiation for the release of the girls. That’s one aspect of security that hasn’t been employed in Nigeria’s counter- terrorism efforts. Remember armed rescue operations mostly lead to the death of the hostages. “Many will remember the Nigeria-British rescue operation in 2012 first led to the death of some foreigners Boko Haram took hostage then.” Last week, the Police High Command had offered a cash reward of N50m to anyone who would volunteer credible information that would lead to the location and rescue of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. “While calling on the general public to be part of the solution to the present security challenge, the Police High Command also reassures all citizens that any information given would be treated anonymously and with utmost confidentiality,” the Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said. The Force appealed to everyone with such useful information to contact the following numbers: 09-2914649, 08081777309, 08055547536, 08032125050, 08034617591, and 08035969731.

Peter Okoye's loving message to his wife, Lola, on Mother's Day

But really, is that the most important thing a father can do for his children...love their mum? This is generally speaking...

Nigerian Immigration reacts to Davido's claims of harrassment by their officers

A few days ago, Davido tweeted that he missed his flight to London because of immigration officers who were harassing him at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja because of money. The Nigerian Immigration Service has responded to Davido's claims. In a statement released today by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, they said Davido had approached immigration officers at MMIA on the fateful day with the intention of travelling out of the country and presented a US passport number 460918874 issued at Georgia on Dec. 14, 2009 and valid till December 14, 2019. It explained that the officer that attended to him drew his attention to the fact that his US passport had no Nigerian visa on it with which he would have been admitted into the country, and Davido reportedly responded that he had a Nigerian passport but forgot it at home. Continue... The statement said, “The officer now informed him that he should go and bring the Nigerian passport to convince him that he did not enter Nigeria illegally with a foreign passport without visa. Adeleke started arguing with the officer, who had to refer the case to his superiors and the verdict was that he could not make the trip unless he produced the said Nigerian passport. “Livid with anger, Adeleke, in company with his bodyguards, started protesting in a disorderly manner, prompting the Comptroller of Immigration in- charge at MMIA to intervene. He advised Adeleke to call his bodyguards to order (caution) and comply with the lawful instruction which would not only erase any doubt as to his immigration status but also establish his claim to dual citizenship.” Davido was said to have left and on the following day produced his Nigerian e-passport with number A02227477 issued at Abuja on August13, 2010 and valid till August 12, 2015. The NIS stated that the passport was endorsed and the artiste then proceeded on his trip. The statement added, “This behaviour of Adeleke is quite unfortunate. One would ordinarily have expected some form of commendation from him for the professional manner the officers, who attended to him, conducted themselves especially in saving him from embarrassment at some international port of entry by ensuring that his passport is endorsed as is the law and practice in Nigeria . “The intention of this statement is not to to join issues with Mr. Adeleke but to set the facts of the incident, as it happened at MMIA on the said day straight."

Another Boko Haram member captured in TB Joshua's church...

Let me just put a disclaimer here...I didn't write this o! :-). Article written by Ihechukwu Njoku - a freelance Nigerian journalist who writes for Synagogue Church. Read his new piece below... Another member of the dreaded Boko Haram sect allegedly confessed at Nigerian Pastor T.B. Joshua’s church today, stating that he was being paid N2,000,000 to bomb churches. Nearing the end of the service, during the time Joshua’s ‘Wise Men’ were minisring ‘deliverance’ to people, an aggressive young man dressed in a shabby suit was ushered forward. “I am one of the Boko Haram,” the man declared to the wise man, clearly under an unusual influence. “They said they would give me N2,000,000 if I went to blow up a church,” the man continued upon questioning as to how he joined the infamous group of insurgents. “Every church would be N2,000,000. They said would be give me big house and a wife.” Continue ... Boko Haram has been the focus of huge international media attention following their claiming responsibility for the kidnapping of over 200 girls several weeks ago. Queried as to why he came to the church, the man stated, “I have been hearing of T.B. Joshua – that is why I came here.” The wise man then prayed for the man who fell heavily to the ground, before being declared free from the ‘evil spirit’. Several minutes later, T.B. Joshua himself returned to the service simply clad in jeans and a t-shirt. “I was in the prayer room when I heard the deliverance going on and listened to the confession of this guy. What he was confessing is mind-boggling,” the cleric told the congregation. Bringing the man back before the congregation, Joshua questioned him further as to how he was initiated into the sect. “My name is Hosea Bulus,” the man began. “They gave me blood; they gave me charms. I took it inside food.” According to Bulus, upon taking the diabolic ‘blood’, the urge to kill and destroy entered him. “If you talk to me, I will fight you very well,” he confessed. Joshua emphasised to the congregation that the battle was more spiritual than physical. “One thing you must know – we are fighting evil spirits that steal, kill and destroy. Let us not fight our neighbours.” He insisted the problem was not a Muslim-Christian issue. “They are using that name as a camouflage, as a cover up,” he stated, adding that no one could bring himself to killing innocent lives without being under the influence of an ‘evil spirit’. Joshua then prayed for the man, who fell to his knees and immediately complained that he wanted to visit the toilet. The popular pastor reminded the congregation of the well- publicized deliverance of an alleged Boko Haram member named ‘Mustapha’ two months ago at The SCOAN who stated he came to bomb the church with four accomplices. He explained that authorities in Abuja have certified the authenticity of his confession, contrary to the statement released by Lagos State Police Commissioner Umar Manko who initially dismissed the claims. “At the beginning they said it’s not true but the authorities in Abuja came out to confirm that he is truly a Boko Haram member… They are following it up.” The cleric concluded by stating he would not ask any further questions publicly so as not to undermine the intelligence Hosea would be able to provide to the relevant authorities. Several minutes later, the man was shown excreting out some blackish substances following the prayer.

Why I dumped acting for movie productions – Chinney Eke

Behind every great movie is a movie producer at the background supervising and guiding the cast and crew in its creation, seeing the movie project through to its completion. Chinney Eze popularly known as Chinney Love has been credited as one of the youngest starlets to grace the Nollywood movie producing scene. Formerly an actress, the 25 year old plunged into producing with her debut movie ‘The Cartel’. The movie got a lot of buzz bagging 5 nominations at ZAFAA awards as well as 4 nominations at the Best of Nollywood Awards. It featured star Nollywood Actor Mike Ezuronye, Luclay of Big Brother Amplified to name a few. In this exclusive interview with Vanguard, she talks about her career and Nollywood. BY DAMILOLA SHOLOLA When did you start producing movies? My first movie that I ever produced was in 2012. ‘The Cartel’. It was a cinema movie. What other movies have you done apart from The Cartel? I’ve done Maduka Daughters. I’ve done Sisters Quest. There’s a comedy I just did called Okrika and now, I’m working on a movie that I’m supposed to start in 3 weeks’ time but no title yet. Why did you decide to go into movie production? Okay, basically I started as an actress. I did a couple of movies. I think I acted over 12 movies first then I thought to myself, I’m a business person. I’m a core business person. Maybe it’s because of where I’m from, Anambra state. So I told myself, why don’t I just go into this part of management. I’ve always liked to manage, I’ve always liked to put things together. So instead of always being in front of the camera, why don’t I just put things together since I’m good at that. So I tried it, I did my movie. It was a big movie. A movie that had cast from all over Africa when I did it, it came out big, it came out well. I loved every bit of it so I just thought that this is it. This is what I’m doing. So I quit acting How was it like working with the cast & crew of The Cartel? I loved working on that set. It was amazing. The Cartel comprised of artistes from all over Africa. I had an artiste from South Africa, from Ghana, from Tanzania then I had a star artiste from Nigeria. These people, I’m not trying to downplay our artistes here, have a kind of discipline when it comes to work ethics. They keep to the core time, there’s nothing like a celebrity thing. If you say 7am, it is 7am, it doesn’t matter how hard or late they worked the previous night. I didn’t have to start battering ‘Oh now come and shoot now’ and stuff like that. They knew their job. They knew it was work so it was quite easy for me. They knew what they came for and they did it well. Everybody was on point I would say Your new movie is Maduka Daughters? That’s not the latest. Maduka daughters is already out. Maduka daughters is a family story and I had to shoot it in the east because of the kind of story I was trying to sell and it was for commercial value. So I looked at a story that would appeal to our commercial people because this Nigeria, 60% of Nigerians live below the poverty line so I just did a story that would appeal to them. Basically it’s a family story. I used artistes like Michael Godson, he’s raving at the moment now. Artistes like Moyo Lawal, Chinyere Wilfred and Walter Anga What has been the high point of your career? You know when you actually do work and you get appreciation for it and people are like ‘Are you the one that did this movie? I love your movie,’ it means people appreciate you. Those are the most amazing moments. When I know that I just did something that people love, that people can associate with and can’t get enough. To me, that’s the most amazing thing ever. Doing something that appeals to the society. How do you view Nollywood in general? We are growing but we still have a long way to go. We still need a lot of discipline, a lot of schemes that have not been applied like distribution strategy after doing a movie. As a producer, you should be able to get returns but I think that our distribution system here is not as strong as its supposed to be so we still need to work on that. If you could change one thing in Nollywood, what would it be? I would stop the piracy stuff. It’s killing the business. I’m talking as a producer because I’m not an artiste. You would do your work, spend money and then you don’t make as much as you expected because little boys on the streets are pirating your movie. It’s a ripoff. It’s really painful. In terms of movie production, who is your biggest inspiration in Nollywood? Basically, I’ve never met Emem Isong before. I’ve met her a couple of times in premieres but I don’t know her one on one but I like her spirit. I like the fact that she just gave it a try and there’s no going back for her. She’s doing it big and she’s one of the biggest Nollywood producers in Nigeria. So I saw it, I liked it and I said let me follow her trend. When I see her movies come out day in day out, month in month out, she inspires me to want to work. Are you currently in any relationship? No, I’m single. Right now, I’m just facing my career What qualities do you look out for in a man? I like guys that are very funny, I like witty guys. Great sense of humor. Aside God-fearing, a funny guy that can make me laugh and I’m fine What’s your main philosophy of life? Be the best you can be. Don’t let people dictate to you. Just be the best you can be. Don’t listen to people. Don’t let negative comments bring you back. Just do what you want to do, do what make you happy and everybody else that does not like it can jump inside the river Which actor/actress are you looking forward to working with in the future? I would love to work with Majid. I think that’s the only person I want to work with very soon What more should people expect from you? They should just expect lots and lots of good things. All the movies I’ve done have always had positive comments, so just expect lots of good stuffs. A lot of good movies coming from me. I’ve just started and I’m going to get bigger and better.

Troops on alert as Boko Haram insurgents surround Gwoza

Troops have been placed on red alert following information that Boko Haram insurgents had surrounded Gwoza, Borno State. A military source said the insurgents had been “massing up in Gwoza with intent to strike.” “We have placed troops on red alert. We are also sending reinforcement as I speak with you. We are taking pre- emptive measures to avert a repeat of what happened in Gamboru during the week.” The news broke as the terrorists blew up another bridge, killed an unknown number of people and abducted the wife and two children of a retired police officer at Limankara village in Adamawa State. The Limankara bridge served as a link between Adamawa and Borno states. A team of French experts arrived Abuja yesterday to join those from the USA and UK to help look for the girls. An official in President Francois Hollande’s office in Paris said they are experts in collecting intelligence from technical and human sources and in image analysis. Father of two of the abducted girls, the Rev. Enoch Mark, described his despair and anger at the military for not yet finding his daughters. “For a good 11 days, our daughters were sitting in one place,” he told The Associated Press. “They camped them near Chibok not more than 30 kilometres, and no help in hand. For a good 11 days.”

Chibok girls: SERAP urges further action from UN Security Council

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, yesterday urged the United Nations, UN Security Council to go beyond mere expression of concern over the plight of school children seized by armed groups, as well as those affected by violence from Boko Haram insurgency. In a statement by its executive director, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, it is now time for the Council to act decisively against Boko Haram by imposing “targeted sanctions against them and their backers to end persistent attacks against children and other civilians.” SERAP stated: “The Council should consider a broad range of options for increasing pressure on Boko Haram and their backers if it is to contribute to stemming the persistent abuse of children by the extremist group, and assist Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. “This will certainly increase international action against the impunity with which Boko Haram operates, and may be the turning point to secure the safe return of the missing schoolgirls. According to the group, the suggested action is consistent with the 2012 ‘Resolution 2068’ of the Council. It said, “This resolution reiterates the primary responsibility of the Council for the maintenance of international peace and security and its commitment to address the widespread impact of armed conflict on children.” It further said, “The cost of inaction is simply too high to contemplate. Taking strong action would send a strong signal that the resolutions of the Council are not only words on paper, and that vigorous action can be taken when they are not implemented.” It noted, “Sanctions send a powerful signal to the perpetrators and contribute to greater compliance with the Council’s agenda on children in armed conflict.”

Sunday, 11 May 2014

Four Nigerians jailed in the UK for involvement in fake marriages

Found this report on UK Daily Mail . Four Nigerians, a man and three women have been jailed in the UK for their involvement in many fake weddings in the country. Read full report below... Four fake brides and an ex-security guard fixer involved in an eight-month sham marriage scam have been jailed. Azuha Izegbune, 38 (pictured left), was the mastermind of the visa con - which saw fake weddings staged at registry offices in Birmingham, Stoke and Glasgow. The former security guard from Birmingham, West Midlands, was paid to arrange fake weddings between Hungarian and Nigerian nationals so they could remain in the UK. The weddings were arranged so both brides and grooms could secure European Area Residence Cards.
Nwanunwanne Eze, left, was jailed for 17 months for her attempted sham marriage in Glasgow - which was raided by investigators. Hellen Adejumo-Dani, right, was jailed for 22 months Some of the grooms were flown in to the UK just hours before the fake ceremonies took place. Following a Home Office probe, the scam was exposed - and those involved have now been sentenced to a total of nine years in jail at Birmingham Crown Court. Sentencing, Judge Elizabeth Stacey said Izegbune had undermined the UK’s border controls and described him as 'the lynch-pin, the organiser and the fixer' of an eight- month conspiracy between December 2012 and September 2013. She said: 'You met registrars, bought plane tickets, acted as witness and interpreter and recruited Ivett Szanto to help you find Hungarian grooms and brides. 'I have read the wonderful testimonies about you. It’s just desperately sad that you have used your considerable charm and skills to take part in these activities.' Izegbune is himself married to a Hungarian and has lived legally in the UK since 2009 with dual Nigerian and Hungarian nationality. The father-of-two was jailed for 31 months after pleading guilty to five counts of conspiracy to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law.
The court heard the fake brides handed over an unknown amount of cash in a bid to win the residence cards - which would have given them the legal right to remain in the UK and Europe. But two of the weddings were stopped halfway through and a price list for a £7,500 ceremony was later recovered. It showed just a £20 budget was allocated for the wedding dress, rings and shoes. One of the fake brides, pregnant Nigerian Hellen Adedjumo- Dani, 31, took photos of herself with her fake partner outside McDonald's restaurants across Birmingham to try and make her relationship appear real, the court heard. She had images of herself in a dressing gown on her bed and even saved her fake groom as 'Babe' on her phone. She married her groom at a registry office in Birmingham in June 2013. Adedjumo-Dani, who is due to give birth in October, was found guilty after a separate two-day trial in March of this year and was jailed for 22 months. Nigerian women Nwabunwanne Eze, 35, and Chioma Nwangwu, 28, both from Birmingham, were all jailed for taking part in their own fake marriages. Nwangu married her groom Birmingham registry office in June 2013. Eze attempted to marry at Glasgow registry office in August 2013 - but the ceremony was raided by investigators. She and Nwangwu pleaded guilty to one charge of breaching immigration law and were jailed for 16 months and 17 months respectively.

*FUNNY*Basketmouth Decides To Turn Into A Woman

With the recent trends of photoshop these days, any kind of photo can possibly come up.. Hilarious award winning comedian Bright Okpara also known as Basketmouth put up an Hilarious photo on his social media page and asking fans of their thoughts. The comedian is one person who is good at making his audience laugh in many hilarious ways and not just only saying jokes on stage. He uploaded this pic of himself and captioned it “If I was a girl…does Basketmouth fit into a woman’s being? Does he look beautiful if he were a woman? what do you think, would he have been sexy and beautiful or contrary …

Chibok abduction: Don’t sell our girls; we won’t pay you any ransom – FG tells Boko Haram

The Presidency has stated that it would not pay any ransom for the release of the schoolgirls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State 26 days ago. Leader of the terror group, Abubakar Shekau while claiming responsibility for the unfortunate abduction had said he would sell off the over 200 girls, an indication that he was asking for ransom from the government for the release of the girls.
However, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in an interview with Punch averred that the government would not pay a ransom or engage in any form of sale of human beings. He said, “The Federal Government is not going to engage in any form of selling human beings. The sale of any human being is an assault on the dignity of that human being. “Slavery is one of the major crimes against humanity in the UN Conventions. There will be no amount of provocation that will push the Federal Government of Nigeria to engage in anything that is remotely associated to the promotion of slavery. “The position of the Federal Government is that even if Boko Haram goes ahead with its threat to sell human beings, whoever buys such human beings will be held culpable for promoting slavery. “What we are dealing with and which must be stressed is that when there is a crime against humanity, the whole world must come together to condemn that crime. “The question of turning human beings into merchandise and that being supported by government should be ruled out. I don’t think that will happen. “But government of course will do everything within its capacity to ensure that the girls are brought back to safety. But turning them into items of merchandise is not part of the strategy at this time.” On government’s position on the North-East leaders demand that President Goodluck Jonathan should not extend the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, Abati said the President would take a stand on the issue this week. He however explained that the decision would not be based on what the elders wanted but on the interest of the people of the affected states and Nigeria in general. “President Jonathan has already addressed this (the issue of state of emergency) in his last media chat. I think that in the coming week, it will be exactly six months since the last state of emergency was declared. “By next week, we are likely to see the President taking a close look at the issue and taking a decision on it. “It is not a question of what the North-East leaders want, it is a question of what is in the best interest of the people of the affected area and in the best interest of Nigeria,” he stated.

CHIBOK GIRLS: Kidnapped Chibok Girls Moved To Ashaka Forest, Gombe

The kidnapped Chibok girls have been moved from the Sambisa forest towards the forest around Ashaka in Gombe State, a top security official said. The security official, who sought anonymity as he was not authorised to speak, also denied the rumor that some of the girls were rescued on Saturday. He, however, said there were high hopes for the quick rescue of the girls based on the ongoing cooperation between Nigerian officials and their counterparts from the U.S. and U.K. on the rescue efforts. “It is not true that they have been rescued yet, but we noticed and observed movement of some of the girls from the Sambisa region towards Ashaka forest in Gombe state”, said the security personnel. The officer added that efforts are being put in place to “carefully track” the abductors and get the girls freed. “We have not, even for once, lost hope that these girls would be freed. This is a delicate matter which must be handled with all professionalism and absolute care”, the source added. For almost a month that the over 250 girls were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, the Nigerian military has decided not to provide information on details of its rescue efforts. The military has, however, said it is doing its best to free the girls. Efforts to speak to the military spokesperson, Chris Olukolade, on the latest report of the girls’ sighting were unsuccessful as he did not pick or return calls nor respond to a text message sent to his phone.

'Why Japan Didn't Join Search for Abducted Nigerian Girls'

Japanese government Friday gave an insight to why it hasn’t offered any military assistance to Nigeria in its search for the over 2000 girls kidnapped from the Federal Government Girls College Chibok, Borno State, by members of the Boko-Haram sect. Japan however said it would support any United Nations (UN) activities in Nigeria by deploying its Self Defence Force through the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA). Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Environment in Japan, Ideki Makihara stated this while fielding questions from journalists during a media interaction yesterday in Abuja. Makihara who was a delegate at the World Economic forum for Africa (WEF) explained that the Japanese government since the end of World War II, has no standing army and would not deploy its local police to any mission beyond the shores of Japan. “I do not say that we want to do any help for the security, after the World War II, we set a new constitution, we are prohibited to have army. But we have a Self Defence Force, we always cooperate with the United Nations and our Self Defence Force is in South-Sudan. So if the UN has some activities in Nigeria, we will be able to cooperate with the UN activities", he said. He explained that it would be difficult for Japanese government to offer any military assistance to the Nigerian government without involvement of UN, but said Japan may consider technical assistance if required. "Without the UN decision, it is difficult for us to send our Self Defence Army, and we will never send our police to other countries, police is just for national security, that is our restriction under the constitution, but we may be able to send technology or machines,” he added. Also, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji revealed that Japan was in the process of determining the nature of assistance it would offer to Nigeria through the ODA. “We have been discussing these issues; we are determined to help, like in the Mali situation, we provided a huge assistance but not directly to help directly in terms of military strength", he said. He added; "We provide humanitarian assistance and economic support. We are consulting with the UN to know in which field we can support that suit the UN-ODA activities, we are in the process to determine which project we are going to finance, through the UN-ODC in Nigeria,” Shoji said.

Abubakar Shekau is Title, Not Identity, Says Military

Don't blame abduction on FG, Oronto Douglas tells Washington Post Yemi Adebowale and Adebiyi Adedapo The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade has said that Abubakar Shekau, known as the leader of the terrorist Boko-Haram sect is more of a title than a name. In a related development, President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Research, Strategy and Documentation, Oronto Douglas yesterday in an interview with The Washington Post said “it is not helpful to heap blames upon the Nigerian government as it struggles to rescue more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped in Borno State by the terrorist Boko Haram sect.” Olukolade spoke on “Shekau” in Abuja, during the maiden press briefing of the newly constituted National Information Centre, comprising the information officers of the State Security Service, Mrs. Marylyn Ogar; the Nigerian Police Force, Mr. Frank Mba; the Directorate of Defence Information Olukolade and the Director General of the National orientation Agency (NOA) Mr. Mike Omeri. He also said that many of the information provided to the military about the abduction of the schoolgirls were misleading, adding that many of the information were concocted to unsettle the populace. "Talking about the personality that has been presenting himself as head of that group, besides knowing the fact that the term Shekau is more of a title than a name, there are many issues around it that makes it still fake. I don't want to get into the details of that," Olukolade said. He added that several pictures being circulated on the Internet were recycled for mischievous purposes, as he said some of the pictures were activities of what took place in Central African Republic (CAR) and it is being presented as a recent event in Nigeria. According to him, the terrorists want to unsettle the populace with concocted images, and do anything that will promote fear. The phase we are in with them now, is to engage in activities that will make the populace so scared to the extent of almost losing confidence in government and its institutions and also targeted at a situation whereby the institutions of state will be so stressed and warn out. “We want to assure Nigerians that the institutions of state are still functioning and still capable of assuring them their security, regardless of the activities of the terrorists," he said. Giving updates on the search for the kidnapped Chibok girls, Olukolade said efforts have been more concerted in conjunction with Multi-national Joint Task Force. "A the moment, we have two divisions of the Nigerian army infantry devoted on looking for these girls, and they are all operating in the nethermost part of the federation contiguous to various borders. There are also other military and security agencies located close to border location in the north and south. All our border locations have been activated to operate at their optimum in looking out for these children.” He added that The Nigerian Air Force has flown over 350 sorties with a view to ensuring that not just surveillance but air patrol is sustained on a near 24-hour basis over locations that information has indicated as likely position of these girls. "The facilities of the Nigerian Army signals as well as all the communication facilities of the Nigerian Police and all the services have been devoted in coordinating this search and ensuring that information gets back to the control post where all the operations are being monitored and guided,” Olukolade said. In the interview with Washington Post, Douglas called for greater international assistance in the country's struggle against terrorism. "The Nigerian government is doing all it can - everything in its power - in collaboration with its allies to ensure that our daughters, the girls, are brought back home," said Douglas, who was on a visit to Washington. The perceived slowness of Abuja's response to the mass abduction has sparked protests both inside and outside Nigeria. Douglas said such criticisms "are normal for democracies," though he did not say whether they were justified. "This is not about politics; it is about the protection of human lives. In an attempt to rescue the girls, we must not also endanger their lives," Douglas says. Douglas pointed to the transnational threat posed by Boko Haram, whose base of operations in Nigeria's northeast extends across borders into three other countries. "The days when nations act alone are over," he said. The United States and other Western countries have promised technical assistance in the hunt for the missing girls, and Douglas appealed for more help. "Terrorism is very new in Nigeria. You need international support," he said. He finds it particularly galling that his government has come in for the sort of criticism it has faced since the disappearance of the Chibok schoolgirls. “When a terrorist bomb goes off in Afghanistan, they don't blame the Afghan government. So, why the reverse with Nigeria?" Don't see the Nigerian government as the problem. Don't blame Nigeria going forward. The blame game should be taken to the back burner," he insisted.

PLANE CRASH: IRS Aircraft Crashes into Niger Republic

An aircraft, Fokker 100, owned by IRS airlines crashed yesterday in Niger Republic on its way back to Nigeria after C (maintenance) checks. Although information relating to the crash was sketchy as at the time of going to press, it was learnt that the only two persons on-board the aircraft, the pilot and an engineer, survived the crash. IRS Airlines, which is one of the indigenous carriers that has operated for a long time, stopped scheduled services last October due to technical problems with its fleet. The airline, which operated three Fokker 100 aircraft, stopped operation when its aircraft developed hydraulic problem while landing at the Kaduna airport last year, prompting the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ground its operations. The airline successfully carried a C check in one of its aircraft and was waiting for the return of the second aircraft that was taken for another C check for a long time, but it crashed in Niger Republic, few minutes before it could enter Nigeria’s airspace. An official of the airline said the crash had done a death blow to the IRS, which had planned to resume operation on the arrival of the ill-fated aircraft, which would have doubled the number of its aircraft to meet the minimum requirement of NCAA. “I have not heard about the crash before now but I know that we are waiting for this aircraft to arrive today (yesterday) so that we could resume operation immediately. We already have one that had gone through C check; we are just waiting for this one. So if it has crashed it will be a great setback to us,” lamented the IRS official.