Wednesday, December 31, 2014

FOR THE RECORDS ... ANOTHER BLAND APPEAL TO OUR SENSIBILITIES : Full Text Of 2015 News Year's Day Broadcast By President Goodluck Jonathan


Dear Great People of our nation,
1.         I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the New Year today. As we mark the beginning of this New Year, 2015, a new nation is being born.  A new nation is being born because of the foundations we have all laid, working together for the good and progress of our dear fatherland.
2.        I join you all in thanking God Almighty who has brought us this far, for continually bestowing His Grace upon us and for guiding our great nation safely through all the challenges of the past year.
3.        This year, as in the year past, I reaffirm my commitment to work to ensure a secure future for our dear country and the generations yet unborn.
4.        Last year, we celebrated our hundredth year of nationhood. The year brought us further progress, challenges and fresh opportunities.
5.        We have contended with the normal challenges of nation-building and the unusual challenges of terrorism.
6.        But we have continued to vigorously confront those who seek to destroy the bonds of unity that hold us together.
7.         On this first day of the New Year, I want to pay special tribute to the gallant officers, men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies who have been in the forefront of the war against terrorism and violent extremism in our country and sub-region.
8.        I also commend all Nigerians who have remained vigilant and cooperative with our security agencies in the fight against the common enemy.
9.        We are re-equipping and re-positioning our armed forces to enhance their capacity to win the ongoing war against terror and insurgency.
10.    Regrettably, terrorists have unleashed much pain and agony on our land. They have made widows of our mothers and sisters and orphans of our children. They have shut down businesses, desecrated places of worship and brought untold hardship to both men and women. They have violated the culture and peaceful way of life in our country, which took generations to build.
11.     They have destroyed countless schools and displaced people from their communities, driving them into exile.
12.    I want to assure you that the terrorists will not get away with their atrocities: they will not win; they will be routed. As President, I feel the pain of all affected communities and families. I hear their cries and share their sorrow and pain.
13.    We will not forget; we will not look the other way. We have done a lot of painstaking planning and work to resolve the current security challenge. We will bring justice to the savage terrorists known as Boko Haram. They will be defeated.
14.    That is the solemn commitment I make today as President of the Federal Republic, and Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces.
15.    By the Special Grace of God, the Federal Government, under my leadership, has continued, in the past four years to lead our country forward, even under the most trying circumstances.
16.    The progress we have made in priority areas bears us testimony.
17.    Amongst other achievements, we have rehabilitated and expanded our rail transportation network, successfully privatized power generation and distribution, significantly reformed and increased local participation in our oil and gas industry, and improved nationwide access to potable water from 57% in 2010, to 70% at present.
18.   We have also made significant progress in improving access to primary, secondary and tertiary education by building and equipping more schools, including special Almajiri schools, and establishing additional universities to ensure that each state of the nation now has at least one Federal University.
19.    Our national economy maintained a steady growth rate of close to seven per cent in the past four years and millions of fresh employment opportunities were created for our people as a direct consequence.
20.  Recently, we launched the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) and the $100 million dollars Government and Donor Fund for Agriculture Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN) to fast-track the positive transformation of our agricultural sector.
21.    The Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) targets 750, 000 market-oriented young agricultural producers while the $100 million dollars Fund is to provide affordable long-term financing to support the development of small and medium agribusinesses in the country.
22.   This is in addition to a N50 billion Farm Mechanization Support Fund set up by the Central Bank to establish 1,200 agricultural equipment-hiring enterprises.
23.   Both funds will become fully operational this year.  Policies and programmes such as these to boost agricultural production remain topmost on the agenda of this administration.
24.   Being very conscious of the inherent perils of our over-reliance on income from crude oil exports for national development, we have focused on accelerating the diversification of our economy.
25.   The non-oil Sector which has grown by an average of 8% in the last few years, is now a major driver of growth in our economy.
26.   The 2015 national budget, which is now before the National Assembly, is targeted at deepening our efforts at becoming a non-oil economy.
27.   The budget also includes measures to ensure that the downturn in the price of oil does not affect our development plans and our national economy too adversely. We are adjusting our financial processes to safeguard our economy.  We are also taking steps to ensure that the poor and the low and medium income earners do not bear the brunt.
28.  In 2015, this administration will continue to lay the foundation for a vibrant economy that attracts significant Foreign Direct Investment and promotes policies that ensure economic stability.
29.   We will ensure stability in the value of the Naira by striving to take away speculative behaviours that cause market exchange pressures.
30.  We will continue to build and maintain a healthy external reserves position and strengthen fiscal buffers.  We will ensure the Naira remains strong, and gives foreign investors the clarity and certainty that they need, to guide future investment decisions.
31.    We will continue to improve our payment systems and strengthen risk-based supervision mechanism for Nigerian banks to ensure overall health and stability of the banking system.
32.   We are introducing a broad spectrum of financial instruments to boost sector-specific enterprise areas in agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), manufacturing, and oil and gas to enhance our aggregate supply capacity, reduce poverty, promote job creation and increase the general well-being of our people.
33.   These efforts and other measures being spearheaded by relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, are geared to ensure a secure future for Nigeria and create a much more prosperous country, where people live more peaceful and fulfilled lives.
Fellow countrymen and women,
34.   As we enter an election year, I assure you that our administration will remain fully focused on providing good governance and the delivery of better public services to our people.
35.   The coming campaigns and elections will not distract us from our ongoing work to significantly improve the living conditions of our people.  And I urge all tiers of government not to be distracted as well.
36.   The elections are very important for us as a country.  Their successful conclusion will further strengthen our democratic institutions and place our beloved country even more firmly in the comity of truly democratic nations.
37.   Given the challenges that have characterized some previous electoral contests in our country, the eyes of the world will certainly be on the conduct and outcome of our fifth post-military rule general elections.
38.  I reassure all Nigerians and the international community of our firm commitment to free, fair and credible elections. My commitment to free elections and one man, one vote remains unwavering.
39.   Our administration has worked hard in previous elections to prepare all key stakeholders including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the electorate optimally, to ensure a progressively improved electoral process in the country under my watch.  We will continue to do so for the coming elections.
40.  We will continue to provide adequate funding to INEC and maintain the Commission’s independence and isolate it from any form of interference or meddling in its day-to-day affairs.  This shall continue to guarantee its impartiality and ability to conduct more credible and acceptable elections.
41.    National security agencies will also be given all necessary support to enhance their ability to ensure that the elections are peaceful and violence-free. The Nigeria Police has already established an Elections Security Planning and Monitoring Unit.
42.   I am optimistic that with the cooperation of all law-abiding citizens of the country, our commitment to have a peaceful and violence-free election will be actualized.
43.   I will like to say this, once again, to my fellow politicians and political leaders. None of our political ambitions is worth the blood of any of our countrymen, women and children.  The improvement of their lives and living conditions ought to be our primary motive and the driving force of our quest for political power and leadership positions.
44.   Let us not promote sectionalism, disunity, intolerance, hate, falsehood or the malicious abuse of political opponents. Whatever we feel or seek, we must have a nation and a people before we can dream of political ambitions. Let us put the nation and the people first.
45.   Let us all conduct our electoral campaigns with the highest possible decorum and civility towards political opponents. Let us give INEC the fullest possible support and cooperation it requires to conduct credible and violence-free elections in 2015.
46.                   After the 2011 general elections, some unpatriotic elements embarked on an orgy of violence, resulting in the destruction of lives and property. That will not be allowed to happen this time around. This government will act decisively against anyone who disrupts the public peace, before, during or after the 2015 general elections.
47. All Nigerians, of voting age, are free to vote based on their convictions. It is our duty to defend and protect that basic right, and let no one be in doubt, we will.
48.  Fellow Nigerians, I urge all of you to enter the New Year with renewed zeal and patriotism, to serve our fatherland with love, honesty, faithfulness and hope for a greater tomorrow.
49.   As I have always maintained, none of the challenges before us is insurmountable.  We must come together as a people and work with single-minded unity of purpose to overcome them.
50.  Nigeria is a key country in Africa. We must work together to maintain our strategic position and collaborate with others to move the continent forward. I call for peace in Africa and an end to all conflicts in our continent.  I urge all Africans to promote democracy in their respective countries to ensure faster development of the continent and faster economic and political integration.
51.    We will continue to pray and offer hands of fellowship and assistance to our fellow Africans suffering from the Ebola Virus Disease.  I urge all Nigerians to show compassion and contribute in whatever way we can to help our African brothers and sisters.
52.   As we go into this New Year, I salute the indomitable and resilient spirit of our people in Nigeria and wherever they are in the world.  Our spirit of enterprise and the doggedness to succeed amongst all odds has been our strength.
53.   With our collective prayers and efforts, we will grow our economy and our people will become wealthier. Government will continue with programmes deliberately designed to create more jobs for our youth, to enable them contribute more to the growth and development of our nation.
54.   Let us continue our march to the future, towards the attainment of our collective vision of a strong, united, prosperous and harmonious nation – a secure nation for us and for our coming generations.
55.   I wish you all a happy and fulfilling 2015.
56.   God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
57.   Happy New Year, Nigeria!
58.   I thank you all.

WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH ,MEN TODAY? : Woman flees after son impregnates her twice ... Radar


Police are looking to arrest a mother and her son for incest. The man of Zimbabwe, and his biological mother are reportedly on the run after having an incestuous relationship that resulted in two pregnancies. 
Ethel Vhangare and her son Simon Matsvara of Domboshava, allegedly had an affair while his father, Agripah Matsvara, was still alive. It is alleged that the first time Simon impregnated his mother she had a miscarriage during her fifth month of pregnancy. 
When his father had a stroke about 5 years ago, Simon began helping his mother care for his father. Later in the same year, Vhangare allegedly started feeling sick and was vomiting. She revealed to a neighbor that she was pregnant and her son was the father.

AS WE START TO SAY GOODBYE TO JONATHAN : Papa Adeboye's Top Man, Pastor Kalejaiye, Drops Bombshell ... Olufamous.com


In his most recent column for Saturday Sun titled Press Clips, veteran Nigerian journalist Mike Awoyinfa chronicled Redeemed Pastor J.T. Kalejaiye’s explosive sermon last Sunday in which he appeared to be canvassing support for the APC Buhari-Osinbajo ticket come February 2015.

In his message, Pastor Adeboye’s close confidant and touted to be among the favourites to one day take over Redeemed Christian Church Of God (RCCG) predicted ‘there would be a pleasant surprise in 2015 elections’, telling congregants to ‘go and mark it’.

Sounding angry with the way Nigeria is going, Pastor Kalejaiye, regional evangelist of RCCG fumed:
“Of what use is my brother, my blood brother who is not going to move the nation forward? And you want me to vote for him because he is my brother? Don’t let us deceive ourselves.”
“What are we saying? Let’s call a spade a spade, brethren. Things cannot continue this way. Corruption is the order of the day. You can steal and nothing will follow. That’s all… Brethren, if you don’t do something, something will do you. Wake up!”

He continued, “We have to change our system… Who is a Christian? Who is a Muslim? When I was working somewhere, my boss was a Muslim. I enjoyed under him. My boss provoked me to study further. My boss was always after my welfare. It shall be well him wherever he is today. He is a Muslim. The soldier attached to me was with me for almost 15 years. I never knew he was a Muslim. The day he opened his mouth to say “Sir, I am Muslim,” I said “What? But you follow me to the camp. You do this, you do that.” He said that when it was time to pray he would pray.

“Brethren, wake up! Who is a Christian? That somebody goes to church doesn’t make him a Christian. That somebody bears Christian name doesn’t make him a Christian. You are a Christian yet there is no employment for our youths. People who should be feeding their parents are still being fed by their parents. How many youths can get married today without the support of their parents financially? During our own time, we did our wedding, we only called our parents to come and eat. Today, our children who are 35, we are still feeding them. 

It looks like Pastor Kalejaiye’s veiled support for Buhari comes after he appointed Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, also a high ranking Redeemed Pastor, as his running mate for the February 2015 general elections under the banner of APC.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

IS IT THIS BAD? : BREAKING: President Jonathan relocates children abroad based on security advice ... NewsExpress


In a move that seems to betray his fears ahead of the February 2015 general elections, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has quietly moved his children to the United Kingdom.
Presidency sources said the action was  based on security advice.
Militant elements from Jonathan’s Ijaw ethnic group have been threatening war if he loses the election. For the first time, Nigeria’s opposition has come together to forge a strong alliance through the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, is currently making waves across the country.
Jonathan’s Special Adviser (Media & Publicity) Reuben Abati had on Sunday issued a statement that his boss “left Abuja this afternoon for a brief private visit to the United Kingdom.”
“The President was accompanied on the trip by some of his principal staff and personal aides,” he said.
Both Abati and Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs Doying Okupe did not reply to enquiries by News Express on why their principal chose to move his children abroad. Before their relocation, Jonathan’s children were living with him and First Lady Patience Jonathan in the Presidential Villa while receiving an education at an elitist school in the Nigerian capital.

EMBARASSING DEFECTION ... THE IGPolice MUST HEAR THIS O : Reps aspirant dumps PDP after winning party’s primary, joins APC for Osinbajo ... PremiumTimes

Ayisha-Osori
A People Democratic Party, PDP, House of Representative aspirant, Aisha Osori, has denounced the PDP to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, after emerging winner on the platform of the PDP.
Ms. Osori made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing journalists at the APC national secretariat.
Ms. Osori emerged winner at the recent AMAC/Bwari federal constituency primary in the Federal Capital Territory.
Ms. Osori, who was presented with the membership card of the APC, told journalists she decided to defect after watching the APC primary because she believed in APC’s vice presidential candidate, Yemi Osibanjo, who was her lecturer at one time.
“I decided to denounce membership after watching the APC conduct its presidential primary in a fair and competitive manner and after seeing the combination of Osibanjo and Buhari, both men of integrity,” Ms. Osori said.
“Osibanjo used to teach me at the University of Lagos, faculty of law, I believe that is a great combination that would move the country forward and I want to be part of that team,’’ she said.
According to her, the APC slogan “Change” is enough reason to support the party as she was sure of winning the on the platform of APC.
Ms. Osori noted that more than 70 per cent of Nigerians were youth who wanted the change that “APC represents’’.
On what her contribution would be to ensure the success of the APC at the general elections, Ms. Osori, who leads the non-governmental organization, Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund, cited experience.
“The years of experience I garnered in the private sector as a lawyer and also as writer, first with Thisday and later with Leadership newspapers, will be of value to APC.
Reacting to the defection, the APC National Secretary, Mai-Mala Buni, who presented the membership card to Ms. Osori, expressed delight because his party was waxing stronger by the day.
“Such event will be a continuous thing. Our doors are open. Everybody, who is ready to join the party, is welcome anytime, any day,’’ he said. (NAN)

Sunday, December 28, 2014

OF MARADONNA AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR : Revealed: What Jonathan, Babangida discussed ... TheNation

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President woos Emirs, leaders 
Former military President Ibrahim Babangida made no commitment on the 2015 presidential poll to President Goodluck Jonathan at a meeting in Minna on Saturday, The Nation learnt yesterday.
Gen. Babangida only raised issues on how to keep the nation united during and after the general elections – contrary to the widespread insinuation that he endorsed Jonathan’s bid for another term.
Buoyed by the visit, Dr. Jonathan has started reaching out to key emirs and leaders of the North to back his re-election bid.
He may soon visit these leaders as part of his action plan to reduce the influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
The details of the meeting between Jonathan and Gen. Babangida were revealed in Abuja by one of the key aides of the former military leader.
The talks between the two leaders in Minna created ripples in the North, with many highly-placed Northerners bombarding Gen. Babangida with calls on what actually transpired.
The aide, who was at Gen. Babangida’s Hilltop mansion when Jonathan visited, said the talks had nothing to do with the general elections.
The source said: “It is true that the President visited Gen. Babangida at his Minna Hilltop mansion but the nature of his message was based purely  on unity of the country and not about 2015 presidential election.
“As a former president who fought for the unity of the country, he was of the view that the president needs support as President and not as presidential candidate per se.
“It is his view that the country needs to be united as one before we can begin to talk about election. Only a united Nigeria can guarantee credible election.”
According to the aide, who requested not to be named because he was not permitted to speak to the media, “What Gen. IBB said should be viewed within the context of the larger Nigeria interest and not that of any parochial interest that is likely to unsettle the system.
“Those of them who fought in the civil war to keep the country one understand the dynamics and challenges facing us now in the face of grave insecurity and poor economic realities,” he said.
Besides, said the aide, those criticising Gen. Babangida should take it easy as he belongs to the PDP “even as a nominal member.
“As a leader and former president who was privileged to preside over the affairs of the country and who also fought in the civil war, he will continue to speak the language of unification than that of division,” he said.
Gen. Babangida’s view, according to the aide is that as a  President who is facing crises, Jonathan deserves the support of all to keep the country together, irrespective of all the manifest imperfections.
Jonathan is said to have started reaching out to top Emirs and leaders in the North to checkmate Gen. Buhari’s influence.
A source spoke of the battle between Jonathan and Gen. Buhari has shifting to the North, adding that has been consulting some prominent Emirs and leaders on why he should be given second term in office.
“The President, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, PDP governors, and leaders will be embarking on shuttles to some of these key Northern leaders for support.
“They are desperate to take the battle to Buhari’s stronghold but no one can say whether the President and the PDP can go far or not,” said the source.
Another source added: “Jonathan’s game plan is to split the North.
“This explains why Northern leaders were concerned about the President’s renewed interest in the North after he failed the region in many promises he made in 2011.”

WHO NEEDS THE NORTH IN 2015? : 2015: Northern PDP chiefs reject Jonathan campaign jobs ... TheNation

President Goodluck Jonathan
All is not well with the reelection campaign plan of President Goodluck Jonathan in the north.
A good number of prominent northern politicians and public officers are turning down offers to play leading roles in his campaign ahead of the February 2015 election.
The development, The Nation learnt, is stalling the composition of the president’s campaign teams in that part of the country.
His campaign in the north has also not been able to match that of General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the north in terms of poster and bill boards’ display.
A party source admitted that Jonathan’s re-election bid is on the low in the north because of lack of action and information of the candidate.
The source, a chieftain of the party in Lagos State, said that many politicians from the north are cautious of being identified with Jonathan.
He said: “There are a lot of issues surrounding his candidacy as it affects northern interests and desire. This is keeping his associates and friends here in check,” a Kaduna-born former minister told The Nation.
We also learnt that effort by the Ahmadu Ali-led Presidential Campaign team of the PDP to draft PDP chiefs into its zonal and state chapters in the north, especially in the Northwest and Northeast, has not succeeded largely because of  the uncooperative attitude of many of those earlier tipped for the assignment.
“Even ministers, party leaders and other public figures are tactically dodging the president’s campaign assignments in the north. At a meeting of chieftains convened by the presidential campaign team to discuss the composition of state and zonal structures, some northern politicians present betrayed their fears when they moved that fresh faces be appointed as coordinators while they support the campaign from less visible positions.
“This came as a shock to many of those present at the meeting and was roundly rejected by all. But it was a confirmation of the situation in that region. It needs to be dealt with and I am sure the party is taking necessary steps to tackle the unimpressive body language of many of our prominent chieftains in the north towards President Jonathan’s campaign.”
Other party sources said the situation is responsible for the delay in constituting the state and zonal chapters of the campaign team.
According to an official of the party in the Southwest, contrary to the scramble for the president’s campaign jobs in the south, northern chieftains are not too keen about being named as members of Jonathan’s campaign teams in their various states and zones.
“I learnt that a former minister in Nasarawa State rejected his appointment as the head of the campaign in his state. In Kano State, two former commissioners were said to have dodged being named as part of Jonathan’s campaign. The party is working round the clock to address the development though,” the source said.
A number of reasons have been adduced for the rejection of the re-election campaign jobs in the north.
One is what a source described as the prevalent mood of the people of the region occasioned by emergence of General Buhari. Another is the fear of being labelled as anti-north.
The voice of Buhari’s massive supporters in the north is drowning that of Jonathan in the zone.
“The feeling here is that Buhari and the APC represent the best opportunity for power to return to the region and as such all northerners should line up behind the General and his party. Even in states where PDP is in power, the party’s chieftains are cautious about preaching Jonathan’s reelection so as not to offend the sensibilities of their people,” another source said.
“And with leading northern socio-political groups like the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) unambiguous in their choice of a northerner as president, many northerners are scared of being  seen campaigning for Jonathan in 2015,” Mallam Abu Halidu Ahmed, Coordinator of the Voters’ Right Agenda (VoRA) in Kano State, said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on Thursday, December 11, inaugurated its National Campaign Council, NCC, for the 2015 general election. Alhaji Adamu Muazu, PDP’s National Chairman, is to chair the campaign while the former Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, is to serve as the Director-General of the council.
Other members include President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Namadi Sambo; Senate President David Mark; Chief Tony Anenih, Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees; Prince Uche Secondus, Deputy National Chairman.
The rest are former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, who is the Deputy Director-General, head office; Honourable Kabiru Turaki, Deputy Director General North; Mr. Peter Obi, Deputy Director-General, South; Chief Godswill Akpabio, Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum; Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; and Retired Brigadier General James Arogbofa, Chief of Staff to the President.
The zonal coordinators are Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, South- South; Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, South-East; Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, South-West; Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, North-Central; Governor Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State, North-East; and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, North-West.
Past chairmen of the party were not left out as Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed were named as members of the council. Also in the council are Chief Olabode George and Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, SA Political Affairs to the president.
The party had promised to release the campaign itinerary as well as members of the state and zonal campaign teams in no time. But it appears the unwillingness of some PDP chieftains in the north has slowed down the process.
Efforts to get the reaction of the PDP to the story proved abortive as calls made to the phones of the party’s spokesperson, Olisa Metuh and the national secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, went unanswered.

A FESTIVAL OF COLOURS : Checkout The First Beautiful Photos From Calabar Carnival 2014 Happening Live (SEE PHOTOS) ... AKPraise

It’s that time of the year again where all roads leads to #DestinationCrossRiver.
It has always been a tradition that every december the city of calabar is on a locked-down by tourists, celebrities and multi-nationals in celebration of 31 days of non-stop entertainment.
Reporting live from the canan city Calabar is the 2014 Africa’s biggest and freshest street party which just kicked off and I’ve got some #Akpraise.com exclusive first photos to keep you updated even though you not in calabar right now.
See photos below….
    

  

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More pictures coming….

SO THIS MAN THINK SAY WE BE MUGUN? : Nigeria’ll be a better country in five years – Jonathan ... TodayNigeria

president-goodluck-jonathan-2_2
President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said Nigeria would become a better place in the next four or five years if the country continues with the progress it is recording under him. 
Jonathan made this known while speaking at the Christ Apostolic Church, Area 1, Durumi, Abuja where he joined other worshippers for the last Sunday service for the year. 
According to him, his administration is doing a lot to reposition the country but the results might not be seen immediately. 
“For me and members of my team, in spite of the challenges, we will continue to do our best. “As a nation, we have not reached where we want to be, definitely not. But we are coming up with a number of policies. “Those who are taking pain to look at what we are doing will agree with us that if we progress as a nation steadily in this manner, in the next four or five years, this country will be a better place,” Jonathan said.

DEM WAN TRY NAIJA NINJA? : Bulawayo Man Robs Nigerian Man, Runs Mad With His Family Members ... AfricanOutlook


Three brothers from Bulawayo reportedly went insane after they squandered money, stolen from a Nigerian man, which had been brought by their brother from South Africa.
It is alleged that the Matsika brothers brought the loot of money from South Africa which he had stolen from a Nigerian businessman.

The man proceeded to his rural home in Gokwe where he started squandering the money and called his other two brothers to come an join him in the spending spree. Trouble started when he gave his brothers certain amounts of money and they started hallucinating.

A neighbour who spoke on condition of anonymity said: "One of the  brothers who was based in South Africa returned a few weeks ago. He did not stay long in Mzilikazi as he immediately left for their rural home in Gokwe. He just showed his brothers his money and told them to follow him if they wanted it. Simba, the one who stays at their house followed him and was given R10,000. I don't know how much the owner got.

"When Simba returned, he told his friends about the money and was extremely happy. He was planning to invest the money, but unfortunately he became mentally challenged. He started breaking neighbours' windows saying he was fighting with some people, but they were only seen by him," narrated the source.

Simba's other brother who was at their home reportedly started acting weird as well and joined him in breaking neighbours' windows.

"Their relatives who were at the house phoned their parents in Gokwe to inform them about what was happening. To their surprise they were told that the other one was had brought the money was also acting the same way. Simba and his other brother were then taken to Ingutsheni Hospital for mental patients and Simba was discharged just before Christmas," said the source.

A tenant at the house conformed the incident, but refused to give details on what happened.

"Simba broke neighbours' windows and he claimed that he was fighting with some people who wanted to take his money away," said the tenant.

Efforts to get a comment from the family were fruitless as they refused to entertain news reporters. Simba's whereabouts were not known by the time of going to press.

HA HA HA HAHAHAHA ... THIS LABARAN MAKU MAN SEF : NASARAWA 2015: Labaran Maku dumps PDP, emerges APGA governorship candidate ... NGToday

Maku newThe immediate past Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, has dumped the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. Maku has subsequently emerged the governorship candidate for APGA for the February 2015 governorship election in Nasarawa State. It would be recalled that Maku had been aggrieved over the outcome of the PDP’s guber primaries in the state in which Mr. Yusuf Agabi emerged winner, and called on the national leadership of the party to cancel the results, but his request wasn’t granted. Sources at the APGA headquarters in Abuja who pleaded anonymity disclosed that Maku’s name was submitted by the party before the December 26 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as deadline for party’s to submit the names of their governorship candidates. Other candidates submitted by the party as governorship candidates are the National Secretary of APGA, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who is contesting for the Zamfara governorship seat, former Minister of Interior, Emmanuel Iheanacho (Imo State), Senator Anthony Agbo (Ebonyi State), and the former Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Alex Otti (Abia State).

LIVE AND LET LIVE : HIV positive Kenny Badmus says he can still have children and get married if he wants to ... NGEntertainment


Brands expert Kenny Badmus, who took to his Facebook page on December 1st, to reveal how he's been living successfully with HIV for the last 15 years (read story here), just revealed that he can get married and have children if he wants to despite being HIV positive. what he wrote below...

One of the most frequently asked questions from hundreds of emails I received after December 1st is : Will you be able to get married and have a child if you are HIV positive? [ or if you are going through some major medical issue ].

Let me cut to the chase here and say a bold yes. [ If I want to ]. Being Positive does not preclude anyone from getting married or having children – thank God for science.

Research suggests that anti-HIV therapy during pregnancy plus planned caesarean delivery may reduce the risk of transmission to as low as 1 in 50 women. ( AidsMap) The question is ‘how many of these women are accessing healthcare? If you want to have a healthy child and you are HIV +, quickly get on therapy and follow your doctor’s advice.

To be in love or starting to date again should not scare anyone. And you don’t have to start looking for HIV positive people to date. There are people out there – though very few- who care less what your sero status is. The best prevention you can give your lover/spouse, if they are negative, is for you to ensure you are on treatment. Yes.

The second largest study – 052- to look at whether people with HIV become non-infectious if they are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) has found no cases where someone with a viral load under 200 copies/ml transmitted HIV, either by anal or vaginal sex. Although this study continues into 2017, with best practices and eliminations of other STDs, it’s almost impossible to infect your partner with HIV if you are adhering to your treatment. Even if you don’t use condoms. (AidsMap)
Having established the foregoings, the most important thing for me are the psychosocial issues surrounding the quest for marriage and having a child. It is more of a traditional thing for most of us in Africa to want to get married or have a child by all means. In my opinion, I think it’s a very dogmatic way of living our lives. Why live to make others approve of you? It’s not worth it. Marriage or having children do not guarantee our lives will be better.

As someone who had lived with these societal expectations for many years myself, I became healthier and emancipated the day I dropped these societal impositions. Check this page soon to see my journey into marriage, love, parenting and more. I have seen people in marriages who are very happy, and I have seen people in marriages who are very miserable. I have seen people with children who are very happy.

Just the same way I have seen people with children who are very lonely and miserable in their old age. What brings happiness is living our best lives. Marriage or being being married does not solve all our problems if we enter into it for all the wrong reasons. Being in love is much better. Marriage is a legalistic way of looking at love. It allows for claims, societal celebrations and approvals of our mates. You don’t have to be in love to get married.

The two are not mutually exclusive although they are better when they go hand in hand. Hence, the sham marriages around us today. But you have to be in love to say you are in love. Love has no true love or false love. Marriage on the other hand can be falsified. I’d rather you pushed towards being in and finding love. And if that love leads to marriage, how lucky are you! Embrace it. Do it to gain the legal benefits if you have to marry.

Having a child is about the same. If you can have your own child biologically, embrace it, and cherish it. Science also has made this possible. We should look at this at other time. If you cannot, go pour your love on other children around you. Children are the most visible victims of undernutrition. According to worldhunger.org, ‘children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year–five million deaths.’

Further statistics reveals that undernutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, including measles and malaria. The estimated proportions of deaths in which undernutrition is an underlying cause are roughly similar for diarrhea (61%), malaria (57%), pneumonia (52%), and measles (45%) (Black 2003, Bryce 2005).

You can be a godmother. A foster parent. An adoptive father. The list goes on.
Ever heard of John H. Johnson and his wife Eunice Walker Johnson? The owners of one of the biggest media platforms in the world, Ebony magazine.

This couple never had their own biological children. They adopted Linda Johnson-Rice, who carried on their legacies. History has thousands of such couples. Having a womb and a dick do not make parenting. What makes great parenting is our heart of love.So there you have it. Remove the limitations and the dogmas surrounding your life, and go have some fantastic authentic life. Love. Travel. Eat well. Go volunteering. Give. Buy chocolates. Go partying. Dance. Laugh. Read new books. Write. Take pictures and ‪#‎LIVE‬

Saturday, December 27, 2014

MEN BEWARE : Photo: Prostitute Who Cuts Off Male Organs & Sells To Ritualists Arrested In Imo ... BellaNaija

Capture
Uche Agunta is a 23 year old lady who has been arrested and is being held custody at the Imo State Police Command.
She was arrested for hunting male organs which are used for money rituals.
The secondary school dropout has been long successful in carrying out the task by luring men with s*x and at the height of ecstasy, using a razor blade to cut off their private organs.
Sun Newspaper interviewed Uche. She explained how she was caught when she tried to cut a 38 year old man’s manhood.
“I am a prostitute and I smoke. I have a gang and we specialise in sleeping with men and cut­ting their manhood during s*x. We use the manhood for money rituals. I have killed seven men in the hotel in Owerri. They had s*x with me after they have paid me N3, 000 or N5, 000. I would be on top of the man and in the process I would bring out blade and cut off his manhood.
I do hand over the manhood to our gang leader. They always promise to pay us N150, 000 for each manhood we could sup­ply, and which they used for money ritual.
I dropped out at JSS 3. I stopped going to school when I lost my fa­ther, but my mother is still alive. I joined a gang where some ladies initiated me into a cult. Our main concern is going after male organ for ritual.
I have given birth to three children. I sold the first and second children for N200, 000 each. The third child is a boy and he is staying with my mother.
On November 2014, the man met me at Oyima Street, Owerri. He gave me N2,000 to have s*x with me. It was around 3.00pm. The victim took me to the hotel in Owerri and he was having s*x with me.
I was on top of him and when he was enjoying it, I brought out my blade and I started cutting his manhood. But it hadn’t cut off when he started to shout for help. Then they came to arrest me and he was rushed to the hospital. I was arrested and I have confessed to the police.”
The Imo State Commissioner of Police Abdulmajid Ali confirmed the story to reporters, and also said Uche will soon be charged to court.

SO THIS MONEY WAS INDEED STOLEN? : Nigerian govt suppressing audit report on missing $20 billion oil money — APC ... PremiumTimes

Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The Nigerian government is deliberately blocking the release of the outcome of investigations into the alleged diversion of $20 billion oil revenues, the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, said Saturday.
The allegation that the huge amount had been stolen was raised in 2013 by a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano.
Mr. Sanusi said as much as $49 billion was diverted by state oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
He later reviewed the amount to $20 billion, and called for investigations after writing to President Goodluck Jonathan.
A Senate probe into the allegation yielded no result. Mr. Sanusi was later fired by President Jonathan after he was accused of “financial recklessness”.
The government said no money was missing, but promised a forensic investigation of NNPC.
In April, the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, announced the appointment of the accounting firm, PriceWaterHouseCoopers (PwC), to conduct a detailed investigation into the accounts and activities of NNPC.
The minister said the investigation, under the supervision of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, would take about 16 weeks.
That schedule meant at most by September ending, the report should have been ready. A two-month delay meant the report should have been ready by November.
But more than a month later, the government has failed to release the report.
PREMIUM TIMES independently investigated the whereabouts of the report and its contents, several weeks before the statement released by the APC on Saturday.
At each turn, relevant government offices denied having the report despite confirmation by senior officials of the finance ministry to this newspaper that the report had since been submitted by PriceWaterHouseCoopers.
The sources said the document was submitted to the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Our reporters contacted the offices of the Auditor-General and the Accountant- General repeatedly, pressing for the report, without success.
A spokesperson for the Auditor-General of the Federation, Florence Dibiase, said she was not aware of the report.
Also, Abba Dabo, the Director, Extra Ministerial Department, in the Office of the Auditor general of the Federation, denied knowledge of the report. Mr. Dabo said he should be in charge of such documents if they were available.
He said the role of the auditor-general’s office was in selecting PriceWaterHouseCoopers as the auditing firm, after which the matter reverted to the finance ministry.
Mr. Dabo said only the Auditor General, Samuel Ukura, could speak authoritatively on whether any such report was ready. Mr. Ukura could not be reached.
PREMIUM TIMES also contacted PriceWaterHouseCoopers, where an official said the firm would only be able to comment on a later date.
APC statement
The APC said the government was deliberately suppressing the report possibly because top government officials were indicted.
”It is now over a month since the deadline for the release of the report expired, and the government has simply kept mum on the report, apparently in an effort to sweep the issue under the carpet, as it has done with all other reports of widespread corruption under the present dispensation,” a statement issued in Ilorin on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, said.
”However, Nigerians will not allow this to happen. They will continue to demand that the audit report be made public, in the interest of transparency. We also believe that the Minister of Finance should strive to protect whatever is left of her international reputation by living up to her words that the issue will not be swept under the carpet. It is not only Nigerians but the entire international community who are interested in the outcome of the audit.
”If there is any reason why the report has not been released, the Minister should immediately come out and tell Nigerians. Otherwise, she should release the report today so that Nigerians will know exactly how much of their oil funds is missing and those to be held responsible for the unprecedented heist,” the party said.
APC said it refuses to believe the stories making the rounds to the effect that the FG is deliberately sitting on the report because it (report) has heavily indicted it and some powerful personalities in the Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
”In announcing the forensic audit of the unaccounted for money, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said the President supported it and asked for it to be done. Now that it has been done, why has the report not been released, even if it implicates the government itself?” the party queried.
It said the urgent release of the report will also end the rumour that the missing money is the source of the huge slush funds being used for President Jonathan’s re-election, as well as the speculation that it was the same missing money that formed the source of the huge funds that were round-tripped to the Jonathan campaign fund during his recent fund raising.
”Overall, a government that went cap in hand to borrow $1 billion to better equip the military in its fight against Boko Haram should not hesitate to get to the root of $20 billion missing oil money. Had that money not indeed been missing as alleged, would the government have needed to borrow $1 billion to pep up the Boko Haram war?
”We are therefore joining the millions of Nigerians who have demanded the urgent release of the audit report. Failure to do so before the end of the year will leave Nigerians with no choice than to conclude that the FG is indeed hiding something about the missing $20 billion, a conclusion that will indeed be more than justified,” APC said.