We have no hands in recent bombings – FG

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/bomb-kano-700x336.jpg "><br />The Federal Government has debunked<br />insinuations that the administration of<br />President Goodluck Jonathan is<br />responsible for the spate of bombings that<br />have been rocking some parts of the<br />country in recent times.<br />Minister of the Federal Capital Territory<br />(FCT), Senator Bala Muhammed,<br />yesterday declared, in Bauchi when he led<br />a Federal Government delegation to the<br />Central Market, Bauchi which was rocked<br />by bomb explosion last Monday evening,<br />that President Jonathan had no hand in<br />the spate of bombings rocking parts of the<br />country<br />Bala said: “I seize this opportunity to<br />debunk some of the insinuations and lies<br />being peddled around that the Federal<br />Government has a hand in some of these<br />bombings. It is unheard off; it is unfair for<br />anybody to use the blood of people to play<br />politics. Cheap popularity that can be<br />achieved, using mischief and treachery is<br />not good. Certainly, we are not going to<br />join issues with anybody. The Federal<br />Government is a beneficiary of the people<br />because you have voted for us and you<br />will continue to vote for us. It can be seen<br />during the last Christmas which was free<br />of any crisis and this will continue and be<br />sustained.”<br />The minister, who made a donation of<br />N20 million to assisted the affected<br />traders of the market, called on Nigerians<br />to eschew all forms of sentiment that were<br />being expressed in order to repeat what<br />happened in 2011, particularly in Bauchi<br />State where so many people died,<br />including corps members during the post-<br />election violence.<br />“It was all the working of those<br />mischievous people who are selling<br />information that are not true. Certainly,<br />Mr. President bears with you and I bear<br />with as your representative in Nigeria to<br />make sure that we give you the kind of<br />solace and encouragement whenever it is<br />required,” he added.<br />The minister later visited the Emir of<br />Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Zsuleiman Sdamu,<br />in his palace in company with the Director<br />General of NEMA, Dr. Mohammed Sani<br />Sidi, where he commiserated with the<br />traditional ruler and the people of Bauchi<br />over the incident.<br />He promised to mobilise support for the<br />reconstruction of the damaged market<br />and compensation to the affected traders<br />and victims.<br />Responding, the emir thanked the federal<br />Government for identifying with the<br />people of Bauchi during the trying period,<br />saying what happened was destined by<br />God.<br />Speaking with journalists at the Abubakar<br />Tafawa Balewa University Teaching<br />Hospital, the NEMA director general said<br />the government would donate drugs and<br />consumables for the treatment of the<br />victims of he blast that were receiving<br />treatment in the hospital.

We have no hands in recent bombings – FG

The Federal Government has debunked insinuations that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is responsible for the spate of bomb...

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2015: Don’t use insurgency, oil price tojudge Jonathan –APGA BoT member

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Apga.jpg "><br />Nigerians have been urged not to support<br />the call by some people using the fall in<br />oil price and insurgency in the northern<br />part of the country to campaign against<br />President Goodluck Jonathan in next<br />year’s election, saying such move is<br />cheap, anti-progressive and<br />undemocratic.<br />Speaking yesterday at his Rojenny tourist<br />village, Oba in Anambra State, where he<br />hosted the All Progressives Grand<br />Alliance (APGA) candidates in next year’s<br />election, APGA’s Board of Trustee (BoT)<br />member, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, said<br />the fall in oil price and insurgency were<br />two major global issues facing almost all<br />countries of the world, stressing that for<br />some people to now use it as a campaign<br />against President Jonathan, who he said<br />had transformed the country in the last<br />five years, was callous and wicked.<br />“Every right thinking person is aware that<br />the fall in oil price is affecting almost<br />every country, Nigeria inclusive. The pres­<br />ident and his economic advisers are doing<br />everything possible to ensure that the<br />economy stays afloat. Terrorism is a<br />global problem. The developed countries,<br />with all their advancement in technology<br />and warfare are not spared, as these<br />sons of the devil have penetrated their de­<br />fenses numerous times, including<br />America and the United Kingdom. So, why<br />should Nigeria’s case be different? The<br />Federal Government and the Army should<br />be given thumbs up. They are doing a<br />wonderful job in fighting Boko Haram and<br />soon, it will be over,” he said.<br />The Ogirisi Igbo also warned those trying<br />to destabilise APGA in the South-East to<br />desist or be ready to face God’s wrath.<br />“As Ogirisi Igbo, I hereby call on those<br />Abuja politicians who think they can sit in<br />Abuja and dictate to the people who<br />become their representatives to desist or<br />face God’s anger. Primaries have been<br />held and the people have picked their<br />candidates. With APGA’s adoption of<br />President Goodluck Jonathan as its<br />presidential candidate, we urge the presi­<br />dent to reciprocate by giving our leader,<br />Chief Willie Obiano the necessary support<br />so that he can deliver the region to him in<br />next year’s presidential election. We call<br />on the president to be careful of those<br />who claim they can help him deliver<br />APGA. They are not our party members<br />and cannot offer any help. Chief Willie<br />Obiano has the authority to do that, as<br />party leader and governor of Anambra<br />State,” he said.

2015: Don’t use insurgency, oil price tojudge Jonathan –APGA BoT member

Nigerians have been urged not to support the call by some people using the fall in oil price and insurgency in the northern part of the coun...

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PDP has nothing more to offer Nigerians–Bakare

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Tunde-Bakare.jpg "><br />Pastor of The Latter Rain Assembly (End-<br />Time Church), Tunde Bakare, yesterday<br />threw a punch at the leadership of<br />Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), warning<br />that economic dangers loom in the<br />country.<br />At the church’s last-Sunday-of-the-year<br />service in Lagos, the cleric said after PDP<br />had dominated political power in the<br />country for 15 years, the party had shown<br />that it had nothing to offer than poor per­<br />formance.<br />He told the congregation that the nation<br />needed a change in leadership, adding<br />that the time was now. On the kind of<br />leadership needed, the pastor, who turned<br />60 recently, promised to address Nige­<br />rians on the state of the nation by the first<br />Sunday in 2015.<br />“After 15 years of PDP dominance and<br />about five years of President Jonathan’s<br />rule, what else can they offer? There had<br />been so much giving and little return for<br />the people. It is time for change and what<br />kind of change do we want? I will<br />dedicate first Sunday of next year to find­<br />ing the way forward out of the situation.<br />There is danger ahead. It is like a time<br />bomb ticking. Those who have ears would<br />hear and I pray that God will preserve our<br />lives till that day,” Bakare said.<br />The cleric, who was the presidential<br />running mate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari<br />under the defunct Congress for<br />Progressive Change (CPC), described the<br />country as a jungle. He lamented that it<br />was difficult to do business in a legitimate<br />way in the country without bribing one’s<br />way through.

PDP has nothing more to offer Nigerians–Bakare

Pastor of The Latter Rain Assembly (End- Time Church), Tunde Bakare, yesterday threw a punch at the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (...

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Leave me alone, I’m not a lesbian! –Okoli

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Lilian-Okolie-702x336.jpg "><br />Actress, Lillian Okoli, is not happy at the<br />moment because of a purported rumour<br />associating her with lesbianism. The fair<br />complexioned thespian angrily responded<br />to the rumour thus: “I just want people to<br />know that I am not a lesbian and by the<br />grace of God, I can never be a lesbian. I<br />am from a Christian home and I know<br />that it was because of these unnatural<br />acts that made God destroyed Sodom and<br />Gomorrah.<br />“People get it twisted when they see my<br />pictures with my sister. And I think not<br />many of them know that she is my sister.<br />They write nonsense to me on facebook<br />and I don’t even know how they got my<br />number asking me out on whatsapp.<br />“I am not a lesbian and I do not have any<br />intention of becoming one. I love my<br />sisters, they are my friends; we grew up<br />together. They should let me be because<br />the disturbance is getting out of hand.”<br />Okoli however hinted that she will travel<br />abroad to rest for the yuletide season and<br />return early next year to begin the<br />production of her new movies.

Leave me alone, I’m not a lesbian! –Okoli

Actress, Lillian Okoli, is not happy at the moment because of a purported rumour associating her with lesbianism. The fair complexioned thes...

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Buy me a Mercedes 2014 C Class for mybirthday –Bardia Olowu

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Bardia-Olowu-702x336.jpg "><br />Bardia Olowu, popularly known as<br />ILLRymz in the entertainment circle is a<br />man of many parts. He is a radio and TV<br />personality and also a businessman. At<br />the auditioning of Star Rising Talent hunt<br />in Lagos, he was the chief judge. ILLRymz<br />is also host of Nigeria Idol and Star Gist<br />on Africa Magic. Talking about his<br />involvement in Star Rising talent hunt, he<br />said “ What we do there is creating an<br />enabling facility. We are talking of<br />grassroot kids of between the ages 7 and<br />17. With the proposed skill centre, they<br />can come in there and have full<br />mentoring by industry leaders and<br />teachers to help them with their<br />academics. No matter where you are<br />coming from, you can be successful. Star<br />Rising is a talent hunt where they can<br />show their creativity and the second is<br />Master Mind to test their intellectual<br />acumen.” The encounter was an<br />opportunity to know his favourites.<br />Excerpts:<br />What’s your favourite colour?<br />My favourite colour will probably be<br />white. You always catch me wearing a<br />white shirt. I like to keep myself very<br />simple and very clean.<br />Favourite food?<br />My favourite food , I would say is pasta. I<br />can eat a bucket of pasta.<br />Favourite holiday spot?<br />My studio. I’m always working but I like to<br />travel.<br />Favourite book?<br />It used to be John Grisham novel . He<br />wrote Runaway Jury . I talk a lot, every­<br />body thought I was going to be a lawyer. I<br />really like his book.<br />Favourite leader?<br />I’m not really politically inclined but I<br />would say one of my favourite successful<br />people is Richard Branson. He is not just<br />a wealthy man, he is somebody who lives<br />an ideal life.<br />Favourite car?<br />Hmmm, I don’t want to sound like a great<br />guy, but I’m into cars. I really like the<br />Mercedes brand. My favourite everyday<br />car now will be 2014 C Class. So, if you<br />want to buy me a car for my birthday ,<br />buy me a 2014 Mercedes C Class.<br />Favourite quote?<br />It will probably be mine and it says<br />“Identify your passion and turn your<br />passion into your profession. What I do is<br />what I love.”<br />Favourite weather?<br />I like the winter. Funny enough, I like it<br />when it’s cold because I don’t like to<br />sweat.<br />Favourite outfit?<br />Sweat pants and a T-shirt. It’s my most<br />comfortable outfit. I don’t wear suits<br />except to a meeting , when hosting any<br />event or doing a show like Idol, where<br />you have to be formal and classy.

Buy me a Mercedes 2014 C Class for mybirthday –Bardia Olowu

Bardia Olowu, popularly known as ILLRymz in the entertainment circle is a man of many parts. He is a radio and TV personality and also a bus...

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I had crush on Omotola –Mykey

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Mykey-George-Michael-702x336.jpg "><br />New kid on the block, George Michael aka<br />Mykey, has revealed that he once had a<br />crush on screen goddess and super mom,<br />Omotola Jalade Ekehinde. Mykey<br />described Omotola as an actress he looks<br />up to as far as Nollywood is concerned.<br />“Yeah, I once had a crush on Omotola<br />Jalade Ekeinde. I hope she is reading this.<br />She is one actress who has successfully<br />written her name into the annals of<br />Nollywood and besides, she is a Time 100<br />girl. She is one of those I look up to in the<br />industry,” the up-and-coming act said.<br />Born into a family of six, Mykey had to<br />take decisions for himself very early in life<br />after he lost both parents at a very tender<br />age and ended up in an orphanage.<br />“Growing up for me started off very<br />rough. I lost my parents at a very early<br />stage and so I had to be a little more<br />matured while making decisions on my<br />own. But things began to change when<br />Little Saints Orphanage picked me up and<br />helped me redirect my life and that was<br />when everything changed.” Mykey says.<br />On his kind of music, the indigene of<br />Etsako West Local Government, Edo State<br />says: “I am a very versatile artiste. I am<br />interested in all kinds of music. As long<br />as it sounds or feels good to me, I’ll flesh<br />it up with lyrics and make me a song. I<br />am comfortable with R&B and soul music<br />because it allows me to express my vocal<br />dexterity.”<br />To date, Mykey says he has recorded<br />about 12 songs but work is still in<br />progress: “My latest single entitled Amen<br />is getting appreciable airplay. I intend to<br />record more songs and choose the best of<br />them for my fans. However my focus is to<br />always pass an inspiring message to<br />listeners.”

I had crush on Omotola –Mykey

New kid on the block, George Michael aka Mykey, has revealed that he once had a crush on screen goddess and super mom, Omotola Jalade Ekehin...

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I still don’t know why I fell in love withmy wife – Righteousman Erabor

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Righteousman-Erabo-702x336.jpg "><br />Gospel singer, Righteousman Erabo is one<br />person who is very sad about the state of<br />the music industry right now. He is deeply<br />disturbed that the society prefers secular<br />music to Christian music. He is miffed<br />that companies favour secular artistes for<br />celebrity endorsement of their brands. In<br />this interview he bares his mind on this<br />and reveals how he has safeguarded his<br />marriage and kept it from hitting the<br />rocks.<br />Excerpts…<br />What project are you currently working<br />on?<br />I have so many projects at hand. I am cur­<br />rently the President of Praise Affairs Inter­<br />national and I aIso preside over a<br />movement called Tongues of Unity. I am<br />in partnership with Now Musik. We are<br />working on Save Nigeria Project. We all<br />know the situation of things in our<br />beloved country. People are being<br />bombed daily and children are slaugh­<br />tered like chickens. We should not be smil­<br />ing about it, even if it isn’t raining in this<br />part of Nigeria, but for the fact that it is<br />raining in the north and this rain can<br />change direction any sooner. The song,<br />No, isn’t just a song. It is a song that<br />documents the conscience of the nation,<br />and it is the responsibility of all<br />entertainers to speak one voice, the voice<br />of the common man.<br />So the song ‘No’ featured 60 artistes. You<br />had people like Tuface, Pasuma, Buchi,<br />Sound Sultan, Daddy Showkey, Dele<br />Taiwo, Terry G, African China, Carol Cece,<br />Keppy Ekpeyong, Osita Iheme, Sunny Neji<br />and so many others. They all keyed into it<br />and it is all about saying ‘No’ to<br />terrorism, corruption, rigging etc. Another<br />serious project is the media tour of<br />Awesome, a single from Carol Cece, one<br />of the artistes of Praise Affairs<br />International artiste, whose video is<br />gaining massive airplay in the country<br />and the Web.<br />Which of these particular crises really<br />inspired you to do that?<br />When those four guys were burnt in Aluu<br />community, Rivers State, I wept all<br />through the night. Man-to-man is so<br />unjust. It was a sad experience that can<br />never be erased from my heart. I am an<br />advocate of love, peace and justice but<br />there can never be peace until there is<br />justice in the land.<br />What does it take to be successful as a<br />gospel artist? Any tips…?<br />For me, the grace of God is number one<br />then quality, distinction, integrity and<br />humility.<br />How was your growing up?<br />My growing up was beautiful, both the<br />positive and negative vibes brought about<br />the light that is shining today. I knew<br />what I wanted, my direction and goals as<br />a little child.<br />Though, I was the opposite of my name.<br />Gangsterism was the game, but I never<br />gave up my purpose in life. I was focused<br />and the grace of God prevailed. Like in<br />one of my songs I would have been dead<br />but HE SAVED ME.<br />Was there at any time when you thought<br />about pulling out from the industry?<br />I have been paying dues and still paying<br />till date. There was no time I ever thought<br />of withdrawing from the music industry,<br />because music has always been my life. If<br />you want to kill me take music away from<br />me. I started playing music at a very<br />young age, mastering the guitar when I<br />was 14 years old, appearing on NTA<br />Benin music panorama at age 16. I knew<br />at that time that I was not game for<br />white-collar jobs. A lot of water passed<br />under the bridge; it was like using fire to<br />refine gold but music made me stronger.<br />There was never a time I thought of<br />quitting music for any reason.<br />When was your turning point in music?<br />My turning point was when I met pop<br />icon-turned-pastor, Felix Lebarty, who<br />signed me on his Liberty Records label.<br />He is the one God used, who brought the<br />ladder in 1990 that I am still climbing on<br />till date.<br />What were the challenges you<br />encountered?<br />Life itself is challenging. David who killed<br />Goliath didn’t get to the throne<br />immediately; he still had to pay his dues.<br />So I see challenges as the ladder of life.<br />You can’t run through it but walking<br />carefully and prayerfully. I can’t start<br />counting my encounters; instead I count<br />my blessings.<br />What is the source of your inspiration?<br />I get my inspiration from God and things I<br />hear or see around me. My choice of mu­<br />sic has never been displeasing to God. I<br />was conscious, inspirational and<br />motivational, but the choice of brand is<br />from Bob Marley, Steel Purse and<br />Fellowman.<br />What made you to move from secular to<br />gospel music?<br />I never for once changed my style of mu­<br />sic; even I didn’t change my content. I<br />have always been a preacher. What I<br />changed was my lifestyle. Change is one<br />thing that is constant in life. It will<br />surprise a lot of people to know that when<br />I recorded the song (Who that man?) I<br />was not the Righteous Man of today but a<br />month later things began to change. It is<br />the present life that is reflecting in my<br />music today as a gospel artiste. I was like<br />a banker who counts people’s money in<br />millions and does not have millions in his<br />own account.<br />I know the name Jesus; I sing about Him<br />but do not have Him in my life. That was<br />the difference between my secular life and<br />gospel life, it’s a life transformation not<br />music per say.<br />How do you see the future of gospel<br />music?<br />Great. Things are changing fast;<br />platforms are being created, not waiting<br />for God to bless us with bread but bless<br />our bread. At least last year I was on<br />MTN Load in Naija tour as a gospel<br />artiste, first in the history of Nigeria. So,<br />expect more great openings. The future is<br />very pregnant.<br />As a gospel artiste, do you go to clubs to<br />have fun?<br />That depends on what you call club. If you<br />are talking about nude (strippers) club, I<br />can’t go there because I don’t have that<br />calling, and you know people are called<br />into different ministries. My wife and I<br />attend events done in clubs and music<br />premieres and so forth, but if it’s the<br />other way round, my answer is capital<br />NO.<br />What is your philosophy of life?<br />The only way forward is forward.<br />What is your advice to those who look up<br />to you?<br />My advice to those who look up to me is<br />to warn them not to look up to me, but<br />look up to God.<br />You have been in the industry for ages<br />now, what has been your most<br />embarrassing moment?<br />It is so embarrassing to record a song<br />with the feeling that it would be the next<br />big thing. It is passion that keeps us<br />going.<br />What naughty thing have you ever done?<br />I was a very stubborn youth, and I did a<br />lot of things of which I can’t even<br />remember.<br />Many young men find it difficult to find<br />wives. Now using yours as a case study,<br />did you go through prayers before finding<br />your wife?<br />No, I didn’t pray. I made lots of mistakes<br />but the only thing God did was to convert<br />my mistakes to miracles. God doesn’t give<br />anybody a wife these days because of the<br />experience with Adam, in the scripture.<br />God says, ‘He that finds a wife finds a<br />good thing and obtains favour from God.’<br />So, it is left for man to go find his own<br />wife. I went for my friend, I got married to<br />my best friend and I am enjoying every bit<br />of it and God is blessing our union on<br />daily basis.<br />Who is your mentor?<br />Jesus Christ is my all in all.<br />How did you meet your wife?<br />We met in a recording studio. My backup<br />singer who happened to be her best friend<br />brought her to the studio. She is the best<br />gift from God to me.<br />Ask and it shall be given but you need to<br />knock and seek. It is a process that<br />should be followed squarely. So I followed<br />mine diligently.<br />What attracted you to her?<br />It is a difficult question; it is hard for me<br />to tell you categorically what made me fall<br />in love with her. Many people set<br />standards and parameters and in doing<br />that, you will love that person only when<br />that thing is present and when it expires,<br />you will lose your love.<br />You might even end up falling in love with<br />all those who have the same<br />characteristics. So, I don’t really know<br />what made me fall in love with her. Maybe<br />that is why I am still stuck to her.<br />How do you handle female admirers?<br />Where do you draw the line?<br />It takes the grace of God not because one<br />is super human; it is what your heart<br />desires that you will always attract to<br />yourself but God has been faithful.<br />How have you been able to manage your<br />marriage and keep it from failing as has<br />become common among celebrities?<br />I am a favoured man; everything revolves<br />around me. I have an understanding fam­<br />ily that loves what I do, and we also have<br />friends and people who love what we do<br />and support us. The most beautiful of all<br />is that I have my studio in my house; so I<br />don’t really leave the house except for<br />events, location and church.<br />You have been able to sustain your<br />marriage very well. What advice can you<br />give to celebrities who are going into<br />marriage?<br />I am still counting; keeping relationship is<br />not about the years involved. We see<br />people that broke-up after 40 years; some<br />others are in the marital union, but aren’t<br />in the marriage: they are just tolerating<br />each other. How long can you tolerate<br />someone that you intend to spend the rest<br />of your life with? Marriage should not be<br />built on tolerance; I can only tolerate my<br />friends because they come and go.<br />My wife and I correct each other rather<br />tolerate our errors. My advice is that you<br />shouldn’t learn to tolerate because as a<br />human, you can only tolerate for a short<br />period. You don’t manage a life support<br />machine.

I still don’t know why I fell in love withmy wife – Righteousman Erabor

Gospel singer, Righteousman Erabo is one person who is very sad about the state of the music industry right now. He is deeply disturbed that...

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General Overseer in police net for sellingunborn baby

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/jail-man-702x336.jpg "><br />The female General Overseer of a church,<br />Prophetess Kanu and members of her<br />syndicate are now in police net for<br />attempting to buy a baby yet to be born.<br />Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery<br />Squad (SARS) of the Anambra State<br />Police Command apprehended Kanu and<br />her accomplices.<br />Anambra State Commissioner of Police,<br />Mr. Hassan Karma alleged that the<br />prophetess had for long deceived people<br />through the use of charms, while<br />pretending to counsel individuals beset by<br />problems.<br />Her world of deceit began to unravel when<br />22-year-old old Happiness John, whose<br />pregnancy had reached nine months was<br />deceitfully taken by her friend, Chioma<br />Okonkwo, to the prophetess on September<br />30, 2014 for counseling.<br />The fake prophetess told John that she<br />had a spiritual problem. Recalling that<br />visit, she said: “Chioma Okonkwo and<br />myself were friends and neighbours.<br />Chioma took me to Prophetess Kanu for<br />counseling and it was there that she told<br />me that I was under spiritual attack. She<br />prayed for me and later rubbed an egg on<br />my body with palm oil, saying that it was<br />a protection against enemy attack.”<br />Prophetess Grace was further alleged to<br />have informed the victim that her younger<br />brother (the prophetess’) would assist<br />John, since no man had owned up to be<br />responsible for the pregnancy. Based on<br />what seemed like a good intent, the<br />prophetess took the victim to her village<br />at Ngboro in Abia State, where she spent<br />weeks in the village believing that she<br />would deliver the baby there.<br />Meanwhile, the suspect sent her brother,<br />Kanu to check on the victim and promise<br />marriage to her, despite the nine-month<br />pregnancy. As part of the elaborate plan<br />to deceive the victim, Kanu bought clothes<br />for her and also gave her N5000.<br />With the stage set, the prophetess took<br />John to meet a nurse and member of her<br />child-trafficking syndicate, Ifeoma Obiora,<br />who took medical care of John. The<br />victim’s phone was taken away so that<br />she would not be able to communicate<br />with her relations.<br />As Sunday Sun gathered from the police<br />boss, the nurse always locked up John in<br />the house whenever she had to go out.<br />But providence stepped in and the scale<br />fell from the eyes of the victim, when the<br />prophetess mentioned that if she<br />delievered a baby boy, she would be paid<br />N180,000. That was when she realized<br />what was the real intention of the<br />prophetess. By then, John had been taken<br />for an ultrasound scan at New Hope<br />Hospital Onitsha.<br />According to Karma, an argument ensued<br />at the hospital and the victim demanded<br />for her phone while the Prophetess seized<br />her bag and alleged she must pay a debt<br />of N65,000 allegedly owed by her being<br />the cost of caring for her.<br />As this turn of events, the victim quickly<br />called her father, Mr Ugbanu John on<br />November 28, 2014, who promptly<br />reported the case at the SARS office.<br />Acting with dispatch, Karma ordered the<br />Commander of SARS, Mr. James Nwafor<br />to take up the matter. This led to the<br />arrest of the three suspects, namely,<br />Chioma Okonkwo, Prophetess Grace<br />Kanu and Ifeoma Obiora,on November<br />30, 2014 at Ugudegbe street, Owerri, Imo<br />State, Akokwa Awada Obosi and No 24<br />Nwaziki street, Awada Obosi, both in<br />Anambra State. Commenting on the<br />incident, the father of the victim said: “My<br />daughter left my house on September 30,<br />2014 and I saw her when she was leaving<br />around 5.00am. She said she was follow­<br />ing somebody to their church. It was<br />Chioma who took her to their prophetess,<br />Grace Kanu.<br />We didn’t see her. I thought she had run<br />to meet her boyfriend, who impregnated<br />her . It was on November 28, 2014 that<br />she called me that we should come and<br />rescue her. She told me that it was what<br />the prophetess said when she wanted to<br />deliver that led to the crisis. That<br />prompted me to report the case at SARS<br />office.” Karma said that the three<br />suspects would soon be charged to court.

General Overseer in police net for sellingunborn baby

The female General Overseer of a church, Prophetess Kanu and members of her syndicate are now in police net for attempting to buy a baby yet...

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EVIL NEPHEW: Lures uncle’s wife withfake job offer, kidnaps her 8-month-oldbaby

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/police-men-GUYS-702x336.jpg "><br />An interstate commercial bus driver, 22-<br />year-old Chisom Nwaiwu is now cooling<br />his heels in the custody of the Anti-Kidnap­<br />ping Squad of the Imo State Police<br />Command.<br />Nwaiwu, a native of Amuzi in Obowo<br />Local Government Area of Imo State was<br />alleged to have masterminded the<br />abduction of the eight-month baby of his<br />uncle after luring the wife with a fake job<br />offer and then getting her drunk.<br />As Sunday Sun learnt from the Imo State<br />Police Commissioner, Abdulmajid Ali, the<br />incident happened on October 23, 2014,<br />after Nwaiwu introduced a member of a<br />kidnapping gang, 24-year-old Chibuzor<br />Ugochukwu, to his uncle’s wife, Chidime<br />Okechalam, who needed employment.<br />Ugochukwu bought local gin worth N100<br />and gave to the uncle’s wife to drink and<br />she had a good go at it and got very<br />drunk, but was still able to return home.<br />With stage one of their inglorious plan<br />carried out, the conspirators then<br />followed while she was still drunk. Her<br />baby was on her back. With alcohol<br />having dulled her senses, and at gunpoint,<br />Ugochukwu took the baby off her back.<br />In an interview with Sunday Sun at the<br />headquarters of the Anti Kidnapping<br />Squad, Nwaiwu recounted his role in the<br />abduction and revealed how the plot was<br />hatched and executed: “I was the one who<br />organized the kidnapping of the eight-<br />month-old baby of my uncle.<br />Her weak point is that she is a drunkard.<br />So I introduced one of my friends,<br />Chibuzor Ugochukwu, to her, who said<br />that he would get a job for her, because<br />she was not working. Ugochukwu bought<br />alcoholic drink for her. She got drunk and<br />then went home with her child.<br />On the way, and at 7.00pm we kidnapped<br />the baby from her and handed it over to<br />our contact person, Onwa, who lives in<br />Umuahia in Abia, who was to sell the<br />baby for the sum of N250,000.”<br />Meanwhile, Ali said that the prime suspect<br />in the abduction tale, Onwa, who was<br />supposed to sell the baby is still at large<br />and the baby is yet to be recovered.

EVIL NEPHEW: Lures uncle’s wife withfake job offer, kidnaps her 8-month-oldbaby

An interstate commercial bus driver, 22- year-old Chisom Nwaiwu is now cooling his heels in the custody of the Anti-Kidnap­ ping Squad of th...

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Fear, anger as Nigerians prepare forharsher times in 2015

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/harsher-time.jpg "><br />Amid the dwindling price of crude oil and<br />the attendant austere measures proposed<br />by the federal government, Nigerians have<br />continued to express fear over the<br />possibility of more difficult times in the<br />new year.<br />The price of crude oil, Nigeria’s primary<br />source of income, has plummeted in the<br />last few months by more than 40 per cent<br />from an average of over $100 per barrel,<br />a development that had forced the<br />nation’s economic managers to embark<br />on measures aimed at mitigating the<br />effect of the price slide on the nation’s<br />economy.<br />One of the measures is the recent<br />devaluation of Naira which has seen the<br />nation’s currency weakened against the<br />Dollar by more than eight per cent and<br />the likelihood of total removal of subsidy<br />on fuel in the country.<br />The measures, in the views of some<br />experts, are capable of subjecting<br />Nigerian masses to more hardship in the<br />coming year.<br />In an interview with Sunday Sun, the<br />President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce<br />and Industry (LCCI), Alhaji Remi Bello,<br />explained that the situation was already<br />affecting the cost of production across the<br />country. He blamed the situation on what<br />he called the import dependent nature of<br />the nation’s economy. “Many firms are<br />already feeling the heat across all<br />sectors. In the last few weeks, naira<br />exchange rate has depreciated by about<br />11 per cent in the interbank market and<br />over 12 per cent in the parallel market.<br />The impact of the depreciation on<br />operating costs is very profound.”<br />In spite of the harsh implication, Bello<br />noted that the current exchange rate<br />condition offered some advantages to<br />industries with high local value addition.<br />According to him, “It makes such<br />industries more competitive than their<br />foreign or import-dependent counterparts.<br />The current situation is therefore a good<br />opportunity to encourage industries and<br />investors, to look inwards for products<br />and services that are hitherto imported,”<br />he said.<br />Speaking further, the LCCI boss identified<br />high inflation rate as yet another factor<br />Nigerians will have to deal with in the<br />incoming year. “A natural outcome of<br />depreciating exchange of rate is inflation<br />for an import dependent. Cost push infla­<br />tion will be pronounced in the next few<br />months. This will be driven by high cost<br />of production and high cost of imported<br />finished goods.”<br />Bello is also of the opinion that there<br />would be decline in government<br />businesses and high risk of payment<br />default by government. “Businesses<br />driven by government patronage are likely<br />to experience a decline in the short term<br />given the current government revenue<br />outlook. Capital projects of governments<br />will reduce drastically and this would<br />affect some segments of the private<br />sector. Other expenditure heads such as<br />training and travels may also suffer<br />major reductions. Generally, government<br />contractors would experience a slowdown<br />in tempo of activities.<br />“With declining revenue, the risk of default<br />in payment for jobs executed for<br />government agencies will be higher in the<br />short term. This situation calls for<br />cautious engagement with government<br />contracts at all levels of government. As<br />government revenue contracts, the<br />capacity to meet financial contractual<br />obligations may be difficult.<br />“With the current developments, many<br />contracts, especially the medium to large<br />ones will come with variations. Clearly the<br />exchange rate depreciation will alter<br />many cost parameters. This is a new<br />challenge that many contractors and<br />suppliers as well as their clients will have<br />to confront. This will happen in public and<br />private sectors,” Bello explained.<br />Also speaking on the development, the<br />immediate past President of Trade Union<br />Congress, TUC, Peter Esele said the<br />quagmire is the price Nigeria has to pay<br />for being a mono-economy adding that<br />Nigerians are yet to get the benefits of<br />being citizens of an oil-producing nation<br />in the over 50 years that the nation joined<br />the league of oil-producing countries in<br />the world.<br />“It is a shame that for over 50 years since<br />we found crude oil in Nigeria, one cannot<br />really get the benefit. Now that the price of<br />crude oil is falling we are fretting. When<br />the price becomes too high we will fret.<br />So, what really do we want? Our biggest<br />problem is that we are a mono-economy.<br />If you practice mono-economy this is<br />what will happen to you,” he noted.<br />Expressing his reservation over the<br />likelihood of total removal of subsidy by<br />the government, the former TUC boss<br />said the challenge before the government<br />is not whether or not to remove subsidy.<br />The challenge, according to him is<br />government’s justification for the<br />decision.<br />“The challenge before the government is<br />not whether or not to remove subsidy. The<br />challenge is why will ordinary Nigerians<br />not enjoy the benefit of the falling price of<br />crude oil? It is only when you are able to<br />tell the people that that we can begin to<br />talk about removing subsidy.<br />“With the falling price of crude how much<br />should a litre of PMS cost Because if the<br />price of PMS goes down and people in<br />other parts of the world are enjoying it<br />means that there is a fundamental<br />question the government must answer.<br />Ordinarily, you cannot remove subsidy<br />when the price of crude oil is falling, that<br />will be adding to the problem.<br />“The implication for the masses is that it<br />will be difficult for everyone. Devaluation<br />means more money with less purchasing<br />power; With a general election too we<br />need all the prayers and best wishes we<br />can get,” Esele said<br />Also reacting to the issue, Dr. Adebisi<br />Afolabi of Department of Economics,<br />University of Lagos said although the<br />current economic situation is not new to<br />Nigeria. He however condemned the<br />seeming panicky approach by the<br />nation’s economic managers to the devel­<br />opment.<br />“The issue to me is this: Our economic<br />managers are bad managers. Otherwise<br />why should they begin to raise people’s<br />anxiety within a very short period that the<br />prices of crude oil crashed? What has<br />happened to the accruals from excess<br />crude for a long time that the price was<br />favourable? They were just sharing it.<br />When the price of crude oil was<br />favourable were the masses better off?”<br />Adebis queried.<br />The development, he noted has grave<br />implication for the Nigerian masses<br />whom, according to him got little or no<br />benefit when the price was favourable.<br />“The implication is that the masses will<br />be impoverished the more. It means more<br />hardship and more sufferings for the<br />already impoverished people of this<br />country.<br />“The masses you are talking able about<br />depend solely on the government, no job,<br />no alternative means of eking out their<br />living. So how do you expect them to<br />wriggle their way out of the coming eco­<br />nomic hardship when the system has<br />failed to provide them with anything?” he<br />queried.<br />In his own contribution, Kehinde Okunuga,<br />a public analyst said an attempt by the<br />government to increase pump price of fuel<br />in the name of removing the subsidy<br />totally will amount to a scam. According<br />to Okunuga, the price of PMS going by the<br />current price of crude oil at international<br />market is N82.57k adding that the most<br />honourable step to be taken by the<br />government is to announce a further<br />reduction in the pump price in the<br />country.<br />“What are they subsidizing again?<br />Already, the price of petroleum is<br />N82:57k, less than N97, so, which subsidy<br />again? I think, the most honorable thing<br />that the Presidency should do is to reduce<br />the price of petrol with immediate effect,<br />not even having to wait till next year. As<br />for me, waiting for another week will<br />amount to scamming all of us and any<br />moment from now, if the government<br />does not do so humbly, all of us will force<br />it to be done,” he said.

Fear, anger as Nigerians prepare forharsher times in 2015

Amid the dwindling price of crude oil and the attendant austere measures proposed by the federal government, Nigerians have continued to exp...

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Serena Williams kick starts training for2015

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/serena-702x336.jpg "><br />Serena Williams kick-started her training<br />for next year in familiar style as she took<br />part in the the Ultimate Run South Beach<br />on Sunday morning.<br />The world No 1 was joined by her sister,<br />Venus, in the Miami-based event, and the<br />two stars then took it upon themselves to<br />entertain the crowds with a spot of<br />singing after the race,<br />The race, which includes either a five<br />kilometer or quarter marathon option, is a<br />fun-run benefiting the Serena Williams<br />Fund, which supports victims of violent<br />crime.<br />The 33-year-old made light work of the<br />course and was filmed on a Go pro<br />camera during the race.<br />Afterwards, the sisters had just about<br />enough puff left to get up on stage to<br />perform karaoke.<br />Serena got the idea to host a race after<br />running a 5k in Palm Beach, Florida last<br />Thanksgiving, she told the Miami Herald.<br />All money raised from Sunday’s event will<br />go to the Serena Williams Foundation to<br />help underprivileged children. ‘Every year,<br />I do a run for Thanksgiving, the 5K or<br />10K, to kick-start my training for the year,<br />and last year after running the 5K, I<br />thought, ‘Wow, I really should do my<br />charity based on running because it’s a<br />really fun way to promote a healthy<br />lifestyle,’ she told the Florida newspaper.<br />‘People love it. You can run, walk, bring<br />your family, it’s early in the morning. I<br />love karaoke, so at my race, afterward<br />you can go on the beach, relax, have<br />Gatorade and sing karaoke.<br />‘It definitely helps your endurance on the<br />court,’ she said. ‘You feel you can run so<br />many miles, you can last three hours,<br />four hours if you need to.’<br />She added: ‘I like running the shorter<br />distances, like 5K. You don’t kill your<br />body, but you can still feel part of the race<br />atmosphere.’

Serena Williams kick starts training for2015

Serena Williams kick-started her training for next year in familiar style as she took part in the the Ultimate Run South Beach on Sunday mor...

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DIABETES, COMPLEMENTARY ANDALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/diabetes.jpg "><br />DIABETES CORNER<br />By Dr Olubiyi Adesina, Consultant<br />Diabetologist, fbadesina@gmail.com,<br />08034712568<br />On various Television stations, Radio<br />stations and other media across the<br />country, Nigerians are being inundated<br />with advertorials by self styled ‘Doctors’<br />promoting the efficacy of certain remedies<br />that act as a ‘cure all’. Some of the<br />remedies are touted to improve libido,<br />cure diabetes, cure an enlarged prostate,<br />cancers, warts, help you to lose weight in<br />an almost magical manner and achieve<br />overall good health. Such advertorials<br />also include the ‘testimony’ and other<br />anecdotal reports from individuals who<br />have used such remedies. These<br />‘testimonies’ serve as very effective tools<br />to convince the unwary that he or she, irre­<br />spective of educational status, needs to<br />use such a remedy. The scientific<br />community needs much more proof than<br />what is currently made available in order<br />to know the truth about the safety and<br />efficacy of such remedies.<br />The presence of such alternative therapies<br />have quite complicated the diabetes<br />treatment landscape, not only by the<br />unproven but highly touted ‘efficacy’ of<br />such therapies but also by the avidity<br />with which numerous individuals with<br />diabetes in and out of Nigeria cling to<br />such therapies. One of the downsides of<br />the use of alternative therapies in Nigeria<br />and elsewhere is the increasing incidence<br />of kidney and liver failure following the<br />use of such alternative therapies. Most<br />times, the practitioners of this form of<br />therapy are very secretive about their<br />products and do not make them available<br />for scientific scrutiny.<br />Complementary therapy refers to<br />therapeutic and diagnostic disciplines<br />outside conventional medical practice<br />which are used alongside conventional<br />medicine while alternative medicine is<br />used instead of conventional medicine.<br />These two forms of therapy, though<br />around for decades, have gained further<br />ground in Nigeria in the last two decades<br />through widespread and unregulated<br />advertisement.<br />Individuals with diabetes must be<br />educated about which of such therapies<br />may be of some benefit and those with ab­<br />solutely no proven value. As evidence<br />becomes available to the scientific<br />community about the efficacy of some of<br />these complementary therapies, they can<br />then be absorbed in into the main<br />diabetes treatment armamentarium.<br />A whole wide range of complementary<br />therapies are currently available in<br />Nigeria which are expensive, of unproven<br />efficacy, unknown safety profile which are<br />being used by people with diabetes<br />instead of their orthodox/conventional<br />therapy.<br />It is strongly advised by healthcare<br />practitioners worldwide that instead of<br />individuals with diabetes buying expensive<br />dietary supplements that contain vitamins<br />and other micronutrients, they should<br />invest in eating a very balanced diet and<br />their conventional anti-diabetic agents.<br />Individuals with diabetes who wish to use<br />remedies aside from that prescribed by<br />their healthcare workers are advised to<br />discuss such use with their Doctors.<br />Majority of the proponents of alternative<br />therapies do not possess strong clinical<br />credentials and often misapply infor­<br />mation from scientific literature. A strong<br />case in point is the over celebration of<br />staphylococcus in Nigeria by the combi­<br />nation of outright falsehood and half<br />truths.<br />It is an incontrovertible fact that a lot of<br />conventional drugs used nowadays to<br />treat diabetes and other diseases are de­<br />rived from herbs. A vivid example is<br />Metformin which is the most used anti-<br />diabetic drug worldwide which was<br />derived from French lilac plant, a<br />traditional remedy for the disease. The<br />onus is thus on herbal practitioners in<br />Nigeria and elsewhere to make their<br />products available for scientific proof.<br />Before the efficacy and safety of currently<br />used herbal remedies are proven<br />scientifically, one can only advise that<br />such remedies are taken with a pinch of<br />salt.<br />Orthodox medical practitioners must<br />make it a point of duty to ask individuals<br />with diabetes that they attend to whether<br />they use any form of complementary or<br />alternative therapy, especially in those<br />whose blood sugar level control is poor.<br />At the risk of sounding repetitive, one<br />must again say that the safety of these<br />alternative therapies is a serious cause<br />for concern.<br />For now, it is still good to keep an open<br />mind about these therapies as they may<br />be proven in the future to be effective and<br />safe, but until then, one will strongly<br />advice that individuals with diabetes stick<br />with their orthodox medications. The<br />burden of scientific proof rests with the<br />practitioners of these therapies.

DIABETES, COMPLEMENTARY ANDALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

DIABETES CORNER By Dr Olubiyi Adesina, Consultant Diabetologist, fbadesina@gmail.com, 08034712568 On various Television stations, Radio stat...

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The massacre in Pakistan

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Pakistan-702x336.jpg "><br />Last week, a squad of six Talibans<br />stormed an Army-run school in<br />Peshawar, Pakistan, and slaughtered 141<br />persons, 132 of them schoolchildren.<br />Doctors said the children, some as young<br />as five years, were all shot either in the<br />head or the chest. Afghan Taliban cruelty<br />seems to have risen to incredible heights<br />since the ascendancy of its new leader,<br />Maulana Fazlullah who, like Boko<br />Haram’s Abubakar Shekau, glories in<br />ruthless bloodletting.<br />A shocked world expectedly expressed<br />revulsion. From Britain, Prime Minister<br />David Cameron condemned the<br />“horrifying targeting of children.” The<br />United States President, Barack Obama,<br />remarked that the Taliban has once more<br />displayed its depravity.<br />We commend the people of Peshawar<br />who have bravely defied the threats of the<br />Taliban and gathered to honour the<br />victims with flowers and mementos.<br />Nigerians know what this sad incident<br />feels like because the Pakistani Taliban<br />and the Nigerian Boko Haram are two<br />sides of the same coin. They are one and<br />the same in bloodthirstiness and<br />psychopathic violence. Indeed, Boko<br />Haram is known also as the Nigerian<br />Taliban. Both sides share the same<br />antipathy to Western education. It is,<br />therefore, not surprising they attacked the<br />school.<br />We understand the pain and anguish of<br />the Pakistani people. They have had to<br />bear previous, numerous Taliban<br />bloodshed, but the peculiarity of this case<br />is that most Pakistanis could not reconcile<br />Taliban politics with the massacre of in­<br />nocent children. All the signs and protests<br />seem to indicate they are not taking this<br />massacre lying low at all, and agitation<br />for revenge has almost begun.<br />There is a sign that the Pakistani<br />government, in a fit of anger, has now<br />lifted a moratorium on death sentences by<br />which more than 500 Taliban terrorists<br />might soon be executed. Much as this<br />might assuage some feelings and look<br />like the Talibans’ just recompense for<br />their dastardly act, we urge the Pakistanis<br />to reflect deeply on this move. Policy<br />change at a time of emotional upset is<br />never rational.<br />Taliban watchers seem unanimous that<br />the group has been in a state of rage<br />owing to its recent reverses on the<br />battlefield. It is lashing out hard to show<br />that it is still capable of causing as much<br />damage as it wishes. The answer to that<br />is that the Pakistani Army should not re­<br />lent. Indeed, the massacre of those<br />innocent children should serve as an<br />impetus to move more strongly against<br />the Taliban with a view to finally seeing to<br />its final destruction or disbandment.<br />Thus, the backlash from the Peshawar<br />massacre of innocent persons seems to<br />have released vital energies against the<br />Taliban. As one Pakistani put it, “the<br />mood of the entire nation toward the Tali­<br />ban was always of hatred, but there was<br />an element of fear attached to it. This<br />time, after they killed our children, the<br />anger and sorrow have deepened so<br />much that the fear has been eliminated.<br />Every Pakistani is angry enough to forget<br />the fear of the Taliban. Everyone is<br />demanding action against them.”<br />We sympathise with the people and<br />government of Pakistan on this horrible<br />incident. The excesses of the Taliban and<br />by extension, Boko Haram, may finally be<br />their undoing. Many Pakistanis who had<br />on religious grounds been tolerant of the<br />jihadists now seem totally against them.<br />The same reaction greeted the Boko<br />Haram attack on the Kano Central<br />Mosque where it killed 120 Muslim<br />worshippers. Like all totalitarian and<br />extremist organisations in history, they<br />will eventually be destroyed by their own<br />internal contradictions. It is only a matter<br />of time.

The massacre in Pakistan

Last week, a squad of six Talibans stormed an Army-run school in Peshawar, Pakistan, and slaughtered 141 persons, 132 of them schoolchildren...

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Growing up in the ghetto made me –Ruth Kadiri

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Ruth-Kadiri-702x336.jpg "><br />For actress, script writer and movie<br />maker, Ruth Kadiri, it’s a story of grass to<br />grace. Kadiri, who grew up in Africa’s<br />largest ghetto, Ajegunle, but who ended<br />up becoming a screen goddess recently<br />shared her story with The Entertainer.<br />Excerpts:<br />SOME PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE A BETTER<br />WRITER THAN AN ACTRESS, WHAT IS<br />YOUR TAKE?<br />In my opinion, it is not right for me to<br />judge my works. I appreciate every talent<br />that I have; both acting and writing. They<br />are uniquely different. I don’t see myself<br />comparing them in any way. It is my duty<br />to do my job and it is their duty to analyze<br />it.<br />WHEN YOU STARTED OUT, DID YOU EVER<br />SEE YOURSELF COMING THIS FAR?<br />Yes.<br />HAS THERE BEEN A COMMENT THAT HIT<br />YOU REAL HARD YOU BROKE DOWN IN<br />TEARS?<br />No, not yet. I have never had that<br />experience and I pray that it doesn’t get to<br />that level.<br />HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO KISS AN ACTOR<br />WITH BAD BREATH ON SET?<br />I hardly kiss in movies.<br />WHICH ACTOR WOULD YOU SAY HAS<br />GIVEN YOU YOUR BEST KISS EVER?<br />(Laughter) Are you kidding me? I don’t<br />know. There is no personal attachment<br />when you kiss in a movie; I still don’t<br />know why people don’t understand that<br />there is no attachment when it comes to<br />kissing in a film.<br />YOU RECENTLY FLAUNTED YOUR RANGE<br />ROVER SPORT. WHAT SPURRED THAT<br />MOVE?<br />No! I did not; I am not that kind of a<br />person. If you go to my Instagram page,<br />you will not find it there. I don’t even<br />know where or how they got that picture.<br />It was just a presumption from a blogger<br />that turned out to be true; I don’t post<br />pictures of my car online.<br />SO, PRESUMPTION WAS RIGHT JUST AS<br />THEY PRESUMED THAT THE GUY WITH<br />YOU WAS YOUR BOYFRIEND…<br />No, he is not my boyfriend! Are you<br />kidding me? Oh my God! I don’t even<br />have the strength. He is just a friend;<br />somebody I have known for like forever.<br />ARE YOU CURRENTLY IN A<br />RELATIONSHIP?<br />Yes<br />DO YOU HAVE ANY MARRIAGE PLANS?<br />Hopefully, we will get there by the grace<br />of God.<br />I AM SURE YOUR FANS WOULD WANT<br />TO KNOW…<br />I am a woman. I don’t know when the<br />proposal….<br />BUT WHO IS YOUR IDEAL MAN?<br />Every woman wants a good man; every<br />woman wants a God-fearing man.<br />BUT WHAT’S YOUR WISH LIST, THERE<br />MUST BE SOMETHING YOU REALLY,<br />REALLY DESIRE?<br />I want somebody who would respect me.<br />SO, WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF<br />SUCCESS?<br />Success is getting to a point where you<br />are comfortable with what you have and<br />who you are.<br />WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE<br />NEXT FIVE YEARS?<br />I am running a production company<br />called Ruth Kadiri Productions and hoping<br />that in five years’ time, it would be a<br />household name and I am hoping that<br />Ruth Kadiri will become a brand. I see<br />myself as someone who inspires people<br />and I hope that I don’t disappoint them.<br />HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU INTEND TO<br />HAVE?<br />Maybe two…<br />BUT YOU LOVE KIDS. I WAS HOPING<br />YOU’D SAY LIKE 10 OR SOMETHING IN<br />THAT NEIGHBOURHOOD?<br />No! Loving kids does not mean you have<br />to have many of them.<br />YOU ADORE UCHE JUMBO, WHAT DO<br />YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT HER?<br />I think she is the most hardworking and<br />sincere person I know especially in this<br />industry. She is someone who is ready to<br />tutor you and I’m somebody who doesn’t<br />listen. For a colleague who could pick up<br />somebody and dust her up and don’t give<br />up on her no matter what speaks<br />volumes. That is a strength I know I don’t<br />have and I appreciate her so much for<br />that.<br />YOU’RE HONEST WITH THE FACT THAT<br />YOU’RE SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T<br />LISTEN. TELL US HOW THAT PLAYED<br />OUT WHILE GROWING UP?<br />I believe that every child who hopes to be<br />independent must always have a mind of<br />its own. And I also know that in being<br />independent, not everybody will agree<br />with you. Mind you, having a mind of your<br />own means that you must be able to<br />define yourself. Like I said earlier, not<br />everybody will agree with you so if I<br />agree with you, you have to make me see<br />reasons with you. If I don’t, then sorry!<br />independent, not everybody will<br />AND HOW DID THAT PLAY OUT WITH<br />YOUR DAD, YOU KNOW, YOUR PARENTS?<br />My dad is a very patient person and he is<br />a complete gentleman; he never raised his<br />hand on me.<br />NEVER? A NIGERIAN FATHER?<br />Yeah. He never did but my mum, hmmm…<br />(Laughter).<br />HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS<br />ADMINISTRATIONS SKILLS IMPACTED<br />YOUR ACTING?<br />I’m a businesswoman; I producing my<br />own films now and I also run a clothes<br />line called KR.<br />WERE YOU BORN WITH AT SILVER<br />SPOON?<br />No! Does anybody think that?<br />TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD?<br />Even as a child, I knew what I wanted to<br />be. In my bedroom then I had these<br />picture of what I would be when I turn 18.<br />I did a write up that when I turn 18, I<br />would rent my own house. And my dad<br />came by and saw it and he was like<br />‘where are you going by 18? Are you<br />thinking about school?’ I was like ‘Dad, I<br />want to be able to rent my own house and<br />make my own money when I am 18.’ He<br />just laughed it off but I think that decision<br />helped me; the desire to want to make<br />your own money the right way helped me.<br />When you grow up as a child in Ajegunle,<br />it’s either it’s lost on you or it helps you<br />find your way. Right now, there are so<br />many mistakes that I can’t make. I see a<br />lot of girls making certain mistakes that I<br />don’t see myself ever making today. If I<br />could discipline myself from childhood,<br />then I should have a high level of<br />resilience today. And then, growing up in<br />the slum helps you to define yourself and<br />it is either you are defined or you’re not.<br />I READ SOMEWHERE THAT A FEMALE<br />LECTURER ONCE ASKED YOU OUT. IS<br />THAT TRUE? COULD YOU RELIEVE THE<br />EXPERIENCE?<br />Yes.<br />BUT THERE WAS ALSO A DENIAL TO<br />THAT CLAIM…<br />Somebody denied it? No! I have never.<br />Hmmm… Okay, I was in school then. At<br />first she took special interest in me and<br />she was like ‘oh Ruth, you came to class<br />today? Oh Ruth, you look like this and<br />you look like that.’ In fact, the first time I<br />wrote her paper she saw me and she was<br />like ‘hmmm… you look familiar.’ And I<br />said ‘No.’ Buts she was like ‘what are you<br />even writing?’ You know that kind of<br />interest, and later she added, ‘come and<br />look me up in school.’ In fact, she knew<br />the day that I was admitted to school and<br />knew my scores. And then, one day, I<br />think I missed her test or something like<br />that and then I went to her office and she<br />told me to take a seat opposite her and<br />then she and she moved her legs and she<br />was like doing what do they call it? I was<br />pushing my chair backward and she was<br />like ‘where are you going, listen to me!’ I<br />was like ‘ah!’<br />DID YOU RUN OUT OF THE OFFICE<br />EVENTUALLY OR DID YOU JUST SAY NO?<br />No, I didn’t say no…<br />WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU THAT<br />ATTRACTED HER TO YOU?<br />I don’t know.<br />SO, HOW DID YOU COPE?<br />I just started avoiding her. I knew her<br />daughter so I went straight to make friend<br />with her.<br />WHAT COULD MAKE RUTH KADIRI CRY?<br />(Laughs). I think I am very emotional-o.<br />Anything could make me cry.<br />THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED, WHAT<br />TRIGGERED IT?<br />It was something hurtful.<br />CAN YOU GIVE US SOMETHING<br />SPECIFIC?<br />When was the last time I cried? Guess<br />what, I cry so much that I don’t even<br />know what makes me cry these days?<br />DO YOU CRY WHEN SEEING A MOVIE?<br />Yea! I cry when I watch myself cry in a<br />movie.<br />RUTH KADIRI, DO YOU HAVE TATTOOS?<br />IF NO, WHY?<br />No! I don’t, I just don’t like them-o.<br />A TATTOO WILL SIT WELL ON YOUR<br />ARMS SO WHY DON’T YOU LIKE<br />TATTOOS?<br />I am indifferent about tattoos but I don’t<br />just like the idea of having one on my<br />body.<br />YOU DON’T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH<br />PEOPLE HAVING TATTOOS, DO YOU?<br />No! But when it is too much I have a<br />problem. If you have tattoo it is okay as<br />long as you can handle it.<br />YOU DON’T SEE YOURSELF TATTOOING<br />YOUR LOVER’S NAME ACROSS YOUR<br />BACK ANYTIME SOON, DO YOU?<br />Haba! Let me ask you a question. Did it<br />favour all those that did it? Why should I<br />go and do the same thing (laughter)?<br />WHAT IF HE DECIDES TO TATTOO YOU<br />ON HIS BODY? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR<br />TAKE?<br />Who will date a man that would want to<br />tattoo you on his body?<br />SO, YOU WON’T DATE A MAN WITH<br />TATTOOS?<br />I didn’t say that-o.<br />BUT YOU DON’T DRINK AND CLUB AND<br />DO STUFFS LIKE THAT…<br />Ah, I drink alcohol-o.<br />A PHOTO OF YOU CLUTCHING YOUR<br />BOOBS HAS GONE VIRAL ON SOCIAL<br />MEDIA. WAS IT A PUBLICITY STUNT?<br />Guess what, the funny thing is that<br />anytime I want to take a photo, I just find<br />out that my hands are drifting<br />unconsciously towards my boobs. But<br />that, picture is causing a lot of<br />controversy, hmmm…I don’t know-o.<br />WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR<br />FAVORITE PART OF YOUR BODY?<br />I don’t know. I love every part of my body<br />but probably, my head; yeah, that is my<br />favourite part.<br />I READ SOMEWHERE ONLINE WHERE<br />YOU CLAIMED THAT A PARTICULAR<br />STALKER TRACED YOU TO YOUR<br />CHURCH BUT ENDED UP GETTING<br />CONVERTED. AND THEN, THERE WAS<br />THIS OTHER STORY OF A FEMALE<br />LECTURER MAKING ADVANCES AT YOU.<br />DON’T YOU THINK THAT IT IS YOUR<br />FAULT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE AFTER<br />YOU BECAUSE YOU GIVE THEM SIGNALS<br />THAT MAKE THEM COME AFTER YOU?<br />DO YOU SWING BOTH WAYS?<br />You see, that was the first time it has ever<br />happened but wait a minute, are you<br />kidding me? Swing both ways? If you visit<br />Unilag any day, you’ll notice that there are<br />certain dresses that are allowed there. My<br />favorite dress was a pair of jeans trousers<br />and a top. What signal will somebody<br />wearing a pair of jeans trousers and a top<br />send? I hardly make up. I had to make-up<br />because I was coming to meet you guys.<br />YOU GREW UP IN THE GHETTO. TO WHAT<br />EXTENT HAS THE GHETTO MOULDED<br />YOU INTO THE PERSON YOU ARE<br />TODAY?<br />Coming from the ghetto helps you make<br />certain decisions. For instance, lots of<br />girls are doing hard drugs like heroin,<br />marijuana, ecstasy, crack and cocaine<br />today. I am not a judge but coming from<br />where I grew up, I couldn’t engage in<br />such things because I grew up in a place<br />where smoking and sniffing of hard drugs<br />was the norm. It didn’t influence me back<br />then so I don’t see anybody or anything<br />influencing me right now. I think growing<br />up in the ghetto helps you; it has helped<br />me tremendously. A lot of people had to<br />make mistakes before learning their<br />lessons; I grew up in the mistakes. Now<br />the question is, if I was able to chart my<br />course through all that, wouldn’t it be<br />difficult to find myself ending up a victim<br />today?<br />I HAVE THIS FEELING THAT RUTH IS A<br />GOOD GIRL. HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN A<br />GOOD GIRL?<br />No, I am not a good girl and I am not a<br />bad girl either. What makes one a good<br />girl by the way?<br />HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING THAT YOU<br />ARE NOT PROUD OF?<br />We all have. But I don’t regret anything; I<br />don’t think I regret anything.

Growing up in the ghetto made me –Ruth Kadiri

For actress, script writer and movie maker, Ruth Kadiri, it’s a story of grass to grace. Kadiri, who grew up in Africa’s largest ghetto, Aje...

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30 Days In Atlanta is Nigeria’s highestgrossing film –Guy Murray-Bruce

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/30day-AY-N-Ramsy-noah-702x336.jpg "><br />After two months of showing at cinemas<br />across the country and making a whop­<br />ping N85 million, 30 Days In Atlanta, a<br />movie produced by top comedian, Ayo<br />Makun popularly known as AY, has been<br />pronounced as Nigeria’s highest grossing<br />film ever.<br />According to Mr. Guy Murray-Bruce,<br />Executive Director, Silverbird Distribution,<br />the movie raked in N85 million only in<br />eight weeks, which made it the highest<br />grossing film in Nigeria. “That it is N85<br />million is quite impressive for a Nol­<br />lywood film and we are so proud of AY.<br />We hope he produces more movies in the<br />nearest future,” he enthused.<br />The Muray Bruce-led Silverbird Film<br />Distribution has contributed immensely to<br />the development of Nigerian film industry<br />globally known as Nollywood. Since its<br />inception in 2007, the company has<br />released different genres of movies in­<br />cluding Hollywood, Bollywood and<br />Nollywood blockbusters.<br />Speaking on their achievements so far,<br />Ms Rosana Hart, Business Manager,<br />Silverbird Film Distribution, says 2014<br />has been a remarkable year for the<br />organization, with the release of<br />Hollywood movies like Think Like A Man<br />Too, Amazing Spider Man and The<br />Equalizer to mention a few. “Also, there<br />have been some great Nollywood releases<br />such as Knocking on Heaven’s Door,<br />Single, Married And Complicated 2, Being<br />Mrs. Elliot, A Place In The Stars, and<br />recently released 30 Days in Atlanta, a<br />movie that has topped box office charts<br />across the country, grossing an<br />impressive N85 million since its theatrical<br />release on October 31, 2014,” she said.<br />Described as a hilarious and roller<br />coaster twists, 30 Days In Atlanta is<br />based on a popular comic character,<br />Akpors, who is known for his display of<br />naivety and astuteness with grains of<br />truth in his act. The movie is a perfect<br />blend of Nollywood and Hollywood stars<br />starring the likes of Vivica Fox, Karlie<br />Redd and Lynn Whitefield. Others include<br />Richard Mofe-Damijo, Mercy Johnson,<br />Ramsey Nouah, Desmond Elliot and<br />comedian Ayo Makun (AY) as the lead<br />actor.<br />“30 Days In Atlanta is still in cinemas,<br />and if we extrapolate our data judging by<br />exit poll from cinema lovers, perfor­<br />mances and screen averages, the movie<br />might as well gross over N100 million<br />after Christmas,” Mr. Moses Babatope,<br />Executive Director, Filmhouse Cinemas<br />said.<br />Going by the figures made available by<br />Uwem Jacobs, West Africa Agent for<br />United International Pictures, South<br />Africa, Kunle Afolayan’s Figurine is<br />estimated to have grossed N20 million<br />while Through The Glass, a film produced<br />by Stephanie Okereke, grossed only N10<br />million in 2008. In 2010, Ije, starring top<br />acts like Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and<br />Genevieve Nnaji, raked in N57 million and<br />this year, two blockbusters, Half Of A<br />Yellow Sun and October 1 grossed an<br />impressive N60 million and N50 million<br />respectively.<br />To Miss Hart, the current milestones in<br />Nollywood confirms the belief of Mr. Ben<br />Murray-Bruce, President, Silverbird Group<br />that Nigerians would celebrate their<br />identity by supporting indigenous films in<br />the cinemas.<br />She said: “We are quite pleased with the<br />box office record set by 30 Days In<br />Atlanta and are very optimistic about the<br />possibilities of our local titles achieving<br />more successes in future. However, like<br />30 Days In Atlanta, we also expect<br />Lancelot Imasuen’s historical epic, Inva­<br />sion 1897, and Emem Isong’s<br />Champagne, which are currently showing<br />at cinemas, to turn out box office hits.”

30 Days In Atlanta is Nigeria’s highestgrossing film –Guy Murray-Bruce

After two months of showing at cinemas across the country and making a whop­ ping N85 million, 30 Days In Atlanta, a movie produced by top c...

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2015: Abia youths vow to vote out PDP

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/pdp-logo3.jpg "><br />A bia Youths for Change, Lagos Chapter<br />has condemned the December 8, 2014<br />governorship primary in the state that<br />produced Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu as the<br />party’s flagbearer for the 2015 election,<br />and vowed to vote against the party if the<br />result was not reversed.<br />While speaking with journalists on<br />Saturday, the youths alleged that the<br />primary was marred with irregularities<br />and accused the state governor of im­<br />posing his choice, Ikpeazu on the party<br />against the people’s choice, Dr. Samson<br />Uchechukwu Ogah.<br />According to the President of the group,<br />Ikenna James, and the National President<br />of Ohafia Youths, Engr. Ukariwe Ajike<br />Godwin, delegates to the primary were<br />‘fake’ as they were selected by the<br />governor.<br />“The supposed delegates were fake as<br />they were chosen by the governor.<br />They were kept in governor’s house for<br />72hours and their phones seized so they<br />could vote for the governor’s choice.<br />Police and military men without army<br />badge and names were used to beat<br />people,” they claimed.<br />They added: “We are not pleased with the<br />outcome of the primary, so we want it<br />declared null and void. President Jona­<br />than should look into Abia’s case or else<br />we would mobilise Abians against PDP in<br />2015. Ikpeazu is not the people’s choice.”<br />The secretary of the group, Chima Joel<br />and its Public Relations Officer, PRO<br />Nnenna Kalu said the youths in the state<br />would defend their votes against PDP in<br />2015 with their blood, adding that they<br />might resort to legal action to press their<br />demands.<br />“Abia is the worst governed state in<br />Nigeria. Ikpeazu means the last person in<br />Igbo language. The youths are yearning<br />for change in Abia but the governor wants<br />to bring somebody who will not perform<br />like him.<br />We are crying for Abia and we are ready<br />to defend our votes against PDP with our<br />blood if PDP fails to present the people’s<br />choice. The president should drop Ikpeazu<br />if he wants our votes,” they threatened.<br />Children cutting the cake at the Christmas<br />party/carol of the Four Square Gospel<br />Church, Haruna, Lagos.

2015: Abia youths vow to vote out PDP

A bia Youths for Change, Lagos Chapter has condemned the December 8, 2014 governorship primary in the state that produced Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu...

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Jonathan hijacked – Paul Unongo

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Paul-Unongo-702x336.jpg "><br />D eputy Chairman of the Northern Elders<br />Forum, NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo has warned<br />that there would be chaos in Nigeria in<br />2015.<br />“For the sake of Nigeria and those of you<br />who publish correctly, you need to advise<br />the people who are running Jonathan that<br />in the interest of Nigeria, they should<br />guarantee us. When we vote them out<br />they shouldn’t try to remain in power.<br />They will overheat the system”, Unongo, a<br />People’s Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain<br />from Benue State warned, adding: “<br />Everybody is behaving as if the world<br />would come to an end if Jonathan is not<br />President, it is much more likely that<br />Nigeria’s world would come to an end if<br />Jonathan is elected President because he<br />has demonstrated no capacity to run this<br />country.<br />“Jonathan has been hijacked by people<br />telling him that they own the oil wells in<br />Nigeria. As a leader, he has shown no<br />qualities that would warrant his insistence<br />to become a leader for another four years<br />because another four years of what we<br />have in Nigeria today will break up this<br />nation or will lead, at my old age, having<br />read history, to conflicts similar to the<br />Biafran conflict. And it will be senseless.<br />It is simple. Let’s have free and fair<br />elections,” the former minister said.<br />He described President Goodluck<br />Jonathan as an incompetent leader who<br />lacks the capacity to run the affairs of<br />Nigeria and warned the press to stop<br />trivializing such incompetence. “This<br />young man is just not competent. You<br />people want this young man to push us<br />into war to start killing ourselves again.<br />People don’t know the seriousness of the<br />game these young men are playing with<br />Nigeria. On the indices of performance,<br />can we say Jonathan can continue?,” he<br />asked.<br />In this interview, the ex-minister took a<br />long look at the match of the Nigerian<br />nation state from inception till date and<br />concluded that Nigeria has become more<br />primitive than any other primitive country<br />in the world. He blamed the elite for the<br />slide into primitiveness and declared that<br />Nigeria is now “a dead, sleep walking<br />nation”.<br />He also spoke of what he described as the<br />theology of the Major Gideon Orkar coup<br />that was to excise some parts of the North<br />from Nigeria, among other national<br />issues.<br />Excerpts:<br />A lot of things have happened in this<br />country. Some would say Nigeria is<br />making progress; but how would you<br />assess the present state of the nation?<br />I would like to say I remember you. You in­<br />terviewed me many years back and you<br />published me correctly. I am very happy<br />to talk to you about Nigeria which is my<br />constituency. It’s the only place I hang<br />on. It’s the only hope I have in this world<br />and I don’t want to leave for any other<br />place. I am 79 years old now. So I love<br />this country. It’s the only country I have.<br />So, I promise you as I promised you then<br />that I will tell you the truth as I feel it, as I<br />see it. It depends on how you define the<br />word progress. Nigeria has made<br />progress as it has more people registered.<br />We are about 175 million human beings<br />now, from about 30 million when we<br />started. That is progress. Nigeria didn’t<br />have as many buildings as we have<br />today. We have huge fantastic structures.<br />If you look at that, you will think this<br />country has really developed. We have<br />gone through some kinds of<br />democratisation from colonialism where<br />we owed allegiance to the crown in<br />Britain, the UK. Today, we can pretend<br />that we are an independent state. Thanks<br />to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Rt. Hon. Dr.<br />Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Sardauna of<br />Sokoto. They bequeathed to us a nation<br />state that we confused. Nation state is a<br />political statement and it is a political,<br />scientific statement that defined what we<br />are supposed to be-a multi-ethnic, multi-<br />national country that respected the<br />idiosyncracies of the various components<br />that make the Republic of Nigeria as we<br />became known. And the founding fathers<br />were very clear. Chief Awolowo<br />articulated this in terms of his federalism.<br />And it was very clear that this is what was<br />intended for this country. Within that<br />context, yes, Nigeria is no longer a<br />colonial country. We messed ourselves up.<br />We got into a funny civil war that cost us<br />two million men. At the end of it, we<br />reconciled beyond anybody’s wildest<br />imagination. No country has gone into<br />civil war and reconciled the way Nigeria<br />did in the shortest time possible. For it to<br />make Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe contest<br />the presidency of the Federal Republic of<br />Nigeria in 1979, just eight years after the<br />war, I think Nigeria is great. He was Igbo.<br />And the heart of Biafra was Igbo. So,<br />there are so many good things about<br />Nigeria. In those days, we talked about<br />the potentials, the economic development<br />of Nigeria, structurally. We may not have<br />liked it, but there are some elements of<br />manufacturing without electricity. There<br />are elements of a few things we used to<br />import that are now done in Nigeria. So,<br />you can say even economically, all the<br />things impact on the people and the well<br />being of the people. Nigeria has done well.<br />But in Africa and in developing countries,<br />like India, Malaysia and Singapore,<br />development in terms of your question,<br />started at the same time with these<br />countries. India became a nation state<br />from Britain in 1947. Pakistan was born<br />in 1947. Today, India is one of the most<br />technologically advanced nation states. It<br />has nuclear power. It has the Atomic<br />Bomb, so does Pakistan. They were all<br />colonies. They have their own problems,<br />but they manufacture everything they<br />need, including aircraft put together<br />during the era of the Nehrus of this world.<br />If you go to Malaysia now, we started the<br />same time with them, Ceylon and the rest<br />of them. In fact, Singapore came here and<br />imported our palm fruits and today, they<br />are technologically more advanced than<br />us. They have settled. They are now<br />developed to the extent that we go to them<br />and import technology into Nigeria. What<br />has happened to Nigeria? I think when<br />Nigerians talks about development,<br />without mincing words, they ought to talk<br />about economics. When I finished<br />secondary school, there was no university<br />in Northern Nigeria. We went to the<br />“highest institution” then. It was then<br />called Nigerian College of Arts, Science<br />and Technology located in Zaria. It<br />became later, by the wisdom of Sir<br />Ahmadu Bello, the Ahmadu Bello<br />University. That was the highest<br />institution. I was the first Middle Belter to<br />teach anywhere in the university. I also<br />taught at the University of Lagos where I<br />founded the Department of Psychology<br />with a few friends and I was the Head.<br />They couldn’t believe I was from the<br />North and I was. So, they said I was a<br />crazy man. Today from my part of Nigeria<br />which is the Middle Belt, that is within<br />northern region, I think there are<br />hundreds of thousands of graduates. So,<br />if you want to talk about progress and<br />numbers in education, Nigeria has done it.<br />If you want to talk about more<br />manufactured goods that we never used<br />to have, that we imported from Britain,<br />Nigeria has done it. So, I believe that your<br />question is located to Nigeria as a nation.<br />It is the political life of Nigeria where I do<br />not believe we have done much. I believe<br />we have messed this country up, we the<br />educated elite. And anywhere in the world,<br />it is the educated elite that determine and<br />decide the direction of the nation state. In<br />the time of the Awolowos, it was also the<br />elite. Even during the military regimes, the<br />elite military officers that determined the<br />fate of Nigeria, resolved we should fight a<br />civil war and we fought a civil war behind<br />them. In fact, Gowon was just 29. Ojukwu<br />was 30+, about 32. They were the young<br />elite. So, it was not a matter of youth. It is<br />an attitude that has destroyed this country<br />and this attitude has made me so sad<br />that it has come out more emphatically<br />under the present administration which is<br />the attitude of absolute insensitivity. To<br />real issues, to human beings, to issues of<br />development, to issues that are critical,<br />we take them seem as if nothing is<br />happening. Within<br />that context, Nigeria has become more<br />primitive than any other primitive country<br />I have seen in the world. In fact, it has<br />become so bad that one wonders and ask<br />questions at my level, at my age. When I<br />have to reflect, sometimes I wonder, were<br />we right? Did we know what we were<br />doing when we were fighting the<br />whiteman? When we were fighting the<br />soldiers? When we got beaten up and got<br />sent to jail. The whiteman thought we<br />were inferior to him, the Ziks, Awos and<br />Sardaunas of Nigeria answered the call.<br />We were like the second eleven, the<br />youths in school rallied around them and<br />we had patriotism. The only thing I have<br />seen in Nigeria today is impunity. There is<br />also insensitivity, lack of care. We don’t<br />believe we owe any human being anything<br />for being Nigerian. There is nothing in this<br />country that stimulates somebody’s trust<br />in the nation state to warrant him to say I<br />will sacrifice my life.<br />My daughter has just come from youth<br />service which I helped in establishing. She<br />went to Zamfara. Now, I am saying why<br />should I allow my daughter to go to<br />Zamfara? For this Nigeria that I see that<br />doesn’t think about her? That doesn’t<br />plan for her; that is insensitive, where<br />small girls like her are abducted? We<br />laugh, we throw parties, we dance at<br />political party rallies and we are the<br />leaders of Nigeria? A ragtag army like<br />Boko Haram had come here before.<br />Others were in charge. They dealt with it.<br />Now, this thing is laying siege to the<br />greatest African nation state on earth, the<br />greatest nation with the largest number of<br />black human beings and geniuses. And<br />our ingenuity was revealed during our<br />civil war, if nothing else. The ingenuity<br />that was revealed during the civil war on<br />the side of Biafra was staggering; on the<br />side of Nigeria it was also staggering<br />among the Federalists. This country went<br />and organized Congo when there was<br />total chaos there.<br />This country went and fought, physically<br />against Charles Taylor and saved Sierra<br />Leone. This country even during<br />Obasanjo’s regime, saved Equatorial<br />Guinea which couldn’t do anything about<br />a coup. This same Nigerian Army made<br />Liberia a country. This Army has been so<br />bastardized that it cannot face a ragtag<br />army that say they are religious<br />extremists. And they are laying claim to<br />Nigerian territory and the response we<br />have is that I must be President forever.<br />We must dance Owambe.<br />So what do you think is the problem?<br />I think Nigeria has not developed. I think<br />we have gone backwards. And this is the<br />heart, this is the nucleus, this is where the<br />life of the nation state is. Nigeria, to me, is<br />a dead, sleep walking nation. It is as if<br />somebody put opium on the rest of us. We<br />are watching this destruction unfolding<br />and nobody talks. It is as if we have been<br />hypnotized. And when you try to talk,<br />everybody pounces on you. You hate the<br />President. Oh you are a Muslim. Oh you<br />don’t like Christians to be President. I am<br />just answering the first part of your<br />question. You asked my opinion about<br />how developed Nigeria is and I am telling<br />you that Nigeria has gone nowhere.<br />Nigeria has matched backwards. We are<br />now tribalists. You are an Ijaw man. It is<br />our oil. I don’t drink oil and I don’t give a<br />damn. Oil has brought disaster to Nigeria.<br />Nigeria was a great country when we<br />were selling our beniseed, hides and skin,<br />groundnuts and developing Nigeria. To­<br />day, there is so much money, there is so<br />much stealing, there is so much<br />devastation and there is so much<br />insensitivity in the system. Nigerians that<br />loved themselves so much don’t exist.<br />What kind of society is that?<br />How did we get to where we are now?<br />We got to this stage because one,<br />Nigerians developed a thick skin and<br />became insensitive themselves. And then<br />there is this national effort by people who<br />usurped power. First, the military usurped<br />power and they tried to force everybody to<br />see things their way. If you didn’t, they<br />killed you or locked you up. Some of us<br />were lucky. We were locked up, but God<br />intervened and we were not killed. We got<br />close to being killed when we were falsely<br />accused of doing a coup. How can a<br />civilian do a coup during a military<br />regime? But it happened because nobody<br />spoke. I don’t know when Nigerians<br />became such cowards. And I don’t know<br />when Nigerians became people that<br />depended on government to get food.<br />Everybody is saying no, no ,no, you can’t<br />talk. If you talk, you won’t eat. My child is<br />going to school, I can’t pay school fees.<br />When did this happen? When did this<br />acceptance of bestial irresponsibility<br />happen? We think we are hoping that we<br />will develop a set of values where our<br />children will learn how to evaluate<br />themselves. Then suddenly, this<br />disappeared. This came in punitive way<br />which has reached its height under the<br />present administration. Impunity started<br />from corruption. Nobody asked anyone<br />how wealth was acquired. If someone<br />would just be dashing people hundreds of<br />thousands, nobody would ask questions.<br />Don’t we have a system? Can this sustain<br />the economy of a nation? Why so much<br />money? Why is this money concentrated<br />in the hands of a few people? Why not the<br />majority? There are no amenities. There<br />are no social services. How come the<br />ones in government don’t look at it as<br />service? How come going into governance<br />means going to make money? And this<br />again has reached its peak during this<br />administration. Then there’s this idea of<br />my own; I want my own to be there. Ni­<br />geria became a country where some of us<br />have had to re-learn to say well, I come<br />from the North. I have never talked about<br />coming from the North. I talked about just<br />being a Nigerian. But I now talk very<br />vocally about coming from the North<br />because I can see I am educated. I can<br />see what has been done to the North,<br />structurally at governmental level.<br />I feel I should come in at this point. From<br />your analysis of the Nigerian situation so<br />far, there is a turn around in the attitude<br />of our leaders towards governance. But<br />the last time I spoke with you, you<br />sounded different. Why do you feel<br />differently?<br />There is no turn around. You didn’t study<br />me properly. I have written books.<br />You supported President Jonathan then,<br />but now…<br />That is what I mean, but I have not turned<br />around.<br />Now, you are pro another…<br />I am not for anybody. I am for justice, fair<br />play and honesty. Try to be honest in<br />government with the people. Try to serve<br />the people. Try to develop the people. Try<br />to be fair before you steal all. This<br />government is just stealing too much.<br />This government is too insensitive. This<br />government doesn’t want anybody to<br />criticize them. Why did we criticize the<br />British? They locked us up but we<br />survived. Why did we criticize the<br />military? We did so because we wanted a<br />democratic set up. The so called<br />democratic set up has come and we<br />cannot criticize with all your knowledge,<br />with all your eyes wide open, you are<br />seeing this kleptomania. You can’t talk<br />about it. And people are cowards. They<br />say let’s just give everybody opportunity,<br />we minorities. Jonathan rode on the back<br />of people like me from the Middle Belt. We<br />were preaching minority politics, that the<br />majority has been cheating us too much.<br />Now, we have a minority person; at least<br />he has suffered,so when he goes there,<br />he would develop Nigeria because the<br />minorities have kept Nigeria together. We<br />were the people who joined our hands; we<br />even fought more to keep Nigeria one. So<br />here is our son. I was excited. Here is a<br />university man, a teacher, a lecturer like<br />Umaru Yar’Adua whom I knew very well.<br />He came from my school, Keffi and I<br />knew he would do well. And when God<br />took him away and I heard that the next<br />person is a minority person who is also a<br />university person, I was very excited. I<br />remember I wrote Jonathan a letter. I<br />also remember what I told Jonathan<br />when he came to Makurdi. I was selected<br />by the governor of the state and by that<br />time he was not swallowed up by<br />Jonathan in the game that they are<br />playing with Nigeria. He told Jonathan<br />that this is the father of this state. This is<br />the father that will speak on our behalf<br />and I did. I do not think that Jonathan has<br />forgotten what I said. I told him he didn’t<br />need to come back here, we will vote for<br />him. He represented hope. He represents<br />us who have been feeling that after the<br />British and all these single-handedness of<br />the military, here is a person who comes<br />from the small people that were never<br />empowered. So, we would use power with<br />restraint, we will restructure Nigeria to be<br />patriotic. And I said please let us come to<br />a sovereign national conference, redesign<br />Nigeria the way you want Nigeria so that<br />for once Nigerians can be honest to say<br />we the people of Nigeria give to ourselves<br />this constitution and we are prepared to<br />support him and we supported him. And<br />when there were hiccups, after our son<br />from the North died, there were a lot of<br />hiccups about his successor and we<br />stood firm with Jonathan to take over and<br />he took over. And when Jonathan took<br />over, somehow the accusations that the<br />majority, the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa people<br />used to level against the minorities,<br />Jonathan started showing them.<br />Jonathan suddenly ended up becoming an<br />Ijaw man. He was captured by a clique<br />that was so nationalistic, the ones we<br />dealt with like Tam David West. They<br />relegated those people to the background,<br />brought young men that were militants. I<br />like militancy. I was a militant too. So we<br />thought we are going to have progress,<br />they concentrated on fighting Nigeria<br />because Nigeria, supposedly, stole their<br />oil. Which is their oil? This thing got to<br />Jonathan’s head and he left Nigeria and<br />joined his group. He became an Ijaw man.<br />And Ijaws didn’t bring him to power. We<br />did and we thought he would give us<br />leadership. And then the second factor<br />was that Jonathan appeared to be a<br />Christian and the Christian elements that<br />were always feeling that no Christian ever<br />comes from the North or anywhere by<br />their own choosing to become the<br />President, said since Umaru was dead<br />and Jonathan is a Christian, we<br />Christians will rally around him. I am<br />talking from the point of view of the<br />Christians now. I have noticed now that<br />everyone who felt so strong about<br />Jonathan don’t feel that way anymore. He<br />disappointed Christians of Nigeria by his<br />utterances, his behavior that appears so<br />insensitive. How can small children be<br />abducted from their parents and taken<br />away by criminals. Their fathers are<br />weeping, their mothers are crying. And<br />they are weeping up till six months now<br />and Jonathan was playing politics and<br />wants to be re-elected. This is the seventh<br />month since the Chibok girls were<br />abducted. Our Christian brother Jonathan<br />has many advisers, including me that<br />may have resolved this issue. It became a<br />political thing. That somebody gets into<br />power, learns how to use the instruments<br />of power, including the coercive forces of<br />the nation state of Nigeria to perpetuate<br />himself in power. Is that not why we<br />fought the British? Is that not why we<br />fought the military? Is that not what Jona­<br />than has become now? He must be<br />President for life because of Ijaw’s oil.<br />Ijaw’s oil is located in their land, the one<br />that has been developed. But is Jonathan<br />aware that most of the oil, the one that<br />has been found in Nigeria is off-shore in<br />the territorial waters of Nigeria. I am not<br />getting into any argument. In International<br />Law what exists anywhere and<br />everywhere in the whole world, is that the<br />extent of territorial waters of a nation and<br />a nation state, including Nigeria is<br />determined by the land mass of that<br />nation. The region that joins two other<br />regions to form the nation state of Nigeria<br />is called Northern Nigeria. It has three-<br />quarters of the land mass of Nigeria.<br />It’s like you are using the utterances of a<br />few people to…<br />Please listen to me. I am not using the<br />utterances of other people. How has he<br />reacted to them? I have too much<br />knowledge and I have too much<br />information at my disposal. I am not a<br />kid. I have been active in politics all my<br />life, except the short spell I taught at the<br />university, I have never worked for<br />anybody except myself. And I have just<br />sat down to do nothing but to write<br />constitutions for Nigeria and argue for Ni­<br />geria. So, I know what I am talking about.<br />You are a leader and people dominate<br />you and you don’t extricate yourself from<br />them and you allow your utterances to<br />guide your behavior, you are as guilty as<br />charged. Let me just give you an example,<br />because I am not usually vocal, I don’t go<br />around preaching what is wrong, when<br />you ask for my reaction to it, I give it.<br />Let’s take a simple thing like choosing<br />people to go to the so- called place I<br />described as a place Jonathan was giving<br />money to his friends to help him to drum<br />up support for him to be President of<br />Nigeria. Who are those so much qualified<br />than people like me who started writing<br />constitutions for this country since 1957?<br />And I served on committees with people<br />like Ben Nwabueze, Chief Rotimi Williams<br />and I came through all constitutions, all<br />conferences in this country that were<br />written. I was invited to participate in all<br />of them. And I think I participated in all<br />except one, including that of Abacha’s<br />that ended in 1994. There, I was right at<br />the top of arranging the type of Nigeria we<br />want, the type of institutions we want and<br />how we can make these institutions<br />strong. I have always been there. As a<br />man with this type of experience, I am still<br />alive. Jonathan knows me. He is a much<br />younger brother. In fact, I can call him my<br />son because at 79 I am Jonathan’s<br />father. I am not a Nigerian that minces<br />words. My Nephew whom I adopted is 60.<br />I am 79. So, Jonathan is my son. Why<br />would Jonathan be inviting people; he<br />came to Benue, the governor showed<br />deference, called me to speak. The Tiv<br />nation is a major nation in Nigeria. We<br />are the fourth largest in population and<br />when there is crisis in this country, the<br />contributions to the second world war; in<br />fact, in the first and second world wars,<br />the Tiv people were there. Our<br />contribution was critical to the British.<br />And in the Nigeria civil war, our<br />contribution was absolutely necessary. It<br />was a factor in the war turning in favour<br />of the federalists and I was vocal. I was<br />with Gowon throughout. I gave all kinds<br />of advices that were implemented.<br />Jonathan is old enough to know that. If<br />Jonathan wants the Tiv people to be<br />represented in a discussion, the first Tiv<br />man to teach in a university is alive and is<br />articulate and has participated in<br />designing all kinds of things and going<br />overseas to represent Nigeria, I was not<br />qualified? Why? The Ijaw people that were<br />around Jonathan told him I was his<br />enemy. He came to Benue and they told<br />him this is the father of our place, he<br />would talk on our behalf, including the<br />governor of our state, what I told<br />Jonathan we would do we did . We, the<br />Tiv people, when we make a statement,<br />real Tiv people, when we make a<br />commitment, we stay there and we put<br />our blood to the commitment. We have<br />stayed with Jonathan and Jonathan<br />decided that in the type of conference he<br />wanted, Paul Unongo was not qualified.<br />And yet this conference was going to talk<br />about how we could organise Nigeria to<br />include Tiv people and I am the leader of<br />the Tiv people. Can you imagine Awolowo<br />being barred from participating in<br />discussing how you can make Nigeria<br />peaceful? That’s what Jonathan did.<br />That’s number one.<br />But sir…<br />No,no, no. I must end this one. Number<br />two. When Jonathan selected the people<br />to advise him, Jonathan selected<br />somebody called Col. Nyam, …I studied<br />and know the man they call Col. Nyam.<br />He was the leader of the coup that was to<br />oust Ibrahim Babangida. I knew this<br />because I, a civilian, was picked as the<br />leader of this type of coup because one<br />Tiv person, one little Tiv young man,<br />called Major Gideon Orkar announced the<br />coup. So, it must be Paul Unongo that<br />influenced him. I was incarcerated for<br />almost seven months and I knew and<br />studied the coup. After anger, I decided<br />that I will study the theology of the coup,<br />why it came about and why people like<br />me were arrested. It was a coup of<br />minorities. Yes, but minorities of the<br />south. And Orkar’s knowledge of the<br />coup…I think I am qualified to say so<br />because I suffered a lot…I don’t believe it<br />was more than 30 hours before the<br />execution of the coup. And I swore that I<br />will reveal the nature of the coup because<br />I am trained to serve my country and the<br />government of my country and I will<br />advise them despite my incarceration. So,<br />I studied the kids that were wasted and I<br />talked to all of them and then transferred<br />all their frustrations in my evidence in<br />chief. I told them if you want to kill me,<br />these are the things that were disturbing<br />these young men that did this coup. This<br />is the line of the coup, the leadership and<br />so on. I know because I am there with<br />them. I have asked them questions. Now,<br />I discovered that the leader was not even<br />Mukoro. It was Col. Nyam. This coup, the<br />first thing they did, the first speech that<br />was written that Col. Nyam was going to<br />deliver excised about seven states from<br />Northern Nigeria or thereabout and threw<br />them out of Nigeria and say we don’t<br />want them. They said after some years,<br />may be these people if they come and<br />beg us, then we can re-admit them into<br />Nigeria. When I saw Nyam who ran<br />away and abandoned these young men,<br />his role was to make the broadcast. When<br />they got to the venue of the broadcast,<br />Radio Nigeria, Col. Nyam was not there.<br />He had left. He ran away. This was to be<br />their leader. He ran away. Mukoro ran<br />away after entering Dodan Barracks. And<br />they came and caught us innocent people<br />that didn’t know anything about the coup<br />and one young man, Ogboru’s brother<br />was tortured. And they suffered a lot. So, I<br />felt if Jonathan was sincere about this<br />country, would he take for an adviser, a<br />person who did a coup to expunge almost<br />half of the population of the country away<br />from Nigeria? He doesn’t want to see<br />these people in Nigeria. And I didn’t keep<br />quiet. I went there to tell Jonathan that I<br />don’t believe in this thing that you are<br />doing. I don’t believe that you are sincere.<br />I know you want to have political gain to<br />prepare yourself for an election, but the<br />senseless dash called allowance, how can<br />you give these people N4 million?. It was<br />bribery to corrupt them to write what he<br />wanted, do what he wanted. And this is<br />happening in Nigeria where half of the<br />population can hardly make N40,000 a<br />year. And you gave people this amount<br />for four or five months and you pay them<br />N4 million every month? Look at the<br />number. There is so much that went<br />wrong. When I saw all these, I said this<br />man cannot be a Christian. This man<br />cannot represent the suffering people in<br />the creeks. This man is just using us the<br />minorities for a big political plan. What is<br />he looking for? Why N4 million? Col.<br />Nyam who sought to break up Nigeria and<br />some of us went and suffered for him<br />while he ran away,. he brought him and<br />he didn’t care. And then Nyam went and<br />started fighting Oshiomhole, one of the<br />progressive governors form the labour<br />movement. He abused him and wanted to<br />engage him in physical combat to the<br />embarrassment of the committee that was<br />set up by Jonathan. So they removed<br />Nyam from the committee. You know<br />what? When Jonathan wanted to appoint<br />a larger team, Jonathan brought Nyam<br />again and put him so as to pay him N4<br />million a month. He had the indecency to<br />stretch his hands and collect the money of<br />Nigeria he wanted to break up.<br />Is it a planned issue? And look at this<br />insecurity. Is this deliberate? Could your<br />not being appointed a member of the<br />National Conference be the reason why<br />you turned against President Jonathan<br />because you are sounding bitter over the<br />issue? The inference might as well be,<br />rightly or wrongly, that you are now anti-<br />Jonathan because you were not<br />appointed a National Conference mem­<br />ber. Right?<br />How many people appointed me into posi­<br />tions? If I was somebody looking for<br />positions in Nigeria, don’t you think I am<br />capable of being a Minister? Couldn’t I<br />have played the same game you<br />Nigerians play to make money? You think<br />that I am so down that I would go and<br />kowtow before people in authority and<br />say look, oga this one I know I am small I<br />will do it for you so give me money? I<br />think you are trivialising the issues I have<br />raised. I am saying a leader of Nigeria<br />should not, publicly, you can have private<br />relationship with these people if you<br />admire them, but to the public, Nigeria’s<br />leader cannot go and shore up an<br />inconsequential person trying to break up<br />Nigeria and in the assignment you gave<br />to him he showed himself not suitable, if<br />not incompetent. He was not suitable. His<br />colleagues kicked him out of the<br />committee you set up. They said they<br />cannot work with this kind of person. Then<br />when you were selecting people to come,<br />to show how you felt about that person<br />that you believed in him, you went out of<br />your way and brought him back and<br />announced him as a member of these<br />people that you dashed N4 million. For<br />what?

Jonathan hijacked – Paul Unongo

D eputy Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo has warned that there would be chaos in Nigeria in 2015. “For the sake o...

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