February 2014 – drbiggie

The Nigerian Military’s victories against Boko Haram : Who’s fooling who?

February 27, 2014Leave a comment

In recent times, the Nigerian military has claimed to have achieved lots of monumental victories against the Boko Haram terrorist insurgents, before and during the state of emergency in three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Reports of bombings and deaths of several scores, even many hundreds of insurgents have been reported severally in the media and by military spokesmen. With the rate these victories are being reported, one should have assumed the terrorists would have been eradicated long,long ago. I was jolted by reports of the terrorists abdulting 20 girls to be used as sex slaves and the recent slaughter of over 50 students in a secondary school in Yobe. I took a long deep breath, thought deeply, meditated and soliquoquised over these issues.

Since my early secondary school days,I’d set up my heart to follow closely happenings in real warfare.I don’t know why I made up my mind to do that! Maybe because at a young,early age,I read a lot of newspapers&I’m current,or that I love war films a lot or maybe the two ” George Bushes” ,fmr US presidents are my heroes.

I’d followed closely the Liberian war,1st Gulf War,2nd Gulf War,Yugoslavian Conflict, Somalian war,Rwandan Civil,DR Congo’s multiple rebellions, Sudan,Dafur,Afghanistan,Angola,Congo,Sierra Leone,Kosovo,Guinean etc wars. Name them and I’ll comprehensively tell u d history of each.Though not by my power but God’s Exceeding Overflowing Grace inside me.I surprised some soldiers few years ago by my comprehensive rendition and analysis of d history of warfare conflicts in d countries they just came back from peacekeeping. They marvelled at my deep knowledge. However in all these,one thing is always clear! Even the americans and western media shamefully admit it: EXAGGERATIONS OF BATTLE ACCOUNTS.

Over-Exagerrated claims are usually being made in warfare.If u listen to US accounts of d 2nd gulf war,u’ll think Iraq would be overrun in 3days.We know that never happened&even for many years after they claimed “victory”,they still battled insurgents.Same in Afghanistan and if u see how a B-52 bomber’s capabilities are overhyped,u’ll think just 1 bomb from a B-52 bomber will kill 10,000 talibans (even if they’re hiding in caves),and victory will be wrought very quickly&all Al-Qaeda/Taliban will be eradicated. We all know that never happened.

Now to Nigeria.If u see govt spokesmen like Reuben Abati, Labaran Maku,Ahmed Gulak or defence HQ giving accounts of how Boko Haram is being decimated,u think it’s well and d insurgency will end in 3mths. We’ve heard of so many un-ending deadlines about Boko haram insurgency,with d goal post always changing positions,even from d commander-in-chief himself and accounts of many dead boko haram militants only for d so called decimated Boko Haram to strike back,even deadlier with more daring attacks, campuring military tanks,setting prisons on fire after setting prisoners free, attacking army barracks, even NDA,Police HQ, burning police stations,destroying aircrafts in military bases etc. U then imagine,is it that d dead boko haramists “resurrected” and became zombies or they recruited several tens of thousands immediately within a week or what? So many bewildering thoughts. I’ve come to the conclusion that all these rendition of war accounts by defence HQ is a hog-wash, gooble-de-gook and absolute mush! A set of lies to give false assurance to the people that victory has been wrought,when things are not yet uhuru. So sad.

All my thoughts were also corroborated few days ago by a soldier who gave me an almost eye-witness account of the happenings in the North-East Nigeria. He came to me for a mission (details withheld but I’d shared it once or twice before on social media). It’s sad how Nigerian soldiers are fighting insurgents with less sophisticated arms and over- exaggerations are being made in the warfare. If 2 insurgents are killed, 100 will be reported killed.That’s multiplied by 50. If 100 soldiers are killed, 5 are reported,that’s division by 20. It’s now a factor of 50-20. Multiply ur victories by 50 and divide ur losses by 20. Even the gov of one of the affected states – Borno, Gov. Shettima was bold enough to say this. Rather than he be appreciated by the Commander-in-Chief,he was even subtly threathened with some wisdomless, unrealistic, clueless horcus-porcus statements. Who suffers if soldiers are withdrawn in the state? Of course the masses because the governor can always travel out of nigeria to europe or middle east for several months in the guise of looking for non-existing investors.

Finally,who is deceiving who? I think recent happenings in Nigeria has shown we’ve been lied to,over and over again. We are yet victims of not only insecurity and terrorist insurgencies,but also of over-exaggerated accounts in warfare. God help us all. Amen.

Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

February 27, 2014March 28, 2014Leave a comment

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 11
The Nigerian Military’s victories against Boko Haram : Who’s fooling who?

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 12
Wouldest ye Nigerians perceive the new sign of the times : Fuel Scarcity ?

O ye Nigerians, when wouldest thou learn? Weren’t u promised during 2011 elections thou wouldest get refineries? Where are d refineries now? Weren’t thou promised stable fuel supply in Jan 2012 after thou protesteth against fuel increase and ur fuel was increaseth to #97/L with a promise that would make fuel supply stable? Where is d stable fuel supply now? Aren’t thou not sleepeth in Petrol stations, queue long for hours or buy at exorbitant prices in black markets to get fuel? Isn’t this another promise yet failed !
Hear ye now the word of Nostra II, the servant of the signs of the times and seasons. ” This is yet another sign of things to come except ye taketh thy destiny into thine hands. It is yet another sign that since thou now knowest that Shoeless One, the Charles Logan of Africa, the beloved son of Otu-Isale in Niger Delta, who always lies like his former Baba at Otta, who always double speaketh with 2 sides of his mouth and maketh plenty promises which he keepeth not, giving plenty worthless excuses. If thou maketh d mistake of not booting out that shoeless one of Otu-Isale on the Day of Love next year , thou shouldest be preparest for another round of fresh fuel scarcity after April 2015. He wouldest give another excuse that the only way fuel would be available is if he increaseth the price to at least #200. Then thou shall payest through thine nose that money which thou havest not. Ye shall remember the words of Nostra II, the servant of the signs of the times and seasons and weep that only if thou heedest the words of Nostra. A sign has been provided and a warning given. He who has ears,let him hear. He who hath understanding, let him perceive ! ”

Disregard Nostra II to ur peril
God rules in the affairs of men

FRIDAY FOOD FOR FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 13
IS EUROPEAN FOOTBALL GETTING FREE FROM RACISM?

Once upon a time in Europe,d only 2 countries where u see blacks form d nucleus or a significant % of their soccer national teams were Holland& France.U could also see 2 or 3 blacks in English or Portugese teams.Apart from those,u won’t see them anywhere in any european team. Then there was also d issue of racism against blacks and more pronounced in d former soviet block,east europe, Spain,Italy,and Germany.

Infact,at a point,d spanish,italian &germans esp,used to make fun of countries like France&Holland as countries that have lost their heritage bcos of football.it was so serious then. Now,thanks to UEFA,FIFA,advocacy&rights groups,goverments and general change in d mentality&attitudes of people,all that has greatly changed now! U see Toto Tamuz playing for Israel,Dennis Aogo&one other black playing for Germany,enfant terrible Mario Barlotelli playing for Italy and even Clarence Seedorf coaching AC Milan! The world has changed for,and is still changing for d better! Isn’t it? What’s ur opinion?

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 14
JONATHAN’S CONFERENCE WILL FAIL

I had always told all who cared to listen that Jonathan’s conference will fail.it’s an a still-birth&dead on arrival.Don’t let him deceive u wt unapproved referendum.it won’t happen! Most of d 492 delegates are govt nominees&are mainly pro-Jonathan.APC&NBA refused to send any delegates.
What my people have refused to look at is d provisions of d conference

1.It is non-sovereign
2.The recommendations will be sent 2d legislooters and senathieves for approval. U know they can’t pass what will work against them,they are divided sharply amongst party lines&some knotty recommendations won’t go thru. Don’t let’s live in self-deception
3. It says d recommendations must be passed unanimously. In case there’s a dissention,a vote will be called for and it’ll only be passed if at least 75% (not 50% or 67%) agree. We all know that’s gonna be impossible for most good recommendations esp some knotty ones
4.Most of the delegates were handpicked by govt,They are govt nominees

Let’s not raise our hopes unnecessarily bcos some good activists like Pastor.Tunde Bakare, Joe Okey-Odumakin, Olu Falae, Ayo Adebanjo,Tunji Braitwaith, Emman Shehu, Jaye Gaskiya and few others are there and all will be well. It’s their votes against others. We know majority wins the vote but here,only 75% can win. Don’t let’s keep gaving false hopes. Afterall, nothing good will come out afterall out of this conference eventually,d same way NIGERIA WILL NEVER HOST A WINTER OLYMPICS games

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 15

I know a lot have been said about coups,counter-coups and phantom coups in Nigeria. The most talked about coups in Nigeria are d Kaduna Nzeogwu coup, Orkar Coup, Murtala assassination in d Dimka coup, the counter coup that eliminated Ironsi ,not mentioning other rumoured coups and phantom coups. Perhaps (one of d) least talked about coup is the Dec 1983 coup that overthrew Shagari and Buhari became the Head of State. A lot of things are not known about the coup and understandably,many nigerians say errorneous things about the coup. It is understandable bcos an expose hasnt been done on the coup. Who were the planners of the coup? What unexpected things happened during the coup? Why was the coup carried out? Why was d regime the only one usually referred to with d name of d oga and his deputy? Why would people say Buhari-Idiagbon Regime ( I know my friend Teddy Victor would vehemently oppose this but he doesnt deny d fact people do refer to it like that )? Why wasnt there a Babangida-Abacha regime or Murtala-Obasanjo regime or Abacha-Diya regime or Babangida-Aikhomu regime? Was it a foundational problem that gave rise to this? I will reveal many details of this before the next week ends. U will get many mind-blowing details that will open ur minds,including facts u have never come accross before. Stay tuned

GANI FAMILY REJECTS CENTENARY AWARD

February 27, 2014Leave a comment

WE DON’T NEED YOUR AWARD

Chief Anyim Pius Anyim,

Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria,
Presidency,
Abuja.

Dear Sir,
RE: CENTENARY AWARD TO OUR LATE FATHER, CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI (SAN)

We acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated February 24, 2014, which was routed through Mr Tony Akiotu, Group Managing Director, DAAR Communications,Abuja, wherein our late father, Chief Gani Fawehinmi(SAN) was chosen as one of the awardees of the Centenary celebrations of Nigeria by President GoodluckJonathan.

We want to thank the Federal Government for considering our late father for this HONOUR.

However, for reasons stated here under, our family has decided it would be inexpedient to accept the award:

1. In the list of the awardees published by the Federal Government, was the name of former military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida, who as military president, severally detained and tortured our late father.

In the course of one of such illegal and inhuman detentions, our late father’s cell was sprayed with toxic substances while in Gashua prison in 1987.

The cumulative effect of that dastardly action led to our father, a non- smoker, contracting lung cancer which eventually led to his death on September 5, 2009.

We therefore, find it morally incongruous and psychologically debilitating for our family to stand on the same podium with General Babangida to receive awards.

2. Our late father was empathetic to the sufferings of our people, particularly students.
In the last 72 hours, 59 innocent students were mowed down by the blood- thirsty Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe state, while 20 other girls were similarly abducted by these same band of terrorists.

These girls are still in captivity while their fate is unknown. If our late father were to be alive, would he be wining and dining with all the glitterati at a Centenary celebration under these circumstances?

Certainly no.

4. Our late father was unrepentantly for the UNITY of Nigeria.

However, with the level of profligacy in some of the events celebrating NIGERIA’S Centenary, our late father would have preferred these multi- million Naira expenditures channeled to our decrepit Teaching hospitals, than unproductive razzmatazz that do not improve the socio-Economic well being of our people.

Sir, for these reasons, our family respectfully declines to receive the award about to be conferred on our late father by the government.

Please, accept the assurances of our highest consideration.

Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria.
(Signed)

WE DON’T NEED YOUR AWARD – Late Gani Fawehinmi family to FG.
MOHAMMED FAWEHINMI, ESQ.
(For and on behalf of late Gani Fawehinmi family)

February 27, 2014

IBEJI: Twin Birth and the Culture of the Yoruba by Zents Kunle

February 27, 2014February 27, 20142 Comments

This article does not intend to make you change your religion or orientation, but to explain the concept of Yoruba belief in the area of multiple birth or twins in Africa, it does not represent the religion of the writer, it is just a simple way to present the fact as it was and probably is in the land of Oduduwa in West Africa, this writer, fondly called “the Oracle” will advise you to see it purely as an academic exercise for critical thinking only, note, as we progress, we will may interchange Twin for Ibeji both are the same.(omi eko is also eko) Lol.

The population of Yoruba nation in Nigeria could be closer to 40 million at home, and the culture of the Yoruba is widely spread all over the world, mostly in the South America and North America, their gods and traditions are having spiritual influences on over eighty millions blacks all over the world, according to Dallas Museum of Arts.

Most of the world studies on twin birth gave credit to the Yoruba as the highest source of multiple birth in any part of the world, this is indeed a world record, 4 to 1000 births is the record for multiple births, in Yoruba land, it is 45 out of 1000, surprisingly, in the City of Igbo Ora in Oyo State it is 150 out of 1000, meaning Igbo Ora is the world largest supplier of twin birth, which why it is called the Twin Capital of the world.

An academic research by the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital in 1972 revealed the type of dietary of the women in Igbo Ora, most importantly, the type of Yam tuber (ewura) and genetic formation of the people of Igbo Ora, with just 60,000 population, a city about fifty miles North of Lagos, but the studies of University of Lagos did not take place before that of a British gynecologist, Patrick Nylander, between 1972 and 1982 which recorded an average of 45 to 50 sets of twins per 1000 live births in the southwest, however, recent studies indicated the record of Igbo Ora is under threat by two Cities in other parts of the world, Kodinji in India and Candido in Brazil.

With the above brief introduction of the tribe of Yoruba and relationship with twin birth, maybe we can examine where and how the twin birth originated, the concept before and how they became deities or minor gods among the Yoruba. Like most of the tribes in the Nigeria, particularly Igbo and Ibibio, multiple births were considered evil or abnormal, and those children were killed. From the records of Rev. Samuel Johnson (1897) he said, Yoruba history of Killing twins was as equal to every tribe in West Africa, Richard Lander said it was the practice in 1700.

There were two versions as to why the primitive killings stopped, one was associated with the order of King Ajaka the brother of King Shango the god of Thunder who abolished the killing of twins after his wife gave birth to twins and he carved the first known effigy for the twins called Ere Ibeji” which is why most of the shrines of Shango today are often lazed with the effigies of Ibeji and they are called sons of thunder, the second version says, those allowed by the gods to keep their twins became wealthy and the opinion of the people changed and they started seeing the twins as spiritual blessing and normal sexual intercourse.

Ishokun, a small town now merged as a sub area of the present Oyo town was assumed to be the source of the first known Ibeji in Nigeria at least among the Yoruba, because they were unusual and tiny at birth, they were not considered normal birth, they were seen as monkeys which was why they called them Edun a local word for apes. (Edun Agba ri igi refe refe or rekereke depending on the local dialect of the people) for this reason they praise them as Ejire ara Ishokun ( the two from Ishokun)

The first to come out of the twin at birth is called Taiwo, Taye, Taiyelolu or Tai depending on which ever way it is comfortable with the parent, the first is not the elder by the doctrines and the belief of the Yoruba, the second Kehinde in a modern way, now Kenny is actually called Akehinde gba Egbon, meaning, the last is actually the senior of the two. Usually the Kenny’s are the cool headed ones as against the fast and hot tampered Taiwo or Taye, one is usually introverted while the other is usually extroverted, to reveal the personalities of the twins. The Yoruba believe that Kehinde must have sent Taiwo to come out first to see if the world is okay for the two of them which must a sign of authority over the first one.

William S Arnett (1994) says the Ibeji are gateways for perpetual manifesting of anything they agree too. Similar to the number 11 or the concept of the twin towers, the Ibeji represent passages and gateways to new realities and even alternate realms. Earlier times, new-born twins, or Ibeji, as they are called, were believed to be evil, monstrous abnormalities however, Yoruba people of Nigeria believe that twins are semi-divine and possess special powers. If a twins dies, the parents consult a diviner who may decide that an ere Ibeji (Effigy) should be carved as a substitute for the deceased child.

William S A Arnett (1994) says further, that these twin effigies are placed on a family altar, and are bathed, fed, taken to the market place, dressed, and played with, just as a living child would be. These actions are intended to please the soul of the deceased twin so that he or she will bring good fortune to the family. Though associated with individual deceased children, ere Ibeji are not portraits and Ibeji are shown as physically mature adults in the hopes that the child’s spirit will return in another life and grow to adulthood”

Some of the world most famous carvers of Ibeji effigies in the Yoruba land are

v Arowagun and Bamidele of Osi Ilorin
v Agbonbiofa and Obembe of Efon Alaye
v Abegunde of Ede
v Bamigboye of Odo Owa
v Ogunwuyi of Ila Orangun
v Esubiyi and Akiode of Abeokuta
v
William Fagg (1981) recognized earlier in his studies of Yoruba Arts and Culture the spread of multiple births and with house hold shrines and vast collections of the effigies in now stored in the National Museum in Lagos

What then is the role of the mother of the twins/Ibeji? The Oracle must be consulted to determine the wishes of the twins or that of Ibeji, Most Ibeji are very demanding or with special request to their mother, each time the mother goes to the market with them, she must be accompanied with a drummer to sing praises of the twins and the people would respond with gifts, in some cases they would request their mother to dance in the public, or in the market places, and in most cases they will request a yearly celebration with palm oil and local beans called Ewa Ibeji to be distributed to the neighborhood.

The Yoruba belief is very deep in the powers of the gods and that of the Ibeji is unique, they believe Ibeji shares a soul or ORI. They also believe like the simultaneous equations, the variables of the twins are proportionally distributed as each one of the Ibeji holds the energy for the human personality and the other holds the energy for the spiritual personality, meaning they need each other to function properly as a result of this concept in the ancient Yoruba belief system they can bring blessings or curses on the people, town, family or the nation, they must be treated with respect and all the support of the society.

There is nothing like death to the twins according to the Yoruba, they live for ever, most the effigy’s of the twins of the Yoruba could be found in most of the museums all over the world, and the smiles on my face was broad showing my last premolars, as I walked into Brooklyn Museum of Arts to see the section of Ere Ibeji and that Idowu I could not believe they were writing on a story that affected me as Esu Lehin Ibeji, as a Yoruba man, as descendant of Oduduwa far away from home.

The Oracle could recall in the early sixties in my village at Alagbon via Wasimi, we visited my maternal grandmother who was never a Christian or Muslim on holidays , she worshiped the gods of twins, and she did until her death, she was faithful to her gods, to the faith she got from her ancestors, to her, that was the religion of the black people, she left me with a question, if Black the people were the first to be created by God, who should have the right religion on how to worship Olodunmare?

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibeji
http://orishareligion.com/OR/index.php/en/the-orisha/the-ibejin
http://www.randafricanart.com/Yoruba_Ibeji_2.html
http://grains-of-africa.blogspot.com/2008/09/ere-ibeji-yoruba-twins.html
http://www.cultural-expressions.com/ifa/orisha/ibeji.htm

Zents Sowunmi is a New York based writer, author of “The Vultures and the Vulnerable” the Oracle enjoys walking by the Brighton Beach with his hyperactive dog and reluctantly climbing the stairs to this Apartment on Coney Island also the grand pa to twins, believe me the are awesome to watch.

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Joseph Kabila

February 25, 2014Leave a comment

Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, came into power following the assassination of his father in 2001. But even before his sudden rise to power, Kabila was a player on the Congolese political stage. Quickly becoming an integral member of the DRC military, Kabila helped his father rise to power before beginning his own rise. Here’s some things you didn’t know about Joseph Kabila.

TopNews.in

Kabila spent the majority of his childhood in Tanzania

As a result, he spoke Kiswahili and English better than French or Lingala, the two main langauges in Kinshasa. This worked against him later in his career, as he had to learn those languages on the job. Some believe he grew up in Tanzania in order to avoid the attention of former president Mobutu Sese Seko’s intelligence service

His childhood nickname was ‘War Bus’

Growing up, Joseph was a big fan of war films and martial arts, earning him the nickname “War Bus” from his schoolmates in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Given the amount of conflict Kabila has been involved in throughout his career, the nickname was pretty spot on.

News.BBC.co.uk

Following the AFDL’s victory, Joseph went to China for further training

Joseph continued his army training with the People’s Liberation Army after the victory of the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL), studying at the PLA National Defense University in Beijing, China. After returning to the DRC, he was awarded the rank of major general and appointed deputy chief of staff of the armed forces of the DRC.

RedPepper.co.ug

Kabila was one of the main leaders of the Second Congo War

Appointed chief of staff of the land forces in 2000, Joseph was one of the main military leaders in charge of government forces in the Second Congo War. As he assumed the presidency in the midst of the war, he was also responsible for negotiating peace agreements to end the war.

Joseph became the world’s first head of government born in the 1970s

His young age was due to the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila on January 26, 2001. At 30, he remained the youngest leader in the world until Roosevelt Skerrit became the Prime Minister of Dominica three years later.

Haaren.Wordpress.com

Kabila is considered to be shy by many Congolese

Joseph often tries to keep a lower profile than other politicians in the country. Many of his constituents believe he shies away from public speaking. His aides insist he is just reserved, — a result of his Swahili upbringing.

JamiiForums.com

Joseph married long-time girlfriend Olive Lembe di Sita in 2006

As Kabila is Anglican and his wife, Olive Lembe di Sita is Catholic, the wedding ceremonies were ecumenical and officiated by members of both religions. The couple has a daughter together — Sifa, born in 2001 — and a son, Laurent-Desire. Both children are named after Joseph’s parents.

Kabila is a big motorcross fan

On the weekends, the president often heads to his farm just on the outskirts of Kinshasa, where he is an avid motorcross rider.

GlobalPost.com

His close circle of advisors are known as ‘the Kabila boys’

Since the civil war came to an end, the Kabila boys have been implicated in numerous shady dealings involving the abuse of natural resource mining and war profiteering. Kabila himself has managed to remain separate from many of these scandals, but few believe he had no involvement.

Many international observers believe Kabila is losing his grip on power

The International Crisis Group has observed that the president relies on “governance by substitution,” in which security must be supplied by outside forces as too little loyalty remains inside the administration. With continuing policies of decentralization, the future of Kabila’s presidency in the Democratic Republic

CREDITS : AFK Insider

John Cena grants 400 Make-A-Wish requests

February 22, 2014Leave a comment

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Exposed:Shady&Highly Corruption in Nigeria’s Oil deals 31 : OIL SCANDAL: How NNPC Robbed Nigeria Of $20 Billion – CBN Governor Sanusi

February 11, 2014February 11, 2014Leave a comment

OIL SCANDAL: How NNPC Robbed Nigeria Of $20 Billion – CBN Governor Sanusi

CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi states that $20 billion received by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), from sales of crude oil between January 2012 and July 2013, is still missing.

In this seven-page document submitted to the Senate, Sanusi explains he is determined to present detailed evidence that NNPC has, in violation of the law and constitution, been diverting money from the Federation Account.

He has established the following:

By paying the ‘kerosene subsidy,’ the NNPC has confessed to a number of serious infractions, as kerosene is not a subsidised product; President Yar’Adua had issued a presidential directive eliminating this subsidy payment as from July, 2009; these losses inflicted on the Federation Account have not been appropriated.
Claims by NNPC of spending the money on PMS subsidy are not credible.
As NNPC’s disclosed it shipped $6b worth of crude oil on behalf of NPDC, at least a part of this amount is due to the Federation Account. This part relates to oil produced from blocks operated under ‘Strategic Alliance Agreement,’ and Sanusi says these agreements merely serve to transfer revenue due to the Federation to private hands.
Additionally, Sanusi suggested his analysis of the crude-for-refined-product swap contracts entered into by PPMC and indicated where, according to him, Nigeria is losing money in these transactions.
Sanusi says, NNPC has submitted that it lifted $67b worth of Crude between January 2012 and July 2013. Of this, the following amounts have been remitted to the Federation Account:

$14 billion as equity crude
$15 billion as payment to FIRS by IOCs
$2 billion Royalty payment to DPR by IOCs
$16 billion out of the 428b taken as Domestic Crude Paid in naira, not dollars.
The following items are outstanding and need to be proven by NNPC:

$12 billion out of domestic crude sales yet to be remitted
$6 billion shipped on behalf of NNPC
$2 billion ‘third-party financing’ as there are no documents explaining or proving this along with other claims around pipeline repairs, maintenance, strategic reserves, etc.
In summary, Sanusi says, it is established that of the $67 billion crude shipped by NNPC between January 2012 and July 2013, $47 billion was remitted to the Federation Account. There is no dispute that $20 billion out of $67 billion has not been paid into any account with the CBN.

Sanusi makes the following recommendations:

NNPC should reduce the refining capacity of its refineries based on a signed refining contract that clearly states what products are to be delivered for each barrel. Sale proceeds net of recognised processing costs should to go to the Federation Account.
All Crude for Product Swaps should be terminated and crude should be exported and sold at market price.
Where NNPC needs to generate cash flow to fund PMS imports, it can ‘borrow’ crude, on the approval of the Finance Minister, for 90 – 120 days. This crude is to be valued at the ruling market price. NNPC may sell the crude, import PMS and sell through its outlets. It should claim subsidy from PPPRA like every other marketer and present all required documents. Thereafter, NNPC should pay back the full value of crude lifted to the Federation Account and retain the profit. Where NNPC delays payment, the amount outstanding should attract interest at commercial rates until payment.
All the SAAs entered into by NPDC should be investigated for constitutionality. The production numbers, Opex and Capex, and profit shares should be audited. The tax arrangements entered into with these parties should be reviewed and all revenues due to the Federation collected. If possible the SAAs should be terminated. Certainly, NNPC should be prohibited from entering into any SAAs in the future.
NNPC to account for subsidies claimed in 2010-13 by producing documentary proof of legitimacy.
As for what action needs to be taken on what has happened in the past, we express no opinion. The decision on what to do in this case rests entirely with the Government. My task is limited to raising an alarm over what I think is a development that is harmful to the economy, and establishing that the alarm was neither spurious nor baseless. I still insist that an investigation is needed to establish the extent of the losses and the nature of offence committed.
Governor Sanusi says he believes he has placed enough information to make the point. He says the first priority is to stop such practices, as it will ultimately “bring the entire economy to its knees.”

Exposed:Shady&Highly Corruption in Nigeria’s Oil deals 30: REVEALED: NNPC’s Claims On Kerosene Subsidy A Massive Scam

February 11, 2014February 11, 2014Leave a comment

REVEALED: NNPC’s Claims On Kerosene Subsidy A Massive Scam

Claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that over 80 per cent of the controversial $10.8billion (about N1.728trillion) was used for subsidy on kerosene may have been a scam after all.

Multiple confidential memos exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed that the purported subsidy on kerosene was actually in defiance of a subsisting presidential directive to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC to remove the payment of subsidy on kerosene from the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF, template.

On June 10, 2009, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua had approved the resolutions of the Presidential Committee, which sat the previous day to deliberate on the action plan on the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sub-sector.

The committee had sought the president’s approval of the proposal to ameliorate the likely adverse impact of the planned removal of subsidies in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

The memo to the President, No. SH/PSP/24/A/812, had, among several prayers, requested the petroleum minister be directed to “eliminate existing subsidy on the consumption of kerosene, taking into account that subsidy payments by government on kerosene do not reach the intended beneficiaries.”

On June 2009, a memo No. SH/PSP/24/A/819, signed by the then Principal Secretary to the President, David Edevbie, conveyed the president’s directive to the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

The memo also asked the Minister to avoid public announcement of the measure to be implemented PSF template.

In spite of the presidential directive, the NNPC, apparently feigning ignorance of the directive, still submitted a request for the payment of subsidy on kerosene.

But in memo No. SH/PSP/24/A/1087 dated October 19, 2009, the President rejected the request, pointing out that based on his earlier directive “the NNPC should not be entitled to make claims from the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF, in respect of kerosene with effect from the date of Mr. President’s approval.”

It was not clear if the corporation received the subsidy after the demise of the former president.

However, in July 2011, despite the subsisting presidential directive, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, announced the launch of the Kero-Direct scheme initiated by the NNPC ostensibly to make kerosene available to consumers nationwide at a highly subsidized rate of N50 per litre.

Under the scheme, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, a subsidiary of the NNPC in charge of petroleum products marketing and distribution, was directed to provide the product sold to consumers using the products distribution facilities of an independent marketer, Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited.

But the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee probing the fuel subsidy regime in 2012 had, in its report, described the scheme as “a scam to defraud Nigerians and extort money from the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF.”

The committee had noted that the scheme was not only implemented in defiance of a subsisting presidential directive removing kerosene from the subsidy regime, but also designed in a way the product would not get to the target beneficiaries at the approved price.

The committee said throughout the period, kerosene, which was supposed to be distributed to consumers nationwide at the subsidized price, sold only at the 36 NNPC mega stations out of over 24,000 retail outlets across the country.

Even then, it said the product was never available at that price as there was massive diversion of the product, which was resold to consumers at between N160 and N200 per litre in the open market.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has also faulted the NNPC’s claim that 80 percent of the $10.8 billion it admitted were unremitted to the Federation account was incurred on petrol and kerosene subsidy.

He urged the Senate Committee on Finance not to accept the argument since a presidential directive had in 2009 barred payment of subsidy on kerosene.

The directive, from former President Umar Yar’adua, remained in force long after the president’s death, Mr. Sanusi said, citing a letter to him from the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, in December 2010- long after Mr. Yar’adua’s death- which confirmed that the agency had “ceased to grant subsidy on HHK(kerosene) through a presidential directive since July 2009”.

“This may explain why NNPC waited till 2011 to claim its ‘arrears’ for 2009-2011,” Mr. Sanusi wrote. “So the first question here is: on what basis did NNPC pay itself billions of dollars as ‘subsidy’ for kerosene, in view of this directive.”

On petrol subsidy, the CBN governor said documents showed the NNPC did not make any deductions from the domestic crude sales for subsidy payment between April 2012 and 2013. In the document attached as appendix, the row showing “adjustment for subsidy” consistently shows “NIL” within the period.

Mr. Sanusi said there are two possibilities here: either the NNPC was lying to the government that it was not making deductions, or it is now lying that is made when it never did.

“Either way, this shows we cannot trust NNPC or its management to tell us the truth,” he said.

Also, a study conducted by a Lagos-based financial consultancy, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, revealed that retail price for kerosene in Lagos and environs between January 2012 to date ranges between N140 and N300 per litre despite the purported subsidy regime.

The study showed that in January 2012, kerosene, which should go for N50 per litre, sold for as much as N300 even in some major towns and cities, which represents about 500 per cent hike, while the prevailing price for the month of February and March 2012 was N250, representing 400 per cent increase.

Since April 2012, where available, the price for the commodity till date has continued to oscillate variously between N150, N175, and N225 per litre.

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Robert Mugabe

February 9, 2014Leave a comment

It is a surprise to many that i will write about Zimbabwe’s 89 year old president –Robert Gabriel Mugabe . Robert Mugabe, 89, is undoubtedly a controversial figure, but many are familiar only with the details of his most public life. Both his childhood and adult life are filled with surprises, many of which influenced decisions during his numerous terms as Zimbabwe’s president . I write this article as a tribute and memorial to him as he celebrates his 90th birthday in a few days’ time. Let’s get this right. I am no fan of Mugabe. Dont get me wrong and dont get it twisted here. I am just bringing out a few facts about him and what people to know him more. He is a hero to many Zimbabweans. Do you know he was also a Nobel Peace Prize nominee? Fasten your seat belts, as we embark on a brief tour history of Mugabe.

Mugabe,born 21 February 1924 is a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who is the President of Zimbabwe. He will be 90 years old in a few days,as I am writing this article. As one of the leaders of the rebel groups against white minority rule, he was elected as Prime Minister, head of government, in 1980, and served in that office until 1987, when he became the country’s first executive head of state. Having been repeatedly re-elected, he retains this post to this day. He has led the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) since 1975. Robert Mugabe rose to prominence in the 1960s as the Secretary General of ZANU during the conflict against the conservative white minority government of Ian Smith. Mugabe was a political prisoner in Rhodesia for more than 10 years between 1964 and 1974.

Upon release Mugabe, along with Edgar Tekere, left Rhodesia in 1975 to re-join the fight during the Rhodesian Bush War from bases in Mozambique. At the end of the war in 1979, Mugabe emerged as a hero in the minds of many Africans. He won the general elections of 1980 after calling for reconciliation between the former belligerents, including white Zimbabweans and rival political parties, and thereby became Prime Minister on Zimbabwe’s independence in April 1980.The following years saw a split between ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) and ZAPU (Zimbabwe Africa People’s Union), the two key parties which had fought against the Rhodesian government during the 1970s, nominally alongside each other from 1976. ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo signed an agreement whereby ZAPU was merged into ZANU–PF.

Since 2000, the Mugabe-led government embarked on a fast-track land reform program to forcefully correct the inequitable land distribution created by colonial rule.The period has been marked by economic sanctions, which after their introduction in 2002 led to the deterioration of the Zimbabwean dollar. Mugabe’s policies have been condemned domestically and internationally, as well as praised by other African countries where land was hoarded by the European minority, such as South Africa, Namibia and Kenya. As a result, criticism from the British and U.S. governments has been especially harsh. Eventually a wide range of sanctions, including a credit freeze through Section 4 C of the Zimbabwe Democracy And Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (ZDERA) was imposed by the United States and the European Union against the person of Mugabe, individuals, private companies, parastatals and the government of Zimbabwe.

In August 2008, Robert Mugabe suffered a narrow defeat in the first round of a presidential election but he subsequently won the run-off election in a landslide after opposition rival Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the race, and extended a hand to the opposition with the signing of a power-sharing deal with opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara of the MDC-T and MDC-M opposition party.

On 3 August 2013, the Zimbabwe Election Commission said Mugabe won his seventh term as President, defeating Tsvangirai with 61 percent of the vote.

Now,10 things you probably never knew about Robert Mugabe

1. He has seven university degrees

Six of Mugabe’s university degrees were actually earned while he was doing distance learning in prison. They cover a broad range of topics including education, economics, administration, and law. Degrees include a Bachelor of Laws and Master’s of Laws from the University of London’s external program, earned during his stint in a Salisbury prison

2. He was a Nobel Peace Prize nominee

In 1981, Mugabe was on the short list for the Nobel Peace Prize for his initial stance about reconciliation following Zimbabwe’s independence and his election as the country’s first president. He said, “Our people, young and old, men and women, black and white, living and dead, are, on this occasion, being brought together in a new form of national unity that makes them all Zimbabweans.” I wonder what people will say now,if he had won the prize.

3. Mugabe has a strong background in education

Many are aware that Mugabe has always been a strong proponent of education. Zimbabwe’s literacy rate reached the highest of any African country during his presidency. This is in large part due to the fact that Mugabe worked as a school teacher prior to beginning his political career, first teaching in Ghana and then returning to Zimbabwe to join the revolution against the white government of Rhodesia

4. Mugabe is the product of a religious upbringing

Both of Robert Mugabe’s parents were extremely religious, and strict with their son. They were Catholics.Throughout his childhood, he attended Jesuit school, and credits an Irish priest as one of his most influential mentors in his youth

5. Two of his brothers died when he was young

Sadly, Mugabe lost both of his older brothers by the age of 10. One died from poisoning, while the other passed away not long after their father abandoned the family.

6. After his release from prison, he escaped Zimbabwe with the help of a white nun

Though the Rhodesians did release Mugabe from prison, he was not supposed to leave the country. A white nun helped him to cross into Mozambique, where he was able to rejoin the revolutionary armies.

7. He had an extramarital affair while his wife was dying from cancer

While his first wife was struggling with her cancer, Mugabe started up with his private secretary, Grace. When it came out that she was pregnant with his child, he ignored popular opinion and married her in 1996.

8. Mugabe traveled to Italy despite a E.U. travel ban

Due to Mugabe’s violent rule, the European Union issued a travel ban against him that would prevent him from entering any member countries. However, he was able to subvert the ban on religious grounds in March 2013 in order to attend the inauguration of Pope Francis in Italy.

9. Many honors he received from various institutions have been revoked

As the number of human rights violations perpetrated by Mugabe have increased, many of his honors have been revoked. For instance, Queen Elizabeth II rescinded his knighthood in 2008, the Hunger Project took back his 1988 award of the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger, and numerous universities have revoked honorary degrees, including Michigan State University, University of Massachusetts, and the University of Edinburgh. I wonder if The Nobel Prize would have been revoked too if he had won it? Just thinking aloud.

10. He plans to run for president again in 2018

Mugabe won the most recent election in Zimbabwe in 2013 with 61 percent of the vote, but it is widely believed that massive voter fraud and election rigging occurred. Despite this, and despite his advanced age, and his rumoured prostrate cancer problems, Mugabe has announced his intention to run again for election in 2018 for the office that he has held since 1987.

Dr. Michael Adeyemi, a medical doctor, blogger, writer, author, social critic, public, opinion and political affairs analyst-cum-commentator, writes from Lagos, Nigeria

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vols 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

February 6, 2014February 20, 2014Leave a comment

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 6
THE “FRIENDLY” CANCER by Lawal Qudus Olajide

I get depressed, each time I see women stink, bleed and die of a disease which is highly preventable and curable. Rarely will a disease give man both the opportunity of preventing and curing it. HIV has preventive measures but once infected there is no cure, Polio just like measles, is vaccine preventable but once infected it leaves an indelible mark. A little more eulogy for this cancer, it is a preventable cancer, the sexually transmittable cancer, a “curable” cancer and if not attended to a deadly cancer.

It is the most forgiving cancer. It gives man the grace of time to detect it before it start rendering its havoc. This opportunity many developed and few developing countries that value their women have grabbed. It is disheartening that despite having the knowledge around us for more than 4 decades, this cancer remains the commonest cancer in our women.

Many nations have brought this rabid cancer down the list of causes of women mortality, just by use of simple methods of early detection and vaccination. Incidence reduction by 80%(in fact 99% in a study ) have been reported.

So how friendly is this deadly cancer? With a little comparism to the most discussed disease worldwide- HIV, I will be highlighting why we need to act now.

Cervical cancer is a cancer of the female reproductive tract. It is of 2 main types: the sqaumous (70) and adenocarcinoma (25). The squamous type is usually secondary to a viral infection (HPV). This discuss is focussing on the squamous subtype.

Just like HIV, HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, however unlike HIV, HPV is vaccine preventable. Effective HPV vaccination can result in eradication of this deadly cancer!

There is a long transition period between HPV infection and development of cancer. An infected woman may carry the infection for more than a decade without developing the invasive cancer, giving a period of grace for detection and cure. Is this not friendliness! Early detection of HIV gives opportunity to manage not cure.

Detection of HPV infection like HIV, is done by screening. HPV screening is done by taking Pap smear, a procedure in which exfoliated cells are taken for examination; it is a painless but sometimes discomforting procedure. It is non-invasive and takes average of 5minutes to carry out.

It is recommended that screening be started 3years after attaining coitarche (1st sexual intercourse) /21years. The screening can be done annually or minimal of every 3-5years; however the frequency is increased to every 6-12months if abnormality is found.

If a premalignant lesion is found, the treatment is as simple as using “ice cube” to burn off the lesion-cryotherapy, or excision of the lesion,also available is laser.

However if the lesion is allowed to run its course, it becomes “lethally deadly”, requiring radiotherapy for palliation. A treatment so scarce and complication laden, people stay on the waiting list for average of 6months to get radiotherapy in Nigeria. Depending on the stage of the cancer, it can kill within 6months to 2years.

So why not spend 5minutes out of every 1576800 minutes (3years) to get screened for a disease that can be cured with ice cube rather than wait in pains and misery for palliative care that you may never live to get!

It is unfortunate that as a nation we have no guideline on screening for cervical cancer, the most common genital cancer in our women.

Pap smear is a procedure that should be available in all hospital just like it is for HIV screening.

Ca cervix used is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in women worldwide, but the situation is different in countries that have embarked on vaccination and cancer screening. Death from cervical cancer have been brought close to impossible.

In a country where we spent billions to celebrate 50th birthday,it is unpardonable not to have free Pap smear available for all.

Should our women keep dying of a preventable cancer just because their origin of birth?

Future generation will no doubt ask us why we continued to allow our women die every year from a disease that can be easily prevented and cured. They will rightly question our commitment, our priorities, our sense of justice, and our understanding of human right.

Be an advocate for cervical cancer screening

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING vol 7
Analyzing some individual performances of Eagles’ Players during CHAN 2014

This article is quite different from the one I recently posted,analysing all the players and scoring them individually.This post actually analyses some key performers.

I’ve been a keen follower of Nigeria’s local football since my youth days for over 28yrs now,year in,year out.I know some of these players’ performances with their individual clubs.Coach.Stephen Keshi did a great job in helping groom these boys.They deserved d trophy,but got a golden bronze.Echoing Keshi’s words that he expects about 4 players of these squad to make Nigeria’s World Cup team.I too expect 4 players approx to make d team,based on my assessment.

I expect the tourney’s best player,Rangers Christantus Ejike Uzoenyi to make d WC,apart from getting a good foreign club.His performance was stellar.I imagined that this was same player that had a 6mth stint after AFCON with Rennes FC where he was bounced thereafter to Rangers,after a poor performance. Sunshine’s Kunle Odunlami also had a great performance.He was rock in d heart of d defence.I expect him to get a good foreign team &make d WC team.Kano Pillars Rabiu Ali aka Ali Pele,was d best player in d nigerian league last season.I never expected him to do worse.He did very excellently.I expect him to make d WC team&get a good club.

Azubuike Egwuekwe of Warri Wolves had a forgettable performance last tourney.He was slow and made some errors.He was lucky he had an Odunlami to cover him up.As an experienced Eagle and one of “keshi boys”,I expect him to improve&make d WC team.He’s a good player that had a bad tourney.Apart from these 4,I must make mention of Shehu Abdullahi.He too was great and may make d WC team,though I don’t know who he’s capable of displacing in d foreign based midfielders.

Apart from these 5,players like Shooting Stars Gbolahan Salami,Ifeanyi Ede,Dumte Pyagbara, Barnabas Imenger also did greatly.I don’t expect them to make d WC party,but I expect them to get better clubs abroad.
The performances of Ifeanyi Ede&Solomon Kwambe were just average.Kwambe’s recovery rate was poor&in our 1st match with Mali,I wondered if we had a right full back.If they don’t improve,I wonder what they’re doing in the team.I hope selfish&greedy sentiments aren’t used to select players.

The most laughable is the captain and goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim. He looked more of a clown&less of a goalkeeper in goal.He isn’t the type that should think of making the WC.He’s even been dropped by Rangers,his contract terminated&is presently clubless.He may be lucky to get some clubs in Vietnam or Thailand that may need his services,or some 3rd division turkish club or a League Two or League Three side

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol 8

A Tribute to One of Nigeria’s best &greatest leaders – late General. Murtala Ramat Mohammed who was tragically murdered exactly 38 years ago on Friday the 13th 1976 by a group of disgruntled soldiers led by Lt.Col Buka Suka Dimka

Security and routine do not go together. Having dispensed with sizeable personal security and a motorcade, on Friday 13th February 1976, Murtala departed for work along his usual route. As his car crawled in the infamous Lagos traffic outside the Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi, a group of soldiers rushed over to the car and fired a volley of gunshots which killed Murtala, his ADC Lt Akintunde Akinsehinwa, his driver Sergeant Adamu Minchika, and his orderly Staff Sergeant Michael Otuwe.

Unbeknown to Murtala, as he made his way to work that day, a group of assassins including Lt-Colonel Dimka, Major Rabo, Captain Malaki and Lt William Seri were lying in wait for him. Each man had a different task. Captain Malaki was the “spotter” and his job was to signal Rabo and Seri when Murtala’s car approached. After only six months in office, Murtala Muhammed was assassinated in an abortive military coup led by Lt-Col Busa Sukar Dimka – the head of the army’s physical training corps. Dimka was the officer who a decade earlier had been accused of murdering his commanding officer, Lt-Colonel Okoro in Kaduna and of participating in death squads that summarily executed Igbo soldiers during the northern soldiers’ mutiny of July 1966. Yet somehow he had been allow remain in, and rise up the army.

Dimka had graduated from the Australian army officer cadet school in Portsea on December 13th 1963 along with Boniface Ikejiofor, an officer who took part in the Majors’ coup of January 1966. The two men were the first Nigerian army officers to train in Australia and successfully complete the course. Cadets from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, the Philippines and the Pacific Islands also trained with them. Both young men ruined promising lives and careers by choosing to join different coup plots. Ironically Arthur Unegbe (then a Major) who was murdered during the January 1966 coup in which Ikejiofor took part, had attended Dimka and Ikejiofor’s passing out parade in 1963. Shortly after Murtala was murdered, Dimka rushed up the road to the nearby Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation from where he made the following nationwide broadcast that was interspersed with martial music:

DIMKA COUP SPEECH AFTER KILLING MURTALA

“Good morning fellow Nigerians, this is Lt. Colonel B.S. Dimka of the Nigerian army calling. I bring you good tidings. Murtala Muhammed’s hypocrisy has been detected. His government is now overthrown by the young revolutionaries. All the Military Governors have no powers over the states they now govern. The state affairs will be run by the military brigade commanders until further notice. All commissioners are sacked, except for the armed forces and police commissioners who will be redeployed. All senior military officers should remain calm in their respective spots. No divisional commanders will issue orders to his formations until further notice. Any attempt to foil this plan from any quarter will be met with death. You are warned, it is all over the 19 states. All acts of resistance will be met with death. Everyone should be calm. Please stay by your radio for further announcements. All borders, airports and sea ports are closed until further notice. Curfew is imposed from 6am to 6pm. Thank you. We are all together.”

The clumsy syntax and inadvertent imposition of a “6am to 6pm” curfew in the above speech tells readers all they need to know about the intellect of the soldiers behind this coup (Dimka obviously meant 6pm to 6am, but got the hours the wrong way round). Then came several gestures which although small in isolation – demonstrated Murtala’s popularity across Nigeria. The commander of the elite 1st mechanised infantry division in Kaduna: Major-General Alani Akinrinade, immediately made a radio announcement proclaiming his loyalty to Murtala and condemning the attempted coup. Then when news of the coup spread, students at the University of Benin marched into the streets and staged an angry demonstration against the soldiers that had killed their hero. Given the manner in which Nigerian soldiers had slaughtered civilians between 1966 and 1970, this was a brave gesture by the students.

The Chief of Army Staff Lt-General Danjuma dispatched Colonel Ibrahim Babangida to dislodge Dimka from the radio station. Babangida knew Dimka personally and came face to face with him inside the radio station. Babangida spoke to Dimka in Hausa and tried to talk Dimka down, playing on Dimka’s knowledge of Babangida’s family and that he was a married man. In circumstances that have never been fully explained, Dimka somehow managed to walk out of the radio station unscathed and fled. The coup was eventually put down and many of the culprits arrested. Seven days of national mourning were declared in Murtala’s honour. At the end of these seven days, grief stricken Nigerians were given a public holiday.

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol.9
TRIBUTE TO THE WORLD’S OLDEST LEADER AND AFRICA’S WORST DICTATOR : ROBERT MUGABE AS HE TURNS 90 YEARS TODAY

It is a surprise to many that i will write to pay tribute to Zimbabwe’s 90 year old president -Robert Gabriel Mugabe as he celebrates his 90th birthday today. Robert Mugabe is undoubtedly a controversial figure. Both his childhood and adult life are filled with surprises, many of which influenced decisions during his numerous terms as Zimbabwe’s president . I write this article as a tribute and memorial to him as he celebrates his 90th birthday today. Let’s get this right. I am no fan of Mugabe. Dont get me wrong and dont get it twisted here. I am just bringing out a few facts about him and what people to know him more. He is a hero to many Zimbabweans. Do you know he was also a Nobel Peace Prize nominee? Fasten your seat belts, as we embark on a brief tour history of Mugabe.

Now,10 things you probably never knew about Robert Mugabe

1. He has seven university degrees
2. He was a Nobel Peace Prize nominee
3. Mugabe has a strong background in education
4. Mugabe is the product of a religious upbringing
5. Two of his brothers died when he was young
6. After his release from prison, he escaped Zimbabwe with the help of a white nun
7. He had an extramarital affair while his wife was dying from cancer
8. Mugabe traveled to Italy despite a E.U. travel ban
9. Many honors he received from various institutions have been revoked
10. He plans to run for president again in 2018

FRIDAY FREE FOOD FOR FRIENDS’ FREAKING FREETHINKING Vol.10

MISSING $20bn funds, Sanusi Lamido’s sudden suspension and Kerosene Subsidy scam

A friend of mine once said “Why is it that no one is asking why subsidy payments have increased despite the fact that we now pay more for fuel and the process had supposedly been sanitized? Why is it that no one is asking questions on why monies stolen from subsidy payments have not been recovered and no one from NNPC, PPRA or the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has been forced to resign, been prosecuted or jailed for this? Why is no one asking for the case against Honourable Farouk Lawan to be brought to a swift conclusion and the guilty party (or Parties) jailed? And we are posturing for elections in 2015?”

Now let us add the recent Kerosene subsidy revelation, then we begin to realise how much these folks are stealing from the nation daily….we know there is no kerosene subsidy anywhere. We have been buying kerosene for btw #130 to #170 consistently for over 3 yrs now. Where is d effect of d so-called billions of dollars spent to provide kerosene subsidy so that we can be buying kerosene@#50/litre?

Are u saying this is another ruse? It’s akin to hearing commentaries on radio of a live match in a stadium which u’re present in,and nothing is happening. It’s either a case of auditory or optical illusions,or multiple delusions of thot or perception or both,or maybe some people are just too fraudulent &pathological liars here. The subsidy is for Beninoise&Togolese citizens,surely not Nigerians. Nigeria’s treasury has been taken to the cleaners by NNPC/Petroleum Ministry/Presidency. Are we serious at all in this country?

Two weeks ago CBN governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi claimed that 20 billion US dollars had gone missing from the coffers of the NNPC. Today he has been suspended and relieved of his duties for exposing the rot and speaking the truth. Another has been quickly nominated to take his place with no room for recall for him to complete the few weeks left in his tenure. This is the height of desperaration. I have little doubt that the next thing that will happen is that he will be subjected to a formal probe and the EFCC will be called in to investigate his tenure of office. They will throw everything that they have got at him simply because he refused to play ball with them and cover up their penchant for monuemental corruption and graft.

If you speak truth to power and you take on the system be rest assured that the system will fight back and they will attempt to destroy you and all that is yours. Yet none of that matters because the only thing that is relevant is the fact that history and posterity will be kind to Sanusi on this matter based on the choices that he has made.
He spoke out when others chose to remain silent and to compromise. Unlike others, he refused to sell his soul to the devil and to sell his heritage and birthright for a mess of pottage. Despite the significant differences that I have with this man in terms of our different outlooks to how and what Nigeria ought to be as a nation I salute him and commend him for his efforts.

Like my good friend also sums it up and I quote him verbatim ” If financial recklessness is a reason for removal from office why is Yakubu (NNPC GMD) still in office? Why is Dieziani (Petroleum minister) still in office? Why is Goodluck Jonathan still in office? Whether with good intentions or bad intentions one thing is clear, this government is the most reckless and most profligate this nation has ever seen. And I understand that the road to hell is paved with good intentions so that is never an excuse. Seeking a moral high ground for sacking SLS after his inaction on Oduahgate is not only crass, it is absurd