Doctor Jailed For Obasanjo's Death

By Steve Kingstone
BBC News, Madrid



Stella Obasanjo was considered Olusegun's official wife
A Spanish doctor has been sentenced to a year in prison, for his role in the death of the former first-lady of Nigeria, Stella Obasanjo.

The wife of Olusegun Obasanjo had visited a clinic in Marbella in October 2005 to undergo cosmetic surgery.

She underwent liposuction to reduce the size of her abdomen, but left the operating theatre with fatal injuries.

The judges said the surgeon had shown carelessness and neglect.

Mrs Obasanjo, 59, came to Spain in October 2005, checking in at the Molding Clinic - a discreet and luxury facility, specialising in cosmetic surgery.

The court heard that a tube used for removing fat had been placed by mistake into the patient's abdominal cavity - puncturing her colon and lacerating her liver.

Mrs Obasanjo became seriously ill the following day.

But prosecutors said the surgeon initially failed to answer his mobile phone, and then waited more than four hours before driving the patient in his own car to an intensive care unit, where she died an hour later.

The doctor - identified in court documents only by the initials AM - was sentenced to a year's imprisonment for causing homicide through negligence.

He was disqualified from practising medicine for three years, and ordered to pay $176,000 (£108,000) in compensation to Mrs Obasanjo's son.

The court said simple blood tests or an ultrasound procedure would have detected the internal injuries - which, with more time, could have been treated.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8268057.stm

http://en.trend.az/regions/world/ocountries/1544933.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/200909220003.html

World's Oldest Man Parties On 113th Birthday

The world's oldest man has celebrated his 113th birthday - revealing he takes one aspirin a day to stay healthy.

Walter Breuning celebrated his milestone with a party at his home in the Rainbow Retirement Community in Great Falls, Montana.

He told those gathered: "Remember that life's length is not measured by its hours and days, but by that which we have done therein.

"A useless life is short if it lasts a century.

"There are greater and better things in us all, if we would find them out. There will always be in this world - wrongs. No wrong is really successful.

"The day will come when light and truth and the just and the good shall be victorious and wrong as evil will be no more forever."

The 113-year-old, considered to be the world's oldest man, attributes his long life to eating well and keeping physically and mentally active.

He also says he takes one aspirin a day.

Mr Breuning is in such good shape that he still strolls the halls of the retirement home, wearing a suit and tie, and walks the ramps to his second-floor apartment.

He was born on September 21, 1896, in Melrose, Minnesota.

In 1912, he became a railway worker, which led him to Montana in 1918. He stayed in the job until retiring in 1963.

Mr Breuning has outlived all of his family.

He lost his wife in 1957 after 35 years of marriage - they did not have any children.

Integrity lets try to have it

BOILED SEED NEVER SPROUTS

An aging king woke up one day to the realization that should he drop dead, there would be no male in the royal family to take his place.

He was the last male in the royal family in a culture where only a male could succeed to the throne - and he was aging.

He decided that if he could not give birth to a male, he would adopt a son who then could take his place but he insisted that such an adopted son must be extraordinary in every sense of the word.

So he launched a competition in his kingdom, open to all boys, no matter what their background. Ten boys made it to the very top.

There was little to separate these boys in terms of intelligence and physical attributes and capabilities.

The king said to them, 'I have one last test and whoever comes top will become my adopted son and heir to my throne.' Then he said, 'This kingdom depends solely on agriculture.

So the king must know how to cultivate plants. So here is a seed of corn for each of you.

Take it home and plant and nurture it for three weeks. At the end of three weeks, we shall see who has done the best job of cultivating the seed. That person will be my heir-apparent. '

The boys took their seeds and hurried home. They each got a flower pot and planted the seed as soon as they got home.

There was much excitement in the kingdom as the people waited with bated breath to see who was destined to be their next king.

In one home, the boy and his parents were almost heartbroken when after days of intense care, the seed failed to sprout.

He did not know what had gone wrong with his. He had selected the soil carefully, he had applied the right quantity and type of fertilizer, he had been very dutiful in watering it at the right
intervals, he had even prayed over it day and night and yet his seed had turned out to be unproductive.

Some of his friends advised him to go and buy a seed from the market and plant that.

'After all,' they said, 'how can anyone tell one seed of corn from another?' But his parents who had always taught him the value of integrity reminded him that if the king wanted them to plant any corn,
he would have asked them to go for their own seed. 'If you take anything different from what the king gave you that would be dishonesty.

Maybe we are not destined for the throne. If so, let it be but don't be found to have deceived
the king,' they told him.

The d-day came and the boys returned to the palace each of them proudly exhibiting a very fine corn seedling.

It was obvious that the other nine boys had had great success with their seeds.

The king began making his way down the line of eager boys and asked each of them, 'Is this what came out of the seed I gave you?' And each boy responded, 'Yes, your majesty.' And the king would nod and move down the line.

The king finally got to the last boy in the line-up.

The boy was shaking with fear. He knew that the king was going to have him thrown into prison for wasting his seed.

'What did you do with the seed I gave you?' the king asked.

'I planted it and cared for it diligently, your majesty, but alas it failed to sprout.' the boy said tearfully as the crowd booed him.

But the king raised his hands and signaled for silence. Then he said, 'My people behold your next king.' The people were confused. 'Why that one?' many asked.

'How can he be the right choice?' The king took his place on his throne with the boy by his side and said, 'I gave these boys boiled seeds. This test was not for cultivating corn.

It was the test of character; a test of integrity. It was the ultimate test.

If a king must have one quality, it must be that he should be above dishonesty.

Only this boy passed the test. A boiled seed cannot sprout.' Never!!

We live in a society that has become obsessed with success and many show success at any cost. We say the end justifies the means. It is the tragedy of life.

You see, failure often is an invitation to God to show that he is all powerful and does not need help to make us great or to bless us.

You know, sometimes God looks for people who will trust him completely no matter what so he could show the world that it is not by might or by power but by his spirit.

God sometimes ordains failure. But many seek to circumvent divinely ordained failure by resorting to dubious means.

When a civil servant builds a big house and sends his five children to expensive schools when he does not have a second source of income, is that not a case of a boiled seed sprouting?

When a minister of state is able to sustain a lavish mistress and at the same time put up houses from his income as minister, is that not a case of dishonesty? is this not questionable?

Sabo Prostitutes held free sex night vigil to celebrate Chief Ganiyu Fawehinmi transist into the world beyond - Funny but it is real.

On the eve of his interment, some commercial sex workers at the Sabo area of Ondo town paid tribute to him in a weird way: They offered free sex to men as they basked in the euphoria of the moment.

A source told Saturday Sun: “Some prostitutes at a popular brothel in Sabo held a vigil for the late apostle of good governance. They enjoyed or rather expressed themselves. They drank and danced all night in front of the brothel.

Some of them even offered free sex to the men around. Some were heard shouting, ‘come and f••k Today, na FOC (free of charge), this night we no charge money because of Gani.’ There was so much excitement in the brothel and its environs, showing that Gani was truly a man of all people”.
An okada rider and vulcanizer, who identified himself simply as Bayo, told our reporter that he took advantage of the free sex offer to enjoy himself.

He said: “I went to Sabo that Monday night to buy suya after the day’s work. Then somebody said that the women at the hotel were giving free show. I rushed there to see things for myself. When I got there, I saw some of the girls dancing, smoking and drinking. Some of them were calling “come shine free kongo for Gani”. I decided to try one of the women and we went inside just like that. That was what happened.”
The father of one, who claimed that his wife travelled that day to Ibadan to buy some goods, however, added that he bought two bottles of beer for the lady at the end of the game.

Another observer/participant, a taxi driver, who introduced himself as Tope, said that he did not allow the offer which was too attractive to true to pass him by.

According to him: “One of the girls I know there said I should come and do it with her free for the sake of Gani, who was to be buried. Who no like better thing? But no be only me o, some other people do am with the women. I just bought a packet of condom and I later bought a bottle of big stout for the lady”.
Tope said that when he got to the brothel for a drink and saw the scarlet ladies offering free sex, he was pleasantly surprised. He said that he initially thought it was a gimmick but “when I followed one of the girls to her room, she pulled off her skirt immediately without asking for money. So, we did it and later drank beer together”.

One of the commercial sex workers, who gave her name as Tonia, told Saturday Sun she and her colleagues celebrated the life and times of the late foremost activist because he fought for the common people. According to her,“some of us are in this business because of bad government. There is no work, there is no food, everything is dead in this country. Gani was telling them to change but they refused, and detained him in prison where he contracted the illness that later took his life. We no happy doing ashawo work but wetin man pikin go do?”.

It was also gathered that various classes of women of easy virtues stormed Ondo town during Fawehinmi’s funeral because of the huge presence of dignitaries from various parts of the country. A source said: “So many ladies came to Ondo just to hustle because they know that some of the men would need female company at the end of the day. They needed to use what they have to get what they need. Again, some of the ladies who came could not afford accommodation in the hotels and so ended up sharing the bed of some men. One of my guys saw one of the ‘stranded’ ladies and took her to his hotel room for the night. In fact, they were together until after the burial”.

Investigations also revealed that no other burial took place in the town that day. An indigene of Ondo, Kunle Akindugbade said: “No other burial held in Ondo on Tuesday, it was not necessarily that there was a restriction to that effect, those who lost their loved ones and were planning burial that day had to change their plans because they knew that nobody would be there. You cannot share a day with Gani because everyone wanted to be part of his farewell”....

Source: Sunonlinenews.com

Kate Winslet, Michelle Obama make it to best dressed women of 2009

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – British actress Kate Winslet lead the pack of People magazine's 10 best-dressed women of 2009, with U.S. first lady Michelle Obama chosen for "best accessible glamour."

Although the list, released Wednesday, does not have numerical ranking, Winslet, 33, who won an Oscar in February for playing a dour Nazi in "The Reader," was deemed to be the best-dressed woman on the red carpet on 2009 "with her unique brand of sexy sophistication, modern Hollywood glamour and those enviable curves."

People named Reese Witherspoon as having the "best short dresses," "High School Musical" actress Vanessa Hudgens as best hippie chic, and Freida Pinto, the Indian star of Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," for having the best use of color.

Brad Pitt, "Twilight" actor Robert Pattinson, and Bradley Cooper of "The Hangover" and "Nip/Tuck" fame were among the best-dressed men of the year. People said their attention to details like a scarf, pin or skinny tie "took their looks beyond basic."

Teen country singer Taylor Swift was dubbed "best sparkle."

The annual best- and worst-dressed double issue, on newsstands Friday, also acknowledged the impact on fashion of the Emmy-award winning TV series "Mad Men," set in the 1960s, whose cigarette pants and sheath dresses have inspired new designs by Michael Kors and Tory Burch.

The People magazine special issue also looked at some of the fashion flops of 2009. Former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul and actress Renee Zellweger were cited as having the worst red carpet dresses.

Singer Jessica Simpson's January appearance in unflattering high-waisted "mom jeans," which triggering a heated debate about weight issues in Hollywood, was among the "most memorable moments of the year," People said.

People's choice of the Top 10 Best-Dressed Women of 2009 are:

Kate Winslet - Best Red Carpet

Vanessa Hudgens - Best Hippie Chic

Reese Witherspoon - Best Short Dresses

Cameron Diaz - Best Jeans

Michelle Obama - Best Accessible Glamour

Freida Pinto - Best Use of Color

Taylor Swift - Best Sparkle

Nicole Richie - Best Maternity

Beyonce - Best Street Chic

Kim Kardashian - Best Bikinis

The complete list can be found at www.people.com/bestdressed.

Guardian Newspaper Reporter Assasinated

IT was another gruesome murder in Nigeria yesterday. The Guardian's Assistant News Editor and an ace political reporter, Bayo Ohu, was shot dead in his apartment in Egbeda, a Lagos suburb.

Ohu was just getting set to attend Church service after seeing off his wife, Ochuko, and sister-in-law, to the early morning service when the gunmen came knocking on his door at about 6.52 a.m.

According to eye-witnesses, the five or six men came in a white Toyota Camry saloon car, wearing white flowing gowns with matching skull caps. They made no attempt to enter any other apartment in the four-flat house. Ohu heard a knock on his door and as he opened the front door to ask who was knocking, the gunmen hit him with a volley of bullets. His blood made a huge splash all over the door. He staggered back into the house screaming for help, but his assailants followed him inside and rained more bullets into him.

Curiously, the assailants made away with only his laptop and mobile phone handset.

The landlady, who was just opening her shop that morning, was the first to come in contact with the assailants. She was ordered to lie face down by a man she identified as the leader of the gang. He warned her in Yoruba language to stay in that position if she didn't want any harm to come to her. She narrated in Yoruba: "The man went ahead to show me a big gun hidden under his flowing gown and I started pleading with him that he should please have mercy on me, that I had no money and was just a poor trader who sells soft drinks. He just told me not to worry, that nothing would happen to me if I stayed face down on the ground. From my shop, he started shouting orders to others." Soon after she was deafened by the gunshots.

The Guardian confirmed that no less than a dozen rounds of ammunition were fired. The police recovered most of the expended bullets.

One bullet went through the right side of Ohu's chest and exited through the left side, tearing through the arm. Two of Ohu's children, who were yet to go to church, had gone to fetch water from another house in the neighbourhood, ran into the assailants and were immediately chased into hiding. Those watching the gory scene from adjoining buildings said that the assailants, after completing their task, still had enough time to wash their hands and feet while two of their colleagues fired shots into the air to scare all in the neighbourhood.

One of the children told The Guardian that from her hiding place he heard one of the assailants shouting out jubilantly to his colleagues: "Olori buruku e ti ku (the fool is dead)."

But Bayo Ohu, a hefty six-footer, did not go down without a fight for life. One of his neighbours who rushed to his side after the assailants made their exit, noticed that his pulse was still strong and he was still breathing. Other neighbours were quickly mobilised to save his life. They rushed him to a nearby hospital, just three minutes drive from Ohu's residence. At the hospital, the staff on duty insisted on a Police Report before any first aid could be administered on him. Noticing that he was losing much blood, the neighbours decided to head to the Ikeja General Hospital. Ohu, however, did not make it there as doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

"There is no doubt that this is a clear assassination job. I have been in the police force for a long time and the kind of expended bullet cartridges found at the scene of the crime is really a source of worry. These are high caliber bullets that are not normal when attacking harmless people. You only go with this kind of weapon where you expect resistance, where you are going with the intent of war. It's not a regular thing", a police source said yesterday.

He then added in a tone dripping with frustration: "There is no cartridge that has the same groove pattern. The groove pattern on each bullet is akin to finger-prints. So, if we were in a situation where police jobs are made easier with good investigative capacity, the bullets could be used in locating the guns and sources, but my friend you know how things are here."

Speaking later with journalists, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Frank Mbah, said that the Force was looking at the case from the point of view of the gruesome circumstances, "we are leaving all options open in our investigations." Mbah also said that with more evidence coming to the Force after the recovery of the vehicle used in the operation, things were beginning to point to a possible case of armed robbery. But he quickly added that all leads were being followed.

A shaken Editor and Deputy-Editor in Chief of The Guardian, Debo Adesina, who had rushed to the General Hospital to ensure Ohu's prompt treatment, an effort which now turned out futile, told journalists that, "it is now left for the Police to do their job. I hope they would unravel this killing and let Nigerians know who did this as well as why?"

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Marvel Akpoyibo, said that the police had already commenced investigation into the death, added: "We have commenced investigations into the killing. We are investigating a case of murder and robbery. We sympathise with our friend, The Guardian for what happened, we shall investigate the death discretely."

Shock and fear enveloped Ohu's residence as neighbours gathered around discussing the killing yesterday. Bayo Ohu, according to neighbours, was a very quiet person. "You never would know whether he lived in this house or not. He was not the regular kind of person known to everyone. He went about his life quietly. In fact, his wife and kids are better known in this area than he was", one of the neighbours told The Guardian.

One other neighbour watching the scene said: "The whole thing looked like a home video. We saw them, the way they made a U-turn with their car on a narrow road, the way they held their guns and shooting as if they were robbing a bank, was so shocking. We could not react immediately because we were shocked and we were scared. I just went blank. It was after they drove off that we could summon courage to check who their victim was."

Oyeniji Street, and the surrounding Odukoya Estate, though with one or two nice looking buildings, is generally a lower middle-class neighbourhood. Ohu's residence is an old-fashioned four-flat house, each flat with three bedrooms.

Meanwhile, Ohu's body has been deposited at the mortuary of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. He left behind five children; the eldest being 16 years, while the youngest is nine months old, a housewife, who is a part-time student of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye and an aged father.

Ogunbayo Ohu was born on June 18, 1964. He started his education at the Local Authority Primary School, Iseyin, Oyo State, from where he proceeded to Progressive Grammar School, Ado-Awaye, also in Oyo State, where he finished in 1976. He had his tertiary education at The Polytechnic, Ibadan between 1988-1990.

Bayo Ohu joined The Guardian in 1991 and distinguished himself early as a reporter. He covered Katsina State as a State Correspondent and his performance recommended him for promotion to Assistant News Editor. His flair for reporting made him move from the desk back to the beat to cover politics which he did very well.

Yesterday, publisher of The Guardian, Dr. Alex Ibru, said he was saddened by the incident and hoped the police would do a thorough job of investigating this killing. He prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of Ohu and sent his condolences to his family.

Ohu's was yet another in the list of journalists' murder. Dele Giwa, Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, was killed through a parcel bomb on October 19, 1986 during the military regime of President Ibrahim Babangida.

More recently, Godwin Agbroko, the Editorial Board Chairman of ThisDay newspaper, was gunned down on Oshodi-Mile Two Expressway in 2006 on Christmas eve.

Yet, another mysterious death was that of Abayomi Ogundeji, also a member of the Editorial Board of ThisDay newspaper on August 17, 2008. He was shot in his vehicle on his way from work late in the

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/article02//indexn2_html?pdate=210909&ptitle=Bayo%20Ohu,%20The%20Guardian's%20reporter,%20murdered

SSS seizes Bank MD's passport

SSS impounds Ovia (Zenith Bank), Imoukhuede (Access Bank Plc), other Bank MDs' passports
Durojaiye, Kingsley Ighomwenghian And Tunde Opeseitan, Lagos

The ongoing shakeup in the banking sector instituted by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Lamido Sanusi, produced additional shockers on Friday with the seizure of the passports of five more bank Managing Directors (MDs) by the State Security Services (SSS)

Yar'adua Will Not Attend Un General Assembly

Cancels Meeting Obama, Ki-Moon

To Miss Four Top Meetings
By Laolu Akande, New York

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar'Adua will not be attending the United Nations annual General Assembly and the Climate Change summits starting on Tuesday, September 22 in New York.

The President turned down the respective invitation of US President, Barack Obama and the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon at the last minute.

Up till Friday afternoon at the UN Secretariat, Yar'Adua still had a slot reserved to address the UN General Assembly on Day 2 of its meeting on Thursday.

But UN sources confirmed yesterday that the Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, would now represent Nigeria, which means that the country will lose that slot reserved only for presidents.

Maduekwe will speak at a later date before the end of the weeklong meeting.

President Yar'Adua was invited alongside other heads of state, with more than 100 world leaders confirming participation.

There are at least four crucial events where Yar'Adua was being expected to participate.

First is the Tuesday Climate Change conference, which the Secretary-General summoned to mobilise world leaders on the need to conclude negotiations for a treaty on Climate change before the December meeting on the subject in Copenhagen, Denmark where the deal is to be sealed on Climate Change.

On Thursday at a press conference, Ki-moon warned that only about two weeks was left for the international negotiators to complete their work, but no agreement had been reached as yet.

The Secretary-General's plan is to use the Climate Change summit with presidents and heads of state in attendance to convince the world leaders to reach a deal soon.

Secondly, the Nigerian president is expected to participate at the regular annual General Assembly summit of heads of state, which starts on Wednesday.

Besides offering him an avenue to address the Assembly, such a gathering, according to UN sources, would have enabled President Yar'Adua to campaign for Nigeria's election for a non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council with his fellow presidents and heads of state.

According to a diplomat, the UN is a very hierarchical community and only heads of state can talk to heads of state.

Although Maduekwe will be representing Yar'Adua, yet, no president will meet with the Minister, except presidents from very small and non-influential nations, a source revealed.

The election to the UN Security Council non-permanent seat comes up on October 15 and although the African Group has endorsed Nigeria, the country still needs 128 votes, which is two-thirds majority requirement to be elected into the Council.

Thirdly, the President is expected as a major participant in the unprecedented meeting of US President Barack Obama on Tuesday, September 22.

According to the US Ambassador to the United Nations, a well known pro-African American diplomat and official, Dr. Susan Rice, President Obama will "host on the 22nd a lunch for heads of state and governments from sub-Saharan Africa."

The luncheon "will focus on how the United States can work in partnership with African governments to strengthen African economic and social development."

"The talk will focus primarily on three topics: job creation, especially for young people; creating a more conducive climate for trade and investment; and ways to mobilise African agriculture to create jobs and help feed the continent," she said.

Yar'Adua will miss this meeting as well, and it was not clear as at press time whether Maduekwe will be welcomed since this was clearly labeled a meeting of heads of state with the US President.

The following day, President Yar'Adua will miss a another crucial meeting, which, again is called by the US President only for UN member-States like Nigeria, which contribute troops to the UN international peace-keeping missions.

Apart from being the 4th ranking UN nations in troop-contribution, Nigeria is also the leader of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping.

But Yar'Adua will meet such a crucial meeting on the subject of peacekeeping with the US President, who is apparently reaching out specifically to Yar'Adua, among a few other presidents.

As US Ambassador Rice said in a White House press conference during the week, President Obama "will host a meeting with countries that contributed the largest numbers of police and troops to the United Nations peacekeeping operations."

She hinted at the importance of the meeting, saying, "this is an opportunity for the President to focus attention on reforming and strengthening U.N. peacekeeping for the 21st century, and to recognise the largely unheralded contributions of those that are providing the backbone of these critical peacekeeping operations."

Regarding this Obama meeting with States like Nigeria, UN sources explained that Yar'Adua was, in fact, the "beautiful bride to the Americans."

This is because, as diplomatic sources explained, the US government was concerned about the situation in Somalia and desires that a more robust UN peacekeeping force be deployed quickly.

In that regard, sources say the Americans are hoping that Nigeria's president could be encouraged during the meeting with Obama to provide substantially more troops for the UN peacekeepers in Somalia.

A Nigerian diplomat working with the UN Secretariat said this would have been an opportunity for President Yar'Adua to negotiate directly with Obama in return for whatever the Americans want from Nigeria.

Before now, Nigeria had been reluctant to commit more troops for the Somalia deployment at the UN. And since the US government is keen on protecting its interests against the activities of terrorists in Somalia, the Americans have been clamouring for a stronger UN peacekeeping mission in Somalia.

Until this effort, White House had simply not been very friendly towards the Nigerian presidency. First, President Obama opted not to visit Nigeria in his first African trip.

Secondly, when US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, visited Nigeria, her public and indoor comments were considered very critical.

Even there are reports that in the planning of the Clinton visit to Nigeria, the US Government might have left the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Nigeria out in several aspects.

However, with the current veiled offer from the White House to Aso Rock, a rapprochement is being built, according to diplomatic thinking.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/article01//indexn2_html?pdate=200909&ptitle=Yar'Adua Will Not Attend UN General Assembly

Nigeria's Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa Chased From Hotel Room

Nigerians in London today used their telephones to chase AGF Michael Aondoakaa out of their city. The action followed an advisory by the Nigeria Liberty Forum in London notifying Nigerian nationals that Michael Aondoakaa was in the city.


"Nigeria and all haters of corruption have been alerted to the presence in London of Nigeria's notoriously corrupt protector of looters of Nigeria, Michael Aondoakaa," it said.

The Nigerian Attorney General of the Federation (who is being referred to as Attorney General of Fraud) was staying at the London Heathrow Marriot Hotel on Bath Road, Harlington, Hayes, UB3 5AN United Kingdom, Phone: +44 20 89901100. He arrived in the UK yesterday to deploy federal power against the impending trial of President Yar'Adua's friends: the former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, and Yar'Adua's Private Principal Secretary, David Edevbie. The trial commences at the Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

The Nigeria Liberty Forum, which earlier this year successfully organized the picketing of the presence of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, urged Nigerians to protest Aondoakaa's presence from the comfort of their homes by calling the hotel to ask them to kick the AGF out of the place.

The NLF advised callers: "Be civil, ask to speak with Michael Aondoakaa after you dial to speak with the operator. If he is there in his room, curse the daylights out of him for destroying Nigeria; if [he is absent], leave him a voicemail message.

"If you want to join in protesting his presence in London, contact the Nigerian Liberty Forum by text on: 07984212553."

The Marriot Hotel management told Saharareporters that they found themselves overwhelmed by calls from across the world within just 30 minutes. They said that Mr. Aondoakaa, who had checked into the hotel yesterday, checked out abruptly when alerted that so many people were calling to ask after him. Our sources said Aondoakaa left empty handed without successfully securing any meetings with the UK Home Office or the Crown Prosecution Service, the UK bodies to which he was instructed to make some protests and submit "clearance papers" on behalf of Ibori and Edevbie.

Aondoakaa, who also claimed to have attended a UN meeting for a few hours in Vienna yesterday, told his friends who approached him about his recent embarrassing conduct that he was merely playing the script of Nigeria's taciturn and reclusive leader, Umaru Yar'Adua. He also told friends in London before hurriedly departing for Abuja today, that he enjoys the confidence of Yar'Adua in defending Ibori and other corrupt former governors. He bragged that Mrs. Farida Waziri, who is currently traveling with her husband in Saudi Arabia, will be in trouble for disowning his statement that the EFCC had cleared Ibori.

Aondoakaa also admitted that there were cracks in the Yar'Adua cabinet, saying that some people want him removed at all cost. He singled out former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, as the biggest international headache for the Yar'Adua regime, and vowed that Ribadu would be charged for treason in due course.

See Wahala: Nigeria Police Force's Published Poem

What irony!

LAMENTATION OF A POLICEMAN

Gloomily sit I, gazing afar;
Gazing afar, far ahead,
Today again, just like yesterday,
My comrade died or is killed!
Yes, Today like yesterday;
A widow, an orphan is made, clear.
O! Death why more my clan, the police!
For why do you strike me, alone!
Yet I must smile and work,
Not minding the scorn,
Forget also the ridicule,
Not even the outright, assault.
Protect the society, I must, a must!
Yet another comrade must lie;
Buried, buried and forgotten.
For how long this sadness must continue!
Thus lament I the police.

By CSP Lawan Jimeta
Peacekeeping Department, FHQ, Abuja
14th August, 2009

Source: http://www.nigeriapolice.org/index.php?view=category&id=23

VIRGIN NIGERIA AIRWAYS NOW NIGERIAN EAGLES AIRLINE

LAGOS – Virgin Nigeria Airways has changed its name to Nigerian Eagle Airlines, and the new identity takes immediate effect.
The airline also said it had no problems with the United Bank of Africa (UBA) Plc over its indebtedness to the bank, as it was managing and servicing the debt.
Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Captain Dapo Olumide, who unveiled the airline’s new identity, told newsmen at a briefing yesterday that the change of name was sequel to the withdrawal of Virgin Atlantic Airways as core investor and technical of Virgin Nigeria Airways (VNA).
Chairman of the Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, had last year announced the withdrawal of his 49 per cent equity in Virgin Nigeria, which also attracted 51 per cent ownership by Nigerian institutional investors.
Olumide said the new name was chosen to project the country’s image and pride, adding that the desire of the board and management was to build it into a brand.
While one of the airline’s seven aircraft is expected to arrive the country today in its new colours and name, Capt. Olumide said all the planes in the airline’s fleet as well as offices across the country and West Africa would have been completely re-branded in two months.
Olumide, who asserted that Virgin Atlantic Airways was free to sell its stakes in the airline, said Nigerian Eagle Airlines has concluded plans to source funds from the capital market for its operations.
“We are going to have our private placement in the next six weeks. The Board has met and taken a position on that, and we are also expecting investors overseas to invest in the new airline.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/09/18/virgin-nigeria-airways-now-nigerian-eagle-airlines/comment-page-3/#comments

FINALLY WAEC MAY/JUNE 2009 RESULT IS OUT!

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the results of the May/June 2009 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Head, Nigerian National Office of the Council, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, who announced the results in Lagos yesterday, said a total of 1,373,009 candidates, consisting of 755,955 males and 617,054 females sat for the examination.

However he said, of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, only 356,981, representing 25.99 percent obtained credits and above in English Language, Mathematics and at least three other subjects.

Timaya Manhandled, Handcuffed And Detained

Na me be the Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa, any where I dey, people they scamper
Chorus; Timaya don blow o,
Timaya don kpolongo

BAYELSA State- born militant singer, Timaya, had a rough taste of love turned sour portion when he was manhandled, handcuffed and subsequently detained by the Festac police for conducting himself in a manner likely to breach public peace.

The show of shame ,which happened last Sunday at an Alakija Lagos-based church, Praise Resurrection Ministries aka Jehovah Sharp Sharp church, disrupted the service, leaving several members of the house of God bruised.

In what an eye witness account described as a reflection of the lyrics of one of his hit songs, Timaya in company of some of his goons, arrived the Church without notice and sauntered into the Thanksgiving service being held in honour of a newly wedded couple named Bridget and Nerho

On arrival, he was allegedly given a seat by one of the church ushers. But he insisted he wanted a place in the front row where (according to our source) he would be positioned to listen to the Pastor and his sermon.

But when the usher stood his ground, he calmly sat without betraying any emotion of what he planned to do.
On his entry, his ex lover, Empress Njamah who was said to have become alarmed quickly stood up from where she sat and made her way to the front row area where some elders of the Church sat.

According to our source, she had expressed her fear to one of the ushers about the danger of Timaya coming to Church saying she was certain he was there to make trouble.

And true to her prediction, Timaya who had seen her move decided it was time to make his own move. It was at this point that he drew the attention of one the ushers insisting he also wanted a place at the front area. But his move was thwarted by the usher who at this point sensed there was something wrong.

As the usher stood his ground, Timaya lost control and began to shout at the top of his voice and to the chagrin of the worshippers, “I want to retrieve the key of my car which Empress took away from my house.”

When the usher insisted he waited until Church service was over, he became unruly and uncontrollable. At a point he was said to have lifted one of the plastic chairs in the Church and tried to attack Empress. This move was however contained by some of the male church worshipers.

“As the struggle and show of shame continued, Timaya, who at this point was shouting at the top of his voice, was rough handled and bundled out of the Church arena.

As the burly musician resisted every attempt to reason with the Church officials, a concerned naval top brass who also worships at the Church, invited his men from the nearby naval barracks and Timaya was subsequently handcuffed and handed over to men of the Festac Police formation. He was detained briefly and later released after pledging to be of good behaviour and on self recognition.

But in a new twist to the church fracas, some explained to this writer that there is more to the story than what the couple exhibited in church.

“The true story, according to our source is that Empress had drawn the anger of the musician on the ground of unfaithfulness.

“Timaya heard Empress was getting married to another man in the said Church and that’s why he stormed the church to disrupt the phantom wedding. Unknown to Timaya, the much talked about wedding took place on Saturday and it was between one of Empress best friends and her long-standing boyfriend.

“What you saw happen in church was a clear exhibition of a man in love and jealous of losing his loved one. I think what both lovers should do is to involve family members who would help them thrash all their differences, ”our source opined.

Empress, who confirmed the story to one of our reporters, however maintained a sealed lip.
The police, she told us, had advised that she says nothing to the press. We could not however reach Timaya as his phone was switched off.

Police spokes man, Mr. Frank Mba, a Police Superintendent who confirmed our story said, “Following the incidence, Timaya has written a petition to us, saying that Empress amongst other allegations, had not only squandered an undisclosed sum of his money given to her to hold in trust, she had also gone beyond his back to remove the said vehicle from his house and without his permission.

NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT REACTS TO SONY PS3 ADVERT

The Nigerian government has expressed dislike for Sony's new Playstation 3 ad campaign that references the Nigerian letter scam.

Here's the press release made by the Nigerian minister of information and communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili.

PRESS STATEMENT

MALICIOUS ADVERTISEMENT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA BY SONY COROPORATION

The attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria has been drawn to an advertisement by Sony Corporation on the internet which from all indications is designed to portray Nigeria in bad light in an effort for Sony to market her products.

Link to ADVERT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-3uKprF824

1. The advert in question currently circulating on youtube.com and facebook.com and other international websites creates the impression that Nigerians hardly do genuine business. This insinuation is in bad faith and unacceptable.

2. The Government and the good people of Nigeria reject this unwarranted attack on the reputation and image of the country. The government sees this as an attempt by Sony Corporation to undermine Nigeria’s business interest around the world.

3. It is on record that Sony Corporation has operated in Nigeria since the country’s independence and has enjoyed tremendous patronage from Nigerians at home and abroad. Over these years, there is no established record that the company has recorded any major incidence of scam or fraud by Nigerians that warrants its deliberate campaign against the country’s image.

4. While Nigeria accepts or concedes that there are few criminal minded people within her population just like any other country including Japan the home country of Sony Corporation. The Federal Government of Nigeria has as a matter of policy put in place institutions and mechanisms to rid the country of any form of fraudulent practices. Nigeria therefore does not see the basis to single out the country as an example in that infamous advertisement.

5. In the light of the above, the Federal Government of Nigeria requests Sony Corporation to immediately withdraw that advertisement from circulation.

6. Nigeria also demands an unconditional apology from Sony Corporation for this deliberate negative campaign against the country’s image and reputation. The apology must be given the same measure of publicity by Sony Corporation in all channels where the unfortunate adverts were aired.

7. The Federal Government of Nigeria wishes to assure all genuine investors around the world that Nigeria remains a major investment destination and a country where most businesses thrives in trust, good faith, competition, competence and integrity.

PROF. DORA AKUNYILI
HON. MINISTER, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
4TH SEPTEMBER, 2009
http://www.fmic.gov.ng/

CBN TO ISSUE NEW N5,N10, AND N50 IN POLYMER SUBSTRATE LIKE THE N20 NOTE

In continuation of the currency reforms initiated by Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the apex bank has said it will on September 30, 2009 issue a total of 1.915 billion notes in N5, N10 and N50 denominations using polymer substrate format.

The new notes which will be launched by President Umaru Yar’Adua, is to replace the existing paper mode in the affected denominations.

Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido, who briefed the press in Lagos on Wednesday said the extension of polymer substrate was due to the cost effectiveness of the base material and its long lasting nature.

Man kills only son for being stubborn

A father in Lagos, Friday Obot who hails from Akwa Ibom State, has murdered his only son, Michael, 11, for losing the toilet door bolt. Another reason cited for the abominable act was Michael’s alleged stubbornness. The incident occurred in, Awolowo Way area of Ikeja. “He had repeatedly told Michael that he was going to kill him,” the grieving mother, Mercy told Daily Sun in tears.

Problem was said to have started on Thursday, September 10, 2009, when Michael misplaced the toilet door bolt.
Daily Sun gathered since the victim lost the bolt his father had made life miserable for him, as it had always been battering, scolding and threats from him.

“But I intervened and asked him to forget it, as we can always replace it. Michael lost confidence and trust in his father, as he was always beating and harassing him, even over matters he would have ordinarily ignored,” she wept profusely.
She narrated how her husband raised the issue of the missing bolt again, when she returned from the market and how she tactfully tried to change the topic. Midway into their discussions, she said her husband suddenly reverted to the lost bolt and continued the threat.

“For fear of what the father might do to him, Michael ran out of the house and slept with a cart pusher (mallam) who lives opposite our room. But on Saturday, September 12, 2009, the father of two allegedly went to where his son was taking refuge, dragged him out and later into his room.

The victim’s little sister, Blessing, who witnessed the incident, disclosed to the mother how her father used pestle, including machete, to torture her brother, to the point that he could no longer walk. As he was weeping, Blessing said Michael requested for water to drink, a request she said, their father turned down.
It was when Obot went to buy some packs of Indomie that Michael tried to sneak out of the house of torture to escape, but collapsed as a result of the torture. “That was when they came to call me from the market. We rushed him to the hospital but he was rejected and referred him to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

Michael was given two drips and he passed out as he was taking the third one.
Obot’s landlord, Mr. Obadina Simeon, who said the victim had been living in his house for the past years, described him as cafeteria worker. He told Daily Sun that he (landlord) reported the murder case to the Area ‘F’ Police Command, Ikeja.

The Lagos State Deputy Police Public Relations Officer (DPPRO), Mr. Onyeisi Nwaolai, who confirmed the incident said the case had been transferred to the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

Education, Labour Ministers escape abduction

Education, Labour ministers escape kidnap plot
Headlines Sep 17, 2009 By Ise-Oluwa Ige
ABUJA — THE State Security Service (SSS) paraded, in Abuja, yesterday, three undergraduates of the University of Abuja and a suspected fraudster who allegedly attempted to kidnap two ministers in order to demand N300 million ransom, and force the Federal Government to sign an agreement with ASUU ending the on-going strike action.


The ministers targeted by the suspects are Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) of the Labour and Productivity Ministry and Dr Sam Egwu of the Education Ministry.

The mastermind and suspected fraudster, Abdallah Alfa (58) told newsmen that he was to offer the undergraduates N4 million after a successful operation.


Dr Sam Egwu of the Education Ministry and Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) of the Labour and Productivity Ministry
He said they were to be mobilised with N1 million before the operation, while the N3 million balance was to be paid after the assignment.

He however said no kobo had exchanged hands before they were nabbed by the Police.
He said he was also to provide other logistics, like cars, which the boys were to use for the job.

Undergraduate suspects

The University of Abuja undergraduates who also took turns to confess to their alleged role in the kidnap plot are Kingsley Njoku Obi, Aniabor Ochuko (aka Kelly Handsome) and Chilaka Rowland (aka Peace).

Obi (23) is a 400 Level student of political Science at the university; Ochuko (27), a native of Oha Town, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta state is a diploma student of the university while Rowland (28) from Ahiabo Mbaise Local Government of Imo state is a final year student of Political Science of the university.

Although the three undergraduates and self-acclaimed mastermind said they did not have any previous criminal record, one of them, Rowland, had already confessed his membership of Black Axe Confraternity to the SSS.

Leader of the gang, Alfa, who first denied knowledge of the kidnap plot, later told newsmen that he entered into the deal with the undergraduates with the aim of making money and bringing the ongoing ASUU strike to an end. Huh

He said he had played prominent roles in the past to end ASUU strikes but he did not say what exactly he did.
He said his contributions to the ASUU strikes in 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009 were on record.

Alfa, according to the SSS, hails from Kogi state, had a primary school education but he speaks the Queen’s English.

Although he faltered when he was asked what he was doing for a living, he later told newsmen yesterday that he was a businessman.

But the SSS told newsmen yesterday that their investigations revealed that Alfa is an incurable fraudster given his antecedent.
They said he was linked with a number of 419 cases in the past.

He was bold all through the parade session but he was sweating profusely.

Kidnappers planned to kill Egwu

His accomplices also explained that the agreement between them and their paymaster was to kill Dr Sam Egwu in detention and free Prince Kayode (SAN) after collecting the N300 million ransom.

The Assistant Director, Public Relations of the Service, Marilyn Ogar, who first briefed newsmen yesterday before allowing them to interact with the accused persons said the 58-year old Alfa popularly called the Ambassador who initiated the plot, recruited students for kidnapping assignment under the guise that the kidnapping was meant to end the on-going impasse between the Academic Staff Union of the Universities [ASUU] and the Federal Government.

“The choice of using students for the operation was ostensibly to make the exercise and the subsequent demands appear as if it was geared towards ending the Federal Government and ASUU crisis”, Ogar stated.

She said preliminary investigation showed that the plot was to forcefully end the seemingly unending strike action.

“While three of these are students of the University of Abuja, preliminary investigation showed that the plan was designed to serve as a forceful way of ending the on-going strike action”, Ogar stated.

She also said upon the successful kidnap of the Ministers, Egwu was “to be forced to sign an alleged agreement with ASUU.”

The suspects were also to demand the sum of three hundred million naira from the Federal Government as a precondition for the release of the ministers.

She lamented that instead of an old man like Alfa serving a role model to the younger ones (students), he “cajoled them into embarking on the nefarious act, thus capitalising on their seeming frustrations and desperations to go back to school by all means.”

She advised parents and guardians to monitor their children and wards closely to ensure that they do not fall prey to the likes of Alfa.

“While he (Alfa) hails from Dekina, Kogi state, he claims to be Hausa from Kano”, she pointed out.

She said the essence of the press briefing was to draw the attention of parents to the possibility that Alfa may have recruited other kids in different parts of the country for such criminal acts and to implore them to be vigilant.

She added that the service would hand over the quartet to the police before the close of business for necessary action.

“We have done our bit, we will now hand them over to the police for prosecution”, she stated.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/09/17/education-labour-ministers-escape-kidnap-plot/#comments

2009/2010 NECO RESULT RELEASED

Hi peeps

Just got the info that the 2009/2010 NECO result has being released.

Follow this link: http://www.mynecoexams.com/results/default.aspx

cheers!!!

HOUSE OF REPS MEMBER SLAPS SECURITY MAN AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

REP SLAPS SECURITY MAN.

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinyere Emmanuel Igwe, caused a stir yesterday at the entrance of the National Assembly as he traded blows with a security official.

Igwe, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, represents Port Harcourt 2 Federal Constituency, Rivers State.

He said he was embarrassed by the security operative.

The security personnel, Mr. Chinelo Nwulu, said he was attempting to establish the identity of the lawmaker as he (Igwe) tried to enter the National Assembly.

Witnesses said Igwe was apparently angered by the request of the security operative that he should identify himself before entering.

They said Igwe gave the security operative "a dirty slap on the right side of his cheek without uttering any word."

Igwe was said to have threatened to deal more blows on Nwulu, but was prevented by other security men who rushed to save their colleague from the grip of the lawmaker.

He was casually dressed in black trousers and a flying khaki short-sleeve shirt.

He also wore a jungle face cap and slippers.

He reportedly fumed: "Imagine that boy. How could he claim not to know me? Does his duty not include recognition of faces of members? He has just embarrassed me, and I won’t take it. This case will not end here. I will take it to any length, including the National Assembly Service Commission, where he would be disciplined."

The incident happened at 11 a.m. It lasted 30 minutes before other National Assembly security operatives and the police intervened to calm the lawmaker.