C.B.N Approves N132 billion For Women Entrepreneurs.

Women In Biz

The Central Bank of Nigeria disclosed that N132 billion have been approved for women entrepreneurs. The CBN Branch Controller in Bauchi State, Malam Musa Muhammad, who stated this this in Bauchi on Thursday, said that the fund earmarked was part of the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund.

Muhammad stated this during a sensitisation workshop for state governments, financial institutions and the organised private sector on MSMED Fund.
He explained that the amount, which represented 60 per cent of the total fund, was earmarked for women considering the peculiar challenges they facing in accessing financial services.
“The Revised Micro finance Policy, Regulatory and Supervisory Framework in section 4.2(IV), provides that women’s access to financial services should increase by 15 per cent annually in order to eliminate gender disparity.
“In order to achieve this, 60 per cent of the fund has been earmarked for providing financial services to women,” he said.
The controller said that the MSMEDF, which was launched in August 2013, had broad objective of channeling long-term, low-interest funds to the MSME sector of the economy through participating financial institutions. He said that the specific objective was to reach over two million MSMEs over a 10-year period in which 60 per cent was targeted at women entrepreneurs.
“The CBN believes that developing the MSMEs is the key to economic advancement and wealth creation.
“To ensure sustainable economic development programmes, policies and guidelines must be designed such that all factors and peculiar needs and requirements of stakeholders are noted and addressed,” he said.
He said that the sensitisation workshop had become necessary having recognised the importance of state governments as stakeholders in the administration of the fund due to their closeness to the grassroots.
Muhammad further explained that the fund covers social development with 10 per cent and commercial development with 90 per cent.
He said that all state governments including the FCT will access a maximum of N2 billion each for the maximum of three years per circle at 9 per cent interest rate.
According to him, the target groups include farmers, artisans, self help groups, cottage industries, financial cooperatives and traders.

Group begs Jonathan "Declare now!"

President Goodluck Jonathan

Less than 24 hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the 2015 general polls, a non-governmental organisation in Abuja, the Citizens Network for Peace and Development (CNDP) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his candidacy forthwith.

The group advised others nursing the ambition of contesting the 2015 Presidency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to drop such ‘inordinate ambition’, describing Jonathan as, “the only candidate worth voting for in these trying times.”

The CNDP further described Jonathan as a patriot at heart and a nationalist whose loyalty to Nigeria was without question.
It stated that its stand was not based on sentiments but on realities on ground, adding that President Jonathan inherited colossal liabilities from past administrations including corruption, militancy and “wanton killings in the North.”
Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, CNDP Director General, Preye Dressman, noted that Jonathan had raised the bar in good governance and had, so far, “been able to exhibit rare political will and courage in his drive to transform Nigeria for the better.
“Citizens Network will, in the days ahead, be at the vanguard for calls and activities geared towards ensuring that President Jonathan runs again. Any party or individual who has contrary reasons as to why President Jonathan should not contest for the office of president in 2015 should step forward and engage us in an open debate.
“While on the subject, we call on members of the PDP to sheathe their swords. Given that the party exists as a big family, we advise those nursing inordinate ambitions at the expense of the party’s unity to have a rethink and put their weight behind the only candidate worth voting for in these trying times.”
But the Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema has said declaration for the race was at the discretion of President Jonathan, stressing that the latter should not be stampeded into the race.
Speaking with newsmen in Katsina, Governor Shema expressed concern over what he called open campaigns for political offices which he described as distractions to the incumbents.
“When there is time for election, the human temperature goes up. The president has not declared that he would run, but there have been speculations. The time is not ripe for campaigns but Nigerians are already running around, creating distractions. Maybe it is because our democracy is young, but it is good to learn. The president will come out and make declaration at the right time,” he said.

Defection: PDP secures order against 5 govs

A Federal High yesterday directed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to serve hearing notices on Governors Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) by substituted means, in the suit challenging their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Gabriel Kolawole further ordered that the hearing notices should be pasted on the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja and should be published in two national dailies.

The order was granted by the court at the instance of the PDP, following the absence of the governors or their representatives in court yesterday.

Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), who appeared for the PDP with Damian Dodo (SAN), Omoruyi Omonuwa (SAN) and Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), had informed the court of the absence of the respondents in court, even after hearing notices had been served on them since December 16, 2013.

He, accordingly, applied that fresh hearing notices be issued and posted on the national secretariat of their party and the same be published in two national newspapers.

Justice Kolawole, who granted the application, adjourned the case to February 6 for hearing of the substantive suit.

In the suit, PDP wants the court to sack the five governors, who defected to the APC.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was listed as a defendant alongside the governors in the suit filed on behalf of the PDP by Izinyon.

PDP argued that the governors should be sacked from office on the grounds that, because of their defection, they had forfeited their offices, which, as a result, had reverted to the party.

In the event that the five governors are sacked from office, PDP wants the court to order the deputy governor or speaker of the state House of Assembly of each of the affected states, or any officer next in rank, who is still its member, to assume the office of governor.

PDP was also asking the court for several reliefs, among which was a declaration that by the combined provisions of sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the 1999 Constitution, the five governors, who were elected on its platform, could not continue to enjoy the mandate given to it (PDP) by the people/electorate of the concerned states, as they (governors) had defected to another political party.

The court was also urged to make a declaration that in the absence of any division in the PDP, the five governors had vacated or forfeited their seats upon their defection to the APC.

Also, the court was asked to make a declaration that, by the combined provisions of sections 87 of the Electoral Act 2011 (as amended), and sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the 1999 Constitution, the offices of the defected governors had reverted to the PDP.

In the same vein, the court was asked to make a declaration that, by the combined provisions of sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the 1999 Constitution, upon the defection of the five governors, the mandate should be reverted to the deputy governors or speakers of the state Houses of Assembly of the respective states or any officer next in rank who is still a member of the PDP.

SUN

"Rivers State Is Broke," insist PDP

 

Gov. Amaechi

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State Chapter says available evidence show the state government can no longer meet its responsibilities because it is broke despite the contrary view of Gov. Amaechi's Information and Communications Commissioner, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari.

The Party wonders how the Commissioner would deny this glaring fact in the face of the failure and collapse of almost all the social and public agencies in the state.

Describing the Commissioner's brazen denial as laughable, the PDP among others wants Mrs. Semenitari to explain why the state government still owes officers and men of the State Transport Management Agency (TIMARIV) for about six months, the newly recruited 13 thousand teachers are also owed six months' salary, roads and other infrastructural projects abandoned, and the delay in the release of the N300m Christmas bonus meant for the civil servants in the state.

The PDP also demands explanation from the Information Commissioner to justify the reason for the denial of funds for full implementation of the 2013 budget by the various Ministries if the state was not broke, insisting that the revelation that the Rivers Students aboard on the RSSDA sponsorship are stranded and at the verge of being thrown out by their universities is a confirmation that the states treasury is empty.

The Party still wonders in disbelief why officials of the Rivers State government would continue to deny facts that are available at the door post of the people, saying a responsible government should be courageous enough to tell its citizens the truth at least on the affairs of the State.

If the state is not broke, let the pensioners receive their full gratuities rather than the piece meals, a style of payment which has never happened in Rivers State except now that the state is in financial distress.

Similarly, the PDP says it is not satisfied with the information surrounding the movement of 320 indigenes of Gombe State into Rivers State at a time when the state is on edge due to the activities of the Save Rivers Movement, an Amaechi funded political machine.

The Party notes that the coming into the state of 17 bus load of people at same time from the North East Nigeria, a hotbed of the dreaded Boko Haram, is suspicious. “Is it to further orchestrate that Mbu Joseph Mbu is not doing his work as they want him or to call dog a bad name in order to hang it?

The Party calls on Rivers people to be alert as this latest development portends great danger, as it is a sign of invasion of the state, emphasizing that the situation in Gombe does not warrant such mass movement of 320 so called traders at a go to another state.

The PDP also appeals to the Save Rivers Movement to save the state and the innocent children and stop creating problems and enriching themselves.

The Police should properly investigate the 320 suspected invaders from Gombe State, because they are coming into the state at a time the Governor is about registering members for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and creation of additional Local Government Council for Non indigenes called Non-Indigenes Political Pressure Group (NIPPG).


Signed



Jerry Needam
SA, on Media to
State PDP Chairman
Tuesday January 28, 2014

AFRICA AND ONE VOICE - Commissioner Fatima Haram Acyl

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 28, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union, Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, gave an assessment of the role of existing African Union trade and industry frame works for the economic integration of African countries, and underlined the need for African countries to speak with one voice. The Commissioner was speaking while addressing a press conference on 27 January 2014, at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She expressed concern that the inability of African countries to coordinate and adopt a coherent approach at international negotiations is obstructing their economic productivity. The Commissioner attributed the inability to agree on a coordinated economic effort to the unequal level of development amongst African countries.


Commissioner Acyl explained that dependency on commodity and unprocessed raw materials will not allow Africa to achieve its vision of an integrated, people centered, prosperous Africa. She underlined that, to realize this vision as part of Agenda 2063, there is a need for economic transformation of African countries and wealth creation for Africans. The Commissioner further explained that the road to realizing such objectives begins with implementing existing frameworks such as PIDA (Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa), CADDP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program), BIAT/CFTA (Continental Free Trade Area), AMV (African Mining Vision) and AIDA (Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa).


The Commissioner for Trade and Industry reported that, with regards to trade and industry, in particular with the BIAT/CFTA, AMV and AIDA frameworks, the Commission has taken initiatives to enhance the impact in these areas. She added that, in terms of the CFTA the Commission is in the process of setting up an African Trade Observatory to gather and analyze trade and industry statistics, a CFTA secretariat to work with member states and regional economic communities and prepare for the CFTA negotiations in 2015, and an African Business Council to integrate private sector stake holders within the decision making process of the commission.


The Commissioner also advised the need to focus on investing in African people and introducing initiatives to take advantage of Africa's increasing population. According to Commissioner Acyl, the suggestion comes in light of the expectation that 25 percent of the world youth under 30 years will be in Sub-Saharan Africa 10 years from now and considering the projection that Africa's population will increase from 15 percent of the world population in 2013 to 23 percent by 2050.

Yvonne Okoro Speaks up on her assets: ‘I got my big boobs from my mum’...

Nigerian born Ghanaian actress Yvonne Okoro says she got her big boobs from her mother.

The actress recently posted a picture of herself and her mum with the caption, ‘Now u kn where all those boobs come 4frm. Luvumummy’.

 

 

The ‘Contract’ star even joked about getting a bra for her unborn daughter, ‘bought my daughter a DD bra tho she’s nt born yet’.

In 2012, Okoro was at the receiving end of a public backlash when she surprised guests at the 2012 African Movie Academy Award wearing a cleavage revealing dress and later in an interview last year threatened to reveal more.

We don’t mind, now do we?

Nigerian Celebs may stop wearing Camo as The Nigerian Army Warns

The Nigerian Army has allegedly cautioned a number of Nigerian artistes who have worn at one point or the other, Nigerian Military camouflage clothes, asking them to abstain from its ‘use and abuse’.

A statement allegedly released by Nigerian Army and circulated this week states that the force is quite aware of Nigerian celebrities wearing the military gear in music videos, photo-shoots and concerts.

‘This is to inform the general public and most especially Nigerian celebrities to abstain from the use and abuse of the Nigerian Military camouflage. Several investigations were carried out and we noticed the camouflage is mostly being used by Nigerian celebrities in music videos, photo-shoots and concerts‘, the statement read.

The statement particularly calls out Nigerian rapper Jesse Jagz who’s well known for donning ‘camo’ clothes accusing him of smoking marijuana while putting on the gear.

‘In this same videos and photo sessions, Nigerian celebrities like ‘Jesse Jags’ smoke marijuana while putting on the Nigerian Military camouflage‘.

The NA also calls out the likes of Pop singers Iyanya, Wizkid, Davido, Tekno Miles and Chidinma explaining that the ‘military camouflage is not meant for the entertainment industry, It is strictly meant for military personnel’.

‘Henceforth, any civilian found GUILTY of putting on the camouflage irrespective of their social status will be dealt with severely‘, the NA warns.

Governor Uduaghan Likens Gay Marriage to Pedophilia

Speaking in Dublin, Ireland, while receiving the International Leadership Award, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Governor of Delta state likened Gay Marriage to to pedophilia and said both were taboos in Nigeria.

Uduaghan further told his hosts that gay marriage offends the cultural norms of Nigerians saying, "I am sure no one here in this country would accept a condition in which an adult can sleep with a 10-year-old girl. If that situation is not acceptable, we in Nigeria view gay marriage as such.

"In Nigeria marriage between two people is usually between a man and a woman and not just between them but between their families too. Whenever a couple come together, they are not coming together by themselves, it almost involves their different families and if it is known that in that family there are married gays, the danger is that the taboo emanating from that might even affect others who are straight and that is not right.

The Governor also accused the International community of double standards, he said, "There was a public hearing by the National Assembly and we are not aware of their opposition to this bill. What happened was that a lot of Nigerians appeared and made submission in favour of it. So it is a surprise that after the bill has been passed, we are now facing this opposition by the international community.

The Governor insisted that anyone who wishes to be married to a gay was free to migrate to a country where it is acceptable.

Tukur: I Went Through Hell as PDP Chairman

Five days after he was forced to resign, the immediate past National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has said he went through hell trying to run the party.

He spoke when some Muslim clerics paid him a solidarity visit at the weekend at   his Wuse 2 Abuja residence.

Tukur said but for the doggedness of President Goodluck Jonathan and the wisdom he displayed in managing the affairs of PDP, the party would have long collapsed, given what he described as ‘evil plots’ by certain members to completely destroy the party.

He also hinted of the expected qualities of his successor, ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that would elect his successor.
Some of the qualities, according to him, include being fearless, consistent and focused, because  he  passed  through difficult times while in office.

Tukur, who told the clerics that he made a huge sacrifice by resigning from office, also expressed regrets that some members of the PDP preferred the party to be run with the mentality of business as usual, because, according to him, such members were utterly opposed to any form of change he tried to introduce in running the party.

The former PDP Chairman, who restated his loyalty to President Goodluck Jonathan and his government, pledged his unalloyed support to the president and the PDP. 

He explained that he was proud of all the   decisions he took to reform the party, in order to deepen democracy and make Nigeria raise its head in the comity of great nations.

The former national chairman  urged the clerics to continue praying for President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP to overcome what he referred to as their trying moments.
According to him, he found it unbelievable to discover that some stakeholders of the party never had the interest of PDP or Nigeria at heart.

He explained that personal ambitions, crave for sudden wealth and unimaginable level of treachery usually got the full attention of such stakeholders than anything else.

“I did my best to bring PDP to good standard and international best practices on politics. I came in with the mind-set to reform the party by promoting the principle of election instead of selection and the idea of consensus instead of imposition.

“Alas, I was proved wrong by those who believed that the old order in PDP must be retained, not for any good thing, but for their selfish interests.

“Some members got so desperate that they turned to the media and funded all negative reports against me. If you are familiar with all the negative media reports, none attributed any wrong doing to me. The reports only echoed the views of the sponsors that I was unbending in my desire to change the bad situation in PDP.

“They even attempted to use the media to get me in confrontation with Mr. President. I never spoke to anyone about issues, yet the media would attribute some reports to me. But we knew those who were behind it all. They had forgotten that what ever goes round surely must come round.
“To put me on the spot, they sponsored another report that governorship aspirants were buying me bullet-proof jeeps so that I can give them governorship slot in their states. How could I do such a thing, when indeed, I was the one advocating change in PDP. I waged war against the idea of imposition or selection of candidates for elections in our party,” he said.

Meanwhile, the former Chairman has hinted that he would accept the “tougher job” promised him by President Jonathan last week..

One of Tukur’s aides, Awal Hayatudeen, who spoke with THISDAY, said Tukur was set to accept any “advisory role” available.

He said: “Our leader has extensive experience in almost every facet of business and politics both here at home and abroad. You know, some world leaders always joke that he is a president without a flag or office. They hold him in high esteem. He once addressed the United Nations General Assembly as a private citizen. Don’t forget he is still involved with the African Business Round table and the African Peer Review Mechanism. So he has all these international exposure and clout which would come in handy in the next assignment”

Meanwhile Jonathan yesterday night met  with state governors elected on the platform of the PDP, with a view to narrowing down on the successor of Tukur.

All the governors from the North-east where the position is zoned,  arrived the same time with Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State  and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, an indication that they  met somewhere ahead of the meeting with the president.
Checks indicated that Dickson met with the president briefly before leaving the premises to join the meeting of the North-east governors with Akpabio.

The meeting, held at the First Lady Wing of the State House, commenced at 9.10p.m.
Security officers chased out State House correspondents from the venue of the meeting which they said was not for media coverage.

Those present were Vice-President Namadi Sambo, leadership of the National Assembly, SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim, PDP Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus.
At the end of the meeting last night, former Bauchi State Governor, Adamu Mu’azu, was believed to have emerged as a consensus candidate.

THISDAY investigation revealed that President Jonathan strongly pushed for the former governor and the governors finally deferred to his choice.

Also, the governors who attended the parley included Jonah Jang (Plateau), Seidu Dakingari (Kebbi), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Theodore Orji (Abia)  Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Martins Elechi (Ebonyi) and Sullivan Chime (Enugu).

Others were Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Idris Wada (Kogi) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Lyel Imoke (Cross River),  Garba Umar (Taraba), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Bala Ngilari.
As at the time of filing this report, the meeting was still ongoing.

NIGERIA NAILS SOUTH AFRICA FOR QUARTER FINALS

A brace from Ejike Uzoenyi and a penalty goal from Ede Ifeanyi ensured that Nigeria’s Super Eagles proved critics wrong and stopped the hosts as they cruised into the quarter finals of the African Nations Championship, CHAN, in the last group match decided at the Cape Town Stadium, South Africa Sunday night.
Uzoenyi’s first goal came in the 22nd minute, Ifeanyi scored his penalty goal in the 32 minute, while Uzoenyi made it three for Nigeria in the 63rd minute. South Africa’s only goal was scored by Bernard Parker after an infringement in the Nigerian box in the 81st minute.
The match began with South Africa making effort to draw the first blood with intense attack, but Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim came out to cuddle a cross from the left.
Even a shot at goal by Bafana Bafana’s striker, Bernard Parker was dealt with by goalkeeper Agbim.
Nigeria then settled into this crucial match.

Super Eagles v South Africa

A sixth minute free kick taken by midfielder Siphiwe shabalala was palmed away to safety by a born again Agbim.
Nigeria’s first attempt at goal came in the eighth minute when Rabiu Ali collected a loose ball, but his shot from outside the box sailed out of touch.
Another big chance came the way of the Eagles in the 11th minute through Ifeanyi Ede who slide in to get a touch to Azubuike Egwuekwe’s shot, but he failed to convert his chance.
Nigeria looked assured even back in the defence and upfront their pace was troubling the Bafana backline.
Mother luck however smiled on the Nigerian side who were determined for an outright victory in the encounter when Ede set up Uzoenyi and he delightfully swept the ball past the Bafana goalkeeper, Moeneeb Josephs to score his first international goal for Nigeria in the 22nd minute of the game..
The goal silenced the hosts’ fans as the noise level at the stadium went down considerably after the Nigerians’ opening goal.
A penalty kick came for Nigeria in the 32nd minute when goalkeeper Joseph of South Africa spilled the ball and in an attempt to win back possession, tripped Gbolahan Salami inside the box.
The Bafana goalkeeper guessed right and even got his hand to the shot, but Ede Ifeanyi’s penalty kick was strong enough to find the back of the net to give the Eagles their second goal of the night. They took the lead into the half time.
Nigerian team restarted the second half with the confidence of two goals in their kitty.
Nigeria’s Ifeanyi ensured that he continued harassing the Bafana defence.
Bafana made spirited effort to score a goal in the 62nd minute through Mashego, who made a goalbound shot but it was clawed away by Agbim.
Ejike Uzoenyi compounded the woes of the hosts when he fired in a shot at goal in the 63rd minute to give the Nigerian team their third goal.
A shot that hit the cross bar denied Uzoenyi his hat-trick in the 71st minute.
A consolatory goal came for South Africa in the 80th minute after Uzochukwu brought down Parker inside the box and referee called for a penalty kick which Parker scored in the 81st minute.
The referee blew the whistle after four minutes added time.
Mali beat Mozambique 2-1 to top the group, while Nigeria finish second and Bafana crashed out.
Mali finished with seven points, Nigeria came second on six points.

Gay protest In Abuja

Nigerian gays and lesbians, under the aegis of
'The Right Defense', are daring President
Goodluck Jonathan, and would soon stage a
demonstration in Abuja, the Nigerian capital,
they said in a statement on Saturday.
The protest is against the anti-gay law signed by
the president on January, 7.
They added to the statement the masked
pictures of themselves noting they were
protesting against an "undemocratic and
unlawful discrimination" of gays and lesbians
and trans-genders in the country.
The demonstration in Abuja, they said, has
become necessary to condemn what they call "an
increase in threats against fundamental human
rights of certain persons including LGBT in the
country."
According to the group, they also want to
challenge the existence of the Nigeria human
rights body, the National Human Right
Commission "for its lack of integrity and
principle in the fight against discrimination and
violation of individual rights."
The group said many Nigerians have in the past
fled the country due to threats to life and
harassment in their communities. Those who
have fled include Alimi Bisi, Philip Temidayo
Adabayo, Desmond Patric, Nkechi Ugo, Lara
Abiodun Akinniyi, Simeon Demola Adesanmi,
Penu K. Z.
"The planning for the non-violent rally is to avert
the continuous attacking of the unarmed
citizens and the unlawful and arbitrary arrest of
wanted individuals," the group said.

Why did Jonathan sign the gay law?

man love

In2013 , an iconic picture of two ladies kissing before anti-gay marriage protesters in Marseille, France, went viral. That act of defiance before an assembly of mostly old ladies was to demonstrate an inviolable right to private life and choice. It was largely the fear of this sort of freedom that spurred the Nigerian Senate to embark on pushing a bill to criminalise activities relating to homosexuality with draconian measures.

The climax of the saga occurred on Monday, January 13 when the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, announced that the President had signed the bill into law.

It was a well-calculated move from a politician who wants to win popular support for 2015 elections, and he chose a good time to espouse conservative values. Just the previous week, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the All Progressives Congress engaged in the usual catfight, this time over religion. Having whipped up some Islamophobia, he artfully topped it all by riding on the waves of subsisting moral panic the gay debate generated. For a man who routinely closes his eyes to corruption and every other imaginable human vice in his administration, Jonathan's signing of this bill is illuminative of his moral values and priority. (By the way, where was his voice when the debate on child marriage was going on?) This time, he chose to be Pontius Pilate who delivered a poor prisoner to a raging mob.

That is not the stuff morally strong folk are made of.

The seeming interference by the West -specifically the United States - over the issue of same-sex relationship and its cultural acceptance in this part of the world have given some relativists a new punch-bag. What people saw as Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama's meddlesomeness quickly gave rise to a congress of emergency patriots who arrogated upon themselves the power to erect a perimeter fence around values they alone can decide are either "African" or not.

These afro-jingoists position Africa as the bastion of moral values (which, incidentally, always begins and ends with sex) and insist we maintain a rigid stand against cultural erosion; that we are a sovereign nation and the white man cannot dictate to us. Rather than focus on their countrymen who will be affected by the law, they expend energy yelling at the white man who will not lose anything in the long run.

This sort of resistance is to be expected, of course. History teaches us that the people of Calabar had a similar pushback against Mary Slessor when she began to campaign against the killing of twins. Today, Nigerians venerate her for her foresight. When a white District Officer stopped the Elesin Oba culture in colonial Oyo town, people protested saying a white man had no right to stop a legitimate cultural practice.

The point is, culture does not mean people should be stuck in a time warp. Societies advance and that is why even the most vociferous campaigners for "African values" will not forsake their European/Arabia-gifted religion for Amadioha or Sango; will not give up their cellphones (and other forms of western technology) and return to the villages to communicate with drums and smoke signals. They will not request a law that forces women to marry as virgins like it used to be, once upon a time, in Africa. There is no culture in the world that is immutable. What people call "African culture" today, cultural scholars have analysed, are largely practices that are consequences of colonialism.

Nigerians can talk about sovereignty all day but countries interfere in local affairs as moral conscience of other countries. For both the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide, taking the stand of "sovereignty" was as immoral. Either as individuals or as a nation, "The West" has intervened in Africa frequently: in wars, in education, during famines and till now they still dish us billions of dollars in aid and relief. Bill Gates, on his blog, posts pictures and notes of his philanthropic activities in Africa's poor places and not one African leader has ever kicked him out in the name of sovereignty.

To be an independent nation goes beyond yelling against the white man's intrusive ways. It comes with obligations and one of them is protecting the minority from the repressive might of the majority.

That is the sort of moral responsibility that President Jonathan should have displayed rather than take the populist route of offering up gays as scapegoats to be slaughtered to one of the gods we worship in Nigeria -hypocrisy. In a country where freedom and human rights are barely guaranteed most people, why expose minorities to hate and its consequences?

Prior to the time the likes of Senators Oluremi Tinubu, Domingo Obende and about 24 others proposed the bill in 2011 to stem the cultural tide rising from the West, gays in Nigeria were not agitating to be married. They were not requesting that the law defining marriages as heterosexual relationships in Nigeria be amended. No, the move was mimicry; since Oyinbo lawmakers were debating homosexuality, Nigerians lawmakers must do so too.

That copycat attitude was an annoying form of reactivism to an issue they obviously barely understood beyond its aesthetics. Most of the debaters had neither profound arguments nor made historical analyses to tender beyond throwing out their religious definition of morality everywhere. In Nigeria, when people bring out their holy books during an argument, good luck to reason. It was not surprising the debate did not go far.

I had hoped Jonathan would at least refrain from touching the bill and concentrate on the corruption crippling his government; he would have focused on providing electricity. He should also stop giving recycled speeches every time his hand grasps a microphone. But no, he had to capitulate. One day, he will look back and realise he fell on the wrong side of history.

Finally, at whatever personal risk under this obnoxious law, I reiterate my unflinching support for sexual minorities in Nigeria -lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. I believe nobody should suffer discrimination based on their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, race and whatever identity with which they are labelled. I believe in equality and I wish to state that unequivocally.

And for those who are about to wonder, yes, this is my religion.

Life-jail prisoner bags degree at NOUN graduation

 

•President may grant him pardon -Minister

A convict serving a life jail sentence at the Maximum Security Prison, Kirikiri, Lagos, Mr. Kabiru Tuwanse was among 4, 308 students who graduated yesterday from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). He earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management from the Lagos Prison Study Centre of the university.
National Mirror gathered that two of his fellow inmates at the centre, could not make the graduation list for their inability to meet up with the minimum academic requirement for the award of the university’s certificate.
Tuwanse, who had obtained a Higher National Diploma before he was sentenced for murder has so far spent 11 years behind bars. He was accompanied to the venue of the graduation ceremony at the National
Theatre, Iganmu by some officers of the prison service led by the Assistant Controller General Prisons, Mr. Raymond Afujue. Looking remorseful, Tunwanse who is in his 50s expressed gratitude unto God for the achievement, saying even though he does not know what fate has for him after now, he is still hopeful that he could be granted pardon.
In his address at the occasion, the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who stood in for President Goodluck Jonathan said the case of the graduating prisoner would be presented to Mr. President if he could be granted pardon. He said he was particularly happy that a prisoner could think to further his education while in prison.
Speaking earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof, Vincent Tenebe disclosed that of the total 54 study centres of the institution across the country, four of them in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu are dedicated for inmates so as to meet their university education needs.
News by  James Abraham

Jonathan sacks service chiefs, appoints new ones

Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim, Air Marshal Badeh,Azubike Ihejirika,Dele Ezeoba advertisement

President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked all the service chiefs, who are statutorily the heads of the nation’s military apparatus.

This was contained in the Twitter andFacebook posts by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, on Thursday.

No reason was given for the changes.

The post read, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria approved the following changes in the nation's Military High Command:

“Air Marshal Alex Badeh takes over from Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff.

“Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Minimah takes over from Lt.-General Azubike Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff.

“Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin takes over from Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.

“All the changes are with immediate effect.”

The new Chief of Defence Staff and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Badeh was born on January 10, 1957 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 21 Regular Course while the new Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Minimah was born on July 27, 1959 and joined the Army as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Major-General Minimah was the Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Jaji.

The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin was born on September 16, 1959 and joined the Navy as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 24 Regular Course. Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, he was Director of Training at Defence Headquarters.

The new Chief of Air Staff and immediate past Commander of the Presidential Air Fleet, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was born on August 1, 1958 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy's 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command, Makurdi.

Jonathan has briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the appointment of the new service chiefs and will, in keeping with the provisions of the law, request the National Assembly to formally confirm the appointments when it reconvenes.