I wish You a
Fantastic
Tuesday
Omotola Jalade Canvasses Fund for Motherless Home
As you are reading this, the mother of four children is campaigning to raise funds for Zion Motherless and Widows Home. She is calling on all generous Nigerians to contribute financially to help the downtrodden people living in this home.
She revealed this few minutes ago when she stated: "I'm trying to raise funds for them. Its called, Zion Motherless and Widows Home. I'm hoping someone will inspire me... Kick this ball rolling. Waiting for the first donation will match it. Give and let give. It will all be announced."
Recall that months back, the actress almost changed the lives of 20 widows in Nigeria through her foundation.
'Many Celebrities who donated for my surgery used it as a competition' OJB; reveals few names
Veteran music producer, OJB Jezreel who recently came into Nigeria after a successful Surgery in India, in a recent interview mentioned names of some of the celebrities who donated and who he is disappointed, from the look of things the veteran artiste is very unhappy with Dbanj and the reason is not unconnected with his refusal to donate towards his surgery in India.
Expressing his disappointment, OJB said “The most disappointing one for me is D'banj because he passed through my hands. He was trained under my tutelage. That is offensive. I don't care if you're with Kanye West or not. You can't forget your root. I won't call anybody else's name but I will call his because it hurts. His own hurts very deep. And he never tried to reach out to me. It's not like we parted on fighting terms.”
He continued “He told me he had to go to London and he went. And when he came back, it was Don Jazzy, and I said okay, that's fine. And what he did worked and I'm very proud of him. He should have come out to say no, I don't know why you people are saying all these. I didn't give OJB N7million, maybe a part of him felt embarrassed because at the end of the day, really, are you not supposed to do something?”
On the number of genuine and bounced cheques he got during the donation, OJB said “When P-Square gave me N5million cheque, everybody started treating it as a competition. They were like, they brought N5m. I want to show that I can do more, or equal it. So they will come to my house, some will drop N2m, N1m. You say thank you, they take pictures and go away. Then you drop the cheque in your account and you see that almost N4/5million is being returned back to you that it didn't clear. You call them and tell them and they tell you they are coming but they haven't picked the cheques till now.
“The shocking ones are not even the bounced cheques. It's the ones that when they are coming to meet you in the house to give you money, they come with a whole camera crew. Then, they will say I'm donating one million naira to you and the cameras start recording and maybe the guy's tape stops, and he says let's take that again.” He revealed.
Expressing his disappointment, OJB said “The most disappointing one for me is D'banj because he passed through my hands. He was trained under my tutelage. That is offensive. I don't care if you're with Kanye West or not. You can't forget your root. I won't call anybody else's name but I will call his because it hurts. His own hurts very deep. And he never tried to reach out to me. It's not like we parted on fighting terms.”
He continued “He told me he had to go to London and he went. And when he came back, it was Don Jazzy, and I said okay, that's fine. And what he did worked and I'm very proud of him. He should have come out to say no, I don't know why you people are saying all these. I didn't give OJB N7million, maybe a part of him felt embarrassed because at the end of the day, really, are you not supposed to do something?”
On the number of genuine and bounced cheques he got during the donation, OJB said “When P-Square gave me N5million cheque, everybody started treating it as a competition. They were like, they brought N5m. I want to show that I can do more, or equal it. So they will come to my house, some will drop N2m, N1m. You say thank you, they take pictures and go away. Then you drop the cheque in your account and you see that almost N4/5million is being returned back to you that it didn't clear. You call them and tell them and they tell you they are coming but they haven't picked the cheques till now.
“The shocking ones are not even the bounced cheques. It's the ones that when they are coming to meet you in the house to give you money, they come with a whole camera crew. Then, they will say I'm donating one million naira to you and the cameras start recording and maybe the guy's tape stops, and he says let's take that again.” He revealed.
FG expands facilities at Lagos Airport
There are also ongoing massive expansion work at the top of the terminal as airline lounges, transit lounges and other facilities are being built.
On top of the existing fingers were added another floor where departing passengers would pass through to the avio bridges in order not to mix with arriving passengers, a cardinal factor in the safety regulation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The new additions will enable easy movement of passengers, and establish the Lagos airport as a regional hub, as passengers travelling to different parts of the West and Central Africa would stay at the transit lounges and wait for their flights; the same with passengers coming from these destination and travelling to distant routes.
New screening machines have been installed at the airport and their remarkable feature is the ability to detect explosive materials and potential threat items real time with the lowest rate of false alarm.
Thirty new immigration counters have also been introduced as against the previous nine, which will improve passenger facilitation as there will be quick response from the counters. The extended departure consists of 14 check-in counters, seven hand-luggage X-ray machines and eight walk-through body scanners at the E finger.
Spokesman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Yakubu Dati explained that the expanded infrastructure is equipped with 11 toilet facilities for both male and female passengers, as well as disabled persons.
He said the new extension comes with commercial offerings including shops and other business, adding that the duty free shops would provide passengers the opportunity for last minute shopping, refreshments and other conveniences in line with global standards and recommended practices.
'The improvement in physical extension of the passenger handling area is by one and a-half times or 150 per cent more than its previous size. Three new hi-tech conveyor systems have also been installed in this new section since early this year. This has been easing the experience of passengers who now enjoy faster processing of their luggage and personal effects,” adding that the new conveyor systems can process the luggage of 1,000 passengers per hour.
N620 Million Routine Thefts: Governor Akpabio’s Brothers Distribute SUVs To PDP Stalwarts
“I witnessed it the distribution. It's fleet of brand new SUVs, 31 in number
distributed today to PDP stalwarts and some questionable 'loyalists 'in the state. The fleet scheme is master-minded by one of the clan members, Prince Akpabio at a cost of N20 million per vehicle, totaling N620 million. The money is allegedly removed from local governments' purse and each LG is taxed N20m for the illegal project.” The source said,
He stated that the 31 SUVs were parked for weeks in front of the residence of the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon Samuel Ikon and that of the Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Ekpenyong Ntekim, before finally distributed by Prince Akpabio himself to some selected PDP members who were believed to have 'served' their masters well.
“For weeks, the fleet was seen parked at a lot across from the residences of Speaker of the Assembly and that of Commissioner of Justice.” The chieftain said through a text message
He lamented that that the Akpabio brothers have continually drained the local government even when their brother persistently deduct huge sum of money at source from the local government allocation, these men continue to force the Local Government Chairmen to give them money with threat of removing them should they fail to meet their routine demands. A development he said has compelled the local government heads to frequently borrow money from the bank for the payment of salaries and other entitlements.
“Despite huge sums of money allocated to the state, huge sums of money like this disappear daily while the poor in the state go to bed with empty stomach. The LG chairs are afraid of being hounded and cannot openly challenge the clan lest they are removed from office. If you wonder why your local governments are not making good use of allocated funds but are turning to banks in droves for loan to cover salaries, It is because the clan is milking the LG purse dry.” The PDP chief maintained.
Saturday
Neslon Mandela Live Forever............
Big guns fired a salute in the rural village where Nelson Mandela grew up and military servicemen marched stiffly behind his casket on a winding dirt road Sunday as South Africa said goodbye for the last time to the man who reconciled the country in its most vulnerable period.
Several thousand guests, some singing and dancing, gathered in a huge tent at the family compound of the anti-apartheid leader, who died December 5 at the age of 95 after a long illness.
Guests included senior South African officials, veterans of the fight against white rule and foreign diplomats, including US Ambassador Patrick Gaspard. Britain's Prince Charles, entrepreneur Richard Branson and former Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai were also there.
Mandela's portrait was placed behind two rows of candles in the white, dome-shaped marquee. Outside, South African honour guards from the army, navy and air force marched in formation. Mandela's casket, covered by a national flag, was transported on a military vehicle to the tent, where pallbearers carried it on a red carpet into the tent where guests awaited.
After the funeral ceremony, a smaller group of guests was to attend Mandela's burial at a family grave site on the estate in Qunu, a rural village in Eastern Cape province.
The burial will end 10 days of mourning ceremonies that included a massive stadium memorial in Johannesburg and three days during which Mandela's body lay in state in the capital, Pretoria.
Mandela's casket arrived at the family compound from the capital on Saturday. It was accompanied by an enormous convoy of police, military and other vehicles.
Mandela spent 27 years in jail as a prisoner from apartheid, then emerged to lead a delicate transition to democracy when many South Africans feared that the country would sink into all-out racial conflict. He became president in the first all-race elections in 1994.
While South Africa faces many problems, including crime, unemployment and economic inequality, Mandela is seen by many compatriots as the father of their nation and around the world as an example of the healing power of reconciliation.
Americans Lesson from Mandela.......
Word of Nelson Mandela's death spread quickly across the United States, bringing with it a mix of reverence and grief for a man who was born in South Africa but in the end belonged to the world.
President Barack Obama ordered American flags to be lowered immediately to half-staff until Monday in tribute to Mandela, a rare honor for a foreign leader.
Memorials to the former South African president popped up from Los Angeles to Chicago, where flowers and candles were laid in front of murals bearing his likeness. In Washington, people gathered in front of South Africa's embassy.
For many Americans, the death of Mandela was akin to losing one of their own.
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
He loomed large in the actions of activists and politicians; he inspired music and movies.
Here's a look at Mandela's impact on the United States:
ACTIVISM
It began with a financial boycott, of sorts.
Students on campuses across the country in the late 1970s called for their universities and colleges to divest from investments in South Africa.
That led to sit-ins and protest marches that by the mid-1980s drew thousands.
"We had marches day after day, thousands of people got arrested in Washington, D.C.," civil rights attorney Charles Ogletree said. "They were all released and ultimately not charged with any offense. Because it was a national issue -- black, white, male, female, people on the left and right, everybody was involved in it."
Word of Nelson Mandela's death spread quickly across the United States, bringing with it a mix of reverence and grief for a man who was born in South Africa but in the end belonged to the world.
President Barack Obama ordered American flags to be lowered immediately to half-staff until Monday in tribute to Mandela, a rare honor for a foreign leader.
Memorials to the former South African president popped up from Los Angeles to Chicago, where flowers and candles were laid in front of murals bearing his likeness. In Washington, people gathered in front of South Africa's embassy.
For many Americans, the death of Mandela was akin to losing one of their own.
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
He loomed large in the actions of activists and politicians; he inspired music and movies.
Here's a look at Mandela's impact on the United States:
ACTIVISM
It began with a financial boycott, of sorts.
Students on campuses across the country in the late 1970s called for their universities and colleges to divest from investments in South Africa.
That led to sit-ins and protest marches that by the mid-1980s drew thousands.
"We had marches day after day, thousands of people got arrested in Washington, D.C.," civil rights attorney Charles Ogletree said. "They were all released and ultimately not charged with any offense. Because it was a national issue -- black, white, male, female, people on the left and right, everybody was involved in it."
In 1986, Rep. Ron Dellums, D-California, sponsored a bill that called for a full trade embargo against South Africa as well as divestment by American companies. The bill, which passed the House, was vetoed by then-President Ronald Reagan. Congress then overrode the veto.
Today, this type of activism -- financial boycotts -- have become a protest staple. For example, fast food workers called this week for a boycott of their respective restaurants to protest low wages.
In 1986, Rep. Ron Dellums, D-California, sponsored a bill that called for a full trade embargo against South Africa as well as divestment by American companies. The bill, which passed the House, was vetoed by then-President Ronald Reagan. Congress then overrode the veto.
Today, this type of activism -- financial boycotts -- have become a protest staple. For example, fast food workers called this week for a boycott of their respective restaurants to protest low wages.
President Barack Obama ordered American flags to be lowered immediately to half-staff until Monday in tribute to Mandela, a rare honor for a foreign leader.
Memorials to the former South African president popped up from Los Angeles to Chicago, where flowers and candles were laid in front of murals bearing his likeness. In Washington, people gathered in front of South Africa's embassy.
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
Here's a look at Mandela's impact on the United States:
ACTIVISM
It began with a financial boycott, of sorts.
Students on campuses across the country in the late 1970s called for their universities and colleges to divest from investments in South Africa.
That led to sit-ins and protest marches that by the mid-1980s drew thousands.
"We had marches day after day, thousands of people got arrested in Washington, D.C.," civil rights attorney Charles Ogletree said. "They were all released and ultimately not charged with any offense. Because it was a national issue -- black, white, male, female, people on the left and right, everybody was involved in it."
Word of Nelson Mandela's death spread quickly across the United States, bringing with it a mix of reverence and grief for a man who was born in South Africa but in the end belonged to the world.
President Barack Obama ordered American flags to be lowered immediately to half-staff until Monday in tribute to Mandela, a rare honor for a foreign leader.
Memorials to the former South African president popped up from Los Angeles to Chicago, where flowers and candles were laid in front of murals bearing his likeness. In Washington, people gathered in front of South Africa's embassy.
For many Americans, the death of Mandela was akin to losing one of their own.
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
Photos: World reacts to Mandela's death
Ambassador: U.S. joins us in our grief
In Mandela's own words
He loomed large in the actions of activists and politicians; he inspired music and movies.
Here's a look at Mandela's impact on the United States:
ACTIVISM
It began with a financial boycott, of sorts.
Students on campuses across the country in the late 1970s called for their universities and colleges to divest from investments in South Africa.
That led to sit-ins and protest marches that by the mid-1980s drew thousands.
"We had marches day after day, thousands of people got arrested in Washington, D.C.," civil rights attorney Charles Ogletree said. "They were all released and ultimately not charged with any offense. Because it was a national issue -- black, white, male, female, people on the left and right, everybody was involved in it."
Today, this type of activism -- financial boycotts -- have become a protest staple. For example, fast food workers called this week for a boycott of their respective restaurants to protest low wages.
In 1986, Rep. Ron Dellums, D-California, sponsored a bill that called for a full trade embargo against South Africa as well as divestment by American companies. The bill, which passed the House, was vetoed by then-President Ronald Reagan. Congress then overrode the veto.
Today, this type of activism -- financial boycotts -- have become a protest staple. For example, fast food workers called this week for a boycott of their respective restaurants to protest low wages.
Friday
Controversial letter: Jonathan, Obasanjo meet in Kenya
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday met behind closed doors in the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya.
The meeting held less than 24 hours after an 18-page letter Obasanjo sent to Jonathan went public.
Both leaders were in Nairobi for Kenya’s 50th independence anniversary which was held inside the Safaricom Stadium.
The former President had in the letter accused Jonathan of condoning corruption and engaging in acts that were capable of destroying the country.
Before the event, Obasanjo had made an appearance at Jonathan’s hotel on a day the media were awash with the letter titled “Before it is too late.”
The former President’s arrival was said to have been heralded by the surprise visit to Jonathan by Obasanjo’s daughter identified simply as Funke.
A source told The OPINIONVOICES that a few minutes after that, Obasanjo arrived to the surprise of Jonathan’s aides.
The source added that the ex-President, in his usual humorous manner, said, “Mr. President, I have come to pay homage.”
According to him, they talked briefly over breakfast after which Obasanjo jokingly said, “Mr. President, permission to go ahead of you.”
Our source said Jonathan replied with “Permission granted,” amidst laughter by the two of them and their aides.
But The OPINIONVOICES learnt in Abuja on Thursday that the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party were already planning a counter offensive against Obasanjo.
Some of the aides of the President, headed by his Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, met at the Presidential Villa with Vice-President Namadi Sambo, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar; and the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh.
The other aides in attendance at the meeting which took place in Sambo’s office were the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe; the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Umar Sani.
Sambo, Maku and Umar later left others to attend a scheduled meeting inside one of the conference halls in the vice-president’s office while others moved to Oghiadomhe’s office to continue their consultation.
A source privy to the meeting told one of our correspondents that they discussed how best the Presidency would respond to Obasanjo’s letter.
It was gathered that the meeting by the presidential aide was approved by Jonathan, who, according to our source, was rattled by the publication of the letter by the media.
They also discussed the way to handle the backlash arising from the letter and how to reach out to those that Obasanjo sent copies of the letter to.
The former President had copied two former Heads of State, Generals Abdulsalami Abubakar and Ibrahim Babangida.
He also copied former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme and a former Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma.
One of the decisions reached at the meeting was that “a high-powered” delegation be sent to Abubakar, Babangida, Ekwueme and Danjuma to explain Jonathan’s angle to the issues raised by Obasanjo.
It was gathered that the team would leave for Minna, Niger State “soon,” to meet with Abubakar and Babangida.
Our source said there were reports that Babangida was also planning to write his own letter to the President, asking him to forget his second term ambition.
The source said, “The two meetings are aimed at dousing tension created by Obasanjo’s letter.
“We will meet those he copied in his letter and explain our points to them before deciding on the next line of action. We know the security and political implications of the letter. So, we don’t have to leave anything to chance.”
The source added that the President might personally reply Obasanjo in writing.
He said, “Chief Obasanjo has said that the President refused to reply his earlier letters. He will get his reply this time round. When the President said he would personally respond to the charges, he did not mean that he would address a press conference for instance. What he will do is to write the former President.”
When asked if the President’s letter would be made public, he replied, “When we reach that bridge, we will cross it. For now, the response is still being compiled.”
Shortly after the meeting, Sambo also met behind closed doors with the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.
At the end of the meeting, Anenih, who refused to speak with journalists, also had discussions with the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
Mixed reactions have however continued to trail the letter in which Obasanjo lashed out at Jonathan for acts capable of destroying the country.
Those who reacted on Thursday were a Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the All Progressives Congress, the Northern Elders Forum, the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, the Ijaw Youth Council and the United Action for Democracy.
While Abubakar called on the two former Heads of State, Ekwueme and Danjuma to speak up now on the letter, the APC, CNPAPB A, the NEF and the UAD cautioned the Jonathan administration against treating issues raised by the ex-President with levity.
But the IYC chided Obasanjo, claiming that his anti-Jonathan posture was capable of putting the nation on the precipice.
Although Abubakar said he was not competent to speak on the letter, he however insisted that it was expedient for Nigerian leaders to intervene and reduce the tension created by Obasanjo’s weighty allegations.
In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, the ex-vice-president said like every other Nigerian, he felt the allegations were too disturbing to be treated with apathy by any political stakeholder.
He said at a moment of national anxiety or uncertainty, leaders across the country should rise to the occasion and reassure their citizens about the future.
Abubakar said, “Our priorities for Nigeria are forging lasting solutions to our chronic unemployment, providing safety and security for all, and vastly improving our failing education systems. President Jonathan’s government has consistently failed to address these critical concerns.
“That said, it is on record that I have firmly fought for a democracy where the voters choose their future leaders, not political party bosses.
“If the incumbent President insists on continuing to destroy his own party with vindictive internal wars and thinks his record of rising youth unemployment, never-ending violence, corruption and scandals is worthy of another term, then he is welcome to run. We are confident Nigerians will exercise their democratic right to choose new leadership in 2015.”
He agreed that the President was free to run his government without interference, but said sometimes even sitting Presidents needed outside constructive interventions to move their countries forward.
The APC said it agreed with Obasanjo’s call on Jonathan not to allow personal and partisan considerations blot out his responsibility as the father of the nation.
The position of the APC was contained in a statement by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
In reference to happenings in Rivers State, for which Obasanjo also berated Jonathan, the APC said it had resolved not to sit by and allow anyone make the nation a laughing stock in the comity of nations.
The statement reads in part: “We are aware of the letter to President Jonathan by former President Obasanjo, virtually accusing the President of destroying the same nation he was elected to preside over and uplift.
“We hope he will not allow Obasanjo’s prognosis about him to come true so soon by backing any move that can plunge Nigeria into chaos.
“This is because, we in the APC, have resolved never to sit by and allow anyone, no matter how highly placed, to engage in actions that will make our country a laughing stock and a pariah in the comity of nations.”
The APC said there would be no peace anywhere in the country if the Federal Government supported the perpetration of impunity in Rivers State.
This, it said was not a threat, “but the sure consequences of any acts of impunity.”
Speaking in a similar vein, the Convener of the CNPAPB, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said Obasanjo’s letter raised a number of serious issues that could not be ignored.
He said claims that the Presidency was plotting to set up “a killer squad” was particularly worrisome considering the nation’s sad history of unresolved assassinations.
Mohammed said, “This, to me is very serious and given the way the government has been behaving from the time Jonathan came to power in an acting capacity, the way and manner he, INEC and others, were complicit in rigging the election. I, as a Nigerian, has to be worried.
“It is a known fact that a new think tank has been created and is being massively funded. Nigerians ought to be worried; we had random extra-judicial killings which became the norm of the government of the day.
“As I can recall, most of the people killed have been unaccounted for.
Most of the people who were alleged to have done it or were accessories have been freed.
“The idea that we are going back to the era where for example, Kudirat Abiola was assassinated in broad daylight, a time where the late Alex Ibru, got a snipers bullet in the head; he never was the same until he died of another ailment.”
Also, the UAD agreed with Obasanjo’s claim that corruption had been institutionalised in the country.
The group, which is made up of more than 46 civil society groups, also said it would be wrong to insulate the National Assembly from the corruption bazaar in the country.
It said corruption was being used as a patronage mechanism of the ruling elite.
The National Convener of the UAD, Mr. Baba Aye, spoke on behalf of other leaders of the group at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
Those present at the briefing were the Deputy National Convener, Abdul Yusuf; the General Secretary, Zulu Ofoelue; the National Treasurer, Jide Afolabi; and the National Publicity, Styvn Obodoekwe.
Aye said, “The UAD notes that corruption has remained institutionalised in Nigeria as a patronage mechanism of the ruling elite to foster their control over the economy and polity.
“With the recent rating of Nigeria as the 33rd most corrupt country in the world by the Transparency International, the brazen faces of corruption continue to disrupt national development.”
He stated that it was particularly worrisome that there was surreptitious sharpening of the teeth of state terrorism going on in the country.
“We regard these allegations with utmost seriousness, and demand an urgent verifiable response from the Presidency,” Aye said.
On its part, the NEF said even though Obasanjo said nothing new, he should be given credit for his comment on Jonathan administration.
Its spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said, “This is from the horse’s mouth, if I had said this three weeks ago they would have said, Ango has been in opposition all his life but this is the man I opposed. I opposed Obasanjo, he was my friend. We parted ways in 2003.
“Here is the man who brought this man (Jonathan) to us (North), he was the one who did the mago, mago(trick) for Umaru Yar’Adua, he did the mago, mago for Jonathan.
“Now that he has at least been honest enough to speak out about the fact that, there was a one-term agreement and all of the issues he has raised in his letter, we should take him as an authority on the issue.”
The NEF spokesman also said there was no denying the fact that the nation was on its knees hence the need for all men of goodwill to abandon their ethno-religious differences and work towards rescuing the nation.
But the IYC accused Obasanjo of heating up the polity unnecessarily.
President of the IYC, Udengs Eradiri, who addressed journalists in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, asked Obansajo to look inwards before making spurious comments.
He said it was unfortunate that Obasanjo associated Jonathan with violence and purported training of goons like late General Sani Abacha reportedly did.
He added that it was not in the character of Ijaw people to take delight in killing people.
Eradiri said Obasanjo’s letter was suggestive of ill-feelings, stressing that he was engaging in the proverbial ‘pull-him-down syndrome’ because the President had unbeatable record of achievements.
He said, “In this country, leaders who see that others will surpass them will decide to drag them down and is that is what is playing out in the case of Obasanjo’s letter to Jonathan.
“The achievements that Jonathan has put on the table will be difficult for any other President to surpass in the country. But he is a man who does not know how to blow his trumpet.”.
Tuesday
In death, Mandela blurs US political lines
Johannesburg - Nelson Mandela's memorial service wrought an unusual truce on Tuesday across the faultlines of US presidential politics.A current, a past, and a possible future US president crowded aboard Air Force One for the 16-hour flight from Washington to South Africa.
Barack Obama, George W Bush and Hillary Clinton have had their share of political spats but had plenty of time to swap political gossip in the plane's conference room.
Obama and his wife Michelle, making the most of their current lease of the iconic blue and white presidential jet, were berthed in the plush cabin up front.
Bush and his wife Laura were in the medical suite behind Obama's office, while Clinton, accompanied by her globe-trotting aide Huma Abedin, camped out in the senior staff quarters.
While aiming to project cordiality in public, Bush and Obama are not exactly close. Privately disagreements still fester over the Iraq war.
Obama had branded the conflict launched by Bush as a "dumb war", and built a career opposing it.
‘I like him...in doses’
There are many former officials in the Republican camp, meanwhile, who are angry that Obama did not reach a deal with Iraq to leave some US soldiers behind after his troop withdrawal, and they partly blame the president for the country's current violent torment.
Bush though, unlike his voluble former vice president Dick Cheney, has made good on his vow not to snipe at Obama from the sidelines and tells anyone who will listen that he is glad to be done with politics.
There is common ground between the pair on African soil however : Obama has singled out Bush for praise over his multi-billion dollar emergency plan to battle HIV and AIDS.
Obama, Clinton and Bush were joined in South Africa by two other US presidents - Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter - who had their own share of spats when Clinton was in office.
Clinton and Obama have not exactly seen eye-to-eye over the younger Democrat's presidency: the scars of Obama's bitter 2008 primary campaign took a long time to heal.
The recent book "Double Down" which charted Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, revealed that at one point the president struggled to tolerate Clinton for a whole round of golf.
"I like him ... in doses," Obama is reported to have told an aide.
Distant political hero
The relationship between the only two-term Democratic presidents since World War II took a turn for the better however when the president unexpectedly chose Hillary Clinton as his first secretary of state.
Then, Bill Clinton threw himself wholeheartedly into Obama's re-election campaign, winning the president's gratitude.
No event featuring Hillary Clinton these days is free of rampant speculation about whether she will take another tilt at the presidency in 2016 - she remains the hot favourite for the Democratic Party nomination.
Each of the former presidents had a distinct relationship with Mandela.
For Obama, he was a distant political hero, who inspired him to take up activism when he was a student.
Mandela and Obama met in Washington before the younger man made it to the White House.
But the much anticipated meeting between the first black presidents of South Africa and the United States never happened, as Mandela was too sick to accept visitors when Obama was in the country in June.
For Clinton, Mandela was a trusted confidant at his hour of greatest need - when he was under withering fire from political opponents over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Bush felt the lash of Mandela's tongue - as the then retired South African president railed against the impending Iraq war in 2003.
Mandela was in prison for the entirety of Carter's 1977-1981 presidency.
But the two men came to know one another as sage former statesmen in the Elders group, which was founded by Mandela.
In death, Mandela blurs US political lines
Johannesburg - Nelson Mandela's memorial service wrought an unusual truce on Tuesday across the faultlines of US presidential politics.
A current, a past, and a possible future US president crowded aboard Air Force One for the 16-hour flight from Washington to South Africa.
Barack Obama, George W Bush and Hillary Clinton have had their share of political spats but had plenty of time to swap political gossip in the plane's conference room.
Obama and his wife Michelle, making the most of their current lease of the iconic blue and white presidential jet, were berthed in the plush cabin up front.
Bush and his wife Laura were in the medical suite behind Obama's office, while Clinton, accompanied by her globe-trotting aide Huma Abedin, camped out in the senior staff quarters.
While aiming to project cordiality in public, Bush and Obama are not exactly close. Privately disagreements still fester over the Iraq war.
Obama had branded the conflict launched by Bush as a "dumb war", and built a career opposing it.
‘I like him...in doses’
There are many former officials in the Republican camp, meanwhile, who are angry that Obama did not reach a deal with Iraq to leave some US soldiers behind after his troop withdrawal, and they partly blame the president for the country's current violent torment.
Bush though, unlike his voluble former vice president Dick Cheney, has made good on his vow not to snipe at Obama from the sidelines and tells anyone who will listen that he is glad to be done with politics.
There is common ground between the pair on African soil however : Obama has singled out Bush for praise over his multi-billion dollar emergency plan to battle HIV and AIDS.
Obama, Clinton and Bush were joined in South Africa by two other US presidents - Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter - who had their own share of spats when Clinton was in office.
Clinton and Obama have not exactly seen eye-to-eye over the younger Democrat's presidency: the scars of Obama's bitter 2008 primary campaign took a long time to heal.
The recent book "Double Down" which charted Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, revealed that at one point the president struggled to tolerate Clinton for a whole round of golf.
"I like him ... in doses," Obama is reported to have told an aide.
Distant political hero
The relationship between the only two-term Democratic presidents since World War II took a turn for the better however when the president unexpectedly chose Hillary Clinton as his first secretary of state.
Then, Bill Clinton threw himself wholeheartedly into Obama's re-election campaign, winning the president's gratitude.
No event featuring Hillary Clinton these days is free of rampant speculation about whether she will take another tilt at the presidency in 2016 - she remains the hot favourite for the Democratic Party nomination.
Each of the former presidents had a distinct relationship with Mandela.
For Obama, he was a distant political hero, who inspired him to take up activism when he was a student.
Mandela and Obama met in Washington before the younger man made it to the White House.
But the much anticipated meeting between the first black presidents of South Africa and the United States never happened, as Mandela was too sick to accept visitors when Obama was in the country in June.
For Clinton, Mandela was a trusted confidant at his hour of greatest need - when he was under withering fire from political opponents over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Bush felt the lash of Mandela's tongue - as the then retired South African president railed against the impending Iraq war in 2003.
Mandela was in prison for the entirety of Carter's 1977-1981 presidency.
But the two men came to know one another as sage former statesmen in the Elders group, which was founded by Mandela.
A current, a past, and a possible future US president crowded aboard Air Force One for the 16-hour flight from Washington to South Africa.
Barack Obama, George W Bush and Hillary Clinton have had their share of political spats but had plenty of time to swap political gossip in the plane's conference room.
Obama and his wife Michelle, making the most of their current lease of the iconic blue and white presidential jet, were berthed in the plush cabin up front.
Bush and his wife Laura were in the medical suite behind Obama's office, while Clinton, accompanied by her globe-trotting aide Huma Abedin, camped out in the senior staff quarters.
While aiming to project cordiality in public, Bush and Obama are not exactly close. Privately disagreements still fester over the Iraq war.
Obama had branded the conflict launched by Bush as a "dumb war", and built a career opposing it.
‘I like him...in doses’
There are many former officials in the Republican camp, meanwhile, who are angry that Obama did not reach a deal with Iraq to leave some US soldiers behind after his troop withdrawal, and they partly blame the president for the country's current violent torment.
Bush though, unlike his voluble former vice president Dick Cheney, has made good on his vow not to snipe at Obama from the sidelines and tells anyone who will listen that he is glad to be done with politics.
There is common ground between the pair on African soil however : Obama has singled out Bush for praise over his multi-billion dollar emergency plan to battle HIV and AIDS.
Obama, Clinton and Bush were joined in South Africa by two other US presidents - Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter - who had their own share of spats when Clinton was in office.
Clinton and Obama have not exactly seen eye-to-eye over the younger Democrat's presidency: the scars of Obama's bitter 2008 primary campaign took a long time to heal.
The recent book "Double Down" which charted Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, revealed that at one point the president struggled to tolerate Clinton for a whole round of golf.
"I like him ... in doses," Obama is reported to have told an aide.
Distant political hero
The relationship between the only two-term Democratic presidents since World War II took a turn for the better however when the president unexpectedly chose Hillary Clinton as his first secretary of state.
Then, Bill Clinton threw himself wholeheartedly into Obama's re-election campaign, winning the president's gratitude.
No event featuring Hillary Clinton these days is free of rampant speculation about whether she will take another tilt at the presidency in 2016 - she remains the hot favourite for the Democratic Party nomination.
Each of the former presidents had a distinct relationship with Mandela.
For Obama, he was a distant political hero, who inspired him to take up activism when he was a student.
Mandela and Obama met in Washington before the younger man made it to the White House.
But the much anticipated meeting between the first black presidents of South Africa and the United States never happened, as Mandela was too sick to accept visitors when Obama was in the country in June.
For Clinton, Mandela was a trusted confidant at his hour of greatest need - when he was under withering fire from political opponents over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Bush felt the lash of Mandela's tongue - as the then retired South African president railed against the impending Iraq war in 2003.
Mandela was in prison for the entirety of Carter's 1977-1981 presidency.
But the two men came to know one another as sage former statesmen in the Elders group, which was founded by Mandela.
Nelson Mandela: 10 surprising facts you probably didn't know
Here are 10 surprising facts you probably didn't know about Nelson Mandela:
1. He lived up to his name: Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla. In his Xhosa tribe, the name means pulling the branch of a tree or troublemaker. (The name "Nelson" was given to him by his teacher on his first day of elementary school. It's not clear why she chose that particular name. It was the 1920s, and African children were given English names so colonial masters could pronounce them easily).
2. He had a cameo in a Spike Lee film: He had a big part in Spike Lee's 1992 biopic "Malcolm X." At the very end of the movie, he plays a teacher reciting Malcolm X's famous speech to a room full of Soweto school kids. But the pacifist Mandela wouldn't say "by any means necessary." So Lee cut back to footage of Malcolm X to close out the film.
Nelson Mandela, the prisoner-turned-president who reconciled South Africa after the end of apartheid, died on Thursday, December 5, according to the country's president, Jacob Zuma. Mandela was 95.
Mandela became president of the African National Congress Youth League in 1951.
Mandela became president of the African National Congress Youth League in 1951.
Mandela poses for a photo, circa 1950.
Mandela poses for a photo, circa 1950.
Mandela poses in boxing gloves in 1952.
Mandela poses in boxing gloves in 1952.
Mandela in the office of Mandela & Tambo, a law practice set up in Johannesburg by Mandela and Oliver Tambo to provide free or affordable legal representation to black South Africans.
Mandela in the office of Mandela & Tambo, a law practice set up in Johannesburg by Mandela and Oliver Tambo to provide free or affordable legal representation to black South Africans.
From left: Patrick Molaoa, Robert Resha and Mandela walk to the courtroom for their treason trial in Johannesburg.
From left: Patrick Molaoa, Robert Resha and Mandela walk to the courtroom for their treason trial in Johannesburg.
Mandela married his second wife, social worker Winnie Madikizela, in 1958. At the time, he was an active member of the African National Congress and had begun his lifelong commitment to ending segregation in South Africa.
Mandela married his second wife, social worker Winnie Madikizela, in 1958. At the time, he was an active member of the African National Congress and had begun his lifelong commitment to ending segregation in South Africa.
Nelson and Winnie Mandela raise their fists to salute a cheering crowd upon his 1990 release from Victor Verster Prison. He was still as upright and proud, he would say, as the day he walked into prison 27 years before.
Nelson and Winnie Mandela raise their fists to salute a cheering crowd upon his 1990 release from Victor Verster Prison. He was still as upright and proud, he would say, as the day he walked into prison 27 years before.
A jubilant South African holds up a newspaper announcing Mandela's release from prison at an ANC rally in Soweto on February 11, 1990. Two days later, more than 100,000 people attended a rally celebrating his release from jail.
A jubilant South African holds up a newspaper announcing Mandela's release from prison at an ANC rally in Soweto on February 11, 1990. Two days later, more than 100,000 people attended a rally celebrating his release from jail.
Mandela and Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda arrive at an ANC rally on March 3, 1990, in Lusaka, Zambia. Mandela was elected president of the ANC the next year.
Mandela and Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda arrive at an ANC rally on March 3, 1990, in Lusaka, Zambia. Mandela was elected president of the ANC the next year.
After his release in 1990, Mandela embarked on a world tour, meeting U.S. President George H.W. Bush at the White House in June.
After his release in 1990, Mandela embarked on a world tour, meeting U.S. President George H.W. Bush at the White House in June.
At his Soweto home on July 18, 1990, Mandela blows out the candles on his 72nd birthday cake. It was the first birthday he celebrated as a free man since the 1960s.
At his Soweto home on July 18, 1990, Mandela blows out the candles on his 72nd birthday cake. It was the first birthday he celebrated as a free man since the 1960s.
Mandela and his wife react to supporters during a visit to Brazil at the governor's palace in Rio De Janeiro, on August 1, 1991.
Mandela and his wife react to supporters during a visit to Brazil at the governor's palace in Rio De Janeiro, on August 1, 1991.
South African President Frederik de Klerk, right, and Mandela shared a Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their work to secure a peaceful transition from apartheid rule.
South African President Frederik de Klerk, right, and Mandela shared a Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their work to secure a peaceful transition from apartheid rule.
Mandela votes for the first time in his life on March 26, 1994.
Mandela votes for the first time in his life on March 26, 1994.
On April 27, 1994, a long line of people snake toward a polling station in the black township of Soweto outside of Johannesburg in the nation's first all-race elections.
On April 27, 1994, a long line of people snake toward a polling station in the black township of Soweto outside of Johannesburg in the nation's first all-race elections.
Mandela in Mmabatho for an election rally on March 15, 1994.
Mandela in Mmabatho for an election rally on March 15, 1994.
Mandela was elected president in the first open election in South African history on April 29, 1994. He's pictured here taking the oath at his inauguration in May, becoming the nation's first black president.
Mandela was elected president in the first open election in South African history on April 29, 1994. He's pictured here taking the oath at his inauguration in May, becoming the nation's first black president.
Mandela, left, cheers as Springbok Rugby captain Francois Pienaar holds the Webb Ellis trophy high after winning the World Cup Rugby Championship in Johannesburg on June 24, 1995.
Mandela, left, cheers as Springbok Rugby captain Francois Pienaar holds the Webb Ellis trophy high after winning the World Cup Rugby Championship in Johannesburg on June 24, 1995.
After one term as president, Mandela stepped down. Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, at right, was sworn in as his replacement in June 1999.
After one term as president, Mandela stepped down. Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, at right, was sworn in as his replacement in June 1999.
Mandela sits outside his former prison cell on Robben Island on November 28, 2003, ahead of his AIDS benefit concert at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. He was sent to the infamous prison five miles off the coast of South Africa, where he spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars.
Mandela sits outside his former prison cell on Robben Island on November 28, 2003, ahead of his AIDS benefit concert at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. He was sent to the infamous prison five miles off the coast of South Africa, where he spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars.
Mandela shows something to a group of international journalists visiting the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg in May 2004.
Mandela shows something to a group of international journalists visiting the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg in May 2004.
Mandela sits with his wife, Graca Machel, and his grandchildren at his son's funeral on January 15, 2005. He disclosed that his son, Makgatho Lewanika Mandela, had died of AIDS and said the disease should be given publicity so people would stop viewing it as extraordinary.
Mandela sits with his wife, Graca Machel, and his grandchildren at his son's funeral on January 15, 2005. He disclosed that his son, Makgatho Lewanika Mandela, had died of AIDS and said the disease should be given publicity so people would stop viewing it as extraordinary.
The "46664 Arctic" benefit concert was held in Tromso, Norway, on June 11, 2005. 46664 was Mandela's identification number in prison. Here, artists who performed at the event surround him.
The "46664 Arctic" benefit concert was held in Tromso, Norway, on June 11, 2005. 46664 was Mandela's identification number in prison. Here, artists who performed at the event surround him.
Mandela attends an HIV/AIDs concert in Johannesburg on February 17, 2005.
Mandela attends an HIV/AIDs concert in Johannesburg on February 17, 2005.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton leans down to whisper to former South African President Nelson Mandela during a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation on July 19, 2007, in Johannesburg.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton leans down to whisper to former South African President Nelson Mandela during a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation on July 19, 2007, in Johannesburg.
A bronze statue of Mandela was unveiled in Parliament Square in London on August 29, 2007. The 9-foot statue faces the Houses of Parliament.
A bronze statue of Mandela was unveiled in Parliament Square in London on August 29, 2007. The 9-foot statue faces the Houses of Parliament.
Mandela leaves the InterContinental Hotel after a photoshoot with celebrity photographer Terry O'Neil on June 26, 2008, in London.
Mandela leaves the InterContinental Hotel after a photoshoot with celebrity photographer Terry O'Neil on June 26, 2008, in London.
Mandela meets in 2009 with international children as part of his 46664 Foundation.
Mandela meets in 2009 with international children as part of his 46664 Foundation.
Nelson Mandela and his third wife, Graca Machel, arrive at the 2010 World Cup before the final match between Netherlands and Spain on July 11, 2010, at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto.
Nelson Mandela and his third wife, Graca Machel, arrive at the 2010 World Cup before the final match between Netherlands and Spain on July 11, 2010, at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto.
Then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Mandela at his home in Qunu, South Africa, on August 6, 2012.
Then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Mandela at his home in Qunu, South Africa, on August 6, 2012.
The evolution of Nelson Mandela
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The evolution of Nelson Mandela
3. There's a woodpecker named after him: From Cape Town to California, streets named after Mandela abound. But he's also been the subject of some rather unusual tributes. Last year, scientists named a prehistoric woodpecker after him: Australopicus nelsonmandelai. In 1973, the physics institute at Leeds University named a nuclear particle the 'Mandela particle.'
4. He married a first lady: Before tying the knot with Mandela on his 80th birthday, Graca Machel was married to Mozambique President Samora Machel. Her marriage to Mandela after her husband's death means she has been the first lady of two nations.
5. He was a master of disguise: When Mandela was eluding authorities during his fight against apartheid, he disguised himself in various ways, including as a chauffeur. The press nicknamed him "the Black Pimpernel" because of his police evasion tactics. "I became a creature of the night. I would keep to my hideout during the day, and would emerge to do my work when it became dark," he says in his biography, "Long Walk to Freedom."
6. A bloody sport intrigued him: Besides politics, Mandela's other passion was boxing. "I did not like the violence of boxing. I was more interested in the science of it - how you move your body to protect yourself, how you use a plan to attack and retreat, and how you pace yourself through a fight," he says in his biography.
7. His favorite dish is probably not yours: He's been wined and dined by world leaders. But what Mandela loved eating most was tripe. Yup, the stomach lining of farm animals.
8. He quit his day job: He studied law at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and opened the nation's first black law firm in the city in 1952.
9. He was on the U.S. terror watch list: Mandela wasn't removed from the U.S. terror watch list until 2008 -- at age 89. He and other members of the African National Congress were placed on it because of their militant fight against apartheid.
10. He drew his inspiration from a poem: While he was in prison, Mandela would read William Ernest Henley's "Invictus" to fellow prisoners. The poem, about never giving up, resonated with Mandela for its lines "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul." You may know it from the movie by the same name starring Morgan Freeman as Mandela.
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