Femi Kuti, son of legendary musician Fela Kuti, talks about his father and the impact of Afrobeat on ordinary Nigerians.
Related story: Femi Kuti nominated for a grammy
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Video - Femi Kuti talks about political messages in his music
Femi Kuti, son of legendary musician Fela Kuti, talks about his father and the impact of Afrobeat on ordinary Nigerians.
Security lapse cause of kidnap of finance minister's mother
One of the children of the Okonjo family, Mr Onyema Okonjo, on Monday blamed security lapses for the kidnap of his mother, Prof. Kanenne Okonjo.
Kanenne (82), is the mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Onyema told reporters in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta that his mother was kidnapped on Sunday at her residence between 12 noon and 1 p.m. by 10 young men.
"They came in two green Golf cars and it all happened very quickly.
"I think there were definitely some lapses in terms of security. It is not what it should have been, the people that were supposed to have been here were not here.
"This gave them the opportunity to do what they wanted to do, but at the end of the day; we really have to be prayerful.
"I think it is really a sad reflection of where we are as a society," Onyema, the sixth in the line of seven children of the Okonjos, said
He wondered why an octogenarian woman, a grand mother and great grand mother should be kidnapped.
Onyema said that his father, Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and Okonjo-Iweala were on their away to Ogwashi-Uku when the incident happened.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in Delta, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, said that this was not the time to trade blames.
He, however, promised that any officer indicted would be punished.
Aduba said that in every case of kidnapping, there was always an insider, adding that investigation was on to unravel the situation and free Kanenne unhurt.
"We have been holding meetings with the governor and we have sent out our men to comb every nook and cranny and I am sure we will get her out unhurt," Aduba said.
There was a large number of security personnel at the residence of the Okonjos at the time of filling this report.
Kanenne (82), is the mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Onyema told reporters in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta that his mother was kidnapped on Sunday at her residence between 12 noon and 1 p.m. by 10 young men.
"They came in two green Golf cars and it all happened very quickly.
"I think there were definitely some lapses in terms of security. It is not what it should have been, the people that were supposed to have been here were not here.
"This gave them the opportunity to do what they wanted to do, but at the end of the day; we really have to be prayerful.
"I think it is really a sad reflection of where we are as a society," Onyema, the sixth in the line of seven children of the Okonjos, said
He wondered why an octogenarian woman, a grand mother and great grand mother should be kidnapped.
Onyema said that his father, Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and Okonjo-Iweala were on their away to Ogwashi-Uku when the incident happened.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in Delta, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, said that this was not the time to trade blames.
He, however, promised that any officer indicted would be punished.
Aduba said that in every case of kidnapping, there was always an insider, adding that investigation was on to unravel the situation and free Kanenne unhurt.
"We have been holding meetings with the governor and we have sent out our men to comb every nook and cranny and I am sure we will get her out unhurt," Aduba said.
There was a large number of security personnel at the residence of the Okonjos at the time of filling this report.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala's mother kidnapped
Mrs. Okonjo, 82, the queen mother of Ogwashi Uku, was abducted at about 1:47pm by a gang of armed men who seized her at the gate of the palace at Ogbe-ofu and took her away. Her husband was said to have travelled out of the town.
The police have, however, arrested a man who allegedly left the compound few minutes before the incident took place. The man was said to have informed the housemaid that he was in the palace to take the queen mother to somewhere in the town.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the kidnappers, numbering about 10, lurked around the palace until the woman and her maid came down to serve soft drinks to workers at the gate.
An eye witness account said that as soon as the woman came down from the main building and moved towards the gate, the criminals also moved in from the gate, grabbed her and pushed her into a waiting Volkswagen Golf car.
"The abductors were heavily armed when they walked into the compound," said one of the the witnesses. "They were about 10. They held up the men fixing the interlocking tiles and asked them to lie face down. Immediately they saw her (the king's wife who was coming towards the gate with her maid to serve the workers soft drinks), they bundled her into a waiting vehicle - a Golf car, while another car was parked outside."
One of the abductors was said to have had the temerity to go upstairs to collect the woman's handbag. Another of the eyewitness said that another maid, who sighted the kidnapper coming upstairs, hid herself in the kitchen.
On coming down from the upstairs, the kidnapper told his gang members that there was no one else in the house, and they zoomed off.
At the palace of Obi Okonjo yesterday, the atmosphere was gloomy as many sympathisers and well wishers, including members of the community's vigilante group, milled around, discussing the development.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Charles Muka, confirmed the report, but said that the police were yet to make contact with the kidnappers.
General Electric to build assembly plant in Nigeria
General Electric said it will start assembling locomotives in Nigeria by next year.
If that happens, it could save Nigeria some huge foreign exchange usually used in acquiring locomotives from Brazil. It will help rejuvenate Nigeria's dying competencies in the railway sector and in growing the sector faster.
Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Mr. Seyi Sijuwade revealed at the weekend that the agreement the Federal Government signed with General Electric should come into force in 2013.
Mr. Sijuwade stated these to our correspondent during the NRC's first senior management staff retreat and award night in Lagos.
President Goodluck Jonathan had said in his Democracy Day, May 29, address that government had signed an agreement with GE to assemble locomotives in Nigeria.
Jonathan said the project would enhance the sustainability of the rail sector and make Nigeria a major hub in West and Central Africa.
GE will be utilising NRCs existing workshops for the assembly plants.
Mr. Sijuwade said: "GE will have to use NRC workshops because the rail lines are connected to our workshops. If you assemble elsewhere, you will have a challenge transporting the locos to the tracks. Also, our workshops will be improved by GE to modern workshops.
"Why the assembly wouldn't start just yet is that GE is also looking for investors and partners because they wouldn't want to take all the risks alone.
He said: "By next year, am sure, GE should have commenced work on the assembly facilities. But first, they also want to conduct independent track integrity on the new tracks we are building so that they would be confident the locomotives they are assembling will be put to use.
"Nigeria's commitment to GE is that, if they commence assembling the locomotives, we will buy at least 200 over the next 10 years. We need to make that commitment for GE to be assured of return on investment. It is a launch order.
"But, the fact that we are making that launch order of 200 locos in the next 10 years isn't a guarantee for any kind of price to be given us, we will still get the best deal for the offer," he added.
If that happens, it could save Nigeria some huge foreign exchange usually used in acquiring locomotives from Brazil. It will help rejuvenate Nigeria's dying competencies in the railway sector and in growing the sector faster.
Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Mr. Seyi Sijuwade revealed at the weekend that the agreement the Federal Government signed with General Electric should come into force in 2013.
Mr. Sijuwade stated these to our correspondent during the NRC's first senior management staff retreat and award night in Lagos.
President Goodluck Jonathan had said in his Democracy Day, May 29, address that government had signed an agreement with GE to assemble locomotives in Nigeria.
Jonathan said the project would enhance the sustainability of the rail sector and make Nigeria a major hub in West and Central Africa.
GE will be utilising NRCs existing workshops for the assembly plants.
Mr. Sijuwade said: "GE will have to use NRC workshops because the rail lines are connected to our workshops. If you assemble elsewhere, you will have a challenge transporting the locos to the tracks. Also, our workshops will be improved by GE to modern workshops.
"Why the assembly wouldn't start just yet is that GE is also looking for investors and partners because they wouldn't want to take all the risks alone.
He said: "By next year, am sure, GE should have commenced work on the assembly facilities. But first, they also want to conduct independent track integrity on the new tracks we are building so that they would be confident the locomotives they are assembling will be put to use.
"Nigeria's commitment to GE is that, if they commence assembling the locomotives, we will buy at least 200 over the next 10 years. We need to make that commitment for GE to be assured of return on investment. It is a launch order.
"But, the fact that we are making that launch order of 200 locos in the next 10 years isn't a guarantee for any kind of price to be given us, we will still get the best deal for the offer," he added.
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