Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Video - Nigerians make witty remarks on Super Bowl power outage
Nigeria's president, Goodluck Jonathan, told CNN's Christine Amanpour in a recent interview that electricity supply has improved in Nigeria. A Super Bowl power cut sparked tweets a follow-up that showed the Nigerian president misrepresented the condition on ground.
Related stories: President Jonathan believes citizens are happy with progress made in power supply
Video - Nigeria's electricity generation crisis continues
Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba wants Nigeria to win Nations Cup
"Please, win the Nations Cup for us", he pleaded as he hugged Stephen Keshi and his former teammate Mikel Obi after the 2-1 defeat in the quarter final match at Rustenberg.
Drogba's army of super stars were tipped by all and sundry to win the match against a relatively young and inexperienced Super Eagles. The Eagles stepped up their game and were immaculate in their form, attack, defence and discipline. They stung Cote d'Ivoire and have made their critics to swallow their words.
"Your team was beautiful", Drogba told Keshi as he hugged him. "If you beat us and don't win the trophy, it will be a slight to us. But if you win the trophy, it will be a thing of joy and justification that you are the best in the tournament", Drogba told Keshi who praised him for his maturity and high display of professionalism.
Ex-international, Peterside Idah who witnessed the emotional embrace and discussion said that he was touched by Drogba's professionalism.
"It was an emotional meeting and I was very proud of the Super Eagles. We should learn to appreciate our own.
Honestly, it is a shame that many Nigerians do not appreciate the Eagles. Here in South Africa, we are proud of Eagles and the whole of South Africa love and appreciate the Eagles.
The South Africans lost but they still love their Bafana Bafana", the former goalkeeper-turned analyst and Pastor said as many people hugged him and congratulated him.
Related stories: Video - Nigeria defeat Ivory Coast in Nations Cup quarter final
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Police foil assassination attempt on Minister of Finance Okonjo Iweala
LEADERSHIP gathered that the IED, contained in a parcel with N100 postage stamp, was addressed to the minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and deposited in front of the NIPOST office premises.
Speaking with journalists, Ibrahim Musa said the members of NIPOST staff came to work in the morning and noticed a funny-looking package with two N50 postage stamps in front of their premises. The workers quickly notified their boss who promptly called in the anti bomb squad, he said. "When the anti-bomb squad came, they cordoned off movement around the area and went to work with their instruments immediately. After a while, we heard an explosion and another explosion later," Musa stated.
But an eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, claimed that the parcel had been deposited at the gate of the post office since Friday evening.
He also claimed that the material was brought by a male of average height, who, he said, made a mild scene as he conveyed the parcel in a "wheel barrow" to the post office. The man usually comes to the post office, he said.
The witness also claimed that after the anti-bomb squad blasted the parcel, sand and tiles-like substances were seen.
But another witness confided in our correspondents: "The person who brought the parcel kept it at the gate. He wanted to send the parcel to the minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; it had her face on it.
"The parcel has been there since Friday until it was discovered and the bomb squad was called in."
But, in a swift reaction, the post-master-general of Nigeria, Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba, said that the package did not go through the process of NIPOST.
He said, "I want to stress that the package was not processed by our men. The issue was that somebody came with the said package on Friday but the gates were locked and he could not get access into the premises. So, he simply dropped it with a vendor, who thought he would come back for it, but it was discovered by our officials this morning who quickly alerted the anti-bomb squad."
No bomb anywhere in FCT - Police
Meanwhile, barely a few minutes after the news of the bomb scare broke, residents and employees working around the area, which is also a few metres from the Force CID headquarters, began to run in different directions, not sure where the suspected bomb was planted. The confusion caused heavy gridlock of both human and vehicular traffic, LEADERSHIP gathered.
A newspaper vendor who gave his name as Victor Paul said the item was similar to items seen in places where IEDs are found but he could not affirm if it was an explosive. He said when the police anti-bomb squad came they were able to defuse what was in the bag and set the content on fire.
He said, "From the items displayed, I saw some of those things seen whenever we heard of people being caught with IEDs and others - most of these items like wire, sand, clay and so on. All those substances were actually there. If only the police could show you the video, you would have seen the items, but I cannot say it was a bomb because we were watching at a far distance."
But the FCT police command has, in a swift reaction, refuted the claim that a bomb was found at the NIPOST, saying that there was no bomb anywhere in the nation's capital.
Commenting on the issue, the commissioner of police, FCT command, Mr. Aderenle Shinaba, claimed that there was no bomb explosion in any part of the territory, contrary to a rumour that there was a blast.
Shinaba made this clarification while speaking on the alleged explosion in front of the NIPOST office at Area 10, Garki.
He said that what was rumoured as an explosion was the sound from a defusion carried out on the suspected object by men of the anti-bomb squad.
Shinaba said that, following information received by the command on the object at about 10am, men from the Explosive Ordnance Department (EOD) were dispatched to the scene.
He said, "The true position is that there is no bomb anywhere in Abuja today. At about 10 o'clock this morning, we got information that there was something that was packaged in a carton that looked like bomb at the gate of NIPOST in Area 10.
"And because of the security situation in the country generally, the people became apprehensive and they were scared, so we had to move in promptly."
The commissioner stated that, in order to avoid a similar incident in Kaduna where an explosion went off and killed a policeman, the anti-bomb squad men had examined the object first before detonating it.
"It was that noise of detonation that sent down shivers down the spine of most people and rumours flying in the air.
"At the end of the day, what we discovered is that it is a package containing sand as well as tiles; there is nothing to indicate that it has anything to do with any form of explosive. It has nothing to do with improvised explosive device (IED)."
Man collapses and dies during Super Eagles quarter final match
The tension that goes with watching Nigerian soccer teams play in international tournaments is often so injurious to the health of many soccer enthusiasts. The picture was aptly depicted recently on the social media after the Nigeria-Burkina Faso match when a Nigerian was shown as he was watching the match on a television screen, but supported on both sides by a nurse and a medical doctor. While many soccer fans survive such endeavours, others do not.
One of the few exceptions happened in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, last Sunday when a 40-year-old soccer fan, identified as Moshood Ismail Owolabi, suddenly collapsed and started foaming in his mouth during the Super Eagles' quarterfinals match against the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The incident happened at a viewing centre located at Lanlepe compound, Oke-Sokori in Abeokuta. Eyewitnesses told THISDAY that Owolabi, who had watched the match expectantly, lost consciousness when an Ivoirien defender deflected Victor Moses' shot at the Ivoirien goal post.
His collapse caused a stampede at the viewing centre, as he had to be rushed away for treatment by some of the fans while others stayed back to continue watching the match. THISDAY gathered that when he collapsed, he was said to have been rushed to a nearby clinic, Success Medical Clinic, where he was given first aid treatment before being referred to First Alpha Hospital. He was said to have died before reaching the hospital.
Owolabi, a father of two, was an engineer with the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in Abeokuta. He is survived by aged parents and a widow.
The Medical Director of Success Medical Clinic, Odede Sulaiman Kolawole, told reporters that Owolabi was already dead before he was brought to the clinic. Kolawole blamed his sudden death to excessive intake of carbon dioxide for a prolonged period of time, resulting in what he called anoxia.
However, Taiwo Adebayo, a neighbour of the deceased who was also at the viewing centre when the incident happened, said Owolabi might have died from a cardiac arrest, adding that he started foaming when he fell. Adebayo disagreed with Kolawole, saying that Owolabi was rushed to the clinic alive. He added that the doctor was not available at the hospital, implying that if Owolabi had been given medical help promptly, he might have survived.
Owolabi's widow, Tawakalitu, was still in shock when THISDAY visited her at the family's apartment in Abeokuta. She described the incident as a dream, which she had not come to terms with. She recalled that her late husband had roamed around the area with a close friend for hours impatiently waiting for the commencement of the match, without knowing that he was spending his last hours on earth.
Video - Nigeria defeat Ivory Coast in Nations Cup quarter final
One of the few exceptions happened in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, last Sunday when a 40-year-old soccer fan, identified as Moshood Ismail Owolabi, suddenly collapsed and started foaming in his mouth during the Super Eagles' quarterfinals match against the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The incident happened at a viewing centre located at Lanlepe compound, Oke-Sokori in Abeokuta. Eyewitnesses told THISDAY that Owolabi, who had watched the match expectantly, lost consciousness when an Ivoirien defender deflected Victor Moses' shot at the Ivoirien goal post.
His collapse caused a stampede at the viewing centre, as he had to be rushed away for treatment by some of the fans while others stayed back to continue watching the match. THISDAY gathered that when he collapsed, he was said to have been rushed to a nearby clinic, Success Medical Clinic, where he was given first aid treatment before being referred to First Alpha Hospital. He was said to have died before reaching the hospital.
Owolabi, a father of two, was an engineer with the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in Abeokuta. He is survived by aged parents and a widow.
The Medical Director of Success Medical Clinic, Odede Sulaiman Kolawole, told reporters that Owolabi was already dead before he was brought to the clinic. Kolawole blamed his sudden death to excessive intake of carbon dioxide for a prolonged period of time, resulting in what he called anoxia.
However, Taiwo Adebayo, a neighbour of the deceased who was also at the viewing centre when the incident happened, said Owolabi might have died from a cardiac arrest, adding that he started foaming when he fell. Adebayo disagreed with Kolawole, saying that Owolabi was rushed to the clinic alive. He added that the doctor was not available at the hospital, implying that if Owolabi had been given medical help promptly, he might have survived.
Owolabi's widow, Tawakalitu, was still in shock when THISDAY visited her at the family's apartment in Abeokuta. She described the incident as a dream, which she had not come to terms with. She recalled that her late husband had roamed around the area with a close friend for hours impatiently waiting for the commencement of the match, without knowing that he was spending his last hours on earth.
Africans overseas send $60 billion back home in 2012
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Monday disclosed that Africans in diaspora remitted a total of $60 billion to the continent in 2012.
The World Bank had ranked Nigeria as the fifth among the top recipients of diaspora remittances while India is leading the pack of countries whose citizens send huge returns home.
Regional Adviser of the organisation for Africa, Mr. Charles Kwenin, disclosed this at the National Diaspora Policy Advocacy workshop held at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Kwenin, who made a case for the formulation of a diaspora policy in different countries across Africa said such a policy would provide the framework in addressing the needs of Africans living in foreign countries.
He said that given the growing influence and relevance of diaspora issues globally, Africa had no choice but to explore the opportunities available in it.
Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, who declared the workshop open hailed Nigerians in diaspora over their contributions towards the economic development of the country.
Tambuwal , represented by the House Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, said Nigerians in diaspora have helped in no small measure in uplifting the living standards of their brethren at home.
He said that Nigerians in diaspora could play pivotal roles in government's effort to advance the social and economic development in the country.
The House, Tambuwal said, was working on ways to encourage Nigerians in the diaspora to always remember home and contribute more meaningfully to national development.
He said that in addition to monetary remittances, Nigerians living abroad would be encouraged to invest in emerging industries in Nigeria. He charged the House Committee on diaspora to ensure the protection of Nigerians living abroad as diaspora issues had become and would continue to assume an important place in the country's political agenda.
Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said that since the inception of the committee, it had intervened in several diaspora issues.
She advocated the institution of a National Policy on Diaspora as well as a National Commission for Diaspora Affairs adding that with such structures in place, Africa could surpass India in diaspora matters.
The World Bank had ranked Nigeria as the fifth among the top recipients of diaspora remittances while India is leading the pack of countries whose citizens send huge returns home.
Regional Adviser of the organisation for Africa, Mr. Charles Kwenin, disclosed this at the National Diaspora Policy Advocacy workshop held at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Kwenin, who made a case for the formulation of a diaspora policy in different countries across Africa said such a policy would provide the framework in addressing the needs of Africans living in foreign countries.
He said that given the growing influence and relevance of diaspora issues globally, Africa had no choice but to explore the opportunities available in it.
Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, who declared the workshop open hailed Nigerians in diaspora over their contributions towards the economic development of the country.
Tambuwal , represented by the House Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, said Nigerians in diaspora have helped in no small measure in uplifting the living standards of their brethren at home.
He said that Nigerians in diaspora could play pivotal roles in government's effort to advance the social and economic development in the country.
The House, Tambuwal said, was working on ways to encourage Nigerians in the diaspora to always remember home and contribute more meaningfully to national development.
He said that in addition to monetary remittances, Nigerians living abroad would be encouraged to invest in emerging industries in Nigeria. He charged the House Committee on diaspora to ensure the protection of Nigerians living abroad as diaspora issues had become and would continue to assume an important place in the country's political agenda.
Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said that since the inception of the committee, it had intervened in several diaspora issues.
She advocated the institution of a National Policy on Diaspora as well as a National Commission for Diaspora Affairs adding that with such structures in place, Africa could surpass India in diaspora matters.
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