Jacob Zuma: I'm short of words

South African President Jacob Zuma addressed his nation and the world to inform us that the world has lost a true icon. Nelson Mandela, 95, passed away at his home a short while ago. While the late President's health had been in steady decline for a number of years, it is still difficult to come to terms with the fact that he is no longer with us.

It is impossible to put into words the impact that Mandela has had on the world. He showed that peaceful resistance, even in the midst of the most terrible circumstances one could possibly imagine, is possible. He could have been bitter and call for retaliation against his and his peoples oppressors, but he insisted on a government of inclusion and reconciliation. Somehow, some way, he succeeded in bringing his people along with him.

The world lost a true giant today. Mandela was one of those few people in this world that are bigger than life and he will be remembered for many years to come. May he rest in peace.

Nelson Mandela: The Inspiring Words He Told Oprah Winfrey

When Nelson Mandela appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2000, the South African leader, who passed away Thursday at the age of 95, was, understandably, not just any other guest.
"As he was getting ready to leave the building, everyone of the Harpo staff lined the hallway to shake his hand," Winfrey would later recall. "We now call that hallway the 'Nelson Mandela Hallway' here at Harpo." (Harpo is Winfrey's production company.)
Read Mandela's Most Inspirational Quotes
"This has not happened before or after," she said.
Before Winfrey's staff lined up to meet the anti-apartheid leader who emerged from prison to become South Africa's first black president, Mandela discussed his heroic life and how, branded a terrorist and traitor by South Africa's apartheid government, he survived nearly 30 years in captivity.
Watch Nelson Mandela on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'
"You must fight the battle for dignity on the very first day you go to jail and that's what we did. We put our foot down and insisted on being respected even though were prisoners," Mandela said.
Mandela spent much of his time in prison on Robben Island, where he was made to do forced labor and was permitted just one visitor a year; he could either write or receive one letter every six months. Despite those limits on communication, he completed a law degree, organized protests within the prison and helped lead the movement against apartheid.
Unexpected Facts About Nelson Mandela
"If I have not been to prison, I would not have been able to achieve the most difficult task in life and that is changing yourself," Mandela told Winfrey in 2000.
"I was in the company of great men," he said of his fellow prisoners. "Some of them were more qualified, more talented than I am, and to sit down with them to exchange views was one of the most revealing experiences I had."
In reflecting on how he held no bitterness towards his captors and went on to lead the country, Mandela said that thinking of his time in prison left him feeling "angry."
Nelson Mandela's Life, Family, Imprisonment in Photos
"Our emotions said the white minority is our enemy [and] we must never talk to them, but our brains said if you don't talk to this man, your country will go up in the flames. And for many years to come, this country would be in rivers of blood," Mandela said. "So we had to reconcile that conflict and our talking to the enemy was the result of the domination of the brain over emotions."
After developing a personal bond with Mandela, Winfrey went on to found the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls just outside Johannesburg, in Mandela's native country.
Mandela Mourners Celebrate His Life
"To be in his presence is like being in the presence of grace and royalty at the same time," Winfrey said in introducing Mandela on her 2000 show. "It is one of the greatest honors of my career to welcome Nelson Mandela."
In 2011, when Winfrey ended her show, she named the Mandela interview as one of the top 17 headline-making moments in the show's 25-year history.
Upon hearing of Mandela's passing on Thursday, Oprah called Mandela her "hero" and said his life was "a gift to us all."
"One of the great honors of my life was to be invited to Nelson Mandela's home, spend private time and get to know him," Winfrey said in a statement. "He was everything you've ever heard and more - humble and unscathed by bitterness. And he always loved to tell a good joke. Being in his presence was like sitting with grace and majesty at the same time."

Don’t contest in 2015, Baraje tells Jonathan

…It would lead to chaos – Factional chairman

From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja
The Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje faction of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday reminded President Goodluck Jonathan of his alleged statement made in Ankara, Turkey two years ago that he would not go for a second term. Baraje, therefore, advised the President to shelve his plan to run in 2015.
Baraje quoted the President as speaking to Nigerian professionals and diplomats working in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union (AU) in Turkey then.
Alhaji Baraje’s warning was the highlight of his reaction to our report yesterday in which President Jonathan addressed Nigerian professionals in New York, United States on Sunday. The President said the constitution allows him two terms of eight years.
According to Jonathan, “ already, we have a constitution that makes provision for a maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become a president or a governor.”
But Baraje in a statement yesterday expressed concern over Jonathan’s declaration as he claimed that his ambition could precipitate chaos and ultimately, the disintegration of Nigeria.
“As a patriotic group that cares about the present and future of our great country and which wants President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to succeed, the Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after reviewing the state of the nation and the pulse of Nigerians, wishes to advise President Jonathan to abandon his plan to seek re-election in 2015 as this ambition is not in the best interest of the country,” he said.
Though he has yet to categorically declare his intention to run, President Jonathan has given enough clue that he is working towards doing so. The latest of such clues came last Sunday in New York.
“We are worried that Mr. President is intent on running despite his earlier promise not to do so and in spite of the wise counsel of well-meaning Nigerians, including respected elder statesmen,” he said
Baraje also claimed that Sunday’s declaration by the President was a volte face as he claimed that the latter had in 2011 committed himself to one term.
“In February, 2011 while interacting with Nigerians and diplomats working in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union (AU) in Ankara, Turkey, President Jonathan clearly stated: “I would have loved that the Nigerians in Diaspora vote this year (2011) but to be frank with you, that is going to be difficult now.
“Presently, the law does not allow voting outside Nigeria and so, this year, Nigerians in Diaspora will not vote but I will work towards it by 2015 even though I will not be running for election.
“Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years,” Baraje quoted the President as saying.
But taking on the President, the PDP faction boss said: “This is a historical fact which Mr. President himself cannot deny now since he had two years to deny that statement but never did so. How does Mr. President want Nigerians and the entire world to see him for this volte face? Why can’t he not keep his words as a man of honour instead of allowing himself to be misled by selfish advisers to go back on his words, thereby overheating the polity?
“Mr. President should heed the advice of well-meaning distinguished personalities such as constitution expert, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) and Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, all of whom have advised him to correctly read the handwriting on the wall and stay away from the 2015 presidential race.
“By 2015, President Jonathan would have served our nation for six solid years. This, surely, is enough time for him to achieve whatever he is capable of doing for Nigeria. What else is he looking for that is making him desperate to participate in 2015 presidential election despite warnings that doing so may spark a chain of events capable of culminating into the country’s disintegration, thereby bringing to pass, the predictions of Lord Lugard that Nigeria as a nation by 2014 may be history, which was later confirmed by the USA Think-Tank that Nigeria may disintegrate by 2015,” Baraje said.
The factional PDP national chairman said that the 2015 aspiration of the sitting President was against the provisions of 1999 Constitution.
“Apart from all these, should President Jonathan contest and win by 2015, it means he would have spent 10 years in office and will be sworn in three times as the President of Nigeria against the provisions of the country’s constitution.
“We wish to appeal to Mr. President to abandon this ill-advised move and save our nation from catastrophe.God has been merciful to you, Mr. President, lifting you from being a university teacher to President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in so short a time is something you should be grateful and be contented with.
“We urge you Mr. President to listen to the voice of reason and avoid overstretching your good luck. A word is enough for the wise!”, he advised.

2015: I will run – Jonathan

…Says constitution allows him to do eight years of two terms
 From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, New York CityAfter months of dodging the question, President Goodluck Jonathan in New York, United States on Sunday broke his silence on the 2015 presidential election when he said the Constitution allows him to do eight years of two terms This is even as he warned those fanning the embers of disintegration in the country to refrain from doing so as the interest of the nation was greater than that of any individual. He urged politicians to drop the “do or die” approach to politics and allow him to concentrate on his core mandate of governance.
He said that having been elected by Nigerians, he should be allowed to work, adding that they have the right to vote out anybody they are not comfortable with his style of work.
The President stated this on Sunday during lunch with Nigerian professionals in New York. He said, “already, we have a constitution that makes provision for maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become president or governor. There is no president or governor that all citizens did not vote for, but at the end of the election if somebody emerges, you must allow the person to work. If you love your country, you would want your country to work. That does not mean that you will not vote against the person if you don’t like the way he works, but you must allow him to work”.
In apparent reference to the festering Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis, which has resulted in the splinter group, headed by a former deputy national Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, and the criticism by the opposition parties, Jonathan said political leaders must be mindful of what they say or do in order not to undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria.
He appealed to those he described as colleague politicians that “no matter how you feel about the political situation, consider the interest of your country first before yourself.
“If you are struggling to enter a house, you must not put dynamite there to destroy the house. By the time you get there, there will be no house for you to stay. So, first and foremost, we must collectively build our country. Don’t bother about who is there now because power is transient, very, very temporary”.
Asked if his administration was doing enough to tackle corruption, he said, “so many people are saying we are not doing well in fighting corruption and before you say that, there must be a parameter for judging us. What are the yardsticks they are using to judge us?
“Before the advent of this government, the Federal Government was spending a whopping N25 billion on fertiliser with only a 11 per cent reaching the farmers, but since the coming on board of this administration, government now spends between N5 and N6 billion on fertiliser and we are getting 80 per cent reach. If we wanted to continue to steal money or look for money for election, we could have continued,” the President said.
On the privatisation of the power sector, he said the government conducted the over $3 billion exercise in the most transparent manner.  “Yes, we have not yet reached, where we want to reach, but we are making progress,” he said.
Jonathan told the audience that his administration has made significant progress in reviving the rail transportation, aviation, road construction and other infrastructure. “The team that I am working with, we are doing our best to make sure that our country works,” he said.

Anambra guber: INEC publishes candidates’ list, Ukachukwu Emerges

…Ukachukwu picked as PDP candidate

By JULIET EZE
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday published the list of governorship candidates for the November 16 election in Anambra State with Nicholas Ukachukwu emerging the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement  by Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, the publication was in line with the provisions of Section 31 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.

He said:  “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has today, September 24, published the Form CF001 (Personal Particulars of Candidate) of candidates nominated by political parties for the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State. The comprehensive list as signed by the secretary to the commission is attached and has been placed on the commission’s website”.
He said 23 political parties nominated candidates for the governorship and deputy governorship slots but noted that All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the PDP had issues with the candidates they intend to sponsor before the closure of nominations on September 17. “

Idowu explained that the Federal High Court in Awka eased the contention over APGA’s nomination by vacating its order directing the commission to accept two governorship candidates from the party. He added that for the PDP, the commission resolved to list Nicholas Chukwuejekwu Ukachukwu as the governorship candidate in accordance with the latest order as delivered by the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/296/2013 – Nicholas Chukwuejekwu Ukachukwu vs. Dr. Tony Nwoye & 3 Ors.

According to him, the commission advised political parties and their members that only those on the list published would be allowed to conduct campaigns and that any violation of the rule would amount to an electoral offence and security agencies were  urged to intervene as such.

Two (2) killed in Delta cult war

From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba
At least two persons were feared dead in a renewed wave of violence unleashed by suspected cultists in parts of Obiaruku, the administrative headquarters of Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State.
Sources said the community was thrown into confusion at the weekend following a clash by rival cult groups.
According to the sources, there were sporadic gunshots by the suspected cult members, who also used other dangerous weapons as the combatants attempted to out-do each other.
Trouble allegedly started about two weeks ago when two middle-aged men met at a birthday party held at Ogbe-Aka quarters of the town and instantly drew the battle line.
“We had warned the organisers of the party that it should not extend into the night because of the precarious security situation and they gave the assurance that it will not spill into the night.
“But while music was still blaring at about 8p.m on that day, we heard gunshots from close quarters and everyone scampered for safety. It was later that we realised that there was a problem between those who attended the party,” a source stated.
Investigations revealed that a fight had broken out between the men over undisclosed issues.
It was further gathered that when the fight began colleagues of one of the brawling cult members joined the fray and in the process, one of them was hit by bullets.
Although, the clash occurred at Ogbe-Aka quarters, residents in neighbouring Ghana, Okusu and Umuegueze quarters fled their houses due to the fierce gun battle.
Hostility resumed last weekend as members of one of the cult groups whose colleague was hit by bullet during the previous fracas, in apparent reprisal attack, stormed the town, hunting for their opponents. They were said to have shot at a man suspected to be a member of the rival cult group.
However, the victim, who was said to be seriously wounded managed to leap into a nearby bush.
Contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, ASP Lucky Uyabeme said he was yet to get details of the incident.
But a competent source close to Obiaruku Police Station confirmed the clashes in the community but said he was not aware if any arrest had been made.

INEC, IPAC partner to monitor Anambra election

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) said on Thursday that the council would partner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the Anambra elections.
National Chairman of the council Alhaji Yinusa Tanko told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the measure was to ensure that the election was transparent, free and fair.
According to him, the election monitors will write a comprehensive report on their observations and submit to the appropriate authorities for remedies.
“Our team will be on ground to see how the election is being conducted and look at the preparations of INEC and synergies and to make amends if there are shortcomings.
“What we intend to do is to set up call contact in Awka in case of event of irregularities,’’ Tanko said.
He said IPAC would collaborate with INEC and the police to ensure that irregularities were curtailed during the exercise.
Tanko added that the team would also work with INEC during the election to ensure proper authentication of voters’ cards.
He said each political party would have volunteers representing it on the monitoring team during the election to ensure that the people’s choice emerged.

Anambra election: PDP dumps Andy Uba, picks Nwoye

Ayo Oluokun/Abuja
The national secretariat of Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Monday put a dampener on the gubernatorial ambition of former presidential aide, Senator Andy Uba as it said its candidate for the 16 November Anambra governorship election is Tony Nwoye.
Nwoye and Uba emerged as candidates at parallel congresses of the party presided over by rival claimants for the position of chairman of Anambra chapter of PDP in Awka, the Anambra State capital last Saturday.
But while receiving the report of the party’s electoral panel chaired by Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina in Abuja on Monday, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, PDD national chairman said the party will recognise the primary which produced Nwoye.

Andy Uba: dumped by PDP

The panel headed by the Katsina State Governor presided over the primary won by Mr. Nwoye.
The primary won by Mr. Uba, was conducted by the parallel chairman of the Anambra chapter of the PDP, Ejike Oguebeo.
Oguebeo is recognised as the Chairman of Anambra PDP by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
On the other hand, Ken Emeakayi who presided over the primary which produced Nwoye is the chairman of Anambra PDP recognised by the national secretariat.
Tukur said all members of the party are expected to fully support Nwoye, a former President of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS to win the forthcoming poll.

Anambra Guber Election: ‘Ngige’s The Man To Beat’

Ahead the November 16 Anambra governorship election, the spokesman for the Lagos State chapter of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Joe Igbokwe, has tipped Senator Chris Ngige (ACN, Anambra) as the man to beat in the poll which will be a true test of the popularity of the yet-to-be registered All Progressives Congress (APC).

Igbokwe hinged his recommendation of the former governor on the need to sustain the tempo and raise the stake of good governance in the state.
The ACN spokesman, who recalled how his preference for present Governor Peter Obi over Ngige in 2010 pitted him against party members, explained that his position was informed by the trauma Obi went through to reclaim his mandate; freely given to him by the Anambra people, in court.
In a statement released by Mr. Igbokwe, he explains thus: “I wanted Governor Peter Obi to get a second term because of all the troubles he went through to reclaim his mandate and all the troubles he suffered going through criminal impeachment and through courts and tribunals to reclaim his mandate.”
Though Igbokwe said the supporters of Senator Ngige reported him to former Lagos State Governor and ACN national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu that he was engaging in anti-party activities, he said he has not been disappointed with Obi’s landmark achievements in the state.
However, according to Mr. Igbokwe, the time has now come for Ngige to take the mantle of leadership and add more value to the politics of the state.
He said: “The rest is now history but it was an excruciating and daunting experience for me. I have never regretted it.

“I will appeal that we put this matter behind us and move on. We have a target and that is to make 2014 a memorable year. We will join the teeming and enthusiastic Anambra voters to elect Dr. Ngige as the governor of Anambra State. So, let us all move forward with that spirit until victory is achieved.”
He expressed confidence that the All Progressive Congress (APC) will field a progressive candidate to succeed Obi, whose two-term tenure of eight years expires next year.
Igbokwe said: “All the energies at our disposal will be deployed to make this a reality. We will put our hands, our feet, our eyes, our brains, our strengths, our human and material resources to make the dream come true.
“This support would not be based on flimsy grounds but the best interest of Anambra at heart. We will work hard to elect for ourselves a man best suited to continue the progressive march.”
He noted that Ngige during his first stint as governor was the architect of the historic liberation of Anambra politics from the shackles of godfathers and minions, adding that the liberty paved the way for Obi’s success.
“For the avoidance of doubts, the template of Anambra renaissance we all are benefiting from today was set up by Ngige when he damned the hawkish demands of the godfathers to free Anambra and its resources for the people of Anambra,” Igbokwe noted.

…As Shock, disbelief trail Soludo’s disqualification in APGA
ELEVEN ASPIRANTS in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who at the commencement of the congresses pledged to work for the realization of the party’s victory in the gubernatorial polls have taken their collaboration to a higher level. The 11 aspirants Vanguard learnt at the weekend have obtained an injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC from interfering in the ongoing congresses.

The injunction is to be served on INEC this morning, authoritative sources in the Group of 11, G11 told Vanguard at the weekend. The injunction it was learnt follows fears among the aspirants that INEC could intervene to the extent of declaring the ward congresses conducted by the Ken Emeakayi led mainstream of the party illegal. Indications to a possible decision by INEC follows the commission’s insistence that it only recognizes the Ejike Oguebego faction of the party which reportedly has the sympathy of Chief Chris Uba.

There is little doubt among PDP partisans in Anambra that the coalition of aspirants which obtained the injunction is aiming its arsenal against Senator Andy Uba, the PDP’s candidate in 2007 and one of the most powerful forces on ground in the state.

Senator Uba is presently the chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC and the 11 aspirants in the Emeakayi camp according to sources fear that Senator Uba may use his influence on the commission to get it to recognize the nomination congresses being organized by the Oguebego faction of the party.

“We will not take chances and that is why we are going this way,” one of the aspirants involved told Vanguard at the weekend.

Soludo, Ogene, Odenigbo, Uzoh, Mrs. Ekwunife , Okonkwo, Ndubuisi and Ifeanyi Uba


“INEC has no role in the organization of the congress and we do not want to take any chance on the issue,” the source told Vanguard.

7 aspirants to participate in NNPP gubernatorial primaries

NO fewer that seven persons are to vie for the ticket of New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, for the Anambra governorship election. The party has already chosen its candidates for the local government elections.

National secretary of the party, Mr. Major Abu, who spoke during the presentation of nomination form to one of its governorship aspirants, Prince Leonard Uchendu at the party’s state headquarters in Awka, explained that primaries for the selection of NNPP candidate for the November 16, 2013 governorship election will hold on August 30, 2013.

According to Abu, the party is collecting only N1 million from the aspirants because of its belief that asking the aspirants to pay so much money was a way of scaring good people who may have good ideas for the development of the state, but could be scared to

Speaking after picking the form, Uchendu, who is the president general of Umuawulu Town Union in Awka South local government area of the state, promised to tackle the critical areas of social and economic sectors of the state if elected governor of Anambra State. He commended the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi for the giant strides he recorded during his tenure and promised to surpass him if given the opportunity.

APC in secret mobilization drive
THE APC hierarchy had recently spread the word across the state to members that it had gotten the INEC voter’s cards for members. However, those who came to locations around the 21 local government areas of the state for the voter’s cards last weekend instead of the INEC voter’s cards were formally registered as members of the party.

Indeed, in many places in the state at the weekend, members of APC were seen registering new members.

Meanwhile, the assertion by two of the party’s leading gubernatorial aspirants, Senator Annie Okonkwo and Mr. Godwin Ezemo that they have adopted the former ANPP chairman in the state, Chief Pat Orjiakor as the interim chairman of the APC in the state is being hotly disputed by the camp of Senator Chris Ngige.Senator Ngige was not at the meeting where Orjiakor was adopted and his camp is believed not to be inclined towards Orjiakor, a source close to Ngige disclosed at the weekend.

Shock, disbelief trail Soludo’s disqualification in APGA

MANY people in Anambra State expressed shock weekend when information filtered in that Professor Charles Soludo did not make it at the screening of governorship aspirants at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

While people wondered why any party would not like to field somebody like Soludo as its flag bearer, others said he ought to have known that Nigerian politics is not meant for people like him.

Gov Obi struggles to wiggle out of the Soludo conspiracy

GOVERNOR Peter Obi was yesterday desperately trying to divorce himself from the alleged conspiracy that disqualified Prof. Charles Soludo from the governorship race on the ticket of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.

Prof. Soludo alongside five other aspirants including the erstwhile SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze were disqualified by the party’s screening committee on Friday. Since the news of the disqualification of Soludo from the APGA nomination contest, insinuations of a conspiracy orchestrated by powerful interests in the presidency have been abuzz.

Powerful interests
According to the speculations, the APGA top hierarchy was coerced to move against Soludo on the suspicion that he, Soludo would be antagonistic to Jonathan’s presidential aspirations in 2015.

Commissioner for Information and Culture, Chief Joe Martins Uzodike, who spoke for the governor, described the insinuation as unfounded, adding that APGA, set up a committee to screen prospective candidates with clear guidelines and wondered why Governor Obi should be blamed for a job done by a committee he was not a member.

Uzodike said: “Do you think the Governor himself is happy over the screening? How can he, when the immediate Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Oseloka Obaze whom he brought back from the USA was also screened out?” the Commissioner asked.

He also described as untrue the rumour that Prof. Charles Soludo was screened out because of the interest of the presidency after it was rumoured that Obi was the one who brought him into APGA to replace him.

According to him, the fact is that whatever happens in Nigeria is often interpreted not according to facts, but according to the people’s fancies, without even an iota of truth in most of them.

On Governor Obi’s insistence that the governorship will move to Anambra North, the commissioner said people should understand it from the point of view of the fact that the governor would only support a candidate from the North, as he, according to him, does not have the powers to stick to that if the people of the state decided otherwise.

He, however, assured that the governor’s preference for the next governor remains Anambra North.

“Even as electioneering is gearing up, the Governor says it at any fora that he will only support a candidate from the North in the spirit of equity and fairness,” he said.

Man received 5 gunshot in my head, yet still alive

From GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri
The shout of alleluia is resounding in the home of Mr. Alex Anosike, an engineer, who miraculously cheated death after gunmen shot him six times – five shots in the head and one on the shoulder.
But for divine providence, Anosike’s family, pastor and members of his church would today be in deep grief. Rather than mourning over his death, they are praising God and celebrating his survival.
Anosike’s close shave began on July 21 shortly after service at the pentecostal church where he is a member, when some other members reported to the pastor that they had seen two strange young men in one of the uncompleted buildings within the compound of the church located in Naze Extension in Owerri North Local Government Area, Imo State.
On hearing this, the pastor (who does not want his name in print) and Anosike walked over to the uncompleted building to find out what the young men were doing in the place.
In recent times, residents of the Otamiri area of Naze Extension had been worried about the high level of insecurity in that part of the state capital, because of the activities of hoodlums who daily terrorize them despite the best efforts of the security agencies to rid the area of criminal elements. The abysmally low of security had driven fear into people who acquired land in the area, compelling them to delay developing their plots.
Recounting what happened on the fateful day, Anosike told Sunday Sun: “I was with my pastor when some members came to say that two young men were staying in a part of the uncompleted church building. So the pastor and myself decided to go and find out what the two strangers were doing in the uncompleted building of the church. Immediately they saw us, they ran off and jumped over the fence.
“We got curious, wondering why two people who came into our church premises would run off instead of greeting us. So we went towards the fence to know what was actually happening, but as we got close to the fence, we did not know that the men were hiding behind it and armed with a gun.
“Upon sighting us, they just started shooting. I was in the direct line of fire and received gunshot wounds. I immediately passed out. As I would learn after I was revived in the hospital, I got six gunshots – five on the head and one on my left shoulder. Immediately after shooting us, the two hoodlums fled. But my pastor was unhurt,” Anosike said.
When he regained composure, the pastor rallied round the members and rushed Anosike to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where doctors made feverish efforts to save his life. He was then moved to Spring Hospital, a private hospital in Abia State.
The race to save him continuing, it was as if Anosike’s run of good luck was in full throttle. The bullets shot at his head had pierced the skull and lodged in the brain. None of the first two hospitals he was taken to (FMC-Owerri and Spring Hospital) had the facilities or expertise to extract the pellets.
Anosike takes up the tale again: “Because of the gunshots I received, blood had accumulated in my brain. The two hospitals I was first taken to (Spring Hospital in Abia State and the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri) lacked the facilities to drain the blood. Plans were already afoot to fly me abroad for surgery to drain the blood and extract the bullets. It was at this point that one of my friends told us about a good neurosurgeon in Imo State, who just came back from the United States. So, I was taken to Geoffrey Memorial Hospital in Owerri, which is owned by Dr Clement Opurum, a neurosurgeon. It was there that I underwent the first successful surgery and the blood in my brain was drained. The first two pellets were also extracted. As I speak now I still have four pellets lodged in my brain. But the doctor has assured me that when the brain reacts it will push them out to where they can be removed.”
Anosike is full of gratitude to the Almighty God for sparing his life. As he continues to recuperate in the hospital, joy is written all over him – one of the lucky few people who received multiple gunshots and yet lived to tell the story of their close-shave with death.
At the Imo State Police Command, Sunday Sun learnt from the Public Relations Officer, DSP Joy Elemoko, that the incident was actually reported to the police, assuring that detectives were investigating the case.  While adding that the police had not yet made any arrests, she, however, acknowledged that the police were disturbed by the notoriety of Naze Extension as a den of criminals. The police spokesperson disclosed that the police had since reinforced its ambush squad to flush out all criminals from the area.

Dead man wakes up …After three days in mortuary

From Moshood Adebayo, Abeokuta
Retired soldier, Kayode Sotunde, 49, had plans for better living when he undertook a journey from Gboko to Kano on April 11, this year, but he did not make it to Kano alive. The commercial bus conveying the ex-soldier crashed on the way, claiming him and 17 others.
But the saying, ‘old soldier never dies’ appears to have played out with Sotunde as he woke up three days after in the mortuary, where his body and others were deposited for their families to claim for burial.
According to Sotunde,  his corpse was taken out of the mortuary and was being prepared for burial when he suddenly woke up.
Sotunde narrated his experience to Sunday Sun in Abeokuta, Ogun State: ‘’I am a living witness to the fact that God exists. You may not believe me, just like I may not have believed it if it did not happen to me.  I died in an accident along with 17 others, but resurrected three days after in the mortuary.”
Excerpts of the interview:

Journey from Gboko to mortuary
On that fateful day, that was April 11, 2013, I was travelling from Gboko to Kano to see my younger brother, Jide Sotunde,  a soldier serving in Kano. We had agreed on the journey which we had thought would afford us to discuss important issues, including the possibilities of getting another job that would not be too far from where I had my wife.
I retired from the Nigerian Army, (Supply and Transport), Apapa Lagos where I served for 30 years, during which I also participated in many peace keeping force assignments outside Nigeria.
After retirement, I got a job as a security guard at the Dangote Cement, Gboko, Benue State from where I also resigned because of the distance of my workplace and where my family was based in Osogbo.
The ill-fated vehicle was an 18-seater passenger bus, which I boarded in Gboko en-route Kano. We were barely two hours into the journey when a passenger asked us to pray. Since it was a normal thing for a passenger to offer to pray on such a long journey, I did not heed his call.  I was just playing with my mobile phone set.
Aside from that, I didn’t believe in the prayer since I didn’t know anything about Jesus Christ. I was a freethinker who neither went to church nor worshipped any idol. We were making progress on the journey when suddenly there was a bang. That was all I could recollect about the journey until I woke up three days after in the mortuary of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kano where I was told that I died in an accident and my corpse along with other 17 passengers were deposited there.
Even though the hospital authorities told me that I was in their morgue for three days as a dead man, I actually spent more days there before I could regain my senses.

I was to be buried in Kano
I was told that before I returned from the land of the dead, my family had instructed my younger brother who I was visiting in Kano before the accident to bury me in Kano since they could not afford the N150,000, which was said to have been requested by transporters to take my corpse from Kano to Abeokuta.  My elder sister, Moradeke Sotunde played a prominent role in this regard.
I was also told that it was at the point that my corpse was being prepared for interment that suddenly I returned to the land of the living after my corpse was taken out of the mortuary for prayers by Islamic clerics who were said to have sprinkled water on my corpse preparatory to my burial. I was also told that my hair was also shaved as demanded by the clerics.
I was told that my corpse was taken out of the mortuary after they had dug my grave and organised some clerics to offer the funeral prayers.
They wanted to bury me  in Kano because my family members couldn’t afford N150,000 demanded for carrying my corpse to Abeokuta for burial.  The initial plan was to move my corpse back home to Abeokuta, where a grave had been dug but for the transportation cost.

Life in the land of the dead
My brother, truly, there is life after death. I can also tell you that there is a living God. You may not believe me, but I am a living witness to this. I may not be able to describe Heaven or Hell, but there is another life after this one that we are living.
This place I am talking about is full of snow. I may not have been to America, but I have heard about snow. Where we were was full of snow, with plenty of something that I can describe as alum stones; whitish in colour with something I can describe as granite in this physical world.  In spite of the terrible cold, there was no day that we felt cold and it was never harmful to us.
All of us were there without knowing whether we are male or female. We couldn’t see our eyes, mouth and nose. We had no leg; we had no arm, but we floated in the air without our bodies touching the ground. We were flying around what I will describe as another planet.
On the third day of my arrival on the strange planet, they gave me a message that we were expecting one big prophet.
After the message was delivered,  they nominated ushers  among us to welcome the prophet.  And seconds later, people started trooping in, jubilating as if a goal was just scored in a football match.
On that planet, there were many stars which were not stable in one place, like we have in the sky in this world. I noticed that on a daily basis, people kept on increasing, even though we don’t know from where they came.
I was in this mood until they (I don’t know them) told me that I should go back home to work for the Lord. According to them, there were many people in the world who are not only in bondage, but are also afflicted with human pains. They also instructed that I should work for the Lord and heel people. I was even arguing, putting up some resistance that I could not do it. This was the condition I found myself until I opened my eyes and saw Jide, my younger  brother in this part of the world again.

In God’s vineyard
Since the Lord has directed me to work for Him, I will surely do so because ‘to be forewarned, is to be forearmed.’ It was because of this that I went to do my thanksgiving service at the Mountain of Fire and Miracle, in Lagos with the General Overseer, Pastor Olukoya.
The Lord has started performing miracles in other people’s lives through me. I don’t want to sound boastful, but God has started using me. I do pray for people now and they usually return to tell me that their problems have been solved. It is the Lord’s doing.
I have already prayed for a woman who has married been for 14 years without a child that God will give her the fruit of the womb. The person who lives in Ikorodu spoke to me through the telephone and I believe Lord will answer her prayers and request. I have accepted to work in God’s vineyard till I return to Him.

Day I returned to Abeokuta
I caused a stir in this area when I returned alive to Abeokuta because people including my family members, except my brother who was with me when I rose from the dead, did not know I had risen from the dead.
On arrival in Abeokuta, we played pranks on my people as they did not know that I was returning to home alive that day.
When we got nearer home, the person that accompanied me decided to call Kemi, my mother’s last born that we were already in Abeokuta.  When my sister saw me, she fainted and was later revived.  She was shivering when she woke up.
We later told her to return home to tell others that I had risen from the dead. On my way, I saw people mourning me, wearing black attire.
I trekked a distance of about 800 metres to my father’s house.  There, a grave had also been dug beside my late father’s before the family decided to bury my corpse in Kano. I waved as people were expressing shock and disbelief at seeing me alive. When I attempted to move closer to a woman in her shop, she ran away, thinking I was a ghost and pleading that she had no hands in my death. My sister, Moradeke who lives in Lagos was also wearing a black attire, mourning along with others until I returned home.
I returned to Abeokuta on the very day I was to be buried. I even met many of the mourners, wearing black (including my sisters) who had gathered in my father’s house here, (Sabo Abeokuta).
There was also a particular woman who threw away the beans meal she was eating and ran away from her shop when she sighted me.
I kept on saying that I was not dead, but she found it difficult to believe me.

Health challenges
Although I have returned from the land of the dead, I have not fully regained my health as I am talking to you. I have both chest and body pains. In fact, medically speaking, I am not alright.  I usually run strange temperature.  That was why I visited the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba for medical treatment.  I vomit blood each time I cough. I can’t engage in any hard labour.
Besides, a lot of strange things have started happening to me.  Sometimes, I feel as if I am still in the mortuary.  I will be seeing a lot of heads. My sight is not normal, it sometimes fails me. I have also started giving messages to people about things that they don’t know about their family.
I started revealing to them what had happened in the past to their astonishment. This has made many people to run away from me with some describing me as a demon. To be sure that I am not a ghost, I tried to relate with my friends as well as eat with them. Despite this a few of my friends still avoid to shake hands with me, thinking that I am a ghost.

I am homeless
You ask where I live? To answer straight, I am homeless, because I am currently squatting with my younger sister, causing her and her family inconveniences.  Even though she is not complaining, I know that I am inconveniencing  her.
I have been given quit notice in Osogbo after my landlord heard of the incident. According to him, he could not live with Akudaaya (ghost). I stayed at No 1, Rasco Hall, Oke Fia, Osun State, Osogbo, It was the ejection that informed my living with my sister here (Abeokuta).
I need serious financial assistance from well-meaning Nigerians to take care of my health and sustenance.  Survival is difficult for me.  That is why I appeal to Nigerians to come to my aid. I want to stop being a burden to my sister and her nuclear family. I want individuals as well as corporate bodies and churches to help me financially. God will surely replenish their purses in abundance in Jesus name.
I had a broken home some years back and I remarried two years ago, but when the incident happened, the woman abandoned me and ran away from Osogbo.
I want to appeal to Nigerians and other people that there is God. I want them to believe that there is life after death; so we should do good to our fellow beings. Heaven and Hell are real.  Where we want to go is an option for us to decide. I want people to know that it is just a matter of seconds between life and death.

Rivers crisis: Court sacks Commission of Inquiry

•Stops Gov, Attorney-General from receiving  reports 
…As PDP hails ruling
A Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, has sacked the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, set up by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi,  to look into the crisis that  erupted in the state House of Assembly on July 9 and 10, 2013.
The court also restrained the governor and the state Attorney-General from receiving, accepting or implementing any report or recommendation from the commission.
The ruling was given Friday, by the trial Judge, Justice I. Iyayi-Lamikanra, following a suit filed by one of the Assembly members, Victor Ihunwo, representing Port Harcourt City III Constituency, challenging the constitution or    composition of  members of the commission.
Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra upheld the two reliefs sought by the anti-Amaechi applicant, which were to stop 1st to 9th  respondents (coommission and its members) from sitting and restrain the 10th and 11th respondents (Governor Amaechi and  the Attorney-General of the state, respectively) from accepting, receiving or implementing any report or recommendation from the panel.
She conceded that the commission was constituted  in a manner  that  its independence and neutrality would not be guaranteed, as required  by the fair hearing provision of 1999 Constitution.
The judge also upheld that the establishment of the commission was a violation of the doctrine of Separation of Power, saying  that the incident  that led to  the setting up of the panel took place in the  hallowed chamber of Rivers State House of Assembly.
According to her,  going by  the doctrine of Separation of Power, the executive arm of government was different and distinct, from the legislative arm.  As a result, she further argued that one arm of government (the executive)  was not supposed  to set up a panel of inquiry into the internal workings or  things  that happened  in the other arm of government.
Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra  pointed  out that, part of the terms of reference, given to the commission, which included criminal matter, would amount to usurpation of the function of  the regular court, which had the competence and jurisdiction, under the constitution to try criminal cases.
The commission, had on Thursday summoned the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom  Wike, the  state chairman of  PDP, Chief Felix Obuah and others, to appear before it. But is a swift reaction that same Thursday, Wike and Obuah, who spoke to Saturday Sun through the Special Adviser to the PDP chairman on Media, Mr.  Jerry Needam, said they would not appear  before the panel.
Needam  had  explained that  while Wike and Obuah held members of the Biobele Georgewill-led  panel in high esteem, they strongly believed that the panel was set up to victimize them.
‘’We hold members of  the committee in high esteem but , however, reject the invitation extended to the Minster of State for Education  and the Chairman of PDP, Rivers State.’’
Besides the fear of victimization, the two   politicians  said  the panel of Inquiry needed not to  invite  them to appear before it, as they had  already challenged its constitution in the court of law.
“Amaechi  can’t be  a judge in his own case. He was in the hallowed chambers on the day of the incident. He is a suspect, he lacks the moral ground to  inaugurate the panel. The report of the panel is already premeditated’’, he stated.
Wike and Obuah also expressed fears that Governor Amaechi would use the panel to  indict his political enemies. The party said: ‘’He is targeting the Minster and  the Chairman of  the  PDP. We reject the invitation and the panel. The panel is acting on Amaechi’s  instruction. The outcome of  the panel will not bring peace, it will be vindictive. The  panel is  targeted at perceived political enemies.”
They also  questioned  their invitation, when the panel was already aware of  the  court order, for stay of proceedings and its disbandment.  ‘’The speed at which they invited  Obuah and Wike is suspect,’’ he concluded.
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has lauded  yesterday’s  court ruling.
Chairman of the party, Chief Felix Obuah, in a statement issued through his media aide, Jerry Needam, said the nullification had vindicated the position of the party, that  the setting up of the commission was  intended to witch-hunt perceived opponents of Governor Amaechi.
He  commended  the judiciary for its courage to uphold that the incident, which occurred  in the presence of the governor, could not  be investigated by him.
“We are happy and wish to express our renewed confidence in the Nigerian judiciary, for  upholding  justice in the face of intimidation and wanton display of power.
“Of noteworthy is the recognition of the fact that the state legislature is a separate arm of government, as significant as both the executive and the Judiciary, and must not be hijacked by either of the arms,” the party noted.
It expressed optimism that the dissolution of the panel would boost the ongoing peace reconciliation of  the aggrieved members of the party at both the state and national levels.
Addressing journalists shortly after the judgment, counsel to the 1st to 9th respondents, Olusola Dare, said he would contact his clients to decide on the   next step to take.
Also, counsel to the applicant, Dike Udenna, commended the Judge for her unbiased judgment, adding that the 10th respondent was an interested party in the matter, as he could not be a judge in his own case.

Control: A Christian lifestyle

 

 

Ace Foundations

The Encarta dictionary defines control
as the ability to "exercise power or
authority over something...". And
Jesus shortly before leaving for Glory
said, "... All Authority is given to me in Heaven and Earth" (Matt 28:18, NKJV). Jesus has bequeathed this authority to us as His Sons in glory. So, God wants us to have control over every facet of our lives- spiritual, career, mental, financial and more. Jesus was a man in charge of everything. He was a master of situations and circumstances. He had such mastery that even when He was taken to the edge of the cliff to be thrown off it, He calmly walked out from amongst His aggressors without lifting a hand against them. And they could do nothing! No wonder the Baptist said of Jesus, " He that cometh from above is above all.." (John 3:31). Likewise, we are citizens of Heaven and ought to exercise such mastery over the vicissitudes of life....

17- year-old virgin was beheaded in Abia

From CHUKS ONUOHA, Umuahia

•It’s no ritual killing –Police 

A 17-year-old secondary school virgin, Miss Chioma Emeka Ikwuagwu has been beheaded in Ukome, Ibeku, the home town of Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji,  in Unuahia North Local Government Area, while  she was fetching vegetable from her mother’s farm land.Chioma, a student of Girls’ Secondary School, Umuahia, otherwise known as Holy Rosary secondary school, was sent by her mother to go to the farm and fetch vegetable, which the family would use for their evening meal when she was attacked and beheaded.Her headless body was found at a spot, where her killers covered her with palm leaves and her head, which was completely severed from the body, was lying beside the body as her blood formed a pool on the leaves. She was in SS3 and was living in Ukome, the home of his father’s late maternal grandmother, when she was gruesomely beheaded by unknown assailants.
On examination of her body, it was found that no part of her organs was removed, rather her assailants had drawn her jeans trousers down to her laps, while she was still clutching her thighs with one hand, indicating where she probably received the first matchet cut before her attackers cut off her head.
Her father, Emeka Ikwuagwu said that on Friday, July 26, he went to harvest  corns from his farm, while his  wife, Akunna led some people to weed their other farm  in another location.
“When Chioma came to the farm to bring food to the mother and others who were working in the farm for the mother around 12.00pm, her mother requested her to go to another farm to collect some vegetables which the family will use for dinner in the evening. That was the last time I saw her alive, the next was her dead body with her head cut off by unknown persons, who still left the head beside the body”, Ikwuagwu said.
When she was not seen as was supposed, the mother, went in search of her in the farm where she was sent to, only to discover traces of blood everywhere around  the farm  and rushed back to tell  her husband .
Saturday Sun also learnt that there were signs of struggle and dragging of her body from where she was killed and where her body was dropped and covered with palm fronds.
Ikwuagwu said further that they left the body at the spot where it was found till the next day being Saturday when the police removed it and took it to the City gate Mortuary in Umuahia, after it was rejected by the management of the  Federal Medical Centre mortuary for undisclosed reasons.
A source from the community told Saturday Sun that on hearing the news of the murder of Chioma, said to be very brilliant, the youths of Ukome launched a search into all the bushes and forests in the  area to look for the possible killer or killers of  the girl said to still be a virgin when she was killed.
However, their efforts yielded no fruit as no clue led to the traces of her killers who must have absconded to a far away place to hide from the law.
Ikwuagwu, who hails from Ameke, a neighbouring community, reputably known for their war history in the ancient times  was said to have reported  the incident to his kinsmen, Ameke people , who, on Sunday, July 28, stormed  Ukome with wooden gongs and symbolic palm tree leaves which they handed down to  Ukome people, demanding their daughter. They had given Ukome people three days to produce their daughter or face the wrath of Ameke people who from ancient times were known as warriors and reputable for head-hunting, something which they had been visited with in the murder of their daughter.
The notice issued to Ukome ended since Tuesday, July 30, 2013 and this has brought a lot of fear and apprehension on the two communities as to what could be the next action of Ameke people.
There are fears that the incident may lead to communal clashes between Ukome and Ameke if nothing is done fast to stem the situation.
However, a suspect has been arrested by the police over the incident following an earlier threat to the Ikwuagwu family over a piece of land willed to Emeka Ikwuagwu by his late grandmother.
The suspect was said to have before now been threatening Emeka Ikwuagwu over the piece of land which was his inheritance and had promised to deal with him. Neighbours said that the accused is the only person every accusing finger is pointing to.
Speaking to Saturday Sun in his office at Bende Road Umuahia, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Usman Tilli, who confirmed the incident, said immediately the matter was reported to the police, his men went to remove the corpse and deposited it at the mortuary. He added that the matter was, however, still being investigated.
The police boss, who ruled out ritual killing, said it could be as a result of land dispute, stating that no arrest has been made so far.
On the tension within the two communities over the dastardly act,  the police commissioner sued for peace and said that he has directed the DPO in charge of the area to invite leaders of the two communities for peaceful settlement.

I’ll not dump APGA even if l lose ticket –Soludo

From Iheanacho Nwosu, Abuja
Former Governor of Central Bank (CBN) and governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof Chukwuma Soludo, yesterday ruled out dumping the party even if he does not clinch the party’s ticket for the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.
Speaking shortly after appearing before the screening panel of the party, Soludo said he did not join the party solely to fly its flag but to help strengthen APGA . Soludo is among the 16 aspirants that picked APGA’s Expression of Interest Form and nomination form. The party’s screening, which started yesterday will end today.
Outlining his programmes if elected governor, the former CBN boss promised to create 100,000 private sector jobs few months after assuming office. He assured that agriculture would be given a priority by his government.
He said he was in the race because of his resolve to use his intellect and contacts to better Anambra State. He said: “All I want to do is to show what service is all about, I want to put Anambra on the world map.”Soludo stated he would do everything within his power to free his kinsmen especially the rural dwellers from the clutches of poverty. He lamented that many residents of the state were still living in acute poverty, describing this situation as unacceptable.
Also speaking, an industrialist and aspirant, Dr Chike Obidigbo, said his mission was to create jobs for youths in the state.  The aspirant, who was accompanied to the APGA secretariat by thousands of supporters, submitted that Anambra at this time “needs a good look at the economy. We want to provide sustainable jobs.”
The industrialist, who said he had experience to turn things around for the state stressed that, “ we have to pay attention to productive sector.”
On whether the aspirants are disposed to a consensus candidate, Obidigbo said the aspirants were discussing to see whether such deal could work. “The important thing is that we are discussing, nothing is ruled out.” He expressed confidence on the screening panel, saying the aspirants expect the committee to be transparent and fair to everybody.
Harping on the need for transparency and fairness to all the aspirants, another contestant, Chief Henry Oseloka Obaze said the party would have no reason not to win if all the processes were made to be transparent.
Obaze described himself as someone, who deserved to succeed Governor Peter Obi because of his rich experience and scholarship. He lauded the achievements of Governor  Obi and argued that the state needed somebody, who would sustain the governor’s vision.

War rages between the Catholic priests

•Rev Fr: you’re corrupt
•Bishop: No, I am not. That’s rude 

From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba
Catholic priests in the Aba Diocese of the church are locked in a renewed battle that can be described as a holy war, with a Rev. fr and his Bishop trading allegations of corruption.  The war, which has been raging for some years now, has led to the suspension of some priests from the diocese and the dragging of the bishop to the Zone 9 headquarters of the Nigeria Police in Umuahia, Abia State where the Local Ordinary (Bishop) had gone on some occasions to defend himself against graft allegations levelled against him by one of the priests.
The current crisis, according to one of the priests placed on suspension, Rev. Fr. Onyebuchi Ig.  Nwoko, started few years back when he preached a homily in his parish, condemning what he described as an illicit partisan romance between the Catholic Church in Aba “and the failed-corrupt insensitive government in place in Abia State at the expense of the poor and unsuspecting citizens of the state.”
This Fr. Nwoko said coupled with his stance against absolute worship of money and colossal murder of spirituality and spiritual life that drags the image of the church to the mud and made people not to have respect for it any more, made him the target of the bishop.
This homily, Saturday Sun, gathered did not go down well with the Catholic Bishop of Aba, His Lordship, Vincent Valentine Ezeonyia who felt Rev. Fr. Nwoko went too far, and allegedly promised to “deal with the priest in question.”
This pronouncement, it was also gathered, was closely followed with a letter of reprimand entitled “Precept” which the Bishop was said to have ordered should be placed against the priest’s name in the Diocese’s Curia.
Rev. Fr. Nwoko, who is also a lawyer, took exception to a passage in the precept which said, “I (Bishop) also confine you to your self-chosen legal practice.”
With this, the priest felt he was being punished for telling the truth of what was going on in the diocese and the state at large and the battle line was drawn.
In his reply, the priest said: “Most of my legal practice is pro bono as many of our institutions, and the office of the education secretary can attest to. My bishop hates to see a priest that is empowered and who swims in excellence.
“He is very cagey in placing such priests in places where his friends are residing, so that the word of God may not smack them. A good number of priests working in the diocese preach the gospel of my bishop, and not the gospel of Christ. However, I will dissect and respond adequately on the said ‘precept’ to the appropriate quarters.”
The bishop was said to have been livid with this response that some days later, Fr. Nwoko said in a memo to his traditional ruler in Ukwa East about his lingering crisis with the bishop that he was transferred to the same location where kidnappers abducted one of the priests.
This transfer, the priest said, was done for a purpose, “to throw his perceived enemy into the lion’s den, but cannot sharpen their claws to take my life. I am conscious of the fact that if there is benefit or reward at all in our apostolate, I do not stand to be rewarded by my bishop.”
The matter got to its crescendo on February 23, 2011 when Bishop Ezeonyia reposted some priests, including Nwoko of St. David, Uratta – Umuoha in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government with the new posting not having any parish.
Feeling stabbed at the back by the new posting, Fr. Nwoko refused to vacate the parsonage at Uratta until he was given a new parish and the real trouble began.
To ensure that another priest took over, the bishop was reported to have threatened to forcefully open the residence of the parish priest, which was under lock and key.
In an attempt at forestalling the threat, Nwoko on September 7, 2012 wrote a petition entitled, “The unlawful conduct of Bishop Ezeonyia capable of causing a breakdown of law and order,” to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the need for the police boss to call the bishop to order.
Before the IGP could act on the petition of the priest, his residence had been forced open.
The action prompted Nwoko to do another petition entitled, “Case of burglary, sealing, threat to life, property and conduct capable of breaching public peace”, this time to the Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Zone 9, Umuahia.
In the petition, Fr. Nwoko accused the bishop who he said has been having nocturnal meetings with Catechist Anthony Enwe, Mr. Simeon Nwokoacha, Sir Ajaegbu, Mr Chidinma Agbara and Mr Raphael Nwaeke, while he was away to Enugu sometime in 2012 for the purpose of breaking into his house.
He urged the AIG to investigate the bishop, arrest and charge him to court if found culpable.
When it appeared the AIG was delaying in acceding to his request, he wrote another letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police “D” Department, Zone 9 headquarters.
In the letter, Fr. Nwoko narrated how one Joseph Offor of the legal department, Zone 9 Police Command thwarted every effort he made to ensure that the bishop was prosecuted, alleging that “one of the priests, Fr. Innocent Ajuonu (even) boasted that they have settled the matter and that the prosecutor had assured them that the bishop will never be prosecuted.”
As this was going on, Bishop Ezeonyia on May 7, 2013, wielded the big hammer. He issued Fr. Nwoko with ‘Canonical warning’ entitled “Second Admonition” in which the priest was accused, among other things, of disrespect to the Local Ordinary.
The bishop threatened not only to impose personal interdict/suspension if within 10 working days Fr. Nwoko failed to write him with a promise of stopping his scanting attacks on him (Bishop), but also directed that the Canonical warning “be placed in the secret archive of the Curia and maintained there in accord with the norm of law.”
In an eight-page reply captioned, “Threat to impose further interdict/suspension order”, Fr. Nwoko said unless the bishop restructure the Diocese based on truth and recall the priests he suspended particularly Rev. Fr. Ken Evurulobi, nothing will make him change his stance on issues in the diocese.
“You may think that you have the Ecclesiastical power to do what you like, but you do not have the power of the electronic pen. Be assured that in the absence of those serious and unfortunate irregularities going on in this diocese, only when the right reason, respect for the human person, justice, equity and fair play are properly put in place that this matter may seem not to proceed further,” Fr Nwoko replied Bishop Ezeonyia.
In response to the allegations leveled against him by Fr Nwoko, Bishop Ezeonyia who spoke through Rev Fr. Alex Okonkwor, Judicial Vicar of the diocese said the truth about the whole issue was that Rev Fr. Nwoko has been disrespectful to the office of the bishop in so many ways.
He accused Fr. Nwoko of refusing to honour an appointment with the bishop so that there will “be understanding and peace in the diocese, but he refused and instead chose to rage like the hectic in the body of this diocese by spinning out writings, articles and letters that are crammed with insults against the bishop.”

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Nigeria: WHO, Boko Haram's Doctor Arrested

Abuja — The Joint Task Force, JTF, implementing the state of emergency imposed on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, has arrested a medical doctor (names with-held) in Borno State, who is the medical consultant to the terrorist group. He is at the same time a consultant with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Vanguard gathered from reliable security sources that the arrest of the medical doctor followed a tip-off that the terrorists had a well organized mobile medical facility with which wounded insurgents are treated.
The international connection of the medical doctor was, however, brought to the fore when suddenly, the international human rights watch dog, Amnesty International, sent its officials to investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the supposedly WHO consultant.
"In fact, what gave him out was his suit case containing sophisticated medical equipment with which he provided diagnostic services to the terrorists", the source said.
Disclosing how the doctor was arrested, the source said: "A truck suspected to be carrying insurgents and IEDS as well as other dangerous weapons was stopped at a check point but it sped off. Unknown to the truck's driver and other occupants of the truck, there was another checkpoint which had been alerted of their coming. When the truck got to that checkpoint, the security operatives fired at it while the occupants ran into the bush.
"When the truck was searched, various types of IEDS, AK 47 rifles and other bomb-making materials were found. Also found was a suit case containing medical equipment. After some time, when the doctor felt the Special Forces had left, he came back to retrieve his suit case but was ambushed and arrested".
The source added that "immediately the doctor was arrested, Amnesty International was calling the military authorities alleging that an innocent doctor has been arrested by the JTF forces and that he should be released because of his human rights, though the military authorities are not moved by their plea".
In another development, Vanguard gathered that the recent attack at Government Secondary School, near Potiskum in Yobe State during which 29 students and a teacher were killed, was the fallout of the arrest of a lawyer with alleged links with the sect.
Vanguard gathered that the lawyer (names with-held), was the one who always provided legal services for suspected Boko Haram terrorists each time they were arrested and he was said to be an ideological/ intellectual contributor to their activities in Yobe State.
Following his arrest by JTF forces, the lawyer allegedly said, "So you have arrested me. Let me warn you that this town will know no peace until I am released".
The source said that two days after, the secondary school near Potiskum was attacked and the children (students) slaughtered".
After the massacre of the children, neighbours living in the area said they heard the terrorists shouting "Allahu Akbar, yes we have taken revenge for his arrest".
The source said: "The most horrifying aspect of the students' killing was that they asked the students, both boys and girls to pull off their dresses, and any student found with pubic hair on his or her private parts, was not only shot and killed, they also used axes or machetes to cut off their legs from their body".
Both the medical doctor and the lawyer are however said to be in custody of the JTF forces and would not be released until investigations into their alleged connivance with the terrorists are concluded and they are prosecuted".

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Born without skull: US doctors create fresh head for Nigerian child

From DENNIS MERNYI, Abuja
With  much expectation, the world is waiting to see  OkikiJesu Olawuyi grab a fitting place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Many across the world want to see this happen. And what that means is that a Nigerian child is well on her way to making history once she scales the mountain of surgeries standing in her path of life.
OkikiJesu  Olawuyi was born without a skull but not without a will to live. Bones from her hands are being obtained to construct a skull bone to help her live. Amazingly, she is winning this battle for  her life  at John Hopkins University in far away United States of America. There, the best hands the world can assemble are with her every passing hour fighting a medical war to give life to a miracle child  who has announced to  the entire human community that she has something different to offer. First grade surgeons – irrespective of colour, race and tongue are tasking  their expertise to see that this wonder of the 21st century lives to tell her story and  reports say that they are doing a great job to save her.
OkikiJesu is getting moral and material support  from across the world to help her live. An avalanche of support is coming her way. Her parents are carrying the burden of pain and anguish with stoic patience. They are fighting to remedy a medical case they cannot tell how it all started.    The child needs a lot more financial assistance to pull through, her father, Mr. Caleb Olawuyi, says.  He disclosed that she needed an additional $500,000 to undergo the final operation that would enable her live  a normal life. Experts say that is possible and they can achieve that. While appealing for generous support from government, corporate organizations and private individuals to help the baby live, Mr. Olawuyi, has equally urged government to set up funds to assist babies afflicted with critical ailments. Speaking straight from the heart, he noted that one needed to be close to a child in pains to know how it feels.
Since news of the child’s medical condition was disclosed, the world has been aghast. She was born on May 11, 2010 with a rare birth deformity which means  over 50 per cent of her skull doesn’t exist. The world has not seen anything of this stuff. In recorded history, Sunday Sun gathered that this medical condition has never been reported anywhere. The child’s condition is one that appears to have turned medicine on its head, having thrown up tremendous professional challenge to the human race. Now, the very best the world has known are  fighting a crunchy battle to overcome this, leaving many – particularly those with  hearts of stone- wondering if there is nothing they can offer to help.
Now from the home sector, help is coming for  three-year-old Okiki and her parents. Since the condition of the baby became public knowledge, a non profit  organization had stepped in to assist. Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care (GIPLC) has been doing all it can  to give life to the child whose medical condition is not traceable to  her parents. With the assistance of the organization’s Coordinator and Project Manager, Mr. Nuhu Kwajafa, the child  and her parents were on May 4, 2013, flown  to the United States. There, she is currently undergoing skull reconstruction surgery at the John Hopkins University Medical Centre.
Now, the child’s and her father’s cry for help comes ringing through the airways asking Nigerians to help her live. Here is a child  the world is interested in. The non-profit organization is doing its  best  at that level to help her survive. Sunday Sun gathered that while the world was  a short while  away from screaming uhuru at the wonderful breakthrough, an unforeseen complication arose after over 14 hours of  surgery.

for more click here http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/born-without-skull-us-doctors-create-fresh-head-for-nigerian-child/#!prettyPhoto

HOW CAN I HELP PHCN ? CAN THIS FIRE BE QUENCHED?

A STATE OF LIFE AND DEATH

What can you really say about this man? Some said its a humanitarian service while other said he is such a stupid man. I will like to know your opinion on this issue. Its a real scenery here in Onitsha. 

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