Photonews: Participants At The Future Awards Online Master Class

Open Letter: Nigeria Pro-Democracy Group Writes Police

Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, President of Campaign for Democracy (CD)

REF/CD/ANSB/VOL 5/30/7/CP/AWK/ANA/NG.

                                                                                           

Mr Ballah Nasarawa (JP)

The Commissioner of Police,

Anambra State Police Command,

State Command HQTRS,

Awka, Anambra State.

Dear Nasarawa,

YOUR MEN ARE ON IT AGAIN, THIS TIME ANY ESCAPE? INCESSANT ARREST/FRAME-UP, DETENTION AND EXTORTION OF INNOCENT CITIZENS HAVE RISEN TO AN APOGEE SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF DPO FEGGE, CSP ROWLAND OMETEJE: A CALL FOR IMMEDIATE OVERHAULING WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.

The Campaign for Democracy (CD) South East Region writes to bring to your attention on the above subject public matter.

When a branch of the Conventional police force leaves its unambiguously stipulated constitutional duties to indulge in all facets of gross criminal conducts then, it become a murderous arm of the law.

The foregoing is an undisputable attribute of your present DPO Fegge Division, Onitsha in recent times.

It is at this juncture that we have resolved to bring to your notice the incessant and unlawful arrest in the pretext of conducting an investigation against the resident of No. 5 Ajaegbue Street, Fegge, Onitsha South L.G.A. Anambra State.

Recall that between 12^th and 13^th July, 2012. Some suspected burglary hoodlums broke into a ware-house which was parked with Pharmaceutical Products belonging to

one Ndubisi and made away with some quantity of his products, at this juncture, the Fegge Divisional Police was alerted who sent his men hence investigation commences.

The Police was led by one Sgt. David Andrew with GSM 07039774780 embarked on Massive arrest of members of the said residence both Children, Mothers, Women and Men was arrested and detained.

Our sources told this organization that huge amount of money was colleted as “Bail fees” from citizen Mr Chibuzo of (Flat one front) paid N5500. Mr Nonso Anosike N6500. (flat 2 front) Master Obiajulu paid N10,000 (flat 3 front) while her mother paid N5000, then Mr Ukpaka paid N5000 (1^st floor back) Mr Eriobu 08069029841 paid N5000 and her mother also paid N2000 (2^nd floor back) Mr Calistus Chibue paid N8000. (boy’s quarter) amongst other extortionist activities which stood to over N40,000. Your efforts in sanitizing and stamping-out corruption in all facet is total and uncompromising   

Since then, the said Ipo Sgt David Andrew and Cohorts has continue to demand huge sums of money from these resident. The said stolen product(s) has never being recovered nor the suspect(s) arraign to court of competent jurisdiction. Sadly, the members of the said resident have been groaning and undergoing criminal intimidation in the hands of the investigating police officers Ipo. We also learnt that two of the suspect was transfer to SCID Awka on 27^th July 2012.

The foregoing is one of the hundreds of said events being experienced in the hands of your men by the innocent public since the arrival CSP Rowland Omoteje DPO Fegge Division. Innocent citizens always fall victims of his incessant arrest. Most of those unlawfully arrested, detained and extorted are members of the public, especially traders returning from their legitimate businesses, Okada riders who has become the highest victim in the name of ridding okada beyond 7pm.

Reports are flooding our secretariat on torrents and on daily bases over criminal activities of men of the Division including Inland Town Police Division.

Since the arrival of the present DPO, few weeks ago, his men have constituted themselves as Boko Haram in Igbo land, they have turned most of the strategic areas into no-go areas as criminals and kidnappers have a feel day.

We reservedly demand as follows:-

 (1)    That a well written code of conducts stipulating among other things on how to relate with innocent civilians as at is enshrine in 1999 constitution as amended and Police act Cap 359 and other relevant Nigerian Laws  .

(2)      That the above mentioned amounts collected by the said IPO’s and other officers be returned without  further delay including overhauling of the division.

(3)       That effort should be made to arrest the culprits who carted away citizen Ndubisi goods.

CD is confidence that this precious and brotherly advice will bring this rising tide of social upheavals to an end. We are of the view that it will be dangerous and amounts to sincere ignorance and conscientious fundamental error for your public office to turn this brotherly advice down. If within 5 days after the receipt of this brotherly letter and nothing is done to this effect.

CD maybe compelled to use every available resources within its disposal to effect the exposition of all anti-peoples policies and crime against innocent citizens including massive protest among others.

When this is done, it will definitely ruffle a few feathers and will be phantom nonsensical to negotiate with anybody. Legal redress is equally not ruled out should other legal avenue yield no satisfactory result.

We hope that our carrion call will not be toyed with or neglected.

Yours faithfully,

Signed:

For: The CD South East Region

Dede Uzor A. Uzor

Chairman

CC: The CD in-charge State CID, Awka

        The O.C, CIB Monitoring Unit Awka

        The Area Commander, Onitsha Area Command

        The DPO CPS, Onitsha

        The DPO Fegge, Onitsha

        The DPO Okpoko

        The DPO Inland Town.                

        The DPO Ogidi         

Photonews: "Eye Service" Governance In Nigeria's Imo State

Imo State Governor And Deputy Pushing A Lorry 

News Release: Invitation To Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference, Abuja 2012

Registration for the 52nd NBA Annual General Conference holding at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, from 26th – 31st August, 2012 is now open.
 

The theme of this year’s conference is: “Nigeria as an Emerging Market; Redefining our Laws & Politics for Growth”

Our Committees (TCCP) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) are working tirelessly at ensuring all necessary logistics are fully in place to make your participation at the conference rewarding and enjoyable.

The NBA is again this year offering online conference registration to members at www.nba.org.ng We encourage to register online and early to avail yourself the opportunity of benefiting from the discounted early bird registration ending 15th July 2012. 

We have also made it possible this year for participants to pay as they register online through the ATM (Debit Card) option. Now you can register at nights or at weekends! If you register online and before the end of pre-conference registration (August 25th, 2012), we assure you, your tags and materials will be awaiting your pick up whenever you arrive for the conference. 

Firms, Organizations, Institutions and Branches can register online as a Group and get fast track accreditation.

Click Here To Register 

News Report: Nigeria’s Olympic 2012 Team

 Athletics(Women)
100m
1. Blessing Okagbare
2. Gloria Asumnu
3. Lawretta Ozoh
200m
1. Gloria Asumnu
2. Lawretta Ozoh
3. Christy Udoh
400m
1. Regina George
2. Omolara Omotosho
400m Hurdles
1. Ajoke Odumosu
High Jump
1. Doreen Amata
Long Jump
1. Blessing Okagbare
Shot Put
1. Vivian Chukwuemeka
Hepthatlon
1. Uhunoma Naomi Osazuwa
Marathon
1. Esther Obiekwe
100m Hurdles
1. Seun Adigun
4 x 100 m
1. Blessing Okagbare
2. Gloria Sunmu
3. Lawretta Ozoh
4. Oluwadamola Osayomi
5. Wisdom Isoken
6. Christy Udoh
4 x 400m
1. Regina George
2. Omolara Omotosho
3. Bukola Abogunloko
4. Endurance Abinuwa
5. Idara Otu
6. Margaret Etim
Athletics(Men)
100m
1. Obinna Joseph Metu
2. Ogho Oghene Egwero
3. Peter Emelieze
100m Hurdles
1. Selim Nurudeen

400 m Hurdles
1. Ameadi Morton
Triple Jump
1. Oluwatosin Oke
Probation – 200m
1. Noah Akwu
2. Stanley Azie
Officials:
1. Yusuf Alli
2. Innocent Egbunike (Head Coach)
3. Nat Page
4. Gabriel Okon
5. Christopher Doomes
6. Garfield Ellenwood (Personal)
7. Ken Onuaguluchi (Persoanl)
8. Paul Obodochima (Personal)
9. Daniel Etsebimor (Personal)
10. Oluyomi Sule (Personal)
11. Gabriel Opuana (Personal)
12. Solomon Aliu (Personal)
13. Sunday Uti (Personal)
14. Falilat Ogunkoya (Personal)
15. Maria Wophill – Admin. Personnel
16. Chief Solomon Ogba -Team Leader
Basketball
1. Oyedeji Olumide
2. Diogu Ikechukwu Somto
3. Oruche Richard Dean Chukwuma
4. Ugboaja Ejike
5. Dagunduro Adeola Adedokun
6. Oguchi Chamberlain Nnaemeka
7. Aminu Abdul Alade
8. Ibekwe Ekenechukwu
9. Archibong Aniekan Okon
10. Aminu al Farouk
11. Obasohan Derrick Osamuuyi
12. Skinn Anthony Oludewa
13. Ayodele Bakare – Head Coach
14. Sani Ahmed – Coach
15. Francis Gbiri – Admin. Personnel
16. Tijjani Umar – Team Leader
Boxing
1. Akanji Muideen Olalekan – 75kg
2. Lawal Lukmon Olaiwola – 81kg
3. Ogoke Edith Agu (Female) – 75kg
4. Idika Nsofor – Coach
5. Anthony Konyegwachie – Coach
6. Patrick Uwagbale – Admin. Personnel
7. Major-Gen. Tobiah Minimah – Team Leader
Canoeing
1. Jonathan Peter Akinyemi – K1 Slalom
2. Ebenezer Ukwunna – Coach
3. Olubunmi Oluode – Admin. Personnel
4. Rear Adm. Festus Porbeni – Team Leader
Table Tennis
Male
1. Aruna Quadri
2. Segun Toriola
Female
1. Edem Offiong
2. Olufunke Oshonaike
Officials
1. Nosiru Bello – Coach
2. Richard Edem – Coach
3. Segun Oguntade – Admin. Personnel
4. Alhaji Kayode Omotose Team Leader
Taekwando
1. Chika Chukwumerije – +80 kg
2. Isa Mohammed – -68 kg
3. Keum Silwan – Coach
4. Carl Lewis Langan – Coach
5. Chinedu Ezealah – Admin. Personnel
6. Chief Jonathan Nnaji – Team Leader
Weightlifting
1. Ekpo Felix Cobham – 77kg
2. Usman Maryam (Female) – +75kg
3. Patrick Bassey – Coach
4. Uche Onwumeh – Admin. Personnel
5. Mr. Chimdi Ejiogu – Team Leader
Wrestling
Male
1. Boltic Sinivie – 96kg Freestyle
2. Dick Adibo – 84kg Freestyle
Female
1. Obiajunwa Amarachi – 72kg Freestyle
2. Oborodudu Blessing – 63kg Freestylea
Officials
1. Daniel Igali – Coach
2. Olumide Bamiduro – Admin. Personnel
3. Chief Austin Edeze – Team Leader
Contigent Officials
1. Malam Bolaji Abdullahi – Hon. Minister of Sports & Leader of Delegation
2. Mr Sani Ndanusa – President Nigeria Olympic Committee
3. Chief Patrick Ekeji – Chef de Mission
4. Hon. Babatunde Popoola – Secretary General, NOC
5. Mr Alhassan Yakmut – Deputy Chef de Mission
Medical Team
1. Dr Abdulkadir Mu’azu – Team Doctor & Head Medical
2. Dr Hirekaan Lazarus -Team Doctor
3. Dr. Ibrahim Gyaran – Team Doctor
4. Dr Ken Anugweje – Team Doctor
5. Mr Oladipo Odunuga – Physiotherapist
6. Mr Ekundayo Ogunkule – Physiotherapist
7. Mr Kayode Abdulsalam – Physiotherapist
8. Miss Judith Enebe – Physiotherapist
9. Mrs Nneka Eze – Nurse
Secretariat
1. Manufor Hellen – Administrative Personnel
2. Emmanuel Nweri – Administrative Personnel
3. Augustine Odijie – Administrative Personnel
4. Tony Ubani – Press Attache
5. Emmanuel Igbinosa – Administrative Personnel
6. Olalekan Alabi – Administrative Personnel

Opinion: It Is A Sacrilege To Dance Publicly With Broom In Ondo Communities

Kayode Ajulo

By Kayode Ajulo

It is a taboo and indeed a sacrilege to dance around with broom (instead of horse tail -"irukere") in open in most of the ancient towns and communities in Ondo State.

A taboo is a vehement prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behaviour is either too sacred or too accursed for ordinary individuals to undertake, under threat of supernatural punishment.

Such prohibitions are present in virtually all societies.

The word has been somewhat expanded in the social sciences to include strong prohibitions relating to any area of human activity or custom that is sacred or forbidden based on moral judgment and religious beliefs.

"Breaking a taboo" is usually considered objectionable by society in general, not merely a subset of a culture.

The rise of rationalism and science has reduced the potency of many former taboos in modern cultures. In the United States and Europe, people openly discuss and explore previously taboo subjects such as sexuality and abortion. Increasing understanding has led medical disorders such as epilepsy, birth defects, and sexually transmitted diseases to be treated more analytically and less judgmentally than in the past.

I am a Christian, an Anglican by birth, I believe in the Trinity and that Christ is my Saviour, but I cannot be detached from my culture. We cannot run from our background.

However, changing social customs and standards also create new taboos, such as bans on slavery; conflation of ephebophilia with pedophilia; prohibitions on alcohol, tobacco, or psycho pharmaceutical consumption (particularly among pregnant women); and the employment of politically correct euphemisms – at times quite unsuccessfully – to mitigate various forms of discrimination.

Incest itself has been pulled both ways, with some seeking to normalize consensual adult relationships regardless of the degree of kinship (notably in Europe) and others expanding the degrees of prohibited contact (notably in the United States).

Contemporary multicultural societies have established a number of taboos rooted in the perceived injustice and deleterious effects of modern history, particularly neo-colonialism. Tribalism (for example, ethnocentrism and nationalism) and prejudices (racism, sexism, religious extremism) are opposed at times reflexively despite the potentially high cost of diverse societies in terms of trust and solidarity.

I am not targeting this against anyone or group but it is expected as a community leader and social activist that we remind ourselves not to offend the sensibility of our people. It is therefore my hope that our elders, security agents and custodians of our customs and traditions will do the needful in the circumstance.

(Ajulo is a Lawyer and the Bamofinlewe of Akurekingdom)

Speech: Speech Delivered By Nigeria’s First Lady; Mrs. Patience Jonathan At The Foundation Laying Ceremony Of The Permanent Secretariat Of African First Ladies Peace Mission In Abuja On Wednesday, July 25, 2012

I warmly welcome you all to this foundation laying ceremony of the permanent secretariat of the African First Ladies Peace Mission.

Earlier today, the interim secretariat of the Mission was commissioned.

This ceremony therefore, is a follow-up to our effort to build a solid foundation for our organization.

Let me assure you that Nigeria remains proud to host the Secretariat of this organization in our capital city of Abuja. We thank you my dear colleagues for giving us this honour.

As friends from different parts of our continent, we have kept hope alive by this event. We have also demonstrated that we are committed to achieving lasting peace in our continent.

On this foundation stone, we shall build a befitting structure as the Secretariat of our Mission. Here we shall assemble to discuss and resolve pressing issues on peace, security and development in Africa.

I appeal to you my dear sisters that this Secretariat belongs to all of us, the First Ladies of Africa. We must therefore, work hard to ensure its completion.

I will like to use this opportunity to thank the Government and people of Nigeria for their generosity and goodwill, in providing this land for our Secretariat project.

Similarly, I commend the sacrifices and efforts of the founding members of the African First Ladies Peace Mission in ensuring that this organization has continued to survive, in spite of several challenges.

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I now have the pleasure to invite the First Ladies of Africa here present to join me as we lay the foundation of the Permanent Secretariat of the African First Ladies Peace Mission and plant trees to commemorate this event.

Thank you and God bless you all.

News Report; Nigeria To Pay "Valid Subsidies To Traders"

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Nigeria's Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala have urged oil workers threatening to go on strike over unpaid subsidies to  abandon the plan which she said would disrupt supplies of petrol and other fuels. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said further that government would pay valid subsidies to traders.

A report from Reuters today quoting an e-mail from the office of the Minister said that "The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has directed the Debt Management Office to pay marketers with verified claims as soon as supporting Sovereign Debt Notes are provided,"

Reuters also quoted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) as saying that it was owed $7 billion in fuel import subsidies. Other traders also reportedly complained that they have outstanding debts.

The report also said that the Finance Ministry paid $105.79 million subsidies in June. The Ministry according to Reuters said that some subsidy payments have been withheld pending conclusion of ongoing investigations into fraud allegations against some fuel traders.

"It is clear that some marketers also owe government significant sums of money and that government expects that these will be paid," Reuters quoted the Finance Ministry.

Photonews: Historic Exhibition Opens In South Africa

Exhibition opens 5:00 pm on Thursday 26 July 2012 at Western Cape Archives & Record Services, Old Gaol, Roeland Street Cape Town, South Africa.