COMMENTARY

Obasanjo/Gowon on Ojukwu: A reminder of abandoned property

By Odimegwu Onwumere

Pandemonium broke loose. People were running helter-skelter, wailing. Those who could not wail were shouting. Commentaries upon commentaries were all over the media. The cyber cafes were flooded. Everybody wanted first-hand news. General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu is dead. Nigeria and Nigerians stood still. 

NOLLYWOOD NEWS

Monalisa Chinda lands N30m deal
By Sam Anokam

Multi million Naira endorsement deals are currently flying left, right and centre in Nollywood with most of the stars involved smiling heavily to the banks with mouth watering offers. Star actress and Glo ambassador, Monalisa Chinda recently landed a juicy endorsement deal as the face of Vita500, a new energy drink from South Korea that recently stormed Nigeria and all West African countries. 

OPEN LETTER

Open Letter to Hon. Emeka Nwaofor

By Nwaorgu Faustinus

AUTHOR

Sir, permit me to use your widely read medium to reach Honourable Emeka Nwaofor who represents Ngor/Okpala Local Government Area in the Imo state House of Assembly.

COMMENTARY

Ojukwu is not dead

By Chinedu Vincent Akuta

  

“For those who know him, no word is necessary; for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient” W.T. Horngren. (An American Author).  For those who know Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Ikemba Nnewi) no word is necessary, for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient enough to describe him. 

NOLLYWOOD NEWS

 Most outstanding actress of the year

Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson Okojie has emerged the Most Outstanding Actress of the outgoing year. Mercy who is one of the hottest faces in the Nigerian movie industry, won the award at the prestigious Afro-Australian Music and Movies Awards (AAMMA) which held in Australia recently. 

NEWS FEATURE

Frustrated Nigerian commits "facebook" suicide

A 30-year old Nigerian man from Delta State has killed himself after announcing the act on his Facebook page. Diano Ovie-Richy committed suicide on Christmas day after posting a macabre note he said was an “Xmas gift” to his facebook friends.

COMMENTARY

Boko Haram: The dilemma of human ignorance, religion fidelity & failure of leadership

By Adewale T Akande

Without mincing words, I am using this opportunity to console the souls of innocent citizens that lost their lives, commiserates with the families of those who lost their loved ones and wish those injured speedy recovery from the “absurd” (according to the White House)  and “senseless” bomb blasts by the Islamist group called Boko Haram.

COMMENTARY

Bomb blast: Jonathan's un-presidential comments 
By Sabella Abidde

On Sunday, December 25, 2011, Nigerians and the global community awoke to what has come to be known as The Christmas Day Bombing. Though lives were lost, many injured, and property damaged, it pales in comparison to the 2010 Independence Day bombing. 

OPINION

Nigeria: No group has monopoly of violence

By Chinedu Vincent Akuta

 

The danger and consequences of not containing Boko Haram and other violent groups might mean the beginning of balkanization of Nigeria. Imagine if a fanatical Christian group(s) or if OPC, MEND, MASSOB etc starts bombing mosques or starts violent agitation for Northerners to leave their area alongside what Boko Haram is doing. 

ANALYSIS/COMMENTARY

Why the West wants the fall of Gaddafi
By Jean-Paul Pougala  

Africans should think about the real reasons why western countries are waging war on Libya, writes Jean-Paul Pougala, in an analysis that traces the country's role in shaping the African Union and the development of the continent.

COMMENTARY

The president's eye for violence

By Odimegwu Onwumere

 

It was this time last year. December 15, 2010, was the date. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) and Abubakar Atiku threatened Goodluck Jonathan. This was during the build-up to the 2011 general elections. IBB and Atiku were two of Jonathan’s major challengers. The duo declared their intention to stop Jonathan at all cost. They spoke at the National Stakeholders Conference organised by the Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum in Abuja. 

COMMENTARY

Practical tips on the cashless policy

By Kingsley Omose

With the implementation of the Cashlite or Cashless policy with effect from January 1, 2012 the alleged subsidy on cash transactions which the Central Bank of Nigeria claims runs into hundreds of billions of Naira yearly will be withdrawn in some selected States across Nigeria including Lagos which is home to 65% of commercial transactions in Nigeria.

NEWS

Muslim sect claims Nigeria church attacks

By Jon Gambrell

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — An explosion ripped through a Catholic church during Christmas Mass near Nigeria's capital Sunday, killing at least 25 people there, officials said. A radical Muslim sect claimed the attack and another bombing near a church in the restive city of Jos, as explosions also struck the nation's northeast.

NEWS FEATURE

1000 Nigerians rot in China jails
By sunday Ani 

 Anger, frustration, disillusionment, disenchantment and bitterness enveloped them. They look hapless, dejected and melancholic. They are crying for justice from far away china. They are friends and relations of Nigerians who are languishing in various prisons across the Asian country of China for offences ranging from illegal entry, expired travel documents to narcotics-related cases. Some of them don’t even know why they were arrested in the first instance.

OPINION

 Mother or wife: whose side should a man take?

By Shadrack Kirunga

During my counselling studies, I attended a class on the philosophy of marriage. The unit discussed the fundamental and philosophical issues that lead to problems in marriage, key among them the bad relationship between mothers and daughters-in-law.

COMMENTARY

Excessive speed as a vital human factor in road traffic accident

By Adewale T Akande

 

Driving is a means to achieve objectives associated with everyday life in our society. At the same time, driving requires a serious responsibility that determines the driver’s safety and that of the other road users within the vicinity. We drive to work, visit friends and relations, and travel to different places-short and long distances-for personal or public activities.

HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS

Turkish police officer who killed a Nigerian refugee about to be set free

By Ahaoma kanu


With the laxity and total lack of concern shown by the Federal Government and the Nigeria Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, the Turkish police officer who shot and killed a Nigerian citizen, Festus Okey, in 2007, will soon be acquitted of any wrongdoing and maybe walk a free man from murder. This revelation was made by some group of human rights lawyers in Turkey that have been following the case in Turkish courts.

FOOTBALL NEWS

Yaya Toure is African player of the year

Ivory Coast and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure was named African Footballer of the Year on Thursday.
The 28-year-old finished ahead of Mali's Seydou Keita and Ghanaian Andre 'Dede' Ayew in polling by national coaches of the 53-member associations of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

NEWS FEATURE

Minority school kids aware of school stigma

America...But younger black students are more motivated about school than their white classmates, says a new study.---A recent study out of UCLA says that minority students as young as second grade are aware of stigmas against their ethnic groups and have increased academic anxiety as a result. But in a compelling twist, researchers also found that minority kids are more motivated about school than their white classmates.

FEATURE NEWS

 Expatriates take even menial jobs from Nigeria
 

THEY are ubiquitous. It is hard to miss them. At construction sites, factories, auto sales outlets, oil and gas installations, the aviation sector, telecommunications among others, there are foreigners in the garb of expatriates performing tasks average, semi-skilled Nigerians can handle. 

HUMAN RIGHT

Eritrean asylum seekers forced to leave Sana's airport

Rome/Sana: An airline official is arbitrarily trying to deport four Eritrean refugees who were stranded in the airport for a month. This is the first time Yemen has deported asylum seekers against their will. EveryOne Group, Eritrean Concern, ICER and other Human Rights organizations are asking the UNHCR to condemn the action as strongly as possible and ask the Yemeni Government to stop the unjust deportation of fellow human beings to Eritrea.

NEWS INTERNATIONAL

Nigerian listed as category A judge of International Criminal Court

Chile Eboe-Osuji, the newly elected judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, has been listed as one of the category ‘A’ judges of the court. Eboe-Osuji, a Nigerian, was elected as one of the six judges of the Court on December 16, during the 10th session of the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC at the UN Headquarters in New York

SOCIETY NEWS

Tanzanian Union to be a brother’s keeper

By Hakeem Babalola

cross-section

Budapest, Hungary - Tanzanians in Hungary has taken a step towards looking after each other in times of need. This was disclosed at a party organised by the Tanzanian Union while commemorating the 50th Independence Anniversary of the United Republic of Tanzania held at the Kossuth Klub on December 10.

VIDEO NEWS

 Pastor slaps female church member

IMMIGRATION & LAW

UK visa appeal: Imminent change

Ms Ehiribe

The United Kingdom has in place an appeal system against the refusal of applications for entry clearance (visa) or in the case of those already in the country, further leave to remain or a variation of leave to remain.  However the appeal system is all set to change today.

NEWS

 Nigerian woman jumped to death from American bridge
 

Reports say 25-year-old pharmacy resident left her purse, ID and car behind. The woman who reportedly jumped from the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge on Friday was a 25-year-old MUSC student, according to police reports and various online articles. 

NEWS

 ICC: Gaddafi's death may be war crime 

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, has said the death of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was captured and killed by rebels in October, may have been a war crime."I think the way in which Mr Gaddafi was killed creates suspicions of ... war crimes," he said.

COMMENTARY

Pope & dangers of Africa’s witchcraft menace
 

The eerie image of a one-month-old baby called Mercy accused of being a witch and afterward abandoned to die in Ghana's Upper East Region reminds me of the beginning of the Book of Job, where in the mysteries of evil, God and Satan talk to each other about how much pain Job should go through before he caves in. Baby Mercy is no Biblical Job. She is too young to know not only what is wrong and right but also why she should go through any pain and death, more so for not causing anybody agony.

NEWS & REPORTING

Rawlings criticises ‘abduction’ of Gbagbo to Hague

Ex-president President John Rawlings has criticized the ongoing prosecution of former Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo. Describing his prosecution as “abduction” the ex-president minced no words in expressing his utter disgust in the prosecution of the deposed Ivorian leader.

NEWS

Ghana: Heath sector in distress as doctors strikes
Joseph Appiah-Dolphyne

The Ghanaian health sector is seen to be in distress as the country's doctors go on strike over pay. The strike that began over a week ago has seen sick people being left to their fate and some reportedly dying as the doctors continue strike over a salaries dispute, a move backed by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA).

PRESS RELEASE

Association shares anti-racism experience in Kazan

By NEVER AGAIN

Members of the 'NEVER AGAIN' Association held meetings with authorities and civil society leaders in several cities across the Russian Federation between 26-30 September 2011. They discussed future cooperation and exchange of experiences in the struggle against racism and xenophobia in the lead up to the 2018 World Cup to be held in Russia.

Italy & Libya sign a new anti-immigration pact

"Italy must respect the Geneva Convention and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights"... EveryOne Group

NEWS

 Ghana now to sell electricity to Nigeria

From Amechi Ogbonna, Accra, Ghana

Nigerian president, Jonathan Goodluck

Ghana’s ruling government has concluded plans to begin export of electric power to Nigeria and other West African countries by 2015. 

NEWS

Liberian refugees in Ghana to lose status

By Joseph Appiah-Dolphyne, AfricaNews editor 

 

Liberian refugees living in the Bububuram refugee camp in the Central region of Ghana will lose their status as refugees by June 2012. 

NOLLYWOOD

 Omotola for Ghana's best actress award

Nollywood star actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is set to add another feather to her cap as she has been nominated for Ghana Movie Awards Best actress category for her role in Leila Djansi's blockbuster 'Ties That Bind." 

OBITUARY NEWS

Nigerian Olympic medalist, Sunday Bada, is dead

Men and officers of the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, Milverton Ikoyi, Lagos, were, Tuesday, thrown into mourning following the death of Mr. Sunday Bada, a Superintendent of Police and an Olympic silver medalist. 

NEWS

African elected as new chief prosecutor of ICC

Gambia: International Criminal Court member states on Monday unanimously elected Fatou Bensouda of Gambia as the new chief prosecutor of the main global genocide and war crimes tribunal.

VIDEO NEWS

 Kabila faces criticism 

POLITICAL SATIRE

NEWS

Benghazi protesters turn on Libya's new ruler

BENGHAZI, Libya (AFP) - Libya's new rulers came under fire from disgruntled protesters for the first time Monday as hundreds rallied in Benghazi, cradle of the uprising that toppled Moamer Kadhafi and brought them to power.

SOCIETY GALLERY (TANZANIAN DAY)