The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Tribune Publisher Wole Awolowo dies at 70

    Tribune Publisher Wole Awolowo dies at 70

    Chief  Oluwole Awolowo, Publisher of Tribune Newspapers  is dead.

    A statement by the Managing Director/ Editor -in- Chief of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Mr Edward Dickson confirmed that Chief Awolowo, 70,  died at  5.40pm on Wednesday at Wellington hospital, St Johnswood, London following complications arising from a car crash that occurred on September 30, 2006.

    “He had been in and out of hospital, home and abroad, since he was involved in the ghastly accident seven years ago on the Lagos- Ibadan expressway.

    “Despite his health challenges following the accident, Chief Awolowo devoted his life to the service of God and was deeply involved in evangelical activities. In the past four years, he authored a Christian column, OBA’S LECTERN, in the Sunday Tribune. “He fought a good fight and has gone to rest with his Maker. We ask for prayers at this most trying time for the Awolowo family and for the ANN Plc,” Dickson stated.

    Born in December 3, 1942, the son of the late elderstatesman  attended Ibadan Grammar School and later proceeded to Leighton Park School, Reading, Berdshire, England for further studies.

    He graduated in Business Studies in the early sixties from Leeds College of Commerce.

  • Ogonis hail Amaechi’s leadership

    Ogonis hail Amaechi’s leadership

     

    The  Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State consisting of Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas have expressed their support for the administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi .

     

    The stated their commitment to the administration and passed a vote of confidence in the governor  when they paid a solidarity visit to the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

     

    Led by  King G.N.K. Gininwa, who is also  the chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, the  Ogonis  thanked  Governor Amaechi for his development strides and commitment to the welfare of their community and other parts of  the state.

     

    In the address read by Justice Peter Akere (Rtd), the  Ogonis said they would continue to support and stand by the Amaechi administration and would resist all attempts to short-change the people of the state.

     

    “In the 2011 elections, the people of Ogoni ethnic nationalities delivered an overwhelming vote towards your re-election as the Executive Governor of Rivers State and thereby gave you a mandate to take Rivers State to enviable heights in development. That mandate confers on you the leadership of the people. That mandate is incontestable, incontrovertible and irrevocable. It is in this light that the people of Ogoni ethnic nationalities are awakened by current developments in the polity of this nation to challenge the efficacy and sustainability of the mandate of leadership that the people of Rivers State through God bestowed upon you. We have therefore come to reiterate that the Ogoni ethnic nationalities have resolved to support and stand by you in your pursuit to bring development to Rivers State and Ogoni and resist all attempts to short-change the people of Rivers State and Ogoni.”

     

    They hailed the governor’s efforts to better the lives of Rivers people, supporting the recovering of the state oil wells and called on the Federal Government and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to expedite action on the East-West Road which traverses some parts of Ogoniland to ease the transportation difficulties in affected areas.

     

    “Today, we are in the threshold of history experiencing state governmental interventions in the life and development of the people in a way that is unique and profound. We are indeed very proud of the tremendous achievements recorded by Your Excellency in Ogoniland and Rivers State so far. The State Model Primary and Secondary Schools are first of their kind in the country. The Songhai Farm in Bunu-Tai and the Banana plantation in Khana are contributing to food security in the state and creating jobs for our youths. We are gladdened by the fact that the model secondary school in Eleme is now in full operation, while the one in Tai is almost near completion. Healthcare has been taken to the door steps of all Rivers people. The Rivers State sustainable Development programme is indeed a success story of youth empowerment and sustainable development which has also benefited the Ogoni ethnic nationalities.”

     

    Responding, Governor Amaechi thanked the people of Ogoni for their solidarity visit and reiterated that he would continue to provide good governance for the people of the state. He urged them to  continue to  support  in monitoring and evaluation of the numerous projects sited in the Ogoni areas of the s

     

    “I have to say that I received massive support from the Ogonis and therefore you need to have me deliver the services that made you ask me to stay in this place. I must thank you for that vote and I thank you for all the support,” Amaechi said.

     

     

     

     


     

  • Bonny Gas Transport orders six new vessels

    Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), a subsidiary of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has signed an agreement for the construction of six new vessels for its operations.

    According to the agreement signed in London on Tuesday, March 26 the vessels from two Korean shipyards will cost $1,600m, inclusive of financing and development costs.

    A statement by the Acting General Manager, External Relations, Dr Kudo Eresia-Eke, explained that  the six vessels, four from Samsung and two from Hyundai, which have a combined capacity of 1,053, 000 cubic meters, will increase BGT’s overall shipping capacity by 17%.

    He said the new ships which will replace BGT’s six oldest vessels were ordered through retained earnings from BGT, additional borrowings from an existing facility and new vessels debt provided by a combination of Korean Export Credit Agencies, international, regional and local commercial banks.

    The tankers will be delivered over a period of nine months from October 2015 to June 2016.

  • Ambassador, Nigerians in Pakistan mourn Achebe’s death

    Nigerian Ambassador to Pakistan, Daudu Danladi has expressed deep shock over the death of literary giant, Chinua Achebe

    Danladi said the death of internationally known Nigerian novelist is a national loss to the country and Africa.

    According to him, Achebe was the father of modern African Literature and he would always remain a source of inspiration and pride for all the Nigerians worldwide.

    He added that Achebe’s world famous novel “Things Fall Apart” gave literary birth to modern Africa which aptly brings to limelight the collision between British colonial rule and traditional Igbo culture in southeastern Nigeria, the hometown of Chinua Achebe.

    Former President, Nigerian Community in Pakistan (NCP), Isaac Omomolesho, on behalf of Nigerians in Pakistan, also mourned Achebe’s death and paid rich tribute to his literary achievements.

    He noted that Achebe was a moral and literary model for countless Africans and left profound influence on such American writers as Morrison, Ha Jin and Junot Diaz.

     

  • 12 shocking facts about Nigeria

    12 shocking facts about Nigeria

    Some years ago, a brilliant lecturer of mine (now late) said something about Nigeria that I waved aside as an exaggerated expression of patriotism. He told my class then that he had travelled to many places in the world and had finally come to the conclusion that Nigeria is the most blessed nation on the planet. I knew Nigeria was blessed but I couldn’t understand how he could boldly claim that top position for Nigeria: yes we have oil, gas, landmass–in fact, abundant natural and human resources, but was that enough?

    Fast-forward to September, 2011. By this time, my doubt had given rise to a burning desire to know the specific things that make us great as a nation–that make us the most blessed people on earth. I felt if I did find these specific facts, they would need to be shared with Nigerians and the world in spectacular ways. To achieve this aim, I discussed the idea with my friend, George Okewih, and our subsequent brainstorming led to the birth of The Green Heritage page on Facebook to promote our cultural and natural heritage to Nigerians and the world. It’s been eighteen months of rigorous research since, and now I am convinced that my late lecturer was right.

    Here are some facts from our common heritage that should make you proud to be called a Nigerian:

    1. Nigeria is home to seven percent (7%) of the total languages spoken on earth. Taraba state alone has more languages than 30 African countries. The importance of this fact is appreciated when one understands that language is the “soul of culture” (as Ngugi wa Thiongo famously said). It is language that births the proverbs, riddles, stories and other aspects of culture that give us identity. UNESCO puts forward that the world’s languages represents an extraordinary wealth of creativity. Linguistic diversity correlates with cultural diversity. This means Nigeria can look inwards and drive itself to become the greatest hub for cultural tourism on earth, and consequently empower its citizens tremendously in the process.

    2. The Walls of Benin (800-1400AD), in present day Edo State, are the longest ancient earthworks in the world, and probably the largest man-made structure on earth. They enclose 6500 square kilometers of community lands that connected about 500 communities. At over 16000km long, it was thought to be twice the length of the Great Wall of China, until it was announced in 2012 (after five years of meticulous measurement by Chinese surveyors) that the Great Wall is about 21,000km long.

    3. The Yoruba tribe has the highest rate of twin births in the world. Igbo-Ora, a little town in Oyo state, has been nicknamed Twin capital of the World because of its unusually high rate of twins that is put as high as 158 twins per 1000 births. In a video I watched last year on YouTube presented by Titi (a white lady who speaks Yoruba), and which was centred on twin births in Igbo-Ora, one of the locals boasted that every family in the town has at least one twin!

    4. Sarki Muhammad Kanta The Great of Kebbi, was the only ruler who resisted control by Songhai, West Africa’s greatest empire at that time. He founded and ruled the Hausa city-state of Kebbi around 1600 A.D and built Surame its capital, a planned city which was almost impossible to penetrate during war. In fact UNESCO describes Surame as “one of the wonders of human history, creativity and ingenuity”, and probably the most massive stone-walled constructions in West Africa. He is listed in Robin Walker’s 50 Greatest Africans.

    5. Africa’s oldest known boat is The Dufuna canoe which was discovered in Dufuna village, Yobe state, by a Fulani Herdsman in May 1987, while he dug a well. Various radio-carbon tests conducted in laboratories of reputable universities in Europe and America indicate that the canoe is over 8,000 years old, thus making it the oldest in Africa and 3rd oldest in the world. The discovery of the canoe has completely changed accepted theories of the history and sophistication of marine technology in Africa.

    6. Sungbo’s Eredo, a 160 km rampart equipped with guard houses and moats, is reputed to be the largest single pre-colonial monument (or ancient fortification if you like) in Africa. It is located in present-day Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State and when it was built a millennium ago, it required more earth to be moved during construction than that used for building the Great Pyramid of Giza (one of the Seven Wonders of The Ancient World). The most astonishing thing is that Sungbo’s Eredo was the biggest city in the world (bigger than Rome and Cairo) during the Middle Ages when it was built!

    7. Sarki Abdullah Burja of Kano (ruled 1438-1452 AD), the 18th ruler of Ancient Kano, created the first Golden Age in Northern Nigeria and ushered in a period of great prosperity. During his reign, Hausa became the biggest indigenous language spoken in Africa after Swahili. He is on the list of 50

    Greatest Africans in Robin Walker’s wonderful book, “When We Ruled”.

    8. The Jos Plateau Indigobird, a small reddish-brown bird, is found nowhere else on the planet but Plateau state, Nigeria.

    9. The Anambra waxbill, a small bird of many beautiful colours, is found only in Southern Nigeria and nowhere else on earth.

    10. The Niger Delta (which is the second largest delta on the planet), has the highest concentration of monotypic fish families in the world, and is

    also home to sixty percent of Nigeria’s mangrove forests. You should know too that Nigeria’s mangrove forests are the largest in Africa and third largest on earth.

    11. According to the World Resources Institute, Nigeria is home to 4,715 different types of plant species, and over 550 species of breeding birds and mammals, making it one of the most ecologically vibrant places of the planet.

    12. Ile-Ife, in present day Osun State, was paved as early as 1000AD, with decorations that originated from Ancient America suggesting there might have been contact between the Yorubas and the Ancient Americans half a millenium before Columbus ‘discovered’ America.

    Now, what if we tell you seventy-five other amazing facts about Nigeria that The Green Heritage has discovered over the past eighteen months? Would you not be thrilled to watch a movie that resurrects and projects, in stunning visuals, the historical, cultural and natural heritage of Nigeria? This is the idea behind the movie project titled, “The Green Heritage 3D: 87 Marvels From Nigeria”. And the ball has begun rolling. A teaser that demonstrates some of the advanced 3D modelling and animation that would be partly employed to recreate parts of our heritage and project it to the world, has been uploaded on our YouTube channel. With a talented team of young Nigerian writers, programmers, artists, architects and producers, all given visual life to a massive amount of research about and for Nigeria, you can rest assured that this might just be the most important movie of our generation, from Nigeria.

    Samuel Okopi is the writer/director of The Green Heritage 3D: 87 Marvels, From Nigeria. He can be reached on 08066037453.

    Watch the teaser on YouTube: www.youtube.com/TheGreenHeritage

    Direct link to teaser: http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=plcp&v=UMzNjVE6aKU

    Join The Green Heritage on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGreenHeritage

  • Photo: Tuface wedding in Dubai

    Photo: Tuface wedding in Dubai

    2face Idibia and wife, Anne Macaulay held their white wedding in Dubai on Saturday morning at a ceremony attended by over 250 guests, including Nigerian celebrity musicians and actors.

  • Two suicide bombers blown up in Kano

    Two suicide bombers were on Saturday blown up by their own explosives at the Eastern bye-pass in Hotoro quarters in the ancient city of Kano.
    The bombers, according to sources were pushing a truck loaded with primed explosives, disguising as water vendors.
    On arrival at a check point mounted by the Joint Task Force (JTF), one of the officers, promptly stopped them but the vendors pretended not to have heard the directive.
    It was gathered that their refusal allegedly prompted operatives of the JTF to open fire and in the process the explosives went off .
    However, four Niger nationals are now being detained by the Police in Kano for their alleged involvement in Saturday’s terrorist act in some parts of the state capital, which claimed two lives and left nine Mobile Police officers injured. .

     

  • Eagles draw 1-1with Kenya

    Eagles draw 1-1with Kenya

    The Super Eagles on Saturday forced the Kenyan national team to a 1-1 draw at the World Cup qualifying match played in Calabar.

    An extra time goal by Nnamdi Oduamadi saved the Eagles  from a one goal home defeat by the Kenyans who held on to their first half lead until after 90 minutes of play.

  • Chinua Achebe’s quotes

    Chinua Achebe’s quotes

    Chinua Achebe quotes

    “While we do our good works let us not forget that the real solution lies in a world in which charity will have become unnecessary.”

    -Anthills of the Savannah

    “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”

    – Things Fall Apart

    “We cannot trample upon the humanity of others without devaluing our own. The Igbo, always practical, put it concretely in their proverb Onye ji onye n’ani ji onwe ya: “He who will hold another down in the mud must stay in the mud to keep him down.”

    -The Education of a British-Protected Child: Essays

    “Privilege, you see, is one of the great adversaries of the imagination; it spreads a thick layer of adipose tissue over our sensitivity.

    -Hopes and Impediments: Selected Essays

    “The impatient idealist says: ‘Give me a place to stand and I shall move the earth.’ But such a place does not exist. We all have to stand on the earth itself and go with her at her pace.”

    -No Longer at Ease

     

    “The price a world language must be prepared to pay is submission to many different kinds of use. The African writer should aim to use English in a way that brings out his message best without altering the language to the extent that its value as a medium of international exchange will be lost. He should aim at fashioning out an English which is at once universal and able to carry his peculiar experience.”

    -Morning yet on creation day: Essays

     

    “What I can say is that it was clear to many of us that an indigenous African literary renaissance was overdue. A major objective was to challenge stereotypes, myths, and the image of ourselves and our continent, and to recast them through stories- prose, poetry, essays, and books for our children. That was my overall goal.”

    -There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra

     

    “The triumph of the written word is often attained when the writer achieves union and trust with the reader, who then becomes ready to be drawn into unfamiliar territory, walking in borrowed literary shoes so to speak, toward a deeper understanding of self or society, or of foreign peoples, cultures, and situations.”

    -There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra

    “Every generation must recognize and embrace the task it is peculiarly designed by history and by providence to perform.”

    -There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra

     

     

    “There is a moral obligation, I think, not to ally oneself with power against the powerless.”

    -There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra

     

    “What kind of power was it if everybody knew that it would never be used? Better to say that it was not there, that it was no more than the power in the anus of the proud dog who tried to put out a furnace with his puny fart…. He turned the yam with a stick.”

    -Arrow of God

    Culled from Goodreads.com

  • Achebe was an iroko of integrity – Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar  described the late Nigeria’s and Africa’s literary guru, Professor Chinua Achebe, as an icon of unmatched integrity and conviction.

    In a tribute to the late Professor and author of the famous “Things Fall Apart”, the former Vice President recalled how Achebe forcefully rejected and condemned the July 2004 political crisis in Anambra State during, which thugs attempted to remove a democratically elected Governor on the orders of a godfather.

    Based on his convictions and principle, Atiku said the late Professor rejected a national honour conferred on him by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan administrations.

    According to the former Vice President, few Nigerians would have followed the courage of their conviction and reject national honours because of the fear of losing favour from those in power.

    On the literary front, Atiku Abubakar paid glowing tribute to late Achebe’s unquantifiable contributions to African literature.

    He said Things Fall Apart would remain Achebe’s everlasting legacy to literature.

    In Atiku’s words, “the translation of Things Fall Apart into more than one hundred languages of the world had put not only Nigeria but also Africa on the map, thanks to Achebe’s literary prowess.”

    The former Vice President also praised the lucidity of Professor Achebe’s writing style, which he said, made him one of the most readable and popular authors of the world.