The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Christmas

  • Christmas Corruption; Stop ‘selective’ charity; ‘A 2014 Cellphone Anticorruption Drive?’

    Christmas Corruption; Stop ‘selective’ charity; ‘A 2014 Cellphone Anticorruption Drive?’

    Welcome to 2014.  Can we have a list of the bonuses presents, and cost, given and received this Christmas by all Nigeria’s top 5000 government employees –in the Presidency, NASS, State, LGAs, Directors in each ministry and agency. Even the private sector is involved. Christ’s name is now being used for a new massive corruption –‘Christmas Corruption’– the siphoning of funds for ‘Christmas Cheer’. The proportion of gifts for the poor nationwide is not up to one percent of this total. For every N1 spent on publicised photo-op children’s parties and visits by dignitaries, probably N1,000 is spent on ‘oga on top’ Christmas parties and presents. Remember that less than one percent of the needy homes are visited. Next Christmas governments at federal and state level should listen to Christ and consult their register of all ‘Needy Homes‘ and allocate funds in December in the budget for food, presents and activities.

    No, we did not have much power for most of Christmas Day and none on Boxing Day in 2013 and probably none today. Government should apologise to the millions of children and mothers, disappointed, disillusioned and depressed and distressed by serial failure of governance. Think of the billions in losses due to extra costs, changing plans, and the distress of darkness in the 21st Century. Shamefully it was too much for the N4trillion federal government after being in power since 1999 i.e. 14 years and their appointed power companies to give us power supply on Christmas Day 2013. If 14 years ago the electioneering campaign of the government in power had said ‘sorry we have no plan or commitment to get power to you in 14 years but vote for us anyway’, would anyone have voted for them? Of course we must remember the corruption of the ‘election’ process. But the federal government officials had power at home paid for by the powerless Nigerians. Government has budgeted over N100b for fuelling its home and office generators in 2014. If I had political power for one year, I would ban generators in all government and official residences and those of private managers in the power sector. ‘Operation Switch Off’. We pray that power-filled days will come as they have in Ghana, Congo, South Africa, Togo. But the powerlessness did not hinder the electricity workers reporting to greet Nigerians for ‘Christmas Gift’. Is there a threat of further disconnection for no gift? Blackmail! No one can convince me that it is not possible to provide uninterrupted power for all Nigerians. The excuse of lack of gas is a lame excuse as countries without gas manage. Is this incompetence or corruption? Nigeria will not have 24-hour power until all politicians are forced to use only the grid and come down to our level and remove generators and fuelling costs from the budgets of Federal and State government and National and State Assemblies.  The rewards of power failures are too high to be abandoned without a fight. It is only then that solar will be taken as  a serious alternative source energy in this sun-stroked land where we hide form the sun instead of harnessing it as in countries with 10% of the sunshine days we have. Government should institute tax breaks and reduced customs tariffs in a new Solar Power Policy. Instead it allocates billions for fuelling generators with imported diesel and petrol in the offices and homes of tens of thousands of ‘big shot’ politicians and civil servants nationwide. The ‘I fine pass my neighbour’ generator palaver is alive and well but has moved up to ‘my government paid generators is bigger than you generator because I am a Perm Sec and you are a Director and ‘mumu’ citizens in darkness are paying for it’. Who is the loser and who pays?

    We know most Nigerians are hard-working. O Nigeria, where is your salvation? Message or no message, not with Obasanjo, he lost the opportunity and could not give us electric power when he was in power and 14 years after his continuous PDP government took power -a political power failure? Not Jonathan, has he performed adequately to deserve a second term? However he has 2014 and 2015 to perform a miracle of ‘good governance’.  He can cripple mafias in the ministries, customs corruption, 25-75% contract kickbacks and pilfering from the poor. Nigeria will collapse unless all government employees take the ‘Keep Clean Hands Oath’ and stop cheating citizens visiting their secretariats and ministries. It will be a miracle for Nigeria but ‘good governance’ is the normal in most countries. We have African ‘hope but not much expectation’.

    In 2014, we want no more rudeness to Nigerians invited to National Assembly (NASS) meetings or the police station. How many NASS members were honestly elected?  Many Nigerians are proud to be Nigerian but Nigerian governments  are successively not proud of us allowing government agents and government ‘uniforms’ to treat us like undeserving servants. Have you ever been to a ministry for your right? Did you go back 100 times or 400 times? I did.

    That is the lot of Nigerian citizens in 2013 -To suffer needlessly and then smile and vote foolishly. Nigeria’s politicians and civil servants are mostly abusers of power and not servants of the people. Can they change in 2014? The fear of the citizen camera can help beat corruption in a ‘2014 Cellphone Anticorruption Drive’. Upload to Channels etc.

  • 12 killed in Bayelsa boat mishap

    A CHRISTMAS Day party at the Otuabula beach in Bayelsa State unexpectedly turned tragic after at least ten fun seekers died in a boat mishap on their way back home

    The accident occurred at Ayama in Ogbia Local Government area of the state.

    Four of the victims are believed to be university undergraduates.

    Two other passengers were injured, according to several sources in the area.

    They are now receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

    The accident occurred on the Ikoli River at about 8.30pm when a passenger speedboat carrying the victims collided with a cargo boat.

    The driver of the speedboat and 11 of his passengers died in the mishap.

    Eight of the corpses have already been recovered and deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa while efforts are being intensified to fish out the remaining bodies.

  • Zimbabwean fights crocodile with bare hands

    STATE media in Zimbabwe yesterday reported that a villager fought a crocodile with his bare hands to free his son from its jaws in northeastern rural Mutoko.

    The Herald newspaper reported Tafadzwa Kachere and his 11-year-old son Tapiwa were trying to cross a river on Christmas Eve when the crocodile attacked the boy. It reported that Kachere jumped onto the crocodile’s back and tried to force open its jaws, beating at its head with his fists and poking at its eyes with reeds.

    The crocodile released the child and turned on Kachere who wrestled free of its grasp. The newspaper said the child lost a leg and his father’s arm was severely gored. Both survived.

    Crocodile attacks are common in rural Zimbabwe during the rainy season but many go unreported.

  • CELEBS IN CHRISTMAS CARD FEVER

    CELEBS IN CHRISTMAS CARD FEVER

    WHEN Sir Henry Cole, an English civil servant and inventor, sent the first-ever Christmas card in the late 19th century, it was not clear if it would become something of a tradition.

    Christmas, a coinage from the word Christ Mass, is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ observed by Christians and sometimes non-Christians too.

    It is traditionally observed with church services, gift-giving, family and other social gatherings, symbolic decorations and card-sharing.

    Traditionally, Christmas cards showed religious pictures of the nativity or other parts of the Christmas story.

    Today, however, it is more common to see winter scenes, Father Christmas, cartoon characters or jokes.

    In this Yuletide, there exists a growing fad among Nigerian artistes, where customised greeting cards are concerned. While it is fast gaining popularity in this part of the world, the notion has been in existence in other climes, precisely Hollywood.

    Christmas, meaning Christ’s Mass, is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December 25 by millions of people around the world.

    This year, some Nigerian artistes in the music and movie industries have upped the Yuletide ante by sending customised cards to friends, family and fans alike.

    Among the Nigerian artistes who embraced this tradition are Iyanya, Aneke Twins, comedian Julius Agwu, Adaora Ukoh, Empress Njama and Segun Arinze.

    Of course, there are those with a sensual bend like Beverly Osu of the BBA: The Chase fame and singer Maheeda.

    Also called holiday card, a Christmas card is a form of greeting card sent as part of the traditional celebration of the Yuletide in order to convey a range of sentiments related to the holiday season.

    The Yuletide message from Nollywood’s celebrated sister, The Aneke twins, aptly captures that: “Holidays are a special time for family and friends to come together and celebrate the gift of love everlasting. We love you very much. Merry Christmas to our fans.”

    While the traditional greeting on a card reads something in the line of “Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” there have been countless variations on this manner of greeting. Many cards now express more religious sentiments or contain a poem, prayer or Biblical verse.

    Some others stay away from religion with an all-inclusive ‘Season’s greetings’.

    Singer Iyanya takes on the religious angle in his customised card. It reads: “Rejoice in the spirit of Christmas, which is peace, the miracle of Christmas, which is hope and the heart of Christmas, which is love. Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, from Iyanya.”

    Iyanya clinched a couple of endorsement deals this year, so it is safe to say he has a lot to celebrate. The artiste adopts the red theme for his card, donning a bright red leather jacket with every other thing, including trousers, sweater and shoes black. He caps it off with a pair of black-rimmed glasses.

    When John Calcott Horsely printed the first-ever Christmas card, little did he know that in centuries to come, it would be perverted by some artistes. In this regard, prostitute-turned-singer, Maheeda, comes into the picture.

    In Beverly’s card, she poses as sexy Santa. Red is the globally accepted theme colour for Christmas, so it is understandable for the vixen to don a red Santa Claus hat, a red turtle neck and a red pair of shoes. However, apart from all that, there is nothing else on her. She appears naked from the waist down. But then, it could be a photo trick. Beverly’s card simply reads: ‘Season’s greetings from Manswers.’

    If Beverly’s card is sensual, that of gospel artiste, Maheeda, is outrightly vulgar. As an artiste, Maheeda came into the entertainment picture only a few months ago, but has since made a name for herself, posting unclad photographs on the Internet, a lifestyle that has reportedly been endorsed by her husband. At some point, she got banned from photo app Instagram.

    While Maheeda’s might not pass for a greeting card, it draws a lot more attention than others. She is clad only in a red G-string, bra, red gloves and a Santa hat with a gift strapped to her back.

    Maheeda’s post leaves a sullied taste in the sight of viewers, especially the overtly religious.

    Nollywood moviemaker Charles Novia’s reaction to Maheeda’s photographs is quite instructive. “Christmas is all about Christ, hope and giving. These misfits exposing body parts on Christmas cards and sending to bloggers are from hell,” Novia posted on his Twitter handle.

    Yes, greeting cards are effective tools to communicate important feelings to people. But in coming up with the idea, especially where Christmas is concerned, it should be noted that the Christian religion is mostly regarded as foreign.

    That way, while it is okay for foreign cards to have depictions of winter scenes, Christmas Trees, cuddly animals, Rudolf the Reindeer and Father Christmas, it will be nice to see home-grown cards adopt some tinge of localisation.

  • FCT celebrates crime-free Christmas, say police

    FCT celebrates crime-free Christmas, say police

    The police in Abuja said the Christmas was celebrated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday without any crime.

    The FCT police spokesman, Altine Daniel, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), spoke yesterday in Abuja with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    According to her, there was no security breach throughout the period of the Yuletide celebration.

    She said: “Things are going on well, we have not recorded any incident.”

    Daniel urged residents to be security-conscious and report any suspicious movement to the police or other law enforcement agencies.

    FCT Police Commissioner Femi Ogunbayode had assured residents of tight security during the Christmas.

    He said the command would collaborate with other security agencies to ensure this.

    Also, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the FCT, Mr Kayode Fanola, told NAN that only two road accidents were recorded in the territory on Christmas Day.

    He said there were no casualties.

    The sector commnader said one of the crashes occurred on the Kubwa expressway and the other on the Nyanya highway.

    “The crashes are normal and were not fatal,” Fanola said.

    He urged motorists to drive with care.

  • Christmas celebration in Abuja

    Christmas celebration in Abuja

  • Pray for Nigeria, says bishop

    The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos West, Rev. Olusola Odedeji, has called on Christians to use the Christmas celebration to seek the face of the Lord for peace in the country.

    In a statement yesterday, the Bishop said: “This is not a time for wild celebration, but sober reflection on the state of the country, the role Christians should play in living peaceably with all men (and women) and inviting divine visitation to overcome the evil forces that have held the country hostage in the recent past.”

    Bishop Odedeji called attention to persecution of Christians in parts of the country, the pervading insecurity and the foreboding over the 2015 elections.

    He said: “Christians should remember that it is the birth of Christ, the Prince of Peace that we are marking. It is not a time for revelry. We must remember the substance: Christ came to a troubled world to reconcile man to God. He died that we may live. He submitted himself to persecution, crucifixion and death that we may have abundant life.”

  • Cash crunch hampers Christmas shopping in Ekiti

    Cash crunch hampers Christmas shopping in Ekiti

    From changing pattern of sales to changing looks across sections of Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state, Christmas seems to announce its coming, although amid worries of shortage of spendable cash, writes Sulaiman Salawudeen

    In Lagos, Christmas is not just December 25, it is the entire month of December and spills over into the celebration of the new year in January.

    The booming of banger fire crackers from the very first day of the month reminds one immediately of the month of the birth of Jesus Christ

    As the days go by the intensity of the sound of banger especially at night increases until it reaches its peak on Christmas eve and on December 25. It slows down again from Boxing day and gradually rises until it peaks on New Year eve, i.e. December 31.This has been the observed trend in the past couple of years and the picture so for this year has not changed.

    Another major feature of the yuletide noticeable quite early in the month is the Christmas decorations by corporate organisations like banks, big departmental stores, fast food restaurants etc. They adorn their premises both inside and outside with different decorations and light reminding you in case you may have forgotten that Christmas is here.

    Even government offices are not left out in this decoration frenzy. A visit to the Lagos State secretariat and the state House of Assembly, all at Alausa, Ikeja will not leave you guessing about what season we are in with screaming Christmas messages like ‘Merry Christmas’ displayed in front of offices.

    The state government takes decorations beyond the offices as trees and electric poles along some major highways are dressed in bright colours and lightings of different colours. Even major junctions and roundabouts are also similarly decorated.

    Christmas gift or hampers well packed in handy baskets begin to adorn the front of major shops along major streets and highways.

    From about the December 15, the ever chaotic traffic situation in the city gets worse with heavy traffic and gridlock in practically every major road in the metropolis.

    According to Dotun Animashaun, a resident at Egbeda, the heavy traffic experienced from this period until Christmas Eve is as a result of people from outside Lagos coming to do their end-of-year shopping in the mega city. Ironically at about this same time there is also mass movement of people leaving Lagos for different destinations to celebrate with their folks back home in their towns and villages thus adding to the traffic jam.

    Other activities to mark the yuletide begins in earnest from about 18th with Father Christmas show for children in various locations across the city, children’s Christmas party organised by the Lagos State government, the House of Assembly and other corporate organisations where gifts are given out to children and they are entertained with sumptuous meals . Other features include ‘Carol Night’ and candle processions by ubiquitous churches.

    For instance, the Lagos State Children’s Christmas party held on Friday, 20th with Governor Fashola and his wife Dame Abimbola playing host to the children, while the state House of Assembly had its own two days earlier.

    Early in the month, major markets in Lagos Island, Oshodi, Yaba, Ajegunle, Agege, Oyingbo, Iyana Ipaja, Mushin also begin to experience an unusual volume of people making different purchases either as wholesalers or retailers for the yuletide

    However, from 20th you can begin to be sure that residents especially the Igbos are on the yearly movement back home especially the East for the Christmas celebration as various motor parks and luxury bus stations get jam packed with passengers    Transport fares as should be expected more than double for intending travelers, the fares continues to increase as from the middle of the month and becomes more exorbitant on 24th, Christmas eve.

    On Christmas day, Lagos is like a ghost town. And the day is usually very dull. As a visitor you find it difficult to make a comparison between the Lagos of the few weeks or days before 25th and the Lagos you see on Christmas day. Because large number of people and a huge volume of vehicles have moved out of the city for the yuletide celebration in other states.

    The roads are virtually deserted, devoid of any traffic. It is the only time you can time your movement and be sure to meet up because of the absence of traffic on the roads.

  • Free bus ride at Yuletide

    Free bus ride at Yuletide

    To ease movement during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Lagos State Government yesterday announced the provision of free buses for commuters between tomorrow and next Wednesday.

    A statement by the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said the gesture would enable Lagosians move freely during the period.

    Mobereola said the free bus service which began in 2008 had helped in reducing congestion and accident on the roads during festive periods, adding that the service would run for 13 hours starting at 7.00am and ends at 10.00pm.

  • Ibadan wears new look for Christmas as sales draw more shoppers

    Ibadan wears new look for Christmas as sales draw more shoppers

    As the Christmas day approaches, residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital are gearing up to celebrate the season despite glaring challenges.

    Every December, the Oyo State Government embarks on an extensive decoration of different parts of the metropolis in preparation for the Yuletide.

    Most residents of the state capital look forward to this annual practice that does not only light up the city at such time of the year but adds colour and glamour to the season.

    As usual the area around the seat of power in Agodi is beautiful and aglow with brilliant colours at night, especially the roundabout in front of the state secretariat and the government house arcade.

    Even the new sprawling Cocoa Mall is not left out, as Shoprite supermarket inside it is distinctly decorated with bright lights.

    In other parts of the city, especially, Akobo, Challenge, Bashorun, Mokola, Ring Road, the decorations are eye-catching. One cannot help falling in love with the colourful lights of the roundabout opposite Town Planning, Rind-Road, which hosts a big talking drum that symbolizes the culture of the people.

    A few years ago, when the state government embarked on the urban renewal project to transform the state capital, many people probably did not think it was necessary. Now government’s effort has started yielding positive results. The city’s landscape has been enriched by lush floral gardens.

    Some corporate organisations, commercial banks and eateries have decided to follow the example of the government by decorating their premises for the season. For example, exquisite Christmas lighting at Ajeigbe road leading to Orita Challenge, which hosts the Oyo State headquarters of Globacom has transformed it into a wonderland of sort. The visual effect is remarkable.

    Also, in keeping with the spirit of Yuletide, various youth organisations are already decorating their streets with colourful banners and festoons as well as gearing up to host loud carnivals. At this period of the year, it is common to find groups of youths soliciting funds for the events on the streets.

    However, few days to Christmas, many Ibadan indigenes are complaining about the high cost of food items, but in spite of this. there appears to be no significant drop in patronage. Some traders told The Nation that business was booming and more people were coming to the markets to shop for Christmas.

    At the popular Bodija Market, it was business as usual. The market peaked with activities. But a trader who sells rice in the market, Madam Aishatu Omolara, noted that her normal sales figure has not changed. Noting that she still sell the same quantity of rice as “I have been selling before,” Omolara hoped that it will change in the next few days as the yuletide celebration draws closer.

    In addendum to her explanation, a tomato seller, Mallam Bello Nasiru, also attest to the fact that it is business as usual, in spite of the season. Nasiru said:” There are increases in our patronage during weekends, but since Christmas is around the corner, we had expected sales to improve, but now it is still business as usual.”

    The story is almost the same at the popular Oje Market. Most of the traders say the cost of food items has increased because of the festive season.

    A dealer in rice, Emeka Daniel explained that the prices of food items are now on the high side and people have not been coming to buy as they used to.

    He went on that a bag of Umbrella rice that used to cost N10, 000 now sells for N15000, while also a Bag of Derico that use to sell for N8,000 before now sells for N11,500.

    Daniel said:” The difference is really big. Things are tight this festive season and it is getting worse every day.

    He blames the hike in the cost of food items on the security situation in the North, lack of money and increase in the import duty on rice.

    A trader in pepper and tomato also complained bitterly about the high cost of food items.

    She said the cost of a bag of pepper had increased from N4, 000, to N8, 500. Similarly, a basket of tomato costs N7,500, while a basket of tatashe pepper is N 7,000.

    Attributing the increase in the cost of food to the economy, the Secretary of Bodija Foodstuff Traders, Mr Sola Faribido said, “The demand of foodstuffs is low, so there is no way we can inflate the prices during this period. We are still selling as usual and sales has not improved, there is no money in town and people are complaining bitterly”

    But a customer at the market, Mrs Ajoke Bamiro said”:” I wonder how we will survive because food items like Garri Ijebu is now N10, 000 per bag. A bag of beans sells for N25, 000, depending on the type you want and a bag of rice is now between N10,00 and N15,000 depending on the type. We just hope on God for the best this Christmas and we shall cut our coat to our size.

    “When Christmas approaches, there is always an increase in the cost of food items and this year is not an exemption”

    The price of a carton of croaker fish has increased from N12,000 to N16, 000, while a carton of stockfish costs N8, 000 as against N6, 500 three months ago. Also, a carton of chicken sells for N6, 000 and the price of turkey remains at N7,500 per carton.

    A frozen foods dealer, Joy Nkechi explained that: “We did not just increase the prices of food items on our own. We cannot ignore the fact that this is Christmas season and as expected, the prices of such food items will increase. As the situation of things is hard now,”

    Similarly, Bukola Omonigbeyin, who sells oil at the Bodija market says the price of oil has not increased.

    She said:”Five litres of groundnut oil has always been N1,700 and that is still what it is as at this moment. The price hasn’t changed at all.”

    Also, Kehinde Babalola who deals in shoes and bags at Iwo-Road, agrees that business is brisk and the traders are trying hard to cope with the pressure from their customers. “This is the time we have good sales. Everybody wants to buy Christmas shoes and bags. We didn’t need to inflate the prices of these items. The prices vary depending on the design you want to buy. We don’t need to increase any price because of Christmas,” she says.

    At Shoprite supermarket in new Cocoa Mall Dugbe, it was business as usual, as over 1000 shoppers trooped out in large numbers to shop for the Yuletide.

    Many of them were seen at different sections such as, wine, ingredients, beverages, cakes, Christmas decorations, and drinks.