The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Egyptian

  • 600 Egyptian pilgrims confirmed dead in Saudi Arabia

    600 Egyptian pilgrims confirmed dead in Saudi Arabia

    No fewer than 600 Egyptian pilgrims have been confirmed dead during the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

    This is as friends and family yesterday continued to search for missing Egyptian pilgrims. An Arab diplomat said at least 600 Egyptian pilgrims died during the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage in the holy land.

    This was after Arab officials earlier reported a figure of at least 323 Egyptian deaths at the annual rituals.

    The deaths were linked to the searing heat that reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday, June 17.

    Read Also: Afe Babalola appointed pioneer BOT Chairman of AI body

    Even pilgrims who have official permits can be vulnerable. Houria Ahmad Abdallah Sharif, a 70-year-old Egyptian pilgrim, has been missing since Saturday. After praying on Mount Arafat, she told a friend she wanted to go to a public bathroom to clean her abaya, but she never came back.

    “We’ve searched for her from door to door and we have not found her,” said the friend, who also spoke on condition of anonymity. They added: “We know many who are still searching for their family members and relatives and they are not finding them, or if they are finding them they are finding them dead.”

  • Rungas, Egyptian firm, govt partner on $30m cylinder project

    An indigenous firm, Rungas Industries, has secured an executive partnership with the National Organisation for Military Production (NOMP) to produce and assist with the distribution of composite cylinders for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

    The NOMP, (an affiliate of the Egyptian government), it was learnt, has already allocated 28,000 square metres of land for the $30 million project in Alexandria – home of the Egyptian Gas Industrial Park. The facility will be producing 200,000 LPG cylinders for domestic use (cooking) and 130,000 CNG cylinders for vehicles and automobiles.

    Rungas and Amtrol-Alfa Worthington of Portugal are providing the technology and technical knowhow to set up the type III LPG composite cylinder facility, which will be dedicated to domestic use, while the CNG cylinders produced will be used for vehicles across Egypt. Both products will be exported from Egypt to neighbouring Arab countries as well as serve the North and East African markets (benefiting from international trade agreements that are already in place).

    The Egyptian government has mandated Rungas and its partner United Group to set up the facilities after extensive product research was carried out and Amtrol facility in Portugal was visited by an Egyptian delegation to carry out a compliance inspection to ensure that cylinders met all standards for cylinder production in Egypt.

    National Organisation for Military Production Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Dr.  Hassan Ahmad Ab Elimagied, executed the contracts on behalf of Egyptian government and provided support verbally for the project.

    Rungas Group of Companies Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lanre Runsewe, said the partnership with the Egyptian firm coupled with the ongoing plans to set up a state-of-the-art LPG composite cylinder plant in Nigeria, would be a continental force.

    He said: “Rungas has been an agent of Amtrol Alfa- Worthington, promoting their LPG composite cylinders across West Africa sub-region, whilst operating an import and supply model. We have been supplying composite cylinders to oil majors and Independent retailers across 10 states of Nigeria. Our clients are Oando, MRS, Forte Oil, Ultimate Gas and Sublime, among others.”

    He said the company has approval from the Ghana Standards Authority to supply and distribute Amtrol LPG composite cylinders in Ghana and currently in the process of gaining regulatory approvals in Cameroon and Cote D’Ivoire.

    Runsewe advised that the Type IV CNG Composite Cylinders that would be produced would be the first of its kind in Africa, Asia and Middle East. The cylinders, according to him, would be in two sizes – the LPG cylinders would have a capacity of 60 litres for domestic use and the cylinders for the public vehicles would be 80 litres.

    “CNG is important for the Egyptian government because of the need to run on cleaner fuel and to meet IMF condition, which advised the country to reduce fuel subsidy,” Runsewe said.

    The Ministry of Armed Production has actually engaged with CNG operators, who currently import the product from India, China and Italy to embrace this new development.

    In addition to land contribution, the Egyptian government is also providing regulatory and off-take support while all funding and financial support for the project is being sourced through private equity. The raw materials to be used for the production are to be sourced locally from SIDPEC, which is the largest petrochemical company in Egypt – they are expected to supply a significant portion of the raw materials for both manufacturing lines, he added.

    According to Runsewe, the groundbreaking for the project would be in September and expects production of LPG cylinders to start within nine months from the groundbreaking while the launch of CNG composite cylinders is 18 months.

  • Yobe medical college hires Egyptian, Nigerian lecturers

    Yobe medical college hires Egyptian, Nigerian lecturers

    The Yobe State University of Medical Sciences has hired senior officials to facilitate the take-off of its programmes.

    Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, in a statement by his spokesman Abdullahi Bego, said the governor had “given approval for the recruitment of additional personnel into the newly-established College of Medical Sciences of the Yobe State University on permanent, pensionable and sabbatical basis.’’

    The statement reads: “The recruitments cover both academic and non-academic cadres. Those recruited include three professors and two PhD holders from Egypt and 30 Nigerians, including a Professor of Human Physiology, 18 Graduate Assistants, 11 Laboratory Technologists and Assistant Laboratory Technologists.”

    Governor Gaidam earlier approved the appointment of a provost for the college.

  • Recession: Learning from Egyptian experience

    All eyes, Many readers of this column may be disappointed today and there is no apology for that. From various parts of the country, people have been calling or sending text messages or email, since last Monday, to ask yours sincerely to write today’s article on the raging controversial Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) law that is currently causing unnecessary brouhaha across Nigeria. However, having turned down the seemingly popular request, the onus is on me to explain why I refused to succumb to their pressure on that subject. As readers, they are kings and queens in their own rights just like customers in an open market. And they deserve to be so treated.

     

    The focus of ‘The Message’

    ‘The Message’ is an Islamic column which does not concern itself with a matter that is unrelated to Islam. The FRCN law currently in contention does not affect Islam because the Mosque is House of congregational worship which no Muslim can claim as a private property. If any Muslim claims to own a Mosque he should be called a thief. A Muslim may build a Mosque with his money. He may offer to bear the cost of maintaining a Mosque on his volition. But as soon as the Mosque is ready as a House of worship, it becomes a public property within the Muslim community.

    What can ‘The Message’ write on an idea that was initiated by a Nigerian professional body during the second republic in 1982 to serve as one of its organs for regulating the financial institutions in Nigeria? What can ‘The Message’ say now about how that organ became a subject of legislation in 2003, when Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian, held sway as Nigeria’s President? What did the readers of this column expect ‘The Message’ to write about the enactment of that legislation into an act of parliament in 2011 when Goodluck Jonathan, another Christian was the President?

    The Mosque is not a family business that can be bequeathed to a son or a daughter. It is therefore not for Nigerian Muslims to jump into an unnecessary brouhaha over a law that concerns materialism much more than religion. Neither is it for them to ask ‘The Message’ to write on such an inconsequential subject. Currently, there are many crushing issues on the table in Nigeria. One of them is recession which concerns every Nigerian Christian or Muslim. And the concentration here today will be on that. Read on:

     

    The Egyptian experience

    Egypt, a North African Arab country was never a member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). She was not an oil producing country until recently. The main stay of her economy was agriculture which was well facilitated by her River Nile endowment. But of course the latter was backed up by the strategic Suez Canal that became a necessary need of all Western countries.

    This North African Arab country was in economic mess in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Her ravaging war with Israel had reduced her to a virtual beggar nation. Not only did her macro economy plummet, her micro economy also dwindled to the lowest ebb. No job for the rising army of highly skilful youths and no sources of income for the majority of the citizenry. Thus, the country looked like a famine- stricken one. The best residential houses were rented out to foreigners. And most vehicles on Cairo and Alexandra roads were terribly rickety at that time.

     

    Solution

    It took an ingenuous economic management by President Gamal Abdul Nasir and his successor, President Anwar Sadat to device a means of bailing out the country from what could have amounted to self-genocide. With the meagre amount of money accruing to the nation from agriculture and manpower export at that time, the government was able to set up a food distribution centre in each ward where every family in the ward was registered.

    All varieties of foods, including grains, wheat, meat, milk and eggs, were supplied to each family every week. And no family got less than what could suffice for one full week. The cost of those highly subsidised food were deducted from the salaries of those working while others were supplied free foods for survival. And to ensure that only the citizens benefited from the wonderful largess, the use of national identity card to qualify for supply was made compulsory.

     

    Security and patriotism

    This Islamic welfare business strategy did not only create a high sense of security in the citizenry it also spurred them to become die-hard patriots. With that strategy, Egypt was able to weather her economic storm of that time even as her war with Israel continued.

    What could have been a major problem for the ordinary Egyptians at that time was the education of their children. But President’s Nasir’s government had taken care of that since inception. A fundamental policy of the Egyptian government introduced by President Nasir in 1954 was free education at all levels. That policy which the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo adapted for primary education in western Nigeria a year later (1954) had put Egypt far ahead of all African and Arab countries. The policy was to put Egypt in good stead in later years when the going became economically tough.

     

    Reaping the benefit

    The country began to reap the benefit by supplying all other Arab countries with their needed man power such as teachers, doctors, Engineers, pilots, accountants, pharmacists, nurses, administrators and even drivers. Those experts were officially deployed to those other Arab countries on three years renewable contract. And each deployed expert was made to remit about 35 per cent of his/her income to the government of Egypt monthly. Such remittances were not difficult to make since those expert were well paid. The remittances were made directly by the employers who deducted the agreed amount from the salaries of their employees. Thus, in those days, manpower generated from planned education was more profitable than today’s oil wells. It is a confirmation that a well planned education is an investment like no other.

    Yet, countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates and others that benefited from the programme found the arrangements convenient because they did not need to employ interpreters separately as would have been the case if they had employed Americans, French, Germans and Italians for the same purpose. At least, based on Islamic principles, their languages and culture were almost the same.

     

    Social welfare

    With the provision of social welfare for the people, Egyptian government of the 1970s, led by Anwar Sadat after the demise of Gamal Abdel Nasir, was able to solve the problem of the three necessities of life: food, shelter and clothing. Not only that, the government was also very much aware that an idle hand was the devil’s workshop. It therefore provided soft loans for many university graduates to embark on small scale businesses that could boost the nation’s economy at the micro level.

    With this, it became possible for most of those fresh graduates to be self employed while aiming high to mount the economic ladder of life to the very top. Today, some of those businesses have grown into gigantic industries exporting their products to many countries, including Nigeria.

    If Egypt is not one of Africa’s poor countries today, it is because her government managed that nation’s meagre economy to the benefit of her ordinary citizens, despite several decades of war with Israel. Compared to the industrialised nations, Egypt may not be called a rich country now, but her preparation for the future seems to be assuring her of a front line economic position soon. Her unsurpassed investment on manpower through education is a confirmation of that.

     

    Industrialisation

    What obtains in Egypt equally obtains in most other Arab countries, especially those of the gulf. For instance, Saudi Arabia has always known that oil would not flow forever in her wells. Thus as far back as the 1970s, that country had diversified her economy by establishing two industrial cities of Yambu’ and Jubail, a project (commissioned in 1982) which the United states described as the most ambitious ever in the industrial history of mankind.

    Much more have since been put in place for the benefit of the future generations. And, travellers who have visited countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria will confirm that the future of global wealth will definitely be in the Middle East courtesy of foresights of the above mentioned leaders. But the greatest assets of those countries are manpower which their free education programme is providing from primary schools through the university with impeccable foresight.

     

    Shameless deception

    Long before now, a promise of economic leap was made in respect of year 2000. That year came to pass without any effort made towards fulfilment. Then, another promise was made in respect of year 2010. That year also came to pass without any sign of seriousness on the part of the government even as Nigeria sank deeper into economic quagmire. Now it is the turn of year 2020 which will also come to pass in three years time. Haba! Is there no shame all for those running the government in Nigeria? The speedy economic train of the modern time waits for no crawling nation like Nigeria.

     

    Blind trust

    Long before the West came to know anything about the term “blind trust” at all, Islam had educated the Muslims in details on that subject. The great religion had foreseen the possibility of manipulating this term to the advantage of the exploiters in certain societies and, had thus, forbidden it.

    In Islamic jurisprudence, “blind trust” simply means the transaction of business illegally between a seller and a buyer to the detriment of either of them. In this case, the buyer or seller may be an individual or a group. “Blind trust” is like a coin with two sides. In it, either the seller or the buyer can cheat. An example is a situation where a product is sold in a wrap without allowing the buyer to examine what he wants to buy before paying. This may occur in any sector of the economy. In agriculture for instance, it is forbidden to sell tubers like yam and cassava without uprooting them. Such a business is often done on a mere assumption, thereby putting either the seller or the buyer at a great risk and disadvantage.

     

    Varieties of blind trust

    Blind trust may also occur in an ordinary market of quantity grains like rice, beans, millet, bally salt or groundnuts where and when the instrument of measure is manipulated with the intention of reducing the quantity of its contents while receiving the payment in full. Also, selling wrapped dresses or textile materials without indicating their sizes, yardage or fault may amount to “blind trust”. Even, those who engage in the sale of electronics without allowing the buyers to test the products before paying are trading in “blind trust”, which is illegal in Islam. In a nutshell, any business that entails some elements of doubt and does not allow for transparency is “blind trust” prohibited in Islam. And, anybody who is engaged in such a business is deemed to be a criminal.

     

    In retrospect

    It must be remembered that the people of Madyan (Median) whose Prophet was Shuayb, faced with the wrath of Allah and became perished because of “blind trust”

    In modern times, the term “blind trust” has been given a new connotation through a new manipulation. Not only is the chain of business deliberately being elongated to allow for more middlemen to allow for unnecessary inflation, the sale and purchase of public shares on behalf of some people without the knowledge of those people is being treated as a legitimate norm in capitalism. And that is the haven of corruption in Nigeria.

    Today, if corruption does not wear the garb of ethnicity, it would robe in the garment of religion. When will this come to an end?

  • The Egyptian Call It The “Plant Of Immortality”: This Helps To Naturally Reverse Your Type 2 Diabetes

    The Egyptian Call It The “Plant Of Immortality”: This Helps To Naturally Reverse Your Type 2 Diabetes

    You might probably have your own aloe vera plant at home which is just for decoration to beautify the home.

    Likewise, you can not simply figure out why this plant is actually regarded as the plant of immortality which is what you are about to find out

    Anyways. I have some questions for you.

    Do you regularly feel like you get tired all the time? Can’t get to do a lot of work and has hindered you from getting active all day?

    Has your being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes limited you from having that sexual satisfaction with your woman because you just can’t get it to stand upright and keep it that way for you making your woman having that sad face every single time?

    Or being diagnosed has led you to have hands and legs that shakes uncontrollably as a result of current blood sugar level in your system?

    Well I believe that this post you are about to read would actually help you in knowing why how the powerful use of this aloe vera plant can help you to reverse your type 2 diabetes naturally.

    Okay let’s get started

    First thing, you need to know is that myself and my partner is that we are no doctors.

    We are natural wellness consultant that helps our various client to naturally deal with their health issues most especially weight loss and through our relationship with our client, we discovered a lot also suffer from the dreaded health challenge of “diabetes”.

    Hence the reason you are reading this post as we had done our research to help you get natural relief in getting better and performing better in your daily activity.

    One of the Miracle Plant we will be sharing with you is how Using this MIRACLE PLANT Aloe vera to help reverse your type 2 diabetes.

    For Centuries, Aloe vera has been used extensively by many cultures simply because of its magical properties in treating burns, healing wounds and relieving aches and pains and a whole range of internal and external disorder which goes into hundreds simply because of its potent and diverse properties it has.

    Aloe vera, as a healer has been a legend that will always be talked about because of the many testimonies that it has given to different people in various cultures round the world.

    And now, Natural discovery from various client we have been able to work with shows that taking the aloe vera juice that we recommend to them together with other supplements that is given to them has actually recorded a significant drop in their blood sugar level which now gives them the energy that they never had in the first place.

    Aloe vera works with the body to increase the absorption of nutrient and bio availability of vitamins and minerals and to boost the immune system, with no known detrimental side effects.

    Which is why you need to take this serious! https://goo.gl/d2ylW7

    Lots of studies and testimonies round the world has shown immerse positive result in the use of aloe vera as part of the steps taken to help reverse most especially type 2 diabetes which is why you need to stick to whatever recommendation that is given to you.

    Using the natural blend of supplement that are all aloe vera based, you would get to start to see outstanding result in the first 30 days of going through the diabetes wellness program that has been created for anyone with issues with type 2 diabetes

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    Click on the link here to get an instant 10% off the full diabetes wellness pack that you can start using today that helps you in your journey to naturally reverse your diabetes.

     

    Hope this help.

    Note: By Following The Recommendations That Is Given To You, You Will Also Receive A Complete Printed Manual On The Nigerian Diabetes Meal Plan That Helps To Naturally Reverse Your Type 2 Diabetes. https://goo.gl/d2ylW7

  • Baruwa warns Eagles against Egyptian fans

    Baruwa warns Eagles against Egyptian fans

    Former Nigeria international, Abiodun Baruwa has charged the Super Eagles to remain focused on the pitch and not take notice of the loud and intimidating Egyptian fans when they tackle the home team in Alexandria tomorrow  night.

    After they failed to get a much-needed victory in Kaduna on Friday, Nigeria will be seeking a win in Alexandria  so as to get their AFCON 2017 campaign back on course as they still trail the Pharaohs midway through the qualifiers.

    Baruwa, who is now a UEFA certified coach, was in goal for Shooting Stars in the final of the 1996 CAF Champions League against Egypt’s Zamalek, said Egyptian fans will be loud and intimidating but Eagles should not pay attention to them.

    Zamalek and Shooting Stars played out a 3-3 draw after two legs with the Egyptians edging past their Nigerian rivals 5-4on penalties.

    “Trust me, it’s football where anything can happen. They just played 45 minutes as far as I am concerned,” he said.

    “Egyptian fans will be so loud and intimidating supporting their team, they get behind their team like never seen before, but if Eagles hold their nerves and play according to their plans they should win.

    “They have to be more than 100% focused and neglect the fans, who will come out in large numbers, but the Eagles must not lose concentration.”

    It is expected that as many as 20,000 fans will be allowed into the Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria to cheer Egypt  tomorrow.

  • COMMENTS

    COMMENTS

    For Olatunji Dare

    Sir in all honesty The Nation newspaper deserves its ordeal because you choose to give strength and impetus to the insurgent through your reportage. from Bayo Ogunsanya

    Compliments, worry not please, God will soon deliver us from the demons. Stay focused.Thanks. Anonymous.

    The military officials have the right to do their work, if there is any intelligence concerning all the media houses or any media house, they should not spare them. Your freedom stops where another person starts. By the way, if you observe the way some of the print media houses operate, you will know their are collabrating with terrorists or have link with Boko Haram in order to disgrace President Jonathan goverment so that the political party their are supporting can take the glory on it and shine. Anonymous

    Re: Desperate censors at work . By Olatunji Dare . The print media , particularly The Nation should prepare for more crippling attacks ,because of your persistent exposure of corruption , impunity and cluelessness of the present administration to our national disgrace .The Boko Haram issue has exposed our long neglected security and proper intelligence gathering. Our security operatives can be seen to shooting dismally on focus and at totally wrong target . Anonymous

    No doubt the clampdown signifies President Jonathan’s government has finally fallen into bottomless chasm. It is highly abysmal. Gentlemen of the press it is time to return to trenches.From Prince S.Olu Amuda.  Lagos.

    May 29 should be an ordinary day in Nigeria,why June l2 should marked as democracy day,because June l2 give birth to present democracy project.From Gordon Chika Nnorom

    I just bought a copy of The Nation in a show of solidarity. We are Nigerians, we know what we want, least of all ‘Egyptian style tyranny’. Even more grease! Anonymous

    This Jonathan government is barbaric ,or how can one explain the rationale behind this callous act of newspapers seizure for no just cause , but they should remember that,  we have God o ! From Olowolagba Kayode , Apata , Ibadan .

    Sir, can’t the press do a one week warning black-out of government in protest. We allow our governments to get away with a lot of impunity. Anonymous

    Re: Desperate censors at work: This is not the military at work, this is some people venting their frustration on all of us when protest they thought will wither has continued to gain momentum. First the police treatened, then SSS complained both met resistance from Nigerians fed up with misrule. If newspaper houses and the newspaper proprietors allow this to go on without any challenge, you will be guilty of conspiring to gag  Nigerians and usher in decent to anarchy. I know however that if the worst of military dictatorship failed, these must be some joke. Anonymous.

    Sir,  how I wish the military and their cohorts were so committed and efficient the day Chibok girls were hijacked from their school dormitaries as they now appear to be in blocking newspaper circulation vehicles roots! Anonymous

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

    Re: “Politicising (in)security.” On the issue of state police, we have not practised true federalism it is supposed to be done. We said that we have not matured. When are we going to be matured? It is a common knowledge, as you said, that during the Second Republic, the Nigerian Police was brutally used as an instrument of oppression and harrassment against the oppositon governors by the Federal Government. This abuse of authority has persisted till today, because we failed to learn to decentralise the establishment of state and local police. The United States of America, from where we copied our system of government, does not have a National Police Force, but nine Federal Agencies that have certain police powers to enforce national laws such as Justice Department, FBI and USA Secret Service just to mention a few. On the recent siege of the Media, the Yoruba will say: “Bi eeyan o ba se nnkan itufu ko ni kiye s’eyinkule, a se buburu o ku ara fufu”. The ruling party has greatly miscalculated and this has battered their image the more. The peace in the society is depended on justice, but, so far, the security lapses, has made this a very costily venture. From Prince Adewumi Agunloye

    Re Politicising [in] security. We must congratulate Dr. Reuben Abati for the Presidency’s clampdown on newspapers, their drivers, vendors and distribution centres and vehicles. We need not wait for excuses. Could we ask him what would have been his reaction were he not in the PDP but at the Editorial desk? From Akinlayo. A. State of Osun.

     

    Politicising (in) security. The Nation of Friday 13/6/14. Let just pray for President Jonathan because of his cluelessness in political governance, that has made him a chess game in the hands of vampires in the villa. Otherwise he should have known that the only true friends he has today in Nigeria are the pressmen because they have the courage to tell his government the truth about the state of things in the land. From Abdullahi Danja in Abuja

    Sir,your write up is well articulated and every well meaning Nigerian should caution the presidential recklessness in terms of the usage of Nigeria security to chase superior political opponent. Anonymous

    Re-Politicising (in) security.  There is no doubting the fact, the state governments would abuse the state police than it is currently being witnessed under Federal Government. Some state governments who had always believed and still believe that winning their states by any other  political party is a taboo would abuse the state police. Mr President misfired having tactically given directive that Emir’s palace be laid seige around. It was a misnormer! For us to avert trouble, why must another politcal party  begin to sweep where another party undertook its campaign when the meaning in Yorubaland is very clear! Why did a government not instal five notice boards from 200 metres to the campaign field showing the O-Yes men are at work, thus making that assignment, official, if not for troubleshooting. Please to a greater extent, let the police system remain centralised. From Lanre Oseni.

    Policing in a democratic setting like ours has been bastardised! Both Government and Opposition have not been tolerant and patrotic. The honour of our heroes gone have not been replaced. What a country? What a leadership, What an Opposition, What a political class? Anonymous

    Sir, I think its baseless recasting the issues of June 12 and the damages the cancellation of that historical election has done to the nation when we the people involved dont seem to have learnt anything from that crime commited against the west, nay the entire south, by the north. Moreso, when nothing in the northern atitude of today shows that given the second opportunity they wouldnt repeat the same criminal act all over again on us. Of course its good we should forget the past and forge ahead with the idea of a new Nigerian nation of our dream.Otherwise one really does not see the difference in the composition and ideology of d northerners that make up d today APC from SDP of Abiola/Kingibe era. From Emmanuel Egwu

    Common on, because you re seekin for sympathy vote for your candidate, shouldn’t make you go this far to full our daily news editorial with dis bunch of lies. I thought you said an uncle’s friend shared a drink with the son of one of those at the meeting, so the son went as far to tell him all of this? Stop these lies. Anonymous

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    Sweet news for Ekiti…Fayose will lose to Fayemi : A Man of Honour…amen From Evang Steves Aloko O, Ido Ekiti

    I find it difficult to believe   that the president  whom everybody believes is for all has become a party president.  A good leader sees everybody as his or her own, but Jonathan choses to recognise pdp states as  his own. A whole president opened his mouth and said, he can only develop Ekiti if PDP wins. I s he a president of PDP or that of the whole country?   From Hamza Ozi Momoh Apapa Lagos.

    Tell me the difference(s) between Jonathan/Sambo  cum pdp on one hand and Shekau and Boko Haram on the other? they are both  laying seige on The Nation. while Shekau’s is restricted largely to the north east, Jonathan and his allieds has the whole nation as their Sambisa forest. I tell you Shekau will likely get gej presidential nod to fly the pdp’s flag as the gubernitorial candidate in Yobe or Borno in next election, in view of d type of candidates he is throwing up or he be made police affiars minister. Awo saw it coming we might not witness true democracy in our generation. That Bayelsa State born mopol that ordered the Ekiti killing  is worse than  any boko haram member. Nigeria a nation under seige.   From Akinola Olotu

    If that was the outcome of the meeting and the INEC is to be coopted as an acomplice, then we already know what is going to be the agenda of meeting on Osun State election. Do not forget both candidates are ‘’birds of same feather.’’ Nigerians are in real problem in 2015 contending with ‘expired’ Mr. Fix it. They have started it in Kano where they want to lord  it over the elected governor in the care of the Emir by congratulating a candidate when the procedure to choose was still on going – From Deroju, Ibadan.   

    Ekiti Recce time in Abuja . Iam constrained to reply to this piece . But as an Ekiti man living in Ekiti I feel that you are not being  objective in your piece. l wonder if you have taken the pains to visit Ekiti State in the last few days. and sample the opinion of the people. Do not forget that it takes two to tango . Do not blame any aspirant otherwise you will not be an umpire .Please be fair to all after all in politics nobody is a saint or a messiah . I still have my respect for you. From Ojo A. Ayodele, Emure Ekiti 

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    The PDP and its candidates in Ekiti and Osun know that based on performance, they have no chance of winning elections. Their ‘weapon of mass destruction’ is rigging. But let them try it this time and see. From Alhaji Adeboye Lawal.

    Tunji, #BringBackOurGirls has now ‘moved up’ to#BringBachFayemi (laughs). Of course, Fayemi is coming back. We have his name in our church (Celestial) for prayers. God will listen to us. From Valentine Ojo, Abuja.

    I have read your article. While I recognise Fayemi’s achievements, I want to correct you on the social welfare grants to “every old citizen” in the state. I have a 75-year-old mum and an 85-year-old dad in Ijurin-Ekiti who never got anything. From Adubi. 

    As the Ekiti State governorship election is only a few days away, the electorate should know that their destiny is in their hands. So, they should go for continuity which is Fayemi ‘s progressive governance, to enable him complete the good work that he has started. As they say, ‘the devil you know is better than the saint you don’t know’. Let Ekiti people not allow themselves to be deceived; they should check the record of the last administration. The Federal Government should however let their votes count and nobody should be intimidated. In every contest, there must be a winner and a loser; the winner should carry everybody along so as to move the state forward while the loser should see his fate as an act of God and prepare for future elections. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    Partisan journalism will not help reflect the other side of the story and the fact is that a growing number of Ekiti residents are pointing accusing fingers at the APC and Fayemi for the fever of violence that has engulfed the state in the build-up to the election. From Kuteyi, R.R., Ondo.

    I had been sick since the visit of Mr. President to Ekiti State. Tell me, is it indeed people like Fayose and Omisore that these people can bring forward? The bottom-line is that Jonathan wants us to believe that he is not Pharaoh? Yet, by fielding Fayose, he must have determined to use brute force in the election because that is the only way Fayose can win. It is not unlikely they would announce a winner. Only God we look forward to to disappoint Jonathan. Anonymous.

    Sir, I don’t want to believe that you have sucked enough sweet oranges from Ekiti State; but I wish you will permit me to advise that you stop advertising salt and allow Ekiti people elect a governor of their choice. Anonymous.

    Even a blind man will tell you that Fayemi is working in Ekiti. If the PDP is blind and cannot see the good work that Fayemi is doing, the good people of Ekiti are there to speak for the governor. PDP is a party of deceit with people of questionable character. If election is conducted 10 times in Ekiti, PDP will lose 10 times because the time of darkness is over in the state. From Hamza Ozi Momoh, Apapa, Lagos.

    Dear Tunji, Fayemi deserves all the encouragement and support to bring him back. Fayose has not for one day clamoured for the Chibok girls to be brought back, so, he does not deserve the voters’ support. Ekiti voters will vote against the PDP. From Akin Malaolu.  

     

     

  • Egyptian dance troupe makes a debut at Calabar Festival

    The ongoing annual Calabar Festival was given an added flavour Thursday with the staging of a dance drama by the Alexandria Folk dance Troupe of Egypt. The dance, the first of its kind ever to be staged anywhere in Nigeria, had the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Ashraf Salama, in attendance, as well as crowd and tourists, who had grabbed their seats as early as 7pm at the expansive Calabar Cultural Centre, venue of the performance. The performance, which lasted for one and a half hours with brief interludes inbetween, offered the crowd an opportunity to experience a whirlwind of pageantry and celebration, the kind that could only have been seen in temples, weddings, street fairs and festivals wherever the Egyptians celebrate life. Speaking on the significance of the performance, Mr. Ali El Gendi, Artistic Director and Troupe Choreographer said: “These dances arose from Upper Egypt, Cairo and Alexandria, and were an integral part of both ancient religious ceremony, as well as secular celebration. These dance forms were performed in local towns and villages where men, women and children all knew the colourful Baladi and Saiidi movements.” Ali said the troupe decided to be part of this year’s Calabar Festival for the first time to give Nigerians, particularly the people of Cross River the chance to experience colourful and exotic folkdances of ancient Egypt as passed down through different generations through the history Raqs Sharqi. “It has never been performed in Nigeria before. Calabar is the first city in Nigeria to host the Alexandria Folkdance Troupe. We see Nigeria as one of the few exciting places in Africa. We have heard so much about the Calabar Festival. Last year, the Brazilians were here, as well as many other Caribbean countries. And we have found out that it is such an amazing and wonderful place in Nigeria. We came to add colour, flavour and appeal to the Calabar Festival.” Describing the performance, Barrister Edet Asim said: “It was simply beautiful, fantastic and powerful. If you missed this, you missed the chance of a lifetime. I feel much better just for watching the dance. It was an extraordinary joy to behold.” Commending the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria for facilitating the show, Nzan Ogbe, Special Adviser Governor’s Office and Chairman, Calabar Festival Planning Committee, said: “We thank the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Ashraf Salama for allowing the performance, the first in Nigeria, to be staged in Calabar. We are grateful to the dancers and to Egypt for sharing their dance culture with us.”