The Nation Newspaper

Tag: exploits

  • Commanding exploits through divine wisdom!

    Welcome to a new month of enviable testimonies and liftings! All through this month, we shall explore the force of divine wisdom which, I believe, shall impact on every area of our lives. It will also grant us an unusual access into the deep things of God; thereby, empowering us into next- levels of exploits after the order of Christ and bringing about supernatural turnarounds in our lives.  Therefore, I want you to get set for an impartation of supernatural wisdom via the teachings of this month.

    We discover from scriptures that exploits answer largely to the operations and manifestations of divine wisdom. By ‘exploits’, we mean extraordinary accomplishments. It connotes breaking new grounds, and setting new records. It implies out of this world order of accomplishments and outstanding successes with strange impacts. As it is written: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).

    However, while exploit is God’s agenda for the redeemed, it takes wisdom to experience it. In other words, divine wisdom is the bedrock of exploits and everything answers to its operations and manifestations. The Scripture says: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7). Obviously, without divine wisdom at work, exploits will remain an uphill task. Thus, we cannot disregard divine wisdom and experience exploits.

    What, then, is Divine Wisdom?

    Divine wisdom is the wisdom from above. It is superior to all other kinds of wisdom, and it generates mighty and inexplicable works. Divine wisdom is knowing the right thing to do from scriptures. Also, it is walking in the light of God’s Word as revealed from the scriptures. Furthermore, it is thinking, speaking and working the Word. Interestingly, this wisdom is peaceable, ‘track-able’ pure, easily entreated, full of good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy. Thus, it delivers the same way and at the same rate to anyone who engages it; there is no racial discrimination or partiality associated with it (John 3:31; Romans 2:11). We must understand that God has reserved the strongest wave of divine wisdom for the end-time Church which is going to be the mystery behind their exploits (Ephesians 3:8-11).

    Remember, divine wisdom is not strange to us as it has been since the time of old and individuals who operated by it experienced supernatural liftings and glory. There are diverse scriptural examples of individuals who traded divine wisdom and emerged men of exploits and conquest as exemplified in the following:

    • Joseph: Through divine wisdom, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and provided solution to the negative impact of the famine that was about to hit the land of Egypt. The Bible records: Thereafter, pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art…(Genesis 41:39-40).
    • Solomon: By divine wisdom, Solomon wrote 1005 songs and 3000 proverbs. Furthermore, the queen of Sheba heard of his fame and she came to see Solomon’s riches and test the depth of his wisdom. Subsequently, she was very impressed with Solomon’s wisdom and prosperity that she praise God for such a wise King (1 Kings 4:32).
    • Daniel: Among others, the display of the wisdom from above at work in Daniel empowered him to interpret the King’s dream which hitherto was too difficult for the magicians to do. This amazed king Nebuchadnezzar to the point that he… made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon( Daniel 2:48 , 1:20)

    Like I have always said, the secret of men are in their stories. It is impossible to find any story on exploits that is not traced to divine wisdom.  We cannot have this kind of wisdom and not do exploit in life, which will put us ahead of others just like it did in the lives of the Patriarchs.  If the Patriarchs engaged it and turned them to men of exploits, I believed it is worth emulating.  Therefore, as you do, I see you moving unto ‘next levels’ of exploits after the order of Christ, In Jesus’ name! Welcome to your realm of unlimited possibilities! Remain ever blessed!

    Nevertheless to gain access to this wisdom, you need to be born-again. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” 

    I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org; Face book: www.facebook.com/davidoyedepoministries/;  Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin

  • My crime exploits, by kidnap kingpin Evans

    My crime exploits, by kidnap kingpin Evans

    Suspect who owns two houses in highbrow Magodo, Lagos relives life of crimes

    The sensational life – big crime and luxury – of a kidnap kingpin Chukwudubem George Onwuamadike (aka Evans), has collapsed with a tripe of regrets.

    He yesterday advised those in the illicit trade to quit.

    “I am feeling bad. People who are still into kidnapping should quit. They should learn from what has happened to me,” he told reporters when he was paraded at the Lagos Command Headquarters in Ikeja.

    Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent (CSP), who paraded him and his gang, said Evans ran a highly sophisticated operation where members did not know themselves.

    Others paraded are Felix Chinemerem, Nwosu Chikodi Chukwuma (aka Sado), 42, Suoyo Paul (aka Nwana), 42, Ikenna Emeka, 28, Uchechukwu Amadi and Ogechi Amadi.

    Evans, who relived his sojourn in the underworld, said: “I was into auto spare parts importation but lost all my money (over N25m) when Customs seized my goods. From there, I relocated to South Africa, where I started peddling drugs. But along the line, my business partner shot me and passed me off as dead. I recuperated, returned to Nigeria and decided to start kidnapping rich men for ransom.”

    He said he started the evil trade under the late notorious Chyna, adding that he was among theose who attempted to kidnap the owner of Young Shall Grow Motors, Chief Vincent Obianodo.

    Two members of the gang, he said, were killed in the operation in which Chyna died. He started his own gang, adding that he has six men in Lagos, who he sends to any part of the country to operate.

    They went in groups of three or four to execute any mission, Evans said, adding that others were recruited for particular operations and discharged once the job was done.

    The suspect claimed that he never killed adding that most killings were done by his gang members.

    He named, Urchman, Uche and Nnamdi as those who carried the gang’s weapons, adding that Chinedu and Ehis brought contacts and names of those to be kidnapped. Evans claimed to have  kidnapped 10 people since he started his gang in 2015. He said two of his victims, Uyi Technical and Dan Odete, who brought N100million and N50million ransom, were picked up during  the late Chyna’s reign. He got N10million from the operation.

    Evans said: “Once the victims pay the ransom, the money goes to the people who own it. I don’t have a boss but some people own the money. Does money stay with a human being? (He queried reporters in Igbo).

    “I have people heading different sections. There are two gangs that work for me in every operation.  It is not all the time I follow them for the job. Most times, I control them on phone. The two gangs do not know themselves and neither of them knows my house.

    “Two people take charge of the detention camp at Igando and on every operation, I pay them N2million each. My parents are in the village. My mother knows what I do but she has never approved of it. I have five children. Three boys and two girls. I sent my family to Canada.

    “I have dual citizenship – Nigeria and Ghana. I got visa for my family in Ghana because I couldn’t get it in Nigeria. I have not left Nigeria since 2007 that I returned from South Africa but my family usually travelled and I also give money to people to buy whatever I need or I buy online.

    “Most of our victims are targetted and picked along the road or before they enter their homes. We do not pick victims from their homes”.

    On how he was arrested, Evans said he believed it was “time for me to be arrested; that was why I was caught because I have always been in Nigeria”.

    “I am suffering from abdominal cancer and I am always on drug,” he said.

    “Uche Amadin is incharge of the detention camp at Igando. At first, I told him I was into International business (drugs) but along the line, he knew it was kidnapping and he stayed with me. He was the one who brought his wife into it not me because he was the one who said I should rent a house for them with his wife’s name.

    Chinemerem, 36, who claimed Evans usually called them and sent messages with hidden numbers whenever the need arose, said he met the kingpin when he (Chinemerem) returned from Malaysia.

    According to him, the highest amount he collected from Evans was N200,000, which he described as a gift.

    Ogechi Amadin, who is said to be the suspect’s chef, claimed that she knew nothing about the gang, adding that her husband used her name to get an accommodation at Igando.

    Her husband, she said, told her he was going into drug business and wanted to relocate them to Lagos. The woman, who claimed to be a petty trader in Port Harcourt, said she agreed that her name be used to secure the accommodation and contacted her friend, Ngozi, for help.

    She claimed she had only visited the place once (last July), adding that her husband sent her N600,000 once for their rent and children’s school fees in Rivers State.

    ‘We kidnapped Young Shall Grow’

    Amadi said he first met Evans in 2013, on his return from Malaysia, after a woman he promised to marry threw him out for keeping a wife and son in Nigeria.

    According to him, he met the kingpin at Maza-Maza,Mile II, where Evans was buying rolls of nylon used for sachet water.

    “One day, he asked me to follow him. They had a convoy of three vehicles. I was not told where we were going to, but we went to Festac. That was when I knew it was kidnapping because it was the Young Shall Grow attempted kidnap.

    “After that day, I relocated to Port Harcourt. But last year, Evans called me to move back to Lagos, that he was going to help me secure an accommodation and start up a business for me. I discussed it with my wife and she called her friend,Ngozi,who helped to get the accommodation. I told my wife I was going into drug business. I didn’t tell her it was kidnapping. I have not received any money from Evans since then.”

    ‘Evans gave me N3m for arms’

    Suoyo Paul, 42, an ex-militant from Bayelsa State, said he met Evans in 2008 when he was in the camp as a militant.

    He said his boss, Peter, gave Evans two rifles, adding that when he embraced the Amnesty offer of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he lost contact with Evans.

    “But I ran into Barrister Evans’ friend in Port Harcourt. He was the one who reintroduced me to Evans. In the course of our discussions, Evans said he had lost all the arms he purchased from Peter, my former master. He gave me  N3m to get new guns for him. In the course of our telephone communications, police tracked me down to Port Harcourt and arrested me.”

    How gang operated, by police

    Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said five AK47 and an AK 49 rifles, two double barrel long guns, two English pistols, 59 AK47, magazines with ammunition, 1,272 9mm live AK47 ammunition and five number plates were recovered from the gang.

    Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Lagos Police Command and Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) busted the gang, he said.

    “In every kidnap attack, he has a separate armed group that takes victims with them and has another armed group that takes the victims to their hideouts and prevents them from escaping. The members of the two groups do not know themselves. They comply with his instructions.

    “This is a huge success for Nigeria Police. The force would build on this success and continue to prevent kidnap cases and criminality in the country.  He has two mansions in Magodo GRA Phase II worth about N300million. He has two houses in highbrow area of Accra, Ghana, among many other properties, such as exotic cars, expensive watches, jewellery he bought from ransom.”

  • Some of Evans’ exploits 

    Some of Evans’ exploits 

    The notorious kidnapper launched out after his return from Cape Town, South Africa in 2007, where he survived a gunshot injury inflicted on him by his drug trafficking partner.

    On his return, Evans joined the gang headed by Chyna, a Warri kidnap and armed robbery kingpin, who masterminded the abduction of billionaires, including Uyi Technical, Dan Odete, Josephine Anenih, Tomline and Young Shall Grow Motors founder Chief Vincent Obianodo, whose attempted kidnap led to the death of Chyna and two other gang members.

    Evans established his gang, whose members neither knew his house nor his telephone number. His reign of terror saw landlords in Festac Town, Amuwo Odofin on the outskirts of Lagos abandoning their homes and relocating to the island for fear of being targetted.

    Evans led the gang to kidnap 53-year-old Mbarikatta Uboma around 11am on June 16, 2012, while the victim, who arrived from Hungary, was being driven to his residence in a Toyota Camry, 2010 model by his brother. Evans’ gang, driving a Passat car, was said to have double crossed them, blindfolded Mbarikatta and whisked him away. Initially, they demanded N10million but settled for N2million after keeping the victim for three days. They collected Uboma’s personal effects before dropping him at Okota.

    • Director, Ocean Glory Commodities, Apapa, Paul Cole, 34, from Ohafia in Abia State was kidnapped on August 3, 2012, at Festac Town together with the firm’s General Manager, Jude Ugoje and a worker, Piriye Gogo. They were taken to an unknown destination by members of Evans’ gang and were released on August 6 after N5million ransom was paid to the gang around Maza-maza on the outskirts of Lagos.
    • A Lebanese, Mohammed Jamal, 22, fell victim to the gang on August 19, 2012 at Ajah. He was blindfolded and whisked away by three armed men. He was released after N7million was collected at Ojo Barracks.
    • Kingsley Nwokenta, 34, was kidnapped September 19, 2012, at Mile Two Under bridge, after he left Lebanana Bar in Festac. He paid N1.5million ransom. The gang took his black Toyota Venza and other things.
    • Anthony Ozoanidobi, 41, was kidnapped on October 10, 2012, on Marwa Road, Satellite Town. He paid N1.5million and was dropped at Apple Junction, Amuwo-Odofin.
    • Leo Abraham, 58, was kidnapped on August 20, 2012. He secured his release after paying N5million. He was later dropped on Badagry Road, Lagos.
    • Aspanda, Trade Fair businessman Cosmas Ojukwu, 45, was kidnapped January 21, last year at Festac Town. The amount and manner of his release remain unclear.
    • Chief James Uduji was picked up close to his Seventh Avenue, Festac Town residence. He was detained for six weeks. The gang collected $1million.
    • Chief Raymond Okoye was kidnapped in 2015 and was detained for two months until his relatives raised $1million.
    • A trader, Uche Okoroafor, was whisked away in 2015 and held captive for three months until his family paid $1million.
    • Another businessman, Elias Ukachukwu, was kidnapped in November 2015. He paid $1million. But the kidnappers refused to release him after collecting the initial ransom. They demanded another $1million on grounds that the victim’s relatives were rude to them. Ukachukwu stayed in their den for several months and it is unclear how and when he regained freedom.
    • Francis Umeh, an Aspanda auto parts dealer, was kidnapped in July 2016 at Raji Rasaki Estate, Ago Palace Way, Okota. He spent two months in the kidnappers’ den and paid an undisclosed amount of dollars.
    • Evans and his gang met their waterloo with the kidnap of billionaire pharmacist Innocent Duru, who they wanted to kill after collecting a ransom. The victim was with the kidnappers at 21, Prophet Asaye Close, New Igando in Lagos for over five months. He eventually escaped and gave the police the information which led to the busting of the gang.
  • New campaign underscores Skye Bank’s exploits

    New campaign underscores Skye Bank’s exploits

    A new marketing communication campaign by Skye Bank Plc for the Q2 has underscored how it rode over storms to build an innovative brand. Highlighting its antecedents and flaunting its achievement, the bank in the new campaign,  re-stated its commitment in a bid to position for future opportunities and threat.

    While the campaign makes an attempt to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its merger and the evolution of the Skye Brand, it also shows impact of the institution on key sectors of the national economy.

    According to a source from the bank, the current campaign, focuses on bank’s humble beginning when it was an unknown brand with no distinct identity, its little market presence, and ranking 23 out of 25 banks in Nigeria’s banking industry by various measure criteria.

    It also underscores classification of the bank as one of the Systemically Important Banks (SIB), and how it later ranks among the top 10 lenders in Nigeria and one of the top 50 in Africa.

    The bank also scripts in its new campaign its contribution and impact on the nation’s hospitality industry. “In 10 years, the brand supported the highest number of international hotels and hospitality chains in Nigeria, as well as several home-grown brands that have attained international standards. In impacting the hospitality sector, Skye Bank has contributed greatly to the development of the nation’s tourism industry and by extension, supported job creation for thousands of Nigerians,” said a brand analyst.

    Also, the new commercial reveals the bank’s exploit in the Agricultural sector. “The bank is known to have rekindled national enthusiasm towards farming and agriculture. In partnership with the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS), the bank implemented one of the most successful agricultural funding models in Nigeria’s history. The process ensured the elimination of the hitherto entrenched corruption that was associated with the distribution of fertiliser in the country. By 2013, over one million Agro-Allied and Small holder farmers had experienced significant yield in food crops across Nigeria,” said a source from the bank.

    The new campaign also showed the footprint of the bank in the area of SME. The bank source said, “Skye Bank’s footprint is indeed bold, as the lender has supported and nurtured arguably the highest number of SMEs in all sectors of the economy, and in all the socio-economic zones. The bank has supported many one-man-businesses to large industry players and national corporate and even supported many of them to become publicly quoted at the national Bourse, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).”

    Explaining the rationale behind the new campaign, the Group Managing Director and CEO of the Bank, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo is quoted thus “Having clocked a decade of our merger, there is the need to remind stakeholders and the general public how our bank has impacted individual, groups, corporate, government and the society at large through creative and impactful intervention.

  • Reward for their safety exploits

    Reward for their safety exploits

    Individuals and organisations whose activities increased awareness about health, safety and environment (HSE) have been rewarded with plaques and certificates of excellence. It was at the maiden Nigerian Safety Award organised by Safety Record magazine held at the Oriental Hotels Lagos.

    The aim of the award was to increase safety awareness among the citizens and at work places.

    Industry professionals from local and multinational companies witnessed the event, where HSE practitioners and companies were honoured for initiating strategic actions and policies to prevent work-place accidents and occupational hazards.

    The event began with a red-carpet session, where health and safety professionals interacted with the media on their activities in the past years.

    Later, members of panel of judges, who are HSE experts from various professional bodies, including Nigerian Institute of Safety Professionals (ISPON) and Society of Occupational and Environmental Health Physicians of Nigeria (SOEHPON), among others, arrived.

    Each of the judges has more than 20 years of experience in health, safety and environment.

    The chairman of the judges’ panel, Dr. Bamisayo Olagbemi, said the award came at a time statutory framework was needed to revive safety culture in the country. Recognising efforts made by safety practitioners to reduce hazards in work places and public spaces, he said, would encourage more individual actions and organisational co-operation.

    “There is power in recognition and compensation. If efforts of people and companies are being recognised and rewarded as it is being done today, such gesture will encourage them to initiate more actions to change the thinking of people and bring culture of safety to their consciousness,” he said.

    Olagbemi, a public health and industrial hygiene expert, described the entries submitted by companies and the safety practitioners as impressive, noting that awareness about safety in industries could improve steadily if companies’ managements were rewarded for their support and co-operation.

    The publisher of Safety Record, Alhaji Lateef Alebiosu, said the award would sustain the successes recorded and raise safety awareness among workers, with the aim of ensuring accident-free society. The honour would not only strengthen companies’ safety policies, Alebiosu said, it would also encourage actions that would enhance public safety and reduce the rate of occupational accidents recorded yearly.

    He said increased awareness about safety and occupational hazards had caused government and companies’ managements to introduce drastic regulations to reduce rate of accidents in public space and industries.

    He said: “Safety awareness has picked up in the country in period, compared with what we used to have some 20 years back. We still want to push up the level of awareness to ensure that everybody, including school children, housewives, market women, drivers, industry professionals and the road users, is conscious of the need to maintain safety in all endeavours.”

    Highpoint of the event was presentation of awards, during which individuals and several organisations were adjudged to be the best in different fields.

    Oando Nigeria Plc won the Best Practice in Oil and Gas (Upstream) Award, Exxon Mobil was adjudged the best in downstream sector, while Ikeja Electric won the award for the Best HSE Practice in Power Sector.

    Also, Mr Jamiu Badmos and Mrs Monica Nwosu won the awards for Health and Safety Champion. Many others, including organisations, were given commendation awards.

    Badmos described the award as a reward for his professionalism, saying the feat would challenge him to do more to ensure safety in public arena and work places.

     

  • Anambra 2013: Facts about Ngige’s exploits

    AHEAD of the forthcoming Anambra governorship election, there have been desperate and calculated moves by some people fronting for vested interests in the election to run down some candidates, particularly that of All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator (Dr.) Chris Nwabueze Ngige (OON) in the media. These attempts have manifested in deliberate distortion of facts on the political exploits, strengths and antecedent of Ngige in the politics of the state and the country at large since 1999.

    To put the record straight for the benefit of the public, Dr. Chris Ngige is from Anambra Central and not South, and he is currently the Senator representing the zone in the Senate. After his retirement as deputy director of hospital services in the Federal Ministry of Health after many years of meritorious service, he made a foray into the murky waters of Nigerian politics as one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) alongside former Vice President of the country, Chief Alex Ekwueme, Senator Jim Nwobodo and others. Many current governorship aspirants who are parading themselves as PDP stalwarts now were nowhere near the party then. Ngige was later appointed the protem zonal publicity secretary of the party in the South-east in 1998 and later the assistant national/zonal secretary of the party in the zone between 1999 and 2002. The same year he was conferred with the national honour of Order of the Niger, OON, for his diligence and accountability in public service.

    It was from there that he emerged the governorship candidate of the PDP in Anambra State in 2003. His initial ambition was to become a senator, but he was persuaded by the party stakeholders to run for the office of the governor. The Central zone senatorial seat of the party was wrongly given to Senator Ikechukwu Abana, which Senator Ben Obi later reclaimed from him as the authentic candidate of the party via Appeal Court judgment. Ngige was declared the winner of the governorship election in 2003 by INEC.

    Within his short period in office as governor of the state, Ngige redefined governance in the state through his pragmatic approach to leadership and provision of basic amenities which were lacking in the state for long. He set the pace and made the people realise that with sincerity, commitment and transparency, the state government could do much for the people in terms of good governance and provision of basic amenities. Today, his achievements, especially in the area of infrastructural developments that cut across the state are obvious and unprecedented, against the limited resources available to him.

    As governor, Ngige demystified political godfathers in the state when he took the battle for the soul of the state to them, despite the tremendous backing they enjoyed from the Presidency. He fought and put his life on line for the liberation of the people of the state; even when he had the option of settling the godfathers financially and remained in office, he resisted it and fought for what was right. His refusal to dance to tune of the desperate godfathers changed the political leadership as his successor cashed on the liberation to enjoy peaceful governance.

    The judicial/ presidential conspiracy that led to his removal from office as a governor is known to Nigerians. His removal was beyond not winning the election, but his refusal to open the state treasury to the godfathers which was the tradition in the state before he assumed office.

    Upon his removal from office, he was given a clean bill of health by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at a time most ex-governors were dragged to court by the EFCC for alleged corrupt practices, while in office.

    True to his type and belief, Ngige left PDP and co-founded the now defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with the likes of Senator Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and others. This was at a time nobody gave his new party a chance of making an in-road into South-east zone, but Ngige proved the doubting Thomases wrong as the party has remained a force to reckon with in the zone, especially in Anambra State where the party won two national and six state assembly seats during 2011 elections.

    When it became obvious to Governor Obi and his party APGA that they do not have the majority members in the state assembly after the 2011 election, they quickly lured the ACN members representing Anambra West constituency and Nnewi South 1 constituency respectively to defect to APGA. That was how APGA was able to get majority members in the state assembly today. There was a pending suit in the court instituted by the party challenging the illegal defection of their members as it was contrary to the provision of 2010 Electoral Act.

    During 2007 general election, despite that Governor Obi was the incumbent governor, APGA lost all the elective seats in the state to PDP before the Supreme Court judgment removed Senator Andy Uba as governor. Even when the election of Senator Ikechukwu Obiora of Anambra South zone was nullified, the APGA candidate Mr. Azuka Okwuosa lost the re-run again to Obiora.

    In the 2010 governorship election in the state, there were manipulation of voters’ registers in the areas where Ngige has strongholds. Majority of the voters in the state were disenfranchised in the election by INEC. Even at that, Ngige defeated Obi clearly in the Central zone in the election and his party defeated Obi in late Ikemba Odimegwu Ojukwu’s ward in Nnewi.

    In the 2011 Anambra Central senatorial election, despite Governor Obi’s support to APGA candidate, Prof Dora Akunyili, Ngige defeated her twice in the contest. Today, Obi is the only sitting governor in the country, whose senatorial seat is occupied by opposition party. His party, APGA did not win any senatorial seat in the state during the 2011 general election.

    With these verifiable facts about Ngige’s political values and strengths across the state, can anyone wave him aside in the November 16 governorship election in the state without incurring great risk? His party’s victory in Anambra West State Assembly’s election in 2011 was evidence that he was on ground in Anambra North zone. So also, the victory of his party in Nnewi South 1 State Assembly seat in 2011 was another manifestation of his strength in Anambra South zone. The people know their true leaders no matter the amount of propaganda and falsification of bare facts by armchair writers and critics for a peculiar purpose. Truly, all the major contenders in the race have their strengths and areas of strongholds, but the lot is on the people to make their preference.

    • Okoli, a member of Youths Movement for Anambra 2013, wrote from Onitsha, Anambra State.

  • Ameobi’s exploits thrill Pardew

    Ameobi’s exploits thrill Pardew

    : Wants repeat against Southampton

    Newcastle coach Alan Pardew has revealed the secret behind Shola Ameobi’s first class performance in the Europa League tie against Metalist Thursday in Ukraine.

    The former Reading, West Ham and Charlton Athletic coach, who described the Nigerian as an impressive player capable of changing the course of a game, said he had a private discussion with the Super Eagles forward before the match, mandating him to up his game as that will produce the needed result for the club.

    He expressed delight that Ameobi rose to the occassion when it mattered most.

    “I had a little quiet word with Shola before the game because, in the last few weeks, I thought his contribution could have been greater,” Pardew added.

    “But he’s shown tonight what quality he has. Against this team, I always thought he might influence the game. He did that all night really and it bodes well moving forward.”

    Ameobi who made impressive runs in the match finally sealed his effort when he converted a second half penalty to earn his 15th goal in European competition and fire the Magpies into the last 16.

    The Magpies arrived in Ukraine after being held to a 0-0 draw on Tyneside last week, with a disadvantage posed by the illness of midfielder Cheick Tiote.

    Ameobi’s show was however enough to lift the gloom on Pardew’s worries over an ever-growing list of injury concerns. A crucial visit of Southampton now awaits as Pardew prepares to face his old club.

    He said: “We had some real heroes today and it’s been a great week for us. We just need to repeat it on Sunday because that will be an important game.

    “It could give us some breathing space in the Premier League, so we need to recover quickly. There will be changes for Sunday and hopefully we will get a result.”