The Nation Newspaper

Tag: shocking

  • Presidency to Danjuma: Your comment shocking, scary

    •Says eminent Nigerians should safeguard national security

    The Presidency yesterday expressed shock at the recent statement made by a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Theophilus Danjuma, in which he asked Nigerians to defend themselves against attacks by bandits.

    The former defence minister, speaking at the maiden convocation and 10-year anniversary celebration of the Taraba State University (TSU), Jalingo had based his call for self defence on what he branded collusion of the soldiers with bandits who have been making life miserable for Nigerians in parts of the country.

    He said the military men were no longer neutral and charged victims of such attacks to resist them.

    “If you are depending on the armed forces to stop the killings, you will all die one by one,” Danjuma had told the people of Taraba State of which he is one.

    He added: “This ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba State. It must stop in all the states of Nigeria. Otherwise Somalia would be a child’s play.”

    However, Presidential Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, responding via a statement in Abuja said prominent Nigerians with national influence should use their influence wisely and not continue to engage in public declarations that are likely to inflame emotional passions and threaten National Security.

    The Presidency, he said, “is very worried that criminal gangs will feel justified in defying legal governing and democratic institutions, and authority of legitimately elected democratic government if unrestrained pronouncements are made.”

    He said silence can be dignified although it can be misinterpreted and exploited sometimes.

    He said: “It is both shocking and scary to hear the recent comments by a senior citizen calling for Nigerians to defend themselves.

    “The Presidency commends the Nigerian military’s efforts to maintain peace and stability, despite being pulled in various directions by elements determined to destabilize the country and government for their selfish reasons.

    “What country would survive if its citizens rise against the country’s organized, trained and equipped military?

    “We advise former leaders to take advantage of the various fora where people with a history of national security can offer advice to the government without resorting to the exploitation of emotional sentiments.

    ‘The civil war motto: “TO KEEP NIGERIA ONE IS A TASK THAT MUST BE DONE” rings very timely at this time in our nation’s history. We must be careful to avoid the mess that destroyed other African countries like Somalia.”

  • Shocking: How Mrs. Banji Almost Died Fighting Off Her Type 2 Diabetes Within The Shortest Possible Time. And What You Can Learn From It To Also Help You.

    Shocking: How Mrs. Banji Almost Died Fighting Off Her Type 2 Diabetes Within The Shortest Possible Time. And What You Can Learn From It To Also Help You.

    Dear friend with diabetes condition.

    Right here is a testimony from a neighbor living down my street, who had gone through a very terrible experience battling this killer disease known to mankind as diabetes.

    I happen to know about her condition when a friend of mine who is related to her put a call through to me, asking if I could be of help to his aunt which I gratefully did because I owed him one.

    Now, I want you to sit back and go through her testimony and see if it could also be of help to you or anybody you know…

     And so the story it goes….

    “We have to amputate your legs today.” That’s what the doctor told her as she lay in a hospital bed. The blinding, florescent lights buzzed overhead, and her nostrils filled with that bleach hospital smell, overpowering her in the cramped, chilly room.

    Her husband squeezed her hand, tears streaming down his cheeks. “No,” he cried. “she can’t live the rest of her life in a wheelchair.”

    “Without the amputation,” the doctor told her, “you’ll be dead within a year.” She couldn’t believe it. Her passion had always been volleyball, and she and her husband had dreamed of one day hosting a volleyball competition for married couples living in the same street.

    But 4 years ago, the doctors wanted to put her under anesthesia, and cut off her legs… leaving nothing but worthless stumps. All because she was one of 1.56 million Nigerians with pre-diabetes or diabetes…the disease that ran rampant through her body, thrashing the blood vessels in her limbs, until it practically cut off the circulation to her legs. The doctor made it clear that if she didn’t amputate, her legs would rot like spoiled meat.

    So what happened? And why am I telling you this? I’ll answer the second question first.

    Her name is Mrs. Banji, and I am telling you this because… “I don’t want you to go through the same horrifying experience that she did.”

    Now, when all this happened, I didn’t know all that much about this debilitating and potentially deadly disease. But now, I’ve done my homework.  And in my research, I’ve uncovered some eye-opening — even shocking — facts.  But I’ve also found hope for people like you, people who have diabetes. Click Here Now https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    Now, too many people act like Mrs. Banji did when she got diagnosed with diabetes.  They let the statistics go in one ear, and out the other.  But this is important. Because every single person represented in these statistics is someone like you and me.  A mother, a father, a sister, a brother, a son or daughter, Grandparents, Friends Neighbors, Coworkers  Loved ones, You, Me.

    We don’t think we’re going to become a statistic.  But that’s what this horrible disease does to people like us. Like the stat she was being faced with that day at the hospital: did you know that every day, over 200 people with diabetes have a limb amputated? That’s over 70,000 per year. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    Even more distressing, 1 in 4 didn’t know they had diabetes until it was too late. But worst of all, amputation isn’t even the most dangerous part of uncontrolled blood sugar…

    You may or may not know…diabetes also leads to Alzheimer’s, dementia, heart failure, and cancer; when you have excess glucose, your blood becomes a nutrition-packed smoothie for cancer tumors, helping them grow at deadly speeds.

    That’s why the Harvard Medical School Cancer Center has warned that up to 80% of all cancer is at least partially caused by imbalanced blood glucose and insulin. But it doesn’t end there…Click Here To Get Yours https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    A study published in the medical journal Neurology found that diabetes “almost doubled the risk of dementia.” Your glucose-packed blood constantly rushes through your brain, adding to the buildup that causes Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.

    When Mrs. Banji read that, she had trouble not imagining it happening inside her own brain. As she kept reading about her disease, it only got worse: One study showed that if you’ve got diabetes, your risk of heart attack is 11 times higher than the average person.

    At her age, she already had to worry about heart attacks. It was terrifying to learn that her risk was so much higher than she thought. Another found that diabetes increases your risk of having a stroke by 150%. And during a stroke, diabetes makes it even harder for blood to get to your brain. For most people, a stroke has about a 17% chance of being fatal… But if you’re diabetic, a stroke is almost a 100% death sentence. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    She knew Type 2 Diabetes was bad, but it wasn’t until she found these stats that she realized just how deadly of a situation she was in. So if high blood sugar and Type 2 Diabetes are so deadly… “Why do most doctors prescribe treatments that only manage the symptoms… while ignoring the real cause of the disease?”

    Especially when new research has revealed the real cause of diabetes, and provided a simple solution to “jumpstart” your body’s blood glucose regulation system! (The short answer is that in the last few years, 11 pharmaceutical giants have been caught bribing hospitals and doctors to prescribe their medicine, regardless of the best treatment. But I’ll share those details with you in just a second.)

    First, I want to tell you the story of Mrs. Banji own diabetes battle, and show you the new scientific discoveries you can use to restore your healthy blood sugar and even reverse your Type 2 Diabetes. Click Here To Get Yours https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    It’s all thanks to a curious diabetes researcher and his team mates, who solved a decades-old medical mystery. In hospitals all over the world, people were naturally reversing their Type 2 Diabetes and no one knew why. That is, until this team of researchers found the answer, and changed diabetes treatment as we know it forever.

    This new solution works by “jumpstarting” your pancreas – the part of your body that keeps your blood sugar levels healthy, keeping away insulin resistance. With this “pancreas jumpstart solution” that I’m about to show you, you’ll be able to reverse your Type 2 Diabetes, sharply reducing or even eliminating your need for medication. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    When you follow this presentation to the end, I’m also going to show you the easiest, most relaxing trick Mrs. Banji used to instantly lower her blood sugar after she enjoyed something sweet (because she’s a sucker for a can of Coke, or a bowl of vanilla ice cream and apple pie).

    And this isn’t some gimmick you see on the internet like drinking gallons of water or soaking your food in vinegar…it’s just cold hard facts, discovered by medical researchers to keep your blood sugar down for up to 24 hours!

    Because when you jumpstart your pancreas, you’ll be able to do it…

    • Without losing your favorite foods…
    • Without getting drenched in sweat and gasping for breath from exhausting workouts…
    • And without needing impossible levels of self-control…

    But I’ll warn you, the $245 billion pharmaceutical industry is making a fortune with their insanely priced insulin shots and oral medications, which come packed with painful side effects, and only help manage the symptoms of your diabetes, leaving you on “diabetes life support” until you die. Click Here To Get Yours https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    You should know…In late 2014, the American government slapped diabetes medication manufacturer Sanofi with fraud charges… for bribing hospitals and doctors millions of dollars to push their medication on innocent people with diabetes like you and me. And they’re just one of over 40 pharmaceutical companies who have faced similar fraud charges in the last ten years.

    Once the word spreads about jumpstarting your pancreas to reverse Type 2 Diabetes, big pharma is going to be out billions of dollars. So you can imagine the fraudsters CEOs aren’t happy you’re reading this. Because once you know these secrets, you’re only weeks away from reversing your Type-2 diabetes or pre-diabetes (and for some people, it’s as quick as 11 days.) Click Here Now https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    • It doesn’t matter if you’ve had your disease for decades.
    • It doesn’t matter how old you are.
    • It doesn’t matter if your blood sugar levels are sky-high.

    Just imagine… Once you discover how to jumpstart your pancreas (which I’ll show you in this presentation)… You’ll be free from annoying insulin shots and painful finger pricks…You’ll say goodbye to medicines that make you fat and nauseous …

    You’ll stop worrying about early death, amputations, and risky surgeries …your painful, tingling neuropathy in your feet, hands, and everywhere else in your body will fade away… https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    You’ll remove the stress of wondering when your vision will completely fail, leaving you blind for the rest of your life…You’ll break free from the anxiety of constantly monitoring your blood sugar, watching jealously as other people eat your favorite foods…And you’ll never again feel like a burden on your family and friends.

    Listen, it’s not your fault you have this disease…and it’s not an issue of skinny or fat. Once you know the real cause of Type 2 Diabetes, you’ll sharply reduce or even eliminate your need for medication. Click Here Now https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    (Which you can imagine will put a dent in the fraudulent profits of those 11 pharmaceutical companies.) So turn off your cell phone, and grab a pen and paper…You’re about to discover how to Destroy Your Type 2 Diabetes.

    A few years ago, she almost lost everything. She had been suffering from Type 2 Diabetes for over a decade. She always had to worry about which foods would send her blood sugar off the charts. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    Hey! She became a chef because she loved food, and now she was stuck eating bland, boring meals. She was a burden on her family, and she was terrified her kids would end up with her disease.

    Every single day she had to prick her finger to test her blood sugar, and then give herself painful insulin shots. She was spending about #200,000 per month on insulin.

    She tried the other diabetes medications that her doctor recommended, like Metformin, Actos, or Amaryl. That was a disaster. She emptied her bank account and just about killed herself taking them. Metformin and Actos made her feel nauseous all the time, and Amaryl made her fat.

    Plus, a New England Journal of Medicine study linked several diabetes medicines to a 64% higher risk of heart attack or cardiovascular death! Click Here To Get Yours https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    Even when she spent a week at the beach with her family, she couldn’t relax, always worrying about her blood sugar, and whether she could get back to cooler if she needed insulin. Her Type 2 Diabetes was emptying her wallet, destroying her body, and making her life miserable. She felt trapped.

    You’ve probably felt that way before… terrified that your diabetes is going to make your life worse and worse, until it finally decides to kill you. But for her, it was about to get even worse. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    She will never forget that day in her restaurant’s kitchen…She was understaffed on a Saturday evening – the busiest shift of the week. Her stress was through the roof, her heart was pounding, and the kitchen felt hotter and more humid than ever.

    She received an order for some plate of pounded yam and then her knees went weak. The next thing she knew, she woke up in the hospital. She saw her husband and 2 teenage kids sitting around her, their eyes red and puffy from crying. The room smelled like cleaning liquid, and she heard the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Click Here Now https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    When her husband saw she was awake, he threw his arms around her, and then called for the doctor. Her son and daughter looked at her like they were watching their mummy die, and she guessed they were. The doctor came in and explained what happened.

    “You went into a diabetic coma,” said the doctor. “A Non-Ketotic Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Coma. Your blood glucose level was at 1,174.” One of the other chefs had called for help, and some quick-thinking paramedics and ER doctors had saved her life. If she had been alone when it happened, she’ll be dead. Click Here To Get Yours https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    The doctor cleared his throat like he was nervous about telling her something even worse…“Because your diabetes is so advanced, we’ll need to amputate your legs… I’ve scheduled the surgery for this afternoon.”

    It’s every diabetic’s worst fear: amputation. “No!” said her husband. “Absolutely not.” “I’m sorry,” the doctor insisted, “We can give her another 10 years to live, but we have to operate immediately.”

    Her daughter started to cry. While her husband argued with the doctor, Banji got lost in her thoughts. Amputation. And only 10 years to live. She didn’t believe it. The doctor had to be wrong. How was she going to support her family? She couldn’t run a restaurant kitchen from a wheelchair! She would spend her last years crippled and useless. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    The future felt like a dark, terrifying path that she didn’t want to go through. (She didn’t know it yet, but if it wasn’t for the fraudsters at these 11 pharmaceutical companies bribing doctors to prescribe their drugs, then she might have already heard about this natural method to reverse her disease. It was like they had ripped away her golden years of retirement, robbed her of her chance to meet her grandchildren, and destroyed the life she had worked so hard to build.)

    Now, all the time she was thinking this, her husband was arguing with the doctor. And trust me, when her husband gets upset, he tends to get what he wants. When she started listening again, he was telling the doctor, “There is no way you’re cutting off her legs today.” Click Here Now https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

     “The longest we can wait to amputate is 90 days,” said the doctor. “If we wait any longer, it will be too dangerous.” Her husband gave a short little nod like he had won, but the tears glistening in his eyes told her he was heartbroken.

    The next week was the worst week of her life. She sat at home on her couch, scared and depressed. Her family treated her like she was already dead. Her daughter said “I love you, Mummy” every time she walked by, and her son got mad and wouldn’t talk to her. He didn’t understand why she couldn’t be around forever. She was ready to give up. But then, a video clip saved her. Click here to see video https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    When Type 2 diabetics have gastric bypass surgery, their diabetes disappears almost overnight. This happens all over the world, and it’s been happening for decades. The thing is, gastric bypass surgery is an operation on the stomach. It doesn’t have anything to do with blood sugar or diabetes.

    And yet almost every single patient has their blood sugar and insulin levels return to normal, reversing their Type 2 Diabetes, and reducing or even eliminating their need for medication. But for years, no one knew why. Click Here to Find out https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    Something was reversing their Type 2 Diabetes, and researchers set out to figure out what. Now, we already knew that Type 2 diabetics have fat deposits around their pancreas. But for years, researchers thought they were an effect of the disease.

    Here’s what current studies discovered: fat deposits around the pancreas are the primary cause of the disease. See, the pancreas produce insulin, the hormone that helps your body absorb blood sugar. That means the pancreas is the organ responsible for keeping your blood glucose levels normal. It’s a precise job – not enough insulin, and your blood sugar will skyrocket. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    When fat deposits form around the pancreas, it throws everything out of whack. That fat squeezes and invades the pancreas, preventing it from producing enough insulin, and increasing your body’s insulin resistance. That means your bloodstream gets less insulin, and the insulin that’s actually there can barely do its job of helping your body absorb blood sugar.

    These fat deposits keep your blood glucose levels dangerously high, making you develop Type 2 Diabetes. Researchers realized that for the gastric bypass patients, their Type 2 Diabetes disappeared because the fat deposits around their pancreas disappeared. Get rid of the fat deposits, and you get rid of Type 2 Diabetes. Click Here Now https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    Remember, the surgery doesn’t touch these fat deposits. So the mystery continued: What was dissolving these fat deposits?

    Finally, in early 2012, a team of researchers discovered the answer. Everyone that goes through gastric bypass surgery is given a temporary meal supplement to follow. This meal supplement has the exact fats, sugars, carbs, and essential vitamins and minerals to attack and destroy those fat deposits around the pancreas. Getting rid of them so quickly was like giving a jumpstart to the pancreas. Click Here Now https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    With the fat deposits gone, the pancreas kicked back into gear, regulating blood glucose by producing the right amount of insulin and lowering insulin resistance. By the end of this specialized meal supplement, virtually every single person reduced or eliminated their need for diabetes medication.

    This meal supplement was giving to people with Type 2 Diabetes from all walks of life: men, women, young, old, the newly diagnosed and people who’d had the disease for decades…The results were amazing. https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

    Everyone who completed the study saw the fat deposits around their pancreas disappear, their blood sugar normalize, and their Type 2 Diabetes reversed. Every single person was able to stop taking their medication. I’ll say that again: all of the participants. 100%.

    When Mrs. Banji also read how successful this was, she was both excited and furious. Excited because now she had hope for the future… Click Here To Get Yours https://goo.gl/3o4zjG

  • Shocking!

    •That Nigeria imported N31b worth of maize in six years is simply disgusting

    It must signpost a total lack of strategic economic intelligence that Nigeria still imports certain agricultural products and their derivatives which she ought to be ‘feeding’ the world with. By the same token, it must be shocking to many Nigerians that this country still imports maize from the United States; she imports starch which is a derivative of cassava and she imports palm oil as well. That Nigeria imports these commodities in this age can only be a pointer to a failure of governance.

    Corn for instance, is a crop that flourishes in nearly all parts of Nigeria. With proper water management, it has a 90-day cycle which means that four harvests are possible in one year. Anyone who has ever planted corn knows it is not only among the highest yielding, it is also one of the easiest crops to maintain, preserve and process into numerous consumer and industrial by-products. The same applies to cassava which though has a longer cycle of about nine months, thrives nearly everywhere; yields massively and has nearly a dozen derivatives.

    On these two crops alone, a serious government can galvanize a massive agro-industrial economy. But it is with utter shock that we received statistics from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) which shows that Nigeria imported about 900,000 metric tons of maize valued at about N31 billion from the US in the last six years.

    The imports are mainly for industrial uses, particularly by commercial feed millers and the production of flour, malt, cornflakes, beer, starch, among others. Though with an annual production of about seven million metric tons, Nigeria is acclaimed to be the largest producer of maize in Africa but her harvests are plagued by yield losses, poor preservation and unstructured markets. Maize imports had been banned in Nigeria since 2005 but the ban was said to have been lifted because of shortfall in production.

    We are the more disturbed by this ‘revelation’ in view of the claims by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, of far-reaching achievements in agriculture under this administration. According to recent literature from MARD, “For the first time, a database of 10.5 million farmers was developed to facilitate efficient delivery of agro-inputs.” Records from the ministry show that farmers in the country redeemed 67,991 metric tons of maize seeds valued at N42.673 billion in the last three years.

    MARD noted further that as part of a scheme it termed Growth Enhancement Support (GES), an e-wallet was launched for farmers to receive subsidised inputs via electronic voucher delivered to their cell phones. Dr. Adesina stated that as a result of the e-wallet scheme, national food production increased by 21 million metric tons between 2011 and 2014, surpassing the 2015 target of 20 million metric tons.

    We wonder how a government making such unprecedented marks in agricultural production would turn around to lift the ban on a basic, easy to cultivate staple such as maize. It is our opinion that certain commodities like maize, cassava and palm oil products should never be imported into Nigeria in this age. Major industrial users of crops like maize and cassava should be encouraged to embark on a backward integration scheme that would involve communities of growers, primary processors and suppliers. This system will help in developing viable value chains both for farmers and industrial users.

    Now that crude oil prices have crashed and there is a dire need to diversify the economy, we suggest that the government should ban importation of maize into the country immediately.

  • Aturu’s death shocking, says labour

    LABOUR has described the  death of human rights activist and lawyer Comrade Bamidele Aturu as a blow to it.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in a press statements said the death of Aturu, at 49, last  week at a Lagos hospital was a shock to them.

    The NLC in a statement by the President Comrade Abdulwahed Omar said Aturu was not only the lawyer of the Congress, but also a resourceful ally of the labour movement, a comrade who committed his life to the struggle for a better society.

    “Aturu worked with the NLC on several projects, including representing us at the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), as well as researches on trade union and workers rights, aside consistently standing as our counsel at various civil and industrial courts in different parts of Nigeria at very considerate costs, most times spending his money to fund his transportation,” Omar said.

    He said Aturu did not only represented the Congress and its affiliates, but also represented workers whose rights were violated by their employers, especially at workplaces where the rights of workers to belong to trade unions were violated.

    He lamented that Aturu’s death was a big blow to unionism, adding that he was one of the most authoritative labour lawyers in the country.

    He said: “He midwifed the formation of the National Association of Labour Lawyers to encourage other lawyers, especially young lawyers to take interest in labour law and the selfless defence of workers rights.

    “Aturu was among the formidable legal minds who did not only support the struggle against removal of oil subsidy in court, but joined the labour movement in several street protests. In pursuit of this, a court ruled in the suit he filed on October 2009 that deregulation was illegal, unconstitutional, and of no effect whatsoever.”

  • Bamaiyi’s comment on emergency rule shocking’

    Bamaiyi’s comment on emergency rule shocking’

    Abdullahi Bego is the Special Adviser on Press Affairs and Information to Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam. He spoke with reporters in Damaturu, the state capital, on what the government is doing to restore peace and security  and curtail the Boko Haram insurgency. He also described as shocking and unfortunate comments credited to retired General Bamaiyi on the emergency rule. Managing Editor, Northern Operation, yusuf alli, reports.

    Since the latest extension of  emergency rule in Borno, Yobe  and Adamawa states, the Boko Haram attacks have intensified in the affected states. What’s your take on this?

    Well, we have opposed the latest extension of emergency rule after having supported it the very first time it was declared back in May 2013. Instead, we had asked for a change in strategy with special emphasis on three planks: Robust equipment and technology support for the military, improved intelligence gathering and capability to penetrate digital communications of insurgents and terrorists and a more robust engagement with the civilian populations of the affected states to further mobilize them on behalf of peace and security.

    It is sad that as we speak the hard working military troops and other security agents on the ground in the affected states do not have all the requisite kits and gear they need to subdue the insurgents. Remember that ours is a military which has done wonders in many troubled spots around the world; and they helped to restore peace in places like Liberia and Sierra Leone. They could do even better here at home. I agree that what we face here in the country is an asymmetric warfare. The insurgents do not have known addresses.

    Still, there were plenty of missed opportunities when we could have routed and defeated them and brought their senseless violence to an end. I know you guys in the press have followed all the key happenings here in our region. Since the time when the civilian population in Damaturu and our other major towns started to use their mobile phones to report to the security agents about the presence of any suspected criminals or insurgents in town, almost all of the insurgents and criminals left town to the bushes fearing the people would expose them. The same thing happened in Borno State with the emergence of ‘civilian JTF’. That was when we started hearing that the insurgents have moved to and are operating from Sambisa Forest.

    Now, that’s a known address! Sambisa Forest is a known address. I am not a security expert but I believe strongly that as asymmetric as the current war with Boko Haram is, the very fact that they have been narrowed to a location – Sambisa Forest – where the civilian population close by is not nearly as concentrated means that we have plenty of opportunity to devise more effective strategies to deal with them. I still hope our security forces can deal decisively with them going forward. But, as we have seen, Boko Haram has continued to undertake their ruthless and senseless campaign of violence. Very recently, about 24 of our security forces were sadly killed in Buni Yadi in an encounter with terrorists.

    So, the emergency rule extension has got to be better. This time, it should be different and more substantive. The federal government should do everything it takes to provide any and every piece of hardware and support to the security forces which would help bring this madness to an end.

    Some people believe have said that the declaration of the emergency meant that government has failed..

    Let’s talk about the role of the affected state governments. What are you doing to support and advance the quest for peace because recently, a retired Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi,  said he declaration of the state of emergency meant that governors of the affected states have failed…

    I have read Bamaiyi’s interview and I am particularly piqued by his rather uninformed views about emergency rule. They are shocking and unfortunate. First, our constitution has never contemplated the appointment of sole administrators simply because an emergency rule is declared. So, his statement of question to the affected governors “what am I doing there?” as governor of a state where emergency rule is declared does not hold water. The governors have to be there because they were democratically elected by their people just as the president.

    Bamaiyi’s reference to the time of former President Obasanjo is also ill-informed not just on the questionable legal basis of Obasanjo’s action but also because the situations in Ekiti and Plateau States at the time and Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states now are completely different. To say that emergency rule was declared because the governors of the northeast states have failed is to suggest that the control of the armed forces and police and other security and intelligence agencies is in the hands of the governors and not the president or the federal government. It is amazing that a retired army general would equate emergency rule declaration in our three states with failure of the affected governors.

    Well, for emphasis, I want to state that our governors have not failed. In fact, under the circumstances they are going over and beyond the call of duty to do their part to support the security forces and the quest for peace. And they have always done so.

    For instance, in Yobe State, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has used every available platform to remind and call on people to support security agents and to remain vigilant in their localities and to pray in mosques and churches and homes for Almighty Allah to help restore peace.

    He has also provided thousands of our youth and women with direct employment and employment opportunities to help channel their energies to productive use. And the Yobe State Government continues to spend heavily to provide for the security forces on the ground.

    It is the same with the governors of Borno and Adamawa States. They are also doing their part and their best and it is my considered opinion that anyone who truly knows the issues should commend and not disparage these governors.

    What are your main challenges in the state now? You said you are spending so much on security and yet you have to provide social services for the people…

    That’s very true. We have to provide social services and we are providing to our people and we will continue to provide going forward.

    For example, we have made remarkable progress linking our communities with roads. We have drilled thousands of boreholes and sunk thousands of wells to provide clean and potable drinking water. We have improved on the conditions in our schools and are doing more. We have improved on healthcare and took steps to attract more medical personnel including doctors. And we have taken all-of-the-above strategy to make life a little easier for our people.

    Our major challenge is that we continue to divert funds we could have used to do more for our people to support security. But we are not regretting. Security is the number one responsibility of government. So, we will stay the course and hope that it will not be long before peace returns to our states and country as a whole.

  • An ex-governor’s shocking death and tragic funeral

    An ex-governor’s shocking death and tragic funeral

    His death was shocking. There was no long days of sickness. Olusegun Kokumo Agagu just slumped and died. Yesterday, his funeral turned tragic when a plane carrying his body for a funeral programme in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, crashed. Although he hoped to live beyond 65, fate decided otherwise,writes Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu

    As a lecturer and oil worker, former Ondo State Governor, the late Dr. Olusegun Kokumo, was at peace with his neighbours. As a politician, he was not desperate for power. He bore the vicissitudes of political life with a mixture of shock and philosophical understanding. Although he hoped to live beyond 65, fate decided otherwise. Death is inevitable, but the late Agagu did not bargain for any funeral crisis.

    Since his death on September 13, eminent Nigerians have been showering encomiums on him for living a good life and making a modest contribution to the society’s growth. Little did his family, associates, and friends know that another agony will herald his final journey home. It is sad that, apart from the pending funeral, preparations now have to be made for the funeral of those ironically saddled with the implementation of his (Agagu’s) funeral programmes.

    Family members are enraged. There is a rush of emotions. They are raising posers. What was the status of the aircraft? Was there any communication between the pilot and the control tower? What actually went wrong? The dead have no business with these earthly puzzles again, but for the living, it is burdensome.

    The death of the former governor has created a vacuum on many fronts. The late Agagu was an esteemed community leader in Ikale. He was a homeboy. In fact, when he left the Alagbaka Government House, he expressed the desire to serve as an ambassador in one of the Caribbean countries before retiring to his Iju-Odo home town.

    In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was an outstanding leader. Until his demise, the frontline politician was the arrowhead of the party in Ondo State. He was held in honour by the majority of the chieftains.

    Political differences disappeared when the news of the tragedy was broken. Chieftains of the PDP and All Progressives Congress (APC) lamented his death. His former colleagues in the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) recalled his analytical prowess and sheer brilliance.

    Those who served with him in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo perceived him as an intellectual giant and consummate politician, who shunned materialism. However, he loved life and enjoyed it to the fullest. The late Agagu was a university don, technocrat, politician with a mission and a socialite. His target was power, but he loathed inordinate wealth acquisition. Many have said he left his footprints on the sands of time.

    The former governor was popular at home, especially at his Iju-Odo home town and the environs. Many youths saw him as a mentor and role model. His legacy is the Ondo State University of Science and Technology. In the future, the government may name the institution after him.

    The late Agagu was a Geology lecturer at the University of Ibadan (UI) in the seventies. He was famous for his numerous geological surveys. In the lecture theatre, he was a cosmopolitan tutor. Later, he moved into the oil industry, emerging as a power broker in the sector. He made money and used it judiciously.

    His first contact with politics was in the Second Republic. He was fascinated by the men of the old order -the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his progressive followers. The late Agagu was one of the young stars that assisted the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) with their expertise in statistics and information technology. Their efforts assisted the party in detecting the pattern of rigging by the desperate National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

    However, in the Third Republic, the late Agagu was one of the leaders of the proscribed SDP. He wanted to be the governor of the old Ondo State. However, since Ekiti had been on the queue for the governorship position, the party gave the ticket to Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, who defeated other Ekiti aspirants at the primaries.

    In 1983, when Olumilua lost the senatorial poll to Senator Lawrence Agunbiade, people’s attention turned to the late Agagu. During the SDP governorship primaries conducted by the party Chairman, Mr. Blessing Kayode, the late Ajasin mobilised the progressive family and the new breed of actors to swing the pendulum of victory towards his (Ajasin’s) direction. Other aspirants included Dr. Kunle Olajide, Chief Ayo Akinyemi, Prof. Opeyemi Ola and Senator David Oke.

    For ethnic balancing, Agagu emerged as his running mate. They defeated the candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC), Chief Ayo Ogunlade, who was the Federal Commissioner for Information, at the governorship poll. Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko was the Commissioner for Health in that administration, which was short-lived.

    In 1999, the former deputy governor had crossed over to the conservative camp. Many were taken aback because he was a devoted progressive politician. He contested the governorship election on the platform of the PDP against the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and lost with a slim margin. Obasanjo appointed him as the Minister of Aviation. Later, he was posted to the Power and Steel Ministry. In 2003, he emerged governor of Ondo State.

    The 2003 poll was keenly contested. Before the election, crisis seized the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere. The group was losing its grip on the party it formed, the AD. A group of aggrieved AD chieftains, led by Mimiko, defected to the PDP, following the protracted crisis.

    The tradition in Afenifere/AD favoured the distribution of political slots based on seniority and record of contributions to the political family, but the young men in the fold were in a hurry. So they collaborated with the late Agagu to defeat the late former Governor Adebayo Adefarati.

    In 2007, Mimiko, who was the Secretary to the State Government in the late Agagu’s administration, and later the Minister of Housing, defected to the Labour Party (LP). The late Agagu could not prevent the split. He was defeated at the poll by Mimiko. Although the electoral commission rigged the election for the PDP, progressive forces in the Southwest assisted Mimiko to retrieve his stolen mandate.

    The late Agagu never anticipated the turn of events. He was optimistic throughout the protracted litigation and the media war against him. He was literarily chased out of the Government House. He bore the tragedy with equanimity and understanding of the indisputable reality that power was transient. As Mimiko was being sworn in as his successor, he headed for the church for a thanksgiving service.

    The late Agagu never bounced back, but he was held in high esteem by PDP members. If he had remained governor till 2007, he would have become a more powerful force in the PDP and an ally of his former colleague, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

    However, he did not retire from politics. For him, hope was an elixir of life. He contested the Senate poll in 2011, but he was defeated by Boluwaji Kunlere of the LP, his former disciple. Initially, one of his boys, Eddy Olafeso, insisted that he would contest against him at the primaries. For Agagu, the senatorial race was not a do-or-die affair.

    Despite the electoral misfortune, his leadership position in Ondo PDP did not diminish. President Goodluck Jonathan respected him. Thus, the PDP national leadership appointed him member of the reconciliation committee to resolve the protracted crises in the party’s state chapter. Many Ondo PDP chieftains looked up to him as a father figure and rallying point, who could bring the caucuses together.

    Who will step into his shoes in the party? As a governor, he was an asset. As an ex-governor, he was neither a liability nor a loafer. The late Agagu took solace in the fact that he had tried his best, although political self-actualisation was elusive. Being a contented fellow, he only engaged in sober reflection without being unnecessarily emotional.

    His death has implications for the party’s future, especially in Ondo State. Only a few have his stature in the state chapter and command the respect he did. The chapter may be in disarray without a proper guardian.

    The import of his absence cannot be lost on the party’s leadership. Analysts are building some scenarios. An opportunity may have been created for the PDP to woo more members into its fold. Many PDP members may also defect to the APC. With Agagu’s death, a chapter has been closed in the history of Ondo State.

  • ‘Activist’s death shocking’

    The Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) has expressed shock on the death of the Executive Secretary of the Ola Oni Centre for Research, Comrade Simon Kolawole.

    Kolawole, a 45-year-old father of four, and his wife, Cecilia, died in an auto crash at Ikoro-Ekiti on Sunday .

    OCSC Chairman, Comrade Waheed Lawal, described the death of the late rights activist as unfortunate.

    He said it was a “huge blow” to the human rights community.

    Lawal, in a condolence message, commiserated with the family of the deceased and the state government.

    He prayed to God to grant the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the loss.

    Lawal said the late Kolawole’s position would be difficult to fill.

    He described the deceased as a “gentle, upright, dedicated rights’ crusader, who committed all his resources to defending the helpless”.

    Lawal said the deceased contributed immensely to the restoration of democracy in the country and the liberation of student movements.

    The late Kolawole was the former Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) between 1991 and 1992.

  • It’s surprising Ojukwu’s will is described as shocking

    It’s surprising Ojukwu’s will is described as shocking

    The last will and testament of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu has finally been read. It provides for his widow, the former beauty queen, Bianca, much more than it offers something to any other member of the family. Perhaps we will have more insight into the will later on. But for now, the leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra has not seemed to give reasons for the drama embedded in his will. Most newspapers that reported the reading of the will described it as shocking, unexpected, or surprising. Ojukwu’s life was all about drama, shock, irreverence, boldness and surprise. He would be untrue to himself if he went into the celestial realm without the drama and shock he was reputed for in his lifetime.

    One of the items in the will that surprised many is Ojukwu’s acknowledgment of a daughter, Tenny Hamman, unknown to family members. I do not know what is surprising about it. Was such a man that gave public indication he had an eye for beautiful women, and was not dissuaded by religion or any other consideration from giving free rein to his passion, not expected to engage in mysterious dalliances, made more adventurous by the longtime secrecy that accompanied them? I doubt whether he was afraid to acknowledge Tenny while he lived, or that he had to make provision in his will to secure the property (or the cash value) for her, or that he felt it was harmful for her to be known. Knowing him for who he was, Ojukwu acknowledged her because there simply must be something dramatic and newsworthy in the will. The press will try their best to discover the face of the mysterious daughter, who was born of a Sierra-Leonean woman, and I am not sure she will try her least to hide her identity.

    The media disguised their shock by saying the hefty provisions for Bianca was expected, though not by the margin with which she thrashed other members of the family. If anyone is shocked, it is because the person is unrealistic in his appreciation of the power of women over men. When a man is smitten, as indeed Ojukwu experienced thunderbolt when he met Bianca, he becomes a child again and is held in permanent thralldom by her charms. There was no way Ojukwu could have freed himself from Bianca’s charms, nor did he try, nor did he want. He was enraptured by her when he was alive, and he took scintillating memories of her to the grave, memories that are probably not attenuated by any supposition of her later marriage. When a man is in love with a beautiful woman, and that love waxes stronger as the man becomes enfeebled and the woman grows more resplendent, any other heir would be lucky to receive more than a gesture.

    Above all, I think Ojukwu’s will reveals more about men’s overrated power than about women’s underestimated power. How many men do not have one Tenny Hamman or the other somewhere? Perhaps, someday, a bright photographer will be able to match her face and her mother’s with the faces of two ladies who were at his burial, and who, unknown to the family, somehow managed to secure prime positions at the graveside. And very soon, too, we will know why the name of Debechukwu Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who continues to insist he is first son, is missing in the will. Ojukwu, it turns out, is having the last laugh.