The Nation Newspaper

Tag: United state

  • Biafra: Kanu disowns American radio

    Biafra: Kanu disowns American radio

    …Announces reorganisation in IPOB

    The leader of the group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has dissociated himself and members of his association from a certain Radio Biafra based in the United States.

    He also said a reorganisation has been effected in the leadership of the group, resulting in, among others, the abolition of the title of Coordinator of all Coordinators (COC).

    Kanu urged IPOB members to observe the sit-at-home planned for May 30 this year peacefully. He said the exercise was to remember Biafra heroes, who died during the Civil War and at other times.

    In a statement issued yesterday by his lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu said the official voice of IPOB remains the Radio Biafra based in London, registered under the relevant laws in the United Kingdom (UK).

    He said a supposed Radio Biafra, said to have been recently launched in the US is not known to him and his members, and did not represent their interests.

    Part of the letter reads:

    “Nnamdi Kanu remains the founder, and director of Radio Biafra London and accordingly Deputized by Mazi Uche Mefor. Radio Biafra London is the officially sanctioned channel of communication of IPOB, through which every information concerning the affairs of IPOB are disseminated. “At the same time, all members of IPOB and the general public are hereby  duly informed that the position of C.O.C (Coordinator of all Coordinators) overall, has been abolished following the recent reorganisation carried out by the leadership  of IPOB worldwide.

    “Henceforth any person parading himself with the title C.O.C should be regarded and treated as a criminal.

    “Following this radical change in the structural setup of IPOB, the world Administrative Headquarters of IPOB is now situated in London and Germany respectively. 

    Related: Okoro Tale of Biafra anti-heroes

    “The officers with the mandate of the leadership of IPOB and through whom the supreme leader Nnamdi Kanu speaks remains Radio Biafra London with satellite stations in South Africa, Malaysia, Germany and soon to be opened United State of America. 

    “The two persons appointed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as being responsible for communicating his thoughts and views to IPOB membership and the rest of the world remains Uche Mefor (the Deputy Leader of IPOB) and Mazi Chika Edoziem (the Head of the Directorate of State of the IPOB). 

    “All authority to issue directives rests with the Deputy Leader, Uche Mefor and Mazi Chika Edoziem. Any press release, announcement or communication purportedly issued by any other person other than the above named principal officers or officers acting on their instruction are to be discountenanced and ignored by the general public.

    Related: Don’t provoke Kanu – IPOB warns

    “Above named officers of (IPOB) are the authorized representatives, appointed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, at the helm of affairs of IPOB. 

    “Anybody transacting or relating with any other person, other than Uche Mefor and Chika Edoziem or those appointed by them are doing so at their own risk.”

  • BREAKING: Obama warns Trump about hiring Flynn

    BREAKING: Obama warns Trump about hiring Flynn

    The former President of the United State, Barack Obama warned President Donald Trump in November before leaving office against hiring retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as his national security adviser.

    This was confirmed to CNN by the former Obama administration officials disclosing that Obama warned Trump about Flynn during their Oval Office meeting on November 10, days after Trump was elected president.

    According to the CNN, Obama’s concerns, which he relayed to Trump, were not related to the firing of Flynn from the Defense Intelligence Agency but rather in the course of the investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election.

    “Flynn’s name kept popping up,” according to a senior Obama administration source.

    Trump did not heed Obama’s counsel on Flynn, bringing aboard the former military intelligence officer who supported Trump during his campaign as his national security adviser. However, Trump fired Flynn 24 days later when news broke of Flynn’s conversations with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak.

    News of the warning comes as former acting Attorney General Sally Yates is set to testify before Congress on Monday about the concerns she expressed to Trump administration officials about Flynn’s contacts with Russian officials, namely with Kislyak.

    Yates, in her role as acting attorney general, warned White House counsel Don McGahn on January 26 that Flynn was lying when he denied — both publicly and privately — that he discussed US sanctions on Russia with Kislyak.

    It wasn’t until weeks later that Trump asked for Flynn’s resignation, only after news surfaced that Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Kislyak. Yates’ testimony on Monday will be the first time she speaks publicly about her warnings to the White House about Flynn.

    The Senate and House intelligence committees are continuing to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election, including potential coordination between Russian officials and the Trump campaign or people close to the campaign.

    Congressional investigators have so far homed in on Flynn, Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, and Roger Stone, who informally advised Trump during his presidential run.
    While Trump asked for Flynn’s resignation, he has not abandoned his former national security adviser altogether.

    Trump on Monday morning sought to get ahead of Yates’ testimony, taking to Twitter to deflect criticism that he or his administration should have kept Flynn out of the top national security post from the outset.

    Find Trump’s tweet below:

    “General Flynn was given the highest security clearance by the Obama administration — but the Fake News seldom likes talking about that,” Trump said in his first missive.

    “Ask Sally Yates, under oath, if she knows how the classified information got into the newspapers soon after she explained it to W.H. Counsel,” he tweeted.

  • African Drums Festival commences in Abeokuta

    The African Drums Festival commenced in Abeokuta, Ogun, on Thursday with more than 20 cultural troupes from about 13 countries from the continent in attendance.

    The festival, which is an expanded form of the maiden edition of the Nigerian Drums Festival held in Abeokuta in 2016, also drew participants from Haiti and observers from Dallas in the United States.

    The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in his remarks described the festival as “a development worthy of emulation by other states.’’

    He noted that such festival would further invigorate the strides of the government in tourism investment and development.

    “The Muhammadu Buhari -led administration is determined to pursue with relentless vigour the diversification of our present mono reliance on an oil economy to massive investment in non-oil sectors   like agriculture, solid minerals and tourism.” he said.

    Mohammed, who was represented by the Artistic Director of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Mr Tar Ukor, noted that such festivals would promote pan-African unity and increased inter – African economic trade as well as enhanced local value chain benefits.

    “This festival will also promote inter-African leisure travel and the renaissance of our African cultural milestones in contributing toward  civilisation.

    “It will engender cultural reawakening in Africa on shared values and fraternal solidarity within the region,’’ he said.

    Gov. Ibikunle Amosun said the festival was a platform to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the people of Ogun and to also stamp Nigeria on the world map.

    He gave an assurance that the state would continue to explore different aspects of the Nigerian culture with a view to promoting and preserving them.

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, urged states to focus on other aspects of the Nigerian culture with a view to propagating them.

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, noted that drums occupy an important place in   Yoruba culture.

    “Drums are used to wake Yoruba monarchs early in the morning reminding them of their oaths to adjudicate among their subjects without fear or favour.

    “Drums are important tools that accompany monarchs and warriors to the warfront and act as source from which they draw encouragement and courage as well as indicate to them when to withdraw or advance into battle.

    “Drums are also used to announce the deaths of some important personalities in Yorubaland,” he said.

    Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, said rhythms from drums “are enchanting.’’

    He described as erroneous the belief that culture involves some demonic and satanic practices.

    Soyinka, who commended the Ogun government for the initiative, noted that many great things in Nigeria began from Ogun.

     

  • EU, US embassy, AU, others to observe Kogi poll

    The European Union, the United State Embassy and the African Union will be among 50 observer groups to monitor Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State.

    Accredited observers thronged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Lokoja Thursday to collect their kits.

    Among the local accredited observer groups are the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, the Police Service Commission, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Election Working Group, Women Arise for Change Initiative, among others.

    Their foreign counterparts include the British High Commission, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, International Republican Institute, and the National Democratic Institute, which is behind the Transition Monitoring Group.