Question : When Hanson announced tour dates for their upcoming tour
Usually Hanson tour in the fall. But in general, tour dates are known through knowledge. Does anyone know if and when they are on tour in the United Untied States in 2011? Best Answer:
Response GLaDOS
Hanson is now in its “Shout It Out” tour 2011th (This is the United States.) Here’s a link to all the tour dates and tickets: http://www.hanson.net/site/sections/22
Add your response to comments!
Court ruling won’t affect election timetable –INEC
By IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abuja and CHIDI OBINECH, Lagos
Saturday January 28, 2012
The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has said the Supreme Court ruling declaring the continued stay in office of governors of Adamawa, Cross River, Kogi, Sokoto and Bayelsa illegal will not affect election time table set for the states.
The apex court had yesterday ended the long drawn legal battle over the tenure of the five governors: Ibrahim Idris(Kogi) Timpre Sylva(Bayelsa) Murtala Nyako(Adamawa) Liyel Imoke(Cross River) and Aliyu Wamakko(Sokoto) by declaring that the governors tenure had elapsed.
The matter was taken to Supreme Court by INEC following the Appeal Court ruling last year that the tenure of the governors whose elections were earlier quashed commenced the day they were sworn in the fresh elections they won.
On December 3, 2011, INEC conducted governorship election in Kogi. It will hold similar election in Adamawa on February 4, Bayelsa February 11, Sokoto and Cross River in March.
Speaking to Saturday Sun on the judgment and the position of the electoral body, Chief Press Secretary to INEC, Chairman Kayode Idowu, said the commission would stick to the election timetable for the states concerned.
He stressed that any alteration on the timetable will engender confusion in the system. He said: “I don’t see INEC changing the election dates in the states concerned. It is not possible to bring the elections backward. Don’t forget that we have conducted the Kogi election and it was done based on what was on ground.”
He said the judgment has deepened democracy in the country, but reiterated that it will be handled by the commission in a way that it would not affect the operations of INEC.
“We are okay with the Supreme Court ruling, but will go ahead with the timetable”, he said stressing that INEC was committed to a free and fair election and will not change its plans in the middle of the road.
We live in perilous times
By Orji Kalu
Saturday, January 28, 2011
When the crisis in the 60’s that led to the Nigerian Civil War started, many never fathomed it would snowball into a huge conflagration that was later to consume millions of innocent lives and set the nation several years back. When the clouds were gathering at that time, those that were expected to speak out in condemnation of the atrocities that were taking place chose to maintain studied silence, pretending that what was happening was normal. By the time they realized what was happening, the nation had been thrown into commotion and anarchy.
Sadly, this same scenario is playing out today, as the nation is experiencing one of its roughest times since it gained independence. Many highly placed Nigerians have refused to speak out against the mass killing and brigandage taking place, particularly in the North of the country. They have rather chosen to play the ostrich, turning their faces away from the sordid and barbaric incidents that have characterized life in Nigeria at present. Worst of all, they refuse to caution their people, even when they have the opportunity and influence to do so.
It is true that those that decided not to speak out in the 60’s had erroneously thought that, if anything happened, that they would be safe. But contrary to that selfish-contained disposition and belief, they were the hardest hit at the end of the day. While some of them were brutally killed, others had their properties destroyed. Each suffered one loss or another.
For those who do not know, when war breaks out, nobody is spared; everybody is vulnerable. The Nigerian Civil War has left a permanent scar on the psyche of all those that witnessed it, and a signpost of our collective mistake as a people. It is then baffling that, despite the calamities that befell us from this mistake, many of us still promote ethnic, religious and political animosities to further divide us and feather their nests. As the President rightly said last week when he visited the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, to commiserate with him over the coordinated bomb attacks that sent over 200 persons to their untimely graves, those that perpetrated the killings in the land were no spirits but human beings. There is no doubt, therefore, that the president hit the nail on the head. Nevertheless, what has left me in quandary is why these evil men and women have not yet been caught in spite of the concerted efforts by the security agencies to do so. The harder they try the more casualties that are recorded. What then could be responsible for this sudden turn of events?
It is unfortunate that the present state of things in our dear country was foretold several years ago, but nobody paid heed to it. In our usual style, we played it down and trudged on with lackadaisical attitude. Many must have thought, as they did in the 60’s, that the developments would not affect them. Tell me, is there any Nigerian that is not affected, one way or another, by the ongoing crises that have hit our social fabric? If some people had not been materially affected, at least they must have felt some psychological discomfort.
The level of insecurity across the country is breathtaking. There is no place that can be adjudged to be safer than the other, including Abuja – the nation’s capital. If it is not bombing today, it is the indiscriminate shooting of innocent people by a group of unidentified gunmen. In fact, the killings have taken even the most absurd pattern.
As I predicted in my first article for the New Year, that the year is emboweled in the womb of uncertainties, current events have since vindicated me. My prediction that the situation could get worse before it gets normal is also coming true. Without sounding alarmist, something in me tells me that worse days lie ahead, going by the attitude of our leaders. The developments could worsen unless government takes unusual measures to reestablish sanity.
Those behind the current insecurity in the country do so definitely for their selfish interests – to protect their fiefdoms and preserve their ill-gotten wealth. There is nothing about their actions that show any patriotism. Even their utterances belie all what they claim to stand for. Life has become perilous in our clime, yet many people still feel all is well. Do they want to do something only after they have been killed? Is it not better to work for the peace, progress and unity of Nigeria now than to spend time and money containing the upheavals that would arise?
For six working days two weeks ago, the nation was forced to its knees by striking workers over the removal of fuel subsidy. The loss incurred in that period has been estimated at N320 billion. Who would pay for these losses? The nation of course! After all, when two elephants fight, is it not the grass that suffers? The grass here is the masses that have been at the receiving end of the misdeeds of the political leadership. Today, fuel sells for N97 and everybody is running helter-skelter to get it. Even some greedy marketers still sell the product for as much as N200 in some parts of the country. Who should be blamed for this evil of profiteering? It has become a pastime for some armchair critics to blame the government for everything that goes awry. But in the present circumstance, we should blame the greed that rules the lives of some of us. Why can’t people subject themselves to the law, so that we can move this nation forward? When government makes policies and they are flagrantly flouted, then it becomes an open invitation to anarchy. By selling fuel at the prescribed price of N97 we aid planning and contribute our quota to national development.
As I have always opined, I do not know too much about the politics of oil subsidy. But all that I know is that some persons are feeding fat from what belongs to all of us. Great nations such as the United States, Britain, France, Germany and even China were built through the collective enterprise of their people – who did not mind sacrificing their lives for their nations to survive. Yes, here, our forbears did the same when they fought for and gained independence in 1960. And that was where the whole thing ended. If a seed is planted and not watered, sooner than later, it withers. For it to grow into a tree or shrub, it must be watered and nurtured.
In the same way, the seed of our independence was sowed in 1960, but nothing much was done to nurture it. What we had spent the past 51 years doing is to squabble over little things that ordinarily should not distract us. For 30 months, we fought a civil war, while the remainder of the years was used to experiment on the entrenchment of a sustainable democratic culture that has remained an illusion. The inability to attain this sustainable democratic culture can be blamed on the ethno-religious inclinations of some of our leaders. There is no way we can build a formidable, united nation without doing away with ethnicity, clannishness, religious bigotry, corruption and self-centredness. The reason for promoting patriotism in any nation is to kill the morbid self-desires that run counter to national ethos.
It is very sad that our nation has been in the throes of insecurity for many decades now. I was petrified by the report in the media last week that the police lost 620 men last year to robberies, sectarian conflicts and political crises. Is this number not frightening? Let’s for a minute reflect on the number of people they have left behind to mourn them. What about the enormous resources expended in the training of these fallen officers? What efforts are being made to stop the senseless killings and enhance the careers of the remaining officers? These are salient questions government should proffer answers to if we are to get over the present imbroglio.
Nevertheless, we need to do proper soul-searching in order to begin to build a truly united and egalitarian Nigeria. Let us presume that the past 51 years had been wasted and begin a new march toward real peace and reconciliation. God has endowed us with enough resources to sustain us for a long time. All that we need is to manage them judiciously to benefit all of the people. The idea of one person expropriating what belongs to a million people is a bug we must kill urgently, if we are to get over our present inertia. Those who siphoned our common patrimony should bear in mind that there is no peace for an evil man, until he turns away from his evil ways.
Let me ask: How many people who looted the treasury lived to enjoy and exhaust it? None! The more wealth you accumulate, the more worries you bring upon yourself. Wealth is meant to be used for the common good and not to create division, confusion and crises among us. Sadly, many of the crises bedeviling our nation today, were caused by some persons for their self-aggrandizement. What do they stand to gain if they destroyed everybody and were left alone in this world? Life will become a bore for them. The joy of one’s existence is full when one lives a righteous life that brings joy to others. Living together in peace and love is the only way we can build a progressive and prosperous nation.
Let me use this medium to add my voice to the national call on those causing trouble in the land to allow peace to reign. We do not gain anything by mauling innocent souls? How many lives has the nation lost since the New Year? In fact, there is no day that passes that there are no reports of one killing or another across the country. The prelude to the killings started on Christmas Day last year when over 43 worshippers of the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, were dispatched to their untimely graves by a suicide bomber. To worsen matters, the alleged mastermind of the heinous crime, one Kabiru Sokoto, escaped from police custody. The ease with which such a prime suspect escaped raises questions about the sincerity of some of our security agents to work for the development of our nation. However, I am worried that all attention is being focused on Kabiru Sokoto as if he is the only one involved in the terrorist acts recorded so far. The clinical style with which the terrorists operate underlines the fact that they work in cells. And each cell must have at least more than one person. Concentrating all efforts on Kabiru Sokoto is not only diversionary, but also counterproductive. There are many Sokotos that should be called to question over the carnage that has become a daily occurrence.
I wish to urge the Federal Government to evolve strategies to address these sad and bothersome developments before they escalate. If things continue the way they are going, it will not be long before anarchy sets in. No responsible government will fold its arms and watch miscreants take over the land. It is also important for the government to find out why some Nigerians have resorted to violence as the preferred means to settle personal scores. I believe there are many non-violent tactics any aggrieved persons or groups could adopt to register their resentment over any matter they feel strongly about. Killing and maiming innocent citizens is not only criminal it is also a sin against God.
Let me remind those that kill in the name of politics, religion or economy that no sin shall go unpunished. They should not forget that he who kills by the sword also dies by the sword. This life is ephemeral and, therefore, not worth dying for.
I admonish the government to urgently establish schemes that will deal with the growing poverty in the land. It is poverty that has made some of our youths susceptible to manipulation by the political class. Check it out: all the violent crimes committed in Nigeria involve a sizeable number of youths. This is why the government should intensify effort in solving the twin-problem of youth employment and general empowerment. There is no contestation that the nation will breathe air of relief once a large chunk of our youths is gainfully engaged.
It may not be out of place to ask every Nigerian to start immediate prayer and fasting toward the restoration of peace, security and togetherness in Nigeria, so that we will soon realize our God-given destiny of building one of the richest economies in the world.
By His grace we shall not die, but live!
Hafiz Ringim: When sack is not enough?
By Ikenna Emewu
Saturday January 28, 2012
With the removal of IGP Hafiz Ringim this week, it means the lobby of his men for his continued stay, as we heard never cut ice.
The water of his tenure after past lapses got ultimately muddied over the escape of the Boko Haram major suspect from his custody. As the chief cop that had headed the Nigeria Police since September 2010, Ringim made a full circle in incompetence and poor policing with that last act.
The former number one police officer acquired in his career days the reputation most police officers might be too reluctant to emulate. When it comes to role model or standards setting, hairs would split endlessly on what manner of policing Ringim actually entrenched in his career record – for himself, the Nigeria Police and the nation.
Leadership in Nigeria has remained a business for poor showing, but Ringim took that quality some notches higher with his faltering all through the years. But because the race is not to the swift as the great book wrote, even the failings of Ringim never stalled his making it to the top of his career. He possibly proved right the entrenched truth that even for one who rides on the back of patronage and favouritism, it takes just more than lame and subjective considerations to sustain such favours.
A popular saying is that grace or favour takes one to the pinnacle but competence sustains him/her there. That means a legatee of favours should take cognizance of the fact that he should also drag himself off the seat of retardation and favour himself with efficiency.
Hafiz Abubakar Ringim, a native of Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State joined the Nigeria Police as Cadet Inspector on March 1, 1977 and started his service in Kano State. From Kano he hit the Alagbon Command with reputation for investigation from where he was deployed to head the Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CIB) in Plateau State, as Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Ringim returned to Kano years later to head the 9th Police Mobile Force (PMF) Squadron and later the Police Mobile Force Training College in Maiduguri, at the Gwoza Camp. When he got promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police, he returned to Alagbon once again at the Interpol in Ikoyi, Lagos as second-in-command, a section he later headed.
As Commissioner of Police, eventually, he controlled the command in three states, starting with Adamawa, Osun and later Bayelsa. It was in his days in Bayelsa the forces that brought him to the top job were incubated.
While there, the controversies that bedeviled the former governor of the state, Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha broke. The facts are that Ringim was deep into the management of the security operations that later arrested Alams and stopped him from returning to the Creek Haven in Yenagoa on his dramatic return from overseas.
While Ringim’s job aided Alams’ loss, it in contrast laid the foundation for the coming to power of the deputy, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who providence with time threw up as Nigeria’s president. As Jonathan grew in his vocation of politics, so did Ringim in policing. Three years after he was promoted an AIG, he was posted to head the Zone 9 of the Nigeria Police in Umuahia in 2009. From there, while Jonathan ascended power as substantive president to complete President Umar Yar’Adua tenure, Ringim reaped to the fullest the goodwill Jonathan owed him and was appointed IGP on September 8, 2010. Whether that was meritorious or compensatory was later to unfold.
As per luck to rise, Ringim had it all to himself. It is possible not only luck brought Ringim this far. But if hard work and dedication did to a point, at that point dedication left him, he never reconciled with it. He seemed to have hit the highway of luck, connections and in the process spawned incompetence and questionable performances.
While he served in Bayelsa as the chief police officer, the Niger Delta militants seized the day from his grip. They paraded the streets without let, did as they pleased and had none to question their reign. It could be a coincidence or something just more than that that when Ringim was in charge in Zone 9 that, his charge was confined to his office on Bende Road, Umuahia while kidnappers headed by the dreaded Osisikankwu took charge of the larger Abia and other states under Ringim’s policing jurisdiction. Ironically, just few months after Ringim left Umuahia, the spirit called Osisikankwu that was beyond arrest was neutralized.
And to crown his flaws and failings, some days after he had visited the Boko Haram-infested North East and boasted that their days were over, Boko Haram brought its terror to Ringim’s office. First time in the history of the Nigeria Police, office of the IGP was bombed by terrorists on June 16 last year. That was not enough to wake up Ringim from his slumber as the bombers took a swipe in his face once again two months after on August 24 by bombing the UN Building in the same Abuja. Before these two, there had been bombings in Abuja at the Abacha Barracks on Christmas Eve of 2010.
Ringim’s tenure as the head cop witnessed the worst spectre of security threat in the nation’s history with bombing every other day in the north and hundreds killed with none prosecuted or just few without real links arrested and later released. It got so bad that a certain Tishau granted a live TV interview in Nigeria that he was a Boko Haram leader and once told Ringim in his office the person that masterminded the bombing of this office. He said on the day he was hosted by Ringim, he used the chief cop’s phone to call and discuss with the Force Headquarters bombing mastermind.
After that discussion via a known phone number, what Ringim did about the attacker is yet to be heard by Nigerians. And in all these terrible errors, the president never mooted dropping Ringim and firming up the nation’s policing system. At last, CP Zakari Biu who personally had in his custody the major suspect of the Madalla Christmas Day bombing, one of the worst the nation witnessed, later told the nation the man escaped like in a Nollywood act. Biu, a torturer in the Abacha Gestapo police had been allegedly sacked and later returned and promoted. Facts are that he was Ringim’s course mate at the police college.
The mess got just worse with the major Boko Haram suspect in one of the most chilling attacks escaping from Ringim’s grip like film trick. All his blundering days, he kept Nigerians guessing how worse he would go as the nation’s police chief, and how much more mess and failings or compromises we would expect from this man.
Yes, he was finally removed by the president, his ally, this week, but many of us would still ask if the removal or retirement or leave, however couched, was just enough considering the gross inadequacies of Ringim.
I think it won’t hurt to prosecute Ringim especially for the escape of Boko Haram man alongside Zakari Biu and the rest for that comprise of their job. Ringim was the ultimate boss of the Nigeria Police and with the weight of that escape that put the police in the light of having connived to make sure that major suspect wasn’t prosecuted, he should not go home free.
Moreover, with facts emerging that the Obasanjo administration had sacked Biu after the Oputa panel shocking revelations of his torture roles in the Abacha days, Ringim should explain to the nation how that man said to be his course mate found his way back and why? It is not just enough to ask him to go and it ends there.
DO YOU PICK YOUR SPOUSE’S CALL?
BY RACHAEL AGUNTA and AGULANA VIVIAN
Saturday January 28, 2012
Ezeolisa
Marriage is not a bed of roses. While some couples endure, others enjoy. However, whether you enjoy or endure, depends on how you plan yours. To some, they have do’s and don’t’s while some simply avoid whatever they know would cause them pains or bring disunity between them as couples. Most people pick their spouses’ calls to monitor if they are cheating on them. Some others don’t because they have been warned not to. Saturday Sun went to seek people’s opinion on this issue. We came back with these views.
Emeka Osuiwu
Yes, I do because, she is my wife. I am married to her. We made a vow, so I have the full right to pick her calls but that is, if the phone is around or with me.
Adibe Austin
No, I am a jealous person. Picking my spouse’s call may trigger my annoyance because, I may answer the call and it will bring problems that can lead to the end of the relationship. So, I can’t pick her calls, even if the caller keeps calling.
Ahamefuna Manna
Yes, if I am close to her phone, I can pick it. We are in a relationship that breeds trust. We pick each other’s calls and that is how it would continue to be.
Mohammed Saliu
What would I achieve by picking his calls? If for any reason I do that, then it would be without ill-feelings. I don’t think it is right to want to know who calls her and why he or she is calling. I don’t expect her too to want to know who calls me either. It is not maturity for couples to be picking each other’s calls except there is need for such.
Taiwo Olaniyan
Yes, I do. She too picks mine. We understand and trust each other. We are not suspecting anything and that is why she picks my calls. I don’t bother if she does that hundred times in a day. She is my wife, so, she has the right till death do us part.
Amina Abdul
If he does not allow me to pick his calls, then, he has something he is hiding from me. It could either be that he is cheating on me, or that he does not love me. For me, I would not stop my husband from picking my calls except he chooses not to. On the other hand, if he chooses not to pick my calls, then I will accord him the respect he accords me by not picking his.
Akpabio Vincent
If there is need for me to pick her calls, I will, but if there is no need. I will ignore it even if the caller persists. However, that does not mean that I would pick offence if she picks mine. It is only a man who engages in extra-marital affairs who would not want his wife to pick his calls. At the same time, it is an adulterous woman that would be hiding her phone from her husband. Whichever way, it is okay by me.
Efe
Yes, because we are in a relationship. I love her so much, and she is someone I am so close to, someone that I share intimacy with. I have the right to pick her calls and I do.
Dennis Okwu
Sometimes, I do pick her calls, most especially, when she is not with her phone. She may be in the kitchen or busy with something else and her phone would ring. If that is the case, I can pick the phone and tell the caller to call back later.
Olivia
I do because, we are one. Likewise, he has the right to pick mine because I don’t have any hidden agenda. My spouse should be free to pick my calls anytime any day, but, that is if he allows me to pick his.
Macxine Oguike
No, I can never pick my spouse’s call, because the last time I did that, it was something else. Although it was my fault, I misunderstood the caller and nagged and complained so bitterly that he left the house. Since then, I vowed not to pick his calls again.
Nkechi Ezerechi
Yes, I pick my husband’s call when he is not around. I don’t see anything wrong with him picking my calls or I picking his. I am a child of God and he is too. The Bible says that we are one. If we are one, then whatever belongs to him belongs to me and vice versa. Do you know that something that needs urgent attention may be happening in the village and if I don’t pick his calls when he is not around, maybe, by the time he would pick the call, something bad may have happened. Besides, he is not hiding anything from me and I am not doing same either. Whoever is with the phone picks the call whether it is my phone or his.
Oluchi Ejiogu
No, I don’t pick my husband’s call. I owe him that respect. It is not that he warned me not to, but I don’t like it. Nevertheless, if he is not with his phone and call comes in, if I look at it and know the caller, I may pick to tell him or her to call back. I believe it is couples who have secrets they do not want their spouses to know that feel bad when such happens. For us as a couple, we are not hiding anything from each other.
Ogochukwu Ezeolisa
I don’t do that. It is not as if he would complain if I do, but we accord each other that respect. He picks mine only when I tell him to do so. So, I reciprocate his respect for me by not picking his or wanting to know who calls him and why he or she calls.
‘My man must be dark and sexy’
By RACHAEL AGUNTA
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Nduka
She is not the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) because she has the crown. Looking at Sylvia Nduka, one would not hesitate to call her a beautiful girl. Not only does she have height, her beautiful face, elegant and skinny nature make her a queen even without a crown. Sylvia, a final year student of Lagos State University, is the last of five siblings and hails from Isuofia in Anambra State of Nigeria. In this interview with Saturday Sun, she talks about the goodies the crown has brought to her.
If you had not won MBGN, do you think you would have made it this far?
I am not God. But I would say that somehow, if I am not MBGN 2011, I don’t think I would make it so fast to where I am now. At the same time, I am not God. He may have other plans for me. However, I give thanks to Him for everything.
What were you doing before you went for the pageant?
I am a student of Lagos State University. I am going to my final year now.
You are not putting on jewellery even as a queen. Why?
I am a very simple girl. I am not crazy about accessories and jewellery. Sometimes I don’t even wear wristwatch.
What about your hair?
I love hair. If you want to bless my life, start from my hair to bags and shoes.
What influence has the crown on you?
It has a lot of influence. It has done pretty much. Now, it is getting to the end of my reign. Sometimes, when I think about it, I feel like not handing over the crown to someone else. But it is okay, I have to. But to be honest, I am really going to miss a lot of things for you to know how far I have gone and how well I am now.
What were the benefits that came with the crown?
There are so much that I would not be able to mention. But let me start with the clothes I wear. I don’t buy clothes any more. I have about six or seven designers in Nigeria and some in Ghana that give me clothes I wear. I get all that for free including other things. Like you know, right now, I have a car.
Would they still be clothing you when your reign is over?
They are not going to stop. I am there. My name is there on the 24th edition of MBGN at Silverbird. It does not stop and I cannot start going backwards simply because my reign has come to an end. This is just the beginning of good things in my life.
Of all businesses, why did you choose to deal on hair?
I am a lady who loves hair and I have always wanted to go into hair business. I did not go into it because I won MBGN. It is because of my flair for hair that made me go to Spain where I know that they have long hair. I went for the best and despite the fact that it is a 100 per cent human hair, they are also affordable.
Don’t you think that it has been over- flooded?
No it has not. There is something about me that people do not know yet. Give me some time like one year and people would discover something wonderful about me. Even, I don’t understand what is happening to me but I know that whatever I put my hands on works perfectly well for me. My hair extension would sell and I bet you that where it would get to from now till June, would be a surprise to people.
Who are the people that patronize Sylvia Hair?
A lot of girls do. Now, the next MBGN is around the corner. Everybody wants to get the crown. I tell you that a lot of girls want to wear Sylvia’s hair for the next MBGN. I am happy about it and I know that the best is yet to come.
What does it cost to wear your hair?
It is not too expensive. It is affordable. Moreover, it is a special human hair that is of good quality. It does not require any treatment or cream and it will be used over and over again. If you like good things, you pay to get it.
Why the craze for human hair?
Synthetic is pretty good but because I change my hair very often, I prefer human hair. It is not something that tangles or the type your heart beats when you want to brush it. Human hair lasts and can be used over and over again. I love looking good and for me, beauty is about my hair.
What makes Sylvia’s Hair different from others?
It is my own make. It is what I choose and they manufacture for me in the company. Whoever uses it would spot out the difference. I am not boasting about the hair, I know what I went for. The weavons which are purely human hair range from straight hair, deep body waves and body waves. With Sylvia’s hair extension, the difference is clear.
Beauty pageants nowadays are being stage-managed. How is it with Silverbird?
I did not pay a dime. How much do you think I would pay Mr. Guy that they don’t have already. I paid nothing. It was God’s favour. My dear God had already ordained that it was my turn to shine and I shone. No matter what went wrong, what happened and what anybody said, I shone. People are entitled to their opinions and I don’t care. I did not pay a dime to get the crown.
Why are you saying all these?
No, it is just that people would always have something to say or to condemn but I am not bothered.
Before you won the MBGN 2011, did you try before and lost?
Yes, I tried and lost. Even in UNILAG, I tried being Miss Campus but it didn’t work. I got the form, scaled through the audition but something happened along the line and I forgot about it. It has always been what I wanted to go into but my studies would not allow me. I hadn’t the time to pursue it. I found the opportunity in 2011; I went for it and won.
What gave you the confidence that you could win?
It was God who used a friend of mine to push me to go for it. Even, while I was feeling the form, I was laughing at myself. I did not take it seriously. Now, not only did I win, I was also given the Best Costume Award.
When you were announced the winner, what was your first reaction?
I didn’t react anyway. I was just on standstill. I was lost and totally blank till the next day.
What are the things you have stopped doing since you won the crown?
I used to go to joints a lot. There is a place in school where I go to eat amala and ewedu. I am not a Yoruba but I love it. Before, I usually go to that joint but now I no longer go there. But I must confess that I miss it because the sweetness of the food is when you eat it there with other students chatting and cracking jokes. I am also a girl who loves to go on flat sandals but I don’t wear flat shoes or sandals anymore. I go on hills everyday. Again, I don’t like make-up but now I make up on a daily basis.
Why are you depriving yourself of what makes you happy?
I am a queen. A lot of people say that a queen is not meant to be seen in a common place. If I go to the amala joint, students would say that MBGN is eating amala. So, I keep away from whatever would cause me embarrassment.
When you have handed the crown over to someone else, would you go back to the things you were doing before?
No, I would not. It is something that has started and I would keep it. It is a stepping stone for me and I would maintain it.
If your parents had objected to you picking the form, what would you have done?
I would have mingled and found a way to do it. I am a student and I live in a hostel; so, I would have had a way to go for it. Nevertheless, since I became MBGN, I have gone back to the house. I no longer live in the hostel.
Who is your ideal man?
I love God-fearing man even though everybody says that. Most importantly, I am allergic to fair guys. I like dark guys but he must be tall, and of course, sexy and cool.
What are your expectations?
I hope to go into full-time politics by next year. Even if it is not next year, I know I would definitely do that.
Why politics?
It could be because one of my uncles is a politician but I know that if I get any political appointment, I would assist so many young people to acquire education. A lot of young ladies are passing through difficult situations in order to pay their school fees and nobody is helping anyone.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
It was the day I went to the airport and five guys were requesting for my number at the same time. They were together when they spotted me. They greeted and I reciprocated. But they turned to request that I give them my number. Though I did not give them, people were watching us. I felt so embarrassed.
What are your likes and dislikes?
I like travelling a lot. There are lots of things I don’t like. I don’t like criticizing people and I don’t like people who criticize others.
What projects do you have?
I have a pet project on education which I am going to launch first week of February. It is called Sylvia Empowerment Development Foundation. What we do basically is to empower children to go to school. I have helped a lot of kids. I give them scholarships. I am not going to do it for just one year. It is going to continue and that is why on the other hand, I am doing other businesses so I can fund and sustain it.
How many children are under your care now?
We have about 12 to 15 that we pay their school fees now.
What are the criteria for picking them?
Some people call to tell me about them and we go to their houses. Some are introduced to us and some are directed to come to us. If you look out, you would see people who cannot afford to buy a sachet of pure water, let alone sending their children to school. It is not that the children do not want to go to school but their parents cannot afford it. We are helping them and we hope to increase the number.
Where did you get your height from?
I got it from my dad. My dad is tall and I am closer to him till today. I love my dad so much and if I need advice on any issue, I go to him as well. Everybody knows that I love my dad more than my mum. I don’t hate my mum but I love my dad. If my dad is having headache today, I must have headache too.
Uzodinma Nwala: How we packaged and sold NYSC to Gowon
By IKENNA EMEWU, Abuja
Saturday January 28, 2012
Prof. Uzodinma
Professor Tim Uzodinma Nwala prides himself as the father of African Philosophy. That is a claim no one has disputed, yet. But beyond philosophy as a discipline, he devoted all his academic life to so many other things and he excelled in all. To him, life has not been just reading, teaching and researching. He has had a fair share of activism with his pioneering role in the birth of the powerful Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). And in national politics, he played a role in drafting the constitution of the G34, an organisation that became the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But perhaps most profoundly, he played a role in his youthful days immediately after the civil war that did much in the rehabilitation of victims of the war in the East Central State (ECS). When that effort blossomed in Enugu, its birthplace, it grew large to reach the whole state and the entire nation. And that exceptional role, he would vehemently tell you, gave rise to the most cherished youth nationalistic orientation programme in Nigeria – the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
It was exciting listening to this scholar for hours tell his story of how the NYSC was incubated in Enugu, hatched in Lagos and spread to the entire nation. He was a major champion of the processes that led finally to the NYSC, although according to him, the government refused to acknowledge his roles and those of his mates in that laudable idea. NYSC provides the grand rule of orientating the youths in patriotism through the one-year programme for fresh graduates. It started almost four decades ago and it is still going strong, notwithstanding the threats to its existence.
Asked how he felt last year when the agitation for the scrapping of the programme was on the front burner of public discourse, owing to the killing of some NYSC members, Nwala simply answered: “I knew it was not going to be scrapped, so I never lost sleep over the calls.”
Nwala had graduated from the Department of Philosophy of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) during the war. As he would put it: “I graduated from the university as the only student in the class. I was a one-man full time student, taught by one part time lecturer who was actually a clergy man in the Catholic mission in Nsukka.”
The war had started taking toll on UNN and the entire region and the university closed down as foreign lecturers ran away. That was during Nwala’s penultimate year. As a result, all the students in the department changed course, but the young Uzodinma, who had dropped an earlier intention to read Economics, would not have that. So he stayed-put and became the only student of the department. On his insistence, the university Senate agreed to send him to Michigan State University in the USA, which was the parent citadel of UNN. But there was an intervention along the line where a cleric with the Catholic Church in Nsukka had to lecture him in the remaining courses to qualify him for graduation. That way, he became the only student to graduate in the course, and also the first to graduate in Philosophy in any Nigerian university because his batch was the pioneer set in the department.
He was fresh from the university when the war started dealing more devastating blows on Biafra. So he joined Biafra’s propaganda machinery, headed by now Senator Uche Chukwumerije. He joined as as war reporter.
“But after the war, we had a serious problem re-orientating Igbo youths into accepting to be Nigerians once again after we had told them during the war that Nigeria was evil. And moreover, there was so much damage and ruin that needed rehabilitation, and so we started in Enugu with a team of youths who cleaned places, cleared rubbles, rebuilt houses, assisted victims of the war. It was called Work for Food because, as we rendered our service, we were paid in food. We handled the rebuilding of the UNEC and many other public institutions, and later we extended the services to all the 34 Divisions of the East Central State. The body was split in eight committees, for efficacy. And Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) who was a great dramatist was a member of the hospitality committee, while Zebrudaya (Chika Okpala) was our entertainer. With over 3000 volunteer youths, we spread out to all parts of the state and handled rehabilitation.
“With the success of the body in the region, we were imbued to extend it to the larger nation. We later conceived the idea of taking the project to the federal government. So, on September 30, 1970, we left Enugu for Lagos with a proposal to submit to General Yakubu Gowon. Apart from Lagos, we sent teams to some other parts of the country for the sensitization that led to our re-integration. I remember so well that the team we sent to Ilorin met with the Emir, Sulu Gambari, whose wife was Igbo from Owerri. They came back with a story of how the woman lavishly entertained them with ofe owerre.
“Because of the festivities of the Independence Day, we could not see Gowon, but had to drop our proposal with a senior government official. I must tell you, factually, that neither Gowon as an individual nor his administration, acknowledged our effort or receipt of our laudable idea. But we later heard from Ukpabi Asika that in recognition and appreciation of the work, Gowon sent the state government 75,000 pounds. Well, Government made use of the money and we were never consulted or got anything out of it.
Three years after, the Gowon’s administration announced the creation of the NYSC. What we sent was not called the NYSC, but it was solely the idea with some adjustments. For instance, we had proposed that the programme should be for undergraduates who would work on vacation for three months in states other than theirs. But the final approval changed it to one-year service by fresh graduates. The policy was strictly restricted to graduates, but later, it took roots and still survives as one of the most laudable programmes of the nation.”
Nwala, the young graduate, did not lose everything in that effort, as his coordinator in the ECS Youths Volunteer Corps, Mr. Graham, gave him a letter recommending him to UNN for employment. He was engaged by UNN on November 13, 1970. That way, he got a job to teach in the varsity as lecturer assistant and remained there till he retired as Professor of Philosophy. Not minding his pioneering and outstanding academic heights, Nwala had to wait till mid-90s before he got his professorship. It was delayed for 17 years.
Father of African Philosophy
Prior to his employment to teach at UNN, there was nothing called African Philosophy as course of study in any university. “All we were taught as students were Western philosophy. Nothing like African philosophy existed anywhere. In fact, many years after the introduction of the courses, there still remained arguments among experts, whether there was really African Philosophy. I remember very well that Prof. J. A. Shodipo of the University of Ife then was one of the grand proponents against the idea of African Philosophy. The introduction of the courses was deliberate. It was after the war that Prof. Kodilinye, the VC of UNN, asked us to draft courses of study in the Philosophy Department that was starting afresh. With that opportunity, I introduced two courses in African Philosophy and that became the first time anywhere anybody was taught a course by that name. It was from my introduction in UNN that the course spread to other universities later.
So, I have no doubt, and it is never in dispute among scholars, that I am the authentic father of African Philosophy as course of study. Initially, the argument was that Africa had no philosophy and only had just religion. But with my bold step, the whole concept changed and today we have professors of African Philosophy and also have the courses studied in even Western universities.”
At the time of his employment in UNN, he was in the General Studies Faculties to teach GS Humanities. He worked there for one year before he was taken to the Institute of African Studies. These years availed him the opportunity to visit almost every Igbo community in search of the rudiments of African Philosophy and later he expanded the quest and elevated it to a position of honour.
With Philosophy, no doubt, Nwala would not be too close to big money from his academic pursuits. Yet, he has what he needs and would boldly say that: “Because of my knowledge of philosophy, I am one of the happiest persons on earth. I am one of the most intellectually gifted persons in the world, and philosophy and life have taught me patience, a virtue I cherish so much and that has remained my guiding light. I have so much serenity in me with little concern for material wealth. My professorship was delayed for 17 years and I never for one day complained. So though, I might not have much money, I have peace in me at all times. That is why I am not so keen about taking credit for what I do. For instance, I am one of the founders of ASUU, drafted the document that gave birth to the G34 and later PDP.”
However, none of Nwala’s children studied philosophy, although they, according to him, are natural philosophers with the influence of their father. The erudite scholar started on very shaky note in life after becoming fatherless at four. His mother, who was not handy, decided his little son, Uzodinma, should learn trading. “My parents were illiterate. My father was a priest of the earth goddess, ala, and my mother a Christian. While things were very tough for the family after the death of our father, a clergyman in our village who had four children lost the young wife and I was taken to live with him and assist to take care of the children. That accident is what brought me into education. So I did baby-sitting for some years before I was sent to school. In fact, in all, I served five teachers as houseboy in my primary school years.” Later, providence worked out the reality of his name – Uzodinma (the way or future is good).
After his primary education, he got a teaching job and later took teachers training course, and read on his own to pass six GCE subjects.
He made his ‘A Level’ in four months and made three papers at a sitting. During his years as houseboy of a pastor, he was taught to pastor church. And while he taught, and picked up in his education level, teacher Uzodinma was saving for the future, to actually make it good as his name suggests. His savings accumulated to 24 pounds, which enabled him to register in the university on direct entry admission. However, money was to become the major obstacle. But someone encouraged him to look for money and pay the fee for the first year, while he would work hard to win the university scholarship for the remaining years. That is exactly what he did and what happened. He got the university scholarship. And so, he had no problem completing his programme, even while the war raged.
‘I dumped my plum job to sing for God’
By NKECHI CHIMA-ONYELE
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Chiediaka
Upcoming singer, Esther Chiamaka Chiediaka, is a gospel singer with style. Recently, she celebrated the presentation of her album with notable stars like Yinka Davies, Lisa C, among others, present at the event. In an interview with Saturday Sun she spoke on her passion for singing as a calling, why she entitled her album Oba Ogo, and how she intends to take her music beyond the shores of our land. The Ohafia, Abia State-born singer further spoke on the secret of her marital bliss and marriage generally.
What actually inspired you to become a singer?
Initially I never thought of going into music because I have been acting in a drama group called Parkers Heritage which, was a ministry. There I won two awards. One of the movies in which I featured was Forgotten People. In fact, it was after I joined my church choir that the passion for singing professionally developed. So, I released my first album entitled Oba Ogo, a single with six others like I Will Sing, I surrender, Receive My Praise, He Is Lord and Everything To Me.
What is the message in the song entitled Oba Ogo?
It is basically a song of praise exhaulting God. It is just about lifting and appreciating God for who He is. It is a message reminding people about the greatest God in heaven and He is mightier than the mightiest. God rules in the affairs of men. I also go out on evangelism preaching to people about God on a daily basis except when I am occupied with other activities. I don’t relent in announcing to them that we have the rules of God.They live their lives without being cautious about God. They live their lives the way that pleases them without considering eternity, which is supposed to be on the mind of every Christian. Nobody knows when the rapture will take place, so it is advisable we do the will of God and stay away from sin. Though it is not easy but as a true Christian, repentance should be our watchword. I sing gospel music. The genre of the single track entitled Oba Ogo is pop mixed with African beats. I also sing jazz and R&B gospel genre of music.
How has your career as a gospel singer affected your life positively?
I didn’t know singing was a calling from God because I took it as a talent throughout the 10 years of my training where I learnt so much about singing. I wrote so many songs but I felt discouraged writing because it was fruitless. So, I stopped writing songs and concentrated more on the realization of my dream as one of the notable gospel artistes in the music industry by making a difference with an album.
What were you doing before you ventured into music?
I was working with an oil and gas company for some years as an administrator at the facility unit of the company, before I received the call of God for singing. Since I had passion for it, I had to leave my job because I cannot question God. It is one thing to earn a living and another to have a life, and I have found life which is happiness singing praises to God.
Are you married?
I am happily married to the love of my life.
How did you meet your husband and what is the secret of a successful union?
We met on December 26, 1996 precisely at a friend’s place when he visited the family. After the introduction, we started talking and eventually became friends. We courted for few years and to the glory of God we got married knowing we have found love. In fact, it has been wonderful being together. We celebrated our 12th marriage anniversary in August last year and our union is blessed with three wonderful kids. I appreciate God because He is behind every successful marriage because without God, the enemy may destroy what you have built for years. Another weapon is having love, tolerance and especially staying away from gossips, and wrong advisers. I also want to implore women especially to distinguish themselves by being employed or self-employed to support their family, because that is another way to earn respect from your husband. And there should be determination of building your family in a way that would be an example to others. Though every union suffers rough edges because you are from different backgrounds, but with all these virtues, you will have a successful marriage that would be the envy of others.
What were the challenges you encountered recording your album?
Finance was the major problem because it is not cheap recording a song considering the amount paid for studio sections and rehearsals. Again, as a mother with children, it is not easy writing songs when you have children around you. In fact, I was always busy but I try to manage the home front with my musical career because they are very imperative aspect of my life.
What is your philosophy of life?
Everybody is a divine investment from God because God created us with a purpose. You have to discover who you are to enable you to follow your footprint in life.
What are your future prospects?
I hope to make a name in the Nigerian music industry and beyond with my latest single, Oba Ogo because the song is centred on giving hope to the hopeless. Many have testified how the song has touched their lives in different ways. However, I intend to release more albums in the nearest future.
Call for papers on modern Nigerian theatre
By HENRY AKUBUIRO
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Original and well-researched articles are invited from interested scholars and researchers for a proposed book to be entitled “Modern Theatrical, Cultural and Entertainment Marketing in Nigeria”. This book hopes to bridge the theoretical and practical gaps in Theatre marketing and Management studies in Nigeria with essays and topics in broad areas of Theatre, Entertainment, Media and Cultural Marketing, including Tourism, Arts Management and Administration.
The areas of paper contribution may include but not limited to the following: Concept and Nature of Theatre Marketing, Theatre Audience Cultivation and Development, Publicity, Advertising and Public Relations in the Theatre, The Concept of Consumerism in entertainment marketing, Entertainment Branding, Events Marketing and Management, Production Sponsorship, Partnership & Collaboration in Producing Theatrical Shows, Facility/Hall Management, Revenue Generation in Theatre, Staff and Personnel Management & Training, Marketing Management, Direct Marketing, Theatre Marketing Research, Tourism Management & Marketing, Proposal Packaging, Entrepreneurship in the Arts, Film Distribution and Marketing, Hospitality Management & Marketing, Arts and Culture Management and Administration, etc.
Each article must be an original work of the author and not yet published anywhere else. Every interested contributor is encouraged to first send an abstract of not more than 250 words on or before March 30th, 2012. Please adhere to the following instructions, too: 1.
Each essay should be accompanied by an abstract of about 150-250 words. 2. Manuscripts, which should not exceed 20 pages, should be typed double-spaced with an A4 format and Times New Roman 12 point font size. 3. Except when absolutely necessary, photographs and heavy graphic works should be avoided. 4. Title of paper, the full name, address, current status and institutional affiliation of the author, as well as email address and phone number should be written on a separate page attached. Information are also to be reflected in your initial abstract to the editors. 5. Footnotes to the text should be avoided. It is essential that documentation conforms to the new MLA style with parenthetical citations in the text followed by Works Cited at the end of the paper. 6. Receipt of papers will be acknowledged. All full papers must reach the editors on or before May 30th, 2012. 7. Two hard copies and one virus-free soft copy on a CD can be forwarded to the editors or sent as MS Word e-mail attachments to the editors. 8. Acceptance of papers shall be based on positive reports by assessors and the timely execution of necessary amendments or corrections by the authors concerned.
All essays, correspondence and enquiries should please be forwarded to the following: Prof Sunday Enessi Ododo, Department of Theatre Arts & Music, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri; Dr Sola Fosudo, Department of Theatre Arts, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos.
Igbo culture and Jewish Origin
By HENRY AKUBUIRO
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Perhaps no other ethic group in Nigeria has been sold to acculturation than the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. With great pride, they have imbibed western culture, relegating theirs to the background.
The book, Igbo Kwenu, by George Ojingwa, the 70-year-old elder, is a compelling research on the Igbo people, covering a variety of interesting subjects peculiar to his people, including the history of the Igbo, their family life, customs and tradition, local administration and cultural dresses.
With great finesse, the author delves into the contentious issue of Igbo/Jewish connection with biblical references to lend credence to his contention that, indeed, the Igbo are an offspring of the Jewish race. Adding fresh insight into the issue, he equally quoted from relevant Igbo scholarship on the Semitic genesis.
Going through the book, many post-war Igbo would ashamedly come to the realization that they have lost touch with their traditional heritage. While not glamorizing outlandish shibboleths, the author draws attention to the Igbo matrix in a bid to educate the Igbo on the beauty of their traditions and, ultimately, stir their Igboness.
In the first chapter “The Igbo, a Brief History”, Ojingwa goes back in time to about 2000 BC, quoting Stigmatist Okorie, who traced the origin of the Igbo to the clan of Shechnigbo domiciled in the northern tip of Negev desert, south of Jerusalem, in ancient Israel. Ojingwa adds that Shechnigbo was precisely located between Bethlehem and Hebron.
According to him, in 740 BC, when King Shalmaneser of Assyria began a three-year siege of the city of Samaria, which eventually led to its downfall and Israel’s exile, the Schechnigbo fled the north for safety. But they were part of the two faithful tribes –Benjamin and Judah –who retained their traditional worship of God.
Eventually Schechnigbo moved south to Ethiopia. Dissatisfied with the life of Ethiopians, many of them, according to the book, joined by the exiles of the Nabatea Province called the Efikdonealis, under the leadership of a man called Jabborigbo, continued moving southward into southern Sudan to the area now called northern Nigeria, arriving around 600 BC. The book details how they settled finally in southern Nigeria.
“They were light in complexion, tall and possessed knowledge and intelligence typical of the Jews. Not long after settlement in what is now Nigeria, they were joined by people from various parts of the Middle East and Africa,” writes the author (p. 3). How did their complexion change? Ojingwa provides the answer in this seminal publication. He equally provided some linguistic, spiritual and cultural evidences to drive home the Igbo-Jewish affinity.
The “Family Life of the Igbo”, which occupies the second chapter of Igbo Kwenu, addresses various subtopics such as The Family (Ezi-na-ulo), Marriage (Alum-di-na-nwunye), Child marriage (Di Nwanta), Aesthetics (Iru Mgbede), Suitable Bride (Icho Nwunye), Consent (Nkwekota), Pathfinding (Mmanya Ajuju), Confirmation (Mmanya Nlalezi), Ripe for Marriage (Nwam Etola), Requirements or Lists (Ihe Ogugu), Recognizing the Dead (Nludu Nwanyi) and Mother’s Rite (Ivu Efere).
The chapter also includes all the rites in Igbo land associated with traditional marriage, child birth, multiple births, new baby reception, circumcision, naming ceremony, divorce, celebrating motherhood, birth control death, burial requirements, among others.
The third chapter “Customs and Traditions” details more aspects of the Igbo ways of life. Issues covered here include the gods of the land, Shrine, Mbari, Sacrifice, the Osu Caste System (what makes man an osu, the discrimination against them, as well as the Igbo and the osu challenge in contemporary society), Slave, Ume (class of the untouchables), Kola nut Presentation, Hunting, Age Grade Feast, Truce, Farming, New Yam Festival, End of Harvest Celebration, Harvest, Achiever’s Dance, Masquerade Festival, Trapping, Moonlight Life, Sexual and Social taboos, etcetera.
Before the coming of the European imperialists to Igboland, the people had an established form of local administration. This forms the nucleus of the fourth chapter. Issues treated here include the staff of office, the ofo holder (oji ofo) the King, Igbo Title Holder (Nze-na-ozo), the Governing Council, Democracy, Age Group, Land Ownership, the Calendar (Igu Afor), Market Days, Public Maintenance, Palm Fruit Harvest Control, Livestock Control, Meetings, Conferences Consultations, and stuffs like that.
The various cultural dresses associated with the Igbo are treated in the fourth chapter –from post-natal cover cloth to Igbo national dress. In the “Epilogue”, which is the concluding chapter, Ojingwa emphasizes Igbo unity. According to the author, “Separatism founded on siege mentality that erupts in confrontation with everything non-Igbo is no road. It will lead to isolation, political arthritis and, hence, defeat” (p. 148).
For every Igbo man and those in Diaspora, Igbo Kwenu is a must-have. Besides, it is a most useful book for those interested in cultural studies of Nigerian peoples. George Ojingwa has done an astounding work on the Igbo nation, which will surely reverberate across scholarship.
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