Fire Outbreak Kills Woman, 5-year-old Baby

Sullivan Chime, Enugu State Governor

By Silvanus

It was a tragic day in Enugu Monday following an explosion from suspected adulterated kerosene which ignited fire and in the process claimed the lives of a nursing mother and  her five-year-old daughter, and leaving others, including her husband and a three-months-baby in critical condition.

The woman, Mrs. Nkechi Ozuku, and her daughter, Nnenna, had died at about 11 a. m. at the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu following severe burns they sustained in the fire incident that was ignited at their building from the lantern.

Her husband, Emmanuel Ozuku, and a three-months-old baby, Chinemerem, lay critical on the hospital bed and were wrapped in bandages when THISDAY visited the hospital yesterday afternoon.

Narrating the incident, which was said to have occurred on Sunday night, elder brother of the victim, Francis Ozuku, said it followed from an attempt by Nkechi to add kerosene to the lantern they lit after power supply was severed by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

“Immediately, there was an explosion and fire engulfed the entire building.The entire thing covered Nkechi and the children, while my younger brother, Emma, who was already in bed could not find an escape route,” Francis said.

He added that he had run to his brother’s house at No 12b Aguabo road, Iva Valley, on hearing the  explosion, stressing that the prompt response of neighbours had saved the entire building from being razed.

According to Francis, he had seen his brother home that night after they attended a meeting, adding that the incident took place at about 10.00 p. m.

He said through the assistance of neighbours, they were able to take the victims to the hospital, lamenting that the incident was a big blow to him.

He said he suspected that the kerosene said to have been purchased in one of the filling stations in the area on Friday was adulterated.

Returning pilgrims’ aircraft crash-lands in Kano

KANO—A Yola bound chartered aircraft with about 500 Nigerian pilgrims and other cabin crew members on board from Saudi Arabia Monday crash-landed at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport when one of its tyres burst while on emergency landing.

The aircraft named after late President Umaru Yar’Adua, Vanguard learnt, is a Boeing 747 Jumbo jet with registration number 5N-DBM belonging to Max Air, one of the official airlines hired for this year’s Hajj.

Eyewitness told Vanguard that the plane made an emergency landing at the airport by 3.00am, adding that the pilgrims survived through divine intervention, with no life lost as the plane wobbled to a halt.

Vanguard learnt that passangers who panicked throughout the period of uncertainty were seen in prostrate position around the tarmac after hurriedly disembarking from the aircraft as chants of Allahu Akbar (God is Great) rent the air.

Media Consultant to the airline, Dahiru Ibrahim, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with Vanguard, saying, ‘’It was not an emergency landing. The aircraft lost four tyres while landing at the airport but I want to make it very clear that it was not an emergency landing as being speculated in some quarters.

‘’The pilot decided to land at the Kano Airport because aeroplanes can- not land at night at the Yola Airport. The passengers were expected to disembark in broad day light.’’

Aviation engineers were seen around noon yesterday fixing new tyres to the aircraft.

Posted by: Silvanus Lagos

PDP finally stops Sylva

The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday finally scuttled the aspiration of Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, to run for a second time on its ticket.

 

The party released its "final batch" of cleared aspirants for the November 19 governorship primaries on Sunday, and the name of Sylva was not included.

 

Rather, his name made the list of disqualified aspirants that included the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Timi Alaibe; Chairman of Silverbird Group, Mr. Ben Murray Bruce; and the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Igali Godknows Boladet.

Reacting to the PDP verdict on Sunday, Sylva said the action of the party was against his fundamental human right to vote and be voted for as a full member of the party. He also said there were attempts to arrest him on trumped-up treasonable charges.

 

"The story is that there is a tape in which he threatened to kill President (Goodluck) Jonathan," a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, said.

 

Bruce also said the decision of the PDP was unfair to him but that he had accepted the judgment. He assured his supporters that though he might not have the opportunity to become governor again, he remained committed to the fight for free and affordable education, quality healthcare, development of the agricultural sector and the dignity of the people of Bayelsa State.

 

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, made available to journalists in Abuja, reads, "The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has concluded the review of the reports of the Screening Committee and Screening Appeal panel for the governorship primaries in Bayelsa State scheduled to hold on November 19, 2011.

 

"After a thorough review of the two reports, and after a painstaking examination of all the issues raised about each and every aspirant, the NWC has cleared seven out of the 11 aspirants that purchased forms to contest for the primaries.

 

"Those who were cleared and shall contest the governorship primaries are the following: Orufa Justine Boloubo, Dickson Seriake Henry, Enai Christopher Fullpower, Kalango Michael Youppele, Francis Amaebi, Ekiyegha Francis Korobido and Austin Febo.

 

"However, in this last and final batch, four of the aspirants did not scale through the party screening process and have therefore not been cleared to contest the primaries.

 

"Those not cleared are: Timi Alaibe, Ben Bruce, Timipre Sylva, and Igali Godknows Boladet."

The statement added that no further name would be released and that the decision by the party’s NWC on the list of those cleared was the final.

 

It said that all cleared aspirants would be issued with final clearance certificates to enable them stand for the primaries.

 

The PDP statement appeared to have put the final seal on the fate of the embattled governor’s second-term ambition on the platform of the party that brought him to power in 2007.

Sylva’s travail started on November 1 when the PDP ignored the governor in its first batch of cleared aspirants in the primaries.

 

Barely 24 hours after, lobbyists for Sylva, including his fellow governors and other chieftains of the PDP, stormed the Presidential Villa in Abuja to plead with Jonathan to give him a safe passage to second tenure.

 

Also, few hours after releasing the second batch of aspirants without Sylva’s name, federal lawmakers from Bayelsa wrote to tell the NWC of the PDP that it had no power to withhold the clearance of the governor to contest the primaries.

 

The lawmakers, made up of the three Senators from the state and four, out of five, members in the House of Representatives, said in their letter to the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, that since the governor had been screened and cleared by the screening panel, the party did not possess any power to withhold his name among those cleared to contest for the party’s ticket.

 

They said the NWC was already over-exercising its powers as stipulated in the party’s constitution.

Sylva was believed to have entered the bad book of the President in the run up to the 2011 presidential race when he was alleged to have surreptitiously backed another candidate against his kinsman.

The embattled governor had openly denied the allegation and claimed that it was the handiwork of his political enemies.

 

Curiously, the governorship screening committee for Bayelsa State had issued Sylva a Provisional Clearance Certificate which he brandished when flagging off his second term campaign in Yenagoa.

But the PDP in the statement on Sunday said, "For the avoidance of doubt, and in line with the provisions of our guidelines for primary elections, no aspirant can or should use a provisional certificate as a basis for unilaterally declaring himself or herself as a candidate of the party for the governorship election in Bayelsa State."

The statement by Sylva’s aide on Sunday reads, ""The attention of Chief Timipre Sylva, Governor of Bayelsa State, has been drawn to a statement by the NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party, disallowing him from participating in the governorship primaries scheduled for Saturday, 18 November 2011.

 

"Governor Sylva considers it disturbing that his full membership of the PDP is being abridged.

"In particular, his fundamental right to vote and be voted for has been trampled upon by his own party, a party he has contributed so much in building. Consequently, Sylva and his supporters are reviewing the NWC decision.

 

"Sylva notes that the NWC decision does not annul his membership of the PDP. As Governor of Bayelsa State under the platform of the PDP, Sylva remains the leader of the party in the state. As a loyal party person, he will participate in all party activities.

 

"Similarly, Sylva wishes to bring to the attention of the public reports alleging that there are attempts to arrest him on trumped-up treasonable felony charges.

 

"The story is that there is a tape in which he threatened to kill President Goodluck Jonathan. This is completely false.

 

"At no time did Sylva threatened to kill President Jonathan. He has no reason whatsoever to wish the president or any other person dead.

 

"Sylva enjoins the people of Bayelsa State, especially his numerous supporters to remain calm, law-abiding and hopeful.

"The people of Bayelsa State shall prevail."

Posted by: Silvanus. Lagos

Achebe’s rejection of national awards wrong – Jonathan

Prof. Chinua Achebe

 

 WHY PROF. CHINUA ACHEBE REJECTED NATIONAL AWARD.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday faulted renown author, Prof. Chinua Achebe, over the reason he gave for rejecting the national honour offered him by the Federal Government.

 

Jonathan had earlier offered Achebe a national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic.

He is billed to be awarded the national honour alongside some other notable Nigerians in Abuja on Monday (today).

 

But in rejecting the honour, Achebe was quoted as saying that the issues that made him to reject a similar honour from the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo about seven years ago remained unresolved.

 

Achebe’s decision to reject the latest national honour was contained in a statement he issued on Saturday.

 

The statement read, "The reasons for rejecting the offer ‘national honour’ when it was first made have not been addressed let alone solved. It is inappropriate to offer it again to me. I must therefore regretfully decline the offer again."

 

But presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a statement on Sunday, said the President regretted Achebe’s decision to once again reject the national honour.

 

Abati said Jonathan was also surprised by the author’s claim that the issues which informed his decision to reject the same award seven years ago, still remained unresolved.

 

The statement said, "Coming as it does, against the background of the widely acclaimed electoral reforms undertaken by the Jonathan administration, the claim by Prof. Achebe clearly flies in the face of the reality of Nigeria’s current political situation."

 

The president’s spokesman added that as reflected in the improvement recorded in the conduct of the last general elections, which were applauded within and outside the country as the most credible elections in Nigeria in recent years, the administration had made tremendous efforts to positively change the political architecture complained about by Achebe and other Nigerians.

 

He said, "Politically, Nigeria cannot be said to be where it was in 2004 as the Jonathan administration has embarked on extensive electoral reforms to institute a regime of electoral integrity that all Nigerians can be proud of, believing that governance will be greatly enhanced in the country if the will of the people prevails at elections.

 

"While President Jonathan acknowledges that there are still challenges in the path of Nigeria’s attainment of its full potentials as a nation, he believes that his administration is moving the country in the right direction and therefore deserves the support, encouragement and cooperation of all citizens."

Abati said the President continued to hold Achebe in very high esteem in spite of his "regrettable decision" which he said might have been borne out of "misinformation as to the true state of affairs in Nigeria."

Posted by: Silvanus Chimobi. Lagos.

Ojukwu’s birthday: Politics at play?

The celebration of the 78th birthday of Igbo leader Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu last weekend in Enugu saw politicians of various political persuasions jostling for attention, reports CHRIS OJI.    

It was a befitting celebration of the 78th birthday of  former Biafran leader Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu last weekend. It was at his Casabianca country home in Enugu, Enugu State.

The organiser and sponsor of the event, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, who is also the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), had earlier warned politicians not to play politics with the  celebration.

Uwazuruike, who at a pre-birthday press conference had said that  Ojukwu’s name is an asset to any Igbo politician, and warned that the  celebration should not be turned into an arena for political negotiations,  advised that the occasion should be seen as spiritual with a view to offering prayers for his quick recovery now that he is lying ill outside the country.

To live up to that pla, interdenominational services were held simultaneously in all the South East and South South states. The home of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) leader, was swarmed by clergy men of different Christian denominations. There were no fewer than 40 men of God, including bishops and monsignors who struggled for  space at the makeshift altar. 

The MASSOB leader enjoined eminent personalities, particularly the governors, irrespective of their political leanings, and to all Ndigbo all over the world to join in the 78th birthday celebration and offer prayers for Ojukwu. He also enjoined those who may be indisposed to contribute their prayers wherever they are from 12 pm to 12.15 pm on Friday November 4, 2011 to offer just 15 minutes prayers for the ailing former Biafran leader.

Uwazuruike also tried not to reduce the  celebration to an all MASSOB affair as he disclosed that  Ojukwu is a great son of Ndigbo and “is a different Igbo leader. Unlike other Igbo leaders, he has a platform, he has Biafra, he has MASSOB and he has Uwazuruike.”

The birthday was a  success as almost every inch of space in the vast compound of Casabianca Lodge was occupied by humans. Those outside, far outnumbered those within. One of the most popular gospel musicians in the South East, Felix Ndukwe, provided live renditions of new songs of Biafra and Ojukwu which he said, would be released before the end of  November.

Various traditional dancers were in attendance; prominent among them were the popular war dancers common among the people of old Bende Division in Abia State and the acrobatic Nkpokiti dance from Umunze, Anambra State. Everybody present was ecstatic as they simultaneously provided musical entertainment.

However, with the exception of Senator Uche Chukwumerije, it appeared that members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boycotted the occasion. At least, all the five Southeast governors were expected to grace the occasion as the chief hosts. And the presence of Governors Peter Obi of Anambra State and Imo’s Rochas Okorocha made it look like an All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) affair.

The other governors were absent. None sent in a representative. The scenario provided a cheap platform for the APGA governors to score major political points, but they never took the advantage. Obi who spoke only dwelt on the pitiable position of Ndigbo in present-day Nigeria as he recalled the position of Ndigbo in the past and asked where the place of Ndigbo in Nigeria is, at present. He insisted that Nigeria, today, stands on the past achievements of Ndigbo, adding that it was the Igbos who spearheaded the independence of Nigeria.

He recalled that in academics, the Igbos excelled, recalling that the first Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof. Kenneth Dike, was an Igbo, and that of the University of Lagos then, Prof. Eni Njoku.

Obi also recalled that the first president, vice-president, senate president of Nigeria were all Igbos including the first Army General and military Head of State. He added that the first Nigerian graduate soldier was an Igbo “and that is the man we are celebrating today.” 

Obi further posited that the first man to live in Ikoyi was an Igbo and that was the father of Chief Ojukwu, adding that it was his Rolls Royce car that was used in driving around Queen Elizabeth of England when she visited Nigeria in the 50s. He urged Ndigbo to rise up and take a pre-eminent position in the country.

Obi finally threw in an innuendo, ostensibly to those who “shied” away from the birthday of the great son of Igboland: “We should not be ashamed of Ojukwu. If he is not the greatest son of Igboland, at least, he is one of the greatest.” According to him, it was Ojukwu who saw the threat of extinction facing Ndigbo and rose to the occasion to halt it, adding: “Every true Igbo must be proud of Ojukwu.”

One significant thing about the occasion was that Chief Victor Umeh was  presented as the authentic chairman of the APGA. Other claimants to the control of the party were “unavoidably” absent. Umeh was seen taking control of everything while relating well with two APGA governors present.

The organiser of the celebration, Uwazuruike, did not make any comment at the occasion,  lest it be seen as a MASSOB affair. Rather, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu, Rt.  Reverend Emmanuel Chukwuma brought Uwazuruike to the rostrum and declared him the Okenwa (great son) of Igboland.  

The bishop told the large crowd of how Uwazuruike saved Ojukwu’s wife from being driven out of Casabianca Lodge by some elements who once declared Ojukwu dead. The persons, whom he did not name, arrived and asked Ojukwu’s wife to pack her bag and baggage because they “were the heirs to Ojukwu.”

“But Uwazuruike got the wind and immediately mobilised and dispatched MASSOB members who came to the rescue of the woman and secured the house. You people have not heard this story. I am just telling it to you now,” said Bishop Chukwuma amid thunderous applause.

And when Uwazuruike was asked to give a vote of thanks, he insisted that it was Ojukwu’s wife, Bianca who should do that. Bianca climbed the rostrum, Uwazuruike stood beside her as she addressed the crowd in an unblemished Igbo dialect. Bianca continually praised Uwazuruike all-through. Always referring to him as Okenwa, she told the crowd that comprised the publisher of Champion Newspaper, Chief Emmanuel 

Iwuanyanwu; former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige; former governor of Imo state, Chief 

Ikedi Ohakim; former Central Bank governor, Prof. Charles Soludo and  Umeh, that it was Uwazuruike who single-handed planned and organised the 78th birthday celebration of her husband.

She told the cheering crowd that “Ezeigbo (Ojukwu) is home-sick. He is eager to come back home because he loves Nigeria and his people. It is a miracle that after almost one year, Ezeigbo fought and said no to death.

 “He has shown that he is a true General by his determination to live. Even the hospital workers in London refer to him as General whenever he visits for routine check.”

Bianca gave praises to God for keeping her husband alive and submitted that it was through the prayers of the people that God mercifully granted him life up till this day.

She said: “If my husband were to be here and see this crowd, he would definitely jump out of his sick bed. He would have been totally healed.”

She thanked President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife for their concern over the health of Ojukwu by keeping in constant touch with them in London. More of the thanks went to Governor Obi whom she said, sponsored the London trip and was always in London to see the ailing leader.

Justice for Michael Jackson

 Finally, the pop star’s doctor suffers for his professional wrong

Michael Jackson, the pop icon who died of drug overdose on June 25, 2009, finally had justice on November 7 when a Los Angeles court jury convicted Conrad Robert Murray, the late Jackson’s physician, of involuntary manslaughter.  He was convicted of pumping his patient, who suffered from acute insomnia, full of Propofol, an anaesthesia only permitted for use in surgical chambers.

Katherine, the late Jackson’s mother,  grunted, “I feel better now” as she emerged from the courtroom, amid loud celebration by the pop icon’s fans outside. Dr. Murray sat stoic and expressionless as the jury pronounced the guilty verdict. He was led away in handcuffs even as he watched his daughter weep.

The facts that emerged from the trial proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Dr. Murray professionally erred in his relationship with the late Jackson.  For one, he was, as the Americans would say, in the hole for some US $780, 000 in sundry debts: court judgments against his medical practice in Las Vegas, outstanding mortgage payments and child support for some of his seven children, that he had by six women.  The causes of the debt alone, particularly court fines and alimonies, established a trend of loose living and professional remiss that further, ab initio, damned the doctor, even if his innocence was presumed.

Being in such financial hole would therefore appear to have made him desperate to cling to the job; and therefore left him rather helpless to resist the rather suicidal demand by Michael Jackson, hankering after dangerous, if not lethal sedatives, just to combat his insomnia.  

Well, Dr. Murray got his due dessert, is bound for jail for a maximum of four years and may have his doctor’s licence revoked, which is like a life sentence in poverty.  Still, below the societal rage and ululation of conviction, Dr. Murray is at best a fall guy for being the final trigger of Michael Jackson’s death.

Right from the cradle, Jackson was abused through and through.  Joe Jackson, his father, spared no effort, including plain cruelty, to forge his poor son into a money-spinning machine.  Joe’s legendary iron discipline, which bordered on cruelty, was a subject of domestic tiff within the Jackson family, with the Jackson siblings, who morphed into the famous Jackson 5 and later The Jacksons, eventually backing their mum against their all-mighty dad.  

By setting his mind on the commercial success for his sons, the elder Jackson effectively robbed his musical genius son of his childhood.  That mercantilist spirit effectively turned Jackson into a mega-buck machine, which commercial interests exploited to the full.  Though he sparkled and dazzled, and his music and lyrics showed a tender soul that craved love and compassion for humanity, Black, White or Yellow, those he cared for so much only craved for the fortune they could get from that music machine with a wondrous voice and magical dance feet.  

So, Dr. Murray might have been complicit in fatally mistreating Jackson’s insomnia.  But those who drove him into that condition are even guiltier than the fall guy.  Still, even in death, Jackson remains a cash cow, at least to old Joe.  His father has brushed his grief aside to sue Dr. Murray in a wrongful death suit, from which he claims unspecified damages! 

The prompt trial of Dr. Murray is a lesson to the Nigerian criminal-justice system.  In six weeks, the society has got justices – and transparently so.  Such speed and impersonal rigour is highly recommended for these climes, where justice is almost always denied because it is almost always delayed.

Nigeria/Botswana Friendly: Keshi to join Super Eagles today

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi could not travel to Benin with the squad yesterday as he stayed behind in Abuja for his contract signing ceremony with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday.
There is only one scheduled daily flight from Abuja to Benin, and the unveiling of the coach, planned to start at 12 noon and last 90 minutes, is not expected to finish on time for him to make that flight.
The rest of the squad leave without the coach.
There was no training in Benin  yesterday, but regular sessions will start again today.
Kickoff time for Saturday’s match up against Botswana is 5pm.