Museum To Celebrate Martin Luther King’ Day Jan. 28

Mr Amos Olorunnipa, the Curator, National Museum of Unity, Ibadan, says the museum will be celebrating Martin Luther King Junior's day on January 28 in Ibadan.

Oloronnipa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ibadan, that the office would join the rest of the world to celebrate the day for stakeholders.

Olorunnipa expressed delight at the exploits of King, especially the stopping of segregation between whites and blacks in the United States of America.

"We want to remember that someone did such a great work for us and left a legacy for people to follow.

"Martin Luther made people to know that both whites and blacks are equal and created by God, there should be no discrimination.

"We want to let people know that one can lay his or her life for one's country; If he could do that, we too can," he said.

The curator used the occasion to invite all stakeholders, especially the youths and school children, stressing that the aim was to inculcate the knowledge of Luther's works to them.

"There will be a lecture on the achievements of Martin as it relates to culture. There will also be a pictorial exhibition of his works, as well as gallery exhibition. So, we encourage them to come," Olorunnipa said. (NAN)

Source: LEADERSHIP
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Is Buhari Sick? YES, BUHARI IS SICK; AND SO AM I By Vitus Ozoke

Nigerians and their infinite capacity for facile propaganda.

I wake up this morning and what I see all over social media is some poor taste, childish diagnosis of Major General Buhari as
being sick.

Well, I agree. I agree that Buhari is sick. I am sick, too. Any Nigerian who is not sick is not sick because he or she is incurably sick. We are all sick. And we should be sick. So, yes,...

...Buhari is sick of the monumental corruption that has become institutionalised in Nigeria.

...Buhari is sick of the incompetence of a government that cannot protect the lives and properties of its citizens.

...Buhari is sick of the lack of a sense of urgency in the circles of government in Nigeria.

...Buhari is sick of a country that has placed itself on permanent reverse gear.

...Buhari is sick of a country that has left itself naked as it is raped dry by vagabonds in power.

...Buhari is sick of a youth population without jobs.

...Buhari is sick of a country where university education has become comparable to 8th grade competence in advanced civilizations.

...Buhari is sick of a country where roads are death traps.

...Buhari is sick of a country where people go into political offices near poor, but turn stupendously wealthy overnight.

...Buhari is sick of a country where education is priced beyond the reach of the common masses.

...Buhari is sick of a country where $20 Billion (possibly $40 Billion) of public fund develops legs and walks away, its whereabouts knowingly unknown.

...Buhari is sick of watching the country he loves ranked at the bottom of corruption index by Transparency International Buhari is sick of a country that earns billions of dollars in oil
revenue, yet has not a single functional oil refinery.

...Buhari is sick of a country where government has bowed to the dictates of power generator cabals in a conspiracy that ensures perpetual darkness.

...Buhari is sick of a country where senators and congressmen earn more than the president of the United States of America.

...Buhari is sick of a country where soldiers are so demoralized to confront a ragtag Boko Haram terror sect.

...Buhari is sick of a country where convicted looters are pardoned and fast tracked for senate positions.

...Buhari is sick of a country where life expectancy is among the lowest in the world.

...Buhari is sick of a country that is on international news for all the wrong reasons.

So, yes, Buhari is sick; and so am I.

The question is: why is Jonathan not sick as well? Why has Jonathan remained healthy in the face of all the above-listed filth and diseases?

Another question is: why is not every Nigerian sick of all the social maladies and existential outbreaks? It is a time to be sick, my friends. Buhari is; I am. Are you?

Let's all get sick of where and how Nigeria is. Let's get real sick. And the sicker we are, the healthier we are going to be. Let's schedule a doctor's visit on February 14. Let's not forget our health insurance card (voter card) as we go for this February appointment. We need to feel better. But until February 14, let's feel sick...

____________________________
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...Real sick!..............VITUS OZOKE is resident in the US and a Prof. at Salisbury University.
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APC Rejects Interim Govt, Election Postponement Plot

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it will neither accept an interim government nor a postponement of next month's elections as being advocated by certain individuals, saying the elections must hold as scheduled on February 14 and 28, 2015.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC warned that any attempt to scuttle the polls in preference for any other arrangement will be resisted by all available constitutional means.

"We are aware that those who are not comfortable with the turning of the political tide in favour of the opposition ahead of the elections are scheming to abort a possible victory for our party, through either an interim government or a postponement of the elections.

"These enemies of Nigeria include those who are worried by the strong anti-corruption stance of our party and its avowed commitment to good governance, and those who favour the status quo of anything goes, bad governance and massive corruption that have left Nigerians deeply pauperised and traumatised,'' it said.

APC said those who may consider the two scenarios of interim government and postponement of the elections as outlandish should consider the published but yet-unrefuted statement by one Deji Adeyanju, said to be an official in the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe.

The party quoted Adeyanju, who handles Dr. Okupe's Twitter Account, as saying in a Blackberry Messenger (BBM) statement:
"Buhari can never be President of Nigeria. Quote me any day any time. Instead of Buhari to become President of Nigeria, Nigeria would rather break. A military coup will even be allowed than for Buhari to become the President of a democratic Nigeria quote me any day, any time."

It said that since the statement has not been refuted, one can safely conclude that it represents the thinking in the presidency circle.

''If a citizen is advocating a military coup against a sitting government just to prevent a supposed election victory of the opposition, it is nothing short of treason. Yet, the security agencies that have been falling over themselves warning against incendiary and inciting statements have not yet swung into action over this inciting statement. This is not encouraging vis-a-vis the non-partisan stand of the security agencies," it added.

''The truth is that what could as well be a Freudian slip by Adeyanju has exposed the depth of panic and desperation in the presidency ahead of next month's polls. This has also confirmed that those who have been canvassing, either openly or otherwise, the options of interim government or postponement of the elections, are working at the behest of certain forces,'' APC said.

The party therefore called on Nigerians to be vigilant and be ready to do everything under the law to protect the nation's democracy, imperfect as it may be.

It also alerted the international community to the evil machinations of desperate politicians ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

''Our stand is simple but needs to be restated: The 2015 general elections must hold as scheduled all over Nigeria, and our party is ready for the elections. As we stated earlier, we will only accept the outcome of a free, fair, credible and transparent elections, not that of manipulated polls. We will also not agree to the postponement of next month's elections under any guise, and an interim arrangement plot is totally unacceptable to us. We challenge the ruling PDP to also state its own stand on next month's polls for the world to note.

''We also challenge the presidency to state its own stand and to also distance itself from the anarchic and treasonable statement by one of its own over the forthcoming polls,'' APC said.
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February Polls: Long-term Investments Suffer Major Setback

As preparations for the country's general election heat up across the country, long-term investment is suffering a major hit with investors adopting a precautionary stance.

LEADERSHIP investigations show that local and foreign investors are being cautious about making long-term investments because of the forthcoming general election among other issues confronting Nigeria's macro-economic environment.

This stance, they maintain, is due to the perceived uncertainty over the outcome of the coming elections, particularly the presidential poll. They argue that long-term investment requires stable political and macro-economic environment to thrive. Discerning investors are usually wary to make investment decisions during periods of general election because they are usually characterised by instability and uncertainty.

Another reason for the lull, analysts maintain, is because funds which come mainly from government have been channeled into electioneering activities, thus leaving less room for investment decisions.

According to the director-general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, the political transition process has far reaching implications for the economy. Political and social stability are critical factors driving investor confidence and investment in the country.

Noting that new investors in the country would like to wait to see the outcome of the election, Yusuf said: "The heightened tempo of electioneering activities has led to injection of significant amount of funds into the economy through various channels of political campaign finance.

"The main sources of the funds are state funds, funds provided by candidates contesting elections, political party funds and proceeds of corruption. Some segments of the economy have benefited tremendously from these spending. They include the media houses, logistics providers for political rallies, printers of posters and banners, crowd mobilisation contractors, and hotels in major cities because of the itinerant nature of politicians at this time."

He pointed out that there is also the aspect of spending that is undertaken by the electoral body, INEC, pointing at procurement of ballot papers, ballot boxes, vehicles for logistics, and various printing jobs among others. Suppliers of these materials would be major beneficiaries of the current political transition expenditure, while there will also be job creation through the recruitment of numerous ad-hoc staff, he noted
All these, he said, would impact the economy positively, especially where such procurements are done locally.

He, however, noted that governance at all levels of government had slowed down as political leaderships are engrossed in electioneering campaigns.

"Important matters requiring approvals of the political leadership may not get the right attention at this time. Investments and projects that are dependent on such approvals will experience some challenges at this time," he said.

"Political transition periods come with possibilities of changes in government in power, changes in individuals occupying political positions, changes in policy direction and changes in priorities of government.

"These possibilities increase the political risk of investment during periods of political transition. Investors will, therefore, be very cautious in taking major investment decisions until after the elections."

The managing director of APT Securities and Funds Ltd, Garba Kurfi, said that the nation's bourse had been experiencing high volatility and unpredictable fluctuations due to the forthcoming elections and over reliance on foreign investors, pointing out that investors, especially foreign ones, are waiting to see the outcome of the elections.

He added that there would a boom in the cement industry after the election, as about nine new state governors would want to embark on infrastructure development as key project.

He asserted that economic activities, by both local and foreign investors, would be determined by the outcome of the elections.
Head of Research at Sterling Capital, Sewa Wusu, while hoping for a smooth transition following the February general election, noted that investors had become cautious in investing in the country ahead of the elections.

Although he did not give figures in terms of investment inflows into the country, he said the political tension in the country had heightened investors' fear of putting their resources in the country.

"Normally, investors adopt a cautionary stance in an election year, but the increased political tension in the country has worsened the fear. We have had elections before now but this is different. Hopefully the peace pact signed recently will help reduce the tension," he stated.

In Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, especially telecommunications subsector, most of the investments expected from major telecom operators who drive the ICT industry are hanging as a result of the fear of the violence that may ensue after the general election.

Major telecom operators who normally make public their investment plans for each new year have remained silent. Also, the fear of the outcome of the elections is also being attributed as one of the reasons for stalled the 2.6 GigaHertz spectrum auction that would have taken place in December 2014, with the telecommunications regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), putting it on indefinite suspension.

Industry players say the telecom licence auction with a base price of N34.8 billion is being frustrated by lack of interest from telecom operators who have adopted a 'wait and see' attitude.

"It is unfortunate that the two licences-Broadband Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos) and the 2.6GHz are being programmed few weeks to the general election in Nigeria. No discerning investor will stake his money at this critical period. They will prefer that any telecom auction will take place after the general election," said a top official of the one leading mobile operators who does not want his name mentioned.

The NCC had planned to auction seven licences in Lagos and the six geopolitical zones since the third quarter of 2014, without success. The regulator wanted to start with pilot auctions in Lagos and North Central Zone, but the process is said to be stalling as a result of non-competitive bidding from major service providers in the country who have the bulk of investments in fibre-optic cable and copper infrastructure scattered across the country.

Source: LEADERSHIP
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Security Agencies To Deploy Over 360,000 Personnel For February Polls

Over 360,000 security operatives are expected to provide security for both man and material during the February general elections. They would be deployed by the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC). While the Nigeria Police would provide about 300,000 personnel the NSCDC would provide 60,000.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Suleiman Abba and his NSCDC counterpart, Prof Ade Abolurin made the disclosure weekend during the end of a two-day conference, with the theme: "Nigeria 2015 Elections and Beyond: Roles of State and Non-State Actors in Mitigating Violence in Elections."

The event was organised by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) in conjunction with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Abba said about 300 000 of his officers have been trained in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and development partners while Commandant General (CG), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ade Abolurin disclosed that 60, 000 of his officers will also participate in securing life and properties during the election. Abolurin also added that NSCDC has completed arrangements to import 25 sniffer dogs from the United States to detect likely explosives component at the election venues.

The Department of State Security (DSS) which was represented by an operative, Mrs. Mary Otubu however, did not disclose the number of DSS operatives earmarked for the exercise. She assured that the service would ensure safety of both the electorate and government officials.

"Policing the society has always been a challenge. All the police officers will be deployed, over 300, 000 officers will be used.

"The commonwealth has also offered to help us in that respect of training by 21st of this month. Some of the trainings are even train the trainers until it gets to the last person on their roles during the election," Abba said.

The IGP who harped on the role of the police to provide security before, during and after the election, however called on politicians to conduct themselves in manners that would not jeopardise the electoral process. He added that the Federal Government has procured non leather weapons and about 2000 patrol vehicles to ensure the police performed its duties in the election period effectively.

The police boss who also spoke on when operatives should use firearm during the poll, said the time to use lethal weapon should depend on the discretion of the officers but in compliance with the Police Act.

"It is you that will determine when to use your weapon. If your attacker aim at your head, it is left to the officer to use his weapon or not. Individual police officers shall be held responsible for misuse of firearm," Abba said.

‎ Abolurin who was represented by the Deputy Commandant General, Operations, Evan said all officers in the intelligence unit ‎of the corps would be deployed.

Source: LEADERSHIP
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Elections are just around the corner in Nigeria By Chris Idibie

Elections are just around the corner in Nigeria.

There has been so much of hurly-burly, campaigns of calumny, claims and counter claims, threats and intimidation and also pacification from different individuals and quarters.

Many individuals, including some of my lovely friends who serve on the pulpit that I knew to be angels, appearing very quiet and sanguine,
who barely speak on public issues have in recent time proved me very wrong, by revealing their true pictures that they too are radicals that can't be predicted in the manner they go about the political campaign for their candidate, particularly the campaign of calumny and hate against the political opponent of their candidate. Leaving issues to trivialities. Not too encouraging anyway.

Besides, attentively are observers and well-meaning Nigerians who are openly, secretly,
discreetly or silently weighing options, predictions and prophecies on candidatures, particularly of the presidential election. While these reflections are ongoing upon till February
14 and 15th, Shakespearean Macbeth is indirectly playing out in the minds of many, such as; would the prophecies of the supernatural powers i.e., the witches come true or not?

Would Macbeth really be deceived by the prophecies of the witches? Would there be anyone not born of a woman that can defeat
Macbeth? Would the forest of Birnam actually move to Dunsinane to prove the prophecy? Would there be 'Thane(s) of Cawdor that will betray their own? Would Macbeth really be
dressed in borrowed robes? Would Macbeth actually sell his soul to his ambition and then cause heads to roll at the end of the day? Would Macbeth be able to retain the qualities seen in him by King Duncan as a 'Valiant Cousin' and 'worthy gentleman'? Would there be any quarter or group of individuals that will cry 'foul is fair and fair is foul'?

In the midst of all these reflections, let's be wise and objective, embrace peace, shun violence and campaign of calumny, while INEC
should prove their worth as an unbiased umpire as Nigerians give the ballot box the wisdom and power to determine who leads them, so that at the end of the day as a leader emerges,
it will be a battle of the winner embracing all and all, embracing the winner, to move our country to another level of peace and prosperity.

May God help us.
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Opinion: Mrs. Buhari Will Vote For President Jonathan by Obasi Akpa

As a father of five daughters, whenever I think
of Muhammadu Buhari, what comes to my mind is a regime that was. completely insensitive to the feminine gender.

First of all, Muhammadu Buhari had an all male cabinet at the very time when the world had very good examples of the sterling nature of females in power. including the Iron Lady herself, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher of The United
Kingdom and the phenomenal Indira Gandhi of India. Does it mean that neither of these women could inspire Buhari to have included even one woman in his cabinet?

All his ministers and advisers, his Military Governors and the ambassadors he appointed were men! And to rub salt to injury, Buhari is promising to close down the office of the First Lady if he is elected! In the year 2015! Are we moving forward or backward?

President Jonathan has been campaigning and
everybody sees his wife by his side. If I may ask, where was Mrs. Buhari until recently presented for political purposes? Is she wrapped. up in seclusion somewhere? Does her complete isolation from the public personae and campaigns of her husband not indicate that he still does not think that women have a role to play in government even if is ceremonial? And nobody should tell me that it is unislamic to honour your wife with a visible place by your side.

Is Buhari more Muslim than the people of Indonesia who elected a woman to head their government in the person of Megawati Sukarnoputri?

Is Buhari more Muslim than the people of Pakistan who elected a woman to lead them in the person of the late Benazir Bhutto?

I deliberately cited Indonesia and Pakistan because they are the largest
and second largest Muslim nations in the world with deep Islamic traditions that date back to centuries. If these nations can entrust women with political power at the highest levels, why should Buhari tend to put women in the background? I dare to say that it has not escaped the attention of Mrs. Buhari that President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed more women into his cabinet and into other high positions than any other government before his.

Again, I suspect that Mrs. Buhari is not unaware of the respect and recognition which the President accords his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan. Seeing how a secure man treats his wife and seeing how she has been relegated not just to the background, but to obscurity, I have a strong feeling that Mrs. Buhari will not vote for her husband. I do think President Jonathan would score an unexpected vote from the Buhari household.

I mean, take a look at the campaign rallies of the All Progressive Congress. How many women do we see in prominent positions? Not many or not at all.

Look at the report we are reading from Taraba. On Christmas Day, we were awaken with the headline 'Taraba: Buhari rejects female APC guber candidate'. From the story, we understand that General Buhari was not comfortable with the candidacy of Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan who made history as the first woman to win a gubernatorial ticket on a major party and with a landslide at that.

As a former gubernatorial candidate, I know what it takes to win a party primary for the
gubernatorial ticket. It is a heavy weight fight in which the winner must defeat several heavy weights.

After Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan performed this feat, instead of being congratulated, she met with rejection from Buhari. It only goes to show how deep seated his prejudices against women is. If there were ever any doubts as to the role Buhari expects from women that story wipes it away. If the women of Nigeria want to undo whatever gains they have made in the
last four years where they have had 12 women appointed as ministers, in which they finally had entry into the Nigerian Defense Academy courtesy of an Executive Order issued by President Jonathan and the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria appointed under President Jonathan, they may go ahead and vote for Buhari.

But before they do so, they better ask their husbands to buy air conditioners for their kitchens because they may be spending the next four years there.

______________________
______________________
Chief (Dr.) Obasi Akpa Obasi is a former Gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress in Ebonyi State.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
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Breaking: Catholic Diocese Of Warri Reshuffles Her Priests In Various Parishes

The Catholic Diocese of Warri, Delta State, has announced the transfer of her Catholic Priests in several parishes across the diocese.

The transfer comes as a surprise to the lay faithful; though not the priests, for they are constantly rotated and shuffled into various parishes every two-years interval.

As at the time of filing this report, it remains unclear the total number of Priests that were transferred this time around. However, in the coming days, things should become clearer.

The new transfer takes effect within two weeks.
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Idoma Students Commends Senate For Sustaining Democracy | NEWSBEAT PORTAL

Idoma Students Commends Senate For Sustaining Democracy | NEWSBEAT PORTAL

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Idoma Students Commends Senate For Sustaining Democracy

The National Association of Idoma Students wish to eulogize the doggedness of the Senate President and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for their unflinching commitment to the Sustenance of our nascent democracy.

In a statement jointly signed by the President of the union, Igoche Egwa and the Secretary, Tony Onazi, the union also sympathized with the people of North eastern Part of the country on the terror unleashed on them by the insurgency and salute the courage of the Nigeria armed forces which, it said have not relented in battle to sustain the nation's sovereignty and reclaim its territory from the insurgents.

''We sympathize with our brethren from the North eastern Part of the country on the terror unleashed on them by the insurgency and salute the courage of the Nigeria armed forces which have not relented in battle to sustain our
sovereignty and reclaim our territory from the insurgents.

''Our heart goes to the fathers and mothers, wives and children of these great men who laid down their lives in the defence of our great country and pray that God gives their family the fortitude to bear the loss,'' the union said.

On the forthcoming elections, the students' body reiterated its support for president Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate President for their effort in keeping with the tenets of democracy.

In view of their commitment to Nation building and sustenance of democracy the Union, made the following declarations:

"That the Idoma Students shall vote and defend their Vote for President Goodluck Jonathan at the Forth coming polls, that Senator Dr. David Mark remains the best representative the idoma Nation can produce and urge Idoma Students to come Out en-mass to vote and defend their vote.

"That the National Association of Idoma Students shall declare any individual who contends with Sen. Dr. David Mark a personal non-grata keeping in mind that the choice of a Senator who will return as President of the Senate surpasses any form of personal or group interest who will jeopardize the chances of the Idoma Nation.

"That there is no better candidate than Prince Terhemen Tarzoor who has all it take to turn around the fortunes of the Benue people.

"The National Association of Idoma Students shall mobilize to deliver a fellow Youth as Governor come 2015 and that all students and youths conduct themselves and Shun violence during the forthcoming election as Nigeria
students are better than being thugs to selfish and greedy politicians.
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