News Updates's Blog – April 2012 Archive (12)

In August 2004, I penned a little noticeable essay entitled, “The Nigerian presidency and the Igbo nation,” for an online medium. The question I attempted to answer was this: “How did a people this intelligent, this savvy, and this contributive and participatory got shut out of the presidency?” In other words, why have we not had a Nigerian president of Igbo ancestry?

The Igbo of my growing up years (in Nigeria), had “attributes most other Nigerian ethnic groups could only…

Written by Anayo Ezugwu Friday, 06 April 2012

Michael Onoja, an educationist, leads the crusade against the falling standards in education by establishing an education summit which rewards hard working teachers and students

Like many of his colleagues, Michael Onoja, an educationist, is angry with the dismal performance of students in knowledge seeking. But rather than remain an armchair critic of the system, Onoja has chosen to be a part of the solution. Recently, he organised…

Written by Dike Onwuamaeze Friday, 06 April 2012

Although Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Nigeria’s finance minister and co-ordinating minister for the economy, is eminently qualified for the Word Bank presidency, there is the fear that politics rather than merit will be a deciding factor in the selection process

When President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala minister of finance in 2011, the reaction of many Nigerians was that she would not serve for four years without…

Written by Annette Oghenerhaboke Friday, 06 April 2012

The organised labour holds a rally in Benin to garner support for Adams Oshiomhole’s second-term bid despite a court injunction against the event and protest by opposition parties in the state

It is not often that one gets to see members of the organised labour stage a political rally. They occasionally take to the streets in protest for their rights and privileges and that is the image many have of them. But it was a…

Written by Chimezie Enyiocha Friday, 06 April 2012

Kano State government sponsors the re-marriage of 1000 divorced women in the state as part of efforts to encourage family values and social harmony

When Atine Abdullahi, a princess from a royal family in Kano municipal council of Kano State got married to her husband in 1989, she had hoped to enjoy blissful and lasting marriage like other married couples. The union was blessed with her four children. But her hope of raising the…

Written by Tobs Agbaegbu, Haruna Salami Friday, 06 April 2012

Garba Shehu, spokesman of Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, speaks to Tobs Agbaegbu, senior associate editor, and Haruna Salami, senior staff writer, on the implication of the emergence of Bamanga Tukur as the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2015 presidential ambition of his boss, and the political intrigues that played out at the party’s recent national convention.…

Written by Tobs Agbaegbu, Haruna Salami Friday, 06 April 2012

Olisa Metu, new national publicity secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, speaks to Tobs Agbaegbu, senior associate editor, and Haruna Salami, senior staff writer, on the allegations of imposition of candidates against his party and the insinuation that President Goodluck Jonathan’s choice of Bamanga Tukur as national chairman was his own way of preparing the ground for the politics of succession in 2015.…

Written by Chris Ajaero Friday, 06 April 2012

With a new People’s Democratic Party, PDP, leadership that is loyal to him, President Goodluck Jonathan takes a vantage position for the 2015 presidential race

The next presidential election in Nigeria would take place in 2015 which is about three years away. But

there are indications that some political gladiators, especially in the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, have already begun subtle moves to position themselves…

By Sun News Publishing Friday April 06, 2012

For over one week now, Nigerians have been debating the merits and demerits of the rehabilitation of St. Stephens Anglican Church in President Goodluck Jonathan’s village, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, by a contractor to the Federal Government.

Reports on the recent dedication ceremony of the church quote the president as saying he had complained to the contractor on the aging of his village church, and the company, identified as Gitto…

BY UGOCCHUKWU RAYMOND OGUBUARIRI Friday April 06, 2012

It has become an incontestable truism that Nigeria’s educational sector is in doldrums. Even with the entire hullabaloo on “transformation” of the country, the drums of shame in the sector have continued to resonate and the naked dancers are not showing any sign of fatigue.

Only few days ago, the National Examinations Council, NECO, released the result of its recently conducted Senior School Certificate Examination. It…

By Olugu Olugu Orji Friday April 06, 2012

When I was much younger, I believed winning every argument was a mark of distinction. I went out of my way to amass all manner of facts and information. I devoted an inordinate amount of time researching both current and extant subject matters. All these was in a bid never to be caught napping. Not to know was a prospect I absolutely dreaded. To be wrong was utterly unimaginable.

Looking back, I can only laugh at what I can now best…

By Duro Onabule (duroonabule@gmail.com) Friday April 06, 2012

When Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) demanded that National Assembly should commence impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan on grounds of alleged corruption, the party (ACN) was merely discharging its statutory functions an opposition party. The ACN rightly picked the renovation of a church in Jonathan’s village, more so at his request as proof of corruption in office. A particularly disturbing aspect…