Nigeria Content Online

Twenty-four people
died in separate accidents, following a deadly car accident and the
collapse of a four-storey building in Abuja on Wednesday.

At least 10 people
were killed when a four-storey building in Garki, collapsed. In another
part of the city, about 14 persons died when a trailer-load of cement
ran over 13 cars.

The four-storey building at Plot 4, Ikole Street, Off Gimbya Street, Area 11, collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Eyewitnesses say the building caved in around 5am, trapping many of the residents inside.

David Ibrahim, one
of the survivors, said the collapse happened without warning. He and
his brother barely had time to jump out through the window and escape.
However, Mr Ibrahim said his brother’s wife and three children were
still trapped inside.

Dauda Ologboneja, a
taxi driver whose route took him past the area, said frantic family
members were using cell phones to try to locate their loved ones.

“My friend used his
phone to call some people inside the building,” he said. “One guy said
he was feeling hot and that they should come and help him.”

Dangerous situation

The uncompleted
building had been abandoned for the last five years and had become a
temporary shelter for small scale traders and homeless people in the
area. It is allegedly owned by Olawale Kuye.

In 2001, Mr Kuye
was directed by the Federal Capital Territory Authority’s (FCTA)
Development Control Department to stop construction on the building
after he illegally added an extra floor and failed integrity tests.

The director of the
territory’s development control unit, Yahaya Yusuf, said the building
contravened what was approved for the owners. “The unit has already
ordered the occupants of the building to move out. The process of
bringing down the building was still pending at the legal (department)
of Development Control when I received the news that the building has
collapsed this morning.”

The Minister of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed, who visited the scene a
few hours after the collapse, has threatened to sack Mr Yusuf for
incompetence. He accused the director of “shielding his boys who marked
the houses and are collecting bribes from developers.” He promised a
full investigation into the incident.

Rescue efforts

All emergency
officials of the FCTA, in collaboration with the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA), were mobilized to the scene. Members of the
Civil Defence Corps were the first to arrive, using their hands to pull
survivors and bodies out of the rubble. Local construction companies,
including Julius Berger Plc., Gilmore and Reynolds Construction Company
brought in heavy machinery to help clear the debris.

As at press time,
10 people had been rescued and had been taken to hospital, but over 50
persons were still trapped in the debris.

Despite the efforts, residents accused the NEMA of not responding on time.

“The ambulance came
here one hour after the building collapsed,” said Charles Ofoji. “More
lives would have been saved if they came here earlier.”

Car accident

Thirteen people
were killed and scores more injured at the scene of the car accident at
AYA junction. Thirteen cars were crushed when a trailer overturned onto
nearby vehicles.

A combined team of
police officers, road safety personnel, soldiers, Vehicle Inspection
Officers (VIO) and bystanders worked to rescue some of the victims
trapped beneath the truck. People from the other cars involved in the
accident were rushed to the hospital, but the driver of the truck was
nowhere to be found, as he reportedly fled the scene.

One woman, who was
trapped in her car for about an hour, was finally freed when over 30
rescuers worked to unload the truck’s burden of cement, to pave way for
a VIO truck lifter to raise the vehicle.

An eyewitness, who declined to be named, attributed the incident to brake failure.

“The truck hit a car and in the course of an argument between the
truck driver and the car owner, the truck started smashing other cars
that were in front and on its side,” she said. “It looked as if the
truck driver actually meant to kill today.” The FCT minister visited
the National Hospital where the victims of both incidents were taken
for treatment. Mr Mohmmed promised that the FCTA would pay for the
treatment of all the injured persons.

Three
writers have been shortlisted for this year’s edition of The Nigeria
Prize for Literature while the winner of The Nigeria Prize for Science
has emerged.

Former managing
director of Daily Times of Nigeria, Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo (‘The Killing
Swamp), the late Esiaba Irobi (‘Cemetery Road’) and scholar, Ahmed
Yerima (‘Little Drops…’), made the final list.

Addressing
journalists on Wednesday at Ocean View Restaurant, Victoria Island,
Lagos, chair, panel of judges of the prize, Dapo Adelugba, disclosed
that an initial 93 entries were received. He said 21 of the works
didn’t meet the eligibility criteria and because of this, only 72 were
assessed.

The professor of
Theatre Arts disclosed that the jury comprising Mary Kolawole, John
Ilah, Kalu Uka and Tanimu Abubakar, also professors, used five main
criteria to judge the works. They are relevance and originality;
compliance with the highest standards of literary and dramatic
production; dramaturgy; setting and linguistic appeal; and stageability.

Earlier, chair of
the Literature Committee, Theo Vincent, noted that the Literature Prize
has developed its own dynamism and momentum. He also spoke on changes
made in the administration of the prize after no winner emerged for the
last edition. Disclosing the identity of the judges and opening up the
prize to all Nigerians irrespective of where they are domiciled were
some of the changes announced by the committee which Vincent heads.

Close scrutiny

Mr Vincent also
thanked the media for its interest in the prize. “We assure you we do
value the close scrutiny of what we are doing,” he said.

Similarly,
Akaehomen Ibhadode, a professor of Mechanical Engineering at the
University of Benin, has been announced winner of the 2010 Nigeria
Prize for Science.

Mr Ibhadode won the
award for his work entitled ‘Development of New Methods for Precision
Die Design.” Chair of the Science Committee, Oye Ibidapo-Obe, read the
report of the jury comprising Anya O Anya, Awele Maduemezia, Gabriel
Ogunmola, Grace Olaniyan-Taylor and Lateef Salako.

The judges noted
that Mr Ibhadode has made significant contributions to the field of
cold forging. They added that he developed a mathematical model for the
design of forging die based on die expansion methods, an optimal
procedure for the selection of the most effective die design.

“In an
industrialising economy like Nigeria, the products of the precision die
process are particularly important in the development of small and
medium scale enterprises on which the economy depends for its
accelerated growth. He has applied the methods not only for the steel
industry but also for the development of aluminium products,” the
judges said of Ibhadode’s work.

Jonathan Nok won
the science prize last year while nobody won the literature prize. Both
prizes are sponsored by the Nigerian LNG Limited. The winner of the
Literature Prize will be announced at the NLNG Grand Award Night on
October 9.

On Wednesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja turned
down a motion seeking to stop the Head of Civil Service of the
Federation from conducting competency and pre-qualification tests for
senior civil servants.

Justice David Okorowo struck out the motion, saying
the test the group was asking him to stop had already taken place on
Monday, August 9. He consequently adjourned the substantive suit to
October 22.

Standoff in court

Last Friday, Sunny Uche filed a suit against the
federal government on behalf of Association of Senior Civil Servants of
Nigeria seeking to stop the tests pending a court hearing and a judge’s
determination of the motion on the notice.

Mr Uche wanted a declaration that the Federal Civil
Service Commission is not obliged to consult the Head of Service in
exercising its powers of promotion. He also wanted the court to declare
that the Head of Service could not rewrite any of the existing
conditions for promotion, even when consulted.

The civil servants had asked the Head of Service to
delay the exam pending the determination of the case or risk being in
contempt of court.

Sticking to the plan

Notwithstanding the suit, the Head of Service, Steve
Oronsanye, administered the examinations as scheduled on Monday. Three
thousand senior civil servants of the directorate cadre defied the
early-morning rain to participate in the test. Even unionists, who had
challenged the test in court and picketed the Head of Service’s office,
turned out to participate in the exercise.

Mr Oronsaye denied being served the court injunction on Friday.

“They went to court. Unfortunately for them, I do not
think they got an injunction. If they had, I would not have conducted
this test, because I am a respecter of the rule of law.”

He said stiff sanctions awaited the workers who refused to take part in the exercise.

The
President of the Senate, David Mark, has enjoined Muslim faithful
across the country to pray for the successful conduct of the 2011
general elections in the country.

The senate
president, in a message to Muslims as they embark on a 30 day fast,
asked them to put Nigeria first before any personal or group interests.
The President of the Senate told Muslims to pray for leaders at all
levels so that they will always be on the path of honour and do the
wish of the people at all times.

He urged Muslims to imbibe the attributes of Holy Prophet Mohammed which symbolizes piety, peace, love,

forgiveness, tolerance and good neighbourliness.

“Ramadan is a
period to seek God’s forgiveness, guidance, intervention and love,” Mr
Mark said. “We must see this holy month as a time to love, share and
pray for each other and for our country as a whole.” Mark stressed that
Islam as a religion preaches peace; unity and love and therefore urged
religious leaders not relent in ensuring proper teachings of the
virtues of the religion.

He charged Muslims
to use the period of this holy month to give to the needy in our
society saying, “Helping the less privileged is one of the significance
of Ramadan. We must have the fears of Allah in all our undertakings and
promote peaceful co-existence between and among all ethnic and
religious groups in the country”.

Sambo sues for patriotism

The Vice President,
Namadi Sambo, said he is conscious of the enormous bounties of this
holy month and enjoined Muslims to take advantage of this blessed month
and make concerted effort towards nation building.

He called on the
Ummah to rededicate themselves towards the service of Allah and
humanity and to shun all negative vices inimical to progress.

Mr. Sambo restated
the commitment of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to
resolutely pursue peaceful and harmonious co-existence, eradication of
corruption, provision of power, rehabilitation and reconstruction of
the Niger Delta, conduct of credible elections and sustainable
infrastructural development across the county.

Governor Adams
Oshiomhole of Edo State urged Nigerian Muslims to use the occasion of
the Ramadan fast to offer prayers for the stability, peace and
prosperity of Nigeria.

Mr Oshiomhole
enjoined them to avail themselves of the benefits and opportunities the
holy month accord for personal restitution, piety and renewed
commitment to Allah’s injunction.

“Nigeria needs the prayers of the Muslim Ummah for her stability,
prosperity and peace at this critical period. Therefore, our Islamic
leaders and adherents need to have our nation in their hearts in their
personal and collective supplication to Allah,” he said.

Three
writers have been shortlisted for this year’s edition of The Nigeria
Prize for Literature while the winner of The Nigeria Prize for Science
has emerged.

Former managing
director of Daily Times of Nigeria, Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo (‘The Killing
Swamp), the late Esiaba Irobi (‘Cemetery Road’) and scholar, Ahmed
Yerima (‘Little Drops…’), made the final list.

Addressing
journalists on Wednesday at Ocean View Restaurant, Victoria Island,
Lagos, chair, panel of judges of the prize, Dapo Adelugba, disclosed
that an initial 93 entries were received. He said 21 of the works
didn’t meet the eligibility criteria and because of this, only 72 were
assessed.

The professor of
Theatre Arts disclosed that the jury comprising Mary Kolawole, John
Ilah, Kalu Uka and Tanimu Abubakar, also professors, used five main
criteria to judge the works. They are relevance and originality;
compliance with the highest standards of literary and dramatic
production; dramaturgy; setting and linguistic appeal; and stageability.

Earlier, chair of
the Literature Committee, Theo Vincent, noted that the Literature Prize
has developed its own dynamism and momentum. He also spoke on changes
made in the administration of the prize after no winner emerged for the
last edition. Disclosing the identity of the judges and opening up the
prize to all Nigerians irrespective of where they are domiciled were
some of the changes announced by the committee which Vincent heads.

Close scrutiny

Mr Vincent also
thanked the media for its interest in the prize. “We assure you we do
value the close scrutiny of what we are doing,” he said.

Similarly,
Akaehomen Ibhadode, a professor of Mechanical Engineering at the
University of Benin, has been announced winner of the 2010 Nigeria
Prize for Science.

Mr Ibhadode won the
award for his work entitled ‘Development of New Methods for Precision
Die Design.” Chair of the Science Committee, Oye Ibidapo-Obe, read the
report of the jury comprising Anya O Anya, Awele Maduemezia, Gabriel
Ogunmola, Grace Olaniyan-Taylor and Lateef Salako.

The judges noted
that Mr Ibhadode has made significant contributions to the field of
cold forging. They added that he developed a mathematical model for the
design of forging die based on die expansion methods, an optimal
procedure for the selection of the most effective die design.

“In an
industrialising economy like Nigeria, the products of the precision die
process are particularly important in the development of small and
medium scale enterprises on which the economy depends for its
accelerated growth. He has applied the methods not only for the steel
industry but also for the development of aluminium products,” the
judges said of Ibhadode’s work.

Jonathan Nok won
the science prize last year while nobody won the literature prize. Both
prizes are sponsored by the Nigerian LNG Limited. The winner of the
Literature Prize will be announced at the NLNG Grand Award Night on
October 9.

The
Federal Government is not happy with the way Nigerian soldiers are
killed in the course of their peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan,
Adetokunbo Kayode, the minister of defence, has said.

Mr. Kayode made the
comments, yesterday, at the United Nations (UN) regional conference on
deterrence, use of force and operational readiness in peace keeping
operations at the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre (NAPKC) in Jaji,
Kaduna.

The minister said
members of the Nigerian contingent recently disarmed in Darfur were
caught between abiding with the mandate of the mission and protecting
themselves in the midst of rebels’ attacks.

“It is hoped that
the outcome of the conference will be clear policy that will streamline
the bottlenecks and create guidelines for efforts at reducing the
complexity of mandates and the immediate resolution of conflicts.”

Chief of Army
Staff, Abdulrahaman Dambazau, said that the guidelines should aim to
answer immediate issues that affect the performance of troops in the
field, but not hamper their performance.

“The sacrifices
made in terms of lives by peacekeepers should not bolster the spirit of
warring factions, rather every form of sacrifice should make us design
better ways for our peacekeepers to have an edge over belligerents,” he
said.

Mr. Dambazau called
for policies that would enable the organisation prepare peacekeepers
for effective duty on UN missions, especially in Africa.

“The successes that will follow any peace support mission are determined by the state or level of preparedness of the troops.”

Nigerian peacekeepers honoured

Eleven Nigerian
soldiers were among United Nations international peacekeepers honoured
posthumously in May as part of the eighth annual International Day of
UN Peacekeepers at the world body’s headquarters in New York.

The occasion was
marked with several events at the UN on the previous day, including the
presentation of service medals to peacekeepers, including two Nigerian
military officers.

The UN list tracked the loss of international peacekeepers from January 2009 to February 2010.

On the list of
fallen peacekeepers were two Nigerian officers: Johnson Umana, who died
in Darfur on May 7, 2009, and Bala Etsu, who died in April 27, also in
Darfur.

Others from Nigeria
included John Itebu, who died on May 25, 2009; Gonjing Toma, who died
in Darfur on June 10, 2009; Mathew Abel, who died in Lebanon on June
23, 2009; John Ahmed, who died in Darfur on March 17, 2009; and Leonard
Ajibo, who also died in Darfur on February 25, 2010.

There were also
Yusuf Ibrahim, who died in Darfur on September 28, 2009; Bello Ishaku,
who died in Darfur on October 14, 2009; Taryuhua Ningir who died in
Lebanon on October 30, 2009; and Dede Fadairo, who died in Haiti on
January 12, 2010, in an earthquake.

As a mark of their sacrifice, the Dag Hammarskjöld UN Medal will be
sent to the next-of-kin of the fallen soldiers. More than 700 UN
peacekeepers have died in the course of duty in the past five years,
with more than 3,000 lives lost since the first operation in 1948.

Leaders
of the various militant groups in the Niger Delta, prior to the grant
of amnesty in 2009, will make the last batch of rehabilitation training
for ex-militants. This is to ensure that all those who were involved in
kidnapping and occasional destruction of oil facilities in the
respective groups properly turn a new leaf, the Special Adviser to the
President on Niger Delta Affairs, Timi Alaibe said yesterday.

Speaking at the
conclusion of training for the second batch, Mr Alaibe said the Federal
government was doing everything within its power to ensure the success
of the Post Amnesty Programme.

Mr Alaibe said
government’s commitment to the programme accounts for the huge
expenditure on it and urged beneficiaries to take the exercise
seriously as it was only a stepping stone to more good things.

“The Federal Government will not fail in its efforts to reintegrate you into the larger society,” he said.

Some of the
trainees in the camp said they have embraced the amnesty and hope that
the government will sustain it to prevent them from going back to the
creeks to commit atrocities.

“Government has
selected local and offshore training centres that will provide training
opportunities in the areas of vocational skills and formal education,’’
Mr. Alaibe said, stressing that a total of 150 courses have been
identified to be undertaken by the repentant militants.

He maintained that
the government has designed a programme that will ensure that selected
training institutions incorporate entrepreneurial training in the
various courses to enable the participants to be self-employed.

The presidential
aide added that more than 1,140 participants from the first batch
already allocated to the vocational training centres will commence
training at those centres on August 20.

“The placement of
other trainees in the first batch is ongoing while the second batch
will also go through the same arrangement,” he said.

Principle of non-violence

He also urged the
repentant militants to manifest the principle of non-violence which
they learnt in camp as they begin another crucial phase in the Post
Amnesty programme.

The third batch of ex-militants are expected to report at camp on August 13.

The new arrangement means that Tompolo, Ateke Tom and other leaders
of militant groups will make the rear of those billed for
rehabilitation at Obubra NYSC permanent orientation camp. The camp has
undergone a comprehensive facelift for the comfort of the former creek
boys. This is even as the rehabilitation programme for female former
militants is now uncertain. Before now it was revealed that women
militants were going to be the last batch in the training exercise.

The House of Representatives seemed to
have called the bluff of the Independent National Electoral
Commission’s deadline on the new voters’ register, declining to pass
the N89bn budget earlier approved for the exercise by the senate.

The INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, had
said during a previous meeting with the lawmakers, that the pressure of
time for the exercise makes it crucial that funds be made available
within two weeks elapsing yesterday August 11, 2010. A failure would
result in the impossibility of conducting the vital exercise ahead of
the 2011 elections which, on its own, may also face the consequences of
such failing, he warned. But the House stood down the appropriation
bill on Wednesday after it had gone through the second reading,

heightening a frustration the
legislature supposedly faces between the challenges of proper
appropriation and timely delivery of the bill.

Members of the House, like the
senators, spoke of a budget they said is questionable which is however
difficult to be scrutinized chiefly for not wanting to be seen as
delaying the time-frame of the electoral exercise. “It would be wrong
to just approve the proposal hook, line and sinker,” said Abdul Ningi,
the former House Majority Leader. “Clearly some items on this proposal
were already taken care in the 2010 Appropriation Act adding and it
would be wrong to pretend that all was well it just because the time
left is very short.”

Wait for a day

The House minority leader, Mohammed
Ndume, said the proposal by the electoral commission to purchase
150,000 Transparent Collapsible Boxes at N3billion, is too high and
must be reviewed. A former speaker protempore, Terngu Tsegba, in as
much as the voters’ register is the “bedrock of credible elections”,
the House of Representatives in considering the money Bill, must be
meticulous. He said the lawmakers should guard against the estimates,
possibly having mix-ups that may put the economy in jeopardy. “How can
you use the money that was sourced locally to purchase election
equipments abroad,” he argued.

But the arguments, though acknowledged
by other members, need not overshadow the approval which the house in
the first place reconvened for. “Since Independence, this is the first
time a president would appoint an electoral umpire with character and
if you give a man of character a job to do, you must give him the tools
to do it. I want the parliament to be motivated by sense of duty to do
what is right,” said Patrick Obahiagbon, a member from Edo state.

The choice of what is right appeared split between those asking for
a thorough vetting, those supporting an unquestioned passage and the
legislators urging for the both-scrutiny and timely delivery of the
budget. After the debate, the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, announced the
document presented with the same figures passed by the senate, will be
considered Thursday and assured of its passage. The bill will now be
considered by the House Committees on Finance and Appropriation.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji
Bankole, yesterday brushed aside attempts by his colleagues to question
allegations made by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, that federal
lawmakers are corrupt.

At an event in Niger State last week, Mr Obasanjo
accused the lawmakers of high level corruption during his years as
president, detailing how he failed to know their true earnings and how
legislators often stuffed federal budgets, without request from the
executive arm of government. He said the constituency projects which
members carry out, is a “conduit pipe for corruption.” At the chamber’s
reconvening yesterday, for the approval of the Independent National
Electoral Commission extra budget, Mohammed Maifata, from Kano state,
said his privilege as a member was breached by Mr Obasanjo’s comments.
He prayed the House to decide collectively to institute legal action
against the former president if there was no retraction in two weeks,
failure which he will proceed on a individual litigation. “One man
called Olusegun Obasanjo cannot just begin to make allegations and call
people thieves,” he said.

Some members, though willing to share with the criticism, opposed
Mr. Maifata’s style of referring to the former president. Mr Bankole
urged his colleagues to recall the essence of the emergency session,
and leave other issues. “I appeal to you to leave the issue because of
the very pressing assignemnet that we have to deal with,” he said. But
another member, Igo Aguma, who represents Port Harcourt, Rivers state,
insisted that even where the issue is to be allowed, the leadership
should make clear position on the truth about the much-criticized
consitutency projects. Mr Bankole clarified that projects are only
influenced by the members, but are often carried out through the office
of the Millenium Development Goals.

A woman charms a man into marriage and they live a deceptive
life for about 50 years and the magic fades, either by sheer luck or divine
intervention. The scale falls from the eyes of the man, but it appears too
late.

Children and grandchildren are now involved, families are
already knitted together, grandsons and grand-daughters-in-laws have extended
the family tree; a lot of events and activities that one cannot just wish away
have taken place.

The fact, however, is very disturbing. The man’s eyes are now
open, his mind is free. He can now think his own thoughts and say his own
words. Should he remain silent and complacent, or does he try to change things
objectively for the better?

Even if he is able to chase the wife away, he has to live and
work with his children, grandchildren, and the in-laws that have sprouted all
these years of unholy union.

This seems to be our dilemma these past years in Nigeria.

It is troubling when a society, made up of different people,
different ethnicities, and different religious backgrounds, begin to speak with
one voice and sing the same song when it is obvious that they are not
developing; and some people still want them to continue to paddle this same
canoe on this river of backwardness and stagnation that will lead them into the
final sea of destruction. More so, when it is a democracy where the majority
seems to always have its way.

Decisions made during the years of bondage, even if they seem
palatable but unjust, must be changed. Some people have decided to correct all
the injustice that have happened during the years of voodoo, the years of
deafness, blindness, and uselessness.

Many people have criticised the federal character principle. It
has now given birth to zoning and, like its father, zoning is suffering a
similar fate. I believe if we open our eyes wide enough, we would understand
better why our country’s development has stagnated for this long; why some
people relish laziness, why a lot more enjoy corruption, and a great majority
see looting as their birthright. All these destructive elements are camouflaged
in ethno-religious extremism.

Some Nigerians are so used to sitting down in their seating
rooms, playing cards and controlling an unfortunate illiterate crowd of
teenagers into committing all sorts of crime in the name of ‘self
preservation’. Fortunately, some eyes are beginning to open. Even the half
literate ones are speaking up and taking their destinies in their own hands.

Open eyes

Our situation in this country is a rather peculiar one. One
group of a particular ethnic zone, and it is debatable whether they are the
majority, have been having their say and their way. Inception and destruction
loom, like the hangman’s noose, over our heads if we continue to behave like we
are still under their spell. The scale has fallen off our eyes, and it just
cannot continue to be business as usual. That is why the position of the
Northern youth, as well as the recent position from the Northern leaders
summit, is a very welcome development. It has rekindled the dying hope inside
most of us that we can indeed be one Nigeria.

Saul was the king, but Jonathan his son could not sit and do
nothing in the face of selfish and tyrannical decisions of his father against
David, his father’s perceived enemy, but his own bosom friend. He acted against
his father’s orders. That is maturity, that is progress, and that is genuine
love.

The end of the reign of quackery, laziness, wickedness,
illiteracy, and thievery is imminent; excellence can no longer be sacrificed at
the altar of federal character, quota system, or zoning.

We are beginning to think and speak for ourselves, and we have started
acting for ourselves. We are in the days where even if you are in the majority,
you cannot continue to hold us down. The ship of progress is sailing, and
people should climb on the bandwagon or jump over board. We are counting down
to the days of meritocracy and genuine growth.