Chuka Umunna

Interest

Education, equality, and community and youth engagement.

Career

He trained at Herbert Smith the large “Magic Circle” City law firm: about his decision to join the firm he said “I wanted to join Herbert Smith because they were a big international firm, very much at the heart of the City, business and finance. Having entered thinking I wanted to be a hotshot corporate lawyer, I ended up wanting to become an employment lawyer because employment relates to people and their relationships. In 2006, he moved to the central London law firm, Rochman Landau, where he mainly acted for individuals and small and medium sized companies. As an employment lawyer, Umunna often spoke in the media on employment issues.

He is “Labour through and through” and says the Tories aren’t serious about equality, “despite what Cameron tries to say with his spin and presentation” and says the BSS is a very positive development, long overdue. But he warns that although Labour has traditionally represented Blacks: “We are in danger of falling behind on that if we don’t increase representation in the future. It’s not just about representation, it’s also about increasing out communities’ general participation in the political process. That’s something we must work on.”

Influence and motivation

At 27 Chuka Umunna has been in main street politics, Influenced by his father who is a died when he was 13. Chuka recalls moment with his father saying “It had a huge influence on my life. I had to grow up very, very quickly.” He added: “Politically my father had a big influence on me. He spoke out against the corruption in Nigeria, for better governance and got involved in politics in Anambra state. He narrowly missed out on winning the governorship of that state shortly before he died in a car crash. He lost because he refused to bribe anyone and was standing on an anti-corruption ticket.

Also motivating were his experiences while growing – In my youth I also often visited my father’s native Nigeria and came face to face with the extreme poverty one sees in Africa in the heart wrenching appeal videos produced by the likes of Oxfam and Comic Relief every year. I simply could not understand why some had so much, whilst others had so little. From there sprung a desire to do something about it and the other challenges we face.

he is presently a School Governor of Sunnyhill Primary School and sits on the Board of Sunnyhill Children’s Centre, both in Streatham Wells. He lives on Streatham High Road.

In addition, he sits on the Board of Generation Next, a not for profit social enterprise which provides activities for young people in London, and has been involved charitable youth work in Lambeth too.

He is a patron of Latimer Creative Media, a social enterprise which trains young people in digital media and a supporter of Cassandra Learning Centre, a charity raising awareness and working to stop domestic violence.

Prior to becoming Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Streatham, Chuka was Vice Chair of Streatham Labour Party from 2004 to 2008 and had held a variety of positions throughout the local party.

In the May 2010 general election, Chuka was elected to represent Streatham having received 20,037 votes, with the number of votes received by Labour rising from 18,950 in the previous general election in 2005. Turnout in Streatham increased by 11.5 percentage points at 62.8% compared with 51.3% in 2005.

He is a member of the GMB and Unite trade unions and sits on the Management Committee of progressive pressure group, Compass.

Since becoming an MP, he has been elected on to the Treasury select committee and become Ed Miliband’s parliamentary private secretary.

In October 2011, Chuka was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, replacing the Rt Hon John Denham MP who announced his resignation from Shadow Cabinet.

In this role, Mr Umunna leads the Opposition Shadow Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) team, leading for the opposition on a wide range of issues including business, enterprise, science and universities.

Contact

 Address

3a Mount Ephraim Road, Streatham, London, SW16 1NQ

Tel: 020 8769 5063

Email: chukka.umunna.mp@parliament.uk

Website: www.chuka.org.uk

A D Idris Waziri

No wonder he is a worthy contestant for the post of the National Party Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Which he has signified his interest to run for in  year 2012. A founding member and a true flag bearer. Looking at the various commendations received while in service of his fatherland at home and abroad, he is highly favored to win the sit. A charismatic leader with great leadership skills and character.

He seems to have the Midas Touch because everything he touches increases in value, he boosted the image of Nigeria as Africa’s Power House while abroad and has boosted trade and commerce has a Federal Minister. With Poise and warm humor he has won the heart of distressed and the weary by mending fence and seeking peace diplomatically.

was born on Friday, October 12, 1952. He is from Taraba State of Nigeria. He attended IBI Primary School and Wukari Primary School from 195 to 1963. Then he joined Wukari Divisional Combined Secondary School  (now Mbiya Government Secondary School, Takum) between 1966 to 1970. After this he attended Federal Government College, Warri for HSC (Higher School Certificate) between 1971 to 1972.

In 1973 he took up a teaching appointment in Wukari East Primary School. In the same year he moved to Wukari Divisional Combined Secondary School ( now Mbiya Government Secondary School, Takum) as a teacher after graduating from HSC till 1974 when he left for Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria during 1974 to 1977 and graduated with B.sc. (Political Science).

From 1977 – 78 he served as  a youth corper in Oyo State at the start of his practical career. In 1978, he joined the then Gongola State Government as an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Yola. On this position he remained till 1980 when he was transferred to Government House, Yola.

From 1980 to 1981 he was an Assistant Secretary in Government House, Yola. In 1981 he was appointed as an Acting permanent Secretary in Government House, Yola. Because of his hard work and devotion to duty. The same year of 1981, he was appointed as the sole administrator to the defunct IBI Local Government. In the year 1982 he was Secretary to the defunct IBI Local Government and was awarded the Traditional Title of Sarkin Yakin IBI by IBI Traditional Council because of his immerse contribution towards the creation and development of IBI Local Government. It was between 1982 – 83 when he attended the University of Manchester in England and graduated with Advanced Diploma in Development Administration with Distinction.

During the year 1983 – 84 he attended the University of Manchester England and graduated with Masters of Economics in Development Studies.

After returning from his Post Graduate Studies from abroad he was in the year 1984 -85 appointed as Secretary, Committee on the improvement of Post Primary Institutions in Gongola State. During 1985 – 86 he was Secretary, Committee on Complaints and Petitions in Gongola State.

1987 was the year when he was one of the Secretaries to the Ninth Consultative Meeting of the eleven Governors of the Northern States. The same year he was secretary to the High Powered Committee on the visit of President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida to Gongola State. It was again the year of 1987 when he served as Head of Administration (Secretary) to the Directorate for Social Mobilization, Gongola State, Yola. During the year 1987, His Excellency remained extra ordinary busy and also served as Under Secretary Cabinet Office, Yola. In 1988, His excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri was appointed Secretary to Numan Local Government. The same year he was Under Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transport, Yola. He also served as Secretary, Committee on the sharing of Assets and Liabilities of the new and old Local Governments in Gongola States. It was again the year of 1989 when he discharged his duties in the capacity of Secretary, Transition-To-Civil Rule Committee in Gongola State. The same year in 1989 he performed his duties as Director ( Political and Public Affairs) Military Governor office, Yola.

In 1990, His Excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri was appointed as Chairman, Mubi Local Government.

In the year of 1991 he worked as Director Administration and Finance in the office of the Civilian Deputy Governor, Governor State, Yola. Then he was appointed as Secretary, High Powered Committee on the stewardship of President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in Gongola State. The same year he was asked to perform his duties as Director Administration, Finance and Supplies in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Taraba State, Jalingo after the creation of Taraba State in 1991.

In 1992 he was promoted to the rank of Director General (Permanent Secretary) Special Dutites, Government House, Taraba State, Jalingo.

In the year 1993 he was Secretary, Taraba State Committee of Elders. The same year Excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri was appointed Honourable commissioner, Ministry of Finance, Commerce and Industries, Taraba State, Jalingo. He was also made the Chairman, Taraba State Football Association in 1993.

From 1994 to 1995 he was elected Delegate and Member to the National Constitutional Conference representing IBI-Wakiri Constituency. In April 1995 he was a member of the Federal Government Delegation to the American – African Summit ( Comprising African Heads of State and Government and Prominent Afro-Americans) at Dakar, Senegal.

In 1998 Excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri was member PDP Conveners, North East Zone. Then in the same year he was member PDP Conveners, Taraba State and Member PDP National Finance Committee.

In 1999 he was a Gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) the present ruling party in Nigeria. Excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri is also one of the founding father of People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and PDP.

In the year of 1999 he was elected as Deputy Governor to Governor Rev. Jolly Nyame in the February 1999 elections but it later turned out to be controversial. In November 1999 Excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri was appointed Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Maldives and Afghanistan.

Excellency Adamu Danjuma Idris Waziri was Dean of the Commonwealth countries in Pakistan between September 2001 and May 2003.

A Minister of Commerce under the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo. He is indeed a true Nigerian with an indispensable quality, de-tribalized, a great family man and Citizen.

 Chuka Umunna – Member of Parliament UK

ChukaH. Umunna

As year 2011 runs to an end, the Editorial Board of Eminent Leaders magazinein its usual style has finally selected UK Member of Parliament, Chuka Umunna, as Eminent Leaders Emerging Personality of Year 2011. Chuka Harrison Umunna is therefore inducted into the Eminent Leaders Hall of Fame.

Chuka Umunna was identified as one of the ten young, gifted and black people in British politics by The Independent on Sunday in November 2007 and as predicted, he became a Member of Parliament representing Streetham on the platform of Labour Party 6^th May, 2010 in the United Kingdom and now holds the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, a position he assumed 7^th October, 2011.

Chuka Umunna, who described himself as being “One Nation Labour” was sometimes described by The New Statesman magazine as ‘A Barack obama for Britain’ was one of the individuals selected by The Observer’s Newspaper in January 2009 Hotlist, as people set to make a mark in Britain.

Born in 1978 by a Nigerian father from the South Eastern part of the country and an English-Irish mother, Chuka Harrison Umunna is the first Member of Parliament representing Streetham to have grown up in the area and also the first Nigerian to get into British Parliament. Streetham is a parliamentary constituency which covers Streatham and parts of Clapham, Balham, Tulse Hill and Brixton.

He started his elementary education Hitherfield Primary School, Streetham, South London, and later moved to Christ Church C of E Primary School also in Streetham, South London.

He had his secondary education at St. Dunstan’s College in Catford in South-East London and proceeded to study English and French Law at the University of Manchester where he graduated with a Second Class Upper before moving to study at the University of Burgundy in France.

Prior to his election, Chuka, a grandson of High Court Judge, Sir Helenus Milmo, QC. Umunna, was an employment law solicitor by profession who started his legal career in year 2002 as a solicitor at Herbert Smith, an international law firm in the City of London where he acted for large companies before he moved in 2006 to the Central London law firm, Rochman Landau, where he this time acted for individuals and small and medium sized companies.

Chuka was Vice Chair of Streatham Labour Party from 2004 to 2008 and had held a variety of positions throughout the local party.  He was a member of the GMB and Unite trade unions and sits on the Management Committee of progressive pressure group – The Compass, before his election as one of the youngest MPs in the country. He was formerly a trustee of the Anthony Bourne Foundation and the 409 Project – both youth charities – and has also served as a school governor of Sunnyhill Primary School and Children’s Centre in Streatham.

Chuka, who often spoke in the media especially on The Daily Politics on BBC Two and Question Time Extra on BBC News 24 on employment issues, began to write and provide commentary on the Labour Party, economic, social and political issues since 2006 in his capacity as a member of the management committee of centre-left pressure group, Compass. He also wrote for the Financial Times, The Guardian, The New Statesman and Tribune is also the founder and former Editor of the online political magazine TMP, which focussed its activities on Labour Party supporting ethnic-minority Britons.

According to Wikipedia, “He challenged former Sun editor, Kelvin MacKenzie for making remarks about former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the BBC’s Question Time television programme in October 2007, on which they were both panelists.

In May 2009, he was chosen to be part of a panel of ten figures from across the political spectrum addressing the question: How do we restore the reputation of Parliament? By The Independent following the expenses crisis.

In January 2010, he was named by The Independent as one the Labour politicians making the best use of microblogging website Twitter as a communication tool.”

Umunna delivered his maiden speech on 2 June 2010, highlighting the need for new school building projects in his constituency, and calling for better financial regulation of the banking sector.

Umunna has taken a particular interest in economic policy and reform of the City since entering Parliament. He was subsequently elected by his colleagues to serve on the prestigious Treasury Select Committee. In July 2010, Umunna had a heated exchange with Chancellor George Osborne over the Chancellor’s first Budget and its impact on the poorest in society at a Committee hearing. This was followed in November 2010 by a similar exchange with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander. Umunna has argued that the coalition government should revise its programme of fiscal consolidation, take a tougher stance with the British banking industry and take action to transform the credit ratings agency market.

In January 2011, Umunna questioned the Chief Executive of Barclays Plc in relation to alleged tax avoidance activities by the bank during which he disclosed that the bank used over 300 subsidiary companies in offshore jurisdictions. In response to a question from Umunna, Bob Diamond wrote in February 2011 to say that Barclays had paid £113m in UK Corporation tax in 2009, during which it made £11.6bn profits worldwide.

-     Yetunde Odugbesan

Yetunde Odugbesan

After much ado, the Editorial Board of Eminent Leaders magazine has finally selected Nigerian born, America based, Yetunde Odugbesan as Eminent Leaders Emerging Personality of Year 2010. Yetunde A. Odugbesan is therefore inducted into theEminent Leaders Hall of Fame 2010.

Eminent Yetunde’s involvement in the activities of Nigerians in Diaspora and at home plus her undying passion for transparency, economic development, causes and means to eradicate corruption in both local and state government, especially as they affect Nigeria placed her in the front burner of discuss among Nigerian youths and elites.

Yetunde A. Odugbesan has the power to unite and inspire people by her words. For her, the passion for change, leadership and politics began at a young age. She is a Nigerian-American and an outstanding example of what it means to be a Young Leader for Change.

She is currently a graduate student at Division of Global Affairs Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she is obtaining her graduate degree in International Affairs. She received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies and a double minor in Organizational Leadership and Africana Studies from Rutgers University in May 2009. Yetunde’s research focuses on corruption and its effects on governmental trust and performance in both local and state government. Her research interests include government transparency, public trust, ethical leadership, human rights, economic development, public policy and social entrepreneurship.

Yetunde is the Assistant Editor for Public Performance and Management Review (PPMR), a leading peer-review academic journal that addresses a broad array of influential factors on the performance of public and non-profit organizations. She is also a distinguished Eagleton Institute of Politics Fellow and member of Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. She is currently the President of Rutgers University Student Association of Global Affairs and Vice-President of Rutgers Graduate Student Government Association. Yetunde was also recently selected to attend Clinton Global Initiative Meeting for Young Leaders in Miami, Florida where she personally met President Bill Clinton. She is also involved in the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meetings. She is the recipient of numerous academic, leadership and public service awards. During her undergraduate years, she was the President of Rutgers University School of Arts and Sciences Chi Alpha Epsilon National Academic Honor Society, a Ronald E. McNair and Minority Academic Career Fellow and Scholar, Rutgers Emerging Leader Scholar, and interned at league of distinguished places including the Office of Mayor Bloomberg Commission to the United Nations, Global Partners Project.

Yetunde’s passion for change, leadership and politics started at a young age. As the past President of Student Government and Student Ambassador of her high school, she developed and honed the skills of becoming a leader, activist and public servant. She was featured in Who’s Who Amongst High School Students in 2005. Her extensive experience includes organizational leadership, campaigning, community relations, community organizing, research analysis, public speaking, social and human rights advocacy.

Yetunde has extensive training in communication strategies and public speaking. She has mastered seven categories of public speaking under the guidance of New Jersey Orators. She is truly a gifted and talented young women. With her vast experiences she decided to use her gifts and talents to help others actualize their dreams. In 2007, Yetunde created, “Putting Your Best Self Forward,” a website dedicated to empowering and encouraging young women and men to be great leaders.

Yetunde is a motivational speaker where she uses her website, “Putting Your Best Self Forward,” to empower, encourage and inspire young people to be a catalyst of change. Yetunde is the co-author of a recently published book titled, “A Call to Serve: Quotes on Public Service,” which aims to foster a spirit of service and civic engagement and to encourage more people to public service. Yetunde’s endless accomplishments are a testament of her perseverance and determination. Yetunde believes that it is her responsibility to encourage, inspire and motivate others to be the best that they can be. Her mission is to pay it forward.

See Outstanding Nigerians in 2010

Bukola Saraki

By Bomi Samuel

His first salvo came when the Senate received his motion that according to expectations would have received applause for targeting at probity and anti-corruption, which the government, the National Assembly inclusive, champions as major slogan. Former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, initiated a motion in the Senate for the investigation of the N240b budgeted in the 2011 Appropriate Act.

The silence that followed the motion was loud enough to make watchers fear that some powerful interests benefiting from the manner fuel subsidy is managed might have found their ways into the National Assembly to ensure that the motion does not come up to anything. To some, Saraki seems to have stepped into the terrain of cabal men who never want any interference with their method of management of public resources, especially the 2011 budget.

People keeping track of the motion say that since it was presented before the Senate, it has been listed for consideration severally but unfortunately, each time it was carefully dropped or avoided for one excuse or another.

Saraki represents the Kwara Central Senatorial District and justified his action on the provisions of Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, which empower any chamber of the National Assembly to probe any sector of the nation’s economy especially as a means of curbing corruption or saving the nation unnecessary waste in public spending.

What really worries me is if Saraki needs someone to remind him that in Nigeria nothing puts the rulers and the ruled on warpath than the issue of fuel subsidy removal and the resultant increase in fuel price and nothing also reveals more policy contradictions and double-speak than this time-worn subject. Nigerians are always of the opinion that any removal of subsidy only feeds ‘fat cats’ at the expense of the poor and pays for gross inefficiencies down the fuel import value-chain.

Now the battle line is drawn all over again. On the one side are the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) representing Nigerian workers; and on the other side the government – they are all putting on gloves to do battle on the issue of fuel subsidy–the bogey to which the suffering masses of Nigerians have been subjected by every successive government that has run out of money to, as they claim, undertake new development projects as well as maintain existing ones. Two weeks ago hundreds of workers marched on the national assembly to demonstrate their opposition to plans to remove subsidies on petroleum products. According to experts, if government has its way and the subsidies are removed, a litre of petrol would cost N150.

Our recent economic history is replete with several instances of subsidy-removal. From all indications, Jonathan’s government is seeking to remove fuel subsidies so that it can use the proceeds to repair and revitalise existing refineries. This is definitely not a departure from recurring argument successive governments have given for removal of fuel subsidies in the past, which has always been that they need funds to implement both capital and recurrent projects.

Even at a point in time, we have listened to some ridiculous reasons why fuel subsidy must go, including the fact Nigerians were buying a litre of petrol too cheaply because it was less than the price of a bottle of coke. One doesn’t have to be an economist to rationalise and know that buying of a bottle of Coke is a matter of choice while the price of petrol affects every Nigerian and that as soon as the issue of subsidy is raised, anytime in our history, it also raised an automatic inflationary effect on every area of our daily living, raising astronomically the cost of transportation, consumer goods, health bills and even school fees. I know most Nigerians can do without a bottle of coke for six months. The effect of fuel price hike is always unbearable even for the well to dos, as the common man is further put under unbearable economic pressures, driving many into desperation.

The plank of Saraki’s motion is transparency and accountability in the management of petroleum subsidy and why it is important to investigate it. A peep into the motion also revealed that the Federal Government operates a fuel subsidy scheme with the policy purpose of making petroleum products available and protecting the people from the economic shocks that paying the true value of the prices of the petroleum products may cause. He, however, insisted that in sponsoring the motion, he is propelled by the need to make the scheme more transparent, corruption-free and competitive within an appropriate legislative frame work and in compliance with the Appropriation Act.

Nigerians who have been following the debate on fuel subsidy removal know that the federal government has been inundated with calls to institute a probe into the activities and operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the past. The calls are predicated on the fact that nobody knows the exact amount the country earns from the sale of crude oil. Every attempt to know this has often been frustrated through manipulation. In addition, the country’s refineries have not worked in the last 10 years because some powerful forces do not want that. Knowing the consequences of conducting a probe, each time the calls are made, those who think that such action is targeted at them do everything to frustrate it.

But Alas! The same Saraki who exposed the ills and armed with the knowledge that a strong cartel is holding the nation to ransom turned around to canvass for removal of fuel scarcity. Saraki, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, observed that although N20 billion was set aside for subsidy on a monthly basis in the 2011 Appropriation Act, a total sum of N165 billion was expended in August, 2011 out of which NNPC got N88 billion and independent marketers N77.7 billion. He observed that although N240 billion was budgeted for the entire year, a total sum of N931 billion has been spent as at August ending, translating to a variance of N771 billion or 700 percent above the budget. Then why his capitulation to making the masses suffer the crime they did not commit? This Saraki’s option of increasing pump price is thus riddled with follies that need attention.

The Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was also recently quoted by the Daily Trust as insisting on the deregulation of fuel prices, arguing that the country “was feeding refineries abroad to the detriment of the ones at home by paying subsidies on imported refined petroleum products”, while noting that we are keeping refineries abroad open and shutting our own adding that the ministry of finance has supported deregulation but there would be a safety net. What is or are the safety nets in specifics?

What Saraki and his co-advocates of deregulation may have missed is that the general populace is disenchanted with most of government programmes premised on the fact that government actions and measures to reduce poverty never goes beyond the official launch of the policy document. This is a fact that can be easily verified. Again, financial technocrats in Brussels and Washington are more obsessed with the pace of privatisation than the transparency of its process. It may be noteworthy to state that in much of Africa, there is no clear boundary between the private and public sector, the former is frequently an extension of the later and quite often than not, it is government officials and their associates that end up buying these public holdings.

Towards the expiration of Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure and even of recent, huge sums of money were earmarked for the resuscitation of the refineries, all in an attempt to put a stop to petroleum importation. At a point, we were inundated as a nation with the talks of downstream and upstream sector deregulations, yet nothing has put the check incessant price hike or rejuvenation of our refineries. If as we are now been told, after so much has been spent both in repairing of the refineries – which are still not working – and signing of papers for the construction of new ones – which information has it that none of the companies that got the contract had made move to commence Environmental Impact Assessment not to talk of starting job, shouldn’t those charged with the assignment be made to account for the continuing disrepair of the refineries? And why on earth should the man on the street be made to provide another fund, when earlier ones provided through public funds has been squandered by those put in charge?

It should not be business as usual and for once we Nigerians should be relieved of the burden of increase in petroleum prices by the fact that there exists an agency of the government saddled with the responsibility of fighting corruption and if the the only reason we as a people should suffer is because some few people are holding the country in the jugular through corrupt practices then EFCC should put all its iron in the fire to fish them out and hound them into jail. This in my opinion is the way forward for Nigeria as all Nigerians including leadership of all the civil unions march in the right direction by calling for the prosecution of everyone linked and involved in the fraud surrounding fuel subsidy.

Some of the questions Bukola Saraki and his compatriots need to answer go thus; How has similar schemes and projects fared in the past and how well re-organised is the government agencies and mechanism to cope in the face of corruption that has become a second nature? What has been the effect and impacts of past efforts and programmes as related to palliative measures following past increase in fuel price? How possible is it to identify projects, measure and evaluate individuals businesses that are the product of such interventions? And if answers to these questions remain a puzzle, would it not be sensible then to delay the removal of subsidy until the government delivers on the electricity supply required to service industries, before the removal of fuel subsidy sets Nigeria on fire again?

 

The reality must have dawned on everyone now that Boko Haram is no more a ruse but a threat to national peace and tranquility with the attack on the police Headquarters and the recent bombing of the United Nations building both at broad daylight when all security agencies are supposed to be on red alert.

The primary responsibility of any given government is to ensure the enforcement of law and order. This is basic and can only be achieved with provision of adequate security measures. Even in dark ages rulers then considers safety of its people above all other issues. To this end any reasonable and responsive government should not take the issue of security with levity.

A reader of this newspaper after reading my piece on Boko Haram called and told me frantically that though he agrees with me on some of my opinion on the issue of Boko Haram but strongly disagree that the use of violence by any group of people be it militants, social crusaders, freedom fighters or terrorists is barbaric and should not be encouraged. He mentioned that no matter the grouse of Boko Haram, it is inhuman to take innocent peoples’ lives for no reason under the heavens.

To all intent and purpose I cannot but agree with him, even though in my piece I never encouraged or agree with the violence method and approach adopted by the sect in pressing home their demands, be it genuine or counterfeit, depending on the side of the divide one belongs, like I stated in that piece. My concern is still that someone is not doing what he is supposed to do or succinctly putting it that our leaders, especially those elected are not helping this nation towards the path of progress and development.

When a nation falters it should not be to the extent of not being capable to protect itself from internal crises not to talk of ability to protect its own from external aggression. Once our attitude to governance and nation development degenerated to the level that we are brought down to our knees by self-determining and insurgent groups at will, then where lies our sovereignty?

Aftermath of the attack on the UN building, an action claimed by Boko Haram, a report by Associated Press (AP) and credited to one of the security agencies in the country revealed how incompetence, corruption and nepotism among the security agencies have helped the fundamentalist Islamic sect behind the recent bombings in the country to thrive.

Among other astounding claims, the report again revealed that security officials in 2007 arrested, detained and later released the man who planned the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja.

The report read that the release of the UN bombing mastermind, named by the State Security Service as one Mamman Nur, and many other terrorists arrested that year was facilitated by senior security officials. To everyone’s amazement, names of those involved were not mentioned.

AP reports that the militants were caught with bombs, guns and lots of cash, adding that they were later released because government was wary of antagonizing powerful interests of the North extraction. Some of those arrested were said to have been planning to carry out attacks in the United States and on America interests in Nigeria. Investigators at the time said they had ties to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Somali terrorist organization, Al-Shabab, but could not proceed because of the order given by the top officials in the administration of the late President Umar Yar’adua that they should be released. What a pity on a country that used to be the Giant of Africa.

For any right thinking individual, reports that failed to go the whole length of specifics by mentioning names of those that are upright or otherwise in the discharge of their duties is not a report but a document conjured by its author from the figment of his imagination. Are we not being fooled all over again even by this kind of emanating reports that are immune to mentioning names of officials or that seemingly ‘top official’?

The report further said “one of those men was Babgana Ismail Kwaljima, also known as Abu Summaya, who was arrested again days before the August 26 bombing.”

The agency claimed to have arrested Kwaljima in October 2007 in Kano during a roundup of suspected members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb operating in the country. One should not be hastily criticized if one puts up this poser “The roundup in 2007 was at whose instance and to satisfy what purpose?

Aftermath the bombing of the UN building in Abuja we have heard series of arrest being made but the report says “some 50 al-Shabab members were arrested in Nigeria recently for plotting attacks on Western targets, citing postings made  to jihadist websites. Those arrests if ever made were not announced by security agencies because if they were, the oppressive Nigerian media would have reported same.

At least, it is common knowledge that security agencies in the country regal themselves in the parade of suspects arrested for stealing ten cups of rice and three tubers of yams. To me, if any arrest of the magnitude being reported recently had being made in the past, the Nigerian Inspector General of Police would have been recommended to become the Chief Executive of the World Police, if any such body exists!

If the reports still claims that the Nigeria’s intelligence agencies abandoned a US-assisted anti-terrorism program tagged “Focal Point” in year 2007 which saw the federal government wasting public funds to set up units in major cities to monitor suspected terrorists and that the units fell apart as agencies stock them with friends and relatives who took advantage of funds earmarked for those units to make trips and leaving the job of tracking suspects to local police authorities who knew nothing about the gravity of issues involved. Then who should be blamed for the rise in the spate of bomb attacks all over the country and fear of insecurity on lives and property?

Whoever is of the opinion that these attacks may soon cease needs a rethink if security agencies do not brace up and face challenges that lurk around in the guise of freedom fighters and crusaders for social justice and fairness. Terrorism has crept into our midst in the full glare of several security agencies who are more interested in lining their pockets under the auspices of an elected government.

God sparing our lives and help us shake awake our leaders at the national level from the deep slumber they are going into while the nation regressed gradually into anarchy, the end of the whole journey of our dear nation might not be far away and the labour of our heroes past might finally be in vain, as I foresee other miscreants taking up another form of campaign under the disguise of actualization of another sovereign state within a sovereign nation unleash another round of irredeemable terror on the populace.

Written by Joke Orimaye

Final scores Nigeria 0 : France 1

The African Champions must be physiologically fit and balanced to take on the more composed and experienced french team.

And after a while the Nigerians also had theirs and blew it.

At the end of the game it can either be.

Nigeria is the winner of the tie between Nigeria vs France in the women world cup 2011

or

France is the winner of the tie between Nigeria vs France in the women world cup 2011

However we wish them the very best.

The final score Nigeria vs France 2011 women world cup. Nigeria 0 : France 1

Following the event at the Eko Hotels and Suites, VI, Lagos. She emerged winner ahead of the closest runner up Miss Sophie Gemel who represented Balyesa State. She was awarded N3,000,000.00 about $20,000.00  with loads of benefit which includes a brand new Hyundai car and an opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Miss World competition in London during the year.

You may also wish to know that she represented the Northern state of Taraba in the beauty contest, and won the best on traditional attire custom for the event, yes! she truly dazzles in the traditional attire.

We like to say congrats to the runner ups and other winners that emerge out of the other 34 contestants.

MBGN Universe 2011 – Sophie Gemal (Miss Bayelsa)

MBGN 2011 Model - Oluchi Okafor (Miss Kogi)
MBGN 2011 Face of Select Pro - Gabriella Ndu (Miss Abia)

MBGN 2011 Miss Amity – Delphine Okobah (Miss Ebonyi)
MBGN 2011 Miss La Casera – Nwando Ebeledike (Miss Adamawa)

MBGN Tourism 2011 – Obioma Isiwu (Miss Enugu)
MBGN ECOWAS 2011 – Grace Ndam (Miss Lagos)
MBGN 2011/BellaNaija Miss Photogenic - Tobi Banjoko (Miss Ondo)

Profile of Sylvia Nduka

The undergraduate of the University of Lagos, studying Accounting, hails from Anambra State in Nigeria.

More stories about Sylvia Nduka – The most beautiful girl in Nigeria 2011 will be posted soon.,

What else does a woman want? “I just bought her a car, did the registration in her name and paid six-month salary to a driver who takes her everywhere. Before this, she gets a monthly allowance of N10,000 (that’s not the housekeeping allowance, which is N40,000 per month). I get her clothes and jewellery anytime I travel or from mobile merchants in my office. But, kike is never pleased,” stated Jude, 38 and father of three.

“She is one of the nastiest women on earth. She is so ungrateful and never sees any good in whatever I do. The only moment she is nice is when I give her money or a gift. She would nag about imaginary women I date, coupled with her hostility to my family members. Meanwhile, her family enjoys much largesse from me, especially her ailing mother, who lives with us. To Kike, I have strings ladies, who I spend so much on. She even believes my mother and sisters are planning to make me marry another woman just because all her four children are girls.

“Let me confess that I don’t have any concubine and she has never caught me with any woman. As a matter of fact, neither my mother nor any of my sisters ever talked to me about my daughters, who they adore. She is never satisfied and I come home daily to face her caustic tongue. Lately, my friends have started introducing some nice ladies to me and I am considering one of them for an affair. I know I would get the happiness I am looking for in her.”

Greg is under fire at home. “I am always scared to go home after work,” he confessed. He said that his 11-year-old marriage is equal to living in hell. “My wife exhibits some traits that I don’t know how to describe. She could be happy this moment and be nice to everyone around her. The next moment, she would be fuming and ready to break anybody’s head, including mine. Her children are so scared of her and prefer playing with me to her. Last week, she took me up on a telephone call I received from a friend in Lagos. We live in Imo State and I travel to Lagos to buy my goods. My wife believes my friend is a womanizer and exposes me to concubines whenever I am in Lagos. While throwing banters on the phone with my friend, she kept hissing and cursing, but I ignored her. By the time I was through with the call, her voice was louder; she fumed and called him on the phone to steer clear of me! The situation is so terrible that I don’t have who to report her to, as her mother is worse and has transverse five marriages. ‘My daughter is no trouble-maker; go and change your ways,’ she always tells me anytime I talk to her about my wife. There are no uncles to go to because they are all afraid of my mother-in-law. So, I am stuck with a monster at home. The only nice moment together we are in bed and that is within 30minutes!”

“My wife is so troublesome that I am ashamed to go out with her,” said Levi, 39, a businessman and a part-time pastor. Not a member of his church visits him at home. “She would always send them away with her bad behavior and there are some women she had beaten up just because she thought I was sleeping with them. She is so unfriendly and nasty for a pastor’s wife that I have stopped introducing myself as a pastor. Last year, during my ordination, I had to beg her parents to help convince her to attend. Her reason? She married a businessman and not a pastor! She knew her non attendance would be a stain on my ministry and I had to beg her (even my friends and relatives) for many weeks before she agreed. Now, I can’t divorce her because I am a pastor but I am tired of her ways, what do I do?”

Rubbing minds: Living with a troublesome woman could be likened to living in hell – there is no peace. As a result of this, some marriages have crashed, some shaky and many trying to tolerate one another. Not a few researchers wonder why some good men get bad wives, but the fact is someone somewhere is married to a bad woman and is searching for a way out. What to do? Be patient and tolerant, especially when she is in her mood. Carefully study her mood and talk to her at her ‘best moments.’ Though some men have sought divorce and opted out of the marriage, or are separated from their spouses, there is need to consider the children before taking such decisions.

This piece is culled from the Punch and written by Kemi Ashefon

Nigerian President

The June 1 letter from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, asking President Goodluck Jonathan to obey the ECOWAS  Court of Justice ruling that makes education of the Nigerian child a right, it is the latest effort in the new direction the quest for social justice is taking.

A November 2010 ruling of the ECOWAS Court ordered the Nigerian government to make adequate provisions for the compulsory and free education of every child immediately and ensure that corruption did not undermine the right to education. The court further ruled that the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, had responsibility to ensure funds appropriated for basic education were properly used for the purpose.

What would stun most Nigerians was the comprehensive nature of the judgement. The court noted the evidence of embezzlement of UBEC funds based on the reports of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC.

In order to dissuade the government from using inadequate funds as excuse for not implementing the judgment, the court asked the Nigerian government to provide the funds necessary to cover the shortfall theft in UBEC could have caused, in order to avoid denying any of its people the right to education.

Neither the Federal Government, with its passions about the importance of the Nigerian child, nor UBEC, has reacted to the judgment, which under ECOWAS protocols is final and not subject to appeal.

On 4 March 2011, SERAP wrote to the ECOWAS Court asking it to enforce the judgement, pursuant to Article 24 (2) (3) of the Supplementary Protocol of the ECOWAS Court.

According to the article, “Execution of any judgment of the Court shall be in the form of a writ of execution, which shall be submitted by the Registrar of the Court to the relevant Member State for execution according to the rules of civil procedure of that Member State. Upon the verification by the appointed authority of recipient Member State that the writ is from the Court, the writ shall be enforced.”

SERAP has concerns, as should anyone who cares for the future of the country. According to SERAP in its letter to the ECOWAS Court, “five million Nigerian children of school age have no access to primary education, 115 million adults are illiterate.”

Article 15(4) of the ECOWAS Treaty makes the judgment of the court binding on member states, institutions of the community and individuals and corporate bodies and Article 76 (2) provides for the finality of the decision of the court.

How would Nigeria wriggle out of this judgement?

President Jonathan is current Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS. Will he disobey a decision of the court? “By the judgment, your government is required to review the effectiveness of the existing domestic legal and constitutional remedies for the enforcement of the human right to education, and to take steps to address structural or general deficiencies in national law or practice,” SERAP said.

The ECOWAS Court judgement is a final confirmation of the failure of Nigeria’s Child Rights Act that was passed in 2003. If eight years on, compulsory and free education for the Nigerian child, as the Act provides is an illusion, we probably need ECOWAS to nudge us into action.

Culled from Vanguard Newspaper