NINE ISLAMIC VANDALS MEET THEIR END

By Elisha Bala-Gbogb

Nine gunmen suspected of belonging to Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamist group were shot dead by troops in the northern state of Kano after they attacked a police station and a bank, the military said.

“They used improvised explosive devices to bomb these places,” Brigadier General Iliyasu Abba, military commander in Kano city, told reporters today. “We quickly mobilized our men to the scene and that was how we successfully got them.” Two more gunmen were arrested, he said.

Authorities in Africa’s top oil producer blame Boko Haram, which draws inspiration from Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, for a surge of violence in the mainly Muslim north and in Abuja, the capital, in which more than 1,000 people have died since 2009. The group claimed responsibility for multiple blasts and attacks in the city of Kano on Jan. 20 that killed at least 256 people, according to the Civil Rights Congress.

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is a sin,” recently made contact with the government for peace talks through an Islamic leader, Abul Qaqa, a spokesman said yesterday. The initiative was called off after the group decided the government wasn’t sincere, he said.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with more than 160 million people, is roughly split between a mainly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south. Boko Haram poses a more serious threat to the country than the 1967-1970 Biafra civil war, President Goodluck Jonathan said on Jan. 8.

Nigeria Insists on Good Treatment of Deportees

By Oghogho Obayuwana,

ALTHOUGH all nations have the sovereign right to send away unwanted nationals of other countries, such deporting states must, however, abide by known diplomatic conventions which stipulate dignified treatment for those affected.

The Federal Government again reiterated this position yesterday just as it appealed to the international community especially its strategic partners to give greater support to Nigeria’s efforts at combating the scourge of terrorism.

At the second formal meeting with ambassadors, high commissioners, and heads of international agencies accredited to Nigeria which is coming on the heels of the maiden interactive session in July last year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru said the Federal Government would not brook the maltreatment of Nigerians even when such citizens deserve to be sent home.

He said: “A critical issue I must comment upon concerns the deportation of Nigerians from various parts of the world. Let me state here that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not opposed to the deportation of Nigerians who no longer have the rights to remain in countries from where they are being deported; especially after they might have exhausted all local remedies. We, however, insist that this deportation should be done within the appropriate institutional and legal framework and with dignity and decency. We have signed MoUs with some countries of the world and are ready to take similar actions with interested countries.”

According to the minister, while urging Nigerians all over the world to continue to be law abiding and not abuse the hospitality of their hosts, the Federal Government will not tolerate maltreatment of Nigerians for no just cause. “I must emphasize that it is a cardinal principle of Nigeria’s foreign policy to promote and protect the welfare of Nigerians all over the world. We will not abdicate this responsibility to our citizens all over the world and in all circumstances”.

No fewer than 56 Nigerians were deported recently from the United Kingdom. There are also a few isolated cases over which documentation is currently being compiled.

While thanking friendly countries for their support and understanding in meeting the challenge posed by terrorists’ activities in Nigeria, the minister said in tackling this particular challenge “the support of the international community and our strategic partners is vital.

This support in the form of training, capacity building, equipment and exchange of intelligence and joint actions, especially with Nigeria’s immediate neighbours is deeply appreciated. It is our wish and desire to intensify this cooperation in the days to come... government has begun programmes of social and economic empowerment, job creation and poverty reduction which we believe will ensure that the challenges of the recent phenomenon are sooner than later put behind us.”

He expressed delight that many countries have responded to Nigeria’s trade and investment initiatives. Calling for more partnerships and engagement in these areas, he said “many have sent trade delegations to Nigeria or have received Nigeria’s trade delegations in their respective countries. I urge you to continue in this spirit so as to strengthen relations between our countries, to the mutual benefit of our people. we believe that trade is central to Nigeria’s prosperity. We therefore need to devise creative ways of increasing and diversifying trade and investments between our countries and in all sectors of the Nigerian economy especially the power sector, agricultural and manufacturing value addition so as to assist us in job and wealth creation.”

Ambassador Ashiru, however, expressed regrets that despite his intervention last July, Nigerian visa applicants are still being poorly treated by some diplomatic missions while other missions still bypass the official channel of communication between them and Nigerian ministries, agencies, departments and institutions in breach of established diplomatic practice.

He said in this regard among others: “I am happy to say that I have noticed marked improvements in this direction. The rate of rejection of visa applicants seems to have fallen in some missions... but there is still room for improvement. Missions that have not erected special reception halls for visa applicants should please do so in order that Nigerian visa applicants will not have to queue in the rain and hot sun when they apply for visas at embassies. We shall continue to demand at all times, dignified service to Nigerians.”

Before they went into a closed session yesterday, the dean of the diplomatic corps and Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Nigeria Msuya Waldi Mangachi pledged sensible action on the points raised especially with regards to getting Nigerian ministries, agencies, departments and institutions to be sensitive to the standard norm in dealing with foreign missions. Approaches, the High Commissioner insisted yesterday, usually originate from the Nigerian side.

Nigeria May hold World Bank Presidency

By Sandrine Rastello

Some African nations are planning to nominate Nigeria’s Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to become president of the World Bank, an official on the lender’s board of directors said.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was a managing director at the Washington-based World Bank until August, would be proposed by South Africa, according to the official, who spoke on condition of not being named because the talks are not public. South Africa also represents Nigeria and Angola on the 25-seat World Bank board.

South African Treasury spokesman Jabulani Sikhakhane said “we’re not commenting on the issue,” when contacted on his mobile phone today. Mac Maharaj, a spokesman for South African President Jacob Zuma, did not respond to a message left on his mobile phone.

“It’s great there’s a conversation about merit,” said Kevin Gallagher, associate professor of international relations at Boston University. “She knows a heck of a lot about development. I’m not so sure what her thoughts and record is with respect to environmental protection,” he said in reference to a topic of increasing interest at the World Bank.

While the bank promised a “merit-based and transparent” selection process, the position has always been held by a U.S. citizen proposed by the U.S. president. Two days before a March 23 deadline, President Barack Obama’s administration has not announced its candidate to replace Robert Zoellick, who has said he will step down when his term ends June 30.

‘Quite Surprising’
“The minister hasn’t put herself forward for the position and she’s not actively seeking it,” Nigerian finance ministry spokesman Paul Nwabuikwu said. “That’s why it’s quite surprising the amount of support that the idea is getting from Africa and other parts of the world.”

The World Bank’s board has said will decide on a shortlist of as many as three candidates, whom it will interview, and that it wants to make a decision by April 20.

The plan to nominate Okonjo-Iweala was reported earlier by Reuters, which also said Brazil will nominate former Colombian Finance Minister Jose Antonio Ocampo. Ocampo didn’t return a call to his office at Columbia University in New York.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa “and other active developing countries in the World Bank are discussing the issue,” Carlos Cozendey, secretary for International Affairs at the Brazilian Finance Ministry, said in a statement while declining to confirm Ocampo’s candidacy. “The president of the World Bank should be chosen by his merit and we think it is very positive to have an open competitive process,” according to the statement.

U.S. Nomination
Okonjo-Iweala’s possible candidacy may not be enough to derail a nomination by the U.S., the bank’s largest shareholder, said Uri Dadush, director of international economics at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. The U.S. last year also backed Europe’s pick for the International Monetary Fund against Mexico’s candidate.

“The only scenario I can imagine where it would make it difficult is if the U.S. doesn’t come up with a strong candidate themselves,” Dadush said. “But if they do and they are convinced they have a good candidate, I don’t think the African countries can stop this.”

Another declared candidate is Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs, who is backed by developing nations including East Timor, which said it nominated him.

-- With assistance by Arnaldo Galvao in Brasilia, Maram Mazen in Abuja and Franz Wild in Johannesburg. Editors: Kevin Costelloe, Gail DeGeorge

To contact the reporters on this story: Sandrine Rastello in Washington at srastello@bloomberg.net;

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz in Washington at cwellisz@bloomberg.net;

Some Facts About Nigeria

Nigeria i/naɪˈdʒɪəriə/, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean. The three largest and most influential ethnic groups in Nigeria are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. In terms of religion Nigeria is roughly split half and half between Muslims and Christians with a very small minority who practice traditional religion.
The people of Nigeria have an extensive history. Archaeological evidence shows that human habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BCE.[5] The area around the Benue and Cross River is thought to be the original homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most of central and southern Africa in waves between the 1st millennium BC and the 2nd millennium. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was coined by Flora Shaw, the future wife of Baron Lugard, a British colonial administrator, in the late 19th century. Since 2002 there have been a spate of clashes in the north of the country between government forces and the Boko Haram militant group which seeks to establish sharia law.
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, the seventh most populous country in the world, and the most populous country in the world in which the majority of the population is black.[6] It is listed among the "Next Eleven" economies, and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Picture Talk: A Nigerian artist Paints Nigeria with Excellence

The paintings of Naija

Remembering Gani Fawehinmi in A vow in a Thunderstorm By Yemi Olakitan

A vow in a Thunderstorm: A book Review
By Yemi Olakitan

A vow in a thunderstorm contains 222 pages of captivating work of fiction. Written by Chike Obayi, the book is dedicated to the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi who spent most of his life fighting against human rights infringements by corrupt military leaders. The author seems to have obtained his inspiration from the life of the Fawehinmi. The main character of his story walks the same path as the late activist. Obayi writes with clarity, imagination and a simplicity that one would find in the writings of great storytellers such as Cyprian Ekwensi or Chinua Achebe. Obayi writes with great promise and delivers his plot with enough enthusiasm that convinces his audience that he has both the talents and the imagination to deliver his stories.
Tijani, a young brilliant boy vowed to spend his life fighting for the rights of the less privileged in his society after he witnessed died of tuberculosis while in prison for a crime he did not commit. Tijani promised his father that he was going to study law and he would strive to use the legal profession to bring solace to the oppressed.
Written in simple language, the author tells his story brilliantly without boredom or unnecessary details he seems to command a kind of touch for keeping the readers glued as he moves from one stage of the story to the next. Obayi traced the story of Tijani’s life to his earliest educational background and showed the readers how the character strives to keep the promise he made to his father by fighting for the rights of the oppressed and the underprivileged and exposing the wrongful acts of the wicked ones in the society. He borrowed from Ibo land immensely in his use of proverbs, similes and metaphors, which are not far feched in the book.
While in secondary school at the Kings College, Lagos, Tijani rose to the position of clerk in the school informal law court by fighting for the rights of the junior students. In keeping with the promise he made to his late father. He fought courageously against the infamous compulsory free purchase culture of the college, in which senior students were forced to buy a long list of beverages and other items for senior students. This illegal practice ensures that the junior student used his money to purchase the items while the senior student freely enjoys the purchase. Sometimes a student has to steal in order to meet up with the CFP. A refusal to purchase the listed items means that the concerned student would suffer innumerable punishment in the hands of the students.
An alarmed Tijani takes the matter to the lower student court and appeal the judgment of the lower court. At the upper court he was able to win the case and the oppressed students were free. This is the beginning of Tijani’s fight against abuse of the peoples’ human rights. He went on to study Law at the University and he continued his fight for the eradication of all acts of intimidation and oppression in the university community. Tijani is a multitalented young man who plays football very well and his love of the game gives him popularity. In chapter 11 of the book he even took his love for the sports to the higher institution, which made him even popular.
As an undergraduate studying Law, Tijani displayed outstanding courage in chapter 13 of the book. When he exposed the members of a notorious secret cult operating in his school. The cult known as NASTO had kidnapped Kutoye, the son of the university’s Vice Chancellor over the student union election. This has pushed the university into confusion. Tijani displayed the courage of detective in the matter. He trailed the cultists to their hiding place. He recorded their discussions and obtained enough evidence for the arrest of the offenders. The head of the cultists Prof. Ozia was exposed in the process. All these were as a result of Tijani’s efforts in the face of threats to his life. He helped the police to get to the bottom of the matter and saved the life of his friend Kutoye who would have been killed. Tijani kept the vow he made to his father even in the university days. Tijani’s radicalism, like that of the late chief Gani Fawehinmi arises out of a desire to fight for justice and promote the welfare of humanity. Like the late chief Gani Fawehinmi, Tijani was determined to face danger in order to fight for justice and the enthronement of truth. Chike Obayi had rightly dedicated the book to fawehinmi’s memory. A vow in thunderstorm would make an interesting reading particularly to the youths. It provides an experience that many of the younger ones have not had before which may also yield them valuable lessons in human relationships and in many issues of life.
Obayi takes the reader through villages and the Lagos city to tell his tale. He makes use of words such as Igwe thereby using his cultural experience and language in the choice of location and the behaviuos of his characters. Although he did not provide a bibliography of difficult words at the end of the story, he left the readers to do the interpretation.
Obayi tells his story well and the readers could easily see that his inspiration came from the late Fawehinmi one of Nigerian heroes human rights advocacy. However, he err a bit on the part of suspense. Someone, one is able to predict the kind of life Tijani will leave from the earlier chapters of the book. A critical analysis of the book cannot overlook the issue of suspense. Obayi could have created more suspense in the plots by using some flashback instead of unfolding the story methodically as it occurred.
However, his use of imagination is good as he is able to use descriptive words and much imagery to tell the tale. For example, in his description of the chaotic situation of Lagos city in chapter seven, he wrote, ‘‘people were moving in almost all directions and in haste with no-one seeming to care for the other. It looked as if an invisible hand was propelled the movements. Here and there. People were conversing in a language he did not understand. Yellow painted buses cruising past in opposite directions with some passengers hang out from the doors like monkeys. He wondered whether something was wrong. ‘’
A vow in a thunderstorm will remain a great honour to the late Fawehinmi who truly deserved whatever monuments one might erect in his memory wether in the form of a literature or a sculpture. The author, Obayi Crescent Chikezie Agweri was born on September 28, 1966 at Nsukka in Enugu state. He attended Adada Secondary School. Npologu in Nsuka and Lagos state University where he obtained B.A Hons in Philosophy and a Masters in International Relations and strategic studies. He is married to Ngozika Eunice and they are blessed with children. Chike Obayi leaved in Lagos with his family.