Nnewi (Anambra) – Gov.
Peter Obi of Anambra on
Wednesday said all was set
for the burial of Dim
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-
Ojukwu on Thursday at his
country home of Nnewi,
Nnewi North Local
Government Area.
Obi gave the indication
shortly after inspecting the
compound where the late
Igbo leader would be
interred.
Obi , who was in company
of Sen. Uche Chukwuemrije
and Prof. ABC Nwosu, said he
was at the residence to
inspect the level of work
done.
“We are here just to inspect
the level of ongoing work
and we are satisfied at what
we have seen, even though
there a few touches to be
done.
“If you know this compound
before now, you will agree
with me that a high level of
change can be seen,” he
said.
Also speaking, the son of the
late Biafra leader, Mr Emeka
Ojukwu (Jnr), said that the
preparation was in top gear
as there were “more than
hundreds of hand assisting”.
“We are 95 per cent ready as
you can see from the
decoration and road projects
within and around this
area,” he noted.
“Since my father died, things
have been different. People’s
reaction on the television,
radio and newspapers all
over the country, and now
preparation for his burial,
gives me a stronger sense
that my father is no longer
there.
“It is a huge responsibility
for me as his first son and is
now left for me to live to
that expectation of the life
he lived,” he added. (NAN)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Senate stops FRSC fromissuing new number plates,license
Senate has ordered
the Federal Road Safety
Commission, FRSC to stop
issuing new vehicle number
plates and driver’s license.
The order was upon the
adoption of a motion on
new number and driver’s
sponsored by Senator Dahiru
Kuta and 19 others in which
they condemned the
indiscriminate fees charged
by the FRSC on the new
number plates and driver’s
license.
Senators during the
consideration of the motion
on Wednesday described the
new vehicle number plates
issued by the commission as
illegal noting that act that set
up FRSC does not empower it
to issue number plates.
Moving the motion, Kuta
lamented that FRSC has
abandoned it primary
mandates of ensuring safety
on Nigeria roads by turning
itself into revenue
generating agency.
Kuta said, “The commission
was not established
principally as a revenue
generating agency for states
or Federal Government, but
the commission in recent
times has embarked on
frequent and arbitrary
introduction and
reintroduction of vehicle
number plates and driver’s
licenses.
“The new driver’s license
which the commission
launched in 2011 is now
issued for N6000 as against
the N3000 while the new
number plates have
suddenly jumped from
N5000 to an astronomical
N15, 000.
“The exorbitant cost of the
driver’s license and vehicle
plate number is meant to
financially improvised
Nigerians because the
amount is exploitative,
prohibitive and insensitive
for a population that is
already facing challenges of
harsh economic conditions.”
Senators during the debate
condemned the introduction
of the new number plates,
insisting that the FRSC must
wash its hands off issuing
licenses and vehicle number
plates.
Senator Smart Adeyemi, PDP,
Kogi described the new
number plates as too
exorbitant for motorists and
illegal.
He said, “FRSC has
abandoned its mandate, it
was established to ensure
safety on highways, but
what the FRSC is trying to do
now is to render other
government agencies
redundant. Going further to
the point of managing the
issuance of license is against
the law. The cost of
procuring number plates is
too high, it used to be N3000
but I am surprise when it
went to N15000.”
Senator Barnabas Gemade
who also kicking against the
new number plates and
driver’s license regime,
charged the commission to
concentrate more on
protecting Nigerian road
users instead of diving into
revenue generation.
According to him, “This issue
is not only controversial; it
has enlisted struggles
between FRSC and VIO. FRSC
at this moment are not
executing their
responsibilities. Even the
drivers of the commission
do not obey traffic rules, but
they are now diving into
revenue generation.”
Senate President, David Mark
while ruling on the motion
said the new number plates
by FRSC was an imposition
of additional burden on
Nigerians.
Mark warned, “Let them not
impose additional
expenditure on the people
and their primary objective
was not to generate
revenue.”
the Federal Road Safety
Commission, FRSC to stop
issuing new vehicle number
plates and driver’s license.
The order was upon the
adoption of a motion on
new number and driver’s
sponsored by Senator Dahiru
Kuta and 19 others in which
they condemned the
indiscriminate fees charged
by the FRSC on the new
number plates and driver’s
license.
Senators during the
consideration of the motion
on Wednesday described the
new vehicle number plates
issued by the commission as
illegal noting that act that set
up FRSC does not empower it
to issue number plates.
Moving the motion, Kuta
lamented that FRSC has
abandoned it primary
mandates of ensuring safety
on Nigeria roads by turning
itself into revenue
generating agency.
Kuta said, “The commission
was not established
principally as a revenue
generating agency for states
or Federal Government, but
the commission in recent
times has embarked on
frequent and arbitrary
introduction and
reintroduction of vehicle
number plates and driver’s
licenses.
“The new driver’s license
which the commission
launched in 2011 is now
issued for N6000 as against
the N3000 while the new
number plates have
suddenly jumped from
N5000 to an astronomical
N15, 000.
“The exorbitant cost of the
driver’s license and vehicle
plate number is meant to
financially improvised
Nigerians because the
amount is exploitative,
prohibitive and insensitive
for a population that is
already facing challenges of
harsh economic conditions.”
Senators during the debate
condemned the introduction
of the new number plates,
insisting that the FRSC must
wash its hands off issuing
licenses and vehicle number
plates.
Senator Smart Adeyemi, PDP,
Kogi described the new
number plates as too
exorbitant for motorists and
illegal.
He said, “FRSC has
abandoned its mandate, it
was established to ensure
safety on highways, but
what the FRSC is trying to do
now is to render other
government agencies
redundant. Going further to
the point of managing the
issuance of license is against
the law. The cost of
procuring number plates is
too high, it used to be N3000
but I am surprise when it
went to N15000.”
Senator Barnabas Gemade
who also kicking against the
new number plates and
driver’s license regime,
charged the commission to
concentrate more on
protecting Nigerian road
users instead of diving into
revenue generation.
According to him, “This issue
is not only controversial; it
has enlisted struggles
between FRSC and VIO. FRSC
at this moment are not
executing their
responsibilities. Even the
drivers of the commission
do not obey traffic rules, but
they are now diving into
revenue generation.”
Senate President, David Mark
while ruling on the motion
said the new number plates
by FRSC was an imposition
of additional burden on
Nigerians.
Mark warned, “Let them not
impose additional
expenditure on the people
and their primary objective
was not to generate
revenue.”
SSANU gives another strikenotice
The Senior Staff
Association of Nigerian
Universities (SSANU) on
Wednesday said it would
embark on an indefinite
strike over the non-
implementation of its 2009
agreement with the Federal
Government.
Mr Alfred Jimoh, the
National Vice President, West
Zone, told news men in
Ibadan that the main reason
for the strike was to press
home SSANU’s demand for
the 65 years retirement age.
He said the national
executive of the association
at the end of its 40th
quarterly meeting in Ado-
Ekiti resolved to commence
the strike.
“ SSANU was to embark on
an indefinite strike on about
two occasions; but due to
the appeal made by the
Federal Government, we
decided to sheath our
sword.
“ As at today, only the salary
aspect of the agreement has
been partially implemented.
“ The government, however,
promised to implement all
agreements, including the
retirement age by the 29th
of February.
“ Nothing has been done
and it will interest you that
today is 29th and no
agreement has been signed
by the government.
“ SSANU is not happy about
this; we have shown enough
understanding with
government and it is really
affecting our members
negatively.
“ So any moment from 12
mid-night, we will give
directives to our members to
embark on strike,’’ he said.
(NAN)
Association of Nigerian
Universities (SSANU) on
Wednesday said it would
embark on an indefinite
strike over the non-
implementation of its 2009
agreement with the Federal
Government.
Mr Alfred Jimoh, the
National Vice President, West
Zone, told news men in
Ibadan that the main reason
for the strike was to press
home SSANU’s demand for
the 65 years retirement age.
He said the national
executive of the association
at the end of its 40th
quarterly meeting in Ado-
Ekiti resolved to commence
the strike.
“ SSANU was to embark on
an indefinite strike on about
two occasions; but due to
the appeal made by the
Federal Government, we
decided to sheath our
sword.
“ As at today, only the salary
aspect of the agreement has
been partially implemented.
“ The government, however,
promised to implement all
agreements, including the
retirement age by the 29th
of February.
“ Nothing has been done
and it will interest you that
today is 29th and no
agreement has been signed
by the government.
“ SSANU is not happy about
this; we have shown enough
understanding with
government and it is really
affecting our members
negatively.
“ So any moment from 12
mid-night, we will give
directives to our members to
embark on strike,’’ he said.
(NAN)
Igbos for SNC said victor umeh, APGA national chairman.
At the Tafawa Balewa
Square, Lagos, funeral
programme for the late elder
statesman and Biafran
warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, last
Thursday, National Chairman
of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor
Umeh spoke to reporters on
the significance of Ojukwu’s
death and why the country
must be restructured along
Ojukwu’s suggestions.
Excerpts:
People from all parts of the
country came to TBS to
honour Ojukwu. How do you
see this outpouring of
eulogies?
Nigerians of all divides were
there. Those, who disagreed
with Ojukwu 40 years ago
agreed with him in death.
Now that he is dead, they all
agreed with all he said. They
are still pretending that
Nigeria is working. Nigeria is
not working. All the issues he
canvassed that even made
him to carry arms are still
relevant in Nigeria today.
They are still killing people.
We still have mass murders
and we have so much
pockets of injustice in
Nigeria. So, Nigeria cannot
continue the way it’s going
without a discussion. We
need a round table national
dialogue. There are so many
pockets of grievances in the
Nigerian nation. So, those
who are in authority today,
if they continue to resist
national dialogue, the
collapse of Nigeria is
inevitable.
Nigeria cannot continue the
way it’s moving. Every part
of Nigeria has something or
the other to agitate for. The
President cannot continue to
sit on an empire that is
decaying. So the only thing
the President needs to do, is
to open up and allow
Nigerians to come together.
We are not talking about the
breakup of Nigeria. We are
talking about how to discuss
so that Nigeria will remain. If
they want to say they will
use force to intimidate the
people, one day the whole
thing will cave in. So, Ojukwu
stood for equity and
fairness. He canvassed
equity and fairness and
justice. They fought him.
Ojukwu didn’t fight Nigeria.
Nigeria fought Ojukwu
because he declared
independent Republic of
Biafra to defend his people
and they started a war
against him and his people.
Now, they continue to move
on and they don’t have
peace. Nigeria doesn’t have
peace today.
So, the
first thing
they
have to
do is to
go back
and look
at the
things he
said and
the
suggestions he made. If
Nigeria is going to survive
through a confederation, so
be it, so that there will be
peace. There is no point
forcing everybody to be
part of Nigeria, using states
as federating units yet it’s
not working. There is need
to tell ourselves the home
truth. Those who are in
authority always want to
protect their empire but
when they leave office they
join the agitation for
national conference. Now
that they are in authority, let
them use the power they
have to call people together
so that we dialogue.
Former Military President,
General Ibrahim Badamosi
Babangida (rtd.), said
recently that there was no
need for a Sovereign
National Conference (SNC).
What is your take on that?
Babangida is entitled to his
own opinion. The
preponderant opinion in
Nigeria is that there is need
for national conference. It’s
only a fool who can say that
there is no need for dialogue
now. If you don’t want war,
the only thing you need is
dialogue. It’s through
dialogue that you prevent
war. Boko Haram is holding
Nigeria hostage right now.
It’s only Boko Haram now.
By the time other groups
rear up and carry arms
against Nigeria, what would
be left? Nothing!
Nigeria is finding it difficult
to contain Boko Haram.
Talking about the people of
the South-East for instance,
we have only five states and
95 local governments, what
if a group rears up in the
South-East carrying arms as
Boko Haram is carrying arms
and in the Niger Delta also,
the militancy returns? What
will the Nigerian government
do? Nothing! So it’s better
for them to achieve peace
through dialogue without
violence than to continue to
uphold this level of injustice
and think that Nigeria will
remain. It will not remain.
The late Ojukwu no doubt
played a prominent role in
keeping APGA as one family
before he died. How is your
party going to remember
him?
We are Ojukwu’s agents.
Before he died, you know
Ojukwu was known as
somebody who led a war in
defence of his people. Since
war was no longer
fashionable before Ojukwu
died, he built a political
movement and that political
movement is APGA. And he
was able to establish two
state governments in
Anambra and Imo states.
He put two governors in
office in Anambra and Imo.
We will remain his agents
and collectively, we shall
keep his dream alive. He was
my direct boss for eight
years. I can tell you all the
things that Ojukwu stood
for.Our promise is that we
shall continue to carry on
with that vision of Ojukwu.
We are his apostles; we are
going to carry the mission
and his message till the end
of time.
So, APGA will not die. Ojukwu
is dead physically but in
spirit he is alive and he is
with us. And before he left
just like Christ did, giving his
apostles the gift of Holy
Ghost, Ojukwu breathed the
life of struggle into all of us,
those of us who stayed with
him for a long time. So, we
will continue with that
struggle and his struggle will
never die until justice, equity
and fairness reign in Nigeria.
Lagos State Governor, Mr.
Babatunde Fashola (SAN), is a
card carrying member of the
Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN). But he participated in
everything concerning the
burial rites of the late
Ojukwu in Lagos. How do
you view this?
Fashola is a great man. Like
he spoke at the Tafawa
Balewa Square in Lagos, if
you look at the
circumstances, it’s very
difficult for him to hold a
myopic view in his home. His
wife is a Catholic, the mother,
an Anglican, the father a
Muslim. So, he is a man who
is already in the middle of
the road. He is a very good
man and he has
accommodated the Igbo in
Lagos very well.
That is why they are
supporting his
administration. I thank him
immensely for the efforts he
put into organising the
event and we wish him well.
We assure him that the Igbo
people in Lagos will continue
to support his
administration. He has done
very well by identifying with
the Igbo. This is Lagos. Lagos
is the melting point in the
South-western Nigeria but
only Fashola was governor
in South-West that attended
the event. His presence
spoke volumes.
What do you make of
President Goodluck
Jonathan’s participation in
Ojukwu’s burial
arrangements?
When Ojukwu died, their
eyes were opened. As soon
as Ojukwu died and his body
was put in the morgue, Boko
Haram started killing people.
So they now went back to
Ojukwu’s message. They
now realise that this was a
great man. He saw tomorrow
and that tomorrow that he
saw, Nigeria has not been
able to grapple with it. So
they have identified with
him knowing that he was
like a prophet that came to
Nigeria and his message is
still resonating.
Square, Lagos, funeral
programme for the late elder
statesman and Biafran
warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, last
Thursday, National Chairman
of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor
Umeh spoke to reporters on
the significance of Ojukwu’s
death and why the country
must be restructured along
Ojukwu’s suggestions.
Excerpts:
People from all parts of the
country came to TBS to
honour Ojukwu. How do you
see this outpouring of
eulogies?
Nigerians of all divides were
there. Those, who disagreed
with Ojukwu 40 years ago
agreed with him in death.
Now that he is dead, they all
agreed with all he said. They
are still pretending that
Nigeria is working. Nigeria is
not working. All the issues he
canvassed that even made
him to carry arms are still
relevant in Nigeria today.
They are still killing people.
We still have mass murders
and we have so much
pockets of injustice in
Nigeria. So, Nigeria cannot
continue the way it’s going
without a discussion. We
need a round table national
dialogue. There are so many
pockets of grievances in the
Nigerian nation. So, those
who are in authority today,
if they continue to resist
national dialogue, the
collapse of Nigeria is
inevitable.
Nigeria cannot continue the
way it’s moving. Every part
of Nigeria has something or
the other to agitate for. The
President cannot continue to
sit on an empire that is
decaying. So the only thing
the President needs to do, is
to open up and allow
Nigerians to come together.
We are not talking about the
breakup of Nigeria. We are
talking about how to discuss
so that Nigeria will remain. If
they want to say they will
use force to intimidate the
people, one day the whole
thing will cave in. So, Ojukwu
stood for equity and
fairness. He canvassed
equity and fairness and
justice. They fought him.
Ojukwu didn’t fight Nigeria.
Nigeria fought Ojukwu
because he declared
independent Republic of
Biafra to defend his people
and they started a war
against him and his people.
Now, they continue to move
on and they don’t have
peace. Nigeria doesn’t have
peace today.
So, the
first thing
they
have to
do is to
go back
and look
at the
things he
said and
the
suggestions he made. If
Nigeria is going to survive
through a confederation, so
be it, so that there will be
peace. There is no point
forcing everybody to be
part of Nigeria, using states
as federating units yet it’s
not working. There is need
to tell ourselves the home
truth. Those who are in
authority always want to
protect their empire but
when they leave office they
join the agitation for
national conference. Now
that they are in authority, let
them use the power they
have to call people together
so that we dialogue.
Former Military President,
General Ibrahim Badamosi
Babangida (rtd.), said
recently that there was no
need for a Sovereign
National Conference (SNC).
What is your take on that?
Babangida is entitled to his
own opinion. The
preponderant opinion in
Nigeria is that there is need
for national conference. It’s
only a fool who can say that
there is no need for dialogue
now. If you don’t want war,
the only thing you need is
dialogue. It’s through
dialogue that you prevent
war. Boko Haram is holding
Nigeria hostage right now.
It’s only Boko Haram now.
By the time other groups
rear up and carry arms
against Nigeria, what would
be left? Nothing!
Nigeria is finding it difficult
to contain Boko Haram.
Talking about the people of
the South-East for instance,
we have only five states and
95 local governments, what
if a group rears up in the
South-East carrying arms as
Boko Haram is carrying arms
and in the Niger Delta also,
the militancy returns? What
will the Nigerian government
do? Nothing! So it’s better
for them to achieve peace
through dialogue without
violence than to continue to
uphold this level of injustice
and think that Nigeria will
remain. It will not remain.
The late Ojukwu no doubt
played a prominent role in
keeping APGA as one family
before he died. How is your
party going to remember
him?
We are Ojukwu’s agents.
Before he died, you know
Ojukwu was known as
somebody who led a war in
defence of his people. Since
war was no longer
fashionable before Ojukwu
died, he built a political
movement and that political
movement is APGA. And he
was able to establish two
state governments in
Anambra and Imo states.
He put two governors in
office in Anambra and Imo.
We will remain his agents
and collectively, we shall
keep his dream alive. He was
my direct boss for eight
years. I can tell you all the
things that Ojukwu stood
for.Our promise is that we
shall continue to carry on
with that vision of Ojukwu.
We are his apostles; we are
going to carry the mission
and his message till the end
of time.
So, APGA will not die. Ojukwu
is dead physically but in
spirit he is alive and he is
with us. And before he left
just like Christ did, giving his
apostles the gift of Holy
Ghost, Ojukwu breathed the
life of struggle into all of us,
those of us who stayed with
him for a long time. So, we
will continue with that
struggle and his struggle will
never die until justice, equity
and fairness reign in Nigeria.
Lagos State Governor, Mr.
Babatunde Fashola (SAN), is a
card carrying member of the
Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN). But he participated in
everything concerning the
burial rites of the late
Ojukwu in Lagos. How do
you view this?
Fashola is a great man. Like
he spoke at the Tafawa
Balewa Square in Lagos, if
you look at the
circumstances, it’s very
difficult for him to hold a
myopic view in his home. His
wife is a Catholic, the mother,
an Anglican, the father a
Muslim. So, he is a man who
is already in the middle of
the road. He is a very good
man and he has
accommodated the Igbo in
Lagos very well.
That is why they are
supporting his
administration. I thank him
immensely for the efforts he
put into organising the
event and we wish him well.
We assure him that the Igbo
people in Lagos will continue
to support his
administration. He has done
very well by identifying with
the Igbo. This is Lagos. Lagos
is the melting point in the
South-western Nigeria but
only Fashola was governor
in South-West that attended
the event. His presence
spoke volumes.
What do you make of
President Goodluck
Jonathan’s participation in
Ojukwu’s burial
arrangements?
When Ojukwu died, their
eyes were opened. As soon
as Ojukwu died and his body
was put in the morgue, Boko
Haram started killing people.
So they now went back to
Ojukwu’s message. They
now realise that this was a
great man. He saw tomorrow
and that tomorrow that he
saw, Nigeria has not been
able to grapple with it. So
they have identified with
him knowing that he was
like a prophet that came to
Nigeria and his message is
still resonating.
Boko Haram attacks another
school
•Sets classrooms ablaze
…Gunmen kill 3 cops in Bauchi
bank raid
From TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri
and PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi
Wednesday February 29, 2012
For the second time within a
week, Boko Haram attacked
another primary school in
Maiduguri, Borno State capital
yesterday, setting ablaze
classrooms and the headmaster’s
office. Three policemen were
killed in Bauchi when gunmen
attacked a bank and a police
station.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) said
that the fire was not caused by
an explosion. The body of a
middle-aged man was found
close to the school. There was no
official confirmation of the
victim’s identity by Press time.
Only last week, suspected Boko
Haram members made a botched
attempt at bombing Zajeri
Primary School in the outskirt of
Maiduguri. The incident occurred
when the sect attacked Baga
Market while on a reprisal
mission over one of its members
who was captured by traders in
the market.
Yesterday’s attack on Gomari
Costain Primary School was the
second of such in recent times
even as the Boko Haram claimed
responsibility of the earlier
attacks on schools. Spokesman to
the sect, Abul Qaqa, said the
group had attacked a primary
school at Abaganaram in the city
last Saturday, as a reprisal for the
“unjust raiding of our local
Islamiyya Quranic schools by the
JTF members,” alleging that
copies of Qur’an were mutilated.
“The attack and burning of that
school was a warning to
government to quickly caution
the JTF operatives to desist from
raiding our Quranic schools or
risk worst attacks,” said Qaqa.
JTF spokesman, Lt-Col. Hassan
Mohammed, said the fire
consumed two blocks of
classrooms at the primary
school.
“Upon seeing the flames of the
fire at about 6:30 in the
morning, our men rushed to the
scene and met that part of the
school was burnt. We also met
the police team there. There was
no blast, but the police are
currently investigating the cause
of the fire.”
Also, the Police command’s
spokesman, Samuel Tizhe, an
Assistant Superintendent,
confirmed the attack. His words:
“We are, however, investigating
circumstances that prompted the
attacks on primary schools. Most
of the schools affected by the
assault were renovated
recently.”
In Bauchi State, three policemen
were killed when gunmen
attacked a new generation bank
in Jama’a Council area.
The attack which occurred at
9.00 pm claimed the lives of two
policemen on duty, while
another sustained injury and
currently receiving treatment at
an undisclosed hospital.
An eyewitness said gunshots
and loud explosion were heard
around 9pm, a situation which
caused pandemonium in the
area as people ran for safety.
The eyewitness who does not
want his name in print, said that
the gunshots which lasted for
one hour, caused panic in the
area, saying, “we all ran inside
the house and shut doors when
we heard the gunshots in order
not to be affected.”
A resident, Muktar Dan-Abba, said
that he saw bodies of two
policemen being taken away. A
third body was discovered
under the rubble of the burnt-
out station.
“The police station has been
burnt and three policemen were
killed,” he said. Another resident,
Usman Musa, said the police
station caught fire after several
explosions which also brought
down its roof.
“A bank was also burnt and its
vault emptied,” he added.
Members of the Islamist sect
Boko Haram, which has been
blamed for a wave of attacks
mainly in northern Nigeria, are
thought to rob banks to fund
their activities.
Speaking on the incident in a
telephone interview, the
Caretaker Chairman of Jama’are
Local Government Area, Alhaji
Adamu Aliyu Suleman, said he
had gone round the affected
areas to assess the situation,
saying a police station and old
generation bank were blown up
by the gunmen.
He said police bomb experts
detonated 12 explosives at the
premises of the affected bank,
saying “12 bombs were
detonated in my presence this
morning at the bank when I
went to ascertain the situation.
“We are ready to support the
security agencies to fish out the
culprit that committed such act in
order to ensure security of lives
and property in the area,”
Suleman said
When contacted on phone, the
state Police Commissioner,
Ikechukwu Aduba, who
confirmed the incident, assured
of giving more details later as he
was on his way back to Bauchi
from Jama’are where he had
gone to assess the situation.
school
•Sets classrooms ablaze
…Gunmen kill 3 cops in Bauchi
bank raid
From TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri
and PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi
Wednesday February 29, 2012
For the second time within a
week, Boko Haram attacked
another primary school in
Maiduguri, Borno State capital
yesterday, setting ablaze
classrooms and the headmaster’s
office. Three policemen were
killed in Bauchi when gunmen
attacked a bank and a police
station.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) said
that the fire was not caused by
an explosion. The body of a
middle-aged man was found
close to the school. There was no
official confirmation of the
victim’s identity by Press time.
Only last week, suspected Boko
Haram members made a botched
attempt at bombing Zajeri
Primary School in the outskirt of
Maiduguri. The incident occurred
when the sect attacked Baga
Market while on a reprisal
mission over one of its members
who was captured by traders in
the market.
Yesterday’s attack on Gomari
Costain Primary School was the
second of such in recent times
even as the Boko Haram claimed
responsibility of the earlier
attacks on schools. Spokesman to
the sect, Abul Qaqa, said the
group had attacked a primary
school at Abaganaram in the city
last Saturday, as a reprisal for the
“unjust raiding of our local
Islamiyya Quranic schools by the
JTF members,” alleging that
copies of Qur’an were mutilated.
“The attack and burning of that
school was a warning to
government to quickly caution
the JTF operatives to desist from
raiding our Quranic schools or
risk worst attacks,” said Qaqa.
JTF spokesman, Lt-Col. Hassan
Mohammed, said the fire
consumed two blocks of
classrooms at the primary
school.
“Upon seeing the flames of the
fire at about 6:30 in the
morning, our men rushed to the
scene and met that part of the
school was burnt. We also met
the police team there. There was
no blast, but the police are
currently investigating the cause
of the fire.”
Also, the Police command’s
spokesman, Samuel Tizhe, an
Assistant Superintendent,
confirmed the attack. His words:
“We are, however, investigating
circumstances that prompted the
attacks on primary schools. Most
of the schools affected by the
assault were renovated
recently.”
In Bauchi State, three policemen
were killed when gunmen
attacked a new generation bank
in Jama’a Council area.
The attack which occurred at
9.00 pm claimed the lives of two
policemen on duty, while
another sustained injury and
currently receiving treatment at
an undisclosed hospital.
An eyewitness said gunshots
and loud explosion were heard
around 9pm, a situation which
caused pandemonium in the
area as people ran for safety.
The eyewitness who does not
want his name in print, said that
the gunshots which lasted for
one hour, caused panic in the
area, saying, “we all ran inside
the house and shut doors when
we heard the gunshots in order
not to be affected.”
A resident, Muktar Dan-Abba, said
that he saw bodies of two
policemen being taken away. A
third body was discovered
under the rubble of the burnt-
out station.
“The police station has been
burnt and three policemen were
killed,” he said. Another resident,
Usman Musa, said the police
station caught fire after several
explosions which also brought
down its roof.
“A bank was also burnt and its
vault emptied,” he added.
Members of the Islamist sect
Boko Haram, which has been
blamed for a wave of attacks
mainly in northern Nigeria, are
thought to rob banks to fund
their activities.
Speaking on the incident in a
telephone interview, the
Caretaker Chairman of Jama’are
Local Government Area, Alhaji
Adamu Aliyu Suleman, said he
had gone round the affected
areas to assess the situation,
saying a police station and old
generation bank were blown up
by the gunmen.
He said police bomb experts
detonated 12 explosives at the
premises of the affected bank,
saying “12 bombs were
detonated in my presence this
morning at the bank when I
went to ascertain the situation.
“We are ready to support the
security agencies to fish out the
culprit that committed such act in
order to ensure security of lives
and property in the area,”
Suleman said
When contacted on phone, the
state Police Commissioner,
Ikechukwu Aduba, who
confirmed the incident, assured
of giving more details later as he
was on his way back to Bauchi
from Jama’are where he had
gone to assess the situation.
Ojukwu, Ikemba Ezeigbo Gburugburu
Ojukwu, Ikemba Ezeigbo Gburugburu.
Ogbuefi Ray Ifeme is a culture
enthusiast and a communication
expert. In this brief chat, he talks
about the best way to remember
Ojukwu and the cultural errors
already committed before
Ojukwu’s burial.
When and where did you meet
Ojukwu?
I was not in the Biafran Army
proper. But I met him in Uguta
when I went to visit my uncle,
who was in the Biafan Army.
Ojukwu was visiting them that
day. I went to him and paid
compliments. He said ‘small boy,
what are you doing here?’ I said
I wanted to fight and catch
Gowon. He laughed and said ‘you
won’t do it alone.’ He then
handed me over to Major
Udekwe of the Biafran
Organisation of Freedom
Fighters.
That was how I joined them. We
worked under Colonel Akonobi. I
was the one who brought the
late Oliver De coque to play
music for the boys.
After that initial meeting, did you
encounter Ojuwku any more?
When he came back from exile, I
was one of the first few people
that met with him after Igbo
traditional rulers gave him
Dikedioramma title. I was
opportuned to go and meet him
with Oliver. I was also going to
meet with him at his former
house in Enugu. It is very easy to
visit Ojukwu’s house without a
car. If you come with a car the
security men will question and
delay you but one thing I
noticed was that nobody came
there that he did not see.
You said earlier you have a
problem with the statement
made by Eze Ohazulike in Lagos
that it was Ojukwu that started
the concept of Eze Ndigbo in the
Diaspora. What is your problem
with that statement?
To start with Eze Ndigbo in the
Diaspora was alien to our people
initially. We used to have Igbo
leaders like the late Okonkwo
Kanu, taking charge of the North,
Ojukwu’s father was the overall
Igbo leader. It was Gowon that
created the concept of Eze
Ndigbo in the Diaspora. During
the war, he appointed one chief
Mba, popularly known as Mallam
Issa Mba, to take charge of the
North. He was called Seriki
Ndigbo. After the war, one Chief
Ogbunafor from Nawfia, a
popular hotel proprietor,
declared himself Eze Ndigbo in
Sokoto in 1976 or thereabout.
We also had Chief Nwalusi as
Ezeigbo in Kano. Nwalusi and
Okonkwo, who was Eze Ndigbo
in Katsina both took the title in
1980.
Ohazulike brought the institution
to the South-west. He brought
life to it, in fact, politicised it. He
formed the Association of Eze
Ndigbo in the Diaspora with Eze
Pampas of Minna as Secretary
General. You know that
Ilomuanya and his team fought
them over the matter, they said
they should not bear the name
Eze Ndigbo. Ohazuliike also
fought our traditional rulers
thereby making a mockery of
the institution
But he said it was the late
Ojukwu that endorsed Eze
Ndigbo?
Ojukwu never endorsed any
such concept. Since Ikemba died,
people have been saying all
kinds of things. The truth is that
Gowon is the original creator of
that concept. It was Ohazulike
who brought it to the Southwest.
Recently Eze Nri said he had
installed MASSOB leader as the
new Eze Igbo Gburugburu and
you said it was a wrong move.
Why did you say so?
Let me first say that I have
nothing against the MASSOB
leader. In fact, MASSOB has given
a voice to Igbo people. But I am
also a culture enthusiast and
leader of a cultural organisation.
For now, Uwazurike does not
need a title. What he needs is
support of the Igbos. Now Eze
Nri should not have installed him
because he never installed
ojukwu in the first place. It was
at a birthday party organised for
Ojukwu by Ohazulike that
Ohazulike pronounced Ojukwu
as Ezeigbo Gburugburu. On that
occasion Ohazulike said of all the
people bearing Ezeigbo, Ojukwu
was the greatest. That was how
Ezeigbo Gburugburu came into
being. I was there when it
happened.
I am not against anybody,
making Uwazurike
Ezegburugburu. I respect Eze Nri,
he is a highly respected royal
father. With due respect to him, I
am disappointed that he forgot
about our culture in this matter.
No where, especially in Igbo
land, do you appoint a successor
to a man, who has not been
buried. It is after the burial rites
that you install a successor. He
might have done it to stop any
other person from taking the
title but it is wrong in terms of
culture. I am the founder of
Omenanigbo Promoters
Association and our members
are not happy. They should have
waited for Ojukwu to be buried
first.
How do you want Ojukwu to be
remembered?
All we need to make him rest is
for Igbos to live in unity. But the
most important is for the Nigeria
to allow an Igbo person to
become the president of the
country. That way, Ojukwu will
rest in perfect peace.
Ogbuefi Ray Ifeme is a culture
enthusiast and a communication
expert. In this brief chat, he talks
about the best way to remember
Ojukwu and the cultural errors
already committed before
Ojukwu’s burial.
When and where did you meet
Ojukwu?
I was not in the Biafran Army
proper. But I met him in Uguta
when I went to visit my uncle,
who was in the Biafan Army.
Ojukwu was visiting them that
day. I went to him and paid
compliments. He said ‘small boy,
what are you doing here?’ I said
I wanted to fight and catch
Gowon. He laughed and said ‘you
won’t do it alone.’ He then
handed me over to Major
Udekwe of the Biafran
Organisation of Freedom
Fighters.
That was how I joined them. We
worked under Colonel Akonobi. I
was the one who brought the
late Oliver De coque to play
music for the boys.
After that initial meeting, did you
encounter Ojuwku any more?
When he came back from exile, I
was one of the first few people
that met with him after Igbo
traditional rulers gave him
Dikedioramma title. I was
opportuned to go and meet him
with Oliver. I was also going to
meet with him at his former
house in Enugu. It is very easy to
visit Ojukwu’s house without a
car. If you come with a car the
security men will question and
delay you but one thing I
noticed was that nobody came
there that he did not see.
You said earlier you have a
problem with the statement
made by Eze Ohazulike in Lagos
that it was Ojukwu that started
the concept of Eze Ndigbo in the
Diaspora. What is your problem
with that statement?
To start with Eze Ndigbo in the
Diaspora was alien to our people
initially. We used to have Igbo
leaders like the late Okonkwo
Kanu, taking charge of the North,
Ojukwu’s father was the overall
Igbo leader. It was Gowon that
created the concept of Eze
Ndigbo in the Diaspora. During
the war, he appointed one chief
Mba, popularly known as Mallam
Issa Mba, to take charge of the
North. He was called Seriki
Ndigbo. After the war, one Chief
Ogbunafor from Nawfia, a
popular hotel proprietor,
declared himself Eze Ndigbo in
Sokoto in 1976 or thereabout.
We also had Chief Nwalusi as
Ezeigbo in Kano. Nwalusi and
Okonkwo, who was Eze Ndigbo
in Katsina both took the title in
1980.
Ohazulike brought the institution
to the South-west. He brought
life to it, in fact, politicised it. He
formed the Association of Eze
Ndigbo in the Diaspora with Eze
Pampas of Minna as Secretary
General. You know that
Ilomuanya and his team fought
them over the matter, they said
they should not bear the name
Eze Ndigbo. Ohazuliike also
fought our traditional rulers
thereby making a mockery of
the institution
But he said it was the late
Ojukwu that endorsed Eze
Ndigbo?
Ojukwu never endorsed any
such concept. Since Ikemba died,
people have been saying all
kinds of things. The truth is that
Gowon is the original creator of
that concept. It was Ohazulike
who brought it to the Southwest.
Recently Eze Nri said he had
installed MASSOB leader as the
new Eze Igbo Gburugburu and
you said it was a wrong move.
Why did you say so?
Let me first say that I have
nothing against the MASSOB
leader. In fact, MASSOB has given
a voice to Igbo people. But I am
also a culture enthusiast and
leader of a cultural organisation.
For now, Uwazurike does not
need a title. What he needs is
support of the Igbos. Now Eze
Nri should not have installed him
because he never installed
ojukwu in the first place. It was
at a birthday party organised for
Ojukwu by Ohazulike that
Ohazulike pronounced Ojukwu
as Ezeigbo Gburugburu. On that
occasion Ohazulike said of all the
people bearing Ezeigbo, Ojukwu
was the greatest. That was how
Ezeigbo Gburugburu came into
being. I was there when it
happened.
I am not against anybody,
making Uwazurike
Ezegburugburu. I respect Eze Nri,
he is a highly respected royal
father. With due respect to him, I
am disappointed that he forgot
about our culture in this matter.
No where, especially in Igbo
land, do you appoint a successor
to a man, who has not been
buried. It is after the burial rites
that you install a successor. He
might have done it to stop any
other person from taking the
title but it is wrong in terms of
culture. I am the founder of
Omenanigbo Promoters
Association and our members
are not happy. They should have
waited for Ojukwu to be buried
first.
How do you want Ojukwu to be
remembered?
All we need to make him rest is
for Igbos to live in unity. But the
most important is for the Nigeria
to allow an Igbo person to
become the president of the
country. That way, Ojukwu will
rest in perfect peace.
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